Reviewed Books from 2016

In a 2016 which was mostly horrible, I could lose myself in a book. For a few minutes or a few hours I could be somewhere else, maybe being someone else, and know there was an HEA coming. HEA and HFN or even OFN haven't been a big part of my life lately. Reviewing regularly was beyond me there for a while. But reading, always. Every spare moment. For those who worry, please don't. Things are better already. 2017 is going to be a better year.

So for all the authors who told the stories, here's to you. You made the world a better place.

This is part one of three parts of 2016.

Holy Cow! by EM Lynley

Title: Holy Cow
Author: EM Lynley
Purchase at Amazon 
Purchase at All Romance eBooks 
Cover Artist: LC Chase
Genre: paranormal, shapeshifter
Length: 17,600 words
Formats Mobi, Epub, PDF

American med student Duncan Stirling is traveling around India with his two best friends, who have just married. Their last stop is the magical city of Jaisalmer, a fort in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. He feels like a third wheel on their honeymoon, though the three friends had the trip planned for years, to celebrate finishing medical school and have a last adventure before they start their residencies back in the States.

Akash Nandi is an Indian man from a wealthy and well-known family. At least that’s how he appears. He hides the truth that his family is descended from Nandi, Lord Shiva’s bull, and they’ve guarded sacred places for millennia. Being gay and immortal is tough, especially when his family’s expectations make finding the right mate impossible. As his grandmother, the family matriarch, nears death, a struggle for power puts Akash and his new crush, the charming American Duncan, in harm’s way.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2016 Daily Dose package "A Walk on the Wild Side."

From Patricia:

I really loved reading this great story. The settings were exotic and richly detailed, the sex was hot, and I just had to laugh when I realized just how accurately the title of this gem described the shifters.

Cryselle says:

I have to agree 100 % with Patricia, this story really takes us to a faraway place and makes us believe we are there, EM Lynley’s always good with locations, and here she takes us to India and makes us smell the food cooking, see the city glowing golden in the dawn, and taste the desert dust.

Duncan’s completely smitten with Akash, which could break his heart right in two, because of their culture gap and because of his own obligations. His friends are happy he’s having a vacation fling, and a lot less than happy he’s moping around when things aren’t going well. Well, too bad, that’s what they get for dragging a single guy on their honeymoon. Even if it is a grand adventure.

Akash is truly caught between cultures: he has Indian standard and the expectations that go with his sacred bull status, and now there’s this sexy American guy… The resolution to Akash's difficulties seemed a bit jumbly and made me kind of mad, considering who did what: Akash had every right to expect better from certain quarters.

A bull shifter doesn’t come along every day, which made this story unique, and the sense of place is really strong, and so is the bond between Akash and Duncan. 4 marbles

12 Courses by EM Lynley

Title: 12 Courses
Author: EM Lynley
Purchase at Amazon
Purchase at All Romance eBooks
Cover Artist: LC Chase
Genre: contemporary
Length: 32k words
Formats: epub, mobi, pdf

Thom Kennedy Leyton returns to San Francisco to take up the reins of Graze, one of the city’s best restaurants, years after he lost his job when his innovative new set of recipes was stolen. Thom’s loss of self-esteem eventually caused his boyfriend, Blake Warner, to end their relationship, sending Thom into a deep depression.

Now, cured of fifty excess pounds and any attraction to Blake, Thom’s back in town. Blake catches him off guard when he visits Graze several days in a row, and Thom lets himself get caught up in Blake’s allure, despite knowing better.

Thom juggles a renewed relationship with Blake, a Christmas visit from his parents, and an important holiday menu based on a Twelve Days of Christmas theme. When an old acquaintance reveals that Blake knows more about the theft of the recipes than he lets on, Thom doesn’t know whom to trust. But the truth isn’t quite that simple, and Thom won’t be able to decide if Blake deserves a place in his life until he learns exactly what happened years ago.

I’ve been following the Delectable series, and was quite pleased with the Christmas-y edition of this food centered series. Not only has the author cooked up a second chances story to break and remake hearts, but the food writing is enough to make you drool.


Poor Thom, never sure of himself, even during his culinary school days. He was a star of the school, but even then he wasn’t quite sure why the hottest guy with the amazing credentials and skills wanted him. And then when it ended badly, following a professional crash and burn of epic proportions, his confidence was rocked even further. At last taking the helm of a noted restaurant in one of the foodie capitals of America, he worries about a repeat of his disgrace. Having Blake walk back into his life is both thrilling and terrifying, and completely entwined with the food.

Thom was the more fully realized character for me, with one thing after another piled on him, from an insubordinate chef who needs a swift kick to parents who mean well but are just Too Much, plus enough in his past to make any man look over his shoulder twice. I wanted to cook him mac and cheese and tell him everything would be okay, right after I kicked his mother in the shins. Sweet guy that he is, he finds his balance and his balls, and let him take necessary risks in both his restaurant and his love life.

Blake would have been just as interesting without the overkill background (Harvard Law? Really?). Handsome and gifted in all areas except perhaps courage, we get to watch his guilty conscience torment him into doing the right thing, and then going overboard.

I’m not sure if it was the blurb or something early in the text (can’t find it now, but terrible blurb, don't read it, read the story) that took the impact out of a big revelation, but if it didn’t surprise me, it certainly surprised Thom, who was rattled right down to his bones. The author jerks him around so hard on the way to letting him find forgiveness in his heart, and Blake too, for needing it and earning it.

The romance progresses with food, both in the restaurants and what they feed each other. Thom’s concoctions for his tasting menu sound divine, and Blake’s lobster grilled cheese sandwiches are the new food of love. The sensuality of the food carries over into the bedroom. The sex was wrapped with body image and I would have been perfectly happy not to have a yet another internal discussion of Thom’s fluctuating waistline. The whole weight issue bugged me, though I could see what it was supposed to for the story, it just seemed tacked on and took away from the joy in the delicious things they were putting in each other’s mouths.

I was flicking pages eagerly, wanting to see how exactly they were going to launch this new chapter in their relationship, and then… I discovered how much back matter there was. There’s a lot. Not the author’s fault, but when it’s over 12% of the file it’s too much, especially when I wanted more story as badly as I did. I'll be braced for it on the rereads.

