Month: May 2016

Cries For Help: TONE DEAF–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary YA romance from Olivia Rivers. TONE DEAF is a story about a rocker and a deaf girl finding solace and safety together.

Tone DeafAbout the book:
Ali Collins was a child prodigy destined to become one of the greatest musicians of the twenty-first century—until she was diagnosed with a life-changing brain tumor. Now, at seventeen, Ali lives in a soundless world where she gets by with American Sign Language and lip-reading. She’s a constant disappointment to her father, a retired cop fighting his own demons, and the bruises are getting harder to hide.

When Ali accidentally wins a backstage tour with the chart-topping band Tone Deaf, she’s swept back into the world of music. Jace Beckett, the nineteen-year-old lead singer of the band, has a reputation. He’s a jerk and a player, and Ali wants nothing to do with him. But there’s more to Jace than the tabloids let on. When Jace notices Ali’s bruises and offers to help her escape to New York, Ali can’t turn down the chance at freedom and a fresh start. Soon she’s traveling cross-country, hidden away in Jace’s RV as the band finishes their nationwide tour. With the help of Jace, Ali sets out to reboot her life and rediscover the music she once loved.

My Review:
This is an engaging, innocent, YA rock romance.

Ali is a 17 y/o girl whose charmed life has taken disastrous turns. She was a child prodigy, playing concert halls in NYC before she even turned double digits, but a surgical procedure rendered her totally deaf. At the same time her mother was killed and she was relocated to LA in her estranged father’s care. These days, her father is a retired decorated police chief who is an alcoholic and an abuser.

While at a concert with her best friend, Ali is selected to win a behind-the-scenes tour with the lead singer of the pop/punk boy band, Jace. Jace turns out to be just as much of a jerk as the press has led Ali to believe. He’s unconscionably rude, and Ali leaves without taking the tour. Pressed to make amends, Jace offers Ali a large sum of money for her to return to the arena and take the tour–to stave off a PR nightmare. Ali only agrees because the money could provide her with a fresh start, and send her far from her abusive and controlling father.

This time, Jace notices that Ali knows a lot about music, and also, that she’s bruised in ways with which he can totally identify. He was an abused child, too. He’s immediately engaged in her plight, offering to whisk her away on his tour–and drop her in NYC as that’s the last stop.

Along the way, Ali and Jace become close–not in a sexy way. Jace knows that Ali can’t be found, as she’s explained her father’s resources. Jace convinces his band that he needs to help her–and they need to trust him. This trust gets strained as Ali’s disappearance becomes national news, and the risk of her discovery hiding on Jace’s RV is high. The days turn to weeks, and Ali makes herself useful, managing Jace’s social media and helping him with some of his songs in-progress.

What I loved about the book was the way Ali was portrayed. She never wallowed in her misfortune. Her desperation to get away from her father and build a whole new life was palpable. I liked the way her deafness was described and explored, and also her communication between her friends, Jace, and her interactions in the world were all well-sketched. I also loved the diversity of the band members, who are childhood friends and form their own family–of sorts. Two of the guys are openly gay, and in a loving relationship together, which was a positive aspect. Jace is a jerk, a broken person due to years of abuse. His experience helping Ali, and getting to know her as a person, opens his eyes, heart and mind, to let some of his long-standing anger bleed out.

I had a few problems with some structural aspects of the book. Part of this was “reality” problems. I had a hard time believing that Ali’s surgical issue would have rendered her completely deaf in both ears. It’s a medical stretch and virtually impossible, as described. That’s my own two cents, as a physiologist who taught medical students. I had to simply accept that, and I couldn’t, not once I got the whole “story,” but most lay readers won’t know this is an issue. I also have a little trouble with the pacing of this rock tour. It seems to travel at a snail’s pace, and I couldn’t understand the logistics. I’m a big fan of music. Concert tours are streamlined and efficient travelers. They pack up each night when a show ends and hit the road…immediately. They have shows lined up every few days, especially in the summer season, and the talent doesn’t drive the RV for a band as the one described in the book. Those are my niggles, and are based in reality. Most readers likely won’t have such a critical eye.

The story, as it unfolds, is interesting. The budding romance is tender, with only a few kisses and chaste hugs exchanged. There’s a lot of healing from heartache, for both Ali and Jace. I had a lot of tension awaiting Ali’s discovery, and the payoff was rewarding. When the climax comes, it seems a bit late in the game, but I liked how it turned out.

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

About the Author:
Olivia Rivers is a hybrid author of Young Adult fiction. Her works include the independently published “Tortured Elements” and “Duplicity” series, along with the traditionally published novel “Tone Deaf” (Sky Horse 2016.) As a certified geek, she enjoys experimenting with new publishing technologies, and her online serials have received over 1,000,000 hits on Wattpad.com. When Olivia isn’t working as a writer, she’s a typical teen attending college in Northern California. Olivia is represented by Laurie McLean of Fuse Literary, and nothing thrills her more than hearing from readers.

You can reach Olivia online on her website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

 

 

Coming Out With A LOVER ON TOP–Excerpt and Giveaway!

BannerTemplate-16Hi there! Today I’m sharing an excerpt and giveaway in support of a new contemporary M/M romance from Kristing Cayne. LOVER ON TOP is a love story between a straight fire fighter and his good friend’s gay younger brother. There’s a guarantee that this book is a hot read.

Catch the excerpt below and be sure to enter to win a $10 gift card.

Lover on Top FinalAbout the book:
A straight firefighter discovers an irresistible attraction for his best friend’s younger brother—one that could lead to complete disaster.
A perpetual bachelor, firefighter lieutenant Hollywood Wright hops from one woman’s bed to another, searching for something he never finds. Has his father’s emotional and physical abuse somehow damaged him? Or is something else going on, something that involves the intense and uncomfortable feelings aroused by his best friend’s little brother?

Sexy-as-sin paramedic Chad Caldwell has always been out and proud. Sure, some gay-bashers are harassing him, but he’s determined to be true to himself. There’s just one problem: He’s hung up on Hollywood, his older brother’s straight best friend. When Hollywood’s apartment is damaged by fire, Chad reluctantly takes him in. Will Chad’s heart survive such close proximity to a man who’s both unattainable and everything Chad wants?

To their mutual surprise, Hollywood finds Chad and his world fascinating—and much hotter than anything he’s ever experienced. But with a rabidly homophobic father, is Hollywood doomed to die in the closet? Chad won’t accept anything less than a public relationship, no matter how amazing the sex is. Can Hollywood ever accept the man he’s always kept buried deep inside?

How about a little taste?

Hands gripping his head, Hollywood paced back and forth between Chad and the neighboring building, like a caged lion. “I’m confused. It’s your fault. You and your tight ass. Your tattoos. And don’t get me started on your little twink boyfriend.”

“My boyfriend?” There was no way Chad could follow Hollywood’s leaps of logic.

“Fucking cowboy told me about it. You slept with Blondie. It was that same night with Candy, wasn’t it?”

Chad clenched his jaw. “Sandy.”

“Who the fuck cares?” Hollywood shouted.

“Why are you so upset?” Chad asked. “You’re straight.”

“I don’t know what the fuck I am. You’ve got me watching gay porn. Fantasizing about—” Hollywood gritted his teeth together and rubbed his face with both hands. The sound of his stubble scraping against his palms had Chad’s heartrate shooting up. Even when he was a mess, Hollywood was hot.

“What do you fantasize about?” Chad couldn’t help asking any more than he could help the rasp in his voice.

Hollywood stopped his pacing, hesitated, then advanced on Chad. Each step slow and deliberate. Chad sucked a breath into suddenly deflated lungs. Oh God. He was so fucking turned on. And what kind of slut did that make him? He didn’t know if Hollywood was going to kiss him or beat the shit out of him. All he knew was that he needed to find out.

With rough movements, Hollywood gripped the sides of Chad’s head. “I can’t think of anything except kissing you. Your lips, are they soft or hard? How would your stubble feel against my skin? What do you taste like? It’s driving me crazy.” He stared into Chad’s eyes. “You are driving me crazy.”

O.O These guys got some talking to do!!!

Interested? You can fin LOVER ON TOP on Goodreads, and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $10 gift card!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Kristine Cayne’s books have won numerous awards and acclaim. Her first book, Deadly Obsession, was an RT Book Reviews Top Pick and won Best Romance in the 2012 eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards. Her second book, Deadly Addiction, won two awards at the 2014 eFestival of Words and 1st place in the INDIE Awards, Romantic Suspense Category (a division of Chanticleer Book Reviews Blue Ribbon Writing Contests).

Her book Under His Command won Best BDSM Romance at the 2012 Sizzling Awards and was a finalist in the 2013 eFestival of Words and 2013 RONE (Reward of Novel Excellence) Awards, and her book Everything Bared was a finalist in the Erotic category of the I Heart Indie awards.

To learn more about Kristine and her stories, visit her website, Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, Tsu, Google+ and Goodreads.

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Learning HOW TO WALK LIKE A MAN is Adorable!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for the second book in Eli Easton’s contemporary M/M canine shifter series. You know I loved HOW TO HOWL AT THE MOON, and I couldn’t just stop there…I immediately picked up HOW TO WALK LIKE A MAN and was immediately enchanted. It’s such a loving tender read with a closeted DEA agent and the quickened army vet he falls for. *swoons*

How to Walk Like a Man (Howl At The Moon #2)About the book:
Deputy Roman Charsguard survived Afghanistan where he lost his best friend—his K-9 handler James. Roman was a military dog until two years ago when he developed the ability to shift into a human. It’s not easy to learn how to be a man. He found a place to live in Mad Creek, a haven for the secret world of dog shifters. Finding a reason to live has been harder. That is, until a certain human walks into the Mad Creek Sheriff’s office and starts making trouble.

Matt Barclay has the worst luck. First he was shot in a SWAT drug raid, then he was sent as DEA investigator to Mad Creek, a little town in the California mountains. Matt’s job is to keep a lookout for illegal drug farms, but nobody in the town wants him there. And then there’s Roman, Matt’s erstwhile baby-sitter. He’s the hottest guy Matt’s ever seen, even if he is a bit peculiar. If the town doesn’t kill him, sexual frustration just might.

The town is counting on Roman to prevent Matt from learning about dog shifters, Matt’s counting on Roman to be his work partner and tell him the truth, and Roman’s trying to navigate love, sex, and a whole lot of messy human emotions. Who knew it was so complicated to walk like a man?

My Review:
This is such a fun and interesting addition to the Howl at the Moon series, as it relates the story of a quickened male navigating the complicated waters of human relationships.

Roman was a K-9 explosive sniffing dog deployed to Afghanistan and thoroughly bonded with his handler, Sgt James Pattson. They served together for two years until their convoy was attacked and Pattson killed in action. Roman was shipped back to his home kennel, and his mourning for James triggered the Spark, and Roman “quickened” from his German Shepard body into that of a human male. He escaped and hid until he found another quickened who directed him to sheltered and remote Mad Creek, California, home of a colony of quickened dog shifters. He’s been learning how to act human for the past two years, but things aren’t generally easy for him, still.

Roman is nervous about this new assignment for the Sheriff’s office. He’s a deputy there, under the tutelage of Sheriff Beaufort (Lance from How to Howl at the Moon) but now he’s being tasked with watching over DEA Agent Matt Barclay. Matt has been stationed in Mad Creek as part of a network of agents keeping tabs on illegal pot farming in the California mountains.

Matt is a closeted gay man, afraid to come out and gain the disapproval of his retired colonel father. He lives with a childhood friend, Luci, in order to shield himself from questions about his sexuality, but it’s causing more harm–as their pushy parents are expecting an engagement. Matt’s frustrated by his growing attraction to Roman, and also by Sheriff Beaufort’s constant attempts to thwart Matt’s integration into Mad Creek life. It’s comical how Matt is shuttled around and openly feared by the residents there, and only manages to raise his awareness of every bizarre incident he witnesses in “Mad” Creek…

Naturally, baddies do arrive, and we have a front row seat to their dastardly deeds–including murder. Roman is injured in the line of duty and adopted during his recuperation by an unknowing Matt. It’s so sweet how tenderly they treat each other, and their love definitely grows quickly and strongly during their weeks and months of surveillance. Because Roman spent his early years as a dog, he has no sense of human sexuality. He’s attracted to Matt, but doesn’t know how to express it, and had been steadfastly warned against “dog” behaviors–like cuddling, nuzzling and getting too close–that would clue Matt in on Roman’s true feelings. I was both entertained and enthralled at Roman’s “puberty,” and Matt’s an eager partner when they finally get together.

Expect some heartbreak, however, because Matt’s still unsure about coming out, and his father’s a meddling meanie of a man. Also, Roman’s not sure he can trust another human–he’s lost both the men he ever bonded with, one of them permanently. The book is rife with emotional moments, peril and enough humor to keep the pace light and active. I found myself up way too late finishing this one!

Interested? You can find HOW TO WALK LIKE A MAN on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance.

About the Author:
Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a game designer, an organic farmer, an avid hiker, and a profound sleeper, Eli is happily embarking on yet another incarnation as a m/m romance author.

As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.

Catch up with Eli on her website, Facebook, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!