Category: STRWC

Release Day Quickie! Mnevermind 3: Life is Awesome by Jordan Castillo Price

It’s  Release Day for Jordan Castillo Price!

Life is Awesome-1

 

 

The highly anticipated third and final book in the Mnevermind Trilogy is now available! Mnevermind 3: Life is Awesome by Jordan Castillo Price.

About the Author:

Author and artist Jordan Castillo Price is the owner of JCP Books LLC. Her paranormal thrillers are colored by her time in the midwest, from inner city Chicago, to small town Wisconsin, to liberal Madison.

Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who’s plagued by ghostly visitations. Also check out her new series, Mnevermind, where memories are made…one client at a time.

With her education in fine arts and practical experience as a graphic designer, Jordan set out to create high quality ebooks with lavish cover art, quality editing and gripping content. The result is JCP Books, offering stories you’ll want to read again and again.  You can find her at Goodreads Author Page or her website.

About the Book!

This mind-bending trilogy follows Daniel Schroeder, an expert in the cutting edge field of recreational memory called mnemography. His independent shop on the south side of Madison was the hottest memory palace in town, until one day something went horribly wrong….

Sales Links:  Amazon  ITunes  Kobo Life is Awesome-1

Series Information (3 books) here at Goodreads.

 

LIFE IS AWESOME …

I headed for the kitchenette—it was crucial that I got to the coffee maker before the rest of the staff. I’m not sure why, but my aunt made terrible coffee. Two ingredients: water and ground coffee, and still, hers tasted like mud. I was busy ruminating over the notion that Big Dan thought I would actually sell out to Recollections when I turned to grab the carafe, and nearly had a heart attack. Elijah was splayed up against the kitchenette window, pressed up against the dingy pane so hard, his palms, fingertips and nose were all flattened against the glass.

When I think about Elijah, his spectrum disorder isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. But then I see him…and he does something.

A normal person would’ve knocked on the door, or maybe called my cell.

Normal. Or, more accurately, neurotypical. I supposed that was the technical term I wanted.

The more I tried not to notice how weird he was, the more it hit me over the head. Then I felt guilty for the way my heart sank when I saw Elijah pressed there like a bug on a slide. Talk about being an ingrate. Who cared about his lack of even the most basic social skills? This was the guy I was trusting to help me clean up my mess—the only one who seemed to have any grasp at all on the scope of the persistent mnem and the potential for fixing it. I forced myself to look at him and act natural…not that I knew if the way I acted even registered with him. “Hi,” I called out.

“Hello.” The muffled word fogged the glass.

“Go ’round back.” I gestured with broad arm sweeps and pointing. “I’ll let you in.”

I met him at the back door. A blast of frigid Wisconsin air hit me when I let him inside. “Be careful what you touch. If it was any colder out, you’d stick.”

“No. Thermal conductivity would be an issue with metal. Not glass.”

So much for lightening the mood with a little humor. The awkwardness was thick enough to cut with a fork. Still, it seemed important to treat him like any other guy I might be dating. “Can I kiss you?”

“You don’t need to ask.” Part of me enjoyed the way he leaned in for the kiss this time, instead of waiting for me to come to him. Part of me noticed he tasted like window.

A Stella Review: A Working Man (Men of Manhattan #4) by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

A Working Man coverMatthew Hawke’s professional life is soaring as high the powerful bird of prey whose image is inked on his back. He’s at the top of his game as the owner of an advertising agency that is scooping up prime accounts like a mighty hawk wrapping its talons around an unfortunate ground rodent. Yes, work is good. Too bad his love life has more in common with the dying rodent than the triumphant hawk.

When the thought of a sexy man trumps actually being with a sexy woman, Matthew thinks it might be time for a change. And there IS a gorgeous man at the gym he’s noticed.

Drakon Mavros is working his shapely ass off to make ends meet. His administrative assistant job at a messenger service is steady, but the money he gets from his more creative job pays most of the bills. An ex-boyfriend took his confidence, his trust and his self-esteem and Drakon is afraid to take another chance at love. When an adorably goofy man at his gym actually hurts himself trying to flirt with him, Drakon can’t resist falling under Matt’s spell. He makes Drakon feel good about himself again and praises his artistic talent – neither of which his ex ever did.

As the men begin to fall for one another, it appears nothing can go wrong – they seem to be soul mates. Secrets and lies can crack even the firmest foundation, though. It takes a true master to shore it up so that it never crumbles. Is love the mortar that can restore trust and faith and bind men forever? Only time will tell. Can Drakon and Matt take that chance?

A Working Man is the third book in the Men of Manhattan series by Sandrine Gasq-Dion.

Not one of my fave so far, cause honestly? I found it a little unrealistic.

