New Release: Love Me Tenor (Perfect Harmony, #2)

Title: Love Me Tenor (Perfect Harmony #2)

Author: Annabeth Albert

Publisher/GR Link: Lyrical Shine, GR

Genre: New Adult

Vice: OFY, Interracial, Troubled family

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Lock this book up: 3 stars.  The sex is supported by the relationship

Length: Novel

Satisfaction: HEA

Cover Impressions: Really cute.  I love the layout of this series.

Best Line: “…but it was OK.  They’d have time.”

Synopsis: Trevor Daniels is feeling aimless. A recent college grad, he’s not sure what to do with his useless degree, and his family all but abandoned him after he revealed the truth about himself. But a friend’s suggestion that he take his chances on a reality show aimed at finding the next big boy band strikes a chord with him—until the show’s producers convince him to act like he’s in a relationship with a guy who’s not at all his type. It isn’t exactly love at first sight for Jalen Smith either—but lust just might push them in an unexpected direction. If only their secrets weren’t even more twisted than their sheets, threatening to cost them the win—and each other…

Impressions: I loved the first book in this series, and Trevor broke my heart a little in book 1, so I couldn’t wait for him to get his own, well deserved, HEA.  I was not at all let down!

Jalen was adorable and so loving, and I loved learning about his family and his outlook on the world.  Trevor is such a perfect match for him, with his fumbling health, his self esteem issues and his longing to be loved.  The secondary characters were great and well developed, and the tv setting was well done.  I admit that I am a huge fan of the “pretend to be together” trope, and Alberts does it so well. 

It was so cute to watch Jalen and Trevor slowly fall in love and learn to trust in each other for the HEA they both wanted, but didn’t know they could ever have. 

This series has not let me down at all, and I am looking forward to book 3!

New Release: Rock and Soul by Lauren Sattersby

Title:  Rock and Soul

Author: Lauren Sattersby

Publisher/GR Link: Riptide, GR

Genre: MM Contemporary

Vice: Musicians, Paranormal, OFY

Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

Lock this book up: 4 keys.  Who knew a ghost could be so sexy?!

Length: Novel

Satisfaction: HEA, I’d say J

Cover Impressions: Gorgeous

Synopsis: I’m Tyler Lindsey, and until recently, I had an okay apartment, an okay girlfriend, and an okay job as a bellboy at a respectable Boston hotel. Then rock star Chris Raiden died right before I brought his room service—stiffing me on the tip, by the way—and my life went to hell. My fifteen minutes of fame was more like five seconds, and my girlfriend left me in disgust.

But even worse—Chris is haunting me. Not the room where he died, like a normal ghost. No, somehow he’s stuck to me and is insisting on taking care of a bunch of unfinished business in California. So now I have to traipse across the country with the world’s most narcissistic ghost.

But . . . I keep having these weird thoughts. Thoughts about how much I like the way he makes me laugh. Thoughts where I kind of want to kiss the emo-narcissist, even though he’s a ghost and an asshole and I can’t touch him anyway. And even if I could, what will happen when he finishes his business and nothing’s keeping him here anymore?

Impressions: This book’s blurb was really intriguing to me, and I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for review.  I could not put it down, and I was so excited at the end of the day when I could jump back into Tyler and Chris’ story.

I periodically like paranormals, but I wasn’t sure if this one could get to an HEA where I would feel like these guys could have the future I would hope for them, but Sattersby never let me down!  I was so pleasantly surprised!

The ghost element was really cute here, but what made this book so amazing and fun was the adorable banter between Chris and Tyler, and the slow blossom from slightly irritating to inseparable.  Ghosts, drugs, and unresolved pasts aside, this was simply a great romance and Tyler and Chris pulled me into their love story very quickly. 

This was a very different and special love story, and it had me smiling and eagerly curling up until I could figure out how Tyler and Chris could make all of their hopes come true.

Book Review: Treble Maker (Perfect Harmony #1)

Title: Treble Maker (Perfect Harmony #1)

Author: Annabeth Albert

Publisher/GR Link: GR

Genre: MM Contemporary

Vice: OFY, Religion, Musicians, Goth

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Lock this book up: 4 keys.  The sex in here is super hot, and supports the romance

Length: Novel

Satisfaction: HEA

Cover Impressions: I really like it. 

Best Line: "'I want to go home...' 

'To Iowa?'

'No, to us.'

And then he really did cry, right there in the parking lot...and thank God Cody wasn't the type to care, because he wrapped his arms around Lucas and held him tight."

Synopsis: On Perfect Harmony, the ambitious competitors heat things up on stage and off…

Cody Rivers is determined to be a rock star, but couch-surfing between bar shows gets old fast. Joining an a cappella group for a new singing competition show could be his last chance at real fame—unless the college boy from the heart of the country messes it up for him. Lucas Norwood is everything gothy, glittery Cody is not—conservative, clean-cut, and virginal. But when a twist in the show forces them together, even the sweetest songs get steamy as the attraction between them lights up the stage. Lucas wants to take it slow, but Cody’s singing a different tune—and this time it maybe a love song…

Impressions: I am a sucker for a sexy bad boy musician, and the idea of pairing him up with a repressed, conservative shy boy?  Oh sign me right up!

What I got when I settled in with Treble Maker was something even more than the fun fluff I was expecting.  I really enjoyed seeing Lucas wrestle with his identity and ultimately choose a path that was his own.  I liked that though his parents were religious conservatives, Alberts explored some of the complexities within religious communities and they way they approach homosexuality.  This wasn't simply a group of bigots holding up their crosses, and Lucas was a guy who was whipping himself each night for his sins.  Lucas was a man who knew who he was and was trying to fit a square peg in a round hole...and when he comes face to face with Cody, who is everything he dreams of, he realizes he needs to really examine his own hopes and desires.  Lucas is no pushover, though, and thats part of what captivates Cody's attention.

Cody has had a rough road in life, and he has survived by ensuring that he never has to rely on anyone but himself.  He sees little worth in himself except that which will bring him closer to his dreams of success.  Not surprisingly, this even affects his music performance, when he has to rely on others.  When Lucas meets him, while he enjoys their verbal spars, he also comes to realize there is more to life than one kind of success.

I love a great "teaching" book, and though a lot of this is about Cody teaching Lucas how to embarrass his sexuality, this goes beyond that plot, and shows Lucas teaching Cody how to connect emotionally to someone else.

I read this book in a day, and not because it is a quick read, but because I didn't want to put it down.  I loved the push/pull of their romance, and given their backgrounds and personalities I couldn't imagine any pacing that would make more sense. Both of these MC's are strong minded men, and they have to learn to give in to each other, and to accept the parts of each other that will not change.  I have loved Alberts novellas, but she did a great job with a full length novel, and I loved being a part of the relationship between Cody and Lucas.  

This had a great setting and well developed secondaries, and a complexity of characters that I really admired.  There were no stereotypical "bad" guys or all good guys, and that made this novel believable, engaging and authentic.  The romance was a perfect mix of angst, sweetness, and sexiness, and I didn't want to put it down until Cody and Lucas had everything they deserved!

Highly recommended