I started off with Second Chance at the Sugar Shack by Candis Terry. I really, really liked this story about a woman coming back to her home town for her mother’s funeral and then staying on to help her father at the family bakery. She left town 10 years earlier without saying a word to anyone and there are many hard feelings between her and her old beau as well as the argument that her and her mother never resolved. This was a great contemporary (with a little bit of ghost thrown in) and I definitely recommend it. You can read my review here. 4.5 out of 5
My Tracy’s TBR Challenge read for the week was Slow Bloom by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox. This m/m novel is the story of Ricky Talbot who is a 18 almost 19 year old boy who is taking care of his neighbor’s lawn for the summer. His neighbor, Jack Corson, and Ricky have a sexual experience one day and they think that’s all it will be until Ricky contacts Jack to help him out when he gets beat up at a bar one night. The two start what ends up being a two year relationship that is sometimes long distance as Ricky returns to college. I was a little perplexed at the age difference in this story at first since Jack is 48 and Ricky is 18 (and since Jack is described as much older it was odd – I swear I thought they were going to say he was 60! lol) Anyway, as the story moves on I had no issue with the age difference. Ricky is extremely intelligent and mature and it helps the relationship work. It’s tender and loving and I really enjoyed the book. 4.25 out of 5
My next read was a short erotic m/m called What’s A Boy to Do by Diane Adams. This is a very cute story about Tyler who has a boyfriend, Jake, but yet is in love with his roommate, Z. Z can’t decide whether he’s gay or not or actually wants to be with Tyler but it doesn’t stop him from sleeping with Tyler whenever he’s between girlfriends. I tried not to let that part bother me as the story was so short. One day Z starts coming on to Tyler when Jake is there and soon all both Z and Jake are having their way with Tyler. It was a short but great sex scene. I would love to read more about all three of these men in a longer format. 4 out of 5
Next up was Scandal of the Year by Olivia Drake. James has been told that the people who he thinks are his cousins are imposters. If they are then he would stand to inherit. He decides to pose as a footman to gain info on the family but instead ends up acting like a prince from a foreign country for the daughter of his cousins so that she can marry a duke. The pair end up falling in love but what happens when James reveals who he is and the reasons he’s there? This was cute but I had some issues with it. Mainly that James playing part upon part was a bit much. I never did see James and Blythe as all that in love and I didn’t care for the end all that much. 3 out of 5
(read for The Book Binge)
My next read was A Solid Core of Alpha by Amy Lane. I’ll be posting my review this week so keep your eyes open for that.
Short story, Stormchild by Vivian Arend, was also cute. A travelling doctor and the woman he meets and has a passionate night with find that they’re more than compatible. I liked the story but it didn’t really have an end. I can only assume that the story continues in the next book. 3 out of 5
Last on the list was Midnight by Ellen Connor. This is book 2 in the Dark Age series and it was good. I didn’t care for it as much as I did book 1 but it was still very good. This has Chris Welsh from book 1 travelling (approx. 4 years after book 1 ended) when he runs into a settlement called Valle de Bravo which is run by Rosa Cortez. He doesn’t plan on staying but he ends up being the resident doctor. Chris and Rosa tap dance around each other but eventually succumb to their attraction. The problem comes when outsiders come to take over the town and Chris turns out to be someone he never would have dreamed of. And is it just me or does the guy on the cover of this book look like Ryan Seacrest? lol 3.75 out of 5 (read for The Book Binge)
Awww. She is so cute. Hope they both have a super year and your ant's go drown themselves. The fair looks fun … and wet. 🙂
I haven't read any of those m/m. Looking forward to your review of Amy's book.
She looks so brave and ready to get back in to it! I have to admit it though that our churches don't have such fun things as a water slide. *pouts*
Anyhoo, I'll be lookijg forward to your review of Amy Lane. She's one of my fave m/m authors 😉
Thanks for sharing the shots of the girls. As always, they are beautiful, but then again, all my granddaughters are beautiful!! Also, yes, I am LOVING my Kindle — actually have quite an assortment of old and new ebooks loaded==some I am just now reading and some I love so much a re=read them periodically. Just getting the hang of it and am still overwhelmed with the generosity of all my kids. Thanks a heap!!
Aw, she's adorable! 😀
I liked Slow Bloom, too, and was surprised that the age diff didn't squick me out. Usually they do.
Curious about your A Core of Alpha review! Kicking off a contest for it on Wednesday…
Tam – Thanks, I think she's cute too! 🙂
Those damned ants! I swear they're just trying to drive me insane. We get them so rarely and they never find anything but they're pests! lol
Leontine – She LOVES school so she was really looking forward to going. She wasn't happy with who she got for her teacher at first but now she loves her, which is great.
I'm a huge Lane fangirl as well. 🙂
Dr. J/Judith – So happy to hear you like the Kindle! Watch your pocketbook with that one. lol {{hugs}}
Chris – Thanks, hon. I think I'll keep her. 🙂
I REALLY thought that the age gap was going to be a huge issue for me but thank heavens it worked for me.
I'm happy to mention your contest in my review as it will post on Wednesday. Email me the deets. 🙂
Your youngest is so cute! And I love the look of that water slide…even though it's winter here and the thought of water slides makes me shiver 🙂
I can't wait to hear what you think of A Solid Core of Alpha! Oh and I love Anah Crow's books.
Back to school already? Wow, the summer went by really fast! Your youngest is so cute 🙂
It's good they had one more week-end of fun before school started 🙂
As usual, you had a great reading week 🙂 I still need to read Nightfall. ah well.
Orannia – Thanks. Yep, that water slide looked mighty fun but they said the water was freezing! lol Didn't stop them from jumping in though. 🙂
Nath – I know, the summer goes so fast when it's only 2 months. 🙂
Nightfall was good! 🙂
Oh, look at your grown up girl! They grow so fast! I can't believe summer is almost over. 🙁 I'm not ready… not ready at all.
Your daughter is so cute!!
Good week! I'm glad you liked What's a Boy To Do. I would really like to read more about the dynamic between Tyler and Z. Both before and after the interlude they have with Jack. 😛
Hilcia – I know! How do they grow so fast? *sigh* It happens to fast. 🙂
Ames – Thanks! Yes, I would definitely like another story. More info please! 🙂
She's adorable! My kids are finishing up their third week of school and I didn't even try for a picture – they didn't want to go back. 🙁
The Candis Terry sounds good. I'll add it to the tbb list. 🙂
Aw, there she is!! Youngest sure is super cute, Tracy! 🙂 Hope she has a great school year. FOURTH GRADE?! ZOMG is right!
That slip n slide looks freakin' awesome. I hope you didn't try it out. I did that a couple of years ago and damn it hurt. Definitely made for soft boned, flexible kids. Yeah.. not for grown ups. :/