M/M Monday – Never a Hero by Marie Sexton

Never a Hero (Tucker Springs, #5)

Grade: A-
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, m/m
Series: Tucker Springs #5
Reviewed by Anne
174 pages


What a wonderful book!  I’m really enjoying this whole series.  This book is no exception.  In fact, it’s one of my favorites.

Owen was born with just one full arm.  His mom has always been embarrassed by him and critical of him.  He’s on his own now, and has even overcome (for the most part) the stutter that further shamed him in his mother’s eyes.  (No kidding, this is a real Mommy Dearest!)

When Owen’s neighbor moves out, Nick moves in downstairs.  Owen is surprised by how comfortable Nick is with him.  It turns out that Nick’s sister, June was born with one arm, too.  Together June and Nick help Owen come out of his shell and out from under the damage his mother has done.  Along the way, Owen and Nick start to fall for each other.  There really shouldn’t be any problem, but Nick keeps holding back, and Owen can’t understand why.

This was such a sweet story.  I actually have several notes and highlights up until a twist in the story about half way through the book.  After that I just was reading as fast as I could to figure out how things would work out!

I loved Owen and Nick, but I liked June even more!  She was a bit of a whirlwind.  I have a couple friends like her – they light up the room when they come in and sweep you along with their plans.  She was a great addition to the story.

As I mentioned, there’s a pretty big twist in the story, and mentioning it would be a big spoiler. So I’ll just say, it was believable to me, and the resolution was believable to me, too.

I highly recommend this series.  Every book is a keeper!  Even though there are different authors involved, each story has been wonderful.  I want more!

Macrieve by Kresley Cole

MacRieve (Immortals After Dark, #13)

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series- Immortals After Dark #13
Genre-Paranormal
Reviewed by Kay
358 pages

Uilleam Macrieve, Will, is a Lykae. He has a twin brother, Munro. He’s extremely powerful, handsome, wealthy and on a course of self-destruction. Ever since his parents’ deaths and his part in it he has been guilt ridden. Couple that with his capture and torture at the hands of the Order, he is a train wreck. Fighting, drinking and rough sex are his normal. He has given up on any happiness. His only hope, finding his mate.

Chloe Todd is a human soccer player headed for the Olympics. She has had to fight for everything she has ever wanted, despite having a loving father. She has noticed changes in herself for a while now. Subtle changes but changes still. After a rather disturbing discussion with her father, her world implodes. She’s faced with things she’s only read about. Horrible things. She’s rescued by a huge, scary, sexy Scotsman.

This installment of Cole’s outstanding IAD series is a great book. Funny, sexy and a little mystery thrown in. You find out who Chloe’s add really is, what she really is and if she can save the doomed Macrieve. My two complaints with the book: Will’s treatment of Chloe before he accepts her and not enough of the Valkyries. Not having enough of the Valkyries brought the rating of the book down for me. Otherwise, a great addition to one of my very favorite series.

Rule by Jay Crownover

Rule (Marked Men, #1)
Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-Marked Men #1
Reviewed by Kay

Shaw is a pre-med college student who has parents who want to control her life. Even as they kind of overlook her existence. She basically has a surrogate family in the Archer’s. She met Remy Archer in high school and the two formed a strong bond. They were the perfect couple who wasn’t.

Rule Archer is a great example of an anti-boyfriend, admittedly. He has piercings, tattoos, self destructive behavior and a horrible attitude. He is very estranged from his family, way past awkward.
His twin brother was Remy and has an older brother named Rome, who is in the armed forces.

These two characters, Shaw and Remy, have been raised through the teenage years together. Rule has always only seen Shaw as Remy’s. Shaw has always seen Rule as hers. Through all of the trials, Shaw only sees Rule as worthy of redemption.

This book caught my eye last year and has sat on my Kindle for months and months. I finally told my self that it was time and opened it up. I have to say there is a lot of emotion in this book relating to the relationships in the story. Heavy emotions too. The characters have to deal with death and the awful ways it changes you. Those things I liked. The things I didn’t like? Rule’s mother was a monster and his father a total doormat for the monster. I also don’t think a man that has a fight with the girl he’s dating has a right to kiss another girl.  The other thing I did not like and my biggest complaint was the heat level. In my opinion, men that have piercings and tattoos should have sex scenes that are blistering not just warm. Don’t tell me how hot he is and then have a lukewarm sex scene. It doesn’t add up for me or work for me. Ultimately, it killed the book and the series for me.