Review : Without a Compass by Helen Juliet

Title : Without a Compass
Author : Helen Juliet
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance
Published : August 24, 2017
My Rating : 4 of 5 Stars

Riley Anderson isn't an outdoorsy guy. He's a desk jockey, office by day and couch by night. So when his family insists on a camping trip for his father's 50th birthday he's hardly thrilled. Things only get worse when Kai shows up, too.

Kai Brandt's more than eager to go camping with his best buddy, but his buddy's little brother Riley is all grown up now, and hotter than hell. Kai's willing to help him pitch more than just a tent… Which is weird, because Kai never swung that way before.

Events conspire to out Riley's secret AND leave him stranded in Kai's care for longer than they'd planned for. Trapped together in the wilderness, they're going to have to face a few hard truths if they're going to make it back to the world.

But even if they manage it, the experience will leave them forever changed.

Without a Compass is a steamy, standalone gay romance novel with a HEA and no cliffhanger. 

For ten years Riley hide his crush on his older brother bestfriend, Kai.

For years Riley had seen Kai gone from one girlfriend to another girl. 

For years Riley avoiding meetings Kai to protect his already fragile heart, but fate then bring him meet his crush again when he MUST attend his father 50th Birthday which held in the campsite.

More handsome, more gorgeous.... 

Will Riley survive spending a week with Kai walking around before his eyes?

🍀

For years Kai used to see his bestfriend little brother, Riley around him. Riley's family has been like the second family to him.

For years, Kai only see Riley as his bestfriend little brother who following him and Brandon everywhere.

Years has passed and he never seen him again until he saw him on the campsite.

The young little boy now has changed into a beautiful young man. And for the first time Kai cannot describe the feels he felt inside...

First, it just a comfortable feeling to knowing that there's someone he know to start the conversation on his early arrived to the campsite. Then Riley stir the sense of protectiveness inside Kai and makes him want to punch every single person who hurts him on the first place!

Confused? 

Kai then start to 'questioning' himself for what he'd felt to Riley. Or maybe all this time he'd been digging on the wrong 'field'?

🍁

For the insta-love that happened in just three or four days count, surprisingly I didn't feel everything had happen between Riley and Kai feels that 'instant'. Instead, everything that happened feels so smooth and 'slow'. The growing feeling and connection feels so 'natural' , right on the place and perfect.

Recommended!

Review : Best of Both Worlds by N.R. Walker

Title : Best of Both Worlds
Author : N.R. Walker
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance writing in drabbles
Published : October 9, 2017
My Rating : 5 of 5 Stars

Sebastian Gilman meets a guy on a dance floor every Friday night. He knows nothing about him, not even his name, only to find one day this familiar stranger turns up on his building site and they need to work together.

Ryland Keller knows better than to get involved. Alone and half a country away from home, he revels in isolation until a handsome man in a gay bar turns his world upside down.

Sebastian wants to help Ryland recover from a horrible past, but only if Ryland can let his guard down long enough to see that he can have the best of both worlds. 

**This 20,000-word story is told in drabbles: each chapter consisting of only 100 words.** 

This is my first time reading drabbles, a bit worried at first but then I'm drowning to each words the author placed and then the next thing I know the book start to 'sing' in beautiful rhythms and I'm in love... 😍

Even in limitations of the words, the author still can turned my heart upside down. The feeling was strong, the characters also strong and adorable even its broken, and most of all, I must tip my imaginary hat to the author writings. It's strong and beautiful to the end. And yes! I'm crying!!!!

Highly Recommended!!!

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ARC Review : All or Nothing (Together #3) by Felice Stevens

Title : All or Nothing
Author :  Felice Stevens
Series : Together Book 3 (but can read as Stand Alone)
Publication Date: October 3rd, 2017
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Cover Designer: Reese Dante

Photographer: Golden Czermak of FuriousFotog

My Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Do you remember Adam Barton from Beyond the Surface? How about the sexy and mysterious chef Rico Estevez from Learning to Love? Sparks flew the first time they met and now their explosive story is here!

A past he couldn’t forget

Adam Barton is living his dream of working as a firefighter in his small Texas town, but a tragedy from his youth continues to haunt him. He decides New York City is the perfect place to start a new life and joins the FDNY, living and loving his own way—no strings and nothing personal. Until he catches sight of Rico Estevez, the sexy chef with the mysterious smile who rocks his world. After one explosive night together, Adam craves another….And then another. The more he and Rico are together, the more Adam wants him.

A future he never imagined

Rico Estevez is living a lie. For years he’s hidden his sexuality, afraid to hurt the career of his politically ambitious father. He’s the perfect American―the best schools, top of his class and most importantly, to his father, a successful businessman. Who needs a boyfriend when sex is so easy to find? Starting a torrid love affair with Adam Barton isn’t a problem; neither one is looking toward forever. But Rico’s father is about to get the chance of a lifetime and Rico feels forced to play by his rules.

