Posts rated 4 stars
Review - Choir Boy by Jay L. North
My rating: 
At the age of 20, Isa is a little old for the choir, but he does like singing. He likes Father Malcolm even more. Isa is desperate for the big priest to initiate him into the pleasures of the flesh. He’s seen what many of the other pastors and elders get up to with the male members of the seraglio, and Isa wants to experience those things for himself. Isa comes up with a crazy plan that he thinks will show the Father he is ready.
Review - Tarsus by J.C. Owens
My rating:
Bullied by his warlord father, Tarsus has never known kindness. Everyone looks down on him because of his white hide and silvery hair. When their renegade fortress is captured by the Queen’s army, Tarsus expects to die along with everyone else. Instead of killing him, the Queen’s daughter gives Tarsus to her brother Varan, who makes the young centaur his servant. Tarsus still expects to die eventually, when Varan tires of him.
Review - Forget Me Not by R. Cooper
My rating:
Police detective Ray wakes up in an alley feeling drained, which, for a werewolf, is very strange. His keen sense of smell senses magic, which explains how someone overpowered him. He’s just getting his bearings when some people appear at the mouth of the alley. One of them is human and also smells of magic, but the other is a fairy, or perhaps a half-fairy. He is very pretty, as fairies are, and claims to be Ray’s mate.
Review - The Family Bond by KI Brightly and M.D. Gregory
My rating:
Boone wants to get ahead in life. Regain the money and power his father lost. To do that in St Loren means joining the Gentleman’s Society, a social club whose members help each other out. Sometimes the help isn’t strictly legal. It isn’t easy to get in, and as part of the final initiation, prospective members must perform an act that will give the club blackmail material against them to ensure their loyalty.
Review - Fools Rush In by G.A. Hauser
My rating:
Michael has never come to terms with his sexuality. He’s conscious of his attraction to men, but being gay would be difficult in the current political climate. When he literally bumps into actress Kim on the street and she invites him out, Michael thinks everything will be okay. He doesn’t know that Kim is just using him to achieve her own goals. At work, Michael and Gary have been lunch buddies for a while, but they’ve never socialized outside of work.
Tags: Contemporary
Review - The Envoy's Honor by Antonia Aquilante
My rating:
The day Corentin, his husband-to-be Bastien, and the royal family knew was coming has finally arrived. A delegation from Corentin’s homeland, Iviria, is at the palace doors. Their leader, Ederic, is insistent that Corentin needs to return with them to be punished. The group’s second most senior member, Kirill, doesn’t understand why Ederic is so insistent on Corentin’s return, or why he is so confrontational with the Tournai royals. The one bright spot is Griffen, Bastien’s brother.
Tags: Fantasy
Review - A Bit of Rope by Johannes T. Evans
My rating:
The blurb for this book is pretty spot-on, so I’ll use it for a change: An ex-soldier, Arthur “Kuhn” Conrad, now a debt collector of sorts for a corrupt company, can’t sleep one night, and as he’s walking the streets, sees a coworker - on a whim, he follows, and ends up in an underground club. The older man, Ignatius Kasovitz, likes to tie people up, it seems, and Kuhn finds he wants to try being tied up, if it’s Kasovitz doing the tying.
Tags: Slightly Kinky Novelette
Review - Trial by Fire by Sean Michael
My rating:
Harry and Jason are having a hard time. They’re still very much in love, but police officer Harry has transferred to vice, where he’s working nights and the job is more dangerous than homicide. Jason spends his nights fretting over Harry’s safety, while Harry is exhausted and frustrated by his job. When the worst happens, it truly tests the couple’s dedication to each other. But it’s not just them. Their close friends Sammy and Peter are there to help, no matter the cost.
Tags: Contemporary
Review - The Reanimator's Heart by Kara Jorgensen
My rating:
Oliver has a talent as a necromancer. He keeps it well hidden since it’s widely looked down upon. He trained as a doctor and now works as the pathologist for the Paranormal Society, a group that looks into crimes involving magic and paranormal beings. Felipe is one of the investigators. Oliver has had a crush on Felipe for a few years, but he’s too introverted to make his feelings known.
Review - Back Forty by BA Tortuga
My rating:
Rusty inherited his grandparents’ farm and is trying to make a go of it. It’s hard work, but he can’t afford to hire help. One day, Rusty stops to help another man, Wayne, whose truck has broken down near the farm. Wayne also grew up on a farm and is “between jobs” as a ranch hand, so he agrees to help Rusty out for room and board. The two men are attracted to each other, and eventually they give in to their desires.
Tags: Novelette Contemporary Western