Jackson’s Pride (In the Company of Men 2) by Lynn Lorenz

Jackson was the bastard son of a medieval duke. He has gained his life like a mercenary and he is pretty good at it. Tall and strong, a very impressive man, he doesn't seem and gentle man, and instead he is almost shy, he speaks few times, but his honor and word is his most important treasure.

So when his estranged father asks to him to come back home, he leaves the role of master of arms of a good duke and takes the road toward home. But during the path he meets William, a noble man who was beaten almost to death from the father of the boy he was kissing outside a tavern. Also William is the son of a duke, but he is the beloved legitimate second son and even if he will not inherited the title he has a loving family. Only that he prefers to roam the country in search of what even he doesn't know. But when he meets Jackson he thinks to have found finally his companion.

Still Jackson doesn't judge himself to be to the same level of William, not before his father recognizes him as a legitimate son. And so, even if he is deeply in love with William, he must leave him to fullfill his promise to go home. When and if his father will change his will, in this case Jackson will return to William.

Like the first book by Lynn Lorenz, Jackson's Pride is the classical savage historical romance, with the twist that both the heroes are men. But for all the other aspect, it's a true old historical romance: the bastard son of a duke, with no money but with honor, the fair heroine (in this case hero), with long blond hair and all vows of eternal love even if his beloved is a commoner not to his level, even the evil stepbrother of the hero with a castle full of beaten servants. Plus Jackson's Pride reminds me one of my favourite historical romance, Defy Not the Heart by Johanna Lindsey (one of the first romance I think where I found a gay character, the best friend of the heroine is a gay man who at first hits on the hero, only then to be scared by him for all the book).

I like very much William's characters, even if he is clearly the weaker in body, he is a strong man. He has the courage of his action but he is not a man who is embittered by his sad past. And he is ready to love again. He is open to love. Instead Jackson, even if is a good character, it's somewhat closed, also he sees the man on man relationship more like a companionship than a relationship; sometime I have the feel he chosed to be with man, cause he thinks a woman will be too weak for him... but don't misunderstand me, I like him, he is only a bi more brooding than the solar William.

Jackson's Pride is a medium long book that the historical romance fans will read in a rush.

http://www.loose-id.net/detail.aspx?ID=700

Amazon: Jackson's Pride

Series: In the Company of Men
1) The Mercenary's Tale: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/243092.html
2) Jackson’s Pride

Reading List:

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


Cover Art by Chirstine M. Griffin

Hearts Of New Orleans by Lynn Lorenz

Pinky Swear by Lynn Lorenz

Even if from the blurb this novella seems about two grown men who have to come to pact with their common youth, it’s really all about those two boys growing up together and gay, with only each other as referent role model.

Lane is the good boy, studious and diligent, always ready to share the little he has with his best friend Matt; Lane is not from a wealthy family, but his parents replace the lack of material things with plenty of love, and Lane knows that, despite everything in the future waiting for him, he will always have a family to come back home. Matt is not so lucky, he has only a drunken father who for sure is not willing, or able to understand Matt.

When Matt comes out to Lane when they are 15 years old, to Lane is a big surprise: he never imagined that perfect Matt, since Matt to his eyes is all he thinks to be beautiful and desirable, other than sharing a friendship with him, shared also his forbidden desires for other guys. But even if Lane has a good life and loving parents, he is irremediably shy, and he can’t see what other guys can find in him; and probably he is right, since no one has ever spent enough time near him to see the kind and wonderful soul he has. Only Matt, and Matt thinks at Lane as someone pure and untouchable, someone who will never come down enough to be at his same level.

Matt and Lane dance around each other for all their young years, to finally arrive to a night when their unrequited feelings for each other are too much and burst out in a rush. But again, they leave their bodies talk, but words are still locked inside their hearts. It will be years, and an imminent danger to push them to finally open the safes that are their heart, and obviously everything is easier in that way.

This is a very sweet, romantic, and even sexy tale. Other than the two main characters, Lane and Matt, there are other nice supporting role, like Lane’s parents and Sebastian, the 80 years old fairy godmother (and the fairy definition was never more suitable than in this case): they represent the solid basis on which both Lane and Matt are able to fond their life to become good men. An example to follow and always ready to give good advices; and at time, even the voice of your conscience to remind that you can be better than what you think.

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

Amazon Kindle: Pinky Swear

My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys by Lynn Lorenz

This novella is a nice romp, funny, light and sexy. Simon and Charles are two average gay men, average like their jobs and their names: Simon is an hotel manager and Charles a wine distributor; no dangerous or risky jobs for them, no chances at all. And usually they are not even daring at love, being those men that at clubs stay in the shadow, that yes, they can find company if they want, but there is no passion or love at first sight. As they don’t dare at work they don’t dare at love. But like a gay guardian angel, Francis, Simon’s boss, unwittingly gives them an help: he throws a masked ball, where people have to dress as stags or drags, and Simon is chosen to be in drags while Charles will be a stag.

Simon and Charles have never met before, but they both go to the same shop to find the perfect costume. When Charles sees Simon an idea struck him, to fulfil his childish daydream to play a naughty version of Cowboys and Indians, with Simon playing the role of the Native American Princess. Even if Charles at first plays with Simon not telling him that they will be at the same party, it’s not the “secret” the turning point of the story, and there is no complain in Simon when he finds out: both men are ready and willing to play, and the main focus of the story is to be able for them to let the children in them go out to play.

It’s not that Simon and Charles are boring or aloof, they are only not daring enough to wear out how they feel inside, and the masks will help them to do exactly that. Beneath the costumes and the make up, the real Simon and Charles are able to come out, the masquerade helps them to be plainly exposed. After this night, maybe Simon and Charles will also be able to retain a bit of that courage, and if to do that they need a little help, like eyeliner to remember the naughty Native American Princess, well it will be a small price to pay to find happiness.

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

Amazon Kindle: My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/HeartsNewOrleans.html (print book)

Amazon: Hearts Of New Orleans

Reading List:

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

Man and Wolf by Kate Roman

Aside from the cover that caught me in and didn’t let me go (the two men on it are really handsome but with a sweet aura on them and they are perfect for the role they have in the book), this story was surprisingly tender, a paranormal setting with an homemade pie taste.

Rob is a werewolf, but he is not born like that; he was a foster kid and he was used as guinea pig by some crazy scientist, and when he finally managed to escape, it was to a life of loneliness. His only companion is a big female malamute, a stray dog he rescued from the street he named Bella. When Bella is food poisoned, Rob desperately seeks help at Jamie’s vet clinic.

Usually the werewolf partner in a romance is the strong element, and indeed Rob is strong as a wolf, but he is also still that little foster kid who probably only dreamed of a family and instead had a long nightmare. Rob is not self-confident of his wolf nature, he is scared by it; plus Rob has also a sweet nature, he has not the streak of a killer, despite what those scientists wanted from him. He is forced to be the alpha male of his small pack, but indeed I think that Bella is the strongest of them all, the real protector of their little family, and even Jaime, even if he is only a man, is stronger than Rob, at least since he has more steady basis.

Indeed there is a funny intake on the story, who better companion Rob could find other than a vet? Someone who is able to take care of him whenever he is a man or a wolf? But this is only a joke I did with myself, indeed the story has quite an angst development, but as I said, it never goes beyond the space limit of the neighbourhood where they live, of the small apartment where they start to know and love each other. This is not a novel with huge spaces or really dangerous developments, so that, when Rob talks about his past, even the reader has some difficult to believe him, since he is not some invincible paranormal hero, bent upon taking vengeance of who mistreated him, he is more a family guy who needs someone to take care of him and cuddle him at night, when the nightmares come back to haunt him.

The love relationship between Rob and Jaime is sudden but deep; almost immediately they go to the next level, sharing not only sex but also commitment; Rob is very physical, probably the half animal side of him needs the reassurance of the body warm, of the contact and smell. Rob is very intense, demanding a lot in bed but he is never selfish; he is desperate for love but willing to give as much as he receives if not more. He is also very emotional, his heart and feelings are really on the surface, he is easy to hurt but also to please.

Jaime is everything for Rob, and he becomes an almost unwilling protector; Jaime is not usually the character you will see as a hero, on the contrary he is more the type someone else should protect. But he is also generous and open, and those are more important characteristics for Rob than being strong. Strength he has, love he has not.

http://www.loose-id.com/Man-and-Wolf.aspx

Amazon: Man and Wolf

Amazon Kindle: Man and Wolf

Reading List:

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


Cover Art by April Martinez

Man and Wolf by Kate Roman

Aside from the cover that caught me in and didn’t let me go (the two men on it are really handsome but with a sweet aura on them and they are perfect for the role they have in the book), this story was surprisingly tender, a paranormal setting with an homemade pie taste.

Rob is a werewolf, but he is not born like that; he was a foster kid and he was used as guinea pig by some crazy scientist, and when he finally managed to escape, it was to a life of loneliness. His only companion is a big female malamute, a stray dog he rescued from the street he named Bella. When Bella is food poisoned, Rob desperately seeks help at Jamie’s vet clinic.

Usually the werewolf partner in a romance is the strong element, and indeed Rob is strong as a wolf, but he is also still that little foster kid who probably only dreamed of a family and instead had a long nightmare. Rob is not self-confident of his wolf nature, he is scared by it; plus Rob has also a sweet nature, he has not the streak of a killer, despite what those scientists wanted from him. He is forced to be the alpha male of his small pack, but indeed I think that Bella is the strongest of them all, the real protector of their little family, and even Jaime, even if he is only a man, is stronger than Rob, at least since he has more steady basis.

Indeed there is a funny intake on the story, who better companion Rob could find other than a vet? Someone who is able to take care of him whenever he is a man or a wolf? But this is only a joke I did with myself, indeed the story has quite an angst development, but as I said, it never goes beyond the space limit of the neighbourhood where they live, of the small apartment where they start to know and love each other. This is not a novel with huge spaces or really dangerous developments, so that, when Rob talks about his past, even the reader has some difficult to believe him, since he is not some invincible paranormal hero, bent upon taking vengeance of who mistreated him, he is more a family guy who needs someone to take care of him and cuddle him at night, when the nightmares come back to haunt him.

The love relationship between Rob and Jaime is sudden but deep; almost immediately they go to the next level, sharing not only sex but also commitment; Rob is very physical, probably the half animal side of him needs the reassurance of the body warm, of the contact and smell. Rob is very intense, demanding a lot in bed but he is never selfish; he is desperate for love but willing to give as much as he receives if not more. He is also very emotional, his heart and feelings are really on the surface, he is easy to hurt but also to please.

Jaime is everything for Rob, and he becomes an almost unwilling protector; Jaime is not usually the character you will see as a hero, on the contrary he is more the type someone else should protect. But he is also generous and open, and those are more important characteristics for Rob than being strong. Strength he has, love he has not.

http://www.loose-id.com/Man-and-Wolf.aspx

Amazon: Man and Wolf

Amazon Kindle: Man and Wolf

Reading List:

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


Cover Art by April Martinez