Page 16 of Renegade

Coffee in hand, cat duties done, I took the paperback and my tablet to the living room, switched on a light, and curled up on the sofa to write my review. I leafed through the book, familiarizing myself with it, and then set it aside to begin writing.

Book title: The Sliders

Author: S.E. Hint

Publisher: Self-published

Genre: Action/Adventure

Review/rating by Nightcrawler: 2 Stars

Synopsis:

An enduring work of fiction with an age-old trope…the clash that occurs between two vastly different groups when rich and privileged meets poor and downtrodden.

My Review:

When I chose this novel and read the blurb, I didn’t know what to expect. Perhaps my definition of an enduring work of fiction was different than the author’s. Early on, I became concerned that the similarities between it and another timeless classic, had this book by S.E. Hint, bordering almost on plagiarism, something you know is off limits with Nightcrawler. Regular readers know that any book even hinting of copyright infringement will earn the author a scathing review and as many negative stars as I can give. Furthermore, when the author mentioned the name of one of the groups depicted in this novel, I got very concerned.

Apparently, though, “Greasers” isn’t a slang pejorative for a gang, it’s just meat.

That’s right, dear readers, this novel about varying ways restaurants prepare burgers made me recheck the category under which the book was listed. Instead of being an action and adventure book, it would have been better slotted in as afictionalcookbook, if such a ludicrous bookshelf listing could exist. I admit to my failure at understanding the category listed, though. Perhaps I’m being cynical but, in my opinion, unless your definition of adventure is the varying ways grease can run out of a bun, I’m right. I should stop and mention herethat there are many not so subtle undertones to the way the book is written. In fact, the author’s very description of the preparation of the “Greasers” makes me want to suggest my own category. M/M Romance comes to mind.

Here's an excerpt, you can get the full “flavor.” See if you agree:

“The one takeaway I appreciated when hoping to enjoy a good, thick greaser, was the fact that you could watch as your meat was being prepped. The buns might be mere tops and bottoms, but it’s the filling itself which stands the test of chefs everywhere. The meat’s glistening, smooth, dark tones slid through the grinder, making my mouth water. The way it flopped out with a thickness so heavy, it took two hands to fully wrap its girth. I had high hopes that it would live up to the promised fulfillment at the end. But it was the way the meat oozed deliciously, that made me swallow it all down. I couldn’t wait until the taste exploded on my tongue. I leave this review of Greasers brazenly, shuddering desperately, and trying simply to come away from the meal with any sense of decency.”

If reading the book purely from the action and adventure category, I’d deduct five stars. But if I were to read it as a M/M Romance, I’d give it a wholehearted, if not highly-lubricated two for the prosaic metaphors alone.

I chuckled as I posted my review and then set my tablet aside, relieved to have one more in the bag.

“What’s funny?”

My head shot up, hand over my heart since I’d been so focused on what I was doing, I hadn’t heard Miguel pad down the hall in stockinged feet. He smirked at me and I smiled back sweetly, rising from the couch. He looked damned good in loose sleeping pants and a white tank that showed off his toned body. The muscles of his arms were as sculpted as the rest of him, but it was the black ink on the left bicep which always drew my eye. The eagle, globe, and anchor tattoo emblazoned there, never ceased to make my breath catch in my throat.

“Holy shit, you scared me to death,” I whispered, keeping my voice low so I wouldn’t wake up my nana. It was still an hour before Dolly was due to arrive. Miguel grinned and pulled me down on the couch before taking my hand and tugging me close, kissing me on the lips. I turned into him, loving the way his lips felt as they brushed over mine. When he pulled away, he looked just as sexy as ever.

“What are you doing up so early?”

I tilted my head to the side and smiled at him. “I couldn’t sleep so I got up to write a review.”

His lips quirked. “And that’s what you were laughing at? Yourself?”

I felt myself blush. “I can be funny when I want to.”

“Nightcrawler can be funny when he wants to,” he replied. We both turned toward the sound of padding paws as Stanley came running into the living room from the kitchen where I’d heard him crunching away on the food I’d given him. “There’s my little love,” Miguel said as Stan jumped up onto the couch, ran over to him, and began crawling up his chest. The wince on his face as Stanley used his needle-sharp claws to make his way up Miguel’s body made me hide another smile behind my hand. “Christ! Leave me some skin.”

I stood as Miguel plucked him off his shoulder, kissed him hard, and gave him several cuddles before setting him down. Stanley curled against the side of his leg, narrowing his orange eyes as he no doubt tried to decide if he should try to climb the mountain of his owner’s chest again or not. When he opted for a lunge, I laughed as Miguel caught him.

“He won’t be denied, much like me.” I leaned in and kissed his lips again as Miguel cuddled the cat between our bodies. Miguel looked at me over the furry, white head.

“Is there any more coffee?”

I stood. “I made a single cup for myself over an hour ago. Come to the kitchen where we can talk without waking Nana up and I’ll start the carafe.” I held out a hand and he set Stanley down, watching him curl up on the pillow now that he’d been given attention, before taking my hand and following me to the kitchen. I turned on the pot and slid into the corner dinette as we waited.

“Why couldn’t you sleep?” Miguel plucked a banana from the bowl on the table and began peeling it.

I drew circles on the Formica tabletop, watching my fingers for a minute, looking up just in time to see him sliding the banana into his mouth.

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