Category: Books

A Lucy Review: Full Bodied (Uncorked #2) by Shea Balik

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

For Nolan Woods, life had been a miserable existence that had left him lonely and depressed. Nothing had ever seemed to go his way. It was his own fault for being such a loser, but it would still be nice if just once he had something end up in his favor. Unfortunately, for that to happen he’d have to put down the food he loved so much. 

West Baxter led a charmed life. In college, he and his friends had decided to open a winery, allowing him to travel and meet new people. It had been a playboy lifestyle but when he met Nolan Woods, he found himself longing to settle down instead. Too bad their new winery needed him out on the road to sell their wines it they ever hoped of being the success they had dreamed about. 

Nolan’s misery had him taking drastic action to change himself. He never thought in a million years anyone would like him as he was. But before he could go under the knife, West had finally had enough of life on the road and seduced Nolan. 

Suddenly Nolan no longer knew what to do. He didn’t believe West would ever be able to love him as he was, but if he told West his plans West just might realize what a loser Nolan was and leave him even sooner. Either way, Nolan had to pray that West would understand that Nolan could no longer be Full Bodied. 

I was so excited to read Nolan’s story after getting to meet him in Mac and David’s story.   He is an imperfect character – not because of his heavy body, but because of his emotional state.  He’s an insecure mess.  With a crush on the Twisted Vines salesman, he struggles at times with his job there as an accountant.  He turns tongue tied and stressed when West is around to the point that people were afraid he was having a stroke when he was around West.

West is described as a playboy but we don’t get to see that.  The book starts with West being ready to settle down from traveling all over in order to be with Nolan.  Nolan, who doesn’t even know West wants him yet.  I would have liked to see West fall in love with Nolan because West is a man who sees the person, the one inside.  “Oh, sweet Nolan.  When it involves you, I notice everything.”  To be seen?  That is priceless for someone like Nolan, who has literally no self esteem and is always waiting for the “when I lose weight” for his life to start.  He wasn’t even aware his friends were his friends (except for Kayden) because he was so sure they just tolerated him. 

My heart was breaking for this shy, gentle man. His issues with food were so real, so relatable.  That negative self talk.  The mentality of having one last binge because tomorrow  we diet.  The feeling of being invisible or trying to make yourself invisible because of your weight.  “Nolan, on the other hand, had been called nerd, geek, chubby, dweeb and fatty.  There had been other names…”  Even gentle teasing by a friend, Tucker, brings up feelings of inadequacy and doubt.  The numbing of your feelings with food and turning to food anytime an emotion threatens to break free.  It was all so well done and you can’t help but feel for Nolan.

West is fit, gorgeous and a kind man.  He loves Nolan, loves him as is but will support anything Nolan needs to do.  While he doesn’t know about Nolan’s upcoming surgery, he knows Nolan is dieting and makes it so easy for him.  Nolan having a shake for lunch? West will bring it to him.  Nolan needs plain chicken and salad?  That’s what West will have.  And West is determined that Nolan understand he is it for West.   He is so considerate and I found thinking of him as a playboy wasn’t even possible for me.

This is insta-love in a way, because they haven’t been together for even a week.  But it really isn’t because they’ve known each other at work for a few years.  West is honest enough to admit he didn’t approach Nolan before now because he wasn’t ready.  Now he is and it’s lovely.   Nolan has some very staunch friends on his side and that helps.  His best friend, Kayden, is an absolute joy.  Everyone needs a Kayden.

I had a squicky moment when West sees someone at work with Nolan and “stakes a claim” right there, which I felt was very unprofessional but it was quick and I got past it.

So what kept this from being 5 stars?  I have relatives and friends who have had gastric bypass surgery and I know that Nolan’s attitude about himself, his body and food would have required meeting with a psychologist and dietician at best, being denied surgery at worst.   They want to make sure your relationship with food is healthy in your head before it is addressed with your body.  That being said, I loved this book and the MCs.  We get a quick glimpse of the next book, which will be Kayden and Valor, in a scene.

This was a great addition to the series and I hope that we get to see West and Nolan in future books.

Cover art shows West and Nolan.  It didn’t fit what I thought about Nolan, looking too thin and not “shy” enough.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 124 pages
Published November 14th 2017 (first published August 2017)
ASINB077GPNVQY
Edition Language English
Series Uncorked #2

Series Review Tour for NASU and ENRAI (Blood Sealed Book 1 and 2) by Jet Lupin (excerpts)

SERIES REVIEW TOUR

BOOK 1

Book Title: Nasu (Blood Sealed Book 1)

Author: Jet Lupin

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre/s: M/M Paranormal Romance

Length: 83 000 words/ 156 pages

Release Date: November 25, 2017

Add on Goodreads

This story can technically be read alone, though there are unsolved things that are further explored in the next book

Blurb

Go to work. Come home. Repeat. Phil’s life is boring and he loves every second of it. No excitement, no boyfriends breaking up with him over cereal in his underwear. When everything’s predictable, nothing bad happens. But nothing good does, either.

One night, when his best friend forces him to step outside of his comfort zone, he meets Shige who’s too enigmatic to really be interested in him. He’s trouble, but Phil can’t help ignoring his own advice.

Decades have gone by while Shige’s kept himself locked away. He’s tired of the world, of humans and vampires. He was happy collecting dust until one day he wasn’t. On a whim, he ventures out and meets Phil, setting them on a path that’ll change them both.

Whatever this is between them, it won’t come easy. Plagued by distrust and danger from within and without, but if they survive, it just might be worth it

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link

Amazon US

Amazon UK 

Excerpt

From Chapter 1

Phil Torres sat in Mercer General’s basement level breakroom for the first time that shift. With a sports drink in one hand and a protein bar in the other, he worked to cram both things into his mouth. He couldn’t remember what he’d eaten last or when. Even so, he had no appetite. Other nurses came and went through the breakroom offering looks of sympathy and pity. He was on the ass end of a 16-hour shift no sane person would envy.

It had been a trial of will. He’d seen some terrible things in the three years he’d been a fully licensed nurse but during this one shift, he’d beheld some of the worst things he’d ever seen, things that would haunt his dreams and hang on during his waking hours. A savage gunshot wound, a leg so badly broken the bone slashed through the skin, a pair of asthma attacks that left the patients blue in the face, gasping, and a stomach bug so virulent, puke covered the floors of two of their closet sized exam rooms. The cleaning staff was going to love this evening’s cleaning detail, but it was just another night at Mercer General.

“What’re you still doing here?” Yolanda came into the breakroom, looking every bit as tired as Phil felt. Her sneakers, damp from the storm she’d weathered out on the floor squelched with every step as she made her way to the lockers. “Didn’t your vacation start an hour ago?”

Phil took a swallow of sports drink to help keep his meager meal down. “Jackie was running late, so I filled in for her, then Shelly needed help tapping a vein… I got trapped.”

Yolanda rolled her eyes as she shut the door to her locker. “More like you let yourself get­ trapped.”

She was right, of course.

During his time here, the older nurse had taken him under her wing, brought him into the fold. They’d become as close as cousins. It helped Phil feel at home out here on the West Coast where he had no family and few friends, but as a side effect, lying to her was now next to impossible.

Yolanda perched on the plastic chair next him. She bumped him with her shoulder. “I’ll never understand why you always drag your feet when it comes time to get out of here. You’ve got an OK place—by yourself—in a decent neighborhood. You know how many people would kill for that set up­? What’s the issue?”

Yolanda couldn’t understand it. She had a home waiting for her. A husband and kids who kept her busy. She might not admit it but they filled her life with joy. All Phil had waiting in at home was a dog bent on systematically destroying anything he could get his mouth on.

“I like keeping busy,” he said. “It’s not a crime.”

“Neither is taking time off once in a while.” Yolanda quickly wiped her sneakers down with a paper towel and threw it into the trash. “Since you got here, you’ve never taken more than three days off at a time. You need this break. You’re gonna burn out if you don’t take it easy.”

There was truth to Yolanda’s words, but to hear her tell it, Phil was a workaholic, little more than a care dispensing robot. He knew how to relax. He just didn’t enjoy it.

Work kept him too busy to worry about the lacking areas of his life. He liked helping people and Mercer’s shortage of staff guaranteed any offers to come in on his days off were never turned down. Without work, as rough as it could be on a good day, he’d be left alone. He didn’t know what to do with alone.

“Why can’t it be a week? Or two! I’d gladly do that much!”

Yolanda clucked her tongue in disgust. “I wish they’d let your ungrateful ass give me the two months since you so obviously don’t want it. I don’t see how you let it rack up.”

“Same,” Phil said. “Same.”

Yolanda stood, ready to go back out onto the floor, but she stopped in the doorway. She rested a small hand on Phil’s shoulder. “Your body remembers how to relax, even if you don’t. But you’ve got to get out of here first.”

Read more here: https://jetlupin.me/nasu-excerpt/

BOOK 2

Book Title: Enrai (Blood Sealed Book 2)

Author: Jet Lupin

Publisher:  Self-Published

Genre/s: M/M Paranormal Romance

Length:  54 000 words/ 111 pages

Release Date: February 8, 2019

Add on Goodreads

Is it a standalone story? No

Blurb

Phil has a problem.

It’s not his job or the fact that his maybe boyfriend, Shige, is a vampire. He’s a sensitive– an ability he’s had since he was small that lets him peek into people’s minds— and it’s gotten out of control. He can’t turn it on and off like he used to. He needs help, and he has to fly to the other side of the world to get it. The catch? Shige’s the only one who can take him there, but things with him haven’t been great. Their relationship is in tatters, and he doesn’t know how to fix it or if it’s even up to him. This is so not what he needs right now.

But Phil’s not the only one with issues. Shige’s got a territory to maintain and a mystery to solve all while worrying about Phil. He takes all this in stride, but when things take a turn for the worst, can he get them both home in one piece?

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Excerpt

From Chapter 1

PHIL

“Earth to Phil!”

Phil blinked at the sudden snap inches from his nose. He shook himself as the world rushed up to meet him. He’d been adrift in a sea of consciousness surrounding them. There were 30 other people in this restaurant, and at any given time, Phil heard the thoughts of the closest 15 or so, everything from the mundane to the raunchy. None of it was his business, but his instinct was to latch onto every granule of information as he noticed it. Giving in was very easy and very satisfying.

Sorry. I’m here.” But he hadn’t been. Thoughts continued to float in and out of his mind, not all of them his own. Today was particularly bad. It kept getting harder to focus on the things he needed to live his life.

Before, he needed to concentrate to hear other people’s minds, like eavesdropping. Now it was like everyone spontaneously broke into fits of reciting their inner monologues. There was no way to tell when it would start, but nine times out of ten, it was when he needed all his mental faculties.

He’d taken more breaks at work than what his job owed him, just to get away from the noise. People had started to notice. He’d been lucky enough not to hurt anyone yet, but it was only a matter of time.

“You sure?” Jerome said with no small amount of skepticism threading through his words. “You’re a little spacey.”

“I got distracted by a work thing, but I heard every word.”

Jerome cut his eyes at him. “What’s the last thing I said?” He smirked.

“You asked how things are with Shige.”

Jerome sucked his teeth. “Lucky guess.”

The question from his brain reached Phil before Jerome put it into words. It got mixed in the deluge of their fellow diners’ minds, but he remembered because it concerned him directly and hadn’t been about the food. He focused on Jerome, and the feedback lowered to a dull hum, blending with the audible background noise of the restaurant.

“So you got an answer for me? Hurry up, while it’s just us.”

“We’re good. Why would I go on this trip with him if we weren’t getting along?”

The short answer was what Phil told him; things between him and Shige were fine. The truth, as always, was more complex. He didn’t know what they were or where they stood.

Read more here https://jetlupin.me/enrai-excerpt/

About the Author

Stories longing to have words put to them were in Jet’s heart from an early age. Jet enjoys exploring the connections and similarities between people whether they be shifters, vampires, or aliens, rendering the unknowable very knowable indeed.

Jet’s days are spent toiling away at a keyboard, slumped over a pen and paper hunting for those words, or playing around on twitter with a partner, and two rambunctious cats for company in the temperamental North Eastern US.

Author Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter

SERIES REVIEW TOUR SCHEDULE

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: Hexhunter (Hexworld #4) by Jordan L. Hawk

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Detective Bill Quigley first met Isaac, the mastiff familiar, the night Isaac was rescued from the witch who kidnapped and tormented him to force his magic for illegal uses.  He’s head over heels for the quiet young man who works for MWP (Metropolitan Witch Police) but Isaac doesn’t seem to return his regard. In fact, Isaac seems quiet and withdrawn most of the time; definitely not someone who’d appreciate Bill’s advances. So when Sionn, the owl familiar who works with Isaac, asks Bill out, he accepts and it seems to be with Isaac’s blessing.

But Isaac does indeed like Bill—he just feels inadequate and worries that his magic is tarnished after what happened. Plus, the witch Isaac’s familiar is attracted to doesn’t want him, and Isaac knows Bill only has a little magic and likely wouldn’t be interested in someone with damaged magic like his.

There’s plenty of time for a slow-burn attraction in this story, and that’s what happens. Just when it seems Bill might settle for Sionn in an effort to forget Isaac, an attempt is made on their lives and Isaac and Bill are thrown together in painful circumstances.  They can’t deny their attraction after that and that day begins a slow return of Isaac’s confidence and starts their journey to a lasting relationship.  Along the way there’s plenty of adventure and a dastardly scheme involving kidnapping children and experimenting with hexes to tailor the form the adult familiar takes so that the wealthy witches can have what they want.  Add to that, a surprise in the form of Bill’s half brother and the story has so much to offer that readers, like me, will get lost in the pleasure of this author’s highly creative and imaginative mysteries.

I am looking forward to much more in this wonderful hex world and most definitely I’m hoping Sionn gets his own book.  That little owl has a lot to offer!  I highly recommend this story and this series to readers of paranormal and mystery MM romance.

The cover by Jordan L. Hawk is done in a style similar to others in the series: above the title a profile of a man matching the description of MC Bill Quigley and below the title is the shadow of a mastiff, which represents MC familiar, Isaac, and it’s set against the background of an old street map of New York City.  Very creative and attractive.

Sales Links:  Buy from Amazon

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Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 244 pages
Expected publication: February 8th 2019
ASIN B07MM5SL79
Edition Language English
Series Hexworld #4

An Ali Review : The Other Book by Roe Horvat

Rating:4 out of 5 stars

It was supposed to be just sex… Famous last words.

Tyler doesn’t overthink pleasure and avoids complications. He knows it might be stupid to get involved with his closeted boss, but the temptation is too great. At first, the cold and beautiful Joel Sandstrom seems to loathe Tyler’s guts.

Except one late night at the office, his reasons become clear…and his control breaks.

Every time they touch, Joel’s stony face comes alive, harsh lines smooth out, and for a minute, he looks serene. Happy, even. Just sex – dirty, intense, spectacular sex.

During their covert encounters, Tyler discovers the power he has over the lonesome man, and it’s a heady feeling. What if he could set Joel free and give him peace of mind? When Tyler realizes how much Joel needs him, he doesn’t regret breaking his own rules.

Holy cold showers Batman, this book was scorching hot!!
This was a seriously hot, erotic story about two guys who work together and can’t stand each other.  They also can’t stop having kinky sex with each other.  As the story goes on they admit their feelings and they decide to try a relationship that includes more than sex.
There is a story about Joel’s controlling and abusive father as well as Tyler helping Joel experience parts of his sexuality he has not been open to in the past because he’s closeted (daddy issues).  The plot was pretty good and held its own with the sex scenes.  There were a lot of sex scenes though.  Way more than half the book.  Which is not a complaint, just the reason I would categorize this as erotica. Really well written erotica.
I haven’t read this author yet so I had no idea what the writing would be like.  I picked up from other reviewers that this is outside the other’s norm but I am intrigued enough to try some of his other stuff.
Cover:  The cover is just average in my opinion.  It is not bad but it does not stand out from many other books.
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Book Details:
ebook
Published January 30th 2019 by Beaten Track Publishing
Original TitleThe Other Book
ISBN139781786453044
Edition LanguageEnglish
URLhttps://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/theotherbook

Characters and J.M. Dabney! Check out the Blog Tour for Gage (Trenton Security #3) by JM Dabney (excerpt and Guest blog)

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GAGE

TRENTON SECURITY BOOK 3

J.M. DABNEY

M/M ROMANCE/SUSPENSE

RELEASE DATE: 01.29.19

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host once again JM Dabney here to talk about the latest release in the Trenton Security series, Gage.  Welcome, JM!

Characters and J.M. Dabney

You have a penchant towards bad boys and damaged men in creating your characters, but also there’s a spectrum of souls that run a gamut of personalities and individuals.  From those who regard themselves as “normal looking’, trans, older, younger,  hulking, or slight, is there any character personality or type you wouldn’t consider for one of your novels? Or romances?

I don’t know if there’s a type that I wouldn’t include in my stories. Yes, I do lean more towards so-called damaged characters, but we’re all damaged in a way. Some trauma no matter how small leaves a mark. When I start a project, I don’t really have a picture of the characters, I build them from page one. From their backstories I let character development naturally progress. Out of the almost 30 stories I’ve created over the last five or six years, I’ve never said I won’t write a character who is this or that. With all that said, I won’t write someone who’s bigoted in any way. As someone who is body positive and believes in diversity in all genres, to romanticize the bigot is a detriment to the genre. Yes, it makes for a good story, the villain becoming the hero, but there is a point when someone is beyond redemption and I won’t write a victim of bigotry falling for their abuser/bully as if they had simply needed to see the error of their ways. I’m too realistic to believe that love conquers all.

Most of your stories show two types of families: those you are born into and those that are formed from those you gather around you.  Was that an intentional choice?

This is a great question. For me, personal experience I have no close ties to my biological family. Familial love is supposed to be unconditional and we all know that has proven to be impossible. To see the statistic of LGBTQI+ youth being disowned. Love always comes with some condition. It’s the sad reality of life. I’ve found that bonds formed with friends, through shared personal struggles or just acceptance. Blood doesn’t make a family. Sharing a name doesn’t make a family. Love and acceptance can bring people together in a bond stronger and more intense than simply sharing DNA. Chosen family is just that, you choose these people, strangers that shouldn’t have any bond at all. Yet they show up to embrace and support for no other reason than a mutual love and respect. And with my stories I want to show that you can create this beautiful extended family – a safe space of kindred spirits.

For many of these characters, normal for them is something entirely different and hard won.  In fact “normalcy’  is a questionable term in every aspect of their lives.  Again, is that something you wanted to factor in?

Normalcy is such a weird concept. I think every one of my characters is normal for them. A lot of my characters deal with mental health issues. What’s normal for one is completely off for another. When writing my characters I try to keep the reaction as natural as possible. And with mental illness, they process things differently. I don’t factor in if it is so-called normal or not, it’s just something the character deals with. Yes, by the end of a book, I give them their HEA, but non-traditional relationships are as healthy as what society deems appropriate. I don’t know if I consciously started using the struggle for normalcy as a part of the story or character development. Each processes their quest for a HEA in different ways. I like the fact that I make my characters evaluate the expectations place upon them, either they adapt or they don’t. I find acceptance overrides the expectation of normalcy.

Trenton Security is the fourth in a group of connected series that i just love.  Is this the end, or will it keep going?

Twirled World Ink was supposed to be the end, fast forward to Trenton, and I’m still finding voices popping up. Pure will be coming out in a few months and that’ll be the end of the Trenton Security series. Powers County Series will start next. It’s about a group of transplant. Grace and Alex, both found in Little’s book get their story first. Unlike with the other connected series, Powers will have five books. At this point Powers County will be The End of the Powers Universe, but I have been toying with the idea of the Next Generation affectionately known as the Hellions. So, we’ll see how everything works out, but there’s definitely one more series after Trenton.

Thank you for allowing me to ramble on a bit.

 

 

 

BLURB

The forbidden is the sweetest lure.

Trenton Security’s Public Relations go-to was Hayden Gage. He loved his job, and it kept him distracted from the demons haunting his nightmares. His past wasn’t up for discussion, and Hayden wouldn’t allow it to intrude on his future. Yet, that was easier said than done when his best friend came to him desperate for help, and it put him right on the path to his one weakness.

Young didn’t equal lost.

Derrick Thorpe lived in the shadow of his father’s mistakes. Although he was adopted by Linus Trenton, he wanted to prove that he wasn’t like his biological father. When he was asked to go undercover to help at Trenton Security, it put him in close quarters with Gage. Being Gage’s was only an act, but when lines blur, what happens when the operation ends?

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EXCERPT

T

Dishes rattled, and the low murmuring of conversations filled the interior as the lunch rush started to slow down at Heidi’s Diner. Typically, Gage ate alone before returning to the office, but today, he hadn’t turned out to be so lucky.

 

“How about I buy you dinner, Gage,” the confident young man across the table from him asked.

 

He stared at the boy as if he’d lost his mind. He slowly closed his laptop and calmly leaned back in the booth. The first time he’d seen Derrick Thorpe the kid was skin and bones, skittish from years of abuse by Derrick’s homophobic and racist father, the former Sheriff of Powers County, Georgia. The last time he’d allowed himself to be in the same space with Derrick, he had graduated from college. His boss, Linus, adopted Derrick and his toddler brother after the death of their father and, well, the mother hadn’t fought Linus when the man demanded she sign over custody.

 

Today Derrick was a man in his mid-twenties, and even with the pale blond stubble, he was still as pretty as the last time he’d seen him which had occurred Christmas a year ago. He’d made his excuses and went to stay with friends for the holiday. Fighting any of the Crews to get out of a family function always turned into a lost cause, and he’d found it easier to escape.

 

Gage forced a chuckle and a good-natured smile at the eager boy in front of him, but he felt neither of those actions. Because his greatest hell sat across from him and there was no way he’d ever allow the boy close to him.

 

“Not going to happen, kid.”

 

“Why not?” Derrick looked offended.

 

He wasn’t fucking around with some boy with Daddy issues. No matter how much he wanted to find out what his handprint looked like on the boy’s ass. Derrick wasn’t for him. Age difference aside, with Derrick’s history, he wouldn’t let the young man find out how interested he was.

 

“Go find someone your own age, Derrick.”

 

“What’s this got to do with age? I’m an adult, and I think I’m old enough to know what I want.”

 

He felt the muscles in his jaw clench. He didn’t like telling people no twice. When he made a decision, it was final. This little boy was asking for a spanking. A vision of Derrick over his knee came to mind, and he banished it as quickly as it appeared. This was getting out of hand. That’s why he’d avoided anything that had to do with seeing Derrick.

 

“And I said it wasn’t happening. I don’t like to repeat myself, Derrick.”

 

Derrick’s chin lowered to rest on his chest. There was a deep breath, and then Derrick looked up, his dark brown eyes shimmered with indignation.

 

“Yes, sir,” Derrick pushed the words through clenched teeth.

 

About the Author

J.M. Dabney is a multi-genre author who writes mainly LGBT romance and fiction. She lives with a constant diverse cast of characters in her head. No matter their size, shape, race, etc. she lives for one purpose alone, and that’s to make sure she does them justice and give them the happily ever after they deserve. J.M. is dysfunction at its finest and she makes sure her characters are a beautiful kaleidoscope of crazy. There is nothing more she wants from telling her stories than to show that no matter the package the characters come in or the damage their pasts have done, that love is love. That normal is never normal and sometimes the so-called broken can still be amazing.

Amazon Author Page

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Author Website

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Review Tour and Giveaway for The Other Book by Roe Horvat

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Length: 42,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Roe Horvat
 
Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing
 
Blurb
 

It was supposed to be just sex… Famous last words.

Tyler doesn’t overthink pleasure and avoids complications. He knows it might be stupid to get involved with his closeted boss, but the temptation is too great. At first, the cold and beautiful Joel Sandstrom seems to loathe Tyler’s guts.

Except one late night at the office, his reasons become clear…and his control breaks.

Every time they touch, Joel’s stony face comes alive, harsh lines smooth out, and for a minute, he looks serene. Happy, even. Just sex – dirty, intense, spectacular sex.

During their covert encounters, Tyler discovers the power he has over the lonesome man, and it’s a heady feeling. What if he could set Joel free and give him peace of mind? When Tyler realizes how much Joel needs him, he doesn’t regret breaking his own rules.



Jan 30 – The Way She Reads, Boulevard des Passions, Diverse Reader, Gay Book Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed, Feb 1 – Sanaa’s Book Blog, Cupcakes And Bookshelves, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, What’s Amy Reading?, Kimmers Erotic Book Banter, Mikku-chan, Xtreme Delusions, Feb 4 – Book Corner Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Mainely Stories, Love Unchained Book Reviews, Feb 6 – Making It Happen, Feb 8 – Mirrigold, Valerie Ullmer, Lillian Francis, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Wicked Reads

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review here. We highly recommend it!
Author Bio
 

Queer fiction author Roe Horvat was born in the post-communist wasteland of former Czechoslovakia. Equipped with a dark sense of sarcasm, Roe traveled Europe and finally settled in Sweden. He came out as transgender in 2017 and has been fabulous since. He loves Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, bad action movies, stand-up comedy, pale ale, and daiquiri, with equal passion. When not hiding in the studio doing graphics, he can be found trolling cafés in Gothenburg, writing, and people-watching.

More about the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roe.horvat.98
Twitter: @roehorvat
Website: roehorvat.com
Publisher: http://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/?n1=authors&id=107

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Release Blitz and Giveaway for Forgive Me Father by TL Travis

 

 
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Length: 55,000 words approx.
 
Cover – Model: Kegan R. Ward | Photographer: Eric McKinney | Design: Mayhem Designs
 
Series
 
Greyson Fox – Amazon US | Amazon UK – Currently only 99c/99p
 
Blurb
 

Shunned and cast aside by his faith and family, Jamie is left to do whatever it takes to survive.


He comes across a group of kids in the same predicament, braving the streets of Seattle due to circumstances beyond their control. Lost souls who’ve slipped through the cracks of the broken systems society forced them into. Yet they still offer what little they have to him, including their home.


As time moves on, darkness surrounds him and when one of their own fall’s victim to the streets, Jamie wonders if there’s anything left worth living for. When his savior appears out of nowhere, he finds it hard to believe its real because he knows he’s not worth loving.


This is Jamie’s story from the #1 Amazon Bestselling book, Greyson Fox.


Potential triggers:
Sexual and physical abuse by church and family members, cheating, drug usage, prostitution and thoughts of suicide. Flashbacks of the abuse are present throughout this book. These are the opinions of the characters and in no way reflect the author.

 

About The Author

 

TL Travis is the author of The Sebastian Chronicles along with numerous other erotic novelettes (and many more in the works), The Elders Trilogy – an erotic paranormal (Vampire) romance novel series and many non-fiction articles.


In her spare time she likes to fish, enjoy all the Pacific Northwest has to offer, spin spicy erotic webs for readers to enjoy, and rescue any 4 legged lost souls she comes across. Since her children are grown and have flown the coop, she’s taken to spoiling her two deaf white boxers even more so than they were before.


To view TL Travis literary and photography works please visit her website at www.tltravis.com TL Travis can also be followed on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/tltravisauthor
Or via twitter at http://www.twitter.com/tltravis1

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A Stella Review: Rat Park by Marina Vivancos

RATING 5 out of 5 stars

Dominic has lived with an empty ache inside him for as long as he could remember. Maybe it started when he was six, hiding beneath his blankets as the wild animal noises of one of mom’s parties echoed in his head. Maybe it began the first time an adult plied him with drinks just to watch him stumble about.

Or, maybe, it was that he couldn’t even imagine what being loved should feel like.

Drugs washed all that away. It didn’t cure the ache, but it made him forget it for a while. Anything was better than being conscious. Than being himself. But life had another hard lesson for him: With drugs, the only way is down.

Dominic hits rock bottom when he’s twenty-three. Turns out, rock bottom looks a lot like the bars of a jail cell. With little left but his own thoughts, Dominic has to decide: Is this what I want for the rest of my life?

The world has never been kind to Dominic, but when he meets the Romeros, he wonders if that is about to change. Officer Catalina Romero seems to see something in Dominic that he is sure isn’t there. The more she pulls him towards her family, however, the harder it is not to go.

All his resistance disappears under the force that is Flor Romero. Spitfire, stubborn Flor—even at sixteen, he refuses to be taken lightly. As he grows older, putting a stop to what Flor obviously wants to happen between them is harder than Dominic would ever want to admit.

Dominic knows that he has too many demons to let anybody get too close. But life doesn’t prepare him for Flor, who just might be ready to fight tooth and nail for a place in Dominic’s life—and his heart.

The question is, will Dominic’s past keep him from his future?

Rat Park is the first book I read by Marina Vivancos and it will not be the last, I adored every single page, and I wasn’t able to find a little reason to give it less than the full five stars. It was a
lovely surprise. I have to admit at the beginning I was a little dubious, the story starts with Dominic when he’s just seven years old and things become soon nasty. Reading the first chapters was not easy, I was afraid the author was going to give me some difficult scenes to deal with. Yes, so many times during Dominic early years, I so wanted to shelter and protect him from the home he lived in. Although there were hard pages to read, not once the story was too dark or heavy to take. There was always some kind of hope in the background I could feel.

And then the author showed me how he grew up, among so many difficulties and unavoidable mistakes. And when Dominic finally met the hurricane called Cat, I was so happy for him and
cheated on him to try and be strong, positive and open to the good the lovely Cat and her family are ready to give to Dominic. But he wasn’t ready, it wasn’t the right time and so I saw him
struggle and fall and think bad of himself. And later his relationship with Flor was true and quite beautiful, built on solid bases and a powerful friendship and respect.

I loved Rat Park, the author did an amazing job, well written, well developed, interesting characters, I feel to recommend it if you’re looking for a real and brilliant novel. You won’t be
disappointed.

The cover art by Natasha Snow. The cover art by Natasha Snow is interesting, I like the black and white style and I can easily
see Dominic in the model face.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

BOOK DETAILS
Kindle Edition, 377 pages
Published January 28th 2019
ASIN B07MYPHNB1
Edition Language English