Posted on by Maureen

American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera

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I bought American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera on its release day because all my friends were talking about it. I didn’t get a chance to read it right away, but then I received the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the second book, so I bumped American Dreamer to the top of my reading queue.

Nesto Vasquez has lived in NYC for his whole life, but he’s leaving the city to move upstate with his food truck. He doesn’t know how Ithaca is going to respond to his Caribbean fusion cuisine, but he’s got to shoot his shot. He’s here to focus on building his business, so he certainly not looking for romance.

And then Nesto meets Jude Fuller, a shy librarian. Jude’s not looking for romance either, because it hasn’t worked out so well in the past. Nesto and Jude hit it off right away, and everything seems to be going well, but can their happiness last? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg

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I found The Music of What Happens at my town library. I’ve read some of Bill Konigsberg’s other books, so finding this on the new release shelf was a nice surprise.

When Max steps up to a food truck to place an order, he doesn’t expect to see Jordan, a kid from his school. Max certainly doesn’t expect to walk away with a job offer, but there you have it.

Jordan’s dad died a few years ago, and Jordan and his mom have been living off of the life insurance money. They’ve exhausted their savings, and they’re now a few months behind with the mortgage. Revitalizing the food truck that Jordan’s dad used to run is their final hope; if they don’t earn enough money to pay off the accumulated debt, they’ll lose the house.

Max and Jordan might go to the same school, but they aren’t friends. Things are awkward at first, but they quickly realize that they are going to need to communicate with each other if they want their endeavors to be successful. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Red White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

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From the moment I heard about Red White & Royal Blue, I knew that I would absolutely fall in love with it. I received an ARC via Netgalley, but I have purchased my own copy of the Kindle edition AND I added the Audible. I’m probably going to buy the paperback as well; that’s how much I love this book.

Red White & Royal Blue is Casey McQuiston’s debut novel, and wow, what a debut. Alex Claremont-Diaz is the son of the President. Prince Henry is- well, a prince. They have been lowkey feuding for years, and their mutual animosity leads to a disaster at a wedding they are both attending. With the fiasco showcased around the world, they are forced to spend time together in an attempt to minimize the fallout.

And then they realize that all of their preconceptions might not be entirely accurate.

Finding excuses to visit each other and keeping their relationship a secret from the paparazzi isn’t easy, but Alex and Henry have never been happier than they are when they’re together. But how long can this last? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall

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Waiting for the Flood is a contemporary m/m romance novel by Alexis Hall. I read the kindle edition of this book back in December during the reading spree in which I read most of Hall’s books. I recently listened to the Audible edition of this book, and I’m pleased to say that it is just as sweet the second time around.

It’s been several years since Edwin broke up with his boyfriend of ten years. Marius has moved on, but Edwin has been in a funk ever since then. It’s not that he doesn’t want to move on, but he’s not quite sure how.

When a flood comes to Edwin’s street in Oxford, an engineer arrives to assess the flood threat and mitigate as much damage as possible. Adam is confident and competent and seems to be interested in Edwin, although Edwin can hardly contemplate the possibility.

But Adam is going to be working in the neighborhood until the floodwaters recede, so there’ll be plenty of time for Edwin to get to know him. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Play It Again by Aidan Wayne

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Play It Again was written by Aidan Wayne. The blurb on Netgalley piqued my interest, so I sent out a request. This is a m/m romance novel, but it’s slightly different than most of the other books in the genre.

Dovid Rosenstein is an American YouTube sensation. He and his twin sister Rachel produce Don’t Look Now, and they’ve amassed a substantial following; Dovid is blind, so he his reviews usually offer a unique perspective on accessibility.

Sam is an average guy living in Ireland. He has a very small YouTube following for his videogame playthroughs. When Dovid mentions Sam’s show on Don’t Look Now, Sam’s follower count immediately sees a dramatic increase. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

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They Both Die at the End was written by Adam Silvera. I picked up this book after my oldest daughter stole our copy of another of Silvera’s book.

This book explores the premise of knowing that today will be the day you die. A service called DeathCast calls people to tell them that they are going to die, and a whole industry has developed around this concept. There are apps to find one last friend- or for the more salacious- one last “friend”. There are entertainment complexes that provide people on their Last Day with a variety of experiences.

Mateo and Rufus have never met, but they find each other on their Last Day through the Last Friend app. At first, it doesn’t seem like they have a lot in common beyond the obvious, but they are determined to make the most of their last day. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Looking for Group by Alexis Hall

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Looking for Group is a contemporary m/m romance novel written by Alexis Hall. I came across this book on my quest to read all things Hall. I knew it was going to be a bit different from the books in the Spires series or the Arden St. Ives books, but the gaming theme piqued my interest.

Drew is a university student in England who spends a lot of time playing an MMO called Heroes of Legend. After some in-game drama, Drew joins a new guild, and strikes up a rapport with a new guildmate. He thinks that she’s really cool, and he likes chatting with her. He’s developed a bit of a crush, and then he finds out that his new friend is a boy. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Hexmaker by Jordan L. Hawk

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Hexmaker is the second book in Jordan L. Hawk’s Hexworld series of m/m paranormal historical fiction novels. I’m pretty sure I started reading this almost immediately after finishing Hexbreaker– the first book in the series.

Dr. Owen Yates appeared in Hexbreaker, and he’s ready to take on a more central role. Owen comes from one of the wealthiest families in the city, but he enjoys working for the magical police force as a forensic henchman. He first crosses paths with fox shifter Malachi when the latter is implicated in a murder. Malachi didn’t do it, and Owen is probably the only person who can help him prove his innocence. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

A Case of Possession by KJ Charles

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A Case of Possession is the second book in KJ Charles’ A Charm of Magpies series of Victorian-era m/m paranormal romance novels. Charles has become one of my favorite authors, and I’m pretty sure I started this book almost immediately after reading the first book in the series.

The story picks up almost immediately after the events of The Magpie Lord. Having dealt with the threat on Crane’s life, Stephen and Crane return to London. But, as they say, there is no rest for the wicked. Stephen returns to work as a magical police officer, and Crane…. Crane drifts around a little aimlessly. He’s still not happy with the title he’s inherited, and he wants nothing more than to return to China. But now there’s Stephen to consider.

Read more

Posted on by Maureen

How to Bang a Billionaire by Alexis Hall

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How to Bang a Billionaire was written by Alexis Hall, and it is the first book in the Arden St. Ives series of contemporary m/m romance novels. I initially read this book last December, but since then, I’ve read the book a second time and I’m currently about ¾ of the way through the Audible edition. I think all of Hall’s books are 5 star reads, but this is one of my absolute favorites.

Arden St. Ives is about to graduate from St. Sebastian’s College (Oxford). As the story begins, Arden’s has agreed to participate in a telethon because his best friend has laryngitis. Everyone hangs up almost as soon as he says why he’s calling, but then Arden inadvertently calls Caspian Hart, a reclusive billionaire- and St. Sebastian’s alumnus. Caspian doesn’t hang up on him, and Arden invites Caspian to a fundraising dinner before he realizes exactly who Caspian is. Arden doesn’t expect Caspian to actually show up, but he does.

And thus begins the absolutely riveting story of Arden St. Ives and Caspian Hart: the bright-eyed university graduate and the emotionally detached billionaire. Read more