Gay romance

Cover Reveal and Giveaway! MENDING THE RIFT

BannerTemplate(9)Hi there! I’m eager to share this sexy cover for a dystopian future M/M romance form Chris T. Kat. MENDING THE RIFT is an mpreg (male pregnancy!) tale in a society where alliances are forged by marriage and breeders are a hot commodity.

Without further ado…
MendingTheRift-Preview
About the book:
In a future where man’s ability to reproduce is severely compromised, humanity has adapted to survive. Breeders—male and female—have become precious commodities, and they are strictly guarded and subject to limitations.

Luca Walker is a breeder. Though he knows what’s expected of him as the youngest son of the Northern Confederacy’s Vice President, he’s held out against the pressures of an arranged marriage because he longs to marry for love, not duty. But he’s been promised to Colonel Liam Smith and there’s little he can do about it, no matter that Luca is secretly in love with his bodyguard, Marcus Gray.

When Luca finds himself pregnant with Marcus’s baby, Smith is furious and vows to take what is his—by force, if necessary. Now Luca must fight for his life and the life of his unborn child… as well as the love of Marcus and the happily ever after he’s always dreamed of.

Who about a little taste?

Marcus rappelled off and stepped onto the ground with a crunch of his boots. Pointing at the opening with the askew ladder, he asked, “Don’t tell me you seriously considered climbing down this way.”

Luca shrugged. “I’d have preferred spontaneous levitation, but it didn’t happen.”

He yelped when Marcus put an arm around his torso and lifted him to his feet, as if he weighed nothing. “Hey!”

Marcus silenced him with a glare, and Luca gritted his teeth while Marcus thumped dust off his clothes. “Your father is livid.”

Luca swallowed. He’d expected worried, maybe a bit mad, but livid? His father never got furious at him. Not for long, anyway. Being the baby of the family had its perks. “Why?”

“Why? Seriously, Luca, you have to ask why?” Marcus patted Luca’s behind more firmly than was strictly necessary.

Luca shifted, trying to get away from Marcus’s arm. When that didn’t help, he slapped Marcus’s hands away and stepped aside. He couldn’t think when he was so close to Marcus—when the man touched him, he sent shivers up and down his spine. He ignored the glower Marcus directed at him. “Yes, seriously. He knows I don’t want to marry Smith. I don’t want anything to do with all that shit. I want to decide what I’m going to do with my life.”

Marcus shook his head. “Smith is a good man. My brother Kyle worked for him. He said he always treated his people well. If you want I could try to get Kyle on the phone so you can talk to him. That is, if I can get a hold on him. Trust me, you’ll be in good hands.”

“You don’t get it! I don’t want to be in good hands!”

“No?” Marcus raised an eyebrow.

Luca huffed, a small smile forming on his lips. “Well, yes, of course I want to be in good hands. But I want someone to love me, and not just for my ability to become pregnant. I want… you.”

Luca’s heart thundered in his rib cage. There, he’d said it. The ball was in Marcus’s court. Sure, it had only been one night, and Marcus’s reaction afterward hadn’t been promising, but maybe he’d just been scared? Maybe he feared to lose his job? Nonetheless, there was more going on between them, and they both knew it. That one night had just been the last logical step. Luca regretted nothing.

For a moment Marcus seemed startled, and there was a softness in his eyes that was solely reserved for Luca. The softness vanished too quickly for Luca’s liking.

Instead, Luca was greeted with Marcus’s usual, scrutinizing gaze. “You don’t want me, and you better never mention this again. It was a mistake. Now get it out of your head and be a good boy.”

Ooh! I’m so excited to read this one. Expect my review in the next few weeks!

In the meantime feel free to pre-order the book in advance of it’s release on Dreamspinner (ebook, paperback) or Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a backlist book, or audiobook from Chris T. Kat!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:
Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.

Catch up to Chris online on her blog, Goodreads, Amazon and twitter

Mad Love–HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLES–A Review

Hi there! Wishing a Happy Book Birthday to HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLES by Jaime Samms. This contemporary M/M Romance is part of the Bluewater Bay series (Lone Wolf, Wedding Favors, Rain Shadow) but can be enjoyed on its own. COOKIE features a baker who was wronged in a reality TV show, trying to make a fresh start in Bluewater Bay, and having a hard time refusing to help his homophobic, terminally ill, alcoholic father…

How the Cookie Crumbles (Bluewater Bay, #12)About the book:

Frederic is a twenty-ish y/o man who is starting his life over again in Bluewater Bay. He’d recently competed in a reality cooking contest program and seemed a favorite to win the big prize, and perhaps the heart of one of the sponsors/judges, Blaire Carruthers, but that all bottomed out when one of the other contestants, Jerry, interfered. He turned Blaire’s head, and got the votes and the guy. The scandal that was close to breaking was settled between Frederic and Blaire’s overbearing, homophobic father for $500K. Frederic used it to pay for a fixer-upper bakery in Bluewater Bay, and goodness knows how many medical bills and IOUs of his alcoholic, ill, homophobic father.

Now Frederic works tirelessly at his fledgling bakery to pay the bills and answer further demand for cash from his good-for-nothin’ POS demon-spawn of a dear ol’ dad. He’s startled one day by Blaire’s unexpected and unwanted appearance at the bakery. Blaine, it seems, has had a full change of heart, regarding Jerry, and wants to make amends to Frederic, for abusing his trust and letting him down–by rigging the contest in Jerry’s favor. Frederic wants nothing to do with Blaire–who frankly makes a nuisance of himself by moving to Bluewater Bay and doing a bit of low-level stalking to catch Frederic whenever he’s in need of a little boost. He sees how hard Frederic works, and assumes he needs money, so he arranges a complicated scheme to drum up business for Frederic’s bakery, causing a spiral of near-constant work that has dire consequences for Frederic’s health.

Okay, so this book is a good read. Not as upbeat as others in the series. Both guys have a rough family history, even Blaire who’s always had enough money has never had love or approval from his father. Blaire really had affection for Frederic, and hopes against hope that he can get Frederic to give him another chance. Frederic has serious trust issues, but is a forgiveness machine, especially for people who generally do not deserve it. Though, I will admit that Blaire works hard for his approval. He takes care of Frederic, in both genuine and misguided ways, but this is all to the good, for it brings Frederic back…sometimes.

This is book low on sexytimes. For the length, there are few (3-4) scenes of lovin’ and many scenes of fighting, not the best mix for me, though some might favor that approach. Also, I struggled a little with the verbiage as there were turns of phrase that more suited the British English–and these are East Coast boys through and through. Most troubling for me, however, was the pace. Again, with so little page time devoted to the romance, the bulk of the story was fighting, illness, and dealing with depressing family problems. I wanted more heat, and less hate. That said, if the book was this long and had 18 smoking hot sexytime scenes, I wouldn’t be frustrated with the slow almost-burn of the plot. This is an enemies-to-lovers plot, but without the incendiary passion that often accompanies those types of stories. Blaire almost immediately went into caretaker mode, and Frederic needed lots of caretaking–so they were more psuedo-enemies in a hurt/comfort scenario. When there was sexytimes there was a hint of kink, a bit of pain for Frederic and a bit of dominance for Blaire.

I consider this an HEA. The characters work through their issues and have a definite plan to stay together. It’s definitely a 3.5 star read, but maybe a 4.

Interested? You can find HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLES on Goodreads, Riptide Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author: in Jaime Samms’ words…
With most of the hours in the day taken up by a part time job and the full time occupation of raising and schooling two kids, writing is somewhat of an indulgence, but it’s the indulgences that keep us sane, right? When not otherwise occupied, like most writers, reading is my relaxation method of choice, and you can find my reviews at Kuriousity.com and Dark Diva Reviews to let you know what I liked (and occasionally, what I didn’t). And just in case there are an extra few minutes in the day, I also help out the admin team abelong to a writer’s critique group: Dreaming in Ink. After all, idle hands and all that.

Catch up with Jaime online here: website | blog | Facebook | twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Out Today! THE ART OF HERO WORSHIP–Excerpt and Giveaway!

Art of Hero Worship Blitz Banner
Hi there! Today I’m so excited to wish a Happy Book Birthday to a New Adult M/M romance from Mia Kerick. As you know, Ms. Kerick’s work focuses on LGBT teens in trouble, and I’m sure that’s to be the case in THE ART OF HERO WORSHIP, as well. I’m eager to see how the romance develops between Jason and Liam. I’ve got a review copy and will share my thoughts coming up next week.

In the meantime, check out the new excerpt below and be sure to get in on the backlist book and $15 GC giveaway (Amazon or B & N) giveaway. Oh, and buy the book!

TAOHW Front Cover-1About the book:
Trembling on the floor, pressed beneath a row of seats in a dark theater, college freshman Jason Tripp listens to the terrifying sound of gunshots, as an unknown shooter moves methodically through the theater, randomly murdering men, women, and children attending a student performance of Hamlet. Junior Liam Norcross drapes his massive body on top of Jason, sheltering the younger man from the deathly hail of bullets, risking his life willingly, and maybe even eagerly.

As a result of the shared horror, an extraordinary bond forms between the two young men, which causes discomfort for family and friends, as well as for Jason and Liam, themselves. And added to the challenge of two previously “straight” men falling into a same-sex love, are the complications that arise from the abundance of secrets Liam holds with regard to a past family tragedy. The fledgling passion between the men seems bound to fade away into the darkness from which it emerged.

Jason, however, is inexplicably called to rescue his hero in return, by delving into Liam’s shady past and uncovering the mystery that compels the older man to act as the college town’s selfless savior.

The Art of Hero Worship takes the reader on a voyage from the dark and chilling chaos that accompanies a mass shooting to the thrill of an unexpected and sensual romance.

How about a little taste?

I wake up crying.

Okay… if I’m going to be real, I’ll admit that I’m sobbing. In these strong arms—no, sprawled on top of the solid chest of a man I hardly know—I sob in a way that I never have before. And hopefully, I’ll never have occasion to cry this bitterly again.

My emotions are practically indescribable, yet I need to apply words to them, in an effort to make some sense of what I’m feeling. The pain is raw, grating, and unbearable… and unfortunately there’s more. I’m guilt-ridden and mortified.

Devastation crossed with desperation—this is me, at the moment.

And I’m not sure why I’m still here on earth. I want to disappear.

Liam stays silent, but I know he’s awake because his hands have resumed the rhythmic stroking on my back.

“Why’d you have to go and s-save me? Y-you should have let me d-die like I was supposed to!” I’m furious, which is evident in my trembling accusation. The pain would be over if he’d have let me die. I add mad as hell to my list of indescribable emotions. And highly irrational… I tack this one onto the end of the fast growing list.
He inhales deeply. “We’re gonna survive this. Our bodies survived Friday night in the theater. Now we’ve gotta make our minds survive the aftermath.”

“What makes you think I want to survive it? What makes you so sure I didn’t want to go with her?” It’s too hard to say her name.

Wide palms freeze on my shoulder blades and rest there heavily. “Sorry, dude, but it wasn’t your day to die.” He takes another one of those huge swallows of air that causes both of our bodies to rise and fall. Then the mesmerizing movement of his hands resumes.

Interested? You can find THE ART OF HERO WORSHIP on Goodreads, Amazon, Smashwords, Gumroad Books, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card and one of Mia’s backlist books.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

1newadult-1About the Author:
Mia Kerick is an award-winning author of stories involving the type of life events that are riveting to read about, but you probably wouldn’t want to experience first hand. Into her fictional disasters, she sprinkles a sufficient quantity of touching and spicy adult LGBTQ romance to keep her readers coming back for more.
Having relocated from Boston, Massachusetts to rural New Hampshire, Mia lives with her doting husband, four brilliant and accomplished young adult children who will one day likely contribute to the establishment of world peace (Mia believes in self-fulfilling prophecies), and at least three too many cats. She suffers with a severe case of mall-withdrawal, which leads to frequent online shopping and an overly personal relationship with the UPS driver.

Where to find Mia online: Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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Give a Cheer for MIDNIGHT RODEO: BELONGING! Excerpt & Giveaway

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Hi there! Today I’m sharing an excerpt and giveaway for MIDNIGHT RODEO: BELONGING. It’s a paranormal M/M anthology featuring some interesting characters hitting the dark rodeo circuit. All the stories sound intriguing, and there’s a giveaway for a print copy listed below.

About the books:

What happens when rodeos start to get too tough for humans to compete in? Midnight Rodeo, of course, where supernatural creatures like shifters and vampires work for the prize money, and for the awe of their audience.

midnightrodeo21400Light a Rocket by Julia Talbot
Rocket is probably the worst rider in Darque and Knight rodeo troupe. This cheetah shifter is fast as the wind, but he only has so many lives in his cat body, and he spends more time injured than not. Raven Walkingman is the number one cowboy in the Midnight Rodeo, at the top of his game. The two seem an unlikely match, but Raven enjoys doing things no one expects him to, including Rocket.

Raven likes his relationships casual, though, and when Rocket starts talking mates as shifters are wont to do, Raven pulls up the stakes. He has his animal spirit guides, his good friends, and his fancy trailer. He doesn’t need a ragtag cheetah falling in love with him. His spirit guides know better. They adore Rocket and are more than happy to support him, and abandon Raven, until the stubborn fool does the right thing.

Tails and Whiskers by BA Tortuga
Tiger shifter Dmitri loves the rodeo. Darque and Knight has become his home, and he adores all of his new friends. Still, his past as a circus animal causes him to hate injustice, so when he meets a trick rider and fox shifter, Dmitri is appalled to find that the hot little kit isn’t allowed inside the rodeo ground except when he works. In fact, none of the entertainers are allowed in, all being contractors and thus bound to a different boss, who happens to be a greedy goblin.

As Dmitri and Isaac learn to love one another, they find growing dissatisfaction with the status quo, and they go to their friends for support in forcing a policy change. Too bad there’s a certain goblin who doesn’t want to give up control of his workers. Can Dmitri and Isaac find a way to be together, and to make a change for the better of everyone at D&K?

Freaked Out by Kiernan Kelly
Gargoyle-shifter Killian has spent his life living and working with all different sorts of supernatural folk, but because he had three forms instead of two like most other shapeshifters, he’s always felt like a freak. His habit of keeping to himself and minding his own business has been his shield against being hurt, and to aid in that endeavor, he’s adopted a stony personality.

When a troupe of sideshow performers are hired by Darque and Knight to augment the rodeo, he’s forced to redefine his ideas of what constitutes beauty and what defines a freak. Meanwhile, the hard, protective shell he’s erected around his heart threatens to crack wide open under the tender touch of Micah, the sideshow’s hideous Snake Man.

How about a little taste? From Tails and Whiskers!

Someone was singing about having a tiger by the tail. Loudly.

Honestly, Dmitri loved to sing. He loved other people’s enthusiastic music. This morning, though, he was not so pleased. His head felt very large.

He blamed Brax. The head of the kitty cavalcade loved to get everyone full of green smoke.

Dmitri lifted his throbbing head that was, at least, five sizes bigger than it had been, and peered out of the window. Oh. His dear friend Denver was calling for him.

With fried sweet things.

For that he would crawl out of his happy bed, which still smelled like Denver since he’d bought his friend’s old trailer, and put on—shorts? Something.

“Open up, pussycat. I brought doughnuts.” Denver was a good friend, especially for a wolf. Blaine must have thrown him out this morning for being too perky. Denver’s little wolf partner was not a morning person.

Dmitri opened the door to his trailer. “Welcome, friend Denver.”

“Good morning, fuzzy.” Denver walked up and rubbed cheeks with him, sharing scent. The bullfighter knew the rules, knew how to be pride as well as pack. That made him more valuable than gold.

“What did you bring for breakfast?” Dmitri asked.

“Apple fritters. Fresh from the fryer.”

“I love apples!” His head began to clear pretty quickly. “Tell me what is the news.”

“We got a big crowd tonight. Seems tell people are revved. Bulls are spitting fire. That weird little group of trick riders are pulling the first break, to give Kurt a breather. He’s burning up.”

Yes, it was warm in Texas for a panda. Dmitri understood. His inner Siberian tiger longed for Colorado. Maybe Canada.

“There’s a lake close by. We should go, the bunch of us,” Denver suggested.

“Oh.” Swimming. His tiger surged, close the surface, wanting out of his human body. “Yes. Apple things first.”

“You bet. Come sit with me.”

Dmitri followed Denver out into the sun and sat at a picnic table. The heat pressed at him, but he did love the light.

Denver had an entire box of the pastries and they ate eagerly, wolfing the doughnuts at first, then ending with lazy nibbles. Oh. Better. So much better.

Sugar left his tiger cold, but his human side loved it, and the crispy-fried part? Perfect.

He bounced, rocking the table. “Swiim now?”

“Let me grab the others. You’ll invite the pride?”

“I will.” He grabbed a trash can lid and a piece of wood and began banging. “Wake up, kitties! We are going to the lake!”

He got half cheers, half people throwing things at him. Blaine walked over with an apple fritter in hand, the other bullfighters Caul and Carter followed along with Potts. That only left one bullfighter and Terrance was notoriously slow.

Brax appeared, his naked, tanned form lean and pretty. “What are you caterwauling about?”

“Swimming! Friend Denver says there is a lake.”

Brax wrinkled his nose, stretched slowly, all golden skin and muscle. Yum. “I’ll pass.”

“Coward,” Denver teased. “You can come tan. Show off all that pretty skin. Maybe you’ll get laid.”

Dmitri wished he would have that, not Brax. No one wanted to be broken, Brax told him, afraid of Dmitri’s size and… enthusiasm.

“Yeah?” Brax came over, scented Denver and Blaine, then nodded. “Okay, sure. Let me grab some oil.”

“And some shorts,” Potts called. “A shame to damage yer pecker, eh?”

“Mine is so big I can cast my own shade.” Brax winked and headed off.

Potts growled, but the sound was more happy than ugly. Dmitri looked between them, then raised a brow at Denny.

Denver just shrugged, eyes twinkling. “What will be, will be, huh?”
“It will.” He was happy if his friends were happy.
“Lake. Water. Swimming.”
“Dog paddling,” Dmitri teased.
“You know it. Terry is a champion paddler.” Denver clapped Terrance on the back when he went by.
They clomped the half mile to the lake, the water glinting under the sun, the grass on the way green and thick. Dmitri whooped as soon as he saw the water, breaking into a run.

Blaine followed with him, the little wolf losing shirt and flip-flops with a happy howl.

He laughed, splashing in and leaving his clothes on the bank. He popped water at Blaine, roaring with delight.

Blaine tackled him, totally unafraid and eager to play.

Dmitri chortled, and soon he was surrounded, five puppies and kittens flying in all directions when he shrugged hard. Denver was floating on his back, watching with deceptively hooded eyes. Denny saw all.

Oh, Dmitri loved his life.

Interested? You can find MIDNIGHT RODEO: BELONGING on AllRomance and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a print copy of MIDNIGHT RODEO: BELONGING.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the authors:
BA Tortuga:
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 menages, 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 website, blog, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and twitter.

Julia Talbot:
Julia Talbot lives in the great Southwest, where there is hot and cold running rodeo, cowboys, and everything from meat and potatoes to the best Tex-Mex. A full time author, Julia has been published by Torquere Press, Dreamspinner and Changeling Press. She believes that everyone deserves a happy ending, so she writes about love without limits, where boys love boys, girls love girls, and boys and girls get together to get wild, especially when her crazy paranormal characters are involved.

Find Julia online on her website, Goodreads, Facebook, or twitter.

Kiernan Kelly:
Kiernan Kelly lives in the wilds of the alligator-infested U.S. Southeast, slathered in SPF 45, drinking colorful tropical, hi-octane concoctions served by thong-clad cabana boys.

All right, the truth is that she spends her time locked in the dark recesses of her office, writing gay erotic romance while chained to a temperamental Macintosh, drinking coffee, and dreaming of thong-clad cabana boys.

Sigh.

To date, Kiernan has seven novels in print, a plethora of short stories in e-format…and still no cabana boy of her own, although her husband may beg to differ.

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

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Sometimes the Road is not SWEET–Excerpt and GIveaway!

Sweet-RainBannerTemplateHi there! Today I’m sharing an excerpt and giveaway for a contemporary M/M Romance from Alysia Constantine. SWEET is a story about starting over after great loss and reconnecting to life.

Catch the excerpt below and be sure to enter the giveaway for a $25 GC to Interlude Press or one of five copies of SWEET.

Sweet 1600px COVER (RGB) - FrontAbout the book:
Not every love story is a romance novel.
For Jules Burns, a lonely baker, it is the memory of his deceased husband, Andy. For Teddy Flores, a numbed-to-the-world accountant who accidentally stumbles into his bakery, it is a voyage of discovery into his deep connections to pleasure, to the world, and to his own heart.

Alysia Constantine’s Sweet is also the story of how we tell stories—of what we expect and need from a love story. The narrator is on to you, Reader, and wants to give you a love story that doesn’t always fit the bill. There are ghosts to exorcise, and jobs and money to worry about. Sweet is a love story, but it also reminds us that love is never quite what we expect, nor quite as blissfully easy as we hope.

How about a little taste?

“Speakerphone.”

“What?”

“Speakerphone. Put me on speaker so you can use your hands. You’re going to need both hands, and I won’t be held responsible for you mucking up your phone. Speaker.”

Teddy set his phone on the counter and switched to the speaker, then stood waiting.

“Hello?” Jules said. “Is this thing on?”

“Sorry,” Teddy said. “I’m still here.”

“It sounded like you’d suddenly disappeared. I was starting to believe in the rapture,” Jules said, and Teddy heard, again, the nervous chuckle.

Their conversation was awkward and full of strange pauses in which there was nothing right to say, and they focused mostly on how awkward and strange it was until Jules told Teddy to dump the almond paste on the counter and start to knead in the sugar.

“I’m doing it, too, along with you,” Jules said.

“I’m not sure whether that makes it more or less weird,” Teddy admitted, dusting everything in front of him with sugar.

“It’s just like giving a back rub,” Jules told him. “Roll gently into the dough with the heel of your hand, lean in with your upper body. Think loving things. Add a little sugar each time—watch for when it’s ready for more. Not too much at once.”

Several moments passed when all that held their connection was a string of huffed and effortful breaths and the soft thump of dough. Teddy felt Jules pressing and leaning forward into his work, felt the small sweat and ache that had begun to announce itself in Jules’s shoulders, felt it when he held his breath as he pushed and then exhaled in a rush as he flipped the dough, felt it all as surely as if Jules’s body were there next to him, as if he might reach to the side and, without glancing over, brush the sugar from Teddy’s forearm, a gesture which might have been, if real, if the result of many long hours spent in the kitchen together, sweet and familiar and unthinking.

“My grandmother and I used to make this,” Jules breathed after a long silence, “when I was little. Mine would always become flowers. She would always make hers into people.”

Teddy understood that he needn’t reply, that Jules was speaking to him, yes, but speaking more into the empty space in which he stood as a witness, talking a story into the evening around him, and he, Teddy, was lucky to be near, to listen in as the story spun itself out of Jules and into the open, open quiet.

When the dough was finished and Jules had interrupted himself to say, “There, mine’s pretty done. I bet yours is done by now, too,” Teddy nodded in agreement—and even though he knew Jules couldn’t see him, he was sure Jules would sense him nodding through some miniscule change in his breathing or the invisible tension between them slackening just the slightest bit. And he did seem to know, because Jules paused and made a satisfied noise that sounded as if all the spring-coiled readiness had slid from his body. “This taste,” Jules sighed, “is like Proust’s madeleine.”

They spent an hour playing with the dough and molding it into shapes they wouldn’t reveal to each other. Teddy felt childish and happy and inept and far too adult all at once as he listened to the rhythmic way Jules breathed and spoke, the way his voice moved in and out of silence, like the advance and retreat of shallow waves that left in their wake little broken treasures on the shore.

Only his fingers moved, fumbling and busy and blind as he listened, his whole self waiting for Jules to tell him the next thing, whatever it might be.

Interested? You can find SWEET on Goodreads, Interlude Press, Amazon, and AllRomance ebooks.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 GC to Interlude Press or one of five copies of SWEET.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Alysia Constantine lives in Brooklyn with her wife, their two dogs, and a cat. When she is not writing, she is a professor at an art college. Before that, she was a baker and cook for a caterer, and before that, she was a poet. Sweet is her first novel.

You can catch up with Alysia online on her blog, Goodreads, Facebook, tumblr and twitter.

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Big Changes For An EASTERN COWBOY–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a book that’s languished on my TBR for too long. Andrew Grey’s EASTERN COWBOY is a sweet and tender romance that puts two wounded men into an uneasy partnership–and turns into a best case scenario.

Eastern CowboyAbout the book:
Brighton McKenzie inherited one of the last pieces of farmland in suburban Baltimore. It has been in his family since Maryland was a colony, though it has lain fallow for years. Selling it for development would be easy, but Brighton wants to honor his grandfather’s wishes and work it again. Unfortunately, an accident left him relying on a cane, so he’ll need help. Tanner Houghton used to work on a ranch in Montana until a vengeful ex got him fired because of his sexuality. He comes to Maryland at the invitation of his cousin and is thrilled to have a chance to get back to the kind of work he loves.

Brighton is instantly drawn to the intensely handsome and huge Tanner—he’s everything Brighton likes in a man, though he holds back because Tanner is an employee, and because he can’t understand why a man as virile as Tanner would be interested in him. But that isn’t the worst of their problems. They have to face the machinations of Brighton’s aunt, Tanner’s ex suddenly wanting him back, and the need to find a way to make the farm financially viable before they lose Brighton’s family legacy.

My Review:
I really enjoyed this contemporary M/M romance.

Brighton is a recently disabled young man, ashamed of his lame leg and how he struggles with pain and has difficultly walking, standing and even sitting, at times. His last boyfriend was a jerk who left before Brighton even got out of the hospital, and Brighton fought hard to even walk again.

When Brighton’s grandfather dies, he’s startled to learn he’s inherited the bulk of his estate, including the historic family farm that’s now boxed in by new housing developments. Brighton’s not able to manage the farm on his own, barely able to walk up the front steps with his cane, but he’s sentimentally drawn to the place. Plus, if he sells it, he’ll be giving up most of the money to his bitter Aunt Vera–the woman who pretty much made his teens miserable by not being loving or caring when she and her brow-beaten husband took Brighton and his sister in after their parents were killed in a car wreck.

Determined to see it through, Brighton hires his lawyer’s cousin Tanner, a large, quiet hulk of a man who’d just returned from ranching out in Montana after some personal difficulty. It turns out the Tanner’s just as attracted to Brighton as Brighton is to him.

This is a sweet odd couple romance with a family drama set within. Brighton’s aunt is determined to get the farm and sell it for millions to the developers. Brighton’s determined to make the farm work, but there’s not enough acreage to turn a profit. Thinking outside the box is necessary, and trusting a virtual stranger is required–pretty hard for Brighton to do as he’s had little luck with love and those he should have been able to count upon seem to leave or die…

Tanner’s a sweet soul, kind and constant, and I was glad he learned to open up to his own family and Brighton. There are a few steamy scenes between them, and the end is a big ol’ HEA, so that’s fantastic.

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

About the Author:
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing)  He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

You can find Andrew online on his website, blog, Facebook, twitter and email.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends.

Two Bodies, BREAKING, and Healing–A Review

Hi there! I’m happy to share a review for a contemporary M/M romantic suspense from Barbara Elsborg. BREAKING is a romance between two men that may soon not exist. That’s right, somebody, or somebodies more like, want the main characters…dead.

Breaking (Fall or Break, #2)About the book:

Archer Hart is on the move before the man he’s just killed is found. When a bullet whizzes past his ear, he realizes hunter is now hunted. So much for his retirement plans. Someone wants him dead and all he can do is keep running.

Downed by a hit and run driver, barrister Conrad Black is certain the ‘accident’ was deliberate but he has no proof or support. In recovery, struggling to work out of partial paralysis, he has plenty of time to wonder who regrets not striking him harder. At this point, running anywhere is a distant dream.

The confidence, determination and stamina of two alphas males will mean little if neither is willing to bend—seize the love offered—and work together to understand why they’re suddenly both marked men. Not easy for either when Archer has broken the law in the worst possible way and Conrad is the law.

My Review:

4.5 Stars for this exhilarating M/M romantic thriller. This is the second book in a series, but fully enjoyable as a standalone.

Conrad Black is a barrister who’s recovering from a traumatic injury. He was run down by a vehicle and thought to be paralyzed, but may recover given time and therapy. He’s also convinced that his accident was no accident, and he’s got an investigator working leads from his previous cases.  He moves into a secluded beach house in northern England to recuperate.

“Archer Holt” is a freelance assassin, formerly of the SAS (British CIA), a fringe element that handles the dirty business of eliminating those criminals who put themselves in untouchable places. His last hit went sideways–he got the mark, but was nearly taken out by a second sniper. Going deep underground on the mainland, he attempts for find a life for himself. Not so easy for a man with no history or ties. He’s surfing when his tether snaps and he’s knocked unconscious in the ocean.

Sullen and paranoid, Conrad’s frustrated with his lack of walking two months out from his recovery. To prove to himself that he CAN get better he makes an ill-advised sojourn onto the beach, and notices a surfer go down, and not come back up. The surfer’s dog is going wild on the beach and Conrad is compelled to try to help. He crutches out to the water, and into the water, and manages to pull Archer from the surf. And this begins the most unlikely of romances: an assassin and a barrister.

I really loved the alpha dynamic here. Usually I’m put off by bluster, but each man is so cagey, they barely argue. Posturing is at a minimum, and almost always with a thread of ironic humor. Conrad and Archer are both broken, survivors of molestation and rape as young men/boys. They have an ingrained sense of control, and a deep need to maintain it. Archer knows he should leave, but is completely drawn to Conrad. Conrad knows that Archer’s bad news, but he’s also inflamed by the idea of Archer’s dark history. Plus, each man knows that there are killers in the ranks, but they have no idea who has made them targets. While Conrad saves Archer, Archer saves him right back. It’s an intense read with double and triple crosses, and several high-stakes chases.

In the midst of that is a love story that starts rough and ends tenderly. The fears are ever-present. Will Conrad survive? Will Archer? Can they really make it together? It was M/M Jason Bourne–in the best way.

I think, though, that there was a bit of the story that languished for me, and I wanted that bit to get faster. I kept waiting for the All Clear, and I feared it might never come as the political machinations played out. Conrad is a trouper, and an  unfailing light in Archer’s darkness. He’s also preoccupied with his position in their relationship: Bottom. He hates the idea of submitting, at first, and even when he enjoys it he knows it will be a deal breaker if that is all he’s allowed to do. Archer takes a long time to open up–in terms of actual pages, that is. The story’s time frame is compressed. Archer and Conrad have only known each other for a few days before they are both in mortal peril. Again. That said, they strike a tight bond in those hours and days, and Archer’s biggest secret is more vulnerable than horrifying. I really enjoyed how Conrad accepted it and gave Archer what he needed, even if it wasn’t what he wanted. The sexytimes are as intense as the thriller plot, and D-Lish.

Interested? You can find BREAKING on Goodreads, Samhain Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Soul Searching for a WHISTLE BLOWER–Review and Giveaway!

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Hi there! I’m excited to share a review and giveaway for a contemporary M/M romance from Dev Bentham. WHISTLE BLOWER is a quiet love story that develops between an older man, a widower still mourning, and a young lawyer with an ethical crisis. I loved following both Jacob and Ben on their separate journeys, and how they continued to find each other even when they may not have wanted to…

Don’t forget to check out my review and get in on the book giveaway!

WhistleBlowerFS
About the book:
Money can’t buy happiness. Jacob Nussbaum knows this better than anyone. He’s a corporate lawyer deep inside a huge New York firm, where he works overtime, sacrifices any chance at a personal life, and has been selling his soul for years. With a secretary as his only friend, he trudges on, until his whole world is blown apart by a manila envelope of photos—evidence that one of the firm’s partners is the dirtiest lawyer in one hell of a filthy business.

In search of the truth, Jacob travels to a small northern Wisconsin fishing resort. There he meets Ben Anderson, a brutally lonely man, who knocks him off his feet. Ben prompts Jacob to reevaluate his life. He’s a dozen years older than Jacob, still recovering from the death of his long time love, and doesn’t want to leave anyone a widower. But a jaded New Yorker on a soul-searching mission might be just the man to convince the grieving Ben that it’s never too late to begin again.

How about a little taste?

Ben got waylaid by a bunch of little things, so it took him longer than he’d expected to get back to the dock for Nussbaum’s—Jacob’s rowing lesson. As Ben approached the dock, Jacob was facing away, staring out over the lake. Which was good, since he was naked except for a skim of bright red Lycra that barely covered his ass. And what an ass. What a body in general. It had been a long time since Ben had seen a muscular olive-skinned back on which dark hair grew in such fascinating patterns. Manny had a back like that. Ben had loved to run his tongue along the thin lines of fur along his lower back. Manny hadn’t been hairy, really, just never quite naked. Jacob had that same look, except he was younger, stronger, and better built.

Feeling uncomfortable with that comparison, Ben tore his eyes away from Jacob’s body. Aside from leaving him feeling unfaithful to Manny’s memory, this was neither the time nor the place and, in all probability, not the man to indulge that kind of fantasy. Ben cleared his throat, and Jacob turned around. Jesus. Who’d have thought under all those clothes, there’d be this—high definition, perfect tone, and all that gorgeous skin. Ben forced himself to meet Jacob’s eyes. He reached into the boathouse, pulled out one of the clean tee shirts he kept for changing after rowing, and handed it to Jacob.

“It’s easy to get sunburned out here.” For the love of God, he had to cover up the guy if he was going to teach him anything, other than…. He cleared his throat again. “The beginner scull is up here.” He walked back up the dock to the boat rack, yelling at himself the whole way for unprofessional thoughts.

As Ben uncovered the practice scull, he was hit by an unexpected wave of memory. Manny had bought it for him their first summer in the Northwoods. It had taken Ben two years to outgrow the added stability and another to decide to try Manny’s MAAS. He ran a finger over the fiberglass patch from when he’d run the boat into the shore. Manny, from his own scull twenty feet away, had admonished, “Never get in a fight with a rock. The rock always wins.”

From behind him, Jacob asked, “Need any help?”

Ben straightened and walked to the far side of the boat. “Get the stern, would you?”

Jacob picked up his side of the boat, and in a monkey-see-monkey-do motion, lifted it onto his shoulder. Ben turned around, settling the bow onto his left shoulder, and led the way back down to the dock. On three they flipped the scull into the water. Ben squatted beside the boat, pointing and describing the various parts until he felt comfortable enough in his role as teacher that he could glance over at Jacob, who knelt beside him. Jacob was focused on the boat, taking in Ben’s instructions. Ben exhaled. Jacob covered up and concentrating on the boat was easier to deal with than he was as a just-about-naked man basking in the sun at the end of the dock.

Ben noticed Jacob’s shoes for the first time. No shorts, no water shoes. Evidently Mr. Nussbaum had been expecting an entirely different resort vacation, probably involving mai tais on the beach and plenty of bikini-clad young women. If he tipped over in the scull, which he was going to do, everyone did when they were starting out, those shoes would take a long time to dry. Ben had an extra pair of water shoes. Maybe they’d fit.

“What size feet do you have?” he asked.

Jacob glanced up. “Ten. Why? Does it matter for the stirrups?”

Of course he wore tens, because otherwise the physical comparison wouldn’t be perfect. “Your shoes will be awkward as hell in the stirrups. You need something lighter and better in the water. Don’t worry. I’ve got some you can borrow.”

Jacob wouldn’t fit in Ben’s nine and a halfs, but Manny’s old tens were still where they’d always been, on the top shelf in the boathouse. Ben found them. He brushed off the dust and cobwebs. The shoes weren’t sacred, and it wasn’t disloyal to let Jacob wear them. They were just old water shoes with cracks in the soles. Ben grabbed a pair of oars and stepped back onto the dock, dropping the shoes by Jacob. “Try these. I’ll get the oars set up.”

Ben fixed each oar in its oarlock, concentrating hard so he wouldn’t have to watch another man put on Manny’s shoes. Then he set about teaching Jacob Nussbaum the rudiments of rowing.

My Review:
Jacob Nussbaum is 36 y/o and a partner in a corporate law firm. He’s worked tirelessly for his position, and his pay, but has recently received photographs from an anonymous source that implicate a fellow partner in a scheme to rig corporate payouts. He’s not sure how to deal with this; the implication that his firm is not dealing fairly with claimants–by buying off the opposing attorneys–is a real ethical problem for him. He decides to investigate on his own, and travels to the Northwoods of Wisconsin to track down an informant. While staying at the remote Wildcat Island Lodge to await his quarry, Jacob’s stymied by the postponement of arrival of the man he’s after. Having nothing else to do–imagine a slick Manhattan lawyer at a hunting/fishing retreat (talk about fish out of water!)–he requests lessons to learn sculling from the innkeeper, Ben.

Ben is 50 and still grieving the death of his lifemate, Manny. He fell for Manny, a man twenty years his senior, when he was just 23, and though Manny died two years ago from lung cancer, Ben cannot move on. He’s attracted to Jacob but refuses to entertain getting into a relationship again–and NOT with such a younger man. He could never bear the guilt of leaving a younger partner behind, as he rather feels Manny did. Still, Ben’s starving for companionship, as is Jacob. In the course of the week’s stay, Ben and Jacob develop a closeness that allows for the companionship they both crave. Jacob even confides in Ben regarding his investigation, and Ben is eager to help him connect with his flighty cancellation-prone guest.

Their night together is not enough and yet too much at the same time. They agree to keep in touch via email, and Ben promises to alert Jacob if his informant makes another reservation. As the weeks and months pass, both men find solace in their solitude by email. I really loved the slow burn here. And, how the awkwardness is real and still easily dispelled when Jacob returns to Wildcat Island. All is not easy and there are several reconnections and separations, for real–if hard to digest–reasons. Ben is so against making Jacob a mourner for him. Jacob has finally found a man he could seriously love–and they live 1000 miles apart. But geography is temporary as Jacob demonstrates and the resolution to the ethical crisis seemed written in the first chapter, with Jacob’s grave distaste.

This is an excellent low-ish steam romance with confident, compassionate mature men who are both fantastic. There’s not a word I’d change, not a scene I’d skip in the whole blessed book. There are sexytimes, but they’re more centered on the emotional context than the nitty-gritty details, and just as many are discussed in flashback as occur in real time on the page, hence my low-ish steam comment above. Complete sexual tension, complete desire, tons of guilt on Ben’s part–at first–but being with Jacob is a complete revelation in his staid life.

Interested? You can find WHISTLE BLOWER on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Kobo, AllRomance and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a signed paperback copy of Nobody’s Home OR an ebook, reader’s choice, from Dev’s backlist which can be found here.

About the author:
Dev Bentham writes soulful m/m romance. Her characters are flawed and damaged adult men who may not even know what they are missing, but whose lives are transformed by true love.

You can find Dev on her website, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

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Fighting THE LAW OF ATTRACTION–Review and Giveaway

LoA-BannerTemplateHi there! Today I’m sharing in the release day festivities for a new contemporary M/M Romance from Jay Northcote. THE LAW OF ATTRACTION is a fantastic standalone workplace romance that strikes the right balance of communication, tension and sexytimes.

Catch my review below and be sure to enter the book giveaway, too!

TheLawofAttraction_finalAbout the book:
When a professional relationship turns personal, it’s impossible to resist the law of attraction.

Alec Rowland is a high-flying lawyer in a London firm whose career is his life. He doesn’t have time for relationships and his sexuality is a closely guarded secret. After picking up a cute guy on a Friday night, Alec’s world is rocked to its foundations when his one night stand shows up in the office on Monday morning—as the new temp on his team.

Ed Piper is desperate to prove himself in his new job. The last thing he needs is to be distracted by a crush on his boss. It’s hard to ignore the attraction he feels, even though Alec’s a difficult bastard to work for.

Both men strive to maintain a professional relationship, but tempers fray, passions ignite, and soon they’re both falling hard and fast. If they’re ever going to find a way to be together, Alec needs to be honest about who he really is because Ed won’t go back in the closet for anyone.

A little taste…

His companion was still watching him, seemingly waiting for him to make his move. Alec felt irrationally irritated. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Even though he only did it occasionally, picking up men was easy for Alec. Buying a drink was more than he usually bothered to do for the twinks he hooked up with when he was in the mood for a warm body to fuck. Alec was well aware of his own attractiveness and used it to his advantage. A crook of a finger, a tilt of his head, or even just a look was usually enough to make them come running.

But this guy didn’t seem to know the rules of the game.

“Strong, silent type, huh?” He suddenly grinned at Alec, all neat white teeth and dimples. “You could start by telling me your name. Mine’s Ed.”

“Alec.” He handed a note to the barman as he came back with their drinks. “Keep the change.”

“Cheers, mate.” The barman winked as he pocketed the tip.

Ed’s eyebrows lifted. “Change from a twenty? You must have money to burn.”

“Something like that.” Alec let his gaze rake deliberately down Ed, examining him from the front this time. His arms were still folded over his chest and his T-shirt had ridden up enough to expose a feathered line of hair on his belly, leading down to a nice-looking package in obscenely tight skinny jeans. “I hope you bottom?”

Ed blinked and choked on his mouthful of rum and Coke. Alec suppressed the urge to grin, enjoying the fact that Ed had momentarily lost his cool.

“I’ve been known to,” Ed replied, rallying. He licked his lips.

“Good.” Alec held his gaze, noting with satisfaction that Ed’s pupils had blown wide and his lips parted as Alec looked at them. God, he had a pretty mouth. Alec lifted his glass and downed his drink. The burn of the whisky tore through him and made his nerves tingle with anticipation. He needed a good fuck; it had been too long. “Drink up, then.”

Oh, that Alec is a right git, inn’t he? This is an auspicious meet-cute, but dang does their chemistry reach combustible levels.

My Review:
Alec is a hardworking corporate attorney hoping to make partner in his law firm. He puts in extraordinary hours as he has nothing else to do with himself. He’s a deeply-closeted gay man who’s hidden his orientation ever since that fateful day he was expelled from school for having a dalliance with a schoolmate–and that wasn’t even the worst that happened to him that day.

Ed is a newly-minted attorney, back in London and seeking employment. The weekend before he’s due to report at a firm as a temporary associate, he’s out with his flatmate and gets picked up by a suave wealthy older man. Alec. Their connection is immediate. Ed’s not a player, and he doesn’t go for older guys, per se, but something about Alec’s swagger turns him on. And, it’s the same for Alec. He usually hits on mealy-mouthed younger men who’d never challenge him in any way, but Ed stands up for himself. Demands a drink and some conversation before he allows himself to be wooed.

Their night together is incendiary. Neither has the guts to call it quits, and they share Alec’s bed in his barren home. The morning after is worse than shite, but it becomes all the more complicated when Ed turns up as the temp on Alec’s team handling a huge hotel merger. Alec’s so fearful of Ed revealing his dark secret, and Ed’s a peach.

Lookit, I loved the book. I didn’t always love Alec, but Ed–he’s a dream. A good dream. The kind you wake from and immediately wish you could fall back to sleep into. He’s kind and charming and funny, and hardworking–even surpassing Alec’s insane work ethic. Alec’s in turmoil. He’s so attracted and so scared and so bitter seeing Ed openly admitting to his sexuality and it being accepted without a qualm. Alec’s been carefully cultivating a hetero persona in the office, using a longtime friend as a beard. He’s fearful that coming out now will convince his workmates that he’s a liar, and jeopardize his partnership hopes.

It’s all very real, and the romance that brews is so bittersweet. Working together for days on end becomes a struggle for both of them–and Alec gets vindictive at one point. The result: pure passion.

I thoroughly loved the loving here. And the parts of tense separation only stoked the fires. They are honest with each other. Alec does not want to come out. Ed will not be a dirty secret. There seems to be no accord to be made, and yet Alec knows the only way to find happiness for himself is to take it. To make it happen. He has real fears of being ostracized in his family, and makes a choice to be honest–and to reveal why he hid his true self for so long. The emotions will run high for the reader, I think, without being caught in too much angst.

The HEA is real, and spectacular. Highly recommend.

interested? You can find THE LAW OF ATTRACTION on Goodreads and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Ms. Northcote is giving away single copies of a backlist book to one random commenter on each of the blog posts in support of THE LAW OF ATTRACTION. I’ve reviewed some great books of Ms. Northcote’s in the past year…WHAT HAPPENS AT CHRISTMAS, LIKE A LOVER, and two books about dating and marriage. For an entry into the contest, tell me which book of Ms. Northcote’s you want to read, and why!

About the Author:
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

You can find Jay on her website, Twitter, Facebook Author Page, and Amazon.

Thanks for popping in and don’t forget to comment in order to win!

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Building A Love: The CLOCKWORK HEART–A Review & Giveaway!

HI there! Sharing a review for THE CLOCKWORK HEART by Heidi Cullinan. This book is a large departure from the contemporary fiction Ms. Cullinan writes–NOWHERE RANCH, CARRY THE OCEAN or even SLEIGH RIDE, and yet I haven’t picked up a book of hers I didn’t want to recommend. And that’s still true.

CLOCKWORK HEART is an alternate reality, steampunk, M/M romance that creates a world where Napoleon didn’t meet his Waterloo, where the Empire of France consumed most of continental Europe and the leaders there are further bent on conquest. Also, clockworks–steam and aether-powered machines that do all and sundry, even replace bits of humans damaged or wished to be “upgraded.” It was a fascinating piece, not only for the romance! Adventure, betrayal and ingenuity are the call words of the day, here.

Clockwork Heart (Clockwork Love, #1)About the book:
Love, adventure and a steaming good time.

As the French army leader’s bastard son, Cornelius Stevens enjoys a great deal of latitude. But when he saves an enemy soldier using clockwork parts, he’s well aware he risks hanging for treason. That doesn’t worry him half as much, however, as the realization he’s falling for his patient.

Johann Berger never expected to survive his regiment’s suicide attack on Calais, much less wake up with mechanical parts. To avoid discovery, he’s forced to hide in plain sight as Cornelius’s lover—a role Johann finds himself taking to surprisingly well.

When a threat is made on Cornelius’s life, Johann learns the secret of the device implanted in his chest—a mythical weapon both warring countries would kill to obtain. Caught up in a political frenzy, in league with pirates, dodging rogue spies, mobsters and princesses with deadly parasols, Cornelius and Johann have no time to contemplate how they ended up in this mess. All they know is, the only way out is together—or not at all.

Warning: Contains tinkers, excessive clockwork appendages, and a cloud-sweeping tour of Europe. A little absinthe, a little theft, a little exhibitionism. Men who love men, women who love women, and some who aren’t particular.

My Review:
Holy steaming smokes, folks!

Delirious with stars for this fast-paced, espionage-packed, odd-couple, steampunk, alt-history, scorching hot, M/M romance.

I do love me some steampunk, and this book brings alt-historical steampunk on strong–along with the romance, the yearning, the lovin’ and the sexin’, too. The world is a glorious alt-historical 1910’s era Europe with France having conquered vast swatches of the continent, and in continual battle with Austria. The main fuel source is aether, a gaseous mix that’s mined in Austria and coveted by the French. It powers mighty dirigibles that are used to make war and trade.

Cornelius is the notorious gay exhibitionist bastard son of the Archduke of France. Conny’s father who aims to “unite” all of Europe by force. Peace through subjugation, it seems. As a master tinker’s apprentice, Cornelius is well versed in designing and implanting clockwork parts into people. He happens upon a barge stack high with dead Austrian soldiers, he’s overcome with grief over his father’s eternal war and the huge loss of life that is its toll. Then one of the men moves, and Cornelius’ soft heart compels him to rescue this man, even though he is an enemy. Any that he can save is a knock against his father, to Conny.

His Austrian soldier is a big man with many, many terrible injuries. He requires an entire leg graft, a partial leg graft, a new arm and all of this is not a trouble to Cornelius. What is, however, a problem is the shrapnel in the man’s chest. The only way to fix this stranger is to give him a clockwork heart. And, Conny’s tinker-master, Felix, had created just this fearsome thing many years before. It is both priceless and dangerous, and Conny steals it to heal his soldier.

As Johann heals, he finds himself a monster–what he had feared becoming if he fell into French hands. Initially, all the clockworks freak him out, and he’s sure that he’s now one of the automaton soldiers the French are rumored to be building. Despite the language barrier, Conny is able to convince Johann of his kind intentions. Conny’s flamboyant friends, notably Valentin, are not happy that Conny is not out socializing in their local bawdy cafe, and this brings Conny to disguise Johann as an air pirate, and masquerade him as his lover. Johann has no experience in loving…anyone. He’s just 18, a soldier since a young age, and a deserter, truth be told. Conny has no idea how prescient his “pirate” disguise was.

This is a rather tense adventure with several escapes, lots of daring rescues, and a whole lot of falling in love. Conny and Johann strike up a tentative, tender romance, and the sexytimes could melt a glacier. I will confess that their bond involves role play, clockwork “toys,” fantasy, and even a bit of menage. These are very different, very liberal times, with the use of cocaine-laced absinthe to spark a whole lot of amorous exchanges. Expect orgy scenes–which was fine by me.

I was captivated by the lush descriptions and deep plotline. I never felt the plot bog, not once, and could not stop turning the pages. The book is the first in a series, and I expect the next Clockwork Love book will center on a different lovestory, though I’m anxious to have more of Johann and Conny.

Inerested? You can find THE CLOCKWORK HEART on Goodreads, Samhain Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a signed copy and a cute clockwork keychain!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

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