An Ali Review: Second Hand (Tucker Springs #2) by Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton, Iggy Toma (Narrator)

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Paul Hannon moved to Tucker Springs for his girlfriend, but she’s left him with a house he can’t afford and a pantry full of useless gadgets. All Paul wants is to get back to normal, even if he’s not sure what that is anymore. When he wanders into Tucker Pawn for a gift to win her back, he meets El Rozal, pawn shop owner and all-around cynic.

El Rozal doesn’t do relationships, especially not with clueless straight boys still pining for their ex. El may make his living dealing in castoffs, but that doesn’t apply to men. Still, when Paul starts clearing out his old life, pawning kitchen equipment he never wanted in the first place, El is drawn to Paul in spite of himself.

Paul and El have nothing in common except a past full of disappointments. There’s no reason to believe the two of them could fit, but in El’s line of work, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. When it comes to love, El and Paul may learn that secondhand doesn’t mean second best.

This was an average story. Nothing really wrong with it but nothing that made it stand out either. Paul has gone through a bad break up and while looking for a gift for his ex-girlfriend he meets Eli. The two men become friends and while Eli realizes immediately that he has feelings for Paul, Paul just cruises along cluelessly. Paul bordered on getting on my nerves with his cluelessness. At other times though I felt for him and I thought the internal discussions/fears/etc he has over his sexuality were probably pretty realistic. Eli I liked throughout the entire story. I didn’t really feel the emotional attraction between the two men. It just felt like they were friends unless they were in the bedroom. The bedroom scenes though were great. The chemistry just jumped off the pages. Unfortunately hot sex scenes isn’t enough to carry an entire book for me. I needed more relationship development. Again, I didn’t love this book but I didn’t dislike it either.

The narration by Iggy Toma was just ok. Overall I did not really care for the narrator. He did a wide range of voices and did them all differently which is a plus. I didn’t like some of the voices though. This is probably a matter of taste. While it didn’t work for me it might for others. I suggest listening to a sample of the audio first.

Cover art by L.C. Chase. I like the cover. I think it is a good representation of the main characters and their story.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio
Published January 22nd 2016 by Audible (first published September 1st 2012)
Original TitleSecond Hand
SeriesTucker Springs #2 settingColorado (United States)

Lex Chase and Bru Baker on Writing Together and ‘Some Assembly Required’ (authors guest blog and giveaway)

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Lex Chase and Bru Baker here today to share with our reader something about their latest novel, Some Assembly Required and the process of writing it together. Welcome, Lex and Bru!

*****

Hello, everyone! I’m Lex Chase and I want to thank Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for having me here today as a part of the Some Assembly Required blog tour! What is Some Assembly Required, you ask? It ís a fluffy meet-cute I had co-written with Bru Baker about two dead guys who meet in the afterlife in CASA, a big box affordable home furnishings store, which happens to be purgatory. And you say, “That’s a thing?” Oh, yes. Yes, indeed. And you never knew you needed it until now.

In this post, Bru and I have done a two-part interview. She got me to chat over at Open Skye Book Reviews, and now I’m putting her in the hot seat over here.

Bru and I come from radically different backgrounds as writers. She writes fluffy feel good contemporary that makes you feel warm and cozy on the inside. I write sci-fi/fantasy with guys that kiss as well as kick ass. I’m in my element writing elaborate battle scenes, bloodletting, beheadings, and body counts. As I always say: Its never a party until something explodes into a magnificent fireball.

So, Bru has joined me as I ask her a few questions!

What was the scariest part about writing more paranormal for you?

Bru: I am utterly terrified of worldbuilding. I have mad respect for writers who can do it well, but I’m not really one of them. So it was a relief that Some Assembly Required is kind of paranormal-lite, with a gentle introduction to the ghostly aspects and a contemporary feel for Benji and Patrick’s actual relationship. As much as CASA is its own character, we really didn’t bog the book down with too many detailed explanations about how purgatory worked. And every time you would go off on a worldbuilding tangent or try to work in a detailed paranormal storyline that wasn’t necessary, I would reel you back in, even if it meant literally sending texts that said things like ‘You can’t make that explode.’ You did manage to work in a few bits of massive destruction, but at least our beloved CASA was still standing at the end of it.

What did you dread most about going in a more paranormal direction or co-writing? (Did it come to pass?)

Bru: I hate paranormal books that are just retreads of old standards, and I was anticipating it being really difficult to put our own spin on a paranormal plot. That fear fizzled about ten seconds into our first brainstorming session because it was clear you felt the same way I did. We worked hard to come up with something that was different and interesting, and I’m really proud of it.

I was also worried about whether or not our writing would mesh, but it worked out better than I could have hoped. Our styles really do fit together perfectly.

I’m a planner, you’re a pantser. How did you feel when I gently (okay not at all gently) tried to steer you in creating an outline together? What is it about planning that makes you break out into hives?

Bru: Oh, man. So you have to understand, my idea of planning something out is writing a synopsis. We’re talking a few paragraphs that give the general arc of the plot and that’s about it. When we started writing Some Assembly Required there was this spreadsheet with multiple tabs and character summaries and chapter summaries that were more detailed than I usually am with an entire book synopsis…yeah. It was so far outside my comfort zone, but it was absolutely what we needed for this book.

We also wrote linearly, which is a first for me. I write more organically, hopping around and writing whichever scene is in my mind that day. I generally go into a book knowing a few key scenes and the plot arc and the rest just falls into place as I write. So having the action in every chapter nailed down was hard for me, and it led to a good deal more writer’s block than usually have, but you were always there to talk me through it.

You write such adorkable, sweet guys. What is it about the ‘Goody-Goody Guys’ that get you going?

Bru: I love banter and connections that go deeper than just physical attraction, and I’m almost always a fan of the slow build. So I need my characters to be well fleshed out and real with flaws and dorky moments they can bond over together. In Some Assembly Required, Benji is 100 percent sweet and goofy, and it was fun to write someone who isn’t bogged down with a lot of angst. I tend to have sweet characters with stormy backgrounds because I like to write about how they work through things and come out the other side stronger and more sure of themselves.† But I also need to connect to them and have the reader connect to them, and that’s harder to do when the character is a big jerk. And you can’t have witty banter when both characters are terse and uninteresting. So…dorky characters FTW.

You do realize, we wrote a book about dead guys meeting in the afterlife in a home furnishings store. And no one stopped us. Do you think we need we need adult supervision?

Bru: Well, we kind of do have adult supervision in the form of our editor at Dreamspinner Press, and she’s egging us on after not only encouraging us to write this book but also accepting our three-book proposal about a paranormal online dating service run by a Djinn. So I think we’re absolved of all blame here. It’s really her fault.

Question for you guys! Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again. (Mine was going on Splash Mountain at Disney World. NOPE.)†

Tell us and don’t forget to record your entry on the giveaway widget!

Genre:†Contemporary Paranormal Comedy
Length: Novel
Published:†February 8, 2016
Publisher:†Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 978-1-63476-810-8
Buy:†DSP – ARe – Amazon – Barnes and Noble

Blurb:

Everyone wishes they were dead when wandering the purgatory of a home furnishings store, but these guys actually are.

Benji Goss is the quintessential good guy. When his boyfriend dumps him and moves out, Benji obligingly keeps the catóeven though heís allergicóbecause his exís new place doesnít accept pets. Heís always joked the cat would be the death of him, but not in a way he expects when a feline mishap crushes him under a DEL TORO bookcase.

Snarky loner Patrick Bryant is in such a rut he barely remembers the life he used to lead. The last thing he recalls is being decapitated by a DEL TORO bookcase in a freak accident. As a spiritual CASA resident, he haunts the aisles of affordable Italian furniture, assisting fellow spirits in moving on to their final destinations.

When Benji appears in the CASA cafÈ, Patrick considers the naÔve spirit just the man to cure his boredom. Benjiís relentless optimism chips away at Patrickís sarcasm, making him question if thereís something beyond what he can see. But the heart is like CASA furnitureóthereís always some assembly required.

About the Authors:

madison_parker_MG_4269-WEB

Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, “Weíre all going to die, I’m just trying to make it a little more interesting.” Now she’s on a mission to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting.

Weaving tales of sweeping cinematic adventure,depending on how she feels that day, Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her pride is in telling stories of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. If you’re going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.

Lex is a pop culture diva, her DVR is constantly backlogged, and she unapologetically loved the ending of Lost. She wouldnít last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind.

Facebook
Twitter†
Instagram
Lexchase.com

Bru Baker got her first taste of life as a writer at the tender age of four when she started publishing a weekly newspaper for her family. What they called nosiness she called a nose for news, and no one was surprised when she ended up with degrees in journalism and political science and started a career in journalism.

Bru spent fifteen years writing for newspapers before making the jump to fiction. She now works in reference and readers’ advisory in a Midwestern library, though she still finds it hard to believe someone’s willing to pay her to talk about books all day. Most evenings you can find her curled up with a mug of tea, some fuzzy socks, and a book or her laptop. Whether itís creating her own characters or getting caught up in someone else’s, there’s no denying that Bru is happiest when she’s engrossed in a story. She and her husband have two children, which means a lot of her books get written from the sidelines of various sports practices.

www.bru-baker.com
Facebook
Twitter

We’re giving away two $25 USD Amazon Gift Cards to two lucky winners! Will it be you? Click on the graphic to enter!

Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again.

Blog Tour Stops:

2/8 – The Novel Approach and Release Day!

2/9 – Gay List Book Reviews

2/9 -†My Fiction Nook

2/10 – Love Bytes Reviews

2/10 – Divine Magazine

2/11 – Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House

2/11 -†Open Skye Book Reviews

2/11 -†Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

2/14 – Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

2/17 – Joyfully Jay

A Lila Review: Forced Impressions by Piper Doone

Rating: 2.75 out of 5 stars

Jonah Landers’s promotion to detective isn’t going so well. His first undercover operation is a disaster thanks to Rafael Santos, a Cuban-American detective so far undercover, no one on Rafael’s Miami-based squad even had a clue he’d already infiltrated the prostitution ring Jonah was targeting. Two years and an insane twist of fate later, Jonah finds himself transferred from Orlando and partnered up with Rafael in Miami—and their rocky beginning doesn’t get any better.

For the sake of their careers and because he realizes he’s falling for Rafael, Jonah makes every attempt to smooth things over and move on with his love life. He turns his attention to A.J. Choya, a Seminole Indian who runs the tech department. But there’s no spark between them, and Jonah has to admit his feelings for Rafael aren’t going away.

When a new case falls into Rafael’s and Jonah’s laps, they must go undercover again and become intimate in a way that forces them to confront their feelings for each other—no matter the consequences

The story starts directly into the action. Jonah is on his way to his first undercover assignment as a detective with the Orlando Police Department. We get the basics about the area, Jonah’s relationship with his partner, and his doubts about the operation. Everything goes almost to plan until Rafael makes it to the scene. From there on, everything goes down the hill– for them and the investigation.

The ruined operation brings Jonah’s career to a halt, and no matter what he does, he’s not going anywhere. After two years, he’s able to transfer to Miami with the hopes to start over. Jonah doesn’t have much of a private or professional life when he leaves, but he hopes to, at least, have a chance to forward his career.

On his first day in Miami, everything changes when he gets to partner with Rafael. Their relationship is typical of newbies with experienced partners, but Jonah took it further, personal. We get a series of cases and how they worked them and interacted with the rest of the squad.

The last case in the book is the one referred on the blurb. It doesn’t last long, but it changes their relationship. In the end, they get their HEA with a quick epilogue, filled with future events.

Forced Impressions didn’t work for me. The first undercover case, in Orlando, was interesting, and we had a chance to meet the MCs and see them at work. After Jonah moved to Miami, the plot slows down and there’s not much action, not even during the cases they worked.

I think the monotony of their day job and their relationship is what brought my rating down. Perhaps if the cases were related or less, it would had kept my interest. But, they were standard police procedure with little trouble to be solved. By the time the main investigation happened, I was ready for the book to end. Not even Jonah’s relationship with A.J. was interesting enough.

The last part of the book moved faster, maybe too fast for Rafael’s and Jonah’s relationship to be meaningful. Their undercover job was smexy but didn’t compensate for everything the story lacked until that point. Their love affair was fast paced and their future together, on the epilogue, even faster.

And the cover? The overall idea of the cover by Aaron Anderson works, until you get into the details. The art deco font gives it the Miami feel and the model matched Rafael’s description. But, the skyline and tie effect makes it look more like New York City than Miami. Plus, the silhouette doesn’t represent Jonah.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published: January 25, 2016, by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 1634767640 (ISBN13: 9781634767644)
Edition Language: English

A Jeri Review: The Imperfection of Swans by Brandan Witt

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (4 1/2 stars!!)

