Cover Reveal for “Dog Tagged” by James Brock

Dog Tagged

James Brock has a new MM Military Romance out, and we have the cover reveal for “Dog Tagged.”

Drill Sergeant Clay Norris has his military life running right on schedule. Career focused he appreciates that he joined up when his sexuality is at least acknowledged under Don’t Ask, Don’t tell, even if he doesn’t get to act on his urges as much as he likes.

In formation with his new trainee group he locks eyes with Chevrolet Banks and his life, their lives, are changed forever.

Dog Tagged is an insta love military romance based on real life incidents.

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo


Giveaway

James is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this cover reveal – enter via Rafflecopter:

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Excerpt

Dog tagged meme

What also became clear to me in my short time with the fun, cute guy was that I had fallen so hard for Private Chevy Banks that I couldn’t get him out of my head even standing next to this walking hard-on.

I did let the hot salesman give me a quick kiss on the cheek in the changing room and tried to forget the warmth of his lips as I headed out to the clubs and got some dance and further drink on, always bearing in mind that I was an officer now and had some decorum to maintain.

Okay, all that means is that I got pretty wasted.

And that I danced with all comers. I was quickly stripped out of that cute little shirt salesman Evan had put me in, my training ripped body giving me pick of the litter. Not last call litter, not still breathing and leftover litter. Porn star guys (REAL porn star guys) were fighting over me, actual pushing and shoving, it was quite the scene, the knot of men who had surrounded this former Drill Instructor.

At some point I looked up to see the smiling face of Evan the clerk from the clothing store next to me, an arm thrown protectively thrown around my shoulder. His sweet smile was the brightest of the lot, I latched onto him like an octopus gripping a clam.

I have no idea how long the revelry went on or how I got back to the hotel.

Let alone what might have happened there.

The next morning I woke not feeling well at all. Slick with sweat, sick to my stomach I rolled my head on the pillow slowly, not knowing what kind of guy I was going to find next to me. Thankfully the pillow was empty, as was the bed, although the blankets were mussed enough to let me know someone had recently nested there. Carefully lifting myself I checked the floor and was relieved to see no other bodies in the room.

But at that moment the bathroom door opened and a figure came out.

Evan, blond and sunny, cute as the night before in tattered jean and a faded green t shirt with a cracked and worn logo on it stepped into the darkened room.

“Hey buster, didn’t think you’d be up for a while,” he said with a giggle in his voice.

Flopping down onto the chair across the room he slipped his feet into athletic shoes and laced them. “Or should I be calling you Lieutenant Buster?” he added with a nod toward my dress uniform hanging neatly in the closet.

“Just call me a time machine man, I wanna go back about twelve hours and start over again.” I sighed from the bed. “What the fuck happened….”

“What didn’t happen is the better question,” Even said evenly. “you were wined and dined, if you count the bag of Dorito’s you were given to strap on like a feed bag dining, given drinks and very nearly given drugs and taken to other clubs and there was talk of taking you to that skeezy bath house connected to the dance club, but you wouldn’t go anywhere without me once I had been spotted. You seemed to be quite taken with modest little moi and since I refused to go to that bathhouse everyone was trying to get you to go to I finally got you back here where there were more drinks and salty snacks then there was some crying….” he trailed off. “I’ve ordered room service for you; hope you don’t mind.”

“Wait. Wait, wait.” I said using a nearly Drill Sergeant size voice as the handsome young man stood, “I need the whole story.”

About that time there was a knock at the door; Evan let room service in, signing the check. “You are a good tipper, just so you know,” he grinned while pushing the tray of food over toward me on the bed then pouring coffee. He motioned for me to eat then sat back down. “I was going out anyway so when I closed up I came over to the club and there you were, gaily lit as a Christmas tree and surrounded by faeries more headstrong and stubborn than Tinkerbell all out to get a piece of the hottest man in the city. Not the bar, the city. And I’m not just saying that because I am the one who ended up sleeping with you.”

I guess I looked up at him like a deer in head lights.

“Stop, don’t flatter me. I’ve got it going on but I’m not ripped like you. Word was out that there was a military hottie on the hoof in the club and every muscle queen and gym bunny in town showed up to audition as your hook-up for the night. I think guys were flying in from LA and San Francisco trying to get to you,” the blond smiled.

“So you brought me back here and we….” I said, mouth full of egg. The food was going down smoother than I expected it would.

“I didn’t get in the way of your fun too much, I just kept an eye on you. Until they started to undress you and began offering you pills, powders and potions.”

I felt myself shudder and freeze.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t let them. I just brought you back here, where you insisted on another drink or ten. Then you got weepy and I held you and let you talk about a car until you fell asleep. I dunno, everyone has a kink or two, but I’ve never heard anyone rhapsodize about a vehicle the way you went on and on about your Chevy last night.”

I was really embarrassed then.

I let a silence settle between us before taking a sip of scalding hot coffee and replying.

“Not a car, a guy,” I whispered.

“I fell off a turnip truck but that was a long time ago,” he smirked while reaching over and snagging a crisp piece of bacon off my plate and began chewing on it, “I figured as much.” Evan said with true kindness in his voice. “I had a brother in the Army and knew you were just blowing off some steam. Those wolves would have eaten you and I like to think someone would have looked after my brother the same way. Nothing happened between us.”

“That would have been the best part of the night it sounds like,” I managed, no longer interested in the food.

“You were a hot mess, but I am very glad you are alright. Now I’ve gotta go to work. If you are in town for a while here is my card.” With that Evan produced a business card with his name, number and e mail on it. “Use it at will.” he slipped the card on the breakfast tray then slid his arms around my body, giving me a very nice hug.

“Leaving tomorrow, but some other time without question.”

Stopping at the closet on his way out he reached in and touched the sleeve of my dress uniform.

“Are you going over?”

“Soon.”

There was a slight pause before he broke his eyes form the uniform.

“Be safe. E mail and let me know how you are. Promise?”

“Promise, and thanks. Is your brother back?” there was a pause before Evan answered Yesin such a quiet way that I knew the way his brother had come home.

“I’m sorry,” was all I had time to say before the cute blond turned and gave me a wan smile and slipped out of the room.


Author Bio

James Brock is an Amazon number one best selling author, with fifteen M/M romance novels published and two family autobiographies.

Once upon a time he sold comedy to Joan Rivers and Phyllis Diller, was published in every gay men’s magazine on the market (when there was a market, those dinosaurs were killed off by DVD, which were in turn eaten by streaming and on demand…), the Seattle Gay News and Seattle Standard and essays with the late great Alyson Publications.

James lives in Seattle.

Author Website: JamesBrockBooks.com

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/Men-Overboard-100109810041126/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesbrockbooks

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It’s Almost the Chilling Time as October Arrives. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

It’s Almost the Chilling Time as October Arrives

Hard to believe but October begins this week, sailing in on the wings of honking geese and the quizzical head turns of praying mantises still looming large in my somewhat overgrown garden. Pumpkins have appeared in the farmers markets and grocery stores alike as have the Halloween costume and candy aisles now full of all things scary or politically pertinent.

That also heralds the release of seasonal LGBT horror stories, often short or on the novelette size, looking to ride the wave of holiday horror.  I always look forward to whatever new authors or old appear at this time.  This is how I found the quite marvelous MD Neu who  I have continued to track through the writer’s many releases at NineStar Press.   Fingers crossed I’m that lucky again.

Or maybe it’s time to reconnect with some old horror or supernatural favorites.    Or favorite writers with some new supernatural stories.  Katey Hawthorne has a new supernatural thriller romance out A Thousand Lifetimes, which i will be reviewing later. Vampires in love.  Oh yes!  And TJ Klune and his great wolfpack?  His latest Heartsong, as well as the new ebooks and paperback versions at Amazon (the rights are finally his and you  can buy those versions at Amazon only knowing he will get the money) for Wolfsong and Ravensong.  What perfect timing!  Join the pack!

Next week I’m hauling out our October recommendations and updating them.  Plus looking at our new October releases we are enjoying.

Until then.  Happy October.  Hope the weather is agreeing with you wherever you are.  Happy reading, and happy listening.

Now to our week ahead.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, September 29:

  • Don’t Miss Out on the Blog Post for Into The Deep by Amara Lynn (exclusive excerpt and giveaway)
  • It’s Almost the Chilling Time as October Arrives. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, September 30:

  • Cover Reveal “Dog Tagged” by James Brock
  • Release Blitz for Coast To Coast (Arizona Raptors #1) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey
  • “Pure Dumb Luck” Dahlia Donovan Tour
  • An Alisa Review Clueless Cabot by André D. Michaels
  • A MelanieM Review: “Pure Dumb Luck” by Dahlia Donovan
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Kel’s Keeper by KC Wells

Tuesday, October 1:🎃🎃

  • Review Tour – Clare London – Romancing The Rough Diamond
  • Release Blitz Rules to Break by Susan Hawke
  • Release Blitz – Amalgamated by Becca Seymour
  • Blog Tour for Love on the Hudson by KD Fisher
  • A Stella review: Things Happen That Way (Mann of My Dreams #2) by Tinnean
  • A Lila review I Was A Gay Teenage Zombie by Alison Cybe
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review THE KING’S DRAGON (Fire and Valor #1) by W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns

Wednesday, October 2:

  • Release Blitz – V.L. Locey – Life According To Liam
  • Release Blitz – Beyond the Surface by Colette Davison
  • Blog Tour “I’ve Got This” by Louisa Masters
  • An Alisa Review: Wolf, Wy by A.F. Henley
  • A Stella Review :Beyond the Surface by Colette Davison
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: I’ve Got This (Joy Universe #1) by Louisa Masters

Thursday, October 3:

  • TOUR The Musician and the Monster by Jenya Keefe
  • Release Blitz Under Pressure by Lauren Ashley
  • Blog Tour Raven’s Hart by Davidson King
  • AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR -The Rising (Badlands #2) by Morgan Brice, Kale Williams (Narrator)
  • A Free Dreamer Review The Musician and the Monster by Jenya Keefe
  • A MelanieM Audio Review:The Rising (Badlands #2) by Morgan Brice, Kale Williams (Narrator)

Friday, October 4:

  • Heart2Heart Anthology, Vol. 3 Tour
  • Book Blast – Daddy Bear : The Complete Series by B.J. Smyth
  • Blog Tour Ride the Whirlwind by Jackie North
  • An Alisa Review: Daddy Bear : The Complete Series by B.J. Smyth
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Space Train by David Bridger
  • A MelanieM Review: Land of Enchantment by Jodi Payne and BA Tortuga

Saturday, October 5:

  • Release Blitz Signal – Ruby Moone – Loving Daniel (MC Securities #3)
  • Release Blitz – Liv Rancourt – Lost and Found
  • A MelanieM Review:Heart2Heart Anthology, Vol. 3
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: American Love Story (Dreamers #3) by Adriana Herrera

A Stella Review: Hot Potato (Seacroft #3) by Allison Temple

RATING 4,25 out of 5 stars

As Seacroft’s resident weirdo, Avery proudly flies a lot of freak flags. It’s a constant battle to be taken seriously when everything, from his red hair to his sexuality, makes him stand out in this small town.

Small towns are also a terrible place to keep secrets, and Lincoln has a bunch of them. But his demons aren’t going to hold him back from his dream job at the Seacroft Fire Department. His life is finally coming together, until the red-haired twink with the big smile and fast mouth calls in an emergency.

Pining or the hot firefighter is Avery’s newest flag, even if he agrees to be “just friends.” For Linc, every minute with Avery is a temptation. He needs to let go of his fear and admit the truth. Linc doesn’t want to be Avery’s friend; he wants to be his everything. But just as Linc is ready to risk it all, Avery gets an unexpected offer to spread his colorful wings and fly away.

Hot Potato is an 80k slow burn friends-to-lovers contemporary MM romance. It features a fast-talking accountant who’s cooler than he thinks, the closeted firefighter who loves him more than he should, and a great big happy-sigh HEA.

The Seacroft series by Allison Temple continues with another great installment, I have to say I was so waiting for this new release, cause I met Avery in the previous title and I fell for him deeply. When I met Lincoln too, I saw how perfect they were going to be together. I was over the moon to know Avery was going to have his own HEA. From what I learnt about him, I have to say I wasn’t expecting his personal story to be so sad and heavy.  Avery was always so full of enthusiasm, it was impossible to imagine how bad his past could have been. Sure, then I met his uncle and aunt and felt the love the three of them shared and I forget what his own parents did to him.  Lincoln too carried on his shoulders a bulky baggage, he travelled so much, maybe he’s now ready to put roots in Seacroft.

I feel to recommend this new release and the whole series, Allison Temple is a great author, I found her writing style always so well done and easy to follow, the plots are never shallow. Most of all I loved the characters she created so far, all of them interesting and full of emotions  I felt each of them. Don’t miss Hot Potato!

The cover art by Cate Ashwood is perfect, I adore everything she designs, always fitting and eye catching.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal LinkExclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow With Kindle Unlimited
 

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 300 pages

Published September 16th 2019 by Allison Temple Books

ASIN B07X3MKWGX

Edition Language English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Goalie Interference (Hat Trick #2) by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

An incredibly interesting, exciting, hot and sexy story featuring two goalies—both playing for the same team. Competition? Yes, loads. Sexual attraction? Just as much. From the moment I picked this up and started to read, I couldn’t put it down. The excitement and tension surrounding not only the relationship between the goalies, but also the hockey games and potential to go all the way to the Stanley Cup, kept me riveted.

Both MCs are men of color in a traditionally white player’s sport. Not that pro sports isn’t changing, but for now it’s best to keep their sexuality to themselves. Both men show support for young persons of color to pursue their dreams in professional sports, with a special emphasis on their support for hockey.

Ryu Mori grew up with Japanese traditions as the son of a surgeon—his mother—and a skating coach—his father, who is also a former Olympic Medalist figure skater. From the moment he first tried hockey, he knew it would be his life. And though his parents didn’t actively encourage him in the sport, they did encourage him to be perfect at whatever he does. Emmitt Armstrong grew up as the son of a former pro football player who wanted him to follow in his footsteps and never acknowledged his preferred professional career in hockey. His only interest is football—for himself and for Emmitt. Divorced, both parents now live in different states, and Emmitt chose to live in the Chicago area with his mother, who supports his career wholeheartedly, cheering him on every chance she gets. But without his father’s approval… Let’s just say that one good word from that man would work wonders for Emmitt’s pride.

The two goalies are set against each other to compete for starting position when Emmitt is traded into the NHL Atlanta Venom team from the Marauder’s AHL team. Emmitt wants the starting spot, so from the moment he meets the stoic, quiet, focused Ryu Mori, he dislikes him and actively tries to get the starter position away from him.  But opposites attract, and it becomes evident they want each other, so when the chance arises, they decide to give in to sexual attraction but go no further.  Like that’s going to work, right? Of course, they become more than just sex buddies, and when the managers decide to use them in tandem during the course of the season, they allow their relationship to grow. 

And then playoffs start and they are once again pitted against each other and the relationship suffers. This story is so exciting.  I don’t want to give anything else away.  The guys are amazing. The secondary characters are fantastic.  The sport is awesome and the excitement the authors build is downright stressful.  I highly recommend this story and the first, Off the Ice.  Thank goodness, there will be one more in the series.  I can’t wait.  Oh, and by the way, though second in the series, this can easily be read as a stand-alone.

The bright cover features a goalie looking toward the opposing team. It’s uniquely done with a watercolor effect and definitely attracts attention and invites readers in. 

Sales Links: Carina Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: September 30th 2019 by Carina Press
ISBN 1488053804 (ISBN13: 9781488053801)
Edition Language English
Series Hat Trick #2
Characters Ryu Mori, Emmitt Armstrong
setting Atlanta, Georgia (United States)

Hat Trick Series

Off the Ice

Goalie Interference

Love Contemporary Stories? Check Out the Review Tour and Giveaway for Hot Potato (A Seacroft Novel #3) by Allison Temple

 

 
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal LinkExclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow With Kindle Unlimited
 
Length: 80,000 words approx.



Cover Design: Cate Ashwood Designs

 
Seacroft Series
 

Book #1 – Top Shelf – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – Cold Pressed – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

 
Blurb
 

As Seacroft’s resident weirdo, Avery proudly flies a lot of freak flags. It’s a constant battle to be taken seriously when everything, from his red hair to his sexuality, makes him stand out in this small town.


Small towns are also a terrible place to keep secrets, and Lincoln has a bunch of them. But his demons aren’t going to hold him back from his dream job at the Seacroft Fire Department. His life is finally coming together, until the red-haired twink with the big smile and fast mouth calls in an emergency.


Pining for the hot firefighter is Avery’s newest flag, even if he agrees to be “just friends.” For Linc, every minute with Avery is a temptation. He needs to let go of his fear and admit the truth. Linc doesn’t want to be Avery’s friend; he wants to be his everything. But just as Linc is ready to risk it all, Avery gets an unexpected offer to spread his colorful wings and fly away.


Hot Potato is an 80k slow burn friends-to-lovers contemporary MM romance. It features a fast-talking accountant who’s cooler than he thinks, the closeted firefighter who loves him more than he should, and a great big happy-sigh HEA.

Check out Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review here. We just loved it and recommend it to all lovers of contemporary romance!

Allison Temple has been a writer since the second grade, when she wrote a short story about a girl and her horse. Her grandmother typed it out for her and said she’s never seen so many quotation marks from a seven-year-old before. Allison took that as a challenge and has gone on to try to break her previous record in all her subsequent works.


Allison lives in Toronto with her very patient husband and the world’s neediest cat. She splits her free time between writing, community theater stage management, and traveling anywhere that has good wine. Tragically, this leaves no time to clean her house.


Newsletter (get two free shorts right now): https://allisontemplebooks.com/newsletter
Facebook Reader group: https://facebook.com/groups/allisonsalist
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07B7P5591
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/allison-temple
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17490635.Allison_Temple
Twitter: https://twitter.com/allitemplebooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisontemplebooks/

 
 

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Check Out the Release Blitz for Where Love Grows by Jay Northcote

 

Buy Links: 
Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
Length: 70,000 words approx.
 
Blurb



When two broken men look to each other for help, an unexpected romance blooms.


Stephen’s home, deep in the heart of the Welsh valleys, suits his reclusive nature. However, as he recovers from illness, he’s struggling to manage alone. As nature reclaims the land he’s poured his heart into cultivating, he becomes increasingly unhappy. His only outlet is his blog, where he documents the decline of the garden that had been his pride and joy.


Luke is more used to a concrete jungle. He was a high-flyer, living and working in London, until addiction sent him into free fall. Now on the road to recovery, he still wants to make some changes, but he’s unsure where to find the purpose and fulfilment he craves.


A mutual acquaintance suggests Luke visits Stephen to help him out for a while, and a seed of hope is planted. From prickly beginnings, shoots of friendship emerge, blossoming into a deeper connection when they act on their mutual attraction.


This was only ever supposed to be a temporary arrangement, and soon Stephen will be able to manage on his own again. But both men need each other in ways they’re afraid to admit. If their love is going to last for more than one season, they’ll need to find the courage to be honest.

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.


One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.


Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press.


Website: https://jaynorthcote.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jay_Northcote
Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotewriter
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotefiction
Facebook author group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jaysplayground
Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/JN-readers
Jay’s books: http://author.to/JayNorthcote

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A Lila Review: All This Could Be Yours by J.V. Speyer

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Can a straightlaced FBI agent fake a relationship with a mob rat long enough to close the case?

There’s only one way out of this family, but Tanner thinks he’s found another one. He’s going to fake a relationship with a straightlaced undercover FBI agent and help him take the organization down from within. That is, if the two of them don’t strangle each other first.

Maddox hates the Mob. He doesn’t have a lot of respect for mob rats either. He knows why he was stuck with this case, and he’s not thrilled about it. He wants the win, but having to play nice with gorgeous criminal Tanner might be more than he can take.

When secrets come out, Tanner and Maddox will have to trust each other with everything they have. They may be opposites, but they’re exactly what each other will need to get through this job with their bodies and souls together.

All This Could be Yours is a bit of a washout. The premise is great, the story starts strong, but it lacks a lasting connection to the characters.  It was easy to forget what was all about.

The plot did carry this book. It was short but to the point. I wanted more of everything. More conflict, more passion, more moments to remember.

Tanner’s family and their mob world were well crafted. As well as Maddox reactions to all of it. I enjoyed how easy it was for them to be together. And how convincing they were.

And by the way, Junior was one of my favorite characters.

The cover by Melody Pond is pretty but generic. It can be the cover for any law enforcement or spy book.

Sale Links: MLR | Amazon | Nook

Book Details:
ebook, 136 pages
ISBN: 9781641222693
Published: August 11, 2019, by MLR Press
Edition Language: English

A MelanieM Review: Not Another Statistic (Yuri Sorenson Mysteries #1) by J.M. Dabney

Raring: 4.5 stars out of 5

Former Federal Agent Yuri Sorenson had left the bureau behind to become a private investigator. A friend from his old life came to him with a favor, not knowing who else to trust. Yuri had always had a way of keeping his emotional distance from the people he protected, yet that changed the day Clarkson hesitantly limped into his life.

What happens when love is confused with pain? That’s the exact question Josh Clarkson had asked himself for years. He’d grown up in an overburdened foster care system, and from what he knew of love, he couldn’t expect anything but to be something tolerated. Was he meant to be more than a plaything or a piece of scenery; he could hope.

Two men who know nothing but being broken find that patience and acceptance are harder than losing hope. Is the leap of faith worth the reward of letting someone else in? Maybe they’ll find the strength to find out before the danger of Josh’s past tries to tear them apart.

J.M.Dabney writes broken people and does it well.  That’s never more apparent then here in their latest novel Not Another Statistic, the start of a new series, the Yuri Sorenson Mysteries.

I always look forward to a Dabney novel.  I anticipate the broken men, the horrific pasts, the abuse, the violence, and yes, the kink.  But I want to see how the author will spin it in a new story and situation and romance.  As this is the beginning of the series, Dabney is laying the groundwork, pulling in characters that I feel will form the sort of “found family” that surrounds the main characters the writer is so good at.    I can certainly see the beginnings of that here.

But with all things, it starts with the main couple.  It’s age gap and Daddy kink romance but of course that’s a superficial tag for the deeper story here.  One that covers domestic violence, child abuse, adult abuse, assault, body image, and a person so beaten down that they have come to equate pain and extreme punishment with admissions of love.  That is has occured to both men in different ways …well…the imprint of violence and the shattering of self has left its impact.  The author is able to show that devastation on both sides, despite the age differences and how it was delivered home.  It’s a brutal and realistic element here and if it’s one of your triggers, then you need to be aware of it.

The relationship between Yuri and Josh is formed rather quickly and that is usually a sticking point with me.  However, given their backgrounds, the circumstances under which they meet, and the events that follow, it feels that each fills a need for the other.  In other words, the author makes their case for the relationship and it works.    You can see the need, the healing response, so the timing seems less essential. Plus it’s really a HFN, given it’s the first in a series and the relationship is just starting out.

Once again, the suspense is great, the feel of the “city” gritty and true, and I can’t wait to see what the next installment holds for us and the characters.

If you like your romance with some mystery or murder, hot kinky sex, and damaged men in love, look no further than the latest new series from JM Dabney.  I definitely recommend Not Another Statistic (Yuri Sorenson Mysteries #1) by J.M. Dabney.

Cover art by JM Dabney.  That definitely looks like Yuri. Eye catching !

Sales Links: 

Universal Link – https://books2read.com/u/bw2vV0

Book Details:

Kindle Edition
Published September 24th 2019 by Hostile Whispers Press, LLC
ASINB07WJWJQL2
SeriesYuri Sorenson #1

A Lucy Review: Dine With Me by Layla Reyne

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Miller Sykes’s meteoric rise to award-winning chef is the stuff of culinary dreams, but it’s all crashing down around him. He’s been given a diagnosis that could cost him something even more precious than his life: his sense of taste. Rather than risk the very thing that defines him, Miller embarks on a last tour of his favorite meals while he still can.

But there’s a catch: he needs a financial backer to make it happen, and he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s sick.

Dr. Clancy Rhodes has two weeks to come to terms with putting aside oncology to work at his father’s thriving plastic surgery practice. When the opportunity to travel with a Michelin-starred chef presents itself, the foodie in him can’t believe it. It doesn’t hurt that Miller’s rugged good looks are exactly Clancy’s cup of joe.

As Clancy and Miller travel from coast to coast and indulge in everything from dive bars to the most decadent of culinary experiences, they’re suddenly sharing a lot more than delicious meals. Sparks fly as they bond over their love of flavors and the pressures of great expectations. But when Miller’s health takes a turn for the worse, Clancy must convince him he’s more—so much more—than just his taste buds. And that together, they can win a battle that once seemed hopeless.

I have to get it out there right away that the foodie parts of this book were outstanding to read.  As an aficionado of Food Network, Cooking Channel, Check Please, and so on, I love to hear about amazing food.  The fact that I have absolutely no palate makes the reading and watching all the more for me.  We definitely get that here but that isn’t the whole of the story.

This was a rough read for me because I’ve lived through the cancer hell with my husband (who is nearly five years cancer-free, thankfully).  I can’t imagine what I would do if he had decided he would have no treatment, which is what Miller does.  His year has been horrific.  He and his best friend wife, Sloan,  are divorcing – a good thing but a painful change nonetheless; his first solo restaurant has just closed due to lack of customers and he has been diagnosed with throat cancer, the treatment of which has only a 50% chance of success and could very well rob him of his sense of taste.  Since Miller lives and breathes food art, this is unacceptable for him. “He swept his hand over their plate, then gestured at the table.  “I can’t imagine a life where I can’t taste any of it, which is a very real possibility if I get the treatment.”   He wants to go out as is and he also doesn’t want his friends or family to have to go through that with him with no guarantee of a positive outcome.  It is heartbreaking.

The book begins with the ad  – “Dine with me – the culinary experience of a lifetime.”  For the bankroll of the tour, someone will get to go along with Miller (who remains unnamed) for a two week, eight meal foodie heaven of Miller’s favorite places, the ones he wants to say goodbye too. Of course Clancy, who is gifted this trip by his parents as a gift before beginning practice with his dad as a plastic surgeon, doesn’t know why Miller is doing this, just that he gets to do it. 

Clancy has his own issues – he wants to work oncology and not plastic surgery but he loves his dad and doesn’t want to disappoint him.  “He didn’t want to disappoint his father; he looked forward to working with him too.  Who wouldn’t want to work with their best friend? Even if the work wasn’t exactly what he wanted to do, Clancy was good at it.”

The tour destinations are not disclosed, although Sloane knows and Clancy’s mother knows (as she is a travel expert, she books the hotels and travel to the destinations) but Miller won’t tell Clancy until they arrive at each place. Clancy is unaware of the health issues of Miller, but of course he studied oncology, so he does eventually figure it out.

I did think it was unfair of him to make Sloan promise not to tell anyone, including their other best friend, Greg.  Greg and Sloan are having a double wedding in the summer, a wedding that Miller won’t be alive for without treatment.  The moment when Greg asks Miller to be his best person and Miller says no, I wanted to just hug Greg.  Miller won’t tell him why and what kind of best friend does that?  He’s so worried about people knowing, but as Sloan says, “If you don’t get treatment, you’re going to be dead in six months.  Everyone’s going to know anyway.”

The whole Sloan aspect shows what a loyal, caring person Miller is and it makes it even harder to watch as he gets sicker.  It adds such an air of sorrow to the story as Miller faces his death, gracefully but so stubborn you want to shake him.  The more he and Clancy fall for each other, the harder it gets. “You’ll be an amazing oncologist.  You made the end of my life more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.  Thank you.”  Yep, cue the crying.

Both men have soul-searching to do, though only one has a time bomb ticking in his body.  The connection between Clancy and Miller was absolutely believable and I loved that Dr. Clancy Rhodes usually wore t-shirts and hoodies and was a crabby when hungover.  Adorable.  And that Miller, the award-winning, Michelin rated chef, loves simple, comfort food most of all.

I would recommend this for the characters, the writing and the food!

Cover art, showing an elegant table, fits perfectly.

Sales Links: Carina Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: September 16th 2019 by Carina Press
ISBN 148805391X (ISBN13: 9781488053917)
Edition Language English

Don’t Miss Out on a Great Story! Check Out the Blog Tour for Dine With Me by Layla Reyne (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 

 

Layla Reyne’s DINE WITH ME is a contemporary m/m romance following a dying chef on a last tour of his favorite meals, and the travel companion who must convince him he’s more than his taste buds and that the cost of love is worth living for.

Title: Dine With Me

Release Date (e-book and audio): September 16, 2019

Blurb:

Life never tasted so good.

Miller Sykes’s meteoric rise to award-winning chef is the stuff of culinary dreams, but it’s all crashing down around him. He’s been given a diagnosis that could cost him something even more precious than his life: his sense of taste. Rather than risk the very thing that defines him, Miller embarks on a last tour of his favorite meals while he still can.

But there’s a catch: he needs a financial backer to make it happen, and he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s sick.

Dr. Clancy Rhodes has two weeks to come to terms with putting aside oncology to work at his father’s thriving plastic surgery practice. When the opportunity to travel with a Michelin-starred chef presents itself, the foodie in him can’t believe it. It doesn’t hurt that Miller’s rugged good looks are exactly Clancy’s cuppa joe.

As Clancy and Miller travel from coast to coast and indulge in everything from dive bars to the most decadent of culinary experiences, they’re suddenly sharing a lot more than delicious meals. Sparks fly as they bond over their love of flavors and the pressures of great expectations. But when Miller’s health takes a turn for the worse, Clancy must convince him he’s more—so much more—than just his taste buds. And that together, they can win a battle that once seemed hopeless.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

Links:

AMZ: https://amzn.to/2CNDzbA

Universal: https://books2read.com/DineWithMe

 

About Layla Reyne:

RITA Finalist Layla Reyne is the author of the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Fog City, and Changing Lanes series. A Carolina Tar Heel who now calls the San Francisco Bay Area home, Layla enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart-pounding romance. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Kiss of Death and Rainbow Romance Writers chapters. Layla is a 2019 RWA® RITA® Finalist in Contemporary Romance (Mid-Length) and 2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense.

Connect with Layla:

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/laylaslushes/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/laylareyne

IG: https://www.instagram.com/laylareyne/

Newsletter: https://www.laylareyne.com/signup

AMZ: https://www.amazon.com/author/LaylaReyne

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/layla-reyne

Giveaway: Signed limited edition paperback + swag (equivalent value for international)

Code: Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/88d45f03103/

 

Exclusive Q&A with Layla Reyne, Blog Tour:

  • Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?

LR: It’s not just Miller and Clancy in this story. There’s a supporting cast of characters—family, of the blood and found sort—that I absolutely adored writing. And they support, first and foremost. No one here is trying to foil or divert our main characters, and I love that about this story. They are there to support Miller and Clancy, as best and as full-of-heart as they can.

  • Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

LR: Every place Miller and Clancy visited is a place I’ve dined or based on a place I dined. (Sadly, a few of my favorites had closed!) Each place in this book is as special to me, for my own reasons, as it is for Miller and Clancy. For instance, one of the stops is The French Laundry, which is where my husband and I got married, so it holds a special place in my heart too.

  • Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

LR: Ohmigod, they both do. This story has been rattling around in my head since 2015. It was on the initial list of project ideas I gave my agent. There’s a lot of me in both Clancy and Miller (more so Clancy, my husband more so Miller), but it’s really a love letter to all the amazing dining experiences I’ve been so lucky to have in my life.

  • What is the significance of the title?

LR: It starts as the opening line of the advertisement Miller posts for the tour. It also ends the book in a way that still makes me happy sigh.

  • What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

LR: This is a standalone, so there won’t be a sequel. Though keep your eyes peeled for a special project involving one of the secondary characters.

  • If you had to describe character Miller Sykes in three words, what would those three words be?

LR: Loyal, Self-Sacrificing, Stubborn

  • If you had to describe character Miller Sykes in three words, what would those three words be?

LR: Earnest, Honest, Risk-taker

  • If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?

LR: Oh, this is easy (since the book has been in my head for YEARS). I’ve always had Clive Standen as my fancast for Miller and Grant Gustin as my fancast for Clancy.

  • Was the writing process different and what challenges did you face writing contemporary romance versus romantic suspense?

LR: I couldn’t just throw a car chase or explosion in when I needed to pick up the pace! But seriously, I really did have to dig deep to center this one more on emotions, more on the journey of these two men, individually and potentially together in the future. That’s what’s driving the story, versus my usual twisty plot.

Exclusive Excerpt 1:

By the time they were on the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, all of Clancy’s thoughts and words were fighting to get out. He watched through the windshield as Miller stood by the ferry’s rail, a lone figure seemingly oblivious to the blowing snow flurries as he stared straight ahead.

To the island where they would be stuck together for the weekend.

Fuck. Clancy had to say something or else this was going to be the most awkward Christmas Eve weekend ever.

He tossed his empty coffee cup aside, grabbed his scarf from the back seat, wrapped it around his neck, zipped up his hoodie, and buttoned his coat over everything. Bundled, as well as an LA boy could be, he shoved open the car door, took one step out, and had to cling to the door to avoid wiping out. Steadying himself, he carefully made his way to the rail where Miller stood. And just as carefully, he approached the conversation, starting with something easy. “Thank you for the coffee and beignets this morning.”

“I promised you,” Miller answered flatly, not giving him a glance.

Careful and easy took a flying leap off the side of the boat. “Do you still want to be here?” The next second, Clancy registered how that question could be taken, beyond just this trip, and he wanted to jump over the rail himself. “On this trip,” he clarified. “Because if you’re just here because you promised, we can call it off. You can keep the money—”

“It’s not about the money.”

“Fine, but Miller…” He leaned a hip and hand against the rail, trying to get Miller to look his way, to no avail. “If this trip is making you miserable, if you don’t want to be around me, if you—”

Miller’s hand over his silenced the rest of Clancy’s words. “I want to continue, and I don’t want to do it alone.”

“But do you want to do it with me?”

Miller finally gave Clancy his eyes, and they were red-rimmed and bloodshot. Clancy sucked in a sharp breath, fearing the worst.

“Yes,” Miller said softly.

Clancy didn’t hide his huge exhale, and Miller’s answering smile was worth it. The world steadied below Clancy’s feet even as the boat rocked over the waves. He drew his hand back and shoved both of them into his coat pockets. “Where are we going, then? On Martha’s Vineyard?”

Miller glanced back out over the water, toward the island that was growing nearer. “The first place I chef’ed.”

“I thought that was in New York, with Greg.”

He shook his head, a strange mix of pain and longing streaking across his face. “When Sloan and I left home, we came here first. A friend of Ma’s ran a B and B in Edgartown. It was the summer season and she needed the extra help. She rented us a dingy little basement apartment for cheap, Sloan cleaned and helped manage the inn, and I was the on-site handyman and landscaper. But I still needed to get out and make some extra cash.”

“So you found a restaurant to work in?”

“The kitchens in New York and San Francisco might have refined my skills, but Oscar M’Raihi gave them to me.”

“I can’t wait to meet him.”