Category: M/M Contemporary Fiction

A Barb the Zany Old Lady audiobook Review: Changing Plans Trilogy by L.A. Witt and Charlie David (Narrator)

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

This audiobook release contains all three books in the Changing Plans series: Getting Off the Ground, Infinity Pools, and On the List.   Charlie David does a nice job on the narration, however, he did not make the two MCs voices very distinctive so one has to listen to the content to be able to determine who is speaking when there are no dialogue tags.  This makes for a bit of confusion, though the stories are each short and not terribly complex, so they are easy to follow. 

In Getting Off the Ground, Elliot Chandler meets a sexy fellow traveler as they await their flight in what seems as if it’s going to be a snowed-in airport.  Elliot is heading to Hawaii to go on his honeymoon—alone.  Having been stood up at the altar, he decides to follow-through on his vacation plans—plans being the operative word.  Elliot is a compulsive over-planner, always planning everything in his life out to the nth degree.  So when his fiancé decides not to show at the altar, Elliot is going to take advantage of all the planning he did.  Unfortunately, he didn’t plan for the snowstorm. 

When the cute guy across the aisle, clad only in a Hawaiian-print shirt and no coat, engages him in conversation, the two hit it off immediately.  By the time the flight is canceled, Elliot offers to share his hotel room with the stranger, Derek.  Of course, Elliot has a room booked. As soon as he realized the flight might be canceled, he planned ahead and booked a room.  The two fall into bed, literally and frequently, and Derek eventually convinces Elliot he should change his plans to tour Oahu and come with Derek to Maui instead.  What looked to be an impossible feat happens and we end book one and begin book two, Infinity Pools—something Derek has at his home.  Derek made his money in the dot com days and he and his partners are still involved in buying and selling IT businesses, app development, etc.   

Book two is pretty much all sex with a bit of sightseeing thrown in.  Honestly, it’s original LA Witt at her finest, but I’m pretty much past the point where sex is interesting for 75% of the book, so I was happy to see book two end, with the two lovebirds committed to each other, even though they’ve only known one another for a few weeks.   So as book three opens, we find out that their long-distance relationship is still strong, and in fact, they have plans to get married. 

The last book, On the List, involves some family-of-origin issues, mostly on Derek’s part, and the two men committing to each other no matter what life brings.  Bottom line, this is an eight-hour audiobook that has a sweet romance, a lot of sex, and some nice Hawaiian scenery.  It would be a great book to listen to while lying on a beach or passing time on any vacation, including a flight to Hawaii. 

~~~

The cover features a beach scene in the lower panel with two men holding hands, and the upper panel features an airliner in a bright blue sky.  The cover is bright and colorful and attention-getting.

Sales Links:

Universal Buy Link
 
Audio Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audiobook
Listening Length: 8 hours and 2 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Lori Witt
Audible.com Release Date: November 24, 2016
Whispersync for Voice: Ready
Language: English
ASIN: B01N981306

Retro Review Tour and Giveaway – Audiobook and Ebook – Changing Plans Collection by LA Witt

 

Universal Buy Link
 
Audio Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK
 
Length: 8hrs 2mins/77,500 words approx.
 
Narrated By: Charlie David
 
Blurb
 

From EPIC Award winning author and multiple Lambda Finalist L.A. Witt comes the re-release of three hot contemporary novellas — Getting off the Ground, Infinity Pools, and On The List.


After being stood up at the altar, compulsive over-planner Elliott Chandler decides to turn his honeymoon on Oahu into a vacation for one. Fate puts a hitch in his plans, however, when the airport is snowed in and his flight is delayed.


In the terminal, the jilted groom catches the eye of another stranded traveler: the laidback and very sexy Derek Windsor. Derek breaks the ice and strikes up a conversation, and as the temperature drops outside, the heat between them rises. Pity they’re both going to different islands, but if their flight doesn’t get off the ground fast, Mr. Calm-and-Cool may just tempt Mr. Play-It-Safe into doing something reckless.


And that plane isn’t going anywhere any time soon…

April 26 – Queerly Reads, OMG Reads

About The Author


L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…



Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com
E-mail: gallagherwitt@gmail.com
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com

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Blog Tour for Guns n’ Boys Series by K.A. Merikan (authors guest post and giveaway)

 

Guns n’ Boys Series Blog Tour

Book #1 He Is Poison
Book #2 He Is Mine
Book #3 Homicidal Instinct
Book #4 Swamp Blood
Book #5 Chokehold
Book #6 Bloodbath
Book #7 Gilded Agony

Writing a romance series about a single couple comes with a set of difficulties. Each release needs to feel both familiar and fresh, to give the readers the sense of going on an adventure with people they know well. In most genres, the plot is what delivers this kind of experience, but in romance the development of the relationship is equally important, if not more so. I have written another post for this blog tour that is all about relationship development, so this time I would like to focus on one aspect only.

When a new relationship develops, all the ‘firsts’ are unique and exciting. The characters fantasize about one another, marvel at physical and mental attributes they like in their partner, and once sex comes into the picture, the tension that has been developing throughout the length of the book is finally released. But what can an author do to keep the fire burning once the characters settle into a comfortable relationship?

I think one of the worst things that can happen within a long series is the couple settling into a routine. Partners who know one another well might want to have the most vanilla kind of sex after a hard day’s work, but while this might be wonderful in real life, most of the time it’s not very interesting to read about over and over. If the book is an erotic romance or the couple’s connection has been heavily charged with eroticism from the start, it is important that the tension doesn’t fizzle out with subsequent books.

This is relatively easy to achieve in books that have a suspense element, because danger has an arousing effect on the body. While not strictly sexual, this arousal will result in a fast heartbeat, heat, but most of all–a sense of worry that the character’s partner might be in danger. This creates a need for connection that the readers can easily empathize with. In Guns n’ Boys, the characters often go through perilous situations, and by holding their partner, the characters are reassured that everything is as it should be.

Domenico and Seth, who are the main characters of the series, are very sexual by nature, but like all couples, they go through slumps and experiment with things that don’t always end up staying in their repertoire 😉 I wouldn’t suggest using role playing scenarios and gadgets as the only tool to uphold the sexual tension in subsequent books, but it does come in handy when it fits the overall theme on some level.

The method of keeping the sexual chemistry throughout the series that I find most organic is also most difficult, because it depends on the state of the relationship itself. I already mentioned that sometimes relationships in long-running series feel stagnant. I think that is because the authors like their characters too much and don’t want to take them out of perfect “marital” bliss. This can work for some subgenres, but not for erotic romance. In case of Domenico and Seth, a lot of the in-relationship tension comes from their difficult personalities. They will go through disagreements and once they make up–they will also want to reconnect sexually. This effect can also be achieved by making sure both partners evolve as people, thus making them fascinating and fresh to their lovers as the story goes on.

And then of course there’s a lot to be said for some good old hate sex.

Giveaway Information
 
Comment on the post to win, one person from each stop in the blog tour will win their choice of a backlist ebook from K.A. Merikan.  Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for your chance to win the Grand Tour Prize. (You can enter this one daily for more chances to win!)
 

To begin your journey with Seth and Domenico you should start here, with Book One: He Is Poison.

 

— Love like butterfly knives in the stomach. —

 

Domenico Acerbi. The Villani Family’s best assassin. Ruthless. Vicious. With no patience for weakness.

Seth Villani. The Don’s son. Clueless. Stubborn. In dire need of someone to keep him in line.

Domenico Acerbi grew up ready to give his life for the Family. Ready to follow orders and exceed expectations. A proud man of honor.

The last thing he wants to deal with is training the Don’s son for his future role within the organization. Lazy, annoying, spoiled, and as hot as a Sicilian summer, Seth Villani is no mafia material. But a man who could never become a threat might just be what Domenico needs.

Seth Villani wants nothing to do with the mafia. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get a say when he’s pulled back into the fold. Thrown into a den of serpents otherwise known as the Villani Family, Seth has to find a way to navigate the maze of lies. But when Domenico Acerbi, the most vicious snake of them all, sinks his fangs into Seth, letting go becomes impossible.

If Seth is doomed to follow in his father’s footsteps, he might as well enjoy himself with the most intoxicating man he’s ever met. Maybe he can even fool himself into believing that Domenico isn’t a handsome sociopath who kills for a living.


POSSIBLE SPOILERS:Themes: Enemies to lovers, mafia, homophobia, assassin, organized crime, forced proximityGenre: Dark, twisted M/M romance / crime thrillerLength: ~110,000 words

WARNING: Adult content. Sizzling hot scenes. If you are easily offended, this book is not for you.
‘Guns n’ Boys’ is a gritty story of extreme violence, offensive language, abuse, and morally ambiguous protagonists. Behind the morbid facade, there is a splash of inappropriate dark humor, and a love story that will crawl under your skin.


K.A. Merikan are a team of writers who try not to suck at adulting, with some success. Always eager to explore the murky waters of the weird and wonderful, K.A. Merikan don’t follow fixed formulas and want each of their books to be a surprise for those who choose to hop on for the ride.

K.A. Merikan have a few sweeter M/M romances as well, but they specialize in the dark, dirty, and dangerous side of M/M, full of bikers, bad boys, mafiosi, and scorching hot romance.

FACEBOOK PROFILE
K.A. MERIKAN’S TWITTER (RUN BY KAT)
AGNES MERIKAN’S TWITTER
K.A. MERIKAN ON GOODREADS
PINTEREST
M/F ROMANCE BY MISS MERIKAN

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Release Blitz and Review Tour for Exploration (Kinky in the City #1) by Quinn Ward (giveaway)

 

 
Universal Buy Link
 
Length: 65,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Marisa @ Cover Me Darling
 
Blurb
 

The reluctant manager of his family’s restaurant, Frankie attempts to live up to the legacy of his father and grandfather. Running a business that isn’t his passion and trying to do it without asking for help leaves him turning to less-than-legal means when he wants to surrender control.



Newly divorced, Calvin no longer lives in the closet, leaving him searching for what he most desires- control. So when he finds Frankie on his knees in the back room of a local bar, Calvin sees the sub he’s only ever fantasized about having.


Can Calvin find the confidence to explore his dominant side while showing his younger roommate that submission isn’t only about whips and pain?

April 24 – Mainely Stories, Two Chicks Obsessed
April 26 – Katie’s Book Corner
April 28 – Blazing Zane Book Blog
May 2 – Cupcakes & Bookshelves, Making It Happen, Love Unchained, The Librarian’s Corner
May 4 – Joyfully Jay
May 7 – BooksLaidBareBoys
May 9 – Au Boudoir Ecarlate
May 14 – Mirrigold, MM Midnight Cafe
May 16 – Nerdy Dirty & Flirty, Wicked Reads, My Fiction Nook
May 18 – Pants Off Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, OMG Reads
