Category: Loose id

An Alisa Review: Russian Blau (Dragons Schooled #1) by Emily Carrington

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

russian-blauIce dragon Blau Lepa seeks nothing more or less than to be a professor at SearchLight Academy. He’s wanted to teach his whole life, and considers it a sacred calling. When he meets Professor Rob Boyle, he’s instantly attracted. But both he and Rob are convinced that teachers and students shouldn’t have sex, not to mention that Blau’s afraid to bond with a human who will pass away so quickly.

 

On top of his scruples, Rob’s suffering from a broken heart. Eventually he gives in to his attraction and finds being dominated by Blau fills him with soaring desires and heals his wounded heart. But is that enough to make him decide to throw away his humanity and accept magical powers so that he can spend all eternity with his lover?

 

Blau is in his last semester of school with Charlie, Rob’s former lover and friend, as his advisor.  Rob and Blau have an immediate attraction, but don’t act upon anything until they are manipulated together by Charlie.  Once they both let their walls down they can work on their connection to each other.

 

We get to see both characters’ points of view which helps as they both have their own struggles in this story.  I felt Rob’s getting over his heartbreak from Charlie was quickly resolved and just kinda done instead of work through.  Blau’s biggest fear is loving someone who isn’t immortal and he would have to watch them die.  I felt that there were some back stories in this that I was missing regarding Charlie and Rob’s former dragon student (it looks like this series references characters from some of the author’s previous series) which would have help some of my confusion at points, but for the most part I liked the story.

 

Cover art by Fiona Jayde is a sweet picture of Blau and Rob.

 

Sales Links: Loose Id | Amazon | ARe

 

Book Details:

ebook, 68 pages

Published: October 24, 2016 by Loose Id

ISBN: 9781682522325

Edition Language: English

Series: Dragons Schooled #1

Blog Tour & Kindle Giveaway – Operation Better Tomorrow by Brandi Evans

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Title: Operation Better Tomorrow

Author: Brandi Evans

Release Date: November 29th 2016

Publisher: Loose ID

Genre: MM Romance

BLURB

The interview of a lifetime.

When Aaron Strickland’s assigned to write a feature article on Caleb Douglas, the first openly gay soldier to receive the Medal of Honor, he’s over-the-moon. Meet a sexy, real-life hero? Yes, please. And in the weeks leading up to their interview, the former soldier becomes a recurring player in Aaron’s fantasies.

A man Caleb can’t forget.

Years earlier, lost in the throes of depression and PTSD after an ambush left his body and soul scarred, Caleb was on the brink of giving up when a magazine article changed his life forever—an article written by Aaron. Emerging from the depths of his pain, Operation Better Tomorrow—part homestead, part halfway house for those down on their luck—was born.

Tragedy lurking on the horizon.

As the days pass, Caleb and Aaron’s tragic pasts bind them in ways they aren’t prepared for, but it also leaves them vulnerable. Pushing forward means breaking down walls they’ve built to protect themselves, and just as they’re poised on the precipice of happiness, a darkness descends on the homestead, a hatred that will leave one man clinging to life and the other willing to risk everything to save him.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1MHFEB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_7UKpybWN1WY55

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/mobile/details.html?pid=2180371

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/operation-better-tomorrow/id1181197629?mt=11

Watch the Operation Better Tomorrow Book Trailer

EXCERPT

Resisting the urge to follow Aaron, Caleb unlatched the wicker picnic basket from the left saddlebag, grabbed the thick blanket from the right, and traipsed deep into the waist-high colors. Blues, purples, and yellows dotted the greenery and swayed in the late-summer breeze. The meadow smelled sweet and made him think of peace and tranquility. The area, along with Aaron’s article and daily meditation, were the best anti-depressants Caleb had ever had.

He set the basket and Aaron’s bag down and unfolded the blanket. Considering the height and density of the flowers, laying out the cloth was an exercise in frustration management. A step-and-tug here, an expletive or twelve there, he inched the material down until he created a makeshift hideaway.

Before taking his seat and disappearing into the overgrowth, he glanced around until he found Aaron. The other man was zoomed in on a yellow bud, and Caleb smiled. He liked the idea of sharing this place with Aaron. It was the perfect backdrop to delve into his pain.

He unclipped his walkie and set it on the corner of the blanket before dishing food onto the thin, floral plates that had come with the basket. Thick turkey sandwiches with blue cheese and fresh tomatoes, fruit salad, and oven-baked green bean crisps—green beans drizzled with olive oil, salted, peppered, and then baked until they were crispy. To complement the meal, he’d chosen a Château Timberlay Bordeaux. It wasn’t a full-on red, but it had a deep, lush flavor he really liked.

He uncorked the bottle, removed one of the wineglasses fastened to the inside of the—

“Oh, God, Caleb. Don’t move.”

Caleb froze, Aaron’s soft command triggering an ingrained response from his Army days. When a commander told you to freeze while on patrol, you fucking froze. Period.

No debate. You obeyed or you could die. But what danger was there out here? Had the other man seen a snake or something?

“Don’t move a muscle.” Click. Click, click. “It’s breathtaking.”

Caleb breathed a sigh of relief. Aaron was just taking pictures. “Aaron—”

“Shh.” Click, click. “Not even a muscle. This shot’s gorgeous. You’re fucking gorgeous. I can’t… Your profile’s…” Click, click. Click. Click. “Oh my God, look at yourself.”

Caleb turned toward Aaron’s voice as the other man emerged from the flowers and crawled onto the blanket in an awkward “three-legged” motion, holding out his camera. Blades of grass and broken flower petals stuck in his perfectly messy hair, and his smile was eight times more breathtaking than any Caleb had ever seen. The intensity, the passion on Aaron’s face, matched what was stirring inside him.

Aaron settled beside Caleb and held the camera so they could both see the screen on the back, but Caleb couldn’t take his eyes off the man beside him, watching Aaron as he looked at Caleb’s image on the screen. The pleasure on Aaron’s face, as cliché as it was, stole Caleb’s breath, and when Aaron turned his head, Caleb captured that incredible mouth in a quick, hard kiss.

Caleb pulled back and drew his thumb over the bottom lip he’d just claimed. “Thank you.”

Aaron’s eyebrows drew together. “For what?”

“Just…thank you.” Caleb tapped his lips to Aaron’s again and then forced himself to pull back before the moment spun out of control. He wanted Aaron, but doubt was malevolent, constant. The idea of exposing himself at all was terrifying, but here, in the open, in the light of day, it positively petrified him. Not out here. Not like this. But if ever there was someone to take a chance on…

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*****GIVEAWAY: Win an Amazon Kindle!!!!*****

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author

Brandi Evans was raised by a caravan of traveling Gypsies. She spent her days learning the ways of her people and her nights lost in legends as old as time. Okay, not really, but that’s way more interesting than the truth!

In reality, Brandi grew up the oldest child of an ordinary family. Grade school, middle school, high school. Nothing extraordinary happened until she left the nest. She joined the military, went to college, got married, and became a mom. And somewhere along the way, she discovered she liked to read—and write!—stories hot enough to melt eReaders.

These days, she calls The Natural State home where she lives with her hubby, two beautiful daughters, two dogs and a cat who has yet to realize she doesn’t own the place. Soldier. Wife. Mom. Multi-published smut writer. Brandi’s life might not be “traveling Gypsy” interesting, but she’s had fun. And in the end, isn’t that all that really matters?

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

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A VVivacious Review: Gryffon Hall by Alexis Duran

Rating: 5 Stars out of 5
 
gryffon-hallWryler Glimmerveen is forced into an unsuspecting alliance with Lord Aeric Rouchet who is well feared for being a monster.
 
Aeric Rouchet is the Lord of Gryffon Hall, a sprawling castle at the edge of the Black Forest, a forest well known for the monsters it spawns.
 
As Wryler makes his journey to the Black Forest he can’t be anything but anxious about the things that await him at
Gryffon Castle but he has no clue as to the mysteries waiting to unfold.
 
This was an utterly delicious read. It was an amazing retelling of “The Beauty and the Beast” and I loved the author’s perspective on this particular fairy tale.
 
Wryler Glimmerveen was the perfect Beauty with a little bit of fae in him. What I loved about Wryler was that neither was he the stalwart hero nor the damsel of distress of fairy tales. He was just perfect, anxious to the point of no return but ready to stand his ground even against his beast of a husband.
 
Aeric Rouchet was an amazing Beast and proud of it. He was like a yummy hero just out of a historical romance and my God was he hot or what?
 
I loved Aeric and Wryler they had the perfect dynamic from the beginning and their chemistry was sizzling hot. They really had that going for them.
 
Personally I loved how this book spins the tale of ‘The Beauty and the Beast’. Here’s a Beauty ready to forge his own path and a Beast proud of his beastly ways, so wait… where is the wrench in the works well as you will know if you have read and seen a lot of faith tales, where there is a fairy tale there is a certain deal maker waiting to profit.
 
I loved how this book is written. It is well paced and all the elements are well established and play out really well as a whole. Overall this book was awesome, amazing and brilliant!
 
Cover Art by April Martinez. I didn’t like the cover as much as I loved the story. Personally the men on the cover in no way fit the Wryler and Aeric in my head.
Sales Links
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Book Details:
ebook, 150 pages
Published August 30th 2016 by Loose ID
ISBN139781682521885