2007-11-25

reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2007-11-25 12:37 am

Top 100 Gay Novel: All Through the Night by Suzanne Brockmann

Suzanne Brockmann is pissed off. She is really hungry cause she has a gay son and she wants that her son can have a normal life and marry the man he loves. And from what I understand, in USA some party wing has put in stand by a law that recognize same sex marriage in Massachussetts. So when her publisher has asked her to write a Christmas novel (usually a tale of good feeling and we all love each other genre) she has written All Through the Night, where her gay characters, Jules and Robin, will marry during Christmas time in Boston.

Jules is a recurring character in Suzanne Brockmann novels, but he has met his life partner only in Hot Target and they have started a relationship in Forces of Nature, the last novel in the Troubleshooters series. Jules is an FBI agent, Robin a drunk movie actor in the closet and now an outed rehab fiction actor. They live in Boston, where Robin works, and they try to organize their marriage, among the renovation of their Victorian house, an ex of both (Adam) who doesn't accept a no like answer, a reporter who is too good in his work and manages to gain a lot of private info, and even a Jules' mission gone bad.

Like all the Christmas novel (I have in mind, for example, Dark Celebration by Christine Feehan) it's more a way for the author to collect all her favourite characters and makes a gift to her fan. So the plot is not essential and it's more a collection of glimpses in the life of various couples of the past. But what I find really strange is that, usually Suzanne Brockmann is a bit sexy author, and in this book there is no sex at all!!! When you arrive to an hot moment between Jules and Robin, the chapter finish or worse, it starts when all is just happened. What?!? I want my sex scenes, you can't give me two panting hot males without tell me why they pants!!! Ok, ok, it's a Christmas novel, I know, and it's the first time a mainstream romance author has the courage to write a M/M novel, so, I can only say: Thank you Suzanne Brockmann, and I will buy also Forces of Nature and Hot Target, and I will buy also your next M/M novel (Adam and Tony's story I think), but please, next time, could you give me a bit of flesh more?

Of Jules and Robin, what can I say? Jules is the more action-less words type. Quiet, strong and honest man. Maybe a bit jelaous, but when he is so gentle and caring with Robin, does it matter if he is a bit possessive? No! Robin is deeply in love. Point. He has eyes only for Jules, and maybe he is a bit distracted by this, but to be true, also the world around doesn't help: it seems that all happen to put him in trouble. But luckily he has an entire team of Troubleshooters to help him.

As I say, in general, Christmas novels don't have a strong plot, so, after all, I think this one is pretty good being one in the genre. And well, I read it in one day, so it's also a pageturner.

Amazon: All Through the Night: A Troubleshooter Christmas
Amazon Kindle: All Through the Night: A Troubleshooter Christmas
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (November 25, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345501527
ISBN-13: 978-0345501523

Suzanne Brockmann's In the Spotlight post: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/329123.html
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2007-11-25 12:37 am

Top 100 Gay Novel: All Through the Night by Suzanne Brockmann

Suzanne Brockmann is pissed off. She is really hungry cause she has a gay son and she wants that her son can have a normal life and marry the man he loves. And from what I understand, in USA some party wing has put in stand by a law that recognize same sex marriage in Massachussetts. So when her publisher has asked her to write a Christmas novel (usually a tale of good feeling and we all love each other genre) she has written All Through the Night, where her gay characters, Jules and Robin, will marry during Christmas time in Boston.

Jules is a recurring character in Suzanne Brockmann novels, but he has met his life partner only in Hot Target and they have started a relationship in Forces of Nature, the last novel in the Troubleshooters series. Jules is an FBI agent, Robin a drunk movie actor in the closet and now an outed rehab fiction actor. They live in Boston, where Robin works, and they try to organize their marriage, among the renovation of their Victorian house, an ex of both (Adam) who doesn't accept a no like answer, a reporter who is too good in his work and manages to gain a lot of private info, and even a Jules' mission gone bad.

Like all the Christmas novel (I have in mind, for example, Dark Celebration by Christine Feehan) it's more a way for the author to collect all her favourite characters and makes a gift to her fan. So the plot is not essential and it's more a collection of glimpses in the life of various couples of the past. But what I find really strange is that, usually Suzanne Brockmann is a bit sexy author, and in this book there is no sex at all!!! When you arrive to an hot moment between Jules and Robin, the chapter finish or worse, it starts when all is just happened. What?!? I want my sex scenes, you can't give me two panting hot males without tell me why they pants!!! Ok, ok, it's a Christmas novel, I know, and it's the first time a mainstream romance author has the courage to write a M/M novel, so, I can only say: Thank you Suzanne Brockmann, and I will buy also Forces of Nature and Hot Target, and I will buy also your next M/M novel (Adam and Tony's story I think), but please, next time, could you give me a bit of flesh more?

Of Jules and Robin, what can I say? Jules is the more action-less words type. Quiet, strong and honest man. Maybe a bit jelaous, but when he is so gentle and caring with Robin, does it matter if he is a bit possessive? No! Robin is deeply in love. Point. He has eyes only for Jules, and maybe he is a bit distracted by this, but to be true, also the world around doesn't help: it seems that all happen to put him in trouble. But luckily he has an entire team of Troubleshooters to help him.

As I say, in general, Christmas novels don't have a strong plot, so, after all, I think this one is pretty good being one in the genre. And well, I read it in one day, so it's also a pageturner.

Amazon: All Through the Night: A Troubleshooter Christmas

Suzanne Brockmann's In the Spotlight post: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/329123.html
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2007-11-25 12:22 pm

Yule Wolf (Christmas Cookies) by Kate Hill

This a very short story, less than 20 pages, but wow, it's very sexy.

Fenris is a werewolf who lives alone in the icy north. He is the last of his breed and prefers to stay far from the humans who hunted on his fellow werewolves. But when he finds Roth, a history professor who is injured and lost in the desert icy land, he has only a choice: save him and turn him into a werewolf. But then Roth will accept to share his life?

In the story there is no question about the clear fact that both of the characters are men. We don't know if Roth is gay, or if Fenris other than turns him into a werewolf has also turned him into a gay man... it's all about primal desire and hunger, there are no men or women, there are only two bodies.

I like this short novel. So much that I think it deserves a lot more of 20 pages.

http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?uaid=ISFUDNYA

Waiting Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=waiting+reading+list&view=elisa.rolle
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2007-11-25 12:22 pm

Yule Wolf (Christmas Cookies) by Kate Hill

This a very short story, less than 20 pages, but wow, it's very sexy.

Fenris is a werewolf who lives alone in the icy north. He is the last of his breed and prefers to stay far from the humans who hunted on his fellow werewolves. But when he finds Roth, a history professor who is injured and lost in the desert icy land, he has only a choice: save him and turn him into a werewolf. But then Roth will accept to share his life?

In the story there is no question about the clear fact that both of the characters are men. We don't know if Roth is gay, or if Fenris other than turns him into a werewolf has also turned him into a gay man... it's all about primal desire and hunger, there are no men or women, there are only two bodies.

I like this short novel. So much that I think it deserves a lot more of 20 pages.

http://www.changelingpress.com/index.php?uaid=ISFUDNYA

Waiting Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=waiting+reading+list&view=elisa.rolle
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2007-11-25 01:46 pm

A Warrior's Hope by Sabrina Luna

Another short story, less then 20 pages, which merit is to be setting in the Ancient Egypt, in the era of Tutankhamun. Thabit is the Commander of the Warriors of Amun-Ra and he is ordered to travel with his army to the borders of Thebes and takes over on an unknown tribal band. Thabit doesn't like this mission and the night before his mind is full of uncertainity and doubts. And his only desire is to spend the time he has left with his secret lover, the royal scribal Akil.

The story is good, the setting interesting and original, but really it's too short to have a real opinion. I have the feeling to have read only a prologue of a longer story. Too doors opened and not closed.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=A+Warrior%27s+Hope+by+Sabrina+Luna

Amazon Kindle: A Warrior's Hope (Gay Erotic Romance)
Publisher: Phaze Books (July 1, 2010)

Reading List: http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2007-11-25 01:46 pm

A Warrior's Hope by Sabrina Luna

Another short story, less then 20 pages, which merit is to be setting in the Ancient Egypt, in the era of Tutankhamun. Thabit is the Commander of the Warriors of Amun-Ra and he is ordered to travel with his army to the borders of Thebes and takes over on an unknown tribal band. Thabit doesn't like this mission and the night before his mind is full of uncertainity and doubts. And his only desire is to spend the time he has left with his secret lover, the royal scribal Akil.

The story is good, the setting interesting and original, but really it's too short to have a real opinion. I have the feeling to have read only a prologue of a longer story. Too doors opened and not closed.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=A+Warrior%27s+Hope+by+Sabrina+Luna

Amazon Kindle: A Warrior's Hope

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2007-11-25 06:30 pm

The Champion of Olympia by Margaret Leigh

Iason is the aleiptae of the palaestra of Demetrius and Aristae is the better Athlete of the palaestra. Iason loves from afar Aristae, cause he doesn't consider himself worth of Aristae's love: the Athlete is handsome and brave, and he, instead, is a simple aleiptae, plain and shy. And so he contents himself to take care of Aristae's body and to play the flaute during his training.

But when they all go to Olympia for the Games, Iason asks to Zeus to favour Aristae during the Games but also to concede to him his love; soon after he is scaried by his dareness and begins to fear to have drawn the fury of Zeus on Aristae.

The story is pretty short, less than 30 pages, but it's very detailed and tender. No sex, only love. A fresh touch on a sometime abused genre. I'd like to read more about Iason and Aristae, cause what I read is only a starting point of an interesting story.

http://www.lulu.com/

Waiting Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=waiting+reading+list&view=elisa.rolle
reviews_and_ramblings: (Default)
2007-11-25 06:30 pm

The Champion of Olympia by Margaret Leigh

Iason is the aleiptae of the palaestra of Demetrius and Aristae is the better Athlete of the palaestra. Iason loves from afar Aristae, cause he doesn't consider himself worth of Aristae's love: the Athlete is handsome and brave, and he, instead, is a simple aleiptae, plain and shy. And so he contents himself to take care of Aristae's body and to play the flaute during his training.

But when they all go to Olympia for the Games, Iason asks to Zeus to favour Aristae during the Games but also to concede to him his love; soon after he is scaried by his dareness and begins to fear to have drawn the fury of Zeus on Aristae.

The story is pretty short, less than 30 pages, but it's very detailed and tender. No sex, only love. A fresh touch on a sometime abused genre. I'd like to read more about Iason and Aristae, cause what I read is only a starting point of an interesting story.

http://www.lulu.com/

Waiting Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=waiting+reading+list&view=elisa.rolle