Category: Self Published

Review: Out in the Cold (In From the Cold #4) (Pulp Friction 2014 #14) by Lee Brazil

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Out In The Cold coverThe summer is coming to an end and with it, Dr. Cannon Malloy’s temporary job at the hospital and his stay at Mountain Shadows.   And now that Cannon should be preparing to say his goodbyes to Flaggstaff and the people he has gotten to know so well, he finds that’s the last thing he wants to do. His reluctance to leave especially applies to the relationship that has grown up between himself and Prof.Finn Lorensson.  Cannon has figured out that he loves Finn but what does Finn feel about Cannon?  That Cannon sets out to explore.  He wants to wine and dine and plain romance the heck out of Finn before its too late.

But Finn Lorensson has other things on the mind, huge problems that are getting bigger and bigger.  His brother Siggy is due in court on the trumped up rape charge,  And someone is out to get Finn at all costs.  Finn is beginning to think that Cannon is safer far away from him and Mountain Shadows even as the thought of Cannon leaving seems unbearable.

What happens when romance and danger collide?  Will the evil hunting Finn keep the men apart just when love has found them both?

This story and series (like its companions) is getting harder and harder to review.  Why?  Because the reviewer ends up saying the same things repeatedly.  The standards here are so high for excellence in character, plots, and writing that its hard to find something new to say.  But I’ll give it a whirl.

Out In The Cold is the penultimate story in Lee Brazil’s In From The Cold Pulp Friction 2014 group series.  There are five stories individually and then one sixth story written by all four authors for a finale.  So as you can imagine, things are getting ready to explode for all the characters living in Mountain Shadows.  The past is returning in multiple ways to each and every one.  Old friends are showing up.  So are old enemies and lovers.  And you can feel the mountain air crackle with suspense.

Lee Brazil’s Cannon Malloy is a character that has found himself in Mountain Shadows.  He’s come into his own skin and sexuality over the course of the stories.  And that solidification of character has made him someone the readers can love.  What a redemption for a man who almost single handedly destroyed  Chance Dumont (from the PF2013 series).  Then Cannon was a figure of contempt and pity.  Now? Lee Brazil has painstakingly turned this persona around until we believe in him as much as he has begun to.  What a tremendous journey we have been on with him.

The person who has not only witnessed that turn about but caused most of it is Prof. Finn Lorensson.  An intelligent, Thor lookalike, Finn has layers upon layers to him.  And all those layers are in love with Cannon Malloy.  Finn is deeply connected to his town and the people there, including his brother, Siggy.  Siggy is in trouble and it points back to Finn.  Finn has had problems at the college he teaches at, and they inadvertently involved Cannon as well.  Brazil has taken great care to make Finn as vulnerable, and fallible as possible to offset the image of a Nordic god made human.  Finn needs his human frailties in order for the readers to connect with him and for Cannon to believably fall in love with him.  Give us someone too perfect and it just wouldn’t work amidst this oh so human cast of characters.  How I love Finn too with his sense of honor and loyalty.

Someone is out to get Finn, no matter the cost to him and those around him.  With Out in the Cold, Lee Brazil’s narrative turns the proverbial corner as the race is on to the finish. The plot set up is done. The suspense has been building as has the mystery. Now as Cannon’s opens himself up to the pain of rejection in his quest for love from Finn, the stakes are heartbreakingly high for each man.  How high becomes apparent by the end of the story.  Danger is everywhere.  It”s personal, it will get physical, and the anticipation is nigh killing me here.

What a magnificent series, what a fantastic set of characters and mysteries to boot!  Will Cannon and Finn make it to their HEA?  I can’t wait to find out! Neither will you.  I hope you have been following along with me with this series (and their connected series).  But if this is a new story, or author, then make haste and check out the list of the Pulp Friction 2014 authors and series at the bottom of the review.  Read them in order.  They are like the best bonbons in the world.  Once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop.   These are fictional delights for the soul and all of them will have their special place on ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Best of 2014!

Buy Links:                    All Romance (ARe)              Amazon                 Out in the Cold

Cover art by Laura Harner. Everything about these covers works wonderfully.  The PF2014 logo with the mountains at the top, the models, and the landscape at the bottom.  Perfect for the story and for branding the series!

Book Details:

ebook
Published July 31st 2014 by Lime Time Press
edition languageEnglish
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #14,

The Pulp Friction 2014 series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters, events and plot:

Round One:

Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1)by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by TA Webb

Round Two:

Controlled Burn (Fighting Fire #2) by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort (In From the Cold #2) by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses (Whispering Winds #2) by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) by TA Webb

Round Three:

Backburn (Fighting Fire #3) by Laura Harner
Cold Feet (In From the Cold #3) by Lee Brazil
Blown Hard (Whispering Winds #3) by Havan Fellows
Tremors (Earthquake #3) by T.A. Webb

Round Four:

Flare-up (Fighting Fire #4) by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold (In From the Cold #4) by Lee Brazil
Blown Chance (Whispering Winds #4) by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) by T.A. Webb

Round 4.5 Side Stories:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)
Wicked Winds by Havan Fellows (PF2014 4.5)

Round Five: to be released

Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5) by Laura Harner
Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) by Lee Brazil
Final Blow (Whispering Winds #5) by Havan Fellows
Terra Firma (Earthquake #5) by T.A. Webb

Sixth Book Series Finale Written by all the Authors
charactersFinn Lorensso

 

 

Booking it with Richard Longfellow’s Private Practice! (contest)

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

PrivatePracticeBanner300x250

 

 Richard Longfellow has stopped by today on his Private Practice book tour with a contest to enter and an excerpt to heat up your day!

Book Name: Private Practice
Author Name: Richard Longfellow
Author Bio: Richard Longfellow resides in London, Great Britain. He’s tall, dark and handsome and currently unattached. When he’s not tending to his patients, he enjoys stroking cats, films with happy endings and opening the very best champagne, although not necessarily in that order. He has absolutely no connection with the school described in the text and his father never wore a Rolex watch. This is his second novella of quintessentially British, gay erotica.

PrivatePractice3Title:  Private Practice by Richard Longfellow
Cover Artist: 3 Rusted Spoons
Publisher: Dark Hollows Press
Buy Links: Dark Hollows Press
Blurb:

Mark has film star looks, a body to die for and a successful career as a gynecologist, but he’s
lacking something – like a boyfriend, for instance. He’s also a porn star on the side with a
hundred DVDs to his name and a libido to match. Then, along comes a patient who seems all
set to destroy everything. Will he be able to talk his way out of the mess this time? Perhaps
he’ll need to call on divine guidance from Holy Joe, the school chaplain, who already knows
so much about his past…

 

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

 

PrivatePracticeBadgeTour Dates: 8/8/14

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Prism Book Alliance, MM Good Book Reviews, Love Bytes, The Hat Party, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Jade Crystal, Amanda C. Stone, Cate Ashwood, My Fiction Nook, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Hearts on Fire, 3 Chicks After Dark, Fallen Angel Reviews, Iyana Jenna, Smoocher’s Voice

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest:  Use the Rafflecopter link provided to enter and for additional contest details.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Rafflecopter Prize: E-book copy of Private Practice.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Excerpt  NSFW:

The venue for Mark’s screen test was in the swankiest part of Notting Hill and the stucco-fronted house looked straight out of the eponymous romantic comedy. He walked up the steps of the porticoed entrance and just knew there’d be a butler. The guy who answered the door addressed him like a butler, but his topless uniform and knowing smile definitely broke the mould. The ornately-framed pictures lining the stairs hinted at wealth and nubile youths featured prominently; in fact, some were almost three dimensional in their prominence. The sound of talk and laughter trickled down from the first floor.

Following where the noise was coming from, the room Mark entered wasn’t like that of a typical party. Aside from the lavish buffet set out to one side, it looked like a plush home cinema, with reclining chairs arranged in rows and a huge flat screen TV at the end. Curiously, there was a dais to the right of the screen on which a cello stood waiting to be played. Most of the guests were men but there were a few women as well. Mark fleetingly wondered whether he was on the menu for their entertainment.

Someone kissed him on the cheek. “Doc, it’s good to see you again!” Mark was pleased to see it was the irrepressible Steve fully recovered from his operation and looking exceedingly handsome in a tuxedo and bow tie, his rebellious spiked hair complementing his conservative garb.

“Shush! Remember I’m here incognito.” Mark stepped back to inspect his night-time lover. “You look incredible! How come the tuxedo? I thought you’d be entertaining everyone in your jockstrap.”

Steve smiled. “Ah, that might come later, but first I’ve got something more serious to attend to.” He started walking towards the dais. “They’ll call for you when they’re ready,” he said over his shoulder.

Steve walked up to the dais. Mark decided he must be the master of ceremonies in charge of the evening’s delights. Instead, Steve sat down behind the cello and lifted the bow. He smiled at Mark, as if to say, “Hey, this is the real me.” As the prelude of J. S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 cast its spell, the guests stopped talking and moved to the chairs. Mark found himself thinking back to the comment made by his registrar. He wished the bigot could see Steve now: a dancer, porn actor and amazing musician who probably brought more meaning into the world than any third rate surgeon. A tap on Mark’s shoulder brought him back to the here and now.

“They’re ready for you, sir,” said the semi-naked waiter with a wink.

Mark followed the waiter to a corridor on the left just past the buffet. The guests were entranced by Steve’s playing and barely cast him a glance. He was glad he hadn’t eaten anything as butterflies were busy at work in his stomach. An open door with bright lighting beckoned. He’d expected something like a smart bedroom. Instead, it was a sizeable photographic studio with centre stage appropriately given to a super king size bed with black sheets surrounded by all the paraphernalia of filming.

“Hey, posh boy, long time no see,” said someone to Mark’s right.

 

Mark turned to look at the guy. He was the same height as himself and had blond hair that flopped into his eyes. He was grinning broadly. He was also naked and his dick and balls had been freshly shaved.

“Christ! I don’t believe it!” exclaimed Mark. “You’re the one who gave me a blowjob! And you’ve had your tooth fixed!”

The guy ran his tongue sexily across his teeth. “Yeah. That’s one of the perks of this business.”

“So, how long have you been doing porn?”

“Just over a year.” He looked long and hard at Mark. “You know, I sort of wondered whether I’d see you again. I mean, that dick of yours is quite something.”

e cupped Mark’s groin. “Yup, still there.” His own dick was getting more erect by the second. “Mm, I can’t wait…”

Mark looked surprised. “So, it’s us together, then?”

“Of course, darlin’.”

Just then, someone who seemed to be in charge came over to greet Mark.

“I’ll be on the bed waiting for you,” said the naked guy, walking back to the bed with his dick bouncing energetically. Mark realised they still hadn’t exchanged names.

“You must be Mark,” the man said, shaking his hand. “I’m Eduardo and BritSpunk’s jack of all trades and master of none – in other words, Talent Manager and Assistant Director.” He was a bit short but had a nice, engaging smile and was nothing like the sleazy character Mark had imagined. “I see you’ve met Frank. He’s clearly keen to get on with the shoot. But let’s run through some preliminaries first.”

They found a couple of chairs and Eduardo started checking items on a clipboard. “So, Mark, how old are you?”

“Twenty-five.”

“Gay, straight or bi?”

Mark was initially surprised by the question but remembered some guys were gay-for-pay. “Gay, although I’d probably be okay with bi.”

“Excellent. Top or bottom?”

“Both.”

“That’s even better. Flexibility is a big help when we’re casting. Now, what about your dick size? Steve’s a size queen, so it must be big.”

“Nine inches.”

Eduardo raised his eyebrows. “And girth?”

Mark had measured that before he came out as he thought he’d be asked. “Six and a half.”

