Ari McKay
Author of Out of the Ashes
Series
Works by Ari McKay
Midnight in the Renaissance Elevator: A Charity Anthology — Contributor — 6 copies
Under a Solstice Sea 1 copy
Blood Bathory 1 copy
Call of the Night Singers 1 copy
Associated Works
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Common Knowledge
- Other names
- Langella, Rachel
- Gender
- female
- Short biography
- Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who collaborate on original m/m fiction. They began writing together in 2004 and finished their first original full length novel in 2011. Recently, they’ve begun collaborating on designing and creating costumes to wear and compete in at Sci Fi conventions, and they share a love of yarn and cake.
Arionrhod is an avid costumer, knitter, and all-around craft fiend, as well as a professional systems engineer. Mother of two human children and two dachshunds who think they are human, she is a voracious reader with wildly eclectic tastes, devouring romance novels, military science fiction, horror stories and Shakespeare with equal glee. She is currently preparing for the zombie apocalypse.
McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.
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Reviews
Designer Holiday is the story of Rayne Sadler, an interior designer, and Emilio Rives, a dancer. The story is told in third person through Rayne and Emilio’s povs.
Before I start the review, I want to say how much I love the cover. Everything about it conveys the holiday season. It’s sparkly and pretty right down to the color of the shirts.
This is a second chance story. Rayne and Emilio were high school boyfriends, but Rayne decided to move away to college and make a name for himself in the big city. Emilio preferred the small town, but he wanted to follow Rayne because he loved him. But Rayne didn’t answer his letters or talk to him when Emilio’s father passed away. Rayne’s lack of response finally hardened Emilio’s heart and I don’t blame him. Rayne’s behavior was immature. The least he could’ve done was tell Emilio that he wanted to break up, but Rayne was all about Rayne, not thinking of anyone else.
The story is about Rayne trying to get back into Emilio’s good graces once he returns to town. I honestly think Emilio shouldn’t have taken Rayne back. Rayne explains he returned because he missed living in Holiday Pines and he wanted to get back with Emilio. Personally, I don’t think Rayne would’ve returned if he hadn’t broken up with his boyfriend. He was lonely and wanted someone familiar, someone he didn’t even have the courtesy to break up with. The one thing I’ve noticed in some of the books this author team writes about men who return to try to rekindle a romance, is that the guy who did the damage doesn’t grovel enough. In this case Rayne doesn’t seem to really acknowledge the damage he did. It’s more like he goes, “Oh sure, I get it. Now can we get back together?” There’s also nothing in his behavior that proves he’d never do the same thing again. I’ve read an article about the best way to apologize, and the instigator, in this case Rayne, never apologizes properly so I never believe him, sympathize with him or identify with his character. I don’t like him, even at the end of the book. That goes for other characters like Rayne in other books the authors have written. So because of Rayne, this is not one of my favorite stories by the writers.
Emilio’s personality is more volatile, but he cares deeply about Holiday Pines, dancing, and the people he teaches, and about people he loves. His emotions run deep and that's why he hurts for so long. Rayne on the other hand is all about Rayne. Until he returns to Holiday Pines, I don’t think he cared about doing anything for anyone else and even once he returned, his motivations pretty much centered on what he could do to impress and win Emilio back. How his own actions could benefit himself in winning over Emilio. It was all about what Rayne could do for Rayne and if that meant improving the town that’s great ( I didn't believe it was because he loved the town he left), as long as it got Emilio back. He told himself he’d be okay with getting back to being friends with Emilio, but even then Rayne knew he was lying to himself. Rayne’s personality is selfish so I didn’t like him as a character.
The authors did a good job of getting across the atmosphere of a small town during the holiday season. One thing I didn’t like was the large amount of monologue in this book, but that’s personal taste since I prefer a nice balance with dialogue.
I wish I liked this story more since I like this writing duo, but the story didn’t work for me, specifically because of Rayne. He was too selfish and I didn’t like how he didn’t grovel and truly understand the hurt he’d caused Emilio. However, I love the cover. I give Designer Holiday, 3 Stars.
I was given a copy of this book by the authors for an honest and unbiased opinion.
show less
Before I start the review, I want to say how much I love the cover. Everything about it conveys the holiday season. It’s sparkly and pretty right down to the color of the shirts.
This is a second chance story. Rayne and Emilio were high school boyfriends, but Rayne decided to move away to college and make a name for himself in
The story is about Rayne trying to get back into Emilio’s good graces once he returns to town. I honestly think Emilio shouldn’t have taken Rayne back. Rayne explains he returned because he missed living in Holiday Pines and he wanted to get back with Emilio. Personally, I don’t think Rayne would’ve returned if he hadn’t broken up with his boyfriend. He was lonely and wanted someone familiar, someone he didn’t even have the courtesy to break up with. The one thing I’ve noticed in some of the books this author team writes about men who return to try to rekindle a romance, is that the guy who did the damage doesn’t grovel enough. In this case Rayne doesn’t seem to really acknowledge the damage he did. It’s more like he goes, “Oh sure, I get it. Now can we get back together?” There’s also nothing in his behavior that proves he’d never do the same thing again. I’ve read an article about the best way to apologize, and the instigator, in this case Rayne, never apologizes properly so I never believe him, sympathize with him or identify with his character. I don’t like him, even at the end of the book. That goes for other characters like Rayne in other books the authors have written. So because of Rayne, this is not one of my favorite stories by the writers.
Emilio’s personality is more volatile, but he cares deeply about Holiday Pines, dancing, and the people he teaches, and about people he loves. His emotions run deep and that's why he hurts for so long. Rayne on the other hand is all about Rayne. Until he returns to Holiday Pines, I don’t think he cared about doing anything for anyone else and even once he returned, his motivations pretty much centered on what he could do to impress and win Emilio back. How his own actions could benefit himself in winning over Emilio. It was all about what Rayne could do for Rayne and if that meant improving the town that’s great ( I didn't believe it was because he loved the town he left), as long as it got Emilio back. He told himself he’d be okay with getting back to being friends with Emilio, but even then Rayne knew he was lying to himself. Rayne’s personality is selfish so I didn’t like him as a character.
The authors did a good job of getting across the atmosphere of a small town during the holiday season. One thing I didn’t like was the large amount of monologue in this book, but that’s personal taste since I prefer a nice balance with dialogue.
I wish I liked this story more since I like this writing duo, but the story didn’t work for me, specifically because of Rayne. He was too selfish and I didn’t like how he didn’t grovel and truly understand the hurt he’d caused Emilio. However, I love the cover. I give Designer Holiday, 3 Stars.
I was given a copy of this book by the authors for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Another story set in Montgomery House, the former mansion turned into a restaurant in Charleston? The site of much drama and three happy couples from the previous three volumes of this series set in and around various kitchens, their chefs, and some TV shows? This one – finally – the story of ill-tempered, exacting chef Stephen Pierce and his unflappable and slightly mysterious personal assistant Robert? Sign me on! I couldn’t wait for this story, my expectations were high, and let me show more tell you, I wasn't disappointed.
Robert has impressed me throughout the first three books in the series, and it was wonderful to finally get his story. He is the only one who can keep Chef Pierce under control, and that is meant quite literally. Like other famous chefs, the man has a temper and a lack of social graces (or even willingness to consider his fellow human beings) that has most people running for the hills. Not so Robert. He used to work in "corporate America", so he is no stranger to being yelled at, abused, and working impossible hours. The change of pace he initiated when he applied as personal assistant for Stephen six years ago has worked, but the one thing he had not counted on was that he'd fall for the temperamental culinary genius. Six years later, Stephen still shows no sign of returning Robert's interest, so he decides it's time to move on and begins dating. What a catastrophe that turns out to be!
Stephen may appear to be self-confident, and he certainly behaves as if he owns the world, but as Robert has long since discovered, and I suspected, nothing could be further from the truth. It's all, quite literally, a front he uses to protect himself. Yes, he has a short temper and not exactly good with people, but he is also emotionally damaged, thinks he is less than attractive physically, and desperately lonely. Some of this began to emerge in the last book when he was reunited with his brother, Ian, and discovers the man loves him, contrary to what their father (a real bast*rd) made them believe for years. In this volume, we get the full story, and it's not pretty. I really began to feel for Stephen, even though it took him most of the story to get a clue about Robert's true feelings, and even though he stumbled his way through that "minefield of emotions" in a less than graceful way.
With two main characters who each fear the other will "never" accept them, this is an emotionally tense story. Both suffer through painful years of denying their feelings before everything comes to a head over Stephen being offered his own TV show by the Gourmet Network. Thank the gods for this catalyst though, since without it, Robert and Stephen would probably have remained clueless for several more years. If you like irascible chefs and the men who work with them, if you have enjoyed the other books in this series, and if you're looking for a story with lots of emotional distress dissolving into hot, fiery passion between two men who are clearly made for each other, then you will probably like this novella as much as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. show less
Robert has impressed me throughout the first three books in the series, and it was wonderful to finally get his story. He is the only one who can keep Chef Pierce under control, and that is meant quite literally. Like other famous chefs, the man has a temper and a lack of social graces (or even willingness to consider his fellow human beings) that has most people running for the hills. Not so Robert. He used to work in "corporate America", so he is no stranger to being yelled at, abused, and working impossible hours. The change of pace he initiated when he applied as personal assistant for Stephen six years ago has worked, but the one thing he had not counted on was that he'd fall for the temperamental culinary genius. Six years later, Stephen still shows no sign of returning Robert's interest, so he decides it's time to move on and begins dating. What a catastrophe that turns out to be!
Stephen may appear to be self-confident, and he certainly behaves as if he owns the world, but as Robert has long since discovered, and I suspected, nothing could be further from the truth. It's all, quite literally, a front he uses to protect himself. Yes, he has a short temper and not exactly good with people, but he is also emotionally damaged, thinks he is less than attractive physically, and desperately lonely. Some of this began to emerge in the last book when he was reunited with his brother, Ian, and discovers the man loves him, contrary to what their father (a real bast*rd) made them believe for years. In this volume, we get the full story, and it's not pretty. I really began to feel for Stephen, even though it took him most of the story to get a clue about Robert's true feelings, and even though he stumbled his way through that "minefield of emotions" in a less than graceful way.
With two main characters who each fear the other will "never" accept them, this is an emotionally tense story. Both suffer through painful years of denying their feelings before everything comes to a head over Stephen being offered his own TV show by the Gourmet Network. Thank the gods for this catalyst though, since without it, Robert and Stephen would probably have remained clueless for several more years. If you like irascible chefs and the men who work with them, if you have enjoyed the other books in this series, and if you're looking for a story with lots of emotional distress dissolving into hot, fiery passion between two men who are clearly made for each other, then you will probably like this novella as much as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. show less
The small town of Buffalo Lick (I just love that name!) is too small to contain the egos of two of the top restaurant owners who live there. Beau runs Walker’s Barbecue Shack and has remained local, while Jake took over family restaurant Parnell’s Pantry when his twin brother, Josh, died in a car accident. They have been rivals since high school, Josh’s return has made it clear the worst is far from over because there are lots of unresolved emotions between them, and if it’s true show more that teasing is a sign of affection… well, these two are headed straight for major “heat” in every sense of the word.
Beau is “the one who remained behind” – he never felt bright enough for college, and he loves cooking. Running the Shack, with all the admin stuff that entails, is not his first love, but what else was he supposed to do when his parents retired? The place has been in his family’s hands for generations and he is not about to give up. With the barbecue competition between him and Jake coming up on the Gourmet Network there will be lots of chances to prove who is better…. at cooking, of course.
Jake is “the one who left town as soon as possible” after high school; he is talented with numbers, became a math teacher, and loves his life in California. He had no problem coming out while there, but now that he is back in Texas, the closet doors are firmly shut and locked again. He is afraid his sexuality will make his young nephew and niece’s life impossible, and he is all about supporting them and his sister-in-law. In essence, he has taken over most of his brother’s life out of a sense of responsibility, maybe even survivor’s guilt, and I was waiting for that to go wrong. It is not a life Jake is suited for, not one he would have chosen, and I just knew there’d be a point at which he had to go back to living his own life.
The author sure held me in suspense! There is a lot of history between Jake and Beau, the differences in the way they see themselves and each other are significant, and the rivalry of the cooking competition is not exactly helping them get along better. With an unrequited crush on both sides, the sexual tension just sizzling between them, and their future reputations at stake, the pressure could not be much higher. What a ride!
If you like pseudo-enemies going head to head, if you want to know how two former high school rivals deal with “fighting it out” in public years later, and if you’re looking for an intense read with high stakes, strained emotions, and more heat than you’d think fits into one book, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It’s entertaining, funny, and very touching.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. show less
Beau is “the one who remained behind” – he never felt bright enough for college, and he loves cooking. Running the Shack, with all the admin stuff that entails, is not his first love, but what else was he supposed to do when his parents retired? The place has been in his family’s hands for generations and he is not about to give up. With the barbecue competition between him and Jake coming up on the Gourmet Network there will be lots of chances to prove who is better…. at cooking, of course.
Jake is “the one who left town as soon as possible” after high school; he is talented with numbers, became a math teacher, and loves his life in California. He had no problem coming out while there, but now that he is back in Texas, the closet doors are firmly shut and locked again. He is afraid his sexuality will make his young nephew and niece’s life impossible, and he is all about supporting them and his sister-in-law. In essence, he has taken over most of his brother’s life out of a sense of responsibility, maybe even survivor’s guilt, and I was waiting for that to go wrong. It is not a life Jake is suited for, not one he would have chosen, and I just knew there’d be a point at which he had to go back to living his own life.
The author sure held me in suspense! There is a lot of history between Jake and Beau, the differences in the way they see themselves and each other are significant, and the rivalry of the cooking competition is not exactly helping them get along better. With an unrequited crush on both sides, the sexual tension just sizzling between them, and their future reputations at stake, the pressure could not be much higher. What a ride!
If you like pseudo-enemies going head to head, if you want to know how two former high school rivals deal with “fighting it out” in public years later, and if you’re looking for an intense read with high stakes, strained emotions, and more heat than you’d think fits into one book, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It’s entertaining, funny, and very touching.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. show less
4.5*
Ari McKay has created an interesting world that runs in conjunction with our own. A contemporary world with vampires, where ordinary (but worthy) humans can be turned into extraordinary shifter folks to fight the vampire menace. It is trilogy in the overall story arc, but each book contains a complete relationship arc.
Absence of the Sun starts in 1945 to introduce the two leads and then heads back to the present day to deal with the aftermath of the attack on the bad vampire, Elizabeth. show more If possible I liked this book even more than the first. The world was established in my head so I wasted no time getting sucked back in. The two leads, Tyr and Adam, were delightful, both stuck in a world out of their time without the benefit of living through the changes. Tyr in particular struggles with the new world and his place in it. And his actions had the ability to make me cry. Tyr and Adam make a great couple and I look forward to reading more of them trying to find their way through the world together.
I can't wait to read the last book in the series when it comes out. show less
Ari McKay has created an interesting world that runs in conjunction with our own. A contemporary world with vampires, where ordinary (but worthy) humans can be turned into extraordinary shifter folks to fight the vampire menace. It is trilogy in the overall story arc, but each book contains a complete relationship arc.
Absence of the Sun starts in 1945 to introduce the two leads and then heads back to the present day to deal with the aftermath of the attack on the bad vampire, Elizabeth. show more If possible I liked this book even more than the first. The world was established in my head so I wasted no time getting sucked back in. The two leads, Tyr and Adam, were delightful, both stuck in a world out of their time without the benefit of living through the changes. Tyr in particular struggles with the new world and his place in it. And his actions had the ability to make me cry. Tyr and Adam make a great couple and I look forward to reading more of them trying to find their way through the world together.
I can't wait to read the last book in the series when it comes out. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 60
- Also by
- 2
- Members
- 321
- Popularity
- #73,714
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 64
- ISBNs
- 49