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Review of Keeping Casey by Amy Aislin

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Keeping Casey Book CoverBlurb:

Casey Preston is the guy with the plan. The list-maker. The one who micromanages his own life.

Spontaneously offering to be his best friend’s fake boyfriend to get Ethan’s annoying team captain off his back?

That’s not thinking things through. It’s not even smart given Casey’s been fighting his feelings for Ethan for years.

Ethan Rain just wants to play hockey and get his college degree. Adding a fake boyfriend to the mix? He doesn’t need that complication.

If Casey were his real boyfriend, though? If he got to keep Casey forever? Now we’re talking.

But what if Casey doesn’t want to be kept?

Review:

Keeping Casey is a sweet college romance that contains many of my favorite tropes/elements: gay hockey players, friends-to-lovers, and fake-dating, so I was super excited to delve into this book. The story follows Casey and Ethan, who have been best friends throughout their entire lives. Ethan is demisexual, and Casey is gay, and both of them have a secret crush on the other — but neither has ever been brave enough to act on their feelings, each certain that their love is unrequited. Thus, there’s plenty of angst as well as mutual pining going on. What’s fun is that pretty much everyone around them assumes that they’re a couple because of the way they act towards each other, and their friends call them out on it more than once.

It’s also worth mentioning that the boys are bonded by a shared family tragedy: they both lost a parent in the same horrific construction accident, so this tragedy has overshadowed their decisions in life and affected each of them in different ways. They take care of each other, support each other, and provide that unconditional yet unspoken love that really is what they both need so desperately.

Their relationship takes a turn when, on the fly, they decide to become fake boyfriends in order to put Ethan’s homophobic team captain in his place. Suddenly, their intense feelings for each other are forced out into the open with some unexpected results. I love how these two move through so much indecision and inner doubt as they toy with the idea of falling for each other.

Note that this is an extremely slow burn and low heat story — in fact, they don’t even kiss until near the end of the book. In this way, sex is secondary to the intense emotional bond that the men share. So if you’re looking for a steamy romance, this isn’t it. What we do have, though, is a deep love and bond between two men who have intimate knowledge of each other’s faults and imperfections. Yes, both characters are flawed and slightly broken — but their complementary characteristics balance out their flaws.

Though this is a tender, lighthearted romance, there’s also a serious aspect to it as the story delves into topics such as homophobia, love, grief, parental distancing, chronic illness (Ethan is living with rheumatoid arthritis), fear, insecurity, and sexuality. The sprinkling of humor throughout, however, kept the story from being too heavy.

Though Keeping Casey may be a bit cliché in the way that it ends up resolving some pretty big problems and conflicts, it is an endearing romance that allows a reader to enjoy a bit of escapism into a beautiful relationship that never really falters. Their love is engaging and passionate — and Casey and Ethan have become one of my favorite couples. They both become different people by the end of this book, and it is lovely to see it happen. So though a tender romance is at the heart of this book, the story is also about facing unimaginable heartbreak and loss — and coming out stronger on the other side, no matter how long it takes you.

Purchase Keeping Casey from Amazon

Review of Where There’s a Kilt, There’s a Way by Ella Stainton

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Where There's a Kilt, There's a Way book coverBlurb:

Two years ago, Dr. Ainsley Graham proved the existence of ghosts, and fell in love—hard to top that. But a trip to Sweden to research at a prestigious University for the summer is nothing to sneeze at, especially since his partner, psychologist Joachim Cockburn, will be teaching alongside him. A change of scenery might be just the thing.

Their idyllic trip to Sweden is interrupted by a ghost with a proclivity for rude hand gestures and graphic curse words—and a ghastly history begging to be investigated. Life among the living is complicated, too, by a gruff professor who can’t take his eyes off Ainsley, and an enticing new job offer for Joachim.

What starts as an adventurous trip abroad turns into mayhem, murder, and…a magical moose? And everyone—well, perhaps not the moose—is a suspect in the death of the ghostly young man who brings them together to expose secrets, loves lost, and a crime that will shock them all

Review:

This is the second book in the “Kilty Pleasures” series, and it was fun to spend time with Dr. Graham and Dr. Cockburn (Ainsley and Joachim) once again. In this story, Ainsley heads off on a field expedition to Sweden to research folklore about a ghostly moose (I know, right?). The kicker is that the Swedish professor who Ainsley will be accompanying may be a murderer — or at least, the ghost who’s haunting Joachim claims that he is. Worried that his lover’s life is in jeopardy, Joachim rushes off to Sweden to his aid. The two men then take it upon themselves to solve the ghost’s murder and bring the culprit to justice.

As was the case with the first book, there was plenty of fun and witty banter between our two main characters, lovable and quirky secondary characters, lots of zany situations, as well as misunderstandings and jealousy along the way. There were even gnomes!

I loved the chemistry between Ainsley and Joachim and enjoyed how the story was told from both of their points of view. allowing us a glimpse into each other’s thoughts. The story wasn’t only entertaining with its captivating setting, but the author also gives us a compelling ghostly mystery to solve. This is one of those warm, fuzzy stories where everyone gets what they deserve in the end, in the very best possible ways. But it’s the romance between Ainsley and Joachim that still steals the show. Their bond is a powerful one, and I adored their interactions.

The author has created a delightful world here, and I look forward to reading more books in this series with these endearing characters. There’s something about the comfortable familiarity, as well as the charm and lightheartedness with which the author approaches the world-building and the characters, that’s just fun.

Purchase Where There’s a Kilt, There’s a Way from Amazon

Review of River Queens by Alexander Watson

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River Queens Book CoverBlurb:

Two men and a spotted dog restore a vintage Chris-Craft motor yacht and launch across the American Heartland from Texas to Ohio. The restoration, the people they met along the way, and life in an America which few know exists are the story of River Queens: Saucy boat, stout mates, spotted dog, America.

Review:

I don’t read a lot of non-fiction, but I was intrigued when I was offered the opportunity to read a travel memoir about a gay couple who purchase a wooden boat on a whim and take it on a journey neither of them will forget.

River Queens is the engaging story of Alexander Watson and Dale Harris, their amazing Dalmatian, Doris Faye, and their antique designer boat, Betty Jane — a 1955 Chris-Craft that they restored themselves and made seaworthy. The book is kind of a “slice of life” story that follows their journey from restoring the boat to their trip through several states on the rivers of America. The author doesn’t hide the fact that a boat renovation project like this one can be rough on a relationship, and it was compelling to see how they solved their problems — both the boating and relationship ones. I did enjoy seeing them work through numerous setbacks and frustrations, and there’s little doubt in my mind that the restoration tested every skill both of the men possessed. The two of them formed an admirable team though a bit of drama snuck in from time to time.

My personal boating knowledge is limited to canoes and kayaks, so I was initially hesitant to begin reading this book, worrying that the boating terms would be over my head. Though numerous boating terms are indeed used throughout the book, they didn’t pull me out of the story at all. The author also includes a convenient glossary of terms in the back of the book for the curious.

What was fun was watching the two men figure out their boat and learn river culture as they went along, and we got to see just how arduous of a process it was. Basically, the fellows entered into a whole new world with its own rules, lingo, culture, and expectations. Luckily, the guys were often able to rely on locals for advice.

Speaking of locals, this is where the book really shined: the descriptions of the colorful and fascinating people they met along the way. The author uses colloquial dialog and phonetic spelling, which took me a bit to adjust to. But once I did, I loved it and felt that it added so much to the story. I could almost hear their voices in my head as I read, which really added an extra compelling element to the narrative. The dialog, the physical descriptions of the people, their mannerisms, and their animated speech brought them to vivid life. The author truly does a masterful job of capturing these compelling people in his mesmerizing stories. With only a few exceptions, most of the people Watson and Harris encounter are friendly, helpful, and kind, as well as eager to help out inexperienced “newbies.”

Though this book is indeed an emotional and personal journey, the book is not only about Watson and Harris — it’s about connecting with people, about acceptance, helping others, and finding one’s place in the world. This travel narrative grabbed me from the get-go, and before I knew it, I was lost in the story. By the end, I felt as though I were part of Dale and Alexander’s journey myself, and I am so glad this book came to my attention.

A huge thank you to the author for providing a review copy of this book.

Purchase River Queens on Amazon

Review of Mystery at the Masquerade by Josh Lanyon

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Murder at the Masquerade book coverBlurb:

Ellery Page, aspiring screenwriter, reigning Scrabble champion, and occasionally clueless owner of the Crow’s Nest mystery bookshop, is both flattered and bemused when he’s invited to the annual Marauder’s Masquerade, the biggest social event of the season in the quaint seaside village of Pirate’s Cove, Rhode Island.

Ellery doesn’t even know Mrs. Bloodworth-Ainsley—nor, it turns out does Mrs. Bloodworth-Ainsley know Ellery. But Marguerite’s son, Julian, wants to know him. Julian, handsome, rich, and engaging, is a huge mystery buff, but he’s never quite worked up the nerve to ask Ellery out.

As his relationship with Police Chief Jack Carson seems to be dead in the water, Ellery is grateful for a little flattering male attention from the village’s most eligible bachelor. But any hopes of romance hit the shoals when Julian is accused of murdering his mother’s unlikable second husband during the spooky annual ghost hunt in the old cemetery.

Review

Murder at the Masquerade is the third book in the Secrets and Scrabble series — that follows Ellery Page, a bookstore owner and amateur sleuth who resides in the seaside village of Pirate’s Cove. Once again, Ellery is reluctantly dragged into another murder investigation — this time, at the town’s most prestigious yearly event. This time, Ellery is surprised by the attentions of Julian, the son of one of the wealthiest families in Pirate’s Cove. Paying a visit to Julian’s family crypt, they stumble across the body of Julian’s unlikeable stepfather, and Ellery is inadvertently drawn into the investigation, much to the chagrin of Police Chief Jack Carson.

Like the past two books, this was an intriguing yet lighthearted mystery populated with numerous shenanigans and quirky, oddball secondary characters. I really loved journeying along with this zany set of vibrant characters as the pieces of the puzzle slowly fit into place, and the mystery unfurled. I’ve come to love the folks of this village community, and it’s heartwarming to see them slowly begin to accept Ellery as one of their own.

Though the mystery itself is at the forefront of the story, we do see a significant step forward in Ellery’s hot and cold, push and pull romance with Police Chief Jack Carson. I look forward to future books to see where their relationship goes. But as this is a cozy mystery, there is no on-page violence, swearing, or sex, so this is the perfect story for those who don’t like their mysteries too gory or too sexy.

All in all, I found it delightfully inventive, playful, humorous and clever, with all of its creepy crypts, hidden tunnels, and over-the-top characters and situations. This tongue-in-cheek story is a treat for cozy mystery fans.

Oh, and Ellery’s lovable dog Watson, who plays a more significant part in the story this time, is the cherry on top of this fun and delightful tale.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book.

Purchase Murder at the Masquerade from Amazon

Review of Dead Sea by Mia Kerick

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Dead Sea book cov er

Blurb:

Kyle is a swaggering bully; Lenny strives to be invisible.

Kyle has been left alone in the world; Lenny is the world’s biggest loner.

When Kyle saves Lenny from drowning, their lives will never be the same.

After a brutal encounter with school bullies, Lenny swims out into the ocean, determined to let the current whisk him away. Next thing he knows the meanest kid in town is pulling him from the waves, promising to be his Dead Sea, and to never let him sink.

All Kyle wants is to get out of beach cleanup, is that too much to ask? So he goes for a swim, only to come upon the most epic “nobody” in the senior class drowning in a riptide. Lenny’s haunted gaze grips him, and Kyle makes the impulsive decision to save his life or die trying. And through this ordeal, Kyle and Lenny are transformed.

Kyle’s heroic act sets him on the straight and narrow, and he opens his heart to the young man he dragged from the ocean. Lenny changes too but is still unable to reveal the truth of his pain. While drowning in a sea of secrets, the reformed bully and wary victim fall in love. But staying afloat in the Dead Sea is not as simple as it seems.

Trigger warning: one character attempts unsuccessfully to die by suicide as is noted in the blurb, further discussion of death by suicide

Review:

The story follows Lenny, a seventeen-year-old talented creative kid who loves to sew and dress up in costumes. After an upsetting event during which all of his secrets risk exposure, Lenny, unable to face the potential humiliation, decides to walk into the ocean and never return. Caught in a riptide, he begins to drown but is rescued by the unlikeliest of heroes: one of the school’s biggest and meanest bullies, Kyle.

It was so much fun watching Kyle transform from a bully into a caring individual who continues not only to surprise those around him but surprise himself as well. In Kyle and Lenny, we have two teenagers who have gone through difficult times but have dealt with them in different ways: Lenny by becoming nearly invisible (his nickname at school is “Zip-Lip” because he hardly ever even talks) and Kyle hiding behind his bullying facade and tough attitude. So in this way, both boys hid from the world in their own way.

I loved seeing the transformation as both boys evolved into something more, with each discovering themselves and each other in the process. I enjoyed watching their connection strengthen as the days passed, and they both started changing, both defying society’s expectations and overcoming their personal trauma. It was heartwarming how one of the school’s most terrifying individuals became a hero and how this affected everyone around them — but most of all, himself and Lenny. Mia Kerick really seems to understand the teenage soul—the longing, the self-awareness, the challenges, the fear, and the confusion.

There is real depth to this story as it delves into some pretty serious themes such as suicide, bullying, depression, parental rejection, abandonment, survival, homophobia, and fitting in, all of which the author handled expertly and compassionately. The author created here two characters that I couldn’t help but care deeply for. They were well-fleshed out with a satisfying character arc. Though the book is layered with complexities of identity and societal expectations, ultimately, Dead Sea ends being a beautifully written story about friendship, redemption, and first love.

Purchase Dead Sea from Amazon