Eduardo looked surprised. “Really? That’s impressive. Have you done any sort of porn before?”

“No.”

“Finally, do you know your HIV status?”

“Yes, I’m negative. I’ve got my test results if you need them.”

“Fantastic, Mark. I think that’s everything we need for the moment. If you’d like to take your clothes off and join Frank on the bed, we’ll get on with the shoot.”

As Mark was undressing, he could hear Steve’s cello. He found it surreal but also comforting, as the music seemed to bridge one world he knew and another he was just about to discover.

 

Continue reading “Booking it with Richard Longfellow’s Private Practice! (contest)” →

Review: Prevailing Winds (Separate Ways #4) by Laura Harner

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

PrevailingWinds8x12“Please don’t go.”

Words that would haunt Lord Jamie Mainwaring long after he boarded the plane departing Phoenix, Arizona.  After the deaths and destruction of the past events, Jamie feels that leaving is his only recourse, even if it means leaving once more the man he loves, Det. Remy Remington.  Jamie watched Remy’s mouth form those words at the airport as he went through the doors to get on the plane.  But it  was too late for them  and for the love that had followed them across oceans and continents for the last two years.

Brokenhearted and grieving, Remy watches Jamie leave him once more.  But returning home, he finds that Jamie isn’t the only person leaving him.  Toby is confused, shattered and angry…at Remy and the world.  Toby flees his home and safety looking for answers to his past.  What Toby finds in Las Vegas is nothing but trouble,

Fate has a way of pulling Jamie and Remy back together.  Jamie’s is asked to get involved in one more case for the British special agency he used to work for.  Remy leaves home looking for Toby and both paths intersect in Las Vegas where a corrupt prince, the lost boys from London, and Toby are intertwined in a mess of abuse, pain and potential death.   Jamie and Remy must put all their past issues aside and come together to find and rescue Toby before the prince can destroy them all.  Will Remy and Jamie finally prevail and find a future together for them as a family?  Or will the coming storm destroy them once and for all?

Prevailing Winds, the Separate Ways series finale, is that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the icing on the cake and the cherries on top of the sundae!  This is the story that is the salve for the wounds left behind by the tumultuous events and anguish of the last three books and I couldn’t be happier.   For three bloody, suspense filled, painfully frustrating stories, Laura Harner has been developing her rollercoaster ride of a relationship between Lord Jamie Mainwaring and Det. Remy Remington.

From the moment they connected in London over missing boys, to the betrayals on the ocean cruise and the devastation of the events in Phoenix, the relationship dynamics between these two has been fascinating to watch as the men connected, fled, reconnected, and separated again and again.  What has made it so endlessly addicting is that we understood why the separations had to happen, the mental and emotional changes each character had to undergo in order to make a relationship (any relationship) work, and all the obstacles that life and their jobs as well as nationalities placed in their paths.  It wasn’t just one thing that kept them apart….but a boatload.  Harner carefully built up wall after wall between these two wonderful characters. Walls made up of Remy and Jamie’s childhood issues and abuse, requirements of their individual jobs, and even personal outlook on long term relationships and ties.  Throughout each story we waited for the barriers to start to fall.  And they would start breaking down, a few bricks here and there.  Only for us to watch the walls firm up again at the end of each story.  Frustrating, authentic, and it made great reading.

And as skillfully as Harner built up those barriers, then she had to slowly and realistically break them down.  And that took time.  And three, no four books to accomplish that because Remy and Jamie are still working on their problems and expectations for each other and a long term partnership well into Prevailing Winds.   This time, its Toby on the run and Remy following in his wake.  And their paths intersect with Jamie on a mission in Las Vegas.

The point of view flows back and forth between Toby and Remy and Jamie.  Toby’s scary predicament is heightened by this format as the danger increases the deeper the investigation goes and the closer the men get to finding Toby.  Gut wrenching at times, the anticipation is overwhelming towards the end as we rush towards the denouement!  Plus there’s not just one, but several here. Loved this part of the story.  In fact, loved it all!  So will you.

The writing is taut, smooth and fluid. The plot’s mechanisms are lovingly orchestrated for maximum excitement and anticipation.  Oh, and for our total satisfaction as well.  But you must read these stories in the order they were written, in order for the character development and situations to make sense.

This is one heck of a series and a great way to end it!  Love the book, love the characters, and Las Vegas was the perfect place to bring it all to a head!

I highly recommend this story and series to all lovers of action, adventure and a long denied romance that finds it’s happily ever after!

 

Buy Links:              All Romance eBooks (ARe)            Amazon    Prevailing Winds 

Cover Art by Laura Harner. This cover is very different in design from the other three but it works great for the story.

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 198 pages
Published July 23rd 2014 by Hot Corner Press
ASINB00M3AV0YA
edition language English
url http://lauraharner.com/series/separate_ways_series/
seriesSeparate Ways #4

Separate Ways Series in the order they were written and should be read:

Continental Divide by Laura Harner and Lisa Worrell
Oceans Apart (Separate Ways #2) by Laura Harner
Moving Mountains (Separate Ways #3) by Laura Harner
Prevailing Winds (Separate Ways #4) by Laura Harner

Review: Moving Mountains (Separate Ways #3) by Laura Harner

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Moving MountainsLord Jamie Mainwaring isn’t sure what the future holds for him.  The devastating betrayals of the last mission aboard the Caribbean cruise have left him feeling emotionally battered and shaky.  The closer Jamie looked at the events that caused the death of his lover and almost his life, the more deceit he uncovered.  Soon Jamie realizes that he has been manipulated and lied to for most of his life.  Shattered and uncertain, Jamie realizes that there is only one man he can trust and turn to in this web of manipulation and deception….the man he left behind twice, Detective Remy Remington.

