A Stella Review: Socks for an Otter by Posy Roberts

RATING 3,5 out of 5 stars

He fell from his ivory tower and landed in the gutter… But Sebastian would rather be homeless and hungry than clueless.On his way to the food pantry, a guy on his cell phone runs into him and triggers his prickly side. As a sign of goodwill, Louis offers to cook for him. But all Sebastian sees is the privilege he used to have.
This isn’t a fairytale. Louis isn’t Prince Charming. And Sebastian can make it on his own.But it’s been days since he’s had a hot meal. And a blizzard is coming.Will Sebastian’s pride be his appetizer?

Socks for an Otter is a heartwarming riches-to-rags MM romance brewed with hurt/comfort, comedy, a second chance at love, age gap, millionaires, and men from different worlds who will give you all the feels.

I waited so long fo a new story by Posy Roberts I was so happy to see this new release, moreover a Christmas one, which I’m a sucker for. And then I read the blurb and thought she couldn’t have picked a better theme. I have read so many books, still I actually can’t remember one with an homeless character that was so well done, full of details and everyday little struggles we take for granted each minute of our lives. I so appreciated to be able to follow Sebastian, and Javon too, when they were looking for work and food,  I learned about what kind of food was more filling and right for fighting the cold. And then there were the socks, some of the scenes and talks about the socks truly got to my heart.

Socks for an Otter felt very real to me, the author did an awesome job at portraying the everyday life of homeless people, without turning the book into something too heavy. Seb and Louis pasts and presents caught my heart from the beginning, still the story is packed with a sense of hope that enlightened the reading.

That said I am not giving the novel an higher rating because I didn’t feel strongly the main characters. I loved them dearly, they were smart, strong, positives, even though they went through unthinkable events. I liked their souls and disposition to help the others. But from the first time they met it seemed to me something was missing, I didn’t feel a connection, a click between them. And till the ending I hoped for it but I couldn’t find it.

The cover art by Black Jazz Design is awesome, I love the colors, the font, the model, so perfect.

SALE LINKS  Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 270 pages

Published December 17th 2019 by Boho Press

ASIN B082PTX7NP

Edition Language English

A MelanieM Review: Christmas Lights (Owatonna U Hockey #4) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Under the Christmas lights strung outside a snowy Minnesota cabin, Ryker and Jacob face a future where nothing will be the same again.

Fortunate timing means that Ryker and Jacob can spend a few days together over Christmas in a cabin on the family farm. What’s better is that Scott and Ben are coming as well, with Hayne and Ethan in tow. Ryker can’t imagine a better way to spend time with the man he loves, and the friends he misses, and somehow he knows that this Christmas will be the best one ever. Hockey on a frozen pond, kisses under Christmas lights, and sharing time with Jacob are the best gifts he could ever receive.

Long distance relationships are brutal, Jacob can attest to that fact. So, when Ryker gets a few days off over the Raptors’ Christmas break, the hard-working Minnesota farmer is beyond thrilled. When they find out that their buddies from Owatonna U. are making the trip as well, the holidays are looking to be just about perfect. Jacob has a question for Ryker burning in his heart, and he isn’t asking for much—just a few fun-filled days with old friends and a yes from the man of his dreams.

The authors brought all the couples from the Owatonna U series together in a cabin at Christmas, and focused the short holiday tale on Ryker and Jacob, the effects their long distance relationship is having on them, the realistic hardships of running a small family farm, the combination isn’t the glowy, glittery Chrismassy story you might expect.

Instead, from this short heartwarming addition to the Owatonna series, you get an unexpected window into Jacob’s family and a farm in trouble, two men who desperately love each other and are separated for most of the time, and hard decisions so painful that a box of tissues will seem inadequate.

It is oh so wonderful.  Because as you watch Ryker and Jacob grapple with the realities of their situation, the support (realized and not) that swirles about them, well, the authors bring the true spirit of the season and strength of family out in force.

This isn’t a standalone story.  The reader needs to have read the other books in the series to understand all the relationships casually mentioned here and all the dynamics at play.  Those stories are listed below.  Happy reading as I recommend them all as well as this wonderful holiday story.

Cover Design: Meredith Russell.  Happy and bright, a perfect cover.

Book Details:

ebook
Published December 20th 2019
ISBN13 9781785641954
Edition Language English
Length: 26,000 words approx.
 
Owatonna U Series

Book #1 – Ryker – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – Scott – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: A Christmas Yarn by CC Bridges

 Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Librarian Gavin MacCauley isn’t expecting any surprises this holiday season. It’s the usual rush of helping patrons, and knitting items to donate to the local hospital. But his world is turned upside down by the cutie who walks into knitting club looking to learn how to crochet a scarf.

Jonathan Mercier has just moved to town and is desperate to find a new craft for his traditional, handmade gift for the aunt who adopted him. When his elderly neighbor strong-arms him into attending the library’s knitting and crochet club, he falls hard for the kind (and hot!) librarian running the class.

But with Christmas coming, and time running out to finish the gift, will these two find the time for each other?

This is a heartwarming short story about a librarian named Gaven who meets Jonathan due to Mabel playing matchmaker when she invites her neighbor to the knitting club at the local library. It’s told in dual point of view so the reader sees how caring they both are. While the club is knitting and crocheting gifts for the hospital, Jonathan is trying to make a gift for his aunt. It’s a tradition that they always exchange handmade gifts but something threatens to ruin his plans until Gaven rushes to save the day. This meet-cute has a moderate amount of heat at the end to bring us all some holiday cheer.

The copyright page doesn’t specify who made the cover art. It is adorable, eye-catching, and completely appropriate for this story.

Sales Links:   Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 53 pages
Published December 11th 2019
ASIN B0827282WZ

Check Out the Release Blitz with Excerpt for Unexpected (Inked #3) by KM Neuhold

Picture_20191224_204304031

Unexpected

Inked Series, Book 3

KM Neuhold

M/M Menage Romance

Release Date: 12.26.19

Blurb

Kyle needed a place to stay, he never thought it would turn into so much more.

So, your gorgeous boss, Maverick, and his yummy husband, Ari, are letting you stay with them while you get back on your feet? Here are a few simple tips:

Don’t call his husband Daddy. I know it’ll be difficult, but seriously, don’t.

Don’t leave a pair of red, lacy panties in their bed.

If you hear interesting noises from their bedroom in the middle of the night, don’t peek in. Don’t.

And most importantly, don’t fall in love.

Follow these tips and everything should go as expected.

**This book is the third book in the Inked series, which is a spin-off of the Heathens Ink series, but it CAN be read as a stand-alone. Unexpected is a super sweet, steamy MMM story with low angst and very light Daddy kink.

mybook.to/UnexpectedInked

Unexpected Teaser 3Unexpected Teaser 2

Excerpt

Kyle bends over, and his tight jeans slip down a few inches. My breath catches at the sight of his underwear peeking out. It’s not the first time I’ve gotten a brief glimpse at his choice of undergarment, and as much as I hate to admit it, they’re always more interesting than they have any right to be. Today’s choice appears to be a lacy, black thong. The thin material rests just over his hip bone, allowing for a small flash of skin beneath it, leaving no doubt that it’s a thong.

My cock thickens against my thigh, and I am positive I’m going straight to hell. He’s my employee—I shouldn’t be checking him out. Not to mention, he’s a good twelve years younger than I am. I absolutely should not be getting hard wondering what he looks like in the thong and nothing else. God, he has a beautifully round ass. I bet it looks incredible framed by the lacy material. It’s all too easy to picture the front straining to contain his own erection, the sweet boy hard and squirming on Ari’s lap as my husband kisses him breathless.

Wait, when did Ari arrive in this fantasy? Not that I object, and I’m sure he wouldn’t either. But the thoughts are entirely too close to something I refuse to think about.

I shake my head to rid myself of the thoughts as if my brain is an Etch-a-Sketch. If only it were that easy. Kyle stands and turns to face me, a smile on his bright red lips, completely unaware that he was just starring in my mental porn and that I’m hard as hell. I really am going to hell.

KM Neuhold Logo__

Author K.M.Neuhold is a complete romance junkie, a total sap in every way. She started her journey as an author in new adult, MF romance, but after a chance reading of an MM book she was completely hooked on everything about lovely- and sometimes damaged- men finding their Happily Ever After together. She has a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well. And she fully admits that her OCD tendencies of making sure every side character has a full backstory will likely always lead to every book having a spin-off or series. When she’s not writing she’s a lion tamer, an astronaut, and a superhero…just kidding, she’s likely watching Netflix and snuggling with her husky while her amazing husband brings her coffee.

linktr.ee/KMNeuhold

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Join Us for the Review Tour for Christmas Lights (Owatonna U Hockey #4) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey

 

 
Length: 26,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Meredith Russell
 
Owatonna U Series



Book #1 – Ryker – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – Scott – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

 
Blurb
 

Under the Christmas lights strung outside a snowy Minnesota cabin, Ryker and Jacob face a future where nothing will be the same again.


Fortunate timing means that Ryker and Jacob can spend a few days together over Christmas in a cabin on the family farm. What’s better is that Scott and Ben are coming as well, with Hayne and Ethan in tow. Ryker can’t imagine a better way to spend time with the man he loves, and the friends he misses, and somehow he knows that this Christmas will be the best one ever. Hockey on a frozen pond, kisses under Christmas lights, and sharing time with Jacob are the best gifts he could ever receive.


Long distance relationships are brutal, Jacob can attest to that fact. So, when Ryker gets a few days off over the Raptors’ Christmas break, the hard-working Minnesota farmer is beyond thrilled. When they find out that their buddies from Owatonna U. are making the trip as well, the holidays are looking to be just about perfect. Jacob has a question for Ryker burning in his heart, and he isn’t asking for much—just a few fun-filled days with old friends and a yes from the man of his dreams.

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.


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


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


She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:

USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.


V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.


When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.

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Happy Holidays from Scattered Thoughts to You!

 

 

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is wishing you and yours

a wonderful and happy Holiday, whatever you may celebrate.

From all of us to all of you  Happy Holidays!

 

 

An Alisa Review: The Detective’s Angel by J.B. Buell

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Brian Callahan has been a NYPD detective for a long time, and he’s been inside a strip club before to interview persons of interest. No big deal.

Then a new case sends him to a different club to interview a male stripper. Brian knows he’s a goner the moment he lays eyes on Angel.

This was nice but I really had hoped there would be more to it and I’ve got to say it was a bit strange that Brian didn’t even know that male strippers existed.  Brian and Angel seemed to connect well, and I guess they better have since Angel basically moved in after one night together.  The story felt very superficial and on the surface without any connection to the characters.

I think the cover art by Written Ink Designs is nice and works well for the story.

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 12,700 words

Published: October 23, 2019 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781646561407

Edition Language: English

In Our Holiday Spotlight: A Christmas Yarn by CC Bridges

A Christmas Yarn

by

CC Bridges

Published December 11th 2019

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | All Vendors

Blurb:

Librarian Gavin MacCauley isn’t expecting any surprises this holiday season. It’s the usual rush of helping patrons, and knitting items to donate to the local hospital. But his world is turned upside down by the cutie who walks into knitting club looking to learn how to crochet a scarf.

Jonathan Mercier has just moved to town and is desperate to find a new craft for his traditional, handmade gift for the aunt who adopted him. When his elderly neighbor strong-arms him into attending the library’s knitting and crochet club, he falls hard for the kind (and hot!) librarian running the class.

But with Christmas coming, and time running out to finish the gift, will these two find the time for each other?

About the Author

CC Bridges spent her childhood visiting other worlds in books, comics, and the starship Enterprise. It’s no surprise that she ended up a librarian, being surrounded by the books she loves so much. She writes about amazing worlds with honorable heroes.

She is the author of 3 novels: The Heaven Corp series, and many novellas and short stories. Angel 1089 won a Rainbow Award in 2010, and Angels Rising received an honorable mention.

Her hobbies include paying money to get locked in a room for an hour so she can solve puzzles to escape, along with the aforementioned reading.  She is currently pursuing an MFA from Southern New Hampshire University.

An Alisa Review: Let Your Heart Be Light by J.R. Lawrie

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

FOR SERVICES RENDERED

Dr. David Christmas has heard every joke in the book when it comes to his name. Weary of the festive season and from his long shifts in the emergency room, David is also tired of his lonely single life. His only hope for Christmas is a glimpse of the shy but gorgeous neighbour who lives above him.

Christmas-loving Julian has nurtured a crush on the grumpy man downstairs for years now. Still hurting from his ex-boyfriend’s cruelty, he hasn’t yet dared to say hello. When an injury on Christmas Eve puts Julian directly into David’s careful hands, a little healing might be on the way.

KIND OF A BIG DEAL

and

THE FARRINGDON CLUB

Up-and-coming comedian Zack Wynn splits his time between the stage and the London pizza restaurant where he works, until life hands him one hell of a Christmas present. Richard Garston is the handsome and clever older man of Zack’s dreams, but what exactly is it that Richard does?

Soon, Zack learns the truth: Richard’s classified role in the British government makes him a much bigger deal than he claimed.

Is Zack ready for the politics and power of Richard’s world?

And is Richard’s world ready for him?

These were a couple of nice stories.  I liked meeting Zack and Richard and then seeing them again another Christmas down the road.  David and Julian were both adorably awkward together.

I thought Zack was great, he is himself and doesn’t apologize and I loved that Richard saw that in him from the beginning and didn’t want him to change.  I love how he can turn Richard’s world around and Richard would just smile indulgently.  They are great together and it was nice seeing them both being part of each other’s lives and making it all work out.

I loved that Julian and David had both been admiring each other from afar.  A small accident brings them into each other’s focus even more and they are both so sweet and connect wonderfully.  They have a nice HFN but it looks promising for their future.

Cover art is cute and I like how it ties in both couples.

Sales Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Book Details:

ebook, 199 pages

Published: December 13, 2019

Edition Language: English

Join Us for the Release Blitz and Giveaway for Four Christmases by Nell Iris

 

 
Length: 23,740 words 
 
Publisher: JMS Books
 
Blurb



Will a decade-old family feud and long held secrets stand in the way of love?


Auden Whipple is searching for a bit of peace and quiet from his loud family when he stumbles across the neighbor, Porter Eldin. Porter is scorching hot on a freezing Christmas Day, and nothing like Auden expected. A moment shared by the creek begins a relationship that surprises them both.


As the Christmases pass, Auden and Porter’s relationship deepens. But the obstacle of the unresolved conflict between the Whipples and the Eldins makes Auden worried. Worried to tell his family of his new-found love, worried that the conflict will come between them.


Can two men truly in love help mend fences that have been broken for too long? Can the holiday spirit help Auden and Porter find their happily ever after?

Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies’ room), loves music (and singing along but, let’s face it, she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (“Make it so”). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!


Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.


Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.


Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.


Email contact@nelliris.com
Web www.nelliris.com
Twitter @nellirisauthor
Facebook page www.facebook.com/nellirisauthor
Facebook profile www.facebook.com/nell.iris.12
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/nelliris
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nell_iris/
QueeRomance Ink https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/nell-iris/

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