Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sick. Show all posts

Friday, May 17, 2019

Gideon (Finding Home #3) by Lily Morton







Blurb

Gideon Ramsay is so far in the closet he should be a talking faun.



A talented, mercurial, and often selfish man, Gideon has everything he should want in life. Fame, money, acting awards – he has it all. Everything but honesty. At the advice of his agent, Gideon has concealed his sexuality for years. But it’s starting to get harder to hide, and his increasingly wild behaviour is threatening to destroy his career.



Then he’s laid low by a serious illness and into his life comes Eli Jones. Eli is everything that Gideon can’t understand. He’s sunny tempered, friendly, and optimistic. Even worse, he’s unaffected by grumpiness and sarcasm, which forms ninety percent of Gideon’s body weight. And now Gideon is trapped with him without any recourse to the drugs and alcohol that have previously eased his way through awkward situations.



However, as Gideon gets to know the other man, he finds himself wildly attracted to his lazy smiles and warm, scruffy charm that seem to fill a hole inside Gideon that’s been empty for a long time. Will he give in to this incomprehensible attraction when it could mean the end of everything that he’s worked for? 



From the bestselling author of the Mixed Messages series comes a story about a man who needs to realise that being true to yourself is really just a form of finding home.



This is the third book in the Finding Home series but it can be read as a standalone.


Review 
My Rating - 5 Stars!


Gideon, the third book in Lily Morton's Finding Home series, is amazing. Like the earlier books in the series, it's full of charm and heart.

The author's writing style is seamless, with wonderful characters and even better storylines. I just feel so comforted spending some time with her books. 

Gideon is so damn loveable. As a man who's been essentially alone most of his life, he's struggling. Not only is he drowning with keeping his sexuality a secret, he's also being controlled by his creepy manager. 

When Eli's hired to be his nurse for a bit, Gideon suddenly finds someone who genuinely cares for him, not his celebrity. Their relationship develops naturally, and is beyond sweet.

This story's about taking chances, finding one's truth, and living the life one wants to live. It's about a strong connection formed through friendship. 

The cruise moments are pure delight, as they're fun and include an old lady who I enjoyed immensely.

Gideon's an excellent slow burn romance combined with a forbidden aspect. Lily Morton absolutely delights in this closeted celebrity romance. 




Thursday, March 14, 2019

Borrowed Heart by Andrew Grey









Blurb

Robin, the recipient of a brand-new heart, knows he can’t give it to just anyone….

Robin’s been through his share of upsets recently, from heart transplant surgery to a brutal breakup. But his experiences have taught him life is short, and he’s ready to seize the day and start anew. A job at Euro Pride Tours is just the kind of adventure he’s looking for. He gets to see the world and live a little, but love isn’t on his radar screen. He isn’t sure his heart can endure that again.

Johan might’ve disappointed his family by striking out on his own, but when he meets Robin, he has no intention of letting him down. Each man is just what the other needs to feel whole again, and while Johan might not be the man Robin originally thought he was, he’s exactly what the doctor ordered to make Robin’s borrowed heart beat faster. As the tour through Germany progresses, they grow closer, but when Robin’s ex joins the tour, he could bring their blossoming love to a dramatic halt.



Review 
My Rating - 3.5 Stars!

I'm a little conflicted with Borrowed Heart. Andrew Grey created a wonderful premise with this story of love and second chances, but it didn't necessarily grip me. I think it was my mood at the time though, although I can't say for sure. Some of the details just fell short for me.
 

But Robin's story is a worthwhile one that's both heart-breaking and beautiful. Being the recipient of a heart transplant, he knows his life is most likely limited. He fears letting someone in enough to love him, as he struggles with knowing they'll suffer when he dies. In Johan, however, he finds someone who wants to take that chance, if he can just convince Robin to do so. 

Their romance is one of taking chances, and taking advantage of what time we have in this world. It's about not taking time for granted and spending our time doing what we want, with those who we love.

Robin definitely is a remarkable man. I definitely shed some tears for the man, both his past and his current predicament. And I adore the way Johan feels for him, and all he can bring into Robin's life.

The tour part is interesting, although the troubles with the creepy ex just didn't do it for me. It seemed forced at times. 

Despite not loving Borrowed Heart, I am still glad to have read it. The love story is just remarkable and extremely touching. 


Monday, October 8, 2018

RELEASE BLITZ & REVIEW - Us Again by Nell Iris




Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS Books



Length: 9,200 words approx.



Publisher: JMS Books







Blurb


When Alex gets a call in the middle of the night telling him his ex-boyfriend is in the hospital, he only hesitates for a second before rushing to Sammy’s side. But the Sammy in the hospital bed is fragile and not the same man who told Alex to leave seven months ago.


Alex wants to help Sammy get better and is desperate to find out what went wrong between them. Maybe he’ll even get a second chance with the man he hasn’t been able to get over.


But will Sammy let Alex back into his life?



REVIEW
My Rating - 4 Stars!


Us Again, by Nell Iris is a sweet, second chance romance.

Sammy kicked Alex out of his life seven months ago. But when Alex gets a call that Sammy's in the hospital, Alex comes running. What Alex finds shakes me to the core, as Sammy is sick after not having taken care of himself.

The author does a great job of dealing with eating issues, without putting too much emphasis on the issue. This part of the story is not an easy read.

As for the main theme in this story, it's a classic, but it's well done. You can't love someone else unless you love yourself. Sammy's youth was sad and tragic, with him never experiences love. If he's going to let Alex back into his life, he needs to realize that he is worthy of love. 

Overall, Us Again is a good second chance love story. Nell Iris keeps it short, sweet and with the right amount of angst.





Excerpt


Except for the dim light of a wall-mounted lamp next to the only occupied bed, the room is dark. Sammy is a shapeless silhouette from here and I take a step closer. Another. And another until I’m right by his side.

