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28 Mar 2013

Love Thy Neighbor… Or Covet Thy Neighbor Works Too – L.A. Witt

Christianity has done a great deal for love by making it a sin. – Anatole France

When it comes to religion, Seth Wheeler can only be described as a devout Atheist, though that wasn’t always the case. Seth was a believer until the day he came out of the closet to his fundamentalist Christian parents and they, in turn, disowned their son for being gay. Seth made it through their abandonment with a few scars, but is doing alright by himself at Ink Springs, the tattoo shop he owns with his friend Lane.

Darren Romero is the man who moves into the vacant apartment across the hall after Seth’s friend Robyn moves out. When it comes to religion, Darren can only be described as a devout Christian—kind of goes with the territory seeing as how Darren’s a minister and all, which is the very definition of irony, isn’t it? Kind of like a cosmic joke: an atheist and a minister meet, and the sexual attraction between the two of them is like an act of God, something indefinable and out of control.

L.A. Witt has given Seth a lot to wrap his head around when it comes to Darren, not the least of which is that he’s a gay minister, but also that Darren’s version of Christianity is nothing like the version that Seth’s familiar with. Darren’s religion is the one that teaches love and patience and kindness and compassion, the one that doesn’t brag or boast, the one that trusts and perseveres even when he’s tested by those who call themselves fellow Christians. But that’s not Seth’s religion; Seth’s doesn’t trust in anything that looks like faith, and that’s where the conflict begins and ends for these two men who can’t resist the temptation of each other.

Covet Thy Neighbor is a book I don’t think is possible to read and feel entirely neutral about, which is one of the things I liked so much about it in the end. Whether you see yourself as a religious person or not, or whether you even consider yourself a spiritual person (which, in my opinion, is very different from religion) or not, I think it’s possible to find parts and parcels of one’s beliefs in Seth and Darren’s story, especially if you subscribe to the belief that loving someone is not a sin. It addresses prejudices in various forms, and is a book that questions The Book, which is filled with contradictions but is the basis for an entire belief system and defines the way those believers treat those who think differently.

I liked this one, liked the message and the conflict between the MCs and liked that it wasn’t about fixing the differences between Seth and Darren, but about accepting them and compromising in order to make them work.

You can buy Covet Thy Neighbor here:

Posted in L.A. Witt, Riptide Publishing and tagged Contemporary Romance, L.A. Witt, Prejudice, Religion, Riptide Publishing | Leave a Comment

15 Mar 2013

If You Don’t Think Doms Need Safewords, Think Again – If It Flies by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov

One must do violence to the object of one’s desire; when it surrenders, the pleasure is greater. – Marquis de Sade

Nick is perhaps the baddest of the bad boys at Market Garden, the man who doesn’t mind at all doing a little violence—for the right price, that is. He’s introduced briefly in the first two books of the Market Garden Tales series as one of the kinkier men who services the johns looking for a little, or a lot, of pain with their pleasure, and let me assure you Nick is a Dom and a sadist who really, really loves what he does. He is a master of his craft in much the same way an artist excels in transforming a once unmarred canvas into something that begs to be appreciated for the sweat, tears, sometimes even blood that went into creating it, but how much of what he does is simply part of the act he’s being paid to perform? Oh, there’s no mistaking Nick is a sexual dominant in every sense of the word, but there’s a difference between playing a role because the money dictates it, and fulfilling a need because the mind and body demands it.

That difference is a line Nick has never toed before, but all it takes is one man, a man whose needs as a purely trusting and giving submissive causes Nick to err on the side of fear and caution, because Spencer is the one man who has come along and unintentionally erased all the boundaries of sex for money and sex for the pure and unadulterated want of another human being who is more than simply an outlet for a fantasy. Spencer is the man who blurred those lines with a single kiss, in turn causing Nick to immediately and unflinchingly redraw them; not as mere intangibles but as a wall of silence and distance between himself and the temptation Spencer represents.

L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov are exploring the Gordian knot of sex and love, and sex in which there is no emotion involved at all, only the physical act of pleasure that’s separate from the emotional act of being connected to someone else because it’s a choice and not a career obligation. Jealousy is not a factor in this equation for Spencer; possession is everything in this equation for Nick. For the sub and his Dom, it adds up to the promise that they’ve each found something they want beyond a simple business arrangement.

If you haven’t found the love for the Market Garden boys yet, then don’t start here. Get to know Tristan and Jared in Quid Pro Quo and Take It Off first; they’re very well worth introducing yourselves to. Whenever you do choose to impose yourself upon this world of high priced, top shelf rentboys, I will only say to be prepared for an extreme ride of the erotic variety, in which sex is a game of strategy and is played for maximum effect.

To quote the ever eloquent George Takei, “Oh myyyyy.” That’s pretty much it. Well, that and “Have mercy.” I don’t know who first said that one, but I did, at least a half dozen times while I was reading this book.

You can buy If It Flies here:

Posted in Aleksandr Voinov, L.A. Witt, Riptide Publishing and tagged Aleksandr Voinov, BDSM, D/s, Erotica, Interracial, L.A. Witt, Market Garden Tales, Rentboys, Riptide Publishing | Leave a Comment

14 Mar 2013

2 Comments

Of All The Gin Joints In All The Towns In All The World… The Mayfield Speakeasy by L.A. Witt

then murder’s out of tune, And sweet revenge grows harsh. – William Shakespeare

I’m going to say something that I’ve most definitely never said before. I think I just imagined this book in black & white as I was reading it. Weird, no? Yes, it is.

The stylized atmosphere of L.A. Witt’s novella Mayfield Speakeasy most definitely lends itself to that noir-ish feel of Hollywood’s classic crime dramas, with rival gangsters, and hardboiled detectives, and femme fatales, and the bartender who “don’t want no trouble”; he just wants to dispense a little illegal entertainment of the liquid variety to his rather shady clientele.

Set in the waning years of the Prohibition, Walter Mayfield is the proprietor of the illicit club that’s become neutral turf for the Abandanato and O’Reilly gangs, a place the flatfoots generally overlook because when the goons are drinking, they ain’t out on the streets conducting their special brand of misery business, if you catch my meaning. Walter runs the place with his brothers, John, a generally law abiding citizen, and Billy, the black sheep of the family who’s felt the chokehold of the long arm of the law on more than a few occasions. But Walter hasn’t seen much in the way of trouble, really, until Detective Joe Riordan and his partner, Danny, belly up to his bar and serve up what amounts to a whole lot of trouble for Walter.

Seems there’s someone with a special kind of love for killing women who each have a common thread that links them all back to John Mayfield—husband, father…guy who can’t seem to keep it in his pants. Joe’s on the case, doing everything within his power to keep another murder from happening, and Walter’s the very man Joe needs. Eventually, in more ways than one.

A murder mystery with plenty of the usual suspects, wrapped around more than one illicit love affair, all set in the 1930s, where crimes of passion pit brother against brother and tear a family apart, a time when a crime of passion meant nothing more than two men falling in love. I can’t decide which I liked more: the relationship part of the story, or the criminal investigation that sparked it. Whichever it is, L.A. Witt has offered a gritty little erotic drama that made me glad a nice girl like me got to hang out in a place like that for just a little while.

You can buy The Mayfield Speakeasy here:

Posted in Amber Allure, L.A. Witt and tagged Amber Allure, L.A. Witt

26 Feb 2013

2 Comments

In Which I’m Pretty Sure My Brain Checked Out Somewhere Around The Lap Dance – Take It Off by L.A. Witt & Aleksandr Voinov

Dancing is a perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire. – George Bernard Shaw

Oooh. My. Bwaaah… Yes, that’s me being rather speechless in a very complimentary way, because there’s just not much room for words in my head at the moment. Why? Because I can’t seem to erase the mental picture that L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov left there with this sexy-heavy little episode of the life and times of Tristan and Jared, two of the Market Garden rentboys who are professionals at more than simply pleasing their clients—as well as each other. It would seem they’re also fairly talented at making me want more of them. They’re really good that way.

Some people like to watch other people get down to the business of sex, while some people would rather read about it, then let their imaginations drift to all sorts of places that reality can neither attend nor compare to. If you’re one of the latter, believe me when I tell you to go have a look at Jared getting his sexy on for Tristan and Rolex this time around, then come back and tell me I’m lying about the sex and seduction business. Yes, that’s a triple dog dare. I’m forgoing etiquette and going right for the throat.

Take It Off brings two of my now favorite rentboys together with their wealthy American client again, who seems to love to watch these guys work for it, if the large sums of money he’s willing to lay down for the pleasure of their company is any indication.

I can also say that Take It Off brings together a now favorite writing duo with these two authors, who have penned these two short stories so synchronously that it’s difficult, if not impossible, to detect the seams of each one’s distinct influence. To me, that’s a pretty good indicator that the remainder of the books in the series, even though the next book won’t be focused on Tristan and Jared, will be on my list of absolute must-reads.

You can buy Take It Off here:

Posted in Aleksandr Voinov, L.A. Witt, Riptide Publishing, Small Gems and tagged Aleksandr Voinov, L.A. Witt, Riptide Publishing, Small Gems

10 Jan 2013

4 Comments

Small Gems – Quid Pro Quo by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov

Please, God, don’t let me be reading too much into this. – L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov

I probably am. Reading too much into this, that is. How can I not, though, when there’s so very much there to want? Sometimes I wish there was a magicky button I could push to bend authors to my will, to make them write faster and not tease me with these little morsels of salacious goodness and then make me wait for interminable periods of time for more. But since there isn’t, I guess I’ll just have to take what I can get and shut up about it.

