Tag Archive | 3 Stars

The Buyout by Bru Baker (3 Stars)

May7

Sometimes the path we’re headed down changes drastically for the better with the love of a good man.

Parker Anderson is working hard toward his goal of taking over Anderson Industries once his father retires. However, his father plans on selling his company to outsiders, causing Parker and many of the employees to lose their jobs. Mason Pike is a key player at the company, and he’s determined to help prevent the company from being sold off. Mason and Parker get to know each other better as they start working together and dating.

Parker is hard working, smart, and very determined to do well. Mason has a very sarcastic, almost sexy, personality with the intelligence to back it up as the Chief Enterprise Architect of the company. I really enjoyed the witty banter between Parker and his assistant, Luke Jacobs, that took place at the beginning of the story as they sent each other instant messages. I also loved the messages between Parker and Mason as they first got to know each other.

Unfortunately, the majority of the plot was focused on the buyout of the firm and the related business politics. Although it was fast paced, it missed the mark on being really interesting and enjoyable by stepping away from the relationship side. There was a huge cast of characters which also got a bit confusing. One character was introduced as a major investor with a mysterious background, but it was never resolved or explained. I would love to see a follow-up completely focused on the relationship between Parker and Mason, since I think that’s where the writing excelled.

If you enjoy corporate politics and takeovers, along with some witty banter and light romance, then this story should hit the spot.

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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
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Down Under by Tam Ames (3 Stars)

May6

Sweet romance with a surprising paranormal first for me. The shifter was a were-kanga!

The story is set in the future, when Australia is split into separate areas and people are kept separated by a wall. Aiden Taylor is a sweet college student who is inexperienced but not afraid to try things. He desperately wants to see a band that is playing in the forbidden city of Sydney, and he’s brave enough to travel across the country by himself to do it. One night, several thugs beat him up and steal his moped, money, and concert tickets. Fortunately, Matthew King comes to his rescue and offers him a ride to Sydney. They quickly start to bond over their trip, but there are several obstacles they must get past in order for a real relationship to form. The biggest one is that Matthew is a were-kanga, a man who shifts into a kangaroo.

These are two extremely likable characters who are trying to make the most of a bad situation. Aiden is young and naive, and he definitely needs a caretaker. The story is told from his point of view, and he has a non-stop commentary running through his head which was entertaining. Matthew is almost immediately attracted to Aiden and really enjoys taking care of him. In addition to spending some quality time hanging out together, Matthew introduces Aiden to the joys of sex. It was interesting watching Aiden try to decide if he really loved Matthew or if it was just some sort of mating call.

I thought the ending was very realistic and added a nice solid touch to their happy ending. I think the story would have benefited from Matthew’s point of view. Aiden was a bit too quirky and moody, making it challenging to hear him tell the entire story. There was also a lot going on with Matthew, including coming out to his family, which would have carried a stronger emotional pull if we had heard directly from Matthew. I wish the plot surrounding the were-kanga species was further explored. It was really a non-issue and didn’t have much impact on the story.

A cute romance with very little angst between two sweet guys. The twist on the shifter angle and the enjoyable banter taking place in Aiden’s head made for an interesting tale.

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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
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Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit by Lou Harper (3 Stars)

Feb28

A free story set in the same world as Dead Man and the Restless Spirits, this is about one of the cases that Denton and Bran work on together.  It focused mostly on the case instead of on the characters or their relationship. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the case interesting enough to hold my attention.

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My Subby Valentine by Amber Kell (3 Stars)

Feb25

I enjoyed this story at first.  It was a cute little romance with a sub who knew he wanted to belong to specific Dom even though they hadn’t actually met. However, when Mason’s past comes back to haunt him, the plot went over the top. Although serving as a way to bring Kit and Mason together faster, the story was too short for a kidnapping, violence against a dog, and a gunshot wound.  It caused the romance to fall to the wayside, and didn’t leave me convinced that these two even knew each other by the end.

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