3.75
Another m/m/m story that called my name.

The blurb is pretty accurate, Nakai comes from a planet with very few females, that’s why human females are highly prized. Lucky for him, he doesn’t really want a female, but the male human Einian, even badly beaten is exactly what he wants.

But there is a catch (isn’t there always). Einian was the sex-slave of Sukh and despite difficult circumstances ( I have to admit, I wasn’t happy with how Einian was treated before by Xyran, even if I understood that it was necessary in the tribal-warlike culture on Xyran) he is in love with Sukh and Nakai is a very understanding alien and wants what’s best for his mate. Plus something about the other alien pulls at him too.

So he sets out to woo them both, there is some intrigue and deceit, some world building and some sex, although not as much as I would have thought.
All in all a good ménage, with two big alpha males and a cute little fragile human.

 *Squeeeee* a rentboy story and written by JL Merrow?
I am on that like a BOSS!!

Nathan is going to go to college, he’s going to get off working the streets and make something of himself. But in the mean time he needs to earn money and hooking is how he gets it.

His Thursday evening regular is the highlight of his week. It’s not like he’s all that nice, or chatty, or even handsome, but something about him attracts Nathan. His voice definitely does it for him too.

Of course, finding him at the front of the classroom on day one of school wasn’t quite what he expected.

There is a push and pull going on in Stephan, although this is told completely from Nathan’s POV, I could feel Stephan’s attraction and continued interest in Nathan as well as his reticence about it. When Nathan is in a bind Stephan can’t help himself and jumps in to save the day, which gives these two the chance to see of there is more to it then just rentboy and John.

It’s an easy and angst-free read, a few hiccups along the way but no big misunderstandings or conflict. A cute story that I really was sorry to see end.

4.5*

This book is part of a series set around the BDSM club ‘The Den’. I don’t usually read BDSM and I haven’t read any of the other books in this series but I can safely say it’s fine as a standalone. The characters from the other books do appear and play minor roles, but it isn’t necessary to have read the other stories to understand what’s going on, although I’m sure it will be nice for people following the series to revisit them.

I love the rent boy trope, it’s one of my favorites and this story worked for me on so many levels. Rock is a great guy and he’s so very deep in the closet, but he really really wants out, he just doesn’t know how, or even why he should.
“Too chicken to admit he liked men. Closeted for too many years to have any clue on how to escape the denial he’d been trapped in his entire life.”
But Carter fascinates him, he can’t help himself, he really wants to get to know him.

The attraction is mutual and I loved watching Rock become sure of himself and more comfortable and secure in his sexuality, with Carter’s support.
“But I’m tired of hating who I am.”

Carter has his own demons. He’s falling for Rock, but he’s still an escort and despite what Rock says, Carter knows it just a matter of time for he sees him for what he really is.

“Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Rock had snuck through Carter’s own soundly erected walls to reach a part of him that had been closed off for ten long years. Years where he’d almost forgotten how to let anyone get close enough to see who he really was. Because no one wanted the real him. They all wanted whichever fantasy he presented.”
After Carter support and encouragement of Rock, it’s now time for him to return the favor. Rock really is a rock for Carter, even when Carter does his damnedest to push and scare him away. He doesn’t let Carter’s fears ruin things, I loved that about him.
And boy does that man know how to set a stage and make a statement. *sniff* So sweet.

There is a real connection and love between the two MCs.
I like that it really was a give and take between them, both being what the other needed.

I loved this book, Rock’s epiphany and new start in life, free of fear and hiding and now a proud gay man and Carter finally following his dream with a new life and future with Rock right at his side.

Dear Ms Merrow,
Why, why do you do this to me?
Make me fall in love with a story, want to know all about the MCs, want to see it all happen and how it's going to continue. Want to know more of the interesting side characters and then, then...it just ends. * sobs dramatically*

Just like my beloved Al in Muscling Through I just want MORE!
This is a great little story, cute and fun and full of potential, I would LURV to have another little story to catch up with them.

This book takes taking nothing seriously very serious. ( yeah, I had to read it twice to understand what I meant too)
It's a spooftastic, caricature laden, chocked-full of every trope under the sun, a hilarious parody that pokes good natured fun at all the things m/m books seem to love to incorporate over and over again in all the books.
In a friendly way it exaggerates everything from growling with a capital G by an Alpha with a capital A to the “Homosapia County police. The fact that, miraculously and very conspicuously, every single officer who worked there was gay made the Hall of Head a double entendre and funny as hell.”
Ram Rage and his partner Blake are the cops that are going to try and solve the murder that was perpetrated at the Sew What and Kory is the prime suspect.
Which brings Kory in to Ram's life and the Alpha (with a capital growly A) doesn't know what hit him.
Murder, mayhem, inept cops, lube, unicorns, applesauce, never ending hot water heaters, and a green-eyed man everyone ( and I mean everyone ) loves and puntastic craziness ensues. Oh and not to forget a freaky plant with his own POV.
To enjoy this story you have to just let go and take nothing seriously and love a jammed packed story of jokey silliness. It was fun seeing what OTT satire was coming next, every trope was covered, sometimes to an extreme. And the book doesn't just make fun of all the ever present and much loved 'typical' and 'stereotypical' things in the m/m genre and in the books I've read and loved, it also makes fun of itself.
“I’m in charge here,” Ram growled. “We’re going to do this by the book. You can’t just skip pages of the gay manual, we do all the steps, in order, so we get the full experience.”

I found myself nodding and smiling, thinking oh yes, that in every other book I've read and then I'd read on and nod and say OH YES riiight that is also a must-have in an m/m story. A lot of the things I complain about or bemoan in books were so cleverly exaggerated that I had to laugh at myself a little for usually being annoyed by them. I've also never read any of it quite like these authors portrait it, I can say despite reading a lot, but the way this was done is definitely unique. At times it was a bit overwhelming and it took me a chapter or two to really get what it was all about, but certain things were just so well done and impressively ridiculous that I just had to be amused. Plus there was one of my favorite things EVER in this book, I don't want to say what, but it's no wonder everyone loves Kory. I also have to add my vocabulary for the word 'butthole' has been expanded ( pun intended) by leaps and bounds..so many different ways of saying it. I'm in awe.
I really don't want to give anything away, this book has to be read to be believed.