A Stella Review: Strong Side (Eastshore Tigers #1) by Alison Hendricks

RATING 3,5 out of 5 stars

Their chemistry on the field is undeniable. But can they ever be more than friends?

Jason Hawkins is about to throw the biggest Hail Mary pass of his career.

If he can’t turn NFL recruiters’ heads this year, he’ll lose his shot at the one thing he’s ever been good at. But every quarterback needs a man he can count on down-field. For Jason, that man just might be the Tigers’ new receiver, Derek Griffin.

Four years ago, Derek nearly lost everything after being outed by his teammates.

Now he finally has a chance to get it all back as a walk-on for Eastshore College… if he can resist his immediate attraction to the gorgeous and very straight star quarterback.

An instant connection during practice leads to an easy friendship that only grows stronger off the field. Derek is convinced friendship is all it’ll ever be, but a very confusing moment of impulse leaves both of them fumbling for answers about their relationship.

As curiosity gives way to passion and passion gives way to something deeper, Jason and Derek will have to tackle their own personal demons to bring home the win and earn their happy ending.

I’m always curious about new authors, so when I saw this debut book by Alison Hendricks I soon picked it, even though I’m not a huge fan of sport themed stories but I couldn’t resist. Plus the cover wasn’t bad at all.

Strong Side was a joy to read, light, quick and lovely, there wasn’t any drama or angst. Everything flew by easily, the coming out, the relationship between Derek and Jason, I really appreciated all of these. Sometimes a book like this one is exactly what I want to read.

Everything about the story was believable and realistic, especially in their friendship that first developed, and in the love that came later. It is truly a story I had no trouble liking characters I cared for. I was waiting for the so called shoe to drop and when I understood no drama was going to happen, I fully enjoyed the rest of the story.

I usually am a little wary about the new adult genre but in this case the author did great cause both Jason and Derek are sure of themselves and what they want, ready for the future to come, even when it’s a hard one, they never fall down.

I must add, there were some mistakes, editing issues I noted even with my poor English, but I pretty much ignored them, it’s a debut book and at the end it was well done in my opinion.

Strong Side really satisfied me. I have to say I relaxed and enjoyed it a lot. I can’t wait for the second book in this new series!

The cover art is well done and eyecatching to me.

Sale Link: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 264 pages
Published January 20th 2016 by Amazon Digital Services
Original TitleStrong Side
ASINB01AWVK8QC
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesEastshore Tigers #1

A Lila Review: Out of Nowhere (Middle of Somewhere #2) by Roan Parrish

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 ★★★★★

The only thing in Colin Mulligan’s life that makes sense is taking cars apart and putting them back together. In the auto shop where he works with his father and brothers, he tries to get through the day without having a panic attack or flying into a rage. Drinking helps. So do running and lifting weights until he can hardly stand. But none of it can change the fact that he’s gay, a secret he has kept from everyone.

Rafael Guerrera has found ways to live with the past he’s ashamed of. He’s dedicated his life to social justice work and to helping youth who, like him, had very little growing up. He has no time for love. Hell, he barely has time for himself. Somehow, everything about miserable, self-destructive Colin cries out to him. But down that path lie the troubles Rafe has worked so hard to leave behind. And as their relationship intensifies, Rafe and Colin are forced to dredge up secrets that both men would prefer stay buried.

Colin Mulligan’s story runs concurrently with book one in the series. As we know, he’s an ace when cars are involved, but everything else in his life is a puzzle. When the story starts, we get immediately immersed into Colin’s rage and self-hate. We get to experience, first hand, how he deals with it and the extremes he gets into in order to find some peace. In that first scene, we get exactly who Colin is and what he things about himself.

After spending some time with his best friend, Colin finds himself in a local club looking for a hook-up. He first crossed paths with Rafe at the club, but goes with a different man instead. Even so, Rafe is there when Colin needed him even if he didn’t appreciate the help. The following day, Rafe founds a way to see Colin again and from that moment on, the road to their future starts.

From this point on, the reader gets to experience the ups and downs of Colin’s and Rafe’s relationship, the daily troubles, and how they deal with everything changing around them. They get to interact with a multitude of characters that would shape their path and change how they see their life worth.

This is a complicated story with complex characters, but in the end, we get a resolution that fits their growth. The MCs have a lovely relationship with a strong HFN and a positive outlook for their future. Yes, it’s filled with angst, hurt, pain, and many other dark aspects, but the MCs’ journey compensate for all their suffering.

Out of Nowhere has everything I like about a book. Dark and damaged characters, trials and tribulations, amazing chemistry and sex scenes, and the opportunity to see how hard the MCs work for their happiness. Plus, mentorship and charity programs. What else is to ask for? Older characters! Colin is thirty-six.

Disclaimer thought, I may, or may not have cried a little reading this book.

Well? Okay, going back to the beginning. I’m glad I survived book #1, In the Middle of Somewhere, which I rated 3.5 stars after considering a DNF. In that book, we met Colin through his younger brother’s eyes. And we get a little peek at Rafe. Neither is to say that Colin’s and Daniel’s relationship was not an easy one, but we learned from both books, that Colin was Daniel’s hero when they were younger.

The majority of Colin’s darkness comes from hating his brother, not for being gay, as Daniel see it, but of envy at Daniel’s courage. Colin’s self-hate absorbs all his time and thoughts, and it only gets worse when he acts on his desires. He pushes his physical boundaries with demanding exercise sessions, lack of sleep, and alcohol to numb his feelings.

His hopelessness makes him vulnerable to others, and he hates himself even more because of it. He welcomes pain as a relief from life, no matter where it comes from. Until Rafe, literally, saves him. From their first encounter, we get to see Rafe’s need to help and Colin’s uneasiness. They recognized each other’s potential and want to do better for the other. Slowly, they started a relationship that tested them many times and only the tentative strings of their relationship kept them from falling apart.

I loved how Colin integrated himself into Rafe’s life and social work, even when his constant panic attacks threaten him at every turn. We see the internal and physical changes in Colin as the story progresses and have a chance to understand the man he had become over the years. The events told by Daniel during the first book, make a difference when told by Colin and we get to experience how this affected them and their family.

With love and understanding, Rafe gives Colin the strength he needs to come back to life. He’s forceful when he needs to, but he is the reason Colin take the first steps to recovery. He has his own problems, and we get to see them almost destroy him, but having Colin on his side and depending on him allowed Rafe to let go and be rescued in return.

Between all this pain, hurt, and angst, there’s a group of great supporting characters that would steal your heart if you let them. They are the perfect antidote to all the moodiness in this story. And for those who loved book #1, there’s a lot more Daniel and Rex to fill your greedy hearts.

Great cover by AngstyG. It shows an important moment in the story. Plus, the darkness represents Colin’s inner troubles and Rafe’s past perfectly.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 274 pages
Published: February 29, 2016, by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781634769037
Edition Language: English

Series: Middle of Somewhere
Book #1: In the Middle of Somewhere
Book #2: Out of Nowhere

J. Johanis Brings Sex, Dragons, and Darkness with Slash OP Series: Toy Soldier #2 (Character Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway)

Slash Op (Toy Soldier #2) by J. Johanis
Release Date: February 29, 2016
Publisher: Self-Published

Goodreads

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to welcome a different perspective on J Johanis’ new novel, a video conference with author J. Johanis and character character, dragon insurgent leader, Zeki Shaytan. Welcome to our blog, JJ and Zeki, this is a first for us…

*********

Video Conference Character Interview with dragon insurgent leader, Zeki Shaytan

JJ: Thank you so much for meeting with me Mr. Shaytan. Though I was hoping we could meet face to face, I understand your concerns with security. I want to start off asking you about your rank and responsibilities in the dragon insurgency.

Zeki: I’d be glad to tell you, but first I need to make one thing clear. There’s no insurgency in the dragon territory! When the imperialists Earth Forces colonized our home planet, they slaughtered millions of dragons. Then they brought some of us here to Earth and put us in reservations. Since our population has grown, we’ve moved out in the surrounding areas. It’s called the dragon district because we’re the only ones living there. So, the fact that we govern ourselves and defend against Earth Forces aggression does not make us insurgents.

JJ: Okay, well can you tell me more about the conflict?

Zeki: Earth Forces continues to harass us. They come into our district and conduct assassinations and kidnappings, so when we fight, it’s to defend ourselves. It is our right and duty to kill any Earth Forces soldier that dares enter our territory.

JJ: This is my first time hearing the dragon perspective, so there is something that I find difficult to understand. If every dragon in the district can shift into a full sized dragon, don’t you have an advantage over humans? Why would you even need guns or explosives? Plus, how would it even be possible for Earth Forces to kidnap a dragon?

Zeki: There’s a variety of reasons. First of all, Earth Forces have developed armor penetrating bullets. So in our dragon form, we’re a larger target. As for capturing dragons, the imperialists have a long history of drugging and raping dragon captives, which they do because their sperm keeps our kind from shifting. Additionally, the Earth Union is responsible for developing the Persuasion drug in order to use it against the dragon population. Since Persuasion makes someone crave sex so bad that they can’t go without it, dragon’s injected with the drug become easy targets.

JJ: If that’s true, it’s unfortunate. Well, I wish I had all the answers, but I hope that you all can find a way to live together peacefully.

Zeki: That’s not going to happen. We will exterminate the human race just like they exterminated us. They took our planet, so we are going to take theirs!

JJ: Right, well, thank you so much for the interview.

Purchase it at All Romance | Barnes & Noble

Blurb

The White House has ordered the execution of a highly sensitive covert operation in dragon-occupied territory. Though a Slash Op has a zero percent survival rate, the commanding general is forced to enlist his most prized officer for the task.

Major Gideon is embarking on his first mission in the dragon district. Yet Gideon has hardly recovered from all that Drago made him endure. For the past three months, Gideon has been plagued with dreams of dragons terrorizing him, but his dreams have gradually turned into sexual fantasies. Despite coming to terms with his longing to have Drago in bed, Gideon cannot suppress his desire to beat Drago’s face in. When Gideon is called for a mission in the most dangerous district on Earth, what freaks him out the most is the prospect of seeing Drago again.

Content Advisory: Graphic violence, dragon sex, & non-con.

Excerpt

Gideon squeezed his dick through his jeans and groaned. How the hell was he going to handle seeing Drago the next day? Gideon had been dying just thinking about him.

When he opened his eyes, he spotted a familiar face moving through the crowd. Sergeant Talon, in skintight jeans, a black tank top, and sporting a military haircut was walking straight for him. He was hotter than Gideon had ever seen him before. Gideon rose to his feet as he approached.

“Hey, Major,” Talon said, taking Gideon’s hand and pulling him into a hug. Talon smacked Gideon’s ass and stepped back to check him out. “You’re so fucking hot!”

Gideon’s face warmed. Talon was out of line, but it was what he’d grown to expect from him.

“Uh, okay…” Gideon said, stepping to the side in an attempt to put more distance between them, but Talon put his hand on the wall, preventing his retreat. Gideon furrowed his brow, wondering what kind of game he was playing. During their captivity, Talon had always taken liberties. When Stella said the first man to make Gideon come would get to fuck him, Talon had gone down on him like he’d meant it.

“You know, I heard you were returning to Fort Hood, and I was hoping I’d find you here,” Talon said, pushing Gideon’s back to the wall. Gideon opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say a word, Talon slid a hand down the front of Gideon’s jeans and grasped his erection.

“What the…?” Gideon’s protest was cut short when Talon’s hot lips pressed into his own. Gideon groaned into Talon’s mouth, but inside he was screaming. This was wrong! Talon was his soldier—he couldn’t let him do this. He tried to pull back, but Talon held him in place, jerking him harder and faster while deepening his kiss. Gideon felt his climax coming, and before he could collect his thoughts, his body flushed with heat and he came in Talon’s hand.

Gideon broke their embrace, struggling for breath while his body quaked. What the fuck was he doing? Everything had happened so quickly, yet he had no desire to push Talon away. He needed this. Talon’s rough hands on him, forcing him to his will.

Title: Slash OP
Series: Toy Soldier #2
Author: J. Johanis
Length: 95 pages
Genre: M/M Dark Erotica, M/M Sci-fi

About the Author

J. Johanis writes m/m dark erotica and enjoys creating worlds that are myth-based or futuristic.

Author Links

Giveaway

One winner will receive a $30.00 Amazon gift card and five more winners will receive an ebook copy of Drago Star, book one in the series. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

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Slash OP Blog Tour

29 February – The Novel Approach, Attention is Arbitrary, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

1 March – Jena Wade, TTC Books & More

2 March – Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Scott Coatsworth

3 March – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

4 March – Love Bytes

7 March – Book Lovers 4 Ever

8 March – Divine Magazine, Hearts On Fire Reviews

9 March – Diverse Reader

10 March – MM Book Escape, Emotion in Motion

11 March – The Dark Arts

A Lila Audiobook Review: Eyes Only for Me by Andrew Grey and Tristan James (Narrator)

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Clayton Potter has been in love with his straight friend, Ronnie, for years, but he knew he didn’t have a chance, or that’s what he though. The book starts with Clay taking care of a business party for Ronnie and making it a success. We get to see Ronnie’s way with women and the relationship Clay and Ronnie share with their gym partners.

From the moment Clay gets the call about his father, Ronnie takes charge, helping him get to the hospital. He’s the support Clay needed and always craved, which confuses Clay. Ronnie booked a hotel for them to spend the night and that’s when their friendship starts to change.

The next morning, they deal with the consequences of their time together as best as they could. Clay felt Ronnie’s distance but understood his reactions. With Clay staying behind to take care of his father, they have the opportunity to think about their next move.

For the rest of the story, we get to see how they struggled to save their friendship and to be what the other needs. Their pasts and current situations take a toll on their new relationship, and they had to make the decision to give up on each other or fight through.

Eyes Only for Me wasn’t what I expected. The blurb sounded interesting, and I was ready for a nice friends-to-lovers story, instead, I got to read about two men that happened to be in the right bed at the right moment. I can say that this story didn’t work for me.

In my opinion, the MCs have two personalities each. One when they are having sex and another when they are not. There’s nothing wrong with having or giving control to your partner during sex, but the way Clay treated Ronnie felt uncomfortable. From their very first time, Clay is cornering Ronnie and acting as if Ronnie had been involved with men before.

Yes, some descriptions let the reader know that Ronnie wasn’t getting what he wanted with women, but Clay’s magically transformed him. For me, Ronnie went with the flow just because he could. I didn’t felt a connection between them other than in Clay’s musings. According to him, Ronnie was the type of partner he wanted, but that knowledge didn’t translate into the relationship.

Also, Ronnie’s memories about an event in his childhood felt unnecessary, and it’s a topic I don’t consider should be used to create tension between the characters or to be perhaps a reason Ronnie had never considered a relationship with a man.

The description of the settings and the characters were interesting and relatable. The writing is up to par. One thing the author was able to show very well was the friendship between the men, their gym trips, dinners, and breakfast meetings. We get to see all the personalities and how they interact. What they meant to each other and how far they would, or not, go for each other. And the way the author described how Ronnie’s mind works was credible.

Tristan James is one of my favorite MM narrators, and he definitely saved this book for me. If I had read the ebook, I’d probably had rate it a lot lower than three stars. As always, Tristan delivered an excellent performance. I enjoyed the way he made a distinction between Clay’s words and his narration. The female voices weren’t as perfect as the others, but that’s to be expected.

I loved the cover by L.C. Chase and the intensity of the characters. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see Clay and Ronnie in them.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Tristan James
Length: 6 hours and 19 minutes

Published: January 25, 2016, by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01AYJEIC2
Edition Language: English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Rag and Bone (Rag and Bone #1) by K.J. Charles

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

It’s amazing what people throw away…

Crispin Tredarloe never meant to become a warlock. Freed from his treacherous master, he’s learning how to use his magical powers the right way. But it’s brutally hard work. Not everyone believes he’s a reformed character, and the strain is putting unbearable pressure on his secret relationship with waste-man Ned Hall.

Ned’s sick of magic. Sick of the trouble it brings, sick of its dangerous grip on Crispin and the miserable look it puts in his eyes, and sick of being afraid that a gentleman magician won’t want a street paper-seller forever—or even for much longer.

But something is stirring among London’s forgotten discards. An ancient evil is waking up and seeking its freedom. And when wild magic hits the rag-and-bottle shop where Ned lives, a panicking Crispin falls back onto bad habits. The embattled lovers must find a way to work together—or London could go up in flames.

Set in the world of A Charm of Magpies, this is the story of Crispin Tredarloe and Ned Hall, who according to the author’s note, were featured in her short story “A Queer Trade” within the Charmed and Dangerous: Ten Tales of Gay Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy anthology. Though I didn’t read this short prequel, I was easily able to follow this story as a standalone.

Crispin is a graphomancer, a practitioner of blood writing, a rare talent. Graphomancers use writing and drawing to practice their magic and can draw an injury or death for those they wish to harm. But Crispin doesn’t have good control over his skill, and after having been used by the infamous warlock Mr. Marleigh to assist him in his evil mission, he’s more than happy to take the advice of the justiciars and study with Dr. Sweet, a visiting professor who is well-versed in graphomancy. Crispin needs to learn how to use his talent without relying on the pen Marleigh directed him to create, a pen which uses his own blood to write. And he’s trying to do all this under the watchful eye of the justiciars, many of whom believe he’s a warlock and unable to learn a non-threatening way to use his gift.

Ned is a waste man, collecting paper from all over town to sell for a penny a pound. His quarters—a small corner of his part of a store he shares with a rag-and-bottle shop—are filled to the brim with paper and the accompanying paper dust. But he has a little corner in which his bed is squeezed, and it’s there that he and Crispin find their moments of happiness in the deep of night. And on one of those nights, they discover a burning heap in the middle of the rag-and-bottle shop next door, and the heap turns out to be Mr. Voake, the owner. The other mystery surrounding the burning corpse is the presence of a jug from which the song Scarborough Fair seems to be originating. The only one who can hear it is Ned, a man who is not born to the world of magic. But it appears he has a rare talent for hearing things related to magic that others cannot.

Ned sets off alone to discover if any other rag-and-bottle shops have reported a death and is dismayed to find that there were indeed more. In fact, Ned’s discoveries lead him to the conclusion that evil magic caused the deaths. When Ned disappears, he’s able to connect with Crispin through Crispin’s magic and, together, the two have to fight off a very ancient and very malevolent spirit that has managed to come to life. The story is very exciting, complex, and intriguing from that point on, not only due to the frightening discovery they make, but also due to the consequences the men face when a justiciary investigation, led by Stephen Day, uncovers the magical power unleashed by Crispin as he and Ned fought for their lives.

Though I enjoy this author’s work, it took me awhile to get into this story. I believe it’s due to the fact that I didn’t enjoy this couple, as a couple, as much as others in the Magpies world. Tristan was very unassuming, with low self-esteem and a high quotient for misunderstanding the comments others made about him. Ned was smart, but very defensive about being a person of color in the world of magic, including the dreaded justiciars. Possibly due to the circumstances and time period of the story, neither man was overly demonstrative with the other, and I just didn’t feel the loving bond of a strong connection as I did with Stephen and Crane, or with Jonah and Ben (Jackdaw).

If you are a fan of KJ Charles’s work, by all means pick this up. The history and feel of the era, the complexity of the mystery and magic, and the chance for a quick revisit with Stephen Day and Mrs. Gold, all make this one well worthwhile. Though I personally didn’t connect with the MCs, I still enjoyed the story, and I’m looking forward to more tales from this world.

~~~~~

Cover Art by Angela Waters clearly depicts both MCs in period attire. Though it’s in color, it gives the impression of having been done in daguerreotype, thereby making the photo appear authentic.

Sales Links eBooks: Samhain Publishing | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 146 pages

Published March 1st 2016 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

Original Title:Rag and Bone

ISBN139781619234734

Edition LanguageEnglish

SeriesRag and Bone #1, The World of A Charm of Magpies

A VVivacious Review: Souls for Sale Series (Books 1 & 2) by Asta Idonea

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Thomas Ives has a made a deal with the devil, for which he has given up his chance at heaven, or has he…?

Saul is a demon deal-maker extraordinaire, always ready to go the extra mile to secure a soul. But he doesn’t know the night he is in for when he gets Tom to sign on the dotted line.

In the weirdest twist of fates, a night of passion see these two beings falling in love. But hasn’t Saul already condemned his lover to a lifetime of misery in hell, isn’t Tom’s soul condemned to eternally burn in the fiery pits of hell, well not if Saul has a say in it…

This book comprises of two stories TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY DEMON and HELL TO PAY.

“Twenty-First Century Demon” is a short story telling us how Saul and Tom met while “Hell to Pay” follows these two as they are on the run from the demons of Hell.

These books are written (mostly) in first person, but what is unique about these books is that the reader is a known presence to Saul and Tom, but again mostly to Saul as he actually makes comments on what he believes to be are the reader’s thoughts, indirectly it’s like he is talking to us and we are following him all around, even when they have sex so basically he refers to us (the reader) as a demon-groupie and a voyeur (and he would be right). This was indeed a unique experience and what I liked about this way of writing is that it got me involved in the book really fast.

Now again if you remember I said mostly first person that is because we have three narrators – Tom and Saul who both use first person in a talking to a third person way and then there is Baruchiel who is talked about in the third person. But these are all technicalities that don’t detract from the reading experience, in fact Saul’s “talking’ really had me engrossed in the story from a very early stage.

To some extent it is hard to find the basis to Saul and Tom’s love, if you ask me the best explanation is love at first sight/sex because this is the one aspect of the book which is extremely vague. They fall in the ‘I am ready to take on hell for you’ way in the span of hours, this decision changes their entire lives, forces them on the rum from Hell and frankly I don’t understand how it is possible. This is exactly where Saul’s “talking” comes in handy because even though I am sceptical of their love which has sprung up out of nowhere, the fact remains that it seems like he is telling me a story which makes me give him creative liberty over the events.

Now if you just push the details of how they fell in love aside the premise of the rest of the story is really interesting. Tom, Saul and Baruchiel are all extremely likeable characters and you will get caught up in their drama.

While I loved Tom and Saul’s extraordinary love and all their small moments that they share, what I loved most about this book was the story of how a demon falling in love can rend heaven and hell into chaos. The story is interesting and appealing in the way angels and demons always are. I loved Baruchiel as the little angel trying to do good and taking on big bad demons in the name of love.

More than a love story this book is appreciable because it has an awesome plot given a nice execution with very likeable characters and the premise is such that it has a lot of potential which the book successfully delivers.

Overall if you like a good old angels and demons story with heaven and hell settling disputes because a demon falls in love with a human, this story is just for you.

Cover Art by 8th floor studio. I loved the cover it is vague but at the same time it is a picture trying to get something across, and it is eye-catching.

Sales Links: Wayward Ink Publishing | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 139 pages
Published February 5th 2016 by Wayward Ink Publishing
ISBN139781925222784
Edition LanguageEnglish
CharactersSaul, Thomas Ives, Adramalech, Baruchie

A Paul B Review: Stealing Dragon’s Heart (Lifting the Veil #6) by Susan Laine

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Ten years after the Unveiling, Finn Greyson knows all about mythical creatures. It has also made his life as a master thief a bit more difficult as security has increased with the new times. When his fence offers him a job of breaking into a master collector’s suite and stealing the Earth Shard, Finn is reluctant to take the job. New Shanghai has become a walled city with few if any escape routes. Finn is already a wanted man in the city anyway. Add in the fact that his fence only says that Finn would know the object when he sees it, the job seems almost impossible. Considering the amount of money that could come his way, Finn decides that this could be his last job and agrees to the mission.

Cameron Feilong has possession of the Earth Shard. It is one of five pieces of the Elemental Crystal, along with ones representing wood, water, metal, and fire. Each shard is protected by a guardian. If the five shards are reformed into one crystal, then dangerous things could happen. The last time the elven race got an evolutionary advance while others devolved into more basic creatures. Cameron is one of the five charged to make sure these objects are never together again.

Finn breaks into Cameron’s suite and is amazed at all the priceless objects that are stored on the multi-level apartment. Pushing away ideas of stealing a couple of the priceless art pieces that he sees, Finn searches out for his bounty. Strange things begin to happen to him after he passes a small dragon statue in one of the hallways. When he starts dancing an Irish sword dance and singing nonsensical rhymes, Finn realizes that he has wandered into a dragon’s lair and his horde. When confronted by Cameron in his dragon form, Finn tells Cameron the reason that he is there. Cameron is alarmed and immediately goes to where he stores the Shard. Noting that it is gone, Finn realizes that he has been set up. When the New Shanghai police arrive asking about a murder in Cam’s suite, Cam also realizes that he is being set up to take the fall for Finn’s murder. Together the pair must solve who is willing to kill both of them and prevent the mastermind from retrieving all five shards before it is too late. But in the end will Finn be able to steal something even more precious than the shards of the elemental crystal?

This is the first Lifting the Veil book that I have read from Susan Laine, but I have read several of her other books. As with the other books that I have read by hear, I totally enjoyed it. What I really liked was the different settings that she built within her mythical world. From the barren tundra home of the first lycan to the underwater world of the Undine, her descriptions gives the reader a sense of the worlds that these people live in. Each of the four settings where we find a new guardian is brought to life.

I also liked how Finn, while seemingly the weakest of those searching for the shards, might actually be the strongest. His persistent optimism might annoy Cam somewhat but it is what is needed to accomplish their mission. When he has to make a couple of decisions that test his moral system, you can feel the pain he goes through as he is weighing his options. Because of his actions, he lashes out at the guardians for not being there when he thought he needed them most. At the end, he realizes that he might have been a bit harsh and hopes it is not too late to make things right. I look forward to reading more in this series.

The cover art by Anne Cain is a pretty drawing of what I think is Cameron’s mountain retreat. While it is a gorgeous cover, I wish the cover had more to do with either the elemental shards or the characters themselves.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details

ebook, 240 pages
Expected publication: March 2nd 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781634769723
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series: Lifting the Veil

Its Love and War with American Flyboy by N.D. Clark (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

American Flyboy by N.D. Clark
Release Date: December 5, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: N.D. Clark
Cover Artist: Graphicxdesigns

Today Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to be interviewing Nolan Clark, author of American Flyboy. Hi Nolan, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

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I was born in Biloxi, MS and educated at NC State University. I’m an American author who loves reading and writing gay romance/erotica set in historical backgrounds and spending time with my husband Jim, going for long walks in nature parks, dining out and taking in the occasional movie. I’ve been with my husband, Jim for almost sixteen years, and we were married two years ago, shortly have the US Supreme Court ruling allowing gay people to marry throughout the United States.

American Flyboy is my first book and it is a highly readable, erotic M/M romance set amidst the backdrop of World War II.

Nolan, can you give us ten tips for becoming a better writer?

1-Read as much as you can in the genre in which you write.

2-Check out the books by well-established and successful authors.

3-Write something every day, even if it’s just a few ideas about your next scene, no matter how crazy they might seem; there will always be a few good ones.

4-Set writing goals; my minimal is 250 words five days a week.

5-Use actions verbs.

6-Make sure you have a good understanding of POV. This still trips me up at times.

7-Persistance; don’t listen to people or even your own voice telling you to give up. Steven King’s first book, Carrie, only netted him a few thousand dollars.

8-Invest in a good thesaurus.

9-Have beta readers read your book just before you’re ready to publish.

10-Indie writers should learn to edit their own books; paying an expensive editor will put you in the poor house considering most indie authors never sell more than a few hundred copies of any book and that’s if they’re lucky (Don’t believe me, do some research, you’ll be stunned). I hired an editor for my first book, and I don’t expect to ever recover this cost; I will learn to edit my own books from this point forward. One of the books I recommend on self-editing is Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon.

Fantastic, advice. Thank you so much for a wonderful interview. Now for more about American Flyboy…

Blurb

American Flyboy is a highly readable, erotic M/M romance set amidst the backdrop of World War II.

The story is fast-paced and characterized by the believability of its characters, notably the protagonist, Lt. Kenneth Hellman, and the romance that develops between Kenneth and Colonel Wilhelm Braun. The erotic reader in search of well-nuanced, sexy love/lovemaking scenes will not be disappointed; the author is gifted with an affinity toward creating realistic, absorbing sex scenes.

Pages or Words: 163 pages, 55,260 words
Categories: Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Historical, M/M Romance, Ménage/Poly

Excerpt

Wilhelm whispered in soft breaths, “Raise your hands above your head, Kenneth.” Standing behind him, he pulled the grimy POW uniform top over his head and inhaled deeply. “I find your scent intoxicating.” It was unexpected, Wilhelm’s warm breath gently caressing the nape of his neck; Kenneth’s breath quickened. Loosening the silk blindfold, Wilhelm allowed the soft, smooth fabric to glide over Kenneth’s massive, broad shoulders tapering to a V-shaped torso and down his naked back.

Shuddering at the sleek sensations, Kenneth asked, “Are you trying to seduce me Wilhelm?”

In response, Wilhelm stepped closer and pressed his body into Kenneth’s. Wrapping his arms around his waist, Wilhelm kissed him innocently. “I’ve wanted to do that from the first day we met.”

Kenneth kissed him back softly, lingering. He felt safe and whole.

Coaxing Kenneth’s lips apart, Wilhelm’s tongue entered his mouth, tickling the sensitive palate with light flicks. Their lips crushed together with bruising kisses. Wilhelm broke away, gazing longingly into Kenneth’s eyes. “To answer your question, Kenneth, I am guilty of feeding a wounded POW a wonderful meal, relieving his pain with fine brandy, delighting him with romantic music and drawing him a hot relaxing bath of chamomile salts to soak away the stress of a bad day. Your glass is empty. Why don’t you finish undressing and ease into your bath while I get you another drink.” Wilhelm’s voice trailed off as he left the bathroom. “It’s baffling how you arrived at such an audacious conclusion as seduction.”

“My mistake,” Kenneth called after him, laughing to himself. He kicked off his dilapidated work shoes and pushed his boxers and grungy work pants down his long, muscular legs. Raking his strong fingers through the water, heightened the aroma of chamomile, and he inhaled the relaxing scent before slipping into the warm liquid heaven. His tired muscles released their tension as he submerged his body to the neck. Kenneth held his breath and slipped his head under. As he closed his eyes, his exhaustion seemed to float to the surface, and his thoughts drifted to Wilhelm, charming, handsome, tall and strong. His cock swelled to a full erection as he surfaced and rested his head against the back edge of the tub. Wiping the water from his eyes, he inhaled deeply and faded into sleep.

Buy the book:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1NdNSRY
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1N6Lxuu
All Romance ebooks: http://bit.ly/1NDG0cV
Amazon UK: amzn.to/1kaDJNS
Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/1RydeAo
Amazon India: amzn.to/1SAUfog
Amazon Mexico: bit.ly/22LMZuo
Amazon Brazil: bit.ly/1mDsxv9
Amazon Germany: amzn.to/1ONOKD5
Amazon France: amzn.to/1Z6T4g8
Amazon Spain: amzn.to/1Z6TmDM
Amazon Italy: amzn.to/1JvfXYW
Amazon Netherlands: bit.ly/1TFCFhh
Amazon Japan: amzn.to/1PLdB7A
Amazon Australia: bit.ly/1Pg63qz
Createspace: http://bit.ly/1KjrUMo

Meet the author:

N.D.Clark was born in Biloxi, MS and educated at NC State University. He is an American author who loves reading and writing gay romance/erotica set in historical backgrounds and spending time with his husband Jim, going for long walks in nature parks, dining out and taking in the occasional movie. He has been with his husband, Jim for almost sixteen years and was married two years ago, shortly have the US Supreme Court ruling allowing gay marriage throughout the United States.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1OS68Dl
Facebook Author Page: http://on.fb.me/1OS68Dl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NDClark13
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/blaze_raleigh/
Other: https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard

Tour Dates & Stops:

3-Feb

Happily Ever Chapter, Alpha Book Club, Mikky’s World of Books

10-Feb

Unquietly Me, Book Lovers 4Ever, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

17-Feb

MM Good Book Reviews

24-Feb

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

2-Mar

Love Bytes, BFD Book Blog

9-Mar

3 Chicks After Dark, Inked Rainbow Reads, Prism Book Alliance

16-Mar

Divine Magazine, Bayou Book Junkie

23-Mar

Havan Fellows, My Fiction Nook, Foxylutely Book Reviews

Giveaway

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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A MelanieM Review: Taylor Maid (Dreamspun Desires) by Tara Lain

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

He’ll marry the maid to get $50 million but a secret could queer the deal.

Taylor Fitzgerald needs a last-minute bride.

On the eve of his twenty-fifth birthday, the billionaire’s son discovers that despite being gay, he must marry a woman before midnight or lose a fifty-million-dollar inheritance. So he hightails it to Las Vegas… where he meets the beautiful maid Ally May.

There’s just one rather significant problem: Ally is actually Alessandro Macias, son of a tough Brazilian hotel magnate. But if Ally keeps pretending to be a girl for a little while longer, is there a chance they might discover this marriage is tailor-made?

Tara Lain’s Taylor Maid is another hit in the utterly charming series from Dreamspinner, Dreamspun Desires that seeks to replicate and perhaps even better those series romances from decades ago. You know, with familiar names like Silhouette? That cover duplicates the retro charm of an earlier time effortlessly as does this story by Tara Lain.

Once again, a old familiar plot gets a M/M update and I loved it. Runaway heiress is now an heir, who is being pressured into a business merger marriage by his father. Escaping to the United States, he uses makeup, expertly, transforming into an adorable maid. Next? Ally meets a billionaire’s son in need of a wife in order to hold onto his fortune because of a cause in his grandfather’s will and a duplicitous father. Yes, I can see those heads nodding in recognition, you know this storyline like the back of your hand (why not go with a cliche here).

What turns an old workhorse of a plot into a fresh new adorable pony of a story? The characters, dialog and a romance you want to cheer for, that’s what. The character that I fell in love with immediately was that of Ally aka Alessandro Macias, runaway heir of Brazilian hotel conglomerate magnate. Ally is brave, beautiful, fierce and every bit a magnificent drag queen in the making. I could read an entire series of books about Ally.

So its no wonder that Ally turns the world upside down for desperate rich boy Taylor Fitzgerald, who needs a bride, gets one and then can’t figure out why he’s attracted to his new “wife” when he’s gay to his bones. Its so much fun watching this story play out. There’s some angst but not too much, a little suspense, a little drama, lots of humor and plenty of passion.

Tara Lain moves her story quickly along, it zings where it should, sings where it should and ends happily ever after…just as it should.

You can actually get a subscription to the Dreamspun Desires books, just like you could the old romances. So far, I’ve loved them all. Definitely put this on your TBR list if you are a lover of the old-time romance stories, or sweet tales of love. Tara Lain’s Taylor Maid is a story you won’t want to miss.

Cover art by Paul Richmond is perfection. I love the retro look of these covers, its charming and a throwback to another age.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 218 pages
Expected publication: March 1st 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
Original TitleTaylor Maid
ISBN139781634768146
Edition LanguageEnglish

A BJ Review: Solid Education by Bianca Sommerland

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Gage Tackett comes off as a bad boy—detached and maybe a little dangerous. Definitely not Vet Sciences Professor Derek Paulson’s type. Which he tells himself, repeatedly, every time the other man attends his class. Until the day he looks over to see Gage’s seat is empty.

When Gage arrives at Derek’s veterinary clinic with a frostbitten stray dog, the lines of their teacher/student relationship are blurred. Derek realizes his most difficult student has a few things to teach him. Things he’s more than willing to learn.

This was a new to me author, and one who I noticed writes mostly in the M/F romance genre. However, the cover drew me in on first glance–I’m a sucker for both dogs and blonds. For the most part, I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. But there were several times when I found myself confused, when the guy’s conversation just really lost me.

I am a totally dogaholic, so I thoroughly enjoyed the parts of the story about the dog(s). Derek being a vet, Gage a vet student and former military dog handler still grieving the loss of his service dog, Gunner. Then the rescue of the stray, and the way Matty brought the two men together and even changed the path of their future. All of that was sweet and completely awesome. I loved how Derek used Matty to get Gage into his bed (not for sex, mind you, but for snuggling and cuddling). So sweet.

However, when it came to the guys themselves separate from dogs, well, I admit that it took quite a while for me to connect with either man. I feel that I would have enjoyed this much more if both Derek and Gage were more fleshed out more in ways outside their connection to dogs.

Derek came across as haughty and aloof at first, and while we get to see later that it’s due to his having been hurt before—well, there wasn’t enough backstory of that to make me feel enough for him to truly understand why/how a man of his looks and station in life would so readily pull away from wanting a real relationship and begin to act as he was. I mean, hell, we all get hurt. That’s life.

Gage’s loss of Gunner, his military dog was poignant—the visit he makes to the military dog memorial had me close to tears. But there was little background on Gage himself, really. And while it was mentioned that Gunner had helped Gage with the nightmares (obviously due to PTSD), the details on what incident or incidents started them were missing.

The build up of sexual tension and chemistry developing between the two worked well, but I felt let down when the actual sexy bits arrive. For me, they felt rushed, almost skimmed over, which kept them from being as hot as I’d hoped for.

Overall, this is a sweet story that any dog lover should enjoy. Aptly showing how the love a dog can enhance and change our lives.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 142 pages
Published September 14th 2015
ASINB015EPMZCG
Edition LanguageEnglish

Sale Link: Amazon

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Slash Op (Toy Soldier #2) by J. Johanis Release Date: February 29, 2016 Publisher: Self-Published

Blurb

Excerpt

About the Author

Giveaway

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American Flyboy by N.D. Clark Release Date: December 5, 2015

Goodreads Link Publisher: N.D. Clark Cover Artist: Graphicxdesigns

Giveaway

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Slash Op (Toy Soldier #2) by J. Johanis
Release Date: February 29, 2016
Publisher: Self-Published

American Flyboy by N.D. Clark
Release Date: December 5, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: N.D. Clark
Cover Artist: Graphicxdesigns