Review: Mañana Means Heaven by Tim Z. Hernandez

Tim Z. Hernandez bases his novel Mañana Means Heaven on the story of Bea Franco, the young Chicana woman Jack Karouac meets while on his way to Los Angeles from San Francisco, during his travels across the United States, and who later appears in his famed novel On the Road as Terry, or "the Mexican girl."

"Mañana," she said. "Everything'll be all right tomorrow, don't you think, Sal-honey, man?"

"Sure, baby, mañana." It was always mañana. For the next week, that was all I heard --- mañana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven. -- On the Road by Jack Kerouac

The title of the novel is taken directly from one of the passages of Karouac's novel, but this is Bea's story, not Jack's. That is made perfectly clear from the beginning. Hernandez takes Karouac's short chapter, and following the same timeline, cleverly weaves in Bea's background and breaths life into the woman by exposing the extreme emotional and familial circumstances that pushed her into opening up to a man like Jack, a gavacho "college boy," during that particular time in her life. A time that lasted but a blink in time, but one that changed both of their lives irrevocably.

Meeting Jack gives Bea hope while she is trapped in what seems like a hopeless and desperate situation that Hernandez utilizes to build tension throughout his novel. Franco's short time with Jack changes her. It gives her the determination and resiliency that may have been there all along, but that she learns to use to become a woman who expects better for and from herself. For Jack, much later that moment in time becomes the stepping stone that helps to propel his career as a writer when the Paris Review publishes his short story "Terry, the Mexican Girl," and well, the rest is history.

If Franco and her family are well researched by Hernandez, then so are the historical details. Hernandez takes the reader to a post WWII Los Angeles that comes alive with all of its paranoia and multicultural prejudices. But nothing comes alive more than the San Joaquin Valley and the plight of the pickers -- the smell and paranoia in the tent camps, the fear of immigration raids, the hatred for the implacable owners and the need for work, the child workers, the stultifying poverty, and through Bea, the desperation.

Hernandez utilizes mañana, tomorrow, as the main theme of his novel. The word mañana represents many different things to the different people who inhabit the novel. To Bea and her brother Alex it represents the possibility of a future and the realization of a dream. To the pickers in Selma it represents the basics, work, food, a warm place to stay. If not today, tomorrow things will work out. To Jack it is always a way to gain time, to learn more, to see more. To little Albert, it comes to represent lack of money, a lack of hope. However, Hernandez also uses partings, abandonment, leaving and returning as a secondary and more subtle theme throughout the novel.

As an award winning poet and writer familiar with Franco's cultural background, Hernandez was already well equipped to write a story about Karouac's muse. However, Hernandez's research into her life and his insights into the person Franco was, into the woman she became, takes her story beyond that of a myth. Highly recommended.

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Memorable Quote from Tim Z. Hernandez's Guest Post: "I Remain As Ever, Bea"

I spoke briefly about what Bea had taught me, and about what we might all learn from her story. That each of us, regardless of how seemingly insignificant or boring or obscure our lives may be, are made up of valuable epic stories that deserve their day in the light.

Related Posts:
Guest Author Tim Z. Hernandez: "I Remain As Ever, Bea"
RIP Bea Franco, Kerouac's "Terry, The Mexican Girl"
Highlighting: Manana Means Heaven by Tim Z. Hernandez

Guest Author Tim Z. Hernandez: "I Remain as Ever, Bea"

Today, I would like to extend a big welcome to Tim Z. Hernandez, author of Mañana Means Heaven, the story of Bea Franco who for years was only known as Terry, the "Mexican girl" from Jack Karouac's On the Road.

Mañana Means Heaven deftly combines fact and fiction to pull back the veil on one of literature’s most mysterious and evocative characters. Inspired by Franco’s love letters to Kerouac and Hernandez’s interviews with Franco, now in her nineties and living in relative obscurity, the novel brings this lost gem of a story out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

Franco was sought out by dozens of Kerouac and Beat scholars, but none could find her. According to one, “finding Bea Franco is like trying to find the ghost of a needle in haystack.”

Well, Tim Z. Hernandez found the "needle in the haystack" and wrote a book that has received high praise from The Associated Press, Booklist and others, and that I am sure will continue to do so.

On a personal note, when The University of Arizona Press contacted me about the upcoming release of Mañana Means Heaven I was immediately taken in by the synopsis. It just captures the imagination. Later, as I was in the middle of reading Bea Franco's journey through life, I was quite shocked and saddened to learn that she had passed away.

Today is the last day in a week-long blog tour. By following the tour, you will find real insight into Tim's research by listening to interviews, reading notes from his journal, excellent question and answer sessions, or if you prefer, there are also book excerpts available.

For his last stop today, however, Hernandez chose to write a very personal post about Bea.

Blog Tour:

Monday, September 16 | Stephanie Nikolopoulos blog 

Tuesday, September 17 | The Daily Beat 

Wednesday, September 18 | La Bloga 

Thursday, September 19 | The Big Idea 

Friday, September 20 | The Dan O’Brien Project 

Welcome Tim!
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I Remain as Ever, Bea

On the morning of August 15, 2013 I received a text from Albert Franco, Bea's son, telling me in only a few abbreviated words that his mother had passed away. This news took the breath out of me. It was unexpected, to say the least. I had just recently spoken with Patricia, Bea's daughter, who Bea had been staying with in Long Beach. My family and I were making plans to see her while we were going to be in California. At the time, Patricia said something to the effect of, "My mother's been doing much better lately and I'm sure she'd like to see you." So my wife and I began planning. Just a few days earlier, on August 3, after receiving copies of my book in the mail from my publisher, I hurried to the post office and sent Bea a package, which included a signed copy of the book, her book, along with a bound photo album I had made her, compiled with all the photos and documents her family had loaned me during the writing of her book. Days later Patricia called to tell me the package had arrived and how excited they all were. I asked if she wouldn' t mind taking a few pictures of Bea holding her book, and she agreed. On August 7, I received several text messages from Patricia's daughter Dina, images of Bea smiling with her copy of Mañana Means Heaven in her hands. She had that same curious glint in her eye that I had come to know, as if to say, it's about time! Of course, in that moment we had no idea that these photographs would become the only evidence that Bea did in fact live to see her life story told in the pages of a book. No longer merely the fictional "Mexican girl" of Kerouac's imagination, or the quiet and unassuming campesina that appeared for all of two minutes in Walter Salles' movie, On the Road, but Beatrice Renteria Franco, now Bea Kozera, the real woman, the real deal.


On the very day Mañana Means Heaven was to land on the shelves of bookstores across the nation, Thursday August 29, a handful of friends and family gathered at the idyllic Belmont Memorial Park in Fresno, California to pay their last respects to this "petite woman with fire in her heart," as one of Bea's relatives remarked. For the better part of three years, it seemed every member of my family was also invested in Bea's story. (It was my mother who actually located her whereabouts back in 2010. After telling her I was about to give up my search for Bea and just get on with the book, she replied, "Give me your files and notes, I'll find her!" 24 hours later, she handed me two possible leads.) Even my cousin Art, when I went to visit him in the pen the first thing out of his mouth was, "Have you finished your book about the Mexican girl?" And of course, so many times my wife Dayanna had watched me return from my interviews with Bea beaming with excitement. Like this, my family, even our children, became familiar with Bea; through our visits with her, through the myriad photos which hung on the wall above my desk as I wrote the book, through the sound of Bea's own tender voice played back on my video camera, for three solid years we lived with her presence. Needless to say, at her services, we were all there together. I was asked by her son Albert to share a few words, and so I spoke briefly about what Bea had taught me, and about what we might all learn from her story. That each of us, regardless of how seemingly insignificant or boring or obscure our lives may be, are made up of valuable epic stories that deserve their day in the light. Standing at the podium, I concluded my thoughts by sharing one small but very cool detail about Bea. Over the years she had enjoyed writing letters and postcards to people, and she had a distinct way of signing off. I could clearly see that curious glint in her eye shine, each time she assured her reader, "I Remain as Ever, Bea."


Tim Z. Hernandez, copyright 2013
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Mañana Means Heaven by Tim Z. Hernandez
Released: August 29, 2013
The University of Arizona Press

In this love story of impossible odds, award-winning writer Tim Z. Hernandez weaves a rich and visionary portrait of Bea Franco, the real woman behind famed American author Jack Kerouac’s “The Mexican Girl.” Set against an ominous backdrop of California in the 1940s, deep in the agricultural heartland of the Great Central Valley, Mañana Means Heaven reveals the desperate circumstances that lead a married woman to an illicit affair with an aspiring young writer traveling across the United States.

When they meet, Franco is a migrant farmworker with two children and a failing marriage, living with poverty, violence, and the looming threat of deportation, while the “college boy” yearns to one day make a name for himself in the writing world. The significance of their romance poses vastly different possibilities and consequences.

Mañana Means Heaven deftly combines fact and fiction to pull back the veil on one of literature’s most mysterious and evocative characters. Inspired by Franco’s love letters to Kerouac and Hernandez’s interviews with Franco, now in her nineties and living in relative obscurity, the novel brings this lost gem of a story out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

About the Author: Tim Z. Hernandez is a poet, novelist, and performance artist whose awards include the 2006 American Book Award, the 2010 Premio Aztlan Prize in Fiction, and the James Duval Phelan Award from the San Francisco Foundation. He is the author of two books of poetry, Natural Takeover of Small Things (2013) and Skin Tax, and the novels Mañana Means Heaven (2013) and Breathing in Dust. In 2011 the Poetry Society of America named him one of sixteen New American Poets. He holds a BA from Naropa University and an MFA from Bennington College.

Visit Tim Z. Hernandez here.
Buy the book here.

The House of Impossible Loves by Cristina Lopez Barrio

The curse of the Laguna women is long and painful. It is filled with unrequited love, anguish, death, hate, abuse, revenge, ghostly hauntings, and powerful magic of the beautiful and dark sort. It is the sort of magic that touches everyone who comes in contact with the Lagunas -- men and women alike.

The House of Impossible Loves covers multiple generations of Laguna women who are cursed to have "tragic love affairs and to give birth to girls," who in turn follow the same pattern as their mothers. Along the way, Lopez Barrio creates memorable and compelling characters with gray areas  -- some are worthy of pity while others are worthy of compassion, yet there are reasons to dislike and even hate more than a few. In the Laguna women, Lopez Barrio creates a truly cursed family.

Clara Laguna falls in love with an Andalusian who loves her but afraid of the curse, won't marry her. He gives her the deed to what becomes Scarlet Manor, a place she turns into a brothel as part of her revenge against him. Clara gives birth to Manuela who is reared by Bernarda, a servant/cook who can barely speak, but whose only goal in life is to love Clara Laguna. Manuela's upbringing shapes her into a woman who seeks nothing less than perfect respectability. When through no fault of her own Manuela becomes a victim of the curse, she becomes a cruel and terrible master of vengeance. Her beautiful daughter Olvido becomes the frequent target of her rage and frustration.

Olvido's life story is the longest in this book and it is simply both beautiful and horrifying. Olvido's beauty garners Manuela's rage and hope that she will be the one who will attract a husband that will break the curse. But she falls victim to the curse with an all consuming passion when she and Esteban fall in love with each other. As predicted, it ends in tragedy, but does it really? Margarita is born and she in turn gives birth to the first Laguna boy, Santiago. Will he be the one to break the curse?

The story takes place in a small, remote Castilian village in Spain that comes alive with vivid and memorable secondary characters. The world seems to evolve around this place but in this place life, with all its cruelties, ignorance, and beauty, seems to stand still. There is magic that never ceases to exist, whether it is the ghosts of the dead that visit the town square in the morning in the guise of fog, or the winter blooming of daisies, honeysuckle, roses at Scarlet Manor, the peeling of bells, the trail of violets as kisses, or the smells and sensuality of Olvido's cooking, magic becomes part of daily life and natural events that occur in this Castilian village.

The magical realism in The House of Impossible Loves is comparable to the Latin American style that I prefer. It is not pretty, sweet, or nuanced. Instead it is the type of magical realism that is in your face, and often over-the-top, filled with passionate emotion that spills out and is expressed by depicting it strongly in all the colors of the rainbow: beauty, love, hatred, darkness, compassion, envy, revenge.  Recommended.

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Favorite Quote:

"Love sometimes goes astray when you love too much, but it's always love and it can get back on track again." Olvido

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.

Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.

A dark fairy tale for adults, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a short piece by Neil Gaiman that nevertheless leaves the reader thinking hard about those childhood memories we all take for granted. Gaiman infuses this fairy tale with magic, realism, and enough terror to make an adult tremble, never mind a child.

The magical aspects of this fairy tale are gorgeous, absorbing and scary: there is an Oracle-like trio of women who live at the end of the lane from the boy's home, at a place called the Hempstock's farmhouse -- the crone, the mother, the maiden -- or Old Mrs. Hempstock, Ginnie Hempstock (Lettie's mother), and eleven year-old Lettie who becomes the boy's friend and protector. Oh, Lettie and the boy visit a magical and dangerous place with an orange sky and the farmhouse is warm and safe with a a magical pond, a beautiful kitten, delicious pies, cream and milk where he finds a deep, abiding friendship. But, don't be deceived because there are also terrifying monsters, danger, betrayal, loss, and the question of survival.

Gaiman's fairy tale is narrated by a seven year-old boy as events are remembered by the man he becomes. It's interesting because we all know how childhood memories can fade and events can become distorted with time and our narrator is middle aged -- divorced with grown children with established lives of their own. Magic, however, factors into the "distortion of memory" issue, which I believe is a creative approach by Gaiman.

Children often blame themselves for what happens around them, to them, to their parents, as a result of their actions, but most times through no fault of their own. They can also erase and/or rearrange memories, particularly bad ones, to fit their lives and make them more acceptable. In Gaiman's fairy tale, the unnamed protagonist placed those memories in a tight little box and closed the lid. The memories only came into play when he went through changes in his life, but were those memories accurate or was he still placing the blame where it did not belong? After the funeral when our story begins, are the memories closer to being accurate? This adult fairy tale is a magnificent way of telling a story that deals with the consequences of childhood trauma and factors in memory.

The summary of the book above is quite accurate in detail, but lacks spoilers. It is in fact the perfect summary for this short novel by Gaiman. However, it would help to clarify that forty years earlier means 1960, and that has to be kept in mind when reading the seven year-old boy's narrative, particularly his feelings about adults and his reactions to them.

Grown-ups and Monsters:

"Grownups and Monsters aren't scared of things. "

"Oh, monsters are scared," said Lettie. "That's why they're monsters. And as for grown-ups. . . "

As terrifyingly beautiful and creative as the fairy tale turns out to be, this story is about growing up. There is little subtlety in the way Gaiman portrays the death of innocence or the depth of terror or fear felt by the boy as he narrates his experiences. But there is no question that I wouldn't have missed walking in the boy's shoes or missing out in those experiences.

I think what I love about The Ocean at the End of the Lane is that it can be read and enjoyed in different ways, as a magical fairy tale or as more. Although it has children as protagonists at its core and family is part of the story, this is not a warm, children's fairy tale like The Graveyard Book. It has a much darker atmosphere, and deeper and much more complex plot that makes this an adult fairy tale. This is my interpretation of what I found at the core of the fairy tale. I'm sure we all have different thoughts about it... and of course, that is the beauty that comes from reading this piece by Gaiman.  Highly recommended.
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Favorite quote:

I liked myths. They weren't adult stories and they weren't children's stories. They were better than that. They just were.

Review: Omens (Cainsville #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Omens is the first book in Kelley Armstrong's brand new, urban fantasy series, Cainsville. I am not familiar with Kelley Armstrong's works, so I have no base of comparison when it comes to her writing style or other series. In this case, I'm glad that I'm beginning with a clean slate and reviewing this book on its own merit instead of comparing it to Ms. Armstrong's previous successes. So lets get this out of the way right now, Ms. Armstrong writes in a clear, concise, crisp style that I absolutely loved. I'm so glad I finally decided to pick up one of her books.

Omens begins with a hook. The prologue is uncommon in that it is narrated from the point of view of a 2 1/2 year old little girl. It begins in such a way that the reader doesn't know whether she is in danger or not. Then the reader is pulled into a beautiful happy moment only to be yanked into a terrifying moment of loss and pain. That short beginning is a roller-coaster and a little taste of what is to come.

Moving forward, the story shifts to Olivia Taylor-Jones, a 30 year-old wealthy heiress whose life consists of volunteering at the family's sponsored charity, writing speeches for her politically ambitious fiancée James Morgan, and taking care of her self-centered widowed mother. Olivia's life is turned upside down when out of the blue she finds out that she is adopted and that her biological parents are the most notorious serial killers known in Chicago's recent history, Todd and Pamela Larsen, making her real name Eden Larsen. The story begins to take a dark turn when overwhelmed by the paparazzi, feeling emotionally and physically rejected by her loved ones, angry and reeling from the news, Olivia takes off on her own only to find herself unable to find a job or a place to stay. After doing a good deed, she finally finds affordable housing and a job at the diner in a weird little town called Cainsville.

The above is very important to the story, particularly the feelings of rejection from her adoptive mother and fiancée, because it sets up the reasons behind Olivia's reactions throughout the rest of this story and I'm sure for what is to come later on in the series. But frankly for me, the story really takes off once Olivia arrives in the weird little town of Cainsville, with its elderly population and hundreds of stone gargoyles seemingly guarding the place. This is where Olivia meets Gabriel Walsh, nephew to the local psychic and coincidentally the unscrupulous attorney who represented Pamela Larsen during her appeal. Olivia also meets the other peculiar residents of Cainsville. People who don't seem to be surprised or taken aback when Olivia sees omens and predicts possible events based on them.

I am quite impressed with Omens. In fact, I read it twice before writing this review because it left me with such an unsettled feeling and sense of foreboding that I had to get back to it to find out exactly what it was about it that generated that feeling. See, Omens reads like a mystery suspense with Olivia hiring Gabriel to help her investigate the events that lead to the gruesome murders supposedly committed by her parents. There are paranormal elements introduced in this first book, but it is a subtle introduction that is really well integrated with the mystery suspense plot. There is, however, a suppressed sense of foreboding throughout the whole story that makes for a heavy atmosphere. It a kind of... waiting. The stepping stones are there to build the fantasy side of this series as Armstrong combines the strong ties found to Fae Welsh mythology in Cainsville with science and a slight edge of horror and violence found in Chicago as the urban setting.

Olivia/Liv/Eden has a marvelous narrative voice that gets better as the story progresses -- particularly when she's engaged in dialog with Gabriel. There is a case of nurture vs. nature going on with her personality. There is character growth for Olivia within this story alone. I can only imagine how much more growing there will be for her in the future and cannot wait to see how far Armstrong takes this woman who is just discovering who she really is, and what she may be capable of doing. I'm particularly curious about her fledgling omen-interpreting powers and how far she can go with them. You'll have to read the book to find out how omens work and how Olivia is connected to them.

Most of the story is told from Olivia's point of view, but there are single, short chapters peppered throughout the book narrated from different characters' points of view, including Gabriel. I like that. In some instances these chapters give the reader insight into how Olivia is viewed by others, in others they give clues as to events that are going on, but also important is the fact that through them, the reader gains an insight into Gabriel's personality. He is a key character. Gabriel is a frustrating, acquisitive asshole protective of himself first and always, but he is also mysterious, fascinating, and a man worth knowing. He is not a seductive man though... in fact, he seems awkward when it comes to that. A bit of a contradiction all around, and one with good potential primarily because the man has vulnerabilities even if at this point they seem to be few. Olivia, thank goodness, has his number, knows just how to deal with the man, and called him on his bullshit too. I am pretty sure that is the one reason Gabriel and Olivia's relationship worked for me.

The plot in Omens gains momentum as it progresses. There are violent deaths, ominous moments that lead to that sense of foreboding I mentioned above, and a tad of horror borrowed here and there that give the plot an edgy feel, all balanced by the light humor provided by Olivia's excellent narrative voice. Armstrong begins the series with a subtle construction of her world, but weaves in so many complex threads in this first book that by the end there are questions upon questions that need answers. There is a satisfying conclusion to Omens, but there is so much more to come that it left me panting for more. More Olivia, more Gabriel, more Cainsville, more suspense.

Category: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cainsville #1
Publisher/Release Date: Dutton Adult/August 20, 2013
Grade: B+

Visit Kelley Armstrong here.

August 2013 Recap: Books Read & Minis

August was a bit of a crazy month for me. I ended up rereading a few favorite books, and if you look below at some point just went a bit nuts reading M/M Romance -- some new releases and many from my TBR pile -- during the time that I was injured and bedridden. But, I also read a few new releases by favorite authors. None of those were disappointments. So for me, that means a good reading month. Check it out.

From the new releases, my favorite books of the month were: Guardian Demon (Guardian Series #8) by Meljean Brook, Omens (Omens #1) by Kelley Armstrong, and Welcome Home, Captain Harding (Captain Harding #3) by Elliott Mackle.

Total Books Read, August 2013: 25
Contemporary Romance: 4
Paranormal Romance: 1
Urban Fantasy: 6
Literary Historical Fiction: 1
LGBT Total: 13 (Poetry: 1,  Historical Fiction/Suspense: 1, M/M Romance: 11)

Guardian Demon (Guardian Series #8) by Meljean Brook: B+
Omens (Cainsville #1) by Kelley Armstrong: (Review to come)
Welcome Home, Captain Harding (Captain Harding #3) by Elliott Mackle: B+
Mañana Means Heaven by Tim Z. Hernandez: (Review to come)
Strawberries for Dessert by Marie Sexton: B+
Summer Lovin' JL Merrow, Chrissy Munder, Clare London, Josephine Myles, & Lou Harper: B
Aftermath by Cara Dee: B
Crow Blue, Crow Black by Chip Livingston: B-
Home on the Range (Caribou Crossings #2) by Susan Fox: B-
Left on St. Truth-be-Well by Amy Lane: B-
In A Cowboy's Bed with Cat Johnson, Vonna Harper, Lynn LaFleur: C+
Sharing Hailey by (Friends & Lovers #1) Samantha Ann King: C+
By the Numbers by Chris Owen: C
Cut & Run by Abigail Roux and Madeline Urban: C-
Waiting for Ty by (Friends & Lovers #2) Samantha Ann King: C-
Some Like It Hot by Susan Andersen: D+
Paris A to Z by Marie Sexton: D
A to Z by Marie Sexton: DNF

REREADS:
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews, Book #1
Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews, Book #2
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews, Book #3
Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews, Book #4
Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews, Book #5
Promises by Marie Sexton
Caught Running by Abigail Roux and Madeline Urban
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MINIS:

KATE DANIELS SERIES (Books 1 to 5 Reread) by Ilona Andrews
General Comments: After reading that last fantastic Kate Daniels installment, Magic Rises, I decided to go back and reread the whole series. It was a wonderful experience to read the evolution of Kate and the rest of the characters that way. It also gave me a better perspective of the overall storyarc, which I believe is going to be ramped up in the next four books of the series. What hit me the hardest, however is Kate herself. She is so aggressive in the first book, and doesn't really give anyone much of a chance to prove themselves before she jumps on them. Her loner status, paranoia, the pain and rage come right through in Magic Bites. The change from that Kate to the one found in Magic Rises is astounding. But, rereading the whole series just reiterates why I love this series! I was pulled in this time just as quickly and deeply as I was the first time around. This is such a fabulous urban fantasy series that it gave me the impetus I needed to go searching for more of the same -- outstanding UF.

CODA SERIES by Marie Sexton
Promises by Marie Sexton (Reread) -- Grade: B
Promises is the first book of Marie Sexton's Coda series. This was a reread and was better the second time around. I enjoyed the characters and the relationship much more than the first time, and although my initial niggles were still there, they didn't bother me as much. Promises went from a B- to a B in the grade scale for me.

A to Z by Marie Sexton -- Grade: DNF
Because I enjoyed my reread of Promises more than expected, I decided to read the second book of Marie Sexton's Coda series. Unfortunately, I couldn't get through this book and did not finish it! I couldn't stand the characters, Zach in particular, and just gave up. This one is not for me.

Strawberries for Dessert by Marie Sexton -- Grade B+
But, although I gave up on the second book of the Coda series by Sexton, I didn't give up on the series. I decided to read the third book instead, particularly since I'd heard so many good things about it and it was already in my TBR. Good move! Cole and Jon? A fantastic pairing and a great romance. The characters in this book are wonderful. Cole is a bit of a mystery throughout and even to the end. He's one of those controlling femme characters that are vulnerable but mask it so well everyone has trouble seeing the real person behind the mask. And Jon, also controlling, is so busy trying to conform to how he thinks a man, particularly a gay man, should behave that he can't see the forest for the trees. The conflict between these two men is fantastic and I think Sexton addressed it quite well. In this case, I believe that Strawberries for Dessert deserved the hype.

Paris A to Z by Marie Sexton -- Grade: D
After reading Strawberries for Dessert, Paris A to Z was a disappointment. This piece is a novella covering Jon and Cole's wedding in Paris, but the novella is narrated from Zach ( A to Z) and Max (Promises) points of view. I enjoyed Max's point of view but there wasn't enough of that, instead most of the novella is narrated by Zach and even with other favorite characters I previously enjoyed making an appearance, I couldn't stand his voice, rationalizations, or characterization.

Review: Welcome Home, Captain Harding (Captain Harding #3) by Elliott Mackle

Joe is back! Welcome Home, Captain Harding! I was really worried about him at the end of Captain Harding and His Men when he was shipped off to Vietnam. I even thought that was going to be the setting for this third book. Instead it is now1970, "Hair" is playing on Broadway and the "Age of Aquarius" still has a grip on the country, particularly on the West Coast -- the perfect setting for Joe's misadventures.

After finishing an 18-month tour in Vietnam, Joe is assigned to the Castle Air Force Base, California, working with old friend and father figure Colonel Bruce "Ops" Opstein, commander for operations for the 39th Bomb Wing. Joe hasn't even shaken the jet lag, nightmares, or fear of crotch rot when Ops shows him a pictures of himself in Hawaii with both Cotton and his mother Ambassador Elizabeth Boardman. Joe is under surveillance. Joe's new assignment at Castle spying on arrogant, hot-dogging bomber pilots, and organizing an air show to counteract the whole anti-war movement does not come as sweet news either. Soon Ops and Joe realize the whole place is FUBAR -- fucked up before all recognition -- as pilots go around with sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll on their minds, and the higher ups turn out to be even worse than that! Joe's career comes under fire from all directions as the men or buddies he works with are more a detriment than a help, and covering his ass to stay in the military closet becomes almost impossible.

There I am, reading the beginning of the story and I'm already yelling at Joe for pulling dumb moves and following his dick instead of thinking things through before leaping into the fire. By now, we all know that's just Joe, but that didn't matter to me. Cotton is now a freshman at Berkeley and slowly getting pulled into the anti-war movement, but they are together and that's what becomes important to Joe. He is in love with the now nineteen-year old Cotton, so you can only imagine that these two are not necessarily thinking with their "little grey cells." No, not possible. Not even after Ops warns Joe that he has received more anonymous photographs. To further complicate matters, Sam shows up at Joe's place in Merced. Now a TWA pilot, he is a favorite buddy/hookup Joe met at the Wheelus AFB in Lybia. Cotton figures out the relationship angle and decides to get involved. Will there be room for one more in a committed relationship?

Let me begin by saying that I don't usually get so involved with characters that I actually worry for them, etc. I try to maintain a certain distance, even when connecting with characters, so that I can at least be somewhat objective about their actions. But, I can't seem to help myself with Joe Harding and I know that is one of the aspects of this series that makes me love it so much.

Elliott Mackle does it to me every time. I began reading Welcome Home, Captain Harding and didn't stop until that last page was turned. It was an emotional roller-coaster. I was yelling at Joe because he wasn't being careful enough, while simultaneously getting upset because he HAD to be careful in order to keep his military career going. But, coming back to reality and keeping in mind that this is historical fiction, Elliott Mackle again captures the times and situations beautifully.

The necessity to stay closeted vs. the need for love and intimacy is one that Mackle tackles in this book with even more vigor than he did in the past two installments. The frustration, the witch hunt, and how far everyone is willing to go to protect themselves are all well rendered by Mackle as he uses humor through misadventures, miscalculations, and manipulations to get his point across. The same happens with Mackle's deft handling of the issues that plagued the Air Force pilots at the base during that time, and with his portrayal of 1970 San Francisco by incorporating the two differing perspectives dealing with the key issue of that time period in history about the war in Vietnam, with the Peace Movement on one side and the military on the other as seen from Joe's point of view.

The military details that Mackle includes in this novel are again fantastic, although I did notice that they took less space than in the two previous installments. Similarly, those pesky military acronyms have lessened, or are now explained to the reader along the way. Mackle continues the tradition of combining Joe's often humorous misadventures with seriously tough issues such as domestic violence among the military, drug abuse, cover ups, and persecution of gay servicemen in the military. The usually tight dialog is not as consistently tight as it is in other installments, but it is still great, providing that quick pacing that makes these books such excellent reads.

Welcome Home, Captain Harding is the third and last book of Elliott Mackle's Captain Harding trilogy. As such, it ends Joe's adventures and misadventures with a bang. I didn't, however, expect anything less from Mr. Mackle whose works I've come to highly enjoy along the way. I cannot tell you how much I love these three books, or how much I am going to miss this character. I am a fan. I definitely recommend Welcome Home, Captain Harding, but more so, I highly recommend the trilogy as a whole.

Category: LGBT Historical Fiction/Mystery Suspense
Series: Captain Harding
Publisher/Release Date: Lethe Press/September 1, 2013
Format: Paperback/Digital
Grade: B+

Visit Elliott Mackle here.

Complete Trilogy -- Grade: A- (4.7 Stars) 
Captain Harding's Six Day War, #1
Captain Harding and His Men, #2
Welcome Home, Captain Harding, #3

Catching up with more Minis: Samantha Ann King

Hey I'm on a roll with my minis! So here are a few more.

Waiting for Ty by Samantha Ann King

I received a request to review this book and was interested, but was late to respond. So, I decided to purchase it and read it anyway. As you will see below, this M/M romance did not quite work for me and I posted a spoiler-free mini at Goodreads. So, go on to that if you don't want to read the spoiler.

SPOILER: But I really want to talk about why this story didn't work for me. Why? Well, right off the bat there is a big contradiction when it comes to the characters -- they are both admittedly bisexual before embarking on their friends-to-lovers relationship, yet the story begins with the phrase "I don't do men," and that little phrase continues to pop up for a while as both characters think it. Really? Sorry, but no.  If the phrase have been "I would do him, but..." or "I want to do him, but..." or something to that effect, I wouldn't have been pulled out of the story from the beginning. :(

Great friends to lovers premise that doesn't quite deliver. The story begins on a high with a GFY (gay for you) flavor, but contradictions quickly become obvious to the reader. The "I don't do men" thoughts/phrases should not apply in this case to either man. If you've read this story, you know what I mean.

Going forward, the story is sectioned off into two distinctive parts -- one in which the H/H fight their attraction and love for each other (containing sexual scenes that are not quite plausible), and the other where they seek family acceptance -- a highly relevant subject matter. It is unfortunate, however, that these two sections are not better woven in together, as the building sexual and romantic tension found in the beginning is lost half-way through the story and never recovered. (Carina Press, July 29, 2013) Grade: C- (2.75/5.0 Goodreads)

Sharing Hailey by Samantha Ann King

Since Waiting for Ty did not work for me, I wanted to give this author another try to see if I would enjoy her previously published erotic threesome, so I picked this book, Sharing Hailey. What I found is that I enjoyed it a bit more than her M/M romance.

A threesome, not a triad (do not expect M/M love scenes on this one), there were aspects of this novel by King I liked and others I did not:

I liked that the two men had a wonderful understanding of each other and what they wanted from Hailey. Because of the long, deep friendship, and the love that the three of them already feel for each other, when the relationship begins it feels good and true. The sexual scenes are not outstanding, but they are good. The three people involved are equals in the relationship, although the slightly dominant males tend to cater and are protective of Hailey. She, however, is just as protective and loving with them. No BDSM, which makes this a refreshing read.

There is also a pertinent storyline that addresses Hailey's life as an abused woman with ex-boyfriend, Daniel. It is unfortunate, however, that this thread takes over the second section of the story, sacrificing intimate moments and taking personal conflicts between our threesome in a different direction. There is also a sense that this story is not quite finished, at least emotionally there are missing steps that need to be addressed. Overall, an average read with enjoyable moments. Grade: C+ (3.5/5.0 Goodreads)

Her characters in this story are seriously likable and the dynamics between this trio worked really well for me. The men do not engage in sexual play, yet there is love and a bond between them that definitely makes this a good threesome, plus Hailey is really a part of both their lives. The book is not overloaded with sex scenes either, but what really brought the grade down for me was the second section of the story.

Now, if you look above, you'll see that King also seemed to section off Waiting for Ty. In Sharing for Hailey, she introduces the rather serious subject of violence against women, domestic violence, and stalking and she follows through with the subject which was surprising. I think it is wonderful that King weaves in issues with substance in her erotic romances, unfortunately it is not well woven in with the erotic storyline. Because of the violence and seriousness of the situation she presents, one thread distracts the reader from the other, so that after a while all the buildup to the threesome romance goes flat, and never quite recovered... the same happens in Waiting for Ty. Overall though, I think that King has a good touch when it comes to developing a relationship between threesomes, and I'm picky when it comes to those!

More Minis: Summer Lovin' Anthology, Roux & Urban, Chris Owen

I am hoping to catch up with some full-length reviews, but in the meantime, here are more minis:

Summer Lovin' with JL Merrow, Chrissy Munder, Clare London, Josephine Myles, and Lou Harper

"Summer Hire" by Chrissy Munder - Grade: B+
Chrissy Munder's Summer Hire is sweet, summery, and I really enjoyed how she uses sexual tension and subtle flirting to build up the anticipation. This is a meaty, hot, short story with a great HEA and a highly likable couple.

"Lost and Found" by JL Merrow - Grade: B+
An absolutely wonderful story with a unique setting and great atmosphere. JL Merrow brings a fantastic twist to this summer yarn by incorporating a sexy Viking and a single father as the main characters. I ended this one with a smile on my face. Lovely!

"Salt 'n Vinegar" by Clare London - Grade: D+
Salt 'n Vinegar began with a great premise. Unfortunately, this story took a rather dark turn that just did not fit with this light, summery anthology. The rather serious subject matter of domestic abuse may be better suited to a longer story. In this case, neither the page count nor the subject matter work for me.

"Werewolves of Venice Beach" by Lou Harper - Grade: C+
Lou Harper came up with a rather quirky story about a nerdy college kid and his temporary, but unusual neighbors while he house sits at Venice Beach. I enjoyed this hot little piece with all its memorable characters, adorable dogs, and particularly some of the wrong assumptions that take place along the way.

"By Quarry Lake" by Josephine Myles - Grade: B
The anthology ends on a high! By Quarry Lake is an adorable story of two old friends who finally come to terms with their attraction for each other. Not gay for you by the way, but a story of two young men living in a small village where being gay may be a problem. I loved both adorable characters, the father, and the gorgeous summer atmosphere.

Overall, I definitely recommend the Summer Lovin' anthology. It's a good, solid M/M romance read and for the most part, it lives up its lovely title! (Pink Squirrel Press, August 14, 2013) Grade: B

Cut & Run (Cut & Run #1) by Abigail Roux and Madeline Urban


Cut & Run is a very popular M/M Romance Suspense series by a popular writing duo, and this first book seems to be adored by fans, I believe that is because it is so high on the emo scale. I've had the first two books in my TBR for a long time now and decided to give it a try, particularly since I enjoyed their book Caught Running, a book a reread prior to reading this one. Because Roux and Urban each develop a character, there tends to be quite a bit of head hopping in their stories. I didn't mind that aspect of their writing in Caught Running. For some reason, it really affected my enjoyment of Cut & Run, perhaps because of the length of this book and the dialog scenes. The following are my first impressions as posted on Goodreads:

Likable characters with a good buildup to romance. I enjoyed the banter and bonding that takes place between Zane and Ty. Although frankly I was surprised how much we don't learn about the characters after all those long conversations. This story is overly long, unnecessarily so, with lots of frustrating head hopping. There is action and flash to the crime suspense but as investigators the main characters are not really impressive, so this book is best read for the romantic elements. Obviously a romance in progress. Grade C-

Cut & Run is one of those books where I'm sure I'm in the minority, as I said above the book is very popular. I'm a crime suspense fan and in the case of Cut & Run, I feel that for me, my passion for good crime investigations worked against this book -- I was thoroughly disappointed in that respect, particularly since both main characters are characterized as ace and/or brilliant FBI agents. Anyway, I have Sticks & Stones, the second book of the Cut & Run series by Roux & Urban and I will read it. Will I read the rest of this series? It all depends on how the second book turns out. :)

By the Numbers by Chris Owen

By the Numbers is an M/M Romance that I think is perfect as a summer read. I thoroughly enjoyed this almost conflict free romance with a hot fireman as one of the main characters, some gorgeous puppies, and a cute kid to round up this warm story. There is a mean ex-wife in the picture to give the romance some conflict, but it is minimal. Good as an angst-free reread. Grade: C+