The Gentleman and the Rogue by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon

Genre: Romance; Historical Romance; M/M Romance; LGBT


My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars


How I acquired this book: I purchased it.


Book Blurb: A lad from the streets meets a lord of the manor...


When war veteran Sir Alan Watleigh goes searching for sex, he never imagines the street rat he brings home for one last bit of pleasure in his darkest hour will be the man who hauls him back from the edge of the grave. A night of meaningless sex turns into an offer of permanent employment. As Sir Alan Watleigh’s valet, Jem offers much more than polished boots and starched cravats. He makes Sir Alan Watleigh smile and warms his bed. 

Just as the men are adjusting to their new living arrangement, news about a former soldier under his command sends Sir Alan Watleigh and Jem on the road to save a child in danger.The journey brings them closer together as they travel from lust toward love. But is Sir Alan Watleigh's love strong enough to risk society discovering the truth about him?


Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Male/male sexual practices.


My Review: Sir Alan is haunted by his war memories--so much so that he's decided suicide is his only option. But first he wants one last night of pleasure and warmth with a young man, no matter how much he despises such an 'unnatural desire.' 

Enter Jem--a delightful, nineteen-year-old street rat who's more than willing to provide said pleasure and warmth for pay. But he wants to see a smile on his patron's face in the process, because he can't understand how anyone with a grand roof over his head, plenty of food in his belly and servants to cater to his every need could possibly be so miserable. So he shares some really terrible bawdy jokes with Sir Alan, along with thieves' cant and his general philosophy of life. 

Sir Alan is captivated--and it's a safe bet to say that most readers will be too! 

Alan begins to think of ways to keep Jem around for more than one night. His solution makes good sense--and up to this point, this book is damn near perfect. (Well, I could nitpick about errors regarding the clothing of the Regency period, but Jem is so much fun that I'll let those go.) 

But then the authors veer off into a subplot about a maniacal doctor that takes up the rest of the book. What a shame! I wish they had kept their focus on Alan struggling against his depression while re-learning to live day by day; Jem learning his new role and how to leave behind some of the habits that helped him survive on the streets; and both men learning how to balance their relationship as master and servant on the one hand and lovers on the other. 

So, for me, the entire subplot was an annoying distraction. I can see myself reading the first few chapters of this book over and over, and then skipping around, ignoring the maniacal doctor. I'm glad Kindle has a bookmarking feature!

Have you read this book? If so, how did you like the maniacal doctor subplot? I'd love to hear a different take on it.


On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

Genre: Mystey; Suspense


My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


Series: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; The Girl Who Played with Fire; The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest


How I acquired this book: I purchased it.


Book Blurb: Mikael Blomkvist, crusading journalist and publisher of the magazineMillennium, has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government. 

But he has no idea just how explosive the story will be until, on the eve of publication, the two investigating reporters are murdered. And even more shocking for Blomkvist: the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander—the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker who came to his aid in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and who now becomes the focus and fierce heart of The Girl Who Played with Fire. 

As Blomkvist, alone in his belief in Salander’s innocence, plunges into an investigation of the slayings, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she is the prey, and which compels her to revisit her dark past in an effort to settle with it once and for all.

My Review: Another addictive story, even if Blomkvist is still entangling himself in too many love affairs. I like his longstanding, poly relationship, but the rest in these first two books seem over the top. (Yeah, I'm betting Larsson identified with this evidently irresistible journalist!) Still, I couldn't stop turning the pages as Blomkvist and his magazine declared war against the sex trade and human trafficking--and as Salander came crashing back into his life. 

One warning: this middle book doesn't quite stand on its own. It has an ending, but you'll want to have the last book standing by.


On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom

Genre: Historical Fiction; Historical Mystery; Mystery

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Series: Dissolution; Dark Fire; Sovereign; Revelation

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: It is 1540 and the hottest summer of the sixteenth century. Matthew Shardlake, believing himself out of favour with Thomas Cromwell, is busy trying to maintain his legal practice and keep a low profile. But his involvement with a murder case, defending a girl accused of brutally murdering her young cousin, brings him once again into contact with the king-s chief minister - and a new assignment . . .

The secret of Greek Fire, the legendary substance with which the Byzantines destroyed the Arab navies, has been lost for centuries. Now an official of the Court of Augmentations has discovered the formula in the library of a dissolved London monastery. When Shardlake is sent to recover it, he finds the official and his alchemist brother brutally murdered - the formula has disappeared.

Now Shardlake must follow the trail of Greek Fire across Tudor London, while trying at the same time to prove his young client's innocence. But very soon he discovers nothing is as it seems . .

My Review: Dark Fire is even more enjoyable than Dissolution, the first Matthew Shardlake mystery. That's thanks to Jack Barak, an uncouth rogue who becomes Shardlake's new assistant by Cromwell's order.

Jack's a patralineal descendant of converso Jews. Unlike Matthew, who's in the midst of an existential crisis, he doesn't worry his head with questions about the nature of the Divine or the problems of Reform. And unlike Guy, the Moorish ex-monk, he's not a man of strong faith. In fact, Jack seems to care little about Christianity (his titular religion) and knows next to nothing about Judaism. He even calls the empty mezuzah his father passed down to him a 'mezza' until Guy corrects him! Yet he's fiercely attached to his Jewish heritage. More power to him, especially as he's not fool enough to advertise that attachment in Tudor England.

There are two mysteries to untangle here; both are more interesting for the interactions between Matthew, Jack and Guy than for the mysteries themselves. Meanwhile, Sansom's recreation of Tudor England and historic characters like Thomas Cromwell continues to dazzle. And there's plenty of tension where Cromwell's concerned--even if the reader is familiar with the man's fate.

I wasn't crazy about some of the action scenes and improbable escapes, but that's a minor complaint. I'm going to keep devouring this series, cheesy escapes and all!

On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

Savior by Jade Falconer

Genre: Romance; Contemporary Romance; M/M Romance; LGBT

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: Ricky has it all, and that's part of the problem. Countless personal assistants and managers organize his celebrity life for him, so that he barely needs to lift a finger. It's not until he hires Jim as a bodyguard that he realizes he can't pay everyone to kiss his ass. Jim's quiet manner and integrity makes him a challenge. However, the more Ricky gets to know the no nonsense body guard, the more he realizes what's missing in his life. And when Ricky's life is in danger, sparks begin to fly.

My Review: Ok, ok.. I have a thing for spoiled-celebrity/bodyguard stories. If you enjoy them too, along with some mindless escapism, you'll find this a fun read. On that level, this book works. But if you're looking for any kind of character development or serious plot, this is not for you!

On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Genre: Mystery; Suspense

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Series: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; The Girl Who Played with Fire; The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest 

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: A spellbinding amalgam of murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue. It's about the disappearance forty years ago of Harriet Vanger, a young scion of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden . . . and about her octogenarian uncle, determined to know the truth about what he believes was her murder.

It's about Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently at the wrong end of a libel case, hired to get to the bottom of Harriet's disappearance . . . and about Lisbeth Salander, a twenty-four-year-old pierced and tattooed genius hacker possessed of the hard-earned wisdom of someone twice her age--and a terrifying capacity for ruthlessness to go with it--who assists Blomkvist with the investigation. This unlikely team discovers a vein of nearly unfathomable iniquity running through the Vanger family, astonishing corruption in the highest echelons of Swedish industrialism--and an unexpected connection between themselves.

It's a contagiously exciting, stunningly intelligent novel about society at its most hidden, and about the intimate lives of a brilliantly realized cast of characters, all of them forced to face the darker aspects of their world and of their own lives.

My Review: I've had the feeling for a while now that everyone else in the world has read this book but me. And now I know why--I couldn't put the damned thing down! I stayed up the whole night to finish it.

