Loose Id

Pricing cont’d – Loose Id

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Next up on the publisher scrutiny is the ever popular Loose Id. Claiming to be a leading publisher in erotic romance while publishing 16 to 24 new titles a month. In my experience they have a bevy of good authors but their editing is crap (common lament in e-publishing) and more and more their stories focus on sex and less story. In fact recent stories have been almost all sex and no story because Loose Id clearly feels this is what readers want. Lots of splooging dick = deep emotional connection. I’d like to say, um, since when? But how about price for this publisher.

 

You’ll find Loose’s guidelines for length under Submissions and not the first place a reader would go to for information. They specify the following:

 

Length
20,000-120,000 words. Flings of less than 20,000 words and shorter stories are by invitation only to authors currently publishing with us. Stories of 55,000 – 70,000 words will receive an advance and be automatically considered for print.

 

Well ok that’s pretty broad if you ask me so let’s attempt to break it down into the categories they use but don’t list anywhere. There are a number of different categories and it’s hard to find any kind of consistency on their website. Not to mention Loose Id’s “search function” is a complete waste. Don’t bother since when I search for the exact title of a book, I get 245 responses. Yea. Useless.

 

They offer 772 books currently on their website with no word counts listed. FW lists 634 tiles while ARe lists 616. Within that 772, there are 261 listed under Gay, Lesbian, & Transgendered. I went through and counted for m/m specifically and there are 251 titles that are m/m or m/m/m. So that accounts for ~30% of the titles. I’m pretty surprised there is talk about Loose Id being primarily m/m.

 

Now for the categories:

 

Novella                   $3.99, $4.99                                               

Novel                      $5.99, $6.99, $7.99

Anthology (Novel)    $6.99

Novel Plus               $7.99

 

Short Stories

Fling                      $3.49, $3.99

Rites of Spring        $1.99

8 RoS – 6 for $1.99, 1 for $0.99, 1 for $1.25

 

Stocking Stuffer     $1.99, $2.25, $3.99

6 SS – 4 for $1.99, 1 for $2.25, 1 for $3.99

 

Holiday Kisses        $1.99, $2.49

6 HK  — 5 for $2.49, 1 for $1.99

 

So doing a cursory look there is a wide range of prices – even within the same category. This doesn’t bode well but how can you tell a $5.99 novel from a $7.99 novel and that from a $7.99 novel plus?! And why is a Holiday kiss for $1.99 but also $2.49?

 

Lets look further:

 

 

Now when looking at available titles for word counts from FW and ARe, I found very similar word counts on both sites for Loose Id. I’ve included both whenever possible so you can feel the same confidence. I’ve also attempted to stay to the m/m titles ONLY, but I did find some interesting trends within the m/f titles. 

 

So while Loose Id doesn’t explain what it defines as a $5.99 novel versus a $7.99 extended novel, logic dictates this is based on word count. So upon very close examination I found the following breakdown:

 

Novels

 

70k words + books are either $6.99 or $7.99 novels/novel plus. I can find NO CONSISTENT DIFFERENCE between a $6.99 novel and a $7.99 novel and a $7.99 novel plus.

 

Loose lists 38 Novels/Novels plus for $7.99 and 57 Novels for $6.99.

 

No matter where you buy from the price is consistent, you’ll pay the same price on the Loose Id website as you will at ARe or FW. But why are you paying more for the book is apparently arbitrary.

 

Take a look:

 

$7.99 Loose Novel / 220,209 for $7.99 ARe / 217,595 for $7.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-A_Red_Tainted_Silence-323.aspx

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-aredtaintedsilence-11908-149.html

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b75775/?si=0

 

 

$7.99 Loose Novel / 109,871 for $6.99 ARE/ 108,801 for $6.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Laying_a_Ghost_1__Laying_a_Ghost-86.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b64026/Laying-a-Ghost-/Jane-Davitt/?si=0

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ghost1layingaghost-7024-144.html

 

 

$7.99 Loose Novel PLUS / 108,546 for $7.99 ARe / 108,150 for $7.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Hawkins_Ranch__Knowing_Caleb-789.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b77725/Knowing-Caleb/Cameron-Dane/?si=0

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-knowingcaleb-12694-144.html

 

 

$7.99 Loose Novel PLUS / 100,465 for $7.99 ARe /100,291 for $7.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Dolphin_Dreams-373.aspx

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-dolphindreams-7199-144.html

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b64982/Dolphin-Dreams/Jules-Jones/?si=0

 

 

$7.99 Loose Novel PLUS / 82,688 for $7.99 ARe / 82,801 for $7.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Drawn_Together-915.aspx

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-drawntogether-16402-144.html

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b87766/Drawn-Together/ZA-Maxfield/?si=0

 

 

Now there might be a different classification but the books are all $7.99 so the wording may not matter so much. To me it’s confusing and why would you have such a designation when it’s arbitrary? But at least the price is consistent.. right?

 

Well anything under 85k starts to bounce between $6.99 and $7.99 with no consistency.

 

 

$6.99 Loose Novel /82,417 for $6.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Tainted_Love-279.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b84575/Tainted-Love/Louisa-Trent/?si=0

 

$6.99 Loose Novel / 82,354 for $6.99 ARe / 81,780 for $6.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Courtesan-36.aspx

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-courtesan-14306-147.html

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b78415/Courtesan/Louisa-Trent/?si=0

 

$7.99 Loose Novel / 82,015 for $7.99 ARe / 80,929 for $7.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Laying_a_Ghost_2__Giving_Up_the_Ghost-419.aspx

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ghost2givinguptheghost-8582-144.html

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b67184/Giving-Up-the-Ghost-/Jane-Davitt/?si=0

 

$6.99 Loose Novel/ 74,339 for $6.99 ARe / 74,324 for $6.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-The_Tin_Star-184.aspx

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thetinstar-13178-144.html

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b77750/The-Tin-Star/J-L-Langley/?si=0

 

$6.99 Loose Novel/ 74,206 for $6.99 ARe / 74,114 for $6.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-The_Swithin_Chronicles_1__Uly_s_Comet-291.aspx

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theswithinchronicles1ulyscomet-10884-144.html

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b72741/Ulys-Comet-/Sharon-Maria-Bidwell/?si=0

 

$7.99 Loose Novel Plus / 73,983 for $7.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Immortality_is_the_Suck-1000.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b96811/Immortality-is-the-Suck/AM-Riley/?si=0

 

$6.99 Loose Novel / 70,594 for $6.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Jock_Dorm_1__Dar_and_Gregg-318.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b52422/Dar-and-Gregg-/Bobby-Michaels/?si=0

 

$7.99 Loose Novel / 70,100 for $7.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Jock_Dorm_2__Drew_and_Vince-412.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b52423/Drew-and-Vince-/Bobby-Michaels/?si=0

 

So really you’re paying up to $1 for the same length of a book. There is no consistency or apparent reason for the difference in price as it jumps up and down between $6.99 and $7.99.

 

Now between 50k and 70k, the novels go to $6.99. The MAJORITY of books are $6.99 but there are several books for $5.99 with, again, no discernable reason for the reduction. It’s not a discount. It’s not based on word count, author, or cover artist. It seems completely random.

 

$6.99 Loose Novel / 61753 for $5.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Lord_and_Master-406.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b52418/Lord-and-Master/Jules-Jones/?si=0

 

$5.99 Loose Novel / 57,431 for $5.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Romentics__Nick_of_Time-666.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b76599/Nick-of-Time-/Scott-and-Scott/?si=0

 

$6.99 Loose Novel / 57280 for $6.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-St__Nacho_s-833.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b83816/St-Nachos/ZA-Maxfield/?si=0

 

$5.99 Loose Novel / 56374 for $5.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Spindrift-138.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b78017/Spindrift/Jules-Jones/?si=0

 

$6.99 Loose Novel / 55573 for $6.99 ARe / 55621 for $6.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Temptations__Inc_-588.aspx

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-temptationsinc-9907-145.html

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b70447/Temptation-Inc/Willa-Okati/?si=0

 

$5.99 Loose Novel / 53088 for $5.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Forgotten_Song-61.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b74336/Forgotten-Song/Ally-Blue/?si=0

 

$6.99 Loose Novel / 53029 for $6.99 FW

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Dreaming_of_Dragons-921.aspx

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b92122/Dreaming-of-Dragons/T-A-Chase/?si=0

 

 

So again, you could be paying $1 more for the same word count or less! There seems to be no consistent pricing between this 50k-70k word count area. That’s frustrating and costly!

 

Now 38k to 50k books are all $5.99 priced novels. There are a few outliers but not enough to be statistically significant and form a pattern – unlike the above which are just a smattering of examples in a larger trend.  At least here there is some consistency.

 

Now between 20k to 38k word counts though there is the bouncing from $4.99 novella to $5.99 novel – even a few $3.99. I haven’t included the links here because this post is getting epic but I have them and can provide links if anyone wants. I listed the book name instead. Remember the prices are the same no matter where you shop.

 

 

$4.99 Novella  – Jet Mykles’ Heaven Sent 2 Purgatory

37366 ARe / 37413 FW

 

$5.99 Novel – Willa Okati’s Incubus Call

36285 ARe / 36229 FW

 

$4.99 Novella – Josh Lanyon’s The Dark Horse

36224 ARe / 35958 FW

 

$5.99 Novel – Blue Ruin 1: Some Kind of Stranger by Katrina Strauss

35656 ARe / 35676 for $5.99

 

$4.99 Novella – Don’t Look Back by Josh Lanyon

34,688 ARe / 34795 FW

 

$3.99 Novella – The Dragon’s Tongue by Willa Okati  

28668 ARe / 28523 FW

 

$4.99 Novella – Bound by Deception  by Ava March

24,231 ARe / 24330 FW

 

$3.99 Novella – Jet Mykles’ Tech Support 

20525 ARe / 20655 FW

 

$4.99 Novella – Amanda Young’s Reckless Behavior

20008 ARe/ 20309 FW

 

Between 8k -20k word counts the books marked Novellas are all $3.99.

 

We haven’t even gotten into short stories yet either. Loose Id doesn’t upload their short stories in the form of Flings, Holiday Kisses, Rites of Spring, Stocking Stuffers and so on. Here there is absolutely NO consistency in pricing. Within each category there are offerings anywhere from $0.99 to $3.99. There are flings side by side that are $3.99 with a $0.99 Fling!

