Category: M/M Book Reviews

A BJ Review: Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities (Claimings #2) by Lyn Gala

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

Assimilation, Love and Other Human Oddities coverOndry and Liam have settled into a good life, but their trading is still tied up with humans, and humans are always messy. When political changes at the human base lead Ondry to attempt a difficult trade, the pair find themselves entangled in human affairs. Liam wants to help the people he left and the worlds being torn apart. He also wants to serve Ondry with not only the pleasures of the nest but also by bringing human profits.

Ondry has no hope of understanding human psychology in general, he only knows that he will hold onto his palteia with the last breath in his body, and he’d like to keep his status and his wealth too. Unfortunately, new humans bring new conflicts and he is not sure how to protect Liam. He does know one thing that humans seem to constantly forget—that the peaceful Rownt are predators and when their families are threatened, Rownt become deadly killers. Liam is his family, and Ondry will protect him with his last breath… assuming that he can recognize the dangers in time to do so.

I adored book one of this series which means I had very high expectations. While I didn’t quite love this as much as my five starred book one*, I did thoroughly enjoy it.  This series rocks.

The world created for us by the author is simply amazing, I already thought that in book one but it gets even more complex and nuances in book two! I hardly thought that possible. The writing itself is superb. And Liam and Ondry some of the most memorable characters I’ve read recently. I adore reading of how they care for each other so very deeply despite huge differences both physically and culturally. How their love deepens and grows roots… shows so beautifully how love can overcome obstacles.

So why did I enjoyed the first in the series better than this second installment. I think it’s just personal preference because I truly dislike politics, strategy and war/mind games. So those parts read a little slow for me personally.

Don’t get me wrong though, the plot in this story is intricate and brilliantly executed. I adored the way we are shown how Liam adapts to his new homeworld and culture, and the way we see humanity in a light that at times made me favor the Rownt. The romance is there, it grows deeper and more trusting than in book one. But despite there being some D/s elements, neither kink nor sex is at the forefront in this book/series… which may explain why there is no longer a tail on the cover… perhaps the author wanted to avoid folks thinking of this as tentacle porn which it so very much is NOT. And I like the cover just as well without the tail.

I can hardly wait for the next book in this unique and highly recommended series.

Book Cover – see comments above.

Sales Links:  Loose id LLC | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:  

ebook, 225 pages
Published September 23rd 2014 by Loose-ID
original title Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities
ISBN13 9781623005870
edition language English
url http://lyngala.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/the-claimings-sequel/
series Claimings 
*Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts (Claimings, #1) – BJ Review
Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities (Claimings #2)

Coffee Sip and Book Break with Bitter Springs by Laura Stone (author and character interview, excerpt and contest)

Bitter Springs 1600px FRONT (web Smashwords)

Bitter Springs by Laura Stone
 Release Date: December 3, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Interlude Press
Cover Artist: Collen M. Good

Today we’re happy to be interviewing Laura Stone,  author of BITTER SPRINGS, here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words. Hi Laura, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book. I see you also brought along a character to interview. Welcome, Hank!

Oh my goodness, thanks for having me! I’m a single mother of three, and with the older two off to college, I have a bit more breathing room to write. BITTER SPRINGS is both my attempt to tackle a challenge—I’d never been invested in Western literature, honestly—and to write a love-letter to my home state, Texas. I’m a desert gal at heart, and nothing makes me happier than being out in the dry lonesome prairie or desert for days on end. It’s so fantastic.

And here is Hank to answer some questions as well:

Hank, what do you find attractive in a man?
How much print space can I have? Lord, but I love men. First and foremost, give me a kind man. I’m pretty tired of giving rude, hateful, arrogant men a pass by claiming they’re “complicated”. Nope, they’re self-absorbed. Take it from me, any younguns reading along: You can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats an animal or someone who works for him. Family should mean something. Creatures in your care should be treated with respect. If a man can’t do that, then I don’t think he’s much of anything, especially a man. You didn’t hear this from me, but hair you can tug on is pretty nice, too.

The first thing that went through your head when you saw Renaldo?
“Well, that doesn’t look like the runt of the litter.”

Do you think you’ll insist the author visits you again?
I don’t believe too much on insisting, but I’ll just say she’s barely scratched the surface.

Before you met Renaldo, what was your ideal man?
A family man. One who wasn’t afraid of working hard and who could appreciate the value in it. A man who could understand when it was time to be quiet, and maybe when they needed to draw me out of my head a little. I like a man with a passion for living, one who understands how you can’t take anything for granted. Life’s too precious for that.

You’re going out for dinner. What’s your favorite food?
Not too many opportunities for eating beyond Vista Verde, so I better just say anything Señora Valle Santos is cooking. That woman can work magic. Pretty fortunate that she likes cooking for me, I suppose, because Lord know I like eating it.

BannerTemplateBlurb

In 1870s Texas, Renaldo Valle Santos, the youngest son of a large and traditional family, has been sent to train with Henry “Hank” Burnett, a freed slave and talented mesteñero—or horse- catcher—so he may continue the family horse trade. Bitter Springs is a sweeping epic that takes themes from traditional Mexican literature and Old Westerns to tell the story of a man coming into his own and realizing his destiny lies in the wild open spaces with the man who loves him, far from expectations of society.

 

Pages or Words: 302 pages
 Categories: Fiction, Gay Fiction, Historical, M/M Romance, Romance, Western/Cowboy

Excerpt

The day before the wedding, a visitor arrived at Vista Verde an entire week early. Renaldo, ready to wash up and eat dinner after a long, hard day—his side ached from roping cattle as a part of Paloma’s training, his hands were full of bits of raw hemp from the stock lassos, and one of the calves had kicked him high on the thigh—walked back from the barn using his hat to slap at the dust on his chest and thighs. He noticed a tall, striking young black man standing at the door to their home speaking with their father. They didn’t see many black men this far from civilization—with the Civil War ending so recently, many were staying close to where they’d been forced to live, were heading far out west where there were more opportunities to make a new life or were going north seeking less hostile society. Who he could be?

He was about as tall as Renaldo, maybe an inch or two more, broad-shouldered and whip-thin, dressed in well-worn, simple clothes. He had a close-cropped beard, but instead of hiding the shape of his jaw, it accented its sharpness. His light eyes, almost luminescent even at this distance and glowing like amber, were ringed with thick lashes, nearly to the point of being girlish, but there was nothing feminine about the man. With his lean but strong-looking chest, muscular arms and curved backside, he managed to carry himself with a confident air while standing idly; his body was still, but in a way that made Renaldo think of a raptor sitting on an abutment, watching and waiting.

“Oh, here he is,” Estebán said, motioning for Renaldo to join them, saying, “Señor Burnett, allow me to introduce to you my son, Renaldo.”

This? This was the legendary mesteñero, Henry Burnett? He couldn’t be much older than Renaldo, who realized his jaw had dropped. He closed his mouth quickly and moved toward them as if drawn like metal shavings to a magnet.

Burnett, however, looked amused, as the edge of his mouth quirked up. “Pleased to meet you,” he said, his voice deep and husky.

Renaldo couldn’t look away, shocked that his expectations couldn’t have been more wrong. This was a vibrant young man. But… this was the man he would be alone with on the prairie for months? His stomach twisted at that thought, and at how unexpected it all was, causing his heart to race and face flush. Yes, it was unexpected. That Burnett had come so much sooner than they’d expected had to be why Renaldo couldn’t find his voice and felt so upended.

“Mijo,” his father said sharply.

Renaldo shook himself slightly, and then nodded, saying, “Señor Burnett, it’s very good to meet you, finally. Please forgive my shock, as I don’t believe we expected you so soon.”

Burnett laughed, a rolling, melodious sound, and replied, “Well, then just imagine my shock when I come here all the way from Nacogdoches expecting one Valle man, only to find him gone and you in his place.” He smiled. “Your padre seems to think you’re a better match, so that works for me.”

That smile, bright teeth framed by full lips, eyes crinkled at the corners, helped lessen some of Renaldo’s shock and, if he was being honest, some of the worry that he carried about spending a lot of time with a hard, taciturn man Renaldo knew he would be unable to please. At the realization that this was who he would be with on the plains, just the two of them with no one else for weeks on end, Renaldo became excited, finally looking forward to this task. A young man with an infectious grin wouldn’t be such a chore to be stuck with after all.

Buy the book:

Meet the author:

Laura Stone is a born and bred Texan, but don’t hold that against her. She’s a former comedian, actress and Master Gardener, and currently keeps busy as a media blogger, ghostwriter and novelist when not busy raising her three children. They’re not fully raised, but then, neither is she.

She lives in Texas as proof that it’s not completely populated by hard-line right-wingers. And because that’s where the good tamales are. Her first novel, The Bones of You, was published by Interlude Press in 2014 and was named a finalist for two Foreword Reviews IndieFab Book of the Year Award. Laura Stone at Laura-Stone.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/9LauraStone

Where to find the author:

Facebook: facebook.com/9LauraStone

Twitter: @stoneyboboney

Banner300x250


Tour Dates & Stops:

3-Dec: MM Good Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Velvet Panic, It’s Raining Men, Hearts on Fire

4-Dec: Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Gay Book Reviews, Divine Magazine

7-Dec: Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Unquietly Me, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Bayou Book Junkie

8-Dec: Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, My Fiction Nook

9-Dec: Elin Gregory, TTC Books and More

10-Dec: Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Michael Mandrake, Love Bytes

