Month: November 2015

Love in a WINTER WONDERLAND–Review & Giveaway!

WW blog tour_bannerHi there! Sharing some love for another M/M romance from Heidi Cullinan. It’s not hard, really, because I’ve adored so many of her books. She’s featured autistic and depressed men, CARRY THE OCEAN, illiterate and sexy librarian men, SLEIGH RIDE, rich and poor men, LONELY HEARTS, and cast-off men, NOWHERE RANCH, so I never read the same character twice.

WINTER WONDERLAND, featuring a young femmy top and a burly insecure older man, is fun and sentimental. And it was magical!

Go on and read the excerpt, my review, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway for the Minnesota Christmas books and swag. You know you want to!

Winter Wonderland (Minnesota Christmas, #3)About the book:
Finding Mr. Right can be a snow lot of fun.
Paul Jansen was the only one of his friends who wanted a relationship. Naturally, he’s the last single man standing. No gay man within a fifty-mile radius wants more than casual sex.

No one, that is, except too-young, too-twinky Kyle Parks, who sends him suggestive texts and leaves X-rated snow sculptures on his front porch.

Kyle is tired of being the town’s resident Peter Pan. He’s twenty-five, not ten, and despite his effeminate appearance, he’s nothing but the boss in bed. He’s loved Paul since forever, and this Christmas, since they’re both working on the Winter Wonderland festival, he might finally get his chance for a holiday romance.

But Paul comes with baggage. His ultra-conservative family wants him paired up with a woman, not a man with Logan’s rainbow connection. When their anti-LGBT crusade spills beyond managing Paul’s love life and threatens the holiday festival, Kyle and Paul must fight for everyone’s happily ever after, including their own.

Warning: Contains erotic snow art, toppy twinks, and super-sweet holiday moments. Best savored with a mug of hot chocolate with a dash of spice.

How about a little taste?

A ten-foot-tall snow penis towered over Paul Jansen’s front steps. Again.

He perched on the edge of his sofa, sipping his coffee as he kept the curtain pulled back with his foot so he could assess today’s phallic offering. It was pretty good. It had a bulging vein down the front, but it wasn’t as defined as usual. Big balls, but they’d clearly been joined to the shaft in a hurry. The glans had a nice contour—the snow artist usually took the most time there.

He’d give it a B+. Putting his mug aside, Paul tightened his robe before stepping into his boots. Opening the front door, he squinted into the sleet and wind. Saluted the penis. Snapped a photo for posterity.

Then he took aim with his right foot, braced himself against the doorframe and kicked the sculpture into pieces before reaching inside for his shovel so he could deal with the balls.

This was the third snow penis he’d dismantled of the season—the very early snow season, as the first squall had come through in late September. After the October tenth storm, they’d had snow cover ever since. The snow penises had started shortly after the blizzard. The first time had him laughing, and he’d left it up for a few hours. But it upset his neighbor on the other side of the duplex. It also made it tricky to get out the front door. So after taking a picture, he’d kicked it down and told his friend Arthur once he got to work, “Very funny, but stop upsetting Mrs. Michealson.”

Arthur had only blinked at him. “What’s funny?” So Paul showed him the picture on his phone, and Arthur laughed. “That’s pretty good! But how’d you do it? The snow is way too fine to pack.”

“I didn’t. You think I’d put a penis on my own front steps?”

Arthur shrugged as if to say, Why not? He squinted at the photo. “Seriously, this is a work of art. It’s almost a sculpture.”

“Well, it’s gone now.” Paul frowned. “I thought for sure you’d put it there.”

“Nope, sorry.” Arthur passed Paul his phone. “Let’s get to work on this bookshelf.”

Paul had put the snow penis out of his head and focused on his job. Logan Design and Repair had only been open for eight months, and while they weren’t about to go bankrupt, they worked like dogs to break even. Paul had gotten his electrician’s license over the summer, and Arthur was working on plumbing. They didn’t do anything big, but they could fuss with a water heater, a fritzing stove, a garbage disposal. Right now they were assembling custom bookshelves for the new pastor’s study at the Lutheran church.

Paul did the books, which often kept him at the shop late. When that happened, dinner usually appeared, delivered by Frankie, Paul’s other best friend’s fiancé. Sometimes it was stew or something homemade, sometimes it was a hot beef sandwich from the café. Sometimes he got hauled off to Arthur’s house to have dinner with the whole gang: Frankie and Marcus, Gabriel and Arthur. Hauled off was the only way they got him there, because Paul hated being the fifth wheel.

Though he was equally tired of being alone.

The day the first snow penis showed up they’d tried to get Paul to come to dinner once they were done ribbing him about his secret admirer, but Paul refused to go, opting to eat his dinner from home at the shop as he caught up on some paperwork.

Shortly after he settled in, his mother called.

“Paul. I’m glad I caught you.” The clipped, irritated tone made it clear glad was a figure of speech and nothing more. “I heard about the incident on your porch. I hope you told Arthur it was in poor taste and I won’t have to hear about this happening again.”

Arthur’s name dripped with disdain as it came out of her mouth. “Actually, I have no idea who did it.”

His mother clucked her tongue. “What a scandal. Have you told the police?”

About a snow penis? Paul entertained himself for a minute with the idea of trying to file that report. “It’s only a prank, I’m sure. Probably won’t happen again.”

“I certainly hope not.” She paused, her tone promising she was about to segue into the real reason she’d called. “I wanted to know if you were coming to church this Sunday.”

Oh, hell. Whenever Mary Jansen told her son she wanted to know if he was going to church, it was code for I have someone I want you to meet. And this someone would not, under any circumstances, be male.

Paul fumbled for a lie. “I’m due to go hunting with the guys this weekend.”

“You’ve hardly been to service lately. What will Pastor think?”

“I went a few weeks ago, but I promise I’ll go again soon.”

“Let me know when, and I’ll have your favorites for dinner after.”

His favorites and an eligible young lady. “I will,” Paul said. This was also a lie.

She’d ended their call shortly after that, but the exchange put Paul off finishing his supper and distracted him enough he mostly stared, frowning at the totals on the computer screen until it was just past midnight. Giving up, he headed home.

A new penis blocked his front door.

The second one had been something else. Not quite as tall, but it curved carefully to the right, and it had all the veins detailed like it was going to be used for an anatomy lesson. This one was uncircumcised, and the balls had hair—dried grass fused into the snow.

He took a picture of this one too, sending it to Marcus, Gabriel and Arthur as a group text. Fess up. Which one of you is the artist?

He had his money on Frankie, since he was the stylist, but either they were all practiced liars, or it wasn’t any of them. They all replied laughing, insisting it wasn’t them, dying to know who it actually was.

Paul had no idea.

My Review:
This is the third book in a series. It can be read as a standalone, but I think it’s best enjoyed after reading the series.

4.5 stars for this contemporary M/M romance, from this sentimental old fool.

Paul is the one of the Three Bears, a self-styled collection of older gay men that grew up in tiny Logan, Minnesota. He, of all of them, wanted a steady, loving partner. And, his two best friends, Marcus and Arthur, each found their significant others in the two past years. At Christmastime.

