(Michael and Max…in the fall. Love the cover)
October 2, 2009
m/m romance
E-Book
Aspen Mountain Press
I first discovered L.B. Gregg, aka Lisabea, through her blog,
Nose in a Book. I don’t remember how I ended up on her site but I was immediately hooked. She writes some very funny blog posts. Then one day I noticed she had a book,
Gobsmacked on her sidebar and the smarty that I am put two and two together and realized she is an author – so embarrassing to admit that. Anyway, I immediately bought and read the book and fell in love with Mark and Tony and this little town of Smithfield she has created.
Happy Ending followed with more smexy love.
Cover Me (which is out today!) is the third book in L.B. Gregg’s Men of Smithfield series, but each book is a stand alone. The only thing they really have in common is the northeastern town setting – oh and hot man love;)
Max, a specialist in security, has hired Michael, a teacher at Dalton Boarding School to tutor his much younger brother, Kyle, over the summer. Michael is doing his best, but he realizes Kyle is going to start needing more lessons so he meets with Max to discuss this. Once in Max’s office, Michael is overcome with lust. The reserved, serious Max is just to delicious for Michael to ignore. He knows Max is gay, and so he takes a chance and seduces him. Max is game too. By page ten we are in the midst of a very hot scene:
At last, here was a guy who promised to fulfill a very specific, very dirty fantasy. I wanted that shirt of his to stay on, please, so that the lines of his body would be tantalizingly hidden by his clothing. I stroked the planes of his abdomen. Christ, he was fit. “How do you want me, Max?”
Say on the desk. Oh, God, say it. Say it.
“[...]Put your hands against the desk.”
AHH – Max said it. Hot damn.
Unfortunately for Michael, the fun doesn’t last. As soon as their lust is sated, Max tells him he is not a good fit for a tutor for Kyle and fires him. Humiliated, Michael leaves and doesn’t see Max for months. That is, until a student at the boarding school where Michael works and lives is receiving threatening letters. Max is hired to be his security guard until the kids’ father can make it up to the school.
Max’s room ends up being right across the hall from Michael’s in the boys dormitory – and you know what that means. Although Max is in full security mode and Michael is still mad at what happened over the summer, being across the hall opens up many naughty opportunities.
Cover Me lived up to all of my expectations. What I love most about L.B. Gregg’s style of writing is that she is an entertainer. L.B. Gregg writes a wonderfully smart and witty book, with engaging characters that also happens to have a very hot romance.
This book starts right out with an intense romance scene. At first I was worried – I knew Max and Michael were not going to live happily ever after right from page ten but I usually like a lot of romantic tension to build before the hero and hero have THE moment. Not to worry though – after the next time they meet the tension is there and I definitely got my fix! I have to note – L.B. Gregg writes some of the best love scenes in m/m books I have read. All three of her books are sizzling hot.
This book also has two of my favorite type of men – Michael, a little more on the beta side, but who is also not shy in the bedroom. He is a little goofy and his internal monologue – lusting after the reserved Max and trying to act calm and collected on the outside will have you smiling throughout. Then Max – the serious, cold character – always concentrating on work, acting like he doesn’t have the time of day for Michael. But then Max is the one that ends up sneaking off to Michael’s in the middle of the night – *swoon*.
Besides the romantic conflicts Max and Michael have to work through , they have to deal with threats coming from an anonymous person. The mystery is woven in the story quite well. The ending conflict is really the only time I felt the drama to be a bit over done. Without giving away spoilers, I was surprised by the intensity of the actions taken at the end. I do enjoy the mystery aspects of these books though, and although I think it was obvious who would be hurt in the end, the perpetrator remained in the dark for me.
One of my favorite scenes in the book involves Michael dressing up as a
toaster for the school Halloween dance. At the time he bought the costume, he had no idea Max would be around, and of course Max has to be at the dance for security detail. He is totally embarrassed he has to show up wearing this thing, but he paid good money for it, and damn it he is going to go through with it. Max gets a big kick out of it-
I swung my extension cord in a neat arc, twirling it snappily, and he doubled over. I chuckled too and tried to tilt suavely against the wall, but that wasn’t happening. I tipped. He stared at my toast.
I spun around, showing off a little.
“Hey, you’ve got something stuck to your back.”
I visualized his touch; I couldn’t feel it. Fortunately, the bottom of my metallic housing covered my crotch, on the off chance that I got excited.
“I’ll bet. Does it say ‘kick me?’”
“No. It says ‘I like to have my muffin buttered.’”
My face flamed and I jerked back around, my jaw hanging. “Tell me you’re kidding.”
He smiled roguishly. “I’m kidding, Michael. It says ‘kick me.’ And you’re blushing, kiddo.”
I fell completely in love with Michael and Max, just as I did with characters in her previous books. The Men of Smithfield books go on my keeper shelf, or whatever the equivalent is on my e-reader;)
Rating: Four Stars
The Men of Smithfield books include:
**Head over to
Lisabea’s blog today for a blogger costume party. Smexy submitted her costume along with many others! I’ll give you a hint, mine has to do with a hairy chest
**
October 2, 2009 at 9:03 am
I am always on the lookout for some good M/M romance and you really caught my attention with this one! If Santa surprises me with an e-reader than I am so going to get me these books
October 2, 2009 at 10:10 am
OMG now I have visions of a guy in a huge toaster costume having sex on a desk!!! LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!
October 2, 2009 at 10:11 am
Oooohhh – I love this series! Based on your review I'm going to love this one too!
October 2, 2009 at 10:18 am
Erotic Horizon turned me on to this author… I stalk reviews to see what others has to say… And your is awesome!
Hope you are having a great day!
Costume party…
Gotta go, Hugh is calling me!
October 2, 2009 at 11:06 am
I just read this, this morning… and I agree LB outdid herself with this one..
I love it..
I was going to pass on doing a review, but I think I will whip something up for this evening… Love the scene you mention and these guys were the bomb….
Love the sum up…
E.H>
October 2, 2009 at 12:27 pm
This sounds so good but I haven't taken the step into m/m yet. I've come close with books that have both m/f/m & m/m but nothing yet with just m/m. Once I get an ereader – look out! LOL
October 2, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Leontine – I hope Santa is making lots of hi-tech toys because smexy wants a new laptop and an iphone!
KB – HA! You make me laugh.
Patti – I love Smithfield…sigh.
EH – yes, post a review! Love to hear your thoughts.
Leslie – I wonder how many people that read this blog read m/m. Might have to do a post about it…
October 2, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I love the new Blog look!!!
October 2, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Mandi~Thanks for this review…and I think Smithfield is a fun town.
And who doesn't like to have their muffin buttered? I LOVE that you picked that excerpt! LOL.
LB/Lisabea
October 2, 2009 at 7:09 pm
A toaster, huh? Sexy.
Unfortunately, the buttered muffin bit made me flash on Kathryn Smith's post on Katiebab's site about 19th-century terminology and "hot buttered buns." 
October 3, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Ooh, looks like a few people might be getting something special from Santa!
Well, I loved this book, and I love your review. And that's a good point you make about who sneaks off to whose room at night!! Also, you bring out two fabulous scenes. So funny.