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I’m not into angsty romances. I’ve got a lot of real angst in my life and, when I pick up a romance, I like to escape that. So although I really liked Ally Blue’s story The Burning Man (in the Kiss At Midnight anthology), I had decided that I wouldn’t buy Willow Bend. It was clear from the blurb that this book was filled with angst. I changed my mind the day I read an excerpt from the book -- not because it didn’t seem angsty, but because…well, because it was HOT. I’m not ashamed to admit that I bought this book based on a hot sex scene -- but that’s not why I’m recommending it. Premise: A year ago, Paul was involved in a car accident that killed his lover/partner, and the pain of that loss almost broke him. Now, he has moved away from his home in Spokane, Washington, in the hopes that he can begin again in small town South Carolina. One of the first people he meets is Cory, a waiter at a local restaurant. Their attraction is immediate and intense, but Cory has baggage of his own. He is working himself to the bone to care for the health of his ailing mother, and really doesn’t have time for a relationship. What I liked as a reader: I loved both of these guys. What great characters! Their relationship was beautiful and sweet. I get so tired of romances where the men seem like they have something to prove -- or maybe the writers have something to prove? -- and it was a joy to see these two strong, sexy, caring characters come together. Is there angst? Yes, but it is a beautiful counterpart to the relationship, and the individual struggles and losses that these men endure help us to understand them better and love them more. What I liked as a writer: Ally Blue writes really hot sex scenes. It was one of the first things that struck me when I read The Burning Man, and Willow Bend was no less hot. There is an element of pure masculine sensuality -- I don’t know how else to describe it -- that Blue adds which makes the scenes not only super sexy, but also touchingly intimate. That’s the trick -- to make the sex more than insert Tab A into Slot B. To make you feel like it’s special. A wonderful, beautiful book. I’m so glad I bought it. [posted 5/2/2006]
One of the cool things about writing for Loose Id is that, occasionally, we’re sent books to review before they’re available for sale. This is nice for a couple of reasons: First, it’s a free book -- always a good thing -- and second, it’s not a book I picked out. While it’s always good to try new authors, I’ve been burned in the past and I’m not always as adventurous as I should be. Before The Biggest Kahuna arrived in my box, I had never read anything by Ciar Cullen. I’ll be looking for her books from now on. Premise: Nikita has just moved to Hawaii where her brother operates a small, local bar with his wife. Kalahiki owns the bar, and it is not long before the two meet. Still feeling tender a year after a divorce from her cheating ex-husband, Nikki is not looking to meet a man. But Kal isn’t an ordinary man -- he is the old, and mostly forgotten, Shark God, who lives with his sister, Pele, Goddess of the Volcanoes. Kal had long ago given up hope of having a serious relationship because, as a god, he is doomed to outlive his mortal lovers. But if she loves him enough, Nikita may be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to be with him -- to take the walk of fire. What I liked as a reader: There are so many fascinating folklore traditions out there and it gets a little boring to see people dipping into the same wells -- Greek/Roman or Celtic mythology, for example -- every time. Yay, for creativity! I lived on the Big Island of Hawaii for three years, and I was thrilled that Cullen had captured the spirit of the paradise so well. This was not about the tourist’s Hawaii, and the language was written by someone who is familiar with the local-speak. Also, this story is sweet. Really sweet. At one point, Nikita says she feels like she’s stuck in a “wacky Cary Grant movie” -- the book really has that feel to it. Kal is old, and he doesn’t do things the way a “modern” man would -- it’s very touching. And last, but certainly not least, it’s hot. What I liked as a writer: I like to see writers trying new things. Cullen not only used a mythology that is often ignored, but she also took great care with the unique setting and culture of Hawaii. Her writing really took you to a different time, a different place. The Biggest Kahuna was a real pleasure to read. [posted 5/9/2006]
Stephanie Vaughan is the author of a couple of my favorite m/m erotic romances: Jumping the Fence and Crossing the Line. (I recommended JTF in October, and I’ll write a recommendation for CTL soon. I love those books.) Just to be thorough, and because quality writing is not genre specific, I decided to check out her m/f stuff. Dead Man’s Party, the first of the Sierra Secrets books, was good, but Cruel to be Kind pretty much blew me away. Premise: Megan seems like your average single gal living in small town California, but she’s got a secret: She likes to sexually dominate her partner. Steve sees himself as your average single guy, until he meets Megan. She opens his eyes to a whole new side of himself, and a whole new world of pleasure. Though the two complete each other in ways they never could have imagined, Steve’s struggle to deal with the social ramifications of a relationship with Megan, and Megan’s fear of a rejection she is sure will break her, threaten their happiness. What I liked as a reader: Hot. Really hot. And how refreshingly unexpected. A Domina who doesn’t walk around all day in leather, brandishing a riding crop? Megan is a fantastic character: strong, but vulnerable -- and not afraid of either part of herself. Before I started reading, I was a little worried that it would be hard to get into a story about a male sub. One of the great things about these characters is that they aren’t cookie-cutter -- nothing is simple. It is the fact that Steve is not a simple sub that attracts Megan. It is his complexity that makes him so special. What I liked as a writer: Vaughan has an amazing gift for writing character. It was one of the first things I noticed when I read Jumping the Fence, and she has continued to impress me in every book since. I’m not sure how she manages create the sense that these are real people on paper, but the result is characters who are full and complex, perfectly flawed, and beautifully compelling. Major writers’ envy every time. I think it’s time for me to read this one again. J [posted 5/17/2006]
I woke up at 4:00 a.m., as usual, and realized it was Tuesday -- new release day at Loose Id. I cruised on over to the website -- just to look, of course -- and saw The Sculptor’s Muse. The cover caught my eye -- isn’t it beautiful? -- as did the name of the author, so I decided to buy it. And I had time to read a few pages before I started getting the kids up for school, right? I dove in, eagerly, and only resurfaced after I had read the last page. (The kids missed their school bus.) Premise: Karl is an artist who has recently lost his vision due to a sudden and destructive virus. Clarius is a muse who feels drained after serving for so long, and who now longs for death or “the void”. However, Clarius decides to take Karl’s case and, from the very beginning, realizes there is something different about this man. Muses are not allowed to alert mortals to their presence, or to the existences of muses in general, but somehow Karl senses that Clarius is near, and tips the muse's safe, ordered world on its end. What I liked as a reader: I have enjoyed reading all of Emily Veinglory’s other books; she tends to write a little dark, a little edgy. What I really liked about The Sculptor’s Muse was that it was sweet. Maybe it was the nature of Clarius’ character, and the fact that this was his story, that made it gentler. I’m not sure. I also loved Karl -- the fact that he wasn’t bitter, and that his blindness allowed him to see things that had been missing in his life before. Each character had reason to believe they had nothing to offer, but had exactly what the other needed. Have I mentioned that it was hot? *sigh* I’m a sucker for hot and sweet. What I liked as a writer: I find that often writers get stuck, writing different stories with the same sound, over and over. It’s sometimes comforting, as a reader, to pick up a book and know exactly what to expect; but it can get boring. I love it when authors surprise me. I love it when an author tries something different, and it works. The Sculptor’s Muse worked beautifully. A very good read. [posted 5/23/2006]
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