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Smoke and Mirrors #2
From the Ashes
After a rough start to their relationship, Deck and Naim are living together and living well--except they’re not. The fire at the clinic and those behind it are still specters in the background of their lives, soon to come to the forefront. Someone is stalking them, and as the acts grow increasingly violent and threatening, the boys make an unsettling discovery that turns Naim’s world inside out.
They’re sorely tried and tested, and even with the support of the neighborhood and Deck’s firefighting crew, people get hurt. Deck has to decide how much hurt he’s willing to take on for the sake of Naim, and Naim has to decide once and for all what sort of man he wants to be--all while navigating a terrifying world of crime, violence, and depravity.
They’re sorely tried and tested, and even with the support of the neighborhood and Deck’s firefighting crew, people get hurt. Deck has to decide how much hurt he’s willing to take on for the sake of Naim, and Naim has to decide once and for all what sort of man he wants to be--all while navigating a terrifying world of crime, violence, and depravity.
- GenresM M RomanceRomance
381 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2015
1 person is currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Lillian T. MacGowan
2 books21 followersYou can usually find Lily MacGowan reading, knitting herself into the sofa, or writing. Lily has been a carpenter, a circus aerialist, a Sunset Strip club kid and a corporate mogul, but she gave all that up to teach middle school on the east coast and is happier than ever. Lily’s hobbies include food, household renovations and avoiding laundry. She’s a huge fan of comfy jammies and happily ever after.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 9, 2018
I didn’t really intend to jump into book 2 because book 1 ended with what I thought was a fairly strong happy for now ending. I also couldn’t imagine what more the author had to write about in a next book that was almost 400 pages long. It turns out there was a lot to write about…relationships, friendships and community.
This book for me was both emotionally exhausting and satisfying. Deck and Naim were not always okay. They argued, and unintentionally hurt one another. But even through their relationship struggles, there was never a doubt that they loved each other fiercely and that they were totally committed and devoted to one another. They communicated!!! Again these guys deserve infinite stars.
I can’t believe I ever thought the secondary characters were annoying. That was me being an idiotic and unappreciative reader. Shame on me!! The cast of characters were amazing, and I would have loved if the author had decided to add to the series with stories for some of those characters. Especially Bosco. I loved him to pieces.
I don’t know what’s up with the very talented and gifted Lily MacGowan. I hope all is well, and that she intends to continue writing.
This book for me was both emotionally exhausting and satisfying. Deck and Naim were not always okay. They argued, and unintentionally hurt one another. But even through their relationship struggles, there was never a doubt that they loved each other fiercely and that they were totally committed and devoted to one another. They communicated!!! Again these guys deserve infinite stars.
I can’t believe I ever thought the secondary characters were annoying. That was me being an idiotic and unappreciative reader. Shame on me!! The cast of characters were amazing, and I would have loved if the author had decided to add to the series with stories for some of those characters. Especially Bosco. I loved him to pieces.
I don’t know what’s up with the very talented and gifted Lily MacGowan. I hope all is well, and that she intends to continue writing.
January 12, 2018
Naim and Deck are just getting into their relationship but someone has plans to keep things from moving forward with the new clinic. Naim is getting little presents and there’s warnings that no one can ignore. As Naim still struggles with his past and his issues, can Deck and Naim survive through it all together and intact?
Naim has issues. We know he does. They manifest themselves and it’s not pretty. It hurts us as readers. It hurts Deck. He doesn’t deserve it. Naim tries to fix it. To make us trust him again. To make Deck trust him again. It’s hard. But the author writes real. Real issues, real responses. We may not like it but it’s real. And it hurts.
This book wrecked me. It was dark and sad and gut wrenching. It’s not for the faint of heart. There’s an underlying problem throughout and it’s heartbreaking. But the book was also beautiful and funny and hot.
The author writes some of the most beautiful and intimate sex scenes I’ve ever read. They’re deep and potent. You can feel the emotions, the love.
There’s so much I could say and I could never do this book justice. But, these two are meant to be together. They complete each other and help each other. They also balance each other out. I’m glad I jumped right into book 2 after reading Smoke and Mirrors. I wish the author would write more.
Naim has issues. We know he does. They manifest themselves and it’s not pretty. It hurts us as readers. It hurts Deck. He doesn’t deserve it. Naim tries to fix it. To make us trust him again. To make Deck trust him again. It’s hard. But the author writes real. Real issues, real responses. We may not like it but it’s real. And it hurts.
“Sweet, silly, kind, obscenely beautiful, smart, and loving Deck—Naim vowed every day that he’d never hurt him again.”
This book wrecked me. It was dark and sad and gut wrenching. It’s not for the faint of heart. There’s an underlying problem throughout and it’s heartbreaking. But the book was also beautiful and funny and hot.
“…this is important. Touching and being close and all intimate and part of each other. Like, even when we’re just pounding at each other like fucking animals and being all dirty and obscene and shit”….“It’s still love. And we need it. To be close.”~Deck
The author writes some of the most beautiful and intimate sex scenes I’ve ever read. They’re deep and potent. You can feel the emotions, the love.
“He saw the reflection almost as if outside himself. These two people, two bodies wrapped, so intimate and expressive. Feeling and need and all these things inside them both, for each other and themselves and their lives and who they were, reflected so explicitly in the mirror and on their skin. Deck watched, overcome, and almost felt like an intruder in his own private experience.”~Deck and Naim
There’s so much I could say and I could never do this book justice. But, these two are meant to be together. They complete each other and help each other. They also balance each other out. I’m glad I jumped right into book 2 after reading Smoke and Mirrors. I wish the author would write more.
‘tu me manques.’
‘I miss you.’
August 22, 2019
OK, so part two of the story of Naim and Deck. I think I’m probably going to go with a Likes and Dislikes sort of review, and as this one didn't work for me as much as Smoke and Mirrors, my rating will be 4 stars.
Likes
The fact that Freya, Mrs Potty Mouth, was hardly in the story. A huge plus in my opinion, nuff said.
The Firefighters calendar/organiser. I creased myself up laughing at all the comments made, both by the guys from the station and their ‘customers’.
Naim’s fetish for seeing Deck dressed in his gear!!! Sooo hot!! Jizz all over the cherry picker, snort...and the fact that Naim can no longer control himself when Deck is around at the station and drags Deck off like a caveman, and the other guys tease the hell out of them. ‘Deck’s bitch’, definitely...
Bosko!! OMG…Bosko, I fell in love with you and your cupcakes. Whether you can speak proper English or not, you’re so supportive of Naim and Deck and their relationship.
The word ‘snorfling’. I LOVE it, and it’s sooo descriptive of the way Deck and Naim cuddle up to each other AND how could I forget the pillow fort, sighs!! The sex/making love scenes between the two of them are just as tender and passionate as always...with one exception which I won’t go into here.
Deck’s sort of ‘out of body’ experience when he and Naim are making love in front of the mirror, so intimate and expressive. ‘Nous sommes beaux, nous sommes parfait’...oh and I love that Naim taught Deck French, when most people would say he couldn’t even speak English, hehe!!
The fact that no-one at the station was killed, and when you read about what happened, you’ll understand why.
Dislikes
Rizel. Rizel. Rizel. Rizel...right, that’s quite enough about that slimy, murderous git!! We discover that Rizel had his fingers in all sorts of disgusting pies, and considering he was an ex Marine, and had even served with some of the guys from the station, he was an absolute piece of s**t!!
The corruption all the way up the ladder in the Mayor’s office...money greases so many palms, and they see no wrong in what they’re doing…except in this story, so many people turn a blind eye to what’s going down on the streets and with the kids on them, it’s disgusting!! I’m not going into what happens, you must read it for yourselves...
I hated the way Deck and Naim stopped talking..or rather Naim stopped talking and starting using Deck as a thing, a channel for his anger and that was heartbreaking. Yes, I can sort of understand why, and it all has to do with Naim’s past, and what’s going on with the rebuilding of the clinic, and the little ‘gifts’ that Rizel keeps leaving for them, but hell, I was SO angry with him then. ‘I feel like you checked out. Like you..’ ‘Abandoned you,’ ‘And I don’t understand, I wish I could understand why. You forgot, Naim. You forgot me.’
Rats. Rats. Rats. Rats...and ‘adeadratinpoo’. Say that phrase very slowly indeed and you’ll get the gist of what Rizel is doing...
There is so much going on in this story, and so much I can’t put in my review so as not to spoil it for other readers, all I can say is this one is definitely NOT a standalone. You would need to have read Smoke and Mirrors for any of this story to make any sense at all. There is a lot of dark and disturbing, there are a lot of laughs, there is a helluva lot of courage shown by people at the firehouse, by some of the kids on the street but mostly, there is a whole lotta LOVE...cue Led Zeppelin. It's a great read, just not quite as good as Smoke and Mirrors IMHO.
Likes
The fact that Freya, Mrs Potty Mouth, was hardly in the story. A huge plus in my opinion, nuff said.
The Firefighters calendar/organiser. I creased myself up laughing at all the comments made, both by the guys from the station and their ‘customers’.
Naim’s fetish for seeing Deck dressed in his gear!!! Sooo hot!! Jizz all over the cherry picker, snort...and the fact that Naim can no longer control himself when Deck is around at the station and drags Deck off like a caveman, and the other guys tease the hell out of them. ‘Deck’s bitch’, definitely...
Bosko!! OMG…Bosko, I fell in love with you and your cupcakes. Whether you can speak proper English or not, you’re so supportive of Naim and Deck and their relationship.
The word ‘snorfling’. I LOVE it, and it’s sooo descriptive of the way Deck and Naim cuddle up to each other AND how could I forget the pillow fort, sighs!! The sex/making love scenes between the two of them are just as tender and passionate as always...with one exception which I won’t go into here.
Deck’s sort of ‘out of body’ experience when he and Naim are making love in front of the mirror, so intimate and expressive. ‘Nous sommes beaux, nous sommes parfait’...oh and I love that Naim taught Deck French, when most people would say he couldn’t even speak English, hehe!!
The fact that no-one at the station was killed, and when you read about what happened, you’ll understand why.
Dislikes
Rizel. Rizel. Rizel. Rizel...right, that’s quite enough about that slimy, murderous git!! We discover that Rizel had his fingers in all sorts of disgusting pies, and considering he was an ex Marine, and had even served with some of the guys from the station, he was an absolute piece of s**t!!
The corruption all the way up the ladder in the Mayor’s office...money greases so many palms, and they see no wrong in what they’re doing…except in this story, so many people turn a blind eye to what’s going down on the streets and with the kids on them, it’s disgusting!! I’m not going into what happens, you must read it for yourselves...
I hated the way Deck and Naim stopped talking..or rather Naim stopped talking and starting using Deck as a thing, a channel for his anger and that was heartbreaking. Yes, I can sort of understand why, and it all has to do with Naim’s past, and what’s going on with the rebuilding of the clinic, and the little ‘gifts’ that Rizel keeps leaving for them, but hell, I was SO angry with him then. ‘I feel like you checked out. Like you..’ ‘Abandoned you,’ ‘And I don’t understand, I wish I could understand why. You forgot, Naim. You forgot me.’
Rats. Rats. Rats. Rats...and ‘adeadratinpoo’. Say that phrase very slowly indeed and you’ll get the gist of what Rizel is doing...
There is so much going on in this story, and so much I can’t put in my review so as not to spoil it for other readers, all I can say is this one is definitely NOT a standalone. You would need to have read Smoke and Mirrors for any of this story to make any sense at all. There is a lot of dark and disturbing, there are a lot of laughs, there is a helluva lot of courage shown by people at the firehouse, by some of the kids on the street but mostly, there is a whole lotta LOVE...cue Led Zeppelin. It's a great read, just not quite as good as Smoke and Mirrors IMHO.
January 14, 2018
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars
I'm not sure I can do this book justice, but I will try. This was a roller coaster of emotions. There is so much that happens in this book. There were parts that were very frustrating. The bad guy seems to be winning, and no justice seems to be on the horizon. They decide to fight him in the media, and the consequences are heartbreaking. Decker is a rock, and continues to support and love Naim without fail. However, Naim is struggling as the circumstances bring on memories of his past. There is a point in the middle when he hurts Deck badly. Tbh, I had a hard time forgiving his character. I had time liken his actions to a ptsd like response. I realised it was if Deck forgave him that was his choice. I know I'm not relevant to this story.😜 This is just how I felt. I laughed and I cried while reading this. There was a lot of drama in this one. What I liked most about this book... it was real. Sometimes we struggle with love, and we have to communicate. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. Sometimes, we can't save the people we love. Sometimes, we can only help one person. However, helping one person can make a difference. Decker and Naim struggle and fight. They both have insecurities, and sometimes they hurt each other. They are not perfect, but they're perfect for each other. Naim is like a flower whose petals unfurl towards the sun. He was in he shade before he met Decker. Decker is his sun. Bosko is the comic relief in this, and I'm so grateful for him. If not for his comedic relief, this book would feel depressing. The epilogue was perfect, and left me hoping and laughing.
Thanks Lyn for recommending me this wonderfully emotional read.
I'm not sure I can do this book justice, but I will try. This was a roller coaster of emotions. There is so much that happens in this book. There were parts that were very frustrating. The bad guy seems to be winning, and no justice seems to be on the horizon. They decide to fight him in the media, and the consequences are heartbreaking. Decker is a rock, and continues to support and love Naim without fail. However, Naim is struggling as the circumstances bring on memories of his past. There is a point in the middle when he hurts Deck badly. Tbh, I had a hard time forgiving his character. I had time liken his actions to a ptsd like response. I realised it was if Deck forgave him that was his choice. I know I'm not relevant to this story.😜 This is just how I felt. I laughed and I cried while reading this. There was a lot of drama in this one. What I liked most about this book... it was real. Sometimes we struggle with love, and we have to communicate. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. Sometimes, we can't save the people we love. Sometimes, we can only help one person. However, helping one person can make a difference. Decker and Naim struggle and fight. They both have insecurities, and sometimes they hurt each other. They are not perfect, but they're perfect for each other. Naim is like a flower whose petals unfurl towards the sun. He was in he shade before he met Decker. Decker is his sun. Bosko is the comic relief in this, and I'm so grateful for him. If not for his comedic relief, this book would feel depressing. The epilogue was perfect, and left me hoping and laughing.
Thanks Lyn for recommending me this wonderfully emotional read.
February 5, 2018
2.5 stars for me
I had such high hopes for this book but unfortunately this just didn’t work for me. I think I’m one of the few that just didn’t love this book. I had in my mind it was going to be about something else but as I finished the book I went back and looked at the description from the author/publisher and it was spot on with the description.
I think in my head I romanticized the relationship between Naim and hottie firer fighter Deck. I was hoping it was going to be about them learning to live together as a couple , support each other and overcome everything being thrown their way. It did not go quite as I expected 😳.
This read was not for the faint of heart, it was well written just with grit, tears and death.
I loved Deck, he was such a likable character who truly wanted to be everything for Naim. He had to fight tooth and nail at every turn to support Naim who always wanted to handle things alone and not rely on his help which hurt Deck every time.
Naim I just never really warmed up to because of how self destructive he was mentally no matter how much love and support he had. He seemed to believe the opinions of the messed up kids he was trying to help versus the friends he had. He was very frustrating for me! 🤨
Grace I know she had a horrible childhood but I couldn’t warm up to her even after her brave act. Everything Naim did for her just wasn’t enough and she never seemed to appreciate any genuine kindness and or help.
This was not a boring read by any means, there was always some disaster happening, it just wasn’t for me sorry to say.
I had such high hopes for this book but unfortunately this just didn’t work for me. I think I’m one of the few that just didn’t love this book. I had in my mind it was going to be about something else but as I finished the book I went back and looked at the description from the author/publisher and it was spot on with the description.
I think in my head I romanticized the relationship between Naim and hottie firer fighter Deck. I was hoping it was going to be about them learning to live together as a couple , support each other and overcome everything being thrown their way. It did not go quite as I expected 😳.
This read was not for the faint of heart, it was well written just with grit, tears and death.
I loved Deck, he was such a likable character who truly wanted to be everything for Naim. He had to fight tooth and nail at every turn to support Naim who always wanted to handle things alone and not rely on his help which hurt Deck every time.
Naim I just never really warmed up to because of how self destructive he was mentally no matter how much love and support he had. He seemed to believe the opinions of the messed up kids he was trying to help versus the friends he had. He was very frustrating for me! 🤨
Grace I know she had a horrible childhood but I couldn’t warm up to her even after her brave act. Everything Naim did for her just wasn’t enough and she never seemed to appreciate any genuine kindness and or help.
This was not a boring read by any means, there was always some disaster happening, it just wasn’t for me sorry to say.
June 9, 2015
3.5 stars
This one didn't work as well for me as the first. I like Deck and Naim as a couple and there is one scene in particular with them (the one in front of the mirror) that was incredibly beautiful and touching. Bosko was great for comic relief and cutting to the chase when the guys would beat around the bush and happily Freya was far in the background in this one. I did find myself struggling a bit around the middle of this one, but I can't quite figure out why. It did tie up the loose ends of the first book and was a satisfying ending for the men. You definitely cannot read this without having read Smoke and Mirrors
This one didn't work as well for me as the first. I like Deck and Naim as a couple and there is one scene in particular with them (the one in front of the mirror) that was incredibly beautiful and touching. Bosko was great for comic relief and cutting to the chase when the guys would beat around the bush and happily Freya was far in the background in this one. I did find myself struggling a bit around the middle of this one, but I can't quite figure out why. It did tie up the loose ends of the first book and was a satisfying ending for the men. You definitely cannot read this without having read Smoke and Mirrors
March 29, 2020
Oh my god.
It feels like I’ve been reading this book since forever and it has been only yesterday.
It was a long ride.
Damn where do i start.
First, this book is much different that book 1 but I can’t really say it’s better or worse, it’s just different. It took more...political turn? There were a lot of discussion about justice and political corruption and broken system.
I have to be honest, it felt depressing and sometimes hard to read, but it’s exactly why I should be reading it.
In other ways, the author discussed a lot of issues I felt so so so connected to. Sometimes it felt like she took the words out of my mind and poured it into ink and paper.
A lot of the issues were out of my everyday struggle, of stuff I still try to wrap my head around about; injustice, unbalanced balance of fortune, cruelty of life and people and the system.
I felt connected to Naim’s rants and rage about these issues, also connected to his helplessness and that sense of ‘what can I do to help’ combined with ‘I want to do everything’
I think that what made this book special for me, not unforgettable and definitely left it’s mark. It wasn’t always easy to read, it felt like an actual cocktail of turmoil of emotions, but I’m digging it.
With that out, I wanna talk about Naim and Deck cuz ohmygod someone hit me. They’re just so fucking fuckkk.
Honestly their relationship was kind of established in book 1 so I didn’t see what was left to add on, you know? But in this book they just went through real couple problems and they worked through there many many issues. It was always clear they loved each other, but they still fought like every couple.
Their conflicts didn’t really bother me, it felt more developing than harmful or hurtful. I actually enjoyed seeing them both get out of the honeymoon phase and into a deeper relationship.
For some I feel like we were able to see more sides of Naim but also understand his conflicts and previous life better. Deck got to understand Naim’s life also a little bit better, but also grow as a character as well.
While Naim felt like the main character in the book, I still developed a major soft spot for Deck. Like literally whenever he got hurt or sad I feel it in my bones and i wanna wrap him up in a blanket and hide him from the world.
Also in book 1 the side characters were...distracting, like suddenly there were buzillion new side characters i didn’t know who is who and all their names and faces and personalities mushed together in a giant catastrophe. In this book they managed to be more diverse and dimensional and we got a better feel of them.
Finally, I have to mention that the writing was A-mazing, it’s engaging and I literally did not put my book down except to sleep and I chain-read through this series in two days.
The only thing I felt was lacking was the description. There weren’t enough description about...anything. Not places, people (ESPECIALLY people), General environment. I think I made up most of most of the characters but also suddenly i’m sidelined with an informant about a character that totally changes my description of them (Borkon is apparently not american or something? Also the ONLy reason I know they’re american was the mention of Trump this one time)
So like yeah. I wouldn’t change anything about this book except that. I’m writing this review after no less than 10 honest hours of binge reading (quarantine really do u like that) and I’m grateful and exhausting and definitely five-staring this bitch.
It feels like I’ve been reading this book since forever and it has been only yesterday.
It was a long ride.
Damn where do i start.
First, this book is much different that book 1 but I can’t really say it’s better or worse, it’s just different. It took more...political turn? There were a lot of discussion about justice and political corruption and broken system.
I have to be honest, it felt depressing and sometimes hard to read, but it’s exactly why I should be reading it.
In other ways, the author discussed a lot of issues I felt so so so connected to. Sometimes it felt like she took the words out of my mind and poured it into ink and paper.
A lot of the issues were out of my everyday struggle, of stuff I still try to wrap my head around about; injustice, unbalanced balance of fortune, cruelty of life and people and the system.
I felt connected to Naim’s rants and rage about these issues, also connected to his helplessness and that sense of ‘what can I do to help’ combined with ‘I want to do everything’
I think that what made this book special for me, not unforgettable and definitely left it’s mark. It wasn’t always easy to read, it felt like an actual cocktail of turmoil of emotions, but I’m digging it.
With that out, I wanna talk about Naim and Deck cuz ohmygod someone hit me. They’re just so fucking fuckkk.
Honestly their relationship was kind of established in book 1 so I didn’t see what was left to add on, you know? But in this book they just went through real couple problems and they worked through there many many issues. It was always clear they loved each other, but they still fought like every couple.
Their conflicts didn’t really bother me, it felt more developing than harmful or hurtful. I actually enjoyed seeing them both get out of the honeymoon phase and into a deeper relationship.
For some I feel like we were able to see more sides of Naim but also understand his conflicts and previous life better. Deck got to understand Naim’s life also a little bit better, but also grow as a character as well.
While Naim felt like the main character in the book, I still developed a major soft spot for Deck. Like literally whenever he got hurt or sad I feel it in my bones and i wanna wrap him up in a blanket and hide him from the world.
Also in book 1 the side characters were...distracting, like suddenly there were buzillion new side characters i didn’t know who is who and all their names and faces and personalities mushed together in a giant catastrophe. In this book they managed to be more diverse and dimensional and we got a better feel of them.
Finally, I have to mention that the writing was A-mazing, it’s engaging and I literally did not put my book down except to sleep and I chain-read through this series in two days.
The only thing I felt was lacking was the description. There weren’t enough description about...anything. Not places, people (ESPECIALLY people), General environment. I think I made up most of most of the characters but also suddenly i’m sidelined with an informant about a character that totally changes my description of them (Borkon is apparently not american or something? Also the ONLy reason I know they’re american was the mention of Trump this one time)
So like yeah. I wouldn’t change anything about this book except that. I’m writing this review after no less than 10 honest hours of binge reading (quarantine really do u like that) and I’m grateful and exhausting and definitely five-staring this bitch.
March 29, 2017
Just incredible. You must read Smoke and Mirrors first to understand this book. But this has even more depth and so many layers. Deck and Naim almost broke my heart in this one. But this author does a wonderful job of balancing the sorrow, tragedy and chaos of their experiences, and those of all their friends and family, with humor and love and understanding and forgiveness. Hard to believe I could be nearly in tears on one page and laughing out loud a few pages later. Love all the secondary characters. She gives them all such personality.
The sex scenes can be very hot. They are also sensual and emotional and go so far beyond being "just" sex scenes. And they are appropriately placed within the story, not just inserted for titillation value. I can't really express everything I want to say about this book without spoilers. So the few quibbles that I have with the book revolve around issues with the secondary characters and reactions that probably could not have been explored without detracting from the focus of the main story.
I don't think there will be any more volumes in this series, based on the epilogue. I think she gave us just enough to get our own sense of how their lives continue. I do very much look forward to more from this author. Too bad M/M fiction isn't more mainstream yet. This book deserves to be on every bestseller list, IMHO.
The sex scenes can be very hot. They are also sensual and emotional and go so far beyond being "just" sex scenes. And they are appropriately placed within the story, not just inserted for titillation value. I can't really express everything I want to say about this book without spoilers. So the few quibbles that I have with the book revolve around issues with the secondary characters and reactions that probably could not have been explored without detracting from the focus of the main story.
I don't think there will be any more volumes in this series, based on the epilogue. I think she gave us just enough to get our own sense of how their lives continue. I do very much look forward to more from this author. Too bad M/M fiction isn't more mainstream yet. This book deserves to be on every bestseller list, IMHO.
May 23, 2015
WHEW! This was quite the emotional roller coaster. I just LOVE LOVE LOVED this sequel, eleventy billion stars for this!! I just loved Deck and Naim's growth, set backs and all, to their relationship, although the part around the first third of the story made my heart ache for these two men. I also LOVED Bosco and how he basically stole all the scenes he was in. Excellent interaction between all the characters, I loved the feeling of family and "together" with all the firemen and cops and doctors at the hospital Naim worked at.
Seriously, if you have not read the first book in this series, GET TO IT and then read this one! Smoke and Mirrors was my favorite book for 2014, and right now this will be sitting at the top of my 2015 list. Excellent writing, HOT lovin', complex and flawed and real characters, and great plot/conflict and story.
I really, really, really hope this is not the end for Deck and Naim. I loved the epilogue, but there's obviously a lot that happened in between the last chapter and that epilogue. One of my favorites, I just loved it.
Seriously, if you have not read the first book in this series, GET TO IT and then read this one! Smoke and Mirrors was my favorite book for 2014, and right now this will be sitting at the top of my 2015 list. Excellent writing, HOT lovin', complex and flawed and real characters, and great plot/conflict and story.
I really, really, really hope this is not the end for Deck and Naim. I loved the epilogue, but there's obviously a lot that happened in between the last chapter and that epilogue. One of my favorites, I just loved it.
back-burner-for-now
June 24, 2015I need to re-read the first book before I can continue with this one. I'm SO lost.
June 4, 2015
Book sequels are so hit-and-miss for me that I usually lower my expectations before reading them. Luckily, From the Ashes actually exceeded my expectations, and I’m soooo glad! Though I miss the falling-in-love aspect of Deck and Naim’s relationship from the first book, I was completely pulled in by how much more gets revealed to us as their love progresses. Ate up every word! It had a ton of laughter and heartache, with plenty of drama/danger, which made for a fulfilling and exciting read.
The sex between the MCs continues to be HOTHOTHOT but also sensual and emotional. For me, that’s what really separates Ms. MacGowan’s two books from other m/m romances I’ve read so far – that sex/love-making can actually add to the plot, yet still be scorching hot!
Not sure if this is the end of Deck and Naim (there is a more conclusive epilogue in this one, I think) but I’ll definitely be revisiting this duology again in the future.
The sex between the MCs continues to be HOTHOTHOT but also sensual and emotional. For me, that’s what really separates Ms. MacGowan’s two books from other m/m romances I’ve read so far – that sex/love-making can actually add to the plot, yet still be scorching hot!
Not sure if this is the end of Deck and Naim (there is a more conclusive epilogue in this one, I think) but I’ll definitely be revisiting this duology again in the future.
June 15, 2015
Heart-wrenching. That's the best way to describe this sequel. I absolutely loved Smoke & Mirrors. I cried, laughed, my heart broke for Naim. Well From the Ashes was no different. I was literally cracking up out loud on the subway, tears in my eyes half the time. This story is just that good! The obstacles this group suffer through are inmense. What I love most, besides the hot sex between Deck & Naim, are the characters. This story is about the whole firehouse crew, the kids in the Bottom, the doctors, everyone. It's great to see such a well rounded story. I almost felt as though I was reading episodes of Chicago PD/Fire. I didn't want this to end and I was so sad when I got to the Epilogue. Nevertheless, what an ending to this sequel and this series. I wish we could read more!
June 26, 2015
OH YES! THIS AUTHOR MUST KEEP WRITING, IN MY OPINION!...OK, I have to admit, I haven't finished the book, yet, so I'll be back, but half way through, I'm just as thrilled with it as I was with "Smoke and Mirrors". Any one who has been undecided about reading this book, read it. More than well worth it. Her characters again are strong and consistent, her plot moves in a well thought out chronology -
NO doubt the ending will not disappoint...
NO doubt the ending will not disappoint...
May 18, 2015
The epilogue made me grin. Super cute.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2016
I was reading this book for a very long time but it wasn't a difficulty, mostly I really enjoyed it, in a quiet, meditative sort of way. I really liked Deck and Naim in the first book and it was a pleasure to spend more time with them. Still... After reading the first book, I was kinda worried what if something happens to them in the second book and I'll be upset. As it was, I was glad when something happened - they fought, or a disaster struck - because otherwise it was just very long, very sweet sex scenes... very many of them. But I didn't mind anything until, like, I was 88% in. And then it suddenly became too much. Like, you know, Naim's past was brought up just too many times, and sometimes there is a moment when sympathy, demanded too many times, becomes annoyance. When he said that Deck "didn't understand" AGAIN, I really felt fed up with him. Thankfully it was almost the ending of the book. Oh yes, and the epilogue was in a bad taste, IMHO.
A messy review but these are my impressions.
A messy review but these are my impressions.
July 14, 2016
So this book didn't work as well for me as the first one, and I can't really put my finger on why that is exactly. The story starts off where the first one ends, and this is the fall out from the loss of the clinic.
Dex and Naims relationship faces a lot of hardship in this story, which they both have to learn how to lean on each other. The middle did really drag for me, and I kind of lost interest but really wanted to see how everything played out.
Overall and okay read for me.
Dex and Naims relationship faces a lot of hardship in this story, which they both have to learn how to lean on each other. The middle did really drag for me, and I kind of lost interest but really wanted to see how everything played out.
Overall and okay read for me.
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