 

Now since there are no word counts listed I went through the various flings I owned. This was difficult because I have no folder called Loose Id Fling ebooks. So I had to go through a bunch. Ugh. Anyway, let me summarize that work to say that of the ones I checked, the average word count was 3400.

 

 

 

So you still here? Awake? Interested?

 

Here is the breakdown for the cost within the publisher:

 

 

 

 

So there clearly isn’t a lot of consistency within pricing but how does it compare to other publishers? 

 

This graph is getting pretty busy! I’ll soon have to figure out something out but for now look at the blue. While Loose ID isn’t consistent – it’s very interesting. At lower word counts, it’s one of the most expensive, only to be elipsed by the absolute mess of pricing over at loveyoudivine (LYD). But once it gets into novella range, Loose Id is actually one of the cheapest! Considering it’s giving TQ a run for the money with Loose Id’s MUCH MUCH MUCH better cover art than the child’s crayon pictures of TQ – Loose Id is a better bang for you buck Novella length.

 

However, when you compare more closely at the novel range, the trend is different. Loose Id becomes one of the most expensive, if not THE most expensive in the novel range of publisher. Part of this is due to the high level of inconsistency among their pricing, and you can see the Loose Id Line (blue) jumps up and down quite a bit. 

 

 

 

 

Bottom line

 

This is a fascinating pricing trend. At the fling level, Loose Id is all over the map pricing wise. However even with the inconsistent pricing of $3.99 to $4.99, your novella prices are some of the cheapest (ie. 28k for $3.99) and some of the most expensive ($3.99 for 8k words). The wide disparity makes it difficult for you as a consumer to know if you’re getting a good deal.

 

Furthermore you could easily be paying $1 (or more) for a shorter book. Since no one is really going to be that vigilant – not even me and I’ve done all this work – I find it very off putting that Loose Id is so loose with their pricing. I can find no consistent and apparent reason for the wide variety in pricing and categories. Not to mention you could be paying the most of any publisher for some of the upper range and rather sketchy “novel plus” category.

 

Is Loose Id worth your money?

 

Here is the real question and it’s so subjective. I doubt my analysis will hurt Loose Id any but anyone who’s bothered to read it should be aware that you may have better bang for your buck and you should look for the cheaper books. If it’s at the bottom of the price range, you’re probably safe to buy. The upper price range and you should KNOW you’re likely paying more. But what can you do? You can’t get it cheaper elsewhere if you want it and they must tread on that.

 

What this has done for me is that I didn’t go back and buy the 30 or so books I had wanted when doing this. They stood out and I immediately coveted, yet knowing this pricing problem I won’t do that. If it had ended up as Loose Id is consistent and on par with publishers me and the 30 books would have been a match. Very sad. 

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts

 

Jet Mykles’s Just for You

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Just for You by Jet Mykles

Blurb:

Justin falls for Kevin the instant they pass each other on a sidewalk. Only, Kevin’s not gay. The higher ups at Kevin’s company are gay, however, and Kevin’s accidental meeting with Justin gives him an idea how to get around his controlling female supervisor. If he can gain access to the top men at an exclusive gay club, he might be able to finally share his ideas.

Justin instantly agrees to be his date, despite the obvious heartbreak that’s headed his way for going out with a straight man. At the club, Kevin gets a chance to meet the company owner, Victor Chen, and the man seems interested… both in his ideas and his date.

Kevin can’t deny his attraction to Justin, but he’s not gay. Right? He should step aside and let Justin have a chance to date Victor, who’s gorgeous, rich, and shares Justin’s interest in fashion. Despite his internal struggles, he really wants to explore their growing bond. Justin is certainly game, but a part of him knows they can’t have a future together…can they?

 

[I love PL Nunn’s work.]

Review:

 

This is a cute, fun, flirty and easy story with a classic gay for you main character, a self-esteem crisis and some over the top stereotypes. Adding to the mix is Mykles’ great prose and way with characters and this story may be full of clichés and some outrageous elements but it’s delightful and entertaining to read. Mykles has a way with characters and stories that inject humor into what could otherwise be ridiculous. Fans of the author will definitely want to check out this offering just as those readers looking for something light and quick will devour this story in one sitting.

 

The story starts off with a bang when flamboyant clothier Justin sees the man of his dreams on the sidewalk. Chasing down his prince charming Justin is heartbroken to learn that Kevin is sadly not gay but Justin can’t help offering his name just in case Kevin changes his mind. As luck would have it, Kevin suddenly needs to pretend to be gay to advance at work and Justin comes in very handy. What starts as a ruse soon becomes more as Kevin realizes he just may be gay for the right man.

 

Justin may be a stereotype gay man but he’s hilarious, entertaining, and thoroughly absorbing. His initial over the top personality soon shows more depth as he struggles with letting his heart run away to a straight man. Justin shows an ease and confidence that contrasts starkly with Kevin’s mess of confusion, fear, and insecurity. Justin’s few moments of doubt are heartfelt and create a solid characterization that extends beyond the classic fashion obsessed outline. Similarly Kevin shows refreshing delight in his ease in accepting his desire and feelings for Justin. Kevin doesn’t agonize about suddenly wanting and caring for a man, instead Kevin wonders why Justin would want him over a more attractive, more successful confident gay man. The nice change to this crisis of self confidence is that the scenes felt honest and would have happened even if Justin was female. Kevin needed to gain security and appreciation for himself, regardless of his partner’s gender.

 

The plot itself bounces around some with the emphasis first on Kevin breaking into the upper ranks at work in their gay men’s club but then evolves into the head of the company aggressively pursuing Justin. The main conflict comes with Kevin’s passive nature and Victor’s pursuit. The various secondary characters are fun and especially the little seen Frank and Glenn/Rachel. All three of these were interesting and entertaining, more so than the outrageous cliché of Luis and Kat, so the only complaint would be too little was seen of these great characters. Other than this, the story is meant to be humorous and light, not taking each element too seriously and injecting an element of fun which lets the reader laugh at the ridiculous antics. The quick pace, engaging prose, and solid writing creates a winning offering you won’t want to miss. 

Get it HERE!

Love & Loyalty by Tere Michaels

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Love & Loyalty by Tere Michaels

Blurb:
Detective Jim Shea is a Seattle homicide detective who has never taken his work home with him ~ until now. A case has gotten under his skin and though it’s "over," it isn’t for Jim. The emotional toll has left him vulnerable and tied to the victim’s dying father.

Meanwhile, Hollywood comes calling for a hot story, and screenwriter Griffin Drake sees the tragic case as his ticket to more serious fare than his usual action blockbusters. But to get the whole story he needs to win over the stoic and protective Detective Shea.

Neither man has had much luck when it comes to romance or long-term relationships and neither is particularly looking but there’s an attraction from their first meeting that can’t be denied. Their impromptu first date seems to have no end in sight ~ quickly becomes a barreling freight train of romance.

Looming problems outside threaten their relationship ~ death, secrets and broken trust ~ and they’ll have to learn loyalty to save their new found love.

great sequel

Ethan Day’s Dreaming of You

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Dreaming of You by Ethan Day

Blurb:

Restaurateur Aden Ingle has been in love with the perfect man since his fourteenth birthday. Unfortunately, his perfect boyfriend only exists in his dreams. But Aden’s always believed it was his destiny to meet his dream man, and he’s perfectly content to wait around for him to walk into his real life.

 

When he meets Logan Price at a Hotel/Restaurant Trade Show, he finds himself drawn to this man who shakes him out of his dream world. Pretty soon, the flesh and blood reality is becoming more appealing than the fantasy. The only problem is Logan lives half way across the country in California.

 

Aden’s going to have to choose whether to give up everything he’s built for himself professionally and uproot his whole life for Logan, or wait for the man from his dreams to become a reality.

 

[For some reason every time I see this cover, I think its a man and a woman. Maybe it’s the towel]

 

Review:

 

This fun, exaggerated comedy is meant to be read in a light hearted manner. The characters and situations are over the top, creating outlandish personalities that clash and pop in a comic setting that is just as outrageous as the people. If you can get into the characters and zany antics, this is a breezy summer read with a lot of humor thrown in. The actual personalities are certifiable and can’t possibly exist without medicated help but the book is very much a nod to pop culture, romantic comedies. If you enjoy those sorts of movies, you’ll want to go along on Aden’s ride.

 

Aden is a total klutz and has such an exaggerated personality – I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a caricature of the author or a close friend. Aden is described as incredibly hot and good looking but his odd quirks and weird habits tend to cause some problems for his relationships. He has a tendency to shout out loud in response to his inner conscience, keep a detailed karma point balance, and can’t manage to walk and chew gum without getting a concussion. He manages to turn every possible smooth move into an ad for medicated help. However, despite all his problems and quirks, he has a charm that draws men and women alike to his inherently good nature.

 

Throughout his life Aden has always had dreams of one man. These dreams are different and complex ranging from new meetings to honeymoons and vacations. These dreams created a fantasy world for Aden to slip into and escape the stress and loneliness in his life. Aden’s fantasy world is challenged when he meets the all too real Logan. Logan is also in the restaurant business but is a chef and for some reason, all those quirks and odd behaviors of Aden’s that drive his friends insane, Logan loves that about Aden. Their whirlwind romance becomes a long distance relationship and just when things start to get serious, Aden’s dream man may just be real. Aden must make some tough choices and risks to find happiness.

 

The characters are all as over the top as their antics. Fag hag and physically abusive Finn is a fun character even though her friendship is a bit suspect. Nathan is a good support and perhaps the only normal one of the entire group and thus gets little to no real depth and action in the storyline. Logan is sympathetic and a strong support for Aden, though he is often very one note. The development of his character starts well and hits some bumps, mostly because the story revolves around Aden to the point that there is less development for others than how Aden reacts to those around him. Since the narrative is in first person for Aden, he is the only fully realized character. The actions of everyone around him range from thinking he’s incredibly weird to being charmed by his oddball behavior. Aden has his own set of insecurity and fears and reactions, which move the story along at a quick, comic pace but allow for little real progress.

 

This is a fun, light story that is weak on the angst and emotional maturity and long on the quirky, romantic comedy actions with numerous nods to pop culture. The story line is light and moves incredibly fast with engaging, witty dialogue. The ridiculous characters add many elements of fun if the reader can laugh along with their humor. I wasn’t fully invested in the story and thus had some “is he crazy or just psycho” moments, however, it’s worth going along for the ride in the light hearted manner it’s intended. There are a lot of classic stereotypes and tropes thrown in but nothing overwhelms the story and Aden is a charming narrator with all his weirdness. This isn’t one I’d re-read but for a summer story to laugh with, it accomplished that goal. 

Get it HERE!

Rowan McBride’s One Shot

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One Shot by Rowan McBride

Blurb:

Nick Carlyle understands the intricacies of his job better than anyone. He lives to crunch those numbers and his skills are valued throughout the company. If his personal life might be lacking, he doesn’t notice, especially whenever he steals a harmless glance or two at Riley Jameson’s tight body. But he’s the boss, and that means look but don’t touch.

When a universal flu shot is developed, it’s hailed as a miracle, and rightly so. But the seemingly harmless side effects begin to change the world, warping the statistics that Nick’s always used to guide him through life. Everything he thought he knew is suddenly upside down.

No one changes as much as Riley. Suddenly the young man is bigger, stronger. He’s also aggressive in ways Nick isn’t prepared for, and for the first time analyzing the numbers does nothing to help the situation.

Now, his numbers only add up when it comes to Riley.

 

Review:

 

This is an over the top, outrageous, and ultimately fun yaoi influenced story. The antics and actions are sometimes completely ridiculous, yet there is a certain humor and enjoyment if you’re willing to let go and just enjoy the ride. The characters have appeal and interest and while the story is far fetched, it’s just a vehicle to introduce yaoi characteristics to the pairing. On the downside the lead character of Nick is entirely too obsessive compulsive and whines throughout the entire book. However, if you can get past that – and I surprisingly did – this might be the fun yaoi book that satisfies.

 

In this day and age of flu shots, the particular shot in this book also has the added bonus of increasing height in the majority of the recipients. Nick is very happy at an even 6 feet but worries and stresses that everyone else will be taller than him and thus making him the dreaded “average.” Nick worries that being average will ultimately cause him to lose income, be less attractive, and even lose intelligence. While Nick is worrying about the increased height of everyone else, he doesn’t run out and get the shot himself since it’s known that 0.4% of people actually –lose- height and that’s a gamble he’s not willing to risk. It’s not until Nick’s paranoia reaches untenable levels that he finally gives in and gets the shot himself.

 

Unfortunately, Nick classically is in the rare percentage that loses height instead of gains and he shrinks from 6 feet even to a perky 5’8”. Here the confident, intelligent, if obsessive, Nick turns insecure and whiney as he complains about his height, his looks, his intelligence, and even his sex appeal. While everyone around him is taller and to him, more attractive, he is ignorant and clueless to his own appeal. Nick can’t fathom how anyone would be interested in him and the one person who has always shown interest, Riley, must be using Nick in some horrible, evil way now that Nick is shorter and thus vulnerable.

 

The characterization in the book is uneven. On the one hand there is Nick who whines enough to annoy likely the most placid reader, yet this is tempered by the adorable character of Riley. Riley grows to massive, hulk-like status just by breathing. He is constantly outgrowing his clothes whenever he happens to take a deep breath or encounter Nick. Riley even has some hilarious and ridiculous scenes when his (also growing) dick bust through his clothes. This is very reminiscent to the Hulk getting a woody. Funny, over the top, and potentially painful but entertaining in a comic book style. This is where the book is able to transcend the ridiculous premise into a story with typical yaoi personalities and some fun sex scenes.

 

The writing is engaging, so much so that the whiney Nick doesn’t ruin the story. The dialogue is sometimes strong and interesting and overall the emphasis and intense focus on muscle building didn’t bother me. This clearly is a fantasy story that will appeal to those with a muscle fetish first and foremost, yaoi fans as well, but the prose choice and voice compliment the story. At times I rolled my eyes and others I was fully invested in the story. If you’re looking for a cute, funny story with a bloated emphasis on muscle growth – this will definitely satisfy. 

Get it HERE!

Emily Veinglory’s Dealing Straight

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Dealing Straight by Emily Veinglory

Blurb:

Richard is worn out, used up, and just plain cynical. Son of a wealthy Bostonian banker, he came west to gamble and carouse when his life fell apart. Though a sensitive and moral man, he finds a reckless life easier to bear—since he has no one to care about and no real hopes for his future.

Brave, beautiful U.S. Marshall Wayne Sneddon wants to change all that. He enlists Richard to help him find and take down a bigwig out to get water rights for himself, regardless of the settlers in the way. In part, Wayne needs help, but more, he wants Richard’s company.

In between the shooting, fighting and intrigue, Richard comes to share Wayne’s feelings…but after he finds the courage to share Wayne’s bed, will he find the courage to share his feelings? 


[I like this cover. No naked men and very appropriate. The title is a bit odd as is the name but overall.. decent.]

Review:

If you’re anything like me, you may be more familiar with Emily Veinglory as the author of the EREC blog, which keeps up to date in erotic romance industry news. So I was surprised when I realized she is an author as well. This offhand comment had me running to Veinglory’s backlist and selecting a stand-alone story. There are two historicals, I bought both, and this is the first I had an opportunity to read. This particular story is engaging, interesting, and features an anti-hero as the main point of view. Although a rather short novella, the quick pace and light romance fit the historical time period while featuring a traditionally difficult man to like in an engaging light.

Richard is the only son of a wealthy east coast banker and was set to have the perfect life. Married to a debutante and set up with a rich family business, Richard left that life behind when he realized his attraction to other men. At the same time, he became afflicted with an unknown disease but most likely consumption and thus turned his life to gambling and getting by for whatever time he has left. When Marshall Wayne asks Richard for his help on a problem, Richard can’t help his attraction to Wayne or his desire to fight fairly. Both of these desires cause Richard problems while an unexpected offer tempts Richard to give up Wayne and his gambling ways.

The story is told in third person point of view from Richard’s perspective. Richard is not always a great guy. He is struggling with his illness and relatively happy in his life as a gambler. He’s never had a loving relationship, never kissed a guy, and wouldn’t know how to act in the face of caring if he even recognized it. The one thing Richard does know completely is that belief in fairness. He tries to “deal straight” with everyone he comes across, outlaws and Marshalls alike. This solid virtue in a sea of confusion, fear, and sickness gives Richard a strong core. It also causes him a great deal of problems when a shoot first and ask questions later attitude is adopted by most everyone else.

The romance is pretty light considering this is equally a character orientated piece, focusing on Richard, and a plot driven story. The plot deals with Richard and his involvement in a local rich man’s quagmire of politics, money, and water rights. Although Richard is there to help Wayne in an official capacity, he can’t help but understand and sympathize with the tough, straight talking, yet vulnerable family. He is honest with the temptation to enter a loveless marriage but offered the comfort of not dying alone and a good home. Since Richard can’t imagine such a thing with Wayne, nor why the Marshall even puts up with Richard and all his issues, the temptation and struggle is very real and engaging. Although Richard does not emerge from the story a completely changed man, the slight changes should make him more appealing to readers.

The writing itself is non explicit but interesting and keeps the quick paced story moving. The romance is sensual and easy without much angst or problems from others during the time period, more so introspective as Richard muses on his choices. Richard is careful about his sexuality and much more aware of repercussions than Wayne. There is perhaps a little too much acceptance from Wayne’s family but clearly there was a choice not to delve too deeply into that potential conflict. The focus stays on the plot and Richard to its benefit.  As a shorter novella, this delivers a good punch with solid characters and an interesting plot. Check it out.

 Get it HERE!

Breaking the Devil by Bailey Bradford

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Breaking the Devil by Bailey Bradford

Blurb:

Mack and Justin grew up together and were best friends for years, until one day that friendship turned into something hotter and more powerful than either man had ever experienced before. A passionate coupling that branded each man forever—or so Mack thought, until the dreaded day after. That’s when Justin told Mack the whole thing didn’t mean anything to him, and walked away from Mack’s promises of forever.

Mack has never been able to get past that one traumatic event in his life. A dozen years have passed without a word from Justin. But when that red-haired devil reappears, Mack finds out that he can’t resist giving in to his body’s needs—no matter what his head tells him.

Two stubborn, determined alpha males—one nursing a twelve-year fury and the other with a redhead’s temper—who have been denied what they want most for so many years, come together in an explosion of heat and passion that overrides everything else in their lives. Now, if only Mack and Justin can keep their hands, and other body parts, off each other long enough to talk, they might be able to get to the truth behind what happened twelve years ago…and while they’re doing it, they might just have some luck breaking the devil.

 

Review:

This short novella has lots of sex, sex, and more sex. Oh there is a thin plot somewhere between the lube, spit, sex, blowjobs, and tears but it’s rather weak and almost non-existent. There is however, lots of sweaty, rough, cowboy sex. Now, I’m always up for a good porn without plot staring cowboys (ok I have a weakness for hot cowboy on cowboy action), but unfortunately there are several editing errors and writing quirks that ultimately took away my enjoyment of this ranch porn. So if you can overlook some of the problems I mention and you are looking for a complete sex based piece of fluff – this might fulfill that craving.

The blurb summarizes the so-called plot more than the actual story does. The book opens with Mack moping about his long lost love, Justin. Lo and behold though Justin happens to be right there and the two engage in some sweaty hand jobs right out there on the ranch in broad daylight within minutes of their first hellos in twelve years. Thank god no one is actually working to see their bit of exhibitionism. The two then stumble into the ranch house and proceed to have more sex while a word or two is exchanged about the prolonged absence. Repeat this several times, throw in an unnecessary and predictable villain, and that is the book.

The characters are very weak and not explored at all. There is very little depth or interest to either as they have sex for the majority of their interaction and yet the sex scenes do not advance the characters at all. The two act as though no time has past and Julian especially is overbearing and possessive, as if Mack had no right to ever even look at another man in the years they were apart. Additionally neither Mack nor Julian actually questions their future, their past, or how the two immediately started having sex without addressing the problem of their long separation and the changes in their lives. Fortunately for Julian, Mack has been suspended in time for twelve years, waiting for Julian to return. Once Julian is back, Mack waffles between anger at the long separation and just being happy Julian is back in his bed.

