Black Dog by Cat Grant

3.5 STARS

Bannon's Gym - Book 1

(This was recommended to me by my longtime buddy Zoe X. Rider (she's an author as well, and you can check her out at her website .)

So, there's not a lot of romance here. Not even much in the sexytimes category either. But what we do have is a tale of two men who had been separated by a tragedy in their past, woken up by the arrival of a young man who is suffering a tragedy in his own life in the present time.

At first I thought the story was going to be about the young man, Tom. Then I thought it was going to be about him and the fellow who takes him in off the street, Eddie - a sort of younger man/older man type of relationship. Eddie would be in his 30s, I figured. Then we met Eddie's friend and one time young love, Danny and oh... okay... whatever lovestory there is going to be is going to be about Eddie and Danny. Cool. I'm a sucker for both main characters being past the first blush of youth.

So the action centers around Bannon's Gym - Eddie was once a boxer and Danny an MMA type guy and there's tai kwan do happening and other martial arts - and Eddie's diner that he runs with his mom, Grace. Eddie finds the abused Tom and takes him in, sheltering him with Grace and giving him a job at the diner. Danny helps out by channelling Tom's natural fighting talent at the gym. While this is going on... Danny and Eddie reconnect and get past the dark tragedy in their past.

It's a novella and honestly? I wished it had been longer. I wanted more about Danny and Eddie. I LIKED them together and I wanted to see more of them operating as a couple, discovering each other, being surprised by each and recognising familiarity in each other. I'm assuming we're going to get Tom's story at some point, because this IS Bannon's Gym #1 and it IS m/m where the series' abound!

Anyway, this was a good read. I'm glad Zoe recced it to me and I'll probably read the next one. :)

The Courtland Chronicles by Cat Grant

3 STARS

The Courtland Chronicles - Book 1, 2 & 3

Oh, I wanted to give this more than the 3 Liked It stars, but I really couldn't. 

The problem is, I am having a helluva time figuring out why I should like or even care about either of the main characters - Eric, the poor little rich boy, and Nick, the wholesome guy who suddenly discovers/admits that he likes guys too. I could never warm up to either of them, never really understand what motivated them to have feelings for each other, never mind be the loves of each other's lives. I live in hope, however! 

And now the author has thrown Ally, longtime friend of both men, into the mix. She really sounds like a terrific gal and I find it hard to figure out why she should be so lacking in the romance department. 

This volume is really 3 novellas strung together and I have to admit, I was quite surprised that the last page was actually the last page. I thought maybe the epub file had truncated, it was that abrupt. 

I've done an awful lot of bitching, but I will say that this was an okay read. The writing itself is good and I am curious to see how this threesome is going to resolve itself. It was okay enough that I will pick up novella (I assume) 4 of the series at some point.

Doubtless by Cat Grant

3.5 STARS

Irresistible Attraction - Book 2

It should be more like 3.5 stars, but Goodreads doesn't do half stars, damn them! 

I really liked this novella in the end. I spent the first part of it disliking Steve and wanting to smack him upside the head. *LOL* Or at least shake him real good. I was just beginning to really like him and BAM, the story was done. I wanted more and I wanted it now, in the same book. :/ 

I'm not really a huge fan of the current trend of novellas and short stories in the m/m genre. The thing is, I really enjoy this author and would like to really sink my teeth into one of her tales. There was a bit of a problem in one scene with POVs suddenly switching mid-paragraph, but that was really the only thing that pulled me out of the story. I did like how the story ended, but I wanted more of Steve who was turning out to be a really nice guy.

Fearless by Cat Grant

3 STARS

Irresistible Attraction - Book 3

A satisfying installment of the Irresistible Attraction series. We return to Connor and Wes, the stars of the first novella of the series on the occasion of their wedding. 

There is turbulence, much turbulence in their lives and while we were subject to many of Wes' thoughts and emotions about these upheavals, I felt a little short-changed by Connor's. I wanted more. I wanted to know more about the reasoning behind his final decision. 

I also found myself wanting to know more about his dilemma over his more aggressive desires and I wondered if there was going to come a point where he would reach a Wes boundary/limit and what they would do when it happened. 

Really, I think these are fascinating characters and want to know more about them. We're also introduced to Gil, who arrives in NYC with Steve, Connor's best friend and business partner - and the MC of the previous IA novella. Who the hell is he? Why is he there? It bothered me that we knew nothing about him, nor did ever get to know anything as the story went on. (Apparently we'll be learning about him in IA #4, due out in April 2013)

I liked the character of Dale, Wes' cousin. Wanted more of him too. *LOL*I guess, in the end, I would prefer if this series was written as actual novels, with all the fleshing out that comes with the territory. I think these characters are interesting enough to warrant the attention and the author is a good enough author to bring it off.

Priceless by Cat Grant

4 STARS

Irresistible Attraction - Book 1

I really enjoyed this and again, found it way too short. :) I want to know more about Connor and Wes, especially Connor because this is really Wes' story. 

I have discovered that while I quite enjoy novellas, I'm really a novel girl. I like to sink my teeth into good characters and good stories. BOTH of which this is, just... I want more. I know... I'm greedy. :) 

Read this one, it's good.