Alien 'n' Outlaw by KC Burn

Alien 'n' Outlaw by KC Burn
Stars: 3/5

Length: 44,000 words
Blurb
R'kos, son of the Ankylos Emperor, is expected to settle down. But he's much more attracted to human males than to his own species. Eager to explore his forbidden longings, he steals a ship and heads to Elora Ki to see if he can find the right human guy.

Darien robs the corrupt to give to those in need, but now he needs a ride off Elora Ki, stat. Pursued by drug lords, he accepts help from the amorous stranger who calls himself Ricky. As they fly together along Darien's route, their friendship quickly turns into passion.

But when Ricky is injured, Darien must contact the embassy to get his alien lover the medical care he needs. As Darien finds himself accused of kidnapping, and Ricky fears his family's disappointment, can the two protect their growing relationship? Or are their differences just too great?

Overall
Fans of Spice 'n' Solace will probably love this story, but I had similar issues with this one as I did with the first, which is odd, since I love Burn's Cop Out. An enjoyable story with an interesting world, steamy sex, and a unique alien specie, but nothing that really jumped out and impressed me. I wanted to enjoy this story more than I did, and though I felt disappointed in some elements, overall it was a pleasant read.

Review
The writing wasn't bad, but it didn't thrill me. It felt clunky, and while it didn't detract from the storytelling, it didn't really enhance it either. It could be personal preference, but it didn't do it for me.

I liked the challenges that get raised for the lead males, but the solutions felt too easy, much like Spice 'n' Solace. Misunderstandings and a simple conversation clear up problems that needed more attention. Maybe I just like my characters to struggle. A lot.

I love different takes on alien sex, and this series already caught my attention with the triads, but the anatomy differences were especially appreciated. They are cute and almost funny out of context (...though most sexual anatomy things are...), but in scene they are pretty darn sexy! Also, from the descriptions, I think I want to rub up on R'kos. He sounds divine.

There was a good balance of science fiction and romance, and while romance/erotica is obviously the driving force, the science doesn't get ignored, although hard-core sci-fi fans would probably find it lacking. There is brief exploration of other planets and cultures, which was there to help explore parts of the characters that we may not have seen otherwise. I enjoyed those elements of it.

Requested this book for review.

First Time, Forever by KC Burn

First Time, Forever by KC Burn
Stars: 3.5/5

Length: 24,000 words
Blurb
Derrick and Trevor used to have an incredibly passionate relationship, full of spontaneity and sizzle. Now that their son is off to college, they want to put their days of routine, vanilla sex behind them and bring back some of that spark.

Realizing that they’re empty-nesters, Trevor begins to notice their age difference. He suddenly feels old and unsure of himself, and isn’t confident Derrick still desires him. When Trevor decides to keep his health issues and gray hairs down there to himself, Derrick is hurt by his partner’s secretive behavior and thinks Trevor must be having an affair.

Nothing could be further from the truth, but Trevor doesn’t know how to communicate his fears to his partner. He desperately wants to reconnect with Derrick and rev up their sex life, but will it be enough to reclaim their marital bliss?

Overall
This tale of two empty-nesters trying to reclaim the passion they once had in the bedroom while each thinks the other is no longer interested relies solely on the characters to carry the story. Although there is little plot and all of it is relatively predictable due to the nature of the story, this is a nice exploration of two men who love one another but let life and fear get in the way. This is neither a bad story, nor a great one. It's enjoyable, but mellow.

Strengths
The driving strength in this story is the depth of emotion these struggling men evoke. Initially I didn't really feel their pain, but as the story continued and they attempted again and again to fix the relationship, I was sucked into their quandary and ached each time they thought the other wasn't interested. What is especially nice about this story is that it is written from both character's perspectives, so while we suffer while each suffers, we also get to see the opposite perspective and understand why what happened happened and how the other is feeling. The majority of the novella is bitterly sweet, but thankfully ends on a happier note.

This is definitely a character-centric story, and the two men are strong enough for this length of work. While they are both independent businessmen, they are also basic men with urges, insecurities, and assumptions. Although the situations are emotionally dramatic, for the reader there is also a tinge of humor as they keep screwing things up for one another. They are just people behaving like people, in a sweet, sometimes frustrating, way.

Weaknesses
Although there is nothing I would pin strongly against this novella, there were a few points that kept it from scoring higher.

The writing wasn't bad, but because the story is so dependent on voice, there were moments where the writing was a weakness, although overall I wouldn't say that's true.

By the nature of the style of story being told here, and the dual perspective, there are very little surprises plot-wise, although some of the events are surprising. Some people may find this boring and unimaginative, but I found it a nice "slice of life" type story. A romantic comedy of sorts.

Trevor's feeling old seemed a little forced, since he's not that much older and he's in great shape, but maybe being an empty-nester makes you do crazy things.

Requested this book for review.

Cop Out by KC Burn

Cop Out by KC Burn
Stars: 4.5/5

Length: 194 pages
Blurb
Detective Kurt O’Donnell is used to digging up other people’s secrets, but when he discovers his slain partner was married to another man, it shakes him. Determined to do the right thing, Kurt offers the mourning Davy his assistance. Helping Davy through his grief helps Kurt deal with the guilt that his partner didn’t trust him enough to tell him the truth, and somewhere along the way Davy stops being an obligation and becomes a friend, the closest friend Kurt has ever had.

His growing attraction to Davy complicates matters, leaving Kurt struggling to reevaluate his sexuality. Then a sensual encounter neither man is ready for confuses them further. To be with Davy, Kurt must face the prospect of coming out, but his job and his relationship with his Catholic family are on the line. Can he risk destroying his life for the uncertain possibility of a relationship with a newly widowed man?

