Many of us follow several series and we wait with a great deal of anticipation for the next book to show up because, in most cases, we have been waiting for what seems to be forever to continue the adventures of our favourite heroes. Does it seem as if authors take an awfully long time to release the next book in a series? I remember being very impatient for The Dark Tide (has it only been 2 years?) right after the release of Death of a Pirate King, and like those of you following this series I was on tenterhooks to find out how Josh Lanyon would fix Adrien’s and Jake’s relationship; but fix it he did and in grand style. 🙂
We love our series because of the heroes and that’s why The Adrien English Mysteries has such longevity, which is the point of this post. 🙂
I have many favourite series heroes and a few of them are Vic and Jacob from PsyCop by Jordan Castillo Price, Ty and Zane from Cut & Run by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban, Will and Taylor from Dangerous Ground by Josh Lanyon, and Keiran and Gage 
from The Draegan Lords by M.L. Rhodes. I could go on and on but then what you write about? 😀 Who are your favourite series heroes? Do you sometimes want to give the authors a shove so that they can release the next book in one of your series? Why does it take so damn long? 🙂 Conversely, have you stopped following a series and wished that the author would stick a fork in it because they don’t know when to quit and it’s way past its due date and starting to smell? 😆
There are many elements that make a series a success but the MCs are what make or break it. One of my favourite Sunday afternoon pastimes is sitting down with a book from one of “my” series with a glass of red wine (the wine is very important in order to understand the plot, especially if it’s a mystery series), :doh: and lose myself with my heroes as I live in their world.
So tell us about your series heroes. What makes them special? I don’t mind loaning you a couple of mine. 🙂
Hmmm i can’t remember ever quitting a series because it took too long for the next release but it’s frustrating. However,I rather have a really good book that took longer than a crappy half finished story!
My favorite heroes have always been Gaige and Keiran! I can endlessly reread their stories!!
Hi Larissa
I think I didn’t explain what I meant by its due date and maybe I need to rewrite that. What I meant to say was that some authors stretch a series out too long and should have quit when they were ahead, 😆 not that you would get tired of waiting.
I have been waiting for the next book in The Draegan Lords series for so long so that I can revisit Gaige and Keiran’s world, other than re-reading the stories that have been released. 😀
ah, yes that is very very true! I keep hopjng hamilton will quit with her anita Blake series!
Also some authors start too many series at once, so the wait is also longer!
Larissa
She’ll never quit because the money keeps rolling in. That’s what I meant by using good judgment in knowing when to quit a series. For some authors greed is an excellent motivation – it doesn’t matter if there’s no plot. 🙁
I know, I know, I know, but a girl can hope right?
I have a love/hate relationship with series. It is wonderful to find a lovable world or characters that keeps me coming back for more, but the frustration of waiting for the next book, particularly when the previous one was a cliff-hanger can be immense. I’ve stopped reading a series, or not started it, and waited for all the books to be published before going back to it. Now that I’m old, I do it a lot more. Last thing I want is to be on my deathbed and knowing I’ll never know what happened LOL. The first series I stopped reading was outside of M/M (Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series) – when I realized I was intensely angry because he had taken a break to write some other books – yes, the dreaded ‘series rage’. Sometimes it is just best to step away. 😀 I count myself very lucky to stumble on Charlie Cochrane’s Orlando and Jonty shortly before the last book was published in that series. Nothing better than coming across a fabulous series that is complete. The same for Lanyon’s Adrien English series. All the series that I’ve quit for good have been outside of M/M – JD Robb’s Eve Dallas series, it just went on too long, Lora Leigh’s Breeds – quality went way down, etc. Many times I’d keep buying the books for a while before realizing that I just wasn’t interested in reading them anymore.
Hi Susan
That is so funny. 😆
I love following a series while the books are still being released, but I’ve been burned by authors who do what you said – they take a very long break to write other books while I’m fuming 2 or 3 years later and still no follow up book on the horizon.
When I read het I loved the early books in Lora Leigh’s Breeds series because paranormal stories appealed to me, but then as you said she didn’t know when to quit and kept churning out books like a puppy mill – all were defective. So I stopped reading them.
It was a lovely surprise recently to find that Deputy Joe and his delicious Kabe from Hard Fall got a follow-up book, and from the ending of Spin Out at least one more. Thanks, James Buchanan.
Hi Allie2
I too love Deputy Joe and reviewed Hard Fall. What a wonderful series!! Nicky and Brandon in James’ Against the Odds series is another favourite. If you haven’t read it you should check it out. 🙂
My favorite heroes are Ty & Zane from Cut & Run and Evan and Matt from Faith & Fidelity. I believe both authors are putting out another book in the series. :bravo: I look forward to them so much I add the release dates, when I know them, to my calendar!
Conversely, I just finished reading Aleksandr Voinov’s Special Forces series. Wow, what a powerful, disturbing love story, but I think he should have ended it with Mercenaries. Veterans (the last book in the series) reads like fan fic and totally took the story in a direction that took some of the luster off for me.
Hi Ellie
Ty’s and Zane’s newest book, Divide & Conquer is out next month (October 14) and I’ll be posting an interview with them on October 5th. Later today I’m giving the fans a little teaser from the interview which I think is a great indication of how funny it is. 😆
You’re right about Matt and Evan from F & F – I just re-read F & F a couple of weeks ago and can’t wait for the next book. Haven’t read Aleks’s series but will be doing so soon since he’s being interviewed on the site in early November.
Wave – If you’re going to read all three of Alek’s books in the series leave yourself A LOT of time. All told the length of the series is equivalent to 15 full length books! You might want to put off hobbies, dinner, brushing teeth… just to get it read in time. 😀
You’re kidding – right????? I’m not good with long books since I have problems with my vision and I don’t want to strain them too much. The guys (Tj and Buda) tease me that all I read are pamphlets or books that can be published on Twitter.
Maybe that’s a question I’ll ask Aleks during his interview – why in hell are his damn books so long. 😮
BTW I’ll be asking fans to write in questions for Aleks so keep an eye out for my post which should be today sometime. 🙂
I loved Special Forces but the complete story is very, very long! I also love long stories so it was all good for me. I didn’t read them all at once though, some of it was quite disturbing so I took breaks and read lighter stuff in between. I read it over the course of a couple of months and plan to reread it again.
Wave,
You should start now if you plan to have Special Forces read before your interview!
Special Forces…aarrhhhhhhggggg!!! Just about the most frustrating experience ever!!! And I do agree with Ellie…. lotsa time needed. I gave up on living for 2 whole weeks when I started reading Special Forces. Have never loved, adored, hated and cried so much over a book.
I agree Sona. I felt all of those things about this series.
Sona
Any series should make you “love, adore and hate” the characters or else why read it? 😕 Unfortuantely I don’t have enough time before Aleks’s interview but I’ll definitely put it on my TBR for the future.
There’s no way I can read the series before the interview if it’s that long. I have a stack of books on my TBR to review that I’m woefully behind on and can’t seem to catch up.
I think for me the perfect situation would be to find a series as the last book has just been published. I admit that deciding to take a leap of faith with the PsyCop series late in the game was great as I sat down and read all of them (to this most recent GhosTV) one right after the other, shorts and all. But now I need to WAIT until the next one, assuming there is one, with that friggin’ surprise ending. 🙂 Jacob and Vic are in my top five couples, as are Ardien and Jake, Ty and Zane, Orlando and Jonty, Stanley and Tom from Victor’s Deadly series and Don and Timmy from Richard Stevenson’s Donald Strachey books. I am sure I am missing some, and they’ll probably come to me as I am spinning at the Y in just a bit 🙂 ).
I have suffered through series that have jumped the shark (and complain about it after). I have great admiration for authors who know when to quit (while ahead) and don’t give in to fans demands for more.
You know me Lynn, I love instant gratification which is good on the one hand because I read the series as they are hot off the press but then I wait for years sometimes until the next book is released.
I found Psycop when Body & Soul was released but quickly went back and read the first 2 books. I never regretted the wait. lol.
I love all of your heroes, some more than others. Stanley and Tom make me want to kick them and cuddle them at the same time. 🙂 I must confess I still haven’t read the last book about Jonty and Orlando and you know why. 🙁 Of course my list is longer than yours because I love paranormals and some of the best heroes are in paranormal series I think.
It’s funny, but when I think of favorite MCs in a series, Adrien and Jake always come to mind first. Then Jonty and Orlando. Then Mac and Tony, Kit and JX, Vic and Jacob and another half dozen others. In thinking about it, these guys are all in murder mysteries or action/adventure type stories!
What’s up with that? There are other series out there with couples who are good couples, and don’t have a murder attached to them. Only, I’m finding it hard to think of one.
I’d say Shawn and Cooper from St Nacho’s, but they really aren’t a force in the other books of the series. So, they wouldn’t count, right? Even Deacon and Crick from the Promise Rock series wouldn’t count, even though they do have a presence in the following books of the series. Or even Matt and Jared in the Coda series.
So that maybe gives me my answer, right? Why we gravitate to couples in series that are more action based rather than circumstances, or relationship based. We want our couples to have and keep their HEA. It would be hard to keep writing angsty situations, or break up scenarios over the span of three or more books, because who wants to continuously read about that? We want that safe secure feeling that couples will continue to be happy, even after ‘the end’.
Though, as The Hell You Say proves, couples in action and mystery books still break up and put us, their most devoted fans, through hell.
God! Can I get any more off topic?
To answer your other question, I haven’t dropped a series from my list of ‘to-read’ in the M/M genre, but there have been a few series that I’ve stopped reading, or never started, because the story has been told and needs to stop.
Adding a caveat, there are a couple of series that I follow purely for the crack value. These are trashy, throw-away stories that amuse me, and I know aren’t supposed to mean more than the space they take up in my laptop.
Hi Merith
Many of my series are murder/mysteries as well. Maybe you should tell us about the ones you follow purely for the crack value. We might enjoy them for the same reason. 😯
You made a valid comment that many of the series that are high in angst and low in action don’t star the same protagonists in the following books, even though they do make appearances. So I guess we can’t show them as series heroes since in most cases they are only in the first book in starring roles.
It’s easier to keep books going with action adventure plots or murder mysteries than it is with just romance between the same characters.
Romance, by definition, has an HEA. Once that’s been established, where do you go?
To quote Anne Sexton:
“lived, they say, happily ever after,
like two dolls in a museum case
never bothered by diapers or dust,
never arguing over the timing of an egg,
never telling the same story twice,
never getting a middle-aged spread,
their darling smiles pasted on for eternity.
Regular Bobbsey Twins.”
But if your heroes are an established couple and constantly getting into scrapes, you can run a series.
(Speaking of, I need to get back to Edward and Charlie and that arctic expedition)
I find it difficult to maintain an interest in a series if it’s all about the “romance.” I need something else e.g. Will and Tyalor in Dangerous Ground or Ty and Zane in the Cut & Run series have jobs that provide the tension, different situations and the basis for the plots.
If it’s all angst and living in a small town for 5 books that doesn’t work for me, and probably that’s why in most contemporary serie the authors have different MCs for each book with the first protagonists just “visiting” the new characters from time to time.
I started loving series with the Mallory’s in Johanna Lindsey’s historicals and it has carried over into this genre.
My top three:
1.) Will and Taylor – Dangerous Ground
2.) Vic and Jacob – PsyCop
3.) Evan and Matt – Faith & Fidelity
I like them all because they are regular guys and act like guys. It also might have something to do they are all involved in law enforcement. I love my cop stories. 😀
Hey Lasha
I love all of your heroes but Evan and Matt only starred in F & F although they made guest appearances in the folowing books. As Merith mentioned, maybe a series that’s not an action adventure or murder mystery doesn’t have the staying power to sustain the same heroes. Here’s her comment:
About half of my favourites are heroes are from paranormal stories, like Wild Bill and Michael from Sweet Oblivion and Channeling Morpheus by Jordan. 🙂
Ah, Wave, Matt & Evan starred in book 3 of the F&F series. They’re one of my favorite couples (even with all the bloody kids). Can’t wait for the 4th installment.
My favorite series characters? Whoa, that’s a tough one. There are so many.
Will and Taylor of the Dangerous Ground series. Ty and Zane from Cut & Run. Matt and Evan of Faith & Fidelity. Sam and Bo of Bay City Paranormal. Nicky and Brandon from James Buchanan. Hunter and Max of Cooper Davis’ Boys of Summer series. Jake and Tor from Bareback. DB and Jesse from Drew Zachary. And I’m going to add Griff and Dante from Hot Head because Damon says he’s writing a sequel. (Yaaay!)
Good thing you didn’t ask me to pick just one – I would have had a mental meltdown! 😀
Hi Kiracee
I thought this was an easy question for fans to answer. 🙂
You have named many of my faves, although I don’t know about Griff and Dante since the next book, Hard Head, has different protagonists and as far as I understand Griff and Dante will have very small roles. Maybe I’m wrong.
Definitely Hunter and Max are great together as well as Matt and Evan, although Matt and Evan do not have major roles in the rest of the books in this series as each one features different heroes. Nicky and Brandon are up there as well for me.
Glad you didn’t have a meltdown. 😮
I haven’t read a huge amount of series, but I definitely fell for Adrien and Jake in Adrien English, and Vic and Jacob in Psycops. I also adore Angelo and Zach in Marie Sexton’s Coda series, and wish they were the main characters in more books as they knock the socks of Cole, Jon, Matt and Jared (IMHO) – which isn’t to say I don’t love the others too, but Angelo and Zach are something special.
What makes two MCs work in a series for me, is if one of them has delicious complexities that the other can help him through, and then the roles are reversed. Both characters need to be vulnerable at times. Also, the series can’t go wrong with a bit of witty banter and scorching hot sex 😉
I can see why you love Vic and Jacob and Jake & Adrien. (Jake is my favourite in the AE series because he’s not whiny or predictable – not that Adrien is either but Jake rocks) lol.
With the Coda series Cole is my absolute favourite and then comes Angelo and Zach because they are not typical hero material which is why I think Marie rocks. She had enough balls to write heroes who were not exactly boy next door material, if you get my drift. 😯
I hope you read the Cut & Run series with Ty and Zane – they are two of my absolute favourite heroes and once you start the series you’ll be hooked – trust me on this. They have so much baggage I wonder how they don’t trip over it. 😀
Oh. How could I have forgotten Coda series? I guess I do like more of the series than I thought of the top of my head. And yes, Cole is my favorite in those series, although I do not like Angelo and Zach (nothing to do with what kind of the relationship they are in and everything to do with not liking their personalities much, for me anyway, I do know some readers who dislike these two because of their relationship).
I also realized that I can name more series in other genres that I like.
Micheal and Wild Bill from Jordan Castillo Price’s Channeling Morpheus and Sweet Oblivion series.
I love PsyCop, as well–and I’ll definitely put my hand up for Jake and Adrien from Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English series–but I really can never understand why Channeling Morpheus doesn’t get the gushes that PsyCop does. The characters are complex and sex-on-legs, and the take on vampires unique and riveting. I’d pay a lot to see this series go on. (Are you listening JCP? *pokes*)
Carole
You are a woman whose tastes are similar to mine. I had included Wild Bill from the Channeling Morpheus and Sweet Obliviion series in the post when I first wrote it but I took them out because I wanted to see if anyone else loved them as much as I did and do. They are without a doubt one of the hottest series heroes around and Wild Bill can visit me at any time. I love them to bits but I don’t think that Jordan’s listening. 🙁 I have this series in both ebooks and print which is rare for me.
I enjoyed thinking about this and checked out my kindle to see what I’ve been doing. I think it is incredibly rare to find series the calibre of Adrien and Jake’s……hen’s teeth spring to mind. Vic and Jacob come closest for me. I have some hopes for Kaje Harper’s Tony and Mac.
But after that I think I prefer series that might share a location or a couple of characters, thinking of K A Mitchell’s Diving in Deep, Collision Course and No Souvenirs. L B Gregg’s Men of Smithfield really works for me, as do the Promise Rock books.
I’m still waiting impatiently for another in J L Langley’s Regency series, which amused me lots.
I think I got burnt with the fantasy genre as many promising series crashed and burned, or rather swallowed and burped. Ilona Andrews is still consistently good. Charlaine Harris has more or less lost the plot as the books get shorter and shorter…… Oh two guilty pleasure series that I still buy Shelly Laurenston and Nalini Singi. Good times.
Hello Raine
I love K.A. Mitchell’s books as well as the others you mentioned. I still have to review Diving in Deep. 🙂 According to JL Langley’s website, Colton’s story (the next one in the Sci Regency series) should be completed this fall and I can’t wait because it’s become my favourite JL series. Maybe Sterling’s story in her With and Without series will top it but until then bring on the Regency boys.
I don’t know a lot of the het series since I stopped reading het a long time ago, but I still remember the Breeds series which ran out of steam and plot.
Vic and Jacob are definitely on the top of my list – one of my Top 3 series.
Ty and Zane from C & R. I’ve just reread the first 3 books in anticipation of Divide and Conquer being released.
I also love Tobias and Noah from the Deviations series.
I have a real soft spot for Rock and Rig from the Jarheads series since they were about the first m/m I ever read. Just wish Sean Michael would feature more character and less sex!
Laura
Tobias and Noah, one of my favourite couples. I’m so glad that you mentioned the Deviations series- one of the best BDSM series around.
I never read the Jarheads series. I started it but was blinded by the sex. lol I needed a lot more plot.
You won’t have long to wait for Ty & Zane – less than a month. I hope no one is pissed at me if I post the review early. *avoiding flying brickbats* 😮
Rock and Rig and Dick! How could I have forgotten them! Loved them inspite of the non stop sex scenes.
Definitely Ty and Zane from the Cut and Run series! And then Dan and Ce from L.B. Gregg’s Romano and Albright series. They’re quirky and funny and hot. (And I wish the third book would come out already.) And, uh… I haven’t read the Adrien English Mysteries and PsyCop series yet – I know that at this point it’s practically a cardinal sin! – but I’ve taken peeks here and there and the main characters seem like people I’d fall in love with.
Hi Beatrice
We all can’t get enough of Ty and Zane.
I can’t believe that you haven’t read The AE or PsyCop series – two of the best series around, bar none. Both series have been around for a while and the fans are incredibly loyal. 😎 Once you start reading you won’t be able to stop. 🙂
Ahaha I do believe it’s just me being intimidated by all the great reviews. My best friend, though – she’s read all of the books in AE Mysteries as well as the PsyCop series and she loves them all. I’ll have to read all these books in one go so I’m waiting for the next long weekend. 😀
The reviews are right – these books are great. You will need more than a long weekend even if you don’t take sleep breaks 😮 because AE is 5 books and Psycop is 6 or 7 books. 🙂
Seems to me that this post and most of the comments have concentrated on one type of series, in which the main characters in the first book remain the focus of the series. That’s difficult for an author to do successfully, particularly if the series wasn’t intended when the first book was written. In that case, the MC’s story arc is complete with the first book and it’s almost inevitable that succeeding books will be less interesting.
Another type of series is perhaps more common in het romances, where each book features different MCs and the link with the other books is family, or a club or regiment, or tightly-bound group of friends.
I love series, and have done since I was a child – if I find a bunch of characters I love, then I want to read more and more about them. But I hate waiting for the books to come out! Like Aunt Lynn “the perfect situation would be to find a series as the last book has just been published”. I did that with Brockmann’s Troubleshooters and Tall Dark and Dangerous (the ones which have come out since feel like add-ons), and almost did it with Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English series – I found it just as the penultimate book was published and then had to wait for the final one, cursing every time he published a different book (even though I loved them of course!). If I see that one of my favorite authors is starting a new series I will wait until it’s complete and then read all the books together. I love settling down with a pile of books and immersing myself in the same world created by the author for all of them.
My favorite MCs are Adrien and Jake, and from my childhood Tamzin and Meryon from Monica Edwards’s Romney Marsh books and Peter (Petronella) and David from Malcolm Saville’s Lone Pine series. I also have a soft spot for Orlando and Jonty from Lessons in Love etc (Charlie Cochrane).
HJ
oh wow Tamzin and Meryon…….do you remember the one when Meryon is blinded ? Lovely series indeed, thank you for reminding me. Do you know Antonia Forest’s series incl The Cricket Term ? Also for chiildren, and also has that lovely timeless quality.
Hi HJ
This is one of the reasons I admire Urban and Roux because I believe Cut & Run was supposed to be a standalone book but the characters caught on with the fans and they had to rethink everything. You’re right of course that not every author can successfully transition to a series, and I’ve been disappointed many times when the other books in a series don’t live up to the first.
When I read het books I never got into a series except for the Breeds series, but Lora Leigh didn’t know when to pull the plug. I’m sure that the series is continuing even though the plots sucked when I stopped reading the stories a long time ago.
I’m too impatient to wait until a series is completed before I start reading it. Lucky for me I didn’t find Adrien English until book 3, The Hell you Say, so the wait wasn’t too much although it did seem like an inordinately long time then.
Orlando and Jonty will remain favourites even though I haven’t read the last book. 😀
YAY Wave…great post! I’m in the process of re-reading all the Ty and Zane books and all the Taylor and Will books(the new one Dead Run was fantastic!)cause I can’t get enough of these guys.
Here are my faves:
1. Ty and Zane(Cut and Run Series)
2. Will and Taylor(Dangerous Ground Series)
3. Brian and Jamie(Little Boy Lost Series)
4. Tony and Mac(Lessons Series)
5. Brandon and Nick(Taking The Odds Series)
Couples I would love to see in a series:
1. Dante and Griff(Hot Head by Damon Suede)
2. Gabe and Drew(Blood and Tears by Ethan Stone)
3. Ryan and Phillip(I’ll Be Your Drill,Soldier by Crystal Rose)
4. Elliot and Tucker(Fair Game by Josh Lanyon)
I’m in the mood to read some m/m where the MC has psychic abilities so I ask on Goodreads for so good recommendations and I’m going to start reading the psycop series which I’m really looking forward too.
The one series that I can’t believe I haven’t read is the Adrien English series…and I have no clue why, I have the first two on my e-reader even. I will have to get to them sometime soon.
I think you will enjoy the PsyCops series. The writing is excellent and his pyschic ability, as presented, totally believable.
YAY, thanks sfrizell! I’m going to buy a couple tonight and start reading them after I’m done reading the book I’m reading now. :hurrah:
Wonderful list Jamie.
You mentioned that you would like to see Ryan and Phillip from I’ll be Your Drill, Soldier in a series but I don’t believe that Crystal rose has written another book since Drill.
PsyCop is a wonderful series and you will love Vic who is the psychic in the partnership. They make an adorable couple with all of their hangups and issues.
You seem to have a head start on some of the best series so there’s nothing I can recommend for you, except to suggest that you’re missing out on a great series with Adrien English.
Actually, Crystal Rose has completed the second book with Ryan and Phillip from I’ll Be Your Drill, Sergeant. It’s been finished for a while but going through a few minor delays. I’m hoping it will be out by end if year.
Secondly, Tere Micheals currently has no plans for another Matt and Evan book in the Faith & Fidelity series.
I’m really happy that Crystal rose has written another book with Ryan and Phillip from Drill – I’ve been checking everywhere and couldn’t find any information. Who is the publisher – the same one?
Is Tere Michaels actually writing another book in the F & F series or is she going to concentrate on het/and or menage since she writes in both genres? Her website is “under construction” and she doesn’t update her blog – I think there are 2 posts for the entire year.
I can’t remember if it is same publisher, but on her Goodreads profile she discusses the new book and has an excerpt of new book and the aftermath of Phillip healing. She also put out an excerpt there of Phillip’s daughter attempting to go on a first date and the guys meeting her date. Its hilarious.
Tere Michaels posted on her Facebook and her Goodreads Question Group that she doesn’t have any plans on continuing the series with Matt & Evan unless she can think of a good enough story.
Hey Wave…I don’t know if you have read this or not and if not then you are in for a treat!!!
http://www.goodreads.com/author-blog-posts/1183579-sneak-peak
Let me know what you thought.
Jamie
This is the message I received when I clicked on the link
“The page you requested doesn’t exist. Please check the url again, or visit the home page.
« go to the goodreads homepage”
Could a letter or something be left out of the link?
It’s right…I don’t know why it’s not working.
Try this one
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2896790.Crystal_Rose/blog
It’s the sneak peak to Crystal’s new book…it’s three post down.
Thanks Jaime
This one worked. I really appreciate you sending me the link.
I’m not particularly faithful – the top favorite usually depends on which I’ve read most recently. :reading1: Here are some that I read over and over due to my enjoyment of them…
Vic/Jacob-PsyCop paranormals
Adrien/Jake-Adrien English mysteries
Mac/Tony-Kaje Harper series
Angelo/Zach-Coda, CO series
Daniel/Mace-Wolfman series
Caesar/Dan-Romano Albright series
Dan/Evan/Jeff+Chris-Kate Sherwood’s boys
And I am looking forward to the long-awaited 2nd story for Aidan and Talos. 😀
sfrizell
as I like all the books on your list I am intrigued by one series I don’t recognise- Daniel/Mace- Wolfman Series. Who writes this one please ? 🙂
Raine, Brannan Black is the author and they’re available on ARe. The cover art is bad (at least IMO) but they’re different werewolf stories – not shifters. Neither MC is a chick w/ a dick and there is humor there…..just different!
Thanks, I’ll check them out, bad cover art and all!
Love your list but where are Ty & Zane? lol.
I love Angelo & Zach also but some readers don’t like them I guess because they have an open relationship. My other favourite in the series is Cole & Jon, although I love Cole best. 🙂
Hey, Jaime! This is Jen from our Goodreads discussion. 😀
Anyways, to both you and Wave if you actually scroll down even further you will see the excerpt of the guys meeting Phillip’s daughter’s date. And I can wait for this awesome sequel. I really home they become available in paperback.
Thanks Jen
I’ll do that. I can’t wait for the sequel because I really loved Drill.
Hey Jen…thanks, I would of never of noticed it.
I should add something about my admiration for those writers who develop series. You have to have the characters sustain growth and development while retaining the “essence” that first captured your readers. Such a fine edge there.
Kudos and many thanks to all the writers out there! :bravo:
Well said. :god:
I would say my favorite couples are from series are as follows:
1. Ty & Zane (Cut & Run series)
2. Jake & Adrian (Adrian English)
3. Matt & Evan (I consider them a series because the were actually main couple in more than one book. Duty & Devotion and Faith & Fidelity)
4. Will & Taylor (Dangerous Ground)
I wish Marie Sexton would stop with Angelo & Zach because I actually despise both of these characters immensely. But, I’m patiently waiting for the next Jon & Cole she has planned.
I agree with Jaime in that I completely want a series made of Josh Lanyon’s Fair Game and also Crystal Rose’s I’ll Be Your Drill, Sergeant.
I would also like a series for TJ Klune’s Bear, Otter, and the Kid. I know there is supposedly 2 more books coming.
Do you know when Tere Michaels is planning to release next Matt &Evan book?
I agree with Jaime in wanting
I love series and I have noticed my favorite couples change with whatever mood I am in and right now I am loving Seth and Dino from Elle Parkers Dino Martini Mysteries series. I fine the two such well defined characters and they are just enjoyable to read. I really hope there are many more.
Hi Amanda
Thanks for reminding me about Elle Parker’s series. I have the books on my TBR but haven’t opened them as yet although I’ve heard good things about her heroes.
Guess I’ll be getting to them very soon. 🙂
Oh, I completely forgot. I love, love, love Simon and Jeremy from Shadow of the Templar and Skyler & Keith from Haley Walsh’s Foxetail series
Ok here we go…
Ty/Zane-Cut & Run
Vic/Jacob-PsyCop (Jordan Castillo Price)
Michael/Wild Bill-Channeling Morpheus&Sweet Oblivion (Jordan Castillo Price)
Adrien/Jake-Adrien English mysteries (Josh Lanyon)
Kit/JX-Holmes and Moriarity series (Josh Lanyon)
Will/Taylor-Dangeroud Ground (Josh Lanyon)
Peter/Nick-Bellingham Mysteries (Nicole Kimberling)
Caesar/Dan-Romano Albright series (LB Gregg)
Alec/Seregil-Nightrunner (Lynn Flewelling)
Vanyel/Yfandes-Last Herald-Mage (Mercedes Lackey)
Alec/Richard Riverside series (Ellen Kushner)
Keshan/Tarek-Archers’s Heart (Astrid Amara)
Vadim/Dan-Special Forces
Adam/Peter-AM Rileys wampire series (AM Riley)
Liam/Aidan-Have Body, Will Gaurd (Neil Plakcy)
Skyler/Keith-Foxetail series (Haley Walsh)
Dino/Seth-Dino Martini Mysteries (Elle Parker)
Simon/Jeremy-Shadow of the Templar (M. Chandler)
Frank/Rand-Crossroads (Keta Diablo)
Jory/Sam-A Matter of Time (Mary Calmes)
Tom/Stanley-Deadly Mysteries (Victor Banis)
Adin/Donte-The Hours Trilogy (ZAM)
Saga, good gawd how do you keep up with all those couples? 😯
I really like Dino and Seth in the first book but I could not get into Like Pizza and Beer….I think with Dino’s ex-girlfriend showing up totally turned me off, I have yet to finish it and I think I got to only a couple of chapters. 😥
Jamie, I actually liked the 2nd book more than the first. I think the mystery had a better arc in the 2nd… and you know, there was that hot beach sex!
I love fantasy, mysteries and action adventure… lot’s of series with heroes in them. 😀
Saga
As Jaime said, how do you remember and keep up with all these series. 😮 Guess I’ll have to bring out the old credit card because you reminded me of a few series I haven’t read as yet. Thanks for helping me spend even more money. 😆
I have them listed in goodreads or else I would never remember. Before I started using it I even forgot which ebooks I actually owned.
And I didn’t list all… left out the couple in mindfuck for example, don’t know if they’re such a healthy couple really.
Ooh, Amanda, I forgot about Seth and Dino….I *so* want another story with them!
Jen, you depise Angelo and Zach??!!! 😯 Sacrilege! 😀 I’m not particularly fond of the Jon/Cole characters and I probably like Jared and Matt the best out of the 3 couples.
So am I weird for loving both Angelo & Zach and Cole & Jonathan? 😯 It’s Matt & Jared who don’t do much for me, though I like them. Promises was my least favorite book in the series.
You’re not wierd. Everyone has their favs.
I liked all the Coda couples. Each story was done well.
jeayci
I’m with you about loving Angelo and Zach as well as Cole and Jon. Cole is my favourite in this series and while I don’t have anything against Matt and Jared they rank third on my list. lol
I really do despise Zach and Angelo. Its not even their open relationship I just don’t like them. Lol. From their very first book I didn’t like them, and if I want to catch up with everyone else I had to read The Letter Z and the Paris story. I just wanted them completely out of those stories.
Cole and Jon are my favorite. I love Matt and Jared too.
I really do despise Zach and Angelo. Its not even their open relationship I just hate them. Lol. I wanted to catch up with the other couples so I had to read The Letter Z and the Paris story and I just wish they would go away. If she wants to keep writing stories with them fine, but I wish they didn’t have to be in every single book.
I love Cole the best, but I love the other 3 boys as well.
My faves in addition to Vic and Jacob are Michael and Wild Bill, also by Jordan Castillo Price and probably my faves are Nikki and Brandon from James Buchanan. Gah! So hot. The Draegen Lords is another great series with two good heroes.
Hi Tam
All of the series you mentioned are my faves as well. Well written plots and wonderful characters. I re-read Channeling Morpheus and Sweet Oblivion when I’m looking for something short since wild Bill is one of my go-to heroes. 🙂
Faves:
Ty & Zane (and I swear Oct 14th can’t get here fast enough, and I’m dreading the knowledge that I’ll gobble the book up and then have to wait for-fuckin’-ever (or what will feel that way) until my next fix arrives 😀 )
Keiran & Gage (I keep thinking enough time will have passed that I’ll stop anticipating the next one; hasn’t happened yet. The same is true with Peter & Lucien from Jourdan Lanes Soul Mates)
Nicky & Brandon (I’m still hoping they’ll get another book at some point)
Joe & Kabe (I was sooo glad they became a series)
Angelo & Zach, and I’m looking forward to more Cole & Jonathan
Deacon & Crick (and wow do I hope there will be at least one more book that really focuses on them as the central characters)
I don’t think anyone has mentioned Sam & Mitch and Randy & Ethan from Heidi Cullinan’s series (does it have an official name?) but I love them too
There are many others that I loved while reading them, but that don’t stick with me in the same gotta-have-more way.
Talking about books we want to be series, I have to add The Archer by Abigail Roux. And I’m really looking forward to more Bear, Otter, and the Kid.
I loved Rock & Rig at first, but gave up because there was too much sex to too little plot. I also gave up on the Lora Leigh Breed books because the quality fell sharply and/or they all began to seem the same. Christine Feehan’s Carpathian books also began to be indistinguishable after a little while, so I gave up on them too.
What will you do if the release is delayed? That happened with Dangerous Ground 3 and the publisher didn’t even tell Josh. 😯
I don’t know that Jourdan is writing – she had some health problems I believe. I kept bugging her about the Soul Mates series because I loved Peter & Lucien, but even though she did write part of another book and even had a name, so far nothing. With M.L. Rhodes, she started writing Circle of Ariend sometime ago but there’s no word on when she’ll complete the series.
I never followed Rock & Rig – too little plot and too much sex.
We think alike about these 3 series. lol Many fans don’t like Angelo and Zach but I think they’re hot and Cole is my favourite character in the series. 😀
If it’s delayed? Don’t even think such a thing! :strike: I’m already wanting the next book(s) to come out! You know the saying, “God give me patience, but give it to me now!”? Yeah, patience is not one of my virtues. 😆
I know Jourdan’s not writing these days. I think I read it was her dad with the health issues, but either way, the result is the same. That doesn’t keep me from hoping her dad will do better and her muse will return with lots of time to write… :whistle:
My favorites
Adrien and Jake–Adrien English series
Vic and Jacob– PsyCop
Ty and Zane– Cut and Run series
Kei and Arman– Darshian Tales series
Noah and Tobias–Deviations series (though I didn’t like the last book)
There are many more I love, but those are my top 5.