It's not for the faint of heart; it's a mystery that deals with serial killings, financial shenanigans and sexual abuse. There are also some complicated romantic relationships and disturbing issues dealing with legal guardianship.

Sounds like a lot for one novel, huh? But Larsson is a deft storyteller; you don't even notice how much is going on until you're done!

Ok. Since everyone else in the world really has read this book, I know you have an opinion. Let me hear it . . .
On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.

Fatal Shadows & A Dangerous Thing by Josh Lanyon

Genre: Mystery, Romance, M/M Romance, Contemporary Romance, LGBT

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Series: Fatal Shadows; A Dangerous Thing; The Hell You Say; Death of a Pirate King; The Dark Tide

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: Relationships can be murder. Bookseller and mystery author Adrien English is looking for love in all the wrong places -- and, according to hot and handsome LAPD detective Jake Riordan, it's liable to get him killed.

Fatal Shadows: A serial killer is stalking gay men, and a tawny-eyed LAPD detective wants bookseller Adrien English in handcuffs -- for all the wrong reasons!

A Dangerous Thing: When his romance goes south, Adrien heads north to the California Motherlode country. Can murder -- and Adrien's favorite LAPD detective -- be far behind?


Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic situations, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: homoerotic sex, violence.


My Review: Adrien English is a wry, funny, endearing narrator with a weak heart, a stubborn streak and an unhealthy dose of curiosity. He gets himself into such a dangerous, disturbing situation toward the end of the first book that I almost had to close my eyes.  Jake Riordan, meanwhile, is a smart, tough, ambitious cop who won't acknowledge himself as gay--but can't stop himself from pursuing Adrien. (Ok, sometimes it's because Adrien is a suspect, but still.) Add two creepy, puzzling mysteries and you have the first two books of a series that's impossible to put down!


On Kindle: Yes. Find it at Amazon here.


Special Note: If you're just starting the Adrien English series, purchase this two-for-one edition for your Kindle. Let me know what you think . . .


More Reviews: 
Graceful Hippo's Review

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Genre: Fantasy; Young Adult

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: "Nothing is overdone and not a word is out of place in this auspicious debut," wrote Kirkus in a starred review of Instead of Three Wishes, the first book by Megan Whalen Turner. Her second book more than fulfills that promise. The king's scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king's prison. The magus is interested only in the thief's abilities. What Gen is interested in is anyone's guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses. Megan Whalen Turner weaves Gen's stories and Gen's story together with style and verve in a novel that is filled with intrigue, adventure, and surprise.

My Review: What a fun adventure! Gen is a sly protagonist, and I loved watching him cross wits with the Magus as the two men learned to work together. I enjoyed their world as well--with a quibble or two. For example, if there are inaccurate guns in this world that are effective only in mass-fire situations, they should be smooth-barrel musket type guns, not rifles. (Rifles have always been scary accurate because they have barrels with, you know, rifling.) But I'm trying to ignore stuff like that. This book is so damn enticing that I know I should set my quibbles aside.

Have you read Thief or any other books in the series? What did you think? (No spoilers for the rest of the books, please!)

On Kindle: Yes. find it on Amazon here.

Wings by J.C. Owens

Genre: Fantasy; Romance; M/M Romance; LGBT

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

How I acquired this book: Kindle-loan from a friend.

Book Blurb: Anyar, a black-winged young guard, could only be accused of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He captures the attention of a commanding, beautiful white-winged prince of the enemy, Vanyae, and is swept away into the conflict between their peoples.

Vanyae takes the incredible, black-winged beauty from his home and all he knows to a place of submission, of slavery. And though Anyar vows never to give in and despairs of his freedom, Vanyae finds pleasure in his body and his spirit.


Even while the battle rages, Vanyae starts to realize that his black-winged bird is much more than a slave to him…


Publisher's Note: This book contains anal play/intercourse, dubious consent, male/male sexual practices, menage (m/m/m).

