Tag Archives: LGBTQ Drama

Colton’s Terrible Wonderful Year by Vincent Traughber Meis Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young man must navigate life as a Black teen while growing up with two dads and questions about his heritage in author Vincent Traughber Meis’s “Colton’s Terrible Wonderful Year”.

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The Synopsis

Colton is on a quest to meet his surrogate mom who might help him navigate being a Black teenager in today’s America. The woman who gave birth to him is Black. His dads are not. His diverse community of family and friends includes lots of LGBTQ+ people, though his first love is a girl of mixed race like him.

Colton’s dads reluctantly introduce him to his birth mother, but she doesn’t turn out to be person he hoped for. On his journey of falling in love, nearly losing one of his dads, and confronting a racist cousin, he learns about love, non-traditional families, community, and what is important in life. The biggest challenge of all is something he discovers about his birth, causing friction with his dads. But like every difficulty in his life, the love of his dads ultimately carries him along and lifts him up.

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The Review

This was a powerful and well-written LGBTQ+ YA Drama. The author did an incredible job of layering the narrative with heart and thoughtful plot points that touched upon many of the issues still facing our society today. The rich descriptive nature of the scenes not only brought the reader into the settings perfectly but made the story feel alive on the page as if reading a script for a play at times as the narrative played out. 

The heart of this narrative was definitely the thought-provoking themes and passionate character development that went into the story. The struggles that this cast of characters endured all showcased the unique hardships that certain groups of people still face in a prejudiced society, from the protagonist’s struggles to understand his heritage and how to live life as a black man, to the struggles of LGBTQ+ parents who try to navigate these difficult paths with their children and so much more. The dynamics of the characters as they struggled through these events felt realistic and captivating to behold, heightening the drama and emotions that the reader felt.

The Verdict 

Heartfelt, emotionally driven, and thought-provoking, author Vincent Traughber Meis’s “Colton’s Terrible Wonderful Year” is a must-read LGBTQ+ YA Drama that readers won’t be able to put down. The shocking struggles these characters must endure and the all too familiar relatability of the issues that these characters face will resonate with many readers, and the captivating scenes that showcase the protagonist’s evolution over time will make this one story readers won’t be able to forget. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

In the 1980s and 90s Vincent Meis published a number of pieces, mostly travel articles, but also a few poems and book reviews, in publications such as, The Advocate, LA Weekly, In Style, and Our World. His travels have inspired his five novels, all set at least partially in foreign countries: Eddie’s Desert Rose (2011), Tio Jorge (2012), and Down in Cuba (2013), Deluge (2016) and Four Calling Burds (2019). Tio Jorge received a Rainbow Award in the category of Bisexual Fiction in 2012. Down in Cuba received two Rainbow Awards in 2013. Recently stories have been published in two collections: WITH:New Gay Fiction and Best Gay Erotica 2015.

https://www.vincentmeis.com/

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Forbidden Love by Dee Rose Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A man who discovers he is dying must make a life-altering decision to admit his feelings for his best friend since high school, which could change the dynamic between them forever, in author Dee Rose’s “Forbidden Love”.

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The Synopsis

Mark and Jesse have been friends since they were kids and became best friends – like brothers in high school. However, Mark slowly begins to develop romantic feelings for Jesse, which puts a strain on, not only their relationship, but all other relationships they’d ever have. Fast forward twelve years later, and Mark’s feelings have only deepened because of their proximity in Salt Lake City. Both are successful in their chosen careers, Mark in advertising and Jesse in construction. Jesse married his childhood sweetheart, Annika Johnson, and they have a child with another one on the way. Sadly, Mark finds out he has an inoperable brain tumor and finally decides to tell Jesse how he truly feels. But Mark must tread carefully because even though he and Annika are also close, she begins to suspect Mark has a secret crush on Jesse. Several obstacles and side stories arise on the way to passionate night between Mark and Jesse in a remote cabin. 

The Review

This was a passionate, complex, and captivating read. The author did an incredible job of layering this narrative with rich dynamics between the characters and a suspenseful atmosphere that kept the reader on the edge of their seats. The tension and drama the author was able to fuel this narrative with were ripe with charged emotions as the lives of these friends all come crashing down all around them as this cataclysmic change erupts between them.

The heart of this narrative rests in the author’s enthralling character development and the real-life themes that the story captures. The complex nature of sexuality and relationships is brought to the forefront here, as the story hones in on subjects like how unjustly men’s perceptions of women can change during pregnancy, the frightening reality of having to hide one’s identity, and how secrets can impact and change the nature of any type of relationship. The chemistry between Mark and Jesse is both shocking and complicated and yet draws the reader in more and more as their story plays out.

The Verdict

Haunting, entertaining, and insightful, author Dee Rose’s “Forbidden Love” is a must-read LGBTQ-driven contemporary romance and drama. The twists and turns in the complex relationships the author develops with these characters and the shocking revelations that reveal themselves all blend into the rich story that the author has expertly developed to draw the reader in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Dee Rose was born on July 5th and resides in Denver, CO, where he studied Political Science at Metropolitan State University. He has two children, Nadia and Nicole. He started writing when he entered a writing contest at William A. Wirt high school in Gary, IN. “My goal is to blow people’s minds.” He says. “But sound cool doing it.”

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A Death in Berlin (The Simon Sampson Mysteries Book Two) by David C. Dawson Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

In the 1930’s Berlin, a city that once stood for liberation is about to become the capital of one of the world’s largest waves of oppression, and one man must fight to save the lives of several gay men as the Nazi party rises in author David C. Dawson’s “A Death in Berlin”, the second book in The Simon Sampson Mysteries series.

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The Synopsis

Berlin 1933: When the parties stop…the dying begins

The city that’s been a beacon of liberation during the 1920s is about to become a city of deadly oppression. BBC foreign correspondent Simon Sampson risks his life in a bid to save thousands of gay men from the growing Nazi threat.

This is the second in the Simon Sampson mystery series. The first, A Death in Bloomsbury, was hailed as ‘a good old-fashioned John Buchan-esque mystery reworked for the twenty-first century’.

Simon moves to Berlin where he meets British author Christopher Isherwood and his lover Heinz. He’s also reunited with his banter-partner Florence Miles, better known to her friends as Bill. She’s recruited him into the British intelligence services and he’s got the task of hunting down communist spies.

But when Simon is ordered to spy on an old college friend, his loyalties are brought into question. Who are his real enemies? And how much can he trust his masters?

The Review

This was such a well-developed and engaging historical fiction meets mystery thriller. The atmosphere and intrigue the author was able to infuse into the story really elevated the historical time period the narrative took place in, and the gripping story kept me on the edge of my seat as the author’s balance of fast-paced action and slow-build character growth kept the novel moving at an even pace. The LGBTQ aspect of the narrative and the character growth felt refreshingly natural and insightful, as it played into the history itself quite well.

The rich character dynamics and the unique setting are what really made this story stand out. The chaos and sadness that became such a part of everyday life at the beginning of the Nazi occupation were felt strongly in this novel. The harmonious way the author was able to weave these emotions and facts from our world’s history into the actions and experiences of this cast of characters made this novel so gripping. It allowed the mystery itself felt elevated as the narrative dipped into the espionage spy genre with ease.

The Verdict

Entertaining, thought-provoking, and uniquely pertinent to many of the recurring struggles so many around the world face today, author David C. Dawson’s “A Death in Berlin” is a must-read historical fiction meets suspense thriller and a great addition to The Simon Sampson Mysteries series. With the adrenaline rush and mind-bending twists and turns, this narrative will resonate with readers who enjoy an almost pulpy noir-style storytelling with an LGBTQ-driven cast of characters and a heavy dose of historical research and accuracy. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today! 

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Men in love, men in jeopardy.

David C. Dawson is an award-winning writer of page-turner thrillers with a gay theme and the occasional romance.

His latest novel A Death in Bloomsbury was published in November 2021.

His debut novel, The Necessary Deaths, won bronze for Best Mystery & Suspense in the FAPA chairman’s award. It became the first in the Dominic Delingpole series. The other two books are The Deadly Lies and A Foreign Affair.

His first mystery romance For the Love of Luke was published in October 2018 followed by Heroes in Love.

David lives in London with his boyfriend and ageing motorbike.

You can read his blog here: http://bit.ly/DavidCDawsonblog

In his spare time, David tours Europe on his ageing Triumph motorbike and sings with the London Gay Men’s Chorus.

https://www.davidcdawson.co.uk/

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First Born Sons by Vincent Traughber Meis Review

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A group of Coastal Californians faces racism, wildfires, and their own demons in author Vincent Traughber Meis’s “First Born Sons”.

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The Synopsis

A group of coastal Californians battle wildfires, racism, and their own demons in five distinct narratives set in late 2019 and 2020.

First Born Sons is populated by a cast of LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies who struggle to find love, comfort, and fulfillment. As the novel progresses, characters interact across the separate narratives and are brought together for a birthday and a disastrous Black Lives Matter demonstration. A man returning to the horrors that made him leave Mississippi, a blind gay man flirting with love, an FTM transgender starting hormone therapy, a woman struggling to protect her sons from her ex-husband’s surge to right-wing politics, and a teenager with two gay dads searching for his Black surrogate mom paint a disturbing tableau of modern-day America.

The Review

This was such a powerful, emotional, and relevant read. The author did an incredible job of layering this drama with rich and powerful character development, story-driven narratives that span the world, and themes that speak to the communities most impacted by the surge of violence and bigotry that is affecting our world right now. The author finds natural and relatable ways of infusing issues such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ rights, and so much more into the story, weaving together a narrative that feels heartfelt and evoked strong emotional responses from readers, from sadness and grief to outrage and hope all at once.

Yet it was the character growth that truly spoke to me as a reader. The relationships and personal turmoil that really affected these characters were really humanizing and allowed readers to feel seen and heard in this narrative. For me, it was the scenes involving Lamar, George, and Byron that really popped off the pages of this novel. From the shocking initial chapter introducing these characters to the cruel reality of police profiling and brutality to the strong emotional and physical relationship that develops between the two of them over time, and all of the prejudices that their pasts and present bring to their relationship felt so impactful to get lost in through this narrative.

The Verdict

Shocking, moving, and engaging, author Vincent Traughber Meis’s “First Born Sons” is a must-read drama. The brilliant character development and emotional themes that the author brings to life so beautifully will have readers unable to put this book down, and the blend of intimate moments and powerful societal studies that this book brings to life will have readers eager for more from this powerful author. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Vincent Meis grew up in Decatur, Illinois and graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans.

He has worked as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Mexico, publishing many academic articles in his field as well as articles about teaching ESL overseas. He has also traveled extensively in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Central and South American. He is fluent in Spanish. As result of his travels and time abroad he published a number of pieces, mostly travel articles, but also a few poems and book reviews, in publications such as, The Advocate, LA Weekly, In Style, and Our World in the 1980’s and 90’s. His travels have inspired four novels, all set at least partially in foreign countries: Eddie’s Desert Rose (2011), Tio Jorge (2012), and Down in Cuba (2013) and Deluge (2016). Tio Jorge received a Rainbow Award in the category of Bisexual Fiction in 2012. Down in Cuba received two Rainbow Awards in 2013. Deluge won a Rainbow Award in 2016. Recently his stories have been published in several collections, including WITH:New Gay Fiction, Best Gay Erotica Vol 1and Best Gay Erotica Vol 4. In December 2019, his fifth novel Four Calling Burds will be published. In 2021, he has published two books with NineStar Press, The Mayor of Oak Street, a novel, and Far from Home, a collection of short stories.

https://www.vincentmeis.com/

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