Reviewed by Becca

 

TITLE: Sweet Buns

SERIES: Cedar Falls #1

AUTHOR: Shea Balik

PUBLISHER: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc

LENGTH: 112 pages

RELEASE DATE: February 25, 2015

BLURB:

Welcome to Cedar Falls, a small North Carolina town nestled amongst the Smokey Mountains.
Zane Fisher is prepared to fight against a proposed casino being built in his small hometown. Sure, it would bring in more visitors to their dying town, but at what risk?
Aidan Dempsey is sick of the bad coffee Cedar Falls has so far had to offer. After an exceptionally bad cup, he’s decided to swear off the stuff, that is until he’s dragged into the local bakery.
Not only does he find the best cup of coffee he’s ever tasted, but the bakery owner, Zane Fisher, just might be the sexiest man he’s ever met. Too bad Zane seems hell bent on avoiding him, as he’s the project manager for the casino Zane is against.
Will they be able to find common ground or will Aidan be doomed to only having bad coffee?

REVIEW:

Before we start, there are a few things they may cause a trigger. They’re not a huge thing, but then again, what may not be huge to me, could be to someone else. So. Please be careful. There are a few homophobic slurs, small town assholes, and one of three main characters deals with abuse. Physical. So again, be careful.

I was a little nervous a first with this series. I still am a bit, just because there’s so many in this series. Sometimes after so many, it get droll, so I’m crossing my fingers it’s going to stay good. This was a good start to this series and I know book two and three are going to be interesting because I’ve met the characters. I’m anxious to see how they work past their pasts and troubles.

For this one, I had a good giggle at first. To Zane, the thought of a casino moving in near Cedar Falls has him in an uproar. He has all kind soft thoughts about bad guys, mob bosses and corruption. Needless to say, he’s spent a little too much time watching TV. Shows like Vegas and such. So I get he’s concerned, but it’s a bit much. Zane and his two friends are a bit much sometimes lol. Zane and his friends met in Orlando while he was working as a pastry chef there. Zane got bad news about his mom’s health and knew he needed to come home. He’d have to put his dreams of owning a bakery on hold a bit longer. Jesse was ready to go with him and Ethan would be there soon. He had to go home first.

Fortunately, Zane got to fulfill his dream after all. Cedar Falls needed a bakery with the one closing and Zane had enough money saved to build his dream. Now if he could just get rid of the casino, he’d be happier. But that casino comes with a sexy as hell manager named Aidan, who is turning Zane’s world upside down. He tries to avoid Aidan as much as possible, even to the point of him and Jesse making drama. But Aidan refuses to give up. He tries and tries again, until maybe it’s time for him to quit, when he finally digs to the bottom of what’s ailing Zane. They work on their relationship but sometimes trouble loves to come calling. They have to hold on to one another and move past it all and hope they can make the town grow instead of dying as well.

Zane and his friends definitely have the gift of flair lol. Zane is more mellow. Jesse…nah. He is flamboyant as can be. Ethan has his moments, but his pencha run towards leather. I love these guys. I love their personalities, their friendships, and their hearts. They have a tendency for dramatic moments but it just adds to their personalities. They’re fun, full of life and love. Well to a point. You’ll see. I really love these guys. Anyone who tries to be with them for forever will have their hands full.

And boy does Aidan lol. With being avoided, griped at for the casino, and threatened bodily harm if he hurts Zane over something that wasn’t even his fault. He’s trying so hard to get under that wall of Zane’s. Something about Zane called to him from the moment he laid eyes on him. And he didn’t want to give up. He would if he had to, but it would break his heart. Aidan is a good guy. He wasn’t sure he wanted to stay in Cedar Falls. Seeing Zane helped. Seeing more of the area helped. And I really loved how he decided to jump and help. He really wanted to see this town flourish again. See it thrive.

Such good characters. And good writing. I really hope this series continues to be good. These three alone make it so much. I hope you guys enjoy it.

RATING:  

BUY LINKS: 

bookstrand

amazon

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TITLE: The Collared Pup

SERIES: Cedar Falls #2

AUTHOR: Shea Balik

PUBLISHER: Siren-Bookstrand Inc

LENGTH: 116 pages

RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2015

BLURB:

Welcome to Cedar Falls, a small North Carolina town nestled amongst the Smokey Mountains.

Ethan Chapman came to Cedar Falls beaten and abused by his own brother only to find an even more dominant man that made his heart race. But when he found out just how dominant the man was, Ethan had to decide if he was willing to take a chance on love.
Bram O’Connor was a dominant man, one who loved to control his lovers. Since the first moment their eyes met, Bram knew Ethan was the perfect submissive for him, even if the man didn’t know it. After all Ethan had been through, Bram would have to be patient if he hoped to make Ethan his.
Ethan desperately fought against his need to obey Bram’s commands. For how could Ethan ever hope to earn Bram’s love if he couldn’t stand up on his own two feet?

REVIEW:

Alrighty folks. This was the book I was referring to that deals with abuse. Triggers big time. This whole book is about Ethan and his past and his struggles to overcome the mental, emotional, verbal and physical abuse. Years of it. It’s an exceptional book but if it triggers you, please care for yourself.

This story falls in time with book one. I’m sure when I read book three, it will too. Since it deals with the three friends. Once I started reading book one, I really wanted to know all their stories, but Ethan’s just struck a chord with me. I felt a lot like Bram, in that Ethan needs to protected and cherished. Loved and shown how beautiful and wonderful he really is.

Ethan had to run away as soon as he could, once he got enough money to go. He really didn’t have enough but being beaten every day, he couldn’t take anymore. So he ran. He made it to Florida, where he ended up meeting Zane and Jesse amd they all just clicked. Jesse needed roommates and they all moved in together. When it came time for them to go to Cedar Falls with Zane, Ethan went back to his home after a text from his brother. Hoping his brother had changed, he went to help after his brother had had an accident. Things were great until the cast came off and then it went bad. Nothing had changed after all and he beat Ethan black and blue. Ethan ran to be with his friends, and when they finally found out, rallied around him to get him to the doctor and to help.

At the doctor the most gorgeous man he had ever seen helped him when he almost fell, staying with him until they got home. He wanted this man so much but Ethan couldn’t trust. Bram made him feel safe on one hand, but like a kid on the other, with many confusing feelings in between. Maybe Bram could be the one man he could finally trust that would love him. But if he was so unworthy of love, how could he?

I swear almost every emotion Bram felt for Ethan, not the sex stuff, but the rest, I felt as well. Rage as the abuse he suffered, tears for the injustice, love for the beauty and sweetness of him, awe for the wondrous soul he still was, and the list goes on. But frustration was a big one too. Not necessarily at Ethan. He knew it would take time and patience, but more at the situation as a whole. He wanted so much to see how much Ethan affected him. How much he loved Ethan. In time, he knew he would get his point across, but he so wanted to beat the hell out of those who wounded his angel. And gah do I love him for it. He’s every bit of someone Ethan needs. I’ve heard people be shocked when abuse survivors turn to BDSM lifestyles, but what people don’t understand, it’s not just about the pleasure. It’s what being a Dom or a sub is. Whether the ability or need to control or to let go and completely trust. And it takes a hell of a lot of trust at that. So I love Bram for Ethan.

And Ethan, of course, I adore hands down. He’s a survivor. He feels weak. Pathetic. But he’s not. He’s strong. So so strong. And brave. Ethan is such an innocent too. Even with all he’s been through, he still has such an innocence and vulnerability about. He’s beautiful with a sweet soul. A heart as big as the world. With an eye for beauty himself. And I love him for being who he is, in spite of people who tried to break him.

This is such a good book. It’s a rough story wrapped in love. And I’m ready to see Jesse get his turn now.

RATING:  

BUY LINKS:

bookstrand

amazon