The Long Way Home by Z.A. Maxfield

This is the second book I read by Z.A. Maxfield and this is the second time that she takes me up at night till the few hours; this time I was not able to finish the book in one session, since it's really long, almost 290 pages all filled up of words. And truth be told, the book deserves more attention and less sleep deprivation, since it's a mix of romance and mystery.

Kevin is a former cop, now suspense romance writer. He lives almost like an hermit in Wyoming, in an auto inflected isolation; six years before he was in a car accident, the reason why he is now a retired cop, but with a blind eye and a limp in a leg, he went out from the accident with also another "gift": he has now some psychic powers that he isn't able to manage. Probably the fact that he isolated himself in a ranch and avoids human contact is part of the reason of his inability to deal with people. Actually he is not really all alone: he has a dog and a friends with benefits relationship with his dog's vet, so all in all he is pretty set. Kevin is openly gay, he came out at 15 years old and as stubborn as a teen can be, he believes that his family never accepted him; and since Kevin is now older, but still stubborn, he still believes to not having a loving family.

The only link with his family is his brother in law Carl, a LAPD detective who sometime asks him help. Last time ended pretty badly and Kevin is not willing to risk again, but when is old dog passed away and Carl asks help and it's Christmas season... well Kevin can't refuse. When he arrives at Los Angeles, he is paired with one of Carl's colleagues and friends, Connor. At first Connor doesn't believe in Kevin's psychic skill, but he is tired to seeing missing boys every month or so without having any clue. In Connor's personal story, there is an event that makes him way too involved in this case. 

They are a strange pair Connor and Kevin; there is no real dominant character between them. Connor is younger and has some issues with his past, so this put him in a bottom role; but he is also well connect with his own family and also with Kevin's family, and so he has the output strenght from a steady environment. Kevin on the other hand his older (five years more or less) and experienced, both in life and sex; he should be the top, but he is all in all a typical bottom: he likes to be wooed, he relates to his partner in more things other than sex; and then he needs the family steadiness that Connor has.

The setting is very nice: a mix of suspense thriller and Cinderfella story; all Kevin's family and Connor are involved in the police department, with the typical middle class upbringing that derives from it, but Connor is from a wealthy Irish family, and this means big mansion in the hills and private boat on a country club, but also big and obtrusive family environment. Again, like for the two main characters, also the setting is a strange mix that is successfully mixed together.

Last the suspense element... usually I'm not a mystery lover, but I'm quite good to find the villain in the story; but in this case, till almost the end, my guess still was uncertain on two possible endings. Well, I was good enough to have at least one of the guess right!

Amazon Kindle: The Long Way Home
Publisher: Maxfield Publishing (August 14, 2012)

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

GayRomLit Ebook Giveaway: Amber Kell - Switching Payne

I asked to all the authors joining the GayRomLit convention in Albuquerque in October (http://gayromlit.com/authors.php) a personal favor, a special Ebook Giveaway: every day I will post 1 book from each author, and among those who will leave a comment, I will draw a winner. Very easy and very fast ;-) I will send a PM to the winner, so remember to not leave anonymous comments! (comments close on August 16)

And the ebook giveaway goes to: Juliana Akers, please contact me.

Today author is Amber Kell (http://www.amberkell.wordpress.com/)

Switching Payne by Amber Kell
Publisher: Silver Publishing (May 19, 2012)
Amazon Kindle: Switching Payne

Payne's abusive past raises a barrier in his relationship with Braxton, but they love each other enough to work around it. When they meet Flame, a solution to their problem might be at hand.

While the path to love is never smooth, three men prove harder to balance than two and Flame isn't sure if he's ready to be part of a trio. But Brax and Payne are determined to make Flame part of their family and the combined power of men in love won't be denied… even when death tries to knock on their door.

After two life-altering events, Payne realizes in order to keep the happiness he’s found, he can’t let the past rule control his future.

Between Two Worlds by Shelter Somerset

It’s always too easy to fall in an usual path while trying to deal with a subject that already many other authors used, and sometime abused, but I think Shelter Somerset did an honest job to the Amish community. And I’m using the word honest with all the positive meaning it bears.

First of all, the author didn’t idealize the Amish people, they are not some sort of perfect peace dream but they are not even those evil cartoon characters you read sometime about. They are people with different principles than most of who is living around them, but they are not even trying to impose those principles, they only want to be allowed to live by that.

Even if Aiden shares some of their idea, like living in the country a more simple life, far from the fast-moving rhythm of the big city, there is no way he could really live with the Amish; even if him being agnostic can be overcome, finding the faith is not an uncommon event, Aiden is gay and there is no way the Amish people will accept that, not even in a romance novel. Moreover if he wants to have a partner; if you are gay, and you want to remain in the community, you have only two options, being forever chaste or marrying a woman. That is what Daniel did, but in a way, I think that, for who harsh it can sound, God didn’t agree with Daniel’s choice, and He intervened.

Daniel will do everything in his powers to avoid Aiden and his blossoming feelings for him. This is not a novel about clandestine meetings in the dark, or about Daniel taking a decision more out of passion than anything else. Actually I think these two men shared barely a moment of intimacy that neither developed in a real kiss. All the novel is about what you want and what you have to do, and how hard taking these paths can be.

I liked both Daniel than Aiden, I think both of them have their feet firmly on the ground, and even if they are more than capable to feel love and passion, they don’t let those feelings pushing them, or at least they don’t let them hurrying their steps. With quiet and reasoning, they will arrive to the right point, sooner or later.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2288

Amazon: Between Two Worlds
Amazon Kindle: Between Two Worlds
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (May 2, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1615818847
ISBN-13: 978-1615818846

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