A MelanieM Release Day Review: Barricades by Dem Had

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

They were raised to hate each other, but love has other plans.

When introverted bookworm Orestis escapes his homophobic parents and abusive home for a night out with friends, he meets artist Emir, and the passion between them is instant and explosive. But Orestis is a Greek Cypriot and Emir is Turkish, and neither society nor their families will accept their love. If they want a romance that lasts beyond one fiery, forbidden night, they’ll have to face the backlash.

Let me say immediately that Dem Had has a wonderful story here, with a location, situation, and main couple I really hadn’t seen before.  If the full promise indicated by the blurb isn’t fulfilled, mark that up to the shortness of the story.  Given the writing, the gritty details, the research, and many of the facts and emotional layers to Barricades, had it just been extended further, this would have been a remarkable novel.

As released, Barricades by Dem Had is a contemporary romance that takes us to the divided island of Cyprus, a tiny paradise that’s currently in the middle of a economic boom …on the Greek side.  Yes, its divided by religion and countries, Turkey and Greece, Islam and Christianity. And in between lies a border and years of hatred.  All on one small exquisite island.

Had uses Cyprus’ division and pasts which will always extend into its present as a foundation for Barricades and it’s main couple, one a Greek Cypriot and the other a Turkish Cypriot.  Four words that are almost swear words depending on which side of the border you live on.

While Had brings the fanatical animosity between the two factions alive, she never really accounts for the depth of feeling for being a Cypriot which I know from being friends with someone there.  Their love for Cyprus, in this case they never say Cyprus , no its always, always, “Im a Greek Cypriot”, is on a cellular level.  Away, the word pining for his town and land is entirely accurate . His pride in returning after getting his degrees abroad?  Beyond words.  In the story, you get the anguish and the bitterness of both mens’ situation.  The cultural divide that brings the bullying and endless harassment feels real, especially as they live so close to the border (which my friend never mentions, it’s as though that part of the island does not exist).

It’s as though we are only getting part of their story and you feel the hole because of the richness of what remains. These are terrific characters.

Orestis with his physically abusive father, comes in for twice the hatred, he’s gay and his boyfriend is Turkish.  His pain and fear on the page is visceral. His father treatment of Orestis includes the way the father feels the family is now seen by everyone around them, that the son has “failed” them. A real situation there.Emir is the one that needs more layers.  You never see the full artist in him, yet supposedly he’s successful commercially.  But that part of his character never feels real or part of the story.  He’s clearly a conflicted person emotionally over his sexuality, driving him to cheat and have anonymous sexual encounters behind Orestis,’s back.  That part of their relationship or should I say Emir’s conflict within himself is never resolved satisfactorily.  It can’t be within this short a story.

Yes, readers who have problems with a mc that cheats is going to have issues here.

Had is dealing with so many legitimate issues here.  She could have filled a 500 page novel with this couple and their relationship alone with dealing with their backgrounds, the issues of their differences in religion which never arises, the culture of hypermasculinity that exists in Greece and Cyprus, the idealization of Greek sons within the family and the family’s high expectations, domestic and child abuse, along with LGBT rights which are admittedly shaky there.

All of which made the ending extremely puzzling because there was no foundation set for it.  Had the author built the groundwork, ie shown the readers that the men truly loved  their island and why (the places, their homes) we would have understood the choice better.

But perhaps this is just me seeing so much promise in this story and characters and wishing for more.  As written, I do recommend it,  It’s different, terrific, and will make you think while enjoying a romance with its feet on an island both torn and exquisite.

Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht.  Dramatic and eye catching.  Great job.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, World of Love #27, 85 pages
Expected publication: May 24th 2019 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781644052266
Edition Language English

An Alisa Review: How to Heal by Susan Hawke

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Take one former bully, unable to forgive himself for the sins of his past…

Clark Danvers is a wild twenty-one year old who’s trying to prove he’s an adult. With a two-year degree in hand, he manages the family car dealership and seemingly parties by night. Given the amount of times he’s been pulled over for speeding by Deputy Rick Matthews, public opinion seems to be right. But what people don’t see are the scars he carries both inside and out. Scars from a past he can’t run away from and will never be able to atone for, no matter how many times he beats himself over it.

Add one no-nonsense cop who longs to be a Daddy for the right boy…

Jericho “Rick” Matthews never expects the bratty kid who gets on his last nerve to pull at his heartstrings. When he finds Clark battered and fighting for his life in a motel room, Rick’s Daddy mode is instantly engaged. Before he can think of anything else, he must first comfort this hurting boy.

To equal a pair of men who might just be what the other needs.

The two men who thought they couldn’t stand each other are drawn together after a date gone wrong. While Rick tenderly cares for Clark, he decides what this brat needs is a Daddy… someone to help him break free from the past and embrace the promise of many happy tomorrows.

Note: Possible trigger warning for mentions of self-harm and a scene involving a man who’s consented to having himself tied up. What he didn’t agree to was being left that way for an entire weekend. This highly emotional scene is the catalyst to evoke “Daddy’s” protective mode in a tale filled with themes of hurt and comfort and the struggle of overcoming a difficult past.

This was a good story and I was so glad for Clark to find something good.  When I saw what he was going through as a teen that cause his actions when he was younger I felt for him but to see that years later he is punishing himself and even others are still holding it against him broke my heart.  I liked Rick previously, even if he was a little overbearing but I was glad he was able to admit he had been wrong in his initial assessment of Clark.

Though Clark gets support from his mother it really take the support and friendship of Rick and his family to help Clark feel like he is worthy and should have some happiness.

I could feel these character’s emotions and while things pretty much went right once they started a relationship I enjoyed it.  Most of the book showed how Rick was able to read Clark and support him to become the man he should be and not be hiding from the world anymore.

The cover art is nice, following the style of the series and gives a great visual of Clark.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 277 pages

Publication: April 14, 2019

Edition Language: English

Series: Lovestrong #5

An Alisa Review: Undisclosed Desires by Carly Marie

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

Caleb Masterson is, by all accounts, a successful adult. He graduated college, found a job he loves, and has a place to call home. Unfortunately, he knows what he desires in a relationship is considered too “high-maintenance” for most men and he has decided to not even bother looking. He’s happy with his decision until a sexy man with salt-and-pepper hair limps into his physical therapy office and turns his world upside down.

Careful attention to detail and a need to be in control have helped Travis Barton become the owner of a successful construction company. But that same desire for control is what has pushed his past boyfriends away… Travis knows what he’s looking for in a relationship isn’t easy to find, and the last place he expects to find the man with the potential to be everything he’s ever hoped for is in his physical therapist’s office. But when Travis overhears an intriguing conversation between his cute physical therapist and a co-worker, he’s suddenly not so anxious to be back at work.

Is it possible for two men, both content in their lives, to find what they’ve both needed in a partner in the most unexpected of places? Or will their desires be too much for the other to handle?

This was a wonderful story and I was able to get my Daddy kink fix at the same time which makes it even better.  When we first meet Travis he is a bit grumpy about doing therapy but is immediately intrigued by Caleb.  Caleb has always known he was a Little but other than his best friend, Dex, he has never let another seen that side of him.

Travis hasn’t had a boy in a long time and can’t help but feel drawn to Caleb and I loved watching him break down all of Caleb’s walls as their relationship grew.  I was heartbroken for Caleb when he was so sure that he would never find someone who would accept his Little side let alone embrace it the way Travis did and I was glad that Travis was determined (as a good Daddy is) and wasn’t going to walk away from Caleb no matter how scared he could be.

These two were perfect for each other.  It was even better that Caleb’s relationship with Travis brought more people into his life, Dex is great and only wants what is best for Caleb but it’s always good to have others to lean on and accept you.  I loved Caleb and Dex’s relationship and how open they were with each other and that Caleb could relax and indulge his Little side a bit when they were together.  I look forward to other books that would focus on the friends in the book as they look like they may have stories to tell too.

The cover art by Soxational Cover Art is nice and I love the picture of Caleb.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 232 pages

Publication: May 16, 2019

Edition Language: English

DJ Jamison on Five wedding traditions that Appear in Surprise Groom (Marital Bliss #1) (guest blog and giveaway)

Five wedding traditions that make an appearance in Surprise Groom

When I first came up with the idea for my release, Surprise Groom — Book 1 of a new series called Marital Bliss — I didn’t realize just how much “wedding planning” I’d be taking on! But where there are weddings, there are wedding traditions. Here are five that make an appearance in the book. Keep in mind, Surprise Groom takes place on a wedding resort, so there are plenty of weddings to go around!

The bouquet toss!

Watch out. Those flowers don’t always end up where intended! Or maybe they do? You’ll have to read Surprise Groom to find out.

Toasts, so many toasts!

Don’t ask me why, but even when writing the toasts myself, I get all misty-eyed. I think they’re even better in fiction than real life. There’s just something so moving about someone sharing what’s in their heart with a room of full of people. Maybe I should start a tradition of holding toasts at my own family dinners!

Something borrowed…

And sometimes something lost. Caleb has mastered the skill of soothing panicky brides and grooms, though, so don’t worry.

Wedding favors!

And sometimes a whole lot of ribbons to tie around them. But hey, if you do it with the right partner, it can be fun. Maybe? Sometimes? Caleb and Julien thought so. Or maybe they just enjoyed what they did before tying those knots 😉

Wedding photos!

Gazebos bedecked with flower petals, burbling fountains, beaches with ocean views, horse stables, courtyards with gardens designed to bloom year-round. There’s no shortage of photo opportunities on Bliss Island.

I have at least three more books to write in this series, and many more wedding traditions to tackle! What’s your favorite tradition in a wedding/reception?


Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal LinkExclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Length: 89,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
Blurb
 

Can two men fake their way to marital bliss?


Caleb Taylor is shocked to learn his family could lose Bliss Island Resort — their home and livelihood — unless he makes use of a clause to marry the child of investor Louis Chastain. Sofia Chastain is more like a sister than a love interest, and Caleb isn’t ready to sign over his future. But Sofia has a brother, and Caleb has a plan …


Julien Chastain was disowned at fifteen and has made a life as a go-go dancer in Miami, but he lives paycheck to paycheck. When his childhood friend proposes an outlandish marriage contract, he thinks he’s crazy. But it’s a chance at a future that’s tough to pass up.


Caleb and Julien must present themselves as an authentic couple for the legal loophole to work, but the lines between “fake” and “real” keep shifting as they navigate intimacy, public scrutiny, and sabotage.


Love isn’t part of the plan, but plans change. If they can outsmart Julien’s father and prove their love is worth more than a transaction, they just might find a true happily-ever-after.

Author Bio
 

DJ Jamison is the author of more than a dozen m/m romances, including the Ashe Sentinel series and the Hearts and Health series. She writes a variety of queer characters, from gay to bisexual to asexual, with a focus on telling love stories that are more about common ground than lust at first sight. DJ grew up in the Midwest in a working-class family, and those influences can be found in her writing through characters coping with real-life problems: money troubles, workplace drama, family conflicts and, of course, falling in love. DJ spent more than a decade in the newspaper industry before chasing her first dream to write fiction. She spent a lifetime reading before that, and continues to avidly devour her fellow authors’ books each night. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, two fish and, regrettably, one snake.

 

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Check Out the New Release Blog Tour for Want Me by Neve Wilder (excerpt and giveaway)

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Want Me

Neve Wilder

M/M New Adult Romance

Release Date: 05.08.19

Want Me Cover

BLURB

Two roommates. One calculus exam. A whole lot of extracurricular activity.

Nate

Living with four other guys, it’s bound to happen.

Every guy’s been caught taking care of business at least once, right?

It shouldn’t be a big deal.

But I don’t know Eric as well as my other roommates, and things are a little awkward now.

He’s a loner. A mystery. Quietly confident. Smart.

Sexy as hell.

I’ve been happily subsisting on the typical frat guy diet of booze and sorority girls.

But the way Eric looked at me that night?

There was something there.

Something that’s got me curious.

Something that’s stirring up feelings I thought I’d left behind for good.

Something that’s making me think I’m not as straight as I thought I was.

I can’t get him off of my mind.

I don’t think I want to.

So when he offers to help me study for a midterm I’m convinced I’m going to fail,

I take him up on it.

It’s innocent.

Probably. Maybe.

There’s no way I could’ve known what it’d start…

This is a super steamy standalone new adult/college mm romance with HEA that unfolds across six “episodes” following Nate and Eric. Now bundled up in one collection with a bonus episode for a seamless reading experience. 87,000 words.

Amazon US: http://bit.ly/WantMeNeveWilder

Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/WantMeNeveWilder_UK

Want Me Graphic 2

Want Me Teaser 2

 

EXCERPT

“You all right?”

“Yeah, stressed, as usual.”

“Calculus? I can help.”

“Nope, philosophy this time.”

He wrinkled his nose in sympathy, then laced his fingers behind his head. I turned my focus back to the page I was reading, then realized I’d read the same sentence three times in a row. I could feel him watching me, and when I turned my head to check, I was right. His gaze trickled down from the crown of my head to my lap, slow as a drop of water down the glass of the window behind me. My cock jumped in my pants, and I shifted my legs restlessly. The thing needed a leash.

“You want some stress relief?” he offered.

No. It was on the tip of my tongue to say it, because I was frustrated by the whole situation, but fuck, the way he was sitting there so casually, his legs sprawled, his thickening cock starting to push at his fly… I inhaled deeply through my nose, and as I exhaled, found myself saying, “Like what?”

“Not sure yet,” he mused, posture straightening. He moved to the edge of his seat, scooting his chair in closer so he was right next to me, and even though I kind of knew what was coming, I still flinched when he laid his hand over the top of my thigh.

“Not right here,” I said, lowering my voice. But fuck if I didn’t widen my legs in the same breath, a taboo thrill running through me at being in public. Shit, regardless of Eric, I was starting to think I really did have a thing for being watched—or the threat of getting caught, at least.

Eric palmed my crotch, spreading his fingers over the bulge in my gym shorts. His warmth seeped through the silky mesh fabric and woke my cock right the fuck up.

I glanced around. There was no one to either side of us, and behind me was just a bank of windows that looked over the main quad below. But there were a trio of heads in the carrels across from me. I could hear them when they whispered or turned a page in their books, and I had to muffle a growl when Eric tucked his hand behind the waistband of my shorts, grazing his fingertips over my swollen head.

“No?” It was practically a purr, and it rolled over my skin like warm oil and flooded me with furiously spreading heat that tightened my balls.

He took my silence for the assent it was, and I clamped my lower lip between my teeth as he wedged his hand deeper into my shorts and wrapped it around the base of my cock, giving it a sharp, pulsing squeeze that made me suck in a breath.

“Freeballing?”

“Yeah,” I stuttered out, my dick jumping in his hand as he squeezed again.

“Good deal.” He gave me a few light, feathery strokes that had my hips surging up into the contact, and then his hand tightened like a vice around my shaft, thumb tracing my head in a tantalizing sweep as he leaned in. His whisper washed over me like pure, searing desert heat, the ownership in it shooting straight to my core and making me dizzy. “I want that nut you’re working up right now.”

“Fuck,” I hissed so loud that when I glanced up, I could see the person in the carrel across from me trying to subtly peer over the divider.

I hunched over my desktop to conceal the view of Eric’s hand as it plunged deeper, scooping up my balls and kneading them.

“That sounded like a yes to me.”

“Not here,” I whispered again and yanked his hand from my pants. Even though by then, shit, I was definitely seeing the appeal in letting him get me off right there. But I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay quiet enough, and though the thrill of possibly getting caught was hot, the reality of a charge for public indecency was not. I needed some ninja skills for that, or a lot more experience, and the whole novelty of getting off with a dude who knew what the hell he was doing was still so keen-edged that I didn’t have a shot.

“Spoilsport. I was enjoying the challenge, but I guess you’re right.” Eric picked up his sucker again, stuffing the wrapper in his back pocket. “You’re a noisy fucker, so maybe a little more buffer is a good idea. Come on.”

wilder_logo_4_flat

Neve Wilder lives in the southern US, where the summers are hot and the winters are…sometimes cold. She is a mom to three rambunctious weebeasts who have joined forces in a mission to carpet the family home with toys and small items that really suck to step on at six in the morning.

She reads promiscuously across multiple genres, but her favorite stories always contain an element of romance. Incidentally, this is also what she likes to write. Slow-burners with delicious tension? Yes. Whiplash-inducing page-turners, also yes. Down and dirty scorchers? Yes. And every flavor in between.

She believes David Bowie was the sexiest musician to ever live, and she’s always game to nerd out on anything from music to writing.

And finally, she believes that love conquers all. Except the heat index in July. Nothing can conquer that bastard.

Web site: www.nevewilder.com

FB author page: www.facebook.com/nevewilderwrites

FB Reader Group: www.facebook.com/groups/WildersWildOnes

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Neve-Wilder/e/B07HY29JMG

Bookbub Author page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/neve-wilder

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18429115.Neve_Wilder

Instagram: www.instagram.com/nevewilder

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Top Shelf

A Seacroft Novel

Allison Temple

M/M Romance

Release Date: 05.20.19

Top Shelf Cover

Blurb

Martin is a ghost. Well, not really, but he might as well be. Job gone, home gone, self-respect gone, and no one even seems to notice. The only person who really sees him is Seb, the artist who lives above the used bookstore.

Seb haunts the edges of Seacroft in search of beauty. He knows how to excavate the hidden value in abandoned things—whether it’s in the pages of forgotten books or in Martin’s stuttering attempts to rebuild his life—and transform them into works of art.

Two lost souls, Seb and Martin discover the strength they need to face eccentric townies and their dysfunctional families together. But as friendship sparks toward something more, neither man wants to risk what they’ve only just found. It takes two to fall in love, but it will take the whole community to bring their beauty to life.

Top Shelf is an 81k slow burn friends-to-lovers MM romance. It features an anxious professor, a drama queen artist, a bookstore that might be haunted, and a full-blown heart-eyes HEA.

Amazon: http://bit.ly/Top-Shelf_

International: http://mybook.to/TopShelf

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Top Shelf Teaser 1

Excerpt

The distinct sound of footsteps had him freezing in place again. Martin’s breath went shallow, and he clutched at the phone. Was it inappropriate to call the police on his first day of work? There was someone in the store, and Martin was very sure he had not seen anyone come in since Cassidy had left.

He moved in between the shelves as his mind raced. What if someone had snuck in? Broken in?

Why would someone sneak in to steal used books?

Martin grabbed a cookbook off a shelf labeled ‘Everything is Better With Salt’ and hefted it, testing the weight. If someone was back there, and that someone was up to no good, Martin could use the book as a weapon.

There was a soft sound of someone humming, and it made the hairs on Martin’s neck prickle. He tripped at the edge of the next shelf.

“Cass, is that you?”

Martin froze with the cookbook half-raised to his shoulder. Every part of him went on alert at the sound of a man’s voice, much closer than he’d expected.

Another book dropped to the ground.

He peeked around a shelf. The first thing his brain registered was white, and it was almost enough to convince him that he was seeing a ghost. His fingers tightened around the cookbook.

A long pale arm reached up and lifted a book off the very top shelf.

It was a man.

He wore faded jeans and a gray T-shirt. His hair was bleached blond. If he was a thief, he was a terrible one, because he flipped through the book, then let it drop to the floor next to what must have been the other ones Martin had already heard fall.

He was a man though, whoever he was. Tall and solid. Not a ghost. Martin lowered the cookbook. Assaulting a customer on his first day would be a bad career move.

“Excuse me,” he said, but it was drowned out as the next book thumped to the floor. Martin hopped back a step, but gathered himself and tried again. “Excuse me. I’m closing up.”

“Sure thing,” the man said as he stretched up on his toes again, reaching for another book. His shirt lifted from the waist of his jeans, and the skin underneath was so pale it enhanced his ghostly appearance.

When Martin didn’t leave, the man glanced over his shoulder, and his face made Martin’s heart stop. He wasn’t a ghost or a thief, but whoever he was, he was handsome. Blue eyes flicked up and down once, like he was trying to decide the kind of threat Martin might pose.

As Martin inhaled to assert himself again, the man turned back to the shelf.

“You—” Martin swallowed hard, willing himself to stand firm. “You’ll have to go.”

Those blue eyes darted toward Martin again, like a wrist flicking at a fly. The man grinned, a slow sly grin that made Martin’s insides twist.

“You’re new, aren’t you?” the man said.

Martin’s ears burned. He knew a dismissal when he heard one.

“If—If there’s something you’d like to buy, I can help you cash out. Otherwise, we’ll be open again on Monday at—” What time did they open? It had been nine o’clock on Saturday. Was it the same time on weekdays?

The blond man frowned, and Martin’s heart lurched under the stranger’s scrutiny. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had really looked at him. For all his rising panic at the feeling of being alone in the store earlier, he very much wanted to return to that solitude right now. It was so much better than being the center of this man’s attention.

“How long have you worked here?” The strange man’s voice was soft and low, rippling through the space between them.

Martin shivered and had to focus to keep his feet planted. “We’re closing and—”

“Where’s Cass?” The man glanced over Martin’s shoulder, giving him a moment to breathe.

“Cassidy? She went home.”

“What’s your name?” Those eyes were on Martin again in an instant, making him light-headed.

“Martin.” Too late, he wondered if he shouldn’t have introduced himself, particularly when the other man made no effort to return the favor.

“Well then, Martin.” The man took a step forward. “It appears no one bothered to inform you—”

“I’ll call the owner.” Martin was losing ground and needed to fix this quickly. Calling Mrs. Green to resolve a grumpy customer was absolutely a bad idea, but he was on the verge of being run out of his own bookstore, so there weren’t many options left.

To illustrate that point, the blond man’s eyes widened and his lips formed into an ‘O’.

“No no. Please.” He held his hands wide, as his mouth pulled into another grin. Everything about it made Martin want to shrink into himself until he was nothing but a speck of dust on a bookshelf.

“I’m sorry,” he said, giving it one last go. “But we close at six and—”

The man didn’t appear to hear him. He toed through the pile of books at his feet.

Martin winced as pages bent under his shoes. “Please don’t—”

Thin fingers pinched the crumpled pages together and lifted them in the air, the book’s heavy covers flopping to the sides. There was the soft sound of paper tearing.

The man tucked the book under one arm. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll pay for it.” He put a hand in one of his pockets, then actually swaggered toward Martin, whose vision wavered as the man’s fingers brushed against his own. Martin gasped at the hard weight of something metal in his palm. The silence of the bookshop was broken by the sound of coins tumbling out of Martin’s frozen hand and onto the floor.

“That should cover it.” The man whispered it low. The feeling of his breath on Martin’s skin made him turn into a Martin-shaped statue, frozen in place as the other man slid past him.

“Nice to meet you,” the man said. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

It felt like hours, but it probably was only a matter of seconds before he trembled and broke out of his daze. The floorboards creaked as the man walked away. Martin knelt and collected the coins he’d dropped. They were all nickels and dimes, and they totaled up to just under two dollars.

A door closed and the shop fell quiet.

Martin wound his way back the way he’d come. Nerves boiled inside him, and he hesitated around every blind corner between shelves, half expecting the blond stranger to leap out at him like some deranged Jack in the Box. He stumbled into the open space at the front.

He was alone.

Martin went to the door. It surprised him that the hinges hadn’t made their booming wail as the man left.

His hand stopped as he reached for the deadbolt. It was still in position. The door was locked.

Where had the man come from? And where had he gone?

Aliison Temple Logo

Allison Temple has been a writer since the second grade, when she wrote a short story about a girl and her horse. Her grandmother typed it out for her and said she’s never seen so many quotation marks from a seven-year-old before. Allison took that as a challenge and has gone on to try to break her previous record in all her subsequent works.

Allison lives in Toronto with her very patient husband and the world’s neediest cat. She splits her free time between writing, community theater stage management, and traveling anywhere that has good wine. Tragically, this leaves no time to clean her house.

Newsletter (get two free shorts right now): https://allisontemplebooks.com/newsletter

Facebook Reader group: https://facebook.com/groups/allisonsalist

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07B7P5591

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A MelanieM Review: Not Gonna Lie (#lovehim #4) by S.M. James

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Everyone has their secrets.

Last year Digi walked out on Webcon, on his fans, and on Gram.

Now he’s back determined to give what they had a real shot, but Gram is more prickly than ever, not willing to risk his heart again.

Despite trying to stay out of the spotlight, the anonymous Public Service Announcements draw Digi back in. As the secrets of the internet’s top celebrities are leaked to the world, it’s only a matter of time before Digi and Gram are next.

To get through it, they have to set their rivalry aside.

Will Digi handle the pressure of the bright lights long enough to find who is tearing their world apart? Or will the threat of full exposure be too much for him to handle?

LGBTQ Enemies to Lovers Romance

Not Gonna Lie (#lovehim #4) by S.M. James is the tale I have been waiting for since I finished To Be Continued (#lovehim 3.5), the so aptly named novella and the first part of Digi and Gram’s story.  At the end of that complex bit of storytelling, Digi walked away from everything, including Gram, in order to find himself after the escalating events of that story.

Now in Not Gonna Lie, we dive into back Gram and Digi’s lives a year later.  It’s not exactly what we expected to find for both of them.

One thing I will mention immediately is the length of this story.  It’s much longer than any other books in the series and because of that we get a story richer in layers, more plot threads throughout the novel, and on whole just a thoughtful, authentic, beautifully written story. James takes a deeply honest look into the “media culture” of vloggers and their fans, including the dark side of popularity and online mass bullying and attacks.  If you’re familiar with beauty vlogger James Charles, who is people forget only 19, and the current morass he finds himself the center of, then this story will resonate with you. One minute you’re 18 and your yearbook photo goes viral, then you’re a star with a Cover Girl contract and a popular vlog at 18, and then a feud and the loss of millions of followers.  All still at the age of 19.  Such is the fickleness of the media and popularity and James gets it.

And makes it painful and intimately more real for us when we fall back into the lives of Gram and Digi.

What the blurb is not saying is why Digi is returning to Webcom and that is as big a part of this story as his reuniting with Gram.  And yes, it has also to do with the media, and bullying in the worst way.  Everything that Digi thought he was getting away from and had found him again.  It’s hard to mention aspects of this story without giving away details that lead to spoilers because the blurb is so vague that I feel that anything I mention is a surprise and important element that the reader should find out for themselves.

There are so many large things here that S.M. James gets into because of the characters.  It’s not just bullying and cyberbullying but also bulimia and eating disorders, something that Digi has been fighting for a long time (and was brought on in To Be Continued).  Along with this in the story goes cutting and self harm, so if these are triggers for you, please sake note.    Again, I will say that the longer length of the book gives the author the time to delve into the reasons behind such actions and the treatment received. It will make your  heart hurt and hold out hope for others in Digi’s situation.

And still there’s more.  Along with Gram and Digi reconnecting and working through a strained and tumultuous past history (along with their mothers competition as well), we also get a mystery, and the stress and strain of Gram’s new ever higher level popularity and the effects its having on him.  And his crazy fans.

Oh the complexities of this amazing story and all the characters.  Yes, still a romance and oh, so much more.  A social commentary, and perhaps a subtle warning too.

After all the many stories I have been reading in this remarkable YA series, I wasn’t quite prepared for just how exceptional Not Gonna Lie (#lovehim #4) by S.M. James turned out to be. A beautiful continuation of Digi and Gram’s story from To Be Continued, a social commentary on the media, vloggers and the powers of popularity and its whims.  And even more, the stress these days of just being young.  That’s heartbreaking too.

So you can imagine how you feel when a romance posts a win, even a HFN, and it makes your heart soar.  If only for a while.  This is one you will want to read and cheer for the win.

I truly love all the stories that come with this series but this one?  Oh, this one is really something exemplary.  Pick up To Be Continued and then read it and Not Gonna Lie (#lovehim #4) by S.M. James together for an amazing reading experience.  I highly recommend them and the entire series which I have listed below.

Cover art: Story Styling Cover Designs. Brands the series and works for this story.

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 430 pages
Published May 16th 2019 by May Books
ASINB07PSMHV8Y
Edition Language English
Series#lovehim #4

Series #lovehim

That Feeling When (Archie and Landon)

No Big Deal
To Be Continued(3,5) Digi and Gram
In Real Life(4.5)  Archie and Landon  coming soon, hopefully.

An Ashlez Review: T.A.G. You’re Seen (The Assassins’ Guild #1) by A.G. Carothers

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Attention: This book contains explicit sexual content between consenting assassins and not so innocent professors. There are depictions of masochistic masturbation, male chastity, breath play, watersports, humiliation, and torture by eighties hair bands with ginger sprinkles on top.

Phew! Now, that that’s out of the way, Hi. I’m Mr. No, your friendly communications agent for The Assassins’ Guild AKA T.A.G.

I’ve been authorized by the head honcho himself, Mr. H, to release approved records from the agent files.

Agent Code Name Mr. W was recovering from a near death debacle by way of an easy assignment in a small mountain town. Red flags sprang up immediately around the seemingly innocent English professor. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery Jacob Peters presented, Mr. W made plans to do what he did best, watch , wait , and then capture and interrogate.

But even the best laid plans can go awry…

Find out what brought Mr. W to his knees in this first release from the archives of The Assassins’ Guild.

Freaking hell I loved this so much!!!!!!!!!!!!
The beginning of the book intrigued me from the get go – Yoshi was an interesting yet slow paced character.  The first part of the book is from his perspective and you get a taste of who he is, how he thinks, what’s going on in his head, very interesting character.
When part 2 hit you really got a flip  in the script, you could tell it was a different characters thoughts/emotions than the previous part, which I loved, it’s normally pretty hard to distinguish certain characters and they all end up blurring, this did NOT at all blur.  And damn if he wasn’t darn adorable and sweet!!!!!!!!!!!
I was shocked at the comedy parts of this book, for such serious subject matter it was very entertaining – and one line particularly at the end was truly genius and amazing.
I honestly cannot wait until the next book in the series comes out, I want to see Oz and Con and Enrique .. the whole gang and how they’re going to settle down, etc.

Such a great book, such a great book!

Cover Artist: Amai Designs Samantha Santana– at first I didn’t understand it, but after reading the book and seeing it up close it fits – and man the guy on the cover is exactly who I pictured (maybe slightly more muscular)

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Amazon Link

Amazon US 

Amazon UK

Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 206 pages
Published May 21st 2019
ASINB07QCK8WX4
Edition Language English
Series The Assassins’ Guild #1

An Alisa Review: Love on the Rocks by J.P. Bowie

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

Waking up on a pile of rocks with a bullet in his shoulder isn’t something Joe Brady saw coming, but perhaps the cute paramedic who finds him can do more than just help heal his wound.

 

Detective Joe Brady wakes up lying at the bottom of a cliff on a pile of rocks with a blond-haired angel hovering over him. No, he’s not in heaven. The blond is Riley Peterson, and his dog Champ is the one responsible for finding Joe. Fortunately for Joe, Riley is a paramedic and quickly gets him the emergency attention he sorely needs.

Shot by his rogue partner Bob Murdoch when Joe discovered Murdoch was running a protection racket for drug pushers, Joe wants to find Murdoch and bring him to justice, but he’s got a long road to recovery in front of him. While Joe is recuperating, Murdoch is arrested, giving Joe time to get to know Riley, the handsome paramedic. The two quickly bond, but Riley has an ex-boyfriend who wants back in Riley’s life and certainly has no qualms about playing dirty to get what he wants.

Slashed tires, an assault in a parking lot, and a prison break all seem set to doom Joe and Riley’s budding relationship. And when the deranged Murdoch determines to make them pay for his fall from grace—at gunpoint—it seems their relationship isn’t the only thing in danger…

 

Reader advisory: This book contains themes of stalking and harassment. There are references to abusive parenting and an abusive relationship, attempted murder and murder and on-page violence.

This story was okay but I wasn’t able to get into it.  Joe was very confident in his abilities as a detective but didn’t seem to have any faith in his co-workers.  Riley is overly sweet and is not the type of person to intentionally hurt someone.

I did not like how Joe thought he would have to be the one to go after his partner even when his boss told him it would be handled and for him to heal up.  To me Joe and Riley fell into a routine together but didn’t really talk about it and then seemed surprised when the other considered them in a relationship, I mean seriously.  The drama was Riley’s ex was not needed and felt thrown in to have something else going on but was more annoying than it did anything to help the story.  In the end, I just didn’t feel the character’s connection and it felt forced.

The cover art by Erin Dameron-Hill is nice and connects with the title of the story.

Sales Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 175 pages

Published: April 2, 2019 by Pride Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-78651-729-6

Edition Language: English

A Lucy Audio Review Finding Love:The Perfect Size for You by Lily G. Blunt and Sean Crisden (Narrator)

Rating:3 stars out of 5

A male escort takes on an inexperienced client and breaks the first rule of rent boys: don’t get attached.

After updating his Rent Boy blog profile, well-endowed porn star Ty receives a text from a sexually inexperienced client. Andy, the client, asks Ty to provide him with the necessary know-how so should he ever get a date with the guy he’s attracted to, he’ll be fully prepared.

Little does Ty know that this hookup will lead to a friendship that will subsequently change his life.

This is a short story, 70 pages long and just over an hour on audio.  The length and the amount of sex work against it because there isn’t a whole lot of time to feel the connection between these two.  I could see them as friends but I didn’t see them as partners. 

Andy was the highlight of the story for me.  He’s young looking and nerdy to the point that when Ty shows up for their paid hookup Ty believes him to be the son of the man who hired him.  Whoops!  Andy wants to become well versed in the art of sex so he can woo and win the guy he’s been lusting after. Ty, as a rent boy and porn star with the title mentioned perfectly sized big dick, is the one he hires.

There is a lot of sex here as is to be expected due to the subject matter and the scenes were good enough that I actually listened and didn’t skim.  There’s a couple times I did roll my eyes with things but all in all, the friendship development was believable.  The biggest change is Ty’s, from total focus on money to realizing there is something more important. 

This ends with a HFN and one that I was dissatisfied with.  Others may not mind it as much but combined with the fact that I didn’t feel these guys as a couple anyway, I didn’t see this as a long term thing.

Narration is by Sean Crisden, a favorite of mine and as always he does a wonderful job differentiating voices and making the story come to life.

Available FREE in the Romance Package

Audible US

Audible UK

Audio Details:

Audible Audio, 2 pages
Published May 16th 2016 by Lily G Blunt (first published January 28th 2014)
Original TitleThe Perfect Size for You
ASINB01FMUK0B6
Edition Language English

Jodi Payne on Writing, Romance and her new release ‘Stable Hill’ (author guest blog)

Stable Hill by Jodi Payne

Dreamspinner Press

Published May 21st 2019

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Jodi Payne here today talking about writing, romance, and her latest novel, Stable Hill.  welcome, Jodi!

 

Hi all! Thanks for coming by to read a little about me and about my new contemporary MMM ménage, Stable Hill! Today, I’m answering some interview questions.

Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

It depends on what I’m reading. If it’s a short piece—a short story or a shorter novella, I am perfectly happy with HFN. The short form is like that, you get a quick bite and the rest is left to your imagination. I love short fiction. But, if I’ve invested my time in a longer novella or full-length novel, I want the full resolution. I want to know for sure the amazing partnership I’ve been wishing and hoping for is forever. The only exception for me is a series, but I still need to feel like the MCs are solid, even if I know they’ll be tested in Book 2.

Do you read romances, as a teenager and as an adult?

I read them as a teenager, but as an adult, while I do read romances, I read much more in the mystery/forensic thriller genre and non-fiction. I have to turn my brain away from Romance once in a while to keep things fresh. I find I get lots of new character ideas from other genres too.

What traits do you find the most interesting in someone? Do you write them into your characters?

I like real people. Real people aren’t perfect, they say the wrong thing sometimes, make a bad decision sometimes, are occasionally selfish… all of these things are part of being human and I don’t think I could write a character that didn’t have some of these flaws. I like to make them grow in the book as they grow into a relationship. I like to see the ways in which a lover, and falling in love, changes them.

What’s next for you as an author?

I have more in my pipeline than I ever have, thanks to my wonderful writing partnership with BA Tortuga. Our next book is called Land of Enchantment, it’s a romance between two young men, one of whom is a college student on the run from the east coast and the other is a bull rider and business owner who is firmly rooted in his chosen home in New Mexico (naturally, hence the title). I’ll be jumping into some independent publishing this year as well, keep an eye on my website (jodipayne.net) or in my Facebook author group (Jodi’s Gents) for more about that.

Stable Hill Blurb:

Will three men from very different backgrounds find a home and a future together?

After losing his husband to cancer, Oscar Kennedy has his hands full with their four girls, the house, his job, and his mother-in-law. When he loses his father too, keeping Stable Hill, the old horse farm where he grew up, becomes impossible. Oscar hires Jeffrey Stokes, a slick-looking real estate broker with a roll-up-his-sleeves work ethic, to get it on the market.

Russell White manages the day-to-day at Stable Hill. Russ had loved Oscar’s dad like a father, and took on even more responsibility when the old man fell ill. He is shocked and saddened by Oscar’s decision to sell.

All three men have a stake in Stable Hill, and it’s not long before they start to invest in one another too. But their complicated relationship doesn’t make having to sell Stable Hill any easier. Will the fragile triad they’re building last when the farm that brought them together is gone?

✒︎

About the Author

Jodi Payne spent too many years in New York and San Francisco stage managing classical plays, edgy fringe work, and the occasional musical. She therefore is overdramatic, takes herself way too seriously, and has been known to randomly break out in song. Her men are imperfect but genuine, stubborn but likeable, often kinky, and frequently their own worst enemies. They are characters you can’t help but fall in love with while they stumble along the path to their happily ever after.

For those looking to get on her good side, Jodi’s addictions include nonfat lattes, Malbec and tequila any way you pour it. She’s also obsessed with Shakespeare and Broadway musicals. She can be found wearing sock monkey gloves while typing when it’s cold, and on the beach enjoying the sun and the ocean when it’s hot. When she’s not writing and/or vacuuming sand out of her laptop, Jodi mentors queer youth and will drop everything for live music. She lives near New York City with her beautiful wife, and together they are mothers of dragons (cleverly disguised as children) and slaves to an enormous polydactyl cat.

Tagline: You’re gonna love this guy…

Book Links:

Universal Books2Read Link: books2read.com/StableHill

Dreamspinner

Social Media Links:

Website: www.jodipayne.net

Facebook: www.facebook.com/payne.jodi

FB Author Group: www.facebook.com/groups/jodisgents

Twitter: @JodiPayne

Instagram: @jodipayne1800

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-payne

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/267617.Jodi_Payne