A Caryn Review: Boyfriend Goals by Clancy Nacht and Thursday Euclid

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I really, really enjoyed this book.

Even though the reason for the fake boyfriend charade was, frankly, stupid. The book was saved by the wonderfully human and vulnerable MCs that I just fell in love with.

Trey is 21 years old, finishing his junior year at a liberal east coast college, and majoring in social justice and everything about as far left as you can get. He has points to prove, and a world to change (and kudos to the authors for capturing that youthful passion and idealism so well!). He comes from privilege, with wealthy conservative parents, who just don’t quite get him. For instance, when he announces to his parents that he is bisexual, they are a little disconcerted, but not upset and are pretty sure that he’s just going through a phase, and start encouraging him to settle down with a nice girl because he’s old enough for that now. Although he is quite passionate about all the social issues he embraces and active in groups and clubs that support them, he is personally a little awkward and insecure, and has trouble connecting with people. His only long term relationship was with a girl in high school, and throughout college he has limited himself to drunken hookups with men. Now that he’s getting closer to graduation, he wants to prove to his parents that he is really serious, really into guys, and in a move endearingly reminiscent of college age hubris and immaturity, decides that having someone pose as his boyfriend when he goes home for the summer is a great way to accomplish that.

Lee is also a junior at this college, but he is much less sure of what he is doing and where he is going with his life. He’s on the swim team, and his friends are mostly other jocks. He needs somewhere to stay for the summer (his scholarship only covers the dorms during the regular school year), so a mutual friend of his and Trey’s suggests they spend the summer together as a way to solve both of their problems. It’s not said explicitly at this point, but it’s pretty obvious that he is homeless because he’s gay. And it’s equally obvious that he is closeted because he fears other people will react equally negatively. Spending the summer with Trey’s family, posing as his boyfriend, seems like a great idea not only because he will be fed and housed, but also because he can drop the pretense of being straight.

The backgrounds these young men come from couldn’t be more different, and both of them come to realize how little of the world they know by being exposed to each other. Trey knew that he was privileged, but didn’t realize just how much that privilege protected him and allowed him to challenge the status quo without worry of repercussions. He thought he was oppressed because his parents wanted him to pursue a different career and were not 100% supportive of his bisexuality. Seeing that Lee has become, quite literally, homeless, disowned, and without any safety net solely because he is gay, was something of a shock to Trey. Hearing about Lee’s situation growing up in a large, blue-collar, Catholic family with alcoholic parents, and watching how Lee tried to reconcile the differences between who he is, what he believes, and what he wants to become despite this background is also an eye-opener. Lee, on the other hand, saw what life could be like without hiding who he is or trying to conform to narrow-minded expectations. That conflict and growth in both characters was far and away the best part of the book.

As the summer progressed, both of the men found more and more to admire about the other, and they fell in love for real, though they tried to hide it from each other, thinking there was no way it could ever work because they were just so different. In the meantime, keeping up the pretense of being boyfriends in front of the family, with all the little affectionate touches and endearments, led to a level of sexual tension that was just delicious. There wasn’t much sex in the book because of this, but it had a captivating slow burn that I just adored.

The crisis that finally led them to acknowledge their love was pretty artificial, but I wanted them to proclaim that love so much, I was willing to accept almost anything at that point. The book ended with a pretty firm HFN – this is, after all, college and people change – but Trey and Lee were right where they should be, smarter, more compassionate, and more confident from being together.

Cover art by April Martinez is lovely, and perfect for the book.

Sales Links

Loose id LLC

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 175 pages
Published October 10th 2016 by Loose Id LLC
ASINB01MFX3H9D
Edition LanguageEnglish

In Our New Release Spotlight: I Love You More Than Pierogi (World of Love) by K.A. Merikan (author guest blog and excerpt)

I Love You More Than Pierogi (World of Love) by K.A. Merikan
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Anna Sikorska

BUY LINKS

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host K. A. Merikan, the pen name for Kat and Agnes Merikan. Welcome to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words. Tell our readers about I Love You More Than Pierogi?

We’ve been thinking about setting a book in our native Poland for quite some time now, and the submission call for “World of Love” helped us come up with an angle 🙂 The two main characters are former high school sweethearts who meet after several years, and after the bitterness that resulted of their breakup, the reconnection is everything but smooth. Through those characters we explored two conflicting feelings many immigrants face – the longing for home and everything it stands for, and the unstoppable curiosity that pushes them to explore. Who knows, maybe one doesn’t have to choose 😉

Blurb

Marek and Adrian dated in high school, but a bitter breakup led them to choose different paths. Adrian is out and proud while Marek is in the closet. Adrian embraces his eccentricity while Marek clings to a conservative image. And while Marek worked hard to build a successful life and financial stability by climbing the corporate ladder, Adrian threw caution to the wind and has spent the last five years backpacking across the world.

Now Adrian is back in Warsaw, Poland, but while Marek thinks they will have a hookup and have a blast from the past, Adrian is just looking for a place to crash. Worse still, Adrian turns up at Marek’s advertising agency for help with his outrageous new business venture, and if Marek wants to get promoted, he might have to work with the guy who broke his heart.

World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

***

Excerpt

Adrian stirred the pierogi, and already his mouth watered at their scent. This was exactly why he learned to cook in the first place. “I worked in many kitchens for the charities I had connections to. At some point I got an understanding of the most basic processes, and the cooks gave me tips. Obviously, foreign cuisines do stuff differently, so in the end I started asking my mom and gran for recipes. It happened organically.”

“Don’t you think that people in Poland might not have the same appreciation for our food as they do for foreign stuff?” Marek asked but sat up straighter on the barstool to have a look at the pierogi sizzling in the fat.

Adrian frowned. “Don’t you? What do you eat on a daily basis? Burgers, kebab, and sushi?”

Marek nodded. “Yeah, the usual kind of takeout. I like pizza but can’t really have too much of it.” He patted his flat stomach.

Adrian smirked. “Oh, I’ll fatten you up if you let me stay here a bit longer.”

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Marek laughed and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked much younger and more relaxed without the suit on. “Though I do miss the traditional home-cooked food,” he admitted. “Frozen pierogi are not the same, and I feel weird going to restaurants on my own.”

Adrian watched him, stirring the food in the pan. He could relate to Marek’s words all too well. “You know, when you immerse yourself in a different culture, everything seems great. It’s all fresh new things, and it’s all delicious. I love spiciness, the sweetness of coconut milk, and I think frying spices before adding anything else frees the flavors, but that kind of food also gets old after a while.”

Marek raised his eyebrows. “I thought you were all about visiting new places and trying new things.”

Adrian shrugged. “Yes and no. It’s all exciting, but at the end of the day you want a steaming bowl of bigos stew with juniper sausage. The comfort food your gran served you after a bad day.” He licked his lips. “Slavic cooking uses a lot of pickles and sour flavors. I really missed that. And when I learned to cook, it was a cure for feeling homesick.”

Marek cocked his head and had more borscht. “Weren’t you too busy to feel homesick?”

Adrian finished frying and put all the pierogi on one plate, generously topping them with lardons. He added a side of rhubarb and carrot salad and sprinkled the remaining chives over the plate. “I don’t think one could ever be too busy to be homesick.” He stopped, looking at the pretty picture that was the plate, and reminisced about the past. “At some point your emotions become a bit stifled, so you don’t think about it too much.”

Marek smiled at Adrian… shyly? “These do look great.”

He reached out for the plate, but Adrian pulled it away and grabbed a fork, then divided one of the pierogi in two.

He picked up one half and blew air over the hot food, watching Marek with amusement. “You will be all over my project after you try these. It’s a secret recipe.”

“Oh? What’s it with?”

Marek’s smile widened, and Adrian was once again reminded of how nice it was to be alone with him, without the roommates or Marek answering e-mails late at night. It made him think[KM1] of Marek’s failed attempt to kiss him and made Adrian wonder if he would ever try again.

He stepped closer, still blowing on the morsel, and put the food against Marek’s mouth. The filling was slow-cooked goose meat with root vegetables, but Marek would have to taste it to find that out. “It’s a secret.”

Marek looked up as he took a big bite, and Adrian couldn’t help but remember how Marek had looked at him while he sucked his cock all those years back. As if Adrian was the center of his universe.

Adrian pulled the fork away and put the remaining food into his mouth, sensing the sweetness of the caramelized onion, which was a perfect addition to the herby meat and vegetables. He stepped closer until his knee brushed Marek’s. “Good?”

Marek nodded with a smile and his mouth full. “Oh, it’s delicious. The real thing. My mom tried to teach me over Skype how to make pierogi with mushrooms one Christmas Eve, and it was such a failure. The dough turned out useless.”

Adrian grinned, looking at Marek while moving even closer between his spread knees. He picked up another piece and fed it to Marek. “It does require the right consistency. You can’t get that just by following a recipe.”

Marek ate more voraciously by the second. “Needs skilled hands. I’m afraid I don’t have the touch for it.” He stared into Adrian’s eyes. “So damn good.”

Adrian chewed on his lip, sensing that familiar tingle in the tips of his fingers as he fed Marek the crunchy salad. So many memories were flooding his brain now, like latent electricity that was finally tangible. “I’ve been told mine are very skilled.”

Marek took a deep breath through his nose. “I might have even been the one to tell you that….”

Adrian’s mouth twitched, and he slowly turned around before casually sitting on one of Marek’s thighs. Anticipation was far more than a tingle now, and he looked Marek in the eyes as he ate a piece of pierogi. “I think you did.”

Marek put his fingertips against Adrian’s back. “Maybe the business idea isn’t that stupid after all.”

About the author

K. A. Merikan is the pen name for Kat and Agnes Merikan, a team of writers, who are mistaken for sisters with surprising regularity. Kat’s the mean sergeant and survival specialist of the duo, never hesitating to kick Agnes’s ass when she’s slacking off. Her memory works like an easy-access catalogue, which allows her to keep up with both book details and social media. Also works as the emergency GPS. Agnes is the Merikan nitpicker, usually found busy with formatting and research. Her attention tends to be scattered, and despite pushing thirty, she needs to apply makeup to buy alcohol. Self-proclaimed queen of the roads.

They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and books. When you pick up a Merikan book, there’s one thing you can be sure of – it will be full of surprises.

e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com

More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at:

K.A. Merikan’s author page: http://kamerikan.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KAMerikan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KA_Merikan

Agnes Merikan’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/AgnesMerikan

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6150530.K_A_Merikan

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/KAMerikan/

Follow the blog tour:

December 29 – MM Good Book Reviews

January 4 – Boy Meets Boy

January 5 – Open Skye Book Reviews

January 5 – The Novel Approach

January 6 – Love Bytes

January 9 – Alpha Book Reviews

January 10 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Off Base (Out of Uniform #1) by Annabeth Albert

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

After trading the barracks for a fixer-upper rental, navy SEAL Zack Nelson wants peace, not a roommate—especially not Pike, who sees things about Zack he most wants to hide. Pike’s flirting puts virgin Zack on edge. And the questions Pike’s arrival would spark from Zack’s teammates about his own sexuality? Nope. Not going there. But Zack can’t refuse.

Pike Reynolds knows there won’t be a warm welcome in his new home. What can he say? He’s an acquired taste. But he needs this chance to get his life together. Also, teasing the uptight SEAL will be hella fun. Still, Pike has to tread carefully; he’s had his fill of tourists in the past, and he can’t risk his heart on another, not even one as hot, as built—and, okay, yeah, as adorable—as Zack.

Living with Pike crumbles Zack’s restraint and fuels his curiosity. He discovers how well they fit together in bed…in the shower…in the hallway… He needs Pike more than he could have imagined, yet he doesn’t know how to be the man Pike deserves.

In Off Base, Annabeth Albert works her magic again in this first story of a new series. We meet the emotional mess that is navy SEAL Zack Nelson as he’s entering a bar with Pike, someone who’s within the circle of friends they share. Its immediately clear that Zack has issues with his sexuality, his attraction to men and Pike. How deep his problems are and wide ranging is something the author lets us find out as the story continues.

Pike’s character is laid down here as well in the opening scenes. Out, kind, smart and sexual. You like Pike immediately. He’s as engaging as Zack is screwed up and vulnerable (yes, he’s a navy SEAL but its realistically written). They are puzzle pieces made for each other if only they can work it out.

Albert lays out her groundwork for Zack’s problems and they are as believable as they are painful. Pike too has his own layering and issues to solve. He’s a new professor at college trying to find his way as a teacher with his students, trying to keep his heart intact…trying not to fail at so many things that he may miss out on the one thing he wants above all else.

While you have the sexy, emotional journey going on between Zack and Pike, there’s another as well. Its the one happening between Zack and his SEAL teammates during training. Some of it is very ugly and its not all their fault as Zack is trying to deal with things on his own. This is a second important storyline that plays out here. I think Albert again does a great job and I can’t wait to see how it carries through to the next novel.

There is a couple from my favorite series #gaymers that appears here. I hope to see more of them.

In short? I loved this story. It has heart, angst, and romance. Its sexy and its a wonderful new start to a series. Now for the next book!

Cover art is sexy if somewhat generic.

Sales Links

Carina Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Expected publication: January 9th 2017 by Carina Press
Original TitleOff Base
ASINB01LLPCCMG
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesOut of Uniform #1

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Lagniappe (Iron Lace #2) by Mercy Celeste

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

This story is an exemplary sequel to what was a wonderful story, Behind Iron Lace. In this one, Caleb and Darcy are now in Oregon, building the restaurant Caleb dreamed of. The taste of New Orleans meets Oregon here, and the bad boy is settling down.

One of the little glitches that turns out to be a major issue is that the chef is Caleb’s cousin, Bubba, imported from Louisana, and he still has the hots for Caleb as he did when they were eighteen year olds caught in the act. It doesn’t matter that he has a wife—he’s out to get Caleb away from Darcy. And in the meantime, Darcy has his own problem—his former best friend and life partner, Bailey, has come for a visit, and Darcy doesn’t want to see her. She cheated on him and then ran his magazine into the ground when he left it to her as he escaped to Oregon. Plus she’s eight months pregnant with the cheater’s child. What’s to like?

Jealousy, anger, and surprises abound when all of this comes to a crisis just before Christmas, and the surprise Darcy receives is nothing he could ever have expected and neither could the readers! I loved it. If you like Mercy Celeste, by all means read Behind Iron Lace and then read this one. It’s terrific! BIL should be read first though, as this one isn’t really a standalone.

Cover art by Jay Aheer of Simply Defined Art features a stunning, apparently nude male torso in a black-and-white photo.

Sales Link

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 83 pages
Published December 6th 2016
ASINB01N9ET2JC
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesIron Lace #2

An Ali Review: Light Up The Dark by Suki Fleet

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

For two years Nicky has wandered the dark empty corridors of the overgrown Thorn Hall, unseen and untouched, feeling like a ghost. His only company, the cold man who promised to keep him safe from harm, Lance. But when Lance dies, Nicky’s assurance of safety disintegrates and his world suddenly becomes a lot more real and a lot more dangerous. Scared to leave the house, Nicky longs for daylight. He employs a gardener to clear the over-grown bushes and vines that have nearly swallowed Thorn Hall whole. The last thing Nicky expects a little light to do is show him something to fight for.

Eighteen months in a young offenders’ institute has taught Cai two things: he occupies the playful puppy end of the How Dangerous Are You? spectrum, and he has an unfortunate knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Desperate for a job, he takes the first offer he gets. Even though Thorn Hall creeps the hell out of him and he barely knows one end of a pair of garden shears from the other.

Things start to fall apart when Cai is drawn into Nicky’s strange world of sticky notes and secrets. Cai finds he is now a target, blamed for a crime he didn’t commit. Desperate not to go back to prison, he digs deep and risks all the good things in life to help Nicky run. But now Nicky has someone he wants to protect, he knows he can’t run any more.

This is a darker story with a gothic vibe to it. I really enjoyed the beginning as Cai tries to figure out what’s going on in the creepy house where he’s gotten a job as a gardener. The atmosphere was set really well and I could easily picture this run down house filled with secrets. I liked Cai and his niece and her friend. They were well done and interesting characters.

As the story went on though I felt the plot twists were kind of wild and unbelievable. I guess in a gothic that’s what you’re looking for but for some reason it just didn’t work for me. My biggest issue with the story though was Nicky’s character. I just didn’t like him. I also didn’t understand how he could be so helpless and unable to function at the age of 29. Yes, he had been through hell two years prior but what about the other 27 years of his life? I think maybe it would have worked better for me if he had been in his late teens/early twenties. Since I never warmed up to Nicky at all, I had a hard time buying into the love story. I couldn’t see what Cai saw in him and the insta-love didn’t make sense to me.

Overall this was just an average read for me. I liked the gothic mystery part but did not care for the romance aspect. I thought the atmosphere part was really well done and in that way this story might be too dark for some readers.

Cover: I think the cover is really well done and it fits the dark, shadowy vibe of the story.

Sales Link

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 349 pages
Published December 25th 2016 by Wildflowers
ASINB01MU4FDMI
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Jeri Release Day Review: There Has to be a Reason by Kate McMurray

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

I am a fan of Kate McMurray’s books. If I see she has a new one, I want to read it but I don’t rush to read it. But I also know that I will enjoy it. Just like I did with this one.

A college age romance with an out and proud guy and an in the closet, just discovering that he isn’t as straight as he thought guy.

Dave never thought he was gay. Didn’t think about guys “that way”. And then he runs into Noel. A guy he immediately thinks of as beautiful. And he is completely drawn to him.

Noel is out and proud at college, but still not out to his family. Until he is outed. Instead of going back in the closet, he lets his family basically disown him. Figuring out how to pay for college is worth it for him to live an authentic life. And although he has crushed on Dave from afar and Dave is now returning those feelings, he will not live in the closet.

The relationship between Noel and Dave was super sweet. I really loved how Noel was guiding Dave to discover who he is without sacrificing himself to help him do it. As much as he wanted to.

Dave also has a relationship with his best friend Joe who does not understand why Dave is hanging out with Noel all of the time as he is so different from them. So while Dave is trying to come to terms with his sexuality and his attraction to Noel- he is also dealing with his friendship to Joe suffering.

This was a good read. Although it was “angsty” it wasn’t full of angst. There were a lot of sweet moments and the various relationships Dave had felt very authentic. Kate McMurray’s books remind me a bit of the old Nora Roberts. You know it is going to be a good read. It certainly won’t be the best book you’ve read, but it doesn’t disappoint.

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson. The cover is gorgeous, pulling in the setting for the novel.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 206 pages
Expected publication: January 9th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1635332125 (ISBN13: 9781635332124)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Release Day Blitz for Off Base by Annabeth Albert (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: Off Base

Series: Out of Uniform #1

Author: Annabeth Albert

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: January 9th 2017

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 73,000

Genre: Romance, Military, SEALs, Contemporary, Roommates-to-lovers

Add to Goodreads

1216_9781488022593_OffBase_Web

Synopsis

Book One of the Out of Uniform series

This book is approximately 73,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise! Find out more at CarinaPress.com/RomancePromise

For Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Highly Recommended Review, visit here.

Excerpt

“What do you mean they’re not coming?” Zack tried hard to sound like the badass navy SEAL he was now. He’d passed all sorts of interrogation training—there was no reason he couldn’t hide that he didn’t particularly like this guy. Or this fancy bar where he and his nontrendy clothes and military haircut were out of place. He’d agreed to go out for drinks with a group. His friend Ryan had promised him a drink for finishing his SEAL qualification training and getting his trident, and Zack had figured dealing with the rest of Ryan’s crowd wouldn’t be horrible. But tolerable was a far cry from being stranded alone with Pike freaking Reynolds without Ryan as a buffer.

“They blew two tires getting out of Santa Monica and are waiting on a repair truck now. Ryan said to have fun without them.” Pike looked harmless enough—shorter than Zack with a lean build and bright red hair and freckles that made him look too young to drink—but Zack knew from experience he was anything but benign. Pike was the type of guy who would flirt with wallpaper, but he seemed to have singled Zack out for special attention ever since their first meeting at a LAN party.

Which was all well and good, but unlike a lot of Ryan’s crowd, Zack wasn’t openly gay. And what Zack hated was that Pike seemed to see through all his “no, really I’m straight” protests and see things Zack refused to even think about. And a whole night with Pike? Torture. And that was coming from someone who’d been tossed into frigid water with his arms and legs bound. Repeatedly.

But he’d happily endure another round of drownproof training if it meant an easy out of this situation.

“Is Landon coming?” Please say it’s not just us. Surely, Pike’s omnipresent sidekick would be there to bail Zack out.

“Nope. He’s doing research at the Hadron Collider for the next few months. Just us, I think.” Pike grinned at him. “Alone at last, right?”

Zack guessed that the Hadron was one of those supersmart things Pike’s crowd just assumed everyone else knew about. He certainly wasn’t about to appear dumb and ask. “You don’t have to stick around on my account,” he said instead.

“Dude.” Pike smacked him on the shoulder. “I’ve had a shit week. Another three interviews for jobs for the fall, another three fuckups on my part. Don’t make me drink alone.”

“I guess I could do a beer.”

“On me, right? We’re all super stoked that you passed SQT.” Pike gave him another of those disarming smiles.

Ba-deep-deep. Zack’s phone chimed. Sure enough, there was a message from Ryan apologizing for bailing. Have fun with Pike, Ryan ended. But whatever you do, don’t let him talk you into shots. He looks scrawny, but he can drink you under the table. Trust me.

Zack shoved his phone away. Nope, no way was he doing shots with Pike. Last thing he needed was to get drunk and forget himself around the guy.

“So what’ll it be? They have a whole selection of craft beers here.” Pike offered him one of the little bar menus artfully strewn around on the huge antique wood bar.

“A Bud’s fine,” Zack said. He’d never developed a taste for the fancy stuff. This whole place was fancier than he was used to, what with the exposed hardwoods everywhere, the prettified bar food emerging from the kitchen, and the painted inspirational quotes behind the bar. Even the name, Mellow, was a far cry from the hole-in-the-wall places he’d drunk at in college or even Big Ted’s, the little sports bar right off base that his fellow SEALs favored.

Pike signaled the burly bartender, who frowned at them after Pike gave their order for a Bud and some fancy-ass beer Zack had never heard of. “Hand stamps, please. Both of you.”

Zack stuck his hand out, showing that the bouncer had indeed checked his ID. Pike put his arm right next to Zack’s—way too close for comfort. “See, look at us, finding things in common.”

“Getting carded is hardly something to be proud of,” Zack mumbled as he pulled his arm away. Back in San Diego, when he went to the bars with his friends, they never got carded anymore. And he liked that—he was twenty-three now, for crying out loud.

“Of course it’s not for you, Muscles.” Pike did that whole standing-too-close thing again, moving over so others could get to the bar.

Zack really shouldn’t like that Pike noticed what the past few months of training had done for his physique. He’d always been lean, but days of log- and boat-carry drills had carved out muscles he hadn’t even been aware he had. Zack accepted his beer from the bartender, then followed Pike to one of the little high-top tables ringing the bar area.

“Seriously, you are jacked now.” Pike winked at him, giving him the sort of once-over Zack’s buddies gave girls in bikinis. “Look at those shoulders. It even makes you look taller.”

Flattery was not going to work on Zack. Not even a bit. Besides, Pike was the short one, probably five seven or so. But Zack was a perfectly respectable five ten. In your boots.

“Truth, man. I just call it like I see it.” Pike shrugged. And that right there was the whole problem with Pike—he had absolutely no filter and a way too keen sense of observation.

Purchase

Carina Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Meet the Author

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Annabeth’s Angels | Sign Up for Annabeth’s Newsletter!

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T.A. Chase on Writing, Inspiration, and her Novel ‘Why I Love Geeks (Why I Love… #1)’ (guest blog and excerpt)

Why I Love Geeks (Why I Love… #1) by T.A. Chase
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Anne Cain

Available for Purchase at

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host T.A. Chase here today. Welcome, T.A.!

I’m T.A. Chase and I write gay romance. Thank you for having me today. I thought I’d ramble a little bit and let you get to know me. Hopefully you think it’s interesting. ☺

I draw a lot of my inspiration from real life. Situations I get involved in or I watch unfold in front of me. It might be a snippet of an overheard conversation. (Yes, I’ll admit to eavesdropping…lol) Sometimes a phrase caught as I’m walking past can spark an idea. In fact, one of my works in progress sprang from hearing a mother say, “Wait a minute. Your brother’s stuck.” I have two chapters of a new book done based on that comment, plus the idea for the next one in the series.

I’ve gotten a lot of ideas from song lyrics. In fact quite a few of my titles are phrases from songs. Maybe because I love songs that tell a story. It doesn’t matter if it’s about heartbreak or happiness as long as there’s a phrase or lyric that catches my attention.

I have written several series based on legends and myths. I love taking them and twisting them into new ones or re-interpreting them. Like making Mordred and Lucifer relatively good guys, or at least not the villains legends have made them out to be. It’s fun to think ‘what if’ sometimes and change things up.

Of course there are times when I start out with a very clear idea for a character like who he’ll fall in love with or even who he is. Then as I’m writing, the plot morphs and twists. I find my character is in a completely different place. That’s the fun and agony of being a pantser.

In a way, I like learning about my characters and their stories the same way my readers do; one page at a time. Heck, some times it’s a paragraph at a time, the characters seem to take control of their own stories. I swear it’s as though they grab a hold of my fingers (whether I’m using my laptop or a pen) and write what they want.

I know that sounds a little crazy, but I’m sure if you were to ask a majority of authors, they’ll all have moments when their characters have rebelled against the plan set out for them.

In Why I Love Geeks, I’ll admit I thought it would go in one direction, then suddenly we’re in a completely different spot. Now I think where the story ended up was fun and interesting, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. ☺

Geeks is a rom-com/romantic suspense mish-mash, imo. The first comedy I attempted. I actually love to write fantasies or paranormals most of all. I think it’s because I can create any kind of world with any rules I like.

I’ve written in almost every genre (except horror because I don’t read it, I’m not sure I’d be able to write a truly scary believable story) Contemporaries and historicals are difficult in some ways to write because a writer has to do research to make the story as accurate as possible.

But reading and writing fantasies and paranormals is fun. Some of my favorite comfort reads are fantasies. There’s something about being able to immerse myself in an entirely different world where magic is real or there are elves and unicorns. It makes our hum-drum world seem so ordinary. It might have something to do with the fact that many of the first books I read were fantasies with strong female characters, which might not have anything to do with my stories. Yet I learned what great world building should be like as long as the characters were believable.

If I were stranded on a desert island and I could take some books with me though, I’d have most of Megan Derr’s books because her fantasies are some of my favorite re-reads. Also, I’d throw in some Mary Calmes and Amy Lane. Their contemporaries and fantasies are basically on ‘speed dial’ in my Kindle and book shelves.

What all the books have in common is characters I can believe in and worlds that are believable, exciting and fun. Which is what I hope to create in my own stories.

I hope you didn’t mind my rambling, but I do hope it gave you some insight into my writing process.

I also hope you’ll take a moment to check out my up-coming re-release, Why I Love Geeks. It’s been expanded, so there’s new material.

Why I Love Geeks blurb

2nd Edition

A Why I Love…. Novel

New York City Homicide Detective Chuck Davidson is a guy’s guy. He likes sports, beer, and classic cars—fancy gadgets, not so much. When yet another high-tech phone goes on the fritz, he knows he needs help, and he meets a man who loves technology as much as he hates it—cute but awkward biochemist Herbert Pommerset.

Herb’s never been with a man—not even on a date. He hides behind his research, daydreaming about what it might be like to find someone special. A malfunctioning phone causes his path to cross with a sexy older detective, and Herb wishes he’d spent less time studying science and more learning how to flirt, because he can think of some experiments he’d like to conduct with Chuck. None of his considerable intelligence is helping him express his desires to the other man.

Just when it seems they might overcome their differences, Herb’s research puts him in danger. He’s made a discovery that could cost him his life, and Chuck must use his very different talents to rescue the geek he’s coming to love.

First Edition published by Amber Quill Press/Amber Allure, 2011.

About the Author

T.A. Chase lives in the Midwest with her neurotic but still wonderful senior cat. She believes there is beauty in every kind of love, so why not live a life without boundaries? Experiencing everything the world offers fascinates T.A., and writing about the things that make each of us unique is how she shares those insights. When not writing, she’s watching movies and reading. She’s also a part of a line-dancing group that takes over a bar on Tuesday nights and entertains at assisted living homes. It’s all about living life to the fullest.

She loves hearing from fans. But don’t be too upset if she doesn’t get back to you right away. Life has a way of making her lose track of days and hours. Don’t worry, though. You will hear back at some point.

Dreamspinner Press: If you would like to get a hold of me, you can email me at chase.ta@gmail.com

My twitter: @TaChase

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001595721283

A.E. VIA on Nothing Special V (Nothing Special #5) by A.E. Via (excerpt)

Nothing Special V (Nothing Special #5) by A.E. Via

M/M GAY CONTEMPORARY
Edited by: Tina Adamski
Cover Artist – Jay Aheer

Release Date: December 12, 2016
PAGE COUNT – 365

Buy Links

Amazon Buy Link: https://goo.gl/LXaMrW

Barnes & Noble: https://goo.gl/DVKJ5O

Smashwords: https://goo.gl/psjFiu

Goodreads: https://goo.gl/e0aytf

Synopsis

The boys are back and fiercer than ever!

“We were a unit tonight, moving as one. Even apart, we are deadly, but when combined – we are f**kin’ unstoppable.” ~~ God ~~

Atlanta’s notorious narcotics task force is at it again. They are stronger, bigger, and better than ever. Especially when a city councilman sends RECON Marine, Edwin Steele – who’s been blacklisted from his Oakland department – to join the team. God and Day weren’t recruiting. They have a lot on their plates, like the fact they’re supposed to be getting married soon. They don’t have the time or the patience to integrate a decorated war hero with a slight chip on his shoulder into their well-oiled machine.

A hothead that’s uncontrollable and terrible with authority… but wasn’t that their team motto?

Steele was ready to hang up his shield. He was done fighting with bigoted bastards that couldn’t respect the job. He was good at fighting; he just needed the right team to fight with. When his uncle – City Councilman, Rasmus Steele – shows him a video of God’s team in action, he knows right away, it’s where his nephew belongs in order to restore his faith.

Steele pointed to the driver, a behemoth of a man wielding those massive firearms like a true beast… like a soldier. “And him. Who the hell is he?”

“That’s your new boss. Lieutenant Cashel Godfrey… they call him… God.”

Steele was skeptical about his new placement, but when he meets God’s technology specialist/computer genius, “Tech,” he’s willing to give it his all, and he definitely shows and proves.

Tech is stunning. His sweater vest and khakis, a stark contrast to the blue-jeaned roughnecks he works with. A beautiful sheep amongst the wolves. Steel thinks there’s no way the brilliant man would be interested in a hardhead like him, but Tech has a few badass hidden talents of his own and manages to surprise him… surprise all of them.

This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA. There are no multiple pairings in this novel.

About the Author

A.E. Via is an author in the beautiful gay romance genre and also founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books. Her writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family—a husband and four children. Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors.

Visit my site to learn more! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Blog: http://authoraevia.com/blogfann.html

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

EXCERPT

The shower area was dark, except for the lights filtering in from the locker area, but God could see steam rising from the last stall. His boots were loud on the hard floor and he didn’t hesitate for a second to yank the thin plastic back and step inside the hot stall. Day’s back was to him, his hands braced on the tiles in front of him, his head hanging low while the hot water pelted his tense neck and shoulders. He never flinched at the intrusion, as if he’d been expecting God any second.

“I’m okay, Cashel. I’m not hurt,” Day just barely whispered over the sound of the water before he turned the nozzles to off.

“Face me,” God said roughly, his throat thick with emotion.

Day turned around, pushing his hair back off his face. There wasn’t a cut anywhere on his body, only a slight bruise on his right shoulder and a little discoloration on his temple. Day leaned against the stall like he was exhausted and God had to touch him. His touch was firm, but his lover was used to that. He pressed in close, breathing in the smell of Day’s favorite shampoo and his body wash. God ran his nose down Day’s temple, gripping him around his waist and running his calloused palms up his sides, listening for any grunts of discomfort. Day didn’t make a sound. No bruised ribs. God used every one of his senses, including taste, to check Day over. When God got to Day’s shoulders, he squeezed them and heard the hiss Day tried but failed to hold back.

God growled and slammed both his hands against the stall on either side of Day’s head. “I was late. I was fuckin’ late.”

“I knew you’d do this. I knew you’d blame yourself. You did your job, Cash. You kept the Enforcers close. They got there in time.” Day reached up and gripped God’s massive biceps, easing his hands over his shoulders and up to his neck. When he leaned in, God let Day clamp down on the back of his neck – relishing the strength of his partner – and bring their mouths together in a fierce kiss. A kiss that made a hundred apologies and answered with even more forgiveness. When they finally broke apart, both of them were panting heavily, and God wrapped Day tight in his arms, letting the contact bring him back from the edge.

“Goddamnit. I was so scared, Leo,” God admitted, no longer afraid to be vulnerable in front of this one man.

“Me too,” Day whispered.

Day let God hold him as long as he needed to. As long as it took for him to know that he was safe.

A VVivacious 2 Review in 1: Dare To (Dare #1) by A.K.M. Miles +Dare’s Christmas Gift (Dare #2) by A.K.M. Miles – Bonus short story

Dare To by A.K.M. Miles

Rating – 3.5 Stars out of 5

Dare works as a youth counsellor, a vocation he is very passionate about. He and Ryan meet at a time of loss for both of them but they are unable to deny their intense chemistry. But just as Dare is finding his footing in his life with Ryan and Ryan’s nephew JC, he ends up as front page news for a heroic act of his which also ends up outing him as gay. What follows is an upheaval in his professional life that tests the bonds between Ryan and Dare.

I believe this story would have been so much better if just a few details were tinkered with till they were perfect.

It is a slice-of-life fiction, so basically a lot of things happen but the events don’t culminate into a climax, it’s just life as usual. At a few, very few, times I was hesitant at believing that such calamities would befall one person in such a short span of time but I have made peace with that aspect of this story. Overall the plot and the story make for a fairly interesting read.

There are a lot of side characters in this one but having read the story in its entirety I don’t feel like I know these characters well enough like Melanie, Jackie, Brandon, Linc and JC. I particularly felt this lack of development for JC’s character because no matter how you slice it he was always going to be a big part of Ryan and Dare’s life together and I would have loved more scenes with the trio of Ryan, Dare and JC. While we are on the topic of side characters, I would like to mention Ben Tyler who had just such an amazing personality.

This book is entirely from Dare’s perspective which kind of made the story very one-sided almost everything that happens, happens in Dare’s life it’s about his problems, his troubles and in the bargain we miss out on a lot of backstory on Ryan and his life and his friends.

The single most amazing thing about this book that pretty much carried this book for me was Ryan and Dare and their chemistry. It was sizzling hot. It really has me believing that if Ryan and Dare were real people they would be perfect for each other because oh my God! It was actually unbelievable how well these two characters played off of each other.

Personally this book is an interesting read with an awesome couple and it holds a lot of potential to be better.

Dare’s Christmas Gift by A.K.M. Miles

Rating – 3.75 to 4 Stars out of 5

Dare and Ryan are ready to celebrate their first Christmas together. But things get complicated when both JC and Brandon report spotting the mean guy. Now Christmas feels like a minefield for Dare, Ryan and Jackie to traverse, keeping the boys safety and happiness in mind at all times.

First of all I must confess that this story would have read much better if I wasn’t reading it right at the end of “Dare To” and that is reason for my variable rating. I feel like I didn’t enjoy it as much because I had just met these characters and I already knew their story and in some ways this felt like a rehash of “Dare To” but I’m pretty sure I would have liked it much better had there been a gap.

Okay so the ‘mean guy’ turns out to be Mitch not Phil and don’t worry this isn’t much of a spoiler because apparently all the characters knew who ‘mean guy’ referred to. I don’t know why I was expecting Phil, maybe because Dare To was very Dare-centric and I kind of thought this story would be too but in hindsight how would the kids know about Phil, that truly doesn’t seem like information to share with kids.

Okay yeah so the whole Mitch – thing felt like a rehash, I kept getting the ‘been there, done that’ feeling all throughout that story-line playing out and I was kind of expecting a sweet-Christmas story not a catch-the-bad-guy story. So yeah that was a bit repetitive.

But there are a lot of things to like about “Dare’s Christmas Gift” with the first thing being Dare’s Christmas Gift. It was truly inspired and I loved the gift so much and it just proved to me that Dare and Ryan were going to go long-term. I mean seriously I couldn’t wait for Ryan to see it.

Also this story has Ryan’s and JC’s perspectives the lack of which I felt very acutely in “Dare To”, so I loved their POVs and I loved that we got to spend time in their heads. Ditto scenes between Ryan, Dare and JC, we got a nice sweet helping of those too.

It was a great short story, I loved how we got to meet everyone and I am positive I would have enjoyed this story a lot more had I been reading it after a little break between reading “Dare To” and reading this. So everyone who loved the book be sure to pick up this short because “Dare’s Christmas Gift” is truly inspired, literally.

Cover Art by Kris Jacen. I love the cover with its background of blue at the top and the snowflakes at the bottom and how they transform from one into the other. Also I loved Dare’s expression on the cover; it feels very Dare-ish and like something he would actually do.

Sales Links

MLR Press Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition
Published December 16th 2016 by MLR Press (first published July 1st 2008)
Original TitleDare To
ASINB01N9IS02Z
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDare #1
CharactersDare Wilson, Ryan Spencer

Bonus story included

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I Love You More Than Pierogi (World of Love) by K.A. Merikan Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist: Anna Sikorska

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Why I Love Geeks (Why I Love… #1) by T.A. Chase Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist: Anne Cain

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Nothing Special V (Nothing Special #5) by A.E. Via

Release Date: December 12, 2016 PAGE COUNT – 365

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I Love You More Than Pierogi (World of Love) by K.A. Merikan
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Anna Sikorska

Why I Love Geeks (Why I Love… #1) by T.A. Chase
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Anne Cain

Release Date: December 12, 2016
PAGE COUNT – 365