Lynn Lorenz (1)Reseñas

Tor was chosen for me as my October 2013 ‘Dusty Bookshelf Challenge’ over at the Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Fanatics group. The story is told in third person through the eyes of both Tor and Sky.



Tor is the story of a slave werewolf and his slave boy mate, Sky. Tor is a fighting werewolf in the Werewolf Fight League. When a wolf fights he defends his mate in the cage against a challenger that can claim the slave mate if the defender loses. This part is spoilerish but is important to the rest of the story. Tor’s mate, Jin, is claimed then killed in the ring by Cosack, an insane werewolf challenger. I found this scene to be heartbreaking. So if you are bothered by scenes such as this, then you can skip the first chapter and still be able to understand the story if you do. Tor loses his desire to live after what happens to Jin, but Marrack, Tor’s owner insists he fight again and purchases a beautiful, virgin slave boy named Sky, for Tor to mate with.

Sky has been raised in a brothel and taught numerous ways to seduce and pleasure a partner. But because of his beauty at night he’s been kept separate, away from the other boys and isn’t allowed to lose his virginity. Because of Sky’s enforced isolation, he never feels a part of the group of boys he lives with. He longs for companionship and someone to love and care for him. I think that Sky’s isolation leads him to believe he is undesired and unlovable. The only thing Sky believes about himself is that he is beautiful. So when Sky meets and eventually mates with Tor, he tries very hard to get Tor to return to the ring, for reasons of his own. But Sky also continually compares himself to Jin because Tor loved Jin so much and he wants Tor to love him also. Sky feels unworthy as the mate of a werewolf. It turns out that Sky is quite smart, a bit of a brat and headstrong. These in the end turn out to be great assets in helping unravel what happened to Tor and Jin the last time they fought together.

I really enjoyed Sky and Tor as a couple and I think they are one of my new favorite pairings. Tor is the Alpha male to Sky’s submissive. The sex scenes sometime contain mild BDSM like bondage and tease and denial. There were also a couple scenes of bestiality where Tor is in werewolf form as he pleasures Sky. I also enjoyed the secondary characters that were friends of Tor’s, Ashland, another werewolf and Stolz, Ashland’s owner/trainer.

I like the way the mate bond was handled by the author, it was different from the other werewolf shifter stories I’ve read. In most shifter stories the shifter can smell their potential mate when they meet them or if the potential mate has been in the area. In Tor that’s not the case. Werewolves are given a slave boy/girl as a potential mate. The werewolves mate with the slave boy/girl and from that point on a bond is created between the two. If one slave boy/girl dies the werewolf can take another slave as his mate, or if the werewolf loses in the fight ring the winning wolf can claim the mate and is now the new mate of the loser’s slave. It’s a refreshing take on the mating behavior of werewolf shifters.

Speaking of wolf form, I wondered why, if Tor is blonde in his human form, he turns into a black wolf when he’s shifted. I wish the author had given an explanation for that. In fact there are a lot of things that go unexplained in this book. One of things that bothered me was the way the werewolves found mates. Clearly if they mate with a slave boy/girl, that person becomes their mate. But I’m sure the werewolves had sex before they ever had their first mate. I can’t imagine them being virgins. So why didn’t the werewolves bond with the others they had sex with? Was it because the werewolves only had sex with other werewolves and werewolves don’t bond with others of their kind, only with human mates? For example here is what Ashland says at one point in the story after Sky gives Tor a blowjob in the cage after practice:

”You could always try your hand in the cage, like you were saying,” Tor said. “You could win one.”
Ashland shook his head. “No, that’s all just talk. I’m not meant for the cages. Stoltz only lets me spar, and that works for me. Guess, I’m just used to getting it whenever and wherever I can.”

So if Ashland gets sex whenever and wherever he wants and having sex is the way to claim a mate, how come Ashland didn’t claim the first human/were he had sex with? There has got to be something that keeps a were from bonding with every human/were they have sex with. What is it that makes one specific human/were their mate if it’s done by choice, rather than a fated-pairing like in the majority of shifter stories? This area, I think, really needs to fleshed out and clarified in the story since its way too vague.

