A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: Poppy’s Secret by Andrew Grey and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Pat Corrigan loves his daughter, Poppy, with all his heart. It’s too bad he has to raise her alone. Nine years ago, just as she was conceived with his partner’s sperm, his partner, Edge Winters, walked out on him and hasn’t looked back—until he just now showed up on Pat’s doorstep. The thing is that Pat never told Edge that the surrogate was pregnant already when he left. Pat had just found out and was unable to tell Edge before he came home one day to find Edge packed and ready to relocate for a new job—without Pat.

So now he’s in a quandary—tell him or not. The thing is that Pat is starting to fall for Edge again, and his little girl seems to be in love with “Mr. Edge” as well. Add to his troubles and worries about this, the fact that his mother is diagnosed with cancer and Pat doesn’t know which way to turn.

This is a sweet story, along the lines of the old-time romances being retold as Dreamspun Desires books. Add to that, Andrew Grey’s inherent goodness and sweetness and you get the picture. Yes, there’s trauma, and yes there was a cover-up, but it’s highly likely all will work out by the end. The warm and fuzzy feeling I get when I read or listen to a story like this is exactly what I need for a pick-me-up when I’m a little down. John Solo did a great job narrating, and the story is only five hours long so pick this one up for a car trip or trail hike. I hope it makes everyone feel as good as it made me feel. And, yes—there’s a very definite and sweet HEA.

~~~

Cover by Bree Archer is a great picture of a little girl with her arms flung around the neck of her (handsome) daddy’s shoulders. Colorful and cute, it’s attention-getting.

Sales Links

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio
Published March 24th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press (first published February 15th 2017)
Original TitlePoppy’s Secret
ASINB06XRVLQL2
Edition LanguageEnglish
URL

A Kai Review: Anything For You (A Middleton Romance #1) by Ethan Day

Rating: 3,5 stars out of 5
 
Jason Miller was still in the closet and didn’t see himself coming out anytime soon (or ever). He was accommodated with his situation and just the thought of what his parents, sister, and co-workers could say about his sexuality put him hiding everything he was from almost everybody.
He had never found a reason to kick the door open, walk into the light of day, and tell the world he was gay. At least that’s what he kept telling himself — along with a multitude of other solid arguments.
When Jason met Chad Wellington, an ex gay-rights activist/coming out guru, he was immediately attracted. Chad was the one thing Jason never saw coming and like a moth to a flame, these two opposites ignited.  Jason didn’t count with the feelings he started to have for Chad. He was in love for the first time. How could he give up on it? But Chad wouldn’t hide forever, so would he man up and coming out? Would he do it for Chad?
Well, guys, I started hating Jason in this book. He was a nonsense bitch guy. I didn’t pick up on the the real reason he was in the closet. I mean, his sister was an out and proud lesbian and his parents loved her anyway. So, what was his problem? He was a coward. And the worse was that he bitched at gay couples who were out, just because he wasn’t. Can you understand that? I know he was jealous, but it was irrational and even he knew it.
Thankfully after he met Chad he grew a little on me. He was yet a coward, but he was also funny and became nicer through the book.
I loved Chad and his power. He knew what he wanted and he wasn’t shy about it.
When they first met I didn’t buy their connection. I felt like it had happened too fast. But along the story, I started cheering for them and connecting with them. Plus seeing them fighting for their relationship was great.
The story was centered around the coming out question and how it can affect a relationship.  I liked how it was written: fluid and with humor. I loved the funny parts, and I literally laugh out loud reading it.
Well, the only thing I really didn’t like about this book was how fast paced it was. I mean, it could have been more elaborate and a little more lengthy. I just wanted more. Lol
This book was a light, funny, and quick reading. It didn’t wow me or anything, but I really enjoyed it.
Sales Links  Amazon
Book Details:
Kindle Edition
Published February 19th 2017 (first published March 13th 2011)
Original TitleAnything for You
ASINB06X1F3WM5
SeriesA Middleton Romance #1

A Caryn Release Day Review: Every Breath You Take by Robert Winter

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

One sexy, wealthy player with a painful past.

One idealistic newcomer with an untapped dominant streak.

One psychopathic killer.

Thrillers as a genre, especially with serial killers, are not something I usually go for, but I couldn’t resist the chance to review Robert Winter’s second book after being so impressed with his debut book, September.

Sooooo worth it.

Thomas Scarborough seemingly has it all.  Stunning face, body to die for, successful and influential career doing what he loves, intelligence, and wealth.  He’s an incredible lover, with a different man every week, but never with the same man twice.  He tells himself that it’s enough, that casual sex is better than a relationship, and the most he hopes for is gaining a friend when the hook up is over.  He’s been not just hurt, but utterly traumatized by events in his past, and doesn’t trust himself or anyone else to get close.

Zachary Hall has just landed his dream job in the U.S. Treasury, and moved from conservative, suburban Utah to Washington D.C.  He’s been closeted his entire life, and is looking forward to recreating himself as an openly gay man enjoying a thriving gay community.  He’s a little shy, a little inexperienced, but open hearted and enthusiastic.  When he walked into the piano bar Mata Hari, he had that classic moment of locking eyes with the most handsome man he’s ever seen across the crowded room.  It’s not his usual thing, but a few hours later he went home with Thomas, and connected with him not just sexually, but emotionally, in a more powerful way than he ever experienced before.  Thomas felt it too, but still told Zach it was one and done.

And all through the night, the killer watched the apartment, and Zachary, and Thomas.

The killer was really creepy.  In an over-the-top, brutally violent, Silence of the Lambs kind of way, with just a little bit of Gollum thrown in.  He’s obsessed, resourceful, and ruthless, and just waiting for the right moment to reach out and take his treasure.

Both MCs really grew throughout the story – Thomas started out closed off and wary, but was eventually able to find the courage to not only confront, but defeat his demons.  Zachary may have seemed innocent and naive, but found a surprising depth of strength and confidence in himself.  Although I took a while to warm up to Thomas – the author did a great job of portraying him as an asshole who is eventually redeemed – I was rooting for Zachary from the start.  The entire cast of secondary characters was engaging and moved the story forward.  The settings, especially the piano bar with it’s regulars, created the perfect framework to really build the characters.  Although there was really no mystery about the killer’s identity, I loved the suspense of wondering how and when he would strike.  The juxtaposition of the killer’s stalking and escalating madness with the growing friendship and attraction between Thomas and Zachary was really skillfully written, and kept me biting my nails right up until the end.  And of course, kudos to the author for choosing the ultimate in stalker songs as the title of the book!

The only reason I couldn’t give the book 5 stars is because the dialogue was frequently stilted, and during sex scenes was at times downright cringeworthy.  I hope that will be something that improves in Mr. Winters future works, but regardless, he’s on my auto-buy list now.  Highly recommended!

The cover art by Catt Ford is OK, I have to admit I had hoped for something a little more dramatic.

Sales Links

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 240 pages
Expected publication: May 5th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1635334969 (ISBN13: 9781635334968)
Edition LanguageEnglish
settingWashington, D.C. (United States)

Love Suspense and Romance? Check Out ‘Every Breath You Take’ by Robert Winter (excerpt and giveaway)

Title:  Every Breath You Take

Author: Robert Winter

Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: May 5, 2017

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 221 pages

Genre: Romance, Thriller/Suspense

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

When Zachary Hall leaves Utah for a job in Washington, it’s finally his chance to live as a gay man and maybe find someone special. In a bar he meets Thomas Scarborough, a man who seems perfect in and out of the bedroom. But Thomas never dates. He never even sleeps with the same man twice. Despite their instant connection, he can offer Zachary only his friendship, and Zachary is looking for more.

Thomas is tempted to break his own rules, but years before, he became the victim of a stalker who nearly destroyed his life. Even though his stalker died, Thomas obsessively keeps others at a distance. Despite his fascination with Zachary, he is unable to lower his barriers. Frustrated, Zachary accepts he will never have what he wants with Thomas and soon finds it with another man.

But young gay men in Washington, DC are being murdered, and the victims all have a connection to Thomas. Once again someone is watching Thomas’s every move. Can it be a coincidence? When the depraved killer turns his attention toward Zachary, Thomas must face the demons of his past—or lose his chance to open his heart to Zachary forever.

Excerpt

Across the street the man with the silver-framed glasses stood back in the shadows and stared at the front window of the garden apartment. He could see the back of his quarry’s head as he watched a small flat-screen TV.

Time passed.

Eventually the head nodded forward and then jerked up. When it happened a second time, the creature turned off the TV and then the lamp and headed to bed.

The man waited for another half hour with his back pressed against an alcove formed where two brownstones met. The street was quiet. Almost no one walked by, and the lone person who came down the street failed to notice him in the shadows.

The man felt his breath grow hoarse, and blood rushed in his ears as his heart began to pound. He cultivated that sensation as he reached into his coat pocket for the screwdriver that rested there and made himself imagine the creature’s hands touching the Beloved’s face. Stroking his body. He curled his fingers around the screwdriver and then clenched and unclenched rhythmically. Its thick handle felt rough against his palm because of the grooves and sharp edges he had chiseled into it. He had ideas for other implements that would serve his purpose, but for now, this would do just fine. This would make his point.

His throat was dry, and his eyes burned from focusing on the darkened window, but he felt invincible. The tension in his body climbed exquisitely, and when he could take no more, he slipped across the street and stepped down to the locked gate. It opened easily with his small set of picks. The gate made no noise when the creature went through it earlier, so he was confident and quick and didn’t bother to lock it behind him. Child’s play, he thought as he worked the lock on the apartment door.

The tumblers clicked into place.

He stored his lockpicks, slipped inside the darkened apartment, and then closed the door behind him as silently as he could. Streetlight came through the slatted blinds the boy had failed to close completely. He waited quietly until he heard a faint snore from the back and then removed his glasses and tucked them in an inside pocket of his jacket. The scarf his quarry had been wearing caught his eye, and the man bared his teeth as he lifted it off the coat tree and tugged it tightly between his hands. It was well made. It would hold. He smiled.

He slid through the gloom toward the room where the creature lay sleeping. He was hard, and the blood in his erection pulsed in time to the pounding of his heart. That boy had dared to touch his Beloved. He had probably even been fucked by him. But that wasn’t enough—oh no. He came back for more.

It had taken the man so long to find his Beloved and interpret his subtle clues. He finally understood what was required of him. The undeserving gnat must be chastised, and he would be the Beloved’s angel of retribution. He was conscious of the weight of the screwdriver in his pocket, the scratch of the wool scarf in his hands, and the power in his arms.

He reached for the boy on the bed.

Purchase

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Meet the Author

Robert Winter is a recovering lawyer who likes writing about hot men in love much more than drafting a legal brief. He left behind the (allegedly) glamorous world of an international law firm to sit in his home office and dream up ways to torment his characters until they realize they are perfect for each other. When he isn’t writing, Robert likes to cook Indian food and explore new restaurants.

Robert divides his time between Washington, DC, and Provincetown, MA. He splits his attention between Andy, his partner of sixteen years, and Ling the Adventure Cat, who likes to fly in airplanes and explore the backyard jungle as long as the temperature and humidity are just right.

Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Goodreads
eMail

Blitz Schedule

Hoards Jumble
Bayou Book Junkie
Happily Ever Chapter
Babbling About Books and More
Books, Dreams, Life
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
Dawn’s Reading Nook
DirtyBooksObsession
It’s About The Book
Booklover Sue
Out Of My Head

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Blog Button 2

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: You Are the Reason (The Tav #2) by Renae Kaye and Dave Gillies (Narrator)

Rating 4.5 stars out of 5

Davo’s a pretty average guy. He has a decent job, owns his own home, and spends his weekends at the pub. He fully accepts that he’s gay, but doesn’t want to be one of those gays, who are femme and girly. He likes football and other masculine pursuits, and firmly avoids anything that could be seen as femme—including relationships that last beyond fifteen minutes.

Then Davo’s friend and gay idol not only gets a boyfriend, but also adopts a baby girl. Davo is seriously spooked and scuttles down to the pub in fright. That’s where he meets Lee, who is cute from her cherry-red hair, to her pretty little dress and pointy red shoes. Davo is charmed—but how is that possible? He’s gay. Isn’t he? Then Lee tells him he’s actually a guy—he just likes to wear women’s dresses occasionally. Thoroughly confused about an attraction that’s out of character for him, Davo begins the long journey to where he can accept himself without caring what everyone else thinks.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, even though there were many moments in this 8 hour audiobook that caused me to rethink why I was listening to this. Those moments all centered around Davo and his attitudes toward effeminate gay men and his opinions on how men should act—gay or straight, real men don’t wear pink. There were times when his attitude was downright hurtful and unreal. And yet, I kept listening. Why? Because the author wove so much humor into the story, it was easy to believe that his character was somewhat of a spoof of men with that attitude.

The author also gave us the perfect MC to balance Davo’s macho act, and two great characters—Patrick and Jake from The Blinding Light—to make this a heartwarming and lighthearted story with many WTF and equally oh-so-sweet moments along the way.

What saved Davo from being a total jerk was the reveal of how he was raised. The poor guy was literally persecuted from grade school up for having any opinions that weren’t macho. In fact, the worst memory of his young life was of having to throw away his My Little Pony collection. Now, staunch in his opinion of what a real man should and should not do, he’s shocked to see the change in his best mate, Jake, who married a blind man (The Blinding Light) and now has a baby girl. Jake’s whole world now revolves around the baby, and Davo can’t figure out why his macho friend has changed so much.

At the tav, when he meets Lee, a cutie with cherry red hair, he’s freaked by how much she lights his fire. She is attractive and fun and has a good sense of humor, but it’s not until days later, when he finally finds out she’s a he who likes to dress in women’s clothing occasionally, that he feels reassured in his masculinity again.

The author takes us through Davo’s painful journey of self-discovery as he comes to learn more about his perceptions of others, his preconceived notions, and finally, his awakening to his own softer side. Accompanying him on this journey is Lee, the cross-dressing man who, at first, shook up Davo’s world and now is everything he ever wanted. It’s obvious from Davo being my focus in this review that the story is really all about him—more so than many other romances that equally balance perspectives of both characters. Maybe it’s that his attitudes and feelings are larger than life, but it resonates well in the telling of this story.

Along the way, as we share that journey to change with him, we laugh and we cry and sometimes want to kick him in the rear, or slap his face, but by the end, all I wanted to do was wrap him and Lee up in my arms and wish them the best.

Dave Gillies did a terrific job in narrating this audiobook and bringing the characters to life. And I must add kudos for his voice for Lee, which was totally different from the other males—higher-pitched, yet soft and feminine.

This was a really great, heartwarming MM romance. Not to be missed in either e-book or audiobook format.

~~~~~

Cover art by Bree Archer features a back view of a male with naked torso against a light blue scenic background.  The cover is attractive but not one I would have chosen for this story. 

Sales Links

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio, 8 pages
Published March 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press LLC (first published August 7th 2015)
ASINB06XC8CP86
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Tav #2
CharactersDave Pederson, Lee Brennan

An Alisa Review Cole and His Dog by Edward Kendrick

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

Kicked out of his home at eighteen, Cole ends up at The Haven, a drop-in spot for homeless teens, run by Adam Franks. Unable to spend the nights there, he ends up sleeping rough, is attacked by a pair of punks — and rescued by a Bullmastiff he names Bull.

 

Cole and Bull become inseparable. Cole also meets, and is attracted to, Ky, a friend of Adam’s, who twice saves Cole from more attackers. After the second attack, things suddenly change in Cole’s life when he finds out why someone seems to be after him.

 

Will Ky be able to convince Cole he’s told him the truth, while dealing with his own attraction to Cole? And can Ky and his friends keep Cole safe from a man who claims to be Cole’s real father?

 

This was an interesting story and from the description I definitely didn’t expect it to have shifters, but that isn’t a bad thing since I love those types of stories.  Cole is trying to get his feet under him after his parents kick him out, though his situation isn’t quite as bad as many you read about.  He is quite lucky to find people that want to help him and he begins to get his life together.

 

We see most of this story through Cole’s eyes and he is genuinely grateful for the helps he receives though I’m not sure he realizes that he seems to get a lot more immediate help than those around him.  Ky is forced to tell Cole the truth about himself and help him stay safe but as the story continues Ky’s interest becomes more personal.  These two work together to solve the mystery of Cole’s parentage before they jump into a relationship together.  I had trouble connecting the shifter lifestyles in this book as it just seemed as some were extremely into their animal sides that just didn’t seem possible in the real world.  With that and Cole’s luck at getting the help he needed from the right people from the beginning it just made it seem so much more unrealistic however it was still entertaining.

 

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is nice and gives a good visual of the Cole and Ky.

 

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 216 pages

Published: April 15, 2017 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634863667

Edition Language: English

An Alisa Review: Hot Wednesday #1 – English Edition (Hot Wednesday – English Edition) by Taylor Kinney and Kevan Houser (Translator)

Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5

 

Julian’s been an escort for nearly ten years, willingly for the last five. But from the moment Gabriel walked into his life, everything changed.

 

The man lives in anticipation of those weekly encounters when he can make Gabriel his slave. All he wants is to have Gabriel all to himself, but that’s something he’ll never have the courage to expect, so he has to make do with the crumbs Gabriel tosses him.

 

Erotic M/M story with BDSM content. Not suitable for those who don’t enjoy this genre.

 

This was an interesting story.  Julian is a former escort that longs for his one day a week with Gabriel, who he has continued to hide his true feeling from.  Gabriel likes how their sessions are uncomplicated and allow him to unwind.

 

Julian has kept Gabriel completely in the dark, about his feelings and his job.  While they are still continuing their weekly sessions, one of which we got to see in this story.  And was it seriously hot.  I am very interested to see how these sessions and their will continue.

 

The cover art is simple but perfect for this story.

 

Sales Links: Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 7,000 words

Published: April 11, 2017

Edition Language: English

Series: Hot Wednesday

Release Blitz: Urgent Care (Hearts & Health #3) by DJ Jamison (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2p85yZO

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2pAdy9v



Length: 61,500 words


Hearts And Health Series


Heart Trouble (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK
Bedside Manner (Book #2) Amazon US | Amazon UK


Blurb

Nursing student Xavier James is shocked to run into the first man to ever break his heart while at a gay club. His ex is sexier than ever, but Xavier is not going down that road again … only, when they end up working together at an urgent-care clinic, his willpower will be tested.

Trent Cavendish made a huge mistake at age 18 when he walked away from his first love. Twelve years later, Trent is rattled when his friend suddenly dies. He takes a hard look at his life, realizing how empty it has become. Determined to re-evaluate his priorities and make amends, he returns to his hometown to win Xavier’s forgiveness and maybe even his heart.

Times have changed. Instead of the sweet but tame boyfriend he left behind, he finds a smoking hot man dressed in bits of lace and silk. Trent’s good intentions turn to lust, and love isn’t far behind. But Xavier is wary. The villain of his memories is proving to be a decent guy, but has he really changed or is Xavier just a new goal to chase?


Excerpt


Xavier wore a pair of tight white shorts that practically glowed against his skin tone and an electric blue sleeveless top that showcased his muscles. He added just a touch of make-up, nothing too over-the-top, and his hair was unrestrained for once, spilling to his shoulders and brushing bared skin.

The expressions coming his way, a mix of confused and aroused, made Xavier grin.

His soft feminine touches emphasized his natural masculinity, and people weren’t always sure what to make of him.

He stopped at the bar to order a drink. In the mirror overhead, he watched a man approach. He was tall, lean and casually sexy in jeans and a T-shirt that hugged his thighs and chest in all the right ways. He had dark hair, which had always been Xavier’s type. He kind of looked like Xavier’s roommate at first glance, which was a bit weird, but Zane was a sexy fucker. No denying that.

This is promising. I might even get 8 hours’ sleep tonight unless he’s a total beast in the sack.

Xavier looked down as the man neared, not wanting to seem too eager. He felt the warmth of another body behind him and the press of a hand against his back. Slowly, the stranger’s hand slid up his spine to the nape of his neck, sending tingles through him.

This was one presumptuous fucker, but it was hot.

A breath whispered against his ear. “You are a goddamned treasure, you know that?”

Xavier couldn’t help it. He snorted a laugh. “You lay it on thick.”

The man gripped his hair, tugging Xavier’s head back. “I just go after what I want, and I don’t apologize for it.”

The words should have been sexy. But Xavier’s head tilted back, his gaze slid over, and he saw the face of the guy manhandling him.

“You sure don’t,” he said flatly.

Trent Cavendish’s expression froze. He looked stunned, an expression Xavier hadn’t seen in more than a decade. He hadn’t seen any expression on the man’s face since he left so many years ago.

His surprise faded quickly, replaced with lust as his eyes scanned Xavier’s body.

“Fuck, baby,” Trent whispered, his voice rough.

Fuck was right. Just his luck he’d reel in his ex-boyfriend from high school. The one who’d torn out his heart and stomped on it — and insulted his family and his principles while he was at it.

This excerpt was edited for length and does not match the content of the book exactly.

Author Bio


DJ Jamison worked in newsrooms for more than 10 years, which helped tremendously when she began her series centered on The Ashe Sentinel, a fictional small-town newspaper in Kansas. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two sons and three glow-in-the-dark fish.

Facebook Author Page

FB group
Mailing list!
Follow me on Twitter
Find me on Goodreads
Check out my Book Bub profile!

Giveaway

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

 

A Stella Release Day Review: By the Numbers: Adding it Up (By the Numbers #2) by Tory Temple and Chris Owen

RATING 3,75 out of 5 stars

Sequel to By the Numbers

Dogs, a young daughter, and shift work make for an unpredictable and never boring life for new couple Deuce and Trey. Trey is keeping his ex-wife out of their hair, but Deuce is determined to forge a truce between them all. Trey is vehemently opposed to a friendship between Deuce and Holly—she’s the last person Trey wants more interaction with. Deuce persists, however, and tensions between them could spell the end of their relationship.

They’ll have to find a way to make it all add up again—or lose everything.

I’m so happy I got to read this second book in the By The Numbers series by Chris Owen and Tory Temple. I adored the first one and was very curious to see how Trey and Deuce were. Ok, I admit I was more interested in what disasters the puppies were making and how much glitter Lacey could use.

Anyway in Adding It Up, Trey and Deuce are living together, they spend time with Q and her two puppies at the doggie park, or with Trey’s daughter, the adorable Lacey. Things seem to be going really great, despite Trey’s work at the firestation and the few hours they can actually be together. Until Trey’s exwife starts to be friendly with Deuce and Trey become suspicious.

I very much enjoyed this second installment, I’m a fan of series whose books have the same MCs couple. I love to be able to see what happens after they get their HEA, to see how they live their real life as partners. And Adding It Up satisfied me. It’s a simple and sweet book, there isn’t drama, just the love of two people trying to find a balance in their new relationship, a delicate one since there’s a child to consider and protect. And no battles with ex wifes are allowed.

I feel to recommend the whole series. I hope to get more soon cause these are exactly the books I love to read, stories that can guarantee happy hours and easy smiles.

The cover art by Maria Fanning is lovely but there are too many puppies to truly fit the story. But their cuteness can’t be ignored.

Sales Links

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 2nd Edition, 97 pages

Publication Date May 3rd 2017 by Dreamspinner Press (first published September 3rd 2013)

ISBN13 9781635336030

Edition Language English

By The Numbers series #2

First Edition of Adding it Up–By the Numbers II published by Torquere Press, 2013.

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Somewhere on Mackinac (States of Love) by Jeff Adams

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

How far would you go for the man of your dreams?

Now that he’s single, Chicago businessman Jordan Monroe can finally take his long-desired trip to Mackinac Island for the Somewhere In Time fan celebration weekend. On the first day, Jordan finds himself attracted to Miles Colter, a handsome local stable owner who is giving horseback tours of film locations.

Jordan is surprised and charmed that Miles pursues him. When Jordan learns the stable is in trouble, he wants to help despite Miles’s resistance. As their relationship grows personally and professionally, Jordan dreads the issues that face them—an ex who won’t let him go, the complications of a long-distance relationship, and a secret he knows he shouldn’t be keeping.

Can Jordan and Miles find a way to forge a love as timeless as the romance in their favorite film?

Several things drew me immediately to this story.  One, I’m a huge fan of the film Somewhere In Time, just like the main character Jordan Monroe.  We can both spout the dialogue and scenes from the movie float in our heads.  And both of us have always wanted to visit the very place where it was filmed and the story took  place…The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.  Now thanks to Jeff Adams and his novel, Somewhere on Mackinac, I now know that The Grand Hotel has a special Somewhere In Time weekend so I’m busy looking at dates but back to this wonderful story. Yes, it’s a sweet, romantic and heartwarming story!

Jordan is finally taking this trip, one he always wanted, although not in the way he expected.  It should have been for two, but now that he’s single again, he’s moving forward and that includes taking this much anticipated vacation.  I liked everything about this character from the start and then he got better. Jordan just quietly grows in depth and charm as the story progresses and you get to know and understand the man more completely.  Observant, he takes everything in, but isn’t reserved that it keeps him from stepping out and experiencing new things.  That includes Miles Colter, the handsome stable owner who brought him to The Grand Hotel and then kept his attention afterward.

Miles is from one of the island’s established old families so you get a sense of history from him. Miles is grounded in his love for his business and the island. His family and business helps provide the drama but the interaction between Miles and Jordan is sexy, promising and romantic.  Just as you would expect from this setting.  There are obstacles to overcome, including some misconceptions but Jeff Adams makes the dynamics between the men hot and believable, so you get it when they work to achieve a future together.

Adams’ writing flowed smoothly, his characters easily connected the reader to themselves and their romance, plus they had a lovely and engaging secondary cast that I loved reading about as well.  Then there was that movie, Somewhere in Time and The Grand Hotel herself, both gifts to the story and readers.  Of course, I had to go and rewatch the movie immediately, tissues in hand, and wish that I had made the trip that Jordan had.  At least I had Somewhere on Mackinac by Jeff Adams.

Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza.  The cover is perfect with The Grand Hotel is the background and Jordan and Miles in the foreground.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 113 pages
Expected publication: May 3rd 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1635334128 (ISBN13: 9781635334128)
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series States of Love
setting Mackinac Island, Michigan (United States)