A Stella Review: Stroke of Luck by Posy Roberts

RATING 3,5 out of 5 stars

stroke-of-luck After everything Marc owned burned to a crisp, he’s living off the kindness of others. A model condo is his temporary home, and his last dime went to essentials. He doesn’t need another distraction, but the fates conspire against him, setting up a chain of encounters that bring him face to face with Cas.

Cas’s love life has been in limbo for years, lovers moving on as soon as they discover how close he is to his best friend, Maisie. Then he meets Marc. The attraction between the two men can’t be denied, but Cas isn’t sure he can risk his friendship for a guy who will only end up leaving when he sees how close he and Maisie are.

When Marc and Cas discover they live in the same building, it’s kismet. But Marc has to invite chaos into his life if he and Cas stand a chance, and Cas faces a choice between friendship and love. Luck may be on their side… if they’re willing to risk it all.

Stroke of Luck is the latest story by one of my favorite authors, Posy Roberts. The story is quick and sweet, just what I needed when I read it. Nothing in common with the angst I got from books like Silver Scars.

Marc has lost everything he owned in the fire that burnt his apartment, he is now living in a condo offered by his friend Sylvia and shopping at Goodwill for his basic necessity. And just at the Goodwill he meets Cas, who is looking for Halloween costumes. Cas, who can’t keep none of his boyfriends cause they are all too scared and not trusting of his friendship with his bestie Maisie. The chemistry between Cas and Mark is so strong, they fall for each other pretty soon.

I think the author did great, the story is funny and very light and the writing is good as always with Posy style. I loved Marc, he is definitely my favorite, while I couldn’t connect with Cas, probably his attachment with Maisie left me a little dubious. The relationship between Cas and Maisie is not the typical friendship, she is still in the closet and afraid to come out to her parents. She is basically using Cas in my opinion, so I couldn’t fully enjoy Cas until almost the end of the book when things finally started to change. By then it was too late to have more space for the MCs and I wanted more of Marc and Cas together. That’s why, althought I really liked the story, Stroke of Luck didn’t fully satisfy me and I’m still craving for more.

I like the cover art, especially in the use of the colors and well, the model smile is pretty good too.

Sale Link

Book Details

Kindle Edition, 86 pages
Published October 26th 2016 by Labyrinth Bound Press
ASIN B01M29RHHU
Edition Language English

An Ali Release Day Review: A Chance for Us (New Vampire Justice #2) by Jake C. Wallace

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

a-chance-for-us-by-jake-c-wallace Love between a young man with a broken mind and the jaded New Vampire Justice officer who cares for him might be the last hope to stop a human-vampire war….

Justin Masters is stuck in a nightmare. Waking after seven years in a catatonic state, he falls desperately in love with the straight NVJ officer who saved him. Between that and dreams of being tortured and taking pleasure in the pain, which bleed into his waking hours, Justin’s sure he’s starting to crack.

The growing unrest in the vampire world should be Max Kincaid’s focus, but Justin’s struggle, along with Max’s confusing feelings for his ward, have him reeling. When Justin’s attacked, his resulting needs might be more than Max can fulfill, but he’ll be damned if anyone else will touch Justin.

As the NVJ investigates humans missing from a high-end bite club, they uncover a deeper plot that traces back to Justin. If those who want him have their way, there will be bloodshed. Justin and Max are in a fight to save Justin not only from those who would use him, but from his own mind.

This was a great way to continue this series. I haven’t read the first book in a couple years, but it didn’t take long to get into the story and remember what happened in the first book. Justin is trying to learn how to live his life while dealing with everything that has happened to him, even if he doesn’t remember everything. Max is terribly confused about his feelings towards Justin, but will do anything to protect him.

Max and Justin were thrown together when Max rescued Justin. When Justin starts to get flashes of memory from his years in a catatonic state things start to twist and turn because there is obviously something else going on. Max and Justin are more of a couple in their interaction than they realize and it’s almost too late when Max finally catches up.

This story is told from both characters’ points of view, so it is easy to see both of their emotions and thoughts. I could feel how frustrated and lost Justin felt, especially when he started have “dreams” about pleasure in pain. When Max tries to resist his pull to Justin and goes out on a date with a woman, it pushes Justin to go into a bad situation. Max feels desperate to get Justin back and show him how he feels.

Cover art by Reese Dante is perfect and I love the visuals for both of the characters, it also follows the pattern for the series.

