Category: 5 star Rating

A BJ Review: The Sacrifice and Other Stories by Kim Fielding

Rating:  5 stars out of 5     ★★★★★

The Sacrifice and Other Stories by Kim FieldingA sickly man seeks recovery in a seaside cottage. 
A temple slave tends a man due to be sacrificed. 
A soldier releases a genie.

In seven fantasy short stories and novellas, men find passion with other men in the most unexpected places, and even the gravest circumstances may open the door to hope and love.

This anthology includes two brand-new short stories. In “The Sacrifice,” Rylo is a temple slave tasked with comforting a man who is scheduled to be killed in the morning. In “Chasing Away Cold,” Daku builds an ice sculpture of the god Jarli in order to ensure the end of winter. The collection also includes three novellas and two additional short stories, gathered for the first time in a single volume. “Treasure” introduces Jules, a young man who travels to the quirky seaside town of Urchin Cove to regain his health—and finds an unexpected treasure washed up on the beach. Xolani, a soldier in “Three Wishes,” picks up a small glass bottle and unleashes a surprise. Another soldier, Volos in “Guarded,” will risk everything to save Prince Berhanu. In the sequel, “Mato’s Tale,” an unassuming innkeeper gets a chance for adventure. And in “The Downs,” Enitan is unjustly banished and comes to discover that the demons he must face aren’t the ones he expected.

Join Kim Fielding on journeys through imagined worlds where magic is commonplace and romance lies just around the next bend. All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontiers.

The Sacrifice – 5 stars

New for this anthology, and oh boy, does it ever kick this anthology off right! This is a lovely dark little gem of just the sort that originally brought this author to my attention. Rylo is a temple slave sold by his own parents. He’s chosen to give comfort to a soldier who’s scheduled to be sacrificed the following morning. The story grabbed me from the first paragraph and reeled me in. I loved it for several reasons. First off, I’m a sucker for long-haired, broken, or scarred guys and it delivered gave me that! Not only that, but in such a short number of pages, the author made me care deeply for both of these guys. I adored the dynamic between these two, the switch up between them given their sizes and role in the story. A most excellent short story that despite a very satisfying ending, still left me wanting more of these two. I will cross my fingers.

Treasure – 4.5 stars

This was previously released and written for the DRitC event in 2013. It’d been on my TBR list for a while, but I’d not gotten to it until now. I’m glad I finally did. Sickly, book-loving Julian comes to the small town of Urchin Cover for a holiday, sent by his family who hopes the sea air will improve his health. He finds that, but also so much more when a storm washes handsome Kit Archer up on his private beach. This one is like a romantic swashbuckling fairy tale adventure! There’s dragons, pirates, imps, sprites, and magic. There’s hurt/comfort, sweet that will make your teeth ache, hot sexy bits, suspense and action. It has al that and more. It didn’t drag me in quite as fast as the previous story, and there is a much slower build between the two MC, which some may actually prefer. Overall, a heartwarming story that left me feeling good.

Three Wishes – 5 stars

After soldier Xolani accidently kicks an old bottle on patrol, picks it up and rubs it to remove the dirt, a genie emerges with three wishes to grant. But wishes granted do come with a price. I won’t reveal much more about this story, as you really should experience it for yourself. It’s quite short, but it’s perfect, too. Touching and sweet and full of hope… an exquisite little story.

Guarded – 5 stars

This was previously released and written for the DRitC event in 2014. I’d already read it when it came out, but re-read to refresh my memory since it’s been over a year. Originally rated it as 4.5 stars but I enjoyed it even more the second time around so I’m bumping that up. This is another dark one, and those are my favorite kind it seems. Prince Berhanu shuns guard Volos because of his Kozari blood, but its Volos who comes for him when he captured by the enemy. This story has some brutal parts, and those who have rape triggers should beware. A story with so many of the elements I love: long-hair, hurt/comfort, UST, hot sex, sweet bits, a harsh past, and much more. The prince’s ordeal was hard to read but this story show love’s healing power.

Mato’s Tale – 3.5 stars

This is the sequel to Guarded in which we get to see more of Mato, the lonely but brave innkeeper that assisted Vollos and Berhanu. This was released as a freebie some time ago but I hadn’t yet got around to reading it. While I didn’t really connect very much to the couple in this, I was glad to see Mato and his mother both find their someone special and for Mato get his adventure. Also pleased to find out that Volos and Berhanu were to wed. All around a bunch of lovely HEAs.

The Downs – 4 stars

A dark fairy tale set in a fascinating dystopian world where those convicted of a crime are taken from the city, across the Reach and pitched over a cliff into the Downs where they are told they are being given to the demons for their pleasure.

Entian, a criminal who has been wrongly judged wakes to find himself in the tender care of a scarred giant named Rig. Both of the main characters were intriguing, and their backstories are very developed for a story of this length.This story had many elements I enjoy: dark, dystopian, hurt/comfort, scarred/broken characters, and a sweet love story. This one isn’t only a romance, but a fable-like tale of betrayal, second chances, and vengeance. Little truths sneak out from its pages.