This was definitely a delectable romance, and I wish I could eat dinner (and peek at the chefs) at Graze. 4 marbles.

Favorites of 2014

Please join me for a recap of my favorite reads from 2014. Some are from long time favorite authors, others from new to me writers, and all of them made me very, very happy.

Thanks to everyone who came by this year, and thanks to guest reviewers Feliz Faber and Eden Winters, who might be coaxed into more reviews. Thanks to the publishers and authors who offered books, and thanks to the readers who thought I might have something useful to say.

Here's to a fabulous 2015! And keep reading!

Spaghetti Western by EM Lynley

Title: Spaghetti Western
Author: EM Lynley
Purchase at Dreamspinner
Purchase at All Romance eBooks
Cover Artist: LC Chase
Genre: Contemporary Western
Length: 220 pages
Formats: epub, mobi, pdf, print

A Novel in the Delectable Series

Cordon Bleu-trained chef Riley Emerson arrives in Aspen, Colorado for a summer at the best restaurant in town, only to discover his jerk of a boyfriend has dumped him, leaving his heart and his plans in tatters. Doubting himself and longing for a change of pace, he takes a low-paying position at the Rocking Z guest ranch, though he expects nature up close and personal won’t hold a candle to his exciting Paris lifestyle.

When born-and-bred cattle rancher Colby Zane spots a newcomer being pawed at by a passel of horny cowboys at Aspen’s Club Rawhide, he rushes in, throws the guy over his shoulder, and rescues him. Sober, Riley Emerson is sweet and sexy, but not interested in more than a one-night stand. Still, Colby’s over the moon when Riley later arrives as the new cook on his family’s ranch.

But all’s not well at the Rocking Z. Unsurmountable financial problems force them to seek a cash infusion from outside investor Fitz Wellington. Fitz is hot for Colby, and he won’t sign on the dotted line without some very personal incentives. The future of the ranch is at stake, and Colby’s just that desperate, but saving the Z might mean losing Riley.

~*~*~*~*
Well, this was a roundup of emotions, a couple crossed signals, and an excellent ending. I've been reading this series, where the books can be read in any order, and enjoying them greatly. We get a tiny cameo from Josh Golden from Lighting the Way Home, another novel in the series, but the story lies in the mountains of Colorado.

Riley and Colby are such opposites, but they have a huge similarity – they’ll take what the other one says at face value, which makes for a couple of problems. If the other guy is saying what he thinks you want to hear, and not what he’s really thinking, or letting you make assumptions, it’s going to take a while to get to the truth.


Which is fine: they take us along for the ride. Riley’s walked face-first into a door with his perfidious boyfriend, who turns his life completely upside down so they can be together, and then again when boyfriend doesn’t want so much to be with Riley after all. Riley’s self-destructive reaction to that needs someone who’s thinking clearly enough to save him from himself, enter Colby, and then exit Riley, because that episode’s over and done.

So when Riley takes over the kitchen at what turns out to be Colby’s ranch, they’ve got a really bad foundation for anything lasting. Given their shifting workloads and need for secrecy, they also have a bad time getting together for the no-strings-attached nights that each thinks the other wants. And when things start to change and the grabby PITA investor shows up, they’ve got another set of problems completely.

These two guys whipsaw us and each other while they’re figuring out how to save all the bacon, and it’s fun to watch. You can pretty much see each of them sliding over the cliff called love, grabbing at straws and other handholds to keep from getting involved when each thinks the other’s only in it for right now. It delays an obvious solution to another problem, but the joy of this story is the journey as much as the destination. It’s a good look at early love, and the intersection of desperation and the unthinkable.

Fortunately, Colby’s family is pretty accepting, and Riley’s sister, the only one of his family we really meet except through some unhappy memories, is all for this match of haute cuisine and down-home cooking. Riley’s got to learn a whole new culture, where a pasta salad and marinated fruit aren’t enough calories, stick to the ribs food means survival, and where land isn’t just a possession.

The author’s found a new, higher gear in her writing and her character’s interactions, which carries the story along and a quick clip. Everywhere but into the sex scenes in the later part of the book, where a same-saminess encouraged me to skim and I was happy where it was allowed to fade to black in a few places. A few things could have stood to be fact checked with a native, but most folks won’t spot that. I live out here, I notice.

But I loved the ending, so full of hope and woven of clues laid all along the way—this story has so much wrapped up that even if Riley and Colby don’t make it after all (though I hope they will!) the Rocking Z surely will. 4.5 marbles

The Picnic: an exclusive scene and a giveaway from Spaghetti Western, from EM Lynley

EM Lynley's come by with some goodies from her new book, Spaghetti Western. Something mouthwatering to read, and a giveaway at the end, like a bit of chocolate for a dessert. Mmm, take it away, EM!

~*~*~~*~*

Sometimes there just isn’t a way to include all the scenes I have in my head when I’m writing. The idea for this sexy picnic was on my list, but the timing of it didn’t work very well to include it. So I’m sharing it now as a special treat for Cryselle’s readers and I hope you enjoy it. If you haven’t read the book, there aren’t any spoilers, but it will give you some idea how much fun Colby and Riley are together.

Enjoy!

~*~*~*~*~

Riley had his back to the door when Colby entered the kitchen.

Katrina, Chuck and Willa were nowhere to be seen. It was awfully quiet in the kitchen, even for the lull between breakfast and lunch.

“Did your elves run away or something?” Colby asked.

Riley’s shoulders rose and he swung around. “Hey, I didn’t hear you come in.”

“At least I’ve got your all to myself for a few minutes.” Colby covered the ten feet between them in a second and had Riley wrapped in his arms. Riley relaxed into the embrace and let Colby back him against the counter and kiss him until Colby either had to get their clothes off or back away.

He reluctantly chose the latter. He smoothed the bulge in his jeans and thought how unfair it was Riley wore an apron that hid his arousal.

“I’ve got a surprise for you, Colby.” Riley hopped up onto the counter and hooked a finger in Colby’s shirt collar to pull him back in, then trapped him by wrapping his legs around Colby’s waist.

“I like how it starts.”


“This isn’t the surprise, but you can start thanking me now.” Riley put a hand behind Colby’s head and pulled him close for another mind-blowing kiss. Riley’s tongue knew where to stroke and caress and Colby was jelly—except for his dick—in about ten seconds. Then Riley slid his hand along Colby’s chest, firm against his abs and pecs and across one sensitive nipple and Colby couldn’t help letting out a little yelp.

