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Uniformity #1
Compromised
Correctional Officer Daniel 'Kash' Kashaveroff is single, gay and working at a maximum security prison. Not the best job to be out. Gun shy from a past relationship, he wants to fall in love again but doesn't expect it to happen anytime soon.
Working with Zane Davis turns Kash's life upside down. They go from colleagues to friends to being in a relationship but it's anything but perfect.
While dealing with his relationship issues, Kash also becomes friends with an inmate named Cody Ivy. Becoming personally involved with prisoner is against the rules, but Kash believes in the young man's innocence and soon becomes personally involved in proving it. Even if it puts his own life in jeopardy.
Uniformity, Book One . Second Edition.
Working with Zane Davis turns Kash's life upside down. They go from colleagues to friends to being in a relationship but it's anything but perfect.
While dealing with his relationship issues, Kash also becomes friends with an inmate named Cody Ivy. Becoming personally involved with prisoner is against the rules, but Kash believes in the young man's innocence and soon becomes personally involved in proving it. Even if it puts his own life in jeopardy.
Uniformity, Book One . Second Edition.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2013
13 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 20, 2018
I liked this book (first time with this author) but sadly I didn't love it.
Something went missing. And I don't know what, maybe the romance?
With this book my interest was caught by the mystery and I was really curious and entertained with it, but I can't say the same about the romance between the mcs. At the beginning it seemed more like an older brother - younger sibling relationship, then they were a lovely couple but, like I said, I was more drawn to the mystery.
And I didn't enjoyed the relationship with Zane, they worked better as friends since the beginning.
I'll read the next books in the series!
Something went missing. And I don't know what, maybe the romance?
With this book my interest was caught by the mystery and I was really curious and entertained with it, but I can't say the same about the romance between the mcs. At the beginning it seemed more like an older brother - younger sibling relationship, then they were a lovely couple but, like I said, I was more drawn to the mystery.
And I didn't enjoyed the relationship with Zane, they worked better as friends since the beginning.
I'll read the next books in the series!
August 16, 2013
* May contain minor spoilers
Somewhere between 3.5 and 4, but not quite at 4.
I like my M/M with a nice kick of law enforcement and attitude, and this book provided a new twist on that. Since reading Protection I've been dying for another prisoner related story, and I got a pretty nice one here.
The first half of the book revolves around Kash and Kash's relationship with Zane, a bisexual co-worker who has an itch he likes to scratch - with people who he isn't in a committed relationship with.
I really didn't like Zane when he was in a relationship with Kash, but once they were apart, he grew on me, and I'd love to see a story about him and his nerdy, redheaded love interest.
The mystery aspect of this was actually quite surprising. I'm typically very good at figuring out what is going on, which can be a bit of a bummer when it comes to stories with a mystery. In this, I had ideas about things, but I didn't have the full picture until it was revealed.
It's not a perfect book, and certainly not one of my favorites, but it was definitely a nice read.
Somewhere between 3.5 and 4, but not quite at 4.
I like my M/M with a nice kick of law enforcement and attitude, and this book provided a new twist on that. Since reading Protection I've been dying for another prisoner related story, and I got a pretty nice one here.
The first half of the book revolves around Kash and Kash's relationship with Zane, a bisexual co-worker who has an itch he likes to scratch - with people who he isn't in a committed relationship with.
I really didn't like Zane when he was in a relationship with Kash, but once they were apart, he grew on me, and I'd love to see a story about him and his nerdy, redheaded love interest.
The mystery aspect of this was actually quite surprising. I'm typically very good at figuring out what is going on, which can be a bit of a bummer when it comes to stories with a mystery. In this, I had ideas about things, but I didn't have the full picture until it was revealed.
It's not a perfect book, and certainly not one of my favorites, but it was definitely a nice read.
September 7, 2013
Sorry for the bad review, but I'm in a bit of a funk, so this will just mainly be dot points:
- promising premise that ended up disappointing (lacked the realism and intensity that made the premise so grabbing)
- idiotic, 2D and unlikeable characters. I couldn't relate or sympathise with any of the characters
- the book was so damn ridiculous yet still managed to be so dull and bland. Little depth and no food for thought.
- eyeroll-y and incredibly boring. I couldn't finish fast enough.
- I'm not quite convinced about the romance
Overall this book wasn't bad, as blunt as my review was, but it really didn't work for me. The mystery did keep me guessing near the beginning though and the book concluded nicely.
Rating: Not quite a 2
- promising premise that ended up disappointing (lacked the realism and intensity that made the premise so grabbing)
- idiotic, 2D and unlikeable characters. I couldn't relate or sympathise with any of the characters
- the book was so damn ridiculous yet still managed to be so dull and bland. Little depth and no food for thought.
- eyeroll-y and incredibly boring. I couldn't finish fast enough.
- I'm not quite convinced about the romance
Overall this book wasn't bad, as blunt as my review was, but it really didn't work for me. The mystery did keep me guessing near the beginning though and the book concluded nicely.
Rating: Not quite a 2
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August 9, 2013Another amazing deal. Price drop to $0.99 at Amazon US! 8/9/13!
August 26, 2013
Nothing doing. There’s nothing in this story to have me wanting to rave, or rage, about it. I didn’t hate it, but I certainly didn’t love it either.
Daniel “Kash” is a Corrections Officer hiding his sexuality due to his work. Yet, he’s frustrated with his life. The job’s a job and it pays his bills, but he’s finding himself more and more burnt out. When his idiot partner goes down with a broken nose from one of the inmates at the prison Kash’s biggest fear is being saddled with someone worse. At least Lang was a known commodity.
Zane Davis walks in the door and suddenly Kash’s life is brighter. Zane manages to make the workday fly by and might that be a spark of attraction there as well? He’s sexy and funny and Kash finds himself drawn to the younger man. But Zane’s got his issues to. He’s bi-sexual and never been in a committed relationship before. While he’s attracted to Kash and willing to try to make it work, he still loves his playboy lifestyle.
Meanwhile there’s a new inmate in the prison and Cody Ives doesn’t look like anyone’s idea of a lifer. Convicted of first-degree murder Cody has no chance for parole. Kash finds himself unconsciously growing closer to the kid and worrying about him. There’s something about Cody that makes Kash question the conviction, and the more he looks into Cody’s case history the more hinky it becomes. Still, Kash has to be careful, feelings for another man when you’ve already got a boyfriend are never smart, especially if that man is an inmate and could cost you your job.
I think my biggest disappointment with this novel is that I never really identified with any of the characters. I know I’m supposed to feel sorry for Cody and be torn with Kash between the two guys. Honestly though I don’t know why he stayed with Zane as long as he did, and despite Cody’s situation I never felt Kash’s draw to him sexually. Sure he wanted to help the kid out, and I knew Mr. Stone was going to make it a sort of love triangle eventually, but since I never felt deeply involved in the characters I never really cared what Kash’s decisions were. I didn’t like Zane when he was dating Kash, but outside of their relationship he was entertaining. I’d be curious to see what happened with him and a certain caseworker.
There was nothing wrong here with the writing or anything either. The pace moved along. There were enough things going on to keep my attention and in a detached fashion I was interested in how they were going to get a clearly innocent Cody out of jail. I certainly didn’t find this book offensive or a struggle to get through. I read it all in one sitting, I was just kinda bored. Like when you’re watching a long movie and you keep looking at your watch going is it over yet? Not bad enough to make you get up and walk out, but you’re constantly looking for that last scene to show up.
Still in the end I was interested enough to see how they figured out what really happened in Cody’s dorm room that night and there was one plot twist that I wasn’t really expecting that added a “oh that was nice” moment. In the end I was more curious about the details of the case than I was in the budding romance. Especially as there turns out to be no tension between Cody, Kash, and both of Kash’s exes. Everybody is just friends and the world moves on. All tied up in a pretty little bow.
Daniel “Kash” is a Corrections Officer hiding his sexuality due to his work. Yet, he’s frustrated with his life. The job’s a job and it pays his bills, but he’s finding himself more and more burnt out. When his idiot partner goes down with a broken nose from one of the inmates at the prison Kash’s biggest fear is being saddled with someone worse. At least Lang was a known commodity.
Zane Davis walks in the door and suddenly Kash’s life is brighter. Zane manages to make the workday fly by and might that be a spark of attraction there as well? He’s sexy and funny and Kash finds himself drawn to the younger man. But Zane’s got his issues to. He’s bi-sexual and never been in a committed relationship before. While he’s attracted to Kash and willing to try to make it work, he still loves his playboy lifestyle.
Meanwhile there’s a new inmate in the prison and Cody Ives doesn’t look like anyone’s idea of a lifer. Convicted of first-degree murder Cody has no chance for parole. Kash finds himself unconsciously growing closer to the kid and worrying about him. There’s something about Cody that makes Kash question the conviction, and the more he looks into Cody’s case history the more hinky it becomes. Still, Kash has to be careful, feelings for another man when you’ve already got a boyfriend are never smart, especially if that man is an inmate and could cost you your job.
I think my biggest disappointment with this novel is that I never really identified with any of the characters. I know I’m supposed to feel sorry for Cody and be torn with Kash between the two guys. Honestly though I don’t know why he stayed with Zane as long as he did, and despite Cody’s situation I never felt Kash’s draw to him sexually. Sure he wanted to help the kid out, and I knew Mr. Stone was going to make it a sort of love triangle eventually, but since I never felt deeply involved in the characters I never really cared what Kash’s decisions were. I didn’t like Zane when he was dating Kash, but outside of their relationship he was entertaining. I’d be curious to see what happened with him and a certain caseworker.
There was nothing wrong here with the writing or anything either. The pace moved along. There were enough things going on to keep my attention and in a detached fashion I was interested in how they were going to get a clearly innocent Cody out of jail. I certainly didn’t find this book offensive or a struggle to get through. I read it all in one sitting, I was just kinda bored. Like when you’re watching a long movie and you keep looking at your watch going is it over yet? Not bad enough to make you get up and walk out, but you’re constantly looking for that last scene to show up.
Still in the end I was interested enough to see how they figured out what really happened in Cody’s dorm room that night and there was one plot twist that I wasn’t really expecting that added a “oh that was nice” moment. In the end I was more curious about the details of the case than I was in the budding romance. Especially as there turns out to be no tension between Cody, Kash, and both of Kash’s exes. Everybody is just friends and the world moves on. All tied up in a pretty little bow.
August 9, 2013
more like a 4.5. Vivid inside-prison descriptions that felt very real. INteresting plot twists and thrilling action sequences.
August 20, 2018
Reading this for the first time a few years back, I immediately loved it.
The plot, of course is a gay romance novels lovers dream: prison ward falling in love with (of course) innocent inmate, what more could you ask for...?
Well the second time around, I realized the book is not really so perfect, it has a few flaws (apart from the obvious ridiculous plot, which I didn't mind).
Especially going for the suspense, you will probably be disappointed, as it is not too convincing. The way Ivy is released from prison really leaves a lot to be questioned.
And the end is certainly over the top.
But I also realized, why I was drawn to this in the first place.
The background story of life in prison was excellent, I even think that the author maybe has personal experience, or at least a very good source of knowledge.
What also makes this stand out for me, is that the main characters are not always black and white.
I am regularly pissed of by relationships breaking apart, because the soon to be ex is a real jerk (which our main character suddenly and very surprisingly finds out after several years of being together).
This does not happen here, a relationship ends because it doesn't work out and this is so normal and understandable, it just makes sense.
That was refreshing and I also loved the way our main and side characters dealt with it.
And then of course there is the fact (mentioned before) that we have a young and nice and innocent (did I mention innocent? "sigh") young man, falling in love with a prison guard... Yeah I admit it, that was so sweet, I was swooning and dreaming about it ;-)
So, all in all I still enjoyed that a lot, even if it was not perfect, for me it was a strong 3.5 star read!
The plot, of course is a gay romance novels lovers dream: prison ward falling in love with (of course) innocent inmate, what more could you ask for...?
Well the second time around, I realized the book is not really so perfect, it has a few flaws (apart from the obvious ridiculous plot, which I didn't mind).
Especially going for the suspense, you will probably be disappointed, as it is not too convincing. The way Ivy is released from prison really leaves a lot to be questioned.
And the end is certainly over the top.
But I also realized, why I was drawn to this in the first place.
The background story of life in prison was excellent, I even think that the author maybe has personal experience, or at least a very good source of knowledge.
What also makes this stand out for me, is that the main characters are not always black and white.
I am regularly pissed of by relationships breaking apart, because the soon to be ex is a real jerk (which our main character suddenly and very surprisingly finds out after several years of being together).
This does not happen here, a relationship ends because it doesn't work out and this is so normal and understandable, it just makes sense.
That was refreshing and I also loved the way our main and side characters dealt with it.
And then of course there is the fact (mentioned before) that we have a young and nice and innocent (did I mention innocent? "sigh") young man, falling in love with a prison guard... Yeah I admit it, that was so sweet, I was swooning and dreaming about it ;-)
So, all in all I still enjoyed that a lot, even if it was not perfect, for me it was a strong 3.5 star read!
August 2, 2013
3.5 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
This was a lovely read, one I enjoyed quite a lot, even if it was a bit slow at the beginning. There are books we feel them realistic, and there are other we feel them as real. This one felt like a biography, the prison details and work routine were as if interviewing a real life officer. That made for a slow pace at the beginning, though in all fairness the author does inform us that this first book of the series is meant to give us a real feeling and introduce us into the non-glamorous version of this line of work. He ends up with the promise of more action for the next books.
So moving on, I loved this story. It was romantic without being cheesy, it was an everyday affair and quite credible, while at the same time maintained a certain rush that came from the circumstances. I mean here we have an office working a high security level prison, secretly gay, having a relationship with a coworker and getting emotionally involved with an inmate sentenced for life. And to top things, making the action part of the story heighten in intensity, there are ghosts from the past coming for them. Lovely plot indeed, but what had my attention most of the time were the characters.
Kash; protagonist and a lovely character indeed. Having failed at relationships way too many times and being hurt by people he loved, Kash tries desperately to make things work with Zane. His past with his family is cringe-worthy, there are so many children who have lived that life. His beliefs and strength in them is admirable, and in general Kash is a character that makes you fall for him quite easily. You grow to respect him and that is huge in my opinion.
Zane; Oh dear God what a despicable character. Yes in the end he managed to become less despicable (I insist with that adjective) but during the first half of the read I wanted to strangle him, beat the shit out of him and even break his legs. Good Lord, I think this was the character that evoked the strongest emotions from me, even if they were not good emotions at the time. See I don’t have a problem with cheating characters, after all we are human and we tend to make mistakes. But Zane, Zane was a whole different level of cheating, he was the kind that did it, came back for forgiveness and went on and did it again and again and again… Good grief, what a piece of work.
Cody; a sweet character if there ever was one, bit too naïve and easy trusting. The last bit was not my favorite but it helped him along this plot, since he got more that he even dared hope for. His past gave a certain depth to the character but I still felt I needed more. Thing is he only showed a certain spike during the end there, while the entire read he was more of a passive figure. Personality wise he still feels a stranger.
And that was a common treat with all the characters in this book. While the action part was very interesting, there was serious lack of chemistry and I still feel I don’t really know the people involved. In the end, while it was a very acceptable end despite the “forevers”, I wanted more from this particular couple, just more.
As it is I recommend this book for the romantics out there and those who love action and adventure of the mild sort, since there is thankfully a lack of angst and drama here. And while I’m at that, can’t wait for the second book of the series which promises to be more intense and full of action.
Thommie
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
This was a lovely read, one I enjoyed quite a lot, even if it was a bit slow at the beginning. There are books we feel them realistic, and there are other we feel them as real. This one felt like a biography, the prison details and work routine were as if interviewing a real life officer. That made for a slow pace at the beginning, though in all fairness the author does inform us that this first book of the series is meant to give us a real feeling and introduce us into the non-glamorous version of this line of work. He ends up with the promise of more action for the next books.
So moving on, I loved this story. It was romantic without being cheesy, it was an everyday affair and quite credible, while at the same time maintained a certain rush that came from the circumstances. I mean here we have an office working a high security level prison, secretly gay, having a relationship with a coworker and getting emotionally involved with an inmate sentenced for life. And to top things, making the action part of the story heighten in intensity, there are ghosts from the past coming for them. Lovely plot indeed, but what had my attention most of the time were the characters.
Kash; protagonist and a lovely character indeed. Having failed at relationships way too many times and being hurt by people he loved, Kash tries desperately to make things work with Zane. His past with his family is cringe-worthy, there are so many children who have lived that life. His beliefs and strength in them is admirable, and in general Kash is a character that makes you fall for him quite easily. You grow to respect him and that is huge in my opinion.
Zane; Oh dear God what a despicable character. Yes in the end he managed to become less despicable (I insist with that adjective) but during the first half of the read I wanted to strangle him, beat the shit out of him and even break his legs. Good Lord, I think this was the character that evoked the strongest emotions from me, even if they were not good emotions at the time. See I don’t have a problem with cheating characters, after all we are human and we tend to make mistakes. But Zane, Zane was a whole different level of cheating, he was the kind that did it, came back for forgiveness and went on and did it again and again and again… Good grief, what a piece of work.
Cody; a sweet character if there ever was one, bit too naïve and easy trusting. The last bit was not my favorite but it helped him along this plot, since he got more that he even dared hope for. His past gave a certain depth to the character but I still felt I needed more. Thing is he only showed a certain spike during the end there, while the entire read he was more of a passive figure. Personality wise he still feels a stranger.
And that was a common treat with all the characters in this book. While the action part was very interesting, there was serious lack of chemistry and I still feel I don’t really know the people involved. In the end, while it was a very acceptable end despite the “forevers”, I wanted more from this particular couple, just more.
As it is I recommend this book for the romantics out there and those who love action and adventure of the mild sort, since there is thankfully a lack of angst and drama here. And while I’m at that, can’t wait for the second book of the series which promises to be more intense and full of action.
Thommie
September 10, 2013
Ready for some prison gang rape fantasies? This tale is definitely not about prison m/m non-con sex nor is it about graphic heterosexual male rape. Don't despair, this story is great without either. It's not that kind of prison book despite the insinuating title.
Daniel "Kash" Kashaveroff is a corrections officer for a prison. He's a closet gay male because even though there should be no discrimination, the real world doesn't function on hypothetical theories.
Kash is experiencing a mini-midlife crisis. Does he really want to remain as a corrections officer? It's not a career choice for him. It pays the bills. When his personal life crosses over into his work, there are some serious ramifications. There is a strict code of conduct for fraternization between prison guard and prisoner. This is where the compromise comes in.
Mr. Stone is a new to me author who kept me riveted to this story. He crafts a solid tale with detective work and an inside look at the prison system. He's glossed over the nasty ugly side, but it's hinted enough for a reader to pick up the clues. In addition to a good plot, his characters are well done. Kash is an admirable main character. He shows heart. He's engaging and caring. His new partner at work, Zane is a hottie horn dog. If Zane was a female, the title easy drunken slut does cross the mind. Cody is the inmate who is adorably naïve. He's the one who brings out the mothering instincts out of most women. He's a great kid despite the hard knocks he's experienced.
What I liked about this story is that it wasn't predictable. Mr. Stone added twists and turns which enriched the reading experience. He didn't throw in crazy plot devices. He built up the story in layers and then brought it all together. There is one character in here who is amoral plus psychopathic. Mr. Stone creates this character so well. It really shows how people can see only certain sides of a person. How well do people really know each other? Watch out for those slick charmers.
This m/m romance is recommended for readers who enjoy a good suspense.
August 25, 2013
3.5? I think I'm gonna go 4 stars...there were a few things that kinda pulled it down for me a bit, but overall, I did enjoy it.
Kash works in a maximum security prison, he is fair and hard working, burned out, and of course, still in the closet. He gets to working with Zane Davis, a character that--in all honesty--I didn't care for until toward the last half of the book.
This book made me nervous at times, and it was sweet at times and heartbreaking and hot. All of that I really loved, but I felt like maybe some of the transitioning between chapters was a bit off? It was like, I don't know, there were times I felt like some things were just too abrupt.
When a few new inmates arrive, one catches Kash's eye...there is something different about this kid and Kash's gut tells him that he couldn't possibly have done what he was convicted of. Despite all things going on in his personal and professional life, he can't let it go. I'm not going to spoil anything for anyone. I really liked how things went, the uncovering, the questions, trying to find answers. I do wish there was...more. Just more development--not that you didn't feel the connections because I did, but I just wanted a little more of everything. Overall, really enjoyed and will read more from this author.
Kash works in a maximum security prison, he is fair and hard working, burned out, and of course, still in the closet. He gets to working with Zane Davis, a character that--in all honesty--I didn't care for until toward the last half of the book.
This book made me nervous at times, and it was sweet at times and heartbreaking and hot. All of that I really loved, but I felt like maybe some of the transitioning between chapters was a bit off? It was like, I don't know, there were times I felt like some things were just too abrupt.
When a few new inmates arrive, one catches Kash's eye...there is something different about this kid and Kash's gut tells him that he couldn't possibly have done what he was convicted of. Despite all things going on in his personal and professional life, he can't let it go. I'm not going to spoil anything for anyone. I really liked how things went, the uncovering, the questions, trying to find answers. I do wish there was...more. Just more development--not that you didn't feel the connections because I did, but I just wanted a little more of everything. Overall, really enjoyed and will read more from this author.
October 5, 2015
I don't honestly know what I thought of this book. I was surprisingly more interested in the mystery part than the romance part, which is not typical for me with mm romance books that are also mystery/suspense type of books. I hated Zane, and I couldn't figure out why Kash stayed with him so long. I never felt a connection between them because Zane was immature and selfish, but I never got the connection between Kash and Ives either. I got more of a little brother, wanting to help a young innocent kid vibe from Kash than a lover type vibe. The whodunit part was pretty cool. I obviously figured some of it out on my own, but I was also surprised, which is a good thing because typically the mystery ends up being so easy to figure out and it's completely ridiculous just so the author can resolve it quickly at the end of the story. Not so with this one. I'm interested enough to read the next one and see what happens with Zane. I was kind of hoping Evan would get a book, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. I did notice Hoss gets a book, and I was a fan of his in this one, so I might be compelled to read his story as well.
August 26, 2013
This was ok... the plot of the story was intriguing and I really did want to know how things would end up. The who done it, as it were. The problems for me were in Daniel's voice. I didn't feel the emotion necessary for me to care too much about the characters as individuals. I really only cared about the story of who did it, how was Cody framed, and how they resolved it. The ending was also pretty abrupt and left me feeling like I was missing something. In reality, I missed all the emotion needed to make this a great story.
August 14, 2015
I think this was the first book I ever read that had a correctional officer as a MC. It was great. I loved the story too. It's been too long since the Flesh books, so I was thrilled to see this show up on my kindle. I dived right in, and didn't come up for air for the next few hours. I'm hoping there are more books to come that feature these guys.
November 5, 2013
Review written for The Blog of Sid Love.
Right from the start, this gives you a great sense of what life is like behind bars. You are given enough details about the setting and Kash and Zane’s jobs to really get a feel for things, but not so much that it becomes boring or becomes more of the story. Kash and Zane are pretty good at their jobs as correctional officers. They pretty much have decent rapport with the inmates as being fair straight shooters. While they help out where and when they can, there are lines they never cross.
Then Kash meets inmate Cody Ives, a sweet young guy who he actually begins to believe might be truly innocent. Kash continues to work hard to not cross lines with Cody, but he finds it more difficult and more difficult as time goes on.
Meanwhile, Kash and Zane are in a relationship. Kash is just looking for someone to have an actual relationship with. Unfortunately, Zane doesn’t seem to be that guy, as he uses his bi-sexuality as an excuse, time and again, to cheat on Kash. I really didn’t like Zane much in this story, until closer to the end.
Meanwhile, Kash begins crossing lines by looking into Cody’s case. This part of the story gets more interesting as time goes on and as new twists and turns occur. I really enjoyed this who dunnit aspect, as the excitement and mystery are kicked up a few notches. As he learns more and more, he becomes insistent on proving Cody’s innocence. He finally admits to his interest in Cody, even though it doesn’t seem they could ever be together given Cody’s prison status. Even if he gets out, fraternizing with ex-cons is still against the rules.
I really enjoyed this story. There is plenty of inmate interaction, some good and some bad. It makes things a bit easier knowing Kash wasn’t going to end up with cheater Zane, but still meant it took a good part of this story before Kash was with his intended partner. I found I wanted to know the real story behind Cody’s incarceration, and it kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the story. I’m excited to see where things go in book two of this series.
August 14, 2013
I've been watching "Orange is the New Black" lately and their view of a minimum security women's prison and kept being amazed at the amount of freedom these ladies seemed to have. In contrast, this book is set mainly in a maximum security male prison where Kash works as a correction officer and the setting feels totally different in that the men are not free to move around alone.
Besides dealing with sometimes violent prisoners, part of Kash's job involves passing meals through the window slot in the prisoner's cell and accompanying them when they need to take showers. Kash likes the pay but is slightly burned out and bored on the job. That is he was until he gets a new very attractive work partner named Zane. When it turns out that Zane is actually bisexual and attracted to him, Kash who's gay, feels like he's hit the jackpot. Later, he finds out things are less shiny than they first appear. In the meantime, Kash also finds himself wanting to help out a new young prisoner, Cody, who's in prison for a murder he said he didn't commit.
After a slow start this story held my interest. I liked the little bits we get about the prison life (the author says he worked in a prison at one time). If you enjoy hot sex scenes then you get some between Kash and Zane. We also slowly see the volatility of their relationship and Kash's deepening friendship with Cody as he starts to investigate his case. I had an idea where it was all going but was happy to be proven right. I'd love to have seen more character development especially with Cody, but I expect we'll see more of that for all the characters in the next book. This had a nice mix of action and romance. I'm definitely looking forward to the other stories in this series.
Besides dealing with sometimes violent prisoners, part of Kash's job involves passing meals through the window slot in the prisoner's cell and accompanying them when they need to take showers. Kash likes the pay but is slightly burned out and bored on the job. That is he was until he gets a new very attractive work partner named Zane. When it turns out that Zane is actually bisexual and attracted to him, Kash who's gay, feels like he's hit the jackpot. Later, he finds out things are less shiny than they first appear. In the meantime, Kash also finds himself wanting to help out a new young prisoner, Cody, who's in prison for a murder he said he didn't commit.
After a slow start this story held my interest. I liked the little bits we get about the prison life (the author says he worked in a prison at one time). If you enjoy hot sex scenes then you get some between Kash and Zane. We also slowly see the volatility of their relationship and Kash's deepening friendship with Cody as he starts to investigate his case. I had an idea where it was all going but was happy to be proven right. I'd love to have seen more character development especially with Cody, but I expect we'll see more of that for all the characters in the next book. This had a nice mix of action and romance. I'm definitely looking forward to the other stories in this series.
November 24, 2015
I'm in love. Yes, it's not often that I say this about a book. But, I love this book. I love the characters, the plot and the care and obvious affection that went into bringing the stories of these characters into life.
Let's start with Daniel Kashaveroff whom everyone at his work place refers to as Kash. He is a single gay guy who works at a high security male prison. His last relationship was a disaster as he'd been in love with a married man, Evan, who was eating his cake and having it. I'll get to more about Evan later. So when Kash started working at Seely, he was heartbroken about the end of his relationship with Evan and kind of went back into the closet, per se. Well, he works in a male prison and lives in a small town, so his actions are understandable.
Also Kash is a straight-shooter. What I mean is that he is a man who obeys all the rules, he works hard and treats the people around him nicely, even the inmates. In short, he is a man of integrity and I warmed to him very quickly. Right from the first page. And I really wanted him to find a man who would appreciate him and love him.
So when he starts working with Zane and sparks fly between them, I was hoping that things would work out between them. But soon it is obvious that there are similarities between Zane and Evan. And I started wondering if Zane was really the right man for Kash.
Then things get complicated when Cody moves into the cell block and under Kash's care. Something sparks between the two of them and Kash is curious about why Cody was in jail. He starts investigating Cody's past on his free time and with the help of his ex Evan. I loved that Kash kept things with Cody on a professional level while Cody was in prison even if the affection he felt for the man was obvious. Yes, he broke some rules for Cody but he never crossed the line. It really cemented my love for Kash who chose not to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable position.
The secondary characters are brilliant too. Cody, I loved from the get go and really rooted for him to get out of jail. Even though Zane and Evan did some bad things, by the end of the story I was half in love with both of them and while I know the next book in the series is about Zane, I'm hoping Evan gets his own story too. Pretty please, dear author.
This is an all round brilliant book. I can't fault it at all. With rounded three-dimensional characters and a story line filled with suspense, mystery and romance, once I started reading I couldn't put it down. I basically ignored everyone until I finished. And when I was done reading, I walked around in a state of euphoria for a few hours. Seriously. This book put this author in my must-read list. Go and grab a copy. It's blooming fantastic.
Let's start with Daniel Kashaveroff whom everyone at his work place refers to as Kash. He is a single gay guy who works at a high security male prison. His last relationship was a disaster as he'd been in love with a married man, Evan, who was eating his cake and having it. I'll get to more about Evan later. So when Kash started working at Seely, he was heartbroken about the end of his relationship with Evan and kind of went back into the closet, per se. Well, he works in a male prison and lives in a small town, so his actions are understandable.
Also Kash is a straight-shooter. What I mean is that he is a man who obeys all the rules, he works hard and treats the people around him nicely, even the inmates. In short, he is a man of integrity and I warmed to him very quickly. Right from the first page. And I really wanted him to find a man who would appreciate him and love him.
So when he starts working with Zane and sparks fly between them, I was hoping that things would work out between them. But soon it is obvious that there are similarities between Zane and Evan. And I started wondering if Zane was really the right man for Kash.
Then things get complicated when Cody moves into the cell block and under Kash's care. Something sparks between the two of them and Kash is curious about why Cody was in jail. He starts investigating Cody's past on his free time and with the help of his ex Evan. I loved that Kash kept things with Cody on a professional level while Cody was in prison even if the affection he felt for the man was obvious. Yes, he broke some rules for Cody but he never crossed the line. It really cemented my love for Kash who chose not to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable position.
The secondary characters are brilliant too. Cody, I loved from the get go and really rooted for him to get out of jail. Even though Zane and Evan did some bad things, by the end of the story I was half in love with both of them and while I know the next book in the series is about Zane, I'm hoping Evan gets his own story too. Pretty please, dear author.
This is an all round brilliant book. I can't fault it at all. With rounded three-dimensional characters and a story line filled with suspense, mystery and romance, once I started reading I couldn't put it down. I basically ignored everyone until I finished. And when I was done reading, I walked around in a state of euphoria for a few hours. Seriously. This book put this author in my must-read list. Go and grab a copy. It's blooming fantastic.
September 20, 2024
2024: 4 stars
Kash works as a CO in a prison. When a new prisoner comes in to his cell block, Kash thinks he doesn’t look or act like a criminal. As Kash gets to know Cody better, he becomes convinced that Cody has been wrongfully convicted and works to prove it. I read this several years ago, and was a little worried that it wouldn’t hold up to a re-read. It does, however. I truly believed that Kash and Cody are meant for each other, even though Kash was with someone else for a lot of the book. I also appreciated that Kash and Cody had barely any inappropriate interactions while Cody was in Kash’s prison.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Original review:synopsis:
kash is a prison guard at a maximum security prison. he is gay, but not out because he knows how the people that he works with will react. when he is partnered with zane, whom he finds really attractive. they start a relationship, but zane is bisexual, and still wants to sleep with women. when kash has had enough, he breaks up with zane. meanwhile, a prisoner comes into the prison and kash finds that his feelings are growing for the guy. cody seems different from all the other prisoners and kash starts wondering about what he did. when he starts looking into things, kash realizes that the cody he knows doesn't seem like the cody portrayed in the trial, and sets out to find more information. due to kash's efforts, cody gets released, but that only starts the ball rolling.
what i liked: that kash didn't do anything with cody while cody was in prison. i liked that both kash and cody believed in monogamy and were at the same place in their lives, even though there was an age difference. i liked that kash could understand where cody was coming from with regards to abuse, and i liked that cody still had friends who would stand up for him. i liked that kash didn't really care if he had to come out for cody.
what i didn't like: there were so many threads being pulled, it almost felt like conspiracy theory come to life. also, zane and evan were kind of jerks, which doesn't say that much for kash's taste in men.
Kash works as a CO in a prison. When a new prisoner comes in to his cell block, Kash thinks he doesn’t look or act like a criminal. As Kash gets to know Cody better, he becomes convinced that Cody has been wrongfully convicted and works to prove it. I read this several years ago, and was a little worried that it wouldn’t hold up to a re-read. It does, however. I truly believed that Kash and Cody are meant for each other, even though Kash was with someone else for a lot of the book. I also appreciated that Kash and Cody had barely any inappropriate interactions while Cody was in Kash’s prison.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Original review:synopsis:
kash is a prison guard at a maximum security prison. he is gay, but not out because he knows how the people that he works with will react. when he is partnered with zane, whom he finds really attractive. they start a relationship, but zane is bisexual, and still wants to sleep with women. when kash has had enough, he breaks up with zane. meanwhile, a prisoner comes into the prison and kash finds that his feelings are growing for the guy. cody seems different from all the other prisoners and kash starts wondering about what he did. when he starts looking into things, kash realizes that the cody he knows doesn't seem like the cody portrayed in the trial, and sets out to find more information. due to kash's efforts, cody gets released, but that only starts the ball rolling.
what i liked: that kash didn't do anything with cody while cody was in prison. i liked that both kash and cody believed in monogamy and were at the same place in their lives, even though there was an age difference. i liked that kash could understand where cody was coming from with regards to abuse, and i liked that cody still had friends who would stand up for him. i liked that kash didn't really care if he had to come out for cody.
what i didn't like: there were so many threads being pulled, it almost felt like conspiracy theory come to life. also, zane and evan were kind of jerks, which doesn't say that much for kash's taste in men.
August 8, 2013
Please leave comments on KymD's 5 sweet pea review at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
Compromised, by Ethan Stone, was another of those books I couldn’t put down until the last word was read. The line on the cover, “can prison turn friends with benefits into love” led me to believe Kash Kashaveroff and Zane Davis would be the “couple” in the story. In many ways, they were…but, not as a couple although they have some smokin’ hot sex!
Then, there was just something about inmate Cody Ives and his air of innocence that Kash couldn’t walk away from.
Compromised has great sex, growing love and friendship, and a whole lot of mystery that just pulls the reader in! I found myself coming up with all sorts of scenarios and conclusions as to WHY and HOW Cody ended up in a cell. The answer? So not what I was thinking!
Compromised is a super read! Of course, I love Ethan Stone’s style of writing on any day! His romance isn’t too sappy and he does angst really, really well!
I’ve said it before; I hate picking up a published book and finding typo’s and grammatical errors. If there were any in this book, I couldn’t tell you! It’s just that good!
I definitely recommend Compromised; especially to anyone who hasn’t tried the m/m romance genre. You won’t be disappointed and, hopefully, Ethan Stone’s name will go on your TBR list.
Compromised, by Ethan Stone, was another of those books I couldn’t put down until the last word was read. The line on the cover, “can prison turn friends with benefits into love” led me to believe Kash Kashaveroff and Zane Davis would be the “couple” in the story. In many ways, they were…but, not as a couple although they have some smokin’ hot sex!
Then, there was just something about inmate Cody Ives and his air of innocence that Kash couldn’t walk away from.
Compromised has great sex, growing love and friendship, and a whole lot of mystery that just pulls the reader in! I found myself coming up with all sorts of scenarios and conclusions as to WHY and HOW Cody ended up in a cell. The answer? So not what I was thinking!
Compromised is a super read! Of course, I love Ethan Stone’s style of writing on any day! His romance isn’t too sappy and he does angst really, really well!
I’ve said it before; I hate picking up a published book and finding typo’s and grammatical errors. If there were any in this book, I couldn’t tell you! It’s just that good!
I definitely recommend Compromised; especially to anyone who hasn’t tried the m/m romance genre. You won’t be disappointed and, hopefully, Ethan Stone’s name will go on your TBR list.
April 28, 2014
This is my first book and first of the series Uniformity by this author.
Daniel “Kash” Kashaveroff is a Correctional Officer , single, gay and working at a maximum security prison. Also deep in the closet due to his career.
Cody Ives is an inmate , who has been convicted of murder but claims his innocence.
Zane Davis is Kash new partner at the prison.
This story is complex since the beginning and involves Kash and Zane becoming more than co workers but at the same time involves Kash developing a friendship with Cody , both things difficult to understand and the friendship with Cody harder due to the position they both are in.
Zane's ways in this book are infuriating and I am glad , without spoilers, that seems He changed his ways by the end of the book.
Kash and Cody's situation also changed after Kash risking his job by helping Cody to prove his innocence.
It is really easy o understand the in and outs of Kash work by the way the book is written.
The story is interesting and the secondary characters are good too.
Daniel “Kash” Kashaveroff is a Correctional Officer , single, gay and working at a maximum security prison. Also deep in the closet due to his career.
Cody Ives is an inmate , who has been convicted of murder but claims his innocence.
Zane Davis is Kash new partner at the prison.
This story is complex since the beginning and involves Kash and Zane becoming more than co workers but at the same time involves Kash developing a friendship with Cody , both things difficult to understand and the friendship with Cody harder due to the position they both are in.
Zane's ways in this book are infuriating and I am glad , without spoilers, that seems He changed his ways by the end of the book.
Kash and Cody's situation also changed after Kash risking his job by helping Cody to prove his innocence.
It is really easy o understand the in and outs of Kash work by the way the book is written.
The story is interesting and the secondary characters are good too.
March 14, 2015
Compromised sucked me in from the beginning. There was just something about Kash that made my heart hurt for him. He was real… in a job he hated, always falling for the wrong man, not able to be honest because of the world in which he lived. I just wanted better for him from the start.
There is a mystery background in Compromised, but it was only that, the background. More precisely, a means to an end. The main story was Kash finding his way in the world. The author has said this is a very special story because there are personal elements in it. I think that fact, in and of itself, leads to a much more emotional experience upon reading. You can see how much he cares for these characters. I appreciate the fact that these characters all struggle with themselves. Nothing comes easy to them, but the inherent conflict does not feel manufactured.
Find the Full review at Prism Book Alliance http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos...
There is a mystery background in Compromised, but it was only that, the background. More precisely, a means to an end. The main story was Kash finding his way in the world. The author has said this is a very special story because there are personal elements in it. I think that fact, in and of itself, leads to a much more emotional experience upon reading. You can see how much he cares for these characters. I appreciate the fact that these characters all struggle with themselves. Nothing comes easy to them, but the inherent conflict does not feel manufactured.
Find the Full review at Prism Book Alliance http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos...
August 24, 2013
This was another outstanding book by Ethan Stone. I am becoming quite the fan. Kash has his work cut out for him in this book. Never a dull moment. This story has so many levels, twists and turns I could not put it down. This is not a book about finding your true love 1,2,3! It has a fantastic storyline, unforgettable characters with lots of insta-wet moments. It's very well written with a well developed story with room to grow. I hope that more books are written using the remaining characters, it would be great to read their stories. I highly recommend buying this book now!!! This is definitely a don't miss!
August 23, 2013
I've been wanting to read an Ethan Stone for a while and this book at .99ç was the right opportunity.
At thirty-four, all corrections officer Daniel "Kash" wants is one man to be true and love him and only him. Unfortunately, he's pretty good at picking the wrong guy-- men whose monogamy is ephemeral at best. And then there is a new prisoner at the prison, young, hot, scared Cody.
This is really 3.5 stars because the editing is so uneven. Parts of it read like a rough first draft, so amateurish, it's jarring in contrast to the rest. The crime elements are rushed and a little convoluted; again, decent editing could have taken care of that.
At thirty-four, all corrections officer Daniel "Kash" wants is one man to be true and love him and only him. Unfortunately, he's pretty good at picking the wrong guy-- men whose monogamy is ephemeral at best. And then there is a new prisoner at the prison, young, hot, scared Cody.
This is really 3.5 stars because the editing is so uneven. Parts of it read like a rough first draft, so amateurish, it's jarring in contrast to the rest. The crime elements are rushed and a little convoluted; again, decent editing could have taken care of that.
August 31, 2013
I think I would have to go 4.5 stars on this one. It was really good, and I liked the whodunit aspect. I didn't love the culmination toward the end, it seemed a bit cliche and rushed. I didn't feel it was at the same caliber as the rest of the book. But I did like the very end. It seemed to all pull together and work out. I would actually like there to be a sequel with these characters, maybe Zane's story. And Evan. He seemed to redeem himself throughout the book. I found myself pulled in to Kash's relationships with Evan and Zane, as they emotionally mirrored one of mine.
Ethan Stone is definitely an author whose writing style I would read again.
Ethan Stone is definitely an author whose writing style I would read again.
January 24, 2014
Getting to know Correctional Officer Daniel “Kash” Kashaveroff was very enlightening. I always figured that anyone who did the job of a CO at a prison had a calling in law enforcement. Kash was the complete opposite of that. He needed a job and this was the only job available at the time. This was also not a job that you would imagine a gay man would rush out and sign up for. It is definitely not a truly diverse working environment.
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
February 2, 2014
3.75 stars, rounded up.
I enjoyed this one. It was different than what I've been reading lately, so it was a nice change of pace. And the author either did his homework or clearly knew his setting as all the details felt authentic. I liked Kash, and Cody was sweet. Zane was a bit of a jerk, but he redeemed himself so I forgave him. I liked how I couldn't see the plot coming a mile away, still figured it out - but it was fairly late in the book. An enjoyable read. I'll be checking out the next one.
I enjoyed this one. It was different than what I've been reading lately, so it was a nice change of pace. And the author either did his homework or clearly knew his setting as all the details felt authentic. I liked Kash, and Cody was sweet. Zane was a bit of a jerk, but he redeemed himself so I forgave him. I liked how I couldn't see the plot coming a mile away, still figured it out - but it was fairly late in the book. An enjoyable read. I'll be checking out the next one.
July 29, 2015
My reviews for this series is backwards because I didn't enjoy the other two books as much as I did this first. It happens.
Kash Kash Kash.....I just picture him as a big softy teddy bear! I wish the book was from both his and Cody's perspective but even still it worked and I loved this HEA.
My opinion of this HEA stuff waned off as I continued with the "Uniformity" series, but the characters a good together in each book and the story is written well.
Kash Kash Kash.....I just picture him as a big softy teddy bear! I wish the book was from both his and Cody's perspective but even still it worked and I loved this HEA.
My opinion of this HEA stuff waned off as I continued with the "Uniformity" series, but the characters a good together in each book and the story is written well.
Want to read
October 19, 2013I was very intrigued by an excerpt of Chapter 1, but was a little disappointed to read in the blurb that the love interest is another CO. I was hoping for an officer-prisoner love story so what we get seems a little bland by comparison :/
October 21, 2013
I'm very glad that this isn't your typical prison guard fantasy story. It had real content. Although, I think there was actually too much content thrown into the end. My brain struggled to keep up with the who dunnit. Will definitely read this one again.
January 8, 2014
I liked the concept of the book, but found it lacking. Characters felt flat, only two dimensional. At the end I didn't have an emotional connection to the characters. Read and forget it. Plus plenty of eye rolling moments. Wouldn't recommend.
November 19, 2013
Loved all the twists and turns in this story. Can't wait for #2.
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