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325th out of 583 books
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1,183 voters
Cruce de Caminos (Riptide Rentboys: The 2012 Collection)
by
Heidi Belleau (Goodreads Author),
Violetta Vane (Goodreads Author)
Addiction and desperation drive Sean O'Hara to a critical crossroads. Will he make the right decision, or will the floodwaters bound for New Orleans sweep him away?
Street kid Sean O’Hara has never had it easy, but New Orleans has driven him to his knees. His girlfriend’s broken up with him for a sugar daddy, a gun-toting pimp has robbed him of everything but the clothes on...more
Street kid Sean O’Hara has never had it easy, but New Orleans has driven him to his knees. His girlfriend’s broken up with him for a sugar daddy, a gun-toting pimp has robbed him of everything but the clothes on...more
ebook, 51 pages
Published
May 21st 2012
by Riptide Publishing
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4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Just so you know, this smoothly written and haunting fiction isn’t a romance, but is intended to be erotic horror. Its gay content centers on a mostly straight (or perhaps bisexual) young man choosing to slide into prostitution at a dark period in his life, which exposes him to sex with men.
(The blurb warns of dubious consent and a non-explicit rape. Make that very non-explicit, and the dub-con is almost surrealistic. It wasn’t a problem for me, and I tend to deeply dislike...more
Just so you know, this smoothly written and haunting fiction isn’t a romance, but is intended to be erotic horror. Its gay content centers on a mostly straight (or perhaps bisexual) young man choosing to slide into prostitution at a dark period in his life, which exposes him to sex with men.
(The blurb warns of dubious consent and a non-explicit rape. Make that very non-explicit, and the dub-con is almost surrealistic. It wasn’t a problem for me, and I tend to deeply dislike...more
13 likes · like · see review
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Holy crap. I can't believe I almost didn't read this because I had been so disappointed in the rest of the Riptide Rentboys collection. This isn't a romance. No sugar-coated angst in this one. The story is gritty and real, with drug addiction and prostitution and co-dependant relationships with unstable girlfriends. Nothing is glossed over. Prostitution isn't sexy, the drug addiction is debilitating and spiraling out of control, the characters are in denial even when grounded firmly in the reali...more
9 likes · like · see review
This is a fascinating slightly paranormal story of examining the choices in your life and determining what path is best for you. Using the mysterious setting and legacy of New Orleans, Sean is faced with a choice: where will his life go from here? This short gives us just enough introduction to his life to understand the choice he faces when the time finally arrives. This is a chilling story with just enough reality to make the reader comprehend without going overboard on horror or violence. But...more
With Cruce de Caminos or Crossroads we get another tight, well written effort from this fearless writing duo. Bealleau and Vane once again, push us beyond the ordinary in this genre. I don't know that I would call this a horror story but it is dark and gritty, dealing with drug addiction and prostitution. Not a romance but definitely erotica.
Sean and his girlfriend Cristina are junkies living by any means to get their next fix. They skirt the edge until the appearance of Angel. Angel shows Sean...more
Sean and his girlfriend Cristina are junkies living by any means to get their next fix. They skirt the edge until the appearance of Angel. Angel shows Sean...more
*3.80 stars
A really intriguing and dark tale with paranormal undertones. Not the sort of story to read if you're looking for a HEA and a fluffy romance, far from it but it does end with a message of possibilble hope. Interesting to say the least, the only reason it didn't get the full 4 stars for me was the end seemed to be a bit rushed and it is quite short but other than that it was a change to read such a different take on the usual hustler story. The star of the show was definitely the myste...more
A really intriguing and dark tale with paranormal undertones. Not the sort of story to read if you're looking for a HEA and a fluffy romance, far from it but it does end with a message of possibilble hope. Interesting to say the least, the only reason it didn't get the full 4 stars for me was the end seemed to be a bit rushed and it is quite short but other than that it was a change to read such a different take on the usual hustler story. The star of the show was definitely the myste...more
1 like · like · see review
The story opens with Sean, penniless and alone in New Orleans. Sean is young, smart, and too warm-hearted to be bitter or cynical. He and his girlfriend are both heroin addicts, and she has just left him for a sugar daddy. Desperate to win her back, he must get his hands on some money.
This leads him to dip his toe into the murky waters of gay prostitution, where his mixed-race (Cuban and Irish) beauty draws attention. He is saved from a bad situation by the mysterious top-dollar escort Angel. Bu...more
This leads him to dip his toe into the murky waters of gay prostitution, where his mixed-race (Cuban and Irish) beauty draws attention. He is saved from a bad situation by the mysterious top-dollar escort Angel. Bu...more
Well, this was a bit fucked-up. Very creepy and nicely done!
(view spoiler)...more
(view spoiler)...more
I recently made time to read Cruce de Caminos, by Heidi Belleau and Violetta Vane. This writing duo is fast becoming a favorite amongst new authors I read. Not only do they write well, they have a new and interesting take on any story they tell, and Cruce de Caminos is no exception.
For those who don't speak Spanish, "cruce de caminos" translates as "crossroads," and the central character, Sean O'Hara, is definitely at a crossroads in his life. He's a teenager living on the streets who no longer...more
For those who don't speak Spanish, "cruce de caminos" translates as "crossroads," and the central character, Sean O'Hara, is definitely at a crossroads in his life. He's a teenager living on the streets who no longer...more
Well, nobody in their right mind would call this romantic or even erotic. But it is a wonderful short story nonetheless.
I really liked this story, even though it turned out to be a lot more sinister than I had first thought it would be. The slow build up gives us a clear picture of who Sean is and where he is in his life right now. Sean is sinking deeper and deeper into a life of prostitution and addiction, spurred on by his need to "provide" for his girlfriend Cristina. When he meet Ángel he se...more
I really liked this story, even though it turned out to be a lot more sinister than I had first thought it would be. The slow build up gives us a clear picture of who Sean is and where he is in his life right now. Sean is sinking deeper and deeper into a life of prostitution and addiction, spurred on by his need to "provide" for his girlfriend Cristina. When he meet Ángel he se...more
Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/
Sean O'Hara is a young man on the brink. He and his girlfriend, Cristina, have been living on the streets going from one high to the next. Cristina has been Sean's reason to keep moving but now she has taken up with some sugardaddy and Sean is in the French Quarter of New Orleans alone. Sean is down to the clothes on his back and decides to start turning tricks for drug money. He meets Angel, a high priced "escort", who may just help...more
Sean O'Hara is a young man on the brink. He and his girlfriend, Cristina, have been living on the streets going from one high to the next. Cristina has been Sean's reason to keep moving but now she has taken up with some sugardaddy and Sean is in the French Quarter of New Orleans alone. Sean is down to the clothes on his back and decides to start turning tricks for drug money. He meets Angel, a high priced "escort", who may just help...more
4.5
There is nothing pretty, romantic, or happily ever after about this story. There is no falling in love and being rescued from the harsh life of hustling on the streets. What the story is, is moving, haunting, and hits you in the face with a nice amount of realism that you can’t walk away unaffected.
We are introduced to Sean, he’s young and an addict, and is completely devoted to his girlfriend. An altercation leads him to lose all his possessions and he faces a very clear truth. He’s gonna h...more
There is nothing pretty, romantic, or happily ever after about this story. There is no falling in love and being rescued from the harsh life of hustling on the streets. What the story is, is moving, haunting, and hits you in the face with a nice amount of realism that you can’t walk away unaffected.
We are introduced to Sean, he’s young and an addict, and is completely devoted to his girlfriend. An altercation leads him to lose all his possessions and he faces a very clear truth. He’s gonna h...more
6 likes · like · see review
This is an intriguing and thought provoking story that has a dream-like quality to it. You're never quite sure what's real and what's imagined but you can't stop reading and I found myself completely enthralled in no time at all. The characters of Sean and Christina are two drug addicts with lives spiraling out of control when fate intervenes in the form of Angel to set things on the right path again. But who or what Angel is is the bigger question along with if they'll heed his advice.
