Elisa Rolle's Blog, page 115
November 16, 2021
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: The Complete Dragon Mistress Collection
The Complete Dragon Mistress Collection (Eburosi Chronicles Bundles) by R.A. Steffan
As a whole, the series shines. Great fun. Great characters. Great sex. And dragons. The large cast of characters occasionally overwhelms, but the story is never dull and ends satisfyingly.
https://amzn.to/3ChKg1r
comments
As a whole, the series shines. Great fun. Great characters. Great sex. And dragons. The large cast of characters occasionally overwhelms, but the story is never dull and ends satisfyingly.
https://amzn.to/3ChKg1r
comments
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Splinters of the heart
Splinters of the heart by Alyssa Rabil
Twenty-one year-old Aaron needs money, so he goes for gay-for-pay, Dom-sub porn. The scene goes horribly awry, but he is rescued by ex-doctor, current-savior Silas. In fact, these two keep saving each other, time and again, from bad guys and bad situations. This is a dark romance, but the romance is not all there is to this story, which made this hard to pin down as a genre. The writing is pretty damn good, not gonna lie. The dialogue especially is where this shines. Everything sounds like something real people could say. The traumas are handled well and are believable, even if the plot is at times a tad melodramatic. The way Aaron often mentions he and Silas are standing side by side at a precipice, at any moment about to plunge to their deaths, shows the inner workings of these two broken people. At first the edge refers to death, later changes to mean love and freedom, trust and hope, basically living again. The author did a great job conveying the subtle shift from darker themes to brighter ones. This is reflected in their sex scenes which are so tender and sweet and patient that they legit had me tearing up. Overall, though the story took me for a spin of uncertainty many times in the beginning, this was definitely worth the read. Traditional romance story this is not, and at times this reads more like a crime thriller. But at heart it's about the healing power of love, trust, and hope. Still, no easy fixes here, as Aaron continues going to therapy even after he falls in love because love can fix many things but not everything. The underlying current of hope made me finish this with a happy grin.
https://amzn.to/3wNWJJ2
comments
Twenty-one year-old Aaron needs money, so he goes for gay-for-pay, Dom-sub porn. The scene goes horribly awry, but he is rescued by ex-doctor, current-savior Silas. In fact, these two keep saving each other, time and again, from bad guys and bad situations. This is a dark romance, but the romance is not all there is to this story, which made this hard to pin down as a genre. The writing is pretty damn good, not gonna lie. The dialogue especially is where this shines. Everything sounds like something real people could say. The traumas are handled well and are believable, even if the plot is at times a tad melodramatic. The way Aaron often mentions he and Silas are standing side by side at a precipice, at any moment about to plunge to their deaths, shows the inner workings of these two broken people. At first the edge refers to death, later changes to mean love and freedom, trust and hope, basically living again. The author did a great job conveying the subtle shift from darker themes to brighter ones. This is reflected in their sex scenes which are so tender and sweet and patient that they legit had me tearing up. Overall, though the story took me for a spin of uncertainty many times in the beginning, this was definitely worth the read. Traditional romance story this is not, and at times this reads more like a crime thriller. But at heart it's about the healing power of love, trust, and hope. Still, no easy fixes here, as Aaron continues going to therapy even after he falls in love because love can fix many things but not everything. The underlying current of hope made me finish this with a happy grin.
https://amzn.to/3wNWJJ2
comments
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: TAD
TAD by M.D. Neu
Drag queen befriends the Angel of Death. What a great premise! I loved this, particularly the relationship between Doug and Tad and the way it developed.
https://amzn.to/3chPfEM
comments
Drag queen befriends the Angel of Death. What a great premise! I loved this, particularly the relationship between Doug and Tad and the way it developed.
https://amzn.to/3chPfEM
comments
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: What We Lost in the Fire and Other Stories
What We Lost in the Fire and Other Stories by Wendell Ricketts
I was consistently impressed with the number and variety of narrators and other characters. The author has clearly met many folks during his life and paid attention. The characters felt believably different, something many authors can’t pull off. The characters showed different mindsets, different classes, different religions and ethnicities, different ways of speaking, all done convincingly. While all the stories were good, one in San Francisco in the 1950s and one in Rome around the year 2000 were especially beautiful. In another story, one line illustrated the author’s skill at describing even ordinary things. “Untouched except for a rectangular gap where the name had been sliced away, the cake looked like a page from a redacted FOIA report.” Whether or not this book wins any awards, people should read it. I’m glad I did.
