Category: LGBTQ Book Reviews

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Contact (A New World #1) by M.D. Neu

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Mirtoff is Speaker General of the Nentraee people, who are divided into seven clans. Their home world is gone and now they live in 450 ships, searching for a new home. They have had disastrous experiences with other species so when they find evidence of intelligence on Earth they are wary, but with morale down and ships needing repair they decide to make contact. While Mirtoff may have peaceful intentions, General Gahumed as head of the Nentraee military, does not. Mi’ko is the Vice Speaker and plays a huge role in this book, though his POV is rarely shown. Almost all of the Nentraee POV is shown through Mirtoff. She is a good leader for her people and makes the alien hopes and fears clear and easy to empathize with.

The rest of the book book shows Todd’s POV. Todd’s brother Brad works at NASA and comes to warn them of the aliens’ immediate arrival. While Todd believes him, even though they are estranged, Todd’s husband Jerry is not convinced. Todd and Jerry go to the airport to pick up their friend Dan, former military, who is coming to visit. This is how the reader really gets to know Todd by his reaction to the news and his interactions with those closest to him. They are all together as the President of the United States makes the announcement that we have first contact with an alien race. Although other countries are mentioned and the United Nations plays a role, this is very American centric. As you can imagine, humans panic. I think the relatively peaceful time period after the announcement, supposedly due to good planning with use of the military, shutting down the stock market, and stopping all travel, is optimistic.

The aliens are confused and worried about human violence; they want to limit contact to scientific and diplomatic relations at first, but quickly realize they have to be more social than is customary for them. As with all science fiction, looking at humanity’s strengths and weaknesses through the eyes of an alien race is jarring. Since they are interested in trade and technological advances, Mi’ko focuses on Silicon Valley, wishing to do business with the company Todd works for. Todd becomes an unlikely central figure moving forward.

The depth comes from the author showing the family, friends and coworkers of all the principals. This helps to engage with the story emotionally, but I still felt removed for some reason. I will say although it is mentioned how different the Nentraee are to humans, their thought processes don’t seem different at all–they care and worry about the same things we do. Their history seems similar. The politics have only just begun as everyone vies to gain power and make money. This could really be expanded upon and I expect it will be in future books. I enjoyed this book and would be interested in reading more. That’s a good thing because after all the world building, this ends abruptly with a to be continued. By the way, this is a science fiction book that has a few gay characters, so don’t expect a romance.

The cover art is by Natasha Snow. I like the darkened view of Earth with all the lights on staving off the dark cold of space and the one ship making contact, carrying the hopes of their people.

Sales Links:k NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published January 21st 2019 by NineStar Press
ISBN 139781949909883
Edition Language English

Release Blitz and Giveaway for My Anti-Valentine Collection by DJ Jamison

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
Blurb
 

My Anti-Valentine: Jaded by relationships gone wrong, Bret throws an anti-Valentine’s Day party to celebrate being single and burn his ex-boyfriends’ belongings. Bret’s low interest in sex has destroyed every relationship he’s had and tarnished his view of romance, but a cute blond guy at the party who says all the wrong things inspires him to hope for more.


My Anti-Boyfriend: Brad has everyone fooled. He’s the casual, sexy friend. The fun-time guy who sleeps around. Except not really. There’s one man who holds his heart: his best friend — with benefits — Riley. Too bad Riley has no interest in a relationship, and as far as Brad can tell, never will. But once Brad acknowledges his feelings for Riley, he can’t continue to ignore them. Riley’s days of having his cake and eating it too are over. Then again, maybe Brad is tasty enough to keep a man satisfied.


My Anti-Marriage: Love has never been a good bet for Chris, so going on a Vegas wedding trip for his friends is bittersweet. Especially when Ant, the last man to break his trust, is suddenly along for the ride. Which explains why Chris wakes up in his hotel room with the mother of all hangovers. Not so much why Ant is in his bed … or worse, wearing a matching wedding band.

 

EXCERPT FROM MY ANTI-VALENTINE


Bret pointed an accusing finger. “No couples! This is anti-Valentine’s Day. You can take your cards and your candies and your flowers and go to one of the bajillion places celebrating loooove tonight.”


“Ew, no,” Darla said with a laugh. “Harry is my cousin, not my boyfriend. I wouldn’t break your rules, anti-love guru!”


Bret did love the name Harry, mostly when applied to a boy wizard with a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. He gave Harry another onceover, noticing his sky-blue eyes and perfect cheekbones. Nope. Still didn’t like him, especially the frown that was twisting his features.


“Someone must have done a number on you,” he said.


Bret bristled. “Why do you say that?”


“I mean, to be this bitter about Valentine’s Day? It’s hard to imagine you really hate the commercialism of the holiday that much. I bet if you had a girlfriend it would be a different story.”


Bret rolled his eyes. “It really wouldn’t. Romance is a manufactured concept, you realize that, right? You might love someone, but if you do, you should appreciate them every day, not once a year with the most predictable gifts ever. That’s without even getting into the origins of Valentine’s and how very un-romantic it actually is.”


Darla grabbed a drink from the counter and swatted Bret’s butt playfully. “I’m going to leave you boys to it. If you get over your romance phobia, Harry’s on the market, and he hasn’t landed a nice guy in ages, so he’s pretty much a sure thing.”


“Darla!” Harry shouted after her, his cheeks turning bright red. “What the hell? Jesus, that’s not how I usually …”


“What?” Bret asked, feeling uncomfortable.


He’d thought he was engaging in friendly debate with a straight guy, only to discover he’d been bantering with someone cute, available, and gay. And that wasn’t at all the point of this party.


“Um, you know. Tell people I’m gay, or that I’m available. I definitely try not to go the ‘I’m so desperate I’ll take anyone route,’ but Darla seems to have taken care of that for me.”


He cracked a smile. It was crooked, a smidge embarrassed, and way too charming for Bret’s well-being.


“I’m not interested,” Bret said stiffly. “This is an anti—”


“I know!” Harry said, holding up his hands. “I’m not actually desperate.”


Bret stopped short, frowning. Was Harry implying he’d have to be desperate to like Bret? Ouch. He wasn’t Abercrombie and Fitch material like Harry, but he didn’t think he was that bad.


“That came out wrong,” Harry rushed to say. “You’re cute in that nerdy hipster way.”


“Unbelievable,” Bret muttered under his breath.


“I mean it,” Harry said, misunderstanding the reason for Bret’s shutdown. “I would totally do you.”


Bret avoided his gaze. “Thanks, but no thanks.”


He made a quick exit from the kitchen, more than ready to get the real party started now that everyone had arrived.


“Hey, who wants to burn some shit?” he called out, grinning when a round of cheers went up.


EXCERPT FROM MY ANTI-BOYFRIEND


Brad had everyone fooled.


He wore his sexuality like a disguise. The short shorts, making his ass look fine and flashing perfectly tanned skin 12 months a year? The mesh shirts, the halter tops, the extra-tight T-shirts that showed his lithe form and nipple rings? Yeah. It was all the equivalent of his bat ears, cape and tights.


Well, tights worked for every disguise. But that wasn’t the point, he reminded himself. It’s just that tights can be so distracting, and Brad — like a playful kitten — could be easily distracted by shiny objects or balls of … well, not yarn. More like balls of Riley.


Too bad he couldn’t fool himself.


Brad watched Riley grinding on another slender guy with platinum blond hair and sultry lips on the dance floor of Club Ozone. A guy who wasn’t him. And his heart panged.


Fucking panged.


He threw back another shot to drown that feeling ASAP and flashed a grin at the two guys at the table with him.


He’d come out with his regular circle of friends. For the past few years, he’d met up with Riley, Chris and Harry for a few drinks before they each went out to pick up a man. Then Harry met Bret, his boyfriend of a little more than a year now, and he gave up their regular nights out.


Tonight, he and his boyfriend were both there, having been guilted to attend, so Brad had to put on a cheerful face. Just one more element of his disguise.


“You guys ready to get your dance on?”


Harry looked at Bret, and his boyfriend shrugged. Bret was a real cutie, and he could crack up a whole room at a board game night or house party, but put him around a bunch of sweaty, half-naked men and he went quiet.


“Maybe in a few,” Harry said with a smile.


He leaned in and kissed Bret’s cheek. Gag. Who needed that kind of affection, right?


Pang.
Brad jumped up. “Okay, party poopers. Catch you on the other side!”


He stormed onto the dance floor, ready to burn away his sudden onset of melancholy. A good adrenaline rush and an erection rubbing against his ass would take care of him in short order. After all, why should he care that Riley was sexing up his next conquest on the dance floor? That’s what he did. That’s what they both did.


They agreed years ago that hearts and flowers were not for them. They were friends, wingmen and occasional fuck buddies.


But that was all.


EXCERPT FROM MY ANTI-MARRIAGE


“We’ll take off the rings. Problem solved.”


“No, problem not solved. We’re still married.” Chris’s breathing sped up. “We have to undo it!”


Ant guided him to the bed and pushed him down on the edge. Squeezing his shoulders, he met Chris’s eye.


“Come on now. Maybe this isn’t what it looks like.”


Chris laughed harshly. “I know that line is like your bread and butter as a player, but it’s always what it fucking looks like. Why the fuck else would we be wearing wedding rings?”


“I don’t know,” Ant growled.


“Do you remember last night?”


“Some,” he said grudgingly. “I remember hitting every casino we passed on the strip and taking a few shots at each one. You were hell-bent on checking out wedding venues for Brad and Riley. Maybe we took that too far, huh?” Ant smiled wryly. “What about you?”


“Not much after you found me at the fountain,” Chris admitted. “You were playing the responsible sober guy card with me, trying to get me to go to dinner. So, how the hell did we end up here?”


“My guess? You were totally unreasonable,” Ant said.


Chris huffed. “Sure, it’s my fault. I made you follow me around like a muscled-up bodyguard.”


Ant rolled his eyes. They were getting off-track. “So, we both have a few memory gaps,” he said, massively understating the issue. “I’m sure I’ll remember eventually. Or you will.”


Chris sighed. “What now? Everyone’s waiting on us downstairs.”


Ant shook his head. “Brunch first. Try to act normal. No one has to know. Divorce can wait for dessert.”


“Annulment,” Chris corrected. “Annulment makes it like it never happened, right? I want that one.”

 

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.

 

Giveaway

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Release Day Blitz for Gage (Redemption Series #2) by JJ Harper (excerpt)

Gage (Redemption #2) by J.J. Harper

Release day: February 7, 2019
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N6CCJ6R

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N6CCJ6R

Universal link : mybook.to/Gagebk2

Gage (The Redemption series #2)

Gage is happy, happier than he thought possible. He has Wolff Mannheim, the man he has always loved, even when he hated him, back by his side and in his bed. He is confident that their relationship can only grow stronger as they continue to rediscover each other.

When a letter appears after twelve years of silence from the family that disowned him and cast him out, he has Wolff to lean on. The contents of the letter have left Gage reeling but also have him reuniting with his estranged sister. When the shocks keep coming, it forces Gage back to his family home—a place he never thought he would return to. At least, this time, he has Wolff by his side as well as his sister.

As Gage faces the man who threw him carelessly away, he proves himself to be the better man, a stronger man, than the one forced away so many years earlier. With all his demons put to rest, can Gage live his life with his one true love?

This is book two in the Redemption Series and follows on immediately from Wolff, book #1.

While it can be read as a standalone, it’s best enjoyed reading in order. Contains some very steamy man-on-man loving and is advised for 18+ only.

 

Gage Excerpt

Why did I think I’ve just seen my sister? I haven’t heard a thing from her in over twelve years. I would’ve doubted I’d even recognise her. And yet that woman waiting at the crossing looked like my little sister, Claudia. Was it the way she was standing or how she tucked a wayward lock of hair behind her ear? The cruelty of my father stretched to denying me the chance to see or even speak to her again, giving me another reason to hate him. I look away and get back to messing with Wolff.

When we get to the wide glass double doors at the entrance of our offices, I look again, but I can’t see her anymore. There’s no reason why she wouldn’t be working around her. Every building is some sort of commerce building.

“Are you okay?” Wollf looks at me as I turn back to the door.

“Yes, sorry. I thought I saw someone I recognised, but it wasn’t.”

“Who?”

“Huh, no one. It’s not important.”

“Gage don’t do that. Don’t shut me out,” he quietly implores, making me stop and listen.

“I’m sorry, hon. You’re right. I thought I saw Claudia.” I try to keep my voice as matter-of-fact as I can. I don’t want to escalate my anxiety.

Wolff frowns as I see him try to put the name to the face and why it would bother me. Looking around the street again, he remembers. “Your sister Claudia?”

I nod and swallow hard like there’s a huge lump stuck in my throat and it’s about to suffocate me.

“When did you last see her?” The pain in my lover’s voice and eyes is overwhelming me. I think he sees it because he tugs me to the side, away from the flow of bustling people.

“Um, I think it was the day after the party. I know I didn’t see her the day I was kicked out. She was on holiday with a school friend’s family.

“Shit! Fuck, Gage.” He bites on his lip.

 

Series Blitz and Giveaway for The Knights Club Series by CJ Baty

 

Cover Design: Kelly Abell @ Select-O-Grafix


Knights Club Series


Book #1 – Starting Over – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – Letting Go – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #3 – Learning Trust  – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #4 – Coming Out – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #5 – Finding Forgiveness – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link


The Knights Club (formerly the Gentleman’s Club) first appeared in the Warfield Hotel Mysteries Series. It was owned by Stony Whitecastle and is located in Atlanta, GA. At the beginning of the Knights Club/Starting Over, Stony is selling the club to Xavier Knight. He renames the club the Knights Club and instead of a private club opens it the public. Some patrons still hold membership though.


This series involves Xavier and his crew of employees and their involvement with a local police family. We meet Sebastian Brady in Starting Over along with his dysfunctional family. Seb’s struggle with his homophobic oldest brother and the shadow of his dead father, Detective Delmonico Brady, haunts Seb as he tries to make a new life for himself.


Occasionally, a character from the Warfield Hotel series will pop up but they are not central to the story line. Everyone who works at the Knights Club has a past and secret they are running from. They are mixed bag of people who have been suffered many things. The Knights Club is their home and the people who work there are their families. But, even families don’t like each other all the time…

 
Finding Forgiveness – OUT FEB 6



Xavier Knight lied and now his past was catching up to him. Sebastian Brady meant everything to him. Losing him wasn’t an option Xavier was ready to accept. Ghosts from his past threaten to open up a secret that needs to stay hidden. He wasn’t going to let Zach Brady or anyone else take his happiness away from him.


Zachary Brady had lived in the shadow of his father his entire life. He’d lost his family, his job—everything. What happened between him and Xavier Knight was long ago and best forgotten. He wasn’t going to allow it to sabotage his chance to be accepted by his brothers and sister as family again.


Neither man realizes that they don’t hold the key to their peace of mind. And when the truth is revealed, it will shake their worlds. Family isn’t always the one you are born into, sometimes it’s the one you create for yourself.

C. J. Baty lives in southwest Ohio. Her heart, however, lives in the mountains of Tennessee where she hopes to retire some day. The mountains have always provided her with inspiration and a soothing balm to the stresses of everyday life.
The dream of writing her own stories started in high school but was left on the back burner of life until her son introduced her to fan fiction and encouraged her to give it a try. She found that her passion for telling a story was still there and writing them down to share with others was much more thrilling than she had ever expected.


She has a loving and supportive family who don’t mind fixing their own meals when she is in the middle of a story, and a network of friends who have encouraged and cheered her on in her quest of being an author.


One thing she has learned from life and she is often heard to say is: “You are never too old to follow your dream!”


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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Inside Out (a Road to Blissville story) by Aimee Nicole Walker

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

This book came along at the perfect moment.  I needed to feel positive emotions, to smile, to find peace, and that’s what I got from the romance between Romeo Bradly and Julius Shepherd in Blissville.

Both men started their new jobs in the school district on the same day: Romeo as superintendent of the school district, and Julius as an advanced sciences teacher and tennis team coach.  The moment they shook hands, their spark ignited a curiosity and attraction that smoldered for months before circumstances put them in the same place at the same time again. Rome would be directing the high school play, and Jules would be composing the music.

Three very advanced and enthusiastic students had written the script over the course of a few years, one of them had composed lyrics for the musical, and the play was already approved by the school board. The story addressed bullying, homophobia, and other issues with which teens struggle in high school, and both Rome and Jules are passionate about seeing it produced.  Over the course of working together on the production, though Julius is at first reluctant to get involved with the sexy silver fox who is technically his boss, they meet for lunch and eventually date, growing closer as time goes by.

Rome is a forty-five-year-old widower whose husband passed away seven years before.  Jules is of mixed race, oldest of two boys, whose father passed suddenly eight years before, so the two have much in common over and above their interest in the students and their taste in music.  And when Jules finally lets down his reserve about dating the superintendent, they find their way to more than a simple attraction.

Those who follow my reviews know I adore May-December romance. Give me a silver fox any day, but then add in slow burn, and sweet, honest, openhearted conversation, laughter, and a love of all things music, and I’m sold.  The author’s writing and her creativity in managing the dance of love for these men was outstanding.  I loved each character individually and together.  And Julius’s mother and brother; Priscilla, Rome’s dragon secretary; Howie, his friend; and the host of other characters in this book were beautifully integrated.

The book ends with the perfect summary of their emotions: “in his eyes, I saw my future. In his smile, I rediscovered joy. In his heart, I made my home. This man turned me inside out, and I would follow him anywhere.”

I very highly recommend this and the best news is it can easily be read as a standalone.

The cover by Jay Aheer depicts two men’s hands and forearms intertwined. One is Black and the other Caucasian. It captured my attention and reflects the story beautifully.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 222 pages
Published January 14th 2019 by Chasing Rainbows Press LLC
ASINB07MTLPZZ4
Series Road to Blissville #6

Road to Blissville Series

Unscripted Love

Someone to Call My Own

Nobody’s Prince Charming

This Time Around

Smoke in the Mirror

Inside Out

A VVivacious review :Diamond Heart (Cherrywood Grove #2) by M.A. Hinkle

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Gareth and Morgan change schools when Gareth gets expelled from their old school because of in-school fighting. Gareth fears that Morgan might not ever be able to make friends and enjoy life due to the crippling anxiety that rules his life, but as Gareth is going to find out Ainsworth Academy is a school like none he has been to before. As Morgan starts opening up and finding new ways to overcome his fears, Gareth finds himself lost because after all who is he if he doesn’t need to be protecting his brother.

This book was such a feel-good story. I truly loved it. While reading “Death of a Bachelor” I was very confused about what was going on with Morgan and Gareth, so finally getting to know the whole story was beyond enlightening.

Gareth is a boy who has defined himself as a jerk just so he can escape further examination from other people and himself but when he starts making friends with Felix, he realises that he can no longer ignore the decisions that make him what he is. Increasingly, he finds himself adrift when he wonders what his life is if it isn’t looking out for Morgan. Gareth has an amazing arc in this book where he gets to grow up and face his fears and own up to who he is.

Morgan is amazing in his own right and it was beautiful to see him blossom under the right atmosphere. Morgan’s anxiety is debilitating but I loved the fact that Morgan never hesitates to confront and overcome his fears.

Felix is amazing, I have loved him ever since “Death of a Bachelor” because he is the most adorable character ever. I can’t think of a single person more adorable then Felix. God, I want to give him all the happiness in the world. I liked how Gareth and Felix help each other confront their fears and be better. In a way, it is amazing how they both help each other get closure regarding the deaths of their respective mothers.

This book was amazing it follows the coming of age of three unique characters who I really loved even though Gareth was a little slow on the uptake initially but once things start going it is amazing to see these three grow up and try to figure out who they are.

The “LGBT Whatevers” is like my favourite band because God, I loved all the band members, Sarah, Alex and Zach.

This story was amazing and getting to follow Gareth on this journey of self-discovery really made me smile.

The title of this book is so appropriate. In hindsight, it really fits Gareth who is too busy crushing his feelings till his heart has become a diamond from the pressure of it all.

Cover Art by Natasha Snow aka my favourite cover artist ever. I loved the cover for this one, the colours on it are beyond beautiful.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published February 4th 2019 by NineStar Press
ISBN 139780463182789
Edition Language English
Series Cherrywood Grove #2

An Alisa Review: In the Lion’s Den by Abigail Kade

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

Danial “Nial” Rourke is the oldest son of a criminal shifter family, but wants nothing to do with the family business. As a rare pureblood shifter with no abilities, he’s treated as human and is able to live a relatively normal life. One night out with his brother to celebrate his graduation changes everything. Now, Nial is a convicted murderer and his pureblood status means he’ll be going to Starke Penitentiary for criminal beasts. The high stone walls, human prejudice, and the worst of the shifter world make it a deadly place for someone like Nial. If his father can’t pull some strings and get Nial protection, he’ll never make his next birthday alive.

Ezekiel “Ze” de Koening is Nial’s only chance for survival. He’s gruff, intimidating, and a rare lion shifter, indifferent one minute and protective the next. But Ze soon seems to grow fond of his new cellmate, saying Nial’s too pretty and weak to survive on his own. He’ll babysit, for now. Just when things seem to settle into a routine, Nial is forced to confide in his protector. He’s much more than he claims to be, and he’s holding onto some deep secrets. And Nial is sure Ze is keeping secrets of his own. Secrets that could be deadly.

When the violence inside escalates, and their world unexpectedly explodes, there’s only one way out for either of them. Through an unimaginable trial, freedom finally comes. But freedom will come with an unexpected price, neither one was prepared to pay.

I liked this story but felt that pieces of it were rushed or skipped over.  I think if the book had been a bit longer then it would have allowed for the story to be more fully put together, however it looks like this could be the start of a new series so maybe we can see a little more later.  Nial gets thrown into jail after being set up one night.  He is quickly put under Ze’s protection and for the most part everything goes smoothly.

I could tell that Ze was keeping a lot from Nial but wasn’t sure as to what that was until Nial’s new trial.  I felt for Nial as he was thrown into a different world and then had everything he loved and depended on ripped away.  I couldn’t feel that Ze deserved the sympathy he thought he did when he knew his mate was still alive while Nial didn’t.

The cover art by Amai Designs gives a nice visual of Nial.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 168 pages

Publication: October 24, 2018

Edition Language: English