GA Hauser - Top Men

LAPD cop Mickey Stanton knew the minute the new guy, Jeff Chandler, a transfer from Seattle PD ended up in his division, he was crazy about him. Ending up in the same patrol car working as partners, Mickey couldn’t believe his luck when one late evening at the end of shift, they revealed to each other their sexual preference. From that moment on, the two of them began a fiercely wild love affair which included risqué sex on duty.

Craving Mick’s violent style of sex, Jeff knew he’d found a compatible partner on the job as well as in the bedroom, but after being burned by another lover, an officer in Seattle, Jeff was hesitant to commit to Mickey. Working long shifts, getting into dangerous situations together, Jeff trusted Mickey with his life, but not his heart. And Mickey craved that one true love, an exclusive pairing, and a life partner to share his life with. 

As the exhaustion and stress of the job compete with their volatile relationship, Mick and Jeff struggle to keep what they have alive as the battles between them are as passionate as the sexual bouts. Can the two big cats, the sworn officers of LAPD make it happen? Or will the job and the anger separate these top men? Sometimes the answer is sitting in a patrol car by your side.

Comment: This is the third book in the heroes series by the author. Like I said before, her books are little surprise marks because some are quite enjoyable and others I can't stand them. However, this series was recommended to me by people who knew about my issues with some of the not-so-good books and I went for it.

This third book is the story of police officers Jeff and Mickey. They both showed up in the previous two books as secondary characters. In their book they have to deal with their relationship and heir feelings.

Jeff is a transfer from Seattle and he ran from a bad relationship with another cop. He thinks LA is the place to see what he could have as well as a change of scenery. He gets to partner up with Mickey and they do well together, both personally and professionally.

Mickey is a gay man and he wants a gay cop to be his partner because other men always want to know things about policemen, about procedures, about his cases and they think he has to top every time because of his profession.

When they start working together they also initiated a game of who's what and after they realized they're both gay, they got together and even did things while on duty (which I think is unlikely and unsuitable and stupid?).

So, this book...I don't think it's the best one out there and there were some things I wanted to see better explained or explored. For instance, the doubts in the relationship that Jeff had. I think his fear of a new commitment after a bad relationship was believable. That he wanted to know his feelings by trying to see other people isn't something I think too outrageous either. But the fact he willingly entered a relationship with Mickey and they not only had sex but saw each other outside if work and they spent time together, they practically lived together too...and then denying the facts to Mickey was a bit too much stubbornness than what I think necessary.

Then, Mickey wanted a boyfriend and Jeff was there and told him about his doubts and still he pushed....then later got hurt because things weren't going as fast as he wanted and they would fight and make up in a rush, I mean...I started doubting the healthiness of their relationship.

Then they would have sex while on duty...I'm not that naive to not believe many people do it, but cops, doing it in people's houses? Do they? It sounded too stupid to be true. But hey...with so many people in the world, who knows?!

The story evolved pretty much around the guys take on what a relationship is and means. In the end they admitted to each other, to friends around them, to family..but no co workers. I get that, but I kind of wanted a bit of fairy tale there and see them doing it like the others in the previous books did. This book didn't make me as happy to have read it as the second one did, but it was good enough to grab me and make me want to finish it.

There are still some books by the author I want to try, I might read them in the future.

GA Hauser - Two In, Two out

Blake Hughes was comfortable being in the closet, especially at work while surrounded by macho firemen. A paramedic, still single at thirty, Blake kept his private life just that, private.
Hunter Rasmussen transferred to LAFD from San Diego. Twenty-six, powerful and fit, the handsome blue-eyed brunette just wanted to leave the past behind. No one had to know what he went through down south. And he didn't need history to repeat itself. Being ‘out’ was not a good career move for all jobs, and particularly not with the fire service.
When Hunter and Blake were assigned to the same shift pattern, they quickly became best friends. Partnered up on calls, hanging out together on days off, Hunter enjoyed Blake’s company and Blake his. Until something, or someone, from Hunter’s ugly past caused him problems.In the fire department, men rely on each other for their lives. Two go into a burning building, and two stay out to serve as their rescue team in case of emergency. 
Blake and Hunter were two men deeply in the closet. And only with devotion and love would their secret lives come ‘out’. And Hunter and Blake find that courage in a very unusual place. Two devoted LAPD cops help show them the way.
Two in…two out…it helps when someone is there to throw you a lifeline.

Comment: This is the second book in the heroes series by the author. This time it's about a team of firefighters that have been working together for quite a long time and have treated each other with some banter and teasing about never told the other how much attracted they were.

Blake doesn't want to come out because he fears this would change his parents and friends' opinion of himself, especially considering he's a well liked person and professional. However, he's very attracted to his partner and their teasing seems just playful banter.

Hunter thinks Blake is the perfect man and he likes nothing better than to spend time with him. He's had a bad experience in the past because of coming out and he doesn't want to be in the same position as before, even more so because one of the people who knew the truth about him is working in the same station too.

The two guys are friends and feel attraction to the other. I think the development of their relationship was more believable because of this, they've know each other since they started working together, they trust each other in the line of duty and they see each other outside work, where they keep a solid friendship.

Each one has a different take on life, although it comes to a point where they can't hide their feelings anymore and they start an intimate relationship. It kind of changes things between them because it gets harder to put it aside when they are with other people and to pretend the other doesn't matter as much. One thing though, the author is master of writing about sexual tension, it builds and builds and the reader really wants the guys to admit what they feel and to see them giving in to their emotions.

There's one character that provides the moral opposition, let's say so, and he makes threats and his presence makes Hunter uncomfortable. Then something happens and Blake decides to play a prank on their homophobic colleague but when he realizes this, he takes a decision that will make everyone else in their station to be more truthful. I don't know how truthful this might be in real life or if someone would react like this, but I guess there's people for any kind of reactions, so I don't really find it too weird.

The end was full of pink hearts...ha ha well, it was sugary for sure, a bit too much, suddenly everyone accepted them and others and everything was alright.

I don't know if the end was shortened, rushed or just wanted to provide happy thoughts, but I was left a bit doubtful about its realism.

Anyway, it was a entertaining story, I lied reading it and sometimes all you need is a happy ending and this one gives that, totally.

GA Hauser - Man to Man

When lifeguard in training Josh Elliott is assigned to Tanner Cameron during his mentorship program, Josh instantly falls for the tall, handsome guard in the red swimsuit. The only problem is, Tanner is straight. Very straight. And constantly reminds Josh of that fact when Josh's flirting gets carried away.Tanner Cameron made a career out of life-saving and being a paramedic. Divorced, Tanner tries to be content with his job and stays away from the advances of women he works with. It seems to Tanner that all the young ladies he meets want marriage and babies, two things he no longer feels as essential.Can Tanner get over the terror of the label he fears the most and open up his heart to the right partner? Or will he be unable to rescue his heart from a charming lifeguard whose idea of bliss is working it out, man to man?

Comment: This is the first book in a trilogy about heroes, people who work for the benefit of others, jobs in helping people.
This first book is about two lifeguards, Tanner and Josh and how their relationship evolves from just work partners to full time partners in everything.
Josh started a lifeguard program and is now working foe real in a beach. His mentor is tanner, the person who helps him before he can be on hos own on the job. tanner is divorced and states from the start he's straight but Josh doesn't give up and sets on seducing Tanner...but his seduction backfires, because the more he knows tanner, the more he feels attracted and even falls in love with him. So he has a problem, tanner is straight and he knows the situation won't bring him any joy. Tanner, however, starts seeing Josh through different eyes and he finds first a work partner who has a good sense of responsibility and later a friend. All of Josh's insinuations and seduction moves start getting to him and in the end he has to figure out if love is worth it.

I liked this story, it's much better than the last one I've read by the author. Although one can't really trust the whole straight turned gay, there's a kind of forbidden fruit appeal in it. I liked the fact we have many scenes where the characters think about what the other means, about what it means to be in that situation..it's about sex, but not all of it, I'd say 35% is sex. Good odds for me, because I prefer the romance in my stories.
Tanner presented interesting thoughts as a straight man feeling attracted to a gay one and his fears of coming out felt real. More so when he says at some point that he felt the attraction for Josh (interesting how most this cases the attraction is only for one person, thus not making them exactly gay, just almost gay...but anyway...) and how he knew Josh foe a short period of time and Josh wanted him to come out so soon after they started being together. I get this, we can't be expected to change our minds and live according to it in such a short period of time..it takes years for the human being to know what and how he is, how can someone be at ease changing their mind in the space of a week or two? This was my only issue with the book, I knew eventually Tanner would see he loved Josh to, but if we could have gotten the idea it took them longer...I don't know, even fast people must take some time to think, no? Specially in an important thing like gender sexual preference...I think.
Basically this is the story, they meet, they doubt, they fall in love, yay. Still, an entertaining story, not the best ever, but with interesting scenes and situations and I'll be eager to read the next one in the following month.

GA Hauser - Getting It in the End

You know him. You’ve seen him attempt to marry Sharon Tice in A Question of Sex, be swept off his feet by the ex-LAPD cop, Steve Miller in Capital Games, begging forgiveness from his best friend Jack Larsen in When Adam Met Jack, seduced by two young handsome television stars in Playing Dirty, but who is Mark Antonious Richfield? In Los Angeles, California where everyone is a ten, Mark is an eleven. Too gorgeous for everyone’s good, Mark is terribly flawed, and knows it. Beating himself up constantly for making bad decisions, Mark tries to please everyone to their peril.
But what on earth is going on with Mark now? Still working at Parsons and Company with his loyal lover, Steve, Mark begins modeling on the side. At one of his sessions he meets an old friend who stirs up some forbidden passion. And as usual, Mark Richfield is in the middle of a quagmire without the social skills to make a good decision. Other than his fantastic sex appeal, Mark has one other problem. He loves too much, has too much heart, and craves to be loved in return like he breathes air. Desperately.
Find out Mark’s side of the story, and fly with him as he falters through his life, trying, pleading, and usually not succeeding. Mark Richfield. Love him or hate him, he is a fascinating study in human nature.

Comment: Every month I read two or three gay books just to keep going through my TBR, otherwise they would just stay there eternally. Once, I used to collect things from authors whose books I'd read and enjoy because I'd be delighted with the things I'd read. This author is one of those, I've read a couple novels I really liked, so every chance I got, I'd get more books.
I've read the first two books in this Action! series and the 1st one was great, wonderful sexual chemistry, great scenes, a believable tension between the two main characters and a tiny bit of angst in there just to give some credit to their obstacles. The 2nd one wasn't as great, but still enjoyable. This one is the 3rd and I thought I might have more of the same as in book #1 but, after all, the word for it is: ridiculous.

This book picks characters from other books, because every characters, in a way or another is seen somewhere in almost every book, there's a connection somewhere in all books, so I wasn't surprised to see the ones in this story. Mark is a very known character in the author's universe, as are the other 3 that have center stage in the story. The 4 of them are two separate couples, committed, in love.
Mark, however has issues...fine, who doesn't? but I found his character so annoying here, so spoiled, so unbelievable idiot that I just cant stand him. I guess I'm becoming one of those who hate him. He doesn't try to change, to understand his behavior isn't right and no one around him seems to make him see because they all are too focused in his beauty. The thing is, he acted badly before towards his friend Jack, and now only thinks about having his friendship back and starts thinking about what would be like to have sex with him too. WTF??
You see, this is why some people still don't accept gays can have longterm relationships. Why does he have to want sex if he's in love, if he says so countless times and really likes his partner Steve? Why does Steve accept this and also wants to try sex with Jack? Why does Jack humiliates himself (in my opinion) by wanting Mark back after all the things he used to do to him? And why does Adam, Jack's boyfriend - who loves him so much and who gives him an ultimatum after Jack says he wants to be with Mark - also wants to have sex with Mark after one car ride? Please, this is ridiculous, wasn't romantic, if it's real life good, than I'll stick with fantasy thank you.
Sorry if I spoiled your fun but I just can't help myself, I was too annoyed with the story. The whole book is a disappointment to me. I respect some people might like where this is going, but after reading the blurbs from the following books, I don't want to continue this series. I'll try other books by the author because I have them and because some things she wrote I really liked - still do - but this one is just to forget.