Camera Shy by Matthew Parkes

Jack Ballam is a secret agent for the Australian government. He has not a by the book past, he was a mercenary and lived on the edge for a lot of time, but then one man made him an offer he couldn't refuse: O'Brien had the mission to renovate the Australian Federal Intelligence Service and to do that he was recruiting the best men. Jack was one of them, and O'Brien was willing to go over a lot of things a normal Government structure would not allow, like the fact that Jack was gay. Not that O'Brien was thrilled by the idea, but now what was a problem could be an asset.

O'Brien asks Ballam to seduce Tane Canton. Tane is the former lover of a paid assassin the ASIF is trying to lure and Tane is the perfect bait; Hale is a psychopathic that can't suffer someone tries to poach in his territory, and even if Tane dumped him one years before, probably if he knows that someone else is interested in the man, he will return on the scene. Tane is a former model who is trying the actor career and his first main role is in an action movie. Ballam obtains the job of technical adviser on the set and so the chance to be near Tane.

When Ballam at first accepts the mission, he sees Tane only as a pretty face, someone who is very good in selling himself, and probably someone with a tough skin. It will be a pleasure for Ballam to seduce the man, and if pleasure and business coincide, even better. But when Ballam has the chance to know better Tane, he realizes that the man was used and mistreated by Hale, and he is still pretty fragile. Ballam realizes also that, when he will bring on his mission, he will destroy Tane, since the young man will be used another time.

Hale was not the first man to profit of Tane. A foster kid, he had very bad experiences in the past, and he needed to find someone to lean on for love and comfort; he relied his trust on Hale and was deeply wounded. He is now starting to trust again with Ballam, and he will be shattered when the true will come out, since not only he is in love with Ballam, but also since the man lied to him; at first Tane didn't trust Ballam, and Ballam was very good in manoeuvring the man till Tane believed to be in the wrong.

I like how the author develops the relationship between the two main characters, it's sexy but not too much sugary; there is sex, but it's not very detailed, but this doesn't mean that it's not romantic or enjoyable. Both Ballam than Tane had very bad experience in the past with sex, and so it's only natural that they behave like if they are walking in a mine field. I like also the fact that the main sex scene are not described in the moment, but relived in flashback by Ballam in the aftermath.

The book is a good thriller novel with a bit of romance, but the romance component is enough to satisfy the lovers of the genre. At the same time is not so heavy to avert who instead prefer their thriller novel with less mushy elements.

http://waywardbooks.com/acatalog/index.html

Reading List:

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

Camera Shy by Matthew Parkes

Jack Ballam is a secret agent for the Australian government. He has not a by the book past, he was a mercenary and lived on the edge for a lot of time, but then one man made him an offer he couldn't refuse: O'Brien had the mission to renovate the Australian Federal Intelligence Service and to do that he was recruiting the best men. Jack was one of them, and O'Brien was willing to go over a lot of things a normal Government structure would not allow, like the fact that Jack was gay. Not that O'Brien was thrilled by the idea, but now what was a problem could be an asset.

O'Brien asks Ballam to seduce Tane Canton. Tane is the former lover of a paid assassin the ASIF is trying to lure and Tane is the perfect bait; Hale is a psychopathic that can't suffer someone tries to poach in his territory, and even if Tane dumped him one years before, probably if he knows that someone else is interested in the man, he will return on the scene. Tane is a former model who is trying the actor career and his first main role is in an action movie. Ballam obtains the job of technical adviser on the set and so the chance to be near Tane.

When Ballam at first accepts the mission, he sees Tane only as a pretty face, someone who is very good in selling himself, and probably someone with a tough skin. It will be a pleasure for Ballam to seduce the man, and if pleasure and business coincide, even better. But when Ballam has the chance to know better Tane, he realizes that the man was used and mistreated by Hale, and he is still pretty fragile. Ballam realizes also that, when he will bring on his mission, he will destroy Tane, since the young man will be used another time.

Hale was not the first man to profit of Tane. A foster kid, he had very bad experiences in the past, and he needed to find someone to lean on for love and comfort; he relied his trust on Hale and was deeply wounded. He is now starting to trust again with Ballam, and he will be shattered when the true will come out, since not only he is in love with Ballam, but also since the man lied to him; at first Tane didn't trust Ballam, and Ballam was very good in manoeuvring the man till Tane believed to be in the wrong.

I like how the author develops the relationship between the two main characters, it's sexy but not too much sugary; there is sex, but it's not very detailed, but this doesn't mean that it's not romantic or enjoyable. Both Ballam than Tane had very bad experience in the past with sex, and so it's only natural that they behave like if they are walking in a mine field. I like also the fact that the main sex scene are not described in the moment, but relived in flashback by Ballam in the aftermath.

The book is a good thriller novel with a bit of romance, but the romance component is enough to satisfy the lovers of the genre. At the same time is not so heavy to avert who instead prefer their thriller novel with less mushy elements.

http://waywardbooks.com/acatalog/index.html

Reading List:

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

2008 Amazon Best Books

Editors' Picks

1) Servant: The Acceptance (Servant) by L.L. Foster
2) Cutting Loose by Susan Andersen
3) Where the Heart Leads: From the Casebook of Barnaby Adair (Cynster Novels) by Stephanie Laurens
4) Sizzle and Burn (The Arcane Society, Book 3) by Jayne Ann Krentz
5) Snowfall at Willow Lake (Lakeshore Chronicles, Book 4) by Susan Wiggs
6) Heart Fate (Celta's HeartMates, Book 7) by Robin D. Owens
7) Loose and Easy by Tara Janzen
8) Sweet Spot (Bakery Sisters) by Susan Mallery
9) Mr. Cavendish, I Presume (Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 2) by Julia Quinn
10) Seduce Me at Sunrise (The Hathaways, Book 2) by Lisa Kleypas

Customers' Favorites

1) The Hollow (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 2) by Nora Roberts
2) The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
3) Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
4) Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 16) by Laurell K. Hamilton
5) Acheron (Dark-Hunter, Book 12) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
6) Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson
7) Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 6) by J.R. Ward
8) The Pagan Stone: The Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts
9) Turbulent Sea (Drake Sisters, Book 6) by Christine Feehan
10) Tribute by Nora Roberts

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/19056835/

2008 Amazon Best Books

Editors' Picks

1) Servant: The Acceptance (Servant) by L.L. Foster
2) Cutting Loose by Susan Andersen
3) Where the Heart Leads: From the Casebook of Barnaby Adair (Cynster Novels) by Stephanie Laurens
4) Sizzle and Burn (The Arcane Society, Book 3) by Jayne Ann Krentz
5) Snowfall at Willow Lake (Lakeshore Chronicles, Book 4) by Susan Wiggs
6) Heart Fate (Celta's HeartMates, Book 7) by Robin D. Owens
7) Loose and Easy by Tara Janzen
8) Sweet Spot (Bakery Sisters) by Susan Mallery
9) Mr. Cavendish, I Presume (Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 2) by Julia Quinn
10) Seduce Me at Sunrise (The Hathaways, Book 2) by Lisa Kleypas

Customers' Favorites

1) The Hollow (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 2) by Nora Roberts
2) The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
3) Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
4) Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 16) by Laurell K. Hamilton
5) Acheron (Dark-Hunter, Book 12) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
6) Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson
7) Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 6) by J.R. Ward
8) The Pagan Stone: The Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts
9) Turbulent Sea (Drake Sisters, Book 6) by Christine Feehan
10) Tribute by Nora Roberts

To read more:

http://rosaromance.splinder.com/post/19056835/

Frost Fair by Erastes

Erastes writes a classical Regency romance with some not so classical elements. First of all, the obvious, the main characters are two men, but the second not so obvious, is that the main characters are not the cream of the ton, or some destitute nobleman, but instead common men, even if wealthy or with a business of their own.

Gideon Frost is a printer, but he has not a thriving business, instead he can hardly arrived at the end of the month. And sometime, to make both ends meet, he "sells" himself to men in searching of a friendly hand or mouth; but he never arrived to sell all of himself, not ever for hunger. In his mind probably Gideon still hopes to find a companion, a man with whom share all of him, as an equal partner, not as a kept boy. Gideon, even if poor and with few chance to be better, is still proud to be a free man, a merchant, yes, maybe not noble, but independent.

Joshua Redfern is a wealthy man. His social status allows him to mingle with the Ton, but he is not like all those nobleman. Joshua has a noble "soul" if not a birth. When he meets Gideon, he has not a lot of interest in the skill of the man as printer, he is more interested in him as a possible lover, but he is reluctant to make clear his intentions, since he had a very bad experience in the past: his former lover, an officer, passed through the martial court and then executed for sodomy. It's not clear if Joshua is reluctant since he fears the clutches of law upon him or Gideon, but in a way or another, he probably would never made a move.

It's Gideon that gives him the chance he is waiting, when stirs up against himself the rage of a nobleman he sexually refused; without a job and support, Gideon accepts the apparently friendly hand of Joshua.

As I said it's a classical plot: the proud but poor hero (in a classical romance it would be an heroine), whose only value is now his beauty, but he refuses to sell it to the best offerer; the wealth man, gentle and caring, who judges himself not worthy of real love, since he is not noble (like only the noblemen are allowed to love...). They are perfect together, but obviously a villain will do all his best to part these starry lovers.

I like the use of the middle class as choice for the main characters, it gives a fresh perspective in a maybe worn plot. Plus in a way, Joshua being a not noble isolates him as much as being gay. Plus, as I said, one wonders why an historical romance always has to have noble characters, almost if all the other level of society didn't exist.

The historical details are obviously very accurate, you can always picture the nineteen century London in which is set the story, and I bet that you can still follow the steps of Gideon around the city still now and seeing the same view he saw. The nice description of the Frost Fair, an impromptu fair held on the frozen Thames, is the same you can see in some prints of the time. I'm not an expert, but I believe that also the details on the gay underworld of that age (where one can find sex, more or less dangerous, more or less expensive) are well researched and refuted.

Frost Fair is a nice romance, a bit less angst and less dark of the previous long novel by Erastes, Standish, and so maybe more cup of tea for a wider audience. Not that I sometime didn't like a good angst romance, but in a way, a Regency romance is expected to be lighter.

http://www.cheyennepublishing.com/books/frost.html

Amazon: Frost Fair

Reading List:

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

Frost Fair by Erastes

Erastes writes a classical Regency romance with some not so classical elements. First of all, the obvious, the main characters are two men, but the second not so obvious, is that the main characters are not the cream of the ton, or some destitute nobleman, but instead common men, even if wealthy or with a business of their own.

Gideon Frost is a printer, but he has not a thriving business, instead he can hardly arrived at the end of the month. And sometime, to make both ends meet, he "sells" himself to men in searching of a friendly hand or mouth; but he never arrived to sell all of himself, not ever for hunger. In his mind probably Gideon still hopes to find a companion, a man with whom share all of him, as an equal partner, not as a kept boy. Gideon, even if poor and with few chance to be better, is still proud to be a free man, a merchant, yes, maybe not noble, but independent.

Joshua Redfern is a wealthy man. His social status allows him to mingle with the Ton, but he is not like all those nobleman. Joshua has a noble "soul" if not a birth. When he meets Gideon, he has not a lot of interest in the skill of the man as printer, he is more interested in him as a possible lover, but he is reluctant to make clear his intentions, since he had a very bad experience in the past: his former lover, an officer, passed through the martial court and then executed for sodomy. It's not clear if Joshua is reluctant since he fears the clutches of law upon him or Gideon, but in a way or another, he probably would never made a move.

It's Gideon that gives him the chance he is waiting, when stirs up against himself the rage of a nobleman he sexually refused; without a job and support, Gideon accepts the apparently friendly hand of Joshua.

As I said it's a classical plot: the proud but poor hero (in a classical romance it would be an heroine), whose only value is now his beauty, but he refuses to sell it to the best offerer; the wealth man, gentle and caring, who judges himself not worthy of real love, since he is not noble (like only the noblemen are allowed to love...). They are perfect together, but obviously a villain will do all his best to part these starry lovers.

I like the use of the middle class as choice for the main characters, it gives a fresh perspective in a maybe worn plot. Plus in a way, Joshua being a not noble isolates him as much as being gay. Plus, as I said, one wonders why an historical romance always has to have noble characters, almost if all the other level of society didn't exist.

The historical details are obviously very accurate, you can always picture the nineteen century London in which is set the story, and I bet that you can still follow the steps of Gideon around the city still now and seeing the same view he saw. The nice description of the Frost Fair, an impromptu fair held on the frozen Thames, is the same you can see in some prints of the time. I'm not an expert, but I believe that also the details on the gay underworld of that age (where one can find sex, more or less dangerous, more or less expensive) are well researched and refuted.

Frost Fair is a nice romance, a bit less angst and less dark of the previous long novel by Erastes, Standish, and so maybe more cup of tea for a wider audience. Not that I sometime didn't like a good angst romance, but in a way, a Regency romance is expected to be lighter.

http://www.cheyennepublishing.com/books/frost.html

Amazon: Frost Fair

Reading List:

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

Murphy's Hero by G.A. Hauser

Murphy's Hero was the first movie with Ewan Gallagher, the main character of For Love and Money, the movie which allows Ewan to come back to England and so meet again his doctor lover. Since For Love and Money was my first book by G.A. Hauser, I was delighted to see this new book coming out.

Alexander is a 27 years old guy who works for the British Museum. He loves Ancient History, in particular Greek, and he is fascinated with the tales of those ancient warrior, so brave and proud, and sometime also so free to express their love for a fellow soldiers. Alexander is painful shy, at 27 years old he is still a virgin in every sense of the word, he has never even kissed a girl, let alone a guy. Alexander's parents were not an ideal fictional family, not so bad, but far from being supportive or able to give a steady example to their son. In particular Alexander's mother was ultra-protective and always ready to let down her son's achievement. This led to Alexander being an asocial guy, who shies away from any personal relationship, being friendship or love.

The one day he puts on a fake Corinthian helmet, and suddenly he is an hero. Actually he doesn't make real superhero's action, he scares away bag-snatchers or helps elderly people to cross the streets, but suddenly he is on the mouth of everyone. With the helmet that conceal his identity, Alexander feels free to be the brave man he is not in his real life.

Adrian is the chief-editor of an erotic gay magazine. When he spots Alexander he believes to have found the right man for one of the centerfold of his magazine, but when he has the chance to know better the guy, he realizes that it will be impossible to bring him in front of a camera: Alexander is too shy and he will never have the courage to claim in front of the world that he is gay. And then it's more exciting to take all for himself the handsome guy, and teach him every aspect of the gay life: Adrian takes Alexander hand in hand through all the level of his sexual tuition.

Truth be told, Alexander is not a very smart man... if he was a woman, he would be one of those playgirls in bunny dress; not a bad boy, only too naivee and innocent to come out alive from the real world alone. Alexander is like a big boy who needs at every moment the reassurance of a real adult to tell him that he is doing right and that everything will go in the right way.

On the other hand, even is more experience and wordly, Adrian is not a ruthless man. He is tender and sweet with Alexander, and he will not betray him, not even for a good story for his magazine. Adrian becomes the firm hand Alenxander needs, but he is not a dominant figure, far from it. Both Adrian than Alexander are simple gay guys in a very normal world, and in the end, even the superhero's ventures of Alexander are only actions that every man or woman should be doing in a good world.

The story is sweet and romantic, almost tender. There is always caustic touch of G.A. Hauser, in the supporting characters of Alexander's mother, of his two female colleague and a bit also in Adrian's friends, but it's diluted, not so strong like in other books. There is also a nice cameo appearance of Ian and Scott from The Kiss.

Amazon: Murphy's Hero

Amazon Kindle: Murphy's Hero

Series:
1) The Kiss: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/128685.html
2) The Vampire and the Man-Eater: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/401075.html
3) The Wedding Planner: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/934254.html
4) Murphy's Hero

Reading List:

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

Murphy's Hero by G.A. Hauser

Murphy's Hero was the first movie with Ewan Gallagher, the main character of For Love and Money, the movie which allows Ewan to come back to England and so meet again his doctor lover. Since For Love and Money was my first book by G.A. Hauser, I was delighted to see this new book coming out.

Alexander is a 27 years old guy who works for the British Museum. He loves Ancient History, in particular Greek, and he is fascinated with the tales of those ancient warrior, so brave and proud, and sometime also so free to express their love for a fellow soldiers. Alexander is painful shy, at 27 years old he is still a virgin in every sense of the word, he has never even kissed a girl, let alone a guy. Alexander's parents were not an ideal fictional family, not so bad, but far from being supportive or able to give a steady example to their son. In particular Alexander's mother was ultra-protective and always ready to let down her son's achievement. This led to Alexander being an asocial guy, who shies away from any personal relationship, being friendship or love.

The one day he puts on a fake Corinthian helmet, and suddenly he is an hero. Actually he doesn't make real superhero's action, he scares away bag-snatchers or helps elderly people to cross the streets, but suddenly he is on the mouth of everyone. With the helmet that conceal his identity, Alexander feels free to be the brave man he is not in his real life.

Adrian is the chief-editor of an erotic gay magazine. When he spots Alexander he believes to have found the right man for one of the centerfold of his magazine, but when he has the chance to know better the guy, he realizes that it will be impossible to bring him in front of a camera: Alexander is too shy and he will never have the courage to claim in front of the world that he is gay. And then it's more exciting to take all for himself the handsome guy, and teach him every aspect of the gay life: Adrian takes Alexander hand in hand through all the level of his sexual tuition.

Truth be told, Alexander is not a very smart man... if he was a woman, he would be one of those playgirls in bunny dress; not a bad boy, only too naivee and innocent to come out alive from the real world alone. Alexander is like a big boy who needs at every moment the reassurance of a real adult to tell him that he is doing right and that everything will go in the right way.

On the other hand, even is more experience and wordly, Adrian is not a ruthless man. He is tender and sweet with Alexander, and he will not betray him, not even for a good story for his magazine. Adrian becomes the firm hand Alenxander needs, but he is not a dominant figure, far from it. Both Adrian than Alexander are simple gay guys in a very normal world, and in the end, even the superhero's ventures of Alexander are only actions that every man or woman should be doing in a good world.

The story is sweet and romantic, almost tender. There is always caustic touch of G.A. Hauser, in the supporting characters of Alexander's mother, of his two female colleague and a bit also in Adrian's friends, but it's diluted, not so strong like in other books. There is also a nice cameo appearance of Ian and Scott from The Kiss.

Amazon: Murphy's Hero

Amazon Kindle: Murphy's Hero

Series:
1) The Kiss: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/128685.html
2) The Vampire and the Man-Eater: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/401075.html
3) The Wedding Planner: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/934254.html
4) Murphy's Hero

Reading List:

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

Masks: Rise of Heroes by Hayden Thorne

I had this book in my reading list since a bit but I was never in the right mood. I was expecting a superhero type of book, and it's not really my cup of tea. Then tonight I decided to give it a try and it surprised me: the story is more "normal" than expected. It's in a way a very classical coming of age novel, and I like it in that way.

Eric is an emo kid, a 16 years old like a lot of other boys of that age, with a quite supportive family. He is out with his parents and sister and they accepted him, blue bangs covering his eyes and strange eating habit. For once, being gay is not an issue for this teen and all in all he has not serious problem in his life. Then one day he is rescued by a train accident by a flying superhero, a Superman style of hero, complete of spandex uniform and bulging muscles... and for a teenager with ranging hormones, the sight is almost too much: Eric develops a desperate crush on this masked hero.

But having a crush on a superhero doesn't change too much Eric's ordinary life; on the contrary, he continues to hang out with his friends, the girl Anthea and the guy Peter. Suddenly something changes: maybe since Eric is paying attention to another potential even if impossible love interest, Peter is staking is claim; the usually shy and introverse guy is all over Eric, kissing him and asking him out on a date... and simple like that, Eric turns from bestfriend to boyfriend, and now he has to be more careful around Peter, since everything he does and says has a new all meaning for Peter.

It's rather interesting to see how the "superhero" problem is processed in almost an ordinary way in Eric's mind, no more important than his trouble with his new boyfriend Peter, or with his strange family. When Eric is involved in some trouble due to the superhero war between Magnifiman and the villain, he comes back home upset in the same way he is when he has lover quarrels with Peter. In his teen perspective, Eric considers at the same way a problem that involves his little personal world than something of bigger proportion and worst consequences.

Another interesting thing that explains how Eric's mind works, is that, since he is gay and out with his family and friends, he doesn't consider it a problem, and so for him is more problematic and freak being a superhero than being gay... gay is normal, superhero is freak...

There is also a little romance between Eric and Peter, with some kisses and a bit of making out in a car back seats, and all is sweet and tender, but not too much detailed. Eric talks a lot about his ranging hormones, and about his daydreams, but actually he didn't do much.

http://www.prizmbooks.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=21

Amazon: Masks Rise of Heroes

Reading List:

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

Masks: Rise of Heroes by Hayden Thorne

I had this book in my reading list since a bit but I was never in the right mood. I was expecting a superhero type of book, and it's not really my cup of tea. Then tonight I decided to give it a try and it surprised me: the story is more "normal" than expected. It's in a way a very classical coming of age novel, and I like it in that way.

Eric is an emo kid, a 16 years old like a lot of other boys of that age, with a quite supportive family. He is out with his parents and sister and they accepted him, blue bangs covering his eyes and strange eating habit. For once, being gay is not an issue for this teen and all in all he has not serious problem in his life. Then one day he is rescued by a train accident by a flying superhero, a Superman style of hero, complete of spandex uniform and bulging muscles... and for a teenager with ranging hormones, the sight is almost too much: Eric develops a desperate crush on this masked hero.

But having a crush on a superhero doesn't change too much Eric's ordinary life; on the contrary, he continues to hang out with his friends, the girl Anthea and the guy Peter. Suddenly something changes: maybe since Eric is paying attention to another potential even if impossible love interest, Peter is staking is claim; the usually shy and introverse guy is all over Eric, kissing him and asking him out on a date... and simple like that, Eric turns from bestfriend to boyfriend, and now he has to be more careful around Peter, since everything he does and says has a new all meaning for Peter.

It's rather interesting to see how the "superhero" problem is processed in almost an ordinary way in Eric's mind, no more important than his trouble with his new boyfriend Peter, or with his strange family. When Eric is involved in some trouble due to the superhero war between Magnifiman and the villain, he comes back home upset in the same way he is when he has lover quarrels with Peter. In his teen perspective, Eric considers at the same way a problem that involves his little personal world than something of bigger proportion and worst consequences.

Another interesting thing that explains how Eric's mind works, is that, since he is gay and out with his family and friends, he doesn't consider it a problem, and so for him is more problematic and freak being a superhero than being gay... gay is normal, superhero is freak...

There is also a little romance between Eric and Peter, with some kisses and a bit of making out in a car back seats, and all is sweet and tender, but not too much detailed. Eric talks a lot about his ranging hormones, and about his daydreams, but actually he didn't do much.

http://www.prizmbooks.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=21

Amazon: Masks Rise of Heroes

Reading List:

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