Unwrapping Hank by Eli Easton (5 Stars)

Very sweet, but also deeply touching, holiday story about two college fraternity brothers. Hank and Sloane have an interesting connection from the beginning which swings between almost-friends and almost-enemies. There is clearly an attraction of some sort, but Hank can’t seem to make up his mind on what he wants. Sloane is a patient person and doesn’t mind putting the effort into figuring out what makes Hank tick. A special holiday vacation turns into the trip of a lifetime in more ways than one. I was glad we got to hear from both of the characters in order to avoid having Hank come across as a jerk. The characters were extremely well-developed, and the story had so many wonderful layers to it.

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All of Me by Cardeno C. (5 Stars)

I really enjoyed this shifter romance filled with hurt, forgiveness and pack politics.  Fortunately, it was a shorter story, or it would have had too much angst for my liking. Abel found Kai in a compromising position, but jumped to conclusions instead of getting all of the facts. They’ve now both suffered for the last decade without each other. My heart was breaking for each of them as the story unravels, but at the same time, the deep love these two had for each other made it very apparent that they could work through anything. These two strong characters, along with an interesting plot and the other members of the pack, kept the story flowing quickly. Being a part of their emotional reunion and watching them share their love with each other made for a passionate and touching romance.

all of me

Originally reviewed for Swept Away By Romance. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
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Beyond Duty by SJD Peterson (4 Stars)

Can two career marines move their relationship forward now that they are able to truly be together all of the time?

Gunther “Gunny” Duchene and Macalister “Mac” Jones have been in the marines for their entire careers. They have also been in a hidden relationship for a good portion of that time. Due to the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law, they are finally able to freely admit to the world that they are in a relationship. They will have to deal with the issues that arise from telling the service and their family, but more importantly, they will have to learn to be together fulltime.

I loved Gunny and Mac. They were extremely strong, intelligent, and caring men. They weren’t afraid to share their feelings with each other. The majority of the angst was completely outside the relationship, which is one of my favorite stories. I loved watching these two support each other as they finally share their love with the rest of the world. I also really liked that they were an established couple, albeit hidden, for a very long time before the story took place. It added depth and history to their relationship. However, since this was the first time they were openly together and living in the same home, it still had the feeling of the early stages of a relationship.

The characters were a little too similar, making it challenging to differentiate them sometimes. I also really wanted to know what they were going to do in retirement. I never doubted their happiness and knew without a shadow of a doubt that these two would spend the rest of their lives together. I was just hoping to get a better idea of how they would spend their time together.

I really enjoyed this unique military romance looking at two sexy lovers who are planning out the rest of their lives together.

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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
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Cherry Pie (Mercury Rising #1) by Samantha Kane (4.5 Stars)

John and Connor were both troubled by their pasts and trying to find their way forward. I thought they were well-developed characters with realistic issues. The way they communicated with each other was the highlight of the story for me. I also enjoyed the interactions with their friends and neighbors in this small town.

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