A MelanieM Review: Scratch the Matchmaker by Austin Daniels

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

After his boyfriend moves out of state without telling him, Jay wants only to indulge in a weekend of drunken self-pity. Before he can get started, though, he is rescued by a stray dog.

While obtaining the necessary food and supplies he needs to take care of the dog, named Scratch, he meets Richard, a veterinary student. Better still, Richard offers to meet up to talk to him about caring for a dog.

Lessons in taking care of a dog lead to lessons Jay never expected, but Jay isn’t the only one with a sour past, and all the two men hope to learn from and with each other may be cut all too short.

Well, I only wish the story I found had been half as cute as the premise and the cover. I think just about everything here needs to be addressed from the format to the multiple points of views that take you immediately away from the main characters story into various side vinaigrettes of dog matchmaking and sex. There is a weird element of “yes, let’s immediately be boyfriends and D/s even though I just met you” that’s disconcerting as well as downright less than sexy.

Honestly it makes you want to take Jay to therapy and remind him about not talking to strangers.

I wish I could say Scratch the Matchmaker by Austin Daniels is all about perspectives. That its just me. But I really feel that it would be hard pressed to find readers to overlook the faults I found. This needs more than another looksee from a editor or two. And that’s from someone who adores a dog story within a romance! It’s just disorganized, the writing is poor and the characters are one-dimensional. I’d give this one a pass.

Cover design by Michelle Seaver. Just adorable, from the dog to the design. Great job.

Sales Links: Less Than Three Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 164 pages
Published September 13th 2017 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781684310975
Edition LanguageEnglish

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Waking the Behr (Foothills Pride #7) by Pat Henshaw

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Both Ben and Mitch think they know exactly what they want. Turns out, they don’t even know their own hearts.

Good old boy Ben has dated women his entire life, while gay nightclub owner Mitch has never considered unsophisticated country boys his type. But after they start hanging out, the small-town contractor and the urban entrepreneur are both stunned by the electricity sparking between them.

As they step outside their comfort zones to spend time together, Mitch finds he enjoys rural car rallies, and Ben is intrigued by the upscale bars Mitch owns in San Francisco. When they share their lives and grow closer, they start to question the way they’ve always defined themselves. Then they kiss and fling open the door to love. Now they must step up and travel the road that may lead to happily ever after—even if that path isn’t one they ever expected to walk.

Waking the Behr is another cute story in The Foothills Pride series by Pat Henshaw. Mitch O’Shea and Ben Behr meet at the remains of Thompson’s old steakhouse, a building Mitch has just bought and wants Ben’s (of Behr Construction) help to transform into a new family friendly restaurant. They make an instant connection that Henshaw brings alive in one great scene:

So I was surprised when I opened the door to the gutted restaurant and found a giant of a man twirling Julie Andrews’style. He was grinning like a loon as the light poured over him.

That should have been laughable since he was alone, but he was kickass savoring the moment. Instead of appearing loco, he struck me as a big overgrown Peter Pan. He looked so happy, I had an urge to join him, which gave me a moment of panic because I’m not an old boy who does much dancing or cavorting–in public or in private.

“Uh, hello? Mr. O?Shea?”

When he turned toward me, my jaw dropped. I’m sure I musta looked like the village idiot.

That’s Ben’s first look at Mitch and vice versa. Boom! Connection made.

From there, Pat Henshaw treats her readers to a friends to lovers story that I just adored. Along the way, Ben figures out that yes, he’s attracted to men too which means that Ben is probably bisexual. There was a whole momentarily “damn am I turning gay?” which made me wonder what century he was in, especially since he had gay brothers he’s fond of and talks to often as he works with them. Luckily the rest of the story redeemed that totally awkward and awful aspect (but yes, it pulled down the ratings). I mean really Ben is in a town that’s increasingly LGBTQ friendly and he thinks it rubs off like Shea butter? Smh!

There is no instant love here. The timeline gets moved forward scene by scene so it’s clear that the men have moved into a friendship, gone camping, and spent considerable time together before falling in love which I liked.

Both characters come across as intelligent, warm hearted and loving. I enjoyed their dance towards romance and a HEA. I also love that we get to see other characters from previous stories play minor roles here. It’s nice to see them again.

At 88 pages, this is a quick read (as are all the stories). I’ve given up hoping to see longer versions here. But it’s such a nice series that even the short romances are a great way to spend some time. I recommend them to those who love to read contemporary romances.

Cover Artist: AngstyG. I really like the covers for this series and this one specifically. Great job.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 88 pages

Expected publication: September 20th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13 9781635339161

Edition Language English

Series Foothills Pride #7

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Release Day Review: I Heart Boston Terriers by Rick R. Reed

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

A sweet little snippet about love for a dog who needs a second chance and for a man who needs one as well. In honor of the author’s Boston Terrier, Lily, who is well known to those of us who follow his social media, Mr. Reed has created a darling love story sure to whet the appetite of those who love MM romance and those who love their pups.

Aaron accompanied his sister to the pet store to buy supplies for her cat and they both fell in love with a timid little Boston Terrier who was quaking in fear in her cage. Aaron also caught the attention of the handsome guy who was volunteering with the Humane Society and between the two positive forces—man and beast—he was toast. Even though he’s with his sister because his relationship broke up, and he’s virtually homeless and jobless, that cute guy did indeed catch his attention.

When he brings the dog home, her fear keeps her under his sister’s bed and out of Aaron’s arms. Thankfully, whether appropriate or not, the good-looking volunteer calls him to see how Mavis the dog is doing, and one thing leads to another, and before you know it, the two men are out walking the dog and exploring their mutual attraction. After a bit of trouble earlier in the day, Mavis already had two legs out the door—it seems she ate his sister’s Jimmy Choo shoes—an incredibly bad move, so a walk seems appropriate. As the men walk, they talk, and again one thing leads to another, and they’re caught en flagrante when his sister returns home.

This is a very short story, but full of sweetness and possibility—both for the dog and for Aaron’s future. The only negative for me is the behavior change in Aaron’s sister. One day she encourages him to get the dog and insists it won’t be an issue, even though they’ll be sharing a studio apartment, and the next she’s totally against the dog and wants her returned. Granted, the shoes were a huge issue for her, but the way she continued to insist the dog be sent back seemed over-the-top. I guess it was needed for plot flow but not my cuppa, so it kept my rating closer to a three. On the other hand, I do think the story is well-worth reading, and I recommend it to brighten an otherwise gloomy day, especially for all dog lovers.

~~~~

The cover by Reese Dante features two handsome men whose pictures are superimposed over a foreground picture of a Boston terrier. The word Heart in the title is also accompanied by a heart symbol so the cover does attract attention and it clearly represents the story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, 54 pages
Expected publication: September 20th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press (first published January 12th 2012)
ISBN139781634774017
Edition Language English

In Our Fantasy Spotlight: Bad Boy’s Bard (Fae Out of Water #3) by E.J. Russell (tour and giveaway)

Bad Boy’s Bard (Fae Out of Water #3) by E.J. Russell
Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: Lou Harper

Read an Excerpt/Buy it here at Riptide Publishing

About Bad Boy’s Bard

As far as rock star Gareth Kendrick, the last true bard in Faerie, is concerned, the only good Unseelie is . . . well . . . there’s no such thing. Two centuries ago, an Unseelie lord abducted Gareth’s human lover, Niall, and Gareth has neither forgotten nor forgiven.

Niall O’Tierney, half-human son of the Unseelie King, had never lost a wager until the day he swore to rid the Seelie court of its bard. That bet cost him everything: his freedom, his family—and his heart. When he’s suddenly face-to-face with Gareth at the ceremony to join the Seelie and Unseelie realms, Niall does the only thing inhumanly possible: he fakes amnesia. Not his finest hour, perhaps, but he never revealed his Unseelie heritage, and to tell the truth now would be to risk Gareth’s revulsion—far harder to bear than two hundred years of imprisonment.

Then a new threat to Gareth’s life arises, and he and Niall stage a mad escape into the Outer World, only to discover the fate of all fae resting on their shoulders. But before they can save the realm, they have to tackle something really tough: mending their own broken relationship.

Now available from Riptide Publishing. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/bad-boys-bard

About the Fae Out of Water Series

Once upon a time, there were three brothers, nobles of the Seelie Court of Faerie, who set out to seek their fortunes. The eldest—

Scratch that. Rrrrrewind.

Nowadays, when tales are told in 140 character bursts on tiny LED screens, rather than spun out by the glow of a midnight campfire, even Faerie’s elite have to get with the program.

The Kendrick brothers have traded longbow for briefcase, battle steed for Harley, and enchanted harp for electric guitar. But while they’re finding their feet in the modern world, instead of finding their fortunes, they stumble straight into love.

#faeoutofwater

Check out Fae Out of Water! http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/series/fae-out-water

About E.J. Russell

E.J. Russell holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business-intelligence consultant. After her twin sons left for college and she no longer spent half her waking hours ferrying them to dance class, she returned to her childhood love of writing fiction. Now she wonders why she ever thought an empty nest meant leisure.

E.J. lives in rural Oregon with her curmudgeonly husband, the only man on the planet who cares less about sports than she does. She enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

Connect with E.J.:

Website: ejrussell.com

Blog: ejrussell.com/bloggery/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/E.J.Russell.author

Twitter: twitter.com/ej_russell

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ejrussell/

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of all three books in the Fae Out of Water series, one lucky winner across all three tours will receive a GRAND PRIZE of a $50 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 23, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the Bad Boy’s Bard tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

A Lila Audiobook Review: Manny Get Your Guy (The Mannies #2) by Amy Lane and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Starting over and falling in love.

Tino Robbins’s sister, Nica, and her husband, Jacob, are expecting their fifth child. Fortunately, Nica’s best friend, Taylor Cochran, is back in town, released from PT and in need of a job.

After years in the service and recovering from grave injury, Taylor has grown a lot from the callow troublemaker he’d been in high school. Now he’s hoping for a fresh start with Nica and her family.

Jacob’s cousin Brandon lives above the garage and thinks “Taylor the manny” is a bad idea. Taylor might be great at protecting civilians from a zombie apocalypse, but is he any good with kids?

Turns out, Taylor’s a natural. As he tries to fit in, using common sense and dry wit, Brandon realizes that Taylor doesn’t just love their family—he’s desperate to be part of it. And just like that, Brandon wants Taylor to be part of his future.

Manny Get Your Guy takes place about ten years later than the first book in the series. It took me a minute to get used to the changes in the characters, but a couple of pages in, I was back in their world. It was a refreshing change since most stories end with a HEA and we don’t get to experience their lives afterwards.

This story is a classic combination of Amy Lane and Dreamspun Desire. It’s over-the-top, soap opera-like, and perfect for a cute story with more than a simple romance. As readers, we get to be part of Brandon’s and Taylor’s path to happiness, without forgetting how they became the men we met. It’s a slow journey but an interesting one.

I like the MCs enemies-to-lovers story and how they fought their attraction in the beginning, even if short lived. Both characters are lovely and their support system complemented their relationship. As always, it’s nice having both POV; easier to see how they fall for each other.

The moments between the couples are great but those between Taylor and Brandon felt intimate and awe inspiring. There are lightheaded moments and many embarrassing tidbits. Overall, this is another winner for this author and series.

One thing I like about John Solo’s narrations is his consistency. As soon as I heard the voices, I could connect them with the characters in the previous book. He did an excellent job bringing everyone to life and making Brandon and Taylor the center of the story.

The cover by Paul Richmond fits the series and shows a happy version of Taylor. It reminds me of one of the characters in Days of Our Lives.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: John Solo
Length: 6 hours 16 minutes
Published: August 10, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B074NCK18W
Edition Language: English

Series: The Mannies
Book #1: The Virgin Manny
Book #2: Manny Get Your Guy

A Caryn Review: The Druid Next Door (Fae Out of Water #2) by EJ Russell

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Book one, Cutie and the Beast, in this series was a romantic comedy (which I adored!), and so I admit I was expecting the same here. These characters, however, are more serious, the tone darker, the danger greater, in this enemies-to-lovers novel. And this book is absolutely not stand-alone – all of the world building happened in book one, and this book just expands on the Fae world and it’s denizens.

Mal – Lord Maldwyn Kendrick – was cursed at the end of book one. He saved his brother Alun’s life by cutting off the villain’s hand, and in punishment, he was cast out of Faerie and his own right hand became useless. The Seelie queen, who cast the curse, told him the curse could be lifted if he could “make whole what you cost us this night”, and Mal has no idea what that even means. Give Rodric his hand back? Even if he wanted to after all the evil Rodric committed, how could he possibly do that? His entire existence was being a warrior, protecting the Seelie Court, and in one moment he lost that purpose, and even the ability to be a warrior. He was fairly lighthearted in book one, but he’s now angry, bitter, and completely directionless.

Because Mal was homeless, his brother-in-law David bought him a very nice little house with zero carbon footprint in a wetland conservation area. Mal couldn’t have cared less. Worse, when he found Unseelie creatures in the swamp and drove them off, he came to the attention of his neighbor Bryce MacLeod, professor and deeply devoted environmentalist who was shocked and appalled at Mal’s lack of care for the wetlands. Mal recognized him as a druid – a fact Bryce himself was completely unaware of – and Mal had never trusted druids as far as he could throw them. Things went from bad to worse when the local arch druid bound the two men together in order to foster Bryce’s training, without consent from either of them.

Mal just wants to get his hand and his old life back, while Bryce wants to find out what is causing the poisoning of the wetlands and fix it. But since the men are literally tied together, they have to find a way to work with each other to reach these goals. But there are manipulative supernatural forces in play, pushing them into the middle of a conflict that endangers not only their lives, but (once again) the fate of the world.

The set-up seems awkward and ridiculous when I try to condense it, but I didn’t feel that while I was reading. Every character acted in accordance with their nature and personality (as introduced in book one) and in accordance with the rules of the outer world and world of faerie. The progression from irritation, to grudging respect, to true appreciation of each other from Mal and Bryce was extremely fluid. The supernatural powers of druids and the hereditary interaction between druid and sidhe kept Mal and Bryce continually wondering what parts of their attraction was real, and what was biology, or spell. The inner conflict of trying to untangle that played out in the conflict they had with each other, but I felt both men learned to look past their initial rigid beliefs about the world, themselves, and each other, and they grew into better men as they became more flexible and accepted new truths about themselves. The eventual defeat of evil was typical of a fantasy novel, but the happy ever after was more like the typical contemporary romance. I thought it fit together extremely well!

Gareth, the youngest of the Kendrick brothers, shows up only briefly in this book, but a painful history of betrayal and loss were introduced to set the foundation of the final book. Which I expect will be darker than this one, and I’m eagerly looking forward to it!

Cover art by Lou Harper has a great model for Bryce’s sexy professor look, and the interdimensional doorway fits with the story.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 328 pages
Published August 21st 2017 by Riptide Publishing (first published August 19th 2017)
Original TitleThe Druid Next Door
ISBN139781626496217
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesFae Out of Water #2

BA Tortuga on Wedding Songs and her latest release Finding Mr. Wright (Leaning N #2) (author guest blog)

Finding Mr. Wright (Leaning N #2) by B.A. Tortuga
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host B.A. Tortuga on her Finding Mr. Wright tour. Welcome, B.A.!

✒︎

BA Tortuga’s Top 10 Wedding Music List for Rednecks

Hey y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, here to talk about my upcoming release, Finding Mr. Wright.

In the book, Mason is a wedding planner who sets out to do a Texas style wedding at a ranch in Colorado. The bride’s brother, Noah Wright, isn’t so sure he can pull it off.

Wedding music is super important, so here are some country music suggestions for during and after!

10. I Cross My Heart by George Strait

9. God Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flats

8. It’s Your Love by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

7. When I Said I Do by Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black

6. Then by Brad Paisley

5. H.O.L.Y by Florida Georgia Line

4. My Little Girl -Tim McGraw – father daughter dance

Now the ones we played at our wedding

3. Heaven by Jason Aldean

2. Til My Last Day- Justin Moore

1. The Cowboy in Me by Tim McGraw- incidentally, our minister said this was the perfect song

Thanks for hanging out with me, y’all, and I hope you love Finding Mr. Wright.

Much love, y’all

Finding Mr. Wright Blurb

Leaning N

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including weddings. And misunderstandings.

Colorado wedding planner Mason O’Reilly lands a major contract: a two-hundred-guest wedding at the Leanin’ N Ranch, where his friends Ford and Stoney are working to provide a safe space for GLBT events. The Wright/Preston ceremony is a destination wedding, and as the grooms are from Texas, everything is done over the phone and email. There’s no way that could lead to trouble, right?

Oops.

Oil tycoon Noah Wright isn’t happy about the impending disaster, but he admires Mason’s quick thinking and grace under pressure. And that’s not all he likes about the out-and-proud wedding planner. Even though Mason’s interested in Noah, his Mr. Right can’t possibly be a rancher from Dallas.

Can he?

Available September 15 at Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/finding-mr-wright-by-ba-tortuga-8815-b

About BA Tortuga

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

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

In Our Spotlight: Covet by Yolande Kleinn (tour and giveaway)

Covet by Yolande Kleinn
Riptide Publishing
Cover art by L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy it here at Riptide Publishing

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Yolande Kleinn here today on her Covet tour. Welcome, Yolande!

✒︎

Hi everybody! I’m Yolande Kleinn, and I’m thrilled to welcome you to the Covet blog tour. I’m giddy to be here myself, and I hope you’re looking forward to my kinky contemporary M/M/M love story. I had a terrific time writing this book—getting to know Jack and Colin and Peter—and I can’t wait for you to meet them too. Follow along for the chance to win a $30 Riptide Publishing gift card!

About Covet

Jack Mason—graphic designer and unrepentant player—has never been interested in monogamy. He certainly isn’t looking for romance when he meets Professor Colin Sloan.

Newly single and not looking for anything serious, Colin is intrigued by Jack’s offer of a physical affair with no strings attached. Becoming friends wasn’t part of the plan, but as accidents go, this one’s pretty great.

Peter Mason is Jack’s identical twin. In a long-term relationship himself, Peter tells no one that he’s falling for his brother’s newest favorite, even as the secret creates tension with his girlfriend.

When Peter’s relationship falls apart, he seduces Colin, fully expecting Jack to forgive his transgression. But Jack is keeping secrets too—he hasn’t told even Colin that he’s fallen in love. Suddenly the twins are feuding, and Colin is caught in the middle, blindsided by the revelation that he doesn’t want to choose between them.

Now all three must find a way to share, or they’ll tear each other apart.

Now available from Riptide Publishing.

About Yolande Kleinn

Yolande Kleinn may be a shameless dreamer and a stubborn optimist, but she is also a proud purveyor of erotic romance. Excitable, fastidious, and a little eclectic, she spends every spare moment as far away from reality as possible.

A Minnesotan by both heart and geography, Yolande has plenty of experience weathering tough winters. Her favorite method: distracting herself with warm beverages and even warmer stories. A night spent with a good book is heaven. A morning free to write, with a hot cup of coffee close at hand, is even better.

Connect with Yolande:

● Website

● Facebook

● Twitter

● Tumblr

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Covet, one lucky winner will receive a $30 Riptide gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 23, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

An Ali Release Day Review: Off the Beaten Path by Cari Z

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

When Ward Johannsen’s little girl Ava shifted into a werewolf, she was taken into custody by the feds and shipped off to the nearest pack, all ties between father and daughter severed. Ward burned every bridge he had discovering her location, and then almost froze to death in the Colorado mountains tracking her new pack down. And that’s just the beginning of his struggle.

Henry Dormer is an alpha werewolf and an elite black ops soldier who failed his last mission. He returns home, hoping for some time to recuperate and help settle the pack’s newest member, a little pup named Ava who can’t shift back to her human form. Instead he meets Ward, who refuses to leave his daughter without a fight. The two men are as different as night and day, but their respect for each other strikes a spark of mutual interest that quickly grows into a flame. They might find something special together—love, passion, and even a family—if they can survive trigger-happy pack guardians, violent werewolf politics, and meddling government agencies that are just as likely to get their alpha soldiers killed as bring them home safely.

This was a unique take on the shifter world and I was engrossed in this story from beginning to end. I read a lot of shifter books and I am always looking for something that I haven’t seen before and this book really fit the bill. The world building was top notch and I felt the author did a very good job drawing the reader in to this hard scrabble world these werewolves live in.

In addition to the detailed and interesting world building. the author did a very complete job developing the characters. I felt sorry for Ward right off and could understand his desperation to get to his daughter. Henry was also well done and the two men were a great match for each other. Their chemistry jumped off the pages and I was rooting for them the entire time. There are a host of side characters and I also found them to be well done and their presence added to this plot.

If you’re looking for something creative and well written I would definitely recommend this story. I’m not sure if this will be an ongoing series but I hope it is. I would love to read more about these shifters.

This cover was done by Brooke Albrecht and I love it. It fits the story perfectly and I think it’s visually gorgeous.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages

Expected publication: September 18th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN13 9781635338980

Edition Language English

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Tramps and Thieves (Murder and Mayhem #2) by Rhys Ford

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Whoever said blood was thicker than water never stood in a pool of it.

Retiring from stealing priceless treasures seemed like a surefire way for Rook Stevens to stay on the right side of the law. The only cop in his life should have been his probably-boyfriend, Los Angeles Detective Dante Montoya, but that’s not how life—his life—is turning out. Instead, Rook ends up not only standing in a puddle of his cousin Harold’s blood but also being accused of Harold’s murder…and sleeping with Harold’s wife.

For Dante, loving the former thief means his once-normal life is now a sea of chaos, especially since Rook seems incapable of staying out of trouble—or keeping trouble from following him home. When Rook is tagged as a murder suspect by a narrow-focused West L.A. detective, Dante steps in to pull his lover out of the quagmire Rook’s landed in.

When the complicated investigation twists around on them, the dead begin to stack up, forcing the lovers to work together. Time isn’t on their side, and if they don’t find the killer before another murder, Dante will be visiting Rook in his prison cell—or at his grave.

He’s back! That angst-filled, ready to run, totally addicting thief Rook Martin and the cop that loves him Dante Montoya in Tramps and Thieves, the second story in Rhys Ford’s Murder and Mayhem series. Damn, am I happy about that!

Picking up from the tenuous beginnings of a relationship for himself and Dante amid the broken building of Rook’s business in book 1, Murder and Mayhem, Rook dives headlong into trouble by trying to pull off a prank and ends up falling on a corpse instead. The complications and clues pointing back to Rook being not only involved in the crime but head suspect pile up immediately. That pulls in his boyfriend and local detective Dante Montoya.

And where’s there’s Dante, there is also his wonderful Uncle Manny who now works for Rook, Rook’s crazy rich grandfather who engenders ambivalent feelings of love, hate and more from Rook, all the many other Martins…lazy, losers, haters, a few loving cousins, and a rich city’s worth of characters that flow out of the head of Ford and into this carnival of lies, double twists and turns, smoke games and so much more. I love the way the author keeps us guessing along with Rook and Dante. Ford builds suspense and anticipation into every turn of this murder mystery, there’s so many layers here, made up of pain-filled pasts, twisted family dynamics and more.

But back to the superb characterizations. You can’t choose just one to highlight because Ford has crafted each so carefully. Doesn’t matter whether it’s Dante, or Rook, or Manny or the frightening grandfather. They have an authentic depth to them, they ooze passion and love and fear and yes, intelligence. I believe in these people. You will too.

Finally, Ford give a nod to one of my favorite books (if you haven’t read any of Dashiell Hammett’s stories do so now) and movies (Humphrey Bogart, I’ll say no more), The Maltese Falcon with an element here in the story. Be still my heart. It’s just perfect.

Can you read this as a stand alone? Maybe. But why would you? Go read the first story, Murder and Mayhem and then run and pick up the marvelous Tramps and Thieves. I can’t wait to see where Rhys Ford is taking this series next. It and it’s author are both highly recommended. But if I could put in a word for a romance for Uncle Manny please?

Cover art by Reece Notley. Again its Dante, not Rook on the cover. I miss Rook but he would be a hard character to find a match for. Dante is much more easily matched.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 220 pages
Expected publication: September 18th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
Original Title Tramps and Thieves
ISBN139781640800380
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Murder and Mayhem #2
Characters Rook Stevens, Dante Montoya

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Bad Boy’s Bard (Fae Out of Water #3) by E.J. Russell Riptide Publishing Cover Artist: Lou Harper

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Finding Mr. Wright (Leaning N #2) by B.A. Tortuga Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist: Bree Archer

BA Tortuga’s Top 10 Wedding Music List for Rednecks

Finding Mr. Wright Blurb

About BA Tortuga

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Covet by Yolande Kleinn Riptide Publishing Cover art by L.C. Chase

Giveaway

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Bad Boy’s Bard (Fae Out of Water #3) by E.J. Russell
Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: Lou Harper

Finding Mr. Wright (Leaning N #2) by B.A. Tortuga
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Bree Archer

Covet by Yolande Kleinn
Riptide Publishing
Cover art by L.C. Chase