New Release Review: Too Close To The Flame by Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood #Review #Giveaway

Title: Too Close To The Flame
Authors: Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood
Self Published
Publication date: July 31, 2020
Length: 298 pages

Reviewed by Truus

Synopsis

Can he ever learn to trust again?
Brandon Weber’s old boyfriend almost beat him to death. Brandon survived, but still bears the emotional scars. Eighteen months later, he has withdrawn into himself, convinced he’ll never be able to trust another man.
Devin Macadam, fresh out of law school, has an exciting new job. He is also on the lookout for just the right guy, someone to take care of and love.
When Devin shows up for the first day of work at his new office, he meets Brandon, a legal assistant there. Sparks fly, but Brandon is paralyzed by fear and isn’t about to give another man the power to hurt him again. Devin, never one to give up easily, doesn’t want to take no for an answer. Both men feel the magic, but can their relationship ever get past the friend zone?
Too Close to the Flame is a dark-to-light, sweet romance featuring out and proud gay men, lots of feels, steamy love scenes, and a wonderful happy ending.
Trigger Warning: Too Close to the Flame contains specific memories of physical abuse. That said, the book is about Brandon’s recovery and HEA romance with Devin. Our goal is to bring attention to the often neglected issue of abuse in gay relationships.

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Review

Brandon is deeply hurt by his ex, mentally as physically. He’ll expects himself to get old alone probably with a wrist injury, because a relationship asks for trust and that’s something Brandon lost on the way.
Devin got a job at his cousin's law firm. They grew up with each other and are still close.
When Devin meets Brandon, as his cousin's assistant, he can’t keep his eyes off him. After a few weeks, he asks Brandon for a drink.
A nice invention from Devin of course, only it will never be more than just a drink.

But two broken hearts recognize each other and pull at each other’s strings.
Very very gently Devin approachs Brandon and with a mountain of hesitation Brandon lets him.
They start a friendship and more.
We can follow them, It’s almost inevitable they’ll end up together. Besides Brandon’s trauma, the whole story is quite mellow and sweet. I expected a bit more variety, near the end it got some action, but at that moment it was, unfortunately, a bit predictable.

Both men are very kind and considerate. There was a lot of attention to Brandon’s healing process which was well done. There was less focus on Devin’s hurt, I would have loved some more development there, it was almost all about Brandon.
The story was entertaining, gentle, and engaging. Besides the main characters, we meet the family and friends, a good addition to the story. The writing style was captivating even though the story was for me a bit too stretched the way of writing kept me to the pages.
The end was very satisfying.

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Random Review: Sinner and the Liar by Alice Winters #Review #Giveaway

Title: Sinner and the Liar
Series: Seeking Asylum Book 1
Author: Alice Winters
Self Published
Publication Date: April 7, 2019
Length: 319 pages

Reviewed by Sammy

Synopsis

Sin
The first night I saw the innocent-looking young man in that bar, there was something about him that drew me in. In this crumbling city filled with crime and darkness, the light in his eyes stood out to me. Honestly, nothing has drawn my attention since I stopped working for the police and began doing mercenary work. But the true Eastyn isn’t the timid young man from the bar—he’s smart and he brings brightness into my life for the first time in years. Even him mocking my gruff attitude makes me smile. And I’ve realized that I will fight for him. I would tear this city apart to keep him safe, but maybe the only way to save him is by saving the city from the crime that has consumed it.

Eastyn
I feel trapped. Caught between a man who can save me and one who threatens to destroy me. In Sin, I see freedom for the first time in my life and I feel like I can be myself. I don’t have to hide who I really am because he treats me like a real person, and I will do anything to keep him with me. But Sawyer is threatening to ruin the city, and I fear he’s going to destroy me along with it. Worst of all, I’m afraid of what he’ll do to Sin if he realizes how much he means to me. But Sin promises me a way out and I know that with him, my life could change. If I can be strong enough to stand by his side, maybe someday I’ll understand that even I deserve to be loved.

The Sinner and the Liar is a 107k word gritty romance with lighthearted moments set in a city recovering from war. It has two heroes who refuse to give up, snarky dialogue, and a love that is strong enough to overcome even the most impossible of odds.

Please use the “look inside” feature to see trigger warnings.

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Review

I’m about to try to summarize a three hundred plus page novel that evoked in me a spectrum of emotions from anger to frustration to joy to despair, so I may as well begin this review with the fact that I think author Alice Winters is a brilliant storyteller, a master character developer and a very funny person. Even in the midst of the chaos, murder, abuse and the bleak outlook of this story, the author manages to share moments of humor that saved it from ever falling into a book that I wanted to put aside for any length of time. Yet, with all the action going on the story is rather simple when it comes down to it and that is part of the beauty of this novel.

Sin has lost the one man who made any kind of difference in his life. He is left alone, by choice, bitter, angry and determined to keep his city from falling to the gang lord, Sawyer and his men called the Chromes. They own most of the city and on good days the police can keep some of the crime, prostitution, drug and sex trafficking and random killing in check—a little. Most days are not good ones. It makes one wonder why Sin quit the police force and is basically their gun for hire. He did so because the one man he loved and who he gave his heart to died while undercover—his partner on the force and in life, Lucas. Now he spends his days trying to find ways to keep Sawyer and his army of thugs in check—it is a losing battle. So most nights finds him at the bar drinking away his emptiness and it’s there that he will meet the young man who is about to change his life.

