Month: March 2015

Shifter Saturday with Tara Lain

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a double feature of M/M shifter novels from Tara Lain. Both books are part of the Harker Pack series and feature recurring characters, but can be read as stand-alones.

About the books:

The Pack or the Panther (Tales of the Harker Pack, #1)THE PACK OR THE PANTHER:

Cole Harker, son of an alpha werewolf, is bigger and more powerful than most wolves, tongue-tied in groups, and gay. For twenty-four years, he’s lived to please his family and pack—even letting them promise him in marriage to female werewolf Analiese to secure a pack alliance and help save them from a powerful gangster who wants their land. Then Cole meets Analiese’s half-brother, panther shifter Paris Marketo, and for the first time, Cole wants something for himself.

When Analiese runs off to marry a human, Cole finally has a chance with Paris, but the solitary cat rejects him, the pack, and everything it represents. Then Cole discovers the gangster wants Paris too and won’t rest until he has him. What started as a land dispute turns into World War Wolf! But the bigger fight is the battle between cats and dogs.

My Review:

Cole Harker is a pure blood werewolf, and alphanta (second in command) of the Harker pack in Connecticut. His pack’s territory is recently under attack from a NYC wolf, Nikel Eliazer. They want to control the whole of Connecticut, and the Harker pack is small and vulnerable to a hostile takeover.

The way Cole’s father arranges to strengthen his pack? A marriage alliance between Cole and the alpha daughter of the neighboring Marketo pack. Problem? Cole is an out gay male. For his whole life Cole has heard that there’s no such thing as a gay werewolf, but he begs to differ…he’s very much a werewolf, and just as much gay.

Turns out Annalise Marketo doesn’t want to marry Cole. Which is pretty crushing, actually. Cole was prepared to sacrifice his happiness for his pack, but Annalise?  Not so much. Luckily, Cole is comforted by Paris–Anna’s older half-brother who is, well, gay and a panther shifter. Paris is totally attracted to Cole (feeling = mutual) but Paris abhors pack-life. He doesn’t want to be tied down, much like the cat he is…

With the alliance in shambles, Cole endeavors to head off a war with Eliazar’s pack. When he discovers Eliazar has unholy designs on Paris, well, it’s a rumble. Especially when Paris goes missing!

Cole knows that he can’t keep Paris, but he is willing to spend whatever time he can with the alluring cat. Their connection is fast and fierce, though Paris refuses to commit. Cole? Jilted twice. Still, he recognizes Paris as his mate and will protect him to his dying breath. Super glad Paris got that memo before the final exhale.

Good action, a quickie connection that mellowed into a more mature love, and battles with foreign packs, homophobes and fear of public speaking abound. This is a super fast read with an interesting cast and delish sexytimes. I liked how Cole’s parents were sorry for forcing him into marriage–especially with a woman–and appreciated how open they became in the end. I liked Paris’s sassiness, but wished he’d been even a little compassionate to Cole earlier.

Interested? You can find THE PACK OR THE PANTHER on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press (<–Cheapest), Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Wolf in Gucci Loafers (Tales of the Harker Pack #2)WOLF IN GUCCI LOAFERS:

Socialite Lindsey Vanessen wants someone to love who will love him back — an impossibility for a gay, half-human, half-werewolf. Too aggressive for humans, too gay for wolves, and needing to protect the pack from human discovery, Lindsey tries to content himself with life as a successful businessman.

But when someone starts kidnapping members of wealthy families, Lindsey meets tough cop Seth Zakowsky—the hunky embodiment of everything Lindsey wants but can’t have.

Seth has never been attracted to flamboyant men. What would the guys in the department think of Lindsey? But intrigue turns to lust when he discovers Lindsey’s biting, snarling passion more than matches his dominant side. It might mean a chance at love for a cop in black leather and a wolf in Gucci loafers.

My Review:

I found I liked this book better than the first in the series. Lindsey is a sympathetic character–the socialite with a social conscience. He’s 24, wealthy and lonely. His family is very loving and he’s got close friends in the Harker pack–notably Cole Harker–but he wants a life partner. Wolves are very big on mates, and Lindsey is unapologetically flamboyant, which is just not acceptable to his fellow wolves.

He’d settle for a human, but, well, rules of the pack state that humans can never know of their existence, plus Lindsey always wishes he could be the rough, dominant animal he hungers to unleash in bed and humans are…fragile.

Lindsey’s secret isn’t only that he’s half-werewolf, he’s also a vigilante. Super Granny has been policing the streets saving victims of mugging and attempted rape. Now, there’s a kidnapping ring that’s been ransoming children from Lindsey’s country club and Lindsey isn’t willing to sit on the sidelines–not when Super Granny can save the governor’s daughter!

In the mix of this, Lindsey meets Officer Seth Zakowsky–a rough-and-tumble motorcycle-riding expert on kidnappers. Seth is gay, but not interested in a “queen”–well, not at first. Lindsey is thoroughly attracted and knows full-well that a butch man like Seth would never accept him, yet Lindsey’s throwing of attitude has the opposite effect. Seth sees him as brave and really admires Lindsey’s athleticism and kindness. Seth had been raised in lower class life, and Lindsey’s wealth is kinda off-putting, but the more time they spend the more Seth sees Lindsey’s altruism, and the more he wants that man, despite the neck-kerchiefs and purple Gucci loafers.

“Everything about you weirds me out.” Seth didn’t look up. Those bubbles must be mesmerizing. “Your fucking silk scarves and purple shoes. Your ‘darling’ this and ‘sweetheart’ that. I hate that shit.

Lindsey spoke softly. “It’s not necessary to elaborate.” He downed the champagne in his glass.

“But then you get on that fucking horse as all I see is that ass and those thighs and I wish I was fucking Trigger. You’re pretty as a damned girl, but you command people like the king of something.”

Lindsey’s heart hammered in his chest.

“You’re confusing.” The gold eyes lifted slowly. “But I must fucking love being confused because I think about you all the time. I get horny in the middle of the damned day when somebody says your name. ‘Lindsey Vanessen volunteered to pay the ransom.’ Sprong. ‘Lindsey Vanessen will be attending the governor’s meeting.’ Hard-on. Crap, I may be confused about who you are, but I don’t know me at all.”

He could barely get the words out. “So wh-what are you saying?”

“That if I had my way, I’d be having you for dinner, and they wouldn’t let us back in the country club.”

There’s some complications–not the least of which is Seth uncovering one of Lindsey’s two major secrets–and a rather big kerfuffle. Spoiler: two break-ups here, and both are settled by outside forces.

I loved Lindsey, and really enjoyed the pace and action of this book. Cole was a great friend, and the intervention on Lindsey’s behalf to create the HEA was Pretty-Woman-ish in impact. Plus, the stage is set for the homophobic issues that come up in the next book, WINTER’S WOLF.

Interested? You can find WOLF IN GUCCI LOAFERS on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press (<–Cheapest), Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Tara LainAbout the author:

Tara Lain never met a beautiful boy she didn’t love – at least on paper. A writer of erotic romance, mostly ménage and male/male, Tara loves all her characters, but especially her handsome heroes. A lifelong writer of serious non-fiction, Tara had the first novel she ever wrote accepted for publication in 2011. She’s now on book 27 and counting.

After an exotic life of travel all over the world and work in television, education and advertising, Tara settled in Southern California with her soul-mate husband and opened her own small marketing business. She paints, collages, and started practicing yoga “way before it was fashionable”. Passionate about diversity, justice, inclusion and new ideas she says on her tombstone it will read, “Yes”.

You can catch up with Tara on her website, Goodreads, twitter and Facebook.

Anywho, thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Time For A MOMENT OF TRUTH–

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for Karen Stivali’s MOMENT OF TRUTH. This contemporary New Adult M/M romance is the second of a three-part novella series following the developing relationship between Collin and Tanner. If you remember my review for the first book, MOMENT OF IMPACT, you know there are sexy times, ahead. (Adult read!)

