Category: M/M Romance

New Release Tour and Giveaway: Breaking Ground (Rocking Racers #8) by Megan Lowe (excerpt)

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! 
As I double-check the supplies in the medical centre, I tell myself for what has to be at least the ninety-seventh time in the past two hours that this will be good experience and look impressive on my résumé. At twenty-one, I’m in my last year as a paramedical science student; then there’s just two years on-the-job training. If I will indeed be a paramedic, I need to get used to thinking on my feet, working in unfamiliar places and in situations I may not know a lot about. Volunteering at the National Racing Series ticks all of those boxes, even if I think the event is nothing more than an excuse for man-children to strut around and try to figure out who has the biggest… engine.
Motorbike racing is dangerous and frankly unnecessary. All racing is. What does it prove? That the winner can go round a track the fastest? Whoop de doo.
It’s good experience, Mase, I remind myself.
It might be, I reply, but it’s still idiotic.
Great, now I’m talking to myself.
“I told you, Pop, I’m fine,” someone says just outside the doors.
“And Reed is fine trying to take on that nutcase Hunter David,” someone—Pop, I presume—replies. “Just get your arse in there.”
A second later, a guy—he can’t be over eighteen—struts through the door. I say strut because that’s what he does. He has the build all the riders do. Not tall, I’m going for about five nine-ish, slim but strong, solid but not overly so, slightly bow-legged, with longish dark brown hair, deep brown eyes, and a smirk on his face. If I’d seen him on the street, he’s definitely someone I’d give a second glance to. That face…. But meeting him here, knowing what he does? No, thank you.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
“Yeah, my pop wants me to get checked out even though I told him I’m fine,” he says. He’s cradling his right hand, and although he clearly doesn’t want to show it, the edges of his smirk pull slightly.
“Are you in pain?” I ask, stepping forward and grabbing his gloved hand.
“Nah.”
I give him my best no-nonsense look. “If you’re in pain, I need you to tell me. Check all that macho he-man shit at the door, all right? Pain is the body’s way of letting us know something isn’t right.”
He hisses as I gently pull off his glove.
“Yeah, not so tough now, are we?” I know I shouldn’t have said that, but I can’t help myself. These guys, they act like they’re doing the world a favour, going round on their bikes at frankly ridiculous speeds.
“Screw you, man,” he says, pulling his hand out of mine. “I came here for help, even though I didn’t want it and I certainly don’t need it.”
“Is that right?”
“Yeah, it is.” He hitches his chin.
“Bend that finger, then.” I motion to his clearly broken index finger. “You can’t, can you?” I ask as he struggles to do it. “That’s because it’s broken. It’s going to need surgery and a pin inserted to stabilise it.”
“Look, buttercup,” he says, “I don’t have time for this. Give me a jab for the pain and strap my fingers together. I’ve got a bike to ride.”
I shake my head and cross my arms. “I don’t think so. There’s no way I’m declaring you fit to race, not with an injury like that.”
I glare at him, and he at me, neither of us willing to back down.
“Ah, excuse me?”
Although it kills me to, I break the staring competition and turn my attention to the guy who came in with arseface here.

 

***

Rocking Racers Series!
 
Book 1
 All buy links HERE
 
Book 2
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Book 3
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Book 4

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Book 5

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Book 6

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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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A MelanieM Review: A Step too Far (Too Far #2) by H.L. Day

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Two men. Three identities. An unstoppable attraction.

Desperate for his luck to change, Jake Spencer manages to land a dance contract with Dmitry Gruzdev. The job has plenty of perks, including a simmering lust between him and Dmitry’s hulking brute of a bodyguard, Mikhail. Life is finally looking up. Except as the shine wears off, it becomes clear that Jake’s stepped into a world of darkness and depravity where Bratva answers to no one and allies are not what they seem.

Mikhail’s hiding a secret: there is no Mikhail. He’s simply a front for undercover operative, Ryan Harris. A means to gain access to Dmitry. Ryan’s not stupid. There’s no way he’s going to get distracted by a pretty face, no matter how attractive Jake might be. That would be far too dangerous for all concerned. Only it’s not that simple and before Ryan knows it, the line between personal and professional begins to blur spectacularly.

Lust develops into more. Secrets start to unravel. Ryan’s got an impossible choice to make: keep Jake safe or maintain his cover. But how much does Dmitry know? The hunted may be about to become the hunter, blowing both men’s worlds to pieces and leaving them with nothing.

Can a relationship built on lies ever lead to love?

Warning: This book contains a seductive dancer prone to getting into trouble, a gruff man who’s anything but, and a villain who just won’t go away.

A Step too Far (Too Far #2) by H.L. Day picks up after the events of A Dance Too Far where Dmitry’s loses his star dancer (and much more), Valentin.  Valentin’s escape has left a hole in Dmitry’s organization as a cover, the lack of a dancer a continuing blow to the mobster’s pride and other self interests and something needs to be done about it.  Immediately.

Questions that Valentin asked himself in the last story were what had happened to Mikhail, the stoic Russian bodyguard who had finally risked everything to help Valentin.  And why?  A Step too Far gives us those answers and so much more. Including the startling information that Mikhail is actually undercover agent Ryan Harris trying to gather intel and take down a Russian gang. The toll of being Mikhail is becoming too much, he’s seen and been a part of to too much. And now Dimitry has tasked him with finding Valentin’s replacement.

Day actually splits this character into Mikail/Ryan, that’s how it reads for most of the story because he’s two completely different personalities.  One cold, ruthless, and trying to being sexless.  The other warm,torn, intelligent, with a conscious that’s telling him he can’t keep doing this no matter the end result.   We see them both.  First it’s mostly Mikhail staying in character, then a mixture, and then finally mostly Ryan as that personality becomes dominant, dangerous while undercover.

The reason why?  A young dancer name Jake who to his peril falls naively into the space vacated by Valentin because he wants to dance and needs an apartment to live, while having little outside ties.  The perfect victim.  Unlike Valentin who had been with Dimitry for a decade when we met him (and endured the abuse and control), Jake is fresh, happy, bouncy even, full of optimism and, trust me, the reader just starts to cringe from the moment Dimitry ushers him into his office and shuts the door.

Because this is a darker story than the first.  Valentin had figured things out in a decades time, had methods to deal with Dimitry’s twisted love and abuse.  But here Dimitry feels no love for Jake, he’s just a commodity.  And what happens between Jake and Mikhail/Ryan is one that develops more than once because its with different men, a neat trick, narratively speaking.

Mixed in with all this is a deep espionage storyline, a high suspense thread that will have you on your seat,  and a long, drawn out climax and resolution  that includes timely and perfect appearances by Max and Valentin to give Ryan and Jake the ending their deserve.

The one thing that did bother me, the lack of therapy for Jake, was finally given a brief mention, a rationale as to why it didn’t work, and what was helping.  I’m not sure I ever bought it , and yes, that was one of my issues in the first story as well.  But at least it was mentioned here.  That was a step up.

I tried to think about how I compared the two stories and decided I couldn’t.  That was like comparing the two men as dancers.  Totally different in so many ways.  I liked some things about this story better but really not the characters.  The characters in both stories are amazing.  And this one leaves me wondering if there is anywhere to go from here.  Just not sure.

But if you love your contemporary romance with raw sex, open emotion, some darkness and wild suspense.  This story and the one prior to it, which you much read before this one, are just the thing!  Pick up Valentin’s story and then head straight for Jake’s. Be prepared to  be totally connected and unable to put them down.  I highly recommend them both.

Cover art: H.L. Day.  That’s post Dimitry Jake alright.  I like the cover but truthfully nothing can match that impact of the first one.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 275 pages
Published June 3rd 2019 by Amazon Digital Services
ASIN B07SNCMDNW
Edition Language English
Series Too Far #2

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review : Will & Patrick Wake Up Married Series (Episodes 1-3) by Leta Blake & Alice Griffiths /John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

OMG! I was hooked within the first ten minutes of this 11 1/2 hour audiobook. John Solo did a spectacular job interpreting the humor the authors infused throughout every page. His vocalizations and sound effects were spot-on. And the voice he gave each of the MCs was perfect for their characters.

I already hit one-click to purchase the second volume: books 4-6 in e-book format because I cannot wait one moment to pick up where this one left off. Will I listen to the audio when it comes out? If John Solo narrates it, you bet I will. And I very highly recommend everyone hurry to pick up this audiobook. This will most definitely make your day.

Quick summary – Will Patterson is a sweetheart—a young man who suffers from type I diabetes and is attempting to recover from alcoholism.  He slips spectacularly at a medical conference in Las Vegas and finds himself married to neurosurgeon Dr Patrick McCloud. For financial reasons, they can’t divorce or have the marriage annulled. Will’s connected to organized crime and the funds he inherited through the mob side of the family, with which he’s doing altruistic work to help the people in his town, will disappear if he doesn’t marry for love and/or if he ever divorces or annuls his marriage.

Patrick can’t believe his luck. Bad luck, that is. Well, maybe not. Will is hot and as time goes by Patrick finds more to love than not love about Will. Patrick is full of snark and vinegar though, and God forbid anyone find out he’s really a nice guy. No way. 

The major problem they have, other than the fact they got drunk married, is that Will is not over his ex. Ryan is annoying and very passive-aggressive and quite full of himself. I am hoping he gets his comeuppance by the end of the series. In the meantime, this volume ends on a high note. The guys have decided to stay together for now, enjoying a friends-with-benefits sort of relationship, with all the sex Will wants, and that’s something the never had with Ryan. Patrick’s heart seems to be getting engaged, so I have no doubt the next volume is going to be a treat. And I’m starting that the minute I finish this review.

Most highly recommended! In audio, for sure.

Sales Links:  Amazon | Audible

Audio Book Details:

Audible Audio, 1st edition, 12 pages
Published May 24th 2019 by Leta Blake Books (first published May 2nd 2016)
ASINB07S98HFY4
Edition Language English
Series Wake Up Married #1-3

BOOK 4-6 Wake Up Married serial, Episodes 4 – 6: Fight Their Feelings, Meet the Mob, Happy Ending

An Alisa Review: Surviving the Shadows (The Bearer of Truth #2) by Miranda Turner

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

Gabriel has been gone longer than predicted, and Evander is growing increasingly worried each day that passes without his return. Confounded by their leaders’ lack of answers, Evander and the team begin to fear the worst.

 

In the midst of fruitlessly searching Miami for clues to the Daemon Abaddon’s whereabouts, Evander begins to have disturbingly vivid dreams. With a little help from a newly returned and empty-handed Michael and Barabbas, Evander discovers Gabriel has been calling out for help across their nascent bond, and they set off to rescue Gabriel from the depths of the Underworld.

 

Gabriel is old friends with torture, and his captors haven’t been gentle. Despite growing weaker every day, Gabriel resolves to survive long enough for rescue, or to die fighting, until a Dark Seer begins to dredge up the terror of Gabriel’s horrific childhood, threatening to destroy his mind and soul. Nearing the end, Gabriel manages a last-ditch effort to contact help, reaching out to Evander in his dreams.

 

Against all odds, Evander and the team fight through the Underworld to reach Gabriel and come face to face with mortality. Sacrifices made for the bonds of brotherhood nearly break them, and Gabriel learns the hard way that embracing the darkness while fighting for the light may be the only way to survive.

 

From the underbelly of Reno to the glitz and glam of Vegas, Gabriel, Evander, and the men they call family will be tested, and the final confrontation with Gabriel’s maker may be the end of everything they hold dear.

 

Another well written story and I still love to see how in depth the world these characters have to navigate is.  When we last saw Gabriel he was telling Evander that he would be back soon but as weeks go by with no word the team begins to worry.  Thankfully Evander and Gabriel’s connection help them to find him.

 

I liked how much different Evander was in this story since he has realized that he is not as perfect as he had always been told.  And while he resolves to work harder on his and Gabriel’s relationship, which he does, it’s hard to do when they aren’t sure if there are on the same page.  Gabriel’s experience in the underworld makes him have so much more to work through but he is so much stronger than he gives himself credit for.

 

This story goes more back and forth between the characters, which I liked as it gave me more of an insight into Evander.  I hope that as time goes on Gabriel can see that it isn’t as necessary to sacrifice himself but that he can use more help from the others and I couldn’t help but feel that these two could support each other more if they would just let the other in.  Finally at the end of the book it seems Gabriel and Evander are starting to be united as one and on the same page but I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the next book.

 

The cover art by Lou Harper is great and I continue to like the visuals of Gabriel.

 

Sales Link: Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 293 pages

Published: June 14, 2019 by Miranda Turner

Edition Language: English

Series: Bearer of Truth #2

A Lucy Prerelease Review : Love & Tea Bags (Pink Rock Series #1) by C.F. White

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Fate can be written in a tea bag too. 

Mark Johnson is hitting his forties and is stuck in a rut. 

He’s had the same boring office job for ten years, with no motivation or inclination to change it. The same crumbling house for ten years, with no cash or know-how to fix it. And the same Facebook status for five years—it’s complicated. It isn’t. He’s single. He just doesn’t want to correct it. That would be admitting defeat. 

The day a tea bag splats onto his face whilst he’s emptying the dregs of his morning cuppa at Macy’s Tea Shoppe is the one that makes him question each of his current life choices…the tea bag and that the shop is currently being run by one rather friendly, rather hunky, but rather young Australian named Bradley Summers. 

Tea has never tasted so good. The very best part of this book Mark’s inner musings.  He is pretty much a mess – stuck in a job that is going nowhere, in a house that is falling apart around his ears, listening to a mother who is just vile, and really only having one really good thing he can depend on.  Tea.  “Tea.  There was the answer to everything.  Everything.”  It is this good thing that leads him to Macy’s Tea Shoppe, owned by his one real friend in the world, Macy. 
“Macy was possibly the only one in Mark’s life who seemed to accept him for who he was.” He is 39 and sometimes talks like he is 79.  “…services we have to offer such a young whippersnapper like yourself.”

