Horn Gate #HAHAT

Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Ladies and gentlemen - readers of all ages....Guilty Indulgence Book Club is pleased to participate once again in the annual Hop Against Homophobia And Transphobia (#HAHAT for those social media savvy) Last year we reviewed some great books and paid tribute to a beautiful author who left us too soon.  This year we look forward to bringing more great authors, stories and romances to our Indulgent readers.  

While our book club has that modern mix of women and men, straight and gay, our focus has always been on romance and Love in all its forms.  One of the most important aspects of Love has to be it's connection to Hope. For those who have Love, who love and are, in turn, loved, Hope resides in the heart and mind.  Hope allows one to celebrate the good times and weather the bad ones. Hope allows one to succeed and to fight and to give others Hope.   For many GLBTQ youth, Hope is hard to find.   It is our greatest wish that all who read these reviews this week take the time to spread the message of Hope at all times.  Be the message to our diverse youth population that fear, hatred and intolerance are not acceptable.  Help us spread the message that it does get better, there will be equality, they are accepted and give them Hope!  

Please feel free to click on the following links for other ways to get involved:

Day Against Homophobia     The Trevor Project      NOH8      GLBT National Help Center

 It Gets Better Project      Human Rights Campaign       Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation

PFLAG    

And by all means, stick around for the next ten days during the Hop Against Homophobia - make a comment on the Guilty Indulgence blog site daily for chances to win great reads and find new and fabulous authors!  And then, jump back on the Hop main page to visit each and every site for more chances at prizes, hear stories, read reviews and much, much more!

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And now for the good stuff:

Horn Gate, Damon Suede, Dreamspinner Press, May 2013


HORN GATE: Open at your own risk. 

Librarian Isaac Stein spends his lumpy, lonely days restoring forgotten books, until the night he steals an invitation to a scandalous club steeped in sin. Descending into its bowels, he accidentally discovers Scratch, a wounded demon who feeds on lust. 

Consorting with a mortal is a bad idea, but Scratch can't resist the man who knows how to open the portal that will free him and his kind. After centuries of possessing mortals, he finds himself longing to surrender. To be together, Isaac and Scratch must flirt with damnation and escape an inhuman trafficking ring—and they have to open their hearts or they will never unlock the Horn Gate.

For those who have read Hot Head, it is clearly established that Damon Suede can grip a reader with a great story.  In fact, it would be safe to say that readers of his contemporary M/M romances are rabid fans who want more of that exact style.  Horn Gate is not Hot Head.  Period. End Stop.  Does this mean do not read?  Absolutely not.  This clever novella ensnares the reader with its well crafted web of sex demons and fantastic Jewish occult lore.

There were moments of this book that felt almost Dorian Gray - with the lowly protagonist getting his greatest birthday wish and falling head over heels for the angel-demon.  The writing belongs in the superb category and almost felt incongruous in an erotic urban fantasy type piece.  On second thought, actually it didn't - it took a great story and vaulted it into an excellent category.  Full of wry wit and erudition, Horn Gate is the thinking person's sexy story.  Isaac and Scratch are the paranormal equivalent of Mutt and Jeff but they work in a compelling way.  

Personally, this reviewer is looking forward to the next installment in this erotic fantastical series. Damon Suede earned his spot on my auto-buy list!

I give Horn Gate five chocolate dipped strawberries and a soft whispered plea to hurry up with Hard Head!

This book was give to us by the author for an unbiased review.  Many thanks.