A Chaos Moondrawn Review: By Way of Pain – Criminal Delights: Assassins by J.M. Dabney

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This is part of the Criminal Delights series, which are standalones by different authors revolving around dark themes. Pay attention to the trigger warnings. This book is about a lawyer named Cowan Kingley, who is a hired assassin. The reader sees him at different ages to establish him as not quite right, and much of the book is in his first person POV. The reader also gets the first person POV of the man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and ends up kidnapped instead of killed. The key here is the why of it. What would make an assassin not kill a witness right away?

The warnings say dubcon, but I would say this is noncon. The Stockholm Syndrome contributes to the confusion. As a virgin with no experience, the captive has never had the chance to find out what he likes. Once Conway starts with the humiliation, whipping, spanking, choking, and breath play…his captive realizes he likes it. I don’t think this will convince anyone who isn’t predisposed to liking this sort of book. The book really has two acts. The first half is more intimate with just the two of them. The second half has John Wick style action sequences. While the whole book is actually effective, well written, and way more entertaining than it should be with a satisfying conclusion…there is a major issue.

Although Conway thinks of himself as a sociopath and has studied human psychology, I can’t agree since he is able to become obsessed, possessive, and caring–genuinely caring as the reader knows his POV–towards his captive. In the thank you note at the end, the author calls him a psychopath. These are not interchangeable words; they are two different things. One lacks empathy and the other lacks conscience, but neither would care about anyone else, let alone fall in love. This is the downfall of the book. If you are willing to ignore clinical definitions of these mental illnesses and suspend disbelief, it is well done for what it is.

The cover by was done by Natasha Snow. The covers of the whole series are stylized and match

Sales Links:  Amazon | Universal Link: books2read.com/CriminalDelights-Pain

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 166 pages
Published May 20th 2019 by Hostile Whispers Press, LLC
ASINB07PKQZ23C
Edition Language English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Chef vs Chef (Sizzling in the Kitchen #2) by M.J. O’Shea

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

We first met Bobby Diaz in book one, Chef in the Wild, as Baldwin Powell’s sous chef. Bobby now has his chance to leave the mad world of the Manhattan restaurant business when Baldwin offers him the opportunity to help run his new restaurant in Montpelier, Vermont. But what Bobby doesn’t know is that Baldwin also offered his cousin Cal an opportunity to help run the restaurant while Baldwin is away filming a new chef show in the city. 

Two chefs + one kitchen = disaster in the making. Well, at first it does, and then Bobby realizes what a prima donna he’s being and decides to relax and just be himself. And “himself” is a happy, humorous, laidback kind of guy. And once he does, Cal falls head over heels for him and vice versa. That’s a simplified way of summarizing this nice MM romance that slowly builds from enemies to lovers, to friends, to romantic relationship. The complicated world the author builds makes for interesting, humorous, and heartwarming reading. The secondary characters, including Baldwin’s family, the owner of the bakery café, and even the dastardly rival chef, are all well-developed and realistic.

The principal secondary characters in this book were the MCs in book one and their story here intrigued me so much I had to go back and grab book one to read their love story. That’s now been devoured, too, so I can honestly say this series is MJ O’Shea romance at it’s best. No one does small town romance as well. From the moment I first read Coming Home and the rest of the Rock Bay series, she’s been among my favorites and these stories gave me similar warm and fuzzy feels. My heart is happy. Highly recommended.

Cover by LC Chase features a good-looking bearded man, wearing T-shirt and jeans set against a bright background. I assume this is Bobby and he definitely attracted my attention.

Buy Links: 

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 167 pages
Published June 4th 2019
ASINB07SPJJ9V6
Edition Language English
SeriesSizzling in the Kitchen #2

An Alisa Review: Azaran (Brotherhood of Ormarr #1) by Jacki James

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Azaran~

I was born a dragon rider. A member of the Brotherhood of Ormarr, son of Cadmar, and the eldest of four sons. I was raised to defend the innocent and protect the secret of the dragons, but when I was eighteen, my parents were brutally murdered and the training and care of my brothers fell to me. My entire adult life has been spent helping my brothers grow into the strong, brave dragon riders they were born to be. Now that the youngest of my brothers is close to adulthood, the last thing I need is someone else to worry about—someone else to be responsible for. If only the handsome doctor fate had chosen for my mate wasn’t so perfect for me.

