Giveaways

Caught in the Middle! SLAVE FOR TWO–Exclusive Excerpt, Review and Giveaway!

slave-for-two-morticia-knight_promosquare_outnow_finalHi there! I’m so excited to share a review and giveaway in support of a new contemporary sci-fi M/M/M menage BDSM romance from Morticia Knight. SLAVE FOR TWO kicks off a whole new series set on Earth, after our world’s been conquered by the Alasharian race. What humans have lived are being turned into pleasure slaves… O.O

Catch the exclusive excerpt below and be sure to enter the swag giveaway, too!

s2About the book:
Chris has had a monumentally bad month. First, an aggressive band of aliens invaded the Earth, conquered the world, and now he’s fighting for survival in the mountains with his family and the neighborhood bigot. Just because he’s barely out of his teens and a bit on the scrawny side doesn’t mean he can’t watch out for his mom, sisters and younger cousin. Chris keeps searching for the brighter side of things, but his humor is wearing thin. Fear can do that to a guy.

Lasar and Nary are a soul matched pair of warriors from Alashar. Lasar is Nary’s Ahna, the one who dominates him, and Nary is the Nasha, or submissive, to Lasar. Every Alasharian, regardless of orientation, needs the balance of the power exchange to exist peacefully within their lifelong soul match bond. When Lasar is awarded a war prize, he sends Nary to look over the recent arrivals.

Chris and his cousin Morgan are captured and sent to the slave cages where they discover from the other imprisoned young men that they are destined to be sex toys for alien pairs. When one of those aliens saves Chris and his cousin from being abused by the slave master, Chris hopes that the seemingly kind alien won’t be too horrible an owner.

Lasar and Nary are finally alone together with their new sex slave, ready to enjoy their reward. However, in the middle of their playtime a shocking event occurs that not only disrupts Chris’ world even more than it already has been, but also challenges everything that Lasar and Nary have always held dear. As Lasar searches for answers, he begins to question the reasons behind the Earth invasion and where his loyalties should really lie. As their Ahna, he must be the one who decides whether they will all be safer together, or apart.

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes involving sounding.

And now for that exclusive scene!

“Wait, Chris. Hold up.”

Chris glanced behind him to see his cousin bent over at the waist, hands on his knees, breathing heavily. It was easy to forget that Morgan was probably still acclimatizing to the higher elevation. It’d only taken Chris a few days, but he was used to spending time in the mountains, so he’d adjusted quicker than everyone else.

Morgan straightened, then swiped a hand across his forehead. He didn’t think his cousin was too much of a hiker either. He’d certainly never tagged along on any of the weekend trips he’d once taken with his dad. Morgan had usually spent his time with his nose buried in a book.

Was barely able to get him to fight me in Mortal Kombat growing up.

“I’m okay.” Morgan straightened. “But… Are you sure there’s another place to get water before the tram?”

Yeah, the pressure was definitely getting to him when it came to having to be the one in charge. “There’s another place for sure. Will there be water there at the end of the summer season and when we’ve been in a drought? That part I don’t know.” Chris nodded to the one-liter bottle that Morgan held. There was maybe a quarter of the water left. Chris still had more than half of his own. “I wouldn’t take more than a couple sips, though. Just enough to get the dust out of your throat.”

Morgan considered the container then glanced up at Chris. “I’m okay for now.”

“Good. Let’s keep moving. We’re almost there anyway.” Chris quirked the corner of his mouth. “You can always save your thirst for a soda.”

Morgan groaned. “Oh my God. That sounds so flippin’ good right now.”

“And your feet?” Chris tried to make his query sound off-hand.

Morgan bit one side of his lip as if considering how to answer. “They could be worse.”

Chris rolled his eyes. “Which means what exactly?”

“I think I have a blister.” Morgan had the appearance of someone who’d just committed some sort of horrible crime.

“Jesus, why didn’t you say anything? We can’t chance any infections!”

“I… I figured I could take care of it once we got there. Maybe even find some other shoes that somebody left behind or…more Band-Aids.” He shuffled from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable and favoring one over the other. “I didn’t want to waste them in case the girls needed them.”

“Wait. You mean you had the blister before we left?”

“I put a piece of tissue where my heel is. It’s been all right.” He winced. “For the most part. I just never knew how awful my Converses are for hiking.”

“Morgan, seriously.” Chris shook his head. “You have to speak up whenever any—”

“Down!”

Morgan gave him a shove and Chris tumbled backwards over a group of rocks. He landed with an oomph on the ground beneath a large fir. Morgan scrambled under the low-hanging branches and curled next to him on the rocky, needle-covered surface.

“What is it?” Chris whispered.

“I’m not sure.” Morgan’s voice trembled, the terror in his words clear.

“What made you push me then?”

“Something, uh, something shiny by the next rise, like maybe the sun was reflecting off that gold metal from the ships.”

Morgan’s terror had taken on an edge of hysteria. Chris needed to get him to calm down.

“Okay, let’s wait here for a little while and see what happens. We’re pretty well hidden, especially if it is one of the ships. We’re totally safe under this tree.”

Morgan clutched at him as he peered around frantically. “How do you know, though? How can you be sure?”

“Because they would’ve rushed over if they knew we were here, right? It’s not like they have to get the drop on us.” Chris snorted. “They charged right into town without any hesitation. The military couldn’t bring them down. What could two scrawny guys possibly do to stop them up here?”

The grip Morgan had on him loosened. “Yeah. Good point.” He locked gazes with Chris. “Sorry I pushed you.”

“Hey man, you can push me any time you even kinda sorta think there’s an alien nearby. You have my full permission for that.”

His words managed to get a chuckle out of Morgan, which was a good sign. If Morgan got too overwhelmed, too afraid, Chris didn’t want to have to try and drag him either up to the station or back down to camp. But since it seemed as if they were going to wait a while, Chris nodded to the bag of trail mix they’d brought with them.

Morgan shook his head. “Thanks. But my stomach is a bit queasy after that.” He furrowed his brow. “I’m pretty sure it was them, Chris. I’m scared to keep going.”

My Review:

Chris is a 19 year old boy whose world has been flipped. Literally. Humans are scrambling to survive following a massive Earth-wide attack by the Alasharians, a race of physically and tactically superior aliens. Chris struggles to keep his mother, two young sisters and cousin Morgan alive by hiding in the mountains of southern California–near San Bernadino.

Unfortunately, while scavenging supplies from an abandoned ski resort both he and Morgan are captured and installed in slave quarters in what was once 29 Palms Marine base. Chris and Morgan are terrified of their captors–who are large, hulking males. They notice that all the slaves with them are males of a particular type: attractive and small-ish. Chris and Morgan are both gay–they came out years ago–and they are also both virgins.

Lasar and Nary are a soul bond pair of Alasharians. Lasar is a decorated warrior, a commander, and brother-in-law to the Supreme Leader. Lasar is grateful that the occupation of Earth went so smoothly, and that his beloved Nary was excellent in battle. Nary is his Nasha, or sub, while Lasar is the Asha of the pair. Normally a Nasha would be treasured and cared-for, not trained for battle, but their world was destined for destruction and Earth was a handy substitute. All Alasharians were pressed into the cause to subjugate the cruel and heartless, sex-mad humans. Lasar is promised a sex toy human for his role in taking over Los Angeles, and Nary is compelled to rescue both Chris and Morgan when he first meets them at the slave compound.

For Chris, he’s frightened of how attracted he feels to Nary, and eventually Lasar. They are beautiful physical specimens, and Nary is so compassionate to him–rescuing Morgan from certain rape by the slave minders–even though it means Lasar will punish Nary. Chris can’t believe the impact of being near the Alasharians; he’s physically charged all the time–and that’s not only sexually. It’s the same for Lasar and Nary, who sense the beginnings of a soul match beginning between the three of them–something unheard of and possibly very dangerous.

When Lasar begins to investigate the bizarre experience developing between himself, his Nasha and his slave, he discovers that the invasion of Earth wasn’t as necessary as at first purported, and witnessing Chris’ emotional displays that are neither sex-mad, heartless, nor cruel has Lasar reconsidering his role in what now seems senseless slaughter.

I loved how these characters all worked together to figure out what was happening between them. I loved the mutual comfort, and the confusion and the slow-building passion. There are some really very sweet scenes, filled with longing and tenderness, that help cement what amounts to a rapid courtship. For the Alasharians, Chris is an anomaly. For Morgan, Chris is a traitor. How could he submit to pleasure with the aliens who may have murdered his own father, aunt and uncle?? It’s a delicate balance, and there’s lots of emotional turmoil.

The story ends at a good place, with the beginnings of a strong love, and promises to make things as right as can be in Chris’ world. Earth will never be the same, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be good. Expect some yummy sexytimes, some BDSM and some hawt alien loving. Looking forward to the next book!

Interested? You can find SLAVE FOR TWO on Goodreads, Pride Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a swag pack (US shipping only).
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Author Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men forever after. Even though she’s been crafting her naughty tales of romance for more years than she’d like to share – her adventures as a published author began in 2011. Since then, she’s been fortunate enough to have several books on bestseller lists, along with two titles receiving recognition from the Rainbow Book Awards.

Once upon a time, she was the lead singer and songwriter in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. Morticia currently resides on the beautiful northern Oregon coast, and when she’s not fantasizing about hot men, she takes walks along the ocean and occasionally annoys the local karaoke bar patrons.

You can find Morticia online on her website, Goodreads, Totally Bound, Amazon, Twitter and Facebook.

A Great Beginning With NOT YOUR SIDEKICK–Review & Giveaway!

nys_tour_fbHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a YA LGBTQ-friendly superhero novel that kicks off a three book series from CB Lee. NOT YOUR SIDEKICK is set in the US, a little over a century into the future, when superheros and villains take center-stage in the world…and Jess isn’t very super.

Check out the excerpt and be sure to enter the $25 GC and book giveaway below!

nys-front-900px-tumblrAbout the book:
Welcome to Andover, where superpowers are common, but internships are complicated. Just ask high school nobody, Jessica Tran. Despite her heroic lineage, Jess is resigned to a life without superpowers and is merely looking to beef up her college applications when she stumbles upon the perfect (paid!) internship—only it turns out to be for the town’s most heinous supervillain.

On the upside, she gets to work with her longtime secret crush, Abby, whom Jess thinks may have a secret of her own. Then there’s the budding attraction to her fellow intern, the mysterious “M,” who never seems to be in the same place as Abby. But what starts as a fun way to spite her superhero parents takes a sudden and dangerous turn when she uncovers a plot larger than heroes and villains altogether.

How about a little taste?

His eyes glowing, he stands in the doorway. Master Mischief’s mechanical armor clanks as he steps into the room. The faded “M M” logo is blistered in purple paint on his chest.

Jess’ brain stutters. Has he figured out her parents’ secret identity? Is this is a kidnapping? A ruse to draw her parents out? She steps back and grabs for the pepper spray in her backpack, but that’ll be little help. Mischief is blocking the only exit.

He’s not an A-class villain, but Jess has never met any villain in the flesh. Despite all the funny T-shirts and silly videos of Mischief, and despite Jess’ arguments that some of what he does isn’t villainous at all, it’s hard to shake off years and years of seeing villains do terrible and destructive things in the news.

And now a villain stands in front of her; his electronic suit crackles with power.

Mischief can manipulate tech, but what is he’s doing here, in the heart of Monroe Industries? He’s certainly in his element. Anything electronic that isn’t too complicated, he can manipulate and control for a limited time. Jess has seen him direct cars to rebel against their owners and reprogram traffic lights and signs and computers.

Jess swallows and stands her ground. He’s silly. He mostly does harmless pranks. He’s ridiculous, not scary.

But it’s one thing to casually joke about villains and another to see one in person.

“I know we were deliberately vague in the job listing and interview, but I hope you understand why we needed the utmost discretion,” Mischief says. The voice is a little different than what she remembers, but that could be her imagination. It’s more electronic—is that a thing?

“Master Mischief?” Jess asks.

Mischief tilts his head; he almost fills the doorframe. But Mischief is quite a few inches shorter than Mistress Mischief, and the difference is always exaggerated in the comics.

He looks taller than Jess, and the suit—she can see black fabric at the knees under the metal armor, as if it doesn’t quite fit. And the logo is old, too; this version of the suit hasn’t been seen for at least a year. “What’s going on here?” Jess asks. “Why do you have Master Mischief’s mecha-suit?”

“Ah, I see you figured that out. I’m M, by the way. Nice to meet you.”

“Who are you?” Jess demands. “Do you actually work for Monroe Industries?”

“I’m not Master Mischief, that’s for sure. But yes, he works for Monroe Industries, and I do too. I was his assistant—am his assistant. He’s busy at the moment, and I’m running his lab in the interim.” M folds his arms and tilts his head and lights flicker without a discernible pattern on his helmet’s front panel. “You can laugh now. Villains need jobs too.”

Jess doesn’t laugh. It makes sense, actually. Mischief’s power of technological manipulation would be incredibly handy here; if his meta-powers weren’t low-level he’d be a formidable and almost unstoppable villain. As it is, he can’t use his powers for longer than probably twenty minutes at the most before he has to recharge, just like her parents. “If you’re his assistant, why don’t you have your own suit? What do you do exactly? And is this internship with Monroe Industries or with you and Master Mischief?”

M shakes his head, and makes a noise that almost sounds like a laugh before it is garbled into electronic static.

“I’m wearing an old prototype of his suit because we’ve been incredibly busy working on other projects. New mecha-suits aren’t a priority right now. And yes, you will be working for Monroe Industries, in a subsidiary with special interests. If that’s something you’re still interested in?” M asks.

“This isn’t a kidnapping, is it?”

The panel on M’s helmet blinks various shades of orange, and he throws up his hands. “No, no, absolutely not,” M says. “We wouldn’t kidnap you, do you—do you want to leave?”

My Review:
Jess has grown up in Andover, a smallish town in the Nevada desert, several hundred miles from what remained of Los Angeles, after the Disasters and World War III are just stories in history books. Nearly 100 years ago, when humanity was still fighting to survive, there was a series of large solar flares that caused cataclysmic events, and generated the first generation of meta-humans, humans with super posers, of any type.

Some, like Jess’ father and elder sister Claudia, could fly, some, like Jess’ mother, had super strength. But the degree of “super”-ness wasn’t consistent. Like, Jess’ father can fly for about an hour before he needs to rest and recharge his strength, while Claudia can fly for several hours without fatigue. Jess’ parents were refugees from Asian countries who emigrated to the North American Collective years ago–and were welcomed due to their meta-human status.

Jess, well, she can’t to anything super. She’s tried, and tried to determine if she has any recognizable power, but she’s sure that’s not the case, and with her 17th birthday looming, she’s sure none will surface. Being a Meta-Human and training to help others is Jess’ ambition, and without any trace of powers that seems impossible to occur. So, she decides to give up wishing for powers and look for a job. She’s hired as an intern at Monroe Industries, where they make MonRobots–personal helpers in the home, like Roombas with Artificial Intelligence–so they serve as housepets, too. Only the very wealthy can afford actual pets in these times.

Jess has two close friends, Emma and Bells–who is trans–and she has a crush on the beautiful Abby. Though Jess identifies as bisexual, she’s never dated anyone, and has been attracted to Abby for two years…in secret. Imagine her delight/dismay when it turns out Abby is also interning at Monroe. While working with the mecha-girl, “M” who is her supervisor and an assistant to the C-class villian Mister Mischief, Jess gains a new insight into the hero/villain feuds that loom within the North American Collective–the governmental agency covering the populace within what remains of the US. Jess now notices all the superhero fights seem choreographed, and the villains/heroes seem…off. Plus, she’s noticing inconsistencies in her NAC-monitored e-textbooks and NAC-controlled holonews. Villains are seemingly missing, but never reported captured or incarcerated. Where are they? Jess had already wondered, as her parents had a duty to defend Andover from the nefarious shenanigans of Mister and Mistress Mischief–but no one had seen the fiendish duo in months…

While Jess works for M, she also develops a closeness with both M and Abby, and that’s a lot more delightful. They make a great team, and spend hours building a friendship, though Jess fears letting her attraction become known and chasing Abby away. Little does she suspect Abby and M are very much the same. Also, Jess enjoys the idea that she may be helping her parents’ nemesis’ as she feels very much left out of the super loop. It soon becomes apparent, however, that the “Heroes” arent’ doing very heroic things, and there’s a vast conspiracy in the NAC–using the heroes–to destabilize power in adjacent parts of the world. It’s also clear that the “villains” might be prisoners of the system, and subject to inhumane experimentation. This is a nightmare scenario, and it seems Jess’ sister Claudia might be in the mix.

This was an engaging read. Jess is an ordinary girl, wishing to be “more” and she strives to find how she could be helpful, useful, to humanity. Her friendships with Emma and Bells are sweet, and her growing relationship with Abby proceeds cautiously. Expect some kissing and not much else. That said, there’s all the emotional highs and lows of crushes, and first love. Plus, there’s the whole superhero intrigue, and a government plot that’s up to the kids to unravel and reveal. I really enjoyed the world-building here, and this dystopian futurescape was really well-described and considered. The romance is a significant part of the story, but the same importance and careful attention is given to the mystery and the adventure. Jess learns that she does have some powers, and that she’s not destined to be a sidekick, but an equal in a real partnership–with Abby. I also loved that Jess is Chinese-and-Vietnamese, and her compelling experiences as “other”–not being Asian enough/white enough…which is an unique conundrum that I generally enjoy exploring.

The book ends with a comfortable resolution; not all the plot threads are tied tight, but what remains is clearly the larger plot arcs regarding the government conspiracies regarding meta-human tracking and imprisonment. Years of testing have resulted in serums that can enhance or remove a meta-humans powers, and the stage is set for some real family drama–and battles–to come. It’s billed as a three book series, and I can’t wait to read the next installment. Due to the “superhero” aspect of the plot, expect some charming comic-type art within the book, as well.

Interested? You can find NOT YOUR SIDEKICK on Goodreads, Interlude Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, AllRomance, Smashwords, Book Depository, and Indiebound.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 GC to Interlude Press, or one of FIVE e-books of NOT YOUR SIDEKICK.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
C.B. Lee is a bisexual writer, rock climber, and pinniped enthusiast from Southern California. A first-generation Asian American, she is passionate about working in communities of color and empowering youth to be inspired to write characters and stories of their own. Lee’s debut novel Seven Tears at High Tide was published by Duet Books in 2015 and named a finalist in the Bisexual Books Awards. This summer, C.B. was named to Lambda Literary’s Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices.

You can find C B online on her website, Goodreads, Facebook, twitter and Instagram.

Big Realizations After ONE NIGHT–Review and Giveaway!

one-night-tour-bannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a contemporary YA novel from Deanna Cabinian that’s lots of coming-of-age and some of romance. ONE NIGHT follows Thompson Lake, a boy not a lake, as he recovers from loving, and losing, his cheating girlfriend.

Catch my review and enter to win a print copy of ONE NIGHT below.

one-night-coverAbout the book:
Thompson may be only seventeen but he knows he’s just checked into Heartbreak Hotel for good, now that his girlfriend, Caroline, has put an end to their burning love. Since then he’s been sleepwalking through his summer job at Super Kmart while desperately dreaming of ways to win her back. He even drops by the Tiki House on Elvis Presley Night hoping that she, a diehard fan of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” will be there as well. That’s when he meets Johnny Lee Young—real estate agent by day, Hawaii’s Favorite Elvis Impersonator by night—and the lovesick teen’s world suddenly takes a wild and unexpected turn.

As luck would have it, Johnny needs a temporary assistant to help with equipment and social media and Thompson eagerly accepts the offer, hoping it will distract him from his painful and lingering romantic issues. But like Thompson, Johnny is nursing a secret heartbreak and pining for his own lost love. So the new roadie starts making plans—with a little help from his friends Ronnie and Greta—to accompany the counterfeit King on an odyssey of a lifetime that will take them far from their island paradise home in search of true love.

My Review:
Thompson Lake is a 17 year-old boy growing up in Honolulu. He had one girlfriend, Caroline, who said she loved him, made him feel special, and then cheated on him with two boys on what has become known as The Worst Valentine’s Day in History(TM). Since then, he’s pined and moped and reconnected with his best friend, a Hawaiian-Thai gangsta rapper called Ronnie. And worked at the Super Kmart.

Thompson hears that it’s Elvis-night at a local restaurant and goes, shamelessly hoping he’ll run into Caroline, as she’s a rabid Elvis fan. It was through Caroline that Thompson developed an affinity for his music, and seeing the entertainers, he’s struck by the sincerity of “Hurt” sung by Johnny Lee Young. Thompson wants to understand the pain and yearning he sensed in Johnny’s rendition, and follows him to a few venues, hoping to learn more. He does, as Johnny does tell him his slightly-fabricated tale of woe. When Johnny’s sound and social media assistant takes off for Italy, he gives the job to Thompson, who does it admirably, and they continue to build a friendship. Thompson thinks if he can fix that heartache for Johnny, he might just find a way to either win Caroline back, or forget about her betrayal for good. So, he enlists tech-savvy Greta, a pretty fellow cashier to help him find Johnny’s girl.

I really liked Thompson. He’s a good guy, and crazy intense. He’s sweet and determined and kinda sad with his desperate love for a foolish girl. Beyond that, he wants to leave a mark on the world, but suffers Overprotective Parent Disorder and has little opportunity to Do Something with himself. His first plan to help Johnny goes a bit sideways, mostly because Johnny wasn’t completely honest about the girl he let get away, way back when. Of course, the next quest is a lot more glamorous–because it takes them to humid Chicago in search of a bride-to-be who may, or may not, still love Johnny.

The friendship that develops between Johnny and Thompson is sweet. Both Johnny and Thompson have sibling issues–for completely different reasons–and they serve as surrogate brothers for each other, despite the 15 year age gap. Thompson really idolizes Johnny, and Johnny provides a good example, offering real and sincere advice to Thompson on how to get over a broken heart. I had lots of chuckles regarding Thompson’s dietary rebellions–snacking on contraband snacks to thwart his mother’s homemade, organic granola and kale chips. As a native Chicagoan, I relished the gourmand’s eye view Thompson and Johnny adopted in Chi-Town. Deep-dish pizza, bacon donuts and breakfast buffets? Yup, we got ’em. It’s clear that spending time with Johnny helped Thompson to grow up, and get over his heartache. It’s true that there’s no love like the first love, but Thompson recognized it doesn’t mean it’s the last, or only, love he could hope to find.

Interested? You can find ONE NIGHT on Goodreads and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a print copy of ONE NIGHT.
Good luck and keep reading my friends.

deanna-cabinianAbout the Author:
Deanna Cabinian has worked in radio, television, and magazine publishing, but her greatest passion is writing. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, she has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a Master’s degree in sport management. She writes from wherever she happens to be, but the majority of her writing is done from Chicago.

When she isn’t writing she enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and family.

You can find Deanna onlin on her

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Out Now! HARD EDIT Blitz and Giveaway!

hard_edit_release_blitzHi there! I’m helping spread the word about a sexy M/M romance from the writing team of Eva LeNoir and Andrea Smith. HARD EDIT is the sequel to BLACK BALLED, and best enjoyed when read in series.

I couldn’t post the full excerpt…because I don’t post sex scenes on this blog, but that dirty little tease is “just the tip” if you catch my drift. Be sure to enter the giveaway below if you’d like to win signed copies of BLACK BALLED and HARD EDIT.

hard-edit-release-blitzAbout the book:

After a year of a seemingly happily-ever-after, Troy Babilonia throws a curve ball that smacks Larson Blackburn right in the head. When Troy’s debut novel, “Bridge to Lonely,” threatens to overshadow Larson’s own success, inviting a past shadow into the light of their present, the two alphas must learn to adjust.

“Bridge to Lonely” has garnered an unexpected success both in the literary world and in the film industry, forcing Larson to accept that he is not the only successful author in the building. But as Troy’s old flame decides to make an appearance, the two alphas are forced to test the strength of their love. Let the battle of the egos recommence; where sarcasm is the preferred weapon, and the testosterone levels go beyond the boiling point.

Because Black Balled just wasn’t enough…Smith & LeNoir bring you Hard Edit.

A dirty tease…

Troy grunts, pulling himself up as he places his feet back on the mattress and wraps a hand around my neck bringing our faces only inches apart. The slight aroma of wine lingering on his breath wafts around my nostrils all mixed with the scent of our sex. Male on male, two dominant men fucking away their concerns. But it’s more than that, isn’t it?

This is everything.

We are everything.

Interested? You can find HARD EDIT on Goodreads, Amazon (US and UK), Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Kobo.

Haven’t read this series yet?
Black Balled (Book One) is NOW AVAILABLE & Free on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon US and UK

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win signed copies of BLACK BALLED and HARD EDIT.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Authors:

andrea-smithAndrea Smith is a USA Today and Amazon Best-Selling Author of the G-Man Series! She has a wicked sense of humor. No matter the genre, she is able to infuse laughter throughout.

She self-publishes Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, and Sensual Romance with a paranormal twist. She also writes New Adult Romance, and has recently collaborated with Author Eva LeNoir on two M/M Romances, with the third in process!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

eva-lenoirEva LeNoir grew up traveling with her parents to various countries in the world. Reading was her constant companion during her travels and her ability to adapt to different cultures fed her mind with endless possibilities. The characters swimming in her head are always from various horizons with a multitude of dreams and aspirations. However, all of these voices always have one thing in common: The women are strong and independent. A true believer in the female cause, Eva’s wish is to portray the women in her books as the leaders. She sees them walking hand in hand with their partners and not be the sheepish followers of the male gender. But most of all, Eva LeNoir wants to offer her readers a moment of pleasure as they dive into the world of her mind’s creation.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

TRSOR

Finding Love Despite an EMPTY NET–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review and giveaway for a new contemporary M/M hockey romance from Avon Gale. EMPTY NET is her fourth book in the Scoring Chances series, and really a fantastic read. It’s find to read on it’s own, but might be better enjoyed after reading POWER PLAY. I’ve enjoyed BREAKAWAY and SAVE OF THE GAME, so I couldn’t wait to continue this series.

Empty NetAbout the book:
Spartanburg Spitfires’ goalie and captain Isaac Drake ended last season with an unexpected trip to the playoffs. He’s found a home and family with his coach and mentor, Misha Samarin, and he’s looking forward to making a serious run for the Kelly Cup. But things take an interesting turn when Isaac’s archnemesis, Laurent St. Savoy, is traded to the Spitfires. After Laurent’s despicable behavior in the playoffs last year, Isaac wants nothing to do with him – no matter how gorgeous he is. But that changes when Isaac discovers the reason for Laurent’s attitude.

Laurent St. Savoy grew up the only son of a legendary NHL goalie in a household rife with abuse, constantly treated like a disappointment on and off the ice. When a desperate attempt to escape his father’s tyranny sends him to the Spitfires, the last thing Laurent wants is to make friends. But there’s something about Isaac Drake that he can’t resist, and Laurent has an opportunity to explore his sexuality for the first time, but he’s cracking under end-of-the season pressures. When facing the playoffs and a rivalry turned personal vendetta, Isaac’s not sure he’s enough to hold Laurent—or their relationship—together.

Please be advised: This book does contain some non-graphic references to past childhood physical/emotional abuse as well as issues relating to ED (bulimia and restricted eating, disordered thoughts about eating).

My Review:
I really enjoyed this tender and tumultuous M/M hockey romance. This is the fourth book in a series, and features the characters from Book Three, POWER PLAY, though the romance involves a separate couple.

Isaac Drake knows who he is: a professional hockey goalie who’s out-and-proud, even if he’d rather forget his rentboy days. He lives with his coaches, Misha Samarin and Max Ashford, who are an out-gay couple, and he hopes to find a man with whom to share some of his life. Isaac is not happy when he learns that Laurent St. Savoy has just been traded to their team. Laurent said some pretty hateful, homophobic slurs the last time he played the Spartanburg Spitfires, and there is no love lost between the staff, team–and Laurent.

Laurent is a man of many secrets. He’s young, and talented, but he’s mostly just glad to not be living with his abusive father any longer. He’s also attractive, and mean–as he’s been trained to be. His father, who was also his lifelong coach, rewarded cruelty in his players, and regularly beat or tortured Laurent if he was too good, or too bad, on the ice. Working with men who hate him is nothing new to Laurent, and he’d love to make amends to his Spitfires teammates, if he thought it would make a difference. Instead, he drowns in self-loathing and assuages his guilt by disordered eating behaviors.

Isaac isn’t happy with his teammates, who bully Laurent for suspected homophobia. His attitude toward Laurent changes when he learns that Laurent’s a victim of abuse. While Isaac’s parents did him wrong in many ways, he didn’t suffer abuse at their hands, and his compassion allows Laurent to make the first friend he’s had in his life. Laurent cannot believe that Isaac would show him any compassion, but soon this friendship is the best and brightest part of Laurent’s dark life. Preserving this relationship becomes paramount. He’s not even bothered that Isaac is gay, or finds him attractive; Laurent thinks he might find Isaac just as attractive. He’s never had a girlfriend, or a boyfriend; never felt worthy of being loved after years emotional abuse from his father, so attraction is a foreign concept to him. But he knows that Isaac is a good man, and Laurent feels safe with him. It’s easy to explore his sexuality, slowly, with a patient Isaac.

The story is less about the romance, though it develops naturally and beautifully, and more about Laurent becoming a better human through interaction with Isaac, and regular therapist visits–suggested by Isaac. The team comes around and supports him, and his coaches are really standing behind him throughout. That said, Isaac is a blue-haired white knight, and Laurent is grateful for his intervention, even as he resents the need for it. I really enjoyed the adversarial dynamic they had going. And I loved how Isaac broke down their barriers in simple, but effective, ways. It seems that Laurent is demisexual, which means he’s only able to experience attraction to people with whom he forms an emotional bond. And–boy howdy!–do he and Isaac bond! It’s sweet and frustrating and sometimes really sexy. As I’m no expert on the array of sexualities, this seemed a reasonable fit for Laurent, who’s had little affection in his life. I swooned for Isaac petting Laurent’s hair like a cat–and that being so charged because Laurent was attuned to being touched only in malice and anger. The end is really sweet, with Laurent taking charge of his life for the first time. Isaac is a delicious hero. Yum.

Interested? You can find EMPTY NET on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a copy of POWER PLAY.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:
Avon Gale was once the mayor on Foursquare of Jazzercise and Lollicup, which should tell you all you need to know about her as a person. She likes road trips, rock concerts, drinking Kentucky bourbon and yelling at hockey. She’s a displaced southerner living in a liberal midwestern college town, and when she’s not writing you can find her at the salon, making her clients look and feel fabulous. She never gets tired of people and their stories — either real or the ones she makes up in her head.

You can find Avon on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest or sign up for her newsletter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Cover Reveal and Giveaway!! A KIND OF HONESTY by Lane Hayes

a-kind-of-honesty-reveal-bannerHi there! I’m super excited to share the cover for a new contemporary M/M rock romance from Lane Hayes. I’ve heard so many good things about her Kind Of books, and A KIND OF HONESTY will release October 7th, but you can pre-order it RIGHT NOW!! Also, get in on the giveaway below…

But first! Check out this yummy cover!!
a-kind-of-honesty-book-cover
About the book:
Music is Tim Chalmers’s great escape and the one thing that’s never let him down. But his band Spiral’s meteoric rise to fame has made it difficult for the drummer to maintain a low profile. Unwanted press pesters him after a public breakup with a volatile ex-girlfriend who loves the limelight as much as he loathes it. Tim’s main goal is to avoid confrontation. However, when he meets a handsome stranger in a dive bar who turns out to be someone he may know, everything changes.

Carter Hamilton-Temple might be a successful financial consultant with more brains, sophistication, and charm than most, but he always falls for the wrong guys: closet cases or men with issues. He can’t fight his attraction to the tattooed rock star, but can he trust his own judgment? When the thrill of danger combined with a fierce physical connection proves too strong for either man to resist, a quiet liaison away from the public eye and curious friends seems like a safe bet. But some secrets are hard to keep. When rumors threaten to rock his world, Tim realizes it’s time to confront his fear with his own kind of honesty.

A tasty tidbit…

“What kind of a rock star are you? You’re supposed to love sex, drugs, and alcohol. I haven’t known you long, but you seem to only really like one out of three,” Carter commented idly as he shuffled the cards.

“You’re right. I’m a sucky rock star. I rarely have more than one drink when I go out for dinner or even at a bar. Two at a party. Anything more usually leads to trouble. And I never take drugs. Even cold medicine makes me nervous.” I winked and gave him a lecherous grin that no doubt looked far from provocative in my current condition. “But I love sex.”

Interested? You can pre-order A KIND OF HONESTY on Dreamspinner Press (eBook and paperback).

****GIVEAWAY****

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

About the Author:
Lane Hayes is finally doing what she loves best. Writing! An avid reader from an early age, Lane has always been drawn to romance novels. She truly believes there is nothing more inspiring than a well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Lane discovered the M/M genre a fews ago and was instantly hooked. Her first novel was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards. She is the bestselling author of the Better Than Stories series and Right and Wrong Stories and the new A Kind of Stories series. She loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in an almost empty nest.

You can find Lane on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, eMail, Instagram and Amazon.

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Mr. Right? Or, CONNECTION ERROR-Review and Giveaway!

Connection Error Blitz BannerHi there! I’m super excited to share a release day review and giveaway for a new contemporary M/M romance from Annabeth Albert. CONNECTION ERROR is the third book in her #gaymers series and features a new couple dealing with big changes in their lives. If you liked STATUS UPDATE or BETA TEST, you’ll enjoy this one, but it’s totally a standalone, too

Catch the excerpt, my review and enter the giveaway for a $20 GC below!

CEAbout the book:
It’s typical of video game programmer Josiah Simmons to be the last one on the plane on the way to the biggest meeting of his career. Though he’s (mostly) coping with his ADHD, he can’t handle another distraction. But he also can’t ignore his rugged seatmate—especially once he learns the military man’s a fan of his game.

Ryan Orson refuses to let his severe injuries pause his career as a navy SEAL. He’s got hours of grueling physical therapy ahead of him, and no time for anything that might get in the way of his return to active duty. But that doesn’t mean he’s above a little first-class flirtation with geeky-cute Josiah.

When a delay strands the pair in St. Louis, they agree to share a hotel room and a night of gaming. Neither expects their new connection to move to the next level in the light of day. Opposites may attract, but is this game over before it’s even begun?

How about a delicious taste?

Chapter 1

Somewhere between the third newsstand and the fourth moving sidewalk in LAX, Josiah regretted not joining his friend Ravi in training for a 10k charity race. Nothing like a flat-out sprint from the check-in counter to the slow-moving security lines and another dash from security all the way through gates to make him rethink his aversion to cardio. And the worst part was that for once in his life he’d made every effort to be on time, getting up before the alarm, starting coffee, making sure they were out of the house by o’dark thirty ready for his early morning flight to Germany via a stop in Washington, DC.

Passport? Check.

Carry-on with both laptops, tablet and assorted accessories? Check.

Suitcase with more shirts with buttons than he’d ever owned in his life? Check.

Double-checking that his ticket was booked under “Josiah” not “Joseph”? Total fail, but in his defense, it never occurred to him that the travel agency his employer used would give the wrong name. And the check-in attendant at the airline counter didn’t want to believe that there was a mistake. Thus, every careful endeavor he’d made to ensure that he was on time—early even—went up in a huff of waiting for a supervisor and then another supervisor.

And now finally he was sprinting to make sure he didn’t miss the plane. Forget being there in time to priority board, he was going to be lucky to make the plane period. His first time flying first class—thank you, Space Villager for being such a bestselling game—and it was off to an inelegant start thanks to a stupid mistake.

Finally, finally, he reached the last few gates of the terminal. The TV sets scattered throughout the waiting area were all taking about that huge freak snowstorm heading for the New York area and whether it might veer south enough to cause snow along the whole Eastern Seaboard. Josiah shook his head, trying to not get sucked in to the TV. As long as he got to Germany on time, it wasn’t going to affect him and he needed to stay focused on—

“Last call for Flight 324 nonstop service to Washington Dulles International,” the loudspeaker blared.

“I’m here, I’m here,” he panted as the gate attendant set the red phone back on its hook. He held out his ticket. The woman was around his mother’s age with very red lipstick and very short blond hair and a spectacular frown just for him.

“Ah. Mr. Simmons.” She looked up after scanning his tickets, decidedly less frosty once she saw his first-class seat number. “Come with me, I’m going to have to walk you down.” She spoke into a walkie-talkie as they headed down the walkway. “We’re going to need to gate check your bags. I’m so sorry, but the first-class overhead compartments are all full.”

“Crap.” She gave him a questioning look, and Josiah remembered that he was supposed to be Mr. Smooth and Sophisticated Project Manager, not some whiny kid. “Sorry. That’s fine. Just let me grab my laptop.” He grabbed the laptop with the longer battery life before the attendant put a pink gate-check tag on his two bags. “But…uh…fragile.”

She gave him a tight smile, but added a yellow Fragile tag to his laptop bag. “You’re in Seat 1A,” she said, handing him his ticket back. “You’ll get your bags back when we land, I promise. Enjoy your flight.”

After a brief conversation with the gate attendant, a male flight attendant shut the plane door behind Josiah. “Welcome aboard,” he said to Josiah in a tone that clearly meant, “thank you for pushing back our departure.” In fact, the plane was rolling away from the gate before Josiah almost tumbled into the empty aisle seat of the first row.

“You made it.” A warm chuckle eased past the pounding of Josiah’s heart.

“Wha—what?” he whipped his head over to the window seat—a farther distance than one might expect. The first-class seats were huge padded affairs and there was a thick console dividing the seats. And…hello, most gorgeous guy Josiah had ever seen.

Wide, mischievous smile. Sparkling hazel eyes. Unshaven jaw. Short dark brown hair. And holy hell, arm muscles for days. Bulging biceps with tats poking out of his T-shirt sleeves.

All of a sudden this flight started looking way up.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you. I just meant I was beginning to think I’d get the row all to myself.” The guy’s voice was possibly even more attractive than his model-worthy face, deep and soothing, with an undercurrent of the sort of confidence that never failed to make Josiah shiver.

And he was all Josiah’s for the next five hours.

Well, except for the part where he seemed ready to take a nap and tune Josiah out—the guy had a pillow behind his head and a blanket on his lap. He yawned, revealing gleaming teeth worthy of a toothpaste ad.

“You’re not a model, are you?” As usual, Josiah’s tongue leaped into action before his brain could restrain it.

“What? No, not a model.” The guy laughed, more of that smoky chuckle that did things to Josiah’s insides.

“TV star? Athlete? Because it seems like I should know you from somewhere, and I don’t want to get to DC and people be like, hey, you were next to that Laker the whole flight…” He trailed off because his friends were right that he had absolutely no filter, and that was triple true around Muppet-flail-worthy hot guys.

“Nope, not famous.” The guy studied Josiah for a long moment, considering, the sort of are-you-for-real expression on his face that Josiah was well used to. Seeming to come to some sort of decision, the guy stuck his right arm across the console. “Lieutenant Ryan Orson, US Navy.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Josiah accepted the handshake. Navy made sense given the Navy-emblazoned T-shirt stretched tight over the guy’s aircraft-carrier-wide chest. Holy crap, the guy was big. Josiah was a skinny 6’2” with big hands and feet that always got in the way. But this guy’s hand made Josiah’s feel downright dainty. “I’m Josiah, Josiah Simmons.”

“Well, Josiah, want to know a secret?” Ryan asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

“Sure.” Josiah was down with whatever secrets this guy wanted to share.

“Not only am I not famous, I’m not even supposed to be in first class.”

“You’re not?”

“Nope.” Ryan winked at Josiah. He had a very disarming wink, all good humor and twinkly eyes.

“The check-in clerk bumped me into first.”

“You got the nice clerk.” Josiah was still a bit grumbly over the name hassle.

“She lost a brother over in Afghanistan.” There was a subtle hint of “grow up” in Ryan’s tone. Josiah straightened, remembering again who he was supposed to be. And here was this impossibly attractive guy to practice on. Sure, he might be Josiah the clueless geek back home, but here he was Josiah the new project manager. This Josiah knew the right way to act and speak and could impress even tough audiences.

“That’s so sad for her.” Josiah tried for sophisticated empathy, something he knew he kind of sucked at.

“Yeah, it is.” Something indecipherable passed over Ryan’s face, his eyes getting darker and cloudier and that wide smile flagging a bit. “Anyway, guess she saw…the Navy connection and had a spare seat to bump me into.”

“What do you do? In the Navy I mean?”

The guy went silent, considering, and Josiah was afraid he’d been too nosy again, but right when he was about to apologize, Ryan finally spoke. “I’m a SEAL. I do a little bit of everything, but mainly I make things go boom. You?”

“Oh my God, you’re Special Forces. Do I ever have questions for you!” Josiah babbled again, only slowing down as Ryan’s easy smile morphed into grim line. “Sorry. I’m just excited because I’m a video game designer. And special ops is our new expansion pack.” And it happened to be the one Josiah was in charge of.

“You program games?” Ryan blinked, and Josiah wasn’t sure what he’d expected Josiah to do, but this clearly wasn’t it. “Anything I’ve heard of?”

Ah. That was it. He assumed Josiah was some sort of kid programming a dot matrix game in his basement. Josiah knew he looked too young for his job, because he was too young. At twenty-three, he was the youngest lead developer on the design team. Thus, he took no small amount of pride in saying, “Space Villager.”

“Oh wow, really?” There was a new note of respect in Ryan’s voice. “I love that game, especially the pod racer and first-person shooter expansion packs.” There was a hint of Texas or something else Southern in his voice, and Josiah could listen to him all day.

“Yeah? Well you’re going to love our special ops expansion pack even more.” Josiah projected far more confidence than he actually felt. He could make this project a success. He had to. The PR team had already hinted that the next expansion pack would revolve around special ops activities on a small war-torn planet, so Josiah didn’t worry too much about sharing this much with Ryan.

“I bet. My ex got me to back the crowdfunding drive, and I’ve been hooked ever since. My buddies were already teasing me about how much time I spent gaming, but there’s something particularly addictive about your game.”

Your game. Josiah liked the sound of that. He only knew a handful of women who played Space Villager, but the ones who did tended to be rabid fans. It was possible he might even know Ryan’s ex by her user handle, but Josiah had just enough self-control to not ask.

“Prepare for takeoff,” the pilot intoned over the PA. This was the part Josiah hated, the acceleration and stomach-dropping ascent. Today he hated it even more, knowing they might catch the edge of that storm. Focusing on turbulence that was probably hours away wasn’t logical, but then, Josiah’s brain seldom was.

“You always so antsy or are you a nervous flyer?” Ryan asked.

Oh crap. Guess he wasn’t doing such a bang-up job projecting the aura of a with-it project manager. He laughed nervously. “Both?”

“I promise we’re going to be okay.” Ryan gave him a quick friendly pat on the knee.

Oh. Josiah’s eyes went wide. Ryan was missing part of the pinky finger on his left hand and had some wicked scarring further up his forearm. Josiah tried not to stare, but knew he failed miserably.

“Mission gone wrong,” Ryan said gruffly. “Now back to flying, millions of people fly every day. It’s safer than car travel.” His tone made it clear further discussion of his hand was not on the table.

“I know flying’s safe. Knowing that’s not the same as believing it.”

Ryan’s answering laugh seemed to strip some of the tension from his face. “How well do I know that attitude. My ex got nervous before every flight, and his buddies used to razz him about it mercilessly.”

Man, two ex references in five minutes. Ryan must be totally hung up on his ex…wait. “His buddies”…What the hell?

“Your ex is a guy?”

“Yup.” Ryan’s smirk said he’d pegged Josiah ten minutes ago, probably when Josiah couldn’t peel his eyes away from those tasty biceps.

“Cool.” He was grinning, but he couldn’t make his facial muscles behave. Hot damn. Gorgeous, muscled, single, gamer, and gay. He ticked every last one of Josiah’s “perfect man” boxes. And if the gods were kind at all, Josiah could keep it together long enough to make a lasting impression.

My Review:

Josiah and Ryan meet in the first class cabin on a flight from LA to Washington DC. They hit it off, and Josiah is thrilled to meet such a sexy, gay man, who also loves gaming. Ryan is a Navy SEAL on his way to get fitted for his new legs so he can re-take his life in active duty as an instructor–or so he hopes. Josiah is a fun and flirty seat-mate, but Ryan’s frustrated that young, cute Josiah didn’t even notice that he’s a double amputee. Or, so he thinks.

When the flight gets diverted due to a blizzard, Ryan offers Josiah a bed in his hotel room. Turns out that’s the only bed. And, while that’s totally cool, it’s not really romantic. Not for Ryan, who feels awkward about his stumps and still suffers acute phantom limb pain. But Josiah’s a sweet guy, and they make a little magic happen. While Ryan’s ready to walk away the next morning, even after their late-night gaming camaraderie, he realizes that Josiah–headed for a big meeting in Germany–left one of his laptops behind. Thus begins a sweet connection between Josiah and Ryan. Over the three week separation, they game together, they message each other, and they build a rapport neither expected.

Josiah hoped, of course, but he’s a young, flighty guy on a cocktail of meds for his ADHD. What would a serious, muscular, sexy Navy SEAL see in him? Still, he’s being challenged at work to run his own team, and it’s stressful. Being able to confide in Ryan is therapeutic, and Ryan feels the same. He can’t talk to his fellow amputees or therapists about his struggles to adapt to life on prosthetic legs because he still hopes to remain in active duty. And, his family is still overwrought with grief over his injuries to be helpful. Ryan is determined to never be a burden, and this makes it hard for him to fully engage with anyone, especially Josiah.

They meet again, a few weeks later, when Josiah stops over in DC to collect his computer and spends a few days visiting with Ryan. Their time together is sweet, and a little sexy. They make plans for another visit when Ryan returns to LA for a family party. Meanwhile, they keep in touch through phone calls and messaging. And, by little fits and starts, their romance blossoms. Josiah learns to take charge of his life, his work and his relationships, and Ryan learns being vulnerable allows a deeper connection to be made. Each man struggles–Josiah emotionally, Ryan physically and emotionally–but the end result is a tender love. They have some sweet and spicy sexytimes when all is said and done, and it’s definitely an HEA for this gamer and his SEAL.

Interested? You can find CONNECTION ERROR on Goodreads, Carina Press, Amazon (US and UK) Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and Google Play. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $20 GC.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Annabeth Albert avatarAbout the Author:
Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children. Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency.

Find Annabeth online on her website, Goodreads, twitter and Facebook.
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Falling For the LORD OF A THOUSAND STEPS–Excerpt, Review and Giveaway!

Lord of a Thousand Steps Blog Tour BannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary M/M romance from Tara Lain. LORD OF A THOUSAND STEPS is the fourth book in her Love in Laguna series. I really enjoyed KNIGHT OF OCEAN AVENUE, and PRINCE OF THE PLAYHOUSE, so I couldn’t wait to read this one! It features Ian, younger brother of Jim–star of KNAVE OF BROKEN HEARTS–and so we get to follow Jim and Ken all the way to the alter, through Ian’s eyes.

Catch the excerpt and enter to win a $15 gift card down below!

LordOfAThousandSteps400About the book:
To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at eighteen for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boyfriend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is looking better and better.

Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of fifteen years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to succumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian—even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.

When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a “friends with benefits” fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an “old guy” who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage? It’ll only take a thousand steps.

How about a little taste?

“Daddy! Daddy! Look at the kitty.”

The high-pitched squeal cut through Ian’s foggy brain.

Anderson shifted on his belly, then started to vibrate.

Ian opened an eye and met two gigantic blue ones only a couple of feet away. The little girl squatted down beside him on the sand in her Frozen bathing suit, gently petting Anderson’s head and getting the motorcycle response. Ian grinned. “Hi.”

She eyed him with a grain of suspicion, but the allure of the purr proved too great and she kept petting. “Hello. What’s his name?”

“Anderson.”

“That’s a most unusual name for a cat.”

He snorted, and one of her little brows rose in an expression so far beyond her years—which appeared to be somewhere around five or six—that Ian almost snorted again. Almost. One didn’t face such disdain lightly. “Yes. I suppose it is. Have you ever heard of Anderson Cooper?”

“Uh, I believe so.” She raised her head, looking behind Ian, and said, “Have I heard of Anderson Cooper, Daddy?”

Daddy? Okay, he hadn’t moved so as not to disturb the petting frenzy. Now he scrambled to sitting, getting a yowl from Anderson, and looked behind him. Well, holy shit.

Braden Lord leaned against the rocks, one hip cocked slightly, and Ian knew that because he wore very little on those hips. Just a pair of slim-fitting board shorts that cupped an ass on its way to legend and thighs Ian could only imagine in X-rated postures.

“Hi. I mean, I didn’t see you there. Sorry.” Ian brushed sand from his legs and tried to find some moderately respectable posture that wouldn’t show his half-masted cock.

“Providing a resting place for fifty-pound felines does tend to keep you in one place.” Lord laughed. “Don’t see mountain lions much on the beach.”

“Never know when you might need protection from small angels in Frozen bathing suits.”

The little girl had flopped on her butt and now proceeded to pile sand on top of Anderson, who cooperated by stretching to his full, massive length. She gave Ian that eyebrow again. “Are you referring to me?”

Best sidestep that one. Ian extended a hand. “How do you do. I’m Ian Carney. I work for your—” He glanced up at Braden. “—daddy.”

She took his hand and shook it seriously. “I’m Mireille Lord. And I really like your cat.”

“What a pretty name.” It sounded like Mir-ray. “I’m sure Anderson likes it too.”

“Thank you. My daddy picked it out.” She glanced up at Braden as she piled more sand on the cat. “Have I heard of Anderson Cooper, Daddy?”

Braden replied very seriously, “He’s a news reporter, Mireille. You might remember him because his hair is the same color as the kitty.”

“I see.” She gave Ian an approving grin. “How very clever of you.”

My Review:
4.5 Stars. This is the fourth book in the contemporary M/M romance Love in Laguna series, but can be enjoyed on its own.

Ian is a 21 year old architecture student with a prime internship at Lord & Kendrick, a well-regarded firm. His boyfriend of the past three years, Rico, has returned to Mexico to visit his ailing father, and has promised to return so he and Ian can get an apartment together. Currently, Ian lives with his brother Jim and Jim’s fiance, Ken. Their courtship was the topic of Book 2 in this series. Jima nd Ken have a deep love, and are getting ready for their wedding. It’s a great example of the kind of loving bond Ian wants, and the family he’s desperate to build, after his wealthy father cut him off for being gay three years before.

Braden Lord is a 37 year old man, top of his game in architecture, yet struggling to hold onto custody of his two kids now that he’s coming out and divorcing his wife. He deeply loves his children and feels he’s been the emotional connection in their lives–as his wife is a bit bitter and might be more interested in new shoes than caring for her offspring. Braden feels bad about his subterfuge, but he didn’t feel like he had a choice once he accidentally helped conceive Jo-Jo, his 14 y/o son. And 5 year old Mireille is a treasure he’ll never regret…but, Braden’s not had a lot of experience being gay. He was generally abstinent, and he doesn’t know how to be out. Plus, he hasn’t actually come out, exactly. He’s shamefully attracted to young Ian, who is fun and attentive, and a little starry-eyed over Mr. Lord, the famous architect. Add that they live near each other, and Braden’s kids meet and adore both Ian and his cat, Anderson Cooper, and it’s a muddle.

As the weeks go by, Ian’s upset that he rarely hears from Rico, and that he’s attracted to sexy silver fox Braden Lord. It doesn’t help that Rico strings him along for over a month before texting Ian that he won’t be coming back at all. While Ian digs into that mess for understanding and closure, he’s also drawn into a close connection with Braden, due to a client request. Gotta love assertive women! Braden’s uncomfortable spending so much time with Ian, but he can’t get out of the agreement he made with the client for this new design,. That Ian’s actually helpful in the initial concept and CAD drawings makes Braden more uncomfortable in lusting after his new assistant.

Thing is, once Rico cut the cord, Ian’s a free man, and he’s eager to help Braden learn all there is to being a gay single man–plus, the rapport with the kids is deepening, too. I liked the kid dynamic, though I felt Mireille’s speech was (oddly) more formal than a Brit ex-pat at a tea shop. I’ve got precocious kids, and her diction was the wrong side of condescending, for me. That said, I got the flavor of it. She’s a bit bossy and demanding and Braden’s doting permissiveness was beneficial, because giving Mireille her way also meant getting lots of face time with his fave boy candy.

It’s Ian who makes all the moves, though. He knows it’s a bad career move, but he’s also way attracted. Braden, who should know better, does put the brakes on a few times, but not before it causes some trouble for his divorce settlement.

This is a sweet read, that I wished had MORE STEAM. There’s such a wealth of opportunity here, yet, we didn’t experience much of it. The plot’s nice, but there were lots of times I wanted less family drama, and more romance. I was rather shocked at how Ian took charge, that first time, and expected more fall-out in the office politics game. I really enjoyed this family, though, and how Ian made it complete. The divorce drama wasn’t TOO overwhelming; I hate to think that these fictional legal issues and conversations were indicative of real-life proceedings, but I’m sure they are. Which is sad. Braden’s ex’s attorney is a hateful woman, and his ex is no prize, which was odd, considering she was a decent woman back in the day–it seemed. As a woman, I hate reading hateful women. It’s aggravating, so those scenes were always tough, for me.

That said, I love how Braden made the grand gesture, and Ian found a family that really loved him. Not that his brother and ken didn’t–because they really do–but because Ian deserves to be an integral part of a loving family, and he really gets that in Braden’s house. Plus, beach house on the cliff? Yes, please.

Interested? You can find LORD OF A THOUSAND STEPS on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press (eBook and paperback), Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and AllRomance.

Love in Laguna Series Collage 1-4Don’t forget to check out previous titles in the series!  KNIGHT OF OCEAN AVENUE, KNAVE OF BROKEN HEARTS and PRINCE OF THE PLAYHOUSE are all solid reads in this genre.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $15 GC.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her best­selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft.

She lives with her soul­mate husband and her soul­mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at:

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Their Love is HEARTBORN–Review and Giveaway!

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Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a contemporary YA supernatural romance-ish novel from Terry Maggert. HEARTBORN is a book where angels not only exist, they’re ready to rule. And humans they save may return the favor.

Be sure to drop below and enter to win a $25 GC in the giveaway.

Book Cover - HeartbornAbout the book:
Her guardian angel was pushed.

Keiron was never meant to be anything other than a hero. Born high above in a place of war and deception, he is Heartborn, a being of purity and goodness in a place where there violence and deceit are just around every corner.

His disappearance will spark a war he cannot see, for Keiron has pierced the light of days to save a girl he has never met, for reasons he cannot understand. Livvy Foster is seventeen, brave, and broken. With half a heart, she bears the scars of a lifetime of pain and little hope of survival.

Until Keiron arrives.

In the middle of a brewing war and Livvy’s failing heart, Keiron will risk everything for Livvy, because a Heartborn’s life can only end in one way: Sacrifice.

Fall with Livvy and Keiron as they seek the truth about her heart, and his power, and what it means to love someone who will give their very life to save you.

My Review:
Livvy is a seventeen year old girl with a congenital heart defect that keeps her just healthy enough to not be hospitalized. She works in a library, inexplicably, despite the seemingly intense struggle to simply walk to and from her post at the information desk.

Keiron is an angel on Earth. Literally. His mission is to find and save Livvy. Because reasons. He does find her, and pretends he’s human to befriend this nearly-friendless human girl. They even share a few chaste kisses that pretty much leave Livvy swooning, or maybe that dizziness was simply her heart being overtaxed. Meanwhile, Keiron’s family is preparing for battle. His elder brother has been accused of Keiron’s murder, and his parents are standing trial in what’s little more than a thinly-disguised power grab by an ancient angelic council. Battle looms and Livvy’s heart is growing weaker. Good thing Keiron is there to save the day….

I really felt like this was a tale of two books. It’s a supernatural romance, of sorts, with angels and humans. Many of the chapters relate the angelic host and the fight to come once Keiron falls to Earth on his quest to save Livvy. The parts with Livvy on Earth are pedestrian and tired. I had about a million questions regarding Livvy and her job, and why? What’s up with her heart condition? Why is she working? What are Heartborn, and what is their purpose?  Where are her parents? Why so many convenient mean people? And, who are these weirdos in the library?

The pacing of the story is slowed with flamboyant descriptions of setting and backstory and characters that set a very grand stage, yet the resolution comes far too quickly. And, it’s a confusing resolution. Livvy is a girl that lots of stuff happens to, and her passivity as a character made it hard for me to relate. Keiron seems like a great guy, and I’m pretty unhappy how things turned out for him. I’m also not clear on a good bit of what happened. At some point all the library people seemed to turn into her medical team, so was the library an illusion? Or, was she constantly monitored by some mystical watch team. I don’t know. I’m not really sure. Too many questions, too few answers, and that’s kind of frustrating. Ultimately, my problem was with the slow reveal of motivation and plot, and when information was finally given, the picture still felt incomplete, to me.

In short, it’s a winding fantasy with a lot of stuff that happens, but no clear reason for much of it. Lots and lots of coincidence, or perhaps just plain illusions that felt mostly contrived and stereotypical. I liked the scenes in “Heaven” best, but understood them the least. Go figure. I expect there’s another book, because Livvy ascends to the Heavens to help fight the angelic war, powered by the love and sacrifice of Keiron. Readers who like metaphysical books will enjoy HEARTBORN more than I did.

Interested? You can find HEARTBORN on Goodreads and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About Author Terry Maggert:
I discovered fishing shortly after walking, a boon, considering I lived in South Florida. After a brief move to Kentucky, my family trekked back to the Sunshine State. I had the good fortune to attend high school in idyllic upstate New York, where I learned about a mythical substance known as “Seasons”. After two or three failed attempts at college, I bought a bar. That was fun because I love beer, but, then, I eventually met someone smarter than me (a common event), and, in this case, she married me and convinced me to go back to school–which I did, with enthusiasm. I earned a Master’s Degree in History and rediscovered my love for writing. My novels explore dark fantasy, immortality, and the nature of love as we know it. I live near Nashville, Tennessee, with the aforementioned wife, son, and herd, and, when I’m not writing, I teach history, grow wildly enthusiastic tomato plants, and restore my 1967 Mustang.

You can catch up with Terry on his website, Facebook, twitter, Goodreads and YouTube.

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Tough Love in CIVIL WAR AND BROKEN HEARTS–Review & Giveaway!

BannerTemplate(29)Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary M/M cozy mystery/romance from Julie Lynn Hayes. CIVIL WAR AND BROKEN HEARTS is the second book in her Rose and Thorne series. It’s the sequel to BAD DOGS AND DRAG QUEENS and features the continuing misadventures of Federal Agents Vinnie Delorosa and Ethan Thorne as they protect a starlet from a dangerous stalker.

Check out the excerpt, review and get in on the gift card giveaway below!

CivilWarandBrokenHeartsFSAbout the book:
Hollywood comes to Roanoke when a major film studio announces they’re shooting part of their Civil War film at a local plantation. Vinnie is dismayed to discover that the lead actress is none other than the beautiful and popular Caroline St. Clair. Ethan and Vinnie made her acquaintance in LA the previous Halloween, while undercover, and Vinnie still hates her for hitting on his man. Ethan reassures his partner that Roanoke is big enough for all of them to co-exist without running into one another.

But Fate has it in for Vinnie and Ethan, and they find themselves assigned to a new case involving the actress. Apparently she requested Ethan specifically, to Vinnie’s dismay. But he doesn’t have a choice, he has to play nice. It’s small consolation to Vinnie that his new undercover identity involves Hollywood heartthrob Troy McGarrett, who is very handsome and openly gay. Troy isn’t shy about letting Vinnie know he finds him attractive.

Jealousy abounds in the second book of the Rose and Thorne series, and time is not on Vinnie and Ethan’s side. If they don’t solve the case before the film shoot is done, there’s a good chance they’ll be separated for the first time since they were partnered. Assuming Vinnie doesn’t kill Caroline St. Clair himself.

The author is donating 10% of the royalties from this book to No Kid Hungry. Visit nokidhungry.org for more information about this organization.

A tasty tidbit…

“Hey, Vin, did you see who’s in town?”
I was slumped at the kitchen table, my head cradled on top of my arms. I was grumpy and sleepy—and maybe a few of the other Seven Dwarves—and I needed my first cup of morning coffee before I could even consider being slightly civil.
We’d spent most of last night sitting in our car, in the goddamn middle of nowhere, staring at nothing, assigned to a fruitless surveillance in a small town about an hour from Roanoke. As it turned out, all the real action was in a different small town in the complete opposite direction from where we waited, because our so-called informant couldn’t spell the name of the place correctly. What a difference one letter makes. So we’d ended up completely wasting our time, got lost trying to find the rest of the task force at the end of the night, almost got hit by a deer that came out of nowhere and took a sudden shine to our car, and then suffered the indignity on our return of being asked where the hell we’d been all night—and we still needed to do the paperwork. And now Ethan wanted to play Twenty Questions?
“Don’t know and don’t care,” I mumbled.
I heard him slap something down on the table. I forced one eye open, just in time to see him sashay toward the coffeemaker. Okay, for that ass, I’d open the other one too. I watched as he poured the blessed elixir into two mugs, added the appropriate amount of creamer and sugar to each, then returned to where I still watched him and set one in front of me.
Right next to the morning paper. Real subtle, Ethan.

My Review:
This is the second book in a series, but can be enjoyed on its own. It’s a sweet and fluffy buddies romance between two long-term partners, Vinnie and Ethan, who also are work partners. What you need to know about the series: They are some type of fictional federal agents that go undercover to help the police. Essentially, Vinnie will get put into a dress, and Ethan will help him out of it. And, some other plot things will happen. That’s been the case for the first two books.

In this book, starlet Caroline St. Clair is in Roanoke to film some on-location scenes for the Civil War-era epic she’s working on. She recently split from her fiance, the director of the film who’s flaunting his new younger fiance right under Caroline’s nose. Ethan helps thwart a shooting when he and Vinnie find Caroline out and about in Roanoke. She thinks it must be her stalker, but no one can trace his (now deleted) threatening emails. Caroline gets Ethan assigned to serve as her personal bodyguard, claiming he’s her fiance to cover his appearance in her life. And this about sets Vinnie’s head to explode. Vinnie’s assigned as a personal assistant to Caroline’s beautiful, out-and-proud, co-star, Troy McGarrett. Troy’s helpful, but doesn’t mind helping himself to some of Vinnie, if the opportunity arises.

I pretty much had this one figured out from the start, but I liked how it all played out. There’s a ton of cattyiness, and Vinnie’s his usual chatty narrating self. Troy was super cool, a good friend and support to Vinnie, throughout. I also liked how our homophobic foe from the first book got a bit more humanized in this one. Ethan’s about beside himself, fending off Caroline’s unwanted advances and keeping Vinnie from making many, many professional mistakes, though we still don’t get a lot of his personality on the page. The next book seems to have a lot more of Ethan, however, so I’m looking forward to that. If you like low steam romance and fluffy cozy mysteries with lots of snarky banter, I think this will hit your sweet spot.

Interested? You can find CIVIL WAR AND BROKEN HEARTS on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

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

About the Author:
Julie Lynn Hayes first began publishing short stories and poetry in the 1990’s, when it was a different ballgame altogether, and Ebooks hadn’t been dreamed of yet. That changed in 2010 with the acceptance of her first romance novel. She’s come a long way since that first book appeared, and is finding the journey a very educational one.

She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and her cat Ramesses. She often writes of two men finding true love and happiness in one another’s arms, and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She likes to write in different genres, to stretch herself in order to see what is possible. Her great challenge is to be told something can’t be done—she feels compelled to do it.
When she isn’t writing, she enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross stitch, needlepoint and knitting, and she loves to cook, spending time watching the Food Network. Her favorite chef is Geoffrey Zakarian. Her family thinks she’s a bit off, but she doesn’t mind. Marching to the beat of one’s own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, eXtasy Books, and Wayward Ink Press.

Catch up with Julie on her blog, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

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