Category: Publishers

A MelanieM Review: Blue Steel Chain (Trowchester Blues #3) by Alex Beecroft

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

BlueSteelChain_600x900At sixteen, Aidan Swift was swept off his feet by a rich older man who promised to take care of him for the rest of his life. But eight years later, his sugar daddy has turned from a prince into a beast. Trapped and terrified, Aidan snatches an hour’s respite at the Trowchester Museum.

Local archaeologist James Summers is in a failing long distance relationship with a rock star, and Aidan—nervous, bruised, and clearly in need of a champion—brings out all his white knight tendencies. When everything falls apart for Aidan, James saves him from certain death . . . and discovers a skeleton of another boy who wasn’t so lucky.

As Aidan recovers, James falls desperately in love. But though Aidan acts like an adoring boyfriend, he doesn’t seem to feel any sexual attraction at all. Meanwhile there are two angry exes on the horizon, one coming after them with the press and the other with a butcher’s knife. To be together, Aidan and James must conquer death, sex, and everyone’s preconceptions about the right way to love—even their own.

There are certain books you approach with definite expectations of what you will find with the characters and plot.  Sometimes those expectations are met, other times they aren’t.  But on those rare occasions, something else happens, a book doesn’t exceed your expectations, it blows them all to hell, widening your horizons and smacking you in the face with your assumptions.  That’s what occurred  with Alex Beecroft’s Blue Steel Chain, the 3rd book in the Trowchester  Blues series.

My love for the previous novels is apparent in the reviews I wrote and the author interview I conducted.  Alex Beecroft brought alive the small village of Trowchester, with its canals, long boats, antique bookshops, Morris Dancers, historic reinactors and characters of every type imaginable, every type except boring and uninspired. Up until now Beecroft has ushered me into her world with such amazing details such as musical instruments of antiquity I yearned to hear, dances I wanted to watch and a place I desperately wanted to be real.  Her characters, wounded, snarky, and amazing made me laugh, cry and nod my head in recognition and joy.   Then came Blue Steel Chain and everything went topsy turvy.

Where to start when everything is unexpected and sometimes hard to understand?

Blue Steel Chain is beautifully written and thought provoking.  And for me, it was also hard, emotionally, to digest at times.  At the heart of all the thoughts and feelings whirling around in my head is the character of Aidan Swift.  At sixteen, already thrown away by his family for his sexuality, he is fair prey for an older man hiding sick, abusive behaviors and deeds.  Now eight years later, Aidan is a perpetually frightened, submissive, abused young man.  Sometimes left chained and alone for hours as punishment, isolated from all around him, his state of mind is one of fear, chaos, an overwhelming need to please and much , much more.

Alex Beecroft makes Aiden so real your heart bleeds for him and your stomach churns during the scenes he has with his abuser.  Trust me, those are hard to take because we have quickly come to love Aiden so.  But Aiden has another secret.  He’s asexual.  That makes those scenes where he is being sexually abused even more problematic.  Why?  Because of the way he sees them.  I thought I understood what  asexuality meant.  Apparently not.

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a character  (or author for that matter) recently that made me question my assumptions about sexuality and relationships as Aiden and Alex Beecroft have. We live in Aiden’s skin here.  Every moment, every thought that occurs from his  brief secret excursions away from the house where he is kept, out over the meadows, into the local museum where archaeologist James Summers is toiling over the latest batch of “finds” and having his own relationship issues.  Aiden’s brief moments of joy, his initial fear of Jamie, his curiosity and ,man,, this makes me want to cry again, his love of pottery and the art he was forced to abandon…we are there inside him, listening and weeping.  And hoping for a rescue.

Jamie too needs help. We’re let into his point of view as well, important in a story such as this one. His long term  relationship has diminished to the point that he rarely sees his “partner, and when he does, he dissolves into  a doormat for his rockstar lover to walk over. Jamie too is a believable human being, full of frailties, preoccupied with his bits and pieces of antiquity and his life in Trowchester.  It takes the arrival of Aiden in his life to shake up the status quo and get him moving again.  Jamie is not asexual but gay with a healthy appetite that’s been repressed by his current relationship and lover.

There are some incredibly scary scenes that involve characters from the previous stories who help Aiden escape and start a new life.  These moments in the novel are heart-stopping, white-knuckle, “wap your head against the wall” exciting and frustrating, all at the same time.  You know those bits where you are yelling at the actors on the scene to get moving?  Yep, that happens here.  But its what comes later that will blow your perceptions of romance and a relationship to bits.  Some will like it, some will love it and others won’t get it at all.  At times, I was all  three.

Ever think what it must be like to be asexual and love someone who is not?  What does it mean to be in a relationship when one partner loves sex and the other doesn’t?  How does that work?  If it does? Beecroft takes those questions and gives us some answers through the relationship dynamics between Jamie and Aiden.  At times I found myself shaking my head, thinking this can’t possibly work  But a conversation with a friend who is asexual basically confirmed that is does, more often than we think.

Can a relationship work when you must schedule times for sex because to do otherwise is an abuse of another’s wishes and needs?  Can a sexual being truly understand how an asexual person feels and act accordingly?  And visa versa?  These are all issues Alex Beecroft brings into her characters and storyline.  It made me rethink my own assumptions about relationships, what works, what doesn’t and  Steel Blue Chain has left me with even more questions and jumbled ideas, making me revaluate what I thought I knew about people, recovery and love. And did so through the character of a wounded,yet resilient young man called Aiden.

Blue Steel Chain came very close to a five star rating but a few things still bothered me at the end.   There was so much going on here that I thought the idea of all those years of abuse would leave mental, emotional scarring far wore than the physical marks Aiden wore from his time in captivity.  Yes, it was mentioned he was seeing a therapist, but it felt a little glossed over and not in keeping with the realism of the rest of the story.   Perhaps that would have made this a 600 page story, who knows?

Still, I find that Blue Steel Chain is the most ambitious and surprising of the three novels.  Is it my favorite? No. Is it the most remarkable?  Yes, I think so. Blue Steel Chain will challenge your perceptions of love and romance, it will make you rethink your definitions of love and long term happiness.  And it makes me yearn for more of this remarkable village, its incrediblely human and addicting inhabitants, and the stories they still have to tell.

Cover Art by Lou Harper.  I  like the branding, the tone and design works with all three stories but I’m just not sure that model works for any of the characters within.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | All  Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 250 pages
Published July 27th 2015 by Riptide Publishing (first published July 25th 2015)
original titleBlue Steel Chain
ISBN139781626492066
edition languageEnglish

Trowchester: it’s the fourth smallest city in Britain, and visitors sometimes think it hasn’t left the Middle Ages yet. There’s a Bronze Age barrow, a wide network of ley lines, the best tea shop in the county, and more morris dancers than you can shake a stick at. Trowchester attracts those who have been hurt and those who are looking for sanctuary from the modern world. But scratch the surface and there’s murder and mayhem aplenty. People come here to find love, but they’re forced to learn bravery first.

The release order of the Trowchester series is Trowchester Blues, Blue Eyed Stranger, and Blue Steel Chain, but you can start with withichever book catches your eye; they each stand alone. I highly recommend them all.

Trowchester Blues (A Trowchester Blues Novel)
Blue Eyed Stranger (A Trowchester Blues Novel)
Blue Steel Chain (A Trowchester Blues Novel)

Alex Beecroft Returns to Trowchester with Blue Steel Chain (Trowchester Blues #3) A Stunning Novel! – giveaway

BlueSteelChain_600x900

Blue Steel Chain (Trowchester Blues #3)
by Alex Beecroft

Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: Lou Harper

Sales Link: Riptide Publishing

BlueSteelChain_TourBanner

About Blue Steel Chain:

At sixteen, Aidan Swift was swept off his feet by a rich older man who promised to take care of him for the rest of his life. But eight years later, his sugar daddy has turned from a prince into a beast. Trapped and terrified, Aidan snatches an hour’s respite at the Trowchester Museum.

Local archaeologist James Huntley is in a failing long distance relationship with a rock star, and Aidan—nervous, bruised, and clearly in need of a champion—brings out all his white knight tendencies. When everything falls apart for Aidan, James saves him from certain death . . . and discovers a skeleton of another boy who wasn’t so lucky.

As Aidan recovers, James falls desperately in love. But though Aidan acts like an adoring boyfriend, he doesn’t seem to feel any sexual attraction at all. Meanwhile there are two angry exes on the horizon, one coming after them with the press and the other with a butcher’s knife. To be together, Aidan and James must conquer death, sex, and everyone’s preconceptions about the right way to love—even their own.

Blue Steel Chain by Alex Beecroft is available from Riptide Publishing on July 27.

About Author Alex Beecroft

Alex Beecroft is an English author best known for historical fiction, notably Age of Sail, featuring gay characters and romantic storylines. Her novels and shorter works include paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary fiction.

Beecroft won Linden Bay Romance’s (now Samhain Publishing) Starlight Writing Competition in 2007 with her first novel, Captain’s Surrender, making it her first published book. On the subject of writing gay romance, Beecroft has appeared in the Charleston City Paper, LA Weekly, the New Haven Advocate, the Baltimore City Paper, and The Other Paper. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association of the UK and an occasional reviewer for the blog  HYPERLINK “http://speakitsname.com/” \n _blankSpeak Its Name, which highlights historical gay fiction.

Alex was born in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and grew up in the wild countryside of the English Peak District. She lives with her husband and two children in a little village near Cambridge and tries to avoid being mistaken for a tourist.

Alex is only intermittently present in the real world. She has led a Saxon shield wall into battle, toiled as a Georgian kitchen maid, and recently taken up an 800-year-old form of English folk dance, but she still hasn’t learned to operate a mobile phone.

She is represented by Louise Fury of the L. Perkins Literary Agency.

Connect with Alex:

Website:  “http://alexbeecroft.com/
Blog:  http://alexbeecroft.com/blog
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/AlexBeecroftAuthor
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Alex_Beecroft
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/Alex_Beecroftt

BlueSteelChain_TourBanner

Giveaway:

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a signed paperback from Alex Beecroft’s backlist. (Any title which has a paperback edition, excluding Blue Steel Chain.) Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on July 25. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to add your email so we can contact you if you win!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Trowchester Blues ( A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words ★★★★★ Series)

TrowchesterBlues_Series

Trowchester Blues coverBlue eyed Stranger coverBlueSteelChain_600x900

 

 

 

 

Trowchester: it’s the fourth smallest city in Britain, and visitors sometimes think it hasn’t left the Middle Ages yet. There’s a Bronze Age barrow, a wide network of ley lines, the best tea shop in the county, and more morris dancers than you can shake a stick at. Trowchester attracts those who have been hurt and those who are looking for sanctuary from the modern world. But scratch the surface and there’s murder and mayhem aplenty. People come here to find love, but they’re forced to learn bravery first.

The release order of the Trowchester series is Trowchester Blues, Blue Eyed Stranger, and Blue Steel Chain, but you can start with withichever book catches your eye; they each stand alone.  We highly recommend them all.

– See more at Riptide Publishing’s Trowchester Blues  series page.

 

Its More Storming Love with MLR Press’ Storming Love: Earthquake Collection (giveway)

Earthquake Combo - Release

MLR Press: Storming Love: Earthquake
Publisher: MLR Press
Cover Artist: Kris Jacen

Sales Links: Amazon

 | MLR Press

Banner300x250

Author Mini Interview with Nicole Dennis

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Nicole Dennis, author of Earthquake: Xavier & Devin

Hi Nicole, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hello and thanks for having me. I’m a quiet single author with a furry kid – known as Fat Cat. I grew up in NJ and moved to Florida with the family. For some odd reason, I stayed in this sauna of a state. My current book is part of the MLR Press Storming Love series of natural disasters. From the title – this is the Earthquake series, one of six books, all set in the same place during the same disaster. Since everyone is familiar with California quakes, the other authors and I decided to change things up. We chose the great state of Alaska.
• Where do you find your inspiration?
From almost anything can inspire me. A movie, a TV show, another book, and music. Sometimes those darn plot bunnies come all on their own and attack with ideas.

• When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I dabbled for so long, I was always a writer. I became an ‘author’ when I signed my first contract for a short story that was part of an anthology.

• Do your characters become like real people to you?
Oh yes, I argue and complain to them all the time about not cooperating with me or going a completely different direction than I decided.

• If you weren’t a writer, what else would you like to have done?
I would love to have been an artist of some type. No matter what, I have this creative need.

• What do you want your tombstone to say?
LOL. What a question… Umm.
A writer who shared her rainbow with others.

Now more about the Storming Love: Earthquake Collection!

Book Names & Blurbs:

7/3 Gabriel & Avery by Ann Anderson

Earthquake Cover - AnnLoneliness has been Gabriel’s companion for since his parents’ passing, growing with each sibling that leaves home to start their own life. When a big earthquake hits Alaska, Gabriel finds himself taking in Avery, his two daughters, and their grandmother and relishes not being so alone. Yet, Gabriel feels a spark of recognition he can’t explain about Avery, but more than that, he likes the company and wishes he could have a deeper relationship with the man. But when the small family has their new home, what could make Avery want to stay?

7/10 Derek and Hayden by Megan Linden

Earthquake Cover - MeganDerek Warden is certain his boss sent him to cover the conference in the middle of nowhere, Alaska, to punish him for something. After an unpleasant phone call from his father who tries to stop him from going, Derek is ready for the whole thing to be over before it even begins.

Hayden Shaw has been looking forward to this conference for months. The problem of fracking is very dear to his heart and he couldn’t wait to spend the long weekend with like-minded people.
Neither of them expected the big earthquake, but most importantly – they didn’t expect each other. Meeting again after over a decade may result in something even more surprising that the ground trembling under their feet.

7/17 Rhody & Brendan by Diana DeRicci

Earthquake Cover - DianaRhody Witte is on his way to Alaska for two weeks of fishing and not much else. Mountains, clean air, and all the bait he can waste. What he gets is the largest earthquake to rock the Alaskan wilds in sixty-plus years.

Brendan Skorvarski isn’t the kind of man Rhody usually finds himself attracted to, much less want to know, but there’s something in the gentle giant that Rhody can’t seem to resist.

When they’re locked up in a cabin together for days in the Alaskan wilderness, resistance seems futile when survival takes precedence. Especially their survival when Rhody sees a bear outside their window.

7/24 Anders & Ujaruk by Caraway Carter

Earthquake Cover - CarawayGeologist Anders Thorpe has sworn off relationships with colleagues, after his last one ended in a dirty little game of sabotage. Six months later and he’s preparing to camp and investigate a gold mine that might still be active. He’s joined by Ujaruk an archaeologist who fights an inner battle with the fact that he’s a native Aleut, and wondering if he’ll ever find the perfect man.

Will Anders break his vow? Will Ujaruk find the right guy? Will they survive whatever is thrown their way?

7/31 Xavier & Devin by Nicole Dennis

Earthquake Cover - NicoleTremors are a part of everyday life in big Alaska.

Bush pilot, Xavier Markovic, goes with nature’s flow and loves it. He guides guests through Denali National Park to show off his beloved state. Until health issues arise for his mentor, Daniel Chevalier, and Xavier flies him to the hospital.

An almost fatal tumble down a mountain ends Devin Chevalier’s professional mountain biking career and brings him to a crossroads. Learning his grandfather is ill, he makes a rash decision. Uprooting his life for a chance to meet Daniel, he crosses paths with a brash Alaskan.

Alaska throws them another surprise in the form of a huge earthquake. Differences put aside while they struggle to survive.

8/7 Asher and Emmett by Anna Lee

Earthquake Cover - AnnaCelebrating their fifth anniversary, Asher and Emmett are on a romantic getaway in a cabin in Alaska. They have plans to adopt when they return home. But their paradise is destroyed when a huge earthquakes hits. Being a firefighter and a paramedic, both men put themselves at risk to save others when the tragedy strikes. Will they be able to make it home to start a family?

Pages or Words: Varies by book

Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, Historical, M/M Romance, Paranormal (Please keep in mind that not all stories feature all categories)

 

Author Names, Bios, and Release Dates:

BannerTemplate
7/3 Ann Anderson
Born and raised in Illinois, Ann spends her time reading, writing, working, and playing video games whenever the cats, and her family, don’t demand her attention. The second born of four, Ann has learned to listen and observe, a skill she’s honed because the simplest words or gestures can be the next big story idea, and she’s always on the lookout for ideas.
Contact Info:
E-mail: author_ann_anderson@yahoo.com
Blog: http://authorannanderson.blogspot.com

7/10 Megan Linden
Megan is one of those people who dreamed of being a writer since they were a little kid and then didn’t do anything about it for years. Then as a teenager she was introduced to fandom and… well. She fell head first into it and never looked back. At some point she decided to try writing her own characters in her own stories. And that’s where she is today.
Megan is also a psychologist and continues to learn the hard way that she can’t give all her clients their happy ending (she truly believes everyone can save themselves, though). That’s why she makes sure to give it to her characters, always.
Contact Info:
Email: meganlindencom@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megan.linden.54
Website/Blog: http://www.meganlinden.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7789392.Megan_Linden

7/17 Diana DeRicci
Diana DeRicci is the sexy, flirty pen name of Diana Castilleja. A romance author at heart, DeRicci’s writing takes you into a saucier spectrum of sensuality and sexual adventure, where a happily-ever-after is still the key to any story. Diana lives in Central Texas with her husband, one son and a feisty little Chihuahua named Rascal. You can catch the latest news on all of Diana DeRicci’s writing and books on her website. Feel free to drop Diana an email. She’d love to hear from you.
Contact Info:
Website/Blog: http://dianadericci.com/

7/24 Caraway Carter
Caraway Carter has worn numerous hats. He’s been a furniture salesman, a dresser, a costumer, an actor/waiter, a rabble rouser, a poet and most recently a writer. He married his husband on Halloween and they are the loving parents of two rambunctious cats. He loves words and stringing them together, he loves sex and sexy men, he loves seeing how far his muse will take him and he’s looking forward to entertaining you.
Contact Info:
Email: carawaycarter@gmail.com
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/CarawayCarter?fref=nf
Website/Blog: http://www.carawaycarter.com/
Goodreads: Group: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13539002.Caraway_Carter

7/31 Nicole Dennis
A quiet one growing up, Nicole Dennis left reality for the comfort of books, filling a personal library over the years. Characters started talking about their own stories. Writing them down whether during or after class, she continues to this day. She lets others meet her characters, walk through her worlds, and sigh as a romance overcomes all obstacles. All of her romances include delightful twists of GLBT, paranormal, fantasy, and erotica and always have their Happily Ever Afters.
She lives and works in Central Florida. Thanks to a quiet working environment, she can escape into her stories. At home, a semi-demonic tortie calico, affectionately known as Fat Cat on social media, rules their home.
Contact Info:
Email: nicoledennis.author@gmail.com
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nicoledennis.author/
Website/Blog: http://nicoledennisauthor.blogspot.com
Goodreads: Member: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2791975.Nicole_Dennis

8/7 Anna Lee
Anna Lee graduated from the University of California Riverside with a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing. Living with a disability, she has overcome many challenges and puts her passion for life and love into her writing. She lives with her family and dogs and enjoys writing late into the night. When she isn’t writing, Anna enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephew or chatting with her friends about her favorite books and TV shows.
Contact Info:
Email: annalee509@gmail.com
Twitter: annalee59
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/authorannalee
Website/Blog: http://www.storiesbyannalee.com

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $30 gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the MLR Press and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Final

Tour Dates & Stops:
9-Jul
Dawn’s Reading Nook
16-Jul
The Hat Party
Bayou Book Junkie
23-Jul
Velvet Panic
30-Jul
Mikky’s World of Books
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
6-Aug
Hearts on Fire
Jessie G. Books
13-Aug
MM Good Book Reviews
The Novel Approach
20-Aug
Happily Ever Chapter
Prism Book Alliance
27-Aug
Inked Rainbow Reads
BFD Book Blog
Love Bytes

Its Fantasy and Romance with Surrounded by Crimson (Sumeria’s Sons #4) by Lexi Ander (excerpt and giveaway)

Print

Surrounded by Crimson (Sumeria’s Sons #4) by Lexi Ander
Release Date: July 1, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Cover Artist: Londen Burden

Banner300x250

Sales Link:   Less Than Three Press | Amazon

 

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Tristan has agreed to bond with Ushna but there is still much to do and returning to Tribe Enkidu puts everyone on edge. Tristan is being stalked like prey all the while fighting depression as he mourns the loss of Nikita and enduring a battle of wills with the Elder Council over his birthright. The pleading of his adoptive daughter only adds still more stress to the situation.

Stumbling onto a secret prison while searching for Ushna leads Tristan to risk everything to free a lost God. But breaking the tie to his Flame has more repercussions than Tristan knew and the assistance of a forgotten Goddess and a centuries old lover may not be enough to save him.

Pages or Words: 48,000 words

Categories: M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Ushna was out of the car and greeting his parents before I unbuckled the seatbelt. Hami wasn’t as tall as his son but he was wide, very wide, barrel-chested with a set of deltoids on him the size of small children. His dark hair was cut above the ears and I’d never seen the man without at least three days growth of facial hair. It looked good on him. That kind of scruff made me resemble a bum.

Donya was tall and lean, one of those women who had a natural sway when she walked. Her blue-black hair fell to her waist in thick glossy waves. Her skin was a deep almond, darker than her husband’s or son’s, and her bright, emerald-green eyes were large and expressive.

They both greeted Ushna with festive exuberance, and why not? I’d kept him away from them for a very long time. I observed them for a moment over the hood of the SUV. Hami picked his son up in a bear hug, laughing loud and boisterous. Donya took his face between her palms as she gazed deeply into his bi-colored eyes—eyes that were forever changed by me. At that thought, I wondered how they truly perceived me. My stomach rolled with anxiety-induced queasiness.

With all the grace of someone my size, I made my way into the house, leaving Ushna to his family reunion. I had hoped we wouldn’t see them until after the children were born. I’d entered the home stretch of my pregnancy. Even with the ring of illusion, I had a hard time hiding my condition. Early in my pregnancy, Gregori had fashioned a ring of magic, creating the illusion that hid my continually growing stomach and constructed a normal appearance.

A pregnant male wasn’t something we wanted to explain to humans. With the looming threat of assassination, if my identity was discovered, we thought it best to continue to keep my birthright a secret until after the children were born. So I’d continue to wear the illusion even though the ring wasn’t much help now. The giveaway was in the walk and the way I stood. People could see there was something different by how I held my body and it couldn’t be helped. I was able to hurry, in spurts, and then I lumbered like an elephant—very National Geographic.

Neesie followed me into the kitchen. She was dressed differently than what I’d become accustomed to. Gone were the combat boots, black jeans, and white tees. She wore a pale blue silk blouse, a pinstriped pencil skirt, and knee-high black stiletto boots. She appeared fierce in a whole new way.

“Why didn’t you wait and greet Ushna’s parents?” she asked.

With a plate in hand, I inspected the cold cuts tray that sat on the kitchen counter. I was starved and wanted something quick to eat before everyone came in. When I didn’t answer Neesie, she took the plate from me and started placing fresh vegetables on it.

“I thought I’d give them some time to catch up,” I finally replied. It wasn’t a complete lie. “They haven’t had their son to themselves in quite some time. They don’t need me hanging out in the background.”

Neesie pinned me with her golden-brown gaze. “That is such bullshit and you know it. What’s the real issue?”

I quirked a smile at her. “You know I love ya?”

“Yes, and you’re the one who called me for dating advice because you suck at subtle. Your ‘hey moron, get your hands off my sister’ ranked right up there.”

“I can’t help it if Mr. Octopus Arms was oblivious to his audience.”

“Go ahead and keep playing that song because I know you still refer to him as Lonnie Fucking-Fowler. Before you walked into the house, your face turned green and you practically sprinted in here.”

“Ahh, stampede!” I gave mock crowd screams. Neesie was not impressed.

“Spill, jackass.” She shoved a full plate into my hands and a chair under my ass. Neesie glared at me but her expression was filled with concern.

“Fine, you tyrant. I wanted to make a good impression. I wanted to be able to show them that I am a strong partner and worthy of their son’s love and devotion. But right now I’m huge, and miserable, and swollen, and hungry. Why did you give me carrots? You know I hate carrots. You’re trying to torture me, aren’t you? I’m an elephant, not a rabbit. I get like peanuts or something, not Bugs Bunny hand-me-downs.” I threw the carrot at my cackling sister. The woman was not remorseful.

“Tristan.”

I threw another carrot at Neesie before turning to see who called for me. I swallowed a curse as I faced Donya. She stood in the doorway, her large green eyes soft and liquid as she searched my expression.

“Ma’am?” Embarrassingly, my voice cracked like I was fourteen years old.

“How can we not be proud of you, son?” Donya crossed the room in a smooth glide and gently took me in her arms. “We’ve always been proud of you, Tristan, don’t ever believe differently.” Tentatively I embraced her in return and ignored Neesie’s sniffles.

BannerTemplate

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Lexi has always been an avid reader, and at a young age started reading (secretly) her mother’s romances (the ones she was told not to touch). She was the only teenager she knew of who would be grounded from reading. Later, with a pencil and a note book, she wrote her own stories and shared them with friends because she loved to see their reactions. A Texas transplant, Lexi now kicks her boots up in the Midwest with her Yankee husband and her eighty-pound puppies named after vacuum cleaners.

Where to find the author:
Web site: http://www.lexiander.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexi.ander.9
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LexiAnder1
Blog: http://lexiander.blogspot.com/
E-mail: lexi.ander.author@gmail.com

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Enter to win the Rafflecopter Prizes:
• Prize offered: $20 Amazon Gift card, $20 All Romance Gift card, hard copy of Surrounded by Crimson, swag (pens, bookmarks)
• $20 All Romance Gift card, hard copy of Surrounded by Crimson, swag (pens, bookmarks)
• hard copy of Surrounded by Crimson, swag (pens, bookmarks)
• e-book copy of Surrounded by Crimson
• e-book copy of Surrounded by Crimson

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Final

 

Tour Dates & Stops:

27-Jul
Rainbow Gold Reviews
Hearts on Fire
GGR Review

28-Jul
My Fiction Nook
Cathy Brockman Romances
Decadent Delights
The Hat Party

29-Jul
MM Good Book Reviews
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

30-Jul
Bayou Book Junkie

31-Jul
Love Bytes
Molly Lolly

3-Aug
Nephylim
The Novel Approach

4-Aug
Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves
Cate Ashwood

5-Aug
Chris McHart
Inked Rainbow Reads

6-Aug
Divine Magazine
BFD Book Blog

7-Aug
Prism Book Alliance

A Paul B Review: Remy’s Painter (The Werewolves of Manhattan #2) by A.C. Katt

 Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Remy's Painter coverRemy Clavier has just taken over as second in command of the North American Council of Werewolves and Garou Corporation. While searching for a base of operations in Manhattan, he finds a series of buildings in Brooklyn. As soon as he can get his townhome renovated, he can move out of the leader’s condo that he is staying in while the Alpha and his mate go on a year long combined honeymoon and business trip.

Ian Sullivan is desperate. His brother and father have been killed in a car accident. However, Ian believes that it was no accident. He believes that their deaths are attributed to the loans that his brother owes to Sal Ferrara, a member of one of the New York mobs. During the funeral, the mobster comes to Ian and tells him that he know owes his brothers debt. He can either pay up or become his personal sex toy. He gives Ian until Friday to come up with the first payment or else Ian becomes his.

Not wanting to have anything to do with the Sal, Ian decides to keep the one appointment remaining before his family was killed. Now being a one-man operation instead of three, he knows there it little chance of getting the job. He vows he would rather kill himself before he has to fulfill the terms set out by Sal.

When Remy opens the door to the man who is bidding to repaint the townhome, he recognizes two things. First, Ian is his mate. Second, the desperation smell coming of Ian. Third, the man is human. He makes up his mind to convince the young man to be his. He bends over backwards to award the job to Ian. Then he sets out a plan to convince Ian to accept that werewolves are real and that he can help him solve his problem with his mob stalker. When Remy sends representatives to pay off the debt, he is flatly refused. Remy realizes that this is personal. How can he solve Ian’s problems without starting a war with the mob?

I enjoyed this second novel in the Werewolves of Manhattan series. It follows the same basic premise of the first in which a human is in trouble and stumbles into his werewolf mate rescuer. Sal is a decent bad guy and furthers the story line of the tense relationship between the New York mafia and those of North American Council of Werewolves. I expect this tension to continue in further novels.

The gorgeous cover by Winterheart Designs shows depiction of Remy and Ian as I would picture them with Remy’s wolf howling at a moon. This is set above a New York skyline.

Sales Links:   MLR Press  |  All Romance (ARe) |  Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:
Add it to your Goodreads List here
EBook: 172 pages
ASIN: B0106CFR7C
Published: June 2015 by MLR Press
Edition: English
Series: The Werewolves of Manhattan:
His Omega (Werewolves of Manhattan #1)
Remy’s Painter (Werewolves of Manhattan #2)

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review ~ On the Clock (Market Garden #8) by Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
OnTheClock_600x900Those who have been following the Market Garden series since the debut of Quid Pro Quo may have been as excited as I was to finally get the story of the man we all knew as Rolex. Never one to hesitate to lay out the cash for a hot night of sex with the rent boys from Market Garden, Rolex has earned a reputation among the rentboys, especially his two favorites, Tristan and Jared. But they have retired, so with their recommendation for a guy named Jason ringing in his mind, he enters Market Garden in search of his new playmate.

Jason has been given a heads-up by Tristan and Jared and when he asks the John for the time and spots the Rolex on his wrist, he knows this is the man he’s been waiting for. Blake Raleigh visits London several times a year and is no stranger to spending money to blow his mind, and other parts as well. But he hasn’t met a negotiator of Jason’s caliber before. Jason actually gets off on the negotiations, and the higher the price, the better, so when Blake agrees to his initial request for his 18K gold cuff links, Jason is all his for the night. And what a night! It’s so good, in fact, that Blake occupies Jason’s time every night for the entire week.

But Blake can’t seem to forget Jason when he returns back home to the US, and neither, apparently, can Jason forget Blake. The two text and Skype and really start get to know one another. But Jason is still a negotiator, and when Blake accepts his offer for a hot night of voyeurism on Skype, Blake is shocked to see the threesome Jason has arranged. Tristan and Jared have joined Jason for the “show”—a very expensive show which ends up costing Blake 15 quid, a price Blake considers well-earned when he sees what Jared is willing to do on camera.

During the next real-time visit, Jason earns himself a first class ticket to the US to accompany Blake for a week, and it’s during that week that the two become much more than rentboy and client. That week, because Jason gets ill, is all about companionship and friendship, and after Jason leaves, Blake feels like there’s a huge hole left in his life that only Jason can heal.

But will Jason see it that way? How can Blake convey his feelings to Jason when they are five thousand miles apart? And how can he ask Jason to give up the work he loves?

Readers will enjoy the hoops Blake is willing to jump through to get to Jason, but be prepared for tears as Blake learns that not everything he wants can be bought or bargained for. This is an enjoyable story, with some extremely hot sex scenes, but some equally poignant quiet moments. I was very happy to see Tristan and Jared again, but overall, I was disappointed in the story because it didn’t live up to my expectations.

I never felt the spark of attraction—that push-pull of ying and yang we often feel when the authors fan the flames of sexual tension between two MCs. We knew Blake as Rolex in previous stories, but this Blake didn’t have the same feel, and somehow his persona wasn’t as magnetic or as powerful as he had been previously. Jason was attractive, but again, I wasn’t pulled to him. I wasn’t rooting for him. And I wasn’t terribly convinced that the two should be together long term. So yes, the guys get their HFN, or HEA, whichever way you want to look at it, but I wasn’t at all excited about it.

I do recommend this to those who have read the series, especially the books featuring Tristan, Jared, and Rolex. The series just wouldn’t be complete without it. And it is a good story, with lots of hot sex scenes, and many readers may feel the spark that fell short for me. It can be read as a standalone, but it would be much better if readers complete Quid Pro Quo, Take it Off, and Payoff first.

~~~~
Cover art by L.C. Chase depicts a gold stopwatch on the black background which ties the Market Garden series stories together. And, though the cover is very sharp, I’m disappointed that it wasn’t a wristwatch which would represent the main character in this story—the man who was called Rolex in the first three books.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing  |  All Romance (ARe)  | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 219 pages
Published July 13th 2015 by Riptide Publishing (first published July 12th 2015)
original title On the Clock
ISBN13  9781626493261
edition language English
series Market Garden #8
Market Garden seriesFor love or money . . .

Welcome to Market Garden, a London club that caters to the better-off. Businessmen and bankers come here to relax and indulge in their every whim and fantasy, and Market Garden offers it all in top-shelf quality: threesomes, voyeuristic pleasures, domination, ropes and camo and leather. Men of every stripe, colour, and nationality deliver these high-end services—everyone has their reasons to sell sex. And it’s the hottest sex in town.

And sometimes, it’s even served with a side of true love.

Books in this series are:
Quid Pro Quo (Market Garden, #1)
Take It Off (Market Garden, #2)
If It Flies (Market Garden, #3)
If It Fornicates (Market Garden, #4)
Capture & Surrender (Market Garden, #5)
Payoff (Market Garden, #6)
If It Drives (Market Garden, #7)
If It Drives (Market Garden, #7)
Tristan & Jared
On the Clock (Market Garden, #8)