Sidecar by Amy Lane

By The End Of This Book I Was In Love

Sometimes when you read a story it hits all the right notes. Sidecar did more than hit all the right notes. It sang like a world class opera star.

Casey is 16, lost and abandoned. Two months ago his parents kicked him out for being gay. He's got nothing but the clothes on his back and the shoes on his feet. He's prostituted himself for food and when we meet him he's just getting out of yet another abusive situation.

On the side of a rural road a motorcycle stops and a tall, mustached, long haired angel named Josiah Daniels offers Casey his leather jacket and a new life. Josiah, Joe, and Casey don't know it yet but that moment is the start of something truly epic.

By 50% into the story Sidecar had made its way onto my Top 5 Stories of The Year list. That first half of the book is the story of how Joe and Casey form their own little family. Joe gives Casey guidance, support, structure and unconditional love as Casey grows up.

I was concerned about how Amy Lane was going to work taking Joe and Casey's relationship from something parental to that of lovers. I shouldn't have been worried at all. Joe is never Casey's parent. He never tries to be. He's an adult who's become Casey's protector and who makes Casey want to grow up to be a solid and exceptional man.

For that first half of the book we watch Casey and Joe share a life as friends and form an unbreakable bond.

Casey knows he loves Joe both as a friend and as the man he wants to spend the rest of his life with from the beginning. Joe makes it crystal clear that anything romantic is off limits. Non negotiable. Joe doesn't even think to think of Casey romantically until one day when Casey is grown and Joe sees him. Joe is properly knocked off his feet by that moment. I cheered because I knew something great was about to happen.

The romance between Joe and Casey didn't progress without any bumps in the road and I loved that. It was very real which made it all the more satisfying. Casey acts a little too rashly, Joe is solid but a little hesitant. When these two finally come together it felt completely destined.

One thing that was great about this book is that the reader gets to see a lot of Joe and Casey's Happily Ever After. They don't just get together and the story ends. A good chunk of the book is these two men together romantically and making a life for themselves. I was in Heaven. The way Casey and Joe loved each other made me fall in love with them.

By the end of the book Sidecar had become my favorite book that the year has had to offer me thus far. With this book and Gambling Men: The Novel Amy Lane's writing is really impressing me this year. I cannot wait to see what's next.

Take My Picture by Giselle Ellis

The Review Where My Inner Voice Makes A Reappearance

I've been unable to sit down and read a book for a couple of weeks now but early this morning my Inner Voice (I.V.) had a little something to say...

I.V.: It's been too long since we've visited Gay Romancelandia. I'm going through withdrawals. I need a cock & balls injection! STAT!!

How could I ignore that? So, after wandering around GR I saw that a friend had commented on my thread for Take My Picture. My friends were all "Read this! Read this nooooooowwwwwwww!" and I decided to jump in with both feet after putting this book off for ages.

At 3% I stopped reading and said "I CAN'T BELIEVE I WAITED THIS LONG!!"

I.V. was like "You put off reading this? Did you forget that you like the funny?"

Because this book, the story of Aaron and Jake, starts off in a sinfully funny way with the banter. Who likes the clever banter? Oh, that would be me.

Aaron is broke as a joke, living in a shitty Manhattan studio after leaving London, and looking for work. He goes to audition to be a model for Jake, a well known photographer, and somehow ends up working for the man. The very cranky man with more than a few idiosyncrasies. Right from the beginning Jake and Aaron's banter is super snappy and hellishly hilarious.

There's something else that starts to happen as Aaron and Jake spend every day together. They get to know each other and care about each other in the most meaningful of ways. Things like how they come to keep Harry the dog, their nighttime phone calls, the blue pots and the pottery wheel all show how much these two men are seriously made for each other.

Jake and Aaron's connection actually made me misty-eyed.

I will admit that I was scared of the angst that I'd heard about. I did have to make myself keep reading at one point when it got really poignant and was making my chest hurt. Keep reading I did though. I'm glad I did because the last part of the book was like the sweetest and most satisfying pay off ever. When these two men came together it was like dynamite and I was all too happy to watch the explosion.

I am so, so glad that I let everyone convince me to read this book. It made my night with its awesomesauciness and y'all know me; it takes a lot to make me give a book the awsomesauciness medal.

And I.V.? I.V. is happy but now I need a new amazing book because that inner voice is just a greedy bitch.

Where Lad Goes Baby Book CRAZY!!

Father's Day has blessed me with a baby book bonanza and I just don't know what to do with myself. Oh, wait, I do know what to do. I'll give you all reviews for the three daddies-and-their-babies books that I read yesterday. Hooray for Father's Day and for father's all across the globe.

The Good Life by Dianna DeRicci

One word, people: Adorable.

Chad and Sony have been friends since they were little kids. Sonny is the big bear with a heart of gold and a shaved head. Chad is the kind of nerdy one who doesn't know just what a good person he is.

Sonny is calm and pretty much the rock in Chad's life. Actually, Sonny is pretty much the rock in everyone's life. This is good because the story opens with Chad freaking out after finding out that the friend he donated sperm to has just died and left the newborn baby to Chad. Sonny is called and what ensues is the start of a little thing called family.

Sonny and Chad together were just sweet as apple pie. You really feel the fact that they love each other and would do anything for one another. Watching them settle into family life with little baby Annalee was very heart warming. The progression was convincing and at the end of the story I felt like they were a couple who would be watching their grandchildren play one day.

This story was satisfying and I can definitely recommend it.

P.S.: I WANT Brian and Dex's story SO BAD. 

When Souls Collide by N.J. Nielsen
This story was such a disappointment to me. I was excited about it because it's COWBOYS and BABIES. Two things that I love, but this story was not something that I ended up loving.

Riley's an Australian who's been kicked off of the ranch of his dead wife's family. Now Riley and his newborn son have nowhere to go, no money and no prospects. The family's driven him to the middle of nowhere in the middle of a cold and rainy night. Dramatic right? I know but I was sticking with it because of the cowboys and babies.

In any case, Riley ends up in a barn and is found the next morning by Noah, a big strapping cowboy. What comes next is gobs and gobs of drama and tears. Kidnappings, vicious rumors, hostility, cops, crazy women and...well, did I mention the tears?

Riley seems to cry quite a bit and I thought that he could have used a Valium or something.

With all of the melodrama and tears not even cowboys and babies could save this story for me. Recommend? No, I just can't.

 Almost Paradise by Caitlin Ricci
I was looking forward to the story and hoping so, so hard that it would knock my socks off. People were telling me not to get my hopes up and I was defending this story because shifters AND babies should be a recipe for greatness. I was the champion of the baby/shifter book.

This book though....this book did not work for me at all.

Travis is a guy who's won custody of his 2 year old daughter but lost everything else in the process. Liam is a shifter who works for his alpha, has money and two big puppies. You now know everything about these two men that I know. How is that, you ask? Because in 79 pages there isn't much of anything that's explained and it drove me CRAZY!!

Nothing is really explained about the shifters. Nothing is really explained about the little girl's ability to know they are shifters. Travis' back story is disjointed and hazy at best. The confrontation with the little girl's mother is a total WTF moment and the end of the story just made me go "That's it??!".

This story was just...not..good. I was actually frowning when it ended because not only had my hopes had been dashed, but they were stepped on and then set on fire.

Two Reviews: Second Time Lucky by Ethan Day and Finding Zach by Rowan Speedwell

Top three reasons why Ethan Day's Characters should rule the world:

1. NO ONE and I mean NO ONE can make me laugh so hard that I fear for my life.

2. He makes it so I want to read AN ENTIRE BOOK about an airport security guard named Dana that was in the book maybe for a page and half, yet has been making me laugh for three days.

3. Who better to rule this planet than Peter Panish, highly slutty, deliciously snarky gay men who love their drink, and have SERIOUSLY bad cases of Road Rage? Ahhhh the answer is simple my friends, NO ONE!


So this is Luke's and Owen's story. Their second one actually. They first were together in college. They were in love. HARD. Like forever in love. But they drifted apart and they broke up. Fifteen years later Luke is sitting in a bar, having yet another epically horrendous birthday when Owen (still hotness personified) walks into the bar and all of a sudden Luke's luck ain't so bad anymore. They have a GREAT night together and from then on they begin to work at getting back together. 

They're it for each other they KNOW THAT, but Owen is just getting out of a bad relationship and Luke's pretty to his Peter Pan, won't grow up routine (he's also the poster boy for Daddy Issues). So, it's a slow going with these two. They figure it out though...

This story is a pretty straightforward "reunion after all these years" type of story, but it was written by Ethan Day, which means it was all kinds of awesome. First of all you will almost die laughing, this is not especulation, but a fact. The sex is BEYOND hot, seriously like keep some ice handy. Owen and Luke are LOVELY and Luke's smart mouth is a thing of beauty. The secondary characters are FABULOUS...Look it's worth reading if only for Dana the airport lady and she says maybe a total of 50 words. 

Ethan Day was in his sweet spot for this one, and that means whatever you think you're doing today, obviously taking the day off work to read this book is more important. 


Second Time Lucky is available for purchase at the MLR Press website

Rowan Speedwell writes BEAUTIFULLY. Every book I've read of hers, I've said it.

I don't know what kept me from reading this book for so long, but I'm so glad I finally read it. I LOVED IT.

There are three things that are a for sure thing for me with a book, second chances, damaged but engaging characters and resilience...This book had those three things in spades.

At 15 years old Zach Tyler was kidnapped in Costa Rica by a paramilitary group and kept for five years as a prisoner...Worse than a prisoner when he is found he is barely alive, barely human. The story starts for us when Zach is found, and quickly we get to a couple of years later after he has "recovered" more physically than emotionally from his captivity.

That is when David comes back into the picture, a childhood friend, his best friend, also the person Zach loved more than anyone else. He comes back reluctantly since Zach refused to see him when he first came back. But once David is back they can't stay away from each other. Despite how messed up Zach still is. The sweet polite boy that Zach was is now a hardened man, with too many rough edges, but if anyone can find the loving boy inside it's David.

Things are not easy, but they are in love and they work hard at getting to a place where that love can survive through all the setbacks Zach's traumas cause.

David was so patient and SO IN LOVE with Zach, so sure that they were meant to be "forever and always". Zach was so strong, and so stubborn to not let those five years take his whole life. His parents were wonderdful and so were the friends, but my delight in this book was reading about Zach and David. What love. 

The ending was sweet and comforting, it felt victorious. I wish I could read another 1000 pages of these two men, and their happily ever after.

Gorgeous writing as always, beautiful story. LOVED!


Finding Zach can be purchased at Amazon.com

Louder than Sirens, Louder than Bells (Love is Always Write) by KD Sarge

There's a drumming noise inside my head
That starts when you're around
I swear that you could hear it
It makes such an almighty sound

There's a drumming noise inside my head
That throws me to the ground
I swear that you could hear it
It makes such an almighty sound

Louder than sirens
Louder than bells
Sweeter than heaven
And hotter than hell

Florence + The Machine lyrics for story title...Ummmm HELL TO THE YES!!!

OMG I LOVED THIS STORY! Who is this author? I don't frigging know! But give me more of her PLEASE!!!
How am I reading this for free? Ummmm cux I'm a lucky bitch and I've got to thank the M/M Romance group for this treat!
Is there sequel? Please baby Jesus! I HOPE SO!
How much did I love this story? LOVED LOVED LOVED!!!


Ok so Lukas is a boy from Indiana, he's pretty organized he's in film school, has a life plan, he's a go getter. He knows what he wants out of school, how he's going to get it, he's also pretty set on how his personal will go too. A family, a girl he likes, something "normal"...Until he sees Alan. Alan Lacroix. Beautiful, flamboyant, a force of nature, with eyeshadow and nail polish tight clothes, and everything that Lukas could safely categorize as "not his type" except that he wanted Alan. SO FRIGGING MUCH. 

They end up in a group project together for school and once they are thrown in together Lukas realizes Alan does not like him very much. But Lukas is a good guy and Lukas' aunt takes a liking to Alan and before you know it they are reluctant friends.

Alan is prickly there is A LOT about him that Lukas does not understand, he's been damaged and hurt and Lukas does not know how to help him...Except despite his reluctance towards Lukas everytime he needs a hero Alan knows that Lukas will come to his rescue and EVERY SINGLE TIME he does...I loved these boys SO MUCH. Alan is just a great character, so vibrant and Lukas was steady and strong and soooooo THERE.

It was a tough go for these guys, Alan was so set on not being happy, he just could not see how someone like Lukas could love someone like him...But Lukas kept at it and gave Alan his superhero happy ending.

This story was so lovely, so heartbreaking, so funny and just ALL THAT IS SWEETNESS. With great secondary characters, beautiful images and just awesome. 

The ending was a bit outrageous 'tis true, but once you get to know Alan you want nothing for him other than a fairy tale ending, besides Lukas was always his knight in shining armor, so I expected no less than what they got. I can only pray that we can see more of these boys in the future. 

REC-O-MMEND!! Please go read this! IT'S FREE!!!


You can read Louder than Sirens, Louder than Bells here

Raise Your Glass (Tales of Foster High #3) by John Goode

I loved this third installment of the Foster High Series for three reasons:

1. This one felt even more strongly like those stories I loved in my own youth. These stories always feel so familiar, but this one resonated the loudest to me. Kyle and Brad's voice were pure John Hughes like goodness. Teens who are a little too wise, and a little too jaded...But also sooo vulnerable, and so willing be strong even when they are scared to death. I love these boys voices, they are so open, so candid. They just sound so REAL.

2. This was a story that spoke loudly and strongly about the horrific reality of bullying in high schools, not just from the "cool" kids or the "jocks" but even from those that face their own difficulties...Even worse by the educators, those who should be fighting for these kids. There were very tough truths woven into this story. We the grown ups fail these kids EVERY DAY...The teachers in the school who turn a blind eye, because high school toughens kids up...Or us the parents who don't do nearly enough or hold each other accountable to make sure that all these kids are safe. I've been listening to this song (a favorite) all week partly I think, because last of week's news on that mess with Ravi, but today I'm listening to it for all the boys like Kyle and Brad.

3. Last but not least, I am in love with the Falling In Love these two are doing. I just love them, and it has been a steady thing. Such strength these boys have.


So the story. We catch up with Brad and Kyle the morning of their first day of school after they both came out. They are TERRIFIED, for themseveles for each other. The story alternates by showing us both each boys POV in the first person. Their voices are so different their personalities so distinct, but there is such harmony is the certainty they have of what they feel for each other. It's so lovely because only the young can love like that, that feeling that you can take on the world because that love you have will give you the strength. It was so nicely written too. I've said this before John Goode has a knack for writing teenage boys. I really love how he writes.

So there they are, coming face to face with he scorn of their classmates, friends, even the teachers. Everything is slowly unraveling. Brad realizes he might loose a lot more than he was prepared to loose...Kyle feels guilty that Brad is giving up so much for him...It's them against the world. That's what it feels like anyways. They keep taking turns being each other's hero, and it fucking awesome. They need a hero for both of them though, and they get them. In the end they realize that they do have people that will stand up for them and love them and that they will be okay.

Loved it, loved it, loved it. Can't wait for the next. I just want them to have an EPIC happy ending. I know John Goode will deliver for me...He's a John Hughes fan after all.

RECOMMEND.


Raise Your Glass is for sale at the Dreamspinner Website 

The BIG MID-YEAR REVIEW...Our favorite reads for the first half of 2012!

Well it's almost June...Half of the year is almost gone, and we thought it was good time to look at what we've read this year and make a list of our favorites so far.

The LL's Word BIG MID-YEAR REVIEW

LA's Favorite books so far this year...

This is my Top 15 Books that were released this year...In order of when they were read/released:

The Island by Lisa Henry
This book was a hard read, and it had some really crazy twists and turns, and I absolutely loved it.

The Decisions we Make by RJ Scott
This is a lovelyYA story about two boys who grow up as brothers, but still fall in love. Very very sweet. One of my all time favorite YA stories.

Marlowe's Ghost by Sarah Black
Sarah Black is a word magician, her stories are powerful because she writes them so simply and beautifully. This might be her best one yet. Loved it completely.

Fall Into The Sun by Val Kovalin
This book was GREAT. It was on point with the Latino culture and how family and church can have such a deep effect on our lives. This story felt epic and it was beautifully written.


Dark Soul Series by Aleksandr Voinov
I read all five this year so will count them all as a read for this year, even though the first three were released last year. This was an exquisite read. Loved every single story.

Zero to Hero Shorts by Kyle Adams
There are two stories so far in this series of shorts with Wyatt and Brian Dirty Zero and Dirty Hero. I LOVE the Superhero stuff in these stories, and all of their antics. Funny, sweet, hot and AWESOME. They're like great little bites of deliciousness and they're free!

Shattered Glass by Dani Alexander
One of the best books I've read EVER in this genre. Dani Alexander has a gift for timing and writes First Person POV like it's meant to be written. Loved it.

Chase in Shadow by Amy Lane
Amy Lane is a FOR SURE read for me, so like all her other books I loved this one. It was heartbreaking and it was powerful. Mighty love these boys had.

The Starving Years by Jordan Castillo Price
Absolutely FAB speculative fiction, JCP at her best making this world a little more twisted and a little more interesting while providing us with fantastically layered characters. GREAT read.

Stroke! by MJ O'Shea
Sweet little short YA that I LOVED LOVED LOVED!!! A perfect little read.

A Hole In God's Pocket by KZ Snow
A fallen Amish boy and an ex Catholic Monk, in the words of KZ Snow. Need I say more?

Scrap Metal by Harper Fox
BEAUTIFUL, proabably one of the finest set stories I've read. Scotland was just as much a character as the men in this book, and they were quite something. Angsty and poetic. In my Top Five this year.

Out in the Field by Kate McMurray
Baseball players, one Dominican, in NYC. It's like Kate wrote this for me. *whispers* This might be the top fave for this year....Shhhhh...

Frog by Mary Calmes
Web and Cy were like a fairy tale romance. Sooooo lovely.

Acrobat by Mary Calmes
OMG Drrrrrreeeeoooo...I love thee. This book made me a Mary Calmes fan FOR LIFE!

Gambling Men by Amy Lane
High Quality Erotica people. Amy Lane upped the game in this one and DAMN. Have a cold drink handy!

Top Five "Older" Books Read this Year

Chulito by Charles Rice Gonzalez
I  don't think I've read a better look at the Neuyorrican/Dominican York subculture. Gorgeous story.

Sins of the Father by DW Marchwell
There are a couple of niggles in this one, but if you can roll with it, it's one of the best second chances books I've read this year.

Cop Out by KC Burn
Great book! Just awesome second chances/coming out story. LOVED it.

Heart in Hand by salifiable 
One of my fave sports books and for sure one of the best slash stories I've read.

Split by Mel Bossa
Friends to lovers, soulmate story with a twist. LOVED.

Here is Laddie's Favorites list...There are a few we have in common!

Shattered Glass by Dani Alexander
So far, this has been the best book I've read this year and it's made
even more impressive because it's a self-published offering. Awesome,
awesome book.


Gambling Men by Amy Lane
When it comes to Amy Lane's low angst stories her work hits all of the
right notes with me. I fell in love with these guys and they're also
on my Super Reread list.

Frog by Mary Calmes
Mary Calmes stepped up her game in the month of April and this was the
first book she released. I adored Weber Yates and want a Weber of my
own.

Acrobat by Mary Calmes
Mary Calmes' second book released in April and just as good as Frog.
Dreo is one sexy beast and just look at that gorgeous cover.

The Hanged Man's Ghost by Missouri Dalton:
I stumble upon Missouri's Dalton's work and immediately fell in love
with her imagination. She's not imsanely well known but she should be
because her stuff rocks.

Written In The Stars by Alix Bekins:
I was told that I would love this book and I absolutely did. Snarky,
cantankerous geniuses have never been so funny and adorable.
Cinder by Marie Sexton
A gay fairytale for the ages. I loved this reworking of a classic.
I've never read any Marie Sexton beofre but I'm glad I picked this one
up.

Stroke! by M.J. O'Shea
There's no other word for this story but CUTE. Was it predictable?
Yeah a bit but it was just so charming that I didn't care.

Bartender, PI by Ethan Stone
This story had me giggling like a fiend. The bumbling narrator was a
hoot to read about and this story was an entertaining way to spend a
few hours.


So that's all for our BIG LIST. We hope that you've had a chance to read some of these, and those that you haven't seem interesting enough to try out. We loved every single one of these stories and hope you find some that you love as well!

Hurrah for Summer!