My Review: Ok, I'll admit it. I love wingfic.

There--that confession wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be! Now you know that my review might be a bit prejudiced.

As far as feathers go, this book hit all the right buttons for me. J.C. Owen's descriptions of the winged characters are beautiful, as is the intriguing world these two races inhabit. (I wish Owens had fleshed out that world a bit more, but that's tough to do in a novella.)

One of the winged races practices slavery, and most of the book revolves around the master-slave relationship between Vanyae and Anyar. Fortunately, Owens treats the subject seriously and the sense that slavery is wrong is never distant from the narrative.

Anyar, meanwhile, is a likable character, but I had trouble appreciating his relationship with Vanyae. Consent issues aside, I rarely saw these two interacting. The author skipped two months of their lives after Anyar's capture. Worse, the author summed up important scenes. I'm told the two men enjoyed a particular conversation and found that they had many views in common. But why did they enjoy the conversation? Did they laugh and joke during it? Did the they speak almost as equals, or did Anyar force himself to remain deferential? What views did they share? I have no way of knowing.

But problems like that aside, this is an enjoyable, fast-paced read. It's perfect for the beach or a rainy afternoon. And if wings are your thing, you won't want to miss this!

On Kindle: Yes. Find it on Amazon here.

Thomas Granger by Dan Marvin

Genre: Coming of Age

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: Rusty Roger's life at Fabian University changes forever when he meets the enigmatic Thomas Granger. Suddenly Rusty is popular, desired, recruited by fraternities... and the target of a madman. Can Rusty juggle two sexy women, pledge a fraternity, and solve the murder of one of his professors all while keeping his grades up and his parents off his back?

In Thomas Granger, we see the world through the wide eyes of a college freshman who is forming his first adult relationships. His most important lesson is that people are not always what they seem...

My Review: Rusty Rogers is an engaging narrator, and that's what works best about this book. It's a pleasure to follow him through the triumphs and disasters of his freshman year in college, from a bromantic friendship with an intriguing classmate, to the excitement of a new girlfriend who might just be the real thing, to the ups and downs of pledging for a fraternity.

In the midst of this slice-of-life, the murder mystery felt like an intrusion. Although it's embedded in the plot, it never seemed to gel with the rest of the story. That makes it tough to determine this book's genre: it's not quite a mystery, nor a bromance, nor a romance. I'd call it a 'coming-of-age' tale.

Still, this is a pleasant, enjoyable read--especially for those of us who made lasting friendships in college.

Have you read this book? I'd love to hear your thoughts!


On Kindle: Yes. Find it on Amazon here.

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom

Genre: Mystery; Historical Fiction

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars


Series: Dissolution; Dark Fire; Sovereign; Revelation

How I acquired this book: I purchased it.

Book Blurb: Exciting and elegantly written, Dissolution is an utterly compelling first novel and a riveting portrayal of Tudor England. The year is 1537, and the country is divided between those faithful to the Catholic Church and those loyal to the king and the newly established Church of England. When a royal commissioner is brutally murdered in a monastery on the south coast of England, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's feared vicar general, summons fellow reformer Matthew Shardlake to lead the inquiry. Shardlake and his young protege uncover evidence of sexual misconduct, embezzlement, and treason, and when two other murders are revealed, they must move quickly to prevent the killer from striking again.

My Review: Matthew Shardlake is an ardent reformer, conscientious lawyer and determined detective who is all too conscious of his hunched back. He is also strangely naïve when it comes to the character of his master, Thomas Cromwell--but watching him struggle to adjust his views is one of the many pleasures of this book. This is an excellent period mystery that will keep you turning pages even if you untangle the murders before Shardlake does!

Thomas Cromwell

This is the first of the Matthew Shardlake Mysteries. Have you read any of them? What do you think?

On Kindle: Yes. Find it on Amazon here.

