Category: Historical

Review Tour and Giveaway for Of Hope and Anguish (Revolutionaries #2) by Silvia Violet

 

Universal Buy Link
 
Length: 50,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Meredith Russell
 
Revolutionaries Series
 
Revolutionary Temptation (Book #1) Currently only 99c/99p – Universal Buy Links
 
Blurb
 

Jack and Eli have been separated for months while Jack gathers intelligence in Philadelphia and Eli spies on British officers in New York. When Jack has to take on the role of spymaster and work behind-the-scenes, Eli offers to insinuate himself in Philadelphia’s loyalist circles, taking Jack’s place.


As Eli works to uncover traitorous negotiations between a high-ranking American officer and the British, he cozies up to British spymaster John Andre. Jack doesn’t like Eli putting himself at risk, nor does he like seeing him fawning over a beautiful, charming man.


As the chances of the American army surviving the winter decline, tensions mount between Jack and Eli, threatening to tear them apart. They will have to rely on their love and trust for one another to make it through these harrowing months.

March 6 – V’s Reads
March 7 – Sarandipity Book Reviews
March 10 – Dog-Eared Daydreams
March 12 – Making It Happen
March 14 – Padme’s Library, Sexy Erotic Xciting, Kimmer’s Erotic Book Banter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, MM Good Book Reviews
March 16 – Bayou Book Junkie, Xtreme Delusions, Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings, Drops of Ink

About the Author


Silvia Violet writes fun, sexy stories that will leave you smiling and satisfied. She has a thing for characters who are in need of comfort and enjoys helping them surrender to love even when they doubt it exists. Silvia’s stories include sizzling contemporaries, paranormals, and historicals. When she needs a break from listening to the voices in her head, she spends time baking, taking long walks, curling up with her favorite books, and spending time with her family.


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A Free Dreamer Review: Finding Sanctuary (The Hampton Road Club #6) by Morticia Knight

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Francesco might not know a thing about being a submissive, but for Master Theo—he’d be willing to learn anything.

Living on the streets of 1920s Los Angeles and pleasuring men in dark alleys for his survival is not how Francesco had thought his life would turn out. But he’s filled with hope that someday—if he learns how to be a respectable fellow—he can make a home for himself and maybe even find a man he really cares for who also cares for him. In the meantime, he hustles to get by and looks for the good where he can find it.

Theo’s existence is safe and predictable. He indulges in his perverse nature at his friend Saul’s sadomasochism club on Hampton Road and negotiates contracts for the Hollywood players and studios. When an enticing little grifter crosses his path one day, the encounter unnerves him. Not because he gets conned, but because the refreshingly open and unaffected young man holds a mirror up to Theo’s own dreary existence. Theo might have plenty of material wealth, but his wealth of spirit can’t compare to the delightful Francesco’s.

Theo rescues Francesco from a dire situation and brings him home. If nothing else, he can at least find the desperate young man some decent employment. Instead, they both find themselves increasingly drawn to each other. But until Theo introduces Francesco to what being a submissive means, he doesn’t dare give his heart away. Francesco has yet to discover the secrets that are hidden behind the walls of the Hampton Road Club.

Publisher’s Note: This book is best read in sequence as part of the Hampton Road Club series. This instalment is a prequel to book one and can be read first.

Review: “Finding Sanctuary” ticked a lot of boxes for me: It’s set during the prohibition, it has BDSM and a homeless character. So I expected great things, which the book couldn’t quite deliver.

First of all, this is the first book of the series I’ve read and it definitely works without the other parts, as this is some sort of prequel to book one. So you can definitely start your journey with “Finding Sanctuary”.

My biggest issue with this book was Francesco. He was just way too sweet and innocent. He’s been living on the streets for several years and has been through a lot even before then. It just seemed extremely unrealistic for him to be so very nice after all that’s happened to him. He was extremely trusting and naive and it got a bit annoying after a while. I didn’t particularly like him.

Other than that, the story was nice. There was no huge conflict and the few troubles that did pop up got resolved without much fanfare. I’d hoped for a more historical feeling to the overall setting, but I didn’t get much of that. The love story wasn’t very spectacular either. It was pretty much love at first sight and a relatively smooth road from then on.

Overall, “Finding Sanctuary” was just too fluffy and cute for me. There wasn’t much depth to the whole plot and I didn’t particularly like Francesco. It just wasn’t what I expected and felt kind of toothless. I’ve had similar issues with other books by the author, so I guess we just don’t click. Her books aren’t bad by any means, they’re just not for me.

If you’re looking for a sweet, light read, then you’ll probably enjoy this book. The BDSM elements weren’t too intense, so you don’t need to worry about that either.

The cover by Posh Gosh looks nice, though the naked cover model definitely doesn’t fit the description of Francesco. He’s way too muscular for that.

Buy Links:  Pride Publishing | Amazon

Book details: ebook, 135 pages

Published October 10th 2017 by Pride Publishing

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: The Station by Keira Andrews

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

It’s the mid 1800s and Colin Lancaster is being groomed to attend Cambridge and then come back to his family’s estate to take his rightful place.  But Colin has a secret—he wants to be like the family’s stablemaster, Patrick Callahan, and not for his care of horses.  Colin spied Patrick years earlier as Patrick mounted another man, and ever since then, Colin has dreamed of the same happening to him.

When Patrick is caught with his pants down, Colin’s father has no choice but to condemn him to death—the punishment for sodomy.  But Colin intervenes, declaring himself as a sodomite and circumstances shift quickly.  Both Colin and Patrick are given a reprieve of sorts, and instead of death, they are sentenced to serve their time in Australia.  After an amazingly difficult sea voyage, during which Patrick survives typhoid due to Colin’s care, they are assigned to a widow who is heading inland to claim the land she and her husband purchased sight unseen. 

This story is very rich in description of the Australian outback, so much so, that it was very easy to picture the conditions under which Colin became a stockman, learning to ride and rope, and later, learning to appreciate his new life circumstances.  Patrick, on the other hand, resented being there and did not want to find the positives about the experience.  He had resisted Colin on all fronts, until finally giving in and having sex with the younger man on shipboard, and later again in Australia, when they found opportunities to slip away from the others. 

Patrick was the antihero in this story and not interested in romance at all, so it was difficult to like his character, and it was, therefore, difficult to label this a romance.  The story was more of a sexual conquest with a lot of romantic angst on Colin’s part but quite a bit of indifference and simple sexual need on Patrick’s part. 

There were also a few difficult-to-believe circumstances. Okay, there were a lot of difficult-to-believe circumstances and plot points—everything from the widow who drove three men and 500 herd of cattle onto land they’d never seen through a hostile neighbor’s property to their own—property marked by a simple red rag on a stick. Hypothetically, if the neighbor who owned a mega property didn’t really want them there—and we learn later that he didn’t—couldn’t he have yanked that rag off the stick? 

Then there was the issue of Colin’s and Patrick’s status as criminals, or not, and more issues related to the widow and Robbie, the other stockman.  I’m trying to be vague here so I don’t give away plot points, but the reality for me was that the story veered quite a bit from the realism I expected. And though I know this is fiction, I had to suspend belief quite a few times in the latter part of the story.  Or perhaps I’m too much of a skeptic. 

In any event, I loved Colin’s character, his joie de vivre, his persistent positive attitude, and appreciation for the land.  Loyal and steadfast, he never veered from his heart’s desire.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Patrick.   So, although I enjoyed the story, I didn’t enjoy it as much as previous stories from this author, and that was disappointing. 

I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical romance and those who appreciate a story set in Australia during the time of the early settlers. But I caution this author’s followers, who like me, may have been expecting another Semper Fi or Beyond the Sea.  This one isn’t it.

~~~

Cover art by Dar Albert features a sexy stockman standing in front of a grassy area populated by kangaroos, with a semi-transparent face superimposed over the background sky.  This must represent Patrick as the stockman and Colin as the face in the background.  Definitely not my favorite cover, I think it would have been better without that extra superimposed face.   

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 2nd Edition, 188 pages
Published January 18th 2018 by KA Books (first published October 5th 2010)
Original TitleThe Station
ASINB078Z2T6XM
Edition LanguageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Hidden Treasures (A Pinx Video Mystery #2) by Marshall Thornton

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

It’s about a dress. A valuable blue sequined dress worn by a famed actress in a film from the 1940s. For some reason everyone thinks video storeowner Noah Valentine has it. Which might not be a big deal except that it’s connected to the murder of a prominent Hollywood costumer.

In the second of the Pinx Video Mysteries, Noah attempts to solve the mystery of the dress. To do so, he must confront a legendary film icon Wilma Wanderly, hunky police Detective Javier O’Shea, the dowager Queen of Watts and a couple of bitter ex-friends.

I am wild about Hidden Treasures and the Pinx Video Mystery series by Marshall Thornton.  Extremely well written, evocative of an era still so close to ours that we can remember all the telling details that makes this book and series ring with familiarity and yet far enough removed that it feels nostalgic. Ah video tapes cartridges…VHS…some may remember from Blockbuster if you didn’t have the smaller privately owned stores like this nearby?  Clunky black rectangles that you rushed to return?  No?

Thornton’s tales are supplied with the names of songs, tv series, movies, books, and every day “go to” gadgets and calendars you had to have.  Yet, none of it feels false or as though the author is dumping too much “historical” facts into his novel.  No, it’s all woven into this series with an ease and a  “normalcy” that often hardly ripples the narrative.  Maybe a slight double take, an appreciative nod, a “oh I forgot about those” from me…but often I’m so buried in the story and the characters that a mention bubbled up pages later in my mind and a note to go back later to look it up.

Oh, man, these characters.  Especially the pragmatic yet wounded Noah.  I have a hard time coming up with the right words not only to describe him but also how much I love this character.  And it’s a love that is growing deeper by the book.  He’s admirable, intelligent, courageous, and often kind.  He’s not hopeful, not yet.  I’m not sure he ever will be in these times.  But each book is proving to be a revelation about him and for him.  I won’t say more.  You need to read the first story Night Drop (A Pinx Video Mystery, #1 to understand what’s going on with Noah and his history.   To say anything more spoils that incredible story and this one. And that just won’t do.

Noah is surrounded by friends equally memorable.  You got to know them in Night Drop but here they actually feel like family.  As does a certain Detective.  They feel alive, believable, authentic, and in some cases, haunting.  This was the 80’s after all.

Marshall Thornton has won awards for his writing.  I hope he’s won them for this series.  If not, he should because they are incredible.  The writing is superb, the characters beyond memorable, the mysteries complicated and entertaining, and the stories  themselves have staying power, an emotional heft that carries far beyond those little words The End.

Now to wait and see what’s next in store for Noah and Pinx Video.  I can hardly wait.  If you haven’t discovered Marshall Thornton, pick up his Pinx Video series, both of them.  I highly recommend them both, including Hidden Treasures.

Cover art is amazing.  I just love the covers for this series. Interesting, pertinent, and great for branding.

Buy Links: Amazon |     books2read.com/HiddenTreasures

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 229 pages
Published January 28th 2018 by Kenmore Books
ASINB0773ST2KB
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesA Pinx Video Mystery #2

 

 

Review Tour and Giveaway – Hidden Treasures (A Pinx Video Mystery #2) by Marshall Thornton

 

Buy Links: books2read.com/HiddenTreasures
 
Length: 59,000 words approx.
 
Blurb
 

Itís about a dress. A valuable blue sequined dress worn by a famed actress in a film from the 1940s. For some reason everyone thinks video store owner Noah Valentine has it. Which might not be a big deal except that itís connected to the murder of a prominent Hollywood costumer.


In the second of the Pinx Video Mysteries, Noah attempts to solve the mystery of the dress. To do so, he must confront a legendary film icon Wilma Wanderly, hunky police Detective Javier OíShea, the dowager Queen of Watts and a couple of bitter ex-friends.

January 29 – BooksLaidBareBoys, Jim’s Reading Room, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Gay Book Reviews
January 31 – MM Good Book Reviews
February 2 – BookLove
February 5 – Valerie Ullmer
February 7 – Dog-Eared Daydreams
 
Author Bio



Marshall Thornton is known for the Lambda Award-winning Boystown Mysteries. His comedic novels include The Ghost Slept Over, My Favorite Uncle and the Lambda Finalist for Gay Romance, Femme. Marshall holds an MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA and has had plays produced in both Chicago and Los Angeles and stories published in The James White Reviewand Frontier Magazine.


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