REVIEW, Truth or Dare series

      Prod dets

Truth or Dare series

Series: Truth or Dare, books 1, 2, & 4

Author: Lee Brazil

Genre: compt romance

Whose: Mischa & Donovan / Terry, Dex & Trick

                / Brandon & Arden / Danny & Morgan

Age Range: Adult

            Synopsis

The Blake brothers are a typical Hollywood family—money, prestige and dysfunction go right along with the family production studio. When Dan Blake gets the genius idea of combining a game of poker with a game of Truth or Dare, his brothers are right to be wary. Losing has far-reaching consequences for each of them.

Mischa is looking to escape his brothers’ interference in his life. He doesn’t expect to find his vocation in Keeping House for Donovan Blake. (m/m)

Terry has always been content with duty and responsibility. When he loses, Telling the Truth sets him free to pursue a whole new side of himself. (m/m/m)

Brandon Blake is afraid of losing control. He’s more afraid of losing his family. Therapy was supposed to help. Giving Up control to Dr. Arden Grey is challenge Brandon isn’t sure he can accept. (m/f)

            Thoughts

I felt a little disappointed with Keeping House in the fact that there wasn’t enough meat in this story. It came threw well, played out. Things happen, Mischa changes his mind about factors parts of his life just because Donovan wished him to and then he turns around and suddenly he’s in love like they missed a huge set that should have happened. Worse it could have been a simple play out with one more chapter.

Donovan was worse; he looked at the boy who happens to be 20yrs his junior and that seemed to be a slight thing that he pushed aside like it was nothing. It’s a deal, maybe not big, but it’s still something that would hold a bit of insecurities—are you really good enough, looking enough, vital enough for someone that young?

But this wasn’t even something I truly picked up while ready it the first time since Donovan decided to have one of my pet peeves by falling in love with the man within pages of meeting him, without any real reasoning behind it but that he looks like sex. At least I could sorta see it but still I couldn’t see it being love couldn’t understand that.

Anyway, it was sweet; I really liked the confrontation with the brothers. I liked meeting Mischa friends. I just liked the story though the whole thing was to short and even when it was over all I could think about was what it would have been like with more. Like I didn’t believe it was finished or something.

I don’t know, unfinished, is that only real thing that I can think of. But sweet.

So.....I’m of two minds about Telling the Truth. One side of me like it, liked the play on the whys and how’s and the sweet lullaby when they all let go and everything is settled down.

But on the other hand I can’t get over the who insist thing!

It was the emotional turmoil and dramas in this book that got to me. The need that all three of them had, that vulnerability and misunderstandings that worked and turned and twisted everything made this a book to be read.

I loved it, it was great only the two big points that I didn’t like and at pull it all down are the fact that they are brothers, really I can’t....sorry but, brothers? And the baby thing at the end, but if I get into that one...well, it’s not like I can explain or have my rant about the whys I don’t like it without giving the twins story away and that would truly be a shame, because it’s what lines and links this story up.

In Giving Up I felt that when push came to shove, Arden was telling him and laughing at him because of his controlling problem. she was all ‘you need to not control but I do so to be with me you have to do everything I say, but I’m not actually giving you the option, your mine and that’s final.

Yeah, she was all about coming out of an abusive relationship with the idea that she needs to be the abuser. It’s all I saw whenever they were talking, it push more so for the fact that she didn’t think of herself that way, it was truly how an abuser would think, would say. Like they didn’t realise how bad they were.

I kinda understand why, in the end, he folded, but I also found that his family didn’t really understand what he was going through, and if he just told them, then...who know, really, it’s not my story.

I found myself in tears a little reading the beginning of the story but that quickly dried and it had be shaking my head at her.

It was not a healthy relationship. And because of that I just couldn’t come out of it liking any part, though there was a few things that were nice, they mostly didn’t have anything to do with the couple.

I ended up reading Taking the Dare, as an ebook, which is Dan’s and Morgan’s story. This one is about Danny a manipulating middle child who happens to come to this realisation when he loss Morgan the man he loves.

I got where both man where coming from, though I thought Morgan made excuses as to the whys of Dan’s manipulating but at least his wife (ex-wife) pointed it out and acted like it wasn’t a good thing, though that didn’t really go anywhere. It also wasn’t all that much, he realised this and understood that it couldn’t keep happening. Though he did find himself to be the reason why but at the other end, in Morgan’s shoes I can see why he understood that and where he was coming from, because at the end of the day Dan didn’t understand a few things about Morgan that we did.

This one is my favourite, I really enjoyed all the parts and the flow of the relationship, and how it fell apart and came back together again.

I liked that it wasn’t a first time meeting-bam-love, it was a real relationship, or more so an affair that turned into something more as the story started and had to work its way to being a thing they could walk out in public with.

I think it did well in the way it went about everything. The hurt, the lies, the words that meant less than what they thoughts. The love, the lust, the sex and the games. It all rolled in very nicely, with some fun with the brothers and not so for the bimbos.

This was a perfect book to end an alright series. I would have loved it more, or actually, maybe less if there were more meat threw the pages

Series

Keeping House, Telling the Truth, Giving Up, Taking the Dare

☼☼☼

1; ebook, 68 pages, pub 2011 by Breathless Press

Donovan Holloway, advertising executive, newly made vice president of the company where he's worked for twenty years, grew up in a free love hippie commune, taking care of the parents who should have been taking care of him. He's worked hard to put himself through school and achieve the American dream. All he's ever wanted was a normal family life—house in the suburbs, two cars, two kids, a shaggy dog. A family to come home to—to care for, and to care for him.

Mischa Blake is the green eyed, liberally-pierced, black-haired, Mohawk-wearing spoiled youngest son of a Hollywood producer and his actress wife. Mischa has made a terrible mistake. In a fit of childish pique, he's accepted a dare from his older brothers. The dare? Live on his own, supporting himself completely for a year without accessing his trust fund. No problem. Except Mischa has never worked a day in his life, hasn't finished college, and has absolutely no skills that he can bring to the table.

So when he sees Donovan's ad for a housekeeper/gardener, he has nothing to lose by applying, because really...how hard can it be?

2; ebook 79 pages, pub 2011

The Blake brothers have upped the ante in their weekly poker game. The week Terry loses, he finds that paying his debt of telling the truth sets him free to pursue a fantasy he never dreamed could be reality.
Terry has lived his life according to the guidelines, by studying accounting, getting an MBA, and working for the family business. And while his work has its own rewards, something has been missing, and his eyes have only just been opened to what--or rather who--that could be.
Terry can handle any dare his brothers dish out, but the demand for Truth is a different matter. Unable to hide behind his pristine reputation and fancy business suit, Terry is honor bound to divulge secrets he’s been ashamed to admit even to himself in the privacy of his own bedroom.
Twins Dex and Trick have finally found acceptance for their relationship in the homes of their friends. They would never do anything to jeopardize that newfound sense of belonging. Fooling around with Mischa’s prissy, domineering, oh-so-sexy older brother is risky. A one night stand might be okay, and the boys happily indulge, but then close ranks afterward, pushing Terry aside.
Terry isn’t going to back down without a fight. He’s convinced that Dex and Trick are meant to be his, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make them realize all the safety and protection they need can be found in his arms.

3; ebook 79 pages, pub 2011

Brandon Blake has a problem. His stressful job as CEO of the family production studio combined with the added stress of his self-imposed role of family caretaker has left him with an ulcer. His brothers are leaving home and making families of their own, andBrandon’s interference has caused some serious rifts. The prescription? Therapy. He needs to learn how to give up the need to control everything. The sessions go well enough, even if Brandon can barely tear his eyes away from the curve of his therapist’s legs.

Dr. Arden Gray knows all about control. She’d survived marriage to a dominant, abusive man, and has spent the last twenty years turning her life around. She’s learned to take charge and has made a career of teaching others to do the same. Giving up that control isn’t her forte, but after a few sessions with Brandon Blake, she sees something intriguing hidden inside him. Something that tells her he just might be the man she’s been looking for. If only she can convince him that giving up control to the right woman will solve all his problems.

4; ebook, 102 pages, Published 2012

Morgan Hawke is happy with the status of his relationship with Dan Blake. After three years, though, Dan's ready to move their relationship to the next level.

Having seen his brothers find love and settle into family life, Dan Blake has realized he's ready for change. The only problem with that is that his lover prefers to maintain the status quo. Dan's up for the challenge of changing Morgan's mind. He's got plans, and he's used to working behind the scenes to get his way.

Morgan can't understand the changes he sees in Dan. They've come a long way from the office of the bar where they met, but he's not sure he's ready to move their relationship from the shadows to the front pages. Publicity is okay for Dan—he's got the weight of the Blakes behind him—but the Morgan isn't sure he's ready to let go of the past he's been clinging to.
Can Dan manipulate a happy ending for this script?