Into the Wild with Rory Ni Coileain and Ilya and the Wolf (Book tour and contest)

IatWBanner300x250

Book Name: Ilya and the Wolf
Author Name: Rory Ni Coileain

Author Bio:

Rory Ni Coileain majored in creative writing, back when Respectable Colleges didn’t offer such a major, so she designed it herself – being careful to ensure that she never had to take a class before nine in the morning or take a Hemingway survey course. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa at the age of nineteen, sent off her first short story to an anthology being assembled by an author she idolized, got shot down in flames, and found other things to do, such as nightclub singing, for the next thirty years or so, until her stories started whispering to her. Now she’s a lawyer, a legal editor, an Irish dance teacher, the mother of a teenaged son, and amanuensis to a host of fantastic creatures who are all anxious to tell their stories.

Where can you find the author?

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Soulshares
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RoryNi

Publisher: Dreamspinner PressIlyaandtheWolfLG
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Sales Links:  

Blurb:

Ilya is so deep in the closet he’d find Narnia if that weren’t a decadent Western story. Volyk, a wolf who carries the blood of the ancient oboroten’, shapeshifters, longs to show him the way out, but if Ilya follows the wolf, two lives will change forever.

Categories: Supernatural, Romance, shifters

Excerpt:

And the angel said unto them, be not afraid…

Ilya was not afraid. Enraptured, yes. Entranced. But not afraid. He had been ready for death when he closed his eyes in the wolf’s embrace. Instead, he was whole, and awake, and in the arms of a man more handsome than any angel. Volyk’s long thick hair was the brown and gray of the wolf’s pelt, his cheekbones angular, his lips full. And his eyes were the same beautiful fiery amber as the wolf’s.

Maybe he had only dreamed the wolf. Or maybe he was still dreaming. Surely he had done nothing in his life to earn the gift this moment would be if it were real.

Pages:
Tour Dates: December 15th, 2014

Tour Stops: 

Parker Williams, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, For the Love of Bookends, The Blogger Girls, Carly’s Book Reviews, Velvet Panic, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Jade Crystal, Multitasking Mommas, Molly Lolly Fallen Angel Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Cate Ashwood, Lee Brazil, Havan Fellows, Christy Loves To Read

Contest:  Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of Ilya and the Wolf. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tumble into Love with M.A. Church’s Trouble Comes In Threes (book tour and contest)

TCITBanner300x250

Book Name: Trouble Comes in Threes
Goodreads Link
Author Name: M.A. Church

Its Interview time with M.A. Church.  Let’s sit back and watch the fur fly (so to speak):

Dolf 300x450Dolf 300Tal 300x450Tal 300

 

 

 

 

 

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

 

Q.  The synopsis paints an adorable picture.  What was the inspiration behind your story?

I actually started this story as a flash for New Year’s. I planned for it to be a simple little scene about a disgruntled guy alone for the holiday. As I got into it, I found he (Kirk) had a reason for being frustrated with his life. At age forty, he’d quit his job and started a business out of his home as a mechanic, and was struggling to get by. That’s a huge risk, especially for a man of his age. Kirk worked long hours. I mean, he was barely making it.

That led to his partner breaking up with him right before Christmas. I know, right? Who does that??? As the year progressed, every blessed appliance in his home broke.

As I was writing all this, Kirk snarked at me that trouble came in threes, and he was just waiting for number three to show up and kick him in the balls.

Then a wicked snowstorm hits the South and these two cats show up. Tenderhearted Kirk can barely feed himself, but he still takes the cats in… and there’s number three, lol, and the title for the story.

Q.  Writing believable threesomes can be tricky. How do you make the readers buy into the relationship between three men/shifters?

The story revolves around balance in a relationship. Dolf and Tal are an established couple, but when Kirk joins the relationship, he brings a balance they all needed. He isn’t the third; he’s the glue that binds them even more tightly. And Dolf and Tal bring something Kirk needs too.

Keeping up with who is doing what to who is one thing. Then throw in each character’s feelings and things can get hairy quick, lol. But since balance is an important theme for this, I needed all three to show their inner thoughts.

Q.  Just the idea of rescued cats will have people ‘awwing”, that’s will make this story instantly connectable.  How did you build your shifter culture for this story?

I took the basic components of wolf packs but tweaked it to match more of what I had in mind for this world. There’s still the Alpha/Betas/Omega role, but in Trouble, you have paranormals who make their own laws, have a government, and devise punishments suited to their kind. The paranormals in each territory vote for which elected Alpha was on the ballot. The winner led that territory, and his title was territory leader. They were like human governors.

There are five territories in the US: Eastern, Central, Mountain, Island, and Western Zones. Those five territory leaders joined with other territory leaders from around the world to make up the Alliance of Paranormals, which had over a hundred members. They had the power to change laws voted in by territory leaders. It’s like the human’s Supreme Court just on a bigger scale. This group makes all the decisions regarding paranormal.

Q.  Is this a stand alone or do you plan more in this universe?

Oh, there’s more coming, lol. I’m working on the second book, which is called Behind the Eight Ball.

Q.  What came first?  Title or plot?

LOL, well, the plot came first and that inspired the title.

Q.  Why a threesomes?  What about that particular dynamic speaks to you?

In Trouble, you get each man’s viewpoint, and that’s important to this story. It’s hard enough to make it work with just two, but three? But they don’t avoid rough times. In fact, they start right off the bat. Kirk makes it plain he won’t be the ‘third’ in a relationship. Neither will he be a patch to any sexual problems the two of them might have. But that’s what this is about: balance.

As the story unfolds, he comes to understand that each man is an equal in the triad and brings something to the table. It’s all about balance with these three—each man fills a need in the others.

Q.  What was the toughest thing about writing this story?

Getting the worldbuilding down, and making sure it made sense. I love it, and I hate it. Worldbuilding makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, but it also keeps me up nights, tossing and turning, lol.

I firmly believe there has to be an element of realism even to things that don’t exist. I also think…. Oh, um, I seem to have someone tapping me on the shoulder here and…. I see. *glares at the person* Okay, fine!

So, Dolf, one of the characters, said just because we don’t *think* they exist doesn’t mean they don’t. *Sigh* That’s the thing about cats. They are opinionated and gotta have the last word, lol.

8.  The easiest?

*Snort* Dealing with this group? Writing the end was the most satisfying, lol. The book gave me fits. I ripped it to shreds, moved whole pages, cut things, added stuff, screamed, cried, and drove my betas completely insane. Which they would tell you is nothing new when dealing with me.
*snicker* Poor betas.

9.  What’s next for M.A. Church?

Right now, I’m putting the finishing touches on The Harvest: Journey’s End. It’s due out in early January. Along with that, I’m working on Behind the Eight Ball. This is book 2 in the Fur, Fangs, and Felines series and is about Heller. He’s one of the betas in Trouble Comes in Threes and he really, really does not like humans. *raises eyebrow* Their goddess has plans for Heller, lol.

~art work done by August (Gus) Li

 

Author Bio:

M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!

When not writing, she’s exploring the latest M/M novel to hit the market, watching her beloved Steelers, or sitting glued to HGTV. That’s if she’s not on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two children.

She was a finalist in the Rainbow awards for 2013.

Author Contact:
Drop by her blog at http://machurch00.blogspot.com/

Publisher: Dreamspinner PressTroubleComesInThrees_final
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback

Blurb:

A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines.

Out of the punishing weather, and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves.

Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Menage/Poly, Paranormal, Romance

Excerpt:

Dolf picked out the saw he wanted, then followed Tal to another aisle. His mate pointed out the different kinds, but Tal’s words had rapidly faded into a meaningless buzz. There, on the air currents in the store, was the sweetest scent. It was light and flowery, reminding him of honeysuckle. He breathed deeply, taking the scent into himself. His cock hardened immediately and his head spun. A yowl threatened to escape.

That scent… that scent was seductive and alluring. It spoke to him, whispering things that made him need. His cat paced frantically in his mind, tail slashing madly. The need to pounce, to sink his canines in and drink that sweet, life-giving blood of his…. His gums tingled and saliva flooded his mouth.

He swallowed, then swallowed again as his head pounded, his heart rate spiking as one thought screamed through his mind: Mate! Another mate! Where was that scent coming from? Or who? And by the goddess, why? He already had a mate. What was their goddess thinking, giving him another? But he couldn’t ignore the reaction. It had been the same when he met Tal.

Pages: 234

TCITBadgeTour Dates/Stops: 

15-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Multitasking Mommas

Hearts on Fire

16-Dec

Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

Nephylim

It’s Raining Men

Rainbow Gold Reviews

17-Dec

BFD Book Blog

Love Bytes

Velvet Panic

MM Good Book Reviews

18-Dec

Wake Up Your Wild Side

The Hat Party

The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat

Michael Mandrake

Full Moon Dreaming

19-Dec

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

My Fiction Nook

Amanda C. Stone

22-Dec

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

All I Want and More Books

Prism Book Alliance

23-Dec

Inked Rainbow Reads

Cathy Brockman Romances

24-Dec

Molly Lolly

25-Dec

Queer Town Abbey

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

Parker Williams

26-Dec

Cate Ashwood

Fallen Angel Reviews

3 Chicks After Dark

 

Contest:  Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-Book Copy of ‘Trouble Comes in Threes’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the link provided for additional contest details and for the entry form.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Treats,Free Books, Winner Announcements, and Our Schedule This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

 poinsetta clip artShort and sweet again this week!
Pretty much all announcements and the schedule for this up coming week!
  • Winner of ZA Maxfield’s Hell on Wheels contest for this blog:  Katherine Young

Publishers News:

  • 12 Days of MLR ChristmasMLR Press’ 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway started yesterday.  Today’s book :Cops, Cake and Coffee by Sara York.  Don’t miss out on a day of free great stories!
  • Breathless Press giving away 2 free ebooks starting on the 13th for all their newsletter subscribers.
  • Riptide Publishing is giving away free for a limited time the following Alexis Hall story (308 pages) in the Prosperity series:

Blurb for There Will Be Phlogiston (A Prosperity Story):

An instructive story in which vice receives its just reward.

Inspired by true and scandalous tales of the Gaslight aristocracy, we present the most moral and improving tale of Lady Rosamond Wolfram.

Weep, reader, for the plight of our heroine as she descends into piteous ruin in the clutches of the notorious Phlogiston Baron, Anstruther Jones. Witness the horrors of feminine rebellion when this headstrong young lady defies her father, breaks an advantageous engagement, and slips into depravity with a social inferior. Before the last page is turned, you will have seen our heroine molested by carnival folk, snubbed at a dance, and drawn into a sinful ménage a trois by an unrepentant sodomite, the wicked and licentious Lord Mercury.

Reader, take heed. No aspect of our unfortunate heroine’s life, adventures, or conduct is at all admirable, desirable, exciting, thrilling, glamorous, or filled with heady passion and gay romance.

 

bearing-clipart-christmas_penguin_bearing_christmas_gifts_0515-1012-1503-2546_SMU

 Our Schedule This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, December 15, 2014:

  • Silvia Violet’s Wild R Christmas Book Blast and Contest
  • M.A. Church’s Trouble Comes in Threes Book Tour and Contest
  • Amy Lane’s The Bells of Times Square Book Tour and Contest
  • Rory Ni Coileain and Ilya and the Wolf (Book tour and contest)
  • Owen Keehnen – Thunder Snow and author interview (giveaway)

Tuesday, December 16, 2014:

  • Vicktor Alexander ‘Delicious Mistake‘ Book Blast and Contest
  • Lane Hayes ‘The Right Words‘ Keep Me In Mind tour
  • A Mika Review: Unwrapping Hank by Eli Easton
  • A MelanieM Review: The Boy With the Painful Tattoo by Josh Lanyon

Wednesday, December 17, 2014:

  • Jay Jordan Hawk’s A Scout is Brave Book Tour and contest
  • Posy Roberts ‘Tangled Minds‘ Book Tour and Contest
  • Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review:The Merchant of Death (Playing the Fool #2) by Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock
  • A Mika Review: Loveblood by M.J. O’Shea
  • A MelanieM Review: Altered States by Laura Harner and TA Webb

Thursday, December 18, 2014:

  • The Marine by John Simpson & Robert Cummings: Keep Me In Mind Tour
  • A Sammy Review: Thunder Snow by Owen Keehnen
  • A MelanieM Review: Otter Madness by Winnie Jerome
  • A MelanieM Review: The Oracle’s Golum by Mell Eight

Friday, December 19, 2014:

  • A Paranormal Chipmunk Christmas, Author: Jackie Nacht’s Book Tour and Contest
  • Shira Anthony’s Blood and Rain Book Tour and Contest
  • A Sammy Review: Les faits accomplis by Anna Martin
  • A Mika Review:  The Devil’s Ride (Sex & Mayhem #2) by K.A. Merikan
  • A MelanieM Review: Blood and Rain by Shira Anthony
  • AJ Llewellyn’s The Mediator blog tour TB Tour

 

 

 

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review – Blue Days by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Blue Days coverFrom the moment Dwyer Knolls is called into the conference room early on a Monday morning, fearing that he’s about to lose his job, his life takes an unexpected turn for the better. He’s not fired— instead he’s praised for his work, despite the fact that his former boss had criticized him for creating a huge mess on one of his projects. But his former boss is the one who is fired and when he meets the new Managing Director, Dwyer is praised for that job he once thought he screwed up. The Managing Director and others who will now be part of his team were brought in directly from Japan to bring life to their company, Sakura Industries. Among them is Hiroyuki Takeo, a stunning young man who will later become Dwyer’s friend, his boss, and the man he eventually falls in love with.

These relationship dynamics take place over the course of three years and nothing comes to a head between them until one day when Dwyer unexpectedly finds himself alone on a plane with Takeo. They’re heading to Florida to make the final decisions on a huge real estate deal which could make or break their careers. Despite how much he loves being in Takeo’s company, Dwyer knows that this long weekend will be excruciating for the simple reason that he’s grown to love the stunning, slender, young man and he’s afraid he’ll tip his hand. He’s one of the few people who know what Takeo is really like— that he’s competent and caring, smart and dedicated, but just so worried about making sure that everything is perfect for everyone else that he’s perceived as a negative perfectionist who is never happy.

Dwyer knows Takeo inside and out and he also knows that he cares deeply for the man, maybe too deeply. When the two find themselves staying at a bed and breakfast and sharing one room, Dwyer nearly turns back. He’s shocked when it becomes evident that Takeo has been harboring lustful feelings toward him, and presented with the opportunity to act on their lust, the two go at it hot and heavy.

This story is fairly short, definitely sweet, with a bit of a reverse on Mary Calmes’s usual formula. Dwyer is a big guy, friendly, smart, competent and a huge support to his supervisor and teammates. Takeo is small and slender, socially inept, and the son of the company’s owner who can’t seem to do anything that pleases his father. Yet he’s the boss, the supposed alpha of the pair. Their chemistry flames when they do finally get together and their HEA is secured in a warm and loving partnership. The book takes its name from Blue Daze, a flower that grows in the Florida Panhandle, and from the fact that in Japanese culture, blue represents purity, calmness and stability.

I recommend this to fans of Mary Calmes and those who enjoy a sweet, simple M/M romance. And for those who love epilogues, there’s a brief mention of Aaron Sutter and his love, Duncan Stiel from “Parting Shot”.

The cover art by Reese Dante depicts a young man wearing a suit and gazing out over a body of blue water with a field of blue daze flowers in the background. It depicts the sweetness of the story perfectly.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook          All Romance (ARe)      amazon              Buy It here

Book Details:

book, 98 pages
Published November 5th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632163578
edition languageEnglish

Author Spotlight: Kenzie Cade and “Hummingbird House” (book tour and contest)

HHBanner300x250

Book Name: Hummingbird House
Goodreads Link
Author Name: Kenzie Cade

I was very happy to get Kenzie to sit a while in our author interview chair.  Check out the great interview below:

Q. I love holiday stories. What prompted you to write one?

KC: I’m exactly the same. I love holiday stories. I never had any doubt that I wanted to write one. There’s something so warm and satisfying about them. I wanted to be a part of that.

Q. I love the title Hummingbird House. What was the inspiration behind it?

KC:  Once I finally settled on a location–and let me tell you, I globe-hopped for a while–I researched the counties, north and south Great Britain. I researched quite a bit of the culture and traditions. I visited Surrey years ago. And truly there is a beauty to the English countryside that we don’t quite have here in the States. But one thing I noticed is that the houses had names. This was long before I was a writer… well consistently anyway. I’ve since studied the history of naming homes in England. It’s pretty interesting. But I’d always wondered what I would name a house if I had the chance. Well, I had the chance with this story. The rest is pretty simple. It was almost Hummingbird Cottage, but I already had The Crooked Cottage, my fictional pub in town, so I chose Hummingbird House. I sifted through some pictures of English houses and cottages and found a home that matched Astrid perfectly. And the rest is history.

Q. Which came first? Plot or title?

KC:  Oh gosh. That’s a great question. The plot came first. I actually had about seventy percent of the story written before I decided on the title. Titles are so hard and I’ve learned not to force them, but if the story is there I’ll go ahead and write the story the work on a title later.

Q. I love “second chance” stories. What about that subject inspires you?

KC:  Truth is we all screw up and we all make mistakes. We don’t all get second chances, but there is something about the second chance that is so real and so raw. The guys already know each other’s faults, they know they’re fighting an uphill battle, and still they choose to persevere because of love or maybe-love. I am so drawn to that. I love the feeling of winning and solidity when the story is over because the main characters fought everything, possibly even one another, to be together and to find the love they knew was there. It makes for a beautiful, rewarding story.

Q. Is this a “coming out” story combined with romance?

KC:  My first instinct was to say no, but I guess in a way it is. Although not in the traditional sense. When Trent first kisses Callum, Callum is confused and in denial of his wants and desires. Even two years later when he sees Trent again, he’s still fighting it. But somewhere in the eight years they are apart, he accepts who he is. Then Trent shows back up. So is this a “coming out” story? Not exactly.

Q. How difficult is it to get that right for you as an author?

KC:  Wow. Another good one, Melanie. As an author it’s difficult and a bit daunting. But as a cousin to two out and proud, wonderfully married gay men (which I guess raises my cousin count to four) and as a friend and ally, I take that responsibility seriously. Coming out is a difficult journey for every member of the LGBT community, and in my heart of hearts I believe there’s no time frame and no wrong way to do so. But there are wrong reactions. That’s where translating reality into fiction becomes difficult. Those painful moments are set for a reason, but as an author we have to find a way for our hero to prevail and come out on top, especially in romance, because a bad coming out experience could potentially hinder a relationship. It’s an intricate weaving of pain and hurt and fear and hope and love. It takes a bit of all of them to come out anyway. It’s my goal that when I do write a coming out story that those aspects are clear and bring my hero to a new level and realization when he finds the love of his life.

Q. Are there certain stories you read or reread at during the holiday seasons? Classic or otherwise?

KC:  Yes! My BFF said this year–and it’s totally true for me as well–“Holiday stories are my crack.” I laugh but it’s so true. I devour them. They are the syrup to my pancakes, the whipped cream to my peppermint hot chocolate, the gravy on my biscuits. So yes, I read and reread several. Of course I read Twas the Night Before Christmas yearly, especially now that my niece can understand it. I’m a sucker for Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Now in this genre, which is what I read the most, I reread several stories a year. I’ve already read Cardeno C’s Advent story from last year’s collection In Another Life. That one hits me in the heart every time. I love What Can Be by Mary Calmes and The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-bearing Critters by Amy Lane. The Dickens With Love by Josh Lanyon is another of my all-time favorites. There are so many though. If I listed them all, we’d be here all day.

Q. What myths/stories that you were told as a child do you wish were real?

KC:  I love this question. Well, of course, sticking to the theme of the season, I wish Santa was real–the North Pole, the elves, the workshops, the reindeer, the sleigh, all of it. Okay, I’ll admit that as an adult, a man sneaking down the chimney seems a bit creepy, but it’s the intent behind it, right? And could you imagine the alarms he’d set off? Ha!

Hmmm… I think when it comes to fairytales, I always had a thing for Sleeping Beauty. But in my head it’s a little different. Yes, her prince kisses her awake, but in my head Aurora took down Maleficent. She took back what the witch stole from her, then she took her prince and lived happily ever after.

But yes, pretty much anything with fairies and/or elves, I was enamored as a child by the little sprites. I’d love it they were real.

Q.   What or who has had the biggest impact on you as a writer?

KC:  There are so many people in my life who have pushed me to grow and learn and write. I have an amazing support system at my back made up of family and friends and authors who encourage me every single day. Those people make the biggest impact on me and my writing. I’m very blessed in that sense.

Thanks, Kenzie.  This was wonderful.  For all the readers, learn more about Kenzie and her story, Hummingbird House, below:

Author Bio:

Kenzie Cade was born and raised in the South where she spends her days in the sometimes stressful field of private medicine observing interesting people and committing them to memory for later use. When she isn’t reading, experimenting with recipes, or being distracted by social media, Kenzie spends time with her family, friends, and the Pomeranian/long-haired Chihuahua mix who likes to keep her company while she writes. As a young girl, Kenzie dreamed of princesses and their white knights. As an adult (or sort of adult), she dreams of princes and their proverbial white knights, which she attributes to fellow Arkansan S.E. Hinton and her novel, The Outsiders. Writing to keep the fictional voices at bay, Kenzie enjoys the journeys her characters travel to find their happy endings, and she loves the challenge of writing a great love story.

Author Contact:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kenziecade.author
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thekenziecade
Tumblr: http://thekenziecade.tumblr.com/
Pintrest: http://www.pinterest.com/thekenziecade/
Google +: plus.google.com/u/1/+KenzieCade

Publisher: Dreamspinner PressHummingbirdHouseLG
Cover Artist: Catt Ford
Pages: 51 pages Words: 18,000
Sales Link:  Dreamspinner Press        amazon

Hummingbird House Blurb:

To honor his grandmother’s final request, Trenton Appleton drops everything to visit the family’s ancestral home: Hummingbird House, where he experienced his first kiss and first heartbreak with Callum Eason.

 Eight years ago, confused by his attraction to Trent, Callum reacted badly. But with help he never expected, Callum found himself and learned to accept who he was. 

Now Trent is back at Hummingbird House, and Callum has his opportunity to salvage their friendship, at least. But Trent is less receptive than he was all those years ago. Still, Callum is determined to show Trent he has changed and keep his promise to Trent’s grandmother. When past mistakes repeat themselves, Callum must break the cycle before his last chance with Trent passes him by.

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

 Hummingbird House Excerpt:

For a house that had stood empty for the past eight years, it was surprisingly… clean… and warm and bright. The lights were on in the living room to my left, but the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen through the archway to my right drew my attention. Setting my suitcase and urn down quietly in the entryway, I pulled out an umbrella from the holder by the door. With every bit of stealth I possessed—which is not much—I crept into the kitchen, umbrella raised over my head. My heart raced and my breath sped up, until I crossed into the kitchen to find Callum at the sink.

My umbrella clanked to the wooden floor, and then I slumped over, hands to knees. Callum turned around eyes widened in surprise with an understanding smirk gracing his full lips. I wanted to hate those lips.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I panted, looking up at Callum as I stumbled over to the nearest kitchen chair and plopped myself into it.

Callum shrugged. “I’ve been taking care of the place for Astrid for the past few years.”

I hadn’t known that. Had I known that? Had Astrid ever mentioned it? No. She certainly hadn’t. Though I’d never admit it aloud, I hung on every word she shared regarding Callum. And trust me, they were few and far between, as if she had known what had happened between us.

She probably had.

Callum had kept up Hummingbird House. The pain in my chest twisted just a little more than usual. I refused to think of it as a betrayal, certain Astrid had her reasons for not telling me. But I just couldn’t imagine what they were.

“That doesn’t explain why you’re here now.”

HHBadgeTour Dates/Tour Stops:

8-Dec

Love Bytes

MM Good Book Reviews

9-Dec

Bayou Book Junkie

Prism Book Alliance

10-Dec

Inked Rainbow Reads

Parker Williams

11-Dec

Rainbow Gold Reviews

The Novel Approach

12-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Molly Lolly 

 

Contest: Enter to win aRafflecopter Prize: $20 Amazon or ARe Gift Card and an e-book. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the link provided for the entry form and for all additional contest details.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Sammy Review: The Right Words (Right and Wrong #1) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

“You know the saying about kissing a bunch of frogs before you meet your prince?”The Right Words cover

“I think you’re using artistic license. It’s not—”

“Hush. Just hear me out. I don’t think it’s the frog or the prince that matters much. I think it’s the journey in between. You know?”

“In between frogs?” I joked as I slung my arm around his waist and hugged him impetuously.

“Maybe. Life is full of disappointments, Luke, and you may stumble but you cannot stop. Ever. So, baby, go kiss a couple of frogs and see what happens.”

Luke is a failed poet made interior designer. In short, he’s teetering on the line of broke and homeless, living with his best friend and said best friend’s boyfriend. Needless to say, he’s a bit desperate for a job, and when he gets hooked up with some famous sport stars girlfriend to renovate a beach home, it’s the fresh start he needs.

Little does he expect the sports star, Michael Martinez, to be as shockingly handsome as he is. Nor does it ever cross Luke’s mind that he might be gay, but life’s full of surprises. Through personal struggles, injuries, blackmail, crazy exes, and love, the road to love sure as hell didn’t get paved smoothly.

Es tan corto el amor, y tan largo el olvido.

I found the first half of this book to be pure fun. The characters hold such a light and are so welcoming. They invited me to get to know them, and slowly, through words, Lane Hayes did a great job at making me become invested in each of them.

I loved the banter between Michael and Luke. It was so carefree and made me smile endlessly. They had such a way between them that made me just want to crawl up next to them and become immersed in their interactions.

And then it gradually deepened. They were steaming hot and they were passionate and damn… they were great together. I flew through their story and was left hungry for more. There was just such a lovely balance in this story. A balance between sex and story, a balance between drama and lightness, a balance between vastly different characters.

Do I think this story line is terribly original? Absolutely not. I’ve read it before. Closeted star falls in love and comes out. But it still felt fresh to me. There was nothing insanely remarkable about the story, no moment of me weeping, but it was simply so good that when I debated between a solid 4 stars and 4.5, I had to lean toward the latter. Why? It left me satisfied and so excited for the next story in this series. It left me happy and full, and for that, I am oh so pleased.

The cover art by Aaron Anderson is a nice compliment to the story. Taking place on a beach with a couple of hot hunks, check, you get that in the cover. The soccer/football pattern? Yep. It fits. It’s a simple but nice cover that fits the story well. My only complaint? Not so sure guy on the cover is the Latin lover described, but he’s delicious nonetheless.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback    All Romance (ARe)   amazon  buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 204 pages
Expected publication: December 12th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
original titleThe Right Words
ISBN139781632164292
edition languageEnglish
series Right and Wrong #1

On Tour with Lissa Kasey & Sam Kadence – Two Sides of the Same Coin (book tour and contest)

ALKBanner300x250

One Person, Two Authors, Three Books!

Book Names: Hidden Gem, Unicorns and Rainbow Poop, On The Right Track (Audio Book)
Goodreads Link:  On The Right Track     Unicorns and Rainbow Poop          Hidden Gem

Author Name: Lissa Kasey/Sam Kadence

 A Short Conversation with Lissa Kasey…

Q – Do you remember your first story? What was it about?

Yes. It was a story called Ship Wrecked. It was about a bunch of kids who get stranded on an island with a house full of horrors (yeah i was in the sixth grade when I wrote it. I was always sort of twisted)

Q – What sequel are you most looking forward to writing in the upcoming twelve months?

The sequel to Hidden Gem. Title unknown as of yet, but it’s started and I love it.

Q- What is your most requested sequel?

Gabe’s story which I will write someday. Second to that was Bas’ story which just came out.

Q – Aki loves shoes. Do you have a fetish of your own?

Fetish as in sexualized no. But I love ball joint dolls and action figures. I have shelves of action figures.

Q- What is the most emotional scene you ever wrote?

The beginning of Reclamation when Sei is running from his memory of stabbing Gabe, which is second only to watching Bas come apart in front of Dane in Unicorns and Rainbow Poop.

Author Bio:

Sam Kadence has always dreamed about being someone else, somewhere else. With very little musical talent, Sam decided the only way to make those dreams come true was to try everything from cosplay at the local anime conventions to writing novels about pretending to run away to become a musician.

Sam has a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing, sells textbooks for a living, enjoys taking photographs of Asian Ball Joint Dolls to tell more stories, and has eclectic taste in music from J-pop to rock and country. All of which finds its way into the books eventually.

Email: samkadence.author@gmail.com;

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.

Author Contact:

https://www.facebook.com/lissa.kasey; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008292783586&fref=ts; parisbvamp@yahoo.com; samkadence.author@gmail.com

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press & Harmony Ink Press
Cover Artist: Hidden Gem – Siobhan,
Sales Links:

1.  Hidden Gem:  Dreamspinner Press   All Romance(ARe)         amazon

2. Unicorns and Rainbow Poop:  Dreamspinner Press   All Romance (ARe)    amazon

3.  On The Right Track:  Book:       Dreamspinner Press   All Romance (ARe)     amazon

                                                 Audio:      Dreamspinner Press    Amazon On the Right Track (Audible Audio Edition): Sam Kadence, Michael Stellman: Books

hiddengem_final03

UNICORNS AND RAINBOW POOP COVEROn the Right Track cover

*****************************

Blurb(s):

Categories: Alternate Universe, BDSM, Contemporary, Fantasy, Gay Fiction, New Adult, Paranormal (Please note: Not all books contain all elements.)

Excerpts:

HIDDEN GEM:  First Glimpse by Lissa Kasey

Aki swept up a bottle of McNaughton’s favorite scotch and headed toward the broad Irishman. The man’s shoulders were arched forward, back tense, hair a sexy mess, and face covered with a couple days’ growth. Obviously the cop was on a difficult case. The detective hadn’t yet asked for him, just for his usual meal—almost bloody steak with a baked potato.

“You look like you could use a drink,” Aki told him as he slid into the chair beside him. He turned an empty glass over and poured three fingers of the golden liquid.

McNaughton sighed, his dark eyes roaming over Aki’s small body, platinum blond hair pulled up and styled with sparkling pins, see-thru knit top, and super-short skirt, then over his bare legs down to the gleaming heels. The shoes were a silver mesh of crystals that slid up just past his ankles. A gift from McNaughton. The cop sucked in a deep breath and slid his hand over the covered part of Aki’s thigh. He knew better than to touch bare flesh to bare flesh. Aki was a cognitive psi, could see entire lives of horrors with a single touch, and he was sure McNaughton’s past was filled with a lot of nasty memories.

“Wish you had time for me tonight. But I’ve got a feeling you’re booked up tight.” He glanced back at the room bustling with companions and potential customers. Aki was the only psi in the room, his pale-pupiled blue eyes telling the world that he was different.

“I’m sure Bart can fit you in.” Aki’s eyes scanned the room until he found his boss, who was engaged with negotiations with another client. “Looks like you need some trouble eased tonight.” He leaned in close enough his breath ran across McNaughton’s cheek.

McNaughton turned his head, lips nearly close enough to touch. “Would love a bit of time with your shine.”
“Words like honey, McNaughton.”

The cop flashed him one of his rare, heart-stopping smiles then nodded as Bart appeared beside them. “Table seven is ready, Aki. Number one.” Bart told him.

Aki grabbed Bart’s wrist with a gloved hand. “The cop needs some time tonight. You can make that happen, right?”

“Of course.” Bart nodded to them and took Aki’s vacated seat and Aki made his way to his next client of the evening. There were only two services Aki performed. A hand job and a blow job, one and two. This client wanted number one—which meant he was cheap since rarely did anyone ask for a hand job from him. But his prices were astronomical anyway.

“Hello,” Aki smiled at the man as he slid into the chair opposite him. The client was dressed nice, button down shirt, pressed pants, but he was bald and a little heavier around the waist. A politician probably. “If you’re ready we can head upstairs.”

The man barely spoke, but he leered, eyes tracing over Aki’s form more like he was cattle than a night of entertainment. Even in his worst moments McNaughton had never done that. It wasn’t appreciation, but something darker. Aki sighed internally and hoped this would be fast. He knew a thousand ways to get a man off in minutes. Something about him just set off Aki’s creep radar.

“I hear some wait months for the pleasure of your time,” the man said with slightly accented speech.
Not usually. The only ones who waited weeks were because their schedule and Aki’s conflicted or because they’d done something to upset him or Bart. Most clients got in within a few days if not the same day of requesting Aki’s time. And regulars were always given precedence over someone not yet vetted like this client.

“If I don’t please you I can see if Preston or Royce is available.”

“I was hoping for Candy originally.”

Was always good to be told he was second choice. Aki gritted his teeth. “Candy only serves a special kind of client. And he does have a wait list.” Mostly because he took clients who wanted a little more kink than any of the other male companions preferred. Aki was going to recommend this client be removed from the premises after the service was over.

“I guess you’ll have to do then. Won’t you?” He gave Aki a chilling smile.

Bastard. Aki got up from his seat and offered his gloved hand to the man who followed closely. They’d reached the stairs when the man grabbed him, yanked Aki against him and shoved his hand up Aki’s skirt, groping him and sending him into a spiral of nightmares.

A dark room. The metallic stink of blood. Screams. The sound of knives being sharpened. Metal bars clanking. Crying. Pain. The music of an ice cream truck. How odd. It was all ripped away a moment later, but Aki’s stomach was already heaving. The small plate of fruit and yogurt he’d had for dinner was not going to stay down.

Someone carried him unceremoniously to the private companion bathroom near the kitchen and set him in front of the toilet just as the mash of fruits and dairy came up. Aki heaved a couple of minutes, his brain swirling with the images that thankfully began to fade just as quickly as they’d come. With any luck he’d be able to brush his teeth, wash his face and go about his work day.

He glanced up to find Manny, the head of security standing at the door. McNaughton knelt beside Aki. Had held his hair back and even used his jacket to cover Aki’s bottom. The skirts really were too short.
“Bart is already having the guy removed. He should never have touched you like that. Sorry I didn’t get to you quicker,” Manny told Aki. “Grateful to you, Detective, for responding so quickly.”

McNaughton stroked Aki’s back, using the soft material of the sweater to run circles over his spine. “Want to talk about it?”

Aki sighed. “Same crap. Just weird. Darkness, crying, smelled blood. Heard knives.” He shook his head. “The guy could work at a butcher for all I know. The memories get so jumbled.” Often with his own horrific past.
“Thought I heard a kid. And bars rattling like in a jail. And the music from an ice cream truck.”

McNaughton nodded like it made perfect sense to him and helped Aki get up and make his way to the sink where there were spare toothbrushes and endless varieties of paste. The cop leaned over and kissed Aki’s hair.

“Gotta go. I’ll have Bart reschedule me sometime this week though. Love that you wore my shoes.” He was gone a moment later.

Aki cleaned up and made his way back to work. At least the night was almost over. He was sad that McNaughton hadn’t stayed. Would have liked to see that smile another time or two. At least the rest of the night flew by without incident, even if the detective didn’t return.

“Sleeping with me tonight?” Candy asked as he stripped out of their work clothes, leaving just a pair of bright pink underwear and crawled into bed. His purple hair was already brushed and eyes heavy with sleep.

“Please,” Aki whispered. He stripped off everything but his underwear too. After putting his shoes and pins away, he washed his face.

“Heard that guy touched you. What a jerk.”

“He wanted you to begin with.” Aki curled up beside his best friend.

Candy flicked off the light. “I would have brought him down a few pegs.”

Aki smiled, but he didn’t want to think of the horrible man at all. Those memories just needed to go away. He had enough of his own to battle with each day. He fell asleep hoping to wake up with less nasty memories each day.

The next afternoon Aki was up early and at Artie’s for breakfast—best 24/7 diner in the area—when McNaughton arrived. The man sat down at his table without asking and pushed a pair of slim, jeweled, yellow flat sandals into Aki’s hands. “What’s this for?” Aki asked.

He just shook his head. He threw a stack of cash on the table and motioned to the waitress. “Anything he wants is on me.” He then got up from the table and headed for the door.

“Well that was weird,” Aki said to LuAnn, the waitress.

She pointed at the Vid screen. “He had a rough night. Caught the guy who was killing kids.” The Vidscreen was turned to the news. Something about a man named the “Ice Cream Killer” had been captured. Apparently he used an ice cream truck to lure kids in, kidnapped them, raped them and killed them. Real monster.

A picture popped up of the guy. It was the client from the Gem. Maybe that’s why McNaughton was at the Gem. No matter what he hoped the detective visited him tonight. The new yellow shoes would need a new skirt to match…

 

UNICORNS AND RAINBOW POOP EXCERPT:

“So I was thinking since you and I both care about Tommy, we have something in common. See, Tommy is stressed, and I thought we could do something nice for him.”

Dane sat but glared at the man suspiciously. “What sort of nice thing?”

Bas motioned to the bags. “We’re going to make him cookies.”

Dane gulped. “I don’t like food.”

“You won’t be eating it. Tommy will. He canceled a class to come here. Did he tell you? He was taking a theater class at the community college back in Minnesota. Had to withdraw to be here. And with college, you know that means giving up any money paid. Not that money matters much to you guys. Though as young as you all are, I hope you’re well invested.”

Bas shrugged at him and began taking things out of the bags. Flour, eggs, sugar—both white and brown—food coloring, butter, vanilla, and lemons.

“I didn’t know,” Dane said quietly. He’d thought Tommy would be the least affected by his problems. Of course he’d been wrong about that too. Couldn’t he do anything right? “I don’t know anything about cooking.”

“That’s okay. I got this recipe online. It’s pretty easy. We’re making unicorn poop cookies.”

“What?”

“They are sugar cookies with food coloring in them to make them all rainbow-like. Unicorns are good luck and all that. Supposed to be the embodiment of goodness and purity.” Bas picked up his tablet, tapped the screen, and flipped it so Dane could see. The cookies really did look like a big pile of rainbow poop.

“Looks tasty,” Dane grumbled.

“We shall see, right? Think you can measure for me?” He pulled out a couple of cookie sheets and turned on one of the many ovens. “I got permission to use the kitchen here, but we can’t get too rowdy or they’ll kick me out.” He winked at Dane. “I’m pretty sure the orderlies outside are to make sure I’m not burning the place down.”

Dane got up and moved around the counter to stare at the list of ingredients. Bas plugged in a big mixer and took the mixing bowl out of it, bringing it to the counter for them to fill.

“This is really for Tommy?”

“Sure. We can send some to Ru and Adam too if you’d like. I heard they are only an hour or so away.”

“I don’t want Ru to know I’m here,” Dane said immediately. He didn’t need to mess up anyone else’s life.

“No worries. We need tell them nothing other than that they are from you.”

 

EXCERPT FOR ON THE RIGHT TRACK

RU’S phone pinged with a new message from Tommy.

Looks like another one, sorry.

The text was attached to a photo of the cover of a magazine featuring Ru kissing his ex-boyfriend Kris and then a smaller picture of Kris kissing another guy. Headline for that one was Vocal Growth Star Jilted! Six months and still front page news.

He sighed. Even leaving California hadn’t helped. Here he was in the cold autumn of Minnesota, alone, but still stalked by the conservative media who thought anyone under eighteen didn’t deserve to recognize their sexuality. Sure he was gay. He’d known for years. Had even made the mistake of telling his father when he was eleven. Why did that make him a bad guy?

As part of a boy band that had traveled the world a few times and won a hefty number of awards, he was required to maintain a wholesome image. At least that’s what his former recording studio had told him. And wholesome didn’t mean kissing another guy, even when he and Kris had been exclusive for almost two years. So, while it was okay for other celebrities to come out and show pride, anyone under the magical age of eighteen was ridiculed, cast out, and treated as a pariah of the community.

Do you need me to come stay with you? Tommy texted again. He was a former bandmate but still a good friend. Tommy hadn’t cared when Ru told him he was gay. He did offer to kick the crap out of Kris after the guy had set them up to be photographed together, outing Ru to the whole world, only to then cheat on him. Would Ru’s heart ever stop breaking at the memory?

Ru texted back He never really loved me, did he?

LissaKaseyFinalTour Dates/Tour Stops: 

2-Dec

Parker Williams

4-Dec

Molly Lolly

9-Dec

The Novel Approach

11-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

16-Dec

Amanda C. Stone

16-Dec

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

18-Dec

MM Good Book Reviews

23-Dec

Prism Book Alliance

25-Dec

Andrew Q. Gordon

25-Dec

BFD Book Blog

Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Print copies of Hidden Gem, Unicorns and rainbow Poop, and audio book codes for On the Right Track. (two of each)m Must be 18 years of age or older to win.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love is Sweet with Raine O’Tierney’s Bowl Full of Cherries (book tour and contest)

BoCBanner300x250

Book Name: Bowl Full of Cherries
Author Name: Raine O’Tierney

Author Bio:

Raine O’Tierney, a passionate believer in what she calls The Sweetness, writes positive stories about first loves, first times, fidelity, forever-endings and.friskiness? When she’s not writing, Raine can be found fighting the good fight for intellectual freedom at her library day job.

Raine believes the best thing we can do in life is be kind to one another, and she enjoys encouraging fellow writers. She changes sub-genres to suit her mood and believes all good stories end sweetly. Raine lives outside of Kansas City with her husband, fellow Dreamspinner Press author and sometimes writing partner, Siôn O’Tierney.

Contact her if you’re interested in talking about point-and-click adventure games or about what kinds dachshunds are the best kinds of dachshunds!

Author Contact:

BowlFullofCherriesLGPublisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback

Blurb:

Porker, Fatty, Tons-of-Fun: Crowley Fredericks has heard it all. He’s dropped a lot of weight since his high school days, but he’s still a big guy, and the painful words and bullying follow him. Rejected—again—because of his size, Crowley is starting to think that maybe love just isn’t meant for huskier men.

Averell Lang and his twin are so different they might as well not even be related. So when Rell’s brother brings his roommate home to snowy Susset for the holidays, Rell expects the worst—another uptight, pretentious hipster. What he discovers instead is Crowley. Nerdy, fascinating, attractive, Crowley. Rell never expected to look at a man this way, and what he sees in Crowley Fredericks is something he didn’t even know he was looking for. If both men can overcome their hang-ups, they might unwrap more than presents this holiday season.

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Holiday

Excerpt:

Even through the snow, Rell didn’t feel the cold. His face burned with the excitement of escaping the Livery and absconding with his brother’s best friend. He clasped Crowley’s hand, pulling him through the street. They ran and skidded and laughed, moving farther and farther away from the club.

“It’s beautiful tonight,” Crowley breathed and Rell squeezed tighter. “Doesn’t it weird you out though?”

“Nope.”

Rell knew what Crowley was asking—didn’t even pretend that he didn’t. Stopping, he tugged lightly so Crowley came stumbling up beside him. He twined his arms around Crowley’s waist and held him for a moment, right there in the middle of the sidewalk.

“Does it weird you out? I’m your best friend’s brother.”

“Not weirded out at all.” Crowley shook his head. His dark eyes shimmered with concern. “But for you… I mean, it was loud in there and hot and fun and there was alcohol and… sometimes… things just happen and—”

“Yeah, things happen,” Rell agreed. “Except I’ve been to a lot of stupid hipster clubs with a lot of Tyler’s friends and….” He leaned forward and kissed Crowley again, letting the experience linger, melting the chill between them. He tasted like nogtini. “And nothing like that has ever happened.”

“But… do you even like guys?”

“Owl. You’re a guy. I like you.”

“But have you been with a guy?”

“Why are you over-thinking this?” Rell asked, gently cupping the side of Crowley’s face.

Words: 60,000

BoCBadgeTour Dates/Stops:

5-Dec

BFD Book Blog

Louise Lyons

Molly Lolly

Velvet Panic

Carly’s Book Reviews

8-Dec

Hearts on Fire

Fallen Angel Reviews

Multitasking Mommas

Prism Book Alliance

Rainbow Gold Reviews

9-Dec

Up All Night, Read All Day

The Blogger Girls

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

Inked Rainbow Reads

10-Dec

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Love Bytes

Iyana Jenna

Cathy Brockman Romances

11-Dec

Crystal’s Many Reviewers

MM Good Book Reviews

Queer Town Abbey

Full Moon Dreaming

12-Dec

Parker Williams

Amanda C. Stone

3 Chicks After Dark

Cate Ashwood

Rebecca Cohen Writes

Michael Mandrake

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the link provided for all contest details and the entry form.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Sammy Review: The Holiday Hoax by Skylar M. Cates

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.

Life should come with signs like an amusement park ride, warning you of all the possible side effects.

 

The Holiday Hoax coverEvan Goodman is like any college freshman. He’s just trying to find his way in the world, find a place for himself. Of course, he knows that the world is truly a stage, and theater is his one true love. It’s on stage that he meets Tyler, another performer. Evan does a cliff dive into the relationship, but when he looks back, Tyler hasn’t even stood within a foot of the edge.

So when Christmas comes and Evan’s supposed to come with a handsome, cultured boyfriend… he’s, well, screwed.

But after seeing JD, a fellow student, being rejected by his brother, he gets a not-so-bright idea. His family doesn’t know what Tyler looks like, and JD needs a place to go, so why not?

Holidays come with a spark of magic though, and maybe Evan and JD might have some magic of their own.

Sometimes it was easier to face the world when I couldn’t see every harsh shape, every flaw. The world could be kinder if everyone was a bit myopic.

I’m not exactly a holiday story fan. I like stories that really tell more than just a few days, I want stories that breathe life. I gave this a shot, however, because the cover, by Paul Richmond, is just plain adorable and totally drew me in (and is a total match for the heart of the story, which I appreciate), and because I’ve liked some of Cates other work.

Unfortunately, the magic wasn’t there for me. This was a perfectly fine story with some cute elements and others that were surprisingly deep, but it fell flat in ways that short stories often do. I felt like something was left missing and things wrapped up way too neatly for my tastes.

So to be clear, there was nothing wrong with this at all, it just wasn’t really a story that suited me. If you’re into cute and fun holiday stories that are short and sweet, then you will probably adore this. If you want some more depth, maybe not so much. Overall the story was nice, but it didn’t leave me with a big impression.

Cover art by Paul Richmond.  Just plain adorable.

Sales Links:    Dreamspinner eBook          All Romance (ARe)         amazon          buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 83 pages
Expected publication: December 12th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632165930

A MelanieM Review: Old Loyalty, New Love (L’Ange #1) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Old Loyalty new Love coverJackal shifter Quade Danas has spent decades away from home and pack after his father the Alpha banished Quade for being gay.  Quade vanished into the military, acquiring the skills and mindset he would need when he returned to civilian life as a bodyguard for Roman Howell, the teenage son of a very rich man.

Roman Howell has had two constants in his life.  The L’Ange, the beloved chateau he grew up in and Quade Danas, his bodyguard who is so much more to him than that title implies.  Quade has been there for him through two of the worst times in his life.  The first, being the school accident that cost Roman his good looks, physical well being and almost his life.  The second time was when his parents died, leaving a scarred young man alone to handle his parent’s business empire and estate, alone except for Quade.

Roman has always loved Quade but how to get his bodyguard to see that its the man he loves and not the safety net Quade has always represented to Roman?  Roman is determined to have Quade for his own, because he realizes something that even Quade hasn’t admitted, that Quade loves him back.

Quade has grown to love the young man he has watched over for years.  But he has convinced himself that the large difference in years between them as well as the secrets he hides put Roman out of reach, as his love and mate.  Then a call from his past puts his continued employment and relationship with Roman in jeopardy.  His old pack desperately needs him to return and take over. Quade feels compelled to heed the call, he may be forced to make a choice he never anticipated. But doing so means he must leave Roman behind… unless somehow they find a way to make loyalty and love work together.

I adore Mary Calmes shifters and with her new series, L’Ange, she gives the readers a new cast of shifters to fall in love with.  Old Loyalty, New Love sets the foundation of her series with the setting of the lands and the  “château d’Ange,” or “house of angels,” as it was named,  home of the wealthy Howell family. L’Ange is more than just a huge manor to Roman Howell, the only heir to the Howell fortune and empire.. It is home, full of happy memories of his parents and the only place where he feels safe and content. Calmes brings us into Roman’s life when he is 27.  It’s been six years since his parents have died, and Roman, with Quade’s support and advice, has come to grips with their death and his transfigured face and body as Chapter 1 opens.  And while we have the occasional flashback, it is mostly the adult Roman that we deal with.

I really like how Calmes is introducing new types of main characters into her stories.  In the past the author has been shown to be fond of  two distinct types of “leading men” in her stories.  In a way, those main characters have been a sort of hallmark of hers, and a beloved one at that.  But in Old Loyalty, New Love, a new type of character emerges, one so very different and yet totally appealing in his own right.  Roman Howell’s face now resembles a mask of melted wax, the result of a horrific fire aboard a school bus.  Here is our first glimpse of Roman, seen through Quade’s eyes:

A lot of the guys that Roman’s “friends” brought to meet him were startled by his appearance. Most of his face resembled melted wax, and the skin that didn’t was cratered and thick in some places, stretched thin and reddened in others. At first glance, people were still surprised, but to me, he was simply Roman Howell, my boss, who I had met as a boy of sixteen and watched become a man I both respected and admired. Now, the pictures of him before the accident were what caught me off guard. What could have been an ordinary face had been transformed, to me, into a visage of resilience and power.

There’s certainly nothing cute or adorable about either Roman or Quade, in personality or visage.  Quade is in fact quite a bit older, a bit menacing, and a jackal shifter to boot.  Both characters felt as fresh and fascinating as their personalities and relationship.  As relayed through the synopsis, Quade and Roman has a long, convoluted history together, one overlaid by an employer/employee relationship as well as a protector/protected one.  Mary Calmes then sets about demonstrating how intimate and genuine that relationship has become, changing into something deep-rooted and intense. It’s new depth is one Quade isn’t ready to acknowledge.  Trust me when I say, these two will grab you by the heartstrings, never to let go.

Quade has some aspects of past main characters, but he is so much his own personality.  Older, scarred, loyal to a fault,and a jackal shifter as well.  Quade is as complex and magnetic you could hope for.  I loved their interchanges and interactions with each other.

Aside from Quade and Roman, chateau L’Ange, is home to a fascinating assortment of characters, like the head of security, Arman de Soto, and Linus Hobbes, L’Ange’s manager. They and other shifters will figure largely in the books to come. I did find it a shame that the blurb gave away the fact that Quade was a jackal shifter as that bit of information comes slowly to the reader in small pieces.  At the beginning you arent’ sure what type of shifter Quade is but you see him following wolves at the beginning, so you might have imagined Quade as a wolf to begin with.  But the L’Ange series is full of different types of shifters and you are going to love the surprises that Calmes has in store for her readers.  I know I throughly enjoyed it as one wonderful revelation after another surfaced in the plot.  It made me love this story, along with Roman, and Quade, and all the rest.

The story flows along quickly, and even as new characters arrive to enlarge the cast, it never feels too overcrowded or bogged down.  There is a wonderful resolution and new mysteries set up for the next books to solve.  I can already tell this is going to be a new favorite series of mine.  I think you will feel the same.  Consider Old Loyalty, New Love a highly recommended read! Now on to Fighting Instinct (L’Ange #2). I can hardly wait!

Cover artist:  Anne Cain delivers a lovely cover with it’s gothic overtone but I think I had hoped for a little something more to make it great.

Sales Links:   Dreamspinner Press  eBook & Paperback & Audio           All Romance (ARe)         amazon             buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 246 pages
Published December 13th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published December 12th 2013)
ISBN 1627984755 (ISBN13: 9781627984751)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4464
Books in the Series Include:

Old Loyalty, New Love (L’Ange #1)
Fighting Instinct (L’Ange #2)