Smart Alex by AKM Miles

In one of the Yahoo groups where I spend some of my time, there had been some discussion about AKM Miles and the fantastic books that she writes; of course I had to check them out. I bought three books ~ Dare To, a Christmas short Dare's Christmas Gift and Smart Alex. I've just finshed the latter and now have added ALL her books to my gotta-get-soon list.

Her stories have so much heart, so much emotional richness and detail that, while you could easily be overwhelmed, the characters keep you grounded. There is one element in both the stories that I've read that leapt to my notice, but it in no way hinders my enjoyment. It's that the romance moves fast... and by fast may I say 'warp speed'? But in AKM Miles's stories, it's the relationships between the men that are the focus, the meat of the story. Not so much that they do fall in love ~ because that's a given ~ but how their love helps them through the very difficult situations and / or events that occur in the story. It's about hope, friendship and love and how all these are necessary for love to withstand the very worst that can be thrown at it.

In Smart Alex, our hero Smart is a young man who's trying to find a place where he fits. He knows he's gay ~ at least he's pretty sure he is ~ but he's never had an opportunity to find out for himself. That is, until he leaves his small hometown and heads off to university. Luckily for him two of the first people he connects with, Mike and Tommy, are the kind of friends everyone should have. They take him under their wing and offer him a friendship the like of which he's never experienced.

I absolutely LOVED the dynamics of the relationships: Smart with Mike and Tommy and then Tommy and Mike... oh those two are so very special. When Smart meets Alex, fireworks ignite... and love finds a home.
This story is not only a romance, but a story of the strength of true and lasting friendships and just how vital they can be in our lives.

If you love a story in which you can lose yourself and yet, at the same time, discover the strength of friendship and real love, then AKM Mile's Smart Alex is just the book for you. But don't stop here; I guarantee that you'll discover that the rest of her stories are just as amazing!

Stepping Up to the Plate by J.M. Snyder

This story is often raw, sometimes dreary and even heartbreaking at times; ultimately though it is anything but. There's a lot wrong in Stacy's life ~ worst of all, in his opinion, is his name. He's also white in an area where he's definitely in the minority... and he's gay. All this is at the root of his problems... he's definitely on the outside looking in and those on the inside, they're just happy to make him miserable.
Being 16 is bad enough, but being different is death in high school.
Trying to change this leads Stacy to the discovery that life in the 'real' world isn't much better.

Watching as Stacy deals with, or not, and strives to come to terms with a life that is going nowhere fast is sometimes very difficult, certainly it's heartrending. But there are a couple of people in his life that provide him with a tenuous, but important, support: his mother and his friend, and crush, Ange. There's no magic wand, no sudden breakthrough; but there is a glimmer of hope that grows as the story progresses. Stacy's not the boy next door ~ he's been fighting against others for so long that he no longer knows how to let people in. But finding himself enrolled in a GED course is the beginning. And while we often struggle along with Stacy, being there, watching as things begin to happen... that's the beauty and magic in this story.

If you're looking for a romp, this is not the book for you. But if you enjoy an excellent story that will leave you feeling good at the end, then give this a try. You will definitely find it worth your while!

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J.M. Snyder; Stepping Up to the Plate; Lulu Press; 2006 [110K]


At 16, Stacy Evans dropped out of high school in the hopes of moving on with his life. But four years later, he's stuck in an abusive relationship with Lamar, a "friend with benefits," and works long hours at a dead-end job just to get by.
Then his mother enrolls him in a program to earn his GED. There he meets Darian, a woodshop teacher who is everything Stacy's friends are not -- smart, successful .. and who seems to take a personal interest in helping Stacy turn his life around.
The two develop a rapport that keeps Stacy after school just to spend extra time with him. In intimate moments alone, they grow closer than just student and teacher.
On the right track for once, Stacy has a chance to choose between his troublesome past and a promising future with Darian.  But his jealous friends won't let him go so easily.

Dreaming of You by Ethan Day

This is Ethan Day's second book and the promise shown in his first book ~ Self Preservation ~ is wonderfully kept. There's something about Ethan's characters to which I really respond; they're so very real and likable, even when they're being bitchy.
They've got their flaws, foibles and fantasies but they've got heart, loyalty and a genuineness that makes them people that I'd love to know. The friendship between Aden, Nathan and Finn ~ superb... and hilarious, always a giggle or three. Aden and Logan ~ sizzle & burn! but also romantic... very, very romantic.
I'd love to insinuate myself into Aden's circle of friends 'cause there's something about Aden that gets to me, way down deep. Of course, I felt exactly the same way about Davis in Self Preservation.

To be honest I get the same feeling reading anything by Ethan Day; his sense of humour is a delight and a riot and you never know what he's going to say next! But whatever it is, it's worth reading and always more than just enjoyable.

In September, I believe, Ethan's got another book due: As You Are. I can hardly wait... well I can, but I'm going to be impatient while doing so.

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SYNOPSIS:
Copyright 2009 Ethan Day.
All Rights Reserved.

Restaurateur Aden Ingle has been in love with the perfect man since his fourteenth birthday. Unfortunately, his perfect boyfriend only exists in his dreams. But Aden’s always believed it was his destiny to meet his dream man, and he's perfectly content to wait around for him to walk into his real life.

When he meets Logan Price at a Hotel/Restaurant Trade Show, he finds himself drawn to this man who shakes him out of his dream world. Pretty soon, the flesh and blood reality is becoming more appealing than the fantasy. The only problem is Logan lives half way across the country in California.

Aden's going to have to choose whether to give up everything he’s built for himself professionally and uproot his whole life for Logan, or wait for the man from his dreams to become a reality.

Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels

I'm not much for writing book reviews. That said, there are times that I read a book that has such an impact on me that I cannot just say one time what it was that got to me so much. But this latest book that I read ~ Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels ~ is so much more than just a story to me. I do tend to get involved in the stories that I read, some much more so than others, but there is the occasional story that takes my heart and my very emotions by storm and I want others to find the treasure as well.
Below is the review that I wrote up on my eHarlequin blog... but I really wanted to get the word about this amazing author out even further, so here it is:

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Tere Michaels ~ Faith and Fidelity ~ Loose Id, LLCSeptember 2008 [88K]

My reaction to the story from the beginning was far more involved than I ever expected, and while often very emotional it was also intensely invigorating.
The basic premise of the story, as I see it: Love ~ true love, romantic love, whatever you want to call it ~ is more than gender. Neither man, Matt nor Evan, had ever experienced attraction to another man. But finding someone that knew just how lonely and hurt the other was, was the basis for a friendship that superceded anything they had ever imagined, and slowly, eventually, they both came to realize that what they felt for each other was far more than mere friendship. And that shocked the heck outta both of them.
The process by which they came to terms with what they felt, both the emotional component and the impact it would have on their lives, reads as an extremely realisitic experience.
There were times that I seemed to experience emotional overload and had to take a short break, but I could never leave them for long. It wasn't only the beauty and strength of Matt and Evan's love that drew me deep into their lives; many of the other characters ~ Helena, Vic, Liz, Miranda, Kathleen & Elizabeth and Danny (Love those two!) ~ added so much life and realism to what I was reading. All I can say is is that I would read this story again... right now. And even for me, that is very, very rare! All I can say is that, for anyone that loves a romance that will leave a lasting impression, you will NOT want to miss Tere Michaels' Faith and Fidelity.