IrinaZ

As an emotional person, I like it when my books make me feel. And that's how I finished this book


As someone who constantly tries to improve one's personality, I loved this story for making me want to be a better human being. Books like that give me an opportunity to reflect on my own virtues and faults, the decisions I've made in the past. And I'd like to think that they help me learn how to make positive changes in my life.
"Don't wait until you're dying to recognize what's important."And, being a devoted collector of wisdom, I couldn't leave this out:
"You go through life, and disappointments come your way. Death. Dreams that never come true. You acquire a little filth. You lose a little of your dreams. You get obsessed with money or status, or a raise. Filthy acquisitions."As a hopeless romantic, I need to see my MCs happy, forgiven and redeemed, so that I could bask in their joy myself, even for a brief moment.


Add to that my appreciation for a flawless writing that makes me pause and think, and touches something deep inside me, and I'm a very satisfied reader.



***4.8 stars***

P.S.: I should probably warn all erotica lovers not to expect too much steam from this read. However, I would strongly advice to overlook the lack of sex (or rather, the small amount of it) and give this book a chance anyway. It's definitely worth it.

Brute is one of the best fairy tales I've ever read.

While reading it, I kept thinking that if we've had more stories like that for older children and teenagers, where two men fall in love and sacrifice everything for each other, the new generation might grow up accepting and understanding homosexuality better.

There's so much goodness in this book. Aric is an unforgettable character that sets a perfect example. He's a giant with the heart as big as the rest of him. And his beauty is in kindness and humanity.

“You, my friend, carry a burden better than any man I have met. Nearly anyone can carry a rock, although I imagine you carried bigger ones than most could manage. I mean the burden of caring. You care deeply for those around you. Even those who might do you harm.”
Aric reminded me of John from Green Mile - the movie I love with all my heart.





Kim Fielding creates a fascinating world. I found myself spellbound by her writing and imagination. All the descriptions of places, traditions and myths add an irresistible charm to the story. I felt like a kid reading a beautiful fairy tale. And, in that regard, I really like the way Sofia tells about it.

Overall, a very enjoyable read. If you're looking for a lot of steam, then it's probably not the right choice. But when you're up for an enchanting love-conquers-all romance, then don't hesitate - go ahead and read it!

***4.5 stars***

“Relationships end until the one that doesn’t."
I'm usually not the one for writing long reviews, but I don't think I can avoid it here. Also, in order for my thoughts to make sense, there might be spoilers ahead. And I've used a lot of quotes here.

So, Michael.

Sweet, kind, compassionate, beautiful inside and out. I couldn't blame him for the profession he chose. If anything, his impulse and desire to help people in need had endeared him to me.
“Uh-huh. You can’t fool me. The kind of compassion you have is like a diamond—won under tremendous pressure. Well, whatever fire forged you, you are special. You’re a jewel.”
Michael's mistake was to keep it secret, but I can also understand his fear of being pushed away because of it. Even though that wonderful old woman, Marnie, was so right. Again.. (God, what a character!)
“Well, if Mr. Writer is the one, then he will understand about the surrogacy. And if he doesn’t, and you can both walk away, then it wasn’t meant to be.”
Michael accepted and fell in love with James just as he is. Surely he deserved the same in return. Because
“There was nothing worse than being rejected for who you really were.”
Now James.

He's a character I fell in love with. Intelligent, strong and proud, with quiet dignity, James is also shy and painfully insecure. And he is a survivor. The traumas, both physical and psychological, he'd lived through, didn't break him. And I loved him for it. My heart was sobbing for a little boy and all he had to endure so early in his life.

Can I just add here - so many women desperately want to be mothers and they'd sacrifice so much to have a child.. And then there are some, that are lucky to experience the motherhood, but don't even deserve to be called mothers. There's no excuse for abandoning your own child. It doesn't matter to the little one whether you're rich or poor, what problems bother you, what are your future plans. All he needs is his mother's love and safety of being with her. This subject just breaks my heart...

I think James and Michael are a perfect match. Two soulmates. They make each other complete. And theirs is a wholesome love, capable of healing and forgiveness. I went through the turmoil of emotions reading it, but I enjoyed their beautiful story immensely.

Another thing I loved is the writing about writing. It allowed me to have a glimpse behind the curtains of authors' lives and feelings. We, readers, use Goodreads to our advantage. But have we actually stopped to think how it affects the authors? As a reader, I always appreciate an honest review, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for authors that get a lot of negativity for their hard work.
“A lot of writers are sensitive. But there’s not much you can do about a bad review—at least nothing that doesn’t lead to addiction or arrest.”
Isn't it the truth!

And that story within the story... Lamb. Just brilliant!

My one and only complain - I've run out of Kleenex.

Other than that, [b:The Mating of Michael|22370569|The Mating of Michael (Sex in Seattle, #3)|Eli Easton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1401375007s/22370569.jpg|41781960] is truly amazing and I loved everything about it! Highly recommend!

To my BR companion, Lena - thank you!

I think love is the point. Because anything else is just a business contract

The closet cases are my favourite in m/m romances! Add to that a woman just to appear straight, some angst and drama, and I'm one happy girl :)



I think short stories are more difficult to write. Let's face it, there's only so much you can tell in 17 pages. But as this was written to support a gay marriage, I think it made a good point.

"Marriage should be about more than friendship and respect, Ross.”
“Respect and friendship -- companionship, shared interests -- that’s a good basis.”
I shook my head. “It’s not enough.”

And I agree. The bottom line is - no one should sacrifice their life committing to a loveless marriage and enter into it for the wrong reasons. But if there is love, the rest could be worked out.

At the beginning I thought it would be about porn industry, and with some disappointment, thought - here we go AGAIN. But I should have given more credit to this author. His books might have a huge dose of creepiness in them, but they are different, unique in a way. And I praise his imagination and courage to write about risky subjects.

I can see how it can work for some and appall the others, but luckily, I'm in the former category of people. Seeming to have established a connection with Todd's peculiar world, I find his writing fascinating and alluring. Not to mention really really hot! I respect other reader's opinions and wouldn't argue their view on this. But in return, I expect the same. Because I don't care what others think. I liked it.

Having said that, I did think he has overdone a bit with the details and while the whole thing worked for me most of the times, the final testing of that creepy machine was boggling my mind, and not in a good way.

And another issue I've had with the book (and it was entirely my fault, as usual!) was my crash on Ice. *sigh*. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to like Sean and, like a fool, I hoped against hope that Isaiah will be the hero. How is it that I always pick up the wrong guy to root for, I have no clue. I mean, I got used to the idea of Sean in the end, but I still felt defeated because of it. And even with them, I would've like to see some life after their trial, just to shake the darkness off.

The cover is brilliant though. Very fitting. And with all the extensive descriptions in the book, I really felt trapped in that building myself. So just like Joel, I've found my ecstasy there, but was happy to finally break free ;)



***3.8 stars***

“You're better than family, Daniel. You know that. You're the other half of me.”
What a wonderful life story!

Two innocent young men finding each other in the unlikeliest place at the hardest time and despite everything life throws at them, they not only survive, but stay true to each other and carry their love for the rest of their lives.

Fast-paced and very well-written, it is an emotional and thought-provoking journey. Even without too much angst and drama, it tugged at my heartstrings at every turn. There were so many beautiful thoughts in a book that at times I sat astonished with the truth of it all. Especially painful was having been shown how fast our life really flies. And that the best we could hope for and what matters most is having people we love around for as long as possible, appreciate each other, treasure the memories created together. And just live.

I wish I read the whole book in one sitting, though. But I've been seriously distracted with the horrible events taking place back where my own family lives, and I've had a wandering mind lately. But even with all my breaks, I found this story amazing.

***4.5 stars***

***4 stars***

Great conclusion to the series.

I wish it was slightly longer and with more mystery and suspense. But one of these days, I'll just have to accept that there's only so much you can write in 50-70 pages.

However, as the short series goes, this was a very engaging read and I loved it!

***3.4 stars***

It was not as good as the first book, in my opinion. But I still enjoyed it.

***4.5 stars***

As always, an unputdownable read by Josh Lanyon.



I don't think I could ever get bored with this author and his push-and-pull romances. There's a special place in my heart just for his books. And I'm always looking forward to them as if I were waiting to be served a well-known and truly loved dessert.

I'm glad this is a series though, because I didn't get enough of Mark and Stephen.

So.

Getting comfy for I Spy #2 ;)

Wow!

So short, but so intense!

And I LOVED it!

Dark and twisted, a story about two tortured souls finding each other in the ugliest circumstances. Just what I like best.

It normally takes a lot more pages for me to feel connected to the MCs, but this was so skilfully written that when I finished it I thought that less is always more..

Doesn't mean I would've minded an explicit epilogue though ;)

***4.5 stars***



P.S.: After reading a few antagonistic reviews of this book, I went into it with extreme caution. I expected something completely immoral being shown as normal. But without spoiling anything, I'd like to say that it is not the case here. Yes, there's something atrocious happening, but the author draws a clear line between right and wrong. So, unless you're easily horrified by some gory details, there's nothing depraved going on between the main characters. Well, almost nothing ;)

I should have listened to my inner voice and allowed some time before jumping into the sequence straight away.

As it is, I found it similar in its structure and development, but lacking the spark the first book has had. To be honest, I've straggled to finish it. When I start skipping the sex scenes, especially the highly anticipated ones, I know I'm reaching my limit.



Yet, the ending had saved it for me. LH wraps up her books nicely. Her storytelling has always some moral in it. And I've come to appreciate her wisdom.

“It is not what I deserve, but then that is the beauty of mercy. It allows even the worst of sinners to be forgiven.”

As always, beautifully written. I just wish I found it as captivating as its prequel. Maybe it's just my fault. Perhaps, two historical romances in a row is one too many for me these days. But I'll definitely come back to this author in the future.

***3.5 stars***

***4.5 stars***

I must admit I went into it without much enthusiasm. Having not read any Regency romance for a while now, I've had quite low expectations of this, and during the first two chapters almost put it aside. But then suddenly it picked my interest and had me turning pages in delicious anticipation.

I forgot how brilliant this author is. Her [b:Texas Destiny|1814627|Texas Destiny (Texas Trilogy, #1)|Lorraine Heath|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309286770s/1814627.jpg|462221] is one of my all-time favourite historical romances. The writing is crisp and sophisticated, effortless and graceful. It is an absolute pleasure to read.

“You don’t care what people think,” he said.
“Of course I care. To a certain extent we all care, but we can’t care to the point that we live in fear of others’ opinions, that we allow them to change who we are. We must be willing to stand up and defend what represents the very core of our being. Otherwise what is the purpose of individuality? We’d be nothing but imitations of each other, and I daresay we’d all be rather boring.”
And I daresay my silly romantic heart has been fully satisfied.



So well, in fact, that I'm eager to start the next instalment right away.

I feel like I've visited a very beautiful and magical place. Ms Fox's writing is like a canvas - she paints the world so breathtaking and enigmatic you can't help but catch her love and admiration for it.



There was a slow-burning romance that I liked, and quite fascinating characters I grew to respect. The setting was very refreshing, too. Located on a small Scottish island, the farm is so far removed from the civilised world, it reminded me of wild summers of my childhood spent in my Grandma's village. That brought some warm memories and a smile to my face.

I thought all the little myths, the Gaelic language, and a paranormal aspect had added some charm to the story. And of course, Nichol's Granda, Harry, with his loyal dogs, is a very important figure and an integral part of the farm and its history.
“To me, if anything, he was the rocks himself—crusted with barnacles, unchanging, same now as he had been when he put me on his shoulders and bore me down to see the seals on Kildonan strand.”
The plot was good, too. I admired the relationship between Nichol and his Granda, their subtle love for each other, and respect of family values. It was nice to see how Cameron slowly became a part of their lives too and contributed to them. The only thing that I would have liked improved, was the mystery part of it, especially its conclusion. It felt slightly surreal and underplayed to me. But in the end, it didn't matter much, because this is mostly a romance, and a touching one at that.

Overall, a really enjoyable read, my first by Harper Fox and definitely not the last. If you're in the mood for a good romance and an emotional ride, this is the book for you.

Very disturbing.

It all started quite romantic. Nice and slow, it was very promising.



Then it's all gone wrong..



“Some people invest so much of their time and energy into fabricating a safe, comfortable world for themselves they’ll turn on anyone who threatens that illusion.”
Now I'd like to point out that I have a soft spot for abused people and tortured souls. However, in this case, I was just annoyed with Kevin. Apart from pitying him, I didn't feel any connection to him as a person, and even less chemistry between him and Tom. Theirs was a relationship I found hard to believe in. In fact, I didn't get any insight into what in particular attracted these two men to each other. Add to that any lack of steam, and you get a pretty dry romance.

On the other side, I thought the writing was quite good and the mystery with all its gory details was as interesting as it was disconcerting. I wasn't expecting that outcome at all, it caught me unaware. And only then I've realized where the title is coming from.

So if I were to judge it as a mystery or suspense, I'd rate it closer to 4 stars, but as a romance, it was about 2.5, in my opinion.

Overall, 3.3 stars.

That's it! I've had enough!

There's so much in here that rubs me the wrong way, I'm surprised I've gone this far as it is.

DNF @70%

I'll start with the worst, and move on upward

It was waaaaaay too long and too slow!!! I mean, this is like reading someone's diary: all the meals they're having, bathroom breaks, lectures at school, overstuffed descriptions, constant dialogues that don't contribute to the story - there's only so much your brain needs to get the image. Why overdo it? Quantity doesn't necessarily mean quality. If I were to edit this book, it will shrink to the one third of it. The rest is absolutely useless, in my opinion.

Love at first sight is a guarantee for a boring romance, not to mention a huge mistake in a book of 1500 epub pages. What does it leave a reader with? Exactly - nothing to look forward to. In my case, it also means being unable to connect to the couple and believe in their romantic relationship.

Carmine, who is your typical rich and spoilt teenager, behaving like a first-class asshole and a womaniser. Not only is he drinking alcohol more often than not and uses drugs, but he also pushes an innocent girl whom he claims to like do the same! Oh, and don't forget his violence towards anybody who will as much as look at the girl, landing those guys in a hospital! What kind of chivalry is that? And, as soon as the magical L-word is out (which was way sooner than realistically possible), the guy drops all his 'faults' and becomes a saint. Sorry, but I don't buy this kind of romance.

Absence of steam. None whatsoever. I can handle it better in a normal-sized book, but to go for so long without any adrenaline is stressing me out.

Mafia world. It's my personal opinion, of course, but when the mafia is the central force in the story, I can't help but dislike it normally. There are exceptions, but this was not one of them unfortunately.

Lack of drama. And by this I mean the lack of anything significant. There was no hardship for two young people to become close, no problems, arguments or even misunderstandings in their relationship. The only captivating thing about the MCs and the whole book in general, was the mysterious past of the girl and what was so important about her role that turned DeMarco's world upside down. This was the only reason I kept on reading. And as soon as my questions were answered more or less, I've decided to give up...

Finally, I don't know if I'm getting older, but I found myself much more fascinated with Carmine's father, Vincent. I'd much rather see him recover from his loss, try to redeem himself and stop this lonely existence. If I cared for anybody's happy ending here, it would be his. But for some reason, I don't see it happening, so there goes my last hope.

BR with Lena, Sofia and Rosa

3.8 stars

“It’s different. Carter is homeless.”
“You’ve never slept with a homeless person? You do need to get out more.”
“I’m not throwing him out.”
“Well, congratulations, you’re a parent.”
“Oh my God, what am I going to do?”
“Do what any red-blooded American woman does. Call his father and ask for child support.”



No, actually, Martin wasn't that malicious. For all his talk of giving up on Carter, he was protective, caring and supportive (well, most of the times anyway) and he'd become a better uncle to Carter than Paul had ever been.

My Favorite Uncle started as a comedy, but then turned out more serious than I expected. Which is not a bad thing because I enjoy MT's philosophical thoughts as much as his sense of humor. I really felt sorry for a young, naive and full of life Carter for what his family has put him through. The lonely life Martin lived was sad, too. But despite their differences, constant 'fighting' and occasional mischiefs, the uncle and his nephew had managed to become close and improved each other's lives considerably. And the ending was endearing.

“You know,” Martin said, “one of the hardest things to accept in life is that people love you as much as they can. It’s almost never enough, but it’s all there is.”

Reading Marshall Thornton is always a pleasure. He is an author I trust to never disappoint. And he hasn't. Not once. I might have liked some of his books better than the others, but that's just my personal preference and the fact remains - he is a very talented writer, and I highly recommend him to everyone.

P.S.: Even though I jumped into this BR late, I'd like to thank my girls for their company ♥