Category: LGBTQ Audio Books

A Free Dreamer Release Day Review: Angels Rising (Heaven Corp #3) by CC Bridges

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Better to reign in hell….

Uriel 3019 has been a cybernetically altered angel since he volunteered for the program fifteen years ago. His devotion to the floating city of Heaven is fierce, and he’ll follow any command he’s given. But Uriel’s orderly world is crumbling. Angels are going mad, even hurting people. Some are rebelling, and the noble families are vying for control—by any means necessary.

Uriel’s latest assignment brings him into a secret society, where his partner, Raphael, is working for freedom and equality for all angels. Could their group be responsible for the angels’ recent erratic behavior? Uriel is determined to find out—and report on his findings. But he doesn’t count on Raphael’s confession—that he has feelings for Uriel—or the memories slowly starting to return from the time before he became an angel.

Is he on the right side? Does he dare to stand against Heaven, even if doing so will save his fellow angels from becoming soulless automatons? Uriel has to decide if his loyalty belongs to his superiors… or to the angel who’s stolen his heart.Angels Rising is the third (and final?) installment of the Heaven Corp series. As such, it doesn’t work as a stand-alone. A lot has happened and you really do need the previous books to understand this one.

In this book, we learn even more about Heaven and how the people live up there. This time, the focus is on the angels and their day to day lives. How their halos influence their personality and what happens if they malfunction. It was fascinating to explore just what happens when you turn a perfectly normal human into a cybernetically engineered being with no real emotions other than unquestioning obedience.

The romance is rather slow and our two protagonists have a lot of obstacles to overcome. Especially Raphael is very new to the whole relationship business. But when they finally do get around to do more than just lust after each other, it’s damn hot. Unlike in book two, there are no BDSM elements between these two. But the author definitely knows how to write great sex scenes.

While the sex was scenes were great, I did struggle a bit to actually feel the love between them. Maybe it was because there was so much else going on and all the secrets they kept from each other and everybody around them, there simply wasn’t all that much space left for the romance.

This book is packed full with action. We have spying and double agents and betrayal and lots and lots of secrets and ominous things going on. And then of course there are Uriel’s returning memories and the guilt he now has to face because of what he did as an angel. It’s addicting, really.

The ending was very unexpected with quite a twist. I really didn’t expect that.

If you liked the previous two books, I’m sure you’ll like this one too. I really enjoyed the whole series and “Angels Rising” is a great final installment. Read it!

I’m not a huge fan of the cover by L.C. Chase, tbh. The wing is gorgeous but otherwise it’s a bit generic. The colours are gorgeous, though.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book details: ebook, 200 pages

Published May 22nd 2018 by Dreamspinner Press

An Ali Audiobook Review: An Ali Audiobook Review: Dirty Deeds (Dirty Deeds, #1) by SE Jakes and Adam North (Narrator)

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Two seasoned operatives finally meet their match: each other.

Cillian works for the mysterious Special Branch 20: an organization that runs black ops commissioned by the British government. His specialty is deep undercover assignments with virtually no support. He’s been alone for so long that he no longer knows anything else.

Mal’s also used to being alone. Wanted in several states and even more countries, he’s not allowed in the vicinity of any of his former Navy SEAL teammates. And his current assignment is to track Cillian in order to discover the spook’s endgame. Except he’s no longer sure which one of them is getting played.

Cillian isn’t about to let the mission that’s consumed him for the past several years crumble because an outsider is poking around where he doesn’t belong. But Mal forces his way through Cillian’s defenses—and into his heart—exposing a devastating betrayal that could destroy them both.

I have enjoyed SE Jakes series that are connected to this one, Hell or High Water and EE, Ltd and I liked this just as much.  But it’s a cliff hanger and no real date in sight of the next book….

Cillian and Mal have both been seen in other books but this is the first focused on them.  These two both have deep pasts that are only partially delved into in this book and I hope we learn more about them.  They are connected far more than they ever though until the end of this book and we can see the connection.  Both of these men have been damaged and I couldn’t help but feel for them and there is no disguising that their jobs aren’t the easiest either.

Dorian Bane did a wonderful job narrating this story as always.  I loved the voices he used for the characters and how easily it helped to understand them.  I could feel their emotions and connect with them easily.

I really like the cover art by LC Chase and I like how it’s just similar enough to the other connected books but different at the same time.

Sales Links:  Audible | Amazon | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Audiobook, 2 hrs 30 min
Published: April 12, 2018 by Riptide
Edition Language: English

Series: Dirty Deeds #1

An Ali Audiobook Review: Free Falling (Extreme Escapes, Ltd.) by S.E. Jakes and Dorian Bane (Narrator)

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Sometimes falling in love is the most dangerous thing of all…

Blue’s a thief who lives for adrenaline and danger. When he meets Mick, a mercenary and a hitter, he feels an immediate attraction. But Mick reneges on a bet they’ve made, leaving Blue pissed and confused.

When they meet again a year later, Blue’s in terrible danger after having walked into the middle of one of Mick’s jobs. Mick saves him, and although the two men have fallen for one another, they have no idea how to handle that kind of intimacy that’s been forced on them.

But when Mick goes missing on a job, Blue’s the one to go after him, determined to save the man he loves no matter the cost.

I very rarely do re-reads and there’s a reason for that.  This book reminded me of why.   I find that over time my tastes change and things I really liked before often don’t hold the same appeal years later.  This series used to be one of my favorites though so I thought there was a good chance it would hold up.  It wasn’t a fail per se but I also wasn’t wow’d.
The two men have met in the past and now again a year later when Blue finds himself in the middle of one of Mick’s jobs.  The story is fast paced as is the love story.  It was very insta-love which was probably my biggest peeve with the story.  That didn’t used to bother me but has become a plot device I don’t care for anymore.  Also, the story is filled with sex scenes.  Too many for the length of the book in my opinion.  I felt like the story relied on their chemistry in bed more so that building an actual relationship between them.
This story was narrated by Dorian Bane.  I thought he did a good job on both MC’s.  I had never listened to a book by this narrator so it was a pleasant surprise.  I’m always looking for new narrators that I enjoy and I will be adding this one to my list.
Cover:  This book’s cover was done by CrocoDesigns.  I like the cover and think it looks really good.  It’s a really eye catching design.
Audiobook Details:
Kindle Edition, 134 pages
Published March 8th 2014 by Riptide Publishing (first published December 5th 2012)
Original TitleFree Falling
ASINB00IWAI7OQ
SeriesExtreme Escapes, Ltd. settingBogotá (Bogota) (Colombia)

An Ali Audiobook Review: Watching and Wanting (Housemates #4) by Jay Northcote and Lewis Carter (Narrator)

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Watching Jude’s cam show stirs desires Shawn’s always denied…

Shawn is adrift. Recently graduated, he’s stuck in a dead-end job that barely pays the bills. His girlfriend dumped him, his friends have moved on, and he’s still in Plymouth—going nowhere.

Jude is a student living in the same shared house. Out and proud, he’s everything Shawn’s been running from since he hit puberty. When Shawn discovers Jude works as a cam boy, he can’t resist the urge to watch one of his shows. It makes Shawn want things that scare him, yet his fascination forces him to confront his attraction.

Keen to explore his bicurious side, Shawn suggests they do a show together. Jude agrees, and things get complicated—and kinky—fast. But Jude isn’t looking to get involved with someone so deep in the closet. If Shawn’s going to get what he wants, he needs to find the courage to stop hiding from himself and be honest about who he is.

I thought this was a great installation to this series.  It drew me right in from the very beginning and kept me engaged the entire time.  I wasn’t sure about this book when I started it because I haven’t been a big fan of Shawn’s in the previous books.  He was a jerk and I wasn’t sure I would like him as a MC.  I ended up but liking him though and I really loved Jude’s character.
There is an interesting plot full of feelz so this is not only erotica but man this book is scorchingly hot.  I kept double checking my ear buds to make sure they were working.  (I didn’t want to scandalize my coworkers)
This story is narrated by Lewis Carter and I loved his narration.  I thought it was excellent.  It added to the emotional impact of the story as well as made the smexy times even hotter.  I have not listened to this narrator before and perhaps he’s new?  Nothing else is listed by him on Audible.  I will definitely be on the lookout for his work in the future though.
Overall this was a great read/listen for me and this is an audiobook I highly recommend.  Although this is the fourth book in the series, it works fine as a standalone.  You will see characters from the previous books but this story in independent of the previous ones.
Cover:  I thought this was a great cover.  It looks great and it matches with the rest of the covers in this series in a cohesive manner.
5 hrs and 17 mins
Audiobook Details:
Audible Audio, 5 pages
Published April 26th 2018 by Jaybird Press (first published January 20th 2017)
Original TitleWatching and Wanting
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHousemates #4 settingPlymouth, England (United Kingdom)
England

AUDIO TOUR The Solstice Prince (Realms of Love #1) by SJ Himes and Narrated by Joel Leslie (excerpt and giveaway)

 Solstice Prince Audio Banner

The Solstice Prince

Realms of Love Book #1

SJ Himes

Gay Epic Fantasy Romance

 Audio Release: 04.30.18

 

Solstice Prince Audio Cover

Cover Illustration and Design by Sarah Jo Chreene

Narrator: Joel Leslie

 

BLURB

Rescued from slavers, healer novice Jaime Buchanan finds himself alone and free in Pyrderi, a kingdom of magic, mythical creatures, and a culture as open and kind as his homeland was cruel and close-minded.

Despite his rescue, Jaime is not left without scars, both mental and physical. Traumatized by his experience and hiding his gift, Jaime struggles to earn his place in the kitchens of Angharad Palace, the heart of Taliesin City. His former life as a student of the healing arts leaves him at a disadvantage in the kitchens, and his damaged state is becoming more apparent by the day.

One day, when necessity and fate intervene, Jaime meets someone unexpected—Prince Maxim, youngest son of the Pyrderian king, a sword master and a devastatingly kind man. Unaccustomed to powerful people with compassion and heart, Jaime flees. A cascade of events reveals Jaime’s hidden talents of healing, and he finds himself not in chains, but at the beginning of a new life.

This swift change of fortune opens Jaime up to new possibilities, including a smitten prince who cautiously courts Jaime, easing him away from his fears and reminding him that compassion and love can make him strong. The winter solstice is quickly approaching, and Prince Maxim shows Jaime the enjoyment and excitement to be found in a land that embraces the ice and cold, and the mysteries of all things magical. He learns to see the man under the royal mantle, and Maxim is more than even Jaime suspected.

The winter solstice is nigh when tragedy strikes, and Jaime learns that his past of grief and sorrow can be a pillar of strength for his solstice prince. If there is one thing that Jaime believes above all else, it is in the healing power of love.

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

TANTOR

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36566371-the-solstice-prince

solstice teaser 1

solstice teaser 2

 EXCERPT

His eyes were drawn to the wide shoulders of Prince Maxim, the royal speaking quietly to a pair of full healers in their silver and white robes, the edges trimmed in varying hues of green that denoted their ranks and specialties. One of them saw Jaime hovering and pointed towards him with a smile. Prince Maxim turned and grinned wide when he saw Jaime. Jaime smiled back, flushing. The prince said his goodbyes and strode across the room to him. Long legs, a trim waist, a broad chest, and strong shoulders clothed in black leather pants and a brilliant white shirt, topped with a long jacket in rich sky blue left Jaime at a loss for words. The prince looked every inch the royal.

Prince Maxim was at his side before he was ready, and Jaime shivered, skin tingling from head to toe when the prince gave him a wide smile and offered his hand. Jaime found his much smaller hand engulfed in the prince’s with his long fingers curling over, holding him firmly. His face burned, and he ducked his head, hair falling over his eyes.

“Good morning, Jaime.”

“Good—good morning, Your Highness,” he stammered back, and he gripped the hand holding his in an unconscious plea for support.

He was holding hands with a prince. His life had taken an unexpected twist.

“Please, call me Maxim,” the prince offered, and Jaime gasped, shaking his head frantically. The prince was smiling at him, somehow beyond patient.

“I wouldn’t dare! I couldn’t, Your Highness,” Jaime burst out, heart racing again. “It’s not allowed.”

Prince Maxim drew closer, their joined hands between them, and he gave Jaime a slow perusal, taking in his wide eyes, flushed cheeks, and no doubt able to see the galloping pulse in his neck. “There is no one to gainsay you for the privilege. I do not mind. Please, it would be an honor for you to use my name.”

“Can I—can I think about it?” He couldn’t believe he just said that, and he nearly bit the tip of his tongue off snapping his mouth shut.

Prince Maxim chuckled and turned them both, tucking Jaime’s hand in the crook of his elbow. “While you’re thinking about it, how about I give you a tour of the castle? Something besides the kitchens and servants’ halls? Would you like to see the library? Do you like to read?”

“Master Eames wanted to talk to me…”

“I’ve been ordered to return you promptly after midday by Master Eames, along with strict instructions not to overdo it.” The prince’s charming grin never fell away, and he seemingly saw nothing amiss in a healer ordering about a royal. Master Eames was a distinguished healer, surely used to getting his own way, and Jaime had no desire to run afoul of the healer’s orders either. Prince Maxim continued, “Now what about some breakfast and then on to the library?”

“I love to read. I would love to see the library.” The idea of the prince taking him to personally see anything was spinning about in his mind, making him feel dizzy, and leaving him glad for the strong hand holding onto his.

SJ Himes Logo

I’m a self-employed writer who stresses out about the silliest things, like whether or not I got my dog the best kind of snack and the fact my kindle battery tends to die when I’m at the best part in a book. I write mainly gay romance, erotica, and urban fantasy, with occasional forays into contemporary and paranormal. I love a book heavy on plot and character evolution, and throw in some magic, and that’s perfection. My current series are: The Beacon Hill Sorcerer, Bred For Love (as Revella Hawthorne), The Wolfkin Saga, and the epic fantasy romance series Realms of Love. My last two novels in the Beacon Hill Sorcerer won 3rd Place in the Gay Fantasy category for the 2016 Rainbow Awards.

I live in New Orleans, where the personalities are big and loud and so are the bugs! New Orleans is rich in cultural history, and the flavor and music of the City is impossible to hide. Before that, I lived all over the United States: Tampa, Western Massachusetts, Indianapolis, and on and on…. I’m a nomad, and I’ve yet to find a place that calls to me strongly enough to become home. My faithful travel companions are my dog Micah, the numerous voices in my head who insist they all get put on paper, and the wind at my back.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SJHimes/

Website: https://www.sjhimes.com/en

Joel Leslie/Narrator

Joel Leslie is a UK transplant, growing up with American parents in a British commonwealth.  A classically trained actor with an MFA in theatre from USC, he is often cast for his unique ability to deliver native, authentic combinations of American and British sounds.  His great range and ability to bring characters to life with honesty, wit and versatility delights producers and listeners alike.

He is proud to have a strong following with m/m listeners and an ongoing relationship with some of the finest writers in the genre.  He loves that every day he gets to share these beautiful, inspirational and empowering GLBT characters with the world.

His authors have praised him as “a narrator among narrators, a man whose ability to create different characters rests on the power of his voice and his impeccable delivery,” and a “true delight…” “his professionalism, good humor, and charm make him a dream to work with,” “Anyone else would only be second best”.

Joel has consistent access to his home studio for all production needs.  When not in the booth he spends his time chasing after two loquacious wiener dogs.

http://www.joelleslienarration.com/

 

GIVEAWAY

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An Ali Audiobook Review: Leaning Into Touch (Leaning Into #4) by Lane Hayes and Nick J. Russo (Narrator)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Josh Sheehan is unlucky in love and now… newly unemployed. He’s not sure what to do next, but he’s sure he should give up on romance. Especially after last time. His friends warned him that falling for the hunky Irishman was a bad idea. Josh can’t help feeling torn even though he knows it’s best to move on. But when an unexpected dose of family drama blindsides him, Josh finds himself leaning on the one man he’s supposed to forget.

Finn Gallagher is driven by success. He makes no secret that building a name for his tech company is his number one goal. Finn left home a decade ago with a ton of regret, a heavy heart, and a vow to never repeat the same mistake twice. However, there is something undeniably appealing about the self-deprecating man with the silly sense of humor that makes it difficult for Finn to remember why falling for Josh is a bad idea. It soon becomes clear they’re both in deeper than they intended. There is no way to remain untouched. And there is so much to gain, if they’re brave enough to lean in.

I wasn’t sure about this book going into it.  Finn was portrayed in a pretty bad light in the previous book.  Then this one lets us know that Josh and Finn dated (but not officially) for six month and then Finn just disappeared.  A year later Finn and Josh cross paths and much to his dismay Josh is still terribly attracted to Finn.  Finn is still in a bad place when it comes to being in a relationship but the two men can’t seem to stay away from each other.
This story is told from Josh’s point of view and I adored him.  He’s a great guy and I empathized with the things he was going through.  Finn was a bit harder to connect with.  This was a book where the author probably should have done two points of view.  Finn is insecure and scare but we can’t really see that until the end.  For much of the book it seems that he doesn’t care for Josh anywhere near as much as Josh does for him.  I also found his reason for being scared of relationships kind of unrealistic.  
 I ended up really liking this one though. I thought the author did a great job though showing them falling in love and working through their issues. I think the author’s best strength is relationship development and MC’s that COMMUNICATE. I also liked how Josh’s relationship w/his dad was portrayed. That entire plot twist was done well.
The audiobook was narrated by Nick J.Russo who as usual did a very good with both of the main characters as well as all of the side characters.  I thought the narration added to the overall emotional feel of the story.
Cover:  I like the cover but it’s not my favorite of the series.  Nothing about the cover really stands out to me.
Sales Links:  Amazon Audible
Audiobook Details:
Audible Audio, Unabridged, 8 pages
Published April 16th 2018 by Lane Hayes (first published October 4th 2017)
Original TitleLeaning Into Touch
ASINB07C5SZKZL
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesLeaning Into #4