A MelanieM Review: Shawn’s Law by Renae Kaye

Rating:5 stars out of 5

At the age of twenty-nine, Shawn O’Hara’s life is full, although not quite in the way he had always imagined it. Shawn had to quit his job to become the full-time caregiver of his Alzheimer’s-stricken mother. And if that isn’t enough, Shawn’s life has been a string of unfortunate accidents. What some people call Murphy’s Law (A rule that states, “If something can go wrong, it will, and usually at the worst time.”), is in Shawn’s case, Murphy’s Law doubled and known by friends and family as Shawn’s Law.

In what little spare time Shawn has, he spends it painting nude men and spying on the guy who walks his dogs along the street every day at four o’clock, someone he has affectionately dubbed Hippy-Hotpants. When Shawn takes a spectacular fall on his front steps, who is there to witness it other than the man of his dreams?

Harley (aka Hippy Hotpants) doesn’t believe in Shawn’s Law. But spending time with Shawn brings about a change in mind. Shawn is it for Harley and he is determined to make Shawn see it as well. The two men make it through a memorable first date, full of Shawn’s Law surprises, and still look forward to more. But when Harley is accidentally injured, Shawn is determined to save Harley’s life the only way he knows how—by breaking up with him. Not once, but twice. Throw in a serial killer ex-boyfriend, several deadly Australian animals, two dogs called Bennie, a mother who forgets to wear clothes, an unforgiving Town Council, and a strawberry-flavored condom dolly, and Shawn’s Law is one for the booksmind.

Ever had a book that made you laugh out loud? Not just a few giggles (although that happened), or episodes of gentle laughter (ditto). No, I’m talking about out and out guffaws, side stitching no holds barred cackles! For me, that is Shawn’s Law by Renae Kaye in a nutshell. Even now, just thinking about certain scenes and dialog makes me stop and laugh until I cry.

I have read and loved other books by this author (The Blinding Light, The Shearing Gun, Safe in His Arms) but nothing prepared me for Harley, Shawn, and their fabulous if accident prone path to love. The humor is searing, but its overlaid by some of life’s worst events, a mother in the last throes of Alzheimer’s, lost jobs, a stressed out sister and a solitary love life, all of which are realistically portrayed. Shawn is unexpectedly wonderful in almost every way. His outlook is positive (because the alternative would be depressingly scary). His physique? Well, let’s hear it from Harley how he sees Shawn:

And Shawn is definitely a man. He has short black hair and a strong jaw that needs to be shaved twice a day to keep the shadow off. He wears endearing black-framed glasses that look cute and geeky at the same time. He hates his glasses and is always threatening to buy something hip and cool, but he never gets around to it. Too many other things happen in his life. But there’s no getting around the fact that he’s short and has curves—his legs are curvy, his butt sticks out and his chest is rounded. He would never be called svelte or willowy, and that’s more than okay with me.

Yep, that Shawn, Short, “curvy”, kind hearted Shawn. He doesn’t even cuss because he accidentally taught his youngest niece the F word, so now everything is fudge, or sugar or any other sweet term you can think of (as in “Sugar creme puffs, Mum’s loose and naked again”) and from Shawn’s mouth it feels natural and unaffected. Shawn comes across as a human being you would love to get to know (albeit from the relative safety of 10 feet away). He’s friends with all the nurses and doctors at the local hospital through his many visits. All the local car towing company, animal wildlife rangers, plumbers,, etc are all of first name basis with Shawn due to Shawn’s Law in action. Man, this guy endearing and real. I love Shawn and he quickly became one of my favorite characters.

Harley is another finely drawn portrait of a activist at home in his own skin and looking for love in one of the most unlikely pairings around. Harley likes to let it all, I mean all as in his equipment, hang loose. No binding underwear for him and his dress or sometimes lack of it earns him the nickname Hippy-Hotpants. Maybe its his long hair too. Anyway, he cuts quite the figure through these pages and in Shawn’s life. Harley is far from perfect and Shawn brings about some serious reflection on how he views his life, Shawn, and the events that happen. I love that about this character and the storyline. The characters all show measurable growth. It unfolds realistically and sometimes painfully, although the humor is retained at various levels of intensity. But nothing is easy. Relationships take work, people have insecurities about their bodies, and sometimes people do the wrong thing by trying to do what’ they think is right and will create the least amount of havoc for someone they love. So yeah, their steps towards love are sometimes plodding, full of pratfalls and stumbles and a fair share of misunderstandings. But that only makes this story and their romance that much sweeter because it feels so real and right.

All the other characters are just as perfectly realized as Shawn and Harley. Whether its, Lisa (Shawn’s sister) or Shawn’s mum whose lucidity comes and goes (mostly goes), or any of the other myriad people that pop up, you will remember them all with great fondness and wish to see more of them as often as possible. I could have lived in this story and with these characters for a long, long time.

Renae Kaye’s writing flows so smoothly here. Told from both Shawn and Harley’s point of view the events unfold quickly and believably. And this short excerpt gives you a window into how it all starts. Here Shawn has just realized that his mother has slipped out of the house…again. And he follows a trail of clothing outside just as he was waiting to catch a glimpse of “Hippy-Hotpants”:

“Mum?”

Then disaster struck. Not apocalypse proportions, but just your everyday oh-man-that-just-ruined-everything disaster. My foot slid on something and flew out from under me. I was racing too hard to find my balance, and ended up falling on my butt, coming down on the edge of a step with a yelp of pain. I slithered down a few more steps before coming to a halt on my back, staring up in shock at the blue sky.

“Oh, holy fuu… udge bars.”

It was a small thing, but I made it a habit not to use the “F-word” ever since I’d accidently taught it to my niece when she was only two. The “Sh-word” was also out, so I now used words like fudge and sugar and darn for expletives. It wasn’t easy. My days usually need a lot of expletives. I turned my head slightly, thanked God that my neck still worked, and caught sight of something white in my peripheral vision. My head was resting on something and I yanked it from beneath me and tried to focus.

Ugh. Bras, briefs, panties, and lingerie. I’d skidded on the latest Target underwear catalog. Perfect.

“Are you okay?”

Want a story to keep you smiling and engaged? Shawn’s Law is one for the top shelf, you know the one where you keep your favorite stories! It’s a story you will want to pick up again when you want a laugh or when you want to renew your acquaintance with some of the most endearing, wonderful characters around. Oh, and that last chapter? The one that consists of 3 short sentences? Priceless, just priceless. But don’t take my word for it….go, right now and grab this up! It’s one of my most highly recommended reads!

Cover artist: Paul Richmond. The artist does this story and its characters justice. It’s perfect in attitude and humor, and I loved it. And yes, that’s a part of this story.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Expected publication: March 6th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
original titleShawn’s Law
ISBN139781632167347
edition languageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Blue Eyed Stranger (Trowchester Blues #2) by Alex Beecroft

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

For Billy Wright and Martin Deng, life presents very different but just as challenging obstacles to overcome on a daily basis. Billy Wright’s problem? He’s only visible when he’s wearing a mask, which is fine as Billy performs at country fairs with his local morris dancing troupe. But when the dancing is over, Billy’s life is lonely and empty, made seriously worse by his crippling depression.

In any crowd Martin Deng would stand out but he is that more startling as a member of a historical reenactment troop . After all, there aren’t that many black Vikings on the living history circuit. But as the founder of a fledgling historical re-enactment society, Martin is lonely and harried. The headmaster as the school he teaches at doesn’t like his weekend activities, his warriors seem to expect him to run everything single-handedly, and it’s stressful enough being one minority without telling the hard men of his group he’s also gay. Or coming out to his family.

When Billy’s and Martin’s societies are double-booked at a packed county show, they know at once they are kindred spirits, united by a deep feeling of connectedness to their history and culture. But they’re also both hiding in their different ways, and they need each other to be brave enough to take their masks off and still be seen.

The village of Trowchester crept into my heart with the first story in the Trowchester series, Trowchester Blues. I fell whole heartedly in love with the layered characterizations, and richly textured story set within a fictional town so memorable and believable that I never wanted to leave. I knew another story was coming but wondered if it could possibly live up to the story that preceded it. I shouldn’t have worried. Blue Eyed Stranger is just as moving and rich as the first, perhaps even more.

Blue Eyed Stranger (Trowchester Blues #2) by Alex Beecroft is not a continuation of Finn and Michael’s story. In fact, Finn, and his book club make only scant appearances here, along with Trowchester’s archaeologist James. No, this story belongs totally and gloriously with the characters of Billy and Martin, a duo so odd and compelling that I wondered how Alex Beecroft came to think of them at all, let alone as a couple.

Billy Wright has so many layers to his character. We meet him in the throes of a deep depression attack. He is unable to move, even if its to save himself from the cold and exposure. The thought that finally creeps through the blackness enveloping him is the county fair his Morris troop, Griffins, is to dance at and we begin to understand how important dancing is to Billy’s survival. The music, on my what incredible music,that exists in Billy comes later. With Billy, its at though he is enveloped in an invisibility cloak, one that oddly enough disappears once Billy dons the makeup and yes, cloak of a Morris dancer. And then he flies, and takes our hearts with him.

I didn’t really understand that much about Morris dancing, the various types (Border, Cotswold, etc) and apparel and facial makeup the dancers put on. But as Billy explains it to Martin, the knowledge and history (as well as misunderstandings about the black face makeup), flow as naturally in the dialog as it would in a conversation with someone new and interested in what you were doing. Beecroft gave me a nice foundation of knowledge that sent me off to Youtube for examples of all types of morris dancing and music. But its not just in the explanations but in the descriptions of Billy and his troop as they whirl and jump and the clash of their wooden staffs that make this element of the story come alive! I felt that not only could it see it happening, I could hear the various instruments played and the crowd react with glee and appreciation.

On the other side of this unlikely pair is Martin Deng, a phyically impressive man, whose biracial appearance sets him apart (father is from Ethiopia and an English mum). His profession is to teach history in school but his passion? To bring it to life as an active member and founder of a fledgling historical re-enactment society. Martin is not only passionate about being historically correct in appearance and actions but as a black Viking he calls attention to himself just in his presence alone. Martin is also gay, a fact he hides from almost everyone, including his family. His small group, Bretwalda, is a splinter group from a larger more restrictive society and Martin is buried under the pressure of a new troop, obtaining new recruits and managing their increasing fair/event schedule while maintaining his job. It a precarious position, and becoming more so by the minute. Martin may appear to be the opposite of Billy but underneath, that simply isn’t true. Both men care deeply and passionately about history and representing it accurately. While Billy is out with his sexuality, but unless he has his true self cloaked behind his Griffins attire, then Billy is less than assured about his attractiveness and appeal.

Their romance is believably full of obstacles, including Billy’s depression which is handled realistically and authentically and Martin’s fear of being ostracized if his homosexuality were known. Both Bill and Martin need to address issues within themselves before they can move forward as a couple together and the manner in which Alex Beecroft understands this and makes the reader a part of their process elevates this narrative even higher.

Bily and Martin’s journey is fraught with misteps, fear, and ignorance but the trip they take together is gripping, emotionally rewarding, and results in what is one of my favorite books of the year to date. You don’t have to have read the first story, Trowchester Blues, to read this one. It does beautifully as a stand alone. But together? The portrait of an amazing small village full of people you would love to meet becomes richer and, quite frankly, more addictive.

Need a new passion or several? Pick up Blue Eyed Stranger by Alex Beecroft, its my of my finest reads to date this year!

Cover art by Lou Harper. I love the cover, but the inclusion of the gun (a minor element) surprises me other than to brand the series. Give me a hearpe or a true Viking helmet instead!

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing All Romance (ARe) Amazon coming closer to April 6th.

Book Details:

ebook, 230 pages
Expected publication: April 6th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
original titleBlue Eyed Stranger
ISBN139781626492127
edition languageEnglish

Books in the Trowchester Series

Trowchester Blues
Blue Eyed Stranger (Trowchester #2) Expected publication April 6, preorder now
Blue Steel Chain (Trowchester Blues, #3)Expected publication: July 27th 2015

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review – Tempest (Playing the Fool #3) by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Shakespeare buffs should love this series. As in the other two stories, quotes from “The Bard” abound and, in fact, the title of the story is an adaptation of The Tempest.

Henry Page, aka Sebastian Hanes, aka a hundred other aliases, is a Shakespeare buff. He and his twin sister Viola were raised by an alcoholic mother who was an actress and instilled a love of William Shakespeare in her children from a very early age. As this third story in the series opens, Henry is on the run and so is his boyfriend, FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness Mac is being framed for murder and with nowhere else to go, they head for Altona, Indiana, where the series began. Altona, not the most well-known city in the world has a population consisting of Mac’s family, some goats, a few chickens, and maybe a handful of other people. Henry’s not happy about lying low at the McGuinness family farm (hence, his singing of Old MacDonald’s Farm on the way there), but they’ve got nowhere else to go, and he believes Viola will be safe there, a fact which makes him most cooperative.

Viola suffered a brain injury while trying to pull one of their mother’s boyfriends off of Henry as he was being raped when they were teens. In this book we learn something more about this man, JJ. <spoiler> The way the authors wove Mac’s and Henry’s stories together was both complex and compelling. Interesting to me as a reviewer and as someone who has read the past books, I felt like I was slowly unwrapping a gift and each layer brought a new surprise. In hindsight, it’s obvious that the authors plotted this series out before starting the first book, yet each story is a complete story in itself. Together, they make an incredibly interesting action adventure saga. As Henry jokes, the two of them together, aka “Mac and Cheese”, had enough going on in their lives to create a TV series about them, and now they seem to have enough material to make an epic motion picture.

Watching their relationship develop, and most especially, watching Henry come to the realization that he can indeed rely on Mac, that he loves him, and that he might have finally found a home with Mac, is incredibly fulfilling and I just literally couldn’t put the story down. If this had been a movie, I certainly would have watched between my fingers, like a little kid who can’t bear to see what’s going on, yet can’t leave the room either. The last chapters were a hair-raising adventure, super scary for more than just Mac and Henry, and highly riveting. A definite nail-biter, for sure.

The authors continue to relate to the world of William Shakespeare throughout the story, and I particularly enjoyed Mac’s realization that “everyone had their assigned part, and played it. All the world was a stage, after all, and it was just bursting at the seams with eager understudies.” He went on to speculate on the people who loved you and those you loved—those are the only people who mattered. It was clearly evident that he loved Henry, and when Henry finally admitted that he loved Mac, though it was mumbled, it was just perfect for them. And speaking of perfect, the ending of the story was exactly what will allow our guys to continue on in future stories if the authors want to take them further, but would be a fine place to end if they decide to do so.

I highly recommend this series. It got better with each book, and both characters are now on my list of favorite M/M characters and definitely on my most memorable couples list.
~~~
Cover Art by L.C. Chase depicts an open black umbrella on a red background, giving the same overall feel as the covers of the other books. In this case, use of an umbrella symbolizes both Henry’s fear of storms and the use of an umbrella to thwart one of the “bad guys” in the story. Nicely done.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 205 pages
Expected publication: March 9th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626492233
edition languageEnglish
seriesPlaying the Fool #3

Playing the Fool Series in the order they were written and should be read:

The Two Gentlemen of Altona (Playing the Fool, #1)
The Merchant of Death (Playing the Fool, #2)
Tempest (Playing the Fool, #3)

Henry And Mac Are Back in Action in Tempest (Playing the Fool #3) by Lisa Henry & J. A. Rock (Excerpt and Contest)

Lisa Henry and J. A. Rock’s series Playing the Fool is a Must Read, highly recommended series of stories here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words. Happily, we now have another book to add to this series. It’s Tempest (Playing the Fool #3) ! The authors are here today with a special excerpt and a contest for all to enter. Check it all out below and don’t forget to leave your email address in the body of your comment when entering the contest! Let’s get started!

Welcome, Lisa Henry and J. A. Rock!

Hi! We’re Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock, the authors of TEMPEST. We’re touring the web taking about our influences, our processes, anything we can think about actually, and even giving you guys a sneak peak or two! And what would a blog tour be without a contest? Check out the details at the bottom of the post to see what you can win!

Today we’re sharing an excerpt from TEMPEST. Here, Henry and Mac are on their way back to the city to get to the bottom of who’s framing Mac. Henry is as distracted, and distracting as always. Contains a bonus Skittles reference.

***

The next morning, Mac looked Henry up and down as he approached the truck. Refrained from shaking his head as Henry settled into the passenger seat. “I thought you’d be wearing a disguise.”

“Seriously?” Henry smoothed down his tie. “I am wearing a disguise. Look at me. I could be selling magazine subscriptions. Or Jesus. Or subscriptions to magazines that are exclusively about Jesus. White Jesus. Or maybe I’m on my way to a job interview at an accounting firm.” He flashed Mac a smile. “Yeah, I’ll bet that’s what I’m doing.”

Mac frowned at the pants. There was something both weirdly familiar and aesthetically disturbing about the houndstooth pattern.

“Are those my dad’s pants?”

“Circa 1974. Your dad wore ’em tight. This is his tie too.” “You’re really wearing a tie?”

“You like boys in ties.” Henry ran his fingers down the silk, in a gesture that would have been a hell of a lot sexier if Mac didn’t remember buying that tie for his dad one Father’s Day. “Look at you. Even in jeans something about you just screams cop.”

“I’m not a cop.”

“I know. But ‘something about you just screams authority figure who can deprive me of my freedom’ just doesn’t roll off the tongue in the same way, does it?”

“I guess not.” He stared at his parents’ house a little longer, then turned the ignition. The truck rumbled into life. “You ready for this?”

Henry pulled a packet of Skittles out of his pocket. “I’m always ready for a road trip.”

Of course he was.

They headed for Indianapolis.

Mac let Henry fiddle with the radio and spill candy and talk bullshit at a million miles an hour, because that was Henry. It was how he dealt with stress. If he talked fast enough, if he teased, if he didn’t stop, then he didn’t have to deal. Even a week ago Mac would have been irritated by that. Would have wanted to slap him around the back of the head for being so damn irritating. Like Energizer Bunny irritating. But not today.

Henry glanced out the window at the darkening sky. “Looks like rain.”

“Storm’s not supposed to hit until this evening.”

“Great. Let me get out my umbrella and tap shoes.” Henry changed the radio station again. Then suddenly slapped the radio knob, turning it off. “Can we stop for donuts, Mac?”

“Says the guy who just put away two omelets for breakfast.”

“Which is my protein requirement for the day. Now I need my sugar and frosting requirement for the day. Oh, and my milkshake requirement. Strawberry.” He jiggled his leg. “Definitely strawberry.”

“If we see somewhere, we’ll stop.”

Henry’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you serious? I don’t need to argue about this?”

“Nope.”

Henry slumped back down in his seat. “Well, now I know you think we’re gonna die.”

Mac glanced sideways at him. “Maybe I’m just tired of arguing with you.”

“Or maybe you want me to finish these Skittles and put something else in my mouth. Want me to taste your rainbow ?” “Not while I’m driving, I don’t.” Flirty Henry was incorrigible. He was also deflecting again. One day, Mac decided, he would surprise the fuck out of both of them and say yes to whatever crazy suggestion fell out of those candy-stained lips.

“You’re so boring, Mac.”

“Shut up, Cheese.”

About TEMPEST:

Something wicked this way comes.

FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness and con man Henry Page are on the run again. This time they’re headed back to where it all began: Altona, Indiana. Population: some goats. Henry’s not happy about lying low at the McGuinness family farm, but they’ve got nowhere else to go.

While Mac fights to clear his name and Henry struggles with whose side he’s really on, a ghost from the past threatens to destroy everything. And those aren’t the only storms on the radar. Cut off from both sides of the law, Mac and Henry must rely on their tenuous partnership to survive.

If Henry can convince himself to let Mac see the man behind the disguises, they’ll stand a chance of beating the forces that conspire against them. The course of true love never did run smooth, but for the two of them, it might be their only hope.
You can check out TEMPEST at Riptide.

Books in the Playing the Fool Series are -linked to Barb’s 5-star reviews:

The Two Gentlemen of Altona (Playing the Fool, #1)
The Merchant of Death (Playing the Fool, #2)
Tempest (Playing the Fool, #3)

The Giveaway: Thanks for following our tour! To celebrate our release, we’re giving away an awesome prize – an ebook copy of a novel of your choice from either of our back catalogs. We’re also giving away a $20 Riptide gift voucher, and some comfy items picked especially for you by Henry: a pillow shaped like a donut, and a pair of donut-themed socks.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with a way for us to contact you, be it your email, your twitter, or a link to your facebook or goodreads account. Please put your email in the body of the comment, not just in email section of the comment form, because we won’t be able to see it otherwise! On March 20, 2015, we’ll draw a winner from all eligible comments! Be sure to follow the whole tour, because the more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win the prize!

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Prizes provided by Riptide Publishing and the authors.

About the Authors

Lisa Henry

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house a log-suffering partner, too many cats, a dog, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

Connect with Lisa:

Blog: http://www.lisahenryonline.blogspot.com/”
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaHenryOnline
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LisaHenry

J.A. Rock

J.A. Rock has worked as a dog groomer, knife seller, haunted house zombie, standardized patient, cashier, census taker, state fair quilt hanger, and, for one less-than-magical evening, a server—and would much rather be writing about those jobs than doing them. A lover of m/m BDSM romance, J.A. lives mostly in West Virginia, and always with a beloved dog, Professor Anne.

Website: http://www.jarockauthor.com/
Blog: http://jarockauthor.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jarockauthor
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ja.rock.39

A MelanieM Review: Free Falling Crimson (Altered States #3) by Laura Harner and T. A. Webb

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

New Orleans, Louisiana. 2015.

A bank is robbed and two guards are torn apart and yet the cameras show nothing. No suspicious persons to be identified and no clues to help search out the killer. Other than the bloody aftermath. Except the fact that the victims are human and the crimes occur in Human Only establishments. All signs point to a Preternatural killer with a grudge against humans. It’s not the first, and it won’t be the last.

Three years have passed since a vampire burst into flames on television and humans were forced to face a new world where supernatural beings exist. Caught up in the revelation and new world order are Sam Garrett and Travis Boudreaux, former NOPD detectives. Once human, they find themselves part of the preternatural world. Now everything is different, new lives, new rules, only their strange bond and attraction to each other has remained the same.

So much to contend with. Humans Only separatist groups are springing up everywhere ala KKK. Also out to get them is a vampire with political ambitions with huge plans of his own. No one’s safe in a world where humans—and supers—are forced to adapt, or die.

Working together as part of a team sanctioned by Homeland Security to carry out Justice Department decrees, Sam and Travis ensure the deadliest of supers pay for their crimes. Permanently.

Warning: This is a steamy urban fantasy. In this series the vampires don’t sparkle, werewolves kill.

Free Falling Crimson (Altered States, #3) by Laura Harner and T. A. Webb is the culmination of three preceding stories and its by far the best of them all. While the others were setting out the characters, relationships (no matter how tenuous), and world building, this story pulls it all together in a taut thriller guaranteed to make your heart race for multiple reasons.

At the center of this series is newly made supernaturals Sam Garrett and Travis Boudreaux. Their job as partners on the force pulled them together, their feelings for each other initialized a strange bond that even the calamitous events couldn’t destroy. Now back together again, Sam and Travis are trying to make their new relationship work amidst a crime spree that seems unsolvable and a new world order that seems to want to repeat the same mistakes made with those of Japanese ancestry during WWII. A Humans Only rights group is gaining in power and political leverage. Everywhere there are talks of internment camps and registering supernatural beings. And that makes solving this case even more important to all.

Harner and Webb understand complicated plots and they keep several important story lines in play at the same time to further deepen the mysteries and obfuscate important details and agendas. Secondary but hugely important characters have relationships in motion at every stage of the game. Some of imploding under stress and power struggles, others are being formed despite outward behaviors to the contrary. And each pairing is critical to the overall picture. The Altered States series is very much a chess game and the authors are very adept at keeping their end game a secret while constantly upping the suspense and, yes, sometimes terror at the events happening all around our characters.

Sam and Travis finally commit to each other and the sex scenes are intense and oh so hot! How I have waited for this to happen. Other couples find themselves in flux and compelling new characters find their way into the mix. Love, love, loved it.

Of course, it ends on a cliffhanger. A heartbreaking, pulse pounding cliffhanger. It is as marvelous as it is frustrating. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

At around 152 pages, this is not a quick read because you will find yourself backtracking to check facts, people and relationships along the way. I told you it was complicated, but as you gather hints throughout the story, you begin to get and appreciate the layers to all the characters and story lines woven into the Altered States series. Pick up the first story and get started if you are new to the series. But if you have been reading along as I have, than this is the book you’lll love on every front!

Cover artist Laura Harner. I’m not a fan of red covers and this one doesn’t change my mind. I get why the artist choose red but it just never works well, no matter the design. A smaller dosage of crimson would have highlighted the drama, instead its lost in the monotone palette.

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

Book Details:

ebook
Published February 1st 2015 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781941841006
edition languageEnglish
seriesAltered States #3

Books in the Altered States Series in the order they should be read:

• Altered States (Altered States, #0.5)
• Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States, #1)
• Deadly Shades of Gold (Altered States, #2)
• Free Falling Crimson (Altered States, #3)

A Stella Review: Stones in the Road (Sugar Tree #2) by Nick Wilgus

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Sequel to Shaking the Sugar Tree  . When his snobbish future in-laws travel all the way from Boston to visit, wise-cracking Southerner Wiley Cantrell learns that gay marriage is not without its disadvantages. Occupied by concerns over the health of his special needs son Noah, a meth baby who was not expected to live and who is now on the cusp of puberty, the antics of Wiley’s outrageous would-be mother-in-law and severely conservative father-in-law strain his relationship with Jackson Ledbetter, a pediatric nurse who poses problems of his own. As their respective families meet and greet, each just as meddlesome and inflexible as the other, North meets South and the fireworks and cultural misunderstandings are plenty.

A tornado blows through the small Mississippi town where Wiley’s mother lives, wrecking his mother’s house and leaving their lives in disarray. Then Jackson’s secret drug addiction comes to light, and Wiley and Noah are devastated. With so many stones in the road, Wiley and Jackson find their dream of becoming a real family falling apart. Though Wiley relies on humor to cope, he’ll need something more to keep his happily ever after from slipping away.

Nick Wilgus made it again!

I can confess I was eager and at the same time scared to read Stones In The Road cause I loved the first one and I was afraid this second installment couldn’t live it up.

I was so wrong! This book is amazing, I loved it more that Shaking The Sugar Tree. This series will stay in my heart for long and I’m so happy to know there will be a third book. I was willing to beg for it. Let’s just hope to read it really soon.

The hard part with books like this one is writing a worthy review and I don’t even know where to start. I should simply say to buy this series and read it.

First, you have to be ready for some gun fire, tornado and pie throwing, but most of all you have to be ready for a story full of love (in every way love can be shown).

I know I’m an emotional person but it was really hard to read. At the end I was in my bed crying all the tears I had, trying to read more, listening to a twelve years old boy breaking my heart.

This is not a book to read when you’re looking for some fun and light reading, but surely it will not boring you for one second. There are no pauses, it’s a continuous of engaging and funny dialogues (sometimes incomprehensible to me since I’m Italian) and so addictive I can’t put the story down for a minute. Some dialogues between Noah and Wiley are hilarious, others heartbreaking. Everything is so real, sometimes it’s almost surreal. Every sentence is serious and at the same time full of humor.

This is exactly the kind of book I love to read, emotional, funny, heartbreaking, full of characters with a lot of background and a huge cast of great second characters. I discovered some dark sides of the (not so) perfect Jackson. I met Jack’s mom and I hated her during all the story and then at the end I loved her so much, because I understood she came to WiIey and his son to rescue all of them. I wanted to have her in my life.

Wiley is our usual Wiley and he is so full of guilt right now it was hard to just look at him in some parts and don’t hug him. He needs to deal with all his fears but his guilt for Noah’s disabilities brings him to almost lose himself and his son. But as Tonya said Wiley is the Superdad of the World. Till the end I asked to myself if Wiley would be able to forgive Jackson and first of all himself.

Shortly Stones In The Road is never boring, always entertaining and so well written I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended!

Cover artist Anne Cain.I liked the artist followed the idea chosen for the cover of the first book and most of all she followed this story. You can look at the cover and understand exactly what will happen in the book. Perfect but melancholic cause the three Mcs aren’t all together.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 350 pages
Published January 30th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press LLC
ISBN139781632167309
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
seriesSugar Tree #2

Sugar Tree series
Shaking The Sugar Tree #1
Stones In The Road #2

A BJ Review: Song of the Navigator by Astrid Amara

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Tover Duke is an improvisational navigator, one of only forty-two people in the universe who can move things (and people) across space using the power of his mind. Despite his ability and the glamour and wealth it brings him, his life is routine save for a few bright spots: his birds and his passion for Cruz Arcadio. On the day of his birthday celebration, Tover’s world changes irrevocably when he’s betrayed and kidnapped by none other than the man he loves.

This book isn’t for the faint of heart. There’s extreme violence, torture and betrayal. It’s harsh and hard to read in parts, BUT it’s also romantic, poignant and absolutely amazing.

Seldom outside of an epic fantasy series have I encountered such excellent world-building. From the DK station to the green and vibrant Carida, the settings are so vibrantly alive and peopled with characters so real that I felt like I could step right into the book and shake their hands (or punch them out as the case may be). Beautifully written. I loved Tover’s from the start, spoiled and aware of how special he was, of his tremendous worth, yet not really full of himself. Coming from a pampered lifestyle where he’s almost worshipped, I didn’t expect such strength from him. Tover’s never weak or whiny despite all that happens to him. The betrayal itself almost seems to wound him worse than the physical torment he’s subjected to.

I found myself hating Cruz right along with Tover, hating him with a fiery passion. What could redeem a man who could betray the one who’d trusted him enough to risk all to save his life? What indeed. Tover begins to understand that the safe world he thought he was living in may all be built on lies. Only then do we begin to get a picture of the real Cruz. By the end of this story, I adored both of these characters and would gladly embrace a second book with these characters.

I cannot recommend this book more highly to those who appreciate darker reads. It’s my first read by this author and definitely will not be my last.

In the afterward, the author indicates the possibility of stories set in this world eventually coming from two other authors as well, Ginn Hale and Nicole Kimberling. I’ll be crossing my fingers.

Cover Artist Kanaxa. The cover wonderfully encompassing the elements of the story. The two very different figures standing isolated but touching amidst the backdrops of space and other worlds. Joined against huge odds. Best of all maybe is the embracing warmth of the colors, highlighting the passion and emotional arousal this story evokes.

Sales Links: Available for preorder now at Amazon Buy It Here
Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 224 pages
Expected publication: May 26th 2015 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
ASINB00SB49GJ8
url http://astridamara.com/portfolio/navigator

A MelanieM Review: Winging It by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Gabriel “Banksy” Martin is living the life he has always wanted. A forward for the young hockey team, the Quebec City Nordiques, Gabe stays focused on his job and his team leaving him little time for anything else. And that includes the so so boyfriend he’s been seeing on the sly. Because nothing in his life says that Gabe wants to be the first out hockey player. What Gabe wants is a great season and to win the Stanley Cup…nothing more.

Teammate Dante Baltierra is young in almost every respect. Dante, aka Baller, is careless, reckless… shameless. He’s a known horn dog with a penchant for women and partying. But no one questions his dedication to the sport and Gabe can overlook a lot of young-and-stupid in the name of great hockey. Plus Dante has a superlative ass in a sport filled with superlative asses.

Gabe is determined to keep the attraction he feels building towards Dante buried deep but a jilted boyfriend and fate have other ideas. When a tabloid expose’ threatens not only Gabe’s career but the stability of the team, what happens in the aftermath is something Gabe never expected or could have hoped for…a love that just might last a lifetime.

The writing team of Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James has produced quite a few favorite stories of mine in the past. But it has been a while since I have read any of their novels and the reason escapes me because Winging It is a prime example why I adored their books to begin with. It’s simply terrific storytelling.

I love plots involving hockey players! I love the game (Caps fan here)! And I love the physique that years of playing hockey leaves these players with, heavily muscled legs and the well known “hockey ass”. Combine all that with romance and a fast played exciting game on ice, and well, I just melt. In Winging It, Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James deliver on all fronts.

Winging It is a superb look at the dynamics of a group of young players still trying to find itself as a team and play well. The Quebec City Nordiques actually existed once (and Kane hopes they will again). The Dekes stand out among all the other teams for a number of reasons. Their amazing coach? A woman. Their owner? A woman. Their formidable PR person? A woman. Kane and James brings this team vividly to life and no part of the organization is overlooked or made to feel less important to the plot and the team. I thought all the characters were just so well conceived and fleshed out that I was totally bought into the team and its run for the Stanley Cup.

The characters of Gabe “Banksy” Martin and Dante “Baller” Baltierra feel as real to me as the snow I see just outside my window. Boisterous, lively, intelligent and focused on the game, they never come across as anything less than authentic hockey players having the time of their lives. The authors are careful to include the long hours, the pain and muscle spasms, along with houses and condos that rarely see their owners because of the demands of the sport. We get the camaraderie that’s so important to helping a team gel as well as the conflict that can tear it apart. I mean really you can almost smell the stink of the locker room after a hard game, the descriptions are so on point.

And the romance, if you can call it that, so well done and believable. It did feel more like a hockey player’s idea of a romance and that’s fine by me. Because even the romance has so many aspects to it. It’s not just Gabe being out…it’s Baller looking at his sexuality. It’s not just what exposure means on a huge scale but what it means to have a ‘first meaningful” relationship at all. It’s watching these two navigate typical first love and relationship “stuff”, along with team and family dynamics. All while playing the season of a lifetime. Talk about sizzle!

Kane and Morgan set the bar high for themselves here and made it look easy. The narrative flows, the scenes are exciting and full of suspense, and the outcome for Gabe and Dante’s relationship and every game they play is always in question. We are never sure of anything in this story just as there are no sureties in the sport. Teams and teammates don’t remain the same, injuries happen, and sometimes a team just can’t catch a break. It’s all there, gripping and full of drama and excitement. Trust me when I say your attention is engaged from start to finish, along with your heart! Take all the elements at play here, the crowds, the teamwork, the plays, and the opposition and media, throw in romance and love. Stir vigorously and out flows Winging It, one of my highly recommended reads.

Oh, and be sure to read the forward and afterword by the authors. Its highlight is Kane’s introduction to the game of hockey and a wonderful summary of the teams now playing. I loved that too. Go, Caps! Rock the Red! And may the Nordiques come back, if not an actual team once more, then at least in another story by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James. Pretty please? With hockey pucks?

Cover art by Paul Richmond. People either love or dislike this type of rough cover. I thought it worked in the sort of stylized way because Im not sure any model could have “stood in” for Gabe or Dante (or their bodies). For examples, check out the Tumblr blog “Hockey Asses”. You’ll thank me.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 300 pages
Expected publication: February 20th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632166173
edition languageEnglish
url http://ashlynkane.blogspot.com

A MelanieM Review: Shadows and Ash (Pulp Friction 2014 Finale) by Laura Harner , Lee Brazil , Havan Fellows , T.A. Webb

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Nestled in the forest surrounding Flagstaff, Arizona, Mountain Shadows offers residents and guests a home and refuge. A year ago, the isolated retreat, with its log cabins and stone lodge, could boast a convalescing new owner, one employee, two long-term tenants, and an uncertain future. As others joined the rag-tag collection and made the hideaway their home, tentative beginnings morphed into friendships…and finally into a family of sorts.

Over this past year, the perfect place for hiding became a sanctuary for healing, as one-by-one the residents discovered that learning to live in the light with a family you choose is better than shrouding yourself in loneliness. But just as everyone seems to settle into a new normal, shadows from the past drag one of their members back into the darkness and the fallout threatens their carefully constructed new beginnings.

Now, the family they’ve created there must band together to protect each other from someone determined to destroy the lives they’ve worked so hard to reclaim.

Pulp Friction 2014. Four authors. Twenty-four books. One fiery finale.

The time has come once more to say goodbye to another fantastic Pulp Friction Series and to say these authors did it with flare, heat and hot sexy men goes without question. I’m always amazed at how four authors are able to mesh eight (sometimes nine) characters, four couples stories, and still maintain a balanced whole in terms of plot and characterizations. Yet, for the second year, the Pulp Friction gang has done it again. Pulp Friction 2014 was the Elemental Connections year. It had Laura Harner’s Fighting Fire, Lee Brazil’s In From the Cold, Havan Fellow’s Whispering Winds and T. A. Webb’s Earthquake series, with a wonderful conglomeration of characters, romances, and heartbreaking suspense. And it all took place on top of a mountain outside of Flagstaff, Arizona.

Even now its hard to say which characters I love the most, they are so varied and had so many different paths to HEA this series. Certainly Rowen Smith with his long black hair, deep connection to the woods around him and dark past,is close to the top. He just resonated with me as did his eventual lover, Mick Rutger, who went from the human equivalent of a Golden Retriever to something older, wiser, and more substantial. How I loved them both (thank you, Havan Fellows).

But I can no more say that then Charlie Turner and Amos Greene pop into mind (thank you, Tom Webb). Their journey towards happiness contained stark terror, abject pain, and astonishing revelations. Webb kept me in tears and in the dark for long periods of time during the slow roll out of his Earthquake stories. You never knew if monster or angel would be around the corner for these two along with Charlie’s brother Damon (loved him too). Sometimes the heartbreak comes from the last person you would expect, another theme that runs through all the stories here.

Brazil’s Professor of Literature Finn Lorensson and Dr. Cannon Malloy (originally from FR2013, thank you, Lee Brazil) were sometimes the hardest personalities for me to get a grasp on. Finn, a gorgeous hulk of a man had a deep need to rescue others, even at the cost to himself and his relationships. Cannon? To say he started off self absorbed, fearful and more than a little damaged by the events in Atlanta would be like calling coal black. It goes without saying that Finn was smitten immediately, but Cannon? Not so much. During much of the series their tentative relationship acted more like Dr. Doolittle’s pushmi-pullyu. They were joined together but never quite going (or facing) the same direction. I loved that Cannon finally learned to embrace his sexuality (with a little eyeliner and flare) and accept Finn with all that entailed.

Finally there is Laura Harner’s former firefighter Scott McGregor reuniting with his college lover,Robby Hammond, at Scott’s hospital bed. A wildfire that ends Scott’s career and costs the life of most of his team is also what brings Scott’s only love back to him. Harner made us believe in their tortured past so the reader easily invests in these damaged men and any potential hope for a future together. So much trauma involved here, Scott’s PTSD, his injuries and loss of career, survivor’s guilt and yes, more secrets from his and Robby’s past pushing hard to come out. Plus its Scott’s Mountain Shadows Campground that acts as the heart and location for all these stories to unfold. I came to love Mountain Shadows just as much as its residents did. If there was a heart and center of all the couples it was Scott and Robby. They are the beginning of a new family and I loved them dearly (thank you, Laura Harner).

The penultimate stories in each series came with a certain amount of personal (or physical) explosions and exposition leading up to this. A mystery of who was behind all the arson and attacks happening at the campgrounds had to be solved, along with more than a few personal demons still to be put to rest, including Scott being blamed for the fires himself. How did it all turn out? Splendidly!

It’s hard seeing this group of stories come to an end. I wasn’t ready. But all the characters pull their dramatic weight in the last story. Each author gives their couple the right amount of “time on stage” to tie up loose ends and push them forward. I did wish that one little aspect, a total villain dies in a manner that didn’t feel as solid as the other revelations that surfaced here. That was the only bit of weakness that I could see. Everything else felt believable, rational, and happily fulfilling for all.

Am I going to go into details? No, absolutely not. Even the smallest of facts can lead to large spoilers, so don’t go looking for them here. Instead if you are new to the Pulp Friction gang, what joys await you. You have not one but two years of interconnected series to catch up on. The first took place in Atlanta GA, the second (Elemental Connections) in Flagstaff, AZ, and the third? This years Pulp Friction 2015 is a group of supernatural tales taking place in New Orleans in Harner and Webb’s Altered States universe. What’s that, you say? Well stay tuned as next week, all the Pulp Friction gang will be here to talk finale, Altered States, and the new stories starting to arrive.

For those of you who have been gobbling up these stories as quickly as they come out, you will love this series finale! It’s hot, suspenseful, a little scary and wonderfully over the top…of the mountain, that is. I loved it and think you will too. Grab it up and get prepared for the supernatural goings on in New Orleans. I’m through the first story already and it’s a doozy!

Cover art by Laura Harner is perfect. It still brands the series with the logo and the coloring and graphics are perfect for the series finale and title.

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

Book Details:

ebook
Published January 14th 2015 by Hot Corner Press
ISBN139781937252977
edition languageEnglish

About Pulp Friction 2014 – All stories are reviewed here at STRW.

Pulp Friction 2014 Authors: Laura Harner ~ Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ T.A. Webb
The Pulp Friction 2014 Collection. Four authors. Four Series. Twenty books. One fiery finale. Spend a year with an eclectic group of strangers brought together through circumstances, as they are tested by life, and emerge as more than friends.
The strongest bonds are forged by fire, cooled in air, smoothed by water, grounded in earth.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment. The Pulp Friction 2014 series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters, events and plot:

Round One:
Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1)by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by TA Webb

Round Two:
Controlled Burn (Fighting Fire #2) by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort (In From the Cold #2) by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses (Whispering Winds #2) by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) by TA Webb

Round Three:
Backburn (Fighting Fire #3) by Laura Harner
Cold Feet (In From the Cold #3) by Lee Brazil
Blown Hard (Whispering Winds #3) by Havan Fellows
Tremors (Earthquake #3) by T.A. Webb

Round Four:
Flare-up (Fighting Fire #4) by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold (In From the Cold #4) by Lee Brazil
Blown Chance (Whispering Winds #4) by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) by T.A. Webb

Round Five:
Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5) by Laura Harner
Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) by Lee Brazil
Final Blow (Whispering Winds #5) by Havan Fellows
Terra Firma (Earthquake #5) by T.A. Webb

Sixth Book Series Finale Written by all the Authors coming in December.
Shadows and Ash (Pulp Friction 2014 Finale)

Side Stories or Interludes:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)
Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5) by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5)
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire

A Stella Review: Neon White E3 (A Tooth Claw and Horns Chronicle #3) by Wulf Francu Godgluck

Rating: 4,75 stars out of 5.

(Note:I subtracted 0,25 from the full 5 stars cause in the book there is an het sex scene too detailed for my taste)

This is going to be a bloody shit day. The Alpha is missing, for one thing. Raven’s partner Jessy is still struggling to deal with his death. Finding out that his body is missing from the morgue is a big enough shock, so what happens next is going to be unbelievable… Especially for Raven

This review contain spoilers on the Episode 2, so if you still haven’t read the previous books and don’t want spoilers, please don’t read this review. Still, you can go straight and buy this series, you don’t regret it.

In Episode 2 we left Raven and Bla’Gar at the Winter Ball, finally hoping for a future together. Bla’Gar tells our sweet Enforcer that he fell in love with him since the first time they met. Raven is still recovering from the incident with the hound in his parents’ home, an incident maybe not so casual, that left him probably destined to a desk job.

Raven and Bla’Gar parted ways because the demon is called by his pack. Once alone, Raven is assaulted and bitten by a vampire. Jessy, Rave’s partner, is the one to find him after the vampire’s attack. Jess is convinced that the responsible of Rave’s death is Bla’Gar, so she goes to him, but he has no idea his lover is dead and he can’t believe it, he needs proves. When Jess takes the demon to the morgue where Rave’s body is, they will find no one.
Where is Raven? He was murdered so he’s dead, right?

Everything we knew about the characters we learned to love changes again in this new chapter.This new episode was simply fantastic. Apart from the main story with Rave and Bla’Gar as MCs, we have two more stories that will catch your attention and will make you hungry for more.

More or less the first part is focused on Bla’Gar dealing with the kidnapping of Seth, the Alpha of the lycan pack, who just mated with Lucas. We learn more about the lycan pack and his dynamics, and most of all we’ll learn more about Seth’s life, which I suspect (and I hope) will be really important in the next book.

Another part shows us the new relationship between Jess and his mysterious boyfriend James. I say mysterious cause of course you can’t expect him to be human.

As I already said in the other reviews, being so short, I didn’t think to read a series with so well developed second characters, but I was wrong. Especially in this new instalment I learnt a lot about them and I met some new characters.
Loved it! All the way through the story the details are so perfect and brilliant and every new word was full of tension.

Highly recommended!

Cover art by Wulf Francu Godgluck. The covers of the three episodes are pretty much the same with just some little details that fit that episode completely. You’ll understand and realize it if you’ll decide to read the series. Well done Wulf!

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

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 62 pages
Published January 11th 2015
ASINB00S5BM3OW
edition languageEnglish
seriesA Tooth Claw an

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About TEMPEST:

About the Authors

Lisa Henry

J.A. Rock

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