Overall
Despite really enjoying this novel, its story, the writing, and the characters, I can't quite give it a full five stars because of some weak points, which I'll discuss later. This was a powerful, moving story that had me curled up on the couch, eagerly reading to see what happened next. The natural flow kept me from putting it down and the emotional draw kept me reading.

Although there are some weaker elements in this story, overall it excels in provoking the desired emotions and exploring Kurt's situation. The writing's strength made even the weaknesses forgivable as they just tended to be expected and foreseeable, not necessarily bad choices. The novel isn't action heavy, with only two real action-based events. For the most part this is a study of relationships and psychology, both for Kurt and Davy. For people who like that, this will be highly enjoyable. Even with the focus being the relationship, this didn't read slowly. Definitely recommend, as long as you're not looking for high action.

Strengths
The gradual development of the relationship between the two characters was extremely well built as they transition from being complete strangers to best friends and then something more. The subtle bits, like Kurt's casual acceptance that he likes touching Davy to comfort him because he was raised in a touchy household, work wonderfully to take their friendship and blur the lines without Kurt realizing what's happening--or at least it gives him an excuse for why it is.

Kurt's complete acceptance of Ben's (and Davy's) sexuality was refreshing. He didn't suffer from closet-gay or unknowing-gay syndrome and immediately hate gays because he hated himself. In fact, his realization, while in some parts suffered from the classic realization model, was not so much a struggle to accept being gay, but accepting the shift of self-perception from "I'm straight" to "I'm gay."

The use of Ben, who has one line and no actual screen time, was well used as a tool to bring Davy and Kurt together, but also as a comparison to both Kurt and for Simon. Although the contrast to Simon, the new partner, is apparent, the role Ben and Kurt both play in Davy's life is vital as their decisions affect him. For a character who barely appears, Ben played a huge role in the story.

There were plenty of tiny touches that I liked that went into this book, such as Kurt's family, Simon and Jen, Justin, and how the fall out and inevitable face-to-face encounter went. This story had the potentially to be mediocre, but was handled in such a way that even the cliche moments feel right in what is a heart-wrenching, feel-good love story.

Weaknesses
The weaknesses of the story are mostly superficial, such as one event at the end being rather predictable (although I still liked it). Kurt's reaction to their "sensual encounter" and the results of it seemed a little extreme if I thought about it too much, but overall I was so enthralled with what was happening that I didn't mind, but I am a sucker for suffering characters. Also, Kurt's reaction to coming to the realization that he's gay was a touch cliche, but such reactions are cliche because the hold a certain truth in them. It wasn't so overdone that it was boring and it wasn't dragged on too long, which was good.

Requested this book for review.

Spice 'n' Solace by K.C. Burn

Spice 'n' Solace by K.C. Burn
Stars: 2.5/5

Overall
With a fairly strong beginning, and a relatively enjoyable story, the final 15% of the book was disappointing as it too easily fixed issues and solved everything. Although I enjoyed the interactions between Jathan and Kazha, the events that happen outside of the apartment do very little to hold my interest. Jathan's work in negotiations is interesting but brushed over, which is understandable to avoid a politically heavy book, but there was something happening with R'Kos that were hinted at but never developed and make me wonder if there is going to be a story about him. The writing was fairly good, although a few word choices left me wincing (eg, joy button). I enjoyed the novella until the end, wondering where the author was going and how things would be resolved, but was ultimately unsatisfied.

Strengths
I really enjoyed the varied characters, including some of the smaller characters such as the guard Sven. The characters really came to life and weren't flat, although sometimes when under pressure they behaved outside the norm, this could be chalked up to the stress. I connected with the main characters and were drawn into their plight--I wanted them to find happiness.

Pacing. Except for the final 15%, the pacing was very good. The introduction of the characters and their eventual meeting aren't rushed, and although there is a time skip in the days they are together, it doesn't feel like we skipped anything vital to the development of the characters. Their relationship is definitely Lust at First Sight and quickly translates to Love, but even this is forgivable within the genre and the hints that they are "mates," which the alien culture deems important.

Weaknesses
Some of the word choices during the sex scenes felt almost porny and threw me out of the story.

The Gay Taboo. For a story that supposedly takes place in the future, there is still plenty of bias against homosexuals. While they can marry and it is recognized by the government, among Kaz's friends it is seen as a weakness. The amount of bigotry still existing was surprising. While I can understand things fluctuate in how society accepts them, there was no reason offered for why it's not accepted when the reader lives in a world where it is slowly becoming more accepted. All I needed was a reason.

***WARNING: SPOILERS***
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The end. The end really annoyed me. The reader is taken on this journey through a dark, seedy world and comes out the other side sparkling clean and glittery. I think if it had been stretched out and explored, the end may have worked, but it as rushed and tacked on. Huge issues that hang over the heads of our protagonists are solved in an easy one-two. He's a bad guy who's trying to take over your company? Nope, it was just a misunderstanding. Can't marry a man because of requirements of your position? Nope, just another misunderstanding. Vaughn aside, I felt the final chapter added enough closure that the epilogue was unnecessary and possibly the worst part for me.

In addition, multiple characters seem to have dramatic personality changes and Jay and Kaz, while wonderfully in love, seem to become members of the Brady bunch who happen to like a bit of dom/sub behavior. The epilogue oozed cheese (and not the delicious kind that goes on nachos). I feel that if the changes that needed to happen for them to be together had been thoroughly fleshed out, I wouldn't have had problems. Instead, everything is solved neatly and tied in a pretty bow without us seeing how it all came to be and the struggles they dealt with to get there. It felt too easy, and while I understand not all of life is a angst-filled struggle, in a world as darkly described as the one this book exists in, the end felt false.