Les Hommes, Vol. 2 by Christiane France

The Gallery On Main Street by Christiane France

The book has a strange feeling, like a river which flows without interruption, sure of its target at the end of the path.

Martyn is an easy-to-go gay guy; he has yet no decided what to do in his life, and maybe he is counting a bit too much in the inheritance from his late Uncle Jack. But when the legacy occurs, it's bounded: he can't sell the Antiquity shop of his Uncle Jack for at least 10 years, and meantime he has to co-managed it with the other partner, the up-tight Simon.

From the first time he saw Simon, Martyn is attracted by the man, but they are like oil and water, they can't mix. There is something in Simon that irresistibly draws Martyn, but at the same time, when he is near the man, they seems to bounce off like opposite magnets. The something happens, Martyn suddenly decides that, instead of repel the man, he would like to go nearer to him, and from a dinner to a sunday spent working together, they find each other in an almost matrimonial routine.

Probably the main contrast issue in the story is Simon and Martyn's differences. Martyn is a young man still in that phase of life when he is not sure of what he would like to do as an adult, and instead Simon is arrived to the phase in which he wants to settle down and tighten some free ends. But after they overcome this problem, all the other aspects of their life match in a very smooth way, and nothing else prevent them to walk together hand in hand toward an happily ever after: I can really image these two, the emblem of the happy gay couple, two handsome antiquarians living peacefully together with a cat they treat like their baby.

This is a quite enjoyable short story, less than 45 pages, good if you want to rest and relax for a bit.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/GalleryMainStreet.html

Amazon Kindle: The Gallery On Main Street

Amazon: Les Hommes, Vol. 2 (print book)

Reading List:

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

The Searching Heart by Pepper Espinoza

(Just Like) Starting Over by Pepper Espinoza

I like a lot this short novel by Pepper Espinoza. It's really angst, it's not a simple and sweet romance, but I like it.

Guillermo Rivera, Guy, is a 27 years old Spanish MBA student; while he is in United States he had a bad car accident. Now, one month after, he not only has bad injuries that force him in a wheelchair, he has also a short term amnesia. He doesn't remember his previous life, nor who he knows or doesn't know in this stranger country. He needs a caregiver and lucky him he has Dane.

Dane is the perfect nurse, he always knows what Guy wants, like he has the memory that Guy lacks... he is so perfect that Guy is becoming dependent from the man. And it's not what Dane wants... Dane is not an unselfish nurse who is paid for doing a job. Dane is Guy's former lover, and in their past relationship, Dane did unforgivable things. But now Guy needs him, and Dane can't mistake a second time. This time he will do the right thing, and not to have a second chance with Guy, but to have a second chance for his own life: for Dane is vital to do at least one thing right, to have the right push to continue in doing the right thing.

Guy and Dane, in different way, are needing a caregiver: one for physical injuries and the other for emotional ones. In this perspective, Dane is not a saint, and he has his reasons to fear what will happen when Guy will remember everything.

Pepper Espinoza is very good in rendering Guillermo uncertain behavior the first day after the accident. The reader lives with him his fears, his needs of comfort and reassurance. And she is also very good in penning, with only few words, Dane's world and life outside the safe heaven of Guy's apartment. The story could be short, but it's a complete tale and very good.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/JustLikeStartingOver.html

Amazon Kindle: (Just Like) Starting Over

Amazon: The Searching Heart (print book)

Reading List:

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

Cattle Valley 5 by Carol Lynne

Gone Surfin' (Cattle Valley 9) by Carol Lynne

In the past books on the Catlle Valley gay soap opera it seemed that everyone found love in this Wyoming small town. But there is one man that has found love elsewhere, and it's just the first citizen, the major of Cattle Valley. During his last winter holiday, Quade fell in love for Kai, a younger professional surfer; their relationship was doomed, 12 years of age difference and thousand of mile of distance divided the two lovers, but that seems not important for their heart. After 10 months Quade is still pining for Kai, and Kai decides to surprise his lover; he arrives in Cattle Valley during one of the worst snow storm ever: not exactly the right impression for Kai to have of the city Quade loves so much. Kai is all in all a tropical flower and to force him to live in Wyoming is like killing his joy.

I like how Carol Lynne built Kai's character: he is young and naivee, all in all the innocent young man you will expect from someone who has always lived day per day in a free style manner. Kai has never really had much trouble in his life, he is content with the few he has and he doesn't wish for more, at least not now. But he is not selfish, he would be ready to turn upside down his life for the love of Quade. Problem is that it's quite obvious that where Quade probably would be able to live everywhere, it's not the same for Kai.

As I already noticed in the previous books, there is an high and down pacing in this series: some books are very moving, almost dramatic, some others are nice and quiet, without too much angst. This one belongs to the second type: Quade and Kai are already in love when the book starts, so there is no play of take and let it go between them, and the reader knows that they have only to find a way to shorten the distance between them (and not only the physical one). The big question is: will Quade leave the winter paradise of Cattle Valley, or will Kai discover that he can be a surfer also in Cattle Valley, maybe with a board on the snow instead that on the sea?

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=407

Amazon Kindle: Cattle Valley: Gone Surfin'

The Last Bouquet (Cattle Valley 10) by Carol Lynne

What I started to call probably after the third or fourth episode, the Gay Soap Opera is arrived to its tenth installment. Even if from the blurb it could seem that this was only the story of Hearn and Tyler, it's instead also the story of Nate and his double-the-love partners Rio and Ryan.

One of the thing that I like of this soap opera, and probably the reason why a lot of people continue to buy book after book, is that the author introduces her characters little by little, giving some hints on their story in the book of other couples, to then devote an entire book only to them. In this way, no one of the characters is really dropped after you finish a book, since you continue to find them wandering around the city, Cattle Valley, an utopia city for LGBT people, and maybe come back on the front line like for Nate in this last book.

In one of the previous book we read how Hearn lost his lover Mitch in a car accident that involved also Tyler, his best friend. In following books, we learn how Mitch wasn't exactly a saint, cheating behind Hearn's shoulder, but Hearn continues to mourn his lost lover. People could think that he is destroyed by the pain, and instead he is eating alive by remorse. Hearn didn't love Mitch when he died, and hadn't had for years. Mitch treated him like a lesser man, always putting him down. Hearn had started to have feelings for Tyler and when Mitch died after a bitter confrontation over Tyler, Hearn thought he didn't deserve the love of a good man like Tyler.

Tyler, the florist of Cattle Valley, is a tiny and shy man who can't stand violence. From an abusive family, Tyler needs the peace and quiet that his work as florist allows him to have. He is bringing a torch for Hearn for years, but he has not the courage to confess it. But they live in a small town, and their friend intervene, someone needs to tell to Hearn how Mitch really was. Obviously there is an happy ending for Tyler and Hearn and this is something I like in this series: the author usually didn't spend all her time in letting us read the trouble two men as to face to getting together to end the book when they finally get together. Usually the odds of their relationship are surpassed quite soon, and the reader have plenty to read about their happiness together.

Then maybe Carol Lynne picks up those same characters again later for another story, like Nate Gills. Nate, Ryan and Rio were the first threesome to introduce the new series of Cattle Valley, spin off of a previous series Good-time boys. During all the following books, they grew with the series and the city, and they are almost the core of the series, all turn around them. And now the author decides to give Nate a little more space, telling a bit more on his past. Nate is the naughty elf of Cattle Valley, and his new story serves to Carol Lynne to write some nice and erotic sex scenes. Hearn and Tyler are the sweet couple of this new book, they have their share of sex, but all in all, they tend to be more sweet than erotic; on the other hand, Nate confirms is naughty core, and the scene that involves chocolate sauce and a threesome is quite nice.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=419

Amazon Kindle: Cattle Valley: The Last Bouquet

Amazon: Cattle Valley: Gone Surfin' / The Last Bouquet
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing (July 21, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1907010904
ISBN-13: 978-1907010903

Series: Cattle Valley
1-2) Cattle Valley 1: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/211609.html
3-4) Cattle Valley 2: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/285655.html
5-6) Cattle Valley 3: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/326486.html
7-8) Cattle Valley 4: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/405427.html
9-10) Cattle Valley 5

Reading List:

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




Cover Art by April Martinez

Poker Night by Carol Lynne

Texas Hold 'Em by Carol Lynne

This is the first book in a new series by Carol Lynne, the Poker Night series. As the title suggests, it's the story of a group of six buddyfriends who meet every two saturday at the home of one of them, Zac. All of them is an ordinary man, with an ordinary job, more or less of success, but all of them with a thing in common: they are all gays. What probably the author would like to pass to the reader is that being gay doesn't mean being "different", and above all being a stereotype. Zac, Marco, Kent, Trey, Bobby and Angelo, from different culture and family social status are exactly like all the other single men in the world, they are more or less interesting in having a comfortable house, a nice place where spend time with good friends, and possibly a nice man to share all of it. As Zac said, looking at his garage apartment, being gay didn't automatically turn him in Martha Stewart. But Zac was raised good by his mother and so it's funny to see him reprimand his friends when they "use" his house as a crashing point, and he directs them as a mother hen; Zac is a high school football coach and he has the tendency to be a director also in his private life. And this is the reason why, maybe, when he meets Eric for the first time, he immediately plan an attack strategy, and when he has caught the "prey", he tries to direct him as he does with his friends.

Eric is a young doctor who is doing his internship while at the same time he is trying to pay his student loans. He has also a side job as pizza delivery guy and so he matches the strange hours he does at the hospital with the even more strange hours of the pizza delivery thing. There is something in Eric past, in his family origin, that forced him to behave as a workaholic, and this is not a good thing, since Eric stretches the concept of responsible guy into almost being a maniac. While I actually found a bit overwhelming Zac's tendency to be the dominant partner in their relationship, I found his behavior more excusable than Eric. Zac is a bit insensible, maybe also a bit obtuse, but Eric is totally stubborn; and for a doctor, he is not exactly behaving in an healthy way.

Being this the opening book in a series, other than Eric and Zac's story, we have also a glimpse on the future characters, and from my side, I'm quite interested in reading Trey and Dr Peters' stories (not together, I believe Carol Lynne has two different partners in mind for them). Eric and Zac's story is good, there is a right dose of conflict, that are almost immediately resolved, all the course of the book is very fast, in this respecting Zac's behavior that is, as I said, quite overwhelming. I have the feeling that Zac, other than being dominant in his personal relationship, he is also dominant in his everyday routing: he is the mainstay of all his friends (who, in fact, gather at his house), and so it's right that the first story is about him; I have the feeling that he will be a center characters in all the future stories.

Nice start for a promising series.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=442

Amazon Kindle: Poker Night: Texas Hold 'Em

Slow-Play (Poker Night 2) by Carol Lynne

The second in the Poker Night series is a nice may / december relationship, even if, apart telling the age of Jules, 43, there are no other hints that Jules is older than is lover Bobby.

Jules is an handsome and lonely doctor, and also a very wealthy man. The money doesn't come from his work but from family; apparently Jules was born in a lovely family and he grew happy and confident. At college he met his first love, and lover, Morgan, and they were fated to be happy together. As all the young people believe, they thought to have a life in front of them, and Jules devoted himself to his studies and career. But when he was only 27 years old, Morgan died in a car accident and Jules was left only with remorse. Worst, both his parents than his sister died for illness, and he, other than with remorse, was left also alone. It's a bad joke of destiny that Jules, a good doctor, was unable not only to save his lover but also his family. From all these tragedies, Jules comes out as a sad but still good man. He is not angry with the world, he is only disappointed of himself. He now devotes all of him to the hospital he works in and when he is at home, to restore old classic car: I don't know, maybe restoring old things that were fated to die gives him some peace, some relief from his sense of guilty.

Bobby is one of Zac's poker night friend. Like Jules he was born in a wealthy family, but unlike Jules, his parents were not supportive of him. He soon detached himself from them and tried to make his living restoring an old yacht to take around tourist. Only that he had money trouble, and his brother bought the leasing from the bank. It's was not a brotherly love gesture, instead he is now treating Bobby as an underpaid employer. After all this, Bobby has not a so good opinion of men coming from money, but Jules seems different. Actually it's not Bobby who brings Jules out of his mourning period, it's Jules who takes the chance to live again and talks Bobby into a relationship.

There are not much contrast between Jules and Bobby, their story flows nicely and easily. I like that the money factor was never a problem and that Jules has never tried to buy Bobby's love, not even unintentionally. The only few troubles between them are aroused by their respective misunderstandings, and they are all things they can work through with a bit of patient. Again the overall feeling is of a series about ordinary men living in ordinary places, the problems are common to most people, money trouble, past mistakes... and the solutions are simple as the problems are. The first two books in the Poker Night series have also a low drama profile, something that maybe will change in the third book, from what I could understand from the closing scene of this one.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=494

Amazon Kindle: Poker Night: Slow-Play

Amazon: Poker Night
Paperback: 258 pages
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing (July 21, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1907010920
ISBN-13: 978-1907010927

Reading List:

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




Cover Art by April Martinez

Lawyers In Love by Shawn Lane

Most Likely to Succeed by Shawn Lane

This is a light funny romp, with a Cinderfella atmosphere that I find really charming and sweet. In the first scene, Clark Sterling's employees are pulling out the shorter straw to decide who has to go and say to the boss that he is late for a meeting. From this presentation, you could have the idea that Clark is a scaring man, maybe cold and aloof. And instead he is a man with a tender heart who falls a bit to often for romance. The new clerk of the firm is obviously the man who has to enter the lion's lair: Thomas is young, cute but very clever. Actually I believe he is even more clever than Clark.

Clark is a self-made man, who probably had a bit of complex due to the abandonment of his father when he was still very young. He climbs the rank of society thanks more to hard work and tenacity than being ruthless. And I like also that he has integrity, he doesn't hide that he is gay, even if he also doesn't flaunt it as a flag (see the comment on the ban on gay marriage): Clark is quite at comfort with himself, he had bad love experience in the past, but he is not embittered and closed, he still believe in true love and he is still willing to give to love a chance. And so when young and pretty Thomas enters his office with starry eyes, he is lost.

Thomas has a little crush on his boss. He probably unconsciously chose to work for his firm for that reason: Thomas is a very good student, and probably he had a list of firm ready to hire him, but he chose Clark, and I'm not saying that he chose Clark's firm, he chose just Clark. Not that he is planning to seduce his boss or a torrid office affair... Thomas has still not realized that he is in love with his boss, and it will be Clark's task to hunt him down, even if Thomas is not at all a shifty prey.

Actually the big affair is only a question of few days, barely a week: in two weekends spent mostly in bed and at Disneyland plus some days at work, Clark and Thomas go from being employee and boss, to lovers, to possible life partners, to being torn apart by a stupid mistake. If not for the fact that both of them are incurable romantics it would have been not possible; and instead the story stands, and it's funny and enjoyable. I loved to see how Clark, piece by piece, dismantled his cool behavior (if he ever had one), to let you glimpse a different man, a bit naughty (public sex...), a bit housekeeper (breakfast in bed...), and a lot perfect dream man (big and posh house with hot tub). And I like also Thomas, who, other than being obviosly intelligent and good at work, is also a man who is fair enough to not lie down on a relationship that he knows not being the real thing, but who is also willing to risk everything when the real thing arrives.

There is one thing I didn't like, Clark's secretary... all right she has in mind only the good for Clark, and there is not even a personal reason to mistreat Thomas, but she didn't manage to rub my good side. I also found quite tactless that she spoke of Clark's past without his permission. I don't know, but I'm always fond of old faithful secretary, godmother style, and Agnes for me didn't enter the category.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/MostLikelySucceed.html

Amazon Kindle: Most Likely To Succeed

Amazon: Lawyers In Love (print book)

Reading List:

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

Les Hommes, Vol. 2 by Christiane France

The Gallery On Main Street by Christiane France

The book has a strange feeling, like a river which flows without interruption, sure of its target at the end of the path.

Martyn is an easy-to-go gay guy; he has yet no decided what to do in his life, and maybe he is counting a bit too much in the inheritance from his late Uncle Jack. But when the legacy occurs, it's bounded: he can't sell the Antiquity shop of his Uncle Jack for at least 10 years, and meantime he has to co-managed it with the other partner, the up-tight Simon.

From the first time he saw Simon, Martyn is attracted by the man, but they are like oil and water, they can't mix. There is something in Simon that irresistibly draws Martyn, but at the same time, when he is near the man, they seems to bounce off like opposite magnets. The something happens, Martyn suddenly decides that, instead of repel the man, he would like to go nearer to him, and from a dinner to a sunday spent working together, they find each other in an almost matrimonial routine.

Probably the main contrast issue in the story is Simon and Martyn's differences. Martyn is a young man still in that phase of life when he is not sure of what he would like to do as an adult, and instead Simon is arrived to the phase in which he wants to settle down and tighten some free ends. But after they overcome this problem, all the other aspects of their life match in a very smooth way, and nothing else prevent them to walk together hand in hand toward an happily ever after: I can really image these two, the emblem of the happy gay couple, two handsome antiquarians living peacefully together with a cat they treat like their baby.

This is a quite enjoyable short story, less than 45 pages, good if you want to rest and relax for a bit.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/GalleryMainStreet.html

Amazon Kindle: The Gallery On Main Street

Amazon: Les Hommes, Vol. 2 (print book)

Reading List:

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

The Searching Heart by Pepper Espinoza

(Just Like) Starting Over by Pepper Espinoza

I like a lot this short novel by Pepper Espinoza. It's really angst, it's not a simple and sweet romance, but I like it.

Guillermo Rivera, Guy, is a 27 years old Spanish MBA student; while he is in United States he had a bad car accident. Now, one month after, he not only has bad injuries that force him in a wheelchair, he has also a short term amnesia. He doesn't remember his previous life, nor who he knows or doesn't know in this stranger country. He needs a caregiver and lucky him he has Dane.

Dane is the perfect nurse, he always knows what Guy wants, like he has the memory that Guy lacks... he is so perfect that Guy is becoming dependent from the man. And it's not what Dane wants... Dane is not an unselfish nurse who is paid for doing a job. Dane is Guy's former lover, and in their past relationship, Dane did unforgivable things. But now Guy needs him, and Dane can't mistake a second time. This time he will do the right thing, and not to have a second chance with Guy, but to have a second chance for his own life: for Dane is vital to do at least one thing right, to have the right push to continue in doing the right thing.

Guy and Dane, in different way, are needing a caregiver: one for physical injuries and the other for emotional ones. In this perspective, Dane is not a saint, and he has his reasons to fear what will happen when Guy will remember everything.

Pepper Espinoza is very good in rendering Guillermo uncertain behavior the first day after the accident. The reader lives with him his fears, his needs of comfort and reassurance. And she is also very good in penning, with only few words, Dane's world and life outside the safe heaven of Guy's apartment. The story could be short, but it's a complete tale and very good.

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/JustLikeStartingOver.html

Amazon Kindle: (Just Like) Starting Over

Amazon: The Searching Heart (print book)

Reading List:

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

Poker Night by Carol Lynne

Texas Hold 'Em by Carol Lynne

This is the first book in a new series by Carol Lynne, the Poker Night series. As the title suggests, it's the story of a group of six buddyfriends who meet every two saturday at the home of one of them, Zac. All of them is an ordinary man, with an ordinary job, more or less of success, but all of them with a thing in common: they are all gays. What probably the author would like to pass to the reader is that being gay doesn't mean being "different", and above all being a stereotype. Zac, Marco, Kent, Trey, Bobby and Angelo, from different culture and family social status are exactly like all the other single men in the world, they are more or less interesting in having a comfortable house, a nice place where spend time with good friends, and possibly a nice man to share all of it. As Zac said, looking at his garage apartment, being gay didn't automatically turn him in Martha Stewart. But Zac was raised good by his mother and so it's funny to see him reprimand his friends when they "use" his house as a crashing point, and he directs them as a mother hen; Zac is a high school football coach and he has the tendency to be a director also in his private life. And this is the reason why, maybe, when he meets Eric for the first time, he immediately plan an attack strategy, and when he has caught the "prey", he tries to direct him as he does with his friends.

Eric is a young doctor who is doing his internship while at the same time he is trying to pay his student loans. He has also a side job as pizza delivery guy and so he matches the strange hours he does at the hospital with the even more strange hours of the pizza delivery thing. There is something in Eric past, in his family origin, that forced him to behave as a workaholic, and this is not a good thing, since Eric stretches the concept of responsible guy into almost being a maniac. While I actually found a bit overwhelming Zac's tendency to be the dominant partner in their relationship, I found his behavior more excusable than Eric. Zac is a bit insensible, maybe also a bit obtuse, but Eric is totally stubborn; and for a doctor, he is not exactly behaving in an healthy way.

Being this the opening book in a series, other than Eric and Zac's story, we have also a glimpse on the future characters, and from my side, I'm quite interested in reading Trey and Dr Peters' stories (not together, I believe Carol Lynne has two different partners in mind for them). Eric and Zac's story is good, there is a right dose of conflict, that are almost immediately resolved, all the course of the book is very fast, in this respecting Zac's behavior that is, as I said, quite overwhelming. I have the feeling that Zac, other than being dominant in his personal relationship, he is also dominant in his everyday routing: he is the mainstay of all his friends (who, in fact, gather at his house), and so it's right that the first story is about him; I have the feeling that he will be a center characters in all the future stories.

Nice start for a promising series.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=442

Amazon Kindle: Poker Night: Texas Hold 'Em

Slow-Play (Poker Night 2) by Carol Lynne

The second in the Poker Night series is a nice may / december relationship, even if, apart telling the age of Jules, 43, there are no other hints that Jules is older than is lover Bobby.

Jules is an handsome and lonely doctor, and also a very wealthy man. The money doesn't come from his work but from family; apparently Jules was born in a lovely family and he grew happy and confident. At college he met his first love, and lover, Morgan, and they were fated to be happy together. As all the young people believe, they thought to have a life in front of them, and Jules devoted himself to his studies and career. But when he was only 27 years old, Morgan died in a car accident and Jules was left only with remorse. Worst, both his parents than his sister died for illness, and he, other than with remorse, was left also alone. It's a bad joke of destiny that Jules, a good doctor, was unable not only to save his lover but also his family. From all these tragedies, Jules comes out as a sad but still good man. He is not angry with the world, he is only disappointed of himself. He now devotes all of him to the hospital he works in and when he is at home, to restore old classic car: I don't know, maybe restoring old things that were fated to die gives him some peace, some relief from his sense of guilty.

Bobby is one of Zac's poker night friend. Like Jules he was born in a wealthy family, but unlike Jules, his parents were not supportive of him. He soon detached himself from them and tried to make his living restoring an old yacht to take around tourist. Only that he had money trouble, and his brother bought the leasing from the bank. It's was not a brotherly love gesture, instead he is now treating Bobby as an underpaid employer. After all this, Bobby has not a so good opinion of men coming from money, but Jules seems different. Actually it's not Bobby who brings Jules out of his mourning period, it's Jules who takes the chance to live again and talks Bobby into a relationship.

There are not much contrast between Jules and Bobby, their story flows nicely and easily. I like that the money factor was never a problem and that Jules has never tried to buy Bobby's love, not even unintentionally. The only few troubles between them are aroused by their respective misunderstandings, and they are all things they can work through with a bit of patient. Again the overall feeling is of a series about ordinary men living in ordinary places, the problems are common to most people, money trouble, past mistakes... and the solutions are simple as the problems are. The first two books in the Poker Night series have also a low drama profile, something that maybe will change in the third book, from what I could understand from the closing scene of this one.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=494

Amazon Kindle: Poker Night: Slow-Play

Amazon: Poker Night
Paperback: 258 pages
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing (July 21, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1907010920
ISBN-13: 978-1907010927

Reading List:

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




Cover Art by April Martinez

Cattle Valley 5 by Carol Lynne

Gone Surfin' (Cattle Valley 9) by Carol Lynne

In the past books on the Catlle Valley gay soap opera it seemed that everyone found love in this Wyoming small town. But there is one man that has found love elsewhere, and it's just the first citizen, the major of Cattle Valley. During his last winter holiday, Quade fell in love for Kai, a younger professional surfer; their relationship was doomed, 12 years of age difference and thousand of mile of distance divided the two lovers, but that seems not important for their heart. After 10 months Quade is still pining for Kai, and Kai decides to surprise his lover; he arrives in Cattle Valley during one of the worst snow storm ever: not exactly the right impression for Kai to have of the city Quade loves so much. Kai is all in all a tropical flower and to force him to live in Wyoming is like killing his joy.

I like how Carol Lynne built Kai's character: he is young and naivee, all in all the innocent young man you will expect from someone who has always lived day per day in a free style manner. Kai has never really had much trouble in his life, he is content with the few he has and he doesn't wish for more, at least not now. But he is not selfish, he would be ready to turn upside down his life for the love of Quade. Problem is that it's quite obvious that where Quade probably would be able to live everywhere, it's not the same for Kai.

As I already noticed in the previous books, there is an high and down pacing in this series: some books are very moving, almost dramatic, some others are nice and quiet, without too much angst. This one belongs to the second type: Quade and Kai are already in love when the book starts, so there is no play of take and let it go between them, and the reader knows that they have only to find a way to shorten the distance between them (and not only the physical one). The big question is: will Quade leave the winter paradise of Cattle Valley, or will Kai discover that he can be a surfer also in Cattle Valley, maybe with a board on the snow instead that on the sea?

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=407

Amazon Kindle: Cattle Valley: Gone Surfin'

The Last Bouquet (Cattle Valley 10) by Carol Lynne

What I started to call probably after the third or fourth episode, the Gay Soap Opera is arrived to its tenth installment. Even if from the blurb it could seem that this was only the story of Hearn and Tyler, it's instead also the story of Nate and his double-the-love partners Rio and Ryan.

One of the thing that I like of this soap opera, and probably the reason why a lot of people continue to buy book after book, is that the author introduces her characters little by little, giving some hints on their story in the book of other couples, to then devote an entire book only to them. In this way, no one of the characters is really dropped after you finish a book, since you continue to find them wandering around the city, Cattle Valley, an utopia city for LGBT people, and maybe come back on the front line like for Nate in this last book.

In one of the previous book we read how Hearn lost his lover Mitch in a car accident that involved also Tyler, his best friend. In following books, we learn how Mitch wasn't exactly a saint, cheating behind Hearn's shoulder, but Hearn continues to mourn his lost lover. People could think that he is destroyed by the pain, and instead he is eating alive by remorse. Hearn didn't love Mitch when he died, and hadn't had for years. Mitch treated him like a lesser man, always putting him down. Hearn had started to have feelings for Tyler and when Mitch died after a bitter confrontation over Tyler, Hearn thought he didn't deserve the love of a good man like Tyler.

Tyler, the florist of Cattle Valley, is a tiny and shy man who can't stand violence. From an abusive family, Tyler needs the peace and quiet that his work as florist allows him to have. He is bringing a torch for Hearn for years, but he has not the courage to confess it. But they live in a small town, and their friend intervene, someone needs to tell to Hearn how Mitch really was. Obviously there is an happy ending for Tyler and Hearn and this is something I like in this series: the author usually didn't spend all her time in letting us read the trouble two men as to face to getting together to end the book when they finally get together. Usually the odds of their relationship are surpassed quite soon, and the reader have plenty to read about their happiness together.

Then maybe Carol Lynne picks up those same characters again later for another story, like Nate Gills. Nate, Ryan and Rio were the first threesome to introduce the new series of Cattle Valley, spin off of a previous series Good-time boys. During all the following books, they grew with the series and the city, and they are almost the core of the series, all turn around them. And now the author decides to give Nate a little more space, telling a bit more on his past. Nate is the naughty elf of Cattle Valley, and his new story serves to Carol Lynne to write some nice and erotic sex scenes. Hearn and Tyler are the sweet couple of this new book, they have their share of sex, but all in all, they tend to be more sweet than erotic; on the other hand, Nate confirms is naughty core, and the scene that involves chocolate sauce and a threesome is quite nice.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=419

Amazon Kindle: Cattle Valley: The Last Bouquet

Amazon: Cattle Valley: Gone Surfin' / The Last Bouquet
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing (July 21, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1907010904
ISBN-13: 978-1907010903

Series: Cattle Valley
1-2) Cattle Valley 1: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/211609.html
3-4) Cattle Valley 2: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/285655.html
5-6) Cattle Valley 3: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/326486.html
7-8) Cattle Valley 4: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/405427.html
9-10) Cattle Valley 5

Reading List:

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




Cover Art by April Martinez

Behind the Cover: Franco Accornero

Franco Accornero is one of the "name" of romance cover artists, with Daeni or Duilio. So many covers and stepbacks that is almost impossible to list. Unfortunately, he has not an official website, but I recently bought his Postcard Book with wonderful covers in postcard format.

Caught in the webs of passion lovers surrender to their feverish desires on these romance novel covers. In an all-new extra-large format this postcard collection will make for a steamy and romantic correspondence.



( more pics )

If you are a romance collector like me, you can buy it here:

Unbridled Passion Postcard Book

Behind the Cover: Franco Accornero

Franco Accornero is one of the "name" of romance cover artists, with Daeni or Duilio. So many covers and stepbacks that is almost impossible to list. Unfortunately, he has not an official website, but I recently bought his Postcard Book with wonderful covers in postcard format.

Caught in the webs of passion lovers surrender to their feverish desires on these romance novel covers. In an all-new extra-large format this postcard collection will make for a steamy and romantic correspondence.



( more pics )

If you are a romance collector like me, you can buy it here:

Unbridled Passion Postcard Book

The Adventures Of Nico And Gianni: London 1712 by J.J. Sagmiller

The Adventures of Nico and Gianni, London 1712, is, like the title lets presume, a farce set in the world of theatre, opera and more of the XVIII century. I'm not using the word "farce" in a derogative way, but in the way it was used many years ago, to describe a play, comedy or drama, where the necessity to be real was not the main purpose of the story. The story had to be entertaining, and various, and possible full of surprise, that always left the reader wondering. And then, if there was also a love story or two, maybe complicated, maybe interconnected, even better.

The Adventures of Nico and Gianni is all of this, and if it manages to be also an in deep view on the world of Opera and the life of castrati who sang it, even better. Nico is a 19 years old castrato from Neaples (Napoli); he has quite a good life in Neaples, but nothing special, since he is one among the many castrati who are raised in the local music college. So he decides to find his success in London, where Lord John, a wealthy aristocratic Englishman is founding a new theatrical company. Right the day he is living Neaples, his childhood friend, 17 years old Gianni, another castrato, decides to join him: Gianni, like Nico, is an orphan, and he was raised inside the church. At nine years old they were operated, and while Nico found his path outside the church, Gianni is almost taken captive by a powerful cardinal who uses him like a plaything. Gianni has a good and innocent nature, but he is suffering from this situation and Nico has no heart to leave him alone.

And here there is another thing that make the story more a farce than a real historical drama: all the characters, especially the Italian ones, bore a name that is the description of their attitude; Nico is "Premuroso" than in English sounds like "attentive", Gianni is "Frivolo" than means "frivolous", but there are also a Claudio "Indegno" (unworthy), villain of the story, a Giulio Cantabile (singable), composer; among the English characters, there are Mrs Busybody, matchmaker, Herbert Heartsease, lover, Peter Penetrable, he-whore, Dr Knitbone, a doctor... Just from the name you can identify the character, exactly like in those Italian farces where the same role was played always by the same mask, so that the spectator could easily identify the role.

When Nico and Gianni arrive in London, they discover that there is only one role left for a male soprano and two roles for female soprano... the decision is soon taken, Gianni with his very feminine feature will audition for the female role as Giannina. Things go so well that Nico is taken as second male soprano, and Gianni, now Giannina, is the first female soprano. On the same opera there is also another Italian castrato, Claudio Indegno, who is not so happy to see his position of best male soprano put in danger by these new arrivals.

The opera is a success and Giannina draws the attention of their benefactor, Lord John; at the same time Nico falls in love for Lord John's best friend, Robert. While Nico has to not deny his true nature since Robert is like him, a man drawn by his same sex, Gianni doesn't unveil his true identity to "her" suitor, Lord John. Meanwhile other characters enter the scene, like Mrs Busybody, a female columnist for The Spectator, a local newspaper, who is a bit too masculine to be a real woman, and Herbert, her "nephew", a Danish man who was raised by pirates, and rescued by Mrs Busybody when he was 10.

Among performance, odd parties, raid from the police, processes for sodomy or attempt to sodomy (with a fine but important distinction), lost and found sons, improbable masking, and even some cameo appearance form Queen Anne, the Adventures of Nico and Gianni go on, always with a light mood rather than drama. All in all, Nico and Gianni are two young men caught in a world bigger than them, all they want is to find a true and sincere love; in a way Gianni is luckier than Nico, he immediately finds his true love in John, but their is an impossible love, due to the little "surprise" Gianni is bringing under his gown. Nico instead is torn between Robert, his perfect dream man, noble but maybe a bit detached (and truth be told, I don't like him so much), and poor but sincere Herbert, with his big body, his strange accent and his gentle behaviour; where Robert is cultured and clever, Herbert is maybe more simple, but I like him better.

So if you are searching romance, other than adventures, in this story there is plenty, and I will give an important hint to the romantic hearts: don't worry, thanks to the fact that the story is maybe not too "serious", I believe that you will not be disappointed by how it wraps up. I don't know if it makes sense, but the story is not serious, but the history is very detailed; what I mean is that unrealistic characters (or at least characters with an unrealistic development) are immersed in a very realistic setting. The details on the time, places, even custom and dresses, are very much true; I have the feeling that also the history lover will not be disappointed by this book. It’s like I read not an historical novel, but a novel written by a man of that age who wanted to be over the lines.

Amazon: The Adventures Of Nico And Gianni: London 1712

Reading List:

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


Cover Art by Eon Alan Day

The Adventures Of Nico And Gianni: London 1712 by J.J. Sagmiller

The Adventures of Nico and Gianni, London 1712, is, like the title lets presume, a farce set in the world of theatre, opera and more of the XVIII century. I'm not using the word "farce" in a derogative way, but in the way it was used many years ago, to describe a play, comedy or drama, where the necessity to be real was not the main purpose of the story. The story had to be entertaining, and various, and possible full of surprise, that always left the reader wondering. And then, if there was also a love story or two, maybe complicated, maybe interconnected, even better.

The Adventures of Nico and Gianni is all of this, and if it manages to be also an in deep view on the world of Opera and the life of castrati who sang it, even better. Nico is a 19 years old castrato from Neaples (Napoli); he has quite a good life in Neaples, but nothing special, since he is one among the many castrati who are raised in the local music college. So he decides to find his success in London, where Lord John, a wealthy aristocratic Englishman is founding a new theatrical company. Right the day he is living Neaples, his childhood friend, 17 years old Gianni, another castrato, decides to join him: Gianni, like Nico, is an orphan, and he was raised inside the church. At nine years old they were operated, and while Nico found his path outside the church, Gianni is almost taken captive by a powerful cardinal who uses him like a plaything. Gianni has a good and innocent nature, but he is suffering from this situation and Nico has no heart to leave him alone.

And here there is another thing that make the story more a farce than a real historical drama: all the characters, especially the Italian ones, bore a name that is the description of their attitude; Nico is "Premuroso" than in English sounds like "attentive", Gianni is "Frivolo" than means "frivolous", but there are also a Claudio "Indegno" (unworthy), villain of the story, a Giulio Cantabile (singable), composer; among the English characters, there are Mrs Busybody, matchmaker, Herbert Heartsease, lover, Peter Penetrable, he-whore, Dr Knitbone, a doctor... Just from the name you can identify the character, exactly like in those Italian farces where the same role was played always by the same mask, so that the spectator could easily identify the role.

When Nico and Gianni arrive in London, they discover that there is only one role left for a male soprano and two roles for female soprano... the decision is soon taken, Gianni with his very feminine feature will audition for the female role as Giannina. Things go so well that Nico is taken as second male soprano, and Gianni, now Giannina, is the first female soprano. On the same opera there is also another Italian castrato, Claudio Indegno, who is not so happy to see his position of best male soprano put in danger by these new arrivals.

The opera is a success and Giannina draws the attention of their benefactor, Lord John; at the same time Nico falls in love for Lord John's best friend, Robert. While Nico has to not deny his true nature since Robert is like him, a man drawn by his same sex, Gianni doesn't unveil his true identity to "her" suitor, Lord John. Meanwhile other characters enter the scene, like Mrs Busybody, a female columnist for The Spectator, a local newspaper, who is a bit too masculine to be a real woman, and Herbert, her "nephew", a Danish man who was raised by pirates, and rescued by Mrs Busybody when he was 10.

Among performance, odd parties, raid from the police, processes for sodomy or attempt to sodomy (with a fine but important distinction), lost and found sons, improbable masking, and even some cameo appearance form Queen Anne, the Adventures of Nico and Gianni go on, always with a light mood rather than drama. All in all, Nico and Gianni are two young men caught in a world bigger than them, all they want is to find a true and sincere love; in a way Gianni is luckier than Nico, he immediately finds his true love in John, but their is an impossible love, due to the little "surprise" Gianni is bringing under his gown. Nico instead is torn between Robert, his perfect dream man, noble but maybe a bit detached (and truth be told, I don't like him so much), and poor but sincere Herbert, with his big body, his strange accent and his gentle behaviour; where Robert is cultured and clever, Herbert is maybe more simple, but I like him better.

So if you are searching romance, other than adventures, in this story there is plenty, and I will give an important hint to the romantic hearts: don't worry, thanks to the fact that the story is maybe not too "serious", I believe that you will not be disappointed by how it wraps up. I don't know if it makes sense, but the story is not serious, but the history is very detailed; what I mean is that unrealistic characters (or at least characters with an unrealistic development) are immersed in a very realistic setting. The details on the time, places, even custom and dresses, are very much true; I have the feeling that also the history lover will not be disappointed by this book. It’s like I read not an historical novel, but a novel written by a man of that age who wanted to be over the lines.

Amazon: The Adventures Of Nico And Gianni: London 1712

Reading List:

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


Cover Art by Eon Alan Day