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Villainous Love Stories
Good as Gold: A Villainous Love Story
Being the most powerful superhero in the world can get lonely.
Ask the Golden Ranger. He’s still struggling to make friends after landing on Earth two years ago, even now that he’s become a member of the Remarkables. Humans are just so complicated, with their odd aversion to public nudity, their obsession with sex, and their temperamental genitals.
Thank goodness for his villains. Sure, they’re crooks and it’s his job to thwart them, but at least they offer him a chance for social interaction. And they’re all pretty cool, as villains go. Henry X has a gun that can fire anything from exploding bullets to robot bees, and he's also got these incredible biceps and warm brown eyes – not that the Golden Ranger cares about stuff like that. Light Brigade can create holograms, plus he’s handsome and snarky and covered in tattoos – again, not that the Golden Ranger cares. The Sash can use his clothing as a weapon, which isn’t really fair seeing as how his slinky body would be an effective weapon all by itself. Which isn’t something the Golden Ranger cares about. At all.
It’s possible that the other Remarkables are right when they accuse the Golden Ranger of being a little too intrigued by his rogues gallery. But he thinks they’re just jealous. Even so, when they tell him that Henry X, Light Brigade and the Sash are working for someone who might be a threat to the whole city, the Golden Ranger knows he needs to learn the truth. And what better way to do that than by adopting a civilian disguise and getting to know his villains personally? It’s a brilliant plan. Nothing can go wrong.
65K, M/M/M/M, standalone, HEA.
Ask the Golden Ranger. He’s still struggling to make friends after landing on Earth two years ago, even now that he’s become a member of the Remarkables. Humans are just so complicated, with their odd aversion to public nudity, their obsession with sex, and their temperamental genitals.
Thank goodness for his villains. Sure, they’re crooks and it’s his job to thwart them, but at least they offer him a chance for social interaction. And they’re all pretty cool, as villains go. Henry X has a gun that can fire anything from exploding bullets to robot bees, and he's also got these incredible biceps and warm brown eyes – not that the Golden Ranger cares about stuff like that. Light Brigade can create holograms, plus he’s handsome and snarky and covered in tattoos – again, not that the Golden Ranger cares. The Sash can use his clothing as a weapon, which isn’t really fair seeing as how his slinky body would be an effective weapon all by itself. Which isn’t something the Golden Ranger cares about. At all.
It’s possible that the other Remarkables are right when they accuse the Golden Ranger of being a little too intrigued by his rogues gallery. But he thinks they’re just jealous. Even so, when they tell him that Henry X, Light Brigade and the Sash are working for someone who might be a threat to the whole city, the Golden Ranger knows he needs to learn the truth. And what better way to do that than by adopting a civilian disguise and getting to know his villains personally? It’s a brilliant plan. Nothing can go wrong.
65K, M/M/M/M, standalone, HEA.
215 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 22, 2016
15 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 27, 2019
3.5 Stars
Well that was certainly different!
Imagine a world where superheroes on a daily basis, go against their set group of villains, trying to thwart whatever current scheme they’re hatching. It’s basically a gentlemen’s agreement - fighting crime/doing crime - a delicate balance of not too much and not too little, keeping the cycle going in order to live to fight another day.
First, you have Golden Ranger, who’s not from these parts. He’s actually an alien who left his planet in search of a purpose, and thus picked Earth to use his indestructible self to do good. This is a guy who’s a little naive, a little innocent, one who doesn’t fully grasp the nuances of human nature but is so eager to learn and acclimate. As a member of the superhero team, the Remarkables, Ranger has been tasked to keep in line three villains, who each have extraordinary, mysterious weapons to aid their escapades. In order to learn more about them, he dons a civilian disguise to covertly do recon.
Funnily enough, Ranger is not fooling anybody, let alone his three villains. These guys are simply ordinary men wanting more out of life, whether that be notoriety, a sense of purpose, or simply to belong. They too, have vulnerabilities and flaws, revealing personal facets that definitely blur the line that sharply delineates “good” from “evil”. As these four dance and interact, all of them come to know each other better, not only through their masked identities, but their true selves outside their disguises. Understandably, feelings change, loyalty develops, and their dynamic slowly evolves beyond their initial fractious beginning, as each is lonely and yearning for more.
So to make a long story even longer, there’s definitely a certain kind of interplay taking place between all the superheroes and their nemeses, creating a somewhat orchestrated environment of peace. However, there’s unseen forces and players manipulating the situation and purposefully influencing these 4 men and how they do their “jobs”. What results is a very complicated relationship that can often be antagonistic, intense, and definitely proprietary, as they ultimately band together to fight a common foe.
I’m finding it difficult to quantify or explain this story, except that it was interesting and unique, with some fun and funny, lending a comic book vibe or oddly enough, akin to the cartoon movie The Incredibles. I was consistently entertained despite no overt smexiness and the need of a good edit. In return though, there is some sweet romance and carnal, emotional scenes that involve all 4 players in various different groupings, and ultimately encompassing the full M/M/M/M aspect. It was well done and totally plausible. Well... plausible in a world of superheroes and villains. Overall, if you want something different and like this particular genre, I don’t think you could go wrong.
Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
Well that was certainly different!
Imagine a world where superheroes on a daily basis, go against their set group of villains, trying to thwart whatever current scheme they’re hatching. It’s basically a gentlemen’s agreement - fighting crime/doing crime - a delicate balance of not too much and not too little, keeping the cycle going in order to live to fight another day.
First, you have Golden Ranger, who’s not from these parts. He’s actually an alien who left his planet in search of a purpose, and thus picked Earth to use his indestructible self to do good. This is a guy who’s a little naive, a little innocent, one who doesn’t fully grasp the nuances of human nature but is so eager to learn and acclimate. As a member of the superhero team, the Remarkables, Ranger has been tasked to keep in line three villains, who each have extraordinary, mysterious weapons to aid their escapades. In order to learn more about them, he dons a civilian disguise to covertly do recon.
Funnily enough, Ranger is not fooling anybody, let alone his three villains. These guys are simply ordinary men wanting more out of life, whether that be notoriety, a sense of purpose, or simply to belong. They too, have vulnerabilities and flaws, revealing personal facets that definitely blur the line that sharply delineates “good” from “evil”. As these four dance and interact, all of them come to know each other better, not only through their masked identities, but their true selves outside their disguises. Understandably, feelings change, loyalty develops, and their dynamic slowly evolves beyond their initial fractious beginning, as each is lonely and yearning for more.
So to make a long story even longer, there’s definitely a certain kind of interplay taking place between all the superheroes and their nemeses, creating a somewhat orchestrated environment of peace. However, there’s unseen forces and players manipulating the situation and purposefully influencing these 4 men and how they do their “jobs”. What results is a very complicated relationship that can often be antagonistic, intense, and definitely proprietary, as they ultimately band together to fight a common foe.
I’m finding it difficult to quantify or explain this story, except that it was interesting and unique, with some fun and funny, lending a comic book vibe or oddly enough, akin to the cartoon movie The Incredibles. I was consistently entertained despite no overt smexiness and the need of a good edit. In return though, there is some sweet romance and carnal, emotional scenes that involve all 4 players in various different groupings, and ultimately encompassing the full M/M/M/M aspect. It was well done and totally plausible. Well... plausible in a world of superheroes and villains. Overall, if you want something different and like this particular genre, I don’t think you could go wrong.
Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
March 25, 2017
That was unexpected. Picked it up as a freebie wary of the m-m-m-m tag meaning a low plot orgy and discovered instead an entertaining story with good world building and interesting characters. While lusting happens and dicks are both present and conversed with, the book isn't a sex-fest. There's time with each character and they're all very different personalities. The backdrop is heroes and villains with aliens machinations thrown in. Never dull. Light fun.
One or two lines did cut close to the bone, but seriously I want this quote as my email tag line, there should be t-shirts:
I enjoyed it a great deal and will be checking out the others in the series.
....
Not a fan of the cover though.
One or two lines did cut close to the bone, but seriously I want this quote as my email tag line, there should be t-shirts:
Fuck it, he thought, and unleashed the pterodactyls.
I enjoyed it a great deal and will be checking out the others in the series.
....
Not a fan of the cover though.
December 5, 2019
Noah has lots of love to give...
2.75 stars
An alien superhero who falls for his 3 nemeses.
Not the best villains out there but the ones that captured the heart of the Golden Ranger.
A unique read.
2.75 stars
An alien superhero who falls for his 3 nemeses.
Not the best villains out there but the ones that captured the heart of the Golden Ranger.
A unique read.
Want to read
March 24, 20173/24/17 FREE via Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Gold-Vill...
April 8, 2017
Cute, silly, and fun... just what the naively innocent and scantily clad alien superhero ordered! I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Being introduced to our hero and individually all his nemesis. It was fun to try and figure out this world and their unconventional relationships with their supervillains. It did start to drag a bit as we got more into the plot. While I liked the twists and learning more about how the supervillains got their weapons, I didn't feel like I needed the flashbacks, and did get a little frustrated when they pulled me out of the story.
Given that this is listed as a menage/MMMM, I did expect a lot more ridiculous and over the top sexy times. It's actually relatively PG-13 rated. The majority of the story consists of them all swooning over each other and thinking about wanting to bang. I hafta admit, I didn't love the way the romances developed. I wanted it to be a true menage, starting with a couple who then pulled in one extra, and then the other/last man. Instead it was more two pairs who swing openly? I dunno. I believed the feelings between Stu and the Ranger, and Len and the Ranger, and Len and Stu... but Moe was kinda the odd man out.
But it is just as it's billed. For a silly good time with soft hearted supervillains who steal the heart of their hero, I'd definitely recommend this. There's no audio for this as far as I can tell, but I think with the right narrator it could be a great book to listen to as well!
Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
Given that this is listed as a menage/MMMM, I did expect a lot more ridiculous and over the top sexy times. It's actually relatively PG-13 rated. The majority of the story consists of them all swooning over each other and thinking about wanting to bang. I hafta admit, I didn't love the way the romances developed. I wanted it to be a true menage, starting with a couple who then pulled in one extra, and then the other/last man. Instead it was more two pairs who swing openly? I dunno. I believed the feelings between Stu and the Ranger, and Len and the Ranger, and Len and Stu... but Moe was kinda the odd man out.
But it is just as it's billed. For a silly good time with soft hearted supervillains who steal the heart of their hero, I'd definitely recommend this. There's no audio for this as far as I can tell, but I think with the right narrator it could be a great book to listen to as well!
Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
April 12, 2023
Generally, I don’t go for superheroes and can probably count the number of books I’ve read about them on one hand. But yet again, TJ Land has written a story where the characters, the touch of humour and heartache, and really lovely romance .
January 21, 2017
T.J. Land hits it out of the park again with another self-published book set in the same world as The Amateur. Another villainous love story, this one focuses on a different hero and his villains. And while I loved the first book, this one is even better.
The Golden Ranger is a hero who has come to Earth from another planet. Trying to prove himself to be a hero, he quickly finds himself tasked with his own regular nemeses, the villains Henry X, The Sash, and Light Brigade. Of course, he’s fond of them; they’re his villains, and they’re the first he battled after landing on this planet and becoming a hero.
While still trying to master some human activities—such as masturbation and sex—he realizes he needs to find out where the otherwise normal villains received their super-powered weapons. And as he gets closer to them as Noah, he discovers his own feelings for the trio are a bit more amorous than he had at first believed.
Told from the perspective of all of the characters, this book is hilarious and full of surprises. I loved each character for their personality and what they brought to the story. Moe as The Sash was my favorite. I always love quiet, brooding characters, and Moe is just that. He has more to his personality, though, and it takes a special person to bring it out. Then there’s Stu as Henry X. He seems pretty normal aside from his anything gun that shoots anything he can imagine. And Len, or Light Brigade, with his holographic discs that can conjure amazing images that throw normies and heroes alike into a panic whenever they’re enveloped by one. Though they do not team up with each other, they are all friends outside of being villains. Len and Moe even had a relationship at one point, and Len is interested in Stu. Except Stu seems to be into women, so there is that problem…
Noah is a genuinely funny character to read about. He talks to his parts out of confusion. Being an alien with a different anatomy and social system than humans, he is getting used to his constructed body, and the results are just hysterical at times. He is simultaneously innocent and perverted, and I loved it. The same with Moe. The two of them just seemed to go together so well.
Fans of The Amateur will see brief appearances from characters in that book. It’s enough to keep them fresh in the mind, and they are often present with hilarious results. Especially at the end. I laughed pretty hard in the final pages from Henry X’s way of dealing with Electric Eel.
This book can be read as a standalone, and it can also be read first. I highly recommend it either way. If you read the first one, please read this! If you haven’t, read either one first and then get the other. If you like superheroes and villains, you will not be disappointed!
And now, I wait and hope T.J. Land decides to write another villainous love story.
Reviewed by Jennifer for The Novel Approach Reviews
The Golden Ranger is a hero who has come to Earth from another planet. Trying to prove himself to be a hero, he quickly finds himself tasked with his own regular nemeses, the villains Henry X, The Sash, and Light Brigade. Of course, he’s fond of them; they’re his villains, and they’re the first he battled after landing on this planet and becoming a hero.
While still trying to master some human activities—such as masturbation and sex—he realizes he needs to find out where the otherwise normal villains received their super-powered weapons. And as he gets closer to them as Noah, he discovers his own feelings for the trio are a bit more amorous than he had at first believed.
Told from the perspective of all of the characters, this book is hilarious and full of surprises. I loved each character for their personality and what they brought to the story. Moe as The Sash was my favorite. I always love quiet, brooding characters, and Moe is just that. He has more to his personality, though, and it takes a special person to bring it out. Then there’s Stu as Henry X. He seems pretty normal aside from his anything gun that shoots anything he can imagine. And Len, or Light Brigade, with his holographic discs that can conjure amazing images that throw normies and heroes alike into a panic whenever they’re enveloped by one. Though they do not team up with each other, they are all friends outside of being villains. Len and Moe even had a relationship at one point, and Len is interested in Stu. Except Stu seems to be into women, so there is that problem…
Noah is a genuinely funny character to read about. He talks to his parts out of confusion. Being an alien with a different anatomy and social system than humans, he is getting used to his constructed body, and the results are just hysterical at times. He is simultaneously innocent and perverted, and I loved it. The same with Moe. The two of them just seemed to go together so well.
Fans of The Amateur will see brief appearances from characters in that book. It’s enough to keep them fresh in the mind, and they are often present with hilarious results. Especially at the end. I laughed pretty hard in the final pages from Henry X’s way of dealing with Electric Eel.
This book can be read as a standalone, and it can also be read first. I highly recommend it either way. If you read the first one, please read this! If you haven’t, read either one first and then get the other. If you like superheroes and villains, you will not be disappointed!
And now, I wait and hope T.J. Land decides to write another villainous love story.
Reviewed by Jennifer for The Novel Approach Reviews
May 26, 2022
The first book I read from T.J Land - Hot Air - which shares the same superhero universe as this book, is very funny and enjoyable. This one fell short, unfortunately. It feels like it was written by someone else. Someone who runs out of inspiration.
What a pity! I had so much affection for TJ Land’s world and her superheroes. Hope the next book is better.
What a pity! I had so much affection for TJ Land’s world and her superheroes. Hope the next book is better.
