Month: July 2014

Second Helpings by Charlie Cochrane

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

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Grade: B+
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: m/m, Contemporary
Published: 7/21/14
Reviewed by Anne
243  pages

Stuart’s partner Mark died in a car crash a year ago and he’s still having a hard time living day to day.  When his dad starts dating a new woman, her son, Paul, calls Stuart to check on Stuart’s dad and make sure his intentions are good.  Stuart and Paul don’t get off to a great start, but recognize the loneliness in each other.  Paul has just moved away from his partner, Ben.  Ben just stops calling, texting, emailing, or contacting Paul in any way.  So, as Stuart sees his dad coming back to life with his new girlfriend, Paul is seeing his relationship ending.  Stuart and Paul decide to get together again and see where things will go.

I really enjoyed this story!  It reminded me of a Lauren Dane story in all the best ways.  You get to know the characters and watch them get to know each other.  They aren’t perfect with each other.  They make mistakes and have to decide if it’s worth the work to set things right.  They each have to decide if they are ready to let go of their previous partners or not.  Just the kind of book I love to sink into!

It’s set in England, which I really enjoyed.  I love the little differences in slang and really appreciate that they weren’t edited out!  Stuart’s dad and Paul’s mom are nice secondary characters.

After I read the book I checked out Charlie Cochrane’s backlist – it’s huge!  I’ve got that giddy feeling you get when you realize there’s a long list of good books to read!  It does look like most of her writing is historical.  I really enjoyed this contemporary story, but next time I’m in a historical mood I think I’ll try one of hers!

This was a great story!  I recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary m/m and like a slower paced relationship centered book.

All Time Favorite Read: Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

*Note: We’re on vacation this weekend, so I’m re-sharing one of my all time favorite books.  If you’ve been thinking of trying m/m romance, this is a great story to start with.

Tigers and Devils
Grade-A+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Genre: m/m, Contemporary
Series: Tigers and Devils #1
Reviewed by Anne

I can’t believe I waited so long to read this book! It was incredible! I didn’t want to put it down.  I was severely book cranky inbetween reading sessions. I see there is a sequel that catches up with Simon and Declan a few years later. I will definitely read it, but for now I just want them to be perfectly happy in my head for a while!
Tigers and Devils is a contemporary male/male romance set in Australia.  And when I say it’s set in Australia, it’s really in Australia, with Australian slang and references I had to figure out.  Declan is a pro footballer and a mega celebrity.  He just happens to overhear Simon both insulting and defending him at a party.  Simon is a huge football fan, but a bit of an “arty wanker”.  After overhearing a comment that lets him know Simon is gay, Declan comes on to Simon when they are alone.  The only hitch is that Declan is far, far in the closet.  And this starts a funny and touching journey for the two of them together.

There were several things I loved about this book.  I smiled constantly while reading it.  The whole story is told from Simon’s point of view, and he’s a funny, self-depreciating guy.  The story also feels very realistic.  I believed in Simon and Declan’s affection for each other.  That made their situation all the more gut wrenching.

Simon and Declan were great characters, too.  Neither was perfect, and both made frustrating decisions.  The way they worked through things was realistic, too.  It’s incredible writing!

There were a few little things that might bother some readers.  As I mentioned, the story is told exclusively from Simon’s point of view.  This worked fine for me.  Also, the sex in this book is behind closed doors and not detailed. There’s no doubt it takes place, and there’s lots of it, but it’s not written explicitly.

I highly recommend this story!

The Highest Bid by Joey W. Hill

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Grade: A-
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: High Kink
Genre: BDSM, Contemporary
Series: Naughty Bits #4
Published: 7/15/14
Reviewed by Kate

When Madison inherited her sister’s lingerie shop, she met Logan-a Dom who owns the hardware store next door.  A while back, Madison told Logan about her secret fanatsy, and this final installment of the Naughty Bits series is when Logan decides to make that fantasy a reality.

I enjoyed this one a lot.  Madison finally, finally, finally starts to believe that it’s possible for her to have a realtionship with Logan, despite her numerous failed realtionships in the past.  As with the rest of the installments, this one is best read in privacy.  Your face will flush and your heart will race (among other things) while reading the sex scenes.

I wish it hadn’t ended as abruptly as it did.  I would have loved to see an epilogue or at least a few more chapters.  I left the book feeling happy for Madison and Logan but wondering how long it could really last for them.

If you like BDSM, this is a great series to try.  With a little bit of a lot of kinks thrown in throughout the series, there’s almost guaranteed to be something for everyone.  I, for one, can’t wait to go back and reread this entire series-one right after the other this time.

Joey W. Hill has been added to my BDSM authors to read.  Do you have any other BDSM authors you would recommend?