Category: M/M Fiction

A MelanieM Review: The Necromancer’s Dance (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #1) by S.J. Himes

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

In a world where magic is real and evil walks amongst humanity, a young sorcerer is beset upon by enemies, both old and new. Angelus Salvatore is the only necromancer in all of Boston, and his name is whispered warily by the undead and fellow sorcerers alike. He and his brother Isaac are the lone survivors of an attack by an army of the undead, in which Angel used a spell so powerful it forever marked his place in history. Now, years later, Angel struggles to balance his career as a teacher of the higher magical arts, his role as big brother, and a tenuous relationship with an Elder vampire from the local clan. When his brother’s boyfriend is used as a pawn in a mysterious plot to draw Angel out, Angel is once again pulled back into the old hostilities that fueled the Blood Wars and led to his family’s death.

Leaning on others for help is something Angel cannot do, and while he searches for clues into who may be targeting him and his brother, Angel finds his heart steadily growing occupied with Simeon, Elder and vampire. Dealing with death magic and vampires on a daily basis may leave Angel jaded when it comes to life and staying that way, but the more time he spends fending off the ancient vampire’s attention and affections, the more he realizes he wants to give in.

Can Angel find out who wants him dead, and keep his heart safe in the process? How can he fall for a vampire, when his whole family was torn apart by an army of the undead?

Death stalks the streets of Boston’s historic Beacon Hill….and there is no one more suited to battle against death than a necromancer.

I have always liked this author and stumbled into this saga by accident when Himes announced the release of Mastering the Flames, which happens to be book 4 in the Beacon Hill Sorcerers series.  I loved the way that book sounded and clearly it wasn’t a standalone so back to the beginning I went.  I am so thrilled that I did.  I just adore this sort of urban fantasy romance and having all these stories to binge read through is my idea of a fabulous time.  Especially as they turned out to be extremely well written, full of memorable characters, heartstopping romances, and, frankly couples to die tor.  This series has it all and yes, more books to come.  I’m in heaven.

So starting with the first story in the series, The Necromancer’s Dance (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #1) by S.J. Himes, the author immediately sets the  tone and atmosphere for the story and series with the introduction of Angelus “Angel” Salvatore, necromancer, and one of the last two surviving members of the powerful and magical Salvatore family.  Himes’s layering, of universe building and depth of characterization, is interwoven from the first paragraphs.  The Blood Wars, the massacre, the trauma that those events have left behind on both brothers and the city they live in….it resonates through the powerful scenes and situations here.

That includes our meeting the ancient vampire Elder Simeon, a great character who only gets better as the story and series progresses.  For me, it’s the author’s relationship dynamics that grab me.  Himes pulls me into each character and shows such depth of personality as each being interacts with the others around them, whether it be a soulmate like Simeon, the deeply troubled brother Isaac, the best friend Madame or a Master of the City Constantine Baptiste or even the various City Police that seems to be out to get the remaining Salvatore brothers.  The people spark, fight, feel, and breath (or not depending upon what exactly they are here) on these pages and I absolutely love it and them.

The plot, which will be built upon story by story, starts the overall series arc, and its terrific.  Full of suspense and action, my attention never wandered, not once.  There are multiple plot threads here and the author intertwines them perfectly, romance and mystery, temporary resolution and a jumping off spot for the next story.

If you are looking for a urban fantasy story and series, look no further than SJ Himes’ The Beacon Hill Sorcerer series and The Necromancer’s Dance (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #1) .  Well written, great characters, wonderful plot….it was a story I couldn’t put down and quite frankly I binge read the series and am now waiting on the next release to come out.  I love this and all the rest.  I highly recommend it.  Check them out now!

Cover art shows a pretty good representation of Angel, although I would have loved a bit more of the magical element.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 284 pages
Published February 25th 2016 by SJ Himes
Original Title The Necromancer’s Dance
ASINB01C8VW8GC
Edition Language English
Series The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #1
Characters  Angelus Salvatore
setting Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

The Beacon Hill Sorcerer Series – Goodreads links

The Necromancer’s Dance

The Necromancer’s Dilemma

The Necromancer’s Reckoning

A History of Trouble

Mastering the Flames

Untitled – Daniel’s Tale coming in 2020

A MelanieM Review: Insatiable (Witches of the Big Easy 0.5) by Shannon West and T.S. McKinney

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

 

A Witches of the Big Easy prequel

Vampire Slayer Valen Beauchamp has an old score to settle with Julian Montague. It all started in the year 1733, when Valen narrowly survives an attack by centuries old vampire Julian Montague and even receives a minor bite when Julian’s teeth scrapes his skin before he manages to get away. The venom from the bite almost kills him, and he soon discovers that Julian is searching for him everywhere to either finish what he’d started or kill him outright. Neither option is attractive to Valen, so he flees to the New World. As time passes and he doesn’t age, however, he comes to realize that the vampire had perhaps not destroyed him, but instead cursed him with an unwanted gift—immortality.

When he learns that victims of deadly vampire attacks are dying in large numbers in Paris, Julian’s home, Valen decides he’s tired of hiding from monsters and travels back to Paris to use his formidable Slayer skills to end this thing once and for all. During a tense confrontation in the dark cellar of an opera house, Valen finds himself mesmerized, overpowered and seduced by Julian and finally succumbs to his charms. And even that wouldn’t be so bad if every vampire slayer in Europe weren’t out now to kill them both. Valen is falling deeper and deeper in love with the vampire while trying to figure out if the vampire who bit him is one of the good guys or not, and if their love will mean his ultimate damnation or his salvation.

Insatiable (Witches of the Big Easy 0.5) by Shannon West and T.S. McKinney is a prequel to the first story in the Witches of the Big Easy series and reads like one.  It’s relatively short, ends abruptly with little resolution to a major dramatic development.  And doesn’t explain some last minute major character introductions…and exits.The authors make an assumption that the readers will be automatically following them into the next story.

Not an assumption I would make unless you are a huge fan of these writers and their stories are on your TBR lists.

For myself, I found little character development or attention paid to creating much of a relationship between the main characters.  It’s all along the “found mate” trope so no need to deveope one between them.  Instant love, instant mate via bite and semen so lots of biting and sex instead of getting two people getting to know one another or actually having much depth exhibited during their scenes together.  I felt a lack missing.  Here is a young man who obsessed about being a hunter and killing the vampire who bit him over 150 earlier, seemingly having spent all those years doing relatively nothing with his life.  So what?  A poutish ignorant young man, who didn’t do research, practice with weapons or do really anything for over 150 years excerpt be immortal, than (in a huh moment) get tuberculosis (which is easily spread), decides to take himself and his disease on a ship to Europe.  Please!  SMH.

Then this untrained naif, coughing his brains out, joins a group of hunters.  Well.  I never connected, obviously, with the characters, the situations, or the writing.  More talking towards the beginning with some action happening at the end.  But there is little foundation laid for the characters, no vampire politics, or  of the hunter organization.  Its as though the authors are leaving everything for the first story and nothing here except for the story of Valen Beauchamp and Julian Montague getting together, and how they ended up in New Orleans.  But this is just too bare bones and needed much more fleshing out.

Cover art by Painted Heart works for the characters and is very dramatic.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook.127 pages
Published September 26th 2019 by Painted Hearts Publishing LLC
Edition Language English
Series Witches of the Big Easy 0.5

An Alisa Review : Nightside: An Erie Vampire Tale by V.L. Locey

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

Being a new member of the undead sect has its ups and downs, something that newly embraced Akio Lee is finding out first hand. Being able to spend eternity with his beloved Vincente, the man who introduced him to life in the nightside, is a definite up. Having to feed on strangers? That’s one of the downsides, and something that Akio is finding difficult to swallow. But what other option is there for a recently wed vampire couple who need blood to survive?

Finding a new donor perhaps? One who comes into the lifestyle willingly, as Akio had done, and is open to the unique and sensual relationship that develops when three men have a blood bond. A man who can exist in both the nightside and the dayside worlds. A man like Ian O’Keeffe, the handsome caretaker of the manse Akio and Vincente now call home? Ian seems to tick every box Akio and Vincente have—he’s comfortable around vampires, he’s obviously into men, he’s drop-dead gorgeous, he’s more than a little mischievous, and he’s human. Mostly.

But will the outgoing handyman be willing to offer two vampires his vein, his body, and his heart?

