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Inferno #2
Oasis
I worshiped at the altar of pain, surviving on avoidance, physical to avoid the mental, anything to forget what I’d lost. When Remi walked through the door, I felt like I’d paid my price for the passage through hell and been granted a taste of Eden. Remi was my oasis and I was going to drown myself in him. But life takes with no remorse and everything was a mirage. The past won’t stay dead and a cruel phantom comes to destroy our happiness. The more we need each other the further apart our lives drive us. I’m torn between my perfect past and the hope of an oasis, and either choice demands I cut out part of my soul.
- GenresM M RomanceBDSM
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 16, 2019
40 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Gray
58 books1,291 followersWhen not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it's half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it's been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn't writing…well, that's not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 22, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Intense. That is the main word I would use to describe Oasis. There are a lot of adjectives I could add on as once this book is opened, it will consume you until the final page. Oasis is a continuation of Clouded Hell in the Inferno series and I would not suggest trying to read this book on its own. I read Clouded Hell three years ago and it took me a few chapters to get back into all the details of this world again. It’s an all-consuming world, though, once you are immersed in it.
The blurb does not come right out and state what is going on, but I was able to figure it out and was then expecting the storyline to go in the direction that it did. But it is best not having it all explained out ahead of time, which then makes it difficult for me to talk about the details of the book.
This book is character driven and highly emotional and all of the men have powerful needs. They run, they lash out, they’re volatile with dark edges, and the heat between them remains through it all. They each have a lot to figure out and they don’t have all, and sometimes any, of the answers and although it is maddening, Gray shows why these men just can’t simply sit down and talk it all out. The words “it’s complicated” perfectly define what is going on here between all of these men.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Intense. That is the main word I would use to describe Oasis. There are a lot of adjectives I could add on as once this book is opened, it will consume you until the final page. Oasis is a continuation of Clouded Hell in the Inferno series and I would not suggest trying to read this book on its own. I read Clouded Hell three years ago and it took me a few chapters to get back into all the details of this world again. It’s an all-consuming world, though, once you are immersed in it.
The blurb does not come right out and state what is going on, but I was able to figure it out and was then expecting the storyline to go in the direction that it did. But it is best not having it all explained out ahead of time, which then makes it difficult for me to talk about the details of the book.
This book is character driven and highly emotional and all of the men have powerful needs. They run, they lash out, they’re volatile with dark edges, and the heat between them remains through it all. They each have a lot to figure out and they don’t have all, and sometimes any, of the answers and although it is maddening, Gray shows why these men just can’t simply sit down and talk it all out. The words “it’s complicated” perfectly define what is going on here between all of these men.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
July 20, 2019
Star-Crossed lovers: Kai loves Remi who loves Dante who can’t forget his love for Masen
I enjoyed this book after I got the rhythm, but it took a while, which was my fault b/c I hadn’t read the first in the Inferno series: CLOUDED HELL. OASIS read like a puzzle in the beginning. I definitely suggest reading CLOUDED HELL before reading OASIS.
Having said that, this was undoubtedly one of the darkest and saddest M/M romances I’ve read to date. The author even says in the “afterward” – “The pain from my characters was bred from heartbreak and love and loss [of his own]. Life isn’t clean, it’s dirty and even the best of it leaves us with scars. There are no magic happily ever afters, they are fought for with blood and tears and heartache. It’s messy and we have to fight to make it our own little oasis. With this book I wanted to show how raw and complicated love can be.” After you read OASIS you’ll understand this quote and all the pain it entails.
I’m not going to go into the plot but suffice it to say that it is convoluted b/c there are so many “main” characters: Dante, Remi, Kai, Masen and finally Kyle who we hear more about than see in the beginning. Dante is still surviving the death of his husband, Masen five years ago. Dante knows that Remi is Kai’s dom but Dante still likes having Remi as his sub. See, little scattered, but comes with a delicious and surprising HEA. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book and feel privileged that the author allowed me to review it after the release. Highly recommended for lovers of M/M romance but be aware a lot of dark before the light! (Love the cover too ;-)
I enjoyed this book after I got the rhythm, but it took a while, which was my fault b/c I hadn’t read the first in the Inferno series: CLOUDED HELL. OASIS read like a puzzle in the beginning. I definitely suggest reading CLOUDED HELL before reading OASIS.
Having said that, this was undoubtedly one of the darkest and saddest M/M romances I’ve read to date. The author even says in the “afterward” – “The pain from my characters was bred from heartbreak and love and loss [of his own]. Life isn’t clean, it’s dirty and even the best of it leaves us with scars. There are no magic happily ever afters, they are fought for with blood and tears and heartache. It’s messy and we have to fight to make it our own little oasis. With this book I wanted to show how raw and complicated love can be.” After you read OASIS you’ll understand this quote and all the pain it entails.
I’m not going to go into the plot but suffice it to say that it is convoluted b/c there are so many “main” characters: Dante, Remi, Kai, Masen and finally Kyle who we hear more about than see in the beginning. Dante is still surviving the death of his husband, Masen five years ago. Dante knows that Remi is Kai’s dom but Dante still likes having Remi as his sub. See, little scattered, but comes with a delicious and surprising HEA. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book and feel privileged that the author allowed me to review it after the release. Highly recommended for lovers of M/M romance but be aware a lot of dark before the light! (Love the cover too ;-)
July 21, 2019
Let me get the important stuff out of the way: this is NOT a standalone. You need to read Clouded Hell first; and if like me, you haven’t read Clouded Hell in 3 years, I’d re-read it if you can because I was a bit murky on the details. The author did a good job of reminding me of some details I’d forgotten but I would have felt better going through the whole story again before diving into this one.
I’m having a hard time writing this review without giving too much of the story away. There are a couple of big surprises in this book, and while we do get the HEA these guys have fought so hard for there were some things I didn’t like in getting there.
I went back and read my review of book one to see if I could remember how I felt about the characters after reading that book and I didn’t give any hints away there, so I’ll just give my opinions of them now after reading this book.
Of all the main characters, Dante is my favorite and I can say I actually like him. My heart felt heavy for him for several reasons. Remi I wanted to shake…hard…and maybe jar some sense into him. He frustrated me on so many levels and I still don’t know if I like him. While Kai did come through for Remi a couple of times, I have found no redeeming qualities in this man. I did not like what Kyle…became…for Kai…AT ALL, and I don’t know which of them to blame for it. I had a hard time forming an unbiased opinion of him after witnessing that. We meet a new character who I also do not like and lump in with these two men which leaves Dante pretty much all alone on an island as the sole main character I liked in this book. Liv and Josh are great supporting characters.
I’m not a huge fan of lack of communication and Remi and Dante had this in spades, Remi more so than Dante. I understood, to a point, Remi’s hesitance to fully expose his feelings but I was still a bit frustrated with his refusal to just tell Dante how he felt.
The ending felt a bit rushed. Remi’s internal struggle lasted through most of the book and then bam, one phone call and he magically came up with the obvious solution that was staring him in the face the entire time, he executes the solution and we have our happily ever after.
So, I will sum up by saying I pretty much didn’t put this down once I picked it up because I really needed to see how it ended but it was a bit of a frustrating roller coaster to get to the HEA I’ve been waiting for and I didn’t like all the twists some of the characters took us on to get there but this is a must read after book one and for Gray fans.
I’m having a hard time writing this review without giving too much of the story away. There are a couple of big surprises in this book, and while we do get the HEA these guys have fought so hard for there were some things I didn’t like in getting there.
I went back and read my review of book one to see if I could remember how I felt about the characters after reading that book and I didn’t give any hints away there, so I’ll just give my opinions of them now after reading this book.
Of all the main characters, Dante is my favorite and I can say I actually like him. My heart felt heavy for him for several reasons. Remi I wanted to shake…hard…and maybe jar some sense into him. He frustrated me on so many levels and I still don’t know if I like him. While Kai did come through for Remi a couple of times, I have found no redeeming qualities in this man. I did not like what Kyle…became…for Kai…AT ALL, and I don’t know which of them to blame for it. I had a hard time forming an unbiased opinion of him after witnessing that. We meet a new character who I also do not like and lump in with these two men which leaves Dante pretty much all alone on an island as the sole main character I liked in this book. Liv and Josh are great supporting characters.
I’m not a huge fan of lack of communication and Remi and Dante had this in spades, Remi more so than Dante. I understood, to a point, Remi’s hesitance to fully expose his feelings but I was still a bit frustrated with his refusal to just tell Dante how he felt.
The ending felt a bit rushed. Remi’s internal struggle lasted through most of the book and then bam, one phone call and he magically came up with the obvious solution that was staring him in the face the entire time, he executes the solution and we have our happily ever after.
So, I will sum up by saying I pretty much didn’t put this down once I picked it up because I really needed to see how it ended but it was a bit of a frustrating roller coaster to get to the HEA I’ve been waiting for and I didn’t like all the twists some of the characters took us on to get there but this is a must read after book one and for Gray fans.
July 22, 2019
So much love
Oasis follows Clouded Hell seamlessly, picking up right where CH leaves off. Not one ounce of the anguishingly beautiful soul in each of the characters is lost in this continuation of Dante and Remi's love story. The grace and rage and all the feelings that came from the different relationships were so real and so raw. Gray has executed a journey both heartaching and heartwarming at the same time - the words on the page clear and concise while evoking a range of emotion in the reader. He has a true talent for making you really feel what's on the page, and Oasis is no exception. Kudos to Gray for another fantastic read. Highly recommended.
Oasis follows Clouded Hell seamlessly, picking up right where CH leaves off. Not one ounce of the anguishingly beautiful soul in each of the characters is lost in this continuation of Dante and Remi's love story. The grace and rage and all the feelings that came from the different relationships were so real and so raw. Gray has executed a journey both heartaching and heartwarming at the same time - the words on the page clear and concise while evoking a range of emotion in the reader. He has a true talent for making you really feel what's on the page, and Oasis is no exception. Kudos to Gray for another fantastic read. Highly recommended.
July 31, 2019
omg wow UNDOUBTEDLY one of the best Romance iv read thank you so much. you had me crying laughter and blood angry.
This was wrote from your heart Gary can I say a broken one. iv been they so I understand. now love love Dante.
Remi want to hug him and slap him.
Kyle did not like one bit.
Liv and Josh love them to bits family and friends. understand both Dante and Remi hesitance I was so emotional. and Masen I could have killed him myself.
Gary you are so TALENT you make the story so real thank you so much 100%
This was wrote from your heart Gary can I say a broken one. iv been they so I understand. now love love Dante.
Remi want to hug him and slap him.
Kyle did not like one bit.
Liv and Josh love them to bits family and friends. understand both Dante and Remi hesitance I was so emotional. and Masen I could have killed him myself.
Gary you are so TALENT you make the story so real thank you so much 100%
July 25, 2019
Whew
Some love stories are full of heartbreakingly brutal events. Oasis begins where Cloudy Hell left off and then dives into all of the turmoil relationships hold. There is an HEA but you have to crawl through hell to get there
Some love stories are full of heartbreakingly brutal events. Oasis begins where Cloudy Hell left off and then dives into all of the turmoil relationships hold. There is an HEA but you have to crawl through hell to get there
September 7, 2019
Wonderful plot
JR Gay is one of the few writers I read where I genuinely don’t know whether the characters will ever be happy and how the hell the book could ever result in a happy ending. Beautifully written angst with a truly interesting plot. loved it!
JR Gay is one of the few writers I read where I genuinely don’t know whether the characters will ever be happy and how the hell the book could ever result in a happy ending. Beautifully written angst with a truly interesting plot. loved it!
August 18, 2022
This book was good. First this book is not a standalone. You need to read Clouded Hell first. This was about Dante and Remi who are seriously lacking communication throughout the book. I felt bad for Remi and Dante and all that they went through. Dante’s husband returns alive and I didn’t like him at all. I also didn’t like Kai and Remi together in this story.
Remi and Dante are hot together. I feel that Dante was a DOM he should have known that communication was a must in his relationship with Remi. I wish that Liv who worked in the bar with Dante would have gotten a book of her own. I did like how the book ended.
Remi and Dante are hot together. I feel that Dante was a DOM he should have known that communication was a must in his relationship with Remi. I wish that Liv who worked in the bar with Dante would have gotten a book of her own. I did like how the book ended.
June 12, 2020
Tragically beautiful! The realness of these characters and life situations just brings you to a deep place within yourself. They struggle, they hurt, they love and they break but they also with time put themselves and each other back together- maybe not without some cracks but still back together.
Their pain and emotions are raw and are truly heartfelt!
I have for sure fallen hard for the work of JR Gray!
Their pain and emotions are raw and are truly heartfelt!
I have for sure fallen hard for the work of JR Gray!
April 19, 2020
Realistic & How love is
Love is not always chocolate & roses. Sometimes it's fighting, whipping and controversial. J.R. didn't pull any punches and all the nitty gritty is shown. wow. If you want safe, gentle and lovey dovey this ain't it but this is a realistic portrayal of love.
Love is not always chocolate & roses. Sometimes it's fighting, whipping and controversial. J.R. didn't pull any punches and all the nitty gritty is shown. wow. If you want safe, gentle and lovey dovey this ain't it but this is a realistic portrayal of love.
August 9, 2021
I loved this book. The emotional connections, the self-doubt. Discovering and accepting who you are and what you need. Saying good bye to the past, to your traumas and stepping into your future. This book has it all. I love these characters! Dante, Remi, Kai, Kyle, Josh and Liv. No one walks away without some loss but it’s a beautiful, healing type of loss.
June 22, 2020
This is the follow-up to Clouded Hell. This is a great conclusion to the relationship and emotional hell that Dante and Remi went through in the first book. It is wonderfully written, and I had to read it in one sitting.
May 5, 2021
I really enjoyed the first one..but I just couldn't get into this one. I know they needed a HEA, but I almost felt like the whole not communicating and inner thoughts throughout were just unnecessary. Just my opinion.
March 8, 2022
I just could not digest this story,maybe coz I'm not a poly person, Remi asked alot from Dante, and Dante gave and gave and shared Remi despite himself being a Monogamous, this story didn't do it for me
March 14, 2020
A great ending to a really good story!
July 20, 2020
*Sigh* When is what you have to offer not enough? Can it ever be enough or do you have to give up your heart to do what you were born to do?
March 5, 2021
This book ANNOYED ME and the plot twist 😒
September 3, 2024
Pain
Remi and Dante’s story was painful. Both got what they thought they always wanted, but lost what they needed. Would their love be enough?
Remi and Dante’s story was painful. Both got what they thought they always wanted, but lost what they needed. Would their love be enough?
November 24, 2019
Excellent Sequel
I am so glad that I kept reading. I was a little leery of book 1. I liked it but I felt like I was missing something. I can now tell you what it was missing, book 2. What an incredible finish. I was so torn between all the characters, do I prefer Kai or Masen and do Dante and Remi really make the best couple. Everything was so twisted there for a little while. It actually gave me a little anxiety.
Again great read. I truly enjoyed this f$$k up twisted love story, born of pain and anguish.
I am so glad that I kept reading. I was a little leery of book 1. I liked it but I felt like I was missing something. I can now tell you what it was missing, book 2. What an incredible finish. I was so torn between all the characters, do I prefer Kai or Masen and do Dante and Remi really make the best couple. Everything was so twisted there for a little while. It actually gave me a little anxiety.
Again great read. I truly enjoyed this f$$k up twisted love story, born of pain and anguish.
November 23, 2023
Me, before starting this book: Huh, it’d be crazy if [such and such] happened.
Me, at the beginning of this book: Well, that happened.
This follow-up to Clouded Hell is difficult to review without spoiling too many important plot developments that play into how dramatic and epic this novel becomes. Once again, this isn’t a dark romance, but that doesn’t stop Gray from playing with some pretty dark themes and dragging his characters (especially Remi and Dante) through the wringer.
This book does follow up on Remi and Dante’s need to extend their “happily for now” status at the end of the previous book into a proper happily ever after. However, multiple external plot points compound that effort. In the pattern already established, no one can hurt Dante or Remi more than they hurt each other (or themselves), and while this was not an easy read, it was satisfying.
Me, at the middle of this book: I’m not sure how Gray will manage a happy ending without multiple characters dying.
Spouse: How is that a happy ending?
Me: Well, this isn’t a very happy book.
Again, no spoilers here, but one of my marks of an excellent novel is when the author manages to surprise me. No one gets to take an easy way out, but what is best isn’t always simple, even when it seems so on the surface. But this not-so-dark, not-so-romantic dark romance story does live up to the expectation of a final happily ever after. These books may not have been easy to read, but they were worth it.
Me, in a text to a mutual friend after I finished the book: Come get your boy J.R. Gray. JFC my emotions.
Me, at the beginning of this book: Well, that happened.
This follow-up to Clouded Hell is difficult to review without spoiling too many important plot developments that play into how dramatic and epic this novel becomes. Once again, this isn’t a dark romance, but that doesn’t stop Gray from playing with some pretty dark themes and dragging his characters (especially Remi and Dante) through the wringer.
This book does follow up on Remi and Dante’s need to extend their “happily for now” status at the end of the previous book into a proper happily ever after. However, multiple external plot points compound that effort. In the pattern already established, no one can hurt Dante or Remi more than they hurt each other (or themselves), and while this was not an easy read, it was satisfying.
Me, at the middle of this book: I’m not sure how Gray will manage a happy ending without multiple characters dying.
Spouse: How is that a happy ending?
Me: Well, this isn’t a very happy book.
Again, no spoilers here, but one of my marks of an excellent novel is when the author manages to surprise me. No one gets to take an easy way out, but what is best isn’t always simple, even when it seems so on the surface. But this not-so-dark, not-so-romantic dark romance story does live up to the expectation of a final happily ever after. These books may not have been easy to read, but they were worth it.
Me, in a text to a mutual friend after I finished the book: Come get your boy J.R. Gray. JFC my emotions.
August 22, 2019
You definitely need to read Clouded Hell before picking up Oasis. Oasis starts where Clouded Hell ends and I love that about this author, but I hadn't read Clouded Hell in quite some time and had to go back and re-read the last few chapters to refresh my memory.
Gray's books are almost always 5 star books for me, but this one honestly frustrated the heck out of me. Masen was too fake and full of himself, I wanted to slap Remi upside the head and Dante was all over the place. Dante and Remi are my favorite characters of Gray's, but they slipped a bit in this book.
I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but I'll say I was way too annoyed with most of the characters for most of the book to get to the final chapter containing their HEA. I would have enjoyed it much more if Remi or Dante grew a spine and fought for what they wanted.
Gray's books are almost always 5 star books for me, but this one honestly frustrated the heck out of me. Masen was too fake and full of himself, I wanted to slap Remi upside the head and Dante was all over the place. Dante and Remi are my favorite characters of Gray's, but they slipped a bit in this book.
I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but I'll say I was way too annoyed with most of the characters for most of the book to get to the final chapter containing their HEA. I would have enjoyed it much more if Remi or Dante grew a spine and fought for what they wanted.
August 8, 2019
Part 2 of Clouded hell
I fell in love with Dante and Remi in Clouded hell. In this book, there relationship continues and we get to see two men who are stuck in where they thought they were supposed to be in life, fight thru pain and anger and fear, to realize loving each other is the most important.
I fell in love with Dante and Remi in Clouded hell. In this book, there relationship continues and we get to see two men who are stuck in where they thought they were supposed to be in life, fight thru pain and anger and fear, to realize loving each other is the most important.
July 22, 2019
*3.5 stars*
August 4, 2019
Great ending for the guys. It was a hard journey for Remi and Dante but it was worth it to find their HEA..
August 24, 2019
This was a brilliant conclusion to Dante and Remi’s battle to be together. Fought for, deserved and totally satisfying.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews