Review: Incoming Freshman by Carol Lynne

Incoming Freshman
Carol Lynne
Series: Campus Cravings #13
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Publish Date: August 1, 2011
Kindle {p.87}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: LGBT
Bobby Ray Sikes, Chet Sloan
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Three years ago, Chet Sloan left a promising job as Offensive Line Coach at the University of Arizona in an effort to put distance between himself and an Incoming Freshman. Bobby Ray Sikes first came to Chet’s attention as a high school sophomore when he took his small Arkansas town’s football team to a state championship. For two years Chet watched Bobby Ray Sikes play, knowing the boy was meant for greatness. When he recognized his feelings had grown from adoration to something more, Chet ran. In an effort to save his career and Bobby Ray Sikes’s chance to one day go professional, Chet took a job at North Central Idaho University.

For three years, Bobby Ray Sikes played for a team he hated. Not only was he expected to act like the rest of the guys on the team, but the one man he’d agreed to play for had left him high and dry. After reading an article on BK House, a privately funded all-gay dormitory, in OUT magazine, he decides to do the unthinkable and transfer colleges his senior year.

Most coaches would be thrilled to learn a two time All American was transferring in to play ball for their team, but Chet’s feelings for Bobby Ray Sikes haven’t changed. Will he be forced to run again or can he coach the man he loves?

I was excited to see the return of the Campus Cravings series, but this installment fell a little flat. Bobby Ray and Chet have been in love with each other pretty much since Booby Ray has been legal. Even still Chet didn't feel that a relationship between them was a good idea because of the age difference and the fact that he was Bobby's coach.

There didn't seem to be any real depth between these two once they reconnected three years later. Sure they had a physical attraction to one another, but as a reader I didn't become invested in either one of them. I ended up connecting more with Bobby's roommate Dane than the two main characters. Now his story is one I'm looking forward to reading.

Review: Making the Grade by Carol Lynne

Making the Grade
Carol Lynne
Series: Cattle Valley #19
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Published: October 4, 2010
Kindle {p.137}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: LGBT
Kenny Trenton, Eli Sanchez
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Kenny Trenton has had a crush on Cattle Valley English teacher, Eli Sanchez, since the age of seventeen. Although Kenny's no longer a schoolboy, Eli refuses to see his fellow faculty member as anything but a student.

Eli has spent his life hiding from the outside world. When the loneliness gets too much, he decides to make the changes necessary to open himself up to friendships and perhaps a relationship.

When Eli attends a high school football game in a neighbouring community, he's attacked in the parking lot. Although Kenny's the one to rescue him, Eli begins to think he's made a mistake and living in the outside world isn't a good idea.

Kenny's determined to keep Eli from retreating into his shell once again, but will his love be enough?

I didn’t really get into this one like previous books in this series. I didn’t really care all that much for either lead character.

Eli, who was supposedly a former member of the armed services, seemed to be frightened by his own shadow. He was overly sensitive to everything. The smallest thing could cause him to have hurt feelings and to withdraw into himself.

This relationship of the older man, Eli, and the younger man, Kenny, felt in reverse. I felt Kenny was the more mature one in this relationship taking care of Eli. It didn’t feel like Eli was bringing anything into this relationship.

Review: Taming Black Dog Four by Carol Lynne

Taming Black Dog Four
Carol Lynne
Series: Bodyguards in Love #4
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Published: May 10, 2010
Kindle {p.95}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: LGBT, Menage
Jack Drake, Carlo, Lobo, Renaldo
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

The bodyguards of Black Dog Four had been carefully chosen for looks, temperament, battle skills and sexuality. In the tradition of the Spartans, the idea was to see if lovers worked better as a team than merely friends. The experiment had seemed like a complete success until they'd been sent to guard Maria Valdez. After Maria was killed in an explosion, all four men had refused to work together.

Addy Constentine needed around-the-clock security if she hoped to legitimise her father's empire. With her stepbrother now in prison, Addy's goal was to keep the family out of the underworld it had been entrenched in for decades.

With death threats coming from several different sources, Addy needed the best. She needed the men of Black Dog Four.

The Black Dog Four team has just recently reunited after losing the person they were hired to protect. So going in you already know who is with whom because they already have an established relationship. This story was mainly just about them trying to make a relationship of four work for the long haul.

There were also the side stories of Alec and Lon and Abby and Joe. Those two relationships are the ones that actually develop during the span of the book. Both of these relationships developed rather quickly and seemed to only scratch the surface with no real depth to them. Especially Alec and Lon’s relationship. Alec’s whole time spent Taggert seemed to diminish his relationship with Lon.

But as always, Lynne delivers on the hot sex front.

Review: Fool's Gold by Jenna Byrnes

Fool's Gold
Jenna Byrnes
Series: Cattle Valley Women #2
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing
Publication Date: June 22, 2009
Kindle
Genre: LGBT
Characters: Abbie Murphy, Melissa
Challenge: 100+, LBGT, Ebook

Adeline Murphy believes the Apple Valley Inn is the only thing waiting for her in Cattle Valley, and it's up to Melissa Danes to change her way of thinking.Adeline Murphy heads to Cattle Valley, Wyoming looking for a fresh start. She's invested every dime she has and purchased the local bed and breakfast. Arriving in town with a cranky girlfriend in tow, Addie's devastated to discover the inn has been vandalised. With the property uninhabitable, she has no source of income and a mounting stack of bills.Melissa Danes' quiet Cattle Valley existence is shaken by the arrival of the beautiful Addie and her surly tagalong, Chloe. She's captivated by Addie, but stays away thinking Addie and Chloe are in a committed relationship. When she discovers differently, all bets are off.Mel discovers Addie has several barriers to cross, including repairing the damaged inn and her even more wounded self-esteem. When Mel looks at Addie she sees more than Fool's Gold, but she needs to find a way for Addie to see it too.

Abbie arrives in Cattle Valley as the new owner of the bed and breakfast. She meets Mel, who happens to be in possession of the keys to the inn, and there are immediate sparks. The only problem is Abbie isn’t arriving in town alone.

When Chloe, Abbie’s tag-along, finally gets tired of small town life and moves on for the bright lights of the big city, Mel and Abbie don’t waste any time acting on their attraction. These two start out hot and heavy. Then of course one falls for the other while the other is holding back.

The two of them do eventually get on the same page and starts what looks to be a promising relationship.

Review: Scarred by Carol Lynne

Scarred
Carol Lynne
Series: Cattle Valley #18
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Publication Date: August 9, 2010
Kindle
Source: Personal Library
Genre: LGBT
Characters: Zac Alben, Jakob Cox
Challenge: 50 States, 100+
My Rating:

Zac Alben loved his life in Cattle Valley until he made the ultimate mistake and introduced his partner in life, Terry, to his on-the-job partner, Jakob. He hoped the two men would hit it off, but he had no idea the meeting would forever change his life.

Scarred and broken, Zac shows the facade of a man on the mend. He returns to work, joins the community in celebrating Cattle Valley Days and wakes nightly in a cold sweat.

Pushed away at every turn, Jakob Cox still doesn’t know what happened the night Zac nearly lost his life. Despite Zac’s cold shoulder, Jakob takes it upon himself to drag the man he loves back into the land of the living.

Zac is healing from a horrible accident that has left him disfigured. Not only that, but he blames the man he is in love with, Jakob, for what happened to him. Even though he blames Jakob he's still in love with him and cannot stop thinking of him.

The two of them eventually find their way back to each other and make a go of the relationship. They had a rocky beginning because at the time Zac was already in a relationship and Jakob was a third they occasionally invited into their bedroom.

The story of these two was an emotional journey. With Zac being diagnosed as bipolar and Jakob trying to fine that balance to let Zac function and not constantly worrying about him harming himself. But Carol seemed to make it work without losing any of the steam.

Review: Neil's Guardian Angel by Carol Lynne

Neil's Guardian Angel
Carol Lynne
Series: Cattle Valley, #17
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Published: June 14, 2010
Format: Kindle
Source: Personal Library
Genre: LGBT
Characters: Neil Peters, Ben Waters
My Rating:

Heat Level: 2/5
Synopsis:

Neil Peters has done a lot of soul searching since the death of his boyfriend, Gavin. He knows he’s not the only one affected by the collapse at the rodeo arena, the previous summer, so why is it taking him so long to deal with it? Death is nothing new to him. He witnessed his own mother’s murder four-years earlier, but then, he’d had the support of his neighbour and guardian, Ben Waters. Needing the support of the one person who ever truly cared for him, Neil takes a trip back to Seattle and the man who kicked him out of his life two years earlier.

Ben is surprised to find Neil on his doorstep. His inappropriate feelings towards his ward once forced him to send Neil away. Now, back and older, Neil once again threatens Ben’s control. Ben tries to push aside his desires as he helps Neil but they won’t be shoved away this time. And soon he learns, reaching out to the man he still loves is the only way for both of them to come to terms with their pasts and their future.

Ben Waters finished the rest of his cardboard flavored sandwich and sipped at yet another cup of coffee.

Ben has come to Cattle Valley to care for Neil after he was thrown from his horse. Neil doesn't remember Ben or anything before moving to Cattle Valley.

Ben has pushed Neil away instead of acting on his feelings for him due to Neil's background. But after the accident Ben tries to make a go at a relationship with Neil but decides to hold back his true self. Ben is into D/s and with Neil being abused in his past, he feels it will be to painful a lifestyle for Neil.

This was not one of my favorites of the series, but it was okay. Ben and Neil said they were in love but I just didn't feel it.

Review: Firehouse Heat by Carol Lynne

Firehouse Heat
Carol Lynne
Series: Cattle Valley, #16
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Published: April 12, 2010
Format: Kindle
Source: Personal Library
Genre: LGBT
Characters: Leo Burkowski, Sammy Lee
My Rating:

Heat Level: 4/5
Synopsis:

Despite the eighteen year age difference, Sammy Lee wants his new boss, Assistant Fire Chief, Leo Burkowski. Living and working side by side at the firehouse several days a week is wearing on Lee's control. When Leo asks for his help with a special project, Sammy can't take it anymore and makes his move.

Although Sammy is playing for keeps, Leo refuses to think of the relationship as anything more than a passing affair. Age has been an issue in the past, and although Leo's attracted to the younger man, he's learned the hard way to keep his heart out of it.

Will the heat generated between the two men be enough to melt Leo's resolve, or will Sammy's hopes go down in a blaze of disappointment?

Leo Burkowski lifted the barbell from its stand and began to do his normal set of fifty.

Leo and Sammy are both attracted to the other, but Leo is unwilling to act on it because he's 18 years Sammy's senior. Not only is he older than Sammy, but they also have to work together. Leo starts to pull away from Sammy when he feels that Sammy is looking for more than friendship.

At first when they would make love, Leo had to have the lights out due to his body image issues. With him pushing fifty, he felt his body was inferior to his much younger lovers' and would turn Sammy off. It doesn't help matters that he found his ex-partner of 18 years cheating on him with a twink before moving to Cattle Valley.
Their relationship was a little slow starting, but once it did, it progressed nicely. They didn't automatically fall in love and move in together. Leo wanted to take things slow and build a foundation first, which was a great idea. A nice addition to the Cattle Valley series.

Review: Seducing the Sheik by Carol Lynne

Title: Seducing the Sheik
Author: Carol Lynne
Series: Bodyguards in Love #5
Published: July 12, 2010
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Source: Publisher
Format: Kindle
Genre: LGBT
Characters: Gavin Burk, Ali Zahar
My Rating:

Heat Level: 2/5
Synopsis:

It's a daily battle for Prince Ali Zahar to hold power of Jurru. After two men from Three Partner's Protection are injured while guarding him, there's only one man left who will take on the challenge, Gavin Burk.

With no friends or family, Gavin lives his life volunteering for dangerous missions. He's learned not to get close to anyone and as a result leads a very solitary life, but the passion stirred by Prince Zahar threatens the control Gavin has worked so hard to maintain.

Before Gavin has a chance to come to terms with his desires, he and the prince are forced to take shelter alone, in a hidden fortress, deep in the desert. There, Gavin's control is tested and fails. Life will never be the same for the ruler and his bodyguard.

Browning Automatic Rifle in hand, Gavin Burk slowed his breathing.

Gavin Burk has been living as a recluse in the Alaskan mountains until his friend and Three Partners operative, Jack, comes to ask a favor of him. There has been an attempt made on the life of the Sheik of Jerru and Gavin is the only man who can save him. He immediately heads out to the island of Jerru and is instantly attracted to Sheik Ali upon seeing him smile. But Gavin is there to do a job, and that is to protect Ali not to become involved with him. He has to keep his mind on saving Ali's life, not on ways to convince Ali to become a part of his.

Ali and Gavin's relationship progresses rather quickly. Within a day or two of meeting each other, they had already become intimate with one another. They both discover they are in love with one another very early on, but neither of them discloses this information to the other. I didn’t really find there was any time for a true connection to form between Ali and Gavin, due to the relationship happening so quickly.

Seducing the Sheik, is lighter on the sex and heavier on the action compared to the previous books in this series. Although that is to be expected, since it is indeed a series about bodyguards, but it did lack some of the "in love" that is also a part of the series.

Overall it was just a good read. I got to peek in on some of the characters from the previous books in the series, which is always a plus. It provided lots of detail of the island of Jerru and the mountains of Alaska. But what it didn't provide a lot of was steam.

Review: I Love Rock N Roll by Carol Lynne

Title: I Love Rock N Roll (Bodyguards in Love, #3)
Author: Carol Lynne
Published: March 15, 2010
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Format: E-Book
Source: Personal Library
Characters: Archer Brandt, Keifer Zane
My Rating:

Synopsis

Rock star, Keifer Zane’s homosexuality was leaked to the tabloids by ‘inside sources’. With the news of his sexual preference came threats and love-sick stalkers. In need of a bodyguard, Keifer’s manager hires Archer Adams, a man that is anything but a rock fan.

Archer enjoys the quiet life. Relaxing at his dessert home and listening to the blues are his idea of heaven. Traveling around the country on a bus, pretending to be a rock stars boy-toy, hell. Despite the loud music and long hours on the road, Archer actually likes Keifer. When disturbing gifts begin showing up in Keifer’s private spaces, Archer’s protective instincts kick in.

With their lives being played out in front of thousands of screaming fans, will the bodyguard and the rock star be able to see beyond the limelight to what is real?

Of the three books I've read so far in this series, this one is one of my favorites. Archer is Keifer's bodyguardand they are both attracted to each other, but don't act on it. Although they have to make the public believe that they are a couple and not employer and employee.

The photo shoot that they did for Rolling Stone was one of the hottest scenes I think I've read from Carol. Their relationship seemed to progress naturally and didn't feel forced. So I'm be looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Review: Pocket Pair by Carol Lynne

Title: Pocket Pair (Poker Night, #3)
Author: Carol Lynne
Published: August 2009
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Format: Ebook
Characters: Trey Huggins, Cole Harding
My Rating:

Synopsis

Book three in the Poker Night Series

For three years, Trey Huggins has watched and wanted Principal Cole Harding. As a teacher in the high school where they both work, Trey knows it'll never happen. Even if Cole was gay, he'd never go for a guy like Trey.

Seeking love in other places, Trey meets a man online and finally agrees to a drink. What he gets instead is a trip to the emergency room in the back of an ambulance. With the school year swiftly approaching, Trey fights to overcome his physical limitations as well as his constant fear.

For twenty-five years, Cole has managed to keep his private life separate from his job. Extending a helping hand to a colleague shouldn't be a big deal, but the feelings Trey invokes in Cole are anything but professional.

Can the teacher tutor the principal in love, or will class be out for these two before the school year even begins?

This book was to way too short for me to form any kind of investment in the characters. Maybe I shouldn't have waited so long to read this one after reading the previous two books.

Trey is so painfully shy and lonely, that he turns to a man he met online that ends up attacking him. The story picks up a few weeks after the attack, where he then jumps into a relationship with Cole, the principle at the high school in which Trey teaches. The two of them face obstacles from the start. With the fact that Cole is Trey's boss and they are both apprehensive about losing their careers if they are discovered.

The dramatic aspect of the book felted rather forced and not that smoothly written. This series, I haven't been able to really connect with. Of all the series by Carol Lynne that I've read, so far this series is my least favorite.