A Jeri Review Retro Review Tour : Out Of Focus by L .A. Witt

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

I enjoy a good menage/throuple/MMM story. And while this one was good, it wasn’t great.

Two Doms in a long term relationship bring in a third on occasion to satisfy their various needs. And when Ryan and Dante are both immediately drawn to Jordan, they decide to feel him out for a reaction. And they get the reaction that they want.
It feels like this could have been book 2 in a series. I wanted to see more of Ryan and Dante navigating their way through a complicated relationship while also bringing in a third when they needed and wanted. Doing that in this book would have made it ridiculously long. But I want their story- the one before Jordan came into the picture.
And I just didn’t feel the emotion from these guys. I always felt like one of them was on the outside looking in. Both in the sex scenes and the romance. There were a few scenes with either just Jordan and Dante or just Jordan and Ryan. And while that wasn’t against their rules they set up, it didn’t seem genuine. I wanted all three guys together all of them time.
The BDSM element was just ok for me. It really seemed to mostly be orgasm denial/ edging. The two Doms both had different needs and wants. That is a lot for one sub to take.
So…it was good. Definitely not great. The lack of emotion being the biggest issue for me.
Sales Link: Universal Buy Link
Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 2nd edition, 366 pages
Published March 14th 2017 (first published August 2nd 2011)
ASINB06XKXYVJR
Edition LanguageEnglish
CharactersRyan “Angel” Morgan, Dante James, Jordan Steele

A MelanieM Audiobook Review: Unlikely Hero by Sean Michael and Jeff Gelder (Narrator)

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

 

Eric doesn’t know where else to turn when his daughter is kidnapped, so he calls on his powerful ex-lover, Brock. Brock never expected to hear from Eric again, but he never got over the man, either. When Eric comes to him to help find the three-year-old Josie, there’s no way Brock can turn him down. He has the money and the contacts Eric needs, and he can’t let Eric walk out of his life again. Not after all these years.

Brock has no idea what he’s letting himself in for. Together, Eric and Josie turn Brock’s world upside down while they work with police and private security to find the people who took Josie, and to keep Eric and Josie safe while they do. Even as they get to know each other again, Brock has to fight the feelings he still has for Eric, at least for time being, which just makes it all that much harder. Can Eric and Brock find out who wants to hurt them before it’s too late, or will Brock fall off his pedestal as Eric’s hero?

I had read Unlikely Hero by Sean Michael when it first came out and thoroughly enjoyed the story then so I was curious to revisit it in audiobook format.

It had been some time so the audiobook made the story fresh again.    I love tales with ex lovers getting that second chance at love and Unlikely Hero certainly has that with Eric turning to Brock for help  after nine years because his daughter has been kidnapped.  We get an extremely emotional setup that eventually leads to their breakup details later as they work on getting Josie back.

Brock is all big, strong, hugely rich, and gorgeous man…he all but has the word hero written on his chest.  Eric is the more vulnerable high school teacher who broke it off years ago because he wanted a “normal life”, read that one outside that of a multi-millionaire, with a house in the burbs with kids.  He now has that child who has been kidnapped for no reason anyone can understand.

The rest of the novel seeks to unravel the mystery behind Josie’s kidnapped and watching Brock, and Eric reconnect, and try to figure out how to move forward as a couple, and then as a family with Josie.  Josie, a three year old, is a major character here.  I found her far more successful in the novel than here in the audiobook.  That’s due primarily to the narrator.

Narrating the voices of children accurately is incredibly tough.  You either nail it or you don’t.  And imo, Jeff Gelder just can’t get a child’s voice right.  Josie comes off sounding more like a elderly woman than a three-year old, which is very disconcerting.  Not only does she sound “older” than she is., but it comes dangerously close to being portrayed like a comedy routine because of the disconnect between the voice and the character.  That’s too bad because Gelder’s other voices are just fine for the men he’s playing.

Other factors that seem highlightered here that   perhaps I didn’t notice in the other format?  The length of time it took for the police to put all the clues and details together to catch the perpetrator seemed odd and too long.  I can’t remember.  Maybe the book was written back in 2009, so forensics was less advanced than now and that’s hard to remember when the audiobook comes out in 2018.  But when you start to focus on things that annoy you like a badly done child’s voice, then other elements start to pop up as well.  Funny how that happens.

Still, Unlikely Hero is a sweet contemporary romance with a child firmly at the center.  Love that element?  Then you are sure to love this story.  You might want to read it, however, instead of listening to it.  Jeff Gelder’s “Daddy B, Daddy B” after a while was downright irritating instead of endearing as it was in the story.  What a sham

Cover art: LC Chase is just adorable and perfect for the story.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | Audible | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio, Second Edition
Published March 2nd 2018 by Dreamspinner Press (first published September 2009)
Original TitleUnlikely Hero
ASINB07B4GW8Z9
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen

 

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

 

How do I put what this book meant to me into words? I can’t find terms to describe this outstanding work. Phenomenal, Heartbreaking, Touching, Realistic, Emotional, Hopeful? All of these, yet none can do the job on its own.

The book is in two segments: before and after.  Before Trevor’s son, Riley, is killed in action in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and After as Trevor starts the painful process of trying to survive without his reason to live. I’m still reeling as I write this. That section was so emotional for me that tears are still leaking, and those who know me know that I don’t let those suckers loose easily. 

My son was in a similar situation, IRL, the year before Riley shipped out.  My parent trigger was pulled over and over again throughout this realistically told story.  The rare calls that only came during the night, which was their daytime.  Going off grid on patrol somewhere top secret.  The IEDs and constant danger from snipers and suicide bombers.  All that and more.  It was a very painfully emotional year for me and as I read Riley’s story and Trevor’s reactions, I was right there with them as my heart beat too fast, or I felt lightheaded, frightened, and finally, sobbing.  Honestly, I don’t know how a parent can survive the loss of a child, but if there are words to describe the hell that is having your child in a situation like Riley was in, Ms. Hansen surely found them.  Kudos for such an outstanding and sensitive portrayal of that time period. 

And the after?  Trevor was so broken it didn’t seem likely he could put one foot in front of the other.  The stages of grief are clearly portrayed. The breakup with Carl, the slowly developing friendship with Jesse, Riley’s BFF and battle buddy, and their long and very slow burn that develops into so much more—all inevitable as readers could tell by the time it happened. The beauty is in the journey we take with Trevor and Jesse along the way as they revisit their memories of Riley: the child, the friend, the soldier.  And, as with the main characters, the secondary characters are well-developed and have their own issues and impact from their time in Afghanistan, most notably PTSD. The author doesn’t gloss over any of it.  Each issue is addressed, some more in-depth than others, all of it making for an emotional read. 

Riley isn’t a fleeting character either. Though he dies in this story, his memory is kept alive throughout the book, in part during Trevor’s stages of grief, but in part through his annual visits to Arlington National Cemetery, where Riley is buried alongside other soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.  There is a romance in here.  Honest there is, but the couple’s story is wrapped up in so much other emotion that needs to be addressed, the romance is almost secondary.  Jesse and Trevor together were beautiful, though they didn’t come together as a couple until the latter part of the book.  And when they did, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses.  There is so much emotional depth to this story that I’m back to saying what I did at the beginning of this review: there are no words that can do it justice. 

Topping my Best of 2018 list, this book deserves to be read.  Grab the tissue box, find a quiet place where your sobbing will not bother others, and just read.  Read until your heart breaks and heals itself, because it will heal, and by the end of the story, joy is in store for all those who finish.  Joy and a sense of peace and accomplishment and the knowledge that you’ve just read something very special.  Needless to say, I very highly recommend this story to all lovers of MM romance, angst, age gap, hurt-comfort, and deep feels on all stages of life’s spectrum. 

~~~

The somewhat bland-colored cover features a rear view of two men gazing into one another’s eyes.  Neither appears to be younger than the other so it doesn’t quite represent the characters and isn’t appealing. 

Sales Links: Carina Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 451 pages
Expected publication: March 26th 2018 by Carina Press
ISBN139781488097058
Edition LanguageEnglish

Retro Review Tour – Out Of Focus by L.A. Witt (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 
Length: 100,000 words
 
Blurb



For the last twelve years, Ryan “Angel” Morgan and Dante James have been partners in every sense of the word. They’re lovers, they run a successful photography business together, and couldn’t be happier. The only problem? They’re both dominants who crave submission. Solution? Bring in submissives for sizzling hot threeway action.


When Jordan Steele hires the photographers from his sister’s wedding to shoot some promo pictures of his stallions, the sparks fly. There’s something about them, something that’s anything but vanilla, and he wants a taste of it. He’s inexperienced, but curious, and Angel and Dante are more than happy to show him the ropes.


Jordan is exactly what they need and they’re exactly what he needs, but when emotions come into play, he may be more than they bargained for. After all, the one thing Angel and Dante can’t give each other is submission. If one of them can get love and submission from Jordan, will the other be pushed out of the picture?

 
Excerpt
 

I slid my hand onto Angel’s knee under the table. As he often did, he’d been tapping his foot against the chair leg, but he stilled beneath my hand.


“You get a look at the brother of the bride?” I asked.


He whistled, sliding his hand over mine. “Oh God, yes. I got several looks at him.”


“You and me both.” I shook my head. “That man is liquid distraction.”


“No shit.” He ran his thumb back and forth along my wrist. “Imagine how I felt, trying to focus on the bride when I had that standing there being all gorgeous and entirely too dressed.”


“Too dressed?” I glanced in Jordan’s direction, then turned back to Angel. “He’s in a tux.”


“I know.” He shrugged. “He should be naked in our bed.”


I chuckled. “Pity he’s already got someone.”


“Seriously?” Angel released a sharp huff of breath. “The good ones always do, don’t they? It’s a crime, I’m telling you.” He clicked his tongue. “And his other half probably doesn’t share, either.”


“I don’t know; I didn’t ask. He was pissed enough that I interrupted their little lover’s quarrel.”


He blinked. “You did?”


“Well, I didn’t have much choice.” I turned my hand over under his. “I needed Jordan’s help with something.”


“Yeah,” he said, lacing our fingers together, “I’ll just bet you did.”


“Okay, so I didn’t.” I shrugged. “But things were getting a little heated between them, so…”


“Eh, I’d have done the same.”


That much was true. We had our subtle ways of separating people when tensions got too close to a breaking point. Situations like that, particularly with the way alcohol and grudges made frequent appearances at weddings, could too easily erupt into a screaming match or a fistfight. So, we’d long ago devised ways to casually intervene. Moderately intrusive? Yeah, probably. But if it kept a wedding from turning into a brawl—and that had been known to happen—then it was worth a little social faux pas.


The bride and groom were making the rounds, saying hello to guests while Troy’s and Phoebe’s cameras flashed. Normally I wouldn’t leave assistants to cover anything without at least one of us shooting as well, but these two kids were damned good. They were going to be some serious competition for us when they were out on their own. Assuming Troy ever got a decent pair of shoes, anyway.


So, we didn’t worry about them while they trailed the newlyweds and we took a break. Ah, it was good to be the boss.


As dinner wound down, the cake cutting and such were coming up. Almost time to get back to work. While I did a quick battery check and changed out my memory card, fabric rustled behind me.


“Enjoying yourselves?” Jennifer asked.


“Absolutely.” I started to turn around. “This food is—” The words stopped in my throat. That wasn’t the groom standing next to her.


She gestured at him, as if I hadn’t noticed his presence. “This is my brother, Jordan.”


I smiled. “Oh yes, we’ve met.”


“We haven’t.” Angel stood and extended his hand. “Ryan Morgan.”


Jordan shook his hand. “I—it’s…” He paused, moistening his lips as a hint of pink appeared on his cheeks. “It’s nice to meet you.”


To her brother, Jennifer said, “I need to go pretend to like my in-laws, so I’ll leave you alone with them.”


He chuckled. “Okay, thanks.” She picked up her skirt and headed back toward some of the other tables. After she’d gone, Jordan said, “I, uh, my sister said you guys do pretty much any kind of photography?”


I’m dreaming. I’m totally dreaming. Oh God, please tell me he wants—


I cleared my throat. “What did you have in mind?”


“I breed and train horses,” he said. “And I’m campaigning a couple of stallions this year. I need a few more up-to-date photos for my website and some ads.” He raised his eyebrows. “Is that something you guys would be interested in doing?”


“Well, we’re always happy to help someone flaunt a stud,” Angel deadpanned.


Jordan blushed even more, dropping his gaze as he muffled a cough of laughter. “Right. Well. I haven’t had great luck with my last couple of photographers, so I’m very much in the market for someone new.” He paused, the color in his cheeks deepening slightly. “A new photographer, I mean.”


“Can you handle two?” Angel asked.


If the poor man’s cheeks got any redder…


“I’m sure we can help.” I shot Angel a glare, and he widened his eyes as if to say “What?” I rolled mine and looked at Jordan again. “We haven’t done any equestrian work in a few years, but show us some examples of what you have in mind and we should be able to give you what you want.”


A shy smile played at his lips. “Good. Then—”


His teeth snapped together as his significant other materialized and put a hand on his shoulder. Jordan’s hackles went up, his eyes narrowed, and judging by the way his cheek rippled, he must have been tightly clenching his jaw. The two men exchanged the coldest glare I’d seen at a wedding since the last time we put divorced parents into one picture, and the hand on his shoulder lifted away.


Then Jordan shook himself back to life and made a sharp gesture his companion. “Sorry, I’m being rude. This is Eli. My—”


“Just Eli is fine.” He didn’t offer a handshake or any other greeting, and neither of us made any attempt to do so either. Awkward silence descended, and I had a feeling Jordan was once again seconds away from lashing out at his…just Eli.


“Anyway, you were saying?” I asked Jordan. “About your photos?”


“Right.” Jordan cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’d like to sit down and discuss what I’m pricing, scheduling, all of that.”


“When would be a good time?” I asked. “If you’d like, you can come by the studio, and we’ll sort out the specifics.”


He nodded. “I can do that. During the week would be best. My weekends are usually shot.”


Angel pointed at his camera. “So are ours.”


Jordan laughed. “Yeah, I guess they would be.”


“Would Monday be good for you?” I turned to Angel. “We’re there all day this Monday, aren’t we?”


He nodded. “All in-studio shoots that day. Last one’s at four thirty, and we’re usually there until six or seven.”


“Why don’t I swing in around five, then?” Jordan asked.


“Five works,” I said.


Angel pulled out his wallet and took out a card. “That’s the address. Just give us a call if anything changes.” Jordan took the card, but jumped like Angel had shocked him. Knowing Angel, he’d made sure their fingers brushed, and Jordan’s blood pressure was probably all over the place now.


Jordan recovered quickly though, sliding the card in his back pocket as he said, “Will do.”


Eli shifted beside him. “Good, now why don’t we go grab a couple of drinks?”


“Okay, okay.” Jordan exhaled and added a muttered, “Like you need another fucking drink.”


“Hmm?” Eli asked.


“Nothing.” Jordan looked at us. “I’ll see you guys on Monday. Thanks.”


“Not a problem,” I said. “See you then.”


We watched the happy couple wander toward the bar with a good arm’s length of frosty distance between them.


“You know,” Angel said, “I take back what I said earlier about it being a crime that a man like that is taken.”


“Oh?”


“Yeah.” He turned back toward the table and picked up his glass. “It’s a crime a man like that is taken by a douche bag like that.”

 

 

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

Giveaway

Cover Reveal for Ice On Fire (Treble and the Lost Boys #1) by G.R. Lyons (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 
 
Length: 100k words approx.
 
Cover Design: Designs By Dana
 

Blurb


Zac Cinder is on the verge of making his dream come true. His punk rock band, Inferno, might have a shot at an audition for a record deal. Fame and fortune would mean he could finally help his parents. They’d raised eight kids in a loving household while barely scraping by, so Zac is determined to give back in any way he can.