Paul is a sentimental old fool, really. Now 38 y/o he has always yearned for love, given unselfishly and completely, to him. He wants a storybook love, a Hallmark love–the kind he never felt growing up in his cold-hearted ungrateful family. He and Arthur were a thing for a long time–but Arthur never wanted to be exclusive with Paul, constantly brought others to their bed, and Paul wasn’t able to satisfy Arthur’s need for Domination. It was mortifying to Paul, after a while, so he moved out. They are still good friends.

Kyle Parks is 25 but thin, small and effeminate. He’s had a crush on Paul for the bulk of his life. To a young, gay, bullied kid, Paul and his buddies were the epitome of strength and virility. Kyle has a tenderness that is staggering. His twin sister, Linda Kay, is an adorable and interesting character. She has Down’s Syndrome but is a fireplug nonetheless, and has Kyle wrapped about her fingers. She’s a big part of the reason he still lives at home–their relationship is so excellent. He’s a doting brother and eager to satisfy Linda Kay’s whims. To me, Kyle is a sentimental young fool.

SNOW-PENIS

I don’t advocate making a snow penis, but they surely add a bit of dimension to the landscape!

To the meet-cute: Kyle’s been trying to catch Paul’s eye with filthy Grindr posts, but what really hooks him is the giant snow penises (peni??) that Kyle erects on Paul’s porch once, or three, times. Yep, that got his attention, right quick–especially as his mother and sister keep calling to deride him for being a spectacle, embarrassing the family and wondering when he’s going to come to his senses and find a woman to marry. Yeah.

Paul’s horrified that this babe (think swaddling babe not uber-hot babe) has a thing for him. He’s not even sure Kyle’s LEGAL at first, but Arthur’s mom, Corrina, works her meddling magic once again. If she could get her Dom son a proper mate, she could surely help Kyle win Paul’s heart. Corrina’s known Paul most of his life, and knows what turns his world: this quest for love.

I died as Kyle sat through one after the next of horrible Christmas romance movies, trying to get what Paul saw in them. And, when they are paired to help put together Logan’s Winter Festival it’s a blessing, and a curse. Paul’s so skittish, and he’s been terrified of public opinion for most of his life. His friends aren’t terribly supportive either. Arthur, in particular, deserved a nut punch. I was so glad that Kyle was such a strong man. I’ve heard readers complain that they can’t buy a femme top, but Kyle was fantastic–even as a toppy bottom. He pushed all the right buttons for Paul, except when he didn’t listen to Corrina. It totally made Paul run–as she knew it would. Kyle was persistent, however, and I think that turned Paul’s crank a bit, because persistence shows interest, and interest is a facet of the love Paul craves.

WW_take_a_riskThey have a bit of communication problems, but the biggest impasse is Paul’s inability to love himself, and accept that people may actually genuinely love him, particularly Kyle. The differences between Paul’s family and Kyle’s family was never so starkly etched as on Thanksgiving. The sympathy factor was high, I’ll admit. I liked the added friction of an older man from the Twin Cities making no secret of his attraction for Paul, and also the appearance of Paul’s ridiculous family at a crucial and tumultuous moment. I so liked being witness to Kyle integration into Paul’s friendships, and Corrina Anderson is a crafty old gal.

Expect hot and dirty sexytimes and cold and awesome snowtime fun. Expect a lot of sentimentality and South Pacific and an ending that blows away Hallmark for sensitivity and sap. #Loved.

Interested? You can find WINTER WONDERLAND on Goodreads, Samhain Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. It comes out tomorrow, but go on an one-click it so you’re ready to read ASAP! I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

PS–the first book in this series, LET IT SNOW, is a super bargain at $.99! I snapped it right up!

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter Link to enter to win paperback copies of all three Minnesota Christmas books (Let It Snow, Sleigh Ride, and Winter Wonderland) and a Logan-themed mug
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Heidi CullinanAbout the Author:
Heidi Cullinan has always loved a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. She enjoys writing across many genres but loves above all to write happy, romantic endings for LGBT characters because there just aren’t enough of those stories out there. When Heidi isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, knitting, listening to music, and watching television with her husband and teenaged daughter. Heidi is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights and is proud to be from the first Midwestern state with full marriage equality. Find out more about Heidi, including her social networks, at her website, Twitter, and Facebook.

Intrigue in WILL AND PATRICK: MEET THE FAMILY-Excerpt & Review

Meet The Family Banner
Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review of the second episode of Leta Blake and Alice Griffith’s M/M rom-com serial, WILL & Patrick. In MEET THE FAMILY, keeping up appearances of being a happily married couple gets much more difficult, and possibly dangerous.

Be sure to check out my review of episode one, WAKE UP MARRIED, and scroll down to enter the book giveaway!

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00075]About the book:
Meeting the family is challenging for every new couple. But for Will and Patrick, the awkward family moments only grow more hilarious—and painful—when they must hide the truth of their predicament from the people they care about most.

Throw in the sexual tension flaring between them, uncomfortable run ins with Will’s all-too-recent ex-boyfriend, an overprotective mobster father, and a mafia spy tailing them around Healing, South Dakota, and you’ve got a recipe for madcap laughs and surprisingly heartwarming feels.

Follow Will & Patrick as they cope with the fallout from their Vegas wedding in this second installment of the romantic-comedy serial, Wake Up Married, by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!

How about a little taste?

Keying open the door to their hotel room, Will tries to fake some cheer. “Honey, I’m home! And I brought dinner!” He stops and grips the bags more firmly as his cock rushes with a sudden influx of blood.

“Just put it over there.” Patrick’s ass is in the air, his hands flat on the floor, and he’s wearing nothing but his black boxer-brief underwear. “I’ll eat it when I’m done.”

Will stares as Patrick swivels, his body moving fluidly and his legs flexing in strong, limber movements.

“What are you doing?”

“This is downward dog. And this—” Patrick moves down with careful, slow strength. “Is plank position.” The muscles in his arms, back, and thighs are like bundles of wires, and Will’s mouth goes dry, remembering clearly how they felt under his hands.

“Looks hard.”

Patrick doesn’t answer. Will turns to put the food on the table, because if he keeps watching, something else is going to be hard too.

He clears his throat, glancing over his shoulder at the flexing muscles in Patrick’s back. “When we met, I wouldn’t have pegged you as a yoga kind of guy.”

Patrick grunts. He’s in a position now that Will can’t even imagine twisting himself into.

“I mean, you don’t seem like an ‘om’ type.”

“Yoga, and meditation for that matter, are legitimate, effective, and scientifically proven means to an end: physical health and reduction of mental stress. In other words, it helps keep me sane.” Patrick moves into an upright position, sweeps his arms over his head, and brings them back to a prayerful place at his chest. “Sanity is something you could stand to try. And none of that spiritual mumbo jumbo has anything to do with it.”

“So says the guy who believes in astrology.”

“Sure, be a Libra about it.”

Will feels heat in his cheeks. “The yoga doesn’t seem to hurt as far as keeping the rest of you in shape either.”

Patrick’s lips turn up into a smirk.

Will clears his throat, turning to the bags of food. He keeps his back to Patrick as he unpacks the takeout packages onto the small dining table. “So, do you want the gyros or the mac ‘n’ joes, because I can go either way.”

Patrick’s breath is tingly in Will’s ear and his body heat warm along Will’s back. “I go both ways too. It’s your call.” He reaches around and plucks up one of the Styrofoam boxes without looking inside.

Will swallows and gestures at the box still on the table. “This will be fine.”

