Category: Riptide Publishing

Review: Saugatuck Summer (Saugatuck #1) by Amelia C. Gormley

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

SaugatuckSummer_500x750Topher Carlisle likes to think of himself as fabulous. Topher knows he looks fabulous, now only if he felt that way on the inside.  He is turning twenty one and stands on the precipice of adulthood with life changing decisions rising up around him. Gay, gorgeous and of mixed race, Topher’s upbringing has been anything but normal.  Or happy.  Or safe. His mother is a drug dependent alcoholic whose mental health issues threatened his health and his sanity growing up.  His other relatives are little better, giving him support on their terms, which were both emotionally and physically abusive.  And while most people only see a flamboyantly gay, intelligent and perhaps superficial young man, the inner Topher is the one who continues to battle with his depression and thoughts of worthlessness.

Supporting himself through college on a swimming scholarship, Topher’s education might be cut short if he can’t get in condition to compete for the team in the fall and earn the money he needs for board.  Luckily for Topher, his BFF, Mo is bringing him with her to the family beach house on Lake Michigan.  A summer of swimming and, hopefully, part time work, should just do the trick if Topher can stick with the program, but that is something he rarely does.   And something totally unexpected and disasterous happens….his bestfriend’s father is handsome, closeted…and it turns out, available for an affair.  An affair that ruins everyones lives before the summer is over.

Now homeless, friendless and desperate Topher needs help in the worst way. And it comes in the shape of a artist named Jace who asks to paint his portrait and sees beyond the facade Topher has erected to protect himself from further pain.  And he just might be the answer to this young gay man’s prayers…if only Topher will give him a chance and let him in.

What?  Don’t recognize the book by the synopsis above?  Not even close to the blurb you read that starts out  “Hi, I’m Topher Carlisle: twenty-one, pretty, and fabulous”?  Not surprising because that light, somewhat comedic summary has little in common with the dark, heartrending story that is Saugatuck Summer.  Just like you, I was expecting a sort of coming of age story featuring one of those fabulous characters who burbles on in an almost stream of consciouness, missing an editor gate sort of inner monologue.  You know light, kind of frothy, with hints of angst here and there.  That is not, as I said, Saugatuck Summer.  What I got was darker, deeper, and totally involving featuring a mess of a main character who is not instantly likable.  All of which is much, much better than anything I had originally anticipated.

Instead of light romance, Gormley gives us Christopher “Topher” Carlisle, a chronic depressive who is half black, gay, and on the cusp of turning twenty one.  A traumatic event sent him into a downward spiral last year in college, turning him into a black hole of depression and making him unable to attend classes or stay in shape to swim.  We meet Topher as the summer starts.  His bestfriend, Mo, has invited Topher to stay with her and her family at the summer vacation home on Lake Michigan free of charge.  There Topher can swim himself back into shape and get a part-time job to help pay college expenses in the fall. Sounds great, right?  And it would be for anyone but Topher who is also self destructive and possesses of poor self image.  He is, as they say, his own worst enemy and proves it over and over again to himself to be certain.

Gormley establishes that the reasons why Topher acts the way he does are grounded in his abusive past which continues to haunt him as he cannot bring himself to cut all ties to his mother and his family.  The author doesn’t dump all the horror that is Topher’s family on the reader at once which is probably a good thing because the ghastly mess that is Topher’s family and upbringing is made more effective when it is revealed in segments of painful revelations as Topher relives scenes from his childhood and other memories that refuse to stay buried.  Topher himself is aware of his self destructive tendencies.  He is the product of years of therapy and doctor ordered medications that help with the depression.  But as the cause of most of his pain is only a phone call away, a complete breakdown is a possibility in any given stressful situation.  Over and over again, Gormley’s Topher will bring us to tears even as we want to give him a shake in frustration over his actions. We get it and him.  It will take a while to accept Topher as he is such a deeply flawed young man but when you do (and you will if you give him a chance), then his journey out of the darkness and into a reality where he just might find happiness is one you will wholly invest yourself in. You will love this young man and every step he takes, forward and back, are ones that you will take together.

Ah, yes, the cheating.  I know that for some of you, just the mention of cheating will have you crossing this off your TBR list.  And that the man who cheats is not only married but Topher’s best friend’s father might send the rest of you running for the proverbial door.  To all of you, please put that issue aside and read this story.  Brandon, the father, has his own demons to fight and he also is a flawed, impulsive human being.  Brandon knows that this affair will end badly but like Topher, he can’t help himself.   Again, Gormley provides a solid and realistic rationale for both men’s actions.  You don’t have to like what  they are doing, just understand that each man, or almost man in Topher’s case, has so many dark skeletons in their closet that it makes this jump into bed almost a given.  Everyone here is so authentically human, painfully so that no matter how awful their actions seems, you still end up empathizing with everyone who gets pulled into this mess.  And that includes the two main participants.

Gormley does an outstanding job with all her characters here.  Mo, the best friend betrayed by both her father and Topher, is a portrait of loyalty and heartbreak.   A married couple, Robin (an art gallery owner) and Geoff, his partner and tattoo artist, who turn out to be the grounded gay couple who helps save Topher by providing a framework of knowledge and friendship that Topher has never had before.   And finally Jace, the artist who sees deeply into the troubled Topher and still wants to pursue a relationship. Each and every one is a stunner of a character.  And their importance to this story and Topher is beautifully rendered in scenes that will make you laugh and cry and want to be a part of that village that starts to raise Topher up out of the hole made by his upbringing and family.

Is this an easy book to read?  No, not really.  But it is a wonderful one.  It will pull you in, involve you emotionally and mentally.  It will tear you up as you watch Topher breaking on the shoals of his illness and family history.  And finally it will move you to tears and happiness as Topher finds his way to love and a future.  Thankfully, Amelia C. Gormley realizes that there will never be an easy resolution to someone with Topher’s illnesses and past, only better ways to handle them with the right therapy and a balanced doctor proscribed plan of medication.  So the ending is marvelously conceived and wonderfully realistic.  I loved it as I did Topher and everyone else found within the covers of Saugatuck Summer.

Saugatuck Summer  is a book not to be missed.  It will be one to be remembered.  And Saugatuck Summer will be on my Best of 2014 list at the end of the year.

Cover artist is LC Chase.  That cover is beautifully deceptive.  You only think it shows a lovely peaceful beach scene but look at the gathering storm clouds and the portent is clear.  Just an amazing cover, one of the best of the year.

 

Of Special Note:  Be sure to check out the Saugatuck Summer soundtrack by singer/songwriter Casey Stratton .  This soundtrack is the soundtrack for Topher’s life.  Stratton’s music and lyrics are found throughout the story, linking events, memories and happenings together in a seamless strand of melody.  I found a new musician to love with this story.  Visit his website.  I think you will find the same.

Book Details:

ebook, 363 pages
Published May 19th 2014 by Riptide Publishing (first published May 17th 2014)
original titleSaugatuck Summer
ISBN139781626491168
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://riptidepublishing.com/
seriesSaugatuck #1

Buy Links:   Riptide Publishing               Amazon                         ARe

Review: Hostile Ground by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Enemy territory is a dangerous place to fall in love.

HostileGround_500x750After three undercover cops died while investigating a Seattle crime lord with international ties, Detective Mahir Hussain was chosen next to infiltrate the drug ring and finish the job they started.  His superiors reasoned that Mahir had an advantage the other officers didn’t, the first and foremost being that Mahir is gay and currently lacking a partner. The drug ring operates out of a disreputable nightclub in one of the worst districts in Seattle and its head of security is known to only hire gay men. Mahir is also a Muslim and of Arabic descent which makes Mahir work that much harder to prove himself while taking on jobs that others might flinch at, including this one.

Mahir joins the club’s security team but only after passing his inspection and initiation by Ridley, the drug lord’s right hand man.  And as only gay men are allowed to protect the strippers, Ridley knows exactly how to test each man that applies for work there….by testing his sexuality up close and personal. A test that Mahir passes with enthusiasm to his surprise. Ridley is not only cold and intimidating but extremely dangerous and dangerously handsome as well.  Mahir finds himself getting in deeper than he expected….deeply involved with the sexy, ruthless Ridley and  pulled deeper into a crime organization that is more than it seems from the outside.

Mahir knows that his position is shaky.  He must find the answers he needs as well as the evidence to convict the criminals. And Mahir must do so quickly before he is discovered to be a cop and the ties and emotions he feels towards Ridley become too deep to cut. Mahir Hussain is a man on hostile ground. Will he be able to save himself when the danger is to his heart as well?

Undercover cops in danger is a terrific and exciting element for any story and in Hostile Ground, it is only the jumping off point for the action and adventure that Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt have in store for the reader with this marvelous tale of crime, passion, and deception.  With Voinov and Witt at the helm, mayhem and hot, dangerous liaisons are sure to follow.  And one half of the explosive duo here is a not only a total surprise but my favorite characters in the story.  That would be Mahir Hussain.

To have your tale unfold from the viewpoint of an American Muslim of Middle Eastern descent is not only unexpected but adds a dimension of tension and potential for bigotry not found to often in the m/m genre or any genres I can think of outside the role of villain or conspirator.  Having Mahir Hussein, as a main character in a m/m story, someone who is both a Muslim and of Arabic descent, who is also the romantic “lead” is both fascinating and compelling.  That Mahir faces discrimination and hostility in both his law enforcement profession and from the criminals in his undercover role just points out that bigotry and race hatred has no boundaries.  Between the “camel jokes” Mahir makes before anyone else can and his interaction with his strict Muslim brother who refuses to accept Mahir’s sexuality. we are given a broader picture of the consequences of his heritage, sexuality, and religion within society, whether that society is legal or not.  Mahir is such a great character, flaws and all, that the reader will fall for this intense and complicated man from the outset.

Mahir’s character is grounded by his family, estranged brother included.   The authors have given Mahir a young, gay nephew whose troubles with his father and family mirror those that Mahir went through earlier in his life.  Seen through both their eyes, the struggle to remain a part of the tightknit conservative family while staying true to who you are and who you love becomes understandable with its familial pull and emotionally explosive issues to resolve.  I loved the nephew too, so young, troubled, and in need of love and support from his uncle.

Ridley, the head of security for the crime boss, is deadly, ruthless, and sexually commanding. Ridley is both a threat and the magnet that is pulling Mahir into a relationship he never expected and a sexual role that is outside his comfort zone, or so Mahir thought.  Prior to Ridley, Mahir has always been the person in command in the bedroom and elsewhere but Ridley expects submission and obedience.  How Mahir handles that change in roles is both challenging and extremely hot to read about.  Witt and Voinov up the suspense and action as the relationship between Mahir and Ridley gets as out of control as the situation they find themselves in.

Things I would have loved to have seen expounded on was Mahir’s role within his family and his nephew Kinza, mainly what happened to Kinza who I adored. Plus a little more transition between the last two chapters and the epilogue.  It all happens so quickly at the end (as it would when that action was going down) but a little more explanations after the climax would have fleshed out the resolution as deeply and completely as the rest of the story felt.  I know that is asking a lot as the book is already at 362 pages, but a complex plot needs that complexity mirrored at the end and I am just not sure that happens to its full potential.

As with all reviewers, the challenge is to talk about the book  but leave out the information that spoils the plot and the ending.  That is particularly tough here where the plot has more layers than an English Trifle. You must first navigate your way through all the layers of this story that the authors have constructed, to figure out all the hidden subterfuge, the antagonists and their roles, and exactly what the criminals are hiding, selling and willing to kill for….well, that’s a deep and complex dish.  It’s very satisfying but the smallest additional information would reveal the wrong thing at definitely the wrong time.

Do I recommend Hostile Ground?  Absolutely.  It’s hot, sexy, surprising, and action packed.  It’s a love story and a thriller.  What’s not to love?  Add an undercover Muslim detective, a commanding and dominant sexy criminal, a young, naive gay nephew and more secrets than any one cop can handle, and you have a recipe for an entertaining and hard to put down story.  Grab this up and begin your investigation on Hostile Ground today.

Cover art by LC Chase.  Chase gives us a dark and sexy cover which totally works for this story and its characters based in Seattle.

Book Details:

Word count: 96,600; Page count: 362
Kindle Edition
Published May 11th 2014 by Riptide Publishing
ASINB00K9YM52I
edition language English

Buy Links:   Riptide Publishing           Amazon               ARe

On Tour with Amelia C. Gormley and Saugatuck Summer (contest)

 

SaugatuckSummer_TourBanner(1)

Good morning all!  Amelia C. Gormley is here today talking about her latest release, Saugatuck Summer, a book that is truly an endeavor from the heart.

Good morning, Amelia!

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Hi, and welcome to the Saugatuck Summer blog tour! Thank you to Scattered Thoughts and Roque Words Reviews for hosting me today! SaugatuckSummer_150x300(2)

For those of you who have seen me talking about it on social media for the last nearly year and a half, you know that Saugatuck Summer was a labor of love far beyond what I would normally claim for one of my books. Of course I love them all, but Saugatuck Summer came from my very soul. Actually, I’m not certain it came from me at all.

✍
Basically, here’s what happened: One day I was driving along, running errands, and Topher Carlisle whispered one line of dialogue in my ear. Just one. When I asked him what I was supposed to do with that, he promptly took over my brain for fifteen absolutely insane days and at the end I had the first draft of Saugatuck Summer.

✍
Topher’s story of recovery, hope, making mistakes, and growing up just told itself, and the experience of being the conduit for that was at times grueling and heartbreaking, but also euphoric and wonderful. It was one of those experiences that, as a creator of some form of art, be it musical, visual, or literary, you have once or twice in a lifetime if you’re extraordinarily lucky, when you know you’re creating something magical. I’m not sure it will ever happen to me again, but I feel absolutely blessed that this book has come of it.

✍
This week on the Saugatuck Summer blog tour, I’ll be sharing some bonus content from the book and a sneak peek at another upcoming book in the Saugatuck universe. I’ll also be having a heart-to-heart discussion with Marie Sexton about our experiences as adult children of alcoholics and how they translated into writing our ACOA characters from Saugatuck Summer and Family Man, giving you a peek at some of “Jace’s” art, and I’ll be sharing the  official Saugatuck Summer soundtrack from a brilliant singer/songwriter of my personal acquaintance, Casey Stratton.

✍
And finally, all week long I’ll be asking trivia questions from Saugatuck Summer and this week’s blog tour articles, and each correct answer emailed to me offers you a chance to win your choice of any of my backlist titles!

✍
So put on your sunscreen and let’s go!

✍
Contest:    HOW TO WIN YOUR CHOICE OF ANY SINGLE BOOK FROM MY BACKLIST (all-in-one volumes not included):

Riptide Publishing Saugatuck Summer Book Tour:
At each stop along the blog tour I’ll be asking a trivia question from Saugatuck Summer. Yes, this means some familiarity with the book is required, whether you purchase a copy, have an ARC, or employ the Kindle or B&N lending programs. If you visit some of the other blog tour stops, you might also find the answer in some of the excerpts.

✍
PLEASE DO NOT ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS. Instead, send the answer to me privately by using this contact form. Each response will enter you into the drawing and three winners will be picked. The more questions you answer, the more entries you get. You can choose from any of the following titles:
Inertia (Impulse, Book One)
Acceleration (Impulse, Book Two)
Velocity (Impulse, Book Three)

The Laird’s Forbidden Lover
An Inch at a Time (The Professor’s Rule #2)
Inch by Inch (The Professor’s Rule #3)
 ”
Every Inch of the Way (The Professor’s Rule #4)
To the Very Last Inch (The Professor’s Rule #5)
Strain

(Note:  Giving an Inch (The Professor’s Rule #1) is already available free at Riptide, and my pre-Saugatuck novella, The Field of Someone Else’s Dreams, is available for free at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, and elsewhere.)
Contest Rules and Prizes:  Again, please do not post your answer in the comments, but submit it to me privately.
To give people time to read and respond, the contest will remain open for one month after the release of Saugatuck Summer. It will close on June 19, and the drawing will be held on June 20.

Today’s Saugatuck Summer trivia question:
Chapter 16, what happens between Topher and Brendan to bring an end to their affair?

***
SaugatuckSummer_500x750One summer can change everything.

Hi, I’m Topher Carlisle: twenty-one, pretty, and fabulous. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. But let’s get real. Walking the fake-it-til-you-make-it road to independence and self-respect isn’t easy. Especially since my mom’s a deadbeat alcoholic, and most of my family expects me to turn out just as worthless. Oh, and I’m close to losing my college swimming scholarship, so let’s add “dropout” to the list.

My BFF has invited me to stay at her beach house on the shore of Lake Michigan. That’ll give me one summer to make money and figure out what I want to do with my life. So of course I decide to have an affair with my BFF’s married, closeted dad. Because that always works out.

Now I’m homeless, friendless, jobless. Worthless. Just like my family expects, right? Except there’s this great guy, Jace, who sees it differently. He’s got it all together in ways I can only dream of—he’s hot, creative, insightful, understanding. He seems to think I don’t give myself enough credit. And if I don’t watch out, I may start to believe him.
***
Be sure to check out the Saugatuck Summer soundtrack by singer/songwriter Casey Stratton .

Author Bio: Amelia C. Gormley may seem like anyone else. But the truth is she sings in the shower, dances doing laundry, and writes blisteringly hot m/m erotic romance while her son is at school. When she’s not writing in her Pacific Northwest home, Amelia single-handedly juggles her husband, her son, their home, and the obstacles of life by turning into an everyday superhero. And that, she supposes, is just like anyone else.

You can contact Amelia on:

 

Books/Series:

In addition to the books/novellas listed above, check out Amelia C. Gormley’s author page at Riptide Publishing for more information and buy links for

Self-published Impulse Trilogy  (info at Amelia C. Gormley’s website)

The Professor’s Rule series, erotic novelettes co-written with Heidi Belleau and of course, at Riptide Publishing.

Saugatuck Summer, adult comtemporary fiction available now at Riptide Publishing.

 

Review: Daylight Again (Hell or High Water #3) by S.E. Jakes

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Before Prophet Drews can have a future, he must first put his past to rest.

DaylightAgain_500x750Prophet Drews and Tom Boudreaux, his partner on the job and in real life, are back from the tumultuous events in New Orleans and trying to figure out where they go from here.  Tom has moved into Prophet’s condo while continuing to work for E.E, Prophet’s former employer.  And Prophet? He remains haunted by a past that won’t let him go and a secret he is hiding from Tom that might shatter any future they might have together.

Then his old CO asks Prophet to help in a dangerous rescue mission, one that will reunite all of Prophet’s old SEAL team and bring out Prophet’s and the team’s old enemies as well.  When Prophet asks Tom to come with him, Tom jumps at the chance to support his partner and uncover some answers of his own.

Before long it’s not just  CIA assassins, the terrorist Sadiq, and the enigmatic spook Cillian involved with Prophet, Tom, and the SEAL team’s rescue mission.  Odd events and occurrences start to point at one of the most  important person in Prophet’s past… John—”traitor, former teammate, and Prophet’s first love”, being involved as well.

With only a small window of opportunity to get in, accomplish their mission and then escape and when no one is sure who to trust , Prophet and Tom must search within themselves and their relationship for the truth, not only about each other but their relationship as well.  Danger , past, present and future lurks everywhere….can Prophet and Tom make it out alive and together?

In Prophet Drews and Tom Boudreaux, SE Jakes has created two marvelously complex and troubled men among a company of such men in her E.E series.  Through the last several stories, we have watched Prophet and Tom circle around each other in an absorbing pas de deux of action, passion and traumatizing personal past histories.   Endlessly drawn towards each other, the constant push and pull of attraction and yes, love, has made these two men fascinating to connect with in the drama they create and the mysteries that follow them through each adventure and calamity.  Now back from New Orleans and with their relationship strengthened, Prophet’s PSTD is getting worse by the day as is his indecision and pain over an enormous secret he is hiding from Tom.

Jakes has always been able to pull us intimately into the minds of these men and  in Daylight Again the author puts them both under a narrative microscope that will magnify all the demons Prophet and Tom have been fighting and bring them into the light for them and the reader.  Daylight Again begins a journey of revelation for Tom and Prophet on many levels.  SE Jakes starts to pull together the plot threads and characters from several of her interconnected series and weaves them here into a suspense filled, action packed drama that kept me on the edge from beginning to end.  This is a taut, streamlined narrative and it flows just as quickly from point to point as one would expect from this author and this series.

I love this author’s ability to create characters that zing off the page, their vitality and depth almost too much to be contained within the confines of a page. We have gotten to know them from Catch a Ghost, and then watch them pull together in Long Time Gone. Now Daylight Again starts with them living together and adjusting to that fact and each other with varying degrees of success.  What hurts is how close these men have become to each other and yet the reader is always aware that some sharp shard of their past lurks just outside their growing relationship to splinter it all to hell and back at a moment’s notice.  That tension that haunts this couple and story is just one more marvelous element in SE Jakes storytelling repertoire and it serves to keep the reader engrossed in the story and tightly connected to these men.

All my other favorites are here too, especially Cillian and Mal, whose story Dirty Deeds uncovered a major past connection between them whose disclosure  devastated them both.  Mal and Cillian are front and center here, still trying to deal with that personal bombshell while working together for the success of this mission.  These are strong characters too and SE Jakes does them justice and keeps us invested in their status even though this really isn’t their story….Its Prophet’s and Tom’s.  And what a story it is. SE Jakes has me both anticipating and dreading the next installment because of the great way this story ended.

The ending is astonishing.  I love the way Jakes sets us up for that denouement. And it will take us and this couple into the penulitmate story in their Hell or High Water series.  I can’t wait.  Consider this one of ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords highly recommended novel as well as one of the most entertaining series of the year.  Don’t pass up this or any of these stories by SE Jakes.  In fact, grab up everything in the Extreme Escapes universe and start reading.  You are going to fall hard for each and every dangerous and sexy man you will find within.

LC Chase has again supplied us with another outstanding cover, I just love these tats.  Graphically appealing and perfect for the men involved.

Books in the Hell or High Water series in the order they should be read:

Catch a Ghost (Hell or High Water, #1)
Long Time Gone (Hell or High Water, #2) 
Daylight Again (Hell or High Water, #3)
Not Fade Away (Hell or High Water, #3.5) Expected publication: July 14th 2014
If I Ever (Hell or High Water, #4) Expected publication: October 1st 2014

Associated Series: Extreme Escapes Universe: Men of Honor and Dirty Deeds:

Dirty Deeds (Dirty Deeds #1)  Mal and Cillian

Free Falling (Extreme Escapes, Ltd.) Blue and Mick

 

Book Details:

ebook, 265 pages
Published May 5th 2014 by Riptide Publishing (first published May 3rd 2014)
ISBN139781626491403
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/daylight-again
seriesHell or High Water #3

 

Join Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt on Hostile Ground/Riptide Publishing’s Book Tour&Contest

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

hostileGround_TourBanner(1)

 

ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords is happy to host Riptide Publishing’s Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt Hostile Ground Book Tour.  Comments will automatically enter you in the drawing for a choice of 2 eBooks off the authors backlists.  Details are listed below.

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

 

Welcome to the Riptide Publishing/Aleksandr Voinov/L. A. Witt blog tour for our thriller, Hostile Ground!

Contest: Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off our backlists (excluding Hostile Ground) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 17th, and winners will be announced on May 19th. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

 HostileGround_500x750Hostile Ground:
Enemy territory is a dangerous place to fall in love.

After the deaths of three undercover cops investigating a drug ring in a seedy strip club in Seattle, Detective Mahir Hussain has been sent to finish the job. He joins the club’s security team in the hopes of finding enough evidence to bust the operation before the men in charge find a reason to put him in a shallow grave.

To protect the strippers, only gay men can work the club. Ridley, the cold and intimidating head of security, knows exactly how to test potential new hires—including Mahir. From the minute they meet, Mahir and Ridley engage in a dangerous dance of sex and mind games. Mahir needs to find his evidence before Ridley figures out he’s a cop—and before they both grow too close to betray one another.

As the game goes on, Mahir burrows deeper into the operation, where he learns there’s much more happening than meets the eye . . . and why every cop who made it this far has been silenced with a bullet.

Hostile Ground is available May 12th from Riptide Publishing.

 

Book Details:HostileGround_150x300(2)

ebook, 362 pages
Expected publication: May 12th 2014 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626491250
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/hostile-ground

About the authors:

Aleksandr Voinov: Aleksandr has been published for twenty years, both in print and ebook. He has ten years’ experience as a writing coach, book doctor, and writing teacher, and until recently worked as an editor in financial services.

After co-authoring the M/M military cult classic Special Forces, Aleksandr embarked on a quest to write gritty, edgy, sometimes literary M/M and gay fiction (much of which is romance/erotica)—the only way he can use his American Literature degree these days.

He’s been published with Heyne/Random House, Carina Press, Samhain Publishing, and others, and is an EPIC Awards winner and a Lambda Awards finalist.

Connect with Aleks:

  • Website: aleksandrvoinov.com
  • Blog: aleksandrvoinov.blogspot.com
  • Twitter:@aleksandrvoinov
  • Goodreads: goodreads.com/Vashtan

***

L.A. Witt: L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer currently living in the glamorous and ultra-futuristic metropolis of Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband, two cats, and a disembodied penguin brain that communicates with her telepathically. In addition to writing smut and disturbing the locals, L.A. is said to be working with the US government to perfect a genetic modification that will allow humans to survive indefinitely on Corn Pops and beef jerky. This is all a cover, though, as her primary leisure activity is hunting down her arch nemesis, erotica author Lauren Gallagher, who is also said to be lurking somewhere in Omaha.

L. A.’s backlist is available on her website, and updates (as well as random thoughts and the odd snarky comment) can be found on her blog or on Twitter (@GallagherWitt).

Contest: Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off our backlists (excluding Hostile Ground) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 17th, and winners will be announced on May 19th. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.  Leave a comment and/or use the Rafflecopter link below.

Rafflecopter Link:

 

Mother’s Day and the Week Ahead in Reviews, Book Tours and Stuff!

 

 

books headers blk and white

It’s Mother’s Day and I am taking the day off for family events and such.  So without much further discourse, here is the week ahead in reviews, author guest posts, book tours and contests.  It looks to be a wonderful week:

This Week’s Schedule:

Monday, May 12:              Author Spotlight: Kimber Vale on Double Takes

Tuesday,  May 13:             Riptide’s Hostile Ground Book Tour with Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt

Wed., May 14:                    Daylight Again by SE Jakes

Thursday, May 15:            Double Takes by K. Vale

Friday, May 16:                  Author Spotlight: RJ Scott

Sat., May 17:                       One Night by RJ Scott

Those Sexy Men of Hell or High Water Are Back In SE Jakes’ Daylight Again (HHW#3) Book Tour and Contest

☠☠Prophet and Tommy are back in Daylight Again☠☠

SE Jakes is here at ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords today to talk about those wild and sexy men of her Hell or Highwater series, Prophet and Tommy.  They are back in her latest release, Daylight Again (Hell or Highwater #3).

SE Jakes: Thanks so much for hosting a spotlight of my new release— Daylight Again! It’s book 3 in the Hell or High Water series, and it’s the return of Prophet and Tommy. And Mal. And Cillian. And, as usual, some surprises. Hang on for another wild (and hot) ride!

 

DaylightAgain_500x750About Daylight Again:

Before Prophet Drews can have a future, he must first put his past to rest.

Prophet Drews is a man on the edge, and he’s pulling Tom Boudreaux, his partner on the job and in real life, right over with him. When his old CO calls in a favor, Prophet asks Tom to join the off-the-grid rescue. But the mission raises all of Prophet’s old ghosts: CIA assassins, the terrorist Sadiq, and most importantly, John—traitor, former teammate, and Prophet’s first love.

To help bury those ghosts for good, Prophet and Tom gather the members of Prophet’s former SEAL team . . . and a spook named Cillian who’s been tailing Prophet for years. In the process, Prophet is forced to face his team’s shifting loyalties, ghosts who refuse to stay dead, and scariest of all, his own limitations.

With everyone’s lives in danger, Prophet and Tom must unravel a tangled knot of secrets, including their own. Prophet must decide how much to reveal to Tom, while Tom must decide how far he’s willing to go to help Prophet lay his ghosts to rest.

Book Details:

ebook, 265 pages
Published May 5th 2014 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626491403
edition languageEnglish

Buy at:  Riptide    url  http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/daylight-again
seriesHell or High Water #3

☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠

Giveaway:

SE Jakes will be giving away one $100 gift certificate to Riptide Publishing. Entries close at midnight, Eastern Time, on May 17th, and winners will be announced on May 18th. Contest is valid worldwide.

☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠
About the Author:

SE Jakes writes m/m romance. She believes in happy endings and fighting for what you want in both fiction and real life. She lives in New York with her family and most days, she can be found happily writing (in bed). No really…

You can contact her the following ways:

  • You can email her at authorsejakes@gmail.com
  • You can post to her Facebook page: Facebook.com/SEJakes
  • You can tweet her: Twitter  .com/authorsejakes
  • You can post on her Goodreads Group: Ask SE Jakes
  • You can follow her Tumblr page: sejakes.tumblr.com
  • You can follow her on Instagram: instagram.com/authorsejakes

Truth be told, the best way to contact her is by email or in blog comments. She spends most of her time writing but she loves to hear from readers!

Catch a Ghost coverLong Time Gone coverDaylightAgain_500x750

 

 

 

 

 

☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠☠

Books in the Hell or High Water Series Include:

Catch a Ghost (Hell or High Water, #1)
Long Time Gone (Hell or High Water, #2)
Daylight Again (Hell or High Water, #3)
Not Fade Away (Hell or High Water, #3.5) – Expected publication: July 14th 2014
If I Ever (Hell or High Water, #4) –  Expected publication: October 1st 2014

☠ Excerpt (smoking hot) is right after a scene from Dirty Deeds. They’re at a bar in Amsterdam…
 Continue reading “Those Sexy Men of Hell or High Water Are Back In SE Jakes’ Daylight Again (HHW#3) Book Tour and Contest” →