A Stella Review: Snakes Among Sweet Flowers by Jason Huffman-Black

RATING 4 out of 5 stars

Two-time ex-con Camden Sanders has decided that Hog Mountain—an isolated community on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia—is the perfect place to continue running small scams without the threat of more prison time. But there are a few problems with this plan. One is the neighborly citizens of Hog Mountain thwarting his dirty dealings at every turn with their kindness. Another is Jackson Rhodes, a closeted Hog Mountain police officer who can see right through Cam’s good ol’ boy act and plans to catch him red-handed despite the attraction they both can feel. But the biggest problem of all is that Cam’s past is threatening to catch up with him, and it could mean trouble for more than just himself.

I already read a little free short by Jason Huffman-Black called I Am The Highway and I was pleasurably surprised by the author style. That’s why as soon I saw the new Snakes Among Sweet Flowers I was dying to read it. And the cover was a huge bonus.

Let’s start with the bad part of this review. There were some things I didn’t like: first the sex with Grant, cause I don’t like to see my MCs have sex with a third person, even if they are not together yet. I so wanted to smack Cam, not just for continuing be a some kind of thief, but for not waiting for his prince charming, Jackson. I know, there are no princes here, still I hated him. Then I didn’t like how the author chose to solve the mystery part. I felt so bad for a character who had just redeemed himself in my eyes. It wasn’t right to me and for his sweet family. Plus I had a hard time at the start at seeing Cam and Jackson made for each other and I missed some sweetness among them, till the end I was waiting for a kiss, a cuddle I didn’t get.

That said, I liked the book a lot. First of all I love stories about second chances, in this case the second chance at life Cam gets, and seeing him change so much, the small steps he did until he becomes the man he needed to be for himself and Jackson. The story sucked me in till the end. I felt all the love a great community as Hog Mountain gave to all its members, no one excluded, and when someone tried to not to welcome Cam and Jackson, there is Pastor Jimmy to set everyone straight. A place where Cam learned no one is alone, not even an ex con.

I fell to recommend Snakes Among Sweet Flowers. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

The cover art by Angsty G is one of my favorite of this year. It simply tempts you to just pick the book and discover the tattooed man’s story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 240 pages
Published June 20th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634772369 (ISBN13: 9781634772365)
Edition LanguageEnglish

A BJ Audiobook Review: Dirty Laundry (Tucker Springs #3) by Heidi Cullinan and Narrated by Iggy Toma

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The course of true love doesn’t always run clean. But sometimes getting dirty is half the fun.

Entomology grad student Adam Ellery meets Denver Rogers, a muscle-bound hunk of sexy, when Denver effortlessly dispatches the drunken frat boys harassing Adam at the Tucker Springs laundromat. Thanking him turns into flirting, and then, much to Adam’s delight, hot sex over the laundry table.

Though Denver’s job as a bouncer at a gay bar means he gets his pick of geek-sexy college twinks, he can’t get Adam out of his head. Adam seems to need the same rough play Denver does, and it’s damn hard to say no to such a perfect fit.

Trouble is, Adam isn’t just shy: he has obsessive compulsive disorder and clinical anxiety, conditions which have ruined past relationships. And while Denver might be able to bench-press a pile of grad students, he comes from a history of abuse and is terrified of getting his GED. Neither Denver nor Adam want to face their dirty laundry, but to stay together, they’re going to have to come clean.

This one grabbed me right from the first page, and by the end it was officially my favorite of the series… and this was my fifth of the series, I went a bit out of order having started at book five and skipped around.

What fun and likable characters! I thoroughly enjoyed both of these very different characters. They were well-drawn, nuanced, and much more than just their issues. I liked the way the BDSM element in this story came in, not as something that the guys had been out there specifically seeking, but as a way of relating that worked for them for very real and understandable reasons.

Chock full of angst, kink, and sprinkled liberally with sexy bits throughout starting off with an early on sizzling scene in the public laundromat. Denver and Adam just sparked and worked for me as a couple right from that first scene. Really enjoyed seeing a main character who was dealing with OCD and Denver, well… he’s dealing with his own issues which I won’t spoil by revealing. I loved how they accepted each other despite that there was no quick fix here, no true love cures all. And not only were they able to love despite their illnesses and issues and work together to learn to deal with them… but that their issues/quirks had actually been instrumental in drawing them to one another in the first place. I adored how this made me feel that hope that everyone is right for someone just the way they are.

The secondary characters were also very loveable and strong and added a richness and diversity to the story. There was Louisa, Adam’s trans friend; Brad, Adam’s annoying ex who really did seem to care for him despite being a clueless asshat most of the time; Tiny who see’s Denver’s potential and keeps at him to work for him at the gym; and of course characters from the prior stories like El and Jason.

This is the fifth of this series that I’ve read. Narrator Iggy Toma has done an exceptional job with all of the four that he has narrated. The voices for the characters across the series were unique and fit just right with how I’d perceive them. The emotions and quirkiness of these two in particular came through perfectly. I will definitely be on the look out for other audiobooks narrated by him.

The cover by L.C. Chase does a nice job of establishing the personality and difference of the characters and ties in well with others in the series.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio, 8 pages, 7 hrs 34 mins
Published March 30th 2016 by Riptide Publishing (first published January 28th 2013)
Original TitleDirty Laundry
ASINB01DKVWQH0
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesTucker Springs #3 settingColorado (United States)

An Alisa Review: Murder Most Yowl by Quinn Dressler

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Murder Most Yowl Cat-sitting is a dangerous business.

Cameron Sherwood turned his back on law enforcement the night his investigation led to the death of an innocent gay man. Now Cam spends his time running a business that caters to his favorite animal, cats. But when Cam stumbles upon the body of a friend while feeding her feline, he can’t walk away. Dealing with a sexy yet stubborn sheriff, a matchmaking sister, and a terrifying blind date, Cam must somehow track down a killer, all while keeping the cats around him fed with his gourmet cat treats.

Cam gave up his father’s approval when he left NCIS and came out as gay. He has had a hard time living out and proud because he doesn’t really know how to, so his sister has taken it upon herself to set him up on a date. It just so happens to take place shortly after he finds his friend’s body. Imagine his surprise when his date is none other than Jake, the frustrating sheriff.

I loved both of these characters. Cam was so open with his feelings and about his life to Jake it was great to see. They both were so skeptical about their date, but were willing to open to the other. Their love for their pets helps make the characters easy to connect with.

This was a very well developed story, the mystery and romance ran right alongside each other without one over powering the other. The book had an open ending and I look forward to more stories about Cam and Jake.

Cover art by AngstyG is perfect and I wouldn’t do anything different.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 134 pages

Published: June 29, 2016 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN: 9781634774789

Edition Language: English

An Ali Review: Anthony (Survivor Stories #4) by J.P. Barnaby

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

AnthonyFS Aaron Downing worshiped his mother. She saved his life. She did everything for him. But Anthony Downing has a different perspective. He sees the woman who tossed him into a basement for eight long years and forgot he existed. When Anthony decides he’s done being invisible, he packs up and heads for Detroit to stay with his Internet friend Jay, but fate intervenes.

Brendan Mears lost everything the day the man with a gun came into his father’s store. Now, he’s tethered to a business he can’t manage and a brother who resents him.

Different in all the ways that matter, Anthony and Brendan struggle to overcome their psychological obstacles, until a crushing betrayal sends them running for cover and each other.

This was a much anticipated book for me and I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint. Anthony is almost 18 at the beginning of the story and he’s lost and adrift. He’s sneaking out to parties and in love with his best friend who mistreats him. A series of events lead him to a new life. He gets a job and some friends and finally begins to learn who he is. We’ve watched Anthony grow through the course of this series and I’ll admit I was super worried for him at the start of this book. He comes into his own though and I loved the new characters we meet as Anthony starts this chapter of his life. Brendan and his brother were great. There were actually a few times in this book that I didn’t know where the author was headed with the story and that rarely happens to me anymore so I was happy with that.

This book was not as dark as first two books in the series were (I haven’t read book three). If you’re already a fan of this series I think you’ll enjoy this and if you haven’t read the rest of the series you’ll find this book can easily be read as a stand alone. For those of you who have read the prior books, there are some scenes with Aaron and his family in this.

Cover by Angsty G. I really like the cover. This one stays with the style of the previous books in the series and I think it’s a perfect match for Anthony’s book.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon US | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published June 27th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634774574 (ISBN13: 9781634774574)Edition LanguageEnglishSeries Survivor Stories

(Goodreads links – add them to your reading lists):

Aaron (Survivor Stories #1)

Painting Fire on the Air (Survivor Stories #2)

Spencer (Survivor Stories #3)

Anthony (Survivor Stories, #4)

Anthony (Survivor Stories, #4)

A VVivacious Review: A More Perfect Union Anthology by B.G. Thomas , J. Scott Coatsworth , Jamie Fessenden, Michael Murphy

A More Perfect Union

Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5

This is a collection of four stories that explore the real life implication of the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 26; 2015. In the future no one will ever have to live with the indignation of not being allowed to marry the one they love. In the coming years gay and lesbian relationships will be different because of the possibility of marriage.

But what about those who shied from the thought of marriage because they thought they would never be allowed to or those who fought every step of the way so that there would come a day when their marriages to the ones they loved would be legally and lawfully recognized by all. This anthology explores some such stories.

Flames by J. Scott Coatsworth – 2 Stars out of 5

Alex and Gio have been together for years but the night that Gio plans to propose, they get in a fight and Alex leaves the house only to later find out that Gio is in a coma. As Alex waits for Gio to open his eyes, he looks back on their life together and regrets the fact that they didn’t get married when they had the chance…

This story has good bones but it isn’t very engaging. A lot of the times the story read like an itinerary of events devoid of the emotions that the main characters must surely have experienced during said events.

This story is written from the perspectives of both characters but Gio’s character is not very well fleshed out and this is most definitely because of the fact that he doesn’t know who he is for most of the story. While the unique circumstances of Gio’s coma fascinated me they failed to establish Gio’s character and since Alex’s character is very well established the fact that Gio’s character is not creates an inherent imbalance in the story.

This story has an interesting premise but it failed to get me invested in the characters mostly because of the fact that the core of this story is mostly hollow of emotions which considering the subject is surprising.

Jeordi and Tom by Michael Murphy – 3 Stars out of 5

Jeordi and Tom have to fight for their love every day in the face of Jeordi’s family’s disparage. When Jeordi’s parents try to keep Tom away from Jeordi while he is admitted in the hospital, Jeordi realises that he needs to do something such that no one can ever keep Tom away from him.

I liked this story, it had much more of a fight in it. Jeordi and Tom are two youngsters in love while everyone around them is against their relationship.

This story has multiple plot lines which are threaded together with a really nice theme of passing on the love.

Destined by Jamie Fessenden – 5 Stars out of 5

This is the story of Jay and Wallace. It chronicles their journey from the time they first met till the time they get married.

This was an awesome story. I loved the introduction and premise of the story.

I really loved Jay and Wallace. Jay is a really vibrant guy and really easy to like but I really loved Wallace. Wallace is a quiet guy, not known to emotional outbursts and appears to be kind of detached from their relationship but the author presents him in such a light that you know that while Wallace may appear detached his heart is very much in the relationship. Despite Wallace’s shy exterior looking at him from Jay’s eyes made sure that we got a good look into the person inside.

Jay and Wallace felt very real and I loved their story and how they ended up together. Moreover I loved all the domestic things they did together like shopping, trying to figure out how to live together, buying a house and learning to live together with a particularly over enthusiastic dog.

Their marriage was a dream and I loved the destiny angle in their story. I wonder if they ever figured out that they had met years before their first meeting.

On the whole I loved the story, it was beyond awesome.

Someday by B. G. Thomas – 5 Stars out of 5

Lucas and Dalton have known each other since they were kids and while life has sent hurdles their way they have always managed to come out on the other side stronger. But Dalton refuses to marry Lucas till marriage equality becomes a reality everywhere in the United States.

This one was so beautiful. I loved Dalton and Lucas and their love which was amazing. This was one couple whose story I didn’t want to see end.

It was a perfect story about love and marriage and how this particular one came to be. This story also highlights how things have changed in the last 25 years or so… in 1990 no one would have thought that marriage equality would have been a thing of the past come 2016.

This anthology has been one awesome read with some amazing stories.

Cover Art by Reese Dante. I loved the cover. It is a perfect representation of what this anthology is all about, two men professing their love by vowing to belong to each other forever.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 350 pages
Published June 26th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634773322 (ISBN13: 9781634773324)
Edition LanguageEnglish
URLhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7854

A Stella Review: Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates #3) by Jay Northcote

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.

Dev, a geeky first year physics student, has zero sexual experience and he’s determined to change that ASAP. After a bad time in halls of residence, he’s starting the summer term with different housemates and a new plan of action.

Ewan lives in the house next door to Dev. He’s young, free and single, and isn’t looking to change that anytime soon. When awkward circumstances throw them together, Ewan offers to help Dev out in the bedroom in return for maths tutoring, and Dev jumps at the chance.

They work their way through Dev’s sex-to-do list, but what starts as a perfect no-strings arrangement gets more complicated as their feelings for each other begin to grow. If they’re going to turn their lessons in lovemaking into something more permanent, they need to work out how they feel about each other—before they get to the end of Dev’s list.

Practice Makes Perfect is a very sweet and cute story and of course it is a winner to me. First of all because I fell in love with the main characters, Dev, with his innocent dirty talks, and ginger Scottish Ewan were hard to resist.

If you are thinking the blurb is really nothing new, you are right. The agreement between Dev and Ewan is a trope maybe over explored in romance, but I assure you Jay Northcote can write and make a plot interesting and never boring, even if it could have been easily developed into something trite.

Moreover in a story with a plot like this, often the sex scenes overwhelm the rest of the story, turning it into what we call PWP (Porn Without Plot). It’s not the case of Jay’s book, no worries. Yes, there are quite some sex scenes, very hot, cause you know, Dev has made a list, he needs to learn everything and then check off items. Still I found myself looking forward to the other scenes, where Ewan teaches Dev how to cook, or the times spent with their housemates, or the moments when they are making googly eyes at each other.

I always recommend to read series in order, I admit I haven’t read Helping Hand (Housemates #1) and Like a Lover (Housemates #2), but this third installment works perfectly as a standalone. I met the two couples of the previous books, but they were simple second characters and there wasn’t a time I felt I was missing or I should have known something.

At the end Practice Makes Perfect was a pleasure to read. I feel to recommend it.

The cover art by Garrett Leigh doesn’t conquer me but it’s well done and fitting.

Sales Links: Amazon UK | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 168 pages
Published June 22nd 2016 by Jaybird Press
ASINB01H7V027A
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHousemates #3

In the Spotlight: Practice Makes Perfect by Jay Northcote (excerpt)

Book Information
Title: Practice Makes Perfect
Series: Housemates book #3
Author: Jay Northcote
Publisher: Jaybird Press (self published)
Length: 54,000 words
Genre: Contemporary gay romance
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh
Release Date: Wednesday 22nd June 2016

Getting experience with the guy next door seems like a great idea—until the lines blur.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30234682-practice–makes–perfect
****

Excerpt

Sitting on his bed, Dev yawned, his full stomach making him sleepy. He stared at his phone as he contemplated calling home but decided he couldn’t face it tonight. He loved his mum, but she did tend to bang on. Once she got him on the line, she’d end up talking for ages and asking him a million questions he was too tired to answer. Instead, he sent his mum a quick text.

All moved in, everything’s good. I’m shattered now so I’m going to have an early night. I’ll call you tomorrow.

She replied within seconds as though she’d been waiting for him to call.

Okay sweetie, glad you’re settled. Sleep well xxx

He picked up his notepad and crossed off phone home. Texting counted. He also crossed off everything else on his list for today. That was Saturday done.

Dev set his notepad aside, opened his laptop, and pulled up his lists app. He liked his notepad for day-to-day organisation; it gave him a certain satisfaction to cross out the things he’d done and to get to the end of the day with all the tasks completed. But for longer-term planning, he kept his lists on his Mac, synced to his phone.

For the first time in six months, Dev could breathe again. Finally he had a safe place where he could get back on track and look to the future. He began to type.

Things To Do This Term

Make some friends

Learn to cook

Research sex stuff

Join Grindr

Get some experience

Find a boyfriend

He stared at the words on the screen and sighed. That seemed like a lot of things to aim for. But it was good to have goals, right? Jez and Mac seemed really nice, so hopefully Dev was already on his way to achieving the first objective. And that bloke Ewan… Dev’s mind conjured up the image of the flame-haired hunk who lived next door. Ewan had been friendly.

Maybe there was potential there too.

Buy Links

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H7V027A
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01H7V027A
Universal Amazon link (will open in your region) http://mybook.to/PMP_JayN

NB: Practice Makes Perfect will be Amazon exclusive for 90 days after release, and will then be available at all the usual sellers.

Author Bio:

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

Back To Hot Summer Reads And This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Hot Summer Reads

So after appropriately, my computer summer meltdown, we are back to discussing what’s hot in this summer’s reading list. Are you a reader that haunts your favorite writer’s blog looking for any word on their upcoming releases? Do you search out the most recent book news via their publishers or Goodreads? How do you get your book news?

I get it all those ways and more….I follow authors on their twitter accounts, blogs, Goodreads, ravenously gobble up the upcoming new releases news that come my way via all the publishers and even the authors themselves. New Rhys Ford, oh my! Charlie Cochrane…woohoo! Alex Beecroft, Amy Lane…actually I have a long, long, list. I bet you do too.

Plus there’s plenty of room on my lists for my author discoveries and new books that I read and fall in love with. But back to the business at hand. I haven’t had time to compile my summer reading list with all the computer casualties to deal with and the new startup. So help me out. What authors and what releases are on your list for this summer? What are the hot summer books? Tell me! And you just might end up with a hot summer prize!

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, June 26:

Back To Hot Summer Reads
This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, June 27:

No Master by Christine d’Abo Series Finale Tour and Giveaway
Practice Makes Perfect by Jay Northcote – Blog Stop -Charity Book
A Stella Review: Practice Makes Perfect by Jay Northcote
A Free Dreamer Review: King of the Storm by B.A. Brock
A VVivacious Review: A More Perfect Union Anthology

Tuesday, June 28:

Blog Tour for They Called Him Nightmare by Deja Black
Cover Reveal of The Orchard of Flesh By Christian Baines
A Free Dreamer Review: Dark Blood by Caleb James
A Lila Review: Elemental Love by L. M. Somerton
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: They Called Him Nightmare by Deja Black

Wednesday, June 29:

A Stella Review: Snakes Among Sweet Flowers by Jason Huffman-Black
Anthony by JP Barnaby Tour and Giveaway
An Ali Review: Anthony by JP Barnaby
An Alisa Review: Murder Most Yowl by Quinn Dressler
A BJ Audiobook Review: Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: Sacrati by Kate Sherwood

Thursday, June 30:

Blitz and Giveaway – Relearning the Ropes by DC Juris
An Ali Review: Hot Dogs and Kisses by JD Walker
A Paul Review: A Time to Rise by Tal Bauer
A Lila Review: Amnesia by Sean Michael
A MelanieM Review: Absinthe of Malice by Rhys Ford

Friday, July 1:

Werewolf’s Tale and a Druid’s Sword by Lexi Ander (excerpt and giveaway)
blitz for July 1st for K Lache’s novel, Valor (excerpt and giveaway)
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: A Second Harvest by Eli Easton
A BJ Audiobook Review: Romanus by Mary Calmes
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: A Kind of Romance by Lane Hayes
A MelanieM Review: Ace In the Hole by Ava Drake

Saturday, July 2:

An Ali Review: Heaven Sent boxed set by Jet Mykles
A Paul B Review: The Werewolf Tutor (Shreds #1) by Jade Astor

A MelanieM Review: Mud, Movies, Bullets and Bulls by B.A. Tortuga

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Muds, Movies Bullets and Bulls Four men in need of a helping hand….

When a cowboy finds he has grit in all the wrong places, what is he to do? Meet the man of his dreams, of course. But what will save two cowboys from getting bogged down in the mire?

An ex-rodeo cowboy who hates working with Hollywood actors meets a movie star who is looking for something real. Will they get a happy ending, just like in the movies?

A redneck ends up injured and stranded, and his old friend comes to the rescue. It’s the old story of the one that got away. What will they do to keep each other in their lives—and will it be too late?

A professional bull rider is starting to feel his age. When he’s injured far from home and his career is threatened, it’s up to his best friend to step in and point out the other options. Both men have plans—but will they include each other?

If you asked me who is one of my favorite authors, I would reply B.A. Tortuga for a number of reasons, the first coming to mind is her ability to bring regional voices vividly to life in a way that makes you feel that you are seeing them laugh, love and yes, sometimes cry across the pages of her stories. Books like Mud, Movies, Bullets and Bulls which are a collection of some of my favorite stories are a wonderful way to either discover this author or remember why you love her writing so much.

Stories in the order you find them in the book.

Mud On Tires – 5 stars out of 5

When Lee strips naked to rescue a cow stuck in the mud, last thing he expects is another cowboy named Collin to come to his. This story has it all, dialog full of regional twang and zest, laughter and love, dogs that have as much character as the men they follow and of course, pie! Its not just Tortuga’s love for her cowboys but the locations and people. Those small steakhouses low on decor and high on some of the best steaks you’ll ever eat? I’ve been there and they are on these pages. So are the waitresses that know your name and your eating preferences. How I love this story.

Just Like in the Movies – 4.5 stars out of 5

Dooley Robinson, horse wrangler to the movies meets closeted movie star on the rise Tyler David Garrison and begins a relationship like no other. This was a different sort of Tortuga story but one I liked just as well as the others oddly enough. Why? Because she was able to convey a relationship between the men, and the love and affection without there actually having a lot time on the page together. You could feel them missing each other so in just a couple of words or phrases. Perfect.

Ricochet – 5 stars out of 5

What can I say? I’m such a sucker for these sorts of stories. Friends to lovers, a man finally returning home where he belongs. A hilarious mom and dad welcoming party and a best friend like no other. At 36, Holt takes a hard look at his life, and doesn’t like what he sees and decides to make a change. He’s headed home where he belongs. But he needs to extract himself from his current situation first and that comes with a cost. It will be his best friend since forever, Teague, coming to his rescue and bringing him home to make it right.

Every part of this story rings true. The deep friendship, the “knowing” that comes of years of growing up together as boys that telegraphs across the pages, the funny and sharp scenes with Momma and Daddy when they see what’s happened to their boy. Tortuga manages to bring both the humor and the angst out in a situation where you want to cry and laugh and you know both emotions are exactly right. As is the relationship between Hold and Teague. It doesn’t come easily, it comes with some sharp words, but it works and its wonderful and its my favorite story of the group.

No Bull – 4.75 stars out of 5

No Bull finishes the collection and its probably the right one to do so as the men finish out their careers as bullriders, a favorite theme of B.A Tortuga’s. But it starts in a hospital with the aftermath of a bull ride gone horribly wrong. Joss is in the bed and wired up with more broken bones than his best friend and rodeo partner, Mackey, can count. What follows is a tale of friendship that turns into something deeper than neither man fully expects and yet it happens so naturally. Again its told beautifully, with men who have known each other for some time and are now at the end of their respective bull riding careers. A lovely tale and a great way to end this collection.

I just love this book and highly recommend it. Not familiar with B.A Tortuga? I can’t think of a better way to make your introduction to this wonderful author than with Mud, Movies, Bullets and Bulls by B.A. Tortuga. It will make you laugh, its sexy, full of itty bitty cowboys and the men who love them and you won’t want to put it down.

Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza does a great job with this cover. I love it.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, 206 pages
Published June 24th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634771605 (ISBN13: 9781634771603)
Edition LanguageEnglish
1st Edition of Mud on Tires published by Torquere Press, 2006.
1st Edition of Just Like in the Movies published by Torquere Press, 2007.
1st Edition of Ricochet published by Torquere Press, 2007.
1st Edition of No Bull published by Torquere Press, 2006

Ride Into Romance with The Pinkerton Man Series by CJ Baty (Author guest post, excerpt and Giveaway)

PinkertonManSeries_Banner

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have CJ Baty here today talking about why write an western/historical romance? Welcome, CJ!

Why write a western/historical romance?

That’s an extremely good question because I never in my wildest dreams thought I would. When Wayward Ink Publishing put out a call for stories for an anthology, “Men in Uniform”, I knew immediately I wanted to be a part of this. I’d been a fan of WIP and their anthologies for quite a while. I did have a problem though. I had no idea what to write.

There are so many great cop, firefighter, defective stories out there. Some of my favorite authors write those kinds of stories but I had never attempted it. So what was I going to write. My mind flashed back to a fan fiction story I wrote several years ago and I wondered could I use that theme but put in America during the same time period. I did my research and found that the Pinkerton Agency was in its early beginnings and they had a very distinctive uniform . . . bowler hats, long leather coats and a unique badge. That was it for me. When Lily Velden informed me that the Pinkerton Man had been accepted for the anthology, it was a joyful day indeed. I was going to be a part of the Wayward Ink family.

I fell in love with Stiles from the moment I first typed his name. He’s not ashamed of who he is or with whom desires. There are times when he has self doubts, but he is a loyal to those he cares about and he is driven to see justice done. He was a character that I could see having many adventures. I can’t wait to share more of them with you.

Now more about The Pinkerton Man series…

Book One Synopsis

THE PINKERTON MAN

Stiles Langberry leaves England under the dark cloud of blackmail.

He resettles in America with a new name, becoming a Pinkerton Agent.

His new employer sends him undercover to a brothel that serves homosexual men, where prostitutes are being murdered. In the course of his investigation, he becomes involved with Paul, one of the prostitutes. Complicating matters, one of the suspects draws Stiles like no man before him. Stiles knows he must stop the killer before he strikes again.

ThePinkertonMan_Cover

Book One Synopsis

HOME ON THE RANGE

Pinkerton Agent Stiles Long is sent to the Circle W Ranch to uncover who is killing the ranch’s cattle. In order to discover the truth about the goings on at the ranch, Stiles has to prove to the ranchers he’s more than a good-looking city slicker.

Savage Beare, the head ranch foreman, is far from happy that Stiles is there to check things out. He has secrets of his own.

Stiles finds Savage incredibly good-looking, but cold and aloof.

He’s also a suspect. One of many.

When Stiles’ best friend and partner, Lizzie Ferguson, is kidnapped things begin to shake apart.

Stiles doesn’t trust anyone and he needs to find Lizzie before it’s too late.

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Buy Links

Don’t miss the discounted prices until 48 hours after release!

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/pinkerton-man-series-by-cj-baty/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-pinkertonmanseries-2058762-158.html
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Pinkerton-Man-Books-One-Two-ebook/dp/B01H1ZCQTE/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pinkerton-Man-Books-One-Two-ebook/dp/B01H1ZCQTE/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Pinkerton-Man-Books-One-Two-ebook/dp/B01H1ZCQTE/
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/Pinkerton-Man-Books-One-Two-ebook/dp/B01H1ZCQTE/

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Book Trailer

Excerpt

A deep voice coughed at his side. Stiles looked up to see an incredible pair of green eyes fixed on him. A feeling stirred in Stiles and he tested the waters by grinning at the gentleman to his left. He smiled back: a wide jubilant expression.

“Hello. Is that seat taken?” he asked, pointing at the seat across from Stiles.

Stiles waved his hand in a ‘have a seat’ motion and the man sat gracefully, facing him. Removing his hat, his eyes sparkled as he looked Stiles over. There was no doubt that he liked what he saw.

“Patrick O’Donnell.” He offered his hand to Stiles.

Taking the hand firmly in his own, Stiles felt the warmth and smoothness of the man’s skin. He was definitely not a rancher. Stiles doubted he’d ever done a hard day’s work in his life. Their hands lingered, entwined longer than polite society would approve. One more clue that he was as inclined as Stiles was for the company of another virile man.

“Stiles Long,” he said as their hands separated and they reclined in their respective seats, each observing the other.

“Where would you be traveling to, Mr. Long?”

“I’m headed for Mercer, Wyoming on business.”

“Business in Mercer.” He laughed. The sound was deep—smooth like the skin on his hand—and made the hairs on Stiles’ body stand to attention.

“Do you know the area? I’m looking at buying a ranch there.”

“Actually, I’m headed home to Mercer myself. I own the hotel and saloon in town. Patty’s Place. Will you be staying with me?” One corner of his lips turned up, giving his face the appearance of a one-sided grin. It caused Stiles to return the same.

“It seems I will be for a night. Though, I will need to hire a coach to take me to the Circle W Ranch as soon as possible.”

A shadow fell across O’Donnell’s face and a scowl reached the corners of those green eyes, which were now dark and stormy. “You’re looking at the Circle W to buy.” It was not really a question. It was more accusatory in meaning.

“Possibly.” Stiles decided it would be better to tread carefully until he knew more about Mr. Patrick O’Donnell. The man stayed a moment longer, then made an excuse that he needed to see someone else on the train. Stiles watched after him as he went and felt a little dumbfounded. What had just happened?

About the author

CJ BATY lives in southwest Ohio with her very patient husband and two encouraging children. Her heart however, lives in the mountains of Tennessee where she hopes to retire some day. The mountains have always provided her with inspiration and a soothing balm to the stresses of everyday life.

The dream of writing her own stories started in high school but was left on the back burner of life until her son introduced her to Fan Fiction and encouraged her to give it a try. She found that her passion for telling a story was still there and writing them down to share with others was much more thrilling than she had ever expected.

One thing she has learned from life and she is often heard to say is, “You are never too old to follow your dream!”

C.J. BATY can be found at:

Website: http://cjbaty.blogspot.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=344242482358480&fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbaty

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Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

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Now more about The Pinkerton Man series…

Book One Synopsis

Book One Synopsis

Buy Links

Book Trailer

Excerpt

About the author

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