Love Comes Around

Love Comes Around isn’t your average or typical boy meets boy, boy falls in love with boy, they have a fight and separate only to come back to their senses and live happily ever after. No, not one of those, oh there is man meets man but this story dives deeper than that. Also let’s face it, Andrew Grey doesn’t write unhappy endings. He’ll make us cry before we get there but all is well that ends well when reading a book of his. What’s more dominant in this book is finding a place to belong when you’re not good enough or you think you’re not to be wanted. It’s about the love of children that normally wouldn’t get the love they deserve just because they’re not physically perfect or that they’re too much trouble. It takes special people to love these special kids.

 

                                             

Connor O’Malley is a handyman who takes time to make repairs on The Pleasanton Home for Children, which is basically a nice way of saying orphanage. He feels a connection with the kids because he’s felt unwanted his entire life so when he’s there working on something he always leaves time to visit with the children.

Dan Harrington is a very successful businessman. He is striving to prove his father wrong and to make a family of his own choosing. He chooses a family that no one else wanted and who will love him just as he is.

Connor and Dan knew of each other in high school from afar but they meet again because of the work Dan needed done on his home so he could bring another special child into it. An 8 year old boy with MS in a wheelchair named Jerry. Dan had already brought home a 6 year old girl named Lila who has to rely on fore-arm crutches to get around.

Then there’s  Wilson. He took care of the house before Dan took ownership of the place and decided to keep him on. Wilson is the man who keeps everything together, like super glue. He may have started as Dan’s employee but over the years it’s more of a friendship that keeps the wheels turning for the household. He’s like Alfred.

You will fall in love with this brood, I have no doubt. All of them are wrestling with fears of being left alone and having to fight their own demons. Lila and Jerry are very special children, not only because of their physical in-capabilities but because of how they chose to handle them.

Love Comes around has a special place in my heart. I was once one of the unwanted children myself. Happy Reading!

 I give this book 5  Blue roses

Upside Down by Andrew Grey

Blurb:

Lowell Cartwright’s life as a mercenary problem solver has taken its toll, and after one more difficult job, he wants out. For help, he turns to Bull, a soldier of fortune turned club owner—not exactly a friend, but the best chance Lowell has. He visits Bull’s club to scope it out and meets Jeremy Hodgson. The twink captures his attention in a big way. Bull tells Lowell to stay away from the club until he decides whether he can help, so Lowell stays in town. When he spots Jeremy passed out on the floor of a convenience store, he goes to Jeremy’s aid.

Lowell piques Jeremy’s interest immediately, pushing all the right buttons. Then, when Jeremy needs help, Lowell’s kindness turns interest into something more.

But trouble comes knocking when Jeremy’s place is bugged. Maybe Lowell’s past is catching up to him, or maybe the danger centers on Jeremy’s roommate Tristan’s mysterious boyfriend. Whatever the source of the problem, the future Lowell and Jeremy hope for doesn't stand a chance unless they can find a way to protect themselves.

                                                     

My Review:

Spook has been redeemed! I love how Andrew Grey changed his fate. He was a cool badass in the first one, where you didn’t know whether to like him or hate him. He did pull a gun on Bull after all. That would explain the bad attitude that Zach has in this. Zach goes from the timid/shy character to protecting mama tiger who takes no prisoners. Alas, this book isn’t about him and Bull. Well, not directly. It is Spook’s and Jeremy’s turn to shine.

Lowell aka Spook, wants out of the mercenary business and he only knows of one person who had successfully left it all behind so he goes to him for help. While waiting to talk to Bull, Lowell’s eyes fall upon Jeremy Hodgson. 

Bull tells Lowell he’ll think about helping but in the meantime to stay away from the club.

In the meantime Lowell comes across Jeremy passed out in a store and helps him.

Lowell catches Jeremy’s eye. He pushes all of Jeremy’s buttons and he wants to know Lowell better but before that happens there are hurdles to jump as in who can they trust and house to clean as in get rid of people who are after you.

I LOVE this book, but I have to say I still love Bull more. Although Upside Down was closer to the life of a mercenary.  I really love these books and hope the rest of the party finds love as well. Maybe not as dangerous , Tristan needs a good man.J

I give this story Five Blue Roses

Electrochemistry by Andrew Grey.

Meet Brad Jergens, a science major in college.

Meet Jordy Fleming, a student  at the same college. A person Brad notices from afar but feels he doesn’t stand a chance of being good enough for Jordy.
Brad is coerced into going on a cruise with his family during the break in school. He asks his best friend. Helen to go with him so he’s assured he’d have somewhat of a good time.

First  day on the ship and what do you know, fate happens. He runs, literally, into Jordy.

They hang out together and it looks like they’re getting close. Brad thinks he’s just a ship romance for Jordy.

 

                                                                

This was a really fun read. It’s light and has funny parts. The most angst in this book is in Brad’s head.

Where it ended, I hope there will be a sequel or at least they will be in the next book somehow. The romance didn’t have a chance to run that far. The story  tells of a nice beginning and I would love to see where this one goes.

I really enjoy Andrew Grey’s writing and I have enjoyed this series.  This is a must read for new fans and old fans alike.

I give this Five Blue Roses

Pride and Modern Prejudice by AJ Michaels

 

 

                                                           

 

If you are a fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice , a fan of boy meets boy and falls in love with said boy, then you are in for a treat.

Pride and Modern Prejudice is Austen’s Pride and Prejudice meets current day.  Being that she did things out of the norm of women in her day, I do believe this is the version she would have written if she had written it in this day and age.

Instead of the Bennet sisters it has the Bennet brothers. The two oldest being  Jamie and Liam. One is shy and the other is mouthy.

There is Charlotte as the best friend to Liam. You’ll have to read the book to find out if she marries Mr. Collins. Yes he is in there too.

Find out who falls prey to Mr. Wickham. I’m not stating any spoilers by saying that because any Jane  Austen fan will already know he’s bad news J

Even Catherine de bourgh with snobbishness.

This is a terrific read for any fan of AJ Michaels and any fan of Jane Austen.

I give this book five Blue Roses.

Love Means...Patience by Andrew Grey

 I have to tell you that this story made me angry, not because of the way it was written but the subject made me angry. With all great books, this one invoked powerful feelings for me. What made me angry was the reminder that we have brave men, gay and straight fighting for our country but the gay men do not get the respect that they deserve. If he is found to be gay, he gets discharged with a dishonorable. That is if he isn’t killed in ‘combat’. They don’t have medical coverage to help with the remnants of war. All vets are dealing with that now. Whew, ok on with the review. Just remember a great book causes a multitude of emotion.

                                     

I have to start off mentioning Eli. That man is a saint, he tries to help everyone. I know he’s not a new character in the Love Means series but I’m mentioning him on the fact he was instrumental of getting Cory and Brick together. Besides he compared himself to Cory on how he became a part of the family.

 

The mind is a powerful thing but sometimes it keeps us from knowing what’s real or not. Cory has been out of the service for about 2 years. However, when he breaks into the kitchen of Geoff and Eli’s farm, he still thinks the enemy is around and he’s in enemy territory. He’s caught. I will let you read the book to find out how, it’s kind of funny. Instead of pressing charges, Geoff and Eli try to help him. They call on a friend who has been through this to try to get through to Cory.

Brick has been where Cory is, he too has a dishonorable discharge for being gay. In one instant the life he knew was ripped away from him. Then when he’s home tragic hits him again.  He still has the nightmares occasionally and the flashbacks but he tried to deal with his problems from war and being alone, from the bottom of a bottle. Eli and Geoff helped him out of it and helped him save his farm. So Brick comes to meet Cory as paying a debt back to Eli.

 

Brick and Cory worked well together. Sometimes it does take someone who’s been there to understand. I liked how Brick didn’t push Cory too hard and just let him come to terms in his own time. Brick did remind him periodically that he was no longer in the war. That he was home and safe. That is until his brain unraveled something that he saw that put him in danger. But we all know he survives this too. This is an Andrew Grey book, he wouldn’t give us anything but a happy ending. Besides once a Marine, always a Marine.

This is one of my favorite Love Means books. I always love how Andrew Grey brings people together who have been broken in some way or misguided to help them find love and within that love they find peace, understanding and healing.

 

I definitely give this book 5 Blue Roses.

Stuck in Oz by Andrew Grey

First of all let me say it was weird reading about Jeremy, that’s my son’s name..LOL

This story is another example of role reversals that Andrew Grey has been doing very well.

Jeremy Radcliffe finds himself alone and homeless with his little brother Petey after their mother died and the house was taken away to pay his mother’s debts. Afraid social services would take Petey, and with nowhere else to go, Jeremy fled with his brother to Kansas. There, he’s hoping his Uncle Milt can help. He doesn’t know his uncle all that well because of bad blood between his mother and uncle. With a mother who hardly paid attention to him and his own father leaving when he was young, Jeremy never felt loved and wanted. He never felt like he belonged. So when Uncle Milt welcomes them into his house, Jeremy assumes he’s just welcoming Petey. So he does the stupid thing of leaving, well trying to leave. It’s hard to leave with snow all around you in a car that’s seen better days.

 

Nate seems to have it all together. He is not afraid to go after what he wants and what he wants his Jeremy. He’s sweet and understanding but he has fears of his own that sometimes doesn’t show on the outside. He’s busy running from someone from his past. Until Jeremy teaches him to stand up for himself. Even then everything isn’t always what it seems.

Uncle Milt doesn’t talk much so it’s hard to decipher what he feels, which feeds more to Jeremy’s insecurities.  He learns to not keep important things inside after Jeremy misunderstands just who Milt wants in his home. Petey? Well, Petey is just adorable! Can’t help but to love Petey.

I’ve enjoyed the Oz books. I enjoyed the cameo appearance of Roger and Lyle from the first book, Dumped in Oz.

 

I give this book 5 blue roses

A Case of Possession by KJ Charles

 

A Case of Possession is book two in the A Charm of Magpies Series. It can be read on it’s own but you will not get the full effect of the characters or the relationships the characters have with one another. It is my suggestion that you read The Magpie Lord first.

 

I had not read The Magpie Lord when I was asked to review A Case of Possession. I read the first two chapters and stopped. I could not do a review on a second book in a series when I haven’t even read the first one. So that is what I did. I read The Magpie Lord through without putting it down, it was that good. By this time I was excited to see what awaited me in the second book, A Case of Possession, the one I am to review. It was the same as the first, so good I couldn’t put it down.

The book read like a four hundred page novel, in that it was full of adventure, mystery, other wordly factors and off course relationships. It did not drone on like a dry wordy story. The story is fast paced and when you are finished reading it in one sitting, because you’ll want to do that, you’ll want the story to continue.

Being the mystery buff that I am, this had me guessing all the way to the end. It’s that well written.

Lord Crane is a hard man to describe. He’s judged harshly just because of his father and brother’s reputation, a judgement he doesn’t deserve. He has done scrupulous things but he’s not a hateful man or a monster.

When it comes to Stephen Day, there is more there than what is initially  seen. He’s afraid to come out of the closet because it may mean he loses his friends and his occupation. I like how he was written, strong on the outside not needing anyone but on the inside he’s terrified of his heart.

My favorite character is Merrick, he’s in a class of his own.

Want to know more, I highly suggest reading this series. I cannot wait for the third one to come out.

I give this book five blue roses.