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Back Porch Reader

LGBTQ+ Romance and Erotica Book Reviews

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Day Review: The Christmas Fling by Heidi Cullinan

December 12, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

About the Book

Cover - The Christmas Fling by Heidi CullinanEccentric, reclusive, socially awkward project designer Evan Myles doesn’t date. Paying for sex with professionals is so much more efficient and suits his needs well enough. But when he’s on assignment in rural Logan, Minnesota, for the Christmas Town project and a handsome stranger at the bar catches his attention, Evan decides it’s time to break his rule. It doesn’t matter that he’s never so much as flirted before. It can’t be that hard, can it?

Davidson Incorporated lead architect Terry Reid hasn’t been hit on so clumsily in his life. Terry’s the first to admit he’s a neurotic Prince Charming, and he’s kissed his share of frogs of both genders, but he’s never met anyone quite like Evan Myles. Evan calls Terry by the wrong name, mistakes Terry for a simple construction worker, and picks apart his work as an architect. Despite this rough start, Terry is lured by the brilliance of Evan’s ideas, his quirky personality, and once they’re alone in Evan’s cabin, the man’s mad skills in bed. Yet Terry knows it takes more than a single night of passion to make a relationship work, and after so many failures, he’s just not ready to try again.

Evan and Terry’s path is strewn with stones neither of them can dislodge. Fortunately, they’re not alone on the road to romance. They’re in Christmas Town, home to matchmakers, meddlers, and more “fairy godfathers” than they could possibly know what to do with.

Most importantly, in Logan, Minnesota, happy ever after is guaranteed.

The Finer Details

Narrative Arc: — select —
Publication Date: December 12, 2017
Publisher: Self-Published
Editor: Sasha Knight
Cover Artist: Kanaxa
Length: Novel, 207 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person, limited to two main characters
Tense: Past
Pairings: Male/Male
Identities: Gay, Bisexual
Genre(s): Contemporary, Holiday
Holiday: Christmas
Tropes and Tags: mistaken identity, office romance
Settings & Locales: Minnesota
Ending: HEA

Find and Buy

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | KOBO | Smashwords

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Exclusive Teaser!


Advance Review Copy generously provided by the author. 

Back Porch Thoughts

Review

If you’re a fan of the Minnesota Christmas series, then this spinoff is just the ticket. We’re back in Logan, Minnesota, y’all! And “Christmas Town” is almost ready for its debut. A familiar landscape and characters we know and love are the sparkly backdrop to Evan and Terry finding their way together.

Haven’t read the Minnesota Christmas books? Fret not my friends. This can certainly be read as a stand-alone. Just try not to get too bogged down with all the names of the townsfolk and relationships from previous books — and then go read those books because they’re a blast!

As super excited as I was to get back to the gang in Logan and get a new romance out of the trip, The Christmas Fling wasn’t exactly my favorite, but delightful all the same.

There’s a huge mistaken identity plot-line that takes up a good portion of the book. A cautionary tale, if ya will, to be careful if you find a cute shirt at Goodwill with an embroidered name that’s not yours.

Initially, this misunderstanding was a chuckle-worthy blast, and I couldn’t wait to see how Terry would get himself out of that pickle.

But the simple misunderstanding soon became The Big Secret that Terry waffled about coming clean on for a long, long time all while Evan was hell-bent on finding his lost fling.

I’ve got no quibbles as to why Evan didn’t figure things out sooner on his own — it’s all explained and makes sense. And I can kinda get why all the people around Evan who were in the know didn’t spill the beans. It all fell to Terry. And…come to find out, Terry has some issues of his own that also make sense and maybe should’ve been detectable sooner, but for me came just a tad too late in the story, and too much anticipatory tension knowing, knowing, knowing that it was all going to explode.

But LISTEN! This is an enormously fun read. If you think you’re gonna get a light-n-fluffy holiday tale to cozy up with next to the fire…well, this is not that. There’s angst, there’s drama, there’s off-the-charts kinky sexy times because Heidi Cullinan can bring the business. The community atmosphere of Logan is sublime, and the characters are people I’d like to call friends.

I’m thrilled to have taken another trip to Logan to meet a few new folks, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in the series.


About the Author

Heidi Cullinan Bio PicHeidi Cullinan has always enjoyed a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. Proud to be from the first Midwestern state with full marriage equality, Heidi is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights. She writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because she believes there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. When Heidi isn't writing, she enjoys playing with new recipes, reading romance and manga, playing with her cats, and watching too much anime.

Connect:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Patreon

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Heidi Cullinan, Genre: Contemporary, Genre: Holiday, Length: Novel, Pairing: M/M, Publisher: Self-Published, Rating: 4 Stars, Type: Series

Review: How to Love a Monster by Lyssa Dering

August 16, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

About the Book

Cover How to Love a MonsterDying at the hands of government goons was always going to happen. Waking up in a dark and twisted afterlife? Not the plan.

Seraphim has the superhuman ability to control his own brain. Or at least, he used to, before his government-mandated brain surgery. The surgery killed him, but life isn’t over yet. He’s just woken up, shivering and alone, in the rain-soaked alleyway of a city he doesn’t recognize.

Continue reading…

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Lyssa Dering, Genre: Paranormal, Pairing: M/M, Publisher: Self-Published, Rating: 4 Stars, Type: Standalone

Review: Heels Over Head by Elyse Springer

June 1, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

Synopsis

Jeremy Reeve is one of the best divers in the world, and he’s worked hard to get where he is. He intends to keep pushing himself with one very clear goal in mind: winning gold at the Summer Olympics in two years. That medal might be the only way to earn his father’s respect as an athlete.

Continue reading…

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: Author: Elyse Springer, Genre: Contemporary, Genre: New Adult, Genre: Sports, Pairing: M/M, Publisher: Riptide Publishing, Rating: 4 Stars, Type: Standalone

Frat Boy and Toppy, by Anne Tenino

May 5, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

Cover Image Frat Boy and Toppy by Anne TeninoBrad is great at meeting other people’s expectations. But his own? Not so much. Take the gay thing. Okay, so yeah. It took a morning meeting with a frat brother’s hairy, naked ass for him to admit it, but he knows the truth about himself now. Let the gay life commence.

Continue reading…

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: Author: Anne Tenino, Genre: Contemporary, Pairing: M/M, Publisher: Riptide Publishing, Rating: 4 Stars, Type: Series

Play Dead, by Avery Cockburn

March 28, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

cover-averycockburn-playdeadThe popular Scottish gay-romance series returns with this must-read novella!

Continue reading…

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Avery Cockburn, Genre: Contemporary, Length: Novella, Pairing: M/M, Publisher: Self-Published, Rating: 4 Stars, Type: Series

Review Tour & Giveaway: Trapped, by Ruby Moone

March 22, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

 

cover-rubymoone-trapped

Sam Holloway is a desperate man. Trapped in Dante’s, the high-class London brothel catering to men who love men, his only hope is to find a rich protector. Then he meets the young aristocrat with sad eyes. Continue reading…

Filed Under: Book Review, Excerpt, Giveaway, Promo with Review, Review Tour Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Ruby Moone, Excerpt, Genre: Historical-Regency, Giveaway, Pairing: M/M, Promo: Signal Boost PR, Publisher: MS Books, Rating: 4 Stars, Type: Standalone

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