BA Tortuga on Enchiladas, Austin and her latest story, Best New Artist (guest post)

Best New Artist by B.A. Tortuga
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

Available for Purchase at

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is very happy to host BA Tortuga, talking about her latest release Best New Artist. Welcome, BA.

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So, enchiladas.

Now, I know. I hear that my books make people all the time. I admit it. I’m a ‘food is love’ person.

I feed people because it’s one of the ways I express myself. I’m a better than average cook and so is my wife.

I tell you this because we are a weird, psycho convergence of enchiladas.

No, really.

You see, I grew up with what we called “Terrie’s enchiladas”. These were rolled flour tortillas stuffed with a mixture of beef and cheese and covered with chile con carne.

Then I moved to Austin and rolled corn tortillas with beef and ranchero sauce were like heaven on earth.

Seriously.

Amaya’s in Austin has the absolute best. Go. Try some.

I learned to make ranchero sauce from scratch, and I branched out to chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce.

Bring on ye olde wife. Grins

She makes her enchiladas flat, with green chile and a fried egg on top.

Can y’all see my problem? Seriously.

So now we have this hybridization of sorts. Sometimes we have flat ground beef with green chili. Sometimes we have chicken. Sometimes we have rolled cheese with red sauce.

I tell you this because in my books I remember the places that were wonderful, the foods that were wonderful, and the joy that I had sharing it with people who came to visit.

So when I’m writing about Austin, like in Best New Artist, I’m talking about places like Amaya’s, where I used to go and pick up enchiladas about once a month for the girls at the office. They came in these round foil containers topped with paper, and I would get them out to the car and have to drive all the way back downtown to the library and get them down out of the parking garage and up into the fourth floor office without spilling anything or burning myself or letting them get too cold (which most the time in Austin is an issue). Once we would finish lunch, the entire office would smell like enchiladas the rest of the afternoon.

Or there is dose sauces. I would be lying if I didn’t say I missed their Mexican martinis so much.

Of course, y’all do know the old saying, right? A Texan’s favorite Mexican food place is the one that’s the closest to his house.

Much love, y’all.

About Best New Artist

Kasey “Tuff” Tuffman just told Nashville to kiss his you know what. After winning Best New Artist at an award show, he knows it’s time to head back home to Texas. So after a very public meltdown, Tuff makes his way to Austin, where the Red Dirt music lives large.

Jonah Littlejohn once loved KT more than anything in the world. When KT loses it on national TV, Jonah knows he has to reach out and offer his home studio as a place to heal and make music. A bad relationship has left Jonah broken and wary of romance, but he wants to help his old lover out.

Seeing Jonah again proves to Tuff that he’s made the right decision. Now all he has to do is convince Jonah that they’re the most perfect duet there’s ever been.

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

Lindsey Black on Inspiration, Humor, and her release ‘Fishy Riot’ (guest post)

Fishy Riot by Lindsey Black
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: AngstyG

Order at Dreamspinner Press / Amazon / B&N

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Lindsey Black here today. Lindsey is the author of one of my new recommended story’s Fishy Riot. Welcome, Lindsey!

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Thanks for having me today!

I thought I would talk briefly about inspiration. Writers will tell you all sorts of things about inspiration, and where it comes from. A lot of writers will admit to finding inspiration in day to day life, or from their acquaintances. For example, Taylor is a Riot Squad officer because my brother in law is in the squad and I think it’s a pretty cool job, not that I would ever tell him that, his ego’s big enough as is. If it’s true that we draw inspiration from day to day life and acquaintances then it should come as absolutely no surprise that Fishy Riot is a tad on the crazier side of things.

I’m a singing teacher (as in I teach singing, not I sing while teaching because that would be weird), and I work with individuals from 8 years of age to 80 on a weekly basis. Nothing can ever prepare you for the weird things people feel inclined to tell you when you’re their teacher. My students wish they had a twitter account of all the weird things that get said, and I’d have to agree it would be the weirdest daily read in history. So I thought I would share ten of my favourite personal gems from the last few weeks.

Oh, that’s my tyrannosaurus-rex muscle. (Better known as thyro-arytenoid, but ok close enough). It’s in my larynx. I call him Fred, coz he looks like a lil’ Dinosaur, see? (He held up a diagram, complete with arrow and the name Fred. At least he knew what the larynx was.)
When improvising to Summertime one of my students decided to ad-lib between the lines and came up with this gem, which now all of my students insist on singing as if it’s the real words: Oh you’re daddy’s rich, and your ma is good lookin, like a fish…(lalala)…and take to the sky, like an angel who died. (Yes, I told their mother…)
Can I just write the letter ‘b’? It takes too long to write the word. (Be…)
(What does mf mean?) Well, you have to work harder than at mp right, so might fart sounds about right.
When you say black trousers, do you mean I can wear leggings? (No, trousers.) Jeans? (Trousers). What about a skirt with leggings under? (Trousers…please.) Can they be grey? (Black. Trousers.) But I don’t like black or trousers. (And yet, trousers.)
Miss, how come you make singing fun? (Err…would you prefer it was boring?) Nah, then I would quit. (So…) I was just wonderin, geez! Carry on! Can you do something stupid again, it’s awesome when you look stupid!
Student 1: How come you don’t have a stick like the band dude?

Student 2: Don’t give her ideas! She’s clumsy as. It would just fly across the room and hit someone in the eye and you know she sucks at first aid, and I’m not gettin’ you a band-aid. (I confess to breaking the CPR dummy at three separate first aid classes. Student number 2 has a point.)

So, this song, the Mermaid’s Lament. It’s written by a guy, right? But it says he dedicated it to his wife, the mermaid. I’m thinkin’ she’s not really a mermaid, because I don’t think he’s delusional, right? So it’s a metaphorical mermaid? Whatever that means. But his wife… Is she dead? No, wait…is he dead? Is he dying, was he dying when he wrote it? How did he die? Why would he do that? Oh my God, has he no heart? What’s she gonna think every time she hears this song now? (Uh…guys…pretty sure he’s not dead…). Well, I guess not many people are gonna rock up at her house and sing it anyway, that would be way too much excursion paperwork. (They share my hatred of risk assessment, apparently).
What the hell do you think you’re wearing? (Um…clothes? What?) That is hideous. Never wear it again, you’ll make us look bad. (Um…) Wear your Nike’s next time, at least those are cool. Man, we have to help you with everything. ( Those were ten year olds. Savages!)
(I had a message on my phone, it went like this…) MISS! You’re gonna be so proud of me! I remembered to get on the bus to come to choir. That’s right, I’m here on the back seat, the air con is on and I’m sitting peachy and I am gonna be at rehearsal. Hell, I’m gonna be early! Are we going to do that song I like today? You know, the one you haven’t picked a soloist for? I’d really like that solo, I think I’ve asked like a million times noooooow…OMG I missed my stop! Miss! I missed it! What should I do? Ahhh! Sir, Mr bus driver Sir! Yeah, you, can you turn the bus around? I needed to get off back there? No? Why not? How far? Yeah I could get off at the next one. No, there’s no one to pick me up there, what do you mean it’s another ten k’s away? I can’t walk that far, I’ll be late for choir! Oh my god! This is a disaster! Miss! Miss, I missed my stop and the bus driver can’t turn around, I don’t know why I think he’s just a sucky driver or something, and if I get off at the next stop I’m going to have to walk like a million k’s to get to school and choir will be over by then! Oh wait, hey the next after the next stop is my grandma’s…I’m gonna go eat cake. I deserve cake, because this whole thing has been a disaster! I’ll see ya next week, okay? Bye!

It should come as absolutely no surprise that the characters in Fishy Riot are crazy. They probably seem over the top, a tad mentally deranged even, but they’re actually mild compared to reality. I hope you enjoy their shenanigans. Happy reading!

P.S If you’re reading on the bus, please don’t miss your stop. And if you do happen to miss your stop, please don’t call me.

Release date for Fishy Riot: April 24^th

About Fishy Riots

Most people think riot squad officer Taylor Jameson is an asshole. Little do they know his apparent indifference stems from having a meddlesome family always butting into his business. And little does Taylor know he’s about to stumble into a situation that’ll make indifference impossible.

When everything goes horribly wrong at a political rally on a harbour ferry, Taylor encounters Sietta Salisbury. The son of a wealthy politician, Sietta is a revered—but presumed dead—musician, and an enigma who is so strange, Taylor is compelled to look into his background. What he discovers draws him into a bizarre mess of prisoners, politics, and attempted murder that makes him realise what he’s been missing.

Falling in love isn’t hard. Trying to convince someone else you’re worth loving despite your crazy family and the people trying to kill you? That’s a whole other can of worms.

About Lindsey Black:

Lindsey Black lives in Darwin, Australia, where the weather report permanently reads ‘humidity at 100%, only going to get worse’ for ten months of the year and ‘monsoon at 4:00 p.m. for exactly fifteen minutes’ for the remaining two. Between teaching and studying full-time, she escapes this oppressive environment to bushwalk for weeks on end wherever the mobile phone reception has zero bars for as long as possible and the weather report reads something along the lines of ‘blizzard likely.’ She enjoys martial arts, music, and mayhem, which explains the untidy state of her home where she attempts to write while splitting her minimal amounts of spare time between her incredulous husband, lazy Chinchilla cat, and crazed Siberian husky. If you expect her to sit and have a chat, it’s best to have a matcha green tea latte with almond milk on hand and your hiking boots within reach. Oh, and be sure to bring a guitar for impromptu jam sessions.

You can find Lindsey on facebook / twitter / www

A Julia Review: Thaw (Seasons of Love #2) by Elyse Springer

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Abigail is content with her quiet life as a librarian. But when she’s invited to a high-profile charity auction, she finds herself dancing with one of the most beautiful women she’s ever met. Abby’s sure she’ll never see her again, but then Gabrielle calls and asks her on a date. And soon after, another.

Supermodel Gabrielle Levesque has a reputation as the Ice Queen—cold and untouchable—except she warms up whenever she’s with Abby. Only Abby isn’t interested in the heat between them; she’s asexual, and she’s worried that admitting as much to Gabrielle might spell the end of their blooming romance.

They’re two different women from two very different worlds, but Abby knows she can love Gabrielle. Her passion for books, travel, and theater prove there’s more to the Ice Queen than meets the eye. But they’ll have to overcome Abby’s fears—and Gabrielle’s own threatening secrets—in order to find their way to love.

Despite Thaw by Elyse Springer being the second volume in the “Seasons of Love” series, it is still a complete standalone novel. Characters from the first volume “Whiteout” appear or are mentioned but it is not at all necessary to have read it to understand this entry. Although after getting to read this one, I am very tempted to pick up more from this series. The other two volumes are scheduled for release later this year with each one getting published in the respective season they represent.

The first thing that grabbed my attention was the main protagonist, Abigail, and how endearing and relatable I found her to be. The story is told in third-person from her point of view and I could not help but smile at the way she interacted with the world and people around her. Despite being rather introverted sometimes, she watches the people around her with care and interest as she strives to uncover the unique story behind each person. I could immediately relate to her love for books and stories and it made my heart warm to read how she slowly came out of her shell of insecurity (which she hid herself in partly out of worry that people would react badly to her sexual orientations) also thanks to the support of her friends.

Gabrielle was also a very captivating character right from the beginning. Just like Abigail you wish to know what secret or truth lies behind the rumours of the cruel “Ice Queen” who seems perfectly amiable for the most part. I very much enjoyed the fact that I found myself rooting for their relationship for the sake of both women: I wanted Abigail to find the kind of connection with another person she was hoping for and I was convinced that Abigail would be a positive influence and just what Gabrielle needed to turn her current way of life (with which seemed rather unfulfilling to her) around.

The narrative was well-paced and there was never a moment that felt superfluous. The environment was also described in just the right amount of detail to get a feeling for the atmosphere without becoming tedious. A minor point of critique was that a couple of times the characters reacted a bit too “oblivious” to situations that seemed quite predictable to me (like Abigail being surprised when she learned that she got photographed on her date with a famous model).

Nevertheless, I found myself being genuinely drawn in the by the characters and the development of their relationship. I will certainly be looking forward to reading more from this author.

The cover design by Natasha Snow is quite lovely and very fitting for the story from the open book to the contrasting types of landscape. What I also appreciated were the painted spring flowers decorating the chapter headings within the book itself, a very nice touch.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 222 pages

Published April 24, 2017

by Riptide Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-62649-513-5

Edition Language: English

A Stella Release Day Review: Olive Juice by TJ Klune

RATING 3 unsure stars out of 5

It begins with a message that David cannot ignore:

I want to see you.

He agrees, and on a cold winter’s night, David and Phillip will come together to sift through the wreckage of the memory of a life no longer lived.

David is burdened, carrying with him the heavy guilt of the past six years upon his shoulders.

Phillip offers redemption.

I really have no idea what to say in this review, I can’t talk about the plot, cause the blurb tells you pretty much nothing and the story really needs to surprise the reader. As it surprised me, in a good or bad way? I picked Olive Juice and I didn’t even read the blurb, it’s a TJ Klune story, one of my favorite author so I couldn’t miss his new release, no matter what the story was about. Now that I just finished reading this novella, I honestly can’t say if it was a good surprise. I don’t even know how to rate it. I simply don’t know.

Olive Juice left me with a sour taste in my mouth as every story like this one would have done. I actually wanted to DFN it because I understood what was happening and I couldn’t stand that kind of feeling, the book deeply hurt me and not even the ending, not a HEA because the impossible would have need to happen to have a HEA, satisfied me. It couldn’t satisfy me. I can’t even say I’m happy for David and Phillip to be together again.

And now that I read the whole story, I’m a little dubious about the initial part, I feel cheated by the author for introduce me to Matteo and let me like him a lot and then nothing more. I don’t want to ask for his own book because I don’t want it to be related in any way with Olive Juice. This is surely and probably the only book by this author I will never reread in the future, I can’t take it.

I think I will settle on three stars simply cause, although it’s not the kind of book I love to read and I would never have picked it if the blurb was more explicit, Olive Juice is well done, too emotional and powerful, beautifully written. The author was great at putting me on the edge from the beginning and it was brave for choosing this theme.

The cover art by Reese Dante is lovely, I like it a lot.

Sales Links

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 121 pages

Publication date: April 26th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 1635335027 (ISBN13: 9781635335026)

Edition Language English

A Kai Release Day Review: Kissing Lessons (Before… and After #2) by Susan Laine

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Merry and Boone have been best friends since kindergarten. Even though they were always together, they have differents personality. Boone was the experienced one and Merry was the socially awkward and inexperienced.In the end of the high school senior year, Merry had never been kissed and since he was going to the prom, he intended to kiss his prom date. The problem was: he didn’t know how to kiss and didn’t want to make a fool of himself. So it was better training it first, right? And who better than Boone to teach him how to kiss?
Although being surprised at first, Boone agreed to show Merry how to be a good kisser. They explored many styles of kisses and things became a little too good for them. What should be just a make-out lesson turned into something more intense and they just couldn’t forget about. A week later they decided to confront it and both admitted to wanting one more kissing lesson to see where it would take them. It turned out that how more they kissed more they realized what were there all along: They had feelings for each other.

Well, guys, I’m always up for a good and adorable male-male-young-adult, but this one was a disappointed to me. I couldn’t connect with the story. It was so limited and not developed. The main characters were the only character in the book. No one else really appeared and it bothered me that I couldn’t see them interacting with other people in other situations. We are talking about teenagers here; we should at least see a parent or a school interaction with friends, teachers or whatever. The events in the entire book were almost the same and there was not a development at all.

Despite the sweetness, I had problems with the kissing lessons too. Actually, it was a bittersweet feeling. I mean, the beginner was really cute and adorable and I loved it, but then Boone needed to classify everything. Even when they were so carried away in the kiss, he would stop to classify it. I was bored after a while with this.

The only occasion they went out of Boone’s room, seems like they were alone even if they were at a prom. And even at the event, no one asked them anything. I mean, in a perfect place it wouldn’t be a surprise to see two guys together, but it was high school. It wouldn’t be strange to have, at least, a curious teenager asking about them or even just looking. After all, they were there as an out couple for the first time. Boone asked one little thing to one random girl and it was it: all the interaction with other people. And after that, it was like they were alone in the world. Felt so unrealistic.

Although I liked what I could see about the character’s personality, it wasn’t sufficiently developed to really connect and like them. There was no time or events in the story for it, unluckily.

The cover art by AngstyG is something I approved about this book. It’s a romantic and pretty cover with the two character represented in such a sweet moment. I really like it.

Sales Links

Book Details:

Kindle edition, 81 pages
Publication: April 26th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
Series: Before… and After: Book Two

Characters
Merry, Boone

A Stella Release Day Review: Vodka & Handcuffs (Mary’s Boys #2) by Brandon Witt

RATING 3,5 out of 5 stars

Vahin Arora, Hamburger Mary’s sexy bartender, plays the flirtatious role so well even his closest friends—his chosen family at Mary’s—don’t realize Vahin hasn’t had a hookup in months. Then Tall, Dark, and Handsome steps through the door, and Vahin’s libido races back to life.

Being a black cop on the Denver police force is no easy job—Marlon Barton can’t imagine adding being gay to the equation. And while Marlon loves his work as an officer, his life has taken a turn for the hellish because of his new partner, the nephew of a senator.

Fleeing his partner’s company one night, Marlon stumbles into Mary’s for the first time… and wakes up with a hangover in the bartender’s bed. The one-night stand heats up into a budding romance, but not without stress as Marlon’s partner’s actions threaten Vahin’s livelihood and Marlon’s future on the force. Can Vahin and Marlon face the challenges and hold on to the love, friendship, and family they’ve found?

I was so happy to have Vodka & Handcuffs in my hands, the previous book in the Mary’s Boy series, Nachos & Hash conquered me and I was so curious to see what I will get next. I’m sorry to say this new release was just an okay read and nothing more to me. And I am so used to have so much more from Brandon Witt books, that I’m disappointed.

It feels to me that everything I know about Vahin and Marlon I got it from the blurb, the story actually told me nothing else. And that’s the problem. It should have been more focused on the MCs together, how much they wanted each other, but I actually saw no connection between them, I wanted to know more about their past and the present they are living. Instead the story is focused on some nasty things that are happening with Marlon police partner, and even if this gave the story reality, it was at the expense of the main couple’s romance which was almost non-existent. And even the ending was just meh

As I said Vodka & Handcuffs was an okay reading, the book is well written like everything Brandon writes, there are some secondary characters I was so hoping to meet again, I saw Cody and was happy to know he was doing great. I saw ManDonna being fabulous as always. That’s why I gave the story 3,5 stars. Now, if I could have Zachary story right this second, I would be so happy.

The cover art by AngstyG follows the style of the cover of the previous book, it’s well done and fitting the story, I can easily picture Marlon and Vahin in the models on it, I like it.

Sales Links

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 112 pages

Expected publication: April 26th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 1635334330 (ISBN13: 9781635334333)

Edition Language English

Series Mary’s Boy #2

A Jeri Release Day Review: Darkest Hour Before Dawn (THIRDS #9) by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Book 9 of the THIRDS series takes us away from not only the usual main characters of Dex and Sloan, but also out of their team Destructive Delta. This installment involves Sebastian Hobbs- older brother of Hobbs- and Hudson, the medical examiner at THIRDS HQ.

Seb and Hudson had been a couple. Going so far as to have Seb mark Hudson. But when a child dies while out on a call, they blame themselves. Ignoring the pull of their union, they tip toe around each other for years. But Seb is tasked with watching out for Hudson because the unseen enemy has been keeping tabs on him.

Seb and Hudson have always been great supporting players in the THIRDS universe. Every fan I know wanted them to get their own book and work toward their happily ever after. This book really made the wait worth it.

We still see “our” guys, Dex, Sloan and the crew- but the focus really is on Seb and Hudson. Not only seeing them together, but seeing Hudson with the Hobbs family. Before the tragedy that tore them apart, Hudson was fully ingrained with the Felids.

And just when you think it is all sweet and happy and rainbows…….BAM! She does it again. I won’t say what. But I will say I texted another reviewer who had read it before me practically screaming my question at her. She laughed at me. Keep reading, she said. Like stopping was an option.

Seb is so, so, SO sweet. I just love him. And even though it was Hudson who kept them apart, you really understand why.

A lot happens in this book. There is more introduction to the new bad guys. Thank goodness for her glossary at the beginning!

And the ending. The ending is just perfect.

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase. Cover works for the story and branding the series.

Sales Link

Book Details:

ebook, 224 pages
Expected publication: April 25th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
Original TitleDarkest Hour Before Dawn
ISBN 1635336090 (ISBN13: 9781635336092)
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series THIRDS #9

A Kai Audiobook Review: Add Love and Mix by Sean Michael and Steve Balderson (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Jason and Scott were living a dream. They were together for six years and were crazy in love for each other.

They worked at the firefighter station, Jason as a firefighter and Scott as an EMT. They lived together and had the same schedules, allowing to see each other the max time possible, on and off work.

Everything was perfect. Until, on Christmas Eve, Jason’s ex-girlfriend, Elsa, showed up with a six-years-old girl, called Kerry. Elsa just claimed the girl was Jason’s daughter and walked away, leaving the kid with him and Scott.

Jason was shocked to find out he was a father to a beautiful and traumatized girl. And after knowing about her and seeing how terrified she was [blame Elsa for it. She was an awful mother] he promised to himself he wouldn’t let Kerry down. He would accept the responsibility and take care of her. And he would pray to Scott doesn’t run away from him.
Scott had no intention to run away, he loved Jason so much and assured he would be there for him, doing whatever was necessary.

Of course, it was not easy. They had big challenges and adjustment to do. They had to change they schedule to take care of Kerry and their time together and alone was reduced drastically. Things got hard on then, but they needed to be strong for Kerry and fight for not let their relationship broke apart.

I liked so much this audiobook. It’s was great male-male-with-kid’s story and I really recommend it.

I loved the development of the book and how the story was written. I was so connected with the narrative and the characters while listening to it, that just couldn’t stop until I finished.

Scott and Jason had problems and even though things get hard, I could feel their love for each other and how they fought for being together. Kerry had adjustments to do as well, after all, she came from a mother who treated her like crap to a father she didn’t know and was terrified of.

I loved the way the author developed the characters during the story and their evolution as an individual and also as part of a new family.

It was a fluid and light story, yet. It had a little bit angst, but it didn’t darken the book.

Steve Balderson did a great job with this narration. I loved how he featured the characters and brought life to each of them.

His interpretation may be one of the reasons I liked so much this book. He has a good voice and could differentiate each character with his intonation.

I specially loved the sweetness in Karry’s voice and Scott’s father thick voice.

The cover art by L.C. Chase is like an assembly with three different pictures. Each picture representing one of main character. It’s not a bad cover, but don’t represent the story the way it could. It would be better if it was an only picture with all the three character together as a family.

Sales Links

Audible | Dreamspinner Press

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio, 1st edition, 206 pages
Published March 20th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press (first published December 26th 2016)
ASINB06XKPZV4Z
Edition Language English
Narrated by: Steve Balderson

Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins

Release Date: March 22, 2017(Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press

Main Characters

Jason Weller, Scott Bronson, Karrisa Weller

An Ali Audiobook Review: Signs of Life (Resilient Love #2) by Melanie Hansen and Robert Nieman (Narrator)

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Successful lawyer Jeremy Speer has it all—a loving husband, a beautiful home, and a cherished dream that’s about to become reality. He’s learned not to take happiness for granted, meeting the challenges of life and love head-on with unwavering commitment and fierce devotion. A series of tragic events leave Jeremy shattered, adrift on a sea of unimaginable pain. He’s able to piece his life back together, but instead of embracing it, he merely exists, using isolation and punishing physical exertion to keep the world at bay.

High school teacher Kai Daniels has a heart for at-risk kids—he was one himself, and a teenage brush with the law and some troubled years behind bars left him scarred inside and out. With courage, hard work, and the support of friends, he’s built a fulfilling life that leaves no time for a relationship.

An intense encounter with Kai at a gay club ignites a spark in Jeremy that he thought was extinguished forever, but he’s unwilling to destroy the fragile peace he’s managed to create, and he leaves Kai humiliated and disappointed. Things should have ended there, but a bizarre occurrence brings the two together in a way neither of them expected.

I really enjoyed this second book in the Resilient Love series. The beginning focuses on Jeremy and how he goes from happy and content in his life to overcome with grief and depression. The first few chapters are incredibly sad and my heart just broke for him. This part of the story takes place in San Diego and you see some of Jase from book one.

The story then jumps in time a few years down the road. Jeremy has put his life back together but just barely. He’s just existing, not really living. A series of dramatic events bring school teacher, Kai, into Jeremy’s life. At first Jeremy pushes Kai away but over time he starts to let his guard down and what follows is a tender and beautiful romance.

I loved both of the main characters. I think it was wise for the author to take the reader through the horror Jeremy goes through, as he goes through it, because it makes you more sympathetic for him when he meets Kai. There are a few scenes were he’s unnecessarily hard on Kai and I might have been more angry if I didn’t understand his pain. Kai was perfect. I really loved his character. He was kind and caring and while he was open to helping Jeremy work through his issues, Kai was never a pushover or a door mat.

The story unfolded in a belieavable manner and by the time the book ended I was super happy to see these two get their happily ever after.

While this is the second book in the series it can be read as a standalone. There are a few scenes with Jase from book one in the beginning and then some with he and Carey together towards the end which was nice.

This book was narrated by Robert Nieman and I felt like he did a really good job. He has a nice voice and he did each character’s voice differently so I always knew who was speaking. He did an equally good job on the side characters as the main characters.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I felt like the story was excellent and the narration was good. It is something that I would definitely recommend.

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow Designs: I like the cover but it is not one that I think stands out as unique.

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Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio
Published March 21st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press (first published September 28th 2015)
Original TitleResilient Love
ASINB06XPMSDZK
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesResilient Love #2

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Fishy Riot by Lindsey Black

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Falling in love isn’t hard. Trying to convince someone else you’re worth loving despite your crazy family and the people trying to kill you? That’s a whole other can of worms.

What does it tell you about a story that when I was finished, I dropped everything to try and search out everything else I could find by this author? It says I was in love with Fishy Riot from beginning to end and wanted more! I was even more surprised to find that this appears to be the author’s first published story. If so, what a great way to begin!

Fishy Riot is about Taylor Jameson, but it’s also about his twin brother and fellow riot squad officer, Clayton Jameson, and their entire family. This is a true ensemble piece and it makes Fishy Riot rich in characters, family love and humor. Wherever Taylor goes, Clay goes with him, along with his own partner, who has been enveloped into the crazy Jameson family. Trust me, love one, love them all! And each one has their own part to play within the story and the couple’s (Tay and Si’s) relationship.

Taylor is the more emotionally isolated of the two brothers, less concerned about others and what they think about him, etc. He cares deeply about his family and values. Other things like romantic attachments have eluded him until the enigma that is Sietta Salisbury. One meeting is all that it takes to know that something is wrong about Sietta and that he’s unforgettable to Tay. But what won’t come into the picture until later.

The character of Sietta Salisbury and his brother are as well drawn as the Jameson family. He’s intelligent, determined, and brave beyond all imagining. I wanted more of Si and hope that this is just the beginning of a series that includes the main couple, and all the people around them. To say more just spoils the storyline and it’s too good for that.

What I can say is that Black weaves humor, romance and suspicion together with high action and anticipation to come up with a first rate contemporary romp that I’ll want to read again while I’m begging for a sequel. The author left the door wide open for one and I’m hoping Lindsey Black is already walking through writing madly!

Cover Artist: AngstyG. I love the cover. Absolutely works for the story.

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Book Details:

ebook, 236 pages
Expected publication: April 24th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
Original TitleFishy Riot
ISBN 1635334497 (ISBN13: 9781635334494)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Best New Artist by B.A. Tortuga Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

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Fishy Riot by Lindsey Black Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist: AngstyG

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Best New Artist by B.A. Tortuga
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

Fishy Riot by Lindsey Black
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: AngstyG