Detective Remy Remington and Miguel “Miggy” Rojas  have moved forward in their lives together in Phoenix, Arizona.  Their security business has taken off, and so has their relationship.  Partners in everything, from a business to adopting one of the unfortunate boys from the London mission, Remy and Miggy are happy together.  But all that is about to change.

Remy’s former chief  at the PD is dead, Remy’s name scratched in the dirt by his body.  Miggy was once an addict as was his twin sister.  Now she reappears on their doorstep and trouble is following her.  And on top of all that, Jamie arrives needing support and assistance from Remy, a situation that leaves Miggy unsettled and more than a little jealous.

With so many problems needing investigation and personal issues unsettled, the danger is just beginning for all three and it might just cost them their relationships and their lives.

If you are anything like me and fell in love with all three main characters in the Separate Ways series…Lord Jamie Mainwarring, Det. Remy Remington, and Miggy Rojas…then this is the book that will leave you feeling as devastated as Jamie did at the end of Oceans Apart.  Make no mistake, this is as outstanding a story as it is emotionally wrenching.  And that fact alone will have people hurling their books at walls, howling and bawling buckets here.  Why?  Because Laura Harner puts us and her characters through the proverbial wringer in Moving Mountains, a book you will hate to love.

In Continental Divide and Oceans Apart, we watched the dance of attraction and deep connection that developed between Lord Jamie Mainwaring and Detective Remy Remington.  First in a case in London involving missing young boys and murder in Continental Divide (Separate Ways #1), then on a gay cruise on an ocean liner in Oceans Apart.  On each occasion and mission that brings them together, the timing is off although the attraction remains white hot.  Both characters (and satellite ones) are superbly written.  These are nuanced, layered personas, easy to believe in and even easier to love and connect with.

And with each story, Laura Harner builds our frustration and anxiety over their  relationship and personal obstacles in between them.  One of these “obstacles” is Miguel “Miggy” Rojas.  And old friend of Remy’s, he appears early in the series in need of drying out and support.  Which he gets from Remy.  Theirs is a deep, complicated relationship but the more you see of Miggy the more you come to love him as well.  That’s a nifty feat for a character that by his very presence keeps our two main characters apart.

The tag line of Moving Mountains is “It’s easier to move a mountain than escape the past.”  That is certainly true of the story here.  Harner’s excellent plot has as many layers and complications as its characters.  There are mysteries and murders to solve, connections you will never see coming, and events that will leave you in tears, just devastated at the turn of events.  Yes, parts of this book are hard to experience.  But the choices that Harner makes here as an author are also logical and necessary.  For some fans and readers, that will be their hardest obstacle to overcome with this story and perhaps even the series.

The past certainly comes back to haunt all three characters here and as the sequence of events plays out, Laura Harner is setting the stage for the final story in the Separate Ways series, Prevailing Winds (Separate Ways #4).  As we sail towards the finale, I can say that this has been a moving and memorable voyage.  I have come to love these men through each intricately plotted and beautifully written story.  I have loved and cried with them.  And then cried some more.  And wouldn’t have missed a page of it, even with all the turmoil involved.

If you are new to the series, then please start with Continental Divide to see how these two men meet and separate the first time around.  Then onto to Oceans Apart and here at Moving Mountains.  Then you will be prepared for Prevailing Winds, just like me.  Or at least I hope we will be prepared.  With Laura Harner you never know.  It will be a wonderful rollercoaster, that is for certain.  Consider this story and the series, highly recommended!

Cover art by Laura Harner.  The simple restrained design works beautifully here.

Buy Links:              All Romance eBooks (ARe)                        Amazon                     Moving Mountains

 Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 199 pages
Published October 29th 2013 by Hot Corner Press
ASINB00GAQGH00
edition languageEnglish
seriesSeparate Ways #3

Separate Ways Series in the order they were written and should be read:

Continental Divide by Laura Harner and Lisa Worrell
Oceans Apart (Separate Ways #2) by Laura Harner
Moving Mountains (Separate Ways #3) by Laura Harner
Prevailing Winds (Separate Ways #4) by Laura Harner

Continental Divide coverOceans Apart coverMovingMountains8x12PrevailingWinds8x12

 

On Tour with Laura Harner’s Prevailing Winds (contest)

PWBanner300x250

Love the first 3 books in Laura Harner’s 

Separate Ways Series?  Well, look whose back in 

Prevailing Winds (Separate Ways #4)!!!

Remy and Jamie Have Returned

and

Things Are Hotter Than Ever!

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Laura Harner, a terrific author and STRW favorite, is here with her latest story in her Separate Ways series, Prevailing Winds (Separate Ways #4).  Laura Harner and Pride Promotions have a fabulous tour prize to offer.  A complete set of the Separate Ways series….that’s four books total for your reading enjoyment!!!!

Contest:  To enter to win the complete set of Separate Ways books, you must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Visit this Rafflecopter link for the entry form and further details!!    The Rafflecopter contest runs from 8/6 – 8/13.

PW600x600Banner Book Name: Prevailing Winds
Author Name: Laura Harner
Cover  artist:  Laura Harner 

Series:  Separate Ways (contemporary m/m)

ContinentalDivde8x12OceansApart8x12MovingMountains8x12PrevailingWinds8x12

 

 

 

 

 

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Author Bio:

Raised in California, Laura likes it hot, which explains why she ended up in Arizona via such diverse places as Japan, Maine, and Florida, and many more places in between. After retiring from the US Navy, she found a niche working for land management agencies, including the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Though she has held many jobs around the world, her favorite was working and living in Grand Canyon National Park.

Working (and eating) in New Orleans was a close second. You will find many of her books are set against the rich backdrops provided by coastal Louisiana and northern Arizona. When asked how she started writing, Laura tells of waking on Boxing Day a few years ago, with a woman named Elena MacFarland yammering in her dreams, demanding her story be told. Despite never attempting to write fiction before that morning, Laura ignored all of the holiday visitors and the Highland Destiny series was born. She doesn’t believe it was a coincidence that the great grandmother who died when Laura was just a baby was named Elena MacFarland. Destiny does play a hand.

Laura became a full-time writer in 2012, and now she spends her time writing, watching her Arizona Diamondbacks, and working on her very own version of the Willow Springs Ranch in northwestern Arizona. She is a multi-published author of erotic romance, mystery, and urban fantasy and her books can be found at all major online retailers.”

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Author Links. You can  contact/follow Laura Harner at the following links:

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

PrevailingWinds8x12Cover Artist: Laura Harner

Publisher: Hot Corner Press

Sales Links:       Amazon           All Romance eBooks (ARe)       Smashwords  iTunes

Prevailing Winds Blurb:

Two years ago, Jamie Mainwaring and Remy Remington had nothing in common except missing boys and a blazing hot mutual distraction. When the case was over, so were they. Although they went their separate ways, life—and death—keep the men connected. After another deadly tragedy touches both their lives, the men say what they believe must be their final goodbyes—only to have their worlds collide once again. This time they end up in Las Vegas, one man for work, the other to try to mend a very personal pain.

Although Jamie and Remy once excelled at mixing business with pleasure—this time, the stakes are much higher—they’ve got forever on the line. When they discover Jamie’s case has an unexpected connection to Remy’s son, they must put everything aside to find Toby before the young man makes a decision that will change all of their lives. One thing is positive, time is running out.

 

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Prevailing Winds Excerpt:

“I don’t know if I can do this, cowboy,” Jamie whispered. Even while his heart was busy trying to put on the brakes, his traitorous hands slid to Remy’s waist. He leaned up to steal another kiss. The slide of slick tongue, the wet heat, familiar taste all insistently telegraphed the same message. This is right.

Jamie arched toward Remy, tugging at his shirt, sliding hands along the hot flesh, pulling him closer. Returning the kiss, Remy made a noise halfway between a groan and a growl, then took a commanding control, forcing his head back, their tongues dancing in an addicting blend of white-hot urgency.

Just like the first time they’d kissed, the effect of Remington’s kiss was like no other. It wasn’t just a kiss, it was an assault on his senses that left his head spinning and his lungs desperate for oxygen. Even his toes tingled. Intense. Passionate. Perfect. They fit together in a way he’d never been able to duplicate with any other man. Yin and Yang. Black and Tan. Fish and Chips. Breaking their kiss, Jamie nearly snorted with laughter.

Immediately, Remy dropped his hands to his sides and took a giant step backward. “I’m sorry, Jamie. I didn’t mean to—” His eyes were heavy, the lush lips swollen from their kisses, the dress shirt untucked and rumpled. Jamie wanted to finish undressing him, to use his mouth to ravish that beautiful body.

Trying to focus, Jamie said, “No—it’s not that. I was thinking—”

“Always dangerous with you,” Remy interrupted.

Jamie laughed again. “Too true. I was thinking about how perfectly our kisses seem to fit together. The things you do to me are like no one else…then I lost the thread.” He repeated his thoughts.

“Like fish and chips? Seriously?” Now Remy was laughing, too. “How do I go from being your best kiss to being compared to a piece of cod?”

Jamie shook his head. “I don’t know. Nerves, maybe?”

Remy nodded. “I’ll go back to my room.”

“No,” Jamie practically shouted. Remy tilted his head and blinked. The man probably thought him mad. Maybe he was.

“Jamie, help me out here. What can’t you do? How can I help?” Remy took Jamie’s hand and started to lead him toward the couch. Jamie tugged him to the bedroom instead.

“I don’t want you to leave, Remy. Really, I don’t. Let’s go to bed.”

“Jamie, you don’t have to do this. In fact—shit, I can’t believe I’m saying this—but I’d rather we not do anything if you’re not sure.”

“That’s just the trouble, Remy. I’m sure I want this.” He used two fingers to point back and forth between them. “What I’m afraid of is what happens afterward. I’m not sure I can…survive watching you walk away again. And God, I’m so sorry. I know it’s way too soon for both of us—too soon after Miggy—too soon for this to be something you can commit to. That’s what scares me.”

Remy pulled Jamie so they both sat on the edge of the bed. Their hips touched, but Remy leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, the position he always assumed when he needed a bit of self-protection. “I get that. I’m scared, too, you know. It nearly killed me to watch you walk away in Phoenix. And you’re right, it’s too early to search out Elvis and put on wedding bands. But Jamie, I don’t think it’s too soon to say we can try.”

Jamie’s stomach twisted, and his heart thudded erratically. Remy turned his head, and gave him a half smile. “Miggy…his death was ugly, beyond senseless. It was a fucking bomb, set two years ago by that asshole Cortez. And we never knew. We all went about living our lives—never once considering we were running out of time. All of us, Jamie—not just Migs. But here’s the thing…I don’t regret the journey, even if I hate the ending. But I have to wonder, what other time bombs are waiting for us? What regrets would we have if one of us died tomorrow?”

The words released the binds around his heart. As if someone opened the starting gate, Jamie surged forward, knocking Remy back onto the bed with an oomph. Like the crazed man he was beginning to suspect he was, he fumbled until he managed to get Remy’s shirt and slacks open. He was making splendid progress until he was distracted by the warmth of the big hands that slipped under his shirt and the roll of Remy’s hips. Even through their remaining clothes, hard length pressed against hard length.

“Jamie,” Remy said his name like some sort of incantation, weaving a spell with his voice. Jamie cried out when he was flipped over, his back landing on the mattress with a thud, and he was pinned by the weight of Remy’s body. His mouth was plundered as Remy tasted and pulled back before tasting again. So much like their first time.

Breaking their kiss, Remy rose to his knees and tugged his shirt over his head, then stood and gave Jamie a long look. Jamie remembered the taste of those finely pebbled brown nubs, the scrape of the coarse brown chest hair, the heat of the golden skin. Still Remy waited, thumbs hooked inside his waistband, the zipper unfastened, more than a hint of cock showing, since he’d obviously gone commando. Jamie licked his lips and glanced up to meet Remy’s heavy look. Only then did Remy finally let his slacks drop to the floor. Jamie unfastened his own pants, but Remy pushed his hands aside and finished undressing him, adding his clothes to the growing pile. Then they were pressed naked together and Remy’s mouth found his once more.

“Say my name,” he demanded.

Jamie smiled. “Remy,” he mumbled against the warm lips that branded him as claimed. “Remy. Remy.”

“Fuck, Jamie. I love the way you say my name,” Remy whispered.
✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

PWBadgeTour Dates: 8/6/14 Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Cate Ashwood,s,Love Byte Havan Fellows, SA McAuley, MM Good Book Reviews, EE Montgomery, Iyana Jenna, Emotion in Motion, Amanda C. Stone, My Fiction Nook, Lee Brazil, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words,  Wake Up Your Wild Side, LeAnn’s Book Reviews,  Jade Crystal, Rainbow Gold ReviewsPrism Book Alliance Fallen Angel Reviews Smoocher’s Voice

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway  Contest is for all four books!  Don’t miss out on the chance for the entire series!

 

On Tour with Meredith Allard and That You Were There Book Tour (contest)

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

VBT_ThatYouAre Here_Banner

 

Meredith Allard has stopped by on her That You Are Here book tour to answer some questions and talk about her book.  In addition she has a contest for you all to enter and a couple of prizes to give away.  One grand prize winner for a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card will be chosen at the end of the tour. And the runner up will receive a ebook of That You Are Here!  Use this Rafflecopter link to enter and for additional  contest details!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

An Interview with Meredith Allard on Inspiration and her latest release, That You Are Here!

 STRW:   What was your inspiration for the story?

Meredith Allard:  I was visiting my cousin in Portland, Oregon when the announcement of the Supreme Court decision overturning DOMA was made. The idea for That You Are Here occurred to me shortly afterward in some random daydream. On the outside, I don’t have much in common with Andrew and Mark since I am most definitely not a gay man. I’m not even a gay woman for that matter, but I believe that people who are in love should be able to get married, and suddenly I saw the characters from the story, Andrew Whittaker and Mark Bryce, so strongly, like they were standing in front of me. I had the idea for the story from beginning to end in a matter of days. I could see Andrew and Mark’s love for each other, and I could see how they struggled. I wrote the first draft as the challenge for National Novel Writing Month. I had 62,000 words written in 30 days, which is super fast for me.

STRW:  Do you work on one project at a time or many?

Meredith Allard:  Just one. My limited brain capacity tops out at one story at a time.

STRW:  Hero or Antihero? Who would you chose and why?

Meredith Allard:  I’ve always preferred the hero. I like to see people rise above their baser nature to become their best selves. I like characters who make brave choices to do the right thing.

STRW:  People say write what you know. Do you think that is right or even important?

Meredith Allard:  This is a really interesting question because “write what you know” can be interpreted in different ways. On the one hand, I never write what I know in the sense that my stories are fiction and the characters and the plot are creations from my imagination. Yet there are aspects of myself in every character, so then I’m using what I know to create someone who is otherwise fictional. On the surface in That You Are Here, I’m not writing about what I know because I’m not a gay man. Yet I know what it’s like to have to learn to feel comfortable in my own skin. Whenever I write I’m trying to find the universal aspect of the story that anyone can relate to, so in a sense it’s something everyone knows. Everyone has to learn how to feel comfortable in their own skin in one way or another. I also don’t think there are any hard and fast rules when it comes to writing, and writers can write about whatever they want. If it’s something they don’t know, then they can use their imagination to fill in the gaps.

STRW:  What is the first book you read that really meant something to you?

Meredith Allard:  This is going back to when I was eight years old, but Charlotte’s Web is the first book I can remember reading that showed me the power of a well written story. I was so touched by Charlotte and Wilbur’s story, and after that I wanted to read every book I could get my hands on.

STRW:  What do you find sexy in a man?

Meredith Allard:  A sense of humor is first and foremost. It’s great if he’s smart, and it certainly doesn’t hurt if he’s cute.

STRW:  What’s next up for you?

Meredith Allard:  I just got back from London where I was researching for my next novel, an historical story set in Victorian London that’s inspired by Downton Abbey.

STRW:  Thanks, Meredith, for stopping by and taking a moment to sit in our  author interview armchair.  That was wonderful!  Here is some That You Are Here details, including where to get your copy:

 

THAT YOU ARE HERE
by Meredith Allard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cover_That You Are HereBLURB:

On the outside, handsome, successful attorney Andrew Whittaker has everything in life. On the inside, he has everything too, only he doesn’t know it. He hides the love of his life, Mark Bryce, from his family and everyone else where he lives in Portland, Oregon. Soon the weight of the secret becomes too much for Andrew. After wrestling with himself and his place in the world, he must decide how he’s going to live—with or without Mark.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:

Andrew’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He put his lunch bag on the counter, nodding at the message from Lisa Bloom, his secretary. He scanned his e-mails and grimaced at the phone. “I have to go.” He left at a sprint through the kitchen door to his silver Mercedes in the attached one-car garage. He didn’t even like the car, but that’s what the senior partners at his firm drove, so that’s what he drove too. Andrew opened the garage door, got into the driver’s seat, slid the key into the ignition, started the car, and jumped at the knock on his window. He shrugged sheepishly, opened the window, and took his lunch bag.

“Sorry,” he said. “I’m a little distracted today.”

“Today?” A sigh. “That car is such a gas guzzler. You need a hybrid. This is Portland. You’re supposed to be green.”

“Kermit the Frog green?”

“Any kind of green you want to be.”

Andrew looked at the person watching him with such open-hearted love in those soft gold-brown eyes.

“Mark?” Andrew said.

“Yes, Andrew.”

“Thank you.”

Mark Bryce leaned his head through the open window and kissed Andrew’s cheek. “Anything for you, beautiful boy.”

When Andrew stopped at the red light on Bancroft Street he felt his phone vibrate. He pulled his phone from his pocket, saw the screen and cringed, peering at the nearby drivers as though they were reporting his every move to some great eye in the sky. The text was from Mark.

Stop looking at your phone!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author_PhotoAUTHOR Bio and Links:

Meredith Allard is the author of The Loving Husband Trilogy, That You Are Here, Victory Garden, Woman of Stones, and My Brother’s Battle (Copperfield Press). She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from California State University, Northridge. Her short fiction and articles have appeared in journals such as The Paumanok Review, The Maxwell Digest, Wild Mind, Muse Apprentice Guild, Writer’s Weekly, Moondance, CarbLite, and ViewsHound. She has taught writing to students aged ten to sixty, and she has taught creative writing and writing historical fiction seminars at Learning Tree University, UNLV, and the Las Vegas Writers Conference. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Website – http://www.meredithallard.com/
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/copperfield101
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/authormeredithallard

Buy at Amazon   link

Review: Unexpected Rescue (Unexpected #1) by Silvia Violet

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Unexpected Rescue coverEx Navy Seal Jackson is trying to recuperate from a mission gone terribly wrong.  Jackson’s injury from that mission has cost him his career as a SEAL and left him with a strong case of PSTD, and a leg that barely works.   It also left him the only person  who knows that it was a setup.  That the very man who was guiding them to their destination was also the person who betrayed them and now hunts Jackson to eliminate the last eyewitness to the crime.  The problem is that no one believes him, not even his buddies.  They think its all in his head.  Until the killer makes a very big mistake.

Addison “Addy” O’Flanagan was the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time.  A wilderness guide on his anniversary trip with his boyfriend when that trip went bad and the boyfriend left.  A kayak and the ocean seemed like a good idea.  Until it wasn’t when the men hunting Jackson make a case of mistaken identy with Addison as the target.

When Jackson sees a kayaker hanging off his boat in the ocean off his beachfront vacation home, he comes to the kayaker’s rescue despite Jackson’s own injuries. The kayaker’s been shot and  Jackson knows that means his enemy is near. But how to keep Addison and himself safe until he can get help and backup? The answer is what is has always been, another Navy SEAL.

An high action quick paced tale, Unexpected Rescue, is the first in the Unexpected series from Silvia Violet.  The first story is focused on former Navy Seal Jackson and his romance with Addison “Addy” O’Flanagan.  The action starts from the first  scene where we are dumped into the memories of Jackson as he recuperates at a rental beach house on the coast of North Carolina.  From a disastrous mission in Columbia that cost  Jackson and his team most of their members and Jackson his career as a Navy SEAL, to the present day at the beach, the story is told from Jackson’s point of view.

From the moment Jackson sees a kayaker in trouble in the seas in front of his balcony, Silvia Violet whips the action up to high speed.  The author is terrific at letting the readers into the action from a race into the ocean and then the fight to get Addy back to safety and shore to the appearance of the villains of the story and series.  There is very little “downtime” for either the characters or the readers here.  We go from one frantic suspense-filled scene to another in almost record time.  We have fights, guns ablazin’, and bad guys lurking around every corner.  And I liked that about this story.  Action packed?  Heck yeah!

What i thought it was missing was a little more quiet moments or perhaps just a little more background on Addison that would let me feel that the romance that is kindled between Addison and Jackson had a solid foundation on anything other than physical attraction (not that’s there’s anything wrong with that) or close proximation.   As it was it felt a little rushed.  Sexy? Yes but it felt like a case of “instalove”.  A little longer length to the story and I think that would have been taken care of.

Maybe we will see more of them in the next book in the series, Unexpected Trust.  In that story, one of the characters here, former Navy SEAL and now Special Agent, Hugh “Sport” Cranford, gets his own version of action and  HEA.

If you like action,and a fast paced love affair, then Unexpected Rescue just might be the thing for you.  It’s short, lively, and fun.

Cover art by Meredith Russell.  Love that model.  Works perfectly for this story.

Buy Links:                                                           All Romance eBooks (ARe)                              Amazon                 Unexpected Rescue

Book Details:

ebook, 95 pages
Published November 4th 2013 by Silvia Violet Books (first published November 3rd 2013)
ISBN139781310825422
edition languageEnglish
url http://silviaviolet.com/
series Unexpected #1

Books in the Unexpected series to date are:

Unexpected Rescue (Unexpected #1)
Unexpected Trust (Unexpected #2)

It’s Release Day for Down the Other Street! Let’s Celebrate with Jennifer Cie on Tour (contest)

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

JCBanner300x250G

 

 

It’s Release for Down on the Other Street

by Jennifer Cie!

Let’s Celebrate!

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Book Name: Down On The Other Street

Author Name: Jennifer Cie

Author Bio:

Jennifer Cie is a Tennessee native who loves taking aimless road trips, taste testing whiskey and low grade tequila—for science, and writing about social issues in everyday life. Self-proclaimed writer of “two cups of morning coffee” length books, Cie is the author of the fictional work Memphis Rain, creative non-fiction memoir Burn It, and the upcoming collection of short stories entitled Down On The Other Street.
When she is not getting lost driving across state lines, you can find her rambling about book formatting, poor life decisions, and everything in between on her blog: http://www.journeytopaperback.com.

Author Links:

Blog
Twitter: @JenniferCie1
JC600x600BannerGCover Artist: Najla Qambers
Publisher: Self-published
Blurb:

Long winded, unemployed, and timid, on the first date Brendan Bloom is already in love. Comfortably arched over his body, Ryan contemplates murder. Cold, necklace gleaming against the pale tint of her collarbone, the passenger could have mercy. Not a little black book, but a faded love letter out from under the sheets. Some romances ignite on sight, others flare at the base of waterless tubs soaked in agitation. Rooted in the South, this collection of short stories delivers five electric confessions of love, sexuality, and identity across time

 

Buy Links:    Paperback priced at $5.75 at:  Amazon      Createspace

Ebook ( priced at $0.99) available via: Amazon  Barnes & Noble( Nook)  

 

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Down on the Other Street Excerpt:

““You’re not asking someone studied—you know? I guess the rough kind of good. Like when you floss your teeth till your gums bleed. Hurts a bit, but the taste and feel are good to you.”

My first “real” talk came from you in 1992. I was fourteen sitting on the edge of my father’s leather recliner watching you cut the edges off a peanut butter sandwich. You didn’t have any tattoos back then. You had on this red sweater with blue stripes swishing through it. That pesky string of acne was still running down your right cheek when you offered me half of the sandwich.

“Anna. Why do you want to know about sex—from me?”

I wanted to tell you that the walls in my house had grown thin. Even with the stretches of screeching cars passing by and gargled whispers from the Mississippi River outside, I could hear everything tiptoeing inside. The high pitched turned guttural shrieks the women in my brother’s magazines evoked. The sound of the calluses on his hands attacking flesh like rubberized sandpaper; then, the wheezing attack followed by a hushed “guuu-ah” and tissues sopping up warm ooze. The late-night lullaby to my summers had changed, and I wanted to know the words.” –Excerpt from Intellectuals Are Fools

JCBadgeGTour Date: 7/29/14

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Cate Ashwood, Smoocher’s Voice, Emotion in Motion, Prism Book Alliance, MM Good Book Reviews, Havan Fellows, My Fiction Nook, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Kimi-Chan, Iyana Jenna, Michael Mandrake, Love Bytes, Velvet Panic

Contest: Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of the book. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the Rafflecopter link below to enter and for more contest details.

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Flare-up (Fighting Fire #4) by Laura Harner (Pulp Friction 2014 Series)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Flare-Up cover by Laura HarnerFollowing his recent meltdown during a fire on Mountain Shadows and the increasing frequency of his nightmares, Scott McGregor is unsure of everything…his home, his future, and his relationship with Robby Hammond.  Scott is buried under the guilt he feels about the accident that caused his disability and another’s injury.   And now that he knows about Robby’s children and previous marriage, he wonders how he will fit into the new family dynamics, if at all.

Rob Hammond has gone to bring his children home from his mother-in-law’s house where they have been staying.  He wants to introduce them to Scott and their new home on Mountain Shadows.  He loves Scott and hopes that with his children in their home, it will send a message about how serious Rob is about their relationship and their future together.

But a new danger to Mountain Shadows campground grows bolder and soon events start to escalate out of control.  When the fires flare up around them, can Rob and Scott keep each other and Rob’s family safe from harm?

With Flare-up, Laura Harner starts the journey towards the end of the series and the resolution to the Elemental Connections series finale.  Events are on a collision course as more acts of vandalism and arson increase and the personal  problems of Scott McGregor soar.

Laura Harner brings Rob’s adorable family into the picture at the beginning of the story.  His children are endearing and it shows yet another element in Robby’s personality, that of a loving father and family man.  We are given a few more hints of Rob and Scott’s background and a temporary reprieve from the suspense and dangers present at the Mountain Shadows campground these days.  I just love this segment and wanted it to go on much longer.  So will you.

Scott’s inability to deal with his disability and departure from the profession of firefighter is given forward movement out of the present stasis here.  The author uses a wonderfully realistic method to shock Scott into looking at his current abilities and future in a pragmatic and raw way.  I thought this was a necessary and authentic moment for the reader and Scott.  It brought some of the dangers of being a wildfire firefighter into play and the vivid descriptions of the heat, smoke and agility needed to handle the equipment and quickness of the fires brought such a hazard and tragedy to life.

This is not a story or series you can get comfortable in.  As soon as you settle in to a certain mind frame, Laura Harner is just as quick to jerk you out of it with some new aspect of her plot or new revelation about the problems and events occurring on Mountain Shadows campground and this couples relationship.  It’s all about building up to some gargantuan disclosure and overwhelming event that will happen in the last stories. Laura Harner is  an expert at building an atmosphere of suspense and anticipation needed to sustain the necessary momentum.  And with Flare-up both the title and the plot start us running towards the fire.

I loved this.  It makes me want to go back and reread all the stories that preceeded it.  I want to savor the buildup and the events that Laura Harner is using as the ingredients for her series finale.  This is a highly recommended story and series.  Put it on your must read lists now.  But make sure you start at the beginning.  That’s absolutely necessary in order to understand, enjoy, and yes, savor, the full intensity and layers to this plot.  Book No. 5 here I come!!!!!

Cover art by Laura Harner. Love the covers, love the branding for the series.

Buy Links:                    All Romance eBooks (ARe)                               Amazon                                Flare-up

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 72 pages
Published July 14th 2014 by Hot Corner Press
ASINB00LTED5H6
edition languageEnglish

The Pulp Friction 2014 series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters, events and plot:

Round One:

Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1)by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by TA Webb

Round Two:

Controlled Burn (Fighting Fire #2) by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort (In From the Cold #2) by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses (Whispering Winds #2) by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) by TA Webb

Round Three:

Backburn (Fighting Fire #3) by Laura Harner
Cold Feet (In From the Cold #3) by Lee Brazil
Blown Hard (Whispering Winds #3) by Havan Fellows
Tremors (Earthquake #3) by T.A. Webb

Round Four:

Flare-up (Fighting Fire #4) by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold (In From the Cold #4) by Lee Brazil
Blown Chance (Whispering Winds #4) by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) by T.A. Webb

Round Five: to be released

Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5) by Laura Harner
Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) by Lee Brazil
Final Blow (Whispering Winds #5) by Havan Fellows
Terra Firma (Earthquake #5) by T.A. Webb

Sixth Book Series Finale Written by all the Authors
charactersFinn Lorensso

Side Stories or Interludes:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)