Category: Book Reviews

In the Contemporary Spotlight: Embrace the Fire (Through Hell & Back #3) by Felice Stevens

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2nJFEj1

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2ndvTba



Cover Design: Reece Dante 


Photography: Varion Krylov of Strangeland Photography


Length: 90,000 words


Through Hell & Back Series


A Walk Through Fire (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK
After The Fire (Book #2) Amazon US | Amazon UK


Blurb

Brandon Gilbert has spent years in hiding, but he’s finally accomplished his dream of working as a public school teacher. When offered the chance to help bullied children, there was no way he could say no. Not to mention that meeting Dr. Tash Weber, the psychiatrist who helps them, a sad yet sexy older man, ignited a spark inside Brandon he’d never had before.

Though five years have passed since the death of his lover, Dr. Sebastian “Tash” Weber has no interest in relationships or love. But young, enigmatic Brandon awakens his heart and his desire. Despite Tash’s best efforts to push him away, Brandon unlocks the passion for life Tash thought he’d lost forever.

Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan for either Brandon or Tash, but neither family disapproval nor self-doubts can stop them from embracing the fire that burns between them. And when Brandon returns home to fight for a future he never imagined possible, he and Tash discover that the one thing worth fighting for has been with them all along.

NB This is a re-release and has been extensively re-edited and revised with almost 10k words of additional content added.

About Felice
 

I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, My characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love, but getting there is oh so fun and oh so sexy.


I live in New York City with my husband and two children. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass (or two of red wine). I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there are bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

 

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Leaning Into the Fall (Leaning Into #2) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Lane Hayes is one of my favorite authors, and this story proves why. Faced with a secondary character in a short story who was really the anti-hero—a bisexual guy who jilted his (female) fiancé and disappointed his best friend and business partner—Ms. Hayes decided to give him his own story, in which he demonstrates why he was such a letdown in book one, and then falls into deep and everlasting love with a handsome and sweet older man.

I was skeptical when we first saw Nick in this story—buried nose-deep in code in his and Eric’s IT security business—and seemingly clueless to what’s going on in the rest of the world. He keeps bugging his BFF friend Eric, who’s on a well-deserved honeymoon vacation in Bora Bora, so faced with penalty of death from Eric’s new husband, Zane, (Leaning Into Love) Nick decides to take a break from work and return the wine he purchased as a wedding favor for his own cancelled wedding months ago.

There he runs headlong into Wes Conrad, winery owner, who refuses to allow Nick to return the wine that was labelled with the personal information for Nick’s wedding. It’s company policy not to take it back, and Wes digs in his heels and outright refuses. And so begins the crappiest day of Nick’s life, but also one that turns out to be the day he went head-on with the man who would ultimately become the most important person in his life.

I love the way the author took the time to explain and explore Nick’s issues—issues with antisocial behavior, a constant side focus on the numbers in his head—mathematical equations—that needed to be addressed. She also gave Nick an older, more mature man—one who has lived through multiple life experiences, including the tragic loss of his business, his former lover, and a good friend. Wes has the maturity and the patience to handle Nick, and though wildly attracted to one another from early in the story, there’s no rush into deep and everlasting love. It evolves over time, and every moment and every step of the way is absolutely necessary for this couple. Business deals, takeover possibilities, poor decisions, partnership problems—this story has it all. But most of all? It has a young man who seemed to be irredeemable learn to face his issues and take responsibility for his own actions and then take the leap into falling head over heels with the man he most needs in this world.

That might sound a bit mushy and romantic, but that’s how I saw it. And I have a particular soft spot in my heart for older men who find romance in the MM genre. This one is terrific, and I highly recommend it. Why not a full 5 stars? I couldn’t shake all of the prejudice I had against Nick from the first book. Let’s just say he’s darn lucky he had such a great author to tell his story. And I can’t wait to see if Ms. Hayes has more in store for us in this series. I suspect maybe Nick and Eric’s friend Josh will be next. Can’t wait!

~~~~
Cover by Reese Dante is similar to the first cover in that it features a faceless male torso, with opened shirt, against a background of the San Francisco skyline and bay.

Sales Links

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes 

 

Book Details:

ebook, 228 pages
Published March 15th 2017 by Self Pub
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesLeaning Into #2

A MelanieM Recent Release Review: The Case of the Guilty Ghost (End Street Detective Agency #6) by R.J. Scott and Amber Kell

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Bob is lost in grief, Sam is fighting for his life, and there is no middle ground. Can their love survive?

Bob is grieving over his brother’s sacrifice. Guilt-ridden and devastated, he buries himself in vampire mourning and pulls away from Sam.

Magic tears Sam from the vampire castle and he has to face new adversaries alone, when all he wants is Bob at his side.

Ettore is in the Aset Ka waiting room, next in line for the ceremony for his soul to be torn from his body. Aset Ka has other plans, and Ettore finds himself reunited with a lost love and fighting alongside his brother.

A forgotten past binds Theodore ‘Teddy’ McCurray Constantine III to Ettore, and with the curse tied to Ettore broken by his death, Teddy’s past returns to him with a vengeance.

A royal family in denial, a battle between gods, and long forgotten love leaves no time for Sam and Bob to take a breath. Is it too late to save the supernatural world?

The last book in a series always has an enormous job to do.  It can’t simply tell its story, no it has to wrap all up the loose ends and dangling plot threads from multiple couples and books that came before it.  How it does all that and tell its story will leave the reader either feeling really good about the series and couple/couples or feeling that they’ve missed something and that it all fell rather flat. Or even, quelle horror, a waste of their time! What a burden placed on that last novel!

I’m so happy to report that The Case of the Guilty Ghost wraps things up quite nicely for everyone at the  End Street Detective Agency and even gave us a look at the future that left me all aglow as they say.  Nothing so wonderful as bringing a series full circle as the authors did here.  I’ll say right at the beginning that it doesn’t get the full 5 stars because someone coming into the story without reading all the previous books would be quite lost.  You need to have read all the others to have a firm foundation and fix on the characters and situations already established at page 1, starting with the  grieving Bob.  Yes, I still love a vampire called Bob.

I also thought this was the weakest link here.  There’s no real reason for Bob to separate himself from his family during this time of mourning.  Everyone seems to be telling Bob to buckup and bring at least Sam there to help him through this.  But of course, Sam’s presence is needed elsewhere and Bob won’t soon be mourning.  So begins an action packed supernatural adventure that brings so many characters together one last time.  We learn who and what Sam truly is, a mystery that ran throughout the series.  How that bracelet Sam wears comes into play and a outstanding fight to end all fights at the end.   And our Terry, the resident ghost of End Street Detective Agency? Well, he figures into this in a huge way as well. Oh and did I mention there’s sex too? That too, lots of that.

If a plot is tied up too neatly, well, ok.  I thought that banishment was quick and pretty handy.  But the rest of the story was so good and answered so many of my questions, that I’m willing to overlook something so expedient as that.  Plus it worked within the narrative, so I’m happy even if I wanted something a little more complicated.  Sam, Bob and daughter Mal have their HEA as do our other favorite characters.  That’s what I wanted here and what I got with a lot of suspense and acton along the way.

Then Amber Kell and RJ Scott threw in the marvelous Epilogue and brought things full circle.  That was just delightful and left me smiling even more.  I could walk away from the End Street Detective Agency happy and content.

Cover design by Meredith Russell is perfect for the characters and storyline.

Sales Links

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2mYNrYY

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2nDMEK6

Book Details:

ebook, 164 pages
Published March 15th 2017 by Love Lane Books Limited
ISBN139781785640759
SeriesEnd Street Detective Agency #6

Review Tour & Giveaway – The Case Of The Guilty Ghost (End Street Book #6) by Amber Kell by RJ Scott

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2mYNrYY

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2nDMEK6



Length: 111 pages


Cover: Meredith Russell

Series


End Street Vol 1 – Amazon US | Amazon UK
End Street Vol 2 – Amazon US | Amazon UK
The Case of the Purple Pearl – Amazon US | Amazon UK


Blurb


Bob is lost in grief, Sam is fighting for his life, and there is no middle ground. Can their love survive?

Bob is grieving over his brother’s sacrifice. Guilt-ridden and devastated, he buries himself in vampire mourning and pulls away from Sam.

Magic tears Sam from the vampire castle and he has to face new adversaries alone, when all he wants is Bob at his side.

Ettore is in the Aset Ka waiting room, next in line for the ceremony for his soul to be torn from his body. Aset Ka has other plans, and Ettore finds himself reunited with a lost love and fighting alongside his brother.

A forgotten past binds Theodore ‘Teddy’ McCurray Constantine III to Ettore, and with the curse tied to Ettore broken by his death, Teddy’s past returns to him with a vengeance.

A royal family in denial, a battle between gods, and long forgotten love leaves no time for Sam and Bob to take a breath. Is it too late to save the supernatural world?

Author Bios
 

Amber Kell has made a career out of daydreaming. It has been a lifelong habit she practices diligently as shown by her complete lack of focus on anything not related to her fantasy world building.

When she told her husband what she wanted to do with her life, he told her to go have fun.
During those seconds she isn’t writing, she remembers she has children who humor her with games of ‘what if’ and let her drag them to foreign lands to gather inspiration. Her youngest confided in her that he wants to write because he longs for a website and an author name—two things apparently necessary to be a proper writer.

Despite her husband’s insistence she doesn’t drink enough to be a true literary genius, she continues to spin stories of people falling happily in love and staying that way.

She is thwarted during the day by a traffic jam of cats on the stairway and a puppy who insists on walks, but she bravely perseveres.

Website: http://www.amberkell.com
E-mail: amberkellwrites@gmail.com

 

 

Author Bio

 

RJ Scott is the bestselling romance author of over 100 romance books. She writes emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men and women who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

 

mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk
www.rjscott.co.uk/
www.facebook.com/author.rjscott?ref=ts&fref=ts
www.goodreads.com/author/show/3432558.R_J_Scott
twitter.com/Rjscott_author
www.librarything.com/author/scottrj

 

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: An Invitation by Jay Northcote

Rating- 3.25 stars out of 5

Originally part of an anthology, this little story is packed with sexual tension that finally gets a bit of a release at the end. Unfortunately, it’s so short that it’s difficult to rate it much higher than enjoyable.

Jake is a two-week temp employee at a firm owned by a Scot named Cal Mackenzie. Cal is hot, but his brogue is hotter, and Jake can’t wait to get in his pants—or vice versa.

Cal refuses to be tempted however—no matter how much Jake makes his desires and availability known. Cal draws the line—no sex with employees. Good thing Jake is only going to be there two weeks. On the last night, disappointed that he’d never get a chance to be with Cal, Jake is surprised when Cal gives his employees the funds to go enjoy themselves, and Cal finally taps in to all Jake has to offer.

As I said, the story was too short to go too far, but given the number of words, Jay Northcote did a great job with character descriptions and with building sexual tension. I wouldn’t mind seeing these guys in the future, especially if the little spanking Cal administers in this story is developed into so much more. And maybe a kilt? A man in a kilt with a Scottish accent? Who could want more?

If you’re looking for a tidbit that will whet your whistle for more, this little appetizer should do the job.

Cover by Jay Northcote is a simple partial torso shot of a man in a suit, quite appropriate to the story.

Sales Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK| myBook | Goodreads

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 35 pages
Published March 6th 2017 by Jaybird Press
Edition LanguageEnglish
CharactersJake Wilson, Callum Mackenzie settingLondon, England (United Kingdom)

An Alisa Review: The Cookie Said Red by J.D. Walker

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

Cisco Boyd believes in fortune cookies and horoscopes. Despite his lack of success in finding a steady boyfriend — or at least, a date who doesn’t think Denny’s is the epitome of haute cuisine — Cisco never doubts that eventually, the stars will lead him to the man of his dreams.

 

One day after a meal, Cisco reads the little piece of paper inside his cookie which says “red is the color of your heart’s desire.” So, when Cisco’s date turns up wearing a red shirt, he’s ecstatic. But then, things turn ugly in his apartment, and Cisco has to call the front desk for assistance from his bathroom, where he’s locked himself in.

 

Benjy McCrae, head of security, comes to his rescue and Cisco is very grateful. And then he notices Benjy’s red tie. Cisco’s “heart’s desire” has been under his nose all along. The stars are finally in his favor.

 

This was a cute story, but not much to it.  Cisco thinks he should always give love a chance, but doesn’t seem to end up with the right guys.  He continues to trust in his horoscopes and such that he will find the right man.

 

In this story we see Cisco’s glass half full view point of the world.  I love that he is always so positive, but he never seems to notice the bad until it’s too late. Benjy and Cisco bond over their shared love of horoscopes and destinies when Benjy rescues Cisco.  I liked this story, but the characters seemed kind of flat to me and I had trouble connecting with them.

 

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is great and catches your eye.

 

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 37 pages

Published: February 25, 2017 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634860871

Edition Language: English

A Story Full of the Rainbow of Emotions~No Regrets by Nicky James (blog tour, excerpt and giveaway)

Title: No Regrets
Author: Nicky James
Publisher: Encompass Ink
Word Length: 91k
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance 18+
Release: March 15, 2017


“This. Book. Broke my heart. Healed my soul. Made me cry. Laugh. Made me Hug my daughter and kiss my husband. No regrets.” – Alpha Book Club

“My heart hurts, my eyes are red and puffy and I am in the biggest slump I have been in for awhile. This book destroyed me, it’s a story that will forever have a place in my heart, I have No Regrets <3” – Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner

“No Regrets is a heart wrenchingly, ugly cry worthy ( and oh boy I cried) wonderful love story.I loved the characters. I loved the words. I could feel the characters emotions in every single one.” – Goodreads Review

Life makes no promises, and sometimes, you draw the short straw.

Landon Johnston’s life came to a grinding halt seven months ago, when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

With the encouragement of his grandmother, Landon works his way out of his slump and tries to live life while he still can.

Deciding he doesn’t want to drag anyone else down his morbid path, Landon gives up all friendships and denies himself love. It’s better this way, because all he has to offer is eventual heartache and sadness.

While traveling the world, Landon meets Abel Matheson, a free-spirited, unedited, and nerve-grating man who was supposed to only be a one-night-stand.

Despite Landon’s insistence that he can’t form a relationship with his current diagnoses, Abel is persistent and will not be ignored.

Fighting against all his ingrained urges to run, Landon finds himself drawn down the road he swore he’d never take.

Intimacy grows and bonds form…

Only… Abel doesn’t know Landon is sick.

How can anyone love a man with no future?

Telling him might cause him to run, but staying silent means living a lie. A lie which will only reveal itself in time.

The silence returned as we continued with our drinks. Abel was the one to break first when he slid his empty cup aside and leaned in, talking in a hushed voice. “So, Landon from Canada, computer nerd and Spiderman wannabe. I’m gonna cut the shit and be blunt.”

“You mean, more blunt?”

“Yeah, more blunt, so brace yourself. You’re incredibly hot and I wanna find a room somewhere and fuck you senseless.”

“Oh. Umm…”

Who the hell says shit like that?

“There is a pub a block down. Let me buy you a couple of drinks and help you relax, because you’re all stiff and uptight. Then, what do you say we find somewhere private after that?”

I had to search for my words because they’d fallen into a gaping chasm of disbelief. “You’re awfully presumptuous.”

“I can be. But, you haven’t told me to fuck off yet, so I’m guessing you’ve been considering it too.”

Yeah, I’d been considering it since he stood in line for drinks twenty minutes ago. Is that how these things worked? Hey, wanna fuck? Sure, let’s go.

Swallowing the dry lump from my throat, I pinned him with a glare, doing my best to show confidence even though I trembled on the inside. “Maybe I am. Only, I don’t drink.”

More like I couldn’t drink, at least not with the massive array of medications I took. It was something I had to give up long ago. What I wouldn’t have given for a beer to calm me down. He was right, I was wound tighter than a spring.

“A twenty-six-year-old, non-drinker. You just get more and more interesting. I’ll have to find other ways to get you to relax then. I can be creative. Are you here with anyone?”

“No. I umm… I came alone.”

“Do you have a room nearby?”

“What about your friends? Won’t they be looking for you?”

He chuckled. “Nah, they’ll be drinking themselves stupid half the night and won’t even know I’m not there.”

“Oh… umm…”

“A room?”

My gaze dropped to the table once again. My blood pressure rose with each slam of my heart against my ribcage. Why the hell was I so nervous? It wasn’t like I was some virgin or anything. I took a deep breath and tried to rein in the suffocating emotion before it got out of hand.

Shifting my gaze to my notebook, I saw my list in my head again and heard my grandmother’s words.

If I died tomorrow, I’d have no regrets. Can you say the same thing? 

I was sure this wasn’t what she meant. Sorry, grandma.

Time to tick off another one.

“Fuck it. Yes, I have a room a block down the road.” With another shaky breath, I pushed my half-empty mug aside and grabbed my notebook. “What happens in China stays in China, right?” Standing, I glanced back at him.

His grin was facetious as he sucked the corner of his bottom lip into his teeth. “It’s not Vegas, but I think it applies.”
Nicky James lives in the small town of Petrolia, Ontario, Canada. She is mother to a wonderful teenage boy and wife to a truly supportive and understanding husband who, thankfully, doesn’t think her crazy.
Nicky has always had two profound dreams in life; to fall back hundreds of years in time and live in a simpler world and to write novels. Since only one of those dreams was a possibility, she decided to make the other come alive on paper.
Nicky writes MM romance books in a variety of styles including contemporary, medieval, fantasy, and historical.

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An Alisa Review: My Best Man by Linn Edwards

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

After a painful outing experience that was a defining moment for Ian, he left school early, earned his GED, and eventually moved on. But he never really lives in the open, as an out-and-proud gay man.

 

The morning after his sister’s wedding, Ian wakes up next to the best man at his sister’s wedding — Andrew. Though his new in-laws are “slightly homophobic,” Andrew is able and more than willing to keep Ian company … and more.

 

What surprises Ian even more is that Andrew is interested in more than just a one-night stand. Much more. Can a wedding night romance end up in a wedding of its own?

 

This was an adorable story.  Ian always puts others before his happiness and has spent years caring for others as a nurse practitioner.  Neither Ian nor Andrew have ever found someone that would be worth more than one night, but hope this could be their chance.

 

This story is told from both character’s points of view, so we can see the struggles they go through and how they are processing everything.  Andrew doesn’t want to push his sexuality on his best friend and his friend’s father, but doesn’t want to give up this chance at something more.  Ian struggles with the views and attitude he has received from his in-laws, but will do anything to help someone and make his sister happy.  These characters feel and instant connection, but are willing to put in the work to see if they can work in the long run.

 

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is nice and follows the story theme.

 

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 80 pages

Published: March 4, 2017 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634863353

Edition Language: English

An Ali Review: A Matter of Duty (Hong Kong Nights #1) by J.C. Long

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Noah Potter has come to Hong Kong to find his missing sister, Lianne, who disappeared after leaving him a voice mail pleading for his help. Unfortunately the Hong Kong police are unwilling to help him, so Noah has to find her himself.

Noah’s search for his sister brings him across Wei Tseng, leader of the Dragons, a group of dedicated men and women willing to do whatever it takes to keep their district safe from the violence and triads that plague the rest of the city’s underworld. Wei is a man of violence but also one of incredible compassion, and his history is one that resonates with Noah, igniting a passion neither man expects.

Together they search for Lianne, a search that will lead right into a conflict with the Dragons’ greatest rivals in the city.
I really enjoyed this fast paced and entertaining story.  I was hooked right from the prologue and the pace of the story didn’t slow down until the end.  I couldn’t read fast enough to see what was going to happen next.  I liked Noah right off the bat and I really felt for him as he struggles to find his sister in a country he’s never been too before.  And, Wei…..what a perfect anti-hero he was.
The mystery part of the story was really good but I especially loved the romance aspect of it.  The chemistry between the two men is immediate and it jumps off the pages at the reader.  I felt like the author did an excellent job of balancing the mystery and the action scenes with the romance and the relationship development. 
There are a host of side characters and they all added to the plot.  There is a subtle set up of the next book and the couple that will star in it.  The world building was also well done and it set the atmosphere of Hong Kong in a way that let me picture I was there.
This was a new author for me and I’m always really excited when I find a new author and/or a new series to read.  I’m going to have to go back and read his back catalogue.
I had no complaints about this book and really can’t fan girl it enough.  It was really well done and it is a definite recommend from me.
Cover:  I like the cover a lot.  It is eye catching and fits the plot perfectly.
Sales Links
 
Book Details:
ebook, 269 pages
Published March 6th 2017 by NineStar Press
Original Title A Matter of Duty
ISBN13 9781945952692
Edition Language English
URL Series Hong Kong Nights #1