Tory TempleRezensionen

Secui Domus by Kiernan Kelly - 2 stars

Another Believer by Stephanie Vaughan - 3 stars

Reading Between the Lines by Jane Davitt - 3,5 stars

What It's All About by Tory Temple - 1,5 stars

OK, first of all, this is a lovely story, I adored the characters (both human and animal) and the plot is... intriguing to me.

"Keeping Karma" introduces the reader to Alex, a veterinary student with a special gift... he can hear the animals he works with; Dylan, an animal control officer who takes an instant liking to Alex, when he brings in an injured fawn; and Karma, a ferret living with Alex and his other pets even though she's an illegal pet in California.

Alex and Dylan hit it off and are soon living together, quite happily, but Karma's constant hijinks and Alex's secret just might throw a wrench in the whole thing... read it and find out what happens! ;-P

I picked up this title because I've always liked the idea of actually being able to talk to animals. Though I was wary that Tory Temple might be writing a gay Dr. Dolittle, the author did no such thing! Instead, writing an enjoyable tale perfect for an afternoon read.

First and last were good, middle two average.

I liked this short story about Cole, the owner of an artt supply store, and Matthew, a young runaway.

Cole saves Matthew from being beaten up and from then on out, their budding relationship is full of unfounded assumptions and horrible misunderstandings. I liked that both of them made essentially the same mistake (of not giving the other the benefit of the doubt), ending in almost-disaster several times. Good fun!

Ink is a fun short story, with lots of details about tattooing and what it means to Cade as an artist. When he finally gets to do his first tattoo he's totally excited - in every sense of the word. Kip, the man who specifically asks for him to decorate his skin, is just as hot for Cade, and the post-tattoo celebration leaves nothing to be desired.

‘Down in the Dirt’ is a very fitting title for this story, as both main characters find themselves “in the dirt” – and not just because they are rodeo riders and it’s par for the course for them to fall and start anew. The original title of this novel, when I read it many years ago, was Tabula Rasa’ and I almost like that title even better. As a concept in psychology, and in this case as relating to one of the main characters’ life, “tabula rasa” refers to “the mind in its hypothetical primary blank or empty state before receiving outside impressions” – as per Merriam-Webster. A new beginning of a kind. And looking at the mess Teagan (who starts out using Cash to further his own cause) and Cash (who is a cheating bast*rd) have made of their lives, a new beginning is exactly what they need. And maybe some common sense and a lesson or two in communicating, while we’re discussing opportunities for improvement.

Okay, so Teagan is a cowboy, a roper to be precise, and he needs the money he can earn during rodeo season to keep his inherited farm afloat. He is blunt, has certain standards when doing his work, and his social skills are negligible. After all, there is no need to “make nice” with a horse or a bull, right? There is teamwork when he competes, since it takes two men to “heel” and “rope” a bull, but when both men know what they’re doing, talking is not a requirement. So when Teagan’s long-time heeler breaks an ankle just a few days before the qualifying events for the upcoming rodeo season, Teagan needs a new partner. He quickly gets desperate because none of the applicants fits the bill – until he runs across Cash. In a bar fight, no less.

So - Cash. Not the socially talented type either. In fact, he’s probably less friendly and communicative than Teagan if that is possible. He doesn’t take sh*t from anyone. Hence the fight. After Teagan tries to break up the fight he’s in, then comes to find him a few days later, and because he needs money, he decides to work with Teagan. And never mind the fact that they fall in lust faster than I can say “yee-haw”, Cash continues his encounters from before until it all blows up in his face.

Teagan and Cash do not have an easy time of it. Both have their own agenda, secrets, and neither is willing to consider opening up. Cash’s accident, the amnesia, and his subsequent need for help are the only reason these two men stick together long enough to give them a chance to figure out that there is lots they have in common. Or maybe it’s just easier to face the world as a couple rather than on your own – but that’s okay – not everyone is meant to have a sweet romance in their lives.

If you like rough, tough, strong and silent cowboys, if you enjoy two men fighting it out rather than gently exploring what’s between them, and if you’re looking for a read that is explosive, scorching hot, and has main characters who are not members of the church choir, then you might like this novel. I liked it a lot more the second time around, so maybe these guys grew on me.


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

A firefighter and a cute dog are pretty good reasons to read a book, at least for me, but what I found when I started to read ‘By the Numbers’ was even cuter than I remembered from reading it the first time, many years ago. Deuce loses his apartment in a fire, but all he worries about is his pregnant dog. Trey is the firefighter who rescues her, and this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship followed by a slow-burn romance that made me sigh, it was so adorable. It isn’t without its issues, mainly Trey’s ex-wife who takes a long time to sort-of come around and uses their seven-year-old as a bargaining chip, but on the whole, Deuce and Trey just fit together.

If you’re looking for a sweet romance with lots of awww moments, if cut puppies and cuter kids are your thing, and if you’re looking for a pretty conflict-free read with very little angst, then you will probably like this novel.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

After getting to know firefighter Trey and Deuce, the man with a pregnant dog whom Trey rescues, in ‘Adding it Up’, I really wanted to know how their beginning relationship would develop. There were a few potential stumbling blocks for them – mainly Trey’s ex-wife, Holly – and I was pretty sure there’d be some fireworks as they get to know each other better. And, as ‘By the Numbers’ shows, I was right!

Deuce and Trey continue to be great characters in this second book, and getting to know them better as they deepen their relationship was wonderful. The added dimension of Trey's ex-wife Holly and her effect on Trey and Deuce was fascinating, because her attitude changes over time and causes a whole new range of issues for both men. Lacey and her seven-year-old worries and expectations also challenge Deuce and Trey, but on a less fundamental level.

Deuce is a quiet guy, a computer nerd who takes life's "disasters" as they come. Whether those are puppy-caused (I loved those scenes!) or due to Trey's somewhat weird issues when Deuce tries to become friends with Holly - for Lacey's sake - Deuce seems to have an inexhaustible reservoir of patience. So when he loses it and leaves, the moment is very powerful.

Trey has some odd reactions to Holly and Deuce getting on well - until it becomes clear he is reacting out of fear. Holly has chased away two men he was interested in before, and Trey is terrified it will happen again. He has to learn to trust Deuce on a whole new level, and he also has to deal with some open wounds left by the divorce.

All of the above makes for some very real conflict and challenges both Trey and Deuce to grow in new direction. This second "relationship adventure” is full of conflict and dram on all levels, and makes for excellent reading. The development of their relationship is realistically difficult at times. Deuce has to deal with the unpredictability of Trey's shifts, both men face a lack of "alone time", and Trey has to face the fact that Holly may have changed - he just cannot believe it. His way of ultimately dealing with it shows a lot of growth on his part.

If you like romances where established couples have to learn to deal with day-to-day life, if you enjoy watching a newly formed family come together, and if you’re looking for a read that is realistic, yet entertaining and very sweet, then you will probably like this novel.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Really nice and warm story.
Liked everything except the constant description of Deuces perfect white teeth in the first half of the story.
Other then that its the perfect story for a rainy afternoon!

3.5 stars

I like me some smut but there was just way too much here. At least half of almost every chapter was sex and, after the first two chapters which were pretty much only sex, I just scrolled right on past. And I think the plot did suffer for the inclusion of so many sex scenes. I would have liked to see more of Chance on Tuck's farm and the interaction between them there - out of the bedroom, I mean. I would have liked to spend more time with the MCs talking about why Tuck behaved the way he did.

Morgan still has some personality issues in this one but I've enjoyed the Tinder series overall.

I'm hoping Morgan redeems himself in the next story because he really is an asshole so far. I like snarky relationships but he's just damn mean.

I like me some smut but there was just way too much here. At least half of almost every chapter was sex and, after the first two chapters which were pretty much only sex, I just scrolled right on past. And I think the plot did suffer for the inclusion of so many sex scenes. I would have liked to see more of Chance on Tuck's farm and the interaction between them there - out of the bedroom, I mean. I would have liked to spend more time with the MCs talking about why Tuck behaved the way he did.

Morgan still has some personality issues in this one but I've enjoyed the Tinder series overall.

A feel-good story from beginning to end. It's all about relationships, including an ex-wife and a seven-year-old little girl. Not to mention a bunch of puppies. What's not to like?

Uneven anthology about college students finding gay love.

Secui Domus by Kiernan Kelly - was awful, couldn't even finish it. Dreadful characterization, uneven plotting, stupid sub plot and totally unrealistic. Just didn't work on any level for me.

