Category: M/M Book Reviews

Release Day Blitz for Gage (Redemption Series #2) by JJ Harper (excerpt)

Gage (Redemption #2) by J.J. Harper

Release day: February 7, 2019
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N6CCJ6R

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N6CCJ6R

Universal link : mybook.to/Gagebk2

Gage (The Redemption series #2)

Gage is happy, happier than he thought possible. He has Wolff Mannheim, the man he has always loved, even when he hated him, back by his side and in his bed. He is confident that their relationship can only grow stronger as they continue to rediscover each other.

When a letter appears after twelve years of silence from the family that disowned him and cast him out, he has Wolff to lean on. The contents of the letter have left Gage reeling but also have him reuniting with his estranged sister. When the shocks keep coming, it forces Gage back to his family home—a place he never thought he would return to. At least, this time, he has Wolff by his side as well as his sister.

As Gage faces the man who threw him carelessly away, he proves himself to be the better man, a stronger man, than the one forced away so many years earlier. With all his demons put to rest, can Gage live his life with his one true love?

This is book two in the Redemption Series and follows on immediately from Wolff, book #1.

While it can be read as a standalone, it’s best enjoyed reading in order. Contains some very steamy man-on-man loving and is advised for 18+ only.

 

Gage Excerpt

Why did I think I’ve just seen my sister? I haven’t heard a thing from her in over twelve years. I would’ve doubted I’d even recognise her. And yet that woman waiting at the crossing looked like my little sister, Claudia. Was it the way she was standing or how she tucked a wayward lock of hair behind her ear? The cruelty of my father stretched to denying me the chance to see or even speak to her again, giving me another reason to hate him. I look away and get back to messing with Wolff.

When we get to the wide glass double doors at the entrance of our offices, I look again, but I can’t see her anymore. There’s no reason why she wouldn’t be working around her. Every building is some sort of commerce building.

“Are you okay?” Wollf looks at me as I turn back to the door.

“Yes, sorry. I thought I saw someone I recognised, but it wasn’t.”

“Who?”

“Huh, no one. It’s not important.”

“Gage don’t do that. Don’t shut me out,” he quietly implores, making me stop and listen.

“I’m sorry, hon. You’re right. I thought I saw Claudia.” I try to keep my voice as matter-of-fact as I can. I don’t want to escalate my anxiety.

Wolff frowns as I see him try to put the name to the face and why it would bother me. Looking around the street again, he remembers. “Your sister Claudia?”

I nod and swallow hard like there’s a huge lump stuck in my throat and it’s about to suffocate me.

“When did you last see her?” The pain in my lover’s voice and eyes is overwhelming me. I think he sees it because he tugs me to the side, away from the flow of bustling people.

“Um, I think it was the day after the party. I know I didn’t see her the day I was kicked out. She was on holiday with a school friend’s family.

“Shit! Fuck, Gage.” He bites on his lip.

 

Series Blitz and Giveaway for The Knights Club Series by CJ Baty

 

Cover Design: Kelly Abell @ Select-O-Grafix


Knights Club Series


Book #1 – Starting Over – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – Letting Go – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #3 – Learning Trust  – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #4 – Coming Out – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #5 – Finding Forgiveness – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link


The Knights Club (formerly the Gentleman’s Club) first appeared in the Warfield Hotel Mysteries Series. It was owned by Stony Whitecastle and is located in Atlanta, GA. At the beginning of the Knights Club/Starting Over, Stony is selling the club to Xavier Knight. He renames the club the Knights Club and instead of a private club opens it the public. Some patrons still hold membership though.


This series involves Xavier and his crew of employees and their involvement with a local police family. We meet Sebastian Brady in Starting Over along with his dysfunctional family. Seb’s struggle with his homophobic oldest brother and the shadow of his dead father, Detective Delmonico Brady, haunts Seb as he tries to make a new life for himself.


