Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host the spotlight tour for Quinn Anderson’s new story On Solid Ground. Welcome, Quinn.
Thanks for joining me on my book tour! I’m Quinn Anderson, author of the Murmur Inc. series, and I’m here to share some inside information about On Solid Ground, coming out New Year’s Day, 2018. Stay tuned to hear about the inspiration for this novel, get some fun facts, and learn more about the characters. Leave comments on the tour posts for a chance to win a $10 Riptide Publishing gift card!
About On Solid Ground
Chance Crawford and Kit Gibbons are on the cusp of an epic office romance. After months of saying hi in the elevator and making small talk at parties, they’re both dying to make a move. Too bad neither of them can work up the courage. Nerdy, risk-averse Chance is waiting for Kit to give him a sign, whereas Kit’s too afraid of being out in his professional life to date the cutie from IT. If only one of them could find the proper motivation, their shaky flirtation could become something real.
Then an earthquake rocks their city. They band together to help others escape, until an aftershock leaves them trapped in a collapsing office building with little hope of survival. The very earthquake that brought them together could also tear them apart.
Drunk on fear and adrenaline, passions run high, but how can they think about romance when any minute could be their last? They’ll have to face danger, themselves, and each other before they can get back on solid ground.
Quinn Anderson is an alumna of the University of Dublin in Ireland and has a master’s degree in psychology. She wrote her dissertation on sexuality in popular literature and continues to explore evolving themes in erotica in her professional life.
A nerd extraordinaire, she was raised on an unhealthy diet of video games, anime, pop culture, and comics from infancy. Her girlfriend swears her sense of humor is just one big Joss Whedon reference. She stays true to her nerd roots in writing and in life, and frequently draws inspiration from her many fandoms, which include Yuri on Ice, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Buffy, and more. Growing up, while most of her friends were fighting evil by moonlight, Anderson was kamehameha-ing her way through all the shounen anime she could get her hands on. You will often find her interacting with fellow fans online and offline via conventions and Tumblr, and she is happy to talk about anything from nerd life to writing tips. She has attended conventions on three separate continents and now considers herself a career geek. She advises anyone who attends pop culture events in the UK to watch out for Weeping Angels, as they are everywhere. If you’re at an event, and you see a 6’2” redhead wandering around with a vague look on her face, that’s probably her.
Her favorite authors include J.K. Rowling, Gail Carson Levine, Libba Bray, and Tamora Pierce. When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling, cooking, spending too much time on the internet, playing fetch with her cat, screwing the rules, watching Markiplier play games she’s too scared to play herself, and catching ’em all.
To celebrate the release of On Solid Ground, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on January 6, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!
Darwin Michaels is living his dreams in the Mile High City. While Denver offers the perfect job, scrumptious dining, and whirlwind dating options, Darwin is losing hope he’ll find the right man to spark his interest for more than a one-night stand—until he sets eyes on Cody Russell.
Cody has just accomplished his life’s goal—get the hell out of Kansas. In one fell swoop, he lands a job at Hamburger Mary’s and gets a newfound family and the chance to be with other gay people! All that’s missing is someone special. But when Darwin shows his interest, Cody is sure it’s too good to be true. After all, what can Darwin possibly see in the high school dropout serving him nachos?
As Darwin falls in love, Cody struggles to realize his worth. When his past threatens the fragile life he is building, Cody spirals into a moment of dark desperation. But Darwin is determined to show Cody that love and family and home are there for him… will Cody accept what is offered?
Well guys, I really liked this story! It had some characteristics that I tend to when reading an MM, since as: not slow paced, good characters, involving plot… So basically this one would be a killer, right? Well, for the most part yes, but then it was a little rushed sometimes and also in the end there were things missing. I guess it was a HFN story, but I was so expecting a HEA in this one.
I liked the characters complexity and loved to see them growing in an out of the relationship. I also liked the supporting characters and I can’t wait to see their own stories.
The narrative was truly well done. Dominic Carlos did an amazing work giving life to the characters and transporting me to this novella’s world in no time.
If you are looking for a fast paced, interesting, fluid and low angst story, I recommend this one.
Have a good reading and happy 2018 for all!
Cover artist: Angsty G. Love the bright cover, its perfect!
Sequel to Tropical Depression
Stormy Weather: Book Three
Galen and Shane are back in the final installment of the Stormy Weather series, and a tempest of epic proportions is brewing. Once they couldn’t get enough of each other, but now Galen’s long hours are driving a wedge between him and Shane. Lonely and starved for his lover’s attention, bartender Shane falls in with a new crowd that doesn’t have his best interests at heart, and Galen struggles with a workload he can’t manage and an unscrupulous partner who wants to eliminate Shane. He can barely keep his head above water, let alone chart a course home to Shane.
While they’re floundering and trying to hold their relationship together, a hurricane heads for the Florida coast—and they’re directly in the path of the storm. It’s a crisis that will either finally break them apart or remind them how much they stand to lose if they don’t hold on to each other.
Also included is the free novella Bartender Rescue
I’ve loved all three stories about Galen and Shane by B.A. Tortuga but I think that the final one, Hurricane, has to be my favorite. In Hurricane, B.A. Tortuga achieves a balance in the narrative here that I sometimes found missing in the previous stories. In Rainand Whiskey (Stormy Weather, #1) and Tropical Depression (Stormy Weather, #2), each of those novels sometimes felt heavy on the sex and sometimes light on the exposition, no matter how much I loved the hot and heavy between Shane and his man.
In Hurricane, it feels balanced. We feel the stressed out, pushed to the limit relationship dynamics of Galen and Shane broken up intermittently by hot sex scenes. Which interestingly enough only highly how badly the men are doing together. As misunderstanding and just plain ol’ blindness on Galen’s part is tearing them apart, a Hurricane is bearing down on their home, their sanctuary together. It’s a great analogy by the author as it’s where the romance and love started. Their home, bait shack, Goober the basset hound and new friend, even including Vic the alligator…all threatened by outside forces.
We see both sides, Galen’s and Shane’s, and the forces working to pull them apart. All the wonderful elements that have made these men and the location ring true are now as deep seated in Tortuga’s narrative and an ol’ Cypress tree in the swamp. The language, the colloquialisms, they are all in place laying Stormy Weather with authenticity. But it’s the men at the heart of this trilogy (plus new story) that will make you remember them. It’s their love for each other, and their ability to fight for it, even through a hurricane.
I did think the “vacation” element tarried a little too long…I wanted the boys back where they belonged, in their swamp with their dogs and water. I thought the free last mini story was interesting. I was nice to see familiar faces again and see that certain other people too got a chance at love. But I could have happily left them at the end of Hurricane, hoping that Galen and Shane had learned their lessons and settled in for the long run.
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza. It’s pretty enough but that torso idea is clearly oversued. I wish the shack and maybe even Vic had made an appearance.
As this very nice series winds to a close, we revisit Anna’s partner, Natalya, whose brother, Arkady, is still in Russia and is being literally persecuted for being gay.He’s already lost his job as a professor, been ambushed and beaten, and now Natalya is actually worried for his life.With that fear as the basis, she approaches Jason Cooley, a young man who was retired from the military when he lost his leg and now works security on the Wolf’s Landing TV set.Her proposition is simple: marry her brother so he can have a green card to live in the US and he will provide Jason with his life’s savings—likely enough money to pay part of the tuition Jason’s gifted daughter needs to attend a prestigious private school.
Though Jason isn’t gay, nor does he think of himself as bi at first, he’s not a homophobe, and once he finds out that Arkady’s life is in danger, Jason steps up to the plate because protecting the underdog is ingrained in his personality.What Jason doesn’t realize is that Arkady is going to knock him head over heels in lust (and later in love, and all his plans to remain aloof are going to go up in smoke.
Jason is one of the most self-effacing characters I’ve ever met.He absolutely refuses to see the good in himself—whether on the inside where he’d do anything to help others—or on the outside where he is quite attractive, regardless of his artificial leg.Arkady sees it but struggles to get through to Jason.I found it very difficult to like Jason’s character.He was cold and cautious and constantly misunderstanding Arkady’s attraction to him.Yes, he participated in sex situations with Arkady, but he always seemed to think Arkady just wanted him as a friend with benefits.
Jason also didn’t interact with his five-year-old daughter, thinking she’d be better off living with her mother and her mother’s husband and that Jason would just be in the way.There were reasons for his low self-esteem, but it just reinforced how difficult it was to like his character.Arkady, though? Oh boy, he was a sweetheart.From the moment we meet him to the end of the story, Arkady is consistently strong and focused and once he falls in love with Jason, Jason’s rejection breaks his heart—and as a reader, it broke mine as well.
There were a few minor issues that bugged me in the story, including some of Arkady’s dialogue which was inconsistent with someone whose second language is English.Some of the slang and idioms he used, as well as pop culture references, didn’t ring true.So overall, though I liked the story, it’s not among my top favorites.I should clarify, however—Arkady is one of my top favorite characters—Jason and the rest of the story are what fell short of my expectations.
On the flip side, I’ve enjoyed this series immensely and have met quite a few authors new to me along the way.All of these talented authors have put together a world that I’m going to miss.There’s two more to go in the series and then we are done.If you haven’t visited the world of Wolf’s Landing, I highly recommend you at least read the first few stories.I suspect you may become as hooked as this reviewer.
~~~
The cover by L.C. Chase features a sunglasses-clad muscular man standing in front of an American flag while looking at a handsome man in the foreground. This is the perfect representation of Jason—tall, muscular, T-shirt-clad and wearing sunglasses.Ex-military—and Arkady, a slighter framed, young man glancing back at the man who’s captured his attention.
ebook, 217 pages
Published December 11th 2017 by Riptide Publishing (first published December 9th 2017)
Original TitleOperation Green Card
ISBN139781626496750
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Bluewater Bay
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host LA Witt and Cari Z today on their tour for Reckless Behavior. Welcome!
My Favorite Audiobooks of 2017
by L.A. Witt
So thanks to audiobooks and some moderately better time management than previous years, I was able to do more reading for pleasure this year than I usually do. And since the year has come to a close, now’s as good a time as any for a list of favorites. I mentioned some of these in a “what am I reading?” post from a few months ago, but there are some new ones too.
(Bear in mind that a lot of these are older books I just got around to listening to in 2017)
In no particular order, and without comment because it’ll just be eight pages of “OMG THIS BOOK IS SO AMAZING”, my favorite audiobooks of 2017:
The entire PsyCop series by Jordan Castillo Price, narrated by Gomez Pugh.
Stars & Stripes by Abigail Roux, narrated by J.F. Harding. (#TeamTy)
Fortunately, I have a lot of long flights coming up in 2018, which means MORE binge-listening!
What are your favorite audiobooks?
About Reckless Behavior
After too many years of putting his job first, Detective Andreas Ruffner is getting his priorities straight. He’s ready to spend some quality time with his adult kids, not to mention come clean about some things he should’ve told them a long time ago. And introduce them to his partner and boyfriend, Darren Corliss.
But in a heartbeat, a family dinner turns into Andreas’s worst nightmare. When the dust settles, one of his kids is hurt, and the other three have been abducted.
Andreas is going to find his kids, and nothing, not even a broken ankle, is going to stop him. Thank God for his sharp, level-headed partner . . . who has a crisis of his own pulling him away when Andreas needs him the most. As both men try to support—and lean on—each other, they get no closer to finding the kids. And the longer the children are missing, the less likely it is they’ll ever be found.
It’s “hell no” at first sight for newly partnered detectives Andreas Ruffner and Darren Corliss. Darren is too chipper, Andreas is too gruff, and that whole “IA wants me to prove you’re a dirty cop” thing really doesn’t get them off on the right foot.
It doesn’t matter if they like each other. They’re partners and that’s final. Though Andreas is easy on the eyes. And Darren is kind of cute. And . . . okay, maybe they can make this work.
They’d better, because as their cases get more horrifying—and more personal—they’ll have to trust each other with their lives, and with their hearts.
Cari Z was a bookworm as a child and remains one to this day. In an effort to combat her antisocial reading behavior, she did all sorts of crazy things, from competitive gymnastics to alligator wresting (who even knew that was legal!) to finally joining the Peace Corps, which promptly sent her and her husband to the wilds of West Africa, stuck them in a hut, and said, “See ya!” She also started writing, because some things she just thought she could do better. She’s still climbing that ladder, but can’t stop herself from writing, or from sharing what she creates.
Cari enjoys a wide range of literary genres, from the classics (get ‘im, Ahab) to science fiction and fantasy of all types, to historical fiction and reference materials (no, seriously, there are so many great encyclopedias out there). She writes in a wide range of genres as well, but somehow 90% of what she produces ends up falling into the broad and exciting category of m/m erotica. There’s a sprinkling of f/m and f/f and even m/f/m in her repertoire, but her true love is man love. And there’s a lot of love to go around.
Cari has published short stories, novellas, and novels with numerous print and e-presses, and she also offers up a tremendous amount of free content on Literotica.com, under the name Carizabeth.
L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance authorLauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tellLori A. Witt orAnn Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut . . .
L. A.’s backlist is available onher website, and updates (as well as random thoughts and the odd snarky comment) can be found onher blog or on Twitter (@GallagherWitt).
Giveaway
To celebrate the release of Reckless Behavior, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit and their choice in an ebook from each of Cari and L.A.’s backlist! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on January 6, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!
So Long 2017! Hello 2018! It’s Our Final 2017 Best of Lists.
suze294
My 5* reads from this year
The Executive Office series, Tal Bauer
Sins of the cities series, KJ Charles
Forever Haunt (Jimmy McSwain 5), Adam Carpenter
This Fire Inside, Jordan Nasser
What It Looks Like, Matthew J Metzger
Wolfsong, TJ Klune
Priddys Tale, Harper Fox
Bitter Legacy, Dal Maclean
Switched, NR Walker
The Definitive Albert J Sterne, Julie Bozza
Reaping Fate, AJ Rose
From Ana:
My Bests: Best Mystery: Kill Game by Cordelia Kingsbridge and Risky Behavior by LA Witt & Cari Z Best Audiobook: Femme by Marshall Thornton Best Cover:Antisocial by Heidi Cullinan Best Contemporary (this is hard to choose, so many good ones): Becoming Kerry by Lynn Kelling, The Impossible Boy by Anna Martin, Off the Ice by Avon Gale and Piper Vaugh, Manic Pixie Dream Boy by KA Merikan and Disease by Hans M Hirshchi Best Dark Theme: Backdoor Politics by CL Mustafic
Amy:
Favorite On-Going Series in 2017
Hexworld by Jordan L. Hawk
Aberrant Magic by Lyn Gala
Offbeat Crimes by Angel Martinez
Bad Behavior by L.A. Witt and Cari Z
Rainbow Cove by Annabeth Albert
Scoring Chances by Avon Gale
and more from Didi:
I’m adding two more lists of mine here, for PNR and May/December (or Age-Gap as one MC’s not into his December yet 😉 ).
Best Paranormal Romance:
– Spectred Isle by KJ Charles
– Hexslayer by Jordan L. Hawk
– Undertow by Jordan L. Hawk
– The Well by Marie Sexton
– Fraud Twice Felt by JT Hall
Best May/December Romance:
– Off the Ice by Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn
– Spun! by JL Merrow
– Trust the Chaser by Annabelle Albert
– Risky Behavior by LA Witt & Cari Z (I cheated, it’s more age-gap than May/December, I think)
– Permanent Ink by Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn
Best of Lists from STRW
More from Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Reviewers:
From Lila:
Looking back on my shelves, The Best of 2017 (according to me) are:
Here are my lists, many and long as I warned everyone. What a year and I still mourn the books I hesitatingly left off. These are listed in absolutely no particular order excerpt that I was scrambling to look at my notes and books kept popping up here and there….
♥︎Best Contemporary Fiction with Romance
Ghost (Executioners #1) by J.M Dabney Joker (Executioners #2) by J.M Dabney Watermelon Kisses by Freddy Mackay There’s This Guy by Rhys Ford Shelter the Sea (The Roosevelt, #2) by Heidi Cullinan Antisocial by Heidi Cullinan Switched by NR Walker Late in the Day (The Vault #2) by Mary Calmes
Micah Johnson Goes West (Get Out #2) by Sean Kennedy House of Cards (Porthkennack #4)by Garrett Leigh Foxglove Copse (Porthkennack #5) by Alex Beecroft Fair Chance (All’s Fair #3) by Josh Lanyon Hawaiian Orchid (The Hawaiians 2) by Meg Amor Snowblind by Eli Easton Who We Are by Nicola Haken Fishy Riotby Lindsey Black Rhino Ash by Lindsey Black Bonfires by Amy Lane Catch and Release (The Release, #3) by B.A. Tortuga
The Stark Divide (Liminal Sky #1) by J. Scott Coatsworth Sūnder (Darksoul #1) by Lexi Ander The Jackal’s House (Lancaster’s Luck #2) by Anna Butler – steampunk
♥︎Best of Fantasy:
His Mossy Boy (Being(s) in Love#8) by R. Cooper Dim Sum Asylum by Rhys Ford The Heart of the Lost Star by Megan Derr Ravens (Inheritance #3) by Amelia Faulkner
♥︎Best Supernatural/Paranormal:
Bitten by Design (Regent’s Park Pack #2) by Annabelle Jacobs Skim Blood and Savage Verse (Offbeat Crimes #3) by Angel Martinez (actually all the books in this series)
♥︎Best Series:
Aisling Trilogy by Carole Cummings (high fantasy) The Hawaiians by Meg Amor (contemporary romance) Offbeat Crimes by Angel Martinez (humor, fantasy, supernatural) Nicky and Noah Mysteries by Joe Cosentino (high camp, high humor, mystery) Inheritance by Amelia Faulkner (fantasy, supernatural) The Kingdom Series (Vol 1 & 2) by RJ Scott (fantasy) Rainbow Cove by Annabeth Albert #gaymers by Annabeth Albert Being(s) in Loveby R. Cooper The Release series by BA Tortuga The Sin Binby Dahlia Donovan (contemporary) The Yakuza Pathseries by Amy Tasukada (contemporary fiction) violent, bloody, brilliant, not romance)
♥︎Great Series Ending:
Sanctuary Series by RJ Scott Texas Series by RJ Scott Mahu by Neil S. Plakcy All’s Fair by Josh Lanyon Werecatseries by Andrew J. Peters Holiday with the Bellskis by Astrid Amara End Street Detectives by RJ Scott (supernatural)
♥︎Holiday Series ~ special mention:Holidays with the Bellskis Series by Astrid Amara (final story just out)
Carol of the Bellskis (Bellskis, #1) by Astrid Amara
Miracle of the Bellskis (Bellskis, #2) by Astrid Amara Wedding Bellskis (Holidays with the Bellskis, #3) byAstrid Amara
♥︎Best Covers:
A Destiny of Dragons (Tales From Verania) by TJ Klune, Artist Paul Richmond Red Fish, Dead Fish (Fish Out of Water#2) by Amy Lane, Artist: Reese Dante
Sunset at Pencarrow (World of Love) by Lou Sylvre and Anne Barwell, Artist: Reese Dante An Island in the Starsby Susan Laine, Artist: Anna Sikorska Antisocial by Heidi Cullinan, Cover art by Natsukoworks, Cover design by Kanaxa Designs. The Lure of Port Stephen by Sydney Blackburn, Artist Natasha Snow Manny Get Your Guy (The Mannies #2) by Amy Lane, Artist: Paul Richmond Comes a Horseman (Echoes Rising #3) by Anne Barwell, Artist: Reese Dante A New Way to Dance by Sean Michael, Artist: Anne Squires The Glamour Thieves by Don Allmon, Artist: Simone
Conned By Jana Denardo, Artist: Melody Pond Sūnder (Darksoul #1) by Lexi Ander, Artist:Kirby Crow The Blacksmith Prince by Beryll & Osiris Brackhaus, Artist: Lady Tiferet Foxglove Copse (Porthkennack #5) by Alex Beecroft, Artist: G.D. Leigh
♥︎
Well those are my choices and I’m sure I’ve even left a quite of few out. How did all of your lists come out? Did you all find some new books to add to your TBR lists on everyone’s Best of Lists? Winner Announcements to come next week as they would get lost and we need to have something to look forward to!
Have a Safe and Happy New Year! See you all in 2018! Happy Reading from Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words to all of you!
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
Sunday, December 31- Happy New Eve’s:
So Long 2017! Hello 2018! It’s Our Final 2017 Best of Lists.
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.
A Stella Advent Release Day Review: Eugene and the Box of Nailsby Jaime Samms
Monday, January 1:
Book Blitz: Blackwelder 2164 by Christopher D. J
BLITZ The Calling by MD Neu
RIPTIDE TOUR Reckless Behavior by LA Witt and Cari Z
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Operation Green Card by GB Gordon
A Kai Audiobook Review: Nachos & Hash by Brandon Witt and Dominic Carlos (Narrator)
A MelanieM Review: Hurricane by BA Tortuga
Tuesday, January 2:
Cover Reveal for Shae Connor’s Teaching Ben
DSP Promo K.A. Mitchell
RIPTIDE TOUR On Solid Ground by Quinn Anderson
Tour: A Different Light by Morningstar Ashley
A MelanieM Release Day Review: Prelude to Love by Anne Barwell
A MelanieM Review: Bound by Thorns (Dragon Soul #3) by Sean Michael
Wednesday, January 3:
Blog Tour *Won’t Feel A Thing by C.F. White
Release Blitz – Bonnie Dee – The Fortune Hunter
DSP Dreamspun Promo Anne Barwell
A VVivacious Review: OBSESSION by Theophilia St. Claire
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Outside the Lines by Anna Zabo
A MelanieM Review: Wait For Me by Kris Jacen
Thursday, January 4:
Release Blitz & Review Tour Request – Sam Burns – Blackbird In The Reeds
Sin and Saint by J.M. Dabney RDB, Tour
A MelanieM Release Day Review: Sin and Saint by J.M. Dabney
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Reckless Behavior by LA Witt and Cari Z
A Stella Review: The Best Gift by Shawn Lane
An Alisa Review Wolf’s Kiss by Siryn Sueng
Friday, January 5:
Dreamspinner Promo: Alix Bekins and Connie Bailey, authors of Song and Key
Release Blitz – Vows Box Set – Addison Albright
RELEASE BLITZ Felix and the Prince by Lucy Lennox
A MelanieM Audiobook Review: Smitty’s Sheriff by Cardeno C
A Stella Pre Release Review: When the Devil Wants In by Cate Ashwood and JH Knight
An Alisa Prerelease Review: Forever With You By Londra Laine
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar collection Stocking Stuffers.
Every time it seems like things are looking up for Eugene Kraft, disaster hits. Bankruptcy, a bigoted sibling, and a back-breaking accident have all left him with little money and less faith in the universe.
His last-ditch effort at peace is the small lakeside property where he is building a tiny house from recycled materials. If he can get it livable before the cold sets in, maybe he’ll be okay. Hopefully Cullen, the foreman on the construction site next door, won’t notice Eugene pilfering discarded materials from his dumpster.
When Cullen stops by to talk to Eugene, he’s sure the gig is up—but all Cullen wants is a date. Can two things go right in Eugene’s life? At first it seems possible. Projects on Eugene’s house are getting completed by what he dubs “construction elves” while he’s off site. But like Eugene predicted, his good fortune can’t last, and soon he has a tough choice to make: give up his home… or the man of his dreams.
This short story in the DSP Advent Calendar was a joy to read. I already read something else by Jaime Samms so I jumped at the chance of reviewing this new title. It was a lovely surprise and very sweet, just how I wanted it to be. I found the blurb interesting and I adored how the author deliver the romance. Well done!
I particularly liked how the relationship between Cullen and Eugene developed, how the first strongly tried to show Eugene how good they could be together, how he supported him in his choices. I felt pretty satisfied from what I knew about the MCs and it warmed my heart to see they get their HEA.
I want to recommend it, this well written short will definelly put you in the Christmas spirit and in a good mood.
The cover art by L.C. Chase fits the story, I like it.
Mason Collier isn’t big on authority figures. When Office Steve Coleman pulls him over and gives him a speeding ticket, he doesn’t react well. He’s even less happy when he discovers the cop lives next door to his parents’ house.
No matter where they turn this holiday season, Steve and Mason keep running into each other, and whenever they talk for more than a minute, they piss each other off. But from wayward dogs to Christmas tree hunts to maple syrup festivals, it proves impossible to avoid each other in the small town.
If Mason can see the good man behind the badge, he might just get a cop for Christmas.
A Cop for Christmas by Jamie Fessenden is a sweet holiday romance, complete with overly energetic young lab and a cringe worthy meet/greet that every young couple loves to relate later on in their relationship.
The author does a lovely job of enveloping us in the atmosphere of the small town, snow, maple syrup and all so it’s very easy to fall in love with it’s inhabitants as we meet them along with Mason as he sees the place his parents call home. The characters here are all well-crafted, so the loving family dynamics of the Collier family feels real as does the lonely trailer of Officer Steve Coleman next door.
I enjoyed every bit of the journey Mason and Steve take to their HFN ending…we will see more of them and how it plays out in the sequel A Viking for Yule. There’s some unexpected suspense, lots of romance, and more. This is a small town and people who definitely deserve several visits back to see how everyone is settling in, and I’m not just talking about Mason and Steve.
Jamie Fessenden’s holiday stories made an impact on me this Christmas season. They are sweet, heartwarming, full of hope, romance, and love that will last past the New Year’s. Read A Cop for Christmas and then head to A Viking for Yule. I highly recommend them both!
Cover art by Reese Dante is terrific and works for the story and characters.
The hardest thing a rebel can do isn’t standing up for something — it’s standing up for himself.
Life takes delight in stabbing Gus Scott in the back when he least expects it. After years of running from his past, present and the dismal future every social worker predicted for him, Karma delivers the one thing Gus could never—would never—turn his back on; a son from a one-night stand he’d had after a devastating break-up three years ago.
Returning to San Francisco and to 415 Ink, his family’s tattoo shop, gave him the perfect shelter to battle his personal demons and get himself together… until the firefighter who’d broken him walked back into Gus’s life.
For Rey Montenegro, tattoo artist Gus Scott was an elusive brass ring, a glittering prize he hadn’t the strength or flexibility to hold onto. Severing his relationship with the mercurial tattoo artist hurt but Gus hadn’t wanted the kind of domestic life Rey craved, leaving Rey with an aching chasm in his soul.
When Gus’s life and world starts to unravel, Rey helps him pick up the pieces, and Gus wonders if that forever Rey wants is more than just a dream.
415 Ink: Rebel launches the start of another series by Rhys Ford in stunning style. A second chance at love story, full of wounded, life-damaged men in search of love and HEA, 415 Ink: Rebel is exactly why I eagerly await each new release by this author. It’s full of people whose lives are easy to fall into, in this case Gus Scott, a wandering tattoo artist returning home after a two and a half year absence with startling news. Due to one nightmarish breakup and a drunken night years ago, he’s just now learned he’s a father. Something a gay man is astonished to hear. And he wants to be a part of his son’s life.
As with most of Rhys Ford’s characters, there’s layers upon layers to Gus Scott and the men he calls family, a group of men tattooed, laden with their own issues, including a past history with Gus burdened with pain and misunderstandings. To say he’s returning home to a mixed welcome is understated.
As the story unfolds and Gus reveals the news behind his return from his travels, Ford weaves the reader into the emotional fabric of these men and their universe. We feel Gus’ pain when he finds out he’s a father, his desire to be a part of Chris’ life, the history that led up to Chris’ existence, all mired in one bad decision and breakup that’s casting reverberations still. It’s nigh to impossible to remain unmoved by this story, especially when all involved want what’s best for Chris. No “nasty mom or mother’s parents” to be found here. Instead it’s a refreshing change of responsible adults working together in the best interests of a child.
Yes, this is an emotional journey and not just for Gus and Rey, but for all in the house as they also work to help provide support for Gus and Chris. Due to Rhys Ford’s superb characters, vivid scenes, and dramatic narrative, I not only felt a part of their lives but believed in them absolutely.
What do you get with a Rhys Ford story? Men to love, broken hearts in need of mending, extended families giving support, and more romance and angst to overflow any tale….all that and more superbly done. I’ll leave you with this…
“I’m sorry I wasn’t what you wanted me to be, but you know what? You weren’t what I needed either, even if you were all I wanted.”
Sigh. Now to wait for the next in the series. Until then, pick up 415 Ink: Rebel by Rhys Ford. I highly recommend it.
Cover Artist: Reece Notley. Another great cover by Reece Notley. That’s exactly my idea of Gus.
Reclusive medieval scholar, Edgar Royal, has a crush. On a guy. Not a big deal, except that said guy, Walter Chase, is a famous online gamer who has no idea Edgar even exists. Edgar has harbored these feelings for nearly a year, and when Walter announces on Twitter that he’ll be visiting New York City as a guest at the GamerOn convention, Edgar decides he’ll be one of the thousands of fans who responds to the message.
He definitely doesn’t expect to be singled out by the humble, gorgeous, out-and-proud heartthrob. And when it comes to dealing with people, Edgar’s skills are pretty nonexistent. Even with Walter giving all the right signals, Edgar lacks the courage do anything about the mutual attraction growing through their online courtship. He’s always been better with the written word, so maybe the perfect Christmas gift will say what he cannot. But if Edgar can’t get the present to Walter before the convention ends, he may miss out on the boyfriend of a lifetime.
I enjoy stories about gamer nerds so combining that with a holiday theme is a definite draw. C.S. Poe gets the gaming aspects spot on while creating a sweet romance for Edgar and Walter, two gamers looking for love at a convention in NYC.
New Game, Start by C.S. Poe has lovely characters, a great setting (NYC and a gamer convention), and an easy flow to her story that sweeps you into the life of Edgar Royal, medieval scholar and reclusive gamer. Not once did Edgar ever come across as anything less than authentic. You believe in Edgar, crossed signals, his lack of self worth…and wish that everything will go Edgar’s way when he actually meets up with his hero, Walter. Walter too is a terrific character and the combination works in every way as the geeky courtship builds towards a relationship.
I loved the feel of this story, it’s a lovely, quiet romp to the end and definitely one I recommend.
Cover art by Paul Richmond is the series Stocking Stuffer cover, full of humor and good cheer.
A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar collection Stocking Stuffers.
ebook, 38 pages
Published December 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640803145
Edition Language English
setting New York City, New York (United States)
