A Free Dreamer New Adult Review: Crush by Caitlin Ricci

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Going to college gives eighteen-year-old Trey Porter a chance to experience the world beyond rural Alabama and his overbearing family. After staying in a motel due to a housing error at the school, Trey’s friend, Bryce, offers to let Trey stay with him. The fascination Trey feels with Bryce’s gorgeous, glamorous, and somewhat outrageous boyfriend, Co-Co, catches him totally off guard, because Trey’s never considered himself even remotely gay. At least that’s what he’s always believed. Trey prides himself on being tolerant, but it’s hard to handle the questions he faces about life and himself—and even harder to accept that there might be no simple answers.

This was my second book by Caitlin Ricci. She recommended it to me herself, after I’d complained about the lack of detail in “Running With the Pack”. At first, I was a bit hesitant because several reviewers mentioned crossdressing and trans themes, which I’m usually not so fond of. But I’m really grateful for the recommendation, because I absolutely loved this book.

Trey, Bryce and Co-Co are three wonderfully unusual people. “Normal is a setting in the laundry, nothing more” will probably stay a favourite quote of mine for a long time to come. And it’s a perfect summary of our three MCs. I really liked all three of them, though Trey seemed just a tad too innocent at times. His utter lack of understanding of any sort of sexual innuendo seemed a bit unrealistic to me, even if he is asexual.

The plot itself is on the slower side, without all that much action. But that worked wonderfully for the story Caitlin Ricci was trying to tell. There was some angst and Co-Co made for plenty of drama, but it was never over the top. Just like in “Running With the Pack”, Trey’s asexuality and Co-Co’s gender identity were portrayed in a very positive way. I really liked that.

Even though Trey is asexual, there were quite a few sex scenes. It was really interesting to find out how Bryce and Co-Co let Trey be part of their love-making, without him being part of the action itself. The sex scenes definitely worked to further the plot and weren’t just there for the fun of it. They were still hot, of course, but it didn’t devolve into simple porn.

The love between the three of them was obvious, without ever turning cheesy. The ending was simply perfect and so very romantic it almost had me tearing up a little.

Long story short: “Crush” is a wonderful coming of age story, with three pretty unusual MCs. While Trey occasionally seemed a bit too naïve, I still really liked all three of them.

Cover: The cover by Caitlin Ricci shows Trey lying in the grass, looking thoughtful. It’s simple and yet somehow brilliant.

Sales Links

Harmony Ink Press

Book details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published November 26th 2015 by Harmony Ink Press
ISBN 1634762711 (ISBN13: 9781634762717)
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Lila Release Day Review: I Love You More Than Pierogi (World of Love) by K.A. Merikan

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Marek and Adrian dated in high school, but a bitter breakup led them to choose different paths. Adrian is out and proud while Marek is in the closet. Adrian embraces his eccentricity while Marek clings to a conservative image. And while Marek worked hard to build a successful life and financial stability by climbing the corporate ladder, Adrian threw caution to the wind and has spent the last five years backpacking across the world.

Now Adrian is back in Warsaw, Poland, but while Marek thinks they will have a hookup and have a blast from the past, Adrian is just looking for a place to crash. Worse still, Adrian turns up at Marek’s advertising agency for help with his outrageous new business venture, and if Marek wants to get promoted, he might have to work with the guy who broke his heart.

I Love You More Than Pierogi is all about Poland; especially their food. This is my first World of Love story and I like the idea of reading about countries I haven’t visited. It’s easy to see the authors’ affinity for the country and how they’re transmitting some of their own experiences throughout the story. It feels personal and realistic.

I love second chance stories and the relationship between Marek and Adrian is no exception. You can see the sparks between them from the moment they get back in contact. The paths theirs lives took after their original relationship ended transformed them into the man they are and somehow changed the expectations between the two.

The first part of the story is a bit slow and filled with information that helps the reader get into the smells, sites, and tastes of Poland. I had to google most of the food terms, including pierogi, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I like learning new things as I read new stories.

The descriptions of the streets, architecture, etc. and the way of living (apartments, cars, and so) go hand in hand with what I knew about the country and its post-war reality. Some of the ways Marek’s office operates and the people they met were a bit over the top for me, but it added to the foreign feel.

The characters are beautifully written and their friendship is lovely later in the story. I just had trouble with Marek’s and Adrian’s mood swings, and some of the side stories. But overall, this is a great introductory romance with Poland at its heart.

The cover by Anna Sikorska is beautiful. One of the best I have seen in a while. The colors, the images, and the model work perfectly together to entice the reader to look further into the story.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | Nook

Book Details:

ebook, 101 pages
Published: January 4, 2017, Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781635332100
Edition Language: English

A Jeri Review: Heart’s Gamble By S.J. Frost

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

An enemies to lovers sweet romance in horse country. Shawn goes to horse auctions to bid on and win whatever horses he can. He takes them back to his farm to rehabilitate them after they have been neglected. When he digs to find out who originally owned Heart’s Gamble, he discovers that the farm isn’t far from his and he wants words with the owner.

After Grant’s father dies, he inherits the horse farm that Grant left years before. And a mountain of debt. His original plan to sell it and move back to his life in California are thwarted by the arrival of a pissed off horse trainer- Shawn.

Shawn and Grant definitely have some great chemistry on the pages. Grant struggled with real life issues- namely what to do with his father’s farm, and the author showed what Shawn actually does as a horse rehabilitator. The scene when Shawn takes Grant to a horse auction so he can actually see what happens was heart breaking. When a story has real life issues and the characters actually go to work makes it more real for me.

This was low angst and a sweet read. The sex scenes were well done and rather hot I must say! SJ Frost can definitely write a sex scene!

If you are looking for a nice, easy read for the new year, I recommend. Prepare yourself for some cliché material though.

Cover art is lovely, and works perfectly for the story.

Sales Links

MLR Press LLC

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 97 pages
Published October 21st 2016 by MLR Press
ASINB01M4KF4U4
Edition LanguageEnglish

Release Blitz Tour – Clare London – Chase The Ace (London Lads #1) (giveaway)

Chase The Ace (London Lads #1) – Clare London

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner

Length: 27,000 words

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Blurb

Newly single in his late twenties, and bored with his life in a London insurance company, Daniel Cross soon discovers the lure of social media. Excited at the chance of tracking down his old mates from a schooldays sports club, he launches a personal quest to find out what kind of man each boy has become.

Dan’s first mistake is chatting online to the wrong man—Nick Carson isn’t one of the boys, but his brother. Nick isn’t offended and offers to accompany Dan on the trip to find the others. It’s the first step to friendship and something more for both of them.

For Dan, the reunions with the “Gang of Four” range from startling and heartening to disturbing. Nick’s company is a constant support, though neither of them are prepared for the exposure of personal secrets they’d thought long hidden. Dan begins to suspect he’s really looking for a direction in his own life—and the excitement and purpose he craves may be closer to home than a quest with its roots in a boyhood dream.

January 4 – BooksLaidBareBoys, Diverse Reader, The Way She Reads
January 6 – Back Porch Reader
January 11 – Dog-Eared Daydreams, MM Good Book Reviews
January 13 – Making It Happen
January 16 – Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
January 23 – Bayou Book Junkie, Wicked Faerie’s Tales & Reviews
January 25 – My Fiction Nook, Bella’s Blog, Alpha Book Club, Book Lovers 4Ever, Jim’s Blog

Author Bio

Clare took the pen name London from the city where she lives, loves, and writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home, she juggles her writing with the weekly wash, waiting for the far distant day when she can afford to give up her day job as an accountant. She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with novels and short stories published both online and in print. She says she likes variety in her writing while friends say she’s just fickle, but as long as both theories spawn good fiction, she’s happy. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic and sexy characters.

Clare currently has several novels sulking at that tricky chapter 3 stage and plenty of other projects in mind . . . she just has to find out where she left them in that frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home.

All the details and free fiction are available at her website. Visit her today and say hello!

Website: http://www.clarelondon.com
Blog: http://clarelondon.livejournal.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/clarelondon
Facebook chat: https://www.facebook.com/groups/clarelondoncalling/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/clare_london
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/clarelondon
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/clarelondon

Giveaway

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A Jeri Review: Wolf, in League (Wolf #3) by A.F. Henley

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I really enjoyed Wolf, WY, the first in the series. If was really focused on just 2 men for the most part, and their story. I looked forward to book 2, Wolf, en Garde, but was mildly disappointed. But I held out hope that book 2 was a bridge to book 3. And it was. On the other hand, you could pretty much read this book as a stand alone if you wanted to.

Wolf, in League, really expands the world that the story is in. The Committee is investigating not only the wolves from the first two books, but also Arius and other vampires. To do this, they send two men to act as a married couple. When the Committee goes to Gavin- a respected geneticist- about this, Gavin also learns that paranormal creatures are real. And he is to live with one of them during this ruse.

