Month: September 2014

Cover Reveal for FREE ME–a new title from Laurelin Paige

Hi there! Today I get to share the cover of Laurelin Paige’s FREE ME, a spin-off from her Fixed trilogy. Now, I’ve been telling you how much I enjoyed FIXED ON YOU and HUDSON–I’m really excited to get my hands on FREE ME–and learn what broke Gwen’s heart.

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FREE ME

The Found Duet Book One
by Laurelin Paige
Coming December 2014

Summary:
Her story began long before she started working at The Sky Launch…
Screw fairytales. The only reward Gwen Anders got from her rough childhood was a thick skin and hard heart. She’s content with her daily grind managing a top NYC nightclub—Eighty-Eighth Floor. So hers isn’t a happily ever after. She doesn’t believe in those anyway.

Then she meets J.C.

The rich, smooth talking playboy is the sexiest thing that Gwen has ever encountered, but she’s not interested in a night-in-shining latex. But when a family tragedy pushes her to the brink, it’s J.C. who’s there to teach her a new method of survival, one based on following primal urges and desires. His no-strings-attached lessons require her to abandon her constant need for control. Her carefully built walls are obliterated.

Gwen discovers there’s a beautiful world outside her prison. Freedom is exhilarating—and terrifying. When she starts to feel something for J.C., she fears for her heart. Especially as she realizes that he has secrets of his own. Secrets that don’t want to set him free.

BOOK ONE OF TWO. This series can be read alone or with the Fixed Trilogy.

Check out FREE ME on Goodreads, or pre-order through Amazon.

imageAbout Laurelin:
Laurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She’s a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Mad Men and the Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine.

You can catch up with Laurelin on Facebook, Twitter, her website, her newsletter, and Pinterest.

LaurelinPrize

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He Was SEARCHING FOR GRACE–Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a book that really hit home for me. I review a lot of books that are fun, or sexy, or flirty, but sometimes a book just—

Well, look. I’m gonna share some “V stuff,” so bear with me. I was born and raised a Christian. I went to church, church camp and youth group–faithfully–throughout my childhood. Then, I went away to college. And met the man who is my hubs, going on 23 years together. He is, BTW, Jewish.

This was a point of consternation for, uh, some of my family. It actually took quite a long time for him to be accepted. As a goy–or worse, a shiksa–I was, in fact, not an ideal daughter-in-law candidate either.

My eldest son was accused of being a “devil worshiper” and ostracized by Christian kids in his third grade class–because we celebrate both Christian and Jewish traditional holidays.

My children were not recognized at my “home church” because their father is Jewish. My minister, at a church I had been a member of for 19 years at that point, would not perform my wedding ceremony because my husband was Jewish.

Long point here is, I have felt the hellish finger of bigotry, cloaked in religious tenets, many times in my own life because of the person I loved and married.

Lots of people ask: Why do I celebrate Jewish holidays if I’m Christian? Simple:  My hubs’ grandparents actually survived German work camps in WWII. They were the only Holocaust survivors of their whole families. There is no way I want my kids to feel that DAD’S religion is LESS than MY religion. That’s not my way. If my kids turn out Christian or Jewish or Buddhist or Pastafarian, I really do not care–so long as they are happy.

Many years ago, my hubs asked me: What would you do if one of our sons was gay?

At that time, I hadn’t really considered it. When I did, my only answer could be: Love him. Gay or not. Because, for me, parenthood is unconditional love.

This week I came across this YouTube video (trigger warning!) of a grown man being beaten and disowned by his family for coming out. The reason? “God says being gay is a sin.” Well, there are a lot of sins out there, people. I don’t see parents beating their kids and putting them out on the street for theft. Or coveting. Or what-the-heck-ever other “sin” committed. For some reason, homosexuality has become a “GET OUT OF PARENTING FREE” card for some, and the very idea scrambles my brain.

Books like the one I’m sharing today, SEARCHING FOR GRACE by Juliann Rich, are important–because this is REALLY happening behind closed doors by closed-hearted parents/friends all across our country, and world. If you, or someone you know, is in a bad spot due to homophobia, in the home or outside of it, please seek help. The Trevor Project (866-488-7368) and the GLBT Helpline (888-843-4564) are available for counseling and crisis intervention. Please, call for help. It is available.

About the book:

First it’s a rumor. Then it’s a fact. And then it’s on.

Camp is over and Jonathan Cooper returns home. To life with his mother whose silence is worse than anything she could say…to his varsity soccer teammates at East Bay Christian Academy…to the growing rumors about what he did with a boy last summer at bible camp.

All the important lines blur. Between truth and lies. Between friends and enemies. Between reality and illusion.

Just when Jonathan feels the most alone, help arrives from the unlikeliest of sources: Frances “Sketch” Mallory, the weird girl from his art class, and her equally eccentric friend, Mason. For a short while, thanks to Sketch and Mason, life is almost survivable. Then Ian McGuire comes to town on the night of the homecoming dance and tensions explode. Fists fly, blood flows, and Jonathan—powerless to stop it—does the only thing he believes might save them all: he prays for God’s grace.

Excerpt: (This scene takes place in the school’s cafeteria, the day after a new kid at school “outs” Jonathan to his soccer team and they tell him he can’t sit at their table any longer.)

I wandered away, scanning tables, until I reached the middle of the cafeteria and stood there, holding a tray with a plate full of gross.

“Yo, Jonathan,” a familiar voice called my name, “are you going to stand there drooling over a bunch of butt cracks or are you going to sit down and eat?”

I walked over to the small table in the corner and sat next to Sketch and Mason.

“You okay?” She looked at my face. “You look like you’re going to hurl.”

“Fine.”

“I’m just saying, if you’re going to hurl, I’d appreciate some warning.” Sketch slid a few inches to the left.

“I’m fine!” I turned to Mason and changed the subject. “Thanks for bailing me out in American lit. What are you, like a genius or something?”

Sketch stuck a finger in her mouth and made a gagging sound.

“Now he notices me in a class.” Mason sprinkled Parmesan cheese on his lasagna, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Is it because you’re finally out?”

“W-what?” I stammered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Well, I do,” Sketch said. “Word has it Luke, the new transfer kid from Minnetonka Public, knows for a fact you had all sorts of raging gay sex with a guy at soccer camp last summer. Says he has proof.”

I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw my tray across the cafeteria. I almost hurled.

“I heard it was two guys and it was full on anal wham-bam-thank-you-sir.” Mason butchered more than a stupid rhyme. “I also heard you caught some STD.”

I gripped my fork and counted to ten. “It was a Bible camp, and sure, I hung around with a guy named Ian, but we did not have raging gay sex, and I most certainly do not have a STD!”

“That’s not what I heard.” Mason lifted his box of chocolate milk to his lips.

“Well, I was there and I should know!” My voice rose a few decibels. Heads turned. I mean, more heads turned. Actually, the few heads that weren’t already staring at me, turned. “He was my friend. That’s all!”

“Chill, gentlemen. The important thing right now is that Jonathan is about as popular as a case of herpes.” Sketch pointed out the obvious. “Whether he has it or not is immaterial.”

“It’s not true!” I hissed.

Mason snorted. “Okay, Jonathan. Whatever you say.” He took another sip.

I willed him to choke on his chocolate milk. Really I did. For one malicious moment, I saw it spewing out of his nostrils like a Hershey’s geyser. It didn’t happen, but it felt good to picture it.

Sketch erupted, “Knock it off, Mason. He’s one of us now.”

“He’s one of us? Mr. we were just friends, I swear?”

Something thudded under the table, and Mason frowned at Sketch. “Quit kicking me!”

“Have you forgotten two years ago? When you went around telling everyone I was your girlfriend?” She threw a tomato slice at Mason. It hit him in the chest, leaving a red stain and a few seeds on his shirt when it dropped to the table.

“Wait, so you’re not…” I looked at Mason.

“Going to sit here while this stain sets in.” He stood and shot a lethal glance at Sketch.

“And you’re…?” I asked Sketch after Mason headed toward the boys’ bathroom.

“Does it matter?” She frowned. “Listen, Mason and I have been trying to form a Gay-Straight Alliance for two years, but school policy states a club must have a minimum of three charter members to form, and you know how much Hardin loves his school policies. What do you say…will you be our third?”

Somehow it didn’t seem advisable to tell the only person willing to sit with me at lunch, especially since she was prone to throwing food, that I would rather contract a case of herpes.

My Review:
I can say, I was stunned reading this book. It’s not a blow-you-away-with-plot-twists story. Instead it relates what I believe is an achingly real experience for many LGBTQ teens out there.

Jonathan is gay. He hasn’t told many people, but he did tell his counselor at Bible camp. And, of course, his fellow camp-goers knew about his boyfriend. He’s home from camp now, and his mother is determined that Jonathan re-think his “choice.” See, Jonathan is only 16. Clearly, he’s “just confused” and she schedules him for therapy with their minister, and an intake appointment for an Ex-Gay therapy clinic. She can’t handle her son’s sexuality.

Meanwhile, Jonathan’s childhood friends are turning on him. They refuse to interact with him on the soccer field, even though he was a star player. His boyfriend, Ian, has been kicked out of his family home, and is living in foster care on a farm in Wisconsin. For Jonathan, it feels as if his life is unraveling. He steadfastly refuses to acknowledge publicly that he is gay, but does agree to starting a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance), albeit reluctantly.

Biggest problem with that plan is the school is only paying lip service to opening such a club. No teachers will stick their necks out to sponsor the group–knowing it would likely lead to termination. So, Jonathan reaches out to his camp counselor. This plan is unhappily accepted by their school, and the student involvement is more than Jonathan and his two new buds–Mason and Sketch–could have dreamed. Jonathan is no longer a pariah, but he’s still in danger. He’s attacked, verbally and physically, by some of his homophobic classmates.

Meanwhile, Ian is pressuring Jonathan to run away with him. A stolen rendezvous leads to critical injury, and Jonathan must decide how to move forward in a life where his parents are not accepting his sexuality.

There’s this point where Jonathan finally tells his friends:

I haven’t planned this, but if I had I sure as hell wouldn’t have picked the middle of a crowded cafeteria. But I guess coming out is a lot like falling in love, only you’re falling in love with yourself. The minute you realize it, you need to say the words.

“I’m gay,” I say and wait for their shocked and indignant responses. 

I’m not going to reveal how this was received, but the whole book kept me riveted. Ideas like tolerance and homophobia are tackled head-on. I really appreciated the sensitivity with which these aspects were handled, actually. The evangelicals were not demonized, but they were portrayed to be stalwart, if misguided and anti-gay. That is not the case for all religious persons in this book, praise God.

Jonathan’s camp counselor was very understanding, and helped introduce Jonathan to a new, progressive church where at-risk gay teens were welcomed and allowed to worship in a safe space. I found this to be especially poignant because there are such places as these, and it’s often helpful for LGBTQ persons to have a church family that supports them in their sexuality. In fact, in mt town we have such a house of God where gay persons are welcomed. (This is likely not the only gay-friendly church in my town, it was simply the closest one I could bike to.)

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The end was a good stopping point, but it was clear there is more to the story–I only hope that Jonathan continues in his growth, and in finding a suitable partner with whom to express his love. I really enjoyed Jonathan’s character and found myself so in his head I kept wanting to reach through his hands and shake his mom. She isn’t a bad mom, but she is terribly blinded–I was glad to see that she gained some insight in the course of this story.

Interested? You can find SEARCHING FOR GRACE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bold Strokes Books.

About the Author:

Minnesota writer Juliann Rich spent her childhood in search of the perfect climbing tree. The taller the better! Perched on a branch ten to thirty feet off the ground and surrounded by leaves, caterpillars, birds and squirrels was a good place for a young girl to find herself. Seeking truth in nature and finding a unique point of view remain crucial elements in her life as well as her writing.

Juliann is a PFLAG mom who can be found walking Pride parades with her son. She is also the daughter of evangelical Christian parents. As such she has been caught in the crossfire of the most heated topic to challenge our society and our churches today. She is committed to writing stories that shed light on the conflicts that arise when sexual orientation, spirituality, family dynamics and peer relationships collide.

Juliann recently won the Emerging Writer Award at The Saints and Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans.

Juliann lives with her husband and their two chronically disobedient dachshunds in the beautiful Minnesota River Valley.

You can catch up with Juliann on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and her blog.

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It’s All About CLAIMING CALLIE (and Shoes)…A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing the first two parts of a New Adult serial–from Paige Rion. CLAIMING CALLIE is a fun, flirty plot featuring one orphaned shopaholic, Callie, and Dean–younger brother to Callie’s BFF, Jinny.

Claiming Callie.v1Claiming Callie – Part One BLURB
Her love of Michael Kors might be her downfall.
Callie Cartwright is a college senior on the verge of graduating and getting the job of her dreams. But her illustrious shopping habit and expensive tastes backfire when her future employer gives her an ultimatum. She has less than six months to lower her debt or she’ll lose the job she’s worked so hard for.

His secret crush may be his undoing.
Dean Michaels has everything going for him. He’s a manager at the local coffee shop, a sophomore in college, star of the university basketball team, and don’t forget, gorgeous. The only thing he needs is the girl of his dreams to make his world complete. And he’s finally ready to go after her. The only problem: it’s his sister’s best friend he’s crushing on. And all she sees in him is the love for a brother.

But desperate times call for desperate measures.
When Callie concocts a crazy plan as a way to make quick money and pay down her debt, Dean’s feelings go into overdrive. It’s time to show her how he feels.

And the plan he proposes, just might be the one to finally catch the girl.

*Claiming Callie is part one of a series of four serial novellas and is approximately 28,000 words in length (about half the length of a full novel).*

*Contains adult language.

My Review:
Callie has a mountain of debt and a shopping addiction. She’s a college senior, and has a great job lined up but her bad credit is about to kill the firm’s offer. She has 5 months to improve her credit, so she hatches a plan to curtail her spending–by becoming an escort.

No, this isn’t THAT kind of book. Callie’s intentions are innocent–she will be a dinner companion for lonely men, ONLY. This idea absolutely sends Dean, her BFF’s younger brother into fits. Why? Because Dean’s been crushing on Callie pretty much since his voice changed. THe idea of her dating scummy men for money is just…no.

Dean’s 20 and gaga for Callie–he even offers her money to help pay down her debt, if she will back down on her plans. She doesn’t, and–unfortunately–it’s a bit disastrous.

How does a gal get over a libelous exposé in the school paper labeling her as a prostitute, I wonder?

Anywho, Callie comes to terms with her spending issues, Dean helps with damage control, and we’ve got one cheesed-off suitor likely to make waves in the next installment. This is a fun and flirty quick read. Looking forward to finding out how these kids move forward—in their new “arrangement”. (This romance is PG-13 for sexual situations and some slurs.)

Interested? You can find CLAIMING CALLIE (Part One) on Goodreads and Amazon.

Claiming-Callie2.v2-AmClaiming Callie – part two:
He’s the man of her dreams. She just doesn’t know it yet.
Dean Michaels has nothing to lose and, after all these years, he’s finally hatched a plan to win the heart of his long-time crush Callie Cartwright. Operation Get the Girl is on. For however long it takes, she will pretend to be his girlfriend in an effort to make his ex jealous and win back her affections. What Callie doesn’t know is that Dean only has eyes for her, and his plan is simply a ploy to win her heart.

But with Callie’s job hanging in the balance, her future uncertain, and the anniversary of her parents’ death looming, Dean’s scheme is one more thing adding to the chaos of her life.

Will his plan work? Or will it backfire, leaving him brokenhearted?

My Review:

Callie is on a mission. She’s going to win Dean’s ex, Maya, back for him–by whatever means necessary. Soon, these two are canoodling all over campus, strategically-located on Maya’s routes. Maya begins to take notice, and she’s frustrated, because she doesn’t believe that Callie actually likes Dean–which is partly true. I mean, well, she loves Dean like a brother–but that’s it.

In the meantime, Dean is dying inside, wanting to woo Callie openly, and having her believe all his overtures are strictly for Maya’s benefit. Problem is, they aren’t. And Callie wishes they weren’t…

Her internship boss urges Callie to consider another job, out in California, so Callie thinks she’s doomed at her dream job, even if she gets her credit fixed. There’s a whole lot of sexual tension in this episode, but it’s still innocent–only a few kisses exchanged between the main players. Plus, though Callie’s practically an adopted child to Dean’s parents, they are overjoyed to welcome Callie officially into their family as Dean’s Girl. It provides a lot of tension.

Interested? You can find CLAIMING CALLIE (Part Two) on Goodreads and Amazon.

Paige RionAbout the author:
Paige Rion is a contemporary romance author. She’s a mother, wife, blogger, hopeless chocoholic, coffee-addicted, wine-lover. Her debut, novel—a new adult romance—Written On Her Heart, is the first in the Callaway Cove series. She is also the author of the new adult romance serial, Claiming Callie. The fourth and final installment of Claiming Callie is due out in October, followed by the release of the second Callaway Cove novel.

She loves connecting with readers on her blog and social media. You can visit her website, or subscribe to her newsletter for news on giveaways, new releases, and exclusive content. Or you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.

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Cover Reveal INDISCRETION-Volume 4 by Elisabeth Grace

COVER REVEAL
INDISCRETION: Volume Four by Elisabeth Grace

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INDISCRETION is a contemporary erotic romance being released in serial format – the first volume released on August 4th!

About INDISCRETION: Volume Four
The image was seared into my mind. Imprinted. Emblazoned. Etched.

Did I blame him for what I saw? Or myself, for allowing him the ability to cause the pain coursing through me?

Betrayal was a weapon that cut to the core—the ‘what ifs’ the infection that festered in the wound.

I’d thought we’d had roadblocks thrown in front of us before. Damn. Those would have seemed like mere speed bumps if I’d seen what was coming…

Little did I know that what was headed our way would prove to be the biggest test of all—putting impossible choices in front of us. None of which seemed to lead to a happy ending in which the two of us were together.

INDISCRETION: Volume Four releases September 15th – add it to your Goodreads list here!

Find out more about INDISCRETION: Volume One

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Find out more about INDISCRETION: Volume Two

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Find out more about INDISCRETION: Volume Three

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Indescretion_1-4_Final

All four volumes will be available together in one paperback shortly after the release of the fourth volume.

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They Learned From BACKSTROKES–Review and Giveaway

Hi all! Today I’m reviewing a new release from Dylan Madrid. His newest M/M romance, BACKSTROKES, is a quiet love story featuring a small town boy who “done good” but comes home for summer break in disgrace.

BackstrokesAbout the book:
After almost being expelled from a prestigious Chicago music conservatory for a prank gone wrong, twenty-two-year-old pianist Crawford Paul returns home to Northern California for what he predicts will be another boring summer. Concerned his scholarship is now at risk, Crawford accepts the only job he can find: accompanying a glamorous seven-year-old named Isabella to a community swimming pool for lessons. There, Crawford is befriended by a nanny named Nina, an aspiring fashion designer who finds it difficult to hide her disdain for children.

When Crawford meets Armando Leon, a lifeguard and Isabella’s swimming instructor, he accepts Armando’s offer to help him overcome his fear of water by way of private swimming lessons. As friendship turns into a summer affair, their lust for one another turns to love. When Crawford receives a chance of a lifetime audition, he is torn between returning to Chicago or staying in California to start a new life with Armando. As the end of the summer inches closer, Crawford and Armando fear they will be separated forever.

How’s about a little taste:

Crawford arrived five minutes past midnight. The temperature had dropped, a slight chill in the night air.

Armando was standing in the center of a circle of light, a white moonlike glow cast from a streetlamp outside of the pool building. He smiled when he saw Crawford and was still

smiling as they met in the ring of light.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” Armando said.

“Then you don’t know me very well,” Crawford told him.

“I’d like the chance to change that.”

“What do you have planned?”

“How daring are you?” Armando asked.

“Be careful,” Crawford said. “The last time I was dared to do something I was almost expelled from school.”

Armando smiled. “Have you always been this rebellious?”

Crawford laughed a little. “I’m actually not,” he said. “Until I spray painted a wall and got caught, I’d never done anything wrong or rebellious in my life.”

“I don’t want to be a bad influence on you.”

Crawford stepped forward. He kissed Armando’s neck and said, “Too late.”

Minutes later, they crawled through a hole in the fence near the pine trees. Except for moonlight and spill-off from streetlamps, the pool area was dark.

This place looks completely different at night. Creepy.

“You look scared,” Armando said.

“You know how I’m afraid of water?” he said. “I have a similar fear of dark places.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

They stood together on the edge of the pool, staring down at the deep end at their feet. To Crawford’s surprise, Armando started to undress. Within seconds, he’d stripped down to nothing but a pair of boxers.

Crawford kicked off his shoes and peeled off his socks. He wiggled his toes against the cool concrete. He slipped off his jean jacket and then his T-shirt. All that remained were his favorite pair of khaki shorts.

“What are we going to do?” Armando asked.

Crawford was confused by the question. “About what?”he asked.

“Us. The end of summer,” said Armando. “It will be here before we know it. Everything worked out for you. I know you’ll be going back to school soon.”

Crawford nodded. “In five weeks.”

He could hear the hurt in Armando’s words. “That’s all we have left together?”

I’m not sure what he’s asking me. I wish I knew how to answer his question.

“I don’t know,” he said, because it was the truth.

The hope returned to Armando’s voice. “You mean you’ve thought about staying?”

“Yes,” said Crawford, thinking back for a brief moment to the conversation he’d had with his mother days before. “I just don’t know how.”

Armando reached for his hand again and squeezed it tight. “Crawford, I would never ask you to give up your dream for me,” he said. “I know how much you love music.”

Crawford took a breath before he said the words he’d been dying to say for weeks. “But I also know how much…I love you.”

The world stopped for a second. Everything was still. The branches of the trees. The chain link fence. The smooth surface of the dark pool. The air between them.

He saw tears forming in Armando’s eyes. “You just said…wow…,” he stammered. “I love you, too.”

Crawford grinned and let out a loose laugh. “Say it again,” he said.

Armando smiled and asked, “You want me to?”

“Yes, but even louder this time,” he said. “Maybe Shelley’s still in her office and she’ll hear you.”

“I don’t care if the whole world does.”

“You sure about that?”

“More certain than anything in my entire life.” Armando reached for Crawford, pulling him into his arms. Their bodies touched and the sensation of skin on skin felt electric.

My Review:
After three years of social isolation, virtuoso pianist Crawford Paul commits vandalism–goaded by his bullying peers. Now, his scholarship is forfeited, and he is facing expulsion from the prestigious conservatory where he’s been studying. Unfortunately, returning to his tiny hometown of Harmonville in Northern California for the summer only compounds Crawford’s misery.

He was meant to break out of Harmonville–that’s what his parents and mentor, Alston told him to do, anyway. So, he feels like an utter failure for returning. He wallows, a bit, until his mom gets him a job giving piano lessons. Well, sort of. Actually he’s hired as a pseudo nanny to a sassy 7 y/o swimming phenom, Isabella, who thinks Crawford is a total ‘lame-o’ for not being able to swim.

Crawford’s ‘job’ is to bring Isabella to the community pool every afternoon for free swim and team practice. It is here that Crawford reconnects with his town. And, Isabella’s coach, Armando. Armando’s a year younger than Crawford, but he’s had his eye on the pianist since junior high when Crawford had played accompaniment for his dance class recitals. Having the opportunity to captivate Crawford, for whatever time they can share is, well, huge for Armando.

Having been such a pariah all his life, Crawford’s not good at opening up, and he recognizes that he’s in Harmonville (perhaps) temporarily. Should he pursue a relationship, knowing he’ll be even more lonely with the loss?–that’s a big worry for Crawford.

Then, he looks at Isabella’s mother. She’s living with a disease that could claim her at any time–yet she lives out loud. It’s the kind of example Crawford takes to heart, and it is clear that his Summer Of Shame is soon to be the best part of his life.

This book is a tender, thoughtful redemption story, that has a dash of romance. Okay, the romance is a big part, but this is not a graphic, sweaty-grappling-bodies, F-Bomb-dropping, Big O tale. It’s a story that any reader of gay fiction could enjoy, IMHO, because the story of Crawford’s return to Harmonville is universal: the small-town community that he so detested as a kid is now the welcoming, soul-replenishing shelter that Crawford needs. He reconnects with his best friend, meets his first love, and finally SEES the loving atmosphere he had blocked out in his singular focus on his music.

It changes him. Suddenly, the most important thing isn’t leaving Harmonville, but finding a way back–permanently–without sacrificing his dreams.

I really enjoyed this book. The language is terrific, with a smooth pace and constant movement. Crawford is a responsible character. He is insightful, and calm, and has an appreciable wit. I loved how he really brought the community together for a common cause, and how he opened his heart and soul and found his love returned many times over.

Interested? You can find BACKSTROKES on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and (interestingly) Wal-Mart.

Dylan MadridAbout the Author:
Dylan Madrid is the bestselling author of the gay romance and suspense novels Mind Fields, Love in the Shadows, Backstrokes, and Star Dust Lullaby. A California native, Dylan grew up in the Bay Area. He opted to backpack through seven countries before heading to college and spent a year living in Europe, primarily on the Greek island of Ios. When he’s not dreaming about living on the Italian Riviera or running away to Belgium, Dylan teaches college courses in writing and the arts.

You can catch up with Dylan on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and his blog.

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I’m Rooting For HUDSON–A Review

Hi all! Today I’m reviewing a new release from Laurelin Paige. HUDSON is book four in the FIXED series. Last week I started book one, FIXED ON YOU, and–frankly–I couldn’t stop. It’s a sexy contemporary romance that is sure to be enjoyed by fans of FSOG or the THIS MAN series.

Hudson (Fixed, #4)About the book:
“I can easily divide my life into two parts—before her and after.”

Hudson Pierce has led a life few others could even imagine. With money and power at his fingertips, he’s wanted for almost nothing. He’s never experienced love, however, and he’s seen few examples of it in his dysfunctional family. The ridiculous notion of romance has always intrigued him. He’s studied it, controlled it, manipulated it, and has yet to understand it.

Until he meets Alayna Withers.

Now, the games he’s played in his quest for comprehension can finally come to an end. Or are they just beginning?

Told from his point of view, Hudson fills the holes in his love story with Alayna Withers. His past and relationship with his long-time friend Celia is further revealed and light is shed on his actions during his courtship with Alayna.

My Review:
This book is the fourth in a series, and it should really be read in order–otherwise there will be spoilers to the first three books. See, in HUDSON, we get an intimate portrait of what shaped his life, and how all of this changed when Hudson met Alayna Withers.

Hudson Pierce is a cold, sterile void of a man. He’s grown up in a family where his parents became estranged early in their marriage, and yet never divorced. His mother floated into alcoholism to cope with her loneliness, whereas his father resorted to trysts to assuage his need for connection. The only person for whom Hudson holds any true affection is his younger sister, Mirabelle. In fact, it is on this romantic sibling that Hudson leans in order to learn how to engage in romantic relationships–even as a teen.

Hudson knows how to get a girl in bed, but he’s never loved one of them. As the story unfolds the POV shifts from past to present–BEFORE chapters reflect Hudson’s first summer after college began, when Hudson begins his “experiments” in love. AFTER chapters reflect his developing relationship with Alayna.

Hudson has always wanted to understand love, to understand why a person would make himself/herself weak and vulnerable to another. His parents are no good example, so Hudson sets out to prove that love is false. One of his first subjects is his childhood friend, Celia. They are both 19, and he knows that she’s harbored a crush for him for years. He has an affinity for her, much like his feelings toward Mirabelle, but that’s it. Celia claims to have found a true love at college, and Hudson, in the interest of his experiment, attempts to woo Celia from her beau, without lying about his feelings. He manipulates her, allowing her to assume he holds great affection for her, and when she dumps her boyfriend, Hudson callously refuses to have anything more to do with her. In fact, he breaks her heart entirely.

Ten years later, Hudson and Celia are friends, of a sort. They had a long history–some of which is revealed in the Fixed books–of working in tandem to upset relationships of others. Hudson’s detached, almost clinical, interest is clearly less passionate than Celia’s more sadistic pleasure. They aren’t intimate, and Hudson’s sister Mirabelle has convinced him to enter therapy for his emotional problems. He stops his experiments with Celia, much to her dismay.

When Hudson sees Alayna the first time, he is intrigued by her bright mind but senses a vulnerability, as if she had risen above some personal challenge. This is later confirmed when Celia unearths Alayna’s troubled past, her parent’s early death which lead to compulsive dating and stalking behavior. In order to draw Hudson away from his therapeutic goals, Celia makes Alayna the center of a new experiment. This game is one that Hudson decides he must play, if only to protect Alayna from Celia’s heartbreaking influence.

In short, the book gives Hudson’s side of the Fixed stories–the emotional growth he experiences is tremendous, and his rather ruthless early character is rendered likable, if not admirable–by the end. Throughout, the chess match between Celia’s machinations and Hudson’s protective influence adds a lot of tension. Having read the first three books I knew where this was going, but the ride was no less interesting. (See my rant on over-divulging reviews and why they aren’t a problem here.)

I was very much satisfied with this story, and though it features fewer smexytimes than its predecessors, it’s chock full of emotional ups-and-downs. I was cheering for Hudson, almost from the start, and glad to follow along with all the steps he took, even if some of them were sideways, to becoming the loving, compassionate man he was in the Fixed books. Really enjoyed. I honestly preferred these books to FSOG and THIS MAN because Hudson, though flawed and somewhat domineering, was more willing to compromise with Alayna. He’s a kinder, gentler billionaire tycoon. The love scenes, while graphic and intense, are straight vanilla, and still they steam.

Interested? You can find HUDSON on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:

NY Times & USA Today Bestselling author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Mad Men and the Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine. She is represented by Bob Diforio of D4EO Literary Agency.

You can find Laurelin online on Goodreads, her blog, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends.

I WANT IT THAT WAY–Review and Giveaway

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Hi all! Today I’m part of a blog tour for Ann Aguirre’s newly released novel I WANT IT THAT WAY. This atypical New Adult Romance is a slow burn with a simmering love story.

IWantItThatWayAbout the Book:

Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she’s determined to make them come true. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, dating’s the last thing on her mind. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B….

Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can’t risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, the last thing he wants is noisy students living in the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia’s and Ty’s paths cross, and soon they can’t stay away from each other.

The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can’t know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.

“A tender, sweet, and sexy story about how life—and falling in love—can never be planned.”

—Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You

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My Review:
Nadia is a straight-laced college junior at Mt. Albion College in Michigan, far from her small Nebraska hometown. Her dream is becoming a special education teacher. She keeps her grades up, striving always to do well enough to keep her scholarship and make her hardworking parents proud. The day she (and three roomies) move into their apartment, Nadia meets the man she secretly calls Hot Ginger.

Ty, as he is REALLY called, is a little older, twenty-four, and very much the professional man. Yes, suits and ties seems to turn Nadia on. A lot. But, Ty has something serious going on in his life–he’s a single parent to his four year old son, Sam–and he’s unwilling to bend his life plans, completing his college degree in architecture and being an amazing father, for anyone. Certainly not Nadia.

Well, at first, anyhow.

Thing about plans? They are made to changed. I think that’s the take home message of this book: that it’s okay to take risks and alter plans when life puts the right people in your life.

Nadia works part-time for a daycare center. When Ty needs help looking after Sam, she recommends it. Then she gets shifted into Sam’s class. The two bond. And on the side, Nadia and Ty bond, too. But Ty insists on keeping his budding relationship with Nadia completely separate from Sam. They indulge in some sexy nights when Sam stays with Ty’s parents, but the “friends with benefits” scenario isn’t enough for either if them…

There is a breakup. There is a makeup. There are concerned parents, and drunk roomies, and faltering friendships. Secondary characters are interesting and well-written. Nadia tells this story, and she tells it well. She is direct, and fun. I loved how matter-of-fact she was about everything, and how she allowed herself to wonder if she was making the right choices with her life, without sounding whiny.

Her first meeting with Ty is inauspicious, at best. While trying to move her sofa upstairs, aided by Lauren, one of her three roomies, Nadia tumbles down the stairs. Ty arrives and, begrudgingly, assists the two gals.

“I’m Nadia,” I said.

At first he didn’t say anything so she tried, “That makes me Lauren.”

“Ty,” he said finally, like this basic introduction was akin to signing a long-term cell contract.

Lauren started, “The guys will be back with drinks in a bit, off you want—”

“No, it’s okay. I need to get home.” If curt was a hat, he would be wearing it with jaunty disregard for our feelings.”

Not a great start for these two, for sure, but the middle is very good. De-lish smexytimes for Nadia and her Hot Ginger, Ty. The separation is believable, anguish and tears, but not a sobfest. No, Nadia copes well. She’s stalwart and steady, which makes her Ty’s perfect match. Good thing he figures that out in the end. I very much enjoyed. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

Interested? You can find I WANT IT THAT WAY on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, BAM, Indiebound, Vroman’s, Book Depository , Powell’s, and iTunes

And, it you’re not convinced this is a good one, you can read the first chapter HERE!

Plus, I WANT IT THAT WAY is part of planned New Adult series! The next two books will be out in the coming months.

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I Want It That Way

As Long As You Love Me (9/30/14)

The Shape Of My Heart (11/25/14)

Ann AguirreAbout Ann Aguirre:
Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.

You can find Ann online on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Goodreads, or you can sign up for her newsletter.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
one of three signed copies of I WANT IT THAT WAY.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!
Inkslinger

RIGHT KIND OF WRONG–Release, Review and Giveaway

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Hi there! Today I’m happy to share in the Release Day Launch for Chelsea Fine’s RIGHT KIND OF WRONG! Published by Grand Central Forever, RIGHT KIND OF WRONG is the third novel Chelsea’s Finding Fate Series and is a New Adult Contemporary Romance. I’ve been smitten by both BEST KIND OF BROKEN and PERFECT KIND OF TROUBLE, so I had to jump on this new release.

Right Kind of WrongAbout the book:
Sometimes wrong can feel oh so right . . .

Jenna Lacombe needs complete control, whether it’s in the streets . . . or between the sheets. So when she sets out on a solo road trip to visit her family in New Orleans, she’s beyond annoyed that the infuriatingly sexy Jack Oliver wants to hitch a ride with her. Ever since they shared a wild night together last year, he’s been trying to strip away her defenses one by one. He claims he’s just coming along to keep her safe-but what’s not safe for her is prolonged exposure to the tattooed hottie.

Jack can’t get Jenna out from under his skin. She makes him feel alive again after his old life nearly destroyed him-and losing her is not an option. Now Jack’s troubles are catching up to him, and he’s forced to return to his hometown in Louisiana. But when his secrets put them both in harm’s way, Jenna will have to figure out how far she’s willing to let love in . . . and how much she already has.

EXCERPT:

Padding my bare feet back into Jack’s bedroom, I start riffling through his drawers like a wet raccoon, searching for something that can pass as pajamas. I try on four pairs of basketball shorts and two shirts before finding items small enough to fit me without being obscene.

I’m not a small person—not at all. I’m average height, average weight. It’s just that Jack’s a giant who, apparently, wears size 100 in everything. Twisting the shirt around my middle so it hangs properly, I absently inhale and smile when I catch Jack’s scent.

What? No. Don’t smile about that, you idiot.

I unclench my fists from his shirt and smooth out the wrinkles I created clutching it to my nose. I’m not like a wet raccoon at all. I’m worse. Raccoons would be ashamed of me.

My inner dialogue—I’ve just accepted that I’m certifiable, at this point—comes to a halt when I hear an engine in the front yard.

Jack.

My first instinct is to run outside and smack him—you know, violent tendencies and all—but I regain my composure and choose a more mature tactic.

I stand perfectly still in the dark living room and wait for him with a scowl.
Through the window, I watch his dark figure stumble out of the car and slowly climb the front steps all hunched over. What did he do, go get drunk? Great.

I cross my arms, scowl still poised to kill, and wait as he opens the door and quietly steps inside. He flicks on the living room light and I ready myself for the shit storm I’m about to rain all over his ass. But my words, my anger, my bitter intentions fall away the instant I see his face.

“Jack.” It’s more of a gasp than a word as it leaves my mouth.

He pulls his eyes up from his bloody and torn hand, and sets them on me. “Jenna. What the hell?” Several emotions cross his eyes. Anger. Fear. Relief. Anger.

I pull a face. “Don’t ‘what the hell’ me. You’re the one who stole my car and drove off into the night.”

He screws his face up. “So you waited up to yell at me?”

“Well…” I pause. Is that why I waited up? Well, crap. “Yeah,” I finally say, not particularly proud of my answer.

“Typical,” he mutters. “Listen. I’m not in the mood to bicker with you right now so if you don’t mind rescheduling this bitch-out for tomorrow, that would be great.”

He brushes past me, his shoulder lightly sweeping mine, and halts at the touch. Facing me, he softens his husky voice. “I’m sorry.”

Long eyelashes lower over his storm-gray eyes as he searches my face, and the wicked wildfire inside me instantly reignites as his gaze drops to my mouth.

The thick frustration that filled the room just moments ago thins into a sweet trepidation, curling around us with a daring charge. So delicious. But so dangerous.

I carefully step back and clear my throat. Jack does the same. We’re masters of avoidance.
Without another word, he moves past me and marches down the hall. That’s when I spy the blood running down the back of his shirt from a large gash between his shoulder blades.

My heart stops.

“Jack?” I say, staring with wide eyes. “What happened to your back?”

He looks over his shoulder and frowns. “Oh. That.” Turning back around, he continues striding down the hallway. “Knife wound.”

Tattooed beautiful woman in old spooky interior

My Review:
Jenna is a girl on mission: become an independently wealthy gallery owner selling her sculptures. She has fought hard for this dream scrimping to make ends meet in college and living on a scholarship. See, she knows not to depend on a man; her father and grandfather didn’t stick around much past the birth of their kids, and she and her mother grew up in poverty. So, there’s no chance Jenna’s gonna change plans for a man who’ll undoubtedly just leave her when the going gets rough.

That’s why she struggles with Jack. He’s her friend–the closest male friend she’s ever had–and they did the deed once, back in December. Seven months have passed, and yet, that night still holds its place in Jenna’s heart. She can’t deal with the tenderness Jack showed her, and they both walked away changed–not that Jenna will admit it. She doesn’t want a boyfriend…ever. But, she can’t stop feeling more than she wishes for Jack.

Jack is exasperated. With Jenna, and his family. Jenna loves him, he knows this, and he loves her–so why the heck is she being so stubborn? When the opportunity arises for Jenna to take a road trip back to New Orleans to visit her sick grandma, Jack jumps at the chance to got with her–he’s needed back home, too. Seems his brother, Drew, has gone missing and it’s up to Jack to ferret out the situation.

Jack’s past was a rough one, if his scars have anything to say about it. He worked hard to keep his mother and brothers out of trouble with the gang life in their small Louisiana town, but it seems trouble found them anyway, and from the most reprehensible source possible. Jenna has a front row seat to the seedy side of Jack, and though he frets that she’ll run for the hills, it is his steadfast devotion to his family–he people he loves–that causes Jenna to rethink her hardcore ‘no romance’ stance.

This is a mature read with some serious steam and occasional, okay ONE, stabbing. The characters are interesting and fun, though I sometimes got overwhelmed with all the names–between Jenna’s three cousins, three sisters, grandma and mom, there were too many Lacombes to keep track of. I liked Jack a lot–outwardly, he was steady and sure even when he seriously struggled on the inside. He was kind and compassionate and unafraid to put himself out there, for the people he loved. And, he really pushed all the right buttons with Jenna. He showed her it was safe to let her control slip, once in a while.

The Finding Fate series interleaves with each book, giving glimpses of characters from other stories (Pixie, Daren, Kayla and Levi) as secondary characters. Nonetheless, each reads as a standalone. This is fun, quick read with a likable heroine and a lickable male lead. The smexytimes are interesting, but not overblown, with a clearly respectful tone throughout. Jack woos Jenna hard–and that makes for some delicious interactions. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Interested? You can find RIGHT KIND OF WRONG on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Indiebound, and BAM.

Author PhotoABOUT CHELSEA FINE:
Chelsea lives in Phoenix, Arizona where she spends most of her time writing stories, painting murals, and avoiding housework at all costs. She’s ridiculously bad at doing dishes and claims to be allergic to laundry. Her obsessions include: superheroes, coffee, sleeping-in, and crazy socks. She lives with her husband and two children, who graciously tolerate her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her complete lack of skill in the kitchen.

You can find Chelsea on line on her website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Author Goodreads page, and RIGHT KIND OF WORNG’s Goodreads page.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
one of 5 sets of the Finding Fate series, including
BEST KIND OF BROKEN, PERFECT KIND OF TROUBLE, and RIGHT KIND OF WRONG

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!
Inkslinger