Painted (The Art of Love #2)

I had caught up with all of my ARCs, requested a toooon more, and proceeded to avoid them. Oops. At least this one let's me get caught up with one of my favorite authors. Here's Merry Farmer's "Painted." It's the second novel in her new series, The Art of Love.

["The art of love is listening to your heart when your head tells you what you’re doing is so, so wrong….

Painter Rhys Hawthorne is a rising star in the art world and a favorite teacher at the Hawthorne Community Arts Center, but his inspiration has been stuck for weeks, he’s still grieving for his sister, who lost her life in a car crash, and his personal life is a mess…because he can’t stop thinking about younger, vulnerable Early Stevens, who is not only confused about their life, they’re an employee of the family.

Getting tangled in a forbidden infatuation is the last thing Rhys needs…

Early is still coming to grips with being nonbinary and figuring out what they want in their life, and now their parents have kicked them out of the house. The only light in their life is the Hawthorne family, who have taken them in. But living at Hawthorne House only puts Early into forced proximity with his crush, Rhys. They might not know what they want or how to navigate the pitfalls in front of them, but they know they want Rhys.

But will one night of accidental passion between Rhys and Early help both of them get unstuck and find their path, or will their scandalous feelings for each other put the entire Hawthorne family in jeopardy?"]

These two did not have it easy, not in their individual lives or in their mutual friendship/relationship. Rhys is dealing with grief and survivor's guilt still so strongly that it's turned him into a martyr of sorts. Early is trying to understand themselves, all the while dealing with their parents phobias and the cis-heteronormative views of society. 

If only that had leaned on each other sooner. Or maybe the drama would only have happened sooner. Because after these two allowed themselves to feel their feelings for each other, it wasn't easy or simple. It got more complicated and more heartbreaking and more trigger warning-y. 

Eventually, with sooooo much help from the Hawthorn family, the Brotherhood, and therapy, they were able to make something happy and healthy. Romance is wonderful and sweet, but it isn't perfect. Relationships are hard, communication is hard, dealing with trauma is hard. But these two slowly figured it out (and are still figuring it out). 

And (okay, spoilers), I love how imperfect and emotionally complicated their first sexual experience was. It wasn't easy or perfect or star-crossed. It was filled with...a lot of complex things. Rhys and Early should have taken this step differently, and the whole thing should have been more "magical", but I love how real it was. It was realistic as hell, even if it broke my heart a little.

Any more brothers that want to fall in love and break my heart at the same time? Because there's quite a few more emotionally stunted and hurting boys in his quirky as hell family that deserve their HEA. 

Trigger Warnings: grief, lack of acceptance by family, and more.

#grr #gayromancereview #arcs #arcteammember
#thrown #painted #decorated #theartoflove #theartofloveseries #merryfarmer #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Thrown (The Art of Love #1)

Here's Merry Farmer's "Thrown." It's the first novel in her new series, The Art of Love.

["The art of love is falling for your enemy without ruining everything…

Ceramic artist Robbie Hawthorne is dedicated not only to his art, but to keeping the arts center and school housed at his family’s ancestral estate vibrant and flourishing. But when the family runs into financial trouble and a heartless corporation offers to buy the estate to turn it into an amusement park, Robbie has to get creative to try to stop them.

That includes working together with a man he has nothing in common with and who instantly irritates him…

Toby Tillman has fought to overcome his working-class roots and to make a name for himself in the financial world. Now he finds himself pitted against his old mentor in the quest to save the Hawthorne House Arts Center, which is run by exactly the kind of entitled nobs he’s always hated. Worse still, he finds himself constantly hot for Robbie, a man he should utterly despise.

And then comes the road trip and a stay at a hotel with only one bed…

Can two men from opposite sides of the tracks find enough common ground to rescue a family’s heritage? And can enemies end up becoming each other’s salvation?"]

To be honest (which I try to almost always be), I didn't like Toby much in the beginning. He was too stuck on past grievances to see the world in front of him clearly. He was completely biased, and it mucked up his first impressions of the Hawthorne family...and Robbie's first impression of Toby was also ruined.

But like all good novels, our MCs grew and learned and became better people. And a few of the people in their lives ended up not being quite as good and pure as originally believed. 

These two fell pretty damn fast..after they let go of their hostility. It was explosive, even before they let go of their imagined hate. Their chemistry was an almost physical element when they were in the same room together. 

And this family!?!!? I want soooo much more of them. Right now. Like right now.

BUT, I also need to eventually go and read the original Brotherhood series, because the club and members made a few appearances in here. 

Trigger Warnings: feelings of inadequacy, imposter syndrome, anxiety, homophobia, homophobic language, and more.

#thrown #painted #decorated #theartoflove #theartofloveseries #merryfarmer #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

In Every Universe

I had caught up with all of my ARCs, requested a toooon more, and proceeded to avoid them. Oops. Here's Hannah Henry's "In Every Universe."

["Zacky Porter had a lump on the back of his head, a concussion the size of the sun and…three years of missing memories. Well, they weren’t missing exactly. He just had three years of memories from a different version of his life. One where he quit hockey after Cameron Vesper, his liney and eventual husband, sustained a career ending injury. He had a nice life outside of Toronto post-hockey. He was going to be a gym teacher.

Now, he was in a strange apartment in Texas, and Cameron was telling him that they not only were not married and had never been romantic, they were still playing hockey. Cameron and Zacky were playing on the same line in the NHL.

Cameron Vesper would do anything for his best friend, including nurse him back to health after hitting his head hard on the ice. But Zacky didn’t just have normal concussion symptoms. He was convinced he’d lived a parallel life, where the two of them were both retired and married. Cameron couldn’t stop thinking about the two of them being married. He could picture it.

But as Cameron warmed up to the idea of their friendship becoming something more, Zacky became more determined to leave him behind and get back to his own universe. To his actual husband. Their friendship had always been simple, straightforward, steadfast. Now it was something neither of them recognized."]

This book was a glorious combination of heart-aching and beautifully sweet annnd filled with promise and hope. It was hard, for both of them, living in this "new" universe, but it gave them another way to bond, grow, and deepen their relationship.

And sad. This book was soooooooo sad. Zacky kept comparing this Cameron to his Cameron, and Cameron kept reevaluating his life and how their friendship wasn't like normal friendships. I cried..quite a few times. 

It wasn't easy. Nothing just switched back or clicked into place. It was a lot of healing and pining and angst. But CameronandZacky realized that they're "it" for each other in every universe. 

This book isn't like any amnesia story I've read before (and as the author said, this isn't how head injuries go, or should be treated), but it was amazing and wonderful in such a Hallmark kinda way. And I looooove how these two loved each other through each and every universe. 

Trigger Warnings: head injury and aftermath

#grr #gayromancereview #arcs #arcteammember
#ineveryuniverse #hannahhenry #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Snowed In For Christmas

And the Christmas ARCs have started!!! Here's FA Ray's "Snowed In For Christmas."

["All I want for Christmas ... is anyone but him.

Benjamin
I warned my father this snowstorm was coming, but he insisted that I spend Christmas with him, his girlfriend and her insufferable son. Jett is everything I hate, a loud, brash, carefree partyboy who spends more time drinking at our college than studying.
Now I’m trapped with him.
The snowstorm I predicted blows in, and now it’s just me, Jett and this big empty house in the mountains of Colorado. Our parents won’t be able to reach us for days — if either of us are still alive by then. I swear Jett is doing everything possible to get on my last nerve.
Yet when push comes to shove and Jett needs my help, I race out into the snow to rescue him.

Jett
I might have screwed up.
I pissed off Ben by messing with him, then stormed off into a blizzard in sneakers and a hoodie. Getting frostbite is not my idea of a perfect Christmas.
But getting rescued by a hot guy could be.
It’s got to be the hypothermia talking, but when Ben comes out into that snowstorm to save me, then all but carries me into a bathtub, my body reacts like he’s not my worst enemy. If our parents get married some day, this could all get really messy really fast — too bad I’ve never been a person who operates on cold logic, like Ben. I follow my heart. And right now, my heart is telling me Ben is my Christmas miracle. "]

THIS BOOK! My god, this book.

I wasn't too sure about it at first. Both characters were incredibly flawed and completely, utterly, total opposites (and not necessarily in an opposites attract kinda way). I didn't see how this was going to mesh into something, anything. But when they started letting their guards down, they were more alike than anyone (even me) realized.

These two had allll the feelings for each other. It just took an epic snow storm and near-hypothermia to switch things from enemies to lovers. And when they did? Jett was weak for Ben, and Ben was soft for Jett. They balanced each other out, sanded their rough edges, made the world seem less daunting. 

The pining and angst after their parents finally got to the cabin??? I could have done without that. But that's me talking as a reader. As a writer, it was achingly beautiful and pushed the plot along nicely. 

#grr #gayromancereview #arcs #arcteammember
#snowedinforchristmas #faray #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Better Than Sex (San Francisco Sex Gods #1)

I had caught up with all of my ARCs, requested a toooon more, and proceeded to avoid them. Oops. Here's Kit Erikson's "Better Than Sex." It's first novel in the San Francisco Sex Gods series.

["Spencer’s thirtieth birthday is right around the corner, and he wants to say goodbye to his twenties with a bang. Literally.

As a self-proclaimed sex god, Spencer has sworn off love and dedicated himself to finishing his F***-it List – a collection of wild fantasies he’s checked off one by one. Now, only one fantasy rock a virgin’s world with a night of unforgettable sex.

Shy, sweet Mickey seems like the perfect candidate, but he’ll need a major confidence boost before he’s ready to go all the way. Hoping for a chance to be Mickey’s first, Spencer makes him an offer he can’t refuse – he’ll transform Mickey into San Francisco’s next sex god.

Mickey, who’s always felt out of step with the gay scene, jumps at the chance to reinvent himself. It isn’t long, though, before styling tips and flirting lessons give way to stolen glances and heart-to-heart conversations, and what started as a playful makeover begins to look a lot like falling in love.

For Spencer, feelings were never part of the plan. But as Mickey blossoms into a self-assured man and their connection deepens, Spencer is forced to ask is Mickey just another checkmark on his list, or could he be the man who finally makes Spencer believe in love?"]

This one had Park Avenue Princes vibe. In a good way and in a you're-going-to-fuck-up-in-the-future kinda way (like the first Park Avenue Princes book...like She's All That). So like... loved the 90s rom-com feel, but hated the feelings of impending heartache/crying. 

Because Spencer fell pretty hard, pretty fast (even if he didn't know what he was feeling and/or denying his feelings), and some of his friends weren't so...keen.

Whereas Mickey, our sweet as fuck Mickey, knew he was falling but couldn't do anything about it, didn't want to do anything about it. He knew Spencer would probably break his heart (we all did (see: She's All That third-act-break-up drama)), but sometimes being in love is worth it.

LUCKLY, these two had a very happy, very cheesy, very dorky ever after. ;)

#grr #gayromancereview #arcs #arcteammember
#betterthansex #kiterikson #sanfranciscosexgods #sanfranciscosexgodsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Meeting Mr. Christmas (Collier's Creek Christmas)

And the Christmas ARCs have started!!! Here's Ali Ryecart's "Meeting Mr. Christmas." It's a part of the multi-author series, Collier's Creek Christmas.

["Two best friends. One secret crush. A kiss that changes everything.

There’s never been a time when Noel’s not been in love with his best friend Jed. The problem is, Jed’s straight. Always has been, always will be. Yet, as the festive season descends on Collier’s Creek there’s only one gift Noel for Jed to wake up and realise they are meant to be together. But that’s never going to happen — or not until too many beers and a Christmas movie marathon ends in a steamy make out session.

Jed’s world is turned up side down. He’s straight. He dates girls, not guys. So why does the memory of the taste of Noel’s lips on his send delicious tingles zipping along his spine?

As carols play and stockings are hung, can Jed embrace his newfound feelings? Or will Noel's dreams of love melt away like snow?

Discover the magic of the season in this heartfelt story of friendship, secret desire, and small-town romance."]

The pining and angst in this one was rooouuugh. Heartbreaking and chest aching. I cried quite a few times. BUT the pure love and devotion and friendship between these two was well worth it.

They were perfect together. Everyone knew it. Noel knew it. The entire town knew it. And deep down, Jed knew it. But he struggled a bit with jumping in and letting go of his fears. 

But both of their doggies helped set them straight.

And now I have to read the rest of this series... And the OG series...

#meetingmrchristmas #aliryecart #collierscreekchristmasseries #collierscreek #collierscreekseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Insane Obsession

Listen, I have a weakness for dark romances and psychopaths... So here's to skipping ahead in my ARCs list to a brand new one. Here's Lola Malone's "Insane Obsession."

[""Come to us, baby boy."

They said that Saint James’s Asylum for Women was abandoned. They were wrong...

The abandoned sanctuary across the forest is the perfect place for my psychology research. Once the playground for a horrific crime scene, it will be the key to my future.

It has to be.

Because I need a good grade, need to find a well-paid job. Need to be freed from those who control my life.

And tonight's the night.

But as soon as I set foot between those gothic walls, I feel something sinister. And they're not just gruesome memories that make the others run and hide.

No, someone is out there, and they are creating a whole new playground.

One thing is for sure… the asylum is not abandoned. And those who are inside, have been waiting… for me."]

Not just psychopaths, but hot, rich psychopaths with a vigilante streak and an obsession with someone so innocent and lonely and in need of home. Because, fuuuuuuck, I have such a soft spot for those crazy fuckers.

And this novella didn't disappoint. At. All.

There's a little taboo aspect, but if 9 times out of 10, if you're reading a romance as dark as this, a little taboo trope isn't all that much...I think. My brain is a little crazy and uber out the wall when it comes to a good romance.

But if those things don't bother you, you neeeed to read this. I get why all the reviews on goodreads so far are 5stars. Because saaaame.

And here's to trying NOT to push my ARCs aside to binge more of Lola's work....

Trigger Warnings: bullying (not between MCs), violence, attempted sa, assault, and more

#arcs #arcteammember #booksirens
#insaneobsession #lolamalone #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks