Category: Book Reviews

A Paul B Review: For a Dragon’s Redemption (Highland Dragons #5) by Charlie Richards

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

For A Dragon's Redemption coverWhen Chieftain Goth offers Ross McCord’s sister as a bride for an alliance with another clan, the shepherd must find a way to keep his family together. Will the sexy man he meets trying to fulfill the Chieftain’s alternative be able to help him out of his situation?

Ross McCord is a shepherd at the edge of Chieftain Goth’s territory. When summoned to the castle, Ross finds out that the Chieftain has promised his sister to a member of a neighboring clan to form an alliance between the two clans. Having promised his dying mother he would keep the family together, and knowing the fuss his sister would create, Ross asks the Chieftain if there was another way to help the clan, The Chieftain tells Ross that if he is able to find a way to get to the village where the wayward son is living, the betrothal would be called off and Ross’s duty to the clan fulfilled.

Ziethmann is a dragon of the warrior class. However, he tires of the constant drill that the warrior class must undertake to prepare for a future battle. As such he has a tendency to goof off or act up. As punishment for his misbehavior, Ziethmann is assigned additional tasks to help the dragon community. Returning home from one such task, Ziethmann spots a human trying to climb the cliffs to the dragon valley. Recognizing the human as an asda, or human who can mate with a dragon, he investigates.

Ross is attracted to the sexy redhead. Having never been with a man before, he finds that curious. After trying to lie about the reason he is trying to enter the dragon territory, Ziethmann convinces Ross to have some fun. After their encounter, Ziethmann once again asks what Ross is doing trying to get into the valley. Ross tells him about his sister and that he was sent to find the Chieftain’s son, who is another asda.

Things begin to get complicated when two young dragons show up to challenge Ziethmann’s right to Ross as an asda. To make matters worse, when Ziethmann goes to the elder council to get approval for his relationship with Ross, his grand-sire states that he is not worthy of an asda. While this is going on, Ross must make his way back to his clan to try to save his sister from an unwanted marriage and process the existence of dragons in this world. The two new lovers must resolve these challenges before they are able to make their happily ever after.

I enjoy Charlie Richard’s Highland Dragons series and this book is no exception. The dialogue is written partly in a brogue style to emphasize the fact that the series is set in medieval Scotland. The characters of Ross and Ziethmann seem to be perfectly tailored for each other. Ross is the consummate family man who will protect them no matter what. Ziethmann, while mischievous when getting bored about doing the same thing repeatedly, is nonetheless a man of honor who will protect his asda and those he loves. The meeting at the elder council provided something new for Ziethmann, which should alleviate the boredom he has experienced in the past.

This is the fifth book in the Highland Dragons series. As with most of Ms Richard’s series books, it can be read as a standalone but in order to get some of the back story it is best if you read the series in order.

The cover art by Angela Waters is gorgeous. In the foreground you see the muscular shepherd carrying his sword looking at the red dragon of Ziethmann in the background.

Sales Links:  eXtasy Press          Amazon     Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 76 pages
Published March 1st 2015 by eXtasy Books Inc
ISBN139781487402488
edition languageEnglish
seriesHighland Dragons #5
Series: Highland Dragons
For a Dragon’s Touch (Highland Dragons #1)
For a Dragon’s Protection (Highland Dragons #2)
For a Dragon’s Treasure (Highland Dragons #3)
For a Dragon’s Forgiveness (Highland Dragons #4)
For a Dragon’s Redemption (Highland Dragons # 5)
 

In the Spotlight: Whispers of Home by April Kelley (author interview and contest)

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Whispers of Home by April Kelley

whispers of home

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words has April Kelley here today to talk about her latest release, Whispers of Home.  Check out our interview below as well as the excerpt and contest to enter.

Our April Kelley Q & A…

Q. Where did the inspiration for this book and series come from?

He’s going to kill me for this, but I’m telling it anyway. So my best friend was dating this cowboy type of guy. The cowboy was a really smooth talker and very handsome. He talked the pants right off my friend, literally. The cowboy dumped my friend and we hated him after that, but he was still hot enough to inspire me to write Travis. Plus, I had to give my friend a happy ending.

The series was inspired by a character in the book, Jackson. I wanted to give him a story too. His story will be one of the last ones I write.

Q.  What is the series to be called and how many books are planned?

The series is called Pickleville, named after the town. I’m planning 9 books in the series, although I may do an extra Halloween story maybe.

Q.  Will they focus on the same couple in each book or a new  couple/book?

Each book is focused on a new couple although Jaron and Travis visit us in each book.

Q.  Why Pickleville as the name for the town?  Is it real?

Some of this goes back the inspiration for the story, so bare with me here. I’m a little weird and probably make sense to very few people with my logic. Naming the town Pickleville is a prime example of this. So first, I had a dream about a girl and boy who were on a date at the movies. They were maybe sixteen years old and were clearly in love with each other. It was really dark by the time the boy walked the girl home. He kissed her good-night and started for home. On his way home a group of older boys in a car stopped him, dragging him in the car. They took him to an out of the way dirty road and beat him to death.

Needless to say it was a very sad, terrifying dream that stuck with me for a while.

So what does all this have to do with how I got the town where Jaron and Travis live?

About this same time my best friend was dating the cowboy type guy I mentioned earlier. And I mention that he was the inspiration for Travis. Jaron’s character came to me and I began to write. A little into the first few chapters I had to come up with a name for this town, except the name for the town had to be unique because initially Jaron hated being there and couldn’t wait to leave.

Then I remembered the dream and thought maybe the boy that died felt a lot like Jaron did about his town. Neither fit it very well. I wanted something completely ridiculous sounding as a punishment for the group of older boys that hurt the geeky kid.
And that was my weird, twisted logic for naming the town Pickleville.

As for whether Pickleville is real or not well, there may be a town called Pickleville somewhere in this world, although I don’t know for sure. The town in this series is a complete a figment of my imagination.

Q.  It sounds as though Whispers of Home is not strictly a romance but has hints of suspense and a murder mystery as well. Had you planned in those elements from the start?

My main goal for this story was just to tell the romance between Travis and Jaron. The mystery and suspense part, are just minor parts of the story and were something that just sort of came as I wrote.

Q.  Do you like to read in the genres you write in?

I’ve been reading the M/M romance genre for many years now, long before I actually started writing in the genre. I think reading in the genre you write in is essential for the growth of any writer including myself.

Q.  Do you work on one book at a time or several?

I’m usually a one at a time kind of girl.

Q.  What’s next for April Kelly?

After wrapping up Pickleville? I’m working on a new series now called Lakehouse Security. The inspiration for this series is my own little part of the world here next to Lake Michigan. This one has more action and mystery in it which is a challenge for me.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Author April Kelley:

Born and raised in Southwest Michigan, April lives with her husband and two kids. She has been an avid reader for several years. Writing her first story at the age of ten, the characters in her head still won’t stop telling their stories. If April isn’t reading or writing she can be found outside playing with a farm full of animals or taking a long walk in the woods.

Where to find the author:
If you wish to contact her please email mailto:authoraprilkelley@gmail.com.
You can also find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/april.ott.12?fref=ts

 

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Publisher: eXtasy Books
Cover Artist: Carmen Waters

Sales Links:   eXtasy Books     Amazon

STRW Author BookSynopsis

All Jaron McAllister wanted to do was get out of the small town where he grew up. After being bullied all his life for being gay, that’s exactly what he does. He loses all contact with everyone in the town of Pickleville, including his emotionally distant mother and the only true friend he ever had.

When his best friend and mother of the child they share, get murdered he knows he must ask for help in the one place he thought he would never go back to. Coming back home isn’t easy and finding himself attracted to the town man-slut spells disaster. Travis Heath isn’t at all what his reputation suggests though.
Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Jaron looked through the window of the diner from across the street. His mother’s hands gripped a mug, probably full of coffee. Jaron thought he was meeting Brian but apparently Brian had other plans. Brian always did think he knew best, the bastard. Jaron was fully aware his oldest friend had set this up, probably getting in touch with Gloria McAllister right after Jaron had called the first time, telling her when Jaron would be here. Brian had never understood that the relationship Jaron and Gloria had wasn’t like the relationship Brian had with his own father.

Looking at his mom through the glass was like watching a movie of her. He had never felt the connection with his mom that he thought he should, even as a small child. Maybe that had been his fault. That he wasn’t quite what she wanted in a son and therefore kept just enough distance to make it seem like miles. Which was why he was confused she had come instead of Brian.
When he was eighteen years old he had thought he left because of a burning desire to fit in somewhere, because he certainly hadn’t fit in very well in Pickleville. He needed that connection to another human being, that knowing he was so important to another human being they just couldn’t live without him. Ironically, it was a five year old boy he felt unconditionally connected too. Now that he knew the unconditional love a parent felt for their child, he wondered at his mother’s parental instincts.

He stood on the sidewalk in front of what used to be a place called the Hobbyist’s Dream but was now an Asian market. He noticed the place was empty when he had arrived but his back was turned now, his complete attention on the woman in the window. He thought the Asian place probably wouldn’t have lasted long back in the day. Who knows now? The diner was the only one in town, or was until they put in a McDonald’s by the highway. Jaron hadn’t realized that things in this town could change until the bus passed by the fast food restaurant. Somehow he expected everything to be the same, as if time would stand still just because he didn’t feel any different now that he was here.

Standing here, he felt that maybe he left to put the physical miles between himself and the only parent he had ever known. He had never fit in with her either.

He felt a tug on his hand and looked down at sweet blue eyes. This small boy was as dependent on the next few minutes and the woman in the window as he was. “I’m thirsty,”

Bobby said, around the thumb in his mouth.

“Me too. Let’s go.” Jaron stepped off the curb and onto the street, gripping onto Bobby’s hand just a little tighter, pausing for a car, and then continuing until he came within inches of his mother, the glass the only barrier now. She looked directly at him, showing more emotion in those few seconds than he had ever seen from her during his entire childhood. He looked away and walked through the door of the restaurant.

Pages or Words: 44,597 words

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Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Whispers of Home’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Rafflecopter link and prizes provided by Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
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Tour Dates & Stops:

17-Mar

Decadent Delights

17-Mar

The Novel Approach

24-Mar

Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

31-Mar

Love Bytes

Hearts on Fire

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

7-Apr

MM Good Book Reviews

Prism Book Alliance

14-Apr

My Fiction Nook

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

Bayou Book Junkie

21-Apr

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

28-Apr

Divine Magazine

BFD Book Blog

5-May

Parker Williams

Bike Book Reviews

A MelanieM Review: Stokes & Ford (Storming Love: Blizzard #6) by Jackie Nacht

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Storming Love- Stokes and Ford coverFord and Stokes are about to weather two storms; the blizzard coming their way and their growing feelings for one another.

Stokes has been rooming with Ford ever since the first day of college. Although his feelings had started out as friendly, over time, they have grown deeper. He’s fallen for Ford, hard, but how the hell is Stokes going to tell Ford? When college winter break approaches, Stokes decides to take Ford up to his parent’s rental to have a fun weekend with Ford and finally let his best friend know what he feels. However, with a blizzard coming in, they will have to weather the storm outside and in their hearts.

Stokes and Ford is the last story in the Storming Love: Blizzard series and its a perfect match for all the others that came before.  In short, its sweet, short, and romantic.  Jackie Nacht’s two main characters are college roommates and best friends who also happen to harbor deep feelings, albeit hidden ones, for each other.  One of them, Stokes, decides to risk their friendship and pulls Ford away for a sking weekend that he hopes will turn into something more.  Well, the “something more’ in this case, is the snowstorm of the century and the two men get isolated in the cabin for days, giving both of them time to move forward.

Jackie Nacht does a terrific job with making the snowstorm and its effects upon Stokes and Form believable.  From the men dealing with the drifts and heavy snow on the roof, to the meals they must prepare/cook and the  ways they manage to while away the time (non sexually) in a small cabin enclosed in snow.  A little more frustrating is the dithering about when clearly both young men adore each other, from the cuddling on the bed to the constant touching.  But perhaps that’s authentic as well in two people who care so much about the other that the physical touches say what verbally they are afraid to speak.

Either way, the story is short, and journey to love and revelation sweet and satisfying.  I enjoyed my time with Stokes and Ford and can recommend this story and the entire series.

Cover Artist: Kris Jacen does a good job in branding the series and that a perfect cover for a  collection called Storming Love: Blizzard.

Sales Links:    MLR Press         All Romance (ARe)       Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 66 pages
Published March 1st 2015 by ManLove Romance Press
ASINB00U6FJ5AA
edition languageEnglish
seriesStorming Love: Blizzard #6

Books in the Storming Love: Blizzard series:

A Paul B Review: Werecat: The Rearing by Andrew J. Peters

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Werecat the Rearing coverWhen Jacks goes to Montreal for Spring Break, he meets the mysterious Benoit. The encounter will change his life forever. But will he lose himself as a result of it?

Jackson “Jacks” Dowd is a college student in upstate New York. For spring break, Jacks and his friends decide to go to Montreal instead of the usual trip south due to lack of money. Seven weeks from graduation, he wants to let loose and have some fun. Having started partying on the bus to Montreal, Jacks becomes inebriated as he and his friends go from club to club. He sets off wandering the streets of the city by himself. He loses his balance and falls into a ditch and passes out. He is found by Benoit, a mysterious man who insists that they are meant to be together and takes steps to ensure that this is the case. Knowing that his friends and family will be looking for him, Jacks convinces Benoit that they should go to New York City.

While in New York, Jacks meets a Persian medical student named Farzan Mohammed who works in his family bodega at night. While he finds the man sexy, his loyalties are to Benoit. When Benoit does something that horrifies Jacks, Jacks decides he can no longer stay with Benoit and goes to Farzan for help. When Benoit tracks down the pair, Jacks must protect one of the men he cares about from the other. Jacks must then live with the consequences of his decision while trying to move on with his life.

I really enjoyed this story. The storytelling jumps from present day New York to Montreal three months previously, filling in the back story of Jacks and Benoit. This is not your typical shifter story. The author gives his explanation of how shifters came about though Benoit’s history. While the idea of a fated mate is somewhat explored, Benoit uses it more of a controlling aspect in his relationship with Jacks. The other part of the story that intrigued me was the idea of losing one’s humanity to your animal nature that is not usually explored in shifter stories. This may come about as the shifters in this story are created and not born as is the case in most stories in this genre.

Jacks is the driving character of the story. While he cares for Benoit, he begins to see the cruelty of the man as he loses more of his humanity. Jacks also sees the potential with Farzan, who despite being in medical school, is looked down upon by his Persian family because of his homosexuality. His choice between the two men, while difficult, becomes obvious. The hope for Jacks is both with the choice he has to make and the care of the stray cat that has become one of Jacks’ primary concerns. I will be looking forward to seeing where this author takes this series in the future.

The cover art by Andres Rodriguez & Freder depicts a scruffy, dark haired man in the foreground with a panther looking on in the background. This gorgeous cover reflects how I think Benoit and his cat might appear.

Sales Links:     All Romance (ARe)      Amazon         Buy It Here
Book details
Ebook, 69 pages
Edition: English
Published: May 2013 by Vagabondage Press

Series: Werecat
Werecat: The Rearing (Werecat #1)
Werecat: The Glaring (Werecat #2)
Werecat: The Fugitive (Werecat #3)

A BJ Review: Wedding Favors by Josh Lanyon

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Wedding Favors coverWyatt and Graham are getting married. Or are they? With the wedding just days away, Wyatt is the one having trouble committing this time around.

Starts out by making me laugh and quickly re-affirming how much I love these two guys. Minutes later, the angst sets in. Lanyon takes me from laughter to sinking heart at lightning speed. I swear I actually felt my smile turn upside down as I read the first few pages of this.

This story takes place largely inside Wyatt’s head as he desperately tries to figure out what’s making him have cold feet over marrying the man he loves. I could relate to Graham’s frustration, hurt and anger extremely well. But what I adored about the story was how Graham didn’t go all angsty and dramatic. He kept his cool and patiently gave Wyatt space and time to figure things out. Rather than overreacting and bailing on Wyatt, which could have made things so much worse, they actually talked! Hallelujah.

Beautifully written as I’ve come to expect from Lanyon, and I welcomed the chance to revisit with a memorable couple. For me, the sequel didn’t have quite the impact of the first book in the series, which was near perfection.

Cover Artist: ?
This cover is simple and unassuming with very little color. Not a grabber. Wouldn’t have caught my attention, especially since author name is small and in a bit of a harder to read typeface.

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe)         Amazon          Buy It Here

Book Details:  34 pages
Published March 8, 2015 by JustJoshin Publishing, Inc

New Authors, New Books, Sequels, and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

person reading stacks of books

 New Authors, New Books and More For The TBR Pile!

How I love it when the reviewers here bring new authors and books to my attention and yours.  Stella brought us the Neon White series by Wulf Francu Godgluck, as well as other authors.  Now BJ is reading and loving the stories of Lia Black (several of which will be reviewed this week) as well as James Lear’s  The Hardest Thing.  PaulB loves the paranormal genre and has a whole slew of new authors he’s reading, book stackincluding Andrew J. Parker’s Werecat series.  Barb loves audio books, contemporary romance, perhaps with a little kink as well as all things foodie while Mika reaches out for new authors with each new book request.  Sammy’s books range far and wide as you will have noticed by her book reviews.  Did you read Sammy’s review of The Song of the Lonesome Cowboy by Lynn Kelling last week? And Aurora, our YA reviewer? Aurora just finished a YA series by James Erich which will be running every Saturday this month and the next!  Do we have the books for you, in every possible genre?  Why, yes we do!

Now for Something New: Also you’ll occasionally notice a One Book – 2  Review posting, a sort of Double Dipping on our part.  We are a diverse group so it’s not unusual for one reviewer to love something about a story that another reviewer doesn’t see or visa versa.   This week, Yes by Brad Boney gets double the attention, double the reviews.  The week after next, BA Tortuga’s Ever The Same is in the 2 review spotlight.  Will Mika and I agree to disagree?  Stay tuned! lol  Still trying out names as to what to call this new feature.  If you have any ideas, please let us know.

In the Familiar, Wonderful and Excited to See Them Back Category!  What else am I excited about?  The Pulp Friction gang’s New Orleans series (did you catch my review of The Devil’s Bedpost?) and the fact that Catherine A Noon and Rachel Wilder have finally written a sequel, Emerald Keep, to their story Emerald Fire, which I loved. That’s been 3 years coming.

Old Favorite Series and New Stories! And finally what else has me over the moon?  A.J. Thomas’ has 2 stories out in his Least Likely Partnership series, which I adore.  That would be Holding Out for a Fairy Tale and The Intersection of Purgatory and Paradise.  If you  are reading, AJ, more I want more!!!!  Chris Owen and Tory Temple has a new book out (a combined Bareback and Firefighters), well…now I’m into April and getting ahead of myself.  And yes, loads more coming including the last in Abigail Roux’ Cut & Run series…stay with us and chime in with the books you are most looking forward to reading!

Now here is our schedule this week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words:

The Interseciton of Purgatory and Paradise coverTaken coverThe Fifth Son coverPerfect Day cover

Sunday, March 29:

  • New Authors, New Books, Sequels, and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, March 30:

  • A Stella Review: He’s Just Knot That Into You by Nico Jaye
  • Paul B Review: Werecat: The Rearing by Andrew J. Peters
  • A MelanieM Review: Stokes & Ford (Storming Love: Blizzard #6) by Jackie Nacht
  • A BJ Review: Wedding Favors by Josh Lanyon

Tuesday, March 31:

  • In the Book Spotlight: Whispers of Home by April Kelley (contest)
  • A Stella Review: The Fifth Son by Blaine D. Arden
  • A Paul B Review: For a Dragon’s Redemption (Highland Dragons #5) by Charlie Richards
  • A Melanie M Review: Death by Dragon by Madeleine Ribbon

Wednesday, April 1:

  • A Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder ‘Emerald Keep’ book blast and contest
  • A MelanieM Review: Emerald Keep by A Catherine and Rachel Wilder Moved closer to release date
  • Double Dipping Reviews:  Mika and Stella Review: Yes by Brad Boney.
  • A BJ Review: Perfect Day by Josh Lanyon

Thursday, April 2:

  • The Island Keepers by Kristopher Quentin tour and contest
  • A Paul B Review: A Rose for Paul’s Protector by Charlie Richards
  • A MelanieM Review: Holding Out for a Fairy Tale (Least Likely Partnership #2) by A.J. Thomas
  • A BJ Review: The Hardest Thing: A Dan Stagg Mystery by James Lear

Friday, April 3:

  • In the Book Spotlight: Room 1024 by Racheline Maltese and Erin McRae (contest)
  • Crash & Burn, Cut and Run # 9 by Abigail Roux – Series Finale Book Tour and contest
  • A Sammy Review: Taken (Taken #1) by J. C. Owens
  • A MelanieM Review: The Intersection of Purgatory and Paradise by AJ Thomas

Saturday, April 4- YA Saturday is Back!:

  • An Aurora YA Review: Fire (Dreams of Fire and Gods #2) by James Erich

 

Death by Dragon coverHe's Just Knot That Into You coveremeraldkeep1400Werecat the Rearing cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Spotlight: Max and The Prince (Bodyguards Inc. #3) by RJ Scott

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Max and The Prince (Bodyguards Inc. #3) by R.J. Scott
Cover artist Meredith Russell
Publisher: Love Lane Books
Buy It Here!

 

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RJ Scott’s sexy bodyguards are back in Max and The Prince, the third book in her Bodyguards, Inc. series.   Along with (an unedited as yet) excerpt, RJ has a contest for you all to enter as well.  Check it all about below….

Max and The Prince – Bodyguards Inc, book 3
Book 1 – Bodyguard To A Sex God
Book 2 – The Ex Factor

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Bodyguard Max Connery is used to being mistaken for being younger than he is.

Being carded every time he buys a beer is usual. Even though he’s just turned twenty eight and has two tours in Afghanistan as a pilot under his belt.

When a threat is made on the life of a prince attending University in the UK, Max is the perfect choice to blend in with students and to keep Prince Lucien safe. Even if it means joining the swim team to be by his side.

But, when death visits the University, abruptly this job is a long way past keeping the prince happy and safe. Instead Max has to keep Lucien alive.

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

“I’m only an hour away,” Max assured him as they joined the traffic heading towards Oxford.

“It’s fine.”

“We should take the time for you to go over everything again. I might not look like I’m listening but I will be.” He indicated and moved to the right lane to overtake a horse trailer then back in to the left lane all while he talked.

“Everything?”

“Every little detail from the time you decided to drink and before that if you think it helps. I want to know all the characters.”

“You sound like it’s a play.”

Max shot him a look, his serious sapphire blue gaze focused on Lucien for a split second before he focused back on the road.

“It’s like a play I guess. The more you know the players then the easier it is to identify the bad guy.”

“When do I get to hear about your play?” Lucien asked. He was teasing, but also intrigued by the journey Max had taken to end up being Lucien’s bodyguard.

“I’m here. For you. That’s all you need to know.” He didn’t look at Lucien as he said it. “Now eyes front and start from the drinking.”

Lucien sighed noisily. He didn’t want to go back there, to the point where his entire life had crumbled with grief. He was desperate to avoid confronting the decisions he had made then. Not coming out to his family in such a dramatic way, that had actually been a good thing. His mom had just turned round and suggested that it was all well and good being like that in private but that is where it should stay. His dad had agreed stiffly. No, the decision to bury his grief in whiskey, or vodka, or whatever else he had to hand was one he regretted and was more than a little embarrassed to share with this put together guy who had managed to take Teddy to his knees.

“Okay, so the drinking. Guess that’s where I need to start.”

“Was it your decision to drink?”

Temper snatched his breath. “What kind of a question is that?” The way it was worded implied he didn’t know his own mind. Then he realized what he was thinking and just how stupid he sounded in his own head.

“A reasonable one,” Max said. “Did someone encourage you to drink? Were you led astray, was there someone who wanted you to commit some kind of indiscretion? Did you have a boyfriend? A wannabe lover? A friend?”

Temper subsided as quick as it rose and Lucien shook his head. “I apologize.”

“And you can stop doing that.”

“What?”

“Apologizing.”

“Sorry. I mean… Okay…” Settling himself back in the car and attempting to relax he closed his eyes briefly. He could do this. He hadn’t had a boyfriend. Edward was his first and actually his last. One heated night of sex and that was it. I may as well be a virgin. “So,” he began carefully. “There was no boyfriend, or wannabe lover as you put it. I hadn’t exactly come out to anyone, hell I’d barely come out to myself. Seb was ill for a long time and I was close to him, I even had a tutor so I didn’t have to go to boarding school. I think my parents liked that there was someone for Seb as it definitely wasn’t going to be them.” He winced as he said it. One didn’t speak badly about one’s parents. One was respectful.

“You’re not close? As a family?”

“No. Yes.” He sighed. “Not really. What about you?” He glanced sideways to see the faint tightening of Max’s jaw.

“We’re not talking about me,” he said.

“Sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.”

“Sorr—jeez…”

Lucien felt the heat rise in his face. This was going to be one hell of a long car journey.

Max and the Prince FB banner

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About RJ

RJ Scott has been writing since age six, when she was made to stay in at lunchtime for an infraction involving cookies. She was told to write a story and two sides of paper about a trapped princess later, a lover of writing was born.

As an avid reader herself, she can be found reading anything from thrillers to sci-fi to horror. However, her first real true love will always be the world of romance where she takes cowboys, bodyguards, firemen and billionaires (to name a few) and writes dramatic and romantic stories of love and passion between these men.

With over seventy titles to her name and counting, she is the author of the award winning book, The Christmas Throwaway. She is also known for the Texas series charting the lives of Riley and Jack, and the Sanctuary series following the work of the Sanctuary Foundation and the people it protects.

Her goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

Email   rj@rjscott.co.uk or contact/follow her at:

Website:  http://www.rjscott.co.uk/
Twitter:    https://twitter.com/Rjscott_author
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/author.rjscott
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                                                       Max and The Prince by R.J. Scott

A MelanieM Review: The Devil’s Bedpost: Four of Clubs (Pulp Friction 2015: Altered States) by Parker Williams

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

The Devil's Bedpost coverDetective Ben Nelson’s not happy with the new world order.  He’s stubbornly refusing to believe in the supernatural beings that the world now knows to be real ever since a vampire burst into flames on a city street and a cop sat up in his coffin at his funeral. Now Ben has a chilling new case that frustrating them all and breaking their hearts. It involves seemingly unconnected people—men, women, children—who disappear from their beds and are later found beaten to death. When evidence leads to an offhand comment about voodoo, Ben refuses to admit that there might be something unreal about it all until his boss orders him to visit a seer named A. Middleton or hand the case over to the Odd Squad—the federal bureau charged with investigating supernatural crimes.

Artie Middleton lives alone in a huge house, able only to be physically close with his dog. Why? Because with one touch, Artie Middleton can see, feel, and relive the stories held by objects, and some of those stories are very bad indeed.  The last missing person’s case he assisted on left him bedridden, recovering from the same wounds as the victim. His power is one that few would envy.

When a disbelieving Ben arrives at his door, needing help to find a missing seven-year-old boy, Artie is torn. He fears what might happen if he agrees but knows the fate of the child if he doesn’t. Even more troubling for Artie is the detective’s effect on him. While Artie can’t allow skin-to-skin contact with a person for fear of what he might see, Ben makes him want to break all the rules he has in place to protect his sanity.

When the two begin working together, they find much more than they expected. And if they can’t stop the perpetrators, the body count will increase.

Parker Williams joins the Pulp Friction team this year and The Devil’s Bedpost (Four of Clubs #1),his tale of supernatural beings, love and mystery, folds itself seamlessly into the others, meshing a new world order that recognizes the existence of supernatural beings and their effect upon the city, its politics, and its people.

Just as it would occur in real life, there appears someone who stubbornly refuses to believe in the changes that have so rapidly occurred.  That’s NOPD Det. Ben Nelson.  He’s an overworked hard driving cop, short on sleep, and even shorter on tolerance and belief in magic and those that wield it.  And he’s in the midst of a case that heartbreaking and lacking in clues.  The one lead they available is the last one Ben wants to follow up on because it contains supernatural elements to it.  I absolutely believed in Ben Nelson from his first appearance.  Parker Williams has built so many believable layers to this man that he’ slides easily to mind and into our hearts.   And the case he’s working on tugs at our emotions, especially as it involves children being kidnapped, and tortured before being killed.

To offset the mundane, everyday and oh so human routine of the police force, the author gives us A. Middleton, also known as Artie to his friends.  A potter who turns out museum worthy art pieces, Artie is also a seer specializing in psychometry.  Artie can touch an object and immediately he is flooded with memories and scenes and emotions of those the object belonged to.  At once it becomes clear that such a talent is more curse than gift.  When those memories and events are horrific, involving physical damage that happened to the person the object belongs/belonged to, that same damaged is felt and physically manifests itself on Artie.  Definitely not the sort of thing someone would want to be able to do.  It has caused Artie to retreat from all physical contact with others.  The only touch he can tolerate is that of his dog.  What a lonely existence and yet, Parker Williams has developed Artie to such a realistic degree that Artie has found a way to have others in his life, no matter how restricted it might be.  You will fall deeply in love with Artie just as I did.

The case that ties these two men together is horrific, grounded as it is in the kidnapping of children and a few adults who vanished from their bedrooms without a trace.  The mystery of their disappearance combined with the fact that when their bodies are eventually found, the manner of their deaths add terror to the mixture.  The police work drudgery feels authentic and the suspense and buildup satisfyingly haunting and addictive.  And that ending…..

Yes, it’s a cliffhanger, something I have come to expect from the Pulp Friction serialized stories.  Be prepared to yell “noooooooo” at the end.  I did.  Along with a “argh”, and “hell no, he didn’t end it there”.  A few comments like that may have flown out of my mouth!  But I loved every word of this story even as Parker Williams twisted my heart and stomach into knots during the telling.

But don’t take my word for it.  Run out (or over to your computer or eReader) and get it right now.  You need to be ready for the next installment. I am.  And while you are at it, pick up the other two Round One stories already out.  This is going to be one wild ride, and I can’t wait for more.

Cover art by Laura Harner.  I love these covers, perfect for branding the group of series and introducing the characters.

Sales Links:   All Romance (ARe)       Amazon         Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 73 pages
Published March 13th 2015
ASINB00UP4SBCA
edition languageEnglish

About Pulp Friction 2015
Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ Parker Williams ~ Laura Harner

The Pulp Friction 2015 Altered States Collection.
Four authors.
Four Series.
Twenty books.
One supernatural finale.

Spend a year with the creatures that go bump in the night…fighting for their rights to exist and protecting the innocents of The Big Easy. A diverse group of friends trying to find their place in a world they never had to “fit” into before.
Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment.
Round One:
Drawing Dead (Jack of Spades: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blind Stud (King of Hearts: 1) by Havan Fellows
The Devil’s Bedpost (Four of Clubs: 1) by Parker Williams
Diamonds and Dust (Ace of Diamonds: 1) by Laura Harner