March 29, 2017
this was not what i was expecting AT ALL but that is probably a good thing and also i really loved it anyway. i was basically just expecting a lot of porn with some questionable 'plot' holding it together and a group of super-villains gang-banging our superhero and boy was i wrong. there is some sex, but it's mostly of the ~fade to black~ variety. and you know what, that's okay. because the plot and characters in this book are so damn funny and cute that i don't even mind that we never got an actual foursome scene. definitely gonna check out the others in this series.
November 18, 2021
This was an unexpected treasure. Totally engrossing with a fantastic world building and awesome characters. There is polyamory at play here, but very less sex, and the dynamics between them is entertaining. Superheroes and villains with an adorable alien thrown in the mix.
Recommended read. A humorous fantasy romance.
Recommended read. A humorous fantasy romance.
April 11, 2017
Liked this but didn't love it and I'm not sure why.
January 9, 2020
A wild ride.
The world was weird and different and funny. I cannot say I could take everything that was happening to serious but it was an interesting story.
The world was weird and different and funny. I cannot say I could take everything that was happening to serious but it was an interesting story.
April 6, 2017
A fresh take on the superheroes theme. Please don't be deterred by the m/m/m/m tag: it's not as you think, or maybe it is ;-), but for sure it is not a kind of sex orgy. It's witty, and fun, and romantic. I loved it.
In an initial note it is stated very clearly that this book can be read as a standalone. I'm not sure about reading The Amateur: A Villainous Love Story, which can be read before or after, but according to some reviewers has more sex and less romance...
In an initial note it is stated very clearly that this book can be read as a standalone. I'm not sure about reading The Amateur: A Villainous Love Story, which can be read before or after, but according to some reviewers has more sex and less romance...
January 7, 2017
Oh my god. I loved this! I really enjoyed The Amateur, set in the same world as Good as Gold, but this was even better! I adored Moe and his scarf, and I loved the evolution of Noah and his nemeses. I'm not sure why, but parts of the story reminded me of the movie Mystery Men. This story was fun, hot, and definitely one I recommend.
Full review will go up at The Novel Approach.
Full review will go up at The Novel Approach.
May 22, 2017
I've read The Amateur: A Villainous Love Story before I read Good as Gold and I must say that this book was fairly a tad bit better than The Amateur.
The book follows a superhero from another planet who crashed-landed on Earth 3 years ago called the Golden Ranger. Golden Ranger is a bit of a softie towards his favorite villains: Henry X whose got a gun that can shoot anything, Light Brigade who can create illusions, and Sash who has a deadly scarf that can do some hard damage. When the League starts questioning where the weapons of Ranger's favorite nemeses come from and that the benefactor might also be connected to the strange havoc caused around the city, Ranger makes it his goal to get the truth from his villains.
Although this was much better than The Amateur, I still wasn't as captivated as I thought I would have with the book. My main problem with the books in the series is and has always been the relationship between the heroes. Being an M/M/M/M, I think their relationship could do a lot more work and exposure because I wasn't seeing what I wanted to see.
What I did like about the book was the plot and the characters that it had. I truly believe that it Good as Gold delivered an awesome story and the characters were really well written so bravo to that. Ranger, the protagonist, was amazing. He was a great character; he was funny, he had his struggles and his flaws and that I must say is an admirable trait for a superhero protagonist.
Overall, this book is a 3 stars for me.
The book follows a superhero from another planet who crashed-landed on Earth 3 years ago called the Golden Ranger. Golden Ranger is a bit of a softie towards his favorite villains: Henry X whose got a gun that can shoot anything, Light Brigade who can create illusions, and Sash who has a deadly scarf that can do some hard damage. When the League starts questioning where the weapons of Ranger's favorite nemeses come from and that the benefactor might also be connected to the strange havoc caused around the city, Ranger makes it his goal to get the truth from his villains.
Although this was much better than The Amateur, I still wasn't as captivated as I thought I would have with the book. My main problem with the books in the series is and has always been the relationship between the heroes. Being an M/M/M/M, I think their relationship could do a lot more work and exposure because I wasn't seeing what I wanted to see.