Chasing Away Cold – 5 stars

New in this anthology. Daku creates an ice sculpture of the god Jarli which his tribe will sacrifice in order to ensure the end of winter. Oh my, what a perfect little parable. Had the tears falling down my cheeks as I read. Am I an emotional sap? Maybe, when reading Kim Fielding. Sigh. What’s the magic more powerful than Gods… love, courage… and what this says to me, hope. This is a perfect little gem of a story, and just the right ending for this anthology.

If I figure out the exact stars for this anthology based on the numbers, it comes to something around 4.57. But I’m giving it a big, firm five stars, because very rarely have I ever enjoyed an anthology so completely. Each story is a gem for different reasons, but together they are an impeccable whole.

COVER: I really admire drawn covers done specifically for a story, and this cover captures the feeling of the first story, The Sacrifice, perfectly. Love the dark in the background to the portrayal of Rylo with his attire and tattoo, and long hair, which always, always grabs my attention. But also that outstretched hand that invites the sacrifice in for his last night of pleasure but at the same time invites us readers in to join them. Worked for me!

Sales Links:  Amazon | Buy It Here


Book Details:  

Kindle Edition, 404 pages
Expected publication: November 27th 2015
ASINB0180W71RY
edition languageEnglish404 pages

Published November 27th 2015 by Kim Fielding

Help Out Doctors Without Borders by Jumping Into Kim Fielding’s World of Fantasy with The Sacrifice and Other Stories (special guest post and giveaway)

The Sacrifice and Other Stories by Kim Fielding

The Sacrifice and Other Stories by Kim Fielding
Publisher/self published and release date: self-published, Nov 27, 2015
Cover Artist: Catherine Dair

Buy It Here at Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Kim Fielding here today to talk about her latest short story collection and the charity that she is donating the all the proceeds of the sales of this special fantasy anthology.  Welcome, Kim, please tell us more about this collection of stories  and your connection to this charity.

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Hi, I’m Kim Fielding. I’m not a doctor. I don’t even play one on TV. My healing abilities are limited to Band-Aids, ibuprofen, and Neosporin. So although I really want to help my favorite charity, Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontiers, I can’t very well go jetting off to provide medical services to people badly in need of them.

In case you’re unfamiliar with them, DWB is a nonprofit organization that provides medical care around the world. They go to places where people are suffering from conflict, disasters, epidemics, or extreme poverty. They’re independent and politically neutral. Basically, they provide critical, life-saving services to the people who need them most. You can read more about their work here.

Several years ago, I cast about for a way to help DWB. I came up with the idea of donating all the royalties from my self-published books to them. This has amounted to several thousand dollars per year—much more than I could have managed without my readers’ support.

This year I decided to do something special as a fundraiser. I’ve gathered together three of my fantasy novellas and two short stories, then added two brand new shorts. I’ve packaged them together in one volume with a beautiful cover by Catherine Dair. And I’m donating all the royalties. The book is called The Sacrifice and Other Stories.

The novellas in this collection have already received lots of rave reviews, and I think that having everything in one volume may be handy for those who’d like to reread. Maybe some of these stories are new to you. Plus I got to write two brand-new stories that had been bouncing around in my head. One of them is about a temple slave who has the job of giving human sacrifices one last good day. The other is set in prehistoric times (I promise, no T-rexes) and tells the story of a man who must sculpt a god out of ice in order to save his tribe. I really enjoyed writing them.

The book is available in Kindle and print editions. You can indulge yourself, but it would also make a wonderful gift for your romance-reading friends. And you’ll be helping a truly deserving organization.

About The Sacrifice and Other Stories

The Sacrifice and Other Stories by Kim FieldingA sickly man seeks recovery in a seaside cottage.

A temple slave tends a man due to be sacrificed.

A soldier releases a genie.

In seven fantasy short stories and novellas, men find passion with other men in the most unexpected places, and even the gravest circumstances may open the door to hope and love.

This anthology includes two brand-new short stories. In “The Sacrifice,” Rylo is a temple slave tasked with comforting a man who is scheduled to be killed in the morning. In “Chasing Away Cold,” Daku builds an ice sculpture of the god Jarli in order to ensure the end of winter. The collection also includes three novellas and two additional short stories, gathered for the first time in a single volume. “Treasure” introduces Jules, a young man who travels to the quirky seaside town of Urchin Cove to regain his health—and finds an unexpected treasure washed up on the beach. Xolani, a soldier in “Three Wishes,” picks up a small glass bottle and unleashes a surprise. Another soldier, Volos in “Guarded,” will risk everything to save Prince Berhanu. In the sequel, “Mato’s Tale,” an unassuming innkeeper gets a chance for adventure. And in “The Downs,” Enitan is unjustly banished and comes to discover that the demons he must face aren’t the ones he expected.

Join Kim Fielding on journeys through imagined worlds where magic is commonplace and romance lies just around the next bend. All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontiers.

***

Available now from Amazon.

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About the Author

Kim Fielding is the bestselling author of numerous m/m romance novels, novellas, and short stories. Like Kim herself, her work is eclectic, spanning genres such as contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and historical. Her stories are set in alternate worlds, in 15th century Bosnia, in modern-day Oregon. Her heroes are hipster architect werewolves, housekeepers, maimed giants, and conflicted graduate students. They’re usually flawed, they often encounter terrible obstacles, but they always find love.

After having migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States, Kim calls the boring part of California home. She lives there with her husband, her two daughters, and her day job as a university professor, but escapes as often as possible via car, train, plane, or boat. This may explain why her characters often seem to be in transit as well. She dreams of traveling and writing full-time.

You can find Kim
On her blog: http://www.kfieldingwrites.com/
On Facebook: http://facebook.com/KFieldingWrites
On Twitter: @KFieldingWrites
Or via email: kim@KFieldingWrites.com

***

For more on Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontiers or to donate directly to them: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/

***

Excerpt (from “Chasing Away Cold”)

She knelt, scooped a handful of snow, and stood to hold it before her. “This is nothing special—simply water that has frozen and melted and frozen again. But sometimes something very important may come from nothing at all. It depends on the heart of the maker.” She dropped the snow and pressed her hand against Daku’s chest. “The contents of a heart can change everything.”
Although he didn’t understand, he nodded. Then he gave her the cup and turned to complete the ice man.
He took particular care over the face: a narrow chin and broad cheekbones, far-set eyes with a slight downward tilt at the outside, a strong nose, and lips stretched in a wide smile. The ice man’s hair was straight, falling well below his shoulders.
“You’ve made him beautiful,” Yalamay said. Daku couldn’t say whether she’d gone and returned or had been standing there the entire time.
“He is beautiful. I only… I only tried to show that.”
Yalamay nodded as if this made perfect sense. “I knew you were the right one for this.”
Aside from Daku’s mother, people rarely praised him, and Yalamay was always sparing with her commendations. Daku should have preened under her rare words. But he was too preoccupied with what he had created. The ice man looked so real, so joyful. And in a few short hours he would be destroyed.
Daku swallowed with difficulty, but he managed a small smile when Yalamay patted his back. “Thank you for letting me do this,” he said.
“I won’t always be here, my boy. And none in the tribe but you could make Jarli so well.”
“Don’t go!” Daku cried, as if she could somehow stop death.
She chuckled. “I am pleased to be appreciated. But Daku, everything changes eventually. Winter becomes spring becomes summer becomes autumn becomes winter. Youngsters grow old and babies are born. Even hard stone is worn away”—she gestured at the rock on which the ice man stood—“but new plants grow.” She gestured toward the forest. “Someday this world will see changes that are so far beyond the tribe’s dreaming. But a few things remain unaltered. Do you know what those things are?”
“The gods?”
Her laughter startled a nearby crow from its branch. “Oh no, my boy. Gods and goddesses change too. More slowly than humans, perhaps, but no less inevitably. But the world contains magics even more powerful than gods, and the strength of those magics never changes. What are they?”
At first his mind was as blank as a fresh layer of snow. But Yalamay looked at him expectantly, and Daku remembered the conversation he’d had with his mother earlier in the day. “Love and courage.”
“Very good! There are others too, but I think those are an excellent start.”

***

Giveaway

Enter to win below.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Good luck and happy reading.  Link and prizes provided by the author.

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A Stella Review: THE WINTER SPIRIT by Indra Vaughn (a two review novel)

Rating 5 stars out of 5  ★★★★★

Nathaniel O’Donnelly likes his life quiet, his guests happy, and his ghosts well-behaved.

The Winter Spirit coverAlthough a boyfriend wouldn’t go amiss. Someone to share his beautiful B&B with, even if it is in the middle of nowhere and he’s long past the wrong side of thirty. Problem is, Nathaniel’s living with a ghost who thinks he’s cupid, and whose arrows fly a little too straight.

Gabriel Wickfield had the unfortunate luck of dying before his time, and now he’s stuck trying to make romance happen to earn his right to move along. Not that he’s bored in the meantime–Nathaniel is just too easy to tease. And also a little bit scrumptious…

With the curse reaching its expiration date, Gabriel needs to make this final match this Christmas. Without it, nothing but darkness awaits.


Love can conquer all, but can it beat death?

I already read some Christmas stories this year and so far The Winter Spirit is my favorite. It was unexpectedly beautiful and emotional. I simply loved it! It is the perfect Christmas novel for these cold days, light and cuddly.

Nathaniel owns a bed & breakfast left him by his uncle twelve years ago. He is living his quiet, happy and a bit lonely life in the middle of nowhere with a resident ghost called Gabe, dead one century ago, who appears in all the mirrors in his perfect three piece suit. A matchmaking ghost who likes to close Nathaniel and his friend/coworker Elise in the pantry and switch on “Love is in the Air” on the stereo. But it’s on time, he has hundred years to make someone, Nathaniel now, fall in love. And the curse is ending this Christmas. What if he falls in love with Nathaniel?

I don’t have words to say how much this book warmed my heart, it was magical and sweet. I loved the characters, each one except Owen, I laughed and I admit I cried a little at the ending part. The story went exactly where it was supposed to go, where I wanted it to go, it didn’t disappoint me a bit. It’s what I love to read, so perfect, well written and engaging I had to read it in a one standing because I couldn’t put it down. The novella’s idea was not just great, most of all was beautifully developed in a slow burn, friends to lovers story that left me satisfied through all of it.

This was my first book by Indra Vaughn and I need to check out her previous works soon. The Winter Spirit was a well done surprise! Highly recommended.

Cover art is as perfect as the story.

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

Book Details:

Published November 16th 2015 by Indra Ink
Kindle Edition, 93 pages
ASIN B0184I7U2U
Edition Language English

A BJ Review: Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts (Claimings #1) by Lyn Gala

Rating:  5 stars out of 5   ★★★★★

Claimings, Tails and Other Alien ArtifactsLiam loves his life as a linguist and trader on the Rownt homeworld, but he has ignored his heart and sexual needs for years. He won’t risk letting anyone come too close because he won’t risk letting anyone see his deeply submissive nature. For him, submission comes with pain. Life burned that lesson into his soul from a young age. This fear keeps him from noticing that the Rownt trader Ondry cares for him.

Ondry may not understand humans, but he recognizes a wounded soul, and his need to protect Liam is quickly outpacing his common sense. They may have laws, culture, and incompatible genitalia in their way, but Ondry knows that he can find a way to overcome all that if he can just overcome the ghosts of Liam’s past. Only then can he take possession of a man he has grown to love.

Wow, this story blew me away. Not only is it extremely well-written but also totally original and unique! It was so such fun reading that I read it all the way through in one day without putting it down! I know some people do that regularly, but I seldom can manage it. But watching these two very different men learn to communicate on intimate issues was so thoroughly fascinating.

This is a sweet, gentle romance with a unique take on submission/dominance that I just adored. I enjoy sci-fi and one of my fav tropes is alien lovers—however, so very often the alien’s anatomy disappointingly similar to human. That’s one of the things I adored about this book–Ondry is truly alien in that his physiology is completely different from our. Thus their lovemaking is unique… tender, sensual, but also hot.

But don’t read it just for that. The plot is outstanding and tightly drawn, the love story is sweet and beautiful, the characters are nuanced and easy to connect to. And the structure of Ondry’s world and social system is outstanding and complex. Ondry’s Rownt world is a matriarchal society governed by older/wiser women called “grandmothers.” The way the males are treated as their seed is um… taken, is quite harsh. But overall this is absolutely stunning world building, just beyond awesome! For anyone who enjoys hot m/m sci-fi, this is highly recommended.

The cover has all the elements to mark it as sci-fi as well as its hot (and I love the tail!)

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

Book Details:  

ebook, 104 pages
Published January 29th 2013 by Loose Id
original titleClaimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts
ISBN139781623001926
edition languageEnglish
seriesClaimings #1

A MelanieM Review: The Devil’s Due (Pulp Friction 2015 Book 19) by Parker Williams

Rating:  5 stars out of 5   ★★★★★

The Devil's Due coverArtie Middleton and Ben Nelson have faced everything thrown at them and come out stronger individually and as a couple.

They’ve lost friends, and learned the painful lesson that nothing good comes without a price. Now, Artie’s unwitting part in an insane plan to destroy all supernatural beings has pulled him front and center into a battle for survival.

When Ben becomes a pawn in the scheme, Artie must decide what he’s willing to risk to protect his family. It’s a question that must be asked when the devil finally demands his due.

Four books have seen Artie Middleton and Ben Nelson come together in love and devastating loss, find a new family in a strange group of supernatural friends, along with their human families that remain alive.  Now everything they have, their love, their lives, everyone’s future has been threatened and they must destroy it once and for all.  Now we find out how high the cost will be.

Parker Williams has the ability to wring the emotions out of a reader by the end of a story.  It didn’t matter that the last one, High Stakes, was only 40-some odd pages, I felt limp as a dishrag from all the sobbing and loss.  This story makes it all worthwhile.  This is the grand finale and Williams makes all the heartbreak, all the angst that has gone before not only palatable but, I can’t believe I’m saying this, meaningful and right.

Wonderful, absorbing plots need equally great characters and here we have a marriage of both.  Williams has developed the characters of Artie and Ben over four books, giving each man more interesting layers and depth to him, letting the readers watch them grow together and sort of grow up as the relationship developed.  We committed to them as they committed to each other. And that made the danger and pain that happens to them far more real and heartbreaking.

Terrific characterizations extend past the main couple to stellar secondary ones such as Tempeste and even a flatulent ghost dog who hogs the bed.  There are so many here to give your heart to, including a new one at the end of the story.

