Category: LGBTQ Book Reviews

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: A Dance of Water and Air (Elemental Magicae #1) by Antonia Aquilante

 Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Due to rising tensions with their neighbor, Tycen, the King of Thalassa is pushing an alliance with Aither on their western border. The king’s son Prince Edmund is to marry Aither’s Queen Hollis and conceive within two years. The author nicely sets up some political intrigue at court in an understated way that will germinate in later books. The prince and his secretary, Peregrine, travel to Aither for the wedding to take place in three months time. Since the Queen’s father died and she is still in mourning, the wedding can’t take place any faster. This allows the author to also set up political intrigue for this court.

The queen’s brother, Prince Arden, is told to spend time with Edmund–time the queen should be spending to get to know her betrothed, but is avoiding. We meet Arden’s best friends, Larkin and twin brother Ciaran, who are the eyes and ears for court politics. The alternating POV between Arden and Edmund allows the reader to know he is unhappy about being attracted to Edmund and that Edmund don’t really allow himself to admit or understand he might feel it too. As they get to know each other better, the ways of Aither being open to people of all elements, challenges everything Edmund has learned from his father and the way he rules Thalassa. This also plants seeds for future books. We get to know a little bit about Edmund’s affinity with water and Arden’s affinity with air and how that magic can be used. Their common enemy Tycen is know for their affity with fire. We know little about the earth affinity, so I guess that will be in future books.

This author is known for high fantasy and political intrigue so I expected the world-building to be good and it was, but I have hopes there will be a lot more detail later. I was enjoying the story, the court, the politics, the slow burn as they were getting to know each other, yet nothing is in great detail. When someone with an affinity with water tries to kill the Queen, Edmund is arrested and after spending so much time with him, Arden is in a precarious position. We are told Hollis and Arden were close once, but we never see it. There could have been more done with that plot-wise. We only get a glimmer of Arden’s feelings of muted hurt. If fact, we know little of the queen or any of the characters beside Arden, Ciaran, Peregrine, and Edmund.

Once they flee the castle, it was like the author no longer knew what to do with them. Edmund and Arden are suddenly stumbling around when they already know how they feel about each other. It was all handled in an awkward, drawn out way. I liked the depictions of Edmund as a demisexual, and Arden, who reads as non-binary (the publisher’s tag is trans). Their love scenes were sweet, yet circumspect and while explicit, were not really erotic. At this point even Ciaran, who has grow up in political intrigue and has a spy network, starts to act childish. He shouldn’t be failing apart about something he knew would happen. Then, all of the sudden they start writing in code as he communicates with his sister. As if this had never occurred to him before whilst they are fleeing for their lives? Ciaran and Peregrine are also in a relationship now which seems to consist of a lot of handholding. For me, this read as high fantasy that turned into YA.

As Tycen prepares for war, Arden and Edmund meet with Queen Hollis along the border, whereupon she acts like an unreasonable child. This is the most we get to see of the queen and I was not impressed. Unless we get to see her POV in future books and a lot more backstory, I am not sure how this character can be redeemed for me at this point. Maybe she won’t be, but everything is so sweet and slots into place so easily, I expect the sister and brother will eventually make up, somehow.

The end of the book really points to learning more about the various magics and how they can be utilized together. Right now, they are like kids studying and playing with magic. We’ll see if that changes if war actually happens. I would have liked a lot more of the elements and their creatures that magic wielders can communicate with. I wanted this to have more detail and depth about everything. While I liked the MCs, I didn’t feel emotionally attached to them. This is a nice, sometime sweet, easy read for a couple of evenings and I recommend it be enjoyed as such.

The cover art by Natasha Snow is fitting for the story, showing a blend of the two main elements covered in this story and a castle. The color palette fits with the dark intrigues. Although most of the story takes place in Aither, this seems to be the palace in Thalassa, where the story starts and finishes.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published October 1st 2018 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781949340853
Edition LanguageEnglish

Release Blitz – Dark Rivers (Witchbane #2) by Morgan Brice (excerpt)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Dark Rivers (Witchbane #2)

Author: Morgan Brice

Publisher: Darkwind Press

Cover Artist: Lou Harper

Genre/s: Urban Fantasy, MM paranormal romance

Length: approx. 85 000 words

Buy Links

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Kobo

B&N

 

Add on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42433862-dark-rivers

 

Blurb

One hundred years ago, a sheriff’s posse killed dark warlock Rhyfel Gremory, but his witch-disciples escaped, and their magic made them nearly immortal. To keep their power, each year one of the witch-disciples kills a descendant of one of the men in the posse, a twelve-year cycle that has cost dozens of lives, including that of Seth Tanner’s brother, Jesse.

Seth uncovers the cycle of ritual killings that feeds the power of the witch-disciples, and he’s hell bent on getting vengeance for Jesse and stopping the murders. His fledgling romantic relationship with Evan Malone complicates his mission, but Seth can’t walk away. Seth and Evan are learning to navigate their partnership—as lovers and monster hunters—while they chase the next witch-disciple and avoid attracting the wrong kind of attention.

When the hunt takes Seth and Evan to Pittsburgh on the trail of the next killer, they’ll have to save the intended victim and take down the powerful witch. If the skills they possess and the bond between them isn’t enough, the evil will remain unchallenged, and more people will die…

 

Excerpt

“If the sun hasn’t set yet, and there’s no moon, where’s that blue glow coming from?”

Clouds covered the sky, blotting out the dull, late-afternoon sun, and the overhead branches dimmed the light even more. Yet beneath the trees, the snow reflected a twilight indigo, and the shadows all around beneath the trees seemed to have grown darker.

Seth wasn’t a medium, and he had no talent for seeing or hearing the dead. But his experiences hunting supernatural creatures attuned him to the presence of things that went bump in the night, and now he was certain that they weren’t alone.

“We mean you no harm,” Seth said to the blue glow and the empty forest around them. “We’re just looking for information about the witch. Can you help us?”

A sparkling haze gradually filled in between the leafless trees, and as it shifted on the wind, Seth thought he saw forms and faces. Evan was already laying down a salt circle around where they stood, reinforcing it with iron filings. Both substances interfered with ghosts’ ability to manifest and sapped their strength to cause harm.

“Seth, look.” Evan pointed toward the hanging tree. Where only moments ago, it had been nothing but bare branches, now, a shadowed form swung slowly, suspended by a rope around its neck, the head tilted at an unnatural angle.

“We’re here to end the killing,” Seth said, forcing himself to look away from the hanged man, pushing back the memories of Jesse’s body, suspended like that, soaked with blood. As if he could guess Seth’s thoughts, Evan placed a hand on Seth’s forearm, grounding him to the here and now. “We want to stop the witch that caused your pain, keep him from hurting anyone else.”

Overhead, a cold wind stirred the branches, and the trees creaked and rattled. Seth shivered as the temperature dropped. Figures now stood amid the headstones in the old cemetery, and their stance suggested that they were ready for a fight.

“Give me something I can use to stop the witch,” Seth begged the ghosts. “He went by many names—Thane. Carmody. Brunrichter. Wiegand. Whatever he called himself—we want to make him stop.”

The wind carried the whispers of spectral voices, and the blue mist roiled with internal energy. Evan yanked off his gloves, then withdrew a small slate writing board and a piece of chalk from the pocket of his parka. As Seth continued to talk to the ghosts, he saw out of the corner of his eye as Evan carefully drew one of the sigils he’d been practicing, a bit of rote magic that was likely to come in handy.

Seth feared they might need to fight their way clear since the ghosts seemed more interested in intimidation than supplying information.

Seth’s eyes widened as he saw movement. An invisible hand traced shaky block letters on a snow-covered embankment beside the road. W-A-T-C-H.

“Watch?” Seth repeated aloud. “Watch out?  Watch for something?”

He could feel the press of spirits all around them, and Seth remembered that the ghosts of Blue Mist Road had a reputation for being unfriendly to intruders. Whatever their cryptic message meant, Seth had the feeling they had worn out their welcome.

The mist grew thick around them. Seth realized that the ominous figures from the cemetery had moved closer and that the hanged man was no longer suspended from his noose. He and Evan were safe for the moment within the salt circle, but they were also trapped inside their sanctuary.

“Ready?” Evan asked. He’d been practicing the small magicks that involved drawing arcane symbols and activating them with concentration; those had come more easily to him than the spoken spells Seth had learned. Seth recognized the drawing Evan made on the slate and hoped to hell the banishment sigil worked.

“Go for it,” he said, crossing his fingers.

Evan closed the last line on the sigil and placed his fingertips on the magical symbol, imbuing it with his will and life energy. The drawing flared gold and then white, so bright Seth and Evan had to avert their eyes as a blast wave of light radiated all around them.

When they opened their eyes, the blue mist and the spirits it harbored were gone, as was the writing in the snow.

“Come on,” Seth said, grabbing Evan by the arm and pulling him toward the truck. “Let’s get out of here before they decide to come back.

 

 

About the Author

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Look for her other books—Witchbane, Burn (a Witchbane novella #1.5 ), and Badlands.

 

Author Links

Blog/Website

Facebook Group: The Worlds of Morgan Brice 

Twitter: @MorganBriceBook 

Pinterest:  Morgan Brice board

 

RELEASE BLITZ SCHEDULE

 

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

A Lila Review: Ben’s Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle by Penelope Peters

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Adam Bernard’s love-life is on ice.

Adam gave up his dreams of professional hockey when his mom died ten years ago; now his only focus is being the Jewish son his dad’s always wanted. Problem is, the pee-wee hockey team he coaches is in Boston for an international tourney the same week as Hanukkah. Now he’s stuck in a foreign city without so much as a candle. Enter Ben Daniels, the super-cute owner of the local kosher-style bakery. All Adam wants is a chance to celebrate the holiday away from home – but sweet and sexy Ben could light more than just Adam’s candles.

Ben Daniels’s love-life is on the back-burner.

Ben hasn’t stepped on the ice in three years. The official reason is that he’s too focused on making his kosher-style bakery a success. Problem is, he’s never kept kosher in his life, and internet searches only take you so far. Enter Adam Bernard, in town for one week only, with all the cultural touchstones anyone could want. All Ben wants is Adam’s Certified Jewish Opinion on his sufganiyot – but Adam could be the one to light Ben’s desire for ice again.

This Hanukkah, Adam and Ben find their miracles aren’t only on the ice.

Their fling was only meant to last for the holiday. But Adam’s about to get the chance to rewrite his history – and Ben’s dreams of business success are about to come true. Will they be so willing to extinguish their relationship in eight days – or will their Hanukkah miracle last for a lifetime?

Ben’s Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle is an amazing treat to start the holiday season. The prologue was a bit hard to read since it felt as an omniscient narrator took over but in the end, it worked. After the first chapter, it’s easier to follow the author’s vision.

This story reads like a Hallmark Holiday movie. It’s sweat, steamy, interesting, and filled with hope and well wishes. All the characters were well-rounded and had a roll in moving the plot forward. The secondary characters are diverse but not simple tokens. They added color to the story.  The kids were perfect and acted their age, a mix of curiosity and innocence that balanced the adults and the drama.

Ben and Adam had great chemistry from the instant they met. All their matchmakers gave the reader a little window into their personality. They are both Jewish but were brought up differently. It took them several nights to get over the majority of their differences but they made it work.

I can’t tell you everything the author shows is accurate but she did an excellent job bringing culture and religion to the forefront of the story without making it feel as a soapbox. I loved the little details and how much they meant to Ben and Adam. I haven’t tried any of Ben’s dishes but I will love to do it now, even the eggplant 😉

This is definitely the way to start the Holidays this year.

The cover by Creativindie goes perfectly with the story. The characters are exactly as the author described them, and all the other little elements are present in the book. Great color and composition.

Sale Links: Amazon | Nook | iBooks

Book Details:
ebook, 242 pages
Published: November 13, 2018, by Penelope Peters
Edition Language: English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Honeymoon For One by Keira Andrews

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Amazing! Kiera Andrews brings home another hit and strikes it out of the ballpark.

The day before his wedding, Ethan comes home early to surprise his fiancé before they head out to their bachelor party. Though he’s not looking forward to the crowds because he’s hard of hearing, going deaf at an early age due to a genetic anomaly, he’s a bit distracted when he first walks in. But what and who he finds in his bed is exactly what you’d imagine. His fiancé and his best friend have been carrying on for several years and the proposition his fiancé makes nearly floors him.

Gutted, and with no immediate family left and now no best friend either, Ethan makes the decision to go to Australia alone. Intended to be his honeymoon trip, a visit to Australia is something his mother always wanted, and he chose the destination in part to honor her, so why not go alone? Better than staying in big, noisy New York City, where he’s not happy anyway and half the time can’t hear what anyone is saying due to the cacophony of sound echoing from building to building.

Clay Kelly drives bus tours on Australia’s East Coast. Living in Sydney with his adult daughter, the 46-year-old divorced father of two is pretty happy with life as it is, though he never does much more than work and watch cricket—his all-time favorite sport. When a hard of hearing young man joins the tour alone, Clay decides to befriend him—especially after he overhears the man explaining that he’s alone because his wedding was called off. He figures the least he can do is help by doing as the young man asks: speak slowly while facing him so that he can understand what’s being said. So many others talk too fast or put their hands in front of their face or turn slightly away. The author makes this point really well by adding mumble, mumble to the dialogue when in Ethan’s POV so we can appreciate how difficult it is for him to hear.

The author also takes time with this subject, educating without preaching, and she develops Ethan into such a loveable character that I just wanted to take this sweet young man under my wing and show him he’s not alone.  Fortunately, that’s what Clay does. He’s never been with a man, though he had a brush with neighborhood homophobia toward a nice young man in his childhood and suspected he might have felt an attraction before the boy was run out of the area. But he’s most definitely drawn to Ethan and decides to act on his attraction, despite the fact he has to tell his kids, his ex-wife, and his parents. 

This story has all the elements I love: age gap, man over forty, first time with a man, a sweet MC (or two), ordinary—yet complex—people doing extraordinary things like falling in love with someone who lives half a world away. Just lovely and I highly recommend it.

The cover by Dar Albert is perfect for this story and features a young man sunbathing at the beach and another walking past behind him. The colors of the sky and ocean are bright blue and the title in hot pink. I think I might have picked this up for the cover alone, but the contents are definitely a solid win.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 286 pages
Published September 27th 2018 by KA Books
ISBN139781988260372
Edition Language English

A Chaos Moondrawn Prerelease Review: The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

After the death of Nate’s parents, he takes the truck he inherited to the cabin they left him in order to take some time to grieve. The drive to the cabin lets us get to know Nate and his family history; it should come as no surprise it is gut wrenching stuff from this author. If possible, Nate’s night is about to become a whole lot worse, or better–at least interesting.

When he encounters the man and girl at his cabin, the series of events are strange. The main question I think anyone would have is, why does Nate go along with everything happening? There is his curiosity, of course. He is a journalist, so it’s in his nature to dig and want information. There is shock, and sometimes you just go along with what is going on around you and do what you’re told. Sometimes when you have nothing to lose, you make different decisions than you normally would. But if he thought his life was toast before, it is really crispy now, and there is no turning back into bread ever again (read the book.)

The thing is, even in a book full of strange and impossible things, these characters are more real than the characters in most stories. Art is that child that is too knowing, yet is still excited about every new thing. Nate is that man who has lost faith in the world and himself, but he can still surprise himself. Alex is the man who is resurrected from the ashes of his own life with a new purpose. The forced intimacy of them staying alone in an isolated place, and then being on the run together, works well. The slow burn finally gets kindled when everything snaps into place–when we know they are there by choice, rather than just letting events carry them. The author set this book in the 1990’s, so the use of political events, news, and pop culture help keep it grounded in the period.

The story is told from Nate’s POV, so it’s easy to sympathize with his emotions: as he gets attached to Alex and Artemis Darth Vader, as he has his existential crisis, as he experiences things so foreign to the way his neat ordered world was before. I laughed and cried reading this. There are times we do get to see other points of view that I enjoyed and added to the emotional impact of what was happening. It’s very difficult to review without spoilers, and really her name should tell you all you need to know. The genius of this book is not that I didn’t see what was happening beforehand–it is that I was still shocked and horrified when things happened. Then, I had no idea how the story was going to get out of the walls it had built; don’t worry, it walks through them.

The ending does go to an omnipotent observer POV before switching back to Nate’s POV and that annoyed me for a second. The epilogue was the best ending I could have hoped for, the one that made sense. There is a lot to be said for people being fearful of those different, of fear turning to violence, but there is more to be said for love and hope, of building the family you choose. What sets it apart from other science fiction in a similar vein, is that it focuses on the heart and mind of the characters, so this is not hard science fiction, more of a character study. I would recommend it.

The cover art is by Reese Dante and has a “so above, so below” feel that works well for the subject matter and the idea of how we are all stardust.

Sales Links on 10/26:
Book Details:
ebook, 385 pages
Expected publication: October 26th 2018 by TJ Klune
Original Title The Bones Beneath My Skin
ISBN139781732399914
Edition Language English
setting Oregon (United States)

EJ Russell on Cooking with Love and her new release ‘Single White Incubus ‘ (guest post and giveaway)

Single White Incubus (Supernatural Selection #1) by E.J. Russell
Riptide Publishing
Cover art: L.C. Chase

Sales Links  Riptide Publishing  |  Amazon

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host E.J. Russell here today on tour for her new novel Single White Incubus.  Welcome, E.J.

✒︎

Cooking with Love by E.J. Russell

Those of you who’ve read a few of my books may have noticed that there’s usually a scene involving food—preparing it, eating it, or both. This is due in large part to my Curmudgeonly Husband. He has a…er…close relationship with food, as both a preparer (he’s a fabulous cook, thank goodness, because I most definitely am not), an eater (he’s very serious about that), and as…well…landmarks. He actually remembers occasions based on what we were eating at the time. He may not remember people or places, but he remembers the food.

He also critiques movies based on the frequency of food-related scenes. When we first saw The Fellowship of the Ring, he was quite disappointed in how it compared to the book.

Me: Why? Do you mean because they left out Tom Bombadil or the barrow wights? I don’t think that was a big loss.

CH: Of course not. But I remember there being way more scenes involving food.

Me: …

By the way, I re-read the book after his comment. There weren’t.

Anyway, Single White Incubus is no different regarding my usual inclusion of the dining experience. In a way, food—or sustenance, anyway—is a major part of both Ted’s and Quentin’s nature.

For Ted, it’s because bear shifters (in the Mythmatched universe, the world comprising the Fae Out of Water and Supernatural Selection trilogies) consume astonishing quantities of food in the autumn, leading up to their hibernation season, where they’re much less active and eat less.

For Quentin, it’s because he’s resisting the standard incubus food source—life energies—for fear he’ll lose control again and drain someone he loves.

One of the first things that Ted does for Quentin (once their initial unfortunate encounter is behind them) is to feed him fish chowder. When I was writing the scene, I had a particular recipe in mind, one that CH makes regularly: Pierre Franey’s Soupe de Poisson from his New York Times 60-Minute Gourmet cookbook.

Our copy of the book, and its sequel, New York Times More 60-Minute Gourmet, have been used so much since we bought them in the early eighties that they’re falling apart. Sadly, they’re both out of print now, but for CH’s last birthday, I bought him used hardcover copies of both books.

If you’d like to try this dish yourself, here’s an online transcription:

http://debfood.pbworks.com/w/page/78875357/Soupe%20de%20Poisson

It says it makes four servings, but you can bet that Ted (like CH always does) doubled or tripled the recipe!

About Single White Incubus

Does a bear shift in the woods?

Well, partially. That was what got grizzly shifter Ted Farnsworth into trouble. He wasn’t trying to break the Secrecy Pact. He just wants people to see the real him. So he signs up with the mate-matching service Supernatural Selection — which guarantees marriage to a perfect partner. Not only will Ted never be lonely again, but once his new beaver shifter husband arrives, they’ll build Ted’s dream wilderness retreat together. Win-win.

Quentin Bertrand-Harrington, scion of an incubus dynasty, has abstained from sex since nearly killing his last lover. When his family declares it’s time for him to marry, Quentin decides the only way not to murder his partner is to pick someone who’s already dead. Supernatural Selection finds him the ideal vampire, and Quentin signs the marriage agreement sight unseen.

But a mix-up at Supernatural Selection contracts Quentin with Ted. What’s Ted supposed to do with an art historian who knows more about salad forks than screwdrivers? And how can Quentin resist Ted’s mouthwatering life force? Yet as they work together to untangle their inconvenient union, they begin to wonder if their unexpected match might be perfect after all.

Available from Riptide Publishing.

 

About Supernatural Selection

Are you a shifter who’s lost faith in fated mates? A vampire seeking a Second Life companion? Or perhaps you’re a demon yearning to claim a soul (mate)?

Congratulations! Your search is over!

Welcome to Supernatural Selection, where our foolproof spells guarantee your perfect match.

Until they don’t.

Check out Supernatural Selection today.

 

About E.J. Russell

E.J. Russell holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business-intelligence consultant. After her twin sons left for college and she no longer spent half her waking hours ferrying them to dance class, she returned to her childhood love of writing fiction. Now she wonders why she ever thought an empty nest meant leisure.

E.J. lives in rural Oregon with her curmudgeonly husband, the only man on the planet who cares less about sports than she does. She enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

Connect with E.J.:

Website: ejrussell.com

Blog: ejrussell.com/bloggery/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/E.J.Russell.author

Twitter: twitter.com/ej_russell

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ejrussell/

 

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Building Forever one lucky person will win a $25 Riptide Publishing gift card and an ecopy of Cutie and the Beast, the first title in the Fae Out of Water series! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on October 27, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

The Man Up Series Audio Tour Continues with Frankie:Unforgettable (Man Up #3) by Felice Stevens and Narrator: Kale Williams (excerpt)

 frankie tour banner

FRANKIE: UNFORGETTABLE

MAN UP SERIES, BOOK 3

FELICE STEVENS

M/M ROMANCE

AUDIO RELEASE: 08.29.18

Frankie Cover 

 

Cover Design: REESE DANTE

Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Cover Model Andrew Biernat

Narrator: Kale Williams

https://amzn.to/2NIpVcc

  

BLURB

Frankie

No one understands why I love him.

Why I need him.

Why I took him back.

But they don’t have to.

I know.

Despite the hurt and the heartache, I see beneath his skin.

And I’m different now.

No more Flirty Frankie.

My dreams have changed, and so have I.

I’m stronger.

I believe in myself.

And I’m a hell of a lot smarter than a year ago.

Now it’s his turn to show me the man he really is.

To prove it.

I’ve always loved him.

But that’s not enough.

I need to learn to trust him.

Aaron

No more excuses.

No more chances.

I make this right or lose him for good.

I have to do this.

No one has ever believed in me but him.

No one has ever wanted me but him.

I can’t let him down.

I won’t.

I can’t let myself down.

I’m trying, but it’s so damn hard.

No matter what they throw at me, I’m stronger.

And I’m going to make it.

I’m on my way.

With Frankie by my side.

I can see the future.

I have a future.

Us. Together.

Forever.

Frankie-teaser1-1000x750

Frankie-teaser2-1000x750

EXCERPT

“Still no luck?”

I set a cup of coffee in front of Aaron and stood across from him at the small kitchen counter. He’d come over to my place early to use my computer and had been job hunting for hours. When Aaron got out of jail, he’d wanted to move back in with me, but I said no. The past few months, I’d let him stay over more often than not, but he still had his own place. I was being careful.

“No, I fucking can’t even see straight anymore. I need a break.” He rubbed his eyes, then took a sip and let out a gusty sigh. “Thanks, babe. Hits the spot.”

The endearment sent a warm glow through me. In our joint therapy sessions, Aaron and I discussed his dislike for showing affection and how that made me feel unappreciated. Since he’d been back, he’d made the effort. It might not seem like much, but to me, it meant he listened and that my feelings were important to him.

I put on my most positive face for him. “Something’ll turn up. What about that one at the new supermarket that opened last week on Cross Bay Boulevard?”

He grimaced, his face darkening. “They said they didn’t have openings. But they still got the sign up in the window, ya know?”

I did know. And it worried me. Aaron had been out of jail for months now and had yet to find anything. And as much as I saw him trying to work through his anger issues, I worried he might slip and bring us back to that ugly place of last year.

“You want me to have Austin ask Rhoades? He’s got so many businesses, I bet he can find you something.”

“No,” he responded with an angry snap. “Your friend hates me. I don’t need no favors from him. I’m gonna do this on my own.”

“Okay, okay. It was only a suggestion.” He stood, and God help me, I couldn’t stop that involuntary jerk of my heart when he walked around the counter to stand in front of me. I hated seeing him defeated and sad.

“I know it was.” He reached out and cupped my jaw, his palm rough and warm against my face. I wished every one of the doubters could see these tender moments between us instead of remembering the old Aaron. “I’m not blaming you. My problems are my fault.”

I put my arms around him, hugging him close. “We both were at fault. But now we can do better. I want to show everyone the person I remember from when we first met. Smart, funny, sexy.”

He palmed my ass, bringing me flush up against him so I could feel the hard ridge of his dick against my stomach. “Sexy, huh? I’m only sexy for you.…You know that, right?”

“Mmhmmm.” He got me ready in no time flat.

 

Felice Stevens Logo

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. While life is tough, she believes there is a happy ending for everyone. She started reading traditional historical romances as a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that her interest in romance novels was renewed.

But somewhere along the way, her reading shifted to stories of men falling in love. Once she picked up her first gay romance, she became so enamored of the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion there was no turning back.

Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. Although she practices law, she daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be some angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

 

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An Ashlez Review: The Story of Us by Barbara Elsborg

Rating:  5 stars out of 5
 

The Story of Us is a new adult contemporary romance. It deals with family and social issues, violence and cruelty towards children, sexual situations though not sexual abuse, and has dark elements and suspense. The events and locations are a mixture of real and fictional. The characters are fictional.
 
“Are you okay?
The first words Zed says to Caspian, and the first time someone has cared about the answer. On a hot summer’s day, the lives of two boys are changed forever. A rebel and a risk taker, Caspian doesn’t give a damn for the consequences. Studious and obedient, Zed is the good boy who is never good enough.
 
The two couldn’t be more different, but there’s one thing they share, a need to belong to someone who understands them, someone who cares. Their friendship goes deeper than either can possibly imagine. They’re young, in love, and planning their future when an act of betrayal tears them apart.
 
Fate has dealt its hand. Seasons pass. Zed’s words follow Caspian through pain, fear and into the darkest of places. Friendships last a lifetime, even when the world conspires to crush them. But this is more than friendship. This is love and they’re not going to let it slip through their fingers.
 
This Is Our Story is a tale of love and survival, and the triumph of good over evil against the odds.
 
It’s a long story – 158,000 words that takes place over ten summers.
 
This book is very heavily focused on religion from the get-go, Muslim, I was fascinated honestly, reading about it was no hard feat, though I’m sure it’s not going to be the book for everyone just based on the religion aspect alone.  It’s throughout the whole book but not prominent focus after the first bit.
 
I found Zed to be quite a boy, he starts off scared and with a hard home life – studying – trying to deal with the religion aspect, the character evolution is just astounding
 
I thought Caspian was a confident boy who gets in a lot of trouble, for all that I think he’s a good kid, just wanting to find his own path in life and deal with the hand fate dealt.
 
This book was amazingly written and sucked me in from the start – there were hard times and good times and times you just wanted to cry for them. I didn’t want to put it down.  This book will stick with me for a while.
 
I liked the secondary characters, the evolution of everyone over the course of such a long time – each storyline and each outcome was well thought out and worked so well I can’t even!
 
A definite must read!!!!!
Cover:  Cover fit well, it was sweet and innocent and a picture of things
Sales Links:  Amazon link to come
Book Details:
ebook, 353 pages
Expected publication: November 1st 2018 by self-published
Edition Language English