I felt like I was jumping into an existing story and I guess I kinda was but didn’t realize it.  I don’t know if much of Vincente and Akio’s relationship was in the Erie collection or not.  We jump right into Vincente and Akio’s marriage and Akio still working on embracing his life as a vampire and when they meet Ian he is quite intriguing.

I don’t know I felt like there were so many unknowns and A LOT of secrets.  It doesn’t make for a solid relationship when it seems that all Akio is doing is learning things about Vincente that he was never told.  Ian does seem like the perfect complement to both of them and makes their relationship hotter and a bit more solid.

Now, my biggest pet peeve was the whole feeding thing and how Vincente would go do that by himself and there was always the perfume and lipstick on his collar; I guess if it was talked about and agreed upon that would be different but Akio was just of the thought that it wasn’t something you mention or talk about and I think that really hurt him.  I also didn’t like how they made it sound that a bisexual lifestyle meant that you could still have sex with someone else, I’m not sure if that was what it meant to be but it sounded like it to me.

The cover art by Meredith Russell is nice and a basic picture of three men together in bed, my only issue (and I guess it’s a pet peeve of mine) is none of them have even shoulder length hair as Vincente is described as having.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 128 pages

Published: October 23, 2019

Edition Language: English

Review Tour and Giveaway for Nightside: An Erie Vampire Tale by V.L. Locey

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link


Cover Design: Meredith Russell


Length: 50,236 words


Erie Series


An Erie Collection – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

 
Blurb
 

Being a new member of the undead sect has its ups and downs, something that newly embraced Akio Lee is finding out first hand. Being able to spend eternity with his beloved Vincente, the man who introduced him to life in the nightside, is a definite up. Having to feed on strangers? That’s one of the downsides, and something that Akio is finding difficult to swallow. But what other option is there for a recently wed vampire couple who need blood to survive?


Finding a new donor perhaps? One who comes into the lifestyle willingly, as Akio had done, and is open to the unique and sensual relationship that develops when three men have a blood bond. A man who can exist in both the nightside and the dayside worlds. A man like Ian O’Keeffe, the handsome caretaker of the manse Akio and Vincente now call home? Ian seems to tick every box Akio and Vincente have—he’s comfortable around vampires, he’s obviously into men, he’s drop-dead gorgeous, he’s more than a little mischievous, and he’s human. Mostly.


But will the outgoing handyman be willing to offer two vampires his vein, his body, and his heart?

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, Dr. Who, Torchwood, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, two Jersey steers and a flock of assorted domestic fowl.


When not writing lusty tales, she can be found enjoying her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

 

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An Ashez Review: Doctor’s Orders (Paint #3.5) by Emma Jaye

Rating : 4.5 stars out of 5

Cutting, coke, calling Nate.

All three would help the clawing anxiety caused by the upcoming trial of Alex’s father. All three would cause Dr. Cooper to rush home from his life-saving job to deal with his neurotic boyfriend.

Adding watching kink to his list of coping techniques, particularly his secret medical fetish, helps until a little voice in his head persuades Alex to try one of his fantasies.

Who knew that adult stars lie about their innocence and that acting out scenes can have horribly awkward painful consequences?
It can also lead to your dreams coming true.

Short but sweet, I had not read any of the other books I’m the series and I didn’t feel lost but it made me super curious about a few characters so I will definitely read the series.  Very steamy the entire book was a set up for a super sexy final scene.  It did have a trigger warning, I don’t think it needed one but the first line was inte

Cover – not my favourite the the paint looks pretty sweet

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 48 pages
Published September 28th 2019
ASINB07XD6KKT4
Edition Language English
Series Paint #3.5

A Lucy Review: Clueless Cabot by André D. Michaels

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Young gay professional Cabot MacCrae has been in love with his sexy best friend, Lloyd, since high school. They’re in perfect sync on almost everything. The only problem is that Lloyd is straight.

Cabot resigned himself long ago to pining hopelessly. Then Lloyd, a roofer, takes a bad fall and injures his collarbone. When he needs some TLC, there’s no question that Cabot will be the one to nurse his friend back to health. But Lloyd’s scantily clad presence in Cabot’s house brings out Cabot’s old longings.

But when Lloyd’s well-meaning mother and aunt fix Cabot up with a blind date, Lloyd reacts like a jealous boyfriend. Lloyd’s reaction makes Cabot wonder if those longings are as unrequited as he’s always assumed. What if Lloyd has been pining for him all these years? Has Cabot just been clueless all along?

Cabot and Lloyd are as close as two people who are not a couple can be.  They have been besties since they were preteens and have only grown closer as the years pass.  Cabot is another son to Lloyd’s family and the two grew up spending the nights at one house or the other.  Now 28, Lloyd has fallen out of a window and broken some bones.  He needs someone to take care of him and who else but Cabot?

Cabot has been unlucky in lust, let alone love.  He’s tried but no one really hits his buttons and those who he is even slightly interested in don’t seem interested in him.  Lloyd, however, is a chick magnet and is always showing Cabot who he’s been seeing.

The forced proximity causes Cabot some discomfort – he’s so attracted to Lloyd and can’t do anything about it.  Lloyd is straight and the last thing Cabot wants is to put their friendship in jeopardy.  Lloyd often jokes about being with men or being with Cabot, but that’s just joking.  Herein lies the reason for 3.5 stars instead of 4.  The whole thing is based on Cabot being so oblivious and clueless, but it didn’t read that way.  Maybe he was a little bit but he was also blinded by the straight man actions of Lloyd.

It is a surprise when Lloyd’s mother sets Cabot up on a blind date, because she usually doesn’t meddle.  What a date.  OMG, could Malcom be more obnoxious? I get being super into sex but do you go off with someone while your date is sitting at the table?  The initial phone call should have been enough to make Cabot go running.  And if someone left me outside the house with the door locked while they got ready, I’d have walked off.  The date only goes downhill from there and Lloyd is there to save the day.

This is a really cute friends-to-lovers story, although I wish the Vic aspect had come out in the open before it ended.  I will definitely read something else by this author, who is new to me.

The cover, a lone man with rhubarb pie, fit the story well.  Rhubarb pie is important!

Sales Links:  Amazon | Kobo | NineStar Press

Book Details:

ebook, 65 pages
Published September 16th 2019 by NineStar Press
ISBN1 39781951057381
Edition Language English

A Lila Audio Review: One-Eyed Royals (Seven of Spades #4) by Cordelia Kingsbridge and Wyatt Baker (Narrator)

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Shattered by their devastating breakup, Detective Levi Abrams and PI Dominic Russo find themselves at war right when they need each other most. While Dominic is trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, Levi despairs of ever catching the Seven of Spades. The ruthless vigilante’s body count continues to climb, and it’s all Levi can do to keep up with the carnage.When Levi’s and Dominic’s paths keep crossing in the investigation of a kidnapping ring with a taste for mutilation, it feels like history repeating itself. Thrown together by fate once again, they reluctantly join forces in their hunt for the mastermind behind the abductions.

But the Seven of Spades hates sharing the spotlight, and they have an ace in the hole: a new batch of victims with a special connection to Levi. Their murders send shockwaves through Las Vegas and change the rules of the game forever.

The Seven of Spades has upped the ante. If Levi and Dominic don’t play their cards right, they’ll end up losing everything.

One-Eyed Royals is a darker view of the Seven of Spades’ psyche. It mirrors Levi’s volatility and Dominic’s addiction. They’re a disfuncional triad held together by a sense of right and wrong.

It’s hard to see Levi and Dominic struggling to be what the other wants and needs. I think they’re toxic to each other but that has been the root of their relationship since book one.

They spent a lot of time apart but relatively closed. Which gave the author the opportunity to add a couple of funny moments, bringing the tension down.

The cases were intrinsically related and unique to the story. I enjoyed the way they worked different angles to arrive at the same conclusions. They showed once again that they work best together.

As always, the secondary characters and small plot points created an interesting book full of drama and heartache. All I’m going to say about Staton is that he needs his own man.

This is definitely a great mystery. I’m still not able to figure out who the Seven of Spades is but I’m looking forward to its reveal.

The narration by Wyatt Baker takes of from the previous installment, easing the reader into the action, the series, and great characters.

The cover by Garrett Leigh is perfection, as always. She has a way to create cohesive covers for series without losing the individuality of each book and the author’s character.

