Book Blast with Reviews – Boy Next Door (Hot Off the Ice #5) by A. E. Wasp (excerpt)

BOOK BLAST

Book Title:  Boy Next Door (Hot Off the Ice #5)

Author: A. E. Wasp

Publisher:  Self-Published

Cover Artist: Ana Phoenix

Genre/s:  Contemporary Gay Romance

Heat Rating:  3.5 flames

Length:  100,000 words/432 pages

It is a standalone book.

Add on Goodreads

This is a story about losing the path and finding yourself.

It contains kissing, yelling, spanking, and carb-loaded family interventions. 

Blurb

Hockey superstar Joey Luciano has always been good at being whatever people needed him to be. The fans want a good-looking fast-living party boy? Enter ‘the Looch,’ Joey’s carefully created public persona. But the cracks in his mask are starting to show, and he’s begun to lose touch with who he really is. It’s going to take someone who’s been there from the very beginning, to help him find his way home.

Coach Liam O’Reilly always had a very clear picture of what his life should look like. Falling in love with the infuriating, passionate, stubborn, and endlessly fascinating boy next door was not part of the plan. But when Liam’s carefully constructed life fell apart one Christmas Eve, Joey Luciano was there to pick up the pieces. Now Liam can’t stop wanting him.

The passion blazing between them on the ice and behind closed doors could leave both of them badly burned. But through the smoke, Liam can see glimpses of a future brighter than any he’d imagined, a future worth risking his career and reputation for, if only he is brave enough to reach for it.

But Joey’s got a secret he’s keeping from everyone. If it gets out, it could be the end of everything.

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK 

Excerpt

“Hey,” Joey said, looking up from his phone as Liam fell into the bathroom. “Took you long enough. I’ve been in this fucking bathroom for ten minutes. It’s not that nice. One of those for me?”

“Fucking hell,” Liam said.

Those were the first words he’d spoken to Joey since Christmas Day. Jerk. Stupid gorgeous jerk.

”Okay, then.” Joey reached for one of the shot glasses and downed it, coughing a little from the tequila burn. He’d been expecting whiskey. “Tequila?” Bad things happened when they drank tequila.

Liam nodded and poured the other shot down his throat.

“Gina?”

“Who else?”

Who else but his big sister would do that? Of course, he’d known they were planning on trapping him in the bathroom. He’d also known Liam would do what they wanted, too. The O’Reilly-Luciano double-team had a ninety-five percent success rate.

He’d gone along with it because someplace, not even that deep inside, he desperately wanted to see Liam again. To see if Liam would still have the same effect on him as he had since puberty. Joey licked the last drop of alcohol off his lips, feeling a tingle of lust when Liam dropped his gaze to Joey’s mouth. Yeah. Still, the same effect. Stupid, good-looking smug bastard.

Liam set his glass on the counter with a thud, and then closed the distance between them, forcing Joey to look up to meet his eyes. Sometimes Joey really hated being four inches shorter than him.

“Nice outfit,” Liam said taking in the remains of Joey’s hastily-constructed pirate costume; red and black striped nylon pants ending in a ragged cuff just below the knee, black patent-leather Doc Martin boots, and a wide gold sash tied around his waist. He’d lost his shirt somewhere in the club. The way Liam couldn’t tear his eyes away from Joey’s tattoos made the loss of the two hundred dollar shirt totally worth it.

Liam picked up the end of the sash, sliding the silky material through his fingers. “How come every time I see you, you’re wearing some kind of costume?” Last time they’d met, Joey had been dressed as Santa.

Liam, of course, was his normal GQ self in dark trousers, a white dress shirt, and one of his vast collection of purple ties. The perfect simplicity of his clothes making everyone else look like they were trying too hard.

“How come every time I see you, you’re overdressed?” Joey asked.

Liam ran his hand through his thick red hair. “At least I’m not wandering around half-naked, letting everybody and their brother get their eyes all over me.”

Joey’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

Liam scowled. “It’s a snake pit out there. I got groped half a dozen times walking here.”

Joey leaned back against the water-splattered sink counter. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Your point is?”

Liam stepped close enough that their thighs brushed. Dropping his hand heavily on Joey’s shoulder, he watched transfixed as his thumb traced the curve of Joey’s collarbone. “My point is, that maybe I don’t like the idea of you getting pawed at by a room full of drunks and puck bunnies.”

Joey knocked Liam’s hand away. He had to be fucking kidding. “Tough shit.” Joey pushed himself upright, poking Liam in the center of his (distractingly firm) chest, hard enough to make him take a step backward. “You got no right to tell me what to do or not to do.”

About the Author

After time spent raising children, earning several college degrees, and traveling the world with the U.S. State Department, she is returning to her first love – writing.

A dreamer and an idealist, Amy writes about people finding connection in a world that can seem lonely and magic in a world that can seem all too mundane. She invites readers into her characters’ lives and worlds when they are their most vulnerable, their most human, living with the same hopes and fears we all have. An avid traveler who has lived in big cities and small towns in four different continents, Amy has found that time and distance are no barriers to love. She invites her readers to reach out and share how her characters have touched their lives or how the found families they have gathered around them have shaped their worlds.

Born on Long Island, NY, Amy has lived in Los Angeles, London, and Bangkok. She currently lives in a town suspiciously like Red Deer, Colorado.


Author Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram 

BOOK BLAST SCHEDULE

 

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words’ review here.  We highly recommend it.

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

It’s November and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

 

It’s November

November has finally arrived here.  It came with blustery winds and a drop in temperatures!  Almost overnight the leaves changed in color and our Indian summer vanished and fall arrived with a crispness to the air and that greyness in the skies.   All those trick or treaters just got in under the weather wire here and had a wonderful time.  Yes the  hoards descended!

But now its quiet, the winds howling and snatching the falls leaves up and away.  Again, a wonderful night to be reading. Only the foxes, raccoons, deer, and owls at play.

We had some great comments and recommendations for scary titles and  books so  lets finish up and get the winners names out.  As I  happily scarf down leftover Halloween candy (always buy the good stuff), the winners of the What Books go Boo for You Giveaway are H.B. and Purple Reader!  Congratulations to you both!  Contact Stella, Principessa of the Giftcards for yours.  We will finish up with some last minute recs for scary stories from P.R.:I’ve got a few left over recs that I enjoyed and thought others might too:

From Purple Reader:

Did I mention spirits? How about a couple series about paranormal investigators:
HELLSINGER series (FISH & GHOSTS, DUCK DUCK GHOSTS) by Rhys Ford
– and this one starts off in a Charming way:
A CHARM OF MAGPIES series by K.J. Charles
– On the other end, a shadowy, savage dystopia:
FALLOCAUST series by Quil Carter
– If necrophiliacs are your thing, or aren’t:
COLD FINGERS by Amy Spector
– I haven’t read them all, and not all are queer themed, but the author is iconic:
THE BOOKS OF BLOOD Vols. 1-6 by Clive Barker

 

Now for this week, an old favorite of mine and maybe yours is back.  I’m reviewing their third book in Ethan Day’s Summit City series called Life In Union (Summit City #3) by Ethan Day. Yep! Boone is back!  It’s hilarious! Sno ho’s and all.  If you aren’t familiar, grab up the first two and get ready for this one.  It’s a doozy.  A terrific M/M Historical from Eli Easton, The Lion and the Crow, that I read a long time ago, came alive again, in the audio version.  Never heard that narrator before.  He’s amazing.  Plus I have to mention that I’m also reviewing the next in the Pinx Video series from Marshall Thornton, Late Fees, a must read too.

There is also hockey, shifters, holiday stories and more coming up this  week so  don’t miss a day of it.  The countdown begins.

Happy November everyone!  Happy Reading.

 

 

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday,  November 4:

  • It’s November
  • This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • Book Blast with Reviews – Boy Next Door (Hot Off the Ice #5) by A. E. Wasp
  • A MelanieM Review:  Boy Next Door (Hot Off the Ice #5) by A. E. Wasp
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: One Step Back by Edie Danford
  • A Stella Releases Day Review: Strays by A.J. Thomas

Monday, November 5:

  • BLOG TOUR Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert
  • Release Day Blast Mama, Me, and the Holiday Tree Author: Jeanne
  • REVIEW TOUR – False Flag (The Phisher King, #2) Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid
  • A Lucy Review: Bump by Matthew J. Metzger
  • A VVivacious Review: Spare Parts by T.J.Land
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert

Tuesday, November 6:

  • In the Spotlight Tour and Giveaway: Surreal Estate by Jesi Lea Ryan
  • Release Blitz Ari McKay – Seeking Solace
  • An Alisa Release Day Review: Fangs for the Memories by Julia Talbot
  • A MelanieM Review: Life In Union (Summit City #3) by Ethan Day
  • A Free Dreamer Review: In the Name of Magic by Chris Bedell
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Release Day Review: Bad Habit (Bad in Baltimore #6) by  K.A. Mitchell

Wednesday, November 7:

  • Promo Andrew Grey
  • Release Blitz – His Two Leading Men by Aidan Wayne
  • Blog Tour – Why I… series by Colette Davison
  • An Ashez Review: Capital Assets  (Rattle on Wall Street #1)  by Cecelia Storm
  • An Alisa Review:  Fling by Baylin Crow
  • A MelanieM Release Day Review: Seeking Solace (The Walker Boys 3) by Ari McKay

Thursday, November 8:

  • Promo -Sean Michael
  • Book Blast – The Signal Box by Lazlo Thorn
  • An Alisa Review Carnival Cowboy by Temple Madison
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Trusted (Until You #3) by Karrie Roman
  • An Ali Audio Review: No Tears for Darcy by Vicki Reese and Brock Hatton (Narrator)
  • A MelanieM Audiobook Review:The Lion and the Crow by Eli Easton and Scott Richard Ehredt

Friday, November 9:

  • TOUR Rabi and Matthew by L.A. Witt
  • Release Blitz – Leta Blake – Alpha Heat
  • do you think we should’ve glued it first? by Bobbie Rayne Book Blast
  • An Alisa Review: Sugar Cookies & Mistletoe by Kay Doherty
  • A Lucy Release Day Review: The Kinsey Scale (Campus Connections #1) by CJane Elliott
  • A Lila Review To Tame an Omega by Lisa Gray
  • A MelanieM Audio Review:Love You so Madly (Love You So Stories #2by Tara Lain and Ry Forest (Narrator)

Saturday, November 10:

A MelanieM Recent Release Review: Late Fees (Pinx Video Mysteries, #3) by Marshall Thornton

An Alisa Review: Meik & Sebastian – Obsessed #3 by Quin Perin

Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5

 

It was supposed to be the perfect arrangement.

 

Easy sex in exchange for a cozy bed. Until Meik’s darkest secret scratches the surface, forcing him to cut Sebastian loose in a last-ditch attempt to regain his sanity.

 

But he’s not the only one with secrets.

 

All along, the enigmatic musician had something to hide. Will Meik manage to tear himself free or will his obsession and memories batter him into submission?

 

This is the third book of the Gay Erotic Romance “Obsessed”. It features explicit adult m/m content as well as romantic elements. The book ends on a cliffhanger.

 

I am still not a fan of Meik can’t figure out what Sebastian sees in him.  We start off just after the last story ended but even though Meik sent Sebastian away he couldn’t seem to let him stay away.  I continue to feel that I just have to see how this all ends.

 

Meik is still having so many flashbacks that I can’t help but think he should be rethinking how he has spent his life, Gabe seemed like such a sweet guy and while Meik wasn’t as much of a jerk back then but he seems to actually care about someone.  Sebastian continues to be there of Meik’s enjoyment and I don’t feel that there is much to allow me to connect with him, I just want to see how all this ends up especially after Meik’s mess up at the end of this installment.

 

The cover art by Vanessa Rödiger is nice and typical of serials matches the other stories.

 

Sales Link: Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 100 pages

Expected Publication: November 1, 2018

Edition Language: English

Series: Obsessed #3

ReplyForward

New Release Blitz for Meik & Sebastian – Obsessed #2 by Quin Perin (excerpt and giveaway)

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Meik & Sebastian – Obsessed #2

Author: Quin Perin

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Genre/s: Gay Erotica / Gay Erotic Romance

Length: 24 000 words

Release Date: September 1, 2018

Add on Goodreads 

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Blurb – Book 2

Ever since the first sexual encounter with Sebastian, Meik has felt off-kilter.

He can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t work without thinking about the musician and so, Meik decides to settle into an arrangement with him. There is no love. There is no romance. Sebastian gets a warm place to sleep, and Meik gets to keep his boy toy.

The perfect bargain.

But when Sebastian’s presence triggers memories of his first and only love, Meik unravels under the reminiscences that carved him into the man he is today. Will Meik be able to hold himself together or will his carefully crafted badass image fall apart?

This is the second book of the Gay Erotic Romance “Obsessed”. It features explicit adult m/m content as well as romantic elements. The book ends on a cliffhanger.

Excerpt (18+ Readers only)

“You read books like that?”

Meik jerked, the tablet falling flat against his stomach as he turned his head to glance over at the musician. Amusement spread across Sebastian’s face as he leaned over the blond’s shoulder. “I thought you were sleeping.” His tone was accusing, like he’d just been caught with his hands down his pants, watching porn or something. Which…wasn’t too far from the truth.

Sebastian straightened up, his hands folded behind his back. He wasn’t wearing the towel anymore, pale body bare in the dim light of the living room. And he was hard, cock flushed a deep red, and the flared, shimmering head pointed directly at Meik. “Woke up,” he said, offering a crooked grin, “decided to come and see what you were doing. Didn’t expect you…to be reading smut.”

“What are you talking about?” Meik huffed, glaring at him.

“I saw what you were reading.” The little smirk spread into a full-on grin.

Meik wanted to fuck it off his face. “What about it?”

“It’s porn.” Sebastian laughed. “You were reading about a ranch hand fucking some twink. I saw it. Why when you could just fuck me?”

“I’m not fucking you. I already told you, I’m not going to let you get me sick.” Blue eyes dropped back down to that stiff cock, and he smirked faintly. “Look at you. Such an eager little whore, huh? Too bad for you, isn’t it?”

“Mm? Too bad for me?”

Sebastian’s eyes twinkled with something other than his fever as he stalked his way along the couch. It was an odd feeling; being looked at as though he were prey when it was usually the other way around.

HAVEN’T READ THE BEGINNING OF THE SERIES YET?

Read Book 1 for FREE here

Universal Link

Amazon US

Amazon UK 

Obsessed_Garrett_#1

Blurb

Quin Perin presents “Meik&Sebastian – Obsessed” – A best-selling Gay Erotic Romance

All Meik cares about is lust, not love.

An eager boy toy, that’s what he’s looking for. Someone who worships the ground he walks on. The very second he lays eyes on the enigmatic, street musician Sebastian, he believes he found his new playmate. Obsessed with the young man, Meik introduces him to a world full of sins and desire until the man’s presence threatens to reveal dark memories he had locked away tightly.

This is the first book of the Gay Erotic Romance “Obsessed”. It features explicit adult m/m content. The book ends on a cliffhanger but can be read as a standalone. This part does not entail any romantic elements.

Add on Goodreads 

About the Authors 

Hello there! This is Quin&Perin. We are a pair of sultry gay erotica writers who focus on detailed, toe-curling, and realistic smut scenes with a fair share of dirty talking (Oh, boy). Unlike other authors in the genre, we write without the goal of publishing anything. Publishing is just the cherry on top of a cream-covered bubble butt.

That said, it is time for the next level of smut: stories featuring fire, lust & desire.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter

Newsletter

Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RELEASE BLITZ SCHEDULE

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Release Blitz and Giveaway for Who We Were by Melissa Collins

Release Blitz for Who We Were by Melissa Collins
A M/M contemporary romance

NOW AVAILABLE!
Amazon – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-Amazon
Apple Books – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-Apple
Nook – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-BN
Kobo – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-Kobo
Google Play – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-Google
*If you read with Apple, Nook, Kobo, or Google Play – this title will be removed from these retailers and going into KU on Sunday, so grab your copy today!

Who We Were…

Two awkward teenagers – the loner and the nerd, trying to find our place in the world. Paired in wood shop, we knew nothing of each other, except that we wanted to know everything. Then one life altering moment changed it all and we were left with shattered dreams and broken hearts.

Who We Are…

Two grown men – braver and smarter than we used to be, trying to heal the damage from that irrevocable moment. Even though the past was behind us, dead and buried long ago, we found it impossible to move on without ripping open the scars of our deep wounds.

With twelve years of unanswered questions fueling our desperate need for the truth, we must figure out if who we were will destroy who we are.

Add to your TBR on Goodreads here.

 

NOW AVAILABLE!

Amazon – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-Amazon
Apple Books – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-Apple
Nook – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-BN
Kobo – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-Kobo
Google Play – https://mc-author.com/WWW_MC-Google

Melissa is having a giveaway on Facebook for 2 – $25 Amazon gift cards! Check it out here.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melissa Collins has always been a book worm. Studying Literature in college ensured that her nose was always stuck in a book. She followed her passion for reading to the most logical career choice: English teacher. Her hope was to share her passion for reading and the escapism of books to her students. Having spent more than a decade in front of a classroom, she can easily say that it’s been a dream.
Her passion for writing didn’t start until more recently. When she was home on maternity leave in early 2012, she read her first romance novel and her head filled with the passion, angst and laughter of the characters who she read about it. It wasn’t long before characters of her own took shape in her mind. Their lives took over Melissa’s brain and The Love Series was born.

Website | Amazon | Facebook | FB Reader Group | BookBub | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

 

A Stella Review: Three Cakes by Kim Davis

RATING 1,5 out of 5 stars

When Chicago ophthalmologist Patrick Holt meets transplanted southerner Clayton Teal at a dinner party, the attraction between them is immediate and mutual. Two men bond over Patrick’s love of food and Clay’s love of cooking.

But Patrick and Clay soon realize tasty dinners and delicious desserts sometimes aren’t enough to make a relationship work. Can Clay and Patrick keep their romance from falling flat?

Three Cakes by Kim Davis really didn’t work for me, although I’m a huge fan of short stories; but only when they are well done and this one wasn’t. I have nothing to say about the writing, the problem was the plot, the development of the romance and the characters. The first two were non-existent, the last one pretty useless and boring. I wasn’t able to feel Patrick and Neal, no chemistry, no love, almost two strangers, no emotions involved. I knew nothing about them. The development of the plot left me speechless and bewildered. I didn’t like at all they way they acted with each others.

This is not how shorts should work, I’m truly disappointed by the lack of everything that should caught my attention and let me spend some time in the good company of well done words.

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is lovely and cute, I like it.

SALE LINKS  JMS Books LLC  | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 24 pages

Published September 22nd 2018 by JMS Books LLC

ASIN B07GNT42LM

Edition Language English

A MelanieM Review: Safe Harbor by David O. Sullivan

Rating: 1.5 stars out of 5

Best friends since they were children, Mikhail and Solomon later took their friendship to the next level. But they have a falling out after a horrible mistake.

Seven years later, the men are reunited on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean where they both work as waiters. The animosity between them runs deep, but the close quarters at sea bring them back together, with a little help from a fellow shipmate.

Can Solomon and Mikhail move beyond the mistakes they made in the past and rekindle what they had? Or are they fated to only being friends?

How many ways can a author sink a story?  Let me count the ways….

In Safe Harbor by David O. Sullivan the author’s choice of adjectives in describing his characters looms as number one Sullivan’s favorite word when it comes to Mikhail is whimpering. Mikhail enters a meeting late whimpering, he whimpers upon encountering Solomon, he just whimpers all over the place.  Is the author just not aware of the imagery he’s projecting onto his poor character?  Unfortunately, I just ran across another  author with a similar bent who kept describing his main character as sniveling.  Smh!  Do these people not own a dictionary?  Who does that to main characters and why do they think readers will then find them attractive?  Questions, questions.  Plus why didn’t an editor catch that?

Anyway, while poor Mikhail is whimpering away, Sullivan has done an equal injustice to Solomon.  Both men are of the Jewish faith which is clearly of deep importance to them now and growing up.  However, in bringing into Solomon’s dialog some Jewish or Yiddish slang the character comes across more like a 50’s comic or character from a Borscht Belt comedy act or an actor in the plays in  the summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in the 50’s and 60’s.  It’s a constant rain of ‘Schmucks’ from his lips. You’re a Schmuck, he’s a Schmuck, everyone’s a Schmuck.  Talk about tiresome.  Everyone here is a cardboard character of little to no depth.

Some authors can and have beautifully folded in the Jewish culture, language, religion, and, yes, phrases, into a story effortlessly.  This is not that book.  Here it is jarring and one-dimensional.

Even a rabbi, a fire, and Hanukkah is used, poorly, to illustrate a “miracle” on board and to bring the men back together.  It’s actually cringeworthy.

Often when I say I  couldn’t get to the end quick enough, I mean that in a great way.  I raced to the end because I was so in love with everything that the story flew by.

Here it’s the exact  opposite.  I just wanted it to be over.

How sad.

Cover art is adorable.  How I wish the book reflected what was going on in that cover.

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC  | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 53 pages
Published September 29th 2018 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07H81K7KB
Edition Language English

A VVivacious Review: Teacher’s Pet : Lessons Outside the Classroom (Volume Two) by Lee Welch, Elizabeth Coldwell , Elna Holst, Riza Curtis , Danielle Wayland, Karmen Lee , Morwen Navarre , Maryn Blackburn

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This is an anthology of eight stories by various authors that focus on relationships that develop between a student and their teacher. None of the characters, in this anthology, are under 18 so while a relationship between a student and teacher in such a scenario would not be illegal there are still a whole horde of societal repercussions to deal with.

Though, the majority of these stories don’t really focus on that element and are more about redefining these roles because a teacher can be anyone who is sharing their knowledge with you be that in any context. A lot of the stories in this anthology use that scenario where we don’t see teachers and students strictly in the academic sense. Surprisingly, even though I didn’t come into this anthology expecting this viewpoint I was very happy with the way it was adopted because it made for some amazing stories.

1. A Spell for Master Vervain by Lee Welch

Rating: 2.5 Stars out of 5

Kit is obsessed with his Master but things take a horrific turn when instead of summoning an incubus-look-alike he ends up summoning the real deal.

Whenever you pick up an anthology it is mostly because you know and like a few of the authors on it but in my case I only knew one author on the list and it was Lee Welch, so there was an absurd amount of responsibility on this story to be amazing but sadly this was not the case.

The characters don’t start off as very appealing and as I read the story I was intensely aware that I wasn’t invested in these characters. There just wasn’t that taboo forbidden feel with Kit’s love for his master and frankly, we just don’t get much of Vervain to have an opinion about him. Though I have to admit by the end of the story I found myself caught in the whimsy of the story and probably would have forgiven all its faults had the story been more developed but alas that was not the case.

To all those who picked up this anthology because of Lee Welch just like I did and who would probably stop after reading this story, I just have to say this – there are some amazing stories in this anthology that you should definitely check out before calling it quits.

2. Finding the Words by Elizabeth Coldwell

Rating: 2 Stars out of 5

Brendan agrees to tutor Zach even though he reminds him of a time prior to the incident that changed his life. Will his new student serve as a catalyst to make his heart take a chance, once again?

This story was off to a good start and I think it had elements that could have made for a great story but after the beginning, the story lost steam. There was absolutely no obstacle to Brendan and Zack’s relationship, it could have been any other relationship and therefore didn’t seem to fit this anthology that does focus on relationships that would be considered illicit at least at the offset. This story, however, had a whole other set of variables to play with but the story didn’t manage to capitalize on them very well either.

3. The Silent Treatment by Elna Holst

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

Reverend Jane Sinclair is all about preaching fire and brimstone nowadays so she gets sent to Yoga Camp by her vicar to help Jane find her quiet centre but she ends up finding a lot more in her sultry Yoga instructor.

I have finally struck gold in this anthology. This story didn’t deliver the expected it delivered the unexpected. It took the teacher-student trope and mixed it up to show me a whole new side to such a relationship and it managed to do it while completing erasing the age gap so I’m stoked beyond belief.

Also, I really loved Jane and Anita but especially Jane as she is the narrator of the story and we get to spend time in her head because that inner monologue was priceless.

4. One small step by Riza Curtis

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Ilya tries to teleport himself a few yards and ends up miles away, where he is rescued by Søren, a mage who agrees to help him get better at his magic for help with his work but for how long can they ignore the sparks between them?

This is a good one. It is a fantasy story and is a fresh take on the student-teacher ideology. Both this and the previous story have teacher-student relationships that are not permanent and are roles taken on during the duration of the story and I’m liking this interpretation because it is fluid and not burdened with my previous expectations.

I really liked this story and the World it details seems really fascinating. I really loved how Ilya ends up with Soren and how their relationship develops. This story was interesting and I loved how these two characters worked together because I can really imagine their life together given how perfectly they aligned with each other.

5. Shedding Doubt by Danielle Wayland

Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

Grayson is overweight and embarrassed about screwing up at his gym when he gets help from an unexpected quarter.

This story was really amazing. I fell in love with Grayson and Heath. I loved Grayson’s journey and his outlook on life and I just really loved his character. These two had such a positive relationship it was amazing to read. This was my quickest read yet despite the fact that it is one of the longest stories in the anthology because it was just that good.

“You’re right. I’m sorry for yelling.”

“Me too. For not jumping you already.”

6. Academic Temptations by Karmen Lee

Rating: 1 star out of 5

Savannah is a single mother and the oldest freshman at her college, trying to come to terms with her sexuality when she finds herself attracted to her professor and academic advisor.

This story had too much going on for a short story. This story is glacially paced and feels like a drag which combined with the fact that it is probably the longest story in this anthology, made it feel like torture. The scenes are way too long with too many unnecessary dialogues and too many characters at that.

Anetta is just getting over a break up that had her moving jobs and moving towns and Savanah is a single mother of a five-year-old boy who has moved into a new city to start college that she deferred for 5 years. She is also, only now, really appreciating her sexuality. Savannah is a mix of parts that don’t really work together and when you don’t like the main character of a story it already has two strikes against it.

This story wants to make you believe there is chemistry between its two main characters but there really isn’t.

7. The Sidhe’s Apprentice by Morwen Navarre

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Alistair Brady has been waiting for the Calling since he was born but even when he finds himself with a Master who makes it painfully obvious that it was not his choice to take an apprentice,he finds himself fighting his attraction to his master while at the same time trying to please him.

Wow! This was so good the absolute gem of this anthology. I loved the world building and I loved the characters and the story was mind-blowing. It was so good. This was the kind of story I was looking for going into this anthology. This story incorporated all the elements of this fantastical world so beautifully. Cianan and Alistair were effortless and gave a whole new definition to the term Teacher’s Pet. The writing of the story, it’s pacing, every component of it is perfect.

This was just amazing! I’m really interested in reading more by this author.

8. Press “Copy” to begin by Maryn Blackburn

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

When Libby Highsmith tries to get away with plagiarism in her academic thesis her mentor, Dr Marissa Muniz delights in giving her a punishment strident enough for her to forgive Libby’s blunder, but what Libby suggests has her horrified but… intrigued.

Oh! This one was very good. I liked how it employed the classic tug of war of societal repercussions over romances with an age gap and romances that might arise between erstwhile student-teacher relationships and made use of that to deliver this sumptuous romance.

I really liked the characters, the way the story is told and I absolutely love how the title plays into the plot. It was amazing. This story encapsulates what I was looking for, the delicious power struggle between characters caught in the roles of teacher and student.

This one was the perfect way to end the anthology because it made reading this entire slate of stories completely worthwhile.

Cover Art by Natasha Snow. I love Natasha Snow, her cover art is so, so good. This one was no exception with a sort of chalky black background and the precise use of red. The way that apple is positioned and the way that it is just so unnaturally red screams forbidden.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:ebook
Published October 22nd 2018 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781949340389
Edition Language English

Book Blast – The M/M Romance Christmas Box Set by Isobel Starling

BOOK BLAST

Award-winning author Isobel Starling presents

The M/M Romance Christmas Box Set containing four funny, kinky seasonal romances

Book Title: The M/M Romance Christmas Box Set

Author: Isobel Starling

Publisher: Decent Fellows Press

Cover Artist: Isobel Starling

Genre/s: M/M Romance, comedy, puppy play

Heat Rating:  4 flames 

Length: 46,193 words/262 pages

This is two novellas and two short stories, all with a Christmas theme.

Add on Goodreads  

 

With the holidays approaching Isobel Starling presents

The M/M Romance Box Set 

containing four delightfully humorous and kinky seasonal romances.

This box set is available as an e-book;

you can read it free in Kindle Unlimited 

or listen to the exceptionally funny audiobook by award-winning narrator Gary Furlong.

 

The stories in the box set are:

Fred & Ginger
Chris Miller, a patisserie chef for Big Boy Cupcakes has to rush the last minute order of cock cupcakes for the party of a celebrity, but in his haste to deliver, he falls foul of an over-keen chocolate labrador named Fred, and his handsome owner…

The Christmas Bonus
The Investobank Christmas shindig at the Lorien Hotel puts Jake Walters, and the object of his lust in the same place at the same time… and it’s Christmas!

Daddy Christmas (Daddy Kink short story) NEW!
Ryan Sutherland, a side character from ‘Detective Fox and the Christmas Caper’ at last gets the happy ending he deserves.

Back Where He Belongs (M/M Puppy Play Novella)
Kier Campbell returns to Scotland from Australia to spend Christmas with his family. What he finds there is a gift that is worth more than money could buy.

 Please note: These stories are gay romance stories and contain graphic depictions of sex.

 

The total word count is approximately 46k, the audiobook is just over 4 hours long. These stories have all the Christmas feels to give you a warm glow inside.

 

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US


Amazon UK

 

Audiobook

 Listen to a sample here

Audible US

Audible UK

 

About the Author

Isobel Starling is an award-winning author of gay romance.  Isobel spent most of her twenty-year professional career making art in Ireland.  She relocated to the UK, and faced with the dreaded artist’s creative block, Isobel started to write and found she loved writing more than making art.

The Shatterproof Bond series is an Amazon Gay Romance bestseller and has been translated into French, German and Italian.  

“As You Wish” (Shatterproof Bond #1), narrated by Gary Furlong, won the Audiobook Reviewer Award, Romance Category 2018. Isobel and Gary have produced ten audiobooks together, including whole Shatterproof Bond series.

Isobel will release the first book in her thrilling new fantasy series The Quiet Work in March 2019.

Please sign up to my newsletter here

 

Author Links

Blog/Website

Twitter: @isobel_starling

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

 

Decent Fellows Press

 

BOOK BLAST SCHEDULE

 

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

Book Blitz : For The Love Of Luke by David C. Dawson (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 
Length: 61,267 words
 
Cover Design: L.C. Chase
 
 

Blurb


A handsome naked man. Unconscious on a bathroom floor.


He’s lost his memory, and someone’s out to kill him.


Who is the mysterious Luke?


British TV anchor and journalist Rupert Pendley-Evans doesn’t do long-term relationships. Nor does he do waifs and strays. But Luke is different. Luke is a talented American artist with a dark secret in his life.


When Rupert discovers Luke, he’s intrigued, and before he can stop himself, he’s in love. The aristocratic Rupert is an ambitious TV reporter with a nose for a story and a talent for uncovering the truth. As he falls deeper in love with Luke, he discovers the reason for Luke’s amnesia. And the explanation puts them both in mortal danger.


Excerpt



Chapter 1


RUPERT PENDLEY-EVANS had not expected to find the body of a naked man lying on a bathroom floor that evening. But for Rupert Pendley-Evans, life had a habit of taking odd turns.




HE GUIDED his 1200cc motorbike through the gap between the lines of London’s Sunday evening traffic and stopped at the junction. The journey back from his parents’ estate in rural Buckinghamshire was taking longer than usual. To pass the time, he planned his evening ahead. He would take a shower to wash away the grime of the journey, followed by a glass of chilled pinot grigio.


The lights changed, and the traffic began to move. Rupert’s thighs hugged tight to the fuel tank of his BMW. He turned the bike past the two lines of slow-moving cars and took the fork in the road for Vauxhall Bridge. It would lead him across the Thames to the south bank of the river and at long last home. He twitched the throttle, the engine roared, and the bike accelerated up the outside lane, past yet another line of stationary traffic. Rupert glanced to his right as he reached the middle of the bridge. The last rays of July sun silhouetted the upstream London skyline of Battersea and chic Chelsea. It was good to be back in the metropolis after his dutiful two-day visit to the family seat, in the tiny village of Middle Claydon.


He concentrated on the road before him, the final mile of his journey. Ahead, on the south bank of the river, stood the offices of MI6, home to Britain’s secret service. It was housed in an imposing piece of postmodern architecture made famous by several appearances in James Bond films. The setting sun glinted orange on the smoked-glass windows, giving the building a warm, rosy glow, belying its true purpose.


As Rupert reached the far end of the bridge, the lights stayed green, and he leaned into the curve of the road. It detoured around Vauxhall bus station and took him past a huddle of modern high-rise apartment blocks funded by Russian investors. He wove the powerful bike in and out of the five lanes of slow-moving traffic and relished the liberty it afforded him. At the third set of lights, he took a left onto Paton Road. The brutal high-rise landscape gave way to a street of elegant Edwardian villas. The rows of shabby front doors and grimy windows were evidence of a former era of long-faded grandeur. Rupert was resigned to the thought one day they too would be swept away by developers in pursuit of tax-free profits.


Rupert slowed the bike to twenty miles an hour. The street became a narrow corridor, and he was hemmed in on both sides by rows of parked cars. Halfway down, he slowed the bike to a crawl and turned sharply onto the forecourt of number 54. He stopped in front of one of the bay windows of the double-fronted Edwardian villa and cut the engine.


He fumbled with the buckle on his chin strap. When he at last removed the crash helmet, the fresh breeze cooled his matted hair, and he breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a long journey. He kicked down the bike’s side stand but stayed seated in the saddle. Even though his home was less than half a mile from the bustle of the Vauxhall traffic interchange, it was quiet and peaceful. Rupert listened to the birds singing in the trees on either side of the street. In this tranquil spot, he could fool himself the polluted London air was somehow purer.


The city was in the middle of an English heat wave, and Rupert’s leather jeans clung to his thighs with sweat. He looked forward to stripping off and standing under the shower. He stood up, dismounted the bike, and took off his gauntlets. He unzipped his heavy leather jacket, and the evening air cooled his sweat-soaked T-shirt. Rupert unhooked his small overnight bag from its mounting points on the fuel tank and strode to the front door. He punched in the security code and entered the communal hallway of the house.


Number 54 Paton Road was divided into three apartments, each with its own front door. There were two smaller apartments on the ground floor and a third spanning the whole of the upper floor of the house. The apartments all shared the communal entrance hall. A grand, sweeping staircase led to the floor above. Rupert stood outside the front door of number 54a and fumbled in the pocket of his leather jacket for his key.


As soon as he entered the apartment, he sensed something was wrong. There was a strange, musty smell, and he could hear the sound of water running somewhere in the semidarkness beyond. He dropped his overnight bag on the floor, set his crash helmet on the oak hall table, and walked down the corridor leading to the back of the apartment.


The sound of running water grew louder as he approached his open bedroom door. Standing on the threshold, he could see why. The ceiling was bowed, and a steady stream of water poured down onto the polished wooden floorboards below.


Rupert cursed and ran back up the hallway to retrieve a bucket from the hall cupboard. He returned to the bedroom and placed the bucket under the stream of water. He watched it fill with alarmingly rapidity and cursed again.


Rupert had never met the new resident upstairs at number 54c Paton Road. He knew it had changed hands a few months ago, while he was away working for four weeks in the Middle East. He had planned to introduce himself when he returned, but somehow he never found the time. Rupert wished it could have been in better circumstances.


He went out of the apartment to the main staircase and sprinted up the stairs two at a time. The half-glazed door of number 54c was directly in front of him. Rupert rang the bell. After a short pause, he banged hard on the door for good measure. When he still got no response, he tried the doorknob to confirm the door was locked. He pressed his ear to the glass and listened intently. He could hear the sound of running water After banging on the door one last time, he stood back and breathed heavily. Perhaps the tenant had fallen asleep in the bath. Perhaps he had drowned.


Rupert raised his hand and felt the solid wood frame of the door. It would take a lot to open it His only option was to break the door’s beautiful stained glass panel. He looked around. To his left was a jumble of flattened cardboard boxes, some discarded packing materials, and three full refuse sacks piled against the wall. He needed something that would help him break the glass safely. On the right, tucked in the corner, was a black metal fire extinguisher. Perfect. Rupert picked it up and tested its weight in his hands. Holding it horizontally, he rested its base against the panel. It was a shame to destroy the glass, he thought. But it was a choice between that and a collapsed bedroom ceiling.


The glass gave way with a satisfying crack. Rupert set down the fire extinguisher and picked up a piece of the discarded packaging material. He wrapped it around his hand and cleared shards of glass from the gaping hole in the door. He reached in cautiously and felt for the catch. It turned easily, and the door swung open. Rupert stepped over the broken glass into the hallway of number 54c.


A series of white spotlights in the ceiling illuminated the corridor. Their light reflected off the white walls of the hallway. The sound of running water was loud and came from a doorway down the corridor. He strode down the hallway and stood on the threshold of the bathroom at number 54c. That was when he saw the body.


The man was naked, lying prostrate on the floor. Water from the overflowing bath lapped around him. Rupert stepped into the bathroom, turned off the water, and crouched down beside the body. He lifted the man’s arm and felt for a pulse. The man was alive but unconscious. Rupert reached into the pocket of his leather jacket for his mobile.


“Hello? Ambulance please.” While he waited to be connected, Rupert assessed the situation. The man’s head rested at the foot of the washbasin, his feet stretched out toward the doorway. His short, curly black hair was matted with congealed blood. Some of it turned the pool of water in which he lay a sickening red. The man looked to be about thirty years old and well over six feet tall. He had an athletic, muscular build. Rupert leaned forward to take a closer look at the head wound. He noticed the man’s well-defined cheekbones and his perfect, kiss-shaped lips. Pretty cute, all in all.


Before he could get too distracted, a voice in his ear announced he was connected to the ambulance service.


“Hello? Yes, my name’s Rupert Pendley-Evans. I’m at apartment 54c Paton Road, in Vauxhall. It’s the one upstairs to mine. There’s a guy here unconscious with a head wound. I think he slipped and fell in the bathroom.”


Rupert gave his details and as much information about the unknown man as he could provide. He ended the call, stood up, and took a couple of bath towels from a shelf in the corner. He knelt on the floor and did his best to wrap them around the motionless naked body. The man stirred, sending small ripples of movement across his muscular shoulders. He tried to pull himself up and groaned loudly.


“Hey, fella,” said Rupert. He leaned close to the man’s well-defined cheekbones. “Don’t try to move just yet. Looks like you’ve had a helluva bang on the head.”


The man whispered something, and Rupert leaned closer.


“I can’t hear you,” said Rupert. “Don’t worry, the ambulance is on its way.”


“I’m freezing,” whispered the kiss-shaped lips. The man’s body shook in a spasm of shivering to confirm the statement.


Rupert leaned across and massaged the broad back and shoulders. He hoped it would stimulate the man’s circulation. A set of long black eyelashes flickered open and revealed dark brown eyes.


“Who are you?” asked the man.


Rupert paused before he replied; the eyes held him captivated with their intensity.


“Hey, welcome back,” said Rupert with a sense of relief. “My name’s Rupert. I’m your guardian angel from the apartment downstairs. An apartment that’s now flooded with your bathwater. What’s your name?”


“Luke,” replied the man. He grimaced with pain. “Jeez. My head feels like it’s been run over by a steamroller. And this water’s freezing my balls off.”


“I don’t think you should move until the ambulance gets here,” replied Rupert. “I’m a journalist, not a medic. So I don’t really know what I’m doing. And I don’t want to risk doing you damage if I try to get you up.”


“Then I’ll do it myself,” replied Luke somewhat petulantly. He levered himself partway into a sitting position and leaned against the side of the bath. He looked at Rupert, and his eyes twinkled with an air of triumph. They partly closed for a moment, and Luke’s head lolled from side to side. Rupert caught him before he fell. With difficulty, Rupert held him upright while he sat alongside him and looped his arm over Luke’s shoulder.


“Thank you, guardian angel,” said Luke, and he rested his head on Rupert’s shoulder. He turned his face, and his intense brown eyes stared at Rupert once more.


“What beautiful blue eyes you have,” said Luke. He shook his head and winced with pain. “Oh shit. Inappropriate. The stupid American’s opened his mouth. Forget I said it.” His eyelids drifted shut, and the deep brown eyes disappeared from view.


“Luke? Luke?” said Rupert. “Oh shit. Stay conscious for me.” He gently massaged the American’s arm and shoulders. “I need you to stay awake until the ambulance comes.”


The long black eyelashes flickered, and Luke reopened his eyes.


“That’s better,” said Rupert. “Stay with me. You’ve had a head injury. You’ve got to keep awake. Talk to me. What’s your last name?”


“Diamond. Luke Diamond.” The long black eyelashes flickered shut. Rupert massaged Luke’s shoulders again.


“Hey, Luke Diamond,” said Rupert. “Don’t drift off. Have you got any family I can contact? Is there a friend I should call?”


Luke slowly turned his head from side to side. “Don’t bother.” He leaned his head back against the side of the bath. “You don’t need to call anyone. Okay?”


Before Rupert could reply, a door buzzer sounded insistently.


“That’ll be the ambulance,” said Rupert. “Is your entry phone by the front door?”


Luke said nothing but nodded his head.


“I’m going to lay you back on the floor for a moment,” said Rupert. “Don’t try to get up again. And don’t go to sleep.”


He gently lowered Luke onto the tiled floor of the bathroom. He reached up to the rail beside the bath, pulled down another towel, and wrapped it around the American’s body. Luke mumbled something indistinct, and Rupert leaned in close to hear.


“What was that?” asked Rupert gently.


“I meant what I said,” repeated Luke. “You have beautiful eyes.” He stared intently at Rupert and sighed. “But you should keep away, handsome blue-eyed Englishman. I know I’m just trouble.” The rosebud lips curved upward into a smile.


“I don’t believe that for a second.” Rupert stood and looked down at Luke. “Don’t go away now,” he said and headed out of the bathroom to let in the ambulance crew.
 
Author Bio
 

David C Dawson writes contemporary thrillers about gay heroes in love. For the Love of Luke is his third book, and is published by Dreamspinner Press on October 9th. It’s a romantic suspense about an American who falls in love with a British man in London.


David’s debut novel The Necessary Deaths, was published by DSP Publications and has been described as “a real page turner”. It won Bronze for Best Mystery & Suspense in the FAPA awards. Rainbow Reviews said it was “an exciting read with complex characters”.


DSP Publications published The Deadly Lies, the second book in the series, last December.


He also wrote a short story about a chance encounter with George Clooney for the anthology Love Wins, published by Dreamspinner Press.


David worked for the BBC as a journalist. He now lives near Oxford in the UK, with his ageing Triumph motorbike and two cats.

 
 

Giveaway

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

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions