Category: LGBTQ Book Reviews

Love Holiday Romances? Check Out the Release Blitz with Excerpts for Stocking Stuffers: A Holiday Themed Romantic M/M Multi-Author Collection

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Stocking Stuffers

An MM Holiday Anthology

H Q Kingsley, Meredith Spies, Angelo Diaz, Denise Wells,

Megs Pritchard, JP Sayles, Colette Davison, Alie Nolan

Release Date: 12.01.19

Stocking-Stuffers-Kindle

Blurb

An MM holiday romance anthology. A collection of sweet, steamy, fun holiday stories from MM authors.

Amazon: http://bit.ly/StockingStuffersKK

Apple Books: http://bit.ly/AppleStockingStuffers

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/BNStockingStuffers

Anthology grphic

ALL BLURBS

Fix Me Up by H.Q. Kingsley

Nettles Small and Ian Montgomery were best friends once upon a time…

Nettles Small has retreated to his old family cabin, isolated in the woods for the peace and quiet he needs to write his dissertation. He expects a full two weeks of absolutely no disruptions as he buries himself in research and lab experiments. But when an outdoor experiment goes haywire and his equipment explodes across the mountain, knocking an unsanctioned snowboarder off his board, his plans quickly change.

Ian Montgomery is on his way to the winter olympics. he’s trained his ass off for years and finally made it. But on his way to shred down one of his secret slopes, Ian is unexpectedly knocked off his board by an unknown object and the person who rushes to nurse him back to his feet is someone he had never expected to see again.

Teaser Quote: Fix Me Up by H.Q. Kingsley

“Night of the Moving Parts?” Ian asked, looking skeptical. “That sounds like a porno.”

“It’s not a porno.”

“How would you know, though?” he pressed, grinning at me. “Have you ever seen a porno, Nettles?”

Jingle My Bells by Meredith Spies

Rowan

Less than two weeks till the winter solstice and somehow it’s my fault the witches have misplaced their damned bells. If they weren’t such jerks about demon-borns being part of the Grand Council and their plans, maybe they wouldn’t need to use the stupid things anyway. But until they’re ready to admit that without us, there’d be no them, I guess they’re out of luck. It’s just dirty pool to send Whitaker Frost, scion of the Frost witch clan and sexiest man alive ohmygods to my shop when I’ve been accused of hiding those damned bells and endangering the witches’ annual winter solstice ritual to maintain their powers.

Whitaker

No matter what Rowan thinks, I haven’t forgotten our encounter at the summer solstice, and I know for a fact he hasn’t. The way he looks at me when he sees me in his shop just before the winter solstice is enough to set me on fire without the help of any of his demon magic. I don’t blame him for being hesitant with me—I am a witch, after all, and witches have been doing their damnedest for centuries to keep demon-born out of magical communities and gatherings. I wish he’d understand that I not only want him in the council, but in my bed, my life…

Jake’s Heart for Christmas by Angelo Diaz

Two online friends meeting up for an unforgettable Christmas vacation.

After facing some trouble back home, Declan was more than eager to spend Christmas with his online best friend, Jake, in his hometown of Winterwood. It was everything he’d hoped it would be. The town was friendly, Jake was a ray of sunshine, and the spirit of Christmas was in every corner. What he didn’t expect was the growing connection between him and Jake. The more time Declan spent with Jake, the more the line between friendship and something more started to blur. Maybe the trip to Winterwood was exactly what Declan needed to find himself again.

Now, all he wanted for Christmas was to win over Jake’s heart.

Jake’s Heart For Christmas is a sweet and spicy Hallmark-style Christmas romance featuring best friends becoming lovers, sexual awakening, first times, hot kiss under the mistletoe, and a happy ending!

Stocking Stuffers promo (1)

Excerpt: Jake’s Heart For Christmas by Angelo Diaz

I felt my whole body sweating before I even looked up, already guessing what it could be. When Declan and I lifted our eyes, my assumption was correct. A mistletoe hung right above us. Its red bow had little gold outlines with specs of white along the leaves to represent snow.

Declan and I looked at each other with widened expressions on our faces. This couldn’t be happening, right? Not after the awkwardness we experienced earlier that day.

Looking to Bruce and Cassidy, I shook my head. “Oh, I-I don’t think this is a good idea. I mean, Declan’s–”

“Jake,” Declan calling my name stopped my rambling.

When I faced him, he gave me a reassuring grin.

“It’s okay,”

“Are you sure?” I asked, but it came off as more of a whisper.

Declan nodded.

Now, I was positive that I was sweating underneath all my layers. My heart was drumming so loud, my ears were ringing. Declan and I were under a mistletoe, and he was giving me the okay to kiss him. I studied his face for any signs of awkwardness or discomfort, but I didn’t find any. All I saw in those dark chocolate-colored eyes of his was…something. Fondness? Tenderness? Caring? It was hard to decipher.

I took a step closer to him, inhaling the scent of my soap he used to shower with this morning mixed with the subtle hint of his cologne. He licked his lips for a brief second, and the sight had my cock swelling in my pants. I remembered how hard I felt when his body was against mine. The way his hands felt in mine when he pinned me down. It was playful, and erotic all at the same time.

I gulped, slowly lifting my hands to cup his cheeks. His skin was cold from the air outside. The faintest stubble tickling my fingers. Declan’s eyes slowly closed as he leaned his head down towards me. Mine closed just as I lifted my chin, and I nearly cried out at the feel of his lips pressed to mine. It was warm. Electrifying. Amazing.

When our lips parted, I stayed put, waiting to see if Declan would pull away or not. He didn’t. Instead, he brought his lips back to mine, deepening the contact. I felt his tongue pressing my lips, seeking entrance. I willingly opened up, allowing his tongue to explore my mouth. I groaned at the sensation, wanting more. Needing more. When I felt his fingers running into the curls of my hair, I felt my eyes burning with unshed tears.

How was it that I was kissing a straight guy, and it turned out to be the best kiss of my life?

Rebel Without A Clause by Denise Wells

Blurb Coming Soon

All Wrapped Up by Megs Pritchard

Crispin Jones had known Roan virtually his whole life, but when his disastrous marriage ended, he began to see Roan in a new light. He wasn’t simply his friend anymore. His feelings had changed to something more.

Christmas was approaching and Crispin had decided that it was the time to tell Roan the truth. The office party seemed the perfect opportunity. Would Roan accept his declarations of love, or would Crispin’s admission ruin years of friendship between them?

A Christmas Wish by JP Sayle

Can Christmas wishes come true?

Roman Austin is shy, more than a little geeky, and thinks he’s overweight. Past experience has taught him that he’s better off with his nose buried in a book. Until the boy who left town years ago returns.

Donavan’s return makes Roman face what he’s avoided for years, himself. With each new revelation, can Roman see what is right in front of him? Will past secrets and a meddling brother stop Roman from finding love with the one man he never knew wanted him?

A Christmas Wish is a standalone sweet gay romance, a small-town friendship, and a guaranteed HFN

Teaser Quote: A Christmas Wish by JP Sayle

Roman

“Back off, I saw him first.”

Gabriel glanced at me, smirking. “What are we? Five-year-olds fighting over a new toy! If he saw you with your nose pressed against the glass, peering out like some crazed stalker, you’d stand no chance. Anyway, I’m the cute one.”

3

One Room at the Inn by Colette Davison

Travel photographer, Ellis, is driving home for Christmas, but a freak snowstorm forces him to seek refuge in the Holiday Inn. He doesn’t expect to meet his two best friends from high school there, or to end up having to share a room with them.

Although eight years apart has changed them all, Ellis realises he still has strong feelings for fit footballer, Zev, and loveable geek, PK. A game of Never Have I Ever and a bottle of Applejack bourbon leads to revelations about their feelings for one another.

Can anything be the same for these three men after an unexpected night of passion?

One Room at the Inn is a friends to lovers, MMM Christmas romance, with steamy scenes and lots of snow.

Teaser Quote: One Room at the Inn by Colette Davison

“As far as I can tell, we’ve spent most of the evening so far tripping over ourselves to hide our mutual attraction. So what if it’s purely physical? We’re snowed in. It’s Christmas Eve. Let’s give ourselves, and each other, a fucking awesome Christmas present and then go our merry ways tomorrow.”

Until After Christmas by Alie Nolan

Henry isn’t a fan of Christmas and usually spends the holiday alone, wallowing in self-pity. Until he gets drunk with his adorable, awkward co-worker at the office Christmas party and somehow finds himself with Christmas plans for the first time in years.

Callum is tired of his family setting him up with random strangers at Christmas, so when Henry offers to pretend to be his boyfriend for the holiday, it seems like he’s found the perfect solution… until real feelings get mixed up into their fake relationship.

Teaser Quote: Until After Christmas by Alie Nolan

I hadn’t ever been someone’s boyfriend before, so I thought it might be fun to be pretend boyfriends for a few days, just until after Christmas.

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A Lucy Review: Snowdrop in a Storm (Snow Globes #3) by Ava Kelly

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Daniel Wu’s life is wonderful. He has an amazing family in his partner, Jeff, and their adopted daughter. The only thorn in his happiness is Abby’s biological father, Nick, who can’t seem to let go of the past.

Ridden by guilt for trying to tear apart Jeff’s family a year prior, Nick Mariani struggles to find a place for himself in a future that seems bleak. With the backdrop of a holiday vacation, he embarks on a journey of redemption. An unexpected surprise is Leon, who flirts shamelessly from the moment they meet. Leon brings Nick hope, but the shadows of the past threaten to swallow all that newfound brightness.

I have to be honest – I didn’t realize this was the third in a series until right now, after I finished reading it.  So while the Nick that I got to know here talks about the  mistakes he has made and is trying hard to overcome what he’s done.  Because he’s been in therapy and he’s truly working on being part of a family again, his suffering is all the more poignant.

Jeff and Daniel are the parents of Jeff’s niece, Abby.  She was legally adopted after her mother, Lauren, died in childbirth and Nick, Lauren’s husband, took off, unable to handle the death of his wife.  To make matters more difficult, Jeff and Lauren were twins who’s best friend forever was, you guessed it, Nick. 

When Nick first returned he was awful to Daniel and said some terrible things.  Because Jeff is a good and decent person, he has given Nick another chance to prove he can be part of this family.  And Nick is trying.  They are all going to a resort over Christmas with the elementary school chess teams to compete.  Daniel is a little leery about this – what will it be like with Nick around all the time for two weeks?  “I guess deep down I was expecting Jeff to have a me-shaped hole in his life.  Instead, he was happy with you and I felt robbed.”  He’s honest about how he felt and he just wants to be part of something again.

Nick is on his best behavior.  The thing is, this is a man who was crushed by the grief of losing his wife in childbirth. “…I thought how lucky it was that I wasn’t holding the baby.  And then I thought that maybe the baby deserved it.  It had killed my wife, after all, hadn’t it?”  He knew right away that wasn’t an appropriate response, but in grief you aren’t always rational. 

It is at the resort that Nick meets Leon, another twin.  He is so attracted to Leon but can’t go there because in his head, “There it was, another twin for me to murder.”  Of course, Leon knows that isn’t what happened – Lauren died in childbirth – but again, you can’t control the guilt you feel on losing someone so important to you.

I liked the relationship between Daniel and Jeff particularly. The love they have comes through with every touch, every word.  Nick has to work hard to see where he fits anywhere but he does try.  For me, the focus was more on the evolution of Nick with a lesser emphasis on the developing relationship of Nick and Leon.  Leon is a great character and knows what he wants.  He is good for Nick.  Just as a random note, I loved how the title related to the book.

I would recommend this very much. I am hesitant to go back and read the second book, Family In a Storm, because I am afraid the Nick of that book (pretty horrible) will do irreparable damage to my vision of the Nick of this book. 

The cover by Natasha Snow, referencing the Snowdrop, is simple and perfect.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 70 pages
Published November 18th 2019 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781951057824
Edition LanguageE nglish
Series Snow Globes #3

A MelanieM Review : No Place Like Home by Annabelle Jacobs

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Will Oliver get the gift he’s hoping for this Christmas?

Oliver Walker’s Christmas is shaping up to be a quiet one. That is until hunky neighbour Ed Middleton moves in next door.

Attraction is instant, but Ed is only there temporarily and neither wants to start something with an expiration date.

As the festive season approaches, holiday cheer wraps around them, and giving in to temptation is inevitable. But Ed is still set on moving in the new year—a fresh start, miles away from those he’s closest to.

If Oliver doesn’t want to lose his heart, he’ll have to show Ed that home is wherever he wants it to be, and love is possible no matter what.

No Place Like Home is a heartwarming story of love between neighbours, family and friends, about adorable rescue cats, and remembering that sometimes the very thing you’re looking for is right under your nose.

My only complaint about No Place Like Home by Annabelle Jacobs?  That is wasn’t longer!  I just adored this story!  It was heartwarming.  It was adult, that dealt with a number of themes besides the wonderful romance.  All of which Annabella Jacobs addressed with sensitivity, folding it gently into the building slow burn romance between Oliver and Ed.
One that kept recurring was Ed’s half hearted “leaving for the North” motion and the later revelations behind it.  It made sense as did what happened when Ed thought through everything that had happened and all it had meant to him.  It was realistic and meaningful and heartwarming.   There is so much here about family.  Whether is is Ed, his sister’s, his friends and their SOs or Oliver’s nan, and Oliver’s family. They all start to meld together in one joyous holiday group of familial love.  There’s the understanding moments of acknowledging Oliver’s nan’s aging and decline in memory, the all encompassing support from all corners.  for her , for Ed, and for Oliver.
And the cats, including Monty, looking for his forever home.
This story is so beautifully written, the characters so well crafted, and the relationships so well developed and laid out that I know No Place Like Home by Annabelle Jacobs is a story I will revisit again and again.  Looking for a special holiday story?  Look no further, here is one to treasure and one I highly recommend.
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 218 pages
Published November 26th 2019
ASINB081TD3QC4
Length: 48,000 words approx.
 

Love SciFy Fantasy? Join in the Blog Tour for A Broken Winter by Kale Knight (Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway)

Title: A Broken Winter

Author: Kale Night

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: November 25, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 81000

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, LGBT, Fantasy, futuristic, hurt/comfort, soul mates, re-incarnation, political terrorism, prison, religious extremism, scientist

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Synopsis

General Auryn Tyrus is tired of serving an emperor who turns political dissidents into expensive steak and claims to have swallowed Ankari’s sun. He is fed up with pretending not to know Emperor Haken is buying biological weapons and collecting taxes for a war that doesn’t exist. Auryn’s role in the entire mirage leads him to drastic choices, but unexpected news halts his plans. Seven-year-old Keita Kaneko, the son of a former lover, is captured by the emperor’s special forces. Auryn secretly intervenes and spares Keita from execution.

Keita changes everything. Instead of feeling helpless and oppressed by a self-proclaimed living god, Auryn works to expose the emperor as a fraud. But he knows exactly will happen if he’s discovered, and the extent of Emperor Haken’s lies is worse than anticipated. If Auryn expects anyone to believe the truth, he’s going to need proof. And a lot of help.

I’m sharing an exclusive excerpt of a deleted scene from A Broken Winter. The plot of A Broken Winter is rather complex and over the years I’ve spent working on the novel I’ve made a concentrated effort to reduce the complexity wherever possible. This scene got cut because I took out the idea of Tiernan being “tagged” (implanted with an enchanted chip of crystal) for the sake of simplicity. It’s unfortunate, because I like the interaction between Tiernan and Ari. Tiernan is a wounded paladin who’s traumatized by his previous mission and Ari is a Magus who takes an interest in helping him.

Excerpt

Exclusive Excerpt:

Tiernan couldn’t remember the last time he’d had company. He couldn’t think of anyone whose company was a favourable alternative to his own. Not since Cappa died.

  “You live here alone?” asked Ari, gazing around the large three story house. “My father’s a carpenter. He’d love this house.” It was constructed from wood rather than stone, unlike most other dwellings of comparable size; Tiernan’s mother liked the aesthetics of exposed wood grains and parallel beams. To her it felt warmer, more welcoming, and his father leapt at the opportunity to please her.

“It’s a lot of room for one person, but …” Tiernan shrugged. “I don’t know. It works.”

“You don’t get lonely?”

“No. I’m used to living alone. I don’t spend a lot of time around other people, unless I have to. Most people make me uncomfortable.”

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” asked Ari, hands delving into the depths of his pockets, the white fabric of his robes standing stark against the reddish brown undertone of his skin.

“No.”

Ari gestured towards a velvet-upholstered stool. “Have a seat. And take your shirt off, please.”

Tiernan sat. A look of brief confusion crossed his face in response to the latter part of the request, but he complied nonetheless. “Well, since you asked so nicely …”

“The most likely place for a tag is your upper back,” explained Ari, taking on a faint flush of embarrassment. 

He instinctively cringed when Ari touched him, shoulders hunching, retreating into an invisible shell.

“Sorry,” murmured Ari. His fingers curved around Tiernan’s shoulders, kneading.

Tiernan slowly withdrew from his shell, inhaling deeply. Ari’s fingers traced slow lines over his shoulders, barely grazing the surface of his skin, searching for anomalies. The movement was methodical, leaving a brief tingling sensation wherever Ari touched him.

Ari found what he was looking for close to Tiernan’s left shoulder blade. “Here. I can feel it underneath the skin.”

“Cut it out.”

“Do you have anesthetics and surgical tools lying around the house?”

“I have a sharp knife and a bottle of 80-year-old scotch.”

Ari sighed audibly. “We can go back to the hospital.”

“No, thanks. I’ve served my time there.”

Ari pressed close to him, long hair grazing his shoulder. “Stubborn,” murmured Ari. His fingers continuing to wander even with their objective accomplished, caressing Tiernan’s lower back.

Tiernan closed his eyes, envisioning Ari’s hand taking its exploration of his body elsewhere, invading his pants, capturing his cock and pumping it into submission.