No details (as much as I would love to reveal them), that wouldn’t be fair.  But the author sets Ben and Artie on the road to finally confront the demon behind all the fiendish events and deaths that have been happening all over New Orleans.  But nothing goes as planned.  With all their friends involved, strategies are hurriedly devised, and moment by moment the suspense and absolute horror is ramped up until you are sure all is to be lost…

I was tucked into my bed with the popcorn, and dogs, and yes, glass of wine and didn’t touch any of it until the book was done. What a thrilling ride of a story!  Yes, the devil got his due and then some.

And then there was that ending. How I loved this story and series.  Artie and Ben, and yes Tempeste too.  They stole my heart.  Pick up this series and let them steal yours too.

Need a new addiction?  Grab up Parker Williams’ Four of Club series (Pulp Friction 2015).  Read them all at once in one major binge read or one at a time, either way, you will find yourself hooked.  I highly recommend this book and series. Happy Reading.

Cover art is lovely and perfect for the story.

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

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 66 pages
Published November 13th 2015
ASINB017ZBD120
edition languageEnglish

 

About Pulp Friction 2015

Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ Parker Williams ~ Laura Harner

The Pulp Friction 2015 Altered States Collection.
Four authors.
Four Series.
Twenty books.
One supernatural finale.

Spend a year with the creatures that go bump in the night…fighting for their rights to exist and protecting the innocents of The Big Easy. A diverse group of friends trying to find their place in a world they never had to “fit” into before.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment.

Round One:
Drawing Dead ~ Blind Stud ~ The Devil’s Bedpost ~ Diamonds and Dust

Round Two:
Dead Blind ~ Stud Player ~ Up the Ante ~ Diamond Draw

Round Three:
Dead Button ~ Blind Man’s Bluff ~ Devil’s Playground ~ Diamond Edge

Round Four:
Dead Man’s Hand ~ Blind Hearts ~ High Stakes ~ Diamond Flush

Round Five:
Dead Money ~ Under the Gun ~ Devil’s Due ~ Diamonds Down and Dirty

A Holiday Must Read for the Heart: Winter Wonderland (Minnesota Christmas #3) by Heidi Cullinan (giveaway)

Winter Wonderland cover

Winter Wonderland (Minnesota Christmas #3) by Heidi Cullinan
Release Date: November 10, 2015
Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Series: Minnesota Christmas, 
Characters: Paul Jansen, Kyle Parks

Buy links

WW_feels_right

BLURB:

Finding Mr. Right can be a snow lot of fun.

Paul Jansen was the only one of his friends who wanted a relationship. Naturally, he’s the last single man standing. No gay man within a fifty-mile radius wants more than casual sex. No one, that is, except too-young, too-twinky Kyle Parks, who sends him suggestive texts and leaves X-rated snow sculptures on his front porch.

Kyle is tired of being the town’s resident Peter Pan. He’s twenty-five, not ten, and despite his effeminate appearance, he’s nothing but the boss in bed. He’s loved Paul since forever, and this Christmas, since they’re both working on the Winter Wonderland festival, he might finally get his chance for a holiday romance.

But Paul comes with baggage. His ultra-conservative family wants him paired up with a woman, not a man with Logan’s rainbow connection. When their anti-LGBT crusade spills beyond managing Paul’s love life and threatens the holiday festival, Kyle and Paul must fight for everyone’s happily ever after, including their own.

Warning: Contains erotic snow art, toppy twinks, and super-sweet holiday moments. Best savored with a mug of hot chocolate with a dash of spice

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-61923-011-8
Print ISBN: coming soon
Format: Novel • Genre: Contemporary/Holiday • Length: 70,000 words

Excerpt 1 (first chapter) • Excerpt 2 • Excerpt 3

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WINTER WONDERLAND SPOTIFY PLAYLIST • HEIDI’S PROFILE ON SPOTIFY

Heidi Cullinan head shot

About the Author

Heidi Cullinan has always enjoyed a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. Proud to be from the first Midwestern state with full marriage equality, Heidi is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights. She writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because she believes there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. When Heidi isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, playing with her cats, and watching television with her family. Find out more about Heidi at http://www.heidicullinan.com.

Follow/contact Heidi Cullinan at Twitter, Facebook-Author Profile, Goodreads as well as her website listed above.

Giveaway

Grand prize giveaway open from November 1-30. Includes paperback copies of Let It Snow, Sleigh Ride, and Winter Wonderland, and a Logan-themed mug.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Prizes and link provided by the author. Good luck and happy reading!

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bc7416c220/?

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Minnesota Christmas series.   What happens when the three bears of a little Minnesota town go looking for love? Find out with the Minnesota Christmas series from Heidi Cullinan.

Let It Snow (Minnesota Christmas, #1)
Sleigh Ride (Minnesota Christmas, #2)
Winter Wonderland (Minnesota Christmas, #3)

A Stella Review: Betting on Forever (The Breakfast Club #2) by Felice Stevens

Rating 5 stars out of 5       ★★★★★

Betting on Forever coverA weekend fling in Atlantic City couldn’t be more out of socially shy Zach Cohen’s comfort zone, but a bet with his best friends forces him to put aside the humiliation he’s hidden for years, stepping away from his computer screens and on-line world. When he meets Sam Stein, despite their spark, Zach expects nothing more than a night of passion and a kiss goodbye. Yet weeks later, he can’t keep the man out of his head. 

After a split second decision with tragic results ends his twenty year police career at the same time his relationship falls apart, Sam Stein is drifting through life. At his best friend’s urging he agrees to a trip to Atlantic City to clear his head. What Sam doesn’t plan on is meeting Zach Cohen, whose sweet nature and honesty has him thinking maybe he could move forward, until Zach leaves him without explanation, reinforcing Sam’s belief that people can’t be trusted.

Well-meaning friends refuse to let Zach and Sam hide from each other, forcing them to realize their weekend is much more than a one night stand. Before that can happen, Zach must come to terms with his past and stand up for his own independence, while Sam has to learn to take a chance and believe in himself and people again. All bets are off when dreams become reality and forever doesn’t seem to be long enough.

Betting on Forever is the second book in The Breakfast Club series by the amazing Felice Stevens. The first installment, Beyond the Surface, was a “second chance at love” story really well done, so you can imagine my joy when I get this new one. I can already tell you she didn’t disappoint me. To me it was another winner.

I was waiting for Zach’s story since the first time I met him. I was so curious to know what was behind his shyness and who was going to be the one to disclose the sweet boy he is as Zach has spent all his life feeling invisible. He has true friends in Marcus, Julian and Nick, but he keeps things from them too. It’s hard for Zach to trust people with his heart, he’s been hurt and humiliated by someone  who convinced him that he’s worthless. He prefers to hide behind his pc screen but now he’s going to Atlantic City for an important work-related convention,  and cheered up by a bet with his friends, he promises himself to be a different person during this weekend.

Sam is a private investigator, ex cop with a bad past behind him. He knows nothing about computers but he is forced to join his friend Henry at the convention, as a way to distract himself. When he meets Zach, it is soon lust at first sight, but Zach leaves the convention in a hurry and the date they had scheduled is postponed to… never. Or not?

I think one of the reason why I loved this story so much is that I was able to connect with Zach on so many levels. I knew his fears and the past/present duties he feels to the people he loves. It was hard to follow him in his struggles with his mother and his life in general but it was never sad. Felice did a great work with this story, because it’s full of  positivity and happiness. It’s sweet, just as I like it. She surrounded Zach and Sam with some amazing friends and parents. Supportive, caring but ready to kick their asses.

I loved the writing, the dialogues were all so easy and real. It was a pleasure to read Betting on Forever, see these boys get their finally deserved HEA and get some of their issues solved. I was soon drawn in their relationship, they completed each other so beautifully, it really seemed they were the missing pieces in the other’s life. It was easy but at times it was really emotional, especially in a couple of touching scenes. And I was happy I was able to see more about Julian and Nick together, Felice fulfilled my wish.

I want to highly recommend Betting on Forever to everyone who’s looking for a feel good story, sweet and with characters with an age gap between them (not too much), this book is for you. If you read anything else by the author you already know how talented she is. If she is a new author to you, here is a perfect story to give her a chance. This book could be simply read as a standalone but don’t miss the first one too.

I can’t wait for Marcus story!

Cover art by Reese Dante. This artist is became a guarantee. Her covers are always well done and fitting. In this case too, the scene on the beach depicted on the cover is one of my favorite in the book.

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

Book Details:

Expected publication: November 17th 2015
Edition Language English

The Breakfast Club series

Beyond the Surface #1 (my review here )
Betting on Forever #2

A Mika Review: Exchange of Hearts by N.R. Walker

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars   ★★★★★

Piano classical music musician player. Pianist with musical instrument grand piano
Piano classical music musician player. Pianist with musical instrument grand piano

Eighteen-year-old Harrison Haddon has grown up alone. Surrounded by wealth, nannies, and material things, all he craves is the approval of his father. Sent away to the boarding school his father and grandfather attended, it’s assumed he will follow in their footsteps from Sydney’s prestigious Ivy League school straight into medical school.

But Harrison doesn’t want to be a doctor.

He dreams of music and classical piano. His only true happiness, his escape from the world expected of him, is dismissed by his intolerant and emotionally detached parents.

Levi Aston arrives from London for a three-month student exchange program. Free-spirited and confident in who he is and what he wants to do with his life, Levi convinces Harrison not give up on his dreams.

But convincing Harrison not to give up on his family might not be so easy.

This is going down as one of my favorite Y.A/N.A books ever. N.R. Walker has gold on her hand. No angst!!!! I deserve some of that. From beginning to end I was sucked into this story. I really love Levi & Harrison. Goodness, why does she do this to us? Did you really have to make it a novella? I kept looking at the page percentage, like please, don’t reach 100%, pretty please ,with a cherry on top.

Harrison is a brilliant, 18 year-old living in Sydney Australia,. He is picked to room with a student on the study abroad program and in walks the most loving guy ever!! Levi is everything I wish I had at 18. He is definitely up there with Charlie & Travis, and Thomas & Cooper. I didn’t want these two to end at all.

I really love the devotion that these young guys seemed to have towards one another. I like that Harrison stands up for himself, he knows what it’s like to fall in love, and be in love at a young age. Levi’s family is how a family is supposed to be towards their kin.

N.R. Walker has managed to pack some powerful love story in this small amount of pages. I hope that she decides to revisit these two soon, and maybe we can get a full length novel! I want it please.

Cover Art by Sara York, I think Sara did a good job with the cover. It’s not quite how I imagined Harrison in my head, but this model is cute. I love how each guy home is presented on the cover. The piano is a major plus as well.

Sales Link:   Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 133 pages
Published November 11th 2015 by BlueHeart Press
ASINB017WROVI0
edition languageEnglish

A Wynter Review: Wolf, WY (Wolf #1) by A.F. Henley (A 2 Review Novel)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5      ★★★★★

Wolf, WY CoverThere’s nothing like a fresh start, and for Randy, still nursing wounds left by a cheating ex and harboring a deep mistrust for all things corporate, Wolf, Wyoming seems like the perfect place to start over. Secluded, quiet, and self-sufficient, Wolf is bound to not only inspire, but to bring Randy the peace he needs. The view’s not bad, either.

Vaughn O’Connell and his family are Randy’s only neighbors for miles, and while Randy knows it’s somewhat unlikely that a man with three kids is gay, it doesn’t hurt to look. When a misunderstanding brings Randy face to face with both Vaughn and his eighteen year old son, Lyle, Randy’s not sure what to feel about either of them.

But things are not what they appear in Wolf, and the closer Randy gets, the stranger the O’Connell family seems…

The beauty of this novel has two parts. The first was how easy it was to sink into the world of Wolf, WY. The second lies in the two story perspectives presented in every chapter. The first and most obvious perspective is Randy Connor through whose point-of-view we follow in the story. The second, less obvious one is of the wolves that the author shares at the beginning of every chapter in italics. It did such a beautiful job portraying the cold – emotionally and of-the-weather, as well as the loneliness and isolation of Wolf, WY and its inhabitants.

While I wished those italics parts were longer, Henley’s ability to convey so much in so little is, in and of itself, a thing of wonder. They are a very powerful depiction of, presumably, Vaughn – a man of few words but full of emotion from holding on and keeping in all the secrets that protected himself, his family, and his community. I can just imagine how he must’ve wrestled with the notion of sharing who and what he is (and Lyle) with Randy. For me, all of that made me ask many questions about Jackie (you’ll have to read to find out who that is, I’m afraid).

As much as I could ache (and cry) for the head of the O’Connell family, I couldn’t help laughing, groaning, and shaking my head at Randy Connor, an attorney who left all he knew behind in search of a fresh start. One of the best things about Henley’s stories is his knack for getting the main character’s introduction out of the way so the story could unfold without interruption. The prologue found (“stupid”) Randy buried in the middle of his dry and sarcastic introspection about life. The following chapters unfold the mystery of the O’Connell family and how Randy changes as a person – from an arrogant and egotistical city-brat to someone who realizes that there’s a lot more to being out in the country other than self-efficiency, and that running away can’t keep being the answer to his life’s problems.

As a lover of the winter season, I loved how Henley described Wolf, WY in the cold months: a rare and most beautiful place of a winter wonderland where snow danced and both the wolves and the winds howl in harmony with each other. There is ample warning though, and as Randy came to learn, the more beautiful winter became, the more likely it is to find fun ways of maiming a person, if it doesn’t succeed in killing you first.

I found the story predictable in some areas, but I think Henley did a good job in keeping the mystery going and left plenty of opportunity for some of the questions to be answered in a sequel. I like how several of the paranormal elements were kept simple while the author inserted his own creativity and kept the characters and the circumstances real. We didn’t have two characters who meet and immediately try to make things work. What seems like indecisiveness in Vaughn (along with his coldness and curt behavior) really drives home just how much the man struggles within himself – something that Randy didn’t, and couldn’t, understand. Many of us have been there ourselves, finding that one interesting and overly intriguing person who refuses to open up. In fact, such silence tends to annoy and frustrate some more than others, doesn’t it? It certainly frustrated Randy.

If nothing else, reading the book for the children is well worth it. Hannah and Isaac are positively adorable in this novel, so full of life and character, yet don’t let their young years deceive you. They can be quite the adults when the circumstance calls for it, much to Randy’s chagrin. It made me so proud and made my heart ache all in the same instance: children grow up entirely too fast. Faster in Wolf, WY, it would seem.

And per Henley’s usual arsenal, it does contain a couple of very hot, very erotic scenes.

This is the first time this author has published a book intended for a serial. I think the readers of this book are going to fall into two groups: the ones who absolutely love it (like me) and the ones who will absolutely hate it. I do recommend the book – highly, in fact – but if my personal experiences can be called upon to make a judgment about serials for those hesitant about this novel, sometimes reading Book 2 before Book 1 might be better. It’s worked for me before.

Thank you for reading! I hope you have yourselves a lovely Fall day! ❤

The cover artist for this novel is Raphael (Boys in Ink and Color), and I must say he did a splendid job. If I had been walking the aisle of a bookstore and strode right by a showcase with this novel on it, there would definitely be a pause in stride to pick it up. The wolf eyes just draws me in. On top of that is a snow covered landscape that suggests an adventure is about to happen, or is happening, and will involve at least a wolf.

Sales Links:  Less Than Three Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

  • Author: A. F. Henley
  • Length: ebook, 223 pages; kindle edition, 260 pages
  • Language: English
  • Series: Wolf, #1
  • Genre: Fantasy – Paranormal, M/M Fiction
  • Published: 1st edition October 21, 2015 by Less Than Three Press LLC
  • ISBN-13: 9781620046180
  • Digital ISBN: 9781620045398
  • Print ISBN: 9781620046197

A Free Dreamer Review: My Magical Palace by Kunal Mukherjee

Rating: 5 stars out of 5     ★★★★★

My Magical PalaceHaunted by dreams of an unforgettable loss, Rahul, a young man of thirty living in San Francisco, suddenly becomes secretive and withdraws from his partner Andrew. When Andrew discovers that Rahul is still interviewing girls sent by his parents for an arranged marriage, he gives Rahul an ultimatum-stop living a lie, or give up their relationship. In response, Rahul tells Andrew a story. About a boy who lived in a palace. A boy named Rahul. Set in San Francisco today and in India in the early 1970s, My Magical Palace is a sensitive tale about a boy’s coming of age, and the many hurdles he must cross to heal and find himself.

I’ve been fascinated by India ever since I got my hands on an old copy of “Kim” by Rudyard Kipling when I was nine or ten. So when I read the blurb of “My Magical Palace”, I just had to have it.

First of all, this is not a love story. It’s a coming of age story, with just a tiny hint of romance. Of course there’s the first love and Rahul is in a relationship when he starts telling his story, but those are just two of many important details about Rahul’s story.

Rahul, a young man who grew up in India and now lives with his boyfriend in America. He isn’t out to his parents, so when they once again send him a woman that they think would make a great wife, he asks Andrew to leave the apartment for the evening. Andrew is understandably pissed and threatens to dump Rahul, if he doesn’t come out to his parents right now. So Rahul starts telling the story of the year that changed his life. How he slowly turned from the little boy who was afraid to go upstairs, because his older sister told him there were ghosts at the top of the stairs, to the mature teenager, who has to keep his sexuality hidden and who has lost so many things in such a short time that it changed him forever.

I absolutely loved every single second of this book. The descriptions were so vivid, I felt like I’d seen the palace with my own eyes. It sounds like such a beautiful place. The author managed to describe everything in great detail, without it ever getting boring or feeling like an info-dump.

The Indian setting was incredibly well written. If you aren’t very familiar with the Indian culture, you’ll be hitting Google a lot. The author doesn’t bother to explain things like food or clothes and even though I didn’t know a lot of those things, I loved that. Explanations like that tend to pull me out of a story and I don’t mind if I don’t just what they’re eating. The author grew up in Hyderabad and it’s obvious that he really knows what he’s writing about from personal experience and not just from research.

I was so engrossed in Rahul’s world that I felt a bit of a culture shock every time I was forced to surface from his story and found myself in cold, monotonous Europe.

Rahul was immediately likeable. It was very easy to relate to him, even though his life is nothing like my own. I felt strongly for pretty much every somewhat important character in this book. I was at times deliriously happy, utterly depressed, incredibly pressured and absolutely terrified. Once or twice I was even close to tears.

The plot was addicting and unpredictable. I wasn’t sure whether Rahul and Andrew would actually manage to rescue their relationship till the very last chapter. Rahul’s childhood was full of unexpected twists and turns and it never once got boring.

But “My Magical Palace” is so much more than just a deeply enjoyable novel. It has taught me a lot about the life of gay men in India. I’ve read plenty of books about women in India, but this is the first one with a gay protagonist.  It was very educating, but it never felt like the author was trying to force me to learn something.

I do have one very tiny niggle, however. Everybody gets their resolution in the end. Everybody but Rani. We never learn what happened to the grown up Rani. I would’ve loved to know if she managed to escape the strict expectations her family and tradition put on her.

Long story short, “My Magical Palace” is a hidden gem that deserves a huge audience. Read it and I’m sure you’ll agree with me.

And now I want a story about Rahul’s neighbour Colonel Uncle and his Italian lover. Colonel Uncle was my favourite character and his story needs to be told.

Cover: I love the cover. The bottom half shows Rahul’s childhood home, the Indian palace, and the top half shows the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rahul’s home as an adult.

Sales Links:  Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 236 pages
Published November 17th 2013 by Kunal Mukherjee, Inc. (first published 2012)
ASINB00GQOM2RS
edition languageEnglish
literary awardsBest Indian debut Writer December 2012 by The Tales Pensieve (2012)