A Stella Review: Thirty Things by Cate Ashwood

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Thirty Things coverAll their lives, Finn and Nate have been inseparable, sharing everything, and when a childhood accident left Finn broken, Nate stood by his side as all his other friends left. After all their years together, there’s one secret Finn still hasn’t revealed: he has been in love with Nate since they were eight years old. Hiding his feelings for twenty-one years—terrified of what might happen if Nate ever found out—has been difficult, but losing his best friend would be worse than living with a bad case of unrequited love.

Unfortunately for Finn, Nate doesn’t make it easy.

Nate believes there are some things that just have to be done before your thirtieth birthday. As a gift to Finn, he plans an adventure to check off a list of thirty things to experience before hitting that milestone. Starting in Crawfordsville, Indiana, they tour the country, trying new things and meeting interesting new people. Nate’s having the time of his life, but he can tell Finn is holding something back. As the days count down, navigating the back roads suddenly seems easier than figuring out where their relationship is heading.

One thing’s for certain. There will be no turning back.

Thirty Things by Cate Ashwood was a perfect reading, it caught me from the start. I simply loved it! I don’t have a lot to say about it. Do you ever have that feeling of satisfaction and completeness when you have just finished a book? When you have nothing to complain about, just good feelings? Thirty Things was like that to me. I’m a huge fan of Cate Ashwood works. I love how she writes and in particular Keeping Sweets is one of the first mm books I ever read. It stayed in my heart and I was so happy to found a little (very little) more about Evan and Bran in this book too.

There’s nothing special in this book, and when I say nothing special I mean there’s no drama, no angst, no mystery to solve, but this book is special. It was a joy to read. So peaceful, light, easy, hopeful, entertaining from page one till the end. I can’t find one little reason to give Thirty Things less than five stars.

Nate and Finn are best friends since kindergarten, they live together, Nate is a writer and Finn is an editor. Finn has been in love with Nate for twenty-one years, but Nate is straight. Just when he starts thinking it’s time to put a little space between them and maybe start looking for someone else, Nate treats him with a road trip for his thirtieth birthday, with a list of thirty things to do before he turns thirty. We’ll see them going through scary bungee jumping, spending an amazing night in a tree-houses, watching delusional rodeo shows, but most of all they will discover that the fear of losing a true friendship like the one they have has no real basis. Sometimes being with someone who knows you better than you know yourself is the most beautiful things that can happened in your life.

These two guys have a beautiful friendship. Nate in particular was the only one to stay by Finn side when Finn, only seven years old, had a bad accident that left him with a reduced mobility in the legs.

“I am so proud of you, every day, for doing what you do. I know you’re in pain, and you never show it. You are the strongest person I know, but sometimes strength means accepting help from other people. I have always been, and will always be here to support you. It’s not a sign of weakness to fall on me if you need me. I will always catch you. So let me catch you, Finn.”

I think it’s the first time I read a “friends to lovers” story in which the author decides to approach the switch from friends to lovers in a so easy way. It was a pleasure to read it. We get some glimpse of their life together, some important moments to remember, but the story isn’t made of them, it’s made of present events. Moreover I usually prefer to have an alternate POV between MCs so I can be able to know both of them better. In this book we get just Finn prospective and I didn’t need Nate’s one. It felt complete to me.

Highly recommended!

Cover art by Alexandria Corza. I loved the book and I loved the cover. It gave me the same peaceful feeling and it represents the story perfectly.

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

Book Details:

Published April 3rd 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ebook, 210 pages, also available in paperback
ISBN13 9781632169006
Edition language English

 

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review – The Silence of the Stars by Kate McMurray ~ Audiobook narrated by Michael Ferraioulo

Rating: 4 stars out of 5audiobook clipart bw

SilenceoftheStars[The]AUDSMEverett Blake is a successful concert violinist who holds a teaching position at Olcott School for talented young musicians in Manhattan and occasionally accepts a short stint with a local symphony since performing is a part of his life he truly loves. He’s recently been cast off by his long term partner, Pierre, a French Chef who landed his own cooking show. A perfectionist, Pierre never failed to let Everett know he wasn’t quite good enough.

Now, four months later, Everett has his own apartment in Manhattan and has hired a local contractor to remodel his kitchen. Sandy Sullivan is the principal contractor for the company in that area and when he arrives on Everett’s doorstep, the mutual attraction is immediately evident.

Sandy is sexy, fun, and an enjoyable companion as Everett discovers over drinks one night. He’s an Army vet who served multiple tours overseas but was injured in Afghanistan when a car bomb exploded and was medically discharged. Unknown to Everett, Sandy suffers from PTSD, the true reason he left the Army. His close friend was killed when that bomb exploded, and though he only suffers occasional flashbacks now, he does still suffer from vivid and frightening nightmares.

When he and Everett eventually have sex, Sandy always finds a reason to leave afterwards, making Everett think that perhaps Sandy isn’t looking for a relationship. Everett, handsome, wealthy and educated, has always chosen to be in a relationship with a man before having sex, and he thought that’s what he and Sandy had started so he’s disappointed each time Sandy goes. When Sandy finally does stay over one night, Everett learns why Sandy always leaves when Everett wakes Sandy in the middles of a nightmare and finds himself thrown to the floor.

Eventually, Sandy decides to seek the help of a psychologist who specializes in PTSD because he’s starting to care for Everett, and he realizes his PTSD and related nightmares are affecting their budding relationship. Sandy’s goal in life has always been to have a large, happy family in a nice home with a wonderful life partner, or husband now that same sex marriage is possible. However, he now believes it’s too late for him, and he faces a struggle to work through his PTSD issues and his thoughts and feelings about his life plans. In the meantime, he and Everett are growing closer and Everett surprises Sandy by standing up for him when they go to meet Everett’s snobby parents. But it’s the little things that Everett does for him, the quiet and strong support he shows in many ways, that eventually helps Sandy more than anything else.

This is a wonderful story about love and relationships, a hurt-comfort story in which both men learn and grow due to being with each other. Everett is not without his own revelations in this story as he re-examines his feelings about love and family and commitment. The narrator, Michael Ferraioulo, does an excellent job in vocalizations of the characters as well as in the overall narration. He has one of those voices that is a pleasure to listen to, and I found that I carried my iPhone around with me all day so that I could listen to this story no matter what I was doing—just like being unable to put down a good book.

Though it is second in a series, there’s no need to read the first one, but I have to admit that now that I’ve met a few characters from that story, I’ll likely go back and read (or listen to) that one too.

Cover by Aaron Anderson depicts a head shot of a man on a solid white background with the title and a music score superimposed over his face. This is a nice way to depict the importance of music in the life of MC Everett while picturing a man who I assume is MC Sandy.

Sales Links:   Dreamspinner Press Audio Book          iTunes   Audible

Book Details:

Narrator Michael Ferraiuolo
Length 7 hours and 0 minutes
Categories:AudiobooksKate McMurrayStars that Tremble and Silence of the Stars by Kate McMurray
Book Type Audiobook
Other Formats: eBook, Paperback

Book Spotlight: Just The Way You Are (Just Life #4) by E E Montgomery

 Just The Way You Are

Just The Way You Are (Just Life #4) by E E Montgomery

STRW In The Spotlight Header
Release Date: April 17, 2015

 

STRW Author BookSynopsis

After ten years in an abusive relationship and a near-fatal knife wound, Jonathan Watson is finally free. Unused to being able to make even the smallest decision and smothered by family and well-meaning neighbors, he’s floundering in the real world. Jonathan is afraid of falling into another relationship too quickly and realizes he needs time to rediscover who he is before he attaches himself to another man.

He never counted on meeting Ben Urquhart, though. Ben tempts Jonathan to forget everything and take a leap.  For Ben, it’s love at first sight, and he doesn’t want to take it slow. He wants to build a life with Jonathan, free from harm and full of laughter. But before they can take the next step, they must protect Jonathan from his possessive, threatening ex. Jonathan must find the courage to confront him and break the chains of his past before he can be truly free to build a future with Ben.

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Pages or Words: 70,000 words

  • Can be read as a standalone, but there are elements in the other stories that will add depth to this one
  • Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Chapter ONE

JONATHAN SHIVERED in the early morning air but not from the chill. He wrapped his arms around himself and groaned as his wound tugged against the movement. He relaxed slowly as the pain eased. From where he stood, he could see between the two apartment blocks to where the sun glinted off the Brisbane River. Five years ago he used to watch the ferries puddle their way up and down the river, dropping passengers here at Hamilton and across the way at Bulimba. He’d missed that view for a long time. He wondered if he’d miss the house now that he was leaving it.

The house was gray—morning gray, Anthony had called it, but it had always looked like unwashed, neglected underwear to him. The lines of the house were precise and symmetrical, unlike the yard. The front lawn bore scars, just like his chest. They were from his Cruiser skidding to a stop the night Anthony had sent him to kill Mark. His eyes burned as he thought how close he’d come to doing what his boyfriend told him to.

At the time, he didn’t think he had any other choice. It was kill or be killed. Literally. By the end of that night, Mark had been the only one left uninjured. Liam’s leg had thankfully healed quickly where Anthony had stabbed him. Anthony was still in hospital with a self-inflicted knife wound to the stomach, and Jonathan…

Jonathan was done with that life. Anthony’s knife in his chest—so close to his heart it was clearly intended to be fatal—had cured him of whatever delusions he’d held onto that let him believe he was in love with the man. Even Anthony’s assertions that Jonathan was responsible for him being in a wheelchair since the car accident two years before wouldn’t get him to stay.

He was out of it now, or at least he would be as soon as the removalists came and took his stuff away. Then he could begin to heal. The first step had been to learn to breathe again after his lung collapsed when Anthony stabbed him. The next step… he didn’t know what the next step after this was. He wasn’t going to admit it to anyone, but he was just as terrified now, starting a life of his own—on his own—as he was when he thought he was going to die.

The trembling began again. Dizzy. Couldn’t catch his breath. He leaned beside the front door and forced himself to bring his mind back to the here and now and looked around again. There was a new section of fence now, and the Cruiser had been repaired and sat at the curb, waiting for him. His cousin must have had the damage repaired while Jonathan was in the hospital—learning how to make his lung work again after his boyfriend had tried to kill him. He shook the thoughts from his head. He had to stop thinking like this or he’d go mad.

Sleep last night had been impossible. The house had been cleaned, but nothing was going to completely remove the blood splattered on the white carpet. His blood.

A low rumble burbled through the air, and a truck turned onto the street. Jonathan’s heart raced. “You can do this,” he whispered, although he wasn’t quite sure which part of “this” he was talking about. It could be dealing with strangers on his own, or it could be leaving Anthony—finally. He pressed the heel of his hand over the dressing on his chest. Staying with Anthony was no longer an option.

The truck stopped and turned to reverse into the driveway. The high-pitched beeping made Jonathan jump and, to calm himself, he focused on the two men sitting in the cab. The driver looked young and blond, the passenger older and shriveled, his hair sticking out in unkempt tangles.

“Two people. Not Anthony. You’re outside, everything’s marked. You don’t need to go inside with them at all if you don’t want to. You can do this.” He counted his breaths in and out. The beeping stopped, the engine cut out, and the driver’s door opened.

Long, well-formed legs slipped from the cab, by-passing the step completely as a muscled body slid to the ground. Khaki cargo shorts bunched enticingly around a spectacular package before settling loosely around slim hips as the man’s boot-clad feet landed on the ground and he stood away from the truck. Jonathan moved his gaze up the body. The worn T-shirt did nothing to hide the trim stomach and prominent pecs and the sleeves framed the rounded deltoids perfectly. Jonathan sighed as he lifted his focus higher to see the man’s wide smile.

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Catt Ford

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Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook and Paperback

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

E E Montgomery wants the world to be a better place, with equality and acceptance for all. Her philosophy is: We can’t change the world but we can change our small part of it and, in that way, influence the whole. Writing stories that show people finding their own ‘better place’ is part of E E Montgomery’s own small contribution.

