Starla Kaye

This is a great story with a message of hope and a new beginning. It’s subtle at first, as we are introduced to the two characters and their pasts, explaining what it is that’s missing in their lives. Like Madam Eve, who arranges all these mystery matches in the 1 Night Stand series, it was immediately obvious to me that Corbin and Matt are a great match. It took the two of them a little longer – which is a good thing or we wouldn’t have this wonderful story to read.

Corbin is a recently divorced man who struggles with the transition to being an active gay man. He has come out, but is afraid of taking the next step. He figures dating men won’t be the same as dating women and his fear paralyses him. Luckily he has enough courage to go for a 1 Night Stand, in effect ‘forcing’ himself to jump in the deep end.

Matt is devastated by his lover’s death in an accident and in dire need of moving on. He has no idea how to do that, but figures a 1 Night Stand might kick start him into action. And, boy, does it ever. For different reasons, the physical bonding that ensues over some very hot sex is exactly what each of these men needs. The sex is more ‘educational’ in the beginning, so Corbin can learn, but it quickly involves a lot more than the men’s bodies.

If you like stories with characters who have a past, hot sex that has a purpose in the development of the plot and the characters’ relationship, and a happy ending, this book may be for you.




NOTE: This book was provided by Decedent Pubishing for the purpose of a review on Queer Magazine Online.… (more)

In the words of one of the main characters of this story, the theme here is "Two troubled and trapped men." Firmly rooted in reality, this short book shows what it can be like when someone focuses on their professional life or the needs of others rather than their own happiness. It may have made sense for both men initially, while they were building a career, but, like many others, they end up trapped in what they have created and no longer know how to pull back. This is all well and good if their jobs are perfect and fulfilling, but how often is that the case? Definitely not in this book.

Chase is the CEO of a major architectural company in California, and while he is wildly successful, he has no personal relationships that come close to being positive. And he is beginning to regret the lack of a partner and missing someone to share life with. When he meets Rico, he knows the Spaniard could be "the one", but how the heck are they going to make a relationship work? The insecurity he feels, the hesitance to take a risk are uppermost in his mind, and he soon realizes he may have no choice but to accept they can never be together.

Rico is equally trapped in a life he used to enjoy, but now that he wants something different, he realizes how much others determine his schedule and priorities rather than him being in control. When he meets Case he begins to understand what is really important, and it is neither his family's business, nor the club he founded with his best friend. Not anymore. Not now that he has met Chase and begun to see what it can be like to have someone who can be both a friend and a lover.

If you like stories full of the reality of life and its pressures, if you enjoy reading about successful businessmen who find they have neglected their personal lives for too long, and if you're looking for a read with lots of hot action and some tough reconsideration of priorities, then you will probably like this short story.


NOTE: This book was provided by Decadent Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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Wonderful romance with lots a great characters, set in beautiful Hawaii. The spanking scenes went well with the story but it was not the main focus.

Valentine Hart is a romance therapist who's become very cynical on her own love life. After her ex-husband came out of the closet after their marriage she has been depressed and just doesn't have the heart to counsel happy couple's anymore. She really wants to open her own B&B and council young women who've been in bad relationships. On the spur of the moment she decides to accept a wedding invitation of one of her previous clients that going to be held in Hawaii. She had helped her become more independent and get out from under the thumb of her over bearing, strict brother who raised her. She is sure he wont be at the wedding for her to give her two cents to because he would never leave his precious farm.

Sam Thompson had to give up his dreams of becoming a vet when his parents died. He had to take control of running the large ranch that had been in the family for many generations and also raise his younger sister Shelby. He has been trying to get Shelby and her future husband to take over running the ranch so he could go back to school but Shelby and Dale want to live in Hawaii and run his family's tour business. He wasnt going to go to her wedding but Shelby finally guilted him into it..

And here is where the fun starts... Neither Valentine nor Sam is happy to see the other but neither can deny there strange attraction to the other. Its not long before Sam takes her to hand but all that does it really get them both all worked up.

The two from there get to know each other and eventually confess how unhappy they both in there lives and what they really want to do. We get to see alot of his sister and her fiance and how Sam has to come to terms with not really being fair to Shelby.

There was lots of humor and emotional moments through out that lead up to a very humorous and satisfying ending.

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3 stories in one book.. First one Dude Ranch.. Jake is tired of his grandmother sending women to his door in a matchmaking attempt. All he wants to do is get his Dude Ranch up and running. So he goes to Rylee (who is one of his grandma's bridge partners and has also set her sights on trying to hook her up on dates) and makes a proposition that they marry for a year to get his grandmother off of his back so he can concentrate on the Ranch. Riley is head of an advertising firm that she inherited from her father and wants to take time off to kick start her painting again. Of course Rylee has a hard time following all of Jake's rules and ends over Jake's knee alot. I really liked these two characters together and was rooting for a happy ending. Second one Crooked T Ranch.. Travis has given up his rodeo days and decides to take a job on the Crooked T.. On his first day there he walks into his boss disciplining his college age daughter Jodi who is a bit spoiled and free willed. When Daniel leaves for a trip - he leaves Travis in charge of Jodi and of course it’s not long before she is over his knee. Travis struggles with his attraction to Jodi since there is a bit of an age difference between them. But they do wind up in a summer romance with the expectation that she would be going back to college to finish her last semester. At the end of summer she doesn’t want to go back when he insist she needs to finish what she started and gets her backside burned for her defiance. This one had a good ending.. Third one - Suzy Q Ranch..Suzy and Trent were foster children who grew up on a ranch together. When there foster father dies he leaves them both the Ranch in his will. Trent wants to sell it to get money for his business and Suzy wants to open a guest hotel on the Ranch.. And the fighting of two strong willed people starts of course with Suzy getting her butt spanked after most of them.. These two are fighting a strong attraction that started when they were kids. This was my favorite of the three..… (more)