Check Out the Cover Reveal for Twice Shy (A New Milton Novel) by Sally Malcolm (giveaway)

 

 
Release Date: November 1 2019
 
Length: 88,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Sally Malcolm
 
New Milton Series
 
Book #1 – Perfect Day – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #1.5 – Love Around The Corner – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #2 – Between The Lines – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb
 

The last thing Joel Morgan wants is to fall in love again. Scarred by his failed marriage, Joel’s determined to keep his life emotionally stable—which means taking a job teaching fourth grade, fixing up his house on weekends, and avoiding absolutely all romantic entanglements. And he’s doing great.


Until he meets sweet but struggling single dad, Ollie Snow.


Following the tragic death of his sister and her husband two years earlier, Ollie became the legal guardian of their two young sons—much to the horror of the boys’ conservative grandparents. They think Ollie’s too young and too gay to raise their grandsons. So to prove them wrong, Ollie’s determined to parent the boys without anyone’s help.


Until he meets reserved but caring teacher, Joel Morgan.


As the only two men in the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, Joel and Ollie are thrown together over a series of fundraising events and somewhere between the Beach Fun Run and the Christmas Market they fall in love. But Ollie has another reason for moving to New Milton—a reason he’s keeping close to his chest—and Joel’s wounded heart won’t trust a man with secrets. Dare they hope for a future together, or will their past hurts keep them apart forever?

Sally Malcolm was bitten by the male/male romance bug in 2016 and hasn’t looked back.


Perfect Day was her first published male/male romance, with the follow-up (Between the Lines) out later in 2018 and a dozen other ideas bubbling away on the back burner. Her stories are emotional, sweetly angsty, and always have happy endings.


Sally also writes tie-in novels for the hit TV shows Stargate: SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. To date she’s penned nine novels and novellas, and four audio dramas.


She lives in South West London with her American husband, two lovely children, and two lazy cats.

 

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A MelanieM Review: Wrecked by Jodi Payne and B.A. Tortuga

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The call comes when Beckett Adler least expects it. He’s made a new life for himself in Vermont and has a law practice of his own. After four years he’s even stopped wearing his wedding ring. So when he finds out his husband, bull rider Skyler Paulson, has been seriously injured at an event, he isn’t sure what he wants to do. He knows what’s right though, so he heads down to Baltimore to bring his man home.

Sky knows his injuries are a career-ender, and he can’t believe Beck has come for him after all this time. He’s not a hundred percent sure what went wrong with their marriage and he has no idea how to be anything but a bull rider. But he wants this second chance, so he grabs at it with both hands.

There’s a lot Sky has to learn, from how to walk again to how to settle down with the man he loves. Beck needs to learn to open up and how to be more trusting. For their marriage to work again, both men will have to find a way to meet in the middle. Because neither of them wants to be wrecked anymore.

I’m really enjoying the writing collaboration of Jodi Payne and B.A. Tortuga.  This is my second story of theirs, the first being Land of Enchantment, and each story has been a real joy to read.  Each, of course, involves bull riders.  Here, the bull rider is the estranged husband of lawyer Beckett Adler.  Separated for four years, each has nevertheless still kept the other man close in their heart.  Even if secretly and apart.  One up in Vermont and the other on the rodeo circuit.

Wrecked by Jodi Payne and B.A. Tortuga brings both men back together right at the beginning of the novel.  It takes an agonizing phone call and a brutal fall to change the path of each man’s life once more.  I love how we dive immediately into the heart of Beckett’s pain and love.  The shock of seeing Sky again, his physical state, and the past rising up around them.  I was with them in the moment every step because of the writing here.

I am so used to BA Tortuga’s broken men and great characters, put that together with Jodi Payne’s and it just meshes so well.  The experience and knowledge of the rodeo world, the pain and injuries that bull riders will often undergo in their career, and the rehab (if lucky) that awaits them afterwards.  It’s all laid out here, folded in immaculately as part of the story and the relationship as they and Sky start to mend.

I will admit that second chance at love stories are such a favorite of mine.  I’m rooting for the couple to begin with, make one a cowboy and it’s double down time.  So it was very easy for me to believe this relationship and the fact that they still loved each other despite that many years apart.  I could see stubbornness being such a large part of not calling and then the time and fear helping the separation.  What also rang true, maybe, was Skyler’s doubt about his future. I’ve seen others go on to successful careers as ranchers or announcers but as this could be projecting his own personal demons I thought that was a big possibility.  In fact, I wished the story could have enlarged a bit towards the end to show Sky and Beck working their new journey out together, not just the more finished version we got.  Which, yes, I love immensely.

Wrecked by Jodi Payne and B.A. Tortuga is that wonderful feel great, second chance at love contemporary romance you will read in one sitting.  And then want more. Maybe a sequel to.  It left me smiling and it made my afternoon.  What more could I want?

Cover art is perfect!  Love that contrast between characters!

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 256 pages
Published July 23rd 2019 by Tygerseye Publishing, LLC
ASINB07TWK3Y8C
Edition Language English

Buy for $4.99 or read on  Kindle Unlimited

Looking for a New Story? Check Out the Book Blitz and Giveaway for Natural Disaster by Erin McLellan

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Natural Disaster

Author: Erin McLellan

Publisher: Erin McLellan

Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht

Release Date: October 11, 2019

Genre/s: Contemporary m/m romance, workplace romance, action/adventure romance

Trope/s: workplace romance, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers

Themes: storm chasing, weather, trust, finding a home, partnership/friendship

Heat Rating:  4 flames  

Length: 50 000 words/190 pages

It is a standalone story.

Add on Goodreads

 

Buy Links

Universal Book Link  |  Amazon  |  B&N  |  Google Play

  iBooks  |  Kobo  |  Smashwords

 

 Blurb

When two tornado chasers form a reluctant team, the pressure between them builds…

Human-interest reporter—and son of a famous storm chaser—Guthrie Gale wants nothing to do with severe weather. But his station’s director insists he join the storm chasing team, or else, and worse yet, she pairs him with hotshot rookie chaser Luke Masters.

All Luke wants is to be a part of the KTTY family, and he won’t let prickly Guthrie Gale spoil his chance. Little does he realize Guthrie’s anxiety around storms is more than justified.

As Oklahoma’s unpredictable tornado season picks up, Guthrie and Luke strike up a turbulent working relationship that shifts between lust and bickering. But when they are forced to outrun a dangerous twister, their trust is tested and the desire between them flashes quick as lightning, threatening to burn more than just their careers.

 

 

Excerpt 

Guthrie Gale hated spring in Oklahoma almost as much as he hated meetings right after lunch.

Rain spattered against the windows of the KTTY news station, the sky a deep and ominous blue. Clouds darkened the city skyline, casting a murkiness over the land.

Guthrie had read the forecast and weather maps this morning. They weren’t expecting anything but rain, but he was still on edge.

He jumped as Debbie Debarr cleared her throat to bring the news team’s attention back where it belonged—on her, the boss.

“We’re expecting an active tornado season, as always, and we’re short-staffed. That means some changes are coming down the pipeline. With Mack out on maternity leave, we’d like someone to do double duty.” She paused dramatically before dropping her bombshell. “Guthrie, guess what, bub? You’re up.”

Guthrie fought a frown. He glanced around the room at the anchors, reporters, writers, weather team, and storm chasers. No one was surprised he’d been picked. Most of them knew his history. His dad’s history.

But he wasn’t part of the weather team. He was a field reporter, for heaven’s sake. Not a storm chaser.

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. You’ve got the experience we need out there. Plus your down-home country charm is evidently soothing to viewers.” Debbie said that in a way that made it obvious she did not find his slight twang soothing at all. “At least that’s what the focus groups say.”

Being stuck in a truck in the middle of a tornado was the last thing Guthrie wanted. Maybe that charm would come in handy now.

Throwing on his best fake smile, he said, “But I’m a pretty face for the camera. I’m not a storm chaser.”

He’d happily let Debbie believe his reticence stemmed from his own vanity at not being on-screen as opposed to the reality—tornadoes scared him shitless.

She rolled her eyes. “Your ego will live.”

Not if a tornado got him, it wouldn’t.

He’d figure out another way to fight this when he didn’t have an audience.

“Whose truck will I be in? Johanna’s?” Mack had been paired up with Johanna last year, spotting and filming while Johanna did the driving and reporting.

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Debbie said, tapping a bright red fingernail on the table.

Guthrie heaved a discreet sigh of relief. Johanna was KTTY’s veteran storm chaser and the most likely to be in the middle of the action, exactly where he never wanted to be again.

Debbie snapped her fingers. “I know. We’ll put you with the rook. You can give him a big ol’ Okie welcome, show him the ropes, help him settle in.”

Crap on a cracker.

The rook was Luke Masters—KTTY’s newest storm chaser. Guthrie had seen Luke around the station a few times since he’d been hired a month ago after an old-timer retired. Luke was from California of all places. Who’d ever heard of a Californian storm chaser? Guthrie disliked Luke on principle. He was a thrill-seeking newbie, for one. Worse, he was hot.

Luke had the type of face the KTTY brass would have loved to force in front of a camera, but the guy evidently wanted to chase giants, not smile and read from a teleprompter. Plus they’d probably make him cut off his man bun, which would be a right shame.

Guthrie had to force himself not to glance at the beautiful man in question. “Shouldn’t Luke shadow one of the veteran teams for a while?” Guthrie asked. “He’s pretty green.”

Luke sat up abruptly from a sprawl and drew Guthrie’s eyes like greedy little magnets. The muscles of Luke’s arms bunched as he shifted, and his smile was ornery as a rattlesnake’s.

“I spent three years with a team monitoring and chasing coastal tornadoes and hurricanes. And I even have my learner’s permit.” He winked at Guthrie, which incited a rumble of chuckles around the room.

That wink kicked Guthrie’s heart rate up a notch. Made him angry and turned on in equal measures.

“Those coastal twisters ain’t got nothin’ on the ones here. It’s different.”

Debbie grinned and her gravity-defying blond hair ruffled in the draft from the air conditioner. “And that, Guthrie dear, is why I’m pairing you together. It is different here. Who better to teach Luke that difference than someone who knows firsthand what an Oklahoma tornado can do? You have more experience than anyone in the room. Now, let’s talk editorial strategy….”

Guthrie tuned Debbie out as he got his thoughts in order. Luke was staring at him, an eyebrow raised, so Guthrie stared back. Such pretty brown eyes on such an infuriatingly arrogant man. Normally, Guthrie liked men with a bit of arrogance.

Not today.

The only thing worse than being in the field during a tornadic weather system would be babysitting an irresponsible, hotshot Californian while in the field during a tornadic weather system.

 

 

About the Author 

Erin McLellan is the author of several contemporary romances, all of which have characters who are complex, goodhearted, and a little quirky. She likes her stories to have a sexy spark and a happily ever after. Originally from Oklahoma, she currently lives in Alaska and spends her time dreaming up love stories set in the Great Plains. She is a lover of chocolate, college sports, antiquing, Dr Pepper, and binge-worthy TV shows. Erin is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Alaska chapter. 

 

Social Media Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook Group  |  Facebook

Twitter  |  Instagram

Newsletter Sign-up  |  BookBub

 

 

Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win your choice of ebook from Erin McLellan’s backlist, plus a small paper swag pack (bookmarks, postcard, bookplate, etc.)

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Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

 

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An Alisa Review : Loving Daniel (MC Securities #3) by Ruby Moone

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

Twelve years ago, Daniel McCafferty walked away from the man he loved without a backward glance. He threw himself into his father’s business as heir apparent of their vicious criminal empire in Manchester. Forced to deny who he was, who he loved, he buried himself in work and drink.

 

Christian’s life is steady. He has a good business, good friends, but he’s never had a lasting relationship. Second cousin to Daniel, they fell hard for each other one hot summer long ago. When Christian needed him the most, Daniel walked away. It broke something inside him. Over the last year, Christian asked Daniel for help with a lowlife named Bryce. Daniel gave it. Unstintingly.

 

When Daniel’s father dies unexpectedly, Christian stands by him. Offers him comfort. But when Bryce rears his ugly head again, and Christian is in grave danger, Daniel whisks him away to Europe. Away from normality, Daniel and Christian are thrown together in the heat of the Mediterranean sun. Daniel’s walls tumble, and for the first time he thinks that just maybe, it can work. All he has to do is keep secret the real reason he left Christian.

