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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

Songs of the Earth (Sumeria’s Sons #2) by Lexi Ander (5 Stars)

Jan2

The action-packed saga of Tristan and Ushna continues in this captivating romance.

I really enjoy reading this series. It’s such a wonderful mix of sweet romance and interesting world-building. With Lycan shifters, gods, goddesses, and unknown creatures, there’s never a dull moment.

Tristan and Ushna love each other, and it shows in everything they say and do. It was nice to see them spend time talking and handling challenges together. I felt like I finally got to know Ushna better, and I enjoyed their conversations. Their unquestionable support for each other allowed them to work hard at creating a new place for their extended family, friends, and supporters to live.

Tristan learns more about his parents and heritage which leads to some significant life changes including the ability for him or Ushna to carry a child. Tristan volunteers and it made for some fun moments watching him deal with pregnancy with his wry sense of humor.

Tristan’s former Twin Flame, Theo, continues to cause trouble even after his death. The serial killer from the first story also returns to wreak havoc. Many of these scenes had me on the edge of my seat. The ending doesn’t bring closure to everything going on which is expected in this type of series. However, one thing that is never questioned, to my heart’s delight, is the love between Tristan and Ushna.

The author does a beautiful job telling an exciting story through the addictive voice of Tristan.

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

Stretching the Rules by B.A. Tortuga (4 Stars)

Dec21

Pack politics has kept them apart so far, but when their lives are in danger, love will come out ahead.

Jonah loves belonging to the pack. It’s a huge part of who he is. He is the beta for his pack and his pack counts on him. Falling in love with a cougar and coyote means he can’t live with them, but it doesn’t mean he can’t love them. Olivia and Hank were together, but with Jonah in the mix, they finally feel like they are a complete package. Olivia is a stripper who knows how to drive the guys crazy, but she’s also very strong and likes to be in control. Hank is the perfect sub who likes to make sure everybody is taken care of. I was glad we got perspectives from each of them.

As the three of them build their lives together outside of the pack, Jonah must continue to keep it a secret. However, one horrible night changes everything when a roving pack of hybrids tries to kill Olivia and Hank. Jonah has no choice but to request help from the pack.

Although this was a short story, it certainly wasn’t lacking in the steam department. These three people love each other with all of their hearts and certainly enjoy playing in the bedroom. The majority of the beginning of the story was a series of non-stop sex scenes, which was enjoyable, but fortunately, the story itself picks up toward the second half. A steamy paranormal story of love and devotion with a bit of action.
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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

Book Blurb