He doesn’t know for sure which it is, but it will be fine, so long as his dick stops acting like a traitor and his mind stops supplying him with images of Patrick bent over, taking Will’s fingers into his tight, hot—God!

He shakes himself.

“Mmm, gyros,” Patrick murmurs from his perch on the bed. “So good.”

Will’s eyes flutter closed as he sits at the table and spreads a napkin over his crotch. No matter how good Patrick looks almost naked, they aren’t doing that again. It would be wrong. Because Will loves Ryan.

Who are you trying to convince?

He sighs and begins to eat. Mac ‘n’ joe is always tasty. Though at the moment it seems hard to choke down.

My Review:
Will and Patrick have been back to Will’s hometown of Healing, South Dakota for a couple days, and Will has more ‘splainin’ to do. He’s enlisted the help of his grandmother, Eleanora, to help get them out of this marriage, and had his first confrontation with his new ex, Ryan, and neither was pretty–but now he needs to introduce Patrick to his mother. Oy vay!

Nobody in town likes Patrick, and that’s not just because his quicky marriage to a very wealthy, and emotionally vulnerable, Will is highly suspicious. No, Patrick is also a jackass. He has zero social graces and is often deliberately obnoxious and obtuse. I really am struggling to like him, at this point. I get that he’s a great doctor, but I do not have to like him–at all–because of it.There are some hints at why Patrick is such a prickly character, but they haven’t (yet) excused his callousness.

Patrick relishes this bubble of insufferability he creates around himself. His only redeeming quality, for me, is that he’s good to Will, in a way. Will has a lot of insecurity, and a deeply ingrained sense of worthlessness and failure. It’s been fostered by many different characters slighting him over the years, and Patrick doesn’t accept any of that BS. He finds Will attractive, and says so. He builds him up, and that’s really great considering what a shit Ryan is. I think if they were standing in front of me, I’d punch Ryan in the junk and slap Patrick, twice. (Ryan is a horror of a man, to me, and I’m well glad that Will is rid of him. Patrick is a whole lotta “tough love” sans the “love” bit, and I can *almost* see that he’s going to be a great partner to Will…eventually.)

Will is warming up to his partnership with Patrick, and feeling more attracted than overwhelmed. He’s still soft on Ryan, which is a shame really because that dude is as emotionally abusive as they come. Though I’m starting to see Will turn the page on his love for Ryan and I HOPE HOPE HOPE that there’s some romance coming for him and Patrick. SOON! Right now we have a developing sexual tension and it’s getting serious, but there are no sexytimes. Memories of past sexytimes. Innuendo and a couple kisses, too, but that’s not enough to balance out the snarky banter, for me. I want to see Will and Patrick fall in love. God! I hope that isn’t the title of the last installment in this series.

Expect a douchey ex, a malevolent mafia tail, a lot of people hating Patrick and Will getting his heart stomped on. Oh, and meals. Lots and lots of eating. Mangia!

Interested? You can find WILL & PATRICK MEET THE FAMILY on Goodreads, and Amazon (US and UK).  As this is a serial, you’re going to want to read Episode One, WAKE UP MARRIED first.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Raffle copter below for your chance to win one of two copies of MEET THE FAMILY!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Authors:
Leta Blake
Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

You can find out more on her website, Facebook and twitter.

Alice Griffiths
A long-time reader of romance novels, Alice Griffiths finally took the plunge into writing, teaming up with best-selling author Leta Blake for the ‘Woke up Married’ serialized comedy. A lover of tropes, Alice enjoys mining old ideas and putting a fresh, funny spin on them. Formerly working in the newspaper industry, Alice is now an art curator. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

You can find out more about her by following her on Twitter and Facebook.

A Sexy Chance: PLAY ME–Review and Giveaway!

SB_PlayMe_BlogTour
Hi there! I’m back with a review for the second book in the Steele Brothers erotic novella series from Jennifer Probst. Last week I told you all about CATCH ME, but today I”m sharing my review for PLAY ME. It’s a one-night affair for Roman Steele and the poker ace of his dreams.

Make sure to drop down and enter the giveaway for two of Ms. Probst’s best sellers!

PLAYMe(Final)About the book:
Professional gambler Sloane Keller is tired of dating weak willed men and longs to meet a man who challenges her dominant personality and forces her to submit. As the Queen of Cards, she’s used to making her own rules and craves the excitement of Vegas. But her inner heart cries out for someone who can be her match, both inside the casino and in the bedroom.

As the new dealer in town, Roman Steele is burnt out on women looking for a quick penny and a man to follow. He craves a woman with fire in her soul and a keen intellect who can challenge him. When his brother recruits Madame Eve to help, Rome is amazed at the complicated woman he gets to spend the night with. But when the evening is over, will she be gutsy enough to offer him forever?

My Review:
Roman Steele is a man who knows what he doesn’t want: a tease. He wants a strong woman who will bend to his will, so he can worship her. He’s frustrated that his brother talked him in to arranging a one night stand through FANTA C, but he’s not one bit disappointed when he picks World Poker Tour ace Sloane Keller up at the gaming tables.
SB_PlayMe_Teaser3
Sloane is so tired of men who won’t go the extra mile to satisfy her. She’s used to manipulating men, and dominating them out on the Tour, so a pushover of a partner is not who she’d respect. Rome is not that guy. He beats Sloane at her own game, time and again, wringing some serious pleasure from her high strung body. There’s a dash of domination in their bedplay and it’s exactly what Sloane needs: to give over control of herself in a safe space. Of course, their one night ends, and that’s not nearly enough to satisfy.

I liked how Rome didn’t give up, and also how Sloane recognized that letting go didn’t mean she was weak. They make a fun couple, one that will constantly clash for power and pleasure.

As this is an erotic novella, it’s a quick read. Perfect for a sexy distraction while you wait to pick up a kid from practice!

Interested? You can get your copy of PLAY ME on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo.

SB_WEEKS_2 copy

Available now! CATCH ME on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo.

Pre-order DARE ME on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo.

Pre-order BEG ME on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a signed paperback of SEARCHING FOR ALWAYS and SUMMER SINS by Jennifer Probst. (US Only.)
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Jennifer ProbstAbout the Author:
Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon’s Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers.

Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team. You can also find her Facebook, twitter, and Goodreads.
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Love: FOUND AT THE LIBRARY–A Review

Hi there! Today I”m sharing a sweet contemporary M/M romance from Christi Snow. FOUND AT THE LIBRARY is a sexy and sweet story about growing past ones misconceptions and being true to your passion. It features a best-selling author and a man who “destroys” his books.

Found At the Library (Found, #1)About the book:
His entire life, Tommy Garrett has dealt with self-doubts. He thought he’d conquered the majority of them until a chance meeting with an author brought his illiteracy to the forefront…again. Growing up with un-diagnosed dyslexia has left Tommy barely able to read, but books are his Nirvana. Now he spends his life creating art dedicated to the love of those “untouchable” items.

Robert McIntyre, Mac, is a best-selling, highly celebrated author. But his point of view has become a little bit too narrow…until Tommy opens his eyes. That chance meeting has changed everything about his world. He has no idea how to find the beautiful man he met, and offended, at the library book sale. But when he does, Tommy’s life is in crisis-mode. It’s the holidays and Mac can’t just standby when Tommy needs help, whether Tommy wants it or not.

Two artistic men. One shared passion for books.

Life is hard, and sometimes when conflict arises you have to write your own plot twist to pull yourself out of the fray.

My Review:
Robert “Mac” MacIntyre is a best-selling sci-fi writer who helps out at Denver’s library rummage sale, well, because he loves books. He loves writing them, reading them, selling them, smelling them. He’s called in to assist a man move the several boxes of hardcovers he purchased out to his car. Mac’s attracted to Tommy, and wants to put some moves on him, but they have an immediate problem. When Mac comments how he’ll surely have a great time reading them, Tommy tells him he doesn’t read at all, he turns the books into art. The horror!

Mac is dumbfounded and furious, but he can’t get the intriguing man out of his head. Their brief encounter becomes a bit obsessive, for both men. Mac begins writing a book that’s completely outside his genre (Male/Male romance!!) Meanwhile, Tommy takes a Rob MacIntyre book and transforms it into a centerpiece of his gallery showing. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

Mac’s unhappy to be entering his ex’s (Stig’s) art gallery a couple months later, only to find the new showing his agent dragged him to is of Tommy’s book art. He’s captivated and vexed to learn that the piece made from his own book is not for sale. He can’t find the artist anywhere, and hasn’t learned that Tommy is the artist, but he needs to buy his piece, and he cons his way into getting Tommy’s info. Their second meeting is even more revealing than their first…

This is a well-told love story. Tommy is a mystery that Mac is desperate to unravel. He becomes an unacknowledged hero to Tommy, making it possible for Tommy to provide important medical care to his brother and also to keep his business running, all at Mac’s great expense. There are some consequences to Mac’s (dubious) knightly behavior, in that he’s overstepped and needs to be brushed back, and that seemed reasonable, and also the reconnection seemed reasonable. I think the second separation was a bit abrupt, and without the same logic.

There are some nice sexytimes, and real emotion here. The book-within-a-book thing is a trope I can occasionally appreciate, and the vignettes were not so long to be terribly distracting. I liked the reasoning behind Tommy’s art, and I liked that Mac adored it, once he understood. I did find that some of the language felt stilted to me, and I was stunned to learn this is an American author, as the formal diction, at times, was akin to Queen’s English. I also wondered about the “Federal pension” business, and the weird “State Hospital” scenario, because, again, these seemed to be something outside of American experience. (I do know that there are state-run facilities for the criminally insane, but this is not the place a suicidal patient would be sent, even if he was completely broke, nor would a physician at one of these places attempt to cover-up a patient assault. That’s grounds for dismissal and license suspension, so it troubled me…)

That said, I did like the book, and found it entertaining. I wanted Mac and Tommy to get together, for real, and I appreciated their HEA. Also, there was great character set-up for the sequel which will feature two secondary characters finding a match. So, something to look forward to reading!

Interested? You can find FOUND AT THE LIBRARY on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Christi SnowAbout the Author:

As an avid reader my entire life, I’ve always dreamed of writing books that brought to others the kind of joy I feel when I read. But…I never did anything about it besides jot down a few ideas and sparse scenes.

When I turned 41, I decided it was time to go after my dream and started writing. Within four months, I’d written over 150,000 words and haven’t stopped since. I’ve found my passion by writing about sexy, alpha heroes and smart, tough heroines falling in love and finding their passion. I’m truly living the dream and loving every minute of it.

My tagline is…

Passion and adventure on the road to Happily Ever After. I have to admit, I am loving this adventure!

You can find Christi on line on her website, Goodreads and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Getting All The BEHR FACTS–Review & Giveaway

BF-BannerTemplate
Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a newly released contemporary M/M romance from Pat Henshaw. BEHR FACTS, is the third book in her Foothill Pride series. This is an odd couple match-up between a burly, overworked construction company owner and the svelte forensic accountant who helps him discover the fraud in his company.

Check out the author fun fact, my review, and enter to win one of three Starbucks gift cards below!

BehrFacts-PreviewAbout the book:
Big, burly CEO Abe Behr is dismayed to discover someone—possibly a family member—is stealing from Behr Construction, which primarily employs Behr relatives. Abe takes the unprecedented step of hiring an outsider, likeable CPA Jeff Mason, to go over the books and help find the culprit. They are drawn to each other as they talk to workers, including Abe’s two younger brothers and their shifty cousin.

Since he has sacrificed romance all his life to build the business, Abe’s surprised by his feelings for the handsome Jeff. He’s even more shocked when they are confronted by bigotry in the Sierra Nevada foothills community, which is being inundated by gays moving from the San Francisco area. As he and Jeff get closer, Abe must come to grips with coming out to a family and community that aren’t very tolerant. Fortunately, being the head Behr helps him find his footing and grab onto love when it bites him.

Here’s a fun fact from author Pat Henshaw:

Six foot six Behr Construction CEO Abe Behr hires CPA Jeff Mason to help balance the books and find the employee who’s ripping off the company. What big, burly Abe finds is happy, golden Jeff can not only settle the books, but can be the honey Abe needs in his life. Behr Facts, like the previous Foothills Pride stories, is loosely based on a fairytale—this time Goldilocks!

My review:
This is the third book in a series that can be fully enjoyed as a standalone.

I will preface this review with a couple misconceptions that I brought with me when I opened the book:

1. I thought it would be sexy. It is a contemporary M/M romance, featuring an out-gay man and an asexual man. This is a romance, but do not expect any sex. Any.

2. I thought it would be a paranormal/shifter story. I mean, Abe Behr (pronounced “Bear”) is a six and half foot tall, grizzly of a man, who is gruff and loves to spend time in his isolated cabin, fishing. He’s inordinately drawn to sweets. Like, he could (and does) eat a whole three-course dessert meal. Abe is a bear, but he is NOT the bear shifter I thought I’d find. (More’s the pity, alas). Disclaimer: My review isn’t based on the the lack of shifterness, however. I’m totally cool with non-paranormal stories.

Okay, so what happens is this: Abe’s been running his family’s construction company since the ripe age of 16 when his no-account, alcoholic dad died of liver disease. He is now 32 y/o, a steadfast family man, very concerned about his two remaining younger brothers, Ben and Connor who work in the company, along with any of a number of uncles, cousins and in-laws. Behr Construction is a profitable company, but the books aren’t lining up with the kind of profit that should exist. Abe hires Jeff Mason, a young, svelte accountant with great recommendations to go over his finances.

Aside: Jeff Mason’s father and Abe’s father did not like each other, and Abe’s father had a particular hate for all the Masons.

Bringing a “Mason” into the Behr lair is tantamount to mutiny, for some of the Behrs, but Jeff does a great, and somewhat convoluted, espionage job with Abe at his side to learn who is scamming the company. It seems that the fraud is a team effort and the worst of the bunch are weeded out.

Being in close proximity with Jeff awakens new feelings within Abe. He’s never had an attraction before, and he’s frustrated to find he’s very much attracted to Jeff. Add to that, their cloistered area of California has a firebrand of a minister that’s rallying the townsfolk against the Gays, who are moving into this area due to skyrocketing prices in San Fran. (Clearly The Gays don’t like Oakland…)

So, Abe is beginning to notice all the anti-gay sentiment and it angers him. He pushes back, hard, against his vendors and sub-contractors who are flying their bigot flag. It’s a rough deal, because he’s trying to come to terms with his own sexuality, and people he’s known his whole life are newly homophobic.

I’m going to say that I’d have liked this story a lot more if there had been a little less frenetic pacing. Abe spends a good bit of time pondering his three issues: dwindling company profits, same-sex attraction, and homophobic townsfolk. The crescendo for these issues came too fast, however. I had little time to savor the results of all the tension. Also, no sex. Abe has a wild night, his first I’m led to believe, and I got nothing. #HugelyDisappointed I love me a virgin hero, and Abe had all the makings of this, based on his asexual history. Like a teen boy busting his first nut, it was all over too quickly to suit me.

I am sure this will appeal to readers who like low-steam romances. Abe is an admirable hero, and Jeff is a doll. There’s a good lesson in there about family and loyalty and being the very best person to do a tough job, too. The characters are interesting and I wanted more of their soft side on the page.

Interested? You can find BEHR FACTS on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Amazon UK, Kobo, and All Romance Ebooks.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Pat Henshaw, author of the Foothills Pride Stories, was born and raised in Nebraska and promptly left the cold and snow after college, living at various times in Texas, Colorado, Northern Virginia, and Northern California. Pat enjoys travel, having visited Mexico, Canada, Europe, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Egypt, and Europe, including a cruise down the Danube.

Now retired, Pat has spent her life surrounded by words: Teaching English composition at the junior college level; writing book reviews for newspapers, magazines, and websites; helping students find information as a librarian; and promoting PBS television programs.
Her triumphs are raising two incredible daughters who daily amaze her with their power and compassion. Fortunately, her supportive husband keeps her grounded in reality when she threatens to drift away while writing fiction.

You can find Pat online on her website, Facebook, twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Goodreads.
pride

Digging THE LIBBY GARRETT INTERVENTION–Review & Giveaway

the libby garrett tour banner new
Hi there! I’ve got another contemporary YA romance to share today. THE LIBBY GARRETT INTERVENTION by Kelly Oram is a compelling story about a gal who has let a user/player ruin her friendships and her self-esteem. It’s an honest read with real characters who mess up and make amends.

Make sure to drop down and enter the book and $30 gift card giveaway!

the libby garrett coverAbout the book:
Libby Garrett is addicted to Owen Jackson’s hot lovin’. But the sexy, popular college basketball player doesn’t appreciate all of Libby’s awesomeness. He refuses to be exclusive or even admit to people that they’re dating. The relationship is ruining Libby and she’s the only one who can’t see it.

When Libby’s behavior spirals completely out of control, her best friend Avery Shaw and the rest of the Science Squad stage an intervention hoping to cure Libby of her harmful Owen addiction. They put her through her very own Twelve Step program—Owen’s Anonymous—and recruit the help of a sexy, broody, hard as nails coffee man to be her official sponsor.

Adam Koepp has watched Libby Garrett for years. How could he not notice the sassy girl with the purple skateboard and helmet plastered with cat stickers? But in all the years he’s crushed on her, Libby has failed to take notice of him. Why would she when he was just a nobody high school drop out who served her apple cider several times a week? Especially when she was hooking up with a guy like Owen Jackson—a guy with a college scholarship and more abs than Kyle Hamilton.

Adam finally gets the chance to meet Libby when his co-worker Avery Shaw recruits him to take Libby on the journey of a lifetime. With his ability to play Bad Cop and his experience with the Twelve Step program he’s the perfect candidate to be Libby’s sponsor. But will he be able to keep his personal feelings out of the matter and really help her the way she needs? And will Libby hate him when he forces her to take an honest look at herself?

My Review:
This is the second book in a series, but can be enjoyed on it’s own. 4.5 Stars for this contemporary YA romance.

High school senior Libby Garrett is a big girl. She has some hormonal issues that keep her from losing weight, though she’s on a strict diet and exercises regularly. She’s a math whiz, and part of the Science Squad at her high school in Utah, but she’s gotten involved with a college boy who does her wrong. Owen, may be “all that” on the basketball court, but he’s been hooking up with Libby on the super down-low for a year now. He’s never met her parents, never gone out on a date with her, and won’t even accept her social media friendships. He even arranges hotel stays for their trysts to keep Libby out of his dorm room.

In the past year, Libby has changed her wardrobe–eschewing her witty cat t-shirts and jeans for (unflattering) lycra and mini-skirts. She’s flaked on all her friends, multiple times, and hurt their feelings. Because, when Owen calls, Libby answers.

Her besties, Avery and the rest of the Science Squad stage an Owen intervention, mediated by Adam–Avery’s tattooed skater manager at the coffee shop. Adam’s had a hard life and he knows all about addiction, thanks to his mother’s alcoholism. He is the legal guardian for his younger sister, and sacrificed his high school diploma in order to work enough to support them both. He’s always had a crush on Libby, but he’s disappointed to see how her personality has changed since Owen arrived.

Libby wants nothing to do with the intervention, or Adam, but a week after some hard truths, she decides to try. Adam and Avery continue to tell her that she’s worth more than Owen’s leftovers, but it’s hard quitting him cold turkey. Libby’s never had a boyfriend, and doesn’t fell worthy of love due to her weight problem. Still, she wants her friendships back, and healthy, and she’s tired of being a booty call. Adam agrees to be her “sponsor” and their close proximity brings Libby to a place she never anticipated.

This is a refreshing YA romance. Adam’s such a decent guy, and Libby begins to see herself as more than a “fat” girl. Her self-image has been low for a long, long time, and it’s hard for her to accept compliments, especially from Adam. Adam tries to guard his heart, but he’s a goner for Libby. That said, he’s not trying to make moves on her. He’s hoping that she’ll find the strength to love herself, and then (hopefully!!) him.

Expect the usual slow bond and misfire scenario. Owen’s not eager to give up his feisty kitten, and he regularly tests Libby’s resolve. I totally enjoyed the slow burn between Libby and Adam, and I felt that Libby learned a lot about herself, and friendship, in this story. Some grand gestures and humorous situations kept the pace rolling along. There’s only kissing on the page, though we know Libby is a sexually active teen. There’s a real HEA here, for both Libby and Adam, who are great characters to tag along with. It’s a dual POV story so we get to peek inside both Libby and Adam’s brains. A real treat!

Interested? You can find THE LIBBY GARRETT INTERVENTION on Goodreads, Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link for your chance to win a copy of THE AVERY SHAW EXPERIMENT and a $30 GC!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

kelly oramAbout the Author
Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen–a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which family and friends still tease her. She’s obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and loves to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and four children.

You can catch up with Kelly online on her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.
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Heartbreak and Healing: THE REVOLUTION OF IVY

Hi there! Today, I’m sharing my review for Amy Engel’s second novel in the Book of Ivy series, THE REVOLUTION OF IVY. This is a YA dystopian adventure/romance. Much higher on the adventure, and lower on the romance. I loved THE BOOK OF IVY, and was eagerly expecting the sequel. I wasn’t disappointed!

Check out my review, and get in on the prize pack giveaway below.

5a544-rev2bof2bivy2bfront2bcover_for2bentangled_500About the Book:
**Spoilers if you haven’t read book one**
Ivy Westfall is beyond the fence and she is alone. Abandoned by her family and separated from Bishop Lattimer, Ivy must find a way to survive on her own in a land filled with countless dangers, both human and natural. She has traded a more civilized type of cruelty–forced marriages and murder plots–for the bare-knuckled brutality required to survive outside Westfall’s borders.

But there is hope beyond the fence, as well. And when Bishop reappears in Ivy’s life, she must decide if returning to Westfall to take a final stand for what she believes is right is worth losing everything she’s fought for.

My Review:
This is a sequel and the books should be read in sequence. For readers who do not like cliffhangers, the series ends here. (Well, there could always be another adventure, but there are no unresolved plot questions.)

If you have NOT read BOOK OF IVY, some spoilers below.

When last we left off:
1. The world is in ruins due to war 50 years ago and collectives have endured these lean times.
2. Westfall is a town divided. One side is wealthy the other, not. At age 16 children from one side of the town are married to spouses from the other side, to prevent rebellion and foster amity.
3. Ivy Westfall’s family founded Westfall, but the Lattimer family stole the power and maintains the government. Ivy has grown up in the bad side of Westfall, and has been diligently trained to hate the Lattimers. Her elder sister, Callie, was supposed to be married to Bishop Lattimer, son of President Lattimer, two years ago, but he refused. Bishop wanted Ivy.
4. Ivy’s father and sister want Ivy to murder Bishop.
5. Ivy falls for Bishop.
6. Ivy refuses to kill Bishop.
7. Stuff happens and Ivy is put outside of the barrier fence that protects Westfall’s territory and water supply. This is, essentially, a death sentence.

In Ivy’s case, she has little to no chance of surviving, but she manages to fend off two specific dangers, acquires a canteen and walks until she collapses. She is rescued by Caleb and Ash (Ashley) who tend her wounds and bring her into their settlement. They do not trust her, but she’s identified as Ivy Westfall, and there are enough refugees of Westfall around to ensure Ivy a welcome. She is afraid they will learn that she married, and (gasp!) loved Bishop Lattimer, as these people are outside the fence due to Bishop’s father’s “justice”. BTW some of them were put out for just cause, but many others were set out because they refused to accept their arranged marriages; they think Ivy was set out for this very reason and are sympathetic.

During the weeks, Ivy, Ash and Caleb become friends. Caleb knows that Ivy is not telling the truth, but he cannot prove it. In the meantime, Ivy proves herself to be a quick learner and a hard worker. She gains other friendships, and feels a part of a community as she never did in Westfall–either side. Naturally, this all falls apart when Bishop arrives in the camp.

There is animosity, but a steady growth of respect as Bishop sets out to prove he is “not his father’s son” (figuratively, peeps). Ivy can’t bear to be parted from Bishop again, but she also can’t get close to him, fearing that she’ll lose him all over again in this even harsher world than Westfall. I applaud Bishop’s patience, because I wanted to hit Ivy in the face for all her tentativeness. Live in the NOW, Ivy! LOL.

Anywho, Caleb and Ash find that Bishop is awesome, and Bishop gets Ivy to do what she never has done: tell the truth, of herself and her feelings. It builds a strong bond that is tested when Ivy learns that Westfall’s in disarray and her family is at extreme risk.

Ivy feels the need to make as much right as she can, and is disgruntled with Bishop, Ash, and Caleb who decide to assist. This seemed like a truly madcap enterprise, and I cannot say that I would have done what Ivy did, but I believe that Ivy did what she needed to do. (Even if I think it was utter foolishness!) That girl does love with her whole heart, even if she is hesitant to reveal it…

The end is a naturally gruesome affair, though it was a better situation than I did predict. I was satisfied in the reading. I still like Ivy, and adore Bishop and hope that this future world nevah-evah comes to pass.

Funny thing, Ivy and Bishop’s marriage was annulled when she was put outside the fence. It struck me that Bishop never discarded the ring, nor did he ever plan to let Ivy go. His steadfast love was fairy tale in origin, and it made me (and Ivy) swoony. He never tries to dissuade her from her plans, and always seeks her counsel in decisions. He’s an excellent partner, a rock really, who only wants to love Ivy as she is, whoever she is. That was heart-warming. They do consummate their love, but it’s all off the page.

As with all dystopian stories, I’d love a little more world-building, and some deeper survivor hardship on the page, but that’s not the biggest issue for me.

Interested? You can find THE REVOLUTION OF IVY on Goodreads, Amazon, Kobo Books, and Barnes & Noble.

The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1)
About the book:
After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.

This year, it is my turn.

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

I really enjoyed this dystopian YA romance. Both Ivy and Bishop are excellent characters and I totally rooted for their HEA. (Didn’t happen, but I respected the heck out of Ivy. Check out my review for more details.

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│iTunes│Google Books

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a signed copy of THE REVOLUTION OF IVY, and a necklace! A second winner will win a signed copy of the book.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author
Amy Engel was born in Kansas and after a childhood spent bouncing between countries (Iran, Taiwan) and states (Kansas; California; Missouri; Washington, D.C.), she settled in Kansas City, Missouri, where she lives with her husband and two kids. Before devoting herself full-time to motherhood and writing, she was a criminal defense attorney, which is not quite as exciting as it looks on TV. When she has a free moment, she can usually be found reading, running, or shoe shopping.

Find Amy online on her website, Goodreads, and twitter.

Coming soon! SECOND CHANCES-Review and Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for SECOND CHANCES, the first part of a contemporary M/M serial romance from Rain Carrington. This is an erotic series with a definite slant to become a menage. I’ve enjoyed the first installment, and look forward to the next. You can have a free copy of this one, just for commenting below. (I get to give away 5 copies!)


About the book:
Having everything he needed and wanted in his life for the first time, Brian Lauder was perfectly happy. He had a career that he loved, a home, friends and a submissive that he adored. One he thought he’d held at a big enough distance from to protect his heart. That was all before Morgan stepped back into his house and his life.

Morgan Cherik was everything a man could want. Beautiful, driven and eager to kneel for his Master, but he’d left without a word two years before to follow his dream, leaving Brian to pick up the pieces of a shattered heart.

Now he was back and Brian was torn between wanting to feel that love he’d never been able to shake for Morgan, or punish him and let him go. Then there was Pez, the young college student who had helped him heal. How could Brian let him go?

As Morgan begins to make amends, Brian knows that he cannot get over the other man who’d left his life for Brian’s happiness. Will the memory of Pez come between them, or bring them closer together?

A note from Author Rain Carrington:
This book is part of a serial, the following installments coming out every four to six weeks. They are part of a larger collection I lovingly call the Denver Diaries. Each serial in the Denver Diaries will focus on a new couple or triple, and will play out over the next year or so. I hope you enjoy this first book!

Coming November 4th, Second Chances, Book One. Starting at the introductory price of .99 cents, this deal and the beginning to this series can’t be missed!

My Review:
Brian is a clinical psychologist working in a women’s prison. He’s tasked with helping the inmates find the root cause of their problems and helping them grow past their fears. It’s a stressful job and he relishes unwinding with some spicy BDSM scenes with his regular partner, Pez, a graduate student who moonlights as rentboy. Pez and Brian have been getting together twice a week for two years, and their relationship is really one that is more loving than a john and his hooker. In truth, they each have feelings for the other, but are afraid to reveal this. Brian, because his heart has been broken before, and Pez, because being in love with Brian means he’ll have to give up his lucrative escort business.

Morgan, the stylish underwear model that broke Brian’s heart returns from his two year absence, begging for a second chance. Brian doesn’t want to give it to him, but Pez thinks he needs to–to see if their spark exists. If it doesn’t Pez is willing and able to take a permanent place in Brian’s life. Brian reluctantly allows Morgan to move back in, as long as he submits to Brian’s Dom games. Meanwhile, Pez nurses his broken heart by taking riskier jobs than ever before. As Brian and Morgan grow closer, Brian recognizes his love for Pez and Morgan is equal, and he needs to let Pez know–if he can track him down.

This is a bittersweet read when considering Pez, but I think the story arc allows for Pez to found and redeemed, by Brian and Morgan. This book is really the base of a continuing story, and while it ends satisfactorily, it’s clear that there’s tons of heat and steam in the offing. I liked the interactions between Brian and Pez and also Brian and Morgan. Brian’s a very thoughtful protagonist and is a creative Dom. He breaks Morgan’s defenses into rubble, and this allows for Morgan to be less selfish and more accepting of Brian’s needs, even if that includes Pez. It’s an interesting and often sexy story.

Interested? Youc an NOW find SECOND CHANCES on Amazon!

About the Author:
Hi I’m Rain and I write contemporary M/M romance some with a BDSM slant. My book Honky Tonk, is the first I am publishing but not the first I’ve written. I have a whole library full that are about to be rewritten and revamped a bit and published as well. Please enjoy my books and let me know what you think!

You can catch up to Rain online on her website, Facebook, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and don’t forget to tell me if you’d like a FREE copy of SECOND CHANCES in the comments!

His Heart is CHROME, Forged In Steele–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for Rie Warren’s latest release in the Carolina Bad Boys series, CHROME: WITH A HEART FORGED IN STEELE. You all know how much I’ve enjoyed bad boys STONE, LOVE and STEELE, and Boomer is a lovable giant hooked on a feisty dirt-biking mechanic with a sordid past.

Chrome: With a Heart Forged in Steele (Carolina Bad Boys #4)About the book:
Boomer Steele is big. He’s bad. He’s the Retribution MC pres. He’s been dealt the worst hand imaginable and bears the scars inside and out. Not that anyone knows it. He’s watched his younger brother and sister hook up and hitch up with the loves of their lives, and now he’s the last Steele standing alone. Maybe he should keep it that way.

Then one feisty honey makes him feel, gets in his grill, pisses him off.

She goes by the name of Rayce. And that’s exactly what she does on her motocross bike when she’s not busy getting her hands dirty with her fellow grease monkeys as the only female mechanic at Stone’s Garage. She’s into fixing bikes, racing hers, and making Boomer’s life a living hell just for the fun of it. Oh, and she hates being treated like a girl.

Sparks flying? That’s an understatement where these two are concerned. Yet when Rayce needs a place to live, and Boomer offers her a room in his house, their unquenchable attraction wins out over antagonism. Sometimes. Rayce’s crappy upbringing makes her think love is for stupid fools asking for heartbreak. She’s not willing to go there for any man. Not even Boomer Steele.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Note to readers: this book addresses the issue of domestic abuse.

How about a little taste?

Liked it so much I was considering banging her against the bathroom door. “Yeah.” I rubbed a hand over my mouth. “You could say that.”

Then she did something entirely feminine, a side of her I’d never truly seen before, and performed a little twirl that lifted the skirt up her firm thighs before she stopped in front of me, her face glowing.

I started sweating, right then and there. “Jesus. You’re gonna give me a heart attack.”

“Serves you right, old man.”

“I wanna be your old man.” Growling, I scooped her into my arms. “Been missing you.”

I wouldn’t say I was at an impasse with Rayce, but I’d hardly seen her in several weeks. That was going to end tonight, after I watched Hunter either crash and burn or end up a happily married man.

My lips slid up the curve of Rayce’s neck, and her skin tasted like hot womanly sweetness. I licked the shell of her ear, ghosted to the corner of her mouth, and touched the point of my tongue against the seam of her lips.

She parted them with a gasp.

I looked down at her with heavy eyelids, our mouths separated by just a breath of space. “Been dreaming about kissing you. Feeling your lips on mine.”

“Why don’t you?” she asked, all throaty and sultry.

“You don’t want it enough yet.” I backed away from her.

My Review:
Boomer has crushed on Rayce for a good long time. He’s seen his sister and brother settle down with lovers and he’s lonely in his big empty home. Boomer witnessed the fear in Rayce’s eyes and her embarrassment over the ramshackle trailer she shares with her father. A father who’s drunk more nights than not, and also has a right nasty mouth on him.

Rayce seems to want to be with Boomer, but she’s reluctant to let any one help her out. She works hard at Stone’s garage and is fearless on the racetrack, so why is she holding back against his sure love? When Rayce pulls a disappearing act, Boomer goes to find her–and finds his worst fears confirmed. It’s not a pretty home life, that’s for sure. So Boomer does what he does best, takes care of Rayce. Moves her into his empty home and treats her with care and respect. They’re roommates, without the sexy benefits. That’s what Rayce needs, to prove that she and Boomer can co-exist and she isn’t bartering her body for a place to live. Truth is, that scenario has happened before and it might happen again, if Rayce isn’t careful. Her filthy “father” has a whole new set of humiliations in store for Rayce, and Boomer’s the muscle that lifts her out of the darkness and the rock she needs to stand on.

I was glad to see Boomer get his happy ending. He’s such a caretaker, and deserves to have a partner who loves him with her whole heart. Rayce is a good woman in a bad situation, used and abused by the one man she believed should love her. It’s not as gory as some of the Retribution stories, or even Brodie STEELE’s book, but it does involve verbal, emotional, and even physical abuse of a woman–though some of this is off the page. It’s clear that Rayce’s father has no love for her, and the reason was plain to me early on. That said, I liked how this one was all tied up. It’s not a sunshine and roses upbeat story, but there’s a lot of love and a definite HEA. Also, it’s a dirty dirty read when the sexytimes get going.

Interested? You can find CHROME: WITH A HEART FORGED IN STEELE on Goodreads and Amazon. It’s free on Kindle Unlimited and a $.99 special for release day.

Rie WarrenAbout the Author:
Badass, sassafras Rie Warren is the author of Sugar Daddy and the Don’t Tell series—a breakthrough trilogy that crosses traditional publishing boundaries beginning with In His Command.

She lives in gorgeous Charleston, South Carolina with her small family where she basks in the sunshine during the day, and adjourns to her woman cave at night. A nocturnal creature, she stays up way too late talking to herself, her characters, and anyone who will listen. She’s all about writing with heat, heart, and a hint of the dark, and she doesn’t shy away from the impossible.

Rie’s work has been called “edgy”, “daring”, and “some of the sexiest smut around”.

You can find Rie online Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

 

Seduced in SEVEN NIGHTS TO SURRENDER

Seven-Nights-Launch-Day-Blitz copy
Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for SEVEN NIGHTS TO SURRENDER a contemporary new adult romance from Jeanette Grey. You’ll recall how much I liked WHEN THE STARS ALIGN, so I was excited to get a sneak peek at this new release. I can tell you RIGHT NOW, this book has burning sheets.

Ma Gawd. The sexytimes are off the charts.

Check out the excerpt below and make sure to enter BOTH book giveaways–one is a simple as commenting on this post.

