Month: August 2015

A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Lead Me Not by Ann Gallagher

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Lead Me Not coverIsaac Morris strongly believes in spreading the word of the Lord as he firmly and loudly protests homosexuality at rallies organized by his church at any and all LGBTQ pride gatherings. Following in the footsteps of his father, the leader of the church which has a zero tolerance for that type of sexual deviant Sodomizer, he and his brothers are being groomed to take over the flock when, and if, his father retires. At one such protest, a gay man challenges him to prove that being homosexual is a choice. Stunned, Isaac begins to think through the possibilities of proving that one can choose to be homosexual and one can choose to come back to the Lord and be heterosexual again.

His twin sister, Ruth, encourages him and helps him to convince their father and older brothers that their plan is sound. Their nephew Griffin has been struggling with being gay and is due to be sent to a special camp as a last resort to save him. His father, Isaac’s brother John, supports the project in the hope that it will help Griffin see that he can become “normal” through a conscious decision to change. Ruth, a film major, and Isaac, a recently divorced man, have nothing to lose by setting up a house in Seattle to film a documentary while Isaac infiltrates the gay community to prove being gay is a choice. Motivated by the knowledge that he is helping Griffin and others like him, Isaac stifles his nausea at having to do this project. Focusing on the hope that he can help lead those sinners back to God, they move forward with their plan.

His first foray into attempting a hookup ends up with him being bashed in the alley behind the bar, CapitalOUT. Colton, one of the bartenders, accompanies the bouncers as they head into the alley to break up the fight and rescue the guy. It’s Colton who treats Isaac’s wounds and extends the hand of comfort, healing, and friendship to Isaac. And it’s Colton, whom Isaac turns to when he decides he needs some guidance before attempting this again. Colton is a sweet, quiet, confidant man who conveys a soft-spoken attitude and acceptance of the Lord’s way in most everything he does. Colton volunteers all his spare time at his church, a church which welcomes and supports LGBTQ members and provides a youth center for those teens who have been abandoned by their families.

Pastor Mike once saved Colton from the same fate, and Colton is firm about giving back to the church which saved his life. Over time, Isaac finally acknowledges that the church is based on love and respect for all who seek the Lord, and he has lengthy discussions and debates with the pastor about the sections of the Bible his father uses as a basis for his hatred of homosexuality. Pastor Mike shows Isaac a different interpretation and suggests that Isaac’s father is using the Bible for his own means to spread hatred, rather than love. (To clarify here, no one knows who Isaac’s father actually is.)

Isaac also discovers that he has feelings for Colton, feelings he never felt for his wife, and feelings which scare him. How can he come to care for a man? Is he really gay? Can he possibly go back when this film production is done? And can he break the heart of the wonderful man he’s come to care for? The decision is taken from his hands when his brothers discover his confidential video of his private thoughts about each situation he’s been thrown in. They also discover that he works now as a bartender at CaptialOUT, and they come storming in to pull him away— but not before revealing his secret to Colton— a secret which clearly devastates Colton and tears the couple apart before they ever have a chance to commit to each other.

This is an absolutely wonderful story. It’s long, and non-explicit, but that seems of little importance as it clearly shows the depth of love two men can have for each other. This story is not so much about the sexual attraction as it is about other things that attract one person to another. The beauty of the soul of a man, his goodness shining through, the buildup of trust between two people and yes, even the butterflies in the tummy when their gazes meet across a room.

What happens to Isaac and Colton and how the issues are resolved is both fascinating and engaging and I quickly reached the point where I didn’t want to put the book down. I highly recommend this story to all lovers of M/M romance, and especially to those who struggle with the arguments related to religion and homosexuality and the “word of God” in the Bible. I found the story quite educational and enlightening without feeling as if I were sitting at the foot of a preacher and being spoon-fed Bible studies. This story is also great because it can be shared with family members who prefer to read non-explicit romances or those who may be considered too young to read such stories. I can summarize by saying that when I finished the book, I was stunned by the powerful message and the depth of feeling conveyed to readers. Don’t hesitate to read this one.

~~~~~
Cover Art by L.C. Chase depicts two men, representing the MCs, standing against a background of a crowd of protesters holding up homophobic placards.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 415 pages
Expected publication: August 24th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
original title Lead Me Not
ISBN 1626492778 (ISBN13: 9781626492776)
edition language English
characters Isaac Morris, Colton Roberts
settingSeattle, Washington (United States)

Coffee Break Highlight: Ann Gallagher on Lead Me Not and Future Projects for Her and Her Alter Egos! (guest post and giveaway)

Lead Me Not cover

Lead Me Not by Ann Gallagher
Publisher: Riptide Publishing

Cover Artist:  L. C. Chase
Sales Link:  Riptide Publishing

LeadMeNot_TourBanner

 

Welcome to the Riptide Publishing/Ann Gallagher blog tour for Lead Me Not!

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (including books written as L.A. Witt and Lauren Gallagher, excluding Lead Me Not) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on August 29. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. Entries. Don’t forget to leave your email so we can contact you if you win!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Prizes provided by Riptide Publishing and the author.

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So what’s next for Ann Gallagher & Co?

Lead Me Not prompted me to add a new pen name to my ever-growing roster. (I swear, I’m stopping at five. I do not need more. Please, please, no more…) So now that Ann Gallagher has one book out there, what’s next?

I honestly don’t know much more I’ll be writing in the Christian/inspirational genre (I simply haven’t come up with any additional ideas, though that’s not to say they won’t happen down the line), but I also don’t want Ann to be a one trick pony. So, chances are, she will be required to wear multiple hats just like my other names. This name will most likely be LGBTQ, focusing on sweet romances (not limited to Christian romances) and Young Adult.

And yes, I am expanding into YA next year. I have two YA romances in the works, and a third YA book that likely won’t be a romance.

Speaking of my herd of pen names, here’s what’s next for everyone else:

L.A. Witt is the busiest of the bunch. What He Left Behind (an erotic menage from Samhain Publishing) just came out, and Running With Scissors (a rock star romance) will be out on August 31st. Also in the offing, Rain Shadow (a new Bluewater Bay book) this fall, followed by If The Seas Catch Fire (erotic suspense with Mafia shenanigans) in November, and a kinky office romance called Not Safe For Work in December. And there are several co-written projects which will be announced as they’re completed.

Lauren Gallagher has a hetero release in October called The Virgin Cowboy Billionaire’s Secret Baby (yes, really), and a bisexual ménage called The Best Laid Plans, which is due out in February. Also in the works is Stuck Landing, the first lesbian book in the Bluewater Bay series.

Diana Fyre is working on two horror novels, which will be announced sometime in 2016.
And finally, Lori A. Witt is working on Mythos, a non-romance science fiction novel; a dystopian spec-fic story; and a sequel to The Tide of War.

There are a few other projects going on that will be announced in 2016, so stay tuned!

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Lead Me Not cover

Blurb

Isaac Morris has devoted his life to preaching against the sin of homosexuality. But when his sister proposes a documentary to demonstrate once and for all that it’s a choice—with Isaac choosing to be gay as proof—he balks. Until he learns his nephew is headed down that perverted path. Isaac will do anything to convince the teenager he can choose to be straight . . . including his sister’s film.

When Isaac’s first foray into the gay lifestyle ends with a homophobic beating, he’s saved and cared for by Colton Roberts, a gentle, compassionate bartender with a cross around his neck. Colton challenges every one of Isaac’s deeply held beliefs about gay men. He was kicked out by homophobic parents, saved from the streets by a kind pastor, and is now a devout Christian. Colton’s sexuality has cost him dearly, but it also brought him to God.

As the two grow closer, everything Isaac knows about homosexuality, his faith, and himself is called into question. And if he’s been wrong all along, what does that mean for his ministry, his soul, his struggling nephew—and the man he never meant to love?

Lead Me Not is available August 24th from Riptide Publishing.

   About the Author and her many Identities!

Ann Gallagher is the slightly more civilized alter ego of  L.A. Witt,   Lauren Gallagher, and Lori A. Witt. So she tells herself, anyway. When she isn’t wreaking havoc on Spain with her husband and trusty two-headed Brahma bull, she writes romances just like her wilder counterparts, but without all the heat. She is also far too mature to get involved in the petty battle between L.A. and Lauren, but she’s seriously going to get even with Lori for a certain incident that shall not be discussed publicly.

