A Jeri Review: Damaged by Tricia Owens

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

I have mixed feelings about this book. It could have been so much better if it had gone in a different direction.

After a bust gone wrong that kills his partner, Jack heads off to an Indian Casino to wait out his suspension while they investigate. He is drawn to the manager of the casino, Taylor (who is constantly referred to by his last name Brandt) even though he only plans to gamble, sleep, and drink.

I couldn’t quite figure out if Jack was gay and suppressed it or was just in the closet or is bi or ?? But this is his first experience with a man. And, it is definitely an experience.

Taylor, or Brandt, is gay and has had some bad relationships. Of course both of those were with cops so he is wary. Both of them took BDSM way too far to the point that he almost died. You’d think after the first he would have learned his lesson. He also mentions that he was mostly trying BDSM out. Uh, that is kind of extreme. And if the first time left you almost dead, why try again?

So Damaged these guys definitely are. But they way they come together is not healthy at all. Jack uses Brandt to punish himself. Brandt uses Jack to punish his former Doms. Honestly, it is books like this that give BDSM a bad name. I love broken characters and watching them find love and redemption. But this was not the way to do it.

I didn’t feel a connection between them at all. More like they were each objects to each other. A ways to a means.

There was a bit of a subplot about Native American lore and the forest surrounding the casino and the inordinate amount of people who seem to commit suicide there. It was mentioned here and there and, again, it could have made a really strong impact at one point but it was kind of just tossed off.

And the pretty rainbow bow at the end was a bit too much after the darkness of the book. I would give this a pass.

Cover art: Tricia Owens. The cover aptly indicates parts of the story and gives the reader a major element at a glance. Great job .

Buy Links – Available on KindleUnlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 133 pages
Published February 12th 2018 by Tricia Owens
ASINB07N7F5M4H
Edition Language English

An Alisa Review: Square One by Dale Chase

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

When Noah Dahl ends an eight-year Hollywood relationship with actor Reece Landreth, he heads north to the family home he inherited years before, intending to make a new start. What he doesn’t anticipate is finding his boyhood crush Glenn Wager has also returned.

Though Noah suffers from his breakup, he finds Glenn suffering far more from difficult circumstances surrounding the death of his mother. As Noah’s boyhood feelings return, he must acknowledge that twenty-four years have passed and work at approaching the troubled Glenn as a man, not a boy.

But Noah quickly finds obstacles in his way, namely Glenn himself. Can the two ever fully reunite and possibly build a life together?

This story was not for me. It started out alright though it was strange how Noah just casually and calmly left his relationship without even talking about it. I didn’t really get the connection to Glenn or how it all started so quick.

I felt that Noah just seems to jump into any relationship and 2 days after meeting Glenn again he offers for him to move in. My biggest pet peeve was the cheating, I mean, seriously, who sleeps with their ex just because of an argument? And then he basically hides it and never brings it up, umm no. There was no connection to the characters or really the story either.

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is okay but I didn’t feel it had any connection to the story.

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 69 pages

Published: January 12, 2019 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634867931

Edition Language: English

Blog Tour for Darkness Dawns by Zakarrie Clarke (excerpt and giveaway)

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Darkness Dawns

Author: Zakarrie Clarke

Publisher: MLR Press

Genre/s: Contemporary/Humour/MM/Disability (Blindness)

Length: 65 000 words/150 PDF pages

Release Date: February 1, 2019

It’s a novel with a sequel. The first 43 chapters form Darkness Dawns; it concludes on a HFN and the sequel completes the novel.

I’ve written both, but thought it best to split it, or it would be over 140 000 words long.

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Blurb

Darkness Dawns is a love story. It also tells the tale of one man’s war with himself, brought onto the battlefield of his blindness. Leo Ferrar suffers from diabetic retinopathy and lost his sight two years ago. Unable to bear the scrutiny of strangers or the impact of his blindness on those he loves, Leo has determined on shutting the world out ever since. This is the man Ben meets on his first day at work as Mr Ferrar’s care assistant.

A former heroin addict, Ben was sentenced to six months community service as punishment for his crimes by a judge entitled to condemn him to a seven-year stretch. Far too charming for his own welfare, Ben proves unaccountably brilliant at ‘bulldozing the blind’.

When fate sees fit to dispatch Ben to the home of the man he has dubbed Mr Ferrarcious; it is with the words of the last five unfortunates who’d dared darken Leo’s doorway ringing in his ears. A door that is opened by a man who might be Lord Byron himself. Drop dead gorgeous and as hot as hell, Leo Ferrar has the most beautiful eyes Ben has ever seen.

Never has an irony seemed so cruel. Nor fate so fortuitous.

Buy Links

Publisher – MLR

Amazon US Author Page

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Excerpt

Leo knew he should have opted to use the cane, instead of the arm Ben offered him for their unexpected walk. Should. Every time that word left someone’s lips, Leo wanted to scream; fists clenched in a screech of hopeless, helpless rage. The fact that everything he should do was For-His-Own-Benefit, made it so much worse, which was as ludicrous as it was true. Independence was the only thing he had left to aspire to. So, why the fuck did should rub Leo so raw it obliterated any inclination he may have had to do whatever it prefaced? He ought to want to do the things he should. But what if he tried…and failed? What if Leo couldn’t master any of them? Then he would lose even the hope that he might, one day, be able to. Even more galling, that loss would be down to him, because he was so bloody useless. He did want to show Ben that he was quite capable of managing…didn’t he? Very much, although why that mattered, Leo had no idea.

Why care what this latest in a long line of functioning eyeballs thought of him? It was probably more politic to say, ‘visually unimpaired’. Visually Impaired. Leo had to stifle the urge to punch people who described him thus. Impaired? Adj: weakened or damaged. Weak. Weakened. F’fucksakes. He was still chewing that particular wasp when Ben asked for his wrist.

Does he intend to lead me by it, as if I’m a toddler?

Leo found himself holding it out anyway. Christ knows why he was going along with all this. It was just that…being in Ben’s company was rather like sitting in the passenger seat of a snow plough driven by a drunk. Far preferable to standing in its path…and yet, somehow more appealing than staying behind, wherever the hell it was off to.

Nevertheless, he was still relieved when Ben clasped the proffered wrist—not to cart Leo off as he’d feared—but to plant his hand on top of Ben’s head. The fact that Leo could have changed the lightbulb without stretching a whole lot further, did seem to suggest he’d been addressing Ben’s nipples for the last half hour.

Quite how Ben then contrived to claim fault for something that was Leo’s mistake was less clear, but this was pulled off with such disarming charm, it would’ve been churlish to argue otherwise. Why the hell did the notion of calling Ben’s bluff feel as brutal a prospect as drowning his cat? If he had one, of course. Cat? More to the point…nipples?

“Thank you,” Leo managed to mumble, which was something of a result itself. Half an hour with Ben and he’d started to feel several sandwiches short of the proverbial picnic. He’d also begun to suspect that Violet had been a sweet little old lady—and quite sane—when she’d met Ben.

So off they went. The blindingly daft leading the blind off on a stroll around Camden.

In a bid to distract himself from well, pretty much everything he’d thought for the last five minutes, Leo decided to ask Ben to describe himself. For some reason he was intrigued, not only to know what Ben looked like, but to hear the picture he drew. Leo had an inkling this would prove more unmissable than an aural tour around the National Portrait Gallery. Unmissable? It was a bloody masterpiece. There most definitely were not any renderings of Steptoe’s six-four daughter there. The last two years might have felt a damn sight less soul-destroying if Ben had voiced Leo’s DVD visual descriptions.

Walking outside had lost all its appeal when the world became a giant landmine lying in wait to blow up in Leo’s face; every step into the unknown, a potential public humiliation. Despite this, and Ben’s partiality to lamp posts, they somehow arrived in Gloucester Crescent, alive and well. Even more shocking, was that Leo hadn’t fretted about…anything really, along the way. He’d just drifted along, listening to Ben weave words too beguiling to question where embellishment waved farewell to the truth. But who the fuck would want to, when that would feel as blasphemous as punching a fist through a Picasso?

About the Author

When Zakarrie was little and dreamed big, she wanted to be a writer. Just like Enid Blyton. Or p’raps not…having been most remiss on the lashings of ginger beer front. After moving to London at eighteen and flitting about for far too long, she finally settled, as blissy as can be, by the sea. When her castaway dreams resurfaced, they were believed into being by the warm words of friends who breathed life into her own. Her one wish now is that someone, somewhere, might enjoy the misadventures of her miscreants as much as she adores writing them.

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Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a £10 Amazon gift card and a choice of ebook from Zakarrie’s backlist.

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Release Blitz for Damaged by Tricia Owens (excerpt)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Damaged

Author: Tricia Owens

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Tricia Owens

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M romance, BDSM

Heat Rating: 5 flames (Graphic scenes of rough sex, BDSM)

Length: 44 000 words

This is a standalone story

Release Date: February 12, 2019

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Blurb

After Detective Jack Beckam’s partner is killed during the line of duty, Jack retreats to a small Indian casino in the Colorado mountains to deal with his guilt. There, he encounters the mysteriously hostile casino manager, Taylor Brant.

Jack is on a downward spiral. Unfortunately for him, the strange forest surrounding the casino only increases his desire to do something reckless. Something desperate. Taylor Brant is not only dangerous, he’s damaged. He’s someone Jack should steer clear of. Yet Jack, hurting and needing to pay penance, tumbles into a series of dark, highly charged encounters with Brant which threaten to shatter them both.

Excerpt

Amusement briefly lit Brant’s gray gaze. “You’re an interesting man, Jack. Under other circumstances I’d enjoy feeling you out.”

“I thought you hate cops. Sounds to me like you’re flirting with one.”

He was immediately embarrassed for having said it. Taylor Brant was one of the most attractive men he’d ever seen, much less had dinner with—but Jack recognized the nugget of fear rolling around in his own gut. He was in foreign territory, literally and figuratively. All his experience as a detective, all his street smarts, meant next to nothing when it came to his occasional and unwanted attraction to specific men. It was like a flare-up of a rash—unpredictable, unwelcome, and woefully incurable.

“I’d be reckless, wouldn’t I,” Brant said, “to flirt with a detective?” Brant’s gaze grew intent. “I’m not reckless.”

“Sounds to me like you’re a masochist.”

“Would it take one to know one?”

The restaurant was emptying out. Jack wished it were busier. Louder. He wished that the waiter was intrusive. He could feel himself sweating and felt ridiculous; he was only sitting there eating dinner.

Brant didn’t appear to be all that relaxed, either. The casino manager was tense. Nervous. Jack was too experienced in studying people to miss the signs. Was Brant regretting his boldness? Maybe they were both stumbling around in the dark in their own ways. It was strange to look at Taylor Brant and consider him anything other than one hundred percent sure of himself.

Or was it? He was well groomed and sophisticated, yet the broken nose hinted at his past experience with abuse. The book, too, suggested deep waters and a hint of vulnerability.

But Jack wasn’t completely sold on Brant being a man you could easily take advantage of. Maybe back then, back when Brant had dated those cops, he had been a man like that. But not any longer. The man sitting across from Jack had been honed by pain, anger, and disappointment. Brant had gone through hell and come out the other side as a more powerful man. It was there in those steely eyes, a hint of the danger he presented: he needed to control every situation he entered because he would never allow himself to be at anyone’s mercy again. He was using his fear to become something—someone—unbreakable.

Jack’s cock pulsed at the prospect of being under Brant’s control, even for an hour. It wasn’t something he’d ever experienced, and the fantasy of it was probably better than the reality. Hell, he didn’t know how he’d react to someone attempting to take the upper hand with him. There was a good chance he’d throw a punch.

About the Author

Tricia Owens has been writing m/m fiction since 2000, after stumbling onto the term ‘slash’ and thinking it referred to horror stories. She is the author of the Sin City, A Pirate’s Life for Me, and Juxtapose City series, among several others. She lives in Las Vegas.

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Andrew Grey on Inspiration, Character Names and his new release Rebound (guest blog)

Rebound by Andrew Grey

Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: Feb 13 2019
Cover Artist: Kanaxa

Book Links

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Andrew Grey back again with his new release Rebound. Welcome,Andrew!

🏀

Rebound is a story that started quite differently for me that most of my others. See with this book I started with the character names. I’m not going to give them away, but that was where I began. From there I had decided that I wanted to return to the universe of the Playmaker. That world of sport gave me a great deal of happiness and I wanted to return there.

You know, there are times when we all want a safe place. I’m one of them. In my writing for a long time, when I needed peace, I went to the world of the Love Means… stories. After those books I worked on the Love Comes stories. Currently, I really don’t have a series that provides me with that same feeling. But I will say that working on Rebound gave me some of that writing peace… at least for a while.

I really hope you enjoy this story. I had a great time writing it. I hope you enjoy reading it.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Professional basketball player Bri Early needs a physical therapist after an injury, and he’s heard that Obie is the best. Bri takes an immediate liking to the out-and-proud man with the magic touch, and even though Bri isn’t openly gay himself, he’d never let anything stand in the way of something he wants.

Obie can’t deny that the sexy athlete presses all his buttons, but he’s a professional and has no intention of getting involved with a client. While they’re working together, it’s hands off, no matter how great the temptation.

But being a pro athlete isn’t easy. Bri has enemies, and one of them is making his life hell. When his house is set ablaze, Bri can no longer pretend the threatening messages he’s receiving are jokes. He needs a safe place to stay, and Obie can’t turn his back. But the two of them in the same house is a recipe for combustion that could burn them both….

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance/ Sports Romance

Excerpt

Just as Obie suspected, they got there only to stand in a line a block long. Worse, it hadn’t moved more than ten feet in the last half hour. At this rate, they would get in next Thursday. In desperation and because he was tired of standing there, he messaged Monty and got a quick response.

“I’m inside. I’ll send Hunter out to get you.”

“The guys are with me,” Obie said.

“I’ll warn him.” The message was followed with a happy face. And sure enough, five minutes later, Hunter, accompanied by one of the bouncers, found them and they were escorted around the rest of the line and into the club, which pulsated with energy.

“Oh my God,” David said, holding on to Obie’s arm as though he might faint. “Would you look at him.” He pointed, and Obie let his gaze follow. “Do you think he’d let me climb him like a tree?”

“No!” Obie said firmly. “Just don’t you dare.” Then he turned at the sound of a familiar voice. There was his newest client, propped up on crutches.

“Hunter,” he heard Bri say as they approached. “This isn’t my thing. I’m happy to support the AIDS Research Council, but it’s getting late. I think I’m just going to head home.”

Obie was definitely surprised to see Bri here, but then, the evening was for a good cause. He liked that Bri cared enough to help out.

He was just about to go over and say something, but his friend beat him to it.

“Hi, I’m David.” He held out his hand to Bri. “You’re Bri Early, aren’t you? I’m sure I’ve seen you on television. You do those luscious commercials for Chanel. I went out and bought some, just because of you.” He leaned closer. “Want to check it out and see?” He pressed his upturned hand forward so Bri could supposedly smell his wrist.

“Knock it off,” Obie said. “Be nice. He doesn’t want to smell you.” He definitely needed to run a little interference.

“Yeah, none of us do,” Chippy added, much to David’s visible consternation. Chippy tugged David in the direction of the bar as Monty joined Hunter, wrapping an arm around him.

“Dang, half of gay Philly is here tonight.” Monty looked up at Hunter, his partner. “I think I need to mark you, just so all the trolling queens will keep their damn distance,” he said, louder than was necessary. The circle of guys inching their way closer seemed to back away a little, but not for long. It seemed they had their sights on Bri as well.

“I know. Thanks, Hunter, for coming to our rescue,” Obie said. “I thought we’d be in that line forever.”

“Speaking of rescues, do you think you could give me a little help?” Bri glanced around, his deep brown eyes a little dazed as the vultures seemed to close in.

“No problem.” Obie walked to his left side, taking Bri’s arm. “Let’s see if we can find a table.” Obie gave the onlookers his best “He’s with me, bitches” look and guided his new client over to a table with a Reserved sign on it. Hunter slid right in with Monty, and Obie made sure Bri got settled before he took a place next to him.

“What can I get you?” a buff server asked, a black T-shirt, at least two sizes too small, straining over his chest and biceps.

“Club soda with lime,” Bri ordered.

“I’ll have the same. I need to make sure I can get my friends home in one piece.” Obie thanked the server as he was leaving.

“They seem a little feral,” Bri said, and Obie chuckled. Damn, he couldn’t help it.

“They’re good guys, believe it or not. Even if they’re a little over the top sometimes.” He turned to see David and Chippy on their way over, each with their hands full.

About the Author

Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing) He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Author Links

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For Other Works by Andrew Grey

(Please Be Sure To Stop by His Website to See All of His Works)

Release Blitz for In Case You Missed It (#lovehim #3) by S.M. James (excerpt and giveaway)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: In Case You Missed It

Author: S. M. James

Publisher: May Books

Cover Artist: Story Styling Cover Designs

Genre/s: YA LGBT romance

Heat Rating: 1-2 flames

Length: 98 000 words/400 pages

It is a standalone story.

Release Date: February 12, 2019

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Amazon AU

Blurb

Brooks is convinced his life is totally, one hundred percent happy.

Until Darien tracks him down.

Darien was supposed to be the guy he kissed once and remembered forever, but now he’s back in Brooks’s life, with easy smiles and big ideas.

The first of which … show the homeschooled Brooks everything he’s missed out on. But as the pair work through a spring of playing catch up on life, it becomes obvious to Darien that Brooks has a secret.

And as things heat up between them, Brooks’s secret might just be Darien’s worst fear.

Because Darien has always lived in the moment.

But Brooks has always lived for the future he knows is inevitable.

When life is set to tear them apart, will love be enough to keep them together?

All books in the #lovehim series are stand alones. The series number is the recommended reading order.

Excerpt

We cross the front of the school, head past the football field, and into the courtyard. It’s eerily quiet, with filtered sunlight and a soft breeze breaching the concrete quad.

Darien heads for a bench that runs along the base of an enormous tree and flops down onto it. I sit next to him and silence settles gently over my shoulders. The courtyard is surrounded by buildings on three sides, and I vaguely remember one of them as the science wing.

“So this is where you’d eat at breaks on a nice day. Cameron and Chels sit there, and some of the others here, and over there.” He points to an opposite bench. “We’d sit right here, of course. Since you’d be in all the nerd classes, we’d be inseparable over break.” He grips the back of the bench and leans into his hands, grinning over at me.

I swing a leg over the back of the bench so I’m facing him. “And you’d be such a shameless flirt, I’d have to find new friends to save you the embarrassment.”

“No point.” He shrugs. “I’d just follow you there too.”

The thing is, I believe him. I don’t know how anyone can be so effortless about how they feel. He doesn’t try to hide it, but he doesn’t push me either, and the fact he can be so unashamedly into me, makes me want to give him more.

But he’ll get over it. And I have to help him.

I lean away from him a little. “So, is there anyone here who’s caught your eye?”

“There’s this one guy …”

His tone makes me arch my eyebrow. “He wouldn’t be me, would he?”

“See? You’re too damn smart.”

I duck my head as I hold back a laugh. “Seriously though. Nothing is going to happen between us, so it’s okay if you find someone else.”

“Yeah, we’re not doing this.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“We’ve been over this, like, a thousand times. Jesus, Brooks, I get it. I just want to spend time with you, as friends, and I don’t need you trying to push me onto someone else.”

“Darien …” I reach for his arm and he shrugs me away. “I’m sorry.”

“Good. Now no more mentioning that shit, okay? My memory is fine, I can make my own damn decisions.”

“You’re right.” But how does he make the right decision when I’m keeping a huge part of myself from him? I take a couple of short breaths, the very real possibility of telling him, looming at the front of my thoughts.

“Here.” Darien finally takes off his backpack and unzips it. He’s packed a heap of food, some I haven’t seen before, and he slides away from me on the bench to set it out between us. “Dig in.”

Lunch is delicious, and I try some of everything. Darien talks me through some of the foods his mom made, like zelnik and tulumba, and it’s so damn good, I’d hang out with him just for the food. After a week of barely eating I don’t hold back, but I didn’t bring my enzyme tablets with me, so it’s close to pointless.

Darien takes some more photos after lunch as we explore the school. He fills me in on little bits and pieces about his first two weeks, and we wind up under the bleachers. He dives into his bag again and pulls out two cigarettes.

I give him a flat look. “Fuck no.”

He smirks. “Goodie two shoes.”

“Nope.” I shake my head, trying to think of how I can get him to put those freaking things away. “I just don’t see the point in sucking on something that can fucking kill you.” My words come out way harsher than I mean, but if he starts on one of those things, I’m leaving him here.

His dark eyebrows furrow, and something goes on behind his eyes that I can’t quite make out, but he just shrugs and grinds the smokes into the ground. “Thank the lord. Don’t think I could have stomached it, even for you.”

I relax a little, though I’m not sure I really believe the words.

He steps closer. “You know, there are other things people do under the bleachers …”

It takes me a second to catch up, and my focus automatically drops to his lips. My stomach is a riot as I try not to focus on how good our first kiss was, all those months ago.

Darien smirks and steps back, breaking my runaway thoughts. He pulls a marker from his bag. “We have to mark we were here, otherwise it doesn’t count.”

“That, I can do.” I take the marker from him and uncap it with a click. Reaching above my head, I hesitate a second, trying to figure out what to write. In the end, I go simple.

BL + DM.

“Those letters look good together,” Darien says. His voice is low and warm and reminds me of summer. His fingers slide down mine as he takes the marker from me.

He reaches up and his shirt pulls higher on his back, leaving this smooth strip of brown skin exposed. The pull to touch him is so strong. I need to feel his skin under my fingertips. It’s a physical battle to hold back, and just as I’m about to fold,

To reach,

To touch,

To give in to him, Darien finishes up, and steps back to survey his work. I blink a few times to try and lessen the fog in my head, then turn my focus up.

He’s drawn a heart around our initials.

About the Author

S. M. James writes books for teens about squishy sweet characters.

While not writing, SM is a readaholic and Netflix addict who regularly lives on a sustainable diet of chocolate and coffee.

Unapologetically dishing out HEAs for LGBTQ characters.

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A Lucy Review: Snowed In: Jonah and Cooper by Kris T. Bethke

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Jonah Lyons is looking forward to spending a weekend at a cabin with his sister, Ellie. So the last thing he expects is for his ex-boyfriend to show up.

Captain Adrian Cooper was once the love of his life, but Jonah thinks he’s moved past it. Getting trapped together because of a snowstorm wasn’t on the agenda, but it means they either have to talk or murder each other.

When Cooper admits the reason he left, Jonah doesn’t know how to react. The depth of Cooper’s love has never waned, and Jonah realizes he still loves Cooper, too. Now he needs to decide if he can forgive Cooper. Can he give them both the second chance they deserve?

I have a feeling I am going to be in the minority on this one but it just wasn’t working for me. I am a big fan of short stories (this one clocks in at 45 pages) but it has to have a “complete” feel and in this case the length worked against it.

Jonah is a wonderful little brother who can’t say no to spending time with his big sister, Ellie. When she convinces him to spend a long weekend with her at her in-laws cabin, he knows he will agree. Even when she asks for chicken Florentine for lunch, a meal he only made for the former love of his life, he figures she doesn’t realize the significance and agrees to that too. Except, of course, she doesn’t show up but Adrian Cooper, the military man who loved Jonah and then broke his heart three years ago, does.

When Jonah (who had blocked Cooper’s number) doesn’t answer his calls, Cooper resorted to getting Ellie to help. Again, Jonah is an awesome little brother because as under-handed and crappy as that move was, he forgives her right away. Jonah is completely ready to throw Cooper out the way he came, except the snow storm that started when Jonah was driving is now in full force the roads are closed. Oh, boy.

So Cooper’s reason for breaking up with Jonah, demolishing his spirit and leaving him without a backwards glance was selfish in my opinion. “When I broke things off, I thought I was doing the right thing.” You know, because why talk to the one you love? Add in that he’s so surprised that Jonah doesn’t want to be with him. “Is it really so bad? Being stuck with me?” A pet peeve of mine, when the one who hurt their love believes they can just show up and all will be magically forgiven. That right there was my biggest issue with the story. There is a quite explanation that was BS, no groveling, “I did it for you” and then on to sex. I didn’t even feel that Cooper “did it for…” Jonah. He finished his time and then went looking.

I am usually a fan of second chance stories but this needed more for me and perhaps due to the short length, it didn’t deliver as I had hoped.

Cover art showing two happy men hugging over a snowy cabin scene is very pretty, though didn’t fit the feel of the couple.

Sales Links: JMS Books LLC | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 41 pages
Published January 19th 2019 by JMS Books LLC
ISBN 139781634867948
Edition Language English

A MelanieM Review: In Case You Missed It (#lovehim #3) by S.M. James

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 (caution spoiler due to trigger)

Brooks is convinced his life is totally, one hundred percent happy.

Until Darien tracks him down.

Darien was supposed to be the guy he kissed once and remembered forever, but now he’s back in Brooks’s life, with easy smiles and big ideas.

The first of which … show the homeschooled Brooks everything he’s missed out on. But as the pair work through a spring of playing catch up on life, it becomes obvious to Darien that Brooks has a secret.

And as things heat up between them, Brooks’s secret might just be Darien’s worst fear.

Because Darien has always lived in the moment.

But Brooks has always lived for the future he knows is inevitable.

When life is set to tear them apart, will love be enough to keep them together?

Several things. First, I haven’t read the other stories in this series and now I know I must. Secondly, I haven’t made S.M. James an author on my auto scan list and now they are. All based on the strength of this remarkable book.

That’s In Case You Missed It (#lovehim #3) by S.M. James a story of a first time deep love, a heartbreaking reality, and the ability to find hope and brightness where you might least expect it. This story could have gone so many ways but the author took a subject matter, Cystic fibrosis, an inherited genetic disease that has no cure and gives it a face in Brooks

I debated saying something in my review about the issue with Brook’s because it’s not listed in the synopsis. But this is something that could be a trigger for many people, especially those who have lost children or someone to terminal illnesses, not necessarily CF, and the subject matter is dealt with realistically and bluntly. CF is a disease without a cure (and its natural progression of an early death) that Brook has lived with his entire life. No, the story, told from both Brooks and Darien’s povs, is how their relationship changes their outlook, on their lives, a relationship, and even their future together.

It starts with their meeting. We are there in the mix, learning about each of them as they do each other. The secret that is a barrier between them that will crumble as their feelings grow. It’s the effects upon Darien and the reader as we grapple with the knowledge upon revelation of exactly what all the coughing has meant, what Brook’s has been trying to hide behind his “asthma”. Honestly, I have no words for the authenticity of the dynamics between Brooks and Darien, the beauty of the “realiness” that exists here, and the pain felt over the grim physical reality of Brook’s situation.

But S.M. James gives these young men and the readers so much more. The depth of feeling and love, the incredible families and support, and an unexpected path for them both that the reader will love. There is no cure for CF, not in real life and certainly not in this book. But the joys and heart found here will carry you through, as it did me and find you laughing through the tears. So much happiness , it will amaze you.

In Case You Missed It (#lovehim #3) by S.M. James just blew me away. Beautifully written, incredible characters, heartwarming, heartbreaking plot, and an great ending to remember. I highly recommend it and it’s sending me running to grab up the rest of the series. Never has a contemporary story flown by so quickly.

Cover Artist: Story Styling Cover Designs is nice but there is an even better artist’s rendering of the drawing used for the tour of the 2 characters that I loved even better..

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 400 pages
Expected publication: February 12th 2019
Edition Language English
Series#lovehim #3

An Alisa Review: How Not to Blend (Lovestrong #1) by Susan Hawke

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

One clueless single dad…

Dr. Corbin Davis is a busy guy just trying to do his best as a single parent. He may be oblivious to a lot of things, but surely he would’ve noticed something as important as his fifteen-year-old son, Grayson, being bullied, right? And what the heck is non-binary, and why hasn’t Gray shared this all-important part of himself with his own dad?

Plus one sassy Southerner…

Andy Ferguson, or Kandi as the Thursday night drag community knows him, is just trying to get along in a small town and hold things together while he takes care of his beloved Gam-Gam. If she’d just get off his back about finding himself a man, that would be fantastic, thank you very much. He’ll get around to love… one of these days.

Equals a pair of fake-boyfriends who will keep you in stitches.

When Corb gets the wild idea to ask Andy to pose as his boyfriend to let Gray know that his dad is bisexual and open-minded enough to talk to about his nonbinary status, Andy is amused and just intrigued enough to say yes… especially since he seems to be in the market for a fake boyfriend himself, if it will get Gam-Gam to quit nagging.

Corbin just wants to reconnect with his son and find out what is going on in his life and him being caught up in fights. Andy lives for taking care of him Gam-Gam and won’t let anyone tell him how is supposed to act. They both find so much more than they could have ever expected.

I loved how dedicated Corbin is to his son and though the fake boyfriend isn’t the best approach it works out great in the end. I loved how much his son, Gray, took it in stride when he found out the truth and helped him to get things patched up. I felt for Andy as he still has some trust issues since his parents’ kicked him out but Gam-Gam won’t let him get away with feeling sorry for himself for long and Corbin shows him that he is worth the risk. All of these characters are great and I loved their willingness to be there for those they care about.

It was great getting to see both of these characters’ points of view which helped a lot when understanding their actions. It hurt to see Corbin being hurt by Andy’s actions at one point but it was easy to see that Andy was just scared but he came to his senses in the end.

The cover art by Ana J Phoenix gives a great visual of Corbin.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 226 pages

Publication: January 15, 2019

Edition Language: English

New Release Blitz for Noble Hops (Trouble Brewing #3) by Layla Reyne (excerpt and giveaway)

Noble Hops (Trouble Brewing #3) by Layla Reyne

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date (Print & Ebook):

Ebook/Audio: February 11, 2019

Print: February 26, 2019

Length (Print & Ebook): 320 pages

Subgenre: M/M Romantic Suspense

All buy links or pre-order links:

AMZ: https://amzn.to/2P9mSvc

UBL: books2read.com/NobleHops

Book blurb:

Everything Dominic Price has worked hard to uphold is about to come crashing down on everything he holds dear.

So much for the quiet life. Just as assistant US attorney and brewery owner Dominic Price is settling into a comfy new chapter with his partner, FBI agent Cameron Byrne, the sudden death of Nic’s father puts their happily-ever-after in jeopardy. Nic immediately suspects foul play, his prime suspect a notorious gangster his father was indebted to—only now the loan shark is out for blood.

Cam has been longing for Nic to finally let him in on this very personal case. But when Nic’s belief that he’s the sole Price heir is upended, the line between personal and professional starts to blur, leaving Cam unsure of where he stands.

Nic is depending on Cam’s kidnap and rescue expertise to save his recently discovered family member before it’s too late. But with a dangerous threat closing in, the ghosts from Nic’s past cast long shadows. Any relationship could crack under the pressure, but for Nic, finding his family might mean losing the love of his life.

Layla Reyne says: Nic and Cam have to fight for their lives and their happily ever after in this exciting, action-packed conclusion to the Trouble Brewing series.

Excerpt :

“Welcome home, to what’s left of it.”

“You’re here. That’s all that matters.” Cam teased the corner of Nic’s mouth, just short of a kiss, before he sat back and took another swig of his beer. He talked over Nic’s throaty rumble of frustration. “It feels like we’ve been gone forever.”

“Bird thinks so. Left us a surprise in your shoes.”

“In mine?”

“’Cause he likes me better.”

Traitor indeed, the both of them. “You stole my cat.”

“I showed your cat a better way.”

“No, you bribed him with extra food and treats. But I don’t want to argue about that right now. Got something else in mind.” He finished his beer, set the empty on the table next to Eddie’s, and stood. Nic moved to stand too, but Cam kept him seated, a hand on his shoulder and a leg thrown over his lap. “This okay?”

Nic rolled his hips, bringing their groins in grinding contact. “More than,” he said, voice rumbly for a different reason now. “This part of my body doesn’t hurt, at least not in the bad way. But I do wonder about the chair. This is how we broke the other one, if you recall.”

Cam waggled his brows. “How about we try to break all the chairs?”

“How about I get a kiss first?” Nic lifted his legs and bumped Cam forward.

Hands splayed on Nic’s chest, Cam kept himself from careening into him, but Nic, despite his injuries, seemed to want it rough, seemed to crave it as much as Cam did. Driving one hand down his back and the other into his hair, Nic dragged him close, smashing their lips together. Drinking with each long, slow swipe of his tongue, he drew a moan from deep within Cam, from that spot where his love for this man grew more and more each day.

“Still my favorite taste,” Nic mumbled, as they broke apart for air.

“You know…” Cam trailed a path of kisses along his jaw, softly pecking over the bruises. “Bird wasn’t the only one you taught a better way.”

“Even if I argue you to an early grave?”

Cam righted his head and gently took Nic’s face in his hands. “No talking of graves. And no arguing tonight.” He closed the distance again, wanting more closeness, more tastes of their future. “Just kissing. And celebrating this victory.”

“And fucking,” Nic growled. “Definitely part of this celebration.”

Cam grinned. “No objection, Counselor.”

About Layla Reyne:

Author Layla Reyne was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart pounding romance. When she’s not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs.