Dominic Ramos is a twenty-something deeply closeted, deeply unhappy Premiership football player who meets Lucky through a furtive Grindr hookup. LuckyDominic Ramos is a twenty-something deeply closeted, deeply unhappy Premiership football player who meets Lucky through a furtive Grindr hookup. Lucky is a homeless young guy who has turned to drugs to get him past the lows too often. Their pre-arranged, one-time-only assignation somehow goes astray, and they find they have a chemistry that neither can deny.
This is a compelling coming out story and a romance between two apparently mismatched men that are just perfect for each other.
Garrett Leigh writes these gritty tale of gay life in and around London in a way that I've come to love. Unfortunately, the audiobook here is narrated by Shaun Grindell His narrative voice was just too jarring for the story I had playing in my mind to make the switch. I checked Garrett Leigh's Strays that I read a while back and that was narrated by Dan Calley. I'm note sure if it was because I started that one from the beginning as an audiobook or not, but Shaun's voice just made this one unlistenable. To be honest, I started reading this when I found that I had scooped up a free kindle copy quite sometime ago. I was several chapters in when I saw that it was also available as an audiobook available through Audible prime. ...more
No one does mystery like the Brits. And this is the brilliant first novel in what I hope will be a long, long series. What’s not to love? We have TrisNo one does mystery like the Brits. And this is the brilliant first novel in what I hope will be a long, long series. What’s not to love? We have Tristan, a nerdishly cute, if somewhat klutzy coroner, and Danny, a dashing DI (that’s Detective Inspector to us non-Brits) who hails from the North of England. Also there’s Dusty, a recently deceased drag queen, now ghost. (Though she prefers the term Corporeally Challenged)
Both Danny and Tristan are movie buffs, and both are kind of lonely; Tristan because the widowed father who raised him is in a home with degenerative vascular dementia, and Danny because he’s pretty much been disowned by his family after coming out back in Leeds.
Danny has a new job with Scotland Yard and is assigned to solve Dusty’s murder. Tristan gets some invaluable tips (on both the murder and on landing Danny) from Dusty. Yet, admitting to Danny that he now “sees dead people” is a little too “The Sixth Sense” for Tristan. The situations are by turn sexy, and uproariously funny. Dusty’s a bit of a blithe spirit, but stuck in one stiletto. She’s sort of gotten off on the wrong foot with this whole being dead thing. ...more
Following five years away, still-closeted Rowan Harvey returns to his small town, his strict Catholic family, and Harvey's Burger Hut, the family's eaFollowing five years away, still-closeted Rowan Harvey returns to his small town, his strict Catholic family, and Harvey's Burger Hut, the family's eatery. He's there seeking forgiveness (and possibly closure?) after gay panic caused him to destroy his friendship with Kelly 'Circus' Atkins. Meanwhile, Circus has become a very successful social media influencer and he's openly pansexual despite the small town's cluelessness to his online fame.
I love coming home stories and seeing Rowan trying to come-out reads as very realistic to this former small-town boy. This one seemed much more relatable than the first book in the series where the miscommunication aspects just felt too contrived. This book has the same potential plot weakness but given his whole denial issue, it seems more believable. It's actually a bit entertaining to notice how in some ways he's a lot wiser than Circus.
This book is again read by Kirt Graves and Alexander Cendese and the lads are different enough that their chapters are always distinct. Both also do justice to the prose and can enact the dialogue of the other characters in their chapters as well.
Piper Harvey is pretty likable as well. I'm glad to see her in the other books in this series.
Having recently read several somewhat negative reviews of The Front Runner, a book that I consider one of the seminal works of gay literature, I decidHaving recently read several somewhat negative reviews of The Front Runner, a book that I consider one of the seminal works of gay literature, I decided it was time to revisit this old favorite. Out of curiosity I decided to check out the audio-book version and I’m certainly glad that I did.
Truly living up to its title, this powerful book was itself, a Front Runner. It told a story that many in America were ready for, and many others needed to hear. For those of us that lived through this era, the book is still as clear, and as relevant as when it was first released. Most importantly, it’s true …as only a fictional story can be.
I’ll forever remember discovering this classic tale one summer while at college. My embarrassment at the register buying it, was not unlike the first time I bought condoms. Surreptitiously transferring it from my backpack to my bedside table, I purposely waited until my roommate left for his girlfriend’s before feeling that I could read it. Once started I couldn’t put it down. I read through the night. I still remember feeling shattered, and a bit like the world had shifted, as the sun rose the next morning. I finished it in one go, it was truly heart-rending, so much so that I couldn’t bring myself to re-read it for several years.
The story is told in first person, almost as a confession, from the POV of Harlan Brown. Harlan was a gay man who’d come of age in a pre-Stonewall straight world. He’s an ex-Marine, an ex-Villanova miler, a divorced father of two sons, and an ex-high-end hustler. All that and yet still closeted, he’s quietly, somewhat contentedly, coaching track at a prestigious small private college when the book begins.
Then three Olympic level collegiate runners lose their spots on Oregon’s premier team after coming out to their old coach. When they show up on his doorstep and ask to join his team, Harlan’s calm, closeted, collegiate life is shattered. I think it was “Fair do’s” considering how this book shattered me.
Harlan Brown is still only a partly enlightened man. While today his attitudes and ways of expressing himself may seem unacceptable by modern standards, they’re authentic and believable to anyone who experienced that time first hand. Harlan’s overly prim use of the word semen rather than cum, his use of “the gays” as a collective noun, his casual misogyny, even his lamenting the end of the crew-cut are all evocative of an earlier, less enlightened time.
Enter Billy Sive, a young man who grew up in San Francisco, knowing who and what he was. A vegetarian, and a Buddhist, Billy Sive is also a phenomenally gifted runner who wears his heart on his sleeve. Billy Sive, with a gay attorney father, was probably the first 2nd generation gay that any of us ever encountered. And when he expresses a romantic interest in his crusty new coach… you just know that a lot of taboos are going to be challenged.
When the two do finally come together for the first time, the fade to black surrounding the more intimate details is incredibly well handled. The first person narration by Harlan gives the perfect excuse for that reticence.
And the ending… Of course considering it’s time, it might have been expected, but it caught me totally by surprise and I’m certain I wasn’t the only one. The Bantam paperback only showed Harlan in a towel in a locker-room while Billy in a track singlet was donning his spikes. The newer cover foreshadows the ending a bit more clearly. I’ll say no more even now, for fear of spoilers, although the book is approaching its fiftieth anniversary.
Since this tale is told in first person, it’s an ideal candidate for an audio book. And Christian Rummel was a wonderful choice for narrator. Christian’s voice is perfect for the forty year old Harlan. And his measured but almost whispered vocal characterization of the younger, soft spoken Billy sheds a telling light on Billy as well. Billy’s deliberate speaking further colors the conflict surrounding their age gap. While making the issue even more real than just the text does, it also buffers any feelings that the characters are of different maturities. Also, hearing Christian’s voice as Billy when Billy lovingly talks about his father John Sive is remarkable. It adds aspects to that relationship that one is apt to miss from just reading the prose oneself. Christian’s Vince Matti voice also enhances that character. It accentuates aspects of Vince that I only really appreciated after reading the later books in the series.
In some ways, some elements of The Front Runner were autobiographical; Warren came out later in life as a lesbian. Others were prophetic; Warren went on to be involved in several cases involving homosexuality and gay rights, some of which ended up in front of the Supreme court. Strangely Warren set the book in 75, 76, and beyond even though she released it in 74. Looking at how many athletes have come out recently, one is reminded of just what a debt the community owes to this woman for writing about these struggles in the way she did at the time she did it.
If you’ve never read the book, I recommend you do. But approach it as an amazing, heart-rending, but accurate portrait of its times. Just compare this to the laughably stereotyped film Cruising that premiered six years later. One can see just how much more accurate this depiction of those times was. I can also recommend the audiobook as a good way to “get through” some of the more antiquated parts. Even if, like me, you loved the original version of this tale, I still highly recommend listening to the audio-book version. Fully respectful of the masterful text version, (I’ve read it repeatedly over the decades) there are aspects that are brought to light in this audio-book version that makes the story fresh again.
Trigger Warnings: There are plenty of homophobic comments, some out-dated terminology and a description of one victim of childhood sexual abuse that many may find troubling… as well as some gun violence....more
In the books I've been reading lately both parties are adult and out and I've lost patience with this book a bit in that both characters are concealinIn the books I've been reading lately both parties are adult and out and I've lost patience with this book a bit in that both characters are concealing their relationship. I'm all too familiar with having to do that but after having it the other way, it tends to rankle here.
I can see Nash Flint's motivation but it's less clear why Mason can't confide in his friends.
There's also bare bones quality to this tale. The subplot about vandalism in town didn't seem as engaging as others I've enjoyed lately. The lush cast of likeable characters that I've found in other Annabeth Albert books seems missing here. Instead both men have hateful and inadequate families. While it makes their situation more dramatic, I read for pleasure and don't enjoy spending time with such people.
Iggy Toma does his usual great job but he and Mark Bachman seemed oddly cast. They might have been better in the opposite roles.
While I liked some aspects of this tale a lot, it did seem to flag and I had a bit of trouble finishing it. I probably won't revisit anytime soon. ...more
Have you ever had one of those 14 oz containers of Häagen-Dazs turn into a “single serving” size? I started this book just after breakfast and figuredHave you ever had one of those 14 oz containers of Häagen-Dazs turn into a “single serving” size? I started this book just after breakfast and figured it would be great read over the next couple of days. Now as the sun is setting I wonder what about it was so riveting that I couldn’t stop listening? The first two book in this series were also of the “YA” action movie ilk and I enjoyed them but this one had some extra addictive properties.
Partly it was that this one brings Theo to New York City, one of my favorite cities in the world. More so it was due to a plot development partway through the book that not only make this one an “edge of your seats” adventure but also something of a cliff-hanger. Now I need to get the final installment of this epic tale. Partly just out of a compulsion to see what happens next and partly to see if my theories are correct.
Those familiar with the first two book in this series will not be surprised that Theo has an almost too good to be true boyfriend nor that he he never gets to spend the kind of quality time he wants with him because of his “sideline” as a security operative for spy organization. When Theo’s parents pull him out of Boston on a “family trip” to NYC to help a college buddy of his dad’s, Theo’s upset at what that means for his end of summer plans with Eddie. But imagine his surprise when Eddie shows up in NYC to surprise him. Will Theo be able to do the kind of high tech hacking he needs to do and still have time for Eddie without putting Eddie in danger?
As you’d expect with teen-aged main characters, there is no graphic sex depicted here. Theo’s kept so busy that he gets even less time with Eddie than in previous books.
Kirt Graves does the audiobook narration and his youthful voice is perfect for the first person narration as seen by Theo. His other character’s dialogue voices are spot on as well. Now I need to arrange to get hold of Book 4, the finale to the series.
***Note: While I received a free copy of this title, this is an honest and impartial review ***
Welsh werewolves? A decades ago conflict between “shifters” and Humans has settled into an uneasy truce. Due to their genetics, shifters are humans-plWelsh werewolves? A decades ago conflict between “shifters” and Humans has settled into an uneasy truce. Due to their genetics, shifters are humans-plus, but given their attitudes, tend to be secretive, insular, migratory and unwelcome in most “human” towns and villages. In this tale werewolf shifters are the modern day equivalent of gypsies.
Quinn, one of our main characters lives with his human aunt in a small Welsh village where he helps her run a news agent shop/convenience store. Quinn’s mom and dad both died long ago. He knows little about them, but he and his aunt Ruth get along quite happily – despite Quinn’s being the only out gay lad in the village. Quinn was outed as gay a few years back when caught “experimenting” with a school-mate.
But then a group of shifters arrive in the area. Quinn has always been a bit fascinated by the idea of shifters. He’s powerfully drawn to Kellan, a young shifter male, that he first spots skinny-dipping in the local quarry.
When Quinn forgets to take his “epilepsy meds” one day, and notices his senses seem to have improved. The story, and his fascination with Kellan, take a wild turn.
I Grew up with a mom who was bi-polar, so this story spoke to me on a different level as well. When I was young Mom had some episodes where she went off her meds, snared by the euphoria that the onset of a manic phase engenders. But things can quickly get out of control. Most of the time she felt that emotional stability was worth missing some of the elation that that impending mania engenders. Seeing the disruption that “slips” like this caused first hand, I could really sympathize with Quinn’s Aunt Ruth and her decision. And yet, seeing how Quinn was deprived of making that decision for himself, for as long as he was, did indeed feel unfair.
Ultimately this is just a book that tells a good story. Enough drama to keep it interesting, with a literal “big bad wolf” posing a real threat, and some small-town, small-minded, “shifter-phobic” bigotry that made matters worse. But we’re dealing with basically good-hearted, if somewhat naive people. This has a happy ending that suggests that if we can come together and work toward the community good, things can get better.
As with so many other Jay Northcote books, Hamish Long does the narration. He gives us great pacing and ably acted male and female voices. The distinctive Welsh accents were well done. There was just enough of that English verbal class distinction present as well. This was super voice acting as both the many men's and the women's voices were well done as to timbre and dialect while being age-correct and easily distinctive.
Given that bigotry (and racism?) is such a factor in this story, the one accent that seemed just a bit off was the one “American southern” accent. That accent was attributed to Sam, a building contractor. It’s pretty clear from the text that he’s African-American. While his accent clearly sounded “American,” it had more of a "creosote-laden cowboy twang” of the west, rather than a "molasses-coated southern” feel as suggested in the text.
And while race isn’t always evident in an accent, it generally is a component. So much so that this mid-western born-and-raised “yank” has been surprised a few times to learn that a particular voice actor is black after hearing no clue in their vocals.
That said the other accents and voices are handled masterfully here. First the females since they seem to be in the majority in this tale... Quinn's Aunt, his best friend's Tash, her mom Wendy, Kellan's mom the shifter pack leader, even the two old village gossips all have clearly unique "voices" and it's a bit hard to believe that one voice actor is doing all these voices so seamlessly.
The same is true for the men's voices. Quinn and Kellan have their distinct voices of course, but so do the village policeman, Kellan's work-mates, several key villagers all are distinct, and recognizable when their bits of dialogue come up. Their voices are even appropriate as to class, age & fit their written personas.
This low angst tale of first love is definitely a title that will make it into my frequent re-listen queue.
This is the romantic story about the building relationship of an over earnest barrister and the truly messed up son of two musicians. Luc was raised bThis is the romantic story about the building relationship of an over earnest barrister and the truly messed up son of two musicians. Luc was raised by his mother after his rock-legend father abandoned them. He still bears the insecurities engendered by that betrayal. And after his last boyfriend sold him out to the tabloids, Luc’s been in a five year downward spiral, “living down” to his press.
Plagued by paparazzi always looking for the next chapter of shame, it’s become a hate hate relationship. Having grown up reading scandalous pieces about himself in the gossip rags, Luc’s self esteem and sense of self worth are about what you’d expect.
Problem is that his public notoriety has left him so stigmatized that he’s having trouble holding a job. When his latest debacle hits the tabloids, even his “CRAPPy” job won’t have him. No, that’s not exactly a scatological reference, but simply an acronym. He works as a fund-raiser for the Coleoptera Research and Preservation Project. It’s truly a CRAPP job… but Luc enjoys his somewhat loony workmates. Nevertheless, even the charity can no longer tolerate his press persona. His supervisor has given him an ultimatum; “Get a boyfriend, and become the “right kind” of gay, or get fired.
Enter stolid but boring (boorish?) Oliver. Oliver’s the seemingly perfect, put together, perennially principled boyfriend. Oliver’s all about mindfulness, and manners, and ethics. While being extremely fit and conscientious, Oliver’s the perfect complement to Luc’s overly chaotic life, Oliver has his own family issues and has been single for a while after being left by yet another boyfriend. With his parent’s 40th anniversary party coming up, Oliver can’t bear the opprobrium of going stag. So the two agree to this fake dating relationship to satisfy employers, donors, and demanding parents. But while they are fake dating, they discover that they like each other’s company.
Told primarily from Luc’s POV, this is a great fake boyfriends tale. In some ways it’s a much gayer, much less inebriated Arthur, without the Dudley Moore influences, and no faithful manservant. Both Luc and his “fake boyfriend” are both incredibly sympathetic characters and seeing them grow closer is a bit like watching the courtship of hedgehogs.
Luc (or Lucien as those who truly love him call him) is a modern little boy lost with more appeal and quicker wits than any paparazzi darling has a right to. Of course there will be a redeeming happy ending. There’s even a lot of jocularity along the way. There’s even one not so funny knock knock joke that manages to be the source of two laugh out loud guffaws and a chortle.
This title is available in audio form on HOOPLA and it’s even better when experienced as an audiobook as narrated by Joe Jameson.
Luc’s youthful voice is frequently self deprecating and at other times poignantly lacking in all self confidence. There are the “posh git” voices of his mostly upper crust workmates. There are several regional voices as well with a Welsh co-worker, Oliver’s upper middle class parentals, Luc’s loving but crazy mother, his deadbeat dad and a host of others.
Luc is the kind of guy that you find yourself pulling for even as early chapter one. The friends are all likable, the eccentric workmates are lovable.
Heck, I even liked the nice guy that tried chatting Luc up in chapter only to be disappointed by Luc’s paranoia. When he comes back later as something of a villain, I still liked him. So much so that I’m curious as to his story as well.
This is the final installment in the Codename Winger series and I’m sad to see it end. This is NOT the typical YA LGBTQ book. It’s a techno-thriller wThis is the final installment in the Codename Winger series and I’m sad to see it end. This is NOT the typical YA LGBTQ book. It’s a techno-thriller with a main character that just happens to be a young openly gay man.
In prior books we’ve seen a savant-like computer security nerd with a preternatural level of maturity face challenges that many gay teens face. e.g. Trying to balance his secret life with his hockey and school commitments while keeping his boyfriend happy. Of course in Theo’s case he’s in the closet about being a spy, not that he’s gay. We’ve seen him face a kidnapping attempt, deal with coaching fellow computer geeks, while being hunted by a terrorist, suffer musical mental manipulation, and finally, actually have a major boyfriend crisis.
Of course THAT creates a bit of a cliff-hanger of sorts that needs to get resolved in this, the final book.
In this the final book, the challenges are greater, and the danger even more close to home. While in some ways, we see Theo become stronger in each book, we also see him open up more in each book, and let himself feel what other folks his age are feeling. That vulnerability only increases the empathy that the reader feels for this brave young man. The scenes in this book include more crying than what’s common among your typical “action hero”/James Bond types. However, if you’re like me, you’ll find that they just help make our hero more human, more relatable and more lovable. One warning though: Be sure and lay in a stack of tissues as there may well be some collateral crying fall-out.
Now that the series is ending, I’ll miss young Theo, but perhaps, someday soon we’ll hear about a new couple. I think that Max and Rodney (a couple we meet late in the book) sound like a couple I’d care to hear more about. I wonder if Iowa born Max is anywhere near as good at hockey as Theo seemed to be in these books.
Given our teen-aged main characters, there is still no graphic sex depicted here. Though toward the end we do get intimations that our MCs future will contain, as John Green puts it… “plenty of skoodelypooping.”
Kirt Graves does the audiobook narration and his youthful voice is perfect for the first person narration as seen by Theo. There is not as much scope here for his other character’s dialogue voices as in previous books, but those that are here are spot on.
Note: Having read the blurbs on both books 1 and 2, I was curious about both but was MUCH more intrigued by book 2. So I started with book 2. There weNote: Having read the blurbs on both books 1 and 2, I was curious about both but was MUCH more intrigued by book 2. So I started with book 2. There were a few references to the first book, but they seemed very minor, and starting with the second book affected my enjoyment of this series not at all. In fact, given what I enjoy in my reading, I'm guessing that reading 2 before 1, will actually add to my overall enjoyment of both. Sometimes it's OK to eat dessert first.
What I expected to find was a somewhat dark revenge fantasy. What I did find was excellent storytelling and excellent writing in one package. This was billed as a revenge fantasy but it quickly turned into much more, there is revenge but there's also a plot-line involving empathy, personal growth, self awareness, and self acceptance. The story revolves around a body-switch curse, but it seemed to be more of a blessing than a curse. As I read more, I wasn't sure whether I wanted them to swap back, or not. It seemed that each of the main character's personalities were more at home in their post-curse bodies than in the ones that nature had given them. Reflecting on that, and how it might mirror the sense of relief and “ultimate rightness” post op transsexuals might feel, gave me an increase in empathy in that area as well.
The sex here was the hottest I've read in a long time. Given the initial revenge aspect, the dirty, raunchy aspects of the initial sexual encounters are somehow made more acceptable, and given that each is temporarily inhabiting the other's body, the dominance and submission aspects are rendered a lot less ominous. The BDSM aspects of the sex here was some of the most organically justified by the story that I've ever read.
And not only were my lustful expectations for this fulfilled. The empathy aspects of the book, each character seeing the world from another's perspective was incredibly satisfying as well. It truly is harder to hate those we really understand.
Now that I've read book 2, I really am more looking forward to going back to read book 1. Having not read book 1 yet, I'm not sure it matters all that much which you feel most comfortable starting with. I just advise that you pick one up and start.
I first encountered this work under it's former title “Diary of a Teenage Taxidermist” back in 2014 when I borrowed it from a friend via Kindle loan. I first encountered this work under it's former title “Diary of a Teenage Taxidermist” back in 2014 when I borrowed it from a friend via Kindle loan.
Stumbling upon it again, under it's new title, I was intrigued, yet again, by the blurb and arranged to borrow it via another kindle loan, from yet another friend. Only when it arrived did I make the connection that it was the same book, and I passed on “using up” yet another friend's one-and-done Kindle loanability. Imagine my surprise when I found an audio-version among the books available for review on LoveBytes.
I honestly didn't recall many of the plot details from my reading of this over six years ago, so in some ways, revisiting this work is a bit like reading it for the first time.
As an inveterate logophile I tend to stop and look up words that I'm not familiar with. Though I probably looked it up six years ago, the author's use of "celedon" to describe the clearness of a pretty boy's eyes, pulled me out of the story, yet again. Celedon has always been tied in my mind to the milky light green pottery. Probably NOT the most brilliant word choice.
But that was quickly made up for with the line "Robert's gonna help me out with something I missed at school.” I'd never heard of a blow-job described quite like that before. ...more
I really enjoyed this. Here we have Brendan and Casper as more mature adults faced with the challenges of raising three boys. In many ways this is a mI really enjoyed this. Here we have Brendan and Casper as more mature adults faced with the challenges of raising three boys. In many ways this is a more mature book than some of Mark's other works and we see new aspects of his talent and storytelling.
Since the issues are new the storytelling is fresh and suffers from none of the redundancy that some of Mark's book have when dealing with overly familiar topics.
The one thing I would have liked to have seen that was missing is any mention of Aiden, the straight homeless guy that they sort of adopted in an earlier book. ...more
I love how Robin Reardon takes the common ordinary coming out story that we all love and adds other major themes that transform the ordinary into the I love how Robin Reardon takes the common ordinary coming out story that we all love and adds other major themes that transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
This time the "other issues" include parental divorce following the loss of a sibling, converting to Islam, sailing, psychics, photography, and falling for someone who's not only intersex but of a very different financial strata.
These themes all blend together to give a unique and engaging read that is never quite what you expect and never run of the mill. The characters are some of the most likeable she's written about to date and while the ending is a hopeful and satisfying one, I'll miss my new friends. If Robin ever runs out of new areas of interest I'd love for her to revisit some of the characters from her earlier books. In this one, like her earlier works, I'd like to know more about how these people's stories continue....more
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