Naturally, throw the two main characters together and there are sparks flying. But the characters were interesting and well thought out. And they discover far more sinister things at work in the paranormal world. Gavin and Matthew are thrust into the middle of everything to help save, well, everything.

An interesting and enjoyable story that was fast paced that leaves the possibility of another book- or series- out there.

Cover art works for the book and series.

Sales Links

Less Than Three Press

Book Details:

ebook
Published October 12th 2016 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620048771
Edition LanguageEnglish
URLhttps://afhenley.wordpress.com/wolf-in-league/
SeriesWolf #3

An Alisa Review: Honey Trap by Fyn Alexander

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

When Scarlett and Ronin, two very beautiful individuals, approach Julian May, he cannot believe his luck. Having albinism and being somewhat shy, he doesn’t usually get attractive people approaching him. Being gay, he falls in love with Ronin, only to find out that Ronin and Scarlett are the same person and that they made a play for him as part of a honey trap.

All hell breaks loose as an angry and betrayed Julian refuses to have anything more with Ronin/Scarlett. Meanwhile Julian needs to rescue an old lover who is stuck in a prison in Afghanistan and the only person willing or able to help him is Ronin. Despite Ronin’s jealously when he sees Julian and his former boyfriend together, he does not give up on trying to win Julian’s heart. Little does he know, he already has it.

This was an intriguing story that kept moving. MI-6 has been using Ronin as Scarlett as part of honey traps, but he lets his emotions get in the way when he is told to get to know Julian. Julian is content with his life, hiding who he really is from his family and acquaintances, but starts to see a reason for something more when he is with Ronin.

Julian is confused by his reaction to Scarlett; he has never been attracted to a woman before. He becomes a bit confused when he meets Ronin’s family and they are very similar to how Scarlett described her family. Ronin isn’t willing to let Julian go after he finds out and puts himself in danger to keep Julian safe.

Julian is so sweet and really innocent it’s hard not to love him and know how he feels. When he finally feels as if he has found what he always wanted his reality comes crashing down around him. Ronin knows the real Julian and you can feel his determination that he can break through the wall Julian puts up after he is hurt. We could clearly see how hard being Scarlett and Ronin for Julian was and how conflicted he was with his job. I love how supportive Ronin’s family is of his gender fluidity, but didn’t really like Julian’s attitude toward it; granted he had been hurt, but he doesn’t seem like he even tries to understand.

Cover art by Natasha Snow is wonderful gives great visuals of the main characters.

Sales Links: Loose Id | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 220 pages

Published: October 4, 2016 by Loose Id

ISBN: 9781682521984

Edition Language: English

A Free Dreamer Review:O/s by Jane Davitt and Alexa Snow

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Contains non-con elements and scenes of violence.

Jax has the perfect job on the perfect world, looking after subs while their owners are away. But Brysen’s no ordinary sub and his owner Layne is a threat to the safety of every sub on the planet.

Dealing with the heartbreak of a failed relationship, Jax is slow to realize Brysen’s adoration for his stern owner passes all reason, and breaks every rule. By the time he does, there may be time to save Brysen, but in the process, Jax stands to lose everything from his job to his chance at love. Will the protective instincts that guide his actions hold steady or will the darkness Layne wakes within him prove stronger?

First of all: Do take those warning seriously. This story does get pretty dark.

I absolutely loved “O/s”. The concept was interesting. BDSM relationships are not only perfectly acceptable in this universe, the government has even installed a system to provide couples with a safety net. Every sub wears a collar that flashes in warning, if their vitals do something unusual. The collar is the substitute for safe words here. The collar is monitored by the police, so if such a warning is ignored, they immediately take action. This system provides subs and Owners alike with a safe environment to play in. You can’t mess with the collar without it giving off an alert.

Jax is a professional subsitter. If an Owner has to leave their sub alone for whatever reason, they hire Jax to look after them during their absence. Jax provides the sub with whatever they need, even if a lot of things aren’t what he would usually prefer. But he’s a pro and he loves his job. I really liked seeing him work with all kinds of subs and Owners. He takes his job seriously and takes very good care of every sub in his charge.

Brysen is in a relationship with Layne. He loves Layne. He loves everything Layne does to him. And he absolutely deserves all the harsh punishments Layne deals out. He tries so hard to be perfect for Layne, but he keeps failing. Brysen’s struggle was breathtaking. Everything was such a giant mind fuck, I was never quite sure about Brysen’s real feelings.

Actually, the whole book was one giant mind fuck. And that’s what made “O/s” so brilliant in my eyes. You’re always wondering, doubting, questioning and yet you’ll never guess the truth. It’s all so very twisted and fucked up and I absolutely loved it for that very reason.

Brysen wasn’t a whiny, needy thing that needed an Owner to survive. Layne fucked him up good, but he’s a strong man. I really admired Brysen. And Jax was wonderful as well. He always takes care of everybody and strictly sticks to what the Owners tell him about their subs. But Brysen is different and I loved Jax for picking up on that and taking care of him, without being patronizing. He doesn’t have a superhero complex, he really struggled with what he was seeing in Brysen, what he knows about the system and what Layne told him about Brysen.

The BDSM is fairly hardcore. So if you have mixed feelings about BDSM, “O/s” probably isn’t the book for you. I loved how obviously different Jax and Layne were. While Layne never shows any tenderness toward Brysen, Jax is strict but loving. The difference was vast.

The authors created a perfect balance between plot and world building. The explanations about the system were perfectly interwoven with the plot and felt absolutely natural.

Long story short: If you like violence, mind fuck and dub-con in your books and you’re not opposed to a BDSM sci-fi setting, then this is the book for you. If, however, you’re a bit dubious about BDSM and prefer your MCs to have a bit of kinky fun, then you probably won’t like “O/s”.

Personally, I absolutely loved it. Definitely won’t be the last book by these two for me!

Cover: The cover by April Martinez is very simplistic. I quite like it, though. Definitely better than your average BDSM cover with a sub in chains or something. An eye-catcher.

Sales Links

Loose id LLC

Book details: ebook, 299 pages

Published August 2nd 2016 by Loose ID

A MelanieM Release Day Review: The Virgin Manny (The Mannies #1) by Amy Lane

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Growing up and falling in love…

Sometimes family is a blessing and a curse. When Tino Robbins is roped into helping his sister deliver premade dinners when he should be studying for finals, he’s pretty sure it’s the latter! But one delivery might change everything.

Channing Lowell’s charmed life changes when his sister dies and leaves him her seven-year-old son. He’s committed to doing what’s best for Sammy… but he’s going to need a lot of help. When Tino lands on his porch, Channing is determined to recruit him to Team Sammy.

Tino plans to make his education count—even if that means avoiding a relationship—but as he falls harder and harder for his boss, he starts to wonder: Does he have to leave his newly forged family behind in order live his promising tomorrow?

The Virgin Manny is full of those wonderful things I like to think of as Amy Lane layers. One, its those friends and families she memorably creates that orbit one or both of our main characters. We always want to get to know them more too. They are often as interesting, adorable, irascible (fill in the verb) and believable as our leading men. We often come to love them so much that it does them a disservice to call them secondary or support characters. Tino’s sister, his best friend, his mom, his dad….ala familia? Yes indeed turning into ours as well. Two, its not just one storyline. Yes, there’s a main one. But Lane weaves a tapestry of entertaining and emotional threads for the reader and characters to follow. It keeps both our hearts and minds involved as we wonder how Tino and Channing are going to handle a grief stricken child and their own evolving feelings for each other. Its a tricky situation, especially as its only supposed to be temporary. The possibilities for hurt are huge and the frailties of the child are acknowledged.

Tino also has his own issues and insecurities that he needs to work through. Channing too. How they maneuver through their maze of emotions, questions about the future of any relationship, status issues and still make their connection to each other seem real and sexy? True Amy Lane!

Do I heart this story? Yes, I do. And I loved Sammy, poor Sammy, lost, angry and grieving who has to learn to adjust and become a part of a new family. Well, I adored him.

There’s some suspense but its the love and family at the heart of this wonderful story that sings. I can’t recommend it enough. Plus its the start of a new series! Can’t wait for the next to appear. Pick it up if you haven’t already and be prepared to fall in love.

Cover art by Paul Richmond. Honestly? Not my idea of Tino. Its just ok.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 228 pages
Expected publication: January 1st 2017 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634776801 (ISBN13: 9781634776806)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Mannies #1

A Stella Advent Calendar Review Last Day: First New Year’s After the Apocalypse (2016 Advent Calendar – Bah Humbug) by Jessica Payseur

RATING 3,75 out of 5 stars

Wade Turner takes a drunk Jaxxon home after work hoping to get laid. What he gets instead is news that the world as they know it is ending—superbugs are sweeping the nation, leaving high death tolls in their wake, and the president has been assassinated. In this new storm of chaos everyone is referring to as the Apocalypse, Wade decides their chances are better if they stick together.

But when Jaxxon’s ex dies in a hurricane and his daughter goes missing, Wade watches the man he loves slip into despair. Desperate to save his relationship, Wade leaves in the middle of the night on a dangerous journey to save Jaxxon’s daughter—a child he’s not sure is even still alive. If he can put this family back together, maybe there will still be something worth celebrating in the aftermath of the Apocalypse.

I have to be honest and say I was ready to not like First New Year’s After the Apocalypse by Jessica Payseur, me and everything Apocalypse related aren’t on good terms. I’m not a fan of sci fi in general but the blurb of this short made me curious. And I’m very happy I gave this new to me author a chance.

I struggled a little at the beginning of the story because I couldn’t feel a connection, a chemistry, between Jaxxon and Wade, and the way Wade basically made room for himself in Jaxxon life, made no sense to me. It was clear to me later that he felt something I totally missed and of course he took the right choice. I liked how the author kept me on my toes, I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next and I wasn’t expecting the ending but I so welcomed it.

I’m going to see what else Jessica Payseur wrote in the past, I’d like to read more of her works.

The cover art by Catt Ford is very fitting and for this I like it.

Sales Links

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 49 pages

Published December 1st 2016 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 1635331935 (ISBN13: 9781635331936)

Edition Language English

A MelanieM Release Day Review: In Enemy Hands by MA Church

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Two very different civilizations—one bathed in bright sunlight, and the other veiled in shadow.

Bad decisions, declining resources, and a king on the brink of madness force Prince Varo Kutchif, third son of the royal family and a starship captain, to attempt the impossible: barter for Black Phospolrock, an energy source the mysterious Helkan kingdom has in abundance. Varo opens a line of communication with Adlar, an intriguing Helkan who seems to reciprocate Varo’s interest. He hopes so, because if negotiations collapse, Varo has orders to attack.

The Helkans preside over a planet shrouded in perpetual darkness. Several species have tried to exploit its natural resources through trade with them, but all have failed. Adlar Mondur is the older brother to the Helkan ruler. An assassin of the highest order, he’ll do anything to protect his king and his people—including tracking down the Yesri prince who crash-lands on their planet, leaving an ugly scar across its untouched beauty.

Thus begins a journey where two men from disparate civilizations grow from enemies to lovers.

In Enemy Hands by MA Church was a story I never wanted to end. Great world building to the extent that you felt you were walking along side Varo, seeing the planet’s marvels and dangers through his eyes, the flora and fauna each and every one detailed and enticing. And the Helkans are every bit as intriguing and captivating as their planet. Church has naturally carried through to from a planet wreathed in darkness to its peoples. They are pale, dark haired, yellow eyes, strong and, just as beautiful and lethal as their home. The Helkans view their resources, including the precious Black Phospolrock, in a manner the rest of the galaxy does not. Church lays out their society and culture clearly.

What little we learn of the Yesri, they are the opposite in every way. Industrialized to the point that they have destroyed their planet’s habitats and resources, their planet is covered in sun as is their high born people who are tanned, white haired with brown eyes. Heavily divided into class systems, the disparity between them is getting greater, and desperation is driving the commands behind Varo’s mission into space.

Was I hooked? Oh you bet!

And once the two met? Even better. Because every time I came up with an issue with the way I thought Varo should be acting (perhaps more assured, whatever), Church was there ahead of me, anticipating my questions about his behavior, putting forth answers through Adlar…well, it was amazing. I’m not one of those readers who enjoy a captive situation but this made great reading. It was a slow learning process for both men, no hurt/comfort, just discovering who each one was under a stressful situation. Adler giving Varo space to grow and Varo being able to see past his prejudices. Plus the two of them together? Sexy as hell.

There’s intrigue of course, and danger. Enough here for two books. I believe the author has left open enough possibilities that should Church wish too she could revisit this planet and couple easily. Or we could see how Wrief, Varo’s brother got on. After this, I’m up for anything to do with the Halkans and its ruling family.

As I said this was an amazing story. I loved it. If you are a lover of science fiction, romance, M.A. Church, or all of the above, pick it up and start reading. I highly recommend it.

Cover art by Anne Cain is perfect for Adler.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 214 pages
Expected publication: December 30th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634776089 (ISBN13: 9781634776080)
Edition LanguageEnglish

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Chase The Ace (London Lads #1) – Clare London

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