A MelanieM Review: A Viking For Yule by Jamie Fessenden

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

AFTER SAM’S GRANDFATHER nearly died in a blizzard one year ago, Sam has panic attacks in snow storms. So where does his friend Jackie propose they spend the holidays, as the last stop on their trip around the world?

Iceland. Of course.

But there’s more in Iceland than snow. When Arnar, a handsome Icelandic man, offers to escort Sam on a several-day tour of the beautiful countryside, they soon find themselves drawn to each other. But Arnar is firmly rooted in his native soil, and Sam has to return to the US in a week to care for his ailing grandfather.

Suddenly, yule can’t last nearly long enough.

A Viking for Yule by Jamie Fessenden is actually a sequel to the author’s very likable holiday story, A Cop for Christmas. But honestly, this is the story I absolutely adore. At the front? It absolutely redeems a wishy washy character so bland he threatened to fade into the snow in the first one. That would be Sam. Here he become a fully fleshed adult, someone we can finally connect with away from his Gramps. We get to see the man, watch how the gift of independence the trip lays upon him enables him to enjoy himself, the places and people, and grow as a person. It’s not that Sam actually changes but more our acceptance of him and that’s a really great treat.

Next up is Arnar, the man who helps to act as Sam’s guide when Sam’s “Auntie Mame” and her dear friend take the time to make their own schedule. Arnar, has his own issues having recently broken up with his partner. He’s not entirely happy to be involved with the “tourist” that his “aunt” has brought with her on her visit to see his mom. I loved Arnar. He’s a man of depth and deep love of his country, a memorable character all around who sees something wonderful in Sam.

However, it’s Christmas time in Iceland and, while freezing, holiday celebrations are everywhere. Which brings me to the third marvelous element of this story. The author’s clear love and familiarity with Iceland.

This is as much a love story to Iceland as it is Sam and Arnar’s. Sam and Arnar travel to many locations in Iceland, ones often famous for their Christmas markets, some for their geographical formations, and others for their religious significance. These travels are folded into the story with an ease that’s remarkable and a fondness that radiates from every scene. Iceland is truly another main character here and it helps make the story.

Everything about A Viking for Yule is lovely. From the romance, the characters right to the ending, I just loved it. You will too. It’s not just for the holidays but one I could read any time of the year.

Cover Art by Reese Dante is perfect for the characters and storyline.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 256 pages

Published November 29th 2017

ASIN B077TLWLZ4

NOTE: Though this novel includes characters from “A Cop for Christmas,” it is a standalone adventure. It isn’t necessary to read “A Cop for Christmas” first.

An Alisa Review: Life on Pause by Erin McLellan

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Niles Longfellow is a nerd, and not the trendy type of nerd, either. He wears a historically accurate homesteader costume to work every day, has a total of one friend, and doesn’t know how to talk to guys. So when he gets a flat tire and the hottest hipster ever stops to help him, all Niles can think is that he’s wearing his stupid cowboy getup. Normally, Niles feels invisible to other men, but he’d take that invisibility any day over Rusty Adams seeing him in suede and fringe.

Rusty moved to Bison Hills to help his sister raise her daughter, and nothing is more important to him than that. He’s also fresh off a breakup, and isn’t prepared for anything complicated. But then he meets Niles. Rusty sees Niles as more than a clumsy, insecure guy in a costume. He sees a man who is funny, quirky, and unexpected.

Nothing about their connection is simple, though, especially the lies and insecurities between them. Niles doesn’t know if he can trust Rusty with his heart, and when Rusty’s sister decides to move away, Rusty doesn’t know if he can stay behind.

I really wanted to like this story but too many little things made it hard to enjoy at times. Niles can’t even begin to understand that anyone could actually be attracted to him. Rusty is still reeling from a recent break up and doesn’t really know how to go about wooing the insecure Niles.

I loved Niles and Rusty’s friendship that they striked up at the beginning, they become almost as in tune with each other as Niles is with his best friend Victor. After they get together though Rusty would use Niles’s insecurities against him when they come up or interfere in their relationship. At times he is the most caring person and the next he can say something very damaging.