May 21 – Two Book Pushers
May 23 – Drops of Ink
May 25 – Bayou Book Junkie, Book Review By Virginia Lee

Quinn writes LGBTQ romance with a kick. Their stories center around the relationship building between the characters, but also shows how compatible they are in the bedroom (or wherever else the urge strikes).

Goodreads Page
Facebook Reader Group
Email Quinn at: quinn(at)quinnwardwrites(dot)com
Website

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A MelanieM Review: Femme (Femme #1) by Marshall Thornton

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Queeny cocktail waiter, Lionel, wakes up to find himself in bed with Dog, a straight-acting softball player and the two embark on a rocky road to romance. A journey that requires coming out of the closet, going into the closet, a pair of red high heels, many pairs of red high heels, a failed intervention, a couple of aborted dates, and homemade pom-poms. Mostly, Lionel and Dog learn what it means to be a man.

I fell deeply in love with Lionel, the femme of the novel Femme right from the opening paragraphs when he is grapheling with waking up to the morning after realities in the most delightful of Lionel ways.  The conversation he’s having with himself over the man in his bed, the probabilities over what he thinks his name is, whether or not the sex was as delightful as he remembers it was or great dream sex….the rambling goes on and my love affair just solidified itself.  I loved Lionel.

He was effervescence itself while having been through more than a few of life’s harder realities.  Trust me, Lionel is someone who has accepted himself, knows who he is and isn’t going to back down for anyone. He’s fabulous without being a cliche or if he is, Lionel is going to grab that cliche, glam it up, and make it his own.   I totally forgot that Marshall Thornton had created him.  For me, Lionel became real in just a few pages and has stayed that way, even now.

Then Dog woke up.

Dog aka Doug, well, he’s got a different path to  walk, including that to my heart.  It takes a while with Dog.  He’s unsure of everything in his life, including how to stand up for himself, how to come out to his family, how he feels about femmes, just about every important question in life is one that Doug needs to answer in this book.  Loyalty, love, and relationship questions….all are looming large here.

Dog  (the reason for his name will be explained towards the end of the story…perfect really) undergoes realistic character growth.  A much needed ones.  Because, like Lionel, Doug comes across as so real he is also so disappointing in his actions at crucial times in the story.  You’ll see it coming and start flinching at the approach because Marshall Thornton knows human behavior.  I can see readers having issues here.  But it is also what makes Dog/Doug’s growth and the steps he finally takes so rewarding.  He becomes the man who Lionel deserves to have in his life.  They deserve each other, pom poms and all.

Marshall Thornton really knows how to write characters that have staying power.

This is the first in a series.  It has me wondering if the author will pull from the pool of amazing characters he created for this novel or if he’s going to do something  entirely   different but same subject matter.  I don’t care. Ok, yes, I do.  I love all these characters and want to see them all again, except one.  Boo hiss to him.  So I’ll be waiting for my next Marshall Thornton story to arrive (he’s become an automatic read for me).  Meanwhile, I’m highly recommending Femme (Femme #1) by Marshall Thornton to all of you.  It’s two person narrative is highly addictive as are its characters,  the story flows smoothly and quickly, and the ending is one to leave you happy and wanting more of  this couple.

Cover art by Marshall Thornton.  I like the red shoes.  So Lionel but the font seems to harsh.  Maybe that’s what’s jarring me.

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 222 pages
Published July 28th 2016 by Kenmore Books
ASINB01FT7CVKU
Edition Language English
Series Femme
Literary AwardsLambda Literary Award Nominee for Gay Romance (2017), Rainbow Award for Gay Romantic Comedy (2nd) (2016)

A Lucy Review: Love For All Seasons Charity Anthology – Various Authors

Rating:  3.5 stars out of 5

This anthology has stories that share the theme of the seasons.  In some, the season is front and center, such as Winter’s Chill and Sweeter Than Honey, while in others it is not integral to the story.  As in every anthology there were stories I liked more than others.  I got introduced to authors new to me, several of which I will be looking forward to seeing again.   All the stories here are fairly short, as typical in an anthology. 

Brioche for Two  – V.L. Locey  (3.5 stars)  Brian is a businessman who orders two brioche delivered from the bakery where Isamu works.  Isamu is a broke film student and can’t figure out why an obviously well-to-do man such as Brian would want to have anything to do with him.   Of course, he helps Isamu with his film project on finding passion.   It really is the story of their meeting and maybe beginning.