Connect with Ann:

  • Website:  \n _blankhttp://loriawitt.com
  • Author Blog:   \n _blankhttp://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com
  • 
Personal Blog:   \n _blankhttp://navywifeadventures.blogspot.
  • Twitter: @GallagherWitt
  • Facebook:  http://facebook.com//L-A-Witt-MM-Fiction

[Our Barb the Zany Old Lady 5 Star Review follows]

A MelanieM Review: The Shepherd and the Solicitor by Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

When a storm is brewing, taking shelter could be the most dangerous move of all.

The Shepherd and the Solicitor coverOne careless, public sign of affection cost Daniel Pierce’s lover his life at the hands of a hate-filled mob. Grief-stricken, Daniel retreated from society to a sheep farm in the wilds of the north. Years later, Gregory Tobin erupts into his solitary life.

Sent to confirm the existence—or the death—of the Pierce family’s lost heir, Tobin isn’t sure he’s found the right man. The gruff, shaggy hermit calling himself Jacob Bennet bears little resemblance to photographs of the younger Pierce. Tobin needs more time to study his quarry.

With lambing season in full swing, Daniel grudgingly admits he could use an extra hand. Through a long, exhausting night, they parry back and forth as Tobin probes closer and closer to the truth. And something beyond casual attraction simmers between them.

They come together in a crash of desire, but ultimately Daniel must overcome the terrors of the past to reconcile the man he was with the man he’s becoming—a man capable of loving again.

In The Shepherd and the Solicitor, authors Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee effortlessly bring 1883 Yorkshire to life, allowing  their readers to sink into many levels of society and culture of that age through their novel and characters.  A lover of historic fiction, especially historic romance, that blurb attracted me with its wounded withdrawn main character and the man sent to find him and return him to society.  The authors delivered not only on the promise of their synopsis but gave me a story that let me feel a part of a small community struggling for survival on the edge of a moor. Do I love this story?  Oh, yes I do!

Let’s start with the characterizations first.  Its the death of Daniel Pierce’s lover at a mob that the impetus for his  flight.  Wrong place, wrong time, one tiny gesture that gets noticed by the wrong person and a mob is ignited.  Daniel barely escapes with his life, his lover perishes as a police officer watches.  Emotionally destroyed, Daniel abandons everyone and everything he associates with his lover’s death and disappears.

When the story picks up the Board of Directors of the Pierce family firm is looking for the lost heir,  He must be found so the company’s majority shares Daniel owns can be either sold or handled for control of the firm.  The job is given to a young solicitor Gregory Tobin, a middle man in his firm,  He considers this job tedious but intends to carry it out responsibility and throughly.  And that and a slight clue has lead him to the wilds of Yorkshire, muddy roads and an almost inhabitable inn.

With each character (primary and otherwise), Devon and Dee set up their portraits complete with the correct set of clothing and footwear appropriate to their stations and lifestyles, their speech patterns matches their professions (lost and current), and even the books left scattered around Daniel/Jacob’s cottage is perfect for the times and education of the man in question.  The authors don’t hit us over the head with their research but stash it away in the narrative in bits and pieces so we notice it as we would looking around someone’s room or house.  It feels natural and believable.

A element I delighted in was the flocks of sheep and sheep dogs being raised by Jacob.  The reader along with Gregory get quite the introduction into the rough life of a shepherd in 1883, from the exhaustion, pain, and joys of lambing to the bare minimum existence of Daniel/Jacob’s cottage. Through lively, vivid descriptions Gregory’s initiation into that life becomes ours as well, those passages making us laugh and often sniffle.  When Gregory names a triplet of lambs after three solicitors in his office, his reasons and descriptions will sending you giggling.  And when a ewe rejects her lamb and they desperately search for a solution, its feels raw, real and urgent .

That brings us to the element of romance.  If you like your romance to be quick, hot and heavy, then this is probably not the romance story for you.  Devon and Dee have made Daniel’s pain and trauma over the death of his lover palpable.  That event caused him to totally withdraw from the world as he knew it, becoming someone totally different overtime.  And time is what it takes for Gregory to start to break through those barriers and keep within the social restraints of the 1800’s respectability. Theirs is a slow build towards friendship and a romantic relationship.  Its a tight balancing act, one that Daniel has lost once and is not sure he is brave enough to reach for again.  I was deeply engaged in this romance and loved every slow step they took towards each other.

I even loved the ending, maybe the denouement was stretching it a little but by that time, I didn’t care whether it was as realistic as the rest of the story.  I loved it and I loved the solution that the authors came up with for Daniel and Gregory, that was close to perfection.

I highly recommend this story. Even if you normally don’t read historic romance, you will love this couple and their story of love and devotion.  Its heartwarming and beautifully written.  I may not ever want to have lived in the 1800’s but through the writing of Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee, I  feel as though I have visited there for a while.  And had a wonderful time.

 

Cover artist Lea Kaye Suttle cover is lovely, a little old fashioned.  I do wish there were some sheep on it.

Sales Links:  Samhain Publishing | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 161 pages
Expected publication: September 29th 2015 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
ASIN B00YX4QH1A
edition language English

 

A Stella Review: Confessions Of a Wild Heart by Kade Boehme

Rating: 3. 75 stars out of 5

Confessions of a Wild HeartUS Army PFC Jase Emery, on leave in Germany, sees Ase Ramirez for the first time with a camera to his face. Ase’s wild child ways provide a welcome distraction for Jase. But their weekend of fun ends abruptly when Ase’s conservative family catches them. Through email, Ase and Jase are able to keep the link open. But that too comes to an end.

Jase was never able to live up to his parent’s expectations like his brother was. He didn’t stay and work the family ranch, or marry. He saw the world. His return from serving in the Army changed nothing, he wanted to be free to live his own life. But the death of his father and his mother’s failing health force him to come home, hide his bisexuality, and live a life in the closet as a local Sheriff Deputy so he can take care of his family. This was to be his life… Until Ase returns.

After his family caught Ase and Jase together, Ase worked hard at getting the heat off himself. His occasional thoughts of Jase and their amazing weekend dwindle as life and family take the forefront and fear drives Ase to make huge mistakes.

When Ase and Jase come face to face again, it isn’t easy. Insecurities, and a hurt that have only grown with time make it hard to see the future.Can their friendship blossom into something more? With Ase’s wild side reappearing from the shadows and major trust issues, can he and Jase, with huge obstacles of his own, learn to forgive, move on, and find a peace they both so desperately want… together?

I read Chasing the Rainbow https://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords.com/2015/06/16/a-stella-review-chasing-the-rainbow-by-kade-boehme/ on May and last week this new one and I realized I’m struggling a little with Kade’s work lately. Confessions of a Wild Heart was a good book, definitely better than the  last one, but I’m used to get something different from the author.

I’m not talking about details in the writing’s style or the plot or the characters, on the contrary. When you are going to read the lovely and hot story between Jace and Ase, you will meet great characters (both main and secondary), well defined, real and “defective” just like us. The development of the love story was real too and it gave a huge strength to the book, putting it on a higher level. The writing was good, done in a way to make the reading flow easily. Everything was right.

What did I miss? I have to admit, at the end of the book, I wasn’t able to rate it and I had to think about it for some days. It was good but it lacked that something I later realized is a mix of the emotional part and the chemistry among MCs. Still Confessions of a Wild Heart is full of feelings, not all of them positive, but they were there with hot and sexy scenes. I read the feelings, but I couldn’t feel them and the chemistry, almost if there was screen between me and the story.

That’s why I’m not giving it the full 4 stars (that to me means I loved the book) to a book that probably would have deserved a little more than that but I expect from more Kade.

Cover art by Natasha Snow caught my attention before I read the blurb. It’s Natasha’s and it’s really amazing. And the model is hard to ignore.

Sales Links:  Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Published July 20th 2015 by Amazon Digital Services, Inc
Kindle Edition, 338 pages
ASIN B0127TCGXK
Edition Language English

A Paul B Review: Broken Circle (Sirius Wolves #2) by Victoria Sue

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Broken Circle coverSeven months have passed since we last checked in on Aden, Blaze, Connor and Darric.  The Orion’s Circle is expecting their first child.  The second book of the Sirius Wolves series opens up with the Aden in the process of delivering their bundle of joy.  When the child comes, Blaze is surprised that they have a daughter instead of the son that he thought they would have.

Shortly after Beth is born, a new terrorist group is trying to destroy the joint wolf human military training that Blaze and Senator Mason have been trying to set up.  Their first attempt, kill the Joint Chiefs in Washington DC, fails.  Their second attempt takes place in Denver.  This time the group succeeds.  The group Winter Circle claims responsibility.  Blaze knows that the terrorist group is named in such a way to implicate the werewolves.  He hopes that it is just a coincidence that a human group would choose that name.

Meanwhile, Doctor Madden is back in town.  He has gotten information that the Orion’s Circle has had a child and wants to try to duplicate the results in humans.  He first kidnaps Blaze thinking he is the reason for the child.  When Blaze is unwilling to divulge any information, Madden then sets about kidnapping Aden to give Blaze incentive to talk.  When Connor and Darric arrive to rescue their mates, all hell breaks out.

I enjoy this story.  Blaze is complex character.  He is the Supreme Alpha but cannot seem to do anything right when it comes to Aden.  What Blaze sees as protecting his mates, Aden sees it as overbearing sometimes.  Blaze’s idea about hiring a couple of nannies is a prime example.  Darric and Connor are there to try to explain to their mates what the others motivations are.  With the plot twists that occur in this book, it will be interesting to see how this relationship moves forward in following books.

The cover design by 3 Rusted Spoons shows the Omega Aden shirtless in jeans standing in front of a starry sky.  It is a decent cover for the story.

Sales Links:  Dark Hollow Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details

Ebook, 127 pages
Edition:  English
ISBN:  978-1-942176-92-3
Published:  July 29, 2015 by Dark Hollows Press

Series:  Sirius Wolves

  • Orion’s Circle (Sirius Wolves #1)
  • Broken Circle (Sirius Wolves #2)

A Paul B Review: Yummy Indulgences (Men of Charlestown #2) by Andi Anderson

Rating:  4 out 5 stars

Yummy Indulgences coverWhen Allen (AJ) Gardner is talked into sampling cakes for his parent’s anniversary party, little did he know that he would fall for the sweet owner of the bakery.

Allen Gardner has just finished his shift at the meat rendering plant where is the supervisor.  When his sister is unable to keep her appointment at the local bakery. He is to meet Shiloh, the owner of Yummy Indulgences.  After initially mistaking the owner’s sister for Shiloh, Allen is surprised that not only is Shiloh a man but one of the prettiest men he has ever seen.

Shiloh Ballard is the owner and baker at Yummy Indulgences.  Always nervous around good-looking apparently straight men, he starts to fidget around Allen.   After Allen has sampled the variety of cakes that Shiloh has prepared, Shiloh takes a chance and asks Allen if he could cook him dinner one night.  Allen readily accepts.

The date goes well and things begin to get more serious.  The one thing that puts a damper on things is the fact that Allen is not fully out of the closet at work.  Shiloh says that as long as Allen is honest with him, things will work out, as they should be.

As the relationship progresses, Allen begins to seriously consider his options as to his employment and whether or not he can stay in the homophobic work place.  Will he take advantage of an opportunity that suddenly arises that might solve his problem?

This is a reissue of the first book in Andi Anderson’s Men of Charlestown series.  When I first read this book, I feel in love with the sweet, shy Shiloh.  I loved the way that his relationship with Allen seems to bring Shiloh out of his shell somewhat.  And while Allen does not suffer from outright workplace harassment, the author displays the overly heterosexual attitudes that would make a closeted gay man uncomfortable.   This is a good start to her series.  I am glad to see this in publication again.

The cover art by Latrisha Waters depicts our two men kissing in what appears to be a kitchen setting.  I thought this cover missed the mark a bit.  The model who is suppose to be Allen does not appear to be as well built as the author describes him.  Meanwhile, the major feature of Shiloh, his long black hair is missing as the model portraying him has short hair.  I know that covers may not be perfect representations but I would expect at least the major characteristics to be accurately reflected.

Sales Links:  eXtasy Books | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book details

Ebook, 100 pages
Edition:  English
ISBN:  978-1-4874-0386-7
Published:  July 2015 by Extasy Books
Series:  Men of Charlestown

  • Yummy Indulgences (Men of Charlestown #1)
  • His Christmas Wish (Men of Charlestown #2)
  • Daniel’s Dream (Men of Charlestown #3)
  • Angel’s Redemption (Men of Charlestown #4)