Tag Archives: Missouri Dalton

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Congrats to AlbertaGirl, SarahM, and Melora, who won copies of Mourning Heaven by Amy Lane! Mourning Heaven is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Congrats to Mammarella, who won Sub Zero by Angel Martinez!

Congrats to Sarah S, who won Body Magic (Triad #2) by Poppy Dennison! Body Magic will be released by Dreamspinner Press on September 10.



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  • Chaos gets around this by simply ripping the roll into confetti – I haven’t been able to hang up a roll of toilet paper for many, many years. (For future reference, it’s in the cupboard under the bathroom sink. I hope you’re good at opening childproof locks one-handed whilst leaning over from the toilet…)

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Reading Update
The Cat in the Cradle (Loka Legends #1) by Jay Bell. ebook. Very good young adult gay fantasy (with romantic elements) about a young man and his talking cat who head out to experience more of life than what they’ve seen during their sheltered existence. They achieve that in spades.
Finding Fire, Flesh and Blood, and the Loka Legends Sketchbook (Loka Legends #0.5/1.5) by Jay Bell & Andreas Bell. free ebook collection. Finding Fire takes place before The Cat in the Cradle, but you don’t need to read them in that order. Flesh and Blood takes place before, during, and after The Cat in the Cradle; I recommend you read it after. Both (very good) short stories provide additional insight into the events of The Cat in the Cradle.
From Darkness to Darkness (Loka Legends #2) by Jay Bell. ebook. Very good young adult gay fantasy (with romantic elements) about life, death, love, and the responsibilities of power. Hmm. Could I be any more cryptic? 😉
Stained Glass by Jaime Samms. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about a guy who’s only recently realized he’s a sub, but who’s been almost destroyed by his dom imploding. He retreats into a bottle, but his friends are not ready to lose him.
Max & Finn (Men of Smithfield #2) by LB Gregg. ebook. reread. Very good m/m romance about a prep school teacher and dorm parent who is discomfited to discover that the security specialist he had an impulsive encounter with will be protecting one of the students in the dorm.
Slow Burn by Dawn Douglas. ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about a college student whose twin sister blackmails him into doing a dreaded coffee delivery for a financial trust. In the elevator on the way to the delivery, he drools over the handsome older Brit…
Words and Their Digestion by seventhswan. free online short. Very good short m/m romance about a college student who’s probably somewhere on the autism spectrum and whose roommate is one of his few friends. And then his roommate gets a serious boyfriend…
Posted to Death (Simon Kirby-Jones #1) by Dean James. reread. This was a delightful and slightly twisted version of the British village cozy mystery, because Simon is a gay vampire (he can be out in sunlight and doesn’t need to drink blood, as long as he takes his medication) and well-known historian (who secretly writes romances and mysteries under several pseudonyms). Definitely recommended if you enjoy mysteries with a bit of snark and a complicated cast of suspects. (Also, for the wary, I would give this book a no-pepper heat rating – a very safe read.)
Faked to Death (Simon Kirby-Jones #2) by Dean James. Good gay mystery in which vampire and author Simon goes to a retreat for mystery writers, which is livened up a bit too much by murder.
A Road Not Taken by Jennifer Thorne. ebook. Good m/m romance about an eco-house builder who finds a depressed young man along the side of a road in a broken-down car, takes him home, and puts him to work. Things proceeded between them pretty fast – I think it would’ve worked better in a slightly longer format, with more time for their relationship to develop.
Love, Hypoethetically (Theta Alpha Gamma #2) by Anne Tenino. ebook. Good m/m romance about a grad student and tutor who’s never really gotten over his first love from high school, even though things ended in a way that left him horribly bitter.
Out of the Ashes by Olivia Duncan Craig. ebook. Good m/m romance based on Cinderella about a guy who grows up on a remote Texas ranch, basically living the life of an indentured servant. And then one day a handsome young man visits the ranch… This needed a wee bit more proofreading attention.
Murder on Camac (Marco Fontana #1) by Joseph RG DeMarco. ebook. Good gay mystery about a PI who also runs a troupe of male strippers and is hired by a grieving man to find out whether his boyfriend died in a mugging gone wrong, or was murdered because of a book he was writing exposing wrongdoing in the Catholic church.
Crimes on Latimer (Marco Fontana #3) by Joseph RG DeMarco. ebook. Good collection of six short gay mysteries featuring PI Marco Fontana, starting with Marco’s first “case” in high school. I was a little frustrated that a promising thread from “The DaVinci Theft” wasn’t resolved in that or any of the other stories.
Touching Evil by Rob Knight. ebook. Ok paranormal m/m romance about a psychic who can basically read minds when he touches someone or touches an object someone else touched. This makes him very useful to the police… until a serial killer starts working to get his attention. I found this a frustrating read – too many sex scenes, too many food descriptions, and too many sentence fragments (reminding me that “Rob Knight” is just a “Sean Michael” pseudonym).
It Happened in Buenos Aires (Grave Watchers #2) by Missouri Dalton. ebook short. Huh. I’m setting this to today, but I read this soon after it came out and can’t remember the dates. Perhaps my disappointment in the story blocked it all out?


“You better watch out, big kitty! I am preparing my kitty laser eyes!” -Mayhem

“I’m so scared. Not.” -Chaos

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Congrats to Nette, who won her choice of Left in the Darkness (Haven Coffee House Boys #2) or Tagged and Bagged (EMS Heat #14) by Stephani Hecht!



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Reading Update
Life After Death (Infected #3) by Andrea Speed. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense following up on Roan as he moves on from the shattering event in the previous book. I had some niggles about the timeline that I tried to ignore, but they just kept poking at me.
Freefall (Infected #4) by Andrea Speed. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Roan has a particularly rough time between his excessive use of painkillers and his increasingly frequent migraines. On the plus side, he finally makes some progress in his personal life.
Shift (Infected #5) by Andrea Speed. ebook. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Roan’s abilities continue to develop in new and inexplicable ways and he and Dylan face some hard truths about themselves and their relationship.
Worth the Wait by Lori Toland. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a scientist who inadvertently turns an old cell phone into a time machine and decides to go back to encourage his younger self to be more social. Loved the twist to this one!
The Chimera Affair by Keira Andrews. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about a spy who uses a young man’s naivete in his pursuit of keeping a biochemical weapon out of the hands of terrorists, but then feels sufficiently guilty that he rescues the young man in the nick of time. And then things started to get interesting. 🙂
The Hanged Man’s Ghost (The Night Wars #1) by Missouri Dalton. ebook. reread. I started the second book, then realized I’d forgotten everything about the first book, which I read in… February. D’oh! Very good paranormal m/m romance about a Chicago police detective with a drinking problem and a crush on his straight best friend. When he realizes he can see ghosts, his life spirals quickly out of control. Sloppy proofing and a storyline that needed to be reined in just a bit kept this from being a five-star read.
Poisoned Spirits (The Night Wars #1.5) by Missouri Dalton. ebook short. Good short historical paranormal m/m romance in which a cop in Chicago’s paranormal division discovers his boyfriend’s been poisoned.
The Night Shift (The Night Wars #2) by Missouri Dalton. ebook. This m/m paranormal romantic suspense would’ve been rated higher, but it ends on a cliffhanger, basically midscene. I can’t recommend that anyone read this until the next book is available. Very sloppy proofing in this one, too.
Fiends in Low Places (The Night Wars, maybe #2.5?) by Missouri Dalton. ebook short. reread. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who works for the MC from The Hanged Man’s Ghost and The Night Shift. This takes place a couple of years after The Night Shift.
Taxes and TARDIS by NR Walker. ebook. Cute m/m romance about an electrician who has to take his shoebox full of receipts and tax stuff to a new accountant after his previous accountant retires. He’s not usually attracted to slim, geeky men, but there’s jut something about that new accountant…
Cost of Repairs by AM Arthur. ebook. Good m/m romance about a beat cop who moves to a small town to escape tragedy in his past and becomes intrigued by the prickly, prideful cook at the local diner.
Where Nerves End (Tucker Springs #1) by LA Witt. ebook. Good m/m romance about a bar owner who’s having a really rough time – his bar is losing money, he’s having trouble paying his mortgage, and he has chronic pain from an injured shoulder. Having his straight acupuncturist rent part of his house should help his budget crisis, but he doesn’t anticipate how sexually frustrated he’ll be seeing the guy wandering around half-dressed all the time… While I enjoyed this, I had a couple niggles. First, the relationship just didn’t make complete sense to me – I think there just wasn’t enough time spent on it. Second, the financial problems didn’t make sense to me, either – they were amorphous and started to feel unrealistic. If things were that dire and nothing really changed other than business slowing down for the summer, it doesn’t seem as if he’d be able to stay out of foreclosure or bankruptcy.
Holed Up (Holed Up #1) by Hank Edwards. ebook. reread. Pretty good m/m romantic suspense about an FBI agent protecting a man who overheard information about a terrorist attack.
Shacked Up (Holed Up #2) by Hank Edwards. ebook. Pretty good m/m romantic suspense continuing the story of the FBI agent and the guy he was protecting, who are now living together but not communicating very well.
Beach Balls (Balls to the Wall #3) by Tara Lain. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a closeted lawyer who heads to a friend’s beach house on weekends to hook up with anonymous guys… and then while diving, he meets someone he doesn’t want to be anonymous with.


Mayhem, napping on a nip toy…

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Congrats to Anke, who won Face Value (Sanctuary #3) by RJ Scott! Face Value will be released by Silver Publishing on April 7.

Congrats to blodeuedd, who won Fortune Hunter (Brook Street #2) by Ava March! Fortune Hunter will be released by Carina Press on April 9.



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Reading Update
Scrap Metal by Harper Fox. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about a linguistics student who returns to his family’s sheep farm after his mother and brother are killed, leaving his grandfather to work the farm alone. When someone breaks into one of the barns, he has no idea that things are about to take a turn for the better. Make sure you have tissues handy for this one!
The Rare Event by PD Singer. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two radically different hedge fund traders before the subprime mortgage meltdown: one takes too many risks in both his personal and professional lives, while the other is far more careful in both. He finally realizes that loving the risktaker, who scoffs at monogamy, is tearing him apart… The heavy focus on the stock market and stock trading details very nearly lost me in the early part of the book, but I persevered and got sucked into the rest of the story.
Handle with Care by Josephine Myles. ebook arc. Very good m/m romance about a diabetic computer programmer who works from home because he’s on dialysis, and the high point of his days is when the cute purple-haired skatepunk stops by to deliver a package. Bonding over a shared love of the X-Men, they become friends… and then everything changes in a day. I must confess that there was something I really felt needed to happen that didn’t, which was what prevented this from being a five-star read for me.
Face Value (Sanctuary #3) by RJ Scott. ebook arc. Very good m/m romantic suspense picking up where the second book left off – the guy they rescued is safe… for now. But will his doctor be able to keep him safe?
Ambush (True Colors #2) by Clare London. ebook short. Steamy short m/m scene between Zeke and Miles that will leave Miles with some distracting memories of his office.
Crooked by Missouri Dalton. ebook short. Good short m/m paranormal romance about a cop who goes astray after killing the monster who killed his partner. This could easily have been much longer (so much plot! So few words!) and had an extremely open ending (not really even HFN) that makes me fear one of those Torquere serials.
On the Other Hand, Death (Donald Strachey #2) by Richard Stevenson. Good gay mystery in which Don’s hired by a sly developer to find out who vandalized a lesbian couple’s barn, in the hope that they’ll be more willing to sell their property out of gratitude.
On the Dotted Line by Alexa Snow. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who’s deep in debt and falling further behind, but none of his friends have any idea; neither does the doctor he starts to date. Something about the writing style felt really awkward to me.
Drowning in You by AR Moler. ebook. Ok m/m romantic suspense about two DEA agents who become much closer after one of them nearly dies… This felt really choppy – it jumped from scene to scene instead of transitioning. Also, the ending leaves it open to become a series.
View from the Top by Carson Shepherd. free online. Very short steamy m/m scene that just doesn’t have enough context to really work.
Not That Type of Guy by Sara York. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a CIA assassin who’s been in denial that he’s gay until something happens on the job that makes him reevaluate things. The plot was over-the-top implausible and the relationship between the two MCs had me rolling my eyes.


“I’m sure I can come up with something to be crabby about…” -Chaos

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Congrats to Melanie M, who won Shattered Glass by Dani Alexander!

Congrats to Tawnie and Chava, who won Mine by Mary Calmes! Mine will be released by Dreamspinner Press on March 5.



