Category: Contemporary fiction

A Lucy Review: Clueless Cabot by André D. Michaels

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Young gay professional Cabot MacCrae has been in love with his sexy best friend, Lloyd, since high school. They’re in perfect sync on almost everything. The only problem is that Lloyd is straight.

Cabot resigned himself long ago to pining hopelessly. Then Lloyd, a roofer, takes a bad fall and injures his collarbone. When he needs some TLC, there’s no question that Cabot will be the one to nurse his friend back to health. But Lloyd’s scantily clad presence in Cabot’s house brings out Cabot’s old longings.

But when Lloyd’s well-meaning mother and aunt fix Cabot up with a blind date, Lloyd reacts like a jealous boyfriend. Lloyd’s reaction makes Cabot wonder if those longings are as unrequited as he’s always assumed. What if Lloyd has been pining for him all these years? Has Cabot just been clueless all along?

Cabot and Lloyd are as close as two people who are not a couple can be.  They have been besties since they were preteens and have only grown closer as the years pass.  Cabot is another son to Lloyd’s family and the two grew up spending the nights at one house or the other.  Now 28, Lloyd has fallen out of a window and broken some bones.  He needs someone to take care of him and who else but Cabot?

Cabot has been unlucky in lust, let alone love.  He’s tried but no one really hits his buttons and those who he is even slightly interested in don’t seem interested in him.  Lloyd, however, is a chick magnet and is always showing Cabot who he’s been seeing.

The forced proximity causes Cabot some discomfort – he’s so attracted to Lloyd and can’t do anything about it.  Lloyd is straight and the last thing Cabot wants is to put their friendship in jeopardy.  Lloyd often jokes about being with men or being with Cabot, but that’s just joking.  Herein lies the reason for 3.5 stars instead of 4.  The whole thing is based on Cabot being so oblivious and clueless, but it didn’t read that way.  Maybe he was a little bit but he was also blinded by the straight man actions of Lloyd.

It is a surprise when Lloyd’s mother sets Cabot up on a blind date, because she usually doesn’t meddle.  What a date.  OMG, could Malcom be more obnoxious? I get being super into sex but do you go off with someone while your date is sitting at the table?  The initial phone call should have been enough to make Cabot go running.  And if someone left me outside the house with the door locked while they got ready, I’d have walked off.  The date only goes downhill from there and Lloyd is there to save the day.

This is a really cute friends-to-lovers story, although I wish the Vic aspect had come out in the open before it ended.  I will definitely read something else by this author, who is new to me.

The cover, a lone man with rhubarb pie, fit the story well.  Rhubarb pie is important!

Sales Links:  Amazon | Kobo | NineStar Press

Book Details:

ebook, 65 pages
Published September 16th 2019 by NineStar Press
ISBN1 39781951057381
Edition Language English

A Lila Audio Review: One-Eyed Royals (Seven of Spades #4) by Cordelia Kingsbridge and Wyatt Baker (Narrator)

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Shattered by their devastating breakup, Detective Levi Abrams and PI Dominic Russo find themselves at war right when they need each other most. While Dominic is trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, Levi despairs of ever catching the Seven of Spades. The ruthless vigilante’s body count continues to climb, and it’s all Levi can do to keep up with the carnage.When Levi’s and Dominic’s paths keep crossing in the investigation of a kidnapping ring with a taste for mutilation, it feels like history repeating itself. Thrown together by fate once again, they reluctantly join forces in their hunt for the mastermind behind the abductions.

But the Seven of Spades hates sharing the spotlight, and they have an ace in the hole: a new batch of victims with a special connection to Levi. Their murders send shockwaves through Las Vegas and change the rules of the game forever.

The Seven of Spades has upped the ante. If Levi and Dominic don’t play their cards right, they’ll end up losing everything.

One-Eyed Royals is a darker view of the Seven of Spades’ psyche. It mirrors Levi’s volatility and Dominic’s addiction. They’re a disfuncional triad held together by a sense of right and wrong.

It’s hard to see Levi and Dominic struggling to be what the other wants and needs. I think they’re toxic to each other but that has been the root of their relationship since book one.

They spent a lot of time apart but relatively closed. Which gave the author the opportunity to add a couple of funny moments, bringing the tension down.

The cases were intrinsically related and unique to the story. I enjoyed the way they worked different angles to arrive at the same conclusions. They showed once again that they work best together.

As always, the secondary characters and small plot points created an interesting book full of drama and heartache. All I’m going to say about Staton is that he needs his own man.

This is definitely a great mystery. I’m still not able to figure out who the Seven of Spades is but I’m looking forward to its reveal.

The narration by Wyatt Baker takes of from the previous installment, easing the reader into the action, the series, and great characters.

The cover by Garrett Leigh is perfection, as always. She has a way to create cohesive covers for series without losing the individuality of each book and the author’s character.

Sales Links: Riptide | Audible | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Wyatt Baker
Length: 10 hours and 25 minutes

Published: September 25, 2019 (Audio Edition) by Riptide Publishing
ASIN: B07YBH6RZ1
Edition Language: English

Series: Seven of Spades
Book #1: Kill Game
Book #2: Trick Roller
Book #3: Cash Plays
Book #4: One-Eyed Royals

Join Us for the Book Blast for Memoirs of the Human Wraiths Box Set and Omnibus by F.E. Feeley Jr (excerpt)

BOOK BLAST

Book Title:  Memoirs of the Human Wraiths Box Set and Omnibus

Author: F.E. Feeley Jr.

Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing

Cover Artist: Debbie McGowan/ Roe Horvat

Genre/s:  Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Forbidden love or friends to lovers

Themes: Forgiveness

Heat Rating:  3 flames

Length: 3 books/ 698 pages

Add on Goodreads

 

Blurb 

Around a campfire late at night, someone begins to tell a ghost story. Flashlights clutched in hands, we huddle close and listen with intensity, startling at the slightest sound, but we try to be brave.

This is no different.

Memoirs of the Human Wraiths, a book passed down from generation to generation, details the lives of those living on the edges of society, stalked by the darkness that awaits us all. Come see what walks the halls of Timber Manor. Step inside Jonathan’s inescapable mirror. Venture to the island where promises made are enforced by a powerful curse.

Try to be brave.

 

Book Trailer

 

 

 

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US – Kindle  |  Amazon US Paperback  |   Amazon UK   |  Publisher

 

Excerpt from The Haunting of Timber Manor 

Another flash and my eyes locked on a pair of yellow eyes staring at me from the place where I saw them before. Not a ghost or a killer—a wolf. Standing about twenty feet away, a huge, magnificent wolf was watching me with an oddly disconcerting amount of intelligence in its eyes, head hung low. Its gray-and-white fur was gorgeous and oddly dry-looking. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. Instead of fading into the darkness, it began to walk forward into the headlights of my car. The beast never took its eyes off mine. Like it was staring into my soul. My heart began to hammer and my breathing quickly picked up. My hands went back to the steering wheel and clamped down again, as white-knuckled as before. A chill passed through me, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up straight. As if the wolf could sense my distress, it stopped and gave me a wicked grin. “You know I can see you, don’t you?” I whispered aloud. “You know I am afraid.” The wolf, in response, tilted its giant head up toward the rain and gave out a chilling howl as if to confirm that. “Why, yes, I do know, dear boy. What do you think I’m doing here? You wanted to die? Step out of the truck, and I’ll gladly make your dreams come true.”

 

About the Author 

F.E.Feeley Jr is a poet and the author of six published works – four full-length novels, two short stories featured in anthologies, and a poetry book.

Married to the love of his life, John, he came to the writing world about four years ago where he fell in love, again, with the written word.

 

 

Author Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook Reader’s Group  |

Twitter:  @fefeeleyjr  |  Newsletter Sign-up:  Sign up Via Website

 

 

 

Giveaway 

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A MelanieM Review:33 Degrees of Separation (Legacy Book 3) by Rain Carrington

Rating: 2.25 stars out of 5

​I’m Ian, and this is my story. Like the others, I have a legacy. I was raised with the best of everything, one of the riches kids I knew. That isn’t the legacy, however. That is to be a part of something I didn’t want, and never asked for it’s tearing me apart, but I can fight it. With some help, I can fight it.
Meeting Pat Castaldo, the hot, muscled FBI agent was the beginning of a life I thought was ending. I am terrified I’ll get him killed, and others, if I can’t stand up to my father and the other men that make up the terrible secret society. My family has been members for hundreds of years, and it was supposed to be passed to me. I don’t want it, but I took it, and I took it to end them once and for all.

In the middle of all this, I am falling in love. That was a surprise, and one that possibly terrifies me more than the Gilded Grail. This could hurt, and I could get this beautiful man killed, along with a lot of others if I fail. My money may be able to solve some of my troubles, but there is much more that it can’t.
I’ve never had to be brave or fight for anything. This is my fight, though, and I will win. I’ll win it for my friends, for humanity and, maybe most of all, I’ll win it for Pat.

Raised in wealth most could only dream of, Ian Andrews III didn’t know another way of life existed until he went to college and learned about the world. There he met friends and came down from his palace to try to be like everyone else, but he had too much money to achieve that.

When he was set to finish graduate school, his father took him on a trip to learn the destiny that had been chosen for him. He would become a member of the Gilded Grail, a secret society that had members whose families had been a part of it for hundreds of years.

He was a legacy, and there was no choice for him. He would become a member, or he’d die.

Learning about this secret society, hearing their ways and goals, then going through the initiation, he was terrified and ran off to hide away from them and everyone.
His best friend worried when he’d been gone for days, his phone left in his room, not a word from him. Calling in help, it came in the form of an FBI agent in town on business. He was doing a favor, checking up on the missing college student, and right away smelled trouble. When he saw Ian’s computer history and the name Gilded Grail, he knew he had to find Ian.
Once he did, he learned the secrets that no one outside the order knew. Together, they decided to try to stop them from a horrible goal they’d set, one that threatened every man, woman and child in the world.

Falling in love with one another was easy but keeping that attraction at bay to try to save everyone a horrible fate, Ian and Pat struggled. Pat called for more help, and Javier Duran came, an old lover of Pat’s, and one of the world best mercenaries.

Sparks fly and jealousies ignite. Saving the world and falling in love at the same time wasn’t easy on any man. It could tear them apart or make them more determined to have the other in their lives forever. That was considering if they could stop the Grail and there was a forever…

When it comes to deciding on ratings and writing a review, often it is harder to do so for a story that falls short of what you expect a good or terrific story to be rather than a story that meets or exceeds those standards.  Praise comes easily.  But putting into words why a story falls flat?  That should actually be more precise and perhaps well thought out.

Reviews, while a subjective animal, should be as objective still as possible, as weird as that may be. And that has to do with the fact that for the most part we are talking about books that authors have put their heart into (excluding the new book mills out there).

All this is leading up to the fact that when giving out low ratings we should be as objective and specific and perhaps thoughtful as possible.

Yes,33 Degrees of Separation (Legacy Book 3) by Rain Carrington  was a story that I had some issues with.

It does have some promising elements here.   There was some really nice twists to the plot I enjoyed, hence the .5 in the rating.  But there were also quite a few elements that had me reevaluating the characters, their professionalism, and the entire plot structure. That doesn’t even address the problems I had with the main characters relationships and the BDSM aspect.

Characterization and their Professions:  I will use this as just one of the examples of the issues I have here.  One of the main characters, Pat Castaldo, is a FBI agent, who specializes in cults etc.  Without putting anything into context, he makes a move on a traumatized young man (who has no idea who this FBI guy is btw) hiding out in a cabin, sends the young man’s black roommate out into the night to a small , nearby white homogeneous small town to get supplies for all three of them while they figure out what their next plans are.  Smh!  Anyone who watches TV cop shows would be groaning here.  So yes.  This is a small white town where most grocery stores never stay open late.  Usually it’s the quikmart as the gas stations where there are cameras and people plenty suspicious of strangers.  So why not let the roommate stay and comfort his best friend, and the big bad FBI white agent leaves  with all training, and obtains the supplies while checking out to see if anyone followed them? Nope, that doesn’t happen.

It’s not logical, it’s not great procedure, and tbh, it’s one of the many issues you have with the lack of professionalism here that it takes you out of the story and disconnects the reader from the characters and plot.  It will get worse.  So I will leave it at one example. They felt extremely under researched and lacking in details.  Just not believable in any way.

Romance, Relationships and BDSM:  I am unfamiliar with this author’s previous stories or this series so I don’t know if BDSM figures prominently in Carrington’s other novels.  From the author’s note, the main couple’s relationship was to contain a small amount of BDSM (D/s).  I am not sure how much research or where this author conducted that research, but what happens here between Pat and Ian in no way reads like any “in the lifestyle” D/s relationship I have read or met.  In fact it borders on abusive and ignorant, labeling the use of force as BDSM and being the aggressor as Dom without having the necessary structure or understanding in place.  In one scene, Ian is actually beaten into agreeing to a course of action and that’s labeling BDSM.  If you are not familiar with BDSM, perhaps as a reader, you might think ok, that’s what a D/s relationship is all about.  But even if you are a pain slut, there are discussions and agreements to be held, none of which happens here.  This is a total mess IMO.  And I haven’t even gone into the instalove aspect.

I think that’s plenty.  Won’t even go into that ending.  Apparently there is more to come in this series.  I won’t be venturing further.

Poor characterization,  unrealistic backgrounds and professions, plotting I didn’t believe in, and  labeled sexualities that don’t follow the basic tenets for safety all conspire to do this story in.

That’s my recommendation.  Do with it what you will.

Cover art is interesting but doesn’t tell you much about the story.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 353 pages
Published October 22nd 2019 by AAS Publishing
ASINB07ZGMFN3W

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Natural Disaster (Storm Chasers #1) by Erin McLellan

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

This story had so much energy! There’s a constant underlying tension in the KTTY newsroom as storm chasers tackle coverage of tornadoes across the Oklahoma countryside. The tension spreads to readers as we get to know the storm chaser characters, their hopes, dreams, and their fears. 

It’s the fear that grabbed me in this story. Guthrie Gale, the well-known human interest reporter who’s the son of infamous storm chaser Slim Bridges wants no part of chasing tornadoes, but with budget cuts at the station, he’s strong-armed into taking on a rookie for the season. What no one knows however is that Guthrie had a close experience with a tornado when he was a child on a chase with his father that’s left him with high anxiety and the fear that he won’t survive the season.

Rookie chaser Luke Masters is a great guy. Young, sweet, good-looking, intelligent, interested, and with nerves of steel, Luke also shows compassion and a strong focus when they are in the field that helps calm Guthrie’s nerves, at least a little.

After one close storm, their attraction explodes into a close encounter of the sexual kind and the two realize they need to face the fact their attraction might lead to problems. So they make a pact to remain friends only, until the end of the season when they can explore whether they want to remain friends or start a relationship. For different reasons, both men are done playing the field and each would like a lasting relationship so they know there’s a chance for more after the season. But during the story, as the season progresses, so much happens to bring them closer and learn more about each other that it’s readily apparent they’d be good for each other.

The tornado season doesn’t pass quietly, though, and when they’re caught in the field with no backup and a twister heading their way, the real nail-biting begins.

I loved the slow burn, the banter, the camaraderie, and the way Guthrie’s anxiety is expressed, discussed, and shown throughout the book. Luke’s fear of abandonment is also addressed and explored. The story’s conclusion isn’t a quick resolution to everyone’s issues but does provide a satisfying hope for a happy future.

I definitely recommend this story to all lovers of MM romance, hashtags—friends to lovers, coworkers, dangerous professions, storm chasers, reporters, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and age gap. What a great book!

The cover by Brooke Albrecht features a man with a hand on a steering wheel against a dark background with a tornado in the lower panel. The scene eerily represents the tension of the storm chasers in the story. Very well done. 

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 201 pages
Published October 11th 2019 by Erin McLellan
ASINB07YPLRVK1
Edition Language English
Series Storm Chasers #1

An Alisa Review: The Boyfriend Trap by J.B. Buell

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Male stripper Jamie has been seeing his boss, club owner Luke, for a while now. Jamie wants a more committed relationship, but Luke is dragging his heels about getting more serious with Jamie or introducing Jamie to his daughter, Sofia.

But Sofia has had enough waiting around to meet her dad’s not-so-secret boyfriend, and devises a plan to get them together.

In this sweet rom-com, two grown men find themselves outwitted by a precocious eight-year-old.

This was a cute story and with some creativity from his daughter Luke is able to admit what he really wants in his relationship with Jamie.  I didn’t like that Luke was all about just going on as they had been when Jamie was continually trying to hint or get him to further their relationship, though we had a big gap from when they first had sex till a year later so we don’t really know how it had been going.  I thought it was cute how Sofia tricked them both a bit, though it was the kind of thing my own kids would have gotten in trouble for.

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is nice and a cute picture of Luke and Jamie.

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 23,965 words

Published: September 28, 2019 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781646560837

Edition Language: English

Audio Blitz and Giveaway for Nothing Special V by AE Via and Aiden Snow (Narrator)

 

Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Narrated by: Aiden Snow
 
Length: 12hrs 29mins
 
Nothing Special Series



Book #1 – Nothing Special – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #2 – Embracing His Syn – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #3 – Here Comes Trouble – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #4 – Don’t Judge – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

 
Blurb
 

Atlanta’s notorious narcotics task force is at it again. They are stronger, bigger, and better than ever. Especially when a city councilman sends RECON Marine Edwin Steele – who’s been blacklisted from his Oakland department – to join the team.


Steele was ready to hang up his shield. He was done fighting with bigoted bastards that couldn’t respect the job. He was good at fighting; he just needed the right team to fight with. When his uncle – City Councilman Rasmus Steele – shows him a video of God’s team in action, he knows right away it’s where his nephew belongs in order to restore his faith.


Steele was skeptical about his new placement, but when he meets God’s technology specialist/computer genius, “Tech”, he’s willing to give it his all, and he definitely shows and proves.


Tech is stunning. His sweater vest and khakis, a stark contrast to the blue-jeaned roughnecks he works with. A beautiful sheep amongst the wolves. Steel thinks there’s no way the brilliant man would be interested in a hardhead like him, but Tech has a few badass hidden talents of his own and manages to surprise him…surprise all of them.

A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for five years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay lit for over fifteen years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great new up and coming MM authors.


A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her. Writing.


A.E.’s writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.


Now that she’s gotten over her 10 books published hump, she’s kind of known now for her hardcore, play rough and love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes, but she won’t push herself into a whole other genre. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.


Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.

 

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Review Tour and Giveaway for 33 Degrees of Separation (Legacy #3) by Rain Carrington

 

Buy Links: 
– Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Legacy Series
 
Book #1 – Remember The Alamo – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – The Principle – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
 
Blurb
 

I’m Ian, and this is my story. Like the others, I have a legacy. I was raised with the best of everything, one of the riches kids I knew. That isn’t the legacy, however. That is to be a part of something I didn’t want, and never asked for it’s tearing me apart, but I can fight it. With some help, I can fight it.


Meeting Pat Castaldo, the hot, muscled FBI agent was the beginning of a life I thought was ending. I am terrified I’ll get him killed, and others, if I can’t stand up to my father and the other men that make up the terrible secret society. My family has been members for hundreds of years, and it was supposed to be passed to me. I don’t want it, but I took it, and I took it to end them once and for all.


In the middle of all this, I am falling in love. That was a surprise, and one that possibly terrifies me more than the Gilded Grail. This could hurt, and I could get this beautiful man killed, along with a lot of others if I fail. My money may be able to solve some of my troubles, but there is much more that it can’t.


I’ve never had to be brave or fight for anything. This is my fight, though, and I will win. I’ll win it for my friends, for humanity and, maybe most of all, I’ll win it for Pat. 

 
***



Raised in wealth most could only dream of, Ian Andrews III didn’t know another way of life existed until he went to college and learned about the world. There he met friends and came down from his palace to try to be like everyone else, but he had too much money to achieve that.


When he was set to finish graduate school, his father took him on a trip to learn the destiny that had been chosen for him. He would become a member of the Gilded Grail, a secret society that had members whose families had been a part of it for hundreds of years.


He was a legacy, and there was no choice for him. He would become a member, or he’d die.


Learning about this secret society, hearing their ways and goals, then going through the initiation, he was terrified and ran off to hide away from them and everyone.


His best friend worried when he’d been gone for days, his phone left in his room, not a word from him. Calling in help, it came in the form of an FBI agent in town on business. He was doing a favor, checking up on the missing college student, and right away smelled trouble. When he saw Ian’s computer history and the name Gilded Grail, he knew he had to find Ian.


Once he did, he learned the secrets that no one outside the order knew. Together, they decided to try to stop them from a horrible goal they’d set, one that threatened every man, woman and child in the world.


Falling in love with one another was easy but keeping that attraction at bay to try to save everyone a horrible fate, Ian and Pat struggled. Pat called for more help, and Javier Duran came, an old lover of Pat’s, and one of the world best mercenaries.


Sparks fly and jealousies ignite. Saving the world and falling in love at the same time wasn’t easy on any man. It could tear them apart or make them more determined to have the other in their lives forever. That was considering if they could stop the Grail and there was a forever…


 

About Rain
 

I love writing, it’s been my dream for many years, and in October of 2013, when my first book went live on Amazon, that dream came true.


Writing love stories that are centered on flawed but lovable characters is my passion. Finding love between people isn’t easy, nor should it be. Even in a book, there have to be obstacles for the story to feel real.


I am a mother of three amazing people, and three adorable fur babies. I live in Colorado, but love many other places besides my home. One state in particular is New Mexico, the state where I was born has always held a place in my heart.


People and places make my stories what they are. Each character I’ve written is a part of me in some way. Each place I write is as well. Adventures come in many ways, and each of my stories has taken me on an adventure that I treasure.


Come with me on my adventures and fall in love with my characters, as I have. I promise you will love the ride.


https://www.raincarrington.com
https://twitter.com/RainCarrington
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rain-carrington
https://www.facebook.com/rain.carrington

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A Stella Review: All at Sea by J.L. Merrow

RATING 4 out of 5 stars

Eighteen-year-old Londoner Josh feels all at sea, holidaying with his family on the Isle of Wight. He’d rather be living it up in Ibiza, dancing until all hours, and maybe finding out what it’s like to be with another man. What chance does he have of getting lucky with his newly-single mum and little sisters in tow?

Cambridge student Rupe is making the most of his summer job at the boating lake, charming customers with his good looks and theatrical manner. Life looks even sunnier when he meets the cute, inexperienced Josh and asks him out for a date on a boat. But there are dark clouds in Rupe’s life, and even love on an island isn’t always plain sailing.

All at Sea was a super short story, just 26 pages. As everything JL Merrow does, it’s well written and engaging. Being so short, we just got a glimpse of how the main characters met, still we learned quite a lot about them, their families, their dreams, their hobbies. Plus at the end there were just a couple of pages to let us know if Rupe and Josh got their hea or not.
Each time JL surprises me and leaves me truly satisfied, I can’t get enough of this author and her English that at first was incomprehensible to me. Who would have guessed she would have become my fave.

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is simple but fitting, I like it

SALE LINKS  JMS Books LLC | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 26 pages

Published September 28th 2019 by JMS Books LLC

ASIN B07W6LCXD2

Edition Language English

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Nuts (Ace’s Wild #2) by S.E. Jakes

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

This series takes place in the same town, though each book is by a different author. Jagger and Preston meet on the first day of junior year after Preston gets punished for flunking out of several private schools and sent to a rough Boston public school. Although Jagger is from a family that skirts the law, Preston sees more kindness in them than his own blue-blood family. After being disowned Preston feels his only way to make something of himself is to go into the service. On his last leave a year ago he kissed Jagger…and then ghosted him. Now that Preston is out of the service, they will have to deal with what is simmering beneath their friendship.

Jagger is bi, but Preston clings to the idea he’s straight: allowing a gay for you/bi for you/out for you trope. There is also a M/F scene in this book. This is has many firsts for Preston: first time with BDSM, first time with a man, etc. There is very slight dubcon in that Preston doesn’t want to admit what he wants–he wants to be tricked or forced into it, which he is when Jagger wins him in a card game. Of course, that is Jagger’s friends setting them up, and Preston finding a way to act out to get what he wants. I found this was one of those books where I just got so frustrated because no one is honest and they don’t communicate until the very end, but Preston finds a way to act out and finally get what he wants. I do find that the Green Beret manly-man realizing it doesn’t make him weak to be submissive, is getting to be an over-used trope lately.

The big mystery here is Preston’s family, but ultimately it’s about control…and, as the reader finds out later, something more. There are secrets and lies that bind Jagger and Preston closer than Preston knows. Jagger has always had his eye on the prize, an endgame. The villians here are supposed to be the good guys. In a way this does glorify a family with mob ties whilst trying to have it have its cake and eat it too, as Jagger tries to go legitimate. This one sentence is a spoiler: everyone is being investigated by various alphabet agencies, yet no one knows about Preston co-owning everything?! Is that even possible?

This has all the feels, but it’s slow to start, quick to resolve and then over the top after a quick 180. It’s enjoyable, hot, even romantic in its own way (ride or die), but it could have been even better if it had been longer, in order to allow more time for the story arc. Also, it tries to straddle that bad boy line whilst still trying to make Jaggar noble – to mixed success.

The cover art design is by Sleepy Fox Studio. It does pertain to the story, but it just shows Jagger, so for me it doesn’t show a partnership.

Buy Link:  Amazon |  http://bit.ly/NutsSEJakes

Book Details;

Kindle Edition, 118 pages
Published October 1st 2019 by Stephanie Tyler LLC
ASINB07YF8ZVVF
Edition Language English
Series Ace’s Wild #2