Diverse Reader: CS Poe

Review

Christopher loved the small town he had recently moved to except for the fact that finding a job there was difficult, at best. Of course having an English literature degree hardly made him marketable until an opening came up at the tiny town library. Unfortunately the salary for the job was still pretty small but that was just the tip of the iceberg for the library was on the cusp of closing due to lack of funding. Now, with the near impossible task of bringing the library into the 21^st century and figuring out a way for the state to take notice and give much needed funding, Christopher plunges in, determined to give it his best shot. The job isn’t all that bad considering that the guy who has come by to do some much needed repairs is easy on the eyes and a near perfect gentleman, to boot.

C.S. Poe has written a delightful short story entitled, Kneading You. While this story may be short in length, it still boasts of two very lovely main characters, a nasty, conniving ex and a beautiful setting that will instantly make any bibliophile’s heart go pitter patter.

Miles, the repairman, may seem a bit too good to be true but honestly he was ever so sweet and a baker as well. In fact, he and Christopher bond over Miles’ baking skills and the romance flies off the shelf from there. I loved how there was no insta-love but insta-attraction instead. These two men just meshed so well and every bit of dialogue they had seemed genuine. Yes, the ending and big save was a bit contrived but again it didn’t bother me at all because I was smitten with how Christopher and Miles interacted.

Kneading You had no big angst and no big drama, instead author C.S. Poe focused on developing a genuinely lovely romance that I wish could have gone on and on.

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Thursday, January 11, 2018

Random Review: Southernmost Murder by C.S. Poe #Review #Giveaway

Author: C.S. Poe
Book: Southernmost Murder
Publisher: DSP Publications
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
Length: 200 pages

Reviewed by Erin

Synopsis

Aubrey Grant lives in the tropical paradise of Old Town, Key West, has a cute cottage, a sweet moped, and a great job managing the historical property of a former sea captain. With his soon-to-be-boyfriend, hotshot FBI agent Jun Tanaka, visiting for a little R&R, not even Aubrey’s narcolepsy can put a damper on their vacation plans.

But a skeleton in a closet of the Smith Family Historical Home throws a wrench into the works. Despite Aubrey and Jun’s attempts to enjoy some time together, the skeleton’s identity drags them into a mystery with origins over a century in the past. They uncover a tale of long-lost treasure, the pirate king it belonged to, and a modern-day murderer who will stop at nothing to find the hidden riches. If a killer on the loose isn’t enough to keep Aubrey out of the mess, it seems even the restless spirit of Captain Smith is warning him away.

The unlikely partnership of a special agent and historian may be exactly what it takes to crack this mystery wide-open and finally put an old Key West tragedy to rest. But while Aubrey tracks down the X that marks the spot, one wrong move could be his last.

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DSP Publications

Review

If a murder mystery mixed with a little bit of history and some romance thrown in is your bag, then C.S. Poe's Southernmost Murder is the book for you! I've only read two books by her before this--a Christmas novella and Color of You--so I wasn't sure quite what to expect when right out of the gate a skeleton fell out of a false wall, but what I got was a whole hell of a lot of fun! Poe's storytelling will suck you right in and keep you hooked until the very last page.

A heads up ... I haven't read the Snow and Winter series where both Aubrey and Jun make appearances, but I didn't have any problems following along with the characters or the story. Sure there were a few things brought up from their past that I didn't quite get, and I will definitely be checking out the Snow and Winter series because I'm intrigued, but nothing that kept me from thoroughly enjoying Southernmost Murder. Speaking of Aubrey and Jun, these guys were quite fabulous. Aubrey isn't really like any character I've ever read. Diminutive in stature but his personality is larger than life. Sarcastic, witty, and fierce, Aubrey has this complete take no bullshit attitude that just totally works. He's narcoleptic which I found SO fascinating. Poe handled this with the perfect balance of humor and serious so that it never seemed like it was a caricature, just a part of what made Aubrey, Aubrey. Jun was this total calming presence (something Aubrey desperately needs!) with enough hint of badass to give him some edge.I would have LOVED some scenes from Jun's point of view, but being inside Aubrey's head for the entire book was fun and damn entertaining.

I won't spoil the mystery because man, it was fun trying to figure things out as the story moved along. I loved the setting in Key West, I loved the history, I loved how the folklore and the legends surrounding The Smith House were as much a part of the story as the mystery itself. I'm never good at figuring out who-dun-its and that didn't change with Southernmost Murder because I was TOTALLY surprised by who the bad guy turned out to be! The romance in this book was swoony and SO hot. Jun and Aubrey have amazing, sizzling chemistry. The plot kept me turning the pages as fast as I could read them, and I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end. I really hope we see Aubrey and Jun again *hint hint C.S. Poe!* so if you're looking for a great read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, run and get Southernmost Murder ASAP!

Giveaway

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Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Random Review: Color of You by C.S. Poe #Review #Giveaway

Author: C.S. Poe
Book: Color of You
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Publication Date: December 25, 2017
Length: 200 pages

Reviewed by Erin

Synopsis

Bowen Merlin— yes, that’s his real name—accepts a position in the quaint town of Lancaster, New Hampshire as the high school band director. He leaves New York City for the snowy countryside of New England just in time for the holidays. With class, homework, after school activities, and a surprise Christmas concert to plan and rehearse, Bowen is plenty busy. And since he’s never had much luck with romance, factoring in time to find Mr. Right isn’t a priority….

Until he meets the proprietor of Snowy Ridge Apple Orchard, Felix Hansen. Suddenly, true love seems like a possibility for the first time in Bowen’s life. The two are a perfect match and fill the skipped beats of each other’s hearts. But as wonderful as Felix seems, he’s harboring scars that could end their budding relationship when someone in town goes to great lengths to sabotage their careers.

If Bowen is to survive the holidays, he’ll need to lean on old friends and new, convince Felix he’s worth any hardship, and prove they can come out of the catastrophe stronger if they do so together.

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Review

C.S. Poe's Color of You is the second book of hers I've read and I'm here to tell you guys that she's fast becoming a favorite. There is something so captivating in the way this author tells a story that I just really dig. A lot. The writing is crisp and sharp and witty and I find myself at the end of the book wondering how I got there so fast, I've been that involved.

In Color of You, we meet Bowen Merlin who has moved to the small town of Lancaster, New Hampshire to be the new band director. Bowen is quirky, talented, funny, and a bit of a smart ass. It takes no time at all for Bowen to set his sights on sexy and shy Felix Hansen, the owner of the Snowy Ridge Apple Orchard. The spark between the two is bright and intense and they are absolutely fabulous together. They have lots of things to navigate- Bowen is Felix's son's band teacher, Bowen is still trying to settle into a new house and town and job, and Felix has some pretty serious baggage he's trying to move past. But man, these two together just worked so wonderfully.

Yeah, there could have been a bit more depth to the story itself, and things get resolved too quickly to be believable, but really Bowen and Felix are so great you won't mind too much. I loved the low angst, I loved how sweet these two are to one another, I loved how Felix's son, Alan, plays such an important role but it's done in such a way it's very realistic. I loved the side characters. So, basically I pretty much loved everything. I will be anxiously awaiting Poe's next book because I'm fast falling in love with her writing so be sure you check out Color of You. Which this title? Absolutely perfect for the book ... just wait until you see why.

Giveaway

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Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Release Day Review: Joy by C.S. Poe #Review #Giveaway

Author: CS Poe
Book: Joy
Series: States of Love
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Publication date: April 5, 2017
Length: 69 pages

Reviewed by Morningstar

Synopsis

Down on his luck is Gideon Joy’s default state. He doesn’t know why he expected anything different on his cross-country trip, but not surprisingly, the hits keep coming—literally this time. Gideon strikes a moose with his car in New Hampshire, not only totaling his own vehicle, but damaging one belonging to local construction worker Silas Bright. He has no choice but to stay in Lancaster and take a job that’ll pay for the repairs. And in a town so small, Gideon’s always running into Silas. What starts as annoyance between them soon blooms into something much more romantic. But when Gideon’s notorious bad luck rears its head yet again, how many disastrous dates will Silas be willing to weather before realizing Gideon’s not worth it?

Despite Gideon’s desire to remain in the quaint community that has accepted him as one of their own, past fears of inadequacy threaten the very joy he left Los Angeles to discover. If he’s to find a happily ever after with Silas, Gideon must learn that sometimes it’s okay to not be the best. And true happiness might be waiting in a small town nestled among the great White Mountains.

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Review

Ever have that moment when you read a part in a book, stop, go back and reread it just to experience the emotion it gave you all over again? That was this book for me.

I loved the author’s writing style, and the two guys that she created were easy to fall in love with. She wrote each character, so clearly, it was easy to visualize them and sense who they were. Silas a big guy that looks tough but is such a good guy with a gooey middle. Gideon was funny and light with a bit of insecurity. Together they were that cute couple that gives you those happy bubbles in your belly, and you just want more.

And more is what I needed. As much as I loved the story, I felt it was just too short to get a real connection between these guy beyond funny and cute together. I don’t have a clear sense of how they feel about each other. Yes, they said it to themselves, to each other. But I didn’t feel it. I just needed a bit more show to get me there.

The scenes that we did have were well constructed and fun and gave a clear impression of the town and the type of atmosphere it had. I loved George, the owner of the Eatery and Mrs. B the owner of the Bed & Breakfast. The bets that Silas' crew had going was cute and well done. I liked that even in small town New Hampshire this was more about Gideon’s insecurities than any homophobia.

There is just a bit of kissing, so super low heat level. It was also an HFN with no I love you. I know some are pretty particular on that. I’m not sure it needed that but for where these two guys are in their relationship and the decisions that Gideon makes, you'd think there was at least that.

Cute short story with funny, cute banter and two guys you will swoon over.

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Saturday, June 11, 2016

Random Reviews: Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage by C.S. Poe #Review #Giveaway

Author: C.S. Poe
Book: Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage
Series: 2016 Daily Dose ~ A Walk on the Wild Side: Book 14
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publication Date: May 31, 2016
Length: 38 Pages

Reviewed by Meredith

Synopsis

Theodore Reinhart is a young man looking for love. In San Diego. At a convention. For penguin shifters. WaddleCon is the go-to event of the year when looking for your life partner, but Theodore isn’t comfortable with the game they’ve turned dating into, nor does the convention provide for the gay community. A mistake in speed dating table assignments puts Theodore in front of Wesley O’Neill, a handsome and confident model who lets it slip that he’s definitely noticed the spark of attraction between them.

A perfect date ends prematurely when Theodore finds an abandoned egg in a bathroom trash can. Unable to leave it behind, Theodore and Wesley play a mad game of cat and mouse across the resort trying to keep it safe, all while growing closer to one another. Wesley may be the forever partner Theodore came looking for, but their relationship won’t work if they don’t make room for a little addition to the family.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2016 Daily Dose package "A Walk on the Wild Side."

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Review

So unique! I have never read a penguin shifter story before. The premise of this book is fabulous!

Theodore goes to a Penguin Shifter Convention in San Francisco trying to find his forever partner… WADDLECON! LOL. I love that name! He’s less than thrilled with the “procedure” in finding a mate and I don’t blame him actually. But that’s where the fun begins.

Theodore and Wesley couldn’t be more different and to the naked eye they are incompatible. But it’s the race to save an egg, and be extension a baby penguin, that shows them just how opposites attract.

I adore changing things up in the shifter world. CS Poe brought something fresh to this universe with Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage.

This is a sweet, funny, and OMG entertaining read!

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Contest ends on June 30th.

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