Keeping Inferno together, though, means keeping his biggest secret. His bigoted bandmates would drop him in an instant if they found out Zac was gay.


Then he meets Adrian Frost, and Zac can’t resist the shy man. Adrian gives up everything to be with Zac, but Zac can’t bring himself to do the same. He doesn’t want to lose Adrian, but he can’t give up Inferno, either. Not when he’s so close to realizing his dream.


When one cruel decision rips Adrian from his life, Zac will have to decide if ambition is worth the price of the greatest happiness he’s ever known.


(Note: This story takes place in a fictional world, the same as in the Shifting Isles Series. There are multiple gods, different names for the days of the week, etc. A glossary is included.)


WARNING: Contains scenes of self-harm that may be disturbing for some readers. 

 

Author Bio


While daylighting as office manager for the family auto repair business, G.R. Lyons can often be found working on one of multiple manuscripts or desperately trying to keep up with the TBR pile.


Anarcho-capitalist, quietly ‘out’ trans guy, former belly dancer, coffee guzzler, highly-sensitive introvert, CrossFit enthusiast, and lover of m/m romantic fiction.


Email: grlyons@grlyonsauthor.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/grlyonsauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/grlyonsauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/grlyonsauthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/doumteksonata/
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/author/grlyons

Giveaway

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Cover Reveal and Giveaway for On The Ice (Stick Side #1) by Amy Aislin

 

 
Cover Design: Lee Hyat Designs
 
Length: 87,500 words approx.
 
Blurb
 

For college sophomore Mitch Greyson, determination and persistence are the name of the game if he wants to make it as a professional hockey player. A busy schedule of practices, games, classes, homework, two part-time jobs—and now, working with a tutor to help him pass the class he’s failing so that he can keep his scholarship—shouldn’t leave him with enough time to flirt with the NHL player in town. But that doesn’t stop him.

Placed on the injured reserve list until his broken arm heals, NHL defenseman Alex Dean is using the time off to be with his ailing grandfather and get a head start on the book he’s been commissioned to write. He doesn’t expect to get roped into a tutoring gig, especially not for cocky, smart-ass Mitch.

But Alex soon discovers that there’s more to Mitch than meets the eye…and he really likes what he sees. Only Alex doesn’t dare risk his NHL career by coming out, and a relationship between them would jeopardize Mitch’s chances with the organization too.

It looks impossible. Then again, the best things usually do…

On the Ice is an m/m contemporary romance featuring a flirty college hockey player who meets his match in a demisexual NHL player.

Amy started writing on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class was forced to stay inside for recess. Tales of adventures with her classmates quickly morphed into tales of adventures with the characters in her head. Based in the suburbs of Toronto, Amy is a marketer/fundraiser at a large environmental non-profit in Toronto by day, and a writer by night. Book enthusiast, animal lover and (very) amateur photographer, her interests are many and varied, including travelling, astronomy, ecology, and baking. She binge watches too much anime, and loves musical theater, Julie Andrews, the Backstreet Boys, and her hometown of Oakville, Ontario.

Website: http://amyaislin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amy.aislin
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AmyAislinAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amy_aislin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyaislin
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/amyaislinauthor
Tumblr: https://amyaislin.tumblr.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16693566.Amy_Aislin
QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/amy-aislin
Amazon: amazon.com/author/amyaislin

 

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A MelanieM Review: Nobody’s Prince Charming (Road to Blissville #3) by Aimee Nicole Walker

 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

Fire and ice. Oil and water. Vodka and decisions. That’s what Darren McCoy and Wren Davison are: two opposites that shouldn’t mix well. Dare believes in fairy tales, true love, and happily ever after. Wren believes in fast cars, freedom, and no-strings sex. What can these two men possibly have in common? A magnetic pull strong enough to obliterate logic and reason.

For more than a year, Dare and Wren have worked together at the Curl Up and Dye Salon. Dare has pursued the mysterious, brooding man, and Wren has resisted his provocative charm. Then one day, something happens that allows the men to see each other in a new light. Wren learns that Dare hides a heavy heart behind his brilliant smile. Dare realizes that beneath Wren’s gruff exterior beats the heart of a prince.

Passions ignite once the men stop fighting their attraction, but will it be enough to overcome their differences? Is Wren the prince that Dare is looking for? Can Dare teach Wren that true love does exist?

Nobody’s Prince charming is a modern-day fairy tale where some princes ride Harleys, and castle walls are built to scale. It is the third book in the Road to Blissville series but can be read as a standalone book. This book contains sexually explicit material and is intended for adults eighteen and over.

Nobody’s Prince Charming is the first story that I read in Aimee Nicole Walker’s Road to Blissville series and it looks as though I’m going to have to remedy that because I found this story  charming and heartwarming.  Everything I look for in a contemporary romance.   It’s the third i the series but works perfectly as a standalone.  It’s not necessary to have read the others to have any backstory here.

This is also a lighthearted story in that there’s very little angst or deep drama in the situations that occur there.  Serious ones, yes, but none with the all-encompassing gritty, dark realism found in other stories.  I love those too, mind you.  But it’s nice to have warm and light, with a good smattering of fun and laughter (that’s where Grandpa and euchre games figures in) for good measure.

No, this is a sweet, wonderful opposites attract romance.  I fell in love with the characters, main and secondary alike.  Aimee Nicole Walker has created a delightful small town and filled it with characters you love to spend time with.  It’s a joy to watch them meet, sizzle with attraction, and then fall slowly in love.  Yes, I definitely have to seek out those other stories.

In the meantime, I recommend you pick up and read Nobody’s Prince Charming (Road to Blissville #3) by Aimee Nicole Walker.  I think you will agree with Dare that Wren is exactly what he and the reader needs.

Cover art: Jay Aheer.  Love that cover. So hot and works for the story and character.

Sales Links:

AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2GEVRiv

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/2E7iyq1

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1 edition, 238 pages
Published March 21st 2018 by Chasing Rainbows Press LLC
Original TitleNobody’s Prince Charming
ASINB07C8KQGW6
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesRoad to Blissville #3

A Lila Audiobook Review: Red Fish, Dead Fish ( Fish Out of Water #2) by Amy Lane and Greg Tremblay (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

What they say this book’s all about?

Two months ago Jackson Rivers got shot while trying to save Ellery Cramer’s life. Not only is Jackson still suffering from his wounds, the triggerman remains at large—and the body count is mounting.

Jackson and Ellery have been trying to track down Tim Owens since Jackson got out of the hospital, but Owens’s time as a member of the department makes the DA reluctant to turn over any stones. When Owens starts going after people Jackson knows, Ellery’s instincts hit red alert. Hurt in a scuffle with drug-dealing squatters and trying damned hard not to grieve for a childhood spent in hell, Jackson is weak and vulnerable when Owens strikes.

Jackson gets away, but the fallout from the encounter might kill him. It’s not doing Ellery any favors either. When a police detective is abducted—and Jackson and Ellery hold the key to finding her—Ellery finds out exactly what he’s made of. He’s not the corporate shark who believes in winning at all costs; he’s the frightened lover trying to keep the man he cares for from self-destructing in his own valor.

Red Fish, Dead Fish is even better than Fish Out of Water. I have forgotten that when Amy Lane goes for gritty and sad it’s always detailed and perfect. What Jackson endures in this second story takes off with the same intensity and suffering. Yes, it’s more than redeeming in the end, but he has to fight with everything he has to get to the other side, where Ellery is always waiting for him.

The author did an excellent job integrating this volume within the main story. We get to learn more about Jackson’s life, his fears, and the need he has to love and be love. Ellery is always there with him even when Jackson tries to push him aside. They have learned to work together and comfort each other better. There’s always an internal fight not to give the other too much but in the end, they always provided what the other needed.

There’s a large variety of secondary characters, new and old, that make the reader want to know more about their stories. Plus, in Amy Lane’s fashion, we get to see characters from her other books making small cameos in this book. It works and is always best to read the other books first; in this case, Racing for the Sun. There are also some bonus short stories at the end of the audiobook that are worth listening to. They bring all three books together.

I don’t think this series is over. The reader gets a complete story, but there’s always the possibility for more. Opened doors and new phycological adventures for Jackson and Ellery. This book was long and action-packed. Parts are cringeworthy and you get to suffer with the characters but in the end, it goes perfectly with the characters and their story.

Greg Tremblay brings the characters back to life without missing a step. They’re as strong and individual as on the first book, getting the reader submerged into the story within minutes.

The cover by Reese Dante matches the previous book with its clean lines and out of the ordinary elements. Still, quite literal, but it works one more time.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | Audible | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Greg Tremblay
Length: 11 hours and 48 minutes

Published: March 2, 2018 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01LZQ0MBK

Edition Language: English

Series: Fish Out of Water
Book #1: Fish Out of Water
Book #2: Red Fish, Dead Fish

A Jeri Release Day Review: Once Burned (Anchor Point #6) by LA Witt

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
This was, by far, my favorite of the series so far. I’ve liked and wanted Diego’s story since we met him in Dalton’s book. Finally, we got it.
By design or not, the Anchor Point books rely heavily on Naval policies and politics. While interesting, sometimes I felt that all of it bogged the story down some. I mean, I still read and enjoyed them, but it got to be a bit much.
In this story, though, it wasn’t so much the politics of the Navy, but how easily the Navy can screw someone who served. And it brought to light a HUGE issue in the military. Green card holders who serve but then can easily lose their jobs AND their status- becoming another undocumented immigrant in a country that they once fought for.
Ok, moving on……
Mark is nearly divorced after a pretty disastrous marriage. He got slam orders to move to Anchor Point, after he was surprisingly made Captain. His first night out he meets Diego. The bartender who hates the Navy and won’t date military. But he ends up bending his rules for Mark.
One night becomes many. A casual hook up becomes an undefined relationship. And we finally get Diego’s story about why he hates the Navy. And it breaks my heart. Because it happens. We just don’t hear about it.
I really enjoyed reading about an “older” couple. Older meaning pushing 40 instead of the romance norm of mid 20’s. Older guys need love too! And Diego and Mark were awesome together. I loved that Diego was still friends with Dalton and that Mark became friends with his ex wife. There weren’t a ton of side characters- but they played an important role.
The ending (the epilogue really) was a bit neat and tidy for me, but overall a really good book.
Cover art by LC Chase was perfect and in keeping with the series.
Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 289 pages
Expected publication: April 9th 2018 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN 1626497486 (ISBN13: 9781626497481)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesAnchor Point #6

Vicki Reese on Writing, Characters, and her new release No Tears for Darcy (author interview)

No Tears for Darcy by Vicki Reese
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Art: Tiferet Design

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Vicki Reese here today talking about writing, characters and her new release No Tears for Darcy.  Welcome, Vicki.

 

~ Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with Vicki Reese ~

 

  • How much of yourself goes into a character?:  I’m not sure. I’d say a little of me goes into all of them. Actually, a little of a lot of people that I know. I take bits and pieces of myself and everyone I know and those pieces go into my characters.
  • Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write? Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?: With a degree in Library Science, I love research. I can get lost in the research – which is not always a good thing! LOL. As for making up my own worlds and cultures – that is my first love, but to do it right requires a lot of research so the two are not mutually exclusive. I’ve been known to create entire worlds in the sand while vacationing, but when I bring those worlds (in the form of pictures) back home, then I get to work researching to make them viable, whether contemporary or fantasy or science fiction. You have to make it real for yourself and the reader.
  • Has your choice of childhood or teenage reading genres carried into your own choices for writing? Sort of. I read a lot and always have – in a lot of different areas. From Shakespeare to Asimov. From DuMaurier to Clancy. I read almost everything – so for me, it came down to picking one (or three). And some that are my favorite to read I don’t write (like historical fiction).
  • Do you like HFN or HEA? Why?: It has to be HEA for me. I’m a firm believer in HEA and committed relationships. Yes, it takes work and it’s not always easy, but there has to be that “hope” that the couple will make it. After all, they’ve already made it through the worst, so the rest can’t be bad, right? I need that happiness and hope that all will work out. I’ve read several HFN and they just didn’t work as well for me because I didn’t have that feeling they would stay together. I need that for a satisfying ending.
  • Do you read romances?: Definitely. I started reading romances in college and haven’t stopped. In all genres- historical, contemporary, paranormal, suspense – you name it, if it’s a romance, I read it.
  • How do you feel about the ebook format and where do you see it going?:  I know for a lot of readers, that’s all they read, and that’s fine. I kind of have a love/hate relationship with it. I definitely prefer the feel of a book in my hand, not my tablet (or computer). But, after a recent issue with my vision, I find that I like being able to enlarge the text and that means ebooks. Plus, as I’ve moved a lot over the years (23 times so far), it’s a lot easier to move a library of ebooks than my actual library. As to where it’s going… your guess is as good as mine. Ebooks are here to stay…until something better comes along. LOL
  • How do you choose your covers?: I’m fortunate to have worked with some great artists for my covers. I give them what I would like, and they come up with amazing drafts. For me, I usually like one or two of the main characters, a little of one of the settings, good fonts, and colors that carry the mood of the piece. I’m not a fan of “cartoonish” covers-though they work for many books. But I don’t like them for mine. I like the characters to be real, for both myself and the reader.
  • Do you have a favorite among your own stories and why?: That’s like asking if I have a favorite child. They’re all my favorites. LOL. From the first silly story I wrote as a child to my latest novel, they all mean something special to me.
  • What’s next for you as an author?: I’m currently working on my next romantic suspense for Dreamspinner as well as a high fantasy story I hope to shop around.
  • Have you ever put a story away, thinking it just didn’t work, then years later you loved it?: Actually, No Tears for Darcy is one of those stories. I wrote this several years ago, but the timing wasn’t right for it. Then I met Dreamspinner and, voila… a love was born.
  • Ever drunk-written a chapter and then read it the next day and still been happy with it?: LOL!! No, sorry. Due to a medical condition, I don’t drink. But I have written while under the influence of medication – interesting outcome, but it made little sense so it didn’t make it in.
  • If you could imagine the best possible place for you to write, where would that be and why?: I kind of have that now. I have a private office with a great view outside, good music on the stereo, multiple bookshelves stuffed to overflowing and a big, comfy chair to sit in. Back before the kids grew up, I wished for a place like this instead of the chaos of the kitchen table. Funny thing is, I miss that chaos, but I cannot write in a place like a coffee shop or the library. I find those surroundings too distracting—watching people, listening to conversations, and so on. So I’m good with where I am.
  • With so much going on in the world today, do you write to explain? To get away? To move past? Why do you write?: I write to escape. To show a better world, or a world where the possibility of a HEA exists. Where someone normal like me can face difficulties and still come out on top of things. I write to give hope to myself and my readers. In today’s world, we all need a little hope, and happiness. We all need our HEA, even if only for a short while.

 

About No Tears for Darcy

Letting love pass them by would be a crime.

Former forensic accountant Cameron has lost nearly everyone he’s ever loved, and now his vintage clothing shop has been broken into and trashed. When town police chief Will Carson asks an out-of-town cop friend of his for help, Cam takes one look at the dark-haired, blue-eyed detective and knows he’s in real trouble—and it has nothing to do with vandalism or murder.

Pete Minchelli is on leave from his job in Philadelphia due to a gunshot wound, but he figures he can help an academy buddy with some light police work. Plus, he’ll have a chance to experience small-town life. He’s tired of the big city and all its corruption. But he quickly discovers that not all the bad stuff happens in cities. What he doesn’t expect to find is death, treachery—or love.