“Mmmm. You’re gonna kill me or we’re gonna be embarrassed when your staff come back.”

“They won’t be back for a while. They’re in charge of lunch today, so I let them go early after breakfast.”

“So you’re free for lunch?” Colby started to get the picture. “I’m off the rest of the day. So maybe we could…..”

“I already planned lunch for us. Got a picnic just about ready to go.”

“Picnic?”

“Yup. All you have to do is eat. Well, almost.”

“I like the idea of ‘almost.’” He hoped the non-eating part involved them getting out of their clothes. It was suddenly pretty hot in the kitchen. Hotter than usual.


Twenty minutes later Riley and Colby were in the barn. Tommo was saddling Rosewood, a pretty bay mare and Colby’s mare Twenty-four was also ready to go. Tommo looked up when Riley approached.

“Thanks, Tommo.”

Tommo tipped his hat to Riley, then grinned at Colby. “You two have a nice picnic.”

Colby’s mouth nearly dropped open at the way Tommo emphasized the world “picnic.” He turned to Riley. “You’ve got Tommo helping you too, today?”

“Everyone seems awfully helpful in getting you away from the barn and office. I wonder why?” Riley touched a finger to his chin and glanced toward the ceiling. He looked adorable.

“So where’s the picnic basket?” Colby glanced around and didn’t see it.

“Out at the picnic spot. We just have to get there.”

Colby checked Rosewood’s girth and give Riley a leg up, then he checked his own mare’s tack and sprang into the saddle. “Now what?”

“Follow me.” Riley moved Rosewood toward the entrance and Colby followed.

Riley didn’t know his way around the ranch very well yet, but he certainly had something planned. If they happened to get lost, Colby wouldn’t particularly mind. He just hoped the picnic wasn’t too far. As much as he wanted a taste of Riley, he was almost as eager for whatever Riley had cooked up.

They hadn’t been on the trail ten minutes when Colby guessed their destination. “Hey, are we—” He stopped himself. Why ruin Riley’s surprise?

Half an hour later they arrived at the top of the plateau overlooking the plains between the ranch and the Rockies in the distance. With an almost cloudless sky and a slight breeze to offset the heat, it was a perfect view and a perfect day.

Riley stopped and dismounted. “Need some help?” he asked Colby.

“I can manage, thanks.” Colby slid off Twenty-four and secured her and Rosewood to the nearest tree, where a plastic water trough had already been filled. “Looks like you’ve thought of everything. Except food.”

“You’re awfully impatient.”

“I told you, I’m starving.” Colby slid an army around Riley’s waist and the walked the last twenty meters. “Oh, wow.” Colby stopped when he got to the top of the trail. Picnic blankets and cushions had been laid out and a big red-and-white cooler sat nearby. “You have thought of everything!”

“Come and have a seat.”

Colby sat on a cushion, and Riley pulled his boots off. Colby felt a little like he’d arrived at a Middle Eastern restaurant. Riley knelt next to him and served him some cool, crisp white wine. They raised their glasses in a toast and enjoyed a few sips.

“One last thing I need to do.” Riley pulled something out of the cooler. “Close your eyes.”

This was starting to be fun. Usually Colby hated surprises, but Riley had changed all that. Then he felt Riley move behind him and pull something across his eyes. He opened them and discovered he’d been blindfolded.

“Hey, I didn’t sign up for this!”


“You want to eat, don’t you?” Riley’s tone was playful.
“Yes, but how can I eat if I can’t see anything?”

Riley didn’t respond.

Colby heard the cooler open and shut and smelled a mix of tantalizing aromas he couldn’t name. He could take a hint.

“Ready for the first course?”

Colby raised his hands to the fabric across his eyes, but Riley stopped him.

“No peeking. Today’s lunch is a test. If you can name three things, you get a prize.”

“What’s the prize?”

“Choose your own prize. Anything you want, but you have to collect before we go back.”

Colby chuckled. It didn’t take much imagination as to what the possibilities might entail. But he liked the idea. “I’ll play. How many things?”

“Four.”

“So I can only get one wrong?”

“You’re good at kissing and math.”

“Speaking of kissing…. Can I get a little reward now?”

“Sure.” Riley’s weight settled onto Colby’s lap, legs straddling him. The Riley’s warm lips were pressed against Colby’s. He tasted like the wine, a delicious combination.

Colby didn’t want to stop, so he took his time, enjoy a slow, deep kiss until his stomach rumbled.

Riley pulled off. “That’s enough for now. Now, tell me what this is.” Colby opened his mouth and Riley pushed in a small piece of fruit. It was cool and sweet. It tasted familiar, but he wasn’t sure. He chewed and swallowed. Riley fed him more and from the sounds, Riley was also eating. In between bites he leaned close for another kiss.

Colby wasn’t even paying attention to the food. With Riley still in his lap, close enough to feel the heat from his body and all the kissing, Colby was already hard. He was enjoying this a hell of a lot.

“Want more?”

“Food or kisses?”

“Food. And you have to guess what it is before the next course.”

Colby had a couple more bites. “Melon?”

“What kind?”

“Shit, Riley. How hard is this going to be?”

“Looks pretty hard already.” Riley slid his hand across Colby’s crotch and Colby let out a little gasp.

“Okay, what color melon do you think it is?”

“Red? Watermelon?”

“Ding-ding-ding. Right. Well, good enough. There were three kinds of melon and one was watermelon. With a drizzle of honey and mint. You want more?”

“Next course?”

“Fine.” Riley got up and made more noise in the cooler, then sat back on Colby’s lap. He kissed Colby’s chin and throat and unbuttoned his shirt then sprinkled some more kisses down Colby’s chest.

“Are you trying to distract me?”

“Not particularly. Just enjoying myself. Open up.”

As with the fruit, Riley interspersed kisses between bites and when Colby put an arm around Riley his fingers found warm, smooth skin of Riley’s back. This was really getting interesting. When Colby was told to guess he had to concentrate real hard. He was a little out of breath from the kisses and knowing Riley was undressing himself.

“Something with chicken. Cheese, salsa? I know I’ve had that before.”

“Good job. Chicken with salsa verde.” This time the reward was Riley taking Colby’s shirt off and rolling him down onto the blanket where they lay together kissing for a while. Then Riley unbuckled Colby’s belt and unfastened his jeans. He sucked on Colby’s nipples until Colby couldn’t breathe. When Riley pressed his face against Colby’s cock he thought he’d shoot his load right there.

“Hang on, there. Slow down, down there. Let’s get to the next course. So I can get my prize.”

The next food was dessert. Ice cream or gelato or sorbet. Colby didn’t know what the difference was. It was delicious, just like everything else.

“Mocha or chocolate ice cream?”

Riley made a sound like a buzzer. “Sorry, folks, that is not correct. Taste it again.”

“I give up.”

“It’s hazelnut sorbet.”

“It was yummy. Okay, so I have to get the next one right or I lose?”

“Yup.” Riley got up and moved around some more. “Now hold your hands behind your back.”

“Why?”

“Because…well, because I said so. Once you taste it, you’ll understand.”

Colby’s brain imagined all sorts of scenarios.

“This time just lick, don’t bite.”

Colby tentatively put his tongue out and felt warm flesh. It was Riley. “Mmmm. You.”

“Yes, of course it’s me. But what part of me?” Riley was laughing now.

“Seriously?”

“Yes. And if you get this wrong you don’t get the big prize.”

“Don’t put any pressure on me.”

“Guess.”

Colby tried to figure out where Riley’s voice was coming from to get an idea what part of his body he’d just licked. It couldn’t be his dick, that much was clear. It would be have been too easy. It wasn’t a nipple or anything on his face. He licked again.

Smooth. He didn’t feel any hair so that narrowed it down. Another lick. There were some curves and the skin tasted a little salty. He didn’t want to get this wrong!

“Your back or shoulder?”

“Choose one.”

“Damn, you’re a nitpicker.” Colby licked one last time. “Shoulder.”

“Ding-ding-ding! We’ve got a winner.”

Colby let out a whoop and tried take off the bandanna.

“Not yet. Anyway, that was my shoulder blade, so back or shoulder were both correct.”

“Bastard.”

“You love it.”

“Yeah, I do. Now for my prize?”

“What would you like?” Riley settled back into Colby’s lap and this time he was completely naked. He didn’t stop Colby from touching him or pulling him in for a kiss.

“I’d like to get out of the rest of my clothes.”

Riley helped Colby stand and took his pants and shorts off, then Colby felt Riley’s mouth close over his cock. “Hey, I didn’t decide yet.”

“I’m cheating a little. I’ve been wanting to do this since we got here.”

“I’ve been wanting you to do that since long before we got here.”

“So you want a blow job?”

Colby played with Riley’s hair as Riley licked and sucked him gently. It felt amazing with the blindfold on. “Well, since you’re already naked too. Maybe we could take dvantage of that. I’d like to fuck you out here in the middle of the day. We’ve never done that before.”

“Why haven’t we done that before?”

“Good question.”

Riley stood up and kissed Colby. “Let me just get ready.”

“I’ll do it.”
 
“No because you’re not allowed to take the bandanna off yet.”

Colby grinned. He listened to Riley squeezing lube into his hand and the squishy noises as he must have been pushing fingers into himself. He wanted to watch, but it was fun imagining the sight too.

“I can see you’re enjoying this already,” Riley said.

Colby’s cock was rock hard. He heard a condom wrapper ripping and Riley rolled it onto him and added more lube. “How are we gonna do this?”

“I’m on my hands and knees, just come up behind me. I’ll let you use your hands now and I’ll guide you.”

Colby got to his knees and felt Riley’s ass in front of him. He moved closer and using his hands he managed to get his dick to Riley’s hole. “I think this is gonna work.” He pushed inside and it was like nothing he’d ever felt. No matter how many times he’d be inside Riley, entering him without any visual clues was incredible. Even making love in the dark was completely different.

Here, in the open air, with the sound of the horses and the scent of trees and grass and lunch and Riley’s skin. Colby had to hold on to Riley’s hips tightly because his balance was off without visual clues. But he thrust in and out and heard Riley’s moans and gasps more distintitcly than any other time they’d been together.

With the sensations so much more intense, Colby couldn’t last as long as usual and he didn’t try. But before he came he reached down to get Riley off, then let himself ride over the edge of orgasm.

Afterwards, Colby lay on his back, still blindfolded and kissed Riley for a long time, relaxing with the sun’s rays playing over his naked skin.

Then Riley pulled the bandanna off. Colby blinked in the bright sunshine. Riley looked so beautiful lying on the blankets smiling up at him.

“That was the best picnic ever. Thank you.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. And you should thank me.” He winked.

“Why do you say that?”
 
“Because you didn’t get three out of four correct.”

“I didn’t? Why’d you say I did?”

“If I hadn’t let you cheat it wouldn’t have been as much fun.

“What did I get wrong?”

“It doesn’t matter. In my book you got a perfect score.”

“Mmm. I love you.”

“I know.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I know"?  "I know"!! Well, I don't know and now I need to know the rest, so good thing this is on my Kindle at the top of the TBR list. Review to follow. ;)

Spaghetti Western

A Novel in the Delectable Series

Cordon Bleu-trained chef Riley Emerson arrives in Aspen, Colorado for a summer at the best restaurant in town, only to discover his jerk of a boyfriend has dumped him, leaving his heart and his plans in tatters. Doubting himself and longing for a change of pace, he takes a low-paying position at the Rocking Z guest ranch, though he expects nature up close and personal won’t hold a candle to his exciting Paris lifestyle.

When born-and-bred cattle rancher Colby Zane spots a newcomer being pawed at by a passel of horny cowboys at Aspen’s Club Rawhide, he rushes in, throws the guy over his shoulder, and rescues him. Sober, Riley Emerson is sweet and sexy, but not interested in more than a one-night stand. Still, Colby’s over the moon when Riley later arrives as the new cook on his family’s ranch.

But all’s not well at the Rocking Z. Unsurmountable financial problems force them to seek a cash infusion from outside investor Fitz Wellington. Fitz is hot for Colby, and he won’t sign on the dotted line without some very personal incentives. The future of the ranch is at stake, and Colby’s just that desperate, but saving the Z might mean losing Riley.

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Out of the Gate by EM Lynley

Title: Out of the Gate
Author: EM Lynley
Purchase at Dreamspinner
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Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Genre: contemporary, sports
Length: 270 pages
Formats: epub, mobi, pdf, print

British actor Wesley Tremayne thinks he’s close to hitting the big time—a film career—with his role as a hunky explorer on a popular American TV show. Success should be just around the corner, as long as he keeps his sexual orientation a secret. Wes’s best friend and beard, Julia Compton, forms the other half of a glamorous Hollywood couple that’s merely a façade.

Evan Taylor left his acting career behind five years ago without looking back. He's always been more comfortable around horses than people—especially Hollywood types. His new life training racehorses is a dream come true, but increasing financial problems and an abusive boyfriend have him doubting himself and his choices.

Then Wes and his friends buy a third-rate racehorse—partially for publicity—and send him to Evan’s stable. Wes’s friendship with Evan soon develops into an overpowering attraction he can’t act on. He's never met a man like Evan, but if there’s any chance for a future together, Wes must choose between a career he loves and the man he adores.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once again, EM Lynley’s written a winner. We can feel the heat in the horses’ legs, we can smell the fresh-turned earth on the track, hear the roar of the crowds in the last furlongs of the race. Most of all, we can feel the heat between Wes and Evan.


Wes has strong motivation to keep his orientation to himself: he’s sure his career as a budding Hollywood heartthrob won’t survive coming out. He’s aggravated with himself that the one man who’s shaken his resolve already has a boyfriend. Still, he can’t keep away from the training stables or Evan, even if all he can do is learn more about his new hobby.

Being treated like a human being is a new one on Evan, whose relationship with the odious Gary has been steadily disintegrating and all that remains is to blow away the dust. He’s taken in by Wes’s charade with Julia, and cursing himself for finding the straight guy attractive. Being part of the Hollywood scene is another strike against Wes. Honest interest and attentive conversation are a powerful aphrodisiac.

Bad boyfriend Gary, a filmmaker on the documentary end of the movie industry, does get the boot, but lingers like a bad smell given his half ownership in one of Evan’s horses. Evan can’t afford to lose any more paying customers, since several of his owners have taken their horses away. Gary’s filly, Jet, could be one of the stars of the stable.

The relationship between Wes and Evan is a lovely dance of interest and self-denial until they can finally come together. After that, we get to watch them solidify as a couple who has each other’s backs. Really well done, and when they have to confront the mystery that runs like a shimmery thread through the story, it’s explosive.

I love this author’s way with creating a fully formed setting that’s nearly a character in itself, and making it absolutely real. The needs of the stable affect Evan and Wes almost as much as they affect each other, making this one of the most three dimensional books I’ve read in a long time. Add in the baggage each man carries and their need for each other, and the story is beautifully well rounded.

Out of the Gate was a smashing read, and anyone who ever wished Dick Francis wrote gay characters ought to pick it up. 5 marbles

Jaded by EM Lynley

Title: Jaded (Precious Gems #3)
Author: EM Lynley
Purchase at Dreamspinner
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Cover Artist: Anne Cain
Genre: contemporary, thriller/mystery
Length: 250 pages
Formats: epub, mobi, pdf, print

Blurb:

Gay-romance writer Trent Copeland finds his life in a rut while his boyfriend, Special Agent Reed Acton, is away on an undercover mission. After attending a special course at FBI headquarters in Quantico, Trent’s eager for another challenge. He jumps at the opportunity for a trip to Japan to oversee appraisals of two art collections to be sold at the gallery he co-owns. But the trip isn’t all cherry blossoms and Hello Kitty. When one of the collectors he meets—rumored to be the head of a Yakuza gang—turns up dead, Trent is accused of the murder and thrown in jail.

Reed drops everything to help find out who really committed the crime. He's in unknown territory in Japan, forced to navigate Tokyo’s sex underworld to unravel the truth and save Trent. He poses as a “host” at a seedy late-night club. When Reed’s undercover activities place him at a ruthless Yakuza leader’s sex party, he must be willing to go to any lengths to secure Trent’s safety and freedom. But trusting the wrong people brings both Reed and Trent to the Yakuza leader’s attention. If they’re ever to have a happy ever after, they’ll first have to call on every skill just to stay alive.

Review:

Regulars here know EM Lynley gets to the top of my TBR pile frequently: she’s clever, she’s consistent, and she tells a good tale in a variety of settings. So getting a third installment of a series where I enjoyed the first two made me very happy. Trent the romance novelist and inadvertent agent, and his lover Reed the Secret Agent are back for more adventure and a deepening of their relationship.


Trent’s found, or placed, himself neck deep in two of Reed’s missions in the other two books, and is likely to do it again, they fear. Both of them figure he’ll survive much better with some actual skills rather than dumb luck. He’s not silly enough to think that one course at Quantico will make him Reed’s equal in the field, but he’s much better prepared to cope.

Getting left behind while Reed goes undercover is an all-too-regular event. Trent’s filling the gap with renewed interest in the art gallery where he’s silent partner, and an art-buying trip to Japan with his fluent BFF sounds like a great way not to mope. Given that Trent is a trouble magnet, of course the clients are yakuza, something is fishy, and it ain’t the sushi.

The art-buying trip (fiasco) moves fast and pulls Trent ever deeper into the mire. Reed’s there in a flash, desperate to do what it takes to exonerate Trent, since the legal system is less interested in guilt than a quick solution. His own undercover operation has a peck of trouble for him in the form of a very sexy agent who knows the lay of the land, and isn’t above using the lay of Reed to solve the case. The adventure aspect of this book is nail biting material.

The relationship between Reed and Trent isn’t fully solidified after two years. They’ve been apart too much and can share too little to feel totally confident with each other, and they misread more than one situation. Even so, I was a little perplexed by Reed’s reaction to Shindo because even if he’d be noticing on his own time, this is business, and business with Trent’s well being at stake to boot. The complications provided by their undercover roles still made sense, though some of Reed’s reactions at other times made me want to smack him and redirect him, because YAKUZA.

Both men come to a greater understanding of what the other one faces in their relationship, whether it’s professional or personal, and I enjoyed coming along for the ride. Trent’s insights and observations and Reed’s craft are both needed to resolve the mystery, even if solving it takes a toll on them privately.

The author knows Japan from personal experience, which shows in the detailed setting and vivid sensory experience. Little details like which type of indoor shoes to wear and tiny fish for breakfast bring the adventure alive. Lovely. This is third in the series, and the author has done a great job of making it stand alone, so if you're starting here you won't be lost, but Rarer than Rubies and Italian Ice are too good to miss. 4.75 marbles

Lighting the Way Home by EM Lynley and Shira Anthony

Title: Lighting the Way Home
Author: E.M. Lynley and Shira Anthony
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publisher Buy Link: Lighting the Way Home

Genre: Contemporary
Length: 206 pages


World-class chef Joshua Golden is homesick for Paris before he even arrives in New York, but he’ll endure it—his parents need him to help run the family restaurant while his mother recovers from surgery. Running a place so far beneath his talents is bad enough, but bad turns to worse when Josh discovers his former best friend and lover, Micah Solomon, is living at his parents’ house with his ten-year-old son, Ethan.

For ten years, Josh has done his best to forget how Micah shattered his heart into tiny pieces. Now Micah’s back, fresh out of prison, and helping out at the restaurant. Micah may not be the kind of sous chef Josh is used to, but he is more helpful and supportive than any of the other employees. But Josh finds it hard to keep his distance when, time after time, Micah proves himself a better man than Josh thought. Reluctantly, Josh realizes there is more to Micah than his lousy life choices… but that doesn’t mean Josh is ready to forgive him.

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This was a peek into a fully realized society for me—part of our American life but unique and with deep flavor. It’s not my background, but I wasn’t lost, and I was definitely intrigued. This is life in a New York Jewish community that’s accessible for those of us who aren’t of that background. The community was palpable but not overwhelming; Josh and Micah fit in but not in any predictable pattern.


There’s pain and longing that go way back, mixed with huge dollops of family expectation and broken hopes. And out of this potent mix, the authors bring the two protagonists through the mess into a place where they might be happy at last. Micah  couldn't possibly have hurt Josh so badly had Josh not loved Micah so deeply, and the authors make us watch how tattered love can become whole again.

Individually, each author has written books that I have sunk into and enjoyed, and together EM Lynley and Shira Anthony have created something seamless and vivid. However these two manage their collaboration, it works. The style is smooth and readable, and carries the story forward.

Josh grew up in the restaurant business, but has left kosher food and all it implies far, far behind. French food, luscious enough to tempt chefs with Michelin stars, is worlds away from the homey Eastern European kosher cooking he grew up on, and it’s his life now. An ocean between him and Micah, who broke his heart a hundred times over, is just barely enough. Now Josh is home to mind the store a while for his ailing parents. And Micah seems to have taken his place as dutiful son.

Watching Josh go from curled up in an emotional fetal position to open and loving is the great character arc of this book—he’s arranged his life to avoid dealing with pain that’s entirely in his face now. From his parents to his former lover, to the life he has and the life that he could have, Josh has to reevaluate everything. His mother and father have gone frail, Micah has a ten year old son, an ex-wife, and a prison record, and Josh is frothing at the mouth to get back to a kitchen that serves not-kosher food. It’s all as far from what he once had and hoped for as he can get. All driven by pain.

Micah doesn’t get any POV scenes, but that’s fine because he is unrolled in small doses as Josh can cope with him. Josh sees details as he can, and Micah is who he is, but slowly unveiled in all his complexity. Micah’s hurt everyone he loves, and is working through his amends. He’s a wonderful character, and in ways he’s deeper than Josh is, because he’s had to come to an ultimate understanding of who he is and what drives him. Fatherhood and the responsibility for another person adds to that. Ethan, his son, doesn’t steal any scenes or spout pages of adorable regurgitated wisdom; he’s just a ten year old who loves his father, wants to play basketball with his buddies, and accepts that his home is where his father is, not a house or apartment. He’s so normal I wanted to feed him pizza and check his homework.

There are a few plot issues that one can see coming, mostly because it has to work out that way else one character or another would be a selfish sub-human (It’s a roller coaster ride, sometimes I wondered—and that’s a good thing!), but the “how it works out” doesn’t disappoint in any way. Other issues make perfect sense after you read the passages and think a little, which adds a delightful complexity to the story. One or two instances I definitely didn’t see coming but given one of the authors’ legal background, I am prepared to believe entirely once it’s explained.

A few plot points are left open ended rather than extend this timeline as far out as total resolution would need. I anticipate a follow-up story more than wish every loose end had been tied here. There’s hope, and for where it’s needed, it’s enough. The rest, we’re left happy.

I enjoyed this story from top to bottom, and I can only imagine how someone more steeped in Jewish culture will see plot points in greater nuance than I can. There are the familiar trappings of Chanukah, but the latkes and candles aren't the plot here: they are the sense of family and continuity.  Beshert, judging from dreamy looks and secret smiles from those I asked who ought to know, has to mean more than “meant to be”, but for Joshua and Micah, it’s good. It’s a foundation for a lifetime.  4.5 stars.

Brand New Flavor by EM Lynley

Title: Brand New Flavor
Author: EM Lynley
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Genre: contemporary
Length: 144 pages, novella
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

When artisan ice cream maker Jay Brown first meets food writer Cameron Clay at a charity tasting event, they get along like strawberries and chocolate sauce. Jay's unique flavors thrill more than Cameron's jaded palate, but after a delicious encounter in Jay’s delivery truck, where extra-creamy frozen treats are not the only delights sampled, Cameron loses Jay’s contact info—and any hope of a real date.

Desperate, Cameron convinces his editor to host an artisanal ice cream contest in hopes of drawing out the elusive genius. But more complications threaten to intervene. Will Jay even enter the contest? Or will the chance of a happily ever after melt away?

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First off, this story made me crave some really good ice cream! EM Lynley describes the tactile sensations and the flavors in such a way that it was an absolute need to get a bowl of frozen confection, mostly because first choice (of hot guys) wasn't in grabbing range.


Cameron the food critic stumbles on the hottest, or coolest, new sensation of Jay’s novel flavors at a tasting, and also stumbles on the interesting sensation of not being recognized. Most of the folks in the food scene know who he is and fear his opinions, but Jay wants to get down and dirty in the delivery van, not court Cameron’s judgment on his wares—that Cameron even had a widely respected opinion came as a surprise. These hot gay guys consider that a good blowjob is like a firm handshake—do that first and then get to know each other.

If they could be in the same place at the same time, that would work better—and the whole world is conspiring to keep them apart. Every single secondary character has an agenda to stick between them, and only Jay’s good-hearted but manipulative staff oppose them. Cameron and Jay are both stubborn and intrigued, but a few of Jay’s quirks make it even harder for them to get together.

A couple of Jay’s idiosyncrasies seemed a bit over the top—why have business cards in your pocket if you won’t even give your phone number to a regular customer? But there are some explanations for even that, and it’s all good frustrating fun and treats for the reader. With every new setback creating a gasp and every fresh revelation bringing an agreeing nod, this story romps through the difficulties created for and by two obstinate men who really ought to have a chance at each other in fresh, crisp sheets.

The secondary characters, from Cameron’s ex who wants him back to Jay’s former partner and lover, plus other friends and foes with strong opinions, all stir the pot here, and are vividly drawn. One female character nearly went over the top, but ended with some nuance. Jay’s employees are darlings, well meaning if occasionally off based, and more help than hindrance, even if Jay would like to whack them with a ladle at one point. Jay’s so stubborn he’s probably the one who needs the thump upside the head—he creates huge vats of will he/won’t he tension.

I enjoyed this story greatly, and now someone better scoop me a big bowl of Jay's chocolaty lusciousness! 4.5 marbles

Going for Gold Ed EM Lynley

Title:Going for Gold
Author: various, Ed. EM Lynley
Cover Artist: Deanna Jamroz
Publisher: MLR Press
Genre: contemporary, sports
Length: 117k words


It's not hard to see the outward appeal of the Olympic Games: watching the fittest and most-accomplished athletes in the world compete—generally with fairly skimpy uniforms. Voyeurism aside, there's nothing sexier than a beautiful body running, jumping, swimming, rowing, and a couple dozen other activities. Who wouldn't take the chance to enjoy the spectacle?

But the Olympics are more than just a chance to watch athletes at the peak of physical perfection. Every competitor at the Games has a story behind why they run or jump or swim, and why they compete. How they got to the Games, and what they sacrificed along the way to make the cut. To spectators, they may perform superhuman feats, but each and every one is human in the same way we all are.

In this collection of stories, you'll find there's a lot more to competing at Olympic level than being the best in one's field. Expectations and pressures from family, friends, coaches and country add up, and sometimes it's only the love of the right man who can make the effort worth it. And sometimes, love is more important than going for gold.

Including:
Hot Shots by Michael P. Thomas
Into the Deep by Nico Jaye
The Quad by Kelly Rand
Lightning in a Bottle by Sarah Madison
Swimming the Distance by Annabeth Albert
Shoot for the Gold by Whitley Gray
An Olympic Goal by K-lee Klein
Tumbling Dreams by Kaje Harper

Review
I enjoyed this collection: I love the Olympics, I love stories with depth and development, I love stories where I might learn something, and of course, I love the hot guys. Every story delivered on most of those goals, though with some different strengths. Averaging around 15k per story, these are all longer than I typically find in anthologies, and with correspondingly more meat. The early stories had me thinking “okay” but after a brief warm-up, my socks were knocked completely off.


Hot Shots tackled shooting sports, and this offering from Michael P. Thomas, a new to me author, nearly put me off the whole collection—I wouldn’t have chosen it for the lead off position, because it had the one character I found horribly annoying, compounded by not finding out his name until a third of the way through. Bo, a self-confessed athlete groupie, is only interested in sports in order to cuddle up to the other sportsmen. Even in a piece intended as humor, his assumption that he can get good enough at any sport in six months to even stand next to athletes who have been perfecting their technique since before they started shaving didn’t set well. Bo does some learning, growing, and falling in real love, and the story did grow on me by the end.

Nico Jaye is another new to me author: Into the Deep pairs an American diver with a London local during the Olympics, and while the story was pleasant, it had a flavor of “The Virgin Gazillionaire’s Private Pool” about it. Heavy doses of coincidences and overly extreme characterizations detracted from bartender Blake’s very real doubts about getting involved with a foreigner, and the whole was sweet but trite.

I have met Kelly Rand’s evocative prose before and enjoyed it here again in The Quad, the only story set in the Winter Olympics. Her skater needs the confidence to land the quad jump in competition, and finds support from the most unlikely quarter. This story unrolled beautifully, playing with Kevin’s confidence in his skating and in his personal life, and the man who steps in to help him doesn’t promise more than he can deliver. As she has done before, Kelly Rand leaves the characters standing on the edge of dazzling possibilities. Very well done.

Sarah Madison’s thorough understanding of horses and equestrian competition shines brightly in Lighting in a Bottle, where she focuses more on the lead up to getting into the Olympics than on the big event. Her protagonists have a complex and not entirely happy history when they are thrown together again to prepare Jake and his horses for competition. I absolutely felt like I was in the barn and in the jumping ring with the competitors, and rooted hard for Jake and Rich to make a go of both their relationship and the competitions, and to untangle the complexities that plague them. I still have no idea what the name of their particular event is, involving both dressage and jumping, but the story is so good I almost don’t care.

Distance swimming and the perils of being out publicly are the focus of Annabeth Arden’s Swimming the Distance. Bohdan Petrov is torn between love for his partner, Kyle, and being open about it as Kyle would like. Bohdan’s performance in his 1500 meter race is at stake as he repeatedly denies being gay and/or in a relationship. The ups and downs of his performance and his relationship provided some satisfying reading, although I was a little distracted by formulating my own replies to nosy interviewers.

Back to shooting sports again with Whitley Gray’s Shoot for the Gold, where marksman Matt Justice beans himself on some scaffolding at the Olympic Village and has to deal with the residual effects of the injury. He’s severely limited in treatment options unless he cares to disqualify himself from competition, but sports doctor Levi Wolf, who’s carrying baggage of his own, has some non-pharmacologic treatments (not that, get your minds out of the gutter!!!) that can keep Matt competing honestly. Professional ethics, past history, and personal attraction conflict here, adding a nice dimension to the story. This is another new to me author, and I’ll be checking out the back list.

In An Olympic Goal, K-Lee Klein examines the conflicts between playing for a professional team in one country and a national team in another, and adds the complication of one’s lover playing for the other country. This sounds like a lose/lose proposition on a couple levels, but the Swiss and Spanish football (soccer) players turn it into a win for everyone somehow. Soccer is one of those “wake me up when it’s time to cheer” sports for me (yes, I am aware this is blasphemy in some quarters) but I remained interested in the conflicts and the lovers, if not the sport.

Tumbling Dreams was the story that had me sniffling and rereading immediately, and is an amazing finish to a great collection. Kaje Harper’s gymnast Tyler has a berth on the Olympic gymnastics team, a threatening injury, and a roommate whose heart breaks silently and repeatedly with every backflip and vault. Eli’s living in quiet desperation, both wanting Tyler to achieve his dreams and to back away from the sport, and for Tyler to want him as more than a friend but not if every morning brings a fresh chance to destroy himself while Eli has to watch. Densely layered and slightly tragic, this story doesn’t wrap everyone and everything in gold.

The book did have a couple of formatting issues that cut severely into the reading experience. While certainly not the authors’ fault, the construction of the MOBI file did not permit jumping to the table of contents. Come on, MLR, this is pretty basic. Also not the authors’ fault, and maybe not even the editor’s choice, it’s hard to say, but the trademark acknowledgements at the beginning of each story felt like a great big slap in the face. Yes, it’s legal jargon and has to be there, but no, I did not appreciate the big jolt out of the reading mood between stories. Stick it at the front where I can get it over with or at the end where I can admire the legal thoroughness instead of after each title where I get knocked out of the story before I even start.

Between a couple of just okay stories and some irritating publisher’s choices, I can’t say this is a gold medal read across the board, but there are certainly a lot of winning stories in this volume. Warmly recommended. 4.25 marbles

A Thousand Word Thursday Excerpt from EM Lynley

An excerpt from Italian Ice by E.M.Lynley (a 4.5 star read at Jessewave's and also 4.5 marble review here. Thanks, EM!

***

Reed Acton took one last swing through the room before auction house staff ushered browsers out so they could prepare items for the auction. He went over to the bar set up in the lobby and ordered a sparkling water as he continued to watch people arrive for the auction. As soon as the room was opened, he took a seat in the last row and watched bidders file in.

As was typical at society events, many men wore well-tailored suits. But this was Italy, after all, and everyone appeared to dress an order of magnitude better than in LA, even when going for the casual look. He suspected some of the “less structured” jackets cost more than all of the clothing he owned put together. And the women far outdid the men. They were stunning, and several tried to catch his eye as they filed past into the room. One in particular, a tall, dark-haired woman whose eyeliner technique bordered on that of Cleopatra, actually sat down next to him and tried to make small talk for a few moments, first in Italian and then in French and finally in English. Reed got rid of her by speaking Chinese. She flounced away, clearly offended that he hadn’t been interested, but he kept his eyes on everyone else.

He quickly spotted Marconi, and once the room started to fill up, Reed moved closer to the stage, better to both see the items and keep a closer watch on Marconi.

The room was about half full when the first lot went up for bid. Reed observed the rhythm of the auction, listening to the auctioneer’s voice and watching how the bidders behaved. It was no different from any other auction he’d been to, though the auctioneer said the prices in both English and Italian and bidding was in euros.

He was getting bored with it all as the first item he’d tagged came up for bidding. No one bid on it at first. Not a huge surprise, as several other items had had no takers at the first bid. The auctioneer lowered his price and a balding man in his late forties bid. On the third pass, Marconi also bid, then the first man bid again, with Marconi taking the piece at just under the first bid. The gavel went down.

The second marked item came up for bid about twenty minutes later. Bidding was consistent, and numbers flew as a variety of bidders got into a real competition. In the end, the item went for three times the estimated sale price. Not of interest to Reed, since it didn’t fit the pattern. Marconi had bid early on, been outbid, rebid, and then got out of the action.

The third item, the Cupid, got Reed’s Spidey sense tingling. The first offer wasn’t rewarded with a bid, so the auctioneer lowered the price. The first bid was slightly lower, again by that balding man. Marconi made a last-minute bid just as the auctioneer was ready to award the item, and the bid, rebid situation was played out again, almost identically to the first item.

Now Reed’s attention was on the first man. Who was he? He wasn’t in any of Peter’s reports. Reed hadn’t been paying much attention to him, but he didn’t think the man had bid on anything else. Damn, now he was going to have to figure out who he was. He leaned over to the woman sitting next to him and whispered. She’d seen him here before, but she didn’t know his name. She’d ask one of her friends if Reed wanted to know.

The next item Baldy bid on was the amphora recovered from the shipwreck.

Reed decided to get into the game. He bid on the second pass and noticed Baldy turned around to see who had bid. He shuffled in his seat and glanced around like a lost child. But Baldy didn’t look in Marconi’s direction. If there was anything between them, Baldy knew better than to give the connection away.

Too bad.

Marconi countered, and Baldy bid again. When Reed bid again, he noticed Marconi getting jumpy. He rebid, and Reed was going to let him have the item. He had the information he needed on the bidding patterns. But before the auctioneer finalized the bid and sale to Marconi, yet another bidder jumped into the action, paddle number 472.

Reed glanced over to see who had raised a paddle, and thought he’d have a heart attack.

Paddle 472 belonged to Trent.

**********************************

Italian Ice

In this exciting sequel to Rarer Than Rubies, gay romance author Trent Copeland and former FBI agent Reed Action head to Italy for a Roman holiday. What should be a relaxing and romantic vacation is interrupted when Reed’s not-so-former boss asks for his help with a case. Trent's shocked to discover in the six months they’ve been living together in LA, Reed hasn’t been completely honest about his "retirement."

Reed heads for Sicily on the trail of a suspected antiquities-smuggling ring and to find Peter Isett—a former FBI partner he also hasn’t been completely truthful about. Stung by Reed’s dishonesty, Trent questions what else Reed might be hiding. But when he overhears something that tells him Reed's life is in danger, Trent follows Reed to a remote chain of ancient volcanic islands off Sicily's northern coast. Soon Trent is caught up in the smugglers’ web, and Reed must decide between his heart and his mission—a decision complicated by his past with Peter. Reed’s position is perilous: unless he can learn to put the past behind him, he risks destroying everything he's built with Trent.

Buy here.