Review: A Thief in the Night

A Thief in the Night by K.J. Charles and James Joseph, Ryan Laughton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Toby never meant to be a highway robber, but needs must. He didn’t plan to impersonate a top London valet either, but when the chance comes to present himself as the earl of Arvon’s new gentleman's gentleman, he grabs it. Unfortunately, the earl is the man he seduced and robbed on the road to get here. Oops.

Miles, Lord Arvon, is not impressed. But he’s faced with a tumbledown home and lost family fortune, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Toby—shameless, practical, and definitely desperate—may be just the man he needs.

To steal back a priceless bracelet, that is. What else were you thinking?

 
I always feel guilty after reading a KJ Charles novel. Or listening. Today, again. It is well written with good characters but just not my cuppa, and so I end up publishing an average rating. I miss longing, tension, hope, and choosing a path in life.
Often I buy KJC because I long for quality, which is not easy to find in MM romance.

One of the narrators was better than his colleague. I wished it was specified who narrates which character. 

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Review: Mister Bridesmaid

Mister Bridesmaid by Ivy Oliver and Stephen Dexter, Noah Michael Levine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I haven’t seen him in six years… now we’re married.

When my best friend asked me to serve as her Man of Honor, of course I said yes. A trip to Vegas for the week before her wedding and then on to the Florida Keys for the nuptials was an added bonus. The icing on the cake was her brother, Colt.
 

I liked it but was not overwhelmed. It was a bit slow, sometimes and several spoken sentences sounded unreal. I mean, who is screaming mad and comes up with an insult of 6 adjectives? About adjectives, regularly giving a list of characteristics is not the prettiest way of storytelling. And repeating several times "Something is wrong but I don't know what" needs a few examples to give the reader a feeling of suspension.
The light and patient tone Stephen Dexter chose, often got a bit sleepy. He performed a lot slower than the other narrator, which made me constantly tweak the speed. Noah M Levine tended to gloss over a lot of emotions as directed by the text.

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Review: Icecapade

Icecapade by Josh Lanyon and ~
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(Part of His For The Holidays Anthology)

On the eve of the new millennium, diamond thief Noel Snow seduced FBI special agent Robert Cuffe, then fled into the dawn. Now a successful novelist, Noel uses his capers as fodder for his books, and has modeled his hero's nemesis (and potential love interest) on Cuffe. Though he leaves Robert a drunken phone message every New Year's Eve, Noel hasn't seen or heard from him in a decade.

So he's thrilled when his former lover shows up at his upstate farm one Christmas Eve. Elation quickly turns to alarm when Robert accuses Noel of being responsible for a recent rash of diamond heists.

I had a hard time following the story in the beginning, when novel, past and present were mixed together. Icecapade was the best of the Anthology. Maybe even 4 stars, because I loved the hurt and longing. 

Narration was marvelous.

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Review: Nine Lights over Edinburgh

Nine Lights over Edinburgh by Harper Fox and ~
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(Part of His For The Holidays Anthology)

Detective Inspector James McBride is riding high on the belief that he's about to bust a human-trafficking ring. But just five days before Christmas, his unorthodox methods catch up with him and his world comes crashing down.

McBride tries to concentrate on his new day job as security for the visiting Israeli ambassador. He even starts to feel a renewed sense of self-worth when the leader of the Israeli team, the aristocratic Tobias Leitner, takes a bullet for him in the line of duty.

This was a police action story with two gay protagonists. The mentioning of Christmas was reduced to informing the reader how time passed. Narration was good. It had a strong vibe like 'Life After Joe', by the same author.

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Review: Foolish Puckboy

Foolish Puckboy by Eden Finley and Iggy Toma, Alexander Cendese
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

ALEKS
After my divorce, I’m ready to have fun, date around, and not get into anything serious. Then I meet Gabe Crosby, superhero firefighter and a disgrace to the Crosby name. He doesn’t even like hockey! Gabe turns me inside out and upside down in the best possible ways.

GABE
When I meet Aleksander Emerson during an emergency call-out, there are three things that catch my attention: his sexy tattoos, his kind eyes, and his drunken offer to have my babies. He’s new to Seattle and recently divorced, so I take him under my wing–and under my sheets. I’m showing him what the world of hookups is like, only those hookups turn into sleepovers and dates and public displays of jealousy.
 

