Since MM Romance is a genre I read a fair bit of but don’t always publish a blog post for my reviews, I thought I might do a monthly round-up of any I have read for those who are interested.
I really enjoyed this first book in the new Woods Ranch series which is a spin-off from Clean Slate Ranch. I liked Hugo a lot and really felt for him, all he’d been through with his family and having to leave because the situation became untenable. When he applies for the job back in Texas at his old friend’s ranch, he knows returning home after a decade away will be hard, I thought it was a brave move, both to try and rebuild a relationship with his mother, knowing it might not go as he hoped and facing his teen crush who would now be his boss.
I liked Brand also, he’s been hiding his sexuality from everyone but a couple of people his whole life and Hugo’s return could put that in jeopardy, or it could free him to live a better life. There’s a bit of toing and froing about whether they would get together or try to have any sort of relationship that isn’t boss and employee and at times I wished they’d both just wake up to themselves, especially Brand because Hugo knows what he wants.
There was some off-page (past) and on-page family abuse, mainly emotional and verbal and I really felt for Hugo at these times. It is during these times he will find out who his true friends are and it will help with the decisions about where his life is going to go.
I liked the chemistry between Hugo and Brand and enjoyed them getting to know each other and seeing what happened between them.
I’m looking forward to the next book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Carina Press for a digital copy in return for an honest review.
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This was a really sweet read and my first in this Naughty or Nice series. Orson and Gentry were meant for each other, you could tell that from the start, each searching for the perfect person to complement their needs. Orson made such a sweet Daddy for Gentry and Gentry was the perfect boy for Orson. I thought the way Gentry’s mother took Orson into her family was lovely too, he needed that even if he didn’t realise it beforehand. I liked that their roles in bed weren’t usual for this type of relationship (well, from the books I’ve read so far anyway). There was so much to like about this book, a lovely feel-good romance with no angst (which I loved). I loved all of the characters in this book and hope Jamie will write Gentry’s brother’s stories at some point.
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I enjoyed this sweet, steamy read. I really liked all three of the characters, but maybe Aldis a smidge more if I had to pick a favourite. I liked the way these three worked through their feelings, both emotional and physical. I thought Hawthorne came to terms with his new feelings for Bowen very quickly, but at the same time liked that he didn’t angst over them too much. Maybe if we all took things like this in our stride we wouldn’t have as many hangups. It was good to read another take on a poly relationship, and I liked the way Aldis wanted Bowen to be happy even if it might mean him losing him to Hawthorn. Things moved quickly and smoothly from the first hookup through to the end, but this is fiction and I’m ok with that
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The first in the Divorced Men’s Club series, I really liked Payne and Beau and really loved this feel-good, low angst story. Both of these characters are older than many of the romance novels out there, Beau in his late 30s and Payne who was 40, which I liked, it’s nice to see life goes on and you don’t have to be in your 20s to find true love.
Payne who has split with his husband and returned to his hometown to get over it, lacking a place to stay, ends up staying with Beau, his brother’s best friend who has had a crush on him since they were teens (Payne has no idea)
I really enjoyed the friendship and connection these two complete opposites formed and that was allowed to morph into much more without either realising what was happening. I liked the way they worked through things together and communicated, (something so many novels seem to avoid and something that drives me nuts) talking things through and working things out so that things didn’t implode between them. The chemistry between them was hot and they were so sweet with each other, that I finished the book with a happy feeling for this odd couple who worked so well together.
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Oh, I did enjoy this novel. It had everything, humour, snark, action, bad guys and two MC’s who were imperfectly perfect for each other.
I really liked both Marcus and Adrian. Marcus’ job as a Marshall was one he took super seriously, as was his rule of not getting into emotional entanglements, both of which he’s managed very well until he meets Adrian. Adrian is under his protection, in hiding from an ex who is part of organised crime.
I really enjoyed their interactions, from where Adrian was doing all he could to push Marcus’ buttons to when they took the chance on something unexpected.
There were plenty of action scenes, violence and shootings, and I liked how these two worked together to try and get through everything that was thrown at them.
This was a book I didn’t want to put down and one I finished with a smile on my face.
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Another great book in the Wild Ones series, I really enjoyed Johnny and Owen’s romance and I loved catching up with Dylan and Bo, now in their 70s and 50 years odd into their relationship and still totally in love, we get a chance to see how they have been travelling since we finished their story in book #3.
I really liked getting to know Johnny Robbie’s brother whose story we read in books #1 & #2 where we meet him fleetingly, so it was nice to finally get to know him and what he’d been through and what has led him to Dylan and Bo’s ranch beside the fact he is their long lost nephew. He has certainly been through a lot and I liked he was able to show his true self to Owen.
Owen is an honorary nephew of Dylan and Bo’s and though he is at first dismayed to find Johnny at the ranch, as he gets to know him, things develop and grow between them. I really enjoyed seeing them learn about each other and in turn learn about themselves and gain confidence in who they were and what they deserve. Owen’s parents certainly weren’t the sort of people I would wish on anyone.
There are plenty of emotional moments as Johnny, Owen, Dylan and Bo get to know each other and a few secrets to uncover that change some things and explain others for Johnny and Owen.
I personally would read this series in order, but you can jump in with this one, though I think you’ll get more from it if you read the others, you’ll want to read them after anyway.
Claire's Reads and Reviews 