Random Review: Cedarwood Manny by Megan Slayer #Review #Giveaway

Title: Cedarwood Manny
Series: Cedarwood Pride #6
Author: Megan Slayer
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Publication Date: February 25, 2020
Length: 129 pages 

Reviewed by Michael

Synopsis

Two men collide at a coffee shop…sparks fly along with the java.

Dr. Adrien Ellet loves his dental practice in Cedarwood. He prides himself on being one-half of the most inclusive office in town. Where he’s an expert in the dental field, he’s not so hot as a father. He knows his relationship with his four-year-old son, Kyle, isn’t great and his nanny, Kelsi, is moving on. What’s a guy to do when he needs a little guidance and could use a hot man in his life?

He goes to the coffee shop.

Nathan Gordon loves children and his career as a manny. But he’s lonely. Being a manny means spending his time with children, not going to clubs or partying. Good thing he’s happy to be a homebody. When he runs into the coffee shop for a quick latte, he meets the man of his dreams—who also happens to be the head of the family he wants to manny for. What’s a guy to do when he’s hired to care for the children, yet he’s attracted to the father, the dentist from the coffee shop?

Can these two make it to forever or will the passion between them fizzle before they get started?

Reader advisory: This book contains references to inadequate parenting, suicide threats, homophobia and homophobic harassment.

Purchase Links 

Pride Publishing

Amazon

Review

In my opinion ever so humble , there are two different kinds of books:  character driven and plot driven.

In a character driven story, the author may have some general understanding of who the characters are and what the basic plot points may be.  But how the characters interact with each other as well as those plot points is entirely up to them.  The characters have freedom of choice, which may frustrate the author because they’re not doing what the author wants.

In a plot driven story, everything that happens is purely determined by the plot itself.  The characters have little to no choice.  They are there to get from point A to point B. 

There’s nothing wrong with either one as long as both the characters and the plot are engaging.  However, the danger of writing a purely plot driven story is that it can sometimes come across as contrived, like someone was marking off checkboxes on a list, without an explanation as to why something happens.

Sadly, that’s how I felt as I read this book. 

The premise is cute:  dentist with a child in needs of a new nanny after his current one quits.  The execution, however…

Adrien is the dentist in question.  His nanny, Kelsi is getting married and decides to leave her position as his nanny to 4-year old Kyle.  That’s all fine and dandy, but the problems with the story pop up immediately. 

Kelsi is quitting to be a stay at home wife.  Okay, that’s acceptable, if not entirely believable in this day and age.  However, her fiancé just happens to be Adrien’s office partner, Mike, and wants to get married immediately.  Adrien, however, has no clue his nanny and his office partner are even dating, let alone that Mike even wanted to propose.  What does that say about Adrien that he’s so clueless about the happenings in the lives of the two people that he’s around all the time?  Oh, and Adrien and Mike are the only two dentists in town, which means this is a small town, and someone had to have seen the soon-to-be newlyweds out and about, and no one said anything to Adrien?

Further in, something happened that gave me pause.  Adrien is putting his son, Kyle, to bed, and they’re discussing a child in Kyle’s class calling him a freak.  What should be a nice father/son bonding moment turns into something else.

Kyle makes the comment that he wishes he were gay, like his father, so that he could have a boyfriend.  I understand the point of the scene was to be a nice teachable moment in which Adrien tells his son he can be whoever or whatever he wants.  Yet the scene rankled me. 

For decades, the LGBTQ community has fought tooth and nail to have their families recognized as being just that:  family.  In addition to that, there’s always been a stigma that we within the community would somehow indoctrinate or brainwash our children into being something other than who they truly are.  To have this scene, this statement, in an M/M romance struck a nerve with me, and derailed the entire book.  Am I overly sensitive to this?  Possibly.  But if I felt this way, it’s possible that others within the community could feel the same.  The scene itself could have been handled without that statement.

All in all, this book left me feeling as if someone had made an outline, and was simply following the steps.  The characters didn’t feel fleshed out, and the plot felt more author driven than anything else.

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New Release Review: My Other Half by Megan Slayer #Review #Giveaway

Title: My Other Half
Series: Must Love Dogs #4
Author: Megan Slayer
Publisher: Pride Publishing 
Publication Date: March 24, 2020
Length: 109 pages 

Reviewed by Sammy


Synopsis

A pet adoption leading to lasting love?
Kelly Haas thought he’d lost everything when his first dog, Sally, passed away. He wasn’t looking for a new pup, but couldn’t resist checking the local rescues. One look at Louie and Kelly knew he’d found the right dog—a happy bagle. When Kelly meets the man running the rescue, he realizes he’s smitten with Rob, too.
Rob McMann isn’t the type of man to fall for a potential animal adopter, but he still believes in happy endings for the animals—and himself. Kelly isn’t like the other adopters. He knows how to get Rob, a perpetual loner, to come out of himself. He can be open with Kelly, but he leans on him hard when he hits a low time in his life.
Can these two find the love they deserve while raising four dogs, or are they destined to just be friends?

