A Lucy Review: Where Do I Start (Why You? #1) by Chase Taylor Hacket

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This is the first book of the Why You? series and I read this after I read the second book. I wasn’t actually going to read it, considering that Fletcher Andrews, the MC, was such a cheater and broke Roger’s heart. I don’t read cheating and I was going into this already hating Fletch. He’s beautiful, languorous, gets what he wants and drops his pants for everyone. So of course, I hate him. But this book is about losing something you didn’t realize how much you treasured and what it does to you to try to get it back.

Fletch and Roger were living together, happily and homey, until Roger finds out Fletch has been cheating on him. It devastates Roger and he throws Fletch out. They don’t see each other for two years until they accidentally meet at the opera. Fletch is with his sugar daddy, Darwin, and Roger is with his bestie, Tommy. While Tommy is thrilled to meet costume-designer Darwin, Fletch is more interested in Roger’s reaction. “Was he impressed? With my six-time Tony-winning date?” Right there I thought, my god, this guy is clueless. Luckily, he gets that clue. “And when Roger looked at me, he saw that I was just today’s eye candy, an expensive accessory like a watch. The boy du jour.” That one simple thing made Fletch take a hard look at himself. “Let’s be honest – if you go on a date and can show profit at the end of the evening, there’s a word for that. And that’s what Roger saw when he looked at me.”

Fletch also comes to realize that what he wants in life is Roger. Roger has a boyfriend, Jeffrey, another lawyer but that doesn’t matter to Fletch. He wants Roger back and he wants to do it right this time. We get some flashbacks not only into the pain Fletch caused Roger but also the how they met and some good things. “And although it ended miserably, which spoiled everything, if I could look beyond that – and let’s face it, I hardly ever could – but when I could look beyond that, I could see it had been a fantastic period in my life. I knew it at the time. I’d never been happier, and I had thought it would go on like that forever.” Oh, Roger.

This is told in alternating first person point of view, so we get the full extent of Fletch’s remorse and Roger’s pain. This is more striking because Roger is dealing with his current boyfriend, the infamous Jeffrey, who often acts like a jerk. The Jeffrey of book two doesn’t seem to be the same Jeffrey here. He does two terrible things, one of which I would expect of him but the other shocked me. No wonder Fletch got so angry, “Imagine how I felt, hearting Roger defend this smug, self-righteous, hypocritical little pr**k”.

Fletch goes to great lengths to win Roger back, and sometimes is dangerously close to being a stalker, but he’s putting Roger first this time, all the way. Roger is trying to fight it because he’s scared. The effects of infidelity can be long lasting and far reaching. “Because that’s what it came down to. Sure, Fletch says he loves me, and maybe he even meant it….But does any of this mean that he isn’t going to pull his boxers down for the next casual acquaintance or total stranger who looks even mildly interested?” That is the biggest hurdle.

As in Jeffrey and Theo’s book, there are times I wanted to hug Roger (well, that was really all the time) and times I wanted to hug Fletch. These guys, they grow on you and make you care what happens. When the bad things come out, I cringed and wanted it somehow to work out.

We get the history of Fletch, which isn’t pretty and he doesn’t share easily, and we get his dedicated efforts to win Roger back. There are times when Jeff and Fletch seem like they are about to pee on Roger to stake their claim. It was funny and ridiculous. We also get to have Tommy in this and he is completely lovely. I want his story so badly. He gives such great advice. “I don’t know. Have you ever asked him?”

One thing that I would have liked was a better reason why Fletch cheated on Roger, constantly and repeatedly, when he himself admitted he was a great boyfriend. Yes, I get it that Fletch didn’t believe in love, didn’t believe in relationships, didn’t believe in anything, but it really made him shallow. “You could think twice about hurting me horribly, or you could get – whatever- with whomever. And we can see which was more important to you.” Even though it’s two years in the past, my heart broke for Roger.

There is no on-page sex here and that worked for me. I have a problem with all issues big and small being solved by the magic penis. It makes me roll my eyes. Here, they have to work things out the old fashioned way. While I’m sure people are going to skip this book because of the infidelity, as I was going to, that would be a shame because that isn’t what this is about. It’s about redemption, forgiveness and understanding what you need. I would highly recommend this.

The cover, two men walking a Scottish terrier with only half their heads visible, was pretty spot on for me. The casual elegant beauty of Fletch and the more buttoned up handsomeness of Roger. Oddly, throughout the book I kept picturing Roger as older or less attractive. Maybe I was judgy about his name. But the depiction on the cover is more how he should be.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 266 pages
Published October 17th 2017 by Lyrical Press
Original TitleWhere Do I Start?
ASINB01N5S23MN
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesWhy You? #1

Harmony Promo Shirley Anne Edwards on Favorite Stories, Writing, and Rage to Live (Finding the Strength #1)

Rage to Live (Finding the Strength #1) by Shirley Anne Edwards

Harmony Ink Press

Cover Artist: Tiferet Design

Sales Links: Harmony Ink Press | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Shirley Ann Edwards here today to talk about her latest story at Harmony Ink Press, Rage to Live. Welcome, Shirley.

♦︎

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview – Shirley Anne Edwards

How much of yourself goes into a character?

Shirley: My characters are not an extension of me, although their experiences during the story are some of mine. An example is in Rage to Live, Charlie’s (my heroine) older cousins are involved in Greek life at the college they attend. When I was in college, I was in a sorority, which was a very positive for me. I wanted to show the positive side to Greek life and not the eyebrow rising stereotypes about sororities and fraternities sometimes portrayal in novels.

Has your choice of childhood or teenage reading genres carried into your own choices for writing?

Shirley: Growing up I was a big fan of the Babysitters Club and Nancy Drew Mysteries series. These series promoted great friendships, which I try to show in any book I write. Even when my main protagonist might have gone through some trauma or drama, they can always count on their group of friends to support them. When I entered high school, I became a big fan of historical fiction and romance, such as Gone with the Wind and the Outlander series. Strong female characters like Scarlett O’Hara and Claire Fraser are my inspirations to write independent and smart heroines.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

Shirley: I’m more of a fan of the HEA than the HFN. An HEA is everything beautiful and wonderful. All the drama and angst is now over, and the main couple can finally find peace within themselves and with one another.

Do you read romances, as a teenager and as an adult?

Shirley: Once I entered high school, all I wanted to do was read romance. I still read romance but I’ve branched out to mysteries and thrillers. I also read young adult because that’s the genre I choose to write.

Who do you think is your major influence as a writer? Now and growing up?

Shirley: Classic romance authors such as Jane Austen and the Bronte sister influenced me because their writing is so poetic and engaging. Again, they created some of the most beloved heroines in all of literature. I also adore Louisa May Alcott’s adult fiction. Her adult fiction, which is a blend of gothic thrillers and romance was such a departure from her children’s fiction.

I’ve always admired Nora Roberts and Stephen King because of their huge following and work ethic. I’m also a huge fan of young adult/ new adult author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, who amazes me with her output and generous spirit when it comes to writers and authors. She also writes some of the best hunky heroes currently 😊.

How do you feel about the ebook format and where do you see it going?

Shirley: I love ebooks. I read most books on my Kindle or Ebook app on my phone. Prior to working with Harmony Ink Press, I self-published four novels, so ebooks to me are my bread and butter.

What’s next for you as an author?

Shirley: I’m planning on writing another book in the Rage to Live world with a secondary character who I adore. It’s also going to be another LGBTQ young adult, but this time my somewhat traditional thinking male protagonist, who dreams of one day becoming the President of the Unites State falls for a somewhat older guy who loves tattoos and lives each day like it’s his last.

About the Author:

Shirley Anne Edwards is a Northeast girl who discovered her love for books when she read Nancy Drew’s The Secret of the Old Clock Tower at thirteen. Shirley found her love for writing at a very young age and, since then, has let her imagination run wild by creating quirky characters and vast worlds in her head. Shirley is also a brownie addict who loves to bake when she’s not busy writing. Shirley lives in New Jersey and works in the entertainment industry in New York City.

Shirley loves to hear from readers! You can email her at shirlwriteredwards@gmail.com or tweet her at @shirlawriter.

Website: http://shirlwriteredwards.wordpress.com

Harmony Ink author page: https://www.harmonyinkpress.com/authors/shirley-anne-edwards-185

Rage to Live blurb:

Can a young woman reveal her traumatic past to the woman who wants her to release the bubbling rage inside… her rage to live?

An act of violence tore Charlie’s existence, and her family, apart. In an effort to reclaim something like the life she enjoyed before, Charlie moves in with relatives in a different state. Charlie might be damaged, but she isn’t going down without a fight. With the help of her cousins, who attend the local college, she steels herself to repeat her final year of high school. On the university campus, she meets Arielle Forest, president of a popular sorority, daughter of the dean, and bisexual. Charlie is drawn to Arielle’s sunny outlook, but she can’t banish her doubts as romance blossoms. Does Arielle know what she’s getting into with Charlie and her unhealed wounds? Will she want to deal with the complications?

When Charlie’s past catches up to her, will she find the strength to keep fighting… or succumb to the call to escape all her pain for good?

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Stone the Crows (Wolf Winter #2) by T.A. Moore

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

When the Winter arrives, the Wolves will come down over the walls and eat little boys in their beds.

Doctor Nicholas Blake might still be afraid of the dark, but the monsters his grandmother tormented him with as a child aren’t real.

Or so he thought…until the sea freezes, the country grinds to a halt under the snow, and he finds a half-dead man bleeding out while a dead woman watches. Now his nightmares impinge on his waking life, and the only one who knows what’s going on is his unexpected patient.

For Gregor it’s simple. The treacherous prophets mutilated him and stole his brother Jack, and he’s going to kill them for it. Without his wolf, it might be difficult, but he’ll be damned if anyone else gets to kill Jack—even if he has to enlist the help of his distractingly attractive, but very human, doctor.

Except maybe the prophets want something worse than death, and maybe Nick is less human than Gregor believes. As the dead gather and the old stories come true, the two men will need each other if they’re going to rescue Jack and stop the prophets’ plan to loose something more terrible than the wolf winter.

Imagine being dumped into a landscape where all your childhood nightmares are real, where the bedtime stories of monsters with claws to rend your flesh and teeth to eat you told by your gran were not just nasty tales but of horrible tattered together creatures waiting for you to arrive? This is but the beginning of an incredible story and the second book in an amazing series by T.A. Moore.

Stone the Crows is the second novel in the Wolf Winter series by T.A. Moore and its a stunner at every level and element. Horror, urban fantasy, and romance. There is nothing this author and book doesn’t excel at.

It starts from the beginning, a bleak winter landscape and an isolated compound. It’s full of dead people. And that’s where we meet both Dr. Nicholas Blake, cataloging the dead, and the soon to arrive Gregor, werewolf, (twin brother to Jack, and one of the Crown Prince Pup of the Numitor). The author immediately surrounds us with the horrors of a plague like illness and a catastrophic winter that’s overtaken the population. Only we see the intimate results on the villagers nearby. The families and their children. It’s heartbreaking and ominous, setting the tone for all that follows.

Moore seamlessly blends the Norse mythology with the horrors of the supernatural to create something sublime. His wolves, his dogs, (they are different), are fully non-human. Not human characters given a light fur coating and called were. No, they have the “feel” of something feral and wild. And that contrasted with Nick’s humanity, makes the difference all too apparent. As will all the horrors that follow.

When legends and mythology collide, when blood and revenge are tied together, and a Throne involved, well, as it’s already been proven, there is nothing no one will sacrifice to achieve one’s goals, no amounts of blood, no great number of people, wolf or human that can’t be killed and Moore understands the emotions behind it all. On both the grand scale and the small emotional, intimate one. That last one that will leave you sobbing in scenes here. Trust me…keep those tissue boxes handy.

This is a bleak, gritty, moving story. It’s epic fantasy It’s full of muddy, emotional complications, and an overall series arc that starts back in book one, Dog Days (Wolf Winter #1). It’s got a ways to go before its highly involved, convoluted tales plays out. So much more blood to be spilled, and I expect the price to be paid equally high. I’m both dreading and highly anticipating the next story.

You con’t have to have read the first one but why wouldn’t you? It’s equally incredible and give’s you Jack’s story. This is a beautifully written story and series. It has amazing depth, and continues to grow as more elements are revealed in detail. Again, it’s a stunning story. Don’t pass it up. I highly recommend it.

Cover Artist: Bree Archer. I like the cover but it’s too white (i can’t believe I’m saying this. Doesn’t convey the darkness of the story).

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 240 pages
Published May 29th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640805422
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Wolf Winter :

Dog Days (Wolf Winter #1)

Stone the Crows (Wolf Winter, #2)

A VVivacious Review: A Love to Remember by Sarah Hadley Brook

Rating: 2 Stars out of 5

Graham comes from a family ravaged by the effects of Alzheimer’s and as a result, he has walled up his heart against any possibility of love. He only engages in casual sex but he starts questioning his resolve once he gets to know Sam. Will Graham be able to stand by his decision or will he have to re-think his decisions with love just a hand’s reach away…?

I had a hard time making myself read this one. I don’t know why but my interest just waned at about the 60% mark which was weird considering the fact that the story of this book only gets started at that point. The first 60% of the book is just the setting and most of the information revealed till this point is one you already know if you have read the blurb. After this point, the story’s progression to its inevitable conclusion just didn’t hold my attention.

I liked the concept of the story about how a debilitating condition that runs in your family would change your outlook of the world. But I felt like this concept overshadowed the characterisations because I can’t think of Graham as anyone other than the guy who doesn’t want to love because he fears that one day he will have Alzheimer’s and will be a burden on those who love him.

I feel like this story will be different for different people, so if you think the premise of this story speaks to you do pick up the book.

Cover Art by Written Ink Designs. I really liked the cover for this one, it was really sweet.

Sales Links: Universal Buy Link | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 85 pages
Published April 28th 2018 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07C1QNCZ4
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Alisa Review: Snow Cat by Edward Kendrick

Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

Artist Wynn McGuire has a problem. An enemy wants him dead.

Sheriff Mick Greene also has problems. Helping Wynn survive and finding the elusive “Snow Cat” that is prowling outside his small mountain town.

Wynn and Mick have another problem as well, their growing interest in each other. When Wynn disappears Mick is certain he’s either dead or has gone back to his old life. Then he discovers the truth about Wynn, just days before Wynn comes back into his life. Will this truth, plus Mick’s ex-lover and another man seeking to kill Wynn force them apart, or can they surmount the obstacles and learn that love indeed conquers all.

This was a nice story but nothing that will blow your socks off. Wynn is trying to stay alive and get rid of the man after him. Mick is just trying to keep his town safe but can’t help but want to help Wynn along the way.

I felt as though I was just along for the ride with these characters, I was told what was going on but didn’t feel a great connection to them. They mystery of Wynn’s enemy was different and didn’t really seem that hard to resolve but I didn’t think the brother coming for revenge did anything to help the plot along other than add some more pages to the book. Mick stands strong to his values and I liked his caring nature for those around him.

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is nice and like the visuals of Wynn.

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 143 pages

Published: January 11, 2018 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634866002

Edition Language: English

Book Blast Just A Year by Jena Wade (excerpt)

BOOK BLAST

BOOK 1

Book Title: Just A Week (#1)

Author: Jena Wade

Publisher: Self Published

Cover Artist: Silver Heart Design Studio www.silverheartstudio.com

Release Date: May 12, 2018

Genre/s: Contemporary Gay Romance

Book 1 of 2

Goodreads

Blurb

Just a week is not enough time to fall in love, but Fate doesn’t care. Seth’s carefully crafted plan for how his life will go doesn’t include falling in love with a guy in his horrible hometown. He wants to start a new life anywhere but at home. Until Maddox storms in with his multi-colored hair and carefree attitude.

Long distance relationships don’t work and Seth isn’t into gambling with his future. But the more time he spends with Maddox, the more he’s willing to throw caution to the wind. Now his plan for the rest of his life has been turned upside down and seems to include things Seth never thought possible, including a lifetime of happiness in his hometown.

Buy Link – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK

BOOK 2

Book Title: Just A Year (#2)

Author: Jena Wade

Publisher: Self Published

Cover Artist: Silver Heart Design Studio www.silverheartstudio.com

Release Date: May 12, 2018

Book 2 of 2

Genre/s: Contemporary Gay Romance

Length: 22,000 Words

Goodreads

Blurb

Just a year is too much time to spend apart from the man you love, but Seth has a carefully crafted plan for how to make it work. Taking an internship four hours away from Maddox may not have been the smartest choice Seth has ever made, but he is determined to make it work. Until life throws a wrench in his plans and turns his and Maddox’s world upside down.

Excerpt from Just a Year

Just a year. No more, no less. Three hundred sixty-five days. Five hundred, twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes.

Great, now I would have the Rent soundtrack playing in my head throughout the entire ceremony.

I took a deep breath and focused on the commencement speaker. After five long years, the last one and a half being the longest by far, I’d finished my degree. No more term papers, no more eight a.m. classes, no more all-nighters in the library so I could have a homework free weekend with my boyfriend.

Maddox.

He sat out there in the crowd with my parents. I felt his eyes on me, but I couldn’t see him. I’m not even sure which section they were in. The Breslin Center was filled to the brim with graduates and their families. All waiting for their individual name to be called so they could walk across the stage and collect a fake diploma. The real one wouldn’t arrive in the mail for a few weeks.

Just a year. That wasn’t that long, was it?

Maddox and I had survived the past year and a half getting to know each other over Skype and Facetime, chatting, Snapchatting, the works. Thank God for the digital age. On the rare occasions that we physically saw each other, well, I mean, I don’t really have to explain how those encounters went.

Jobs right out of college were hard to come by, everyone knew that. Maddox would understand.

Just a year.

“Seth Brown, Masters of Science in Marketing Research.”

I took a deep breath, walked across the stage, accepted my fake diploma from the university president, smiled for a picture and then I was done.

Five years, would have been six if I hadn’t busted my ass taking summer courses, done.

I smiled as I looked around the crowd, searching for Maddox. He’d make this whole thing worthwhile. It was his idea for me to walk at graduation. I was all set to skip it, but he insisted that I needed to do the traditional thing, and he and my parents would drive up for a nice visit.

Against the odds, I found him. His pink spiked hair stood out. How could it not? He grinned and waved frantically.

Worth it. Totally worth it. I would do anything to see that smile. To earn that smile.

Let’s hope it stayed in place after I told him about the job offer.

Just a year.

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the Author

Jena began writing in January of 2013 as a New Year’s Resolution–and so far she has stuck to it!

She lives in Michigan. By day she works as a web developer, and at night she writes. Born and raised on a farm, she spends most of her free time outdoors, playing in the garden, or riding her horses. She also helps run the family dairy farm.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website

Twitter

BOOK BLAST SCHEDULE

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

A MelanieM Release Day Review: My Fair Captain (Sci-Regency #1) by J.L. Langley

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

When Intergalactic Navy Captain Nathaniel Hawkins goes undercover to investigate the theft of an IN weapons stash, the mission raises painful memories from his past. Using a title he fled nearly two decades earlier, Nate once again becomes the Earl of Deverell, heir to the Duke of Hawthorne, in order to navigate the ins and outs of a Regency world. But planet Regelence—where young lords are supposed to remain pure until marriage—has a few surprises for Nate, not least of which is his attraction to Prince Aiden.

A talented artist, Prince Aiden Townsend isn’t interested in politics and the machinations of society gentlemen, and he adamantly rejects the idea of marriage and a consort. Aiden wants the freedom to pursue his art and determine his own future. But the arrival of the dashing and mysterious Deverell awakens feelings of passion and longing the young prince can’t deny.

As Nate uncovers a conspiracy reaching far beyond the stolen weapons, his future is irrevocably altered by the temptations of a life he never thought he could have. Drawn into the web of intrigue, Aiden is in danger of losing his life… and his heart.

Well, this is a surprising review to write because I thought I knew exactly how this was going to go before I started the book and wrote the review. Talk about a teaching moment. Sigh. Never make assumptions. Trite but oh so true.

You see I thought I knew the book I was going to read. Why? Because I read the first edition published in 2007. Well, my paperback copy (yellowed and well loved due to multiple readings) says 2008. Really, I read that thing so many times I had it half memorized. I mean, that book sizzled! Just the growled “Boy” from Hawk to Aiden was enough to have me fanning myself. And the sex? Off the charts! Spanking and yes, fisting. My Fair Captain was incendiary!

It also was funny, layered, and grounded in an amazing universe so well built that it could support a series. As finally did.

Add to that a complicated intergalactic conspiracy that has it’s intricate groundwork laid down in this novel for books to come (The Englor Affair,My Regelence Rake (Sci-Regency #3), a fantastic family and cast of fully developed characters you couldn’t get enough of and you had an addictive 5 star novel. I’m one of its biggest fans. I knew exactly what to expect when I picked up the new release from Dreamspinner Press.

Only that’s not what I got.

I got My Fair Captain…Lite.

From the original 341 pages down to 244, gone are all the BDSM aspects of the story (a favorite element quite frankly). The few times that that Hawk calls Aiden “boy” here it makes no sense and its most likely because they forgot to delete it. Now he calls Aiden “Sweetheart”. I actually shuddered. So far out of character is that nickname as a replacement for “Boy”.

Another character I loved got a lightening of character. Trouble was a dangerous, brilliant teenage soldier who was capable of threatening to kill someone in the first story. This made total sense as he had been in countless battles with Hawk on the Lady Anna spaceship. The second version? Thrown out the window! That aspect of Trouble where he could actually take down someone in combat or kill someone? Gone, and with it something of value. It was endearing to have Trouble wearing bunny slippers knowing he was a predator. Not as funny when that was removed.

Yes, I got out my paperback after completing the eBook and went page by page because I was so dumbfounded by the changes.

Some beloved passages remain the same. A lot really. But there are also major shifts to just a sweet romance, away from the complicated, sensual story I first fell in love with. So how to review this? There’s so much of the old still here that I loved? And yet so much elemental that’s gone. The framework is here, the characters are all here, but even they aren’t exactly the same…mostly. It’s just different enough for someone to have read and still loves the original to be off-putting. Like I said all the robust flavor and depth has been removed…and now it’s lite beer.

Which is fine if that’s to your liking.

So, I guess if you are new to this series, you won’t have the same expectations as I did and will enjoy this series immensely. It really does have great characters, a fast paced plot, lots of humor and romance. And with four brothers, more stories (one for each) to come.

But if you are like me, a lover of the original. Skip it. Run, don’t walk, back to our paperback copies, grab hold and start reading them again like I did last night. All of a sudden it was 2008 and I had just discovered this incredible author and this amazing book I couldn’t get enough of. Now to turn on that fan.

First Edition published by Samhain Publishing Ltd., June 2007

Cover Artist: Tiferet Design. Again, sweet and nice. Lite! Will never live up to the hottness that was that original Anne Cain cover. It brought in the half naked torso craze that’s so common now everywhere. Tired of half naked torsos? Blame it on this cover because (fans self) thats where it began. See the original cover design below.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook and Paperback | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, 244 pages

Expected publication: May 29th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press (first published June 2007)

Original Title My Fair Captain

ISBN 1640806865 (ISBN13: 9781640806863)

Edition Language English

Series Sci-Regency #1

Characters Nathaniel Hawkins, Aiden Townsend

setting Regelence, 4829

The Original Cover Art by Anne Cain 2007:

A Lucy Review: And The Next Thing You Know by Chase Taylor Hackett

Rated 4.5 stars out of 5

Jeffrey Bornic has this vision of his idea partner. He will be gorgeous, successful, fit, intelligent, socially adept, etc etc etc. He was dumped by his musician boyfriend, Roger, months ago and he’s still working on the new partner thing. Maybe because

“Got up in a bad mood.

Again.

It had been a stretch of bad moods lately. Seriously. Since like October.

I suppose that means since Roger. Old boyfriend. Make of that what you will.”

The thing is, Jeffrey is kind of an arrogant jerk. He’s a lawyer and he puts a lot of time into that. He has one really good friend, Rebecca, who works at the same law firm, and that’s sort of it. He works all the time and he can be so rude.

When his apartment is under construction, this elaborate remodel, he turns to Rebecca for a spot on his couch. Problem is, Rebecca’s firebrand little brother, Theo, has already staked a claim on that spot on the couch. The first time the two meet is a comedy of errors and Jeffrey comes off looking like an idiot. Theo is a songwriter and is short, red-haired, snarky and homeless right now. He will not, however, be jobless. “As long as you’re sleeping on my couch, you’ll have a job. Or it’s back to the farm. This is not the Rebecca McPherson Unemployed Songwriters Retreat.” Where does Rebecca find him a job? At their law firm of course! Jeffrey is facing not only the man who makes him crazy but finds out that Roger’s best friend, Tommy, is now working for the firm as well.

The two of them end up having to share the couch for a while and they spend all their time insulting each other, something starts to change. At least for Jeffrey it does. Theo has a maybe-boyfriend named Madison who treats him pretty negligently but he’s got harassing Jeffrey to brighten his days. I admit, there were a couple times, such as blindsiding Jeffrey at the party with Roger, showing up where Jeffrey was having dinner with parents or the aftermath of Hamilton, where I thought, Theo is too much. He’s out to hurt people. Maybe it was because Jeffrey seems to be really in love for the first time (Roger W. Prescott Memorial Project notwithstanding) that he appears the more vulnerable one here. He’s the one doing the sweet things (the shoelaces, omg) and trying hard. Of course, his past actions of being a douche come back to bite both of them and that was painful.

Thank heaven for Tommy, who befriends Theo at work and is the voice of reason when Theo needs it. We really, really need Tommy’s book.

The story is told in alternating first person point of view and we also get Tommy’s thoughts. I loved being able to connect with everyone like that. Getting to see Jeffrey grow as a person, become stronger, was a glorious thing. There were times I wanted to hug him, such as when he shows Theo his under-construction apartment, and times I wanted to hug Theo and times I wanted to shake them both. They both do some growing up here and it was wonderful.

I have to admit I read this before the first in this series and I am so glad I did. The Jeffrey Bornic of this book is snarky, obnoxious and arrogant but he isn’t vile as I thought he was in the first book, Where Do I Start? Had I read the series in order I wouldn’t have bothered with Jeffrey’s book and I’d have missed out. The Jeffrey of this book was serious.

Completely recommend this book, especially for those who love characters who redeem themselves and those who love the snark.

The cover art was sort of middle of the road for me. Headless torso in a long sleeved t-shirt was, I assume, Theo, with Jeffrey’s hands clasped around his middle. While I liked the idea of the closeness, I was disappointed we didn’t get the red hair that Theo is so known for.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 290 pages
Published February 6th 2018 by Lyrical Press
Original TitleAnd the Next Thing You Know . . .
ASINB071VHV289
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesWhy You? #2

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Riven (Riven #1) by Roan Parrish

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Theo Decker is a rock star—his dream come true. But he hates it. Give him his music and he’s happy, but give him paparazzi, crowds of fans, and no privacy and he’s immobilized with fear. He’s even socially awkward around his bandmates. Riven was a three-person band looking for a lead singer who could compose music when they happened to connect—a match made in heaven, or at least in rock star heaven. But they were all friends before Theo joined them so he continually finds himself on the outside looking in. Uncomfortable is almost too mild a word to describe how he feels both on and off stage when he’s on tour with them.

Caleb Blake Whitman is a formerly famous brilliant musician and a currently recovering drug addict. His fear of relapsing again (his fourth time) is so huge that he’s secluded himself at a cabin in the woods and spends most of his time alone and in his vegetable garden. A former bandmate and lover, Rhys, visits frequently and supports him wholeheartedly. He also has support from his sponsor, Huey, an old codger who says little, but knows much about life.

When the two meet, it’s like the stars collide. Theo is over-the-top excited to meet someone like Caleb and Caleb is in awe of Theo’s talent. As their relationship moves from friends to friends-with-benefits to more, however, Caleb is frightened of the thought of relapse. And he knows it will happen if he allows himself to enter Theo’s world. After all, each time he tried to stay clean in the past, it was something related to touring with his band that triggered him into relapse, and though he wants this time to be different, he’s deathly afraid it won’t be.

What happens along the way makes for a complex and beautiful love story. The author’s treatment of addiction, recovery, triggers, and the need for a sponsor and an outlet for the fears is spot-on. Her portrayal of Theo as a young, insecure musical genius was totally different from what I expected and absolutely perfect for this story. Caleb and Theo belong together and readers should enjoy their journey. It’s not an easy one but there is an HEA and for that I was most thankful.

I highly recommend this story to lovers of MM romance, especially to those who love a story featuring musicians, age gap, hurt-comfort, addiction recovery, and just plain love.

A note about the cover: This is a stunning cover – the best I’ve seen in a long time, unfortunately the cover artist is not listed in the ARC. Most of the cover is solid black with a view of the MC, Theo Decker, through the thick lettering of the title: RIVEN. The author’s name appears below in thin white lettering. This cover is unique and extremely well done.

Sales LInks: Penguin House | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 235 pages
Expected publication: May 29th 2018 by Loveswept
Original TitleRiven
ASINB0755Z3SH1
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesRiven #1

An Alisa Release Day Review: Love You So Madly (Love You So Stories #2) by Tara Lain

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Ben Shane has it all… and he’d like to give some of it back. While he loves his job heading a foundation that funds worthy causes around the world, his engagement to one of America’s wealthiest men leaves him feeling more like a trophy wife than a valued partner. The first warning that his relationship might not be designed to last is his irresistible lust for Dusty Kincaid, the golden-haired, bright-eyed handyman for his company.

Though Dusty is odd for a twenty-three-year-old—no liquor, no sugar, and he can’t even drive—the more Ben gets to know Dusty, the more he admires him. But is Ben going to give up a guy who drives a Ferrari for one who takes the bus? He must be mad. Dusty knows he and Ben can never work. After all, Ben’s perfect… and Dusty isn’t. But Ben might surprise everyone with proof that he’s only mad in love.

I read the first book in this series when it first came out years ago and loved it, I was excited to see the author is now continuing the series because I love a sweet shorter story almost all the time. Ben is drawn to Dusty when he first sees him and finds that he enjoys his company much more than his fiancé. Dusty has been a bit sheltered due to his health concerns but embraces the chance to spend some time with Ben.

I still can’t figure out why Ben said yes to Alan’s proposal, he doesn’t seem to really have anything in common or enjoy spending time with him, it may just have been flattery at the time. I did love his openness to Dusty and how willing he is to adapt his life to someone who actually matters to him. I loved seeing Dusty finally get something good in his life and you could see how he didn’t want anyone to feel bad for him. Both of these characters were wonderful and it was easy to connect and see what they were feeling. I can’t wait to read more of these stories as they come out.

The cover art by Reese Dante is great and I love the visual of Dusty.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 120 pages

Published: May 29, 2018 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64080-448-7

Edition Language: English

Series: A Love You So Story

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Rage to Live (Finding the Strength #1) by Shirley Anne Edwards

Harmony Ink Press

Cover Artist: Tiferet Design

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