The author switched povs with chapter changes or with paragraph separators. But there were way too many spots where it’s obvious that the author switched povs in the middle of a scene or had the readers jumping around from pov to pov and it’s rather annoying. For instance this scene which started out in Tor’s pov but switched back and forth with Sky’s to finally end up in Sky’s pov after a few pages:

Tor knew it was a mistake. Everything inside him fought against it, but he didn’t know any other way.
“Well, if we’re going to do this, I’m going to have to f*** you,” Tor said.
Sky swallowed and nodded as he gazed up at Tor, hoping he didn’t see the fear in Sky’s eyes. In response, Sky’s hole tightened, and he flattened against the wall. Despite his fear, his cock stiffened.

This section is set up as looking through Tor’s eyes. Which is great, until we get to the point of Sky’s hole tightening. Now, how does Tor know this? Especially if Sky’s back is to the wall. I can understand backing up against the wall as an indication of fear and that could still be from Tor’s pov as he watches Sky, but the other part Tor wouldn’t know about. It’s something that Sky felt, which means we’re now feeling from Sky’s pov. There is another scene soon after where it rapidly switches over to Sky’s pov again and then back to Tor’s. This sort of whiplash pulls me out of the story enough so that I notice it and then mention it in a review. It’s that obvious.

A lot of questions go unanswered in this book. Questions I would like to see answered in future books:
1. How did the wolf shifters become slaves?
2. Did shifters exist on the planet alongside of humans, or was it a shifter planet that was invaded by humans and shifters taken as slaves?
3. How did the Fight League start?
4. Are there any female wolf shifters?
5. Why aren’t male wolf shifters mated to other wolf shifters? They appear to be mated to humans only.
6. If all the shifters have to do is f**k a human for them to become mates, then how come the shifters never became mates with the humans they f**ked before they acquired a mate?
7. Did shifters only have sex with other wolf shifters so they wouldn’t bond as mates until they either won a fight or were given a mate?
8. What happened to wolves that lost fights and their mates? Did they die of broken hearts? Were they sold for slave labor?

Tor is more of a romance story between Tor and Sky rather than an in depth look into the Werewolf Fight League. I like romantic stories so this worked for me. But on the other hand, I think this story would have been much more interesting if the author had given more background into pretty much everything I listed above. There were just way too many plot holes for me. The main thing that bothered me though, was the frequent head jumping as the pov switched from Tor to Sky and back again without any real rhyme or reason. The story would have flowed much better if the author had been careful about the pov changes and had them occur at specific times rather than at random. The changes are what annoyed me the most so that I can only give Tor 3 stars. However, I would probably read the continuation of the series, just because the characters were enjoyable.

I have to say this. I Loved this book. I liked the two before this one. But this one struck a cord somewhere. I'm young but I hope that when I'm an elderly lady I'll still have a love life. Even if my environment thinks it's silly. This book gave me the hope that it can happen.

3.5 stars

I liked it although longer would have been better; it felt a bit rushed.

Role-play. Lots of sex. Sometimes that's just what you need!

This was a surprisingly emotional read for me. Gah...Ricky just about broke me heart with his internal dialogue. Loved these guys and wouldn't mind a revisit at some point to see how they are faring!

Emotional involvement, be it for a personal decision or a professional one, can be very risky. Chad found out about the personal consequences - loneliness - when he decided not to call Jeff, the boy he first kissed at summer camp. When Jeff turns up in Chad’s ER years later, Chad faces a professional dilemma that, were it not for his past with Jeff, would be nonexistent. Given Chad’s reaction to seeing Jeff again, a man he never forgot and clearly still has feelings for, I can see why he does what looks like total insanity. The fact that Chad’s action is shortsighted, has all kinds of consequences, and hurts Jeff yet again is the basis for renewed contact between two men who should have been together in the first place – except Chad wasn’t ready to face the truth back then.

Jeff is shocked to see Chad again, as the doctor who saved his life and is in charge of his recovery, no less. Chad broke his heart, and now he has decided to waltz right back into Jeff’s life and take over. Jeff is justifiably angry about that, but the anger and pain from years ago make everything so much worse. But he is also all alone, since his parents died, and he may vehemently deny his emotional attraction to Chad, but it is very, very strong.

Chad is in trouble for more than one reason. First, getting emotionally involved with a patient is highly unethical. Second, lying about his relationship to Jeff is borderline criminal. And third, how the heck is that supposed to lessen Chad’s guilt over leaving Jeff in the first place? Quite clearly, Chad is not rational about any of this, and that makes him very human. What he does is wrong, but why he does it? I can certainly see where he is coming from.

With two characters this emotionally torn up about their past, the deep feelings they still have for each other, and the difficult current situation they find themselves in, this novella is explosive. It is also very intense, and even though it is short in the number of pages it contains, I found it to be very engaging, carefully plotted, and about as nerve-wrecking as it is sweet.

If you like to see men getting a second chance at love, if you want flawed characters with real issues who make real-world mistakes, and if you’re looking for a read that might just pull you in and not let you go until the end, then you will probably like this novella as much as I do.


NOTE: This book was provided by Hartwood Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

This is a werewolf story with a slightly different plot, but having werewolves as professional fighters, somewhere in the future, actually makes a weird kind of sense. With the way sports are going, and professional wrestling is already fairly big in certain circles, I can see how ‘discovering’ werewolves might lead to them being used for ‘entertainment’. It is also a brutal story, right from the very start. This vision of the future is a very harsh world, reminding me of what Roman gladiators must have gone through, only worse. It is definitely not for the fainthearted.

Tor may be a champion and adored by his fans, but he is only a slave. Not only exposed to his owner’s whims, but to the cruel reality of the fight ring, his life is not his to live. Within the first few pages he suffers more than enough for a lifetime, and I have no idea how he found the courage and energy to go on. I guess he didn’t have a choice, but still. Amazingly enough he does recover physically, and his ‘new mate’, as presented to him by Marrack, his owner, is now supposed to get him to fight again. You can imagine how Tor feels about that.

Sky is in an extremely difficult situation. He was raised to be a pleasure slave and doesn’t expect much from life, but when Marrack promises him his freedom if he gets Tor to fight again, he decides to do his best. And he is good! But when his heart gets involved, he is in trouble. He cannot imagine losing Tor, but can he continue to live as a slave?

This story is brutal. Not just because of the violence in the ring, but because of the emotional pain and anguish both characters go through. The author does not shirk back from making this awful situation very realistic. Unfortunately, I can see humans being cruel enough it might come to something like this. Whenever money is involved, you just cannot tel. If you are looking for a sweet romance or an entertaining read, this is not it. But if you want a gritty vision of a somewhat nightmarish future that feels all too real, combined with a very touching love story, you might like this novel. It is not an easy read, but well worth it if you’re looking for emotional depth and an unusual storyline.



NOTE: This book was provided by Loose Id for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

This is a great story, with a lot of humor, some wonderful vibes between the characters, and perfect pacing and energy. Ricky and Dirk jumped off the pages and became real in my mind as I read about their meeting and being drawn together. They’re very different, but like magnets of opposite poles, they are inexorably pulled together.

Ricky is a brat. He lives to antagonize people, start fights, and get in trouble. Somehow he always escapes, until this one time when it looks really bad for him. He has no home to speak of (Dirk calls his "apartment" a crack hole, and that's certainly what it sounds like), and nobody who cares about him. On the streets since he was sixteen, eight years of loneliness have taught him how to defend himself, but the one thing he wants most is missing: someone to care about him.

Dirk is an ex-Marine who is trying to adapt to civilian life. He is fierce, protects what is his, and runs into Ricky by sheer coincidence. Something calls to him, but he doesn’t do relationships or vulnerable. What he does do is protect those who need it, and, from the looks of it, Ricky definitely needs some help. Dirk also wants more, but he wants Ricky to be the one to ask.

If you like stories about a white knight riding in to save a guy in trouble, if you enjoy stories about men who are at opposite ends of the spectrum and make you wonder what could possibly make them stay together, and if you're looking for a read that will pull your heartstrings as it delivers a great mix of hot passion and hope there is someone out there for everyone, then you will probably like this free short story.

As much as we all learn that lying is bad, and maybe even believe that lying would be impossible in an ideal world, the truth is that we all depend on so-called "little white lies". Sometimes we use them not to hurt someone else, sometimes to protect our own pride, but we all use them. "Truth or Lie" is about Anthony, a man who can detect lies, and his problems finding a partner. He hasn't been very successful - for obvious reasons - until he meets Travis, and it was fascinating to see the two of them come together and figure out their relationship.

Anthony is a teacher, and he calls his superpower a relationship killer. But when he meets Travis, the father of Rusty, one of his students, it looks as though things might be looking up. Travis is a firefighter and honorable to the core - he is one of the few people who will not only always be honest, but who is also be able to put others' interests ahead of his own. In this case, it's his nephew's well-being that is at stake - Rusty has lost his dad and Travis is his new male role model. Travis steps into Rusty's life with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of loving care that had me very, very impressed.

Anthony and Travis are super cute together, and I was rooting for them the whole way. If you like your romances sweet and with only a tiny touch of drama, then you will probably like this novella as much as I do.


NOTE: This book was provided by Hartwood Publishing for the purpose of a review.

As intense as 'Tor', the first book in the world of the WereWolf Fight League, or WWFL, was, this second one adds a somewhat different angle – and that made it almost more gripping for me. Tor and Jin in book one are both slaves (who reappear here), and their love faces the challenges and constant threats of any fighting werewolf: if Tor loses, Jin goes to the challenger. And when he does and dies, watching Tor deal with it and find love again with Sky was heartbreaking enough. In this second volume, Dan, a master, and his new slave Ashland face the fact there are feelings between them. Not a problem, you say? Well, it is an issue because Ashland has been horribly abused by his previous master, and Dan swears he will never touch him sexually.

Dan is a principled man who has just started out his own business, providing sparring partners for the fighters so they can train. Ashland is his first slave. Dan is not in favor of the slave system, but there are too many economic interests tied up in it for any one man to stand a chance going up against it. Within that framework, he does what he can to keep Ashland as comfortable as possible. Having sex with a man who has no choice but to obey (since even raping a slave is legal) is not on Dan's to do list. He is, however, extremely attracted to Ashland and ends up fighting his feelings with everything in him.

Ashland broke my heart. He's had nothing but abuse in his life, separated from his mother at three months of age and trained to fight in horrible conditions. The owner who lost him because he wasn't able to pay his taxes was too cruel for words, and Ashland assumes everyone is like that. He has absolutely no hope it will get better. All he dreams about is enough food (the previous guy tried to starve him), and maybe some decent accommodations. Dan's treatment floors him. Every little thing Dan does for him is a surprise, and he is so grateful that he embarrasses Dan. After a while he gives up on his fantasy of Dan loving him back, deciding he's just not worth it. That and many of the tender scenes between the two men made me cry!

It takes the threat of Ashland having to return to the previous owner for Dan to admit his feelings, but by then it might be too late. The tension ratchets up to almost unbearable levels, and the desperation both men feel had me almost hyperventilating. Absolutely stunning! If you are looking for a sweet romance or an entertaining read, this is not it. But if you're ready to be put through an emotional wringer, making for a very touching, if somewhat gritty, love story, you might like this novel. It is so worth it if you’re looking for emotional depth and an unusual storyline.


NOTE: This book was provided by Loose Id for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

This is a super-short story about two men who have each been hurt by previous BDSM relationships. Kit has lost his sir, who was an a** as far as I can tell, and did not deserve to be called sir. To add insult to injury, Kit is left to Geoff in the dead sir's will. Geoff has been hut by a previous boy stealing from him, and isn't ready to start a new relationship. Yet he does, after a very short time (a day), and that really shocked me.

I can see the beginnings of something good here, a potential for more, and I liked Kit a lot. Geoff - not so much. For a supposedly strong Dom he has amazingly weak willpower. Personally, I think these two need to stick to kinky sex for a while and leave all the talk of "training" and 24/7 until they know each other a lot better...

A nice, quick read with some hot, kinky action.

This second book in the 'Doms of the Chambers' series is s cute short story about a very loving couple. Harlan is an older Dom, and he has seen Kit "given away" by his a** of a previous Dom (see book one). Harlan is determined that will never happen to Robby, his boy, and he sets abut making it a reality. Harlan and Robby are very loving together, and I liked their interaction, The level of trust needed for a good D/s relationship is clearly there, but they are also lovers.

The perfect combination if you're looking for a quick, sweet read with some hot & kinky action.

David’s dilemma is one a lot of people share: how to deal with an elderly parent who has dementia or Alzheimer’s while still having a life – social, personal, or otherwise. And, ultimately, whether (and when) is the right time to move his father to an institution because it is not safe for the older man to live without 24/7 supervision and care. Lynn Lorenz describes this conundrum with brutal honesty, incredible sensitivity, and makes no bones about the dangers of leaving this decision for too long. As a result, ‘David’s Dilemma’ is a fantastic book and one I recommend everyone with an elderly parent read – if for no other reason than to see they are not alone.

David has to deal with a lot. Yes, he has a good job as a landscape designer that he loves and makes enough money to afford a house and to take care of his elderly father. But what he does not have is a personal life. Part of the issue is the sheer lack of time, but then there is his father’s homophobia – and that is bad enough that even the mention of a date with a man makes the old man angry enough to risk a stroke. David has not been looking for Mr. Right, but when he needs a detective’s help to find his father after the old man wandered off, the two men meet and hit it off.

Travis is a detective and used to seeing the worst of humankind. His ex is fifteen years younger and cheated on him, so Travis is willing to try something else. He longs for companionship and love, but he also knows that being a cop’s partner is challenging and not many are ready to accept the consequences of him risking his life on a regular basis. Meeting David makes Travis realize he is interested in a man who is about his age, a new situation for him, but he has no idea if they can ever become more than friends.

David and Travis start off as friends. Between regular calls, long discussions, and compatibility across the line, they both soon want more. But David still has his father to deal with, Travis still has a dangerous job, and to make matters worse, other obstacles start popping up. I was so hoping they’d manage to find a way to be together, but it looked less than likely for the longest time. Way to keep me in suspense!

If you enjoy stories that appeal because of their honesty when dealing with issues around aging, if you want to see two men who seem like unlikely partners make a go of it, and if you’re looking for a gripping emotional drama with a touch of suspense, real men with real problems, and a friendship that gradually grows into love, then you will probably like this novella as much as I do. It’s got great characters and some twists and turns that might just surprise you.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s Waffles and Wings
This is a very sweet, very touching story about two men who have nothing in terms of material goods, but find they have everything when they open up to each other emotionally. Post-Katrina New Orleans is a fascinating, sometimes sad, and essential backdrop to their unfolding romance. Add to this a cast of great secondary characters and some very real threats to their physical security, and I ended up sinking into their world and not emerging until I had read the final sentence.

Scott came to New Orleans because he couldn't stand life in a small Louisiana town any longer. He managed to survive Katrina, and while he still lives in a homeless shelter, he has a job as a waiter and is slowly building a life for himself. When he gets mugged, then rescued by Tony, only to have him steal his money anyway, he is disappointed, but knowing he will earn tip money to help him survive has him a lot less tense than expected. I could still sense how close he was to the days when having five dollars stolen would have been a total catastrophe, and I was happy for Scott that he was beyond that stage. Not that his life is easy, but it's not impossible any longer.

Tony is a different case. He is still struggling, without a job, and only an abandoned house (no electricity, just cold water) to squat in for shelter. He has almost no money, no job, and while he likes Scott on sight, he is too desperate for something to eat not to take the guy's money. Until his conscience rears its ugly head and he has second thoughts. I loved how he figures out how to earn some money himself by helping to unload trucks at the farmer's market, and how he then returns the stolen amount to Scott. Very touching and a great beginning to a quickly unfolding romance.

If you like stories about men who remake themselves despite major hardship, if you enjoy reading about love blossoming in the struggling remains of a great city, and if you're looking for a touching romance that might make you smile, then you will probably like this short novella.


Charlie’s Mission
‘Charlie’s Mission’ tells the story of one of the secondary characters in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s Waffles and Wings’ – and Charlie having been somewhat abrasive and mysterious in that book, I was very curious to find out more about him. As it turns out he has had an even rougher past than Scott and Tony, but his struggles to fix his life are beginning to pay off. One thing he never expected is a personal relationship, so when he runs into Devon, who is extremely secretive, it’s not exactly romance at first sight. All the obstacles both men face, however, made the story all the more interesting and very touching.

Charlie used to be a drug addict, and his substance abuse caused grave consequences, prison time, and explains Charlie’s determination to pay for his sins. Working at a homeless shelter is his way of trying to atone for what he has done, and I think it’s perfectly understandable that he is hesitant about letting anyone close. There is a lot of fear about what they will think, but Charlie is also convinced he does not deserve any happiness. This made me sad, but I could see where he is coming from.

Devon is a different case. He is busy keeping drug dealers out of his neighborhood and he is doing a good job, but while he appears to be one thing, there is also a definite air of mystery around him as to the why and how. I can’t say too much about him because, while I suspected early on what was happening, his intentions are a big part of the initial issues between him and Charlie and the reveal of what’s going on plays a role in the development of their relationship.

If you like stories about men who struggle to make themselves, and the world, a better place, if you think everyone who regrets what they have done and works hard deserves a second chance, and if you’re looking for a touching story abut redemption and finding love in unexpected places, then you will probably like this story as much as I do. I love how it shows that, sometimes, hardship brings out the best in people.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

Paranormal, Futuristic

Tor is a champion fighter in the Werewolf Fight League. Though to his master he is just a slave. When Tor’s mate is killed in a cage fight that proves exceptionally brutal Tor loses his will to fight ever again. His master, Marrack has other ideas on the subject.

Sky is a young sex slave that has been trained to please whoever buys him. Sky is very special in that he is still a virgin and the one that ultimately owns him is going to be very lucky.

Marrack buys Sky for Tor in the first step of his plan to get Tor back into the cage. As Marrack plan is set into motion Marrack has just one month to get Tor back in shape and ready for fighting again. Can Tor resist mating with Sky? Everything is depending on Tor – his reputation, Marrack’s money and Sky’s chance at freedom.

Tor just might find love again with Sky but then he might end up with a betrayal that he won’t be able to recover from.

This story mixes the ancient concept of gladiators and throws in ultimate fighters, werewolves and puts it into a futuristic world. It is a mix that makes for an amazing plot line that is sure to please readers of this genre. It is m/m and while that might not be for some readers those that do enjoy this genre will find themselves pulled into a story that will keep them turning the pages to find out what happens next. It will also have them wanting to read the next book in this series.½

3.5 stars.

Jake McCallan is the alpha male of his pack. His pack isn’t very large but yet he takes his role quite seriously. He also runs the family business which is the local lumber mill in town.

Trey McCallan is the younger brother and the black sheep of the family. He thinks that he deserves everything on a silver platter and it doesn’t matter how it got there either. Trey thinks that his brother and mom have been put on this earth to clean up his messes.

Rebecca Miller had a little boy named Benjamin about a month ago. She is a single parent but loves every minute she spends with her son. Her parents won’t speak to her because they think she has shamed them by having a baby on her own.

Rebecca met Trey at a local bar about a year ago. He didn’t make a great first impression on her but she ended up sleeping with him. The only problem is that she can’t remember doing it. Trey drugged Rebecca with a date rape drug and ended up getting her pregnant. Rebecca let Trey know that Benjamin came out of their union but she doesn’t want anything from him what so ever. Trey being Trey wants his brother to take care of the problem but instead of relying on him to, he pays a man to do it for him. Jake meets Rebecca and her son but instead of wanting to fix Trey’s newest problem, he wants to mate with her. The pull is just as hard for Rebecca and when she finds out what Jake is and what her son will grow to be, she runs. When Rebecca’s life is in peril, Jake takes matters into his own hands and handles it the only way he knows how. He becomes an alpha and takes her.

McCallan’s Blood by Lynn Lorenz was in a nutshell, an awesome read. You have the relationship between the two brothers where the oldest wants to take care of the younger sibling. When Rebecca is added to the mix with these two brothers, she just makes the tension that much worse. The sexual tension between Jake and Rebecca was intense but also quite romantic. Jake is the perfect man because he has that sensitive side with Benjamin but also has that alpha side that he brings out with Rebecca in bed. What more could a woman want?

Bitten by Books for AReCafe

Locke and Blade is a creative and unusual blend of fantasy and police procedural genres with an irresistible hint of comedy. At 27,000 words, it is the perfect length to polish off within a day-long enough to involve the reader emotionally, and short enough to fit into anyone’s busy reading schedule. The action takes place in a fantasy world reminiscent of Victorian England, which has perhaps developed within an alternate dimension from our own. Order is maintained by an overly civilized police force of magic users who are becoming increasingly overwhelmed by the grittier criminal element. Clearly, they need a badass individual to teach them how to meld hand-to-hand combat with wizardry to fight crime, and Locke is their man. However, this sets him at odds with his new by-the-book partner Blade. The two cops’ initial animosity and sexual chemistry should please readers who crave the enemies-to-lovers theme.

The story opens with Locke, whose reputation is undeservedly in tatters, reporting to his next precinct after being dismissed from his last post. His new commanding officer is sympathetic, but Locke can’t stand his new partner Blade. However, the two must get started, solving a shocking new crime. Meanwhile, their mutual attraction threatens to destroy their working relationship.

~ Val from AReCafe

A gay romance reading list pick by Val for AReCafe.

3.75 Stars A tale of finding love in the toughest of time.

A man searching for his hero while another need to protect and care. Perfect partnership.

Liked this one till one of the last scenes, which I felt was just a little unnecessary - but super hot. I am conflicted. I think if I want that, I'd rather just read Sticky Pen or Best Gay Erotica 2k whatever. heh.

I really enjoyed the third book and the character of Sammie seemed so interesting that I rushed to find book 1. So, I tried book 1 with high expectation.

What I got was the instant "soul mate" trope and lots of sex. There was a plot, although the story was very compressed.

I will say: I flew through this book; the author knows how to build suspense. I even had to shut the book a few times.

Right now I do want to read the second book, but I fear it will be more like the first than the third. But I will probably give it a shot.

I am torn between 3 and 4 stars, but decided on 3.

I loved Ted! He is a gay cop who took the fall for his partner and now is a private eye. He ends up going out to the bayou and finds an attraction to the local sheriff, Scott. Scott of course is a shapeshifter.

Here's why it's a 3 instead of 4: the trope of "instant mate love". While I love the whole "mate" passion, this gay for you mate thing was just a bit to swallow in this one. I had to roll my eyes a bit.

That being said, I actually liked the book and moved right into the second book.