Matthew is 38 years old, the owner of an advertising firm who for the first time in his life is starting to be attracted to men, especially to a particular dark haired man he met at a masquerade party. He decides to try a sex hotline because he needs to know if he’s still attracted to women. But on the other side of the phone there’s a man with a sexy voice. It seems he’s not so straight after all.

Drakon is a 25 years old addicted to twinkies and colored sneakers, he started working for a sex line as Drake, while looking for a new job. He meets Matthew at the gym (not one of the finest moment for Matt, he was trying to flirt with Drakon and fell off the treadmill!)

Matt wants Drakon but keeps speaking with Drake at the hot line and thinking of the man with the mask. At the same time Drakon wants Matt but has fantasies with Roy(Matt)’ s voice.

Fortunately this big misunderstanding didn’t go to far in the story, but as I say I found it so unlikely, it was hard to me to really love this story, and in a way to me this situation smelled like cheating. I know it’s an extreme point of view, but I got this feeling that I couldn’t overcome. At the end it was like both of them has three men in his mind, the gym one, the party one and the sex line one. Not for me.

What I love about this series is that each book can be read as a standalone and you will miss nothing. But in each one of them you’ll find the characters you loved in the previous books, so for example if you want to know more about Matthew and Drake you just need to read the next book.

Well, I’m going straight to read A Healing Man, hoping to see these MCs again and learn to like them a little more.

Cover Art by Wilde City Press. I don’t like this series’ covers. They are pretty much the same with a different model for each book. They are good to look at but nothing more.

Sales Links:  Wilde City Press     All Romance (ARe)     Amazon       Buy It Here

 

Book Details:

ebook, 129 pages
Published September 24th 2014 by Wilde City Press
ISBN139781925180497
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.wildecity.com/
series Men of Manhattan #4

The Men of Manhattan Series:

  • A Betting Man (Men of Manhattan, #1)
    A Marrying Man (Men of Manhattan, #2)
    A Fighting Man (Men of Manhattan, #3)
    A Working Man (Men of Manhattan, #4)
    A Healing Man (Men of Manhattan, #5)

In The Spotlight: A Restored Man (The Men of Halfway House #3) by Jamie Reese

Title: A Restored Man
Series: The Men of Halfway House #3
Author: Jaime Reese
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 17, 2015
Cole Renzo thinks his greatest challenge is to behave for the remainder of his term at Halfway House. Until he meets his new boss, Ty Calloway, a man who ticks off every box on Cole’s list of interests.
A sought-after restorer and customizer of exotic and collectible cars, Ty had enough confidence to command what he wanted in life, until one fateful night changed everything. Almost two years later, he’s slowly rebuilding his life with great control. He’s defied the odds and works tirelessly to be the man he once was—but he still feels broken.
Cole’s candor and unfiltered personality awaken Ty’s barely-remembered desire to greet each new day with a smile, while Ty’s unwavering acceptance of Cole’s quirks and brash humor makes Cole feel as if he fits in for the first time in far too long. When a nemesis threatens Ty’s personal restoration and the things he holds dear, Cole is determined to protect their relationship, even if that means sacrificing everything he’s worked so hard to achieve.
But Ty will have to let his guard down, surrender control, and admit he needs Cole first, even if that puts himself at risk of breaking beyond repair.

 

Available at the following:

