Reviews

Author: Chris T. Kat

Title: Mending the Rift

Release Date: March 14, 2016

Pages or Words: 68,000 words

Categories: M/M Romance, Science Fiction, MPREG

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5767496.Chris_T_Kat

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: AngstyG

In a future where man’s ability to reproduce is severely compromised, humanity has adapted to survive. Breeders—male and female—have become precious commodities, and they are strictly guarded and subject to limitations.

Luca Walker is a breeder. Though he knows what’s expected of him as the youngest son of the Northern Confederacy’s Vice President, he’s held out against the pressures of an arranged marriage because he longs to marry for love, not duty. But he’s been promised to Colonel Liam Smith and there’s little he can do about it, no matter that Luca is secretly in love with his bodyguard, Marcus Gray.

When Luca finds himself pregnant with Marcus’s baby, Smith is furious and vows to take what is his—by force, if necessary. Now Luca must fight for his life and the life of his unborn child… as well as the love of Marcus and the happily ever after he’s always dreamed of.

This is another book which left me with somewhat mixed feelings after reading it. I typically don’t choose books with cisgender (i.e., not transgender) male pregnancy*, but I like the author’s style and have enjoyed her previous work, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m glad I did.

I loved the world-building. Even though this is not a long story, I appreciated how well this dystopian future was woven into the plot rather than long, drawn-out explanations. I had a good feel for what was going on almost right away, and the complexities unfolded at a good pace throughout.

For me, the world they live in raised many more questions than answers, which I think is a good thing. For example, why bother genetically engineering cis men to become essentially intersex rather than working to resolve cis women’s infertility? What has happened to other intersex people and trans people? Are women able to have their reproductive cells extracted in order to impregnate men (or other women)? Do men impregnating other men create new combinations of chromosomes? I’m not sure this book was exactly equipped to answer all that, but it did get me thinking.

I found the treatment of breeders interesting because it played on the idea of reproductive freedom and what it means to have a body which can or cannot reproduce. That kind of control is rather horrifying to imagine, but it’s easy to see our current society already on the same path. That was really well done, in my opinion.

I did struggle a bit with a few things. It seemed like Luca was pretty quick to accept what had been done to him without his consent, and I find that troubling. I was also put off by the lack of women in a story about reproductive free will, given that it is women who are currently at the mercy of governmental control over female/female-assumed bodies. And the bits referring to pregnancy hormones as inducing “temporary insanity” really, really bothered me, both for the casual negative reference to mental illness and for supporting the idea that pregnant women are irrational and cannot make good choices. I think it’s probably not surprising given the other factors, but Luca (and Nicholas and Kyle) fell squarely in the category of “could have been replaced by women and had the exact same story,” including with the reproductive issues. And I also found it highly improbable that a society which could figure out how to genetically engineer men to have babies and clearly is fully accepting of same-sex relationships would still have some serious problems with social equality.

The other big issue for me was the various kidnappings. I think these might have been better combined into one event for a smoother plot and flow. Each one felt almost like a separate story, and I was confused on and off throughout about various players and their involvement. I did like the way the threads all came together at the end, though, and there were a few surprises along the way which I enjoyed.

Despite my hesitations with those few things, I really did find this to be an intriguing story. I was much more invested in the world than the characters, and with something as complicated as this book’s political climate, that’s a very good thing.

For a world which drew me in, a fascinating concept, and a lot to think about, 7/10 fountain pens.

*I specified cisgender here because I have no problem reading male pregnancy when it’s about a trans man.

Marcus rappelled off and stepped onto the ground with a crunch of his boots. Pointing at the opening with the askew ladder, he asked, “Don’t tell me you seriously considered climbing down this way.”

Luca shrugged. “I’d have preferred spontaneous levitation, but it didn’t happen.”

He yelped when Marcus put an arm around his torso and lifted him to his feet, as if he weighed nothing. “Hey!”

Marcus silenced him with a glare, and Luca gritted his teeth while Marcus thumped dust off his clothes. “Your father is livid.”

Luca swallowed. He’d expected worried, maybe a bit mad, but livid? His father never got furious at him. Not for long, anyway. Being the baby of the family had its perks. “Why?”

“Why? Seriously, Luca, you have to ask why?” Marcus patted Luca’s behind more firmly than was strictly necessary.

Luca shifted, trying to get away from Marcus’s arm. When that didn’t help, he slapped Marcus’s hands away and stepped aside. He couldn’t think when he was so close to Marcus—when the man touched him, he sent shivers up and down his spine. He ignored the glower Marcus directed at him. “Yes, seriously. He knows I don’t want to marry Smith. I don’t want anything to do with all that shit. I want to decide what I’m going to do with my life.”

Marcus shook his head. “Smith is a good man. My brother Kyle worked for him. He said he always treated his people well. If you want I could try to get Kyle on the phone so you can talk to him. That is, if I can get a hold on him. Trust me, you’ll be in good hands.”

“You don’t get it! I don’t want to be in good hands!”

“No?” Marcus raised an eyebrow.

Luca huffed, a small smile forming on his lips. “Well, yes, of course I want to be in good hands. But I want someone to love me, and not just for my ability to become pregnant. I want… you.”

Luca’s heart thundered in his rib cage. There, he’d said it. The ball was in Marcus’s court. Sure, it had only been one night, and Marcus’s reaction afterward hadn’t been promising, but maybe he’d just been scared? Maybe he feared to lose his job? Nonetheless, there was more going on between them, and they both knew it. That one night had just been the last logical step. Luca regretted nothing.

For a moment Marcus seemed startled, and there was a softness in his eyes that was solely reserved for Luca. The softness vanished too quickly for Luca’s liking.

Instead, Luca was greeted with Marcus’s usual, scrutinizing gaze. “You don’t want me, and you better never mention this again. It was a mistake. Now get it out of your head and be a good boy.”

Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christi_kat

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/ChrisTKat

Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.com

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Chris-T.-Kat/e/B008FQQH2Q

Today I’m welcoming Chris T. Kat to chat about writing, life, and their current project. Welcome! Let’s talk a little about Mending the Rift.

What inspired you to write this story?

When I started writing, I started as a fan fiction writer. One of my first stories, which turned out to become a whole alternate universe, was an m-preg story as well. I can’t explain why the idea of male pregnancies always appealed to me, it just did. After writing pretty much anything, I had the desire to go back to my roots, so to speak, and write another m-preg story. Thus Mending the Rift was born.

Is there a character you feel especially connected to? Why?

I like all the characters in Mending the Rift, but if I had to name a favorite it would probably be Nicholas, Luca’s dad. He’s a bit of a brat, but a handsome and intelligent one, who had the luck to find the perfect partner. I also felt connected to Luca, how he feels about arranged marriages, and having to do what’s expected of him.

What was the hardest part of writing this?

This might sound weird, but the hardest part was finding the right names for the main characters, Luca and Marcus. For a long time, they had different names. Even though I exchanged the names at one point, they still didn’t ring true and I was rather frustrated about that. Finally, I made a list of names, tried them out, and after that, writing the story was quick and easy.

Choose a favorite line or short passage. What do you like about it?

This is only a very short passage from the beginning of chapter two:

Marcus rappelled off and stepped onto the ground with a crunch of his boots. Pointing at the opening with the askew ladder, he asked, “Don’t tell me you seriously considered climbing down this way.”

Luca shrugged. “I’d have preferred spontaneous levitation, but it didn’t happen.”

Luca has run away and thought about the reasons for it when Marcus shows up. Even though he’s despairing about his situation, and the fact he can’t have the man he loves, he hasn’t lost his ability to joke. That’s what I like about that short part.

Tell us a little about any upcoming projects.

I’ve got a contemporary novella called Stained coming out in June or July this year. It’ll be my last published work, so no more upcoming projects.

Are there any types of scene you find hard to write (action, love, death, etc.)?

I really dislike writing death scenes, so I try to avoid them. However, that’s not always possible (for example in Secret Energy or Silver Lining) but I try to do it with respect, and keep the characters’ reactions realistic.

What do you do when you feel stuck (writer’s block)?

This might sound odd—after all I’ve written quite a lot over the years—but I’ve never had writer’s block. Sure, I had stories that veered off and left me scrambling to tie everything up in a satisfying manner but if that happened, I put the book aside for a while until I could see the story clearly again.

How do you handle a story that doesn’t go as you planned?

That depends on the story. Sometimes I follow the new curve and allow the characters to lead me. If the story runs into a dead end, or I can’t see how I can possibly tie everything together, I put it aside and do something else. After a few days, or sometimes weeks (sometimes even months—that happened when I wrote Bratty Angel) I’ll have an epiphany and know how to go on. After that, everything’s easy.

Word Sprints!

1. Plotter or pantser? Both.

2. Coffee or tea? Tea.

3. What’s your favorite of your published works? The Alliances series: Breeding Stations and Battle Stations.

4. What was the last thing you read? Mell Eight’s Dragon Consultant.

5. What’s your favorite season? Spring and autumn.

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Author: Ana J. Phoenix

Title: For Never and Always

Release Date: March 10, 2016

Pages or Words: 173 pages

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Tearjerker

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28923188-for-never-and-always

Publisher: Ana J. Phoenix

Cover Artist: Ana J. Phoenix

Seth finds himself alone at an abandoned train station, with no idea what happened, or how he got there. He boards a train, only to discover it’s a special express transporting the recently deceased to their final destination. The conductor tells him he’s having a near-death experience. Seth wonders if it has something to do with his violent boyfriend, but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is getting the hell off the train before he actually dies. But when he spots his best friend and secret crush among the traveling dead, the urge to leave fades…

This is a heartfelt, emotional read that touches on several important subjects. Strong content warnings for a somewhat graphic rape scene and a lot of discussion of intimate partner violence and suicide. I was not aware of the rape or suicide; those elements are not clear either in the blurb or in a separate warning, and there is no warning in the front of the book.

I’m torn about how I feel after reading it. There were lots of things I loved, and some things I really disliked. I’ll start with the things I thought were good. Because of spoilers, the parts I didn’t care for are in white text and can be highlighted to read them.

I adored Seth. I thought he was terrific. I have a very strong preference for geeks and femmes, and what I liked was that Seth wasn’t over-the-top. He was not at all a stereotype, even though because of his circumstances he easily could have been drawn that way. He was simply delightful to read about.

I liked Carter as well. I was over the moon at so much of the way his bisexuality was written. I did cringe a bit when he seemed to go back on it, but as his story unfolded, his rich inner life and his contemplation about who he was emerged. It was incredibly well done, particularly in relation to how he was clear about his love for both Rachel and Seth.

Overall, I liked the story. I was wary about how the themes surrounding Seth’s near-death would be handled, and there were a few cringey moments, but on the whole, I thought that was well done too. I appreciated the sensitivity and the frank talk. I’m not entirely convinced I agree with the book’s apparent conclusions, but that doesn’t change the fact that there were some terrific moments. I do wish I’d had some warning, though, because the subject matter was pretty intense.

I loved the resolution. I very nearly did a fist pump and a happy dance for Seth, and the surprise twist was great. I kept wondering how everything would wrap up, torn between what I saw as the only two possibilities. I’m obviously not going to spoil it, but it was the absolute best possible ending for the story and was satisfying all around.

As for the things I didn’t care for, there weren’t many, but they stood out to me in a way which left me uncomfortable and needing some time to process.

[spoilers forthcoming]I think almost all of my problems with this can be summed up with the middle of the story having too many “issue of the week” moments without having the time or space to deal with the complexities. These are all really heavy topics which deserved better than being used to make the characters more tragic. There was suicide, intimate partner violence and rape, coming out, cancer, emotional problems, and mentions of homophobic family members, male victims not being believed, crime, gang rape, and HIV. And this wasn’t a gritty urban drama; it was a sweet romance. In a different setting, these would have been addressed.

I was incredibly upset by the detailed rape scene. It felt like it was there for the purpose of shocking and upsetting readers, as there was no content warning anywhere in the blurb or the book info. Because this was so short, it would have been best to leave it off-page.

I was pretty annoyed that Carter kept referring to Seth as “geeky” and “effeminate” (“effeminate” is somewhat derogatory). But even if it wasn’t meant unkindly, it was unnecessary. Seth was so well-written and his personality so obvious that it wasn’t needed. I also took issue with the sex scene in which he refers to penetrative sex as his “first gay sex.” They’d already had sex (yes, things that aren’t penetrative count), and it’s sex between two men, not “gay sex.” Carter wasn’t gay, and straight people can also have sex via that route. In a book with an openly bi character, this was especially frustrating.

Ultimately, I did enjoy the story, and I’m glad I pushed past the section where I felt the story was a bit lacking. I ended up liking, but not loving, this one.

For an intriguing concept and great characters but a needs-a-warning-label plot, 6/10 fountain pens.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BMFDNCS

For a minute, they sat in silence with only the rumbling of the train disturbing the quiet. When it became apparent that Seth wasn’t going to start speaking, Carter asked, “Still want to go on that road trip?”

“Not without you.”

“Mhm… If we could go together?” It wasn’t possible, of course, but Carter wasn’t interested in reality right now. One reason he hadn’t told Seth he was dying was because he’d enjoyed making all those unrealistic plans, after all, and he still did.

“I would go anywhere with you.”

“Yeah?” Carter let go of Seth’s neck and tightened his grip around his shoulder. “Where would you like to go first?”

“Seattle.”

“Why there?”

Seth looked at him with that certain shine in his eyes he got when he talked about technology and space and all that. “The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame,” he said, predictably.

“God, you are such a geek.”

“Geeks rule the world.”

“Yeah? I don’t know about that.”

“It’s true, though! We created the Internet and launched mankind into space. What did zombie fanatics ever do?”

“Uh… we make good movies?”

Seth scoffed. “We have Star Wars and Star Trek and—”

“Aren’t those the same thing?”

“Oh no, you didn’t!”

Carter laughed. He’d rarely seen Seth look so offended. But whatever it was Seth had been worrying about earlier, he wasn’t thinking about it now, and that was a win.

Ana writes m/m romance and erotica. Her interest in hot guy-on-guy action was first sparked by reading scandalous Japanese mangas. A dirty secret she couldn’t resist. In a long bout of insanity – also known as her life — she decided to learn the language and escape to the land of sushi, sumo, and yaoi.

She’s since moved back to Europe to be with the love of her life – delicious European chocolate.

Now she resides in the sunny part of Germany where she fills her days chasing her dreams and writing about men in complicated relationships. Her family believes she’s writing “erotic manga stories.” She’s pleased they got the erotic part right, at least.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006860593164

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/anajphoenix/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anajphoenix

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Author: Posy Roberts

Book: Farm Fresh

Release Date: January 28, 2016

Pages or Words: 202 pages, 63,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Ménage/Poly, Romance

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28432092-farm-fresh

Publisher: Labyritnh Bound Press

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Jude Garrity visits the farmers market every Saturday. As an environmental engineering student, he’s curious about living off the grid and sustainable agriculture.

And one particular farmer.

Hudson Oliva has worked hard to support his commune, where queer people live without fear of harm or retribution. When Jude asks pointed questions about living there, Hudson realizes he needs to be honest about his home. Few people know what the farm is actually about, but Jude is insistent.

Jude moves to Kaleidoscope Gardens, however, his sexual hang-ups make it hard to adjust. He’s an uptight virgin living among people who have sex freely and with multiple partners. When Jude finally loosens up, Hudson is flooded with emotions. Falling for Jude wasn’t part of Hudson’s life plan. But when vindictive rumors about the commune begin to spread, love might be all he has left.

Seeing Posy Roberts’ name on a book is an automatic invitation for me to read it. She takes good care of her characters and situations. I knew going in that this book could be triggering for me, but I chose it anyway because I have trust in her to provide a safe and loving journey. I was not disappointed.

This is a beautiful and hopeful story about two very broken souls finding each other in a less traditional way. It’s not your typical erotic menage novel. I often don’t choose poly/menage books because they can occasionally venture into feeling exploitative of complex relationships. What I loved about the relationships here is how they never delved into that territory. The scenes involving multiples were well done and never felt over-the-top or like they were there for show. Every part had an importance in the story, much like the lives of the people on the commune.

I spent about 2/3 of the book disliking Hudson and wondering if he was ever going to own his issues (spoiler alert: he does, and the resolution is hot and gorgeous and loving and plain wonderful). Meanwhile, I slowly fell in love with the other characters. I adored Jude and was awed and inspired by his journey out of his fears and painful past. Leo is essentially what I consider an ideal man, and Charlie delighted me. I found myself wanting to know more about the other houses, too, about Laci and Freya and about Molly and her family. I loved how all of them jumped off the page, full and well-drawn people from the few glimpses we saw in this story, even though it centered on Jude and Hudson.

At the end, I was left with the pleasure of a happy-for-now while still knowing there are more stories to be told about these people and their community. I ended up with more questions than I had answers for, such as wanting more about the relationships between the women and wondering how transgender people are woven into the communal fabric. Not that I necessarily expect those questions to be answered—I think it’s a sign of having created a marvelous world when readers can imagine how other scenarios might play out that resemble their lives and loves.

This is an incredibly detailed, well-written novel in which the flow of the story and the underlying themes juxtapose perfectly with the narrative. Reading it was an incredibly deep and healing experience for me, and I’m certain I’m not alone in that.

I give it 10/10 fountain pens for expert writing, lush sensuality, and the loving touch of an author who cares about both her characters and her readers.

Amazon Universal link: myBook.to/FarmFresh

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Fresh-Naked-Organics-Book-ebook/dp/B01A2PHDPW/

“You wanted to know where I’m from,” Hudson said. Jude nodded but remained tight-lipped. “I grew up north of Miami in a small city. I couldn’t wait to get out, so I tried to hitch a ride to Seattle. Didn’t get that far.”

“How far did you get?” Jude looked surprised as he asked, so Hudson reached out and pressed his palm to the center of Jude’s chest.

“About five miles away. I’ve been here ever since.”

“What made you run? I mean… maybe that’s too personal.”

Hudson coasted his hand over the slight swell of Jude’s pec and thumbed over his nipple, which stood at attention, pert and flushed, like his lips and cheeks. It was a good color on him.

“My parents sent me away to one of those ‘pray away the gay’ places, which obviously didn’t work, but it probably saved my life since my mom had to haul Papi off me when she told him why I needed to go there. He had so much pride, and having a gay son wasn’t something he could live with. It was as if me being gay made him gay. I was accosted by religion and hatred for who I was from that day until I left, so I became an expert at being secretive and learned to lie through my teeth while living with them. My eighteenth birthday Papi and I fought, and I ended up with another black eye. I packed a bag and snuck out of the house while they were sleeping.”

“Did they call the cops or anything?”

Hudson shook his head and knew his smile was pathetic. He still held hope he and his father could reconcile. He knew Papi would be proud of him and what he’d accomplished on the commune. “I left a note and eventually let them know my address, but in all the years, I’ve gotten one letter.”

“I’ve talked to my parents twice since I left, and both times left me feeling shredded inside.”

“I’m sorry.” Hudson scooted closer and pulled Jude into a tight embrace. The feel of Jude’s warm skin against his own had Hudson’s body responding in no time flat. He kissed Jude’s neck and the sharp line of his jaw. He thrust his fingers into Jude’s spun-gold hair and drew their mouths together.

Jude moved his lips, pressing chaste kisses to Hudson’s, and then he snaked his arm between their bodies. Jude splayed his fingers across Hudson’s chest and pushed him away. He hung his head, looking down at the mattress in what appeared to be shame.

Hudson took the sting out of the rejection by thumbing over Jude’s bottom lip, shiny with saliva. “You have a delectable mouth, like it’s made for kissing.”

Jude laughed. “So do you.” Then he bit his lip and made brief eye contact before scooting back a few inches.

Posy Roberts writes about the realistic struggles of men looking for love. Whether her characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.

Posy is married to a man who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep. Her daughter, a budding author and dedicated Whovian, helps her come up with character names. When Posy’s not writing, she enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make normal seem more interesting.

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January 28, 2016

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January 29, 2016

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