Posted on by Maureen

Tough Guy by Rachel Reid

4104afdwh5l

This is the third book in Reid’s Game Changers series of m/m hockey romance novels. I haven’t read the other two books in the series, but they are already on my TBR queue based on how much I liked this one.

Well, spoiler alert, but there you have it: I loved this book.

Ryan, a professional hockey player, has been traded to Toronto. He doesn’t know anyone, but he immediately runs into Fabian, whose family he boarded with when he was a junior hockey player.

Fifteen years ago, they had an “almost” moment, but then they went their separate ways.

Until now. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Jeremiah by Jayce Ellis

411cqrl43ml

I want to begin by saying that Jeremiah and Collin have one of the best meet-cutes. Jeremiah, who works as a paramedic, sees Collin struggling to get his two drunk friends back to their apartment. Not only does Jeremiah help, but he carefully puts Collin’s friend’s heels on top of a shoebox.

That’s when I knew that Jeremiah was a sweetheart, even if he and Collin didn’t immediately fall in love after that one scene. All I needed to know was that even though Jeremiah was exhausted, he still took the time to help people he didn’t even know. That’s the kind of person Jeremiah is.   Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Goalie Interference by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn

51npxtfdzll

Goalie Interference is the second book in Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn’s Hat Trick series of contemporary m/m hockey novels. I enjoyed reading the Him/Us duology (by writing team Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy) and I was excited about the opportunity to read another hockey romance.

Emmitt gets called up from the minor leagues to be the Atlanta Venom’s newest goalie. This is a dream come true, but there’s one obstacle in his way- Ryu has been the Venom’s goalie, and he’s none too thrilled about this new hotshot interloper. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

No Good Men by Thea McAlistair

51q2b3zmagrl

No Good Men is a historical mystery novel written by Thea McAlistair. This book piqued my interest because it’s set in the 1930s and features gangsters and a m/m romantic subplot.

Alex is in his early 20s, and working alongside his mentor Donnie as a bodyguard for the mayor. They’re at a nightclub one night, and while Alex is talking to a man at the bar during his break, the mayor and Donnie are both shot and killed.

It turns out that Sev, the man Alex was taking to, is the nightclub’s manager, and he has mob ties. The mayor’s death might also be linked to organized crime, and so Alex begins asking questions, although it is more for his mentor’s sake than for the mayor.

And of course, the mayor’s murder wasn’t an accident, or even one disgruntled citizen. As more people connected to the case are killed, it’s clear that Alex is in the middle of a dangerous situation. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

American Love Story by Adriana Herrera

41ay3khzbll._sy346_

American Love Story is the third book in Adriana Herrera’s Dreamers series of contemporary m/m romance novels. I was so excited about the opportunity to read this book because I absolutely loved the first two books in the series about a group of guys from NYC who all have Caribbean heritage; they’ve been friends since middle/high school, and now one by one, they’re finding their happily ever afters. I’ve been waiting to see how Patrice and Easton’s story was going to play out ever since Herrera dropped hints about them in American Dreamer. So, needless to say, I was ridiculously excited to finally get to read their story.

Patrice has just started a job as a professor at Cornell economics professor, and returning to Ithaca brings him back in contact with Easton, a local lawyer. Patrice and Easton had a short-term attachment about a year ago, when Patrice was helping his friend Nesto get his food truck up and running in Ithaca. Patrice and Easton’s chemistry was off the charts hot, but things dissolved when Patrice returned to the City.

So can they just pick up where they left off? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Arctic Heat by Annabeth Albert

51itwvol25l

Arctic Heat is the third book in Annabeth Albert’s Frozen Hearts series of contemporary m/m romance novels. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series- or any of Albert’s other books- but the blurb piqued my interest.

Owen is a cancer survivor, and this polarizing incident has led him to reevaluate everything about his life. As the story begins, he has set aside his career as an investment banker, and arrived in Alaska in search of adventure as a national park volunteer.

Quill has spent his entire career as a park ranger. He’s quiet, he keeps to himself, and he thrives on predictability. The last thing he needs is to be partnered with someone gregarious like Owen- who looks completely unprepared for the harsh Alaskan winter. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Spellbound by Allie Therin

51qh0-rwikl

 

Spellbound is the first book in Allie Therin’s Magic in Manhattan series of m/m historical romance novels. As soon as I heard about this book on Twitter, I made a request on Netgalley, and was thrilled to pieces when it was approved.

First of all, most of the m/m historicals I’ve read have been either Regency-era or Victorian. I don’t think I’ve read anything else set in the 1920s, so my interest was already piqued based on setting alone… but then Therin is throwing MAGIC into the mix?

Sign me up!

Rory and Arthur come from completely different worlds. Rory is a scruffy orphan who works in his aunt’s antique shop, and Arthur is the wealthy son of a congressman. There’s also a bit of an age difference- Rory is 20 and Arthur is 28. Their paths cross when Arthur discovers that Rory has the ability to “scry”; he can touch an object and see its provenance. They don’t get along very well, but they are going to have to work together if they are going to defeat the magical threat before it destroys the city. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Top Secret by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

415qhkckivl

Top Secret is a contemporary m/m romance novel by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. I was looking forward to reading this book because I enjoyed reading their previous collaboration, the m/m hockey duology Him and Us. I was even more excited when I found out that this book was a new release; it hadn’t been on my radar, so finding it as a new release was an awesome surprise!

Keaton is a junior at a prestigious college. He comes from a wealthy family, and he has his whole life mapped out for him. Well, his father has his whole life mapped out for him, but Keaton has other ambitions he’d rather follow. Keaton has been dating the same girl for years, and she’s asked him to plan a threesome with another guy for her birthday. So, Keaton logs onto a hookup app.

Luke is a student at the same university. He’s also in the same fraternity as Keaton, but that’s where their similarities end. Luke is a “townie” going to school on scholarship, and he works at a strip club to pay for the expenses that his scholarship doesn’t cover. When he sees the couple’s profile on the app looking for a third person, he’s more than happy to oblige. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Hold My Hand by Michael Barakiva

518jdjmyngl

 

I came across Hold My Hand by Michael Barakiva when I was browsing Netgalley, and the blurb piqued my interest. My request was accepted, and so I added the book to my reading queue.

Alek is an Armenian-American high school student. He has been dating Ethan for almost six months. Things are getting pretty serious, but Alek has reservations. He loves kissing Ethan, but he’s not sure if he’s ready for things to go further physically. Alek measures his life in terms of Before Ethan and After Ethan; he’s changed so much for the better because of this relationship, and he can’t imagine what would happen if it ended. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

American Fairytale by Adriana Herrera

41m3ml1tsyl

When I saw American Fairytale by Adriana Herrera on Netgalley, I sent a request right away. I was very excited when I was approved, and I decided to start with American Dreamer, the first book in the Dreamers series. It was already in my TBR queue, but I bumped it to the top. After reading American Dreamer, I was even MORE excited to read American Fairytale.

Camilo is a social worker, and as the story begins, he has just received an invitation to attend a posh benefit/fundraiser. Camilo is a hard worker, but he’s looking forward to having a good time. He does not intend to hook up with a handsome stranger, but such things aren’t usually planned in advance. He doesn’t think he’ll ever see the guy again, and that’s okay, because Milo isn’t really looking for a relationship because he’s too busy with work and taking care of his mother.

So, imagine his surprise when the handsome hookup is the major donor for the domestic violence shelter that Milo has been hoping to build for years. Read more