Just Ask by Mia Downing

Just Ask
Grade-B-
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Low, some very mild D/s
Genre: m/m, contemporary
Reviewed by Kate
When tycoon Jordan Hill inherits half of an island resort, he wants nothing more than to sell it quickly. But first, he has to spread his uncle’s ashes and meet the other owner, Ryan McCale (you see where this is heading, don’t you?). His uncle wanted him to take a vacation and relax, but Jordan doesn’t do vacations or relaxing.

Jordan takes a horseback tour of the island looking for a places to spread the ashes, but finds himself looking at the male tour guide instead. Which is weird since he’s straight, right? When the guide turns out to be Ryan, Jordan knows they will be spending more time together.

Jordan gets the impression that Ryan might be interested in him and decides to throw caution to the wind. A weekend of sex sounds good to both Jordan and Ryan. Not wanting him to sell the resort, Ryan decides to use the lure of sex to force Jordan explore and really see the island as more than just a business. Both are surprised by their feelings in what was supposed to be a what-happens-on-the-island-stays-on-the-island weekend.

I liked the connection between Ryan, who is very secure in his sexuality, and Jordan, who is exploring this new side of himself. What pulled me out of the story a bit was the suddeness of their affair. One minute Jordan is wondering why he’s turned on by Ryan and the next minute they are romping naked in the ocean. There was no hesitation or second guessing on Jordan’s part. He jumped in with both feet, which seemed a bit unbelievable. Once I got past the suddeness I enjoyed the story.

No Souvenirs by K.A. Mitchell

 No Souvenirs (Florida Books, #3)
Grade-A
Hotness Level-inferno
Kink Level-No kink
Series-Florida Books #3
Reviewed by Kate

Jae Sun Kim is an emotionless trauma surgeon who goes on a dive trip where he meets dive master Shane McCormack. Shane, a commitment-phobe, has flitted his way from one job to another after nine years of college. Like all polar opposites, they are attracted to each other. A vacation fling seems right to Kim, and since Shame is planning on moving onto the next job after this dive trip, he’s all for it too. Hotness ensues, much hotness. Often. I really enjoyed their story on the dive trip. And then it got so, so, so much better. And did I mention…hot.

Other notes:
1. This book has characters from Collision Course (Florida Books #2) in it, especially the second half, but it is definitely stand alone-able.

2. I loved the characters. Shane is so open and almost too honest about himself, but toward the end he fights to change. Kim is so closed off throughout the book, but when we finally found out his back story, I completely understood.

3. Read, read, read it.

Double Time by Olivia Cunning

Double Time (Sinners on Tour, #5)
Grade D
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-High
Series-Sinners On Tour #3
Reviewed by Kay

This is the third installment of Olivia Cunning’s Sinners On Tour series. I am a big fan of this series and it is an auto-read for me. This is Trey Mills’ story. He is the rhythm guitarist for the Sinners.  He is a bi-sexual man with a healthy sex drive. He is extremely sexually active with both genders. Readers discovered this in the previous novels in the series.

Reagan Elliot is a female guitarist who wins a contest to become a guitarist with the band, Exodus End. This is the band of Trey’s brother, Dare. That is how Trey and Reagan meet. The attraction is intense and hot. They start a physical relationship right away and it quickly starts to becomes something more.

Ethan Conner is Reagan’s best friend, roommate and former boyfriend. He is also a bi-sexual man. Reagan found this out when they were dating and walked in on him with a man. She always assumed Ethan was gay. When Trey and Ethan meet, there is a definite attraction between the two.

The three of them decide to try a three way relationship. As you can imagine this causes some difficulties. I wanted to like this book so badly but it had a creep factor. I did not enjoy any of the characters. At all. Reagan was willing to take Trey anyway she could get him. Just to have him. I thought of her as weak. Trey was swearing off men one minute and thinking of Ethan the next. He was wishy washy and selfish. Ethan was overbearing and let’s not forget, a cheater. I never bought into their relationship and the love scenes were almost too rough for me. It seems she wrote the series in a different order than it is being released and I didn’t like that either. It was off putting. I don’t know if I’ll read any of the other books in this series and that makes me sad.