I know many of you are probably disappointed that this isn’t an SSBB post, but I was so determined to get through these LOR stories that I’ve put SSBB aside for now. I’m going to read those stories next, and then start on the last seven LOR stories after, so it shouldn’t be a long wait. I just hope no one is too put out by having to wait to read my reviews of free gay romances while I review free gay romances.

I got through 19 stories this week, taking me from 26 down to 7, and those 7 are my “private reserves,” if you will, of stories that I know will be good (and two reader’s choice stories that I hope will be good).

Line of Sight by Jenn Burke: A simple sci-fi story of a stranded alien. The sci-fi aspect is a bit more “framework” than “essence,” but then again, I shouldn’t say that because it has some serious play at the end. Mostly it was just a short and sweet story about learning when and how to choose love.

The Downs by Kim Fielding: The Downs is a really interesting thought-story about a guy who gets exiled from the city he calls home, and sent to the Downs, which is a certain death-sentence. He devotes his remaining life and existence to getting his revenge. There’s some economic and ecological things that don’t really add up, but this story wasn’t written for those, it’s more a fascinating character study, on which it delivers very well.

Salvaging Toby’s Heart by Lexi Ander: DNF This story begins as a fascinating sci-fi world with an interesting economic system, and a puzzle that could shake the fate of several planets (and/or several large companies), with our MC right in the middle of it. At least until the love interest is introduced. Because from that moment–from that very fucking sentence–onward, the story becomes one of two men struggling eternally and internally with the battle of I’m attracted to him. But I shouldn’t be. But I’m attracted to him. But I shouldn’t be. But I’m attracted to him. But I shouldn’t be. But I’m attracted to him. But I shouldn’t be. But I’m– okay, I think you get it. There was also still some mumbles about plot here and there, but in order to make the romance work, the economic/cultural system had to be shot full of holes, so that was done. And I feel personally betrayed by that. It really got my hopes up, you know?

Hellion by Lisa Henry: This is a regency romance with…basically no twists at all. It’s fairly short, so it doesn’t immerse you in the world (but pretty much everyone already knows the regency world as is), and the characters are sweet and realistic, although the switch from antagonists to lovers is…on the abrupt side. Basically it was a solid example of a modernly-written gay regency romance.

The Alpha and His Ace by Ana J. Phoenix: This is the story of a werewolf who finds that his fated mate is an asexual. Compared to Not Even Close, which is a terrible attempt at writing a werewolf and his demi-sexual mate, this was good. Not that NEC sets a very high bar. The author referred to the popular known asexual website (name of which slips my mind), and appears to have actually read it (possibly even understood it). There are even some direct quotes. But it’s still an overall disappointment. The story focuses mainly on the fact that the alpha cannot comprehend someone not wanting sex, and the ace being disappointed that the alpha doesn’t understand. And then the final “Oh, I can have sex, I just don’t get it up,” scene almost sounded a bit like erectile dysfunction, rather than asexuality. So it was better than the most similar story I’ve ever read, but it was still …improvable.

Lima Oscar Victor Echo and the Truth About Everything by Suki Fleet: This was a sweet story about two old friends in a small town figuring things out. I vaguely recall that the writing style isn’t top-notch, but it was a decent read.

The Frat Brat by Nico Jaye: A hot PWP about a frat boy with a crush. Hard to say more than that, because that’s pretty much all it was.

The Forest Savage by Claire Davis & Al Stewart: This is a slow a heart-wrenching redemption story about two guys in a half-way house finding their ways, sometimes together, sometimes apart.

Brewing Up Trouble by Jessie G: A policeman and his barista/baker crush. Sweet, short, silly at times, nothing heavy or deep. I barely remember it…

Obsidian by Rory Ni Coileain: Snake-shifters. Highly improbable, but a fun and sweet read. Short. If you look at it too hard, it becomes dub-con, though. I mean, the story does a decent job of explaining it as biology and life-saving, but…yeah, don’t look at it too hard.

All About Trust by DP Denman: Speaking of heart-wrenching redemption stories, this was another one, only way more heart-wrenching and realistically redeeming. I’ve never been in a setting from which I would need to be redeemed and move on (thank god), but I think this is the or one of the closest to what that would be like; learning to trust everyone and everything there is again. And the romance is as slow as it needs to be for such a story, nothing rushed about it.

Blood on Sand by Ofelia Grand: Another shifter story, this one with lizards, wolves, minotaurs, and other things. They have an interesting …um…shifting style? where there are a few different stages, and they can’t talk except in the fully-human one (but can mind-speak, of course). But it’s also a slavery story where one of the slaves…I can’t explain without giving too much away. Basically it’s an interesting story with a few unusual patterns in the shifter’s society and set-up, and with an unusual twist at the end. But the writing is no better than mediocre, and the characters were a bit shallow.

The Raven’s Flight by Catherine Lievens: More shifters. This story has some things that the feminist in all of us can rant about for paragraphs, but if you ignore those things (or accept them as nearly-unavoidable romance-story tropes), then it’s okay. I can’t say that I was sold on the romance between the two guys, and the cliches were plentiful, but I read the whole thing, and I don’t regret it.