Eastyn has never really known what it means to be safe. His mother didn’t want him, she sold him to the man she tried to convince was his father and since then he has been the plaything and punching bag of none other than Sawyer. The man is a psychopath and uses Eastyn to vent his frustrations. As long as Eastyn obeys and does everything with a smile and subservient attitude then he gets some food, clothes and books. But the cost is his soul and Eastyn wants out—he needs to feel like he has some sort of control over his life so he stages a rape scenario at the bar hoping Sin intervenes and the man does. From there on out all of Eastyn’s focus is on getting Sin to kill Sawyer so he can be free. Little does either man ever expect to have feelings develop that will make it harder to take out Sawyer and free Eastyn.

The Sinner and the Liar is an action-packed crime novel with an age-gap romance and marvelous moments of humor that keep it from being too dark. I adore Eastyn. His life is a mess, he lives through abuse that no one should ever endure, and he still finds the strength to use humor to worm his way into Sin’s dark and twisted heart. There are moments of physical abuse that could possibly trigger some—but they are necessary to the story and very limited. They are also counterbalanced by moments of tenderness and play between Sin and Eastyn that are heart-melting.

There is a great deal of violence in this book—some rather graphic and yet again it is integral to the overall plot in order to understand just what the police and Sin are up against and how deeply depraved Sawyer really is. There is a scene with a young girl that had my heart in my throat until it’s conclusion and it solidified why Eastyn admired and loved Sin so very much. This is no fast moving romance—it is almost a glacial slow burn but done so very well that you enjoy every moment that produces another tiny crack in the armor Sin has around his heart. There are so many amazing scenes in this story and I wish I could tell you all of them but that would give away too much of the plot and ruin the novel for you. Suffice it to say that there is a cemetery scene that made me cry and want to hug both main characters and that is just one of many moments in this book that made it so outstanding

This was so very good that I cannot wait to read the next in this series. For me, Alice Winters is an auto-buy writer and The Sinner and the Liar is just another stellar example of why.

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New Release Review: The Ghost and Charlie Muir by Felice Stevens #Review #Giveaway

Title: The Ghost and Charlie Muir
Author: Felice Stevens
Self Published
Release Date: August 13, 2020
Length: 328 pages

Reviewed by Truus

Synopsis

Bad enough the big old house Charlie Muir inherits is next door to Ian Gregg, the most gorgeous guy he’s ever seen—it also happens to be occupied by Rachel, the ghost who keeps running off his dates. It’s impossible to get any loving when the bed starts shaking…and not because you’re having fun in it.
When Ian helps Charlie search for the source of strange noises in his house, they stumble upon a stack of photographs hiding century-old secrets. Curious of the friendship between the two men pictured, Charlie and Ian set off to solve the mystery of their relationship. With the help of the meddling ghost, a magical mirror, and a way too Smart TV, they find answers…and more.
And as things heat up between Charlie and Ian, they begin to wonder if Rachel's meddling has gone too far.
Doesn’t Rachel know Ian is straight?
Or is he?
That kiss they shared the other night sure didn't seem like it.
Or the one after that…

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Review

What a precious story, I loved it dearly!

What do you do with an inherited estate at Willow Place, Brooklyn, where a ghost lives?

The estate pulled Charlie in from first sight… or was it the other way.

Entering the house at Willow Place for the first time was already the experience of his life. The house has preferences about his visitors and a story to tell.

Ian Gregg, Charlie’s neighbor, is one of the visitors the house allowed to enter.

When strange things happen right away, they both want to figure out what’s going on.

Ian helps Charlie with the roof and upper rooms when they find a box, without a key.

After opening it they find a stack of photographs and there is a story, about two men, from a century ago. The universe is pushing Charlie and Ian to a point where they have to be together. Interactions with other persons seem impossible.

The ghost named Rachel wants them to work together and reveal something important, for them and her.

On their journey, we get to know Charlie and Ian. Dear Charlie, his heartbreaking past made me so intensely sad, hopping through the foster care system, never long at one place, no friends, never enough, lonely. He has an awesome job, so Charlie-ish.

Ian was overwhelmed by his feelings for Charlie, Ian's inner struggle was palpable, his fight and surrendering was beautifully pictured.

“Happiness”

It seems a simple word, happiness, only it’s huge, the most important feeling that rises above all. That one word shows that then and even a century later it still isn’t simple to gain happiness and love the one you want.

I found this such a beautifully layered narrative, widely developed, with the kindest personalities and quite an extraordinary plot. Every part fits organically in the whole picture.

The writing is amazingly done, entertaining with just the right weight on the issues.

The author put such a subtle sense of humor in this story, more than lovely!

I can’t say it enough, it was just wonderful! Every little detail was exclusive I loved every part of this story, the past, the present, and the future.

Highly recommended!

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