Category: Book Reviews

BLOG TOUR for Bite Me (Kitchen Gods #1) by Beth Bolden (excerpt, and giveaway)

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BITE ME

KITCHEN GODS BOOK 1

BETH BOLDEN

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 02.12.17

 

Bite Me Cover 

 

COVER DESIGN: AngstyG 

AMAZON US 

AMAZON UK 

BLURB 

Talented pastry chef Miles Costa is bored. Working at the celebrated Napa Valley restaurant Terroir is supposed to be the cherry on top to a promising career, but instead it’s a creative desert. So when he gets an offer to turn his online video series into a career, he leaves his three best friends in Napa and swaps Terroir for Los Angeles.

With the resources now at his fingertips, turning his pastry series into a hit should be easy. Then Miles meets his producer, Evan Patterson, and realizes he’s screwed. And not even in the good way.

It’s not a meet-cute . . .

Evan lives to work and loves every minute detail Miles loathes. Not only that, he seems hell bent on micromanaging every aspect of Miles’ show despite the fact he knows nothing about the culinary arts. Evan doesn’t even like sweets—until Miles seduces him with a rainbow of delectable confections he can’t resist.

. . . it’s a collision.

With every confrontation, the intensity between them flares even hotter until they’re not sure if it’s hatred they feel . . .or something else. Is it possible for two people with nothing in common to discover common ground and romance?

 

Bite Me Teaser 3

Bite Me Teaser 4  

EXCERPT

“You’re late,”Evan said, head bent towards his screen, fingers not missing a beat as he typed furiously.

“I know, I’m sorry, I thought I’d grab a coffee.”Miles slid into the chair next to Evan, but Evan still didn’t look up.

“Oh thanks for bringing me one too,”Evan said levelly, even though he had to know that Miles only had one cup in his hands.

“I . . .uh. . .didn’t know you wanted one?”Miles said sheepishly. He’d made it back into the building two minutes late, and then had raced to Evan’s cubicle, only to not find him there. He’d made the rounds, until one of the writers stopped him and said Evan was in the conference room, still working after the meeting had ended.

Why hadn’t it occurred to Miles to bring him coffee? He liked the good coffee place as much as anyone else. It was probably because instead of actively trying to charm anyone in particular, Miles just fallen into bed with willing people and had never wanted someone who didn’t want him back—or wanted him but fought it. Miles knew he was going to have learn to be more aware and less selfish if he was ever going to convince Evan to consider dating him. A great almost-blowjob wasn’t going to cut it. Not with Evan.

Sex was probably off the table now, even though Miles knew Evan wanted it. Miles wasn’t familiar with the sort of self-denial Evan practiced; if he wanted someone and the feeling was mutual, sex happened. It was an easy way to live, and an easy way to get off. Everything about Evan was complicated, but Miles wanted him anyway. Inexplicably.

“I’m sorry I didn’t bring you coffee,”Miles said when Evan remained silent, typing away, the staccato of the keys all the response he probably deserved.

“It’s okay.” Evan paused. “I wouldn’t expect you to be looking out for other people. Me, especially.”

And yeah, that was galling. Especially galling when Miles had spent the last half an hour discovering that nobody had probably ever really looked out for Evan before. It probably wouldn’t take an extraordinary amount of effort to make him feel special and considered. And Miles still couldn’t figure out how to meet even the lowest of expectations.

“I’m sorry, I’m . . .I know it isn’t an excuse, but I was with Lucy, and Chloe and Steph and . . .”Miles hesitated, trying to find the best way to say, sorry, we were gossiping about you and they told me you were a foster kid and I wish you had told me yourself.

All Miles knew was that was definitely not the way to break the news.

 

 Beth Bolden Logo

Beth Bolden lives in Portland, Oregon with her supportive husband. She wholly believes in Keeping Portland Weird, but wishes she didn’t have to make the yearly pilgrimage up to Seattle to watch her Boston Red Sox play baseball. She’s a fan of fandoms, and spends too much of her free time on tumblr.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published eight novels and two novellas, with Catch Me, the next novel in the Kitchen Gods series, releasing in May 2018.

