Category: Book Reviews

What Does It Take To Turn A Brat Into A Man? Find Out with Patricia Logan’s ‘The Brat (excerpt and giveaway)

The_Brat

The Brat ( Marine Bodyguard #3) by Patricia Logan
 Release Date: February 10, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Patricia Logan
Cover Artist: JP Adkins Design (Jeff Adkins)

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Patricia Logan author of The Brat, a standalone novel in the Marine Bodyguard series. Hi Patricia, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself. If you could bring back one TV show, what would it be and why?

I love so many shows and cried that they ended them. Fringe on Netflix is one that I adored. I am a bit of a geek so it appealed to me. I also like to learn something from a show and so much of that show went right over my head, after watching all 5 seasons twice, I still find myself wondering about quantum physics and wishing I’d stuck with the higher sciences in college. I suppose I could always go back to school but I get a pretty good education from my reading and TV. I also love history, so sometimes these shows with “time-jumps” appeal to my senses so much. Fringe and Torchwood, aside from the amazing acting and super hot male heroes, are those type of shows. They keep me thinking (and lusting, haha) which is never a bad thing.

Thanks, Patricia, now more about The Brat.

********

Blurb

Charles Fordham III has been expelled from Oxford and sent home with his tail between his legs. The self-professed “brat” has always gotten away with things because of his father’s influence and money. Poor Chas is in for the surprise of his life in the form of a tall, well-muscled, former Marine bodyguard… but even more daunting days may lie ahead. Have his years abroad prepared him for the expectations of his father when he’s forced to live up to his legacy?

Tate Heston returns home from Iraq when his beloved career is cut short by an IED. He’s used to turning boys into men and then leading them into battle where sometimes the good guys lose. This makes him even more hesitant about taking on a job guarding a spoiled brat, but he believes he can probably do what he does best… make young Chas a man.

Not everyone wants to see the brat succeed in his father’s place. Things have been running just fine for years and the return of Charles Fordham III and the shake up his arrival causes, has his family’s enemies in a panic. But as the boy assumes his rightful place, Tate understands sometimes a man must take his fight to the enemy… regardless of battlefield… or boardroom.

 

Pages or Words: 96,000 words
Can be read as a standalone
 Categories: Contemporary Crime Fiction, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Thriller

Excerpt

Chas whirled on Tate, stalking up to him, probably having decided that he was the whole problem. Hell, Tate was totally fine with that. Better he hate him than his father. Hate was easy to handle but he was really surprised when he stopped right in front of him and shouted at him.

“You have no right to tell me how I should talk to my father, you… you cretin!” he screamed.

Tate was only slightly surprised as spittle flew out of Chas’s mouth when he spoke and he raised his hand. Is he gonna…?

Tate reached up and stopped Chas’s slap inches from his cheek as he viciously swung his hand toward him. Tate managed to grasp Chas’s wrist, stopping the blow and the action brought the young man flush up against his body. For a few seconds their faces were inches from each other and with all of Chas’s rage, the way his chest heaved with anger, Tate inexplicably felt his cock harden in his jeans. His fury is magnificent. Tate didn’t know whether he should stop the kid or just bend him over his father’s desk and fuck him right then and there and get it over with. He let the thought slide through his mind for a few seconds as he stared into Chas’s magnificent angry amber-colored eyes. It’s probably not the right time… more’s the pity.

Tate hesitated only a second and then tore his gaze away from the man’s, bringing Chas’s arm down and then around the man’s side so that he was forced to turn his back on Tate. Chas cried out as Tate deftly brought his hand up between his shoulder blades, causing him to bend forward to take the pressure off or have his arm snapped in the process. A second later, Chas’s knees gave out and he dropped to his knees on the thick carpet to relieve the pressure on his arm. Tate bent over him, still holding Chas’s fingers up behind his back with one hand. He laid his hand on the back of the young man’s neck, pushing his forehead firmly to the floor with the other hand.

“Ah! You’re hurting me!” Chas gasped out, drooling down toward the carpet beneath him. His body was shuddering but all the fight had gone out of him and he suddenly went boneless as his body relaxed.

Tate leaned down to speak softly at his ear. “No hitting. No slapping. No getting physical of any sort. That clear?” Go ahead. Fight me, you little fucker. I’ll have your jeans around your ankles and my dick up your ass so fast, you won’t know what hit you.

A second later Chas gave an almost imperceptible nod. His chest was heaving and Tate thought he heard a sob come out of the man as he grunted in pain again.

“Okay,” Chas finally ground out through gritted teeth, “Let me up.”

Buy the book:

 

RC

 

Meet the Author:

International bestselling author Patricia Logan, resides in Los Angeles, California. The author of several #1 bestselling erotic romances in English, Italian, French, and Spanish lives in a small house with a large family. When she’s not writing her next thriller romance, she’s watching her grandchildren grow up way too soon, and raising kids who make her proud every day. One of her favorite tasks is coaxing nose kisses from cats who insist on flopping on her keyboard while she types. Married to a wonderful man for 30 years, she counts herself lucky to be surrounded by people who love her and give her stories to tell every day.

Become a fan of Patricia at http://authorpatricialogan.com/ and receive a free book of your choice. Email her at patricialogan.author@yahoo.com. She loves to hear from readers more than anything and will respond to all emails.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

10-Feb Parker Williams, KathyMac Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Velvet Panic

11-Feb Jessie G. Books, 3 Chicks After Dark, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Kirsty Loves Books, BFD Book Blog

12-Feb Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Alpha Book Club, Louise Lyons, Inked Rainbow Reads, A.M. Leibowitz

15-Feb MM Good Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, Molly Lolly, Open Skye Book Reviews, Hearts on Fire

16-Feb Bayou Book Junkie, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Love Bytes, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Divine Magazine

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 3 copies of ‘The Brat’ by Patricia Logan.  Must be 18 years of age or older.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

 

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A Stella Review: Until September by Chris Scully

Rating:  5 out of 5 stars          ★★★★★

UntilSeptember_600x900As a teenager, Archie Noblesse clawed his way out of the poverty, heartache, and abuse of the reservation and left his family behind. Desperate to shake the shadow of his past, he reinvents himself as Archer Noble, an outspoken blogger and controversial author who lives only for himself. But when his beloved sister dies, Archer is saddled with guardianship of his niece and nephew.

Elementary school teacher Ryan Eriksson is devastated when his best friend Marguerite is killed, leaving her two young children orphaned. Helping Archer with his new responsibilities eases his grief, but when Archer offers him custody of the children, Ryan’s left with an impossible choice: get the family he’s always wanted, or respect Margie’s wishes and convince Archer to give parenting—and his heritage—a chance.

To buy time, Ryan promises to stay for the summer, hoping that Archer will change his mind and fall for the kids. But Archer’s reluctant, and the growing attraction between him and Ryan complicates matters. Legal decisions must be made, and soon, before Ryan returns to school. But with hearts involved, more than just the children’s future is on the line.

I read the Inseparable series by Chris Scully two of years ago and when I saw Until September with the great cover and the interesting blurb, with promises of a lot of emotional moments and a couple of kids, I was soon conquered. I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed and I was right. I found it an amazing read, it simply took my heart.

The first chapter was hard to read. Abused by his uncle since he was a child, at sixteen Archie is tricking behind school to earn some money and move from the hell Manitoba Reservation has become. His only light is Margie, his baby sister, thirteen years old, the only person he truly loves. He was the one to protect and feed her when their mother left them alone. Leaving the place is his only chance at survival and staying away from all the drugs and child abusers the Cree population suffers. Now that the uncle is dead Archie needs to be strong, abandon Margie and save himself.

Then the story switched to twenty years later but that only first chapter broke my heart. Just a few pages helped me understand a lot about Archie, his deep connection with his sister and the mask he used to hide his scars from indelible things from her.

Twenty years later Archie is Archer Noble, new name, new place, new money, but the fear of losing everything still clings to him. He is now on tour, promoting his new book, when a call comes that will change his whole life.

Ryan Eriksson is a 25 years old teacher, with little social life, who has found in Marguerite, the mum of one of his student, a sister he never had, they shares secrets and hopes. He supports her after the loss of her husband and she knew about his desire to build a family and the disaster with his ex boyfriend.

When tragedy happens, Archer and Ryan need to be together and try to give a family to Dillon and Emma, Marguerite’s children. But Archer can’t take care of them, he still has a lot of work to do on himself. He can’t be a parent, he’s not ready. But he’s willing to give this family thing a try for a bit. Then he will be on his own and the children with Ryan. Ryan has until September to convince Archer that he belongs with his niece and nephew.

I have to be honest and say Until September is one of the best stories I read this new year. It has all the themes I love to read about, moreover it was delivered to my heart with an easiness and straightforwardness, I hardly had found somewhere else. I fell in love with the children and the MCs. Archer and Ryan both changed so much during the book and the development of their relationship, even if slow, it never bored me, on the contrary, it was right for a book like this.

If you want a book emotional that will put a smile on your face till the end, a tear on your cheek a couple of times, full of sweetness and the cuteness only children can give, you can’t miss Until September. I adored it. Plus, it was beautifully written, I felt every single word. 5 full stars!

The cover art by Lou Harper is perfect. It fits the story, cute and great in the colors. I love it.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | ARe | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 298 pages
Published February 8th 2016 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN 1626493553 (ISBN13: 9781626493551)
Edition Language English

Into the Supernatural Spotlight with ‘The Promise ( Sirius Wolves #4) by Victoria Sue (excerpt and giveaway)

The-Promise-cover

The Promise ( Sirius Wolves #4) by Victoria Sue
 Release Date: January 14, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dark Hollows Press
Cover Artist: 3 Rusted Spoons

Blurb

The time of Anubis is at hand. Working together against him, the goddess Sirius and the god Orion have helped mankind prepare by uniting Blaze, Conner, Darric, and Aden to fight the evil in the world. But in the war to come, the werewolves will need more allies, and this will extend beyond werewolf kind.

Marcus, an ex-Marine who’d lost both his legs in a landmine accident, is now Human Liaison Officer for Blaze’s pack. Having lost his lover too when the man couldn’t bear to live with a cripple, the last thing he expected was that he’d fall in love again, let alone with the werewolf Kellan who seemed to be universally hated by the pack.
The Winter Circle is moving, and a psychopathic pastor has abducted Nate, one of the wolves from Hunter’s pack. For once the wolves cannot rescue him — it has to be a human — and now Marcus must save the wolves from their biggest threat: one of their own.
If Marcus succeeds, he will bring in a new era in mankind’s battle against the power of evil, starting with a simple promise and ultimately mending four broken hearts.


Pages or Words: 53,000 words
Best read as a series.
 Categories: M/M Romance, Ménage/Poly, Paranormal, Shifters (wolves)

Excerpt

Marcus inhaled appreciatively as he eventually made it to the top of the steps. He loved Aden’s pack house. The upstairs floor was Aden’s and his mates’ living quarters. He was incredibly lucky to be here, and one of the only humans who had been trusted to live with werewolves. Not just any werewolves, thought Marcus with a grin at his own joke. Blaze, Conner, and Darric were the Supreme Alpha triad who had been blessed by the goddess Sirius when they were born over seven hundred years ago. Marcus grinned to himself — didn’t that just roll off the tongue! It was one of those things that even when he’d seen it with his own eyes — first with his buddy in the army, and then here — it was still a truly fucking incredible thing. Werewolves. Thinking of every film in the movies, none of them came even close to how amazing it was, and how goddam lucky he was to be here.

It had only been because of his dad’s friend, Bud Mason, that he’d gotten this gig in the first place. Marcus was a newly washed up Marine with two bum legs. Career finished. Then Bud — Senator Mason — had called him. He knew Marcus was aware of werewolves. Marcus and his unit had been out on patrol, eyes on a swivel as always, but it had been quiet for days. Craig was scouting up front where he liked to be and a sniper had taken him out first.

Marcus had thought he was done for, until the most incredible thing Marcus had ever seen happened in front of his eyes. Craig shifted into a wolf as he lay on the ground.
Marcus had kept his cool, and even though the firefight grew up in earnest, and had pulled Craig to safety. Craig had later explained everything — how werewolves were known about by the government, but not in the main by the general public; that he had shifted because when injured it’s a natural thing for wolf shifters to heal themselves. Marcus had been enthralled. Unfortunately, Craig had been sent home by panicked generals who didn’t realize it wasn’t Craig’s training so much as his incredibly strong shifter sense of smell that was locating the landmines and keeping their asses safe.

The next day after Craig had gone, their Humvee rolled straight over one. Three Marines lost their lives and Marcus lost his legs. The left one above the knee and the right below.
A few of the wolves glanced up smiling as Marcus limped into the café area at the front of the pack house. Friendly guys, and girls. Lilly greeted him. “Morning, Alpha.”
Marcus had wanted to die of embarrassment when she’d first called him that. Apart from the obvious fact he was a human, he was pretty sure it was against some wolf protocol or something. In fact, Ricoh was standing with Aden one of the first times last year when Lilly had called him that, and he’d seen the shock on Ricoh’s face.
Aden though had explained Lilly meant it as a mark of respect as Marcus had ended up being one of their biggest supporters, and Blaze certainly didn’t mind. Marcus supposed if it didn’t offend their Supreme Alpha, he didn’t need to get all bent out of shape about it.

Buy the book:  Amazon US | Amazon UK | ARe

 

 

Meet the Author:

Victoria Sue has loved books for as long as she can remember. Books were always what pocket money went on and what usually Father Christmas brought. When she ran out of her kids’ adventure stories, she would go raid her mom’s. By the age of eight she was devouring classics like Little Women, and fell in love with love stories.

She especially loves writing gay romance because as far as she’s concerned the only thing better than one hot guy, is two of them.

Where to find the author:

www.victoriasue.com

@vickysuewrites

Victoriasueauthor (fb)

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

8-Feb

Up All Night, Read All Day, Jessie G. Books, Louise Lyons, Havan Fellows, Love Bytes

9-Feb

The Blogger Girls, A.M. Leibowitz, Inked Rainbow Reads, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Emotion in Motion, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

10-Feb

Happily Ever Chapter, Kirsty Loves Books, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Parker Williams , Open Skye Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog

11-Feb

Bayou Book Junkie, MM Good Book Reviews, Velvet Panic, Mikky’s World of Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Divine Magazine

12-Feb

Full Moon Dreaming, Book Lovers 4Ever, Molly Lolly, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Butterfly-O-Meter,

My Fiction Nook, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews

 

Giveaway

Enter to win a ebook from  Victoria Sue’s backlist.  Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

A MelanieM Review: Dragon Deception (Supernatural Consultant #2) by Mell Eight

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Dragon DeceptionA life full of children and mysteries to solve doesn’t leave much time for relaxation or each other, something Lumie wants to help fix for Dane and Mercury by way of arranging a picnic. But good intentions and life rarely cooperate, and Dane knows it’s only a matter of time before all hell breaks loose.

Hell turns out to be someone using Quicksilver’s name to destroy buildings, but there’s no way to tell whether the enemy is an impostor or a trap—and only way to find out. Hopefully it won’t mean missing the picnic.

Dragon Deception is the 2nd in the Supernatural Consultant series but it flows so smoothly from Dragon Consultant‘s events and timeline that it hard to realize that it takes place five years later.  Mercury and the dragon kits are now at home with Dane, making them quite the family.   Mercury has a new job as an agent with the SupFeds, also known as the Federal Bureau of Supernatural Investigations,and a new abrasive partner whose on everyone’s bad list.  Their first case?  A new investigation of arson with someone using the name of Quicksilver, a name with huge ramifications for Mercury, the kids and Dane.

Meanwhile, brilliant kit Lumie wants his “dads” to go on a special picnic for some alone time, something Lumie thinks they need and never gets with their jobs and kits always under foot.  I loved the interplay between growing dragon children and the way that their needs are being met by Dane and Mercury under one roof.  Mell Eight creates a wonderfully traditional dragon culture and then devises creative methods in which Dane actively works to meet those need in a modern world.  Her own version of setting them up and knocking them down and it working perfectly.  The family interactions and relationships are so strong and remain among my favorite parts of this story.

But there’s still that heinous organization to be tracked down that’s still kidnapping young dragons and they continue to play a huge part here.  I’ll say no more, but these mysterious scientists and the conspiracy around them is a thread that runs from book to book, that with each revelation sees deeper, more serious consequences for Mercury, the dragons kits and in fact all dragon kind if not stopped.  Its this element that makes me wish the books were longer.  There just isn’t enough room to explore all the events that happen so quickly here to the full extent I would like to see happen.

Mell Eight packs her stories full of excitement, imaginative elements, gripping storylines and characters you need  to know more about.  This is especially true of the dragon kits that have come about due to the nefarious government experiments like Lumie and Alloy, just a few to make mention of.  As they grow, so do their strange powers, and there are dragons we have just to meet.

When the book ends, I think some readers unused to Mell Eight’s stories will be perplexed as to the lack of any traditional ending.  Its one of the reasons I think this series would work more as a serial than as a series.  A mission comes to an end but not everything is wrapped up.  Pretty much status quo for this author.  Those of us familiar with her style know to just sit back and wait for the next one to arrive.  If you find this frustrating, you might want to wait until the series is done and then binge read through. But if this doesn’t bother you, than powered by a love of dragons, mystery, and terrific characters, grab up this series and get started right away. So far its only two short books, it’ll be a breeze to catch up before the third arrives.

I can’t wait.

Cover art by Aisha Akeju.  I love the artist but her covers for this series are still something of a disconnect.  They are too bright and happy for some of the very serious themes encountered inside the books, including dragon kit experimentation, kidnapping, and more.  Its cute with the dragon prints and its a part of the plot, still…

Sales Links:  Less Than Three Press | ARe | Amazon will be coming

Book Details:

ebook, 111 pages
Expected publication: February 10th 2016 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620047125
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series Supernatural Consultant :

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Dom on the Side (Blowing It #3) by Kate Aaron

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Handsome man holding a briefcase in a vintage interior
Handsome man holding a briefcase in a vintage interior

“I’d love to Dom you one day. You’d be a natural.”

When a one-night stand makes Ryan Jessop a casual offer to introduce him to BDSM, he’s torn between denial of his submissive fantasies and their irresistible pull. Taking a chance, he discovers in Jim a skilled Dominant, and under his guidance, Ryan’s submission blossoms. Unfortunately, guidance is all Jim can offer. The one thing Ryan wants most—a loving Dom to whom he exclusively belongs—is off the table.

Sameer Farouk is the right guy at the wrong time, and as far as Ryan can tell, not kinky. No matter how clearly Ryan can foresee a future with Sameer, he refuses to settle for less than total compatibility, both in and out of the bedroom. Despite their obvious connection, breaking up is the right thing to do, even if it breaks Ryan’s heart.

Torn between them, Ryan must decide if he’s prepared to gamble everything on one man, or if he’d be better off with a vanilla boyfriend and a Dom on the side.

*Dom on the Side is the third book in the Blowing It universe, but can be read as a standalone.

I have mixed feelings about this story that I’ll mention below, but two important facts readers should know about this story up front—this is a prequel to the other two books in the series and takes place about five years before the start of Blowing It. And the second fact—Sameer, the second MC, isn’t introduced until the latter part of the story (at 75%) so it’s difficult to label this a romance.

The words that started Ryan on the road to BDSM were fairly simple and casually spoken after a one-night stand with a guy named Jim: “I’d love to Dom you one day. You’d be a natural.” He’d always known he was a little kinky, preferring stronger, more dominant men in bed, and he’d visited a club once with his best friend, Owen, but he’d never seriously considered it until those words ate at his subconscious, and he finally gave in and called Jim to talk about it.

Jim introduces him to the world of BDSM and all its various facets, but he makes it very clear from the start that he’s only looking to play with Ryan—he’ll never get serious since he’s already got a life partner. That shocks Ryan and later causes him to add penetrative sex to his list of things he won’t do with Jim, but he gains more understanding of the open relationship Jim and his partner, Gaz, pursue once he meets Gaz at a local BDSM club. That was an experience, not only for Ryan but for readers as well. No spoilers! However, Gaz’s preferences in the scene were totally different from most this reviewer had previously read, but it was the first time it was positively presented, and I felt drawn to learn more about that kink. As a side note—it would be great to see a sequel featuring Gaz and his partner-in-play, Liam.

The author takes us on Ryan’s journey into the world of BDSM play—from his first visit to a club through his weekly sessions with Jim as they explore various forms of play, including use of restraints, paddles, floggers, sounding wands, and more. In fact, most of the story centers around Ryan’s relationship with Jim. Though he wishes desperately to find a man with whom he can experience both worlds, he despairs of ever having that happiness. When he meets Sameer, at first it’s just a one-night stand, and then weeks later he sees him again, and the two begin to seriously date.

But Ryan always shields his heart because he’s desperately afraid he’ll fall in love, and he just knows Sameer will turn away from him if he reveals his kinky side. This leads to an emotional tug-of-war throughout the last fourth of the book.

This story can be read as a standalone since it comes way before the first book in the series. If anything, readers may be prompted to continue Owen’s story with the first two books after they read this. I enjoyed it and the author did an outstanding job in explaining the world of BDSM and many of the aspects of the lifestyle and of the equipment used, however, it fell flat as a romance. Between the fact that Sameer wasn’t introduced until the end of the book, and Ryan’s efforts to remain emotionally uninvolved with him, it really didn’t feel like a romance at all. His relationship with Jim, however, was interesting, emotional, and clearly illustrated many of the aspects of a good Dom-sub relationship. If you are well-versed in BDSM, you may find this story too much of a primer. If you are new to the theme, this book provides a very good foundation, and I would recommend it with the caveat that you won’t be getting a lot of romance. Hot sex? Yes! Romance? No.

~~~~~~~~~

Cover design by Elizabeth Mackey Graphics features a man’s two arms tightly gripping white fabric and linked by a pair of bright blue leather handcuffs, clearly illustrating the MC in this story.

Sales links:  ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 285 pages
Published January 25th 2016 by Croft House (first published January 24th 2016)
Original Title Dom on the Side
Edition Language English
URL http://kateaaron.com
Series Blowing It #3