Rules are made to be broken

Adam proves more unforgettable than Rico ever imagines, but he gives in to family pressures above personal desire. When a fire reunites them, both men discover their passion for each other hasn’t died; rather it’s stronger than ever. Want turns to need and something more dangerous to their hearts—love. Adam and Rico know if they want to have it all, they can let no one and nothing stand in their way of a life together.

There's nothing more precious than to find a good book to read at the perfect time.

I LIKE the story, it's hot and heartwarming.

Dawn to earth characters, believable story and perfect pace made everything feels right on the place. The feels, the chemistry, all make this book really hard to put down. And with the characters that lived close to your heart? How can I not love the story?

Adam and Rico had made their 'relationship' clear just as 'friends with benefits' with no string at first. But how can you keep fucking someone without having a feeling growing in between? How long can you denied the feels when it's growing deeper and deeper each time? Can both Adam and Rico passed their traumatic past and lies that stood between their heart?

The author wrapped all those struggling in a huge emotional read that make it impossible for you to not feel it to your heart.

All Or Nothing definitely another great story from Felice Stevens you shouldn't miss!

I haven't read Gideon and Jonah story, and now I NEED to read their story to complete what was missing when I jumped into Adam and Rico story.

There's few characters that I wish to have their own story in the future, hope the author will let those characters speak to her and write their story someday.

RECOMMENDED!

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The Way to His Heart

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I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, my characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.

I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

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

Review : Be My Best Man by Con Riley

Title : Be My Best Man 
Author : Con Riley
Genre : M/M Romance, Contemporary Gay Romance
Published : September 7th 2017
My Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐

~Will Jason’s third time as a best man lead to first-time love for Vanya?

After fleeing violence in Moscow, student teacher Vanya Petrov winds up lonely in a run-down London hostel. At least visiting the Bond Street store where his roommate works lets him practice his English, but as Vanya's vocabulary expands, so does his isolation, especially when he sees happy couples planning their perfect weddings.

According to Jason Balfour, weddings are a waste of time and money. After all, he’s been best man for his brother twice already. Saying that a third marriage will end in divorce too leads to an angry ultimatum: to save his relationship with his brother, Jason must meet his fiancée, at last, and make a good first impression.

Jason’s need to dress to impress brings him and Vanya together. Language is no barrier to falling in love with the young and fragile Russian, and neither is their age difference. But Vanya’s bruised soul carries secrets that could rip them apart. As the wedding draws near, Vanya must confess, and soon, or risk losing Jason—his own best man in Britain.

Running from abusive trauma that happen in his country, Vanya must leave Moscow and become an immigrant in Britain.

Along with his friend Kaspar, and Kaspar's girlfriend Anna, they planned to keep survive in this foreign country together.

The bond between these three strangers are stronger than blood is one thing that will warmed your heart.

Vanya has no plans for the future, what he do is to pass each day and keep survive until he can live legally in this country.

The accidentally meet with Jason then changed his view and life.

Jason came to a dress store and mistaken Vanya as one of the employee there when Vanya was just there to help his friend, Kaspar.

In desperate need to change his way of dressing to mended his almost 'ruined' relationship with his foster brother and want to impressed his soon-to-be-wife, Chantel, Jason need someone to help him fix his dressing style. He then mistook Vanya as a fashion advisers and want Vanya to be his 'personal shopper'.

Things then getting more hard when both Jason and Vanya start to grow more feeling during their intense meeting.

Vanya then torn between telling Jason all the truths about his conditions and status from the start or keep all the lies until after the wedding and then leave....

Will Jason still want him after he know about all the truth?

Vanya just hoped that their first met didn't start with a lie.....

***

I fall in love instantly with the cover when I first saw it, and I intrigued even more when I read the blurb.

The slow pace went perfectly with the slow-burn romance that blooms between Jason and Vanya. One thing I didn't like is Jason's judgmental behavior both to his brother fiancee, Chantel and to Vanya. 

Being hurt by someone from his past doesn't give you the right to judge someone else that way. I must admit, that there's a time I want to slapped Jason face to the nearest wall.

But even what Jason did stir the emotional part in me, the things that happened at nearly end of the book had succeed bringing the tears to my eyes.

Be My Best Man is another story that will warm your heart.

RECOMMENDED!

ARC Review : The Half Wolf by Jay Northcote

Title: The Half Wolf

Author: Jay Northcote

Publisher: Jaybird Press (self published)

Length: 65,000 words approx

Genre: Paranormal, contemporary/AU, m/m romance, wolf shifters.

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Release Date: Tues 26th of September 2017

Series info: This book is a standalone

My Rating : 4 of 5 Stars

Mate, family, pack, home… can Quinn and Kellan have it all?

Quinn grew up feeling out of place in the small town he calls home. Yearning for something he can’t name, he’s always felt different but never known why.

Kellan is part of a nomadic shifter pack. When they set up camp in the woods near Quinn’s town, the humans are unwelcoming and suspicious of the newcomers. The moment Kellan catches sight—and scent—of Quinn, he knows Quinn is special. But for the first time in his life, Kellan can’t trust his instincts. Quinn is human, and Kellan is a wolf shifter, so how can they ever be mates?

Their bond is instant and exhilarating. It breaks Quinn’s heart to know their relationship can only be temporary. Love isn’t enough when pack law forbids shifters to mate with humans. Tension explodes between pack and humans, and when Quinn discovers a shocking truth about himself that changes everything, he fears he’ll have to choose between the only life he’s ever known and the man he loves.

I used to read contemporary romance by Jay Northcote and love his writing. When I know he write a shifter story in his new project, I can't denied that I got very excited!

I'm SOLD instantly with the blurb and the cover. And when I finally meet Kellan & Quinn, I love the story even more.

The chemistry was there since the first meet, the instant connection between the two feels far from chessy. The perfect pace made the book really hard to put it down. Read it in one shoot and enjoying every part of the story. I can't believe it this is your first shifter story, Jay. You nailed it so well.You should write more about this genre in the future!

The Half Wolf is a sweet shifter story with little bit 'suspense' but with no angst that will warmed your heart.

RECOMMENDED!

The Half Wolf

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

Review : Dear Adam by Jaclyn Osborn

Title : Dear Adam
Author : Jaclyn Osborn
Genre : MM Romance, Young Adults, Short Story
Published : August 29, 2017 (re-release with new cover)
My Ratings : 5 of 5 Stars

NOTE : Triggers Warning Alerts!!

Things weren’t supposed to turn out this way. My story should have been different. Happier. Maybe in another life, it would’ve been. But, life isn’t a fairy tale, and the good guys don’t always win.

I didn’t mean to cause anyone pain. I just wanted to end my own. The letter, his words—crushed me. It seemed as if there was no other way out. Nothing can change what happened, and nothing could have prepared me for what came after those two words: Dear Adam.

**WARNING: This story contains suicidal material that may be sensitive to some readers. **

Life was short, way too short to have regrets. Those two words, “what if,” could haunt someone for the rest of their lives...

✳✳✳ 

Dear Author,

What have you done to me?

How can one short story could triggered such this massive emotions and shattered one heart into pieces?

I finished the book in total mess!!
Even the tears won't stop hours after I finished the book. 

It's hurt...

SO F*CKING HURT!!!

I cried for Adam...

I cried for Connor...

And I cried for every young souls out there who have to face what Connor's been through...

Just remember...

YOU ARE WORTHY and NOT ALONE!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BUT WITH HARD WARNING!!! 

Review : The Foxling Soldati (Soldati Hearts #2) by Charlie Cochet

Title : The Foxling Soldati
Series : Soldati Hearts #2
Author : Charlie Cochet
Genre : Paranormal Gay Romance, Fantasy, Shifter
Length : Novella
Published : August 16th, 2017
My Rating : 4 of 5 Stars

Foxling Toka has served the Soldati king for centuries, and now he attends to the kingdom’s cherished Soldati prince. It’s a position of honor, and as Toka helps the once-human prince adapt to their magical realm, he finds joy in their friendship. He also grows bolder in his encounters with Rayner, Soldati warrior and the king’s second. But the laws are clear: servants and Soldati are not permitted to mate. It doesn’t matter that Toka lost his heart to the dashing cad long ago.

Rayner never imagined he would fall in love with a servant, but the clever and beautiful foxling has ensnared him, and he resents the regulations keeping them apart. When an arrogant and spiteful king visits from a neighboring realm, Rayner is in danger of losing everything. But Soldati warriors don’t surrender, and he intends to fight all the harder to keep Toka where he belongs—in Rayner’s arms.

“From the moment I met your gaze, I knew there would be no other. You are a gift, Toka. A beautiful, precious gift.”

✳✳✳

I've been intrigued by Rayner and his foxlling lover, Toka,  since I accidentally stumbled to the book and read the blurb that day. But I must pending my curiosity because I must read the previous book on this series before I can read their story.

I have that feeling that the story will be something since I read the blurb, and I knew I was right because it not take too long the story successfully squeezed my heart and I need to hold my breath each time I open the next pages. Worrying for what happen next to Toka and Rayner. 

There's a lot obstacles for their love to be together. Soldati rules forbid the Soldati warriors to take their mate from the lower class like a servant. Toka was not an ordinary 'servant', come from loyal high servant, his mother had served the former Queen for centuries before Khalon crowned as the new King of Soldati. Toka's has serve as high rank servant for the king before then he pointed as Riley servant, the new Soldati Prince and Khalon's mate.

For so long, Toka and Rayner must share their love to each other privately due to the law. Even they know that there's no hope for them to become mate. There's no they can do until one day King Pavoni from neighbor realm who also known as his brutal behavior to his people and servants come to visit Soldati. Pavoni then tricked Rayner and accused him for doing something disgraceful which cost Toka's life.

Will Rayner sacrifice everything to save the love of his life?

Will he risk the peaceful on the realms if saving Toka will cost the war and human being life?

I think you should find it by yourself!!!

So glad that the story - even it's look so simple and short - could fulfill my expectations. I love Toka and Rayner story more than the first one. But I do love to see Khalon and Riley appears in this second book.

And now I'm a bit curious about Ezra and General Segreti. Will there be a story between these two? 

If so, I really cannot wait!!!!