An Alisa Review: The Gift of Casey by Shawn Lane

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

the-gift-of-caseyCasey Mackenzie unexpectedly finds himself in need of a “boyfriend” for his Thanksgiving dinner. For several months, Casey has been putting off family questions and invites with talk of his boyfriend “George.” Only now they actually expect to meet George at the holiday dinner.

 

George Accardo is Casey’s sexy neighbor who also happens to be an actor Casey once had a rather drunken rendezvous with. Casey has avoided George ever since. Until now.

 

Casey offers George fifty bucks to pretend to be his boyfriend for the duration of the Thanksgiving dinner. George has been intrigued by Casey since their first meeting but gave him space when Casey freaked. He accepts the job, though Casey assures him they will “break up” before Christmas.

 

Casey finds himself still charmed by George as Christmas approaches. Can George convince Casey he’s the gift he’s been hoping for before the holiday arrives?

 

This is really one of my favorite Christmas stories I read this year, just wonderfully heartwarming.  Casey gets in a jam when his best friend questions why his boyfriend won’t be attending Thanksgiving dinner.  The only logical answer is to have his neighbor, George, play his boyfriend, coincidently named George, right?

 

I loved these characters connections with each other.  Both Casey and George are really down to earth, attracted to each other but not quite knowing what to do about it.  George was wonderful just grabbing on to the opportunity to woo Casey with both hands now that he has it and Casey is willing to give him the chance so they can find when has been missing in both of their lives.  These two play off each other beautifully without having to be living in a perfect world bubble that is often seen in these types of stories.

 

The cover art is adorable and I love it.

 

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 51 pages

Published: December 10, 2016 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634862905

Edition Language: English

RIPTIDE TOUR: Assassins: Nemesis by Erica Cameron (giveaway)

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Assassins: Nemesis (Assassins #2) by Erica Cameron

Riptide Publishing
Cover by: Damonza

Read an Excerpt/Purchase it Here

 

About Assassins: Nemesis

Being orphaned and almost kidnapped in the space of a week sent Blake Marks into hiding. For months, Blake tries to help the Calvers—a family of vigilante bodyguards—investigate the people behind the hit on Blake’s father, Isaac, but then the safe house is compromised. Just as hired thugs storm the house to grab Blake, Daelan Calver dives into the fight, getting them both out alive.

Hiding isn’t an option anymore, but hit squads, under-the-table deals, and international espionage? Blake has no idea how to handle any of it, not even with Daelan’s family there to play teachers. The one thing Blake knows for sure is that there are only two options: keep up with the Calvers or get out of their way.

But even with the Calvers’ help and the glimmer of a possible future with Daelan giving Blake hope, chances of survival keep shrinking. The man who ordered the hit on Isaac may be dead, but his partner is viciously cold-blooded, and her plans could change the course of history. Blake wants to finish what Isaac started, but it’s looking like someone is going to die before this is over. And that someone might be Blake.

Now available at Riptide: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/assassins-nemesis

About Erica Cameron

After a lifelong obsession with books, Erica Cameron spent her college years getting credit for reading and learning how to make stories of her own. Erica graduated with a double major in psychology and creative writing from Florida State University and began pursuing a career as an author.

Erica is many things but most notably the following: writer, reader, editor, dance fan, choreographer, singer, lover of musical theater, movie obsessed, sucker for romance, ex-Florida resident, and quasi-recluse. She loves the beach but hates the heat, has equal passion for the art of Salvador Dali and Venetian Carnival masks, has a penchant for unique jewelry and sun/moon décor pieces, and a desire to travel the entire world on a cruise ship. Or a private yacht. You know, whatever works.

Connect with Erica:

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Assassins: Nemesis, one lucky winner will receive $30 in Riptide Publishing credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on January 14, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

This title is #2 of the Assassins series.

Release Blitz – The Road To Frosty Hollow – RJ Scott & Meredith Russell

The Road to Frosty Hollow 

RJ Scott & Meredith Russell

Authors: RJ Scott & Meredith Russell
 
Cover Design: Meredith Russell
Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2icRc7r

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2hFe16R

| AllRomance 

 
Blurb
 

Nick and Cameron face old demons, and find new love, on a Christmas road trip.

Former Marine Nick Sheridan is at a crossroads. With his entire life ahead of him he struggles to find direction and his place in the world. Car sharing to get home for his sister’s Christmas wedding seems like a good idea at first. Spending the time with the man he kissed and left years before, maybe not so much.

Cameron Bennett lost most of his teenage years to cancer and he now lives every day to the fullest. He decides to drive from Seattle to Vermont for his best friend’s wedding and capture moments of it on film. He hadn’t planned on car sharing with the man who kissed him ten years ago, but somehow he ends up with a brooding Nick by his side.

Along the way, the men learn that sometimes life plans mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Love can be found in the most unexpected of ways, and facing your demons head on is sometimes the only way to live.

 



December 26 – The Way She Reads, Urban Smoothie Read
December 28 – BooksLaidBareBoys, Sexy Erotic Xciting, Wicked Faerie’s Tales & Reviews
December 30 – MM Good Book Reviews, Making It Happen
January 4 – Jim’s Blog
January 9 – Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books, Reading in Sarah’s Corner, The Novel Approach
January 11 – Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Geekery Book Review
January 12 – Diverse Reader
January 16 – Alpha Book Club, Wicked Reads, Bayou Book Junkie, Book Lovers 4Ever

Author Bios

RJ Scott is the bestselling gay romance author of over ninety MM romance books. She writes 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.

RJ also writes MF romance under the name Rozenn Scott.

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.

mailto:rj@rjscott.co.uk

www.rjscott.co.uk/
www.facebook.com/author.rjscott?ref=ts&fref=ts
www.goodreads.com/author/show/3432558.R_J_Scott
twitter.com/Rjscott_author
www.librarything.com/author/scottrj

Meredith Russell lives in the heart of England. An avid fan of many story genres, she enjoys nothing less than a happy ending. She believes in heroes and romance and strives to reflect this in her writing. Sharing her imagination and passion for stories and characters is a dream Meredith is excited to turn into reality.

Website/blog: http://www.meredithrussell.co.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/meredithrussellauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeredithRAuthor
Instagram: http://instagram.com/miss_meredith_r
Email: meredithrussell666@gmail.com

You can find Meredith’s blog on cover art, including information and portfolio here:
http://meredithrussellart.blogspot.co.uk

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In our Author and New Release Spotlight: Cemeteries by Moonlight (States of Love) by Hunter Frost (author interview)

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Cemeteries by Moonlight (States of Love) by Hunter Frost
D
reamspinner Press
Cover Artist: AngstyG

Available for Pre-order Links:

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Hunter Frost here today.  Welcome, Hunter.  Please tell us about yourself, and your latest release, Cemeteries by Moonlight:

Many thanks to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for giving me the floor today. I’m thrilled to answer a few questions in hopes that you’ll get to know me and my work a little better. Also, I’m excited to promote my newest release – Cemeteries by Moonlight – that drops on January 18th. This book will be my first from Dreamspinner Press and part of the States of Love series. I was incredibly fortunate to claim Louisiana and craft my story around the ever-intriguing French Quarter. Cemeteries by Moonlight is a murder mystery with a cast of quirky characters anchored by the romance of a crime fiction writer and a cemetery tour guide. I consider it delightfully noir with a paranormal edge, and I loved writing it.

  

Where do you normally draw your inspiration for a book from?  A memory, a myth, a place or journey, or something far more personal?

From everywhere and everything. Inspiration is such an interesting creature. I am inspired every day by any number of objects (like art, furniture, landscapes, slot machines), experiences (like walking in the park, driving, shopping, flying, hiking, eating at a buffet), or media (movies, music, books, or Twitter)… I could go on. It’s the spark that ignites when I say to myself, what if…And voila, a story is born!

For my most current release, Cemeteries by Moonlight, I was inspired by my many trips to New Orleans. I’ve been there with friends, boyfriends, and even met a guy there I’d only previously talked to on the internet (who ended up having a glass eye and working as a car salesman – but I digress). I have walked the streets of the French Quarter at both ten at night and five in the morning. I’ve eaten beignets at Café Du Monde. I’ve been propositioned by prostitutes and given a lap dance by a man in drag. I’ve also felt the bitter cold in St. Louis Cemetery in February. The place can be magical and yet painfully real at the same time and I knew I’d have to use it one day as the setting of a story.

Are you a planner or a pantzer when writing a story? And why?

I’m a hardcore planner all the way. I could plan for years if I let myself. Thankfully, I’ve cut back on that ☺ I think my planning obsession stems from feeling like I have some sort of control when the characters are speaking to me in such a cacophony of voices. That said, keeping a thorough outline doesn’t mean I don’t allow for change. Quite the contrary, for with that outline down I can be pulled several different directions and follow those unlikely paths, if I so desire. Because I know that down the road if something breaks or falls flat, I can always come back to the original plan. Planning functions as a safety net. I don’t mind taking the leap, if I know I won’t die a horrible death miscalculating the jump.

Contemporary, supernatural, fantasy, or science fiction narratives or something else?  Does any genre draw you more than another when writing it or reading it and why does it do so?

Obviously I’m drawn to mystery and paranormal as evidenced by my newest book. Something about danger and suspense gets me going. Fear is a crazy sexy thing at times and it’s fun to play with in novels. I also love contemporary because it’s natural and comfortable when it comes to reading and writing. But I really do adore historicals. I’m a history geek with an MA in British history and regularly read Victorian and Regency era romance. The language, the fashion, and the culture are all so achingly beautiful. One day I have plans to write a couple historicals, but I know I would anguish over minute details that most wouldn’t care about. If I can manage to let the little things go, I might be able to get them published by 2050 😉

Were you an early reader or were you read to and what childhood books had an impact on you as a child that you remember to this day and why?

My parents read to me from very early on and I soon grew to read voraciously on my own. In my formative pre-teen years I was in love with suspense novels like those of R.L. Stine. But I’m not talking Goosebumps. The books I read were from the late eighties and geared toward a slightly older teen. Point was the publisher and my favorite author was Richie Tankersley Cusick. Her stories always had murder, mystery, romance, and chill-inducing suspense. I read them on the edge of my seat and I could never guess who was the killer. To this day, I’ll pick one of her books up to study how she managed to keep me hooked from the first page to the last.

I’m still learning, but I do believe practice makes perfect. So expect more mystery, suspense, and always romance from me in the future.

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Cemeteries by Moonlight

By Hunter Frost

When a serious bout of writer’s block threatens to delay mystery author Drew Daniels’s newest book, his aunt offers her New Orleans apartment in the heart of the French Quarter as a writing retreat. She neglects to mention that it’s occupied by the enigmatic and sexy Finn Murphy, a cemetery tour guide with a penchant for Victorian attire and a Cajun accent.

A body discovered in an open crypt forces reclusive Drew to deal with Finn’s eccentric group of friends and his underlying attraction to the hot Cajun—despite warnings about Finn’s violent past. Drew might write this stuff, but he’s never had to solve a real-life murder. With a deadline looming and a killer on the loose, this retreat is proving to be anything but helpful for Drew’s novel. Drew can only hope he won’t end up a tragic tale for the Ghostly Legends & Lore, Inc. haunted tour. 

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Release Date: January 18, 2017

About the Author

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Hunter’s early addiction to the smell of printed books led her to spend most of her childhood in libraries and bookstores. There she fell in love with stories featuring medieval castles, ghosts, and handsome heroes. Though writing has always been a part of her life, after college she went on to explore careers in graphic design, the culinary arts, and dog grooming before returning to graduate school to get her MA in British history. To pay the bills she spends her days working for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, but to appease her overactive muse, she writes the kind of fiction that keeps her sane. She adores romance in all forms, but prefers her stories with two heroes that find their happily-ever-after with each other.

Hunter would rather watch Spaceballs (or any Mel Brooks movies really), despite being born in the same year as Star Wars. She loves Monty Python, MST3K, and cheesy rom-coms from the ’80s and ’90s. Her wacky sense of humor is only paralleled by her hopeless romanticism. She’s a goth at heart and a sucker for men with long hair. She adores everything British, but insists tea be drunk without milk. She’s a pescetarian with vegan tendencies and has two fat little cats named after her favorite beverage – Latte and Java. She dreams of coastal living, marshmallows, and Matt Bomer.

Feel free to connect with her through any of her social media accounts, or send her an email. She welcomes messages from readers and/or Brits looking to adopt.

E-mail: hunter@hunterfrost.net

Website: www.hunterfrost.net

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HunterFrostMM

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hunterfrost75/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hunterfrostmm/

An Ali Audiobook Review: Between Ghosts by Garrett Leigh and Narrated by Craig Beck

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
betweenghosts_audiobook2400In 2003, journalist Connor Regan marched through London to add his voice to a million others, decrying the imminent invasion of Iraq. Eight months later, his brother, James, was killed in action in Mosul.

Three years on, Connor finds himself bound for Iraq to embed with an elite SAS team. He sets his boots on the ground looking for closure and solace—anything to ease the pain of his brother’s death. Instead he finds Sergeant Nathan Thompson.

Nat Thompson is a veteran commander, hardened by years of combat and haunted by the loss of his best friend. Being lumbered with a civilian is a hassle Nat doesn’t need, and he vows to do nothing more than keep the hapless hack from harm’s way.

But Connor proves far from hapless, and too compelling to ignore for long. He walks straight through the steel wall Nat’s built around his heart, and when their mission puts him in mortal danger, Nat must lay old ghosts to rest and fight to the death for the only man he’s ever truly loved.
I first read this around this time last year.  I was excited to get the opportunity to try this on audio because I had loved the story so much when I read it.  I’m happy to say that it was just as good on audio.  Connor is a journalist who has been an anti-war protester in the past. After his soldier brother dies Connor feels that he never really knew James and he fears James didn’t know how much he loved and respected him. Trying to find some peace in regards to his feelings about his brother Connor finds himself on a mission to Iraq with a SAS team. He’s going to do a series of articles showcasing what it is that the soldiers do and how they feel about their jobs.

Nat is the leader of that team and he’s been in war zones for years. He’s lost a lot of friends, as well as big pieces of his heart. He’s not happy about being stuck with a journalist but he quickly finds himself drawn to Connor and he’s challenged to start opening up the emotional parts of himself that he thought were long gone. Nat’s lost men in his command before that he feels responsible for and he’s consumed with fear that something might happen to Connor on his watch and that’s something he can’t live with.

The story is mostly set in Iraq so there is fighting and bloodshed. I didn’t find especially violent though and I do not think it will be an issue for most. There are some social and political issues raised but nothing that makes it preachy in either pro or con views. The war as a back drop to a budding romance just served to highlight the beauty of these two men’s relationship.

The highlight of this book are the relationships. Not just between Connor and Nat but between each of them and the other men in the group. Also important are the “ghosts” in their pasts. The brother that Connor lost and the best friend who’s death Nat feels responsible for. I loved both Connor and Nat and found them to be great MC’s. I empathized with what both of them were going through in the course of the story.
This is narrated by Craig Beck and I thought he did an excellent job.  There are a number of voices in this story and it was never difficult to tell them apart.  Also, there are a lot of emotions in this story and I think he did a great good making them all come through.  It added an extra level to what was already a poignant story.
This is an audio that I would highly recommend.  Everything about it is good.  It’s a unique story with an emotional plot and great characters and it is extremely well narrated.
The cover by Garrett Leigh:  I think this is a great cover and it fits the story very well.
Sales Links
Audiobook Details:
N/A

An Alisa Review: Quarry (The Vampire Guard #2) by Elizabeth Noble

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

quarryThe members of the Vampire Guard—Jonas Forge, spy and soldier turned cop; computer hacker extraordinaire Blair Turner; Declan, thief, con man, and ex-pirate; and medical examiner and werewolf Dr. Lucas Coate—face a dangerous and elusive enemy.

