adult contemporary

Engaging THE PROTECTOR–Release Day Review!

release-day-blitz-the-protector-by-donna-grantHi there! Today I’m sharing a release day review of a new contemoprary romance from Donna Grant. THE PROTECTOR is the second book in her Sons of Texas series, and features the youngest son, a Force Recon captain named Cullen, on his mission to track down his missing father. You really need to read THE HERO to understand the whole series.

bk-2-the-protectorAbout the book:
When Marine Force Recon captain Cullen Loughman learns that his father’s been kidnapped, he will do whatever it takes to find him. In order to achieve his mission, Cullen will need to team up with the best of the best—someone who just happens to be the most stunning woman he’s ever laid eyes on…

This isn’t the first rodeo for ex—Air Force pilot Mia Carter. Still, Cullen’s bad-boy good looks and charm are distracting her from duty. . .and it appears that the feeling is mutual. As Mia and Cullen make their descent into a dark, dangerous world, their attraction reaches the boiling point. But is their desire worth the risk when a ruthless enemy is waiting in the wings—or will their Lone Star love conquer all?

How about a little taste?

Cullen hadn’t expected Mia Carter to be so . . . amazing. He’d never seen a woman fight with such passion or with movements so beautiful that he’d found himself watching her instead of finishing off the Colombian.

For the first time in Cullen’s life, he couldn’t find words. He could only stare at the beautiful woman with one thought—Valkyrie.

She was the epitome of what he imagined the winged creatures of Norse mythology would look like. All she needed was armor and a sword to complete his vision.

Now, as he sat in the cockpit of the British WWII Bristol Buckingham C. MK 1 plane, also known as the Bristol Type 163 Buckingham, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

Beautiful didn’t begin to describe this incredible woman. Every time her steely black gaze fringed with impossibly thick lashes turned his way, he became entranced. Her eyes were large and slightly tilted up at the corners.

He forgot to breathe as he took in her unblemished, sun-kissed face. With high cheekbones and wide, full lips, he was smitten.

Wisps of inky black hair escaped from her ponytail to fall along the narrow column of her neck. An olive tee skimmed her torso to show mouthwatering curves, and black denim showcased her lithe legs to perfection.

“It was Orrin who approached me,” she said.

That didn’t surprise him. His father had always had a gift for finding talent and using it to his advantage. “When?”

“A few years ago.”

It made Cullen wonder what else his father had been up to. While he and his brothers were off building their lives, Orrin Loughman had been setting up a team of Black Ops members to do some of the dirtiest jobs.

One of the missions, put together by the DOD, had sent Orrin and his team to Russia to steal a bioweapon.

Except something had gone terribly wrong. Someone betrayed Orrin Loughman. In the process, he’d been kidnapped, and his team was executed.

The last person to see his father was the woman sitting next to Cullen.

The years he’d spent as a Marine Force Recon captain had taught him many things. He knew how to fight his way out of various situations using his hands, body, and mind. He knew how to spot liars and traitors. He also had dozens of rescues to his name.

He was damn good at his job. But he had to be more than good now. His father’s very life depended on it.

“How did you find me?” Mia asked.

“I went to the Air Force Base. When you weren’t there, I went to General Davis’s office. It seems they keep a record of every flight you make.”

Her lips compressed. “That they do.”

“To my benefit. If I hadn’t arrived, you would either be dead or in Camilo’s care. Neither of which sounds appealing.”

“I already thanked you.”

“Yes, ma’am. You sure did.” He linked his fingers over his stomach. There was something about Mia Carter he found compelling, and it had nothing to do with her beauty. She was very much like him, he suddenly realized.

Wary of the world with a look of cynicism she didn’t bother to hide.

“Tell me how a pilot with your skills is able to have a hangar on a base, work for the military as a contractor, and still be able to take jobs with criminals. Because let’s be honest . . . Camilo was a criminal.”

“It won’t matter what I give you as an explanation. You’ve already formed an opinion,” she replied coolly.

In fact, he had formed an opinion. He suspected that she liked danger. She also loved to fly. Combine the two, and she was in heaven.

“You were telling me about how you and my father began working together,” he said, getting them back on topic.

She cut him a look with her black eyes. “What you really want to know is if I betrayed him. As I told Callie—and everyone listening on the phone that day—it wasn’t me.”

“I do remember that call. Though I’ve learned that people say a lot of things that aren’t the truth.”

“You want the truth?” she asked, turning her head to him. “I’ll tell you the truth. I hated taking orders, so I left the Air Force as soon as I could. But I wasn’t ready to give up flying. It’s my life.”

That much he could tell. It was in her blood.

My Review:
In The Hero, the first book in this series, we met the Loughman family, or what was left of it. Orrin is father to three sons, Wyatt, Owen, and Cullen. Twenty years ago his wife was muedered. Orrin, being a Navy SEAL, suspected Melanie’s death stemmed from his work in secret missions, but her killer was never found. Orrin’s sons didn’t recover well, their family splintered, but each boy followed their father’s footsteps into military service, even if neither of them had oaken to him in years. These days Orrin runs a private Black Ops team for classified missions.

Without warning Wyatt, Owen and Cullen were pulled from their missions and dropped at their Texas reach, only to discover their aunt and uncle murdered, and their father kidnapped. He’d recently been tasked with recovering Ragnarok, a bioweapon developed by a Russian scientist. Only the pilot, Mia, and Orrin had survived. Mia got the weapon transferred to Orrin’s right hand gal, Callie, and his three sons are on the hunt for their father.

Cullen tracked Mia to a job-going-wrong situation in Florida. He knows Mia is his best bet on getting Intel to find his dad. Over the course of several days Mia and Cullen learn that the Saints, a shadow organization responsible for Ragnarok’s development, have eyes, ears, and guns everywhere. Including the Air Force base Mia flies from. The place where Orrin’s team of men had been slaughtered. It’s not safe for them to remain, and their escape is none-too-easy. Good thing that Mia’s made some incredible allies. Cullen is most impressed. And, injured. Cullen is gravely injured.

Meanwhile, Orrin is receiving help from two unlikely sources, help that’s keeping him alive. He’s been beaten, starved and battered nearly to death, but he’s determined to see his sons in person once more–and take down the Saints, if he can. The bulk of the book is the search for Orrin, and that’s not resolved. Mia and Cullen do find a fierce attraction for the other, however, and that grows into affection under all the near-death pressure. We learn tons about the espionage, the Saints and the purpose for Ragnarok, but the story isn’t finished.

For one, Wyatt and Callie have to fall in love. And, the mighty mighty Loughmans need to save the day. I liked his book better than the first one, though I often felt the romance angle was pushed too strongly. I had trouble accepting all the internal dialogue, which often boiled down to lust, or mooning, when the situations were so dire. I love romantic suspense, and this book is getting closer to the mark, for me, though I think romance fans will be satisfied. Orrin’s a great character and I was glad to see him somewhat restored and on the trail of vengeance. His allies are unconventional, but just as fierce as he needs them to be. Looking forward to the resolution in the next book!

Interested? You can find THE PROTECTOR on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, iBooks, IndieBound, Kobo, Powells, and Tantor Audio. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

donna_grant_newAbout the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories. Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Kings, features a thrilling combination of dragons, Fae, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her two children and an assortment of animals in Texas.

Catch up with Donna on her website, Facebook, twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, Tumblr, Audible, and Tantor.
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Out Today! ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING

rock-chick-reawakening-rdl-bannerHi there! I’m so excited to share the news that Kristen Ashley has gone back to her roots and released a prequel novella in the Rock Chick saga. I read the Rock Chick series WAAAAY before I got to blogging and logging books online, so I don’t have any reviews to share, but they are all fab, and the early reviews for ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING are very positive.

Praise for Kristen Ashley and ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING:

“OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!! I FREAKING LOVED IT!!!!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!!! This was pure Old School Vintage KA GOLD!!!”~Aestas Book Blog

“This novella is like the key to all the locked doors in this series.”~Angie’s Dreamy Reads

“We inhaled Marcus and Daisy’s story, how could we not. It was everything to us and we cannot thank Kristen Ashley enough for writing it, in her much loved unique manner. The queen of epilogues struck once more and we smiled through copious tears of happiness, our hearts feeling full and complete. Whilst sad that it’s over we just can’t feel anything but happiness and love right now. It was Aces! Rock on…and be prepared to be swept of off your feet.”~Totally Booked Blog

“[Kristen] Ashley captivates.” ~Publisher’s Weekly

“There is something about them [Ashley’s books] that I find crackalicious.”~DearAuthor.com,Kati Brown

“I felt all of the rushes, the adrenaline surges, the anger spikes… my heart pumping in fury. My eyes tearing up when my heart (I mean… her heart) would break.”~Maryse’s Book Blog

rock-chick-reawakening-coverAbout the book:
From New York Times bestselling author, Kristen Ashley, comes the long-awaited story of Daisy and Marcus, Rock Chick Reawakening.

A prequel to Kristen’s Rock Chick series, Rock Chick Reawakening shares the tale of the devastating event that nearly broke Daisy, an event that set Marcus Sloan—one of Denver’s most respected businessmen and one of the Denver underground’s most feared crime bosses—into finally making his move to win the heart of the woman who stole his.

A Message from Kristen:

Dear Reader,

I’m beside myself with glee that this prequel to my Rock Chick series has been unleashed! There was some time when I never thought I’d write it. When I couldn’t be in that terrible place with Daisy. But I’m oh-so glad that she called to me, demanding her story be told so she could give it to me and now I can give it to you! I loved every moment spent with Daisy and Marcus. And I hope you do too!

 ~Kristen Ashley

How about a little taste?

Her face was stunning. Wide smile. White teeth and a good deal of them. Big eyes. Elegant nose. Soft cheekbones. All of this she highlighted with the expert use of makeup from what was clearly a gift of superior genes into something that shone like a Hollywood starlet.

A starlet of a stripper who looked a good deal like Dolly Parton, who also likely got home the night before, earliest, three in the morning, and was right then, only hours later, back on the stage helping another girl by teaching her some moves.

“Marcus, brother,” Smithie’s voice came at him. “You got a problem with the way I do business, and I give you reason to have that problem, then we have a talk. I don’t give you that reason, we don’t have conversations like this one. That’s our deal.”

Marcus listened to him while he watched Daisy talking to the other girl and then she ran across the stage, doing it gracefully in platform sandals, her stone-washed jeans tight on her ass and hips and all the way down her legs. Still, after she ran the four steps, she launched herself high, grabbing on to the pole at least three feet higher than she was, her body swinging around by just her hands.

When the swing ended, she climbed up the pole, hand over hand. Doing this quickly, taking herself up another four feet, she flipped her bottom half over, wrapping her skinny legs around the pole. She dropped back, her hair flowing down, and with her only hold on the pole being her legs, she arched her back and slid down slowly, somehow circling the pole as she did it.

She ended this doing a layout with her hands on the floor, her legs in slow and controlled movements coming over her head one after the other. Her hands pushing off, she was up.

Standing straight with perfect posture.

Interested? You can find ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING on Goodreads and Amazon (US, UK, Can, Aus)

kristen-ashley-headshotAbout the Author:
Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorize and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better. Catch up with Kristen on her website, Facebook, twitter, sign up for her newsletter, Goodreads, Pinterest, Instagram.

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Switching Plans ANALOG TO DIGITAL–Review & Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review and giveaway for a new Christmas-themed M/M romance novella from Posy Roberts. ANALOG TO DIGITAL is a sweet tale of one man getting his heart’s desire right when he thinks he’s losing it all.

a-to-dAbout the book:
All Ethan wants for Christmas, and the rest of his life, is Toby.
For years, Ethan and Toby have said they’ll never marry, despite Ethan’s secret wishes. So leaving sunny California for snowy Minnesota to witness his sister’s vow renewal is not how he wants to spend his Christmas Eve. It’s the second time she’ll say “I do” in less than a year, when Ethan saying those words to Toby even once is hopeless.

In the run-up to the ceremony, Toby seems to avoid Ethan, and doubts grow in his absence. Ethan can’t help noticing Toby spends more time with Ethan’s family than with him. Little does Ethan know, Toby has desires of his own. But if Toby doesn’t find a way to reveal them, Ethan could leave for home without him.

How about a little taste?

LOOKING UP from the doodle I’d started on a cocktail napkin, I ordered. “Surly Furious. Two, please.” It was the beer I’d begged my sister to ship to me from back home. I wanted to give my employees a taste of Minnesota, even if they relentlessly teased me about my accent and “unfathomable” work ethic. I didn’t end up owner of a top-rated design house by the time I was in my midtwenties by phoning it in, so I never let their jibes bother me much.

The server reached for glasses after cracking each large can with a pfft and pfft, but I waved him off. “We’ll drink ’em right from the can, thanks.”

“Certainly.”

I slipped a ten in his tip jar and turned to the center of the distinctive ballroom, where people were dancing. His thanks trailed after me as I made my way over to Toby, who looked ready to blend into the leather couch while the room buzzed around him.

I pressed the chilled beer into his warm palm. “Here. This is the one I told you about.”

He took a sip and looked at me with dark eyes before taking another few swallows. He smiled when he finally set the can down. “It’s good. Real good.”

“Told ya.” I leaned in and kissed the beer foam that clung to his mustache. His beard brushed my chin, and as much as I wanted to get lost in his kisses, I was there as the boss tonight and couldn’t really let go like I wanted.

“Look at you two! So in love.” Stella, my right-hand and necessary coconspirator in most projects, plopped herself in the chair next to me and sipped at a neon-pink drink garnished with at least three fruit kabobs. Her eclectic style, mostly latent punk rocker meets Vargas pinup girl, was in full bloom. She would’ve fit perfectly on the nose of an Air Force plane or at any dance club in the city.

I smiled at her as I leaned against Toby’s shoulder. The sparkle in her lined eyes made what she was about to ask obvious.

“When are you two going to finally tie the knot?”

“We’re not,” Toby said without a second’s hesitation.

I crossed my feet at the ankles to ward off any evil as I lied through my teeth. “It’s not something either of us has ever wanted. No need to be tied down to a person. God knows I’m tied down by enough strings to this business, which grows busier by the day.”

Stella studied me out of the corner of her eye, skeptical. I talked shop to shake her focus.

My Review:
Ethan and Toby have been together for several years, and Ethan’s feeling a little bitter that Toby refuses to get married. They live together, and Ethan wants Toby to be his forever man, but feels as if Toby will never make it official. This insecurity is fanned by Ethan’s sister’s impending vow renewal. She’d gotten married to her hubs while visiting Ethan and Toby just that summer, but now she’s planning a big reception on Christmas Eve back home in Minnesota. Ethan wants to skip it, but Toby buys them plane tickets.

Then, over the several days leading up to the reception and holiday, Toby’s off helping Ethan’s family get the arrangements set for the wedding. Meanwhile, Ethan’s left behind to complete his projects remotely. It’s a huge frustration for Ethan, who hardly takes time off from work, to have all this loose time with no one in the home. he feels as if Toby’s slipping away, and their relationship is fizzling out–and it’s only that much harder for him to be even close to cheerful for his sister, or Christmas, in general. He’s so overwrought that he’s about to book a flight home for himself, on Christmas Day.

There’s a happy, happy ending, though. Toby had grand plans for the days that extend from the holiday, and he sweeps Ethan completely off his feet. I really felt Ethan’s pain and isolation on the page, and I ached for him. He’s so in love with Toby, and no one likes to feel that they’re more invested than their partner. Ethan did come off as a bit petulant, but I could forgive it under the circumstances. The end is wholly beautiful, and Ethan’s joy is electric. A very sweet read.

Interested? You can find ANALOG TO DIGITAL on Goodreads, Dreamspinner, Amazon (US or Amazon UK) Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.

****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:
Posy Roberts writes about the realistic struggles of men looking for love. Whether her characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.

Posy is a Jill of all trades and master of the drill and paintbrush. She’s married to a partner who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep during her writing frenzies. Her daughter, a budding author and cinematographer, helps her come up with character names. For fun, Posy enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make regular life more interesting.

You can find Posy on line on Facebook, twitter and Pinterest.
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Cover Reveal for HIPSTER BROTHEL!

hipster-bannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a cover for a sexy new M/M romance coming soon from KA Merikan. HIPSTER BROTHEL looks like it’s gonna be really intriguing! Looking forward to sharing a review closer to the release date January 24th.
hipsterbrothel-f_600x900

About the book:
— The lumberjack of his dreams is now available for rent. —
Mr. B has always been a safe guy for Jo to crush on. He’s the cutest bearded lumber-god to salivate over. Add to that his friendly, outgoing personality, and Mr. B might just be the first guy Jo would be willing to kiss. Fortunately, Mr. B has been in a relationship for years, and Jo is no home-wrecker.

But when Mr. B breaks up with his partner and all of a sudden is single, available, and talks about his plans to be sexually adventurous, Jo isn’t so sure anymore if he has the guts to come out as bisexual.

After a sour breakup, Mr. B wants to show his ex that he’s independent, exciting, and can do very well without him. His best friend Jo is there to the rescue, and they come up with a great new business venture. One thing they lack to start their own line of artisanal boozy jams – money for the investment.

After a drunken brainstorming session, Mr. B finds a way to both gather the cash and show the middle finger to his ex. He will create a one of a kind Hipster Brothel – The Lumbersexual Experience – offering wood chopping lessons, pipe smoking, and a reclaimed wood bed where the magic would happen. It’s bound to be a success… if only Mr. B can go through with it, because the mixed signals from Jo are making him wonder if his best friend is as straight as he always seemed.
WARNING: Explicit content, strong language. A shameless amount of buzzwords. May cause second-hand embarrassment.

Interested? You can find out more about HIPSTER BROTHEL, coming out January 24th, on Goodreads.

About the Authors:
K.A. Merikan is the pen name for Kat and Agnes Merikan, a team of writers, who are mistaken for sisters with surprising regularity. Kat’s the mean sergeant and survival specialist of the duo, never hesitating to kick Agnes’s ass when she’s slacking off. Her memory works like an easy-access catalogue, which allows her to keep up with both book details and social media. Also works as the emergency GPS. Agnes is the Merikan nitpicker, usually found busy with formatting and research. Her attention tends to be scattered, and despite being over thirty, she needs to apply makeup to buy alcohol. Self-proclaimed queen of the roads.

They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and books. When you pick up a Merikan book, there’s one thing you can be sure of – it will be full of surprises.

Catch up with this duo on their website, Facebook, Twitter (run by Kat), Agnes Merikan’s Twitter, Goodreads or Pinterest.
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The Future Holds NO SMALL PARTS-A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a recent release in the Bluewater Bay M/M romance series by Ally Blue. NO SMALL PARTS is a bittersweet, low conflict romance between a bisexual extra and a wanna-be-director production assistant. I really liked it. Like LONE WOLF, RAIN SHADOW and SELFIE in this series, the characters are directly part of the Wolf’s Landing cast or crew. For me it’s always fun to reconnect with that part of this fictional universe.

no-small-partsAbout the book:
Nat Horn is almost living the dream. His part as a werewolf extra on the hit show Wolf’s Landing has somehow turned into a regular role. Beautiful rising star Solari Praveen has taken an interest in him. He’s even making enough money to think about getting out of Bluewater Bay someday. Except his retired dad’s dependence on pain medications seems to be getting worse, and Nat’s the only one around to take care of him.

When Nat learns that Solari’s interest isn’t romantic, his disappointment is surprisingly short-lived, because in getting to know her, he also got to know her assistant, Rafael. And Rafael turns out to be the kind of friend—and potential boyfriend—Nat never dared to dream about.

Distracted by his astonishing new life, new friends, and new possibilities, Nat lets his guard down, and suddenly his life goes careening out of control. Racked by guilt, he tries to push his new friends away, but the bonds he’s formed are already too strong. In fact, they’re strong enough to pull him forward, into the future he’s been longing for—but to get there, he’ll have to let go of the past.

My Review:
Nat Horn is a Bluewater Bay native who’s returned to town to help care for his disabled father. While there he got cast as an extra on the hit TV show Wolf’s Landing as one of the wolf pack members. He’s barely making ends meet, between his acting and helping on his uncle’s fishing boat, but most of the resources are used to pay for his father’s pain medicine–to which his dad has become addicted. Nat feels lonely and guilty, by turns. He loves his father, but he doesn’t love the addict. Plus, he’s bitter that no one will help him care for his dad–not his uncle or his sister, who both wrote his dad off years ago.

Nat gets invited out by one of the stars on the show, Solari. Solari’s assistant, Rafael is frustrated by this, because Rafael finds Nat completely attractive–and Rafael knows that Solaris’ a lesbian in a closeted relationship with a woman who has been pressuring Solari to come out. Rafael thinks it’s wrong for Solari to string Nat along, and he says so–to both Nat and Solari. Nat’s a bit bummed because he had a solid crush on Solari, however, spending time with her actually cures that crush fast; they get along like brother and sister, having no spark. Meanwhile Nat and Rafael have sparks a-flying. As their personal lives get more entwined, Nat’s even more frustrated with his father, who’s always dismissed his bisexuality, and urged him to only date women.

Just as Nat’s professional life is going great–he’s offered some lines on the show that boosts his income enough to pay for caregivers–he’s facing more emotional challenges. His dad’s health is deteriorating, and hits a serious crisis point. Nat has felt alone for so long, but Rafael is there, and so is Solari and others of his WL “family.” I thought that was really special, and the sad bits are nicely softened by this outpouring of love for Nat. Rafael is a good partner, and he’s got big plans for Nat and himself, that include a side project for a movie and a shiny new future. If only Nat will let himself embrace all these good opportunities. There’s a bit of hard times there, but not too much. I felt Nat’s guilt was understandable, and the circumstances of his father’s decline were avoidable, but not really in Nat’s power. He was a good son, and a did his best to make sure his dad was safe. Sometimes it’s too late to help people–and that’s not a personal failing, as Nat had to learn the hard way.

There’s a little bit of sexytimes, and a sweet and tender friendship-turned-more in store. Expect sad times, too, and for Nat to waffle regarding his grief and his open future–though he doesn’t have to go it alone any longer.

Interested? You can find NO SMALL PARTS on Goodreads, Riptide Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
Ally Blue is acknowledged by the world at large (or at least by her heroes, who tend to suffer a lot) as the Popess of Gay Angst. She has a great big suggestively-shaped hat and rides in a bullet-proof Plexiglas bubble in Christmas parades. Her harem of manwhores does double duty as bodyguards and inspirational entertainment. Her favorite band is Radiohead, her favorite color is lime green and her favorite way to waste a perfectly good Saturday is to watch all three extended version LOTR movies in a row. Her ultimate dream is to one day ditch the evil day job and support the family on manlove alone. She is not a hippie or a brain surgeon, no matter what her kids’ friends say.

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

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Hard Luck and HANUKKAH GIFTS–Review & Giveaway!

Hi there! On the first night of Hanukkah, I’m sharing a contemporary M/M holiday romance from Jacob Cheyenne. HANUKKAH GIFTS puts a “bad Jew” in the path of an Orthodox man questioning his life, and sexuality.

Check out the excerpt and get in on the $10 GC giveaway below!

hanukkah_gifts_400x600About the book:
Twenty-five year old TV producer Jared Greenfield loves his New York City life—his trendy neighborhood, high-profile job, and window-shopping for high fashion on Fifth Avenue—along with a whole city of available men. But even with all the fun of big city life, he feels a longing for something—or someone—more. Going through the motions takes him uptown on December night, where, on the first night of Hanukkah, he spots a handsome, sweaty, player on the basketball court of the Jewish Community Center.

Tall, dark, and Orthodox, the young and athletic Shai Goodhart strikes up an easy friendship with Jared, only to discover that Jared has very little appreciation for his own Jewish heritage and religion. Determined to enlighten this “Bad Jew”, Shai invites him over for a family Hanukkah celebration to remember. But Jared’s easy fascination ends when he discovers that Shai has a house full of tangled secrets that threatens their romance before it even begins. Both young men feel they can help one another, but over the eight days of Hanukkah, deeper emotions propel them closer and closer.

My Review:
Jared is an out gay 25 year old TV assistant producer on a children’s show in NYC. One night, while dropping show swag off at a daycare center, he stops and admires a tall, athletic basketball player in the community center that shares a building with the day care.

Shai is definitely an Orthodox Jew, and that’s at-first off-putting to Jared, because his own Judaism is so lacking. Jared was raised by a single mother, but it’s clear that Shai’s family is wealthy, and devout. They meet on the subway, and Shai’s so intrigued by Jared’s lack of conviction in their mutual faith he invites Jared to his family home to pass a night of Hanukkah. It’s sweet, and has the possibility for more, which attracts Jared.

It’s then that Shai feels the emotional safety to confess his closeted status to Jared–despite being all but betrothed to a beautiful woman his parents approve of. The whole arrangement is archaic to Jared, but he wants to be a good friend to Shai, and Jared continues to talk to Shai, reveal to him, bit by bit, his own world, his own feelings regarding the reality regarding living a lie in his faith and his personal life. Shai is afraid to come out, but he’s developing a solid affection for Jared, and his heart is torn for a man he might come to love, and his family who would never accept them as a couple.

This one is a bit bittersweet, actually. Jared and Shai find themselves in a crisis and it’s unclear if it will ever be resolved. The ending is not entirely happy–what with Shai’s family being horrible about Shai’s sexuality. This is a novella, and there’s not really any steam. Lots of emotional ups and downs, with Jared wanting more with Shai, and holding those feelings back so he doesn’t pressure him. Their brief contact is sweet, and Jared’s mom is a treasure. I liked Jared, because he was so conscientious regarding Jared’s choices, and yet he wasn’t a doormat, either. Still, I felt this moved a little too fast for me, at times, and the end definitely wrapped too quickly. That said, I love reading stories about Judaism and this one was decent, if a bit short.

Interested? You can find HANUKKAH GIFTS on Goodreads, JMS Books, Amazon (US and UK) and AllRomance.

****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:
Jacob Cheyenne is an author of M/M Romantic Fiction. His characters and stories are often inspired by real historical events, figures and scenes from classical art, or from old black and white portraits he collects in antique stores. His debut novella “Hanukkah Gifts” focuses on the turmoil between two young Jewish men with very different ideas about how to reconcile their faith and sexuality.

When not writing, the author loves swimming, hearing live music, reading fat books on empty beaches, and drinking anything coconut-flavored. When not traveling, he lives and works in the bustling heart of New York City.

You can catch up with Jacob on his website, Twitter, or Facebook.

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CATCH AND RELEASE Book Spotlight, Excerpt & Giveaway

catch-and-release-bannerHi there! Today I’m sharing an excerpt and giveaway for a new contemporary M/M romance from BA Tortuga. CATCH AND RELEASE puts an attorney and an ex-con together and sounds like a fab odd couple read.

Catch the excerpt, author notes and get in on the book giveaway below!

catchandreleaseorig-final-01About the book:
Dakota Landry just got out of prison after twelve years. If anyone can understand how that feels, it’s his new friend, Sage, who is determined to help him get used to life on the outside—and believes Dakota didn’t commit the crime he was in for.

Jayden Wilson is a former prosecutor who agrees to look into the case at the request of Sage’s lover, Adam. He sets out to prove Dakota is just another “innocent” ex-con, but once they meet, Jayden is more and more convinced Dakota just didn’t do what everyone thinks he did.

Trouble follows Dakota, and nothing is easy as he struggles to figure out how to live, now that he has choices. And Jayden isn’t sure how Dakota, or any lover for that matter, fits into his life. Their path from friendship to romance is a slow one, but Dakota begins to believe he deserves a chance at life, and Jayden falls a little more for Dakota every day. Now they just need to tell each other how they feel.

How about a little taste?

“One wallet with six dollars and eighty-three cents. One pair of jeans, T-shirt, pair of boots. Belt with buckle. Sign here.” The paper bag was shoved over to him, and Dakota Landry scratched his signature on the paper, his hand shaking harder than he wanted to admit.

One wallet with six dollars and eighty-three cents.

One pair of Wranglers.

Twelve years, three months, and eight days.

Dakota sighed and rolled his shoulders. The Unitarians had donated a gently worn pair of tennis shoes, a button-down from the Walmart, and a pair of new jeans, which hung on his scrawny ass like a bad costume. They were what he had, though. He’d lost seventy pounds since he was twenty, and he read way more bull rider than bulldogger these days.

The rest of the processing flew by, and he walked out of the gate half an hour later, blinking at the late-afternoon sun. He was gonna puke.

He had a suitcase of his shit from his cell and this paper sack and….

A white pickup pulled up, the window rolling down to expose this weathered face peering out from under a straw brim. “You Landry?”

“Yessir.” He braced himself, waiting for a barrel to appear from the window. God hated him, he had no doubt, and it would be just like the evil bastard to have one of the McCarthys come to shoot him as soon as he walked outside as a free man.

It wasn’t a pistol that appeared, though. It was a gnarled cowboy hand. “Sage. Sage Redding. You want a ride, man?”

A lump lodged in his throat. Sage. Okay, he knew this guy from letters and the occasional call. When he knew he was getting out, he’d been assigned… what? Sage was no counselor. He was a godsend, though. “I do, yeah.”

“Cool. Come on. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

“Please.” He climbed up into the truck, breathing in the smell of horseshit and Old Spice and hay, and suddenly he was thirteen again and had a whole summer in front of him and all these dreams and….

“Hey.” The word was short and sharp, dragging his attention right to Sage’s face. “Stay here. Stay with me, man. You start thinking and the fucking world goes straight to shit.”

“I just….”

“We’ll go to the next town over, and we’ll grab some burgers and a Coke. You ain’t a vegetarian, are you?”

“I’m pretty fucking sure they put all of them in minimum security.”

Sage hooted, the sound natural as breathing. “I bet so.”

“Thanks. I didn’t expect….” He hadn’t known what to expect. He had the numbers for the Salvation Army and a halfway house, neither of which he intended to call.

“No sweat. I been there.”

“Yeah.”

Manslaughter, Sage had said, and the man never once claimed to be innocent. But he was out and living on a ranch, doing his parole and writing prisoners in this exchange deal. Dakota wasn’t sure what the fuck Sage got out of it, but it looked good to the parole board, and to his credit, Sage had written a letter to them.

Sorta like the murderers speaking for the rapists. Whoopdi-fucking-doo.

Some Christmas wishes from BA:

Hey y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and lover of the sparkly.

So, I’m supposed to be all Super Happy Promo Girl, but it’s right before Christmas and I have the Holly Jolly Bug.

I know. I suck, but seriously! Dakota and Jayden make me stupid happy and Catch and Release? The best book I’ve ever written.

ornamentBut Y’ALL! I have fairy lights for brains right now. My nose is filled with anise and cinnamon and ginger and brandy. I have wrapping paper cuts and… dude, I just found one of my wife’s stocking stuffer gifts slowly cooking on the coffee warmer on my desk. At least I know what that smell is…

Not only that? They say it’s fixin’ to snow!

So, okay, still a Texan. Still think the idea of snow around Christmas is magical (so long as I don’t have to actually get out and about in it. That is a no go. The idea of driving in the snow makes me dizzy with fear. I love to look at snow from my front room with a cup of coffee spiked with Caramel Bailey’s Irish Cream and a roaring fire.

But we’re looking at a white Christmas, which makes my soul a little goofy.

I still have to go out and… well, really, I don’t. I’m going to take advantage of my local grocery’s new online ordering and just pick up the couple things we need. We’ll go Christmas light looking with Mother on Christmas eve, but beyond that?

dogsWe are totally set.

Spins

I know, not the most grown up of all blog posts, but Santa! Snow! Posole! My girl and my puppies and a fire in the fireplace!

Add to that a new book that honestly makes me proud as punch and I’m as tickled as a man with a feather up his butt.

Much love, y’all.

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

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a signed copy of CATCH AND RELEASE.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:
Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing porn sites in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife (still amazing to say that), Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has gone to the high desert mountains and fallen in love. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery ménages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.

You can find BA online on her blog, Facebook, twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
IndiGo

Holiday Shorts!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing reviews for a few holiday-themed stories that will warm your hearts in this wintry season. FROSTBITTEN is a vampire menage, ANGEL VOICES is a New Adult M/M romance, and LOVE AND LATKES is a transgender romance. All of these are novellas, and have sweet themes of acceptance and new love.

frostbittenAbout FROSTBITTEN by Charlotte Stein:
Shy nurse Cora both dreads and lives for the moments she sees Zeke, an orderly at the hospital where she works. Zeke is too handsome, too compelling, too much, and seems totally unaware of Cora. But before she can bring herself to his attention, an explosion rips through the hospital Christmas party.

Zeke has noticed Cora—in fact, he’s so irresistibly drawn to her that he saves her from the explosion by turning her into a vampire, much to the jealousy and resentment of his partner, Merrick. Zeke hates being a vampire, and now that she’ll live, doesn’t want Cora to suffer his fate. If they can both resist the overwhelming instinct to bond, joining their bodies as Cora draws her maker’s blood, she might be able to return to her normal human life.

As Merrick uses every erotic trick to keep Zeke distracted from the blood passion, Cora becomes more and more drawn to both of her reluctant captors. And more and more happy to abandon her old life in exchange for an eternity with two hot immortal lovers. All she has to do is convince Merrick and Zeke that being a vampire isn’t all that bad.

Like FRECKLES and GLASS TIDINGS, FROSTBITTEN is also a part of the 2016 three book Holiday bundle offered every year by Riptide, and 20% of the proceeds are donated to The Trevor Project, which provides a suicide hotline and counseling assistance for LGBTQ teens, in particular, in crisis.

I’ve actually written a full review for FROSTBITTEN for Joyfully Jay, but I can tell you I really loved this MMF menage story. Zeke and Merrick are a couple, but Zeke and Cora seem to share a strong attraction. Zeke saves Cora from certain death when an explosion rocks their holiday party–by infecting her with a vampire virus. Merrick wants Cora to return to her human self, which she will if she doesn’t take blood from either Zeke or Merrick. Unfortunately, they’re all very attracted to each other. This is a really compelling, sensual read. Cora narrates the whole novella, and she’s clearly a vivid thinker. Plus, once she’s infected, her viewpoint becomes distorted and hazy, with a sing-song quality that lulled me along. I dug it. There’s a little bit of sex, in the middle and the end with M/M, M/F and MMF arrangements.

Find FROSTBITTEN on Goodreads, Riptide Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance.

angel-voicesAbout ANGEL VOICES by Rowan Speedwell:
One frigid winter night a week before Christmas, college student Will stumbles into a church during choir practice, bruised by his own father’s hands. He’s out of the closet now — there’s no going back since his fundamentalist father learned the truth — but he’s also out of a home, a family, and a future. Will has nowhere to turn. No one to care.

Except . . . Will’s roommate, Quinn, cares. Maybe too much. He’s been attracted to Will since they moved in together, but never dreamed his crush was gay. With Will’s life in pieces, Quinn doesn’t want to push. He also knows he has more experience than Will, who’s never even been kissed.

Then Will’s father makes a reappearance, and Will has to learn to trust his heart more than the voices of his past. But it’s the season of miracles, faith, and hope, and Quinn is determined to teach Will how to love and be loved.

My Review:
Will is an 18 year old freshman attending his local college. When he returns to his home for the winter break his enraged father beats him nearly senseless and chucks him out into the cold, while his horrified mother watched. Will stumbles the eight miles back toward campus, dropping into a church to warm up. There he hears the choir practicing, and finds peace in his tumult.

He also finds his afro-Creole roommate, Quinn, who’s a tenor in the choir. Quinn had always thought his shy and reserved roomie was straight. Learning Will’s father assaulted him for being gay sets Quinn on a “rescue Will” mission. Quinn’s a sweet boy, whose family is large and supportive. He knows’ they’ll pitch in to help Will in whatever manner they can. With Will cut off from his family, they make plans to take him home to New Orleans for Christmas, and to seek out scholarship help if necessary.

Will, stunned that his roomie is gay, helpful, and attracted to him, allows Quinn to do his best–in all things. There’s a bit of steam, as Will experiences his first kiss–and more. He’s still shell-shocked over his father’s reaction, but it seems the rest of his family might just be okay with the gay. This is a Christmas romance novella, so everything happens kinda fast. I did love Quinn’s large and engaging family. They are all sweet, and wished I’d had more time to linger with them. I really enjoyed the interracial aspects here, and how inclusive it all felt.

While I’m a big fan of sexytimes, I kinda felt that happened a little fast, considering how injured Will was, and how little these guys really knew each other–despite being roomies. A little restraint would have gone a long way toward building some tension. That said, it’s a nice read, with some feel-good moments and what seems to be an HEA.

Interested? You can find ANGEL VOICES on Goodreads, Riptide Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance.

love-and-latkesAbout LOVE & LATKES by BA Huntley
Allen’s day begins awful and rapidly turns into a living hell, leaving him without a job, without a car, without a phone, and without much hope that life will improve anytime soon. When friends urges him to bail on the city and come spend Hanukah with them, he agrees—and is glad he did when he meets Lucy.

My Review:
This is a short novella, just 32 pages, that has a diverse cast, with two gay men, and two transgender characters, a man and a woman, which I really loved. Allen tells this story of how his life seemingly turned to crap in one day. It was too compressed and too ridiculous to be believed, unfortunately. Still, Allen’s friend David, a pregnant transman, invites Allen to spend Hanukkah with David and his husband in Halifax.

While visiting, Allen meets Lucy, a transwoman, who Allen finds very attractive. They bond a bit over the few days they spend together. It’s a fresh start for Allen, it seems, which is nice, but a bit convenient. I didn’t like the beginning, because it seemed so implausible, but the parts once Allen got on the plane were decent. The Hanukkah bits were a side story, with the focus on Allen getting a new life and new love. I wished this was expanded, to allow for better character and conflict development. I liked the diversity, which was mostly unexpected considering the blurb. This is an okay read, good for a lunchtime diversion.

Interested? You can find LOVE & LATKES on Goodreads, Less Than Three Press and Amazon.

Thanks for popping in!

Be sure to comment on any holiday reads you’ve picked up this season, and how you liked them!

As always, keep reading my friends.

Surviving and Hoping with THE QUEER AND THE RESTLESS–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a transgender mystery romance from Kris Ripper. THE QUEER AND THE RESTLESS is the third book in the author’s Queers of La Vista series, and brings the murder mystery discussed in GAYS OF OUR LIVES and THE BUTCH AND THE BEAUTIFUL onto the main stage. The featured couple is a trans-man, Ed, who falls for an adventurous lesbian woman.

qatrAbout the book:
Ed Masiello has been on testosterone for a year, is working his dream job as a reporter, and is finally passing as a man (so long as you don’t ask his abuela). But the investigation of a murder case is starting to take over his life. Afraid he’s becoming obsessed, he goes to the local club to relax, and meets the flighty, whimsical Alisha.

Alisha is a free spirit who’s tossed aside ambition for travel and adventure. Her approach to life is a far cry from Ed’s, and while Ed has always assumed that meeting his goals would make him happy, Alisha is much more content than him—despite all the plans she can’t yet fulfill.

As their relationship heats up, so does the murder case. Alisha thinks Ed needs a break, but someone’s got to find this killer, and he wants to be there when it all goes down. Besides, taking off into the great unknown with Alisha is crazy. But opting for what’s safe is just another way of living in fear, and Ed vowed to stop living like that a long time ago.

My Review:
This is the third book in a series, and probably best enjoyed when read in sequence, but it’s not mandatory.

Ed Masiello is a trans-man who lives in La Vista, CA, and works for the local newspaper as a low-level reporter. He really wants to write bigger pieces, but he’s young and new, and he’s stuck with fluff. It’s super frustrating because there seems to be a killer stalking the queer community in La Vista, and Ed thinks no one’s really making enough fuss. The best info is from an anonymous blogger named Togg, and that person’s really making the Queers of La Vista nervous.

While out blowing off steam at Club Fred’s, a known queer establishment, Ed bumps into a long-time acquaintance, Alisha. Alisha is fun and flirty and Ed doesn’t know how to take it. He’s always dated women, but he’s been transitioning for a year now, and his parts are changing due to the hormonal supplementation. Is he a novelty to Alisha, who he knows is lesbian? Or, is Alisha attracted to Ed as a man?

Short answer: she likes Ed.

They begin dating and it’s cool. Ed feels like this is great. A beautiful woman likes him, and they have satisfying sexytimes. Thing is, Alisha wants her life to be a grand adventure. Ed’s afraid to request time off from his job to travel. Plus, he’s getting super caught up in the investigation surrounding the La Vista killer–Ed’s the one who connects a seemingly-unrelated murder to the string–and verifies that all the victims were guests at Club Fred’s theme night parties. The whole queer community is in an uproar, and Ed’s obsession is having a toll on his budding romance.

I really like this series. It shifts the focus to different members of the queer community that may not have lots of fictional representation. I’ve read a few transitioning characters before, and Ed’s a good one. He’s struggling for acceptance on many fronts. His family is hostile to his transition, meanwhile he’s “passing” as male to people at work and his roommates–even if they pretty-much think he’s gay. Which is a conundrum for Ed. I had a few chuckles with the dude-bro roomies scenes, and their “advice” about dating women. There were some interesting sexytimes and I can only trust they are rather realistic, as I’ve not given a lot of scrutiny to TG persons and their bodies in transition. The author identifies as a trans-man, so that’s good enough cred for me.

This book brings the murder-mystery storyline of the series into the forefront. Previous to this we’d only heard of one murder, but the timeline fits as all these stories are not entirely sequential. There are many characters from the previous books brought back into the mix here, as a lot of the story occurs within Ed’s social sphere. He’s friendly with Jaq and Hannah from Book Two and also Dred from Book One. As killings continue, there’s an arrest, but that divides people even more. The accused is a fixture, and someone seemingly trusted by all. I will say, we’ll have to wait just a bit longer to find the true culprit. Good thing that Ed figures out the way to happiness is not through chasing smoke trails in the sky, but finding a partner who’s there for you, and loves you not only as you are, but also as you will be.

Interested? You can find THE QUEER AND THE RESTLESS on Goodreads, Riptide Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
Kris Ripper lives in the great state of California and hails from the San Francisco Bay Area. Kris shares a converted garage with a toddler, can do two pull-ups in a row, and can write backwards. (No, really.) Kris is genderqueer and has no pronoun preference, but the z-based pronouns are freaking sweet. Ze has been writing fiction since ze learned how to write and boring zir stuffed animals with stories long before that.

Catch up with Kris on zir website, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Getting Real: COWBOYS DON’T COME OUT–Review & Giveaway!

banner-cowboys-dont-come-outHi there! Today I’m sharing a review and giveaway for a contemporary interracial romance from Tara Lain. COWBOYS DON’T COME OUT is a standalone cowboy romance set in Maui, of all places!

Catch the excerpt and get in on the $20 GC giveaway below!

cowboysdontcomeout400x600About the book:
Rand McIntyre settles for good enough. He loves his small California ranch, raising horses, and teaching riding to the kids he adores—but having kids of his own and someone to love means coming out, and that would jeopardize everything he’s built. Then, despite his terror of flying, he goes on a holiday to Hana, Hawaii with his parents and meets the dark and mysterious Kai Kealoha, a genuine Hawaiian cowboy. Rand takes to Kai’s kid brother and sister as much as he drools over Kai, but the guy sports more prickles than a horned toad, and more secrets than the exotic land he comes from.

Kai’s earned his privacy and lives to protect his “kids.” He ought to stay away from the big, handsome cowboy for everyone’s sake—but since the guy’s just a haole on a short vacation, how much damage can he do? When all of Kai’s worst fears and Rand’s darkest nightmares come true at once, there’s not much chance for two cowboys who can’t—or won’t—come out.

How about a little taste?

He stopped and tried to hear over the rushing of the surf out beyond the reef if anyone else hid in the dark. No sounds. Fortunately, no big water hit this beach, so he didn’t have to worry about getting swamped. Actually, between the lapping waves and the brilliant moonlight, the scene resembled some fairy-tale romance. Fuck that.

Right where the dry sand verged on the wet, he flopped on his butt. What she’d said—that he settled for a good-enough life. That he wasn’t happy. Don’t I get to decide that?

He leaned back on his elbows. Yeah, but she’s right. I created a whole life—as if I was somebody else. Most people find “the one” and build a future so it suits them both. I imagined a cowboy and slid into his boots—Rand McIntyre. Say that with a drawl, son. Just one problem. I’m gay—always have been—and cowboys don’t come out. Where does that leave me? A-fucking-lone, pardner. Always will be.

You’re not the only gay cowboy.

Have you seen Brokeback Mountain? Shit.

Phosphorescence sparkled on the tops of the waves farther out. Pretty. Guess there could be all kinds of weird man-eating shit in that water.

Do you think more sharks and barracudas swim at night than during the day?

Yeah, right.

He sprang up, stripped his Hawaiian shirt off and tossed it on the sand, then pulled off the shorts his mom had given him. Commando. What would it feel like to have fishes nibbling at his balls? Not like anybody else was doing any nibbling. He strode into the water. Whoa! Not cold, just startling.

When he waded out past his thighs, his penis and balls started to float. He chuckled. Kind of like being a kid in the bathtub. Endless hours of fun playing with your own built-in toys. A few more steps, and he submerged to his shoulders. He gave a tiny shiver. Weird being sunk in inky blackness. Still, the water felt good. He kicked off and swam a few yards out, turned, and stroked back towards shore. He wasn’t a good enough swimmer to push his luck alone at night.

After treading water a couple of minutes, he pulled himself back into the shallows and sat on the hard wet beach. He glanced down. Some shrinkage, but his balls still lay on the sand. Remember to rinse them off or you’ll itch. Slowly he released his breath. What was he going to do? Answer? Same as always. Nothing. He couldn’t risk all the great shit he’d made to try to make it better.

My Review:
Rand McIntyre is a closeted cowboy running his own small ranch and B & B near Chico, California. He’s 26 and wishing he could build a family, but he won’t come out, fearing it would harm his business. He’s pulled along on a trip with is parents to Maui for Christmas, where he’s hounded by his well-meaning mother for not getting a girlfriend/wife and settling down.

It’s a problem when he meets a girl his parents love, and a sexy Hawaiian cowboy he wants to get to know better, Kai, on the very first day. Rand’s firm with his mother that Julie will ever only be a friend, no matter how much matchmaking she tries. I liked that. Obviously, closeted characters face a lot of internal conflict, and Rand is no exception. He really wants more, and he berates himself for not reaching out. Not taking a stand. We don’t learn until much later how a childhood incident has fed this desire to stay quiet, and to isolate himself from further injury. I wished I had seen a bit more of the foreshadowing on that, because–while I suspected there was a trauma–at times the clues seemed non sequitur and jarring.

Kai is taking care of his younger half-siblings, lying to all and sundry about his age, his abilities, and his home life in order to protect Aliki and Lani. They are sweet kids who’ve all had it rough. Kai works hard, but he can’t keep everyone out, and especially not Rand, who’s a great guy and eager to help. Besides, he’s so sexy, and Kai’s never had a boyfriend before. I loved the kids, and how cool they were. They have very distinct personalities, and Lani’s no joke a “little mother,” at twelve. She’s had to grow up too fast, but she’s got great instincts and she wants Rand to be a part of Kai’s life however they can work it out.

There’s a sweet bit of interracial loving, which I wished was explored a little more, but the sense of Hawaiian culture was always there. I loved how Rand put himself into really uncomfortable places to be the rock Kai needed. There were some great elements of family being the people who love you–not just your blood relations, which were sweet. The connection Kai and Rand felt from the beginning turned from attraction in to companionship pretty quickly, but there’s that moment of conflict that pushes them apart, too. There are lots of differences between Kai and Rand, and no matter what Kai won’t sacrifice the kids. The end is a huge grand gesture, with more than Rand riding to the rescue. As much as it seemed too much too soon, I still found it endearing, and lovely.

Interested? You can find COWBOYS DON’T COME OUT on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $20 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!