Tag Archives: Lou Harper

Book Review: Temper Sanguine – Lou Harper

[Book 2 of Sanguine Series]

Temper SanguineBLURB: Gabe Vadas’s slayer ancestors would be spinning in their graves if they knew that not only is his boss a vampire, so is his lover. But that lover, Harvey Feng, is cooking something up in his lab that he seems reluctant to disclose.

The secrets they keep from each other and the nightmares they share are driving a wedge between them.

Harvey fell off the vegetarian wagon with one taste of his lover s blood. Except recently it s been having some unusual and disturbing side effects. And he fears their connection has awakened something dark and dangerous.

Sent to New York City to help the new top vamp clean up the mess the old one left behind, Gabe finds more than a few stray feral vampires. A doctor with a dubious history is hell-bent on creating a new race of unkillable bloodsuckers.

The investigation takes Gabe and Harvey across an ocean, and deep into the past. Where they discover demons that have the power to reach across the centuries to destroy them both.

 ***

I’m a big fan of Gabe and Harvey and I just loved their partnership since the very first book (Spirit Sanguine) and its subsequent free short novella (Late Night Snack). I loved how protective they are with each other. There’s actually nothing new about this story – it’s like the gay version of Buffy but more quirky. What’s so good about the series so far is the chemistry between Gave and Harvey and how charming they could get whenever they banter. The story was smooth and continuous. A wee bit predictable but it was tastefully done.

 I also adore the way they just go on with their relationship. No hang ups, they’re just taking it a day at a time. The talks about Gabe being turned was in not yet in the table because Gabe isn’t that sure yet but I was thinking that maybe Gabe’s has some kind of power as well. Now I was thinking if maybe they could grow old together when Gabe could reverse Harvey’s vampirism or perhaps just be with each other as immortal vampires.

 The good thing about their story so far was that there are still so many things to expect from them. Harvey’s still working on his ala-true blood­ concoction and Gabe’s still processing his history (with the death of his parents and his uncle’s betrayal).

 I’ve no doubt that this story would really flourish if people get to appreciate the development of Gabe and Harvey’s slayer-vampire romance. There’s really something so good about it and although Lou Harper mentioned that at the moment, she’s got no plans of writing a follow up – I sure hope that she’d think about it and perhaps gift us the next book in the series in the near future. People – you gotta read this amazing series!

 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 Published June 3rd 2014 by Samhain Publishing

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Book Review: Spirit Sanguine – Lou Harper

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

I never thought that I’d fall for another vampire-themed story. Now this one’s totally getting into me. Like BIG TIME! The story centers on Gabe Vadas, a vampire slayer who came home in the States after five years of slaying “bloodsuckers” in Europe. Returning to his hometown in Chicago, he was kidnapped by a young vampire named Harvey Feng whom he initially tried to kill. After being spared his life, attraction ensues between him and the young vegetarian Vampire. Now scouted by the Vampire mafia boss for a job he couldn’t refused, he together with Harvey were thrust into  more  action that they know they could handle, more than their growing passion for each other.

I’m totally riding this bandwagon. I’m actually clueless why it’s not getting tons of five star ratings. I loved Gabe and Harvey. They have this amazing chemistry and I just love their adventures together. Harvey’s quirkiness and penchant for role-play was truly adorable and hot as hell. And Gabe – oh my, the guy’s a sweetheart. I’m super excited to read more from their conquest. They’re truly an amazing couple and this is one hell of a promising series!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Hanging Loose – Lou Harper

via Goodreads

via Goodreads

When I first got this, I was a bit hesitant to read it because of its less than impressive and uninspiring reviews but I figured, to each his own right? I was not actually jumping up and down after reading this but I liked the almost hypnotic vibe of the story’s narrative. It’s basically about these two young men finding their place in the world – or you could say, two young guys just going with the flow.

That isn’t exactly an appealing summary right? Trust me though, it’s bearable and there’s some sort of vulnerability about the two MCs that no one cannot resists. The main thing going against it is the lack of conflict heavy enough to produce a more believable story. But hey, life is going to be like this for some folks right? Fiction or not.

 After graduating from art school Nate left the Midwest for sunny Southern California, not quite sure what he hoped to find. It was almost certainly not falling in love with another man. His whole world and assumptions about himself begin to slowly turn upside down on one hot summer day. Seeking respite from the heat and his loneliness at Venice Beach he has a chance encounter with a handsome blond surfer.

Jez is friendly, easygoing, and just a little bit mysterious. Openly gay, Jez offers Nate a place to stay, and the two men become fast friends. Nate makes new friends, adjusts to his new life, but his unbidden attraction to Jez keeps growing. In their moments of closeness Nate realizes that he wants Jez more than just a friend, but it might be too late. To make Jez his, Nate has to face not only his own fears and insecurities, but his mysterious mate has secrets of his own. Via Goodreads

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

Book Review: Between Friends – Lou Harper

via goodreads

via goodreads

Lucas and Julian were childhood friends, but when bachelor party hijinks landed them in bed together, no one was more surprised than Lucas. That one night turned into a full-blown hidden affair—until the openly gay Julian couldn’t stand being Lucas’s dirty little secret anymore. After two years of missing his best friend and lover, Lucas finds himself desperate to convince Julian that his love really does blaze as bright and as proud as the fireworks on the Fourth of July! via Goodreads

This is a beautifully written short story that is direct, romantic and yes oh-so-sexy. The night of the Bachelor Party, I was like “No, they didn’t” – that was so freaking hot man!

It’s cute how the story was told through Lucas’ perspective from his younger years with his buddies until they’re all grown men. It seems like everything got covered here and it resulted to an awfully pleasing read!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Secrets And Ink – Lou Harper

via goodreads

via goodreads

When Karma writes you a ticket, pay up or else…

If life was like the movies, Jem Mitchell’s wouldn’t be such a mess. In LA’s glittering world of dreams, he works an unglamorous job at a gourmet grocery store. His past is so deep and dark, the details are lost even to him. All he knows is he was once cursed by a meter maid, and ever since, his love life has sucked.

When Detective Nick Davies becomes a regular at the store, Jem dares to hope he’s un-hexed at last. He should have known that sex with a remarkably normal guy, devoid of weird fetishes and fatal personality flaws, was too good to be true.

During a post-encounter cuddle, Nick recognizes the tattoo on Jem’s back—and remembers him as a young hustler he arrested nine years past.

As Jem’s memories come crashing back, he flees from Nick, but fate contrives to keep pushing them back together. And when Jem’s old partner in crime is found murdered, the stakes are raised for life, for love, and a dangerous drama with no guarantee of a Hollywood ending. – via Goodreads

I’ve to say I was a bit disappointed with this one especially after reading the author’s short story entitled “Between Friends”. That one was awesome. This, however is pretty much running on all sides of cliché with characters that are simply forgettable. I also didn’t like how Jeremy’s backstory was revealed. The whole karma and Jeremy’s shady past is borderline ridiculous – that’s just too WTF to even be part of the story’s conflict. The spider tattoo, the Japanese bondage and the whole dealio with that actor also didn’t make that much sense. Oh I don’t know, it was just all over the place.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars