READING: Anhaga by Lisa Henry

Publication date: July 23 2019
Published by: DreamSpinner Press
Genre: Adult, MM, Romance, Fantasy
Rating: 

Aramin Decourcey—Min to his few friends—might be the best thief in Amberwich, and he might have a secret that helps him survive the cutthroat world of aristocratic families and their powerful magic users, but he does have one weakness: his affection for his adopted nephew, Harry.

When the formidable Sabadine family curses Harry, Min must accept a suicide mission to save his life: retrieve Kazimir Stone, a low-level Sabadine hedgewitch who refuses to come home after completing his apprenticeship… and who is in Anhaga, a seaside village under the control of the terrifying Hidden Lord of the fae. If that wasn’t enough, Kaz is far from the simple hedgewitch he seems.

With the Sabadines on one side and the fae on the other, Min doesn’t have time to deal with a crisis of conscience—or the growing attraction between him and Kaz. He needs to get Kaz back to Amberwich and get Harry’s curse lifted before it kills him. Saving Harry means handing Kaz over to his ruthless family. Saving Kaz means letting Harry die. Min might pride himself on his cleverness, but he can’t see his way out of this one.

The Hidden Lord might see that he never gets the choice. 

Anhaga was a really nice, sweet, MM fantasy novel (I believe the first) by what I consider THE queen of MM, Lisa Henry.

Was it one of my favourites of hers? No. 

If there was one thing that I wish Anhaga had, is a second POV. If Kaz had his own chapters, the book would have been elevated to another level. As it was now, I felt like I didn't know Kaz at all and I didn't really feel the connection between him and Min, eliminating the romance aspect completely for me.

Henry is a master in character development and it was so disappointing that she didn't do what she does best. So instead of giving me two solid characters and great story telling, she gave me only one semi solid (!) character, and a numerous of other secondary ones, plus Kaz, who was supposed to be a main character, but wasn't really. By not getting to know Kaz, he came across as quite unremarkable to me and not someone that streets smarts Min would risk his life saving and falling in love with. I wholeheartedly believed that Min did love him, but I just couldn't see it. And because the romance totally eluded me, I didn't particularly enjoy their love making scene-it was pretty awkward, considering that Kaz was a demure 19 year old virgin and the fact that there was almost no chemistry between them. Min has tons of chemistry with Harry though. That would have been fun, Min and Harry. But yeah, obviously it didn't happen.

The story was a very light fantasy tale without any intricate or complex world building, lacking the charged atmosphere that is a Lisa Henry trademark. Also, I found the ending to be inexcusably unfair to Min, him having to always wait for Kaz while he lived an entirely different life elsewhere, it seemed way out of character for sly, cunning Min.

I so wanted to fall in love with Anhaga but I didn't. Don't get me wrong, it's still a very well written, enjoyable book. However, after being super spoiled by Henry's past masterpieces, I had very high expectations which unfortunately weren't met. 😞

READING: Tempest (Playing the Fool #3) by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock

Publication date: March 9 2015
Published by: Riptide
Genre: MM, Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Mystery, Funny
Rating: 

FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness and con man Henry Page are on the run again. This time they’re headed back to where it all began: Altona, Indiana. Population: some goats. Henry’s not happy about lying low at the McGuinness family farm, but they’ve got nowhere else to go.

While Mac fights to clear his name and Henry struggles with whose side he’s really on, a ghost from the past threatens to destroy everything. And those aren’t the only storms on the radar. Cut off from both sides of the law, Mac and Henry must rely on their tenuous partnership to survive. 

If Henry can convince himself to let Mac see the man behind the disguises, they’ll stand a chance of beating the forces that conspire against them. The course of true love never did run smooth, but for the two of them, it might be their only hope.

I wanted this series to be epic, considering who wrote it. It wasn't bad, not at all, but maybe I was expecting something else entirely. Based on other Henry novels (except for Another Man's Treasure) I thought this one was gonna be jam packed with romance and angst and brilliant characters and writing. It had the last two in abundance, but didn't quite succeed in the first two. 

I really liked Mac and Henry's relationship dynamic, but we didn't get to see too much of it. Every time they met, except for a very few exceptions, Henry either ran away changing his mind about staying with Mac, was being too sexual in front of Mac in order to provoke him and not always in a good way, or indulged in self flagellation. I felt that, like Mac, we never got to see the real Henry, Sebastian, whomever. It was like Mac had a relationship with someone I didn't know, someone fuzzy that I can't quite place, and that prevented me from getting too invested in his character, and consequently their relationship.

Readers not hung up on romance will definitely enjoy this one more.

READING: The Two Gentlemen from Altona (Playing the Fool #1) by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock

Publication date: December 27 2014
Published by: Riptide
Genre: MM, Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Mystery, Funny
Rating: 


Mischief, thou art afoot.

Special Agent Ryan "Mac" McGuinness is having a rough week. Not only is he on a new diet, but he's also been tasked with keeping Henry Page -- the world's most irritating witness -- alive. Which is tough when Mac's a breath away from killing the Shakespeare-quoting, ethically-challenged, egg-obsessed Henry himself. Unless killing isn't really what Mac wants to do to him.

Con man Henry Page prefers to keep his distance from the law . . . though he wouldn't mind getting a little closer to uptight, handsome Agent McGuinness. As the sole witness to a mob hit, Henry's a valuable asset to the FBI. But he's got his own agenda, and it doesn't involve testifying.

When evidence surfaces of a mole in the FBI office, Mac and Henry are forced to go into hiding. Holed up in a fishing cabin, they're surprised to discover that their feelings run more than skin deep. But as the mob closes in, Henry has to make his escape. And Mac has to decide how far he's willing to go to keep Henry by his side.

Didn't realise this book is so short!!! I'm at work, and I don't have the second one! Now what? Do I actually have to...work? Ugh.

Henry and Rock together: miracle workers. 
Even when they create realistic characters-not having washboard abs and piercing blue eyes kind of realistic-I still like them and am attracted to them because of their unbelievably charismatic personality. I am not saying that physical appearance is everything and all MCs should be crazy hot and sexy, but when you're writing a romance novel, I think it's kind of pivotal. 
Henry and Rock are very good at that; they create smart characters, with great sense of humour but most importantly, genuinely good and kind hearted people that you can't help but like.
Same with Bel in WATWS, same with Deacon in MCvA, same here with Mac. 

And then they create broken, cracked characters like Henry, who starve for good guys like Mac, but never let themselves believe they are good enough, scared to accept that yes, they can have something nice and safe in their lives.

The only thing I would say is that I didn't really get how quickly Mac went from "Shut up, I want to throttle you, you're so annoying" and "You're my witness and I'm a professional", to playing dress up and re enacting scenes from Shakespeare with Henry and basically falling in love with him. There was something missing there, I think. Maybe if they were given a little bit more time to bond (maybe a couple of chapters) their connection would seem more believable. 

Starting Merchant of Death straight away!

READING: Another Man's Treasure by Lisa Henry and J.A.Rock

Publication date: May 30 2014
Published by: Crocobear Press
Genre: MM, Adult, Contemporary, Dark, Suspense, Violence 
Rating: 

Ilia Porter is Chechen mob boss Mikhail Kadyrov’s greatest treasure. After leaving home at eighteen to escape his verbally abusive father, beautiful, selfish Ilia has lived with Mikhail, proud of his ability to bring such a powerful man to his knees to worship. But when Ilia’s father, a police captain, kills Mikhail in a raid, Ilia’s world falls apart.

Entering to pick up the pieces is Mikhail’s younger brother, Nick—impulsive, power-hungry, and dangerous. When Nick tells Ilia he’s taking everything that belonged to Mikhail—including Ilia—Ilia is too lost in grief to fight. Nick takes Ilia prisoner in the apartment Ilia once shared with Mikhail and grooms him for a very important mission: to kill Ilia’s father and avenge Mikhail’s death.

Ilia wants no part in the plot, but being Nick’s ally is preferable to being Nick’s victim, so he begins to warp himself into the monster Nick wants him to be. Hope arrives when Nick takes another captive: Patrick, a shy massage therapist who’s stronger than he seems. Patrick and Ilia must join forces to escape Nick—and to keep each other whole as Nick does everything in his power to break them.

This review is very small but I wanted to add it in here so this amazing, wonderful book could get as much exposure as possible. 

Oh my God.
This book.
Oh my God.

Another Man's Treasure is an exquisitely written book, from beginning to end.
It is dark. Possibly the darkest book I have ever read.
It is not a romance book, in any way, shape or form. There is no HEA. I would not recommend it to just anyone. I was desperately trying to find something good and positive to hold on to in the midst of all this blackness, but it just got darker and darker. And yet, I couldn't stop reading. Like a car-crush; I just couldn't look away.

What makes it a great read? The writing and the characters. Lisa Henry reaffirms herself as my favourite MM author and together with Rock they are unbeatable (see When All the World Sleeps). They have this phenomenal ability to make the reader captivated by the most gut wrenching, sorrow-filled but utterly un-relatable stories by creating such full and compelling characters. Even the monsters they create are fascinating.

Another Man's Treasure is a work of art. An evil, twisted work of art. Just like Ilia's piercing.
I felt completely devastated after reading it. My stomach was clenched the entire time, I was on edge and quite honestly, scared. 
And I loved every second of it.

READING: Mark Cooper vs America by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock

Publication date: January 2 2018
Published by: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Genre: MM, New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 

Mark Cooper is angry, homesick, and about to take his stepdad’s dubious advice and rush Prescott College’s biggest party fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi. Greek life is as foreign to Aussie transplant Mark as Pennsylvania’s snowstorms and bear sightings. So, when the fraternity extends Mark a bid, Mark vows to get himself kicked out by the end of pledge period. But then he’s drawn into Alpha Delt’s feud with a neighboring fraternity.

Studious Deacon Holt is disappointed to learn Mark’s pledging Alpha Delt, his fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa’s sworn enemy. Mark is too beautiful for Deacon to pass up an invitation for sex, but beyond sex, Deacon’s not sure. He wants a relationship, but a difficult family situation prevents him from pursuing anything beyond his studies.

Mark and Deacon’s affair heats up as the war between their fraternities escalates. They explore kinks they didn’t know they had while keeping their liaison a secret from their brothers. But what Romeo and Juliet didn’t teach these star-crossed lovers is how to move beyond sex and into a place where they share more than a bed. That’s something they’ll have to figure out on their own—if the friction between their houses, and between Mark and America, doesn’t tear them apart.

2nd read (Nov 22 2018)

💗💗💗💗💗💗
Just as good, if not better! 

Mark Cooper will always be one of the sexiest MCs in MM history, hands down. I don't know how Lisa Henry & JA Rock came up with Mark's character and what her inspiration was, because we sure as hell don't have guys like that down here in Melbourne, I'll tell you that for free! I am now convinced that he is a figment of her imagination, but a girl (or boy) can dream, eh?

Being able to describe a book that includes men in women's knickers, dirty sex in public places, paddling and anal fisting as beautifully sweet, just goes to show what an amazing writer Lisa Henry is. She can write the most romantic story in the dirtiest context and you still go "awww" in the end. 
Mark and Deacon were perfect together. Mark's personality reminded me of a spin top that would perpetually spin and spin further and further away from its centre, if not blocked by an obstacle strong enough to stop its crazy reeling. That obstacle was Deacon. Steady as they come, always ready to listen and never judge or embarrass, but just being there for Mark whenever he needed him, even early on. Does that sound boring? Ha! Deacon is anything but! He gives as good as he gets and he rivals Mark in kinks. And Mark is preeeeetty kinky!

If you're looking for a hot and spicy MM college romance, with perfect writing and amazing sense of humour to boot, this is definitely the book for you.

Just picture it:A very young Chris Hemsworth playing Mark in a hypothetical Mark Cooper versus America movie shot in early 2000s? Hell yes!


1st read (Aug 4 2018)

Can I just officially declare Henry as one of my absolute favourite mm writers?
I love everything she writes; how she builds her characters and their relationship, how she knows when to be serious and when to be hilarious (love her sense of humour) when to write cheecky-kinky scenes and when to write sweet and loving ones.
The total lack of angst in this one was very refreshing. Just two college guys meeting each other and gradually falling in love. They each have their baggage and they help each other to try and work them out. Mark and Deacon's relationship is a loving and sweet one, being occasionally spiced up by Mark, who is a complete firecracker(Aussie, what can I tell ya?) Deacon is the opposite- more serious, almost somber at times. Together, they are perfection!
Unputdownable, amazing read!

READING: When All The World Sleeps by Lisa Henry and J.A.Rock

Publication date: March 24 2014
Published by: Riptide Publishing
Genre: MM, Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Dark, Cops
Rating: 

Daniel Whitlock is terrified of going to sleep. And rightly so: he sleepwalks, with no awareness or memory of his actions. Including burning down Kenny Cooper’s house—with Kenny inside it—after Kenny brutally beat him for being gay. Back in the tiny town of Logan after serving his prison sentence, Daniel isolates himself in a cabin in the woods and chains himself to his bed at night.

Like the rest of Logan, local cop Joe Belman doesn’t believe Daniel’s absurd defense. But when Bel saves Daniel from a retaliatory fire, he discovers that Daniel might not be what everyone thinks: killer, liar, tweaker, freak. Bel agrees to control Daniel at night—for the sake of the other townsfolk. Daniel’s fascinating, but Bel’s not going there.

Yet as he’s drawn further into Daniel’s dark world, Bel finds that he likes being in charge. And submitting to Bel gives Daniel the only peace he’s ever known. But Daniel’s demons won’t leave him alone, and he’ll need Bel’s help to slay them once and for all—assuming Bel is willing to risk everything to stand by him.

This review is very small but I wanted to add it in here so this amazing, wonderful book could get as much exposure as possible. 

One of the most romantic stories I've ever read, with the sweetest and most sensitive MC I've probably ever come across. Bel was everything, I really couldn't help but love him. The sensitivity he showed towards Daniel's condition, the unlimited patience, the endless sacrifices-all for Daniel, and it was just beautiful.

Lisa Henry is a master in stirring up a lot of emotion with her heartfelt writing, leaving you feeling melancholic, even sad sometimes, despite the expected HEA in the end. Only 340 pages, and WATWS never felt rushed to me. On the contrary, I feel like the characters were developed to perfection and that there wasn't anything missing from the story. From beginning to end, everything was placed and timed exactly where and when they should have been, and in the end, everything came together beautifully.

Loved the story, loved Daniel, adored Bel, loved everything about this book. 

READING: The Island by Lisa Henry

Publication date: February 26 2016
Published by: --
Genre: MM, Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Suspense, Dark, Violence
Rating: 

Shaw is in Fiji to sell a stolen painting to the crime boss, Vornis. It will be the deal of a lifetime, if Shaw can pull it off. But then Vornis parades his latest toy around in front of him—a captured DEA agent whose time is running out. It’s none of Shaw’s business, and it doesn’t matter that under any other circumstances Lee would be exactly Shaw’s type: he’s young, he’s hot, and he might even have a personality if they hadn’t beaten it out of him. Too bad there’s no way Lee is getting off the island. Too bad there’s nothing Shaw can do for him. And too bad there are some lines that even Shaw won’t cross. 

Keeping his hands off Lee proves harder than he thinks, but Shaw’s not stupid enough to fall for the tortured captive of a dangerous crime boss, is he? If he did, it wouldn’t be just his job he would be risking—it would be his life.

The Island came very, very highly recommended. As in "I've read it 3 times and I absolutely love it" and "I stayed up all night reading it, it blew my mind".
And I agree, the book is fantastic. However, it did not quite reach the perfection levels I was expecting, and that's OK. 

My main concern was that I was not utterly convinced by Shaw's sudden urge to save Lee and to hell with everything else, when he himself confessed to being witness to other gruesome crimes and not even blinking an eye. Why did he choose to save this particular person and what made him draw the line now, after 6 years of witnessing horrible things? Was it that this one was particularly terrible? I don't think so, I bet he had seen way worse. Was it that he fell in love with him? Nah, can't be that simplistic, I don't buy it. Probably it was there right in front of me (it was abundantly clear to my friends) but I just did not see it. 

I loved the fact that Henry chose Fiji as the main location and the expert way she wrapped all that darkeness and ugliness around something so stunning. I also really liked Lee's chapters and how his character was developed both on the island and back at home. I wanted to see him more as an individual than together with Shaw, away from any sexual tension, which to be honest, made me cringe at times (except for the ending). It just felt wrong and off to me in the island, but I completely understand its purpose.

The Island is not a romance book for me. Yes, it has its HEA, but that doesn't mean anything. At the end of the day, it's about two very damaged people coming together under the worst circumstances, hoping against hope that something good could come from all this suffering and agony. It's an optimistic romance, a potential romance at best.