Sales Link

7104e-waxcreative-amazon-kindle

Book Details:

ebook, 274 pages
Published: November 11, 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN-13: 9781634777223
Edition Language: English

Series: New Vampire Justice – add to your Goodreads shelf here:

A VVivacious Review: Ownage by Dale Chase

Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

Wayne Kerley and Tommy Knox have been together for twelve years but nobody knows it. As players on opposite baseball teams not only do they have to keep their relationship on the down low but they also stay apart for much of the season.

As Wayne faces the end of his contract and starts thinking of retiring, things start to slump for Tommy out on the field forcing them to talk about the one thing they have avoided talking about for most of their relationship –the future.

I loved this story, it is more novella than novel but as they say good things come in small packages.

I love established couple romances and this book epitomizes everything I love about that particular trope that is about seeing couples face their life together with their love a quiet awareness that smolders all around.

Wayne is a pitcher nearing the end of his contract and we see him trying to ignore the elephant in the room while still powering-through on the field. This story is told from Wayne’s perspective and I will agree that the fact that we spend so much time with Wayne means that I can’t describe Tommy as well, but it didn’t matter because Wayne and Tommy were an amazing couple.

When I first came across this book I was skeptical about their relationship seeing as their relationship is something that can be classified as a long distance relationship and romance (at least romantic books) generally don’t look kindly on long distance relationships, they are always the ones fraught with problems. But what made this book so splendid was the fact that while reading this book that skepticism didn’t enter my mind. Much of this book speaks about Tommy and Wayne and how they keep in touch without it ever feeling like that is what they are doing. They communicate on the same level as people who have been together for years (as they have) do, they have their own routines and couple-y things that make them comfortable and so in-sync with each other.

Also what I liked was that Wayne acknowledges all the aspect of their relationships good or bad. The fact that they stay apart much of the time and it is very easy to be shut out of the other person’s life, the lack of mutual friends and how time together is always bittersweet with the tinge of the looming parting and also the fact that coming back to each other is the best feeling ever, like coming home after a long day.

The ending of this story is something that can come as a bit of a surprise, like a ‘that’s it!’ when you come across the “THE END” but somehow for me I liked even that and I am a big one for endings. I loathe bad endings, like the good ones and I love the bittersweet ones and somehow I felt that this ending was perfect for this book. In a way I felt that the book ended at the right time because it was going to be like an end of an era for Tommy and Wayne, something new was headed their way, new challenges and maybe even unexplored territory as they live together, and this story contained as it was in a different part of their lives couldn’t possibly have done justice to this new period in their life, having said that I would definitely welcome more on these two.

For as short as this book was it really captured by imagination as even though I have talked so much about the story, I have somehow managed to avoid talking about the baseball in this book. I have a rudimentary knowledge of baseball like just the basics and I may be missing a few of those too. So I can say confidently that not knowing baseball that well didn’t affect my enjoyment of this book but I can equally not say if as a baseball fan I might have liked this more (because I would have probably understood more of the nuances of this book) or less (because I would have been more critical of said nuances).

Having said it all, I would like to say for me this book kind of added up, with all the nooks and crannies I didn’t understand to the love story I did, to be an amazing read.

Cover Art by Written Ink Designs. I liked the cover what with the packed stadium and the bright sun and the pitcher getting ready to pitch the ball.

Sales Links

JMS Books LLC

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 68 pages
Published October 15th 2016 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB01LZOFK6X
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Lila Audiobook Review: Marriage of Inconvenience by M.J. O’Shea and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

Lights, Camera, Lies.

Kerry Pickering has a problem. As a publicist for Hollywood bad boy Jericho Knox, it’s Kerry’s job to keep Jericho in the news. So far, Jericho’s partying and public escapades have made it easy. But Jericho has a secret, and when that secret is revealed in the most spectacularly disastrous way, it’s up to Kerry to spin it.

The team decides the best course of action is to make the public fall in love—with Jericho’s secret committed relationship. The one that doesn’t exist. Yet.

The team wants someone they can trust. Someone in the inner circle. That someone is Kerry. But what will happen when Kerry realizes that for him, the romance is no longer pretend? Can Jericho love him back, or is he just playing a role?

Marriage of Inconvenience was an okay story. I like the idea behind the couple getting together as part of their jobs. They seem perfect for each other from the very beginning, but the delivery felt flat. Their connection didn’t fully develop, and their mood swings were ever present.

Just like other books in the series, this installment brings two men from different backgrounds into a relationship of convenience. The author did an excellent job describing the main characters and making their differences evident without being stereotypical. They both have a sound support system, which is refreshing in an era when gay men are seen as castaways.

The initial attraction between Jericho and Kerry seems force, and the misunderstandings were there for drama purposes only. I wanted to see more of the times between the MCs as friends and more interaction with the world in general. They were a bit shelter when considering they needed to change the public’s perspective of Jericho. Most of what we read was related to planning for those events.

Overall, this is a good story for fans of sweet and fluffy with a serving of smexy on the side.

As always, John Solo did a good job creating the characters for this story. I prefer Jericho’s voice more than Kerry’s, but in general, all the transitions were impeccable.

The cover for the audiobook is another adaptation from the e-book cover designed by Bree Archer. The model is definitely Jericho and the background let us know the story takes place in California.

Sales Links

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: John Solo
Length: 5 hours and 35 minutes

Published: September 12, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01LTDEEAI
Edition Language: English

An Alisa Review: Tricks and Bids (Suit of Harte’s #1) by Jacqueline Grey

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

tricks-and-bids When Michael Nole propositions Dillon Spade outside of a BDSM club one evening, all he is looking for is a potential client and a little kink, but he gets much more than he bargained for. As a prostitute, Michael enjoys sex but keeps an emotional distance between himself and the men he sleeps with. His priority is to keep himself safe, but after a night in Dillon’s bed, he finds the line between enjoyment and occupation becoming blurrier than usual.

Dillon Spade hasn’t taken another man home in six years since his previous lover passed away, but there is something about Michael that calls to his inner Dominant in a way he cannot resist. His instincts want to claim the boy even as he reminds himself that he is only paying Michael for temporary company.

Their relationship may have started as a business transaction, but these two are finding it difficult to remain professional when the man beside them is proving to be an exception to all the rules.

Michael is a young man who accidentally fell into prostitution and doesn’t really see anything else he can do. When he decides to look for a little kink for the night he approaches Dillon and gets more than he bargained for. Dillon controls Michael so well; he has trouble remembering what their relationship really is.

Michael and Dillon both know that they have a bigger connection than client and prostitute, but one of them has to break first. Dillon begins to think of Michael as his and has more and more trouble saying goodbye. Michael runs at the thought of something serious, but it’s more that he’s scared he wants it than that he doesn’t and what that might mean. Michael and Dillon are both pretty innocent when it comes to relationships as Dillon has only had one and Michael never has. We see both of them open themselves up to the idea of having someone permanent in their lives.

The cover art is very nice and gives a good visual for the characters.

Sales Link: Resplendence Publishing | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 66 pages

Published: September 24, 2014 by Resplendence Publishing

ISBN: 9781607358121

Edition Language: English

Series: Suit of Harte’s #1

Suzanne van Rooyen Shares Thoughts on Writing, and the release of ‘Obscura’ Burning (release day author guest post)

Obscura Burning by Suzanne van Rooyen

Published: Harmony Ink Press
November 10, 2016

Cover Design: Terry Cronje of Cronje Design Co. http://cronjedesign.com/

Goodreads

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Suzanne van Rooyen here today. Suzanne agreed to share her thoughts about writing and her latest novel, Obscura Burning. Welcome, Suzanne, thanks for answering some questions for us.

~

Where do you normally draw your inspiration for a book from? A memory, a myth, a place or journey, or something far more personal?

It really depends. Inspiration comes to me from so many different places, but most often it tends to come from art or music. I regularly trawl through Deviantart for images that speak to me or demand a story. I similarly often find myself imagining the backstory or certain songs. Some of those imaginings have turned into stories and some are still waiting to be written.

Are you a planner or a pantzer when writing a story? And why?

I used to be a pantzer, but I’ve come to realize the importance of having an outline, even if it’s just a seven-point plot arc or rough sketch of the protagonist’s character arc. Since I’ve started writing fantasy, planning has become imperative in order to keep track not only of characters and plot, but of all the world-building. These days I rarely start writing without having some kind of plan to work from.

If you had a character you’ve written you would write differently now at this time in your writing career, who would it be and why?

This is an interesting question. I pretty much had this opportunity with Obscura Burning since this is the second edition. Harmony Ink allowed me a round of edits and I was able to rework a few story points, but most importantly, my protagonist. I must’ve been in a pretty dark place when I originally wrote this story because Kyle was so bitter and resentful. I couldn’t really relate to him anymore so, without compromising his core personality, I reworded a few things and let other things affect him to a greater or lesser extent, making him a slightly less unlikeable person – I hope!

Can a author have favorites among their characters and do you have them?

Hm, I’m not sure. It’s a bit like asking a parent to say who their favourite child is. I have moments where I might prefer one or the other, but I love them all!

If you were to be stranded on a small demi-planet, island, or god forbid LaGuardia in a snow storm, what books would you take to read or authors on your comfort list?

Anything and everything by Neil Gaiman. I’d also want the Raven Boys series by Maggie Stiefvater to keep me company. Those two authors are quite easily my favourites.

Were you an early reader or were you read to and what childhood books had an impact on you as a child that you remember to this day and why?

Both, my mom always read to me at bedtime and I started reading by myself or with my parents from a really young age. Books had a huge impact on my life, one in particular that still haunts me is The Voices of Silence by Bel Mooney about a little girl growing up in Romania at the time of the 1989 revolution.

If you were writing your life as a romance novel, what would the title be?

As a romance novel? Um, I have no idea… I rarely read romance so I’m quite clueless about good titles, but if ever I were to write my memoir or autobiography, I’d want to call it ‘Remember me as a time of day,‘ which is a song title from one of my favourite bands, Explosions in the Sky.

obscura-burning

Blurb

The world’s going to end in fire…and it’s all Kyle’s fault.

Kyle Wolfe’s world is about to crash and burn. Just weeks away from graduation, a fire kills Kyle’s two best friends and leaves him permanently scarred. A fire that Kyle accidentally set the night he cheated on his boyfriend Danny with their female friend, Shira. That same day, a strange new planet, Obscura, appears in the sky. And suddenly Kyle’s friends aren’t all that dead anymore. Each time Kyle goes to sleep, he awakens to two different realities. In one, his boyfriend Danny is still alive, but Shira is dead. In the other, it’s Shira who’s alive…and now they’re friends with benefits.

Shifting between realities is slowly killing him, and he’s not the only one dying. The world is dying with him. He’s pretty sure Obscura has something to do with it, but with his parents’ marriage imploding and realities shifting each time he closes his eyes, Kyle has problems enough without being the one in charge of saving the world…

Buy Links

Harmony Ink Press

Author Bio

Suzanne is a tattooed storyteller from South Africa. She currently lives in Finland where she finds the heavy metal soothing and the cold, dark forests inspiring. Although she has a Master’s degree in music, Suzanne prefers conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. When she grows up, she wants to be an elf – until then, she spends her time (when not writing) climbing, buying far too many books, and entertaining her shiba inu, Lego.

Author Links

Website – http://suzannevanrooyen.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Suzanne_Writer
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/suzanne_writer/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-van-Rooyen/304965232847874

In the Author and Book Spotlight: Its T.A. Chase and her release ‘Why I Love Geeks (Why I Love… #1)’ (guest post)

why-i-love-geeks-by-ta-chase

Why I Love Geeks (Why I Love… #1) by T.A. Chase
Dreamspinner Press

Releases Date: November 10, 2016
Cover art by Anne Cain

Buy a Copy Here/Read An Excerpt

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have T.A. Chase here today to share a bit about herself, writing and whatever comes to mind. Welcome, T.A!

~

I’m T.A. Chase and I write gay romance. Thank you for having me today. I thought I’d ramble a little bit and let you get to know me. Hopefully you think it’s interesting. ☺

I draw a lot of my inspiration from real life. Situations I get involved in or I watch unfold in front of me. It might be a snippet of an overheard conversation. (Yes, I’ll admit to eavesdropping…lol) Sometimes a phrase caught as I’m walking past can spark an idea. In fact, one of my works in progress sprang from hearing a mother say, “Wait a minute. Your brother’s stuck.” I have two chapters of a new book done based on that comment, plus the idea for the next one in the series.

I’ve gotten a lot of ideas from song lyrics. In fact quite a few of my titles are phrases from songs. Maybe because I love songs that tell a story. It doesn’t matter if it’s about heartbreak or happiness as long as there’s a phrase or lyric that catches my attention.

I have written several series based on legends and myths. I love taking them and twisting them into new ones or re-interpreting them. Like making Mordred and Lucifer relatively good guys, or at least not the villains legends have made them out to be. It’s fun to think ‘what if’ sometimes and change things up.

Of course there are times when I start out with a very clear idea for a character like who he’ll fall in love with or even who he is. Then as I’m writing, the plot morphs and twists. I find my character is in a completely different place. That’s the fun and agony of being a pantser.

In a way, I like learning about my characters and their stories the same way my readers do; one page at a time. Heck, some times it’s a paragraph at a time, the characters seem to take control of their own stories. I swear it’s as though they grab a hold of my fingers (whether I’m using my laptop or a pen) and write what they want.

I know that sounds a little crazy, but I’m sure if you were to ask a majority of authors, they’ll all have moments when their characters have rebelled against the plan set out for them.

In Why I Love Geeks, I’ll admit I thought it would go in one direction, then suddenly we’re in a completely different spot. Now I think where the story ended up was fun and interesting, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. ☺

Geeks is a rom-com/romantic suspense mish-mash, imo. The first comedy I attempted. I actually love to write fantasies or paranormals most of all. I think it’s because I can create any kind of world with any rules I like.

I’ve written in almost every genre (except horror because I don’t read it, I’m not sure I’d be able to write a truly scary believable story) Contemporaries and historicals are difficult in some ways to write because a writer has to do research to make the story as accurate as possible.

But reading and writing fantasies and paranormals is fun. Some of my favorite comfort reads are fantasies. There’s something about being able to immerse myself in an entirely different world where magic is real or there are elves and unicorns. It makes our hum-drum world seem so ordinary. It might have something to do with the fact that many of the first books I read were fantasies with strong female characters, which might not have anything to do with my stories. Yet I learned what great world building should be like as long as the characters were believable.

If I were stranded on a desert island and I could take some books with me though, I’d have most of Megan Derr’s books because her fantasies are some of my favorite re-reads. Also, I’d throw in some Mary Calmes and Amy Lane. Their contemporaries and fantasies are basically on ‘speed dial’ in my Kindle and book shelves.

What all the books have in common is characters I can believe in and worlds that are believable, exciting and fun. Which is what I hope to create in my own stories.

I hope you didn’t mind my rambling, but I do hope it gave you some insight into my writing process.

I also hope you’ll take a moment to check out my up-coming re-release, Why I Love Geeks. It’s been expanded, so there’s new material.

About Why I Love Geeks

2nd Edition

A Why I Love…. Novel

New York City Homicide Detective Chuck Davidson is a guy’s guy. He likes sports, beer, and classic cars—fancy gadgets, not so much. When yet another high-tech phone goes on the fritz, he knows he needs help, and he meets a man who loves technology as much as he hates it—cute but awkward biochemist Herbert Pommerset.

Herb’s never been with a man—not even on a date. He hides behind his research, daydreaming about what it might be like to find someone special. A malfunctioning phone causes his path to cross with a sexy older detective, and Herb wishes he’d spent less time studying science and more learning how to flirt, because he can think of some experiments he’d like to conduct with Chuck. None of his considerable intelligence is helping him express his desires to the other man.

Just when it seems they might overcome their differences, Herb’s research puts him in danger. He’s made a discovery that could cost him his life, and Chuck must use his very different talents to rescue the geek he’s coming to love.

First Edition published by Amber Quill Press/Amber Allure, 2011.

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About the Author

T.A. Chase lives in the Midwest with her neurotic but still wonderful senior cat. She believes there is beauty in every kind of love, so why not live a life without boundaries? Experiencing everything the world offers fascinates T.A., and writing about the things that make each of us unique is how she shares those insights. When not writing, she’s watching movies and reading. She’s also a part of a line-dancing group that takes over a bar on Tuesday nights and entertains at assisted living homes. It’s all about living life to the fullest.

She loves hearing from fans. But don’t be too upset if she doesn’t get back to you right away. Life has a way of making her lose track of days and hours. Don’t worry, though. You will hear back at some point.

If you would like to get a hold of me, you can email me at chase.ta@gmail.com

My twitter: @TaChase

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001595721283

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Blind Love (Sword and Silk Trilogy #2) by Sedonia Guillone

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

blind-love-by-sedonia-guillone After a harrowing seventeen-year separation, Hirata Morimasa leaves his home and secure future to search for his childhood friend, Sho. Blinded by illness when they were children, Sho was sent away, apprenticed to a blind masseur (an anma) to learn his trade, and then disappeared.

Desperate to find the other half of his heart and soul, Hirata willingly sacrifices the prestige and security of his father’s dojo to find him. When an anma who looks exactly like Sho crosses his path in front of a gambling parlor one day, the man flatly denies he is Sho. Hirata knows better and is determined to get the truth… and to get back the friend he’d lost. However, even though Hirata knows in his bones this man is his soul mate, Sho has changed in ways Hirata could not have prepared for in his wildest imaginings, changes that could continue to keep them apart… forever.

The second story in Sedonia Guillone’s Sword and Silk trilogy, Blind Love is a gorgeous blend of Japanese history, culture and a romance that’s perhaps more eastern than western in its outlook on love. I found that remarkably true in keeping to its characters, its era, and the situation the men found themselves it.

Its a heartbreaking story in many regards. Two young boys who love each other, separated first by birth into different levels of stature. One is the son of servants, the other the son of a samurai who runs a dojo. Then comes a devastating illness that blinds Sho and is destined to separate them further when Sho is sent away and disappears. Told from Hirata’s pov, the author writes boyhood scenes of happiness that we can easily connect with them, and then of the utmost terror when the separation comes. From all that has passed before, we know that Sho has become an essential part of Hirata and now that’s been torn away. Trust me, the tears will flow.

What follows gives you some insight into that era and into the heart of Hirata as he grows up. Its hard to believe this story is only 95 pages long.

Its what happens when the men meet again that I think readers (some/most) will have issues with. If any have read or watched any Japanese books or movies, then this part will not surprise you. Its very much in keeping with the tone of the romances or writings of that culture. I’m trying hard not to include spoilers here. It also seemed very, well if not reasonable, then understandable when you hear Sho’s pov of the story and that scene towards the end of the novel. I thought the scene worked. Plus it introduced us to a character, Aoki-san, who is a link to not only the couple in the first story, Flying Fish, but who will be half of the final couple in the last tale in this trilogy. So its suitable that he plays such an inflammatory yet gentle role here. Yes, its possible to be both. He is one to excite the senses in a soft way. Trust me. Read the story.

There is so much here. Not just history of the Shogunate era but all the aggregate loss, compassion, guilt and anger that has built up between Hirata and Sho. Blind Love is also how two men who have never forgotten each other learn to triumph over their past and move on. Again, all in 95 pages. Quite remarkable.

There is one more tale to come. Blossom of the Samurai (Sword and Silk #3), the story of Aoki, the beautiful actor and Toho Morimasa. Who is Toho? Well, now that’s another pleasure to be found inside Blind Love. This is a wonderful series. I highly recommend both books so far. I’m sure I will love the third just as much. I can’t wait to find out.

Cover art by Reese Dante. I wish that the characters had a little more historical feel to them but I like the sepia tone to the coloration.

Sales Links

Book Details:

A Timeless Dreams title: While reaction to same-sex relationships throughout time and across cultures has not always been positive, these stories celebrate M/M love in a manner that may address, minimize, or ignore historical stigma.

ebook, 2nd Edition, 95 pages
Expected publication: November 9th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press (first published March 28th 2013)
ISBN 1634775430 (ISBN13: 9781634775434)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series: Sword and Silk Trilogy – add to your Goodreads shelf here:

Flying Fish (Sword and Silk Trilogy, #1)
Blind Love (Sword and Silk Trilogy, #2)
Blossom of the Samurai (Sword and Silk Trilogy #3) – coming soon

A Lila Audiobook Review: Let the Wrong Light In by Avon Gale and Derrick McClain (Narrator)

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

let-the-wrong-light-in-audiobook Avery Hextall, a junior architect at a prestigious firm, is thrilled when his design is chosen for a new performing-arts center—even if it means working closely with his insufferably uptight project manager, Malin Lacroix. When a chance encounter in the boss’s office proves that Lacroix is anything but cold, Avery is determined to learn more about the real man beneath the aloof veneer.

Despite their growing attraction and their increasingly kinky encounters, the enigmatic Malin remains as emotionally distant as ever. Worse, Avery’s friends are convinced Malin thinks of Avery as a dirty secret and nothing more—a secret that might destroy both of their careers.

But the real secret is a single moment in time that haunts Malin and keeps him from committing to the life he wants with Avery. In order to move on, Avery must help Malin come to terms with the tragedy in his past before they can work on building a future together.

Let the Wrong Light In is a hard story to rate. This is my first Avon Gale book and I enjoyed it. The writing is good, well-paced, and the narration helps the feel of the story. The way the office works, the interactions between the characters, and how they work on the projects seems too convenient for the sake of the story.

It was hard to pinpoint Avery’s age and his real status within the company. Architecture is one of those professions, like medicine, in which practitioners tend to be older than average. For me, Avery read more as a young intern. He had too many layers protecting his heart, and there wasn’t enough time for them to be peel back. We get an idea of how good he can be when in a committed relationship, but not enough time to get invested in him/them.

Malin screams Christian Grey–a broken man with a hidden golden heart; only reachable by a young, sweet, and rebellious young man. He has the perfect apartment, house, cars, life, etc. but nothing makes sense to him anymore. He even needed Avery to reconnect with his family and smile again.

