A Mika Review: Lucky Linus by Gene Grant

Rating:  5 out of 5 stars    ★★★★★ 

Lucky Linus coverIs the possibility of fulfilling your heart’s desire worth the risk of breaking it?

Fourteen-year-old Linus Lightman is understandably reluctant to trust his newest foster family, the Nelsons, after he’s bounced through the system since being being taken from his neglectful mother. He’s certain they will reject him when they find out he’s gay, and getting to know them will only lead to hurt later. Trying to cope, he builds a friendship with Kevin Mapleton, and it quickly grows into romance, despite Linus’s fears. Then a video of Linus and Kevin having sex is posted online, and Linus knows from past experience exactly what’s going to happen. This sort of scandal will cost him his new home and Kevin’s love, snatching away his fragile hopes of belonging.

I did not know what to expect out of this book. It was hard for me to read this because I don’t deal with with abandoned children. I knew that going into the story, but I wanted to see if I could. I did, and I would again, because I really enjoyed the story from Linus perspective. Linus never gave up the fight, he was determined not to let his abandonment and neglect bring him down. We see often in real life and in this story how some kids give up after moving from place to place. They lose hope in people, and in themselves. I was angry, distraught reading this, and couldn’t stop crying. I think cried the entire story. I was pleading while reading this book that someone would love him. Linus doesn’t have it easy, but his outlook and attitude is so inspiring. You’d think that he would be surly, down, and depressed. Well he’s not; he’s taking one step at a time. I didn’t know how I was going to feel reading a story about a 14 yr old. This is the youngest age group that I’ve ventured into, and my emotions were put into the ringer. I’m happy with the outcome of the story. I really loved it. 

Goodness when I was reading this, and found out that the setting was in Mississippi. I did not expect good things, let me tell you that. Egg on my face for thinking there’s no good folks in the state of Mississippi. The entire NELSON family was amazing. I really loved them. I related so much to Linus, not just aa child of an addict. I know what it’s like to have a parent addicted to something. I was fortunate enough that my dad raised us. I was also fortunate enough to have my mom in my life. I can tell you I fell in love with Lucky Linus from the very start and  I’ll be on the lookout for more from Gene Gant.

Cover Art by Paul Richmond: I picked this book because of the cover. The cover model is really adorable, and for some reason he pulled at my heart strings. I thought it was a very fitting cover.

Sales Links:   Harmony Ink Press | All Romance |  Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Published July 23rd 2015 by Harmony Ink Press
ISBN139781634760706
edition languageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Piece of Cake (A Matter of Time #8) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 5 stars out of 5   ★★★★★

Piece of Cake coverAfter years of domestic partnership, Jory Harcourt and Sam Kage are finally going to make it official in their home state of Illinois. It’s been a long and rocky road, and nothing—not disasters at work, not the weather, not a possible stalker, not even getting beat up and having to attend the ceremony looking like he just got mugged—will make Jory wait one more day to make an honest man of the love of his life.

Should be a piece of cake, right?

Jory Harcourt and Sam Kage hold a special place in my M/M book heart as does their series, A Matter of Time.  They were my first introduction to Mary Calmes, her stories and couples which I love so much..  So approaching Jory and Sam’s final story with any sort of objectivity is close to impossible, not only for me but I expect for a huge number of Mary Calmes fans who found her in the same manner.

Here at Piece of Cake, the eighth book, we know what to expect from Jory’s behavior.  Adorable, stubborn, over the top in love with Sam and his kids, still a magnet for trouble…which always finds him.  We know what to expect from Sam Kage.  Totally in love with Jory, a lot of bellowing and roaring (not the same thing), a little waving of guns and scaring people, and lots of sex and love..  Here are the adorable kids, which arrived in the latter books, and always more trouble as well as domestic bliss.  Was it predictable at times?  Yes, but we knew that going in, perhaps, that was even part of the charm.  We wanted them happy, we loved the arguments, the makeup sessions, and laughter,  the familiarity of it all.  Now at the series final, we are all close friends, wishing each other well and a happy bon voyage.   No, that’s not a time for objectivity but for goodbyes.

Piece of Cake has not one but two weddings!  Ok, one is a couple of scenes at the beginning when police Lieutenant Duncan Stiel and husband (and Jory’s ex)  billionaire real estate mogul Aaron Sutter get married again in Chicago. Still!  Two weddings! It should have been a double wedding with Jory and Sam.  Didn’t happen because each man, Aaron and Jory, had vastly different ideas of what their weddings should be. Jory and Sam’s children, Hannah and Kola, Sam, and Jory are sitting in the 2nd row, and instead of watching the ceremony, all four are having a family “whisper style” argument over  the use of the word “crap” at a wedding.  Somehow that rang very true. And funny.

That’s exactly why I love these stories so.  Mary Calmes combines the love that Jory and Sam have for each other and their children into a funny, human moment any parent will recognize.  Its a balance she maintains throughout this story and all the others.  That moment of family squabbling,  whispered so not to attract any (more) notice but you know that’s unavoidable yet you are treating your kids and their questions/statements with the attention they deserve.   Later on, when Jory ignores the danger signs pointing ginormouse arrows at his head and you want to roll your eyes a teensy bit, those earlier moments pull you back, and let you believe that its all just a part of Jory’s character makeup.  Jory is Jory, and you’ve long come to accept and love his shortcomings as has Sam Kage.

Now Jory and Sam are preparing to get married in their backyard with their friends and family in attendance, so what could go wrong? Hmmm.

Well, there’s that strange car that seems to be following Jory everywhere…that he’s not taking seriously.  Yep, that sounds familiar.  Of course its a villain from the past to be dealt with, which happens.  All their family and friends we have met and gotten fond of have small parts here, if nothing else as guests at the backyard wedding. Finally Sam and Jory get married and live happily ever after.You just know they do.  In short, Mary Calmes gives us and Jory and Sam exactly what we wanted.  We all get a Happily Ever After.  Sigh.

I happily recommend Jory and Sam and their series, A Matter of Time.  Please don’t start here if you haven’t read any of these stories before.  This doesn’t give new readers  enough  of a feeling for the couple, their history, and their relationship for them to enjoy it like those of us coming to it with a ton of good will and back knowledge.

Bon voyage, Jory and Sam, its been a treat!

 

Cover artist is Reese Dante.  That cover is about right.  Guns and wedding cake, perfect for Jory and Sam.

Sales Link:  Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 70 pages
Published August 12th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781634765909
edition languageEnglish
seriesA Matter of Time #8
characters:Jory Keyes, Sam Kage

A Matter of Time Series (Goodreads Links):

A Stella Review: The Lightning-Struck Heart by T.J. Klune

Rating: 5 stars out of 5    ★★★★★

The Lightning Struck Heart coverOnce upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident.

Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam’s pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the King’s Wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

When Sam is fourteen, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds.

At fifteen, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle. Sir Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed.

Naturally, it all goes to hell through the years when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can’t control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the King sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan’s boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have.

Or so he thinks.

“I don’t have time for all the relations and courting and wooing bullshit,” I said. “I’m a wizard. I havequests.”

“Uh, you’re an apprentice,” Gary said. “And you’re sent on errands.”

“You know how you wanted to dye a strip of your mane purple?” I said.

“Yes. Because I’d be beautiful.”

“Well, too fucking bad,” I said savagely. “I’m not going to do it. You’re just going to have keep it white. Forever.”

“You promised!”

“That was before you were a jerk!”

“Oh my gods,” Gary said. “Lartin. Get over here and untie me. I want to kick Sam in the fucking face.”

“No! He’s going to untie me so I can hex the shit out of you. Lartin. Get your ass over here and untie me.”

Um,” Lartin said. “I don’t know if you guys understand the point of being captured. Like… I captured you? Right? And so—”

I’m really terrified right now. A review for The Lightning-struck Heart? Almost impossible to write, as a matter of fact scratch the almost, just impossible. What am I going to say about this amazing book? It was perfect, hilarious, unbelievable, I laughed so much. It was simply fantastic, I peed myself every sentence I read. There aren’t funny moments, it’s a continuous of crazy characters, crazy scenes, crazy facts that follow each other at every moment. At the end I wasn’t sure if I was more in love with Gary, the hornless unicorn, or Sam, the prudish wizard (apprentice, sorry Gary!) or TJ for creating something like that. I just knew I wanted more and more of these guys and this world. So hurry up, TJ!

The Lightning-Struck Heart has some specific qualities that made this book precious and unique. The humour is the most evident. I can honestly say I have never read something like that so far, always so much over the top, you have to read it to understand, there are really no words I could write to describe it. I just can tell you to buy it. Then, the dialogue. Just wow! Simply engaging and together with the well developed and eclectic characters cast, made impossible to put my tablet down for a minute. Luckly the book is a long one so I could get my full fix, I was so satisfied at the end. Moreover there’s the all “feeling section” to consider. Really, the emotions and the feelings that  pervade the story were overwhelming, in a good way of course. Love, friendship, loyalty, and not least lust. They sprang out from every word.

“It’s you,” I said, not able to look away. “It’s how I feel when I’m with you. How I think I’ve always felt. You’re my lightning-struck heart. It doesn’t matter about the cornerstone. It doesn’t matter about who I am or who you are. Not to me. I think it would have always been this way for me. Even if we had never escaped the slums. Ever since the beginning. Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve struck my heart, and now I have to let you go because you’re not mine to keep. I need someone that I can be strong for. But I need someone who can also be strong for me.”

I want to add that this book was just the confirmation of the great talent TJ has, a terrific gift he absolutely needs to continue to share with us. Of course it’s totally different from the BOATK series or the Tell Me It’s Real one (BTW are you ready for The Queen & The Homo Jock King?), but the genius is there, just amplified at the nth degree. Freaking perfect! I just wish I could give the story more stars, five are not enough.

Cover art by Paul Richmond. It’s not what I’m used to see with this artist work and I honestly wouldn’t have recognised it as his but I like this cover, it’s fitting and powerful.

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

Book Details:

  • Published July 20th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
  • Kindle Edition, 533 pages
  • ASIN B011PVYANK
  • Edition Language English

A BJ Review: The Pillar by Kim Fielding

Rating:  5 stars out of 5       ★★★★★

The Pillar coverWhen he was just a youth, orphaned Faris was flogged as a thief at the pillar in the Zidar town square and left to die. A kind old man took him in, healed him, gave him a home and taught him a profession. Now Faris is the herbalist who cares for the injured and ill of Zidar. He spends his lonely days haunted by his past and insecure of his place in the community. Until the night he saves a dying slave from the same pillar upon which he’d been flogged.

Boro is a former soldier has spent who has spent his last decade as slave. Faris uses his herbs and ointments to hear Boro’s physical wounds, but both men carry scars that can’t be seen. When these two broken men find solace in each other, constraints of law and social class in 15th century Bosnia make it difficult to sustain the fragile happiness they’ve found together.

From the first page, the imagery in this book grabbed my imagination and created a rich world around me that I could have stepped right into. The story has an almost a fairy-tale feel to it. It’s a simple story at heart, but lush and rich and timeless and full of meaning. Beautifully written. There is certainly brutality, slavery, torture, pain and angst here, but despite that the story didn’t come across as dark to me. It showed the bad, yes, but also the kindness and goodness that can be there as well. Hope and love definitely were the overriding notes this book left with me.

I enjoyed both of the main characters, but also felt that I knew many of the other inhabitants of that quaint little town. I wish I could go for a walk across that bridge with them, into the town where we’d say hi to the townspeople and I feel like I’d recognize them. Then stroll on into the woods to gather herbs. She painted it so well with her words that I’d feel right at home.

This is a beautiful hurt/comfort story. I adored the way the love between these guys grew and deepened as they got to know one another. The perfect way they complimented each other and helped each other to heal inside even as Faris was healing Boro physically. This one totally touched my heart and is one of my favorite by this author at the time of this review.

Seemed to me that the title had a two-fold meaning. . . the obvious one of the stone pillar used for the beatings, but also later there is a reference to Faris, who thought of himself as a worthless thief almost right up to the end, being proclaimed by the town leader to be a pillar of the community. . . and YES, his character totally shined out all through the book but especially with how the whole town rallied around him at the end. So it seemed there are two pillars. . . the stone one in the town square… but Faris was ‘the pillar’ too. And it’s him, more than the inanimate one, that was the center of this outstanding book.

The final chapter’s events fit. From early on, I had a feeling it would end up needing to happen that way or something similar given their world, but I think Faris was right in his assessment that Boro himself needed it to be that way, too.

The cover by Shobana Appavu is absolutely gorgeous and perfectly fitting for this book. Evocative of a fairy tale, just like the story.

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


Book Details:  

ebook, 144 pages
Published August 12th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN1632160706 (ISBN13: 9781632160706)
edition language English

Book Spotlight: Justice for Me by TS McKinney and BJ Grinder (excerpt and giveaway)

Justice For Me 1a

Justice for Me by TS McKinney and BJ Grinder
Release Date: August 13, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dark Hollows Press
Cover Artist: Eden Connors

Banner300x250

Sales Link:  Dark Hollows Press

STRW Author BookSynopsis

All Malachi wanted was to forget about the shit-show they’d all just endured with Victor and Nicholas and spend the rest of his life with the love of his life…Megan. That’s what he thought he wanted. What he found out was that giving up his desire to be a Dom isn’t as easy as he thought it would be and Megan isn’t about to pretend like she is sexually submissive. Not gonna happen! They love each other tremendously but just need another…addition to their party of two. Malachi needs an obedient, quiet, and trained male submissive to fulfill the Dom inside of him. Megan needs a submissive that has enough experience in the BDSM world that is still new to her.
That isn’t what either of them gets.

Justice Conners. He’s the opposite of everything they wanted…but is he just what they both needed?

Pages or Words: 110,700 words
Categories: BDSM, Bisexual, Erotica, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

“Take your sweats off.”
Malachi’s demand came in the sexiest sounding voice he’d ever heard. It was deep and husky, firm and unyielding. Prickling sensations started at his scalp and worked its way down the rest of his body, leaving him humming with the same feeling he’d gotten the minute Malachi had slapped those cuffs around his wrists last night.
“Wh…what? He stuttered like a stupid school kid. Instead of sexy like Malachi, his voice sounded several octaves higher than normal.
“Take. Your. Sweats. Off.” Malachi’s eyes swept the boy from top to bottom, loving the way his exhausted muscles were quivering and coated with sweat. A man’s body was always more beautiful after pumping iron; muscles standing out and begging to be seen.
Violet eyes challenged pale blue eyes. Shyness struggled with desire. Heterosexual battled against…what the fuck am I doing?
Sweat pants came off and were tossed aside. “Okay. Sweat pants gone. What now, Malachi?”
Malachi’s breath came out in a huff. The kid’s body was…
Damn, he wanted to dominate, punish, and fuck this kid so badly. More than that, he wanted Justice to want it.
“I’m going to look at you. Stay still; arms out to your side and legs spread.”
The kid moved into position without the slightest hesitation.
Malachi walked around him, admiring every detail in the work of art formally known as annoying Justice. The boy’s eyes glittered as he watched Malachi watching him. No; nothing submissive at all in that gaze…until Malachi demanded it of him. The defiance was…fetching. He’d never found it attractive in a sub before, but it fit Justice well.
His fingers grazed his shoulders, tracing the length of firmly muscled arms until he reached a wrist. He’d noticed the boy had a tattoo around each wrist, like a bracelet of some kind. Looking closely now, he saw it was decorative letters. FOCUS; on the right wrist. LET GO; on the left wrist. He also noticed the kid tensed up like a man at his first prostrate examination the minute his fingertips touched the first wrist.
“What do these words mean?”
“Nothing of importance,” Justice answered in a clipped voice that didn’t fit the boy at all.
“It must be important for you to permanently mark yourself with it. Private, maybe?”
Justice tried to offer a nonchalant shrug. He thought he’d succeeded, but he hadn’t. Malachi just decided to let it ride for now.
“I got them when I was seventeen. Everything’s fucked up when you’re seventeen so who knows what the hell I was thinking? It was probably the answers to some pop quiz I thought I was going to have to take.”
Malachi seriously doubted it. At seventeen, a parent had to sign off on a tattoo. “Let’s say we’ll revisit that one at a later date, okay?” He kept walking around the kid, admiring, commenting, touching with soft touches that he suspected was lighting the boy on fire. “You asked me this morning about last night; about it being…weird, I believe is the word you used to describe it.” He paused when he stood directly in front of Justice. “Why would you call it weird?”
Justice’s eyes darted to the left and then the right, a carefree smirk on his face. “Eh, maybe because I got turned on by a grown man spanking my ass,” he suggested. “Or maybe it was because I let a man threaten to fuck my ass…while giving me a hand job and I had the best fucking orgasm I can ever remember having?” He shrugged. “The last time I checked, I was totally into the babes. Dudes were off limits.”
A soft chuckle tickled Justice’s ears, making him turn what he suspected was a very feminine shade of fucking pink. The chuckle wasn’t Malachi laughing; it was Malachi laughing at him. Perfect.
“Not into dudes, huh?” Malachi asked. “You could have fooled me.”
“Yea, I get that,” Justice said between gritted teeth. “No need to keep waving that flag in my face, asshole. The fuck knows it has to be your looks because it damn well can’t be your personality that had me going all ‘ass-up’.”
The kid was refreshingly honest. Rarely surprised by people, Malachi couldn’t help but be shocked by how the boy kept surprising him; one time right after another. “Does it bother you? That you might ‘be into dudes’?” He had to ask.
Another shrug. “No…I don’t know. I have a lot of gay friends. I guess I just didn’t know I might be one of them.”
“I’ve seen you chasing skirts, Justice. I’m pretty certain you aren’t gay; maybe not even bisexual. It could be that your body just enjoyed the discipline…the domination, and you responded sexually.”
No, Justice was fairly certain that wasn’t it. Sure, there was no questioning the domination scene had gotten his body, mind, heart, and soul on fire, but it was more than that. It was Malachi. Every fucking thing about Malachi, how totally opposite he was from himself, had caused him to be on edge, hypersensitive to everything the man did from the first moment he noticed his posture and the strong glint in his eyes up until he’d tossed him over his shoulder and tied him up.
It would be easy to take what he would consider the coward’s way out and blame it solely on a physical response from getting what he’d been wanting for oh so long, but he wasn’t a coward. He could be accused of a lot of things, most of them not good, but a coward he was not. He faced outward demons without hesitation. It was the inner demons that always did him in.
If he was gay; he was gay. If he was bisexual; he was bisexual. Those issues didn’t worry him that much or at least probably not as much as they should. What did worry him was how he was going to convince the cold-as-ice man to keep playing with him, like he’d mentioned last night. This lifestyle…this playtime with Malachi was safe for him; his body got to submit and his head didn’t have to get involved. This wasn’t a relationship where he would have to try to maneuver around and read how people felt, what they wanted, if they really cared…
If he understood the little bit of research he had done on the BDSM lifestyle, Malachi was a dominant that wanted him to submit to him; nothing more, nothing less.
He struggled to come up with the right thing to say to the man that would push him into the direction he wanted to go. “It’s no doubt my body responded to what you did physically but I definitely didn’t get turned off by your touching me…sexually.” He cocked a brow at the bigger, much more confident man. “Are you afraid I’ll cry rape or sexual abuse to my daddy? Maybe after you tie me up, spank my ass, and do what-the-fuck-else ever to me, I’ll get the heebie jeebies and instead of admitting I liked it, file myself an FBI complaint?” He chuckled. “Don’t worry old man. It won’t happen. I accept the consequences for my actions.”
Malachi had remained silent as he watched the boy closely; watched all the strange emotions flicker across his face as he contemplated what might lay ahead between the two of them. It was fairly obvious the BDSM lifestyle was something he had considered prior to getting his ass hog-tied and whipped and his cock manhandled. All the signals that he had missed originally were out in the open now. The boy was virtually screaming to be initiated; to take a sample and see if he liked it.
There were other emotions dancing around in those wide blue eyes; things Malachi didn’t understand or couldn’t read. It was somewhat troubling but not enough to make him want to rethink what he and Megan had discussed. Justice seemed solid and self-assured. He had the feeling the kid tackled everything he did, from talking to learning to submit, with every ounce of energy bridled up in that lean body of his.
He would be fun. He would be exciting. He would be frisky. And, if Malachi wasn’t mistaken, he would be an excellent submissive. His body had responded marvelously last night. The sassy mouth on the kid seemed to vanish whenever an order was given to him. Justice, God bless him, looked like he’d be able to handle about anything Malachi threw his way…and follow it up with a ‘thank you, sir’.
“In your mind, Justice, what do you think is going to happen between us? I look at your face, into your pretty blue eyes, and you have all sorts of ideas dancing around in there. Tell me some of them. What do you see happening?” He needed to hear the boy say it with his own lips. For the first time in his life, Malachi wasn’t certain he trusted his own judgment regarding a potential submissive. Unsure of whether it was the fact that he’d met and fallen in love with his un-submissive Megan or maybe he was terrified that he just missed the lifestyle so damned badly that he was creating something that wasn’t really there, Malachi had to hear it straight from those perpetually swollen lips belonging to the boy.
Justice felt his teeth tugging at his bottom lip as he pondered Malachi’s question. Shit; could he even say it out loud? What if the man laughed at him? What if this was some big ‘pay-back’ for sneaking off? What if it wasn’t? “Well, I only know about the shit I’ve read on the internet, so I’m afraid you might not like my answer. I don’t want to say something wrong. I don’t want to say something that might make you decide not to want me…that way.”
Strange choice of words, Malachi thought as his eyes stayed focused on how the kid kept worrying that damned bottom lip. Because he knew it wasn’t purposely used to entice him, it made it one of the sexiest damn things Malachi had ever seen in his life. It was no wonder why the kid’s lips were always red and swollen like he’d just been thoroughly kissed or fucked in the mouth.
“Ah, the internet; the breeding ground for fools,” he said with a smirk but continued, “but it does manage to offer some educational benefit on occasion. Tell me, pup, what have you seen that made you think you might be interested in giving the whole BDSM lifestyle more than a passing glance?”
Justice felt his face burn red but his determination didn’t waiver. Focus on what you want. His fingers itched to touch the tattoo, but he wouldn’t allow it. “I…I liked the pictures of people being tied up; all sorts of ropes and locks.” His voice dropped even lower, as did his eyes, when he added, “In all sorts of positions.”
Not much in the world prettier than a pretty blushing for you, Malachi thought to himself. Justice had blushing down to an art. “So you think you would like being tied up? Is that why you got so calm in the vehicle on the way home last night? When I opened the back hatch, you looked very…peaceful. Was that because of the restraints?”
“I think so.”
A deep breath and another nibble of the bottom lip, followed by a swipe of a pink tongue across both lips, finished the boy’s thoughts.
“Excellent.” Malachi paused, wondering if he boy would have the courage to raise those pretty eyes and face him. No, it appeared he was still incredibly interested in the floor. “I like restraints. I like them very much, as a matter of fact.”
“Ummmm.” Well, fuck, that was an intelligent response.
“Do you want to try it, Justice? Do you want me to introduce you into my world; teach you some things? Let you try it and see if it is what you think it might be? See if your body will enjoy it as much as we both think it will?”
Blue eyes jumped up to meet his. Finally.
“Yes,” he answered softly. Then, more firmly, he said, “Yes, I do.”

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

TS McKinney lives in East Tennessee with her high school sweetheart/husband and all the countless dogs she picks up from deserted country roads. Her professional career has been in business but her heart has always belonged to the fantasy world found in books. Creating wicked worlds where one can meet the perfect hero – and then do anything to him that you want – has been a hobby that has brought her plenty of hours of fun and naughty entertainment.
When not working, reading, or writing, she loves to spend time with her family and forcing them (because they don’t really have another choice) to allow her to redecorate their houses…and listen to her naughty…sometimes sadistic stories.

BJ Grinder lives in Smalltown, Tennessee where the residents know everything and everyone (not always a good thing). She enjoys writing, zombies, and garage sales. She has an unhealthy relationship with her Kindle, which demands most of her time – at least what her 4 children don’t take up!

Where to find the author:
TS McKinney
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006245056875
https://twitter.com/TSMcKinney1

BJ Grinder
Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/bjeangrinder

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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Kindle Fire HD7.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Tour Dates & Stops: August 13 – 19, 2015

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Coffee Sip and Kink Spotlight: Don’t Throw Me Away (Bend Over #2) by Brina Brady

Don't Throw Me Away E-Book Cover

Don’t Throw Me Away (Bend Over #2) by Brina Brady
Release Date: August 14, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Brina Brady
Cover Artist: Cover Art by Kellie Dennis at Book Cover by Design
http://www.bookcoverbydesign.co.uk

Sales LinksUS Amazon | UK Amazon | DE Amazon | FR Amazon | ES Amazon | IT Amazon |NL Amazon
JP Amazon |BR Amazon |CA Amazon |MX Amazon |AU Amazon | IN Amazon |All Romance (ARe) 

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Blurb

Shane O’Rourke screws up. He has the best intentions, but doesn’t always think things through. He means well, really he does. Shane gives up his old habits of stealing, lying, and using drugs, but he isn’t the perfect sub. He has some slip-ups here and there. He loves his Dom, and desires to please him in every way. Shane is determined to be honest, but when he finds himself in a big mess, he would do anything to not disappoint his Dom. He fears losing Julien’s love and care. One mess leads Shane into another. And this one threatens more than just his contract.

Julien Callier needs to find a way to get Shane under control. When Julien thinks his sub has cheated on him, he doubts his ability to meet Shane’s needs. Shane would be devastated if he lost his collar and Julien’s love. Shane’s sole purpose is to convince his Dom he is worthy to wear his collar. Can their D/s relationship and their love weather Shane’s mess ups and Julien’s loss of trust in his sub?

This is a Gay adult consensual story focused on themes of corporal discipline punishment and explicit sex.

Pages or Words: 78,000 words
Categories: BDSM, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

“How did you hook Master Julien?” Nick asked.
“I didn’t hook him. He took me off the streets and then he trained me to be a sub.”
“You don’t look like any of the subs that Master Julien has played with before. He always goes for shaved heads, and he always wants his subs half-naked. You’re supposed to be naked and shaved for a collaring.” This guy wore a leather G-string and black boots.
“That’s between Master Julien and me. It’s none of your damn business.”
“How come he didn’t mark you with a whip on the St. Andrew’s Cross? Master Julien is the whip master.”
“I don’t need to answer your fucking questions.” Shane wasn’t about to discuss with Nick that he never wanted to be whipped. He wasn’t into that much pain.
“No you don’t, but I challenge you to ask Master Julien to whip you publicly on the St. Andrew’s Cross to show your obedience. I mean, what kind of collaring did you have anyway, without being marked with a whip by the whip master?”
“He marked me with a cane.”
“You’re a wannabe. You can’t meet the whip master’s needs. He’s going to get tired of you and that mop of yours.” He yanked on Shane’s hair.

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About the Author

I am from Huntington Beach, Ca. I taught various subjects at a Continuation High School in Los Angeles, California for 27 years. I obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in history, Secondary Social Science Credential and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Reading and Secondary Education from California State University, Long Beach. I also enrolled in some creative writing classes at UCLA. I am currently taking classes from Romance Writers of America.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brina.brady.3
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrinaBrady
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/brinabrady/
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/PrincessBrina
My Blog http://brinabrady.wordpress.com

Tour Dates & Stops: August 14, 2015

Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, Jessie G. Books, Nephylim, My Fiction Nook, 3 Chicks After Dark, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Happily Ever Chapter, Mikky’s World of Books, Inked Rainbow Reads, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Ogitchida Book Blog, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Molly Lolly, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Jena Wade

 

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Don’t Throw Me Away’ by Brina Brady.  Must be 18 years of ate or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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A MelanieM Review: Redesigning Max (Foothills Pride #2) by Pat Henshaw

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

RedesigningMaxFSRenowned interior designer Fredi Zimmer is surprised when outdoorsman Max Greene, owner of Greene’s Outdoors, hires Fredi to revamp his rustic cabin in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Fredi is an out-and-proud Metro male whose contact with the outdoors is from his car to the doorway of the million-dollar homes he remodels, and Max is just too hunky for words.

When Max comes on to Fredi, the designer can’t imagine why. But he’s game to put a little spice into Max’s life, even if it’s just in the colors and fixtures he’ll use to turn Max’s dilapidated cabin into a showplace. Who can blame a guy for adding a little sensual pleasure as he retools Max’s life visually?

Max, for his part, is grateful when Fredi takes him in hand, both metaphorically and literally. Coming out is the most exciting and wonderful time in his life, despite the conservative former friends who think they’re saving him from sliding into hell.

I discovered author Pat Henshaw and her Foothills Pride series with her What’s in a Name? novel..  It’s warmth, attractive location (and story behind that setting) as well as a group of characters that charmed the pants off me and each other and well, I couldn’t wait to see what the author had in store for the next installment.  I found out with pleasure with Redesigning Max (Foothills Pride #2).

Where did the series name Foothills Pride come from?  The author’s note explains “During the recession at the beginning of the 21st century, many gays and lesbians moved from the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento to the Sierra Foothills. FLAG (Foothills Lesbians and Gays) was formed. This series was written for them.” Pat Henshaw takes that fact and uses it for inspiration, weaving the clash of cultures that arises when the arriving urbanites (gay or otherwise) move into  long established homogenous communities.  If that community is also white, conservative, and small town, then the divisions between them might be even greater. Or surprisingly small, depending upon the people involved.

Redesigning Max introduces us to Fredi Zimmer.  Fredi is an extremely talented, much sought after interior designer and artist.  He is connected to several of our couples from the first story in that he designed their coffee houses (Jimmy and Felicity) and bars (Guy).  Fredi is not just openly gay but “beautifully’ gay, colors and patterns clothe his body as well as his designs.  I adore Fredi, he has fought hard to become the man he is, with some horrific memories lurking just under the surface to mark just how difficult the battle has been.  At times, Fredi is also defiantly, “you go, girl” in your face gay.  What Fredi doesn’t  do is ever back down.  Wait until you meet “Boner”. Then Fredi meets Max Greene.

Max Greene is a shy, huge outdoorsman, owner of successful sports store Greene’s Outdoors.  Max wants Fredi to redesign the isolated log  cabin he inherited from his uncle..  In reality Max is searching for more..  A lifetime of repression under his uncle’s rule have left Max shy, backward when it comes to romance and his sexuality, all of which Fredi starts to awaken.

Max is no typical shy giant.  Henshaw, thank goodness, has made Max far more complicated than that.  Max has a sense of humor, a deep goodness, a love of nature and artistry that matches Fredi’s so that their union makes complete sense.  Pat Henshaw gives us two seemingly disparate characters who are so alike inside that when they “click”, we get it because it makes so much sense.  They spend time together, designing the cabin, getting to know each each, which helps make their relationship feel real because we watch it grow in steps.

As with the first novel, they come up against the conservation faction that is against their community’s rising tide of gay population, made worse when its one of their “own”.  Henshaw’s descriptions of the pain and anguish this hatred causes is authentic and believable.  But its balanced, happily by that ending which I loved.

At the very end we get a bonus excerpt of the next Foothills Pride story,, Behr Facts! Woot!  I can’t wait.

Do you love contemporary M/M romance?  Not familiar with Pat Henshaw and her Foothills Pride series?  I can recommend them both.  They don’t have to be read in order. You will get people from each book mingling in the others, so much fun. Pick them up and  enjoy them both.

Cover design by AngstyG.  I like this cover.  The models are close to my ideas of Max and Fredi (not perfect, but hey).  The only thing is Fredi is all about the color…where is that?

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

Book Details:

ebook
Published July 29th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press LLC
original titleRedesigning Max
ISBN139781634763172
edition languageEnglish
seriesFoothills Pride #2

Foothills Pride Series:

A Jeri Review: On Solid Ground by Melissa Collins

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

On Solid Ground coverWhen Jacob “Dax” Daxton returns home from war, he has to fight a new battle – the one to find his place in the world. The man who normally has a clear path to victory surrounded by brothers in combat is suddenly lost and alone. After meeting Beckett Ridge, a bearded tattoo artist, Dax’s journey begins winding down an unexpected path.

Still reeling from events that shook his foundation, Beck has never been part of anything meaningful. Now faced with responsibilities foreign and daunting, Dax’s broken spirit mends Beck in ways he never even knew he was destroyed.

As both struggle to find balance, they are healed by the comfort they find in one other. On the other side of chaos, they hope to find themselves On Solid Ground

You know when you finish a book, you smile and sigh? Yep, Melissa Collins did that to me. Again.  Even the cover of this book screams love and romance. Sigh again.

I believe this is only her second or third M/M book but you would never know it. Her characters are flawed and real- just as their relationship is.

Jacob “Dax” Daxton is home from war and adrift. He never felt that he could live up to his “perfect” older brother, especially since he was gay and his family didn’t know. He meets a tattoo artist, Beckett Ridge, and is instantly attracted. Beck has his own set of issues to deal with- including a niece he has custody of and a drug addicted sister.

Watching the love bloom between these two characters was beautiful. Neither of them were “jerks”, as is often the case in M/M (at least to start off), they leaned on each other when they needed to and gave each other space when that was warranted.

Of course there was turmoil and angst. What great love story doesn’t have that? It was at times intense, emotional, romantic and sexy. This book has everything you are looking for in a love story without the sticky sappiness that often goes along with it.

Both of these men struggle to find their way, and luckily for us, they find their way with each other.

Cover art by

Sales Links:    Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 253 pages
Published January 13th 2015 by M Collins Author LLC (first published January 2nd 2015)
original title On Solid Ground
ASINB00S88Y534
edition language English

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: The Harder They Fall by Lisa Henry and Heidi Belleau

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

The Harder They Fall coverTad, a spoiled and neglected rich kid, has been raised with money and privilege but not much else. His parents barely know he’s around, but keep his allowance coming—an allowance that Tad uses to show off what a big shot he is at the expense of others.

When Tad revisits the brothel where he humiliated a young, inexperienced whore the last time he was there, he asks for an older, more experienced man. He’s looking forward to another night of domination and dishing out humiliation—actions that make him feel good about himself.

He does get an older man, but instead of getting an old, washed-up whore like he requests, he gets “Daddy”, a big, strong, gorgeous, older man with a major domination streak. And Daddy doesn’t care what Tad wants—Daddy is going to give Tad what he needs. And what he needs is punishment—to be forced into obedience and subtly enlightened about his real and underlying issues. A little humiliation in front of the young whore he previously abused, an opportunity to be Daddy’s good boy—to be with someone who seems to actually care about him, and Tad suddenly isn’t interested in leaving.

Daddy-kink lovers, this one is for you! It’s an enjoyable M/M story, with subtle undertones that address Tad’s psych issues and the resolution a D/s relationship might bring him. I would definitely like to read more about these MCs.

Book Cover: Simple, but contains an element of the story.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 68 pages
Published July 20th 2015 by Smashwords Edition (first published July 18th 2015)
original title: The Harder They Fall
ISBN139781626493247
edition languageEnglish

Amelia C. Gormley’s Strain Universe is Back with Juggernaut-Book 2 (contest)

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Juggernaut by  Amelia C. Gormley
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: L. C. Chase

Sales Link:  Riptide Publishing

 

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to welcome Amelia C. Gormley  here today to talk about Juggernaut, the latest release in her Strain universe.  Welcome, Amelia!

Hi, and welcome to the Juggernaut blog tour!

Almost before I was done writing Strain, my mind began trying to fill in the blanks of the world we saw in Strain, trying to piece together what had led up to that point. I decided I wanted to write a story chronicling the apocalyptic pandemic, both the events leading up to it and the immediate aftermath. The result, of course, was Juggernaut.

On the Juggernaut blog tour, I’ll be sharing my thoughts about the world of Juggernaut/Strain/Bane, including several cut scenes from Juggernaut which I felt contained important world-building details that in the end just didn’t fit the flow of the story. I’ll also be sharing a couple sneak previews of the third book in the Strain universe, Bane (coming September 21 from Riptide Publishing) as well as giving away three e-copies of Bane before it hits the shelves!

                                                                            Giveaway

To enter to win, leave a comment on this post including a way to contact you (email, Twitter, or Facebook.) Each stop along the blog tour that you visit offers you another chance to enter.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Riptide Publishing.

Be sure to check the Riptide blog tour schedule for a complete list of other stops. The contest will close Saturday, August 15th, 2015 and the winner will be contacted no later than Monday, August 17th. Any entries made without a way to contact the winner will be invalidated, so please don’t forget to provide your email, or your Twitter or Facebook address. Contest is NOT limited to US entries.
Good luck, and enjoy the tour!
*****

About Juggernaut

They helped destroy the world. Now they have to survive the new one.Juggernaut_600x900

For rentboy Nico Fernández, it’s a simple job: seduce a presidential advisor to help cement approval to launch Project Juggernaut. He’s done similar work for General Logan McClosky before, and manipulating people for his favorite client beats the hell out of being trafficked for slave wages in some corporate brothel.

Zach Houtman feels called to work with the most vulnerable outcasts of society. But his father, the Reverend Maurice Houtman, insists that Zach work for him instead as he runs for Senate. Zach reluctantly agrees, but is horrified to see his father leave behind Christ’s mandate of love and mercy to preach malicious zealotry and violence instead. Zach even starts to suspect his father is working with fundamentalist terrorists.

When Project Juggernaut accidentally unleashes a deadly plague that claims billions of lives, Nico and Zach are thrown together, each bearing a burden of guilt. With only each other for safety and solace, they must make their way through a new world, one where the handful of people left alive are willing to do anything—and kill anyone—to survive.

*****
About the Author

Amelia C. Gormley may seem like anyone else. But the truth is she sings in the shower, dances doing laundry, and writes blisteringly hot m/m erotic romance while her son is at school. When she’s not writing in her Pacific Northwest home, Amelia single-handedly juggles her husband, her son, their home, and the obstacles of life by turning into an everyday superhero. And that, she supposes, is just like anyone else.

Blog: “http://ameliacgormley.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ACGormley”
Tumblr:  “http://ameliacgormley.tumblr.com/”
Facebook:  “http://www.facebook.com/ameliacgormley”
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6445292.Amelia_C_Gormley

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About the Strain Universe

In the early 22nd century, the US military created Project Juggernaut. It was meant to solve a hopeless tactical imbalance in overseas wars by providing the US military with supersoldiers while crippling enemy resistance.

Instead, it introduced a deadly pandemic that all but obliterated humanity.

The remaining Juggernaut troops work tirelessly to find and protect the surviving uninfected population—even though they themselves are exiled and despised by those they help. But their efforts are hampered by the vestiges of a dysfunctional government, old prejudices that refuse to die, and those few who would do anything—and sacrifice anyone—to become superhuman too.

Strain and Juggernaut can be read independently, in any order. Bane is best enjoyed after reading both Strain and Juggernaut.

For those who wish to read in publication order, that is: Strain, Juggernaut, Bane.

 

See more here.Strain_500x750Juggernaut_600x900Bane_500x750Strain_Series200x300