LGBT Romance

Blurb:

In 1920s Scotland, even ghosts wear plaid.

Welcome to a sexy, spooky new paranormal historical series from debut author Ella Stainton.

Scotland, 1928

Dr. Ainsley Graham is cultivating a reputation as an eccentric.

Two years ago, he catastrophically ended his academic career by publicly claiming to talk to ghosts. When Joachim Cockburn, a WWI veteran studying the power of delusional thinking, arrives at his door, Ainsley quickly catalogues him as yet another tiresome Englishman determined to mock his life’s work.

But Joachim is tenacious and openhearted, and Ainsley’s intrigued despite himself. He agrees to motor his handsome new friend around to Scotland’s most unmistakable hauntings. If he can convince Joachim, Ainsley might be able to win back his good name and then some. He knows he’s not crazy—he just needs someone else to know it, too.

Joachim is one thesis away from realizing his dream of becoming a psychology professor, and he’s not going to let anyone stop him, not even an enchanting ginger with a penchant for tartan and lewd jokes. But as the two travel across Scotland’s lovely—and definitely, definitely haunted—landscape, Joachim’s resolve starts to melt. And he’s beginning to think that an empty teaching post without the charming Dr. Graham would make a very poor consolation prize indeed…

Review:

This was such a fun romp through 1920s Scotland as somewhat eccentric Ainsley drags Joachim from place to place to prove the existence of ghosts.  

Both of the characters are equally compelling.  Joachim carries both emotional and physical wounds from the war and, for his Ph.D. research, is in Scotland to study the behavior of Dr. Ainsley Graham, who claims that he speaks with ghosts. On the other hand, the flirtatious commitment-phobic Ainsley is quite eccentric and most likely suffers from ADHD. He’s also carrying some deep emotional wounds himself, especially grief from the loss of his brother Charlie.  

Once Ainsley discovers with certainty that Joachim is also gay, he wastes no time in trying to get the man into bed, which doesn’t take him long at all, resulting in many steamy moments of pure erotica; heavenly, tawdry and scintillating.  Typically, I’m not a fan of numerous sex scenes in a story and tend to breeze past them.  They worked really well here, however, and each one helped us to learn a little bit more about the personalities of our guys as well allow us to watch as their feelings continued to deepen for each other.

However, these feelings between our characters take quite a while to develop, given that each of them carries some intense emotional baggage.  That being said, the author does an exquisite job of developing these two characters.  They were so vivid, so distinct that I felt as though I were interacting with actual people in real life.  Additionally, the chemistry between them was off the charts.   It was also fun to watch each man’s desperate attempts to hide his feelings for the other.

As for the paranormal aspect of the story, it was a hoot to journey along with them as Joachim refuses to believe what’s right in front of him. The author threw in a couple of extra added twists to the ghost aspect of the story which added to its intrigue. 

I enjoyed how some of the ghosts popped in and out of the story, and we learn their connection to our two protagonists.  Another character, Ainsley’s friend Barley, who is psychic and is trying to seduce a lad who may or may not be straight, added a bit of extra fun to the storyline.  

I appreciated the commentary about being gay in the 1920s and how the discovery of such could be not only ruinous to one’s career, but could also result in being sent to prison or locked up in an asylum.  So in this way, we see how acting on feelings for another could be extremely dangerous if not deadly. So though two men may love one another, the decision to live as a couple provided an additional level of conflict in the story.

But all in all, I loved this historical romance/ghost story. This fun and beautiful book stole my heart. It’s an enjoyable story that serves up laughs to accompany a thoughtful reflection on loss, grief, depression, anxiety, trauma, and love, all of which the author writes with winning charm.  

But apart from the ghosts and the romance, I found that this book is ultimately also about facing unimaginable heartbreak and coming out stronger on the other side, no matter how long it takes you. 

A huge thank you to Ella Stainton and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.

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Blurb:

When a coven of hedge witches casts a spell for their hearts’ desires, the world turns upside down.

Bartholomew Baker is afraid to hope for his heart’s true desire—the gregarious woodworker who sells his wares next to Bartholomew at the local craft fairs—so he writes the spell for his baking business to thrive and allow him to quit his office job. He’d rather pour his energy into emotionally gratifying pastry! But the magic won’t allow him to lie, even to himself, and the spellcasting has unexpected consequences.

For two years Lachlan has been flirting with Bartholomew, but the shy baker with the beautiful gray eyes runs away whenever their conversation turns personal. He’s about to give up hope… and then Bartholomew rushes into a convention in the midst of a spellcasting disaster of epic proportions.

Suddenly everybody wants a taste of Bartholomew’s baked goods—and Bartholomew himself. Lachlan gladly jumps on for the ride, enduring rioting crowds and supernatural birds for a chance with Bartholomew. Can Bartholomew overcome the shyness that has kept him from giving his heart to Lachlan?

Review:

What an unexpected gem! This was such a surprising read that took me to places I very much didn’t expect.  The story differs greatly from Amy Lane’s typical angsty romances that I’ve read in the past.  This book follows a group of modern-day witches whose most recent spell has gone terribly, terribly awry. What’s fun about this is that some of the fallout of the spell has to do with Bartholomew’s crush on Lachlan, the sexy woodworker whose booth is often next Bartholomew’s at local fairs and conventions where they both sell their wares.

Bartholomew is one of the witches who cast the runaway spell. It’s worth mentioning that he’s so shy that he’s never been able to bring himself to confess his feelings for Lachlan.  As for the runaway spell, the witches all had to write down and then state their heart’s desire aloud.  The kicker is that for one reason for another, they ALL were lying (some to themselves) about what they really, truly wanted, and “magic” didn’t seem too happy about that fact. Hence, it ripped out the “real” truth from all of them during the climax of the spell — and all manner of chaotic hijinks ensued.  In fact, the beginning of this book read like a freight train running off the rails!

I loved the pining between Bartholomew and Lachlan.  The sexual tension and energy between these two vibrates the pages.  They also are real, complicated, and relatable human characters, which isn’t surprising as Any Lane is a master of building characters that feel relatable.

I also enjoyed the structure of the magical world in this series. Although the witches are like everyday folks, feeling confused and unsure of themselves like the rest of us, they also have a great deal of power and ability, though they may not all realize it. It was this fact that especially endeared these characters to me.  Lane deftly builds a world where magic feels both plausible and inevitable, and inserts this magical world seamlessly into our own.

This cosmic comedy of errors/romance had it all: a gripping plot, tender and funny moments, and some very steamy scenes. Shortbread and Shadows is a fun and light start to a new series, and this delightful, quirky, heartwarming romance will make you believe in love again.  I found this to be an imaginative modern-day romance that’s infused with the whimsy of magical realism.  

I was not only submerged in the sweet and tender relationship – but page after page, I fell deeper into the richly imagined world.  And though the story revolves around the witches and their unfortunate spell, at its core, this story is about love.  So what we get then, is a sweet, achingly romantic, lighthearted, and gentle story as these two men slowly reveal their genuine feelings for the other. And did I mention steamy?? Oh my!

I loved this new quirky, heartwarming romance, and I cannot wait for the next installment. I look forward to seeing where this series is going to go next.  If I could magically make it appear on my Kindle right now, I would!

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I love the fake dating trope and felt that this one was exceptionally well done. The story follows a young man named Luc, who is the son of famous rock star parents, meaning his life is under the constant microscope of the paparazzi. Because of this, a few “unflattering” photos of him have made it into the newspapers, and his reputation is in dire need of fixing.

So when his boss tells him in no uncertain terms that he needs to clean up his image…or else, Luc decides to find a nice normal boyfriend and sets his sights on Oliver, a rather stuffy and uptight vegetarian barrister who is in need of a date for an important family event. After a disastrous first date, the two men decide quickly that they don’t like each other, but they do agree to be each other’s fake boyfriend for the next several months, after which each man can go his separate way. Of course, our guys have to keep in mind the first rule of fake dating: don’t fall in love.

What I enjoyed about this story is that it was also an endearing romantic comedy of opposites attracting, as these two men couldn’t be more different. It was so much fun watching the ups and downs of their budding relationship as they slowly begin to develop real romantic feelings for each other once the lines of their “fake” relationship begin to blur. I also loved witnessing Luc’s journey as he went from a place of super-low self-esteem and low self-worth to being a confident and self-assured young man.

While the fake dating/romance theme does take front and center, the book delves into some serious topics as well, including abandonment issues, toxic family dynamics, homophobia, trust/mistrust, mental health, parental estrangement, and self-acceptance. In this way, the book is much more than a light, fluffy romance; it has quite a bit of depth.

It was refreshing that our main characters did not jump into bed right away just because they are fake dating, which we often see with this trope. And when the sex does finally occur, it’s mostly off-screen and fade to black, so if you’re looking for a sexy, steamy and explicit romance, this isn’t it. But what you will get is an emotional, gripping story with plenty of heart. It was so easy to fall in love with these characters as they’re amusing, somewhat angsty, super sweet, determined, flawed, and real.

I thought this book was hysterically funny, and the banter made me cackle out loud on several occasions. It’s also heartwarming and touching, with wry descriptions and excellent pacing — it’s the sort of book you’ll clasp to your chest with a happy sigh after you finish it. If you like witty banter and shenanigans, this is the book for you.

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Conventionally Yours is a new adult romance follows our two main characters Conrad and Alden, both expert players of a fictional game called Odyssey.  This book contained three of my favorite tropes:  enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, and a road trip (complete with a hotel room with only…one…bed).  I wasn’t sure about the gaming aspect of it, though, as I’m not a gamer, but I needn’t had worried as the tensions between our two characters along with their hidden pasts rendered this an utterly compelling story for me. This was the first book I’ve read about gamers and gaming conventions, and though I’m not personally a gamer, I found this aspect of the story a lot of fun.  

What made this story especially intriguing was both of our characters’ backstories. There’s Alden, who may or may not be on the autism spectrum but who is suffering from crippling anxiety as well as the need to fulfill his moms’ expectations; and Conrad, who has suffered enormous setbacks over the past year and is on the verge of being homeless.  

What’s fun is that each character sees the other in a completely different way than the person’s actual reality.  And of course, there’s the “I hate you, I hate you….yet I find you strangely attractive” aspect of it, which I always love. So in this way, both of our characters are quite complex and leading complicated lives.  

So our two enemies, each who is at a significant crossroads in his life, are forced to travel to a gaming convention together alone and in the same car.  And as their trip progresses, they each find themselves developing more than a casual interest in the other, complete with unwelcome romantic thoughts.

I was nearly giddy as I saw them moving toward an inevitable romance, and it was so much fun watching these two fighting their attraction to the other and, ultimately, giving in to it.  There was also the extra added intrigue of the uber-important Odyssey Con competition — where both of the men feel that they must win… NO MATTER WHAT.

Overall, Conventionally Yours is a sweet, fun, heartfelt, nerdy romance  – an excellent, well-crafted story that was a perfect blend of romance and gaming — a rare find.  It’s a heartwarming story of two boys finding their way to each other, and I ended up loving the quirky plot and the endearing secondary characters.  A rivalry between two master gamers turns into a whirlwind romance in this charming story about true love and doing what’s right.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an ARC of this story.

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