Moment of Truth (Moments In Time #2)About the book:
Collin expected to spend another summer fixing cars and working at the college pizzeria. Instead, he’s living in a beach house on Fire Island, waiting tables at a hip seaside restaurant and, for the first time since he and Tanner got together, they can publicly be known as boyfriends.

Being “out” takes some getting used to, but with the help of new and old friends, Collin is happier than he ever imagined. And more in love. But newfound freedom brings unexpected challenges, and when friends get flirty, old insecurities arise.

Moments of doubt and jealousy threaten their happiness, and Collin and Tanner must confront the truth or risk losing it all.

My Review:
This is the 2nd part of a novella series. It’s best to read them in order.
4.5 stars for this contemporary M/M romance

Collin and Tanner are two college roommates who recently began a gay relationship. They had been friends long before becoming lovers, but Collin was closeted and Tanner is bisexual. Collin came out to his mother, a devout Catholic, who disowned him. He is now staying in a house with Tanner and several others on Fire Island to work and earn money for his college as all funds have been cut off.

Collin has never been out. Being on Fire Island, which is very gay-friendly, is a startling experience for him. He has a lot of fear regarding encountering homophobia, and spends his summer taking baby-steps with Tanner. Tanner has collected quite a harem of women who fawn all over him, one who continually pops over to their rental house to mooch a meal with the object of her obsession. It frustrates Collin, as he fears Tanner may swing back to the ladies–leaving Collin isolated and alone. Plus, Collin’s crazy for Tanner:

He kissed me, soft at first, then deeper. I forgot there was anyone else in the world, let alone on the same beach.

Thing is, all of this is so new for Collin. He’s never had a relationship, and he’s now with Tanner but they are both being hit on by women. Plus, Collin’s having problems with a housemate who has serious boundary issues–and he’s dealing with more fall out from his family’s ostracism. He makes a friend at his job, Jason, who has also been cut off. The summer winds on with some serious housemate issues, but Collin only has eyes for Tanner, and who is chasing him.

I think we all know his goes pear-shaped. For a bit, anyhow. As in the first book, the name is prescient. There is a moment of truth, and this time it happens on a beach at sunrise.

“Do you realize that tonight’s the first time you’ve said that to me since the night of the accident?”
“Said what?”
“I love you.”
Wait. No. That’s not possible. Is it? I struggled to remember another time. Tanner had said it to me a bunch. Have I really not said it back? Ever? My heart sank into my stomach. I hadn’t. I’d thought it eight million times a day, but I hadn’t said it out loud.
“I’m sorry.” My voice cracked. “I’ve loved you every fucking second since then. I didn’t know I wasn’t saying it. I didn’t realize.”
“How can you not realize something like that?”

Collin tells this tale, and we have a close-up look at his self-consciousness and trust issues. He’s a good guy who acts too impulsively at times. I wasn’t happy with his inability to discuss his feelings. I want to kiss Tanner for being the WAY bigger man, here. Though, reading the blurb for book three, I’m not sure if I should touch up my lipgloss just yet.

I’m gonna call this a HFN, with realistic angst and thrilling smexytimes. Collin is definitely more secure in his sexuality on Fire Island, but both he and Tanner acknowledge the very real possibility that returning to college in the fall will also mean returning to the closet.

Interested? You can find MOMENT OF TRUTH on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, AllRomance and Barnes & Noble.

Moment of Impact (Moments In Time, #1)MOMENT OF IMPACT, the first book in the series, is a fast-paced Gay-For-You romance that really hits all the feels in a short format. (Check out my review!) It is currently on sale for $.99 through 3/7/15. Time to snap it up cheap…

Amazon, Dreamspinner Press, AllRomance and Barnes & Noble.

Karen stivaliAbout the author:
Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. She’s also the multiple award-winning author of contemporary and erotic romances. Her lifelong fascination with people has led her to careers ranging from hand-drawn animator, to party planner, to marriage and family counselor, but writing has always been her passion. Karen enjoys nothing more than following her characters on their journey toward love. Whether the couples are m/f or m/m, it’s guaranteed that Karen’s novels are filled with food, friendship, love, and smoking hot sex–all the best things in life.

When Karen isn’t writing (and often when she is), she can be found on Twitter attempting witty banter and detailing the antics of her fruit-loving cat, BadKitteh. She loves to hear from readers (and other writers), so don’t hesitate to contact/follow/like her at twitter, Facebook, her website, Pinterest, and Goodreads. You can also email her here.

Don’t Call Him BIGGIE–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a YA book from debut author Derek E Sullivan. BIGGIE isn’t really a romance, though there’s some romance to it. It’s more-or-less an emotional awakening for a boy who shut out his world, and I really enjoyed it.

BiggieAbout the book:
Henry “Biggie” Abbott is the son of one of Finch, Iowa ‘s most famous athletes. His father was a baseball legend and his step-dad is a close second.

At an obese 300+ pounds though, Biggie himself prefers classroom success to sports. As a perfectionist, he doesn’t understand why someone would be happy getting two hits in five trips to the plate. “Forty percent, that’s an F in any class,” he would say.

As Biggie’s junior year begins, the girl of his dreams, Annabelle Rivers, starts to flirt with him. Hundreds of people have told him to follow in his dad’s footsteps and play ball, but Annabelle might be the one to actually convince him to try. What happens when a boy who has spent his life since fourth grade trying to remain invisible is suddenly thrust into the harsh glare of the high school spotlight?

My Review:
Biggie is a book about loving one’s self, even when it’s far easier to hate one’s self.

Henry “Biggie” Abbott is a high school junior in Finch, Iowa–a town of roughly 1000. He is the illegitimate son of baseball phenom Aaron Abbott, conceived while Aaron was still in high school. Aaron left behind his sweetheart and child, legally disavowing any claim to Biggie before he’d even turned 1. Biggie is, well, BIG. He’s over 6 feet tall, and weighs more than 300 pounds.

Here’s why:

How did I get this way? Or a better question: why have I let myself grow to over 300 pounds? Simply put: Now I’m invisible. Funny isn’t it? The more I weigh, the less people ride me about it.

See, growing up as Abbott’s son, even disavowed, wasn’t that great. Everyone expected Biggie to be a great athlete, and he has an excruciating fear of failure. He is a self-proclaimed perfectionist, and a perfect GPA. Especially since he forges notes to keep out of gym class. But, this year, his mother has thwarted those plans. Biggie is going to take gym, even if it kills him. Of course the first day, Biggie does something extraordinary. He throws a perfect game in Whiffleball. Then, he promptly faints. His doctor isn’t pleased, and Biggie’s physical sends his mother into tears–Biggie, too, as he’s possibly suffering Type 2 Diabetes.

The only answer is for Biggie to get fit–and his half-brother, Maddux, is keen to work with Biggie on his pitching, maybe turn his instinctive knuckleball into an unhittable pitch. Maddux and his father, Laser, have been on the baseball circuit forever. Laser was semi-pro and took Maddux on the road with him. But Laser has decided to hang up his cleats and coach the Finch high school team, so he’s home to witness, and assist, Biggie’s transformation from bedroom-bound shut-in to baseball player.

Biggie’s reasons for the transformation: to catch the eye of Annabelle Rivers, a girl in Finch he has cyberstalked for years. To please Maddux. To make himself healthy enough that his mother stops thinking he’s going to die. To throw a perfect game.

It’s an interesting transformation because this is not only physical work, Biggie has to overcome his crippling shyness and grow out of his father’s famous shadow. It’s a small town, and here baseball reigns supreme. Biggie starts slowly, changing his diet and walking daily with Laser, until he can begin running daily and practicing. Laser is patient, and persistent, guiding Biggie in the physical steps–which I loved. That man never let Biggie down, even when Biggie couldn’t get past his own self-hate.

Biggie drops the weight, which puts him out of the danger zone for diabetes, but, when it comes to baseball, Biggie can’t bring himself to play. His team needs him, yet Biggie is so steeped in “perfection” that he’s too afraid to not be perfect on the field. It’s an impossible scenario that this kid could miraculously be the best player ever, on account of him not playing baseball, ever. And Biggie recognizes this, and he loses faith. Plus, he’s aggravated by personal issues with teammates–especially the cheating baseball star dating Annabelle.

Thing is, Biggie has talent. It’s raw and it’s powerful, but it isn’t perfect. And when Biggie begins to love himself, and consider that “perfect” isn’t necessarily the healthiest frame of mind, he actually starts to have an almost-perfect life.

I really enjoyed this. Biggie felt very real to me. He is an honest character, which is funny since he lies to everyone but the reader. He owns his issues, and gains real insight to a building a better life, with friends and even a girlfriend. A real one, not the cyber-girls he juggles online. His relationship with his parents improves, and I think that he ends this journey far happier than how he started. I had a little issue with the timeline–only because it seems that Iowa high schools begin baseball season when every other state is wrapping up theirs. So, that didn’t quite ring true. The interactions with the boys, however, was spot on–even if getting trashed and driving the backroads is not excellent, this is very likely how these rural boys passed their time.

Interested? You can find BIGGIE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and other book retailers.

dereksullivan300x450About the Author:
Derek E. Sullivan is an award-winning reporter and columnist at the Rochester Post-Bulletin in Minnesota. As a reporter, he has written more than 1,000 stories about the lives of teenagers, which he attributes to helping him find his YA voice. He has an MFA from Hamline University and lives in Minnesota with his wife and three sons.

You can find Derek online on his website, Goodreads and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Danger & Lies in THE HIDDEN LIBRARY–Review and Giveaway

THL Tour BannerHi there! Today I’m sharing in the blog tour for THE HIDDEN LIBRARY. This is the second book in the The Collectors series and it’s an action/lovin’-packed adventure of the literary kind.

HLyons_THL_eBook02_450x675About the book:

Sometimes, the rabbit hole is deeper than expected . . .

Alice Reeve and Finn Van Brunt have tumbled into a life of secrets. Some secrets they share, such as their employment by the clandestine organization known as The Collectors’ Society. Other secrets they carry within them, fighting to keep buried the things that could change everything they think they know.

On the hunt for an elusive villain who is hell-bent on destroying legacies, Alice, Finn, and the rest of the Society are desperate to unravel the mysteries surrounding them. But the farther they spiral down this rabbit hole, the deeper they fall into secrets that will test their loyalties and pit them against enemies both new and old.

Secrets, they come to find, can reveal the deadliest of truths.

A few words from Heather:

I had the chance to ask Heather a few questions about creating THE HIDDEN LIBRARY….

You are a huge audiophile. What sort of music did you listen to while working on THE HIDDEN LIBRARY?

I listened to a lot of Bleachers, Nico Stai, and Taylor Swift (mainly off her new album). I love music!

The COLLECTORS’ Series is based on updated fairy tales. How are fairy tales relevant for today’s YA/adult readers?

I think a lot of readers nowadays only know fairy tales from movies and/or tv. Their ideas of the stories are more Disney-esque than anything, because even adapted versions of the stories in children’s books nowadays are watered down to match these changes. The source materials are not like that, though. They’re pretty dark and often have messages in them. What I like about fairy tales is that there’s always a sliver of hope in them. The stories have stuck with societies for generations because of that.

Authors always say that books are semi-autobiographical…. In that sense, which is the character in The Hidden Library with whom you most identify?

I think there will always be parts of an author hidden away in their characters. A silly example, is how Alice loves to wear dresses. I wear mostly dresses—and yet, it also fit her character because of the Timeline she came from, too. That said, I identify with both Alice and Finn simply because they’ve been in my head while writing . . . but their experiences and mine are quite different!

Hidden Library Teaser1

My Review:

I truly didn’t know what I was getting into reading this book, but, what I found, was a lush world of literary romance in today’s world.

See, in this world, the characters are from books, and they work to save books. Alice, from Wonderland? She is all grown up and a warrior Queen, willing to take on a maniacal murderer. Huck Finn? Victor von Frankenstein? They got adopted by Brom and Katrina van Brunt (from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow) and raised in today’s NYC. Finn and Victor are top operatives in the Collectors’ Society. Finn and Alice are, in fact, a couple (expect some nice bam-chicka-wow-wow!).

Their current mission is to hunt down a rogue editor, believed to be Sweeney Todd, who has been collecting legacies–bits of ephemera that contain the ‘soul’ of a book–and destroying them. This, in turn, destroys the Timelines of every character in the book. It is akin to literary genocide, and was responsible for Katrina van Brunt’s untimely death.

Along the hunt, Finn and Alice have to enter Finn’s Timeline, the world of Huck Finn, to pay respects to The Widow who is dying–and deal justice to Tom Sawyer, who caused Jim to die. It’s a HUGE kerfuffle.

Don’t think Wonderland is sitting on the sidelines. The Queen of Hearts has a diabolical plot to kill Alice, despite her absence into the “real world”. Alice had to leave in order to save her subjects, which meant abandoning her first love, the White King. Now, Finn has to seek his assistance in saving the queen of his world.

And, what the heck is happening with Peter Pan?  The man who seems to be pulling all the strings is clearly a double-talker. And his house is an homage to the written word…or is it? His hidden library seems to be the key, if only Finn and Alice could find the door.

Here’s the thing: I loved this book’s pace and story. I found it thrilling and creative. Finn and Alice have to search their souls over, and over. And over. There’s this part of writing that says authors have to torture their characters to give them depth–well these characters are practically water-boarded. The result? They leap off the page.

With the climax coming so close to the end, I was terrified we would be left with a horrifying cliffhanger. As it stands the cliffhanger is not-quite-barbaric to the reader, but…it’s certainly uncomfortable. Looking forward to the next book!

Interested? You can find THE HIDDEN LIBRARY on Goodreads, Amazon (US or UK), B&N, Kobo, and iBooks.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win signed paperbacks and a $10 GC!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Heather LyonsAbout the author:
Heather Lyons writes epic, heartfelt love stories and has always had a thing for words. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.

Catch Heather on her website, Goodreads, twitter and Facebook.

Inkslinger

Sometimes Love Leaves You SHAKEN–Review and Giveaway

Shaken BT BannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a contemporary New Adult romance form Alyne Roberts. SHAKEN is a story about two people realizing love was waiting beside them the entire time…

ShakenCover5x8About the book:
“After an earthquake wreaks havoc, the earth is left disturbed and altered. Whatever remains in ruin is left shaken and in need of rebuilding.”

Scarlett Brooks doesn’t need love. The only men she can trust in her life are her twin brother and his two best friends, Logan and Caleb. Every other guy has only let her down, and she promises herself to never to experience heartbreak again.

Logan King can’t stand back and watch his best friend’s twin sister continue to spiral out of control. With random hookups, drunken nights, and reckless decisions, she is on the path to self-destruction. He sets out to slow her down and prove that she isn’t happy with her one-night stands.

The two come dangerously close to crossing lines. Is Scarlett capable of trusting and opening up to love again? Will it ruin their friendship if Logan is the one to teach her how?

This is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. Characters are introduced in Jolted and Impacted.

My Review:
Scarlett has survived a horrifying break-up…on the verge of marriage her fiancé was arrested for money laundering. Not trusting herself with another real relationship, she seeks thrills from any man who’ll bed her. Her dear friend, Logan, who is best friends with Scarlett’s twin brother Ryder, is tired of her self-destructive behavior.

Logan is the man Scarlett calls when she’s too drunk to drive home from her hook-ups, but he’s going to fix his girl’s broken spirit–even if it kills their friendship. He gets Scarlett to agree to an abstinence game, so she’ll stop prowling. Then, he works out several tasks for her to complete, all designed to bolster her confidence and open her up to the possibility of love.

Shaken Teaser Standing ByThing is, once Scarlett’s heart is open, it’s impossible for Logan not to fall directly into it. Of course, there’s a strange girl lurking on the fringes and Logan’s past seems to catch up at just the wrong time. Likewise, Scarlett has some intense family issues to survive, and Logan’s game is getting too deep.

This a dual viewpoint contemporary romance about two people who have been wounded in life and love finding the courage to love with abandon. It’s a quick read, with a satisfying HEA.

Interested? You can find SHAKEN on Goodreads, Amazon, iBooks, B&N, Kobo, Google Play, Smashwords.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a set of signed paperbacks!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Alyne lives in Ohio with her husband, dog and cat. Working full time in an office all day, she spends her nights reading, writing or watching an entire TV series in a night. She refuses to grow up, loves Disney movies and anything with owls. She couldn’t live without her coffee or her furry “children”.

Alyne is the author of “Light to the Darkness” and the “Conflicted Encounters” Series.

To stay up to date on what Alyne is working on, teasers and more: Sign up for the newsletter.

She loves to connect with readers so feel free to stalk her!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pintrest | Goodreads | Amazon

Inkslinger

Love In GRIF’S TOY–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for Joseph Lance Tonlet’s extraordinary contemporary M/M BDSM romance. This is a rough read–lot’s of loss and some serious orgasm denial/humiliation as part of the kink, but I LOVED it. (Totally an ADULT book.)

Grif's Toy (Tease and Denial, #1)About the Book:
Grif believes he’ll live his life as a virgin. After all, who would want him? How could anyone find him, a guy who came with less than man-sized equipment, worthy of their love?

What he hadn’t counted on were the two amazing men who would change his life. After entering college, he meets Tate, his fun-loving roommate. While years later, with Tate now just a memory, Wes, a handsome, rugged ex-marine who runs his own security firm enters his life.

Both men lead Grif through a twisted mesh of pleasure, pain, and denial, as they force him to see his value, despite his size and insecurities.

My Review:
4.5 Stars. I finished this and had to sit on the review. It is not a happy-happy book, nor does it have a lot of humor to offset the sincere emotional challenges.

Marcus “Grif” Griffin is a poorly-endowed man. He only recognized his “equipment” was substandard on his first day of junior high gym class when all the boys were naked in the shower and Grif’s stick didn’t measure up.

He is gay–he knows this from a young age–but he doesn’t know how to handle being so deficient. Luckily, Grif has a very understanding and accommodating father who ensures Grif is never in danger of being exposed.

The book shifts time frames almost by chapter, though the entire book is told from Grif’s POV. We can see that Grif is currently in a relationship, with a Dom-type man, Wes. At first, I hated Wes. I thought he was inordinately cruel to Grif, but, as I read on, I could see the development of Grif’s character dynamic. He has a humiliation kink, and Wes has a sadist streak that loves to exploit it.

We get snatches of Grif’s first sexual partner–Tate, his “straight” college roommate and bestest friend in the whole world–even if the sex is all one-sided. We learn about the deep bonds that Grif makes, first with Tate and then with Wes. The sex is not as steamy as other BDSM books, mainly because it is always tempered by humiliation and orgasm denial. As a reader I was totally in synch with Grif’s emotional landscape. When he was anxious about exposure, I was, too. I think that’s the mom in me, but I was thoroughly engaged–which, again, is why I hated Wes so much. All I wanted was for Wes to love and satisfy Grif–but what I didn’t get until, perhaps, the final third of the book was: he was. Wes thoroughly satisfied Grif, in every way Grif desired.

When the timeline flashed into Wes and Grif meeting, and how they took baby steps forward to the point where Grif was able to feel like a total man, not a disappointing or deficient one, I was ready to jump into Wes’ arms and smooch him all over his face.

These two are a really special couple.

Interested? You can find GRIF’S TOY on Goodreads, Amazon, AllRomance iTunes and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:
Joseph is a born and raised Southern Californian—with a twenty-year stint of living in the Midwest. He loves the laid-back lifestyle of San Diego and considers himself lucky to live where people dream of vacationing.

A lifelong reader of m/m fiction, he began his writing career one night sitting at his MacBook and has never looked back. He writes to bring the characters he dreams about to life.

You can find Joseph on his website, Facebook, twitter, and Goodreads.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends.

Her Life is TEQUILA & TEA BAGS–Review and Giveaway

Facebook Cover PhotoHi all! Today I’m sharing in the blitz for a quirky contemporary New Adult romance. Laura Barnard’s TEQUILA & TEA BAGS is a hoot sure to be enjoyed by lovers of Bridget Jones… This is ADULT read.

Tequila and Tea BagsAbout the Book:

Sent to live with her cousin Elsie in the Yorkshire countryside, Rose has only one thing on her mind; joining her friends as a club rep in Mexico.

When she hears about a council incentive offering the promise of free flights to the person who clocks the most volunteering hours at the local care home, she’s got her plan set.
But she doesn’t plan on bonding with the old ladies, going after the village bad boy and trying to persuade Elsie not to become a Nun.

Soon she’s questioning who her real friends are and whether her old life is one she wants to return to.

Can the village win her over and will she win the chance to leave it behind? Will she even want to?

Teaser-2

My Review:

Well! I do love me a funny romance, and Bridget Jones is a go-to for my feel good times, so I was destined to enjoy this!

23 y/o Rose is given a serious wake-up call when her parents cut off all her allowance and force her to move from the London suburbs to a hamlet in the Yorkshire countryside. She’s now sharing a flat with her cousin Elsie–who is trianing to become a nun.

This party girl is bereft, until she learns that volunteering in the local retirement home will garner the chance at a holiday. Her BFF is currently in Mexico, and Rose is desperate to join her. Naturally, the center’s director–the infuriating, yet good-looking Will–is an impediment.

Rose finds trouble without even trying–by basically lying about her skills. Barmaid? Sure! (Cue the beer flood) Horse-minding? No problem! (OMG–even Bridget never caused this kind of havoc!)

Along the way, Rose becomes the shag-buddy of Will’s younger (disreputable) brother James. through the month of Rose’s visit, she and Will get to know each other very well. Much like BJ, Rose is involved in a love triangle she never intended, but I think we can all guess this girl has a whole lot of hilarious self-discovery in her future. And, a good-looking, compassionate man at her side!

The book moves quickly and is peppered with interesting side characters. I loved how Rose and one of the retirees, Betty, bonded. They had a far better relationship than even Rose and her parents. It’s fun to see a character grow when loved and respected, instead of pitied and reviled.

Interested?  You can find Tequila & Tea Bags on Goodreads and Amazon (US and UK).

****GIVEAWAY****

Like my FB page and that of Laura Barnard, then come back and tell me you did in the comments. One lucky commenter will get a book! Yay! Thanks, Laura!

Laura BarnardAbout the Author:

My name is Laura Barnard and I am an author from Hertfordshire, UK. My first chick-lit novel, The Debt & the Doormat was an Amazon number 1 best-seller and won Best Laugh Out Loud Book of 2013. It is available via Amazon, Smashwords, iBooks. Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository and many more.

In my spare time I enjoy drinking my body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of my face, drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo Dicaprio…oh and my husband of course! I like wearing yoga clothes and reading fitness magazines while I sit on the sofa and eat chocolate. I’m a real fan of the power nap and of course, READING!

I write not to get rich or famous, but because I LOVE writing. Even if one person tells me they enjoyed my book it makes the midnight typing worth it!

Catch up with Laura on her website, Goodreads, Facebook, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!