Category: 5 star Rating

A MelanieM Review: Status Update (#gaymers 1) by Annabeth Albert

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Status UpdateAdrian Gottlieb is winning at life. He’s a successful video game designer with everything a man could ask for, including a warm comfy ride to Denver and a date for his sister’s wedding. But he finds himself in need of a total reboot when he’s left stranded at a snowy campground in Utah. Holiday plans? Epic fail.

That is until Noah Walters offers him shelter for the night and a reluctant cross-country ride. Nothing about the ultraconservative geoarchaeologist should attract Adrian, but once he discovers Noah’s hidden love for video games, the two connect on a new level. Soon, a quiet but undeniable chemistry sparks.

Something doesn’t add up, though. As the miles accumulate and time runs out, Noah must face the most difficult choice of his life. Meanwhile, Adrian must decide whether he’s ready to level up. Is their relationship status worth fighting for, or has this game ended before it’s even begun?

If Annabeth Albert hadn’t already made me a fan with her previous stories,  this is the one that would have sealed the deal.  Status Update, the first in a new #gaymer series, proves to be a sweet, sparkling romance, with filled with endearing characters that grab at your heart. That holds especially true of the main couple, both men are unusual, layered, and real.  Throw in two irrepressible dog characters like Pixel and Ulysses that are a perfect match for their owners and I was in love from the moment the story rolled out in that campground’s off leash dog area in Utah.

The Capitol Reef National Park campground in Southern Utah is a strange meeting place for these two men to collide. Adrian Gottlieb, successful video game designer is on his way to his sister’s wedding in a rented RV with a man he barely knows.  Noah Walters, a geoarcheologist, is holed up in his camper, his home away from home,  trying to finish his book that will get him tenure at his conservative bible college in Texas.   But in a wildly painful yet could be expected turn of events, Adrian, 25, and Pixel are left stranded in the campground until Noah offers not only refuge but an passage to Denver and Adrian’s sister’s wedding.

Sounds so simple, but the men and story are so complex.  Noah’s upbringing has left him firmly in the closet, His choice of profession and job has kept him there.  Noah realizes that to come out would be losing his teaching job, which he loves and any chance at tenure in a profession where jobs are scare.  That choice has also left him a virgin and celibate at the age of 35 and up until he meets Adrian, Noah has accepted the limitations of his life and its loneliness.

If for no other reason  that the character of Noah Walters, this book would garner high praise for its author.  He’s an adult, with a mature outlook on his life, taking responsibility for the choices he has  made.  He’s rueful, awkward, gruff, and intelligent.  I found him to be so remarkable and wonderful.  Add to that he put away his sexuality and committed to a path of celibacy for the sake of his profession, that extra bit of unexpected vulnerability just makes you ache for him and gives Noah that one more twist to his already different persona.

But then comes Adrian Gottlieb, a character who is on par with Noah in every respect.  He too is complex, full of his own layers and unexpected depth.  His success and commitment to the popular videogame, Space Villager, has left him little time for a social life, which also helps to explain the disaster that led their meeting. That adage that ‘appearances can be deceiving’ certainly applies to Adrian as Noah finds out almost immediately.  Both men, highly intelligent, find themselves oddly compatible, as are their dog companions. Their relationship within Noah’s small RV, their time on the road as their explore each other boundaries…sexual, personal, emotional,  takes the reader on such an a rewarding journey along with these men to Denver and the wedding that you hope it will never stop.

Then it does.

And the story gets better.  Because when their trip stops, decisions have to be made.  Its reality time.  And Annabeth Albert takes these two serious men, the slow, sometimes painful journey they have been on and completes it in the most wondrous, satisfactory way.  It makes sense,  its real, and not without a prick or two of regret.  So yes, its perfect.  Except for one little detail.

Space Villager does not exist.  How I wish it did.  There was this teaser as the end…just no… it does not exist.  But I won’t take away any stars for that disappointment.

Book Cover was a delight.  I  loved that the dogs were included.  Great job.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 195 pages
Expected publication: December 7th 2015 by Carina
original title Status Update
ISBN 1459290593 (ISBN13: 9781459290594)
series #gaymers #1

A BJ Review: Watch Me (Break You) (Run This Town #1) by Avril Ashton

Rating:  5 stars out of 5   ★★★★★

Here comes trouble…

Watch Me (Break You)

Men. Women. Drugs. Dima Zhirkov’s favorite things. Add in the element of danger and he should be right as rain. But not today. It’s not working, hasn’t for a long time. He’s grasping at the flimsiest of straws to prove he’s indeed strong enough to run his streets. Until he sets eyes on him. In the midst of a room full of strangers, Dima is drawn to a man as cold and dangerous as he’s beautiful. Captivated, Dima embarks on a ruthless campaign to get his new toy into bed.

Here comes the danger…
Xavier “X” Storm is content to pull the strings while someone else handles the day to day dealings of his gang, The Rude Boys. He’s after what Dima holds closest—the Coney Island streets. He contracts out the job of killing the Russian, except Dima isn’t that easy to kill. When he suddenly shows up in X’s path, tempting him to indulge in the dirtiest play, he finds Dima isn’t all that easy to shake, either. His cocky attitude and rough submission tempts X to go where he’d vowed to never return, and they plunge head first into an affair fueled by possessive obsession.

Run for cover.
Sex and pain Dima can handle, and X delivers the most depraved kind. Their connection is explosive, their games addictive, but Dima can end it whenever he wishes. He doesn’t see that X is breaking him down, giving Dima everything he wants and even more than he ever thought to need. By the time he realizes who X is and what he wants, Dima is raw and bullet riddled. It’s run or fight. And Dima doesn’t back down. Neither does X.

These guys are brutal, harsh and totally, spellbindingly captivating. They’re bad boys without a doubt, but their story sucked me in, grabbed me by the throat, and made me care. Both characters are interesting and well-developed. Loved the interracial aspect. Plus I adored Dima right off from nearly the first page, but when the author puts these two together it’s electric. This story is off the charts, sizzling hot. Definitely a one-handed read, but yet so much more.

It’s also a fast-paced, hold-onto-your-seat kind of story that I simply couldn’t put down. I adore enemies-to-lovers tropes, and this story puts a twist on it that I found enthralling. You see, one of the main character’s true identity is unknown to the other for some time, and hence only one knows they are enemies at the start. When the truth eventually comes out, oh man, the betrayal… just delicious.

Did I mention that these are some seriously bad guys… criminals! Gangsters! They’re violent, enjoy giving/receiving pain, like kinky, raunchy, dirty sex and plenty of it. They lie and kill, they’re seriously shitty to each other, and they’re possessive as hell. Stalking, sadistic, and sometimes bat-shit crazy. But you know what, despite all that, the author made me care for them, fall in love with them, cry for them, and despite the awesome HEA endng which I adored, I’m still left desperately wanting to read more about them!

This book is an e-ticket ride… fast, wild, fun, kinky and absolutely worth the price of admission!  Hop on board. I cannot recommend this book more highly.

The cover is excellent. I like that it doesn’t include the typical men. It gives a sense of location and a just right hint of the kinky content, the color and mood is dead on, it just feels right.

Sales Links:   Amazon | Buy It Here


Book Details:  

Kindle Edition, 278 pages
Published September 9th 2014 by Sinner’s Haven Publishing (first published September 5th 2014)
original title(Watch Me) Break You
ASINB00MWMQYHC
edition languageEnglish
seriesRun This Town #1
charactersDima Zhirkov, Xavier Storm

Cover Reveal for ‘Red Dirt Christmas’ by N.R. Walker – Its Finally Here! (Teaser and Giveaway)

ReddirtheartChristmas1500

Red Dirt Christmas by N.R. Walker

Publication date: 11 December 2015

Buylinks to follow:

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is so happy to have N.R. Walker stopping by revealing her cover for her Christmas story for the Red Dirt Heart series, one of our favorites.  Its gorgeous, let’s hear from the author herself…

~

HERE IT IS!!!!!!

I’ve kept this secret for so long, it’s almost killed me!  But it’s finally here. My 2015 Christmas story cover for the world to see!!  (I’m so excited it’s ridiculous)

That’s right, folks. We’re off to the Outback for Christmas this year!!  I can’t tell you how much I loved visiting these boys again.  I found the cover images and sent them to the fabulous Sara York and almost cried when I saw how gorgeous the cover turned out. It suits the series PERFECTLY.

Now you know why every part of the cover had to be a secret! If I showed one corner, or gave any hints, ya’ll would have guessed it straight away!

 

 

Christmas backgrounds. Christmas decor on the white wooden background.
.

Blurb: Travis had been here for just over a year. We were technically engaged, not that we’d told anyone. He was happy just knowin’ I’d said yes, and I had some head-clearin’ stuff to work through. Knowing I was good enough for Trav was one thing, but knowing if I was good enough to be a husband and father was somethin’ else entirely.

Life at Sutton Station had never been better. Business was strong, Trudy and Bacon’s little baby, Gracie, was a few weeks old now and as cute as a button, Ma’s health was good, and my relationship with Laura and Sam was in a pretty good place. And Travis? Well, life with him was still all kinds of perfect.

But, to Travis’s dismay, Christmas at the Station was just another day. Another day of getting up before the sun, feeding animals, fixin’ what needed fixin’, and checking water troughs all while tryin’ to keep out of the blistering heat.

And this year weren’t much different. Only that it was Travis’s first Sutton Station Christmas. The fact we didn’t go all out with decorations and celebrations baffled him, and if I was bein’ truthful, it disappointed him too.

Which was why I had to make it a special kind of Christmas…

About the Author

N.R. Walker’s Bio: N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.
She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things…but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

N.R. Walker’s Internet Links:

Giveaway

Hop over to my blog here and tell me your best Christmas memory to enter the draw to win a copy of Red Dirt Christmas. Draw closes 11th December at 9am EST.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Good luck and Happy Reading.

Teaser:

Travis chuckled and nodded toward the lounge room. “I finished the tree,” he said and disappeared through the open doorway. I followed him to find the pine tree he’d brought in earlier now covered in tinsel, ornaments, and baubles. “I know you think the whole Christmas thing is kinda silly, but—”

“I love it,” I said. “The tree. I mean, I love what you’ve done to it.”

“I didn’t have much to work with,” he said. The corner of his mouth pulled down in a frown. “And it was all pretty old. I hung up all the things you made as a kid. I just wanted to do something.” He shrugged again. “I mean, it’s Christmas.”

“Trav.”

“And I know you guys aren’t big on the whole festive thing out here,” he said. “But I just thought it’d be nice, ya know? It’s Gracie’s first Christmas. Granted, she’s only four weeks old but that’s not the point.”

“Trav.”

“It’s about building memories, Charlie,” he said softly. “Family memories. Not just with everyone here, but our family. Ours start now. This is our first real Christmas too and I just thought it might be nice if you, you know, thought it was special too.”

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Must Read Series!

A BJ Review: Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities (Claimings #2) by Lyn Gala

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

Assimilation, Love and Other Human Oddities coverOndry and Liam have settled into a good life, but their trading is still tied up with humans, and humans are always messy. When political changes at the human base lead Ondry to attempt a difficult trade, the pair find themselves entangled in human affairs. Liam wants to help the people he left and the worlds being torn apart. He also wants to serve Ondry with not only the pleasures of the nest but also by bringing human profits.

Ondry has no hope of understanding human psychology in general, he only knows that he will hold onto his palteia with the last breath in his body, and he’d like to keep his status and his wealth too. Unfortunately, new humans bring new conflicts and he is not sure how to protect Liam. He does know one thing that humans seem to constantly forget—that the peaceful Rownt are predators and when their families are threatened, Rownt become deadly killers. Liam is his family, and Ondry will protect him with his last breath… assuming that he can recognize the dangers in time to do so.

I adored book one of this series which means I had very high expectations. While I didn’t quite love this as much as my five starred book one*, I did thoroughly enjoy it.  This series rocks.

The world created for us by the author is simply amazing, I already thought that in book one but it gets even more complex and nuances in book two! I hardly thought that possible. The writing itself is superb. And Liam and Ondry some of the most memorable characters I’ve read recently. I adore reading of how they care for each other so very deeply despite huge differences both physically and culturally. How their love deepens and grows roots… shows so beautifully how love can overcome obstacles.

So why did I enjoyed the first in the series better than this second installment. I think it’s just personal preference because I truly dislike politics, strategy and war/mind games. So those parts read a little slow for me personally.

Don’t get me wrong though, the plot in this story is intricate and brilliantly executed. I adored the way we are shown how Liam adapts to his new homeworld and culture, and the way we see humanity in a light that at times made me favor the Rownt. The romance is there, it grows deeper and more trusting than in book one. But despite there being some D/s elements, neither kink nor sex is at the forefront in this book/series… which may explain why there is no longer a tail on the cover… perhaps the author wanted to avoid folks thinking of this as tentacle porn which it so very much is NOT. And I like the cover just as well without the tail.

I can hardly wait for the next book in this unique and highly recommended series.

Book Cover – see comments above.

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

Book Details:  

ebook, 225 pages
Published September 23rd 2014 by Loose-ID
original title Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities
ISBN13 9781623005870
edition language English
url http://lyngala.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/the-claimings-sequel/
series Claimings 
*Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts (Claimings, #1) – BJ Review
Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities (Claimings #2)

A Very Special Charity Spotlight: A Intimate Look at Winter Oranges by Marie Sexton (guest post and giveaway)

Winter Oranges cover

Winter Oranges by Marie Sexton
Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist:  L.C. Chase

This title is part of the Love for the Holidays: A Charity Bundle Benefiting
the GLBT National Help Center collection. 
You can purchase it and learn more about the charity bundle here.

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is so happy to have  Marie Sexton here today to talk about the inspiration behind her Christmas novel, Winter Oranges.  Marie is sharing some of her photos from her Pinterest board and thoughts behind her characters.  Winter Oranges is one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Highly Recommended Novels.

Hello, everybody! This is Marie Sexton, and I’m thrilled to be here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words today talking about my Christmas novel, Winter Oranges. I thought I’d share some photos that helped inspire the novel.

First things first: I started with the house. I originally planned to set the book in rural West Virginia, so I started out researching older homes. Later, I decided to move the story to Idaho, and I ended up making the house a “revival” built in the 1980s, which meant there was no “servant’s room” on the ground floor. I rearranged the entire dining room/kitchen setup, and added a Winter Oranges House Planspantry/mudroom. The other problem was, I kept picturing the garage on the left side of the property (the left when facing the house, that is). I tried over and over to flip that image in my mind, but it didn’t work. And why would the garage be on the family room side of the property rather than the mudroom side? It didn’t make sense. So I flipped the entire bottom floor. But for the most part, this is Jason’s house. (I’m sure he paid more than $1548 for it, though!)

The next step was the snow globe. Yes, I could have just made it up, but I wanted a photo. It needed to look old-fashioned and have a cottage. So I settled on this one:Winter Oranges_Snow Globe

Now, for the characters.

Winter Oranges_Tom HughesIn my brain, Ben looks like Tom Hughes, minus the bad boy attitude.

Ben’s clothes were based largely on this picture:Winter Oranges_civil war men

And Jason… well, I wasn’t entirely sure what Jason looked like. I was pretty sure he was blond, and I knew he was in his late 20s. That was good enough, until I got to a line where somebody says to him, “You look familiar.” Jason hates his semi-celebrity status, so rather than telling her who he really is, he says, “Some people say I look like [some other celebrity].” The problem was, who did he look like? I spent a stupid amount of time googling actors, but I finally decided on William Moseley.Winter Oranges_William Mosely

That’s it for my primary sources of inspiration, but for more pictures, check out my  Winter Oranges Pinterest Board. Have an image you’d like to add? Leave your Pinterest user name in the comments, and I’ll send you an invitation to add to the board.

And be sure to check out Winter Oranges! 20% of the proceeds go to the GLBT National Help Center.

About the Book

Jason Walker is a child star turned teen heartthrob turned reluctant B-movie regular who’s sick of his failing career. So he gives up Hollywood for northern Idaho, far away from the press, the drama of LA, and the best friend he’s secretly been in love with for years.

There’s only one problem with his new life: a strange young man only he can see is haunting his guesthouse. Except Benjamin Ward isn’t a ghost. He’s a man caught out of time, trapped since the Civil War in a magical prison where he can only watch the lives of those around him. He’s also sweet, funny, and cute as hell, with an affinity for cheesy ’80s TV shows. And he’s thrilled to finally have someone to talk to.

But Jason quickly discovers that spending all his time with a man nobody else can see or hear isn’t without its problems—especially when the tabloids find him again and make him front-page news. The local sheriff thinks he’s on drugs, and his best friend thinks he’s crazy. But Jason knows he hasn’t lost his mind. Too bad he can’t say the same thing about his heart.

Winter Oranges is one of Riptide’s 2015 charity titles.

Twenty percent of the proceeds from this title will be donated to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) National Help Center.

Founded in 1996, the GLBT National Help Center is a non-profit organization that provides vital peer-support, community connections and resource information to people with questions regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Utilizing a diverse group of GLBT volunteers, they operate two national hotlines, the GLBT National Hotline and the GLBT National Youth Talkline, as well as private, volunteer one-to-one online chat, that help both youth and adults with coming-out issues, safer-sex information, school bullying, family concerns, relationship problems and a lot more.

To learn more about this charity or to donate directly, please visit their website:  “http://www.glbthotline.org/“

HYPERLINK “http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/winter-oranges“http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/winter-oranges

About the Author

Marie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along.

Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.

Connect with Marie:

WinterOranges_TourBanner

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Winter Oranges, Marie Sexton is giving away two titles from her backlist and a $50 Amazon gift card! Your first comment at each stop on this tour enters you in the drawing. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on December 5, 2015. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. Entries. Follow the tour for more opportunities to enter the giveaway! Don’t forget to leave your email or method of contact so Riptide can reach you if you win!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Happy Reading and Good luck!

A MelanieM Review: Travels Through the Scarlet Equinox (Mischief Corner Anthologies #6) by Toni Griffin , J. Scott Coatsworth , Angel Martinez , Freddy MacKay

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Travels Through the Scarlet EquinoxThe Autumnal equinox—when the trees dress in their formal scarlet and gold and the crisp air whispers of chance and change, when bright days turn into sudden storms and the veil between reality and imagination thins. Join the Mischief Corner authors as they share stories evoking this often unpredictable time of year.

I’m really hooked on these seasonal anthologies that Mischief Corner Books is rolling out each year.  The stories they contain spark the imagination, pull up memories of old mythologies forgotten, and just plain entertain.  And sometimes they bring that twinge of something more, something a little painful, joyful and unexpected.  That was certainly Travels Through The Scarlet Equinox, a more surprising mixup of stories that, upon reflection, works together for four tales of change.  Ah, the Autumnal equinox…

A Bear’s Bear by Toni Griffin   Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Matthew Warner’s been a Chicago Bears fan as far back as he can remember. What other team was a young bear shifter from the Smokey Mountains supposed to root for? When his college friend gets tickets to the next home game, Matthew jumps at the chance for a holiday. It’s his favorite time of year and Nic promises him pumpkin carving and a visit to the world’s largest corn maze, what more could he want?

What Matthew doesn’t expect is finding out the defensive tackle for the Bears is his mate. Between fainting at the realization, meeting family, and dealing with the media fallout of his mate’s coming out Matthew is in for a hell of a rocky Halloween.

Toni Griffin’s bear shifters have really won me over.  I can’t believe I’m saying this but this story is the “most normal” of the group.  A young, shy bear shifter travels to see friends in Chicago and carry out a service for his Alpha at the same time.  When those two elements combine into a meeting with his Alpha’s best friend in Chicago, the unexpected happens and not just for Matthew.  I loved the author’s descriptions of Matthew and Hudson, they definitely exhibit bear-like tendencies, the emotions flowing between them feel real and the story exudes a lot of heart and warmth.

The Autumn Lands by J. Scott Coatsworth.  Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

Jerrith is running. Kissed by an elf, he can’t remain in his hometown of Althos anymore. Not that he wanted to stay.

Caspian still hasn’t figured out why he kissed Jerrith, but he’s running too. Since he was exiled from the Autumn Lands, his past has been hazy, and his future uncertain. But when a stray memory brings things into focus, the two decide to run toward something together. What they uncover will change how they see the world, and themselves, forever.

I loved this story.  I felt Coatsworth’s world building was amazing as was his characterization.  It was so close to perfect, hurt only by the short length.  It cried out for a longer novel so certain elements, which needed to be expanded, could be more fully told.  The author’s use of certain standard elements pertaining to physiology in a non conventional way was unexpected and quite wonderful (no spoilers here, sorry).

And then there is the romance between Cas and Jerrith which is touching and so sweet.  Almost a Romeo and Juliet or Jules if you prefer.  I thought the ending was in keeping with the mythology the author had established and worked so well within the framework of the story.  However, I can hear some of you now.  You won’t be pleased.  Sigh.

