A Free Dreamer Review: Echoes of the Gods by Gaia Sol

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Peace reigns in Midgard and with no wars to fight, Yngvi, soldier and fancy-free charmer, craves danger, excitement and adventure. He finds all that and more in a mysterious stranger whose arrival in Midgard coincides with an unexpected attack on Asgard’s pantheon by the fiendish armies of Loki, renegade god of the Underworld.

Shara has pursued a killer to Midgard and can’t afford to be distracted by the charismatic Yngvi, not when the fugitive has eluded him twice already. But Yngvi is like no one Shara’s ever met—annoyingly tenacious, but also brave, loyal and inconveniently attractive. A single night together shouldn’t change anything. But it changes everything, and Shara finds himself giving Yngvi his body, his trust and much more.

Caught in the riptide of Shara’s shocking secrets, Yngvi joins him on a quest for vengeance that takes them across the stars, onto new worlds and into battles with gods, monsters and their own unfamiliar, conflicting feelings. Disloyalty breeds distrust, threatening to destroy their new, fragile bond, but they must each choose between heart and life when they finally uncover the startling past that will change the future.

I absolutely loved “Echoes of the Gods“. I have a thing for mythology and fairy tales and I especially love it when authors take on old myths and make them into something new. And Gaia Sol did a brilliant job here.

This is the first time I’ve heard anything about the Babylonian pantheon and I actually had to google some of the names before I realized that the author didn’t just make the whole thing up. I love it when a book teaches me something new and makes me want to learn more. “Echoes of the Gods” was definitely educating for me, but it never felt like the author was lording her knowledge over the ignorant reader.

Yngvi and Shara were immediately likeable. Shara is very innocent and at times a little naive, but it fit his backstory very well. He’s never had much contact to other people and spent most of his life living alone in the woods. But he’s a quick learner and he has other qualities to make up for his innocence. I loved the dynamic between Shara and Yngvi. And I really felt for both of them, suffering with them through their various hardships and heartaches.

The world building was great. The Babylonian, Norse and Greek pantheons were explored in-depth and we got to see a lot of action there. I’m fairly familiar with Norse and Greek gods and it was great to meet well-known characters but also to learn new details I knew nothing about. And the Babylonian pantheon was completely new to me. I don’t think you need to know anything about the old gods in order to enjoy and understand this book. But to me, the familiarity added another layer of enjoyment.

Aside from the pantheons, there were lots of little magical things going on and it was all brilliantly explained and executed. It really felt like I was there with Yngvi and Shara, meeting the old gods and traveling through space and time.

The romance was definitely there, but it wasn’t overbearing. The love story is wonderful and Yngvi’s and Shara’s feelings for each other were easy to relate to. There was a really great balance between fantasy and romance, another great example how one doesn’t exclude the other. Because you can definitely have both: amazing Fantasy with great world building and a wonderful Romance.

The only thing that bothered me tiny little bit was the lack of communication and the misunderstandings it caused. But since Yngvi is a Norse warrior and Shara has spent most of his life in solitude, I guess it’s understandable. It didn’t distract from the overall brilliance of the book.

Overall, I simply loved this book. This is the author’s first book and I’ll definitely keep an eye out for future books by her.

If you have a thing for great fantasy with brilliant world building and a wonderful romance on top of it all, this is definitely the book for you.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous. It’s such an eye-catcher and really fits the storyline. At first glance, it does look like a cover for a space opera, though.

Sales Link:   Amazon

Book details:

ebook. 316 pages

Published October 25th 2017

A MelanieM Review: Wrapped with Love by Beth Bolden

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

A Five Points holiday-themed novel, featuring a surprise couple, and lots of your old favorites: Jemma & Gabe, Nick & Colin, Landon & Quentin, and more!

NFL player Jordan Christensen walks into Reed Ryan’s restaurant without a reservation. It isn’t the most serendipitous of meet-cute’s and they certainly aren’t the likeliest of romances, but over venison steaks and crème brûlée, they fall in love anyway.

Flash forward two years . . .

Jordan isn’t a football player anymore.

Reed sold his restaurant.

But even more drastically, they’ve lost each other.

When Reed moves to Los Angeles take a new job, he doesn’t realize Jordan now works there too. But Jordan definitely realizes how precious the second chance fate has bestowed on them is. He’s determined to make up for everything that fell apart the first time around, and it turns out he’s not the only one scheming to right old wrongs.

Starting a new career is always difficult but sharing office space—and big projects—with an old lover is particularly rough. Between impromptu Secret Santa exchanges, Christmas light viewings, and more tacos than even Reed can eat, the two former lovers have an eventful holiday season to navigate.

Wrapped with Love by Beth Bolden was such a sweet, heartwarming romance that it made me anticipate the holiday season even more as it’s one of the first stories that mentions all the Christmas elements , has the sentiment I look for, and captures the spirit of the season too.  All without snow and in California!

Told in chapters with flashbacks to Jordan and Reed’s initial meeting, romance and breakup, this format sometimes goes awry.  But not here.  Bolden neatly uses the past to highlight the present, we see the men trying to move forward, the steps towards forgiveness and understanding and the character growth. Then the glimpse backwards where we see the couple in their innocence and sheer bliss as they move towards a breakup.  Yes, the author is moving them backwards in the flashbacks towards the moment it all goes wrong where it will coincide in the present where it will all go right.

Such a lovely and moving format.

So much about these characters spoke to me.  I loved Reed’s job as a chef, the cable food show they now work on together, the team of friends around them, really everything here.  Moving through this couple’s history and their reconnection is guaranteed to bring up so many wonderful feelings of warmth and genuine affection for these men. You are so happy for them to get their second chance at love, that you end up smiling even through the bittersweet flashback passages, because you know where they will end up.

I have one of the other stories in this series on my Kindle and will now return to it.  I loved Wrapped with Love that much!  You can definitely read this story as a standalone as I did, other explanations for the couples are given and I don’t think any more is needed.

Looking for a story to launch your holiday reading?  Wrapped with Love by Beth Bolden is a wonderful, heartwarming contemporary romance with more than a touch of the holidays to it.  I highly recommend it!

Cover art is simple. I wish it had more story elements to it.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 219 pages
Published November 2017
ASINB076YMPPYC
Edition LanguageEnglish

 

Release Day Blitz for Wrapped with Love (A Five Points Novel) by Beth Bolden (excerpt)

Wrapped with Love RDB Banner

WRAPPED WITH LOVE

A FIVE POINTS NOVEL

BETH BOLDEN

M/M ROMACE

RELEASE DATE: 11.14.17

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NFL player Jordan Christensen walks into Reed Ryan’s restaurant without a reservation. It isn’t the most serendipitous of meet-cute’s and they certainly aren’t the likeliest of romances, but over venison steaks and crème brûlée, they fall in love anyway.

Flash forward two years . . .

Jordan isn’t a football player anymore.

Reed sold his restaurant.

But even more drastically, they’ve lost each other.

When Reed moves to Los Angeles take a new job, he doesn’t realize Jordan now works at the same company. But Jordan definitely realizes how precious the second chance fate has bestowed on them is. He’s determined to make up for everything that fell apart the first time around, and it turns out he’s not the only one scheming to right old wrongs.

Starting a new career is always difficult but sharing office space—and big projects—with an old lover is particularly rough. Between impromptu Secret Santa exchanges, Christmas light viewings, and more tacos than even Reed can eat, the two former lovers have an eventful holiday season to navigate. 

BUY LINKS 

AMAZON US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076YMPPYC

improbable love

EXCERPT

“So,” Rory continued, still shoving hummus into his face at an alarming rate, “how did you two meet? Because I gotta say, Reed barely sticks his head out of the kitchen for more than five minutes at a time.”

“We actually met at Garnet,” Jordan said, all gooey affection, like the first night they’d met, Reed hadn’t accidentally insulted him.

“Oh?” Rory asked, all creamy innocence because he knew how much Reed hated being summoned to the dining room.

“It’s actually really embarrassing. My agent knew how much I’d been wanting to visit Garnet, and just barged in, no reservation. And Reed,” Jordan glanced over, “was kind enough to give us the private dining room. Picked our menu for us and everything. I had to meet him, after all that trouble he went to.”

Rory burst out laughing and Reed shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He had a bad feeling about where this was going.

“You realize why he actually came out of the kitchen, right? Why he picked your menu?”

Jordan shook his head, a baffled expression on his handsome face.

Rory leaned forward. “Let me educate you about the ego of a chef, Christensen. Reed didn’t give you his best table and his best food out of the kindness of his heart. He did it because he wanted to put you in your place with his awesomeness.”

“I’m trying to remember why I invited you out,” Reed interrupted before Rory’s education could continue. But Jordan, intrigued, ignored him, and Rory was never going to stop now that he’d started. Reed flopped back in his chair, somewhat resigned to the inevitable embarrassment to come.

“Reed doesn’t have an ego.”

Rory’s head actually whipped back as he cackled loudly. “Oh, honey. All chefs do, at least the best ones. It’s how we get to the top. We’re insufferably certain of our own perfection. At least in the kitchen, anyway. Garnet is Reed’s castle, and he’s the king.”

Jordan turned to Reed, who could only hold his breath and pray that Rory’s comments hadn’t completely changed his opinion.

“Is that true?” he asked.

“I mean, you can’t be that surprised,” Reed said awkwardly. “Especially after what I said when we met.”

“I thought you were trying to hit on me!” Jordan exclaimed in mock outrage.

Reed flushed.

“I hate to say it,” Rory said, which was a complete lie because he looked like he was enjoying every second of this, “but Reed doesn’t have that kind of game.”

“So, how did you two meet?” Jordan asked, and Reed wasn’t dumb enough not to know he was changing the subject. He told himself it would be okay. Jordan couldn’t be angry about how they’d met, so many months later.

“A butchering class,” Reed said.

“No, not even close,” Rory said, taking another drink from his beer. “You aren’t going to get off this easy, Reed.”

Reed made a disgruntled sound. Of course Rory felt obligated to tell the whole story.

“Yes, it was a butchering class,” Rory said, gesturing with the bottle in his hand. “And you know, I’m formally trained. I mostly took it for fun. But here’s Reed, a newbie who’s read at least fifteen books on his own at this point. He spent at least half the class telling the instructor everything he was doing wrong.”

Reed couldn’t help but frown. Jordan glanced over, ever-attuned to Reed, and reached under the table to squeeze his knee.

“Was the instructor wrong?” Jordan asked loyally, even though if he knew Reed at all, he already knew the answer to his question.

Rory laughed and nodded. “Oh, he was insanely wrong. The rest of us were just ready to write this whole class off as a bad afternoon and go have some drinks later and laugh about it, but Reed was burning with the injustice of wasting an afternoon being taught what he knew was the wrong thing.”

“So he tried to teach the class.” Jordan glanced over, eyes brimming with affection. As if this story, which definitely wasn’t one of the greatest moments of Reed’s life, actually endeared him further.

“It was a power struggle, from beginning to end, but,” Rory said, tipping the bottle in a mock toast Reed’s direction, “you already know who came out on top.”

“He was wrong,” Reed felt justified in adding again.

Jordan’s hand settled warm and firm back on Reed’s knee. Reed jumped, nearly upsetting his own beer. “I wouldn’t expect any less, sweetheart,” he said quietly.

Beth Bolden Logo

 Beth Bolden lives in Portland, Oregon with her supportive husband and their beloved cat. 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 three novels and two short stories, with her next novel, The Rainbow Clause, releasing in April 2017.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/beth_bolden

Website: www.bethbolden.com

3 day release Tour Blitz for Breaking Free (The Den Boys #3) by A.T. Brennan (excerpt and giveaway)

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Title: Breaking Free

Author: A.T. Brennan

Series: Den Boys #3

Release Date: November 14th 2017

Genre: Contemporary MM Romance

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“I would never forgive myself if something happened to another man I cared about because I’d been careless and given in to temptation.” ~ Zander

The last thing I was looking for was a relationship, then I laid eyes on a dancer at a nightclub and my entire world was flipped upside down. Kai is everything I’ve ever wanted, but shouldn’t have. I’m haunted by a past I can’t seem to break free from, and I’m not sure I can be the man Kai deserves. He makes me want to try, but I worry that I’m broken beyond repair.

“There was already a big enough stigma attached to being a go-go dancer, but add being a webcam model to the mix and people tended to assume things about me.” ~ Kai

School, dance, cam, repeat. My life was on a constant loop as I struggled to keep my head above water. After seeing Zander in the crowd while I was dancing, I knew I had to meet the handsome stranger who took my breath away. I don’t know if I’m the right man to help set him free from his pain, but I’m going to do everything I can to try and help him see that the past doesn’t have to define his future.

*This is Book 3 of The Den Boys series, but can be read as a standalone. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and trigger warnings are listed in the book before the table of contents.

*This 74,000 word book is intended for an 18+ audience. It is a story of male/male romance and love. There are graphic depictions of man parts doing naughty and sexy things, so please be sure this is the kind of book for you before reading.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Available on Kindle Unlimited

Find The Den Boys series on Goodreads

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EXCERPT

Kai

“Thanks for tuning into my show, everyone. And thank you to everyone who tipped. I have to take a few days off for my other job, but I’ll be back next week.”

I lifted my head from where I’d rested it on my arm and gave the camera an air kiss.

“Sweet dreams, my lovelies.”

After giving the camera one final wink, I cut the connection. The screen went black, and I sighed as I flopped over onto my back.

I barely had time to rub my hands over my face before my phone started ringing. My blood ran cold when I saw the line of zeros instead of a phone number on my display.

I’d been getting these calls for almost two weeks now, and they were only getting more frequent and disturbing.

At first, it had been someone heavy breathing on the other end, and I’d hung up, more annoyed than scared.

Then, they’d started playing music. I’d pick up the line, and a song would be playing. I had no idea what they meant, but they were all sappy love ballads. That had been creepy, but still hadn’t really set off any alarms.

I hadn’t liked the idea that the fucker had my number, and he was able to mask his own, but it was just stupid music and pathetic heavy breathing. It was like the adult version of prank calling. Three days ago things had changed.

