Tuesday, January 14, 2014

[Review]: "Catch a Ghost"

I know for years I've said I wouldn't review M/M romances here on TBQ's Book Palace. But today marks the first such review. 

Note: This is actually my third M/M romance, but my first to be reviewed on the blog. The other two, one of which is a YA paranormal, will show up over the next few weeks. 

Now, don't worry -- 99% of the reviews, spotlights, etc, here on the blog will still be M/F romances. But I may review one or two good M/M romances as I find them.

If M/M romances are not your thing, if you find them "ick", etc, I won't take offense if you choose not to read this review. Check out some of our other recent reviews and posts, or come back tomorrow for a new post. We each have our own likes and dislikes! 

If, however, you do like M/M, or you are interested, like I was, in trying this genre, I hope you enjoy this review!


Enjoy!
TBQ



Catch a Ghost by SE Jakes
Publisher: Riptide Publishing; first edition (September 7, 2013)
Series: Hell or High Water, 1
Genre: M/M Romance 

Everyone knows that Prophet—former Navy SEAL, former CIA spook, full-time pain in the ass—works alone and thinks only about the trouble he can cause. But his boss, Phil Butler of Extreme Escapes, LTD., has just assigned Proph not only a new partner but also a case haunted by ghosts from Proph’s past. Suddenly, he’s got to confront them both head on.

Tom Boudreaux—failed FBI agent, failed sheriff, full time believer in bad luck—is wondering why the head of a private contracting firm has hunted him down to offer him a job. Still he's determined to succeed this time, despite being partnered with Prophet, EE, LTD’s most successful, lethal, and annoying operative, and even though the case is also resurrecting his own painful past.

Together, Prophet and Tom must find a way to take down killers in the dangerous world of underground cage matches, while fighting their own dangerous attraction. And when they find themselves caught in the crossfire, these two loners are forced to trust each other and work together to escape their ghosts . . . or pay the price.


Where to Buy*:
More Info:



My Review:





 Obviously, this is a male-male romance. If you are not comfortable with this genre, or it's just not your thing, that's completely okay! The blog will still continue to cover primarily male-female romances. Now that I've found this genre, I may read and review one every so often, but that's about it.

Oh, and be warned, this review may have more profanity that I have ever used before; sorry.


How would I describe Catch a Ghost? Let's see . . . Full of torture, darkness, and even a bit of angst, it's not going to work for every reader. I loved it. I couldn't stop reading, hated the interruptions of life getting in the way, forcing me to put it down, even if only for a moment. I was constantly on edge, not sure what was going to happen next, worried about these two strong, yet tortured, men. Simply put, I am very glad that I decided to give this author, and this series, a try!



I'll break this review down into what I loved, and what I didn't.



I loved Tom and Prophet. They are both very much the typical strong alpha-male, with a good dash of sarcasm and more than a little rough around the edges. In other words, extremely sexy! Tom has various ink, which I found sexy, as well as some piercings. His nipple rings? Yum. And I was intrigued when he mentioned a cock piercing. . . until a later scene, when I found out it was a Jacob's ladder. And of course I had to Google it. I now regret that. A LOT. So in my mind, Tom has a single, simple piercing down there, because the thought of the real piercing kind of makes me shudder.



I loved their twisted relationship – and trust me, it is twisted. Both men have horrible demons from their pasts and they refuse to open up to each other, refuse to admit they may need each other. Their relationship is very much a fight-'em-and-fuck-'em. It's rough, it's raw, it's not very gentle, yet I could still see that they did care for each other, even if they're not ready to say as much out loud. Yet.



And speaking of fucking . . . Gah, the man-on-man lovin' in this book was great. I never thought I'd be reading m/m romances, but I've found that when it's done well, and by a talented author (such as this), it can be very, very sexy! Again, it's not for every reader, and that's fine, I understand. But if you want to see what happens when two alpha-males collide, grab this book and a cold shower. :)



In, or out, of bed, Tom and Prophet were fun to watch together. They joke, they threaten, they jump each other . . . it's great. Trust me.



And finally, the suspense and storyline was very intense and complicated. I was drawn in from the beginning and I can't wait to start book 2.



All that being said, I do have to point out a few flaws. I did notice some mistakes and errors; nothing major, but they were there. Also, I found the writing to be a bit confusing at times. It's hard to pinpoint and elaborate on, but there were scenes where I was unsure who was talking or what each man was doing. Perhaps it needed just a little bit more polishing? Or maybe I'm just picky, I'm not sure.



This book doesn't end in a HEA, but the series will end in a HEA for Tom and Prophet. I personally cannot wait to see that; these two men deserve it. I know it won't be easy to get there, as Jakes has proven already with this book.



Was this book perfect? No. Will it work for every reader? Of course not. Did I still enjoy it? HELL YES! I will be reading this author again, I will be continuing Tom and Prophet's story, and I will recommend this book to those who are looking for a lot of action and hot, rough, man-on-man action! As I told Jakes on Twitter while reading this book -- it's sexy and addicting. And who can resist that combination?



4 STARS!


~ * ~ * ~ 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest opinion. 

~ * ~ * ~



Alright -- thoughts? Are you a fan of M/M? Have you read any books in this genre? Are you interested in trying some? And, most importantly, would you like me to share (a few!) reviews from this genre in the future?

I have to say, the cover is what sealed the deal when I noticed this book popping up on GR and then NetGalley -- very sexy! :)






Enjoy!



Until Next Time,

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  *TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!

4 comments :

Kame said...

Wow - I have read a few with m/m action but mostly they were free books. I ADORE this cover - why have you not had it on L4C! Hmmm you have me pondering if I should try this one - maybe when my TBR gets down.

Anna@herding cats&burning soup said...

Yummy cover! I don't read m/m but know a bunch of ladies who love it. Glad you had a good time with these two!

The_Book_Queen said...

If I didn't already love this book, I'd buy it just for the cover! :)
Enjoy,
TBQ

The_Book_Queen said...

I know, I know, bad TBQ -- how did I miss it? I'm thinking if book 3 & 4 are as yummy as this, when the covers are revealed they will be making an appearance on L4C!
I'd be interested to see if you like this. Like I said, I realize it won't be for every reader, but if it's grabbed your attention, I say try it, when you get a chance! :)
Enjoy,
TBQ