Category: Contemporary fiction

A VVivacious Review: Rent Mate by Ash Penn

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Liam and Martin are roommates with a bad case of hate at first sight.

Liam, Katie and Martin share an apartment and Liam doesn’t approve of Martin’s profession especially so in light of how friendly Martin and Katie have gotten. Liam can’t seem to get over his best friend Katie, no matter how much she doesn’t want to be anything but friends with him.

Martin is a rent boy. His profession isn’t ever the safest but it seems to have gotten particularly dangerous all of a sudden with a man threatening and bullying Martin. But it seems like it just isn’t Martin’s year with the way the timing of his bullying seems to coincide with a surge in Liam’s hatred towards him and how now Liam will do just about anything to get Martin to leave.

But all the trouble that Martin finds himself in, has the advantage of getting Martin and Liam to have to actually start talking to each other and once they start talking it isn’t too late before they find themselves attracted to each other. But it remains to be seen if their attraction will survive the vendetta that Martin seems to have attracted.

What got me interested in this book was its blurb, a rent boy who hates gay men and his flatmate who hates rent boys. The amount of intrigue this line generated was unprecedented and I just had to read it. While this line is slightly misleading, because Martin doesn’t exactly hate gay men (he just avoids them for personal reasons), but I can totally forgive the misdirection because the blurb is the reason I picked up this book and I quite frankly loved the book.

This book is a raw diamond, it lacks polishing but you really don’t need to dig deep to find the value in it. There are certain plot elements that aren’t as well fleshed out as you would want them to be and these are quite minor details but I truly felt like this book just needed a little extra to be brilliant. I feel like the biggest shortcoming of this book was its villain because he kind of fizzes out in the end and while I can’t express the amount of relief I felt as everything righted itself in Liam and Martin’s world because truthfully it was enough to cloud over any realisation I had that the resolution of the conflict looked a little bit too easy.

But remember no matter how unpolished, a diamond is a diamond and the real heart of this story is Liam and Martin and these two were amazing. I loved Liam and Martin separately as characters as well as their relationship together because it was just so awesome. I mean Liam and Martin totally have that we hate each other vibe going on so it is extra sweet and extra fun to see these two having to sit down and really talk instead of just teasing each other and making each-others’ life miserable with their antics.

This book is actually about the changing phases of Liam and Martin’s relationship. They start of as Liam being the guy without any sense of humour and Martin going out of his way to irritate the hell out of Liam to Liam going from passively hating Martin and wanting him out of their house to actively doing the same. And then, we get these two actually having to talk to each other to figure out the problems that have cropped up in Martin’s life. I especially loved the transition when the author changes the animosity that defines their relationship to caring, which is just such a unique transition and it was exceptionally well done in the context of these characters. And finally, all this getting to know the real Liam and the real Martin, leads to a blooming romance that is unforgettable.

Some couples share some really good banter with each other and while these two characters did have some amazing banter between themselves what I truly loved was when they talked to each other. I feel like I could read about these two talking to each other forever, their conversations were just so insightful and funny and deep and intimate.

Reading this book was an amazing experience because of Liam and Martin, they are an amazing couple and awesome people. While the strength of this book is its MCs I also loved the plot of this book that focused around Katie and Liam because it is the first time I have read such a plot element used in such an intricate and well-developed manner and it was nice to know that Liam wasn’t in denial and he actually does have feelings for Katie no matter how misguided. Even the plot surrounding Martin’s troubles, which provides the impetus for Liam and Martin to start interacting and is basically the reason this book is amazing, is really well developed but at the same time I felt like that particular plot point is resolved a little unsatisfactorily, though truthfully I didn’t mind because I loved the ending for this book in terms of the place we see their relationship at, in the end of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and despite the fact it could use a little bit more work, it still made for an amazing read.

Cover Art by Posh Gosh. I really don’t get how the cover ties into the book.

Sales Links:  Pride Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 1st edition, 260 pages
Published April 18th 2017 by Pride Publishing
ISBN139781786515476
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Jeri Review: The Other Five Percent by Quinn Anderson

Rating: 3 Stars out of 5
This was a new to me author. What drew me in was the blurb- as it should. Opposites attract, second chance love story, etc.
And while it was a good story and the blurb gave a good hint at it, a lot of the book was spent with Ellis either still mad at Logan from “ghosting” him in college or trying to get Logan to label himself. For someone (Ellis) who went out of his way to track down Logan a second time and to basically not accept his apology was pretty lame.
And the whole label thing. More than once Logan said he was “mostly” straight. Hence the title- The Other Five Percent, because he considers himself 95% straight. And yet he still wanted Ellis. He wanted him in college but got scared and wanted him again 4 years later. But Ellis would not give in until Logan gave  himself the label of bisexual.
I did enjoy Logan’s growth- from being a totally strict 9-5 worker climbing the corporate ladder to wanting to just be happy. Realizing that life is not just about the almighty dollar.
It was mostly a cute story that had points that really bugged me.
Cover by L.C. Chase
Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon
Book Details:ebook
Published July 10th 2017 by Riptide Publishing
Original TitleThe Other Five Percent
ISBN 162649598X (ISBN13: 9781626495982)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Letting Go (Love by Design #1) by Morningstar Ashley Release Day Blitz (excerpt and giveaway)

Letting Go RDB Banner

LETTING GO

Love by Design, Book 1

MORNINGSTAR ASHLEY

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 07.14.17

Letting Go Cover

COVER ARTIST:  Jay Aheer/Simply Defined Art

COVER PHOTO:  StockPhoto

 

GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/2sZFfqC

 BLURB

 Years ago, before tragedy struck, Alex made a child’s promise to always protect and care for his little sister, Evie. Then piece by piece, all the good in his life was taken away until Alex was left alone as guardian to his much younger sister. Suffering and loss scarred Alex, causing him to withdraw from the world. Struggling with anxiety and trust issues, Alex attempts to help Evie heal from their shared traumatic past, but each day is harder than the last. To make matters worse, Alex’s best friend, Ben, is pushing him to get out of his rut, confronting him with the fact that what Alex thinks is contentment is just stagnation and fear. The last thing he needs is for an old acquaintance to reappear in his life, making him feel things he hadn’t dealt with in years.

The executive of the marketing department at graphic design firm Vivid, Kelley has his life together. While not perfect, he’s happy with his career and his three best friends. A chance encounter with Alex, the guy he was once attracted to, is icing on the cake. Fighting through Alex’s defenses to find the breathtaking man underneath will be hard, but Kelley is up to the challenge. Kelley believes that the things most worth fighting for never come easy.

To accept all that Kelley is offering means Alex must drop his barriers. Kelley will need to keep trying and prove that Alex can trust him, even when grief and anxiety try to pull him back.

Alex 2

Kelley 2

EXCERPT

Pushing him back on the couch Kelley straddled Alex’s body, using his weight to hold the squirmy man in place, Kelley put his hands on Alex’s abs, fingers at his sides as his possessed Alex’s.

Shoving Alex’s shirt up as Alex lifted to give enough room for Kelley to pull the shirt off, dropping it to the floor. Attacking his nipples with teeth and tongue making Alex whimper and moan. Fuck! Hearing those sounds just turned him inside out. Turning the heat between up to lava level.

Moving back up to his neck Kelley sucked, tasted as he reached down with one hand greedily rubbing Alex’s dick through his pants. Running his hand up and down giving him the same of the pressure that Kelley’s throbbing cock was begging for.

“Oh, God.” Alex groaned with a rough edge to his voice as he arched his neck giving Kelley even more room to explore and mark. He wanted his mark on this man. Wanted everyone to see that he was Kelley’s. Fearing that with all the pain locked inside Alex he would never truly be his.

“Your shirt. Take off your shirt. I need to feel your skin.”

Kelley did exactly that.

He flattened Alex to the couch again, pressing their chest together once again, Alex had spread his thighs, Kelley slotted himself right there. Their groins meet and slide together. And holy fucking hell did that feel good. The pressure of Alex’s steel length against his rock hard cock sending relief and pleasure throughout his body.

Alex scratched his nails down his back making him growl. He had his legs bracketing Kelley’s body holding him in place. Like he would be so fucking stupid as to move.

He can feel Alex’s heart jackhammering through his chest. Their breaths panting out between kisses and moans.

What had started out slow had built and built until Kelley wanted to say fuck it and rip Alex’s clothes off to get at every inch of his skin. To have their bodies, slippery from sweat, sliding together.

And just like that Kelley knew exactly what he was going to do. Oh, sweet jesus the thought alone sending lust hurtling to his aching balls, making him want to shoot.

He was going to drive Alex to the brink over and over. Making him forget anything and everything except the need that would be coursing through his body. The need Kelley would put there. Have Alex begging and pleading Kelley to let him come.

Within minutes they lay back on the couch completely naked, kneeling between Alex’s thighs once again. All of Alex’s gorgeous fucking skin on display. His cock seemingly begging for attention, the crown purple and leaking pre-come onto his stomach. Kelley mouth waters with the thought of sliding it between his lips. But not yet.

Unable to stop himself he slipped his hands, fingers spread wide, to his ankles, over his thighs, across his chest. Gliding with the lightest touch around Alex’s erect nipples, back down his arms. Over and over he did this, needing to get his fill of this beautiful man. No one should have this effect on another person. He sat there with a naked Alex in front of him in awe of every lean muscle that pushed up to meet his hands, every scar his traced.

“Kelley,” Alex bites out as his body trembled under Kelley’s gentle touches.

“Yeah, baby. You need something?”

“Fuck. Don’t be an ass. You know want I want.”

Kelley sank back down on top of him. Licking a path up his collarbone to his throat and then their mouths meet stifling any more words that Alex was going to say. Their cocks align perfectly, and Kelley begins to thrust his cock against Alex’s as their kisses turn desperate and needy.

Kelley pulled away, and before Alex could utter a protest, he moved, swallowing his cock to the back of his throat. Letting his saliva pool in his mouth, needing all the wetness he could get for the slide of their cocks. With every groan that Alex had let out Kelley’s cock would twitch and throb tightening to epic proportions.

Each time he could feel Alex getting close Kelley would back off. Time and time again bringing him to the brink before pulling his mouth and hand away. Alex would whimper and wiggle, unable to lay still. He was so out of it that he words were reduced to grunts and groans.

When Kelley was satisfied that he had sufficiently teased Alex, he pulled off his cock with a pop. Using the spit that was now covering his hand, he coated his own cock with it before laying on top of Alex, lining their cocks up.

His body fitting tightly to Alex’s. Wrapping one arm around Alex’s shoulders, holding as close to him as he could, both needing the closeness this position gave them. Kelley began thrusting his cock against Alex’s.

“I’ve got you, baby. Just feel.”

Profanities had started to spill from Alex’s mouth. Kelley’s whole body was so overwhelmed by the slide and friction of their cocks he felt like he could’ve blown his load at any moment, hoping that Alex was feeling even a silver of what he was.

Alex had begun to counter thrust, writhing his tight body under Kelley. His head was tipped back, the muscles of his neck corded and straining.

“That’s it, baby. Let go.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Morningstar Ashley is a transplant from the Yankee-controlled territory of New York, and now finds herself in the heartland of cowboys and longhorns—Texas. Armed with her imagination, wit, and trusty sidekicks in the form of her two crazy kids, devoted dorky husband, big lap dog, and rambunctious cats, Morningstar spends her time reading the books she loves, crafting her own characters, and arguing the merits of hot chocolate over the bitter brew known as coffee (Hot chocolate wins, FYI.).

Morningstar loves graphic design, so much so she returned to school for a degree and regularly tromps her exams and maintains a stellar GPA that occasionally leaves her confounded and pleased. She can while away the hours on new designs, and perfection isn’t too much to hope for when it comes to her art.

Her ideal career would be full-time artist and author, and so far, she hasn’t come up against anything to stop her on her journey. A fierce and devoted friend, Morningstar tries her best to always be kind, always be learning, and always improving. Giving up isn’t an option, and her greatest talent may be in her ability to convince others not to give up, either. After a lifetime of trying to get people to realize her first name wasn’t Ashley, Morningstar decided the best way to settle the debate was to put her name on a book cover. An avid reader and fiction reviewer for the blog and site Diverse Reader, Morningstar harbored a dream to one day join the ranks of her heroes, and she sweeps into the contemporary gay romance genre with her debut novel, LETTING GO. With plans to conquer gay, lesbian and LGBTQA+ romance, Morningstar has her gaze set on the horizon, her determination her own guiding star.

 FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/morningstar.ashley

TWITTER: @starzehashley

 GIVEAWAY

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In Our Contemporary Romance Spotlight: The Other Five Percent by Quinn Anderson (giveaway)

The Other Five Percent by Quinn Anderson
Riptide Publishing
Cover by: Natasha Snow

Read an Excerpt/Buy it Here at Riptide Publishing

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Quinn Anderson’s tour for The Other Five Percent.  Happy Reading!

Hello, everyone! This is Quinn Anderson, author of The Other Five Percent and the Murmur Inc. series. Thanks so much for following my blog tour. I’m thrilled to be here and to talk about my latest novel, coming out July 10th. Stay tuned for fun facts about The Other Five Percent, an inside peek at writing it, and to find out more about our dashing leading men. Leave comments on the tour posts for a chance to win a $10 Riptide Publishing gift card!

About The Other Five Percent

Logan Vanderveer has a joke he’s been telling since college: he’s ninety-five percent straight. He did some experimenting in school, but none of the men he fooled around with inspired him to abandon “the plan”: meet a nice girl, get married, and settle down, just like his parents always said.

None of them except Ellis Floyd, who aroused desires and feelings that scared Logan. So much so that he abandoned their burgeoning relationship just as it might have become something. But four years later, Ellis is back, and Logan finds himself questioning his sexuality in a big way.

Ellis doesn’t fit into Logan’s plan. He’s happy being a starving artist, whereas Logan has sold his soul to corporate America. Ellis is ripped jeans, and Logan is tailored suits. And, most notably, Ellis is out. But seeing him again is dredging up memories—like how it feels to kiss Ellis, and that time they almost went all the way. With chemistry like theirs, Logan isn’t sure he can—or should—keep ignoring the other five percent.

Now available from Riptide Publishing! http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/the-other-five-percent

About Quinn Anderson

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. She stays true to her nerd roots in writing and in life and frequently draws inspiration from her many fandoms, which include Sherlock, Harry Potter, Supernatural, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Buffy, Marvel, and more. 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.

Her favorite television show is Avatar: the Last Airbender, her favorite film is Tangled, and her favorite book is Ella Enchanted. She can often be spotted at conventions, comic shops, and midnight book releases. 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, screwing the rules, finding the Master Sword, guided falling, consulting for the NYPD, guarding the galaxy, boldly going, and catching ’em all.

Connect with Quinn:

● Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorQuinnAnderson/

● Tumblr: quinnandersonwrites

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of The Other Five Percent, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on July 15, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Check Out The Escape by Nicky James! Out Now! (giveaway)

Title: The Escape: Soren’s Saga
Author: Nicky James
Genre: M/M Romance Contemporary
Release Date: July 14, 2017
 
Dancing, loud music, drinking and sex… 

 


Who wouldn’t love a job that entailed all these things?

After giving up on school and being cast aside by an unsupportive family, Soren Matheson figured he’d landed every young man’s dream job.

But… there is a catch. 

Not everything is as it seems and at the end of the day… 

Maybe even dream jobs don’t exist.

Remy Moretti lives in a world of precision and order. When a chance run-in with a sassy, sarcastic blond one evening upsets his structured world, Remy needs to find out who he is.

What he discovers makes his hair stand on end. 

The defeat and fear hidden behind the young man’s eyes gives him nightmares.

Someone needs to get to the bottom of this.

Until then, Remy will need to do whatever it takes to keep Soren safe.

Nicky James lives in the small town of Petrolia, Ontario, Canada. She is mother to a wonderful teenage boy and wife to a truly supportive and understanding husband who, thankfully, doesn’t think her crazy.

Nicky has always had two profound dreams in life; to fall back hundreds of years in time and live in a simpler world and to write novels. Since only one of those dreams was a possibility, she decided to make the other come alive on paper.
Nicky writes MM romance books in a variety of styles including contemporary, medieval, fantasy, and historical.

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An Alisa Review: A New Way to Dance by Sean Michael

Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5

 

Dancer Seth Avery has it all. He’s at the top of his game as a dancer and he’s in love with famous dance director Fayden DelMonaco, the man who is his sub. Seth’s whole world is turned upside down when Fayden dumps him in the nastiest and most public way possible. To compound matters, he’s in near fatal car crash shortly thereafter that leaves him severely injured.

 

Brook Turner is an ex-lawyer turned micro-brewer, baby-brother of Seth’s best friend Lizzie. The two met briefly before Seth’s accident, but it’s when they meet again six years later that they get a chance to act on the attraction they’d initially felt.

 

With Brook’s help, Seth begins to heal not only from his residual physical injuries, but also from the emotional ones inflicted by Fayden. Will it be enough to keep the two of them together?

Join Seth and Brooke as they find a new way to dance together.

 

This was a nice story.  Seth has had a real crap couple of weeks and it’s made even worse when his dreams are shattered in a car accident, he has continued his life but far away from his past.  Brook knows right away when he spots Seth again and can’t help but feel the pull to make him his.

 

Seth hasn’t even had another person touch him other than doctors in more than six years and he know there is now way he could be desirable to another person.  Brook shoots that right out of the water.  Now Seth will just have to believe that Brook is telling him the truth.  Their relationship builds up pretty fast but I didn’t see them jumping to anything willy nilly they worked it all out when needed.

 

This story is told from both characters’ points of view which helps to understand what both are thinking and how they feel.  It broke my heart to see Seth continue to struggle with feeling as if he was worthy of anything and how he felt that he needed to be the perfect weight in order for him be worth anything.  I loved watching Brook support and help Seth even when Seth felt he was too much for anyone.  They really begin to build their life together complete with dinosaur Christmas lights.

 

The cover art by Anne Squires is nice and shows Seth in his element.

 

Sales Links: Amazon | Evil Plot Bunny 

 

Book Details:

ebook, 262 pages

Published: June 20, 2017 by Sean Michael

ISBN: 9781988377650

Edition Language: English

A Lila Audiobook Review: The Ranchers Son (Montana #2) by RJ Scott and Sean Crisden (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A man without memories, and the cop who never gave up hope.

When he wakes up in hospital, the victim of a brutal beating, John Doe, has no memories of who he is or who hurt him. The cops can find nothing to identify him and he can’t remember anything to help… except the name Ethan and one recurring place from his dreams. Three words, and they’re not much, but it’s a start. Crooked Tree Ranch.

Cop, Ethan Allens has never stopped searching for his brother and his brother’s best friend who vanished. When a report lands on Ethan’s desk that may give new leads he jumps at the chance to follow them up. The man he finds isn’t his brother, but it’s someone who could maybe help him discover what happened ten years ago.

What neither man can know is that facing the very real demons of the past could very well destroy any kind of future they may think they have together.

The Rancher’s Son has a perfect balance of angst and hope. Ethan’s need to know what had happened, not only to his brother but to his own first love, gets the reader to empathize with him from the beginning. You will want to cheer him up until he gets the answers he needs.

The way he responds to Adam’s return only added to the enchantment. The way he took care of Adam’s needs first was endearing. I wanted to know more about Justine, but Ethan’s and Adam’s new relationship is the real priority of the story.

The author managed to intertwine the characters from the previous book and the overall series plot with this particular volume without neglecting Ethan and Adam. Add to that, all the settings and other descriptions and it makes for an entertaining read.

I did find the travel part of the story a bit too long and repetitive, but overall, it worked with the rest of the action. Plus, we get enough of a hint of what’s to come in the next book and with the next love couple. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

Sean Crisden did an excellent job voicing the characters. It did take me a minute to get used to the different cadences, but after a couple of minutes, it was easy to get into the story.

The cover by Meredith Russell shows Ethan and Adam in front of a nice landscape that can be assumed to be part of the Crooked Tree Ranch. It goes with the main elements in the story.

Sales Links:  Amazon | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Sean Crisden
Length: 6 hours 25 minutes
Published: June 26, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Love Lane Books Limited
ASIN: B0731PJ8ZC
Edition Language: English

Series: Montana
Book #1: Crooked Tree Ranch
Book #2: The Rancher’s Son

Review Tour for The Ranchers Son (Montana #2) by RJ Scott and narrated by Sean Crisden

 

 
 
Narrated By: Sean Crisden
 
Length: 6hr 25mins
 
Cover Design: Meredith Russell 
 
Blurb
 

A man without memories and the cop who never gave up hope.


When he wakes up in the hospital, the victim of a brutal beating, John Doe has no memory of who he is or who hurt him. The cops can find nothing to identify him and he can’t remember anything to help…except the name Ethan and one recurring place from his dreams. Two words, and they’re not much, but it’s a start: Crooked Tree.


Detective Ethan Allens has never stopped searching for the two boys who vanished. When a report lands on Ethan’s desk that may give new leads, he jumps at the chance to follow them up. The man he finds isn’t his brother, but it’s someone who could maybe help him discover what happened 12 years ago.


What neither man can know is that facing the very real demons of the past could destroy any kind of future they may have together.

July 8 – BFD Book Blog

Author Bio


RJ Scott is the bestselling romance author of over 100 romance books. She writes emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men and women who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.


The last time she had a weekís break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldnít defeat.


mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk
www.rjscott.co.uk/
www.facebook.com/author.rjscott?ref=ts&fref=ts
www.goodreads.com/author/show/3432558.R_J_Scott
twitter.com/Rjscott_author
www.librarything.com/author/scottrj




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