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Dom of Ages (Collars and Cuffs #7) by K.C. Wells and Parker Williams (2 Stars)

Feb20

Sexy times continue at Collars and Cuffs.

Jarod lost his master of 20 years in a horrible accident, and years later he’s still struggling to move on with his own life. He needs to find a new master, but it appears most doms don’t want a 50-year old sub. Eli is 30, and he’s finally ready to settle down. When he first sets eyes on Jarod, he’s instantly drawn to him. Age doesn’t make any difference to him when Jarod is so clearly the sub Eli’s been looking for.

The two men hit it off almost instantly. The fact that Eli isn’t a great dom doesn’t seem to bother Jarod. Even though Eli initially treats Jarod as a housekeeper, somehow Jarod isn’t bothered by his actions. Fortunately, Eli’s friends help him to see the error in his ways and give him some pointers to improve his behavior. The age wasn’t really a factor since neither of them were bothered by it. Jarod’s biggest concern was that Eli would eventually have to deal with losing Jarod, even if they both just died of old age.  Their sexual interactions were very touching, and they enjoyed trying different things including mummification and sounding (inserting probes in the urethra).

My biggest issue with the story was Jarod’s lack of personality. He came across as too simple-minded, and I failed to understand why either of these men would truly want to be with each other. I really struggled to connect with the characters as a couple. It was nice to see some of the other characters from the first 6 books.

A steamy entry in the Collars & Cuffs series.

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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

Rough Road (Lake Lovelace #2) by Vanessa North (5 Stars)

Jan8

A sweet romance mixed in with some serious sadistic play and extremely hot sex scenes made for a smooth ride.

Eddie Russell is wealthy but lonely. Over 40, he calls himself an old queen who is very comfortable with himself. He’s a masochist but definitely not a sub. Wish Carver is very mature for only being 24. He’s a major sadist but not a Dom. In the bedroom, these two are definitely made for each other. Eddie enjoys caning, biting, spanking, and bondage. Wish is more than willing to meet Eddie’s desires. Outside of the bedroom, it was even better.

I really enjoyed how well these two connected and the amount of time we spent watching them develop their relationship. They were both very considerate of each other, and they seemed to bring out the best in each other. While age was a discussion point, it didn’t overwhelm the plot. Since neither of them had really been in a serious relationship before, they had to learn how to deal with conflict. The biggest problem came from Eddie trying too hard to take care of his old friend, Ben, and putting Ben before Wish one too many times. I liked the way the author had them work through several issues making their HEA realistic.The addition of family and friends also added a nice touch to the story.

Although this is the second book in the series, it stands on its own. However, I really enjoyed the first story and highly recommend it.

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Originally reviewed for Swept Away By Romance. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

The Gift (Las Vegas Escorts #2) by Andrew Grey (5 Stars)

Jan5

Love shouldn’t be impacted by our choice of professions, but too often it is. Can an escort and a prince rise above this and find happiness?

Ember Savoy is an escort in Las Vegas and also the owner of a yoga studio. He knows the escort business won’t last forever, and he also needs yoga and meditation to help him deal with being an escort. Ember is taking care of Jimmy, a young man from his hometown that was kicked out of his home for being gay, just like Ember was. Ember and Grant, from the beautiful first story in the series, are trying to help Jimmy get his GED so he can go on to college. Ember is clearly a warm and compassionate person.

Alejandro Martine is the prince and future ruler of a small foreign country who is taking an extended vacation before stepping up to his new responsibilities back home. His family doesn’t know he’s gay, and he doubts that they will support him if they discovered this fact. Alejandro brought his best friend, Christo, along with him. I loved the interaction between these two as Christo encourages Alejandro to live his own life. Alejandro definitely matures as the story builds, and he moves from being a spoiled prince to a mature leader.

Alejandro meets Ember after taking one of the yoga classes. Their chemistry is instant, but it’s the build-up of the relationship through dates and discussions that cements the deal. I enjoyed watching Ember and Alejandro get to know each other better as they took in the sights while talking about thier pasts and futures.

In the back of my mind, I kept wondering how these two would get over the huge hurdles in front of them. Alejandro needed to return home or it would cause issues for his family and the country. Ember has his studio, his friends, and his estranged siblings that he hopes to reconnect with. Ember would also have to stay hidden if he followed Alejandro. Ember had already given up so much to live his life in the open, and he really doesn’t want to go back to hiding. Fortunately, the story didn’t focus on the issues that could separate them, but instead kept showing why they should stay together. The author tends to write characters that are very realistic, faults and all, which always makes the stories more enjoyable and unpredictable. I was very happy with the final resolution and how it was reached.

I really enjoyed this latest addition to the Las Vegas Escorts series, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

First by K.C. Wells (4 Stars)

Dec28

Can an aging porn star and a young college student find enough common ground for a relationship?

Tommy Newsome is living at college and finally accepting that he’s gay. Growing up in a very conservative and religious home made this an extremely difficult decision. Fortunately, Tommy has an amazing roommate, Ben, who is helping him learn to enjoy his freedom. Mike Scott is reaching the end of his career as a porn star, and with all of the changes in the industry, he’s starting to think it might not be a bad thing. He also works as a bartender which is how he and Tommy first meet.

At first, Mike is convinced that Tommy is way too young for him. However, Tommy doesn’t see the 20-plus year difference as anything to even consider. I think this is the biggest reason why I believed in their relationship from the beginning. Although Tommy was naive in some ways, he was also very smart. He knew what he wanted, and he wasn’t afraid, in his own patient way, to go after Mike. I really enjoyed watching Tommy and Mike spend time together. They were both interesting people and the relationship was developed nicely. It was hard, though, watching Mike having sex with other people while making porn movies since he hadn’t told Tommy about his other job. I liked how the author resolved this major issue.

I enjoyed seeing Tommy grow and mature by making serious decisions for himself, while Mike became less selfish. Watching Tommy come out to his family and face rejection was heart-breaking. Fortunately, Tommy had Mike, Ben, and Ben’s family. I loved Ben’s Mom and thought it was sweet that she took it upon herself to watch out for Tommy.

A sweet romance between two people who were willing to work through their obstacles to find true love.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb