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Back Porch Reader

LGBTQ+ Romance and Erotica Book Reviews

Rating: 5 Stars

ARC Review: Abroad Book 2 by Liz Jacobs

January 1, 2018 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

About the Book:

Cover, Abroad book 2The heartwarming and romantic conclusion to the duology celebrated by Teen Vogue as “a nuanced and sexy take on growing up and learning to accept who you are.”

Nick Melnikov has finally done it — he’s come out.

To himself. To his sister. And to Dex, who listens, hears him, and understands. To Dex, who kisses him and shows him all that they could be, if Nick could only find the courage. It’s one thing to let yourself be open thousands of miles away from your family, but exchange student Nick is uncomfortably aware that his time with Dex is running out. Who will he be when he goes home again?

Dex Cartwell is as happy with Nick as he’s ever been, but he can’t ignore the shadow of Nick’s inevitable departure from London, back to his life in Michigan. Is it worth it for Dex to expose his heart to another doomed relationship with a predetermined expiration date? What does Dex really want for the beginning of the next chapter in his life, post-graduation?

Dex wants to turn to his best friend in the struggle to find a way forward, but Izzy Jones has her own problems. She’s got one friend in love with her, and when she turns to another for help things get twice as complicated. Izzy never wanted complicated, but life just keeps getting in the way — and sweeping her off her feet.

Then Nick’s mom and sister come for a visit, and he is forced to decide between living his truth and protecting himself from fear and change. It’s going to take a lot of courage and a few leaps in the dark if Nick, Dex, and Izzy are to find a way to live and love on their own terms.

The Finer Details

Narrative Arc: Series

Series Detail: Abroad, book 2

Series Arc: ensemble of relationships

Publication Date: January 2, 2018
Publisher: Brain Mill Press

Cover: Design by Ampersand Book Design, Illustration by Megan J. Smith
Length: Novel, 425 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person, limited to 3 or more main characters
Tense: Past
Pairings: Male/Male, Female/Female, Male/Female
Identities: Gay, Demisexual, Bisexual, Transgender
Age Range(s): 18 to 21, 22 to 25
Genre(s): Contemporary, New Adult

Tropes and Tags: ensemble cast, sexual identity awakening, closeted, friends to lovers, virgin
Settings & Locales: London, England
Ending: HEA

Find and Buy

Brain Mill Press | Amazon US

Add the book to your goodreads shelf.


 

Advance Review Copy generously provided by the publisher.


Back Porch Thoughts

Review

The first book in the Abroad duology left us teetering on the mighty cliffhanger also known as OMG WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?! Where Nick and Dex are taking tentative steps into Relationshipville. Izzy is coming to terms with realizing her sexuality while the earth quakes beneath her feet since learning about a secret crush that has the power to rock a seriously good friendship.

Book two picks up just where we left off with morning afters and more questions begging to be answered as this crew of friends navigate college life, the path to the big-time of adulthood, and trusting in the ties that bind.

Nick, a Russian-American studying abroad in London, is angst incarnate and prone to anxiety attacks that bring him to his knees when faced with the idea of coming out to his mother. He’s so in his head he can’t bring himself to confide in his amazing set of friends, or Dex in these early days of being part of a couple. Which, as a forty-something, it’s easy for me to want to shake him and tell him to talk to his people, these friends who effortlessly brought him into their fold and have surrounded him in safety and a soft place to land as he learns to accept himself. But it only takes me a few seconds of sifting back through my memories of old secrets and insecurities to get it — that fear of opening up. So instead of giving him a shake, I’d rather just hug him tight and tell him to breathe.

Dex, he comes across as one of the surest, self-aware characters with a clear-cut path to his future. He knows himself, knows what he wants, seems comfortable in his skin. But, here we get to see a little bit of a different side of him. A vulnerable spot where it comes to his feelings for Nick, wanting the approval and support from his family. He’s nearly ripped open at the seams while he and Nick work to overcome obstacles with a deadline. Because even for those who think they’ve got both feet on the ground, know what’s what, have a clear and determined picture of selfdom, the future, and their rock-solid friendships — it doesn’t take much to turn certainty on its ear.

And Izzy. My oh my how I love this darling girl. In my review of book one, I wasn’t wholly convinced we needed her story woven around Nick and Dex. To be sure, I wanted her story just…separate. Her own book perhaps. But while looking forward to book two, I found myself itching to get back to her, needing her journey as it was a little like looking in a mirror, one that had gotten sort of foggy over the passage time. She’s just lovely and most definitely the story I needed twenty-some-odd years ago.

Even though Abroad takes place in this decade and in a specific place with very specific cultural elements, it also manages to be timeless and a tale that transcends borders. I loved every moment of this rollercoaster ride of emotions. I laughed, I cried, and my heart was in a clench for these characters. This book was everything, and the two books together are simply amazing.

Liz Jacobs has proven her writing chops, yet again, with gorgeous words of introspection and the emotional journeys that dig deep into all the uncertainties of early adulthood. This is profound and masterful. Utter perfection.


About the Author

Author Photo: Liz JacobsLiz Jacobs came over with her family from Russia at the age of 11, as a Jewish refugee.  All in all, her life has gotten steadily better since that moment. They settled in an ultra-liberal haven in the middle of New York State, which sort of helped her with the whole “grappling with her sexuality” business. She has spent a lot of her time flitting from passion project to passion project, but writing remains her constant. She has flown planes, drawn, made jewelry, had an improbable internet encounter before it was cool, and successfully wooed the love of her life in a military-style campaign. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize for her essay on her family’s experience with immigration. She currently lives with her wife in Massachusetts, splitting her time between her day job, writing, and watching a veritable boatload of British murder mysteries.

Connect:

Website |  Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

About the Cover Artist:

Abroad: Book Two features the original work of artist Megan J. Smith of the Repeal Hyde Art Project.
Megan is an artist, activist, and social worker. They founded the Project in 2011 to raise awareness and create dialogue about the Hyde Amendment. Since then, they have collected 400 birds, created over 100 shareable graphics, and facilitated 30 university-based Repeal Hyde Art Project installations. Megan has also designed artwork and materials for numerous reproductive health and rights organizations. Megan is the recipient of the 2015 Arts and Healing Network Award for Arts and Social Change and on the Board of Directors for the Abortion Care Network. They reside in Boston with their partner and their 13 year-old cat, Boxer.


ONE LAST THING before you go! Liz Jacobs popped in yesterday with a guest post — you can check it out here.

Thank you so much for visiting Back Porch Reader. I wish you all a fantastic 2018!

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Liz Jacobs, Genre: Contemporary, Genre: New Adult, Length: Novel, Pairing: F/F, Pairing: M/F, Pairing: M/M, Publisher: Brain Mill Press, Rating: 5 Stars, Type: Series

ARC Review: Just Like Honey by Ajax Bell

December 16, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

About the Book:

Cover - Just Like Honey by Ajax BellCan He Paint His Muse into 36 Views of Seattle?

Artist Ryan Ikeda’s domestic bliss shatters after an invitation to join a career-launching gallery show in 1990s Seattle. His artistic uncertainty and secret desires, dangerous as turpentine and flame, threaten to torch his bond with Ben, his handsome boyfriend and muse.

Suddenly, instability rocks every aspect of Ryan’s life: his grandmother’s sinking health, his friends moving on to new jobs, even his apartment is endangered. Worst of all, Ben’s work demands more time away from home, the overload of changes jeopardizing the stability of their open relationship.

Ryan’s long-time friends advise him to jump headlong in to the colorful Seattle art scene. However, Ryan’s deep examination of his creative needs outline new demands for his life with Ben. Striving for both balance and success, Ryan faces the greatest risks of his personal and professional life.

Just Like Honey peeks inside working artists’ studios, cruises the 1990s Seattle bar scene, and eavesdrops on artists gossiping about their competitors at hot gallery shows, while Ryan and Ben explore the communication and tenderness required for a deep, open relationship.

The Finer Details

Narrative Arc: Series

Series Detail: Queen City Boys, book 3

Series Arc: new relationship

Publication Date: December 15, 2017
Publisher: Jugum Press
Length: Novel, 367 e-book pages
POV: 3rd person
Tense: Past
Pairings: Male/Male
Identities: Gay, Polyamorous
Age Range(s): 30 to 34
Genre(s): Historical

Historical Era: Recent History (1980s – 1990s)

Tropes and Tags: established relationship, artist, open relationship
Settings & Locales: Seattle, WA (1997)
Ending: HEA

Find and Buy

Amazon US

Add the book to your goodreads shelf.


Advance Review Copy generously provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing and Design.


Back Porch Thoughts

Review

The books in this series, The Queen City Boys, are bittersweet and authentic glimpses into the days of a semi-recent yesteryear. A time, for me, that feels not so long ago. They span the 80s, into the 90s and the era of power ballads. And…that’s kind of what they are, grunge-streaked love songs and heart-rending odes to a place and time when the last strands of innocence were being stripped away as we counted down to the dawning of a new century we couldn’t yet envision.

I fell in absolute love with the first two books and have not-so-patiently but very, very quietly bounced in my seat in anticipation of this newest book. Because I don’t want to be that person, pestering an author, with when, when, whens and GIMME IT NOWs. They take as long as they take, and it’s always worth the wait.

Just Like Honey was everything I hoped, nothing I expected, but an achingly sweet treat.

It dives headlong into the cut-throat Art Scene of Seattle and is utterly fascinating due to the who-knows-who gossipy business that has the power to make or break a career. Drama y’all, painted up all pretty on the surface but has some twisted hues underneath.

And it brushes up beautifully with a cultural exploration into Ryan’s heritage, one he’s trying to grasp and honor in his art without a whole lot of help from his family. He has pieces he tries to fit together into a tableau he can mold and shape into his art to share with the world, only it might be too late.

We dive right into a relationship that’s in a precarious place, somewhat on the rocks, and could honestly go either way. In fact, I kept waiting for everything to fall apart irreparably and I expected to bite my nails to the quick while Ryan got down to the business of picking up the pieces. But that’s not quite what this is. And it’s sort of rare, I think, for romance to introduce us to and explore the ups and downs of a relationship in progress. I appreciated that immensely as a bit of a twist to what I’ve become used to.

Ryan is caught in that in-between place where everything is fine, but not exactly what he needs. The boyfriend situation…fine. His art…fine. His friendships…fine. It’s okay. It’s treading water. It’s safe, mostly. But it’s not everything it could be or should be for complete happiness. And he knows this and becomes restless as what ifs start bubbling to the surface.

Ryan’s world gets turned on its ear and those little whispers of is this okay, is this my life, and what if I… start getting louder and can no longer be ignored and the people who love him and know him best prod him to clear away the fog.

The open relationship he shares with Ben that has always worked in the way they needed is now, well, not as fulfilling as it once was. Can he talk to Ben about what he needs and be heard? And just how open is Ben to reshaping their dynamic?

Ryan’s art is glorious, but doesn’t feel like his authentic voice…but what is that voice? Is it the one that he keeps hidden in the back of the closet because someone once said a thing that’s made him doubt himself? Should he press on and embrace what truly inspires him, or throw in his brushes for good?

Ryan faces problems and challenges, that alone feel insurmountable, but are still daunting when you have a partner who doesn’t always feel entirely present. He struggles, and angsts, and pushes at his boundaries and…(not spoiling!)

This is about deeper levels of trust and communication with those you love, taking chances, getting out of your own way and following dreams — reshaping those dreams and figuring out what to sacrifice to make them come true. And do we really need to sacrifice anything at all?

The writing is gorgeous. I can swear I feel Ajax’s soul on these digital pages. Every word and action cuts to the bone with raw sensuality and so much depth I didn’t want it to end.


About the Author

Author Ajax BellA SEATTLE NATIVE, AJAX BELL thinks the best things in life are loud music and bourbon. No matter the task, Ajax always has the right pair of shoes for it. Never a sea captain, but a background in library sciences and a lifetime of pencil pushing together left Ajax with a rich fantasy life and a compulsive need to write it down. One day Ajax hopes to own a genetically altered hippopotamus the size of a small dog.

Connect:

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest


 

Promotion activities coordinated by Indigo Marketing and Design.

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Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Ajax Bell, Genre: Historical-1990s, Length: Novel, Pairing: M/M, Publisher: Jugum Press, Rating: 5 Stars, Type: Series

Release Day Review: Hexslayer by Jordan L. Hawk

October 6, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

About the Book:

Cover-Hexslayer-by-Jordan-L-HawkHorse shifter Nick has one rule: never trust a witch.

Continue reading…

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Jordan L. Hawk, Genre: Historical-US 19th C., Genre: Paranormal, Length: Novel, Pairing: M/M, Publisher: Self-Published, Rating: 5 Stars, Type: Series

Review: Deacon by Kit Rocha

August 29, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

About the Book

Cover Deacon by Kit RochaAna has trained most of her life to achieve one goal: to prove that anything men can do, she can do better. Now she’s Sector One’s first female Rider, and being the best is the only way to ensure she won’t be its last. Distractions aren’t allowed–especially not her painful attraction to the reserved but demanding leader whose stern, grumpy demeanor has already gotten into her head.

Continue reading…

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Kit Rocha, Genre: Dystopian, Genre: Erotica, Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Pairing: M/F, Publisher: Self-Published, Rating: 5 Stars, Type: Series

Review: Chasing Destiny by Megan Erickson

July 25, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

About the Book

Cover Chasing DestinySome live on memories…

Almost dying during a pack uprising has a way of shaking things up. I’m no longer Mr. Laid Back now that there’s an itch under my skin I can’t scratch.

Continue reading…

Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Megan Erickson, Genre: Dystopian, Genre: Paranormal, Genre: Shifter, Pairing: M/M, Publisher: Self-Published, Rating: 5 Stars, Type: Series

Spotlight & Review: Small Change by Roan Parrish

June 5, 2017 by Katie, Back Porch Reader

Synopsis

Cover: Small Change by Roan ParrishGinger Holtzman has fought for everything she’s ever had—the success of her tattoo shop, respect in the industry, her upcoming art show. Tough and independent, she has taking-no-crap down to an art form. Good thing too, since keeping her shop afloat, taking care of her friends, and scrambling to finish her paintings doesn’t leave time for anything else. Which … is for the best, because then she doesn’t notice how lonely she is. She’ll get through it all on her own, just like she always does.

Continue reading…

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Review, Excerpt, Promo with Review, Spotlight Tagged With: ARC Review, Author: Roan Parrish, Genre: Contemporary, Pairing: M/F, Promo: A Novel Take PR, Publisher: Self-Published, Rating: 5 Stars, Type: Series

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