Beside a Black Tarn by Angel Martinez   Rating: 5 stars out of 5

When Shax stumbles across rumors of an experimental house that responds to the occupant’s brain functions, creating scenarios to please and delight, naturally he wants to steal it. But with the return of a troubled and hunted Julian Parallax and an overabundance of Poe references, even Shax’s scheming may not be enough to get the Brimstone crew out alive this time.

Of course, Angel Martinez had me at Shax.  But then she brought back Julian Parallax and my happiness was complete.

Once again the crew of the Brimstone is off on a misadventure but this time the stakes are unexpectedly high…their lives and sanity.  Angel Martinez has always managed to find a way to combine humor and horror in her tales and here she has done it once more.

I loved Julian Parallax from the earlier story Potato Surprise and was thrilled to see him return. But of course trouble was not far behind, troubles of the demon prince scale, troubles of the sort that brought horrors that gave have me the shudders and shivers. To counter that Angel Martinez also gives us elements of humor and romance.  The author introduced a new crew member, Maximillian, the marvelous pink, opera singing millipede. And two crew members finally get their chance at love.

In between, things get blown up, there are imps getting ballet lessons, things go splat and there are Ron Perlman references.  Be still my heart!

I loved this story, especially the promise it hung out there of Julian and Shax and the crew working together sometime in the future.  What a tale that will be.

Eternity in the Tides by Freddy MacKay  Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Autumn has always been Zak’s favorite season for hiking and camping. Not to mention breathing in all that crisp fall air and sitting around toasty bonfires. That all changed year and a half ago when a rich prick high on prescription pills sideswiped Zak while he was out biking.

Now his days are filled with pain and limited mobility. No more camping. No more trails. Zak’s life as he knew it is gone forever.

Back at his beloved stomping grounds, Zak is ready to say hello and goodbye one last time. But when a cry from the frigid Lake Superior waters throws him into the role of a rescuer, more than just his life hangs in the balance. Little did Zak know how much one person giving a damn mattered to him.

It’s stories like these that make me want to kick myself.  It happened in the Chestnuts Roasting Anthology and now here again in Travels Through the Scarlet Equinox.  It seems to take an anthology for me to find Freddy MacKay all over again.  This time I’m making a ginormous post it note and sticking it on the monitor because this story exemplifies why she should never be forgotten.

The beginning of this tale is so haunting, so realistically painful I stayed up reliving it after the story was through, that and many other scenes throughout this moving story.  You flow into Zak’s life at what is possibly the lowest point of his life, where all the pain, frustration and rage has combined to let Zak decide to commit suicide by drowning himself.  Every dreadful moment of his decision, each pain-filled movement he makes in the boat, every memory from the day forward when his body was demolished, the author makes Zak real and his predicament immediate and heartbreaking.

Then in his boat, he hears a nearby splash and cries.  Then realizes someone is drowning.  And makes a decision that changes the course of his life forever when he cuts a man free of fish nets, saving him from drowning and putting off his own suicide.

We forget that most of the old fairytales were equal parts horror stories but not Freddy MacKay.  The author remembers that there is always a price to pay, that what one person may think is marvelous, another will covet, what one will want, another will reject or destroy. Eternity in the Tides pulls in Chinese mermaid mythology, old lore specifically (including some horrific elements), and mixes it with modern science of genetics and combines it all with a touching romance that teaches about hope and new possibilities, just not in the way you might think.

There is so much beauty here, beauty and blood.  Love and hate.  Forever happiness…just not what you might predict.  The ending and the epilogue will surprise you.  I did find myself sobbing more than once.  It was the perfect way to end this anthology.  And I promise myself, it won’t take another anthology to find Freddy MacKay again.

I highly recommend this collection of stories.  If you are expecting four stories of exactly the same thing, this is not the collection for you.  But if you love exploring, have a bit of the heart of a adventure lover in you, seek this one out, it won’t disappoint.  Startle you, make you laugh, make you cry, and make you start reading them all over again, certainly.  But never disappoint.

Cover art by Freddy MacKay is sort of perfect for this collection.

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

Book Details:

ebook, First, 485 pages
Published November 18th 2015 by Mischief Corner Books, LLC
original titleTravels Through the Scarlet Equinox
edition languageEnglish
url
seriesMischief Corner Anthologies #6