Toby~

AlI I ever wanted was to help people, that’s why I became a doctor, but I quickly learned that modern medicine was more about the all-mighty dollar and less about saving lives. It wasn’t long before I was doubting my life choices. A vacation to the ocean was supposed to leave me refreshed and ready to get back to work, but instead, I found myself pulled into a world I never knew existed. A world where dragons are real, men fight like medieval warriors, and my soulmate has his very own bat cave. Azaran thinks the last thing he needs is a mate to worry about. Good thing I don’t need anyone to take care of me. My sexy dragon rider, on the other hand, needs someone to take care of him, and I think I’m just the man to do it.

Azaran is the first book in The Brotherhood of Ormarr series. While each book focuses on a different couple, the overall story arc continues in the next installment. For maximum enjoyment, we suggest reading in order. Azaran is a m/m romance, and is recommended for adults 18 years and older.

This was a nice start to a new series but as they often do there was a bit of the book spent on world building.  There were some little questions I still had at the end but there is the hope that they will be answered in the other books.  I loved these dragons, they are adorable and I think it is fascinating how they can shift into different forms and how different each dragon seems to be.

I really liked Toby, he is so sweet and really just wants to help people.  I hate seeing that he was being stifled in his job and then when Azaram was ignoring him.  Now, unfortunately Azaran didn’t do much to improve my opinion of him throughout the story.  I could see that he is dedicated to his family and what they do as dragon riders but I hated his assumption that a mate would be more work for him and how he continued to hurt Toby with his actions and I had a lot of trouble accepting his sudden flip of feelings towards Toby that finally got them together.  It seems there connection is solid but it was just one of those times where one action just doesn’t out weight the others.

The cover art by Jay Aheer is great and I love the picture of Sindri in her warrior form.

Sales Link: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 139 pages

Publication: May 20, 2019

Edition Language: English

Series: Brotherhood of Ormarr #1

TOUR Malachite (Brotherhood of Ormarr #4) by Michele Notaro and Sammi Cee (excerpt and giveaway)

Malachite

Malachite~

I have a wonderful life. I have no room to complain; between my brothers and their new mates, this is the most alive our home has felt since my parents died. Unfortunately, all of them being mated is making me miserable. When it was just the four of us, it was us against the world. Now they’re paired up and it’s only me and my dragon, Kesia. Until I happen to walk into the Overlord’s Lair and I see him: Quentin. Mine. Mate. As much as I want to win him over without telling him I’m a dragon rider and we’re mates—which I know he’d love—I’m not sure I can. The minute I’m around him I act like an idiot.

Quentin~

Every time the goofy guy walks into my store, he brightens my day, and I look forward to his daily visits. There’s just something about him that draws me to him, to the point he leaves me pining after him the moment he’s gone. But the thing is, I can tell he’s hiding something, and my wild imagination is coming up with the craziest explanations of the secrets he’s keeping. Maybe he’s a vampire that’s come to whisk me away—ridiculous, right? But a guy can dream. And I’ve definitely been dreaming of that big, muscular man wrapping me in his arms at night.

Malachite is the final book in The Brotherhood of Ormarr series. While each book focuses on a different couple, the overall story arc concludes in this installment. For maximum enjoyment, we suggest reading in order. Malachite is a m/m romance, and is recommended for adults 18 years and older.

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | Goodreads

About the Series:

SERIES Brotherhood of Ormarr

Being a dragon rider for the Brotherhood of Ormarr is filled with adventure, but danger can lurk behind every corner with the Order of Amsel set out to destroy the riders. Azaran, Zale, Eeli, and Malachite have spent their whole lives training, but will it be enough?

The brothers lost their parents years ago to assassins, but they’ve never been able to figure out who was behind the attack. Follow the journey of these dragon riders, along with their faithful dragons, as they find their mates and discover clues that will lead to the final epic showdown.

The Brotherhood of Ormarr series consists of four books, each with its own HEA. While each book focuses on a different couple, the overall story arc continues into the next installment. For maximum enjoyment, we suggest reading in order. This is a m/m romance series, and is recommended for adults 18 years and older.

Other Books in the Series:Azaran (book one) | Zale (book two) | Eeli (book three)


Giveaway

Sammi & Michele are giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour. Enter via Rafflecopter:

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Excerpt

MEME1 - Eeli

Quentin

The hot mound behind me moved a little, jostling me awake, and instead of being afraid of another body in bed with me, I felt safe enclosed in his arms. With my eyes still shut, I smiled and sunk back into Malachite. I was sandwiched between him and Gizmo, who was lying in front of me, pressing his body into my belly—though he seemed to be taking up a lot of room. My arms were under the blanket, and I could feel Gizmo on top of it, but I was hardly paying him any attention since I had a hunk of man meat behind me.

I scooted back into Malachite a little and he groaned, making me grin and open my eyes. The last thing I expected was to find giant bright green eyes staring at me. It only took a split-second to realize those eyes were attached to a face… a scaly face.

“Ahhh!” I yelled and jumped back, hearing an “Ow” behind me as I scrambled out of the covers and over top of Malachite’s huge body. “Wh-what is that?”

Malachite sat up, holding his nose, and looked at the scaly head. “Nice way to wake our mate up, Kesia.”

I glanced between him and the scaly thing as I ducked behind Malachite’s back, then realized he was rubbing his nose. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. You’ve got a hard elbow.”

I winced. “I’m sorry.”

He grinned at me and dropped his hand. “No big deal, I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“Sorry.” He waved me away, and my gaze traveled over to the scaly head that hadn’t moved. “Is that thing real?”

He sighed. “I was hoping to maybe ease you into it, but yes, she’s real. This is Kesia, my dragon.”

I blinked at him, then looked at the scaly head and back at Malachite, sure he was playing a trick on me. “Did you say dragon?”

He smiled. “Yes.”

Squinting at him, still suspicious, I turned to the scaly head and leaned over Malachite with my finger stretched out. Right before I touched it, I paused. “Is it going to jump and scare the crap out of me?”

“No, she won’t hurt you.”

Frowning and fully prepared to jump off the bed, I poked the head in the middle of its snout. The thing huffed and opened its mouth, licking its lips. Snatching my hand back, I blinked at it. “Holy shit.” I moved the blanket and pillows that were surrounding it and discovered an entire body attached to the head. It was bright green with glossy wings and sparkling green scales. “Holy crap, Malachite. That’s really realistic. Where did you get it?”

He rubbed my upper back. “She’s real, Quentin.”

Shooting him a glance, I rolled my eyes. “You know I love fantasy stuff, especially dragons, so it’s not nice to pretend it’s real and get my hopes up if you’re only playing a trick on me.”

“Kesia,” he said quietly.

The green scaly dragon stood up on the bed and moved closer to me, and my eyes widened as I veered back in surprise. The freaking dragon stretched its head toward me, and I automatically leaned farther back, not believing what I was seeing. I leaned so far, I slipped off the bed and fell on my ass.

“Oh shit,” Malachite said as he reached for me. “Sorry, I didn’t think you’d fall or I would’ve caught—”

“Malachite!” I yelled, cutting him off. I looked at him with wide eyes and a huge smile. “There’s a fucking dragon in your bed!”

His eyebrows lifted a little, but he chuckled as he pulled me back up beside him. “Her name is Kesia, and she’s couldn’t wait to say hi. She was supposed to wait until I woke up and told you about her, but apparently, she was too impatient. She’s been dying to meet you.”

“She has?” I couldn’t take my eyes off the dragon’s beautiful, bright scales. She was bigger than the average dog with spikes down her back and her wings tucked in at the sides. “You promise you’re not playing a trick on me?”

He laughed. “I promise.”

The freaking dragon scooted closer to me again, then hesitantly leaned toward me. Slowly, I lifted my hand toward her and she pushed her snout into it. The moment my hand touched her scales, I gasped. She was surprisingly soft, and very obviously a real live fucking  dragon. “Holy shit,” I whispered, completely awed. “I’m touching a dragon.”


Author Bios

Sammi Cee was raised in a family of readers. Summer vacations consisted of a good book while sitting lakeside from as far back as she could remember. After growing up and having her own children, her appreciation of how the written word could transport you on an adventure, bring you to tears, or give you hope, took on a whole new meaning.

These days Sammi is watching her children develop into fine young ladies while doing the things she enjoys most: drinking coffee, eating chocolate, and writing her own stories.

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSammiCee/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/cee_sammi

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammi_cee_author/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18471771.Sammi_Cee

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/sammicee

Michele Notaro is married to an awesome husband that puts up with her and all the characters in her head–and there are many. They live together in Baltimore, Maryland with their two young boys and two crazy dogs. She grew up dancing and swimming and taught dance–ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, & modern–for ten years before her kids came along. Now she stays home to write about the sexy men in her head and does PTA everything–as long as coffee is involved. Two other tattooed moms run the PTA with her, and though she wants to rip her hair out from it, she still loves it.

Author Website: https://notarobooks.com/

Author Facebook (Personal): http://bit.ly/2lMPlLk

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/author.notaro/

Author Instagram: https://instagram.com/michelenotaro.author

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16187122.Michele_Notaro

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/michelenotaro

LOGO - Other Worlds Ink

Check Out the Review Tour and Giveaway for Chef vs Chef (Sizzling in the Kitchen #2) by M.J. O’Shea

 

Buy Links: 
 
Cover Design: L.C. Chase
 
Sizzling In The Kitchen Series
 
Book #1 – Chef In The Wild – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
 
Blurb
 

Bobby Diaz has worked his whole life to get where he is – running a restaurant with his two closest friends, no boss, and generally content. When his best friend Baldwin gets the gig of a lifetime, he asks Bobby to take over the restaurant while he’s gone. He’ll miss his friend, but he’s excited to put himself to the test. He can’t believe he’s getting the chance to finally run his own kitchen.


Cal Mayer is thirty and starting over. His last relationship was a failure. His job went down the drain. So when his cousin Pete, a.k.a Baldwin Powell celebrity chef, offers him a gig in his restaurant, he can’t help but to jump at the offer to reinvent himself.


Bobby and Cal don’t exactly hit it off—to put it lightly. Bobby resents getting Cal dumped in his lap. Cal doesn’t appreciate Bobby’s frosty attitude. They’re stuck together day and night, and their chemistry is undeniable… but will it be sweet summer love or a case of too many chefs in the kitchen?

 Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review here, we highly recommend it.

MJ O’Shea has never met a music festival, paintbrush, or flower crown she can stay away from. She loves rainstorms and a perfect cup of tea, beach days, music, bright colors, and more than anything a cozy evening with a really great book.



She is from the Pacific Northwest. While she still lives there and loves it, MJ has the heart of a wanderer. So she puts all her dreams of far off places and extraordinary people in her books.



Except for every once in a while when she does what all travelers have to do on occasion… come home.





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NHL and Hockey is for Everyone. More of Pride Month. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

More of Pride Month

Everywhere I look Pride Month is being celebrated.  It’s in ads on the tv, parades in towns and cities across the world,  and even more incredibly the NHL and  every team, yep all 31 teams are celebrating Pride month.  It’s all a part of“Hockey Is For Everyone”  Pride Month for the NHL and every team is participating in a huge amount of Pride events of their own at games and events everywhere.  I’m thrilled and rainbow astonished!

As someone who both loves hockey (go Caps) and M/M hockey romance fiction, I’m just over the rainbow and heart warmed that this has happened.  Overdue?  Perhaps.  But so amazing and happy to see it occuring now.  because quite frankly the NHL is standing alone in this.  And they shouldn’t be.  Where is the NFL or AFL:? The National League for Baseball?  Nope, it’s the NHL that has stepped forward! And we ought to give them our support for this. The NHL launched a Pride website with videos in an effort to “build and support a community that welcomes and celebrates authenticity and the love of hockey.  Please check out the links.

“NHL alumni and current players will participate in pride parades across North America including 2019 WorldPride in New York City,” said a league spokesperson in a statement.  NHL players can opt to use Pride tape to wrap their sticks and other equipment this month, something normally banned by the NHL (outside team colors), and furthermore are joining forces with the You Can Play Project, expanding its “Hockey For Everyone” campaign so that it will be all inclusive.  Go NHL!

Want to know more about NHL and Hockey is for Everyone?  Check out the links below!

News – NHL and NHLPA to Celebrate Pride … – NHL.com Media Site

NHL, NHLPA to celebrate Pride Month – National Hockey League News

And fyi, the Stanley Cups are in full swing…go watch whether you are rooting for the Boston Bruins or St. Louis Blues!

And for those in need of M/M hockey romance fiction?  Check out the series, in no particular order, I have listed with their Goodreads links below:

Stick Side (2 books) by Amy Aislin

The Harrisburg Railers Series by RJ Scott and VL Locey

Owatonna U Hockey Series by RJ Scott and VL Locey (3 books)

Cayuga Cougars series by VL Locey

Point Shot (3 books) by V.L. Locey

Colors of Love (3 books) by V.L. Locey

Game Changers (2 books) by Rachel Reid

*A shout out to Alexandra Petrokova of the M/M Hockey Romance FB Group for the additions to the recommendations! I’m adding on as I get them!  Three more  series added courtesy of the M/M Hockey Romance Group! Thank you all!
Did I miss out on a favorite of yours?  These are definitely some of mine.  Let me know what I missed and send them in so I can add them in.  Meanwhile, here is our week ahead.  Happy Pride!

 Our Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, June 9:

  • More of Pride Month. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • NHL and Hockey is for Everyone. Hockey Romance Recs
  • Release Blitz Breaking Ground by Megan Lowe
  • BLOG TOUR Puzzle Pieces by JP Sayle

Monday, June 10:

  • Review Tour – MJ O’Shea – Chef vs. Chef 
  • OWL Tour Tales From Ardulum by JS Fields
  • OWI TOUR Malachite Michele Notaro & Sammi Cee
  • An Alisa Review: Azaran (Brotherhood of Ormarr #1) by Jacki James
  • A MelanieM Review:Strike a Chord (Replay #4) by K.M. Neuhold
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Review: By Way of Pain by JM Dabney
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Chef vs Chef (Sizzling in the Kitchen #2) by M.J. O’Shea

Tuesday, June 11:

  • Release Blitz – Treacherous Seas by L.M. Brown
  • PROMO BA Tortuga
  • Release Blitz – Come Play: An MM Erotica Charity Anthology
  • A Melanie Review: Seeing Red (Trowchester Series#4) by Alex Beecroft
  • An Alisa Review :Come Play: An MM Erotica Charity Anthology
  • An Ashlez Review: Master of No One (Masters of Their Domain, Book 1) by Tricia Owens

Wednesday, June 12:

  • Cover Reveal – – Shake The Stars by V.L. Locey
  • Signal Release Blitz Tour – V.L. Locey – Nine Small Sips (A Tales Of Bryant
  • Release Blitz signal – RJ Scott -Single
  • DSP Tour – Tom Early
  • Cover Reveal for Jay Hogan’s Digging Deep
  • An Alisa Review: Zale (Brotherhood of Ormarr #2) by Michelle Frost
  • A MelanieM Audio Review: The Athlete and the Aristocrat by Louisa Masters  and Seb Yarrick (Narrator)

Thursday, June 13:

  • TOUR The Player’s Protégé by CJane Elliott
  • PROMO ZAM
  • BLOG AND REVIEW TOUR Prince of Killers (Fog City #1) by Layla Reyne
  • Book Tour Arctic Wild by Annabeth Albert
  • A MelanieM Review: Prince of Killers (Fog City #1) by Layla Reyne
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Arctic Wild by Annabeth Albert

Friday, June 14:

  • Release Blitz Surviving the Shadows by Miranda Turner
  • Series Blitz Series Recap Tour – Elle Keaton – Accidental Roots Series
  • A Stella Review: a Cate Ashwood novel
  • A Lila Audio Review: Hiding the Moon (Fish Out of Water #4) by Amy Lane and Nick J. Russo (Narrator)
  • A MelanieM Audio Review: The CEO’s Christmas Manny (Beyond the Boardroom #1) by Angela McCallister and John Solo (Narrator)

Saturday, June 15:

  • Cover Reveal Lily- Love’s Glory by Janice Jarrell
  • OWL Baja Clavius Tour
  • Release Blitz – Finding Trix by L.M. Brown

Check Out the Hot New Contemporary Romance! Release Blitz for Breaking Ground by Megan Lowe

Author: Megan Lowe
Title: Breaking Ground
Series: Rocking Racers, book 8
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Release Date: June 8, 2019
 Available now! 
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2VJQMgt
All other links: books2read.com/breaking-ground

Mason Thompson hates motorbike racing. It’s stupid, pointless, and dangerous. The glorified man-children who partake in this idiocy are even worse. None more so than Liam Ryan.

Liam Ryan is cocky, and he has every reason to be. There’s not a person on the track—or off it—who can get the better of him. He’ll be damned if drop-dead gorgeous paramedic Mason Thompson is the first.

But when events and overzealous bloggers seek to force them even further apart, will they risk everything to be together?

Will they break ground and realise sometimes the greatest risk results in the ultimate reward?

Breaking Ground is a M/M romance prequel to Megan Lowe’s Australian sports romance series. This book can be read as a stand-alone novella.

 Available now! 

 

***

Rocking Racers Series!
 
Book 1
 All buy links HERE
 
Book 2
All buy links HERE
Book 3
All buy links HERE

Book 4

All buy links HERE

Book 5

All buy links HERE

Book 6

All buy links HERE

Book 7

All buy links HERE

Megan Lowe is a lost journalism graduate who after many painful years searching for a job in that field, decided if she couldn’t write news stories, she would start listening to the characters whispering stories to her and decided to write them down.  She writes primarily New Adult/Contemporary Romance stories with Sport and Music themes. She is based on the Gold Coast but her heart belongs to New York City. When she’s not writing she’s either curled up with a good book, travelling or screaming at the TV willing her sporting teams to pull out the win.

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 Submissions

A MelanieM Review: Always With Me (With Me #6) by Kris Jacen

Rating: 2.75 stars out of 5

Calvin and Camden Luna — why yes, their dad is a big baseball fan— have moved around the world with their parents. Their father has been in the military since before they were born. Proud of their father and uncles and all they’ve done, neither of them is sure the military is for them. Cam is a fantastic baseball player and Cal loves the science of everything. Haven’t they given enough?

Tristan Nolan and Maddy Holt both grew up as military kids too, but neither of their fathers moved them around as much as the twins. Maddy wants to save the planet and capture the heart of Calvin Luna… if he’d only open his eyes. Tris has grown up wanting to follow in the footsteps of those before him. But can he be himself — out and proud —serve and protect his country and end up with the one he’s loved for as long as he can remember?

What can happen when you grow up a military brat with the ties that they have with their fathers’ close friends and their families? Find the love of your life almost from the start? Or find out that maybe you’re all too close for anything else?

I have loved Kris Jacen’s With Me series from the very first story Wait for Me.  From that foundation novel, Jacen established a universe, tone, and overall series framework that pulled her readers into the world of military families and soldiers, the  units that become to tight that they form a brotherhood unlike any other, one that also then encompasses their families as well, and then extends out to future generations coming up the ranks.  We watch them toil, and sweat, and work through major issues, deep ones, military in nature, emotional, and sexual.

Some of the men start off alone and get pulled into the heptad, a strong group of men that trained and fought together.  Others were there all along as part of the foundation.  And we watched and were there, connected through our hearts as each and everyone has found their HEA,  And gotten married.  Some have had kids, those that had kids or adopted, well, we watched them grow up through theses stories. We felt as much a part of these families as these men did.

That is the beauty of Jacen’s writing.  It’s her intimate knowledge of this world and it’s workings.  Her compassion for the families and her acknowledgement of the strength and flexibility or perhaps adaptability it takes to be a military spouse and family. And the support system needed as well.  It’s all here, layered in, all the characters, the kindnesses and the tears, the food and the packing, the stress and the pain.  And also the joy, the love, and the fierce pride in serving their country.  That is here too and never forgotten.

I loved the men and I love the romances.  And I though the author was finished with the series with her story Step Up With Me.  With that book, she seemed to have wrapped up things nicely.

Then out comes Always With Me (With Me #6) and it’s a whole new generation.  Literally.  And in so many ways it just doesn’t seem to fit in with all the books that went before.  Style, characterizations, and even editing. Something happened here with this story and that’s surprising.

The first thing (and this element is something the author noted in her forward) is that there are too many voices.  Hard not to do with when the book is about twins but the format of the book which moves the storyline forward by ages (ex Cal age 26, Cam age 28) doesn’t give the reader a smooth flow.  It’s jumbled to begin with and lacks a continued character growth for both men.   That’s the other thing.  We have two men here.  One gay, that’s Cam. One, het, that’s Cal.  To do each justice, each needs their own story.  But both gets jammed into one here and it suffers from that.

The book flip flops back and forth between brothers quickly, never really resting too long for any depth or layering to set in.  We know that Tristan and Maddy (kids now grown from other men in the heptad)  are going to be the twins boyfriend/girlfriend.  But when it happens, it’s so quick, that you find yourselves blinking in astonishment over the suddenness.  Cam and Tris needed their own story.  By putting Cal in here too with Maddy no one got the story they deserved and everyone came off pale shades of what could have been.

So I think this book and romances hurt by a jumbled format and hurt by too many characters not allowed to show growth and development.

But the final issue for me was the editing.  I will give just one example.  Under the Chapter Cal Age 26 .  This is the chapter where Tris is surprising Cam but first meets up with Cal for a talk.  Every word that is supposed to say Cal says “Cam”.  For pages.  So it looks like Tris is talking to Cam about well, Cam.  It’s jarring and removes the reader totally out of the story.  There were other issues but this was the most egregious.  And yes, it was the final copy.

Then ending did see everyone show up from many of the other stories, brief appearances that were nice to see but again only made you wish for those couples and stories in comparison.

This was also lacking much of the military life that one normally expects to see in this series, especially as Tris went into the military as a career, a huge thing and should have been a major element in their relationship.  And it was barely addressed, again something that was left by the wayside because too much had to be fit in . But made no sense in what is essentially a military series.

So I absolutely recommend books 1 through 5, I will leave book 6 up to you.

Cover art: Kris Jacen captures the twins perfectly.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 114 pages
Published May 24th 2019 by MLR Press
ASINB07S7KCYXH

With Me Series:

Wait for Me

Explore with Me

Learn with Me

Challenge Me

Step Up with Me

Always With Me #6

Release Blitz and Giveaway for Kiss Me Again by Garrett Leigh

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal LinkExclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow With Kindle Unlimited
 
Cover Design: Black Jazz Design
 
Length: 227 pages
 
Blurb
 

Tree surgeon Aidan Drummond is content with his own company. He works alone, and lives alone, and it doesn’t occur to him to want anything else until a life-changing accident lands him in hospital. Then a glimpse of the beautiful boy in the opposite bed changes everything.


Ludo Giordano is trapped on the ward with a bunch of old men. His mind plays tricks on him, keeping him awake. Then late one night, a new face brings a welcome distraction. Their unlikely friendship is addictive. And, like most things in Ludo’s life, temporary.


Back in the real world, Aidan’s monochrome existence is no longer enough. He craves the colour Ludo brought him, and when a chance meeting brings them back together, before long, they’re inseparable again.


But bliss comes with complications. Aidan is on the road to recovery, but Ludo has been unwell his entire life, and that’s not going to change. Aidan can kiss him as much as he likes, but if he can’t help Ludo when he needs him most, they don’t stand a chance.


“Kiss Me Again is a deliciously tender and prickly romance about the intimacy that comes with acceptance. Ludo and Aidan accept and love each other for exactly who they are—complications, injuries, mental health issues, moods—and I loved them for it.” — Roan Parish

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.


Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.


When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.


Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.


Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh

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Sales Blitz for First Season (Harrisburg Railers #2) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey (giveaway)

 

 
FIRST TIME ON SALE!!
 
ONLY 99C/99P TILL JUNE 8 AND AVAILABLE TO BORROW WITH KINDLE UNLIMITED
 
 
Length: 55,700 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Meredith Russell
 
Harrisburg Railers Series
 

Book #1 – Changing Lines – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – First Season – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #3 – Deep Edge – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #4 – Poke Check – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #5 – Last Defense – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #6 – Goal Line – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #7 – Neutral Zone – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Book #8 – Hat Trick – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb
 

Layton wants success, Adler wants family, how can love make both these things possible?


Layton Foxx works hard for what he has. The condo, the career, the chance to make his mark, is all down to the sacrifices he has made. With tragedy in his past, he doesn’t want or need love. Then he meets Adler Lockhart, the extroverted, sexy winger for the Harrisburg Railers and abruptly he can’t avoid love even if he wanted to.


Adler Lockhart has had everything handed to him his whole life. Cars, villas, cash, college tuition at the finest Ivy League schools. The only things he doesn’t have are parents who care or the love of a good man. Then Layton walks into his privileged life and shows him what real love can be like.

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.


RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.


The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.


She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:

USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.


V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, 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, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.


When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.

 

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