Sales Links: Riptide | Audible | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Wyatt Baker
Length: 10 hours and 25 minutes

Published: September 25, 2019 (Audio Edition) by Riptide Publishing
ASIN: B07YBH6RZ1
Edition Language: English

Series: Seven of Spades
Book #1: Kill Game
Book #2: Trick Roller
Book #3: Cash Plays
Book #4: One-Eyed Royals

Join Us for the Book Blast for Memoirs of the Human Wraiths Box Set and Omnibus by F.E. Feeley Jr (excerpt)

BOOK BLAST

Book Title:  Memoirs of the Human Wraiths Box Set and Omnibus

Author: F.E. Feeley Jr.

Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing

Cover Artist: Debbie McGowan/ Roe Horvat

Genre/s:  Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Forbidden love or friends to lovers

Themes: Forgiveness

Heat Rating:  3 flames

Length: 3 books/ 698 pages

Add on Goodreads

 

Blurb 

Around a campfire late at night, someone begins to tell a ghost story. Flashlights clutched in hands, we huddle close and listen with intensity, startling at the slightest sound, but we try to be brave.

This is no different.

Memoirs of the Human Wraiths, a book passed down from generation to generation, details the lives of those living on the edges of society, stalked by the darkness that awaits us all. Come see what walks the halls of Timber Manor. Step inside Jonathan’s inescapable mirror. Venture to the island where promises made are enforced by a powerful curse.

Try to be brave.

 

Book Trailer

 

 

 

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US – Kindle  |  Amazon US Paperback  |   Amazon UK   |  Publisher

 

Excerpt from The Haunting of Timber Manor 

Another flash and my eyes locked on a pair of yellow eyes staring at me from the place where I saw them before. Not a ghost or a killer—a wolf. Standing about twenty feet away, a huge, magnificent wolf was watching me with an oddly disconcerting amount of intelligence in its eyes, head hung low. Its gray-and-white fur was gorgeous and oddly dry-looking. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. Instead of fading into the darkness, it began to walk forward into the headlights of my car. The beast never took its eyes off mine. Like it was staring into my soul. My heart began to hammer and my breathing quickly picked up. My hands went back to the steering wheel and clamped down again, as white-knuckled as before. A chill passed through me, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up straight. As if the wolf could sense my distress, it stopped and gave me a wicked grin. “You know I can see you, don’t you?” I whispered aloud. “You know I am afraid.” The wolf, in response, tilted its giant head up toward the rain and gave out a chilling howl as if to confirm that. “Why, yes, I do know, dear boy. What do you think I’m doing here? You wanted to die? Step out of the truck, and I’ll gladly make your dreams come true.”

 

About the Author 

F.E.Feeley Jr is a poet and the author of six published works – four full-length novels, two short stories featured in anthologies, and a poetry book.

Married to the love of his life, John, he came to the writing world about four years ago where he fell in love, again, with the written word.

 

 

Author Links

Blog/Website  |  Facebook Reader’s Group  |

Twitter:  @fefeeleyjr  |  Newsletter Sign-up:  Sign up Via Website

 

 

 

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Looking For a Paranormal Love Story? Check Out the New Release Blitz for Claiming Marcus (Lords of Discord #1) by Jocelynn Drake (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: Claiming Marcus

Series: Lords of Discord #1

Author: Jocelynn Drake

Publisher: Indie

Release Date: 10/31/2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 100,000

Genre: Romance, paranormal romance

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

Vampires slaughtered my family.

No one believed me until I met some new friends, who promised to help me get justice.

But nothing prepared me for Marcus Varik.

Tall, dark, and mind-numbingly sexy.

But he’s also shy, protective, and adorably eccentric.

Oh God, I should have never agreed to betray him.

Hopefully, it’s not too late to fix my mistake before I lose more people I love.

Claiming Marcus is the first book in an MM paranormal romance series that has vampires, betrayal, annoying brothers, music, heartbreak, hope, sexy times, and a raven named Ozzie.

Excerpt

Ethan wanted to feel panic and fear when he stared at Marcus. There really was no doubt in his mind that Marcus and his brothers were vampires. A sane person would have taken his brother to a hospital. Ethan hadn’t seen the actual wounds, but just the amount of blood he cleaned up meant that Bel had been seriously injured. No one could heal from that without medical assistance.

And yet, just an hour later, Bel’s color was starting to improve. He was resting on the couch, his breathing falling in a steady rhythm.

Looking at the aristocratic creature seated on the piano bench, streaked with his brother’s blood, Ethan couldn’t see anything but a man exhausted and hurting in ways that he couldn’t fully understand. He trusted Marcus to not harm him. He’d already gone out of his way to protect him from Meryl and Cain.

Ethan wanted to take care of Marcus. It was clear that he was the family protector. He was the one who made the hard decisions and directed the others in order to get things done and keep them safe. But who was there to take care of Marcus?

Taking Marcus’s bloody hand in his, Ethan pulled him to his feet and led him out of the music room. He paused in the hallway. The third floor held four rooms with locked doors. One of them was Marcus’s private bedroom, but he didn’t know which one.

“Here,” Marcus said, pointing to a pair of double doors farther down the hall.

Ethan nodded and led the way, pulling the keys Marcus had given him out of his pocket. He unlocked the doors and pushed them open. There was only one small lamp on the nightstand burning, but it was enough to illuminate the large room with an enormous four-poster bed and a long bureau made of a dark wood. The walls were a dark blue with white trim. The carpet under their feet was so thick it was almost like walking on a cloud.

“Thank you, Ethan,” Marcus murmured. He squeezed Ethan’s hand before releasing it. “You can sleep in the green room if you’re too tired to return home. And you don’t have to come in to work tomorrow…or rather today. You need your rest.”

Ethan turned and smirked up at Marcus. “Work, huh? I thought I was fired.”

Marcus gave him a tired little smile. “I don’t think I technically fired you. Just threatened to do it.”

Taking a step closer, Ethan slowly reached up and touch the top button on his stained shirt. “Well, I think I’m technically here as a friend, because if your employee did this…” Ethan paused and slipped the first button through the hole. “We’d have to deal with a whole lot of HR shit, and we don’t want to do that.”

Marcus swallowed hard, staring at Ethan. He licked his lips as his breathing picked up, but he didn’t say anything to stop Ethan. Yeah, Marcus was attracted to him. Ethan thought he’d picked up a few little tells over the past couple of weeks, but Marcus was overall very careful. The guy was stuck so far in the closet, there was little hope of him ever seeing daylight.

But this wasn’t about Marcus exploring his sexuality. There was still the issue of him being a vampire and holding knowledge of his mother’s killer. This was about Ethan seeing that Marcus got some well-deserved rest.

Still moving slowly, Ethan lowered his hands and unbuttoned the next three buttons before Marcus finally moved, capturing both of his hands in his.

“Ethan?”

“It’s okay,” he said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I’m just helping you. I’m going to turn on the shower and get the water to warm up. Do you want me to help you finish getting undressed?”

Marcus’s mouth dropped open and sort of soundlessly bobbed for a second like he couldn’t get the words out.

Ethan chuckled. He was so damn attracted to this man, to this vulnerable side that he was sure his brothers didn’t get to see. Ethan pulled his hands free and resumed unbuttoning his shirt. He pulled the shirt free of Marcus’s pants to get the last couple of buttons. Hours ago, Marcus had rolled his sleeves up his forearms so that all Ethan had to do was run his palms up Marcus’s strong chest, reveling in the feel of hard muscle. A low groan rumbled in Marcus’s throat and that sound sent blood rushing to Ethan’s cock. Fuck, that was an amazing sound. He smoothed his hands across Marcus’s shoulders, pushing the shirt down his arms and to the floor.

“Ethan…I…”

“Shhh,” Ethan murmured. “Nothing is going to happen. You’re safe.” He leaned up on the tips of his toes and pressed a light kiss to Marcus’s throat. Strong hands immediately clamped down on his hips, holding him in place. Fingers dug into his ass and Ethan nearly moaned. He’d die to feel those hands all over his body. Just the thought had his cock stiffening.

“Not sure if the promise of nothing has me relieved or disappointed,” Marcus admitted in a shaky voice. He looked down and Ethan could feel the slight tremor creeping through Marcus’s muscles. “I’ve…I’ve never—”

“I know,” Ethan interrupted. “That’s why nothing is going to happen.” Well, one of the reasons, at least. “You need someone to take care of you tonight. Shower and then bed. Once you’re tucked in, I’m going to head home, but I’ll return later today.”

Sadness crept into Marcus’s blue eyes, but there was also relief there. He nodded and released Ethan.

“Finish getting undressed, my sexy friend,” Ethan said and sauntered toward the open door across from the bed. He was guessing it was a private bathroom.

He flicked a switch and sucked in a harsh breath as buttery light cascaded over warm marbled and gold fixtures. The bathroom was almost as big as his old apartment. There was a large garden tub that could easily fit three full-grown men, a double sink vanity with a long mirror, and a shower stall that had enough space and heads to cover the same three men who just climbed out of the tub.

There was muffled thump on the floor and Ethan guessed that Marcus had dropped a shoe. “Are you so touchy-feely with all your friends?”

Ethan laughed as he walked over to the shower. “Would you be jealous if I was?”

“Yes,” Marcus hissed, and that single word wrapped in a possessive tone warmed Ethan like nothing else could. He’d had more than a few sexual partners in his life, but no one he’d call a boyfriend and no one who ever felt possessive. He was just a warm body, a tight hole, a great mouth to fuck.

But with Marcus, he felt like more.

Opening the door, Ethan turned the handle, starting the shower. He stuck his hand in the spray, checking the temperature. Still cold. He started to turn to make sure that Marcus had a clean towel, but he jumped when he found Marcus standing directly behind him. The man had moved so silently and so fucking quickly. How had he not noticed him?

Because he’s a vampire.

Oh, yeah. Ethan’s brain kept conveniently forgetting that little fact.

It was even easier to forget when Marcus was standing just a couple of inches away, wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs. He was pale, but it didn’t detract from his beautiful body. Every inch of him was hard. Every. Fucking. Inch.

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Meet the Author

It started with a battered notebook. Jocelynn Drake wrote her first story when she was 12 years old. It was a retelling of Robin Hood that now included a kick-ass female who could keep up with all the boys and be more than just a sad little love interest. From there, she explored space, talked to dragons, and fell in love again and again and again.

This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the U.S. with her patient husband. They’ve settled near the Rockies…for now. She spends the majority of her time lost in the strong embrace of a good book.

When she’s not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can usually be found cuddling with her cat Demona, walking her dog Ace, or flinging curses at the TV while playing a video game. Outside of books, furry babies, and video games, she is completely enamored of Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.

She is the New York Times Bestselling author of the urban fantasy series: The Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. She has just completed a gay romantic suspense series called The Exit Strategy about two assassins falling in love and trying to create a life together. Her newest project returns to her vampire roots with a new MM paranormal romance series. She is also the co-author of the Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, and Pineapple Grove series with Rinda Elliott.

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A MelanieM Review:33 Degrees of Separation (Legacy Book 3) by Rain Carrington

Rating: 2.25 stars out of 5

​I’m Ian, and this is my story. Like the others, I have a legacy. I was raised with the best of everything, one of the riches kids I knew. That isn’t the legacy, however. That is to be a part of something I didn’t want, and never asked for it’s tearing me apart, but I can fight it. With some help, I can fight it.
Meeting Pat Castaldo, the hot, muscled FBI agent was the beginning of a life I thought was ending. I am terrified I’ll get him killed, and others, if I can’t stand up to my father and the other men that make up the terrible secret society. My family has been members for hundreds of years, and it was supposed to be passed to me. I don’t want it, but I took it, and I took it to end them once and for all.

In the middle of all this, I am falling in love. That was a surprise, and one that possibly terrifies me more than the Gilded Grail. This could hurt, and I could get this beautiful man killed, along with a lot of others if I fail. My money may be able to solve some of my troubles, but there is much more that it can’t.
I’ve never had to be brave or fight for anything. This is my fight, though, and I will win. I’ll win it for my friends, for humanity and, maybe most of all, I’ll win it for Pat.

Raised in wealth most could only dream of, Ian Andrews III didn’t know another way of life existed until he went to college and learned about the world. There he met friends and came down from his palace to try to be like everyone else, but he had too much money to achieve that.

When he was set to finish graduate school, his father took him on a trip to learn the destiny that had been chosen for him. He would become a member of the Gilded Grail, a secret society that had members whose families had been a part of it for hundreds of years.

He was a legacy, and there was no choice for him. He would become a member, or he’d die.

Learning about this secret society, hearing their ways and goals, then going through the initiation, he was terrified and ran off to hide away from them and everyone.
His best friend worried when he’d been gone for days, his phone left in his room, not a word from him. Calling in help, it came in the form of an FBI agent in town on business. He was doing a favor, checking up on the missing college student, and right away smelled trouble. When he saw Ian’s computer history and the name Gilded Grail, he knew he had to find Ian.
Once he did, he learned the secrets that no one outside the order knew. Together, they decided to try to stop them from a horrible goal they’d set, one that threatened every man, woman and child in the world.

Falling in love with one another was easy but keeping that attraction at bay to try to save everyone a horrible fate, Ian and Pat struggled. Pat called for more help, and Javier Duran came, an old lover of Pat’s, and one of the world best mercenaries.

Sparks fly and jealousies ignite. Saving the world and falling in love at the same time wasn’t easy on any man. It could tear them apart or make them more determined to have the other in their lives forever. That was considering if they could stop the Grail and there was a forever…

When it comes to deciding on ratings and writing a review, often it is harder to do so for a story that falls short of what you expect a good or terrific story to be rather than a story that meets or exceeds those standards.  Praise comes easily.  But putting into words why a story falls flat?  That should actually be more precise and perhaps well thought out.

Reviews, while a subjective animal, should be as objective still as possible, as weird as that may be. And that has to do with the fact that for the most part we are talking about books that authors have put their heart into (excluding the new book mills out there).

All this is leading up to the fact that when giving out low ratings we should be as objective and specific and perhaps thoughtful as possible.

Yes,33 Degrees of Separation (Legacy Book 3) by Rain Carrington  was a story that I had some issues with.

It does have some promising elements here.   There was some really nice twists to the plot I enjoyed, hence the .5 in the rating.  But there were also quite a few elements that had me reevaluating the characters, their professionalism, and the entire plot structure. That doesn’t even address the problems I had with the main characters relationships and the BDSM aspect.

Characterization and their Professions:  I will use this as just one of the examples of the issues I have here.  One of the main characters, Pat Castaldo, is a FBI agent, who specializes in cults etc.  Without putting anything into context, he makes a move on a traumatized young man (who has no idea who this FBI guy is btw) hiding out in a cabin, sends the young man’s black roommate out into the night to a small , nearby white homogeneous small town to get supplies for all three of them while they figure out what their next plans are.  Smh!  Anyone who watches TV cop shows would be groaning here.  So yes.  This is a small white town where most grocery stores never stay open late.  Usually it’s the quikmart as the gas stations where there are cameras and people plenty suspicious of strangers.  So why not let the roommate stay and comfort his best friend, and the big bad FBI white agent leaves  with all training, and obtains the supplies while checking out to see if anyone followed them? Nope, that doesn’t happen.

It’s not logical, it’s not great procedure, and tbh, it’s one of the many issues you have with the lack of professionalism here that it takes you out of the story and disconnects the reader from the characters and plot.  It will get worse.  So I will leave it at one example. They felt extremely under researched and lacking in details.  Just not believable in any way.

Romance, Relationships and BDSM:  I am unfamiliar with this author’s previous stories or this series so I don’t know if BDSM figures prominently in Carrington’s other novels.  From the author’s note, the main couple’s relationship was to contain a small amount of BDSM (D/s).  I am not sure how much research or where this author conducted that research, but what happens here between Pat and Ian in no way reads like any “in the lifestyle” D/s relationship I have read or met.  In fact it borders on abusive and ignorant, labeling the use of force as BDSM and being the aggressor as Dom without having the necessary structure or understanding in place.  In one scene, Ian is actually beaten into agreeing to a course of action and that’s labeling BDSM.  If you are not familiar with BDSM, perhaps as a reader, you might think ok, that’s what a D/s relationship is all about.  But even if you are a pain slut, there are discussions and agreements to be held, none of which happens here.  This is a total mess IMO.  And I haven’t even gone into the instalove aspect.

I think that’s plenty.  Won’t even go into that ending.  Apparently there is more to come in this series.  I won’t be venturing further.

Poor characterization,  unrealistic backgrounds and professions, plotting I didn’t believe in, and  labeled sexualities that don’t follow the basic tenets for safety all conspire to do this story in.

That’s my recommendation.  Do with it what you will.

Cover art is interesting but doesn’t tell you much about the story.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 353 pages
Published October 22nd 2019 by AAS Publishing
ASINB07ZGMFN3W