Tag Archive | No or Low Angst

Misfits by Garrett Leigh (5 Stars)

Mar16

A sweet, but angst-filled, romance with three men trying to find their place with each other.

I loved all of the characters, and I really enjoyed the restaurant angle of the story. Tom, Cass, and Jake were all misfits in their own way brought together by Jake. He became the glue they needed to bond together. I didn’t know much about Tourette’s Syndrome before, but I liked how the author kept it as a natural part of the story. It didn’t define Jake, and instead it was just something he lived with.

This was definitely not your standard romance story, and watching Tom and Cass try to work through their poor communication skills was heart-wrenching. Tom seems to be the strongest of the team, and he definitely likes to be in control of everything, but it’s really just a front. He’s desperate for more attention from Cass. He wants to take care of Cass, but he also wants more from Cass than it seems Cass is capable of giving. Cass seems like he just doesn’t love himself mostly due to how he was treated while he was young. He’s also holding onto the past in a way that isn’t letting him grab the future he has with Tom. It was nice to see these three people help each other heal in their own way, and accept that they were deserving of better. I loved that we got all of their points of view by the end of the story. It really helped to understand where they were all coming from.

All of the guys are extremely talented and hard-working. I loved how the author wove their talents so that they worked and played well together. Not really an overt romance, but you knew they really loved and cared about each other because of the things that they did for one another. It’s not that it was high angst, but it also wasn’t a happy feel good kind of story either.

I was trapped in the vortex of their messed up lives, wondering how on earth this would resolve itself in a believable way. Needless to say, I was very happy with how everything worked out.

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

The Romance Reviews Readers’ Choice Awards

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McFarland’s Farm (Hope #1) by Cardeno C. (5 Stars)

Mar12

A touching love story with the amazing character depth that Cardeno C. always brings to the table. Jared is such a beautiful person. He works hard on his farm to bring healthy food to the community where he lives. He cares about the people, and as we quickly learn, they love and care about him. Learning about his life, and how the neighbors stepped up to take care of him when he was young, brought tears to my eyes.

Watching him deal with the bratty Lucas was a treat. Although Lucas matured during the story, it was funny to watch some of his antics when he refused to admit he was lusting after Jared. I was glad we were in Lucas’ head when he was being rude so we knew why he was doing it. It just made it that much sweeter and sexier when these two finally connect.

Originally reviewed for Swept Away By Romance. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
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Tempest (Playing the Fool #3) by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock (5 Stars)

Mar9

The action and intrigue continue in the lives of Henry and Mac.

Henry and Mac’s ongoing escapades from the first two stories are brought full circle, and the investigation of Mac kicks it up a notch. The evidence is piling up against Mac, forcing him to hide out at his parents along with Henry and another guest.

This story definitely had a more somber tone than the first two. I always struggle when one person is afraid of falling in love because they don’t want to take a chance on getting hurt. However, I was definitely sold on this reason for Henry. We were living in his head while he went through the painful reasons behind his feelings. The upside to understanding his battle so deeply is that the win is so much more enjoyable.

All of the loose ends around the murders and the investigation into Mac are wrapped up in an exciting and satisfying ending. I really liked Mac’s family, and the time spent at their home helped with some of the character development. We also got some very steamy scenes.

The only thing that didn’t work for me was getting inside the head of a third character. I didn’t like the character’s voice, found it to be distracting, and felt it took time away from Henry and Mac.

The two authors worked seamlessly together in this entire series. Although there was a solid happy ending for the couple, the end of the story left an opening for future adventures with Henry and Mac.

The perfect conclusion to this amazing series with Henry and Mac finally accepting their love for each other.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
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Point of No Return (Turning Point #1) (4 Stars)

Mar4

How long can you mix a dangerous career with a hidden love affair?

Matthew Elliot is one of the Fab Four, a group of top notch detectives working in the narcotics division in Los Angeles. They have been shutting down drug rings and risking their lives to do it. He’s also deep in the closet, and afraid that if he publicly declares he’s gay, he might lose his friends and job. His sexy new boxing coach, Kira Takeo Franco, is also in the closet, but their attraction is mutual.

I really enjoyed this heavy relationship story with romance and police drama. The majority of it was pretty sweet, but it did get a bit violent toward the end. Most of the sex takes place off the page, but it was still sexy in its own way. Matthew was a strong detective who really loved his job. Kira was such a sweet guy who always had a smile. These two were meant to be together, and it was fun watching them sparring at the club or sharing romantic evenings together.

There was a little mystery surrounding the drug bust that took place which gave us a chance to spend time with Matthew’s co-workers. Matthew’s best friend and partner, Mitch, plays a heavy role in the story. Unfortunately, Matthew has never told Mitch he’s gay. I could feel the angst this was causing Matthew, and I wanted to beg him to say something. Kira’s parents were a nice touch to the story, especially since Matthew didn’t have any family left. The violence at the end detracted from the story for me since it was a bit extreme.

I really enjoyed the author’s riveting writing style and this very charming romantic suspense.

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