I loved the humor in book #3 although the plot was not always believable. This next book had some funny moments and was more realistic but it did not grasp me. I was not captivated by the question of how they would solve their differences.
The narration was good.

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Review: Common Goal

Common Goal by Rachel Reid and Cooper North
My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

Veteran goaltender Eric Bennett has faced down some of the toughest shooters on the ice, but nothing prepared him for his latest challenge—life after hockey. It’s time to make some big changes, starting with finally dating men for the first time.

Graduate student Kyle Swift moved to New York nursing a broken heart. He’d sworn to find someone his own age to crush on (for once). Until he meets a gorgeous, distinguished silver fox hockey player. Despite their intense physical attraction, Kyle has no intention of getting emotionally involved.

So, I relistened this book to find out why it did not keep me focused, the first time. This is a so called 'slow burn' but there is no tension. For some reasons the protagonists decide not to make a move and that is it, for most of the book. I like to get offered a reason to finish a book. I mean, other than the question if the couple ends up together, which some authors make tantalizing, there is nothing here.

The narration was good but the sound quality eas not perfect. I regularly heard a low vibration buzzing underneath the low vowels. 

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Review: Racing for the Sun

Racing for the Sun by Amy Lane and Nick J. Russo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Staff Sergeant Jasper "Ace" Atchison takes one look at Private Sonny Daye and knows that every word on paper about him is pure, unadulterated bullshit. But Sonny is desperate, and although Ace isn't going to take him up on his offer of "anything," that doesn't mean he isn't tempted.

Instead, Ace takes Sonny under his wing, protecting him when they're in the service and making plans with him when they get out. Together, they're going to own a garage and build race cars and make their fortune hurtling faster than light across the desert.

I liked the love and care in this book and how protective Ace was. I kept reading because I wanted to know more about Sonny, nothing else was interesting.
The narrator did a great job.

But I will not relisten to this audiobook. The ending did not satisfy me because I believe the San Diego police can easily solve that crime. They can investigate the last race and investigate the pet. Ace's believe SDPD will not be interested because the victim was a criminal, does not match with his statement they have a 97% crime-solving rate.

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Review: Behind the Curtain

Behind the Curtain by Amy Lane and Hugh Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

Dawson Barnes recognizes his world is very small and very charmed. Running his community college theater like a petty god, he and his best friend, Benji know they'll succeed as stage techs after graduation. His father adores him, Benji would die for him, and Dawson never doubted the safety net of his family, even when life hit him below the belt. But nothing prepared him for falling on Jared Emory's head. Aloof dance superstar Jared is a sweet, vulnerable man and Dawson's life suits him like a fitted ballet slipper. They forge a long-distance romance from their love of the theater and the magic of Denny's. At first it's perfect: Dawson gets periodic visits and nookie from a gorgeous man who “gets” him—and Jared gets respite from the ultra-competitive world of dancing that almost consumed him.

There was nothing wrong with this audiobook. All characters were nice, even the immature Dawson,  and the only trouble in the relationship was Jared always leaving and risking injury. And that was not enough. You can't write hundreds of pages just letting the question hang out there, without tweaking the tension. The narration was so good it kept me listening.

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Review: Dissonance

Dissonance by Shira Anthony and Nick J. Russo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

British noble Cameron Sherrington has hit rock bottom. The love of his life, opera sensation Aiden Lind, is marrying another man, and Cam knows it’s his fault for pushing Aiden away. As if that’s not enough, someone is trying to take away his family business, and the US authorities are pursuing him on charges of money laundering. Desperate and betrayed by the people he thought cared about him, Cam takes refuge in the subway station where Galen Rusk plays his trumpet for tips.

 

The first part, where Cam is accused of money laundering, was captivating. After that, the focus changed to Galen and his issues and I just bided my time. This was no immersive novel, maybe caused by the third-person narration. I was not convinced by everything this story offered. Like, Cam being able to run a company and how easily he stepped over his mental health issues.
I chose this book based on the narrator, who did a good job, again. The sound was too harsh.

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Review: Crossing Borders

Crossing Borders by Z.A. Maxfield and Tobias Silversmith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tristan's got issues; he knows he does. He figures it's about time he makes some changes. He formulates a foolproof plan to get himself someone who can show him what he's been missing -- until who should crash his little adventure but Officer Michael Truax, the man who gave him a really expensive ticket for boarding without a helmet back when he was in high school.

Michael has been trying to catch Tristan for years...to give him a second ticket. Suddenly he's faced with his 'Sparky', all grown up -- and looking to get laid.

 

Nothing special but no annoyances. The narrator did the voices and speech well. All the other sentences were very bland and lacked expression.

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Review: Mistletoe at Midnight

Mistletoe at Midnight by L.B. Gregg and ~
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

(Part of His For The Holidays Anthology)

Owen McKenzie has traveled to Vermont to spend an old-fashioned Christmas with his family when he finds himself staying at the same inn as his first love.
Caleb is ready for a second chance with Owen and gets it when fate and the matchmaking McKenzies conspire to strand the two men in a rustic cabin during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve.

Mistletoe at Midnight was a run-of-the-mill, straightforward gay romance with a big family presence. The mother, unrealistic to me but a stereotype in American dime novels, often made me want to skip the rest of the story. The narrator was good but tended to lick his lips during pauses in the text. I noticed it every single time.

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Review: Prelude

Prelude by Shira Anthony and Peter B. Brooke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

 World-renowned conductor David Somers never wanted the investment firm he inherited from his domineering grandfather. He only wanted to be a composer. But no matter how he struggles, David can’t translate the music in his head into notes on paper.

When a guest violinist at the Chicago Symphony falls ill, David meets Alex Bishop, a last-minute substitute. Alex’s fame and outrageous tattoos fail to move David. Then Alex puts bow to string, and David hears the brilliance of Alex’s soul.

David has sworn off relationships, believing he will eventually drive away those he loves, or that he'll lose them as he lost his wife and parents. But Alex is outgoing, relaxed, and congenial—everything David is not—and soon makes dents in the armor around David's heart.

Why I marked this audiobook as 'to listen' and ignored all the others is a mystery. I liked how this romance depicted two convincing males. Not overly focused on feelings. No deep, well-worded conversations. And, refreshingly, no sex obsession. For MM romance that's quite unique.
The performance was adequate, with different voices and expressing the author's description. But in parts it felt flat, to me. The stinted, perfectionist David sounded exactly how he was supposed to sound. But Alex could have had more depth and warmth.
The sound quality was all right but I missed the low tones. It sounded quite harsh and unpleasant.

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Review: Winter of the Owl

Winter of the Owl by Iris Foxglove and Kris Antham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sava has the best house in all of Lukos. He built it himself, dreaming of the day when he and Milan, the man he loved, could live there and brave the harsh winters of Lukos together—only to be devastated when Milan was found dead in the spring. 

Victor is a scholar from Gerakia, a land known for its long summers and vibrant history, and he has never been more unprepared in his life. Abandoned on the inhospitable island of Lukos after a disastrous relationship, Victor has to adapt quickly to survive. Victor and Sava start to make a home together, growing close as snow falls outside, but the true danger of a Lukos winter is closer than they suspect...

 
I loved this MM romance and immediately bought audiobook #2.
The plot was quite simple and I did not care I could predict it. I wanted to keep listening because I cared about Victor's well-being. The writing was flawed in places. There were chapters where the author did not show but tell and at times the wording was in your face, where nuance would suffice.
The narrator was great at performing and voices but also not consistent. A few times he lost his inspiration and narrated like an enumeration, for a couple of sentences.

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Review: An Unnatural Vice

An Unnatural Vice by K.J. Charles and Matthew Lloyd Davies
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Crusading journalist Nathaniel Roy is determined to expose spiritualists who exploit the grief of bereaved and vulnerable people. First on his list is the so-called Seer of London, Justin Lazarus. Nathaniel expects him to be a cheap, heartless fraud. He doesn't expect to meet a man with a sinful smile and the eyes of a fallen angel - or that a shameless swindler will spark his desires for the first time in years.

Justin feels no remorse for the lies he spins during his séances. His gullible clients simply bore him. Hostile, disbelieving, utterly irresistible Nathaniel is a fascinating challenge.

But Justin and Nathaniel are linked by more than their fast-growing obsession with one another. They are both caught up in an aristocratic family's secrets, and Justin holds information that could be lethal.

 
Book 2 of 3.

Although this audiobook is a well-written story with complex characters, the story did not grasp me. In my opinion, this is a redundant volume between book #1 and #3, because mystery-wise not much changes, and romance-wise I was disappointed. There was too much talking and (as is common in more English historical romances) the lovers were more polite than passionate.
The narration was good.

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Review: The Front Runner

The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren and Christian Rummel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

In 1975, coach Harlan Brown is hiding from his past at an obscure New York college, after he was fired from Penn State University on suspicion of being gay. A tough, lonely ex-Marine of 39, Harlan has never allowed himself to love another man.

Then Billy Sive, a brilliant young runner, shows up on his doorstep. He and his two comrades, Vince Matti and Jacques LaFont, were just thrown off a major team for admitting they are gay. Harlan knows that, with proper training, Billy could go to the '76 Olympics in Montreal. He agrees to coach the three boys under strict conditions that thwart Billy's growing attraction for his mature but compelling mentor.

This is one of the LGBT novels I chose because it is a classic. It is compelling and stays with you for the rest of your life. The focus on gay rights and injustice made this audiobook a slightly depressing lesson in history. Personally, I would have liked a happy ever after. 

The narration was all right.

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Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz and Lil-Manuel Miranda
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dante can swim. Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself.

But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be.

Book 1 of 2.

Perfectly narrated and a compelling story about two gay boys. Nice young men, nice parents, some drama. Not a romance, for that is book 2. I noticed the language was beautiful and the characters wel developed and kind. But to me, it was a boring audiobook.

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Review: Men Under the Mistletoe

Men Under the Mistletoe by Josh Lanyon, Ava March Harper Fox K.A. Mitchell and ~
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It may be cold outside, but these four holiday novellas will warm you up.

• A man receives the gift of pleasure at the hands of two expert lovers. 

• Boyhood sweethearts get a second chance at romance.

• Two very proper gentlemen indulge their forbidden desires.

• And a Christmas-tree farmer has an epiphany. 

My True Love Gave To Me, by Ava March:
It might be too late for readers of this audiobook review, but you should avoid reading the blurb. It covers 50% of the novella and the following 50% of groveling got tedious fast.
I disliked the booming sound of this novella. Also, after every editorial cut, the volume changed. The narrator goes on my 'avoid' list, with his random pauses after every few words and lack of voices.

Winter Knights, by Harper Fox:
Beautiful story, marvelous narrator.

Lone Star, by Josh Lanyon:
Forgetable. Narration was all right but the edited sentences added at a later point, sounded different.

The Christmas Proposition by K.A. Mitchel was a nice gay romance although in the end I missed some emotion. I did not like the ending. Good narration.



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Review: Coming Out on Top

Coming Out on Top by Nora Phoenix and Kenneth Obi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Quentin is searching for…something. Most of all, he’s searching for a man who will let him be in charge, despite the fact that he looks like an elf.
But all that will have to wait because right now, he’s searching for shelter after getting stranded in the middle of nowhere, New York with a massive snowstorm about to hit. He finds an unexpected host in Mac, a man the whole town seems to hate. Mac has secrets…but so does Quentin.

I liked the characters but the story was average at best. What I never like is all drama coming from the secondary characters. The BDSM was laughable. The narration was good.

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Review: The Christmas Leap

The Christmas Leap by Keira Andrews and ~
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Will: I've never been with a man. Sure, I've thought about it. No one has any idea how curious I am about men—not even my openly bi best friend. Make that former best friend. Michael ghosted me, and I have no idea why.

Michael: It hurt like hell when I had to distance myself from Will. I’ve tried desperately to grow up and get over him, but my carefully constructed life just fell apart—and Will rushes to my rescue. Now we’re pretending to be a couple to impress his boss at a holiday retreat. 

       

I finished this audiobook and need compliments for that, I think. 

I do not get my friends gushing over this gay holiday romance. It just went on and on while neither the plot or the characters developed. Narration was good.

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Review: Lone Star

Lone Star by Josh Lanyon and ~
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Growing up in rural Texas, Mitchell Evans' ambition to be a dancer made him a target. Though he found success in New York City, Mitch is at a crossroads, and heads home for the first time in twelve years to figure things out. When what appears to be a reindeer jumps out in front of his car, he drives off the road and into the path of the one man he hoped to avoid.

The last person Texas Ranger Web Eisley expects to see four days before Christmas is his first love. He hasn't seen Mitch since they quarreled over coming out to their friends and family years ago. Though he's not in the closet now.

This audiobook was forgetable but nothing was wrong. Just an LGBTQ holiday romance as many others.

The narration was all right but the edited sentences added at a later point, sounded different.

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