  

Order Bite Me Recipe Cards: http://bit.ly/2EeQiCJ

SOCIAL MEDIA 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethboldenauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/beth_bolden

Website: www.bethbolden.com

 

GIVEAWAY 

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RELEASE BLITZ FORSAKEN by J.R. Gray (excerpt and giveaway)

Forsaken by J.R. Gray
Release Date (Print & Ebook): February 26, 2018

 

Book blurb:

Titus has lived and breathed religion his entire life, tucked away from the rest of the world in a compound in northern Wyoming. He’s destined to be the next leader of the church, deemed so by the Prophet. 

God spoke and with His word He created. But God made a mistake. Titus isn’t worthy. He was born sick and it’s solidified when he rescues the most beautiful man he’s ever seen. 

Torn between fidelity to his faith or his soul, Titus must reconcile the two parts of himself before he’s discovered hiding among the chosen.

 

Links:

https://jrgraybooks.com/coming-soon/

Teaser excerpt #1:

He set down what he was doing and turned toward Angel to gage his reaction. But he hadn’t gotten as far back as Titus had thought. 

They were close, too close. Closer than he should be to another human being. He should step back. He tried to focus himself, but Titus couldn’t make himself move. He was close enough to smell Angel, and he didn’t want to stop. There was the beer, of course, on his breath from dinner, but there was also summer there. Sunflowers and sunshine. Bright and happy. The sun bleached parts of his hair showed in the shop light, making him glow. Titus wondered what he himself smelled like. Cold and darkness, if he had to guess. They were such polar opposites. Raised different in every way. Angel was allowed to be himself, and Titus would never be. He had to give up a part of himself no matter if he chose this or not.

“I’m trying really hard not to ramble. Is everything okay?” Angel lifted a hand like he was going to put it on Titus’ hip, but he froze midair. Titus didn’t know if he could bear being touched by Angel. It might all be over if he let it happen.

But they were magnets, and Titus couldn’t stop it. His lips brushed over Angel’s, and the earth stopped. It sent Titus stumbling. He went from traveling at one thousand miles an hour to stopping dead on his axis. He was dizzy, and as Angel parted his lips, Titus got closer and further all at the same time. Closer in presence but further in his mind. It wanted to throw up walls and shut everything down. Pretend this wasn’t exactly what he wanted. No, not exactly what he wanted. He wanted more. He wanted to feel all of Angel, every inch of his bare skin, but he’d spent so damn long denying and lying to himself, he couldn’t handle it. Just as Angel’s tongue touched his lips, he pulled back. His pulse was thundering in his neck, and his heart was beating so hard it was painful. Every fiber in him was screaming, “Run!”

“I can’t,” he said breathless. “I just…” His feet finally responded to a command, and he stepped back.

About J.R. Gray:

When not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it’s half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it’s been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn’t writing…well, that’s not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.

Connect with J.R. Gray: Website | Twitter – Personal | Twitter – Books | Facebook | Facebook Group | Tumblr | Mailing List | Amazon Author Page

 

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Blog Tour for Katze Snow’s Demons & Wolves Series (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 
Demons & Wolves Series – Available to borrow on KU
 
Book #1 – Broken In Silence – books2read.com/BrokenInSilence

Book #2 -Within These Depths – books2read.com/WithinTheseDepths
 

Cover Design: Jay Aheer @ Simply Defined Art

Broken In Silence 

Tannerian Wulfric is a leader—a strong alpha who bows to no-one, especially those who try to undermine his authority.

When an opportunity arises, he grabs it with both hands and lets nothing get in his way. Trouble is, his brother has been caught in the crossfire of glorious retribution, and Tanner is in need of assistance.

For many years, Alex Jonas has lived his life in peace. But when fate lands him in the hands of his ex-lover and alpha, he finds himself in the centre of a feud he never knew existed, and must immerse himself in ways he had never imagined. One chance encounter, one night, and everything comes crashing down around him. Alex must fight for his life while Tanner fights for one thing and one thing only—vengeance, which has never tasted sweeter.

Can Tanner avenge his family’s death without spilling more blood? Or will his inner demon tear apart everything he has worked for, and lose the man who owns his heart?

Within These Depths

Tanner is so close to his revenge that he can almost taste it. With an unusual brand of negotiation skills under his belt, he has everything he needs. Now all that stands between him and destroying Elijah Ravenhill is a dangerous mission into the depths of Hell. Accompanied by his guides, he will enter where loyalties and souls are tested, and few ever return.

Newly mated Alex just wants to keep his loved ones safe. In the sprawling grandeur of Wulfric Manor, he finally has his family under one roof, even if it may only be temporary, and his dreams of having something normal seem to be within reach. Yet what’s normal for the wolf is torture for the prey, and chaos descends on Alex with one mysterious phone call.

Can Alex have all he ever dreamed of without sacrificing his life? Will Tanner put an end to Elijah once and for all, or will his revenge go up in smoke within the fires of hell itself?

Warning: Within These Depths is the highly anticipated sequel to Broken in Silence: Demons and Wolves Series, and things are really heating up. This story is NOT a typical romance and it’s not intended for those who seek a HEA. It cannot be read as a standalone.

 

Excerpt – In his own unique way, Tanner tells Alex he loves him

“You,” Tanner seized Alex’s chin and lifted it upwards, “are mine. I won’t let you out of my sight again. A minute, a day, a decade—I want every second of them. Is that understood?”

“You promise?” Alex joked, though his heartbeat spiked with confusion at what Tanner was announcing. He loved him? The alpha had never told him that. He’d never even hinted towards him being anything more than an eyesore he’d taken in off the streets. Although Tanner wasn’t exactly serenading him, the meaning was there, all right––a faint glow between the cracks of darkness. And Tanner had claimed him.

“Promises are for the weak. You are mine, and I intend to keep it that way even if I must hunt you to the ends of the abyss.” His lips assaulted Alex’s, crashing against his mouth with wild abandon…

Author Bio

Katze Snow never learned when to shut up. Food and coffee are what encourage Katze to function in a semi-normal, sort of socially acceptable way. Doses of sarcasm and sass are what she lives for, and her wolf, Kiba, who is Katze’s little furbaby. She’s been writing since she was a child, but finally published her debut novel, Alpha’s Bane, in Autumn 2016.

While Katze also writes MF, MM is where her heart truly lies. Her writing is dark, gritty, and takes satire to a whole new level. Come and join her! But be warned: Katze likes her men dark, twisted and all kinds of messed up, and she hopes you do too.

When Katze’s not writing, she’s working for a top secret, underground organisation, or taming wolves. (Check out her furbaby, Kiba!)

“Why ever would I want to go to heaven, when hell is so much more fun?” ~ Broken in Silence (Demons and Wolves #1)

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RELEASE BLITZ for Captive Hearts (Deviant Hearts #1) by A E Ryecart (excerpt and giveaway)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Captive Hearts (Deviant Hearts #1)

Author: A E Ryecart

Publisher: A E Ryecart

Cover Artist: Meredith Russell

Genre/s: Contemporary MM romance

Length: 77,200 words

Blurb

“Too young, too blond, too skinny. Billy Grace was everything my head told me I didn’t want. Too bad my heart had other ideas.”

When Dashiell Slater uses his fists to stop a vicious assault, the last thing he expects is to be offered a job as reward for being a Good Samaritan. Out of work and short of cash, all he has to do is chauffeur Billy around. It’s easy money so saying yes should be a no-brainer. And if the offer’s not quite legal, so what? Dashiell’s smart and savvy, and knows how the world works. But there are strings attached, and Dashiell doesn’t want to get entangled. He’s ready to say no and walk away – until he sees the fear, despair and fathomless sadness in Billy’s jade-green eyes.

“He was everything I wanted, but couldn’t have. What was the use in dreaming when I was already bought and paid for, the property of another man?”

Billy’s life is a daily round of fear and abuse. One wrong word or one wrong look can mean a beating, or worse. Dashiell’s everything Billy’s heart craves – a man who’ll love and protect him, who’ll keep him safe and catch him when he falls. But Billy can’t have what he yearns for, because to give in to his heart means breaking a promise he’s vowed to keep at all costs.

A soul-searing kiss, a whispered promise, and the chance of a future together is there for the taking. But life is never that simple and danger surrounds them at every turn. Imprisoned by devotion, duty and obligation, Billy’s heart is captive, but can falling for Dashiell finally set it free?

Buy Links – Available on KU

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Goodreads

Excerpt

“It really does look better.” Dashiell smiled and touched the bruise with gentle fingers, and this time I didn’t flinch.

“You need to eat, and then get some more sleep because you look worn out,” he said as he pulled open one of the cupboards.

“No, I don’t want—”

“You need to eat. Just a bit of soup, that’s all I’m asking.”

He wasn’t pushing, and he’d done so much for me it felt kind of wrong to say no, and it wouldn’t hurt to have a little something.

A couple of minutes later a bowl was placed in front of me, at the table. I didn’t have the strength to argue about not wanting it, he was trying to look after me, and all I had to do was let him.

“No arguments.” He had a mock stern don’t-mess-with-me look on his face.

“As if I would.” I spooned up some of the soup, and though I had no idea how much of it I’d be able to eat I was determined to try, but my hand was shaking and most of it dribbled back into the bowl.

Without saying anything, Dashiell took the spoon from me, dipped it into the soup and held it to my lips. I was twenty-three, and being fed like a baby but I didn’t care or put up any resistance. What should have been awkward and embarrassing wasn’t. How could it have been, not when he’d already seen the shameful way Frankie treated me, and had dealt with the results? After that, being fed from his hand faded into nothing.

I nibbled at the soupy bread he tempted me with but it wasn’t long before I was shaking my head. I didn’t have much, but I felt better for it though I knew the real reason for that was having Dashiell next to me. I sighed and sagged back into my seat. Dashiell scraped his chair closer, and snaked an arm around my shoulders and without even thinking I settled into him and closed my eyes as he swept his fingers through my hair. The house was quiet. There was no Frankie barking orders and no zombies jumping to them. With the rhythmic back and forth of Dashiell’s fingers, there was only that moment. What should have happened next was that he kissed me, but he didn’t, and I was kind of glad of that. I’d have kissed him back, no question, but that wasn’t what I needed. It was his warmth, and strength, and just knowing he was there.

“Come on,” he said, helping me up. “The best thing for you is sleep.”

I nodded, too tired for words, as I let him lead me out of the kitchen and upstairs. 

About the Author

If you’ve a yearning for stories about complex men who make bad choices and wrong decisions, I’m your woman. Readers tell me they want to shout at my men, and shake some sense into them, before giving them a hug and a good talking to. And yes, I’m responsible for more than one repair bill to an ereader or smartphone that’s been thrown against a wall! But who said the road to a HEA was an easy one? Not me, that’s for sure. I make my men suffer, I put them through the wringer, I cause them to trip up… but in the end they come through despite all my best, and worst, efforts.

So where will you find me putting words on the page? In my favourite café, that’s where. A walk across the park, or an early swim, before I settle down with a steaming hot coffee, ready to make my characters’ lives hell. My stories are set largley in London, the city I was born and raised in, but I now live somewhere quiter and greener just outside. I’ve no kids, or pets, but I do have a husband and as long as I keep him fed and watered he leaves me alone so I can spend time making life difficult for the men in my head rather than the man in my life.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter 

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win one of two ebook copies of Captive Hearts.

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Book Blitz – Penny Brandon’s Blind Passion (excerpt)

 

 
Universal Buy Link
 
Length: 82,000 words approx. 
 
Blurb
 

Attraction for Adam was not a handsome face, a striking smile, or beautiful eyes, but a scent that would drive him to distraction or a voice that could make his heart beat faster. When the combination of the two walked into his life in Luke, Adam couldn’t help but want him. But how was he supposed to know if Luke felt the same attraction? He had no prior experience, no past encounters, nothing to help him. Not even his sight.

One look at Adam and Luke wanted him. Sensual, gorgeous, kind, with a strength that Luke was drawn to, Adam was everything Luke desired. Being in Adam’s arms, showing him the pleasure of a man’s body, being touched, held, and desired in return, had Luke wanting more, had him wanting what he knew he couldn’t have.

It didn’t matter to him that Adam was blind, but Adam deserved more than someone like him. Luke was a man with a broken past and falling in love with Adam was a foolish thing to do, especially because Adam would never love him back if he found out what Luke was hiding.

About Penny
 

Penny is a complete romantic who believes everyone can fall in love if only they’ll open their heart to the possibility, which is why she writes these hot erotic stories that will always have a happily every after. However, it doesn’t mean that she’ll make it easy for her men to get there. A lover of things that go bump in the night, Penny’s imagination can sometimes run riot, so magic mirrors and evil dolls are only the beginning.



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RELEASE BLITZ for Dead Camp #5 (The End Game part 2) by Sean Kerr (excerpt and giveaway)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Dead Camp 5  The End Game part 2

Author:  Sean Kerr

Publisher: Extasy Books

Cover Artist:  Angela Waters

Genre/s: Paranormal Romance

Length: 87364 words/266 pages

This is the last book in the Dead Camp series, five books in total

Blurb

All stories have a beginning and a middle, but it is how those stories end that we remember them.

Everything must come to an end, and as Eli contemplates the loss of Malachi in a London ripped apart by war, he knows that the final battle looms ever closer. Where is Ethan? Eli can feel him, their love for each other calling through time, but History conspires to keep them apart as Morbius uses him for the final game.

Desperate to find a way to end the war, Eli once again delves into the distant past in search of answers, but as Jack the Ripper taunts him from the pages of his dead lover’s diary, Eli is left despondent.

So many lies, so many terrible secrets bleeding across his memories, and all of it to keep him safe from the fingers of those who would destroy him. Love. All of it for love. So much lost, and all of it because of love.

As Eli says goodbye to London for the last time, he can only hope that love will be enough to end the madness. He has a plan to rescue Ethan. An audacious plan and it will take all of History by his side to see it through to the bitter end. It is time to break Ethan free from the bonds that enslave him, and as they hurtle towards Berlin, the final sacrifice begins.

Excerpt

Suddenly he lay atop of me, baring down upon me in all his spectacular might. Sweat glistened upon his carved chest, rivulets of perspiration dripping off his pert nipples, and I found that I needed to drink him. I leaned forward, my tongue eager to feast, but he pushed me back sharply, filling my gaze with his magnificent head. He liked to wear his hair short these days, and it suited him, making the most of those huge green eyes and luscious lashes. Yet again, I found my gaze returning to the crevice of his chin, my cock rest, and I lashed out quickly, my tongue brushing over the velvet of his lips.

His knees pinned my arms in place at my side, and he sat up, his ass on my stomach, forcing the air up out of my lungs.

“That will fucking teach you to be cheeky,” he grinned.

“You swore!! You actually broke the rules and swore! I’m impressed.”

“We are about to break every rule in Heaven. I think a little curse word is the least of our problems, don’t you?”

His hands moved behind his back, and I felt my stiffening cock encased in the warmth of his palms. With slow, playful jerks, he quickly brought me to attention.

“Stop it!” I demanded, though my words lacked conviction.

“Stop what?”

“That!”

“This?” His hands moved faster, pumping me mercilessly until I squirmed beneath his considerable weight.

“We haven’t…got…time,” I gasped, but already I could feel my blood rising in my cheeks as my balls tightened in his grip.

“There is always time,” he growled, and I knew that it was too late for him to stop.

“But they’re coming…”

“Give me a second and so will you.”

My back arched beneath him as my load exploded up his back. The look of intense lust that blistered across his face empowered my orgasm, and it pumped from the tip of my cock, leaving me weak and wasted underneath him.

He brought his dripping fingers to his mouth and tasted me, his tongue licking the juice from his hand. Suddenly, his lips smashed into mine, and I felt his tongue explode into my mouth with a force that took my breath away. So intense was the kiss, so hard did he press his mouth into mine that it felt as though he wished to climb inside my body, to be inside me, a part of me, never to be separated. I pulled my hands out from under his knees, and I pulled his head into me, my fingers gripping his short hair as I drowned in him. Our tongues and our teeth ground into each other with such terrible, desperate urgency that I tasted blood upon my lips.

Buy Links

Extasy Books

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the Author

Hi everyone, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Sean Kerr, and I am a 47-year-old gay man living in Cardiff, Wales with my husband of 28 years, Derek. We have two cats, Rita and Harry, and a host of tropical fish.

By day, I am an Interior designer, and I have had a shop, Home Zone, in Cardiff with my amazing business partner, Jayne for eleven and a half years. It has and continues to be a struggle. The recession hit a few years after we opened, and it has been challenging, to say the least. I consider myself to be lucky though because the shop pays me a wage, and I have been lucky enough to furnish my house with lovely things because of it, and I really do have some spectacular curtains lol.

I worked on building sites for years, and I used the money earned from that to put myself through college, specialist paint techniques etc. I trained in fine art, and then I went out and painted murals on client’s walls, and created Roman Bathrooms and fantasy hand painted bedrooms, all the rage back in the late eighties and nineties. I then became an Interior Designer for a large DIY chain, and that is where I met Jayne, my business partner, and the rest is history.

By night I am an Author, and I am very proud to be an author for Extasy Books. It took me some years to get to this point. I spent a very long time trying to get an agent because I thought it was the right thing to do, and after a heck of a lot of refusals, I nearly gave up. I came so close to hitting the delete button on Dead Camp 1 because I thought I did not stand a chance. At the very last moment, I decided to have a go at approaching a few publishers directly, and I sent the manuscript to six. Within two weeks, I had offers of publication from three! Let’s just say that there may have been tears lol. It was my chance, at last, to become a part of a world that I have always loved and admired from a distance, and it is one of the very best things that has ever happened to me.

I currently have four books under my belt in my Dead Camp series, as well as a short novella called Hush Little Baby. Dead Camp is my take on the Vampire genre, a Paranormal Romance series that is set against a backdrop of World War 2. However, the series uses key moments from History to tell one enormous saga, and I have loved every single moment of writing it. There will be five books in the Dead Camp series.

Hush is a pure horror story with more than a nod towards such classic programmes as The Twilight Zone and Tales of The Unexpected. The project happened just after I completed Dead Camp 3 and it is a story that I had to get out of my system. It’s definitely a different beast to my Vampire saga, and I hope it will make you go to bed with the lights on lol!

Dead Camp 5 is the last book in the series. I will feel very sad to leave it behind. Yet, at the same time, I am so proud of this saga which has been such an important part of my life for the last couple of years. I love writing, so very much. It has always been my dream, and the wonderful Extasy Books has made my dream come true, and it is a world that I am totally in love with. It is a world I hope to be a part of for a very long time to come.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Instagram

 Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway to win one of Sean’s Dead Camp books. The winner may choose and Sean will gift the book from the publisher’s website.

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An Alisa Review: The Cowboy’s Son by Patrick Mangan

Rating:  2 stars out of 5

Justin Denton has his eighteen year-old life all figured out. He just graduated high school and is about to head away from the family ranch in the middle of nowhere to go to college in a bigger city.

But when his dad blows out his shoulder, the family hires a young college student to fill in as the hired man and help Justin get the ranch through the summer season. It doesn’t help that the new guy is nice. And cute.

Yep, Justin doesn’t have anything figured out. Accepting his own sexual identity, or his growing attraction to the new ranch hand, his relationship with his parents, his future goals and plans as he leaves his small town, and certainly not how his best friends will react when he finally comes out as gay.

It’s going to be a long summer.

Justin meets Ben when his dad hires him to help on their ranch while he is healing from surgery.  They butt heads initially but quickly learn to work together.  Near the end of the summer they begin to trust each other and don’t fear hiding their growing attraction as much.

So, I guess I didn’t expect the whole story to really be about Justin accepting his sexuality, I thought it would just be a portion.  Justin has been hiding his sexuality from all those around him for years and fears their reactions.  When he and Ben let the other know about their attraction Ben becomes his “gay yoda”.  I can’t say I enjoyed it, there attraction to each other is there but they keep each other at arm’s length and then end up going in different direction while friends.

I’m not a fan of the stereo type that gay guys can sleep with their friends and not have problems with developing feelings or jealousies and that is how this story portrays it to me.  All the talking and actions throughout the story seemed exaggerated (with way more exclamation points than necessary) and the jumping from one topic or person to the next didn’t help the flow of the story either.

The cover art by E Keith is nice and gives nice setting for the story.

Sales Links: Painted Hearts Publishing | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 121 pages

Published: January 10, 2018 by Painted Hearts Publishing

Edition Language: English

An Alisa Review: Just Here For The Pain (Underdogs #2) by KA Merikan

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

—. Whips and chains – not optional .—

Sid. Drummer for The Underdogs. Secretly yearning for pain and submission.
Asher. AKA Stan. Stalker. More than meets the eye.

It’s hard to find good hookups while on tour. Sid wants pain, humiliation, and the kind of sex that isn’t easy to get from one-night stands. So for now, he’s given up, settled for an online Dom to get his rocks off, and focused on his band instead. The Underdogs are getting increasingly popular, but there is one fan who has followed Sid since before he even joined the band, and he’s driving Sid mad! Rich, spoiled hipster brat looking for the bad boy experience. If he knew what Sid was really into, he would run for the hills.

Asher is convinced that Sid is The One, his One True Love, his endgame. Years ago, Asher lost his virginity to Sid, and from that moment on, he knew it was meant to be. They had a spark, that honest connection that couldn’t be faked. The members of Sid’s band call him a stalker, but all he wants is to offer Sid his love. When Sid finally chokes out what he wants, Asher is more than ready to unleash it on him.

But the last time Sid was out as gay and submissive, he got badly burnt when his former band kicked him out, and the doors to many opportunities slammed in his face.

Asher wants the whole world to know that he’s dating Sid. Problem is, Sid would much rather keep the relationship as pain-with-benefits.

Sid and Asher have been dancing around each other for years, since their one weekend together.  Sid assumes that Asher could never be what he needs while Asher assumes Sid wants romance, they quickly learn otherwise and find that they may be perfect for each other.

Once Sid slips his needs Asher quickly shows him that it’s right up his alley.  But Asher needs someone to support and love him in return and giving his all without that isn’t helping.

These two characters have been so alone for so long and no one around them even knew it.  I felt Sid’s pain and fear when they needed to rescue his sister and how he must have felt as a teenager on his own.  Asher seems so put together but hasn’t had the love and support of a family since his past away years ago and he has never let Sid see that side of him.  Once again a simple discussion may have helped but then they wouldn’t have had the opportunity for the grand gesture.  I am loving these guys and I can’t wait for Dawn and Mage’s story.

The cover art by Natasha Snow is great.  I love the picture of Asher and Sid.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 240 pages

Published: February 4, 2018 by K.A. Merikan

Edition Language: English

Series: The Underdogs #2

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Heart2Heart Anthology

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A very enjoyable charitable endeavor by eleven talented authors.  My review is done by story:

The Set-up

A short chapter about “how Bailey the geeky programmer lost his focus.” The segment focuses on Bailey as he’s setting up the final algorithms for the new Heart2Heart dating app.  He’s distracted by a sexy window washer who pantomimes calling him.  The story breaks here and is then continued at the end of the anthology.

The Professional Gamer and the Paranormal Photographer by Alison Hendricks – 3 stars

Shy photographer meets gregarious gamer—at first glance, the match seems destined to failure, but when the two get to know one another over a game—of course—they find they have much more in common than they’d thought.  And the interesting paranormal experiences Allen has captured on film intrigue Lawrence enough to continue their friendship to a relationship and they realize the match wasn’t so bad after all.  I didn’t feel the character chemistry in this one so only 3 stars here.

The Magician and the Mortician by AE Wasp – 4 stars

A very sweet story of a 42-year-old magician who lost his husband five years ago and has finally agreed to a blind date arranged through Heart2Heart.  The mortician turns out to be a quiet, sexy man who first saw Beto perform ten years ago and lost his heart to the magic of magic shows.  A pleasant surprise and coincidence that the two are destined to meet again.  Another unlikely match finds love.  I enjoyed the pace of this story and the characters were charming.

The Assassin and the Dog Walker by Charlie Cochet – 5 stars

What an adventure!  Charlie Cochet captured the spirit of Valentine’s Day, the sweet temperament of Daniel, the cute dog walker, and the cutting-edge, dangerous personality of the assassin, Lymond.  Another two unlikelys who found their way together through the H2H app. I know a story is a keeper (and a future re-read) when I’m smiling as I read along, enjoying every minute of the adventure, totally immersed in the lives of the characters. Kudos, Charlie! 

The Criminal and the Sommelier by Chris Owen – 5 stars

Phillipe is the Sommelier who is impressed, despite his initial misgivings, by the restaurant and their sommelier’s selection of wines—all provided by Heart2Heart for his first date with Angelo.  And Angelo? Oh my! Phillipe is very impressed with him as well—even when he finds out he’s an international art thief, or broker, as Angelo prefers to call himself. Full of humor, witticisms, adventure and fun, this fast-paced short story is only the beginning of the adventure in store for these guys.  I hope Chris Owen brings them back for a full-length novel. 

The Superhero and the NSA Agent by Hailey Turner – 3 stars

This story was a lot of fun to read – from the beginning to about midpoint.  The characters and the setup were intriguing and I especially fell in love with Damien in his Superman outfit—who wouldn’t?  It looked like it would be a sweet Valentine’s Day romance, but then the author fell victim to throwing them into hot, panting sex and canceling their romantic Heart2Heart dinner date.  To be honest, it felt out of character for them—especially for Damien, and I was no longer interested in them after that. 

The Tattoo Artist and the Writer by Lily Morton – 5 stars

Well, this one showed me that I can find an outstanding new author anywhere.  I never expected that this would be the story that would be OTT for me, but it was.  Two best friends, matched by Heart2Heart, find their way to love—a love that’s apparently been there for years but never acknowledged.  I’m definitely going to check out this author’s other work.  Excellent story. 

The Uber Driver and the Phone Sex Operator by Lucy Lennox – 4.5 stars

I feel like I’m the only one of my friends who hasn’t read Lucy Lennox yet, but that’s now taken care of with this humorous, sweet MM romance.  Travis is filling in for his brother Brody as an Uber driver when he picks up a cute, young guy who is having phone sex while in his back seat.  Lots of laughs later when it gets straightened out, and lots of cuddles and loving when the two get together to solve Azrael’s problem of being a 25-year-old virgin.  Add to that, the compatibility of their “real” careers and this was a romance made in heaven.  All right, not heaven—the Heart2Heart app.  Very enjoyable!

The Baker and the SEAL by May Archer – 5 stars

Another new-to-me author that hit her story out of the ballpark.  Nothing like a big, strong, ex-Navy SEAL with a heart of gold to melt this old lady’s heart.  But add to that a snarky, strong, independent baker with a penchant for vanilla—only in his cooking—and you have the perfect recipe (pun intended) for a sweet Valentine’s Day romance.  Loved it!

The Event Planner and the Electrician by Poppy Dennison – 3 stars

May-December romances are one of my favorite tropes and this sweet story captured the angst of the younger guy who falls in love yet again with an older guy, only to have their age difference thrown in his face, yet again.   I loved Theo ‘s character.  He reminded me of a sweet, energetic bundle of energy with a heart of gold.  And I enjoyed Harvey’s character as well—older, good-looking, gentle giant.  Though it took awhile, they finally got their Valentine’s Day wish. 

The Lawyer and the Lobsterman by Ruthie Luhnow – 2 stars

This one was my least favorite of the stories.  The lawyer, Isaac, had an abrasive personality and the lobsterman, Will, was super-casual and flirty.  Of all the couples, they not only seemed ill-suited, but also had poor communication and I couldn’t quite get behind their togetherness.  And though all the stories are about men who shouldn’t have been matched but were, in this one I couldn’t find their commonality—their spark, so to speak.  They ended up together but it wasn’t as satisfying to me.

The Florist and the Lawyer by Sloane Kennedy – 3.5 stars

This little tidbit was sweet and sexy, but to be honest, there was an overabundance of sex scenes. I would have liked more face-to-face, get-to-know-you time and less of the highly descriptive in-your-face sex time. Don’t get me wrong, Sloane Kennedy is one of my favorites, and I love her writing and storytelling style, but in this instance, less would have been more.  Another abrasive lawyer in this story, Harrison is matched with Nate, a cute, flamboyant twink, who eventually melts his heart, puts a smile on his face, and brings color to his black-and-white world.

The Fallout

A continuation of The Setup, which was the intro to the anthology.  It’s not clear who wrote this segment, but it’s really quite sweet and a story unto itself.   The window washer has distracted the programmer from the last testing of the algorithm of the Heart2Heart app and because of that, all the previous couples were mismatched.  Thankfully, the previous couples are more than happy with their mismatches and have contacted Heart2Heart to express their gratitude.  So the window washer and the programmer live happily ever after.  A very nice way to introduce and wrap up this anthology, the proceeds of which will benefit several different LGBTQ charities. 

In summary, not only is this an enjoyable group of stories, the authors have donated proceeds to their favorite charities.   I highly recommend this one to lovers of MM romance—especially to those who enjoy reading opposites-attract stories.

~~~

COVER DESIGN:  AngstyG/www.angstyg.com’  .The cover features a photo of two guys, one with his arm draped over the other’s shoulder, walking down a road.   It’s a nice representation of the “coupledom” of the stories within.

BUY LINK:  http://getBook.at/Heart2Heart

Anthology Details:

It will only be available for 90 days, so Tuesday, May 8th will be the last time you can purchase this anthology.
Over 162k words total, contemporary MM romance

100% of the proceeds to 3 wonderful charities:

The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Bisexual Resource Centre: http://biresource.org/

One n Ten: http://onenten.org/