11-Dec: Inked Rainbow Reads, Jessie G. Books

14-Dec: Dawn’s Reading Nook, QUEERcentric Books, Happily Ever Chapter

15-Dec: Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Emotion in Motion

16-Dec: BFD Book Blog, Prism Book Alliance

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Grand Prize: $25 Interlude Press Gift Card, First Prize: One of five e-copies of ‘Bitter Springs’.  Must be 18 years of age or older.   Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Holiday Cheer Continues with Meg Bawden ‘My Secret Billionaire Santa’ (excerpt and giveaway

Secret Santa

My Secret Santa Billionaire by Meg Bawden
 Release Date: December 3, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Rawmance Publishing
Cover Artist: Bawd Designs

Blurb

Beckett Henry doesn’t believe in giving or receiving Christmas presents. Growing up in a poor family, he’s had to see the guilt on his parents faces every year when they couldn’t provide him and his brother the fancy toys the other kids received. Not to mention the teasing from the other kids every January. The only bright spot of the holidays was when Asher Holden visited them and they all played together without any toys.

Asher is his brother’s best friend and they’d all grown up in the same neighborhood. He’s had a crush on the other man since puberty, but he’s never had the guts to say or do anything about it. Now, Asher is the owner and CEO of Holden Marketing, the company Beckett works for, and a relationship between them will never happen. Not only have they been friends for too many years, but there is a strict company policy against inter-office dating. He couldn’t imagine what they’d say if their CEO dated the creative manager’s P.A.

With the Christmas season fast approaching, Beckett is getting ready to get the following weeks over and done with when he gets a surprise—a Secret Santa present arrives on his doorstep! As more presents start to arrive, Beckett struggles to figure out who could be sending them, or what to do with them.

Will Beckett be ready when his Secret Santa is unveiled?

 

Pages or Words: 21,259 words
 Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Romance

Excerpt

Asher stood at over six feet tall and had broad shoulders. His Armani suit strained across his wide chest and his white dress shirt stretched over bulging muscles. His legs seemed to go on forever, his feet large, like the rest of him, were encased in expensive black dress shoes. A short, neat beard covered his sharp jaw, his dark hair long enough to curl over his collar. But like the rest of his appearance, it was tidy. His eyes gave me butterflies though. They were green and deep, and right at this moment, they were searching my own eyes.

Shock coursed through me and, moving on instinct, I slouched back down, feeling my cheeks heat at being caught checking him out.

“No, you can’t help me,” Asher said to Louise, his tone suggesting amusement.

I heard footsteps and then felt a breath on the top of my head. Willing away my blush, I tilted my head backward and stared into those profound jade eyes.

“Hi, Beck.” Asher smiled at me, and I’m pretty sure I began melting.

I swallowed, trying to find words. “Hi, Ash.”

Buy the book: 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | ARe

 

Banner300x250

Meet the Author:

Meg Bawden was born and raised in North Queensland, Australia. She’s loved stories since before she can remember and has always enjoyed creating characters of her own, even if it did begin with drawing faces on toilet rolls and giving them names. Writing has always been a passion of hers and she’s loved the M/M genre since 2004, the first book she read being Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez.

Writing M/M since 2007, Meg has never had the confidence to attempt publishing her own stories, but in 2015, she decided that it was all about to change thanks to the amazing friends she’s made in the M/M genre and their support and encouragement. So watch out, world, Meg Bawden is coming out to have some fun!

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

3 Chicks After Dark, Alpha Book Club, Andrew Q. Gordon, Bayou Book Junkie, BFD Book Blog, Book Lovers 4Ever, Chris McHart, Divine Magazine, Happily Ever Chapter, Havan Fellows, Inked Rainbow Reads, Jessie G. Books, Mikky’s World of Books, MM Good Book Reviews, Nic Starr, Open Skye Book Reviews, Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Hat Party, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Velvet Panic, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘My Secret Santa Billionaire’ by Meg Bawden.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

A Paul B Review: Branding An Icy Heart (Wolves of Stone Ridge #32) by Charlie Richards

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Branding An Icy HeartWhen a self described homophobic asshole vampire meets his beloved, a man who is still recovering from a gay bashing a couple of years ago, can the men work through their pasts to get to their happily ever after?

Aleksei Kuznetsov decided to stay in Europe instead of following his family’s coven when they moved to America.  It was bad enough when his brother Tullion found his beloved in a male.  But his older brother and coven leader Borscht then found his beloved in the form of a male fruit bat shifter.  Missing his family/coven, he decides that a trip stateside was in order.  Having come so far, Aleksei begins to leave the bar to see his family when a man using a cane enters the bar.  He is alarmed when he recognizes that this man might actually be his beloved.

Remy Smithson is out with his friends.  After attending the trial that put the man who beat him to within an inch of his death, they decide to commemorate the guilty verdict.  However, his leg that was severely smashed in the incident is acting up on him.  So, he decides to get away from the dance floor and go to a local pub.  A strange man with a foreign accent chats him up while he is sitting at the bar.  Remy explains that he is in pain due to a gay bashing incident a couple of years back and that he and is friends were out celebrating the end of the basher’s trail and guilty verdict.  When this handsome stranger finds this out, it appears that the stranger cannot leave fast enough.  When Remy relays what has happened at the bar, they suggest that they could set him up with one of Tullion’s single brothers.   So they arrange a party to do just that.

At the party, Remy is introduced to Vadim, one of the Kuznetsov brothers.  They seem to be hitting it off when Aleksei comes over and informs them that he believes that Remy is his beloved.  Remy does not know how to react finding out that he is the fated mate of a man who has shown homophobic tendencies in the short time he has know Aleksei. Aleksei must wrap his head around that just like Borscht and Tullion, his mate is male.  To complicate matters further, Remy has been receiving harassing letters saying that next time he will die.  Can both men move beyond their pasts to prevent Remy from being hurt again?

In this thirty-second book in the Wolves of Stone Ridge series, Ms. Richards brings some history in the series back to the present.  The bashing that is referenced in this book actually occurred twenty books ago in this series.  I have always enjoyed the author’s ability to bring in new characters to this series and tie then to others that have been mention maybe two or three years previously.  It is another enjoyable story in the series.

The cover art by Angel Waters depicts our vampire Aleksei standing in front of a forest filled with fall foliage.  It is a good solid cover for an autumn book.

Sales Links:  Extasy Books  |Amazon | Buy It Here

Book details

EBook 108 pages

Published November 15, 2015 by eXtasy Books

ISBN:  978-1-4874-0552-6

Edition Language:  English

Series:  Wolves of Stone Ridge

https://www.goodreads.com/series/63445-wolves-of-stone-ridge

A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Winter Oranges by Marie Sexton

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Winter Oranges coverJason Walker, former child star and now B-movie regular is sick and tired of Hollywood and the paparazzi cameras that seem to be present wherever he goes, so he buys a ranch in Idaho in the hopes of finding peace and serenity. That may have worked, except for the ghost haunting his guest house who can’t be seen by anyone but Jason.

He nearly passes out when he discovers that the young man, dressed in 19th century clothing, is actually trapped in a snow globe. It seems that the only person who has seen him in over 150 years is Jason, and they eventually discover that it’s likely that Jason is a descendent, and decide that’s the only possible reason for it. Benjamin Ward would have been nearly twenty-one when his sister put a spell on him and trapped him in the globe. She was trying to keep him from enlisting in the Confederate Army when the Civil War began, but before she could let him out, the globe was stolen, and he’s been trapped ever since.

He’s sweet and funny and loves discussing just about everything. He’s been manifesting outside the globe for years, usually in an empty room because he’s confined to the room where the globe is located, but occasionally he’s in a room where someone is watching TV, so he’s hooked on sitcoms, especially those from the eighties when he spent a lot of time living with an elderly woman who loved to watch TV. When Jason accidentally winds the globe in Ben’s presence, they discover that he can also be heard by Jason. He keeps Jason company, helping him work through the issues of feeling lonely and abandoned by his family and the best friend he loves but can’t have. Dylan has been Jason’s best friend and on-again-off-again lover for years, but he’s not interested in commitment, and it breaks Jason’s heart to see him with other men and women when he longs to be the man’s only companion. But he slowly discovers that by spending all his time with Ben, he’s formed a stronger bond with him, and it soon occurs to him that he’s falling in love with the young man.

When they discover a way for Jason to enter the globe and be with Ben sexually, it’s not a simple solution because on his return to the real world, Jason suffers traumatic headaches and severe nausea and vomiting, which when witnessed by the local police chief, lands him in the hospital. Ben is frantic, not knowing where Jason has been taken and even if he’s alive, so when he returns, they decide to stop trying to find a way to be together in the globe. In the meantime, Dylan has also discovered that Jason seems to be talking to himself a lot and that he’s extremely possessive of the snow globe. Fearing his friend is losing his mind, he takes steps to separate Jason from the globe.

There’s so much drama in this story that I wanted to read it with one eye closed. As it was, I had to put it down and walk away a few times because my nerves were shot. I was very afraid for both Jason and Ben, both individually and as a couple. Jason appeared to be losing his grip on sanity, and I thought he was going to be taken from Ben, but the culminating action of the story was even more dramatic and traumatic than I envisioned, and I thought I was going to scream before the finale. I can’t begin to describe the tension I felt and the fear I had for both men, and I honestly could not figure out how the author could possibly resolve this drama. But resolve it she did, and in a most spectacular and satisfying way.

I actually had to wait a few days before writing this review because I was concerned that the stress I felt while reading was going to negatively influence my rating of the story. Now that I’ve had time to breathe and relax, I can only sit back and admire the mind of an author who can be so ingeniously creative. This was a wonderful love story and a unique one at that. If you like paranormal or even just a creative twist to your MM romances, you should love this one. Don’t hesitate to buy it.

~~~~~

Cover Art by LC Chase depicts a winter scene with a young man inside a snow globe. It’s beautifully done and very attention-getting, though it doesn’t quite represent the snow globe described in the story that contained only a log cabin in the woods.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 325 pages
Published November 28th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
original titleWinter Oranges
ISBN 162649357X (ISBN13: 9781626493575)
edition languageEnglish

Twenty percent of the proceeds from this title will be donated to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) National Help Center.

Founded in 1996, the GLBT National Help Center is a non-profit organization that provides vital peer-support, community connections and resource information to people with questions regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Utilizing a diverse group of GLBT volunteers, they operate two national hotlines, the GLBT National Hotline and the GLBT National Youth Talkline, as well as private, volunteer one-to-one online chat, that help both youth and adults with coming-out issues, safer-sex information, school bullying, family concerns, relationship problems and a lot more.

To learn more about this charity or to donate directly, please visit their website: http://www.glbthotline.org/

A Very Special Charity Spotlight: A Intimate Look at Winter Oranges by Marie Sexton (guest post and giveaway)

Winter Oranges cover

Winter Oranges by Marie Sexton
Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist:  L.C. Chase

This title is part of the Love for the Holidays: A Charity Bundle Benefiting
the GLBT National Help Center collection. 
You can purchase it and learn more about the charity bundle here.

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is so happy to have  Marie Sexton here today to talk about the inspiration behind her Christmas novel, Winter Oranges.  Marie is sharing some of her photos from her Pinterest board and thoughts behind her characters.  Winter Oranges is one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Highly Recommended Novels.

Hello, everybody! This is Marie Sexton, and I’m thrilled to be here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words today talking about my Christmas novel, Winter Oranges. I thought I’d share some photos that helped inspire the novel.

First things first: I started with the house. I originally planned to set the book in rural West Virginia, so I started out researching older homes. Later, I decided to move the story to Idaho, and I ended up making the house a “revival” built in the 1980s, which meant there was no “servant’s room” on the ground floor. I rearranged the entire dining room/kitchen setup, and added a Winter Oranges House Planspantry/mudroom. The other problem was, I kept picturing the garage on the left side of the property (the left when facing the house, that is). I tried over and over to flip that image in my mind, but it didn’t work. And why would the garage be on the family room side of the property rather than the mudroom side? It didn’t make sense. So I flipped the entire bottom floor. But for the most part, this is Jason’s house. (I’m sure he paid more than $1548 for it, though!)

The next step was the snow globe. Yes, I could have just made it up, but I wanted a photo. It needed to look old-fashioned and have a cottage. So I settled on this one:Winter Oranges_Snow Globe

Now, for the characters.

Winter Oranges_Tom HughesIn my brain, Ben looks like Tom Hughes, minus the bad boy attitude.

Ben’s clothes were based largely on this picture:Winter Oranges_civil war men

And Jason… well, I wasn’t entirely sure what Jason looked like. I was pretty sure he was blond, and I knew he was in his late 20s. That was good enough, until I got to a line where somebody says to him, “You look familiar.” Jason hates his semi-celebrity status, so rather than telling her who he really is, he says, “Some people say I look like [some other celebrity].” The problem was, who did he look like? I spent a stupid amount of time googling actors, but I finally decided on William Moseley.Winter Oranges_William Mosely

That’s it for my primary sources of inspiration, but for more pictures, check out my  Winter Oranges Pinterest Board. Have an image you’d like to add? Leave your Pinterest user name in the comments, and I’ll send you an invitation to add to the board.

And be sure to check out Winter Oranges! 20% of the proceeds go to the GLBT National Help Center.

About the Book

Jason Walker is a child star turned teen heartthrob turned reluctant B-movie regular who’s sick of his failing career. So he gives up Hollywood for northern Idaho, far away from the press, the drama of LA, and the best friend he’s secretly been in love with for years.

There’s only one problem with his new life: a strange young man only he can see is haunting his guesthouse. Except Benjamin Ward isn’t a ghost. He’s a man caught out of time, trapped since the Civil War in a magical prison where he can only watch the lives of those around him. He’s also sweet, funny, and cute as hell, with an affinity for cheesy ’80s TV shows. And he’s thrilled to finally have someone to talk to.

