Sex, Lies & Wedding Bells

by E.M. Lynley

[2nd edition has been extensively rewritten and the story changed from the original. Contains approximately 25k words of new content.]

Of all the tiny towns, in all the world, he walks into mine.

Texas native Kieran Quinn has hit the big time, working in Manhattan as a columnist for Gloss, a national literary magazine. He’s well-known for his snarky, sardonic columns, but deep down he’s more interested in exploring what makes people tick than his editor would like. He keeps his desire to find his own Mr. Right hidden under a sexy, carefree persona that favors champagne and underwear models of the male variety.

Jaxon Lang loves being the high school principal in tiny Buckwheat Springs, Texas after relocating from Austin to pursue his relationship with Danetta Archer, despite her reputation for leaving grooms at the altar. So far, he’s avoided examining the questions he has about himself, certain that marriage will put them to rest. Then Kieran arrives in town. Kieran’s charm and unique attitudes about sex and attraction soon challenge Jaxon’s concept of what—and who—he wants.

While covering the latest wedding of a real-life “runaway bride," Kieran falls hard for the gorgeous—and supposedly straight—groom, Jaxon Lang, despite that ridiculous X. Then Kieran discovers the bride’s hiding a shocking secret.

First Edition published by Ravenous Romance, April 2009.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Gay For You, M M Contemporary, Erotica, Gay

230 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2009

About the author

EM Lynley writes gay erotic romance. She loves books where the hero gets the guy and the loving is 11 on a scale of 10. Her Precious Gems series is best described as “Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone”—only gayer. The Delectable series is Gay Romance with Taste.

A Rainbow Award winner and EPPIE finalist, EM has worked in high finance, high tech, and in the wine industry, though she'd rather be writing hot, romantic man-on-man action. She spent 10 years as an economist and financial analyst, including a year as a White House Staff Economist, but only because all the intern positions were filled. Tired of boring herself and others with dry business reports and articles, her creative muse is back and naughtier than ever. She has lived and worked in London, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., but the San Francisco Bay Area is home for now.

She is the author of Sex, Lies & Wedding Bells, the Precious Gems series from Dreamspinner Press, and the Rewriting History series starring a sexy jewel thief, among others. Her books are available in print and e-book from Amazon & other book distributors.

Reviews

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

~2.5~

I should not have read this book. But I love E.M. Lynley's work, so when I had the chance to request an ARC of the second edition of Sex, Lies & Wedding Bells, my brain exploded with chants of MINE! MINE! MINE!



But I should have known. The blurb is NOT misleading, and ultimately the plot didn't appeal to me.

This story contained elements I really dislike:

- Sex on page with other partners
(Kieran has a penchant for underwear models.)

- Poorly defined GFY/OFY
(Jaxon with an X is not a complex, believable character; what makes him tick? Why did he fall for Danetta the Crazy Bitch?)

- Danetta the Crazy Bitch

- Bizarre backstory regarding a runaway bride who managed to dupe four men into wanting to marry her. This is the central "mystery" of the plot, but it's also a trick as old as time.

I didn't believe four bright guys would have been fooled so easily in a time of accessible pharmaceuticals and then forgiven as if they hadn't just been fucked over in the most public way possible.

Men are smarter and more emotionally complex than that.

-CHEATING. No ifs or buts about this one. It's not gray area, and it's NOT okay.



Jaxon is engaged to Danetta for the first 60 PERCENT of the book. 60 PERCENT. That's nearly TWO-THIRDS of the story where one MC is emotionally (and eventually physically) cheating on his fiancée.

I enjoyed the second half of the book much more than the first, but besides a glorious "honeymoon" in Hawaii, the MCs aren't together a whole lot.

There is also an unfortunate jumping-to-conclusions and a separation.



The sex, once Kieran and Jaxon go for it, and that isn't until 70 percent, is HAWT, but it just wasn't enough to save the story for me.

I should also mention that I liked Alexa, Kieran's bestie. I wanted more of her.

I really like the IDEA here, and this is Lynley, so the writing is strong and engaging, but I wish the convoluted engagement with Danetta had ended sooner rather than later.

If you're sensitive to any of the dislikes I mentioned above, stay clear.

If not, enjoy some steamy lovin' between two very hot men, one of whom is a butt-sex virgin, and call it good.

[Daisiemae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I get into the review, I HAVE to point out that this cover is VERY deceiving! Because there is a woman standing in the window, it gives the illusion that this is a book that has a menage storyline or scene in it...it DOESN'T! This is one of the reasons I put off reading this book. I am not a menage fan, but after I read Brenda's review I understood that it is a M/M Romance only. **Yay!**

Kieran Quinn is a player. He is very promiscuous and is known to forget the name of the man he is having sex with WHILE they are doing it. He is a very successful Columnist for Gloss magazine. Because of his sarcasm and witty, but often tongue in cheek remarks about the people he interviews, he has become the most popular writer of the magazine. Lately, Kieran has become disenchanted with his life. He is tired of the cutting remarks he makes about others, and longs to write something with more meaning, and less cruel. Unfortunately for Kieran his editor will not have it. When Kieran mistakenly opens up a wedding invitation from Buckwheat Springs, Texas, that was meant for his friend. He discovers the bride to be has left 3 other men at the altar, but yet is planning another wedding. Immediately amused and smelling a story, he sets out to find out why this behavior from the bride continues, and why she keeps getting poor saps to agree to marry her. (Reminded me of the Runaway Bride...but better! Even the book refers to the movie being similar to the brides behavior) Being a Texas boy himself, he figures he will be able to fit in quite nicely, even though he has been in New York for some time, and get all of the information he needs for a juicy story.

Kieran was correct in the assumption that he would be embraced in the small Texas town. Everyone is eager to discuss the upcoming wedding, and the brides reputation of leaving the men at the altar. Even the soon to be married couple decide to be as helpful as possible for Kieran's story. After all, the bride plans on going along with the wedding this time, so what have they got to hide?

When Kieran meets the groom to be, Jaxon Lang, he is immediately smitten by him. Not only is Jaxon the most handsome man he has ever met, but he is also one of the nicest. But, Jaxon seems to be two different people...the stepford fiancee of the bride to be, and the intelligent, sexy and warm person he becomes when he spends time alone with Kieran. The more Kieran is around Jaxon the more he starts feeling an emotional connection with him. Jaxon even becomes curious about Kieran's homosexual lifestyle and innocently inquires about him. Soon, Kieran becomes confused by Jaxon's actions. Jaxon becomes more open and flirts with him every time they are around one another. Surely, Jaxon the very straight Jaxon isn't attracted the the very gay Kieran?

As you can tell this is a "Gay for you" storyline. I like these type of stories so it was right up my alley. I will say that Kieran was a hard sell for me at first. Because of his promiscuous behavior and his divaish (is that a word?) conduct I wasn't that impressed with him. BUT, as I continued to get to know Kieran, and saw what kind of person he really was underneath his roguish behavior, I really began to like him. Not only could he be a very NICE man *yes it is a four letter word...lol* but his witty personality and determination to do the right thing in the end won me over. His inner dialog was quite humorous at times and I was glad he really got his heart's desire...and that was to find true love and happiness.

Jaxon was a very easy hero to like. It was very easy to see how Kieran became smitten with him from the moment he laid eyes on him. He is funny and smart and an all around great guy. It was enjoyable to watch Jaxon become more fasinated by Kieran and I could feel the emotional and physical pull they have for one another. He is confused by his attraction to Kieran, and even though every thing within him wants Kieran, he has made a commitment to marry.

Don't feel bad for the bride. The bride was an easy person to hate. Her selfishness was astounding at times, so I was glad to see the way things turned out. I suspected the reason why she kept landing these successful, handsome men, but that didn't take away from the romance between Jaxon and Kieran.

One thing threw me for a loop though. For over half of the book it is written with Kieran's point of view, (not first person...thank goodness!) then suddenly we jump to Jaxon's viewpoint. Also, there are some typos, but not enough to distract me from the story because I really loved it!

[Nichole (DirrtyH) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time rating this. Going by overall quality of the story and writing, this is between 2 and 3 stars. However, my overall enjoyment of it was between 4 and 5 stars. So I'm compromising with a 3.

I had a lot of problems with this book, including but not limited to: POV issues (huge pet peeve of mine), Ricki Lake worthy melodrama, tons of typos and editing errors, and the second half suffered from major CWD Syndrome (chicks w/ dicks.)

And yet....
It somehow worked for me. My heart went pitter patter. I was really rooting for Keiran and Jaxon, and found their disgustingly sweet HEA to be very satisfying. This book lands firmly in Guilty Pleasure ground.

[Elisa Rolle]

First of all a big warning: this is not a menages! Last week I discovered this new publisher, Ravenous Romance and its Panamour line (same-sex romance); they have already some titles available, but at first I bough only the two by Ryan Field, since I knew the author (not personally, I read two short stories before) and reading the blurb and looking the covers, I was sure they were not menages. Sex, Lies and Wedding Bells by E.M. Lynley I almost skipped since it didn't pass my three steps test: 1) tagged M/M: OK, 2) no female in the blurb: KO, 3) no female on the cover: KO. Two on three and I didn't buy it. Then someone told me it was not a menage, it was a real male on male romance, and so stepped back (see, I can change my mind!).

Reading this book I can almost make a sure bet that the author likes the romantic comedy movie. Apart the obvious reference to The Runaway Bride, she even named the movie from the first pages, I find also a resemblance with In&Out: an handsome, and very tall, reporter that arrives in little country village and fall in love with the principal of the local high school? (all right Kevin Kline was not the principal, but still...). There is even a scene that reminds me Sleepless in Seattle... Anyway the story is all it promised, a good and full male on male romance, that covers all the salient points: before, during and after, you will have the full package!

Kieran is an handsome New Yorker reporter for a fashion and entertainment magazine. His main qualification as reporter is to be snarky, and as man to be practically a slut: more nights than not he ends in bed with an unknown body, and sometime he even knows the name. In one thing Kieran is open and clear: he is gay and he likes sex. But lately this seems to be not enough: very pregnant the sentence in which Kieran thought that "he would much rather have woken up in someone’s arms than someone’s mouth" (since in the very first scene Kieran is receiving a blow job from one of those unnamed bodies above). And even in his works he is starting to loose biting, he is not enough evil according to his editor. And so Kieran decides to do a piece on a Runaway Bride, exactly like in the movie, who is marrying for the fourth time (and the previous three she dumped the groom at the altar).

Problem is that, instead of the bride, like in the movie, Kiernan falls in love for the groom. Jaxon is really a good guy, friendly and sincere, and exactly the perfect man Kieran would want in his life and bed, but Jaxon is not gay. At first I thought that the direction of the book was for Kieran to find out that Jaxon was gay and that his marriage with Danetta was a fake one, and instead I was wrong (and I will not say what is really the story ;-) ). The author is very good in not letting go the story and manage to maintain her little mystery for almost half the book: she unveils her secret only when she decides it's time, and only since she needs the other half of the book for something else (and for me better).

It's all about romance in this book, maybe sometime even a bit too much: Jaxon is a bit too perfect, sometime he is almost like a starstruck teen (above all regarding sex); all right Kiernan at first thought of him not nice things, but he is not so far from the reality... Jaxon is really too open and naivee! But well, I like him like that, it's strange, he has this "childish" behavior, this way to approach almost with pliers, he seems always ready to say please and thanks, but all in all I don't find him a weak character, he is only an old fashioned man (but yes, probably he would be not him to wear the trousers at home, even if he married a woman!).

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1607777851/?...

[Melanie~~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where do I start? For me, this was a beefy book. I tend to go for 130-180 pages. So it was nice to have something that was a bit bigger and took a little longer to get through. (And I'm a slower reader to begin with.)

The main characters were well developed. I would have liked a good bit more of Jaxon, but I think it was more of Keiran's story, so... I do think that Danetta could have been fleshed out a bit more, but then again, she wasn't the point. I really enjoyed the friendship that blossomed between Keiran and Jaxon. I appreciated Keiran's curious/suspicious mind as well as his snarky humor. I actually would have enjoyed if there were a bit more of it after Keiran had arrived in Texas.