Seeing th...more
Seeing th...more
3 Hearts
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Sean is basically living on the streets with his girlfriend and any money they get usually goes towards drugs, food and a bed for the night… in that order. But, then his girl goes off with a sugar daddy and Sean ends up turning tricks for some cash when he loses his belongings. Just when he is beginning to get desperate, Ángel turns up and makes him an offer.
I found this one to be a bit smoky/misty around the...more
First published at MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
Sean is basically living on the streets with his girlfriend and any money they get usually goes towards drugs, food and a bed for the night… in that order. But, then his girl goes off with a sugar daddy and Sean ends up turning tricks for some cash when he loses his belongings. Just when he is beginning to get desperate, Ángel turns up and makes him an offer.
I found this one to be a bit smoky/misty around the...more
Read in anticipation of The Druid Stone, of which this is a sort of prequel.
Liked it quite a bit. It's almost a cross between urban fantasy and the thrillers of Carlos Ruiz Zafón, although the language is not nearly as flowery. It's spare prose and that works well. The story itself is actually pretty bare bones, and I would have liked more of it, but at the same time, I don't think this was intended to be much more than it is, so I'm content to leave it at that and move on to the bigger book.
Liked it quite a bit. It's almost a cross between urban fantasy and the thrillers of Carlos Ruiz Zafón, although the language is not nearly as flowery. It's spare prose and that works well. The story itself is actually pretty bare bones, and I would have liked more of it, but at the same time, I don't think this was intended to be much more than it is, so I'm content to leave it at that and move on to the bigger book.
An interesting introduction to Sean O'Hara. I wasn't sure what to expect but this had a sort of ethereal type of feel to it. With Angel introduced it def. had a paranormal flavor. Sean's choices are dramatic and, though the book is not big enough for you to fully commiserate with him, you certainly get a feel for his life and where he's at. You see him sinking lower and hope he makes choices that are good ones. It really made me want to read The Druid Stone so that is on my "read me now" list!
Aug 30, 2012
Sandra
marked it as to-read
Shelves:
prequel,
horror,
erotica-shorts,
paranormal,
short-stories,
series-to-continue,
overpriced,
nook-lendable
I loved The Druid Stone, which this is the prequel to, so I'm not entirely sure if I wanna go back and relive Sean's troubled youth. :( Also, I feel like I may find some inconsistencies, which would annoy me (ie: the description says that his girlfriend left him so he's thinking about prostitution, but in the book he did it because they needed money and she did it so he figured he could too). And kinda pricey, $3.99 for 51 pages? I'll havta think on it.
Does it make sense that I don't know if I liked this, yet could not put it down? I actually feel more confused than anything. The best parts for me were with Sean and Angel and that exploration but, since Sean is totally confused and out of his mind during the encounter, I was equally confused. Really, I'm not sure how I feel about it but I can't say I didn't like it. I know that I didn't not like it, just... I don't know. Not sure if I'm interested in the follow up story about Sean.
I guess, as...more
I guess, as...more
3,5 stars
I have a hard time rating this book because I honestly have no idea if I liked it or not. I’m not saying I don’t know if it was good because it was. A little too cryptic or rushed at times maybe, but good.
Sean’s life is sordid and pathetic. The only relationship he’s got is a mirage, he and his girlfriend Cristina are no more than each others’ ball and chain and yet, her name is a painful leitmotiv, a fragile and illusory anchor.
A drug addict’s journey on the streets follows a foreseea...more
I have a hard time rating this book because I honestly have no idea if I liked it or not. I’m not saying I don’t know if it was good because it was. A little too cryptic or rushed at times maybe, but good.
Sean’s life is sordid and pathetic. The only relationship he’s got is a mirage, he and his girlfriend Cristina are no more than each others’ ball and chain and yet, her name is a painful leitmotiv, a fragile and illusory anchor.
A drug addict’s journey on the streets follows a foreseea...more
7 likes · like · see review
Oh yes. Just how I like my rent boy fic, gritty and nasty and with the seductive promise of this is going to make your shitty life easier if you can just make yourself say yes. Plus there's a lovely little touch of the supernatural, and the reveal about that near the end delighted me.
Immediately went to pick up Sean's further adventures, which promise to be very different in tone and scope but at least as fascinating.
Immediately went to pick up Sean's further adventures, which promise to be very different in tone and scope but at least as fascinating.
Between the setting, the characters, and the story itself, this was a blend of creepy and gritty that sucked me in right away. Sean feels real - and realistically flawed - in a way that so many m/m romance characters don't, and now I'm more excited for The Druid Stone than ever.
That was a weird one, creepy as in 'uncomfortable' in places, hopeful in others, always well-written, always palpable, always stringing me along. I'm not sure to what end, I'm not even perfectly sure I enjoyed it, but I'm definitely not sorry I took that ride.
Whoa! This story was like watching a train wreck, which is what Sean's life was. Caught in drug addiction and now into prostitution, destiny seems to place Angel in his way. It is never really clear just who or what Angel is; the main reason I've tagged this story as fantasy.
Angel tells Sean that his current path will lead to his destruction. Continuing the train wreck theme, I couldn't look away as Sean seemed unwilling or simply unable to change his path. But Angel is there to intervene at cri...more
Angel tells Sean that his current path will lead to his destruction. Continuing the train wreck theme, I couldn't look away as Sean seemed unwilling or simply unable to change his path. But Angel is there to intervene at cri...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This mysterious little story sucked me right in. Sean's life is a mess and getting worse by the hour. He consistently makes bad choices in order to support his and his girlfriend's drug habits. He meets Angel, who shows him how he can make more money with gay for pay tricks, as opposed to dirty back alley hookups. Angel always seems to show up when Sean needs him most, trying to lead him down a different path.
This is a quick, engaging read that still left me guessing at the end. Is Angel good o...more
This is a quick, engaging read that still left me guessing at the end. Is Angel good o...more
This is not a romance. This is something even better.
I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started this, but it held me spellbound from start to finish. The writing was top-notch and the story itself... more than a bit creepy. And I absolutely loved it!
I would recommend listening to Niyaz while reading this - for me it was a match made in heaven, especially "Dunya" and "Iman" - they made the one so-called sex scene so surreal I couldn't even blink while reading it. Just so perfect...more
I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started this, but it held me spellbound from start to finish. The writing was top-notch and the story itself... more than a bit creepy. And I absolutely loved it!
I would recommend listening to Niyaz while reading this - for me it was a match made in heaven, especially "Dunya" and "Iman" - they made the one so-called sex scene so surreal I couldn't even blink while reading it. Just so perfect...more
Ok, I liked it but I'm not real sure on what happened with Angel. The end of it says there is another book coming (5 years later and an ocean away). I think I'll have to get it to see if there is more clarification...
Jan 13, 2013
Hearts On Fire Reviews
added it
Reviewed by:Don
Genre: M/M Paranormal
Rated: 4 hearts
Check out the review at: Hearts On Fire Reviews
Genre: M/M Paranormal
Rated: 4 hearts
Check out the review at: Hearts On Fire Reviews
I'm not entirely certain what to make of this. Angel really perplexed me. I think I was expecting this to either be mostly about Angel or for him and Sean to end up together. But it wasn't that kind of story. It actually seemed more like a traditional coming-of-age type story than anything.
I am intrigued, though, and will possibly look into the next book.
I am intrigued, though, and will possibly look into the next book.
Crossroads--we all reach them at some point. This is a beautifully written short story--very haunting
Read in one sitting with bated breath. Very well written short story. Hope to see more of this world.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cruce de Caminos half off at Riptide! | 1 | 2 | Oct 06, 2012 05:46pm | |
| Read Cruce de Caminos? Want to win The Druid Stone? | 1 | 3 | Jun 28, 2012 11:27am |
Heidi Belleau was born and raised in small town NB, Canada. She now lives in the rugged oil-patch frontier of Northern BC with her husband, an Irish ex-pat whose long work hours in the trades leave her plenty of quiet time to write. She has a degree in History from Simon Fraser University with a concentration in British and Irish studies; much of her work centred on popular culture, oral folklore,...more
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