Quid Pro Quo is a lot of sex in a little package and it may well be some of the hottest erotica I’ve ever read. It’s definitely some of the hottest erotica I’ve read so far this year, hands down. This is the first short set in the Market Garden universe, where the rentboys cater to the moneyed clientele and the question arises, at least in this installment, of who really holds all the power in this provocative exchange: Tristan, the prostitute, or the nameless john who is an eager and willing pawn in this bid for control over Jared’s orgasm.

It’s not very often that I’ve considered recommending a book for a single sex scene alone, but for this one I might make an exception. L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov have created the perfect atmosphere of want and need, of dominance and submission, and of temptation and voyeurism and a hunger that may only ever be able to be satisfied within the framework of the job.

All I know is that I’m anxious for the next installment. I don’t know whether it will continue with more Tristan and Jared, or if there’ll be other Market Garden boys introduced. Whichever direction these authors decide to go with the series, though, I’ll definitely be along for the ride.

Buy Quid Pro Quo here:

Posted in Aleksandr Voinov, L.A. Witt, Riptide Publishing, Small Gems and tagged Aleksandr Voinov, L.A. Witt, Riptide Publishing, Small Gems

05 Dec 2012

O Come All Ye Kinky Edited by Sarah Frantz

Let’s be naughty and save Santa a trip. – Gary Allan

Well, happy hot, hot holidays, everyone. Seems ‘tis the season to be bound and gagged and spanked and sexed up to the nines, when gifts aren’t tied up in ribbons and bows as much as folks are tied up in leather and ropes and are begging for the gifts of pain and pleasure, and all that glitters is duct tape, and everyone is giving the gifts of dominance and submission, those gifts that just keep on giving all year long.

O Come All Ye Kinky is a collection of eight BDSM themed stories:

Tree Topper by Jane Davitt
’Twas the Night by Ava March
Fireworks by Katie Porter
Candy Caning by L.A. Witt
Submissive Angel by Joey W. Hill
Open Return by Elyan Smith
Ring Out the Old and In the New by Alexa Snow
His Very Last Chance by Kim Dare

And each individual story in this anthology makes reading them all more than worth it. From a couple trying to figure out their roles in a relationship; to a woman struggling so hard to believe that she could ever come first in anyone’s life; to a transgendered man who’s coming home after a fifteen year absence, unsure of whether he still has a place there; to a man trying desperately to recover from the aftereffects of a violent crime, these stories all seem to have one underlying similarity, regardless of the author—they each center around a couple (or a threesome) who find that love is the one gift you can give away and will be more than glad when it’s returned.

Honestly, O Come All Ye Kinky has a little bit of something for everyone. Before I picked it up, I was one-hundred percent certain that four of the eight authors were going to deliver because I was already a fan of their work. After reading it, now I can say with one-hundred percent certainty that I count myself a budding fan of those new-to-me authors as well.

Whether you’re looking for historical erotica, something with an ethereal magic to it, something that will tug at your heartstrings, or something that’s just flat-out dead sexy, you’ll find it in this well written and complementary collection of short fiction. I can guarantee you there are more than noses being nipped at here, so go ahead and be naughty; add a little fetish to your holidays. You may never look at candy canes and wrapping paper and Christmas lights quite the same way again.

Buy O Come All Ye Kinky here:

Posted in Alexa Snow, Ava March, Elyan Smith, Jane Davitt, Joey W. Hill, Katie Porter, Kim Dare, L.A. Witt, Riptide Publishing and tagged Alexa Snow, Ava March, Elyan Smith, Jane Davitt, Joey W. Hill, Katie Porter, Kim Dare, L.A. Witt, Riptide Publishing, Sarah Frantz | Leave a Comment

17 Feb 2012

Some Steampunky Goodness From L.A. Witt

L.A. Witt’s Noble Metals isn’t the Victorian London, smoggy air, steam wafting in the distance from the smokestacks rising into the grimy skyline sort of steampunk novella I prefer, but the originality of the mechanical devices was fun, as was the journey that brings Dr. John Fauth and Robert Belton together in this undeniably romantic adventure that’s set in 1898 and is filled with all the greed and danger of the Klondike Gold Rush.

John is a scientist on his way north from Seattle with a tool he’s invented that, if discovered by the other prospectors making the trek in search of riches, it would set off a firestorm of avarice even greater than the gold itself already inspires. John doesn’t use the device to find gold, though. Gold isn’t his goal; John’s goal is the small deposits of platinum that can be found in and around those gold fields. With the platinum he discovers, John’s goal is to create a technology the likes of which no one—not Nikola Tesla, not Thomas Edison—has ever dreamed of and is far, far ahead of its time.

Robert is a prostitute in a saloon in Seattle, the final outpost of civilization before the trip toward Canada and Alaska. He didn’t set out to make money that way. His journey north started much like anyone else’s but ended very differently, when circumstances forced him to give up on his dream. Unable to move forward and unwilling to go back, Robert serves the men whose preference it is to seek comfort somewhere other than in a lady’s bed. It’s not what he wants to do, but it’s what he does do in order to survive and remain independent until he can one day finish his journey.

What happens after the two men meet, the instant spark of attraction that’s somewhat subdued by the fact that John has paid for the privilege of spending the night in Robert’s bed, is exactly what you’d expect from a romance, so that part didn’t hold any surprises, but what L.A. Witt does well is to make each of these characters more than what’s on the surface. So, while the way they met and what happened after was everything I anticipated it would be, it’s what happened as the story progressed that provided the bigger payoff.

The story is told in the dual first person, Robert as the “vocal” narrator and John as the epistolary narrator, who tells his side of the story to the reader as he writes in his journal. As their journey toward gold gains momentum, what John began as a diary to recount the events of his quest becomes increasingly more a revelation of his growing feelings for Robert, who is so much more than the young man that sold his body for sex.

The enforced intimacy of being two men against the forces of nature, technology, and the men who will kill for what John has is enough to bring them together quickly, and I found that I totally bought into their relationship. I liked them so well that I wanted them to be together, and that was more than enough for me.

Robert’s innocence in spite of his former profession, his intelligence, and his unwavering loyalty to John, as well as John’s ability to see past the fact that Robert had been a prostitute, and was all those wonderful things and more was ::sigh:: yeah, rather sweet and romantic.

Throw in guns and greed and a hostage situation, a great escape and a noble mission to return the device that became worthless when compared to what the two men stood to lose if they’d lost each other, and I found a little story that made me pretty happy to have read it.

BUY LINK

Posted in Carnal Passions, L.A. Witt and tagged Carnal Passions, L.A. Witt | Leave a Comment

13 Feb 2012

Ex Equals by L.A. Witt

Oh, L.A. Witt, you had me at hello with this story. Ex Equals begins after the end and then works its way backwards. Confused? Well, you won’t be when you read the book. The present conflict and the flashback sequences not only kept me on the edge of GAH! the entire time, but also kept me turning pages in hopes that what Chris and Justin had already endured wouldn’t stand in the way of where they could go if only they were capable of prioritizing their careers and their love for each other.

Lost opportunities, colossal screw-ups, and the end of a forbidden romance that suffered under the scrutiny of DADT, as well as a promotion that suddenly turned Justin into a man terrified of being discovered are at the heart of the story. Chris Rueben and Justin Hayes met in the Navy and began a love affair that remained their secret, though the rumors of their close connection being more that just friendship began to surface at a point when Justin’s career was at a make-or-break point. Terrified by what might happen if anyone found out he was in love with Chris, Justin reacts badly—conduct unbecoming a boyfriend, for sure—and deliberately throws away his one chance at happiness.

Three years later, and the tables are turned. Now, it’s Chris who must worry about his new career as a math professor, when Justin suddenly turns up as a student in Chris’s algebra class (which is a fun and fitting backdrop for them) and throws his life into a turmoil of anger and resentment. Will Chris put his bitterness and career ahead of his happiness? That’s the big question.

Where some stories begin with the happy and end with the heartbreak, L.A. Witt begins with the agony and makes the reader work for that hope that Chris might once again allow himself to place his faith and trust in the man who’d broken his heart–and that Justin would be worthy of it. Did Justin redeem himself and earn that gift? Well, I think that depends upon how much the words “I’m sorry” can make amends for mistakes and how much forgiveness can be given when there’s love there to back it up. Sincerity can often go a very long way.

If there was any one thing that prevented this one from being a 5 star read for me, it’s that the story felt as though it was in a bit of a rush to end, but the end was incredibly sweet and satisfying in only the way they can be when an author creates two characters who seem destined to be together, characters that I very much wanted to be together in the end.

Wish granted.

BUY LINK

Posted in Amber Allure, L.A. Witt and tagged Amber Allure, L.A. Witt | Leave a Comment

The Novel Approach

Reviews, Ramblings, and Randomness

Archive for the tag “L.A. Witt”

Love Thy Neighbor… Or Covet Thy Neighbor Works Too – L.A. Witt

If You Don’t Think Doms Need Safewords, Think Again – If It Flies by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov

Of All The Gin Joints In All The Towns In All The World… The Mayfield Speakeasy by L.A. Witt

In Which I’m Pretty Sure My Brain Checked Out Somewhere Around The Lap Dance – Take It Off by L.A. Witt & Aleksandr Voinov

Small Gems – Quid Pro Quo by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov

O Come All Ye Kinky Edited by Sarah Frantz

Some Steampunky Goodness From L.A. Witt

Ex Equals by L.A. Witt

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