I spent a good bit of the book frustrated by the looming reveal of Danetta's story. I admit to feeling like I just wanted to get on with it. I can't say that I found it very believable. Not that what she lied about wasn't believable, but that she managed to get the same lie over on three guys, and that they all still loved and sympathized with and protected her.

While I thought Jaxon's and Danetta's initial reactions to the reveal and the circumstances of the reveal were pretty realistic, I thought the secondary reactions were way more mature and less believable. I was actually rather angry with Danetta for being so upset that Keiran told Jaxon when he'd told her that he would, even though it really was more accidental in the way it happened. And I couldn't help but wonder what Keiran would have done if it hadn't happened the way that it did. Would he have stopped the wedding to tell Jaxon about the secret? Or would he have sat there and hoped that Danetta stopped things before the vows were finished?

So I didn't guess at Danetta's secret. I did however "call" what would happen with Keiran's article and its aftermath. That's not necessarily a bad thing in my opinion, but I did see that coming. I liked this part a bit mainly because I got some more time with Jaxon.

The ending was the tidy bow you expect on romances. Again, not a bad thing in my opinion. While the book time of the resolution was believable (about 2-2 1/2 weeks), a bit more "on screen" time would have been nice, though I admit that it could have ended up tedious, too.

I felt that the writing was very strong, which I always love.

All in all, a very enjoyable read that makes me want to add more E.M. Lynley to my ever cluttered considering selves.

This book has been given to me by the author and the M/M Romance Group's Don't Buy My Love program for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.

Kieran Quinn is the snarky, jaded, skeptical writer who finds the humor in situations that others might overlook—often at the expense of another person’s pride—and he writes about them (some might say exploits them) in his articles for the magazine Gloss.

When his co-worker receives an invitation to a wedding in Kieran’s home state of Texas and she explains that she’s not going because this bride has already left three grooms at the altar, Kieran decides to take her place and use this “runaway bride” and her foolish 4th groom as fodder for his next article.

What he finds when he gets to Texas is not the fake Olde West town that he expected, rather it’s a quaint little place where he meets some very friendly people who’ve done some wonderful things to restore Buckwheat Springs to the way it looked and felt one hundred years ago. He also meets the bride, Danetta Archer, the groom, Jaxon Lang, and the three former grooms, all of whom are still friends with the bride. As he begins his investigation and starts to get to know Jaxon, his plans to undermine the man go out the window. Jaxon is not at all what he expected, but everything Kieran’s been wanting—a sweet, intelligent and stable man with whom to settle down and have a long-term relationship. Kieran is actually tired of making fun of people at their expense and this trip makes him even more aware of the humanity of the groom and former grooms and he even starts to see some good in the bride whom he was prepared to hate.

Jaxon took the position of high school principal after relocating from Austin to pursue his relationship with Danetta. As Kieran interviews the former grooms, he’s struck by the fact that all but the first have relocated to Buckwheat Springs to be with Danetta and all have stayed there. All are very open about their past relationship and about being left at the altar, however, all are very close-lipped about the reason Danny gave them for leaving them like that. Of course, this piques Kieran’s interest, and he sets out to uncover just what that reason is.

In the meantime, he and Jaxon are getting close and Jaxon’s been asking some very personal questions about what it’s like to be a gay man. One night, a drunken Jaxon makes a pass at Kieran and Kieran, who is usually the man about town willing to bed anyone, refuses to succumb. He knows Jaxon is special, and he’s afraid that if they get intimate, he won’t be able to watch Jaxon get married and his heart will be broken beyond repair.

Jaxon has always avoided any strange urges he’s had about men and refused to think about it. When he agreed to marry Danny and moved from Austin, he thought he had permanently shelved the thoughts, but meeting Kieran resurrected his desires, and he’s torn between going forward with the wedding and giving in to the yearning to find out for sure.

What happens when Kieran learns the truth and when the wedding goes forward provides an interesting drama which is then fueled further by the fallout from Kieran’s revelations—both in person and in print. The author made this a very interesting mystery and a sweet, slow burn OFY story, and then threw in a bucket of angst to stir up the drama. Nicely done! I recommend this to all who enjoy reading about men discovering their true desires for other men, those who like a slow burn, and those who simply enjoy contemporary M/M romances.

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 3 out of 5]

da www.sognipensieriparole.com

3,5 - Sicuramente qui ci viene offerta una trama molto originale.
E' pur vero che lo spunto ricorda un po’ un certo film, però poi l’indagine del giornalista di gossip appassiona: c’è una donna che ha piantato all’altare ben tre fidanzati ed è pronta ad impalmare il quarto. Se non fosse che il quarto rischia di far deragliare lo stesso giornalista.
Lo stile è frizzante e spensierato. Direi quattro stelle piene sino al giorno delle nozze, perché mi sono davvero divertita e incuriosita all'indagine.
Inutile dire che ho adorato proprio il personaggio del giornalista: Kieran lo str... è perfetto così come è venuto. Ambizioso, subdolo, tentatore.
Poi però la scrittrice si è impuntata a voler fare un m/m classico a tutti i costi e ha cambiato registro in modo più che repentino: pseudo-luna di miele di due, sperimentazioni e prime volte già viste, litigi melodrammatici. Da qui ultimi capitoli vischiosi e allungati (che si potevano anche saltare, senza nulla togliere all’amore già raggiunto).
E fategli coronare il sogno. Punto.

[Ayanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't bad, and then it was.

The actual turning point moment was sort of shoddily handled. Having sex does not equate falling in love. They even say that. And yet, for some reason, that seems to be how Kieran reacts.

The Big Reveal was...cheesy.

The use of the word "waked" is bothering me.

The ending...
Yes, yes, they became astronauts and went to outer space and found a cure for cancer and built schools in Africa and adopted three African babies.

It was like a Mary Sue, but as a story ending.
The nice way of putting it would be "the fucking corniest and most cringe-worthy thing you've ever read."

I guess the idea could have been good, but I didn't find the characters particularly endearing.

[JoJo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am looking forward to reading more by this author. I loved Kieran! I really didn't think I would, but he ended up being a sexy and charming hero.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3,5

I did enjoy this, although there were some plot-twists I could see a mile away (the column thing? Way to over-react....) and some that are just there to take the story along, (the logic behind the article is a bit flimsy) but it's not like it bothered me.
Anyway, part of it takes place on Kauai and anything Hawaii is good in my book. Plus that Kieran and Jaxon have chemistry in spades.

[Erotic Horizon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Characters

Jaxon – Teacher, fiancée’ and an all around good guy. Willing than most to open his mind to the possibilities and explore the unknown - but still naive enough enough to think that there is goodness in everyone.

Kieran – Journalist, friend, pal and the ficklest person there is when it comes to matters of the heart. Proud of who he is and his greatest wish is to do right by the people he interviews – however he has an editor and that was never going to happen.


The Plot

Kieran has just about push his editor last button when he strolled into the office late. Along with friends he comes ups with a decent and plausible enough story to not only get it by his editor – but sees him in small town Texas for either the wedding or the jilting of the year.

Meeting Jaxon who is meant to be the villain of his piece is a earth shattering moment for Kieran and he knows immediately that objectivity just went through the door when Jaxon started asking questions.

Something however was not right and Kieran means to get to the bottom of it before the big day, but he has to think about who is he doing it for - she - he or him.

Surprise Element

I have read a few books from Ravenous Romance and not that I was off them, but it was take it or leave it for me. Ms. Lynley’s production SEX LIES AND WEDDING BELLS is a first class addition to Ravenous Romance list of titles.

Predictability

From the blurb, I thought yeah – another Julia Robert’s moment, but nope – Ms. Lynley took the story line and ran down a totally different path with it.

There is to be expected some level of predictability – it’s the nature of that story line, but the fun, the cagey unsaid little things as well as the eclectic bunch of support cast gave this read the edge.

Smut/ick Factor

The smut in this is a little hard to explain – while it had the emotion entanglement that preceded any good smut scene. I was more caught up in the what comes after and how the guys dealt with everything that was happening to them.

Jaxon and Kieran had the chance to hop into bed, but i was very impressed with not only the restraint but the logic behind how they dealt with something that they knew would happen, but didn’t necessarily have to happen. Well done

Positive

I found the story line not only cute but very thought provoking. A big throw back to “The Runaway Bribe”, but with a very sinister underlining element.

The pace of the book was lively. It had it moments of a gentle glide, but there was also the moment where i was just chopping at the bit to know if they would or if they wont.

I am liking Ms. Lynley voice alot, she brought a mixture of fun and expectation to a story line that should be as predictable as laundry, but ended up being a truly wonderful read.

I like the fact that the author moved the story along – as much as it started out with Kieran mad mundane life, Ms. Lynley quickly had us travelling and exploring alot of other places – tossing in some nice contrast as well.

While there was never any question of a mystery to this book, the author gives us enough phrases and innuendos to build up a decent amount of curiosity in me – and admitted i was caught up, i really wanted to know what was happening.

I loved the characters from the first moment i met them, especially Kieran – He is the the stereotypical camp guy in the office, and the life of the party - he however had a sense of right and wrong and enough integrity to know the difference.

Jaxon – the name so suited him, honourable to the very end as he held on, trying to do the right thing even when he knew the unknown was a better option..

I was impressed with Ms. Lynley giving Kieran and Jaxon a chance to get to know each other. I saw the difference they made to and on each other… nicely done

The characters were well fleshed out and not only the main protags – support cast and even a little bit of info on the actually town was toss in for good measure.

I was given a healthy dose of small-town realism. Never expect the natural flow of order to happen in small town – however in SEX LIES AND WEDDING BELLS, a touch of the modern was also introduce –which made it all the more believable.

Bottom Line

A nice spin on an old plot that had me not only enjoying the characters that i was being introduced to but also enjoying a new to me author that had a way with words that made SEX LIES AND WEDDING BELLS really stand out and much kudos to her for doing so.

Negative

Another not perfect book, but nothing to stick my fingers at and say – I thought this or that was off..

I really enjoy the frivolities of how the book started, but like any relationship, it grew and it was a pleasure to have read this book.

Cover

I like, I like alot… how sexy are they. ticked all my boxes – no face and lots of flesh on display…

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up bc Goodreads.

I liked this more than my co-blogger who also read this book, but I had some of the same hangups she had.

First off, the 'mystery' why Danetta, the runaway bride, left three grooms at the altar, and how she got them to not only want to marry her (especially groom 2, 3, and 4) but also why she ran out on the first three. Who forgave her, apparently. And who also, for some reason I couldn't quite understand, kept her secret hidden, and didn't tell groom 4, when he also fell for that ploy.

I did however believe her remorse, even if it took serendipity for her to come clean. I also could somewhat see how her parents relationship could have affected her in that way.

Secondly, Jaxon (with an X) - the GFY part wasn't entirely believable, and came about too suddenly for my liking. Also, the emotional cheating, plus the physical cheating is probably not going to be something every reader will like. I also didn't get really much of a reason as to why he fell for the woman he's about to marry - I don't know that men are that easily manipulated, and that blind to what's not working in the relationship. Or that lazy, to be quite honest, to avoid thinking about entering into a marriage with a woman they're not sure about.

The rest of it worked for me, though, and as usual, Ms. Lynley's writing is crisp, engaging and connecting. The POVs change on occasion, with most of the book written from Kieran's third person POV, but also allowing a peek into Jaxon's mind. The love scenes were really well done, especially since Jaxon has never been with a man, and served to highlight their emotional connection more than anything.

I liked Kieran after initially thinking him a bit of an ass, but I believed him to be thunderstruck by Jaxon, and I believed that he fell for the man head over heels. Oh, how he struggled to do the right thing, how he fought against his feelings - I bought it all.

The grand misunderstanding toward the end (after some holy hot boysecks, Batman - butt virgin and all) was understandable to an extent but also predictable. It's followed by the also predictable grand gesture - though I must give kudos to Kieran for doing that right - which brings them back to each other. Hey, you knew that, right? It's a ROMANCE, after all!

I did like the relationship between Kieran and Jaxon - there were some rather funny moments, and their banter felt realistic. I also believed their romance, even if it comes late in the book and is almost derailed by the "grand misunderstanding".

Kieran's best friend Alexa - she almost seemed an afterthought, and I would have liked to see more of her on page. I also liked the inclusion of Sam, who's a bartender/bar owner in Bumfuck, sorry, Buckwheat, Texas, where most of this story takes place, and appreciated the wisdom she shared.

Overall, nicely done. I was entertained, and if my hangups with this book don't bother you, I think you'll enjoy this too.

** I received a free copy from the author. A positive review was not promised in return. **

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kieran Quinn has the ultimate job at Gloss magazine: he writes funny, snarky columns that are so popular that Gloss, which is something like the New Yorker, won't even post them on their website so that more people will buy the print magazine. It works, and sales are up. Kieran is Gloss's fair-haired boy. He's also quite the gay man about town, with a taste for one-night stands with hunky underwear models, while he's waiting for real love to find him.

Kieran runs across a possible story in Buckwheat Springs, Texas, of all places, where a bride named Danetta has left three previous bridegrooms at the altar, and has now scheduled yet another wedding. It's not your typical 'runaway bride' story because all her previous fiancés seem to think well of her, wish her well, and even like her newest fiancé Jaxon Lang. How can Danetta ditch all these guys literally at the altar and still have them like her?

So Kieran travels from New York to Buckwheat Springs to write one of his trademark snarky columns, whether or not Danetta actually steps up to the plate (or rather to the altar) this time. Danetta is pretty much what he expected, but Jaxon is not only the most gorgeous man Kieran's ever seen, but is genuinely a nice guy. It's too bad that he's (a)straight and (b)getting married on Saturday.

It's up to Kieran to solve the mystery of why men are willing to move to Buckwheat Springs and marry Danetta, even with her history of leaving men at the altar. Danetta's pretty and sweet, but, really, there's clearly something up here, and Kieran wants to know the truth. His growing attraction to Jaxon is only part of his motivation, though he is spurred on by Jaxon's reluctant reciprocal feelings.

Can Kieran solve the mystery? Can he save Jaxon from Danetta's plot? Will the wedding go through? And, even if it doesn't, what happens then? Is there a future for New York Kieran and Buckwheat Springs Jaxon?

This book is a fast, fun, frothy read. It made me laugh out loud more than once, and brought tears to my eyes a few times, too. The characters are beautifully drawn, and the twisty plot is satisfyingly unpredictable. I stayed up till 2am to finish reading Sex, Lies & Wedding Bells because I wanted to see how on earth EM Lynley was gong to draw all this together, and she does. I loved it and I think you will, too.

[Veronica of V's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of the re-released, revised, second edition of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Kieran Quinn is an out gay columnist for Gloss magazine. His snarky wit have made his column famous, but he's starting to tire of the treadmill ride he's on. He has no lack of gorgeous sexual partners, but he longs for an actual partner.

In search of his next column fodder, essentially the schmucks who'll be subject to his literary vivisection, Kieran travels to tiny Buckwheat Springs, Texas in search of Danetta Archer and her fourth fiance, Jaxon Lang. Danetta has jilted her last three fiances at the alter, and, with two weeks to her impending nuptials, it seems she's ready to finally tie the knot. Or, will she?

Kieran is surprised to find that all of Danetta's former beaux are quite amiable. And, hang out together as if part of some exclusive club. Jaxon is, unfortunately for Kieran, a very attractive man who is (perhaps) questioning his sexuality, if not the prospect of marriage. While Kieran is searching for the secret behind Danetta landing some of Texas's most eligible bachelors, he learns just how deep her lies run.

Finding out that Jaxon shares his attraction, Kieran is torn between letting Jaxon live his chosen life, and swaying him onto a new path. Kieran has never been in a relationhsip, and he's not sure Jaxon is ready--he's never even been with a man before--but, as the big date closes in, it is more than just coincidence that these men have found each other at this time in their lives. Jaxon is a quality man who has some very serious choices to make, and not only about Danetta.

Expect break-ups, angry fiances, covert gayness, first times, and big mistakes. There's a bunch of breaking up and a bit of making up, with an HEA that will satisfy. I have not read the first edition of this book, so I can't comment on the changes between them, but this book read as a complete story with no cliffhanger.

[Elyxyz Elyxyz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una simpatica commedia, senza troppe disgrazie, che ho letto con piacere e che regala qualche ora di gradevole intrattenimento. Ho apprezzato che l’autrice stessa, tramite i suoi personaggi, facesse dell’ironia sulla somiglianza con il noto film “Se scappi, ti sposo”.
Francamente, il segreto di Danny mi sembrava abbastanza chiaro quasi da subito, forse perché è l’escamotage più vecchio del mondo, ma è stato interessante seguire le ‘investigazioni’ di Kieran e vederlo crescere come persona: dall’ironico, irriverente giornalista – pronto a tutto, anche a calpestare metaforicamente gli altri – all’uomo che tira fuori sentimenti e scrupoli. Mi è piaciuto il suo ruolo. Mi sono piaciuti anche i vari personaggi del piccolo paesello, Sam in particolare e un applauso per Alexa, amica preziosa.
Mi è piaciuto anche che Jaxon non sia caduto nel ‘gay for you’, ma che già in passato avesse avuto dubbi, curiosità e richiami sul suo lato gayo, a cui, purtroppo, non aveva trovato il coraggio di dar seguito. Ho un debole per i colpi di fulmine e qui c’è proprio la scossa al primo contatto tra Kier e Jax, quindi non potevo che apprezzare la loro danza, i segnali strani, la dolcezza e le scene hot davvero piacevoli, e poi la maretta prima del sospirato lieto fine, come in ogni buon romance.
Il personaggio di Danetta è più complicato da catalogare. Difficile perdonarla del tutto, ma anche condannarla. Il suo egoismo da un lato e le sue riflessioni, con le scelte fatte poi, spiegano ogni cosa.
Lo stile dell’autrice è piacevole e la traduzione è davvero curata in ogni parte. Forse non è la storia più originale del mondo, ma merita sicuramente una possibilità e, per me, è stata un piacevole passatempo.

[Candice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was just a random pick for me, but ended up being an enjoyable story. The characters are likeable, but there really isn't anything that would stick with after reading, just a nice story with a HEA.

[Gabbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Kieran and Jaxon! The gay for you storyline is my favorite, so this book had the kind of storyline I love to read! Their romance is quick, but oh so sweet!

[Marty90 · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://trelibrisoprailcielo.com/2016...

Avete presente “Se scappi, ti sposo”, quel film con quelle meraviglie di Julia Roberts e Richard Gere alle prese con il matrimonio? Ecco, in questo libro troviamo molte similitudini, perché Danetta, così come la protagonista del film, ha l’abitudine di arrivare sull’altare e lasciare lì lo sposo, scappando prima di dire il grande sì! Un’occasione troppo ghiotta, per Kieran Quinn, per farsela scappare. Lui, un giornalista ironico e schietto, non può proprio perdersi il grande evento, anche solo per vedere se questa sarà la volta buona per la sposa!

Tutto inizia quando una sua collega, Alexa, riceve l’invito al matrimonio e racconta a Kieran tutti i pettegolezzi e le vicissitudini di questa donna fuggitiva, ma visto che l’amica decide di non partecipare, il nostro protagonista ne approfitta e si presenta lui al matrimonio, per scrivere un articolo per la prossima uscita della sua rubrica. Kieran, gay dichiarato e con una lunga fila di amanti, non si è mai innamorato di nessuno. Sembra felice della sua libertà e indipendenza, ma sempre più spesso sente il peso di questa solitudine.

Avuta l’approvazione del capo, parte alla ricerca d’indizi sul perché questa donna sia arrivata due volte sull’altare, per poi darsela a gambe. Ma appena arriva nella cittadina di Buckwheat Springs, nel Texas, e incontra i futuri sposi, sorge un problema: lo sposo, Jaxon (sì, proprio con la x!) Lang è un bellissimo uomo da cui Kieran è subito attratto. Deciso a non farsi fermare da ciò, prosegue le sue indagini scoprendo giorno per giorno indizi che lo portano alla scoperta del famoso segreto di Danetta. Ma, grazie al punto di vista alternato, veniamo a sapere che lo sposo non è proprio un eterosessuale convinto e che non è immune al fascino del giornalista. Preside della scuola dove si è trasferito per stare accanto alla fidanzata, diventa subito amico di Kieran ed entrambi riescono a tenere a bada l’attrazione, ma per quanto? E qual è questo segreto che spinge la donna a scappare? Ma soprattutto… questa sarà la volta buona per il fatidico sì?

È una storia romantica e leggera, in grado di catturare l’attenzione: lei scappa, il protagonista che si innamora dello sposo e un segreto da svelare. Io, naturalmente, pensavo che il segreto fosse tutt’altro e quando Kieran è riuscito a scoprire il vero motivo, sono rimasta spiazzata dalla donna: da un lato l’avrei strozzata e dall’altro mi ha fatto tenerezza. Quasi. E Kieran e Jaxon vi chiederete? Beh leggetelo e lo scoprirete! Jaxon, intrappolato in questa storia e impaurito dall’attrazione che prova verso il giornalista, e Kieran alle prese con il suo primo innamoramento, sono uniti da un’amicizia che è sorta in poco tempo e da un’attrazione che li porta a mettere in dubbio tutto. Ma Jaxon non lascerebbe mai la sua fidanzata a pochi giorni dall’altare e Kieran non vuole far soffrire nessuno. Non è proprio l’inizio ideale per una storia d’amore, vero?

Il libro è ben scritto ed è stata una piacevolissima lettura. La scoperta dell’amore tra questi due uomini è stata dolce e tenera e mi ha lasciata soddisfatta. Lo consiglio a tutti, soprattutto a chi ama le storie d’amore e le commedie romantiche. È una bella lettura e non ve ne pentirete.

[Wax · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this book. In the beginning it was difficult for me to get invested in the characters. Overall, I did enjoy it at the end, so I gave it 4 stars (rounded up from 3.5 stars).

Kieran is a writer for Gloss magazine. His column is usually snarky and mocks others. His life is full of one night stands with underwear models and his work, but secretly he wants more. He is at the point in his life where a relationship with someone to share breakfast looks pretty nice. One day, he is in search of his next story, and a golden opportunity drops into his lap. His best friend, Alexa Harrington (does that not remind you of a soap opera name?) receives an invitation from a college friend, Danetta, who is engaged for the 4th time. Now if you've seen the movie Runaway Bride, then you know the basic setup. The almost bride has left the fiance at the altar 3 times in the past, all for very mysterious reasons. Kieran senses a good story, and decides to attend in Alexa's place, and meanwhile interview the small town's residents and the bride/groom to get the back story. In particular he wants to hear from the three jilted men, who all still live in town. After he arrives, he meets Jaxon, the groom, and is immediately attracted. However, he knows that nothing can happen, so he tries to find out the mystery behind why Danetta has run away 3 times and how she can still get along so well with all the three previous grooms.

I won't give anything away, but the reason is pretty obvious right away, so there wasn't really any suspense for me. Also, I found Jaxon's character a bit flat. I'm not sure why he just didn't click with me, but I couldn't really get a sense of his motivations. There were also a few things that cropped up which are potential deal-breakers for some: MC sex with a non-MC character and cheating are the major ones I saw. And something I thought worked well in Harry Potter, namely teaching everyone how to pronounce Hermione by writing it out phoenetically for a character, did not work so well here. Does anyone really not know how to pronounce Kieran? (If there really is someone reading this review who didn't know, I'm sorry. But apparently nobody in this fictional small Texas town knew either.) Also, for a second release, which should have gone through several read-throughs by editors/proofreaders, how can something like a character's height change in the book? Initially (second chapter - yes, I actually remembered this) Kieran's height was mentioned to be 6'4" and then later on in chapter 29, he calls himself a "six-foot-three-inch hard-on." So unless he somehow lost an inch with his erection, I'm not really sure how you get shorter in the span of a month.

I do recommend this for those who like OFY/GFY and slow burn stories. And I did love the ending. It was a little too Hollywood, but anyone reading this book after seeing the similarities to Runaway Bride has to love rom-coms.

This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an enjoyable and entertaining read. No frills about it, just a fun “wrong time/wrong place” falling in love story. Kieran is a columnist for a NY magazine. His columns always pokes fun at individuals are looking for love and those who try to help people find love. Lately, writing his column doesn’t hold the same appeal to him as it did when he started. You see, Kieran is starting to desire that same everlasting love that he humiliates in his work.

Kieran goes on assignment in Texas to cover a story about a real life “runaway bride.” This woman has left three men at the altar and is now getting ready to marry fiancé #4. When he gets into town and meets the couple, he is instantly taken with the groom-to-be, Jaxon. While Kieran tries to figure out why the bride, Danetta, leaves these men at the altar, he and Jaxon begin to form a bond that threatens not only his view on life but Jaxon’s as well. What is Danetta hiding? Will the wedding take place? Will Kieran find his Happily Ever After?

Like I stated before, this was an enjoyable read, but not one that left me feeling blown away. The writing was solid and the story was interesting and fun, but I didn’t fall in love with either character. There wasn’t anything wrong with either MC, but I just couldn’t connect with them. What bothered me the most was that every man Danetta left at the altar forgave her. Not only did they forgive her, but they are all still friends and the men are friends with each other. Really? She leaves you at the altar and you completely take her reasoning and forgive her? Yes, she is not truly a bad person, she has her own personal issues, but WOW, it’s a little too much that everyone moves on and is okay with what happened. I know this is fiction, but I couldn’t get past this point.

Now that I’ve ranted a little, let’s get back to this was an entertaining read. It is the perfect book for a rainy afternoon where you don’t have to think much and just want a sweet love story. You will get that from this book. I would definitely read more from this author.

[Rayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I have to start by saying the new cover is sexy! It’s a grayscale close-up of a man’s face, but his eyes are just mesmerizing. Wow! A great cover is key to attracting a potential reader. And this one definitely caught my attention.

What also caught my attention was the whole “runaway bride” concept. In a small town in Texas, Jaxon is about to get married. But his fiancée Danetta, has already left three men at the altar. Will Jaxon be the fourth man to leave the church unwed?

That’s what Keiran wants to know. So he’s in town covering the wedding for his column in a New York magazine. As he gets to know the bride and her former grooms, he realizes there is something not right. And he’s determined to find out what’s going on.

But there is a small problem. He’s falling head over heels for the groom, Jaxon. Keiran’s growing feelings for Jaxon conflicted with his job to get the story and deliver what his editor was demanding: a snarky, judgmental column of the groom who may or may not be left standing at the altar by a bride on her 4th wedding. And I could feel the struggle he had in sticking with his story or doing what was right for all involved.

Keiran is the one that discovers the truth about why Danetta left the men at the altar and why they are still so friendly with her and each other. And he ultimately opens the huge can of worms when he confronts the bride-to-be.

In the midst of all this, there is the groom, Jaxon, who is suddenly struggling with his sexuality when he falls for Keiran. His POV lacked depth and was somewhat limited throughout the book, so although we got glimpses into his head I didn’t feel it was enough for me to connect with him. He just wasn’t very interesting to me.

This had potential to be really juicy, but it wasn’t. And with Keiran’s column style, I was expecting more snark and humor. There was so much hype built up over why Danetta ran. But when the truth was discovered, it was a bit of a let down.

I was expecting more from this story than I got, but it was still an enjoyable read.

[Inked Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

FiveStars
I laughed, I cried and I forgot to cook dinner. This is a fantastic romantic comedy I found impossible to put down.

New York playboy journalist Kieran Quinn travels to Texas, following a story about real-life runaway bride, Danetta Archer. Jaxon Lang is Danetta’s most recent fiance. Kieran plans a mocking literary send-up of the deluded groom-to-be until he meets the most beautiful man he’s ever seen.

Beyond the initial attraction, urbane Kieran and high school principal Jaxon strike up an immediate rapport and an unlikely friendship. Problematically, Kieran only has a week to uncover the secrets surrounding Jaxon’s upcoming nuptials and he can’t seem to control his attachment to the groom.

I won’t say any more about the plot because I don’t want to give anything away. Both Buckwheat Springs, Texas and New York City are infused with character. The characters themselves are vividly drawn.

I fell in love with the lonely, slightly affected Kieran when he first forgot his model lover’s name. I fell in love with Jaxon as Kieran slowly revealed the beautiful, benevolent and slightly misued man.

This story is one of self-discovery and carefully placed trust. While the romance is sweet and gentle, the chemistry between Jaxon and Kieran is scorching hot.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.

~Sarah

FourandHalfStars
This book had a little of everything, deception, secrets, heartbreak, lots of lies, and a very sweet romance.

Kieran was a player, but you couldn't help but like him. He wasn't happy in his work but was trying to make it right. I thought the author did a fantastic job with his character.

Jaxon was a great guy, he had no clue what he wanted in a relationship, I thought he was kinda weak in waiting to explore his feelings just before his wedding. The relationship that developed between Jaxon and Kieran seemed pretty realistic. The heartbreak Jason felt was shattering.

This was a good story, it had a weird twist with the bride and her issues, but still a good read.

I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.

~Sherry

[Sucajo · Rating 3 out of 5]

As part of the MM Romance Group's Don't Buy My Love program, I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Kieran lives in New York and writes a column for a magazine. He lives a high-ranking lifestyle but we quickly discover that this isn't making him happy. A lot of his life seems to be pretty shallow and I didn't instantly like Kieran when we were first introduced to him. He ends up travelling back to Texas (his home state) to write a column about a woman who has jilted several men and has another wedding planned soon. What he finds when he gets there is not what he was expecting at all. Kieran hopes to find out the real story behind why Danetta has left so many men at the altar but when he meets her latest fiance, Jaxon, something extraordinary happens - he finds himself falling in love.

There is quite a large cast of characters in this story. We meet each of Danetta's previous fiances and a lot of her family and friends as Kieran investigates for his story. He tries to get to the bottom of everything but at the same time he wants to get closer to Jaxon. Kieran is confused. Danetta and Jaxon don't appear to be the perfect couple and Kieran is determined to get to the bottom of things.

Kieran does redeem himself slightly when Jaxon starts to question himself. The two men build a rapport and Kieran finds himself in some difficult positions. His feelings for Jaxon continue to grow but for once in his life it's not just about sex.

I found Jaxon to be a little weaker than I would have liked and also he seemed to have little faith in Kieran. I understand that he had been badly burned in his previous relationship but he was very quick to trust Kieran and just as quick to back away again.

This is a book that brought the reader on a journey. The lives of so many people in this story were changed by Kieran's arrival in Texas, not least his. I think he and Jaxon both ended up as better men and I enjoyed watching them find themselves and each other.

[F. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book received free through the M/M Romance Group DBML program for an honest review

The story's main character is Kieran Quinn, a snarky, sarcastic columnist for Gloss, a high-end magazine. He accidentally opens a wedding invitation meant for a colleague and is intrigued when the colleague calls her friend "the runaway bride". Sniffing a story, Kieran finds out that this wedding is to groom number 4. He heads out to Buckwheat Springs where he meets with Danetta and Jaxon, the bride and groom. All prepared to do his normal column full of jibes and twisted truths, Kieran is flummoxed when he is attracted to Jaxon. A further spanner in the works is that the three jilted grooms still stand by Danetta and all are on friendly terms. In fact Kieran only finds one person (apart from her parents) who has a bad word to say about Danetta. Why did Danetta bail on each groom and what hold does she have on them all?
Kieran tries to keep his attraction to Jaxon under wraps but Jaxon is puzzled by his own feelings toward Kieran and flirts with him. So we have the mystery of what is Danetta's big secret and the burgeoning romance between Kieran and Jaxon with a wedding looming on the horizon.

While I liked the story I didn't enjoy it as much as other works by this author. This story seemed to be missing some secret ingredient that would lift it from being standard fare. The bride, Danetta, was not a nice person and I couldn't understand how four intelligent men had fallen for her and her lies. She was portrayed as very selfish and full of herself with little regard or empathy for others or understanding of the hurt she inflicted.
The story-line was very predictable and because I couldn't connect emotionally with the characters I found myself bored at some parts and tempted to skip passages.

All in all a satisfactory read but not memorable.

[Calila · Rating 3 out of 5]

*A copy of this book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.*

I struggled with this one. Not because the writing was bad or the story was bad. I just never particularly warmed up to the characters. They were all pretty selfish and annoying. There is some progress made but it came after I had already been annoyed and rolled my eyes at them. I think by the end I was just indifferent. Though if forced I probably liked Keiran the most. Maybe. I'm not sure. I really hated how Danetta was let off the hook. I don't care how sobby her sob story is (it's not even that bad!), she still was selfish and humiliated and LIED about a MAJOR THING to multiple guys over and over again. And they all end up friends with her! And are protective over her. It is beyond all reason. It just enrages me a little bit. Jaxon was a bit of a limp noodle. I don't even know how to put it. I hated that he compared Keiran to Danetta, it was NO WHERE near the same thing. But he does realize later that it was just a defensive mechanism so it ends up okay. Keiran is a bit of a superior jerk at the beginning. Once he meets Jaxon he really just loses his personality. I did love Alex, the female BFF so that's noteworthy. I think there were a few little contradictory things towards the end, that conflict with things from the beginning. This book just has me perplexed. I'm sure some will love it so I think it's a me thing and not this book's fault.

[Marinieves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kieran Quinn works in Manhattan as a columnist for Gloss, a national literary magazine and Jaxon Lang is the high school principal in tiny Buckwheat Springs, Texas. When they meet, things changed for the both of them.
Kieran goes to his state of origin and to Buckwheat looking of the story of a bride that has already left 3 previous grooms at the altar, the jilted grooms seem friends with her and the current fiancé, who happens to be Jaxon.
Kieran starts to know Jaxon in a more personal level and by the conversations feels there is more to the story. Kieran decides to investigate and his discoveries are more than he bargained for.
It is really interesting how what Kieran thought of Jaxon changes and how the original thoughts almost cost him everything he always wanted.
Jaxon is a good man, just involved with the wrong person. But the reality of what he wants will take him time to understand.
Kieran and Jaxon need to learn to trust each other and believe they can make it in order for it to happen.
I didn’t read the first edition of this book, but I have to say I liked the way the story came about and it is really interesting how having secrets can easy what your destiny.



Complimentary copy received from author in exchange for an honest review.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Up until the end I thought this was an ok book. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. There was a little bit of a mystery of why all the guys are marrying Denetta. Kieran was an out and a little bit sparkly gay man and Jaxon was the confused closet guy. Neither character really stood out for me and Jaxon was a little bit boring. It started going down hill when everybody still felt sorry for Danetta after the truth came out. I just did not have any symaphay for her at all and was a little appalled that everyone in the book seemed to "understand" her reasoning. After that the ending with the obligatory sex fest, misunderstanding, confusion, missing people just felt cliche and aggravating to me.

[Ro Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming

Em Lynley has a way of writing characters that you just can't help but love. She creates these connections between the reader and the characters that makes you feel like you know them.

The plots to her books may seem very typical for romance novels, but she puts her own spin on them. They are never boring or repetitive.

The sex scenes in her book are also great, but not for the reason you think. They aren't too long and she doesn't fill pages and pages with unneeded sex. They are also unique enough to not be boring.

All in all I love her books. I'm going to be quite disappointed when I've read everything she's written.

[Marbea Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow Kieran and Jaxon make one smoking hot couple sheesh!! I had a feeling Danetta was pulling the pregnancy card on Marc and Jordan, but didn't understand her relationship with Tom. I'm glad she was at least honest with him and didn't start her deception on him first. I thought Jax was gonna read the note to call Danny, not the note Kier wrote about Danny. What a twist, runaway Groom this time lol. But I'm glad Sam was there for Jax,and Kier trusted Sam to let him know how Jax was doing. I'm an editor and publisher, I couldn't dare pull that shit Jeff did to Kieran's column. All I really want to know is what's column D!? Hmmm? Lol great read!!

[FloJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good enjoyable story. The blurb pretty much describes it. I liked that the characters were both of equal status, a successful journalist and a successful high school principal. Suitably passionate, those moments felt as if they were part of the story rather than the "oh I've written 3 pages, better have another bout of man on man loving" that some books have. I don't know if EM Lynley has written anything else, but I hope she does.

The only quibble I have is that there were a few editing errors.