A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: I Heart Boston Terriers by Rick R. Reed

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

A sweet little snippet about love for a dog who needs a second chance and for a man who needs one as well.  In honor of the author’s Boston Terrier, Lily, who is well known to those of us who follow his social media, Mr. Reed has created a darling love story sure to whet the appetite of those who love MM romance and those who love their pups. 

Aaron accompanied his sister to the pet store to buy supplies for her cat and they both fell in love with a timid little Boston Terrier who was quaking in fear in her cage.  Aaron also caught the attention of the handsome guy who was volunteering with the Humane Society and between the two positive forces—man and beast—he was toast.  Even though he’s with his sister because his relationship broke up, and he’s virtually homeless and jobless, that cute guy did indeed catch his attention.

When he brings the dog home, her fear keeps her under his sister’s bed and out of Aaron’s arms.  Thankfully, whether appropriate or not, the good-looking volunteer calls him to see how Mavis the dog is doing, and one thing leads to another, and before you know it, the two men are out walking the dog and exploring their mutual attraction.  After a bit of trouble earlier in the day, Mavis already had two legs out the door—it seems she ate his sister’s Jimmy Choo shoes—an incredibly bad move, so a walk seems appropriate.  As the men walk, they talk, and again one thing leads to another, and they’re caught en flagrante when his sister returns home. 

This is a very short story, but full of sweetness and possibility—both for the dog and for Aaron’s future.  The only negative for me is the behavior change in Aaron’s sister.  One day she encourages him to get the dog and insists it won’t be an issue, even though they’ll be sharing a studio apartment, and the next she’s totally against the dog and wants her returned. Granted, the shoes were a huge issue for her, but the way she continued to insist the dog be sent back seemed over-the-top.   I guess it was needed for plot flow but not my cuppa, so it kept my rating closer to a three.  On the other hand, I do think the story is well-worth reading, and I recommend it to brighten an otherwise gloomy day, especially for all dog lovers. 

~~~~

The cover by Reese Dante features two handsome men whose pictures are superimposed over a foreground picture of a Boston terrier.  The word Heart in the title is also accompanied by a heart symbol so the cover does attract attention and it clearly represents the story.   

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, 54 pages
Expected publication: September 20th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press (first published January 12th 2012)
ISBN139781634774017
Edition Language English

Review Tour for Amy Tasukada’s Would It Be Okay To Love You: Year One (Book #2)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 41,000 words
 
Series
 
Would It Be Okay To Love You (Book #1)
Would It Be Okay To Love You: Year One (Book #2) Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Blurb
 

A robot fanboy. An erotic voice actor. When love comes calling, will they shed their armor?


Sato’s only long-term relationship is the one he shares with his Gundam collectibles. He dreams about the kind of unconditional love his parents enjoy. If only he could break out of his shell, he might find his special someone…


Outgoing playboy Aoi has sworn off relationships. He knows they only distract him from his budding voice acting career. He’s earned a few loyal fans, and if he keeps at it, he may even earn enough to never worry about being evicted again…


When Sato meets Aoi at the local anime store, there’s definitely a spark. But even as they tread carefully, their commitment issues and Aoi’s troubled past soon muck things up before they can start. In order for Sato and Aoi to have their happily-ever-after, they’ll both have to take a leap of faith… and hope to be caught.


Would It Be Okay to Love You? is the first book in a gay romance series set in Japan. If you like original characters, nerd culture, and simmering chemistry, then you’ll love Amy Tasukada’s charming multicultural love story.


 

Author Bio


Amy Tasukada lives in North Texas with a calico cat called OíHara. As an only child her day dreams kept her entertained, and at age ten she started to put them to paper. Since then her love of writing hasnít cease. She can be found drinking hot tea and filming Japanese street fashion hauls on her Youtube channel.


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In Our Fantasy Spotlight: Bad Boy’s Bard (Fae Out of Water #3) by E.J. Russell (tour and giveaway)

Bad Boy’s Bard (Fae Out of Water #3) by E.J. Russell
Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: Lou Harper

Read an Excerpt/Buy it here at Riptide Publishing

 

About Bad Boy’s Bard

As far as rock star Gareth Kendrick, the last true bard in Faerie, is concerned, the only good Unseelie is . . . well . . . there’s no such thing. Two centuries ago, an Unseelie lord abducted Gareth’s human lover, Niall, and Gareth has neither forgotten nor forgiven.

Niall O’Tierney, half-human son of the Unseelie King, had never lost a wager until the day he swore to rid the Seelie court of its bard. That bet cost him everything: his freedom, his family—and his heart. When he’s suddenly face-to-face with Gareth at the ceremony to join the Seelie and Unseelie realms, Niall does the only thing inhumanly possible: he fakes amnesia. Not his finest hour, perhaps, but he never revealed his Unseelie heritage, and to tell the truth now would be to risk Gareth’s revulsion—far harder to bear than two hundred years of imprisonment.

Then a new threat to Gareth’s life arises, and he and Niall stage a mad escape into the Outer World, only to discover the fate of all fae resting on their shoulders. But before they can save the realm, they have to tackle something really tough: mending their own broken relationship.

Now available from Riptide Publishing. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/bad-boys-bard

About the Fae Out of Water Series

Once upon a time, there were three brothers, nobles of the Seelie Court of Faerie, who set out to seek their fortunes. The eldest—

Scratch that. Rrrrrewind.

Nowadays, when tales are told in 140 character bursts on tiny LED screens, rather than spun out by the glow of a midnight campfire, even Faerie’s elite have to get with the program.

The Kendrick brothers have traded longbow for briefcase, battle steed for Harley, and enchanted harp for electric guitar.  But while they’re finding their feet in the modern world, instead of finding their fortunes, they stumble straight into love.

#faeoutofwater

Check out Fae Out of Water! http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/series/fae-out-water

 

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 all three books in the Fae Out of Water series, one lucky winner across all three tours will receive a GRAND PRIZE of a $50 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 23, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the Bad Boy’s Bard tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Need a New Contemporary Romance? Check out The Easy Way by May Archer

BUY IT ON AMAZON, KINDLE UNLIMITED
BLURB:

Camden Seaver had it easy – a loving family, plenty of money, and the freedom to follow his dreams while his older brother, Sebastian, took charge of the family business. But when a tragic plane crash killed his parents, all the responsibilities he never wanted landed firmly on his shoulders. Now saddled with his crazy, grief-stricken brother and his dad’s multimillion dollar company, Cam doesn’t trust in dreams anymore. He’s forgotten what “easy” feels like.

FBI Agent Kendrick “Cort” Cortland learned the hard way that he couldn’t depend on anyone but himself. Before joining the FBI, the one constant in his life was his foster brother, Damon – and then Damon disappeared. Now, Cort is determined to find his brother and to bring down the man responsible for ruining Damon’s life, Sebastian Seaver. He’s got nothing left to lose.

When Cort’s investigation leads him to Seaver Tech…and Camden Seaver…what started as a quest for revenge and a one-night deception quickly turns into far more than either man bargained for. But how can either man trust in something that seems so easy? As long-held secrets are revealed, the attraction between Cam and Cort becomes combustible – an undeniable love that will either make or destroy them. Will Cam and Cort let their conflicting loyalties drive them apart? Or will they decide that sometimes love is the easy way?

AUTHOR BIO: 
May lives in Boston. She spends her days raising three incredibly sarcastic children, finding inventive ways to drive her husband crazy, planning beach vacations, avoiding the gym, reading M/M romance, and occasionally writing it.
NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP :
Sign up for her newsletter at: http://bit.ly/MayArcherNews
***********************

A MelanieM Review: Pop Tart (Asian Idols #2) by Shawn Bailey

Rating: 2.75 stars out of 5

Taemin Park was once a member of the hottest K-Pop group in South Korea, but he isn’t a cute kid anymore and he hasn’t been on a stage in four years. Taemin has been blacklisted in the music world and labeled a trouble-maker for standing up for his rights. But after two years of military duty and two years of soul searching he decides to go back into show business. He offers his services to his old friend entertainment mogul Ace Reign, who jumps at the chance to put Taemin back at the top of the charts again and knows just the guy to manage him.

Aiden Reign is very popular with both the ladies and the men, but he’s never held down a legitimate job in his life. So when his father suggests he take on a job of manager of a pop-star turned R&B singer, Aiden freaks out. He’s used to his father giving him an allowance and he is perfectly okay with that. But now faced with the dilemma of growing up, Aiden decides to do give it his all, especially after he meets the gorgeous young man his father wants him to manage.

I had  such high hopes from reading the blurb but to be honest I barely made it through the story.  So many elements here made it feel like a dry, emotion free tale instead of one sweet romance of pop stars in South Korea.

One definitely was the style of writing here.  It felt entirely too talky.  Everything was over described from their meals to the main characters daily routines, dress until it felt like a checklist of things the author wanted to get into the story…over and over again.  Secondly, the romance or relationship or whatever you want to call it between Aiden and Taemin is weirdly a turn off.  Instant sex that is very all sorts of non sexy, a instant love on one character’s part that’s never really explained or given adequate background, and again just a lack of connection between the two characters so vast that the whole story came across more like a business deal than a love story.

What did I like?  The cultural elements.  I got an excellent exposure to the world of K-pop, the Korean music scene, and Korean culture.  I did enjoy how that aspect of the story made a very solid foundation for what could have been a sweet romance.  But it’s not enough to save the love story which is the main focus here.

Cover art is wonderful.  It definitely drew me to the book.

Sales Links: Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook
Published August 17th 2017 by Painted Hearts Publishing
Edition Language English

A Lila Audiobook Review: Manny Get Your Guy (The Mannies #2) by Amy Lane and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

Starting over and falling in love.

 

Tino Robbins’s sister, Nica, and her husband, Jacob, are expecting their fifth child. Fortunately, Nica’s best friend, Taylor Cochran, is back in town, released from PT and in need of a job.

 

After years in the service and recovering from grave injury, Taylor has grown a lot from the callow troublemaker he’d been in high school. Now he’s hoping for a fresh start with Nica and her family.

 

Jacob’s cousin Brandon lives above the garage and thinks “Taylor the manny” is a bad idea. Taylor might be great at protecting civilians from a zombie apocalypse, but is he any good with kids?

 

Turns out, Taylor’s a natural. As he tries to fit in, using common sense and dry wit, Brandon realizes that Taylor doesn’t just love their family—he’s desperate to be part of it. And just like that, Brandon wants Taylor to be part of his future.

 

Manny Get Your Guy takes place about ten years later than the first book in the series. It took me a minute to get used to the changes in the characters, but a couple of pages in, I was back in their world. It was a refreshing change since most stories end with a HEA and we don’t get to experience their lives afterwards.

 

This story is a classic combination of Amy Lane and Dreamspun Desire. It’s over-the-top, soap opera-like, and perfect for a cute story with more than a simple romance. As readers, we get to be part of Brandon’s and Taylor’s path to happiness, without forgetting how they became the men we met. It’s a slow journey but an interesting one.

 

I like the MCs enemies-to-lovers story and how they fought their attraction in the beginning, even if short lived. Both characters are lovely and their support system complemented their relationship. As always, it’s nice having both POV; easier to see how they fall for each other.

 

The moments between the couples are great but those between Taylor and Brandon felt intimate and awe inspiring. There are lightheaded moments and many embarrassing tidbits. Overall, this is another winner for this author and series.

 

One thing I like about John Solo’s narrations is his consistency. As soon as I heard the voices, I could connect them with the characters in the previous book. He did an excellent job bringing everyone to life and making Brandon and Taylor the center of the story.

 

The cover by Paul Richmond fits the series and shows a happy version of Taylor. It reminds me of one of the characters in Days of Our Lives.

 

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | iTunes | Audible

 

Audiobook Details:

 

Narrator: John Solo
Length: 6 hours 16 minutes
Published: August 10, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B074NCK18W
Edition Language: English

 

Series: The Mannies
Book #1: The Virgin Manny
Book #2: Manny Get Your Guy

A Caryn Review: The Druid Next Door (Fae Out of Water #2) by EJ Russell

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Book one, Cutie and the Beast, in this series was a romantic comedy (which I adored!), and so I admit I was expecting the same here.  These characters, however, are more serious, the tone darker, the danger greater, in this enemies-to-lovers novel.  And this book is absolutely not stand-alone – all of the world building happened in book one, and this book just expands on the Fae world and it’s denizens.

Mal – Lord Maldwyn Kendrick – was cursed at the end of book one.  He saved his brother Alun’s life by cutting off the villain’s hand, and in punishment, he was cast out of Faerie and his own right hand became useless.  The Seelie queen, who cast the curse, told him the curse could be lifted if he could “make whole what you cost us this night”, and Mal has no idea what that even means.  Give Rodric his hand back?  Even if he wanted to after all the evil Rodric committed, how could he possibly do that?  His entire existence was being a warrior, protecting the Seelie Court, and in one moment he lost that purpose, and even the ability to be a warrior.  He was fairly lighthearted in book one, but he’s now angry, bitter, and completely directionless.

Because Mal was homeless, his brother-in-law David bought him a very nice little house with zero carbon footprint in a wetland conservation area.  Mal couldn’t have cared less.  Worse, when he found Unseelie creatures in the swamp and drove them off, he came to the attention of his neighbor Bryce MacLeod, professor and deeply devoted environmentalist who was shocked and appalled at Mal’s lack of care for the wetlands.  Mal recognized him as a druid – a fact Bryce himself was completely unaware of – and Mal had never trusted druids as far as he could throw them.  Things went from bad to worse when the local arch druid bound the two men together in order to foster Bryce’s training, without consent from either of them.

Mal just wants to get his hand and his old life back, while Bryce wants to find out what is causing the poisoning of the wetlands and fix it.  But since the men are literally tied together, they have to find a way to work with each other to reach these goals.  But there are manipulative supernatural forces in play, pushing them into the middle of a conflict that endangers not only their lives, but (once again) the fate of the world.

The set-up seems awkward and ridiculous when I try to condense it, but I didn’t feel that while I was reading.  Every character acted in accordance with their nature and personality (as introduced in book one) and in accordance with the rules of the outer world and world of faerie.  The progression from irritation, to grudging respect, to true appreciation of each other from Mal and Bryce was extremely fluid.  The supernatural powers of druids and the hereditary interaction between druid and sidhe kept Mal and Bryce continually wondering what parts of their attraction was real, and what was biology, or spell.  The inner conflict of trying to untangle that played out in the conflict they had with each other, but I felt both men learned to look past their initial rigid beliefs about the world, themselves, and each other, and they grew into better men as they became more flexible and accepted new truths about themselves.  The eventual defeat of evil was typical of a fantasy novel, but the happy ever after was more like the typical contemporary romance.  I thought it fit together extremely well!

Gareth, the youngest of the Kendrick brothers, shows up only briefly in this book, but a painful history of betrayal and loss were introduced to set the foundation of the final book.  Which I expect will be darker than this one, and I’m eagerly looking forward to it!

Cover art by Lou Harper has a great model for Bryce’s sexy professor look, and the interdimensional doorway fits with the story.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 328 pages
Published August 21st 2017 by Riptide Publishing (first published August 19th 2017)
Original TitleThe Druid Next Door
ISBN139781626496217
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesFae Out of Water #2

An Alisa Review: Cursed (Alpha’s Warlock #1) by Kris Sawyer

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

Clyde Barrington is a werewolf with a curse on his head. Every night, he shifts from human to wolf and lives the life of a lonely predator, never fully accepted by his pack. When he saves a handsome stranger from a fire, everything changes.

 

In a world divided by the ancient feud between werewolves and warlocks, Clyde and Terry must learn to trust each other. When wolves start to disappear, their bond is tested by the fear of a pack now balanced on the edge of destruction.

 

Amidst a web of lies, deceits and betrayals, Clyde must decide where his loyalties lie, and choose between a forbidden love and the ties that bind him to his brothers. Is Terry an enemy to the pack, or the saviour that will lead them out of the darkness?

 

This was a different story.  Terry seems to be content following the crowd at the beginning of the story but quickly makes his real self known to Clyde and will push for what he wants.  Clyde and Terry quickly begin to build a relationship despite Clyde’s pack’s dislike of Terry’s warlock nature.

 

Terry and Clyde seem to build their relationship for the most part in the back ground and the conflict with Clyde’s pack is more to the forefront.  Clyde is heart broken when the truth about Terry is revealed and everything they thought was wrong.  I am interested to what happens in the next story after Terry comes back,, I’m still a little confused as to how it happened.

 

The cover art by Sidney Lowell is great picture and is eye-catching.

 

Sales Link: Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 80 pages

Published: September 5, 2017 by Creative Minds Promotions

Edition Language: English

Series: Alpha’s Warlock #1

BA Tortuga on Wedding Songs and her latest release Finding Mr. Wright (Leaning N #2) (author guest blog)

Finding Mr. Wright (Leaning N #2) by B.A. Tortuga
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host B.A. Tortuga on her Finding Mr. Wright tour. Welcome, B.A.!

✒︎

 

BA Tortuga’s Top 10 Wedding Music List for Rednecks

Hey y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, here to talk about my upcoming release, Finding Mr. Wright.

In the book, Mason is a wedding planner who sets out to do a Texas style wedding at a ranch in Colorado. The bride’s brother, Noah Wright, isn’t so sure he can pull it off.

Wedding music is super important, so here are some country music suggestions for during and after!

10.  I Cross My Heart by George Strait

9.  God Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flats

8. It’s Your Love by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

7. When I Said I Do  by Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black

6. Then by Brad Paisley

5. H.O.L.Y by Florida Georgia Line

4. My Little Girl -Tim McGraw – father daughter dance

Now the ones we played at our wedding

3. Heaven by Jason Aldean

2. Til My Last Day- Justin Moore

1. The Cowboy in Me by Tim McGraw- incidentally, our minister said this was the perfect song

Thanks for hanging out with me, y’all, and I hope you love Finding Mr. Wright.

Much love, y’all

BA

Finding Mr. Wright Blurb

Leaning N

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including weddings. And misunderstandings.

Colorado wedding planner Mason O’Reilly lands a major contract: a two-hundred-guest wedding at the Leanin’ N Ranch, where his friends Ford and Stoney are working to provide a safe space for GLBT events. The Wright/Preston ceremony is a destination wedding, and as the grooms are from Texas, everything is done over the phone and email. There’s no way that could lead to trouble, right?

Oops.

Oil tycoon Noah Wright isn’t happy about the impending disaster, but he admires Mason’s quick thinking and grace under pressure. And that’s not all he likes about the out-and-proud wedding planner. Even though Mason’s interested in Noah, his Mr. Right can’t possibly be a rancher from Dallas.

Can he?

Available September 15 at Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/finding-mr-wright-by-ba-tortuga-8815-b

About BA Tortuga

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds and her beloved wife, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head. Find her on the web at www.batortuga.com

In Our Spotlight: Covet by Yolande Kleinn (tour and giveaway)

Covet by Yolande Kleinn
Riptide Publishing
Cover art by L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy it here at Riptide Publishing

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Yolande Kleinn here today on her Covet tour. Welcome, Yolande!

✒︎

Hi everybody! I’m Yolande Kleinn, and I’m thrilled to welcome you to the Covet blog tour. I’m giddy to be here myself, and I hope you’re looking forward to my kinky contemporary M/M/M love story. I had a terrific time writing this book—getting to know Jack and Colin and Peter—and I can’t wait for you to meet them too. Follow along for the chance to win a $30 Riptide Publishing gift card!

About Covet

Jack Mason—graphic designer and unrepentant player—has never been interested in monogamy. He certainly isn’t looking for romance when he meets Professor Colin Sloan.

Newly single and not looking for anything serious, Colin is intrigued by Jack’s offer of a physical affair with no strings attached. Becoming friends wasn’t part of the plan, but as accidents go, this one’s pretty great.

Peter Mason is Jack’s identical twin. In a long-term relationship himself, Peter tells no one that he’s falling for his brother’s newest favorite, even as the secret creates tension with his girlfriend.

When Peter’s relationship falls apart, he seduces Colin, fully expecting Jack to forgive his transgression. But Jack is keeping secrets too—he hasn’t told even Colin that he’s fallen in love. Suddenly the twins are feuding, and Colin is caught in the middle, blindsided by the revelation that he doesn’t want to choose between them.

Now all three must find a way to share, or they’ll tear each other apart.

Now available from Riptide Publishing. 

About Yolande Kleinn

Yolande Kleinn may be a shameless dreamer and a stubborn optimist, but she is also a proud purveyor of erotic romance. Excitable, fastidious, and a little eclectic, she spends every spare moment as far away from reality as possible.

A Minnesotan by both heart and geography, Yolande has plenty of experience weathering tough winters. Her favorite method: distracting herself with warm beverages and even warmer stories. A night spent with a good book is heaven. A morning free to write, with a hot cup of coffee close at hand, is even better.

Connect with Yolande:

● Website

● Facebook

● Twitter

● Tumblr

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Covet, one lucky winner will receive a $30 Riptide gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 23, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!