M/M Romance

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Lenni Reviews: “Leo Loves Aries” by Anyta Sunday

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

*This review is cross-posted to Otakus and Geeks

Twins Theo and Leone have both lost their significant others to each other. Theo’s girlfriend and Leone’s boyfriend paired off and the twins decide to lick their wounds with school work and junk food; until their wedding invitation arrives in the mail. They both agree to show they’ve moved on by not only attending the wedding but choosing dates for each other. When Jamie Cooper applies to be their roommate, Theo thinks he’s perfect for his sister but finds Jamie so infuriatingly amusing that their friendship deepens to something more.

As far as “gay for you” romances go, this one does it right. I’ve read too many of these where the straight guy has all these icky feelings about another man’s naughty bits and has to get over that because he’s attracted to a specific man. Here, Theo had dated only women in the past and considered himself hetero but Jamie as a person, sparks his interest. Theo doesn’t stress about his orientation or how he can’t understand being sexually attracted to another male; all he knows is he adores Jamie. This makes their pairing all the more genuine and it was easy to get invested in what’s happening to them.

As for the rest of our cast of characters, they are all written very well so they feel real; flaws and all. The steamier scenes are placed perfectly within the narrative, despite the short courtship. You don’t get the sense Theo and Jamie tumble around randomly just because there hasn’t been a sex scene in a while. They make an adorable couple to follow on their journey and the ending is sweet and satisfying.

If I had a gripe, it would be some unexplored bits like Theo’s fear of water and you don’t get to know the ex’s very well. I thought the water would come into play in the climax of the story and other than Theo’s ex – Sam – being thoughtless, they don’t get much back story. Those are VERY minor criticisms and didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book.

If “gay for you” is your thing and you want a fairly lighthearted M/M romance, I recommend this. Theo and Jamie are just all around fun to read. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Bonfire” (Hours of the Night #1.5) by Irene Preston and Liv Rancourt

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Thaddeus – a vampire – and his assistant/boyfriend, Sarasija live together in the bayou. While Thaddeus begrudgingly indulges Sarasija’s enthusiasm for Chirstmas decorations, strange lights are seen in the darkness which lure people away. To avoid being scapegoated as the cause Thaddeus goes to investigate while trying to keep Sarasija safe.

I found it very difficult to get into this and the blame can be squarely put on the fact I haven’t read any other books in this series. Bonfire is one of those in-between books that’s more of a side story for fans. You get the most from it if you are already familiar with the characters and the world they live in. As a result, how Thaddeus and Sarasija spend their holidays means nothing to me.

That being said, the mystery of the swamp lights did keep me reading to the end. The POV shifts from time to time, Thaddeus can be overly guilt-ridden to the point of being tiresome, and without the books I had trouble feeling the connection to the couple of the towns people around them. Still an interesting enough diversion. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “City of Dreams” by Sydney Blackburn

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

*This review is cross-posted to Otakus and Geeks.

Marcus Allegro travels to the City of Dreams to study art under Sebastian Moreaux; a master painter and well known to bed any willing student he comes across, shunning any sort of commitment. When he sets his sights on Marcus, Sebastian is baffled when the young man absolutely refuses to add his name to Sebastian’s long list of forgotten conquests. This makes Sebastian want him even more but Marcus is looking for true love, which Sebastian takes great pains to avoid.

I feel if given more space to grow, this story would have more of an impact. I would have had a better understanding of how magic fits in this world, how artists have The Eye, how Sebastian came to be so guarded, how Marcus came to be such a romantic, and gotten to know them both more; I would be more invested in their romance and in their world. Coming in at a scant 59 pages as it is, this story is more like a sweet breeze; enjoyable but gone too fast. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Tartarus” by Eric Andrews-Katz

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*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated for 18+

*This review is cross-posted to Otakus and Geeks.

The Titan, Echidna, has escaped from her underworld prison and vows vengeance on the Olympians who put her there. But the power of the old gods now resides in their descendants. Twins Adrian and Annelise have been unaware of their godly lineage until Echidna attacks them and an artist named Zack reveals himself to be another descendant of the gods. They must defeat Echidna before she destroys them and takes back the world under her rule.

While an interesting concept, the beginning felt so slow, I had trouble getting into it. I also had issues believing these characters were in their late 40’s. The way they speak, you would think they were in their late 20’s or early 30’s. And this applies to all three of our main characters. If you want a believable set of older characters, Deadlight Jack is a perfect example. When I am reminded of their age in this book, they all seem terribly immature.

The best parts of this book for me were how the mythology is intertwined with real life. I have always been a huge fan of Greek Mythology so seeing the legends brought to life was cool. As for the romance elements, they are an afterthought. Zack and Adrian have this love/hate relationship with these random moments of intimacy as if to say “B.T. Dubz, they’re in love now.”

All in all, it was cool to see the mythic creatures and characters again but the rest is oddly framed. 3 out of 5.

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