Summary:
A debt is paid and two lives are changed forever.
For Aaron Quinn, the decision to drop out of med school turns his life upside down, and his father piles on the guilt over the tuition costs. So when his father cooks up a plan to hold off a Mafia loan shark's wrath, Aaron reluctantly agrees, desperate to make up for his failings.
Raised and groomed to take over his father’s position in the Mafia, Liam Sandoval has his own issues. Looking for any escape from his horrible life, he accepts the offer of a weekend of pleasure from Aaron. A mutual attraction ignites, and they realize a weekend will never be enough. But the growing relationship will be put to the ultimate test when enemies target Liam's new weak spot—Aaron. Can they overcome the outside forces threatening to pull them apart?
Review:
I enjoyed this story immensely. Seeing the badass Liam finding his heart when he meets Aaron was interesting. It made for a nice change as opposed to the stereotypical mob bad guy. It's nice seeing how the sins of the fathers had passed on to the sons but in this case, it just might bring the sons some peace and happiness they both thought was not only beyond their reach but that neither believed they deserved. At times, the plot seems a little rushed but not enough to take away from the enjoyment of the story or the development of the characters. Can't wait to see what this author brings us next.
Rating: 4 Stars
Author Bio:
A.R. HAWKINS lives in southern Illinois where she enjoys being a stay-at-home mom to her two small boys. Married to her high school sweetheart and still in love, she can’t help being a romantic. Her romanticism is tempered by her adoration of action flicks, thrillers, and historical dramas, and this shows in her writing. A.R. found her love of M/M romance as a teen when she happened upon a couple of novels at a used bookstore. The men embracing on the covers intrigued her and she fell in love with the idea of relationships in all forms. Writing anything creatively came as a complete surprise to her. One day she couldn’t get a story out of her head and decided the only way to get peace was to write it out. Since then, A.R. has found a passion for writing and sees stories to tell everywhere she looks.
Author Links:
Facebook
Purchase Links:
Amazon
Barnes&Noble
Dreamspinner
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Notice Me & Embrace Me by Rebecca Turley
Summary:
If you discovered yourself through love what would you sacrifice?
'Notice Me' is an emotional roller coaster full of money, power and love, which takes the fascinating characters on a whirlwind romantic flight of fear and fancy. One man wants Shannon, the heroine to notice him, and with his hand written love letters she is helpless to resist. The terrible dilemma facing Shannon once she finds him is an impelling one. When she finally decides to give in to an intimidator’s threats and marry him she does it only to save the love of her life.
Breathtakingly tense to the very end.
Review:
This story is amazing. Finding yourself, true love, even a little mystery. I honestly felt such compassion and love for the main character of Shannon from the first page to the last. Where her journey leads her is truly heartbreaking and heartwarming all in the same breath.
Embrace Me
Summary:
What will happen to the girl who has everything?
After a rough start to life, Shannon Downing finally has it all. She has her Mr. Notice Me, she has reconnected with her long-lost mother, and she is the sole heiress to a multi-billion dollar company. The only problem is going public with that information.
Hidden away at a ranch in Texas at her mother’s insistence, Shannon’s world starts to crumble. Not only does she learn of Maisy Field’s kidnapping, but she hears a secret that could destroy everything and everyone she loves.
What will happen when news comes out that she is the missing heiress to Downing International? Will she become the next target for the elusive kidnappers? And what about the secret she overheard? Will the love that she and Mr. Notice me share be enough to hold them together?
Review:
I can't say enough about this and at the same time I don't want to give any spoilers so I feel limited on what I can say. However, I will say this is definitely a must read. You see the next stage of the journey in Shannon Davis' life. We learn answers but they aren't all learned easily. A must read!!!
Rating: 5 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Texas Series by R.J. Scott
The Heart of Texas (#1)
Summary:
Riley Hayes, the playboy of the Hayes family, is a young man who seems to have it all: money, a career he loves, and his pick of beautiful women. His father, CEO of HayesOil, passes control of the corporation to his two sons; but a stipulation is attached to Riley's portion. Concerned about Riley's lack of maturity, his father requires that Riley 'marry and stay married for one year to someone he loves'. Angered by the requirement, Riley seeks a means of bypassing his father's stipulation. Blackmailing Jack Campbell into marrying him "for love" suits Riley's purpose. There is no mention in his father's documents that the marriage had to be with a woman and Jack Campbell is the son of Riley Senior's arch rival. Win win.
Riley marries Jack and abruptly his entire world is turned inside out. Riley hadn't counted on the fact that Jack Campbell, quiet and unassuming rancher, is a force of nature in his own right.
This is a story of murder, deceit, the struggle for power, lust and love, the sprawling life of a rancher and the whirlwind existence of a playboy. But under and through it all, as Riley learns over the months, this is a tale about family and everything that that word means.
Review:
WOW!!! The characters are so well written, you'll love them, you'll hate some of them and I was definitely sucked into the story.
Rating: 5 Stars
Texas Winter (#2)
Summary:
Riley’s past comes back to haunt him both professionally and personally.
His dead brother left more than just bitter memories for Riley to deal with. The FBI get involved and suddenly it is more than his good name that is on the line. Jack is always there for him but how much more can Riley’s husband reasonably be able to understand?
Especially when Riley finds out on his delayed honeymoon that he has an eight year old daughter he never knew existed...
Review:
There were so many directions the author could have taken this in and would have been an interesting and enjoyable read but this is so much better than any of those options. Great to see Riley and Jack come into their own.
Rating: 5 Stars
Texas Heat (#3)
Summary:
Against the backdrop of twenty half naked models on DD land, and in the midst of fighting the oil establishment that just won't give Riley a chance, Texas Heat is the story of one hot summer in Texas with a Gay Rodeo, humor, angst and a love between two men that just grows stronger every day.
Jack hires Robbie, a man recovering from a great loss, to be his right hand man. Meanwhile Riley's mischievous photographer friend, Eli, decides the DD is the perfect backdrop for a cowboy themed model shoot. Eli has secrets not even Riley knows about but despite what he is hiding he falls in lust with Robbie at first sight. Everyone except Robbie can see how perfect Eli would be for him.
What happens when secrets spill and lies are discovered? And just how far will Riley and Jack go to play matchmaker?
Review:
Another great entry in this series. There was a bit more humor in this one but it was done so fittingly and mixed with just the right blend of drama, angst, and love, and of course hotness and cowboys!
Rating: 5 Stars
Texas Family (#4)
Summary:
Jack and Riley Campbell-Hayes begin a journey that will change their lives forever.
Set against the backdrop of the Double D, the cast of the Texas books face changes that won’t leave a single one of them untouched.
Jack and Riley want to extend their small family of three. Their first choice is surrogacy with Jack as the father and when all this begins smoothly both men can't help but contemplate at what point would things go wrong. After all, their lives are far from normal and nothing is ever smooth.
Add a small four year old boy in foster care into the mix and suddenly things become a whole lot more complicated.
Review:
Not only was this an amazing entry in the lives of Jack and Riley, but a true testament of family and that family isn't always about blood or perfect. Jack and Riley compliment each other so completely that it's hard to remember how they were when they first got their start in book 1. Even though this book centers around the new additions to their family, the boys haven't lost any of their passion, lust, or love for each other. They can still get the other worked up with just a look.
Rating: 5 Stars
Texas Christmas (#5)
Summary:
Six men with lives linked to the Double D... Danger comes to the Double D from Liam's past and threatens everything Jack and Riley hold dear.
Centering on Jack and Riley, parents, lovers and friends.
Eli and Robbie have their home on Double D land. Their love is rooted in the Texas soil and they weather as many storms as can be thrown at them.
And Liam, a young man with a head full of dreams and sleep full of nightmares, finds that all things are possible when Marcus decides to interrupt his solitary existence.
Review:
Another great entry in the tales of the Campbell-Hayes family, and yes, everyone who seems to come to the Double D works their way into the family network, blood or not. In this installment we get to see Jack and Riley adjust to the addition of Max to their family. I loved the way Liam's story is brought to us intermingled with his new found relationship with Marcus. It's not overdone and yet you feel every emotion that he goes through, good and bad. With the support of those around him, Liam learns to accept what happened to him and that he's worth the respect, responsibilities, and the love that he's being shown.
Rating: 5 Stars
Author Bio:
RJ Scott lives just outside London. She has been writing since age six, when she was made to stay in at lunchtime for an infraction involving cookies and was told to write a story. Two sides of A4 about a trapped princess later, a lover of writing was born. She loves reading anything from thrillers to sci-fi to horror; however, her first real love will always be the world of romance. Her goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and more than a hint of happily ever after.
Author Links:
Goodreads Author Page
Facebook
Twitter
Summary:
Riley Hayes, the playboy of the Hayes family, is a young man who seems to have it all: money, a career he loves, and his pick of beautiful women. His father, CEO of HayesOil, passes control of the corporation to his two sons; but a stipulation is attached to Riley's portion. Concerned about Riley's lack of maturity, his father requires that Riley 'marry and stay married for one year to someone he loves'. Angered by the requirement, Riley seeks a means of bypassing his father's stipulation. Blackmailing Jack Campbell into marrying him "for love" suits Riley's purpose. There is no mention in his father's documents that the marriage had to be with a woman and Jack Campbell is the son of Riley Senior's arch rival. Win win.
