Category: M/M Book Reviews

Katey Hawthorne on Superpowered Love: Reloaded (author guest blog, excerpt, and giveaway)

Superpowered Love Series

by

Katey Hawthorne

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Katey Hawthorne here today talking about the re-release of her wonderful series Superpowered Love.  Welcome, Katey!

 

 

Superpowered Love: Reloaded

Authors rarely get the chance to re-release their very first baby, but I did. A few months back, Less Than Three Press brought my unfinished Superpowered Love series back to life—and once the eight books already finished are out in the world, the series will polish off with three more.

I’ve read comics since I was a little kid, spending my allowance on random issues of The Amazing Spider-Man even through the worst of the Clone Saga. (If you don’t know, be glad.) As I grew older, I started making up my own stories about the superheroes I knew and loved—X-Men, Fantastic Four, Batman and Robin—but they weren’t so much about epic fights over Gotham City as they were weird day-to-day slices of life. Who do they love? What are their quirks? When they get downtime, what do they do to unwind? Can they unwind, and if not, what would it take to get them there?

Not so much the epic battle between good and evil we’ve come to know and love, but something more personal. Something for people like me, who are queer and longing for stories they can relate to on every level, not just via a desire to be on the side of the angels. (Or the Avengers.)

Geeky ass superpowered romance, ahoy. My blog was called “Superpowered Love”, and somehow it became the overarching title for the series via readers. Which might be the coolest thing ever.

Now, eight years later and hopefully a little wiser, I finally get to polish up my first work and make it shine like I wanted—and bring it to a fitting end. Superpowered Love 3: Nobody’s Hero is out today everywhere, and there’s more to come asap:

4: Losing Better on January 20

5: Re-Entry Burn on February 21

6: In Distress on March 20

7: The Playhouse on April 17

8: The Takedown on May 22

So if this little detour into the personal lives of superpowered folks sounds up your alley, follow along on this Reloaded blog tour for excerpts, soundtracks, fun facts, and of course the giveaway! To whet your whistle, check out this exclusive bit from Nobody’s Hero!

Excerpt – When your Mom walks in on a Saturday morning to find a cute boy in your shower, and then leaves without you telling her who he is… said boyfriend gets a little upset.:

[I asked,] “Oh, so if it was your mom, you would’ve just said, ‘Yeah, meet my new boyfriend’?”

“That’s exactly what I would’ve said,” [he replied.]

“And she would’ve been okay with that?”

“Jamie, my mother is the most amazing human being I know. But whether she loves it or hates it doesn’t alter a fact.”

I ran a hand through my hair, pulling on it. All my clever explanations, my smooth excuses deserted me. I just stared at him and wished so, so hard that I could tell him the truth. “She’s not ready to hear it so bluntly. I’m having lunch with her. I’ll talk to her about it then, I swear.”

“Right. She’s not ready.” Then he paused, mouth slightly open, as if having an epiphany.

I had a sick, sinking feeling he had.

Confirmed when he said, “Jesus. Does she even know you’re queer?”

I closed my eyes. “Kellan.”

He took an audible deep breath, and when I opened my eyes again, his hands were spread wide in front of him, chest rising and falling with controlled slowness. He said, in a tight, frightening voice, “Okay. You know what? It’s none of my business. Nothing about you is any of my fucking business.”

I pushed off the door and took a step nearer, reaching out for him. “No, it is. You’re right. Just, you don’t understand.”

“I noticed.” He stormed past me and reached for the doorknob.

“Please, don’t just walk away. Let me explain.”

“I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

“But—”

“I’ll say something I can’t take back.” He looked over his shoulder, biting his lip, but his eyes still burned hot and dark. “Megan will have to be your shortstop today. Tell everyone I’m sorry.”

“Kellan—” But before I got any farther, he was out the door. He closed it in my face—gently, but it still amped me hard. The charge started in that place deep in my middle, the source of it, and jumped from wire to wire until it raced all through me, begging to get free.

I turned around, let little lightning bolts arc across my hands, jumping from finger to finger. The visible, tangible expression of all my frustration, everything I held inside, everything I wanted to scream from the fucking rooftops.

I shoved one hand forward, sending a bright blue arc from my fingertips, right into the nearest poster frame on my wall. The plastic sizzled; the paper curled in sudden frenzied electrical flames.

I put it out before it set off the alarm and emptied the whole fucking building. Feeling like exactly what I was: a giant fucking five-year-old. Lonely, frustrated, and pathetic.

Shit. And this is why I can’t have nice things.

Or nice boys.

Superpowered Love: Re-loaded! Blog Tour

The Superpowered Love series explores the mixed-up love lives of the “awakened”, humans with awakened thermal or electrical superpowers.

[reloadedtour.jpg]

December 26 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

December 27 – Love Bytes

December 28 – My Fiction Nook

December 29 – Boy Meets Boy

January 1 – Joyfully Jay

January 4 – MM Midnight Café

January 7 – Bayou Book Junkie

January 9 – Diverse Reader

January 11 – Eroticaforall.co.uk

Superpowered Love 3: Nobody’s Hero

Jamie Monday lives in two different worlds. With his family, he’s the golden child of awakened superpowered society. He’s meant to do great things and pass on his powers—with the appropriate girl, hand-picked by his mother. He’s already failed at the first, so he can’t bring himself to tell her the wife and children aren’t happening either.

With his friends, he’s the social director and life of the party. He’s also an out gay man with an appetite for quick and easy lays. It’s tough to have a relationship when you’re hiding off-the-charts electrical powers, but Jamie doesn’t mind.

Not until the prickly, paddy rocking, geeky-hot new guy at work shows him what he’s been missing. Kellan’s singular combination of dirty mouth and pure soul makes Jamie spark right from the beginning. But if he’s going to overcome Kelly’s defensive front and reach the gentle heart inside, Jamie will first have to come to terms with his own divided lives.

http://www.kateyhawthorne.com/p/nobodys-hero.html

About the Author:

Katey Hawthorne is an avid reader and writer of superpowered and paranormal romance, even though the only degree she holds is in the history of art. (Or, possibly, because the only degree she holds is in the history of art.) Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Ohio with her family, two cats, and one very large puppy. She lives at http://www.kateyhawthorne.com.

Rafflecopter Giveaway:  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

A Stella Review : The Christmas Lights Battle by Skylar M. Cates

RATING 4,5 out of 5 stars

A Shelby Beach Romance.

For a single dad and his neighbor, the Christmas competition is on!

Julian Moss wants to give his children a happy Christmas. Since his divorce, Julian has no time for a social life; he’s been doing the tiring work of two parents while his cheating ex-husband dodges his responsibilities. If that isn’t stressful enough, he has to deal with his new—and ridiculously good-looking—neighbor and his noisy dogs. Christmas used to be Julian’s favorite holiday, but lately all he sees is the cost. Then Julian’s young son tells him about a Christmas lights competition with a much-needed prize.

Leo Adams is going to be alone for Christmas…again. All he’s ever wanted is to be accepted by his family, but he knows that will never happen. Deciding to focus on his career as a personal trainer, Leo develops a boot camp program on the beach, but he needs publicity. The lights competition offers Leo a way to get some free press, and if it annoys his snooty neighbor Julian—all the better.

The battle is on, and both Julian and Leo want to win. The stakes are high, the reward is great, and the neighbors are in it to win it. There’s nothing like a little competition to make Christmas at Shelby Beach extra merry and bright.

I love Christmas stories, I love romance with children, I love dogs. This new release by Skylar M Cates has all these three elements, plus something I wish I could experience one day, that is spending the Christmas holiday in a hot place. The premises were all there and I knew I was going to enjoy this title, especially because I also know how good the author can write. I wasn’t disappointed at all, everything I imagined I could get from this book was delivered, and so much more.

I easily fell into the reading, the plot and the characters were interesting and I followed them till the end with great delight. Not just Leo and Julian caught my heart, but all the other persons too, the children, Julian’s sister and mum, Leo’s friends. What started as enemies to lovers soon developed in allies to win the light contest and more both Julian and Leo wasn’t expecting, to find the love of their lives.

The plot is simple, nothing too angst, and it is exactly what I wanted on my  Kindle during Christmas time, it’s a sweet story, with some very hot scene and so much happiness to share. The first part was also funny, when the two men were still rivals, and then the moments spent with the kids warmed my heart. I loved this novel a lot. I really hope the author will give us more about these guys.

The cover art by Cate Ashwood is amazing, I adore it, the guys on it, the colors, the font, all perfect.

SALE LINKS  Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 212 pages

Published December 5th 2018 by Skylar M. Cates: A Treading Chaos Publication

ASIN B07L5LS5B7

Edition Language English

A Lila Review: His Hart’s Command -Nothing Special VI (SWAT Edition) by AE Via

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Lennox Freeman (Free) is one of the best hackers in the world which has caused him to spend most of his life on the run. Never able to put down roots, he couldn’t trust anyone not to take advantage of him, even his own family. If it wasn’t for his best friend, Tech, shielding him, Free’s father would’ve sold him and his skills to the highest bidding crime family when he was still a student at MIT. Free owed Tech his life; so when his friend called for him to come to Atlanta to work with him, he couldn’t say no. However, he wasn’t expecting the overprotective group of detectives that made up Atlanta PD’s most notorious task force. And he certainly wasn’t prepared for the large-and-in-charge SWAT Captain that was responsible for their safety.

Ivan Hart has lived and bled one creed all of his life: To Serve and Protect. His intense focus and determination in law enforcement has led him to finally commanding his own team. He’d worked hard to put together a squad of badasses capable of backing up a very dangerous team of detectives. Being God and Day’s last line of defense came with a lot of responsibility that he took very seriously.

After his divorce was final Hart turned right around and remarried his job. He had his good friends there in the office with him every day, so it was easier to ignore the few quiet hours he spent at home alone each night. He’d settled well into his new routine and was comfortable with it. Then God decided to disrupt everything by hiring another tech specialist for his department. A man whose brains, trendy looks, and voice would leave Hart tongue-tied and captivated at their first introduction.
Free quickly awakens a passion in Hart that he long thought was dead. An attraction he didn’t know existed. He couldn’t fathom that the sexy cyber genius could be interested in an over-sized, big-bearded brute that served criminals the bottom line for a living. No matter what his best friend, God said.

A future with Hart could be potentially dangerous and often times full of terrifyingly close calls; but little did he know that so could falling for the most hunted hacker in the world. All Lennox Freeman wants in life is security, love and protection… Hart had all that to give and more.

His Hart’s Command is a spin-off of the original Nothing Special series. With some parts running parallel to the previous book. We get to see all the guys again, and how their lives continue to change after their happily ever after. It’s also a good place for someone new to get into these men.

As always, I love the older characters. Their sweet banter, and how they were not afraid to show each other who they truly were. This book is a nice mix of sweet and sexy. I liked the way Free and Hart fit together. They have a vulnerability that calls the reader to know more about their past and what made them protect their hearts. They are strong and capable but as a couple they are beautiful. They helped the other heal and look forward to their future.

There are not as much action scenes in this story, but the author did an excellent job making them relevant. Everything that happened had a reason and moved the story forward. The smexy was a bit milder but it worked for them. There are some awkward moments but they fit the story.

My only complaints were about Hart’s ex-wife and their story. Perhaps to theatrical for my taste. And some loose ends here and there. Overall, a nice addition to this series.

The cover by Jay Aheer is worth staring at. It matches the previous books but it’s enticing enough to attract new readers. Plus, that beard…

Sale Links:  Amazon | Smashwords | Nook

Book Details: 

ebook, 250 pages
Published: November 27, 2018, by Via Star Wings Publishing
ASIN: B07KX7QF8P
Edition Language: English

Series: Nothing Special
Book #1: Nothing Special
Book #2: Embracing His Syn
Book #3: Here Comes Trouble
Book #4: Don’t Judge 
Book #5: Nothing Special V
Book #6: His Hart’s Command

A MelanieM Review: Designer Holiday by Ari McKay

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

It’s never too late for a second chance at love… or is it?

Rayne Sadler left the tiny town of Holiday Pines and his childhood sweetheart, Emilio Rives, to make a name for himself in the world of interior design. For twelve years, he never looked back. Now he has the successful career he wanted, but no one to share his life.

Emilio isn’t happy when Rayne returns to Holiday Pines to renovate the local playhouse. The town wants to stimulate the failing tourist industry, but Emilio has no interest in reviving the ashes of his relationship with Rayne.

Yet shared memories and experiences are powerful things. As the playhouse is restored to its former glory, the friendship between Rayne and Emilio slowly returns as well, and their chemistry is as powerful as ever. Rayne has designs on Emilio’s heart, and he sets out to prove it. Will the magic of Christmas thaw Emilio’s heart, or will it remain as cold as mountain snow?

What a perfect time for a lovers reunited and second chance at love story than at Christmas?  Designer Holiday by Ari McKay is a sweet, contemporary romance that brings two high school sweethearts back together after a long separation.  While one has seemingly moved on, the  other clearly hasn’t emotionally, the pain of the breakup deep even after all these years.

It’s hard since the breakup was as teenagers to imagine why Emilio carries such an enormous burden after all these years but McKay (and a lovely character, Emilio’s mother) go a long way to reasonably explaining such a deeply held grudge towards Rayne.  And Rayne’s take on it all, which honestly seems to normal for a teenage boy.

The way in which the town comes together for the playhouse, the various members of the community, and the place itself has it’s own magic.  I would definitely love to visit there myself would it appear on a map.  The authors have a way of making a walk down the street turn into an intimate stroll that pulls the readers into the scene, glancing here and there about the location while eavesdropping onto the conversation taking place.  It’s real, lovely, and in the moment.

The same goes for the romance.  At first hard and a bit tortured, it becomes a slow path back to trust and love and the way home at Christmas time.  Sweet, heartwarming, and believable.  I loved it.

Want to add a holiday story to your Christmas reading?  Pick up Designer Holiday by Ari McKay.  I recommend it to add sweetness and joy to your holiday reading.

Cover art is suitably Christmassy and bright, I like the models but wish for a little more of the playhouse that drew them both back together.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 132 pages
Published December 8th 2018
ASIN B07L7K5CKM

A Free Dreamer Review: Love Blooms by Stephanie Hoyt

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Nico Hamurişi is the one and only son of Santa Claus. All his life, Nico has known he’s expected to fall in love and find lifelong commitment by the Christmas of his thirtieth year—like every other heir before him. But knowing and accepting are vastly different things, and as the final countdown begins, Nico has yet to embrace his fate. His once great enthusiasm for eventually becoming Santa has been dimmed by uncertainty over how the Santa Line will be affected when he marries a man.

With only a year left, will Nico have time to find love and commitment all while learning how magic will transform the family line to accommodate who he is and who he loves?

As much as I tend to avoid holiday stories on principle, I actually read two of them this year. “Love Blooms” sounded like an interesting take on the Santa Claus myth, so I decided to give it a try. And I’m glad I did because I actually quite liked it.

After reading the blurb, I was a bit worried there might be Mpreg in this story, a trope I really can’t stand. But I’m glad to say that none of the boys got pregnant. I won’t reveal how the “provide an heir” problem is solved, but magic does indeed find a way.

As I’d hoped, the take on the Santa Claus myth proved to be quite interesting. Being Austrian, I didn’t grow up with Santa Claus, so there were no childhood memories to be spoiled for me. I liked how Santa Claus wasn’t this immortal being that didn’t age, but rather a title to be passed from father to son. I also liked how every human being had a bit of magic in them, Nico just has a different kind of magic from others. Outside of the Santa line there isn’t a whole lot of world-building going on, but it was enough.

Nico made for an easily likable character. It wasn’t hard to relate to his conflict and understand the pressure he faces. When the love finally did bloom, it was beautiful to watch it unfold. It was quite cute and fluffy, but still on a tolerable for me.

I did have a few minor niggles. Nico’s story gets a lot of on page time and I understand that his story is probably more interesting than that of his love interest, but a bit more about the other guy would have been nice anyway. Especially the reveal of his magic was very anticlimactic. And I think the story of how he decided to spend the rest of his life with the future Santa Claus would have been an interesting one to read as well.

All in all, “Love Blooms” is one of the better holiday stories out there. Yes, it’s cute and fluffy, but not extremely so. There’s real, believable conflict and struggle and an interesting take on the Santa Claus myth. I think this makes a great holiday read that lets you relax and sink into a happy place, without being over the top. I was pleasantly surprised.

The cover by Natasha Snow is really pretty. It just looks so magical and just really fits the story.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book details:

ebook, 225 pages

Published December 10th 2018 by NineStar Press

A Lucy Review: Midnight Angel by Kevin Klehr

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Dinner is overcooked. The guests haven’t arrived. And Luke is sitting alone at his dining table on New Year’s Eve. He was hoping to romance Nathan, one of the people he invited for this intimate evening meal.

As midnight draws closer, it seems an angel, who has magically appeared in Luke’s apartment, is the only person to drink champagne and watch the fireworks with.

But this angel has other ideas. He’s about to grant Luke the New Year’s Eve party he thought he wanted.

It is highly possible that I will be in the minority about this holiday short but it wasn’t what I was expecting.  At first, I felt bad for Luke, who is sitting at his table with chicken drying out in the oven and no one present at his party.  He has invited his crush, Nate, Nate’s best friend, Lucy, and the annoying guy who has a crush on him, Tim.  As he is sitting wallowing about how now he can’t make his move on Nate, his guardian angel, Guy,  shows up, complete with wings on his back.  I did laugh at Luke’s reaction. 

“What happened?”

“You passed out.  Your face landed squarely on your plate.” 

I do have to mention editing – that sentence in the book reads “…you’re plate…”

So what his angel does is bring him the party he wanted, with Nate and Lucy and Tim.  The thing is, I felt really bad for Tim because I thought Luke was pretty awful to him. “Luke, I’m going home.  I’m making you uncomfortable at your own party, and that’s the last thing I want to do.”   Then I felt like the whole thing was a lecture.  The definition of infatuation, what constitutes stalking and some oddly phrased dialogue.  “I was on my way to another party, but something made me drop in.  It was like a mystical force drove me here.”  It just didn’t fit with the way Tim spoke previously.  And I just kept feeling bad for Tim.  “A better body, but  not the one I craved.”  It’s fantasy yes, but it’s convoluted about Luke’s feelings.  I just didn’t get any feel of a connection.  It’s a beginning, maybe, so hopeful. 

The cover design is the standard NineStar Press is using for their holiday collection.  It is pretty but not specific to this story.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published December 10th 2018 by NineStar Press
Original Title Midnight Angel
ISBN 139781949909616
Edition Language English