Neither man really exists outside of the sexual component of the book. Julian never seems to work on his ranch but instead just happens to always pop up on Mack’s ranch at the exact moment Mack is having an argument or well, Julian never seems to leave Mack’s ranch to run his own. Furthermore there is the evil, predictable plot to keep the two young men apart that forces Julian to break Mack’s heart against his will. Of course there is a villain close to home and one Julian can vanquish to save Mack’s tender feelings. Unfortunately this plot point felt so weak and tired, over used, unoriginal and just boring that even the numerous sex scenes couldn’t save this at that point.

The prose is basic without a lot of complexity or nuance, which fits well with the repeated and numerous sex scenes. Unfortunately there are several quirks to the writing that threw me off and made the story difficult to enjoy and get into – beyond the obvious problems with the weak plot and wooden characters. Mack says “Jayzus” over twenty times in the short novella. Perhaps this is meant to be an affectation but the repeated use of the single word became incredibly annoying instead of charming. Some of the descriptions were unattractive such as the use of “shit-eating grin” close to a scene when one man is rimming the other. The reminder is just, not good. Additionally the writing tended to have rhetorical questions within the story, which could have been stronger if the writing addressed the questions. There are numerous editing errors with internal thoughts not italicized, misspelled words, and similar smaller mistakes.

Although I didn’t realize the book is meant as pure titillation, I was willing be carried along for the ride of hot sex. Unfortunately it didn’t deliver for many reasons but other readers may actually quite enjoy the sex scenes and not be bothered by the problems and quirks I’ve mentioned. As a classic PWP (porn without plot), I can easily see how the erotica will appeal to some readers and only wish I could have enjoyed the offering as well. Sadly, I wanted a brain scrub. 

Get it HERE!

Flying Fish by Sedonia Guillone

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Flying Fish by Sedonia Guillone
Length: Novella / 25,100 words / $4.99

Blurb:

In seventeenth century Japan, during the golden age of samurai and of the Kabuki theater, young actors known as "flying fish" traveled the countryside, performing for audiences by day and giving their bodies to their samurai patrons at night.

Genji Sakura is one such flying fish, yet he dreams of the day he’ll find the man he can give his heart to and leave the loneliness of his itinerant life behind. Though he loves theater, he doesn’t love every part of his profession, especially some of the patrons. So when a handsome ronin, or masterless samurai, comes upon him stealing some solitude for a bath in a hot spring and their encounter turns passionate and profoundly erotic, Genji’s surprised and delighted. 

Daisuke Minamoto’s past fills his life with a bitterness that grips his soul and makes him dangerous. Yet his passion takes him when he spies on a graceful young man bathing naked in a hot spring. He has always loved women but he can’t deny the call of his heart or his baser interests.

After an afternoon of sexual bliss, his heart and soul are tormented and torn. Keeping this miraculous lover will require giving up the one thing that has kept him alive for years: his hatred for the lord who murdered his wife. If he loves another, how will he go on and who will he become?

 

 

Review: 

A sweet and gentle love story set in a unique historical culture and setting. There are a few minor qualms with the story, but the wonderful characters and real flavor given to the setting elevate this tale into something different and quite enjoyable. Here a young man, Genji, has been raised in the theatre after sold as a slave. The bargain he has made with the manager of the traveling theatre group is that in exchange for performing on stage, Genji will act as a prostitute for lusty samurai after the show. One day Genji stumbles upon a bitter, angry samurai and both their lives change.

The characters are well drawn and developed from the beginning and although there is a lot of sex between the two, the gentle nature and emotion involved always deepens the relationship. Genji is a sweet and loving young man even as he struggles with the emotional toll his life has taken. He is jaded and lost, still very young in many ways as he looks to Daisuke for guidance and support. Genji is not a typical weak character even though he is described in almost feminine terms. His beauty, demeanor, and dress are often described as that of a woman. Whether this is to help explain Daisuke’s feelings or to reinforce the traditional dynamic is unclear, but for all the feminine descriptions Genji is a man with courage and strength of will.

Just as Genji is more of the nurturer in the relationship, Daisuke is the masculine provider in the relationship. His change from embittered, angry man to loving, loyal subject is somewhat fast – the story happens over the course of weeks. Considering Daisuke has been carrying his hatred and need for revenge for over five years, the short time to letting that go does create a small problem. However, the development of an emotional connection between Daisuke and Genji given the constraints of the novella does help. Daisuke’s gentle and tender care of Genji is wonderful to watch unfolding as his desire and feelings for the young man are never tainted by concern over Genji’s gender.

The atmosphere of the culture and time is wonderfully done. The use of terminology and descriptions create a beautiful setting and gives descriptions for the words used through context so the reader isn’t lost in unfamiliar terms. This helps maintain the feeling of the historical time even as the issues raised are timeless. There are a few writing problems in that the point of view switches between Genji and Daisuke almost arbitrarily and not always at the best points. Genji’s negative reactions to Daisuke’s protection towards the end of the story are only shown through Daisuke’s point of view, which isolates Genji and cuts the reader off from understanding his choices and actions. It would have been nice to see from Genji’s perspective his thoughts and feelings over the sudden changes. There are a few other examples where the point of view changes are awkward and clumsy instead of seamless, but these are minor qualms.

Overall, this is a lovely story with a very historical and culture atmosphere, lending beautifully to the theme and characters. Although the author claims to have taken some leeway with the time period and other aspects, since I’m not familiar with that culture, it didn’t detract any enjoyment. This novella is an easy and luxurious read with good pacing and very romantic overtones. Fans of the genre will want to experience this unique offering. 

Get it HERE!

 

Annmarie McKenna’s Starting Over

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Starting Over by Annmarie McKenna
Length: Novella / 24,000 / $4.99 

Blurb:
Two years ago, Aaron lost his partner in a drowning accident. He’s trying to move on, but letting go of the past, of the life they were building, is hard. One thing he knows he’s not ready for is a new relationship, but Garrett and Dane are determined to change that.

Lifepartners Garrett and Dane, a cop and an ER doc, bring Aaron home after an accident. They’re happy in their light Dom/sub relationship, fulfilled and in love, but they’ve been keeping their eyes open for a third. It doesn’t take long for them to decide that wounded, pretty Aaron is exactly who they’ve been looking for.

The three get along great, but Garrett and Dane have their work cut out for them in convincing Aaron there’s a time for starting over.

 

 

[More naked chests. I mean the cover is fine – Loose Id has good covers. It’s just boring for me.]

Review:

This is a sweet story about moving on after the death of a partner. The sex is hot and the connection between the established couple is strong and evident while the grieving partner is sympathetic. Mostly well written with a few holes in the story and emotional connection, nonetheless this is an easy, enjoyable story that will appeal to fans. Although this wasn’t entirely successful, it does open my eyes to a new author I’d buy again.

The book opens with Aaron being involved in a dramatic and painful motorcycle accident. Nearby cop Garrett happened to see the accident and was the first on the scene. Garrett instinctively feels something for the injured Aaron, a feeling that is later reiterated by Garrett’s partner, Dane. Although the two have a full and very satisfying relationship, teasing into light D/s, they have been talking about adding a third and Aaron seems to be that person. Unfortunately Aaron’s not so sure he can love again.

The story is a shorter novella (~85 pgs) and doesn’t do justice to the full concept in my opinion. The established relationship of Garrett and Dane along with their light D/s is well crafted and shows the strong love between the two. However, the reason for wanting a third in their relationship is never explained. Whether it’s due to their opposing schedules, wanting more variety in the bedroom, or another reason – this is a muddled part of the narrative. They are very receptive and instantly want Aaron into their relationship while knowing almost nothing about the man. This is a weakness in the story since within a month all three are deeply in love and that emotional connection is definitely missing. The declarations of love between Aaron and Garrett and Dane seem false and too soon.

Part of this is due to the fact that the narrative skips over the recovery time in a few hops. This is to fast forward from the time that Aaron is unable to have sex to when he can fool around again but even this was too soon for his injuries. At the same time, supposedly the three men develop a deeper emotional connection but that is surprisingly never told or shown. Instead the evident lust dominates the story, which isn’t bad since the author can write smoking hot sex scenes and the touch of D/s is light and wonderful. The enjoyment of reading these scenes and the relationship between Garrett and Dane do help keep the story entertaining and somewhat makeup for the lack of a deeper emotional connection with Aaron.

For his part Aaron is a sympathetic character struggling to get his life back together two years after the death of his partner. Aaron is trying to move on, which is admirable and sets him up to be open to the relationship between Garrett and Dane. However, Aaron’s only concern is whether he’s ready to be in another relationship and doesn’t seem to question where he’d fit in with the two men, or if jealousy is an issue or where he would be with the light D/s dynamic going on. The only real concern Aaron had was his perpetual horny nature coupled with an inability to properly masturbate. This definitely contributed to his emotional distance with the other two men but the witty dialogue kept this a quick, fun read even despite these problems.

Overall I’d easily suggest this as a decent read with some fun, hot sex between gorgeous men. Although clearly Aaron would be too hurt to actually have sex so soon and the threesome wasn’t entirely established, that isn’t likely to turn too many readers away. You’ll still enjoy the narrative regardless. 

Get it HERE!

 

Evangeline Anderson’s The Lost Books 1&2

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The Lost Books 1&2 by Evangeline Anderson

Blurb:
Enter the world of The Lost, a tribe of vampires who are sworn to coexist with humans while leaving them strictly alone. However, that isn’t always possible…

The Lost 1: Broken Vows: Daniel’s looking for answers about his sexuality. He’s sure just one night with an older, experienced man will finally answer the questions that have been tormenting him for years. But he doesn’t expect the older man to be a gorgeous vampire named Gabrielle. It’s love at first sight for Daniel but Gabrielle has made a vow not to interfere in human affairs.

The Lost 2: Blood Hustler: James became a vampire almost two hundred years ago and recently lost his only companion. Even though he’s lonely, the grief’s too fresh to be looking for another man to fill the hole in his heart. Then Tad, a young street hustler, offers to sell James the best sex he’s ever had. James knows he shouldn’t bind a human to him, especially one as young as Tad who hasn’t experienced life yet, but the boy’s hungry heart calls to his own.

 

immortal creatures of power .. yet.. nothing to do.