 

Daniel has given in and helped Christian a few times in the past year and it’s making it harder and harder for him to stay away.  Christian has never gotten over the pain of Daniel walking away and now he has Daniel barging in to help him because they feel he is in danger.

 

I felt bad for Daniel with how he grew up and how he was forced to work with his father, though he has done an admiral job of distancing himself from that life and living a very lonely life.  Christian has had the support of his friends and family though seems to still have kept people at a distance.  I hated watching Daniel continue to pull himself away from Christian even when everything was working out though I was proud that Christian was able to walk away when he felt it was necessary.  I was even gladder when he has the courage to go back for them to talk it out and figure out their relationship.

 

The cover art by Meredith Russell is great, I love the visual of Daniel and how it’s similar in style to the previous books but also different.

 

Sales Link: Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 250 pages

Published: October 9, 2019

Edition Language: English

Series: MC Securities #3

MC Securities Series 
 

Book #1 – Trusting Jack – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – Finding Finlay – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Review Tour and Giveaway for Guarding His Heart by Beth Laycock

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Length: 38,000 words
 
Blurb
 

He’d risk his life to find his brother. But he never expected to risk his heart as well.


Three months since his brother, Jake, went MIA, Lane Matthews is tired of waiting for answers. With a little help, he arranges a posting to Jeddah for his first overseas deployment—the perfect opportunity to find his brother.


Life in a foreign land isn’t quite like he imagined and neither are his duties. But when he meets his housemate, Tristan, while it may be memorable, it’s not one of Lane’s finest moments.


Tristan threatens to throw him way off course, and falling for the hot straight soldier is definitely not in his plans. But as tensions rise and the truth about Jake is revealed, will Lane’s heart follow orders or will all be lost like grains of sand swept away in a desert?

Beth Laycock’s books are influenced by her time living overseas as well as the gritty, urban landscape of the north of England where she grew up.


She has been reading romance since she was old enough to tell herself that line every book lover does—just one more chapter.


As a teenager she attempted to write her first novel, and many more since then that are still gathering dust on her bookshelf. It wasn’t until she discovered the M/M genre that her muse showed up and refused to quit telling her stories about beautiful men finding love together. She hasn’t stopped scribbling them down since. Beth’s muse usually shows up when she is in the shower, is allergic to cleaning, rarely lets Beth watch TV, and insists she drinks copious amounts of coffee so she can turn caffeine into words.


When not writing or reading Beth can be found procrastinating on social media or being dragged around the English countryside by her dog.


Beth loves to chat about books on social media or you can email her at beth@bethlaycock.com

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Check Out the Review Tour and Giveaway for Loving Daniel (MC Securities #3 by Ruby Moone

 

 
Length: 69,500 words.
 
Cover Design: Meredith Russell
 
MC Securities Series 
 

Book #1 – Trusting Jack – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – Finding Finlay – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

 
Blurb



*Can be read as a standalone.


Twelve years ago, Daniel McCafferty walked away from the man he loved without a backward glance. He threw himself into his father’s business as heir apparent of their vicious criminal empire in Manchester. Forced to deny who he was, who he loved, he buried himself in work and drink.


Christian’s life is steady. He has a good business, good friends, but he’s never had a lasting relationship. Second cousin to Daniel, they fell hard for each other one hot summer long ago. When Christian needed him the most, Daniel walked away. It broke something inside him. Over the last year, Christian asked Daniel for help with a lowlife named Bryce. Daniel gave it. Unstintingly.


When Daniel’s father dies unexpectedly, Christian stands by him. Offers him comfort. But when Bryce rears his ugly head again, and Christian is in grave danger, Daniel whisks him away to Europe. Away from normality, Daniel and Christian are thrown together in the heat of the Mediterranean sun. Daniel’s walls tumble, and for the first time he thinks that just maybe, it can work. All he has to do is keep secret the real reason he left Christian.

Check Out Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review here.  We definitely recommend it and the series!

My name is Ruby Moone and I love books. All kinds of books. My weakness is for romance, and that can be any kind, but I am particularly fond of historical and paranormal. I decided to write gay romance after reading some fantastic books and falling in love with the genre, so am really thrilled to have my work published here. The day job takes up a lot of my time, but every other spare moment finds me writing or reading. I live in the north west of England with my husband who thinks that I live in two worlds. The real world and in the world in my head…he probably has a point!


Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/RubyMoone/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter – @RubyMooneWriter
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rubymoone/

 
 

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National Coming Out Day..a bit late. This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

National Coming Out Day….a bit late.

 

National Coming Out Day was Friday, October 11, the 31st such coming out celebration and I didn’t want such a wonderful event to pass by without Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words making note of just how special and wondrous this occasion is. Our Twitter feed is full of stories, poignant, funny, accepting, sad, hilarious, and heartbreaking.  They have been running the full gamut of emotions, and histories, up to and including the advice that not everyone is ready to come out.  That they will know when, and if, that time comes that they feel safe and ready to make that step, a step only they should make for themselves.

As I said Friday, October 11, marked the 31st Anniversary of National Coming Out Day, a landmark in and of itself. Here are some special links, courtesy of HRC:

A Resource Guide to Coming Out

Transgender Visibility: A Guide to Being You

History of National Coming Out Day : started in October 11, 1987

 

For many more links (coming out at school, at work, inspiring stories, and helpful links, please check out HRC’s full link

National Coming Out Day | Human Rights Campaign |   https://www.hrc.org 

 

No matter the age when someone realized “who” they were and stated it out loud, from the earliest of ages to later in life, the ability to be i your truest self , whatever that may be, is a right everyone should have.  Here are some stories. Happy National Coming Out Day….a bit late.

National Coming Out Day: 2019’s top LGBTQ coming out stories

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, October 13:

  • National Coming Out Day..a bit late.
  • This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, October 14:

  • Review Tour – Ruby Moone – Loving Daniel (MC Securities #3)
  • Review Tour – Beth Laycock – Guarding His Heart
  • AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR – DARK RIVERS by Morgan Brice
  • A Stella Review: Things Happen That Way (Mann of My Dreams #2) by Tinnean
  • An Alisa Review : Loving Daniel (MC Securities #3) by  Ruby Moone
  • A MelanieM Audio Review: Dark Rivers (Witchbane #2) by Morgan Brice and Kale Williams (Narrator)

Tuesday, October 15:

  • Cover Reveal, – Sally Malcom – Twice Shy (A New Milton Novel)
  • BLOG TOUR Master of Restless Shadows by Ginn Hale
  • Blog Post The Twelfth Knight (Guardians of Camelot #1) by Victoria Sue
  • BLITZ for Natural Disaster by Erin McLellan
  • A MelanieM Review: Wrecked by Jodi Payne and B.A. Tortuga
  • A Lila Review The Spymaster’s Secret By Antonia Aquilante
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Master of Restless Shadows (Master of Restless Shadows #1) by Ginn Hale

Wednesday, October 16:

  • Review Tour Bishop: A True Lover’s Story by A.E. Via
  • Blog Post – DJ Jamison”
  • The Shoreless Sea (Liminal Sky Book 3) by J. Scott Coatsworth Tour
  • An Alisa Review: Bishop: A True Lover’s Story by A.E. Via
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Deosil (Whyborne & Griffin #11) by Jordan L. Hawk
  • A MelanieM Review:The Shoreless Sea (Liminal Sky Book 3) by J. Scott Coatsworth

Thursday, October 17:

  • Post CONFESSIONS OF A GAY CURMUDGEON by Andy V. Ambrose
  • Release Blitz – Slow Birth (Heat of Love 2.5) – Leta Blake
  • BLITZ Starting from Scratch by Lane Hayes
  • An Alisa Review: Blood Wine (The Blood Bond Series Book 2) by Aimer Boyz
  • A Stella Review: Love on the Hudson by KD Fisher
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Ghost House by Jacqueline Grey

Friday, October 18:

  • Release Blitz  – Doctor’s Orders by Emma Jay
  • Release Blitz – Felice Stevens – Running From My Heart
  • Review Tour – Con Riley – After Ben (Seattle Stories #1)
  • A Stella Review : The Lion and the Crow by Eli Easton
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Rule Breaker (Mixed Messages #1) by Lily Morton and Joel Leslie (Narrator)
  • A Stella Review: After Ben (Seattle Stories #1) by Con Riley

Saturday, October 19:

  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Lucky Break (Clean Slate Ranch #4) by A.M. Arthur
  • A MelanieM Review: The Necromancer’s Reckoning (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #3) by S.J. Himes

Release Blitz and Giveaway for Wrangling A Groom (Marital Bliss #2) by DJ Jamison

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited 
 
Length: 85,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
Marital Bliss Series
 

Book #1 – Surprise Groom – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

 
Blurb
 

Can two men keep a childhood promise for marital bliss?


Wyatt is overwhelmed after his grandfather dies, leaving him to take over the cattle ranch. The Triple J is floundering, vandals are targeting him, and his first and only love is finally within reach–and still holding a grudge. Wyatt has wanted to marry Diego since they made a childhood pact, but Diego isn’t back for their second chance.


When a funeral calls Diego back to Texas, he comes face-to-face with the cowboy who broke his heart. Resentment has burned inside him for years, but his anger wavers as he realizes just how much Wyatt is struggling to keep his head above water. The man he once loved is lonely and burdened, and Diego feels compelled to help him rediscover the strong, capable rancher he knows him to be.Hostility gives way to passion, then friendship as they fall into a rhythm of work and sex. Wyatt has renewed hope he might wrangle the man he wants to be his groom. But Diego has a life waiting for him one thousand miles away, and love may not be enough to prevent history from repeating itself.


Wrangling a Groom is Book 2 of the Marital Bliss series, but it can be read as a standalone.

 

Author Bio


DJ Jamison is the author of more than a dozen m/m romances, including the Ashe Sentinel series and the Hearts and Health series. She writes a variety of queer characters, from gay to bisexual to asexual, with a focus on telling love stories that are more about common ground than lust at first sight. DJ grew up in the Midwest in a working-class family, and those influences can be found in her writing through characters coping with real-life problems: money troubles, workplace drama, family conflicts and, of course, falling in love. DJ spent more than a decade in the newspaper industry before chasing her first dream to write fiction. She spent a lifetime reading before that, and continues to avidly devour her fellow authors’ books each night. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, two fish and, regrettably, one snake.

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A Stella Review: If You’re Going Through Hell Keep Going (Mann of My Dreams #1) by Tinnean

RATING 4,5 out of 5 stars

Mark Vincent, spy with the Washington Bureau of Intelligence and Security, has become the lover of Quinton Mann, spook with the CIA. With what’s going on in both their organizations, can two such diverse men maintain any kind of relationship?

Mark Vincent and Quinton Mann have finally kind of, sort of, exchanged promises. Mark has returned from an assignment on the West Coast, and he’s looking forward to spending some quality time with his lover. After all, it’s the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. What could be better than a little beer, a little corned beef on rye, and Quinn in his bed?

However, on Monday it’s back to the grind—this time to an almost empty department: Matheson is away on assignment and Ms. Parker, Mark’s secretary, is taking sick time, something she never does. But these aren’t the only signs of something unusual, well, more unusual than normal, going on. Gradually, Mark uncovers a series of events going back to the previous spring and involving not only his senior special agent but Theo Bascopolis, a former rent boy who is Mark’s friend.

While Mark unravels the threads of the Gordian knot the WBIS has become, he realizes how deep his feelings for Quinn have grown. But can a spy like Mark ever hope to be “the one” for a spook like Quinn?

I first met Mark Vincent when I read The Light in Your Eyes some years ago, I fell in love with Theo and Will, but I have to admit the character of Mark intrigued me a lot. Although the Mann of My Dreams series doesn’t let me know how Mark met his Quinton, I didn’t have problems to see how amazing they were and how deep their relationship was. Sure they worked in two very different worlds, two enemies, it was hard to spend time together, they were always caught in some dangerous mission. Still their own little time was precious, I adored every single scene. But I found interesting their calls too, and all the measured words and gestures they shared.

Plus the author did a wonderful job at keeping me updated, with all the lovely second characters she showed me, with all the previous missions the MCs did. I’m not a huge fan of the use of a single POV, in this case it was just Mark’s, it always feels like I’m missing something. Not this time, even hearing only Mark’s thoughts, I was able to know how in love Quinn was, how ready he was too to make a step forward in their life.

