New Adult Romance

Scared New World–FIGHT THE TIDE–Release Day Review and Author Interview!

Hi there! Today I get to welcome a fave author to my blog! I’ve read and reviewed at least five M/M romances from Keira Andrews, and I’ve loved each one. FIGHT THE TIDE, her newest book, launches today! It’s the sequel to KICK AT THE DARKNESS, one of my favorite books of 2015.

I had to reach out and get some comments from Keira on writing, her plans for the future, and Olympic opinions. Catch my interview and review below.

Fight the Tide (Kick at the Darkness, #2)About the book:
Adrift in a post-apocalyptic world, they only have each other. Is it enough?
A virus that turns the infected into zombie-like killers spreads through a burning world thrown into lawless chaos. Lovers Parker and Adam have escaped to the open sea when they hear a message over the airwaves from a place called Salvation Island—a supposed safe haven.

Orphaned as a child, werewolf Adam has always longed for a pack. He’s eager to investigate the island, but Parker doesn’t think for a nanosecond that the voice on the radio can be believed. He doesn’t trust anyone but Adam and is determined to keep it that way. They don’t need anyone else complicating their struggle to survive. Or do they?

Danger on the high seas can surface in a heartbeat, and if Parker and Adam aren’t careful, the current will drag them under.

This gay romance is a dystopian adventure featuring a werewolf, his boyfriend, and their struggle to find a place to call home.

Some fun thoughts from Author Keira Andrews…odd-ball questions provided by moi!

Kick At The Darkness and Fight the Tide are your first steps into paranormal fiction. Do you have plans to write more books in the genre?
I do! There’s going to be a third book in this series about Parker and Adam, and then a fourth centered on a character you’ll meet in Fight the Tide. I’ve really enjoyed writing paranormal, so will likely write supernatural books not connected to this series in the future as well.

What is your best tool keeping you happy and motivated as a full-time writer?
I truly love writing romance and although it’s a job with pros and cons like any job, my genuine passion for it keeps me motivated. If I’m feeling particularly lazy or burned out, I think about how much I hated working in an office. Imagining myself back in a cubicle is an excellent inspiration to get my butt in gear!

From your social media, it seems you are a huge fan of Olympic sports. Being that you’re Canadian, do you prefer Winter or Summer Games? What events are you most looking forward to watching in the 2016 Summer Games?
I am indeed a huge Olympic sports fan, and yep, as a Canadian (and a massive figure skating nut), the Winter Games are my fave. I do love the Summer Games as well, and I’m really looking forward to the diving, rowing, and gymnastics in particular. American gymnast Simone Biles is phenomenal, and I can’t wait to see her crush it.

What is your favorite trope in romance writing? Older-younger? First love? Enemies-to-lovers?
So hard to choose, but I definitely have an affinity for an age difference. Looking at my backlist, it comes up a lot! So does hate to love, and I also really enjoy a virgin. 😀

If you could only have either Marilla or Matthew Cuthbert as your parent, who would you choose, and why?
Ohhh, that’s a tough one. They’re both so wonderful in their own way. This is like Thunderdome. I guess I’d have to choose Matthew since he’s just so sweet and kind. And now that I’ve been pondering it, I really need to bust out my Anne of Green Gables DVDs!

My Review:

This is the second book in a series, and should be read after KICK AT THE DARKNESS. Some spoilers for KICK AT THE DARKNESS included.

It’s contemporary times, but it’s also the end of times. The world was infected with a virus that has decimated the population and turned the infected into mindless zombies. Adam and Parker were students at Stanford, Adam a 23 y/o films studies grad student, and Parker an 18 y/o freshman in Adam’s class when everything went bananas. They escaped California on Adam’s motorcycle and headed east, to see if Parker’s family survived the carnage. Along the way they were attacked, fell for each other, confessed some startling secrets, got over themselves, were held hostage, escaped from real and present dangers–many times–and hit the coast. Only to discover Parker’s family long gone.

They bundled up and took off for safety in a yacht, and that’s where Fight the Tide picks up. Parker and Adam are making their way south along the east coast. Parker is a trained sailor; his family owned a yacht and he sailed regularly in his childhood. That said, he’s never made such a long trip without more skilled partners–his father and elder brother–and he knows going into the open ocean is a very dangerous prospect. Staying close to shore isn’t easy either. It’s nearing the end of hurricane season, but storms could disable their boat, or send it crashing to the shore. Being near the coast allows them to drop into port now and again to scavenge supplies. Adam, who is a werewolf, always makes these trips as he’s immune to the virus, and his heightened strength and senses allow him to avoid or overcome any zombies that attack. That doesn’t help Parker, alone on the boat, when pirates board.

Despite Parker’s general wariness, he helps rescue a boat in a storm, picking up two adults and their kids. This companionship is mostly welcome, especially by Adam, who is a drifter and grateful for any pack he can cobble together. Adam and the other adults want to make sail for Salvation Island, a place not on any of Parker’s maps, yet whose beacons come across the radio frequencies every evening. Parker’s sure it’s another trap, and is adamantly against, but circumstances force even his will–when he needs to get help for one of his passengers.

There is constant action in this book. It’s a rollicking ride, with danger lurking from page-to-page. Parker isn’t good with people, and his suspicious nature is bolstered with each new tragedy. He’s also haunted by the pirate attack, and he’s ashamed that he can’t move past it. Adam’s a bulwark, but he can’t be everything for Parker. Plus, the calls of Salvation Island prove to be a siren song he has trouble resisting. I think if Adam had the ability to sail that far, he’d have forced Parker’s hand much sooner.

Despite the harrowing plot, there is still a strong romance here. Parker and Adam are two men in love, and they take great pleasure exploring their relationship in ways that were soopa-hawt. Serious. I had to stop and fan myself at times. As the book drew near it’s end, I was glad to watch Parker and Adam make it to safety, even as the seeds for a third book were clearly sown. Safety shouldn’t be the only goal, in Adam’s mind, not when there are so many humans struggling. I foresee a werewolf invasion, one that liberates humans and hopefully helps eradicate the virus–but that’s my own hope! Also, the author has mentioned a fourth, related, book, and I expect it will involve one of Parker’s rescues–Jacob–who will *fingers crossed* find a safe haven and partner down the road.

For paranormal/post-apocalyptic stories, this one’s really on the contemporary-realistic side of those genres. There’s little shifting, and the zombie menace is easy to imagine. I liked the elements of sailing included here, and thought it reflected a wealth of carefully-collected and sparingly delivered knowledge of actual sailing. I never felt overwhelmed by it; and I grasped how dangerous it was–in a way I had never really expected. In short, it felt so real, I could nearly taste the salty ocean spray on my face. I’m so in on this series, I might need to take drastic measures to get book 3 as soon as possible. Highly recommend!

