It's a very romantic notion, isn't it - you're a small-town nerdy bookstore/cafe owner, and a prince-in-hiding comes to town and sweeps you off your feet, whisking you away from your mundane life into a world of castles and royalty and legends, to live happily ever after. 

Adam/Amadeo Montefalcone, Prince of Monterosia (a tiny fictional kingdom somewhere bordering Italy), has come to the small town of Buckman, MO, where Jason, nerdy bookworm, lives. Adam is running from his responsibilities as the Crown Prince, and from being married off to some poor unsuspecting woman for whom he would hold no love or desire. Because Amadeo is gay, and after being almost caught in flagrante on his knees in a dark alley, he feels that he just needs to get away.

His younger brother has helped him escape to the US, obtaining a small house that just happens to be next to Jason's bookstore/cafe/apartment. Jason Evander Brewster has no illusions of grandeur, and while he's not exactly flaunting his sexuality, he's not exactly hiding it either. He had a clandestine thing with Timothy who's deep in the closet, but that's long over, and Jason is still nursing a bit of a broken heart. His dreams are traveling the world, finding adventure and a love like a fairy tale.

This is a sweet, almost too sweet romance. Jason's personality is a bit underdeveloped, especially when viewed against Adam's larger than life joviality and worldliness. The romance is obviously rapid and swept-off-your-feet, and the emotions just drip off the pages. Adam is a perfect human specimen, with a god-like physique and model looks, and Jason is your stereotypical small-town nerd with expressive eyes, who doesn't believe he even has a chance at such a perfect creature. It's just enough over the top to not veer into ridiculous territory, and none of it feels realistic - but then most of the books in this Harlequin-esque series aren't to be taken super seriously. They're grand romance fairy tales, fantasies, and should be read as such - a way to spend a few joyful hours, forgetting about reality. 

The book also contains a plethora of information about Greek mythology, which was delightful, and a bunch of Italian phrases that I mostly understood, which was not so delightful. For most of them, a translation is readily provided as part of the narrative or dialogue, and I suppose it fit Amadeo, as that is his primary language, but it became slightly too much after a while. It's never easy to include a foreign language; surely appropriate when one of your MCs is a native to that foreign country, but it can also be tedious for the reader. 

While there is a wee bit of drama/angst, it's minor, and only really happens toward the end - the romance between Jason and Adam is completely angst-free - the two spot each other, fall in lust and then in love. I did appreciate that the author did allow them to get to know each other, instead of simply jumping into bed for a romp in the sheets. 

The finale and the subsequent HEA (obligatory in this series) in the epilogue were both well done. The solution to Adam's dilemma was rather obvious, so I wasn't surprised at all when that came to pass. The way of getting there however was interesting.

I enjoyed reading this book. It's a sweet, easy romance, with two likable MCs, a good supporting cast, and a lovely way to spend a few hours of your time. 


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **

I liked this a lot. It's a quick read, at under 100 pages, and it has one fabulous horse inside.

There are actually three MCs in this book - Destin, the horse farm's owner, Tonio, the horse rider who comes to the farm to help Destin, and Black Sambuca, the horse that everyone thinks is uncontrollable.

The romance is swift and the sex is hot, but the scenes in the barn with Tonio and Black Sambuca were my favorite. I have ridden horse for a very long time, and I know exactly what it's like when you have a difficult horse that can make or break a rider. You always, always, always want to figure out what makes a horse tick, and Tonio does a fabulous job with that here.

So if you love horses, and you like M/M romance, even if the falling in love doesn't take very long at all, give this book a try. I enjoyed it and I think you will too. 


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **

This was... nice. I wasn't bored, but I also didn't feel the romance between Trey and Ap. I think what it boils down to here was that the romance took a complete backseat between Ap on the rodeo circuit and having a longing for Trey, and Trey being too damn busy with the 5 kids he inherited from his sister and brother-in-law after their death in a tragic accident six or so years ago.

Back before the accident, Trey and Ap had a casual thing, but then Trey got the farm and the kids to raise (2 boys, 3 girls, the youngest barely out of the baby stage), and Ap went on riding the broncs and the bulls to send home as much money as he could, only going home for Thanksgiving and Christmas., while Trey handled everything else. 

There were hints of things - like Ap feeling like he ain't much good for anything but riding the rodeos, and Trey feeling utterly overwhelmed and needing help, but being too damn proud to ask.

The kids were nice. The family dynamics were interesting, and I could see that Trey had done a fine job of raising his nieces and nephews as best as he could, teaching them manners and responsibility, and making them feel wanted and loved. 

There just wasn't a real romance. Ap comes home because Trey asks him to - he needs a couple of days off from the kids and the farm and everything - and then Ap stays through Thanksgiving, and their long-buried feelings come back and they have a roll or five, and Ap goes back to the broncs and bulls. 

There's so much going on that they just don't have the time to actually have a grown-up conversation about their needs and wants, because the kids take up a massive amount of time and energy. 

The story just follows them through their daily lives, and I never really got a sense that these two were actually in love with each other, even if the words are repeatedly on the pages of the book. I could tell that they did love one another, but I missed the passion, I guess. 

They were like an old married couple most of the time, which I suppose is comfortable and easy for the most part, but I expected a bit more romance in a Dreamspun Desires title, and the grand, sweeping romance I was looking for just wasn't in the pages of this book.


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **

I've never been to Bonaire, but after reading this book, I want to go. There are quite a few sections inside that read like an advertisement for the place, and I want to go. If you pop over to my blog, you'll see a couple of images of the reefs as well, taken by none other than the author.

Here's a link.

Tommy Gordon is getting ready for his wedding, straightening his tie just moments before the ceremony is supposed to start, when his groom-to-be tells him the wedding is off. Xavier (remember the name of the rancid jerkface) has cold feet/second thoughts, and it's goodbye, Tommy. 

Heartbroken, Tommy wants nothing more than to hide, but there's the honeymoon trip, already planned and paid for, and what shall he do with that, amirite? Who wants to go alone on what's supposed to have been the honeymoon?

Tommy's best friend Grayson, who made the suggestion that Tommy take the trip anyway, finds himself and his young son Petey invited to join Tommy in paradise for a bit of snorkeling, relaxation, and enjoying the scenery.

Grayson's had a crush on Tommy for a long while, but he hasn't been a position or brave enough to change the status quo and ask for more.

And off they are, because when you have money, last minute ticket changes are not a hindrance, and thus the romance begins.

Slowly, of course, because Tommy is still mourning what might have been, and kicking his own rear end because he's just so pathetic and worthless that not even a gold digger like Xavier would want him. 

Grayson is no gold digger, just a dude with a heart of gold, and while he has his son to think of, he is all on board with wooing Tommy, with Petey's encouragement. 

I really, really want to go to Bonaire. The descriptions in the book are vivid and enticing, and the author did a fine job transporting this reader into paradise with his words alone. 

Obviously, there's a bit of angst, what with Tommy's self-doubts and Grayson's fears of losing his friend, but they overcome all that. They overcome Xavier showing up at the resort uninvited (the nerve of that guy) and threatening Tommy (the NERVE of that guy), and Grayson making the unwilling acquaintance of a Man O' War (ouchie) and a bit of drama at the end just before all is well and they live happily ever after.

So yeah, this is fluffy fluff, with a wee bit of angst, and beautiful scenery, and would someone please invite me to go to Bonaire? 

It's the perfect beach vacation read, so get this book and enjoy it on a day in the sun.


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **

Well, this was utterly adorable. Extremely likable characters, even if Drew can be a bit of a diva, inside a mainly angst-free romance on a movie set between a famous Hollywood actor and the brand-new screenwriter whose first screenplay was just optioned and who's sucked into playing one of the leading roles in the movie, falling in love on set and off, and character growth wrapped in a fluffy, feel-good novel - yeah, I'm all for that.

Add some fun supporting characters, like Steve's mom, and Drew's agent, and you have yourself a well-rounded book with which to curl up in your favorite beach lounger for a sunny afternoon.

The meet-cute happens at the auditions where Drew rejects more than a few candidates to star in the movie opposite him, until he sees the cute screenwriter and decides on the spot that this is the guy who should be cast. Steve, the screenwriter, may not be a complete stranger to Hollywood but he values his privacy and would prefer to remain out of the spotlight. But who can possibly deny Drew?

Both of them are rather normal outside of the set, and they communicate with each other. There's a date and slow-dancing, and sweet kisses, and even a bit of steam. We see them on set making the movie Steve wrote, and we get to laugh with them when things don't go as planned. We get to see Drew get all frustrated, and we see Steve call him on that foul temper. Thankfully, there are no horrible miscommunications or stupid assumptions, and they even weather the media storm quite well when their budding romance is outed unexpectedly. 

With a lovely epilogue, this book held me enthralled from start to finish, cute dog included. Also, could someone please make this movie from the book? It sounds fabulous, and I want to watch it! 

Recommended. Buy this book and get yourself to your nearest beach or lakefront to enjoy this sweet romance. 

** I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **