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Bay City Paranormal Investigations #1
Oleander House
***This edition is no longer available***
When Sam Raintree goes to work for Bay City Paranormal Investigations, he expects his quiet life to change--he doesn't expect to put his life and sanity on the line, or to fall for a man he can never have.
Book One in the Bay City Paranormal Investigation series.
Sam Raintree has never been normal. All his life, he's experienced things he can't explain. Things that have colored his view of the world and of himself. So taking a job as a paranormal investigator seems like a perfect fit. His new co-workers, he figures, don't have to know he's gay.
When Sam arrives at Oleander House, the site of his first assignment with Bay City Paranormal Investigations, nothing is what he expected. The repetitive yet exciting work, the unusual and violent history of the house, the intensely erotic and terrifying dreams which plague his sleep. But the most unexpected thing is Dr. Bo Broussard, the group's leader.
From the moment they meet, Sam is strongly attracted to his intelligent, alluring boss. It doesn't take Sam long to figure out that although Bo has led a heterosexual life, he is very much in the closet, and wants Sam as badly as Sam wants him.
As the investigation of Oleander House progresses and paranormal events in the house escalate, Sam and Bo circle warily around their mutual attraction, until a single night of bloodshed and revelation changes their lives forever.
Warning: this title contains explicit male/male sex, intense violence, and graphic language.
When Sam Raintree goes to work for Bay City Paranormal Investigations, he expects his quiet life to change--he doesn't expect to put his life and sanity on the line, or to fall for a man he can never have.
Book One in the Bay City Paranormal Investigation series.
Sam Raintree has never been normal. All his life, he's experienced things he can't explain. Things that have colored his view of the world and of himself. So taking a job as a paranormal investigator seems like a perfect fit. His new co-workers, he figures, don't have to know he's gay.
When Sam arrives at Oleander House, the site of his first assignment with Bay City Paranormal Investigations, nothing is what he expected. The repetitive yet exciting work, the unusual and violent history of the house, the intensely erotic and terrifying dreams which plague his sleep. But the most unexpected thing is Dr. Bo Broussard, the group's leader.
From the moment they meet, Sam is strongly attracted to his intelligent, alluring boss. It doesn't take Sam long to figure out that although Bo has led a heterosexual life, he is very much in the closet, and wants Sam as badly as Sam wants him.
As the investigation of Oleander House progresses and paranormal events in the house escalate, Sam and Bo circle warily around their mutual attraction, until a single night of bloodshed and revelation changes their lives forever.
Warning: this title contains explicit male/male sex, intense violence, and graphic language.
228 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2006
About the author
Ally Blue
91 books448 followersAlly Blue penned her first tale at age eight, relating the breathless terror of her little sister’s not-quite-fatal encounter with a bee in the backyard. That was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with storytelling. She now writes gay romance of all flavors, and has recently branched into writing her first love: horror. She continues her neverending quest to scare herself. She is not a hippie or a brain surgeon, no matter what her kids’ friends say.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
November 2, 2008
It is very much a story of two guys in the closet because although Sam accepts that he is gay, he doesn't really shout it loud and proud. Bo on the other hand is so far back in the closet, I think he might have a second job at Monsters Inc.
I really enjoyed the paranormal aspect of the storyline. It relied more on the creep factor, like old school horror than outright gore. I also liked how Ally showed the monotony and repetitiveness of the job. It's not all running along darkened corridors with poltergeist at your heels. It's reviewing hours and hours of video and audio punctuated by library research (Dork that I am I would love that aspect!). She portrays it like any other job. The only difference is it's not nine to five.
Now, that sounds really boring, I hear you say and it is in real life but Ally manages to have this little thread of 'not quite right' running through the whole book, so you feel on edge the whole time you are reading. Plus all the boring work is interspersed with some really great characters. Getting to know the team was a delight.
I loved the main character of Sam. He was this really weird mix of confident and vulnerable. He was sure in his own sexuality, but he wasn't comfortable with others knowing. When it came to his relationship with Bo, he was constantly saying to himself 'No, not this time. I'm not getting involved with him,' only to turn around and give in the minute Bo spoke to him. I do that all the time. With me it's chocolate though, not swarthy male paranormal investigators. But he wasn't a complete wuss. I was rooting for him when he called Bo on his behaviour and told him to stop sending mixed messages.
It took a little bit more time to get into Bo's character. It was mostly the braid thing. Bo has a long braid of black hair. I'm not into long hair on a man and I have to say, it took me quite a while to find a happy place in my head for the braid. Bo was so mixed up. I would have liked some head time with him just to see where his thoughts were but it was not to be.
As they were just starting out in the romance department and Bo wouldn't even admit he was gay, it wasn't a scorcher. That wasn't to say there wasn't any relationship stuff, there was plenty, just not a lot of action. This doesn't bother me, it's nice to see characters taking it slow instead of jumping into the sack asap. The sexual tension is bubbling along nicely in this installment.
I have two gripes with this book. One was the ending. It just suddenly stopped with no real closure. I get that this is a series but it felt like someone went 'OK, word count achieved, that's me done.' I was reading along merrily expecting a wrap up chapter but no. A short epilogue and that was it. It left me feeling kind of cheated but I can guess that Ally was trying to show that investigations whether paranormal or ordinary in nature, rarely get all neatly tied up with a bow in real life. Still, a little warning next time, dude.
My next and biggest gripe with this book was purely cosmetic. It was the cover. Damn but it was an ugly and cheap and home-made looking piece of shit. I can just guess Ally being really excited that she was getting published only to be handed that horrendous excuse for a cover. I would be gutted to link my work to that. It seriously sucked as you can see at the top of the post. It looked like someone just took a picture from 'Town & Country' and stuck some curly font on top. I could do better
October 24, 2008
I really enjoyed Oleander House. It is the first in the Bay City Paranormal Investigations series, and it did not disappoint. I was expecting a little bit more romance in this book, and instead I got suspense, action, horror, mystery and intrigue! I enjoyed all of those things and I cant wait to read the next in the series.
The romance element of this book focuses more on Sam and Bo admitting to their feelings for each other, as well as where they might go from here.
Intense, romantic and scary, this book was a lot of fun to read, and Im gonna hurry up and read the next one asap!
xo
The romance element of this book focuses more on Sam and Bo admitting to their feelings for each other, as well as where they might go from here.
Intense, romantic and scary, this book was a lot of fun to read, and Im gonna hurry up and read the next one asap!
xo
June 20, 2016
I enjoyed reading Oleander House, it was fresh and easy to read; however now that it’s finished I’m not sure how to think about some parts in it. It starts quite eye-catching and potential, but gradually I found some scenes getting repeated. My serious problem with it was that the characters didn’t seem to take the investigation and the perils of the house and the dreams very seriously and were more concerned about coupling and relationship issues. Also Bo’s character seemed so distant and uncertain!
May 12, 2011
I enjoyed this first book in the Bay City Paranormal Investigators series, and I intend to go hunt up the sequels. I liked the main characters and I have to give the author credit for not having Bo get too far out of the closet in a book that covers such a short time span. I also like that she killed off a main character, and didn't rescue her at the last moment (although it did break up the happy hetero couple that I was enjoying seeing in a m/m book). My one problem with this book was with the plot details. Say you are having repeated visions of a non-human creature emerging through you and ripping apart the man you are coming to love, and say there is a history of multiple bloody unsolved murders confirmed on this site...wouldn't you do something other than just hanging around waiting for it to happen and taking photographs? I would have liked to maybe see a more severe compulsion keeping the characters from leaving Oleander house no matter how hard they tried (the mention of a compulsion is so casual, and then they drop the subject. David didn't seem to feel it - could he have carried Cecile off the property and out of range? Why did no one seem to care or try?) Or else Bo could have taken some proactive steps to protect his people. This thing affects EMF - could he have armed them with Tasers or set up EMF field disruptors as an attempt at confinement or something? His efforts could have been ineffective, leading to the same end result. But as it was, I did blame Sam and Bo for Amy's death, because the reality of the threat seemed so likely (previous dead bodies! warning note from vanished woman! visible phenomena in photographs!) that their lack of any effort at preparedness seemed negligent. So I liked this a lot, but I hope in the other books they use a little more logic and preparation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2017
Spooky, creepy reading. I love things that go bump in the night
January 21, 2014
2.5★'s - God! This is one of those books I wanted to love. Every page I kept thinking "any second now, just one more page" but it didn't happen. Sucks because I love ghost stories and this is a series with a lot of books out already. So much was wrong with this story. The investigators seemed to not know so much, the "relationship" wasn't one and the end? Well, that wasn't an end. Oh, and Sam's last name is Raintree but he isn't the one with the darker skin or the long hair? I was really confused when I started this book. I for sure thought Sam Raintree was the long haired guy. Weird. Honestly, the best part of this book was the steamy scene from the next book, which, btw, seriously made me want to read it. I guess with a series there is always book one that has to set up the series. Some of my favorite series books I hated the first one...So, good for you Ally Blue, I haven't given up yet. I still love ghost stories and I love boys so, I won't give up, I just won't move on immediately. But yeah, again, that scene from the next book was hot :)
September 27, 2022
My Review: This first book in the Bay City Paranormal Investigations series is a fast and tense read, not just because of the mystery unfolding during the investigation, but more because of the tension between the main characters. Ms. Blue has managed to create a realistic and painful bond between two very likable men that the reader wants to see resolved in a positive way. And she doesn't hand out pat answers, either. The reader is as aware that Bo has other people in his life to consider as Bo himself, and while throwing the two men together without considering the consequences would be the easy thing to do, Blue doesn't take that out.
As far as the mystery is concerned, it's given a good amount of weight, and at times, the romance reader in me was annoyed at the intrusion; a testament to the tight writing of the emotional bits of the book. Always, though, I ended up drawn into the mysterious events quickly enough that the annoyance was short lived. Even the relationships between the secondary characters was well written and realistic, a point which often gets overlooked in other romance books.
My Recommendation: Well worth the time to read for the strong relationship issues alone. As always the chemistry between her men remains Ms. Blue's strongest suit, and why I like her books so much.
As far as the mystery is concerned, it's given a good amount of weight, and at times, the romance reader in me was annoyed at the intrusion; a testament to the tight writing of the emotional bits of the book. Always, though, I ended up drawn into the mysterious events quickly enough that the annoyance was short lived. Even the relationships between the secondary characters was well written and realistic, a point which often gets overlooked in other romance books.
My Recommendation: Well worth the time to read for the strong relationship issues alone. As always the chemistry between her men remains Ms. Blue's strongest suit, and why I like her books so much.
February 21, 2009
I had high hopes for Oleander House. I liked it, just not as much as I thought I would. It's the first book in the Bay City Paranormal Investigations series. We meet Sam, who is hired to do technical work with BCPI. The group is investigating a haunting at Oleander House and things get really creepy. Some of the members experience a malevolent type spirit and they are trying to figure out what it is. Sam is gay, but is not out. He's attracted to his boss, but Bo is married with kids. However, Bo gives off mixed signals and leaves Sam wondering what is going on. Throughout the story, Sam is fighting his attraction and it starts to get a little old. This book has suspense, violence and a little gore. 3.5 stars
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
April 28, 2012Bo is married with kids and away from home. I just figured, I have plenty on my TBR pile without reading about a cheater.
July 31, 2019
Good
4 ⭐️
I liked the paranormal aspects of this one. It sucked me in pretty quickly and I enjoyed the interactions between the characters.
I only had a few niggles. My major one was Bo – his back and forth drove me nuts. I understand he was in denial but it did my head in.
I felt for Sam but also didn’t like how he pushed it. I felt he should of just left it alone and left Bo in his denial. I also didn’t connect well with Amy.
I’ll definitely continue with the series at a later date.
4 ⭐️
I liked the paranormal aspects of this one. It sucked me in pretty quickly and I enjoyed the interactions between the characters.
I only had a few niggles. My major one was Bo – his back and forth drove me nuts. I understand he was in denial but it did my head in.
I felt for Sam but also didn’t like how he pushed it. I felt he should of just left it alone and left Bo in his denial. I also didn’t connect well with Amy.
I’ll definitely continue with the series at a later date.
June 4, 2009
I like to read stories about shapeshifters, demons but this one is my first real ghost-story.
I wanted to try it because i liked some of Ally Blue's stories and i've read lots of good reviews about this serie.
I'll say that i was really pleased but surprised to find myself liking the plot a lot: i liked it more than the romance itself!
For the romance i would give only 2 stars because i had hard time finding Bo loveable! I really like Sam's character through.
But i did not felt much chemistry bettween them and i was exasperated by most of their interactions.
What gives this book its worth is the paranormal investigation and all the questions and feelings i brought to me!
I'm not a believer in those things but Ally Blue got me bad! I found my self having goosebumps or standing up whenever i hear something.
I made a fool of myself (as always)...lol.
Only because of it, i'll give 5 stars and i bought right away the sequels! I have to know what is this Thing...
I recommend this book to those who like to read a well written story that brings new emotions.
I wanted to try it because i liked some of Ally Blue's stories and i've read lots of good reviews about this serie.
I'll say that i was really pleased but surprised to find myself liking the plot a lot: i liked it more than the romance itself!
For the romance i would give only 2 stars because i had hard time finding Bo loveable! I really like Sam's character through.
But i did not felt much chemistry bettween them and i was exasperated by most of their interactions.
What gives this book its worth is the paranormal investigation and all the questions and feelings i brought to me!
I'm not a believer in those things but Ally Blue got me bad! I found my self having goosebumps or standing up whenever i hear something.
I made a fool of myself (as always)...lol.
Only because of it, i'll give 5 stars and i bought right away the sequels! I have to know what is this Thing...
I recommend this book to those who like to read a well written story that brings new emotions.
June 3, 2018
I really loved the paranormal portion of the story as well as the investigation portion. It wasn't just walk in the house & bam there is the ghost and away you go. This was a very dark entity and I hope that we get to find out what it actually is in the upcoming books as there wasn't any real closure. I was saddened with . I also have an issue with . Sam is going to have to do some major hand holding to help Bo come out of the closet but I can't wait to watch these two grow. Thank you to my SS, Lisa, for this gift. Now off to the next story, which is also a gift from my SS.
Still loved it the second time around.
Still loved it the second time around.
June 14, 2016
This is not what I would usually like to read. I am not good with the paranormal element.
However, this was an interesting book. The paranormal investigation was aimed at just the right level. Not to techy and didn't have the ugh factor that some other books had.
The MCs were living in an old home with a bloody past. There had been killings and then the survivors had been catatonic and unable to help.
There wasn't much romance between the MCs in this book. Sam was gay but not out. Bo is in the closet but married with children. The paranormal gave Sam sexy dreams in the form of Bo.
An interesting start to the series and I will definitely be carrying on with it.
However, this was an interesting book. The paranormal investigation was aimed at just the right level. Not to techy and didn't have the ugh factor that some other books had.
The MCs were living in an old home with a bloody past. There had been killings and then the survivors had been catatonic and unable to help.
There wasn't much romance between the MCs in this book. Sam was gay but not out. Bo is in the closet but married with children. The paranormal gave Sam sexy dreams in the form of Bo.
An interesting start to the series and I will definitely be carrying on with it.
April 14, 2013
I have no idea how to rate this :)
5 stars for the plot. 5 stars for the setting. 2 stars for the romance/main characters.
As a mystery this was outstanding. Loved the whole setting and spookiness and plot and WTF IS GOING ON-ness. However, the two main characters needed to get their heads out of their asses. And the book just . . . ended before they did.
However, I am reading the next book soon because a)Love the plots and setting and I'm a plot whore and b) I have a feeling that the head-extractions will happen! And then I think this series will really take off.
5 stars for the plot. 5 stars for the setting. 2 stars for the romance/main characters.
As a mystery this was outstanding. Loved the whole setting and spookiness and plot and WTF IS GOING ON-ness. However, the two main characters needed to get their heads out of their asses. And the book just . . . ended before they did.
However, I am reading the next book soon because a)Love the plots and setting and I'm a plot whore and b) I have a feeling that the head-extractions will happen! And then I think this series will really take off.
September 20, 2020
Sam & Bo....
There is a slow start, which I like...cuz one has ties he needs to cut~
Slow burn ~
What I Love!
The Mystery
The MC
The Chemistry
The Ghost storyline
The Realness of the Romance
The fact that One is Straight and the other is not.
The idea of a series, because I want to see how this relationship unfolds❤️
I'm so glad I found this series, it is so well written, intriguing and has wonderful MC's that I find myself wanting to know more about...okay, off to book 2❤️
There is a slow start, which I like...cuz one has ties he needs to cut~
Slow burn ~
What I Love!
The Mystery
The MC
The Chemistry
The Ghost storyline
The Realness of the Romance
The fact that One is Straight and the other is not.
The idea of a series, because I want to see how this relationship unfolds❤️
I'm so glad I found this series, it is so well written, intriguing and has wonderful MC's that I find myself wanting to know more about...okay, off to book 2❤️
December 5, 2010
3.5 stars I guess but I couldn't round up. I did not like Bo and only like the M/C at times. I liked Amy but she died. Extremely weak ending, just not impressed
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2013
3.5 stars I'm a little torn on this. The introduction to both Sam and Bay City Paranormal Investigations was really intriguing. I liked Sam as a character and I enjoyed the 'ghost-hunt' feel of what they were doing. I think a lot of my reservations have to do with Bo. I just didn't like him very much, and didn't feel much of a connection between he and Sam besides just that they kept saying there was one.
I've read books where one character thinks/is under the delusion that he's straight. The turmoil, the mixed signals, the guilt, I get it and I like it. But with Bo, I dunno, it just didn't work. He kept saying no, then flirting, then Sam would ask him for a final answer, then he would say no, then flirt, then Sam would ask him... you get the idea. Lather, rinse, repeat.
The paranormal aspect also got a little repetitive. Although it did escalate, I think it could have been carried out more successfully. They go back and forth about what could be going on, even though it seems kind of obvious and then when they finally know what it is... WHAM-BAM-CLIMAX-M'AM! Cue Epilogue. It was just too abrupt for me
In a way I get the rushed and somewhat open-ended ending, since this is a series. But it just felt unfinished to me, and I don't feel super emotionally invested. That being said, I'd definitely like to read the next in the series and follow-up. I do hope Bo becomes more redeemable and that their investigative skills improve somewhat.
Received for October 2013 Free-For-All from Mandy in Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group
I've read books where one character thinks/is under the delusion that he's straight. The turmoil, the mixed signals, the guilt, I get it and I like it. But with Bo, I dunno, it just didn't work. He kept saying no, then flirting, then Sam would ask him for a final answer, then he would say no, then flirt, then Sam would ask him... you get the idea. Lather, rinse, repeat.
The paranormal aspect also got a little repetitive. Although it did escalate, I think it could have been carried out more successfully. They go back and forth about what could be going on, even though it seems kind of obvious and then when they finally know what it is... WHAM-BAM-CLIMAX-M'AM! Cue Epilogue. It was just too abrupt for me
In a way I get the rushed and somewhat open-ended ending, since this is a series. But it just felt unfinished to me, and I don't feel super emotionally invested. That being said, I'd definitely like to read the next in the series and follow-up. I do hope Bo becomes more redeemable and that their investigative skills improve somewhat.
Received for October 2013 Free-For-All from Mandy in Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group
April 24, 2008
Well...One star is still too good for that trash of literature. I was trying to figure out what author was trying to say or rather what the characters were meant for. Sam Raintree was supposed to be main character of the show with "hey I am gay but I do not tell anybody well but I am ogling every ass around me" attitude. Sam joined the Bay City Paranormal Investigation agency as technician. The book is trying to pretend to describe paranormal investigation of the house where something from time to time hack people in to the pieces for unknown reason. It was like some dark entity had simply sense of humour and from time to time to hunt some humans or rather spooked them for some time then posses them then tear them apart. The chief of the investigators group certain doctor nick named Bo, who was ofcourse closeted gay with wife and bunch of kids. I was sick after several pages of whining Sam and his attempts to make out with Bo. Who had brains well he lost them in the middle of the book and joined the whining. No sex folks, just talk about I would like to have some but...
I finished the book only for one reason I wanted to know what was murdering the folks in the Oleander House. Well no solution but damn open end...if there is a next part I will skip it for sanity and taste reasons.
I finished the book only for one reason I wanted to know what was murdering the folks in the Oleander House. Well no solution but damn open end...if there is a next part I will skip it for sanity and taste reasons.
July 31, 2010
This is the first book in Ally Blue's PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS series. Sam Raintree joins Bay City Investigations which is a small business that specializes in ghost purging until they are asked to check out the old Oleander House. Being the first book in a series thr beginning is kind of slow as you meet the characters. The story is written with Ally Blue's terrific style. The romance between the closeted owner, Bo, and Sam is fleshed out slowly to keep you wondering. I found the series a great read.
Read
March 16, 2015I'm leaving the rating blank on this one because I'm going to have to read it again ... I just could not engage with this story at all ... I can't put my finger on the issue and in fact, it may be more about my frame of mind than the book ... hence, because any rating would be poor and possibly undeservedly so, I'll put this on my re-read shelf and give it another go before giving my final verdict.
February 4, 2013
I found this story to be an exceptionally well-written paranormal adventure. The author got me from the beginning and the story just kept getting more intense, more complex and more interesting. It wasn't much of a romance, however, but it did introduce the MC's and left the promise of romance at the end of the story. I'm so intrigued that I'm now going to have to shuffle some books around so that I can continue with this series soon.
Read
November 6, 2015I think had I read this book when it first appeared I would have been more pissed at the ending than I am. I know there are 7 books in the series and I'm in this for the long haul.
I already know Sam and Bo from the companion mojo series (yes I inadvertently read them out of order) and it was an interesting look at how things started for them. I felt things ended abruptly with this current mystery but I'm hoping things are gone back to in future stories.
I already know Sam and Bo from the companion mojo series (yes I inadvertently read them out of order) and it was an interesting look at how things started for them. I felt things ended abruptly with this current mystery but I'm hoping things are gone back to in future stories.
November 26, 2013
Wow! Blown away and thrilled to have another series to read. I'm hooked :)
April 19, 2020
I am very conflicted with this book, so I am going to break it down and explained what I liked, and what I absolutely did not like.
Liked:
-I loved reading about paranormal investigators!! The investigation was riveting, and the mystery was very unique, it was not something I've read about before. The plot was the reason why I finished the book, I could not wait to see how it would be resolved.
-The other investigators were complete characters, and I appreciated how the author did not rely on cliches, for instance, changing the psychic from being the token bitch, to actually someone likeable.
Did not liked:
-Bo. So, he claimed to be straight, and more important, MARRIED!!!! Yet he aggressively flirted with Sam from the first moment, blowing hot and cold, and I hated that. There is one thing I can't stand, and that is cheaters. If he was so interested in Sam, go get a divorce and then pursue him as a single man. Also, he was Sam's BOSS!!! If Sam was a girl, this would never have been a plot device, and Bo would have been prosecuted for sexual harassment. Not cool, Bo, not cool.
-Sam. He knew Bo is married, yet he encouraged his advances all the way. So he is just as guilty to the cheating.
-The plot was never resolved to my satisfaction, and I had so many questions afterwards. Since the plot was what kept me going, this was soooo frustrating.
For a change, I read the story for the horror elements, and couldn't give two cents for the romance. In fact, I would give it 1 star for the ickiness of the married boss hunting his co-worker, but I really liked the rest of the story, so three stars it is.
Liked:
-I loved reading about paranormal investigators!! The investigation was riveting, and the mystery was very unique, it was not something I've read about before. The plot was the reason why I finished the book, I could not wait to see how it would be resolved.
-The other investigators were complete characters, and I appreciated how the author did not rely on cliches, for instance, changing the psychic from being the token bitch, to actually someone likeable.
Did not liked:
-Bo. So, he claimed to be straight, and more important, MARRIED!!!! Yet he aggressively flirted with Sam from the first moment, blowing hot and cold, and I hated that. There is one thing I can't stand, and that is cheaters. If he was so interested in Sam, go get a divorce and then pursue him as a single man. Also, he was Sam's BOSS!!! If Sam was a girl, this would never have been a plot device, and Bo would have been prosecuted for sexual harassment. Not cool, Bo, not cool.
-Sam. He knew Bo is married, yet he encouraged his advances all the way. So he is just as guilty to the cheating.
-The plot was never resolved to my satisfaction, and I had so many questions afterwards. Since the plot was what kept me going, this was soooo frustrating.
For a change, I read the story for the horror elements, and couldn't give two cents for the romance. In fact, I would give it 1 star for the ickiness of the married boss hunting his co-worker, but I really liked the rest of the story, so three stars it is.
July 15, 2022
Kindle-Sort-ReRead
Dreadful.
The characterisation is weak, main characters unpleasant. The plot and paranormal a weak jumble with no atmosphere or logic employed.
The 'relationship' is distasteful. One man married with children. While Sam Raintree (who is fair?!) is hiding the fact he's gay by eyeing up every passing man. There's pushing away and ignoring to persist.
I pushed through for the paranormal solution only to end up annoyed , but hey on the very last page Sam makes the decision to research and investigate - wasn't that the whole point of the team being there in the first place?
The professional paranormal team with 20years experience who don't know anything, don't discuss what they experience, don't have contacts or references.
It's first of a series I don't need everything tied off pretty, but this was dreadful on every account.
Dreadful.
The characterisation is weak, main characters unpleasant. The plot and paranormal a weak jumble with no atmosphere or logic employed.
The 'relationship' is distasteful. One man married with children. While Sam Raintree (who is fair?!) is hiding the fact he's gay by eyeing up every passing man. There's pushing away and ignoring to persist.
I pushed through for the paranormal solution only to end up annoyed , but hey on the very last page Sam makes the decision to research and investigate - wasn't that the whole point of the team being there in the first place?
The professional paranormal team with 20years experience who don't know anything, don't discuss what they experience, don't have contacts or references.
It's first of a series I don't need everything tied off pretty, but this was dreadful on every account.
June 15, 2010
This review was originally published at my blog
Genre & Keywords:
M/M, paranormal, Gay For You, ghost hunting, supernatural dimensions, violence
Why I read it:
Chris @ Stumbling on Chaos recommended this series to me
Storyline:
Sam joins the team of Bay City Paranormal Investigations, which is led by Bo. There’s an attraction between the two men but Bo is married with children. The team investigates a haunted house. While they discover dangerous supernatural dimensions Sam and Bo struggle with their mutual attraction and feelings.
My opinion in short:
This book had me on the edge of my seat during the complete second half. It has thriller elements as well as a blooming sweet gay for you romance. It’s well written, has likeable main and secondary characters and is a promising start of a series. I liked the angle of investigating the supernatural, instead of (one of) the characters being a vampire, shifter, demon, angel or any other paranormal being. I highly recommend this series.
~~~~~
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Heat level: 2 out of 3 flames
~~~~~
What’s more to know about this book:
• Characters
Sam is a likeable protagonist: open, vulnerable, honest, sexy, caring and forgiving. His frustration and anger are tangible and understandable. Bo is the main cause of his frustration and anger because he refuses to admit his gay feelings. I would’ve loved to smack Bo with something on the head to beat some sense into him (and this urge only grew stronger in the next books of the series). The rest of the team members are nice supporting actors who are interesting enough without them stealing Sam and Bo’s show.
• POV
The story is told in third person from Sam’s point of view, which works perfectly for this first book, with him being the newby in the investigation team. The reader has to guess along with him, not only about the investigation but also about the other team members, their relationships and feelings (especially Bo’s).
• Plot
The plot is the strongest feature of this book, it’s well developed, fast paced and full of suspense that keeps you at the edge of your seat, especially during the second half of the book, when the supernatural danger is manifesting itself more and more. The build-up is dosed perfectly.
• Smexing
M/M. There are not that many smexy scenes (when you don’t count the hot dreams Sam has) but the few sexual encounters between Sam and Bo are pretty scorching and well written. They are cleverly related to the paranormal story line as well. In this book the sex scenes add something meaningful to not only the developing romance between Sam and Bo, but also to Sam’s unfolding paranormal abilities, due to his vulnerability in those scenes (cryptic, huh?).
• Writing style
Pleasant, doesn’t draw too much attention to itself, which is good because it never pulls you out of the story. The dialogues are nice and numerous. The descriptions of the surroundings and situations are vigorous and easy to picture. I enjoyed Ms. Blue’s writing.
Favorite scene/quote:
The scene where the other team members find out Sam is gay and the way they (especially Andre and David) handle it:
Linking:
Ally Blue’s website | blog | on Twitter | on Goodreads
Buy Oleander House here
The books in this series:
# 1: Oleander House (Sam and Bo, 4 stars)
# 2: What Hides Inside (Sam and Bo, 4 stars)
# 3: Twilight (Sam and Bo, 3.5 stars)
# 4: Closer (Sam and Bo, 4 stars)
# 5: An Inner Darkness (Sam and Bo, 4.5 stars)
# 6: Where The Heart Is (series-related: Dean Delapore's story, 4 stars)
# 7: Love, Like Ghosts (series-related: Adrian Broussard's story, not read yet)
~~~~~~~~~~
This is the first review I tried the format on that I came up with a little while ago . I would like to know what does and doesn't work for you about this review format.
Genre & Keywords:
M/M, paranormal, Gay For You, ghost hunting, supernatural dimensions, violence
Why I read it:
Chris @ Stumbling on Chaos recommended this series to me
Storyline:
Sam joins the team of Bay City Paranormal Investigations, which is led by Bo. There’s an attraction between the two men but Bo is married with children. The team investigates a haunted house. While they discover dangerous supernatural dimensions Sam and Bo struggle with their mutual attraction and feelings.
My opinion in short:
This book had me on the edge of my seat during the complete second half. It has thriller elements as well as a blooming sweet gay for you romance. It’s well written, has likeable main and secondary characters and is a promising start of a series. I liked the angle of investigating the supernatural, instead of (one of) the characters being a vampire, shifter, demon, angel or any other paranormal being. I highly recommend this series.
~~~~~
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Heat level: 2 out of 3 flames
~~~~~
What’s more to know about this book:
• Characters
Sam is a likeable protagonist: open, vulnerable, honest, sexy, caring and forgiving. His frustration and anger are tangible and understandable. Bo is the main cause of his frustration and anger because he refuses to admit his gay feelings. I would’ve loved to smack Bo with something on the head to beat some sense into him (and this urge only grew stronger in the next books of the series). The rest of the team members are nice supporting actors who are interesting enough without them stealing Sam and Bo’s show.
• POV
The story is told in third person from Sam’s point of view, which works perfectly for this first book, with him being the newby in the investigation team. The reader has to guess along with him, not only about the investigation but also about the other team members, their relationships and feelings (especially Bo’s).
• Plot
The plot is the strongest feature of this book, it’s well developed, fast paced and full of suspense that keeps you at the edge of your seat, especially during the second half of the book, when the supernatural danger is manifesting itself more and more. The build-up is dosed perfectly.
• Smexing
M/M. There are not that many smexy scenes (when you don’t count the hot dreams Sam has) but the few sexual encounters between Sam and Bo are pretty scorching and well written. They are cleverly related to the paranormal story line as well. In this book the sex scenes add something meaningful to not only the developing romance between Sam and Bo, but also to Sam’s unfolding paranormal abilities, due to his vulnerability in those scenes (cryptic, huh?).
• Writing style
Pleasant, doesn’t draw too much attention to itself, which is good because it never pulls you out of the story. The dialogues are nice and numerous. The descriptions of the surroundings and situations are vigorous and easy to picture. I enjoyed Ms. Blue’s writing.
Favorite scene/quote:
The scene where the other team members find out Sam is gay and the way they (especially Andre and David) handle it:
““Yeah,” Sam answered. “Sorry I didn’t tell you before. It just didn’t seem important.”
“It’s not.” Andre clapped him on the back. “Whatever floats your boat, man.”
“Just don’t stare at my ass.” David grinned over his shoulder. “I get as much of that as I can stand from Andre.”
“You wish,” Andre said, and swatted David’s rear.
David yelped and danced out of reach when Andre lifted his arm for another swing. “See?” he exclaimed. “The guy’s totally gay for me. He can’t get enough of my manly sexiness.”
David wiggled his butt invitingly. Andre calmly flipped him off while Cecile giggled. Sam laughed, feeling the last of his unease drain away. In his experience, anyone who could joke so casually about it had no problem with it. He was profoundly grateful no one had mentioned his confession to Bo the evening before. He wasn’t ready for that conversation just yet.”
Linking:
Ally Blue’s website | blog | on Twitter | on Goodreads
Buy Oleander House here
The books in this series:
# 1: Oleander House (Sam and Bo, 4 stars)
# 2: What Hides Inside (Sam and Bo, 4 stars)
# 3: Twilight (Sam and Bo, 3.5 stars)
# 4: Closer (Sam and Bo, 4 stars)
# 5: An Inner Darkness (Sam and Bo, 4.5 stars)
# 6: Where The Heart Is (series-related: Dean Delapore's story, 4 stars)
# 7: Love, Like Ghosts (series-related: Adrian Broussard's story, not read yet)
~~~~~~~~~~
This is the first review I tried the format on that I came up with a little while ago . I would like to know what does and doesn't work for you about this review format.
November 1, 2021
Sam takes a new job with Bay City Paranormal Investigations, his first day on the job, he meets the team at Oleander House. This house has a dark past with several deaths, but always one person left alive and catatonic. Sam is immediately attracted to his boss Bo, Bo denies any attraction, even though he gives off mixed signals.
While Bo swears he is straight you can tell from his actions he is attracted to Sam and wants to act on it, even if he doesn't really want to act on the attraction. Sam calls him out on his behavior a number of times. The paranormal elements were just the right mix of tech speak and creepy happenings. While most of the book is resolved, there are a couple of issues that don't get resolved in this book, but it just makes you want to read the next book to see if there is a resolution.
While Bo swears he is straight you can tell from his actions he is attracted to Sam and wants to act on it, even if he doesn't really want to act on the attraction. Sam calls him out on his behavior a number of times. The paranormal elements were just the right mix of tech speak and creepy happenings. While most of the book is resolved, there are a couple of issues that don't get resolved in this book, but it just makes you want to read the next book to see if there is a resolution.
January 21, 2013
Okay, this is the third time this week that GR has insisted on treating different editions of the same book as though they were entirely different books, and only shown my review on one of the editions. I'm getting sick of this!
Here's my review once again. Please ignore if you've seen it already --
Overall I liked this one quite a bit. For the most part this was done with good logic -- and the characters actually sat there and *thought* about the implications of what they were doing and finding -- although that logic definitely did fail a bit when it came to the issues of leaving the house and protecting the ghosthunters. GR user Kaje has some good commentary on these problems, here. I liked the twist that , and I also liked that they are trying to solve its mystery in as logical/scientific a manner as they can rather than with a supernatural/religious/mythological mindset.
This feels like a promising beginning for a series. The within-book story arc was good even if, and there are plenty of mysteries and personal development to be moving on with in future books. 3.5 stars -- 1/2 star subtracted for the problems mentioned above -- rounding up to 4.
Here's my review once again. Please ignore if you've seen it already --
Overall I liked this one quite a bit. For the most part this was done with good logic -- and the characters actually sat there and *thought* about the implications of what they were doing and finding -- although that logic definitely did fail a bit when it came to the issues of leaving the house and protecting the ghosthunters. GR user Kaje has some good commentary on these problems, here. I liked the twist that , and I also liked that they are trying to solve its mystery in as logical/scientific a manner as they can rather than with a supernatural/religious/mythological mindset.
This feels like a promising beginning for a series. The within-book story arc was good even if, and there are plenty of mysteries and personal development to be moving on with in future books. 3.5 stars -- 1/2 star subtracted for the problems mentioned above -- rounding up to 4.
July 27, 2016
3.5
I'm torn about his book.
On the one hand, it really wanted to be The Haunting of Hill House and was more like a poor man's version of the Stephen King miniseries, Rose Red. On the other hand, it was kind of like one of those paranormal ghost hunter shows where it is totally obvious that no one knows what the fuck they're doing and you watch just hoping something real will happen and someone will pee themselves.
Then there was the back and forth between Sam and Bo that made me want to kill myself.
In the end I kind of liked it, even though it meandered on and on and didn't have a very strong story structure.
I plan to try out the next and see what happens.
***
Buddy read with Al, Amy Noah and Ofelia. But I think everyone else threw in the towel. LOL
I'm torn about his book.
On the one hand, it really wanted to be The Haunting of Hill House and was more like a poor man's version of the Stephen King miniseries, Rose Red. On the other hand, it was kind of like one of those paranormal ghost hunter shows where it is totally obvious that no one knows what the fuck they're doing and you watch just hoping something real will happen and someone will pee themselves.
Then there was the back and forth between Sam and Bo that made me want to kill myself.
In the end I kind of liked it, even though it meandered on and on and didn't have a very strong story structure.
I plan to try out the next and see what happens.
***
Buddy read with Al, Amy Noah and Ofelia. But I think everyone else threw in the towel. LOL
December 15, 2011
Oleander House is all about the smut. I admire the author for attempting to create a mystery and an interesting paranormal setting. However, as is the case with too many smutty books, more attention was paid to the angst and the lurvin' than was to the character development or side plots. Unfortunately, protagonist Sam was so poorly written that he came off as a bit of a psychopath. That is, we know all about his dirty urges and wants and needs, but little else. This book wasn't bad, however it needs work. We know what each character is doing or saying in the moment, but we know nil about each person's personality, lives or interests. Well, we know about the smutty interests but that is it.
I hate giving one or two star ratings to erotica because I already have quite low expectations from the start. Nonetheless, I can't bring myself to give this more than two stars. I almost want to go three for originality, but uniqueness doesn't really count for jack shit if the characters don't stand out.
I hate giving one or two star ratings to erotica because I already have quite low expectations from the start. Nonetheless, I can't bring myself to give this more than two stars. I almost want to go three for originality, but uniqueness doesn't really count for jack shit if the characters don't stand out.
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