Interested? You can find FIGHT THE TIDE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, AllRomance, and Smashwords.

Keira AndrewsAbout the Author:
After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, paranormal and fantasy fiction, and—although she loves delicious angst along the way—Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.”

You can catch up with Keira on her website, Facebook, twitter, and Goodreads.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

More Than Love INTO THE BLUE–Review and Giveaway!

ITB-BannerHi there! Today I’m so excited to share a review and giveaway for a New Adult M/M romance from Pene Henson. INTO THE BLUE is a sweet and tender tale of two surfer best friends who fall harder than a breaking wave.

Catch the excerpt and be sure to enter into the book and $25 gift card giveaway below.

Into The Blue 1600px FRONT (Smashwords, Amazon)About the book:
Tai Talagi and Ollie Birkstrom have been inseparable since they met as kids surfing the North Shore. Now they live with their best friends in a pulled-together family, sharing life and the saltwater in their veins.

Tai’s spent years setting aside his feelings for Ollie, but when Ollie’s pro surfing aspirations come to fruition, their steady world shifts. Is the relationship worth risking everything for a chance at something terrifying and beautiful and altogether new?

How about a little taste?

Across from them, one of the Brazilians plays guitar. Ollie doesn’t recognize the song even when a couple of others sing along. The beach is wider and the sand finer than on the North Shore, but every beach is a little like home. Ollie misses the Blue House; he misses the surf and the palms and the shoreline he knows so well. He misses Jaime and Sunny and Hannah. Still, though he’s as far from home as he’s ever been, Ollie’s comfortable. These are his people, too. He leans back on his arms and looks up into the dark.

He’s watched the night sky since he was a little kid, but down here in the Southern Hemisphere he doesn’t recognize the hundreds upon hundreds of stars. The Southern Cross is up there. Ollie tries to orient himself.

Tai shifts toward him, then looks up and follows Ollie’s gaze. The warmth of Tai’s body settles into Ollie’s heart, grounds him. Ollie leans into him a little, and their arms brush to the elbow. The contact simmers in the air between them.

Unexpectedly, Ollie knows what he wants. “Come back to the hotel,” he says quietly to Tai. He pitches his voice low. It hums across the tiny space between them. No one else can hear him over the pounding surf and the sound of the music. It’s easy to be bold in the dark of a beach where Ollie’s never been before. He’s shocked by that same boldness.

Some thoughts on writing from Ms. Henson

Do you pay attention to literary criticism? If so, how do you handle it?
This is my first book and I’ve only had a few reviews so far. Those have been positive which is a joy, but with negative comments too, of course. Like every human I find it hard not to obsess over the negative and ignore the positive. I’m working on having a thick skin and being more realistic as I read. I am also trying to take those criticisms on board rather than thinking of them as insurmountable. And when it gets hard I ask my greatest cheerleaders to give me a pat on the back.

How do you come up with your titles?
This one started as OUT OF THE BLUE which was honestly an attempt at something sort of bright and a bit cheesy. I just threw it in as a working title. INTO THE BLUE started to seem more natural as barely anything in the book is a shock, but a lot of it is about being willing to let go and go deeper.

My next book had a long song lyric as a working title but a bit of brainstorming about the setting got me a lovely new title.

What new authors have grasped your interest?
I hate to mention some authors and not others, but I’m choosing the authors that captured me most quickly: Jude Sierra who has such a complex and soft-hearted understanding of humans alongside a poetic ability to describe the physical. And Michelle Osgood who writes women in love with women and whose characters are hilarious and strong.

What is the hardest part about writing?
Sometimes I find myself stalled and I think it’s lack of interest and battle with myself but then a few days later I realise there’s some critical plot or character point that I haven’t worked out properly. Those days are tough. And then also the daily grind of getting something from my head onto the page. I love it, and some days my fingers fly across the keys, but it can be hard some days.

Wow. I can relate to A LOT of that!

My Review:

Ollie and Tai have been best friends since childhood. They live together in a house with Ollie’s teen brother Jaime and two women, Sunny and Hannah. They’ve made their own family, as Ollie and Jaime are orphaned, and Ollie is Jaime’s guardian. Tai is an out gay man, and Ollie has no problem with that. They live on O’ahu in a run-down beachfront house that each adult chips in to afford, and many times in the past five years they have had trouble paying the rent and the electric.

Ollie and Jaime have a strained relationship; it’s not easy being the parent of a 16 year old. Tai, mediator and confidant, is the glue that holds them together most days. Add to that stress, Ollie’s career is in question. He had been set to join the pro surfing circuit two years ago, but an injury beached him. He’s rehabbed as much as he can, while working full-time at a resort, and knows that he’ll have one shot to regain his dream career:  to win one of two wildcard entries into the Bonzai Pipe Masters competition. If he makes that tourney, he could win some serious money–otherwise, he needs to enter the hospitality training program, so he can securely support himself and Jaime.

This is a romance, but it’s very quiet and develops over the course of several months. Ollie has virtually no sexual experience. By choice, it seems. He’s an introvert in the extreme, even has trouble allowing his closest friends to touch him, or be around him. Except Tai. Tai has always been there, and they have a very strong friendship. Tai makes surf boards, and helps train Ollie–has for years. Ollie’s on the cusp of greatness, and Tai can’t be more proud, but he could be more, for Ollie. He’s always been Ollie’s best friend, but Tai has held a serious love to Ollie for many years now.

I don’t want to give away too much plot, because a lot of it relates to Ollie’s successes or failures in surfing. That said, Ollie has some success, and his prize money is sufficient to pay the bills. He gets Tai to come along on a competition tour. Tai’s so good at relating to people, and calming Ollie, too. In fact, Ollie can’t conceive of a life without Tai in it. While his last several years have been a morass of grief and injury, scrabbling to make ends meet, being with Tai on tour gives Ollie the space he needs to see that his affection for Tai is more amorous than he’d ever noticed. He’s so awkward, however, that he struggles to make this clear to Tai. Tai knows that going along with the “tour romance” will break his heart completely, but he also can’t resist the opportunity to make love to the only man he’s ever loved.

There are some steamy, and tender, bits, with Tai educating Ollie in the ways of sex. Naturally, when the tour ends, life gets pretty complicated. Ollie doesn’t know how to be in a relationship, and doesn’t think free-spirited Tai even wants one. Tai steps back, so he doesn’t hurt himself, or Ollie, any more than he already has. Their lives are changing; Ollie’s success brings experiences and opportunities that were unforeseen and are unwelcome, to some degree. Tai’s surfboards are gaining interest with pro surfers, thanks to Ollie’s performance. It means long hours and new partnerships–less time for hanging, or training, Ollie.

Can their friendship survive this new status quo? It doesn’t look likely. Nope, because Ollie wants more than Tai would have given any of his other hook-ups. And Tai’s scared to hand over his heart, if Ollie isn’t willing to love him completely. Spoiler alert: this book is an HEA, and it’s a fantastic one, at that. This make-shift family is so interesting, and the romance is so tender, I didn’t want it to end. The writing is lyrical and paced much the same as island time–we get there when we get there, mahalo. It gave the prose a lilting feel, and I adored the surfing terms and experiences, because this was a whole new world for me. Also, I liked the interracial romance, and the strong community that surround Ollie and Tai.

Interested?  You can find INTO THE BLUE on Goodreads, Interlude Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Smashwords, AllRomance, Book Depository, and Indiebound.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 Interlude Press Gift Card or one of FIVE first prizes of an e-copy of ‘Into the Blue’ by Pene Henson.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Pene Henson has gone from British boarding schools to New York City law firms. She now lives in Sydney, Australia, where she is an intellectual property lawyer and published poet who is deeply immersed in the city’s LGBTQIA community. She spends her spare time enjoying the outdoors and gazing at the ocean with her gorgeous wife and two unexpectedly exceptional sons. Into the Blue is her first novel.

You can find Pene on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
pride

Learning How PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT–Review and Giveaway

Housemates
Hi there! I’m so excited to share a review and giveaway for a new contemporary M/M New Adult romance from Jay Northcote. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT is the third book in her Housemates series, and can be enjoyed as a standalone. Though, to be honest, I’m sure you’ll enjoy HELPING HAND and LIKE A LOVER, too.

Check out the tasty tidbit, and get in on the giveaway, below.

Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates, #3)About the book:
Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.
Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.

Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.

They work their way through Dev’s sex-to-do list, but what starts as a perfect no-strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.

How about a little taste?

Dev reached across the table and took the teaspoon out of Ewan’s hand, then tangled their fingers together and squeezed. The sympathetic touch eased the ache in Ewan’s chest. He let his gaze slide up to meet Dev’s and saw understanding there. He gave Dev a tentative smile.

“Well, look who it is!” A loud, mocking voice from behind Ewan made Dev start and drop Ewan’s hand as though it were on fire.

Ewan turned to see a group of three blokes, all with matching mocking grins on their faces as they looked at him and Dev.

“Hey, Devreem.” The same voice as before, belonging to a skinny guy with brown hair, a scruffy half-arsed attempt at a beard, and mean eyes. “You finally found someone with a real dick to fuck, then? Look out, mate,” he addressed Ewan. “This one’s into some weird shit.”

Ewan pushed his chair back with a screech and squared up to him. “What’s your fucking problem?”

Beardy Guy’s attitude shifted immediately to unease. Ewan was taller, bigger, and angrier than he was, and he suddenly looked as though he realised he was picking on the wrong guy. “I… uh….”

Ewan continued in a menacing tone. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t give a shit because you’re not worth my time. But you and your friends are interrupting us, so why don’t you fuck off before I break your nose.”

Ewan had barely been in a fight in his life, but he’d played rugby at school and was pretty sure he could handle this twat. Beardy Guy’s two sidekicks were already backing off, so it didn’t look like he was going to get much support from them.

“It’s okay, Ewan. Just drop it.” Dev was standing behind him now, and he put a hand on the tense muscles of Ewan’s shoulder.

Ewan looked around and realised that all eyes in the café were on the unfolding drama.

“Yeah, you should piss off like he says,” called a girl from a couple of tables over, glaring at Beardy Guy. “Take your homophobic bullshit elsewhere.” A few murmurs of assent and the arsehole flushed, taking on the look of a hunted animal.

“Whatever. It was just supposed to be a bit of a joke.”

“Well, nobody’s laughing, Matt.” Dev said sharply. “I see your idea of what’s funny hasn’t developed since last term.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Beardy Guy—Matt—was done. “Come on, guys, let’s hit the bar. We don’t want to hang out here anyway.” He glared at Ewan again. “Losers.”

Ewan remained standing with Dev beside him until the three had gone. Then he let out a long breath and turned to Dev. “What the fuck was that about? You know him?”

Dev sighed, his face tense and unhappy. “Long story.”

My Review
This is the third book in the Housemates series and can be enjoyed on its own–though I HIGHLY recommend the previous two books, as well.

Dev is a nerdy, gay virgin away at uni and hating his life in the dorms–mostly due to some seriously homophobic hallmates. He’s a physics major and ultra capable with to-do lists, computing, and maths (it’s Plymouth, England, folks. “Maths” it is…) but not so competent at people, or relationships. After a disastrous event he confides in a workmate, IT supervisor Reuben from LIKE A LOVER, who helps him let a room in his boyfriend Josh’s old house. There he meets Jez and Mac, from HELPING HAND, and Dev finally feels settled.

Ewan lives next-door to Dev and they meet by chance on the sidewalk. And then, again, when Ewan opens a package that was misdelivered. A box that contains a rather nice sex toy. Ewan’s only a little ashamed at the awkwardness–he’s a bit turned on to determine that the doe-eyed boy next door bats for his team. And, well, his attraction turns to alarm when he finds Dev’s “shy virgin seeks experience” profile on Grindr.

To save Dev from (literally) getting reamed by the creepers, Ewan proposes a partnership; he helps Dev safely gain sexual experience and Dev helps him not fail statistics.

Break out the lists and the lube.

OMG. Such a fun and soul-affirming read. These guys are so tender and kind, really eager to help the other learn. And still, funny and compassionate. I just loved it from the beginning to the end, except that it ended and I wanted to keep on going…so that part was bollocks. Bollocks aside, and there are plenty of those on the page, their arrangement spans several weeks and involves not just their Friday night “study” sessions, but also some coffee/milkshake dates, and widens to include mid-week cooking lessons for Dev–which double as foreplay.

Lookit, the whole series rocks. I’m a goner for these helper-to-lover plots, and Practice Makes Perfect is a bit like Helping Hand, but with a definite Like A Lover quid pro quo. I loved the cameos from the other books’ characters and how all of these people interacted naturally. It was so fun to have the typical housemates squabbles and also the knowing looks–because Dev and Ewan collect A LOT of knowing looks from their amused (and not so amused) housemates.

I got the book, I read the book–shoving aside other planned reading–because I’m just that excited about this author’s work.

Looking forward to reading and reviewing Housemates #74, the good lord willing.

Interested? You can find PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT on Goodreads, and Amazon.

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

About the Author:
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.

signal boost

Happy Book Birthday to PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

Hi there! I’m so excited to get the word out on a new contemporary M/M New Adult romance from Jay Northcote. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT is the third book in her Housemates series, and can be enjoyed as a standalone. Though, to be honest, I’m sure you’ll enjoy HELPING HAND and LIKE A LOVER, too.

HousematesI’ll be sharing a review for this one in a couple weeks, but you can check out the tasty tidbit, and get in on the giveaway, below.

Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates, #3)About the book:
Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.
Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.

Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.

They work their way through Dev’s sex-to-do list, but what starts as a perfect no-strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.

How about a little taste?

Sitting on his bed, Dev yawned, his full stomach making him sleepy. He stared at his phone as he contemplated calling home but decided he couldn’t face it tonight. He loved his mum, but she did tend to bang on. Once she got him on the line, she’d end up talking for ages and asking him a million questions he was too tired to answer. Instead, he sent his mum a quick text.
All moved in, everything’s good. I’m shattered now so I’m going to have an early night. I’ll call you tomorrow.
She replied within seconds as though she’d been waiting for him to call.
Okay sweetie, glad you’re settled. Sleep well xxx
He picked up his notepad and crossed off phone home. Texting counted. He also crossed off everything else on his list for today.
That was Saturday done. Dev set his notepad aside, opened his laptop, and pulled up his lists app. He liked his notepad for day-to- day organisation; it gave him a certain satisfaction to cross out the things he’d done and to get to the end of the day with all the tasks completed. But for longer-term planning, he kept his lists on his Mac, synced to his phone.

For the first time in six months, Dev could breathe again. Finally he had a safe place where he could get back on track and look to the future. He began to type.
Things To Do This Term
Make some friends
Learn to cook
Research sex stuff
Join Grindr
Get some experience
Find a boyfriend
He stared at the words on the screen and sighed. That seemed like a lot of things to aim for. But it was good to have goals, right? Jez and Mac seemed really nice, so hopefully Dev was already on his way to achieving the first objective. And that bloke Ewan… Dev’s mind conjured up the image of the flame-haired hunk who lived next door. Ewan had been friendly.
Maybe there was potential there too.

I can tell you this is a sweet and sexy read! I devoured it…and look forward to sharing my review soon.

Interested? You can find PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT on Goodreads, and Amazon.

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

About the Author:
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.

signal boost

Finding Love Could SET ME FREE–Excerpt and Giveaway!

BannerTemplate(24)
Hi there! Today I’m helping to spread the word on a new contemporary M/M romance from Kitty Stephens. SET ME FREE is a

Be sure to drop below and enter the giveaway for a $25 GC or one of FIVE ebooks of SET ME FREE.
Set Me Free 1600px FRONT (Smashwords, Amazon)
About the book:
When an affluent college-bound boy falls for a young artist, he must choose between the life that’s been mapped out for him and the chance at true love.

How about a little taste?

They found a secluded spot to sit off the main drag and scarfed down pieces of pizza and people-watched. Aaron had been full of nerves earlier, but Lucky put him at ease. He had that way about him.

“I’ve got a few minutes left,” Lucky said when they finished their food.

They got up, sipping at their drinks as they made their way through the crowd back toward Lucky’s booth. It was now or never. He had to ask, had to get the words out, or miss his shot.

“Can I ask you something?” Lucky spoke up before Aaron could. Maybe Lucky would… Aaron held his breath, nodding. “It might sound weird.”

“Sure,” Aaron replied, his heart beating a little faster. He had no idea what was coming now; what could Lucky possibly want from him? A kiss?

“Can you take your picture for me?”

Aaron blinked at him. Lucky tilted his head off to one side and Aaron turned his head the same direction. His gaze landed on a photo booth, realization sinking in. His mouth fell open, unsure what to say. It was a little weird because they barely knew each other, but also flattering.

“I’d really like to draw you again.” Lucky seemed slightly embarrassed. “I mean, I could take pictures on my phone if that’s better for you, but that seemed creepier somehow.”

Aaron couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped at Lucky’s words, even as the idea of Lucky drawing him again and again left him breathless. “Um,” he managed to get out, glancing around at the crowd. A familiar blonde head caught his eye and he nearly choked.

Was Lyn at the carnival? Wasn’t she supposed to be with their mothers?

Aaron pulled Lucky by the hand into the photo booth and slid the curtain shut.

Lucky slid money into the slot as they sat down. His breath caught as Lucky’s hands touched his face gently. “Like this,” Lucky whispered, turning his head to the side. The camera flashed. Lucky’s fingers turned his head to the front, pulling away just in time for the camera to go off again. Once again, Lucky’s fingers turned his head to the side, only now he was facing Lucky, staring deeply into his eyes.

Aaron tried not to hyperventilate as he held Lucky’s gaze. The camera flashed for the last time but neither of them moved.

“Go out with me?” Aaron suddenly blurted out. He had to do something or he might do something even more insane, like kiss Lucky. Aaron so wasn’t ready for that yet. Lucky’s eyes widened and he smiled.

“Sure,” Lucky drawled after a moment. “When?”

It sounds sooooo sweet! 😀

I have some great insights from Kitty, too…
My name Kitty Stephens. I currently reside in Ohio, with my husband, my son, and our three guinea pigs. I’ve been an avid reader since I was very young and started writing when I was around nine or ten. Once I had internet access, I became active in fan communities and started posting my work on various fan sites. Set Me Free is my first book.

What’s the easiest thing about writing?
Creating an outline/planning out the story. The planning stages are always the easiest.

Name one author (living or dead) you’d like to write with?
Wow, maybe Chris Colfer? He’s one of my favorite actors/authors and his books are great. I think we could write something amazing.

Tell us about your cover and how it came about.
The cover of Set Me Free is of Aaron and Lucky sitting on a bench on the beach, looking out on the carnival and the ocean. We knew when we talked about the cover we wanted to involve the carnival, since it’s at the forefront of the story. We also wanted to include the ocean and the bench from the pier. The back cover also includes some art supplies, a reference to Lucky’s artwork.

Is this book part of a series? Do you have ideas that could make it into a series? If it is a series, tell us a little about it.
It is not! I considered trying to develop it that way very early on in the writing process, but I passed that idea over almost immediately. This story works better as a standalone novel.

Interested? You can find SET ME FREE on Goodreads, Interlude Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Smashwords, IndieBound, and AllRomance.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 Interlude Press Gift Card or one of FIVE E-copies of ‘Set Me Free’ by Kitty Stephens!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the author:
Kitty Stephens’ writing aspirations date back to her childhood, when she and her brother would make up stories about characters in their favorite books. She eventually started writing stories in online fan communities, and majored in English at Ohio State University. She lives in Ohio with her husband and son. Set Me Free is her first novel.

You can catch up with Kitty on her Tumblr Facebook, and Twitter.

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It’s Love…COME WHAT MAY–Review and Giveaway!

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Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary New Adult M/M romance from AM Arthur. COME WHAT MAY is a journey for one young man whose life seemed perfect…from the outside looking in. It’s got so many beautiful feels!!!

Check out the excerpt, my review and enter to win in the giveaway below!

ComeWhatMay_finalAbout the book:
Jonas needs Tate. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Or at least, he doesn’t want to admit it. Because there is no way Jonas Ashcroft is gay. He’s a straight, carefree frat boy player, just like any good son of a conservative state senator. If only his struggle to convince everyone—especially himself—didn’t leave him so miserable. No matter how many girls or bottles he drowns himself in, Jonas can neither escape nor accept who he is.

Enter Tate. He’s smart, confident, and instantly sees right through Jonas’s surly exterior. Sure, he’s done things in life he’s not proud of, but he knows who he is and what he wants. And what he wants is Jonas. As their easy friendship intensifies into something more, Tate introduces Jonas to a life he’s never known. One filled with acceptance and sex and a love that terrifies and excites them both.

But some inner demons refuse to be shaken off so easily. When Jonas’s old life barges in, he faces a shattering choice, one that could destroy everything he and Tate have fought so hard for. Sometimes love just isn’t enough—and sometimes it’s exactly what you need.

A little taste!

“It’s small,” Jonas said.

“Better than a cardboard box or foster care.” The sharpness in Tate’s voice echoed in his frown.

Jonas had never known anyone before who’d been in foster care, and saying so would probably make him the biggest douche on the planet. It also took the edge off some of his irritation over the total mindfuck that was Tate Dawson. “It’s way better than both of those things. You worked hard for this place, Tate. I haven’t worked hard for anything in my life.”

“I disagree.”

He blinked. “You do?”

“Yes, I do. I think you work very, very hard to convince yourself and the world that you’re something you’re not. I think you work very, very hard to be perfect when no one is, and the only thing anyone should ever do is just be her or himself. Be true to you, not to what others want from you.”

Jonas’s throat squeezed tight. “I can’t.”

Tate took a step closer, bringing a gentle waft of sweat and something sweet. “Why not?”

He saw the barest reflection of himself in Tate’s glasses and he didn’t like it. He stepped back. Tate snagged his wrist and held him there. The touch sent awareness buzzing across his skin, down his spine and straight to his balls. H needed to pull away before this got out of control.

And then his rebel brain decided it was a good idea to glance at Tate’s pink lips. Lips that Tate, the asshole, licked with slow swipes of his tongue.

Jonas yanked away his hand away so hard Tate stumbled. “I’m not gay, so you can get that ‘fuck the frat boy’ fantasy out of your head right now.”

Instead of being cowed, Tate planted both hands on his hips and said, “Who are you trying to convince? Because it’s just you and me in this room, and I’m not the one who brought up your sexuality. You did.”

Damn him. “Why won’t you leave me alone?”

Tate’s gaze drifted over his face as he sought for words. “Because every time we’re together I can tell you’re struggling with something. You put up this lone wolf front to keep people at arm’s length so you don’t have to work so hard to pretend, but it’s exhausting you. Jonas, you can be yourself with me. Whoever that is.”

“I can’t.” Talking was getting harder around the lump in his throat. His heart was kicking too fast and his chest ached.

“Look me in the eye.” Tate closed the three strides between them, then curled a warm hand around the back of Jonas’s neck. “Look me in the eye and say you don’t want to kiss me right now.”

My Review:

Jonas is a closeted junior in college sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Delaware to keep him out of the spotlight after he’s expelled from school in a frat-hazing-stunt-gone-wrong. Jonas has had a hard time living up to the perfect ideals of his strict, conservative parents, and suffers from a possible learning disability his folks won’t accept.

Living with his aunt and uncle is a totally new world. Financially, they don’t have much, but they share with real joy. They take care of their own, and more: they have tenants above their garage, Tate and his two younger sisters.

Tate is a 23 y/o out gay man who’s not ashamed at his years of tricking to keep his family fed. Tate and his sisters were orphaned when he was just 16, and he fought hard to win their custody–not before they were both in bad spots in foster care. Tate strives to always put them first, especially his youngest sister Marnie who was assaulted and still suffers PTSD.

Tate is immediately attracted to Jonas, who’s a right godly male specimen. Jonas is afraid of the feelings that Tate stirs, but can’t help being awed by Tate’s sheer awesomeness. Did I mention Tate runs (with his good friends) a homeless shelter for LGBT teens who’ve been kicked out by their parents? Yeah, Tate’s the stand-up man Jonas would love to be. And that admiration allows Jonas to finally drop his facade. He’s known he was gay for some time, but lives in fear of his parents cutting him off.

Of course, being in Delaware with his loving and open extended family–and Tate–allows Jonas to cut loose in a way he never could in college. And, Jonas pretty much loves it. Expect a lot of real hard times, though, because Daddy Dearest is one for the Internet Shame Awards.

I seriously fell into this book. It was such a heart-tugger, and really allowed these two young guys to explore a solid first relationship–one that was definitely heading into “forever” territory in the HEA ending. Jonas gets the help he needs to be a fully functional adult, one not beholden to his father’s homophobic and controlling whims. Tate learns that he has to let go of his guilt surrounding the years he couldn’t keep Addyson and Marnie protected, and build a new and brighter future for them, and himself, with Jonas.

There are some awesome secondary characters, and I’m sure we’ll be lucky enough to experience their love stories going forward. I really ache for Marc and hope he finds a forever man.

The whole “gay teen homeless shelter” background was fantastic, and wonderfully rendered. It was clear exactly how razor-thin the operating budgets of these (unfortunately!!) necessary centers are, and I loved how Jonas did his very best to make Tate’s place more financially solvent. I can only hope that a reconciliation for Jonas and his parents is on the horizon, and that a hefty donation from them will keep the doors open and the kids fed.

Interested? You can find COME WHAT MAY on Goodreads, Carina Press, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a $25 gc to Amazon or Barnes & Noble–winner’s choice!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. A.M. Arthur’s work is available from Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, and SMP Swerve.

When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

Catch up with Ms. Arthur on her website, Facebook, twitter, and Tumblr.

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Cover Reveal for BEDMATES!

Hi there! I’m sharing a cover for a new contemporary romance form best-selling author Nichole Chase. I really liked FLUKES and THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN, and BEDMATES looks like it’s going to be a good one!

BEDMATES_CoverAbout the book:

Everyone makes mistakes, especially in college. But when you’re the daughter of the President of the United States, any little slip up is a huge embarrassment. Maddie McGuire’s latest error in judgment lands her in police custody, giving the press a field day. Agreeing to do community service as penance and to restore her tattered reputation, Maddie never dreams incredibly good looking but extremely annoying vice president’s son, Jake Simmon, will be along for the ride.
Recently returning from Afghanistan with a life-altering injury, Jake is wrestling with his own demons. He doesn’t have the time or patience to deal with the likes of Maddie. They’re like oil and water and every time they’re together, it’s combustible. But there’s a thin line between love and hate, and it’s not long before their fiery arguments give way to infinitely sexier encounters.
When Jake receives devastating news about the last remaining member of his unit, the darkness he’s resisted for so long begins to overwhelm him. Scared to let anyone close, he pushes Maddie away. But she isn’t about to give up on Jake that easily. Maddie’s fallen for him, and she’ll do anything to keep him from the edge as they both discover that love is a battlefield and there are some fights you just can’t lose.
Interested? You can find BEDMATES on Goodreads, for now! It releases in October.
About the Author:
Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal and Recklessly Royal. She lives in Georgia with her husband, toddler, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not devouring novels by the dozens, you can find her writing, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

You can catch up with Nichole on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

They Had to FIGHT TO FORGIVE–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary M/M reconnection romance from j leigh bailey. FIGHT TO FORGIVE is a sweet and tender story about childhood besties, and later sweethearts, that got derailed, yet find each other again, at a time when they really need a good friend to lean upon. I really liked NOBODY’S HERO and RECKLESS HOPE, so I was eager to dive into this one!

Fight to Forgive (Letting Go, #3)About the book:
Recent college grad Aaron Elliott is a pro when it comes to avoiding conflict. So when he hears his mother and stepfather plan to sell the family’s rambling summer retreat, it takes everything in him to object. The lake house is where he feels closest to his late father. It’s where he fell in love with his best friend…and it’s where he let family pressure decide his future rather than following his heart.

A combat injury has naval officer James “Freddie” Fredrick dry-docked, possibly for good. But the pain in his shoulder is nothing like the hurt he feels when he sees Aaron back in town. It’s been four years since the love of his life left without a word—and though Freddie would give anything to deny it, the heat between them hasn’t faded.

Once upon a time, Aaron let Freddie go without a fight. He won’t screw up their second chance to have a happy ending. But unless he makes peace with the past, Freddie won’t be able to face their future.

My Review:
This is the third book in a series that can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Aaron and Freddie were childhood besties and high school sweethearts who are now reconnecting after a four-year silence.

Aaron’s family is wealthy, and they have a summer home, Elliott House, in Door County, Wisconsin–the place of peace Aaron relished living in, as opposed to the palatial Chicago Gold Coast digs. His late father fostered a deep love of books and literature, a love that Aaron wants to pursue with a Masters degree, but his mother and stepfather have been pressing him to join his stepfather’s marketing firm. Aaron gets physically ill from confrontation–likely due to the tumultuous relationship his mother and father shared. He’s standing up for himself, now, however, when he learns that his father specifically bequeathed him Elliott House and his mother is attempting to sell it without his consent. He vows to go and spend the summer in the house, reconnecting with his memories–of his father, not his love for Freddie.

Freddie is a bisexual, biracial Navy boat pilot on medical leave as he recuperates from fallout of a mission gone wrong. He’s unsure if he’ll regain enough use of his arm to return to active duty, and that fear is making him despondent. He’s especially upset when his sister–Nessa–has her plans to purchase Elliott House and make it a B & B derailed by the return of his first–and only–love, Aaron. Freddie’s still frustrated about Aaron’s abrupt departure four summers ago, when he literally ran off the night of his own mother’s second wedding, with a brief note leaving no explanation.

Aaron had never expected Freddie would remain faithful to him–he’s not female, and Freddie always dated girls, before him. Plus, no one knew their relationship had moved from friendship to physical. Aaron was afraid outing Freddie would cause him to break things off. While Aaron played the dutiful son to his mother, socializing at her wedding and avoiding claiming Freddie, he also experienced dramatic heartbreak–witnessing an apparent tryst between Freddie and a girl. That night stands between them, and is responsible for a host of rash decisions that might have been avoided by having a simple conversation. Thing is, I got the disconnect: they were 18 y/o and headstrong and foolish. Aaron left, Freddie freaked and joined the Navy. Their new lives are really only getting started, and a summertime reconnection will likely be too much heartache and trouble. Unfortunately, Freddie’s family adores Aaron, and actively invites him to be the same bosom friend they had always known. Freddie doesn’t want to relive their nightmare, and Aaron’s too meek to confront Freddie about his observations. Their interactions are very strained. At first…

I liked how this unfolded. Aaron’s a mouse of a man, and I could accept that given his age and history. I liked how he grew up in this book. His mother’s more than happy to dump all the house business on her book-educated, but reality-slash-adulting-feckless son, hoping that he’ll fail and she’ll get what she actually wants: money. Freddie is constantly around to pick up Aaron’s shattered pieces, because Freddie’s a man of action. He makes a decision and sticks with it–and being Aaron’s protector is a decision he made years prior. But Aaron doesn’t just dump everything on Freddie, he researches and makes choices that benefit others–mostly–but he makes them of his own free will, and takes stands that are important to him. This I liked. It showed maturity that Aaron had lacked.

I also liked the interracial issues these boys faced. Having spent some time in rural/leisure area Wisconsin, I could relate to Freddie’s struggle as a (mostly) black kid–and I also got how that was no issue for cosmopolitan Aaron. I say “mostly” because Freddie is mixed-race and this poses unique issues of being neither black nor white “enough” for different factions.  It’s a real situation, and Freddie had residual anger from growing up in a locale where he was often considered lesser–for myriad reasons, but often for his skin color.

There are secondary players in the book who have vested interests in Aaron keeping or selling the house–and their motives are hard to tease out, at first. Aaron’s inability to decide actually leads to revelations about his family, and That Night, which have Aaron kicking himself. It’s another big reason he grows as a character. There could have been more drama here, but, again, Aaron’s too conflict-averse to hand out the smackdowns that were definitely earned. It made sense, even if it was a little less satisfying. Who doesn’t love when a jerk gets what’s coming, amiright?

I think the end was realistic, in that neither man was sacrificing his dreams–instead they recognized the commitments the other had made, and respected that. Their long track record of long-distance friendship and romance gave me the sense that they’d weather the storms of separation well, and come out a strong, united, couple when they completed schooling and enlistment.

Interested? You can find FIGHT TO FORGIVE on Goodreads, Carina Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the author:
j. leigh bailey is an office drone by day and the author of New Adult and Young Adult LGBT Romance by night. She can usually be found with her nose in a book or pressed up against her computer monitor. A book-a-day reading habit sometimes gets in the way of… well, everything…but some habits aren’t worth breaking. She’s been reading romance novels since she was ten years old. The last twenty years or so have not changed her voracious appetite for stories of romance, relationships and achieving that vitally important Happy Ever After. She’s a firm believer that everyone, no matter their gender, age, sexual orientation or paranormal affiliation deserves a happy ending.

She wrote her first story at seven, which was, unbeknownst to her at the time, a charming piece of fan-fiction in which Superman battled (and defeated, of course) the nefarious X Luther. She was quite put out to be told, years later, that the character’s name was actually Lex. Her second masterpiece should have been a best-seller, but the action-packed tale of rescuing her little brother from an alligator attack in the marshes of Florida collected dust for years under the bed instead of gaining critical acclaim.

Now she writes New Adult and Young Adult LGBT Romance novels about boys traversing the crazy world of love, relationships and acceptance.

You can find j. leigh online on Facebook, her Facebook Author Page, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Thanks for popping, and keep reading my friends!

Yay! Out Today! THE MATCHMAKER’S PLAYBOOK–Review and Giveaway!

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Hi there! I’m so excited to share a release day review for a sassy New Adult romance from best-selling author Rachel Van Dyken. The first book in her new Wingman Inc. series, THE MATCHMAKER’S PLAYBOOK features a former NFL recruit and the hidden gem he discovers while trying to get her oblivious crush to open his eyes…

Catch the review, and excerpt, trailer and the giveaway below.

VanDyken-TheMatchmakersPlaybook-21818-CV-FT-v5About the book:
Wingman rule number one: don’t fall for a client.

After a career-ending accident, former NFL recruit Ian Hunter is back on campus—and he’s ready to get his new game on. As one of the masterminds behind Wingmen, Inc., a successful and secretive word-of-mouth dating service, he’s putting his extensive skills with women to work for the lovelorn. But when Blake Olson requests the services of Wingmen, Inc., Ian may have landed his most hopeless client yet.

From her frumpy athletic gear to her unfortunate choice of footwear, Blake is going to need a miracle if she wants to land her crush. At least with a professional matchmaker by her side she has a fighting chance. Ian knows that his advice and a makeover can turn Blake into another successful match. But as Blake begins the transformation from hot mess to smokin’ hot, Ian realizes he’s in danger of breaking his cardinal rule…

How about a little taste?

The Matchmakers Playbook Creed
1. Head held high.
2. Always smile.
3. Never slouch.
4. Wear clothes appropriate to the season.
5. Let him open the door.
6. No kissing on the first date.
7. He comes to you.
8. Lingering is frowned upon.
9. NO Facebook stalking.
10. NO STALKING stalking.
11. Don’t be too available.
12. Listen to Lex and Ian.
13. See Number 12.
14. No seriously, go back, re-read #12.
15. If after one week you aren’t satisfied, we will dissolve the contract.

“If you  hurt her, I’m going to break off your favorite appendage.”

“Silly Gabi.” I grinned. “Is that an invitation to touch?”

“Guarantee  if I ever do touch you, it will only end badly.”

“Tease.” I winked.

“Stop that.” She flicked me on the nose. “Your sexual prowess is dead to me. Dead!”

Rolling my eyes, I wrapped an arm around her and steered us both into the kitchen, where the smell of French bread and spaghetti filled the air. “Have I told you how much I miss our weekly dinners? Think we should do it daily? You know, so I don’t starve?”

Gabi shrugged out of my embrace. “Learn how to cook.”

I jutted out my lower lip. “It’s not for lack of knowledge.” I broke off a piece of warm bread, then poured myself a large glass of wine. “It’s because yours always tastes better.”

Gabi groaned loudly. “Damn, do the girls really fall for that? Still?”

“Eh.” I shrugged and made a so-so motion with my hand. “Nine out of ten.”

“You disgust me.”

“You say that every day.”

“Because it’s true every day.”

“When’s dinner ready?” Serena bounced into the room, literally, her head bobbing from left to right. Maybe that’s how girls like her built up more brain cells. They shook the air, and the pressure between their ears exploded, making tiny little brain-cell babies.

Gabi poked her head into the fridge. “When Lex gets here.”

“So it’s ready now?” she asked.

Never mind. No brain-cell babies. I fought the urge to point to the steaming spaghetti and bread sitting on the breakfast bar. Didn’t it look ready, kiddo?

“Technically,” I answered for Gabi. “But we aren’t eating”—I stressed the word “eating” even though I’d just taken some bread—“until my sidekick gets here.”

“Sidekick, huh?” Serena crossed her arms, forcing her boobs to kiss one another and nearly hit her in the chin.

“Oh, I thought you knew.” I gave her a sad face. “I’m the hero in this scenario . . . Even own my own cape. He’s basically the Robin to my Batman.”

“Batman’s hot.”

“So is Robin,” Gabi said defensively.

Whoa. Did she just defend Lex? I felt her forehead. She pushed my hand away and handed me some parmesan cheese.

The door flew open, and Lex stepped through, holding up two bottles of Cab. “Sorry, traffic was shit.”

“Language,” Gabi called.

Lex and I shared a look before Lex stomped over to the swear jar and tossed in a dollar bill.

My Review:
Ian Hunter is a class A womianizing jackass who’s decided his prowess with the ladies is best cultivated into a Love Coach business. Together with his best friend Lex, Ian is the “superman” of getting shlumpy co-eds the man-boys of their dreams. And, then he goes off to find some tail on his own. Lex is no better, they both screw first, take names later–but only with the “dumb girls” who are only in it for a one-nighter.

The girls who seek out Wingmen Inc’s pricey services are highly vetted, as are their conquests. Ian, All-American bad boy, gives them style tips and dating rules. He uses his own reputation and persona to goad the unsuspecting males into jealousy-induced courting, and the girls are mostly (99%) satisfied.

It’s all going great until Ian’s newest client is one he doesn’t want to let go to her Prince Charming. Blake is the roommate of his best gal-pal, Gabi. She’s fit and fun, but is a tomboy in love with her childhood bestie, David. David sees Blake as a boy, mostly, and Ian’s charmed by her sassiness and girl-next-door looks. Ian never pursues his clients, but he’s never met a girl like Blake, and he senses the same isolation and loneliness in her that he, as an orphan, struggles with daily. the more time he spends coaching Blake through the steps, the more he wants Blake to decide David isn’t the man for her.

This is a romance, and Ian is an antihero. He’s meant to come off as brash and ridiculous, to a degree, and boy does he nail that. His commentary, both internal and in dialogue, is so wholly sexist it’s almost intolerable. For the first half of the book I wished Gabi would bite the bullet and actually smother Ian with a pillow while he slept, as she repeatedly threatened. I can’t say that I warmed to him in the second half, but I could see that he made changes in his own behavior that signaled both maturity and self-sacrifice–absolutely new concepts for him where women were concerned. He’s slightly sympathetic, on account of having been an orphan a long time, and also his NFL career-ending injury–before his career even began. I did like how he loved Blake, and how he made her well-being his focus, even against his desires and interests. It’s Ian who tells the story, and the one readers need to bond with, and I was able to enjoy the book almost despite him.

It’s clear that the next book will be a battle of wills for Lex and Gabi, both have a hate-hate experience going on. It sounds intriguing.

Catch the book trailer here:

Interested? You can find THE MATCHMAKER’S PLAYBOOK on Goodreads and Amazon (US, UK, CA and AU).

****GIVEAWAY****

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win your very own Boyfriend-in-a-Box, courtesy of Wingmen Inc. You’re welcome.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

rachelborderAbout the Author:
Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!

You can connect with Rachel on her website, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, twitter or sign up for her newsletter.

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Figuring Life Out on THE ROAD TO AMAZING–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new book in the Futon Years contemporary M/M romance series from Brent Hartinger. THE ROAD TO AMAZING is a fantastic book, and I think it can even be enjoyed with out reading the two previous books in the series, THE THING I DIDN’T KNOW I DIDN’T KNOW and BAREFOOT IN THE CITY OF BROKEN DREAMS. That said, I know I enjoyed it most because I have read those two books. Russel Middlebrook and Kevin Land are getting MARRIED!

The Road to AmazingAbout the book:
“I think gay guys like weddings more than anyone. And it’s not because we want to destroy marriage, like some people say. It’s because we really, really want to get married!”

Russel Middlebrook is gettin’ hitched!

The wedding is taking place in a remote lodge on an island in Puget Sound. Russel and his husband-to-be have invited all their close friends to spend the whole weekend together beforehand.

And for the first time in his life, Russel is determined to not be neurotic, and not over-think things.

But that’s before things start going wrong. Who expected a dead killer whale to wash up on the beach below the inn? And what’s this about a windstorm approaching? Then there’s the problem of Russel’s anxious fiancé, who is increasingly convinced the whole thing is going to be a disaster.

Meanwhile, the wedding is taking place near the ruins of a small town, Amazing, where, a hundred years earlier, the people supposedly all disappeared overnight. Why does it feel like the secret at the end of the road to Amazing has something to do with Russel’s own future?

Can Russel’s friends Min, Gunnar, Vernie, and Otto somehow help him make it all make sense?

The Road to Amazing, the final book in the Russel Middlebrook Futon Years trilogy, is a story about endings and beginnings, and also about growing up and growing older. But mostly it’s a story about love and friendship—about how it’s not the destination that makes a life amazing, but the people you meet along the way.

My Review:

Sometimes a book just sucks me in so hard that I almost cannot break away to do anything functional, like eat, or use the toilet. This book was close to that status. Russel Middlebrook’s voice is one that can take adjusting to, mostly because he’s a plain talker. He’ll speak his truth all day long, even if that truth is unreliable. And neurotic. I think I have a tiny crush on him.

Okay, enough of the fangirling. Russel and Kevin have known each other since middle school. Their on-again-off-again relationship has been documented in several books but they’ve been full-on for the past few years and are engaged to be married, and this book is all about the wedding weekend, and the zany bits that go totally wrong.

They rent a beautiful house, the Amazing Inn, on Vashon Island, Washington, and invite their closest friends: Min, Gunnar, Otto, Vernie and Nate, plus Min’s girlfriend, to arrive on Friday evening and stay for the whole weekend until the wedding ceremony on Sunday afternoon.

Kevin and Russel have been living in LA for the past couple of years and they really miss their good friends who still all live in Seattle, for the most part. This weekend is all about reconnecting, but soon it becomes calamitous. Like the forecasted storm that’s going to shove the ceremony from the epic deck overlooking the Puget Sound into the living area, or the dead orca that seems to take over the beach with its rotting stink, among other issues that nearly cause cool-headed Kevin to flip his wig.

See, Kevin has always been the grounding force in their relationship. Russel tends to get locked into his head, imagining a million worst-case scenarios, and this book flips that script. Kevin agonizes over each misadventure while Russel becomes the problem solver. And Gunnar. That certified genius expands his out-of-the-box strategy to save the day, literally, time and time again.

I felt like I was on a sun-dappled raft floating along a warm vista-filled river while reading this book. I was so engaged with Russel, and his determination to be positive and productive. His connection to all his friends, Min, Gunnar, Vernie and Otto particularly, was really special. He was in the zone, speaking to them from his heart, and learning about them and himself in the same moment. That’s the cool thing about deep friendship, being able to reveal your insecurities and know that you’ll be taken seriously. Russel had several “movie moments,” as Vernie calls them, of connection in the course of the weekend. Except, not with Kevin.

Kevin is determined to make the right show of his wedding, to prove that he’s serious about Russel, and his adult life, to all they’ve invited to assemble. Let’s remember that both Kevin and Russel are 25 years old. This is their first super-serious relationship, and they both have a sense of needing to prove themselves. Each issue that erupts to derail Kevin’s perfect wedding plans seems to also erode Kevin’s confidence and makes him a bit prickly. Russel does his best to assuage these concerns, but he’s still figuring life out, too. And his missteps make for delicious make-ups. Public (secluded) sex, anyone?

I’ll be honest, when I read the blurb for this book–after reading the actual book–I felt wistful and melancholy. I’m not ready to be done with Russel and Kevin. The Futon Years may be over, but I’m crossing my fingers for a Pacifier Years series where Russel has an unforeseen and equally dramatic change of heart and perhaps agrees to adopt some shrill and stinky youngins he cares for with his wide and deep love. A girl can dream.

Interested? You can find THE ROAD TO AMAZING on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.

About Brent Hartinger:
I am Brent Hartinger, and I live to write.

For the last twenty years, I have made my living writing just about everything that involves words.

My most famous book is probably my 2003 gay teen novel, Geography Club, which has been adapted into a feature film starring Scott Bakula, Marin Hinkle, Ana Gasteyer, Justin Deeley, and Nikki Blonsky. It was released in selected theaters and on VOD on November 15, 2013.

You can find Brent on his website, Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!