Chapter 1 – A Restored Man © Jaime Reese 2015
The music reverberated off the walls and
filtered back through Cole’s body. The sounds of Pitbull’s “Timber”
had him gyrating in the kitchen as he reached into the refrigerator. He grabbed
the mozzarella then did exactly as the song commanded after shutting the door.
He spun his body around repeatedly, holding the bag of cheese above his head
while his hips arched up and down, completely seduced by the pounding beat of
the song.
He closed his eyes. His heart thumped in unison
with the beat, guiding his thick, compact, toned body in the fast-paced thrust
of his hips as if he were pushing into the welcoming heat of a lover.
The pace slowed and so did his body, in
complete sync with the rhythm. His hips rounded deeply, seductively, giving a
show that would always excite more than the traditional foreplay.
Cole Renzo had some moves and he knew it.
The song sped up again and he glided barefoot
across the tiled kitchen floor to reach the garlic cloves from the basket in
the corner.
“Hey, you,” Matt said, entering the
kitchen, speaking loud enough for his voice to travel above the music.
Cole looked over at Matthew Doner, owner of the
halfway house where he stayed, and smiled as his body moved to the rhythm of
the song, not faltering a single beat with the interruption. He knew Matt loved
to dance and had caught him doing his own version of a solo when he thought no
one was watching. He dropped the garlic cloves on the counter and bent his
finger in a come here motion,
swinging his hips in a fluid Salsa-like move as he walked toward Matt slowly.
Matt laughed and took two steps forward. Cole pulled him closer, spun him once
then wrapped his arm around Matt’s waist and started to dance to the faster
thump of the song.
The laughter echoed in the kitchen as they moved
in perfect time with the fast-paced rhythm nearing the end of the tune. Matt
held up his arm and Cole circled with the expert elegance of a seasoned dancer,
then pulled Matt close, stepped to the side and spun Matt in the same fashion.
“What the fuck!” Julian thundered
when he entered the kitchen.
They froze at the sound of Julian’s tone, just
as the song ended. Cole’s hand still rested on Matt’s waist as they tried to
settle their breathing, the absence of music magnifying the harsh puff of each
exhale.
“Hey!” Cole responded cheerfully. “Matt
and I were getting it on in here. Matt’s got some hip action that would make a—”
Matt’s hand came up around the back of Cole’s
head to cover his mouth, stopping him midsentence. What the hell? He was just going to compliment Matt on his
seductive dance moves.
Cole glanced at Julian. His golden skin glowed,
and he looked as if he had actually swelled an inch or two while standing there.
His nostrils flared like a bull’s. His usual intimidating green-eyed glare was
more vicious than usual.
“What. The. Fuck,” Julian said in
that controlled tone that couldn’t hide the undercurrent of his bubbling rage.
He looked like he wanted to murder someone. Correction. Based on the white-knuckled
fists he held at his sides, he was probably going to beat the shit out of some
poor soul.
Murder would show mercy.
Matt’s hand couldn’t hide the smile Cole
imagined was plastered on his face. Poor
sorry ass idiot who dared piss off Julian Capeletti. He looked up at the green-eyed guy who towered over
Cole’s five-nine stature.
“J, calm down,” Matt said to his
partner in his usual calming tone.
Yeah, good luck with that. Julian was about to
go ape shit on someone and Cole was going to have a front row seat to that
show. Cole’s stomach fluttered and he started shifting his weight from foot to
foot. He couldn’t wait to see Julian actually lose it for once.
Julian’s jaw clenched and his fists tightened.
Wait a
minute.
Cole looked back and forth between Julian and Matt. Julian’s not pissed at
Matt—he never was. They had one of those sickly sweet, always romantic I love
you lick fest relationships you secretly want but would never openly admit. Why
was Julian so mad? And who the hell was he mad at? There was no one else in the
kitchen.
Shit. Cole slowly
registered how his actions or words may have been received. He instantly
released Matt as if his fingers were singed and put his hands behind his back.
Matt removed his hand from Cole’s mouth. Cole took a few steps back and raised
his hands in a surrender-like fashion, hoping to calm the golden beast that
seemed to be growing in width with each passing second.
“We were just dancing,” Cole said
calmly. He knew better than to joke with Julian while he was in this state of
mind. Stick to the facts. “I was
making dinner…your favorite actually.” He walked over slowly toward the
stovetop like someone stepping away from a wild animal. He kept his focus
trained on Julian as he lifted the pot tops on the stove.
Matt neared Julian and placed his hands on the
stretched black T-shirt covering his broad chest. “J, I heard the music
and came in here. You know I can’t resist a dance,” he said teasingly as
he stroked Julian’s chest. He then smiled and placed a kiss on Julian’s neck.
Julian’s focus shifted quickly from Cole to
Matt and back to Cole. Within a second, his glare had changed. Matt kissed him again
and Julian’s eyes partially closed but snapped open, re-focusing on Cole as his
target.
Matt’s hand reached up Julian’s neck to the
back of his shaved head.
Julian’s eyes closed and his head lolled to the
side, seeking Matt’s kisses up his neck then along his jawline. In a flash, he
grabbed Matt by the hand and pulled him out the kitchen. Matt quickly glanced
back to Cole with a huge grin on his face.
Cole sighed with relief as his entire body
relaxed.
Crisis averted.
He always seemed to get a rise out of Julian
but it was never intentional. Not really. He wouldn’t deny he occasionally had
some fun at Julian’s expense. He just had the worst case of foot in mouth syndrome. It seemed his
mouth worked much faster than his brain. He would never say or do anything to
intentionally hurt someone, his mother had taught him better than that. But
with a thousand different thoughts racing in his mind at any given moment,
picking the right thing to say didn’t always work out in his favor.
Or as Julian said, he had no social filter
between his brain and mouth.
Cole returned his focus to the dinner he was
preparing. Food. God, he loved to cook and was thankful as hell Matt and Julian
allowed him to tinker in the kitchen. He didn’t want to stir anything up—aside
from the sauce he was preparing—but he needed to burn off the nervous energy
that thrummed through his body on a constant basis. He pressed the button on
the iPod docking station to jump to the next playlist and lowered the volume.
The smooth sounds of Maroon 5 streamed through the speakers and eased his
nerves as he continued to stir the sauce. Visions of Adam Levine singing and
dancing came to mind. Mmm. The things
he’d love to do to that man.
He was placing the garlic rolls in the oven
some time later when Julian walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator
to grab a bottled water. Cole closed the oven and stilled, hoping for some
magic superpower that would render him invisible. He couldn’t abandon dinner
and risk it getting ruined or, even worse, messing up Halfway House, the place
he had called his home for the last two months. Shit.
Cole turned, feeling as if he should say
something, but shut his mouth almost as quickly to avoid aggravating the
situation. He sucked at apologies and usually ended up shoving his other foot into
his mouth as well.
Julian glared at him just as Matt entered the
kitchen with flushed cheeks, a dreamy smile, and swollen lips. Matt hummed as
he tugged his shirt to straighten it. When he looked up and saw both Cole and
Julian looking at him, his eyes rounded and he quickly turned and exited the
kitchen.
Midday
booty call. Busted.
A slow smile began to spread across Cole’s
face. He glanced over at Julian who still had a death glare focused on him.
Julian pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you
dare go there,” he said before turning away. “And pull up your pants.
I can see your damn Spider-Man underwear.”
“Hey, don’t rag on the superheroes. Oh,
and by the way…”
Julian turned and gave Cole a pointed glare.
Cole did a chin up gesture toward the door
where Matt had been only moments ago. “You can thank me later.”
The muscles in Julian’s jaw flexed. He inhaled
sharply, shook his head, and left the kitchen without saying another word.
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ARe

 Add to GoodreadsAmazonAmazon CAAmazon UKAmazon AUB&NiTunes
Jaime Reese is the alter ego of an artist who loves the creative process of writing, just not about herself. Fiction is far more interesting. She has a weakness for broken, misunderstood heroes and feels everyone deserves a chance at love and life. An avid fan of a happy ending, she believes those endings acquired with a little difficulty are more cherished.

 

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Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review of Take Heart by Willa Okati

Rating; 2.5 stars out of 5

takeheart_exlarge_PNG-210x336Dr Brendan West arrives at St. Hawk’s Medical Center for two reasons: first, because he’s onboard as a temp in the ER to cover for another doctor on leave, and second, because he’s heard great things about this area— stories that made him feel that there’s a charm to the town that brings good things to good people. He starts to feel the peace and serenity of the area and enjoy the charm of the town but is afraid to jump in wholeheartedly because he knows his time here is only temporary.

He meets Evan, a heart transplant patient who’s there for an annual checkup and is immediately attracted, then disappointed that Evan is taken when his partner, Griff, walks in. Griff is sending signals that Brendan is afraid he might be misinterpreting. He feels Griff checking him out but that couldn’t be—because he and Evan are a couple, aren’t they? It turns out that Griff and Evan have been known to take on a third over the years and they would like Brendan to join them for a night, or more, of ménage. He finally takes them up on their offer, and it’s more than he could have hoped for. They want him to stay permanently, but he’s sets his boundaries knowing he’s going to be leaving. The story is mostly about that push-pull struggle to decide what to do, i.e. self-inflicted angst as Brendan hovers between wanting to commit to them and wanting to stay detached.

It’s hard to put into words why this story didn’t grab me, but the easiest way to describe it is that it was as if I went to see a movie where the characters spoke quietly in short, staccato sentences, grunts, and mumbles, and the videographer set the scene too dark to be able to make out which characters were speaking, and then to top it all off, it was hard to see what they were actually doing at the time. I had to reread passages and entire pages multiple times to verify who was speaking. I also had trouble visualizing exactly what position each character was in during the sex scenes, but that may have been complicated by the fact that I wasn’t sure who was speaking so it was just hard to imagine. And why have a sex scene if the reader can’t visualize it?

There were many secondary characters in the story so I kept expecting that some action would take place with them, but they either weren’t important to the story or the interaction didn’t take place on page. One example is Brendan’s boss, Dr. Gabriel. We see him outside of office hours but the “important meeting” he’s supposed to have with Brendan is glossed over in that scene. Most men in the story were apparently gay as well, so perhaps the author was introducing characters who will be featured in future installments of this St. Hawk’s Medical Center series.

And my last issue is that I never really understood why Evan and Griff felt that Brendan was so different that they wanted to make the offer to join them permanent. They certainly had no reason to do so from the beginning since they really didn’t even know him at first, and they had previously played with other men in a threesome, so why he was special just didn’t seem to make sense. Perhaps if the author had filled in more on their background or indicated in some way that they had been searching for a permanent third for a long time, it would have made a bit more sense when they got together with him.

The more I write this review, the more I realize that it feels like I’m trying to remember details of a fuzzy dream, and they aren’t coming to me. I’m going to assume that’s because of my above description of how difficult it was to follow the storyline. So I’ll just end the review by saying that if you love ménage, you might like this, but it’s not something that I would recommend to others looking for a romance novel with a strong storyline.

Cover Art by Posh Gosh depicts a handsome, bare-chested man with a scenic landscape background. Although the cover is attractive, it does not depict details of the story.

Sales Links:  Totally Bound Books    All Romance (ARe)   Amazon    Buy It Here

Book Details:

Novella, word count: 34341
ISBN: 9781784303891
eBook
genres: gay, menage, contemporary, series

St. Hawk’s Medical Series:

  • Take Heart
  • Give Chase

A Stella Review: Wrong Number, Right Guy (Celebrity #1) by Mia Watts

Rating 2 stars out of 5

Wrong Number, Right Guy coverA wrong number with a sexy voice on the other end… What are the chances a regular guy has just hooked the hottest actor on the silver screen?

 Ryan Pierce is in town shooting the latest romantic action movie and attending all the right publicity parties. He wasn’t expecting to pick up the phone to an easy laugh and real conversation. So, when he discovers that his caller has misdialed, it surprises him even more that he doesn’t want the man to hang up.

Dar Phillips is the last man to get star-struck, yet his best friend drags him out to be an extra on a movie set. It’s a chance to meet the guy on the set who he accidently called, but he has to admit the lead actor is hot stuff. Could the loping mega-star be his phone-a-friend? And, when they kiss, is Dar ready for the paparazzi and accusations of betrayal by the man who now stars in Dar’s every dream?

 Who did Dar fall for?  The elusive Ryan Pierce, who can’t be seen with him, or the quiet, gentle man who’s just a phone call away?

This book is one of my few two stars. This review will be really short because I admit I’m a little uncomfortable writing it. I’m sorry to say I don’t even know where to start, there isn’t a thing I liked.

Reading the blurb I thought the story looked interesting, too bad it wasn’t delivered in the writing. Instead, I found the book boring for most of the story and the other times it was just surreal. Some dialogues between the main characters seemed childish. And everything in the relationship went so fast, they talked on the phone, they fell in love, then they meet, Ryan comes out of the closet, they split up, they’re back together. Wow.

I enjoy a lot insta-love/lust stories but this one was so unlikely, I couldn’t even understand why they were attracted or in love with each other. It makes no sense at all.

As I already said a thousand times I love my books to be sweet, in this case it was too much. I was waiting for something to change all the way to the end, but it continued to be disappointing and flat.

Cover Artist by Posh Gosh. I like everything about this cover, even the font. Really well done. Finally something in this book fits the blurb.

Sales Links:   Totally Bound       All Romance      Amazon      Buy It here

Book Details:

ebook, Second Edition, 83 pages
Published January 30th 2015 by Totally Bound
(first published March 25th 2011 by Amber Allure)
original title Wrong Number, Right Guy
ISBN139781784303907
edition languageEnglish
Series:  Celebrity

 

It’s Cold Outside! Need Some Storming Love? Meet Seth and Casey From RJ Scott!

 

 

magnifying glass and book

Storming Lose: Seth and Casey by RJ Scott

**************************

banner_StormingLove_blizzard-sm

Seth Wild is a fire fighter who has lost everything. Nearly dying in a building collapse, he is scared and angry and chases away the only good thing in his life—school teacher Casey McGuire.

When a sudden and violent snow storm hits their town he receives a message Casey and ten kids are trapped in an education center with no way out. There is no one else who can help, he’s the last fire fighter in town with his bum leg and his icy heart.

He doesn’t hesitate. He always promised he would be Casey’s hero, but will he ever again be Casey’s love?

Buy Links   RJ Scott

 

About RJ Scott

RJ Scott has been writing since age six, when she was made to stay in at lunchtime for an infraction involving cookies. She was told to write a story and two sides of paper about a trapped princess later, a lover of writing was born.

As an avid reader herself, she can be found reading anything from thrillers to sci-fi to horror. However, her first real true love will always be the world of romance where she takes cowboys, bodyguards, firemen and billionaires (to name a few) and writes dramatic and romantic stories of love and passion between these men.

With over seventy titles to her name and counting, she is the author of the award winning book, The Christmas Throwaway. She is also known for the Texas series charting the lives of Riley and Jack, and the Sanctuary series following the work of the Sanctuary Foundation and the people it protects.

Her goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

Contact/Follow RJ Scott at:

.

rj@rjscott.co.uk
www.rjscott.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/Rjscott_author
www.facebook.com/author.rjscott
www.librarything.com/author/scottrj
www.tumblr.com/blog/rjscott (some NSFW (not safe for work) photos)
www.pinterest.com/rjscottauthor/

Excerpt from Seth and Casey…

 

 

He pushed the door shut against the howling wind and snow and stamped off his feet coming face to face with a terrified looking probie.

“We have school kids and a teacher trapped up at Shorefields,” Seth snapped out. Probie blinked at him. He recalled the guy’s name was Evan or Eben or something. And it seemed like Evan/Eben was in complete panic mode and meltdown. He glanced worriedly from side to side, like some kind of divine intervention was going to answer Seth’s statement.

“There’s no one here,” Evan/Eben said.

Seth waited for a second then exasperated that there wasn’t more of an immediate reaction he pushed past Evan/Eben and into the main area. Both trucks gone.

“I said, they’re not here, ladder one didn’t come back in from the interstate, and engine two went out to Middleton Springs. There’s been a building collapse. It’s just me.”

Seth rounded on the guy and was so close he could see the panic in blue eyes.

“Get on to other stations and call this in—“

“I can’t. Sir, we have nothing. No comms, no Internet, nothing.”

“Give me a sitrep. What’s your name? Evan? Eben?” Seth ordered.

The probie blinked at him then visibly pulled himself together. He was new since Seth had been put on leave. He’d had training, but this was probably his first real situation.

“Evan sir, Evan Pritchard. Uhmmm… Both engines out, reports of major incidents, last said the storm has taken out power. I’m alone here…” He paused. “And sir, I’m not sure what to do.”

Seth considered what he’d been told. Ten kids, Casey, Shorefields, trapped in the bus, which meant they had maybe managed to get away from Shorefields itself and had no way of getting back. He doubted they were set for extreme weather.

“Okay. I want you here. You’re not to leave and you’re to keep your eyes on comms, see if we can get more intel. I need supplies in a bag from the kitchen, water, energy bars.”

“What are you going to do?”

Seth looked directly at him. Evan needed to know where he was going. “There’s a bus load of kids trapped up at Shorefields and I’m going to help. I’m taking the Land Rover.”

He didn’t leave room for discussion, simply presented the facts a done deal. He should wait for a team, for backup, but there was nothing stopping him from getting to Jamie and the kids. And Casey.

“Yes, sir.”

They split, Seth checking the truck he was going to use, a modified vehicle capable of getting through most of the shit life could throw at it. It was equipped with most of the things he could need. Then as an afterthought, he grabbed coats from the supply room. He knew the kids would be dressed warm. After all, the whole day had been a winter experience in a beautiful place.

He was supposed to be there with Casey. He’d said he was staying at home. Time is not right to start thinking I’ve fucked up.

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A BJ Review: Second Act by Kaje Harper

Rating:   4.25 stars out of 5

Second Act coverAfter being written out of his current movie project, semi-successful actor Bryce Edwards decides to use the free time to get out of Hollywood for a holiday visit to his former home in rural Minnesota. Determined to make peace with the past that has haunted him, he seeks out the ex-boyfriend he left behind ten years before. Rather than the second chance with Cody that Bryce had half hoped for, he encounters Dion who may be just what he needs to open the curtain on his life’s second act.

This book appealed to me right away since I live in California and have a family member in the movie industry. The author painted a very realistic picture of what its like trying to make it in acting. It’s not easy, even when you’re doing well enough to have a few credits to your name. I found it interesting that Bryce was out in Minnesota but mostly in the closet in ultra-liberal California. I can see how that could feel necessary, but was glad that his agent was not pressuring him into the closet but was instead quite supportive and caring. Bryce’s acting scenes, and his thoughts as he went through them, seemed so real.

I found the contrasts between Bryce and Dion irresistible: Bryce all pumped and manly, frugal, mostly closeted and very career focused, and Dion all sleek and beautiful with his family money, out and proud, and temporarily helping out his half brother. What an excellent mix.

Unfortunately, communication between the two was at a premium from the start.

Bryce was always taking responsibility for their misunderstandings. I tend to be like Bryce, never thinking that I have the right to be upset. I found myself wanting to see him just get mad at some point instead of always being so damn understanding all the time. Didn’t seem to me that Bryce was the only one responsible for their misunderstandings–far from it in most cases.

I adored Bryce. How could you not love a big, sweet guy who doesn’t even know that others see him as a star? And it felt so right how despite being an excellent actor, he had trouble sometimes with expressing himself using his own words. The way he sometimes searched in his head for past roles to bolster himself through difficult real life situations pulled at my heart.

The very out and proud Dion nearly stole the show with his humor and in-your-face carefree lifestyle. But I very much wished for some bits from his POV as I was often wondering what the heck he was thinking when he said and did some things. The fun epilogue highlighted Dion wonderfully and left me all smiles.

Overall, the sex was hot, especially the frotting scene. I find that very sexy and don’t see enough of in m/m. My only disappointment was that Bryce’s stray thought about whether Dion would be open to topping never made it into reality. I’d really like to read that scene.

On another note, Cody and Jacques provided an unexpected, sweet bonus romance. Adored those two together. The proposal scene was one of my favorites in the book. Loved seeing the self-assured Jacques’ vulnerable side.

For being on the short side, the author brought plenty of depth to all the characters in this story. Each felt real, flawed yet strong in their own way.

While this book took an entirely different track than what I’d initially expected, I was in no way disappointed. Not a reunion or second chance story at all. True to the title, it’s the opening curtain on the second act in Bryce Edward’s life. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Cover Artist: BookCoverMasterClass.com
The cover photo nails the different looks/classes of the two MCs and captures the theme of snowy Minnesota small town meets Hollywood and the movies. It’s almost a synopsis all on its own.

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe)    Amazon   Buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 144 pages
Published January 4th 2015 (first published December 27th 2014)
original title Second Act
edition language English

Down Under Showcase Author: Bette Browne

DownUnder_January Is Banner

Meet Bette Browne!

Bette Browne Avi

Bette Browne is the author of Exposed, The Not Quite Shakespeare Anthology, Dirty Martini, among others listed below.

To get to know Bette Browne  a little better, the author agreed to write a guest post about Christmas in Australia. It’s a fascinating window into how much we differ and yet are so much alike. Look for that below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

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Author Bio 1

Bette Browne is wife to an extremely understanding husband and mother to two very tolerant children. In her mind they are the most accepting family in the world, allowing her the freedom to indulge her passion for fiction, whether it is reading or writing it.

 

She enjoys traditional male/female romances, but male/male is her passion. In her mind nothing is more erotic than two (or more) beautiful men finding love together.

 

For Bette, the fight for tolerance in all its guises is an important one, and hopefully her contribution, even if it is only in the form of the occasional love story, is one she will continue to happily find the time for.

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Author Contacts

Contact/Follow Bette Browne at:

Email: authorbettebrowne@gmail.com
Website (Blog): http://bettebrowne.blogspot.com.au
Facebook: https:www.facebook.com/bette.browne.1
Twitter: http://Twitter.com/bettebrowne
Goodreads: 12327021-bette-browne

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Author Books Stories Down Under1 copy

✍Bette Browne Books:

Second Chances Anthology (Dirty Martini) Bottom Drawer Publications
Dirty Martini (published at Bottom Drawer Publications):Dirty Martini cover

Blurb:

This story was originally included in the SECOND CHANCES Anthology released in August 2012 and has been individually released to celebrate BDP’s anniversary.

Daniel Fletcher knocks back his third vodka of the night after running into his ex out with the same lover he had found him with in their bed two months before. He’d ended their relationship that night but coming face to face with them still together makes the pain of the breakup still very real.

Nathan Smith has seen more men than he count drowning their sorrows in a bottle at his bar. He understands – he’s been there himself. One night a handsome brunette with sad blue eyes makes Nate want to assure him that everything will be okay. The connection he feels from a fleeting touch, as he walks the man out of the bar, shakes and stirs him in ways that he never expected.

What starts out as a means to forget might just be what they both need.

The Candidates *M/M Romance “Love Has No Boundaries” Story
Not Quite Shakespeare Anthology (The Jacobite)
Exposed (Love’s Landscapes Story)

Coming soon:
Bared (Exposed Sequel)

 

Genres: contemporary fiction, M/M romance

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Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Bette Browne) is an eBook copy of the winner’s choice of  Dirty Martini, or even the anthology Second Chances (Dirty Martini is in it) . Enter using this Rafflecopter link here.

ha Rafflecopter giveaway

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find the Hunt “word or phrase” in bold green .

Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

******************Author Guest Blog********************

Christmas Down Under by Bette Browne

Christmas and summer, and why as an Australian the blend of the two is so incredibly important to me . . .

As you read this, you will most likely be trying to forget Christmas (or whichever holiday you might celebrate at this time of year). I know I do in the immediate days and weeks following it, happy to pack it away in neat boxes until next year. But as I write it is still looming in the very near future, barrelling down upon me so quickly that I feel if I blink I might miss it. As much as I love the holiday season, it makes me sweat big fat drops of perspiration (literally as well as figuratively—it is summer here right now after all) and causes my blood pressure to soar—but I really do love it, and all the crazy joy associated with it.

So why would I write about a holiday that will be well and truly over by the time anyone reads my words? Because if the Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words team want to showcase the differences between Australia (and New Zealand) and much of the rest of the world, i.e. the Northern Hemisphere, then Christmas in summer is one of them as far as I am concerned.

Picture this, it’s Christmas Eve, those nearest and dearest to you are done with work for the day, excited that they’re about to have a few days off, and have converged on your house this year, Eskys in tow (that’s a cooler, btw) loaded with icy cold beers??????????????????????????????????????? and bottles of wine, and maybe a kilo or two of fresh trawler-caught prawns. The kids—nieces, nephews, friends, whoever—already dressed in their swimsuits, have towels slung over their shoulders, but not for long. As soon as they get the okay from their parents, those towels are re-slung over the pool fence, or straight onto the ground, and the splashing begins—they won’t get out until you drag them out later that evening with threats that Santa won’t come if they are not in bed and asleep by midnight (although it will actually be 10 p.m.—sanity does prevail!). Of course, after all that activity sleep will come easy, and their pool-red eyes will close fast. Thank you! The adults enjoy the balmy evening sitting under the twinkling fairy lights strung around, occasionally slapping away a mosquito as twilight descends (Where are those mosquito coils again?), discussing in quiet tones how many presents are still left to be wrapped after the kids are asleep and what’s on the menu at their house tomorrow. That conversation might move to whether Uncle Jim (or Tom or Fred or . . .) will be joining the festivities this year, and how many beers he’ll drink before he becomes argumentative and wants to fight.

It’s still 30°C at nine p.m., and the forecast for tomorrow says it will be another hot one, maybe even reaching 42°C. As a few of you wander the neighbourhood, glass of wine in hand, to look at the Christmas lights on the houses, you all discuss how to beat the heat on the most-loved-day-of-the-year. Envy abounds that you have a pool, but it will be too hot to be in it if the temperature reaches that high. What will actually happen is that you’ll huddle away inside until late in the afternoon, leaving Uncle Jim snoring on the couch, and you’ll all pile in the car to go to the beach to enjoy both a swim and the cool sea breeze that will break the heat, and calm everyone’s escalating (by then) nerves. And then you’ll mosey on home, tired and sated, able to now utilise the pool and the outside entertaining area and graze on leftovers and finally relax.

It’s Christmas Day. Everyone in your house is still asleep, for how long you have no idea, but you’re awake, so you’re going to make the most of the slightly cooler morning and get a start on things. You drink your first cup of coffee looking at the flashing lights on the Christmas tree, happy that wrapping any extra presents is not something that needs to be done this morning—you were organised this year. Then you go to the kitchen.

Everyone’s awake now. Presents have been opened, and the kids are enjoying the spoils of the day. It’s nice to have a moment to enjoy that—it’s maybe your favourite part of the whole silly season, even as they get older. But there is only so much time you can sit and relax.

The temperature is rising, and as you move around the kitchen and perspiration begins to cover your body, it is finally time to turn on the air-conditioner. It would be miserable today without it; besides, you need to try and fight the heat of the oven cooking the turkey and roasted vegetables you just can’t do without. That’s certainly a tradition you have never been able to let go of. Many have, because really who would cook a roast dinner during the hottest part of the year, choosing instead to feast on the magnificent seafood so plentiful in this part of the world. But you love it, Christmas just isn’t the same without it, and you have the air-conditioning to help stave the heat.

Again you look at the clock (such a shame that even a day like today can’t run without one) and notice the guests will be arriving soon. Time to go and change into the lovely soft summer dress you decided on for the occasion.

Lunch is served. Well not really, it’s later than that. It’s been just too hot to eat—and you’ve been nibbling all morning. But you look at your beautiful table, proud of your achievement. The lovely place settings, the bon bons, the lovely centrepiece, and the food, so much food—turkey, potatoes, gravy, ham, pork, vegetables, some seafood, salads, and more . . .

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As I read back over what I’ve just written, I wonder whether Christmas in Australia is actually any different at all to anywhere else in the world. Yes, the weather is hot, excruciatingly so at times, and that is a big difference, but in so many ways it’s the same: being overwhelmingly busy, threats that Santa won’t come if the kids aren’t asleep, the gifts, the food, Uncle Jim (and his drinking problem) . . .

I am fortunate enough to have experienced a Northern Christmas, and don’t get me wrong, I loved every moment of it, and would love to do it again one day, but would I trade? No. There was no riding of new Christmas bikes on the driveway, or beach swims at the end of the day, or even that leisurely stroll around the neighbourhood to view the Christmas lights. It just wasn’t he same. It didn’t herald the beginning of my children having their long summer break, or mark the end of yet another school year, or the precede the Boxing Day sales (similar to Black Friday in the USA).

I suppose what it boils down to is that Christmas, or anything else for that matter, is what you know along with memories forged over a lifetime. It’s what you have grown up with that makes something special, as well as the people you are able to spend it with.

Maybe one of the wonderful Down Under authors being showcased needs to write an appropriate Aussie/NZ Christmas tale. Now where is my notepad . . .?

Happy “belated” holidays!

Bette

[STRW Note: No, there are no misspellings, that’s the difference between US English and Down Under English (with differences still between NZ and AUS.}]