When he finds out his roof has to be fixed and he doesn’t have the money to do so, he sets off for Macy’s to drown his sorrows in tea.  After basically venting his spleen to Macy in the back of the shop, it turns out the one listening isn’t Macy, but her young cousin, Bradley.  Bradley, the Australian Adonis who is covering for Macy while she is with her parents and who happens to be a stripper.  A 21-year-old free spirit stripper.  The Adonis who forgets to take the tea bag out of the cup he serves Mark, which splats onto Mark’s face.  And so they meet.

Most of the story is Mark trying to find reasons why he can’t be with Bradley, why Bradley doesn’t really want to be with him, why friends only is the way to go and how he can ignore the longings of his own heart.  Someone has done a real number on Mark and he has lost all self confidence and sense of self worth. 

Bradley is sunny, sweet and YouTube famous as a stripper.  He believes in reading tea leaves, of all things and he is all about adventure and living life to the fullest. He is also in England short term.  Mark doesn’t want to have anything with Bradley.  Especially when he remembers Bradley is Macy’s cousin.  It’s complicated.

Some times Mark just made me laugh.  His fear sent him to the attic of his house to confront some old ghosts, after having sex with Bradley.  “It seemed for the second time that evening he was going to enter into a hole that scared the utter crap out of him.”

As secondary characters, Macy is really supportive and likeable but Damian steals the show. He and Mark have a physical history but now are just friends and Damian is a good one.  He styles Mark to get him out of the frump and pushes him to understand how good he is.  I really hope Damian gets a story, he deserves one. 

Mark’s parents are complicated beings, Dad lost all their money gambling in a mid-life crisis and Mom does whatever necessary to maintain appearances.  One of the most poignant scenes I’ve read in recent times is Mark’s conversation with his dad about dad’s regrets.  It was so heart breaking.

The ending is very rom-com and was very sweet and funny, if over the top.

Cover art is really pretty spot on with the blond Adonis and the tea loving Mark.

Sales Links Pre Order:  Pride Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 307 pages
Expected publication: July 16th 2019 by Pride Publishing
ISBN13 9781786517951
Edition Language English
URL https://www.firstforromance.com/book/love-and-tea-bags
Series Pink Rock Series #1

Audio BLITZ for I Wished for You by Colette Davison and Piers Ryman (Narrator) ~ excerpt and giveaway

Title: I Wished For You

Author: Colette Davison

Narrator: Piers Ryman

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: 6 June 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male Menage

Length: 06 Hours 24 Minutes

Genre: Romance, LGBT

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Synopsis

Three wishes.

Seb wants to be happy.
Matt wants to find ‘the one.’
Connor wants them.

Two drunken kisses.

Seb didn’t plan to kiss Matt and Connor, but he doesn’t regret it, even if it has changed their friendship forever.

Matt has never considered dating a man before, let alone two. Despite his confusion, being with Seb and Connor feels right.

One uncertain future.

Connor’s potential fate has stopped him living and loving. Can he face his fears to be with the men he loves?

***Contains explicit language and scenes***

Excerpt

“Wow,” Matt breathed as a shooting star shot across the now dark sky, trailing a tail of light behind it.

“That’s awesome,” Seb said. “Hey, aren’t you meant to wish on shooting stars or something?”

Matt stood, watching the sky intently. He’d finished his second can of beer and started on his third before he saw another shooting star.

“I wish I could find the one,” he yelled at the star.

Anything was worth a shot. Every girl he’d dated had held the promise of being the one, but every relationship had fizzled out within weeks or months. He was getting close to believing he’d permanently be shut in the friend zone by every woman he knew.

“My turn,” Seb said, leaping up to stand beside Matt. “Find me a star.”

“There might not be any more,” Connor pointed out.

A glance over his shoulder told Matt that Connor was still sitting, nursing a can of beer in his cupped hands. With their breath frosting on the air in front of them, Matt and Seb kept a fierce watch on the sky.

“There,” Matt said, pointing towards the far right as a star shot across the darkness.

“I wish to be happy again,” Seb yelled.

Matt turned to Connor. “It’s your turn.”

Connor shook his head.

“Why not?”

Connor met Matt’s curious stare. “I’ve already had one wish come true. I figure I’d be pushing my luck to make a second.”

Matt’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh? Do we get to know what this wish of yours was?”

Pink splashed across Connor’s nose and cheeks. He looked down, mumbling his answer. “I wished for friends. Someone I could count on. I met the two of you right after.”

Matt’s chest clenched. He tried to speak, but his voice stuck fast in his throat.

“Really?” Seb asked, staring intently at Connor as he sat in the middle chair.

Connor lifted his eyes again, staring at Seb and then at Matt. “Yeah.” He looked to the sky. “I mean… it was probably a coincidence, but I wished for you, and there you were.”

Tears stung Matt’s eyes. He ran his hand over them and down his face, sniffing loudly. “Well, fuck, Con…” He wasn’t even sure what it was he wanted to say. “I’m glad we met you, too,” he managed. “I’m glad we could help you when you needed us.”

“You still do,” Connor said softly. “Every day.”

“Okay, shut the fuck up now,” Matt said, trying not to cry. He flopped into the third chair. “I’m not nearly drunk enough to be getting this sentimental. More booze!”

Seb handed him a full can, and together, they sat and watched the occasional light show of falling stars as they drank into the night.

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Meet the Author

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.

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A MelanieM Review: A Dance Too Far (Too Far #1) by H.L. Day

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Love can be dangerous!

Valentin Bychkov, rising star of contemporary Russian ballet, appears to have everything: wealth, talent, success, and a face and body to match. Not that anyone can get close. Bypass the entourage and there’s still Valentin’s sharp tongue and acerbic wit to deal with. He may give his body freely, but his emotions are kept tightly locked away.

Max Farley’s life is a simple one. All he’s interested in is work, drinking, and picking up the latest in a long line of one-night stands. The way he chooses to live may not be to everyone’s taste but it suits him down to the ground. He’s never met anyone who’s made him want to confront the demons from his past. Until now.

A show in London brings the two together. Lust brings them closer still. But if rumors of Bratva connections turn out to be true, then dangerous men wait in the wings. One dangerous man in particular, who’s used to people following his orders without question.

Difficult choices need to be made on both sides. Valentin and Max need to stop playing with fire and let each other go, or face the consequences. But letting go isn’t that easy where love is concerned.

And some things are worth the risk.

Warning: This book contains a snarky ballet dancer with an aversion to clothes, a little too much wall sex and an overabundance of Russian heavies.

Well, this is a first, but I’m starting my review with that cover.  It’s extraordinary!  From that gorgeous, arrogant, and yes, mysterious visage, you are  pulled towards him and his story.  That lace covered forehead and matching collar!  Those lips, that metallic blue eyeshadow and that side glance!  Tell me you aren’t hooked?  Well, author H.L. Day was.  From the moment they saw that photograph, a  character was born and then a story created, and then a series.

That unforgettable picture launched Valentin Bychkov  and the name suites perfectly.

The story?  Let’s get to that.

I just loved both characters. Author Day has two complex men who could  each fill a novel with their back histories alone.  Valentin’s, when it is revealed, is steeped in his parents romance and then mysterious death that left him an orphan of easy prey, especially since he was a boy a great talents and ambitions.  Valentin remains someone who keeps evolving, as layer after layer is lifted, showing new aspects to his personality and story.

Max Farley’s life has also been one of pain and disillusionment, betrayal actually.  Something that will emerge later in the story.  I thought this element was dealt with far too quickly and easily for the topic which accounts for the 4 instead of 5 star rating.  I realize that there were other issues at hand here for the characters to deal with but to throw this in here at this stage of the story and in this manner and not bring it up again just struck me as a less than responsible treatment.  Especially given that underage boys, sexual slavery, and pederophilia is a business for the Russian mafia and has had its effect on Valentin.

The story was well written, full of suspense, lots of action, hot sex, and finally love and romance.  If it feels like the love flows between Valentin and Max too quickly I think it’s because we forget how the time flew over the course of the story.  Still the chemistry rocked between the pair.

Did I buy that Valentin was a diva ballet dancer?  Absolutely!  The ballet seemed to pour out of this character, it was a part of him, and it grounded him even further in my mind.   Did I get that Max was a sound engineer?  Not so much.  We only saw him briefly in that role. Once in the sound booth and then it was only one more time after that.  He’s supposed to be so great at what he does that he can swagger into his booth late, smelling of sex and in dirty clothes and not get fired.  He’s as much a diva in his profession as Valentin is in his.   That’s the way the music world works yet I never got that from him.  Nor from the lack of repercussions from the events that happen later on.  So that never rang true.  While we had a entire foundation of work and passion from Valentin, we were missing that from Max and it made him a little less substantial.

Of course, I’m thinking of this after all the fast moving events are over, the drama is done, and the boys are now safely together.  For a while there, the author had us questioning everything!

Which made this a wonderfully exciting, sexy, and romantic read.

Valentin poses some questions for himself and us at the end of the story.  The next book will answer them.  I’m already on it.  And loving it.

But for now I’m recommending you stare at that cover…a long, long, time.  Then go pick up the story and get acquainted with Valentin and Max.  What a ride awaits you!

Cover art: H.L. Day.  One of my favorite covers this year.  See my opening statements above.

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 245 pages
Published February 15th 2019
ASINB07NTTRXR2
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesToo Far #1

A Lila Review: The Demon of Hagermarsh (Virasana Empire: Sir Yaden #1) by Beryll Brackhaus and Osiris Brackhaus

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

“The Emperor cares for each and every one of his subjects.”

Many consider the catchphrase of the imperial Lotus Knights to be nothing more but well-polished propaganda, but for Yaden, it is a way of life.

A young Lotus Knight himself, his first mission in service of the Emperor sends him to the remote village of Hagermarsh, a suspiciously friendly place on a planet known for its inhospitable people. But how to uncover a demonist coven when nothing bad ever happens?
Getting to know the villagers only makes things more difficult – the motherly fishmonger surely isn’t a demonist. Nor the gruff leader of the local militia. And definitely not the cute baker from across the street.

Or are they?

Come discover a dazzling, hopeful universe of knights and monsters, of psions, aliens and ancient deities! The Demon of Hagermarsh is the first book of ‘Sir Yaden’, an epic SF saga of grand adventure, romance, bromance and family, set in the multi-faceted Virasana Empire. It is a romantic adventure and can be read as a standalone.

The Demon of Hagermarsh is a well-written mix of paranormal and sci-fi elements. It transcends the MM Romance genre and set itself apart with a great set of characters and mystery elements. The descriptions include all senses and it’s easy to feel and understand Yaden since the reader is part of him.

It does have slow spots and lengthy descriptions but they can be appreciated when they become relevant further in the story. The battles and explanations could have been shorter but it helps the overall story.

The characters are three-dimensional and the reader gets a chance to cheer for their future. I wanted a bit more of Darios since he’s an important part of the memory chapters, but not much of the regular ones. I was intrigued by him and the possibilities of his future.

I like Colin and the innocence of his relationship with Yaden. The rest of the people in the village felt real and interesting. Even after everything happened, I wanted to revisit them and see how they have changed.

The small peek into Yaden life as a Lotus Knight and all his friendships opened the door for future installments in this saga. I’m definitely reading the next one.

The cover by Anna Tiferet is perfect for the story. It shows the setting as described by Yaden. Everything from the weather to the house stones is relevant to the story.

Sale Links: Amazon | iBooks | Smashwords

Book Details:
ebook, 212 pages
ISBN: 9781092150453
Published: June 3, 2019, by Beryll & Osiris Brackhaus
Edition Language: English

Series: Virasana Empire
Book #1: The Demon of Hagermarsh

An Alisa Audio Review : Prophesy (The King & Alpha #1) by A.E. Via and Nathaniel Black (Narrator)

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

Justice Volkov is the youngest Alpha Zenith to ever lead the wolf shifters. Following in his father’s large paw prints was a responsibility he met head on. Now at age thirty-three, he is alpha of the alphas. As a direct descendant of the original Siberian pack, his wolf is bigger and stronger than Justice, himself is sometimes able to control.

His wolf howled long and hard but Justice kept it inside. It felt like a bass drum beating against his rib cage. The harsh breaths, angry snarls and the determined pacing inside him was overtaking him.

Justice takes his role of leadership and his legacy very seriously. He has little time for romance, not to mention a true mate. His packs are his priority. With a human government trying to regulate them, an uprising of rogue shifters, and a violent team of scientists trying to experiment on them, Justice has his hands way too full.

Chadwick ‘Wick’ Bentley is not enthusiastic when the captain of his escort tells him he has to leave his comfortable London home and go back to the States. As the Vampire King, he has no choice but to get his species back in line before they cause anymore chaos. At over one-hundred years old, Wick is no one to trifle with, but his smooth, charismatic manner makes him quite unique, despite the negative reputation vampires have. Wick has had nothing but time up to this point. He doesn’t feel the need to make issues pressing. Nothing is urgent in his life. Until he meets Justice. His beloved.

“Natural enemies can’t be mates.” Or so Justice thought. He knows his skepticism and rejection is hurting his mate, so while he fights their connection, Wick gets help from a source very close to Justice to help him win his beloved’s heart. Wick is a force all on his own, but when he’s blessed with a special gift from the Mother herself, not even Justice’s powerful wolf can prevent the prophesy from being fulfilled.

This story DOES NOT contain/mention MPREG.
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. It ends with a very HFN.

Warning: This book is MM paranormal: If you DO NOT like hot, alpha men shifting into large wolves, or vampires feeding from their mates, this may not be your read.

So, this has been one of those books that I was unsure about when it first came out but figured the audiobook would be my best shot for actually finally try it out.  I really enjoy most of this author’s books and did enjoy this one (and I know there is a second book) but it just felt a bit unfinished to me, I am not sure why as I know the story arc is going to continue throughout the series but just felt that there was do much unsaid.

I loved that we got to see both Justice and Wick’s points of view and it helped to understand them more.  Now, I know there is the whole mates insta-love thing, which I love, but after a mate basically pushes the other away and suddenly changes their mind and is suddenly in love with their mate, I just had some trouble with that.  Justice means well and I know he has a lot on his plate but he just seemed to make a lot of small similar mistakes when it comes to the vampires’ way of life.  I felt more for Wick with how different and apart he felt from the other vampires but was so glad that Justice was there to help guide him though the changes he went through.  I unfortunately didn’t feel the love with the characters and didn’t feel their connection to each other.

This is my first book narrated by Nathaniel Black and he did a nice job.  His narration and the voices he used help me to keep track of the story and what was going on but I didn’t feel the emotion in his voice which I think was one of the reasons I didn’t feel the connection with the characters.

I liked how the cover art by Jay Aheer shows how different Justice and Wick are and it gives great visuals of the characters.

Sales Links: Audible | Amazon | Audiobooks.com

Audiobook Details:

Audiobook, 6 hrs 50 min
Published: June 19, 2018 by AE Via
Edition Language: English

Series: The King & Alpha Series #1

New Release Tour:The Demon of Hagermarsh (Virasana Empire: Sir Yaden #1) by Beryll Brackhaus and Osiris Brackhaus (excerpt)

The Demon of Hagermarsh

Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus have a new MM fantasy book out: The Demon of Hagermarsh.

“The Emperor cares for each and every one of his subjects.”

Many consider the catchphrase of the imperial Lotus Knights to be nothing more but well-polished propaganda, but for Yaden, it is a way of life.

A young Lotus Knight himself, his first mission in service of the Emperor sends him to the remote village of Hagermarsh, a suspiciously friendly place on a planet known for its inhospitable people. But how to uncover a demonist coven when nothing bad ever happens?

Getting to know the villagers only complicates things – the motherly fishmonger surely isn’t a demonist. Nor the gruff leader of the local militia. And definitely not the cute baker from across the street.

Or are they?

Come discover a dazzling, hopeful universe of knights and monsters, of psions, aliens and ancient deities! The Demon of Hagermarsh is the first book of ‘Sir Yaden’, an epic SF saga of grand adventure, romance, bromance and family, set in the multi-faceted Virasana Empire. It is a romantic adventure and can be read as a standalone.

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink | Smashwords | Goodreads

Excerpt

Banner of Hagermarsh Meme

Instantly, Yaden was on his feet and in the sales room, only to realise that he had absolutely no reason to do so except for his curiosity, but now it was too late for a credible retreat.

“Good day, Sir,” he greeted Colin, hoping he’d come across as a diligent shop servant and not some weirdo.

Colin looked a little startled at his sudden appearance, but he gave him that sunny smile of his. “Good day, Yaden. I thought I’d break with tradition and come in first, so the rest of them can follow. Me being the other most recent newcomer to the village and all.”

“Oh?” So that was why Colin seemed so out of place in Hagermarsh. “You’re not from here either?”

“Actually I sort of am. My family has owned that bakery for generations. But my mother and her sister ran away to Schimmelbach. They hated this place, so, I wasn’t born here.”

“Really? But what’s to hate here? Hagermarsh seems pretty nice so far.”

“I don’t actually know,” Colin replied with another smile, this time bittersweet. “Mother died when I was little, so Aunt Mildred raised me. And she rarely talked about their time in Hagermarsh.”

“So there’s a terrible, dark secret to this village?” Yaden tried to keep his tone down and not too hopeful.

Colin laughed out loud. “In Hagermarsh? If there is one, I haven’t been initiated yet. I only moved here a few years ago, when my Grandpa died and I took over the bakery. And so far, it’s been the nicest place I’ve ever lived in.”

Not a useful lead. Yaden feverishly tried to figure out a way to ask more questions without making their conversation sound too much like an interrogation, until he noticed that Colin was looking at him with that beaming smile of his. It made him terribly nervous.

“So … What are you looking to buy?” Inelegant, but at least it was a way out.

“A few odds and ends. We do need the General Store to open again. Which reminds me, can I have my basket back, yet?”

“Actually, I dropped it off with your apprentice yesterday. Didn’t he tell you?” Yaden had specifically told the youth to let his master know, but had only received the usual grunt in return.

Colin groaned dramatically. “Rory! That lazy foghead is going to be the death of me one day! Eithne insisted that regular work would be good for him and he would improve, but I swear he is getting worse. That’s what you get for listening to a kind old lady trying to barter off one of her grandsons.”

“I’m … sorry?”

“No, no, not your fault at all.” Colin’s smile was back again in a blink. How could a man smile that much? “I’ll deal with him. After all, he is my apprentice and I’m responsible for him. I’ll get him into shape eventually.” He pulled a small note from his pocket, scanned it and for the first time properly looked around the sales room, his eyes going wide. “Wow! This is so orderly. And so much. It looks like you have at least one of everything.”

Before moving from Erys to Lagoona, Yaden would have agreed. He vividly remembered the first time he and Darios had visited one of the big shopping malls in Ridge, the highrise quarter of Agami, and gaped at the sheer amount of stuff on sale they hadn’t even known existed. They sure had felt like clueless country bumpkins. But after a year in the Empire’s capital, he had gotten used to it to a point where the General Store’s range of goods felt rudimentary to him.

“Mostly I need a new pen and a whole bunch of different spices.” Colin smiled at Yaden hopefully. “Could you show me where everything is?”

“Sure, though we may not have exotic spices in stock. But we can order them for you.”

“That would be great. Okay, let me see. Most urgently, I need some garnak, ideally whole pods, and some dried lurka leaves. Do you have any terran caraway, by chance?”

There wasn’t much assistance Yaden could offer, apart from showing him where they kept the spices. Deciphering the labels on the tins would have taken him much longer than Colin. But he recognized them at a glance, and Yaden stayed with him to portion out the amounts he needed and bring them over to the counter.

When Colin followed him to the counter, he noticed Darios properly for the first time and did a double take at his size.

“Master Darios, who actually owns the store,” Yaden introduced.

Darios greeted Colin with an amicable grunt and put his book down to ring up Colin’s purchases.

“I promised Master Colin a discount in exchange for his welcoming bread,” Yaden reminded him.

“Oh, no, that is absolutely not necessary.”

Colin looked embarrassed, but Darios glanced at Yaden with a decidedly amused twinkle in his eye. Instead of figuring in a discount, he pulled two extra pencils from the box he kept under the counter and pushed them over to Colin.

“Thank you.” He smiled first at Darios and then at Yaden again. For a Leichnami he smiled suspiciously much, but his smile was warm and pretty and Yaden couldn’t bring himself to mind. “Well, I should be on my way before the rest of Hagermarsh starts wondering whether you have eaten me.”

Walking him to the door was ridiculous, of course, but Yaden trailed behind him.

“Will I see you at the scribba training tonight?” Colin asked when he stepped out onto the porch.

“I thought that is only for the fighting citizens?”

Colin shook his head. “No, it’s a bit of a social gathering, too. Lots of people standing around, drinking beer and giving useless advice to us poor fork-wielding folk.” He smiled yet again. “I could introduce you to some of the younger villagers.”

Yaden gave an exaggerated shudder. “I’m not sure I want to meet them if they are anything like Bridget from next door,” he grabbed the opportunity to gather more information.

“Oh, so you met Bridget?” Colin’s smile gained a decidedly snarky edge. “Did she give you the ‘in this village we don’t tolerate any bullying and you better not step out of line’ speech?”

“Actually, she asked me lots of questions. And she gave me the ‘if anyone bullies you, I’ll protect you’ speech.”

“She did?” Colin looked amused and indignant at the same time. “Now, why do you look worthy of protection to her and I get treated like a ticking time bomb?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I look harmless?” Which was more than a little ridiculous considering what Yaden was capable of.

“Mmh,” Colin huffed and shrugged. “Granted, Bridget is a bit odd. But there are some nice folks in Hagermarsh. They only act gruff when there is a chance of strangers observing them. Hagermarsh is a real community where people look out for each other. I think you’ll like it here.”

Colin gave him that movie-star smile again, but Yaden had to struggle keeping up his own.

Those last sentences had triggered all alarms in Yaden’s head. All of that sounded way too much like propaganda, crafted to keep the population calm, happy and ignorant of any ugly things happening behind the scenes. It sounded very much like the slogans the Lotus Pavilion PR team had drummed into his head. Colin had even the right kind of wholesome handsomeness that made believing such stories so easy. If Yaden managed to pinpoint where this propaganda was coming from, he’d be on the right track.

“See you at the training, tonight?” Colin asked.

Yaden only managed an affirmative grunt.

“Looking forward to it. Oh, and you may wanna bring some beer. That’ll go a long way in making you less of a stranger.”

Yaden grunted again. Maybe not beer, but he had unpacked a whole crate of different kinds of schnapps and brandy earlier. Those would surely work just as well. He managed a parting smile before Colin turned around and left across the road.

Author Bio

We are Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, a couple currently living our happily ever after in the very heart of Germany, under the stern but loving surveillance of our cat.

Both of us are voracious but picky readers, we love telling stories and drinking tea, good food and the occasional violent movie. Together, we write novels of adventure and romance, hoping to share a little of our happiness with our readers.

Beryll: An artist by heart, Beryll was writing stories even before she knew what letters were. As easily inspired as she is frustrated, her own work is never good enough (in her eyes). A perfectionist in the best and worst sense of the word at the same time and the driving creative force of our duo.

Osiris: An entertainer and craftsman in his approach to writing, Osiris is the down-to-earth, practical part of our duo. Broadly interested in almost every subject and skill, with a sunny mood and caring personality, he strives to bring the human nature into focus of each of his stories.

Author Website: http://www.brackhaus.com/

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011014541510

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

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

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6427435.Osiris_Brackhaus

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Osiris-Brackhaus/e/B00IVTRO2E

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