An Alisa Review: Between the Covers Anthology

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Get lost in a book store and find something hot.

Behind the stacks, tucked into the dark corners, and reading nooks, you’ll find an adventure, and you might just find more. Grab this hot boxset and get into these six tales of passion and possibly love.

Using book stores as a source of inspiration, these six bestselling authors take you on a journey you won’t forget. Your heart will be warmed as you dive in and discover our men from the heart of the book store.

I love anthologies and was so happy to get the chance to read this one. I like that they give the opportunity to read a few different authors in the same book.

In Love – Limited Edition Rory is trying to find his happiness and a chance meeting with Brett helps jump start that journey. I loved these characters and how cute they were together and that Brett was able to give Rory the chance to connect with his parents but also find the love he wanted. Riley and Evan in Bent Corners have a couple chance meetings that give them the chance to explore their attraction. I loved Riley’s determination to help his uncle and Evan’s situation with his grandma but their story seemed a bit unfinished to me especially with Evan’s jealous reaction near the end.

A Rhythm You Feel was the one story I had the trouble with the most unfortunately, it’s mainly a pet peeve of mine when an author does a to be continued story in something like this, It was unfinished but other than getting to know Blade and Nico, they just meet a couple times, there wasn’t any romance. Howie in Coffee, Tea, or Me just longs for love and affection from someone and Jackson needs to find the confidence he needs to provide it. I liked these two, especially Howie, but felt that Jackson just kept reverting back into himself and had some trouble thinking about what he was saying but worked hard to prove himself to Howie.

Love Potion No. 69 was a bit of a departure from the other stories in this collection. Keith and Sadler meet by chance and concocting their “love potion” helps jump start their relationship but I don’t know something about it didn’t sit right with me. Stackswas absolutely the sweetest story of all. Levant is so patient and wants nothing more than for Nic to be happy which he shows in every way.

Cover art by Kris Jacen is okay, it works with the theme of this anthology but all the items don’t seem cohesive.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 242 pages

Published: June 24, 2019

Tia Fielding on Characters, Genderqueer, and the new release Four (Love by Numbers #2 (author guest blog)

Four (Love by Numbers #2) by Tia Fielding

Dreamspinner Press
Published July 23rd 2019
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Blog post:

Hi, I’m Tia, and I’m here to talk about… well, at first I didn’t have a clue about what I was going to write here. Promo posts can be the worst! I’ve also been at this blog before and answered interview questions, so I thought going another route this time.

So what should I write about? I thought about Four, the book I’m here to promote, and came to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe, Kaos would like me to talk about identity. After all, that’s why there’s an author’s note in the front matter of Four.

See, both Kaos and myself identify as genderqueer. What is genderqueer exactly? Well, here’s the definition (of the adjective) you find if you google it:

Denoting or relating to a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders.

Wikipedia goes on longer about it, but I’ll let you google that yourself. In short, “genderqueer” can be a blanket term for people who are nonbinary. There are many, many ways to be nonbinary, so some people like this word over the more concrete definitions.

In my personal life, gender doesn’t really play as much of a role at all, which is something that many cis-people (that is, people who are happy with the gender they were assigned at birth) don’t necessarily understand.

These days, you often hear the “But why do you have to kick up such a fuss over it? Why can’t you just be happy without being so vocal about your gender?” These things are 99% of the time said by cis-people.

I guess it’s hard to understand how it feels to be something else, to be other, when you never have had that feeling. If you’ve always felt comfortable with the gender assigned to you, how would you know how we, the non-binary people, feel?

So, let’s get back to genderqueer. For me personally, it feels good because it states that I’m non-binary, but it also has the word “queer” in it. I won’t even go to the whole discussion about “queer” and how some people still see it as a slur. It isn’t that for me, for me it’s badge I wear proudly.

Personally, I don’t feel feminine, or female, at all. But then I also don’t feel like I’m that masculine (on purpose) or that I want to be a man. If I wanted to, if I felt I was male, then that would make me transgender (if I chose that label for myself.)

Where does Kaos settle inside the same almost umbrella term? Well, he likes it because he isn’t transgender. He’s still a man, he still likes being a man, but he also has a side that’s very feminine. That side goes beyond liking makeup (say, like James Charles the makeup artist who still, to my knowledge, identifies as a man) with how he has what he likes to call “girly days.”

In Kaos’s mind, girl days are different. He starts to feel different during them. He feels maybe softer and more vulnerable in some ways, less ready for confrontation and above all, he likes to look feminine. He likes to wear blouses and/or skirts. He likes a jacket cut for a female shape.

But he doesn’t have gender or body dysphoria. He doesn’t hate his body, he likes it. He doesn’t need the parts that seem to go with the makeup and blouses in most people’s eyes. And that’s something I share with him.

While I don’t feel female (which is my assigned at birth gender), I don’t hate my “girl bits.” I don’t want “boy bits” either. If I could freely mix and match on daily basis, I probably would, if I’m completely honest, but I also know I’m not alone with that thought. Sadly the technology isn’t there yet, hahah!

The thing about labels is that they’re amazing when we get to decide them for ourselves. They help with feeling like we belong. Feeling like we’re on even ground after potentially floundering for a long time. It’s never too late to find a label that might just explain yourself to… yourself, and maybe even some others.

So if you ever encounter someone who doesn’t seem like they fit the label they say they are, remember this: their labels aren’t really for you and there’s no way for you to know how that person feels on the inside. For you, something might be simple, but to someone else, it might be the hardest thing to figure out in the whole wide world, and they might not be able to feel good about themselves before they do.

All in all, in Four, Kaos has gone through a lot, and some of it has been because he’s found his gender identity doesn’t match what he was assigned as a baby. Trusting all of it to the hands of Padraig isn’t going to be easy.

On the other hand, from Padraig’s point of view… well, he’s never liked anyone who isn’t purely male before. He’s never even been into feminine men. So getting a bit older and having to figure out your attractions might not run purely into the direction you’ve always thought they do can be a challenge.

I hope you enjoy Four and Kaos and Padraig’s journey together!

Blurb:

A Love by Numbers Story

When unlikely attraction blossoms between a twentysomething genderqueer tattoo artist and an older, small-town veterinarian, both are forced to face their pasts for a chance at a loving future.

Four years ago Padraig Donovan lost his husband, the only man he’d ever been with. Now his life consists of the work he loves, a big empty house, and the possibility of a lonely future.

Kaos’s experiments with makeup landed him in the hospital at the hands of his disapproving ex. With nowhere else to turn, he flees to Acker, Wisconsin… and runs into a sexy widower and the kindest man he’s ever met.

Padraig and Kaos know there’s something worth exploring between them, and as they raise a puppy and deal with the ups and downs of their respective jobs, they fit into each other’s lives in ways they never expected. Being with Kaos—who is so different than the guys he’s always been attracted to—opens up an exciting new world for Padraig. But can he convince Kaos to trust another man with his body… let alone his heart?

Author Bio:

Tia Fielding is a Finnish LGBTQ+ romance author. She lives in a small middle-of-nowhere town surrounded by nature and silence, just like she prefers. Tia identifies as genderqueer, but isn’t fussy about pronouns, because her native language doesn’t have gender-specific ones. She’s a lover of caffeine, sarcasm, peppermint, cats and dogs, sleeping and witty people.

Social Media:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authortiafielding/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/tiafielding

Check Out the Blog Tour for Rules to Follow (Davey’s Rules #1) by Susan Hawke (excerpt)

Rules to Follow

Davey’s Rules Series, Book 1

Susan Hawke

M/M Romance – Daddy/boy

Release Date: 07.14.19

Rules to Follow ebook

Blurb

Davey’s Rule #86: A good Daddy will never lie to his boy… even by omission.

Travis Miller has a pretty solid life in the small California beach town he calls home. He’s working his way up in the district attorney’s office, he owns a home with an ocean view, and he has close ties with his family. Life is good. If only he could find a sweet boy to call his own, life would be… perfect.

Adam Nichols’ life has never been easy. Growing up in foster care taught him to be strong, so finding himself in a violent relationship was a shock. Now that he’s finally free of it, he faces new problems. He’s jobless, homeless, and terrified of starting from scratch.

With a little help from an old friend, Adam discovers a whole new world. He goes from rock bottom to renting a room from a hot assistant DA and working at Daddy’s Lap, a kink club that opens his vanilla eyes to things he’d never imagined. His new roommate is a balm to Adam’s damaged soul. The tender way Travis cares for him is almost like the Daddy kink community he’s seen at the club. But Travis isn’t a Daddy… right? If he were, surely he’d have said so.

What happens when a lie by omission threatens to bring their budding relationship tumbling down around them? Will Travis ever be able to earn Adam’s trust again?

This is the first book in a new series about not-so-perfect Daddies, adorable “boys,” and one sassy brat with an insane list of rules. Grab your fan and tissues because this series comes with both a high heat advisory and all the squishy feels you’d want from a Susan Hawke book. Possible trigger for references to domestic violence.

mybook.to/RulestoFollow

rule31 (1)

rule86 (1)

Excerpt

After the movie, we finally took our groceries home. Travis insisted on putting everything away himself. “While I do this, how about you order us a pizza? After that scare fest you talked me into watching, I’m in the mood for something lighter. While we eat, maybe we can watch that Adam Sandler movie we never finished.”

“That sounds like an excellent plan. Same order as last time?” I was already on my phone, loading the website to order online.

“Yes, but no onions or extra garlic on this one.” He sounded so certain, I couldn’t help but look up curiously. He was bent into the refrigerator, so I couldn’t see his face. Not that I minded the view I did have, though. In fact, I was so busy checking out his butt that it took me a second for his next comment to register. “Unless you promise to eat the same thing. If we end up kissing again, I refuse to have bad breath unless it’s mutual.”

This was the first time he’d acknowledged the kiss. And he was hinting at another? My mouth went dry as I adjusted my pants that had suddenly gotten a little too tight in certain areas. “I-I, umm…” I gave my head a shake and started again when I couldn’t get the words out the first time. “I vote for onions and garlic on the whole thing. Mutual bad breath for the win. Besides, there’s garlic in the sauce anyway.”

When he stood and looked over at me, I focused on my screen. I could feel my stupid cheeks blushing. I knew he’d noticed it when I heard a quiet chuckle. Deciding this was a good time to excuse myself and get a little bit under control, I headed out of the room.

“I’ll be right back; I’m just going to change. If we’re going to be in relaxation mode, these stiff jeans need to go.” Just the mention of the word stiff had me blushing all over again, because my pants weren’t the only stiff thing on my body.

By the time I cleaned up and changed into pj pants, Travis was waiting in the living room with our pizza and a couple glasses of wine. My eyes widened when I took in the dimly lit room with the movie paused and waiting on the TV. Gulping, I glanced at Travis. “Wow, I didn’t mean to take that long.”

He shook his head and patted the couch beside him as he turned and stretched a leg out like he had last time. “You didn’t take too long, they were just really fast with the delivery this time. Come sit with me. I was thinking maybe we could cuddle. Unless you think that’s too much, too soon?”

“No, that sounds… ah… nice.” My heart pounded as I scurried over and got settled between his legs with my back to his chest. Travis pulled the coffee table closer and opened the pizza box.

“I brought napkins, if you need one. But I figure we can forgo plates tonight and keep it casual. Does that work for you?” His voice was like velvet as it caressed my ear.

I felt my blush return as I awkwardly nodded. “Y-Yes. That sounds good.” I waited while he started the movie then reached into the pizza box. I figured I would grab my slice after he’d taken first pick.

Instead of biting into the piece he’d chosen, he held it to my mouth instead. “Take a bite, sweet boy. You always tease me about wanting to feed you. Tonight I’d like to live up to my reputation.” He chuckled and waited for me to bite into the pizza.

It was weirdly nice to be fed. He patiently waited, lowering the slice while I chewed each mouthful. It wasn’t until I’d finished three slices and groaned that I couldn’t handle another bite that he finally ate his own. I slouched back against his shoulder, watching the movie while he had his turn at dinner. I didn’t even bother with the wine; I was buzzed enough on Travis.

If anybody had walked up right then and asked me about the movie, I doubted I could have told them anything more than who starred in it. I was too aware of Travis and how good it felt to snuggle against his hard body.

Was I falling for him? It sure felt like it. The way I kept blushing, the way my palms got damp, the way my heart raced when he was near… the signs were definitely there. I thought back over everything I’d seen of this man, poking my memories for a sign of anything wrong with him.

Something had to be, because I did not have a good track record where men were concerned. The more I considered it, though, I couldn’t find a single thing that would put up a red flag. If anything, he made me feel protected and special.

As an avid reader and big romance fan myself, I love sharing the stories of the different people who live in my imagination. My stories are filled with humor, a few tears, and the underlying message to not give up hope, even in the darkest of times, because life can change on a dime when you least expect it. This theme comes from a lifetime of lessons learned on my own hard journey through the pains of poverty, the loss of more loved ones than I’d care to count, and the struggles of living through chronic illnesses. Life can be hard, but it can also be good! Through it all I’ve found that love, laughter, and family can make all the difference, and that’s what I try to bring to every tale I tell.

I’m a happily married mom with one snarky teenage boy, and three grown “kids of my heart.” I’m more widely known for my mpreg writings as Susi Hawke; this new name is a departure from that. Whether written by Susan or Susi, the books are filled with that all-important love, laughter, and family I mentioned; the only difference is that this name has no male pregnancy. I look forward to sharing my stories with you, and to bringing more romance and laughter into this world that needs it so very badly

IG: https://www.instagram.com/authorsusanhawke

FB: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSusanHawke

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-hawke

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/SusanHawkeNewsletter

Audio: http://bit.ly/SusanHawkeAudio

Reader Group: www.facebook.com/groups/TheHawkesNest

Website: http://www.susihawke.com

Review Tour and Giveaway for Trusting The Elements by Elle Keaton

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Length: 50,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Cate Ashwood

Cover Photo: Paul Henry Serres

Blurb

There’s nothing like a near death car accident to open your eyes. Otto Proulx decides surviving was a sign; he’s being given a second chance to claim the life he wants to live. For the past few years he’s been hiding in the shadows, vague texts from a troubled ex-partner keep him at home along with his general lack of luck in the romance department. This is his last chance, he’s certain, this time he’ll meet the man for him, the one he’s sure is out there somewhere.

Greg Trainor runs a specialty kite shop and helps his friends out when they ask. That’s the kind of guy he is, if somebody needs something, they call on Greg. He’s a big guy and no genius, but he’s dependable. So…yeah, when he sees a car precariously perched on the side of the road, he stops to help out; it’s what he does.

One night of passion leads to…several more and suddenly both men are searching around to define what they have together. Neither wants to scare the other off and neither wants to ask for more. Will the two men be able to set aside their fears and create a family together, trusting the elements are in their favor?

Thanks for stopping by, I’m Elle Keaton and I hail from the northwest corner of the US where we are known for rain, rain and more rain. I write the Accidental Roots series, set here in the Pacific Northwest featuring hot mm romance and the guarantee of a happy ending for my men. They start out broken, and maybe they end up that way too, but they always find the other half of their hearts.

I started writing way back when but only began publishing about two and a half years ago and now have nine books out. Each features a couple in my little universe, sometimes there is added mystery and suspense.

Thank you for supporting this Indie Author,

Elle

Find me, follow me, friend me:

Website: https://www.ellekeaton.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ElleKeatonWrites
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HighwayToElle/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/elle-keaton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elle.keaton_author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PirateQueenRdz1
Amazon: https://amzn.to/ek-amazon-profile
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/ek-gr-profile

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review here! We recommend this story and can’t wait for the next in the series!

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Summer Reading and the Perfect Romance Novel. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

Summer Reading and the Perfect Romance Novel.

One thing summer reading has always meant is relaxation and escapism. Not for me books that offered the psychologically twisty horror plots or ambiguous endings. Those get pushed to fall or winter. Even some of the hard core action adventure may slide a bit, depending on the plot and characters. Sometimes, I just want to recline and dive into a great fantasy world or romance that carries me away from everything happening in RL, listen to the ocean waves if I happen to be at the beach, and simply savor summer.

It will be gone all too soon as will the summer state of mind.

For me nothing says summer reading better than a romance story. Two people finding each other, the journey, the temporary heartbreak, the realization of forever love, and then happily ever after. The story that makes your heart burst and then puts it back together with puppies and sparkes and tissues and everything warm and glowly The novel with characters that pulls you in and you connect with them, and hold them close, and reread their story….over and over. A story that sometimes turns into your comfort read. That romance story.

The Perfect Romance Story.

Summer is the exact time for the Perfect Romance story (not that any time of the year isn’t as well). I found a Perfect Romance story this summer (thank you, Barb, our Zany Old Lady.). I should say I found it through a review here by Barb. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, although I just finished the audio, narrated by Ramón de Ocampo. This book has me wanting the ebook and even the paperback format.

The only problem? It’s the author’s only story.

For me, it’s everything I want and need in a romance story. I’ll go into that next week.

But for now. Do you all have that perfect romance story? What is it? What makes it a perfect story for you?

While we are waiting for those answers next week.

Here are the answers from our Polls. We are 50/50 about series and standalone stories. We don’t care obviously. About the type of stories? Well, contemporary runs slightly ahead of SyFy/Fantasy/Other trilogy with Paranormal running last.

Some of the comments from our readers:

H.B.:

“I can go either way. I don’t mind series but I do tend to gravitate towards standalone stories more (because it’s just faster to get through them and find the next exciting read). I usually like to wait till a series is near completion or completed to even start it because I know if I start one and the next book takes months or years to write I will have to go back to re-read the series and for me going back to read 8-10 books just to prepare to read the newest addition to the series is time consuming and not something I want to do for any series I just thought was okay but didn’t quite blow my socks off.

I do want some warning that a book will be a series before I start and whether or not they could be read loosely as standalones or not. As for series that intersect with other series. I don’t really mind them. I’m usually good about reading stories out of order sometimes and connecting them into a time line that will work but can see how it can’t work for others.”

and

Jenf27

|”I love both series and standalone stories. But, I do want to know if I a book is part of a series. I get that sometimes a standalone story turns into a series later due to reader requests or the author’s muse. And that’s cool, but if it is already a series or already planned to be a series, I want to know. One of my especial pet peeves is when a series is convoluted and you can’t tell the reading order. Such as a series within a series or interconnected series. In those cases, it is helpful when the author publishes a reading order.”

So to both of you go a $10 Amazon gift card. Please contact Stella at scatteredthoughtsandroguewords@gmail.com with the email address to use for your gift card. And Congratulations.

So now think about what is your perfect Romance novel, what makes it so, and send it in. Let’s make that Summer List of Perfect Love Stories! Go!

Now here is our week ahead! Happy reading and listening!

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, July 28:

Summer Reading and the Perfect Romance Novel.
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

Monday, July 29:

BLOG TOUR Rules to Follow by Susan Hawke
Review Tour – Trusting The Elements – Elle Keaton
Tia Fielding
An Alisa Review: Between the Covers Anthology
A MelanieM Review:Trusting the Elements (Never Too Late #1) by Elle Keaton
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Mercs and Strippers (Ore 5 #3) by Meraki P. Lyhne

Tuesday, July 30:

Review Tour – Alison Temple – Cold Pressed
Release Blitz – Tal Bauer
Tour Here Comes the Son by Dahlia Donovan
PROMO Jess Anastasi
A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Shaman of Kupa Piti (Shaman’s Law #1) by A. Nybo
A MelanieM Review:Here Comes the Son” by Dahlia Donovan
A Stella Release Day Review: A Pocketful of Stardust (Aster) by JP Barnaby & Rowan Speedwell
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: A Beautiful Disaster (Geek Life#3) by Marguerite Labbe

Wednesday, July 31:

Book Blast – The Artist’s Boxer by Este Holland
SERIES REVIEW TOUR – Fairground Attractions by L M Somerton
PROMO A. Nybo
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Ghost Train by AM Summerton
A MelanieM Release Day Review: Rocking Thin Ice by Z. Allora
A MelanieM Audio Review: Burn (Witchbane #1.5) by Morgan Brice, Kale Williams (narrator)
A Lily Audio Review:Burn (Witchbane #1.5) by Morgan Brice, Kale Williams (narrator)

Thursday, August 1:

RELEASE BLITZ Mason’s Run by Mellanie Rourke
J.P. Barnaby/Rowan Speedwell on A Pocketful of Stardust
Blog Tour – – Mad About the Boy
A MelanieM Review:Where the Night Reigns by Emilie Lucadamo
A MelanieM Review: The Hate You Drink by NR Walker

Friday, August 2:

PROMO Wendy Quall’s Rockets and Romance
PROMO Marguerite Labbe on A Beautiful Disaster
An Alisa Release Day Review: Rockets and Romance by Wendy Qualls
A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Intoxicating (Elite Protection Services #1) by Onley James
A MelanieM Audio Review: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston and Ramón de Ocampo (Narrator)

Saturday, August 3:

A MelanieM Review: Breakaway (Scoring Chances #1) by Avon Gale

Release Blitz for Nothing Ventured by Jay Northcote

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design

Blurb

Mud, sweat, and reluctant romance. Can Aiden and Matt sort out their feelings before race day?

When Aiden agrees to run the Mad Mucker—a twelve-mile muddy slog over an obstacle course—he’s expecting it to be a bit of a laugh. The training will be tough, but Aiden could use the motivation to regain some fitness.

Matt is the sexy cousin of one of Aiden’s coworkers and a last-minute addition to the team. When he agrees to train with Aiden, Aiden suddenly finds the prospect of regular workouts a lot more appealing.

Soon attraction flares, and they embark on an intense physical relationship. Matt doesn’t want to fall in love with a man, and Aiden doesn’t want to fall in love at all, but despite their insistence on no strings, they grow closer. As the day of the race approaches, time is running out for them to work out how they feel about each other.

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Website
Twitter
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Facebook author page
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Jay’s books

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New Release Blitz for Ignite (Unbreakable Bonds #7) by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: Ignite

Series: Unbreakable Bonds #7

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake & Elliott Publishing LLC

Release Date: July 26, 2019

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 73,000

Genre: Romance, Thriller/Suspense

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Two of Noah’s Army buddies are dead.

Someone has taken shots at Noah.

And now Noah’s former lover, JB, is a target.

Noah, Rowe, and JB team up to track down a killer trying to take out all of Noah’s old Army team in hopes of covering up a dark secret.

But this trip to Washington, D.C. threatens to unravel the perfect life that Rowe and Noah have built over the past three years. JB’s arrival in their lives have Rowe and Noah wondering if they want the same thing for their happily ever after.

Rowe is sure of one thing—nobody threatens his man. And he sets out to show anyone with a hidden agenda what a bad decision that was.

Excerpt

Noah smiled to himself as he watched Rowe drive them home. His hands slid easily along the leather wheel. Soon those strong hands would be stroking down his body. The way the man kept looking at him during the wedding had him half-hard all evening. He knew it was the wedding—all the romance in the air.

A lingering worry had nipped at him earlier in the day that Ian’s wedding would bring back painful memories of Rowe’s own wedding, but he seemed fine and Noah couldn’t be more thankful.

So, he watched those hands. Being touched by Rowe was like nothing else in this world. The man worshiped his body with an all-in intensity that frankly awed Noah. And he knew that wouldn’t change, no matter how long they were together. He took in his dark-red hair, lit by moonlight, disheveled as usual, and his ripped shoulders and arms. The man filled out a suit well, but he couldn’t wait to peel him out of it.

“Keep staring at me like that, and I’ll be finding a secluded spot to pull over,” Rowe murmured, giving him a steamy look.

“That’d be fine with me. Did I tell you how hot you are today? You should wear suits more often.”

“Soon as we get home, I’ll show you my birthday suit.”

“That’s my favorite suit of all.” Noah grinned.

Rowe pulled to a stop at a red light and turned toward him, his green-eyed gaze hotter than the sun. “You clean up nice yourself. Come here.”

Noah leaned over to kiss him. Brakes squealed sharply. Noah jerked his lips away from Rowe’s before they could touch. A car had pulled up, perpendicular to theirs, in the middle of the intersection. A loud bang quickly followed and the ping of glass breaking. Startled, he looked at the windshield to find a small hole in it.

“Shit, get down!” Rowe grabbed him and shoved him into the seat, covering him with his body just as another shot broke through the windshield.

“Someone is fucking shooting at us!” Rowe stretched over him to reach the glove box where he kept his gun. He yanked it out but stayed down. “Are you hurt?”

Noah couldn’t believe the man covered him, but that was Rowe. “No, I’m fine. You?”

“I’m good.”

Tires squealed again and the roar of the car engine grew softer. A knock on the driver’s window had them both jerking upright. Rowe aimed the gun in that direction, ready to put two in whoever was stupid enough to be standing there. Noah rose, ready to jump out of their truck and attack.

The woman outside screamed and ducked away from the window. “I was just making sure you were all right!” she yelled, and Rowe immediately lowered his gun. “The person shooting drove off, but I got a good look at the car. I’m beside you at the stoplight. The driver just pulled right into the intersection and someone shot out of the front passenger window. Is everyone okay? I called 9-1-1.”

Noah looked out the windshield to find the first hole directly in front of him. He turned and found a matching bullet hole in the seat. It would have pierced his heart. Whoever shot at them had one hell of an aim. Or at least, they would have if Noah hadn’t leaned over to kiss Rowe at that moment. <em>Holy fuck</em>, <em>that was close!</em>

His stomach was in knots as he met his boyfriend’s gaze. “What the hell?”

Rowe rolled down his window, apologizing to the woman for scaring her. “What kind of car was it?”

“A black Volkswagen hatchback.”

“Did you see anyone in the car? Could you tell if either person was a man or woman?”

“The passenger looked like a man. I’m sorry, I didn’t get a good look at the person’s face.”

Sirens sounded in the distance, getting steadily closer. Rowe put his gun back into the glovebox and they both got out of the truck to look at the damage. Two police cars arrived with a roar of engines. The first cop opened his door and stood with his gun at the ready.

“The shooter drove away,” the woman yelled. She was certainly helpful and brave to have gotten out of her car at all. Her red Honda was still parked at the light beside them with several more cars stalled there as well. None of those people had gotten out of their vehicles, but now they did as the police gathered.

Rowe and Noah answered questions but because they’d ducked, they had less to offer by way of explanation than the woman who’d witnessed the whole thing.

“Was more than likely a drive-by,” one of the cops said as he made a few notes in his little notepad. “We’ve had a few of them recently. I’m glad nobody was hurt this time. The others weren’t so lucky.”

But Noah had a feeling it wasn’t some random drive-by.

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Meet the Author

Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott have teamed up to combine their evil genius to create intense gay romantic suspense stories that have car chases, shoot outs, explosions, scorching hot love scenes, and tender, tear-jerking moments. Their first joint books are in the Unbreakable Bonds series.

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A Stella Review:How to Run with the Wolves (Howl at the Moon #5) by Eli Easton

RATING 5 out of 5 stars

Zeus loves his job on the new Mad Creek Search & Rescue team, and his inner Saint Bernard is finally being used to his full potential. When he sees a mysterious and wild-looking quickened—a dog shifter—at an earthquake site in Alaska, Zeus is compelled to investigate. Zeus falls hard for the primal beauty of Timo and of Alaska itself. Both call to his deep canine soul. But the Quimmiq pack’s laws are as harsh as the Alaskan winters, and Timo is out of his reach.

Timo’s pack of dog shifters left their Inuit village generations ago and have lived wild ever since. Not trusting the “one-skinned,” and with their numbers dwindling, the Quimmiq are on the verge of extinction. Timo is shocked to discover a whole group of “two-skinned” working as a rescue team, and he is particularly fascinated by Zeus, a gentle giant. He senses what Zeus feels for him… but it’s forbidden.

Can Mad Creek save this lost quickened clan? Perhaps—if they can learn how to run with the wolves.

I was waiting for a new story in the Howl At The Moon series since forever! As soon as I got How To Run with the Wolf in my hands, I started it and read it quickly. It was a beautiful journey I will surely do it in the future again.

This series is different from the usual shapeshifter stories, cause quickens are something else. Especially with this plot I was very much bewitched with Timo and the Quimmiq, the author outdid herself, this new release is so packed with amazing scenes, characters, feelings, important themes like the climate change. She took me with her in the beautiful world Alaska is. Moreover it’s clear from her words how much she’s a dog lover, it pours from the pages, that’s one more reason why this series and well, everything she writes, is a success. Don’t miss it, all books work great as a standalone too but of course better read them in order. And don’t stop, read them all, cause they are always better and more emotional and addictive.

And then she went and said at the end of the book that she’s writing a spin off of this series set in Alaska about the Quimmiq people and I am over the moon since then.

The cover art by Reese Dante is amazing and fitting like all the others in the series, I can always see the Mcs on them,

SALE LINKS: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 231 pages

Published July 19th 2019 by Pinkerton Road LLC

ASIN B07VD891ZV

Edition Language English

Series Howl At The Moon #5

Howl At The Moon Series

How To Howl At The Moon (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK
How To Walk Like A Man (Book #2) Amazon US | Amazon UK
How To Wish Upon A Star (Book #3) Amazon US | Amazon UK
How To Save A Life (Book #4) – Amazon US | Amazon UK

An Alisa Review Close to Home (Finding Home #3) by Carly Marie

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Jasper Scott is a single workaholic. He split with his girlfriend two years ago and hasn’t felt drawn to anyone else since… except the sexy Navy SEAL he met at his brother’s house two years ago. But that man lives halfway across the country and after so long, Jasper’s convinced his mind has embellished Greg’s sexy gray eyes, rippling muscles, and gorgeous salt and pepper hair.

After his husband died, Greg Joseph devoted his life to raising their two kids and his work as a Navy SEAL. Now, his kids are grown and in college, he’s retired, and he’s facing a house that’s too big and too empty for one person. After dropping his son off at college, Greg accepts an invitation for drinks with a friend and runs into the man he hasn’t been able to get out of his head—Jasper Scott.

Harrison West’s life is falling apart at the seams. After walking in on his partner of ten years in bed with another man, he flees Tennessee and heads home to Oklahoma to figure out what to do next. When he’s dragged out of his house for a night at a bar, the last thing he expects to find is his long-time crush, Jasper Scott, kissing another man. He’s also not prepared for how being around Jasper again awakens feelings Harrison thought he had put behind him a decade ago.

For Jasper, deciding to take a chance on a relationship with Greg was confusing enough, but what happens when Jasper and Greg both realize they have feelings for Harrison? Is Jasper ready to accept both men into his life and his bed? Are Jasper and Greg the two men who could mend Harrison’s broken heart?

I love this series so much! Jasper is so adorable and I know he was scandalized by his brothers in the last book but I can understand not wanting to know that kind of information too. I love how he finally gets the guts to explore his attraction to men and love that he gains so much more. I loved Greg’s patience and acceptance of Jasper and wanting to help him accept himself. I love the friendship they grew and then how they smoothly brought Harrison into their lives too. Harrison and Jasper had been friends, though distant ones for years and Harrison had become the one person that Jasper felt he could lean on. So so good, I can’t get oo much into the story to give it away but it was wonderful.

Now Jasper’s brothers, I loved them in previous books but throughout this one I just felt frustrated with them. All they wanted to do was shock Jasper or ignore his presence and I couldn’t help but feel how hurt Jasper was and how much Greg and Harrison felt for him. I can’t wait for Already Home to see the conclusion of their story.

The cover art by Soxational Cover Art is great following the style of the series but just different enough for the story.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 250 pages

Publication: June 27, 2019

Edition Language: English

Series: Finding Home #3

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Anhaga by Lisa Henry

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Aramin Decourcey—Min to his few friends—might be the best thief in Amberwich, and he might have a secret that helps him survive the cutthroat world of aristocratic families and their powerful magic users, but he does have one weakness: his affection for his adopted nephew, Harry.

When the formidable Sabadine family curses Harry, Min must accept a suicide mission to save his life: retrieve Kazimir Stone, a low-level Sabadine hedgewitch who refuses to come home after completing his apprenticeship… and who is in Anhaga, a seaside village under the control of the terrifying Hidden Lord of the fae. If that wasn’t enough, Kaz is far from the simple hedgewitch he seems.

With the Sabadines on one side and the fae on the other, Min doesn’t have time to deal with a crisis of conscience—or the growing attraction between him and Kaz. He needs to get Kaz back to Amberwich and get Harry’s curse lifted before it kills him. Saving Harry means handing Kaz over to his ruthless family. Saving Kaz means letting Harry die. Min might pride himself on his cleverness, but he can’t see his way out of this one.

The Hidden Lord might see that he never gets the choice.

I have read an amazing amount of great Lisa Henry stories over the years but I don’t remember one quite like this one. There were her dark contemporary tales (When All the World Sleeps), the marvelous action adventure series of Playing the Fool , and even her twisty scify series of Dark Space.

None of them are like Anhaga , Henry’s idea of a fantasy fairy tale. Where of course, as Min will tell you, there’s no hero and certainly no real dragon to be found.

Min?

That would be the not so heroic, real, and oh so complicated Aramin Decourcey. Son of a whore, thief extraordinaire if you believe the tales told and a man of more layers to his personality and soul then he will ever admit to or even recognize himself. Because some of those layers get people hurt, leave them vulnerable and open. Things he left behind if he ever had them at all. Especially with his mother and childhood. With Min as the narrator, one of crust, wryness, pain, and yes, someone who eventually works through his walls and rethinks a thing or two, this becomes a saga of a fantastical journey. Not just of the one Min takes to bring back Kaz. No that is merely the start. It’s a emotional, mental, (often nerve wracking, sometimes fear inducing) and even psychologically twisting tale of changes, growth, and revelations for a number of characters here. It just begins with Min and Kaz.

The characterizations are beautifully constructed, especially Min. He’s a masterpiece of grit, experience, self sufficiency, thief, and rapscallion with his own sense of morality. Let’s not forget intelligence, with a highly formed sense of self preservation as well. The one person he protects better than himself would be Harry, his “nephew”. What else he might be i’ll leave to the story. As you meet each new person, it’s like grabbing their hand, and “boom” they become alive. ,Harry the nephew, Talys the young woman he falls in love with, Aiode the hedgewitch, even Robert Talys’ father (and so much more). These people become living, breathing beings here, with all their histories, snark, braziness, snobbery, fearliness, and pain. How can you not love them?

The storyline itself builds and builds to a whopping crescendo! Each time I thought Henry had us there, nope, we were just cresting over a small hillock, before heading to the next higher mountain with gathering anticipation. That finale was amazing.

As was the ending. It was everything I had hoped for. No heros? Maybe or maybe they just come in different forms these days.

Either way, this is a fantasy tale to inhale and savor. I highly recommend Anhaga by Lisa Henry. It’s just fantastic!

Cover Artist: Tiferet Design. Beautiful cover with a special element from the story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 220 pages
Expected publication: July 23rd 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 139781644054642
Edition Language English

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Four (Love by Numbers #2) by Tia Fielding

Dreamspinner Press Published July 23rd 2019 Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

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Summer Reading and the Perfect Romance Novel.

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Dreamspinner Press
Published July 23rd 2019
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh
Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon