Archives for January 2017

Title: The Merchant of Death
Series: Playing the Fool #2
Author: Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock
Genre: MM Romance
Goodreads

My Rating:

_______________________________________________________________

Blurb

All’s fair in love and war.

There’s something rotten in the state of Indiana. When con man Henry Page takes it upon himself to investigate the death of an elderly patient at a care facility, he does so in true Shakespearean tradition: dressed as a girl.

FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness has more to worry about than Henry’s latest crazy idea. Someone is trying to send him a message—via a corpse with a couple of bullets in it. He needs to figure out who’s trying to set him up before he gets arrested, and he really doesn’t have time for Henry’s shenanigans. Then again, he’d probably be able to focus better if Henry didn’t look so damn distracting in a babydoll dress and a wig.

But when Mac discovers that Henry has been keeping a secret that connects the cases, he has to find a way to live on the right side of the law when he just might be in love with the wrong sort of man.
______________________________________________________________________

My Review

The Merchant of Death is book two in the Playing the Fool series by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock.

I have no idea why I’ve read this despite the fact I didn’t really like book one, The Two Gentlemen of Altona. I guess I hoped for some romance development. But sadly, it remained the same – heatless and sparkless.

The mystery – though sometimes total nonsense – was pretty exciting. But I’m more interested in romances than mysteries, so I don’t think this series is for me.

Title: Cut & Run
Series: Cut & Run #1
Author: Abigail Roux & Madeleine Urban
Genre: Contemporary / MM Romantic Suspense
Goodreads

My Rating:

_______________________________________________________________
Blurb

A series of murders in New York City has stymied the police and FBI alike, and they suspect the culprit is a single killer sending an indecipherable message. But when the two federal agents assigned to the investigation are taken out, the FBI takes a more personal interest in the case.

Special Agent Ty Grady is pulled out of undercover work after his case blows up in his face. He’s cocky, abrasive, and indisputably the best at what he does. But when he’s paired with Special Agent Zane Garrett, it’s hate at first sight. Garrett is the perfect image of an agent: serious, sober, and focused, which makes their partnership a classic cliche: total opposites, good cop-bad cop, the odd couple. They both know immediately that their partnership will pose more of an obstacle than the lack of evidence left by the murderer.

Practically before their special assignment starts, the murderer strikes again this time at them. Now on the run, trying to track down a man who has focused on killing his pursuers, Grady and Garrett will have to figure out how to work together before they become two more notches in the murderer’s knife.
______________________________________________________________________

My Review

I hate adding books to my everyone-liked-but-me shelf, believe me. It was my second try to read it actually: it couldn’t engage me for the first time, and I thought I just was not in the mood, so I put it aside. For the second time, it was still boring. But I didn’t give up and tried to find those amazing qualities the positive reviews mention. Sadly, with no avail.

Both Ty and Zane irritated me, and the jumping viewpoint made them indistinguishable.

The continuous banter tired me, the suspense bored me to death, I felt the chemistry forced.

Romance – what romance?

Poor writing, full of repetitions: heads were cocked 31 times, eyebrows were raised 40 times, eyebrows climbed in surprise twice!, heads were tilted 25 times, and eyes were narrowed 47 times. And there was a glorious moment when two of these were in the same sentence:

“Wait wait, let me guess,” Ty said as he held out his hand toward Zane. “Psychology major with a…,” he narrowed his eyes and cocked his head, “political science minor,” he guessed.

Yes, I love statistics.

Anyway, it was a disappointment. I have no interest in the following books.

Title: Perfect Catch
Author: N.R. Walker
Genre: MM Romance
Goodreads

My Rating:

_______________________________________________________________

Blurb

Calvin Lynch and Troy Hoffman have been best mates since they were fourteen years old. They’re both hard-working tradesmen, both love weekends away fishing, both gay, but have never been single at the same time. Until now.

What is supposed to be a weekend away fishing with a group of mates, changes at the last minute when friends bail out in an attempt to give Cal and Troy some alone time.

With more than just hooks on the line, can these two see what’s been right in front of them the whole time?

The Perfect Catch is a short story about falling for your best friend hook, line, and sinker, and it is part of the It Was Always You anthology.
______________________________________________________________________

My Review

Cal and Troy are best friends since the eighth grade. Everyone sees except the two of them that they are completely in love with each other. So their friends decide to give them a weekend alone in hope that they’d work things out.

Away from town, just the two of them, finally they confess their feelings for each other.

The fishing setting is not my thing, but Perfect Catch is an N.R. Walking-ly sweet story, with some sexy time.