SNTS
About the book:
Kate arrives in Paris hoping to find inspiration. Instead she finds Rylan. In a swirl of stolen kisses and hot, tangled sheets, Kate is quickly swept away by the sexy stranger, longing to surrender to his expert touch. With Rylan, nothing is forbidden-except the truth.

An American ex-pat worth millions, Rylan never flaunts his fortune. Rather, he guards his identity from everyone, especially women. No strings, no commitments, no complications. But the second his lips taste Kate’s soft, sweet skin, everything changes. For the first time, Rylan has found someone to share his every want and need. Yet he knows that secrets stand between them. To keep her, he’ll need to confess the truth before it’s too late . . . even if doing so could mean losing Kate forever.

By day, he’ll show her a side of Paris not found in any guidebook. By night, he’ll introduce her to a passion beyond her wildest dreams. In this sensuous story of indulgence and desire, Jeanette Grey delivers one of the most romantic reads of the year and proves why she is fast becoming a must-read star.

How about a little taste?

Kate stayed firmly planted in her seat as he offered to help her up. Trying her best to appear unaffected, she arched one eyebrow. “Does this usually work for you?”
The guy didn’t pull his hand back or in any other way appear to alter his strategy, and Kate had to give him points for that. “Yes, actually.”
“Interesting.”
The sad truth was, his offer was beyond tempting. The attention was nice, especially after her self-esteem had been beaten down the way it had in the past year. Hell, in the past twenty-two. It wouldn’t hurt to have someone who spoke fluent French showing her around, either. That he was as attractive as he was just made the deal sweeter.
“Not working so well on you, then?” he asked as she considered him.
“Not so far.”
His smile only widened. “Good. I like a girl who’s hard to crack.” Standing up straighter, he held his palms out at his sides. “Come on, what have you got to lose?”
“I’d say my wallet, but that’s already gone.”
“See? Low stakes. Listen, you don’t trust me.” That was an understatement. Was there a man left on Earth that she did? “I don’t blame you. Devilishly handsome man wanders into a café and buys you a drink without asking? Offers to show you around town? Very suspicious.”
“Very.”
“So let’s make this safe. You said you wanted to see the Louvre? Let’s go to the Louvre. I’ll show you all my favorites, and then if I haven’t murdered you by supper time, you let me take you someplace special. Someplace no guide book in the world would ever recommend.”
She was really running out of reasons to say no. It was a good plan, this one. They’d be in a public place. She’d have time to feel him out a little more. And if he wasn’t too much of a psycho, well, everyone had to eat, didn’t they?
Still, she kept up her air of skepticism. She rather liked all his efforts to convince her. “I don’t even know your name.”
The way his dimples shone when he lifted up one corner of his mouth was completely unfair. Extending his hand again, he offered, “Rylan. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Rylan. That was unusual. She liked it.
“Kate,” she volunteered in return, and with no more real excuse not to, she accepted the handshake, slipping her palm into his. Warm fingers curled around hers, his thumb stroking the side of her hand, and oh. The rake. He bent forward as he tugged on her hand, twisting ever so slightly so he could press his lips to the back of her palm.
“Charmed.”
“I’ll bet you are.” But her pulse was racing faster, and the kiss felt like it seared all the way to her spine.
This man was dangerous.
He straightened up but he didn’t let go. Sweeping his other arm toward the door, he asked, “So?”
She hummed to herself as she gazed up at him, as if there was any question of what she was going to do. His blue eyes sparkled, like he already knew her answer, too.
“Well.” She rose from her seat, feeling taller than usual. More powerful. Maybe it was all the flattery of a guy like this hitting on her. Maybe it was the headiness of making this kind of a decision. Either way, it made her straighten her shoulders and insert a little sway into the movement of her hips.
“Well?”
“Lead on,” she said.
He didn’t let go of her hand. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” With a squeeze of her fingers, he took a step toward the door. “Let’s go look at some art.”
External pressures aside, she had come to Paris to be inspired by beauty. She could find it on the walls of a famous museum. And she could find it in the lines of this man’s shoulders and throat. The latter might not have been what she’d had in mind when she’d set out, but what was a little bit of a diversion?
You couldn’t find yourself without taking a couple of side trips, after all.

My Review:
4.5 Stars for this contemporary New Adult (erotic) romance.

Kate is a woman filled with self-doubt, mostly because men (her father and ex-boyfriend) have put her down, a lot. She’s never had an orgasm with a man, and she’s not sure she can ever fall for a man–not after witnessing her mother’s destructive marriage, and her own disastrous single foray into dating.

Kate’s an artist spending a week in Paris hoping to learn what to do with her life–she has been accepted for her MFA in art, and she has a job offer at an ad agency. School, or work? If she can’t get a better sense how to do her art, she’s got to take the job, right.

Naturally, for Kate, her vacation/vision quest begins badly. Her purse is snatched at a cafe. Her coffee is picked up by a sexy stranger, Rylan, who entreats Kate to spend some time together, as her guidebook is now stolen, and he knows the city intimately. Kate gets the idea that Rylan knows a lot of women intimately, and this idea is verified by Rylan–who, let’s face it–is a lazy trust-fund brat having an extended temper tantrum. I do like Rylan, but he’s exactly that. He let his father dictate his life, and he was seriously disappointed and unhappy with the result.

Rylan convinces Kate to hang out, and also to let him seduce her–he’s sure he can satisfy her sexually and he spends several nights doing just that. There is a lot of sex, most of which is non-penetrative. Kate is initially nervous about having intercourse, so Rylan satisfies her in other ways, and he’s not specific about reciprocity. In fact, he counts his lack of action to be a penance for all the half-truths he reveals to Kate. He’s led her to believe that he’s a struggling ex-pat, though this is far from true. His father’s tarnished legacy has fallen into his lap, and he wants nothing to do with it. He has a lot of self-hate, which makes him more sympathetic. Plus, he lives to get Kate off, which is kinky fun.

Rylan wants nothing more than to spend these perfect days with Kate, but that gets snipped when she learns she’s just another lying liar, like her cheating ex and her cheating dad. Expect a frosty break-up, and a chance at redemption. Expect a whole lotta sexytimes, and a fragile ego to become a burnished self-esteem. Kate and Rylan have serious daddy issues, and they deal with them in similar ways. By the end, neither of them is running, which was good. The planned sequel looks to be just as sexy, and will provide the end of this story, though there was enough closure here for the story to rest.

Interested? You can find SEVEN NIGHTS TO SURRENDER on Goodreads,
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, GooglePlay, Kobo, and BAM.

****GIVEAWAY 1!****

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****GIVEAWAY 2!****

Comment on this post to be entered to win a paperback copy of SEVEN NIGHTS TO SURRENDER of your very own. I’d love to hear the most exotic place you have been and found a connection with someone–doesn’t have to be a sexy tale! If you went to Palm Springs and made a friend with a gardener, I’d love you to share…  This giveaway closes Tuesday Nov 10th at 5pm giving you…7 NIGHTS to get your comments in!!

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Jeanette GreyAbout the author:
Jeanette Grey started out with degrees in physics and painting, which she dutifully applied to stunted careers in teaching, technical support, and advertising. When she isn’t writing, Jeanette enjoys making pottery, playing board games, and spending time with her husband and her pet frog. She lives, loves, and writes in upstate New York.

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