Purchase Links

Pride Publishing

Amazon

Review

Rob and Kelly are both men in their early forties and both have had their fair share of bad relationships. Rob has found solace in his job—rescuing dogs who are either abused, abandoned by unhappy owners or given up for other reasons. He specializes in “bagels”—basset hounds crossed with beagle--amongst other types of dogs. Fostering a pack of his own, he also is the guy who places most of the shelter’s dogs and that is how he meets Kelly.

Kelly loved his former dog and was devastated when she became ill and passed away. It was time to consider moving on and getting a new companion and when he sees the bagle up for adoption on Rob’s site he is captivated. Little did he ever expect to meet up with the director of the shelter just a few hours after submitting his application nor did he ever suspect it was the very same guy he’d been ogling all those weeks at the dog park.

When Rob and Kelly meet there is a definite spark but both are unprepared for the maelstrom of emotions and excitement that swirls around them every time they are together. Could this really be love in so short a time?

Megan Slayer’s novella, My Other Half, is sure to be a hit with animal lovers and those seeking the insta-love trope in a fast moving story that has just a bit of angst and lots of puppy love. Kelly is pretty much an open book—a bit nerdy, a bit talkative and a bit low in self-esteem, but he is also a guy with a heart of gold and immediately feels the pull toward Rob and simply wants to be there for him through whatever troubles may come along and come along they certainly do. From a hectic job that has Rob going day and night taking care of rescues and often doing the rescuing himself, to the sudden death of his estranged mother, Rob’s emotional plate is pretty full just as he and Kelly meet and begin their romance. But Kelly is not easily put off and shows Rob over and over that he is there for him—as a friend and hopefully more when Rob is ready to take the next step.

Despite these guys falling for each other in the span of under two weeks, their time together tended to be pretty honest and well developed for about two thirds of this story—after that I felt that the story began to be more sex stitched together with a few scenes about the two men and their dogs rather than focusing on furthering the plot or any character development going on. I was also fairly worried about Rob and his talk of his darker times—times when he chose to be alone and not talk or interact with others—particularly Kelly. I have to admit that I would have felt better about the happy ending of this story if it had included Kelly taking Rob into some therapy. After all, between Rob’s horrible sister and his deceased mother—the entire family dynamic was negative and condemning of poor Rob—all for coming out as gay. I really thought Kelly of all people would suggest that Rob pursue professional counseling as he so often needed Kelly to reaffirm that he was there for Rob and Rob was worthy of being loved.

Despite all that, My Other Half has some appeal as a sweet romance complete with cute dogs and two older men who both deserved the second chance at love they provide for each other.

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Random Review: Rainbows Over Cedarwood by Megan Slayer #Review #Giveaway

Title: Rainbows Over Cedarwood
Series: Cedarwood Pride #4
Second Edition Published by Pride Publishing
Author: Megan Slayer
Publication Date: October 8, 2019
Length: 135 pages 

Reviewed by Truus


Synopsis


The moment Ashley gave up looking for the right man, he showed up in the form of restaurateur Colt Harrison. Sexy has never looked this good.
Ashley Willis didn’t think he was interested in joining the dating pool…that is, until he catches a glimpse of Colt. The sexy diner owner makes him hot all over and has him thinking all sorts of dirty thoughts. But Ashley has to worry about more than his sex drive—he’s a single dad. What goes on in his life affects his son. Will Ashley play it safe or find the love he deserves with Colt?
Colt’s been happily single for the last few years. He likes his complications to stay at the diner. Then he meets Ashley. The geeky art teacher is everything Colt’s dreamed of having in his bed. Will the fact that Ashley’s a single father be the deal-breaker or will the naysayers in Cedarwood break up this couple before they get a chance to find love?

Purchase Link

Review

Ashley and his six year old son Wyatt live in a small town Cedarwood. Ashley is an art teacher.

Now he is with the group Single Father’s Society at the diner. Colt is the sexy owner of the diner. They have an instant attraction.

There is a very small LGBTQ community who are trying to survive. Because Cedarwood is quite homophobic. A lot of fanatics are throwing dirt.

Friends try to push Ashley and Colt in the right direction, to each other. It isn’t as simple as it seems. Ashley is very reserved, trying to save his boy for hurt. Colt is head over heels and has to try to win over two guys.

When I look at the men I see both with a lot of thoughts about having dirty sex and jump the other, but there is no action in that direction. It stayed all in their head, they were polite and mature, not even dirty mouths. One moment Ashley and Wyatt are very important to Colt, next it seems he is not a children person and he wants Ashley as a friend. It was a bit contradictory and not always logical; it was somewhat confusing.

The homophobia was a big issue and it was hurtful to watch all the hate toward people who did exactly the opposite, they love.

The parts where the big harassment took place was well done. That event was captured well.

The little hurt comfort pieces were also good.

Still, I had a bit of trouble connecting with the story and the personalities. I think, for me, it’s because of the things I said above, about logic. One thing is sure, the men were friendly, considerate and socially concerned.

When I look at the whole picture from above, I understand the intention of the story and what the author tries to tell, a story about two kind and sweet men trying to build a relationship while living in a homophobic town.

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Contest ends October 31st

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