 

And this time, it’s personal.

 

Over the course of three hundred years, a man has touched each of their lives in ways they are only just realizing. When a hunt for a psychotic killer in the present resurrects memories and clues from the past, they discover how they have been affected and are bound by the existence of a ruthless vampire criminal. Now, while preventing a heist at a high-tech art show and thwarting several large-scale explosions, the team must employ their unique blend of science and supernatural abilities to put an end to the machinations of the man toying with their lives.

 

This time, he won’t slip through their fingers.

 

This time, it’s more than a case. It’s a hunt, and Forge, Blair, Declan, and Lucas won’t stop until they’ve captured their quarry.

 

This was a great continuance of the Vampire Guard series.  These four characters are wonderful for each other; they can play off the others’ strengths wonderfully.  This book kept moving with another twist just around the corner to keep the reader’s interest.

 

In this story we see even more of the characters’ backgrounds and how they are connected.  I love how connected all of the friends are and not just the soul mates when disasters happen and when they are just laid back.  They are all surprised by the additional connections they find to each other while working on this case.

 

I loved seeing them play off each other’s strengths to solve the mystery and catch the bad guy.  Being able to see the thoughts and emotions of the four main characters goes a long way to understand what is going on in the story and to stay connected with the many characters.  I will commend this author, she does a wonderful job with her writing of keeping the characters separated that I don’t get confused and have to check back on which character I am focusing on at the time as I often to in other books.  I am loving this series and can’t wait to read more when they come out.

 

Cover art by TL Bland is great and is following the basic pattern for the series.

 

Sales Links: DSP Publications | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages

Expected Publication: January 17, 2017 by DSP Publications

Edition Language: English

Series: The Vampire Guard #2

 

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

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

boyfriend-goals-by-clancy-nachtI really, really enjoyed this book.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sales Links

Loose id LLC

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Book Details:

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

A Paul B Review: Breaker (Exile #1) by Kelly Wyre and A.F. Henley

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

exile-breaker-coverIn a world of unintended effects, what was supposed to be The Cure, has given a portion of the population side effects.  The government, or what’s left of it, gathers these people.  Either they use them for their own purposes (human lie detectors among others) or keep them locked up for “the public good.”  However, there is this mythical island where the Estranged as they are called can escape to and life free from fear of capture.  But does this island really exist?

Kaeva knows that this island exists.  He’s been living there for the past eight years after twelve years on the streets.  Now thirty-six, he lives a solitary life on the island, away from the city.   When emotional, Kaeva has a tendency to short out electrical equipment.   His touch has even short circuited the brains of fellow humans as Kaeva points out that the brain is a bunch of cells tied together by water and electricity.  He is upset when the island leaders tell him to retrieve the newest “intake” who should be washing ashore soon.

Eddie has been scared of being detected for the past 22 years.  A recent college graduate who majored in English Literature focusing on ancient 20th century comic books.  However, after receiving the Cure, he has been hearing voices in his head.  These voices are of various people who are about to commit a crime.  However, Eddie never knows where these voices come from nor is he able to help any of the victims before it is too late.  Thinking silence is better than these voices he can’t control, Eddie decides to go to his uncle’s place to end his life.  However, on the way to the airport, he believes he’s been scanned and runs.  He meets a stranger who tells him of Exile, a sanctuary for Estranged.  As his original plans are impossible, Eddie figures he might as well go there.  If things don’t work out he can end his life there just as easily.  When he reaches the island, he does not quite know how to deal with the man who has been assigned to transition him into life on Exile.

I liked the combination of Kaeve and Eddie together.  Kaeve is anti-social in part because he wants to be but primarily because he HAS to be.  Eddie is a young, rich (which is unusual for the times) and naïve college graduate who majored in what most of today’s ten year old boys do today—comic books.  Other than the disappearance of his friend (who would be called a horse whisperer), Eddie has not seen life as tough as Kaeve has lived.  Kaeve is scared to death of accidentally killing someone while Eddie doesn’t know whether or not he wants to live.  Eddie wants Kaeve but Kaeve knows that to get close to him is a death sentence.  When Eddie finally touches Kaeve and nothing happens, hope abounds on both sides.  But without a purpose, Eddie still doesn’t know if he wants to live or not.  This is an intriguing opening book to this new series.

The cover art Aisha Akeju is perfect for the book.  It shows the beach where Kaeve is sent to meet Eddie when he first washes ashore on the island.

Sales Link

Purchasing Link to Less Than Three Press

Book Details

EBook, 340 pages

Published:  January 10, 2017 by Less Than Three Press

Edition Language:  English

ISBN:  9781620049334

Series:  Exile

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

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

BUY LINKS

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

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

Blurb

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

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

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

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Excerpt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Oh? What’s it with?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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About the author

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

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

e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com

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

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KA_Merikan

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

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

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

Follow the blog tour:

December 29 – MM Good Book Reviews

January 4 – Boy Meets Boy

January 5 – Open Skye Book Reviews

January 5 – The Novel Approach

January 6 – Love Bytes

January 9 – Alpha Book Reviews

January 10 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words  

Breaker (Exile, Volume 1) Blog Tour and Giveaway by AF Henley and Kelly Wyre (excerpt and giveaway)

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Breaker (Exile #1) by Kelly Wyre and A.F. Henley
L
ess Than Three Press

Welcome to the Breaker (Exile, Volume 1) Blog Tour and Giveaway! We’re both super excited about this new release and thrilled to be able to share it with you. Throughout this tour, we’re going to be introducing many of the characters within, and associated with, Exile’s bizarre shores, as well as introducing Exile itself. Then we’re going to top that off with a quick little teaser.

However, before we get into any of that we wanted to remind you that we’ve got a couple of awesome giveaways going along with the tour so be sure to read through to the end to find out how you could win either a Silver-plated Starfish Anklet (just by leaving a single comment!), or the grand prize of a signed, print copy of Breaker, a coordinates bracelet with the Believe. Seek. Prove. reminder so you can always find your way back to the island of Exile, and a $20 gift certificate to the Less Than Three Press book market.

The Character Discussion

Kelly Wyre: Let’s just dive right on in… What are we doing again?

AFH: But I hate diving.

KW: I hate water. But hey, we all make sacrifices so we don’t stink up public transit. So. Right. THE ISLAND! This post is about the ENTIRE ISLAND. So if Exile could talk… and tell us something… what WOULD it say?

AFH: Get off my lawn! (The number of times Kelly facepalms while we write these is AWESOME.)

KW: (Yes. The perma-hand-print on the forehead look is SO in…) It might, in fact, say that. The get off my lawn schtick. It might also say, “Feed me.” Or maybe… “Thanks for the Barrier!” or “Never a dull moment!” or “Why me?”

AFH: Or, “Did you SEE what those two were DOING up there?! RAWR.”

KW: Oh, there’d be a fair amount of THAT too. Like, a lot of it. And also, “Damn, son, stop wearing the pointy heels.”

The Teaser

The farther into the ocean they went, the darker the water got, giving up the gray undertones for a deeper blue. Clouds, stretched wide and thin, clung to the horizon and gave the illusion that they had settled onto the water instead of in the sky, and brilliant prisms of light caught every ripple of the water’s surface. Eddie was intrigued, more by the fact that the boat seemingly had a destination than by anything else. Did the fisherman really know of an island? Not Exile, for sure, but an island; something the man probably figured he could pass off as Exile and get himself a few new wardrobe additions along the way. It would be nothing more than a clever ruse, a very clever one that had even managed to fool Rivet, but he had to give the guy kudos for coming up with such a scheme. Find an island, send out word that it was the fabled island of Exile, and dump a few dozen or so passengers on it. The best that could happen, for the fisherman, anyway, was that the island was abandoned and the people he dropped there would be stuck with no way to pass on the info that the scheme existed. After all, the island had to be a hell of a way’s out. There was nothing around them but cold, blue water. In all honesty, if someone could find their way back, they’d be too embarrassed to say anything about their ill-fated trip to get the fisherman in any serious trouble. And if they weren’t embarrassed and did speak up, who the hell would believe them?

When the boat’s engine died some time later, Eddie’s mind suddenly began to come up with a new idea on how the man could get away with his ruse. It had a far more sinister premise. He looked across the boat, swallowed hard, and watched the fisherman pull from behind his post at the wheel.

“This is where you get off, boy,” the fisherman drawled. He stopped several feet away from Eddie, stuck both hands in the deep pockets of his pants, and rocked back on his heels. “Good luck.”

Eddie’s eyes widened. He looked from man to water, from water to man, and huffed a dry laugh. “I don’t understand.”

The man nodded at the railing. “You do the rest from in there. I don’t go any farther than this.”

“You mean you want me to…”

The man nodded.

“Like… swim?”

The man nodded again.

Eddie gestured in the general direction of anywhere but the boat. “There’s no island, though. Just water. And…” He paused, swallowing again. He said, “Fish,” but he thought, sharks. Stingrays, water snakes, things with teeth and spikes, oh my.

“Come on, man.” Eddie’s voice was nothing more than a whisper, but the fear and the plea in his tone was obvious. “Don’t do this.”

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Breaker (Exile Volume 1)

Copyright © 2017 by Kelly Wyre and A.F. Henley

Purchasing Link


Blurb

Breaker

In the wake of several near-cataclysmic events, humanity created the Cure, a DNA-altering antidote to death by disease and old age. But all cures come with side effects: a small percentage of the population develops a wide range of powers, some of which are lethal to others, and some which are lethal to the wielder.

These people are called the Estranged, hunted and shunned, safe only on the Island of Exile. It is here that Kaeva and Eddie meet—and where they set a prophecy in motion, quite possibly sealing their own demise, and even the end of Exile.

Genre: Gay, Urban Fantasy

Notes: contains some explicit content and includes thoughts and discussions of past and potential suicide

The Giveaway

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On behalf of the tour, please join one, or both of our giveaways.

Simply leave a comment below to be entered into a random giveaway for a silver-plated starfish anklet (and whatever else we can stuff into the envelope). Winner will be selected by random number at the close of the grand prize giveaway, one winner per blog post.

Also, enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win a signed, print copy of Breaker, a coordinates and message bracelet, and a $20 gift certificate to the Less Than Three Press book market.

For all the terms and conditions, please check out the t’s and c’s posted on the Rafflecopter.

** Please note the grand prize giveaway is being offered tour-wide and there will be one winner awarded for the entire event.

ENTER RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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A great big thank you to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting us today, and another to you for joining in on the fun. Best of luck with the giveaway and we hope you enjoyed the post!

Until next time,

Kelly Wyre and AF Henley ❤

About the Authors

Kelly Wyre enjoys reading and writing all manner of fiction, ranging from horror to romance. She used to work in advertising but is now happily chained to her writing desk and laptop. Kelly relishes the soft and cuddly and the sharp and bloody with equal amounts of enthusiasm. She’s a coffee addict, a workaholic, a chronic night owl, and loves a good thunderstorm. Currently Kelly resides in the southeastern United States.

Connect with Kelly!

❧ Website ❧ Blog  ❧ Twitter ❧ Facebook ❧ Fan Page ❧ Google Plus
❧ Tumblr – NSFW! ❧ Pinterest ❧ Amazon Author Page ❧ Goodreads

Henley was born with a full-blown passion for run-on sentences, a zealous indulgence in all words descriptive, and the endearing tendency to overuse punctuation. Since the early years Henley has been an enthusiastic writer, from the first few I-love-my-dog stories to the current leap into erotica. A self-professed Google genius, Henley lives for the hours spent digging through the Internet for ‘research purposes’ which, more often than not, lead seven thousand miles away from first intentions but bring Henley to new discoveries and ideas that, once seeded, tend to flourish. Henley has been proudly publishing with Less Than Three Press since 2012.

Connect with Henley

♥ Website  ♥ Twitter  ♥ Facebook  ♥ Amazon Author Page

♥ Google Plus  ♥ Tumblr – NSFW!  ♥ Instagram  ♥ Goodreads