https://amzn.to/3CkzCHk
comments
I was consistently impressed with the number and variety of narrators and other characters. The author has clearly met many folks during his life and paid attention. The characters felt believably different, something many authors can’t pull off. The characters showed different mindsets, different classes, different religions and ethnicities, different ways of speaking, all done convincingly. While all the stories were good, one in San Francisco in the 1950s and one in Rome around the year 2000 were especially beautiful. In another story, one line illustrated the author’s skill at describing even ordinary things. “Untouched except for a rectangular gap where the name had been sliced away, the cake looked like a page from a redacted FOIA report.” Whether or not this book wins any awards, people should read it. I’m glad I did.
https://amzn.to/3CkzCHk
comments
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Open Hearts (Stealing Hearts #3)
Open Hearts (Stealing Hearts #3) by K. Evan Coles
This is a friends-with-benefits arrangement with some cultural diversity thrown in, set at a wedding. Jae is an older nurse anesthetist and Emmett is a younger chef at Endless Pastabilities which he co-owns. Jae's brother is marrying Emmett's sister, and they're the best men. Instant attraction, agreement of casual hookups, and then falling in love, getting scared by feelings, and trying to return being friends again. Yup, it's a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I have no negatives about this book. Highly recommendable and easily one of the best books I've read all year.
https://amzn.to/30uu9jN
comments
This is a friends-with-benefits arrangement with some cultural diversity thrown in, set at a wedding. Jae is an older nurse anesthetist and Emmett is a younger chef at Endless Pastabilities which he co-owns. Jae's brother is marrying Emmett's sister, and they're the best men. Instant attraction, agreement of casual hookups, and then falling in love, getting scared by feelings, and trying to return being friends again. Yup, it's a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I have no negatives about this book. Highly recommendable and easily one of the best books I've read all year.
https://amzn.to/30uu9jN
comments
November 15, 2021
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Find Your Heart (Embellished Memoir)
Find Your Heart (Embellished Memoir) by Susan Stocker
When I started Find Your Heart, I felt like Susan Stocker had sat down in my living room, cracked a beer, and took me on a wild ride through her fascinating life. I was completely captivated by this immersive experience, which was hilarious and personal and absolutely fascinating.
https://amzn.to/3kYxVcX
comments
When I started Find Your Heart, I felt like Susan Stocker had sat down in my living room, cracked a beer, and took me on a wild ride through her fascinating life. I was completely captivated by this immersive experience, which was hilarious and personal and absolutely fascinating.
https://amzn.to/3kYxVcX
comments
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: The Anti-Quest (The Pudding Protocol Universe)
The Anti-Quest (The Pudding Protocol Universe) by Angel Martinez
I love this story so much. Whether or not you are a DND fan, it has creative world development from the type of aliens to the dragons. It has enjoyable characters to root for along the way. If you are a DND fan, the story has easter eggs for the reader to enjoy and laugh along with.
https://amzn.to/30s6RLH
comments
I love this story so much. Whether or not you are a DND fan, it has creative world development from the type of aliens to the dragons. It has enjoyable characters to root for along the way. If you are a DND fan, the story has easter eggs for the reader to enjoy and laugh along with.
https://amzn.to/30s6RLH
comments
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Breathe
Breathe by Cari Hunter
Enjoyable medical-mystery with a slow burn romance. Great pacing, with a wonderful backdrop of England that was fully developed.
https://amzn.to/3CumhfP
comments
Enjoyable medical-mystery with a slow burn romance. Great pacing, with a wonderful backdrop of England that was fully developed.
https://amzn.to/3CumhfP
comments
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper
The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper by A.J. Fitzwater
This is a wonderfully creative and fun set of stories. It is a great way to spend an afternoon because we can immerse ourselves in the world this author created with these talking critters and just enjoy.
https://amzn.to/3caoWAu
comments
This is a wonderfully creative and fun set of stories. It is a great way to spend an afternoon because we can immerse ourselves in the world this author created with these talking critters and just enjoy.
https://amzn.to/3caoWAu
comments
2020-2021 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Tangled Vows (Mistress #1)
Tangled Vows (Mistress #1) by Anna Stone
Tangled Vows is perfectly sweet, hot, and written with a silky style that makes it go down so smooth. The characters are multidimensional and working through some true issues, but at the same time the story has a lot of fun elements. I enjoyed every word.
https://amzn.to/3cc2tTx
comments
Tangled Vows is perfectly sweet, hot, and written with a silky style that makes it go down so smooth. The characters are multidimensional and working through some true issues, but at the same time the story has a lot of fun elements. I enjoyed every word.
https://amzn.to/3cc2tTx
comments