Kevin Bivanti’s dream is to open a wedding dress shop, a place with the stunning gowns to make every bride-to-be feel adored. At thirty-eight, he quits a successful advertising career to buy an old brownstone in a trendy Boston neighborhood and to make his dream a reality. When one of his cosigners drops out, fate intervenes, ushering in Casper James, who hopes to open his own bakery. With Casper willing to take the risk, their ambitions meld into a wedding dress and wedding cake boutique.

Extensive renovations to the brownstone, an affair with his ex-husband, family drama with his mothers, and the anxiety of significant life changes push Kevin to the brink of a nervous breakdown. In the midst of stress and uncertainty, Casper becomes more than a business partner, a mutual attraction that adds another layer of intensity and risk.

With their dreams on the verge of reality, Kevin and Casper must find the courage to face the stress of managing their attraction, the gamble of a new business venture, and the resurgence of Kevin’s personal demons.

I really loved this book! The general concept of the story was not all that original. Two guys working together and don’t want to mess up their professional relationship, but fighting it gets harder and harder. We’ve read that before right?

Yep, we have. But what we haven’t read about is one of the characters who is at once so lovable and so flawed and the other, just as lovable and trying hard not to be flawed. It is the flaws and the way they are dealt with which made this book a BIG 4 1/2 star read for me.

Kevin is the character with the most issues. And like most people with issues like his, he denies them and makes excuses for them. His strength and vulnerability make you want to hug him and tell him it is going to get better. Kevin is finally taking a huge leap to live his dream- that of opening a bridal shop in Boston. With the help of his moms and extended family, it looks like it will become a reality. Until financing falls through.

Enter Casper, a head pastry chef who has his own dream of opening a bakery. He lives with 4 loud music majors so that he can save up enough money to open his own bakery. Kismet brings them together and with Casper able to help secure the financing on the multi million dollar building- it seems as though they will both be living their dreams.

This book contains some pretty serious subject matter- eating disorders and anxiety. Both could have easily been portrayed as overly dramatic or sensationalistic, but they are not. They are addressed head on, shown for the true colors that they are. How they affect not only the person living with them, but the people who love them as well.

There is also an outstanding cast of background characters in this book. Two of my favorites were Renata and Noelle- Kevin’s moms. Their yin yang relationship so mirrors the relationship that Kevin and Casper are trying to build together.

I laughed and I cried. I couldn’t wait to turn the page and I didn’t want it to end.

Cover Photo Credit Brandon Witt; Model: Kevin Eksterowicz.When I am reading a book by a new to me author, I always go all the way through to the end. Reading the “about me” section and anything else. There I learned that the cover art- oh so gorgeous- is not only the author’s real life best friend, but also the inspiration behind Kevin. It made me love the book more.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 284 pages
Published January 18th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634768175 (ISBN13: 9781634768177)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Love A Steampunk Romance? Check out Project Ordell by Susanna Hays (author guest post and exclusive excerpt)

Project Ordell by Susanna Hays
Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Stef Masciandaro
Release Date: February 5, 2016

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Susanna Hays here today to talk about her latest story, Project Ordell and the excerpt she brought with her to share with our readers. Welcome, Susanna.

******

One thing that I liked about this excerpt is the bit of conflict Ordell faces, especially with a few scenes that happen later on with the story. He isn’t happy that his father is selling automatons that he helped create and see as family as mindless pleasure slaves. He certainly isn’t happy that a man wants a pleasure slave that looks exactly like him either.

What I liked most about writing this scene is the tension that begins with Ordell and his father. He has spent his life viewing himself as Octavio’s son, so to hear the words that he is a “creation” hurts him.

With Ordell’s character, I planned on him to be stubborn, selfish, and naive when it comes to the outside world. This plays a bigger role later in the story and gets Ordell into trouble.

Read the excerpt after the blurb.

About Project Ordell

Ordell Rutledge lives in the small town of Blackwick where he helps in his father’s modest automaton shop. While he enjoys interacting with the few people who grace his father’s business, he feels isolated because he can’t relate to them. For ten years, life’s been quaint and peaceful, but Ordell has a secret: he is an automaton, sentient enough to pass as human.

Ordell’s life is upended when the person he trusts most betrays him. Heartbroken, he sets off for Linnesse, a city that accepts automatons as people and is booming with the latest technology. With another sentient automaton, Elias Griffith, at his side, they overcome obstacles and uncover the strange truth behind Ordell’s past. But sometimes the past is best left in the dark.

Genres: Steampunk
Tags: Novels, steampunk,gay fiction, romance

Exclusive Excerpt

During that workday his father’s words swam around in Ordell’s head. He knew Octavio only said them out of frustration, but it hurt to hear that come from him. To call his siblings stupid pieces of metal.
“You remind me so much of my son,” Mr. Stokes said, icing one of the cakes. “Both of you went off in your own little world. He was such a sweet boy, but refused to stay in reality for more than five minutes.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Drove my wife insane, he did! She wanted him to do this, and he was too busy skipping off to the pier.”
“I would’ve loved to meet him,” Ordell said with a small smile.
“Me too.” His voice grew low. “I wish I could talk to him again. Hear those little rambles as he talked about that world of his.” Mr. Stokes cleared his throat and looked back up at Ordell. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? I’m sure your father would love to have some help around the shop.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Stokes?”
He waved his hand. “It’s been a slow day. You should enjoy the weather while it’s still nice. Here.” He put a few pieces of bread in a small brown package. “A little treat for you and your father.”
Ordell patted Mr. Stokes’s shoulder. “Thank you so much. Would you like me to help open up tomorrow?”
“Sounds like a plan.”When Ordell got to the shop, he could feel the heavy tension around the room.
“I brought home some rolls,” he called out. “They’re freshly baked.”
Ordell took a few more steps until he reached the door to Octavio’s shop. He took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.
“Father! What happened in here?”
Papers were scattered around the shop, blueprints torn and metal tossed around. Ordell found his father hunched over the workstation with his beefy fingers threaded through his peppered hair.
He raced over to his father and grabbed his shoulders. “Father! Are you all right? What happened?”
“I can’t find the damn blueprints! That bitch must have them!”
“What blueprints?”
“The ones for the—” Octavio sighed and pushed his hands through his hair again. “Forget it. I don’t need another argument with you.”
“You said you wouldn’t!” Ordell narrowed his eyes. “I can take on another job! I can—”
“I need the money, Ordell!” he snapped. “The shop needs this! How can you not understand this?”
“You said you wouldn’t do this,” Ordell said again, punctuating his words slowly. “You promised.”
“I won’t be bullied by my own creation!”
“Now I’m just your creation?” He swallowed hard. “I thought I was your son.”
“Ordell—”
“Just forget it.” He took a step back. “Do what you want. They’re your creations, right? Don’t let me stop you from earning a quick profit.” He turned on his heel and stormed out of the shop.

About the Author

Susanna Hays has been writing ever since she can remember. She first started out with ghost stories that she would tell to her cousins and best friend. She has always been off in her own little world and spent her time at recess writing stories in her notebook. She is a huge animal lover and adores cats– especially the big fluffy ones! She loves talking to others and enjoys making friends on Goodreads and reading books.

She loves to create characters who have a story to tell. She creates protagonists who must overcome their weaknesses and find their true selves.

An Jeri Review: Tackling The Tight End (Long Pass Chronicles #3) by Tara Lain

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Everyone wants the best for SCU student and tight end Raven Nez—and they know exactly what that is. Enter the NFL draft, become a big football hero, promote his tribe’s casino, and make a lot of money to help people on the reservation. Just one problem. Raven’s gay and he really wants to work with gay kids. Plus he figures a gay Native tight end will get flattened in the NFL. Then the casino board hires a talented student filmmaker to create ads for the tribal business and asks Raven to work with him. But the filmmaker is Dennis Hascomb, a guy with so much to hide and a life so ugly it’s beyond Raven’s understanding. Still he’s drawn to Dennis’s pain and incredible ability to survive.

Captivated by Raven’s stories of the two-spirited and by the amazing joy of finally having a friend, Dennis knows he has to break free from everything he’s ever been taught was good—but that’s a struggle that could kill him and Raven too. Is there a chance for “the great red hope” and the “whitest guy on earth”? A future for the serpent and the raven?

Although this is book 2, it can easily be read as a stand alone. In fact, I hadn’t read the first and didn’t feel like I was missing anything.

Raven is out and proud, but still living a double life. He is a star football player in college and everyone- especially his parents- want him to get drafted into the NFL. The notoriety a Native American player would bring to his tribe and his tribe’s casino would be unmatched. But really, Raven wants to work with at risk LGBT teens.

Dennis is a film student at the same college as Raven and is brought in to create a commercial for the casino. Dennis is harboring some huge secrets and a bit of a reputation as a trouble maker. But Raven is completely drawn to him- even though Dennis swears he is straight.

Some of the things I really enjoyed about this book: the idea of being two- spirited, total acceptance of Raven as a gay many not only by his family, but by his tribe, and Dennis- who finally discovers who he is and fights to save his sister and ultimately himself.

There were some beautiful Native American legends brought in to enhance this story and they really worked. The imagery was really amazing, the sweat lodge, the snake, etc. There was nothing, I felt, stereotypical about any of the Native American story line. I absolutely adored the relationship between Raven and his grandfather. Their bond was amazing.

This original story has it all. I definitely recommend it to all who enjoy non-cookie cutter MM romance.

Cover art by Reese Dante. The cover of the book is such a perfect depiction of Raven I found myself going back to look at it over and over.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 216 pages
Published January 15th 2016 by Dreamspinner
Original TitleTackling the Tight End
ISBN 1632162644 (ISBN13: 9781632162649)
Edition LanguageEnglish
URLhttp://taralain.com/
Series Long Pass Chronicles :

A Stella Review: Until September by Chris Scully

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ★★★★★

As a teenager, Archie Noblesse clawed his way out of the poverty, heartache, and abuse of the reservation and left his family behind. Desperate to shake the shadow of his past, he reinvents himself as Archer Noble, an outspoken blogger and controversial author who lives only for himself. But when his beloved sister dies, Archer is saddled with guardianship of his niece and nephew.

Elementary school teacher Ryan Eriksson is devastated when his best friend Marguerite is killed, leaving her two young children orphaned. Helping Archer with his new responsibilities eases his grief, but when Archer offers him custody of the children, Ryan’s left with an impossible choice: get the family he’s always wanted, or respect Margie’s wishes and convince Archer to give parenting—and his heritage—a chance.

To buy time, Ryan promises to stay for the summer, hoping that Archer will change his mind and fall for the kids. But Archer’s reluctant, and the growing attraction between him and Ryan complicates matters. Legal decisions must be made, and soon, before Ryan returns to school. But with hearts involved, more than just the children’s future is on the line.

I read the Inseparable series by Chris Scully two of years ago and when I saw Until September with the great cover and the interesting blurb, with promises of a lot of emotional moments and a couple of kids, I was soon conquered. I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed and I was right. I found it an amazing read, it simply took my heart.

The first chapter was hard to read. Abused by his uncle since he was a child, at sixteen Archie is tricking behind school to earn some money and move from the hell Manitoba Reservation has become. His only light is Margie, his baby sister, thirteen years old, the only person he truly loves. He was the one to protect and feed her when their mother left them alone. Leaving the place is his only chance at survival and staying away from all the drugs and child abusers the Cree population suffers. Now that the uncle is dead Archie needs to be strong, abandon Margie and save himself.

Then the story switched to twenty years later but that only first chapter broke my heart. Just a few pages helped me understand a lot about Archie, his deep connection with his sister and the mask he used to hide his scars from indelible things from her.

Twenty years later Archie is Archer Noble, new name, new place, new money, but the fear of losing everything still clings to him. He is now on tour, promoting his new book, when a call comes that will change his whole life.

Ryan Eriksson is a 25 years old teacher, with little social life, who has found in Marguerite, the mum of one of his student, a sister he never had, they shares secrets and hopes. He supports her after the loss of her husband and she knew about his desire to build a family and the disaster with his ex boyfriend.

When tragedy happens, Archer and Ryan need to be together and try to give a family to Dillon and Emma, Marguerite’s children. But Archer can’t take care of them, he still has a lot of work to do on himself. He can’t be a parent, he’s not ready. But he’s willing to give this family thing a try for a bit. Then he will be on his own and the children with Ryan. Ryan has until September to convince Archer that he belongs with his niece and nephew.

I have to be honest and say Until September is one of the best stories I read this new year. It has all the themes I love to read about, moreover it was delivered to my heart with an easiness and straightforwardness, I hardly had found somewhere else. I fell in love with the children and the MCs. Archer and Ryan both changed so much during the book and the development of their relationship, even if slow, it never bored me, on the contrary, it was right for a book like this.

If you want a book emotional that will put a smile on your face till the end, a tear on your cheek a couple of times, full of sweetness and the cuteness only children can give, you can’t miss Until September. I adored it. Plus, it was beautifully written, I felt every single word. 5 full stars!

The cover art by Lou Harper is perfect. It fits the story, cute and great in the colors. I love it.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | ARe | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 298 pages
Published February 8th 2016 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN 1626493553 (ISBN13: 9781626493551)
Edition Language English

An Ali Review: Whistle Blower by Dev Bentham

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Money can’t buy happiness. Jacob Nussbaum knows this better than anyone. He’s a corporate lawyer deep inside a huge New York firm, where he works overtime, sacrifices any chance at a personal life, and has been selling his soul for years. With a secretary as his only friend, he trudges on, until his whole world is blown apart by a manila envelope of photos—evidence that one of the firm’s partners is the dirtiest lawyer in one hell of a filthy business.

In search of the truth, Jacob travels to a small northern Wisconsin fishing resort. There he meets Ben Anderson, a brutally lonely man, who knocks him off his feet. Ben prompts Jacob to reevaluate his life. He’s a dozen years older than Jacob, still recovering from the death of his long time love, and doesn’t want to leave anyone a widower. But a jaded New Yorker on a soul-searching mission might be just the man to convince the grieving Ben that it’s never too late to begin again.

I really enjoyed this story about two men who seem an unlikely match but who end up being perfect for each other. The book had good pacing and it added the investigation in to the love story in a smooth way. While that was the catalyst for the story, the main component was the love story part. I liked that it was not insta-love and that the characters took some time falling for each other. Not only was I drawn to Jacob and Ben but I was drawn to the back story of Ben loving and losing Manny. That was really well done and made my eyes tear up in a few places. You could feel Ben’s grief jump off the pages at you. I was also really pleased to see that the MC’s were middle aged. Having nice, mature characters was a pleasant change of pace. My only complaint was the ending was rushed. It felt off to me. I’m not really sure why it was done like it was since the author spent so much time slow unfolding the love story. While it wasn’t perfect for me I liked the rest of the book too much to really complain much. I’ve never read this author before but will definitely be checking out her other work.

Cover by Catt Ford. I liked the cover and think’s it’s a good representation of the story and the characters.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press ebook | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 214 pages
Published February 5th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781634769846
Edition LanguageEnglish

Rowing Your Way Into Love with Dev Bentham’s Whistle Blower (author guest post)

Whistle Blower by Dev Bentham
Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Catt Ford

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Dev Bentham here today to share some of the inspiration behind her latest novel, Whistle Blower. Welcome, Dev.

*******

Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Dev Bentham

Just how do all those hot fictional characters maintain their amazing bodies? Proper diet and exercise, of course. In my new book, Whistle Blower, the guys don’t always eat right, but they do move. Specifically, they row. They get to know each other while Ben teaches Jacob to scull. Between the skinny, tippy boats and a complicated rhythm, it’s a difficult sport to master. But a beautiful way to spend an early morning hour on a glassy lake.

SONY DSC — Photoshoot sculling-17 by Gabriel Axel, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons (Attribution license)

I learned to row while on vacation on a tiny Idaho lake. Single sculls are easy to flip. Those first few mornings I spent more time in the water than on the boat. Fortunately, a kind young rower took me under her wing and we put in a few hours in a double scull. While I flailed around, she steadied the oars on the water and kept us upright. I never got very good, but back to Northern Wisconsin I found an old tub of a scull. It was a double seater with only one seat. Banged up, wide and heavy, it was a pig to row. But it was also very difficult to tip. Just my speed. We set up the stern with a nest of life jackets that served as a makeshift passenger seat. For a while we went out every calm morning and rowed each other around the lake. It was sweet. But I missed the sleek grace of the Maas 24 that I had tried in Idaho. That’s the boat I wrote into the book. And because it’s fiction, Jacob is a fast learner who is soon sculling long distances on his own. Which doesn’t always work out well for him. In fact, it can be disastrous.

Here’s a little more about the book:

In search of the truth, Jacob travels to a small northern Wisconsin fishing resort. There he meets Ben Anderson, a brutally lonely man, who knocks him off his feet. Ben prompts Jacob to reevaluate his life. He’s a dozen years older than Jacob, still recovering from the death of his long time love, and doesn’t want to leave anyone a widower. But a jaded New Yorker on a soul-searching mission might be just the man to convince the grieving Ben that it’s never too late to begin again.

Buy links

Amazon | Barnes and Noble |ARe | Kobo | Dreamspinner

About the Author

Dev Bentham writes soulful m/m romance. Her characters are flawed and damaged adult men who may not even know what they are missing, but whose lives are transformed by true love.

Website and social media links:

www.DevBentham.org
email: DevBentham@yahoo.com
twitter: @DevBentham
Facebook author page
Facebook: /www.facebook.com/dev.bentham

A MelanieM Review: Dragon Deception (Supernatural Consultant #2) by Mell Eight

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A life full of children and mysteries to solve doesn’t leave much time for relaxation or each other, something Lumie wants to help fix for Dane and Mercury by way of arranging a picnic. But good intentions and life rarely cooperate, and Dane knows it’s only a matter of time before all hell breaks loose.

Hell turns out to be someone using Quicksilver’s name to destroy buildings, but there’s no way to tell whether the enemy is an impostor or a trap—and only way to find out. Hopefully it won’t mean missing the picnic.

Dragon Deception is the 2nd in the Supernatural Consultant series but it flows so smoothly from Dragon Consultant‘s events and timeline that it hard to realize that it takes place five years later. Mercury and the dragon kits are now at home with Dane, making them quite the family. Mercury has a new job as an agent with the SupFeds, also known as the Federal Bureau of Supernatural Investigations,and a new abrasive partner whose on everyone’s bad list. Their first case? A new investigation of arson with someone using the name of Quicksilver, a name with huge ramifications for Mercury, the kids and Dane.

Meanwhile, brilliant kit Lumie wants his “dads” to go on a special picnic for some alone time, something Lumie thinks they need and never gets with their jobs and kits always under foot. I loved the interplay between growing dragon children and the way that their needs are being met by Dane and Mercury under one roof. Mell Eight creates a wonderfully traditional dragon culture and then devises creative methods in which Dane actively works to meet those need in a modern world. Her own version of setting them up and knocking them down and it working perfectly. The family interactions and relationships are so strong and remain among my favorite parts of this story.

But there’s still that heinous organization to be tracked down that’s still kidnapping young dragons and they continue to play a huge part here. I’ll say no more, but these mysterious scientists and the conspiracy around them is a thread that runs from book to book, that with each revelation sees deeper, more serious consequences for Mercury, the dragons kits and in fact all dragon kind if not stopped. Its this element that makes me wish the books were longer. There just isn’t enough room to explore all the events that happen so quickly here to the full extent I would like to see happen.

Mell Eight packs her stories full of excitement, imaginative elements, gripping storylines and characters you need to know more about. This is especially true of the dragon kits that have come about due to the nefarious government experiments like Lumie and Alloy, just a few to make mention of. As they grow, so do their strange powers, and there are dragons we have just to meet.

When the book ends, I think some readers unused to Mell Eight’s stories will be perplexed as to the lack of any traditional ending. Its one of the reasons I think this series would work more as a serial than as a series. A mission comes to an end but not everything is wrapped up. Pretty much status quo for this author. Those of us familiar with her style know to just sit back and wait for the next one to arrive. If you find this frustrating, you might want to wait until the series is done and then binge read through. But if this doesn’t bother you, than powered by a love of dragons, mystery, and terrific characters, grab up this series and get started right away. So far its only two short books, it’ll be a breeze to catch up before the third arrives.

I can’t wait.

Cover art by Aisha Akeju. I love the artist but her covers for this series are still something of a disconnect. They are too bright and happy for some of the very serious themes encountered inside the books, including dragon kit experimentation, kidnapping, and more. Its cute with the dragon prints and its a part of the plot, still…

Sales Links: Less Than Three Press | ARe | Amazon will be coming

Book Details:

ebook, 111 pages
Expected publication: February 10th 2016 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620047125
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series Supernatural Consultant :

Dragon Consultant (Supernatural Consultant #1) – link to MelanieM’s review
Dragon Deception (Supernatural Consultant #2)

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Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again.

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Project Ordell by Susanna Hays Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Stef Masciandaro Release Date: February 5, 2016

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback

About Project Ordell

Exclusive Excerpt

About the Author

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Whistle Blower by Dev Bentham Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Catt Ford

Buy links

About the Author

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Project Ordell by Susanna Hays
Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist Stef Masciandaro
Release Date: February 5, 2016

Whistle Blower by Dev Bentham
Dreamspinner Press