Raine O'Tierney

Seamus Williams has returned to Ireland after spending several years in the States, leaving his brother, Patrick, behind. But Patrick has Aiden, and he's an adult, so he can fend for himself. Reconnecting with his homeland is just what Seamus needs--well, that and to get away from the one thing (read: person) who scares him more than anything else. And Seamus isn't afraid of much. Not even an ocean can keep him safe, though, as he gets a phone call from a U.S. number he doesn't recognize and show more answers it. It seems not saying goodbye to Chancey "Chance" Clearwater didn't mean he wouldn't find a way to track Seamus down, forcing Seamus to confront the feelings he thought he left back in Kansas. But it turns out Seamus might be eliciting some of the same feelings and fears in Chance, leaving both men to sort out what they want and how to get it despite living thousands of miles apart.

I'm sometimes a bit skeptical of stories where the relationship started and has already faced complications before the book starts. Too often authors use that as a device without having to actually deal with the issues that led to those complications in the first place. Or readers are left without understanding what brought the couple together in the first place, making it difficult to understand why they remain together and work past the problem. But neither of those cases are true here. Even though the relationship started and much happened before the first page of text, that doesn't mean we miss out at all on knowing Seamus and Chance both individually and together. And by no means are the complications over before the book starts, either. There is a slow but steady plot progression that meanders and builds toward a conclusion that seems real and right. In short, this is a heartwarming and enjoyable story, even if there are moments where one might want to reach through the page and give both men a hearty shake.

Definitely recommended for fans of m/m romance. Although this is the second book in a series, it's not necessary to read the first book before reading this one. I haven't read the first book and I had no problems following or understanding this one.

[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review.] show less

This is an amazing story about two men who each face an uphill struggle not just to survive, but to do it well. Their challenges are very different, and neither of them suspects they’ll be able to help each other. But once they begin to interact (on a purely voyeuristic basis at first), then meet and build one of the most unusual relationships I have read about in a while, they discover there is a lot more between them than the “deal” they have made to explore having sex together. Both show more characters are not just well researched, but written with compassion and a deep understanding of what drives them. This may look like a purely physical relationship, and that is what Beau thinks he needs, but it ends up being a growth experience for both of them. It is also a great case of intimacy sneaking up on two unsuspecting guys and turning out to be not at all what they expected.

Beau is all about the physical side of life. Not surprising really, since he used to be an Olympic swimmer, and even though a car accident paralyzed him from the waist down, his solution is, by necessity, centered around the physical as well. He has to learn how to deal with a different set of abilities, but the one thing he knows is that he will remain a swimmer. Beau has also never had the time (or inclination) for a relationship, so he isn’t looking for one when he hooks up with Niksa. Beau requests help with his involuntary erections and how to learn to orgasm without genital stimulation. I thought it was pretty obvious he’d need intimacy to get there, but he never even considers this. For him, as ever, it is still all about his body. It was fascinating to see him learn and grow!

Niksa is the complete opposite of Beau. He is a scientist who lives in his head, has no friends, and not even a real desire to live. He’s had a tough life, but his challenge is mental and spiritual. Niksa writes poetry, and it’s all very dark and depressing, yet very emotional. He has never had sex, so Beau’s “offer” to teach him works well, but Niksa knows he will get attached and be in trouble before they start. He craves intimacy, yet he knows it is the one thing Beau is not willing to give. And Niksa being very self-centered, he misses all the signs that things may be changing, and is totally shocked when he finds out what has been happening to Beau.

If you like stories about complicated men who face tremendous challenges, if you want to find out what it may be like to live as a physically or emotionally challenged person, and if you’re looking for a read that is deeply emotional, character-driven, and very hot, then you will probably enjoy this extraordinary novella.


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

While this ended up being a super cute, very warm Christmas story, it definitely didn’t start well for Crowley, who is told by his mother that he shouldn’t bother coming home for Christmas since nobody is going to pick him up from the airport. I wanted to smack her! And the second main character, Averell (Rell for short), wasn’t very impressed with what he expected to happen. But then, I wasn’t very impressed with his initial attitude, so it went both ways. Luckily, he redeems show more himself, and the story ended up being a little geeky (which I totally adored), a lot warm, as Crowley and Rell began to understand what was happening between, and very, very happy—a perfect balance as far as I am concerned.

Crowley has a lot of issues. Lack of self-esteem due to still carrying around “an extra layer” after being really overweight is one of them. His geekiness and lack of ability to connect to people is another. His awful mother is a third, but he doesn’t find out the real extent of that until just before Christmas. Thank God his roommate and best friend Tyler has a solution, and drags him to New York to spend Christmas with his family. Crowley, while dreading the experience of meeting total strangers under these circumstances, still does as Tyler tells him for lack of a better solution, and he is in for a surprise. Luckily, it turns out to be a good one, but not before quite a few obstacles keep popping up to make things difficult for him. He has a lot to learn, and one of the most difficult for him is self-acceptance.

Rell may be Tyler’s twin, but he is so different, they might as well be from different families. He is a bit of an adventurer, and very impulsive, and has no idea what he wants to do with his life. The scenes between him and his mother as she tries to make him do extra work to “earn his keep” were hilarious. When Rell is made to accept Crowley staying in his room (everyone else’s has already been taken), then told to pick him up from the train station, Rell has already decided he hates the guy. That changes quite quickly though, as they bond over a taste for eclectic music and gaming. Rell has no idea what to do, since he has never been attracted to a man before. But there is just something about Crowley…

If you like gay-for-you stories with two initially reluctant partners, if you enjoy a bit of humor and lots of snark in your romance, and if you’re looking for a read about a man who learns to accept himself while helping his partner find out what makes life worth living, then you will probably like this novel. I loved the writing, the message, and even the angsty moments the author made me suffer through before the happy ending were great.


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

This is such a beautiful book. It is bittersweet, unusual in terms of narrator and how reality and fantasy subtly interweave, and a very romantic male/male love story on top of it all. Written from the point of view of a twelve-year-old girl, it encompasses her great-grandfather’s life, and their family history, shared in the form of the stories he tells her. And Autumn is all about the stories.

Autumn loves her Great-Pop Tommy with all her heart, but, like all children, she is initially show more very selfish in her love. When he has a stroke and ends up in a coma, everyone seems to agree this is it, that it is time for him to go. But Autumn doesn’t agree. She loves him, and she wants to hear more stories about him and Roy, the man he loved over fifty years ago. She is convinced that if the adults would only let her see him, she is sure she can make him wake up, make him return to the living. Only when she finally does get to visit him in the hospital, it seems that reality doesn’t work the way she so desperately wants it to work.

At this point the story shifts location into a mysterious Valley and Autumn discovers she has a real fight on her hands. And as determined as she is to keep Great-Pop Tommy with her in the land of the living, there is someone else in the Valley who will fight equally hard to stop Great-Pop Tommy from ever leaving the Valley. Ultimately, Autumn has to search her heart for what is more important, and in the process, she grows up a little and learns what true love is really all about.

If you like bittersweet stories that contain a large dose of reality, yet manage to end well, if you don’t mind reality and fantasy intermingling for the purpose of a great story that just needs too be told, and if you’re looking for an imaginative, very sweet, and touching story about family and love, then you will probably like this novel. I was pulled in from the beginning, and think it is absolutely brilliant. show less