reviews_and_ramblings | 2009 Rainbow Awards: Best Contemporary Novel

And the Rainbow Award goes to:

1) Collision Course by K.A. Mitchell, Samhain Publishing

"I love Aaron & Joey, this is one of my comfort reads for when I'm feeling down." Shanghi

Paramedic Aaron Chase doesn't have anything against love, but he knows it means a lot of responsibility, like when he had to step in to raise his siblings. With the last one off to college, Aaron's anticipating enjoying life on his own terms. He certainly isn't expecting Joey Miller to accidentally drop into his life. Sexy, funny and annoyingly optimistic, Joey's tendency to get into trouble keeps sending him Aaron's way; Joey knows all about love. He's fallen in it ten times. All that experience has to count for something, right? With Aaron it's different. Joey's fallen for good.

2) A Note in the Margin by Isabelle Rowan, Dreamspinner Press

John McCann, a man who judges life by the tally of an accounts ledger, has a supreme goal in life: To achieve, live, and enjoy the rarified executive lifestyle. But he's encountered one problem: The migraines are going to continue to get worse unless you make some major changes in your lifestyle. What you need is a 'sea change'... Perhaps buy a nice little business in the country, settle down, something easier to occupy your time... While John knows the doctor is right, he just can't resign from the job he's fought so hard for. He decides the sacrifice of taking a year's leave of absence won't interfere too much with his plans, and so he finds himself running Margins, a cozy little bookstore, with the help of the former owner's son, Jamie. John expects to put in his year, get his stress under control, and then get back to business. What John doesn't expect is how Margins and its denizens draw him in, particularly the quiet, disheveled man who takes refuge in the old leather chair in the second-hand book section. John's plans for an unattached year of simple business crumble when he meets David and is forced to reevaluate life, love and what he really wants from both. John and David are forced to come to terms with their pasts as they struggle to determine what possible future they might build together.

3) That´s what brothers do by Derekica Snake, Lulu Press

"Initially, I found the world a little unbelievable. But I think that may have been because I live a very sheltered life. If I actually thought about ( and I did ) the cases I read about in London, with brothels being worked by underworld bosses, using young girls, usually girls without passports, who through no fault of their own have no choice in the matter, I began to see that, Yes, it is 'possible' that this could happen, and I found the utter ruthlessness of the organisation very believable indeed. I couldn't help finding the initial premise a little far fetched. I couldn't believe that a 14 year old boy would take this all on himself or the ease with which the father let this all happen. Even after discovering that the main character wasn't the fathers natural son, I still found it hard to believe that the man could live this way, allowing his son to pay for his own ( the father's ) mistakes with so LITTLE resistance. I realise the father wanted to protect his daughters, it just seemed he 'accepted' it all a little easily. I just did not find that father a believable character at all. I found the mob wife unbelievable too. Although, the gang bosses, I thought the author did a good job showing their ruthlessness, so I found those to be very believable. The central character, well I wax and wane over him, most times believable, sometimes not though. Altogether, this was a very enjoyable story, and because the author was not frightened to show how ruthless this world could be, I never knew what was coming next. I expected ...the unexpected!" Rosie

"OMG! What a awesome surprise! This beautifully written love story had me in tears. A very emotional story of loss, love & redemption. I definitely recommend this book to anyone." Shanghi

To save his family, he sold his innocence. To save his sisters, he sold his body. To save his love, he sold his soul. Why? That's what brothers do...

Honorable Mention:
4) Kelland by Paul G. Bens Jr., Casperian Books
5) Faith & Fidelity by Tere Michaels, Loose Id
6) The Complete Dr Fell Vol 1: Lost by Syd McGinley, Torquere Books
7) Self Preservation by Ethan Day, Loose Id
8-tie) Gaylife.com by Neil Plakcy, MLR Press
8-tie) Lovers, Dreamers, and Me by Willa Okati, Loose Id
9) The Happy Onion by Ally Blue, Samhain Publishing
10) Subsurdity Vignettes from Jasper Lane by Eric Arvin, Dreamspinner Press