Thankfully, there’s never a shortage of inspiration for stories that show people growing in their acceptance and love of themselves and others. A dedicated people-watcher, E E finds stories everywhere. In a cafe, a cemetery, a book on space exploration or on the news, there’ll be a story of personal growth, love, and unconditional acceptance there somewhere.

Where to find the author:

You can contact E E Montgomery at eemontgomery11@gmail.com; on Facebook ; on Twitter: @EEMontgomery1; or at her website and blog.

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Tour Dates & Stops:

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Parker Williams, Decadent Delights, Cate Ashwood, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bayou Book Junkie, Inked Rainbow Reads, BFD Book Blog, Love Bytes, My Fiction Nook, Chris McHart, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, MM Good Book Reviews, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Velvet Panic, TTC Books and More, Charley Descoteaux, 

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

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Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: One copy of the each of the first three books in the series. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Just Life Series Includes:

Just His Type (Just Life, #1)
Just Like A Date (Just Life, #2)
Just in Time (Just Life #3)
Just the Way You Are (Just Life, #4)

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review –For a Rainy Afternoon (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by R.J. Scott

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

For A Rainy Afternoon cover

Robbie MacIntyre manages a small post office in the old Station House on the outskirts of sleepy Barton Hartshourn northwest of London. He’s stunned when the owner, Maggie, a close friend, bequeaths him not only the post office, but also Station House.

The rest of her estate is left to an American writer, Jason Young, and when he moves to the village, Robbie is thrown by the attraction he has for the man who has more of a claim on the Station House than he does.

Then there is a box that holds several rare first editions and a cookbook. Only when the secrets of the ingredients in a particular recipe are finally revealed does everything begin to make sense, and a love cut short seventy years earlier is finally discovered.

The first book in the new series, Tales of the Curious Cookbook, this story takes place in England where Robbie MacIntyre manages a small post office-slash-bookstore-slash-coffee-shop-slash-art gallery in the old Station House owned by his good friend Maggie Simmons. He’s been doing this work for about ten years—ever since Maggie offered him the position to help ground him when he was at loose ends after he graduated with a degree in art. He’s devastated when Maggie passes away and even more shocked when he finds out that she’s left the Station House to him.

But more intriguing is the fact that she left her home, Apple Tree Cottage, to an American. Jason Young is the great grandson of Maggie’s sister who immigrated to America after the war. He’s a writer who happens to be gorgeous and in need of help when the water tank at the cottage rusts out and floods the place. Robbie offers him a place to stay and a shoulder to lean on, and the two become friends.

While the cottage is being worked on, they retrieve a box holding several rare first editions of one of Robbie’s favorite mystery writers and an old handwritten cookbook, Recipes for the Heart: Mystical Meals and Dangerous Desserts, by Granny B. The book is organized by sections and marked by emotions. For example, there are recipes for foods that are for sadness, or finding what was lost, or inspiring passion. The one Robbie most likes is for applesauce cake because it was Maggie’s favorite, and he hasn’t been able to match it exactly even though she had given him the recipe. This cake is for finding love. The mystery in this story is what happens when the guys stumble upon information about Maggie’s past which includes a lost love and a separation from her sister and her family. There’s humor and heartache, romance, and adventure to be found. And when the new recipe for applesauce cake, aka the recipe for love, is followed, the boys finally find their way to their HEA.

This is a sweet short story, perfect as the kickoff for the new series. RJ Scott’s style is very evident throughout the story up to and including the building of a wonderfully matched pair of MCs. I recommend this to all who enjoy a bit of a history mystery and a little whimsy with their M/M romance.

~~~

Cover Art by Reese Dante depicts two apples propped on a table in front of a propped up open cookbook. Since apples and Apple Tree Cottage feature prominently in this cookbook series, the picture fits the book perfectly.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 66 pages
Published April 1st 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
original title For a Rainy Afternoon
ISBN13 9781632168603
edition language English
url http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/for-rainy-afternoon.html
series Tales of the Curious Cookbook

Tales of the Curious Cookbook series:

6 works, 5 primary works.
Five fun and fanciful stories about a rather curious cookbook!

Authors and Their Stories:

RJ Scott – For a Rainy Afternoon (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by R.J. Scott
Amy Lane – Food for Thought (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by Amy Lane
Marie Sexton – Lost Along the Way (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by Marie Sexton
Amber Kell – Cookies for Courting (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by Amber Kell
Mary Calmes – Just Desserts (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by Mary Calmes
RJ Scott – Tales of the Curious Cookbook by R.J. Scott

In the Spotlight: Every Inferno by Johanna Parkhurst (interview and contest)

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Every Inferno by Johanna Parkhurst
Goodreads Link 

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Release Date: July 24, 2014

We are lucky to have Johanna Parkhurst here today to talk about her newest YA novel, Every Inferno.  After the interview, be sure to check out the book via blurb and gripping excerpt.  Don’t forget to enter the contest at the end as well.

Our Q & A with Johanna Parkhurst…

• What was your inspiration behind the title and story?

Every Inferno started out with a dream I had—a boy was climbing out a window, and there was a fire behind him. The story eventually became much more than a boy escaping from a fire. The window didn’t make the final draft, but lots of other ideas did…including JJ exploring his sexual identity and working through his issues with alcohol.

The title is very much connected to JJ’s investigation into who killed his parents. You’ll have to read the book to find out more about it.

• When did you start reading romance, including YA romance?

I’ve always loved reading romance, whether it’s in the adult or the YA category. I enjoy reading stories about the different ways humans connect to one another, and the romance genre explores those connections so beautifully.

• What drew you to writing in the romance genre?

I don’t think of Every Inferno as a romance, to be honest. I think of it as a coming-of-age story that just happens to have an important relationship built into it. Most of my stories end up revolving around some sort of key relationship—probably because I believe the relationships we have with others are such a big part of what makes us who we are.

• What particular things do you consider romantic?  Gestures that would make you swoon?

You know what I find funny? Whenever I write a YA story with a romantic element, I end up comparing what I thought was romantic when I was a teenager to what I think is romantic now. I was so easy to impress as a teenager! Taking me out to a dinner at the local diner and picking out my favorite desert would have had me swooning. In some ways, I miss the magic of those days. Love was so new and different that every small thing seemed magical.

.  Where do you go for character names?   Professions?

All over the place! The story behind JJ’s name is bizarre. I started him calling the character JJ when I first started writing the book. I wanted him to be called by his initials because I wanted him to have distance from the father he lost, who he’s also named after. But for the longest time, I didn’t actually know what JJ stood for! I couldn’t decide. Eventually I settled on Jacob, which fit with the story and JJ’s character for a variety of reasons. But the poor boy was without a name for quite a while.

• Have you ever had research inspire a story?

I knew JJ would struggle with alcoholism when I first started writing this story, but the research I did into teenage alcoholism had a huge affect on JJ’s storyline and how I wrote that struggle into the plot. The story definitely changed the more I researched.

• What are your biggest influences as a writer?

So many! In the YA genre I’m influenced by Sherman Alexie, Brian Katcher, S.E. Hinton, and many others. Some of my favorite romance writers are T.J. Klune, Marie Sexton, Amy Lane, Nora Roberts, and Johanna Lindsey. I started reading Johanna Lindsey when I was just a teenager, and I always thought it was a good sign that we shared a name.

.  What’s next for Johanna Parkhurst?

I just finished drafting the sequel to my first book Here’s to You, Zeb Pike. That’s been an exciting adventure, as it’s taken me years to finish that draft!

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STRW Author BookSynopsis

Depressed. Defiant. Possible alcoholic. These are just a few of the terms used to describe fifteen-year-old Jacob Jasper Jones. Lately, though, JJ has a new one to add to the list: detective. He’s been having strange dreams about the fire that killed his parents ten years ago, and he thinks he finally has the clue to catching the arsonist who destroyed his family. 

A murder investigation isn’t the only thing the dreams trigger for JJ. They also lead to secret meetings with his estranged sister, an unlikely connection with a doctor who lost his daughter in the fire, and a confusing friendship with McKinley, a classmate of JJ’s who seems determined to help him solve the mystery. 

All JJ wants is to shake the problems that have followed him since that fire, and he’s convinced he must catch the arsonist to do it. But as JJ struggles to find the culprit, he sees there’s more than one mystery in his life he needs to solve.
Pages or Words: 180 pages

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Mystery, Romance, Young Adult

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Cover Artist: Reese Dante

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A smell that wasn’t there before filled the bathroom.

JJ drew in a deep breath, trying to match the scent to anything that might already exist in his short memory. It was a difficult scent to describe: like pine trees, but not the real ones in his backyard. More like the smell of the stuff his father used to clean the kitchen floor.

He tried to push off the sudden sense of apprehension that filled him; who cared if someone else had also come into the restroom? This was his town, the tiny world he had spent his entire five years in, and there was a good chance he knew whoever else had just joined him.

Even if he didn’t know anyone who went around smelling like pine trees.

JJ took a few breaths and flushed the toilet, eager to get back to the movie and his parents.

As he shoved the door of the stall open, though, the scent grew stronger. The person who had brought the scent in with him—a man—was facing the wall across the room. He was wearing a backpack and hugging his arms to his chest.

“I did it… I did it,” the man whispered. “I finally did it.”

JJ moved to the sinks, more eager than ever to return to the comforting gaze of his mother. But the noise of his sneakers against the tile alerted the man to JJ’s presence, and now the stranger was turning around to face him.

It was the oddest sensation to only be able to see certain details of a person: blue jeans, a red long-sleeve shirt. And then a detail so clear it almost seemed to be the only thing JJ could see: the outline of a long and winding paintbrush, tattooed on the man’s hand, snaking down from just below his thumb to where it disappeared beneath the cuff of his shirt.

But nothing else. No other details were there. The man was faceless. The color of hair was… what was it? It was as if it had never been there.

Then JJ could see nothing, and all he could hear was the man shouting. Something about how JJ shouldn’t be there, and he couldn’t know, and it wasn’t time yet….

The pain began then. Horrible, burning, pain, and JJ knew he was screaming, but he couldn’t hear himself over the roaring in his ears. He needed to find the door, the door, where was the door—
Jacob Jasper Jones woke up sweating, twisted into a trap of sheets and blankets. He frantically cast his eyes around the walls of his bedroom, looking for anything that would remind him he was not in that restroom again. There was the Modest Mouse poster, his bookshelf, the old dresser that had once belonged to his aunt—yes, he was safe.

Safe from what? Or who?

JJ quietly wrestled with the covers, thankful that he wasn’t a screamer and didn’t seem to have woken Aunt Maggie up. If it was up to JJ, Maggie would never know that JJ was having dreams about that day again.

They’d started about a month ago. Before then JJ had never dreamed anything specific about the fire. The nightmares were always vague and mushy, filled with flames and noise and not much else.

Not like this dream. This dream was clear and specific and so real it was as though JJ was reenacting every detail from that day. Right up until the end, when the faceless man turned and everything went black.

It was so vivid that JJ was starting to think it might be more than just a dream. That it might be a memory.

Sales Links:

Harmony Ink Press:
Dreamspinner Press:
Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:

STRW Author Bio and Contacts
About Johanna Parkhurst:

Johanna Parkhurst grew up on a small dairy farm in northern Vermont before relocating to the rocky mountains of Colorado. She spends her days helping teenagers learn to read and write and her evenings writing things she hopes they’ll like to read. She strives to share stories of young adults who are as determined, passionate, and complex as the ones she shares classrooms with.

Johanna holds degrees from Albertus Magnus College and Teachers College, Columbia University. She loves traveling, hiking, skiing, watching football, and spending time with her incredibly supportive husband.

Where to find the author:

Website: http://www.johannaparkhurst.com
Twitter: @johannawriteson
Tumblr: http://johannawriteson.tumblr.com/

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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Every Inferno’. 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:

 9-Apr

Multitasking Mommas

16-Apr

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

BFD Book Blog

23-Apr

Inked Rainbow Reads

30-Apr

Hearts on Fire

7-May

Prism Book Alliance

 

In the Spotlight: Andrew Q. Gordon’s The Eye and The Arm (excerpt and giveaway)

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The Eye and The Arm (Champion of the Gods #2)  by Andrew Q. Gordon

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Release Date: April 14, 2015

Are  you a lover of fantasy fiction? Then check out Andrew Q. Gordon’s latest fantasy novel,  The Eye and The Arm in his Champion of the Gods series.  We have the book synopsis and an excerpt for you as well as a contest to enter.  Happy Reading.

Special bonus! We also have a trailer for you as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk6OfKOU6nc&feature=youtu.be

STRW Author BookSynopsis

After defeating Meglar at Belsport, Farrell returns to Haven to recover from his injuries, but Khron, the god of war, has other ideas. He gives Farrell a new mission: free the survivors of the ancient dwarf realm of Trellham from their three-thousand-year banishment. To fulfill Khron’s near impossible task, Farrell will need the help of his distance ancestor, the legendary wizard Kel. But Kel has been dead for a thousand years.
 
Farrell finds information hinting that Kel is alive, so he moves his search to Dumbarten, Kel’s birthplace. To reach Dumbarten unannounced, Farrell and Miceral disguise themselves as mercenaries on board a merchant vessel. Their journey is disrupted when pirates attack their ship. While attempting to subdue the attack, Farrell is struck down by one of Meglar’s minions.

Unconscious and trapped in his own mind, Farrell’s only chance for survival rests with Miceral and the peregrine king Rothdin entering his thoughts and helping him sort fact from illusion. To reach Farrell, they will need to rely on an untested spell from one of Kel’s spellbooks. If they succeed, Miceral can guide Farrell home safely. If not, Farrell will destroy not only himself, but Miceral, Rothdin, and everyone around him.

Pages or Words: 296 pages

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Categories: Fantasy, Gay Fiction

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Miceral grabbed his last javelin and crept toward the starboard rail. The tip of pirate’s prow had just reached their stern. He could see men crouched under the protection of the gunwale. “They’re almost here—be ready.”

Moving faster than the enemy could react, Miceral scaled the short staircase and quickly found a protected spot in the aftcastle. Peering through a narrow opening, he scanned the clusters of men he could see. At the rear of the largest group, Miceral spotted someone who, by clothing at least, appeared to be an officer. With no one else standing out as being the captain, this man became his target.

Springing to his feet, he hurled the spear before anyone could target him. One of the pirates huddled by the rail fired an arrow, which Miceral caught in midflight. Flashing the enemy a wicked grin, he snapped the shaft in half before dropping back behind his cover.

Miceral closed one eye and stared through the space between crates. He watched the men look toward where their officer had been standing, and from the shouts he knew he’d hit his mark. One pirate tried to pull the spear out but failed. When he turned to ask for help, a stream of blood dribbled out of his mouth and over the feathers of the arrow protruding from his neck. Everyone else ducked immediately and remained out of sight.

Miceral traced the shaft’s path back to where Peter knelt, nocking another arrow. He gave his friend a wink and a nod. Before either could enjoy the small victory, a hail of arrows and spears whistled across the deck. Under the cover of this barrage, dozens of grappling hooks landed on the deck of the Rose. Once the barbs dug into whatever purchase they could find, the two vessels inched closer. Miceral heard the faint thud of the two ships colliding and slipped the mace and axe from his belt.

With the ships tethered together, the pirates flipped long wooden planks from their ship onto the Seafoam Rose. Hooks on the ends secured the slim pathway firmly in place. The first wave of invaders ran across the boards, screaming at the top of their lungs. If they expect to scare the crew into surrender, that hope dissipated when four of their number fell dead from a round of arrows.

Miceral used the distraction to leap from his hiding place. Screaming his own battle cry, he rushed the startled pirates. From his right, Emerson and Nathan led the crew in defense of their ship.

The ferocity of the resistance appeared to catch the invaders by surprise. Miceral killed anything in his reach, stalling the attack momentarily. Peter stood next to Miceral and proved the value of all the long hours of practice he’d been put through.

Unfortunately, Miceral couldn’t defend all points of entry onto the vessel. The pirates quickly learned to avoid the armed warrior who moved with the speed of lightning.

The initial advantage of the Rose’s crew quickly evaporated as the pirates brought superior numbers onto the trading ship. To avoiding being surrounded, the defenders fell back to a predetermined, more defensible position. This allowed the rest of the pirates to cross unimpeded.

“Now would be a good time to arrive, Farrell.” Miceral didn’t know if Farrell could hear him, but if he didn’t arrive soon, there’d be no one left to rescue.

“I’m almost there, Ral.” Farrell’s voice distracted Miceral enough that he cut off an opponent’s arm instead of slicing through the man’s neck. “Hang on!”

  • Publisher: DSP Publications
  • Cover Artist: AngstyG
  • Sales Links: DSP Publications

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Andrew Q. Gordon wrote his first story back when yellow legal pads, ball point pens were common and a Smith Corona correctable typewriter was considered high tech. Adapting with technology, he now takes his MacBook somewhere quiet when he wants to write.

He currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his partner of twenty years, their daughter and dog.  In addition to dodging some very self-important D.C. ‘insiders’, Andrew uses his commute to catch up on his reading. When not working or writing, he enjoys soccer, high fantasy, baseball and seeing how much coffee he can drink in a day.

Where to find the author:

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Tour Dates & Stops: April 15, 2015

Parker Williams, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bayou Book Junkie, Cate Ashwood, Charley Descoteaux, BFD Book Blog, Full Moon Dreaming, Divine Magazine, Butterfly-O-Meter, 

Molly Lolly, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Rainbow Gold Reviews, The Hat Party, Love Bytes, Inked Rainbow Reads, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Novel Approach, My Fiction Nook, Velvet Panic, Prism Book Alliance, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Fallen Angel Reviews, Amanda C. Stone, Elin Gregory, Nephylim

 

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Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 3 e-copies of the Last Grand Master with the new cover art. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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In the Spotlight: When The Band Came To Town by H. Lewis-Foster (excerpt and contest)

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When The Band Came To Town by H. Lewis-Foster
Goodreads Link
Release Date: April 8, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Bree Archer

 Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press

Amazon  – Barnes and Noble – All Romance Ebooks – Google Play

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STRW Author BookSynopsis

About When The Band Came To Town:

In the swinging Sixties, life gets rockin’ for Jeff McInnery when a new band plays at the local pub. Caught up in lead singer Danny Speed’s cool, Jeff sneaks a kiss. But being found out as homosexual could stop Danny’s hot career fast, and even land him in jail. With harsh words, Danny leaves to head for fame and fortune while Jeff starts university. On campus, Jeff meets Archie Ballatine, a history student living as openly as possible. It’s an exciting new world of sex and friendship for Jeff, but then the band comes back to town.

Pages or Words: 30,000 words

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

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

“So what’ll you be studying?”

Jeff prepared for the usual perplexed reaction when he gave his answer. “Philosophy, would you believe? God knows what I’ll do with my degree when I’ve finished.”

“You’ll fathom the secrets of the universe, Jeff.” Danny sounded utterly serious as he stubbed out his cigarette in an ashtray.

Then he broke into a grin. “Now come and have a dance.”

“What?” Jeff was sure Danny must be taking the piss.

“You heard me.” Danny stepped onto the dance floor and was soon moving to the music. His hips were twisting, his knees bending, and his backside gyrating in an unbearably provocative way. “Or do philosophers not lower themselves to such things?”

 STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About the author:

H. Lewis-Foster lives in the north of England and has always worked with books in one form or another. As a keen reader of gay fiction, she decided to try writing herself and is now the proud author of several short stories and a debut novel ‘Burning Ashes’.

H. likes to create characters that are talented, funny and quite often gorgeous, but who all have their faults and vulnerable sides, and she hopes that you’ll enjoy reading their stories as much as she loves writing them. H. has also ventured into playwriting and was thrilled to see her first play performed at the Southend Playwriting Festival.

Where to find the author:
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/HLewisFoster
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HLewisFoster
Website: http://hlewisfoster.wix.com/books

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Tour Dates & Stops: April 14, 2014

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Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘When The Band Came To Town’ by H. Lewis-Foster. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Rafflecopter link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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In The Spotlight: Under Glass by Rebecca Cohen (interview and giveaway)

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Under Glass by Rebecca Cohen

Goodreads Link
Release Date: April 6, 2015

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Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

 Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook and Paperback    All Romance (ARe)

Our Q and A with Rebecca Cohen…

• As a reader, Under Glass is a galaxy away from the Crofton Chronicles.  What prompted the switch in genres?

This isn’t the first time I’ve switched genres; I go wherever the story takes me. ‘Under Glass’ is my first foray into science fiction, and it’s a genre I love and wanted to write in. The plot simply wouldn’t have worked as a contemporary or an historical, and even fantasy wouldn’t have been the best fit. I needed the freedom to create new worlds and species.

• I loved the premise of Under Glass, lovers reunited or torn apart and reunited is a theme that resonates with me.  Why use this as a background or theme to your story?  What was the inspiration behind the characters and plot?

I wanted to play with the theme of love at first sight and predetermination. Kai and Ollie are linked by their biology, they were destined to be together, but once I had that idea I started thinking what would happen if two people who were meant to be together were separated. Kai is brought up knowing he has lost something very important and this shapes his character, whereas Ollie is blissfully unaware until he meet a stranger who is so compelling. As Ollie doesn’t know what is happening he tries to fight it. As you can imagine this is a clash they need to work hard to overcome.

• What do you use, if anything, to create “alien” names for characters and objects?

I try to make the first names of characters ease to read, since as a reader I find it quite frustrating if I don’t know how to pronounce a name. For the surname, I allow myself to be freer and make up alien sounding surnames. I still want people to be able to pronounce them and often combine normal names or words to create more alien names.

• Would you like to be an interplanetary traveller and where would you like to go?

Only if I could make I sure I could get home! It would be fascinating to get up close to Saturn’s rings, or witness the scale of the ice giant planets first hand.

• Do you have a favorite  science fiction or fantasy author who made an impact on you as a reader and now author?

Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. I love both of these authors, and large part of that is due to the humor in their writing.

• Favorite fictional  science fiction and/or fantasy world and who created it?

Has to be the Discworld by Terry Pratchett.

• I can’t tell but is there a chance that this will become a series?

‘Under Glass’ was planned to be a standalone, and Kai and Ollie’s story has been told. However, there is a lot of untapped potential in the worlds of the planetarium and, while I have no plans to return at the moment, I never say never…

• What’s next for Rebecca Cohen?

A contemporary romantic comedy novella series set around an amateur dramatics society in London. After those, I’ll be finishing off the Reagalos series and then I’m heading back to Crofton Hall.

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STRW Author BookSynopsis

Creating planets and guarding the stars leaves novice planet builder Kai Faewiva lonely. For members of Kai’s species who are born with an organ called a caerellon, their true love, their Sun or Moon, is identified at birth. But the novices are people who have lost their perfect love, and Kai’s Sun is long dead, killed in an accident when he was five years old. Or so everyone thought.

After recovering from another bout of the unidentified illness he has battled for years, Kai returns to work.  But his quiet day at the planetarium is thrown into chaos when scans of Goka Prime, one of the planets in the Sol-Alpha2 system, picks up a life-form that shouldn’t be there. Kai’s Sun, Oliver Gyin, is alive and well, but how he got to be on Goka Prime, no one knows. Now he needs to be brought home.

Ollie has lived most of his life in the City of Harrea, never guessing he is from another planet. Surprised to find a stranger means the world to him, Ollie wrestles with his loyalties and the drive to return with Kai. To leave Goka Prime, he must give up everything and everyone he knows. But twenty years apart means Kai and Ollie face a fight to secure their destined future.

Pages or Words: 108,000 words

Categories: M/M Romance, Romance, Science Fiction

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

The East Terrace had clear views of the city and the hills in the distance, and the setting sun bathed the world in hues of red, purple, and orange. “One of the best views from the palace,” Ollie said. “Guests aren’t usually allowed here.”

Kai glanced back to the door. “Will we get in trouble?”

“No, Menish is a personal friend. He won’t mind.”

“Must be good to have a friend who rules the city.”

Ollie chuckled. “We went to school together. I often have to remind myself that he’s the sultan and not the kid who helped me toilet paper the housemaster’s study windows.”

“Very good friends.”

Ollie didn’t think Kai needed to know just how good a friend Menish had been at one point, although what they had enjoyed was nothing more serious than teenage exploration. “Put it this way: he’d have no problem with me showing you this terrace.”

“The sunset is quite beautiful,” Kai said, turning to face it, and Ollie thought Kai wanted to steer the conversation away from Menish.

“Yes. It changes through the seasons, but I think this is my favorite time of year.”

“Then I am fortunate we chose this time to visit and a place on the mission became available.”

Kai’s choice of word in calling his visit a mission was a little strange, but Ollie thought better of mentioning anything. “Oh, you were. The festival to celebrate the end of harvest starts in a few days, and the city is awash with stalls and street entertainment.”

Kai turned back to him, cocked his head to one side, and smiled. “Perhaps you would agree to be my guide for that as well?”

The hopeful expression and the slight smile made Ollie swallow thickly as he stared into Kai’s dark brown eyes in the failing light. Kai bit his bottom lip and tilted his head back a little to look Ollie in the eye, making Ollie lick his own lips involuntarily. His hand twitched to cup Kai’s cheek and rub his thumb across his cheekbone to prove his hypothesis that Kai’s skin would be soft and warm to the touch.

The little voice in the back of his head returned, and it bluntly reminded Ollie he wasn’t a single man. The pang of guilt made him turn away, and he saw a confused look on Kai’s face. Not only was he in danger of betraying Rica, but he was also leading Kai along on a dance that Kai didn’t know Ollie already had a partner for.

He stepped away, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Kai. I can’t do this. While I can’t deny you have caught my eye like no one else, I am not the type of man to be unfaithful.” There, he’d said it, made it clear he was attached, and Kai’s expression morphed first to confusion and then into hurt. “I don’t understand.”

“I have a boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” asked Kai weakly.

“His name is Rica. He’s away at sea.” The devastation on Kai’s face almost made Ollie step closer and gather him into his arms, but he forced himself to put more distance between them. “I’m sorry, Kai. I was so wrapped up in the connection we seemed to share I lost sight of things. I should never have let it get this far, and I must stop it going further.”

“I see.” Kai turned away. “I wish you a good evening, Mr. Gyin. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to enjoy the view a little longer before I find one of the servants to show me to my room.”

“Of course. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Kai didn’t reply, and Ollie retreated back inside, part of his mind protesting that he was going the wrong way, the other part telling him he was doing the right thing. He turned back to see Kai still standing on the terrace, his head bent. Ollie fled, fearing that if he stayed a moment longer he’d do something he’d really enjoy but regret later.

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Rebecca Cohen is a Brit abroad. Having swapped the Thames for the Rhine, she has left London behind and now lives with her husband and young son in Basel, Switzerland. She can often be found with a pen in one hand and a cup of Darjeeling in the other.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rebecca.cohen.710
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/R_Cohen_writes

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Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $25 DSP gift cert and choice of a book from my backlist (does not include Under Glass). 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:

6-Apr

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Multitasking Mommas

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Carly’s Book Reviews

7-Apr

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8-Apr

MM Good Book Reviews

Kimi-Chan

Molly Lolly

9-Apr

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

10-Apr

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13-Apr

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14-Apr

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15-Apr

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16-Apr

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Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

Inked Rainbow Reads

17-Apr

Tara Lain

BFD Book Blog

Up All Night, Read All Day

 

A MelanieM Review: Ever the Same by B.A. Tortuga

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

EvertheSameLGAudie Barrack is in it up to his elbows with a sick calf when his son’s school calls. Seems Grainger has gotten into yet another fight. When he walks into the principal’s office, he’s shocked to find his son has been fighting with a little girl named Randi.  And that’s not the only shock.  The little girl his boy has been fighting with has a blind dad, a widower when his husband recently passed away.

Dixon has lost his sight, his career, and his husband. Thank God for his brothers, Momma and Daddy, and his little girl, or he would simply give up. The last thing he needs is for Randi to start trouble at school, especially trouble that puts him in contact with another dad who might expect him to be a functional human being.

Dixon is struggling to live as a blind man, Audie is terrified someone might see he has a closet to come out of, and everyone from the school to both men’s families is worried for the men and their children. Unless they get themselves together and commit to change, neither of them stands a chance.

It’s no secret to those of you who have read my reviews that I am a huge fan of B.A. Tortuga.  She has one of the finest ears for regional dialects and culture in the genre as well as the ability to write memorable characters. And that gift is apparent here in Ever The Same. In fact this book has so many elements that are hooks for me, that it has taken a while, and another reading to think about what I was going to write.

Why?  Because some of the parts of this story that I find alluring are ones that other readers might not connect with, something not unusual in a B.A. Tortuga story.  Let’s start with the characters, who, yes, can be defined by their conversational style and wording.  Audie is rooted in the soil of his family’s ranch and the horses he loves almost as much as he loves his son.  He is a plain speaker, full of the regional euphemisms and colloquial speak of the area.  This is Audie, in a capsule of speech:

He gave Momma a call as he pulled his shirt on. “Momma, I got to run up to the school. Can you get Sister to keep an eye on the calf?”

“Is he sick? Grainger, I mean, not the calf.”

“Nope. It’s no big deal. I’ll be back in a jiff.” He hoped.

“Okay, Son. Your daddy’s due in off the road next weekend. He wants to take that boy of yours to a picture show. Tell him if he ain’t good, PopPop won’t take him.

Audie is a man filled with family and its obligations.  A person with a huge heart, open mind, and realistic view of himself and his situation. I fell in love with him immediately.

The father of the little girl his son has been fighting with at school, is so very different from Audie…at least on the surface.  Dixon is a musician blinded in the same car accident that killed his husband and he’s lost in his grief while trying to maintain a life for his adoring daughter.  And she is not coping well either with the changes in her life and the loss of one of her dads.   It’s country meet city in the most  unusual way.  Dixon and his daughter have moved from the city into the small town where his mother and step dad raise llamas.  It’s round peg trying to fit into a square hole for both of them.  This is a small scene from the principal’s office where the initial meeting about their kids hasn’t gone very well.

“I’ll talk to her. If it happens again, I’ll… shit, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ll make it up as I go along.” The guy stood, and his mom handed him a cane. A white cane.

Oh Jesus fucking Christ. Seriously? Seriously, Grainger picked the kid with a blind dad and a dead….

Wait.

Her other dad was dead. Jesus. This guy was blind, had lost his man, and his kid was a shit? That sucked hugely. “I can try to get Grainger to help. I promise.” He had no idea why that popped out, except this guy’s life had to suck, and because it had been a long time since Audie had met anyone who would openly admit to being queer like he was.

“Take us home, Mom. Please.” Now that he could see the White guy, he kind of wanted to wince. Lean, tattooed—this guy wasn’t made to be here, and obviously he wasn’t a local. Hell, his parents weren’t that local; Audie didn’t know them.

“Of course, Son.” She stood and offered Audie a frosty smile. “Thank you for being so, er, understanding.” She put a hand on her son’s arm, and he turned her way, the cane tapping as they left the room.

Audie glared at Shannon Shields as soon as they were out of earshot. “You couldn’t’ve had Miz Laws warn me?”

“I assumed you knew, Audie. Everybody knows.”

The conflicts have been established, as well as some of their backgrounds and family circumstances and we are still early in the book.  What a great job Tortuga has done to bring the readers into the various situations, letting us empathize with each “faction” and the small children involved.  The need for understanding that is born out of this meeting will set the stage for the relationship and attraction to follow.

As with most of Tortuga’s plots and stories, no character exists as a isolated individual.  Audie (25) is surrounded by his family, which includes along with his son, Grainger, a sister, Gracie, her kids, his “Momma”, and long haul trucker father.  All on the family farm.  Gracie’s husband is in the Army and is on tour abroad.  This family has its own tensions, expectations, and stress along with the love.  Dixon’s family is equally large and imposing, even more so.  For Dixon (33) has brothers Damon 20, Dalton 18, Dan 31, along with his daughter Randi.  Most are close with each other, and Dixon and Randi are now living with his upscale mother and step father on their llama farmette.  I loved that while the two families have a foundation in agriculture they still couldn’t be farther apart in approach and style.  Yet both sides are believable, layered and authentic.  You can like them even if you aren’t fond of their actions.

The story winds through multiple stages of Audie and Dixon’s relationship and that of their kids, a major factor here just as it should be.  For readers not fond of children or gay families in their stories, this element will put you off.  Those of you, like me, with kids and who love to see them in stories, you will love following their growth and increasing closeness to each man.  In this case, these two men and their children really do complete each other.  It’s heartwarming and real.  And yes, I loved it.  Because the author makes every part of Audie and Dixon’s journey intimate and heartfelt.  We are there along side them as Dixon starts to deal with his blindness and Audie becomes sure enough of himself to be openly gay in town.  There are some very tough spots and situations to deal with but that’s pretty real and reasonable as well.

Tortuga includes a epilogue that stops the story just where it should.  It’s funny, heartbreakingly alive, and leaves the reader satisfied as to how it all came out.  How much do I love this story?  Enough that when I want to smile and leave myself in a happy state, this will be one of the books I pick up.  I highly recommend it  and hope you will love it as much as I do.

 Cover Artist:   Christy Caughie did a beautiful job with the cover.  I loved the colors and the composition.  It easily draws the reader in.  Great job.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 256 pages, also available in paperback
Published February 27th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632168313
edition language English

A Mika Review: Ever The Same by B. A. Tortuga (A Double Dipping STRW review)

Rating: 2.75 stars out of 5:

EvertheSameLGAudie Barrack is in it up to his elbows with a sick calf when his son’s school calls. Seems Grainger has gotten into yet another fight. When he walks into the principal’s office, he’s shocked to find his son has been fighting with a little girl named Randi.

A little girl with one blind dad and one dad who recently passed away.

Goddammit.

Dixon has lost his sight, his career, and his husband. Thank God for his brothers, Momma and Daddy, and his little girl, or he would simply give up. The last thing he needs is for Randi to start trouble at school, especially trouble that puts him in contact with another dad who might expect him to be a functional human being.

Dixon is struggling to live as a blind man, Audie is terrified someone might see he has a closet to come out of, and everyone from the school to both men’s families is worried for the men and their children. Unless they get themselves together and commit to change, neither of them stands a chance.

After reading Say Something and The Terms of Release, I was so enthralled with B.A. Tortuga. She had this way with her words that just brought out all type of emotions within me. Both books were 5 star reads. Reading this my expectations was super high. I really wanted to like that. It was okay for me. I didn’t feel connected to the characters or the circumstances in the story.

This had all the elements of things I love. Hurt/comfort, children, disabilities and cowboys are all my happy spots, and I did enjoy some of them tremendously. I liked that both mc’s had children in not the most conventional way. I did like that both guys were good parents and had flaws. Parenthood isn’t easy.

What bothered me the most was the writing, and while both her previous books had locations in Texas this one felt different. I don’t know if they talk different, but it felt choppy when they talked. It felt disjointed in the writing and I had a hard time finishing it. I enjoyed both guy’s support system. I do feel like it just happened between one day and the next for the two guys. It was no level of attraction but bam it happened. I got confused when the point of view changes happened suddenly. All in all it was okay for me. I’m not thrilled by it and I will continue to read her work.

Cover Art by Christy Caughie. I don’t know if either of these guys are Audie & Dixon, after reading the story I just didn’t feel it was them. Where were Audie’s glasses at? They made that an important thing for a cowboy to be wearing. Dixon has tattoos, and his hair braided a lot. This didn’t really feel like them.

Sales Links:  See full sales links here.

Book Details: 

ebook, 256 pages
Published February 27th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632168313
edition language  English

Book Url:http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6096