Nichem
Where have you been? I haven’t seen you here in ages. Why have you abandoned us? 😕
The only series you listed that I don’t know is the Darshian series. I love all the rest. I have the last Deviations book but haven’t read it as yet – Oh no, you didn’t like it. I hope the guys are still together (don’t tell me if they are not). 🙁
I haven’t abandoned you– I was just gone for a lot of the summer and frequently didn’t have internet.
The Darshian series is by Ann Somerville. The first in the series is Kei’s Gift. It’s a fantasy series and really, really good (though the first book is longish, but well worth it). You can get it on kindle through Amazon. If you haven’t read any of her books, I think you’d also like Cold Front (and it’s shorter, lol ).
It wasn’t that anything bad happened in the last Deviations, I just didn’t think the writing was up to par with the other books in the series. 🙁
I have to agree on the last Deviations book.
My sole advice to series writers: Have your characters keep their day jobs!
When Anita Blake started spending more time angsting about her love-life than raising zombies and coping with real crises, she got really dull.
When Noah and Tobais quit working so they could spend all day enjoying each other, again, dull.
(I advise writers to keep their day jobs for the same reason. You need to get out of yourself, out of your head. Meet the farmer-turned-trucker who makes up bad song parodies on a dime as he loads his truck. Meet the Chihuahuan hairdressed, the one-legged man from Nairobi and the Mennonite family on the bus and start a conversation with all four of them)
I also like the Darchian Tales. And I have to 2nd Lucien/Peter from Soul Mates by Jordan Lane.
I could also list Kiram/Javier from Lord of White Hell by Ginn Hale but I actually wish that would become a longer series, with adventures from Kirams and Javiers travels. Javier needs to train to become a shaman and Kiram wants to build his machines…
Such an awesome post Wave. So, my favorites are… Harry Potter. Oh wait, thats not gay romance lol. Let me try again. Aubrey and Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian. Hey, these two had great chemistry even if they always pursued some kind of women in their life 🙂
Okay, having said that, as many said, definitely Ty and Zane and Adrien and Jake and Vic and Jacob. I actually have a wierd attitude about series, I think it is extremely difficult to write the series and maintain tension between protagonists, so I would much rather authors not do that, if the only reason to do so is to drag their success of the first book.
So many times when readers want a sequel (or make book series) simply because they do not want to let their favorite characters go, I want to scream WHY? Why would you want that if everything is resolved in the first book??? I remember being so upset when hearing that author of one of my very favorite historicals decided to make it a trilogy. I was thinking, okay, breaking up for the sake of breaking up will follow and wondering whether I really want to buy the next one.
Needless to say I think Josh Lanyon did it perfectly, maintaining tension that is and ended series on a perfect note. And while so far I have no reason to complain about Vic/jacob, the series seem to be perfect rollecoaster of emotions and action, I am worried if the series will continue indefinitely. Same with Ty and Zane, I mean I love Ty and Zane, do not get me wrong, but even book three already left me a little bit worried. Happy, but worried, because I felt that Zane’s reluctance to do what we all (or most of us :)) want him to do became a little artificial.
Great post Wave.
I dreamed up this post yesterday because I didn’t post anything on Friday. I thought I would get maybe 15 comments and WOW. I guess many readers live and die by their series. 😯
Writing a series and maintaining the high level of tension between the characters is very difficult to do but it works exceedingly well sometimes going by the top 5 series mentioned in the comments. However it takes a lot of skill and many times I drop a series when the plots fall flat or the characters don’t have any chemistry.
I don’t know what Jordan’s plans are for Vic and Jacob but she’s too smart to extend the series just because the fans want more, more, more and I think I can say the same thing about Urban/Roux. In a series the quality of the writing and the characterizations are very important and I’m sure these authors will only continue their series if they felt they had enough plot for another story.
Heeee, you dream up great posts Wave. Yeah I guess I should have more faith in the authors of my few favorite series, shouldnt I? It is not like they dissappointed me yet 🙂
It’s a funny thing. Although many of my favorite authors write series – and I read them and anticipate sequels – the series themselves are usually not my top picks among the author’s works. (Of course, this may change after Josh Lanyon’s Blue Moon releases, as I really loved This Rough Magic.) Anyway, among series, my favorites that I believe have not yet been mentioned here are:
Wil and Dallin from the Aisling books
Vince and Quinn from Mann of My Dreams
Damen and Laurent from Captive Prince
I so hear you Pea, my favorite series are exception to the rule rather than rule, I usually favor stand alones. Oh yes, Will and Dailin, love them too, but does Aisling count as true series? As far as I heard it was originally one story, which publisher made author to cut in three pieces, to me it does not series make.
Oh, really? I didn’t know that. Well, that would be consistent with my preferences, I guess!
Thats what I could swear author mentioned somewhere (maybe even on Cole’s review of the first book, but I cannot be sure).
A firm favourite couple of mine are Nick and John from the “Ghost” series by Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow: Laying a Ghost, Giving up the Ghost and Waking the Dead.
Also, Lucas and Trent in TC Blue’s Conventional Education, Conventional Wisdom and Unconventional.
I haven’t read Jane & alexa’s series Allie2. Thanks for reminding me. Now if only I can find two extra days every week. 😀
I thought about mentioning Lucas and Trent, as I love them too. But felt like I’d already gone on way too long, and they’re 2nd-tier favorites, or something. If I were to list all of those, it would be frighteningly long.
Ty & Zane will always be my number 1 couple, with Vic & Jacob a close second.
However, I also love Chris & David for the PA Brown series LA Heat. Sure, the last book (Bermuda Heat) wasn’t that great, but I think if Pat put these two characters back in the LA setting where they belong, this series could really take off again.
Really sad to hear that Tere Michaels doesn’t have another book planned for Evan & Matt. Those two are in my top 4 couples.
Hi Hope
I love your first two couples but I have a lot of difficulty with the LA Heat series after the first book which I think was the best. The rest I didn’t enjoy.
I agree with Tere Michaels in a way – if there’s no plot why write another book in the series? She’ll probably stick to het or menage from now on.
What I love about the comments here is that, outside of the very popular series heroes like Adrien & Jake, Ty & Zane and Vic & Jacob, most of the readers are sharing lesser known heroes. I know that I will be picking up a few new to me series this week. You guys rock and Saga, you have to find other things to do. lol Your list still shocks me. 😯
I agree, thanks. Ive found a few that I havent read.
Wow! So many comments. Daunting, but I read through them all. Great post, Wave.
My all time favourites: the Adrien English series; Vic and Jacob from Psycop; Simon and Jeremy from Shadow of the Templar; Will and Gaston from Raised by Wolves; and Val and Warrick from the Administration Series (although that’s a somewhat difficult set of stories to read for me). Alec and Seregil are good too, but their romance took three books to develop, and there’s not a heap of it. Lots more plotty stuff going on up front.
There may be more, but these come to mind first.
I was lucky with most of these, because I found them when most of the series had been written, and didn’t have to wait too long for the next story to appear.
The reason I probably love these series is because of the skill of the authors. Storytelling is very important to me. (Plus grammar!) Characterisation is also important; I guess we all need to empathise with characters to like them, and these fellows have all grown on me.
I didn’t take to Ty and Zane. *hides* I must be missing a few cogs, because everyone else seems to have them up there with my other favourites. Nevermind, we can’t all love everything. 😀
Hi Gaye
Thanks for stopping by. Who knew that a short piece I cobbled together last night would get this many comments when posts I work on for days (or even weeks) get barely 10 comments. 😀
We can’t all like the same series so although I don’t understand how you can not LOVE Ty and Zane, you have the right to make a huge mistake. 😎
I’m with you re your other choices and I do have a hate/hate relationship with the gang from the Administration series, but what incredible writing.
Now we’ll all be a lot poorer this week with these wonderful recommendations. I hate it when that happens. 😮
The only novel that didn’t work for me by Roux is The Archer, and as much as Ty and Zane are on my Top 10 list of favourite characters, I absolutely loved According to Hoyle and would love a sequel.
I’ve tried almost every PsyCop novel, including the lauded GhostTV and I apparently can’t see what others do in the characters. To me they seem distant with each other and I don’t see a loving relationship at all. Also with GhostTV I was always waiting for … something… that didn’t happen, either mystery-wise or relationship-wise.
I like a romance but I need a good plot as well which is why I enjoy Mystery, Suspense and Adventure so much. Lanyon’s everything works for me. Adore Wren Boudreau, Tamara/James Allen, Katie Allen, Elle Parker. Seth and Dino are interesting and wonderful characters. Harper Fox is amazing. I don’t get the appeal of Ginn Hale but I’ll give the author another looksee. Can’t abide The Administration.
Too much sex annoys me and ruins my otherwise enjoyment of the novel. Someone recommended Shady Ridge and Neon Skies by Chris Owen as I was in the mood for a good m/m novel involving small town cops with interesting characters. It started out really well and devolved into pages of sex and very little else.
(I like a small town cozy novel with interesting characters and plot with excellent banter, particularly if set in Britain. If anyone knows of any I’d love a recommendation!)
I’m now reading Dirty Kiss and so far so good:) I’m enjoying all the posts here and jotting down a bunch of novels I’ll be checking out. Thank you!
Lanyon can do no wrong.
Oh, I forgot Jonty and Orlando, from the Cambridge Fellows series! How could I forget them? They’re right up there with the rest. *hearts* (Thank you, Graeme, for reminding me.)
Good topic, Wave!
My fav’s:
1. Ty & Zane
2. Vic & Jacob
3. Adrien & Jake
4. Will & Taylor
5. Kit & JX
As for other series heros, I’d need to add Kimo (from Mahu), Russel Quant, and Chance (from Petit Morts)…if those count.
I haven’t yet found a series that I felt was overdone, unless it’s a series of spin-offs. There are several of those that I wish would just stop…they are ruining the initial characters/storylines for me.
And, I don’t mind waiting for sequels. I want them to be good and thought out. I’d rather wait a few years than suffer through a bad sequel that was rushed out. 🙂
Hey Brian
Thanks for giving us your favourites and I’m amazed at how similar our heroes are. Of course I love paranormals as well, but you are probably like Buda – no paranormal shall cross your threshold. 😀
I have never read the Mahu series but I love the guys from Petit Morts and can’t wait for the last set of books to see who Chance will choose as his forever guy. 😀
While I appreciate it takes time to write sequels sometimes I get tired of waiting for the next book in a series especially if it takes more than a couple of years. The last book in the Soul Mates series by Jourdan Lane was released in October 2008 and it had a cliffhanger ending – I’m still waiting 3 years later for book 5.
I enjoyed Jonty and Orlando as well, loved their banter. The storylines weren’t very interesting in each novel but the lads made me smile. But I really didn’t like the last novel. It felt totally off and rushed to me, the final interaction on the beach a real let down after so much angst. I sort of wish I hadn’t read it.
Awesome post, Wave. Seriously, there are so many pairs on here I’ve never heard of, I’m a little ashamed. Unless they’re supernaturals, in which case, I’m okay with it.
I’m with everyone else in loving Ty & Zane, Adrien & Jake, Matt & Evan and Will & Taylor. Can’t forget Cristian & Colby either. Have to add Caesar & Dan because I’m getting impatient waiting for the next Verb Me book. There are others, but it’s late, so I’ll just say I’ll be adding another pair to my list very soon.
Buda
You have to get over this unreasonable hatred for paranormals and get with the program. 😀 We’re all going to try to get you some help, like AA. 🙂
I’m glad we put a dent in your credit card with all the new books you’ll be buying. 😮
Where to start. Well I probably should read the above entries, but that’s for later in the evening.
In the meantime my contributions (leaving aside Josh Lanyon who’s work is derservedly on everyone’s list
Harlan Brown (Patricia Neil Warren))
Crime/mystery
Scott Bradley (Greg Herren)
Chanse MacLeod (Greg Herren)
Kimo Kanapa’aka (Neil Plakcy)
Russell Quant (Anthony Bidulka)
Killian Kendall (Josh Aterovis)
Simon Kirby-Jones (Dean James)
Stan Kraychik (Grant Michaels)
Mark Manning (Michael Craft)
Jaz Anderson (jack Dickson)
Alex Reynolds (Fred Hunter)
Oscar Wilde & Arthur Conan Doyle (Gyles Brandreth)
Stud Draqual (William Maltese)
Dick Hardesty (Dorien Grey)
Inspector Raft (JS Cook)
Skylar Foxe (Haley Walsh)
Jonty & Orlando (Charlie Cochrane)
Donald Strachey (Richard Stevenson)
Nick Hoffman (Lev Raphael)
Fantasy
Seregil & Alec (Lynn Flewelling)
Horror
Victor decimus (Michael Schiefelbein)
Group
Fathom’s five (Geoffrey Knight)
Left a few out – blame that extra glass of red.
Graeme
PS sorry about the bias for mystery/crime
Hi Graeme
Thanks for dropping by and your list is great but where are the names of the couples? We’re supposed to be comparing series heroes, not just the series that we like. lol
For example, in Fantom Five the guys do each other but aren’t couples per se. How much of that wine did you drink anyway before you started???
My take was on the heroes & who wrote them, blame my inner librarian for that mistake.
I give you the point about Fatham Five – but what’s wrong with the collective hero concept.
As for the others in the crime/mystery each one listed is the hero/MC/protagonist and I stand by my contribution – even though I might noy have included their faithfull sidekick.
WTF I’ve woken up grumpy but at least some of my contribution was written more than 5 years ago (and yes i have a first edition of Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English published by Gay Man’s Press – I am THAT OLD!)
As Harvey Feirstein would say whoops!
Looks like I wont be on Randy’s list for a while.
There’s nothing wrong with that and I love Fanthom Five but I did think that 5 (or is it 6)guys might a bit too much to be considered a couple. 😀
You have a copy of the first edition of Adrien English? Wow. I Envy you.
Randy loves you and so do I Graeme. 😆
Boystown Series (Marshall Thornton).
I know this series is not everyone’s cup of tea but there is something about Nick Nowak that i find fascinating.
The ending of Book 3 devastated me and I am so eagerly waiting for Book 4.
Hi Marie
I’m afraid I only got to Book 2 in the Boystown series but I don’t recall if Nick ever had a regular BF. anyway I did enjoy the series and I’m afraid to pick up book 3 for reasons you know. 🙁
What series do I read?
General:
Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars series. I have had a raging John Carter crush since I was 9. (Let’s draw a veil over how much I squeed about the movie) He does an interesting thing: he moves away from his hero after the third book and deals in other characters. John shows up in other books, but isn’t bounding around Mars saving the day.
Harry Potter. Although Harry is a git, I like the supporting characters.
Julian May’s Pliocene saga. This is too long and complicated to discuss.
Elizabeth Donald’s Nocturnal Urges books. (Sadly, she’s holding off on the next one, because the gay character has a relationship and she’s afraid of Getting It Wrong)
Prydain. Again, Taran is a twit, but it’s the secondaries who make it fun.
I read Sherlock Holmes but it’s an On and Off thing.
On the m/m front:
The Deviation series. The last book didn’t work because the guys aren’t working. All they have is each other now, and it makes them less interesting.
The Dr. Fell series. These are the only shorts I will brave present tense writing for, because Dr. Fell is an evil genius.
The Cheating Chance series. Nicky and Brandon work for me, because they feel real. They work hard, they have money trouble and work trouble and family trouble and each-other trouble. My only complaint is I solved the last mystery well before they did.
Knowing when to end a series is vital. After 5 shorts, and an HEA, I knew it was time to move on from Paul and Dan, my werewolves. Anything I write with them is going to be retread. How much trouble can an English prof and an architect believably find, anyway?
Angel
I never became a Harry Potter fan but I love the Deviations series. I have book 6 but I haven’t read it although I’m looking forward to Tobias’s and Noah’s further adventures. I especially want to find out where Phan fits into their lives.
Cheating Chance is a classic although sometimes the angst is a bit too much for me, but like everything else that James writes the characters are fantastic.
You’re absolutely correct that knowing when to end a series saves it from smelling like turned milk.
I’m also a big fan of any author(s) that can keep a series on track and interesting. And I can’t quite figure out if the publishers refuse to release series faster so the prolific authors start another series to keep themselves busy, or if the authors start more series on their own?
Here’s some of my favorites:
Ty/Zane in Cut & Run by Urban & Roux (is it October yet?)
Vic/Jacob in Psycop by JCP
Seregil/Alec in Nightrunner by Lynn Flewelling
Nicky/Brandon in Against the Odds by James Buchanan
Toreth/Warrick in The Administration series by Manna Francis. And with a title like that, you can’t take the first (print) book out in public 😮
Potential to be faves, but at only two books these could end up sequels instead of series:
Joe/Kabe in Hard Fall/Spin Out by James Buchanan
Keiran/Gage in Draegan Lords by M.L. Rhodes
Wild Bill/Michael in Channeling Morpheus by JCP (gotta love boys in eyeliner). 😛
Regency series by J.L. Langley is a bit too early to tell (I’m hopeful) and each book switches heros.
Total crack:
Interstellar Service & Discipline by Morgan Hawke, is total space opera smut :blush: what’s not to love about space vampires?
Soul Mates by Jourdan Lane used to be a fav…but dang, it’s been so long & I was already wondering if she was going to get the story arc back on track.
:fish: And of course, LKH is the classic example of an author not knowing when to finish a series. Last time I bothered to check, both her series had lost any cohesion, direction, or story arc. ‘Character driven’ plots make my head explody. :nuts:
Next up is Ginn Hale and maybe Adrien English 😎
Denni
Most of your faves are mine too and I really like the Administration series with Toreth and Warrick. What incredible characterizations. I can see why people on the subway would look at you funny if you took Mind Fuck out in public. :blush:
What I realize in reading everyone’s lists is that most of us could hole up for a year with our favourite books and never buy any new ones – but that wouldn’t be good for the authors I guess. 🙁
The last Soul Mates book was written 3 years ago and when I asked Jourdan about where she was going with the series she even had a name for book #5, but she has had some health problems so I don’t know if she has written anything new.
I would have loved the Morgan Hawke series but unfortunately it’s like the Brothers in Arms series – there’s het action which I don’t read.
Fans should start a write-in campaign to LKH telling her to “cease and desist.” lol
I think my favorites have been mentioned several times over already (Will & Gaston from RBW; Brian & Jamie from Little Boy Lost; Tony & Mac from Lessons; Brandon & Nicky from Taking The Odds; Toreth & Warwick from the Administration).
Also, I wanted to quickly throw out some love for Angelo and Zach from the Coda series: I know everyone has their tastes but boy oh boy, do I love love love them!! :pant:
I haven’t read the PsyCop series yet, but I have the first book in my TBR pile, so maybe one day those guys will make my list also 😉
Daanquai
I love Angelo and Zach too. Next to Cole and Jon they are my favourite couple in this series.
Also Toreth & Warwick, horrible as they are, are wonderful characters. 🙂
The boys from Cheating Chance are up there for me and you have to read PsyCop – it is one of the most wonderful series ever.
1. Ty/Zane-Cut & Run Series
2. Vic/Jacob-Psycop Series
3. Adrien/Jake
4. Carver/David-Sins of Arrogance, Omission,etc.;
5.Flesh/Colby-In the Flesh/Flesh & Blood
6.Will/Taylor-Dangerous Ground
7.Law/Styx/Paulo-Bound by Law
8.Jake/Tor-Bareback
9.Bast/Trick-Chosen
Love them all. 🙂
Hi Serwaa
I had totally forgotten about Bast and Trick even though I reviewed the two books. The only series or sequel that I haven’t read is “Sins of” …
Great list.
Tarin and Garrick (Beakface) from Syd Mcginley’s Out Of The Woods…Second book, Twice-Caught will be out on September 28th!!! Squee! Been waiting for that one.
Hard to believe that no one mentioned: Val Toreth and Keir Warrick. One of the VERY best.
Oooh, but they have! I mentioned them in Comment No. 32 and they’re also mentioned in comments 38 and 39, and possibly elsewhere. 🙂 They are a good couple, even though I find the stories hard to read in places.
Darn, just got back from vacation so I guess I came into this too late.
I love a series because when I become invested in characters I hate to let them go and find myself dreading The End.
When it comes to favourite authors, each series is a gem of its own, the usual suspects being Josh Lanyon, Roux and Urban, Tere Michaels, Elle Parker, and so many others; and then there are writers whose characters and adventures need a series of their own as well, for example Katie Allen, Harper Fox, Libby Drew, Wren Boudreau, Jane Seville, Tamara/James Allen, Bonnie Dee, a new favourite author, Brooke McKinley… and so on.
I actually can’t think of a series I’ve grown weary of.