Let's Hear it for the Boy by T.A. Webb

Review: Man freakin' alive! T.A. Webb's Let's Hear it for the Boy is powerful and compelling. The impact is like a one-two punch and it's one I won't soon forget. It's not very long, but what it contains will take a lifetime to process—at least that's how I was left feeling.

Matthew's recitation of his memories of Patrick pulled me right in; no build up, just right there, right now. Even though I had a good idea of where the story was going to to—I was warned that there would be tears but that it ended on a positive note (she knows me well my friend does)—it still did not lessen the impact. I was totally caught up in Matthew's story; not only in relation to his love, but also in how he got to where he was, how part of his life was dedicated to Auntie Social.

And then there's the scourge of AIDS and HIV; how a generation lost their innocence in such a horrific way. I've read other stories, watched documentaries, read the news and yet I was always on the outside. But with T.A. Webb's Let's Hear it for the Boy being on the outside was no longer possible. It's immediate and utterly visceral and completely and heartbreakingly stunning.

This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time to come—and for that I'm very glad.
And now T.A. Webb is now on my favourites list and I've already made good headway on acquiring his other books. Gotta love it!

If there's one book you read between now and whenever, I highly, highly recommend that this book, T.A. Webb's Let's Hear it for the Boy, be the one. I don't think you'll regret it.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars and VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! 

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Story Description: Auntie Social is the biggest, baddest drag queen in Atlanta—she knows what she wants and she gets it. She’s tough, merciless, and top dog. That’s what Paul Stewart, reporter for the Journal, had heard, and all he expects when he’s assigned to interview the legend.. But nobody really knows the person behind the make-up.

What if…what if the person behind the sarcasm and music was more than just a man in a dress? What happened in his life that, thirty years later, made him a successful CEO, a philanthropist, and a legend in the gay community? Thirty years and almost a million dollars raised for people living with HIV/AIDs, yet still no one knows the real story.

Until one night, one man breaks through the shell, and Matthew Trammell—Auntie Social—opens the door he closed many years ago and lets his secrets spill out.

Pain is like rain, it covers your skin and soaks in bone-deep, but it eventually recedes and allows fresh things to grow.


Buy links:
Amazon.ca / Amazon.com

Velocity by Amelia C. Gormley: Impulse #3

Review: The final book in Amelia Gormley's Impulse trilogy—Velocity—is much more than I expected, and I was expecting quite a lot.
It's not just a tying up of the threads comprising Derrick's and Gavin's stories, and their story—and it does do that beautifully—it's a fulfillment of the promise inherent from the very beginning. The promise of a rich and happy life for two men who, both damaged and living with the (metaphorical) scars,are still aware enough that their initial attraction is so much more than just lust.

Impulse is an extremely satisfying series in which, over the course of the three books, Derrick and Gavin are able to move beyond their crippling pasts to a partnership that is truly between two equals, both strong and loving men. Through Inertia and Acceleration, books one and two, each of them has to deal with the pain and betrayals experienced. Derrick's experiences are, for the most part, more distant while Gavin's are definitely closer. And yet their pasts are both part of the present and something that they have to deal with individually as well as together.
Velocity is a testament to the power of love, romantic and sexual, as well as that of friends and family—and friends who are family.

At the end I'm left breathlessly waiting for the next book by Amelia Gormley. With the Impulse stories she captured not only my heart and mind, but she titillated my senses. All wonderful experiences for this avid reader!
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Story Description: For Detroit handyman Derrick Chance and his lover, Gavin Hayes, the holiday season is filled with the promise of new beginnings. Gavin’s officially moving in, and after the New Year, they’ll begin house hunting. But they both know all the talk of gift exchange, whose holiday ornaments go where, and what repairs and remodels will be needed to put Derrick’s house on the market is only a smoke screen.

Before the month is over, Gavin will have the final verdict on whether or not his dangerously delusional ex, Lukas, infected him with HIV. No matter how good Gavin’s chances appear with the three-month hurdle already passed, neither he nor Derrick knows what the future holds for them.

The holidays have always been a time of loss and mourning for Derrick, but now he has to stay strong as Gavin’s own fears and doubts assail him relentlessly. And when Lukas returns, unexpectedly penitent amid troubling revelations, Gavin has to ask himself whether he can offer Derrick the future he deserves, or whether these first few months of happiness are the best they will ever get.

Author's website: http://ameliacgormley.com/

Book links: Kobo / iTunes / Smashwords / Amazon / ARe / B&N / Rainbow eBooks

The House of Silver Oak by Nix Winter

Review: I've read The House of Silver Oak by Nix Winter a number of times and yet each time I find myself once again spellbound and utterly captivated.

I'm really not sure what it is, if it's Cain and his struggles with his memories of war, the loss of his leg, alcoholism, the debilitating panic attacks... basically life since Iraq.
Or if it's Shelly, the ghost that haunts Silver Oak. He is completely entrancing and his charisma, his sense of fun, exude from the pages.

No, I guess what really makes this book so special is all of it: the characters who suffer yet struggle for happiness; the past, both recent and distant, that is brought to life bit by bit; the coming together of the people, again past and present; the synchronicity of it all.

Whatever the magic is, Nix Winter wielded it wonderfully. The story pulls the reader along as we get to know, in depth, Cain and Shelly, and all those whose lives intersect theirs, one way or the other. There is anger, tears, hope, excitement, joy, terror, and over all a tension that builds and builds with each page.

The House of Silver Oak is a book I go to when I need a fairly quick read that grabs my imagination, runs me through a gamut of emotions, and leaves me feeling... amazing!

~ 5 out of 5 Stars ~ Highly recommend! ~

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... Story Description: Don't go in the cellar. Cain's problems didn't get smaller in Iraq. His last chance gets him a job as a caretaker for an old mansion. It comes with more ghosts than he had before. Don't go in the cellar. A hundred years before a triple homicide made the house notorious. Shelly Comstock-Gray is still teh celebrated murder suspect. Cain can't believe the smiling, cheerful ghost hurt anyone. Mistakes can be deadly. Don't go in the cellar.

The Model by Serena Yates

Review: A sweet story, The Model by Serena Yates is the sixth book in her Workplace Encounters series. It captured me, heart and imagination, from the beginning. Fabio and Edwin together are wonderful and once again, Serena Yates has worked her magic.

~ 4 out of 5 stars ~

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The Model: Workplace Encounters #6 by Serena Yates

Story Description: How is Alessandro, a famous fashion model with the perfect body, supposed to find love if people never look beyond his appearance? Is it possible to find someone interested in the man he is deep-down?

Off camera, Alessandro is Fabio Bonardi, a man tired of loneliness and drama. His modeling career is great, but in a world where image is everything, no one is as they seem. When the first wrinkle appears, it's time for Plan B. He wants to start a business and enlists Edwin Zachary to help. The shy financial consultant looks below the surface and connects with Fabio, surprising them both.

Not everyone is happy with this development. A mysterious stalker tries to drive Fabio and Edwin apart. Will he succeed? Or can they overcome the obstacles and build the lasting relationship they both so desperately want?

Silver Publishing

Afflicted II by Brandon Shire - another winner!!

Review: After reading Brandon Shire's story, Afflicted, I was impatient for the follow-up book. And now that I've finished Afflicted II, in one sitting because I really didn't want to wait any longer, I have to say that it's a wonderful complement to its predecessor.

I love that the progress made by Hunter and Dillon in building a relationship continues. Not only is the sex hot and very satisfying, the emotional component has grown considerably—both men are opening up to the other; not always an easy thing in any relationship, but both Dillon and Hunter have spent years protecting themselves.

If I'm going to give a brief explanation of both books I'd have to say that book one deals more with Hunter, his past, and its collision with his growing feelings for Dillon. While in book two it's Dillon's past moving to the forefront... and a nasty past it is too. The anger I felt on his behalf was almost overwhelming; parents like his, especially his mother, really get my ire blazing. They put their religion—not God, but religion—ahead of their children. They spout words of faith, of belief in God, but it has nothing to do with that and everything to do with them: their standing, their feelings. As a parent I despise them, totally and utterly. And that's enough of that! Obviously a hot-button topic.

Which is kind of the point I guess; the author reminds us that a good-sized segment of society continues to be blind, ignorant, and hateful. Unfortunately, far too often it includes parents; the people who should love unreservedly and unconditionally. For them I hold nothing but disgust. Aaaand I digress once again...

But Dillon and Hunter's story also reminds us that there is always hope; that there are people, like Dillon's friend and mentor Shu-shu, who care and do something.
There are groups, like those to whom Mr Shire donates 10% of the proceeds from his books, who are a visible and active presence in the lives of the discarded children, whose greatest concern should be what to wear to school, not worry if they'll even be alive the next day.

Ultimately, Afflicted II is about hope, love, family and friends, survival, life. It's a reminder to those of us, who take for granted the lives we have, that we are the fortunate ones. Brandon Shire has written a story that entertains, wonderfully, but that also informs. And for me that makes it a big winner.

If you've not read these two books then I strongly urge you to check them out; I honestly don't think you will be disappointed—I certainly was not!

~ ~ 5 out of 5 stars ~ ~

10% of the proceeds from this book, and all Brandon Shire's titles, are donated to:
GLBTAYS [GLBT Advocacy and Youth Services] / Lost-n-Found Youth, Inc.
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Story Description: Hunter and Dillon finally came to terms with the idea that they wanted more than just hot sex with each other. Dillon decided to quit hustling in order to invest his time and energy in building their relationship, and Hunter let his barriers down and opened his heart. But fear has a way of creeping up and dismantling things that we hold precious. Dillon’s family isn’t quite finished with him yet and Hunter is torn about whether he should step into the fray.

Their journey together comes to a thrilling conclusion.

Where to buy: Smashwords / Amazon.com

Acceleration: Impulse, Book Two by Amelia C. Gormley

Review: The title—Acceleration—is very apt for this, the second story in Amelia C. Gormley's second book in her Impulse trilogy.

Words I'd use to describe this story:

Emotionally Rich; Intense but energising; Powerful; Honest; Engrossing

Again it took no time at all before I found myself totally caught up in the continuation of Derrick and Gavin's story. The road has been, and continues to be, somewhat rocky at times but knowing these two men that's not surprising. The relationship has taken them both by surprise, and what's more they're both dealing with emotions neither of them has experienced before.

Then there are the surprising but also very satisfying dynamics of Derrick and Gavin's developing relationship, both physical and emotional. Ultimately satisfying because they show the depth of trust, the strength of the feelings they have for each other, all while binding them closer; it's also amazingly freeing. As an observer it's not only tantalising but also exciting, and not just in a prurient way.

This dynamic works so well for both of them because of their pasts—distant for Derrick, much more recent for Gavin. They are finding who they are, separately as individuals and together as a couple. What they have goes beyond labels—it's what it is because they need it to be that way.

For Derrick the closer he gets to Gavin the more he learns about himself, and as we all know this is never an easy thing to undergo. But eventually, and with help from his friends, he's finding a way through the landmine-dotted emotional landscape.

Then there is the way that the author finishes the story, leaving the reader turning the page only to discover... that we've reached the end. I am not a big fan of cliffhangers, unless I have the next book in hand but honestly—while we are teased and most definitely tantalised—I didn't feel as though we were left hanging. The ending is obviously not the final word but it is an ending that I can live with. Knowing, of course, that there is more to come.

Ms Gormley has given her readers a very powerful follow-up story to Inertia, the first book in her Impulse trilogy and I for one could not be happier. Of course the flip side to this is that I now have to wait for the third and final story—Velocity… patience has never been one of my stronger virtues.

 

~ ~ 5 stars out of 5 ~ ~

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Story Description: GAINING MOMENTUM

Gavin Hayes is everything Derrick could ask for in a lover. Gorgeous. Passionate. Great in bed. Derrick finds it very easy to just let himself go, to let Gavin guide him and teach him all the things he missed during a decade of celibacy. In the course of a single weekend, Derrick’s routine is transformed, his mornings and evenings filled with sex. Sweet, seductive, wild, or raunchy, Gavin offers Derrick all the pleasure he’s denied himself for so long. But learning how to be a lover in bed is one thing. Learning to be one out of bed is another. For Derrick, being alone has become habit. Sharing his confidences doesn’t come nearly as readily as sharing his bed. After so many losses, the last thing Derrick wants is to become dependent upon another person who might not always be there. And Gavin always being there is far from certain. With an ex-lover lurking in the background, and the question of Gavin’s future health still outstanding, neither Gavin nor Derrick feel capable of asking for anything more than right now. But Gavin won’t be kept on the fringes of Derrick’s life. Can Derrick let someone in before the opportunity passes him by?

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Where to find Acceleration:

Amazon.com / All Romance Ebooks / Kobo / SmashWords / Rainbow Ebooks

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Inertia: Impulse, Book One by Amelia C. Gormley

Review: It didn't take me long to be totally absorbed by Amelia C. Gormley's Inertia, the first book in her Impulse trilogy. The story is sweetly sexy—and I mean that in all the best ways. One of the things I enjoyed about it is that, even with nothing overt, it is a book that resonated with me. The main characters, Derrick and Gavin, are both gun-shy when it comes to relationships but for very different reasons. And exploring those reasons, getting to know the two men, is a very rewarding experience.
Even with the story in Derrick's POV, the author does an excellent job bringing to life the other characters' personalities. With Derrick we are front and center with his introspection and the subsequent growing self-awareness he undergoes. His ultimate acceptance that his life prior to meeting Gavin was nothing to write home about rings true. There's no one magic moment, it's a process and one I felt deep within—it's certainly something that I could relate to.

I fully enjoyed Derrick and Gavin's developing relationship, so much so that I found myself going back for a second helping. Now I intend to dive headlong into the second book in Ms Gormely's Impulse trilogy—Acceleration.  In fact I'm very impatient to do so and I don't intend to come up for air anytime soon.

~ ~ 4.5 stars of 5 ~ ~

Story Description:
Quiet, down-to-earth Detroit handyman Derrick Chance has had enough loss for a lifetime and he has no intention of ever risking his heart again. Living alone in the old house his grandparents left him, with only his dog and a few close friends for companionship, he has written off the possibility of romance or even sex. He refuses to consider himself lonely, or wonder what he might be missing. His life is organized, predictable, and, best of all, risk-free.

Until the day he installs shelves for accountant Gavin Hayes. With his contradictory combination of confidence and self-doubt, Gavin draws Derrick in with an intensity he's never known. As undeniable as gravity, Derrick finds himself falling for Gavin in defiance of all his usual slow and methodical ways. But Gavin carries wounds of his own. Fresh from an emotionally abusive relationship that ended with a dangerous betrayal, his future is far from certain. Can Derrick choose passion over safety, and let himself believe that Gavin is worth the risk?

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SmashWords / All Romance eBooks / Rainbow eBooks
for other links, see author's website: The fiction of Amelia Gormley

Book received from the author for review purposes.