I think Niles was adorable and he really needed the right person to support him in order for him to really grow. He has been living “on pause” since his father’s stroke and doesn’t know how to move forward. I could feel for Niles because I know what it’s like to feel out of place and not know how to act around others. I loved when Rusty was sweet but then he could just cut Niles down and unfortunately it felt like they kept going in a circle. Niles didn’t seem to really grow in confidence until they had resolved their issues near the end.

Cover art by LC Chase is eye catching and works well for this story.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 289 pages

Published: October 30, 2017 by Riptide Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-62649-656-9

Edition Language: English

A LIla Review: Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Katie Porter

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Up-and-coming film producer Kyle Wakefield lives in the closet rather than risk the wrath of his influential, conservative parents. The only time he took a chance on love was a tempestuous teenage affair with Nathan Carnes. But when Nathan proved himself hell-bent on self-destruction and wound up in prison, Kyle closed off his heart.

Almost a decade later, Kyle’s production partner hires Nathan’s stunt company, Second Chances, to work on a big-budget action film in London. Nate is floored by his explosive reunion with Kyle. But he sure as hell isn’t surprised that Kyle still treats their mutual needs—and Nate—like dirty little secrets.

As the London holiday season casts its dazzling spell, the two men find themselves falling in love again. Kyle is one breathless kiss away from declaring himself to Nate—and to the world—but they cannot ignore secrets borne of youthful mistakes. To protect their bright new future, Kyle and Nathan will need all their passion and trust . . . and a little Christmas magic.

Came Upon a Midnight Clear is my favorite MM Romance story. I read it for the first time in 2013 and fell in love with Nate and Kyle after their very first scene together. For a couple of fictitious characters, their chemistry is palpable throughout the pages and the longing they have for each other makes their struggle to have a relationship real.

I re-read this book in 2016 and got a paperback copy as well. I loved rediscovering their love and all the scenes that made their relationship special. I’m not entirely sure why, but after reading over 1,500 MM books, this one still my favorite. And that’s why I just read it one more.

This is a re-edited version of this story, but the main events still the same. The only edits I noticed were related to technology and pop culture references. The sense of place, culture, and holiday spirit brings this story together. It’s not a traditional Christmas tale but a second chance love.

Since the start, it’s easy to see how good they’re together. Plus, how well they did without each other. They don’t need the other to be successful. Their relationship goes beyond that, to a friendship that stayed with them even after all the years apart. Their love is just an added bonus and the sex their way to connect.

And there’s a lot of sex in this story. Hard, raw, loving, but always as part of their developing story. This is definitely an erotic romance. Even so, the romance is as important as the plot itself. There’s a lot of angst too and Kyle’s and Nathan’s original relationship will pull your heartstrings, but it’s worth it.

This book is not perfect or a writing masterpiece but the authors did an excellent job developing the characters, creating an interesting supporting cast, and making Kyle’s and Nathan’s love believable. As a reader, we get to cheer for them until the very end. The epilogue is the perfect ending to the book. And yes, I’d read it again. 🙂

Also, Came Upon a Midnight Clear is now a 2017 Riptide Holiday Charity Novel benefiting The Russian LGBT network.

The cover by Natasha Snow is sweet and festive, just a bit too generic for this story. Other than the London Bridge, it doesn’t give the reader a feel for the story.

Sale Links: Riptide | Amazon | NOOK

ebook, 291 pages
Published: November 20, 2017, by Riptide Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-62649-673-6
Edition Language: English

Sean Michael on his Mannies Incorporated series and new release ‘Composing a Family’ (guest blog and tour)

Composing a Family: A Mannies Incorporated Novel

by Sean Michael

Buy links: Evil Plot Bunny | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Sean Michael on his Composing a Family tour. Welcome, Sean.

✒︎

Thank you to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting me today!

Composing a Family is the sixth book in the Mannies Incorporated series. And as I do one every year just before Christmas, that makes this the sixth year of them! I can’t believe it had been that long, but at the same time, it feels like I’ve always been doing them.

I love coming back to the series every year and finding new fathers and mannies who need to be together to make their families complete. Whether there is one kid or eight, or anything in between, the men and the kids come together to be a whole, a complete unit. I hope I can keep coming up with new men and situations for them.

These stories are gentle and sweet, and a nice contrast to the BDSM series that I write. They help me have a rounded “writing meal”, so to speak.

In Composing a Family, Daniel knows he wants a family and did the research, hired the surrogate, and wound up with more than he’d bargained for when it turned out there were triplets on the way. He’s in over his head and he knows it. I don’t think he believes he can actually do this until he’s in the middle of doing it -trial by fire!

One of the neat things about the book is that there are two generations of mannies involved. Daniel’s own manny is still in the picture and I loved how Tenor and Matt got along – they had a common bond right off the bat. And it amused me that Daniel wound up hiring a manny for his own children who was reminiscent of his own manny.

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I liked writing it! Please see the excerpt below for a bit of a tease.

Sean Michael

smut fixes everything

Blurb:

Tenor Abriole has just finished his stint as nanny for the Wilsons. He was with the family for twenty-one years, ever since he was eighteen. Now he’s looking for a new family, but finding that at thirty-nine, many people think he’s too old, and those who don’t think that’s a problem are balking at the fact that he’s a man, or that he’s gay, or both. He finally turns to Mannies Inc. for help finding a new position.

Daniel Thorpe is a well-known composer who lives and breathes music. He very much wants to be a father, so he goes the surrogate route, and winds up with triplets on the way. He turns to Mannies Inc. well before his girls are born, but so far has not been happy with any of the men who have applied, until Tenor shows up for an interview. Tenor’s experience being nanny to five children, as well as the fact that he stayed with a single family that long are both pluses in Daniel’s book.

Could it be that Tenor is the last note Daniel needs to compose his greatest work yet – his family?

Excerpt:

“No, I love my work. I’m always in that space.”

“I love my work too, but I still like some time off.” He shrugged. “Whatever works for you, man. You do know that babies will screw with your schedule, eh?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be all party pooper.”

“Nah—if you need to get to bed, you need to get to bed. It was a good time, though, wasn’t it?” He offered Daniel a warm grin.

“It really, really was. I’d like to do it again if you would.”

He was more than pleased by the request. “Yeah, I definitely would.”

“Me too.” Daniel reached over and shook Ten’s hand.

A handshake? He used the connection to tug Daniel toward him and gave him a hug, a good, long one. Daniel took a deep breath, then hugged him back.

The guy was more solid than he looked and he was a better hugger than Ten had anticipated. He approved. Ten liked the contrast between Daniel’s delicate appearance and his hidden strength.

He realized suddenly that he’d been hugging his boss for far too long and he wasn’t sure how to let go without it being super awkward.

It then became apparent Daniel was asleep, breathing slow and easy, resting against him. Oh man, that was… really kind of adorable, actually.

He moved slowly, managing to get Daniel back onto the love seat without waking him up. Then he draped a cover over him. He hoped it wasn’t too uncomfortable for Daniel, what with the way his feet were hanging over the edge of the seat, but the only other solution was putting Daniel in his bed, and even though it was huge, he didn’t think it was a great idea. He wanted to keep this job.

Daniel settled in with a soft little sigh.

He fought the urge to kiss Daniel’s forehead, but he did whisper, “Good night, dear prince,” before moving into his room and going to bed.

About the Author

Best-selling author Sean Michael is a maple leaf–loving Canadian who spends hours hiding out in used book stores. With far more ideas than time, Sean keeps several documents open at all times. From romance to fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi, Sean is limited only by the need for sleep—and the periodic Beaver Tail.

Sean fantasizes about one day retiring on a secluded island populated entirely by horseshoe crabs after inventing a brain-to-computer dictation system. Until then, Sean will continue to write the old-fashioned way.

Sean Michael on the web:

WEBSITE: http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
BLOG: http://seanmichaelwrites.blogspot.ca
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites/
TWITTER: seanmichael09
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/seanmichaelpics/

A Caryn Advent Release Day Review: A Holiday Crush by CJane Elliott

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

This story was very much what I’ve come to enjoy about CJane Elliot’s work. There is angst, but it’s believable, the characters are appealing guys that I’d love to meet myself, they exist in a world complete with good friends who are essential to the story, and they have real jobs and real world concerns. I like this type of contemporary so much better than billionaires and spies…

Brad is in his early 40s, and has been feeling for some time that his life doesn’t really have much meaning or direction, and he feels a “pervasive sense of weariness”. He is a successful lawyer, but winning the big cases doesn’t bring him joy anymore, and certainly doesn’t make him feel that he is making a difference in the world. As Christmas comes around, he is reminded again that he doesn’t have the partner he had hoped and planned for at this time of his life when he was young.

Michael had done some videography of Brad’s depositions, and though he is just Brad’s type, Brad didn’t pursue anything because the case was ongoing, and because Michael seems very young, and Brad doesn’t feel right with that type of age gap. Fortunately for Brad, Michael is persistent, so when the case is over, he asks Brad out. Brad surprises himself by accepting, and is introduced to Michael’s world of unconventional, bohemian friends. Michael is outgoing, impulsive, and wears his heart on his sleeve, and he admires Brad in many ways from their time with the case, but then they also find they both share a love of music and singing. Music is a part of Brad that he’s put aside to fit in with the other lawyers in the firm, and finding someone to share it with, especially someone like Michael who is so joyful, is a revelation. Despite his misgivings about the age gap, Brad is utterly charmed, and starts finding ways to spend time with Michael.

The angst comes in when Michael’s friends start questioning what he hopes to get out of this relationship, and whether he is even serious about it. Michael LOVES the holiday season, and despite his friends’ blasé attitude, he celebrates with gusto. And that always includes falling in love, because isn’t that a thing to do at Christmas? His friends think this is just Michael’s usual holiday crush, and they are persuasive enough that he starts to doubt himself as well.

So this is a story of how two very likeable guys learn to step outside their comfort zones, and find not only love, but new meaning in life. I thoroughly enjoyed this story! One warning though – this is a very politically slanted book. And though I might agree with the politics to an extent, I’m not sure that I really wanted to read about them in my spare time. What started out as introducing a liberal alternative to Brad’s life turned into a full on diatribe against the presidency, the congress, and Republicans in general, and the ranting was really turning me off. I took off half a star for that, but decided that fortunately, the rest of the story was good enough that I could just skip over those parts…

Cover art by Paul Richmond. The Cover is the series cover, cute and cheery but not really relating to the individual stories.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 50 pages
Published December 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781640803121
Edition Language English

An Alisa Release Day Review: Someone to Kiss by Scotty Cade

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Dane McCormick’s job negotiating leases and building out furnished office suites takes him all over the country. He stays until the job is done—and then he moves on. As satisfying as the job is, it leaves him no place to call home and no chance to build a personal life. After arriving in Greenville, South Carolina, for a job, a severe stomach virus knocks Dane for a loop. He finds a local urgent care clinic… and a tall, dark, and handsome doctor who goes well above and beyond his duties to treat Dane. The doctor’s bedside manner makes Dane forget all about his stomach flu.

Carter Baldridge has dedicated his life to caring for others. Since graduating from medical school, he has spent all his time and energy building his urgent care business, But the morning he steps into his examining room and sees Dane McCormick on the table, he realizes it might be time to devote some attention to a part of life he has neglected. The spark is there, but so is a major obstacle in the form of Dane’s peripatetic lifestyle and a bad experience in Carter’s past. Both have to decide if the risk is worth the reward.

This was a nice story to read. Dane has pretty much lived out of a suitcase for the last six years and is looking forward to finally putting down some roots when his boss needs to send him somewhere else, again. Carter has finally opened himself up to another person for them to leave him for their job again. They both need to find a way back to each other once Dane’s job is done.

This story was mostly flash backs to how Dane and Carter met and their budding relationship. I liked seeing how smitten they both were with each other and their desire to finally take a chance. Though we see most of this story through Dane’s eyes it is easy to see both of their emotions and know how much being separated hurts them. I loved seeing them finally come together again after they just missed each other after their year separation.

Cover art by Reese Dante is nice and gives good visuals of the character.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 69 pages

Published: 2nd edition, December 27, 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 978-1-64080-107-3

Edition Language: English

A Caryn Release Day Review: Being with Him by Mickie Ashling

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

It makes me very sad to give this book a poor review, because I was really looking forward to it for several reasons: I read Chyna Doll a year or so ago (introducing the couple that are the secondary characters in this book) and thought it was amazing, and knowing that this book’s main character was a trans man, I expected to be similarly wowed. I can tell the author really wanted to portray transgender people and their struggles realistically – especially given the current administration’s apparent systematic discrimination against them – and though I believe she did a fair job of that, the story itself had no soul.

Zeb Arenada is a young Filipino man from a very traditional patriarchal family who has emigrated to the United States to attend college at Cornell University. He grew up in a life of privilege, and never had to face any significant prejudice or hardship, but he was also very sheltered. When his roommate Luca told him that he was gay, Zeb was a little non-plussed, but his natural curiosity and non-judgmental attitude ensured that they got along well together. Zeb hadn’t seriously considered his own sexuality previously, but knowing an openly gay man made him start to question who he was really attracted to. Luca took Zeb to NYC when he went to see his own boyfriend Chyna, and there Zeb met Chyna’s roommate Alex.

Alex Boulet is a biracial trans man from Louisiana who has been working as a successful model for several years. When he left the south, he expected to find love and happiness in the diversity of the big city, but so far all he has found are men who are either morbidly and intrusively curious about his genitals, or disappointed to find that they aren’t standard male issue. Those experiences, as well as some ghosts from his past, have made him very wary, very slow to trust anyone, and very protective of his heart.

With that background, I was looking forward to complex relationship growth, perhaps a slow burn, and significant character growth. But everything was just so clinical – there was way too much focus on the mechanics of sex with a trans man, and that made all of the many (too many) sex scenes completely uninspiring. The couple’s exploration of NYC was straight out of a tourist guide book, as though Alex hadn’t lived in Manhattan for years. Even the descriptions of Filipino culture were superficial and stilted. There were so many little details that just didn’t fit, like the way Alex was always cooking and eating big southern meals and desserts, and that is completely unrealistic for a model. And there’s a shocking event from Alex’s past revealed about three quarters of the way through the book that was completely superfluous because there was no real follow up about it. It was like, this terrible thing happened, oh well, no big deal, moving on….

Overall, very disappointing. To be honest, I wouldn’t have finished it if I wasn’t reading it for review. I kept hoping I would be able to find something in these men to establish some sort of emotional attachment to them, but there was nothing. Clinical is really the best way I can describe the overall feeling of the book, and it just didn’t make for enjoyable reading. But I do appreciate the way the author clearly did some research and tried to present an authentic representation of a transgender man.

Cover art by Kanaxa is pretty.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, First
Expected publication: December 27th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
Original TitleBeing With Him
ISBN139781640800519
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Alisa Release Day Review: I Only Want to Be With You by J Scott Coatsworth

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Derrek is dealing with the recent, unexpected death of his mother. He’s been alone for five year since his husband Will died, and he’s ready to find someone new and to start living again. Ryan lost his partner, David, in an auto accident, and is dating Alex, who doesn’t treat him right.

Derrek can’t figure out why Ryan won’t see what’s right in front of his face. Why does Ryan come to him to talk about all his hopes, dreams, and fears, then go home to Alex?

If Derrek can figure that out, they might just have a shot.

So….essentially Derrek and Ryan have been dancing around each other for years, being friends while Ryan is so sure that Derrek is still mourning his dead husband while he stays in a relationship that isn’t healthy. We can see Derrek hurting every time he sees Ryan’s boyfriend put him down or cheat, all it takes is Derrek to tell him that he deserves better. This story was cute but didn’t really sit well with me, I understood after Ryan explained at the end of the story about his lack of self-worth but I just couldn’t get why none of Ryan’s friends said anything to him over the past few years.

The cover art by Catherine Dair is nice and works well for the story.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, ~8,000 words

Published: December 27, 2017 by Mischief Corner Books

Edition Language: English

KC Burn on Writing, Characters, and her new release Banded Together (author interview)

Banded Together by K.C. Burn
Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Tiferet Design
Banded Together is available at Dreamspinner Press and Amazon.

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host K.C. Burn here today on their Banded Together tour. Welcome, K.C.

~ Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with K.C. Burns ~

Hi all! I’m so excited to be here! I’m KC Burn, talking about writing and my new release, Banded Together.

Have you ever had to put an ‘in progress’ story aside because of the emotional ties with it?

No, actually. In fact, the emotional ties often make it more real, at least in my opinion. In this new release, Banded Together, one of the heroes, Dr. Jack is dealing with his dad having dementia. My mother had dementia and it was a difficult few years before she passed. Although I don’t go into a lot of detail in this book, my feelings during that time informed a lot of Jack’s reactions. I think most writers take every experience as potential fodder for stories, whether they be painful or joyful. I don’t think we can help it; I know I can’t.

How do you choose your covers? (curious on my part)

LOL – mostly it’s not my choice! Even for those few books I’ve self published, the cover artists all require similar “art forms” where they ask what the characters look like, if there are significant visual items in the story, if there’s a particular scene that demonstrates the theme. Is it light, dark, paranormal, contemporary. Those attributes all affect how a cover is created, but I’m so not an artist – I can’t articulate how that comes about. Sometimes I’m given a couple of options to choose from, and many times it’s a gut feeling. One of them will just fit the story. One of my books, Tartan Candy, had the cover I went with, which was fun and flirty and a little unconventional. Since the main character was an ex-porn star who loved wearing kilts, it was perfect. The other option looked more like a typical Highlander romance cover, which didn’t match the story at all, although it was still a lovely cover.

If you write contemporary romance, is there such a thing as making a main character too “real”? Do you think you can bring too many faults into a character that eventually it becomes too flawed to become a love interest?

Yes, I do. As much as one would like to relate to the characters we read about, in romance, we’re also reading for escapism. That doesn’t mean a character can’t have faults – maybe some serious ones – but I’ve definitely read books where the characters are flawed to the point the book becomes harsh and almost brutal. But I also know people who love that sort of realism. I just can’t find the escapism in it and so I wouldn’t want to write it. It’s a fine line, though.

Have you ever put a story away, thinking it just didn’t work? Then years/months/whatever later inspiration struck and you loved it? Is there a title we would recognize if that happened?

Not exactly. I jot down story ideas and scenes, and it might be years before I get around to writing that book or it might take years before I come up with an idea where I can make one of those scenes work, but with one exception, I’ve never put an entire story away. As for that one exception… it was a short story I’d written for a cyberpunk call. It wasn’t accepted, and although I like reading cyberpunk, I certainly wasn’t planning on really delving into writing it, or expanding the story into a novel. Instead, I cannibalized scenes from that story and wove them into… two or three other books. And there are still a few scenes that I haven’t used yet, but there is the potential they’ll end up in future books.

If you could imagine the best possible place for you to write, where would that be and why?

Somewhere with no windows. Not only are they a bit distracting, I get a little tense as the light changes. Feels almost like a ticking clock. But if I’m in a room where the lighting stays at a consistent level, it’s easier to focus.

With so much going on in the world today, do you write to explain? To get away? To move past? To wide our knowledge? Why do you write?

Mostly I write to stay sane. There is so much going on in my head, writing almost acts like a pressure release valve. But aside from that, it’s escapism. I’ve loved reading for so long, and not only is writing a different sort of escapism for me, I also want to give some of that joy to other people if I can. Share the love, or pay it forward, so to speak.

What’s next for you as a writer?

I have a firefighter/dancer story coming out in the new year called Set Ablaze, and I’ve submitted a proposal for a guy wooing his love interest with pastries. We’ll see how that goes – I don’t do a lot of planning ahead of time. I mostly fly by the seat of my pants! Next year I’ll also have another Christmas story for sure, and hopefully the sequel to North on Drummond, my paranormal mystery, will be ready.

Blurb

Punk’s not dead, but it’s time to redefine life.

Devlin Waters thought he’d have music forever. But the tragic death of his best friend ended the twenty-year run of his punk band, Negative Impression. Unable to process the loss, Devlin distances himself from everyone and everything that reminds him of the band. But forty-one is too young to curl up and wait for the end. In a search for a second career, he finds himself at university, with a bunch of kids young enough to be… his kids. His sexy archaeology professor, however, makes Devlin think about life beyond his grief….

Dr. Jack Johnson does not appreciate Devlin’s lack of respect, his inability to be serious, or his chronic lateness. Worse, he hates that he’s attracted to a student. When he realizes Devlin is the rock star he crushed on in his youth, he drops his guard—against his better judgment.

Before they can move forward together, Jack must admit to Devlin that he’s not only an admirer, but he also sings in a cover band. How will Devlin react to his ultimate fanboy when his own music has died?

About the Author

KC Burn has been writing for as long as she can remember and is a sucker for happy endings (of all kinds). After moving from Toronto to Florida for her husband to take a dream job, she discovered a love of gay romance and fulfilled a dream of her own — getting published. After a few years of editing web content by day, and neglecting her supportive, understanding hubby and needy cat at night to write stories about men loving men, she was uprooted yet again and now resides in California. Writing is always fun and rewarding, but writing about her guys is the most fun she’s had in a long time, and she hopes you’ll enjoy them as much as she does.

Visit KC at her website, on Twitter, on Facebook, or find out about new releases by signing up for her newsletter.

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

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Sin and Saint (Executioners #4) by J.M. Dabney

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Eric and Ellison Gant better known as Sin and Saint were opposite sides of the same coin. They epitomized the nicknames given to them by their friends in the band Executioners. One thing Sin and Saint did well was fight and being inseparable means they have a lot of disagreements, but one thing they agree on is Sheriff Camden Pelter was theirs. The older, stoic man didn’t agree, yet they were determined to change his mind.

Camden Pelter had the daunting job of turning the Powers Sheriff Department around. The residents of the Georgia town didn’t have much faith or respect in the Deputies serving them. That’s where he came in and he was determined to do his job. That was easier said than done with two annoying brothers Sin and Saint who dogged his every step. No way in hell was he getting mixed up in the chaos that were the Gant Twins. Now if only if he could get them to listen and realize they didn’t have a chance of changing his mind.

Since the first mention of Camden Pelter and the twins, I (and tons of other fans of J.M. Dabney) have been waiting for this book. Through story after story, Sin and Saint (Eric and Ellison Gant) have been chasing the older, gorgeous Sheriff of Powers, Georgia only to be rebuffed time and again. Still, we knew that Camden would eventually come to the realization that the twins were his and we’d get that story.

And it would be full of sizzle and probably some kink.

However, I wasn’t expecting some terrific suspense scenes, high action, and some real twists to come our way as well. Sin & Saint (Executioners #4) by J.M. Dabney delivers with a pack, a punch, and a high note on every level as the last story in the Executioners series.

For one thing, we now get up close to the twins. The author delivers more nuanced characterizations with Eric (Sin) and Ellison (Saint), two who may look identical to those who don’t know them but who’s differences extend from the emotional to physical variations that have had an huge impact on one of them. Past histories too that have done the same. Camden Pelter comes in for close inspection in every way as well, from his background and local familial ties to his sexuality…his need to dominate and take care of those he loves.

Then all three men are pulled gently together to form a loving triad quite unlike any of the triads already in existence in the connected series. It’s a slow, hot pace that should leaving you with a need for a fan.

However, Sin and Saint is not just about romance but also the need to tie up some loose ends with regard to the last corrupt Sheriff and his organization. In comes the high action, suspense, and some great twists in the narrative that I just adored. Truly I love it when my expectations are overturned and the plot takes a turn I didn’t expect all of which happened here.

It ends as it should and I was hopelessly overjoyed and looking forward to the beginning of the new series. That would be the Trenton Security series, although I’m not yet sure that’s the name. It will involve the guys in the Trenton group that we’ve meet before and were heavily involved here in this story. And yes, I can’t wait!

So another great series, Executioners comes to an end with Sin & Saint but what an ending it was! A great storyline, a long anticipated romance and triad coupling (can that be with three), and just some wonderful writing that drove this narrative crazily along to an ending that was exactly what I hoped for. All that and more is why I’m highly recommending this story and all the books in the Executioners series by J.M. Dabney.

If you haven’t met her glorious bunch of huge, damaged, sometimes violent men and the ones that love them, there’s no better series to start with that this one. But now you have three series to read before the fourth series start, grab them all up and get reading! I have the list below for you all to check out.

Cover by Winterheart Designs: I love this cover. That’s Sin and Saint personified. Just perfection.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

Edition Language English

URL https://www.jmdabneyauthor.com/executioners

Series Executioners #4

setting Georgia (United States)