Category: Contemporary fiction

An Ali Review: Kill Game (Seven of Spades #1) by Cordelia Kingsbridge

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Homicide detective Levi Abrams is barely holding his life together. He’s reeling from the fallout of a fatal shooting, and his relationship with his boyfriend is crumbling. The last thing he’s prepared for is a serial killer stalking the streets of Las Vegas. Or how he keeps getting thrown into the path of annoyingly charming bounty hunter Dominic Russo.

Dominic likes his life free of complications. That means no tangling with cops—especially prickly, uptight detectives. But when he stumbles across one of the Seven of Spades’s horrifying crime scenes, he can’t let go, despite Levi’s warnings to stay away.

The Seven of Spades is ruthless and always two moves ahead. Worst of all, they’ve taken a dangerously personal interest in Levi and Dominic. Forced to trust each other, the two men race to discover the killer’s identity, revealing hidden truths along the way and sparking a bond neither man expected. But that may not be enough to protect them.

This killer likes to play games, and the deck is not stacked in Levi and Dominic’s favor.
I thought this was really good.  I haven’t been this excited about a new series in a long time.  In fact, if the rest of the series was done I would have binge read the entire thing.  When the story starts we meet both Dominic and Levi.  They know each other through their jobs but they don’t know each other well.  When a serial killer starts hunting prey in their city they end up crossing paths in a more detailed way.  The two men both feel the chemistry between them but there is a lot going on in both of their lives and getting together is a complicated things.
As the book proceeds the two MC’s get drawn together repeatedly due to the circumstances of the case.  I loved how the author handled these two getting together.  It’s a slow burn and it’s obvious she’s going to take her time building their relationship and I for one am really excited about that.  I love ongoing series where the main characters have time to build a solid foundation and where the author takes the reader along and lets us see all the steps along the way. 
I liked both Levi and Dominic and I thought they were both well done and thoroughly fleshed out.  They came across as realistic people with realistic problems.  Both have some issues they’re going through and the author shows us their vulnerabilities and flaws.  Despite that, or maybe because of that, I immediately connected with them both.  There are a host of side characters (friends, family, co-workers) that we both interesting and added to the overall plot.
The author did a good job on the mystery aspect of the case.  I thought it was entertaining and pretty fast paced.  I have some theories about who the killer is and I’m eager to get to the next installments of the series to see if I’m right or not.  The murders were sufficiently creepy but not too gruesome or dark. 
So, again, this was really good and is going to go on my “best of” list this year.  It looks like there will be 5 books total in this series and I can’t wait to read them all.
The cover was done by G.D Leigh and I think it’s fantastic.  It fits the creepy vibe of a book about a serial killer.  I think it’s super eye catching and attractive.  When you get to the end of this book you can see the covers for the rest of the books in the series and they are all great.  They are distinctive and they match well.  You’ll have no trouble seeing that they are a matched set.
Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 297 pages
Published October 23rd 2017 by Riptide Publishing
Original TitleKill Game
ISBN139781626496194
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSeven of Spades #1 settingLas Vegas, Nevada (United States)
Nevada (United States)

The Seven of Spades series is best read in order of publication, which is as follows:

  1. Kill Game (October 23, 217)
  2. Trick Roller (January 29, 2018)
  3. Cash Plays (April 30, 2018)
  4. One-Eyed Royals (July 30, 2018)
  5. A Chip and a Chair (October 22, 2018)

An Alisa Review: For Better or For Worse by Emery C. Walters

Rating:  2 stars out of 5

 

It was just going to be a simple Spanish fabada bean and chorizo soup from his grandmother’s favorite recipe. Jake hoped for a nice meal and a better time with his widower father. His dad didn’t seem homophobic, but he just didn’t get that Jake was gay. A quiet dinner might clear the air.

 

But the trip to the supermarket was a disaster involving a bear and some sausage. Then his dad showed up accompanied by a health aide who isn’t quite what she seems. And the bear shows up, too.

 

Stress and rum piles up. Will Jake’s father get a new grandson? Does Jake have a bear in the kitchen and in the bedroom, too? Is this meal one big happy family gathering, or an even bigger disaster?

 

So, I went into this story thinking it would be a short, funny and romantic story, it was not.  This just felt like a big mess to me.  Jake seemed relaxed and calm about his dinner with his father and suddenly he’s inviting someone to join them but forgets to mention it to either.  This was a mess up of misunderstanding and “relationships” that didn’t add up either.  I’m not sure what seemed to push Jake to the bottom of the bottle but it couldn’t have been as new as it seemed for everything to happen the way it did.

 

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is a sweet picture of the characters cooking together, it just doesn’t go with the actual story.

 

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 40 pages

Published: September 23, 2017 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634864626

Edition Language: English

A VVivacious Review: Changing On The Fly: The Second Period Anthology – Various Authors

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Changing on the Fly features four M/M stories about hockey players falling in love on – and off – the ice. It includes the following stories:

1. Head in the Game by Jeff Adams

Rating: 2.5 Stars out of 5

Roger Jacobson is having a hard time getting his head in the game following his disastrous breakup, when things start looking really bad he turns to his roots for help in the form of Coach Barker. What Roger wasn’t expecting was the distraction in the form of Dylan Barker. Can Roger fix his game and his heart?

This story didn’t have any impact on me. It is a nice little unassuming tale but it lacked the depth that makes a story memorable. It’s hard to pin-point what exactly didn’t work in this story because on the surface everything works. The story has a nice premise and the writing is good but nothing about this story left an impression.

