M/M Romance

Coming Soon! Herc’s Mercs THE HARDER THEY FALL–Excerpt and Giveaway

Herc-BannerTemplateHi there! Today I’m sharing an excerpt and book giveaway for a new release from Ari McKay. THE HARDER THEY FALL is the newest in the Herc’s Merc’s series, so expect hot alpha men working security and getting down and dirty.

HMthehardertheyfall1400About the book:
Chris Hardison never expected the simple consulting gig to put him on somebody’s hit list, but Hercules Security’s resident computer whiz never does anything by halves. Now he’s on the run, guarded by gorgeous Jason Hekili, the newest member of Herc’s crew. But Chris and Jason have a past, and holing up in a safe house together is as complicated as it is dangerous.

Jason still wants Chris even though his broken heart hasn’t healed. He isn’t sure he can trust Chris, but when a crime syndicate targets Chris for assassination, Jason has to put his life on the line to protect Chris or risk losing their second chance for happiness before it even begins.

How about a little taste?

It took him a few minutes to find the right place, and his heart lurched when he saw Jason sparring with a tall, broad-shouldered Native American merc. He hovered in the doorway of the training room, torn between wanting to run over, fling himself at Jason, and beg for forgiveness, or wanting to flee.

Jason had changed. Gone were the thick, dark waves that Chris had loved to run his fingers through; Jason had shorn it all off in favor of a buzz cut, and Chris wanted to cry at the loss. Jason’s shoulders were broader, and he was even more muscular overall. After working with mercs for so long, Chris knew the difference between bodybuilder muscles and working muscles, and he could tell Jason had gotten those hard muscles from work. Jason’s body wasn’t the only thing that looked harder; Jason’s face looked different as well. More closed off, more distant. It was enough to make Chris want to turn and run. How could he possibly stand a chance with this Jason?

Before he could slip away unnoticed, the other merc knocked Jason on his ass. Jason let out a grunt when he hit the floor, but he didn’t grimace or show any other sign of pain. He simply bounded to his feet and turned—and spotted Chris.

For a long moment, he simply stood there, holding Chris’ gaze, and something that Chris thought might be hope brightened his eyes. Then Jason turned away, said something to his sparring partner, and headed toward the far side of the room.

Chris’ heart plummeted at that clear rejection signal, but he knew he deserved it. He lifted his chin and squared his shoulders. Jason had seen him, so he couldn’t just sneak out like this had never happened, and he hadn’t come all this way to give up so easily anyway. The other merc’s eyebrows climbed as he watched Chris march across the room, and Chris heard him say something about going to the showers, but Chris’ attention was focused entirely on Jason.

“Jason, I’d like to talk,” he said firmly as he approached.

Jason draped a towel around his neck, his spine straightening before he turned slowly to face Chris. Up close, Chris could see that a slender, pale line of a scar now bisected Jason’s right eyebrow. The line mercifully skipped over his eye, but picked up again on his cheek, running down to the sharp line of his jaw. It made his cheekbones look even more pronounced and pulled the line of his lips slightly crooked, though that wasn’t easy to judge, since he was clenching his jaw.

“I believe you agreed six months ago that there was nothing more to say,” Jason replied, his voice ragged, betraying emotions that didn’t show on his face. “And you didn’t want to subject yourself to a long, awkward ride.”

“A lot can change in six months,” Chris pointed out, aching to reach out and touch Jason but knowing he didn’t have that right yet. “You have. So have I.”

“Is that so?” Jason regarded him with narrowed eyes, a muscle twitching slightly in his jaw. It was something Chris recognized at once as a “tell,” an indicator that Jason wasn’t nearly as unaffected by Chris’ presence as he was trying to appear; sometimes the little things he’d learned from being around people in the physical side of the security business were quite useful.

“Yes, that’s so,” Chris replied quietly. This was the part where he laid himself utterly bare and held nothing back, which was terrifying, but it was necessary if he wanted any hope of winning Jason back. “I’ve had plenty of time to think about what an idiot I was. I’m sorry I hurt you, and I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. You didn’t do anything wrong. It was all me and my stupid insecurities getting in the way. Letting you go was the biggest mistake of my life.”

Jason’s eyes widened slightly as if he was surprised at Chris being so blunt and forthcoming. At first, he stared back at Chris, seeming to search for something. Finally he gave a terse nod. “I’m glad you realize that,” he said quietly.

“I do, and I’m willing to do anything to make up for my stupidity.” Chris took a little step closer, gazing up at Jason hopefully. “I’ve missed you so much, Jason. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how good we were together. I came here to see if there was any way you’d consider giving me a second chance.”

Again, Jason didn’t answer immediately, and this time, there was no mistaking the pain in the look he gave Chris. “There’s a problem with that.” He glanced away from Chris and frowned. “Trust has to go both ways.”

Interested? You can find  on Goodreads, Torquere Press, Amazon, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on the Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win an ecopy of Herc’s Mercs–THE HARDER THEY FALL.

About the authors:
Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who collaborate on original m/m fiction. They began writing together in 2004 and finished their first original full-length novel in 2011. Recently, they’ve begun collaborating on designing and creating costumes to wear and compete in at Sci Fi conventions, and they share a love of yarn and cake.

Arionrhod is an avid costumer, knitter, and all-around craft fiend, as well as a professional systems engineer. Mother of two human children and two dachshunds who think they are human, she is a voracious reader with wildly eclectic tastes, devouring romance novels, military science fiction, horror stories and Shakespeare with equal glee. She is currently preparing for the zombie apocalypse.

McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.

Where to find the authors online:
Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Pinterest | Website | Goodreads | Amazon

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A BEAR WALKS INTO A BAR–Cover Reveal, Review and Giveaway!

bear--BannerTemplateHi there! Today I’m reviewing an erotic M/M poly romance between oodles of sexy shifters. A BEAR WALKS INTO A BAR sounds like a bad joke, but, whew! It’s seriously erotic. The dominance, the sexytimes, the unexpected tenderness… I loved.

Catch my review and enter to win your own copy below. But first, the COVER. Yum. Looks a bit like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, amiright?

A Bear Walks Into A BarAbout the book:

It takes one strong alpha with a tight grip to keep a mountain full of shifters under control. Sawyer Ballantine’s contending with an uppity wolf leader and a herd of shifter elk bound and determined to take over. He might be the lone bear on the mountain, but he’s not going to allow another four shifters to just move in, especially not when they whiff of power. They’ll either be his in all ways, or they’ll be gone.

Dillon, Jerry, Kevin, and Brad have no one but each other since their shifter groups kicked them out. The young bear, wolves, and fox make a merry ménage, pooling their meager shifter skills and serving beer. They’ve stumbled into more than they understand, caught in the dispute between the Urso of Ballantine Mountain and the elk. But winter’s setting in, and they don’t know how to keep Dillon safe for hibernation.

And then a bear walks into their bar.

A delicious teaser….

“Where exactly are you going? Would you at least tell me that?”

“A town nobody’s heard of about thirty-five miles from home.” If Sawyer needed to hide, he’d find a similar out of the way spot. Too bad this particular spot sat on the border between elk and predator. Just because they lived off vegetation didn’t mean his rivals weren’t a threat—an expert marksman had joined the herd a few years ago. He’d been tough and stringy, but ceased being a problem.

Conversation grew impossible when Sawyer fired up his bike. Mother Moon, but he loved the rumble of the big Harley between his thighs, the wind on his face, tempting his sensitive nose with a million different scents: moss, pines, rabbit, clover, chicken barbequing on a grill at a campsite downhill, all awaiting him once he reached his mountain.

Fluffy clouds overhead cast shadows over the scenery, and the crisp scent of snow drifted over the highest mountaintops. Colorado. No greater place existed on earth.

Occasionally he caught a whiff of human emotions: anger, fear, sorrow, lust. Especially lust.

Damn, he needed to get laid.

My Review:
This is an erotic M/M menage/poly shifter romance that is HEAVY on the sexy. It features regular interspecies sex and multi-partner scenes.

Dillon is a bear shifter who was banned from his sleuth for being gay. In the years since, he’s has collected two outcast wolves, alpha Jerry and his cousin beta Kevin, and Brad a sexypants fox shifter to become a happy family for each. They’ve scrounged and scraped to get the money to buy a bar on Ballantine Mountain in Colorado. Together these four work the bar and frolic in bed. And out of bed. And anywhere, pretty much. Especially Brad who–as a fox shifter–is totally promiscuous.

Sawyer Ballantine is an Urso bear–he should be leading his own sleuth of bears, if they hadn’t been massacred a decade previously. Now, Sawyer leads the many shifter packs on his mountain with a ruthless manner, subduing all by violent or sexual means. He keeps the alpha of the wolf pack, Rudy, as his second-in-command, recognizing that the elk shifters are encroaching and wolf politics could turn against him at any time. But first, Sawyer must deal with the four rogues taking up space on his mountain. With sexy results.

This is a COMPLETE erotic adventure of shifter politics and hierarchy. There is so much sex, of all M/M varieties–partners, triads, foursomes, orgies–some of (initially) dubious consent that I’m reminded of a category on a Book Review Blog called “Books you read one-handed.” A BEAR would most probably fall into this category. The book fairly steamed up the screen of my iPad.

Despite all the multi-partner and non-monogamous action on the page there is no abdication of emotion. The players involved are thoroughly invested in what’s happening, and reveling in true hedonistic fashion. Even where there are partnerships, the inclusion of others is welcomed, and understood. For one, a wolf-fox partnership, Sawyer attempts to inject a dose of reality. Foxes, in this world, have no concept of monogamy, but he counsels both parties to “play together” to foster intimacy even as partner-sharing will be expected.

As to the plot, Sawyer’s domination of the shifters on his mountain has become a stress and burden, one he’s willing to share with Dillon. Thing is, being with Dillon, and observing Dillon’s management of his merry band of sexy shifters, Sawyer begins to recognize that domination isn’t always necessary and that mutually beneficial partnerships might could be the best policy. It’s worth exploring, in any case, as a cougar threat looms on the horizon.  Also, this hardened Urso surely benefits from the TLC he gets from Dillon and his buddies. Furthermore, the traditional ban on interspecies loving seems antiquated in this new progressive management strategy; it’s removal is fully applauded by those randy foxes!

Expect roughly 65% of the book to be sexytimes. And the rest is a rather simple plot that’s engaging and interesting. I’d re-read this in a hot second.

Interested? You can find A BEAR WALKS INTO A BAR on Goodreads, and pre-order it in advance of the Jan 16th release on Amazon and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link to enter to win an ecopy of A BEAR WALKS INTO A BAR.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
You will know Eden Winters by her distinctive white plumage and exuberant cry of “Hey, y’all!” in a Southern US drawl so thick it renders even the simplest of words unrecognizable. Watch out, she hugs!

Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.

She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures she has written fourteen m/m romance novels, has won several Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.

When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s a mild-mannered business executive, mother, grandmother, vegetarian, and PFLAG activist.

Her natural habitats are airports, coffee shops, and on the backs of motorcycles.

Where to find Eden online:  Facebook and twitter.

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Taboo Love: QUILLON’S COVERT–Review and Kindle Giveaway

Hi there! Well, this is my last review post of 2015–tomorrow I’ll feature a “Best Of” recap–and I figured why not go out with a bang. I had my curiosity piqued regarding a new M/M taboo romance QUILLON’S COVERT from the writing team of Joseph Lance Tonlet and Louis Stevens so I went for it.

You’ll remember that I absolutely loved Tonlet’s GRIF’S TOY, and I’m no stranger to taboo romance. I read VC Andrews’ FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC when I was in seventh grade. So, at age 13, my first experience reading sex was the rape of a sister by her beloved brother. And I followed that series with MY SWEET AUDRINA which featured the gang rape of a pre-teen girl. So, yeah, my HEAs got off to a VERY rocky start!

That said, QUILLON’S COVERT is an erotic taboo romance that has graphic depictions of consensual incest between a father and son. It includes, as an off-shoot, adultery, as both characters are married at points in the story. If any of these are a trigger for you, avoid the book.

The authors have hosted a series of blog posts in support of the book, which features some candid thoughts and snippets regarding the book’s content and their philosophy. You can access those here. I was not part of that tour, but I read and enjoyed the book enough to recommend it. And there’s a huge giveaway that includes a Kindle, which you can enter down below.

Quillon's CovertAbout the book:
Martin is a guy’s guy, one who enjoys the simple things in life: baseball games with his son, family days, barbecues, and date nights with his lovely wife.

Once a year for two weeks, Martin takes his son, Marty, to Quillon’s Covert, a rustic family cabin secluded in the beautiful California mountains. Since before those long days of learning to play ball, Marty has loved his dad, but as Marty matures, Martin starts to see something else settle in his son’s uncertain gaze. What’s there lingers a little more than it should, and it seems far more appraising than it once was.

As Marty shows every sign of taking the lead, Martin is faced with the tough choices most parents never see: lose his son by being a father, or try to balance what’s best for their relationship by being something… more.

But with another trip to Quillon’s Covert on the horizon, has the point of no return already begun?

Note: This book contains incest. GAY, EROTICA, ROMANCE, TABOO, INCEST, INFIDELITY

My Review:
4.5 Stars for this one. I had to dip my toe in this pond–even just to experience it from a simply puerile viewpoint. So many books in the hetero world deal with incest, of a sort–there’s a huge rise in step-brother/step-father romance. And, after my youthful reads from VC Andrews I knew I was in the target audience for taboo incestuous romance.

This is as soft and romantic a love affair as I could envision. I was captivated, despite my initial fears.

Martin Quillon is a doting father who has feared the loss of his son, Marty, in very real terms when he choked on a candy cane at age 6. Marty has struggled with bullying and stuttering, and Martin’s been his rock, a constant source of unfailing love. This is not to say Marty does not experience this with his mother; he does. But the story is only told in vignettes of the two-week excursions to their father-son retreats they take to their isolated mountain cabin every year.

The book begins when Marty is fourteen, a few years into their visits. While on the Quillon’s Covert “compound”–a one room cabin near a lake–they shed their clothes and live one with nature, fishing and barbequing and having a boys time of it. By the time Marty is fourteen he’s beginning to recognize that he’s enamored of his father, but this is still chrystalizing. His father is big and broad and strong, and all that Marty longs to be. The first several vignettes are really there to establish their deep and loving bond as father and son.

As Marty matures he recognizes that he’s not just in awe of his father, he’s attracted to him. He’s 16 and already confessed his homosexuality, and been totally supported through that. Due to some injury Martin is obliged to not only punish Marty (it makes sense in the story) but to facilitate Marty’s hygiene, and this is the first time that Martin begins to suspect Marty has more than a filial affection for him. Because we have been privy to both characters’ POV, we know that Marty has long desired his father, in a pure love sense.

I will not be coy about this: there is a physical sexual relationship between Marty and his father. This is fully desired and incited by Marty–and only becomes fully physical once Marty is 18 y/o. The result is a spectacularly tender relationship that exists only two weeks a year. It’s expressly a loving experience, one the men anticipate for 50 weeks each year as the story winds on. This continues for…years. As a kid I watched SAME TIME NEXT YEAR (which was wholly inappropriate both of me, and for me) and this book has the same sense of two people finding a respite together in a socially-unacceptable relationship. During this time Marty matures, grows into his manhood, and still never wants his precious alone time with Martin to change. The sexual encounters become more defined and explicit as the story continues. They are determinedly honest.

“No,” Marty began at length, “I don’t feel guilty.” He looked up and met Martin’s interested gaze. “What I mean is, I look at the cabin, at our time here, as a bubble–and I’ve thought about it in those terms for years.”

“A bubble?”

Marty nodded against Martin’s knee. “Our ‘real life’ doesn’t touch out time here, and our time here doesn’t touch our ‘real life’. I said before I’ve accepted that we’ll never live as a couple, and I meant that. It’s taken me a long time to get to that point, but it’s true, Dad.”…”What we do here is between us and no one else.”

I think the biggest problem I had with this one–setting the incest angle completely aside–was this infidelity issue. As mentioned, I read a metric ton of VC Andrews as a kid, so I’m kinda inured to incest. Also, this book has such tenderness, such love, I was less afraid of the damage that Marty might have–especially as he was always the aggressor. No, I think I had this niggle in the back of my mind regarding Martin’s wife, and later, Marty’s husband. I was not satisfied by the epilogue which brought Marty’s son to the lake house–while the shenanigans continued. As a parent, I’m well-versed in getting sexytimes in under the oblivious eye of a toddler, and yet this somehow upset me. It’s probably some hang-up of mine, but it still got to me. I think I would have liked the end better if Little M had stayed home with his other daddy.

That said, this is a well-written taboo story that explored a consensual father-son sexual relationship that was so carefully written as to be a romance.

Interested? You can find QUILLON’S COVERT on Goodreads, Payhip, AllRomance, Smashwords, and Paperback. It is not available at many ebook sellers due to its taboo content.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter link to enter a giveaway for MANY prizes, including a Kindle Fire 7, and several ebooks, audiobooks and signed paperbacks.

Good Luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Authors:
Joseph Lance Tonlet is a born and raised Southern Californian—with a twenty-year stint of living in the Midwest. He loves the laid-back lifestyle of San Diego and considers himself lucky to live where people dream of vacationing.

A lifelong reader of m/m fiction, he began his writing career one night sitting at his MacBook and has never looked back. He writes to bring the characters he dreams about to life.

You can find Joseph online on his website, Facebook, Twitter (18+), Ello, Google+, tsū, Pinterest, Tumblr (18+ only!), Goodreads, and YouTube.

Louis Stevens is a gay romance author born and raised in South Africa. He was a shy outcast who had few friends in school; generally feeling excluded and on the fringe of society. However, when he discovered gay romance and erotica in 2007, at the age of seventeen, his mind and world opened up.

He wrote his first story, A Better Life, longhand in a 197 page spiral notebook, on his bed every night with a pillow curled under his chin. Although the book wouldn’t be published until 2011, with the now defunct Silver Publishing, he found the experience entirely liberating. He’s considered himself a writer ever since.

Catch Louis online on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, his website, his blog, and on Youtube.

Finding Love as a TWOFER–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a brand-new contemporary M/M romance from Daisy Harris. I’ve liked her books in the past, including CITY SLICKER AT THE HORNY GOAT RANCH, and was eager to check out TWOFER. This is a New Adult romance, that really thinks outside the box, and packs in the steam.

TwoferAbout the book:
Bottoms up!

If a college freshman can’t get laid in sun-drenched Miami, he’s doing something wrong. Frankie Perez is determined to help his roommate get some man action in any way possible.

When Frankie’s arsenal of dating apps, fashion advice, and playing-hard-to-get lessons doesn’t work, he realizes Jeremy needs remedial help. Except tutoring Jeremy in the art of sex gets steamier than Frankie expected—and it scares the hell out of him.

Jeremy’s not sure why he’s wasting his time hooking up when he’s only got eyes for the slinky, sexy roommate he comes home to at night. But the hotter their chemistry simmers, the quicker Frankie dances away.

In near desperation, Frankie suggests the two of them team up to find a third to top them both, forgetting that two bottoms aren’t immune from lusting after each other. In a world where every man is an option, choosing one to love can be the sexiest risk of all.

Warning: Contains questionable morals, copious immature hijinks, an X-rated photo shoot, and disastrous threesomes. Sex toys were misused (but not harmed) in the making of this book.

My Review:
This is a book that is going to get mixed reviews, I think, because it is a non-traditional M/M romance.

Jeremy and Frankie are college freshmen and roommates at Miami Central. They are both gay, and Jeremy is out on campus, but I don’t think he’s out to his family. Frankie is out and proud, happy to hook up with anyone–except Jeremy. They are friends, and he feels bad knowing that his awkward, geeky engineering roomie is a hapless virgin, but he doesn’t want to get into a relationship. His first BF was a jerk, and he is done–DONE!!– with boyfriends. And, Frankie knows that Jeremy is the keeping type. It’s true; Jeremy wants a boyfriend, and he wants to start his sex life with a partner who will be considerate and compassionate. Problem is, Jeremy’s really drawn to Frankie.

Frankie tries to take the middle road of “sex guide” getting Jeremy a make over of sorts, and playing wingman on his escapades. With mixed results. The two-timing TA? Bust. The Grindr hook-ups? Fleeing (quite literally) for his life. Frankie does take a bit of pity on his newly-sexy friend. He works out a bit of experience with him, just so Jeremy can be prepared (yeah right! Super altruistic of you Frankie…) for his meet-ups.

Thing is, Jeremy’s pretty sure he’s a bottom–even without ever having had penetrative sex. Frankie KNOWS his preference, and he’s unwilling to even try topping Jeremy. Instead, he tries to find a top to satisfy them both, this way he can guide Jeremy’s partner into treating him good. Hence the book’s name: “Twofer.” So, yeah, while Jeremy and Frankie are really falling for each other they also recognize a bit issue in their relationship: neither of them can truly satisfy the other sexually. (Jeremy does try topping, and it’s a disappointment.) They enlist a few tops, and nothing really goes well. They strategize. They invest in toys. Things get better, but it’s not quite the end they seek. And an answer appears that they can’t deny–which is where I think a lot of readers could get frustrated.

See, romance readers are often married to the HEA, and this is generally acceptable ONLY for an exclusive couple. Or, maybe, an exclusive triad. Jeremy and Frankie don’t fit that mold, but they figure out what works for them. They seem happy at the end, and I can accept that. Personally, I think the idea of finding one’s true love in college is unrealistic, but that’s okay. Within the setting of the book, they only commit to each other for their time. There are no wedding rings–which is excellent, on account of the guys being barely 20 y/o. I liked how they support each other, and comfort each other and how they make a great pair. Do I think they are going to be together for ever? Unlikely. But, I’m satisfied with their story to this point. I felt convinced of their commitment to each other as a couple, even if they were not exclusive. As a romantic, I am sure I would have liked it more if I felt these guys were a perfect fit sexually–and then I set my rose-colored glasses aside and recognize the futility of championing the love of a couple of college kids. Even if they were a great sexual match, college is a weird time, and lots of people aren’t looking for a forever match, there.

I think if you like interesting couple dynamics, sexy menage action, and two likable guys who aren’t exactly perfect, you’ll probably enjoy Twofer. It’s got a lot of heat, and some terrific humor. The hi jinks are funny, the awkwardness is real and, sadly, hysterical. Jeremy’s a sweet soul, and his patient love melts poor Frankie’s jaded heart.

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

About the Author:
Retired party girl and science fiction enthusiast, Daisy Harris spends most of her time writing sexy romance and plotting the fall of Western civilization. Her books can be found on Amazon, Nook, and wherever else fine erotic romance is sold.

Ms. Harris lives in Seattle, where she tortures her husband by making it rain. She enjoys watching bridges cause traffic, watching football games cause traffic, and blithely wearing wool socks with sandals. She has never taken a single picture in which her bra strap is not showing.

Want to find out about new releases, general news, and her latest inappropriate boy band crush? Sign up for her newsletter, or check out her website, or twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Happy Book Birthday to SAFE LIMITS!

SL-BannerTemplate
Hi there! I’m so excited to share in the release day festivities for SAFE LIMITS by Morticia Knight. I really loved BUILDING BONDS and this one sounds like a great addition to the series! The Kiss of Leather series is a M/M BDSM experience, with lots of feels and lots of sexytimes.

Be sure to enter the giveaway for the first book in this series, BUILDING BONDS. It’s a steamer!

safelimits_800About the book:
The men from Kiss of Leather gather together to rescue a terrified young sub. But it’s Master Derek who wants to keep him for good.

Master Gavin and his boy, Kyle are celebrating their newly established bond when Master Josh calls requesting their help. Josh’s sub, David, needs the men to help his best friend from childhood while they’re away at a BDSM convention in San Francisco.

Corey ran away from his Master after a horrible scene, but he blames himself for everything that happened. No Master would ever want him if they were to find out what he did. Corey’s not sure if he’ll ever feel safe enough to give himself to a Master again anyway, even if all he’s ever wanted was to belong to somebody.

Master Derek agrees to watch over Corey until Josh and David return from the convention. All he needs is another pretty twink messing with his head and his heart, so the older, growly bear of a man determines to keep his distance. But when Corey wakes up screaming after a devastating nightmare, Derek is more drawn than ever to the young sub – the need to keep Corey safe from whatever or whoever has hurt him becoming his main priority.

Kyle and Corey develop a friendship when Corey assists Kyle in the dungeon furniture workshop. Kyle has his own fears – the ones that make him feel he’s broken because of the things he desires to do with Gavin. Through helping Kyle, and receiving his own help through Derek, Corey decides he’s ready to let go of the demons from his past and move forward into a new life.

Now if Corey can only get Derek to believe that he’s ready – and to finally do something about it.

How about a little taste?

Derek was not one to live with mystery – especially with someone under his roof. He respected Corey’s boundaries and his need to keep certain things to himself, but he didn’t think it was completely unreasonable to at least attempt to be friendly with each other. Corey finally answered him.

“I’m usually up pretty early. I can’t sleep much past seven, even when I was going to school and it was the weekend.” Corey’s eyes tracked everything in the kitchen that wasn’t anywhere near Derek. “Plus, I get really tired at night. I used to be the one who fell asleep on New Year’s Eve.”

“Used to be?”

Corey finally looked in his direction. “Tony was more of a night owl. He insisted I stay awake the last few New Year’s.”

“Tony your Dom?”

Corey actually appeared to shrink into himself even more. “Ex-Dom.”

“Hmm.” Derek shut off the burners then pressed the lever down on the toaster. “Hungry?”

“Yeah.” Corey nodded with an enthusiasm that made Derek wonder about the kid’s recent circumstances and whether he’d had enough to eat. He finally lifted his gaze to Derek. “Can I set the table for you? Or…something?”

“I’m not that formal here. You can grab the orange juice and butter from the fridge though. I already have plates and glasses.” Derek wondered if he could draw Corey out of himself a bit more. Mundane topics seemed to be relatively safe. The mention of the Dom had caused him to shut down instantly. “Hope you like chorizo and eggs.”

Corey brought over the items Derek had requested. He set them down then moved quickly away.

“Anything you have is great. I meant…” Corey swallowed, his expression pained. “I meant to say thank you to you last night. I should’ve said it to Gavin…” Corey’s eyes flashed up at him with panic. “Um, Master Gavin and Kyle, but they left before I could tell them. This is really cool of you to do. So, thank you.”

Derek offered him a smile. It wasn’t an expression he employed often, but he sensed that Corey needed some reassuring. “Sure. You’re welcome.” He finished pouring the juice then handed the tumblers back to Corey. “Here you go. Have a seat and I’ll get the rest.”

Corey nodded and did what he was told. Derek found himself intrigued by the young man. It was the absolute last damn thing he needed at the moment, but he couldn’t help it. Corey was too young, too pretty – but he didn’t seem to be too spoiled. Derek ached to know more. All he had to do was figure out how to approach Corey without scaring the shit out of him.

I really love how Morticia writes these BDSM books with such care and respect built in. The love stories always build bit by bit with constant attention to detail from the Doms to the subs they grow to love.

Interested? You can find SAFE LIMITS on Goodreads, Pride Publishing, Amazon (US and UK) and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

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Morticia KnightAbout the Author:
Author Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men forever after. If there happens to be some friendly bondage or floggings involved, she doesn’t begrudge her characters whatever their filthy little heart’s desire. Even though she’s been crafting her naughty tales for more years than she’d like to share – her adventures as a published author began in 2011.

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

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

Thanks for popping in and keep reading (and commenting!) my friends! Pride-Promotions

Their Love. More Than BROKEN RECORDS–Review and Giveaway

BR--BannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary M/M “rock” romance from Lilah Suzanne. BROKEN RECORDS features a cross-over country star falling for a stylist. And, it’s so yum.

Catch my review, the excerpt and get in on the $25 gift card and ebook giveaway!

Broken Records 1600px COVER (RGB) - FrontAbout the book:
Los Angeles-based stylist Nico Takahashi loves his job—or at least, he used to. Feeling fed up and exhausted from the cutthroat, gossip-fueled business of Hollywood, Nico daydreams about packing it all in and leaving for good.

So when Grady Dawson—sexy country music star and rumored playboy—asks Nico to style him, Nico is reluctant. But after styling a career-changing photo-shoot, Nico follows Grady to Nashville where he finds it increasingly difficult to resist Grady’s charms. Can Nico make peace with show business and all its trappings, or will Grady’s public persona get in the way of their private attraction to each other?

How about a little taste?

Grady presses his lips flat, looks up at the ceiling again to gather himself, sniffs and nods, then tugs Nico’s foot closer by his ankle. “Do you think… If we’d met at a bar. Or through a friend of a friend. Or the gym.” Grady’s thumb strokes the tender skin of Nico’s calf beneath the hem of his pants. “If we had just been two regular guys? We really could have been something.”

There’s a question in his voice, a hesitancy that maybe Nico would have rejected him eventually anyway. Nico scoots across the cramped bunk, crowds against Grady, shoulder to shoulder. “Well, we never would have met at the gym because I would have taken one look at you and gone home to mourn the body I’ll never have by consuming gallons of ice cream.”

Grady bumps his shoulder. “Shut up, you’re gorgeous.” He tips his head against the wall and grins. “If I’d first seen you at a bar I probably would have humiliated myself by trying to win you over with bad karaoke and shameless flirting.”

Nico’s eyebrows raise. “You mean to tell me you’ve been holding back on me? You have a level of flirting that’s even more shameless?”

“Oh yeah. You ain’t seen nothin’, sweetheart.”

“That is truly terrifying.”

Grady laughs, bright and uninhibited. Nico is so relieved to hear it, a moment of light in the darkness. Grady’s hand rests on Nico’s knee, Nico watches his own hand brush his fingers there, but he doesn’t linger.

“We aren’t, though. Just two random guys.”

Grady’s fingers flex, curving over his kneecap. “No.”

Nico exhales harshly. “I have never wanted to be a groupie so badly.”

Grady shoves at his leg. “Come on, you didn’t really think that I would do that to you—”

“In my weaker, more insecure moments?” Nico scrunches his face, embarrassed. “Yeah, I did.”

“You think that little of me, huh?” He says it with a teasing grin, but Nico’s heart sinks.

“No, Grady. I think you’re…” A million adjectives flash through his head: beautiful, amazing, stunning, compassionate, kind, generous. A supernova. He settles on, “Really special.”

Grady gives a skeptical lift of his eyebrows. “Uh oh. I’m really special, huh?”

“I’m so, so into you and it’s…” He cringes at the words but it’s true, “It’s not you, it’s me.”

“Oh lord.” Grady laments with a laugh. “Not that, please.”

“I’m the guy on the sidelines. I’m the one who makes everyone else shine. I don’t belong there, in the spotlight. I like that at the end of the day I can go home and just walk away from the cameras and the red carpets and the scrutiny. And you—you’re a star. And you can have anyone.”

Grady turns, the cramped space of the bunk making his limbs bump and nudge and curl around Nico’s body. During Grady’s shows, in the moment just before he starts singing the opening line of “Broken Records,” there’s this pause, this moment suspended in the air when the audience is silent and waiting and doesn’t even dare to inhale because in that moment, Grady’s soul is laid bare. He looks at Nico just like that and Nico can’t breathe around it.

“I don’t want anyone,” he says, voice low and serious. “I want you. How do you not get that?”

My Review:
Nico Takahashi has seen it all, and done little of it. He’s a behind-the-scenes guy, styling B-list clients who mostly drive him cuckoo. With his partner Gwen, he works crazypants hours and has built a good reputation. Good enough to draw in Grady Dawson–insanely gorgeous country music sensation, and noted flagrant bisexual. Grady is delicious, and Nico is a veritable starving man. When Grady pours on all his southern charm, poor Nico’s a goner.

But.

Yeah, it’s tough falling for a guy who is hounded by fans and lives in the limelight that Nico abhors. He’s fixed up with placid, nice guys all the time, and experienced none of the passion that one of Grady’s smiles inspires. They are open and honest with each other, and go into a physical relationship with lust-filled eyes, yet Nico’s feet get frozen the second he gets identified in the tabloids and fan forums. Nico would normally walk away…if only Grady wasn’t such a great guy. Grady’s had it rough, and Nico doesn’t want to be yet another somebody who disappoints him. Nico can’t function in the spotlight. He can’t, and Grady soon learns he doesn’t want to go this long road alone.

I really liked this one. Nico’s a bit prissy, admittedly, and he’s bowled over by Grady’s genuine personality. He begins to crave Grady’s approval and their incendiary passion, but really struggles with the celebrity aspects of being the lover of a star. Nico doesn’t want their life to be tabloid fodder, and there’s the issue of Grady being bisexual–and continually paired with an industry darling, Clementine. Some of their fans are pretty vociferous regarding the desires of a match, there.

Nico tells this story, and I think he tells it honestly. He’s never had a relationship and he’s as easily overwhelmed by Grady’s generosity as by his celebrity. They are well-matched in so many personality aspects; It’s a bit Notting Hill, in that respect. Two people with different backgrounds who strike a match together. I liked the culture clash–Nico’s American, of Japanese descent–and Grady’s a country boy, raised in a trailer in the shadow of Nashville. While he and Grady are different people, with different experiences, Nico doesn’t want to be “an exotic;” he’s as American as any other native, and he makes that clear when they go out for sushi. Grady’s all “How do you eat this?” and Nico tells him “Pick it up and stick it in your face hole.” I had to laugh.

There is a lot of pondering on Nico’s part. How to life the half-life of being a celebrity partner. How to exist after feeling the depth of Grady’s affection, and knowing that he was falling hard for the soulful singer. There are reunions and separations and a well-resolved plan to bring these two together. It’s a good story with interesting characters and excellent sexytimes. I liked Nico, a lot, and I wanted Grady to leap off the page into my waiting hands. Yep. I got smitten. I hear there’s a sequel planned, and I’ll definitely follow up with another book.

Interested? You can find BROKEN RECORDS on Goodreads, Interlude Press, Amazon, Smashwords, AllRomance, iBooks.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $25 Interlude Press gift card or one of FIVE ebooks.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:

Lilah Suzanne has been writing actively since the sixth grade, when a literary magazine published her essay about an uncle who lost his life to AIDS. A freelance writer, she has also authored a children’s book and has a devoted following in the fan fiction community. She is also the author of Interlude Press books Spice and Pivot and Slip. Broken Records is Book One in Lilah’s Spotlight Series.

Find Lilah online on her website, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

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Fixed by a REBOUND REMEDY–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a recently published contemporary M/M romance from Christine d’Abo. REBOUND REMEDY is a light-hearted fling between virtual strangers, that turns out to be WAAAAAY more.

Rebound Remedy
About the book:
The last thing Cole expects to get for the holidays is dumped. But there he is, in the airport on his way to Banff for a romantic getaway, helplessly watching as his boyfriend’s ex declares undying love, proposes—and is accepted. With a few weeks to go until Christmas, Cole’s mood dives from jolly to jaded. But instead of sitting at home alone and feeling sorry for himself, he goes to his favorite bar, McGregor’s, for a pint and some company.

The moment Owen McGregor sets eyes on Cole, he knows there’s something wrong. So he takes it upon himself to ensure that Cole has a happy holiday: twelve outings for the twelve days before Christmas. Even if he can’t quite think up twelve activities that don’t involve getting the forlorn hunk into his bed.

With each outing they take together, Cole realizes that the love he thought he’d shared with his ex was less than perfect. And that Owen might prove to be more than just his rebound remedy.

My Review:
This is a sweet M/M Christmas romance. It is being offered as a charity book, with 20% of profits given to the National GLBT Hotline.

Cole is a successful man who always seems to be the “Rebound Guy” in all his relationships. He’s literally departing for a Christmas holiday with his boyfriend of the past 6 months when the guy’s ex shows up to woo him back. At the airport. Down on love, he hits his neighborhood bar where he’s engaged by the sexy bartender, Owen.

Owen isn’t just a bartender, though. He’s the owner of MacGregor’s–ever since his dad’s stroke three years ago. While Owen’s a bisexual, he hasn’t had a fling with a man since college. Still, he’s intrigued and attracted to Cole.

They decide to start a fling to get Cole out of his rebound rut. Buddies with benefits, and it’s working–a bit. Cole doesn’t want to have a rebound guy, and he feels like he’d be taking advantage of Owen. Owen’s got some family issues–namely his father, who is undergoing some emotional problems–and he doesn’t want to burden Cole with all that.

Keep it light, breezy…

Yeah, not so much. Cole pulls back, only to dive back in. Owen has to open up if he’s going to be fair at all to Cole.  They have a nice little romance, but it’s a bit rushed at the end. Insta-lust I can buy, but it got a little too serious too quickly. That said, these guys are great. They are fun and friendly and just looking for the right person with whom to spend time. I bet they get it right in the New Year, as Christmas seemed to be the final reconciliation.

Interested? You can find REBOUND REMEDY on Goodreads, Riptide Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBooks. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.

Christine can be found on her website, twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Living With A FORCED SILENCE–Excerpt and Giveaway

AFS-BannerTemplateHi there! Today I’m spreading the word on a newly released contemporary M/M romance form Cate Ashwood. A FORCED SILENCE is a redemption romance, and also a police/paramedic coming-out story, so there’s a LOT going on!

Check out the excerpt and be sure to get in on the giveaway for a book from Cate’s backlist.

ForcedSilence[A]FSAbout the book:
For paramedic Adam Carson, his world is lights and sirens and saving lives. Pressures at work keep him firmly in the closet, and life is too busy to contend with the complications that come with dating and relationships. When a familiar face from his past turns up where he least expects it, Adam starts to question whether or not there is room in his life for those complications.

The last person forensic pathologist Sam McKenna expects to see at pub night is Adam, the guy who made his life hell in high school. The attraction is instant, but Adam isn’t gay and Sam has no interest in pursuing him. Still, the leftover animosity from their teenage years isn’t enough to extinguish the lust growing between them. After both are called to the scene of a horrific murder, Adam admits he’s not as straight as he led Sam to believe and they seek comfort and distraction in each other’s arms. One night becomes many as the murder investigation intensifies, but when Adam is faced with losing Sam, he is forced to make a choice: to break his silence, or to give up everything for the job he loves.

How about a little taste?

“Ah, here they are,” Ford said, turning his head toward two men who were making their way to the table.

“Adam, John, this is Sam. Sam, these are two of the city’s ugliest heroes, John and Adam.” Ford made the introductions as John slid into a chair across from him, lifting his head in greeting.

Sam swallowed hard, barely registering anything other than the man still standing in front of him. Adam Carson. He watched as recognition dawned in Adam’s eyes and a slow smirk appeared on his face. It was the same familiar cocky expression he wore when Sam knew him a billion years earlier.

“You sure have grown up, Dexter,” Adam said, exercising the nickname he had used for him all through school.

Sam lifted one eyebrow. “It seems you haven’t.”

“You two know each other?” Ford asked, eyebrows lifted in question.

“Oh, me and Dex go way back,” Adam supplied, never taking his eyes off Sam.

“Dex?”

Sam rolled his eyes. Ford was his friend, but that didn’t mean he wanted to rehash the shit that happened back in high school. That name was one that haunted him right through the twelfth grade. When he moved, he tucked it safely away, but tonight, it seemed, it had followed him.

“Long story,” Adam said. “It’s good to see you. It’s been a long time.”

Interested? You can find A FORCED SILENCE on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for you r chance to win a book off Cate’s backlist.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Cate Ashwood wrote her very first story in a hot-pink binder when she was in the second grade and found her passion for writing. Her first successful foray into romance writing came five years later when she wrote her best friend, who was experiencing a case of unrequited love, her own happily ever after.

Cate’s life has taken a number of different and adventurous roads. She now lives a stone’s throw from the ocean, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband, her little boy, and their two cats. Her life is filled with family and friends, travel, and, of course, books.

You can catch up with Cate online on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
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Choices Made in a MOMENT OF SILENCE–Excerpt, Review and Giveaway!

Moments-BannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a book out today, MOMENT OF SILENCE from Karen Stivali. The Moments in Time series, featuring the novellas MOMENT OF IMPACT, MOMENT OF TRUTH, and MOMENT OF CLARITY, is a contemporary M/M romance that I’ve really enjoyed. This mixed-faith, mixed up romance is so tender and sweet. It just plain melted me.

Be sure to check out my review and enter to win an ebook for yourself.

MomentofSilenceFSAbout the book:
Growing up, Jason Stern led a charmed life complete with devoted sisters, a father who was one of Brooklyn’s most respected rabbis, and a mother who made the world’s best babka. He headed to NYU ready for anything—except falling for the wrong guy, coming out, and getting disowned by his once-loving family. In spite of that, Jason managed to graduate with honors. He’s got friends who treat him like family, and he’s proudly running the largest LGBTQ teen shelter in Manhattan. Life is good, but he’s still falling for the wrong men.

When charming, sexy Quinn Fitzpatrick begins work at the shelter, Jason falls hard and fast. Quinn is tall, blond, funny—damn near perfect. Only if Quinn’s gay, even he doesn’t seem to know it. If he does, he’s not telling anyone. And he’s about one ceremony away from becoming a Catholic priest.

Long hours of work turn to long nights of talking and laughter, and Jason dares to hope this time he’s falling for the right guy. But Quinn’s got a past to deal with and major decisions to make about his future. When Quinn leaves for a silent retreat, Jason knows the silence may change everything.

A Yummy taste!

Pierogi were just what the evening required. We got two orders, potato with fried onions, and cheese doused in butter. To round things out, we added a gigantic link of kielbasa and finished it all off with blueberry blintzes. By the time we were done eating, I was so full I could barely move.

“This was awesome.” Quinn licked a purple streak of blueberry off his fork before setting it down and pushing his plate away.

I was too mesmerized by the sight of his tongue to speak right away.

The waitress stopped at our booth. “All set?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

She placed the paper check between us, and Quinn reached for it, but I grabbed it first. “I’ve got this one. Make up for the popcorn you gave away.”

“You don’t have to do that.” He pulled out his wallet and put a twenty on the table.

“You can’t let anyone do anything for you, can you?”

Quinn’s eyes bugged, then softened. “Yeah, I guess I do have a problem with that sometimes.”

“Sometimes?”

“Okay, most of the time.”

“You know what they say. The first step is admitting you have a problem. And the second is letting me pay for dinner.” I stuck the check and enough money for the meal and tip under the glass sugar shaker, then grabbed Quinn’s twenty, folded it in half, leaned over, and tucked it into his shirt pocket.

My fingers were in the pocket before I fully realized what I was doing. Then the whole universe condensed into the drag of my fingers on that two-inch-square area of his chest. His rock-solid chest that tightened the instant I made contact. My own chest froze, devoid of air. I’d forgotten how to breathe. All I could do was think about the fact that I had my hand on this man who’d consumed my waking and sleeping hours for weeks. And I had to let go. Literally.

I pulled my hand away, trying to turn the rush of breath that returned to my lungs into something resembling a laugh. “Ready to get out of here?”

Quinn nodded.

Shit. He’s silent again. Did he notice that moment of fantasy lust I just played out? What the fuck is wrong with me? Way to make him uncomfortable. Fuck—My monologue of self-criticism was interrupted by his hand on my shoulder.

His hand was probably a normal temperature, but given the heat it generated in my body, he might as well have been the Human Torch . Great. I’m not only in love with a straight priest, he’s also a superhero.

Quinn chuckled, and for a second I worried I’d said my crazy thoughts out loud. My face flushed to match the heat that coursed through the rest of me. “What?”

He handed me my keys. “You left these on the table.”

“Oh.” I took them, heat flaring through me in another rush when his fingers brushed mine as he placed the keyring in my hand. “Thanks. Geez. That would have sucked if I’d left those here.”

“Yeah.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I nearly tripped over the step as we left the restaurant. It was a text from Campbell. I laughed. “Apparently my roommate’s having an orange juice crisis, as in we’re out of orange juice. I need to stop at the bodega on the way home. I feel like we’re married sometimes. In a weird, sexless way.” Stop talking. Now.

“It’s good you get along so well.”

I gestured to the store on the next corner. “You need anything?”

“Nah. I’m too full to even think about eating or drinking anything.”

“The power of the pierogi.”

He grinned. “See you tomorrow?”

“Get some sleep. Tomorrow we’ll work on those shelves. Unless you think we need to run the math one more time.”

“Just triple-checking your skills.” The teasing sound in his voice made me want to stay on that corner and talk to him all night. Anything to keep hold of the pleasant hum that was vibrating through my body. But then he turned away, heading toward his place, hand in the air in a backward wave of sorts. “Good night.”

It was indeed. “Night.”

My Review:
This is the fourth book in a series, but can be fully enjoyed as a standalone book.

Jason is on his own, working as a grants writer and administrator for a shelter home for LGBTQ teens/young adults who have been turned out due to their sexuality. Jason knows this experience first hand–five years ago his father, the esteemed Rabbi Stern, disowned him for coming out. He’s had no contact with his family since, and has relied on the strong friendship with Campbell–who literally saved him from homelessness–to get by.

While supervising the renovation of a bigger living space for the shelter, Jason meets Quinn, the eldest brother of Collin Fitzpatrick from the first three books in this series. Quinn attended seminary, and is expected to take his final vows of the priesthood any day now. He took a short leave of absence to consider his path, and is enjoying his time working as the lead carpenter on the shelter rehab job.

Jason is completely gone over Quinn–and his internal monologue is hysterical. Jason–raised a conservative Jew–has given up his faith following his father’s banishment, but he’s sensitive to the idea of seducing a priest. Still, it’s been a long time since Jason’s had a buddy, and he and Quinn just click. They go out for dinners and drinks as two friends would, with Jason’s lust rolling at a low simmer. They spend gobs and gobs of time together, with Jason becoming increasingly frustrated with his inability to NOT love Quinn.

Expect Jason’s feelings to be reciprocated. Ten-fold.

As Jason and Quinn find each other, in the Biblical sense,  Jason’s called on by his sister to help with another domestic issue. Jason’s overwhelmed by family drama, but thankful to have some reconciliations on the horizon. All the while, Quinn steps up as boyfriend, and carpenter. Their days are numbers by the length of time to rehab the building. The shelter’s grand opening (and Quinn’s departure) draws steadily nearer.

This book is so about the feels. Jason’s agony is palpable. His wistfulness regarding his family is present in the pages as poignant micro-flashbacks. I was completely with him, throughout. This story is told only from Jason’s POV, which helps keep the tension high. We don’t know how Quinn’s feeling until he reveals himself, and that’s only after several long bouts of deep thinking. Quinn’s decision to pursue a romance with Jason is monumental, and world-changing for him. It means disappointing his bigoted mother, and walking away from a career in the church that he’s worked toward since his was 15–ten years now. Expect serious HEAs–not only on the romance, but on the family side, as well.

I was really touched by the beautiful moments of family and friends and festivity. Quinn being taught to make latkes from scratch by Jason’s mom. Campbell and his gram taking Jason into their family when he was adrift. Jason’s sister Leah’s plight–pregnant by a good man who won’t be accepted in their family, and fearing that she’ll be cast out just like Jason. There are great secondary characters here, but the focus is always on Jason, and Quinn. They have such a tender love, with Jason being a patient teacher to novice Quinn. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and scorching. We’ve seen a similar scenario in earlier MOMENTS books (with Collin and Tanner) yet it didn’t feel derivative.

I’ve enjoyed all the Moments in Time books, but this one is my fave, so far. It’s a fully rounded novel with great plot turns and deep emotions, not swamped in angst. That said, I wished we had a LITTLE more time of experiencing Jason’s anxiety during the SILENCE part of the book. I wanted to tag along to his tattoo appointment and experience his decision-making there. I wanted to mope, just a bit longer. I heard he moped, but three days of depression happened in a few statements. The distortion of time leeched a bit of the tension away, for me. Still, the book’s great and I’m glad to hear there are more stories on the horizon!

Interested? You can find MOMENT OF SILENCE on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press (Ebook and Paperback) Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win an e-book of MOMENT OF IMPACT, book one in the series.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Also! Check out the sale on the boxed set of the three Moments in Time novellas! $.99 for the lot over on Amazon and Dreamspinner Press.

99 cent sale MIT  

About the author:
Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. She’s also the multiple award-winning author of contemporary and erotic romances. She writes novels about love…like real life, only hotter.

Her lifelong fascination with people has led her to careers ranging from hand-drawn animator, to party planner, to marriage and family counselor, but writing has always been her passion. Karen enjoys nothing more than following her characters on their journey toward love. Whether the couples are m/f or m/m, it’s guaranteed that Karen’s novels are filled with food, friendship, love, and smoking hot sex—all the best things in life.

When Karen isn’t writing (and often when she is), she can be found on Twitter attempting witty banter and detailing the antics of her fruit-loving cat, BadKitteh. She loves to hear from readers (and other writers), so don’t hesitate to contact/follow/like her at Twitter, Facebook, or her website.
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Space Farm? HELL FOR THE COMPANY–Review and Giveaway

HFTC-BannerHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for wacky and wild jaunt through space. HELL FOR THE COMPANY is a fun futuristic M/M supernatural romance I had the chance to review on audiobook. Author Angel Martinez weaves a fantastic yarn about demon space merchants who inadvertently rescue a defecting angel. Also, floating cows. Yep. It’s a bizarre trip.

HftCAudioAbout the book:

Shax, the Demon Prince of Thieves, has reconciled himself to exile. He has a grand time careening around the galaxy as a high-end, intergalactic purloiner of pretties. Everything’s going just fine, thank you very much. All right, fine, the anti-gravity cows are a bit problematic and some of his buyers are bad for his health, but he manages until he comes across an injured angel in a psychedelic alien jungle.

He only rescues the wing boy for his golden feathers, but what Shax doesn’t know about angels could fill an intergalactic encyclopedia.

My Review:
First off, this is an audio book of roughly 2 hours in length. I enjoyed every second of it. The narrator, Vance Bastian, is engaging and makes the story really pop. His voice is well-suited to the major characters. While the narrator’s voice sounds “young” I think he did a great job conveying Shax’s bravado, shy flower Nes, and a sassy falsetto for “Ivana” the ship’s drag queen audio file. Bastian seemed to have a good range of voice timbres, allowing the gruff voice of Varin to sound completely separate from the others, and good pacing. On the whole, I enjoyed the audio book very much.

Shax is a prince from Hell, Varin is his compatriot demon, and both of them are hurtling through space on a small freighter, attempting to turn a tidy profit while keeping well clear of Earth. Shax is a playful being, eager to charm and sure to find the “pretties” he’d like to swipe, because he’s a thief demon, I guess. Varin is a more impatient sort of demon, mechanically-inclined and not thrilled with Shax’s antics.

While en route to deliver a cargo of floating cows, they detour to an uninhabited planet and recover an escape pod. Inside they find an angel, completely unconscious, and injured. Shax is captivated not only by the angel’s golden feathers, but also by the beautiful man before him. Problem is, Angels and Demons have been fighting each other for eons. Shax begs Varin to let him keep the pretty angel, and while they travel they get to know one another. Nes, as Shax dubs their passenger, is a lower eschelon angel, who cannot believe that Shax and Varin aren’t plotting to kill him.

This is a super fun story. Really. It’s so completely wacky, I had to stifle my laughter when listening on my earbuds so strangers didn’t give me the side eye. Shax is a great MC, and he’s so captivated by Nes. Nes is delightfully innocent, and naive, constantly surprised and unsettled by Shax’s propositions and veracity. I really dug the idea of space demons and angels. Expect double-crossing humans, a sassy computer, and a cargo hold filled with sexual tension, but no actual sexytimes.

Interested? You can find HELL FOR THE COMPANY on Goodreads, iTunes,
Amazon, and Audible.

Download a sample of the audiobook here!

How about some insights from Verin…

The author catches Verin Hammer, demon ship’s pilot and all around grouch, in a rare good mood over coffee and cinnamon rolls for a (brief) interview:

A: So Ver…you and Shax have known each other a long time…

Verin: I thought you were asking questions. That’s not a fucking question.

A: I’m getting to it. Hold your garters. When did you first meet?

Verin: Bunch of centuries ago.

A: *exasperated sigh* Can you tell us how you first met?

Verin: You’re not real good at this, are you? Yeah, guess I can. Hadn’t hit my full growth yet. Some older demon punks decided I looked like easy pickings, so they jumped me. Shaxy came riding by – literally on his high horse, damn demon prince. He had some big night mares back then. Anyway, Shax may be bad but he doesn’t like shit that’s not fair, right? So he orders the punks off. Let his horse kick a couple in the bargain. Arrogant little son of a—

A: And you were instant friends?

Verin: Absofuckinglutely not. He was just a kid, too, and his mommy wouldn’t let him have minions. So he figured he’d tell her I was a friend. But, yeah, he wanted a minion. I told him to piss off.

A: But you stayed with him anyway?

Verin: *shrugs* Didn’t have anything better to do. Living with him in a palace was better than scraping by in the slums of Hell.

A: So eventually…

Verin: Look, I know what you’re getting at. Yeah, Shaxy’s my friend. Dunno when it happened exactly, but it did. He’s a bonehead and a high-handed little prick, but he keeps life interesting. He decides what stupid shit we’re gonna get into next and I keep him from getting his skinny ass killed. And no, we never fucked. Cause everyone always asks that. He’s not anywhere near what I go for.

A: Oh, um, good. Now if we could just touch on some of the—

Verin: Nope. I’m done. That’s all the stupid questions I have time for this year. This century. Hell, maybe ever. *Verin stomps off in a cloud of steam*

(Verin can be found in every Brimstone book, and is voiced perfectly by Vance Bastian in the Hell For The Company audio edition.)

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Meet the author:
While Angel Martinez is the erotic fiction pen name of a writer of several genres, she writes both kinds of gay romance – Science Fiction and Fantasy. (That’s a Blues Brothers’ joke FYI!!) Currently living part time in the hectic sprawl of northern Delaware, (and full time inside the author’s head) Angel has one husband, one son, two cats, a changing variety of other furred and scaled companions, a love of all things beautiful and a terrible addiction to the consumption of both knowledge and chocolate.

Catch up to Angel on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, and her website.

Meet the narrator:
Vance Bastian loves being a professional storyteller. He writes urban fantasy about sandmen and reapers. He has grown his acting and voice background into a career performing voice-over work and narration for both radio and audiobooks. He is also a founding host of the WROTE podcast – bringing you interviews and news of authors who write, perform, and tell LGBTQ stories. When nobody’s looking, Vance is a complete sci-fi and fantasy geek.

For more on Vance, please visit his website.
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