In Another Life - Cardeno C.

This was sooooo sweet. Giggly fun, with CC's particular brand of humor applied to a book that deals with an almost tragedy and a 'what might've been' dream. 

This is a quickly read holiday story you'll want to consider for your significant other's stocking. Or your own. Or, better yet, both. 

Love the cover, by the way. Excellent choice, simplistic but fitting.

This story is part of the Dreamspinner Press 2013 Advent Calendar which delivers a short story every day of December until Christmas. I was fortunate to get a free copy from CC prior to publication. And it's only fitting that I review this lovely short on the first day of December, the first Sunday of Advent, with a candle flame lighting up the cover.

In typical CC fashion, this book contains very little angst. I knew this going in, despite the blurb that would hint otherwise. Despite the fact that at 18, Shiloh Raben, gay and hating it, thinks that he'd be better off dead. 

And of course, the author didn't let me down. What we get here is an epic love story, a bit of magic and a poignant reminder that everything happens for a reason, even if that reason isn't necessarily known to you. The relationship between Shiloh and Travis was beautiful and sweet and committed, and I loved every minute of it. The sexy times were emotionally charged, and only made their connection stronger. 

Yeah, there's insta-love, more or less. Pfft, I didn't care. It fit here perfectly, and as much as I dislike that trope in most books, here it worked. CC made it make sense. 

What I got from Cardeno C. is a feel-good, sweet and fluffy magical love story. I needed it. 

My thanks to author for trusting me with an advance copy. I hope it did it justice. 

I loved this. For the second installment, despite the heavy topic and the pain and the drama that ensued, this book was as close to perfection for me as possible. Loved how their relationship grew, loved how they weren't perfect but worked through their struggles, loved how they found common ground and compromise. Loved the supporting characters, especially Erin and Summer, and adored the kids.

Fusion - the title itself hints at what's to come inside the book - is the story of Hugo and Kevin melding their lives together, as best as they can. It's the story of crafting a family of your own, against conventions and against the odds. It's the story of coming to terms with pain and loss, and finding ways to cope and communicate. It's the story of finding friendship in unexpected places, and giving from your heart. It's the story of two men who've loved each other for a very long time and who have to fight to be together and stay together. It's the story of one very strong woman who recognizes love when she sees it and has the inner strength to foster it, support it and celebrate it. 

In short, it's a story about love and family and the fusion of their lives. 

Wow. This was superb, with realistic characters that were fully fleshed out, and a profound message that permeated the book from pretty much start to finish.

“Because life is not a fairy tale” is the Brothers Grime slogan. Yes, this novel delivers a romance and a story that is as close to a fairy tale as possible, while still firmly planted in realistic settings.  

Eddie Vasquez, uncle, brother, son, has been hiding this dyslexia for nearly all his life. He knows his limitations, works around them with what technology offers, but hates the fact that he struggles to read. Oh, and he's also head over heels in lust, possibly love, with his niece Lucy's teacher, B. Andrew Daley.

I knew I was in for a treat when the book started out with Eddie preening in front of the mirror to make sure he looks his very best when dropping off Lucy at school, because Mr. Daley (he who hands out Teacher's Pet pencils to his favorite pupils) might be there.

So, I'm not much into shifter stories, but this one was quite good. Excellent spelling and grammar for the most part as well. 

Lots of sexing but then these two are a) teenage boys, and b) Colton is a wolf who's found his mate, and c) eventually, so is Parker. Naturally, they have lots of sex. In most cases this would get tedious after a while, and repetitive, and this book is no different, so towards the end, I skimmed those scenes, but the author did a great job keeping me interested in the plot. 

I also liked the lycan mythology, the pack dynamics, and the relationship dynamics between a hot alpha and his mate. Within the confines of the plot and mythology, I thought that Colton's behavior made sense. 

Some of the supporting cast were flat and one-dimensional, but served their purpose. Again, considering this is online fiction, and free, I'm not gonna complain about lack of editing. 

The mystery wolf subplot was not quite as fleshed out as I would have liked, considering the reason behind the rogue, and it was dealt with too quickly for my taste, and slightly predictable, even though the identity of the rogue surprised me. 

This is a free story on Literotica. Must now check out more by this author. 

Boy, I had issues with this book, especially with Aidan, as you can tell from my status updates.

There's also some editing that should have been done better. Names were messed up, spelling, punctuation, etc (I've got them highlighted, so I'll be posting examples).

Lucas is a bar tender, together with his friend Ben, who is in a D/s relationship with his Dom William, a local club owner. Lucas is not into the scene, as he repeatedly says to Ben, to William and to Aidan, another Dom. 

Aidan is the one who caused me to rage a few times while reading this book. 

We initially meet Lucas at William's house, helping Ben get ready for a party. Lucas ends up tending bar for the night, and is drawn into a poker game in which he loses a bet with Aidan, and then ends up going home with him. 

Aidan has a reputation for never getting into a relationship with a sub, and only doing one scene per sub, ever. He promises Lucas a night he'll never forget and certainly delivers on that part - the first scene is very hawt (*fans self*). 

Then Aidan does a stupid, cruel thing. He does this because he panics, and because he's scared.