3 - 3 1/2 Hearts

Review written for MM Good Book Reviews Click on link to take part in author Giveaway (Contest open till 28th February 2014)

Leslie’s best friend, Bradley, has saved himself for the man of his dreams and he finally finds him on Valentine’s Day. Bradley falls head over heels for the man but all Bradley can remember is the fantastic sex, and with the little clues he can remember he convinces Leslie to help him track the mysterious man down. Leslie isn’t thrilled but helps her friend and when Bradley heads into danger as he searches for his perfect man, Leslie isn’t sure if Bradley’s perfect man really is perfect.

This is a great little short story that takes Vampires back to being the scourge of the Earth; it gives us a fresh twist for the dhampir’s and it has a love story with a forgotten man and a desperate search for true love. Brad seems to be a character full of life and when it comes to the love of his life he strives for perfection, when he half remembers the night before he knows that his perfect man is within reach. Ronan wants what Brad could give him but the danger is too great so he does what he has to do to keep Brad safe, even if it means being forgotten.

This story has great potential which was missed out on because of character perspective; the paranormal storyline could have been much more exciting and effective if the perspective had shifted to the characters directly involved. The love story aspect was really good (but again slightly missed its mark with character perspective) with two men longing for the other but circumstances preventing their love from being fulfilled, with Ronan always having to watch as Brad walks away forgetting him and Brad always longing for his perfect man, never knowing he had already met him.

So I should let you all know that this story is all from Leslie’s perspective which I found dampened the story, we never once really get any emotions or feelings off either Brad or Ronan; what we get is Leslie’s interpretation of their feelings and I also felt like I was missing out on the paranormal aspects of the story because it was from Leslie’s view point. Never once did I feel the rush of emotions that Brad must have felt about finally finding his perfect man, I didn’t feel his despair over not remembering his face and I never felt the fear he must have felt over the situation he found himself in… and all that was also mirrored by Ronan… I felt cheated by only having it from Leslie.

I recommend this to those who love the paranormal, an interesting paranormal storyline, a new relationship with a twist, brilliant friends, and looking at a new relationship from the outside.

Hello there dear readers and followers of MM Good Book Reviews. First off I hope you’ve had a nice Christmas and that everything went smoothly, if not according to plan. I just love this holidays and how tricky they are. We try so hard and make so many plans for the perfect dinner, the perfect gifts, and the perfect everything, only to have one small detail ruining it all. We immerse ourselves so much into expectations that we forget to simply live and enjoy.

4 1/2 Hearts

Review written for MM Good Book Reviews

Rusty has always gotten everything he wanted without even really trying, he might be expected to follow in his father’s footsteps but he fully admits to being the stereotypical dumb jock. When he meets Oliver his views begin to change, he wants more than to go into his father’s business, he want to do something that makes him happy. Oliver is out and proud, he’s from the wrong side of the tracks and his best friend puts himself down. Kissing Rusty is one of the best things he has ever done and being there for Rusty as he struggles through his first semester at Berkeley keeps him hoping that Rusty will wake up to his true feelings. Rusty heads home for the holidays knowing just what he wants but his parents have very different ideas, when he finds himself tossed out on the street it’s Oliver and his family who help him back on his feet, but can Rusty accept the love that Oliver offers or will his stubborn pride keep them apart?

This is an incredibly wonderful story where a young man finds himself and sets out to live his life in happiness and accepting that family is more than who you are born to. Rusty is a character who is easy to fall in love with, he has no illusions about himself and knows his limits, although he is very hard on himself and self-disparaging. Oliver is a lovely young man who guides Rusty as much as he can to recognise his feelings and to also buff up Rusty’s confidence. They make a perfect couple who have the usual teenage problems involving pride and confidence, but their support of each other is heart-warming.

We follow these two young men as they make friends and develop a friendship that can and does stand against pressure. Rusty is oblivious to many things around him but finds that he has much more going for him in a world he makes for himself, rather than the world his parents want for him. His relationship with Oliver is the cornerstone for all that he wants to build and we see his heartache as he strives to be something he isn’t, we see Oliver and his family pulling around Rusty as his own parents turn their back on him and we see Rusty blossoming into a man to be proud of. Rusty and Oliver’s relationship is an incredible one, they have their ups and downs but it is all based in love and when they are together it makes you smile.

I adored this story, I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to know what would happen to these two young men as they faced life with love from one side but disapproval from the other side. The story is from Rusty’s point of view but you get to know Oliver perfectly through Rusty’s eyes and Rusty is an honest character, there’s no false pretences in him so what you see is what you get. The story is written perfectly, the characters come to life and it is a storyline that happens all too often in real life. You get behind these two young men cheering for them as they build their lives, you feel their heartache, pain and disappointment, their confusion and hurt, their love and happiness and their dreams of the future.

I recommend this to those who love young adults starting their lives, fantastic characters, wonderful family, new blossoming love and an incredible ending.