In fact on second thought, I felt like things just weren’t hard enough, I don’t know, this story needs a little bit more fight in it. Personally, I was just never that invested in these characters for their story to mean something to me. Otherwise, it is a good read but extremely forgettable.

 

2. Second Chance at Love by Heather Lire

Rating: 3 Stars out of 5

Zach needs a break after the crazy couple of months that see his hockey career end and see him elected as Mayor of Holiday, Vermont. He ends up in Costa Rica ready for a relaxing vacation only to find out that he is sharing his beach house with Tony, his best friend from High School. Will this surprise reunion ignite something new between these two friends?

The one thing I have to mention in regards to this story is that it features no hockey in it, like at all, which was kind of weird and technically doesn’t even feature a hockey player. It features an ex-hockey player. I kind of picked up this anthology for the hockey so that was a bit of a disappointment but then I kind of reset my expectations because even the following story didn’t have much hockey in it.

This story does have my favourite troop friends-to-lovers but it really fails to develop on it. This story is very hot and heavy and I feel like the sexual development kind of occurs at the altar of everything else (like character and story development). So when things do happen they feel a little rushed, especially in regards to that Epilogue. I personally didn’t get to know the characters enough to know for sure that they would end up like they did in the epilogue.

Overall, this is a hot and heavy quickie but not much in the way of story development.

3. Rookie Moves by V L Locey

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Riley and Keiffer have made it despite all odds, but now Keiffer finds himself under the spotlight. Will Keiffer be able to get a hold of his life and be able to figure out what he wants to do with his life, or will he crumble under the media blizzard?

I liked this story quite a lot. In fact, I liked it so much that I read the prequel to this one as well after finishing this one.

Riley and Keiffer make an incredible couple. At times it is hard to imagine that such a couple could actually work but then you see them interact and they click so well together that you can’t figure out the doubts you had. Of course, at the core of their relationship is balance Riley has an insurmountable amount of power over Keiffer given that Keiffer is completely dependent on Riley for everything and as of yet can’t support himself and at times that power dynamic does err on the wrong side. If things unbalance even a bit this story could be a mess but for the most part, the author has the balance between these two figured out because these two need solid boundaries between pushing and demanding.

But on the whole, I loved this story as it follows Keiffer. We see him grow into himself and finally figure out what he wants to do with his life which coupled with the amazingness of Riley and Keiffer makes for one hell of a story.

4. Secrets by RJ Scott

Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

Benji is a skater on the Colchester Colts and he is used to being chirped on for his short height, especially from Avery Lester, the defenseman for the Carlisle Rush. When Benji makes a single inappropriate comment about Avery’s ass, it has an unexpected outcome. 

Avery comes to Benji for guidance, to figure out how to be a gay man in a hockey league, while Benji wants to help he also needs to guard his heart. Will Benji succeed or fail, miserably?

This story was my most favourite of the lot. I loved it, like so, so, so much.

God, it was amazing! I loved Benji and Avery so much, they like completely made my day. God these two were so adorable together and it was just so heartrending to have Benji trying to protect his heart but failing, so spectacularly. Like there was just something about Benji falling in love that had me so emotional.

Avery and Benji were amazing characters and I think the thing that really worked for their story was all that focus on hockey. Their story really tied in with Hockey as a concept and as a game and was used amazingly to further the plot.

God! This one was amazing, and I am not very good at expressing just how good it was but it was amazing. It is not only one of my most favourite stories from this anthology but this is like one of my most favourite stories ever.

 

Cover Art by Jen Needles which I really liked.

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book Details:

Charity Anthology\All proceeds from the anthology will be donated to a charity that supports inclusiveness in athletics.

The anthology will be available starting in October 4, 2017, for a limited time only.

ebook
Published October 4th 2017 by Gone Writing Publishing
ISBN139781370424719

Piper’s Top Five NHL Defensemen and their release ‘​Off the Ice (Hat Trick #1) by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn ( tour and giveaway)

Off the Ice (Hat Trick #1) by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn
Riptide Publishing
Cover art by

Read an Excerpt/Purchase it here at Riptide Publishing

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Piper Vaughn here today on her tour for Off the Ice.  Welcome, Piper!

Piper’s Top Five NHL Defensemen

Hi, all! Piper Vaughn, here! Thanks for having me today. In honor of Tristan Holt, who is one of the main characters in OFF THE ICE – and a defenseman for my and Avon Gale’s fictional hockey team, the Atlanta Venom – I’ve decided to talk a little bit about my five favorite NHL defensemen. If you’re an ice hockey fan and you haven’t heard of these guys, they’re all worth checking out! 😀

Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues

If you’ve already read OFF THE ICE and saw the dedication, you won’t be surprised to see Colton Parayko as the first name on this list. Avon and I have been open about the fact that Parayko inspired our character, Tristan, and the plot for the book itself. In interviews Parayko comes across as a genuinely nice, bashful, and humble guy. He’s also an amazing defenseman! This is his third season with the Blues, and he’s known for being a playmaker and with every passing season, becoming a more offensive defenseman. He isn’t scoring a ton of goals himself, but he’s getting assists and helping his teammates score, which is crucial. This past off-season, he even signed an impressive 5-year contract extension with the Blues, proof of their faith in him and his developing skillset. I can only see him getting better from here! And his smile is to die for.

Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota Wild

I have a thing for height differences and short, feisty players, and Spurgeon, clocking in at 5’7” (or 5’9”, depending which site you look at) is the shortest d-man on this list. You won’t necessarily find him among the NHL’s top 25 defensemen, but in my opinion, he’s vastly underrated and he’s constantly proving that size isn’t indicative of skill. He’s not a high-scoring defenseman, but he’s consistently good and puts up some respectable numbers in terms of goals and assists. Beyond that, he’s good at creating plays that lead to offensive chances, even if he’s not notching assists on those goals. In other words, he’s helping his team score! I only expect his numbers to improve over the next few years.   

Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks

Burnzie is easily one of the top defensemen in the NHL and well-known for his skills as much as his impressive beard and his toothless grin. Burns is the ultimate offensive defenseman. He scores a lot of goals and notches even more assists. He’s also a goof, and I love his sense of humor. I’m a Sharks fan mostly because of him. Plus, I’ll never forget how supportive and awesome he was with his former teammate, John Scott, during the All-Star Game a couple of years ago. It was, hands down, the most memorable all-star game I’ll ever watch, and Burns was a big part of that.

Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild

When I think of Ryan Suter, one word that comes to mind is solid. If you know your hockey history, you’ll know Ryan Suter is the son of Bob Suter, who played as part of the “Miracle on Ice” team in the 1980 Olympic Games. Much like what I’ve read about his father, Suter loves hockey, his family, and is a humble and dedicated player. He’s a point-scorer, whether it’s goals or assists, and he’s a reliable offensive defenseman – evidenced by consistently solid numbers and his participation in the NHL’s All-Star Games three times in the last 5 seasons. He’s not a flashy player, but he’s definitely a difference maker, and I’ve liked him since I watched his episode of “Becoming Wild” a couple of seasons ago.

Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

Werenski is the youngest d-man on this list. He’s only 20, but last year he led the NHL rookie defensemen in points. He made a huge impact on the Blue Jackets and was even nominated for the Calder Trophy, which goes to the rookie of the year. To no one’s surprise, last year’s winner was Auston Matthews, who is an incredible player, but it’s still impressive Werenski finished third in the voting! I love bb!players and seeing them do so well. He has an exciting future ahead of him, and I’m really looking forward to watching him develop.

And those are my top five, although it wasn’t easy to narrow it down. The league is filled with so many talented players, and I have a soft spot for defensemen and goalies… but the goalies I’ll save for another post. ;D

 In the Hat Trick series, love and hockey collide—and create enough heat to melt the ice. Join the players as they chase both the Stanley Cup and their own personal happily ever afters.

About Off the Ice

Tristan Holt is nothing if not pragmatic. Despite a flourishing career as a defenseman for the Atlanta Venom, Tristan knows he can’t play hockey forever. One day he’ll retire—if an injury doesn’t force him to hang up his skates first. His backup plan? Finishing his business degree. But he doesn’t count on a very inappropriate attraction to his standoffish sociology professor, Sebastian Cruz.

Sebastian is on the bottom rung of the Sociology Department at Georgia State. He has his sights set on tenure, and he can’t afford to be distracted, especially not by a sexy student with a body straight out of Sebastian’s dreams. No matter how much Tristan tempts him, that’s one line Sebastian won’t cross. At least not until summer classes end. After that, everything is fair game.

But Sebastian lives loud and proud, and Tristan is terrified of being the first out player in the NHL. Neither of them can afford to risk their hearts when they can’t imagine a happily ever after. The problem is, unlike hockey, when it comes to love, there are no rules.

Available now from Riptide Publishing. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/off-the-ice

About Avon Gale

Avon grew up in the southern United States, and now lives with her very patient husband in a liberal Midwestern college town. When she’s not writing, she’s either doing some kind of craft project that makes a huge mess, reading, watching horror movies, listening to music or yelling at her favorite hockey team to get it together, already. Avon is always up for a road trip, adores Kentucky bourbon, thinks nothing is as stress relieving as a good rock concert, and will never say no to candy.

At one point, Avon was the mayor of both Jazzercise and Lollicup on Foursquare. This tells you basically all you need to know about her as a person.

Connect with Avon:

● Website: www.avongalewrites.com

● Blog: www.avongalewrites.com/category/blog/

● Facebook: www.facebook.com/avongalewrites

● Twitter: @avongalewrites

● Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/avongalewrites/

● Instagram: www.instagram.com/avongale/

 

About Piper Vaughn

Piper Vaughn wrote her first love story at eleven and never looked back. Since then, she’s known that writing in some form was exactly what she wanted to do. A reader at the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book—fantasy, young adult, romance, sci-fi, she loves them all (and has an over-two-thousand-book library to prove it!). She’s an avid tea drinker, a hockey fanatic, a vintage typewriter collector, and loves to travel so much she has “wanderlust” tattooed on her ankle and dozens of countries on her bucket list. Recently, she discovered the world of nail art and realized she’s pretty handy with a paintbrush—as long as it’s a miniature one.

  • As a bisexual and Latinx person, Piper takes great pride in her heritage. She grew up in an ethnically diverse neighborhood and strives to put faces and characters of every ethnicity in her stories, so her fictional worlds are as colorful as the real one. She currently resides in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband, son, and a cat that has Piper wrapped around her little paw. Above all, she believes that everyone needs a little true love in their life … even if it’s only in a book.

 

Connect with Piper:

● Website: http://pipervaughn.com/

● Blog: https://pipervaughn.wordpress.com/

● Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pipervaughn

● Twitter: https://twitter.com/pipervaughn

● Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pipervaughn7/

● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piper.vaughn/

● Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104698982870458063898

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Off the Ice, one lucky winner will receive a Venom t-shirt in their size and Venom notebook! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 4, 2017. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

 

A MelanieM Review: Shattered Pieces (Heathens Ink #4) by K.M. Neuhold

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

I was sure my heart had withered away years ago, but then you smiled at me, and I felt it beat again.” ~Gage
Years ago, I fell in love with my best friend’s little brother. Then, he took his own life, leaving me shattered and unable to piece my heart back together. I’ve been a zombie for nine long years. Until a crazy, gorgeous man walked into Heathens Ink and injected color back into my world of gray. No matter how hard I try to resist Beck, he just won’t give up on me. I would need steel willpower to withstand his gorgeous long legs in those high heels and his drawer full of lacy lingerie. But is this just a kinky hook up or does it have the possibility for more?

“We’re both broken, but our jagged edges fit together well” ~ Beck
When you’re half of a whole you never contemplate what life would be like without your matching piece. Since my twin sister, Brianna, died last year, nothing I do seems to quiet my soul. I know there has to be some way for me to feel happy and whole again. And, when I look into the pained eyes of the tattoo artist at Heathens Ink, I feel like I have a purpose. I can’t explain it, but I feel like I have to find a way to put him back together.

Shattered Pieces (Heathens Ink #4) by K.M. Neuhold is simply an engaging, heartwarming romance between two people broken by grief and past loss.  I’ve not read any of the other Heathens stories and it’s not necessary because Shattered PIeces works perfectly on its own. K.M. Neuhold gives the readers all the back history and series foundation necessary without overshadowing the central story of Gage and Beck’s romance.

And what a  slow and wonderful romance it is.  Gage has been living a numb life for close to ten years ever since the young love of his life committed suicide, something he blames himself for.  Mired in grief, guilt, and loss, his world has greyed out until Beck comes into Heathens Ink asking for a peacock tattoo in memory of his twin sister.  The story is told from both points of view and it works beautifully here, making both characters fully come to life.

Gage’s needs to work through his grief, pain and fear that if he moves on, he loses his love and memory of Jay, something I think most people will understand.  Beck is caught up in a different way, drawn to broken souls because he knows he too is shattered and in need of mending.

I loved the whole slow recovery and forming a relationship here, it worked.  The writing was smooth and moved the plot along easily and quickly.  The dialog fit the men and their personalities and made me fall in love with them both.  It also piqued my interest in the other stories which I’ll be looking into now.

I thoroughly enjoyed Shattered Pieces (Heathens Ink #4) by K.M. Neuhold and absolutely recommend it.  Now on to see what the rest of the series holds!

Cover art by Inked Designs. I like this cover and the models work for the characters except where is Gage’s pink hair?  That’s a major failure as its an important element in the story.

Sales Links:

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2zZWnl2

AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/2zOYkj9

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 181 pages
Published October 31st 2017
ASINB076M878V2
SeriesHeathens Ink #4

An Alisa Review: Steel Trap (The Wyverns #5) by L.M. Somerton

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

Secrets don’t stay hidden forever.

 

Hatchet has a thing for the enigmatic Mr. Smith, Horatio Trap’s spokesman. He’d love to get his hands on the pretty man and show him how good it feels to take orders for once rather than hand them out. He’s had his eye on Smith for years and he’s running out of patience.

 

The Wyverns’ involvement in the drug trade is limited to stealing money from the cartels—they don’t want junk peddled on their turf. When Trap orders them to destroy a crack cocaine factory in Phoenix, they are happy to oblige. But Smith throws a spanner in the works by posing as a potential buyer, putting himself in mortal danger.

 

Hatchet and The Wyverns come up with a plan to fake Smith’s death, muscle in on the deal and convince the cartel to do business with them instead. But when Hatchet’s cover is blown he’s left to save a bunch of illegals, destroy the drugs and wipe the factory from the face of the planet. It’s all in a night’s work for The Wyverns—but there are still secrets to uncover and the mysterious Horatio Trap and his mind games can’t stay hidden forever.

 

This was a great conclusion to this series.  Hatchet has claimed Smith as his, he just needs convince the man himself.  Smith hasn’t allowed himself to be taken care of too much by someone else and is used to calling the shots but Hatchet wants to show him that isn’t what he really needs.

 

Hatchet lets Smith go home after he is mostly healed from the injury he received in the previous book but the instant that he tries to put himself in danger again he knows he needs to teach him a lesson.  Smith still has secrets he is trying to protect but once they are revealed he is freer to let go of his long held control.  I loved that this story gave a nice ending to this series, I really liked most of the characters and stories in it.

 

The cover art by Posh Gosh is great and continues to follow the pattern for the series.

 

Sales Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 69 pages

Publication: October 17, 2017 by Pride Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-78651-638-1

Edition Language: English

Series: The Wyverns #5

Release Day Blitz for Shattered Pieces (Heathens Ink #4) by K.M. Neuhold (excerpt and giveaway)

SP banner release blitz

SHATTERED PIECES

HEATHENS INK SERIES, BOOK 4

K.M. NEUHOLD

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 10.31.17

SP Cover

COVER DESIGN:  K.M. Neuhold

COVER PHOTO: StockPhoto

 

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2zZWnl2

AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/2zOYkj9

BLURB

“I was sure my heart had withered away years ago, but then you smiled at me and I felt it beat again.” ~Gage

Years ago, I fell in love with my best friend’s little brother. Then, he took his own life, leaving me shattered and unable to piece my heart back together. I’ve been a zombie for nine long years. Until a crazy, gorgeous man walked into Heathens Ink and injected color back into my world of gray. No matter how hard I try to resist Beck he just won’t give up on me. I would need steel willpower to withstand his gorgeous long legs in his high heels, and his drawer full of lacy lingerie. But is this just a kinky hook up or does it have the possibility for more?

“We’re both broken, but our jagged edges fit together well” ~ Beck

When you’re half of a whole you never contemplate what life would be like without your matching piece. Since my twin sister, Brianna, died last year, nothing I do seems to quiet my soul. I know there has to be some way for me to feel happy and whole again. And, when I look into the pained eyes of the tattoo artist at Heathens Ink I feel like I have a purpose. I can’t explain it, but I feel like I have to find a way to put him back together.

Shattered Pieces is book 4 in The Heathens Ink Series and can be read as a standalone.

Scattered Pieces Teaser 1

Scattered Pieces Teaser 2

EXCERPT

“Dance with me.” Beck holds his hand out to me. His eyes spark with amusement at what I’m sure is the obvious horror in my expression.

“I don’t dance.”

“Come on, you’re supposed to be trying fun, new things. I’m not expecting Fred Astaire, just stand in my general vicinity and nod your head to the beat.”

I sigh in resignation and take Beck’s hand, refusing to notice how soft his skin is or how good it feels to touch someone, however casually.

Still clutching my hand, Beck starts to dance. He starts out tame, simply swaying to the music. But, before long he’s spinning and shimmying like a ballerina on crack. Even being goofy and over the top he’s utterly graceful. And the joy in his expression is heartbreaking in its beauty.

When he spins out and then into my arms like a tango dancer, a laugh escapes from my chest, too full of a warmth to contain it.

“You have a really nice laugh,” Beck says, smiling up at me.

My heart thuds violently against my ribcage. Some long-forgotten place in my brain wakes up from its long slumber and starts to make irrational demands like kiss him and make Beck mine.

I pull my arms back, forcing a smile as blood rushes in my ears. Beck isn’t mine. He can never be mine. I had someone who was mine and I broke him beyond repair.

“I’m afraid I’m a bit rusty,” I admit with chagrin.

“Never too late to pick it back up again,” Beck reasons, stepping close again but not so close to warrant another retreat on my part.

His lips are rosy pink and so soft, slightly parted and unbelievably tempting. I can’t remember if we were discussing laughing or kissing and I don’t really care.

“For the first time in a long time I’m starting to wonder if that’s true.” The hope my statement sparks in Beck’s eyes forces me to backpedal as guilt washes over me. “It feels wrong to imagine happiness is possible, even in some vague, future way.”

“I’m not going to give you any trite bullshit like saying Johnny would’ve wanted you to be happy. I didn’t know Johnny and even if I had there’s no way to know what he would’ve wanted because he’s gone. But you’re still here. You still have a life, a heart, and the right to be happy whether now or in a vague future.” The way Beck holds my gaze is like a cobra ensnaring a mouse. “You don’t need Johnny’s permission to move on and be happy. You only need to give yourself permission.”

KM Neuhold Graphic

I’m an author of m/m and new adult romance. I have a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well.

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Series Review Tour ~ The Wyverns by L.M. Somerton (excerpt and giveaway)

WYVERNS BANNER

What can you expect from The Wyverns series?

Well, plenty of action and an equivalent amount of kink! The Wyverns isn’t a typical motorcycle club and its members aren’t typical bikers. They do have plenty of attitude and a knack for getting into trouble. Their leader, Rogue Hellaby, is as fierce as the dragon adorning his back and has little patience for the brat he is ordered to kidnap. Orlando de la Pena proves to be almost as much of a challenge as the gunrunners and drug cartels that The Wyverns regularly butt heads with and that’s how the series begins – with kidnap and kink!
The book titles are all linked by the word ‘trap’ because the members of The Wyverns are all trapped by the past, which ties them to a life they reluctantly enjoy. Linking them all together is a mysterious character called Mr. Trap, who manipulates their vulnerabilities shamelessly. This mystery threads through the series and is resolved in the new book, Steel Trap.

steeltrap_800

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Steel Trap (The Wyverns #5)

Author L.M. Somerton

Publisher: Pride Publishing (Bonnaire)

Cover Artist: Emmy Ellis

Length: Words: 23,153/No. of Pages: 69

General Release Date: October 17

Genre/s: Contemporary MM (note that 3 of the books in the series have BDSM themes, 2 do not)

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Blurb
Secrets don’t stay hidden forever.
Hatchet has a thing for the enigmatic Mr. Smith, Horatio Trap’s spokesman. He’d love to get his hands on the pretty man and show him how good it feels to take orders for once rather than hand them out. He’s had his eye on Smith for years and he’s running out of patience.
The Wyverns’ involvement in the drug trade is limited to stealing money from the cartels—they don’t want junk peddled on their turf. When Trap orders them to destroy a crack cocaine factory in Phoenix, they are happy to oblige. But Smith throws a spanner in the works by posing as a potential buyer, putting himself in mortal danger.
Hatchet and The Wyverns come up with a plan to fake Smith’s death, muscle in on the deal and convince the cartel to do business with them instead. But when Hatchet’s cover is blown he’s left to save a bunch of illegals, destroy the drugs and wipe the factory from the face of the planet. It’s all in a night’s work for The Wyverns—but there are still secrets to uncover and the mysterious Horatio Trap and his mind games can’t stay hidden forever.

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Buy Links

Pride Publishing

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Goodreads Link

Excerpt
“We need a new fucking couch,” Hatchet grumbled. “My spine is turning into a pretzel.” He threw off the thin blanket covering him then swung his legs around so he could sit up. The scent of fresh coffee tickled his nostrils.
“So sleep in a bed like the rest of us,” Orlando said, far too bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for first thing in the morning. He stood next to the couch wafting a mug back and forth. His lime green top hurt Hatchet’s eyes.
“Gimme that coffee, brat.” Hatchet made a swipe for the mug but Orlando stepped away out of reach.
“Nope. This is for Smith. He deserves it more than you do.”
“He’s the reason I need a chiropractor on call.” Hatchet rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Fuck, I need a shower.” He’d slept in an old T-shirt and sweats.
Orlando’s delicate button nose wrinkled. “I could hose you down outside if you like?”
Hatchet levered himself erect. At his full height, he towered over Orlando. “The only scenario I’d enjoy involving you, me and a hose would have the nozzle invading a certain part of your anatomy.”
Orlando’s eyes widened. His lower lip quivered. He thrust the mug of coffee in Hatchet’s direction.
“You think I’m falling for that hurt puppy routine?” Hatchet grabbed the mug before Orlando could change his mind. He took a long swallow. “This was for me all along, wasn’t it?”
Orlando grinned. “I gave Smith his ages ago. You were still snoring. Like a water buffalo.” He scampered toward the kitchen before Hatchet could react. He’d need at least one more mug before he felt up to chasing after Rogue’s obnoxious sub. The coffee was good though.
“The brat giving you trouble?” Rogue, leader of The Wyverns motorcycle club, strolled over.
“Always.” Hatchet raised his mug in a mock-toast. “Makes good coffee, though, so providing you keep warming his ass on a regular basis, I can handle him.”
Rogue ran a hand through his dirty blond hair. “Well, you could be in for a few rough days. I’m thinking about heading out to California. A road trip, then a few days on the beach. I want to see if I can still stand on a surfboard without wiping out.”
Hatchet’s eyes narrowed. “Wait. You’re leaving him here?”
Rogue shrugged. “I told him we were both going, but he said he had to stay here and take care of Smith since you were doing… What were his words? Oh, yeah. A piss poor job of it.”
“He said what?” Rogue had better find himself a new plaything. By the time Hatchet finished burying the brat, they’d never find hide nor hair.
“I’m kidding. Yeah, we’re leaving later today. You okay to handle things here while I’m gone?”
“You know it. As long as you’re taking the brat with you. And, yeah, I almost had a heart attack when you suggested you weren’t.”
Rogue chuckled. “I’m going to let him know now. Smith’s leaving today, right?”
“So he says.” Hatchet shrugged. “Shelton thinks he should rest up a few more days but that man is stubborn as a mule.”
“At least you get your bed back.”
“There is that.” Hatchet stretched, easing the kinks from his muscles. He’d rather Smith remained in his bed, preferably naked, possibly tied down, but he wasn’t going to admit that to Rogue. From his grin, Rogue knew what he was thinking, anyway.

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CHECK OUT THE OTHER FOUR STORIES IN THE SERIES

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MANTRAP #1

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Not all cages have bars.

The Wyverns Motorcycle Club has a reputation as fierce as its dragon emblem. Its enigmatic leader, Rogue Hellaby, has a police file so thick you could prop up a table with it. The qualifications for membership are a reckless disregard for authority and the attitude of a spitting cobra. But The Wyverns MC is not quite what it seems. All the riders have dubious histories in the military or the police—now they just serve and protect their own interests and those of Horatio Trap, the manipulative bastard who recruited them.

When Rogue receives an instruction to kidnap and hold hostage the son of a powerful drug lord, he doesn’t bat an eyelid. But Rogue has never had to deal with a captive like Orlando de la Pena. Orlando is furious—not because he’s being held prisoner, but because he’s prevented from partying at his favorite BDSM club. Rogue discovers that the only way to deal with Orlando is to become the Dom he so obviously needs. But Orlando’s father wants him back, and The Wyverns must face a battle that could cost them their lives.

DEATHTRAP #2

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A man without scars never had to fight for something he believed in.

A new relationship takes time and effort. A new relationship with Orlando de la Pena takes a whole lot more. As a Dom, Rogue knows what he wants, but Orlando refuses to fit neatly into the box labeled ‘submissive’. He’s feisty, demanding and far too pretty for his own good.

Orlando loves Rogue and he’s learning to love The Wyverns, but he hates being stuck out in the desert. Finding a niche in the world of bikes and fierce warriors is difficult, and Orlando’s impatience gets the better of him. He walks out into the desert and runs in to an antisocial diamondback.

Rogue has more than one problem to deal with. The Longhorns MC issues a challenge for territory. The Bellazi cartel is out for Wyvern blood. The Wyverns are under siege, and Rogue has to work out how to save not just Orlando, but all of them.

Reader Advisory: This books contains scenes of mild BDSM

RATTRAP #3

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Sometimes the only way to spring a trap is to use live bait.

Teddy Austin has had more than his share of run-ins with local law enforcement. The Wyverns have a reputation to maintain, and Teddy feels it’s his duty to cause havoc whenever possible. Of course, getting arrested means time in the company of Sheriff Adrian Hayder—always a bonus—though Teddy would far prefer to have the sheriff wearing the cuffs.

When The Knights of War MC arrives in Phoenix, Trap orders The Wyverns to get inside information. In order to infiltrate the gang, Teddy must appear to betray his friends and switch his allegiance. Working undercover, however, he confirms what they have all suspected—The Knights of War are a cover for something much more sinister than a hell-raising bunch of bikers, and they fully intend to turn Phoenix into a battleground.
With Sheriff Hayder getting far too close to the truth, Teddy is left with a few problems—how to stop a war, keep his balls intact and ensure the man he loves keeps breathing

SAND TRAP #4

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Exposing secrets can be lethal.

Crow has had his eye on baby-faced Shelton since the young man became part of the Wyverns, but Crow is a committed Dom and unsure that Shelton is ready, or willing, to become his submissive. Getting trapped together during a dust storm provides an opportunity to find out.

When the dust settles, the winds have scoured the desert and uncovered a shallow grave full of bodies. Smuggling people across the border is big business and Crow knows that the traffickers will not want their gruesome secret revealed to the authorities.

When Shelton is taken and used as collateral, Crow and the Wyverns have to decide just how far they are prepared to go to serve justice and save Shelton’s life.

Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Me1

Lucinda lives in a small village in the English countryside, surrounded by rolling hills, cows and sheep. She started writing to fill time between jobs and is now firmly and unashamedly addicted.
She loves the English weather, especially the rain, and adores a thunderstorm. She loves good food, warm company and a crackling fire. She’s fascinated by the psychology of relationships, especially between men, and her stories contain some subtle (and some not so subtle) leanings towards BDSM.

Social Media Links
Blog/Website
Facebook Author Page
Twitter

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GIVEAWAY

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway to win one of 2 ebook sets of the Wyvern series (5 books)

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SERIES REVIEW TOUR SCHEDULE

WYVERNS 1 SCHEDULE

October 17
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Millsy Loves Books

Love Unchained Book Reviews

The Way She Reads  REVIEW

A Book Lover’s Dream Book Blog  REVIEW

Tangents and Tissues

October 24
Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author

Lily G Blunt

October 27
Drops of Ink

Gay Book Reviews

October 28
BFD Book Blog     REVIEW

November 1
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words  STEEL TRAP REVIEW

Tangents and Tissues   SERIES REVIEW

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It Release Time for Keeping the Faith (Faithfully Yours #3) by A.M. Leibowitz (excerpt and giveaway)

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Title: Keeping the Faith

Series: Faithfully Yours, Book 3

Author: A.M. Leibowitz

Publisher: Supposed Crimes

Cover Artist: Stacy O’Steen

Release Date: November 1, 2017

Romance Genre(s): Contemporary, M/M

Words: 84,000

View on Goodreads

About the Book

Blurb

KeepingTheFaith

It’s been three years since Micah’s spouse, Cat, passed away at the age of thirty-six. In the process of cleaning his house, Micah discovers a series of letters Cat hid before he died, in which he made one request: that Micah empty his life of Cat as a way of moving on. Micah has been able to work through his sorrow, but he’s unable to fulfill Cat’s last wish. He can’t see a way past his loneliness despite all the caring people around him.

Enter two new friendships. Jude, Micah’s vivacious new coworker, brings joy back into his life. But she has a big secret about her family, and the truth will rock Micah’s understanding of who she is. Chris, the new minister at Cat’s former church, intrigues Micah. Unlike Jude, Chris is an open book, from his musings on theology to his work as a trans advocate and activist. His gentle manner and deep faith become safe space for Micah to open up about his loss.

Through them, Micah becomes involved with the town’s new community center, where he offers a creative writing class. Using Cat’s detailed letters, he fictionalizes their love story to share with his students. In doing so, he at last begins to sort through his complicated grief. Micah learns he doesn’t have to erase his life with Cat in order to make new memories. He may even be falling for Chris, despite their vastly different spiritual views. With a little help from family and friends, Micah will need to open his heart to love again.

Excerpt

After flipping through an album of Cat’s early childhood, Micah put that in the growing pile next to him and lifted out the letters.

These were different. They were written more recently. Micah went through the envelopes, his mouth dropping open in surprise. Cat had written them all during the time after he’d become ill. He’d known then he was dying; it had been his choice not to take drastic measures to alter the course of his long illness. It had taken five months almost to the day for him to finally acquiesce to the effects of multiple organ failure on his body. The final month had been agony, and Cat hadn’t been lucid enough in that time to compose any more letters. The last one was dated about five weeks before he died.

The only thing left in the trunk was the small box. Micah took it out and examined it. The box was metal and had a lock, but there was no key. Micah searched the bottom of the now-empty trunk, but there was nothing inside. He shook the box and heard the items rattle. There might be a way to pick the lock, but he wasn’t any kind of expert.

Micah opened the first letter. Inside, he found the key to the lock box and a folded piece of paper. He withdrew both and set the key on top of the box. Slowly, he unfolded the letter and read the greeting. He only got as far as Dearest Micah when he let the paper fall from his fingers. His immediate urge was to shove it back into the envelope and never open it again nor any of the others.

His head swam; he wasn’t ready for this. What secrets was Cat going to reveal in death that he hadn’t shared in life? It was as though Cat spoke his name right from the page, and it tore open the wound of his death. Micah’s eyes burned as he struggled to hold back an ocean of raw grief. Unable to continue for the moment, Micah let it take him, covering his face and sobbing.

It took a moment for him to realize that something was nudging him, and he fought to regain control. Opening his eyes, he found Thomas in his lap, trying to press close to Micah’s chest. Thomas’ head rubbed under Micah’s chin, and the cat purred. The rumbles soothed Micah, and his crying slowed. He took a deep breath.

He could do this. He could read Cat’s letters and not fall apart. Cat had trusted him to do so eventually, and Thomas was here to comfort him. Micah wiped his eyes and nose and picked the letter up again.

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords | Kobo

About A.M. Leibowitz

Author Bio

AMLeighbowitz

A.M. Leibowitz is a queer spouse, parent, feminist, and book-lover falling somewhere on the Geek-Nerd Spectrum. They keep warm through the long, cold western New York winters by writing about life, relationships, hope, and happy-for-now endings. Their published fiction includes several novels as well as a number of short works, and their stories have been included in multiple anthologies.

In between noveling and editing, they blog coffee-fueled, quirky commentary on faith, culture, writing, books, and their family.

Connect with A.M. Leibowitz

Website | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google Plus

Giveaway

To celebrate the latest release from A.M. Leibowitz, 3 lucky entrants will win an eBook bundle of all four titles in the Faithfully Yours series, which includes the following:

  • Passing on Faith
  • Walking by Faith
  • Leaps of Faith
  • Keeping the Faith

For your chance to win, simply enter via the Rafflecopter below. The giveaway closes at midnight EST on November 10, 2017, and is open to entrants worldwide.

Good luck!

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Tour Stops

November 1:

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
Drops of Ink
Stories that Make You Smile
Books, Dreams, Life

November 2:

BFD Book Blog
Romance Novel Giveaways
Kitty’s Book Spot
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

November 3:

Happily Ever Chapter
My Fiction Nook
The Layaway Dragon
CelticLady’s Reviews

November 4:

Boys on the Brink
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Making It Happen
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November 5:

Abibliophobia Anonymous
I Heart Reading
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Anna Butler – Love That’s Out of This World

Tour Hosted by LoveBound Promotions

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Silk (A Material World #3) by K.C. Wells

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

My favorite of the series so far, in this story—which can easily be read as a standalone, by the way—a young male escort and his older client discover much more than a surface attraction when they first down and dirty between the blue silk sheets. 

Matt Dorning is twenty-seven and works as a waiter at his parents’ restaurant. He’s also an underwear model and an escort.  Does he have to do the escort work? Well, the extra income goes a long way toward his independence in living on his own in New York City, plus he loves sex so it’s win-win in his book.  The personable biracial man has plenty of friends, a hot body, and a keen intellect.  He’s on track to take over his father’s restaurant business—something he’s looking forward to in the future when his dad is ready to step down.  But for now, he’s livin’ life and enjoying every moment, and every repeat client, and every new opportunity.

Lucas Sawyer is forty-six, a highly successful entrepreneur, and unknown to most people, suffers from social anxiety.  It’s much easier for him to hire an escort than it would be to cruise a bar for a date, and he always keeps it simple by never hiring his escort for more than one night. No strings. No regrets.  His Park Avenue apartment is secure, convenient, and comfortable and the boys he hires seem so to enjoy their time with him between his silk sheets in his oversized king bed. And then he meets Matt and all bets are off.  Matt loves his job and he’s not afraid to ask for what he wants and to be a bit bossy in the bedroom—all things that Lucas hasn’t really experienced before.  Lucas is usually the dominant in the bedroom, telling the escorts what to do and when to do it, but Matt just goes for what he wants and that includes telling Lucas what to do and when to do it.  Matt has heard of Lucas from fellow escorts and knows he’s only going to have one night so he figures why not do what he wants? As it turns out, this approach really piques Lucas’s interest and he thinks of Matt long after he’s gone. 

As they see each other again, their dynamic begins to change and they share more than sex. Matt suddenly decides to help Lucas with his anxiety by inviting him to Matt’s brother’s wedding—something Lucas normally wouldn’t enjoy but does—and the bonus is the night they get to spend sleeping together before a nice round of wakeup sex the next day.  Over time, both men acknowledge that they aren’t really escort and client any longer, but Matt faces some huge personal challenges, and without any commitment from Lucas, he’s not sure what to do.  How will Lucas feel when Matt continues to have sex with his other clients?  Is there room for each man in each other’s lives?

This was a terrific story, very different from others I’ve read that featured escorts, and I enjoyed both the writing style and the cast of characters—all well-developed and interesting characters.  My favorite was Diane, Lucas’s grandmother.  I can’t tell you how happy I was to see that she was not portrayed as a faded lily—a little old lady who was on her last leg.  I bowl every week with women in their nineties and I aspire to be like them when I grow up.  Diane can go on that list—I loved her!

I also enjoyed the dynamic between Matt and Lucas and the development of each individual character and the couple as a whole.  They took their time and it wasn’t all about sex, though I must admit there were some smokin’ hot scenes! Whew! Get the personal fans out for this one. 

In all seriousness, however, I must say that I can very easily highly recommend this MM romance to all—and especially to those who enjoy age-gap.  Twenty years here with unforgettable characters.  Don’t miss out on this one. 

“““““`

The cover by Meredith Russell features two men reclining in a bed covered with dark blue silk sheets. The older man has silver hair and the shoulder tats described in the story and he’s staring at the camera, while the younger man is obviously biracial and sound asleep.  It’s hot and delicious and perfect for this story.  Very attention-getting!

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 256 pages
Published September 29th 2017 by Island Tales Press (first published September 2017)
ASINB0762Y7Y1J
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesA Material World #3