A Sammy Review: The Right Time (Right and Wrong #3) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

“Nate, you’re a control freak with illusions of grandeur. Bad things happen sometimes. Thank you for sharing your confession. I absolve you. You can go on with your life now, and let go of your guilt.”

I chuckled humorlessly. “That easy, eh? Where have you been all these years?”

“Right here waiting to be your hero and set you free. It all comes down to being in the right place at the right time.”

The Right Time coverNate’s always been the one to run from things. He buries himself in work and deals and things that are easy to separate from emotion. This time he runs to Santa Monica, where with the help of his friends, he rents a beautiful apartment. What he doesn’t expect is for a loud neighbor slash landlord to be anything but annoying. Sweet, funny, endearing, so full of life. Everything about Alex pulls Nate in, and like a spark it lights and sets flames.

But if it were all about the fire and passion, life would be easy. That’s not the case. Nate has his own demons to deal with and Alex has to work his way around a religious father and navigating coming out. But there’s something to be said for finding each other at the right time, and their time is now.

“I want to give you something. A song. A piece of music. Something for you to remember me. I don’t want you to hear Beethoven and feel sad about things that never could be. I want to give you… hope.”

OH GOD. First off, let me just put it out there that this book was like a slow serenade for me. It took me a bit, but I began to slowly fall in love with it and then all at once I crashed and was completely and totally infatuated. Kind of like Alex and Nate’s journey. Slow and tentative at first and then BAM.

Where do I even start? Well, I guess the beginning is as good a place as any. This took me a bit longer to get into, but I think that may have had to do with some life stresses more than the story itself. I found Alex completely charming and authentic and though Nate was completely different from him, I was equally enamored with him and the rawness to his character. It may be cheesy, but they just fit together so well. Nate – who is serious and needs help to let loose, Alex – who is so free but needs someone to ground him, to be there and live in the moments with him. They were each others people. Simple as that.

We had gotten glimpses of them in the past, and it all led very nicely into this one. For those who are wondering, we do get some lovely guest appearances from the other boys (including Mack!) It was really a perfect balance of giving the readers some older favorites but building these great new favorites too (but who am I kidding, they’re all favorites).

I also have to say that I think Lane took the thermometer and cranked that puppy up. This was sizzling. I literally heard it crackling as I was reading! From sex in the dark hallway of a club to a jealous encounter in the gym leading to a sexy laundry room encounter and the truly passionate exchanges in between. There were some simple details that really pulled me in, like when one character would frame the others face with his arms and lean forward. It was just so smooth and wonderful.

And then there was the humor, which wasn’t as rampant as one may be used to with Lane’s books, but was still there and had me smiling (like how there’s no real loser in a bet where a blowjob is being exchanged.)

It was like getting a glimpse through thick fog of something profound, something just out of reach. I was so close. And this time, I wasn’t alone.

When it comes to the conflicts that they were dealing with, while the issue between Nate and Julie isn’t revealed until close to the end, I had a good idea of what it was. As a social worker, I see a lot of things, and how they were feeling was so palpable to me, even without the words behind it. I want to make a note that this does not necessarily mean that things were dealt with in the healthiest of ways, but that’s just so human and so real that it touched me. And really, who prescribes how you deal with that situation? I cannot imagine the heavy burden that comes with it. It, like the rest of the story, felt authentic.

My heart felt this story in the last fifty percent like a consistent beat weighing heavily on it. I felt for the characters in my gut and even teared up when that feeling became so incredibly intense (paired with classical music). In a word, this book left me utterly charmed.

I certainly hope it’s not the last we see of these characters. There’s still more to know and learn. But still, thank you Lane for another great story.

The cover by Aaron Anderson is nice and simple. It easily flows with the other covers in the series. I do have a bit of an issue with the placement of the white and how it makes it look like he has a vanishing arm, but it’s still a nice cover.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press |  All Romance (ARe) |  Amazon  |   Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 220 pages, also in paperback
Expected publication: June 26th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781634762175
edition languageEnglish
url https://lanehayes.wordpress.com/coming-soon/
seriesRight and Wrong #3

Series: Right and Wrong

In the Spotlight: Lane Hayes ‘ The Right Time (Right & Wrong Stories # 3 ) excerpt and giveaway

The Right Time cover

 The Right Time (Right & Wrong Stories # 3) by Lane Hayes
Release Date: June 26, 2015

Banner300x250 copy

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback

About The Right Time….

Workaholic Nate Erickson is a successful real estate developer who thrives on long hours and stress. When a Los Angeles project prompts him to relocate to Santa Monica, he welcomes the change of scenery. Nate has always considered romantic entanglements trouble, but his sexy next-door neighbor isn’t easy to ignore. Which makes no sense, because Nate is straight… or so he’s always thought.

Alex Reyes is a retired professional soccer player turned West Hollywood business owner with an insatiable lust for life. He loves his family, friends, and work. But there’s one life challenge left to accomplish: coming out publically. Respect for traditional Latino values has kept him in the closet, but Alex begins to think he and his new neighbor might help one another combat their fears. As Alex and Nate forge a strong friendship, they soon realize facing their personal demons will take more courage than either man bargained. The reward is immeasurable… if the timing is right.

Pages or Words: 225 pages, 80,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, Gay fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt for The Right Time by Lane Hayes

I hadn’t worked out with a professional in years, and it felt foreign to wait for someone else’s direction.
“Any issues with your shoulders or arms? Any injuries I should know about?” he asked, handing me the weights.
“No, I’m good.”
“Great. Start with your palms facing your thighs, lift them both over your chest, then lower the left. Good. And now the right.”
He stood over me diligently, making slight corrections when needed. My supine position gave me an interesting perspective. When I looked up, I noted how his strong brow offset his twinkling eyes. I swallowed uncomfortably and turned my head, only to find myself staring at his crotch. His dark shorts seemed to hint they were covering a generous package.
Holy fuck.
“You doing okay?”
“Uh yeah. Hey, weren’t you going to tell me about your Friday night?” I needed him to talk. I didn’t trust my thoughts anymore, and I was stuck in my current position crazily aware of a man in a way I hadn’t been in over fifteen fucking years. Diversion in any form was welcome.
Alex snorted. “I already told you. I went dancing, and oh yeah, I did get lucky.”
He added the last part with a hearty chuckle, no doubt catching my wide-eyed expression. I hadn’t expected that.
“Oh.”
“You asked.”
“Right.” I did? The strong flash of jealousy took me by surprise, but I pressed on. “Did you go back to the beach to get those girls’ numbers last weekend?”
He looked confused for a second, but a slow cocky grin soon spread across his handsome features as he crouched so his face was close to mine.
“No, I told you they weren’t my type.”
I gulped and watched his eyes lower to my throat. He licked his top lip and reached out to adjust my wrist.
“Lift ’em both at the same time, Nate. That’s it. Push it. Harder.”
I sent up a quick prayer I wasn’t sporting a tent in my shorts. Alex’s voice, touch, and yeah, the unintentional innuendos were making me nuts. And horny. I felt terribly out of my element. I wasn’t sure what we were talking about anymore, but the potent silence made me more uncomfortable than speech. Keep talking, I thought.
“So a dance partner?”
“What? Oh. Yeah, I think so. I can’t remember. It was just one of those things, you know? Sit up. Let’s give your arms a break.”
“Just one of those things?”
“Yeah. One night. No numbers exchanged. No hassle, no fuss.”
I had no words. Literally.
Alex chuckled gleefully as he led the way to a leg machine. He gave instructions and stood back to observe me for a moment.
“It’s not necessarily my favorite kind of sex, but hey….” He shrugged his shoulders with his hands outstretched as if to say “what’s a guy to do?”
I recognized this cue. It was my opportunity to commiserate about the trials and tribulations of being a single man with a healthy sexual appetite. Now was my chance to admit it was nice every once in a while to have sex of the nonsolo variety with someone who knew the score. But I was tongue-tied and equally aware of a completely different undercurrent. One I wasn’t brave enough to explore.
“You can stop having fun at my expense any time.”
Alex squeezed my shoulder and smirked playfully. “You’re easily rattled.”
“How so?”
“You seem like someone who has a place for everything and likes everything in its place. You have a routine, and you don’t appreciate any deviation. I should be flattered you came to the gym with me at the spur of the moment.” He paused, running his tongue over his plump bottom lip. “If you’re not careful, I’m gonna think you like me.”
The air between us crackled. Alex leaned forward so his handsome face was mere inches from mine. His proximity alone seemed to issue a challenge. Daring me to confess I was more than I appeared to be. I doubt he expected any revelations, but his intent was certainly to… how had he put it, rattle me. And damn, it was working.

About Lane Hayes

Lane Hayes is finally doing what she loves best. Writing! An avid reader from an early age, Lane has always been drawn to romance novels. She truly believes there is nothing more inspiring than a well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Lane discovered the M/M genre a fews ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel, Better Than Good, was a 2013 Rainbow Awards finalist. She loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and their very old dog in an almost empty nest.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: Lane Hayes https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008562883399&fref=ts
Facebook Author Page: LaneHayesauthor
Twitter: LaneHayes3 https://twitter.com/LaneHayes3
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7125719.Lane_Hayes

Contest:

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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $25 gift card & e-book copy of ‘The Right Time’.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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Tour Dates & Stops: May 26, 2015
30-Jun
Prism Book Alliance
Love Bytes
Carly’s Book Reviews

2-Jul
Bike Book Reviews
Hearts on Fire
Joyfully Jay
BFD Book Blog

7-Jul
Cathy Brockman Romances
Mikky’s World of Books
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
Wake Up Your Wild Side

9-Jul
Bayou Book Junkie
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews
3 Chicks After Dark

14-Jul
My Fiction Nook
Molly Lolly

16-Jul
Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My
Because Two Men Are Better Than One
Inked Rainbow Reads
Emotion in Motion

21-Jul
Cate Ashwood
Divine Magazine
Amanda C. Stone

23-Jul
Rainbow Gold Reviews
Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance
MM Good Book Reviews

24-Jul
Velvet Panic

25-Jul
Multitasking Mommas

 

Discovering New Authors: Mika on Posey Roberts!

 

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Reviewer Mika On Author Posy Roberts!

Posy Roberts is one of the most under rated authors to me. I remember scrolling through Goodreads recommendations list based on what I read and saw her cover for Spark. I thought to myself it was a different cover, looked like snail in the sand. I decided to give it a chance, and have not looked back. To me Posy is the type of author who writes real life situations.

Her Fusion series?  I cried through most of it. It’s so realistic. Her characters could be your next door neighbors, your co-workers, or even your family. She pulls the emotions out of her fans. I guarantee you reading that second book in her series, you’d have to add her to auto-buy. That did it for me. Whenever someone wants to read about real life, drama, children, acceptance, and love, Posy Roberts is one of my top contenders.

With her latest book Cheeky Hipsters and Jocks, I saw an entire different Posy Roberts, it’s not much steam to her books, but this one was steamy. I loved it. I feel like as a reader, I’m seeing her grow and evolve as an author. Sure, it’s not all about the sex, but just to have the smiles without the tears is fun to me.

I’d definitely recommend Posy Roberts to any reader really. I don’t think she’s the type of writer that should be stuck in one box. She’s extremely versatile when it comes to writing characters. I like tear-jerkers, and hurt comfort books, and she definitely brings it out. The writing is always good.

About Author Posy Roberts!

Posy Roberts icon

Posy Roberts writes about romantic male love. Whether her characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.

Posy is married to a man who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep; her daughter, a budding author and dedicated Whovian, helps her come up with character names. When Posy’s not writing, she enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make normal seem more interesting.

Contact the author via

Goodreads ♦  Twitter ♦   Website

Spark coverFlare coverFusion coverCheeky HIpsters and Jocks cover

Some of Posy Roberts Stories:

  • Spark (North Star, #1)
  • Fusion (North Star, #2)
  • Flare (North Star #3)
  • Cheeky Hipsters & Jocks (BFP:The Secrets Collection)

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

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It’s the  4th of July Weekend here in the US  (as well as wherever US citizens happen to be overseas) and that usually means fireworks, food, friends and families combining in celebration of our Independence Day!  Its been a soggy one, a humid one but the fireworks were still so glorious and loud and my dogs hated  every second of it, even from under the bed covers at home.

I expect to hear the fireworks and local “booms” going off tonight as well.  It’s going to be a long night for us all.  Any one got doggy ear plugs we can borrow?

I hope you are all having a good time this Sunday.  This week our reviewer Paul B is launching his monthly column here, Paul’s Paranormal Portfolio where he’s going to blog about all things supernatural and paranormal in LGBTQIA fiction.  This week? It’s all about the mpreg, a highly contested element in some supernatural/high fantasy/scify stories.  How does Paul feel about it?  Check it out on Wednesday, July 8th to find out and let us know what you think about mpreg as well!

Also this week, we continue our Author Discovery Blog.  Here one of our reviewer’s talks about an author they have recently discovered and why their stories resonate with them so.  I love finding new authors and stories, hope  you will as well.

And now for this week’s schedule.

 

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Death's Ink Black Shadow coverWinter Kills coverFor Real coverFae for All cover

Sunday, July 5, 2015:

  • This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, July 6, 2015:

  • Megan Mulry’s “Bound for Passion”  Author Interview and Tour
  • Chris McHart – Alex’s Surprise & Saving Alex book blast and giveaway
  • Reviewer Author Discovery:  Posy Roberts
  • A Paul B Review: Fae For All (Cloverleah Pack #6) by Lisa Oliver
  • A MelanieM Review:  The Pinch of the Game by Charlie Descoteaux

Tuesday, July  7, 2015:

  • Launch Announcement of Totally Pride from Totally Entwined Books
  • Lane Hayes ‘The Right Time‘ Keep Me In Mind tour and giveaway
  • A Sammy Review: The Right Time by Lane Hayes
  • Alexis Duran ‘Betwixt and Between‘ book blast and contest
  • Guest Blog: Isabelle Rowan “Snowman” Tour
  • A MelanieM Review Repeat:  Snowman by Isabelle Rowan

Wednesday, July 8, 2015:

  • Cover Reveal for A Demon Inside by Rick R Reed (giveaway)
  • A Stella Review: The Storm Before The Calm by Cate Ashwood
  • A BJ Review: Winter Kill by Josh Lanyon
  • Paul’s Paranormal Portfolio-Mpreg in Stories

Thursday, July 9, 2015:

  • Release Day for Beneath the Scales by Aurora Peppermint
  • Book Spotlight:  The Luckiest by Mila McWarren and giveaway
  • MA Church ‘Bad Boys Club’ Book Blast and Contest
  • A Stella Review: For Real by Alexis Hall
  • A MelanieM Review: Acting On Love by SJ Frost

Friday, July 10, 2015:

  • Jon Key’s Obsidian Sun Book Blast and Giveaway
  • CC Dado ‘Imposter in Zebra-striped Briefs’ virtual tour
  • A MelanieM Review:  Imposter In Zebra-striped Briefs by CC Dado
  • In the Book Spotlight:  Ari by Cheryl Headford – contest
  • A Mika Review: Death’s Ink Black Shadow by John Wiltshire

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YA Saturday, June 10, 2015:

  • Aurora Peppermint’s Beneath the Scales Spotlight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words ~ Best Covers of June 2015

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 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best Covers of June 2015

(with links to their reviews)

We love our book covers here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words and think you do too!  They draw us in, tell us a little about the story and main characters inside…if they are doing the job they are supposed too.   Some are whimsical, some are sexy, others mysterious, dark and just plain out glorious.  Here are some of our  favorites this month.  What were yours?

And if you missed the stories behind the covers, I’ve included the links to the reviews for your information and enjoyment!

Happy Reading and Have a Safe and Joyous 4th!

Best Cover of June 2015

CounselorAmongWolves[A]FSCheeky HIpsters and Jocks coverDrama Queen CoverFireworks and Wild Cards cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00067]Spell Bound coverSultry Sunset coverKnight of Ocean Avenue cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retrograde Final

The Secret Casebook of Simon Fleximal coverEnglish 1 the summer house jpgWhen to Hold Them cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series Finale:

Forging the future coverRunning with the Wind coverIntoWindStealing the Wind cover

 

 

 

 

 

YA Stories:

Out of Order cover

Out of  Order by Casey Lawrence, cover art by Aaron Andersen

In the Book Spotlight: Empty Nests (Nested Hearts #1) by Ada Maria Soto

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Empty Nests (Nested Hearts #1) by Ada Maria Soto
Release Date: June 12, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

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Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook and Paperback

 

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Neither James nor Gabe has ever had a real relationship. They might make a connection if they can get past their differences—and their fears.

At age fourteen, James Maron decided to prove he wasn’t gay despite vast evidence to the contrary. Now at thirty-two, he’s getting ready to send his son to college and wondering what he’s supposed to do next. Outside his son, his life consists of an IT job he hates and watching telenovelas with the women in his apartment building.

Gabriel Juarez is the CFO of a technology giant. He has looks, charm, fantastic wealth, a workaholic personality, and a string of boyfriends who only stick around because he’s too busy to tell them to leave.

A bad laptop/projector interface causes James and Gabe’s paths to cross. Friends, family, and coworkers jump to match Gabe with a nice guy, and James with anyone. But are they too different? Everyone will have to tread very carefully to keep things from ending before they start.

Pages or Words: 68,835 words

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

“So,” Dylan started as he scraped the last of the noodles from his plate. “Remember that conversation we were having about the new AP English teacher?”

“If you pull a piece of paper out of your pocket right now, I will never forgive you.”

Dylan grinned and pulled a tightly folded piece of paper from his pocket. “Saturday after next, if you want, you have a date.”

James was pretty sure teenagers were not supposed to be as hung-up on their father’s love life as Dylan was. “No. No, I do not.”

Dylan pushed over a printout from his school’s faculty webpage. There was a phone number handwritten at the bottom. “Thirty-five, no kids. He likes music.” Dylan had highlighted that line. “You like music, he likes music. He said he’d love to take you to see a band he likes.”

“Goddammit, Dylan! I do not need you setting me up with strangers.”

“He’s not a stranger, he’s the school’s AP English teacher, and I wouldn’t have to if you’d get out of the house once in a while. Seriously, Dad, I’m out of here in less than a year. I don’t want you moping around this place alone. I worry about you turning into a crazy old cat lady.”

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Ada Maria Soto is a born and raised Californian, Mexican-American/WASP, currently living as an expat in New Zealand. She got her Bachelor’s degree in Theater Directing at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, which she attended in a fit of stubbornness. She got a Master’s degree in Film and TV Producing from the University of Auckland in New Zealand which she applied to on a manic whim. Nine years later she’s still in Auckland with a partner, kid, and mortgage.

She has dysgraphia and phonological dyslexia which can lead to some interesting typos.

She is a sports fan dedicated to the Oakland A’s, San Jose Sharks, Auckland Blues, USA Eagles, New Zealand All Blacks, New Zealand Black Caps, and the Chennai Super Kings.
Where to find the author:

Official Website: http://adamariasoto.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ada.m.soto.568
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AdaMariaSotoAuthor
Twitter: @adamariasoto
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+AdaSoto/posts
DSP Author Arcade: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/AuthorArcade/ada-maria-soto

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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Both books of the series (one will not be out for a few months). Link and prizes to be provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Tour Dates & Stops:
12-Jun
Carly’s Book Reviews

16-Jun
Prism Book Alliance
My Fiction Nook

19-Jun
Bike Book Reviews
Butterfly-O-Meter
Love Bytes

23-Jun
Hearts on Fire
Kimi-Chan

26-Jun
Amanda C. Stone
MM Good Book Reviews

30-Jun
3 Chicks After Dark
Mikky’s World of Books
Inked Rainbow Reads

3-Jul
Happily Ever Chapter
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
Rainbow Gold Reviews
BFD Book Blog

7-Jul
Bayou Book Junkie
TTC Books and More
Molly Lolly
Multitasking Mommas

 

A MelanieM Review: Cherish the Land (Lang Downs #5) by Ariel Tachna

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Sequel to Conquer the Flames
Lang Downs: Book Five

Cherish the Land coverSeth Simms never wanted to be a cowboy, although to listen to his best friend, Jason Thompson, tell it, he isn’t one. He just happens to have lucked out in coming to live on Lang Downs with his brother ten years ago. He found enough stability to finish high school and go off to university, but he never really believed Lang Downs would be the same haven for him that it had become for so many others. He’s too messed up in the head. No one would accept someone with his issues.

All his life, Jason has had one goal: to come home to Lang Downs as resident veterinarian when they need his skills and jackaroo when they don’t. And it means he gets to spend time with Seth during his occasional visits, even though his dream of going from friends to lovers is hopeless since Seth is straight.

When Seth unexpectedly comes home to stay, Jason takes it as the boon it is. But juggling a relationship with another jackaroo and his friendship with Seth isn’t easy, and that’s before Jason realizes how deep Seth’s issues run and how dangerously Seth chooses to cope with them.

With Ariel Tachna’s Cherish The Land, another heartwarming series comes to a close and does so beautifully.  I have never been to Australia (a long held desire) but I have felt like I have been transported there by several authors and their incredible stories, including Ariel Tachna’s Lang Downs series.  My introduction to Lang Downs, a cattle station in the Northern Territory, came with Inherit the Sky (Lang Downs, #1).  With that story Ariel Tachna brought Lang Downs Station, the men that love and live on it, and the “close to nature” lifestyle inherent with living on land that is both beautiful and extreme.  By the end of that amazing story, I felt that not only did I know these men but that I had  spent actual time at Lang Downs, getting a feel for the land and the roll call of seasons that sweep over it.

Now through five stories, it  comes to an end, and it sort of breaks my heart to let  it and all these couples go.   But just as in nature, there is a natural cycle to things, so it happens here.  Tachna takes most of the loose plot stories and floating characters and brings them home, whether to Lang Downs or somewhere close by and does it in the manner that all the previous stories have been written-gentle, persuasive and loving.

There are no explosions here, just a narrative that moves with the unstoppable progression and a quietness that is so unflinching, so natural that the events seem as though they were written in the red dust of the land covers all that enters it. Lang Downs has always been a sanctuary…for gay men, for those in need of safety and acceptance.  Seth Simms accepted that haven once, with his brother, Chris Simms of Chase the Stars (Lang Downs #2) years ago.  But he left for heartbreaking reasons.  And those same reasons are now pulling him home.  Seth is a vulnerable character, his fears deep and his pain secret. Its affect on him has become one of shame and withdrawal.  I had forgotten over the course of the series how complicated Seth was and this story renews that believable characterization once more.

Jason Thompson was an original member of the first story along with his family.  He has grown tremendously (including his age as well as depth) as each book appeared and fully takes his place as a main character here.  I have always loved him and his family, never more so than in the events that occur here with Seth, who is such a damaged soul.

All the couples get pulled into the tragedy that occurs (all too commonplace in the removed outback), and the situation as it works itself out and resolves was one that I had hoped would lead to an all new series, not an end to this one.  Ah well….

What happens involves the adjacent station run by the rigid and homophobic brother of Jeremy Taylor who now lives at Lang Downs, along with his lover, manager Sam Emery of Outlast the Night (Lang Downs #3).  Also involved?  Thorne Lachlan and Ian Duncan of Conquer the Flames (Lang Downs #4).   Each has an important role  at Lang Downs and each has an important part to play as this final installment rolls out.  Did I say how much I will miss them all?  Yes indeed, and that includes all the various dogs, cats and horses that have appeared to become part of the family as well.

Did all the loose plot threads get resolved?  Did all the characters find their HEA?  No, realistically so. And while that lead to a small amount of frustration with this story, it also serves to keep hope alive that Ariel Tachna might revisit this series once more to update us on all the lives and goings on of the people of Lang Downs and beyond.  Hope is good, right?

Haven’t read this series yet?  Need a new contemporary saga to fall in love with?  I absolutely recommend Ariel Tachna’s  Lang  Downs series and Cherish the Land (Lang Downs #5).  The writing is evocative and seamless.  The images deeply moving and sometimes emotionally shattering.  And the love these men feel for each other and the land flows off the pages and into your hearts in stories you won’t easily forget in books its hard to put down.  Here’s hoping this won’t be the last time to journey to Lang Downs and men I adore.

Cover art by  Anne Cain is simply beautiful as it has been for each book in the series.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press  eBook & Paperback | All Romance (ARe) |  Amazon  | Buy It here

Book Details:

ebook, 220 pages
Published June 8th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press LLC
ISBN139781634760881
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
seriesLang Downs #5

Books in the Lang Downs Series in the order they were written and should be read are:

  • Inherit the Sky (Lang Downs, #1)
  • Chase the Stars (Lang Downs, #2)
  • Outlast the Night (Lang Downs #3)
  • Conquer the Flames (Lang Downs #4)
  • Cherish the Land (Lang Downs #5) – series finale

Its Love And Mystery with Model Citizen by Lissa Kasey (excerpt and giveaway)

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Model Citizen by Lissa Kasey
Release Date: June 22, 2015

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Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

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Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook | Dreamspinner Press Paperback

 

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Oliver “Ollie” Petroskovic’s life as an international supermodel was heading in the right direction. He worked part-time for his brother at his detective agency—Petroskovic Haven Investigations—and had just bought his dream house. But all that changed when he found his brother dead, a victim of PTSD-induced suicide.

Almost a year later, Ollie is trying to keep his brother’s business afloat, but can’t get his PI license. Then his brother’s best friend, Kade Alme, shows up, fresh from the battlefield after a close brush with death. Kade is looking for a new life, in more ways than one, and with PI license in hand, he’s exactly what Ollie needs to keep PHI running.

When one of Ollie’s childhood friends gets in trouble, Ollie feels he has to help. Kade insists on investigating if only to keep Ollie safe. Neither realizes the danger they’re in as someone tries to tear them apart before they can find solid ground together.

Pages or Words: 82,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Mystery

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

I wasn’t surprised when Will got in the car with me, though I hadn’t seen him arrive. He looked as tired as I felt. He had a pair of sweats and a T-shirt in hand. “I need your clothes as evidence, Ollie.”

Did he want me to change right here? I blinked at him for a few seconds, and he blinked back, then set the clothes on the seat beside me. I pulled off my shirt and dropped it into the bag he held out, and pulled on the tee before shimmying out of the shorts and into the sweats, which were obviously Britney’s since they were pink and said “princess” on the ass. I sighed as he motioned to my shoes, then stripped out of them to hand them to him.

Will got out of the car without asking me any questions or saying another word. My heart flipped over in my chest. I’d finally done it, hadn’t I? I’d made him so angry he wanted nothing more to do with me. I fought back tears and suddenly felt so cold I curled up on the seat and just shivered. My heart rate was starting to come down and my mind was trying to keep up. Someone had shot at me. In fact, if I’d been standing in front of the door, I’d be dead right now, a hole the size of a sewer cover through my gut.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Lissa Kasey lives in St. Paul, MN, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing, and collects Asian Ball Joint Dolls who look like her characters. She has three cats who enjoy waking her up an hour before her alarm every morning and sitting on her lap to help her write. She can often be found at Anime Conventions masquerading as random characters when she’s not writing about boy romance.

Where to find the author:

Twitter: @parisbvamp
Website: https://www.lissakasey.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lissa.kasey

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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $15 DSP Gift Card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Tour Dates & Stops: June 22 – July 3, 2015
22-Jun
The Hat Party
23-Jun
Jessie G. Books
24-Jun
BFD Book Blog
25-Jun
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews
26-Jun
Inked Rainbow Reads
29-Jun
Love Bytes
30-Jun
Bayou Book Junkie
1-Jul
MM Good Book Reviews
2-Jul
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
3-Jul
Happily Ever Chapter
Molly Lolly

A MelanieM Review: Bulldust by D.J. Brumb

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Bulldust coverRomance is lost and found in the dusty emptiness of the Australian outback, where love and friendship prove stronger than the harsh environment.

During a violent storm at sea on an immigrant ship bound for Australia, young British student, Paul Canfield, meets and falls in love with Mike Armstrong, an adventurous American on his way to Port Hedland in the far north to work at his father’s mining concerns.

Due to a disastrous event, Mike is injured and lost in the vast and hostile desert. He is found by a roving tribe of aborigines and nurtured back to almost complete health.

Paul is determined to trace the tracks of his lost lover and undergoes many varied and perilous adventures on his quest to bring Mike back.

Bulldust by D.J. Brumb starts off with a Prologue in the year 2012.  Paul and Mike are living in South Beach, CA and Mike has an accident and is transported to the hospital where Paul waits to see what happened to him.  Chapter 1 flashes back to 1956.  Paul and his family are on board the passenger ship MV Georgic.  His parents are emigrating from Liverpool to Australia and this ship is taking them to their new home.   The voyage has become turbulent and Paul is saved from falling overboard by American Mike Armstrong.  Mike is also headed to Australia to work  in one of his father’s mining concerns.  From moment, the two young men become inseparable during the voyage, discovering not only that both are gay but that they are seriously attracted  to one another.

Brumb is quick to authenticate the era the boys meet in.  Mike is reading Nevil Shute’s A Town Like Alice (a favorite of mine) which was published in 1950.  The ship is detailed down to the chairs bolted on the deck and the passage it takes from England to Australia is well documents as it sails through the Straits of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean toward Malta and on to Port Said and the Suez Canal.  The author is meticulous in their research and it shows.  However instead of an exciting  journey, the voyage felt more like a stuffy travelogue, an unfortunate side effect of a narrative that felt more like a “as told to”  then one we are in the middle of experiencing.  Which is a shame because this cruise and the places it passes by offer untold promise and excitement that is never fulfilled.

Mike and Paul become close on the trip and sexually intimate to the point that saying goodbye at the end is heartbreaking for both.  Perhaps not the reader but the main characters certainly.  For me, I never could get invested in their relationship.  It felt lacking any charisma or sex appeal or life for that matter.  The dry tone of the travelogue carried  over into every part of this story, including the new relationship between Mike and Paul.

It doesn’t get any better when Mike rents a car to travel by himself up to  the mining town, a perilous journey he  takes blithely. When the boys separate so does the narrative and the story starts jumping back and forth between Mike and Paul’s point of view.  Sometimes, in other books, this format is successful in allowing the reader to become intimate with the interior thoughts and feelings of each individual.  And sometimes it just muddies the flow of the  plot.  In Bulldust, it was definitely a case of the latter.

As you can guess from the blurb, Mike is injured and lost.  So lost that he and us lose all sight of what little we had learned about who he was and what he was doing there.  Mike becomes someone else and that takes us away from our connection to him and his relationship with Paul, what little of it is left at this point.  Plus there was the factor that this segment of the story contains one of the best possibilities for bringing us into the native aboriginal culture of Australia and fails utterly to make it fascinating and believable.  Not that the author didn’t do the research…Brumb did.  But it never comes alive or allows us to feel as though we are part of the story and Mike’s situation.

Meanwhile back at the city or wherever Paul finds himself,  time passes in multiple ways until Paul decides to look for Mike. Dusty travels ensue, via railroad and other methods of transportation and so does the lifeless tone of the novel.

I so wished I liked this story more.  That darn blurb hooked me in with all the sort of details that trigger my interest.  But that blurb turned out to be the most exciting thing about this story.  Loved the research, but barely made it through the narrative.  Plus that Prologue and Epilogue which pulls us back  to 2012 adds little to the story other than to put it in a modern context and act as its own spoiler because the men are together in the present day.  So much for the suspense of if Paul will find Mike.

What Bulldust has in factual information and length, it missing its equal in vitality and connection.  This story felt as dry as the outback without ever making us feel as though we had been there.  So much promise lost, so much potential in the plot wasted.   I certainly hope that the next story I read by this  author contains the research as well as the ability to lose us in whatever story Brumb wants to tell and makes us believe it with all our hearts.  I want to be transported in feeling instead of being told I was on a journey.

Art work by Christine Griffin.  I sort of liked the “oldtimey” feel to the cover.  Could have been one of those adventure novels of the 50’s.  But it didn’t take that far enough, and finally falls flat.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press |  All Romance (ARe) |  Amazon  |  Buy It Here

Book Details:

book, 150 pages
Published June 10th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632168931
edition languageEnglish

 

 

 

 

Cover Art by

Sales Links:

Book Details:

ebook, 150 pages
Published June 10th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632168931
edition languageEnglish

It’s Release Day for Annabelle Jacobs’ A Casual Thing! Check out Our Excerpt & Giveaway

A Casual Thing V2

A Casual Thing by Annabelle Jacobs
Release Date: July 1, 2015

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Anna Sikorska

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press  |  Amazon

-A Casual Thing Blurb-

Patrick Mason travels to Bristol to spend the summer with his brother, Ben. He’s cat sitting for the first two weeks while Ben goes on holiday. But Ben neglected to tell him he wouldn’t be doing it alone. Will Adams—Ben’s mate and Patrick’s long-time crush—is staying in Ben’s guest room while he waits to move into his new house after a breakup.

Against his better judgment, Patrick convinces Will that a little no-strings fun is just what they need. Patrick doesn’t want to get involved with a guy on the rebound, and Will isn’t interested in starting something serious with a student. But Patrick’s never been good at separating sex from feelings, and this time is no exception. As their weeks together draw to a close, they need to decide if they have something worth pursuing or if it’s really just a casual thing.

Pages or Words: 138 pages

Categories: Contemporary, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt from A Casual Thing

Ben raised an eyebrow. “I see living with Sean all these years has done some good after all.”

“Ugh,” Patrick groaned. He wasn’t that bad. “He’s my roommate, not my mum. He doesn’t make me do chores you know.” Sean was also his best friend, and three years of living together at university had made Patrick more self-sufficient, but he wasn’t about to admit it. “Anyway,” he said, walking down the hall as he spoke. “I’m assuming you’ve cleared out all your shit from the spare room?” Patrick looked back over his shoulder as he opened the door. Ben usually shoved anything he didn’t use in there until he either gave it to charity or took it down to the rubbish tip.

“Yeah, um… about that….” Ben let the sentence hang there as Patrick opened the door to the spare room and stopped in his tracks.

Okay, so it wasn’t full of Ben’s stuff, but it wasn’t empty either. The bed looked recently slept in, the quilt pulled up sort of straight but the pillows at odd angles, as though it had been made in a hurry. A couple of shirts hung on the wardrobe door, and the desk had a laptop on it and some toiletries that definitely belonged to a guy.

Ben appeared behind him, scratching at the back of his neck, but not looking particularly bothered. Patrick waved a hand around the room and raised his eyebrow. “I guess I’m not staying in here, then?”

“Sorry, it only happened a couple of weeks ago, and I forgot all about it. But he’s only here for another two weeks, so you can sleep in my room while I’m away.” Ben gestured to the door opposite and picked up Patrick’s bags again. “I’m off in the morning, so you only have to sleep on the sofa for one night.”

Patrick followed him, trying not to feel disappointed at not having the place to himself. He collapsed on Ben’s bed, making sure to hang his shoes over the edge. “So, who is it, then? Do I know him?” He narrowed his eyes, watching as Ben dropped both bags in front of the wardrobe and turned to face him. “It better not be someone old and boring who’s going to judge everything I do.

Christ.” He threw his arm over his face and let out a put-upon sigh. “I might as well have stayed at home.”

“He’s not old. He’s a year older than me.”

“You’re old.”

“Shut the fuck up, or I will send you back home.” The bed dipped as Ben sat down. “And yes, you know him. He’s a good guy—I wouldn’t leave my little brother alone for two weeks with someone I didn’t trust completely.”

Patrick sat up and leaned on his elbows, taking in the slightly shifty expression on his brother’s face. Nothing normally fazed Ben, and he’d said that Patrick knew the guy and that Ben trusted him, so Patrick didn’t see what the problem could be. He liked to think he was pretty easy to get along with. He maybe had a lot of energy, which irritated some people, but he tried to tone it down with anyone other than close friends or family. Ben’s mates all knew him pretty well anyway—Patrick usually came down to Bristol for at least a few days every time he had a break from uni.

“Well, I’m assuming it’s one of your friends, and honestly, Ben, they’re a great bunch of lads, so I don’t get why you’re being weird.”

“I’m not being weird.”

Patrick gave him his best “yeah right” look and sat up a bit. “Seriously, I won’t have a problem sharing with any of them,” he said, nudging Ben with his shoulder. “Well, except Will maybe, but that’s only because—”

Patrick stopped, the words dying on his tongue as he noticed Ben wince.

“No.” He jumped off the bed, fisting his hands in his hair. “No fucking way. Ben, please tell me you’re not leaving me alone for two weeks with the guy I have a huge unrequited, and frankly, embarrassing, crush on?”

Ben shrugged. “He needed somewhere to stay. I’d sort of forgotten you had the hots for him.”

 

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About Annabelle Jacobs:

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with her husband, three rowdy children, and two cats.

An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction

 

Tour Dates & Stops: July 1, 2015
Parker Williams, Kimi-Chan, Cate Ashwood, Jessie G. Books, All I Want and More Books, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Velvet Panic, My Fiction Nook, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Bayou Book Junkie, Chris McHart, Havan Fellows, Carly’s Book Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Mikky’s World of Books, Molly Lolly, Multitasking Mommas, Charley Descoteaux, The Hat Party, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Because Two Men Are Better Than One

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Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: A book from Annabelle’s backlist.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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