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Reading Update
Taking These Chances by Karuso Tendo. free online. Very good paranormal m/m romantic suspense about a college student who helps get psychic predators off the streets… and then one’s after him.
Out of Orbit by American Schokolade. free online. Very good m/m romance about a high school senior who has a crush on his best friend, although it takes him a while (and a lot of angst) to realize it. This story had plenty of over-the-top moments (satellites and spies and baseball memorabilia, oh my!), but it pretty much worked anyway. I got sniffly more than once.
When Love Walked In by Charlie Cochet. ebook short. Very good short historical m/m romance set in 1934 about a private detective who helps out a homeless man he finds sleeping in the stairwell.
Of Sweaters and Heartache by LyingOutLoud. free online. Very good short m/m romance about a guy who unexpectedly runs into the ex who left him to take a job in France and doesn’t react well. I got a bit sniffly reading this one.
Just Friends by Natasha5. free online. Very good m/m romance about two high school seniors who have been best friends since they were small. Now love professed but not returned and a girlfriend are coming between them…
Johnny Was (Just Friends #2) by Natasha5. free online. Although the description says there’s more than one story here, there isn’t. The extremely short story is just a scene that takes place 11 years after Just Friends.
Love, Coffee, and a Giant Problem by aggybird. free online. Very good fairy tale m/m romance based on Jack and the Beanstalk… but it’s not complete and was last updated in 2009. Woe!
The Grave Watchers by Missouri Dalton. ebook. Good m/m urban fantasy with a hint of romance about a Grave Watcher, who helps protect the dead from the living, and his ancient Egyptian feline sidekick as they track down an evil they’ve not seen before.
Educating Alex by Ardveche. free online. Very sweet m/m romance about a college student who advertises for a roommate after he breaks up with his boyfriend and is surprised when a straight guy he knows from school wants to move in. Too many exclamation points!!
Creative Employment by Noel Blue. free online. Good m/m romance about a newly hired manager who knows he shouldn’t, but hooks up with the irresistible straight, confused, engaged IT guy anyway.
In Theory by Sirivinda. free online. Good m/m romance about a straight guy who keeps running into this strangely intriguing guy everywhere he goes… and then wakes up to find himself hungover in the guy’s bed. The ending really felt like it was HFN – I’d definitely like to read a bit more about these two.
One Dead Drag Queen (Tom & Scott #8) by Mark Richard Zubro. Good gay mystery in which Tom is injured when a family planning clinic he volunteers at is bombed. The beginning of the story was from Scott’s POV (a first!) and the last half was from Tom’s. I understand why it was done that way, but I would’ve preferred sticking with Scott for the whole thing.
Loose Snow by Julia Talbot. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about two guys who work together for a forestry service and were briefly together. And then one of them nearly dies in an avalanche…


“What if I go to sleep and when I wake up, all my furry mice are gone?!?!” -Mayhem

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Congrats to choccygrl, who won Going With My Heart by Stephani Hecht and My Subby Valentine by Amber Kell!

Congrats to Paul B, who won First Impressions by Josephine Myles!

Congrats to Nette, who won The Only Easy Day (Sanctuary #2) by RJ Scott! The Only Easy Day will be released by Silver Publishing on February 18.

Congrats to Melissa, who won The Pirate’s Gamble by Eden Winters! The Pirate’s Gamble will be released by JMS Books on February 19.



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  • Toas-Tites are back! Or, as we called them when I was growing up, flying saucer sandwich makers! 🙂 They work well with a gas stove, too.

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Reading Update
Midnight in Berlin by JL Merrow. ebook. arc. Excellent paranormal m/m romance about an American who’s been drifting around Europe for a while. One rainy drunken night, he accepts a ride from a devilishly handsome man in a Porsche… and his life (and his reality) will never be the same again.
Lesson Learned by Lillian Francis. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about two teachers at a Welsh secondary school who become close friends, although one finds the friendship increasingly challenging, due to the attraction he feels for his oblivious, obviously attracted to women friend.
The Only Easy Day (Sanctuary #2) by RJ Scott. ebook. arc. Very good m/m romantic suspense picking up where the first book left off. As the Sanctuary guys work to build a case against the mobsters responsible for the murder Morgan witnessed, things are complicated by the murder victim’s Navy SEAL stepbrother showing up on a mission of vengeance.
The Hanged Man’s Ghost by Missouri Dalton. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a Chicago police detective with a drinking problem and a crush on his straight best friend. When he realizes he can see ghosts, his life spirals quickly out of control. Sloppy proofing and a storyline that needed to be reined in just a bit kept this from being a five-star read. (But! There is knitting!)
Fiends in Low Places by Missouri Dalton. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who works for the MC from The Hanged Man’s Ghost and who’s trying to get back together with an FBI agent. Apparently the rest of this story (much alluded to throughout this one) is still being written.
Getting It Right (Life Lessons #1.8) by Kaje Harper. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about both Mac and Tony agonizing over what to get the other for Valentine’s Day.
I Dare You, Back (Dare #3) by Tam Ames. free ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a college senior who’s been sleeping around for two years, ever since his boyfriend dumped him and left for grad school. Now his ex is back in town…
The Swimming Swan (Cob Brothers #2) by Amber Kell & Stephani Hecht. ebook. Fluffy m/m paranormal romance about a merman come to land to meet his mate, who he doesn’t know is a swan prince.
Taking the Dare (Truth or Dare #4) by Lee Brazil. ebook. Ok m/m romance about the last unattached Blake brother, who habitually manipulates people and just can’t seem to stop. I didn’t particularly care for him or for his love interest.
Reluctant Mate by Eden Cole. ebook short. So-so short paranormal m/m romance about a wolf shifter who’s pissed off that his father has arranged for him to mate a man instead of a woman.
Awakenings by Tara Larson. ebook. DNF. I only made it to 8% – this looks to be another unedited book from Dreamspinner Press. It featured random and constant POV shifts, non-stop infodumping, and passive voice. Ugh.


*scratch scratch scratch* -Mayhem