The BDSM aspect was something else that didn’t work for me. Unless the story is label Erotica with dub-con or non-con, I prefer to stay away. I like my relationships to be SSC or RACK. And in this case, it was none. Yes, we get to see the concern from Avery’s friends because of this, and Avery’s internal thoughts about it, but Malin having a hard time dealing with people isn’t a valid reason to ignore simple basic standards.

The last part of the story, when we get away from the wild kink and the walls between the main characters, was sweet and gave the story the little boost it needed. I think we needed a little more of Malin’s story early on to wrap it up even better. And Avery’s friends were great too.

I enjoyed Derrick McClain’s narration. He did a good job giving each character a distinctive voice. From all the characters, I think Malin was my favorite. His personality went well with the performance.

The cover by Aaron Anderson shows Avery through glass panels, which plays an important part in the story. The top part has a city line sketch.

Sales Links

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Derrick McClain
Length: 5 hours and 35 minutes

Published: August 25, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01KZNJCU0
Edition Language: English

In the Spotlight:Love & To Cherish by Addison Albright (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

Title: To Love and To Cherish
Author: Addison Albright
Series: Vows #3
Can be read as a standalone
Release Date: November 12th 2016
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Addison Albright here today. Addison agreed to answer a few questions for us and this is how the interview turned out…just wonderful!

~Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Talks to Addison Albright~

That plot has a little of everything in it. Why the overabundance of plot threads?

I’m not sure whether you mean tropes/themes or major events the MCs face. Theme-wise, two are primary (marriage of convenience and memory loss) and are intertwined, and some others are incidental (doctor/nurse, hurt/comfort, gay virgin, unrequited love). The basic plot—which is hinted at in the blurb—is that Nash is disillusioned with love but longs for a committed, monogamous relationship. He embarks on a marriage of convenience scheme with a like-minded man. They each have things going on in their lives that would be simplified by this plan. The amnesia trope was added because there needed to be some drama along the MC’s journey toward love, and this made for a fun twist. The un-jaded Nash who has no bitter memories of his broken engagement wouldn’t have considered entering into a loveless engagement and naturally assumes it must be a love match. Event-wise, there’s not much I can give in the way of details without introducing too many spoilers. I’ll simply say that the events of the story are interrelated and flow along together.

Which was the one major trope that launched the inspiration for the story?

Marriage of Convenience. I love the trope, but I wanted to do a story that didn’t have a contrived reason for the marriage. No billionaire about to lose an inheritance if he didn’t get married within the next week, etc. I wanted it to truly be for the convenience of the two main characters. That being said, I do enjoy reading this trope no matter the reason it’s employed.

Ditched groom is always a great storyline, as is lost memory and marriage of convenience. Which is your favorite of the three if you had to pick a favorite?

That’s a tough one. I’d say it’s between memory loss and marriage of convenience. I suppose if I have to narrow it down I’d have to go with memory loss. There are so many different ways it can be handled, although my personal preference is for MC1 to forget MC2 (with whom he’s currently in a relationship), rather than it being an excuse for MC1 to get back together with an ex (whom he may or may not remember is in fact now an ex).

Did you read romance novels growing up?

Sure did. I read a mix of cheesy romances, classics, and science fiction.

What did you want to change about them and do you make those changes in your stories if any?

Oh, goodness. I’d be hard put to remember specifics, but generally speaking I spend more time thinking about my favorites rather than what I’d do differently in books I didn’t care for. If I love a story, I end up thinking about “what if” scenarios as well as “what comes next” in the characters’ lives. Or maybe flesh out the lives of favorite side characters. I can’t think of any that I’ve gone on to base one of my own published stories on, though.

I can’t help but think of one of my favorite books (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen) and how there are now dozens of published stories that do just that. I’ve enjoyed the continuation stories, but I think I prefer the “what if this had happened instead of that” stories that change some pivotal scene then continue from there.

Thanks, Addison, for that terrific interview. And now more about To Love and To Cherish by Addison Albright

BLURB

Will Nash find love again? Of course he will. Will he go about it in the usual manner? Now that’s another story entirely.

Jilted by his fiancé two weeks before their wedding, Nash Marino’s outlook on life in general, and love in particular, is jaded. After months of couch-surfing, Nash is fed up. He’s sick and tired of his living conditions, worn out by the demands of his nursing job, and despairs of ever finding love again. In fact, he doesn’t think he’s capable of true love. Monogamy, commitment, companionship, and regular sex…that’s all he wants, and the sooner, the better.

When Nash crosses paths with a like-minded man who’s also in need of a live-in nurse for a beloved relative, Nash figures all his problems are solved. Matters are complicated by a freak accident and amnesia. When Nash’s marriage of convenience scheme is muddied by notions of love after his memory reboot, will their plans go awry, or will Nash’s new outlook on life be just what the doctor ordered?

Find To Love and To Cherish on Goodreads

Find the Vows series on Goodreads

EXCERPT

“Fuck dating. Let first impressions rule. I could’ve saved myself a world of hurt and heartache if I’d done that over the years. I don’t know why I stuck it out with some of my shitty boyfriends either. Wishful thinking, I guess. But you’re right, I knew practically instantly that my husband was going to be the love of my life. So yeah, don’t bother dating…simply ask him to marry you five minutes into the conversation. I’m sure it won’t scare him off or anything.” She accompanied that final instruction with a cocked eyebrow and one of her trademark smirks, as if the scornful tone she’d used wasn’t enough to keep the sarcasm from going over his head. Subtlety wasn’t Angela’s strong suit.

“Sage advice.” He raised a spoonful of soup in salute, then brought it toward his mouth.

Someone bumped his chair from behind. Nash rocked forward, and soup spilled down his chin.

Angela stifled a snicker, and a male voice he recognized said, “Sorry about that.”

Nash snatched up his napkin to wipe his face, and turned. “No problem, Dr. Burlingham.”

Although it was, of course. He felt like a fool with chicken noodle dripping down his neck. Dr. Burlingham stood there looking at him with an odd intensity. Probably thinking Nash had a screw loose or was some kind of man-whore if he’d overheard much of Nash’s rant. Whatever, it was none of the man’s business, and Nash would hopefully not be working at this hospital—where the doctor’s opinion would affect him—for much longer anyway.

After gazing at him for an uncomfortably long couple of seconds, Dr. Burlingham turned back to Dr. Gilbert Wilson, a friendly and outgoing pediatrician whose close friendship with Dr. Burlingham had long stymied the hospital grapevine. Dr. Wilson gaped at Dr. Burlingham with his own less-squinty version of Angela’s earlier side-eye. Except Dr. Wilson’s version was accompanied by a comical upturn to one side of his mouth, indicating his enjoyment of the scene—rather than concern for his friend’s mental health, as Angela’s countenance had implied.

As soon as the two doctors walked around the corner, Angela burst into a fit of the chuckles that would have been better suited to the set of Dumb and Dumber.

“Hardee-har-har,” was the best he could come up with in reply. Nash grabbed her napkin and crammed it down the front of his uniform to mop up the rest of the soup drippage.

“Did you see the look on his face?” Angela managed to gasp between giggles.

“Which one? The repugnance on Dr. Burlingham’s or the glee on Dr. Wilson’s?”

The guffaws coming from across the table intensified and drew some curious glances as well as several censorious glares. “Seriously, Angela, you’re going to give yourself a hernia. It wasn’t that funny.”

He nudged her bottle toward her and she took the hint, a couple deep breaths, and a slug of water. “Wasn’t repugnance,” she wheezed.

“What are you talking about?”

“The look on Dr. Burlingham’s face. It wasn’t repugnance. Closer to yearning.”

“Don’t even.” Nash froze. “Right now your position on the hospital grapevine is scaring the shit out of me. Don’t. Even.”

She held up a hand. “I wouldn’t. Calm down, sweetie. I’m stating facts, is all.”

“There’s nothing remotely factual about that statement, so don’t start with me. And so help me, don’t even hint at joking about something that stupid on the pediatrics floor where Dr. Wilson might get wind of it.”

She pointed a finger—or rather the finger—at him and bit out, “I’m not a fucking idiot.”

No, she wasn’t. Nash eased back in his seat. And she was a good friend. He sighed. “Sorry. I know you wouldn’t. Just put it down to the stress, okay?”

She gave his hand a squeeze and the tightness that had appeared in her shoulders visibly relaxed as well. “I’m sorry, too, sweetie. I shouldn’t tease you right now. I promise I would never start or feed any rumors about you, stupid or otherwise, but there truly was something in his look. I just want you to have a heads-up on that.”

Nash closed his eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath. It was doubtful, and so not a complication that would be appreciated right now in his life.

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An amazing grand prize including 1 signed paperback of To Love and To Cherish, 1 signed paperback of ‘Til Death Do Us Part and $25.00 Amazon Giftcard

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About the Author

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Addison Albright lives in the middle of the USA with three peculiar cats. Her stories are gay (sometimes erotic) romance, and tend to be sweet man-love in contemporary settings. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, french fries, “open window weather,” cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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