First, yes, I am reviewing another queer retelling of Persuasion, and I feel like everyone is probably going to ask me which one is better, but I’m not going to answer that just yet.

Letty Gonzalez is trying to rebuild her career after her ex-boss/ex-boyfriend fires her when he realizes that he won’t be getting into her parents' deep pockets through her. Max Delgado is a sculptor on the verge of breaking out, trying to get ready for a major exhibition of his work. When Letty shows up at his door, he is expecting a model not a temporary assistant. 

More mini-reviews! An m/f historical, an m/f contemporary, and an m/m paranormal.

Sweet Disaster is a steamy romantic comedy with a delightful supporting cast. The middle sags a bit, as the central conflict hinges on the male main character moving for a job, but the awkward details and chemistry between the leads is enough to save it.

Sandra Antonelli is a long-time advocate and promoter of romance featuring older protagonists. While the majority of romance authors and publishers focus on characters in their twenties and thirties, Antonelli and other fans of seasoned romance thirst for characters with a few more gray hairs and a lot more life experience. At Your Service is the first of Antonelli’s new In Service series, a mystery/romantic suspense series which will feature main characters over 40. At Your Service was an engrossing and highly-enjoyable romance, with great pacing, action and banter and a fabulous heroine, Mae in her mid-50s, who is just little bit older than the hero, Kitt.

The latest edition of Ninestar Press's Once Upon a Rainbow series is thoroughly charming. The premise is simple: queer retellings of classic fairy tales, but the execution is, for lack of a better word,  magical. I haven't read the first two volumes, but bought them immediately upon finishing this review copy. As with their Into the Mystic anthologies, Ninestar's editorial chops are on full display here - none of the stories stand out as "filler." Yes, there are a few that worked better for me than others, but most of that is personal preference, not objective quality issues. 

Perfect Day is a queer retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion and I have many strong (and good) feelings about it. Eight years ago, Joshua chose to stay with his family instead of following his boyfriend, Finn, to California. Joshua lives in his hometown working as a barista and piano teacher after his father disowned him for being gay. With his father in prison for tax evasion, the old family mansion is being sold to Finn’s brother. Forced to see each other, both men confront how they feel and the repercussions of how they broke up. Finn is a tiny bit of a jerk during this time as he dates the music teacher at the school.

From Scratch is the sort of fluffy wish-fulfillment I needed this week. The plot is straightforward: three people go to a town called Seaport (not anywhere near the sea) to start over. They find each other and fall in love. The reasons to like this book lie not within a complex plot - they’re with the characters.

Zac Fallon has been stripping for 10 years and he has always loved everything about it. He loves making women smile, being in the spotlight, the camaraderie with the other guys in the show, the freedom to travel and the money. But he just doesn’t quite love it as much as before - something is missing in his life.

More mini-reviews! These books weren't terribly successful for our team.