Stop that. Ari doesn’t want you. You’re a source of curiosity, that’s all. Like a three-legged dog. How long do you think that’s going to last? He’ll get sick of you any day now, and he’ll disappear.

Tiernan slid off the stool with more force than expected, nearly toppling it. “I’ll be right back.” He left the room, returning with a cloth, a knife, iodine, cotton swabs, gloves, tweezers, and a bottle of scotch.

“What did you use to sterilize these?” asked Ari, eying the implements critically.

“They’re clean. Don’t worry. No need to close the wound. It’ll heal on its own.”

“What am I supposed to do, sit here and watch you bleed?”

“Sure. It would make an interesting side-show act.”

Ari put on the gloves and disinfected the site with iodine. When he went to make the incision, he hesitated.

“What’s the problem?” asked Tiernan.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Give me the knife. I’ll do it.”

“The angle is all wrong; you won’t be able to get at it. I’ll be faster, and I can dull some of the pain.”

Tiernan opened the bottle of scotch and took a long swig. “So can I.”

Get on with it. The sooner he leaves, the better. Even if he did want you, you should be atoning for what you’ve done, not letting a man who should be immortalized in marble play with your dick.

Ari sliced, using an enchantment to minimise the pain. A razor thin sliver of bluish crystal became visible. He held out his free hand, a flare of energy circling each fingertip, sensing the nature of the inscription. Ari lowered his hand hastily, applying pressure to the wound. “I can’t remove it.”

“Why not?”

“It’ll kill you. There’s another incantation woven into the tag. If I try to remove it, it’ll send a jolt of electricity straight to your heart.”

“Wouldn’t want that.” Tiernan brought the bottle to his lips and drank deeply.

 

 

A Broken Winter
Kale Night © 2019
All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author

Kale currently resides outside a small town in northern Alberta, where she works in a library. She’s an avid reader with an English degree from the University of Calgary. In her spare time Kale loves playing video games, making chain maille, watching anime, and cultivating a steadily expanding bonsai collection.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Tour Schedule

12/2 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

12/3 The Blogger Girls

12/4 Love Bytes

12/5 Diverse Reader

12/6 MM Good Book Reviews

12/7 Mickie B. Ashling

12/8 I Love Books and Stuff Blog

12/9 Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author

12/10 Matt Doyle Media

12/11 MM Midnight Cafe

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Review Tour and Giveaway for No Place Like Home by Annabelle Jacobs

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
 
Length: 48,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Natasha Snow
 
Blurb



Will Oliver get the gift he’s hoping for this Christmas?


Oliver Walker’s Christmas is shaping up to be a quiet one. That is until hunky neighbour Ed Middleton moves in next door.
Attraction is instant, but Ed is only there temporarily and neither wants to start something with an expiration date.


As the festive season approaches, holiday cheer wraps around them, and giving in to temptation is inevitable. But Ed is still set on moving in the new year—a fresh start, miles away from those he’s closest to.


If Oliver doesn’t want to lose his heart, he’ll have to show Ed that home is wherever he wants it to be, and love is possible no matter what.

For Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review, visit here. We highly recommend it.

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats. An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.


Twitter – https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction
Website – www.annabellejacobs.com
Email – ajacobsfiction@gmail.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction


 

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COVER REVEAL for Rialto (Unbreakable Bonds #8) by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Rialto by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Cover created by Design by Drake

RELEASE DATE: December 16, 2019

Available to Pre-Order at Amazon

Book 8 in the Unbreakable Bonds series!

Someone has it out for Rialto.

Ian Banner is loving his hectic life. He’s newly married, ready to start a family, and opening a new restaurant. All his dreams are coming true.

The last thing he needs is a problem with his restaurant.

But when one attack after another comes, he grows convinced he has another enemy.

Ian tries to handle things by himself, but his friends are soon drawn in when the attacks become violent. That’s when Ian realizes the target isn’t Rialto. It’s him.

Rialto is the final installment in the Unbreakable Bonds series and features sexy times, Daciana snuggles, overprotective family, fire, and of course, code names.

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Into December and Our Holiday Stories. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Into December and Our Holiday Stories

It’s officially December and our holiday stories, in all formats, are here for our reading and listening pleasure!    While some of us may have returned to our comfort reads this holiday season, there are plenty of wonderful new stories out there to add to your reading festive list!

One of mine this year has been Mr. Right Now by Annabeth Albert!  How I loved that sweet contemporary fake boyfriend story!  If you are in the mood for audio?  Try this one, especially if you are already a fan of RJ Scott’s Texas series.  I loved listening to Home for Christmas (Texas #9) by R.J. Scott  and Narrated by: Sean Crisden.  Barb, our Zany Old Lady, just loved Mr. Naughty List (Home for the Holidays #2) by Leta Blake while I just finished the wonderful No Place Like Home by Annabeth Jacobs (which I will review this week) and The Christmas Oaks (Laurel Holidays #1) by V.L. Locey.

Peter Cratchit’s Christmas Carol by Drew Marvin was recommended by two of our reviewers!  Not to be left out?

A Christmas Wedding by A E Ryecart
717 Miles Christmas by Sophia Soames
A Boyfriend For Christmas by Jay Northcote
Yuletide Treasure (Goddess-Blessed #3) by Eliot Grayson
Mr. Frosty Pants (Home for the Holidays #1) by Leta Blake and John Solo (Narrator)

 

Some of these stories we have reviewed already, some will be reviewed this week.  And there will be more to come.  What stories have you read or listened to that you have loved or enjoyed this holiday season?  Ones that have made your   annual  Holiday List?  Comment and let us know!

 

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, December 1:

  • New Release Blitz with Excerpt for Starlight (Dark Space #3) by Lisa Henry
  • Into December and Our Holiday Stories. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, December 2:

  • Review Tour – Annabelle Jacobs – No Place Like Home
  • COVER REVEAL Rialto (Unbreakable Bonds #8) by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
  • BLOG TOUR A Broken Winter by Kale Knight
  • A Lucy Review: Snowdrop in a Storm (Snow Globes #3) by Ava Kelly
  • A MelanieM Review : No Place Like Home by Annabelle Jacobs

Tuesday, December 3:

  • RELEASE BLITZ Stocking Stuffers, A Holiday Themed Romantic
  • Release Blitz – Eli Easton – Angels Sing
  • BLITZ Pattern for an Angel by CJane Elliott
  • An Alisa Review I’ve Got You (True-Blue #2) by Becca Seymour
  • A MelanieM Review: Boy Next Door (Hot Off the Ice #4) by A.E. Wasp

Wednesday, December 4 :

  • Release Blitz – Warrior’s Way by M.J. Calabrese
  • Release Blitz, for V.L. Locey – The Christmas Oaks
  • TOUR Becoming Us” by Becca Seymour
  • An Alisa Review Becoming Us (True-Blue #3) by Becca Seymour
  • A MelanieM Review: Boys of Summer (Hot Off the Ice #5) by A.E. Wasp

Thursday, December 5:

  • Release Blitz  – Awakening (Wild Oak, Book 1) by JJ Harper
  • Release Blitz – Waxing Poetic for Christmas by Mara Townsend
  • A Lila Review Peter Cratchit’s Christmas Carol by Drew Marvin
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Honour by A.F. Henley
  • A MelanieM Review: Skater Boy (Hot Off the Ice #3) by A.E. Wasp

Friday, December 6:

  • Cover Reveal – What Works For Us by Colette Davison
  • Review Tour – Jay Northcote – A Boyfriend For Christmas
  • An Alisa Review Rules for Santa (Davey’s Rules #3) by Susan Hawke
  • A Stella Review : A Boyfriend For Christmas by Jay Northcote
  • A Melanie Review The Wolf and the Sparrow by  Isabelle Adler

Saturday, December 7:

  • Release Blitz Request – Red Popcorn Strings & Gumball Rings – Nell Iris

 

New Release Blitz with Excerpt for Starlight (Dark Space #3) by Lisa Henry

StarLight RDB Banner

Starlight

Dark Space Series Book 3

Lisa Henry

M/M Sci-Fi

Release Date: 12.01.19

Starlight

Cover Designer: Mayhem Cover Creations

Blurb

Brady Garrett is back in space, this time as an unwilling member of a team of humans seeking to study the alien Faceless and their technology. It’s not the first time Brady’s life has been in the hands of the Faceless leader Kai-Ren, and if there’s one thing Brady hates it’s being reminded exactly how powerless he is. Although dealing with the enigmatic Faceless might actually be easier than trying to figure out where he stands with the other humans on board, particularly when one of them is his boyfriend’s ex.

Cameron Rushton loved the starlight once, but being back on board the Faceless ship forces him to confront the memories of the time he was captured by Kai-Ren, and exactly how much of what was done to him that he can no longer rationalize away. Cam is used to being Brady’s rock, but this time it might be him who needs Brady’s support.

This time Brady is surrounded by the people he loves most in the universe, but that only means their lives are in danger too. And when Kai-Ren’s fascination with humanity threatens the foundations of Faceless society, Brady and Cam and the rest of the team find themselves thrust into a battle that humans have very little hope of winning, let alone surviving.

*Starlight can be read as a standalone but probably words better with knowledge of the first two books in the series.

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/darkspace-starlight

Starlight Teaser 5Starlight Teaser 4

Excerpt

That night I woke up with a start.

Cam made a soft noise beside me, and kept sleeping.

I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bunk. The floor was damp and sticky against my bare feet. I didn’t care. Barely noticed it anymore. I just reached under the bunk and dragged my footlocker out. Opened it and found my cigarettes.

“Bad dream?” Chris Varro asked in a low voice from the bunk on the opposite wall.

I hadn’t known he was awake.

I lit my cigarette. “Hot dream,” I lied.

“Was I in it?”

“Fucker.”

He laughed quietly.

I’d had my fair share of wet dreams about Chris. And they weren’t just when I’d shared dreams with Cam. Pretty sure I’d come up with some all on my own. And I wish I could say that was the weirdest thing about my life, but it barely made the list. And if it was weird for me to be sharing a room with my boyfriend’s ex, how fucking weird was it for him to see us together? At least he didn’t try to pull rank on me anymore, and I didn’t try to stab him in the throat with a screwdriver. We were a work in progress, Chris and me.

Chris’s bunk creaked as he rose to his feet. He walked to the doorway, and beckoned me to follow.

I did.

“Those damn bunks,” he said, rolling his shoulders as he led me down the slope of the corridor towards Doc’s medbay. “I don’t know how you and Cam can fit in a single one.”

“We make it work,” I said. Cam slept in the bunk next to mine in theory, but in practice we usually ended up wedged close together in the one. I wondered if Chris was jealous. I would have burned with it if I’d had to see Cam with another guy. It was bad enough I’d seen it in his memories.

Chris regarded me silently for a moment, a sort of half smile on his lips, and I remembered—I felt—exactly why Cam had fallen in love with him. Chris was a good-looking guy, but more than that, he was smart and he was ambitious, but not in the way a lot of military guys were. Chris didn’t give a fuck about rank or prestige or how many medals they gave him. He was driven by something outside of all that. Chris wanted to unravel all the mysteries of the universe. No wonder that Cam, chasing starlight, had fallen so easily into his orbit.

They’d been perfect together, at least for a while.

“I like you, Brady,” he said. He reached forward and plucked my cigarette from between my fingers. Took a drag on it, and gave it back. “You don’t like me, but I like you.”

“You steal my fucking cigarettes and of course I don’t like you.”

His smile widened. “We both know that’s not the reason why.”

I shrugged, because there was no point denying it.

“You’re good for him,” Chris said at last. Glowing platelets slid past in the wall behind him and illuminated his face for a moment. “You’re good for each other.”

“I know we are,” I said, trying not to bristle, because I couldn’t quite read him. I couldn’t tell if he was being friendly, or if he was being a condescending prick and implying Cam and I needed his fucking approval or something. Usually I thought the worst of people and usually I was right, but lately I was trying to, I don’t know, be a better person or some bullshit. I at least wanted to set a better example for Lucy, so that she didn’t have to look at me and then look at all these other guys and wonder why I wasn’t like them. I didn’t want her to like them more than me because they weren’t angry and afraid all the time.

Chris stared at me for a long moment, and I wasn’t sure what he was looking for. “Whole universe out here,” he said at last, “just like Doc says, and you’re still living in your own head.”

“So what if I am? No fucking law against it.”

His mouth turned up in a faint smile. “Don’t forget I’ve been inside your skull, Brady. How do you even stand it? It’s so loud in there.”

I blew smoke in his face and ignored the way my stomach twisted.

He smiled again and shook his head. When he spoke his voice was tempered with sympathy, and that’s what made me hate him the most. “Whole universe out here, Brady, right in front of your eyes, and you’re still too afraid to look at it, aren’t you?”

“Fuck you,” I said. “I’m going back to bed.”

I left the asshole standing there, wreathed in the pulsating lights of the Faceless ship.

Starlight Teaser 1

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house with too many cats, a dog, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

Lisa has been published since 2012, and was a LAMBDA finalist for her quirky, awkward coming-of-age romance Adulting 101.

Website: lisahenryonline.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.henry.1441

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaHenryOnline

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/5050492.Lisa_Henry

Instagram: lisa_henry_author

Email: lisahenryonline@gmail.com

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A Stella Review: Roxy’s Recovery by Kim Breyon

RATING 4,5 out of 5 stars

As the newest veterinarian in the small town of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Vaughn Winters doesn’t have time for relationships. He is too busy healing injuries and establishing his reputation as a trustworthy vet. But when a strange man waves him down on a stormy night seeking help for his injured dog, Vaughn simply can’t refuse.

Obviously homeless and with no means to pay for Roxy’s medical care, Vaughn throws caution to the wind and strikes a deal with the hesitant stranger that would allow Roxy the time to heal and provide some much needed TLC to his property as well. As the days pass, Vaughn’s curiosity grows. Alex’s dedication to the job is as surprising as the sexy tats hidden beneath his rugged clothes. What could have pushed this kind, hardworking man to the streets, or cast such dark shadows in his otherwise bright blue eyes?

Will six weeks be enough time to earn Alex’s trust? Or will asking questions cause him to tuck tail and run as soon as Roxy is able?
***
Roxy’s Recovery is a 61k standalone contemporary romance involving two men, a meddling sister, and a seriously sassy pug.

Roxy’s Recovery is an awesome reading, it called to my heart and I fell soon deep in love with the characters. The romance deals with some important themes, as being homeless, still the story was easy to read, there wasn’t too much angst, on the contrary, through all the novel I got a sense of positiveness, of joy and openness. The way Vaughn is ready to help Roxy and her owner with no hesitation, he goes ahead and decides to host both of them until Roxy will be fine. Alex has been hurt bad, it’s not easy to trust Vaughn but he had to, it can’t risk Roxy health. He has to wait and try to repay the young veterinarian trying to fix his properties. Week after week the two men learn to know each others and strong feelings start to rise between them.

I will definitely have a look at the other titles by Kim Breyon, I very much enjoyed this new release, I found ti well written and with amazing characters, but most of all it lightened my soul, it gave me hope, it’s a story full of love, and especially the love shown for the dogs let me see how a good job the author did.

The cover art by Cate Ashwood is lovely and well done, I love this artist style.

SALE LINKS Amazon US | |Amazon UK | Universal Link | Goodreads

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 167 pages

Published November 21st 2019

ASIN B081G8WQ6Z

Edition Language English

A MelanieM Review: Mr. Right Now by Annabeth Albert

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

He’s Mr. Right Now, but for how long?

When Russ suffers a Thanksgiving disaster, his gorgeous neighbor Esteban is there to save the day. And after an innocent mix-up leads to the former Hollywood hottie playing the role of Russ’s date, Russ thinks scoring Esteban as his fake boyfriend is a huge win. The newly discharged marine is healing inside and out and could use some holiday cheer.

For his part, Esteban is intrigued by his big, bad neighbor. He likes how his matchmaking cat brings out an unexpected caring side of Russ. Desire flares as the reasons to continue their ruse pile up for both men.

And pretending feels so good. From chocolaty kisses to late night cuddles, their burgeoning friendship is getting cozier and cozier. But as the end date for their little deception looms, all the real feelings they’ve tried to ignore come tumbling in. Each must decide whether they have what it takes to ring in the New Year as a couple.

Mr. Right Now is a stand-alone holiday novella with sweet, low-angst feels, spicy love scenes, and foodie inspired, quirky Oregon romance with a military flavor. Happy ending guaranteed with no cliffhangers!

Mr. Right Now by Annabeth Albert is exactly the sort of story I love to read during the holidays.  For me, it’s close to a perfect Christmas story.  Little angst, holiday celebrations, fake boyfriend trope, adorable animals (cats in this one), and a great chemistry between the main characters.

Located in Portland, a go to city for so many of Albert’s stories, I immediately took to these characters. Russ, the ex-marine trying to adjust to life without his life within the service and being  gay …outwardly gay for the first time.  And Esteban, the actor who has retreated from Hollywood to Portland and a new life closer to his larger and close family.  Two neighboring condo units, a wandering Siamese cat, and an attraction that jumps off the page.  Albert’s descriptions alone paints such a great picture of these two.

Russ is massive, tall, all marine muscles and haircut, gentle,  with a reserved nature.  Estaban is slimmer, Hollywood star gorgeous, older, and more outgoing in nature, preferring colors and a kitchen to cook in.  Albert’s writing lets us into their shared space of small condos, their introduction, and then growing relationship via the “fake boyfriend” need that springs up and doesn’t quite go away on schedule.  It’s lovely, sexy, and heartwarming.  And just what I want and love to read for the holidays.  Or anytime of the year.

It’s the romance Annabeth Albert writes so well and one of the reasons I would love for her to revisit this couple for their wedding.  I hope she is listening.  Perhaps a Valentine’s Day story?

Looking for your next holiday romance?  I highly recommend Mr. Right Now by Annabeth Albert.  I’m sure I will be rereading it over the holidays to capture the glow once more.

Cover art is nice but honestly I would have loved something a little more Christmassy,  but it’s ok.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published November 14th 2019 by Annabeth Albert
Edition Language English