L.B. Gregg

4.5 stars.

Fans of L.B. Gregg and the Bluewater Bay series are going to love There's Something About Ari. This second installment in the series is a fast-paced and engaging novella that is quite engrossing. Intensely emotional, it is a very heartwarming and sometimes poignant second chance at love romance between two reunited friends.

Buck Ellis and Ari Valentine's close childhood friendship abruptly ended when Ari left Baywater Bay just before their high school graduation. His departure show more coincided with Buck's mother's death and this double loss hit Buck hard as his future forever changed. Buck abandoned his college plans to care for his younger brother Charlie and while he gladly sacrificed his future for Charlie's sake, Ari's unexpected return brings a few regrets to the surface. While their lives have gone in very different directions, one thing still quickly becomes clear: Buck's longtime attraction to Ari burns hotter than ever, but it remains to be seen whether he will find the courage to act on it.

Buck and Ari are absolutely wonderful characters and their pasts are absolutely heartbreaking. Ari's childhood was incredibly dysfunctional due to his mother's erratic behavior but he eventually triumphed over his chaotic past. Ari is finally at a good place in his life and he has mostly come to terms with the baggage from his past.

For the most part, Buck has made peace with a lot of his past as well, but he still harbors a lot of anger toward Ari. Barely keeping his head above water, Buck is still working the same job he did in high school and his dreams of college remain out of reach until Charlie is on his own. He has no desire to pick up where he and Ari left off, and his continued attraction to the seemingly unattainable Ari is definitely part of the reason why. A shocking revelation leads to a surprising encounter, but will Buck fully let Ari back into his life?

L.B. Gregg's There's Something About Ari is a short read, but the storyline and characters are fully developed. Written in first person from Buck's perspective, readers fully experience his often turbulent emotions as he comes to terms with the changes in his life. It is the perfect contribution to the fabulous Bluewater Bay series and while it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend the entire series. show less

Dudleytown by LB Gregg is a very entertaining novella at 20,000 words from Aspen Mountain Press. It features a first-person viewpoint (Alex), and a couple of medium-to-hot sex scenes. The story has an unusual undercurrent of ironic, self-referential humor to the overall plot, which comprises suspense and action-adventure scenes. This is made possible by the pitch-perfect voice of the endearing narrator Alex, a college sophomore who is a total horror-movie nerd.

With every step Alex and his show more companions take into danger, he remembers the gruesome ways in which these scenarios always play out in his favorite movies. He alternates feeling real terror with a disassociated-by-shock urge to analyze his own actions as he conforms, or fails to conform, to the time-honored behavior of a soon-to-be victim in a slasher flick. My one tiny regret is that the first sex scene felt too extended and detailed to be believable in the midst of immediate danger. Otherwise, I think Dudleytown sets the bar high and then succeeds beautifully as it manages a perfect balance of humor, genuine suspense and horror, and hot sexual tension.

The novella opens with Alex, Alex’s handsome but straight college roommate Shannon, and a friend Ricky driving through the hilly Connecticut wilderness late one freezing autumn night, looking for a shortcut to get home. Alex frets over being secretly in love with Shannon. Ricky tells creepy stories about the nearby ruins of Dudleytown, a cursed colonial settlement. Shannon drinks beer, then hides the cans as they get stopped by a state trooper, who warns them of a prison-transport accident further in the woods that may have resulted in some escaped convicts.

The boys promise to turn back, but soon get involved in a catastrophic road accident, which leaves Ricky badly injured. When Ricky disappears, it is up to Alex and Shannon to rescue him even though Alex wonders if life is imitating art and he and his secret crush are about to perish in their very own real life version of a horror movie.

Val for AReCafe show less

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

I discovered L.B. Gregg’s work last year when I read Mistletoe at Night, the novella that was part of Carina Press’ His For the Holidays (Anthology). Ever since then I have enjoyed pretty much all of her books, so I was very happy to read this new novella.

Simple Gifts begins when Jason’s friend Sunny drags him to her parents’ Christmas party so he doesn’t have to spend the holidays alone. What she doesn’t tell him is that her older show more brother Robb is back from the army after ten years away from home. Jason and Robb share a past, they were together for a short while when they were young, but Robb broke Jason’s heart when he left and they haven’t seen each other ever since then.

Things have change a lot in ten years, Jason owns a bar and lives an almost secluded life, and Robb is healing from war wounds that are both physical and psychological. When Jason has a hilarious, albeit dangerous, accident with a huge Christmas ornament, Robb rescues him and takes him home, which forces them to spend some time alone and confront all the heartache and pain that remains between them, and maybe give their relationship a second chance.

I had such a good time reading this book, it was entertaining, romantic and very touching. Ms. Gregg was able to tell a poignant story about heartbreak and forgiveness in a very positive and uplifting way. It had some humor and lightness to it despite dealing with an issue as serious as PTSD.

Obviously what made this story such a good one were the characters. It had two very typical guys that we often find in romance novels: the cranky guy who had a crappy childhood and has relationship issues, and the rich guy with the crazy but loving family who went to war and came back a different man. But the way the book is written it doesn’t feel common and the almost irreverent and fun way in which the story is told gives it an unique touch.

My favorite part about the book, and the aspect that gives it a lot of authenticity, was the fact that there’s no easy solution to Robb’s problem, he knows he’s in no shape to be in a healthy relationship and so he decides to take some time to heal first. I give kudos to the author for doing it this way because Simple Gifts is a Christmas story and we all know that miraculous recoveries are the norm in books like this, but Ms. Gregg doesn't take the easy way out and instead delivers a very believable ending that's completely satisfying, especially because it’s oh so romantic!

It is a short novella and it might have been better as a full-length novel, but the short format works and it makes this the perfect holiday read for people without much time on their hands. Fans of romance should be happy to read this story because it has great characters to root for, a bit of comedy, depth and paper cranes. show less

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerI discovered L.B. Gregg’s work last year when I read Mistletoe at Night, the novella that was part of Carina Press’ His For the Holidays (Anthology). Ever since then I have enjoyed pretty much all of her books, so I was very happy to read this new novella.Simple Gifts begins when Jason’s friend Sunny drags him to her parents’ Christmas party so he doesn’t have to spend the holidays alone. What she doesn’t tell him is that her older show more brother Robb is back from the army after ten years away from home. Jason and Robb share a past, they were together for a short while when they were young, but Robb broke Jason’s heart when he left and they haven’t seen each other ever since then.Things have change a lot in ten years, Jason owns a bar and lives an almost secluded life, and Robb is healing from war wounds that are both physical and psychological. When Jason has a hilarious, albeit dangerous, accident with a huge Christmas ornament, Robb rescues him and takes him home, which forces them to spend some time alone and confront all the heartache and pain that remains between them, and maybe give their relationship a second chance.I had such a good time reading this book, it was entertaining, romantic and very touching. Ms. Gregg was able to tell a poignant story about heartbreak and forgiveness in a very positive and uplifting way. It had some humor and lightness to it despite dealing with an issue as serious as PTSD.Obviously what made this story such a good one were the characters. It had two very typical guys that we often find in romance novels: the cranky guy who had a crappy childhood and has relationship issues, and the rich guy with the crazy but loving family who went to war and came back a different man. But the way the book is written it doesn’t feel common and the almost irreverent and fun way in which the story is told gives it an unique touch.My favorite part about the book, and the aspect that gives it a lot of authenticity, was the fact that there’s no easy solution to Robb’s problem, he knows he’s in no shape to be in a healthy relationship and so he decides to take some time to heal first. I give kudos to the author for doing it this way because Simple Gifts is a Christmas story and we all know that miraculous recoveries are the norm in books like this, but Ms. Gregg doesn't take the easy way out and instead delivers a very believable ending that's completely satisfying, especially because it’s oh so romantic!It is a short novella and it might have been better as a full-length novel, but the short format works and it makes this the perfect holiday read for people without much time on their hands. Fans of romance should be happy to read this story because it has great characters to root for, a bit of comedy, depth and paper cranes. show less