Category: Contemporary fiction

Love’s Path Takes a Curve with Bent Arrow by Posy Roberts (excerpt and giveaway)

Bent Arrow cover

Bent Arrow by Posy Roberts
Release Date: September 3, 2015

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Goodreads Link 
Publisher: Labyrinth Bound Books
Cover Artist: DJ Mack

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Buy Links:  Amazon | All Romance (ARe) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Sometimes curves in the road take you right where you belong.

Luther Almond’s life working the Bakken oil field is perfect—short-lived jobs, temporary housing, and easy hookups. That’s one reason he won’t move home when he inherits the lake house. When Erik Heat bends over to fix Luther’s pipes, his tattoos hint he might be up for more than working on the drain. The last thing Luther expects is to want more from this guy than one night.

Every time they’re together, Luther is more grounded and Erik more confident. When the lake house demands attention, Luther asks for Erik’s help. There he imagines a more permanent life, one where he stops running. But he wants Erik by his side. Can he find the courage—and the words—to ask?

Pages or Words: 20,000 words/65 pages
Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Erik had the quintessential plumber’s crack, but holy… it was not at all repulsive. And on his left ass cheek was a tattoo. From where Luther sat, it looked like an elaborate arrow, or at least the tip of an arrow pointing toward his ass. The rest disappeared under his clothes. Luther assumed it wrapped around his side, and he wondered what sort of fletching was at the other end. Did it end right above his cock, obscured by a dark thatch of pubic hair, or nestle in his V, just skirting his hipbone?
Luther stood up, grabbed a can of pop from the fridge, and stepped closer to study the tattoo. He spied a dark smudge right above the beautiful arrow tip and barely kept himself from bursting into laughter when he realized what it said.
Insert here was inked in faded letters, nothing at all like the professional thin lines of the quality arrow. This looked like the shit tattoos his high school friends gave themselves with a sewing needle and India ink before they were old enough to get a professional one. Or a prison tattoo.
Yet it was like an invitation just waiting to be noticed.
“Is that true?” Luther asked.
“Is what true?” Erik’s voice was muffled.
“‘Insert here.’”
Erik immediately sat back and tugged both his underwear and his jeans up to cover his left hip as he cursed under his breath. “Shit. Stupid tool belt.” He flushed bright red and then muttered words that were hard to understand, but Luther thought he made out undershirt and aerator. Erik scrambled to toss his tools in his bucket, taking no time to organize them in the same way they’d been when he’d arrived, and he tripped over an area rug as he bolted toward the door.
“Hey! Stop,” Luther said. “Just—stop!”
Erik did, but he faced the door, refusing to turn around.
“I’m gay, so you’re safe here, if that’s what that tattoo’s truly about.”
Erik turned his head slightly, only enough that Luther could see his dark eyelashes as he blinked in double time.
“It’s not an easy place to be out. I know. But then… why have that tattooed on your ass?”
“Long story,” Erik said.
“You were going out to your truck to get more tools?” Luther offered, to help the guy save face.
“No.” He hiked his pants up and tightened his tool belt a notch or two. “I’m gonna keep working.”
“All right.” Luther sat down on his couch again, tugging his iPad back into his lap and pretending to no longer care about those smudged words that obviously meant a hell of a lot to Erik. At least keeping them hidden did.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Real life. Genuine men. True love.
Posy Roberts writes about the realistic struggles of men looking for love. Whether her characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.
Posy is married to a man who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep. Her daughter, a budding author and dedicated Whovian, helps her come up with character names. When Posy’s not writing, she enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make normal seem more interesting.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Newsletter

Where to find the author:
Pinterest: Pinterest
Other: Tumblr (NSFW)

RC

Tour Dates & Stops: September 3, 2015
Parker Williams, Rainbow Gold Reviews, The Jena Wade, Inked Rainbow Reads, MM Good Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, Carly’s Book Reviews, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Mikky’s World of Books, Divine Magazine, Charley Descoteaux, Jessie G. Books, Ogitchida Book Blog, EE Montgomery, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Happily Ever Chapter, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Louise Lyons, Amanda C. Stone, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Molly Lolly, Andrew Q. Gordon, Multitasking Mommas, Velvet Panic, Reviews by Jessewave

 

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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize(s) provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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A Stella Review: Red Hot – Coffin Nails MC California by KA Merikan

RATING 3,25 stars out of 5

— Live fast. Die young. Fuck hard.—

Red Hot Coffin Nails CoverRed Jack. Rude. Crude. Horny ginger mess. In love with… himself.
Loki. Deadbeat. Volatile. Stalker. Terminally ill. Fatally in love.

When it comes to men, Red Jack has three rules. The guy has to be hot, out of town, and not up for repeats. It’s a good way to keep the gay flings far away from the eyes of his brothers in the Coffin Nails Motorcycle Club, and he will make damn sure it stays that way. When a hookup takes an ominous turn, and the sexy stranger turns up at his house, the heat is on. Loki invades his life and just won’t leave, wreaking havoc wherever he follows Jack, but getting rid of him becomes harder with every kiss. 

The world crumbles around Loki when he finds out he has cancer. As if his life wasn’t shit enough already. With only a few months left, he decides to live to the fullest and get every last wish on his bucket list fulfilled. One of those is fucking the hot bearded biker he meets the same night he got the bad news. Big, confident, and dangerous, Red Jack is all Loki ever wanted in a man. After all, he deserves one last shot at love. Who cares if Red Jack is a stubborn, closeted asshole? Loki knows what he wants, and he won’t settle for anything less. Even if it kills him. 

 

I’m a huge fan of KA Merikan work. I said too many times, I’m amazed how these two girls can write so beautifully together. This new installment in the Sex & Mayhem series disappointed me a little. There were too many little details that bothered me. First of all I can’t stand to read het sex in my m/m books and here we got a very explicit one. Moreover I don’t like hitting, and I’m not talking in general, because this series is so violent. I knew I should expect some really heavy scenes and there were some. I didn’t like the hitting between MCs, it was harder to take than those other scenes. It’s something I really can’t accept.

The style is the same, hard and harsh language, too much too many times even for me and I’m used to it, so it’s important you read the warnings. I found Red Hot crazier that the other books in the series. It’s one of the authors traits, but here the  MCs are really out of their freaking mind, not sure which one more.

The writing was really good, the characters well defined, even  the secondary ones, but in the end, I so missed a true connection between Red Jack and Loki and this little disconnection made it hard to me to love them. I pretty much didn’t care at all about them, or about Loki’s illness. Of course Loki isn’t going to die, and it’s not a spoiler I’m saying, you can’t expect otherwise. Point was to see how KA decided to resolve it. And again I didn’t like it at all, it was really messed up, unbelievable and I’d have totally appreciated something different.

I’m giving this book 3,25 stars because it wasn’t a bad book at all, I can’t skip a well written book with a well developed story. I can’t give it lesser rating . Still, it wasn’t what was I was waiting for. It left me with a bitter taste in my mouth

COVER ART by Natasha Snow. The cover is simply amazing and hot like pretty much everything Natasha does. Loved it!

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Published July 16th 2015 by Acerbi & Villani ltd.
Kindle Edition, 312 pages
ASIN B011T3WKFY
Edition Language English

Themes: Outlaw motorcycle club, criminal activity, hurt/comfort, abuse, sexual orientation issues, stalking, revenge, bucket list, coping with illness, first love

Genre: M/M erotic dark romance, suspense, drama
Length: ~105,000 words standalone novel (HEA

Series Sex & Mayhem

  1. Road of No return
  2. The Devil’s Ride
  3. Stripped Raw. Coffin Nails MC California (mf)
  4. No Matter What
  5. Red Hot . Coffin Nails MC California

ISO Gay Rockers Looking for Love? Check Out Sexual Frankenstein by TC Blue (excerpt and giveaway)

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Sexual Frankenstein by TC Blue
Release Date: September 2, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

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Buy the book:   Torquere Books

Blurb

Tony & Darian have been friends and playing together in their band, Sexual Frankenstein, for a few years, and while they really are friends, they’ve never crossed that line — no matter how much they may want to — because of their band and friendship, as well as not thinking the other is interested.

The apparent interest in one of them, from their hot and very glam new singer, brings things to a head as long-buried jealousies push to the fore, leading both Tony and Darian to reevaluate what they already have and what they so desperately want.

This story previously appeared in the Po’boys Anthology, published by Torquere Press.

Pages or Words: 13,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance

Excerpt

Yeah, the voice was bad enough because it was so good, but even worse was the fact that Andy was too fucking good-looking and not at all shy. Andy would never sit around for two years, yearning for someone who had never once seemed to be interested, just because he was too scared to make a move. No, Tony was pretty sure that Andy, with his make-up and highlights, his dramatic wardrobe and even more dramatic nature, would just stroll up to whoever caught his eye and say something to make that person laugh. Something to make their blue eyes shine and crinkle at the corners. Something to have that person’s slightly wavy, collar-length dark-blond hair moving wildly while that same person’s soft-looking, pink-lipped mouth opened in a grin to reveal almost perfect teeth, aside from the one lateral incisor on the left that was crooked and overlapped that left front tooth just enough to be cute and quirky rather than snaggly.

Add in the stage moves that Andy somehow kept managing to pull off without stumbling or tripping over his own feet — or any of the numerous cables covering the stage — and Tony definitely hated the bastard. More than hated him when the jerk took each and every opportunity to maneuver over to Darian’s side and rub up against him, singing into his eyes, looking wicked and delicious. Eight times so far, because Tony was keeping count, and Darian didn’t seem to mind even a little, damn it.

My own fault. Should have manned up and taken my shot before, and now it’s too late. I’m a fucking idiot. And how appropriate was it that the next song on their playlist was the old Cinderella ballad “Don’t Know What You Got”? Not that Tony had ever broken anyone’s heart, but he totally understood the emotion behind the chorus.

RC

About The Author

Meet TC Blue

Contrary to popular opinion, TC Blue was not raised by wolves. Nor did she spring, fully formed, from the forehead of a god, instead entering the world in the usual manner.

A true jack-of-all-trades and master of none (otherwise known as flighty and unable to make a decision and stick with it), she currently resides near the east coast where she does her best to avoid politics and religions as a general rule.

TC can usually be found sitting in front of her computer, trying to wrangle rabid and numerous plot bunnies, though her muses insist that she not be too hard on the poor little fluffy things. (Poor little fluffy things with sharp teeth and claws, but whatever. Muses don’t seem to care much about the possible bloodshed if the bunnies think TC’s not writing quickly enough.)

One thing sure to calm the bunnies is hearing from readers, so please feel free to contact TC at tcblue@live.com or stalk her: on Twitter — @tc_blue, on Facebook — T.c. Blue.

Where to find TC Blue:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000896020443
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tc_blue
Website: https://tcblue.wordpress.com

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Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, The Jena Wade, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, 3 Chicks After Dark, Bayou Book Junkie, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Louise Lyons, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Happily Ever Chapter, Wake Up Your Wild Side, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Inked Rainbow Reads, Chris McHart

 

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Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Sexual Frankenstein’ by TC Blue.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize(s) provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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A Mika Double Dip Review: Bent Arrow by Posy Roberts

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Sometimes curves in the road take you right where you belong.

Bent Arrow coverLuther Almond’s life working the Bakken oil field is perfect—short-lived jobs, temporary housing, and easy hookups. That’s one reason he won’t move home when he inherits the lake house. When Erik Heat bends over to fix Luther’s pipes, his tattoos hint he might be up for more than working on the drain. The last thing Luther expects is to want more from this guy than one night.

Every time they’re together, Luther is more grounded and Erik more confident. When the lake house demands attention, Luther asks for Erik’s help. There he imagines a more permanent life, one where he stops running. But he wants Erik by his side. Can he find the courage—and the words—to ask?

Another good read from Posy Roberts. Low angst, feel good, falling in love, comfort read from her. You learn something new everyday. I’m not familiar with the oil fields, or the work that goes into it. This part of the story, I can say bored me a little. I liked seeing Luther change and grow when dealing with his feelings for Erik. I feel like they switched personalities by the end of the story. It’s not necessarily bad, but it was nice to see them finally get what they deserved.

Luther has been traveling since the age of 18 just to hide from his demons and family. He’s now working somewhere close to where his family lives, and he’s finally in his own trailer. He meets this lovely plumber by the name of Erik. Erik was super shy in the beginning, and after hearing his story, I definitely understood why. I liked Erik a lot, he encouraged Luther to be himself, and was very patient with him. I think this is typical Posy Roberts with her realistic writing of two guys falling in love. They are never perfect but they make it work.

Cover Art by: DJ Mack. I really liked the cover. It’s not just Erik’s tattoo, I think it’s an adapt portrayal of both guys after reading the story.

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: September 3rd 2015 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781311953292

A Stella Double Dip Review: Bent Arrow by Posy Roberts

Rating 4 stars out of 5

Bent Arrow coverSometimes curves in the road take you right where you belong.

Luther Almond’s life working the Bakken oil field is perfect—short-lived jobs, temporary housing, and easy hookups. That’s one reason he won’t move home when he inherits the lake house. When Erik Heat bends over to fix Luther’s pipes, his tattoos hint he might be up for more than working on the drain. The last thing Luther expects is to want more from this guy than one night.

Every time they’re together, Luther is more grounded and Erik more confident. When the lake house demands attention, Luther asks for Erik’s help. There he imagines a more permanent life, one where he stops running. But he wants Erik by his side. Can he find the courage—and the words—to ask?

 

I read Bent Arrow in a night, it’s written so well it was quick and easy to me to follow the story. No surprise since I discovered Posy Roberts with Silver Scars and I realized she is very talented author. There were different things I loved in this short story too. First her characters, well defined and developed, with some baggage on their shoulders to make them more real. Characters with scars to erase thanks to the love of their partner. What I especially found beautiful was the journey Luther went through, a simple one, because there is no drama or angst in this story. But still seeing this young man changing during his time spent with Erik was unexpected in a story of just 65 pages long and so welcomed. He slowed down his life and finally started taking care of himself and settled down in his grandma’s house with the man he’s in love with. Often in books so short the relationship is rushed using the sex, while in Bent Arrow I was so glad to see Luther and Erik know each other better with texts, dates, sex too sure, but it wasn’t the main way used to bring the MCs together.

There are some emotional parts I don’t want to talk about but they were the icing on the cake. They could have been handled differently and the story would have been too heavy to be enjoyed. I think Posy made a great work at balance everything in the right way, deciding to not tell us too much of a couple of things in Erik’s past, focusing instead in their relationship and their newborn feelings.

The only tiny little bad note I can make is about the ending. I was hoping to have another chapter to see how they settled into their new life together and I was so sure there were more pages that when I read The End I was really disappointed. It felt almost like it missed something. Still I really enjoyed Bent Arrow, it was a light read full of good feelings.

Cover art by DJ Mack. The cover is simple, hot and well done. I couldn’t resist it.

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Published September 3rd 2015 by Labyrinth Bound Press
ebook, 65 pages
ISBN13 9781311953292
Edition Language English

 

In the Book Spotlight: Lover’s Trill by Viki Lyn (guest post, excerpt and contest)

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Lover’s Trill by Viki Lyn
Release Date: September 1, 2015

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Loose ID
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

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Buy the book: Loose id LLC

:

Photo credit: Smadar from morguefile.com

Viki Lyn on the Inspiration for Lover’s Trill

Lover’s Trill is a story about two musicians that had once loved each other. Andre and Leo shared their passion for music and for each other, but followed two very different musical paths. Leo had left Andre to pursue his dreams leaving Andre to pick up the pieces of his heart.

I had just returned from visiting Eastern Europe. Vienna had impressed me as a city that lived and breathed classical music. Yet, the city’s personality also had a lively underground. This had to be the setting for Andre and Leo’s second chance at love.

A story set in Vienna had to include a ball. With a vibrant ball culture, there are more than a 1,000 balls in the city, and attendance is past the 2.5 million mark! The season lasts from November 11 until Mardi Gras, and is very lively in-between. I made sure that Leo and Andre were in Vienna during the season.

The most famous ball is the “Wiener Opernball or Vienna Opera Ball. This would be the sort of ball Andre would attend. Leo, not so much! So when I had Leo the one that had tickets to a ball, I chose a “Kranzchen” or informal ball. These informal balls are often attended in costumes. I had fun imagining Leo’s costume – outrageous as his clothing when he performs onstage!

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Rocker Leo needs a break. From the band, roadies, everything related to his present life. Wandering the streets of Vienna, he chances upon a poster that just might change his life. Andre Revele, renowned violinist, and Leo’s ex-lover, is performing in the city. It’s been years since Leo slipped out of Andre’s life in the middle of the night, but he’s never forgotten their passionate love of music and each other.

Andre’s shocked when Leo shows up backstage after his performance. Hell yes, he’s angry, but he can’t walk away. Against his better judgment, he invites Leo to his hotel for a drink. Not sure what he wants from Leo, he knows what his body wants right now. A night of passionate sex leads to another, until he’s lost his heart to Leo again.

When Andre finds his trust in Leo tested, Leo must prove his loyalty by using their one common passion – music – to bind their hearts.

Pages or Words: 22,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Leo finished his cappuccino. He needed a break. From the band, roadies, everything related to his present life. He tried to ignore the constriction in his chest. He hadn’t written anything in months, and that scared the shit out of him. His bandmates were like his brothers, but as much as he loved them, it wasn’t the same as having a lover who completely got him. He had no one to turn to when in a funk.

He hoped to God he still had more words inside him. For all of his flamboyance on stage, his real love was composing.

Leo paid the check and left. Too wound up to go back to his hotel, he roamed the streets, taking in the Vienna night. Stars sparkled above St. Stephen’s gothic spire. The wide boulevards twisted into narrow lanes perfect for getting lost in.

Happy to wander aimlessly, Leo slipped his hands into his fleece-lined jacket. Living in LA, he’d forgotten how cold winter could be in other parts of the world. He turned the corner and sputtered to a halt. Staring at the poster pasted to the side of a building, he didn’t need to read the name of the virtuoso to know who it was. He could never forget that face in rapture—when playing or getting off. Music and sex had invoked the same feelings in Andre Revele. Passion was passion, and that man had always had both in spades.

Numbness swept across Leo as he stared at the picture of Andre caressing the bow in those slender-fingered hands—such artistic hands on a large man. It had been love at first sight—or at least lust—when Leo had walked into the practice room.

He could still remember a youthful Andre, not quite grown into his robust physique, as he played the last stanza of Bach’s Concerto in E. The violin’s notes had faded, but the music had remained in the air long after the performance was over. Bright green eyes peered through dark lashes, and sensual, pouty lips morphed into a shy smile. Like an idiot, Leo had been at a loss for words at Andre’s performance and enamored by that handsome face. Until Andre laughed, breaking the spell.

From that day forward, they were inseparable. They both had insatiable appetites for music. They stayed up all hours talking about philosophy and musical composition, and arguing what was better, thin-crust or thick-crust pizza. They played music together, fucked, and enjoyed the simple moments that composed their insular world.

He scanned the poster for the dates of the concerts. Tomorrow night was the last performance. Leo shuffled his feet, unable to move away. He bit his lip and traced the image of Andre. Did he dare go? It had to be fate. He’d been thinking of Andre, talking about the past with Sid, and now this.

His heartbeat quickened. What if he went backstage and Andre didn’t recognize him? Or brushed him aside? Leo had purposely avoided searching the Internet for news of Andre, too afraid that his ex had a lover, or worse, had married. Their lifestyles were miles apart, and Leo could never think of Andre as a friend.

He drank in Andre’s image. Tall and broodingly dark, Andre had the body of a jock and the sensitive heart of an artist. Leo preferred men unlike himself. He’d been a skinny kid, and had a difficult time gaining weight. If he’d been born years earlier, he would have been the perfect face for a glam rock band. At least he’d outgrown the term pretty boy or twink.

Leo chewed his lower lip as he studied Andre’s picture. Tempting as it was to see his ex again, visiting the past was a bad idea. This wasn’t the time, not when Leo was restless and bored. His heart couldn’t take a rejection from Andre. There were other men, lots of men, and he’d had his share of quite a few of them. With his schedule it had become impossible to form any long-term commitment. Or at least that was what he told himself.

A big, fat lie.

He’d never met anyone who made him feel the way he’d felt for the violinist.

Leo kissed his fingers and pressed them to Andre’s lips. “Good-bye, Princess.” Andre hated that pet name, but Leo loved using the endearment. Andre had been born into wealth and privilege, and his family had expected great things from him. “You proved them right, didn’t you?”

Before Leo changed his mind, he hurried away, dismissing the memories of a love lost to his ambition.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Meet Viki Lyn:

Multi-published and award winner, Viki Lyn is a successful writer of gay paranormal and contemporary romance. After reading and collecting whatever she could get her hands on, she wrote her first male/male romance. And that was ‘it’ for her. She never looked back. Viki travels the world in search of inspiration. She considers herself blessed to have traveled to many of the mystical sites she had dreamed about as a child. Her travel experiences have been influential in creating her paranormal worlds. When she needs to relax, she calls a friend to meet at their favorite coffee house. When the chattering in her head goes off the charts, she plays one of her favorite RPGs on her PS4 and immerses herself in the world of dragons and magic.

Where to find Viki Lyn:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vikilynromance
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/vikilynromance
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vikilynromance

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: An ebook of Lover’s Trill or a book from my backlist and a $10 Amazon GC. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Tour Dates & Stops:

1-Sep Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

1-Sep The Jena Wade

2-Sep Bayou Book Junkie

2-Sep Molly Lolly

2-Sep Inked Rainbow Reads

3-Sep MM Good Book Reviews

3-Sep BFD Book Blog

4-Sep Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

7-Sep Divine Magazine

7-Sep Mikky’s World of Books

7-Sep Love Bytes

WillPride

Cover Reveal for Unbreak Broken (Coming About#3) by J.K. Hogan (cover reveal, excerpt and contest)

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Unbreak Broken (Coming About#3) by J.K. Hogan
Release Date: September 16, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Wild City Press
Cover Artist: J.K. Hogan (KHD Graphics)

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Blurb

Rory Donovan’s life is a hot mess. His marriage is failing and he’s in intensive psychotherapy, working through the unfortunate side effects of memories from a childhood trauma. The only thing good in his life right now is his job—teaching photography to gifted high school students.

Harbor Patrol officer Bennett Foster is co-parenting his teenage daughter with his high school best friend Jessie. When he meets Addison’s teacher and realizes they’ve met before, he can’t get the sexy stranger out of his head.

Striking up a sexual-tension-filled friendship, together they must help an angsty teenager deal with a dying friend. Bennett must keep his little family from falling apart while Rory struggles to come to terms with his new reality. Somewhere along the way, most unexpectedly…love happens.

Pages or Words: 98,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt:

Dr. Conlan treated me to a rare fond smile, almost motherly in its warmth. “I’m pleased to see you happier than you have been.”

I grinned back, but then my brow furrowed. “Does this make me gay?”

“Does that matter?”

“I don’t know. Should it?”

“I’ll never understand the fascination with labeling things that our society seems to have. To me, sexuality is as intangible as the universe. There’s no way to truly know what’s out there, and how it all relates to everything else.

“As humans, we seek to know, to understand, and somehow we feel that putting things in boxes and labeling helps us do that. But some things are fluid, changing and developing with the tide of the evolution of life. Do me a favor, Rory. Don’t put yourself in a box.”

I was dumbfounded, stunned speechless. I knew I’d remember Dr. Conlan’s words for the rest of my life, and I would try to stay as true to them as I could. “I won’t,” I whispered.

Buy the book Wilde City Press

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Meet J.K. Hogan

J.K. Hogan has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, magic happened. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her stories as she writes them. J.K. is hoping to one day have a little something for everyone, so she’s branched out from m/f paranormal romance and added m/m contemporary romance. Who knows what’s next?

J.K. resides in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. A true southern girl at heart, she lives in the country with her husband and young son, a cat, and two champion agility dogs. If she isn’t on the agility field, J.K. can often be found chasing waterfalls in the mountains with her husband, or down in front at a blues concert. In addition to writing, she enjoys training and competing in dog sports, spending time with her large southern family, camping, boating and, of course, reading! For more information, please visit http://www.jkhogan.com.

Where to find J.K. Hogan:
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialJKHogan
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JK_Hogan
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jkhoganbooks/
Other: http://www.goodreads.com/jkhogan
Other: http://instagram.com/jkhoganbooks
Other: http://jkhogan.com/blog/


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, Bike Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Molly Lolly, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bayou Book Junkie, My Fiction Nook, Inked Rainbow Reads, Divine Magazine, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Three Books Over the Rainbow, Lee Brazil, MM Good Book Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Happily Ever Chapter, Carly’s Book Reviews, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy

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Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-book copy of ‘Unbreak Broken’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Sense of Place by N.R. Walker

Rating: 5 stars out of 5  ★★★★★
Sense of Place coverThe capstone in the trilogy of books making up the Thomas Elkin series, on my second read through this one, I found I loved it even more than I had the first time due to the subtle way the author tied the core of what makes this couple ticktheir keen sense of appreciation of all things architectureinto their love for each other and respect for each other’s ideas, concepts and experiences.

Thomas Elkin and Cooper Jones have been living together for a week or so when this story opens. Things are going well for Cooper in his position, and he’s just scored a huge job based on the work he did in prep for an architectural show in Philadelphia. This job can make his career and Tom couldn’t be prouder. As the job advances, and Cooper spends more time at work, rather than let the stresses break them up, the two work together to successfully fit in “couple” time.

Cooper’s chief problem is the property developer for whom he’s working is making advances to him left and right, and Coop spends most of his time diplomatically trying to call him off. It doesn’t help when Tom is so understanding, though from Tom’s perspective, Tom has total confidence in Cooper. However, when the straw breaks the camel’s back , a small confrontation and show of possessiveness on Tom’s part is enough to make Cooper happy, and they survive to the end of the job without losing their tempers or their employment. But in the meantime, at Tom’s workplace, one of the partners in his firm is making his life miserable by questioning everything he does. He knows it’s homophobia but can’t get the guy to back off, and it eventually results in Tom making a major life-changing decision.

On the surface, this story wasn’t as complex or intense as book two, Clarity of Lines, but as I stated at the beginning of the review, the subtleties made it even better and watching the men cope with family and job pressures yet continue to grow stronger as a couple was a pleasure. Tom and Cooper have found their personal “sense of place”when the place you’re in feels like homewhere you’re at peace. <spoiler>The way the author wove this in to the marriage proposal was sweet. And, the proposal itself was unique and unexpected and totally perfect. Sigh. </spoiler>

I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a wonderful couple, with a sweet romance, age gap, and humor. And the bonus is that it leaves a warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart and a wish for more time with the men before you have to leave them. If you get the chance to read this series, by all means, don’t pass it up.
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Cover Art by Posh Gosh is very similar to the other books in the series and features the upper torsos of two men wearing suits, set against a background of tall buildings representing the architecture MCs in the series.

Sales Links:  Pride Publishing | All Romance (ARe) |  Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, Special Edition
Published August 11th 2015 by Pride Publishing (first published February 14th 2014)
ISBN13 9781784307417
edition language English
series Thomas Elkin #3

A Stella Review: Free Ride by J. L. Merrow

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Free Ride coverThere’s no such thing as a free ride. Aidan may be only twenty, but he’s already learned that the hard way. Hitch-hiking up from London to Glasgow to keep a promise to a man he’ll never see again, Aidan’s fully prepared to offer payment in kind for his lifts. He’s not expecting a good-looking older bloke to pick him up in a Mercedes — nor that he’ll find John such good company. After a few short hours together Aidan’s already starting to care what John thinks of him.

When slow traffic forces them to get a room for the night, Aidan’s not sure what to do. Putting out as a thank you to a stranger is one thing, but can he really go through with it with the first person he’s come to care for since he made that promise?

And what’s going to happen when they reach their destination?

Free Ride is a short (too short) story by JL Merrow, an author whose style and writing I love very much. I was a little dubious about it, because being just 18 pages, I was really afraid it would be impossible to deliver something believable and complete. I have to stop to worrying about things when it comes to JL! These few pages show the start of a possible relationship between Aidan and John, in a sweet way and with the use of a humorous british language so typical of the author. I know, there are just brief moments  between them, but even if the aim was to just let us know how they met, it was so accomplished. I’m always not satisfied by stories like Free Ride, I think it’s pretty normal to have not enough of a couple if you have loved the few (filling) crumbs you read. I can honestly say it felt right just like that. And moreover I could feel the characters and the chemistry between them. Of course then I went on the author’s website and found out there is a micro sequel to this short story, called On The Beach (you can find it here http://jlmerrow.com/free-reads/on-the-beach/) and I was super happy! I devoured it in a flash.

I want to highly recommend Free Ride. If you already have read something by JL Merrow you know how good she is so it’s a guarantee. If you’re looking for a quick story, full of hope in the future, with an emotional undertone,  this one will be perfect for you.

Cover art by Written Ink Designs. I know, this model is been used a lot on covers lately, so it’s not so original. It’s a shame because it fits the story and it’s a good one.

Sales Links:  JMS Books | Smashwords | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Published July 19th 2015 by JMS Books LLC
Kindle Edition, 18 pages
ASIN B01091D51K
Edition Language English

A Jeri Review: Unsaid (The Manhattanites Book 3) by Avery Aster

Rating: 2.5  Stars out of 5

Unsaid coverFor fans who loved the snarky wit of Will & Grace and the epic love drama found in Brokeback Mountain comes Avery Aster’s new full-length, standalone contemporary erotic M/M romance novel, Unsaid.

Chelsea’s hottie Blake Morgan III has reemerged from a nasty breakup. His marriage was a frigid disaster beyond repair, and he vows to be single—forever. Bruised, but still hot in Prada, he creates his Seven Desires wish list, his sexiest imaginings. Blake soon realizes there’s only one man he may trust to make these uninhibited intentions come to fruition: his best friend Miguel Santana.

Lower East Side multimedia artist extraordinaire Miguel Santana may be known as the cocky Latin stud in the city, but all he’s wanted since college was Blake’s hand in marriage. He was livid when Blake walked down the aisle with the wrong guy. Miguel has his own list titled the Seven Needs, which are quite contrary to Blake’s dirty-boy deeds. They involve serious commitments, which may leave his new-to-the-singles-scene buddy sprinting for the door, destroying any hopes Miguel has for happiness.

Can these two hunks conquer their intimate fears and love one another as only best friends can? Join

While the cover of Unsaid (The Manhattanites Book 3) by Avery Aster is hot and would draw me to it immediately, it is a bit misleading. The “main” story is about 2 guy friends getting together, but really there are several interconnected stories throughout the book involving their group of friends.

Because this review is for a blog about LGBT books, I am going to review it as such. Had I read this book for a het blog, there would be some differences.

Blake grew up wealthy, as did his group of friends. All he wanted was to get married and have a family. He thought he was on his way to that dream when he married his boyfriend. Five years later, he is watching the ink dry on his divorce papers.

One of his friends, Miguel, has had a crush on Blake since college. But Blake chose Miguel’s friend over him. He carried his torch silently for years. Until their friends start to push them together.

There are several story lines in this book. And while they are all connected because everyone is friends, I feel like they could have been separated into their own books and their stories fleshed out more.

I did enjoy the friendship of all of the characters. They really stuck by each other in life and were willing to do anything for each other. Usually a character has one, maybe two, close friends in a book. These guys were lucky enough to have a diverse crowd of friends.

A word of warning- there is het sex in the book! Teehee, just had to throw that out there. There is also a BDSM scene that will have people who are really in the lifestyle rolling their eyes at how wrong it is.

While I liked all of the stories, I wish there was more. More depth, more romance, more back story. It was just a bit too much like a soap opera for me to give it more than 2 ½ stars.

Cover is hot.  It pulled me in but I thought it was misleading.

Sales links:  Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: September 2nd 2015 (first published August 3rd 2015)
edition language English
series The Manhattanites #3