Review : Leo Loves Aries (Signs of Love #1) by Anyta Sunday

Title : Leo Love Aries
Author : Anyta Sunday
Series : Sign of Love #1
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance, M/M Romance
My Rating : 5 of 5 Stars

A new person will enter your life in the early year, Leo. Look past any moments of frustration they might bring and laugh—this could be the start of a thriving friendship.

Theo Wallace usually laughs at the horoscopes his mom sends. Still hung up on his ex-girlfriend and practically friendless, this one begs him to reconsider. Because a friendship that stuck, that thrived…

Well, that would be a reason to leave past pains behind and look to the Bright Future.

When his sister Leone challenges him to find her the perfect date for a spring wedding, Theo uses it as a chance to make new friends. Theo’s ex economics tutor and newest roommate Mr Jamie Cooper seems to be a possible and convenient match. Real convenient. Like written in the stars, convenient.

All he has to do is make sure this Jamie is good enough. Could really be the one for her, and the friend for him.

But watch out, Leo, the stars have a surprise in store…

We are tutor and student. Roommates. Sparring partners. Friends. Anything you want us to be...

✳✳✳

The story come with good plotting and very slow pace that move along with the growing emotion between the main characters. The slow burn really killing me but also feels so perfect. I love the interaction between Theo and Jamie, and their banters, it made me smile countless time.
Everything was right on the place.

I adored Jamie (and his healthy food freak!) for his patience in taking good care Theo and his almost blind-twin-sister, Leona. This guy totally own my heart!

The things I find so cute but also frustrating is the fact that Theo didn't realize with his own feeling!! He mistook all the flirting and banters they both did to each other as 'a friendship'! (Pulling my hair!)

Their daily-note-exchange was another thing I like. It's fun, funny and keep me curios for what they'll write next.

Things getting more interesting when Jamie best friend, Sean come to their life and it start to 'annoyed' Theo. Theo's jealousy was another things I found so funny and a bit 'entertaining'. Add Charlie (Jamie's ex) to the convo, and Theo start to grow a pair of horn and see 'RED'!!! LMAO.

Theo denial was the hurtful part not only for Jamie, but also for me. They're fall to 'friend-with-benefit' term, but Theo still avoiding the fact that he's not actually a straight guy anymore. But at the end, I forgive him for what he did to win Jamie back.

The ice skating scenes!
I automatically picturing 'Yuri! On Ice' while I read this part. It was 'The Awww moment' for me!

Last, but not least...

Good books are way more difficult to review... (quotes by me!)

It always happen to me each time I finished a book that succeed consumed and overwhelmed me in a good way.

I've finished reading this book long time ago (and I still cannot put any single word to MY review, until today!!!), but I still can remember (very clearly) every-single-detail that happened in the story like I've just finished it yesterday...
The feels I get when I read Theo and Jamie story still freshly linger in my mind.

The smiles, the blushing moments, the butterfly in my tummy feels, even I can still feels my own heartbeat jumping like crazy when I remember some scenes from the book.

Leo Loves Aries is definitely the type of story that won't be easy to forget, because the heartwarming feeling will linger in your heart forever....

This is how sweet-slow burn-gay-for-you-friend-to-lover-story-that-will-warm-your-heart should be written. And Anyta Sunday did it very well!!

I'll ended my review with another quote from the book that I think more and less will expressed what I feels...

I love this book 'because of the characters development and the romance'...

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Review : The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian

Title : The Lawrence Browne Affair 
Author : Cat Sebastian
Genre : Historical Gay Romance
Published : February 7th 2017
My rating : 3 of 5 Stars

An earl hiding from his future . . . 

Lawrence Browne, the Earl of Radnor, is mad. At least, that’s what he and most of the village believes. A brilliant scientist, he hides himself away in his family’s crumbling estate, unwilling to venture into the outside world. When an annoyingly handsome man arrives at Penkellis, claiming to be Lawrence’s new secretary, his carefully planned world is turned upside down.

A swindler haunted by his past . . . 

Georgie Turner has made his life pretending to be anyone but himself. A swindler and con man, he can slip into an identity faster than he can change clothes. But when his long-dead conscience resurrects and a dangerous associate is out for blood, Georgie escapes to the wilds of Cornwall. Pretending to be a secretary should be easy, but he doesn’t expect that the only madness he finds is the one he has for the gorgeous earl.

Can they find forever in the wreckage of their lives? 

Challenging each other at every turn, the two men soon give into the desire that threatens to overwhelm them. But with one man convinced he is at the very brink of madness and the other hiding his real identity, only true love can make this an affair to remember.

I do really love Georgie and Lawrence characters and the interaction that build from the start. But I must admit that the slow pace on the story really 'killing' me and testing my patience!!!

I also found there's few things left hanging and 'forced' me to questioning myself...

"That's it?"
"Just like that?"

I read half first of the book with flat face until Simon come to Penkellis and 'bright' the story. Well...a bit...

But even if the whole story cannot grabbed the feels and I have to struggling finishing the book, I think it still good enough to devour....

Last but not least, the cover really pleased my coverslut eyes even the story didn't fulfill my expectations....

Happy 1st Blogversary!!!

Happy 1st Blogversary!!!

It's been a year since I first start my own blog. Time flies...

There's a time when my reading mood been in the worst moments and affected my mood in writing any reviews, but there's time when I felt excited working on a review.

Still not full time reviewer tho', just hope I can post more reviews in the future and share the happiest moments with you.

Warm Regards,
Funzee Shu

ARC Review : Imago (Imago #1) by N.R. Walker

Title : Imago
Series : Imago
Author : N.R. Walker
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance
Published Date : February 21st 2017
My Rating : 4 of 5 Stars

Nerdy, introverted genius lepidopterist, Lawson Gale, is an expert on butterflies. He finds himself in a small town in Tasmania on a quest from an old professor to find an elusive species that may or may not even exist.

Local Parks and Wildlife officer, Jack Brighton, is an ordinary guy who loves his life in the sleepy town of Scottsdale. Along with his Border collie dog, Rosemary, his job, and good friends, he has enough to keep from being lonely.

But then he meets Lawson, and he knows he’s met someone special. There’s more to catching butterflies, Jack realises. Sometimes the most elusive creatures wear bow ties, and sometimes they can’t be caught at all.

Lawson soon learns there are butterflies he can’t learn about it in books. They exist only in a touch, in a kiss, in a smile. He just has to let go first, so these butterflies can fly.
Imago is the story of finding love, bow ties, and butterflies.

“I came to Tasmania in search of an elusive species. But never in my wildest dreams did I expect to find you. And I believe I found a type of butterfly that exists only in my belly which only makes itself known when I think of you...”

✳✳✳

Adorkable and very cute story...

I quickly fell in love with both Jack and Lawson from the very beginning.

Like Jack, I fall in love instantly with this sexy-nerdy-lepidopterist with a bowtie. And along with Lawson, I can't stop blushing and falling for this hot-smexy wildlife ranger.

Jack is truly godsend to Lawson in his research and searching for a very rare butterfly, Eltham Copper who only exist in professor Tillman's journal. And Lawson is what Jack Brighton wanted in his life.
The instant connection feel so strong right from the beginning. It seems the universe definitely right behind all of this....

I start the book with unstoppable smiles & grins, and ended it with all those butterflies in my tummy feeling that went crazy.

Aside the fact that I have butterfly-phobia, didn't affect the feels I have while reading the story. These guys are totally swoonworthy.

If you need a light with no angst but heartwarming and sexy story, you should try this new series from N.R. Walker.

Can't wait to read more story about this new cute and adorable couple...

GOODREADS

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon AUS

Amazon DE

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.

She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since… 

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Amazon

nrwalker.net

ARC Review : Addicted by Mark Summers

Title : Addicted
Author : Mark Summers
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance, M/M Romance
Published Date : December 16th 2016
Rating : 3 Stars

“I’m not sure I’ve ever loved anyone, but if love means feeling like the Earth is going to eat you whole at the thought of never seeing them again, if love means feeling unable to be yourself without the one you love, then maybe that’s what I’m starting to feel for you.”

“I don’t want to mend you. I just want to be there for you while you do it yourself.”

Noah is 23 years old and a big brother. That’s probably how he would describe himself, since no job is as important as being a big brother to Jimmy, all while struggling with the depression and anxiety he’s learned to control the best he can. He’s lived in the same small town his entire life, kept away both from danger and pleasure, and everything else the world has to offer.

Daniel is a 30 year-old third-grade teacher with a secret. Apparently perfect, damage and addiction hide behind his fabricated front. He’s troubled, he’s mean, he’s controlling and dominant. And most importantly, he’s straight. He doesn’t love anything besides his job, and his human interactions consist of using people to satisfy his needs.

When life brings Noah and Daniel together, a peculiar arrangement is formed, pushing both men to new limits. Will Noah learn to step out of his comfort zone and take control of his life? Will Daniel defeat his demons?

The characters in this book are flawed and troubled, but they do their best as they try to figure out their lives, learning about addiction, lust, and love, and falling for each other in the process.

Addicted is a steamy, standalone gay-for-you romance novel with a HEA. It contains scenes that are only suitable for adult readers.

I knew for a fact that I wasn’t gay. I wasn’t completely attracted to Noah either, but there were some things about him – his personality, the air around him – that drove me nuts.

✳✳✳

Being gay and living in small town when all the people know each other life under their nose was not easy. And having a crush on his little brother's teacher wasn't a good thing for Noah. Add to the fact that the teacher is straight.

In his early twenty, Noah has enough complicated life to live.

When the author offer me to review his book, I accepted it because GFY is my thing.
I'm so excited to devour this book but also a bit curious at the same time because the author was new to me and reading a book from new author definitely a challenge for me.

So? Curious, nervous and excited, that's all what I feel.

The first few part of the story i found really interesting. The pace kinda slow, but I like how it goes when Noah start to crushing over Mr. Harris and try to hide his attraction and feels to him, the giddy feeling, the shyness, the eagerness to have Mr. Harris attention enough to make those butterflies dancing in my tummy.
When Mr. Harris start to 'notice' Noah and have strange attraction to the young guy, the butterflies in my tummy went crazy.

But then there's something about this Mr. Harris that make me feels not quite 'right'. Even with all the 'reason' revealed nearly the end of the book still cannot convinced me enough to accept what had happened.

Mr. Harris dominance and his  disrespectful act to Noah start to annoying me to the level 'I can barely tolerate anymore'.
And Noah naively accepted all that irritated me even more.

I've read about a dominance character in a story before and I don't have problem with all that dominance thing, but I think there's something not quite 'right' about Mr. Harris dominance and demanding act to Noah. Something is missing here and I can't explained the 'what or why'.

I expect more on the story, but seems it's not fulfill my expectations.
I hope for something more or at least can bring me the feels, but I can't get it.

One thing that keep the rating from further falls is the bond between Noah and his little brother, jimmy. It worth in very heartwarming way...


ARC is kindly provided by the Author in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Review : Watching and Wanting (Housemates #4) by Jay Northcote

Title: Watching and Wanting
Author: Jay Northcote
Publisher: Jaybird Press (self published)
Length: 52,000 words approx
Genre: Contemporary m/m romance/erotica, bisexual, new adult
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh
Release Date: Friday 20th January 2017
Series info: This book is #4 in the Housemates series but can be read as a standalone

Rate : 4.5 Stars

Watching Jude’s cam show stirs desires Shawn’s always denied...

Shawn is adrift. Recently graduated, he’s stuck in a dead-end job that barely pays the bills. His girlfriend dumped him, his friends have moved on, and he’s still in Plymouth—going nowhere.

Jude is a student living in the same shared house. Out and proud, he’s everything Shawn’s been running from since he hit puberty. When Shawn discovers Jude works as a cam boy, he can’t resist the urge to watch one of his shows. It makes Shawn want things that scare him, yet his fascination forces him to confront his attraction.

Keen to explore his bicurious side, Shawn suggests they do a show together. Jude agrees, and things get complicated—and kinky—fast. But Jude isn’t looking to get involved with someone so deep in the closet. If Shawn’s going to get what he wants, he needs to find the courage to stop hiding from himself and be honest about who he is.

     A couple of days later, Shawn was still doing his best to be a better housemate and friend. So after he’d finished his dinner—late because he hadn’t left work till six and had then been running again—he washed up lots of pots in the kitchen that other people had used and tidied up some things left lying around in the living room.
     “Is this either of yours?” He held up a hoodie that was slung over the back of a chair.
     Jez and Mac, who were on the sofa watching TV, both glanced his way.
     “Nope,” Mac said.
     “I think it’s Jude’s.”
     Being helpful, Shawn decided to take it up for him.
     He passed his own bedroom on the middle floor and went up the second flight of stairs to where Dev’s and Jude’s rooms were. Jude’s door was shut, so Shawn tapped lightly on it. There was no reply, so assuming Jude was out, he turned the handle and pushed. The door opened quietly.
     It took a moment for his brain to register the information from his eyes.
     Jude wasn’t out.
     Jude was definitely in.
     He was sitting in a chair with his back to the door, shirtless, dick out and jerking off in front of… fuck, was that Skype? Maybe he had a long-distance boyfriend Shawn didn’t know about.
     But the screen didn’t look like Skype; there was a distinctive logo that even from the door, Shawn could see read “Boyz on Cam.” And—Oh fuck. The guy on the screen looked remarkably like Jude himself. Surely he couldn’t be…?
     “Shit, sorry, sorry!” Shawn blurted out.
     “What the fuck?” Jude wheeled around, simultaneously managing to whip his sweatpants up and slam the laptop shut. “Oh my God, haven’t you heard of knocking?”
     “I did knock,” Shawn said helplessly, trying not to stare at the bulge in Jude’s trousers. Eyes up. Jesus Christ, don’t make this any worse than it already is. “You didn’t answer.”
     “I didn’t fucking hear you. But you just barged in anyway.” Jude covered the tent in his sweatpants with his hand.
     His face was flushed. It was hard for Shawn to tell how much was embarrassment and how much was anger. “You should have locked it,” he said unhelpfully, then mentally kicked himself for his lack of filter. Bit late to point that out now.
     “I thought I had!”
     “I’m sorry,” Shawn said again. “I didn’t… I mean….” Sensible words eluded him. There was no script for this. “I found this. It’s yours. I’ll go now.” He threw the hoodie at Jude, turned, and fled, shutting the door firmly behind him.

     Back in his own room, Shawn paced back and forth.
     “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He scrubbed his hands through his hair, stopped pacing, and glared at his laptop where it lay on his desk, a threatening presence.
     No. I can’t.
     He threw himself down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
     But what if he was wrong? Maybe he’d misinterpreted what he saw? Maybe Jude was just watching another guy on camera who happened to look a bit like him? Shawn tried to tell himself that it was none of his business anyway, but he needed to know.
     He got up and locked his door—learning from Jude’s mistake there—then sat at his desk and opened his laptop carefully, as if it was an unexploded bomb he had to defuse. He pulled up his web browser and typed in the words burned onto his brain: Boyz on Cam.
     After an 18+ warning, the site loaded quickly and Shawn half covered his face with a hand, as though peeking through his fingers could make this better. He scrolled past a few photos of half-naked guys with nice abs and inviting smiles, but none of them was Jude.
     Then he noticed a link at the top reading “Live Shows.”
     Mouth dry and heart racing, he clicked on it. He didn’t think it was possible for his heart to beat any faster, but when he saw Jude’s face grinning suggestively at him from a thumbnail image, he seriously wondered if it was possible to have a heart attack at the age of twenty-one.
     He knew he shouldn’t look, didn’t even know why he wanted to go any further. He’d confirmed his suspicions, and that was all he needed to know. Yet, with a shaking hand, he clicked on the link anyway.

“You know what they say. It’s always the ones deepest in denial who fight the hardest. Maybe he’s secretly gay, and that’s why he hates having it shoved in his face all the time?”

❇❇❇

This book come with D.R.I.P* WARNING !!

*Don't Read In Public

Shawn with his homophobic twat had drawn my attention since I first saw him in the previous book, but when I read Devrim story my curiosity grew more deeper. Maybe there's something behind his rude attitude that need to be understand and that make me curious even more.

I remember asked the author about 'is there any possibility that Shawn will have his own story?'

The author said that he didn't have any plan to write Shawn story because he 'hate' him!

Then I said, "Will you just listen what he said? Because I think there's something about Shawn. Maybe he's in deep denial or something?"

Then I ended it with "Please...."

That's was months ago and I almost forgot about the conversations with the author until one day he tell us that he'd been writing about Shawn story because he start to 'talk' to him!

And my first reaction?

ABSOLUTELY HYSTERIC!

Finally!!

Jay revealed Shawn story in a very interesting way.

Shawn deep denial, dilemmas and all the struggle he'd been through and the way Jude 'teach' him in and off camera and reveal the Bi side in Shawn all put in very good portion.

Shawn need to find what he truly want and feels the 'breakdown' before he finally 'see' what he'd been denying all these time and to be brave enough to take the next step.

On the other hand, Jude know what Shawn needs, and he willing to show him what he'd been 'missed'. Jude love to help Shawn exploring his bi curious and also kinky side in him and feeds his curiosity....

I need to fanning myself so many times when read this book because it SO DAMN HOT!!!
Watching and Wanting probably become the hottest books in Housemates series so far...

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Watching and Wanting on Jay Northcote Website

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Amazon UK

Universal Amazon Link

The Housemates Series is a collection of standalone stories set around a student house in Britain. This new adult series focuses on themes of self-discovery and sexual awakening.

Amazon Links :

Helping Hand (Housemates #1)

Like a Lover (Housemates #2)

Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates #3)

And if you a bit curious about how Jay got his 'inspiration' when he wrote about Jude's camshow from, also more info about Housemates series, especially Watching and Wanting, you can follow this Link to Jay Northcote Housemates Q & A with Gaybook Review.

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. Jay has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and he also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Jay is transgender and was formerly known as she/her.

www.jaynorthcote.com
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