The Last of the Best of 2016 and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

The Last of the Best of 2016

As this is the last weekend of the month, we will finish up our Best of 2016 and leave that year behind. So here’s the last of our Best of Lists of 2016. We are well on our way to accumulating our lists for 2017. I know that Blood Stained Tea (The Yakuza Path #1) by Amy Tasukada and There’s This Guy by Rhys Ford are already on my list for this year. Wow. That’s a great start!

Our Contest ends tonight so there’s plenty of time still to get your list in:

STRW 2016 Best of Giveaway

We will pick one random reader who leaves a comment with their year end Best of (along with their email addresses) to receive a $10 DSP gift card. Contest ends January 29, at midnight. Must be 18 years of age or older.

Paul and I are up today. So let’s hear from PaulB next on his favorites from 2016:

PaulB’s Best of the Year 2016

From Paul B: I am going to cheat a bit here. Normally these lists are top ten kinds of affairs. However, since a lot of the books that I read and review are from series, I’m going to abbreviate my list and group books in series together if they were released this year.

Top Books/Series of 2016

Wolfsong by TJ Klune—After poking fun at the shifter genre in Who We Are, Klune writes a shifter book that cannot be ignored.
The Executive Office series by Tal Bauer—Politics, romance and intrigue that was a lot more exciting than the real presidential race
Broken Prince and Mismatched Eyes by Layla Dorine—Two broken men from different kingdoms need each other not only for their kingdoms but each other
Element of Dragons series by Hannah Walker and Jessica McKenna—Three young men must help dragons return to their age of glory
Lightning Struck Heart audiobook by TJ Klune (author) and Michael Lesley (narrator)—Mr. Klune spins a tale about an apprentice wizard, his knight crush and a put upon wizard mentor
A Nice Normal Family by John Terry Moore—A young man with learning difficulties ascends to the highest elective office in Australia, thanks to his friend and future husband
The Wolves of Daos 5 by Rebecca James—Loner Michael finds out not only he is half wolf shifter by also another plane of existence on Earth

Best Covers of 2016

~📚~

Wolfsong by TJ Klune, Cover Artist Reese Dante—The simple paw prints on a black background sets the mood of the book
Highland Dragon series by Charlie Richards, Cover artist Angela Waters—Ms Waters never fails to create stunning covers for this fantasy series set in Medieval Scotland
Running Blind by Kim Fielding and Venona Keyes, Cover artist Anna Sikorski—The two arms linked together by a cord sums up the book perfectly
Demon Elite series by April Kelley, Cover artist Latrisha Waters—Simple cover always captures the essence of the title characters of the books.
Executive Office series by Tal Bauer, Cover artist Natasha Snow—Gorgeous Washington settings with perfect representations of the main characters

MelanieM’s Favorite’s of 2016

Favorite Covers of 2016

All the Covers of The Tales of the Forest by Blaine D. Arden – Cover art by Simone

Until September by Chris Scully, Cover art by Lou Harper

Fantasy for a Gentleman (A Planet Called Wish #2) by Caitlin Ricci, Cover art by Caitlin Ricci

Circus of the Damned by Cornelia Grey, Cover art by Kanaxa

Devil at the Crossroads by Cornelia Grey, Cover art by Jared Rackler

Out of Nowhere by Roan Parrish, Cover art by Angsty G

Dormant Heart by Lane Swift, Cover art by Anna Sikorska

Under a Sky of Ash by Brandon Witt, Cover Art by Anne Cain

Do-Gooder by J.Leigh Bailey, Cover art by Aaron Anderson

The Unlikely Prospect (States of Love) by Lex Chase, Cover art by Reese Dante

With special nod to the stylized covers of Will and Patrick Get Married, yes all of them. Just a delight! I don’t know who the artist is. If you do, please let me know.

Unlike my covers, most of which had a lush artistic look, my favorite books ran the complete spectrum of fictional genres from contemporary to supernatural to fantasy to science fiction. Three were series finales, four actually if you include Full Circle. If you haven’t read any of these trilogies/series, start now!

Favorite Stories of 2016

Full Circle (Tales of the Forest) by Blaine D. Arden
The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter
Strength of the Rising Sun (The Borders War #5) by S.A. McAuley/series finale
The Winter Prince by R Cooper
Treasure for Treasure by R Cooper
Dormant Heart by Lane Swift
Candy Land (Hidden Gem #3) by Lissy Kasey/ series finale
Blood and Milk by N. R. Walker
A King and a Pawn by Liv Olteano /series finale
Undercover Boyfriend by Jacob Z. Flores
Flying Fish (Sword and Silk Trilogy #1) by Sedonia Guillone
Connection Error (#gaymers #3) by Annabeth Albert
Re-Inventing Love by Storm Grant
Mad Lizard Mambo (Kai Gracen, #2) by Rhys Ford (both books)
Once Upon a Time in the Weird West Anthology (yes an entire anthology)
The Weight of It All by N.R. Walker
Reading the Signs by Keira Andrews
The 12 Days of Hipster (The Avona Tales #2) by Raine O’Tierney
In Enemy Hands by M.A. Church
Chosen Pride (L’Ange #3) by Mary Calmes
Catch and Release (The Release #3) by B.A. Tortuga (in fact the entire series to date)
The Unlikely Prospect (States of Love) by Lex Chase

Our readers still commented with their favorites.

From Our Readers:

Thanks for sharing your lists! I loved a lot of those same books. Here is my list from last year:

Fallow by Jordan L .Hawk
A Family for Christmas by Jay Northcote
Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin
Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin
Hexworld series by Jordan L. Hawk
The Weight of It All by NR Walker
A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale
Wolfsong by TJ Klune
The Mermaid Murders by Josh Lanyon
Trailer Trash by Marie Sexton
Strong Signal by Megan Erickson & Santino Hassell*
Inversion Point by Jenn Burke & Kelly Jensen
Phase Shift by Jenn Burke & Kelly Jensen
Dirty Heart by Rhys Ford
Foxes by Suki Fleet
King’s Rising by C.S. Pacat
Dancer of Death by Jordan L. Hawk
Nightingale by Aleksandr Voinov
Cold Fusion by Harper Fox

Thanks for sharing your list, I saw quite a number of titles I haven’t read, so this really help me to add more to my TBR. My own best of 2016 is not much; Jordan L. Hawk’s Fallow & Hexmaker, Josh Lanyon’s So This Is Christmas, Lloyd A. Meeker’s Stick & Stones.

Keep those lists coming!

Announcements

Wilde City will be closing its doors in 2017. They were another wonderful press and will be greatly missed. From their authors and stories to their amazing covers, Wilde City Press was a class act! From Ethan and Wilde City Press, their announcement:

To all our friends, readers, reviewers and fans of our authors,

Due to various personal reasons it is with a heavy heart that we have decided to close Wilde City Press. We have enjoyed every moment of our journey over the past four years, and want to thank everyone who has been a part of our adventure.

Over the next few months we will be ensuring that everyone who has worked with Wilde City will be paid in full and have their rights returned to them. We are very proud of the work our authors and editors have given to the world, and we hope these books will be published again to be enjoyed for many more years to come. For members of our book club, we will give you plenty of time to back-up any files you have purchased through our site so you don’t lose anything.

We want to say a sincere thank you to all the authors who put their faith in us, the readers who have supported us and the incredible friendships we’ve made over the years. Rest assured we are not disappearing from our beloved industry; Ethan and Geoff will continue writing as authors, Adrian will continue to design amazing book covers, and all of us will forever be a part of this cherished tribe of book lovers.

From your friends at Wilde City Press,

Ethan, Geoff, Tracy and Adrian

So long, Wilde City Press! We will miss you!

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, January 29:

Release Blitz – Cristina Bruni’s Seven Days
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Undertow: A Whyborne & Griffin Universe Story by Jordan L Hawk
The Last of the Best of 2016 and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, January 30:

DSP GUEST POST Ki Brightly on Trust Trade
Release Day Blitz The Visionary by Charli Coty
RIPTIDE TOUR Making Love by Aidan Wayne
Review Tour – Watching and Wanting by Jay Northcote
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Watching and Wanting (Housemates 4) by Jay Northcote
A VVivacious Release Day Review: Making Love by Aidan Wayne
An Ali Review: Falling into Darkness by LM Brown

Tuesday, January 31:

Blog Tour: Adrift by Isabelle Adler (excerpt and giveaway)
In the Spotlight: Soothsayer by Cari Z (excerpt and giveaway)
Release Blitz: Rick R Reed’s A Face without a Heart
A Lila Review: Soothsayer by Cari Z.
A MelanieM Release Day Review: A Face Without a Heart by Rick R. Reed
A Paul B Review: Descent of Kings: Books BUNDLE by Maria Albert
An Ali Review: Soothsayer by Cari Z.
An Ali Review: Stallions and Ice by Stephani Hecht

Wednesday, February 1:

RIPTIDE TOUR: Rogue Magic by Kit Brisby
Cover Reveal for Secrets of You by Skylar M. Cates
“Spell Fall” by Jacob Z. Flores tour and giveaway
An Alisa Review: Rogue Magic by Kit Brisby
A Jeri Release Day Review: Thick & Thin (THIRDS #8) by Charlie Cochet
An Alisa Review: American Telepath (Dragons Schooled #2) by Emily Carrington
A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Worst Best Man by M.J. O’Shea
An Alisa Release Day Review: Inheritance by Sean Michael

Thursday, February 2:

Blog tour for COZZI COVE: STEPPING OUT by Joe Cosentino (guest post)
DSP GUEST POST Sean Michael on Inheritance
A Caryn Review: The Star of Versailles by Catherine Curzon & Willow Winsham
A Lila Review: The Visionary by Charli Coty
An Ali Audiobook Review: Crime Wave by Adam Carpenter narrated by Joel Leslie
An Alisa Review: Silent Night by Shawn Bailey

Friday, February 3:

DSP GUEST POST Z. Allora on The Craving
BLOG TOUR The Black Sheep and The Rotten Apple by K.A. Merikan
Terrible Twos by Megs Pritchard tour and giveaway
A MelanieM Review: Happy Medium (Club Raven #1) by Julia Talbot
A VVivacious Release Day Review: The Craving by Z. Allora
An Alisa Audio Review: Redesigning Max (Foothills Pride #2) by Pat Henshaw and David Ross (Narrator)

Saturday, February 4:

The Fire Trilogy – RJ Scott Tour
A Paul B Review: For a Dragon’s Control (Highland Dragons #10) by Charlie Richards
A MelanieM Review: Wishful Thinking (Club Raven #2) by Kiernan Kelly

A MelanieM Pre-Release Review: There’s This Guy by Rhys Ford

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

How do you save a drowning man when that drowning man is you?

Jake Moore’s world fits too tightly around him. Every penny he makes as a welder goes to care for his dying father, an abusive, controlling man who’s the only family Jake has left. Because of a promise to his dead mother, Jake resists his desire for other men, but it leaves him consumed by darkness.

It takes all of Dallas Yates’s imagination to see the possibilities in the fatigued Art Deco building on the WeHo’s outskirts, but what seals the deal is a shy smile from the handsome metal worker across the street. Their friendship deepens while Dallas peels back the hardened layers strangling Jake’s soul. It’s easy to love the artistic, sweet man hidden behind Jake’s shattered exterior, but Dallas knows Jake needs to first learn to love himself.

When Jake’s world crumbles, he reaches for Dallas, the man he’s learned to lean on. It’s only a matter of time before he’s left to drift in a life he never wanted to lead and while he wants more, Jake’s past haunts him, making him doubt he’s worth the love Dallas is so desperate to give him.

What can you say about a book that opens up on the darkest moment of a man’s life, that point where he see’s no hope, no light and then carries you and him on a journey that see’s him safe, in love and with a future that burns as bright as the sun? You say that you love it and cherish the man and couple you have been reading about. That’s what you say.

Jake Moore is that man. His life is one long night of pain, bloody beatings and unmeasurable sorrow. And it hasn’t ended by any means. The person most responsible is still barely alive, punishing Jake even from his dying bed. The hell that this vicious man has made Jake’s life is brought vividly alive through Jake’s confused thoughts and memories of his past, his mother, conversations…his anguish bleeds off the page and into your heart. He’s a welder by trade, also an artist which is where he pounds out his anger and confusion that he feels over his life and sexuality, welding pieces from the bits left over in the shop and things that he finds to bring home.

Then Dallas Yates and his best friend (and all around wonder) Celeste come into Jake’s life via the renovation of a Art Deco building across the street. Between the two of them, Dallas who makes Jake yearn for everything he’s been told was evil and Celeste, flamboyant, feminine and proud of who she is (and how far she’s come), makes Jake think past other boundaries he’s always been provided with. It’s never downplayed how broken Jake is or that he needs professional help to recover, an important element I really loved here. The relationship build is slow as Celeste questions Dallas on his ability to and his reasons for being attracted to Jake (there is a past element here for Dallas). Layers upon layers here, like the detritus that has to be removed from the Art Deco building before she can shine, have to be peeled back before Dallas and Jake can be a couple and have a future.

I almost gave this 4.75 stars over things as small as not seeing the opening of Bombshell, and other such things that really are extraneous. Would I have loved them here? Absolutely. But were they necessary to the plot? I don’t think so (although I do think they are in some cut pages somewhere on Rhys Ford’s computer). I got the men, I got their love and their journey and that was deeply moving and so memorable. I loved them so, and all..well, most of the secondary characters too. From Celeste to the Yates family.

Want a story full of hope? Want a story full of recovery, love and a journey towards a brighter future for a man who thought a future was something he didn’t deserve? There’s This Guy by Rhys Ford is the story for you. But let Rhys Ford put it better. From Rhys Ford’s Foreword on There’s This Guy:

This book is for anyone who has stared into the abyss and wondered if they can or should go on.

You should.

Take that next step forward and go on.

And should you need help finding the strength for that step, reach out. There are people and places who will help you.

Keep walking until you find the sun on your face and until you can see the stars again.

You are worth that step. Worth that journey.

The world is a better place with you in it.

OK, I’m about to start crying all over again. Probably will pick up the story and start reading it again as well. Get the idea? Yes, I highly recommend it. You’ll have to wait until March but trust me, the wait will be worth it. How I love this author!

Cover art is ok, but honestly I don’t know what I wanted for such a complex story and character. Color me confused.

Sales Links to be provided

Book Details:

ebook, 220 pages
Expected publication: March 17th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Ali Audiobook Review: Close to You (Sunshine and Happiness #3) by Skylar M. Cates and Tristan James (Narrator)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

It’s hard to recover from a first love. Some people never do.

How hard would you fight to keep your best friend? Marc Lucas and Tomas Santos have been best friends forever, but now their friendship is in a crisis. When they were boys, betrayals ripped their world apart. They thought it was fixed, but some parts remained broken. Ever since he saved him from a humiliation at school, Marc has loved Tomas. The last thing he expects is for Tomas to love him back. To keep his best friend, Marc revisits an abusive past he’s tried to forget.

For Tomas, loving Marc has been anything but easy. His upbringing told him it was wrong, so why did it feel so right? Accepting who he is as an adult, Tomas decides he needs a committed relationship. To his deep sorrow, he can’t seem to find it with Marc.

When the two find themselves alone and in the grip of a hurricane, long-buried feelings emerge. Being “just friends” is no longer an option. They must risk it all on love.

When I started this I was under the impression I could read this as a standalone since it’s about a different couple than the previous books. Once I started it though I felt like I was missing something so I went back and read the previous books. I’m glad I did that because these two are side characters with important roles in those stories and it helped me transition into this book.

The story is told from dual points of view and it’s told in the past (when they were teens) and the present. Tomas comes from a loving home but Marc grew up in a very abusive home. Child abuse is shown and while I didn’t find it super graphic, be aware if this is an issue for you. As this story goes along Marc has to start working through his issues to be happy with himself and to be able to have a relationship with Tomas. Marc has a lot of intimacy issues and fear based on his childhood and these two’s journey is painful and angst filled.

While there is a lot of angst and heartache is this story it ends with a beautiful happily ever after and I loved the journey the author took the characters and the readers on. This was my first time reading this author and I will definitely be looking to read more of her work.

Cover Artist: AngstyG: I like the cover. I’m not typically a fan of the color brown in a monochromatic form but this still stood out and it really fit the mood of the story.

Sales Links

Audiobook Details:

Audiobook
Published December 8th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press (first published March 28th 2016)
Original TitleClose to You
ASINB01N9ENUL1
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSunshine and Happiness #3

A VVivacious Release Day Review: Trust Trade (Gem City Grit #1) by Ki Brightly

Rating: 2 Stars out of 5

Jeb Birchman has been a kept man for Nolan Whitmoore for almost four years. He has gotten used to Nolan and cherishes the time he gets to spend with Nolan’s son Max. But after four years Jeb has become a bit too old for Nolan’s tastes and for the first time in a long time Jeb doesn’t need to sell his body to live.

Freddy Williams is a guy who is basically a gym freak, he is very into fitness and health. One day at a bookstore he comes across a beautiful guy who he can’t keep his eyes off. That man is Jeb Birchman and Freddy has no idea what he is getting into.

Once Jeb’s sordid past is out on the table will these two make it is a couple or buckle under the pressure.

I read the first 20% or so and I didn’t find the book interesting at all. In fact truthfully if this wasn’t a review copy I would have just not finished this book but I had to and I basically waited till the very last moment to read it too. Having said that the book does become better but don’t take the book’s blurb at face value. This book starts off as a college romance and it goes places I never expected it to go, for one I had no idea that this story was inclined to go in such a direction and the fact it did should have surprised me but by the point I understood where this book was going I was just not that invested in the storyline.

I feel that when an author starts writing a book they make so many decisions about how exactly to write that particular book but if the book is well-written their decisions never trouble the reader but in this particular book I’m having a hard time reconciling the need for dual POVs (that of Freddy and Jeb). Firstly, because in the beginning of this book these two people are living in two different worlds, Freddy is looking for a relationship and all he can think about is well, sex and getting to know Jeb, meanwhile Jeb is a mess who keeps debating with himself when he should tell Freddy the truth about his life and what will happen them. These two people are definitely not on the same page and personally it’s distressing as a reader to reconcile these two POVs which are normal in their own rights but together make me wonder how these two can work things out. Even later on in the story there are instances that make me feel that these two guys are just so off balance in regards with each other. Secondly the fact is that the author doesn’t do much with Freddy’s storyline. His life is moulded to fit around the main storyline which is Jeb’s story. I never got the feeling that Freddy was living his life or was important in his own right. He just felt like a puppet in Jeb’s story. Thirdly because no matter how you slice it this is Jeb’s story the last chapter which is Chapter 32 has a scene where Freddy goes to reconcile with his Dad that was the only scene I actually wanted to be from Freddy’s perspective but it isn’t which highlights the fact that even the author chose to give a greater importance to Jeb’s side of the story. And that’s why for the love of God I can’t figure out why this book wasn’t just from Jeb’s POV alone.

There is a fourth reason but it isn’t as logical as the ones above and more on emotional and personal lines and that is the fact that I just didn’t like Freddy’s character. I got the impression from the blurb that Freddy was going to be a good guy but that wasn’t the case he was a regular guy but the fact that I was expecting him to be great means he started off with a disadvantage and then just kept adding negatives to it. Freddy’s anger issues came across as pathological. He accidentally hits a guy because he thinks he is someone else but instead the guy he hits is the guy he loves but instead of apologizing on the spot, he kind of made it sound like it was the other guy’s fault. On top of that he is forgiven way too easily which might be in character for Jeb but the fact that he forgave himself so easily to actually argue about it with Max just didn’t sit right. Also what do you do when you have a bad guy unconscious on the floor and your lover is bleeding, call 911 I hope, but not if you are Freddy Williams and what made it worse was that it was a teenager who had to keep himself together to call for help. Lastly the fact that almost any small touch or look from Jeb would have his cock stand up and take notice was very annoying and believe me this fact is repeated a lot of times in this book (my guess is at least 50).

And the unofficial fifth reason is that this book is way too long and without Freddy’s perspective it would be half its length which was an estimated 372 pages as per my reader. This book didn’t need to be so long it really didn’t, this story would have been much, much more better if it was 250 or so pages or maybe even lesser and if nothing this story would have been infinitely more interesting if it was faster paced these leaps of time between chapters just about killed the book for me.

The most descriptive scenes are the sex scenes and the scene at the end of this book. I wished other things were as detailed especially with regards to Freddy’s life. Freddy and Jeb have great chemistry so the sex was hot but after a while it got repetitive because you definitely need something to fill up 372 pages.

Also two things I would have liked elaboration on were Jeb’s deafness and his aversion to blood both of which seem to be mentioned only when it seemed convenient.

Besides all of the above the rest of the story makes for an okay read. I liked the emphasis on sign language and the fact that it isn’t English.

Cover Art by Bree Archer. I liked the cover for this book.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 340 pages
Published January 27th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1635332427 (ISBN13: 9781635332421)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesGem City Grit #1

A VVivacious Release Day Review: Spell Fall (The Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge #4) by Jacob Z. Flores

Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

As the protector covens gear up to fight the latest threat to the Gate, the Blackmoors are receiving the silent treatment from the Conclave. In a bid to find answers they devise a strategy that completely backfires.

Meanwhile Drake is having nightmares where the villain is none other than Mason. As Drake works to find out the meaning behind his dreams, he is confronted with an age old truth about himself, his family and the spell bond he shares with Mason.

My Thoughts on Spell Fall

What I am coming to love about this series is the action scenes, the scenes where we get answers to a few questions only to be riddled with many new ones.

I love it when something is happening in this book, because it is awesome to see everyone work together to figure out how to defeat the big bad.

This book has a lot of my old favourites. This book is told from Drake’s perspective and it was so awesome being back in his and Mason’s life as they navigate the perils of their magical life. Especially Drake as he is faced with some pretty impossible situations in this book but it was also really nice to finally have some background on Drake and his life. Also, we finally find out about his immunity to magic.

My one problem with this book was that Drake’s immunity to magic isn’t consistent throughout the book while in the previous books Drake has been singularly immune to all types of magic, in this book we see him get transported by the Conclave, and his dreams infiltrated not only when he is sleeping but even when he is wide awake. This leaves me a little confused as to if magic can affect Drake in some small way if he is unaware or not expecting it or maybe not actively fighting and if yes then what are the limits to that influence. Also the amount of power needed to cast a spell on him isn’t consistent initially the Conclave can transport him and then Icarian can work dream magic on him and then he needs two crests to wrest control over Drake. It would be nice if we could for once and for all quantify Drake’s immunity in some relatable terms instead of having it vary constantly across the board.

I have always loved Mason and Drake, and it was nice getting another story focused on them but I, also kind of, missed being in Mason’s head. I really wish that in the subsequent books we can get at least one book told from his perspective and see his powers grow. Another thing I really want the answer to is – Who is the strongest Blackmoor brother? Just tell us already because I’m infinitely curious.

Also as usual I love the entire dysfunctional extended family. The scenes which have all the Proctors, the Stonewalls and the Blackmoors together are some of the most important scenes in this series and they are always so special. Personally when all the three families are fighting together, it is beyond epic. I also love their interactions with each other and how they help each other, especially the kids.

This book raises a lot more questions and I’m excited to see what happens in the next book and to know if any of my speculations come true.

Cover Art by Paul Richmond. I loved the cover. The guy on the cover is a take on Drake Carpenter and he shares a startling resemblance with the Drake in my head, so that was an added bonus.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Expected publication: January 27th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1635332168 (ISBN13: 9781635332162)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Warlock Brothers of Havenbridge #4

Michaela Grey on Writing and her release ‘Broken Halo’ (author interview and excerpt)

Broken Halo by Michaela Grey
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: AngstyG

Publication Date: January 30, 2017

Available for purchase at

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Michaela Grey today. Welcome, Michaela!

Thank you so much for having me on your blog! I’m here to talk about Broken Halo and a little of my writing process, and share an excerpt from the book with you.

For Micah Ellis, boundaries are paramount. He needs strict order and cleanliness to stay sane—no dirt or germs allowed.

So when Devon Mallory shows up, Micah knows he should stay away. Devon is a mechanic, and he’s everything Micah isn’t: dirty on the outside, pure within. He’s a far cry from what fits in Micah’s sterile, boundary-bound life.

Micah doesn’t understand why Devon’s bright blue eyes won’t let him go, or why he wants to spend the rest of his life looking at Devon’s smile. He knows happily ever after doesn’t exist for him… but Devon makes him wonder if it could.

Where do you normally draw your inspiration for a book from? A memory, a myth, a place or journey, or something far more personal? I’m open to inspiration wherever it may come from. I’ve woken up from dreams and jotted down the idea before I lost it. I’ll see a movie, and think “well, this is great but it could be gayer”. (To be honest, that’s 95% of my thought process when consuming media.) I’ve even simply thought a person was pretty and spun a story around them, which is how I ended up with the spinoff to Halo. (Harry Lloyd’s face is a public menace.)

Are you a planner or a pantzer when writing a story? And why? I’ve always been more of a pantser than a plotter, but that’s not to say I go in blind. I hash out plot points and overall arcs with both my betas. My primary beta knows everything, from beginning to end, with no spoilers or surprise twists, before I write it. My secondary beta reads as I write it and offers input and feedback on the spoilers as she experiences them in “real time”. This gives me a dual feedback loop and helps keep me focused on what’s working and what needs to be tweaked.

Can an author have favorites among their characters and do you have them? Don’t tell any of my other characters, but Micah and Fox (from the spinoff) are my absolute favorites.

If you were to be stranded on a small demi-planet, island, or god forbid LaGuardia in a snow storm, what books would you take to read or authors on your comfort list? Anything from Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, as well as Maggie Stiefvater and Seanan Maguire’s entire works.

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 father read most of the classics to us from the time we were tiny. I have many fond memories of being sprawled on the floor, coloring busily, while he described Middle Earth or the great white whale or Narnia to us. We were encouraged to read from the minute we could hold a book in our hands. I fell into new worlds daily, and finally succumbed to the urge to build my own, because of his and my mother’s love of the written word.

EXCERPT:

Micah pointed at the table. “Sit and keep me company while I cook. You haven’t given me many chances to spoil you rotten.”

Devon obeyed and dropped backward into a chair. “Maybe because I like spoiling you.” He hooked his long feet over the bottom rung and rested his arms on the backrest. “So I was thinking,” he said. “How do you feel about collars?”

Micah dropped a dosa on the floor and stared at Devon.

“That was… that was just mean,” Micah said. “Warn a guy.”

“Question stands,” Devon said, dimples flashing.

Micah dumped the dosa in the trash and turned back to the frying pan. “Umm. Collars… collars are good.” He cleared his throat and shifted his weight. Then he looked up as a thought struck him. “No leashes, though. Barrett used a leash sometimes. I didn’t—”

“No leash,” Devon said quickly. “What kind of collar do you want, then? Shall we pick it out together, or do you want me to surprise you?”

“I trust you,” Micah said, startled to realize that was true. “Surprise me. Nothing too flashy.”

He piled the dosa on plates, added the rava and coconut chutney, and then brought them to the table. Devon turned around in his chair and caught Micah’s wrist as he passed by on his way back to the kitchen for drinks, and he tugged until Micah toppled with a squawk into his lap.

Devon caught him and tipped Micah’s chin up with one long finger. “Hey,” he said quietly.

Micah swallowed, caught in Devon’s bright blue gaze. “Hey back,” he managed.

Devon’s lips curved up. “I’m glad I met you,” he whispered and pressed their mouths together.

Micah slid his arms around Devon’s neck and held on. Devon’s hands on his thighs kept him in position, his thumbs rubbing gentle circles, and their lips and tongues fit against each other perfectly.

When they pulled apart, Devon cupped Micah’s cheek. “Have you thought about a safeword?” he asked.

Micah nodded shyly. “Ah… I was thinking… manta ray.”

Devon’s smile lit up the room. “I like that,” he breathed and kissed him again. “You’re so beautiful,” he said. “The light from the kitchen is haloing you, and you look like an angel right now.”

Micah couldn’t help but snort at that. “So not an angel, pal.”

“You are to me,” Devon murmured and kissed him again.

About the Author

Michaela Grey told stories to put herself to sleep since she was old enough to hold a conversation in her head. When she learned to write, she began putting those stories down on paper. She resides in the Texas Hill Country with her cats, and she is perpetually on the hunt for peaceful writing time.

When she’s not writing, she’s knitting while watching TV or avoiding responsibilities on Tumblr, where she blogs about cats and writing, offers dubious life advice, and tries to keep her cat off the keyboard.

Tumblr: greymichaela.tumblr.com

Twitter: @GreyMichaela

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GreyMichaela

E-mail: greymichaela@gmail.com

In Our Romance Spotlight: The Worst Best Man by M.J. O’Shea (excerpt)

The Worst Best Man by M.J. O’Shea
Dreamspinners Press
Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Available for Purchase at

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host M.J. O’Shea today. M.J. O’Shea is here talking about her recent release, The Worst Best Man. Welcome, M.J.!

Hi!

This is Mj O’Shea☺ I’m here talking about my newest book, called The Worst Best Man.

One of my favorite parts of writing a romance is… well obviously the romantic couple. But another favorite is developing relationships between the two romantic leads and the people in their lives. I often end up liking the friends so much that I give them books of their own eventually.

In this book, August, my main character works at an event planner and his team partner and best friend Will is one of those characters that I love to death.

I thought I’d leave a bit of their banter… since I love writing it so much. And even more than writing it, I love reading it. It’s one of the things I look forward to the most in books romance or otherwise. Before I babble too much, here’s a bit of August and his best friend Will.

“Hey, mate, do you have the signed contracts for the Steinberg bat mitzvah yet?”

“I haven’t had a chance to deal with getting them yet. Why?” August had been slammed all day with work orders and phone calls. He hadn’t had time to hound customers for signed paperwork. August the enforcer had taken a backseat to a million more pressing matters.

“I just wanted to get started on the flower orders, and I can’t do that until we have a signature. Remember what happened with the Stout wedding?”

What had happened was nine hundred pounds’ worth of blush-colored roses and calla lilies, a cheating groom, and one very angry bride—also incomplete signed paperwork. Their company had to eat the cost of the flowers since there wasn’t anything holding the ex-couple to the payment. Not endearing to their boss, Helena, in the slightest, even if she did love Will and August. Usually.

August would never make that mistake again.

“Can you get on the Steinbergs?” Will asked.

“Will, you know I have a huge list on for today. I don’t have time to run a paper chase.”

Will started to make one of the signature pathetic noises that usually got him whatever he wanted. It was the blond hair and the big blue eyes. August wasn’t immune, even if Will was straight as a stick and practically his brother. Wasn’t going to work, though. Not today.

“It’s your fault I’m so busy.” Time to go for the guilt trip. “You’re the one who ‘didn’t want to deal with another society wedding full of posh wankers.’”

August knew Will hated the finger quotes. It was a surefire way of pissing him off.

“I hate the finger quotes.”

He said it every time. August enjoyed annoying him every single time as well.

“I know. But I’m still the one who got stuck with the Pritts-Shackleton wedding because you didn’t want to deal with them.”

“People like that always look at me.”

August sighed. “I know, I know. You’re Northern and not a blue blood, and they give you attitude about it. Well, a Northerner has to be better than an American in their eyes, and yet here I am about to meet with one of London’s premiere society couples. I think you can call the Steinbergs. It’s more than an even trade.” August raised his eyebrow and waited for Will to crumble.

“Fine.”

“What do you think our prince and princess will be like?” Will asked.

“Apparently it’s going to be our princess and her GBF,” August said with an eye roll. “Prince Shackleton is in the import-export business, and he’s quite busy.”

“This tosser’s really sending a stand-in?”

“You probably shouldn’t call our clients tossers.” August bit back a grin. “I guess the dude’s been friends with both of them since birth. Maybe it makes sense in their world.”

Will made a face. “Better you than me, mate. I don’t love weddings at the best of times. Give me a nice corporate golf tournament to organize any day. Maybe the girl’s mate will be hot. You need a shag.”

“Thanks for keeping track of my sex life.” AugustDignified gave Will another eye roll for that. He was far too invested in how often August got laid. “I’m sure this random gay man who walks into our office to plan his friend’s wedding will be up for it. Probably should just skip trousers altogether and tell Miss Pritts to take a hike.” August snorted loudly.

“Don’t sell yourself short.” Will shrugged. “I would be up for it if I was into dudes.”

August giggled. “I love you,” he said on a laugh.

“By the way, you sure you have to go home for Christmas?” Will asked. “My mum was looking forward to seeing you. I swear she loves you more than me. Plus, there isn’t a chance in hell I can make your sticky toffee pudding recipe for her.”

The holidays were coming up soon, and August had booked ten days off from the office to visit Boston. It had been two years since he’d gone back for more than a long weekend, and he actually missed the big, loud O’Leary clan. Will’s family was a close substitute, but it wasn’t quite the same thing.

“I can’t this year. I promised my mom I’d come home. She said you’re very welcome to come as well. Maybe our families can just do a son trade.”

There was something about Will’s down-to-earth rough-and-tumble personality that fit into the O’Leary family perfectly, maybe even more than August ever had. They loved him, and he loved them right back.

“I think that’s a solid plan. But we need another solid plan for tonight. One last lad’s night before you desert me for nearly two weeks.”

August looked out the window at the snow drifting down, a few lazy flakes at a time. The London streets were covered with thin, slippery black ice, and the snow had been falling slow but steady for hours.

“It’s cold as hell, mate,” he muttered. He had dreams of his cozy little flat and a book.

“Mate,” Will snickered. “We’ll make a Brit out of you yet. And don’t be a baby. After a few pints, you won’t even be able to feel the snow.”

August had about zero chance of getting out of the pub night. Will was a force to be reckoned with.

“Okay. Lad’s night. But No Weezy. He causes trouble.”

Weezy was Will’s best friend from Sheffield, who’d sort of followed Will to London and never left. He was a laugh when August had nowhere to be for the next three or four days and plenty of time to nurse a hangover. Not when he had to spend the day packing for an evening flight home.

“I might have already texted Weez. He misses you.” Will gave August his best puppy dog eyes.

August sighed. “Okay. I’ll be ready after my meeting with the wedding couple. Er, I mean, the bride and her best friend.”

It was weird. He’d had far weirder. August tried to wipe the memory of eye patches, parrots, and a whole lot of pirate hats from his head. It was best not to think of it.

“I’ll wait in my office with Louise. She’s coming too.”

“Louise? Who else did you invite?” It was starting to sound less like a quiet lad’s night at the pub and more like what Will called “A right piss-up.” Those rarely ended well for August. He still hadn’t found his trousers from the last time.

“You know she’s one of the lads,” Will said.

August wondered how long it was going to take Will to figure out that their sensible, no-nonsense assistant was desperately in love with him.

“One of the lads,” August echoed. “Shoo,” he added, making the motions with his hands. “I have to get ready for my meeting. And call the Steinbergs. I want to get properly started on that one when I get back from Boston.”

Will saluted him as he strolled backward out of the office.

That’s all for now! I hope you enjoyed a little bit of August and Will. I definitely had a great time writing them☺

I’ve left a blurb and some links below! I’m always available on social media for questions or comments.

Thanks for having me stop by ❤

Xoxo

Mj O’Shea

About The Best Worst Man by M.J. O’Shea

It was her special day… but his worst nightmare.

Despite his American background, August O’Leary is the most sought-after wedding planner in London. Naturally, Libby and Edward come to him for a wedding the city will never forget. But Edward is an international businessman, so the details are left to Libby and her best friend – who happens to be the love of August’s life and the one who broke his heart eight years ago: Christopher Burke.

How’s August supposed to pull off the event of the year with Christopher distracting him and old feelings crashing the party uninvited?

Christopher has let money and status dictate his life, but no more. His failure to stand up to others’ expectations of him cost him his future with August – one he’d hoped would include marriage. Now he has to face August’s hurt and anger and prove he’s still the best man to make August happy.

About the Author

Hi everyone! I’m Mj O’Shea:) I grew up, and still live, in sunny Washington state and while I love to visit other places, I can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. I spent my childhood writing stories. Sometime in my early teens, the stories turned to romance. Most of those were about me, my friends, and our favorite movie and pop stars. Hopefully, I’ve come a long way since then.

When I’m not writing, I love to play the piano, dance, cook, paint pictures, and of course read! I have two little dogs who sit with me when I write. Sometimes they comes up with ideas for me too…when they’re not busy napping.

M.J. O’Shea: http://mjoshea.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/?lang=en

A Lila Audiobook Review: Lord of a Thousand Steps (Love in Laguna #4) by Tara Lain and K.C. Kelly (Narrator)

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at eighteen for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boyfriend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is looking better and better.

Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of fifteen years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to succumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian—even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.

When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a “friends with benefits” fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an “old guy” who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage? It’ll only take a thousand steps.

Lord of a Thousand Steps is more than I expected. Since Ian has been, mostly, a side character in the previous stories, I was a tad skeptical. Based on the other books, he was set with Rico and that’s about all I needed to know. After reading the blurb, I wasn’t too interested in Braden, but the author surprised me.

Braden ended as my favorite character in the story. Yes, I do have a sweet spot for middle-aged men with kids. And the less experience they have, the best. I love how protective he is of his children and how that mentality extended to include Ian. It’s sweet to see how well they interacted with the kids as if they were theirs to start with. Plus, his business partners, employees, and clients were great.

On Ian’s side, I like how mature he was for his age. But at the same time, he still had naive and youthful hopes that make him an adorable character. Adding Anderson to the mix just gets the whole thing to a new level. I wasn’t a fan of Rico or the parts of the story that involved him. He was more like a reason for Braden and Ian to get together.

All the troupes and over the top events are there and gave the book that air of fiction based on reality this series does so well. I enjoyed seeing Jim & Ken once again—and how big of a part they played in this story. The rest of the guys are back too. It almost felt as a type of farewell for the series even when I don’t know if this is going to be the last book. Everything is going great in their tight group of misfits.

My only complaint about this book is how the job of an architect and how the intern relates to the rest of the company were depicted. Especially when they talked about Ian’s future plans–his licensing, etc. It was a bit unrealistic, but it can be just me since I have been in Ian’s shoes.

K.C. Kelly did a superb job with the characterization, from the women in the story to the children and especially the main characters.

Another winning cover by Reese Dante. It fits the series and the story perfectly. I love seen Anderson as the focal point.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Audible | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: K.C. Kelly
Length: 7 hours and 42 minutes

Published: December 12, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01NCK06F0
Edition Language: English

Series: Love in Laguna
Book #1: Knight of Ocean Avenue
Book #2: Knave of Broken Heart
Book #3: Prince of the Playhouse
Book #4: Lord of a Thousand Steps

B.A. Tortuga Talks the Origin of Stories and her release ‘Just Like Cats and Dogs (Sanctuary Book 1)’ by Ba Tortuga

Just Like Cats and Dogs (Sanctuary Book 1) by Ba Tortuga
Dreamspinner Press

Published January 25th 2017
Cover art by Alexandria Corza

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host one of our favorite authors here today. B.A. Tortuga is here to talk about her latest release, Just Like Cats and Dogs. Welcome, B.A. Tortuga!

Origin Stories by B.A. Tortuga

Hey, y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and lover of stories.

One of the questions I get a lot is where stories come from. How did I get this idea or that idea?

For instance, Just Like Cats and Dogs. I’d like to be all meta and deep and shit and give you some overblown nonsense about how I was exploring bullying and feeling like an outcast.

It would be a lie. Seriously.

How did I get the idea for Sam and Gus?

My wife and I were walking my 14 year old pitbull, Miss Lily, one day. Now this dog weighed 100 pounds, was in the throes of congestive heart failure and she was GRUMPY.

Did I mention she hated cats with an unreasoning passion?

Yeah.

So, I’m walking her, we’re chatting and suddenly she takes off like a freight train and hauls her ass into a bush.

With a cat.

A demon cat who proceeded to hand Lily’s ASS to her.

So, after we made sure the cat was okay, we took Lily home to doctor her. I took at my wife and said, “What if there was this kitty shifter guy…”

At that point, it was all over but the crying. 😉

See? Deep?

Much love, y’all.

Blurb

A Sanctuary Novel

Can cats and dogs ever get along, let alone fall in love?

Sam knows you can never go home again. As an orphaned feline shifter raised by wolves, being an outcast is nothing new to him. But the pack is still his family, and when one of them passes away, Sam returns to the New Mexico desert to say good-bye.

Gus is a loner who rarely returns to his pack, but as fate would have it, Sam is there when he chooses to visit. The history between Gus and Sam is tumultuous, to say the least, but when Gus gets an eyeful of the grown-up and gorgeous version of his childhood bully, he can’t control his reaction. And he isn’t alone.

The attraction is powerful, but so are their differences. And with trouble brewing in the pack and danger surrounding them, Sam and Gus might not have the opportunity to seek common ground.

This action-packed shifter novel is the ultimate opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers romance, and it includes a bonus novella, In the Dog House.

First Edition published by Torquere Press, 2011.

About BA Tortuga

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds and her beloved wife, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head. Find her on the web at www.batortuga.com

An Alisa Release Day Review: Just Like Cats and Dogs (Sanctuary #1) by B.A. Tortuga

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Can cats and dogs ever get along, let alone fall in love?

The attraction is powerful, but so are their differences. And with trouble brewing in the pack and danger surrounding them, Sam and Gus might not have the opportunity to seek common ground.

This action-packed shifter novel is the ultimate opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers romance, and it includes a bonus novella, In the Dog House.

This was a great story. Gus feels a connection to Sam when he sees him again and even stands up for him against the pack when he thinks it is necessary. When they see each other a few months later it impossible to miss how strong a connection they have to each other.

Unfortunately Sam and Gus have always been loners and don’t know how to communicate well, which causes a few misunderstandings when they are first together. Gus and Sam both want reassurance from the other, but aren’t comfortable saying it and end up saying or doing the wrong thing. The love these two have for each other one they open up is a wonderful thing, both willing to give up everything for the other.

We get to see both of these character’s points of view which helps understand what they are thinking even if they aren’t quite following it with their actions. The mate bond in this story is a bit different than the claiming bite during sex and it done. Both characters have to work and focus on their relationship for the bond to fully form and grow, I loved how this worked for the characters. The novella, In the Dog House, is great and gives us a look at Gus and Sam down the road. It also brings in a new character that seems to be important to the next book in the series and I can’t wait to read more about this new pack.

Cover art by Alexandria Corza great and I love the visuals of Sam and Gus, both in human and animal form.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 206 pages

Published: 2nd Edition, January 25, 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN-13: 9781635332988

Edition Language: English

Series: Sanctuary #1