1

Book One

Title: All In

Author: A.T. Brennan

Series: Den Boys #1

Release Date: July 11th 2017

Genre: MM Erotic Contemporary Romance

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“I learned a long time ago that nothing is free, not even help.” ~ Blaze

Almost getting killed in a gay bashing should have been one of the worst moments of my life, but with everything I’ve been through, it was just another day, except for the gorgeous man who stepped in to save me. There is something about Galen that draws me in and makes me want know him, and the more time I spend with him, the more I feel free to be myself. Galen doesn’t seem to know what he wants, but I’m a man who stays true to himself, and Galen seems to be someone worth taking a chance on.

“Then you happened and all you have to do is touch me and I lose myself.” ~ Galen

I never thought I’d stumble on an attempted murder, but that’s exactly what happened one night while I was trying to get home. After chasing away the assailants and helping the enigmatic young victim home I tried to put the incident out of my mind, but I couldn’t get him out of my head. I might not have ever thought about being with a man before, but the more time I spend with Blaze, the more I learn about who I really am. Blaze has scars that run deep, but as he opens up to me I find myself questioning everything I thought I wanted, and wondering if I’m a good enough man to give him what he needs.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Available on Kindle Unlimited

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Book Two

Title: Healing Him

Series: The Den Boys #2

Release Date: August 29th 2017

Genre: MMM Erotic Contemporary Romance

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“I hated that I was like this, but after years of trying to work through it I was beginning to feel like I’d never be normal.” ~ Cody

Hiding the fact that I was in love with my best friend Isaac used to be the most complicated part of my day, until a chance meeting with a handsome stranger named Jonah sent my life into a tailspin. Scars from my past have stopped me from giving in to my desires for so long, but I’m done being afraid. I want both men. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to trust that anyone can love me.

“I knew it was a bit messed up, but there was no jealousy or envy when I thought of my men together.” ~ Isaac

I’ve loved Cody for as long as I’ve known him, but have always held back because of his past. Then I met Jonah and I knew there was no way I could choose between them. I want it all—the man I’ve loved for so long, and the one I’m quickly falling for. It’s not going to be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.

“I wanted to believe it was all true, but I couldn’t push aside the fear that I was just a distraction until the two of them got together.” ~ Jonah

After having my heart broken I never thought I’d find love again. I wasn’t looking for anything real, and then I met not one, but two men I can’t resist. Isaac and Cody are everything I ever wanted but didn’t know I could have. I want to believe the three of us can work, but a part of me can’t get past the fear that I’ll be the odd man out, again.

*This is Book 2 of The Den Boys series, but can be read as a standalone – no cliffhangers.

*This book is intended for an 18+ audience and is a story of male/male/male romance and love. There are graphic depictions of man parts doing naughty and sexy things, so please be sure this is the kind of book for you before reading.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Available on Kindle Unlimited

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Celebrate the release of Breaking Free and win a $5 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

AT Brennan pic

A.T. Brennan, who also writes under the name Mandie Mills, is a romance and erotica author. A native of Ottawa, Can ada, she enjoys picking up and moving from city to city every few years. A former member of the Canadian Armed Forces, current entrepreneur and freelance writer, she enjoys spending her days working on her many projects and her nights writing and not getting enough sleep. Currently she lives on Canada’s East Coast with her family, both two- and four-legged. She enjoys collecting books and exploring the different sides of romance and romantic expression in her works.

Links: Website | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter | Amazon

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A Stella Release Day Review: Braving the Rapids (Rocky Mountain Boys #2 ) by Brandon Witt

RATING 4,5 out of 5 stars

Estes Park native Todd Fleece works hard to honor his obligations to family and the businesses he inherited, but only his friends and the horses at his ranch brighten Todd’s life. In fighting his attraction to his best friend’s ex-boyfriend, Todd has focused solely on his work, leaving little room in his life for finding love.

Matt Abel’s reckless youth put him on a path to a self-destructive life—his most painful failure was being a horrible father. He excels at extreme sports and living on the edge. Now back in Estes Park and teaching white-water rafting, Matt tries to reconnect with his mother and his grown daughter. When he runs into his ex’s friend Todd, Matt longs for more than a fling.

But achieving happiness isn’t simple, not with Todd’s family conflicts and Matt struggling not to slide back into alcoholism. With hurdles threatening to drive them apart, Todd and Matt try to find the courage to brave the rapids and face a future together….

Well, I really have no clue of how many ways I can use to say Brandon Witt is an amazing writer. I’m in love with his style and each new release is one more proof of his talent. Although some books are more emotional than others, all of them are treasures in how well everything has been depicted and the reader can’t not help but fall in love with them.

In my opinion Braving the Rapids can be considered one of his lighter stories, even if I found myself deeply connected with Todd and Matt lives, especially because I could compare to some of their struggles. And that’s was a bonus. Moreover I am a fan of adult characters and seeing those two men, full of life, full into their lives, full of issues to still solve, but at the same time full of hopes and want for a future together, warmed my heart. The novel is focused on their love story sure but it’s open versus each character single life too, how Todd needs to be strong with his mother’s disease and how Matt is willing to build a relationship with his daughter even if he needs to work on himself first of all.

And then in this second installment in the Rocky Mountain Boys series I found all the people I learned to love in Mapping the Forest, Luis and Gabe and Rob and Paxton. It was great to meet them again and I so hope to have more about all of them.

The cover art by Anne Cain follows the theme of the covers’ series and it’s different from the usual covers I see around and that’s the reason why it’s a winner to me

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 256 pages

Publication Date: November 13th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13 9781635339987

Edition Language English

Rocky Mountain Boys #2

An Ali Release Day Review: Broken Sun (City to City #2) by B.D. Roca

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
James Morgan: outlaw in a ruthless biker club, the Bastard Legion. Willing to do whatever he must to claw his way to the top of the club’s hierarchy.

Two things stand in the way of his ambitions: his heroin-addicted brother and his bisexuality. In Morgan’s world, his attraction to men is a death sentence, and he has no desire to pursue it… until he tangles with Luc Sinclair.

Luc Sinclair: fellow Bastard Legion biker. Tattoo artist. Rebel who wants out of a club he’s grown to despise.

Luc has a sister he’s protecting from a Legion ex-boyfriend. Saving her makes him a target. Morgan intervenes, and all bets are off. The sex is as fierce and passionate as it is dangerous. But when Morgan’s junkie brother learns of the relationship, he sees a way to advance in the Legion and take out a brother he hates. Their three worlds collide—one is left for dead, another fighting for life, and the bond between them broken.

In a dark and violent world where it’s every man for himself, finding their way back to each other and the only truth they’ve ever found will be a long, hard fight.
The other book in this series was one of my favorite reads last year and I was really excited to get my hands on this one. (You can see my review for book one here on our blog).  The first half or so was fantastic and I couldn’t put it down. The chemistry between the two guys jumped off the page.  The situation they’re in is super tough and you feel like it’s them against the rest of the world.  I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen and if they were going to make it out alive and together.  
The magic started to wane for me though as the story hit it’s peak.  The blurb says “the bond between them broken” but I guess I underestimated what that was going to mean to the story.  There is a huge gap where they are not together and that’s just not a story twist I like.  If an author puts the MC’s through hell I want to see them come through it together.  These two did eventually find their way back together and the book ends in a HEA but by that time all the magic was gone for me.  I had a hard time buying their reunion and all the events that happened from that point on.  It was about 40% of the book so it was a big chunk for me to be disheartened by.
It wasn’t until almost the end of this book that I realized how these characters tied in to the characters from the first book.  That being said, this can be read just fine as a standalone.  I think this author is very good and I hope that more people will try her/his books.  The reason I didn’t rate this higher was due to my dislike of the way the plot went but I don’t think that’s reflective of the author’s talent.  A lot of readers may have no problem with it.  
Cover:  The author is also the cover artist and I think the cover is well done.  It’s very attractive and eye catching.  I noticed that the cover on the previous book was also redone and they match beautifully.
Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 286 pages
Expected publication: November 13th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781635336436
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesCity to City #2

A Julia Review: Changing Colors (Seasons of Love #4) by Elyse Springer

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Tony Quinn has a knack for figuring people out. He likes labels, likes to be able to put everyone and everything in tidy boxes. As a theater director, it allows him to run a production without too much drama. But when he meets Gentry—“call me Gee”—in a bar one night, he discovers that some people aren’t so easily defined.

Gee Parnell is unlike anyone Tony has ever met before. He refuses to conform—to Tony’s expectations, or to society’s gender roles. He’s sexy and flirtatious, unapologetic and unashamed. And Tony isn’t sure he’s okay with that. So he breaks things off and escapes back into his well-ordered life.

But then an attack leaves Gee bloody and bruised, and Tony realizes that he isn’t ready to lose him. Not only is the passion between them off the charts, but Gee shows him a different way of understanding people. However, an exciting new job opportunity means that Tony has to decide between hiding his sexuality and his relationship with Gee, and his newfound appreciation for the color and beauty Gee brings to his life.

Changing Colors is the fourth book in Elyse Springer’s “Seasons of Love”-series, which I have been reading and reviewing quite eagerly. At this point I’m only missing the very first entry, “Whiteout”, but I’ll be sure to rectify that in the near future, since I have become a fan of this series.

While having read the previous books is definitely not necessary to get into the story of this one, it does add additional charm to it since characters and events from the other books will be mentioned or have little cameos here and there. As for me, the protagonists of this volume themselves have already been enough to catch my attention and draw me in.

Let’s start with Tony from whose point of view the story is told! He loves his job at the theatre, identifies as being bisexual and has a knack for getting a read on people. I really admired how he put honest effort into trying to accept and get used to Gee’s lifestyle. In the process of this Tony not only has to learn to accept who the man he loves is but who he himself is as well. On top of that he also has to deal with his father who keeps trying to push his son into joining the family company. I enjoyed how the author showed that even though Tony does his best to ignore his father and do his own thing, he still struggles with the preconceptions, fears and worries instilled into him during his childhood. 

Gee was a really intriguing character right from the start. Though he identifies as a man, he does not conform with society’s gender roles and chooses to wear whatever he pleases including bright pink dresses and eyeliner. I found his take on life very inspirational. Just like Tony I respected him for his determination and courage in the face of all the judgement and even physical violence he has to endure from narrow-minded and downright cruel people. Still, it made it necessary for Gee to build up a lot of personal defences around himself, especially when it came to putting his trust in a romantic partner. It was very touching to see how he carefully opened up to Tony bit by bit.

Tony and Gee have to overcome a lot of hardships and inner demons to give their relationship a fighting chance. The way they interact with one another was really endearing and the author did a great job in portraying how much they mean to each other. And the sex scenes are nothing to scoff at either.

Another wonderful entry for this series that I highly recommend to pretty much anyone interested in romance novels! It features a wide cast of diverse characters who each have to overcome their own personal struggles in as well as outside of their love lives. I’m looking forward to seeing what else this author will come up with.

The cover design by Natasha Snow fits in neatly with the rest of the series but at the same time has some lovely details added to it like the shoes at the bottom. It was also a very nice touch to choose the river setting, a place where Tony likes to go and think.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 245 pages

Published October 23, 2017

by Riptide Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-62649-517-3

Edition Language: English

A Caryn Review : Alpha Chef (JT’s Bar #2) by Sue Brown

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I was a bit conflicted about whether I should even review this book, since I wasn’t really impressed with the first in the series, and it was kind of a chore to read Alpha Barman.  But, I thought, it really can’t get any worse, and I usually like this author, so I’ll give her a chance to redeem herself.

Well, maybe she did.  A little.

In Alpha Chef, Jake and Mitch are now back together, and running JT’s bar.  And the rest of the team is still hanging out and sleeping on the floor of the bar (?????  I didn’t get that at all.  Didn’t they have anywhere to go?  A hotel?  Back home?  At least an air mattress???)  Which is convenient, because now Mitch’s little brother Greg is in trouble.

Greg has been in the witness protection program for 14 years, after witnessing an execution.  Greg’s testimony put the murderer in prison, but he’s been moving from place to place, new identity to new identity, always looking over his shoulder as the gang keeps finding him.  When his house and the diner where he works are both torched on the same night, he knows he’s been found again.  When he can’t reach his handler in the US Marshal’s office, he heads for JT’s bar and his older brother Cole, AKA Mitch, whom he hasn’t seen since Cole left for the Army.

Colm Riordan is the most recent marshal in charge of Greg.  There has always been attraction there, but neither man acted on it.  But Greg is in more trouble than he ever was before, and the danger just ramps up both men’s desire.

So, I had many issues with this book.  Greg and Riordan get together out of lust, and I could never see that there was more to the relationship.  The whole background story of how Greg got into WITSEC in the first place was a little stretched.  There were a lot of unnecessary (in my mind) sidebars – Wyatt threatening Moose, the parents showing up, etc.  Even the original team being there in the first part of the book was superfluous since they left before any action occurred.  The action scenes weren’t all that exciting.  New men were introduced to the story near the end, and I guess if they are to be part of the next book in the series it makes sense, but otherwise they added nothing to this story.  There were minor inconsistencies that had me scratching my head, as well as just enough grammatical errors that I got pulled out of the story.  And on a petty note, I kind of object to the term chef being applied to a guy who has been a line cook at a few diners.  But I guess Alpha Fry Cook doesn’t have the same ring to it…

Cover art by Garrett Leigh shows a good looking model, with an appropriately disturbed expression, that I feel represents Greg well.  Except for the fact that Greg has long hair.  Or was the model supposed to be Colm?  Oh well, it’s a good looking model either way…

Sales Links:  Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 250 pages
Published September 27th 2017 by One Hat Press
ASINB07617FCSZ
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesJ.T.’s Bar #2 settingWyoming (United States)

On Tour with Jacob Z. Flores and Blood Drop (The Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge #5) (author guest post and giveaway)

Blood Drop (The Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge #5) by Jacob Z. Flores
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Paul Richmond

Release date: November 6, 2017

Buy Link: Dreamspinner Press e-book/Dreamspinner Press Paperback

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Jacob Z. Flores here today on his Blood Drop tour. Welcome, Jacob.

Blurb:

A single drop of blood might hold the key to the fate of the magical world, and Aiden Teine must choose between his bond of love and embracing the power to defeat his enemies.

Aiden’s adjustment to being the first vampyre fae hasn’t been easy, but his ties to warlock Thad Blackmoor prevent him from becoming a monster. With Thad, Aiden has a new family, a new purpose, and a new reason to live—though he’s technically undead. There’s one problem: Aiden’s control over his vampyre is weakening. He must learn what’s triggering his violent reactions before he surrenders to the creature within. To complicate matters, Aiden discovers his transformation might not be complete, and he fears what he will become.

Aiden’s search for answers thrusts him into a frightening world filled with deception, new dangers, and apocalyptic visions. The part destiny intends Aiden to play could alter his relationship with Thad forever. If Aiden, Thad, and the entire magical community are to survive Icarian’s latest scheme, Aiden must interpret the meaning of the prophetic blood drop before it falls and ushers in the destruction of all creation—and the warlock he loves.

Blood Drop

The Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge (Book 5)

by Jacob Z. Flores

Magic has enthralled me since I was a child. I can still remember those summer afternoons, running around my grandparents’ yard and pretending that I was levitating my enemies or moving objects with my mind. As I grew into an adult, my fascination with the mystical world only grew. The only thing that changed was my realization that I wasn’t telekinetic and couldn’t cast spells.

But, I was only partially wrong.

While I couldn’t summon arcane energies, as an author I could create a magical world and populate it with magical characters. Thus, I began constructing the world on which the Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge is based.

As hard as it is to believe, the journey began in 2015. Two years and four books later, the fifth (and most likely the last) book of the series is set to release on November 6.

I’ve enjoyed exploring this world with everyone. I’ve also had great fun re-imagining warlocks, witches, and wizards and vampires, shifters, and fae. I’m also extremely proud of my boys—Mason, Thad, and Pierce. They have come a long way since book one, but I’m not done with them—yet.

There’s one story left to tell, and it belongs to Aiden Teine, the fire fairy who captured Thad Blackmoor’s heart. Aiden is the narrator for the fifth book, which will answer all the remaining questions from the series. Readers will finally learn the identities of Icarian and the Warlock Hag as well as the devastating truth about the Prophecy of the Three.

However, all endings have a beginning, and that is what I want to share with readers on this tour. I have written a six-part prologue to Blood Drop that will fill in the gap between books four and five and lead right into chapter one. I’ll be sharing each part at the first six blog stops and an exclusive excerpt at the final one. I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

So kick back, grab your favorite snack, and enjoy. Don’t forget to enter the blog’s giveaway. One person at every stop will win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Blood Drop Prologue: Part 6

For the past week, I’d felt awful. My head pounded as if a pack of gnomes had climbed inside my brain and were hacking away at it with their pickaxes. My gut wrenched and spasmed, and my normally warm flesh had chilled.

I normally avoided wearing clothes at all costs, so when I slid into a pair of sweat pants and a sweatshirt, Thad knew something was wrong.

“Alright, that’s it.” Thad crossed his arms over his chest and leveled his gaze. “What’s going on?”

I shrugged, not wanting to make this as big of a deal as Thad was about to. “I’m cold.”

“Y-you’re cold?” I couldn’t have shocked Thad more if I slapped him. “You’re a fire fairy. You’re never cold.”

He was omitting the fact that I was also a vampyre. The living dead didn’t have to worry about the cold either. “Must be the weather,” I said while attempting to head downstairs for Sunday brunch with the rest of the family.

Thad blocked my path. Even though I towered five inches over him, his set jaw and flinty gaze made me feel about two inches tall.

“What?”

“Don’t ‘what?’ me.” He poked his index finger in my chest. No one else but Thad could get away with that. “You’ve been acting strangely ever since your hunt last week. I know you’re keeping something from me, but I’ve been giving you your space, letting you work things out in your own time while I finished up my dissertation. But I can’t leave for Salem in a few days when we both know there’s something wrong.”

I should have realized Thad had picked up on the fact that I was keeping something from him. I’d only done that to spare him the inevitable worrying, but he was right. Things were only getting worse. I felt ill, and fire fairies never got sick.

“Tell me.” His anger vanished like smoke in the wind, and a fog of concern rolled upon the shore of his gaze. I loved him so much, and I couldn’t keep my fears from him anymore.

“Will you two quit fucking around in there?” Pierce’s taunting voice bellowed from the other side of the closed bedroom door. Thad’s older brother seemed to only be happy when he was taunting someone in the family. “Brunch is served, and I’ll zap someone in the balls if my bacon gets cold.”

I snarled at the door while Thad placed his hand upon my chest. It was his cue that I needed to calm down.

“We’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Better make it faster than that.” That was Mason, Thad’s younger brother and a thorn in just about everyone’s side. “You know how much Pierce hates it when his meat gets cold. That must be why he always has his hand down the front of his pants.”

“You’re about to have my foot up your ass,” Pierce challenged.

“Hey, let go!”

A huge scuffle, which sounded like trolls wrestling, exploded in the hall. Thad flung open the door to referee as he always did. I turned away from the chaos and stared out the window. I focused my attention on the sun creeping away from the horizon. The beauty of nature centered me, and right now, I needed that more than anything else.

The pandemonium Pierce and Mason created typically irritated me. Today, I found it appealing. It pulled at the darkness within, threatening to tear down the barriers I’d erected to keep my vampyre in check.

I couldn’t let it out. The last time I did I hadn’t recognized Thad. If my vampyre focused its attention on Pierce and Mason, they might not survive the encounter.

“Will you stop?” Thad screeched again.

“Tell that to him,” Mason yelled. “He’s the one trying to inflict bodily harm.”

I smiled. I’d enjoy seeing the two of them beating each other bloody. It would be an appetizer for the main course, my talons shredding their skin and gorging on the crimson liquid within.

The door slammed behind me, shutting out the commotion as Pierce and Mason stomped down the stairs. The closed door couldn’t keep out the scent of anger and violence. It swirled around me on sweet, coppery currents.

“A-aiden?”

I turned to face Thad. He seemed shorter as if dealing with his brothers had shaved a few inches from his height. That was bizarre, but not as strange as the look of horror that scrunched up his face.

“What’s wrong?”

He pointed at the mirror to my right. “Look at yourself.”

I gasped when I gazed upon my reflection. I flexed my talons as if I were preparing to strike, and my tongue searched the air for its next meal. I’d unconsciously shifted to my vampyre form.

That had never happened before. I’d always been able to control my transitions. If that was no longer the case—

“We’ll figure this out.” Thad stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

I hoped he was right. If not, Thad and his family were in more danger from me at this moment than they were from Icarian.

To read all 6 parts of the prologue, follow the Blood Drop blog tour and enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card at each stop!

About the Author

Jacob Z. Flores lives a double life. During the day, he is a respected college English professor and mid-level administrator. At night and during his summer vacation, he loosens the tie and tosses aside the trendy sports coat to write man on man fiction, where the hard ass assessor of freshmen level composition turns his attention to the firm posteriors and other rigid appendages of the characters in his fictional world.

Summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, provide Jacob with inspiration for his fiction. The abundance of barely clothed man flesh and daily debauchery stimulates his personal muse.

When he isn’t stroking the keyboard, Jacob spends time with his daughter. They both represent a bright blue blip in an otherwise predominantly red swath in south Texas.

Author Website / The Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge Website / Facebook

Giveaway

Win a $10 Amazon Gift Card

How?

Leave a comment telling Jacob Z. Flores what you think about the prologue

Jacob will choose a new winner at each stop on the tour, so make sure to visit them all!

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The Blood Drop Blog Tour

11/6 My Fiction Nook

11/7 Open Skye Book Reviews

11/8 Love Bytes

11/9 Happily Ever Chapter

11/10 The Novel Approach

11/13 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

11/15 Divine Magazine

Review Tour and Giveaway – Sue Brown’s Alpha Chef (JT’s Bar #2)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 46,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
J.T’s Bar Series
 
Book #1 – Alpha Barman – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb
 

When Greg Mitchelson’s home is torched and his employer killed, Greg fears it’s retribution for his past testimony against a notorious drug gang. Alone, with no money and only the clothes on his back, Greg turns to Colm Riordan, the Deputy US Marshall who’s protected Greg for the last 3 years. But Riordan doesn’t return Greg’s phone calls, and the local Marshal’s office refuses to help him.

In desperation, Greg goes on the run to Wyoming to find his brother, Mitch, whom he hasn’t seen in over a decade. As he reconnects with his brother, Riordan appears, searching for his missing witness. But Greg needs the answers to a lot of questions before he’ll trust Riordan again. Why didn’t he return Greg’s call? Is Riordan there to help Greg – or kill him?

November 6 – Mirrigold: Musings & Mutterings, BooksLaidBareBoys, Making It Happen, MM Good Book Reviews, OMG Reads
November 11 – Bike Book Reviews, OptimuMM
November 13 – Foxylutely, Wicked Faerie’s Tales & Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Xtreme Delusions
November 15 – Valerie Ullmer, Jim’s Reading Room, Diverse Reader, Hearts on Fire Reviews, The Geekery Book Review
November 17 – Sarandipity, Dog-Eared Daydreams, Bayou Book Junkie, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Books Lovers 4Ever, Southern Babes Book Blog, Nerdy Dirty & Flirty


Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn’t following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot, and has become an expert at ignoring the orders.

Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. She had an Aha moment and put pen to paper that same day. Sue may be late to the party, but she’s made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.



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