Sweeter Than Honey – C.M. Valencourt (4 stars)  Grayson is a vegan baker who sells at the market where Wyatt sells honey from his hives.  Some nasty attitude prevails and it is up to Wyatt to show Grayson not everyone is cruel.  New to me author and this story was adorable.  I admit, the vegan aspect drew me in – I am a vegetarian always trying to make that leap to vegan.  The uninformed and sanctimonious way Grayson attacked Wyatt is, unfortunately, all too common in the vegan community .  Wyatt is patient and a good person and I enjoyed reading about the bees.

Special Nights – DJ Jamison (3.5 stars) Sam suffers from severe insomnia and sometimes trying to sleep just isn’t worth it so he heads off to spend time in the very early morning at the diner where Hunter works.  Hunter has a lot going on in his personal life right now but he takes the time to talk to Sam.  This is set across the year and how they slowly become something to each other.  I liked the flirting between the two and the fact that nothing was rushed.  They shared snippets about themselves and didn’t fall into bed, which made it seem real.  It was cute, maybe needed to be a bit longer.

Winter’s Chill – Cathy Brockman (2 stars)  Jeff is working on his grandfather’s house so that his mother can sell it.  Lane is his next door neighbor and during a storm not only does the power go out but Jeff is trapped under a fallen branch.  Luckily, Lane hears it and rescues Jeff, then offers to let him stay by Lane’s, where there is a generator, heat and food.   It is the week they spend snowed in that they get to know each other.  This one had potential but I didn’t think it lived up to it.  Part of it may be a personal thing, as it is written in present tense and that isn’t preferred for me.  The other part is that they have conversations that seem forced and stilted.  The writing style wasn’t working for me and this one wasn’t a favorite.

Beach Boys – Annabelle Jacobs (3.5 stars)  Russ is on vacation with his best friend, Sarah, and another friend, Karen.  It was technically a girl’s weekend until the third girl broke her ankle and Russ is invited to fit in.  It’s a sweet bungalow right on the water and he’s extremely happy to be there.  Even more so when spying the hot surfers on the beach.  What more could he ask for?   Told in first person by Russ, I liked the whole meet your guy on vacation and this one was sweet instead of all sexy.  I liked that too because this is the very beginning of something for these guys.  There are some funny parts, such as Bailey the dog and her love for tug of war, that made me smile.

Who Do You Love, My Valentine – EJ Smyth (2.5 stars) Nox is a god who has been crushing on a human, Matt, for more than two years.  It happens that at Valentine’s season Cupid needs some help and of course Nox draws the short straw and has to fix Matt up with someone else.  How can that be!  Especially when Nox misses the shot and now Matt is falling in love with a woman, Joanie.  Now what?  Right in the beginning, Nox is invisible and he is licking Matt’s neck and fondling his groin, while Matt is unable to know what is going on.  He even admits it, “It was a creepy thing to do, but he was close, so very close.”  Ummm, nope, not a reason and that made me very uncomfortable.  Joanie was accidentally shot by the arrow is now extremely attracted to Matt and Nox just sort of pushes that to the side, which was annoying.  I did appreciate that when Matt is hit with the arrow, it hurts! That was unique.   This one was up and down for me, but feather sex pushed it down a little.

Favorite Flowers – Chris McHart (4 stars)  Gabe owns a flower shop, working with his best friend, Tara.  Tara is on him to get out there and start dating again, that “Not every guy is a cheating bastard.”  But he doesn’t want to and he’s sticking to his guns.  Then a customer comes in, totally overwhelmed, and wants to buy flowers.   He starts coming in every week to get a bouquet but never gives any indication of being interested or even being available so Gabe is sure it’s nothing. He doesn’t even given Gabe his name until much later, Jason.  This was by far my favorite of the anthology because the dance they are doing in the flower shop was shy and sweet.  Jason is going through a divorce after sharing with his wife, who was his best friend, that he’s pan, so he wants that out in the open right away.  I applauded him for that.  Jason’s way of asking Gabe out was romantic and lovely, and his reasoning for keeping Gabe a little at arm’s length was perfect.  “Just you, me, lube.  That’s it.” 

The Last Chance  – RJ Scott (2.5 stars)  Luke is a senior in college, set to graduate.   He can’t forget the kiss (and frot) he had with the captain of the hockey team four years before.  Of course, said Captain, Justin, hasn’t spoken to him since that day.  Luke “wanted to, but he avoided me, and I got the message.”  Now it is senior year and for some reason Jason’s jock friends are apologizing for things Luke might be holding against Justin because of them.  That part was cute.  What wasn’t so cute for me was that after four years of ignoring him, Justin has now decided to make a move.   His friends are trying to help and that was cute, but after four years of nothing, I wanted way more groveling than we got.  At first, Luke acted like I expected a self-respecting person to act when they’ve been treated poorly and get, “Please believe me, I had my reasons” as the excuse.  “I should have spoken to you.  I’ve waited so long.”  You are on the same college campus!  So I thought the end was totally out of left field, particularly when you factor in that in reality, they only spent part of one evening together.   I am a big RJ Scott fan but this one didn’t work for me.

Cover art by RJ Scott is soft, sweet and fitting to the mood and style of the stories.

Sales Link:

Universal Buy Link

Book Details:

ebook
Published April 19th 2018 by Love Lane Books Limited (first published April 16th 2018)
Original TitleLove for all Seasons
ISBN139781785641244
Edition LanguageEnglish
URLhttp://www.lovelanebooks.co.uk

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: His Truth by Riley Hart

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Note: possible triggers—violence and homophobia

This is a tough story for me to review as it’s very good but loaded with emotional turmoil, and angst, which is one of my least favorite themes. Plus, one of the MCs was so emotionally damaged as a teen that it’s affected his adult behavior, and he’s a difficult character to like.

When they were teens, Roman and Leo were exploring their sexuality as they fell in love. Neither had what could be termed a good home life: Leo’s wealthy parents were emotionally absent, but Roman’s family was worse: consisting of an older brother and a father, both of whom worked outside the law and neither of whom tolerated most of Roman’s behavior. When his brother told his father he saw Roman and Leo holding hands, Roman was beaten so severely he nearly died. From that moment on, he knew he’d never again see Leo, nor would he ever again think of anyone other than a woman sexually. To seal the deal, when Leo kept bugging Roman to see him again, Roman finally agreed and then punched Leo’s lights out and told him to stay away.

After surviving another year of high school alone, Leo, who could well have afforded college, chose to leave home to become his own man. As the story opens, he’s been living in the LA area, a footloose gay man who tends bar and takes men home pretty much every night. Roman, on the other hand, did everything in his power to shake his past and put himself through college after his father was killed and his brother was imprisoned. Now successful and wealthy, he lives life on his own terms with his ex-girlfriend as his bestie who drags him out once in a while to get him away from his boring work existence.

Speaking of his bestie, Amy, I was pleased that the author gave her a nice personality. It was quite refreshing to have a female character like her in a story, instead of the tried-and-true nasty ex we so often see. So thank you, Ms. Hart.

On one of these excursions where Amy drags him out, Roman spots Leo from a distance serving bar at an outdoor club. Though he didn’t stop to speak to him then, Roman can’t stay away and comes back another night, at first just to talk. But eventually, the two manage to find their way to a truce, then a friendship, then a renewed relationship—once Roman gets past that haunting voice in his head that tells him it’s wrong to be a homosexual. But does he really leave that voice behind? That’s the crux of the story.

I generally don’t care for stories told in mixed present tense and flashbacks, but thankfully, the author only uses this to fill readers in on their teen years and it’s not overdone. One of the things that bothered me throughout the story though was Roman’s driven behavior—his OTT need to be close to Leo as soon as they agreed to date each other again. It was almost smother-love as Roman sought to stay with Leo and wrap them up in a cocoon—over and over again. His behavior was odd to say the least, and though Leo notices and realizes something is off, he can’t quite pinpoint what it is, so he does nothing. I liked Leo’s character, but even he came across as needy—in a different way from Roman—and neither was functioning at an age-appropriate maturity level.

When the perfect storm of circumstances comes to a head, Roman’s house of cards collapses and his behaviors are finally explained, and fortunately, treatment is available. Once everything was spelled out, it all made sense, but while I was reading I found Roman’s character off-putting. So overall, though I recognize that he was the way he was so the story could be told the way it was intended; nevertheless, I didn’t care for him.

I have no doubt that those who love a story with a high degree of angst and emotional pain, or lovers reunited, will enjoy this story. It’s emotional, painful, and heartbreaking, but has a positive outcome and ends with hope for the future.

~~~

Cover art by X-Potion Designs is done in black and white and depicts one young man lying on this back with his arms above his head and another leaning over him. Both appear to be naked. The cover represents the elements of the story, however, I am not a fan of black-and-white covers. They generally do not grab my attention and aren’t memorable.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1 edition, 204 pages
Published March 27th 2018 by Riley Hart
Original TitleHis Truth
ASINB07BRYP97Y
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Alisa Review: Life Is A Stevie Wonder Song by V.L. Locey

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Authors know that their muse is a fickle creature. Best-selling spy novelist Stephen Ramsey has been in a hate-hate relationship with his inspiration for months. When Stephen’s publisher lays a legal ultimatum upon him, with a rapidly approaching deadline, he knows he must do something to kick-start his creativity or face the unemployment line. His daughter comes up with a possible answer: a summer camp for the creative soul. With nothing to lose, Stephen packs up his laptop, phonograph and beloved record albums and heads from Greenwich Village to the Catskill Mountains.

There, among a horde of college students attending for extra credits, is Declan Pomeroy, a photographer of fey creatures who is twenty-two years younger than Stephen. The woods are a magical place, and he quickly finds himself falling under the spell of the free-spirited photographer. Confusion wars with desire inside Stephen as he succumbs to the feelings welling up inside. But, sadly, summer camp always has to end. Can a man who has just found himself really leave the person that makes his heart sing?

This story just pulled me in and I really enjoyed it all the way though.  I love seeing guys have and accept a life altering change and see how it makes their lives better.  Stephen has succeeded as an author even as he has had multiple marriages come apart.  Declan is a free spirit who for the most part is very patient with Stephen’s slow acceptance of their connection.

The story is told from Stephen’s point of view which makes it easy to see his frustration with his writer’s block and confusion in regards to Declan.  When he gave himself the chance to let go and see what would happen it was freeing for him.  I was able to see Declan’s emotions through Stephen’s eyes even when he didn’t always seem to understand.  I loved Declan’s determination to stay true to himself and make Stephen make the big change of moving but it was for the better for both of them.

The cover art by Sloan J Design is nice and I love having visuals of both of the characters.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 87 pages

Published: 2nd edition, April 18, 2018 by VL Locey

Edition Language: English

Blog tour for The Weekend Bucket List by Mia Kerick (excerpt and giveaway)

WBL Tour

Title: The Weekend Bucket List

Author: Mia Kerick

Release Date: April 19th 2018

Genre: Young Adult, LGBT

37802033

BLURB

High school seniors Cady LaBrie and Cooper Murphy have yet to set one toe out of line—they’ve never stayed out all night or snuck into a movie, never gotten drunk or gone skinny-dipping. But they have each other, forty-eight hours before graduation, and a Weekend Bucket List.

There’s a lot riding on this one weekend, especially since Cady and Cooper have yet to admit, much less resolve, their confounding feelings for one another—feelings that prove even more difficult to discern when genial high school dropout Eli Stanley joins their epic adventure. But as the trio ticks through their bucket list, the questions they face shift toward something new: Must friendship play second fiddle to romance? Or can it be the ultimate prize?

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I think if I_ve learned anything about friendship, it_s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don_t walk away, don_t be distracted, don_t be t

EXCERPT

Ever since we skipped the junior prom together last spring— neither of us is the type to participate in overrated school events, especially ones that involve dancing—and came to this very spot at the end of the Wellington Town Beach, I’ve felt a flicker of “something more” for my longtime BFF. It wasn’t exactly a romantic evening—we listened to eighties music and downed a full bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken while gazing at Tamarack Lake—but for me, our relationship changed. When Cooper touched my face that night I was overwhelmed by an urge for something completely new and different and dangerous: I wanted to kiss him. The urge has been lurking since that night, but right now, it’s stronger than ever. I want so badly to drop down on top of him and plant my lips on his, just to find out how it tastes… just to find out how it feels. But I don’t because it isn’t next on the list.

And because I just don’t.

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About the Author

Mia

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—a daughter in law school, another in dance school, a third studying at Mia’s alma mater, Boston College, and her lone son still in high school. She writes LGBTQ romance when not editing National Honor Society essays, offering opinions on college and law school applications, helping to create dance bios, and reviewing English papers. Her husband of twenty-four years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about this, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on emotional growth in turbulent relationships. As she has a great affinity for the tortured hero, there is, at minimum, one in each book. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with tales of said tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press and Harmony Ink Press for providing alternate places to stash her stories.

Her books have won a Best YA Lesbian Rainbow Award, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, an Indie Fab Award, and a Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, among other awards.

Mia is a Progressive, a little bit too obsessed by politics, and cheers for each and every victory in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Contact Mia at miakerick@gmail.com. Visit her website for updates on what is going on in Mia’s world, rants, music, parties, and pictures, and maybe even a little bit of inspiration.

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