Category: Book Reviews

A BJ Audiobook Review: Second Hand (Tucker Springs #2) by Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton Narrated by Iggy Toma

Rating:    4.75 out of 5 stars

SecondHand-AudioCoverPaul Hannon moved to Tucker Springs for his girlfriend, but she’s left him with a house he can’t afford and a pantry full of useless gadgets. All Paul wants is to get back to normal, even if he’s not sure what that is anymore. When he wanders into Tucker Pawn for a gift to win her back, he meets El Rozal, pawn shop owner and all-around cynic.

El Rozal doesn’t do relationships, especially not with clueless straight boys still pining for their ex. El may make his living dealing in castoffs, but that doesn’t apply to men. Still, when Paul starts clearing out his old life, pawning kitchen equipment he never wanted in the first place, El is drawn to Paul in spite of himself.

Paul and El have nothing in common except a past full of disappointments. There’s no reason to believe the two of them could fit, but in El’s line of work, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. When it comes to love, El and Paul may learn that secondhand doesn’t mean second best.

This is actually the third I’ve listened to in this series, and my favorite so far. A very sweet story with enjoyable characters, interesting families and a cute dog. Neither of the guys are gorgeous or have fancy careers, but are both ordinary guys that I could relate to. El owns a pawnshop which had been his grandfather’s and has a hoarder mother (loved the way that was handled), and Paul dreamed of being a vet but didn’t do so well in school and ended up working at a vet’s office as a receptionist. Paul’s denial and story read very real to me, perhaps because overall he didn’t come across as the smartest tool in the shed. No that he was dumb, but he was refreshingly simple. Thoroughly enjoyed Paul and also liked his mother, especially her reaction at the end.

El’s big family was well drawn and interesting, as was his big bouncer friend Denver who is the MC in the next story (which I’m now eager to read). And I loved El both for his role in his family, for taking over her grandfather’s store with hopes of helping his mother, and for his easy going and relatable personality. The way he dealt with his attraction to Paul and the little one item a day limit ploy that Paul never did figure out was great. I felt the chemistry between the guys, not scorching hot but a slow, realistic burn that had me unable to stop listening.

I could relate so well to Paul’s desire to be number one for someone at something as well as to his cluelessness about when folks were flirting with or interested in him. And El’s words about the unimportance of things, which tied up beautifully at the ending, really spoke to me. The secondary characters were also very relatable and individual.

The narrator, Iggy Toma, was perfect for this story. The voices were different for each character and sounded just right. The emotions and nuances of character came through well. Overall, I listened to this story in one single day.

The cover by L.C. Chase ties is very cute and fitting for the series.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTune


Book Details: Published January 22nd 2016 by Riptide Publishing

Its Release Day for Heart Ripper: Coffin Nails MC (Sex & Mayhem #9) by K.A. Merikan (Guest post and excerpt)

Heart Ripper 1

Heart Ripper: Coffin Nails MC (Sex & Mayhem #9)

by K.A. Merikan

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have K. A Merikan here today to talk about their latest release, Heart Ripper, 9th in the  Sex & Mayhem series.  Welcome!

 

We knew we’d write Heart Ripper as soon as David appeared on the pages of Split as the MCs younger brother. There was just something about this tertiary character that spoke to us, and in no time, we were hard at work. David comes from a very devout Catholic background, and the overbearing nature of his mother doesn’t do him any favors in discovering his sexual interests. But then comes Raja, a friend of David’s brother, and he sweeps David off his feet without knowing who he’s dealing with.

This story is much sweeter than many of the other Sex & Mayhem books in the sense that one of the characters is not in any way connected to the criminal world, and  that is one of the reasons Raja, the newly appointed club president of one of  the Coffin Nails MC chapters, likes him so much. David is a sweet ray of sunshine and normalcy, the kind of boyfriend Raja never had, and he can’t deny himself the attraction, even if he knows he should not pursue this particular guy.

I guess most of us like a story of a forbidden love, one that needs to face many obstacles. It isn’t easy for Raja to openly date a guy, and it is even harder for David to put everything on the line, but their connection is explosive, and neither of them can make himself give up on it.

If you want to see our inspiration photos for this book, check out the ‘Heart Ripper’ Pinterest board: https://uk.pinterest.com/KAMerikan/heart-ripper-by-ka-merikan-sexmayhem-9/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29330795-heart-ripper—coffin-nails-mc

Buy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GBO228Q/

Heart Ripper 1

EXCERPT:

The bearded guy from downstairs slid inside, locking the door of the bathroom with a loud, final-sounding clang, and then his dark gaze was on David, rendering him mute and unable to defend himself from that strong presence.

The man was taller than David, and the white T-shirt he was wearing clung to his athletic body as he glided through the bathroom. For a moment, the world slowed down, and David could swear he saw the pitch-black hair float in the air, the curved-up moustache twitch as the man smiled beneath the thick, well-kept beard. Bold black tattoos covered the man’s arms, all the way to his wrists, and some even peeked out from under the round collar of the shirt, beckoning David to have a closer look at the dark, warm-hued skin, which had immediately set the man apart from everyone else present at the party.

“I… I mean, okay, I guess you need it more,” David uttered and attempted to pass the guy, fleeing for the door. He was hot, cold, sweaty all over, and nervous as hell. Life had been so much easier years ago, before puberty hit him in the face like a red hot poker drenched in sin.

The man stood in his way, and before David could utter a word of protest, a palm as hot as molten lava burned the skin of his throat, squeezing gently as the man pushed David back. David stepped back in a daze, letting the stranger direct him toward the wall, until his knees hit something hard and cool. The man pushed him down, and David obeyed yet again, taking a seat on the closed toilet.

He could barely breathe from the stress of being alone with this guy in a locked room. “I’m sorry if I stared,” he wanted to say, but only managed a hoarse whisper. His body was still processing being touched by this man. Older, bigger, with eyes that could scorch David alive.

“I enjoyed you staring,” said the stranger with a small smirk to his lips as he traced his thumb over David’s lips. It was the sulphur to the match of David’s arousal, and he quickly clenched his thighs in panic. Even his accent immediately set him apart from most people David met. Rich and thick as sugar syrup, it was definitely Southern.

Even fumbly kisses with a girl at church camp weren’t as igniting as one touch from this man. David would burn in hell for the images crawling out of the back of his mind. His heart was beating so hard it made him light-headed.

The man liked him looking.

So he wasn’t about to scold David for it. But what could a man like this possibly want with him then? A man with all that dark hair on his thick arms, a face as handsome as if it were a gift from the devil himself, and touch that made every hair on David’s body bristle.

“This… this is a misunderstanding,” David mumbled.

The man smirked and pulled down the zipper of his jeans, slowly letting go of David’s neck. “Nice to meet you, pretty boy.”

About the author

K. A. Merikan is the pen name for Kat and Agnes Merikan, a team of writers, who are mistaken for sisters with surprising regularity. Kat’s the mean sergeant and survival specialist of the duo, never hesitating to kick Agnes’s ass when she’s slacking off. Her memory works like an easy-access catalogue, which allows her to keep up with both book details and social media. Also works as the emergency GPS. Agnes is the Merikan nitpicker, usually found busy with formatting and research. Her attention tends to be scattered, and despite pushing thirty, she needs to apply makeup to buy alcohol. Self-proclaimed queen of the roads.

They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and books. When you pick up a Merikan book, there’s one thing you can be sure of – it will be full of surprises.

e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com

More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at:

A Lila Review: The High Kings Golden Tongue by Megan Derr

Rating: 5+ stars out of 5

The High Kings Golden TonguePrince Allen has trained his entire life to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious mother, who has made their kingdom one of the wealthiest and most influential in the empire. For the past few years he has trained to become the new consort of the High King. The only thing no one prepared him for was the stubborn, arrogant High King himself, who declares Allen useless and throws him out of court.

High King Sarrica is ruling an empire at war, and that war will grow exponentially worse if his carefully laid plans do not come to fruition. He’s overwhelmed and needs help, as much as he hates to admit it, but it must be someone like his late consort: a soldier, someone who understands war, who is not unfamiliar with or afraid of the harsher elements of rule. What he doesn’t need is the delicate, pretty little politician foisted on him right as everything goes wrong.

The High King’s Golden Tongue is an excellent fantasy tale of love, trust, family, and friendship.

The original story, in which this book is based on, was written in 2012 and was around 40 pages long. I read it about two years ago and rated five stars as well. I went back and skimmed over it, and found myself reading further than I first intended. The bones were all there, but this extended version is everything a reader could have wished for and so much more.

The fantasy world the author created includes several kingdoms with different languages and traditions— each of them with a rich history, royal families, and plots to take over the Empire. Simple things like food predilections, crops, and fashion are taking into account and spun into a well-connected tale.

Prince Allen is that connection between the kingdoms, but especially between the reader and the story. He had trained all his life to be a silver tongue, but more specifically, to be a King/Queen’s consort. He’s knowledgeable in politics, business, logistics, and many other things a regent would need to be taken care of. When Lord Tara’s family suggested him to be the Consort of the High King, he trained for two years just to be what King Sarrica needed.

Being a widower with two small children and a kingdom ready to go to war takes King Sarrica’s full attention. It’s not until the moment the Council brings a consort for him that he realizes that he didn’t want anyone to replace his late husband, Nyle. If forced, Sarrica wants a soldier, like him, to help him defend his Empire. He didn’t see value in Prince Allen’s knowledge and training. He pegs him as a spoiled royal looking for pampering and multiple lovers.

Sarrica’s dismissal puts Allen in an awkward position. If he returns home, his family would see him as a failure and his kingdom can take offense. If he stays, he would constantly be waiting for Sarrica’s call. Even if it’s just to warm up his bed, Allen wants to serve the stubborn King.

A series of misunderstandings, clever resolutions, and dark situations would mark a separate path for Sarrica and Allen. Their separation would show Sarrica how much he needed Allen and what he was willing to do to get his Golden tongue back. At the same time, Allen would find the friends he never had and a real reason to survive. He’s finally putting to practice everything he learned since childhood and discovering his own strength.

All these adventures are detailed, engaging, and fascinating. There isn’t a slow moment in this book. The plot moves forward steadily with every situation, and all the characters had a reason to exist. The amount of characters and setting involved is grant, but not overwhelming. Everything is presented cohesively and the narrations, as well as the dialogues, were well-written and witty.

I loved Tara, Rene, Lesto, and many of the Fathoms Deep and Three-headed Dragons. The friendship between Sarrica, Lesto, and Rene added a sense of familiarity and reality to the story. The settings, the fashion, and the food descriptions were great; the books and treaties, too. I only had trouble following some of the gender neutral names and I wished the author had explained the reason why some of the males  were able to bear children.

Overall, an exquisite fantasy story filled with unique scenes and engaging characters. Really happy to see more books being added to the series.

The cover by John Coulthart is beautiful. The intricate design and the attention to detail bring small parts from the setting & the castle to life. It definitely has the feel of a medieval High Court.

Sale Links: LT3 | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 400 pages
Published: November 4, 2015, by Less Than Three Press
ISBN: 1620046245 (ISBN13: 9781620046241)
Edition Language: English

Series: Tales of the High Court
Book #1: The High King’s Golden Tongue
Book #2: The Pirate of Fathoms Deep
Book #3: The Heart of the Lost Star (2017)

 

 

 

 

 

Cover Reveal for Collars N Cuffs, A Wayward Ink Publishing Anthology (cover reveal and giveaway)

Collars N Cuffs Banner

Synopsis

How about a little bondage?

Does D/s get your motor running?

Do you enjoy a serving of pain to go with your pleasure?

Does your mouth water at the thought of clamps and cuffs and other naughty stuffs?

Then look no further!

The authors of Collars ‘N’ Cuffs have dripped wax on their keyboards, flogged their erotic bones, and whipped up their creative juices to bring you a collection of stories certain to enflame your imagination.

Release Date: June 23, 2016

Pre-order Links

Don’t miss the discounted pre-order and buy prices until 48 hours after release!

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/collars-n-cuffs-a-wayward-ink-publishing-anthology/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-collars039n039cuffsawaywardinkpublishinganthology-2057986-166.html
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Collars-Cuffs-Wayward-Publishing-Anthology-ebook/dp/B01G984JB2/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collars-Cuffs-Wayward-Publishing-Anthology-ebook/dp/B01G984JB2/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Collars-Cuffs-Wayward-Publishing-Anthology-ebook/dp/B01G984JB2/
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/Collars-Cuffs-Wayward-Publishing-Anthology-ebook/dp/B01G984JB2/

Stories included

FORGED IN STEEL

Layla Dorine

The last thing Flint expected upon discovering a homeless young man rummaging through the dumpster behind his shop was a kindred spirit.

The last thing Trace expected to find in that dumpster was a home.

 

PLAYING IT SAFE

Aimee Brissay

To safe or not to safe?

That is the question.

 

ROOM TO PLAY

Lily Velden

Jack wanted to dabble in some light BDSM, looking for a little role play. A little role-reversal.

Rhys took to their games like a duck to water.

 

A TOUCH OF KINK

Alina Popescu

A moody and angry Tudor follows his friend, Radu, to the airport to pick up a client.

Despite Radu’s efforts, he’s still sulking over his boyfriend, Kahoni, not being able to fly over for his birthday.

But the airport only opens up the door to a stream of steamy surprises for Tudor. Will his mood improve?

 

LET’S DANCE IN SIN

Kassandra Lea

Samuel wants to play with his favorite toy and Flynn is only too willing to oblige.

But first, he has a little treat for his delectable angel.

 

NEW LOVE, NEW SIGHT

Carol Pedroso

Exiled and lonely, Sorl longs for home.

Kidnapped, blind, and scared, Unjarf seeks help of any kind.

When they meet can love bring rescue, hope, and most importantly new sight?

 

SWITCH

Eddy LeFey

Robert is floundering, trying to get his life back together.

Daniel offers to help, to teach Robert what it means to truly let go of control, in order to be able to seize it again.

Life truly is a…. switch.

HELL BOUND

Asta Idonea

When Taharial, angel of purity, descends to Hell to reprimand him, lust demon Asmodeus cannot resist having a little fun with his unwanted guest.

However, when he chains Taharial to his bed, events take a turn he didn’t expect.

Book Trailer

Giveaway

Prize – 1 x $10 WIP Gift Card

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A Stella Review: How to Wish Upon a Star (Howl at the Moon #3) by Eli Easton

RATING 4 out of 5 stars

How To Wish Upon A StarDr. Jason Kunik is working on the most earth-shattering genetics project ever, DNA mapping of a new species, the quickened—dogs who can shift into human form. The problem is, no one knows the quickened exist and Jason can’t betray them by publishing his studies. When he moves to Mad Creek to continue his research in a town full of quickened, all he wants is peace, quiet, and to be allowed to bury himself in his work. Perhaps if he figures how out the mutation is activated, he can silence his own inner dog forever.

Milo is a hospice comfort dog who has bonded with, and lost, many beloved patients in his life. He intuitively understands sickness and pain on a spiritual level most can’t see. When he gains the ability to become a man, he thinks he finally has everything he ever wanted. But being a man isn’t the same thing as being loved, and taking shelter in Mad Creek isn’t the same thing as finding a home.

When a mysterious illness hits Mad Creek and threatens all the quickened in town, it’s up to the scientist and the comfort dog to figure out what it is and how to stop it. Along the way they might discover that true love is possible—if you wish upon a star.

This is the third book in the “Howl at the Moon” series, but it can be read as a stand-alone.

I can always count on Eli Easton to deliver a great reading, How To Wish Upon A Star was another winner, another good addiction to an already awesome series.

In this third book, the author gave me Milo and Jason, two very different persons, with nothing in common but clearly made for each other. Jason, so cold and immersed in his scientific world, so bad at human interactions, he lives his days closed in his laboratory working on his research.

Milo stole my heart since the first word I read about him. He is an hospice dog who lately became a man. He is shy and lovely and with a heart bigger than the star he wished upon. Impossible to not fall in love with him.

So yes, I loved the characters but I loved the plot more, the story wasn’t focused just on the MCs’ new relationship but on the whole Mad Creek population, with Tim, Lance, Roman, Matty and so many more secondary characters playing an important role in the story. As in the other installments, here too there was a mystery to solve (or better a cure to find) that forced me to stay up late and finish the book quickly.

Moreover How To Wish Upon A Star hit my soft spot for stories sweet and adorable. I very much enjoyed it. And there are promises for more, especially Rav’s own happy ending, I really can’t wait to read it. I feel to highly recommend the series to everyone.

Just a note, IMO the series needs to be read in order, I honestly don’t think this third book could be read as a standalone.

The cover art is adorable as the book. Well done.

Sales Links: AMAZON  

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 228 pages
Published May 10th 2016 by Pinkerton Road LLC
ASIN B01FISHWJK
Edition Language English

How At The Moon Series with links to our reviews:

How to Howl at the Moon (Howl At The Moon #1)

How to Walk Like a Man (Howl At The Moon #2)

How to Wish Upon a Star (Howl at the Moon, #3)

A MelanieM Review: Truly, Madly, Boys – A Mad About The Brit Boys Anthology by JL Merrow & Josephine Myles.

Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5

Truly Madly BoysLove—the most intense connection.

The challenge of finding love in the world today can take many forms, but at its heart love is the same: it’s all about forging a connection with another person. Experience romance at its most relatable in these four contemporary stories of male-male love with a British flavour from award-winning authors Josephine Myles and JL Merrow.

In these stories you’ll find out how to communicate without words, be teased by a memory that’s just out of reach, flash back to young love and emerging sexuality, and discover how opposites can attract when you meet a stranger in a strange land.

These stories have all been previously published, but are now available exclusively in this anthology.

 I am such a fan of both authors J.L. Merrow and Josephine Myles and here in the fifth of the Mad about the Brit Boys Anthology you get a wonderful selection of why they are such a joy to read.  Their ability to bring these young men vividly to life as well as the situations they find themselves in through such a short number of pages is amazing.    I have to admit my favorite starts off the collection.  Written not from a Brits pov, but a startlingly accurate New York state of mind that I loved, I jumped into this relationship and wished J.L. could  have kept going I loved them so much.
But lets look at them one at a time.
Epiphany by JL Merrow – 4.5 Stars out of 5
When security guard Vinnie spots a young British guy, Gray, looking lost on a New York street, he thinks he’s never seen anyone so beautiful. The feeling’s mutual: concert pianist Gray loves everything about the huge muscle man who’s offering to walk him back to his hotel. When they stop off at Vinnie’s apartment, sparks fly—but when they finally get back to Gray’s hotel, things seem to fall apart. Is one afternoon all they’ll ever have?
Great voices, characters you instantly connected with and a vibe and location that oozed New York City.  This story had it all except that, of course, I wanted so much more of them all, including the meeting of the families.  Really, if the author accepted bribes, I would bribe her for that story.
Halfway up the Stairs by Josephine Myles – 4.5 stars out of 5
When Charlie wakes up alone after arguing with his boyfriend the night before, it seems like nothing will resolve the situation. Josh wants them to move, but Charlie is too attached to the house. It’s not just all the work he’s put into it, though, it’s all the memories. One memory in particular, of standing hidden halfway up the stairs, watching and wanting…
Another just lovely telling story.  A house full of memories, a couple post argument, and a past memory that, in a sexy, and oh so beautifully flowing story shows both the couples past, present and future.  I loved this.  And it was complete in every way.  Nothing more felt needed.
Sense Memory by JL Merrow – 4 stars out of 5
Blinded by a drunk driver, Colin is haunted by a sense memory—the smell of wood chippings. When he meets up with Alban, who he’s been chatting with online, he finally finds out why.
I liked this story.  The author totally blindsided me with the direction she took it.  Lovely.  I wish I had a bit more about the characters but it was clean and gave me enough to connect with the main character and the ending.
Without Words by Josephine Myles – 4 stars out of 5
Is that gorgeous redheaded hunk on the building site really checking him out? Nick thinks it’s worth the risk of getting his head kicked in to find out. Only trouble is, Nick tends to end up spoiling things with his nervous babbling. This time he’s going to have to keep his mouth shut. It’s either that or he’ll have to find some other way to occupy it…
Josephine Myles takes two disabilities and combines them in a romantic and charming way.  Stuttering and hearing impaired?  Not a combination you might think of?  Well, here it works in a way that Myles lets us into Nick’s thoughts, his nervousness and finally his ability to overcome his insecurities to go after the man he wants.  Its charming, it treats the men and their disabilities with intelligences and clarity.   Another winner.
If you are already familiar with these authors, this is a collection you won’t want to miss.  But if J.L. Merrow and Josephine Myles are both new to you, I can’t think of a better way for you to get acquainted than to pick up this collection and start reading.   I highly recommend it and the other Mad About the Brit Boy Anthologies.
Cover is lovely.
Sales Links:  Amazon
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 78 pages
Published June 10th 2016
ASINB01GXR3BU4
Edition LanguageEnglish

Release Blitz – Truly, Madly, Boys by JL Merrow & Josephine Myles (excerpt and Giveaway)

Truly, Madly, Boys – A Mad About The Brit Boys Anthology by JL Merrow & Josephine Myles

 
Authors: JL Merrow & Josephine Myles
 
Release Date: June 14 2016
 
 
Length: 15,000 words
 
Price: $0.99/£0.99/€0.99
 
Cover Art: Lou Harper
 
Other Titles In The Series: 
Anthology Blurb:
 
Love – the most intense connection.
 
The challenge of finding love in the world today can take many forms, but at its heart love is the same: it’s all about forging a connection with another person. Experience romance at its most relatable in these four contemporary stories of male-male love with a British flavour from award-winning authors Josephine Myles and JL Merrow.


 


In these stories you’ll find out how to communicate without words, be teased by a memory that’s just out of reach, flash back to young love and emerging sexuality, and discover how opposites can attract when you meet a stranger in a strange land.

 

These stories have all been previously published, but are now available exclusively in this anthology.
Anthology introduction by JL Merrow (taken from the ebook):
Contemporary gay romance. While both Jo and I love to experiment with different genres, this is the one we both come back to most often. Why? For me, I think it’s because even though with sci fi, paranormals or threesomes we’re playing in a different sandbox, at the end of the day the game’s always the same: getting two (or more) people together and forging a connection between them that we hope will last. Contemporary romance is, as often as not, romance stripped to the bare essentials.
And it’s probably true to say that a contemporary romance between two people is in many ways the most accessible form of romance to the average reader. It can be hard to really identify with a protagonist from a different world, or a different era. Weaving a story is all about making a fictional world seem real to the reader who comes for a visit, and not everyone enjoys suspending disbelief about ghosts, shifters or space ships. If you’re not poly yourself, it can be hard to relate to a relationship between more than two people. Things that happened decades or even centuries ago can, to those more interested in the here and now, seem far off and irrelevant. (As writers, we’re often told not to distance the reader from the story, which is while I always smile when I see the familiar words, “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”)
Contemporary romance is immediate, dealing with the world the reader knows well—or could come to know, simply by stepping onto an aeroplane. Yes, in these stories we may still explore different realities to our own: for example one of Jo’s stories features a deaf main character, and one of mine, a blind man. Another is set in a city I’ve never visited—but they’re all firmly rooted in the world we live in today. You can imagine yourself walking down the street and seeing any of the characters in these stories. Perhaps even being a fly on a handy wall as they fall in love.
And that’s what the stories really have in common, of course: love. In the end, aren’t we all here because we believe in love?
Thanks for reading—and if you enjoy the stories, please consider leaving a review where you purchased them. Feed the authors! 😉
All the best
Jamie x
JL Merrow, May 2016
 
Individual story blurbs:
Epiphany by JL Merrow
When security guard Vinnie spots a young British guy, Gray, looking lost on a New York street, he thinks he’s never seen anyone so beautiful. The feeling’s mutual: concert pianist Gray loves everything about the huge muscle man who’s offering to walk him back to his hotel. When they stop off at Vinnie’s apartment, sparks fly—but when they finally get back to Gray’s hotel, things seem to fall apart. Is one afternoon all they’ll ever have?
Halfway up the Stairs by Josephine Myles
When Charlie wakes up alone after arguing with his boyfriend the night before, it seems like nothing will resolve the situation. Josh wants them to move, but Charlie is too attached to the house. It’s not just all the work he’s put into it, though, it’s all the memories. One memory in particular, of standing hidden halfway up the stairs, watching and wanting…
Sense Memory by JL Merrow
Blinded by a drunk driver, Colin is haunted by a sense memory—the smell of wood chippings. When he meets up with Alban, who he’s been chatting with online, he finally finds out why.
Without Words by Josephine Myles
Is that gorgeous redheaded hunk on the building site really checking him out? Nick thinks it’s worth the risk of getting his head kicked in to find out. Only trouble is, Nick tends to end up spoiling things with his nervous babbling. This time he’s going to have to keep his mouth shut. It’s either that or he’ll have to find some other way to occupy it…
Author bios
JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again. Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne.
She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and mysteries, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy, and her novella Muscling Through and novel Relief Valve were both EPIC Awards finalists.
JL Merrow is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, International Thriller Writers, Verulam Writers’ Circle and the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.
Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow

 

English through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. Jo blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She’s beginning to suspect he enjoys it.
Jo publishes regularly with Samhain, and now has over ten novels and novellas under her belt. Her novel Stuff won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Bisexual Romance, and her novella Merry Gentlemen won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Romantic Comedy. She has also been known to edit anthologies and self-publish on occasion, although she prefers to leave the “boring bits” of the ebook creation process to someone else. She loves to be busy, and is currently having fun trying to work out how she is going to fit in her love of writing, dressmaking and attending cabaret shows in fabulous clothing around the demands of a preteen with special needs and a soon-to- be toddler.
Website and blog: http://josephinemyles.com/

Twitter: @JosephineMyles

 

 
Excerpt from “Without Words” by Josephine Myles
I walked along the perimeter fence, sweat prickling my palms, trying to maintain a casual amble to give the impression that I was the kind of guy who did this sort of thing all the time. The site looked deserted until I passed the foreman’s cabin, where the workers sat outside on piles of breeze blocks, chatting idly under the punishing sun as they swigged down cold drinks and munched on sandwiches. He wasn’t with them. That was good. I picked up my pace, determined to find him before he decided to join the lunch crowd.
He wasn’t a sociable guy and I’d never seen him chatting – he just got on with his job – taciturn and focused. It gave me hope that here would be someone who could understand me; who could forgive my lack of social graces and ignore my nervous babbling to see the man underneath; the man with intelligent things to say if only he could pluck up the courage. The man who’d never done anything like this before, but was now carefully dressed in tight jeans and close fitted red t-shirt, intent on risking humiliation just to have a chance. It was now or never, as I was due back in London tomorrow and I knew that my work wouldn’t bring me back to Sheffield for at least another couple of months.
As I rounded the corner of the large, half-finished building, a solitary figure came into view. There was no mistaking the supple grace of his movements as he hopped up onto the scaffolding, measuring tape in hand. My breath hitched when I saw that he was bare-chested under the reflective tabard, the previously covered skin glowing pink where the sun caught it, and spattered with ginger freckles. His body was stocky, heavily muscled; the type you knew would run quickly to fat if deprived of regular manual labour. Yet despite being built like so many of these sturdy Northern men, he moved with a fluidity that belied his size. The strands of hair that escaped his hat glowed in the harsh light like burnished bronze. He was a work of art. I wanted to study him, learn him. Explore him thoroughly.
I cleared my throat, but he didn’t hear me. I waited, paralysed by indecision, clinging on to the wires of the fence panel with white knuckles. Willing him to look down and see me there; to give me that look again that I was sure I’d seen yesterday. That deliberate once over, followed by a slow smile that made my heart lurch and my cock stir.
And then he turned. The moisture leached out of my mouth and I was incapable of forming any words. He must have thought I was a prize idiot, standing there open-mouthed with lust burning in my eyes. I wondered if he even recognised me without the suit. But then that gaze that swept up and down my body, lingering a little longer than necessary, followed by that lazy curve of his lips that seemed to promise so much. He raised an eyebrow, grinned, and pointed to the gate, swinging down from the platform and strolling over with a loose-limbed grace. I followed, stumbling in my haste to get there. We stared at each other through the gate, and I had to look away from the intensity in those green eyes. I watched his grimy hands as they deftly turned the wheels on the padlock, the dust trapped in the creases of his knuckles. His hands were strong and broad, freckled, the hairs glowing like copper filaments in the sunlight, but surprisingly nimble for a builder. I swallowed audibly as I imagined what those hands could do to me. Those thick yet skilful fingers…
The gate swung open and I slipped through, brushing against his arm as he pushed it closed again. The touch raised goosebumps on my arm despite the heat. This close I could smell him; the tang of fresh sweat mingled with something spicy. My mouth started to water as I wondered how he would taste, picturing myself licking at his stubbly neck, then tasting other parts of him. My jeans began to feel uncomfortable as my cock swelled and I fought to get a grip on myself. It wasn’t like we could do anything about it here at the gate, in full view of passing traffic.
“I’m Nick,” I blurted out, but clamped my mouth shut before I ruined things by telling him my middle names, date of birth or any other nonsense.
He walked off, turning to beckon after a few yards, so I trailed behind him; absurd fears fighting with my rampant lust as we moved further into the hush of the deserted site. I didn’t even know his name, and the lack of any dialogue was starting to freak me out, but it was also pretty kinky. Besides, the less we talked the less chance I had to show myself up. I concentrated on the way his muscular buttocks moved under their denim cladding. Anything to distract myself from the possibility of humiliation, or worse. He disappeared behind a sheet of plastic hanging in a doorway. I followed. What else could I do?

 

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