It was very difficult for me to come up with a Top 10 list of books from those I reviewed this year because there were so many splendid and exceptional books, therefore I’ll do what I did before, I’ll cheat a little by adding a list of Honourable Mentions because all of these books really are worthy of being on anyone’s list of Top Books.
My No. 1 — Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger was not a difficult choice because I knew the first time I read it that it would be almost impossible to topple from its perch. This is such a superb book, and if you have not read it you should run, not walk, to buy a copy. It was a struggle to decide on the rankings for most of the other books and I was still undecided at posting time about a couple of them 😀
Here now is my list of Top M/M books for 2009 and it would be remiss of me if I didn’t thank MaryM for recommending the top 2 books.
My Top 10 Books for 2009
1. Almost Like Being In Love by Steve Kluger
This is a story about a high school jock and nerd who fall in love in their senior year, only to part after an amazing summer, to attend college in different States. They keep in touch at first, but then slowly drift apart. Twenty years later they meet again after one protagonist, Travis, decides there is something missing in his life and that “something” or someone is Craig, his long lost love, so he puts his life on hold and sets out to find him.
The book will have you in stitches, but it is also poignant. The ending was the right one and I was pleased that Kluger was able to find a way for everyone to be happy, without creating heartbreak for someone else. Almost Like Being in Love is one of the most memorable books I have read and it will bring tears to your eyes as you travel with Travis in his obsessive compulsive search for his one true love, Craig.
Ultimately the story is about love, getting second chances, and the loyalty of friends who endure just about anything in the name of friendship. I reviewed this book back in October and read it at least 4 times since then, which for me is an indication that it’s a truly wonderful, unforgettable story. Books like this don’t come along often!
2. The Dreyfus Affair by Peter Lefcourt
This is the offbeat story of baseball star Randy Dreyfus, whose life — on the surface, at least — seems a winning streak that will never end. His manager tells him, “You’re 28 years old. You got the best swing since Ted Williams. You’re the fastest white guy in the league. You’ve got a nice wife, a family, you’re pulling down two point three a year, not to mention the TV and merchandising money.” However, Dreyfus has one huge problem — he has fallen in love with D. J, the team’s black second baseman.
When Dreyfus and D. J. are caught in the act under the most bizarre circumstances, the political and professional fallout affects the World Series and the White House alike.
What did I love most about this book outside of the relationship between the guys? The humour. The dialogue was laugh out loud funny but some of it was touching as well. When I reviewed The Dreyfus Affair back in June I predicted that it would make my Top 10 and it was definitely clear sailing as it ended up at #2 — not bad for a book that was written in 1992. A bit of trivia, this book parallels an actual scandal that happened in France at the turn of the century, a story of spying with a background of anti semitism.
3. The Dark Tide (book 5 in the Adrien English series) by Josh Lanyon
This is the last book in the Adrien English Mysteries and in the end, while the plot is important, it’s all about the characters as we renew our acquaintance with Adrien and Jake. Adrien is Adrien, much loved with a few faults but nothing too destructive. The fans love him because he is normal like most of us, so we relate to him, especially as he had a serious illness which prevented him from being an alpha hero. Despite his still precarious health he seemed to be the stronger of the two protagonists in this book, as he makes demands and shows that he’s no one’s door mat.
Jake is now retired from the LAPD after 20 years, when he came out of the closet at last, and he is now working as a private investigator. His layers and vulnerabilities are so exposed in this book that it’s as if he’s naked at times. Some readers will feel vindicated, others will feel that the end was appropriate, there will be those who will want more, more, more and last, a few fans will feel that Jake has not been punished enough.
Josh Lanyon’s writing is skillful as always and his prose is among the best, but I thought that at times he played with the readers’ heartstrings by piling on memory after memory. He saves his best for last as his characters shine as never before. The Dark Tide did something that most series don’t do well — it completed the series and characters arcs in a way that made sense and did not compromise either.
4. 9-1-1 by Chris Owen
Chris Owen’s 9-1-1 is one of the most delicious books that I have read over the years. 9-1-1 was released in 2005 and I read it shortly after. I was hooked. I didn’t think that she could equal Bareback, another memorable Chris Owen book that was released in 2003 which was on my 2008 Top 10 List but she proved me wrong. This is without a doubt the best M/M/M menage that I have read to date, bar none, and I have read quite a few. To quote what I said in my review “This book is erotic writing at its best. The characters were rich and fully developed, the story was well plotted, the pacing was just right, and the excitement is off the scale as the readers are thrust into the trauma of the guys’ everyday work life when they try to save lives and have to cope emotionally when they can’t.
If you don’t read another Chris Owen book you must get 9-1-1. This book takes love to a whole new level and when things go bad your heart breaks …”
It’s no exaggeration to say that this exceptional book should be on the bookshelf of every reader of M/M romance
5. PsyCop series by Jordan Castillo Price
(PsyCop: Partners, which contains books 1 and 2, Among the Living & Criss Cross; PsyCop: Property, which contains books 3 and 4, Body and Soul & Secrets)*
This series is the standard bearer for Jordan Castillo Price’s trademark of excellence. I read and reviewed book 3, Body and Soul first, 2 years ago and knew that I had to get my hands on the previous 2 books — it was that good. This writer has the most books on my list of top books this year and part of the reason is I’m catching up with her excellent work, but also I can’t get enough of her characters and plots.
