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Damn Gorgeous
Spencer Patterson writes "news" reports on paranormal phenomena for The Weekly Harbinger, a national tabloid magazine. He's had a lifelong love affair with all things supernatural, and having failed at serious news reporting, he eventually merged his hobby with his journalism degree and embarked on a tabloid career.
On assignment in the sleepy Massachusetts town of Fall River, home of the infamous Lizzie Borden axe murders, Spencer meets and falls for sexy Virgil Slade, lifelong resident and owner of a nearby bed-and-breakfast. Things are not as they seem. Virgil, with his hot body, sexy dreadlocks and unusual tattoos, harbors a tremendous secret that turns Spencer's world upside down.
ISBN-13 listed on the pdf format is 978-1-60592-045-0
On assignment in the sleepy Massachusetts town of Fall River, home of the infamous Lizzie Borden axe murders, Spencer meets and falls for sexy Virgil Slade, lifelong resident and owner of a nearby bed-and-breakfast. Things are not as they seem. Virgil, with his hot body, sexy dreadlocks and unusual tattoos, harbors a tremendous secret that turns Spencer's world upside down.
ISBN-13 listed on the pdf format is 978-1-60592-045-0
68 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Jaye Valentine
31 books64 followersJaye is a gay writer of gay erotic fiction, currently living in a small, gay Massachusetts town with his gay partner and two bossy, gay cats.
In addition to the gritty, not-for-the-faint-of-heart urban fantasy and paranormal novels Jaye co-writes with Reno, Jaye also writes short stories under the pen name of Acer Adamson.
In addition to the gritty, not-for-the-faint-of-heart urban fantasy and paranormal novels Jaye co-writes with Reno, Jaye also writes short stories under the pen name of Acer Adamson.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
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September 1, 2009First of all this post about Damn Gorgeous will be as mysterious as the book itself since I can't really tell you who the characters really are, it's the main interest and the most original part of the book to find out by yourself. Enough to say that I read a lot, and all you know how much, and in the last three years I saw every imaginable paranormal being, but Damn Gorgeous introduced me to a new and unexpected one.
Spencer is a paranormal reporter for a national tabloid. Maybe at the beginning he believed in what he writes, but after all the fake paranormal events he "witnessed", now he is a bit skeptical. When he arrives to Falls River, Massachusetts, to write of the Lizzie Borden's haunted house, he didn't expect to fall in love. Virgil is the bed&breakfast owner from whom Spencer rents a room, and from the first night he becomes also Spencer's lover. All in all Virgil is a very good boy, he is honest with Spencer from the first, not hiding him anything. If Spencer wasn't a willing and predisposed soul, he would have run that first night.
I have to pay Jaye Valentine a lot of compliments, since, for the second time, with a slightly different mood of the story, he impressed me with the ability to make me like something that prior I wouldn't have thought possible to like. The first time was with the first book in the Starcrossed series, where the paranormal beings are not these misunderstood noble souls, but they are really demoniac and not at all penitent for their actions. Nevertheless they have a glamour that is almost impossible to resist.
The same feeling I had with this last story, but this time the mood is at the opposite, all funny and less "glamour". All right, Virgil still has his little secret, but all in all, he is a next door good boy type, gentle, caring, and the author has an intake in Virgil's otherworldly nature that turn something "ugly" in almost "sweet". Another feeling that I found recurrent in this author's work, is the young nature and attitude of the main characters: they are more boys at play than boring adults, they still face life with that irresponsibility that usually I find only in teenager characters, and instead these ones are nearly thirty years old man, more or less. Maybe it's due to the fact that these men have never stopped to dream, and doing so, they are young in soul if not in age.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002U829RC/?...
Spencer is a paranormal reporter for a national tabloid. Maybe at the beginning he believed in what he writes, but after all the fake paranormal events he "witnessed", now he is a bit skeptical. When he arrives to Falls River, Massachusetts, to write of the Lizzie Borden's haunted house, he didn't expect to fall in love. Virgil is the bed&breakfast owner from whom Spencer rents a room, and from the first night he becomes also Spencer's lover. All in all Virgil is a very good boy, he is honest with Spencer from the first, not hiding him anything. If Spencer wasn't a willing and predisposed soul, he would have run that first night.
I have to pay Jaye Valentine a lot of compliments, since, for the second time, with a slightly different mood of the story, he impressed me with the ability to make me like something that prior I wouldn't have thought possible to like. The first time was with the first book in the Starcrossed series, where the paranormal beings are not these misunderstood noble souls, but they are really demoniac and not at all penitent for their actions. Nevertheless they have a glamour that is almost impossible to resist.
The same feeling I had with this last story, but this time the mood is at the opposite, all funny and less "glamour". All right, Virgil still has his little secret, but all in all, he is a next door good boy type, gentle, caring, and the author has an intake in Virgil's otherworldly nature that turn something "ugly" in almost "sweet". Another feeling that I found recurrent in this author's work, is the young nature and attitude of the main characters: they are more boys at play than boring adults, they still face life with that irresponsibility that usually I find only in teenager characters, and instead these ones are nearly thirty years old man, more or less. Maybe it's due to the fact that these men have never stopped to dream, and doing so, they are young in soul if not in age.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002U829RC/?...
November 27, 2010
4.5 stars
Spencer Patterson loves the paranormal. He has always wanted all the stories of vampires, ghosts and other paranormal phenomenon to be real. Unfortunately, in his years as a reporter for The Weekly Harbinger, all he has proven is that he can write a good fiction story. In fact, you could say he is a "frustrated romance novelist". When Spencer meets "Damn Gorgeous" Virgin Slade, he does more than fall for the guy, he falls down the proverbial rabbit hole into the world he always hoped was real. Before he can blink, Spencer has the writing job of his dreams and a man that is literally "stunning".
Ok I'll admit this from the start. Jaye freaked me out. He totally grossed me out with this story. I had to put the book down and "eeeew" out loud. The amazing thing is that he managed to bring me from "eeew" to "yum" with the turn of a few pages. Isn't that why I always run to buy Valentine and MacLeod/Valentine releases? The stories shock me, gross me out, scare me and then bring me around to honest passion and in this case love. I absolutely love the range of emotions and this book was no exception.
Virgil is an unexpected paranormal character. For some reason I thought this was a vampire book. It isn't quite that, but who cares? It is something better and different. As usual the plot is great and the writing is excellent. The author's trademark descriptions, vivid and three dimensional are always a pleasure to read. The humor is carefully woven in, appropriate for the characters and oh-so-on-point. The hot sex scenes... Well, need I say more.
This is clearly not meant to be just a "one of" story. (If I am wrong, let me know Jaye!) Quite a bit of world building is done, some questions are left unanswered and some plot points remain open. That said, Virgil and Spencer get a nice HFN ending that is quite satisfying. I look forward to the next story set in this world.
Spencer Patterson loves the paranormal. He has always wanted all the stories of vampires, ghosts and other paranormal phenomenon to be real. Unfortunately, in his years as a reporter for The Weekly Harbinger, all he has proven is that he can write a good fiction story. In fact, you could say he is a "frustrated romance novelist". When Spencer meets "Damn Gorgeous" Virgin Slade, he does more than fall for the guy, he falls down the proverbial rabbit hole into the world he always hoped was real. Before he can blink, Spencer has the writing job of his dreams and a man that is literally "stunning".
Ok I'll admit this from the start. Jaye freaked me out. He totally grossed me out with this story. I had to put the book down and "eeeew" out loud. The amazing thing is that he managed to bring me from "eeew" to "yum" with the turn of a few pages. Isn't that why I always run to buy Valentine and MacLeod/Valentine releases? The stories shock me, gross me out, scare me and then bring me around to honest passion and in this case love. I absolutely love the range of emotions and this book was no exception.
Virgil is an unexpected paranormal character. For some reason I thought this was a vampire book. It isn't quite that, but who cares? It is something better and different. As usual the plot is great and the writing is excellent. The author's trademark descriptions, vivid and three dimensional are always a pleasure to read. The humor is carefully woven in, appropriate for the characters and oh-so-on-point. The hot sex scenes... Well, need I say more.
This is clearly not meant to be just a "one of" story. (If I am wrong, let me know Jaye!) Quite a bit of world building is done, some questions are left unanswered and some plot points remain open. That said, Virgil and Spencer get a nice HFN ending that is quite satisfying. I look forward to the next story set in this world.
March 10, 2011
This was a great paranormal story. Spencer Patterson have always had a love for all things paranormal from vampires to ghosts but stopped believing. Now he writes a cheesy column for a tabloid. Spencer meets the hot Virgil Slade and suddenly all of his beliefs are suspended. I thought this book was funny, sexy and totally out there. Very well thought out for a short story and it had a real plot that didn't depend on sex. I recommend this book to anyone looking for something different.
May 9, 2011
Interesting and original fantasy with a totally unusual fabled being (I don't think I've ever come across that one.) Nice, if a bit rushed romance. Some minor niggles - the plot jumped a bit at times. Hot sex.
Loved the tats and the snakes!
I didn't like Virgil much, not because he was badly written, I just couldn't take to him. -
Loved the tats and the snakes!
I didn't like Virgil much, not because he was badly written, I just couldn't take to him. -
March 20, 2017
Outside of the fact that I felt like I was dropped down smack dab in the middle of the book, I thought this story was absolutely adorable! This was a case of finding out that the things that go bump in the night are exactly what we thought they were but never wanted to voice out loud, just in case we were right!
I really would have liked a chapter or three added to the beginning of this story and I wouldn't say NO to a sequel or two... just to satisfy my curiosity! *grin*
I really would have liked a chapter or three added to the beginning of this story and I wouldn't say NO to a sequel or two... just to satisfy my curiosity! *grin*
September 8, 2009
Bottom line up front:
Nobody died in a flurry of blood, guts, or ruffled red feathers. Promise. I read the whole thing through twice, just to make sure.
The rest:
Spencer is the typical journalist of today: he takes precious few facts, adds in a generous dollop of pure fiction, and publishes the resulting mess in a paper. He writes for the paranormal tabloid The Weekly Harbinger. He's on assignment in Fall River, MA (hmmm...where have I heard of that place before?) under the guise of investigating the old Lizzie Borden murders. He ends up at a hotel where the front desk clerk/owner is a sexy dreadlocked guy with some odd ink. I mean, really! Who tattoos a pic of their mom on their back nowadays?
Spencer and Virgil get to flirting right away, and end up in bed bumping uglies not a day later. Virgil, being a true gentleman, took Spencer out for a little surf and turf before slipping him some tube steak. Of course, there was the little matter of all these incredibly life-like statues all over the hotel to be addressed, combined with the dreaded "we need to have a talk" moment.
Spencer, for all his articles on the paranormal, didn't actually believe in ghosts, goblins, or anything other than humans bumping in the night. It is borderline unbelievable then, when finally confronted with something outside the general parameters of 'normal', he is completely unfazed. He painlessly slid from confirmed skeptic to true believer. That didn't carry the ring of authenticity for me. I could have bought some of it, but there were snakes. Snakes! Staring at him. During sex. And he just kept bucking his hips. No girlish squeak or anything.
Virgil was actually interesting as a character...all the way up until he turned into a sniveling little bitch.
Ok, Spencer didn't actually say that, but I thought it for him. Whiny men annoy the snot out of me 100% of the time.
I didn't love Damn Gorgeous, but there were enough elements attracting my attention that I didn't hate it either. On the whole, I found it an average read with the potential to be an above average series if continued on. I'd certainly be interested in reading the next story, if there is one.
Nobody died in a flurry of blood, guts, or ruffled red feathers. Promise. I read the whole thing through twice, just to make sure.
The rest:
Spencer is the typical journalist of today: he takes precious few facts, adds in a generous dollop of pure fiction, and publishes the resulting mess in a paper. He writes for the paranormal tabloid The Weekly Harbinger. He's on assignment in Fall River, MA (hmmm...where have I heard of that place before?) under the guise of investigating the old Lizzie Borden murders. He ends up at a hotel where the front desk clerk/owner is a sexy dreadlocked guy with some odd ink. I mean, really! Who tattoos a pic of their mom on their back nowadays?
Spencer and Virgil get to flirting right away, and end up in bed bumping uglies not a day later. Virgil, being a true gentleman, took Spencer out for a little surf and turf before slipping him some tube steak. Of course, there was the little matter of all these incredibly life-like statues all over the hotel to be addressed, combined with the dreaded "we need to have a talk" moment.
Spencer, for all his articles on the paranormal, didn't actually believe in ghosts, goblins, or anything other than humans bumping in the night. It is borderline unbelievable then, when finally confronted with something outside the general parameters of 'normal', he is completely unfazed. He painlessly slid from confirmed skeptic to true believer. That didn't carry the ring of authenticity for me. I could have bought some of it, but there were snakes. Snakes! Staring at him. During sex. And he just kept bucking his hips. No girlish squeak or anything.
Virgil was actually interesting as a character...all the way up until he turned into a sniveling little bitch.
"Oh God, Spencer," Virgil said, his voice choking up, and I wondered if those eyes could cry. "Love me, just love me. I don't think I can get through this by myself."Well, you're going to have to figure it out honey, cuz I'm outta here!
Ok, Spencer didn't actually say that, but I thought it for him. Whiny men annoy the snot out of me 100% of the time.
I didn't love Damn Gorgeous, but there were enough elements attracting my attention that I didn't hate it either. On the whole, I found it an average read with the potential to be an above average series if continued on. I'd certainly be interested in reading the next story, if there is one.
September 2, 2009
Spenser is a reporter with a serious love of things that go bump in the night. When a new assignment brings him to Fall River and to a sexy innkeeper, Spenser may be in over his head finally. This novella is creepy, slick, and interesting. Not to mention filled with spoilers to the point that it’s easier to just throw this in as a midweek read than write a full review. But be sure to pick up a copy for yourself and see if you guess the ending. It caught me I admit and I hope this is the start of a series.
May 7, 2011
Two words for Jaye Valentine's Damn Gorgeous: damn good. It is very short, but totally entertaining. Sent to Fall River, Massachusetts, to investigate the Lizzie Borden House, Spencer Patterson comes much closer to the paranormal world than he thought possible when he meets Virgil Slade. Spencer works on the paranormal desk for a tabloid, The Weekly Harbinger, but what Virgil is, and what he does, came as quite a surprise to me. I won't spoil it here, but if you like a modern take on Greek myths, then this could be for you.
January 5, 2011
I saw the blurb for this one and HAD to read it. It's set in Fall River Massachusetts, which is close to my home, so I couldn't wait to see what parts of the city were included.
Without giving away the mystery of the story, I really enjoyed this different take on paranormal beings. Quick, buy very enjoyable read. :)
Without giving away the mystery of the story, I really enjoyed this different take on paranormal beings. Quick, buy very enjoyable read. :)
October 29, 2009
I have to confess that as someone with a moderate snake phobia there were certain things I couldn't get past in this book to really enjoy it. Shuddering as I type.
November 6, 2009
3.75 out of 5
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October 28, 2009Damn Gorgeous is a very well written paranormal erotic M/M romance with a cool twist. I won't spoil it for you, but if you're looking for something a bit different, try this book!
January 18, 2011
A wonderfully imaginative story - I love the world Jaye created, as well as the interesting, loveable characters. Great book.
December 17, 2010
The story is to short and the plot is really so small I would think, it's not existing. But in general good easy read.
September 30, 2011
3.5 Stars
July 7, 2011
Well-written, fun to read paranormal with a twist.
September 11, 2016
4.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews