Review Tour – Last Defense (Harrisburg Railers #5) by R.J. Scott and V.L. Locey (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 52,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Meredith Russell
 
Harrisburg Railers Series
 
Book #1 – Changing Lines – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #2 – First Season – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #3 – Deep Edge – Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #4 – Poke Check – Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb
 

Two men afraid to feel, have to make choices that could end up breaking down their defenses and leading them back to love.

Every time Max Van Hellren steps on the ice he knows it could be his last time. At thirty he’s past his hockey prime but he’s also hiding a life-threatening injury that private doctors warn could kill him. This is his last season, and there’s a chance he could lift the Stanley Cup after fourteen years in the NHL. He just needs to stay safe and healthy; difficult when he’s known for his heavy hitting and with a propensity for dropping the gloves and putting his body in the way of pucks to keep his team safe.

A one night stand with a sexy man was just what he needed, dangerous and hot, but what if it turned into more? Would he actually have to share the secrets he so desperately tries to hide?

Ben Worthington had it all. A fulfilling job running the CrossRoads Shelter, his loving aunts, and a husband that understood his devotion to animals. Then, the love of his life left him, succumbing so quickly to an unexpected sickness that Ben never had time to say goodbye. The violent loss scarred him.

Unable to move past his fears, he moves from lonely encounter to lonely encounter, slaking a desperate need that is eating away at him, but never making a connection that could lead him back into love. One night with Max makes him want more, but will giving into the temptation open the door to feelings he can’t contain?

Can these two broken men ever find a way to be together?



May 16 – Reading In Sarah’s Corner, Xtreme Delusions, Urban Smoothie Read
May 18 – Katie’s Book Corner, We Three Queens, The Geekery Book Review, Gay Media Reviews, Bookaholic & Kindle
May 21 – MM Midnight Cafe, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, My Fiction Nook, My Book Filled Life
May 23 – OMG Reads, Jim’s Reading Room, MM Good Book Reviews, RAM PA Group
May 25 – Nerdy Dirty & Flirty, Making It Happen
May 28 – Wicked Faerie’s Tales & Reviews, Wicked Reads
May 30 – Book Lovers 4Ever, Padme’s Library
June 1 – Book Review By Virginia Lee, Mirrigold, Bayou Book Junkie

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review here.
 
Excerpt
 

“Nice dog.” I paused just this side of the players’ entrance at the deep voice coming from behind me. There was something about that man’s voice…the timbre of the bass or the way he spoke. Not sure what it was, but the last time he’d spoken to me my body had had the same kind of reaction. A spear of latent heat low in my belly followed by a shiv of icy dread.

“Thanks.” I wanted to stare at the door. Or run. I couldn’t do either of those, though, so I turned to face the bearded man. Christ, but he was fierce-looking. Like a Viking, with piercing eyes and an aura that screamed berserker. He was bigger than me. Taller by at least four inches and probably sixty pounds. He was wearing a suit, as Stan and Erik had been, but his looked incredibly fine on his burly frame. Dark blue with a silver tie and a white shirt. His biceps strained the material trying to contain them.

“His name is Bucky.” There now, I had spoken to the man who made my heart leap around inside my chest like a frog on a highway.

“Like Captain America’s sidekick?” He looked down at my worn T-shirt with Cap’s shield on it.

“Exactly like that.”

He took another step, which put him into my little personal space bubble, his gaze and mine locked. I wet my lips and jerked my chin up a bit. I wasn’t going to let some hockey player intimidate me.

“Cute dog. Hot owner.” He gave me a long, slow look, petted Bucky, and stepped around the dull-witted man trying to digest the fact Mr. Fear had said he was hot. “Are you coming in, or are you teaching your dog to open doors mentally?”

“I’m here to see Layton Foxx.”

“Yeah? Well, I’m here to participate in morning skate.”

“I know who you are. Max van Hellren. You played for Washington four years ago.”

He tugged the door open and settled a kind of bored look on me. “Yeah, that was me. You like Washington?”

“Hometown team.” Bucky barked to back me up. Max smiled. All the ferocity that oozed out of him dissipated when he smiled. The man was seriously fine.

“Maybe I can change your mind about which team to cheer for, Mr. Washington Fan.”

“Ben. My name is Ben.”

He nodded just once, his hand still keeping the door open. “Ben. I like that. Suits you. So, are we coming in or are we going to flirt here in front of Pete?”

A security guard peeked around the door and winked at me. I wanted to die. Right there.

“I don’t flirt,” I snapped. I stalked around Max and Pete and went off to find Layton Foxx. Determination hot in my breast kept me from looking back to see if Max was checking out my ass. I hoped he was and I prayed he wasn’t.

RJ’s goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the bestselling author of over one hundred romance books. She writes emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, Dr. Who, Torchwood, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, two Jersey steers and a flock of assorted domestic fowl.

When not writing lusty tales, she can be found enjoying her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

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Release Blitz – The Little Things by Jay Northcote

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK – Currently on Sale for 2.99
 
Length: 75,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
Blurb


Sometimes it’s the little things in life that make you appreciate what you have.
There are lots of things that brighten Joel’s life. His three-year-old daughter Evie is one. His close relationship with her mother, his best friend from university, is another. Joel’s boyfriend, Dan, adds spice to his child-free nights, and Joel is pretty happy with how things are.

One cold and rainy night, everything changes. Joel’s life is turned upside-down when he becomes a full-time dad to Evie, and his previously carefree relationship with Dan cracks under the strain.

Meeting Liam, who acts as if getting hurt isn’t a foregone conclusion, shakes Joel to the core. Their attraction is mutual, and Liam makes no secret of how serious he is about Joel. But Joel is wary. He tells himself he’s keeping Liam at a distance for Evie’s sake, when really he’s protecting his own heart. Taking a chance on this new relationship with Liam may seem a small step—a little thing—but is it one Joel can take after losing so much already?

Author Bio



Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.


One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.


Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.


Jay is transgender and was formerly known as she/her.


Website: https://jaynorthcote.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jay_Northcote
Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/dellamere
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotefiction
Facebook author group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jaysplayground
Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/JN-readers
Jay’s books: http://author.to/JayNorthcote

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Royal Wedding Weekend. This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Royal Wedding Weekend.

Unless you are living in a cave somewhere (without wifi) or at the highest reaches of the earth (ditto wifi), you know that a royal wedding took place yesterday between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.  At last count,  it’s estimated that 2 billion people worldwide watched the royal wedding, one of the most remarkable of it’s kind, with it’s inclusion of an American Bishop, the Rev. Michael Curry’s rousing sermon, a Gospel Choir, and the wonderful UK teenage cellist, Sheku Kanneh-Mason,  among the highlights.

Now spring is typically the start of wedding season and what a way to launch it.  Yes, I watched.  I have long loved that madcap Prince Harry.  From happy red-haired toddler to lost little boy following his mother’s coffin to troubled adolescent into his twenties , we’ve all watched him…and I think related.  He grew up, went off to service, matured, and, and continued on the path his mother started. And finally found love.  How could we not cheer?  Especially when it came in the form of Meghan Markle? Someone remarkable in her own right, self assured, oddly similiar background (sans royalty of course) who has used her celebrity to provide wells for women in Africa and continue her own charity work.  So, yes, I guess, the world went sort of mad this weekend.  Were you watching?

Ah,  royal courtships and weddings.  It’s the stuff books have always been and are made of. Doesn’t Cinderella ring any bells? Or any Disney princess with their foundations grounded in novels?  I’m not just thinking contemporary love stories, although those too.  But plenty of science fiction and fantasy stories have royal courtships and interstellar weddings at the heart of their novels.  Sometimes, even the fate of a planetary alliance will rest on the union!  Gadzooks!  That’s a terribly familiar and beloved theme right there!  (Shannon West’s Mate of the Tyger Prince jumps into mind).  So I was trying to find lists.  Any lists.  Not very successful.  So you know what I’m going to ask.

Wrack those memories!  All genres!  Let’s get those wedding fics out here!  Contemporary, supernatural, scify, fantasy, all of them!  We can list by series as well.

I’m sort of starting us off here….

Historical

Crofton Hall series by Rebecca Cohen (with some contemporary stories too)

Contemporary:

Wake Up Married Series by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths
Suddenly Yours by Jacob Z. Flores
Marriage of Inconvenience by M.J. O’Shea
The Greek Tycoon’s Green Card Groom by Kate McMurray
First Comes Marriage by Shira Anthony
Tall, Dark, and Deported by Bru Baker

Science Fiction:

Mate of the Tyger Prince series by Shannon West (shifter aliens, humans, mpreg)

Supernatural/Paranormal:

Mage of Inconvenience by Parker Foye

Fantasy:

The Gryphon King’s Consort by Jenn Burke

Royal Wedding Giveaway

 Its our Royal Wedding Giveaway! No, it’s not their cake! Our giveaway will be associated with this.  Let’s call it the Royal Wedding Giveaway!  Leave a comment for the rest of the month, along with your recs if any, (address too).  A  $10 gift card will be given to the one chosen on June 1st.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

 

 

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, May 20:

  • Royal Wedding Weekend. This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • Book BLAST- The King’s Sun by Isaac Grisham
  • Release Blitz – Lawyer’s Secret Omega by Bella Bennet
  • Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Lover (Survivor #2) by TM Smith
  • A VVivacious Review :The King’s Sun by Isaac Grisham

Monday, May 21:

  • Book Blast – Rip Cord: The Complete Trilogy by Jeanne St. James
  • DSP Publications Promo TJ Nichols
  • Release Blitz – The Little Things by Jay Northcote
  • Review Tour – Last Defense by RJ Scott & VL Locey
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Roped In by A.M. Arthur
  • A MelanieM Review: Last Defense (Harrisburg Railers #5) by R.J. Scott and V.L. Locey
  • An Alisa Review: Kaleidoscope (CyNapse Security, Inc. #1) by Jo Tannah
  • An Ali Review: A Tiny Piece of Something Greater by Jude Sierra

Tuesday, May 22:

  • DSP Dreamspun Promo E.J. Russell
  • GUEST POST ​Hans M Hirschi on Returning to the Land of the Morning
  • RELEASE BLITZ Face The Music by K.M. Neuhold
  • Spotlight Tour: WASH OUT by L.A. Witt
  • A Alisa Release Day Review:Rogue in the Making (Studies in Demonology #2) by TJ Klune
  • A Barb Release Day Review: A Little Side of Geek (Geek Life) by Marguerite Labbe
  • A Free Dreamer Release Day Review:  Angels Rising (Heaven Corp #3) by CC Bridges
  • A Stella Release Day Review: Plummet to Soar by Z.A. Maxfield

Wednesday, May 23:

  • DSP Dreamspun Promo Nicki Bennett
  • Review Tour – Leta Blake – Alpha Heat
  • DSP Promo Marguerite Labbe on A Little Side of Geek (Geek Life)
  • Release Blitz – No Luck by Kayleigh Sky
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Strain (Strain #1) by Amelia C.  Gormley
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Alpha Heat by Leta Blake
  • An Ali Audiobook Review: Crescendo (Song of the Fallen, #2) by Rachel Haimowitz and Giles Barron (Narrator)
  • A Lila Audionook Review: Kill Game (Seven of Spades #1) by Cordelia Kingsbridge and Wyatt Baker (Narrator)

Thursday, May 24:

  • Tour for Drama Fraternity, the sixth Nicky and Noah mystery, by Joe Cosentino
  • COVER REVEAL for Murder in New York, The Pinkerton Man Series #2 by C.J. Baty
  • DSP Promo Ana Raine
  • DSP Promo CC Bridges
  • A Lila Review: A Broken Cup by Emery C. Walters
  • A MelanieM Review: Drama Fraternity (Nicky and Noah Mystery #6) by Joe Cosentino (
  • A Stella Review: Detour by Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore
  • An Alisa Review: The Charmer by R.W. Clinger

Friday, May 25:

  • DSP Promo Sarah Black on War Paint
  • Review Tour – Swings & Roundabouts – Jackie Keswick
  • Spotlight Tour for FOURTEEN SUMMERS by Quinn Anderson
  • Series Recap Blitz/Cover Reveal – Taking Shield Series – Anna Butler
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: War Paint (States of Love) by Sarah Black (
  • A Lucy Review: And The Next Thing You Know by Chase Taylor Hackett
  • A Lila Review: Swings & Roundabouts by Jackie Keswick
  • A Free Dreamer Review:  Bane (Strain #2) by Amelia  C. Gormley

Saturday, May 26:

  • Release Blitz – Ice Fairy 3: Coming Together by S. L. Danielson
  • Book Blast His Wildest Dream by Xander Collins
  • A MelanieM Review:  The Gallery: The Permanent Collection (The Gallery #1) by Megan Derr

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Lover (Survivor #2) by TM Smith

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Shannon Dupree is a survivor. He managed to escape from a brutal relationship with an older man who first treated him like a special bauble and then beat him up every time Shannon did something he didn’t like. As the story opens in 2010, Shannon has just managed a successful escape and has made his way to Texas while hiding in fear of his life from his abuser.

The early chapters of the story move rather quickly through the years as the characters are introduced to readers and then get introduced to each other. Next to be introduced, in 2011, is Rory, an FBI agent who has been undercover for five years while trying to work on the Langford murder case. (Survivor) In 2013, the author establishes that Shannon and Taylor Langford have become friends and in fact later that year Taylor invests in Shannon’s new dance and yoga studio in Texas.

And then we meet Rand Davis, new to Dallas PD, and assigned to cold case files. In 2015, Shannon and Rory meet at a party and become friends and later lovers. And it’s not long after that when Rand and Rory meet and are assigned to cover a case together. To be honest, I’m not positive I have all the facts correct. There was a lot of backfill and there were two concurrent police issues: the first was the undercover coverage of the Langford family in the Texas area and the second was the discovery of a lead in the case of a judge’s missing grandson that leads Rory, and then Rand, to believe that there’s a serial killer loose in the Seattle area.

Fast forward to 2016 and the serial killer case is about to break. Apparently, not only are the victims blond and blue-eyed like Rory’s boyfriend, Shannon, but when Shannon spots a photo and finally tells Rory about his past abuse, the information he reveals may show a link between his case and the missing men. This causes the story action to escalate from that point until the final drama where all the storylines and characters merge and explosive action takes place. No spoilers here but I can say there’s definitely lots of excitement and I definitely didn’t want to put the book down.

However, after that action, the final chapters dragged by. These chapters told the story of the three men becoming more involved with one another and making a commitment to be a threesome. There were some brief but sketchy sex scenes, but I didn’t feel the love. And then, each time I turned what I thought would be the final page, I’d come to a new chapter in a different POV. To be honest, this last segment of the book could easily have been condensed since it didn’t add much substance to the story.

I liked all three men. Shannon was bright and cheerful most of the time, definitely the most effeminate of the three. Rory was sharp and dedicated, slender, tough, and thoughtful. Rand was older, bigger, sexy, and smart. Together they complemented each other in many ways and I was rooting for them to all get together so when it finally started to happen, after the other action drama ended, I was disappointed in the way their romance was told. Perhaps if there was more dialogue and less telling, or if the sex scenes were more explicit, it would have been more interesting. Sadly, most of the threesome’s sex scenes were done as two together with one observing, which I didn’t care for. To me, if one is going to have a “throuple” in love, one should have sex scenes that depict all three men having sex together.

I wouldn’t advise anyone to read this as a standalone. There is a lot of carryover from the first book—not just characters, but situations as well, so readers may miss an important connection if they start with this story.

~~~

The cover depicts a handsome young blond man sitting against a background of a collage of buildings and a police badge shaded in one area. Bright and colorful, I’m sure the blond is Shannon and I like the fact that it complements the cover of book one without being repetitive. It’s easy to link the two stories together.

 

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published April 19th 2018 by TTC Publishing
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSurvivor #2

A VVivacious Review: The King’s Sun (The Brass Machine #1) by Isaac Grisham

Rating: 4 out of 5 exhilarated stars

Kitsune is the self-contained prince of Kitsunetsuki defined by his loyalty to his King, his Father, Oni. But when Oni banishes him from the kingdom, Kitsune is thrown off-kilter. Kitsune has no knowledge of what lies ahead of him and he has no idea of what his travels will unravel.

As he travels through Odom, skirts around the Wastelands to the Tribal lands, in search of the Harbinger to shed light on his path, he learns the truth about himself and his father. But more surprisingly he comes across the most undefinable emotion of all, love.

As love encompasses his mind and changes his perspective, what will happen to the mission that his brought him so far and what of the misguided loyalty that still belabours in his heart for his King.

This book will immediately inspire you to compare itself to much more prolific series that deal with the rise and fall of kingdoms but it lacks the complexity of plot that can only arise when you have multiple characters all with their own agenda pulling the plot in many different directions where it is always a challenge knowing who will succeed and how that will alter the chess board.

This book lacks all that complexity and overall has only two over-arching plotlines. Now the problem with having only two plotlines is that you know that they will eventually have to feed each other and the plot and so I had kind of guessed the most suspenseful event of this book from its blurb which was further validated when I started reading the book and then it actually came to be. So that would be its one downfall that the book lacks the complexity to hide the suspense of its storyline.

But, truthfully I liked the lack of complexity of over-arching agendas and plotlines where I am struggling to understand how they all come together. While those books are their own sort of fun, I really liked the way this book went about its storyline and that is saying something since I had already guessed its climax.

I really liked how magic was introduced in this book as something that Kitsune was sure of didn’t exist because it added a connection between him and me. Also, I like how magic was explored in this book.

I really liked Kitsune’s story I was so into it that the first detour that we took from his story to follow Saxma’s made me stop reading. I sometimes question authors changing perspectives when the storyline of one character is in jeopardy because it’s hard to read placid storylines when your heart is racing with adrenaline, it just had me really frustrated but later I really liked what Saxma brought to the story. I also liked how Saxma’s story is used to build up Oni and I can’t wait to see where that leads.

This story is essentially setting up the chessboard. By the end of the story we have all our main players in place and we know their backstories and where they are coming from and their motivations that will define their actions in the sequel which I would really like to get my hands on, hopefully soon.

This book is not a romance though love happens to be one of the great plot progressions in this book and I really liked the story of Darren’s lover. That idea of combining a story within a story was ingenious, in fact, some of the writing for that story related so well with life in general that it blew me away.

I have really come to like Kitsune and even though I can’t really understand his character, I am loving his story and I would love to know where it goes especially because of thecliffhanger that the so-called climax of this book was hiding which even I hadn’t guessed.

Cover Art by Dissect Designs.  I really loved the cover. It is so amazing with the title engulfed in fire on the background of a series of cogwheels. Also, talking about the cover reminds me of the analogy in this book, that of the brass machine and I loved the metaphor.

Buy Links 

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes and Noble  – Paperback

 

Book Details:ebook, 298 pages
Published May 1st 2018 by Cooper Blue Books, LLC
ISBN 173214060X (ISBN13: 9781732140608)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Brass Machine #1

Release Blitz – Lawyer’s Secret Omega (Dewey Cheetum & Howe Law Book 1) by Bella Bennet (excerpt)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title:  Lawyer’s Secret Omega:

M/M Non-Shifter Mpreg (Dewey Cheetum & Howe Law Book 1)

Author: Bella Bennet

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Cosmic Letterz

Genre/s: contemporary gay romance, non-shifter mpreg

Length: 64,000 words

Release Date: May 14, 2018

Goodreads 

Blurb

When paralegal Omega Ryan is moved onto his crush’s team, it was only a matter of time before the law firm workplace rule of no employee dating was broken.

Now, as Ryan’s boss, wealthy Alpha law firm partner Marcus has a secret pregnancy and relationship with Ryan to hide or they’ll lose their jobs.

But the secret pregnancy is the least of their problems when Ryan’s parents find out…

Workplace unresolved tension. A forbidden romance. An unplanned pregnancy. Can a partner-phobic Alpha and a reluctant Omega seize their chance at happiness?

Lawyer’s Secret Omega is a 64,000 word mpreg romance with a surprise wedding, an Alpha to the rescue, steamy times in the boss’s office and HEA.

Excerpt

I gathered my things, followed Marcus into his office, and shut the door. I was nervous about Amy or Luke figuring out that I had fucked my boss last weekend. I was starting to realize how careful we had to be, and how much was at stake. I couldn’t believe I was doing this, but nobody could force me to turn away from Marcus. He was the man I wanted. The alpha I wanted.  There was no way I was giving him up.

Marcus was standing right in front of me when I turned around from closing the door. “I actually do want to go over the Foreman case with you, but first…” He grabbed my legal pad out of my hands, setting them on the desk behind him without even looking. Then he ran his hands through my hair, and down my neck and chest.

“Just kiss me already.”

Marcus pulled me towards him, walking backwards until he hit the desk, then he turned around and pushed me against the desk.

“Oh don’t worry, I plan to.”

The heat in his eyes matched mine. My cock had woken up when Marcus stood near me in the paralegal section, but now it was well on its way to a full hard-on.  He leaned in, gently kissing me, but I grabbed the back of his head and a handful of ass and dove in like he was a slice of New York cheesecake. Marcus hesitated, probably from shock, then he took control and drove me absolutely wild. He ran his hands over my back, played with my hair, thumbed my nipples.  He pulled me closer to him.  I sat back on the desk and wrapped my legs around him as we kissed, rubbing against each other.

I had to take a breath. Marcus licked a trail from my collarbone up to my jaw. “My God, you are fucking amazing.” That may not have been the most eloquent thing anyone has ever said to their lover, but it was the only words in my mind at the time.

“I want to fuck you so bad right now. I’ve been so hard today, I haven’t been able to get anything done. You’ve been a distraction since I got to work and saw you.” He went back to kissing me, wrapping his arms around  my back, rubbing against me.  I was so horny, so in need of a release, that there was no way I could focus on anything at all except Marcus. I pulled back, panting, staring at Marcus. His eyes were filled with lust and need, looking right at me. God, I wanted him.

“I’ve never done this before, but I can’t get a damn thing done until I get some release. I want you. What do you think about getting fucked on my desk?”

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US 

Amazon UK

About the Author

Always daydreaming and making up stories in her head, Bella didn’t write her first novel until 2017.  Bella has a Computer Science degree, but that doesn’t hold a candle to her true love of reading. She has a cat, a corgi, hates doing cleaning, and loves playing video games.  Bella loves sexy men and a happily ever after romance. Happy reading!

Social Media Links 

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads 

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Book BLAST- The King’s Sun (The Brass Machine #1) by Isaac Grisham (excerpt)

Book Title: The King’s Sun (The Brass Machine #1)

Author: Isaac Grisham

Publisher: Cooper Blue Books, LLC

Cover Artist: Dissect Designs

Genre/s: Fantasy and LGBT

Length: 95,000 words/298 pages

Goodreads

Blurb

Prince Kitsune trained all his life to become a leader in the king’s wars for supremacy, but the fearsome monarch dashes those dreams and banishes his devoted son.  Not all is lost—to reclaim his birthright, Kitsune must kill the son of his father’s rival. A son possessed by fiery magic.

Outside of the capital walls for the first time, Kitsune struggles to survive accursed wilderness and political intrigue while executing his mission. He meets the enigmatic, dark-haired Myobu and discovers magical Yokai spirits, dark family secrets, and strange new feelings for his companion.

As the two men forge a path through the region, an unrealized and dangerous magic blossoms within Kitsune. It is the mysterious power of the Yokai spirits, capable of unspeakable destruction, and it grows stronger with each passing day. Could he use this gift to slay his target, or would it destroy all that he loves?

Prince Kitsune is banished from his homeland. To reclaim his birthright, he must kill the son of his father’s rival. A son possessed by fiery magic. While executing his mission, he meetings dark-haired Myobu and discovers magical Yokai spirits, dark family secrets, and strange new feelings for his companion.

Buy Links 

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes and Noble  – Paperback

Excerpt

Inari Palace had been the center of the Kitsunetsuki Kingdom for well over nine centuries. If its people had always regarded it to represent a place to fear, Prince Kitsune could not tell. What he did know for certain was that his father, King Oni, was a powerful man who deserved the fear and respect given unto him.

Kitsune shared in the people’s reverence of King Oni of the Asher lineage. It was said that Oni’s father had fallen in love with and married one of the beautiful Yokai spirits that purportedly inhabited the land around Inari Palace. While Kitsune was doubtful that such spirits existed, he knew the mythology of his people’s religious beliefs. The offspring of such a pairing tended to manifest heightened intelligence and magical abilities that increased in complexity with age. The motives of such individuals were a mystery, and their agendas were unlike those of ordinary people. This allegedly stemmed from a lack of human morals.

No one had ever witnessed King Oni displaying acts of magic, but his wisdom and cleverness were renowned beyond the borders of Kitsunetsuki, as were his skills in war and battle. With his combined talents, two successful military campaigns had already been waged under his reign, resulting in the conquering of the Mogo Empire to the south and the Ruio Territory to the northeast. A third campaign was rumored to be launched within the next sun cycle. It was Kitsune’s greatest desire to fight alongside his father this time around.

Whether it was from the constant state of warfare or the demands of ruling the vast and expanding domain, King Oni was a man rarely seen by even his closest advisors. As a child, Kitsune looked forward to his birthdays not for the presents, but rather because they were the rare days his father would most certainly present himself—assuming he was not leading the military elsewhere. As he matured, Kitsune saw the king less and less often. Now he only knew his father existed from the messages, requests, and gifts sent via servants.

Such remoteness did not temper Kitsune’s admiration of his father. It only solidified his notion that the numerous obligations of running the kingdom could only be handled by a man as judicious and dutiful as the king. Understanding that such responsibilities demanded considerable time, Kitsune willingly accepted his position in his father’s life. Though they both resided within the palace, it had been well over a sun cycle since they’d seen each other face to face.

This was why it came as such a surprise when Kitsune was awoken late one morning by a servant knocking on his chamber doors with a simple message: King Oni demands your presence immediately.

About the Author

Ever since his elementary school librarian made his short story about a sick dog available for checkout, Isaac had wanted to be a writer. A lot of words had been put to paper since then, including tales about dinosaurs, space travels, and the afterlife. The King’s Sun, the first part of The Brass Machine, is his first published work.

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A MelanieM Review: Level Up by Annabeth Albert

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Landon can’t believe he’s let himself get roped into participating in a charity calendar, let alone one that features tastefully photographed nudes. The genius physicist is hardly model material, and he’s dreading the nude part of the photoshoot. Amid his reluctance, the one bright spot is his emails back and forth with the photographer.

However, Bailey turns out to be not exactly what Landon expects, and their first meeting is decidedly awkward. Bailey’s persistent though, and gradually Landon warms to the burly photographer, and they discover they have a shared love of gamer culture.

A tentative friendship is born, but the road from friends to lovers isn’t easy. Landon’s battling past trauma and must decide how much of a risk he’s willing to take. A sexy connection may not be enough to keep them together unless both are willing to put their hearts on the line.

Through series after series, Out of Uniform, Portland Heart, Rainbow Cove, and of course #gaymers in which this story is situated, I have followed, read, and loved every story that  Annabeth  Albert has written.  Why?  Because she writes real people caught up in situations and relationships we can relate to and believe in.  Our involvement with their lives is usually immediate, our concerns for their happiness and future fraught with emotions, and, whether we are dealing with military issues (Out of Uniform series, the connectivity of a small group of shop owners (Portland Heat), the revival of a seaside town (Rainbow Cove), and the development of a highly popular videogame, Space Villager (#gaymers), the veracity and vividness of the characters and stories always makes you feel grounded in them and their lives.

Level Up by Annabeth Albert is exactly what I have come to expect from this author.  A wonderful story that explores the beginning of a relationship between two people who start out their connection based on a calendar shoot, exchanged emails, and of course, their shared love for that game that I really wish was real, Space Villager.

Bailey is the photographer for the naked charity calendar and Landon is the now regretful volunteer.  They have been exchanging increasingly flirtatious emails, based on their shared love of all things nerd and geek but Landon is surprised to find that Bailey is not a pink haired girl he pictured but a rather large man, a shock that telegraphs immediately to a hurt Bailey upon their meeting.  A shock that doesn’t diminish the attraction between them.

Here’s Albert delves into the background of  both characters using two povs to reveal the issues standing between both men, Landon’s history, to create a sweet, heartwarming friends to lovers romance.  I absolutely bought  into the chemistry between these men, the bond forming between them first of friendship and then love.

Even the secondary characters, although I certainly could have used a little more of them as well, are as strong as the main ones.  I wanted their relationship to work out too.

I just love the way in which Bailey and Landon went through all the stages of their relationship here, equal parts sexy, serious, handled with sensitivity and when needed, fun.  What a wonderful story and couple.  I certainly hope they pop up again in the #gaymers universe.  I’d love to check in and see how they are doing.

Yes, I recommend this story.  You don’t have to have read the #gaymers series to read this one, but it certainly enriches it.

Cover art accurately depicts in my mind the character of Landon.  I love this cover.

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 132 pages
Published May 17th 2018 by Amazon Digital Services
Original Title Level Up
ASINB07CZP4BVT
Edition LanguageEnglish

Previously released as part of the EXPOSED anthology, and loosely linked to the #Gaymers universe, this friends-to-lovers, hurt/comfort story stands alone with a guaranteed happy ending. Contains a brief mention of a prior assault, but no on-screen violence or flashbacks.

A Stella Review: Wheels and Heels (Stories from the Hen and Hog #1) by Jaime Samms

RATING 2,75 out of 5 stars

As a teenager, Ira Bedford fled a troubled home life and people who didn’t understand his penchant for feminine things. In the city, he fell in with Cedric, who found him work as an underage stripper. It took him years to escape Cedric’s influence and try to build a life of his own.

Now, he just wants to be left alone to create his art. But Cedric’s on-going harassment means Ira had to drop out of art school, is squatting in a friend’s apartment, and is still relying on his allure as a sexy, skirt-wearing exotic dancer to pay his bills.

Then he meets Jed. Part-time bartender and the apartment building’s superintendent, Jed is just the right mix of strong, kind, and protective to pull Ira out of hiding. He also welcomes Ira into his chosen family at the Hen and Hog Pub. But Ira yearns for more. Still, he doesn’t dare to hope that Jed will want him and his questionable past, his skirts and high heels, his hang-ups, and the profession he seems unable to escape. But Jed will do anything to prove him wrong.

I had high expectations about this new release by Jamie Samms, the blurb sounded interesting and the cover won me on. There were a lot of elements why I thought the story was going to be a success, starting from the heels or the exboyfriend stalking theme.

Unfortunately,  it fell a little short to me. I have to say everything I was expecting actually didn’t happen, you read the blurb and pretty much that was what happened and nothing more. I liked Jed a lot, a good guy, full of positive qualities, with a big heart, always understanding and patient. I don’t know, but it seemed to me as Ira took advantage of Jed’s kindness and since I got this feeling through all the book, I wasn’t able to like Ira at. I found him incoherent and too many times it was hard to me to enjoy his behaviour. I so wanted to slap some sense into his head.

I was sure Wheels and Heels was going to be a cute and sweet novel but it was actually pretty shallow and forgettable, some parts predictable, others boring.  It’s not even a bad book, even well written, maybe it just wasn’t for me. Being a first in a new series, I probably will give the second book a chance.

The cover art by Christine Coffee is lovely, I particularly like the colors and it’s well done cause I easily can see Ira

SALE LINKS:   Riptide Publishing | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 265 pages

Published March 12th 2018 by Riptide Publishing (first published March 10th 2018)

ISBN13 9781626497023

Edition Language English

Series Stories from the Hen and Hog #1

A Jeri Review: Whisper (Skins #2) by Garrett Leigh

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

 

This is book 2 of the Skins series, but they are so loosely connected it is very easily read as a stand alone.

So, while I didn’t love it, I also didn’t hate it. And what I didn’t like about it is going to sound super picky to a lot of people. But honestly, I feel like it needed a really good beta reader to point some things out.
That while the one main character, Harry, rents a room at this farm through AirBnB in order to write a book, he is rarely portrayed as working on the book. That he has a thriving professional career that he seemed to be able to just put on hold while writing his book. Even his Instagram could have been part of his story on the horse farm. But it is just basically forgotten.
The other main character, Joe, runs a horse rescue that was handed down to him by his grandfather. But he gets tangled up with the law more than once and they have no problem throwing him in jail for a night. But as soon as they need something from him- like to come get neglected horses- they just expect him to drop everything and do it. And he usually does.
Moving on….. Joe is a bit of a jerk. And Harry mostly puts up with it. I get it, it happens in real life. But Joe doesn’t ever seem to soften up. He stays prickly and a jerk. And Harry will do just about anything for him.
I did enjoy that it was a slow burn. I love seeing characters get to know each other while we get to know them before jumping right into bed together. It makes the pay off that much more satisfying I think. With that slow burn there was quite a bit about the horse rescue and all that it entails. I love details like that in a book. And the relationship between Joe and his sister cracked me up they way they bickered at each other.
It was a good story, with a nice arc and a satisfying finish. But details matter to me and that is what makes me rate it 3 1/2 stars.
Cover art by  Black Jazz Design is terrific, sexy and perfect for the story.
Sales Links: Universal Buy Link
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 258 pages
Published May 1st 2018 by Fox Love Press
Original Title Whisper: A Skins Novel
ASINB07CNBXDY5
Edition Language English
Series Skins #2