If you have never read this series and you like paranormal stories then you have no excuse for not getting into bed with Jacob and Victor. I won’t describe either the characters or the plots here since this is something you should discover for yourself. I will only say that this writer is one of the best in her field and when you start one of her books you become addicted and so immersed in her world that everything else seems irrelevant.
*The last book in this series, Camp Hell was reviewed by Jenre
6. Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Call Me by Your Name is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents’ mansion on the Italian Riviera.
This is a book that you won’t easily forget and you will want to read it more than once because it really resonates as it’s a story with memorable characters, and it’s told with passion and eloquence about the intimacy between the protagonists. Call Me By Your Name gives an unflinching and honest look at two people who are in transition. Their love story only lasted six weeks but it left an indelible mark on both men, which impacted their lives forever. The fantasies, the sex, the eroticism — it’s all there in brilliant colour. Call Me By Your Name is firmly on my keeper shelf.
7. (tie) The Cross of Sins and Riddle of the Sands by Geoffrey Knight
If you’re looking for the ultimate adventure you don’t have far to go. Geoffrey Knight’s first books in his Fathoms Five series give the words “terrifying” a new meaning. Here’s how I described the series
“How do I review a book that defies description? Fathom’s Five: The Cross of Sins is an adventure that I could not put down. This story is a cross between Raiders of the Lost Ark, James Bond, the Da Vinci Code and every other hair raising adventure that’s been around for decades, including Jaws.
And this is only the beginnning as the author takes readers around the world with his 5 sexy, gay, hot looking protagonists who sometimes have sex with each other but not always. 😀 The stories are out of this world and you have to hold on to your seat and your cowboy hat in these sheer escapist adventures as the guys fly, ride camels, zoom on high powered motor cycles, ski, and throw caution and everything else to the winds and let the gods decide their fate.”
I hope that the author can live up to the quality of the stories in the first two books and you will definintely be in for the ride of your life if you take a chance on The Cross of Sins and Riddle of the Sands.
8. (tie) Faith & Fidelity and Love & Loyalty by Tere Michaels
These two stories are a change of pace from the others and if/when you read the books you will understand why they are a tie on my list.
Faith and Fidelity is a relatively simple story about a man’s heartbreak and finding a new love, but there’s a twist. Evan Cerelli never expected a year after his wife’s accidental death that he would meet and fall in love with someone else. Most of all he never would have dreamed that the new person in his life would be a man.
The first few pages of this book were very sombre and depressing and I almost didn’t continue reading. Evan was burying his wife of 20 years who had been killed in an automobile accident. He had been in love with Sherri since high school, had never been with anyone else and it was heartbreaking to witness the grief, not only Evan’s but also that of his four children. But I persevered and am I glad I did or I would have missed a wonderful love story that resonated long after I finished the book.
I had this book for almost 2 years before I read it the first time because I don’t do well with angst-filled stories, but the wonderful characterizations and the struggles that Evan endured coping as a single father of four, then unexpectedly finding himself attracted to another man, were so well done I couldn’t believe this was Tere Michael’s first book.
Love and Loyalty is another wonderful story about two unlikely protagonists. Jim Shea is a workaholic cop who has absolutely no life outside his job as a detective, hasn’t had a date in a year, and his straight roommate with whom he fancied himself in love had just moved out and got married. He’s certainly not open to a relationship with anyone and the most unlikely person that he would become involved with is a Hollywood screenwriter who is writing the story of someone who was a victim in one of his recent homicide cases. The love affair didn’t seem to have a chance in hell, but Tere Michaels proved once again what a gifted writer she is as she navigated the relationship pitfalls and delivered a truly superb story.
9. Fire Season by Lex Valentine
This is a fabulous story about dragon shifters and I raved about this book when I first read it because it was so incredibly exciting and I’m still pimping it to anyone who will listen. Lex Valentine is a new to me author, and another writer, Patric Michael, recommended that I read Fire Season and I owe him a lot for a book that I enjoyed tremendously and still do. Here’s part of what I said in my review —
“Can I say upfront how much I enjoyed this delicious book? Dragons have always fascinated me and Fire Season took my love for these wonderful paranormal creatures to new heights.
Lex Valentine is a gifted writer as she creates a world for her dragons that is so real I could taste and feel it. Her writing is engaging, vibrant and fresh and her characters are incredibly three dimensional and larger than life. She does an excellent job on Holden by showing his difficulty as a straight man in accepting that his mate is male, and the fight for dominance between his dragon and his human side, in addition to the difference between emotional acceptance of his mate and sexual expression between him and Garret both as dragons and men.”
This book is a true delight and you won’t regret picking up a copy.
10. (tie) Strange Fortune and Out of the Blue by Josh Lanyon
My last two books are by Josh Lanyon and the first one, Strange Fortune, is a departure for him as he had never written speculative fiction before. To tell the truth I didn’t know whether he could pull it off but I must say that I was impressed and amazed at his imagination. Here’s part of my review “In Strange Fortune the reader enters a civilization steeped in tradition where the past is as relevant as the present. Some of the action sequences, especially towards the end, are horrific and involve powerful dieties who have their own agendas and are blinded by power.
You will have to have a strong stomach for the big ending, but if you love adventures, especially of the epic variety, you will definitely love Strange Fortune. As always, even though the plot is complex, Lanyon’s strength is in his characterizations and he excels here as the characters are all well drawn. …this is a brilliantly written book and I’m amazed that Lanyon was able to do such a great job in an area where he was previously a neophyte.”
Out of the Blue is one of my favourite Josh Lanyon stories this year because of one character, Cowboy.
This is a World War I adventure which should be depressing because of all the casualties but strangely, I found this story to be uplifting. Here’s some of the reason why I enjoyed this story so much “Have you ever felt so immersed in a book that it seemed you were part of the action? Out of the Blue will have that effect on you. The adrenalin of the suicide flights, the courage displayed by the airmen in rescuing their comrades while under heavy fire, the firefights in the air, the drone of the aircraft, the crashes as planes went down in flames with their pilots still shooting at the enemy, the camaraderie among the pilots — the battles were all too exciting at times!!
The era seems to have been accurately described by Lanyon – the music, the atmosphere, the clothing, the speech were all wonderfully depicted and there wasn’t anyone who was a caricature. Of all the characters in this book the most remarkable and memorable was Cowboy who made Bat seem like a pale reflection, even though Bat was the captain in charge of this band of flying aces and was just as brave. …… The only member of the group who was confident he would come out of the war alive and return home was the irrepressible Cowboy. Somehow I believed that he would make it.”
Full reviews of all of the books can be found through the links provided
Honourable Mentions for 2009 in no particular order
Cut and Run by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux
Caught Running by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux
Sweet Oblivion series by Jordan Castillo Price (Brazen; Snare; Fluid; Swarm; Elixir)
Channeling Morpheus for Scary Mary series by Jordan Castillo Price (Payback; Vertigo; Manikin; Tainted; Rebirth)
Deadly series by Victor J. Banis (Deadly Nightshade; Deadly Wrong; Deadly Dreams) **
Dash and Dingo by Sean Kennedy and Catt Ford
Bring The Heat by M.L. Rhodes
Nottorno by Z.A. Maxfield
Old Poison by Josh Lanyon
Passion by M.L. Rhodes
Longhorns by Victor J. Banis
High Line by T.A. Chase
Orientation by Rick R. Reed
Heaven Sent series by Jet Mykles (Heaven, Hell, Faith, Purgatory and Genesis)***
Edward Unconditionally by Lynn Lorenz
The One That Got Away (reissued) by Madeleine Urban and Rhianne Aile
A Note in the Margin by Isabelle Rowan
A Bit of Rough by Laura Baumbach
Striking Sparks by Jordan Castillo Price
The Back Passage by James Lear
Somebody Killed His Editor by Josh Lanyon
Hard Fall by James Buchanan
Esprit de Corps anthology [Victor J. Banis (Coming Home); Sanamtha Kane (Islands); George Seaton (Big Diehl); Josh Lanyon (Out of the Blue)]
Hidden Conflict anthology [Alex Beecroft (Blessed Isle); Mark Probst (No to Reason Why); E.N. Holland (Our One and Only); Jordan Taylor (No Darkness)]
The Sweet Flag by Jeanne Barrack
**Deadly Slumber was reviewed by Aunt Lynn but having read it, I would rate it just as highly as the other 3 books in the series
*** I haven’t reviewed Genesis or Faith but I have read them and they definitely belong on the list with the others
What are your favourite M/M books for 2009?
I am just stunned and so amazed that you chose Fire Season as one of your top ten for 2009. Thank you so much for the honor. I’m so glad you liked Holden and Garret. They get some face time in my free holiday story Holiday Hearts and they will back Dec 2010 in Fire Storm. You don’t have to review them since they include other characters besides M/M, but I thought you might enjoy knowing what’s happening with them. Thanks again, Wave. You’ve made my New Year’s start off with a huge bang.
Hi Wave,
I owe you and your site a number of wonderful books I’d have missed otherwise. It’s really hard for me to sort my 2009 favorites into something remotely resembling a top – list. But since something must be top, here you are
1. Uneven by Anah Crow
When I read this story, I was gripped, fascinated, breathless. Gabriel and Rase are both vivid, plausible characters. The mechanics of their relationship are pictured in a way that makes it actually possible. Even if the concept of inflicting/ indulging in pain is alien to me, I can buy it here, and even more I can believe that both men fall in love for each other. An unsettling book, hard to forget and absolutely intriguing.
2. The Dickens with Love by Josh Lanyon
Sweet and wonderful like a Christmas Cake. I liked particularly the author’s virtuosity in playing the full register of the English language. A story fitting the Holiday season in a way I normally only associate with “A Christmas Carol”
3. Amor en retrogrado by A.M. Riley
A broken long – time relationship which might have a second chance. JD is an alcoholic and Roberto the classic co – dependant. It is painful to read how they tear each other apart, and it is touching to watch how they fight for each other when life grants them hope.
4. Maloney’s Law and
5. The Bones of Summer, both by Anne Brooke
These two books are closely related, although either of them can be read as a standalone. In Maloney’s Law we meet gay London PI Paul Maloney who made a terribly wrong decision out of misread love and comes to lose almost everything that is dear to him, even his life. In Bones of Summer Paul is back, but we meet him through Craig, his boyfriend. We come to watch them struggle with the specters that haunt both their past lifes, finding trust, finding friendship and even love in the way. Both books are written in a beautiful language and at a fast pace, laced with humor, emotionality and sympathy for the characters.
6.The Dark Tide by Josh Lanyon
Well, off course this last book in the Adrien English Mystery series was the conclusion, the fulfillment my girlish heart desired for Adrien and Jake. Although The Dark Tide can’t suspense – wise touch Death of a Pirate King – not by far – I was looking forward to it and was not disappointed. The author is not only a master of suspense but also of emotions, of which this book gives proof.
7. Zero at the Bone by Jane Seville
The concept in itself is foreign, of course, but the story was inherently consistent. It was totally plausible for D and Jack to fall in love with each other. I particularly liked the way the love scenes were done – I’m well aware of the fact that it were sex scenes, but they didn’t feel like it. A wonderful mix of action thriller, roadmovie and romance novel, this book was entertaining and fulfilling.
8. The Strongest Shape by Tessa Cardenas
I don’t often read m/m/m, because those are more often than not lacking plot or feel forced. This one didn’t. Each of the characters had a personality of his own. It is believable from the characterisation that the triple actually works better than the previous couple. And, last but not least, it was hot – really hot.
9.Cut and Run by Urban and Roux
I don’t know why I like this book so much. Normally I set great value upon language and internal logic, and this book lacks both. But yet – Zane and Ty got to me. Maybe it were their flaws, their struggles to come to terms with themselves and with each other. Maybe the fact that they both were so often wounded – physically; I’ve seldom met heroes who suffer through so much blood and pain. Maybe because they are so human and so unlikeable that it is all the more miraculous the fall in love with each other. Whatever. I love this book, period.
10. A Note in the Margin by Isabelle Rowan
That’s not a this year’s release I think, but I read it in 2009, and thus I dare to mention it here. A quiet, slow paced book. A skittish foreingner, tamed by affection. A hopeless man who finds hope, a homeless who finds a home and a man who thought himself unable to love who finds the very thing he never dared to look for. A lovely, sage book about what really counts.
That’s an awfully long post and I apologize for using up so much space. Yet I’m curious what other people read over the year. Happy new year to all!
Feliz
This is the sort of comment I’m looking for because the readers always want to know what other bloggers recommend.
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We try to give our honest opinions on books that impress us and those that don’t, and hope that the readers trust us.
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If you are at all interested in reading another M/M/M book you should really try 9-1-1. I have read this book several times and the emotion will blow you away. If you have never read a Chris Owen book you’re in for a treat if you get this, and while you’re at it get Bareback (if you haven’t read it) which is packed with wonderful cowboys, love, betrayal and everything in between. 😀 don’t forget about the other books on the list – they are all woncderful.
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Have a great New Year and 2010.
Guess what I purchased right this moment…
911 will spice up my new year’s eve! Thanks for the suggestion
If you don’t like it I’ll buy you another book to replace it – I’m that confident that you will love
9-1-1. 😀
Hi Lex
When I read and reviewed Fire Season I enjoyed it tremendously and I always figured that it would make my list of top books that I enjoyed the most this year. Garret and Holden are two of my favourite shifters and I’ll check out the Pink Petal site or yours for Holiday Hearts.
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Even though I can’t review Fire Storm because it’s not solely M/M I would definitely be interested in knowing what happens to the characters. Please remind me when the book is released and I’ll get a copy.
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Glad to have helped make your New Year’s start off right – you’re very easy to please 😀 Take care.
This is a great list and while I have 95% of them already, the first two are new ones to me and I plan to use my Amazon gift certificate to check them out! Thanks and Happy New Year!
Hi Jen
I love to pimp my favourite books and you can’t go wrong with the 2 that are on the top of the heap this year. I have re-read them many times and I think you will enjoy them as well. Please read the reviews before you buy to make sure that these books are something you would love to read.
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Happy New Year.
Good list there, Wave! The Dreyfus Affair is an old favourite of mine, I can’t count how many times I’ve reread it! I haven’t got read some of them – so I am noting down 🙂
happy reading 2010!
Hi Eve
Have you read my review of TDT as yet? 😀 I’m going to get a complex if you continue this way. 🙂
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The books on my list are all stories that I have read more than once and I hope you enjoy any that you buy.
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Have a wonderful New Year’s celebration – (yours must be almost over by now) and a great 2010.
Lovely to be on your list twice, Feliz – thank you! I would say that Paul & Craig send their love to you for that, but I might get told off for being the wrong side of insane! Um, they do anyway though …
Plus thanks for a great list here – loads of adds to my TBR pile!!!
Happy New Year!
🙂
Axxx
Anne
I think reading is the best adventure in the world and I hope you go on a few adventures from all the lists that we have provided – yesterday and today.
Almost Like Being in Love is unquestionably my favorite book of the year, too. I knew it as soon as I finished reading (the first time.)
Laurije
You and I are a mutual admiration society for Almost Like Being In Love which is a real “keeper”.
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Have a great New Year’s celebration.
OK, it’s always hard for me to put together a Top 10, not so much which ten belong, but what where to place them 1-10. So I’m going to do my Top 10 and Honorable mentions in ABC order.
Drum roll please, 😀 lol (jk)
*Admit One by Jenna Hilary Sinclair.
Poor Tom, he’s been through so much and is on the skittish side (it’s no wonder). But it’s lovely watching him begin to trust in Kevin. The theme of ‘Rent’ is well used and young Robbie (and Steven) deserve their own story.
*Almost Like Being In Love by Steve Kluger.
I bought this off of the recommendation fromWave and I was not disappointed. The story of Travis and Craig is one worth reading and the writing style is definitely different and intriguing.
*Captain’s Surrender by Alex Beecroft.
Although is starts off with a gruesome flogging, (for those of you that are squeamish), the world building and writing are amazing.
*Cut and Run by Madelein Urban and Abigal Roux.
Zane and Ty, there are no words. They both are flawed and real men. They get bloodied so much, it’s a wonder anyone would ever want to be a FBI agent. Can’t want for the next one.
*Dash and Dingo by Catt Ford and Sean Kennedy.
Another one bought based off the gushing of readers everywhere. The setting and time period make this a one of a kind read. It’s fun watching Henry(Dash) escape London academia for the wilds of Tasmania. More adventures hopefully to come.
*Deadly series by Victor J. Banis.
All four books are wonderful and watching both Tom and Stanley grow, both as individuals and a couple, is great.
*The Desire For Dearborne by V.B. Kildaire.
Leander seems at first a fragile man and watching him grow and stand up for himself, from both the good and bad guys, is a journey well worth taking.
*Edward Unconditionally by Lynn Lorenz.
What can I say?Edward is such a lovable character. The scene with Winston in Jack’s office had my heart breaking and the tissues piling.
*Hard Fall and Island Empire by James Buchanan.
Deputy Joe, Deputy Joe, how my heart swoons for you. Here’s a man who knows being true to himself will lose his family and community (he’s Mormon) but is still true to who he is. Add in the vivid world of rock/cliff climbing and it’s a beautiful story.
*Last but certainly not least.
Don’t Look Back, I Spy Something Bloody, Strange Fortune, The Dark Tide, and The Dickens With Love by Josh Lanyon.
It’s Josh, ‘nough said.
**Honorable Mentions
-A Matter Of Time 1-4 and Change of Heart by Mary Calmes
-As You Are by Ethan Day
-Hammer series #s 4 and 5: Found and Snarred by Sean Michael
-Hemovore by Jordan Castillo Price
-Love and Loyalty by Tere Michaels
-Rough Canvas by Joey W. Hill
-Shades Of Gray by Brooke McKinley
***And the one’s that never get old (and much reread):
-Touching Evil by Rob Knight
-Caught Running by Urban and Roux
-With or Without series by J.L. Langley
Wow, that took up a lot of space, sorry 😀
Cosmonaut
You’re doing better than most of us with your list.
Many of your books are either on this list or the one posted yesterday by the guest reviewers who did such a terrific job this year.
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I love it when readers tell us about their favourite books because I find among them books I haven’t read and some I have loved for a long time. For example Captain’s Surrender by Alex Beecroft was on my Top 10 List for 2008 as well as With and Without by J.L. Langley and many others that you mention. I love Forged in the Hammer series by Sean Michael but ran out of room on the list. 😀 Of course Josh Lanyon, who is on the list many times this year – his writing is always superb.
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Did you know that there’s a new series starting in January which takes off where Cut & Run ends? Madeleine and Abigail will be here on January 20 to talk about Sticks and Stones, the first book in their new series with Ty and Zane.
Yeah, I was on Madeleine’s blog a few weeks back and saw that S&S was coming on Jan 25 and now a 3rd is in the works. It’s already marked on my calendar. Can’t wait for them to stop by. Are you interviewing them again or are they guest blogging?
Cosmonaut
We’re doing both – I’m going to interview them about the new series and they will be on the site January 20th to answer questions from the fans. Hope to see you then.
Great list Wave. I put my list on yesterday. We have some cross-overs:) After making the list yesterday I put Fire Season on my reader for a re read.
Hi Ingrid
I did see your very comprehensive list yesterday. Fire Season is great to read at any time – I re-read it last week. 😀
My Top 10 List 2009
1. Almost Like Being In Love (which I discovered from that last cumulative list of best M/M books here on the blog!)
2. Josh Lanyon – I started reading him this year. My first book was The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks. I’ve bought everything of his in print which I prefer that is available. I am missing some of his stuff. It was genius to put all his novella’s in Vol 1 & 2. I covet them. (Everything he’s written…I’m a huge fan.)
3. Cut and Run is by far my favorite Urban and Roux book. As a writing team, they are automatic buys for me.
4. The Archer’s Heart – Astrid Amara
5. Faith and Fidelity – Tere Michaels
6. Code of Honour (I Do Anthology) – Marquesate
7. Her Majesty’s Men – Marquesate
8. The Cambridge Fellow’s Series
9. Strange Fortune – Josh Lanyon I put this separate since it was his first time at that type of book and it was fantastic. He never disappoints me.
10. Wicked Gentlemen – Ginn Hale
Lisa
I’m so glad you liked Almost like Being in Love; some of the other books on your list almost duplicate my faves. Josh is an incredible and inspired writer and I’ve read and enjoyed all of his books.
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It’s funny that you mention Marquesate because I ran out of room for Her Majesty’s Men which was reviewed here. Wicked Gentlemen made the list last year – Ginn is such a special writer.
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Since you liked Cut and Run so much I hope you saw my comment earlier that Madeleine and Abigail are going to drop by the site to talk about their new series with Ty and Zane on January 20.
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Happy New Year.
That is one impressive list Wave – thank you! My eBook TBR list has now trippled 🙂 Bearing in mind I haven’t read much m/m, the one book that stood out for me this year was Sean Michael’s Bent. It just (and this will no doubt sound weird) spoke to me.
Hopefully I’ll be getting my multi-purpose device next week and then I can tackle all these intereting sounding books, including 911 and Fire Season, not to mention the Adrian English series and the PsyCop series (I am so behind..but I’ll have such fun catching up 🙂
Hi Orannia
You do have a lot to catch up on if you’re a recent convert to M/M. There are many wonderful writers in this sub genre and your credit card will be getting a work out. 😀
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I read Bent last year and enjoyed it tremendously. Sean is an excellent writer. If you haven’t read Forged in his Hammer series you might want to try it – I loved it! Catching up is half of the fun – the other part is recommending your favourites to your friends.
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Happy New Year!
Great list, Wave. I have the Steve Klugar book on my TBR pile and I’m saving it for my holidays :).
Jen
Almost Like Being In Love is not to be missed. I have two other books by this author, which are not M/M, but wonderful all the same. He’s also a playwright.
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I wrote him when I finished ALBIL and he was so nice and friendly – he even gave me some back stories about the book. 😀
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I hope you enjoy the book which is written epistolary style.
Oh my, thank you very much to everybody for sharing your favorite books – you gave me lots of reasons to work out my credit card and I already went on a little shopping spree yesterday. *lol*
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2009 had not been a good reading year for me so I have very few books to mention as my favorites:
1. The Persian Boy by Mary Renault – before I got my greedy hands on it I discovered the movie (disappointing in terms of M/M) and lots of fanfic online. But the book itself with its great writing and characters was the icing on the cake. From there on my imagination was running wild. It’ll be hard to top this experience of pure obsession. 😉
2. Matelots by W.A. Hoffman, 2nd in the Raised by Wolves series – there isn’t much to say other than It.blew.me.away!
3. Mask by Jan Irving – unique and fresh in its writing and universe and with a certain “primal” edge to it.
4. Manhwa/Yaoi (not the genre of this blog, I guess, but maybe still worth mentioning for those interested) – U don’t know me by Rakun – explicit, great art work, good plot; IMO comparable to Ayano Yamane
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I hope that one of these days I’ll figure out how to use paragraphs in my posts. *needs headbang smiley right now* And one New Year’s resolution is to participate more. I’m usually way behind when reading the posts and take too much time making up my mind sometimes – and then the action has already moved on to new posts.
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Anyway, sorry for rambling and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to you all! 🙂
Lilli
I love it when readers tell me and the other readers in detail which books they like and why. Also, although there’s very little yaoi/manga reviewed on the site, many readers love the sub genre.
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Thank you for your suggestions, many of which I know and love, but I could only include on my list (like the other reviewers) the books I actually reviewed this year. The Persian Boy was reviewed by another author, Charlie Cochrane, who I know thought very highly about this book and other classics by Mary Renault, as do I.
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Keep exercising that credit card. 😀
…when you start one of her books you become addicted and so immersed in her world that everything else seems irrelevant.
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Thank you so much, Wave. This is one of those “post-on-the-wall” compliments that will help keep me going when I get discouraged.
Jordan
>>This is one of those “post-on-the-wall” compliments that will help keep me going when I get discouraged.<< * That is actually how I really feel about your writing. I would not have read so many of your books this year, and inhaled them, if I weren't addicted to and under the spell of your characters. Next to Victor and Jacob, Wild Bill, Michael and Crash are my all time faves in terms of characters. When are you going to give Crash his own story (other than Striking Sparks which was too short)? He needs a hot romance. 😀
“When are you going to give Crash his own story (other than Striking Sparks which was too short)? He needs a hot romance. ”
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I think he could carry his own story, too. Maybe after the PsyCop series is done I’ll give him a standalone novel. I started a short with him last summer but it didn’t gel–either there was something not-right about it, or maybe I was hurrying to finish Sweet Oblivion within the deadline.
Jordan
Do you have a timeframe for when the PsyCop series will be over? I can’t wait forever for Crash to have his own story. He needs a man of his very own and Victor and Jacob may be arounjd for a long time in new stories. 🙁
The timeframe is a bit loose, but the plan is PsyCop 6 in 2010 and PsyCop 7 in 2011, depending on what’s going on with my day job.
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But no promises that Crash rides off into the sunset with a man of his own, either. He might LIKE being single 😉
Jordan
I really like Crash, and aside from hooking him up with someone semi permanently I would just like a novel with him in the starring role. However, I understand that the remaining PsyCop books are your priority which is great as well. 😀
I am delighted that Hidden Conflict got an honorable mention. Thanks, Wave!
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Almost Like Being in Love is my no. 1 book for 2009, too. I love that book! I also really enjoyed The Dreyfus Affair, but I read that a few years ago so I can’t count it for 2009. I had fond memories of DJ and Randy when I visited the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown last May.
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I am reading The Dark Tide right now and savoring it. I want to make it last. I really liked Out of the Blue but I think I liked The Dickens With Love a little bit better. And, I have Strange Fortune on my shelf, waiting for me…
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Thanks for all these recs, Wave. I am off to check out 9-1-1.
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L
Hi Leslie
As you know I enjoyed some of the stories more than others, but overall the anthology was well done and deserving of being on the list.
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I hope that next year I can come up with another book that I loved as much as Almost Like Being In Love. I’m now reading The Last Days of Summer that Kluger wrote in 1998 which again is about baseball but is not M/M. So far it’s a wonderful heartwarming book. You should check it out if you have the opportunity. I bought it second hand on amazon.
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9-1-1 is wonderful. You should also get Bareback released in 2003 by Chris if you haven’t read it. That’s really the book that got me hooked on M/M even though I had read other books in the sub genre before.
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I would recommend all of the books on the list although some are paranormal. If those are not to your liking then there are others with human protags. 😀
Great list, Wave! I loved many of the books you mentioned. Almost Like Being In Love and Call Me By Your Name are two of my faves, though I read them in 2008, so I didn’t put them on my list. I haven’t read The Dreyfus Affair so I’ve put that on my TBB list now.
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My favorites that I read in 2009 are
1. The Dark Tide. I love the whole AE series, and this book was the perfect ending to it. Also really liked Somebody Killed His Editor and I Spy Something Wicked, so I’ll include them here as well.
2. Tigers and Devils
3. Camp Hell. Love the whole PsyCop series and looking forward to the next book.
4. Cut and Run
5. A Red-Tainted Silence by Carolyn Gray
6. Bound and Determined by Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow. I like teacher/student stories so really enjoyed this one. It’s BDSM but fairly light.
7. A Note in the Margin
8. Regularly Scheduled Life. Loved this story about an established couple working through a tragedy.
9. The Journals of Will Barnett by Ronald Donaghe. Sweet series about a teenage boy in the 1960’s coming to terms with his sexuality and finding love. I’d previously read the Common Sons series by this author and really enjoyed those as well.
10. Edward Unconditionally
Also had several honorable mentions
I’ll Be Your Drill Soldier by Crystal Rose
Channeling Morpheus/ Sweet Oblivion series
Zero at the Bone
Cambridge Fellows series
Deadly Series
Inland Empire
Collision Course
Shades of Gray
Conflict in Blood series by Ariel Tachna
Nichem
We seem to love the same books.
I’m trying to get Jenre to review A Red Tainted Silence – I read it 3 years ago and can’t remember the story now.
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I have I’ll be your Drill Soldier in my TBR pile and of course I love Charlie’s Cambridge Fellows series – the first one was on my list last year but now Lynn has taken command of reviewing the series. 🙂
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The only ones I haven’t read as yet are your # 8 and # 9 and Regularly Scheduled Life. I haven’t read the Conflict in Blood series – I must check it out.
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Great list Nichem.
I read the Conflict in Blood series by Ariel Tachna, which I really liked. I didn’t think it would be classified as M/M because there was definitely m/f and f/f in that series, but Wave you should still check it out.
The thought of trying to pick ten favorites out of the hundreds of m/m books I’ve read this year is incredibly daunting to me, so I intended to save myself the effort and simply observe this thread and not contribute. But then I thought about how much I enjoy and value reading others’ lists, so I figured I might as well give it a stab, just in case a reader discovers something on mine that she or he might not otherwise have read. (And I should note that though I’ve read most of the books on Wave’s list, I have not yet read Almost Like Being in Love.)
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This is only a very rough order – the ones nearest the top are probably my most favorite, but other than that there’s no attempt to put them in order of preference.
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1. The Dark Tide and the entire Adrien English series by Josh Lanyon. I’ll gladly hop right on this bandwagon; I loved these books before, and Dark Tide is such a wonderful, perfect finale that it only made me love the series more (I must admit to being a huge Jake fan). And I adored Somebody Killed His Editor – can’t wait for the next book in this series.
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2.Camp Hell and the entire PsyCop series by Jordan Castillo Price. I *adore* these, and as much as I wouldn’t mind reading a novel about Crash, I never, ever want this series to end. I am so in love with Jacob and Vic, and this series gets better and better. I also love the author’s Channeling Morpheus/Sweet Oblivion series, and the concluding book in the series, Elixir, exceeded all my expectations.
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3. Collision Course, by K.A. Mitchell. I think this author is so under-appreciated; I think she’s one of the best writing today, in terms of writing skill, relationship and character development, and the ability to write absolutely integral scorching hot sex scenes! I also love Regularly Scheduled Life by this author, but Collision Course is my favorite.
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4. Downtime, by Tamara Allen (originally released under the pseudonym James Allen; re-released in mid-2009 by LuLu; this author also wrote Whistling in the Dark). I got this on LuLu, but it has since disappeared – I believe the author plans to re-release it soon with a new cover. That’s my understanding, at least. It’s one of my all-time favorites, a time-traveling mystery and charming but never sappy romance, with protagonists that you just fall in love with. I’ve re-read it so many times.
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5. Tigers and Devils, by Sean Kennedy. Such great characters – great character and relationship development. A long, always-satisfying read, another one that I go back to repeatedly.
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6. Hard Fall, by James Buchanan. I think this author gets better and better and has a real gift for drawing interesting, complex characters and relationships and telling interesting stories. This is one of my favorites – along with the Inland Empire series.
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7. The Rest of Our Lives, by Dan Stone. I always long for just a bit more to the ending of this one – and yet something draws me back to it over and over. It’s gentle but with just enough bite, unique and absorbing, with protagonists whose vulnerability always moves me. Very underrated, I think; I’d love to see more from this author.
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8. Like Coffee and Donuts, by Elle Parker. A really well written, well crafted, engrossing whodunnit with an interesting and believable romance thrown in – not cookie-cutter stuff at all.
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9. The Elegant Corpse, by A.M. Riley. The mystery (or rather, the resolution) left a little to be desired to my mind, but the characters were absolutely compelling, the relationship utterly fascinating. I’m definitely intending to read more by this author.
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10. Fire on the Mountain and sequel, Snow on the Mountain, by P.D. Singer. Nothing deep to these – just great settings, nice stories, really likable protagonists; there are many books like them, but these are better written, with more complex characters and relationships, relationships, better character and relationship development, and more interesting and well developed storylines – just more depth and written with more skill than the norm. I really want more of these!
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Honorable mention; some others I enjoyed:
-Faith and Fidelity, by Tere Michaels. I wasn’t a huge fan of Love and Loyalty, but I loved this one.
-As You Are, by Ethan Day. I really like this author’s stories and writing, but his endings sometimes strike me as too abrupt after a lot of relationship angst; this one still suffers from that a little (to my mind at least), but strikes by far the best balance and is the best of his. I think he’s getting better and better.
-The Deadly series, by Victor J. Banis. Unique and compelling; there are elements of these books that I believe a less skilled and confident writer could not pull off, but VJB makes it work and makes me want more.
-Eight Nights and Daybreak, by Keira Andrews. Don’t see much about these, but I love them – college kid learning about himself, falling in love, learning what loyalty means. Sweet but with enough of an edge, good story, good writing.
-Hell Cop and Hell Cop 2, by Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale, & Nicole Kimberling. Love the interweaving of the characters among the stories; love the fun, over-the-top world.
-Reclaiming Love, by V.L. McElfresh. In many ways this is the type of story I usually don’t go for – and yet something about it draws me in. An abuse-recovery, stalking, finding love again story but with enough to it to distinguish it from the masses.
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Oh wow, that took up a whole lot of space – hope that’s not a problem… And I hope there’s something new or interesting in there for someone!
Justacat
I’m so glad you decided to give us your list because even though I read so many books each year there are some here that I haven’t heard of. One of the reasons I love doing this each year is the contributions from the readers so that we all get to find out about other books that are well loved.
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No problem on taking up space – I’ll just charge you rent. 😀
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Although you have many much loved books on your list, some of them I had never heard of such as Reclaiming Love, and Eight Nights and Daybreak. Most of your books were on my list or if they weren’t I couldn’t include them because I decided that I and the guest reviewers could only list the favourites that we reviewed. I love Ethan’s charactefrs but I never get to review his books because Lynn grabs them first – I think she’s an even bigger fan if possible. 🙂 Collision Course was, I believe, on my list last year together with so many other wonderful books.
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Thanks again Justacat for taking the time and I think that many other readers will be taking out their well used credit cards to get their hands on some of your recommendations. Happy New Year!
Thanks for the shout-out!! I am glad you enjoyed those two stories so much that they became your favorite reads of the year 🙂 I must have been dozing at some point though because I can’t recall seeing anything about the Lex Valentine dragon book before; I’ll check this one out. 911 is a longtime favorite of mine too; it was the second M/M book I ever read, IIRC. Geoffrey Knight’s books I already have but have yet to finish – sidetracked by Kirk and Spock, I’m afraid – and Love & Loyalty is on my radar. Dark Tide I am patiently awaiting in print. The Psycops books didn’t do much for me, though; one of the very few times we’ve been in disagreement on a book/series, I am sure 🙂
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As for my own top books of the year, I gave my list of books read a quick check and I realized I didn’t even read enough to make a full top 10. So off the top of my head, my favorite new-to-me books I read in 2009 are, in random order:
-Faith & Fidelity
-Almost Like being in Love
-Bareback, Chris Owen
-Zero at the Bone, Jane Seville
-Helping Hands, Shayla Kersten
-A Note in the Margin, Isabelle Rowan
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There were probably at least one or 2 more, especially prints I would have to rummage through my room to find, but those will have to wait. It still doesn’t make 10. Umm.
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However, if you want a top 25 of best Star Trek slash fanfics, that I have plenty of titles to offer. Lol.
Hi Mary
Thanks again for my two top picks.
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I’m really surprised you didn’t like the PsyCop series – you are the first reader of paranormal books who has said that to me. This is an outstanding series and the humour and sex were both off the scale. I guess I should not recommend Jordan’s other series which are in the Honourable Mentions. 😀
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Your list has a number of my favourites. Bareback was on my list last year. I had read this book when it was first relesed in print almost 7 years ago and have re-read it numerous times. It’s on my all-time Top 10 and 9-1-1 is not far behind. 😀 A Note in the Margin still resonates, because even though I don’t like books with a lot of angst this was one of the few to leave such a great impression.
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If you’re really interested in Fire Season it’s available in print which I know is your preference.
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Keep those recs. coming for this year.