The French Have a Word for It by Josh Lanyon

Genre: Romance; Contemporary Romance; M/M Romance; LGBT

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

How I acquired this book: It's available as a free download here.

Book Blurb: None Available

My Review: This short tale is a straight-forward romance--there's no mystery to solve (well, no murder mystery), and nothing explicit. Which just goes to show that explicit sex is not a requirement of the M/M genre.

We see this story through the eyes of a likable young painter, complete with gorgeous and telling imagery. Colin is determined to make it on his own; he refuses to fall back on his grandfather's money. And when he runs into Thomas, an older man he's been crushing on since his teens, he wants to prove that he's an adult now. But Colin still has a few things to learn about Thomas . . . and about growing up.

All in all, a lovely short read. Go take a look and let me know what you think!

On Kindle: No. This book is available for free here.

Books I've Read in 2011

Here's a place for me to keep track of all the books I start and finish reading this year. Each title links (or will link soon) to my review of the book.

Ok, here's my list:

1. Convincing Arthur by Ava March (4 out of 5 stars)
2. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (4 out of 5 stars)
3. Adrien English Mystery #3: The Hell You Say by Josh Lanyon (5 out of 5 stars)
4. Adrien English Mystery #4: Death of a Pirate King by Josh Lanyon (5 out of 5 stars)
5. Adrien English Mystery#5 The Dark Tide by Josh Lanyon (5 out of 5 stars)
6. The Good Thief by James Buchanan (4 out of 5 stars)
7. Duck by Kim Dare (3 out of 5 stars)
8. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (5 out of 5 stars)
9. I Spy Something Bloody by Josh Lanyon (5 out of 5 stars)
10. (Matthew Shardlake Mystery #1) Dissolution by C. J. Sansom (4 out of 5 stars)
11. In a Dark Wood by Josh Lanyon (5 out of 5 stars)
12. A Limited Engagement by Josh Lanyon (4 out of 5 stars)
13. (Matthew Shardlake Mystery #2) Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom (4 out of 5 stars)
14. (Matthew Shardlake Mystery #3) Sovereign by C. J. Sansom (4 out of 5 stars)
15. The Gentleman and the Rogue by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon (3 out of 5 stars)
16. The French Have a Word for It by Josh Lanyon (4 out of 5 stars)
17. I Spy Something Wicked by Josh Lanyon (5 out of 5 stars)
18. Love Ahead: Expect Delays (4 out of 5 stars)
19. Saviour by Jade Falconer (3 out of 5 stars)
20. Strapless by Honoria Ravena (2 out of 5 stars)
21. Special Delivery by Heidi Cullinan (5 out of 5 stars)
22. Ghost of a Chance by Josh Lanyon (4 out of 5 stars)
23.  Finding Zach by Speedwell Rowan (3 out of 5 stars)
24. The Boys from Brazil by Ira Levin (4 out of 5 stars)
25. Wings by J.C. Owens (3 out of 5 stars)
26. The Darkling Thrush by Josh Lanyon (4 out of 5 stars)
27. Snowball in Hell by Josh Lanyon (5 out of 5 stars)
28. Revelation by C.J. Sansom
29. Angel and the Assassin by Fyn Alexander

About these reviews . . .

My ratings are subjective; they're based on how much I, personally, enjoyed the book. Certain types of characters, plot lines or settings press all the right buttons for me--or all the wrong ones!--so I'll try to note when these prejudices are coming into play. That way you'll know when to take my words with an extra grain of salt.

I accept free books for reviews from authors--but, of course, I'll give my honest opinion on a book even if you've provided it for me, and I will not accept any monetary reward for reviewing your book or recommending it. I will remain in compliance with FTC Guidelines and I will disclose when an author or publisher has given me a book to review.

If you are an author who would like to send me a book to review (by Kindle or otherwise), please contact me at jrosemary@gmail.com. I read most genres, but I focus on romance (including LGBT), mystery, fantasy and historical fiction. Thanks and happy reading!