Riley marries Jack and abruptly his entire world is turned inside out. Riley hadn't counted on the fact that Jack Campbell, quiet and unassuming rancher, is a force of nature in his own right.
This is a story of murder, deceit, the struggle for power, lust and love, the sprawling life of a rancher and the whirlwind existence of a playboy. But under and through it all, as Riley learns over the months, this is a tale about family and everything that that word means.
Review:
WOW!!! The characters are so well written, you'll love them, you'll hate some of them and I was definitely sucked into the story.
Rating: 5 Stars
Texas Winter (#2)
Summary:
Riley’s past comes back to haunt him both professionally and personally.
His dead brother left more than just bitter memories for Riley to deal with. The FBI get involved and suddenly it is more than his good name that is on the line. Jack is always there for him but how much more can Riley’s husband reasonably be able to understand?
Especially when Riley finds out on his delayed honeymoon that he has an eight year old daughter he never knew existed...
Review:
There were so many directions the author could have taken this in and would have been an interesting and enjoyable read but this is so much better than any of those options. Great to see Riley and Jack come into their own.
Rating: 5 Stars
Texas Heat (#3)
Summary:
Against the backdrop of twenty half naked models on DD land, and in the midst of fighting the oil establishment that just won't give Riley a chance, Texas Heat is the story of one hot summer in Texas with a Gay Rodeo, humor, angst and a love between two men that just grows stronger every day.
Jack hires Robbie, a man recovering from a great loss, to be his right hand man. Meanwhile Riley's mischievous photographer friend, Eli, decides the DD is the perfect backdrop for a cowboy themed model shoot. Eli has secrets not even Riley knows about but despite what he is hiding he falls in lust with Robbie at first sight. Everyone except Robbie can see how perfect Eli would be for him.
What happens when secrets spill and lies are discovered? And just how far will Riley and Jack go to play matchmaker?
Review:
Another great entry in this series. There was a bit more humor in this one but it was done so fittingly and mixed with just the right blend of drama, angst, and love, and of course hotness and cowboys!
Rating: 5 Stars
Texas Family (#4)
Summary:
Jack and Riley Campbell-Hayes begin a journey that will change their lives forever.
Set against the backdrop of the Double D, the cast of the Texas books face changes that won’t leave a single one of them untouched.
Jack and Riley want to extend their small family of three. Their first choice is surrogacy with Jack as the father and when all this begins smoothly both men can't help but contemplate at what point would things go wrong. After all, their lives are far from normal and nothing is ever smooth.
Add a small four year old boy in foster care into the mix and suddenly things become a whole lot more complicated.
Review:
Not only was this an amazing entry in the lives of Jack and Riley, but a true testament of family and that family isn't always about blood or perfect. Jack and Riley compliment each other so completely that it's hard to remember how they were when they first got their start in book 1. Even though this book centers around the new additions to their family, the boys haven't lost any of their passion, lust, or love for each other. They can still get the other worked up with just a look.
Rating: 5 Stars
Texas Christmas (#5)
Summary:
Six men with lives linked to the Double D... Danger comes to the Double D from Liam's past and threatens everything Jack and Riley hold dear.
Centering on Jack and Riley, parents, lovers and friends.
Eli and Robbie have their home on Double D land. Their love is rooted in the Texas soil and they weather as many storms as can be thrown at them.
And Liam, a young man with a head full of dreams and sleep full of nightmares, finds that all things are possible when Marcus decides to interrupt his solitary existence.
Review:
Another great entry in the tales of the Campbell-Hayes family, and yes, everyone who seems to come to the Double D works their way into the family network, blood or not. In this installment we get to see Jack and Riley adjust to the addition of Max to their family. I loved the way Liam's story is brought to us intermingled with his new found relationship with Marcus. It's not overdone and yet you feel every emotion that he goes through, good and bad. With the support of those around him, Liam learns to accept what happened to him and that he's worth the respect, responsibilities, and the love that he's being shown.
Rating: 5 Stars
Author Bio:
RJ Scott lives just outside London. She has been writing since age six, when she was made to stay in at lunchtime for an infraction involving cookies and was told to write a story. Two sides of A4 about a trapped princess later, a lover of writing was born. She loves reading anything from thrillers to sci-fi to horror; however, her first real love will always be the world of romance. Her goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and more than a hint of happily ever after.
Author Links:
Goodreads Author Page
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Frontline by Alexandra Richland
Frontline (#1)
Summary:
When nurse Sara Peters treats celebrity billionaire Trenton Merrick for a mysterious injury to his forehead, she is blindsided by what follows: a passionate exchange in the examination room, followed by an invitation to Trenton's mansion the next night.
Trenton spins a web of deceit and seduction around Sara that both repels and attracts her. One part humanitarian, the other international financial mogul, his professional and public life are a curious contradiction. As Sara journeys deeper into her feelings for Trenton and begins unraveling the mystery behind his injury, she finds herself embroiled in a game of trust and betrayal, where the odds are stacked in Trenton's favor, and the outcome for the loser is too terrifying to conceive.
Review:
Extremely well written story filled with romance, mystery, and action. Completely sucked into this novel after only about 3 pages. I was able to read this book in about 3 days and it only took me that long because my "quiet me" time was a little limited. I could certainly see myself reading this in one sitting, given the opportunity. The characters are well developed and extremely likeable as well as relatable. Sara Peters first meeting with Trenton Merrick is enticing, intriguing, and definitely memorable. I don't want to say too much because it's not my nature to give spoilers but just let me say it's definitely a must read!
Rating: 5 Stars
Notes: #2 coming in 2014
Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Summary:
When nurse Sara Peters treats celebrity billionaire Trenton Merrick for a mysterious injury to his forehead, she is blindsided by what follows: a passionate exchange in the examination room, followed by an invitation to Trenton's mansion the next night.
Trenton spins a web of deceit and seduction around Sara that both repels and attracts her. One part humanitarian, the other international financial mogul, his professional and public life are a curious contradiction. As Sara journeys deeper into her feelings for Trenton and begins unraveling the mystery behind his injury, she finds herself embroiled in a game of trust and betrayal, where the odds are stacked in Trenton's favor, and the outcome for the loser is too terrifying to conceive.
Review:
Extremely well written story filled with romance, mystery, and action. Completely sucked into this novel after only about 3 pages. I was able to read this book in about 3 days and it only took me that long because my "quiet me" time was a little limited. I could certainly see myself reading this in one sitting, given the opportunity. The characters are well developed and extremely likeable as well as relatable. Sara Peters first meeting with Trenton Merrick is enticing, intriguing, and definitely memorable. I don't want to say too much because it's not my nature to give spoilers but just let me say it's definitely a must read!
Rating: 5 Stars
Notes: #2 coming in 2014
Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Unearthing Cole by A.M. Arthur
Unearthing Cole
Summary:
Cole Alston swore he’d never return to his childhood home in rural North Carolina, but when his mother dies, he inherits her hoarded property. He hopes to sell everything and use the money to start over in Canada, far away from his abusive ex-boyfriend. It’s a daunting task, and Cole has no idea where to start. Luckily for him, the local antique store owner, Jeremy Collins, volunteers his services in sorting the hoard. Their professional relationship soon evolves into a personal one, but Cole must overcome his past and his anxiety before he can accept a new man in his life or the possibility of a happy future.
Review:
Loved how well written the characters were and even though it's set in a relative short span of time, Cole learns so much about himself as well as his deceased parents and those around him.
Rating: 4 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Summary:
Cole Alston swore he’d never return to his childhood home in rural North Carolina, but when his mother dies, he inherits her hoarded property. He hopes to sell everything and use the money to start over in Canada, far away from his abusive ex-boyfriend. It’s a daunting task, and Cole has no idea where to start. Luckily for him, the local antique store owner, Jeremy Collins, volunteers his services in sorting the hoard. Their professional relationship soon evolves into a personal one, but Cole must overcome his past and his anxiety before he can accept a new man in his life or the possibility of a happy future.
Review:
Loved how well written the characters were and even though it's set in a relative short span of time, Cole learns so much about himself as well as his deceased parents and those around him.
Rating: 4 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Monday, March 3, 2014
Courtland Chronicles Series by Cat Grant
By Chance (#1)
Summary:
A life of wealth and privilege doesn’t equal happiness—just ask Eric Courtland. Growing up with a cold, unfeeling father and unstable mother has taught him exactly what he doesn’t want out of life or love. The troubled young man prefers a solitary life and is content to keep it that way until a campus emergency saddles him with an unwanted roommate.
Popular, wholesome, straight Nick Thompson is far more temptation than Eric’s prepared for, but Nick’s warm, easygoing manner gradually cracks through Eric’s prickly protective shell.
After Eric suffers a traumatic attack, their friendship gives way to an intense passion. Eric’s no stranger to casual sex, but what he feels for Nick is something deeper, and more fragile.
Independent Eric doesn't know the first thing about being in a relationship, much less with a lover who can't even admit he's gay. But conservative Nick can't seem to find his way out of his own personal closet.
Rock, meet hard place.
Review:
Following Eric and Nick navigate their relationship from strangers to lovers is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I found myself rooting for them both as individuals and as a couple and yet there was this nagging feeling that maybe it's just not meant to be.
Rating: 5 Stars
Strictly Business (#2)
Summary:
Eric Courtland is hungry for revenge—at any cost—against the cold, unfeeling father who never loved him, and who drove his mother to an early grave. Tossed headfirst into the shark-tank world of big business, Eric soon learns it’s eat or be eaten, and has no choice but to throw in his lot with ruthless titan of industry Branford Crane.
Still reeling from his mother’s death—and the guilt of not being able to save her—Eric plunges into a dark spiral of self-destruction, rejecting his longtime partner Nick’s love and support in favor of the harsh tutelage Bran offers him, in and out of the bedroom.
But one night, when Bran finally pushes Eric beyond any reasonable limit, Eric realizes how far he’s fallen—and how desperately he needs Nick to help pull him back from the edge.
Review:
Once again we find Eric and Nick in a heartbreaking scenario but will they be able to come back from Eric's plunge into a much darker world? You just want to shake Eric to make him see what's really in front of him, both the good and the bad. An excellent follow-up to By Chance.
Rating: 4 Stars
Complications (#3)
Summary:
Eric Courtland dreams of a powerful career in politics, but when he begins taking his lover, Nick Thompson, for granted, Nick decides that he's had enough of life in the background. Devastated and alone, Eric throws himself into the distractions of liquor—and his college friend, Ally Taylor.
What starts as a passionate rebound affair sparks something deeper in each of them, and as Eric finds healing in Ally's arms, he makes an unexpected proposal: he will offer his wealth and connections to forward her career; all Ally has to do is agree to marry him. But is a promise of fidelity and an intense physical connection enough make a marriage?
Soon, Ally finds herself falling in love with her new husband, but their lives are thrown into chaos with Nick's untimely re-appearance. Secrets, lies, and betrayal threaten to undermine the growing bond between the newlyweds, and Eric is forced to make a painful decision between the man he’s loved for over a decade, and the new wife he can’t bear to hurt.
Review:
Once again, Eric's ambition seems to be getting in the way of his and Nick's love. Will the proposal he makes with an old college friend give him what he wants or will Nick's re-entry into his life shake things up once again? A very intriguing entry in the series of Eric and Nick's relationship.
Rating: 4 Stars
The Arrangement (#4)
Summary:
Most people are lucky to find one love—Eric Courtland found two. He's spent the last decade in and out of a tempestuous relationship with his lover, Nick. But all that is nearly over when his new bride, Allison, discovers that his vows of fidelity came with an exception. Suddenly, Eric is at risk of destroying all he cares about, from his burgeoning political career, to the two loves of his life.
Terrified of losing everything, Eric proposes an unconventional solution: a non-traditional arrangement that neither Allison or Nick can refuse. And despite the betrayal and jealousy that plague the birth of their new relationship, the three begin to discover new ways of achieving harmony and balance—and an intimacy beyond anything they expected.
Even as their secret relationship grows, however, blackmailing political rivals and the pressures of life in the public eye create stresses that threaten to tear the three apart. In the end, Eric must decide what he's willing to sacrifice: the political ambitions he's nurtured all his life, or building a new dream with the only two people he's ever loved.
Review:
Eric finally has to make a decision between his ambitions and his love life. Once again you just want to shake him to make him see what is in front of him. Politics or love--which will he choose and will his choice bring him happiness? You'll have to read to find out.
Rating: 5 Stars
Triad (#5)
Summary:
Eric Courtland has spent the last decade tucked away in a Tuscan villa with his wife, Allison—and their partner and lover, Nick Thompson. Worlds away from the bigotry and hatred they faced in the States, the triad has built an unconventional relationship that is unassailable. Or so they think.
After years of disappointment, Allison is finally pregnant. But the happy news is soon blunted by a family crisis that brings them—reluctantly—back to the country they've foresworn and the emotional riptides that bide there.
Assailed from every direction, the three face blackmail and a potential corporate takeover, but it's the devastating revelations from both Eric's and Nick's pasts that leave them shaken to the core. The three must stand together and face the maelstrom, or risk losing everything they've worked so hard to build—including the unique love that binds them.
Review:
This was a fitting end to the series although I wish it wasn't over. I love these characters, whether you love them or hate them, and you do both at times, they're well written and they really grab a hold of your heart.
Rating: 5 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Summary:
A life of wealth and privilege doesn’t equal happiness—just ask Eric Courtland. Growing up with a cold, unfeeling father and unstable mother has taught him exactly what he doesn’t want out of life or love. The troubled young man prefers a solitary life and is content to keep it that way until a campus emergency saddles him with an unwanted roommate.
Popular, wholesome, straight Nick Thompson is far more temptation than Eric’s prepared for, but Nick’s warm, easygoing manner gradually cracks through Eric’s prickly protective shell.
After Eric suffers a traumatic attack, their friendship gives way to an intense passion. Eric’s no stranger to casual sex, but what he feels for Nick is something deeper, and more fragile.
Independent Eric doesn't know the first thing about being in a relationship, much less with a lover who can't even admit he's gay. But conservative Nick can't seem to find his way out of his own personal closet.
Rock, meet hard place.
Review:
Following Eric and Nick navigate their relationship from strangers to lovers is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I found myself rooting for them both as individuals and as a couple and yet there was this nagging feeling that maybe it's just not meant to be.
Rating: 5 Stars
Strictly Business (#2)
Summary:
Eric Courtland is hungry for revenge—at any cost—against the cold, unfeeling father who never loved him, and who drove his mother to an early grave. Tossed headfirst into the shark-tank world of big business, Eric soon learns it’s eat or be eaten, and has no choice but to throw in his lot with ruthless titan of industry Branford Crane.
Still reeling from his mother’s death—and the guilt of not being able to save her—Eric plunges into a dark spiral of self-destruction, rejecting his longtime partner Nick’s love and support in favor of the harsh tutelage Bran offers him, in and out of the bedroom.
But one night, when Bran finally pushes Eric beyond any reasonable limit, Eric realizes how far he’s fallen—and how desperately he needs Nick to help pull him back from the edge.
Review:
Once again we find Eric and Nick in a heartbreaking scenario but will they be able to come back from Eric's plunge into a much darker world? You just want to shake Eric to make him see what's really in front of him, both the good and the bad. An excellent follow-up to By Chance.
Rating: 4 Stars
Complications (#3)
Summary:
Eric Courtland dreams of a powerful career in politics, but when he begins taking his lover, Nick Thompson, for granted, Nick decides that he's had enough of life in the background. Devastated and alone, Eric throws himself into the distractions of liquor—and his college friend, Ally Taylor.
What starts as a passionate rebound affair sparks something deeper in each of them, and as Eric finds healing in Ally's arms, he makes an unexpected proposal: he will offer his wealth and connections to forward her career; all Ally has to do is agree to marry him. But is a promise of fidelity and an intense physical connection enough make a marriage?
Soon, Ally finds herself falling in love with her new husband, but their lives are thrown into chaos with Nick's untimely re-appearance. Secrets, lies, and betrayal threaten to undermine the growing bond between the newlyweds, and Eric is forced to make a painful decision between the man he’s loved for over a decade, and the new wife he can’t bear to hurt.
Review:
Once again, Eric's ambition seems to be getting in the way of his and Nick's love. Will the proposal he makes with an old college friend give him what he wants or will Nick's re-entry into his life shake things up once again? A very intriguing entry in the series of Eric and Nick's relationship.
Rating: 4 Stars
The Arrangement (#4)
Summary:
Most people are lucky to find one love—Eric Courtland found two. He's spent the last decade in and out of a tempestuous relationship with his lover, Nick. But all that is nearly over when his new bride, Allison, discovers that his vows of fidelity came with an exception. Suddenly, Eric is at risk of destroying all he cares about, from his burgeoning political career, to the two loves of his life.
Terrified of losing everything, Eric proposes an unconventional solution: a non-traditional arrangement that neither Allison or Nick can refuse. And despite the betrayal and jealousy that plague the birth of their new relationship, the three begin to discover new ways of achieving harmony and balance—and an intimacy beyond anything they expected.
Even as their secret relationship grows, however, blackmailing political rivals and the pressures of life in the public eye create stresses that threaten to tear the three apart. In the end, Eric must decide what he's willing to sacrifice: the political ambitions he's nurtured all his life, or building a new dream with the only two people he's ever loved.
Review:
Eric finally has to make a decision between his ambitions and his love life. Once again you just want to shake him to make him see what is in front of him. Politics or love--which will he choose and will his choice bring him happiness? You'll have to read to find out.
Rating: 5 Stars
Triad (#5)
Summary:
Eric Courtland has spent the last decade tucked away in a Tuscan villa with his wife, Allison—and their partner and lover, Nick Thompson. Worlds away from the bigotry and hatred they faced in the States, the triad has built an unconventional relationship that is unassailable. Or so they think.
After years of disappointment, Allison is finally pregnant. But the happy news is soon blunted by a family crisis that brings them—reluctantly—back to the country they've foresworn and the emotional riptides that bide there.
Assailed from every direction, the three face blackmail and a potential corporate takeover, but it's the devastating revelations from both Eric's and Nick's pasts that leave them shaken to the core. The three must stand together and face the maelstrom, or risk losing everything they've worked so hard to build—including the unique love that binds them.
Review:
This was a fitting end to the series although I wish it wasn't over. I love these characters, whether you love them or hate them, and you do both at times, they're well written and they really grab a hold of your heart.
Rating: 5 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Irresistable Attraction Series by Cat Grant
Priceless (#1)
Summary:
"When love's for sale, who really pays?"
Connor Morrison is a 3-D optics pioneer, the star of the UC Berkeley physics department, and a socially inept workaholic. And with his dear friend and business partner, Steve Campbell, handling their investors, he's content to remain in the shadows. That is, until he meets the gorgeous and starry-eyed physics student Wes Martin.
Wes is brilliant but broke. Ever since his scholarship fell victim to the financial crisis, he's had no choice but to sell his body to stay in school. Already half in love with Connor, Wes initially resists Steve's offer to be Connor's thirty-fifth birthday present. But in the end, Wes is too broke--and too smitten--to say no.
Connor has no idea Steve bought Wes's attentions, and he quickly falls under the young man's spell. Yet after one night together, Wes disappears. He can't bear to hook with a man he could so easily grow to love, but he also can't bear to tell him the truth. Besides, if he sleeps with Connor again, there'd be no way to hide the bruises one of his regular johns loves to inflict. Only one thing to do: let Connor go. Walking away is painful, but not nearly as much as building a relationship on lies.
Review:
Interesting story of an older man finding new love with a former student, even though their initial "meeting" is slightly unorthodox. Can love find a way?
Rating: 5 Stars
Doubtless (#2)
Summary:
Loving your best friend is hard . . . especially when he's marrying someone else.
On the surface, Steve Campbell seems to have it all: a beautiful home, a snazzy car, and a dream job as one of the country’s top 3-D optics researchers. But underneath, he’s restless and dissatisfied, tired of empty encounters with leggy lab assistants and endless evenings alone.
A chance meeting with a handsome escort lifts Steve’s spirits and opens his eyes to his long-repressed attraction to men—and his love for his best friend and business partner, Connor Morrison.
Connor might’ve loved Steve like that once, but now it’s too late for their happily ever after; Connor’s about to ask his boyfriend to marry him. Fortunately, it's never too late to learn about yourself, and maybe Steve can find a happy ending on his own.
Review:
More of a "companion" installment as opposed to a sequel to Priceless. This story follows Connor's friend/partner, Steve, as he makes some major realizations about his life and the directions he wants to take, if he's determined to be happy.
Rating: 4 Stars
Fearless (#3)
Summary:
How can you plan for the future when escaping the past seems impossible?
After over a year together, Connor Morrison and Wes Martin decide to tie the knot. But an ethics complaint regarding their deeply non-traditional relationship threatens Connor’s job and Wes’s Ph.D. The fact that Connor tried to keep it from Wes—even with the best of intentions—makes the situation even worse and casts a pall over their plans for a Christmas wedding in New York.
It doesn’t help that Connor still treats Wes like glass, though Wes insists he’s recovered from the brutal assault he suffered a year and a half earlier. Wes may be okay, but Connor isn’t. Memories of taking a battered, terrified Wes to the emergency room that night still haunt him, and he can’t let go of the need to protect Wes from any and everything life might throw at him.
But Wes has had enough. Between the specter of the ethics complaint and Connor’s overprotectiveness, he’s already beginning to question their plans. Add in a family ashamed of and angered by his choices, and Wes might just leave Connor standing at the altar.
Review:
This is marked as #3 of 4 but after reading it and reading the description of #4, I'd say it should have been reversed but it doesn't really make a difference. There's a character mentioned in here that is introduced in #4 but that's about it. A very good addition to the tale of Wes and Connor. We find out what happens next in their relationship as well as some family drama on Wes' side.
Rating: 4 Stars
Flawless (#4)
Summary:
Steve Campbell used to be a player, until a mid-life crisis opened his eyes to his long-repressed love for Connor, his soon-to-be-married best friend and business partner. Coming out at thirty-eight means learning how to date all over again, and this time, Steve’s not willing to settle for empty one-night stands. He wants the real thing.
Gil Alvarez has never had it easy, struggling through childhood and rejected by his family for a body that didn’t match who he was inside. A skilled driver and mechanic, he’s working hard to make his auto shop a success. The last thing he needs is a rich white guy in a candy-apple-red Ferrari tempting him, but Steve’s ready smile and easygoing manner prove irresistible.
One brief, intimate encounter leaves them both hungry for more. Gil’s not ashamed of who he is, but he’s terrified that Steve will reject him—or worse—when he discovers what Gil can’t find the courage to tell him.
Review:
Personally I think this should be read before Fearless but the truth is it doesn't really have any effect on that story other than learning who Gil is. Gil is the exact type of person that you never seen Steve with and yet at the same time, you know they're perfect for each other from there first meeting at the beach. Steve does have an uncanny ability of foot-in-mouth disease that makes you want to just give a good shake.
Rating: 4 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Summary:
"When love's for sale, who really pays?"
Connor Morrison is a 3-D optics pioneer, the star of the UC Berkeley physics department, and a socially inept workaholic. And with his dear friend and business partner, Steve Campbell, handling their investors, he's content to remain in the shadows. That is, until he meets the gorgeous and starry-eyed physics student Wes Martin.
Wes is brilliant but broke. Ever since his scholarship fell victim to the financial crisis, he's had no choice but to sell his body to stay in school. Already half in love with Connor, Wes initially resists Steve's offer to be Connor's thirty-fifth birthday present. But in the end, Wes is too broke--and too smitten--to say no.
Connor has no idea Steve bought Wes's attentions, and he quickly falls under the young man's spell. Yet after one night together, Wes disappears. He can't bear to hook with a man he could so easily grow to love, but he also can't bear to tell him the truth. Besides, if he sleeps with Connor again, there'd be no way to hide the bruises one of his regular johns loves to inflict. Only one thing to do: let Connor go. Walking away is painful, but not nearly as much as building a relationship on lies.
Review:
Interesting story of an older man finding new love with a former student, even though their initial "meeting" is slightly unorthodox. Can love find a way?
Rating: 5 Stars
Doubtless (#2)
Summary:
Loving your best friend is hard . . . especially when he's marrying someone else.
On the surface, Steve Campbell seems to have it all: a beautiful home, a snazzy car, and a dream job as one of the country’s top 3-D optics researchers. But underneath, he’s restless and dissatisfied, tired of empty encounters with leggy lab assistants and endless evenings alone.
A chance meeting with a handsome escort lifts Steve’s spirits and opens his eyes to his long-repressed attraction to men—and his love for his best friend and business partner, Connor Morrison.
Connor might’ve loved Steve like that once, but now it’s too late for their happily ever after; Connor’s about to ask his boyfriend to marry him. Fortunately, it's never too late to learn about yourself, and maybe Steve can find a happy ending on his own.
Review:
More of a "companion" installment as opposed to a sequel to Priceless. This story follows Connor's friend/partner, Steve, as he makes some major realizations about his life and the directions he wants to take, if he's determined to be happy.
Rating: 4 Stars
Fearless (#3)
Summary:
How can you plan for the future when escaping the past seems impossible?
After over a year together, Connor Morrison and Wes Martin decide to tie the knot. But an ethics complaint regarding their deeply non-traditional relationship threatens Connor’s job and Wes’s Ph.D. The fact that Connor tried to keep it from Wes—even with the best of intentions—makes the situation even worse and casts a pall over their plans for a Christmas wedding in New York.
It doesn’t help that Connor still treats Wes like glass, though Wes insists he’s recovered from the brutal assault he suffered a year and a half earlier. Wes may be okay, but Connor isn’t. Memories of taking a battered, terrified Wes to the emergency room that night still haunt him, and he can’t let go of the need to protect Wes from any and everything life might throw at him.
But Wes has had enough. Between the specter of the ethics complaint and Connor’s overprotectiveness, he’s already beginning to question their plans. Add in a family ashamed of and angered by his choices, and Wes might just leave Connor standing at the altar.
Review:
This is marked as #3 of 4 but after reading it and reading the description of #4, I'd say it should have been reversed but it doesn't really make a difference. There's a character mentioned in here that is introduced in #4 but that's about it. A very good addition to the tale of Wes and Connor. We find out what happens next in their relationship as well as some family drama on Wes' side.
Rating: 4 Stars
Flawless (#4)
Summary:
Steve Campbell used to be a player, until a mid-life crisis opened his eyes to his long-repressed love for Connor, his soon-to-be-married best friend and business partner. Coming out at thirty-eight means learning how to date all over again, and this time, Steve’s not willing to settle for empty one-night stands. He wants the real thing.
Gil Alvarez has never had it easy, struggling through childhood and rejected by his family for a body that didn’t match who he was inside. A skilled driver and mechanic, he’s working hard to make his auto shop a success. The last thing he needs is a rich white guy in a candy-apple-red Ferrari tempting him, but Steve’s ready smile and easygoing manner prove irresistible.
One brief, intimate encounter leaves them both hungry for more. Gil’s not ashamed of who he is, but he’s terrified that Steve will reject him—or worse—when he discovers what Gil can’t find the courage to tell him.
Review:
Personally I think this should be read before Fearless but the truth is it doesn't really have any effect on that story other than learning who Gil is. Gil is the exact type of person that you never seen Steve with and yet at the same time, you know they're perfect for each other from there first meeting at the beach. Steve does have an uncanny ability of foot-in-mouth disease that makes you want to just give a good shake.
Rating: 4 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)