Another Believer by Stephanie Vaughan also didn't work for me. Two boys, a beauty and a Geek meet on a train, but David's stream of conscious thinking, never believing a thing t hat Seth said, feeling so completely inept and unattractive - well that made it hard for me to find him attractive. He was too insecure and gradually became annoying for me. I managed to finish this one but didn't really enjoy it and would never reread it. This is the second thing I've read by Stephanie Vaughan and not enjoyed, so I think I just don't like her writing style or the stories she wants to tell.

What It's All About by Tory Temple was better, about the inconsistent and charming Devin, and Max who wants to get over him but can't, and how the resolve it.

Reading Between the Lines by Jane Davitt was by far the best story in the anthology. Seth and Gabe are allocated to the same room but never manage to get on, though each is popular in their own way. Davitt actually gets the flavor of college life, and makes it feel real. Seth is intrigued by Gabe and wants to find out why he is so mean to him, and learning about Gabe and his mysterious scars teaches them both something.

All in all, there are better anthologies out there, and while Davitt's was enjoyable, the others were definitely weaker so I'm not sure it's worth the price.½

Probably from a novel set in the Race Cars Circuit you expect it to be more glamour, more “under the spotlight”, and obviously, being not exactly a gay friendly environment, you expect the usual trouble from a relationship that has to remain in the closet. But instead Chasing Victory has more a “homey” feeling. It’s strange, maybe the reason is that, after all, the Stock Car Racing is more a like a small town in comparison to a metropolis, it has its fans, but the money around it are less than the bigger international circuits. And so, also the drivers are more small town boy than big shot international champion.

At 35 years old Mitchell is in the middle: he is too young to retire but he is not more the young prodigy that makes the media talk. But since Mitchell is there not for the media, but for the joy he has from racing, it’s not that he is questioning: racing has lost its fascination on Mitchell, he is probably tired to be always in motion, to not have a really home and someone to go back to. Mitchell has an old father and nice home in Georgia, but both are getting old, and Mitchell is always too far away to be with them.

One thing that I like is that Mitchell doesn’t make a drama of his need to be discreet; Mitchell is gay and he knows that it’s not good for sponsors and all, and so he lives his relationship always far from the spotlight. I didn’t feel like Mitchell is denying himself, it’s not that he craves male companionship since he was deprived of it for too long, Mitchell wants a relationship since, I believe, he is ready for it. When he meets Pacey on the circuit (he is an ER doctor), it’s only natural for them to live the relationship with the timing of the Car Racing circuit. Pacey seems also to understand the need to be discreet.

The relationship between them is nice and quite, they are good together and they know that. Mitchell is always really open, taking Pacey to meet his family almost from moment one, and not playing the “scared in the closet” gay man with his friends. Again, Mitchell is not making a public statement, but he is not even denying his lover.

Everything actually has a “comfort zone” feeling in this novel, there are no excesses, even when Mitchell brings Pacey in Paris for a short trip, a situation that usually is described in “big words” in most of the books, here is like they are having a week-end trip on the neighbourhood town, yes, it’s nice, but nothing special. It’s strange, but in the end, I have the feeling that this is almost a family story, and that Mitchell and Pacey will have a good life together, an happily ever after without firecrackers, but for sure with high chances to be a forever type of thing.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/160370809X/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

Three couples, three periods, one car - and a whole lot to love. Really enjoyable, with Tory's signature realistic dialogue, and vividly sketched setting.

Short, sweet, hot - with wings!

The best time of a young man’s life is when he hits the college scene. From figuring out the best way to meet guys on campus to testing untried limits, the men of Kegs and Dorms take university life and turn it upside-down. Edited by Jennifer B. with stories by Jane Davitt, Tory Temple, Kiernan Kelly and Stephanie Vaughan

In Kiernan Kelly’s “Secui Domus”, clever Aidan thinks he has a solution for solving campus housing problems, and all he needs is a little help from his friends — including the delicious Bobby Hatcher, who might just carry a torch for Aidan.
Stephanie Vaughan’s “Another Believer” takes a look at the train ride of a lifetime in which two college-bound strangers find they have a chemistry that can’t be denied.
Tory Temple’s “What It’s All About”, a rip-roaring adventure through Rush Week, tells the story of Max, who’s out, proud, and confused.
Last but not least, Jane Davitt’s “Reading Between the Lines” tells the story of Seth and Gabe, the odd-couple-from-hell roommates who are either going to kill each other or fall in love, and it’s anybody’s guess as to which’ll come first.

Being a bit of a fan of college pron (all that testosterone, dirty boys, freedom and young sweaty muscles) this book was immediately appealing. Not to mention it had work from Jane Davitt and Stephanie Vaughan who I have enjoyed reading in the past.

I think out of the 4 stories I enjoyed Stephanie Vaughan’s story the most. 2 boys on a train in a confined space and the tried, but true, beauty and the geek. Loved it! The story from Jane Davitt was entertaining and I did enjoy Seth and Gabe, it made me wonder if she will write more about the boys. They were interesting and I liked the angsty premise. Tory Temple’s work was good, but I think I enjoyed the friendship between Max and his co-worker more than the actual romance. Their interactions were amusing and had me sniggering. Out of the 4 stories I think Kiernan Kelly’s was the least enjoyable. It felt unedited and lacked the tightness that a short story should have. The plot was not great and the romance seemed odd as it was written for two particular characters to fall for each other and then it didn’t happen that way.
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2009/01/18/kegs-and-dorms/

This is a very very short tale, less than 15 pages (I think I have never read a story soo short), but funny and enjoyable.

Rory and Tad are two young and happy lovers. They live together, they have steady work and a comfortable life. All perfect. But one day Rory wakes up with something new on his body: two big and soft with wings! He can't understand how, and then the wings seem to not have any specif power if not enriched his sex life with new sensations... a fact this last that he fully appreciated. And then Tad seems to not have problem with the new appendances of his lover.

But how can Rory have a normal life with two wings on his shoulders? And if he finds a way to get free of them, will he not regret to lose the new fantastic sex life he has discovered?

Little and funny story, a sip to savor during your lunch time!

Chris Owen's story was amazingly tame for him and while it wasn't very exciting it also wasn't bad either, I'm kind of happy to have managed to read something of him without clenching my teeth. The mystery wasn't really spectacular but the characters were interesting and it was the first time I read about someone working in computer crimes in a story, was pretty interesting. A detective has to work a murder investigation where the victim is basically a cave throll, who spent his life holed up in his apartment and sitting in front of his computer practically 24/7. Computer crime expert, Gallangher, the man who found the unlucky guy dead, is both curious about the murder and attracted to the detective investigating it.

CB Potts' story had the most original character's setting imo, Correctional Officer, but sadly that's the extend of my praises. That story was easily the worst of the bunch but also thankfully the shortest one. A correctional officer has trouble finding a date that won't run at the mention of his job. After drinking himself in a stupor because of his failed latest date, he's shoved home in a cab with a Taxi driver that isn't put off by our prison guard and all about making him release his tension by giving up control for once.

Tory Temple's "Heat" firemen, Tucker and Chance were next up with Flesh and Blood~ Since I absolutely adore that series it was really great reading more of them in a short story about acceptance and Tucker's insecurities about their partnership in society.

Last but not least, Alexa Snow's Trace Evidence. The best story of the anthology, great characters facing relationship problems after being together for 5 years, intriguing mystery with a side of paranormal activity and a nice dose of angst to cover it all~ Very sweet conclusion to a good anthology.

I'm pretty sure I will be buying it in print later on.

We have known Chris in Chance and Tucker's story. He is the young fireman Chance is so jelaous. Now Chris has found his match. Morgan is a 45 years old former fireman, who declares to hate all the fireman, especially the young and reckless one. But Chris, despite the negative attitude, can't prevent himself to be attracted by this man, so handsome and strong.

They starts a relationship from the attraction: sex is wonderful but Morgan doesn't want to call it a "relationship". They don't date, they are makinf sex. But when you feel for the other, and your mind is obsessed, how can you not call it love?

Chris is young and simple. He has no problem in his life, he enjoys sex and is not searching for something stable. Yes, he sometimes envies Tucker and his relationship, but until he meets Morgan, he has no idea how sweet can be to have something to return home. Morgan was scared in the past. He is not so young to allow himself to be scared again. He doesn't want commitment cause he fears to suffer again. But even if you are not searching it, love can grew slowly but strong.

Tinder is a story which flows smoothly. Attraction strucks hard from the first time, but then love cements the bound. When you search for an hot story between firemen, Tory Temple is your man (woman!).

3.5