Renovated to Death (2022) Frank Anthony Polito YA author PJ and his fiance, the actor JP, became starts of the home renovation show, Domestic Partners, and are trying to settle on a house for the next season. Unfortunately, one of the owners of the house the are planning to renovate doesn’t want to sell. And […]
The Lion Tamer (2018) Dahlia Donovan (The Sin Bin) First off, this story has a lot happening. Over the course of the series we’ve watched Scottie spiral out of control. The story just before this sees the start of the interactions between Scottie and Gray. Gray sees Scottie as a potential submissive, and sees something […]
The Unexpected Santa (2017) Dahlia Donovan (The Sin Bin) This is an interlude rather than a proper novella / short story. We saw Gray and Scottie meet in the previous story. This story shows Gray looking after the twins… “You two doing all right?” Gray crouched down by their table to avoid towering over them. […]
The Royal Marine (2017) Dahlia Donovan (The Sin Bin) Wyatt’s partner, Hamish, is set up with Graham and Freddie’s friend Akash. Except that the rugby players are also trying to set Akash up with Scottie. This does not go well for Scottie. Although this is Hamish and Akash’s story, a major thread is watching Scottie […]
The Botanist (2017) Dahlia Donovan (The Sin Bin) This is another dark story. It opens years prior to the events in the previous stories, with Wyatt helping to rescue Aled, a young botanist who was mistakenly grabbed by drug runners. This story takes course over several years and Aled slowly (slowly) heals and Wyatt falls […]
The Caretaker (2017) Dahlia Donovan (The Sin Bin) This story picks up after The Wanderer. Taine is another retired rugby player. Freddie is the traveling nurse who helped Graham through his cancer treatments, and became a friend. Taine is fascinated by the slight young man. Taine stood silent while the nurse gathered himself. He squared […]
The Wanderer (2017) Dahlia Donovan (The Sin Bin) After a hookup at his friend Francis’s wedding, Graham doesn’t expect to see the handsome rugby, but when the meet a second time, when Graham’s brother books him at the Inn BC inherited, he has a wonderful time–and then leaves in the middle of the night. Graham […]
After the Scrum (2016) Dahlia Donovan Although there are occasional issues with this series that could have been solved with stronger editing, this remains a series that has lodged itself in my brain and keeps popping up at random times. Francis is an interior designer who lives with his grandmother. He’d gone away to college […]
The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) TJ Klune This book came out a week into the pandemic lockdown, and it’s possible it might have been lost in the ensuing insanity. Except that it is such a comforting read, it was precisely the thing to read to escape the world. Linus works for DICOMY (Department […]
Twice Baked (2019) Andrew Grey Luke is a popular food blogger–known for writing about foods he hates, and how it’s okay to not like goods. Professionally, I was a graphic artist, and I had a small number of clients that I worked with. Each of the businesses had been very successful but didn’t have the […]
The Cubby Hole: A Bear Camp Short (2022) Slade James I’ve enjoyed the other stories I’ve read by Slade James–I picked the first novella up free, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. (It’s set in a gay nudist camp, so there was a whole lot of potential to be absolutely something not […]
Murder in Pastel (2015) Josh Lanyon Kyle Bari still lives in the home that belonged to his father, the famous painter Cosmo Bari, and makes his living writing mysteries. “That was the summer I got sick. Rheumatic fever.” “ Which left you with a weak heart.” “It was the summer my father disappeared.” Adam MacKinnon […]
Color of You (2017) C.S. Poe (A Lancaster Story) I think I finally figured out why this is my least favorite story in this series. Although it has a mystery (good!) and I adore the characters (good!) the dynamic between the couple isn’t standard (good!) and the misunderstandings are … understandable, something has always felt […]
Liberty & Other Stories (2018) Alexis Hall (Prosperity) Shackles Squamous with a Chance of Rain From the Journal of Mrs. Miranda Lovelace Cloudy Climes and Starless Skies Liberty This is collection of stories about the characters from the Prosperity. The first story, Shackles, was my least favorite. Because I don’t much like Milord, and I […]
Joy (2017) C.S. Poe (A Lancaster Story) There is something about this book that just calms me. Makes me happy. It’s low-stakes, and funny. “Are there, like… street signs or—” “He’s not from around here,” Nancy said to a guy at the counter who started laughing. I noticed over his shoulder that several of the […]
Kneading You (2016) C.S. Poe (A Lancaster Story) Reread. Because I can’t settle down into anything. Rating: 8/10
Prosperity (2018) Alexis Hall (Prosperity) Set in Prosperity in 1863. I’ve had this book for a bit, but wasn’t sure I was in the mood for a fantasy, but when a discussion of Our Flag Means Death. Which I haven’t seen, but sounds utterly marvelous. So since I’m not going to be watching Our Flag […]
An Unsuitable Heir (2017) KJ Charles (Sins of the Cities) Set in England in 1873. I have complicated feelings about this story, and I’m pretty sure they’re all on me and not the story. “What does he do?” Pen paused. “He didn’t say, actually. We mostly talked about, well, me.” “No wonder you think he’s […]
An Unnatural Vice (2017) KJ Charles (Sins of the Cities) Set in England in 1872 Although we were introduced to Nathaniel in the previous book, my favorite character by far is Justin. Justin used innuendo and throaty moans in the same way he used stolen information and a fanatical level of planning: as weapons. What […]
An Unseen Attraction (2017) KJ Charles (Sins of the Cities) Set in London in 1873 The first book in the Sins of the City series. they said the eyes were the windows to the soul, and Clem didn’t feel comfortable peering into people’s windows. “Most people,” Clem said carefully, “most people think that I shouldn’t […]
Come Unto These Yellow Sands (2011) Josh Lanyon Something about this book works perfectly to pull me out of my head. Part of it is that Swift is a reformed screw-up who knows how and why he messed up, but also how easy it could be for him to fall of the wagon. Physical violence […]
Grilled Cheese and Goblins: Adventures of a Supernatural Food Inspector (2018) Nicole Kimberling This books is simply a delight. I mean, supernatural food inspector. What more could I want? Keith was momentarily too stunned by the idea that the vampire realm had a publishing industry to think of a follow-up question. Gunther saved him. I […]
The Remaking of Corbin Wale (2018) Roan Parrish Romance plus bakery The best bakeries had a cohesive vision. You didn’t want a counter selling bran muffins next to key lime tarts next to baklava next to polvorones. The menu needed to have range, but not feel chaotic— provide surprises, but not overwhelm. Even the bits […]
Waiting for the Flood (2018) Alexis Hall (Spires) I got into another funk–nothing was working for me. Everything was meh and nothing drew me in. So I dove back into a favorite, and (as happens every single time I reread this) was shocked by how good and how beautiful it is. Edwin repairs and restores […]
I’m So (Not) Over You (2022) Kosoko Jackson Kian is totally over Hudson. Except for the part that’s still completely in love with him and dreams of Hudson admitting he was wrong. The first rule, and only rule, of getting over your ex is not to answer your ex’s messages. This can be done in […]