J. P. Bowie

A vampire who is the good guy is always a character I enjoy, and even though there is a real bad guy in this story as well, Gareth is a great hero and almost made me forget what he is. Rob needs saving, and even though he is a little shocked to find out Gareth is a vampire, a being of legend, the way Gareth has treated him, the way he behaves toward Rob, quickly convinces Rob that not all vampires have to be bad. As a lesson in "judge me by my actions not my heritage", this is a fun story. show more There are some clear threats, as well as some more mysterious dangers to Gareth and Rob's happiness, and interesting secondary characters who complete the colorful depiction of a historical setting. All in all, this carefully staged background as well as the undeniable passion between the two main characters make this a great quick read.

Rob is a young man in deep trouble. Kicked out by his family, he ends up on the street and is "rescued" by the greedy owner of a brothel catering to a BDSM clientele. This is not his thing, and when he flees he half expects to be captured. Gareth swooping him up is a big surprise, but he accepts the man as his lover, never mind that he's a vampire. Not even a new threat can make him leave – he is loyal and determined to fight for his guy, even though it is a mental fight more than a physical one.

Gareth has been alone for a long time. Memories of a past lover aren't good, but being with Rob quickly erases those and makes him believe in love again. I love how careful he is with Rob, how he gives him choices all along the way. He has a battle to fight as well – an old nemesis who almost manages to take Rob away from him. Needless to say, after waiting for a true partner for as long as he has, he won’t give up without a fight.

If you like vampires who are total gentlemen, if you enjoy stories with a historical feel (silk suits and visits to the opera in a carriage are mentioned), and if you're looking for a fun, hot story with a bit of danger and mystery thrown in, you will probably like this short book.


NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. show less

Loss, grief, and survivor's guilt is something we all have to deal with at some stage in our lives. We all deal with it in different ways, but when we lose a partner, a lover, it is immeasurably more difficult to get back to some sort of normal, maybe even happy life. Relief and change can come from different sources, and this story looks at one that is probably one of the most misunderstood: physical attraction to a new man.

Lane has lost his lover of ten years in a car accident and, as show more happens so often, even a year later his grief is so deep that he doesn’t allow himself any sort of joy. He hasn't quite lost the will to live, but all he does is go through the motions. He is in survival mode, and cannot imagine anything that might be able to pull him out of the depths of his depression. The shock when it does happen is significant, but he is ready to let the new feelings take him where he needs to go.

Mike is just the right guy to pull Lane out of his funk. He is considerate, a professional masseur, and, as such, well aware of the power of physical sensations and their effect on the heart and mind of people who hurt – for whatever reason. I loved his patience, his dedication, and his willingness to let Lane heal in his own time. It may help that he has recovered from a serious football injury and knows about healing, both physically (Lane is starved for touch) and mentally (Lane has not, so far, allowed himself to stop grieving).

What follows is an exploration of the physical as well as the emotional between two men who are both, in their own ways, desperately lonely. Yes, their bedroom activities are hot, but that is a part of the deeper emotions that develop between them, giving each of them what they are looking for. I think it's fascinating that J.P. took this situation to show us how, sometimes, the body can lead the way in the healing process. After all, what could be more natural?

If you like stories about two hot men who deal with more than just physical attraction as they explore each other's bodies, and if you enjoy finding out how a 'happy ending' can sometimes come from the most unexpected source, you will probably like this short book. show less

This story has a lot of heart, is very sweet and has not one, but two cowboys as main characters. The way they were introduced, with Parker's accident, had me right there. What followed in terms of emotional ups and downs didn't let go of me, and the drama when the idiots, excuse my language, decided to have a truly stupid fight had me yelling at both of them. More so Parker than Royce, but still. Neither of them was very clever about it.

It's always a good sign, I think, when I get so show more involved in characters' lives that I start seeing them as real people. Parker was definitely that to me. Too much in love to see straight? Yep. In dire need of someone to give him a good talking to about his priorities? Definitely. Flawed? Totally! In short: the perfect guy to root for. He certainly needed someone on his side other than himself - he was his own worst enemy!

Royce is slightly more rational than Parker, but just as much in love. He has the additional complication of being a lawyer as well as a rancher's son, so the point when he might be tempted to take a different job was sort of predictable. But - that was not even his biggest problem. Having to watch him go through the effects of Parker's idiotic plan was heart wrenching. I suffered with him and was glad he liked his job enough to help him through the separation.

If you like sweet stories that take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, contain hot cowboys who are very much in love and don't mind a bit of suffering (okay, a lot of emotional torment) before the happy ending, you will probably like this book. show less

This book is an interesting mix between an action/adventure, almost a thriller, and a very hot m/m romance. Neither one nor the other completely, it cleverly combines the elements of both genres into an interesting new whole. Personally, I really liked the fact it didn’t get too gritty – that wasn’t what I expected when I picked it up and I am glad the promise made in the blurb was kept. ‘Nowhere to Hide’ contained just enough tension and a few interesting twists to keep me show more interested, and more than enough romance to make it a very worthwhile read.

Marc, the doctor working in Darfur, is a very unusual physician. Well, maybe not that unusual – he is stubbornly dedicated to his patients, puts their health and safety above his own, yet he has some very dark secrets in his past that make him entirely human. I loved his ability to get things done, his dedication to both his job and Jack, and his unwillingness t bend to his kidnappers’ wishes. On top of that he is not afraid to physically fight whoever stands in his way.

Jack starts out as the stereotypical Aussie soldier – but quickly proves to be so much more than that. Yes, he is fiercely protective and tries to convince Mark to stay safe – but which lover wouldn’t? He is also man enough to admit he loves Mark and go after the dangerous men who have abducted him without heed for his own safety. His ability to show that he is vulnerable as well as strong make him a great guy to have around.

The developing relationship between these two men, against all the obstacles in their way, and under very dangerous circumstances had me glued to the pages. I loved the unfolding twists and turns, even though I hated the fact they made me wait for the happy end Mark and Jack definitely deserved. If you like action/adventure that isn’t too gritty and brutal, like your heroes to fall in love, and want to see the bad guys get what’s coming to them, you will probably like this story.



NOTE: This book was provided by Total-E-Bound for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online. show less