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Posts Tagged ‘Torquere Press’

Home Fires by BA Tortuga

Posted in Authors: S-U, C, Paranormal, Romance, tagged , on February 18, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

homefires185Title: Home Fires
Author: BA Tortuga
Length: 18,100 words (70 pdf pages)
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m paranormal (shifters)
Rating: C

Blurb:

Escaping torturous captivity, Houston returns to his mate, Jackson. Jackson welcomes Houston back to their remote New Mexico home, and sets about healing Houston, body and soul. Can they remove the scars that Houston can’t hide? And can the two wolves escape the ghosts of the past when they come looking?

Review:

This story left me feeling that the ending was missing, or perhaps it’s meant to be the first in a series. Houston manages to find his mate and he’s in rough shape. While Jackson had always thought he’d be angry with his mate who ran off to the city, when he sees how bad Houston is, he does his best to nurse him back to health physically and also emotionally. There are nightmares and physical repercussions. When Houston tells him that he was captured by the government and experimented on, at first Jackson doesn’t believe him because humans don’t know about shifters. However he soon realizes it was true and swears that he won’t let them get Houston again or take Jackson either. When the family of some of the wolves he was captured with show up, it undoes some of Houston’s peace. They want to know why he left some behind and they want to go back and find them, but Houston can’t deal with that.

That’s when it just kind of ended for me. Jackson promised the family that he would call them with more information, because I couldn’t imagine them just going away and not getting answers, yet he just kind of promised Houston he wouldn’t have to go back and that was the end. This author does write shifters which are much closer to their animal side. There is growling and more instinctual responses than the usual fully-human type. I thought Jackson’s pain at seeing his mate so abused and damaged in all ways was well done, as was Houston’s fear and confusion after more than a year in captivity.

You are sort of dropped into the story in the middle. You don’t get the story of Houston going on his way and then being captured, nor do you get the end of the fates of the remaining wolves and if the soldiers are still looking for Houston, and what will happen if they show up. That fact left me feeling a bit as if I only got part of the story, but if you like the author’s shifters,  you’ll enjoy this story.

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The Family You Choose by Ellen Bishop

Posted in Authors: A-C, C+, Contemporary, Romance, tagged , on February 18, 2013 | 2 Comments »

thefamilyyouchoose185Title: The Family You Choose
Author: Ellen Bishop
Length: 10,000 words
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m contemporary romance
Rating: C+

Blurb:
It’s been nearly a year since Henry Graham’s brother and wife passed away and he took custody of their daughter, Brenna. He never thought he’d be a parent, much less to a grieving eight year-old girl, and Brenna proves to be almost more than he can handle. Her willful personality and stubborn temper drive away nannies almost faster than he can hire them, and Henry’s nearly at his wit’s end. When the most recent nanny shows up for the job, Henry is as equally appalled by the fact that it’s a man as he is by the tattoos up and down his arms. Before either of them know it, Michael Anders is filling gaps in their lives that they didn’t know they had, and no matter how unprofessional it is, he can’t deny the attraction he feels for his nanny.

Review:
Henry’s at his wit’s end. The death of his brother and sister-in-law left him grieving but also responsible for his neice, Brenna. Henry has never wanted children and finds it difficult to know how to act around Brenna, especially when she drives all the nannies away. When a male nanny turns up at the door, Henry is unsure whether it’s the right choice, but Michael soon wins round Brenna and Henry with his laid back personality.

Whilst this was an enjoyable and well written story about recovering from grief, there wasn’t anything particularly original about it. I’ve read lots of stories about surprise male nannies and their excellent empathetic skills and, whilst this story didn’t disappoint, there wasn’t much to set it apart from other stories of its ilk. Henry is nicely done as a man who’s had his life turned upside down and who now finds it difficult to cope with the arrival of Brenna. However, apart from knowing that he’s ambitious and likes his job, we find out very little else about him. He lives in a ‘family estate’ which suggests that he is wealthy but we are not told where this wealth came from or how he comes to be alone with Brenna – where are the grandparents or family of Henry’s sister-in-law? The same is true for Michael. He’s a nice enough character, perhaps a little bland, but aside from knowing that he is a College student we know little else – his long term aspirations, or who his friends are, for example. This meant the two characters appear to be in a bubble with all their thoughts revolved around Brenna, and much of the ‘getting to know you’ part happening off page.

The romance had a nice, slow build up but was also predictable and I finished the story feeling like I’d had a fairly pleasant 20 minutes or so, but that there was nothing exciting or inventive about the story. If you’re the sort of reader who likes male nanny stories then this will be just your thing.

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Sharing Tomorrow by Michael Barnette

Posted in Authors: A-C, C+, Paranormal, Romance, tagged , on February 17, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

newyear185Title: Sharing Tomorrow
Author: Michael Barnette
Length: 4,400 words (17 pdf pages)
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m paranormal
Rating: C+

Blurb:

Fae-born Kyle has been alone for decades; everyone he once knew is gone. The need to be around others, even humans, has grown so great he can no longer remain alone. Then he enters a bar and he someone who seems to know what he is, a man named Anluan.

But Anluan is more than a man and on the cusp of New Year’s they discover they don’t have to be alone anymore as the magic of faerie weaves a spell around them to bring them a very Happy New Year indeed.

Review:

This was a sweet gentle story, but I’m afraid I got a bit lost in the mythology. It starts with Kyle standing on the shore as a big storm is approaching, depressed at the thought that he truly is the last of his kind. He’s been searching for decades. He is mystified by many of the modern things around him, but goes to a local bar, where bartender Anluan immediately recognizes him as fae and says as much. Once the bar closes, they tell each other more about themselves, and then head back to Anluan’s apartment.

I’m not much of an aficionado of the fae mythology. I understood vaguely what Kyle was, I do know some of the basic creatures of the mythology, merpeople, selkies, etc. but I tend to get lost in the Unseelie, Seelie, etc. politics/mythology. So when the two men were explaining their complicated heritage (neither being purebred and thus stuck in the human realm), I wasn’t quite sure of the significance of it all. However those who adore that mythology will probably find it perfectly clear and make total sense. Perhaps an area upon which I need to educate myself.

Once back at the apartment, they realize they are mates and proceed to have sex, which made me snicker a bit. It was, I think, a rather typical gay relationship problem perhaps, two strangers meet, one says he wants to top, the other says I thought I’d top, but I’ve never, neither have I. Ooops. Compromise time. :-) But they worked it out of course, it’s a romance.

While this is a New Year’s story and takes place New Year’s Eve, that really doesn’t play into the plot so you could read it anytime and not feel it’s out of time. I liked both characters and I thought Kyle and his feelings of being all alone in the world and the last of his kind were well-drawn. You wanted to give him a hug. I would have loved to see him exploring the new world more. His first interactions with a flush toilet or a TV or microwave would have been fun. That tends to be one of my things, I love the details of a character out of their time, but it is a short and ends on a suitable romantic HEA, of two lonely men who found each other.

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Taking a Chance by A. Catherine Noon & Rachel Wilder

Posted in Authors: M-O, Authors: V-Z, B-, Contemporary, Romance, tagged , , , on February 16, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

leatherbound3nbgsmallTitle: Taking a Chance
Authors: A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder
Length: 28 pdf pages
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m contemporary
Rating: B-

Blurb:

Doctor Jacob Davison has outgrown the hookups of his younger days and wants to settle down. When he’s abandoned by the side of the road, a leather-clad stranger stops and offers him a ride. Chance Renton is different from anyone Jay’s ever met. He’s caring and helpful, yet cynical and world-weary.

From the first moment of their shared motorcycle ride, an attraction begins to simmer between them. Between Jay’s ex-boyfriend showing up and the misconceptions they have about each other, does this relationship have a chance?

Review:

Jay has had a long day volunteering at a local NOH8 photo shoot and now has a pissy boyfriend. As they drive and the boyfriend bitches, Jay realizes that the guy is in the closet, especially at work, and pretends to be straight. When he feels ill, he asks the boyfriend to pull over, and when he gets out to throw up, the boyfriend takes off and leaves him there. Jay is rescued by a hot guy on a motorcycle who saw Jay leaving the photo shoot, and knows he’s been abandoned, so he takes him home. Jay decides to take a chance and invites the man, Chance, in for dinner.

It doesn’t take long until they are getting down to it, although not until Jay phones his ex and leaves the “we’re over” message on his phone. Guess who shows up drunk the next morning? This is just a cute story about two guys meeting. I liked that while Jay looks very young (he’s 32 and a doctor), he didn’t need big tough guy Chance to help him deal with the belligerent ex. He’s no damsel in distress who needs rescuing, which Chance appreciated as well. It’s really just the start of the relationship, the story taking place over about 12 hours or so, but I liked Jay a great deal. He’s rather practical and a good guy and it seems Chance is as well.

It’s difficult to write a long review for a story like this. You don’t find out much about Chance at all, or Jay for that matter, but it’s such a short period of time. You get the impression though that their life goes on quite happily and uneventfully afterward. Not a bad things sometimes. It’s a cute story to pass a few minutes on a break or between longer books.

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Slayer by Pelaam

Posted in Authors: P-R, C+, Paranormal, Romance, tagged , on February 15, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

slayer185Title: Slayer
Author: Pelaam
Length: 14,500 words
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m paranormal romance
Rating: C+

Blurb:
Alexus’ role in life as a Slayer is to remove or eliminate preternatural beings as dictated by his town’s bishop, Mathias. He is deeply in love with Josiah, the town apothecary, who also creates weapons and protective garb for Alexus. When dealing with the latest supernatural threat to the town, however, Alexus quickly realizes that the real threat is something far darker and more deadly than it first appears.

When Josiah is attacked, Alexus goes after his abductors and uncovers the true evil. But in trying to save Josiah, will his own life be forfeit?

Review:
Alexus is a slayer who is sent out to deal with paranormal beings. He is called back to his home town by the Bishop to deal with a particularly nasty outbreak of Zombies. Alexus and his lover, Josiah set out to find out what is happening and befriend a teenage runaway in the process.

There were lots of good ideas in this story. the world building is interesting, and the established relationship between Alexus and Josiah is sweet, touching and passionate. The story begins well and I liked the way that the tensions begin to creep into the story. It’s pretty obvious from the start who the bad guy will turn out to be, but I didn’t mind that I’d guessed.

Where the story didn’t work as well for me was in the sheer numbers of characters and different parts of the story. In a much longer book then this would have been delightful, but here everything is crammed in making the story seem overcrowded. By the end, there was so much going on, with event after event occurring that nothing was properly explained and aside from Josiah and Alexus the rest of the characters are flat.

Having said that, there’s certainly enough going on to keep the interest of the reader and I wasn’t bored, merely frustrated that I didn’t get enough explanation for the events to make proper sense.

Overall, this was still a pretty good story with some interesting characterisation in Alexus and Josiah. I would like to read a longer story with these characters, perhaps showing how they met.

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Trick & Treat by Rob Rosen

Posted in Authors: P-R, B, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, tagged , , on February 14, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Box of ChocolatesTitle: Trick & Teat
Author: Rob Rosen
Length: 3,600 words (16 pdf pages)
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m contemporary humour
Rating: B

Blurb:

A plan for a chocolaty surprise Valentine’s gift goes horribly, if not hysterically, awry as David tricks his boyfriend, Jay, into posing for an erotic mold—which is not at all easy to do when your boyfriend doesn’t know he’s posing for it. Not easy, no, but certainly fun, especially when it’s cast in the middle of the woods on a beautiful, sunny afternoon. Though when the gift eventually arrives, wrapped in red silk, it’s not sent to the right house, nor eaten by the intended recipient. Still, these two have enough love, if not certain large appendages, to share, and it’s a happy Valentine’s Day ending for everyone, just the same.

Review:

This was an amusing quick short that kept me entertained. David has come up with this brilliant plan for Valentine’s. He’s going to make a cast of Jay’s penis, then get chocolate penises made as a gift. Of course, he can’t tell Jay WHY he wants the cast. First he tries a documentary about an artist who memorializes celebrities penises and breasts using molds. But rather than intrigue Jay, he thinks it’s weird. The next stop is a trip to the local sex shop, where he ponders whether one of the dildos is bigger than Jay. Jay is having none of that. He’ll prove that he’s bigger than that stupid dildo, and is determined to do so immediately, however David convinces him they should go for a picnic first. When things are getting hot and heavy, he convinces Jay to do the mold, just to make SURE he’s bigger. Then when he orders the bouquet, all goes awry when they call asking for MRS. Jackson, and Jay ever so helpfully gives David’s mother’s address. Ack!

This is very much a light and fluffy piece. It was fun to watch Jay get all puffed up and determined to prove he was bigger than the toy. And David’s reaction when he realizes his family, who thought his gift was hilarious, and delicious, received a bouquet of his boyfriend’s penis, was very cute. You don’t know anything about David and Jay, they are in an established relationship, and obviously love each other and they banter back and forth showing the familiarity between the two, not worried about offending a new boyfriend.

The author also writes humourous moments quite well that aren’t over the top, but make you smile:

He didn’t let me finish. Instead, he marched up to the cash register, slammed the dildo down and waited for me to join him. “We’ll take this,” he said, pointing to the phallic piece of pink latex, “and that,” he added, grabbing the lube from my hand.

The guy at the register, accustomed to seeing horny and/or nervous customers, not angry ones, rang us up lickety-split and sent us on our merry way.

So if you’re in the mood for a Valentine’s story which doesn’t fit the schmoopy mold, and will leave you shaking your head and smiling, this is the one. Puts a lighthearted edge on the sometimes-syrupy holiday.

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My Sunrise by Ava Kelly

Posted in Authors: J-L, C+, Contemporary, Romance, tagged , on February 6, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

newyear185Title: My Sunrise
Author: Ava Kelly
Length: 3,400 words
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m contemporary romance
Rating: C+

Blurb:
Jeremy is alone on New Year’s, spending the night in his small apartment. But when his sister leaves a networking website open on his computer, he strikes up a conversation with a stranger. Mesmerized by this stranger’s blue eyes, the chat turns into coffee and a surprising realization about his new friend. How will Jeremy’s night end?

Review:
Jeremy is spending New Year’s Eve on his own after a painful divorce the year before. He’s lonely and so when he sees that his sister has left a social networking site open he is drawn into a conversation with another lonely person. They arrange to meet for coffee and Jeremy finds himself attracted to Sam.

There’s not much to the story and there’s quite a few things that you have to overlook as a reader – the co-incidence of both of them living in the same city and even apartment block, is one such thing – but I rather found myself charmed by the interaction between the characters. Much of the story is the online interaction between the pair and then we rather rush through the part when they are together. I wished we’d seen more of the them together because Jeremy has to make a pretty big re-evaluation of his life which is rather glossed over here. I wanted to see more of that development to be happy with the very tentative HFN that the story leaves us with.

Having said that, I liked Jeremy and his open-mindedness. We don’t find out much about Sam, and I wished I’d known more, but given the constraints of the story, I could see why both Jeremy and the reader are kept a little in the dark.

If you’re looking for a gentle, sweet story about New Year new beginnings then you may wish to give this one a try. More detail overall would have been nice, but I still rather liked this one.

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Charming Monsters by Kannan Feng

Posted in Authors: D-F, B-, BDSM, Contemporary, Erotica, Horror, tagged , on February 5, 2013 | 2 Comments »

charmingmonsters185Title: Charming Monsters
Author: Kannan Feng
Length: 45 pdf pages, 12,000 words.
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m BDSM erotic horror
Rating: B-

Blurb:

Wesley is a college professor with a deep and unhealthy fascination the darker side of things. When he starts writing a book on a series of serial murders, he comes to the attention of some very dangerous people. Jack is sent to silence Wesley, but discovers that he is far more interested in Wesley himself.

When Wesley looks up after his first class of the semester, he notices a very avid, very handsome student who asks all the right questions. When Jack follows him to an isolated study room in the library, it is only the beginning of a journey that will have unexpected consequences for both of them.

Publisher’s Note: This book contains strong elements of erotic horror or what is commonly called “darkfic”.

Review:

I have to admit, after reading the publisher’s note it was with some trepidation that I picked this one up, but the blurb did hook me in. However, in the end the story wasn’t as unpleasantly dark as I’d feared, and there is certainly a strong  “happy for now” , possibly even a faint “happy ever after”, at the end.

The story is mostly told from the point of view of Dr. Wesley Barton, a college professor who teaches courses on the history of crime in Chicago. He’s obsessive about his work, staying up all night looking at grisly crime scene photographs for his research. He also happens to be very young—only ten years older than his students—but unlike them doesn’t appear to have any kind of social life whatsoever.

Like Wesley, the enigmatic Jack Denali is also very youthful in appearance, although he has that handy attribute (for criminals anyway) of a  forgettable face—that is, until he smiles. We are introduced to him when he breaks into Wesley’s empty apartment and starts searching through his stuff looking for reasearch on a series of historical murders Wesley is writing a book about. We discover that this is at the behest of a rather creepy client known to us only as “Easter”. At this early stage Jack also stumbles across Wesley’s secret porn stash, which involves photographs of young men, bound and fearful. It is this discovery that sets the tone for all their future interactions.

The first interaction between the two men is flirtatious, with Jack posing as a student wanting to sit in on Wesley’s classes. However, even in this innocent seeming conversation, Wesley has the disquieting notion that he needs to be careful, as Jack has “teeth”. We soon discover just how sharp these are when Jack corners Wesley in a caged archive cubicle. Jack is predatory and commanding, and Wesley willingly submits, although not without a certain amount of protest.

Those accustomed to reading safe, sane and consensual BDSM might find the sex in this story hard to stomach. It is violent, menacing and rough, with Wesley genuinely fearing for his safety at times (and with good reason considering the kind of man Jack is and what he’s been sent to do). However, although Wesley is never given a safeword, Jack does give him opt outs of a sort, so it remains just on the border with dubious consent. I was in no doubt that Wesley genuinely desired the kind of treatment Jack metes out, but I did find myself wondering why.

The ending wasn’t entirely unexpected and actually rather sweeter than I’d dared hope for, but there were definitely some moments along the way where I feared for Wesley’s safety. This definitely kept me turning the pages quickly. Indeed, my main criticism of this rather intense and dark story is that we find out so little about Jack and Wesley they just didn’t come across as rounded individuals. If you’re just reading for the violent sex or thriller elements then this needn’t be a problem, but it made it rather a stretch to believe there was any chance of a workable relationship developing between these two men.

In summary, avoid if you’re at all squeamish about dubious consent or violent sadomasochism, but those who enjoy a more edgy story will find much to recommend this little tale.

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Lust and Skin by Jamie Lowe

Posted in Authors: J-L, C-, Contemporary, Romance, tagged , on February 2, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

skinTitle: Lust and Skin
Author: Jamie Lowe
Length: 10,000 words (39 pdf pages)
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m contemporary
Rating: C-

Blurb:

Jeremy is no stranger to piercings, but the world of tattoos is all new to him. When sexy tattoo artist Dennis offers to give him his fist ink, Jeremy can’t decide if his lust is for the tattoo or for the guy willing to give it to him. Jeremy has to decide whether he trusts Dennis enough to let the man have a shot at leaving a permanent mark on his heart as well as on his skin.

Review:

It’s not great secret that I’m a fan of anything that involves tattoo artists, but I just couldn’t connect with these two guys as a couple. Jeremy is in for another piercing by his friend Chase, when tattoo artist Dennis comes into the area looking for gloves. Some sharp banter with Chase, a bit of one-upmanship about which is better, piercing or tattoos, ends with Dennis offering to give Jeremy a tattoo anytime.

Until that moment Jeremy hadn’t even considered a tattoo, but Dennis was super hot so… Okay, I get that hot guys (or girls) can make you do stupid things, but permanent ink? Maybe this was more my problem. Chase warns Jeremy off, saying that Dennis is kind of a dick, and that getting a tattoo just because you’re hot for the guy is a bad decision. I had to agree with the Chase. NOT a good reason to get ink. However a few days of thinking about it has Jeremy making the appointment, and pretty much giving Dennis free reign as to the tattoo of a skyline (the name of the shop).

Another issue I had, is they then proceed to have sex, in the cubicle with only a curtain dividing it from the rest of the tattoo/piercing parlour. Everyone had to have heard them, they weren’t silent, I can only imagine how awkward that was, and probably breaking a half-dozen health regulations that could have them closed down. I’ve taken my teenager to a tattoo parlour (I was getting an ear piercing), and I’d hate to think she would suddenly overhear two people having sex (of any variety and gender). Not cool.

So I think the combination of Jeremy’s decision to have a tattoo based on his sexual interest in the guy doing it (rather than a true desire to mark his skin), and their inappropriate place for sex, just left me doubting that this was much more than a lust-induced fascination which may quickly run its course. Others may not find the issues I mentioned off-putting. I know those are rather two of my bugaboos (inappropriate sex and making a decision based on lust rather than common sense), and I am but one reader. If you love the body mod vibe, you may want to pick this up anyway, but I just couldn’t really get into the way I’d hoped.

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Table 26 by Kanata Pierre

Posted in Authors: P-R, C+, Contemporary, Romance, tagged , on February 1, 2013 | 2 Comments »

table26185Title: Table 26
Author: Kanata Pierre
Length: 18,000 words
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: m/m contemporary romance
Rating: C+

Blurb:
Twenty-three-year-old Cam Phillips is a waiter at Newark Airport’s The Layover and has aspirations of owning his own restaurant in New York. With a lust for older men and stormy eyes that demand affection, Cam has a troubled past with airport regulars that includes bathroom rendezvouses.

Every Thursday night, Cam rebuffs the advance of Anderson Montgomery, a corporate lawyer more than a decade older, who always sits at Table 26. Anderson seems different from Cam’s usual encounters, having class and offering kindness, but Cam’s troubled past keeps him from committing to a relationship that seems more take than give. What is he willing to give to Anderson, and what can he give—other than cayenne pepper in Anderson’s meals?

Review:
I really enjoyed the start of this story which tells of waiter, Cam, who has ambitions to own his own bistro one day. For now he works in a restaurant at Newark Airport and regrets the time he allowed himself to be seduced and discarded by a pilot. Every Thursday Anderson comes and eats at table 26, and although Cam finds him attractive, he doesn’t want to get involved. Anderson’s charm and kindness win him over though until Cam finds out just how different they are.

The first part of the story moves slowly with Anderson’s seduction gradually creeping under Cam’s defenses. I liked Cam, he’s a bit flighty but has a good heart and knows what he wants in life. Despite the age difference the two worked well together and I was glad to see that it was more than just sexual attraction – although the sex was hot too!

Once the story moves away from the restaurant there’s an added complication which seemed a little forced. Cam is taken out of his comfort zone and Anderson behaves in a selfish way which made me lose sympathy with him. He rides roughshod over Cam’s feelings, surprising him and putting him in an awkward situation. Whilst I thought that Cam held his own pretty well, Anderson should never have done that to him and I didn’t blame Cam for his later actions.

However, instead of learning from this experience, at the end of the story Anderson once again does something which in many ways undermines Cam and yet Cam allows himself to be seduced into forgiving him. This lowered my opinion of Cam too and I was rather annoyed how the whole thing worked out. Instead of an equal relationship, I felt that Anderson used sex and Cam’s desire for him to get what he wanted and that didn’t seem right to me.

So, whilst I liked Cam at the beginning and enjoyed the start of the romance, the ending was a disappointment. I liked the voice of this author though and would read another story by her.

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