Occasionally, a character from the Warfield Hotel series will pop up but they are not central to the story line. Everyone who works at the Knights Club has a past and secret they are running from. They are mixed bag of people who have been suffered many things. The Knights Club is their home and the people who work there are their families. But, even families don’t like each other all the time…

 
Finding Forgiveness – OUT FEB 6



Xavier Knight lied and now his past was catching up to him. Sebastian Brady meant everything to him. Losing him wasn’t an option Xavier was ready to accept. Ghosts from his past threaten to open up a secret that needs to stay hidden. He wasn’t going to let Zach Brady or anyone else take his happiness away from him.


Zachary Brady had lived in the shadow of his father his entire life. He’d lost his family, his job—everything. What happened between him and Xavier Knight was long ago and best forgotten. He wasn’t going to allow it to sabotage his chance to be accepted by his brothers and sister as family again.


Neither man realizes that they don’t hold the key to their peace of mind. And when the truth is revealed, it will shake their worlds. Family isn’t always the one you are born into, sometimes it’s the one you create for yourself.

C. J. Baty lives in southwest Ohio. Her heart, however, lives in the mountains of Tennessee where she hopes to retire some day. The mountains have always provided her with inspiration and a soothing balm to the stresses of everyday life.
The dream of writing her own stories started in high school but was left on the back burner of life until her son introduced her to fan fiction and encouraged her to give it a try. She found that her passion for telling a story was still there and writing them down to share with others was much more thrilling than she had ever expected.


She has a loving and supportive family who don’t mind fixing their own meals when she is in the middle of a story, and a network of friends who have encouraged and cheered her on in her quest of being an author.


One thing she has learned from life and she is often heard to say is: “You are never too old to follow your dream!”


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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Inside Out (a Road to Blissville story) by Aimee Nicole Walker

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

This book came along at the perfect moment.  I needed to feel positive emotions, to smile, to find peace, and that’s what I got from the romance between Romeo Bradly and Julius Shepherd in Blissville.

Both men started their new jobs in the school district on the same day: Romeo as superintendent of the school district, and Julius as an advanced sciences teacher and tennis team coach.  The moment they shook hands, their spark ignited a curiosity and attraction that smoldered for months before circumstances put them in the same place at the same time again. Rome would be directing the high school play, and Jules would be composing the music.

Three very advanced and enthusiastic students had written the script over the course of a few years, one of them had composed lyrics for the musical, and the play was already approved by the school board. The story addressed bullying, homophobia, and other issues with which teens struggle in high school, and both Rome and Jules are passionate about seeing it produced.  Over the course of working together on the production, though Julius is at first reluctant to get involved with the sexy silver fox who is technically his boss, they meet for lunch and eventually date, growing closer as time goes by.

Rome is a forty-five-year-old widower whose husband passed away seven years before.  Jules is of mixed race, oldest of two boys, whose father passed suddenly eight years before, so the two have much in common over and above their interest in the students and their taste in music.  And when Jules finally lets down his reserve about dating the superintendent, they find their way to more than a simple attraction.

Those who follow my reviews know I adore May-December romance. Give me a silver fox any day, but then add in slow burn, and sweet, honest, openhearted conversation, laughter, and a love of all things music, and I’m sold.  The author’s writing and her creativity in managing the dance of love for these men was outstanding.  I loved each character individually and together.  And Julius’s mother and brother; Priscilla, Rome’s dragon secretary; Howie, his friend; and the host of other characters in this book were beautifully integrated.

The book ends with the perfect summary of their emotions: “in his eyes, I saw my future. In his smile, I rediscovered joy. In his heart, I made my home. This man turned me inside out, and I would follow him anywhere.”

I very highly recommend this and the best news is it can easily be read as a standalone.

The cover by Jay Aheer depicts two men’s hands and forearms intertwined. One is Black and the other Caucasian. It captured my attention and reflects the story beautifully.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 222 pages
Published January 14th 2019 by Chasing Rainbows Press LLC
ASINB07MTLPZZ4
Series Road to Blissville #6

Road to Blissville Series

Unscripted Love

Someone to Call My Own

Nobody’s Prince Charming

This Time Around

Smoke in the Mirror

Inside Out

A VVivacious review :Diamond Heart (Cherrywood Grove #2) by M.A. Hinkle

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Gareth and Morgan change schools when Gareth gets expelled from their old school because of in-school fighting. Gareth fears that Morgan might not ever be able to make friends and enjoy life due to the crippling anxiety that rules his life, but as Gareth is going to find out Ainsworth Academy is a school like none he has been to before. As Morgan starts opening up and finding new ways to overcome his fears, Gareth finds himself lost because after all who is he if he doesn’t need to be protecting his brother.

This book was such a feel-good story. I truly loved it. While reading “Death of a Bachelor” I was very confused about what was going on with Morgan and Gareth, so finally getting to know the whole story was beyond enlightening.

Gareth is a boy who has defined himself as a jerk just so he can escape further examination from other people and himself but when he starts making friends with Felix, he realises that he can no longer ignore the decisions that make him what he is. Increasingly, he finds himself adrift when he wonders what his life is if it isn’t looking out for Morgan. Gareth has an amazing arc in this book where he gets to grow up and face his fears and own up to who he is.

Morgan is amazing in his own right and it was beautiful to see him blossom under the right atmosphere. Morgan’s anxiety is debilitating but I loved the fact that Morgan never hesitates to confront and overcome his fears.

Felix is amazing, I have loved him ever since “Death of a Bachelor” because he is the most adorable character ever. I can’t think of a single person more adorable then Felix. God, I want to give him all the happiness in the world. I liked how Gareth and Felix help each other confront their fears and be better. In a way, it is amazing how they both help each other get closure regarding the deaths of their respective mothers.

This book was amazing it follows the coming of age of three unique characters who I really loved even though Gareth was a little slow on the uptake initially but once things start going it is amazing to see these three grow up and try to figure out who they are.

The “LGBT Whatevers” is like my favourite band because God, I loved all the band members, Sarah, Alex and Zach.

This story was amazing and getting to follow Gareth on this journey of self-discovery really made me smile.

The title of this book is so appropriate. In hindsight, it really fits Gareth who is too busy crushing his feelings till his heart has become a diamond from the pressure of it all.

Cover Art by Natasha Snow aka my favourite cover artist ever. I loved the cover for this one, the colours on it are beyond beautiful.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published February 4th 2019 by NineStar Press
ISBN 139780463182789
Edition Language English
Series Cherrywood Grove #2

An Alisa Review: In the Lion’s Den by Abigail Kade

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

Danial “Nial” Rourke is the oldest son of a criminal shifter family, but wants nothing to do with the family business. As a rare pureblood shifter with no abilities, he’s treated as human and is able to live a relatively normal life. One night out with his brother to celebrate his graduation changes everything. Now, Nial is a convicted murderer and his pureblood status means he’ll be going to Starke Penitentiary for criminal beasts. The high stone walls, human prejudice, and the worst of the shifter world make it a deadly place for someone like Nial. If his father can’t pull some strings and get Nial protection, he’ll never make his next birthday alive.

Ezekiel “Ze” de Koening is Nial’s only chance for survival. He’s gruff, intimidating, and a rare lion shifter, indifferent one minute and protective the next. But Ze soon seems to grow fond of his new cellmate, saying Nial’s too pretty and weak to survive on his own. He’ll babysit, for now. Just when things seem to settle into a routine, Nial is forced to confide in his protector. He’s much more than he claims to be, and he’s holding onto some deep secrets. And Nial is sure Ze is keeping secrets of his own. Secrets that could be deadly.

When the violence inside escalates, and their world unexpectedly explodes, there’s only one way out for either of them. Through an unimaginable trial, freedom finally comes. But freedom will come with an unexpected price, neither one was prepared to pay.

I liked this story but felt that pieces of it were rushed or skipped over.  I think if the book had been a bit longer then it would have allowed for the story to be more fully put together, however it looks like this could be the start of a new series so maybe we can see a little more later.  Nial gets thrown into jail after being set up one night.  He is quickly put under Ze’s protection and for the most part everything goes smoothly.

I could tell that Ze was keeping a lot from Nial but wasn’t sure as to what that was until Nial’s new trial.  I felt for Nial as he was thrown into a different world and then had everything he loved and depended on ripped away.  I couldn’t feel that Ze deserved the sympathy he thought he did when he knew his mate was still alive while Nial didn’t.

The cover art by Amai Designs gives a nice visual of Nial.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 168 pages

Publication: October 24, 2018

Edition Language: English

Review Tour and Giveaway for Rat Park by Marina Vivancos

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 

Length: 71,000 words approx.

 
Cover Design: Natasha Snow
 
Blurb


Dominic has lived with an empty ache inside him for as long as he could remember. Maybe it started when he was six, hiding beneath his blankets as the wild animal noises of one of mom’s parties echoed in his head. Maybe it began the first time an adult plied him with drinks just to watch him stumble about.


Or, maybe, it was that he couldn’t even imagine what being loved should feel like.


Drugs washed all that away. It didn’t cure the ache, but it made him forget it for a while. Anything was better than being conscious. Than being himself. But life had another hard lesson for him: With drugs, the only way is down.


Dominic hits rock bottom when he’s twenty-three. Turns out, rock bottom looks a lot like the bars of a jail cell. With little left but his own thoughts, Dominic has to decide: Is this what I want for the rest of my life?


The world has never been kind to Dominic, but when he meets the Romeros, he wonders if that is about to change. Officer Catalina Romero seems to see something in Dominic that he is sure isn’t there. The more she pulls him towards her family, however, the harder it is not to go.


All his resistance disappears under the force that is Flor Romero. Spitfire, stubborn Flor—even at sixteen, he refuses to be taken lightly. As he grows older, putting a stop to what Flor obviously wants to happen between them is harder than Dominic would ever want to admit.


Dominic knows that he has too many demons to let anybody get too close. But life doesn’t prepare him for Flor, who just might be ready to fight tooth and nail for a place in Dominic’s life—and his heart.


The question is, will Dominic’s past keep him from his future?



January 28 – OMG Reads, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, February 6 – Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Wicked Faerie’s Tales & Reviews, February 8 – Diverse Reader, Boys Meets Boy Reviews, Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings, Bayou Book Junkie

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 5 star review here.
Author Bio


When Marina was a child she couldn’t sleep. Night after dissolving night she just couldn’t sleep. Nothing much worked – until she started making up stories in her head. Suddenly, the transition into unconsciousness was a smooth dive into calm waters.


Marina is currently in a period of sleepless upheaval, and she hopes writing down the stories in her head will cast the same spell it did decades ago.


Marina hopes to write in a variety of romance sub-genres, from contemporary to supernatural to sci-fi. Her style, however, tends to focus on character-centred stories that explore different facets of the human experience, such as mental health. She also enjoys writing explicit, drawn-out sex scenes, so expect those to be a prominent feature of her stories.


Marina tends to keep to herself unless prompted, so don’t be shy in approaching her!

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A Lila Review: Not Dead Yet (Not Dead Yet #1) by Jenn Burke

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Dying isn’t what it used to be. 

Wes Cooper was dead. Then he wasn’t—though he’s not exactly alive, either. As an immortal not-ghost, he can transition between this world and the otherplane, which makes him the perfect thief for hire. For seventy years he’s made a “living” returning items to their rightful owners, seeing his fair share of the bizarre in the process. But he’s never witnessed murder. Until now.

His latest mission brings him more than he bargained for: a very-dead actor who is definitely going to stay that way. It’s just Wes’s luck that his ex-boyfriend, Detective Hudson Rojas, is assigned to the case. Hudson broke Wes’s heart years ago—and could again, given he’s rocking a hot silver-fox look that shouldn’t be legal.

As they work together to track down the murderer before anyone else gets hurt, it becomes clear Wes and Hudson have unfinished business. And when a secret Hudson’s been keeping threatens more than just their happiness, it might mean the end of their not-life together—permanently.

Not Dead Yet has an interesting twist on ghosts and other paranormal creatures. They share a world with humans but their existence is a secret, an underworld of magic, power, and money.

It takes time to get into the story and get rid of all preconceptions about paranormals. The timeline gets a bit murky to start with but after a couple of conversations between the main characters, everything gets smoother.

The mystery is well done and not easily predictable. The murders are interconnected and the investigations keep the readers engaged. The end happened too fast with a dosage of bad guy spilling its guts, but it worked with the overall story.

If you are looking for more than a romance, this book will work for you. It has a really slow burn with interesting characters and adventures.

The cover goes with the story but based on the descriptions, Hudson seems too young. Other than that, it was nice.

Sale Links: Amazon | Nook | Carina

Book Details:
ebook, 300 pages
ISBN: 1488036233
Published: February 4, 2019, by Carina Press
Edition Language: English

A Lucy Review: Bubbly (Uncorked #1) by Shea Balik

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

There was no doubt about it, Macalister Whitmore was as straight-laced as they came. He worked all the time, never did anything that would be considered fun, and almost always wore a suit and tie, even in the laid back southern town of Dahlonia, where the dress code tended to be jeans and t-shirts. It was how his parents raised him and Macalister was sure even a tanning salon couldn’t change that. 

David Wilson wanted to throttle his best friend for sending Mac to his tanning salon to try and loosen up the uptight lawyer. He had never met anyone that had actually worn a suit to a tanning salon before. What Mac needed was a doctor to remove that stick from his ass. Then again, if Mac continued to look down his nose at David, he would remove it himself. 

Still, it seemed that opposites do attract, so they decide to give each other a chance. 

Happily ever after may sound like a dream come true, but no one ever said it didn’t come with pain and heartache. Will they walk away from each other, or walk through hell for the chance to pop some Bubbly and celebrate finding their happy ending?

This is the first book in a new series by Shea Balik, all set around the town of Dahlonia and the winery, Twisted Vine.  This is where the very uptight, BMW-driving Macalister, a man who’s bosses wonder “if he has any emotions at all”.  Actually, “…he’s worked for us for a year and has never cracked a smile?”  Yet Andrew, part owner of Twisted Vine, Mac’s boss and David’s best friend, assures David that Mac is a good person, helpful and kind and that’s why he offers wine to David for helping.   David, owner of the Tropical Beach tanning salon where the bosses send Mac as a birthday gift (much to Mac’s dismay), doesn’t see that when Mac shows up.  Mac is not just uptight, he is snobby, rude and really condescending.  He looks down his nose at David, full of disdain. “Having sex and whoring yourself out like a dime store prostitute aren’t exactly the same.”  When David responds, Mac’s “Or are you deaf along with being a slut?”  There’s no wonder David spills the beans about Andrew bribing David to deal with Mac.

I was a little confused that Andrew would send Mac to a tanning bed as “fun”, but of course, David is there.  Of course, these two opposites really are a better fit than they think.  As Mac puts his prejudice aside, he starts to realize David, purple hair, make up and flamboyant clothes, might be just what he needs.  Of course, he messes it up a few times.  There were times I wanted to shake him but you have to remember, he has had a rigid upbringing and all the feelz are new to him. 

Mac may have helped save David at one point, but David is there for Mac when he needed him.  Unfortunately, Mac doesn’t react well to his family (wow, the family from hell, let’s put that out there), “…Mac would either grab hold of David’s hand or put his arm around David’s waist, silently forcing him to stay, but David wasn’t sure if that was because Mac wanted him there, or he was just going against his mother’s wishes” and I was ticked at him.   Except then I thought David was overreacting at a bad time, so it was a toss up on who was being the bigger pain.  Luckily, David’s friends are there to knock some sense into him.

One thing I struggled with was there was a lot of serious plot issues that were resolved much too quickly and easily.  David regularly fends off unwanted passes while airbrush tanning but an attempted oral rape?  A lawsuit?  A heart attack?  All these things happen but they are easily resolved.  And Mac turned into a seemingly different person pretty quickly, with some insta-love helping.

My slight niggles aside, I liked both MC here, as well as really liking the supporting characters-  Andrew, Shine, Brogan and West.  I am crossing my fingers that Nolan, Twisted Vine’s accountant, is the next up because that shy, sweet man really needs an HEA.  I thought this was a good start to a new series and I’m looking forward to continuing.

Cover art shows two men but I know one is not David, since it is well noted David has bright purple hair and the other, with his shirt wide open, doesn’t seem uptight enough to be Macalister.  

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 136 pages
Published October 19th 2017
Original Title Bubbly
ASIN B076CGLHHV
Edition Language English
Series Uncorked #1
setting Georgia (United States)