Category: M/M Contemporary Fiction

Happy Winter Solstice and the Week Ahead in Reviews!

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Tyrrhenian Sea and Solstice Sky
Credit & Copyright: Danilo Pivato

 Happy Winter Solstice!

And Happy Summer Solstice Down Under!

Happy Winter Solstice to everyone living in the Northern Hemisphere!  Today (here in Maryland at 6:04pm EST) the Winter Solstice arrives.  It marks the shortest day of the year and the longest night.  And for many around the world it is a cause for celebrations ancient and new as well as a time of reflection on this the darkest of days.

The word solstice means “sun stands still.” On the year’s two solstices (winter and summer) the sun appears to halt in its  journey across the sky and change little in position during this time, thus looking as though its standing still.  And while the Winter Solstice heralds the beginning of Winter, it also celebrates the promise of the gradual return of the sun after a prolonged period of darkness.  Why?  Because after the Winter Solstice, we see the incremental increase in daylight each day following the Winter Solstice will bring.

The solstice occurs twice a year (around December 21nd and June 21st) when the sun is farthest from the tilting planet’s celestial equator.

For half of each year the North Pole is tilted toward the sun, and for half of the year the South Pole enjoys that privilege. This phenomenon creates our changing seasons, because the hemisphere facing the sun receives longer and more powerful exposure to sunlight.winter-solstice-longest-night

In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice always occurs on or about December 21 and marks the beginning of the winter season. As stated, it’s the shortest day of the year, featuring the least amount of daylight between sunrise and sunset.

But in the Southern Hemisphere, Down Under (hint, hint) this is the time of the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. From now on, as the northern days grow longer so do the southern days get shorter.  Why bring this up?  Because of a special event that starts here on January 1st and goes on all month long.  The big announcement will happen next week but for those of you wanting a sneak peak, check out the Menu up top for the words Down Under and get ahead of everyone else!

Meanwhile to all us Northern Hemisphere people, Happy Winter Solstice!  And to all Down Under, a Happy Summer Solstice!

Now to the upcoming week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words:

Monday, December 22, 2014:

  • Razor Wire by Lauren Gallagher Book Tour and Contest
  • A PaulB Review: The Alpha King by Vicktor Alexander
  • A Mika Review: My Mate Jack (A Heated Beat Story #1) by Garrett Leigh
  • A MelanieM Review: The Marine by John Simpson

Tuesday, December 23, 2014:

  • Shifting Gears by Tina Blenke Book Tour and Contest
  • My Mate Jack by Garrett Leigh Book Blast and contest
  • A Sammy Review: Corkscrewed by MJ OShea
  • A Mika Review: A Tangled Mind by Posy Roberts
  • A MelanieM Review: Comfort and Joy Anthology

Wednesday, December 24, 2014 (Christmas Eve):

  • A Mika Review: Hummingbird House by Kenzie Cade
  • A Sammy Review: Slave Eternal (In His Arena #1) by Nasia Maksima
  • Mika’s Best of 2014
  • Melanie’s Best of 2014
  • Scattered Thoughts Best December 2014 Covers

Thursday, December 25, 2014 (Merry Christmas):

  • Lone Wolf by Aleks Voinov and L.A. Witt, Riptide Book Tour and Contest
  • 12 Days of Christmas Homecoming blog tour for ZAMaxfield’s My Cowboy Homecoming
  • A Mika Review: Green the Whole Year ‘Round by Rowan McAllister
  • A Barb, the Zany Old Lady Review: Lone Wolf by Alexsandr Voinov

Friday, December 26, 2014:

  • Cover Reveal for Chris Scully ‘Nights Like These’
  • A Mika Review: Him for The Holidays by Jaxx Steele
  • A MelanieM Review: Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States #1) by L.E. Harner, T.A. Webb
  • Sammy’s Best of List for 2014
  • A Likely Story Anthology Release Blog!

Saturday, December 27, 2014 (the return of YA Saturday):

  • An Aurora Review: Gods (Dreams of Fire and Gods, #3) by James Erich

I will leave you with a Winter Solstice Drink recipe to help fuel your celebrations!

Winter Solsticewinter-solstice-recipe

2 oz citrus vodka
½ oz fresh lemon juice
¼ oz pomegranate juice
1 oz simple syrup
Orange wedge
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes
Add citrus vodka, lemon juice, pomegranate juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a short or highball glass with ice. Garnish with an orange wedge. Drink up and repeat!

 

 

A.J. Llewellyn Is Here with The Mediator (Book tour and contest)

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A. J. Llewellyn is here on the blog tour for the novel, The Mediator.  A.J. is talking about the inspiration behind the story and has a eBook copy of the book to giveaway to one of our readers.  To enter to win, leave a comment and an email address where you can be reached if chosen.  Contest ends January 3rd.

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The Mediator’s Inspiration by A.J. Llewellyn

I’ve had quite a long time to think about the inspiration behind my book, The Mediator. It’s one of my earliest stories for Totally Bound, and one I adored writing. But at the time, I submitted it for a short, sexy snack type of story and I always wanted to expand on it.

You see, the characters still live in my head.

Does that happen to other writers?

That certain characters grab and hold on to them? I’m sorry to say that now that I’ve been given the gorgeous opportunity to expand and revise my original story (I added almost ten thousand words), my two heroes have gone awfully quiet inside my brain.

I miss my mediator, Icarus Smith, and the man of his dreams, Italian welterweight boxing champion, Paulo de Luca, screaming at me in sleep and by day. Some characters just do that. I think Icarus particularly tugged hard at me because so much of me is in him. And vice versa.

At one time, Las Vegas was a big part of my life as a boxing reporter. I had a lot of down time, as all the boxing media did, but I was no gambler. I found other things to do. I usually traveled there with my dog and we took wonderful desert hikes through red Rocks, The Grand Canyon, and visited Hoover Dam. I began to be interested in the history of Las Vegas.

That’s how I discovered a secret, still painful piece of the city’s story, an area called Avenue D.

In the 1950s, the African-American community was forced to live there. The residents were not allowed to cross this street. When superstar Sammy Davis Jr., performed in Vegas, he shone on the Strip, adored by his white audiences. Once the house lights dimmed, a chauffeur-driven limousine hustled him to Avenue D, where he stayed as a guest in different people’s homes.
It’s a shameful chapter of American history. One that still has very little attention. Using this area as a backdrop for my story, I began writing The Mediator, which eventually took shape as a novella. I chose to make Icarus as obsessed with the once-dilapidated neighborhood as I was.

He trudged the streets with me, hearing the ghosts of children laughing, aware that there was beauty in small moments.
I love this story and hope you will too. I believe in love. I believe in second chances. Just as Avenue D, now officially on the National Register of Historic Places and known as Berkley Square got a second chance, so does Icarus Smith.  He gets to reunite with the hot, wonderful man he met one fateful summer in Rome. True love, like a summer sun can last longer than we think. Sometimes, it may even last forever.

Can Icarus hold on to the man he treasures…or will this take all his negotiating skills as a mediator?

themediator_800The Mediator by A.J. Llewellyn
Publisher:  Totally Bound Books

Sales Link:   Buy It Here

Icarus Smith has two problems, and they both want him…their Mediator.

Icarus Smith has just landed an unusual assignment. A licensed mediator used to handling squabbling spouses, he’s been hand-picked to negotiate a forty-million-dollar welterweight championship title fight. The problem is, these two world boxing champions hate each other. Worst of all, Icarus has discovered that one of them, Italian superstar Paolo de Luca, is the man with whom he had a passionate affair in Italy the previous summer. Paolo cruelly dumped him, and Icarus realizes he is still devastated. Can he overcome his personal feelings to work with Paolo and the boxer’s arch-nemesis, US champion Adam Wyler?
So far, the fight scheduled to take place at New York’s Madison Square Garden is a bust. Fans have bought tickets, and Pay-Per-View sales are through the roof. Just like Lady Di’s face once adorned dishcloths, these guys have their faces on buttons, badges, posters, TV and print ads. And they don’t care.

But Icarus has an even bigger problem. He’s just accepted promoter Thaddeus Halsey’s huge wad of cash to broker this deal and Icarus wants the money for a restoration project in his hometown in Las Vegas. Can Icarus go through with mediation? Can he persuade the man who broke his heart to face the guy who now apparently wants it?

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of multiple male ménage.

Publisher’s Note: This book was previously released by Totally Bound under the same title. It has been expanded, revised and re-edited for re-release.

Like the sound of The Mediator? Buy it here.

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Excerpt from The Mediator:

“You’re ordering that?” Jerome Curtin scoffed at me.

I looked up from the menu, trying to hide my embarrassment. Ten minutes I’d known the guy, and it was ten minutes too many. Before I could respond, a man in red silk pants and a lime green shirt rushed by me on stilts. Jugglers followed him, then came the singers. The diners around us began to applaud. To my astonishment, the statue of an old man sitting on the bench right opposite me came to life.

Ah, Venice.

The briny smell of St. Mark’s Square and the canal’s waters filled my senses with nostalgia. The singers in their brightly colored costumes gathered near the fountain, gaudy masks held to their faces, and started to sing. The Carnevale di Venezia came beautifully to life. The twilight ambience with its flickering wall sconces put me in a better mood, as did the old Italian folk melody. I recognized it, but didn’t remember how.

“Sir?”

I glanced back up at the waiter. Pity flashed in his eyes. I guessed he’d had his share of bad dates, too.

“Sorry.” In a flash of joy it came back to me. “Lu Me Sceccu,” I practically shouted.

My table companion looked startled then he rolled his eyes. “Number one on Billboard, was it?”

Well! No need to be rude. “I know that song!” I tried to place it and it hit me.

I couldn’t believe that almost eighteen months later, I’d buried the memory so deep that it hurt to recall it. It was like a scar on my soul. I spent my whole life counseling people, urging them to forget the past. Me, I’d just submerged the pain in work. I took a deep breath and grabbed my glass of iced water.

“Sir?” The waiter’s eyes were full of sympathy. “Are you okay?”

No. “Yes, I’m fine, thank you.”

Jerome Curtin suddenly leaned across the table and kissed me. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he slipped his tongue into my mouth. It was like being invaded by an electric eel.

I pushed him off me. “What are you doing?” I sputtered as iced water ran down my suit and tie. It figured that the one time I’d splurged on new clothes, they’d be ruined.

The waiter produced hand towels out of nowhere and gave them to me, still looking like he felt very bad for me.

“Thank you.” I pressed the towels against my soaking wet shirt.

“You looked like you wanted to be kissed,” Jerome said.

Not by you.

“You had this look in your eye.”

Yeah, I could just imagine. I’d thought I was over it—him, that is. The astonishing man I’d met that summer, when I’d found the love I’d thought would never die. Lu Me Sceccu. I smiled now, recalling that it was an elderly woman’s love song to her dearly departed forty-year-old donkey.

“Icarus, you’re keeping the man waiting!” Jerome blared the words at me over the top of the singers’ voices.

A busboy appeared and deftly replaced the tablecloth, gave me a new napkin, then refilled my water glass. I thanked him. I could feel water seeping into my underpants. Later, I might find this funny. Right now, I wished I’d gone home and caught up on case work, like I usually did.

“I’ll have a dozen oysters,” I said, changing my order. “And the tomato ricotta salad, please.”

The waiter nodded. “Excellent choice, sir.”

As he took Jerome’s order, I grasped for the fleeting moments of sheer happiness I recalled from that magnificent Sunday lunch when Pio had taken me to meet his family. I had never felt so accepted, so…embraced by a family. I’d wanted to be with them forever. And it wasn’t like me, not at all, to fall so quickly, so hard.

To love total strangers so deeply.

About the Author:

A.J. Llewellyn is an author whose obsession with myth, magic, love and romance might have led to serious stalking charges had it not been for the ability to write. Thanks to the existence of some very patient publishers, A.J.’s days are spent writing, reading and dreaming up new worlds. AJ has definitely stopped Google-searching former boyfriends and given up all ambition to taste-test every cup cake in the universe to produce over 150 published gay erotic romance novels.

A.J. wants you to read them all.

You can find this author lurking on Facebook and Twitter – part-time class clown being another occupation. When not writing or reading, A.J.’s other passions include juggling, kite-boarding and spending a fortune buying upgrades for Pearl’s Peril.

 

How to connect with A.J.:

email: ajllewellyn@gmail.com 

website: www.ajllewellyn.com 

www.facebook.com/aj.llewellyn 

www.twitter.com/ajllewellyn

Newsletter sign-up: ajllewellynnewsletter@gmail.com 

I’m an app! Download my FREE A.J. Llewellyn App for Android here:  http://tinyurl.com/lkbc4wm 

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Contest:  AJ Llewellyn is happy to give away an epub copy of The Mediator. To enter to win leave a comment below and an email address where you can be reached if chosen.  Contest ends January 3rd.

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A Mika Review:  The Devil’s Ride (Sex & Mayhem #2) by K.A. Merikan

Rating:   5 out of 5

The Devil's Ride coverTooth. Vice President of the Coffin Nails Motorcycle Club. On a neverending quest for vengeance. The last thing he needs is becoming a permanent babysitter for a male hooker.
Lucifer. Fallen. Lost. Alone.

After a childhood filled with neglect and abuse, followed by his mother’s suicide, Lucifer set out into the world alone. There was nothing for him out there other than taking it one day at a time. As the bastard son of the Coffin Nails club president, Lucifer never got much fatherly love. So when the Nails show up at the strip joint Lucifer works in, the last thing he expects is to be put in the custody of Tooth, Nails Vice President famous for his gruesome interrogation techniques. The man proves to be the sexiest beast Lucifer has ever met. He is also older, straight, and an itch Luci can’t ever scratch.

Tooth’s life came to a halt twelve years ago. His lover got brutally murdered, police never found the perpetrators, and all leads were dead ends. To find peace and his own justice, Tooth joined the Coffin Nails, but years on, he’s gotten nowhere with the case, yet still lives on with the burning fire for revenge.
Babysitting a deeply scarred teenager with a talent for disappearing is the last thing on his bucket list. He promised himself to never get attached to someone like him again. To make sure the openly gay boy is safe in the clubhouse, Tooth is stuck keeping an eye on him. The big, blue, attention seeking gaze is drawing Tooth in, but fucking the president’s son is a complete no-go, even when both their feelings go beyond lust.

What Tooth doesn’t know is that Lucifer might hold the key to the closure Tooth so desperately needs.

Tooth is my biker hubby! I have spoken exclusively with Kat about my significant hatred of Stitch. I was hoping that the next biker was still a bad ass but loveable. Well, I asked and boy did she deliver. People, Tooth is amazing in every sense of the word. I loved everything about this book. It was a slow burner for sure. It was very different from book 1 in every way it could be. I kept telling myself that this was a rainbow, fluffy biker book. I loved it, I enjoyed the sentimental side of the story. Seriously, I do not know if I’ve ever read a biker book where the treatment, and judgment of such a club was welcoming. Sure everything was peaches and cream, but I expected the worst and I was shocked how easy it was. I love Luci, he was damaged from his past, but he slowly but surely gave himself over. I honestly was right with Tooth in wanting to protect him. One thing I was worried about was the age gap and I wanted it to be far bigger, I do not think 19-32 was that bad. I was hoping for 40’s to early 20’s but I was happy with what we got instead.

Tooth was careful, trusting, and just downright sexy. From his first moments on the page, I was enthralled with him. Every biker character brought something different. For all of Priests’ misgivings I was proud of him. He was not the father that Luci needed in his earlier life but he was adjusting. I kept thinking of how this big bad biker club in Detroit was going to be okay with a cute blond twink living in the club, nothing dramatic happened. I don’t think the derogatory word “f*&” was used more than once. I am really impressed the level of acceptance that was portrayed by the mc club. I liked the Priest admitted he wasn’t perfect, that was a great viewpoint to put forth.

The romance was hot, and at times really beautiful because of both mc’s history. I do not know how I feel about some of the plot storyline. I think it could have been different, but as it was plausible, it didn’t take away from the story for me. I did not know how I was going to feel with the Satanist route, but again it didn’t take away from the story. Every biker had all Lucifer’s different names. It was funny at times, and I honestly will miss Bell. I hope we get a novella, or another book for them. I’m definitely rooting for these two.

I would recommend this book to everyone. It was not that BDSM heavy, it was hurt/comfort at most. It was Tooth needing to redeem himself because of his past, and Luci needing someone to love him. I would recommend this to lovers of all things bikers, this duo made me fall in love with bikers all over. They showed me that not everybody in the biker world has to be nasty or rude. Some people are accepting of certain things.

Cover Art by Natasha Snow. I loved it. I kept looking at the cover, wishing I could see Tooth’s face. I really think it showed  a visual picture of Tooth, his masculinity while he was really caring and sweet.

Sales Links:    All Romance (ARe)      amazon        buy it here
Book Details:
eBook, 489 pages
Published December 5, 2014 by Acerbi&Villani ltd.
ISBN:
Edition Language: English

A Sammy Review: Thunder Snow by Owen Keehnen

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

ThunderSnow_100dpi_cvrJim Franklin lives a life in the closet. With no real connections, he seems to drift as the wind blows him. Where he ends up this time is at Windsor college. He’s got a girlfriend and friends, and while life may not be all butterflies and roses, it’s good enough.

A romantic literature class places Jim and Glenn Martin in each others paths. Glenn is a live-in boyfriend of a rich man. He came from nothing, and now he’ll do anything to hold on to what he’s got.

Snowy nights and alcohol bring them together, but could they also drive them apart?

For the longest time I had trouble distinguishing between a showing narrative and telling one, but this story is the perfect example of full-fledged telling.  Actual dialogue is rare and discussions are often summarized. To make matters worse, there’s no clear point of view, and the story lacks heart.

Within the first few pages I was bored. I didn’t get to know any of the characters, they were all just kind of there. In the end, I didn’t really care what happened to them, but that didn’t stop me from being taken aback with the final chapters. Could the way this ended be more realistic? Absolutely – but the fact is that, like everything else, it was glossed over so easily and without much thought, that it had no effect other than to irritate me.

There was a point in the story where I felt like I was reading the script of a bad soap opera, and I’m sad to say that that’s the impression this book left on me.

So why two stars? Well, there’s a few reasons. The cover art by Wilde City Press is great. It fits the story and was what lured me into reading it in the first place. Secondly, the author must’ve put some effort into the story, even if it didn’t connect with me. And finally, I truly believe that the author has potential. There were some words put together that were lovely, and if you read the bio, it sounds like maybe this author is better placed in a different type of writing – something that isn’t gay fiction for the current M/M fan base. Still, I thank the author for writing the story, and applaud their effort.

—

Cover artist:  Wilde City Press.  Just lovely, see comments above.

Sales Links:  Wilde City Press      ARe         amazon             Thunder Snow

Book Details:

Published by Wilde City Press

Release date: 29 October 2014
ISBN: 978-1-925180-58-9
Category: Gay Romance, Erotic, Romantic
Number of words: 15,000
Formats available: ebook only

On Tour with “The Marine” by John Simpson and Robert Cummings

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Book Name: The Marine
Author Name: John Simpson and Robert Cummings

Author Bios:

John Simpson

John Simpson is a Vietnam Era Veteran, former Police Officer of the Year, a Federal Agent, a Federal Magistrate, an armed bodyguard to Saudi Royalty, a senior Federal Government executive, and recipient of awards from the Vice President of the United States and the Secretary of Treasury. He has just been hired by an international film production company to become a main script writer, and will start soon on a television series.


John feels that for too long fiction writers neglected gay men. John writes entertaining, enjoyable, and enthralling fiction centered on the lives and lifestyles of gay men. John allows his readers to see life through gay men’s’ eyes. And just like real life, John’s characters have active and exciting sex lives. John calls on his broad personal and professional experience in writing gay romance. John is author of numerous full length novels available through Dreamspinner Press and several short stories in Alyson Books anthologies.  His first book, Murder Most Gay, is based on the murder of a gay man in Orlando, Florida in 1980, which he investigated along with many others, as an intern from UCF in the legal program. The Orange County State’s Attorney’s Office utilized his prior experience as a police officer in many ways, including proving a suicide was in fact a homicide.


John lives with his partner of 39 years who he legally married in 2008, and their three Scottish Terriers. John is highly involved with the Church, specifically seeking to repair rifts between Christendom and the gay community. John graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1981, and received an S.T.L. in 1995.


John wishes to extend a very special thanks to his many female readers. He appreciates and loves the fact women enjoy male/male erotica, and he thanks you for your past and continued support. He hopes to never disappoint you, and always leave you wanting more!


John now has a total of over 40 full length novels in print as well as another 20 novellas and short stories!

Author Contact:

Email: John Simpson: Johnsimpsonbooks@hotmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnsimpsonbooks
Website:  http://johnsimpsonbooks.com/

Robert Cummings:

Robert Cummings lives in Pennsylvania with his partner and their black lab mix dog. Robert is an Iraqi freedom veteran with a seventeen-year law enforcement career. He enjoys the outdoors, family, and travel.

Author Contact:

Email Robert Cummings at robert.cummings1976@gmail.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/robert.cummings.330

Publisher: Cool Beans P & Ethe-marine-for-KindleSM
Cover Artist: A.J. Corza

Sales Links:  Cool Beans P & E       amazon       All Romance eBooks (ARe)

The Marine Blurb:

Two young men, David Stauffer and Matthew Kendricks, meet while processing into the Marine Corps for Basic Training. David is immediately attracted to the red haired, Matthew. As their training begins, David pursues Matthew to find out if the attraction is mutual. To his great pleasure, David learns that his attentions are not unwelcomed, but rather feared. Matthew, unlike David isn’t as comfortable with his fellow trainees finding out he’s gay.

As training progresses David proves himself to be superior to the other trainees. As a reward, he is given a short, on post leave and is allowed to take Matthew with him. This allows them a chance to explore each other’s bodies, rather than just glimpses in the showers.

From that moment the spark between the two burns hot and sets the stage for what is to come. When training ends, questions about their futures arise. Both men are forced to make decisions that will impact their futures, and potentially out them to the entire Marine Corps.

Categories: Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Military

The Marine Excerpt:

David and Matthew were drawn to each other like magnets. This was one of the few times they could lay on top of each other without anyone commenting on it. The tight green shirt pressed against David’s lean chest, Matthew licked his lips as they squared off to attack.

“You go first,” Matthew insisted.

David charged at Matthew full speed, the boy attempted to grab David’s wrist but was unsuccessful. David did not want to humiliate the Matthew in front of anyone so he stopped and backed up. He laid his hand on top of Matthew’s and placed the clammy hand where it needed to be for a successful hip throw.

Matthews’s shorts began to bulge out in the front, “Flip me.”

“You didn’t do yours yet,” David said confused.

“Flip me now, I’m getting hard,” Matthew whispered into David’s ear.

David smiled and grabbed the red head’s wrist. He flipped him onto the mat and leaned down to help him up. David pulled Matthew up. While he dusted his back off he slightly brushed his hand against Matthews tight little bubble butt.

“You’re not helping,” Matthew protested.

A drill instructor came over to them, “What in the ever loving world are you two doing? I better see more flipping and less jawing, do you get me!”

“Sir, Yes Sir!” they replied in unison.


Pages: 30,816 words, 112 pages

MarineBadgeTour Dates/Stops:
30-Oct the Twins: Talon ps & Princess so
6-Nov Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings
6-Nov Fallen Angel Reviews
6-Nov Up All Night, Read All Day
13-Nov Fallen Angel Reviews
13-Nov Inked Rainbow Reads
13-Nov Regular Guys, Hot Romance
20-Nov Wake Up Your Wild Side
20-Nov MM Good Book Reviews
20-Nov Cate Ashwood
27-Nov Velvet Panic
27-Nov BFD Book Blog
4-Dec The Blogger Girls
4-Dec Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents
4-Dec Molly Lolly
11-Dec Queer Town Abbey
11-Dec Multitasking Mommas
11-Dec Emotion in Motion
11-Dec Love Bytes
18-Dec Amanda C. Stone
18-Dec Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
18-Dec Cathy Brockman Romances
18-Dec Crystal’s Many Reviewers

Contest: Enter to win Rafflecopter Prize: One of two e-book copies. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the Rafflecopter link provided to enter and for all additional contest details.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review:The Merchant of Death (Playing the Fool #2) by Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

The merchant of Death coverA continuation of the story started in “Two Gentlemen from Altona”, this story is even better. There’s more humor, more angst, more drama, more complexity in the connections between Henry and Mac and most importantly, more romance.

The story opens with Henry reuniting with his twin sister, Viola, a young woman who suffered brain damage in her teens when she attempted to remove a violent man from Henry’s bed, thinking he was hurting Henry. When he flung her against a wall, she struck her head and nearly died. She didn’t understand what had been happening, but Henry did. He was allowing his mother’s boyfriend to have sex with him for the money the man promised his mother. Because he failed to keep quiet and that caused Viola to investigate, Henry blames himself for her injury. Now with a reduced mental capacity and the inability to care for herself, she’s been confined to a “care home” ever since, at a cost of over $5,000 a month— a cost paid by Henry through whatever means he can find. When Mac ultimately learns a bit more of this story, his attraction to Henry and his admiration of Henry’s inner strength grow exponentially.

Viola claims that a “bad angel” has killed her good friend Mr. Crowley at the home and begs Henry to find the angel and send it away. When Henry investigates, dressed as Viola, It satisfies not only his need to have a viable disguise to get into the facility, but his own inner desire to dress as a female. He finds evidence to suggest that the director and a volunteer have been conspiring to get some patients’ wills changed to their benefit and that Mr. Crowley may have been a victim of this death benefit scam.

In the meantime, Mac has been missing Henry, wondering where he could have gone after Mac had been shot, and he sets out to find him. After all, Henry is his missing witness in the arrest of a known gangster. Mac has also been under pressure by investigators into the brutal force supposedly used when that gangster and others in the past have been arrested by Mac. In addition, there are rumors that Mac may be a drug user and he may be implicated in the recent death of a police informant. He’s happy to take sick leave and just go to find Henry. When he tracks Henry’s sister, Viola, to the care home, imagine his surprise to find that it’s Henry, not Viola, who is in residence there. And when Henry explains his reasons for being there, Mac doesn’t know whether to kiss him or kill him for getting involved in another crazy scheme.

Mac is determined to get behind the façade of Henry Page to the real man, Sebastian Hanes, within. We see glimpses every once in a while, and Henry himself is now struggling to keep Sebastian contained. He’s never put his trust in anyone other than Viola, but he senses that Ryan “Mac” McGuiness is so very different from anyone else that Mac will protect his fragile inner child and keep him safe amid the shitstorm his life has become.

From this point on, Henry gets in deeper trouble at the care home, Mac gets in deeper trouble at work, and neither is aware that there are common threads between them in the form of certain people who have been negative influences in both their lives.

I love the way the authors are taking their time with this romance and the dynamic between Henry and Mac is outstanding. At times humorous, or poignantly romantic, their dynamic is often irritating or filled with sexual tension. And when the two finally do get together, with Henry in the guise of a female, it’s over-the-top, explosively hot. The storyline and subplots are complex and so intricately woven that I’m looking forward to the conclusion of the series so that I can view the finished product as a whole. I suspect that this is going to become one of my all-time favorite series.

Of course, this book does not end on a final conclusive note, but the promise of the next installment is much clearer in this book than in the last and I liked the way the authors left this couple. I’m definitely going to be first in line for the next book.

Cover Art by L.C. Chase depicts a partially full syringe indicating either the drug addiction of Henry’s good friend, Remy, or something far more nefarious. It’s cute and fits with the cover of the previous story.

Sales Links:  available for pre-order at Riptide Publishing now     Other links to follow

Book Details:

ebook, 205 pages
Expected publication: February 2nd 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626492219
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/merchant-of-death
seriesPlaying the Fool #2

A MelanieM Review: The Boy with the Painful Tattoo (Holmes & Moriarity #3) by Josh Lanyon

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

The Boy with the Painful Tattoo coverStill dealing with the fallout from their recent investigation and murder,  mystery author Christopher “Kit” Holmes decided to overcome his misgivings and move in with his lover and fellow mystery writer, Julian Xavier “JX” Moriarity, a decision that has precipitated a move to San Francisco and a new house.  What could go wrong?

Well, almost everything.  With boxes still piled all around them, JX heads off to the Murder at Midtown conference, leaving Kit to ponder on the wisdom of this latest move…relationship and house.  Still, nothing  prepares Kit for the dead body under the Styrofoam beads in the crate that should have contained his old and treasured china.

Packing will have to wait while more mysteries pop up to solve along with dead bodies.  Who is the dead man?  Why is he in Kit and JX’s crate?  And importantly, what happened to Kit’s china?

I have been waiting for another book in the Holmes & Moriarity series since December 2010 when I finished the marvelous story, All She Wrote (Holmes & Moriarity #2).  The aftermath of the murders and events of that novel were nothing short of earthshattering. And that story left me wonderfing what would happen next…to both our main characters as well as their relationship.  Now, four years later I finally have my answer with The Boy With The Painful Tattoo (Holmes & Moriarity #3). Well, sort of, and I couldn’t be happier.

I said “sort of” because as any fan of Josh Lanyon’s and his stories know, nothing is ever a sure thing, including an absolutely happy resolution with his characters or their relationships.  Whether it is Adrien English and his lover, the tormented, closeted Jake Riordan (who make guest appearances here), or Kit Holmes and JX Moriarity, the foundation on which their lives and relationships is built lies on shaky ground, a terrain where you almost expect to see the fissures and cracks that habitually appear to threaten their relationship, sanity, and in some cases, their lives.  Also well known to us fans is that the source for some of these ruptures and interruptions spring from and are self inflicted by the complex, introspective and wounded men that Josh Lanyon writes so well.

We live in the mind of Kit Holmes in this series and what a mind that is!  Highly intelligent, questioning, somewhat quarrelsome, and introspective, Kit’s emotionally and mentally scattered when we jump into their new life and home on Chestnut Lane.  His decision, prompted by the awful events in the last book, to move in with JX has seen him give up his home in Southern California to move with all his treasured belongings to San Francisco where JX can be close to his ex wife and nephew (long story, read the books).  And at every step and moment we know (as we are listening into his internal monologue) that Kit constantly questions whether he has done the right thing, if their relationship will work out, and how will they juggle the changing dynamics that the reversal in their career fortunes is introducing into their partnership.  There is so much stuff crammed into that brilliant skull that it would be exhausting for all trying to untangle it if it wasn’t also so marvelously entertaining.  And wouldn’t Kit just hate that!

I adore Kit in all his difficult, brooding glory but I have also fallen in love with  JX, a  man with his own “quieter” set of issues and problems.  JX is an author whose career is on the rise just as Kit’s popularity as an author and mystery genre is falling out of favor.  But whereas Kit’s wears his foibles and somewhat contentious nature like a well fitted suit, JX’s flaws and complexities are far more subtle, needing a major crash, explosion or even murder to bring them out into the open.  The juxtaposition of these two strong personalities as they struggle to maintain a relationship or investigation makes this series and this book always absorbing and highly addictive.

How can you not love a man whose just had the best, most explosive sex of his life,, and then spends the next moments pondering (internally of course) what’s wrong with it, them and himself?  All while still in bed, naked and sweaty?  If, as Socrates says “an unexamined life is not worth living”, then Kit Holmes is living life to the fullest!

And there are more joys to be found with this latest installment of Holmes & Moriarity.  Their move onto Chestnut Lane has brought them a curious neighbor with the wonderful name of Emmaline Bloodworth.  Any one with a familiarity of British cozies should be rubbing their hands together in anticipation.  Here is our (and Kit’s) first introduction to her:

I saw a small person of indeterminate sex, dressed in baggy clothes. At first glance it appeared that one of the garden gnomes from next door had come to life. And had something to say about it.

“Good morning!” the gnome greeted me. She had one of those fluting, high voices that brought to mind Sunday school teachers and curators at the most macabre exhibits at the Tower of London. A voice like an ice pick through your left eye socket. “Welcome to the neighborhood. So sorry to disturb you on your first morning, but the movers must have broken one of the sprinkler heads along your front walk.”

“Oh. Uh…okay.”

As I seemed to be missing the point, she said kindly, “Water is shooting up like a geyser out there. There’s a drought going on, you know.”

She was probably in her sixties, but unlike my former mentor Anna Hitchcock, no effort here had been made to stave off the ravages of time. Not that she looked ravaged. Beneath the wide brim of her hat I could just make out twinkling blue eyes in a round and rosy face.

And yes, she has a cat which just happens to resemble in name and appearance the feline that figures so largely in Kit’s mystery novels.  Another mystery to solve?  I hope so.

And then there is Inspector Ishwar “Izzie” Jones, SFPD and JX’s former partner, Rachel Ving or Ving the Merciless as Kit’s agent is known who wants Kit to write Swedish type mysteries, JX’s ex wife and former sister in law Nina and Gage, her son and his nephew (really, you must read the first two stories).  The Boy with the Painful Tattoo is chock full of the most wonderful characters and intriguing situations you could hope for, especially in ones that act as secondary storylines along side the primary ones of murder most foul and a relationship still looking to find solid ground, albeit temporarily.

Yes, I loved this book, yes, I adore this series and I think any lover of mysteries (M/M or otherwise) will as well.  Combine a terrific mystery with two believable and charismatic men trying to balance lives, love, and careers and you have author whose series and main characters should be on everyone’s Must Have, Must Read lists.   I can’t wait to see what happens next in the lives of Holmes & Moriarity but if you are new to this couple, start with the first mystery where they are reunited in Somebody Killed His Editor (Holmes & Moriarity #1).  Continue onto All She Wrote (Holmes & Moriarity, #2), before arriving here at The Boy with the Painful Tattoo (Holmes & Moriarity, #3).  If you’ve been good or perhaps very, very naughty and good, you might find them in your eReader stocking!

I love Josh Lanyon and this story is just another reason why he should be on everyone’s top list of authors whose stories you must have.  Consider The Boy With The Painful Tattoo one of my Highly Recommneded Reads!

Cover art by L.C. Chase.  Love the cover.  It has that sort of Noir feel to it of the older mystery novel covers. Great job.

Sales Links:  Josh Lanyon        All Romance (ARe)         amazon                  buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 228 pages
Published October 5th 2014 by Just Joshin (first published October 3rd 2014)
original titleThe Boy with the Painful Tattoo
ISBN139781937909376
edition languageEnglish
seriesHolmes & Moriarity #3

Books in the  Holmes & Moriarity series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the timeline of events and relationship history:

Somebody Killed His Editor (Holmes & Moriarity #1)
All She Wrote (Holmes & Moriarity, #2)
The Boy with the Painful Tattoo (Holmes & Moriarity, #3)

 

A Mika Review:  Unwrapping Hank by Eli Easton

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Unwrapping Hank coverSloane loves a good mystery. He grew up as the son of two psychiatrists, so he finds most people tediously easy to figure out. He finds his way to Pennsylvania State University, longing for a rural experience, and ends up being lured into joining a frat by Micah Springfield, the hippest guy on campus.

 Nothing in Sloane’s classes is as intriguing as Hank Springfield, Micah’s brother and fellow frat house member. Hank looks like a tough guy—big muscles, tattoos, and a beard—but his eyes are soft and sweet. He acts dumb, but he’s a philosophy major. He’s presumably straight, but then why does Sloane feel such crazy chemistry whenever Hank is around? And why does Hank hate Sloane so much?

When Sloane ends up stuck on campus over Christmas, Micah invites him to spend the holidays at their family farm in Amish country. It’s a chance to experience a true Americana Christmas–and further investigate the mystery that is Hank Springfield.

Can Sloane unlock the secrets of this family and unwrap the heart hidden inside the beefcake?

I really enjoyed this novella length book. I liked Sloane from the beginning, he was hilarious. Sloane is a freshman new pledge living in the Delta Sigma Phi at Pennsylvania State University; he is extremely cynical for such a young age. We can attribute these to his not so attentive parents, who are world class psychologist and jet setters. Sloane immediately attacked to the big buff guy with tattoos washing dishes in the frat house. Hank is that guy, I liked him, sure he seemed a little OCD-ish with the working out, but to each it’s own. I honestly didn’t see him as the frat type based on the other guys but that’s what I liked about the story.

Instantly Sloane is taken with Hank, because how could he not? This guy is a walking contradiction. I liked the little ways that Sloane tried to figure Hank out. It was down right funny at times. Micah is definitely a character that steals certain scenes. He’s Hank’s older brother and president of the frat, he also a sweet, down to earth guy. I liked Micah because he was super supportive to both guys.

Sloane’s parents end up ditching him for Christmas, thus leaving Sloane all alone in the States. Who comes to the rescue, Micah of course? I don’t want to give away the rest but there are definitely sweet moments, electricity moments, and tears to me.  An Amish sighting and all types of pie. There are instances where Sloane doesn’t know what to do, but between Micah being extremely helpful and Hank playing coy, I felt we all were winning. I hope Eli decides to give us Micah’s story because I need to know his decisions.

I definitely recommend Unwrapping Hank by Eli Easton.  It has terrific characters and enjoyable plot.

Cover Art by Reese Dante. Actually I think the guy on the cover looked way older then “20 years” old. He looks like a 30 yr old gym rat; I did like the gift and the dog aspect.

Sales Links:   All Romance eBooks       amazon            buy it here

Book Details:

eBook, 135 pages
Published November 14, 2014 by Eli Easton
ISBN: B00OWIQH5I
Edition Language: English

Victor Alexander is here with a ” Delicious Mistake” (book tour, recipe, and contest)

DMBanner300x250

Book Name: Delicious Mistake
Author Name: Vicktor Alexander

Here Vicktor Alexander is doling out the goodies on his latest story, Delicious Mistake.  While you are checking out the book below, think about this delicious recipe from the author:

“This is the recipe that I shared at the end of Raising Shawna it’s called “Heavenly Delight” and it’s one of my favorite desserts of all time:                                                                    Heavenly Delight

Ingredients:

Bottom Crust:

2 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 Cup melted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Custard layer:

1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 Bananas, sliced lengthwise
1-15 oz can crushed pineapple (drained of juice)
1 regular or double size container of Cool Whip
1 15oz can of sliced peaches (drained)
small pkg of slivered Almonds

Directions: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup melted butter/margarine. Press the mixture into an 8×8″ or 9×9″ baking pan.

In a separate bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup melted butter/margarine, 1 cup sugar, egg, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread this mixture over the crust and place in freezer until hardened. Take 3-5 bananas sliced length wise and place side by side with some spacing between slices on top of the hardened butter mixture. Take 1 – 15oz can crushed pineapple (drain juice) sprinkle over the sliced bananas and in between slices. Take a tub of Cool-Whip as much as you desire spread over the top of banana/pineapple layer. Garnish with sliced peaches and some Almond slivers.

———–now add to your  recipe box——————-

Author Bio:

Vicktor “Vic” Alexander wrote his first story at the age of ten and hasn’t stopped writing since. He loves reading about anything and everything and is a proud member of the little known U.N. group (Undercover Nerds) because while he lives, eats, breathes, and sleeps sports, he also breathes history and science fiction and grew up a Trekkie. But don’t ask him about Dungeons & Dragons, because he has no idea how to play that game.

When it comes to writing he loves everything from paranormal to contemporary to fantasy to historical and is known not only for being the Epilogue King but also for writing stories that cross lines and boundaries that he doesn’t know are there. Vic is a proud father of two daughters one of whom watches over him from Heaven with his deceased partner Christopher. Vic is a proud trans* and gay man, and when he is not writing, he is hanging out with his friends, or being distracted by videos of John Barrowman, Scott Hoying, and Shemar Moore. Vicktor has published numerous bestselling novels and has a WIP list that makes him exhausted just thinking about. He knows that he will be still be writing about hot men falling in love with each other, long after he is living in an assisted living facility, flirting with the hot, male nurses.

Author Contact:

http://www.facebook.com/VicktorAlexanderB
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorVicktorAlexander
http://www.twitter.com/VVeeB
http://www.vicktoralexander.tumblr.com

Delicious Mistake Cover PhotoPublisher: Totally Bound
Cover Artist: Posh Gosh

Sales Links:  Totally Bound

Delicious Mistake Blurb:

Miguel Rodriguez stood by his friend Xavier’s side when evidence of his affair with another man came out. He also stuck by Xavier when he disappeared from Atlanta and moved to the mountains of Wyoming. But he will not stand by Xavier when he decides to marry his young lover and still run for the Senate.

Hopping on a plane to Wyoming, Miguel finds himself meeting Julian Canton, a young man who has no political ambitions and doesn’t even vote, and yet Miguel finds himself fascinated. Miguel makes the mistake of upgrading Julian’s ticket so they can get to know each other better and somehow finds himself in Riverton, WY, holding Julian’s hand as he says goodbye to his brother. Giving in to his attraction to the young man, Miguel struggles not only with his physical attraction but with his emotional one as well. When he compounds his mistake by inviting Julian along with him to talk to Xavier, he soon finds himself feeling something he has never felt before. Will he join his friend Xavier in listening to his heart or will he walk away?
Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Delicious Mistake Excerpt:

“How in the world did you make us being friends sound so dirty?” Julian asked.

Miguel chuckled. “Oh that’s easy. I can make anything sound dirty. It’s all about lowering my voice and making everything you say the most seductive thing you’ve ever uttered.”

Julian’s eyebrows rose. “Oh really? Prove it.”

Miguel leaned forward, ignoring the people walking past them, juggling their carry-ons, children, friends and spouses as they exited the plane. He lowered his voice and stared at Julian’s groin, his brain filling with images of Julian’s cock encaged in a cock ring, his body straining against restraints, his skin glistening with sweat as he pleaded with Miguel to let him come.
“Voting for a presidential candidate is one of the best things you can do as an American, because it guarantees that your voice is heard, even when it doesn’t feel like it. It’s a time when you can take control, assert your independence and make sure that you have someone in office who cares about what you care about.” He could hear how seductive his voice sounded and if the darkening of Julian’s eyes was any indication, the man was turned on—though more by the tenor of Miguel’s voice than his actual words. “You should think about voting, Julian,” he said, rolling the younger man’s name around in his mouth like a fine wine. “Enclosing yourself in a booth and either punching a hole or touching a screen and choosing who the head of the country is going to be.”

Julian was panting, his pink lips parted as he stared at Miguel. “Holy fuck,” he croaked out. “That was the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard about the most boring subject in the world.”

Pages: 55 pages

DMBadgeTour Dates: December 16, 2014

Tour Stops: 

Parker Williams, Foxylutely Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, My Fiction Nook, Molly Lolly,

Queer Town Abbey, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Love Bytes, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Multitasking Mommas, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Charley Descoteaux

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Nic Starr

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Fallen Angel Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews

 

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