The Dating Game Goes Verbal!

REVISED INTRODUCTION — completed March, 2023

Welcome, everyone! I’m AJ (aka Jamaiquina on the other blog — see below), hostess of this dating service. I don’t need anything from you but your time, because I’ll be inviting you on dates with books, mine and others.  I’m a reader and a writer, so dating a book isn’t a half bad idea for me.

I am a wife and mother, and an unexpectedly busy writer. I have just completed my own first novel in a new pen name, AJ Buchanan.  It will be the first in a 4-book series — called Orchestrated Love coming in September 2023 — and I am already 31k words into the second book. This blog is for entertainment purposes only, a way to introduce you to my books and others that you may enjoy.

I actually stole the idea from a library, and one of the features of this blog, which will review certain books I’ve read, will be to introduce you to books you may not otherwise normally read. This blog will introduce you to my work and review fiction in the romance genre, including hetero and gay romances, thrillers with romantic spice, bad boy, billionaire, paranormal, sweet, and historical romances.

Some of the books I’ll review treat some pretty heavy subjects, despite their presence in romance novels. We romance writers do treat heavy subjects, even if our genre is often denigrated or ignored as ‘lightweight’ and ‘irrelevant’, as not being of sufficient ‘depth’ to warrant more than amused attention.

So, what can you expect on this site? There will be some “Blind Book Date” postings, in which I review a story I’ve read by a writer I’ve never heard of. Once in a while, there will also be “Author Spotlight” postings, where I showcase the work of authors whose work I enjoy. The book blind date reviews will be more extensive than the author spotlight ones, which will provide one-sentence synopses of at least three of a featured author’s works, as well as a paragraph about the author. The other postings will be reviews of books that you may or may not have read.

Please bear with me as I get this site back up and running, and if you’re curious, come back soon for your first book date, and you’ll see what I mean. And if you’d like, subscribe to the blog so you will see when new blogs are posted.

I hope you’ll join me for a date soon!

Cheers,

AJ

Getting ready for a new adventure!

Hi, Neighbor!

As June speeds along, I find myself hurrying to catch up with a month that is speeding by. A lot is happening in my own life, and when that happens, writing is shafted…literally. Still, I’m doing my best to stay at least as close to the track as possible, so that when balance is restored, I can jump back in with both feet.

Chuckles … talk about mixed metaphors!

So today I’ll share a review I did of a book I recently received an ARC copy of but before I do, here’s my big news. the first book in my first-ever M/M romance series is currently in pre-order. The series is called No Strings Attached, and the first book, coming out on September 30, is titled Orchestrated Love. It’s a second-chance romance between a somewhat older professor and his former student. Click on the title above to get your copy and learn more of their story, and let me know in the comments what you think of the cover.

And now for the review. The title of the book is Embrace Me by Beck Grey. Click on it to find it on Amazon and read the free excerpt to see if you’d like to give it a try. I gave this 3 stars.

Tadhg Byrne is Deaf and Quinn MacDougall is Hearing. They fall in love and must find their way past the barriers that Tadhg’s deafness presents not only in their personal and professional relationship, but also in Tadhg’s relationship with Quinn’s family. I understand the struggle to feel like a part of something when your inability keeps you apart FROM it, but Tadhg’s expectations of Quinn and his family seemed a bit excessive to me. Perhaps that’s my hearing self being selfish, but it seems that almost all the concessions and compromises in their relationship are made by Quinn, and the author makes it clear that this is how it ought to be, that anything less is unacceptable and selfish on the part of hearing people. I disagree, but I’m one person, privileged by my ability to hear. And although it’s a kind gesture on the author’s part, I didn’t actually need to know how to sign in order to enjoy the story. So the frequent stops to explain what sign Tadhg or Quinn or someone else was making and what it meant were frustrating for me. The relationship between them is sweet, even if sometimes they come off as very young.

Well, I’m off for now. Happy Father’s Day to all you guys out there doing the work, whether they’re your blood or not! Enjoy the day!

I’ve been away a while…

…and there’s a reason for it. Last year turned into my annus horribilis ending with the unexpected death of my mother on November 20. Before her death, things had been difficult, but her passing ratcheted everything up a hundredfold.

I’ve been working on so many things since this year began, and I have been reading and reviewing, just not finding the time to post here. Given my current emotional state, it’s best if I find a new way to go forward that won’t add too many stresses to my already full plate. I’ll come by next week with a clearer sense of how this page will proceed going forward.

In the meantime, it’s already March, and I hope you year is progressing as you would like it to do.

Sometimes, silence is golden!

Usually, I post reviews of stories I’ve read as ARCs or from new-to-me authors and encourage you after reading my review to have a look at the story. However, over the last few months, I’ve noticed an ongoing discussion about what reviewers should and should not post about books they’ve bothered to read. The consensus seems to be that if you have nothing good to say and if whatever you think will adversely affect the book’s star rating on Amazon — where ratings matter in terms of increased or decreased sales — you should refrain from leaving a review.

In the past, I have posted 1- and 2-star ratings of books I thought very poorly of, without feeling especially guilty about it. My reviews were never derogatory of the author but were definitely sharply critical of the particular book. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with disliking a book and saying so. And I still don’t. But I have no wish to mess with a writer’s livelihood. I know how hard writing is, and how much work goes into editing, proofreading, publishing and marketing a book.

Still, sometimes I need to unburden my soul (dramatic, much? LOL), as I am about to do here, with this review that I wrote after forcing my self to finish a book I had received as an ARC. I chose not to submit this in the interests of keeping the peace, especially since mine would have been the first and only negative review of the book. Oh, and I’m sharing my review without sharing the title of the book, so you can tell me if this review badmouths the author or just the work. That’s actually a real question I have about the negative reviews I’ve written, so your help in deciding will be greatly appreciated.

My rating is clearly the unpopular one here, but seriously, where’s the romance? At the end of this story, all I saw was two guys who had hooked up after a silly struggle not to do that, saying the three little magic words to put a happy spin on their shipboard encounter. Dawson Hoshaw and Stephen Kincaid are stupid and childish at the beginning of this story, though Stephen definitely takes first place in this utterly ridiculous pissing contest that happens between them, given his reason for being a jerk to Dawson. Not a good way to get me on board with this story. And the whole dancing around each other for more than half the book, trying for hookups with other people, got old and annoying pretty quickly. I guess I’m not up on singles cruise etiquette and expectations. I just found the premise really lightweight and irritating. Stephen’s repeated denials don’t endear him to me. Then suddenly, at 79%, they’re falling into bed together and getting all loved up with each other. 8% later, at 87%, they’re breaking up because Stephen can’t disappoint his parents by being with a man when they get back to real life. Drama, much? The ending is cookie-cutter predictable and neither MC is any more redeemable than he was at the start. It’s insta-love masquerading as an enemies-to-lovers story. I’m sorry, but I was not impressed. 

Posting as and when I can…

…because my life is in flux, as it seems to be almost constantly these days. And I need to post this review here because Amazon has refused to publish it there. They said: “We apologize but Amazon is not accepting reviews on this product from this account. If you would like to contact us about this decision, please email community-help@amazon.com.” Of course, unsurprisingly, no one has responded to my email. And this bit of inexplicable behavior is made even more ironic by the fact that they posted numerous reviews of mine for work by this author in the past, and since this refusal, they have posted many other reviews that I have written. So what’s the deal about my account that made them not post nit, even after I tried multiple times to submit it?

*le sigh* In an effort to avoid wasting energy being any more annoyed with big business than I already am, I’ll post the review here, for anyone who might like to try the book.

A Rhythm You Feel by Ann Lister

Seth Barrow, aka Blade, is the lead singer for the rock band Hard Core. How he meets the man he’ll eventually fall in love with and commit himself to is serendipitous, to say the least. Nico Salvatore runs a book shop, Book Ends, into which Blade runs to escape rabid fans. And so begins a relationship begun as friends and morphing into more as both men find themselves unable to resist the pull of their hearts. The usual bumps along the way include the heartbreaking loss of his bookstore to a fire which Blade helps Nico to overcome. It’s a sweet story, and it gives readers familiar with Ann Lister’s Rock Gods series a chance to reconnect with some old favorites such as Dagger from Black Ice and Alex from Ivory Tower.

A great introduction to Robin Covington

I met Robin Covington in person two years ago at the RWA conference in Orlando, Florida. I wanted to interview her then, because of her work in law enforcement, and she graciously agreed to let me pester her with questions. I have yet to send her the questions, but this first foray into her work reminds me of how compelling I found her when she spoke on the panel then, and that I need to get my questions in. I have just read this book, sight unseen — a true blind book date — for the first, but I’m sure not the last, time. And I’m not disappointed. Fair warning…this is an inter-racial, gay romance, so if that’s not your cup of tea, feel free to walk on by.

His Convenient Husband (Love and Sports) by Robin Covington

Contrary to the negative reviews I read on Amazon when I was deciding which Robin Covington book to start with, this story of the football star and the ballerina isn’t a loser, it’s a winner. I’ll address the criticisms I have in a few, but I must say they are far fewer and less severe than the naysayers would like us to believe. Isaiah Blackwell, an NFL player, and Victor Alexsandrov, ballerina extraordinaire, meet serendipitously and marry each other precipitously, though with their eyes wide open, and with the agreement that the marriage will merely be one of convenience, despite the obvious chemistry between them. Isaiah is a widower, his husband having been killed in a car accident. Victor is seeking political asylum, and the refusal of the government to grant it to him is what leads both men to what will eventually be their happy ever after.

They fall in love by slow degrees, Victor hesitantly, Isaiah kicking and screaming. Evan, Isaiah’s son, is the one person they are both unequivocally and unabashedly committed to, and in the end, he’s the reason that his dad finally gets his head on straight and goes to get the second love of his life back into their home. The story deals with important subjects in American life today. Victor is outspoken on behalf of the voiceless and those in his native Russia who are persecuted for whom they sleep with. Isaiah is out and proud, but not politically active, and his clashes with Victor, when they have them, are all centered around Victor’s refusal to stay quiet in the face of discrimination and homophobia. When the hate involves Evan, Isaiah forgets to be the kind, warm, loving man he shows himself to be so often, and Victor suffers for it. But he redeems himself in the end when he finally lets go of fear, which has been the huge motivating force behind every single stupid and hurtful thing he does to Victor in this story.

Which brings me to the two complaints I have about this book. First off, Victor does NOT sound Russian. I’m not convinced that he ever even lived in Russia, despite repeated references to his accent being heavier when he is emotional. And his turns of phrase are too American to make him a convincing Russian to me. Second, every now and again, I was confused as to which man’s thoughts or words I was reading and had to re-read the entire context to clarify it. That got to be a little annoying after a while.

Overall, I loved this story. The cast of supporting characters is varied and impactful, particularly Ian, Isaiah’s and Victor’s agent and Isaiah’s best friend, and Isaiah’s mom Esther. Victor is sweet and sexy and tough as nails. He’s warm and wonderful in his connection with Evan, and compelling and demanding in his relationship with Isaiah. Evan is adorable and as tough as Victor when he needs to be, and the best son to his dad. He’s almost too mature for his years, his words, especially in the confrontation with his dad after Victor leaves for New York, sounding like those of a grown man rather than a fourteen-year-old.

Isaiah is wounded and fearful and lets his fear turn him into a jerk where Victor is concerned, hurting the man he refuses to acknowledge that he loves because he’s afraid to be hurt again. He’s also blind to who his son really is, which is both a blessing AND a curse. It’s good because he loves Evan unconditionally and doesn’t see his son’s clothes or his makeup. He just sees the boy he loves more than his soul. But it’s the things his love blinds him to that make Evan the target Isaiah thinks he’s protecting him from being, and in the end, it is those things that force Isaiah to face not only his ignorance where his son is concerned but also his repeated cruelty to Victor. The story is perfect for showing how Isaiah grows — painfully slowly, but he does, thank goodness! — and changes until he has his ‘come to Jesus’ moment in that pivotal conversation with Evan at the end. I can find no fault with any of that, and the New York finale is sweet and romantic and just what these men deserve.

The first of a trilogy

I’m back after a long hiatus with the first of three reviews, part of a trilogy by Posy Roberts. “The “North Star Trilogy” is the story of Hugo and Kevin, best friends since high school who finally find their HEA as grownups. This first installment was a surprise to me, as you’ll see in the review. I’ll post the others as they show up on Amazon. To be honest, because I struggled so much with this first installment — I’m not into YA stories, and I would have given someone else the opportunity to review them had I realized I’d have to read so much of it in this one — getting into the other two was a struggle for me. So I wrote the reviews after I read them, straight to Amazon, which is screwing up its publishing of reviews, as always. However, if you don’t mind YA M/M stories, you might find that you enjoy this first installment thoroughly.

Spark (North Star Book 1) by Posy Roberts

This story has strong bones and is well conceived. However, I was surprised that it was in part a YA romance, and that threw me off, as I’m not a fan of YA romances. I bore with the flashbacks for the backstory they provided, but I didn’t enjoy this as much as I might have had I not had to wade through teenage angst and sexual exploration. So this rating is for the adult parts. As a whole, the story is very emotionally charged, and the choices that Kevin and Hugo must make are certainly consuming to them both. 

Have a happy holiday!

“Peace on Earth, goodwill to men!”

It’s been a while..

…and I apologize. Life happens while we’re making other plans. I’ll do my best to be here more frequently.

Today, I’m sharing a book I didn’t think I’d like with you, by a newbie author, not only to me but also to the world of publishing.  Little Harbour is set in Oslo, Norway, which was why I asked to read it. So few romance novels are set in places outside the US, and I’m sure people fall in love all over the world. Still, when I started to read it, it made me itchy…written in the present tense, it threw me for a loop. Then, despite the clear Britishisms (which I’m assuming are common in European English — I have a Dutch friend who sounds remarkably English as well), the story felt off to me in the way it was being told.

You’ll have to read it if you want to know what made me fall in love with Jens and Axel, with Jens’ children, his parents, his and Axel’s friends. I just want to reiterate…never judge a book by its first chapters. Give it time. If it’s a good one, it gets better, and then when you go back, the beginning is brilliant as well.

So, here’s where to go to find the book. Little Harbour (Scandinavian Comfort Book 1)

The review, as usual, is below. I’ve titled this review, “On my list for Best M/M of the Year”:

“I didn’t think I would like this book when I started. I kept putting it down, wrinkling my brow, wondering what I had gotten myself into. And then Jens and Axel met again, for the first time, and suddenly everything that had gone before made sense. I stopped minding how detailed it was. I didn’t care that it was in the present tense. I fell in love with the chapters which were just Axel’s blog. I fell in love with the text messages they wrote to each other and to their children. I just fell in love. Which is what this book is about…falling in love, over and over, again and again, when you’re in midlife, in crisis, in stasis, in need of that special someone. This book is about two men who find each other again, and in the process find hope, and family and “an all-encompassing love that spans the years, the laughter, the tears. And yes, there are tears, because that’s the other thing I love about this book. It doesn’t shy away from sorrow. Which is fine, because the sorrow comes with its attendant joys…the circle of life. A wonderful, wonderful, delightfully splendid read! Definitely on my “read again and again” list! 

If you’re looking for a feel-good, heartwarming, real-to-life book about grownups, give this one a try.

Condolences

A small glass of Barentura Moscato for the mood I’m in. Just had word an hour or so ago of the unexpected death of a young writer of M/M romances. Young as in age.

I feel curiously devastated, though I didn’t press the “Add Friend” button for him. I was just discovering his work. 😔😔😔

May he Rest In Peace!

Another Aborted ARC Review…Amazon is glitching all over the place

I’m part of an ARC team that volunteers to review books for authors upon their publication. The review below is for the last in a series by Hailey Turner. It’s a gritty, intense, often painful novel to read, but there are also lots of hot lovemaking and tender moments. I enjoy reading action romances, and this is part sci-fi, part military, part erotica. You shouldn’t read this if you haven’t read the others in the series, as it’s really best not to read it as a standalone. There will be things you just won’t understand if you do.

In The Requiem (Metahuman Files Book 5) by Hailey Turner

When a book makes you feel like you’ve been to hell and back, when it makes you want to hold the characters and never let them go, when you finish it and feel lost, then you know you’ve read a good book. This is the second book to do this to me. (The first is by the author of another series in a somewhat similar vein.) This story starts with “a bang” — literally — but unlike the rest of that famous line from T. S. Eliot’s poem, it sure as hell doesn’t end with “a whimper”. It is fast-paced, intense, in-your-face…exactly what we’ve come to expect from this author. It did a number on me, I can tell you, from the word ‘Go’. I was electrified, petrified, horrified, gratified, satisfied. I was on tenterhooks for the whole book, except for the times when I was on a whole other kind of edge. Between the political, military, and sexual tension rampant throughout the novel, I was at a loss for how to situate myself as I read. Should I sit on the edge of my seat, fingers tight with fear, or should I lean back against the cushions, smiling at the sexy times, or should I stand up and holler like a lunatic that the author was twisting the knife in me…again? So much is happening in this last book that it was hard to keep track of my emotions as the characters we’ve come to know and love suffer through more horror and find ultimate comfort in each other.

I have always loved the romance novels that had a side of military, spy-boy intrigue. And for the most part, I was happy to read this novel for that reason. But sometimes I felt just a little overwhelmed by the awfulness of the military and political situation, so much so that the personal lives of the men was subsumed to what appeared to be the larger interest of the story, which was finding and neutralizing the threats to the American government and to the MDF. And to be frank, the main reason I read these books is for the love story, not for the other. I sometimes felt as though the love story was really the subplot in this book, which disappointed me a little. Perhaps I came into it with the wrong mindset, which would explain the feeling of letdown I had every time it felt like the intrigue and suspense had taken over the story.

And my continued unease at the BDSM kink in Jamie’s and Kyle’s love life didn’t help with that. I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around Jamie enjoying inflicting pain on his lover, no matter the reason. Again, maybe that’s just because I can’t wrap my mind around that whole dominance-and-submission-in-a-loving-relationship thing. “Bruised to perfection” doesn’t sound like love to me. Still, the storytelling is on point, no question about that…I just wish there were perhaps a little less intrigue, or, at the very least, an equal distribution of the wealth, so to speak. But maybe that was just me needing to have my bruised, battered, and broken heart not be under constant attack as often as if felt like it was in this story.

However, I can’t fault the author for her style. I love those chapter titles, for starters. And I’m impressed by the way she engages us in the unfolding drama between Jamie and his terribly political family, and between the MDF and those who would expose or ruin them, from the senators, through the CIA to Wolcott and the Pavluhkins. Nor can I find fault with the way she brings us into the hearts of the men and women who fight on the side of justice in the story, or into their personal lives and loves, into their trials and triumphs. It would have been nice to see some weddings, especially in light of all the horrible pain they endure. The hurt is tremendous, the heartbreak earth-shattering. You’ll have no choice but to feel it every time. Every. Single. Time. But in the end, it will have been worth it.

I’m happy to leave a 5-star rating for this final book in the series which I received as an ARC.