What I did like about the book was the plot and the characters that it had. I truly believe that it Good as Gold delivered an awesome story and the characters were really well written so bravo to that. Ranger, the protagonist, was amazing. He was a great character; he was funny, he had his struggles and his flaws and that I must say is an admirable trait for a superhero protagonist.
Overall, this book is a 3 stars for me.
June 29, 2020
This is so satisfying for me, especially now, to have such a deep freedom of gender expression under the otherwise “unrelated” superhero rom-com narrative.
Land has a great way of leaning into the absurd humor of a superhero-supervillain pecking order shaping a city. The natural humor of the situation is highlighted by everyone having a lot of reasonable reactions to, say, pretty people in spandex, or the tourism benefits of regular scuffles that don’t do too much property damage. I was particularly fond of the villains making their villain career choices from a place of realism around paying bills. In the midst of the absurd realism, the friendships and romance are allowed to root in a place of depth and genuineness, and I definitely fell in love with each of the four leads in unique ways.
And then - AND THEN - we’ve got four guys who have built deliciously different values of “guy”. Land actively brings gender creativity to bear not only on the two most “ordinary” humans, but also on the human with access to semi-bodymorphing capabilities, and an alien who got to custom order his own human sex-gender package. It’s just awesome to see those opportunities used and not taken for granted. The sex scenes hit an extraordinary balance of… being lurid but also not graphic? It’s great fun. And the poly foursome had unique bonds without getting bogged down in heavy drama.
In short this book was a great time, I’m diving into the next book stat.
Land has a great way of leaning into the absurd humor of a superhero-supervillain pecking order shaping a city. The natural humor of the situation is highlighted by everyone having a lot of reasonable reactions to, say, pretty people in spandex, or the tourism benefits of regular scuffles that don’t do too much property damage. I was particularly fond of the villains making their villain career choices from a place of realism around paying bills. In the midst of the absurd realism, the friendships and romance are allowed to root in a place of depth and genuineness, and I definitely fell in love with each of the four leads in unique ways.
And then - AND THEN - we’ve got four guys who have built deliciously different values of “guy”. Land actively brings gender creativity to bear not only on the two most “ordinary” humans, but also on the human with access to semi-bodymorphing capabilities, and an alien who got to custom order his own human sex-gender package. It’s just awesome to see those opportunities used and not taken for granted. The sex scenes hit an extraordinary balance of… being lurid but also not graphic? It’s great fun. And the poly foursome had unique bonds without getting bogged down in heavy drama.
In short this book was a great time, I’m diving into the next book stat.
June 10, 2019
Wonderful story full of wit and snarky banter. I just love the voice of these books. Like the others in this series, it's just about the perfect kind of superhero-flavored story: taking itself and its worldbuilding seriously but not TOO seriously.
I knocked off one star on this for what I guess I'd call plot structure reasons. Like some of the other books, this felt rather like two very different stories with their own plot arcs. The first half I thought was great, as the Ranger both banters with his villains and tries to figure out where they got their weapons. The second half slowed down considerably, as the four of them tried to work out their various relationship issues, and though I liked the characters, I felt like it dragged out a bit too much. I feel like the pacing and the slow feeling might have benefitted from more of a meshing of these story arcs (so if the two arcs were parallel instead of sequential). The action from the one plot would keep the second from getting too mired down. But, I can also see how that would be a much more complicated to write, and honestly it's a pretty high-level quibble I wouldn't likely have if I didn't enjoy these books so much.
I knocked off one star on this for what I guess I'd call plot structure reasons. Like some of the other books, this felt rather like two very different stories with their own plot arcs. The first half I thought was great, as the Ranger both banters with his villains and tries to figure out where they got their weapons. The second half slowed down considerably, as the four of them tried to work out their various relationship issues, and though I liked the characters, I felt like it dragged out a bit too much. I feel like the pacing and the slow feeling might have benefitted from more of a meshing of these story arcs (so if the two arcs were parallel instead of sequential). The action from the one plot would keep the second from getting too mired down. But, I can also see how that would be a much more complicated to write, and honestly it's a pretty high-level quibble I wouldn't likely have if I didn't enjoy these books so much.
June 13, 2017
Overall I enjoyed this. It had an excellent mix of humor and chemistry between the main characters, and while it tended to slow down in places for me (damn flashbacks) it was a story I found myself eager to get back to. I do wish that the MCs had been a little more flushed out, but with 4 of them, I can imagine some of that was cut out of the story so it wouldn't be 600 pages long. Also, I'm not sure how I feel about the Big Bad. For the most part it worked (tho I was initially a bit miffed that they let the cat out of the bag not even a quarter of the way thru the story. really would have loved to have kept the identity of the the Big Bad a secret for a bit longer than that), but that ending...it was a swing and a miss for me. This person was being built up really nicely throughout the story, and then it all kinda deflates into an "oh, just kidding." Bit of a let down.
It was fun, though, to read. So if you are looking for another humorous take on the super hero genre, i'd say give it a try.
3.5 stars
It was fun, though, to read. So if you are looking for another humorous take on the super hero genre, i'd say give it a try.
3.5 stars
October 20, 2018
This is one of those over-the-top stories full of unrealistic characters, super heroes, and super villains that is just a laugh out loud fun book. Noah is an alien who came to earth to live as a super hero, but he has a lot to learn about humans and our very strange ways. His three super villains (Moe, Stu, and Len) are pretty mild mannered and slightly inept.
From the description you might think this book would be sex scene after sex scene, but there is a real story here. The big bad trouble maker is given away a little early and that character had some conflicting behavior, but since this is a book aiming at being silly I was willing to let that go.
All four men are really looking for their role in life and where the belong. The three villains aren't, strictly speaking, bad guys; and the super hero wants to be a super hero, he just doesn't want to hurt anyone. The four of them are really perfect together.
From the description you might think this book would be sex scene after sex scene, but there is a real story here. The big bad trouble maker is given away a little early and that character had some conflicting behavior, but since this is a book aiming at being silly I was willing to let that go.
All four men are really looking for their role in life and where the belong. The three villains aren't, strictly speaking, bad guys; and the super hero wants to be a super hero, he just doesn't want to hurt anyone. The four of them are really perfect together.
December 26, 2020
Unlike the other stories in this series, this one is full book length. Although I liked the characters (this author’s characters’ quirks, humanity and kindness are their hallmark), a few things structurally kept throwing me out of the story. These were the names, it’s a romance between four characters who each have three variations on their names (superhero/villain name, legal name and nickname) which was too many names for my tired brain to keep up with.
Secondly, there’s a lot of “three years ago”-type chapters stuck in the midst of present day action throughout the book. It’s my least favorite story structure, and while I could see the value in it occasionally, mostly it needed to be rearranged and edited. Back story shouldn’t intrude so much in the midst of forward plot.
In the end though, I needed a book with an inner sweetness to carry me though the night, and this did that, so thank you.
Secondly, there’s a lot of “three years ago”-type chapters stuck in the midst of present day action throughout the book. It’s my least favorite story structure, and while I could see the value in it occasionally, mostly it needed to be rearranged and edited. Back story shouldn’t intrude so much in the midst of forward plot.
In the end though, I needed a book with an inner sweetness to carry me though the night, and this did that, so thank you.
June 24, 2017
While the basic idea and the general characterization of this bizarre M/M novella are certainly good, especially in their clearly laughing at superheroes comics conventions, it takes a while for the story to actually take off.
The main flaw I can see is a rather blatant lack of rhythm that prevents the smile that lingers on the reader's lips to turn into actual amusement.
About one third into the novella, though, the author starts taking her characters more seriously. This does generally not bode too well in a parody, but there are always exceptions. In this case, the four leads keep their self-deprecating, no-nonsense, fully aware attitudes on which the story's humour is largely based but they add a depth to it that allows us, the readers, to identify and feel for them.
What was probably originally meant to be a spoof turns into a real comedy of manners and becomes interesting.
The main flaw I can see is a rather blatant lack of rhythm that prevents the smile that lingers on the reader's lips to turn into actual amusement.
About one third into the novella, though, the author starts taking her characters more seriously. This does generally not bode too well in a parody, but there are always exceptions. In this case, the four leads keep their self-deprecating, no-nonsense, fully aware attitudes on which the story's humour is largely based but they add a depth to it that allows us, the readers, to identify and feel for them.
What was probably originally meant to be a spoof turns into a real comedy of manners and becomes interesting.
June 6, 2020
This writer is full-on crazy is the best possible way! Imagine the most bizarre superheroes and supervillains imaginable mixed with the most incredible storylines and you just might get an idea. This book features Golden Ranger-an alien who decides to become a superhero on earth and he tries his best to fit in. He has his own personal supervillains... (Sorry! I started laughing so hard, my eyes were watering and I couldn't see for a minute...) At this time of COVID-19, some of us need a really good laugh along with some wonderful LGBTQ+ loving! Come on and read this one, folks! You need it more than you know!
August 15, 2021
DNF at just 7%.
I have been trying to connect with this one, but it won't take. It wants to be clever, but for me comes off as flippant and careless. The worldbuilding is goofy, the lead character is clueless, and despite this being free, it would cost me too much to continue trying to read it. The author so far has given me some "fights" and some interactions at HQ, and a hint of enemy to lover interest, but has not given me any reason to care about any of it.
I often enjoy superhero stories. But flat characters in a cartoon world don't do it for me.
I have been trying to connect with this one, but it won't take. It wants to be clever, but for me comes off as flippant and careless. The worldbuilding is goofy, the lead character is clueless, and despite this being free, it would cost me too much to continue trying to read it. The author so far has given me some "fights" and some interactions at HQ, and a hint of enemy to lover interest, but has not given me any reason to care about any of it.
I often enjoy superhero stories. But flat characters in a cartoon world don't do it for me.
December 23, 2017
This book was FANTASTIC. Really sweetly written, spending a lot of time with each of the characters and fantastically hot too. I loved all the superhero stuff, and I adored all of the worldbuilding.
The only thing I disapproved of is that this is the last Villainous Love Story out so far! I want to read MORE, because Land has such a good way of writing characters and making you care about them while still laughing your head off at their antics, and I sincerely hope that there are more to come!
The only thing I disapproved of is that this is the last Villainous Love Story out so far! I want to read MORE, because Land has such a good way of writing characters and making you care about them while still laughing your head off at their antics, and I sincerely hope that there are more to come!
April 12, 2018
On page one, The Golden Ranger stated that he is the superhero with the BEST villains. And I agree. They are very well developed men walking a very thin line between good and ... No, they are all good, and their reason for super villainy is maybe not so obvious. Together with the very naive Golden Ranger, they supplied me with hours of fun while reading this. I love a good superhero story, and this one, with all its twists and turns, did not disappoint.
October 11, 2018
No idea what order these are in but I read the JJ one first. Loved the beginning, the fighting was a bit sketchy and the ending was smooth. Noah was naive and innocent. I liked Len and Moe, Stu got on my nerves a bit, although I did like the drunk apartment scene. Happy with the way everything turned out and look forward to reading more from this author.
June 13, 2020
Creative and fun universe where battles between superheroes and supervillains boost local tourism.
Both follow rules of engagement that prevent civilian casualties and allow protected “off time” when not in uniform. Mercy City is what you’d get if Disney gave Deadpool a park to design...an adult park.
Both follow rules of engagement that prevent civilian casualties and allow protected “off time” when not in uniform. Mercy City is what you’d get if Disney gave Deadpool a park to design...an adult park.
March 23, 2022
I wanted to give it ten stars but due to certain sections not being as enjoyable as I expected them to be, I'm sticking with the sweet old five.
May 10, 2022
I really liked it, not sure why the low ratings
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