My knees buckle when I finally see him. His golden hair is plastered to his face, his cheeks hollow, his full lips dry and cracked. Long lashes fan out over black shadows under the eyes. His hand rests on his pillow and is so thin and bony, tears well up in my eyes.

A steadily beeping monitor surveils his vital signs. An IV bag hangs on a metal pole, and the line snakes its way down into his hand.

My hand flies to my mouth and my shoulders shake. To avoid ending up in a sobbing pile on the floor, I sink down in the chair next to his bed.

Sammy was always slender. Like a willow with long limbs, narrow hips, and a concave stomach. But now ... he looks emaciated. Hardly there. Easily breakable and so fucking small I wouldn’t be surprised if a stiff breeze could snap him in two.

I reach out but hesitate to touch him. Instead, I lay my hand next to his on the pillow. My olive complexion seems dirty next to his pallor.

“Oh, Sammy.” I don’t even try to wipe the moisture from my face; I just let the tears flow. I want to crawl into bed with him, scoop him up in my arms, and use my big body to shield him from the world. But all I do is move my hand closer, until my fingertips ghost against his pinkie. A jolt of electricity races through my body and a sigh slips out.

“Now will you tell me what happened?” I hiss to David who’s sat down on a chair on the other side of Sammy’s bed sometime during the last minute.

“His boss called me this evening. Apparently, he fainted.”

I gasp and can’t keep my hands off him any longer. Carefully, I lay my palm on top of his hand and something snaps into place in my chest when I finally touch him. He’s cold. I’d give him all my warmth if he would just open his eyes and smile at me and call me Care Bear again.

“Doesn’t he fucking eat?” I grind out between clenched teeth.

“He said he does. He said he was fine.”

“Clearly, he lied.”

“Clearly.”

“What’s all this?” I sweep my hand at the IV pole.

“He was severely dehydrated so they’re giving him fluids.” He rattles on about vital signs and nutrition and how Sammy will need to see a therapist and a dietitian to straighten out his eating and I only listen with one ear. Even though I asked, I can’t absorb all that information.

“Don’t you fucking check on your own brother?” I interrupt. I’ve always had a foul mouth, and frazzled nerves make it worse, but I don’t give a shit if David is offended.

“I should have. I knew he was ... sad. I talked to him on the phone almost every day and he said he was fine.” David’s voice trembles, saturated with guilt and remorse, but it just makes me angrier.

“Are you telling me you haven’t taken the time to visit him for seven fucking months?”

“No! That’s not true!”

“It seems that way to me.”

“Who are you to talk? You left him!”

His words sting. He might as well have thrown acid on my face. I tighten my muscles, so I won’t jerk under his accusations. “He told me to leave. He said he never wanted to see me again. I did not leave willingly.” I shoot him an angry glare but quickly look away. I want to take out my fear and worry on him. Plant my fist in his face and roar out the pain that took up residence in my chest when I laid eyes on Sammy a few minutes ago.

Dear, sweet Sammy.

“I don’t even know what happened. I thought he loved me,” I whisper. My head is heavy, and I let it sink down until it rests on his bed.





Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies’ room), loves music (and singing along but, let’s face it, she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (“Make it so”). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!


Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.


Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.


Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.





Twitter @nellirisauthor











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Thursday, September 27, 2018

GRL 2018 SPOTLIGHT - TJ Klune - John & Jackie

In my attempt to cover some of the attending authors for this year's GRL,
I am reviewing 

TJ Klune's John & Jackie!









BLURB


2nd Edition

John and Jackie first laid eyes on each other when they were twelve years old. Now, seventy-one years later, Jack prepares to give his beloved husband the ultimate gift. Before he does, they'll relive five key moments from their younger lives together over the course of a single afternoon. From their first meeting and first kiss to the violence of an abusive father and the heartache of growing up, these moments have defined who they have become. As sunset approaches, John will show the depths of his love for the one man who has made him whole: his Jackie. They'll soon learn there is no force more powerful than their devotion to one another.

1st Edition published by TJ Klune with The Crack Crew, May 2013



REVIEW
My Rating - 5 Stars!

TJ Klune's John & Jackie is one of the most memorable books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. 

This story follows the lives of John and Jackie, from the time they meet, through their 71 years together, and through their deaths. It is remarkable, accomplished, and covers a love story that we all want.

During John's last few hours on earth, the couple talk about things they need to say before it's too late. Through these flashbacks, we learn about the early years of their lives and how their strong bond was formed.

This story is happy, sad, and everything in between. It is truly one of the most beautiful stories ever. Their love story is inspiring and exquisite. TJ's writing style is superb, as usual, as he has created this well crafted, emotional journey that clearly demonstrates a pure and absolute love.

If for some reason you haven't yet read this amazing story, please do yourself a favor, and do so now! Just don't forget the tissues, as TJ Klune will have you ugly crying.





TJ Klune


When TJ Klune was eight, he picked up a pen and paper and began to write his first story (which turned out to be his own sweeping epic version of the video game Super Metroid--he didn't think the game ended very well and wanted to offer his own take on it. He never heard back from the video game company, much to his chagrin). Now, over two decades later, the cast of characters in his head have only gotten louder. But that's okay, because he's recently become a full-time writer, and can give them the time they deserve.

Since being published, TJ has won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Romance, fought off three lions that threatened to attack him and his village, and was chosen by Amazon as having written one of the best GLBT books of 2011.

And one of those things isn't true.

(It's the lion thing. The lion thing isn't true.)

tjklunebooks.com




Season's Change (Trade Season #1) by Cait Nary

  Amazon Link    Goodreads Link A veteran hockey player and a rookie can't get away from each other—or their own desires—in this sexy, h...