I can’t wait to read the next installment in this series and see where the author will lead these men.

Cover art seems better suited to a supernatural story than to this one.  Not a fan.

SALE LINKS JMS Books LLC | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook 337 pages

Publishing date July 31 2019 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781310203404

Edition Language English

Series Mann of My Dreams #1

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Winter’s Knight (New Amsterdam #2) by Kelly Wyre

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

If you want a continuation of Clark and Daniel from book one, there is a short story numbered 1.1. This second book in the series actually gives more details on the backstory of how clubs Bliss and Break came to be. There is finally more shown about Clark’s side job with Lucien, complete with glimpses of Lucien and Clark’s complicated relationship as friends, business owners, and employee/employer, which help address one criticism I had for book one. Apparently they are not just bar owners, but they and their friends/employees have formed a vigilante group bent on taking down a BDSM club involved in the skin trade, run by the mob.

Lucien hasn’t seen his friend Shea for three years, since he quit his job and vanished. Lucian has kept tabs on him and he seemed alright: maybe just dropped out of the rat race to sidestep the expectations of his family. This had some amazing parts, and then had things that just didn’t work for me. Lucian is in love with him, yet stops talking to him? It’s weird that Lucian just decides to finally ask Shea out on a date under these circumstances. One thing that confused me was how close Lucian seems to Shea’s family, and how Shea is supposedly close to his family, yet when Shea just stops going home, no one goes to see him? He built his house on the family property! The author tries, unsuccessfully in my opinion, to explain this away. Could Shea really stay hidden just by selling his things and changing his job? His parents go to society and charity galas; could Shea really be that much of an unknown quantity with the mob looking for him?

They have known each other since they were six, so the three years apart helps separate the love of a childhood friend from the love for an adult. This unravels slowly, the reader working out the story of Shea from Lucien’s point of view. Shea has a country accent at the beginning, fine since he grew up on a farm, albeit a wealthy successful one. Yet, at times he is very loquacious. At first it seemed to only be pretty protocol speech when they Scene, but then it fades in and out at other times also. Yes, he is well educated, but it just doesn’t seem to me like this character ever found a consistent voice. I struggled with Lucian as well. Some of his dialogue is so pretentious, “and thus you please me greatly,” not just when they Scene, but all the time. Yes, they call him Prince, and he plays that up, but…at times his words still seemed forced, awkward, and highly stylized–like he was trying too hard to be posh. This too is weakly explained away by, a lisp? My theory is that the author is too caught up in dichotomy, but opposite sides to everyone doesn’t always translate into successfully making them complex characters.

This becomes about taking down the bad guys in military mode with guns and state of the art equipment. Though, Lucian is aware of his “arrogant insanity at orchestrating such chaos.” Although dubcon and murder are mentioned, they happened previous to the events in this book and are not described. There is, however, on page torture. I couldn’t help but think of the Unbreakable Bonds series by Drake and Elliot, so if you liked those, you might like this, but the sense of closeness, of friends as family, is not quite realized. Lucien’s father is a corrupt politician with ties to the mob, so although Shea’s storyline finds resolution here, there could be more bad guys for the vigilante friends to go after in the future. Yet, they also introduce a criminal named Kris Fawkes with the enemy of my enemy is my friend type of scenario.

The sex scenes here are tempered a bit at the beginning due to Shea’s past trauma, which is actually very effective. It’s when the BDSM becomes more involved that I think it falls down. “Shea had to trust that what he longed for wouldn’t harm him so long as he did it with the man who claimed to love him.” This needed more deft handling. So, for me the erotic parts where a mixed bag. Since this is a romance, I’m going to judge it on that part of the book, more so than anything else, and even relying on a shared history, this didn’t sparkle where it could have.

The cover design by Natasha Snow matches the series, but I have no idea what this cover is about.

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC | Amazon

Book Details:Kindle Edition, 183 pages
Published September 8th 2019 by JMS Books LLC (first published April 2012)
Original Title Winter’s Knight
ASINB07XD9162C
Series New Amsterdam #2