Book Synopsis 

Try – verb: to make an attempt or effort to do something or in this case…someone.

Sex. Logan Mitchell loves it, and ever since he realized his raw sexual appeal at a young age, he has had no problem using it to his advantage. Men and women alike fall into his bed—after all, Logan is not one to discriminate. He lives by one motto—if something interests you, why not just take a chance and try?

And he wants to try Tate Morrison.

Just coming out of a four-year marriage with an ex-wife from hell, a relationship is the last thing on Tate’s mind. He’s starting fresh and trying to get back on his feet with a new job at an upscale bar in downtown Chicago. 

The only problem is, Tate has caught the unwavering and unwelcome attention of Mr. Logan Mitchell – a regular at the bar and a man who always gets what he wants.

Night after night Tate fends off the persistent advances of the undeniably charismatic man, but after an explosive moment in the bar, all bets are off as he finds his body stirring with a different desire than his mind. As arrogance, stubbornness and sexual tension sizzles between the two, it threatens to change the very course of their lives. 

Logan doesn’t do relationships. Tate doesn’t do men. But what would happen if they both just gave in and…tried?

Kindle Edition, 353 pages

Published November 12th 2013 

by Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

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My Thoughts

When I heard Ella Frank was writing an m/m romance my heart went all a-flutter. Ella Frank is one of my favourite steamy authors to read, and I had high hopes that Try would be delicious. So I was more than excited to get this read in my greedy little hands. And this was one read I could not put down (save for the necessity of work and sleep) and I am still thinking about this book. 

Logan: We first met Logan in Edible and I thought he was an intriguing there. The sexy, arrogrant brother of Cole, I knew his story would be interesting for sure. And boy oh boy, was I right! Logan is pushy, undeniably sexy, and stubborn. He has no problem letting Tate know he's interested and he doesn't seem to care that Tate is straight, daring him instead to try being with a man. Oh, did I forget to mention Logan is ballsy and says exactly what's on his mind? Because he is, and I loved that about him. He made me laugh out loud at times, and other times I thought my eyes would pop out my head at the things he'd say. But Logan, sadly, is a player. A player who learned to play because he was in essence, played. And he's never really trusted or done relationships since. So he's hardly ready for where the experiment, so to speak, with Tate is going to lead. 

Tate: Friends, I think I have found a new imaginary boyfriend. I adored Tate. Adored. He was unfailingly honest, and I found that damn refreshing. He didn't deny to himself, or to Logan, what he was feeling. It took him by surprise and it took him a bit of time to get used to the idea that he wanted to try with Logan, to see why he had feelings for a man, but once he starts trying, Tate doesn't back from the reality of what is happening. And what's happening is that he likes being with Logan--and not just in bed. He likes Logan. And I loved that when Logan pisses Tate off and disappoints him at times, Tate always lets Logan exactly what's on his mind. His temper is spectacular and so is his stubborn streak (I think Logan more than met his match there) and I just loved how these characteristics combined into one honest, forthright man. And geez, the curls ladies. I could almost feel them in my fingers when Ella talked about the curls. But now I'm gushing. Tate is going to have to do a lot of standing up for himself in the next book, but I know he can deal with the drama because Tate always stands up for himself and for what is right. Hence, my adoration. 

Steam level? Off the charts. And a major part of the plot. But I honestly felt as though each encounter brought them to a new level in their relationship--not just sexually, but emotionally. Tate is a challenge for Logan, and I think challenge and that time they take together pushes Logan to the realization that he needs Tate in his life. And each time they are together, Tate accepts that his entire life is changing and that he wants it to, because he wants to be with Logan. I highly recommend this read--I was completely devastated by it. I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review. 

Favourite Quote

"It's been real since the moment I realized I couldn't stop thinking about you."

5 glittering stars

Paperback, 360 pages

Published September 30th 2008 

by St. Martin's Paperbacks

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He has tried hard to forget her.

Kev Merripen has longed for the beautiful, well-bred Winnifred Hathaway ever since her family rescued him from the brink of death when he was just a boy. But this handsome Gypsy is a man of mysterious origins—and he fears that the darkness of his past could crush delicate, luminous Win. So Kev refuses to submit to temptation…and before long Win is torn from him by a devastating twist of fate.

Can she remember the man he once was?

Then, Win returns to England…only to find that Kev has hardened into a man who will deny love at all costs. Meantime, an attractive, seductive suitor has set his sights on Win. It’s now or never for Kev to make his move. But first, he must confront a dangerous secret about his destiny—or risk losing the only woman he has lived for…

My Thoughts

I'm a big fan of Lisa Kleypas. So much so that even though she has plenty out that I haven't read, that I space out her novels a bit because I'm afraid of running out of her glorious books. She's yet to produce one I was disappointed in.

Kev: What a stubborn man. Usually I find this endearing. In this case, I wanted to shake Kev. I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to flounce off after some scathing tirade so that my frustration was vent. Honestly, he had hang ups that to me didn't really make a lot of sense--I understood where he was coming from, considering his childhood. And I was glad after Leo let him have it that Kev comes to his senses regarding letting Win marry Dr. Harrow. But geez, for a while there I thought there was no hope because he's so darn stubborn. And yet, there is a layer of vulnerability so deep inside him that I also found his character compellingly engaging. He loves Win with a passion so deep that it's almost hard to see it. And I think that is what is so wonderful about him. Win is his everything. Literally.

Inside cover

Win: I may not have gotten to flounce off after a tirade that left Kev's ears burning, but Win certainly does take her life into her own hands and leaves him burning in a lot of other ways. I really liked her gentle, yet extraordinary determined character. She was no nonsense, but all heart too which I found a happy marriage of traits. I loved how even when she was really angry at Kev, that she still couldn't pretend to herself that it was over between them. Or that she wanted it to be. She was determined to move on with life if Kev wasn't willing to make a life with her, but she knew for her that Kev would always be the one. And my favourite part was when Kev kidnapped Win, Romany style, to "ravish" her and Win thought, finally. I was pretty darn relieved myself!

Overall, a delicious read. Full of beautifully turned emotion, laugh out loud moments and with a healthy sprinkling of le sigh. 

4 glittering stars

Trade Paperback, 474 pages

Published November 1st 2007 

by Spice (first published October 31st 2007)

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The Hell's Eight is the only family he's ever needed, until he meets the only woman he's ever wanted... 

Caine Allen is a hardened Texas Ranger, definitely not the marrying kind. But when he rescues a kidnapped woman and returns her to town, the preacher calls in a favor. One Caine's honor won't let him refuse. From the moment he beds Desi, Caine knows turmoil will follow. Desi might have the face of a temptress, but she also has a will of iron and while she needs his protection, she's determined that no man will control her again. They establish an uneasy bond, but it isn't enough for Caine. He wants all Desi has to offer. He wants her screams, her moans, her demands...everything. Yet there's still a bounty on Desi's head, and keeping her sexually satisfied is proving easier than keeping her alive.

My Thoughts 

Well, I've fallen in love with wild west romances. It's total guilty pleasure reading and I need that right now. But I have to say, I do love the setting, the hark back to times of yore--it feeds the lover of history in me. 

Caine: The main is stoic  And yet, oh so loving. I could giggle at him but he'd just stare at me impassively. I really liked that this hero was smart--he wasn't ever fooled by anyone, lest of all Desi who was always trying to get away from him. He saw through her shields and made her trust him--perhaps with too much rawness, but I forgive him for it because he really was trying to help her, to get her to see that she was at long last, safe. I have to admire him marrying her largely to keep her safe--before he really knew much of anything about her. He simply trusted that she wasn't the person everyone was making her out to be, that she needed help and love and that she was pure--of soul. Everything else was insubstantial to him, though of of course it probably helped that he found her damned attractive. 

Desi: It's been a while since I've encountered a heroine this broken down. The things that she endured were horrible and enough to drive one mad, but Desi holds it together through a sheer force of stubborn will. And yet, there is a part of her that is crushed--her ability to trust. She can't trust men. She fears once she does something to displease Caine, or once he grows bored of her that he'll turn angry or simply leave her. And even though she's afraid of men as a general rule and trusts Caine instinctively, she can't seem to get past that rational (if you can it rational) fact in her mind. There were times I thought she never would. But Desi is strong, and she does manage eventually to see that Caine loves her and won't turn on her no matter what happens down the road. 

A sexy, sizzling read with a compact plot and one I had a hard time putting down. I really liked this book. There was a little something in the bedroom antics I wasn't sure of, but I still thought the characters and everything that happened made sense for who they were, and where they were. 

4 glittering stars 

Kindle Edition, 342 pages

Published November 7th 2013 

by HarperImpulse

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The only woman who had power over notorious rake Robert Marlow was now walking away from him, again.

He'd heard Sutton had died, and known Jane was free, but he'd always thought his desire would only be for revenge, not her. Yet here he was, unable to deny what he felt for her…what he’d never felt for any other woman before…



My Thoughts

Delectable. I had been looking forward to this novel for a while and I was not disappointed. Robert was...le sigh. Admittedly, it took me time to understand him, but once I did, I feel head over heels like a schoolgirl. 
The Marlow Intrigues are just the right blend of romance, mystery and are seriously compelling historical romances novels.

Robert: A rake of the worst kind. This man pursues women, beds them and then cuts them lose after one night. In modern terms, he's a player. The sort most women would want to tame for their very own just to be able to flaunt before others that he could be a devoted one woman man. I ought dislike him. And at times, I did because he even though he loved Jane with all of his heart, with a devotion that had withstood his best efforts to eradicate, he sometimes had so little faith in her. It seemed at odds with the good hearted man I knew him to be.  People are such paradoxes at times, so it's wonderful to encounter book characters with those sorts of complexities. I loved that when Robert finally pieces together all the little bits of Jane's life with the Suttons that he rides to the rescue like the proverbial white knight.  It's just uber romantic and I can't help but adore that. I also love how proud and stubborn he is at times, and yet he's smart enough to let others help him and Jane when Sutton tries to ruin them. Robert is just about perfect in soo many ways that I'll all I say now is, read this wonderful romance to discover him for yourself. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Jane: Another complex character. Proud, strong, you'd never take her for a woman who's afraid. And yet, she's spent most of her adult life in fear of her husband and his cruelty. The late Duke of Sutton was not a violent man, but he was twisted. And Jane was his plaything. He delighted in isolating her, tormenting her with his "what ifs" and just generally terrorizing her emotionally. Even after his death, he's arranged it so that Jane continues to be terrorized by his actions, and now by his son's. It's twisted and vile and that Jane has any gumption to throw caution to the wind and stand up herself as she does is astounding. Mind you, she caves in at times, too afraid to ask for help, too afraid to trust her friends or even her girlhood sweetheart, Robert. It made me cry for them both. When she finally accepts Robert's help, his protection, I was so glad, but even then Jane was so worried Robert would be ruined because of her that I worried about their future together because Sutton was such a black hearted soul, I had no idea what he'd stoop to next. Thank goodness for happily ever afters!

I cannot wait to read more of this series. I can't guess this time who the next novel might be about--perhaps Ellen's son, he seems the logical choice, but whoever it is, I am once again on pins and needles for another of Jane Lark's novels. I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

5 glittering stars

ebook, Nook, 240 pages

Published August 2009 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd

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The bigger they are, the harder they fall--in love.

Soldier Cameron McKay has found his niche, and it ain't ropin' steers and wearin' spurs. His deputy sheriff job, plus battle injuries that ended his military career, keep him right where he wants to be: Off the ranch and away from his family's pity. His darkest war memories are on lockdown, leaving him skeptical he'll ever find a woman who wants a man who's less than whole.

Domini Katzinski has had to control every aspect of her life since age eleven, when she was orphaned in the Ukraine. Watching others' relationships crumble has convinced her to focus on the short-term and find a take-charge man to whom she can relinquish total sexual control. Cam fits the bill: gorgeous, with a brooding vulnerability no one else seems to see. Plus, he has his own handcuffs.

Once Cam gets over his surprise that sweet, shy Domini wants to be dominated, he is back to issuing orders. Their passion is as hot as a rocket-propelled grenade--and if Domini has her way, it's a one-shot deal. Cam wants more, and launches a full-out sensual assault...until tragedy strikes, forcing him to change tactics as he tries to keep past demons from blowing their future together all to hell...

My Thoughts

I really do love this series. The more I read of it, the more I love it. I've probably said it before, but I love how Lorelei James weaves reality into these erotic romances--loss, abuse, family friction, personal struggles, tragedy all interwoven into this family saga. And I cannot get enough of it because it's real. This series is wonderfully true to life. 

Cam: So, a few books back Cam was MIA. When the call came in that Cam was alive, we knew his life would be forever changed since he had lost part of his leg. He would no longer be a solider. Cam's disability leaves him feeling vulnerable. It leaves him feeling like less than he was and he's afraid of what will do around him. He doesn't want to be treated any differently so he tries to hide his prosthetic leg from everyone. He also distances himself emotionally from his family by refusing to have them around. Domini is the first person whose able to stand up to Cam and tell him how selfish he's being, and because of that, Cam starts to open up. First to her as lover, then as a father to Anton and finally he realizes that it's okay to rely on others--that his family doesn't see him as someone different than who he was simply because of his disability. I absolutely loved this sensitive, good hearted alpha male. Even when he was being an ass, which Cam could really be from time to time. 

Domini: Domini has been through some losses of her own, and she's just as damaged as Cam is in some ways. She also thinks that because of her background that Cam will see her as being "less." She's also dead wrong. But it took her helping Cam through his own fear and issues to realize that she was holding herself back from Cam, who she really loved. I loved how complex Domini was--shy and quiet, yet able to handle Cam. He was big  tough, stubborn and very...demanding. But Domini loved all of that about him (she really really did) and just the mere fact that she could take him as he was--disabled, sexually demanding, with baggage left over from his days as a solider--made Cam fall head over heels for her. She was exactly what Cam McKay needed. 

This is easily one of my favourite of the Rough Riders series, though they are all so good it's hard to choose between them. 

5 glittering stars