But Jason quickly discovers that spending all his time with a man nobody else can see or hear isn’t without its problems—especially when the tabloids find him again and make him front-page news. The local sheriff thinks he’s on drugs, and his best friend thinks he’s crazy. But Jason knows he hasn’t lost his mind. Too bad he can’t say the same thing about his heart.

Winter Oranges is one of Riptide’s 2015 charity titles.

Twenty percent of the proceeds from this title will be donated to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) National Help Center.

Founded in 1996, the GLBT National Help Center is a non-profit organization that provides vital peer-support, community connections and resource information to people with questions regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Utilizing a diverse group of GLBT volunteers, they operate two national hotlines, the GLBT National Hotline and the GLBT National Youth Talkline, as well as private, volunteer one-to-one online chat, that help both youth and adults with coming-out issues, safer-sex information, school bullying, family concerns, relationship problems and a lot more.

To learn more about this charity or to donate directly, please visit their website:  “http://www.glbthotline.org/“

HYPERLINK “http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/winter-oranges“http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/winter-oranges

About the Author

Marie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along.

Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.

Connect with Marie:

WinterOranges_TourBanner

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Winter Oranges, Marie Sexton is giving away two titles from her backlist and a $50 Amazon gift card! Your first comment at each stop on this tour enters you in the drawing. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on December 5, 2015. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. Entries. Follow the tour for more opportunities to enter the giveaway! Don’t forget to leave your email or method of contact so Riptide can reach you if you win!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Happy Reading and Good luck!

Paranormal Shifter Dentists are Back in Jackie Nacht: ‘Hot on a Chipmunk’s Tail’ (excerpt and giveaway)

WhitePineChipmunkInvasion_432

 

 Hot On A Chipmunk’s Tail
(Paranormal Dentistry For The Fanged and Friendly #5) by Jackie Nacht
 Release Date: November 20, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: MLR Press
Cover Artist: Winterheart Designs

Banner300x250

Blurb

This mountain lion is out to chase his skittish chipmunk down.

Jason has always lived under the protection of his twenty brothers and sisters. Even though he cares for his neighbor, Will, when a chance to leave the home he’s lived in forever, Jason takes the chance and runs to White Pine. Unfortunately, some of his brothers are coming along for the ride.

Will can’t believe his shy chipmunk just up and moved. Through the meddling of Jason’s sisters and a best friend who lives in White Pine, Will chases Jason to White Pine. Will they be able find the connection in White Pine where they couldn’t at home?

Pages or Words: 13,000
 Categories: Humor, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance

Excerpt

Chapter One

This absolutely, positively sucks, Jason thought as he stood in front of Livingston’s tiny rental with his three brothers. The snow was coming down heavy and he tucked his chin into his jacket to keep his face from freezing. If he didn’t have to meet this Livingston person for the first time, he would have shifted and saved himself the pain. Someone had to be civil for this introduction; it sure as hell wasn’t going to be his brothers.

A few minutes later, Jason saw a man running the last few yards before he got to the snow-covered sidewalk near them on the porch. The guy wasn’t paying attention in the least because he almost ran face-first into Nikko. Damn, this guy was going to have to grow a better set of eyes if he was willing to open his home to his brothers.

“Shit, Nikko, sorry about that.” Livingston stared down at his friend, then over at the chipmunks sitting on each of Nikko’s shoulders. Jason cringed, anticipating some antic from his brothers. They were… well, they were… hell, he just hoped White Pine didn’t have a prison or Winslow and Sparks would have a frequent flyer card there.

“Where are you running to so fast?” Nikko chuckled…and why was he acting so damn nervous? Did Nikko not tell his friend who he was saddling him with? Jason’s eyes widened. The hell he didn’t. This was an epic party foul in the making.

“Just… cold. Who are these guys?” Livingston leaned toward one of the chipmunks, reaching for one with his index finger when the little sucker hissed and spread out his tiny arms at him. Jason smacked his forehead. Oh hell… here it comes.

“What the…?” Livingston shouted, jumping back, nearly falling on his ass. “He almost bit my damn finger off!”

The chipmunk started making little squeaking noises before it fell off and shifted in midair. Sparks lay naked on the ground before Livingston, laughing his ass off, holding his stomach.

“Oh shit! It’s cold. Did you see him? Scared the fuck out of him.” Sparks cackled like a deranged man. Jason shook his head. There was no way this was going to work.

Nikko pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re naked in the snow. Nice first impression, Sparks.”

Sparks didn’t give a damn. Everyone knew that as he continued to chuckle, then stood up before sauntering up the steps. “Damn, I love me some nuts, but mine are moving up into my body. It’s freezing here.”

The other chipmunk, Winslow, squeaked on Nikko’s shoulder, and Jason could tell his damn brother was laughing.

Nikko snorted.

Not you too, Nikko. It’s all fun and games, Nikko, until we live with you in that tiny fucking den of yours. Dallas will kill the lot of us!

“I’m… Jason,” Jason said quietly. There was no need to add to the bizarreness of the situation. Best to be like always, go unnoticed.

However, someone had noticed him once. And he’d run. Fucking ran, terrified, and now his chance at being with that special person was lost. Jason glanced down at his boots as he toed the cold snow. He wasn’t used to seeing so much of the stuff and wondered if he made the right decision. After Christmas, he’d had a chance to move up there with his brothers. Jason had been confused about Will and confessed it all to Nikko. Nikko’s suggestion rang clear in his head, Take a break and see other places. If you miss him, you can move back home. You need to figure it out and make a decision. We all know that Will has feelings for you, but do you have feelings for him?

God, he did, but saying that to Will, the mountain lion shifter, was a whole other story.

How could Jason tell his brother he missed Will before they even got on the plane to Michigan? It was just that Will… was so much. Every time the guy tried to talk to him, Jason clammed up, locked down, and then fucking ran, hauling ass for the family barn.

Fuck, he was confused, and he needed to figure everything out. He could go back. He could see Will again. Hell, he should be paying attention to see if his brothers were going to cause more shit.

Livingston jumped to and ran to open the door, only to stumble as the other chipmunk zipped past him. Jason ran up the steps and held out his arms as if he was going to catch the deer but was five feet behind Livingston. He ended up following Livingston in, trailed by Nikko. Livingston began removing his gloves, then dropped a backpack. Winslow shifted and, Jesus, stood face to face in front of everyone with his naked twin brother. Jason blinked, then blinked again before shuddering. This was disastrous.

Now, it was pretty typical to shift and be naked, but his brothers just stood there, no hiding, no shielding, and letting it all hang out so to speak. Right in front of Livingston! Someone they didn’t know!

Livingston murmured to Nikko, “I know I’m damn shy, but even now I’m trying everything I can not to look south and make sure they aren’t absolutely identical in all things.”

Jason’s jaw dropped. Oh hell… the deer was just as nuts!

“Winslow and Sparks, here are your clothes,” Nikko said as he pulled out two pairs of jeans from the backpack.

The twins dressed before walking, shirtless, into the living room.

No fucking way. His twin brothers walked right into Livingston’s living room and put their feet on his coffee table, grabbed a remote, and then turned on the television. Just like that, they made themselves quite comfortable.

“Nikko, can I talk to you in the kitchen?” Livingston’s eyes widened as he stared at Nikko and Jason.

Livingston grabbed Nikko by the arm and pulled him into the kitchen area, and Jason followed behind, leaning in the entryway door. Nikko had the audacity to look guilty. Nikko never felt guilt. He was an evil chipmunk that shared his plots with Livingston here and with Theresa when he was back home. Sure, Nikko, just let your buddy the deer here know he’s about to be a victim of one of your devilish plans.

Nikko leaned his ass against the island. “I need a favor from you. Well, Philip and I need a favor from you.”

“Does it…” Livingston paused as Winslow walked in and opened the refrigerator. He pulled out the milk carton, drank from it, and put it back in the refrigerator where he’d gotten it. Winslow left with a milk mustache on his face and a shit-eating grin. Winslow even winked at him as he left.

“What the hell was that?” Livingston pointed his finger past Jason. “I just bought that milk, dammit!”

“That’s Winslow, my brother. Ugh… he always does that. Look…” Nikko began. Jesus, Nikko was really struggling here. “Wow, this is harder than I thought.”

“What?” Livingston asked. Was Nikko finally going to come clean? Ha!

“I have this problem…” Nikko covered his mouth with his hand as he mumbled something.

“Buddy, look, I know you’re a hoarder and I still love you.” Livingston went over to hug his friend.

Nikko pushed him away. “I am not a hoarder. I store, dammit.”

Says every damn chipmunk in our hoarding family.

“Oh,” Livingston murmured. “Are you sure, because when we lived together, you had the left side of the cupboard stuffed top to bottom full of every kind of nut and peanut butter you could imagine. Hell, some even seemed to tip on my side, which continually got smaller and smaller the longer we lived together.” Livingston held up his hands in defense as Nikko growled. “Not that I minded.”

Jason mumbled, “He minded. Give the man his space. Walk away, Nikko. Walk away.”

“Jason,” Nikko chided. “He’s a true friend and well… you know I’m moving in with Dallas.” Nikko rubbed the back of his head.

“Yeah,” Livingston frowned.

“I think I found someone to cover my side of the rent. Well… if they can find jobs.” Nikko chuckled nervously.

Anyone would be out of their fucking minds to hire them.

“Wait.” Livingston’s eyes bulged as he pointed to the living room, “Them? As in all of them? No way.”

“No… uh… just the twins.” Nikko shoved his finger through his unruly hair. Unfortunately, Nikko had nothing on him when it came to crazy looking hair; he lived with hair that looked like he stuck his finger in a light socket.

Sparks walked in at that very moment and opened a cupboard. He spotted a jar of peanut butter, unscrewed it, then dipped his finger in. He brought the scoop to his mouth and sucked on it slowly while eyeing Livingston. Was he hitting on the guy? Was that supposed to be sexy? It wasn’t. Not. At. All.

Livingston opened a drawer near him and pulled out a spoon, then handed it to Sparks.

“What? You don’t like peanut butter?” Sparks winked.

“Sparks,” Jason groaned.

“I… eww.” Livingston eyed Sparks like he had lost his mind.

Jason was in some damn nightmare.

“What do you mean eww?” Sparks acted insulted. It would go a long way if he didn’t have a smudge of peanut butter on the corner of his mouth.

“I mean, your hands were just on the ground. Did you run here in shifter form? Did you wash your hands? You contaminated that whole jar.” Livingston waved his hand at the peanut butter.

“Oh that’s the chefy prep guy in you.” Sparks chuckled as he walked by and patted Livingston on the ass like he was some damn teammate instead of a stranger. Jason cringed as he noticed a smudge of peanut butter on Livingston’s jeans.

“Chefy guy? Is he for real?” Livingston asked Nikko.

“They take some getting used to, but you’ll never be bored,” Nikko chuckled.

“I can’t live with those guys,” Livingston hissed. “Why can’t I have him?” Livingston pointed to Jason.

Jason jumped and pointed to his chest. “Me?”

“Yeah, you… you seem… well, quiet.” Livingston waved at him.

Jason glanced over at Nikko as he began to tremble a little. Livingston seemed like a nice enough guy but being removed from all his family would be all kinds of hell for him.

“You can’t have Jason. He’s… well, he needs to be close to his family. Jason’s going to live with Gunner and Phillip.”

I believe the word you are looking for, dear brother, is introverted.

Nikko actually appeared a bit sheepish before continuing. “It won’t be that long, I promise. We just need a bit of time until something in town opens up.”

Livingston’s mouth dropped open. “That could be months. Why don’t they live with you and Dallas?”

“They can’t. You know why. It’s only one bedroom, we have no room. Look, I know you’re looking for a roommate and need the help with the other half of rent. They’re a bit crazy, but I promise you they are nice guys. You’ll fall in love with Winslow and Sparks.” Nikko approached him and hugged him. “Plus I don’t like you living here all alone.”

Livingston sighed. “I do hate living here alone. I’m talking to the walls, and it hasn’t even been that long. You know me. You think this will be good for me?”

“Just try it. If they become too much trouble for you, I’ll talk to Phillip and Gunner. I think in time they’ll settle and you three will get along. They’ve never been outside of Atlanta and well… well, never mind. They’ll be hellish,” Nikko murmured.

“You were trouble, and I liked living with you.” Livingston sighed as he hugged Nikko.

Jason watched. It was clear that Livingston and Nikko were best friends, that his brother had developed a lasting friendship in this town. He hadn’t seen any of his family interact with other shifters, outside their mates at Christmas. Is this what it was going to be like living in White Pine? Jason’s body trembled. God, he wanted a friend, but the idea of approaching new people about made his heart jump out of his chest.

Nikko chuckled, breaking Jason’s thoughts. “Yep, and they’re me times two. You’ll be good for them too. Hey, look what came out of us living together.” Nikko winked at him.

“Okay, I’ll give them a try,” Livingston breathed out.

Livingston pulled back and smiled at Nikko just as the twins came scurrying by in chipmunk form. They ran around all their legs a couple of times. One took off while the other stopped, patted Livingston on the leg with his tiny paw, and zipped back out.

Jason laughed. “Nikko, you better make sure to start looking fast.”

It certainly was going to be interesting. Now Jason just had to figure out where he was going to fit in this town.

Buy the book: MLR | Amazon | All Romance (ARe)

WhitePineChipmunkInvasion_432

Meet the Author

Short, sexy and sweet—where a little love goes a long way.

That’s the best way to describe Jackie Nacht’s stories. She was introduced to M/M Romance through her sister, Stephani, and read it for years. Then, she thought it was time to put her own stories on paper. Jackie began writing short and sweet stories that ended with a happily ever after.

Thinking back to her own book addiction, where there were many nights Jackie stayed up way too late so she could read just one more chapter—yeah, right—Jackie decided to write short romances for young adults as well as adults. Hopefully, they will give high school and college students, or working men and women something they can read during their lunch hour, in between classes or just when they want to briefly get away from the daily stresses of everyday life.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

BFD Book Blog, Jessie G. Books, Divine Magazine, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter,

SiK Reviews, Havan Fellows, MM Good Book Reviews, Wake Up Your Wild Side, The Hat Party, Bayou Book Junkie, Velvet Panic, Open Skye Book Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

2-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Parker Williams

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js