Quick update

So I'm kid-free for the week and argh, it is so hot. It's reaching 42C (109F) with humidity today and tomorrow. So I am just trying to keep the house cool. Nasty. My kidlet must be sweating her butt off at camp. Ah well, she's young. :-) I saw someone jogging on my home from work. Asking for a heatstroke in this weather.

You should stop by Kris 'n' Good Books and vote on the "choose your own m/m story" choices for author Stephani Hecht. Some fun stuff and she's going to have her work cut out for her. I look forward to her story.

I read a couple of things over the weekend while getting her ready to leave.

Unexpected Guest by Andy Eisenberg (218 pages)
Dreamspinner Press

Dan moved into his family home to prepare it for sale after his mom moved out. He sees new neighbors Jaden and Brendan move in and thinks they are college kids. After an embarrassing start, he meets some of their friends and with the help of their friend Ethan, decides to remodel the kitchen before selling. Now Dan is straight, just divorced, or he thinks he is, sort of, maybe. He's also still obsessed with his childhood best friend with whom he experimented a bit. Ethan more or less moves in as he lives far away and helps him remodel. They are just friends until a run-in with the old friend finally triggers Dan to make a move. There is also a bit of a subplot of sexual harassment at work for Dan. I did not read the first story with Jaden and Brendan, but will definitely be correcting that. I really enjoyed this. Not too much angst or drama, but two guys becoming friends, working on a common goal and getting to know each other.

Duck by Kim Dare (191 pages)
Resplendence Publishing

Ori find out he's an Avian shifter who won't know exactly what until he turns 21 but he's working as a servant at The Nest (kind of a club for avians) where the pecking order puts him, a suspected duck, at the bottom. He is abused and used as the other wish until hawk, Raynard, takes an interest in him and takes him home to be his servant. Raynard is taking over his uncle's business and the house is a disaster. He's impressed with Ori's work ethic and after dancing around asks him to be his submissive, not just servant. Ori jumps at the chance and things are going super until he finally shifts and it turns out he's not a duck after all. Guess what he is. Come on, guess. Raynard informs him he can no longer be his submissive and much angst and sadness ensue on both sides. My heart broke for poor little Ori after his shift. He was such a good little submissive and they loved each other. Of course there is a HEA, it's a romance. :-) But there were some sad moments. I know I said I was taking a Kim Dare break, but this was really different than most of the recent books by this author. Yes, it had the D/s theme, but I think the length lent it a more natural feel, it wasn't a 24 hour change, it wasn't the arrogant Dom who knew what the other needed. So I really liked this and I hope there is a sequel where Raynard does something about how the underlings are treated at The Nest because I wanted to smack someone and take care of all the poor little servants. LOL