Category: STRWCS

Head to New Zealand with Meredith Shayne’s Cutting Out! (book tour and contest)

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Love Hot Men, Heartache, and HEA? Cutting Out by Meredith Shayne has it all and then some.  One of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Must Reads, this book has heart, substance, and a captivating setting as well.  But a country like New Zealand is not without its dangers, so Meredith Shayne is here today on tour to talk about “Living with Earthquakes”, a major component in Cutting Out.  We have an excerpt, and a contest you won’t want to miss out on!

Cutting Out by Meredith Shayne

 

Christchurch NZ – Living with Earthquakes

There have been several major earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand in the last 4 years, but the first two, a magnitude 7.1 quake that hit at 4.35am on Saturday, September 4th 2010, and a magnitude 6.3 quake that hit at 12.51pm on February 22nd 2011, were the most shocking. The first one because it was the first, and the second one because it was absolutely devastating to the city and its people.Blog Stop - Scattered Thoughts - Image 1

When you know that Christchurch was built on reclaimed swamp lands, you realise that no earthquake in the area is going to be a good thing, but I don’t think anyone thought that the impact would be quite so big. We don’t dwell on those kinds of things, do we? If we did, we’d never leave the house. On that day in February 2011, a lot of people who left their houses that morning never came home; 185 people were killed, and a lot of the city centre was destroyed, including the iconic Christchurch Cathedral. Here is a video of the immediate aftermath, and some visuals of what parts of the city are still like today (warning: video contains some disturbing images):

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alC7JpUuDMI

For those of us who lived in other NZ cities, it was a stressful time, texting loved ones and waiting, waiting, waiting to hear from them via a phone network that was groaning under the weight of everyone trying to use it. That was nothing to what people in Christchurch were going through, of course; in the news over the following couple of days were a pair of siblings, a brother and sister, who sat vigil outside one of the collapsed buildings in the CBD, the building where their mother worked, waiting for news of her. They sat there for days, but it wasn’t good news. Their mum hadn’t survived.

But there were other stories on the news too. The university students, nicknamed the “student army”, who went round to people’s houses with shovels and wheelbarrows to dig the mud and muck that was sometimes feet deep out of people’s yards, the people who went from door to door checking that people who lived alone were all right, the millions of dollars that got donated. The Kiwi sense of humour that never goes away for long started to emerge, with competitions to see who could build the best backyard toilet (the “long drop”, essentially a hole in the ground with a seat over it):

Website Link:  http://www.showusyourlongdrop.co.nz/

Blog Stop - Scattered Thoughts - Image 2It’s been almost 4 years, and the city still has a long way to go. But there’s resilience too; I was there in April of this year, and I was struck by the effort that had gone in to making things more cheerful: the barriers keeping people away from derelict buildings decorated with mosaic flowers, the bright patterns on the walls surrounding the mangled cathedral, and the new shopping mall made entirely of brightly coloured shipping containers that’ll stand up to any quake. The city is not there yet, but it’ll get there.

 

 

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Bottom Drawer Publications is proud to present Cutting Out by Meredith Shayne, a contemporary mm romance based in New Zealand.

Book Details: NovelCutting Out cover
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance
Release Date: October 11, 2014

Cutting Out Blurb

A twenty-year veteran of the shearing shed, Aussie Shane Cooper loves his job, and the home he’s made for himself in New Zealand. If he’s a little lonely, he’s got good mates to keep his spirits up. When a hot, cocky young shearer named Lachlan Moore catches his eye at a competition, he’s content to look but not touch, knowing the young man is out of his league.
Lachie wouldn’t mind a piece of Shane, but the gorgeous gun shearer from Australia is soon forgotten when the Christchurch earthquake hits, and tragedy strikes Lachie’s family. Lachie deals with it the best he can, cutting himself off from all he knows. A year later and he’s back in the shearing shed, out of practice and lacking confidence. That Shane’s there to watch him flounder doesn’t help his nerves.

As Lachlan struggles to re-acclimatise, Shane can’t resist giving him a hand to get back on his feet. As they move from friends to something more, Shane finds himself wanting to know everything he can about Lachie. But Lachie’s got secrets he desperately wants to keep, and when things come to a head, those secrets might just mean the end of them before they’ve truly begun.

Buy Links:  Bottom Drawer Publications  amazon    iTunes    All Romance (ARe)

Barnes & Noble    Book Stand    Kobo        Smashwords

The e-book is available for sale for $5.99 via the BDP Digital Shop
and other online booksellers.

Release & Blog Tour Giveaway:  Paperback copy of Cutting Out, $10 BDP voucher and 3 x Cutting Out e-books!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Use the link provided for the entry form and for additional contest details.
a Rafflecopter giveaway    or enter at    FB Giveaway   (same contest multiple ways to win)

Cutting Out coverFind Cutting Out on:  Goodreads,  on Bookalikes, and at  it’s Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words review, where it is a highly recommended read!

For more information:

  • Visit Bottom Drawer Publications ( www.bottomdrawerpublications.net) or contact them at:
  • Email:  mailto:bottomdrawerpub@gmail.com or  info@bottomdrawerpublications.net

 

About the Author  Meredith Shayne

A scientist in a past life, these days Meredith Shayne mainly uses her scientific training to poke holes in television pseudoscience. Originally from Australia, she moved to New Zealand to start a new life a few years ago and hasn’t regretted it for one minute, even if she frequently wishes that the New Zealand weather was a little better; if she’s forced, she’ll admit that the refreshing lack of animals that can kill you in New Zealand makes up for a little rain.

Meredith travels a lot, so much so that she has developed a shameful love of airplane food and knows her passport number by heart. When she is at home, she enjoys baking, horrible music from the 1980s, reality television, and gloating any time Australia thrashes the living daylights out of New Zealand on the sporting field.

  • Find Meredith at her website:  ../../../../Marketing-Promotion/Books/I’m Your Man/www.meredithshayne.com”

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A MelanieM Review: Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) (Pulp Friction 2014 #18) by Lee Brazil

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

 You’ve got to kiss a lot of frogs… 

Cold Day In Hell coverCannon Malloy has been through hell and back, from the horrific events in Atlanta to the loss of his career as a surgeon in that aftermath.  But moving to Arizona has changed him.  Mountain Shadows campground has given Cannon not only a new family of friends, but a man he has come to love like no other, Finn Lorensson.   But recently Finn has been acting remote and secretive.  Just when Cannon is ready for the final commitment for them both.

Finn Lorensson is in trouble.  His big heart and concern for Cannon allowed him to make some poor judgements that have put himself and his relationship in danger.  But what is he to do?  All he wants is a future with Cannon but now that seems to be in jeopardy.  One thing Finn realizes is that it will be a cold day in hell when he lets the man he loves walk away.  Now if only he had a solution for their problems…

Here we are, Cold Day in Hell – Story 5 (or 18 depending upon how you are counting), and the stakes have never been higher for  both of  our remarkable main characters.  It has taken two series, with more heartache and pain than any character should go through,  to get Cannon Malloy to this point in his life.  Lee Brazil has taken us on a journey that saw the reader disliking Cannon because of his treatment of Chance (PF2013) of Chance’s Are, then slowly bring about this character’s evolution. Cannon has grown from  a self centered story irritant to a complex man finally coming out of the closet and into his personality.  It has been a rough and tumble sort of metamorphosis that involved a psychotic killer, a Dom, a lot of regret and finally a move to Flagstaff, AZ.   And every painful step forward that this complex, intelligent man has taken moved the reader closer to him as an individual and a part of the Cannon/Finn coupledom,

If you had told me I would end up loving Cannon Mallow after my initial impressions, well, let’s just say my disbelief would have been huge! But Lee Brazil has skillfully made this progression of feelings towards Cannon resolve itself into one of compassion for and understanding of  a man in transition at a later point in his life.  We now “get” Cannon, his issues and the road he had to travel to become the man that Finn Lorensson loves today.  And that was partially made possible by the marvelous character of Finn Lorensson himself.  What a noble (overly so), self sacrificing (yes too much), hugely brilliant Viking of a man!  Brazil has constructed a man you want to jump because of his brain and body, and then smack upside the head because of his actions.  Is  Finn believable?  Absolutely, which makes it both hilariouis and frustrating when the actions run counter to those the readers want to happen.  And sometimes that behavior turns the  story dark and scary.

Pulling the pieces of  their various pasts back into the picture and their relationship is a large element of this story.  Cannon’s children, Finn’s past actions…it all needs to come out and coalesce  for Cannon and Finn to have a future together.  How Lee Brazil does that is both the charm and the terror of this story.  What a dichotomy!  Cannon’s grown children need to see the man their father has become and the life he has made for himself in Arizona.  Finn needs to resolve the mounting problems  he created, out of the best intentions of course, that now threaten everything he loves and has worked for.  Family and threat to family, loving relationships balanced by those that were never meant to happen. And while we (and our heartstrings) are zigging and zagging along the many plot twists Brazil has in store for us, the siren song of Cannon and Finn’s love has never been stronger.  It is that ocean swell that carries us and the men along to that final story and, hopefully, their HEA.

Yes, one more group story to go.  Just one.  One to tie up all the loose ends (and there are many).  Bring all the lovers, their famlies together for a resolution we can cheer for because we have so much invested in these characters and their stories.   So look forward to December and in the meantime, if you are already along on this journey, get prepared by reading Cold Day in Hell by Lee Brazil.  It’s a heartgrabber, just like the men it revolves around.  If you are new to the series,  back, back, I say!  Go to the beginning and start there with this series and all the rest.  Don’t miss out on a story, not one.

Cold Day in Hell takes it’s place among the top stories/series of the year for Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.  See you back here in December for the finale!   Happy Reading.

Cover art by Laura Harner.  These covers are wonderful.  The artist does a great job branding the series with the logo and the model works for the character.

Sales Links:    All Romance eBooks    amazon   Cold Day in Hell

Book Details:

ebook, 51 pages
Published October 1st 2014 by Lime Time Press (first published September 30th 2014)
ISBN13LBRZL0201441
edition languageEnglish
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #18, In From

 

About Pulp Friction 2014
Laura Harner ~ Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ T.A. Webb
The Pulp Friction 2014 Collection. Four authors. Four Series. Twenty books. One fiery finale. Spend a year with an eclectic group of strangers brought together through circumstances, as they are tested by life, and emerge as more than friends.
The strongest bonds are forged by fire, cooled in air, smoothed by water, grounded in earth.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment.  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: 
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 coming in December.

Side Stories or Interludes:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)
Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5) by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5)
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire

A MelanieM Review: Heat (Salisbury Stories #1) by R.J. Scott and Chris Quinton

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Heat 400x600Lewis Mandineau is at the lowest point of his life.  His parents were killed by a drunk lorry driver, a crash that left his beloved sister, Rachel, with brain damage and the functional age of a child.   Worse still, in the months after while Lewis was trying to cope with his loss and tend to his sister, his boyfriend at the time betrayed and stole from his family’s historic restaurant, Laurels.  Now, the unthinkable has happened. Laurels, the restaurant that had been in his family for generations had to be sold to Trelawney Enterprises, an American corporation, to repay the debts incurred by his ex lover and restore the Mandineau name.

Enter  Devon Trelawney III of Trelawney Enterprises.  Sent by his father to assess the viability of the restaurant and its staff, Devon knows all about family tradition. But he also knows sentiment has no place in business matters, and the Laurels’ potential is swamped by the debts it has accrued.  Devon is ready to arrive, assess and leave with the recommendation that Laurels be sold.  But nothing has prepared Devon for the impact that Lewis, Rachel, and Laurels itself will have on him and his future.

While Lewis and Devon are adjusting to each others presence, their attraction, and the possibility of more to come, other restaurants in the area are set aflame.  As the heat increases between a grief stricken chef and a hard nosed businessman with a plan, will the obstacles around them crumble or mount higher than ever before?

Heat by Chris Quinton and RJ Scott grabbed at my heartstrings right from the beginning of their story and never let go.  From the moment we meet Lewis and his sister, Rachel, their situation and love for each other pulls the readers into their lives and heartbreaking present.  Lewis is an especially appealing and romantic figure.  A chef, surrounded by long term, almost family, employees, Lewis is a man under attack from all directions.  The pain and loss of his parents, the betrayal of a man he loved and trusted, his sister’s brain damage and now total care,  now Lewis must deal with the devastating loss of Laurels, a family owned restaurant that has been theirs for hundreds of years.  That Scott and Quinton make the character of Lewis such a believably honorable, gentle soul makes his situation all the more heartrending to all around him and the readers as well.

At the same time we meet Lewis, we are also introduced to the confused, damaged 19 year old sister, Rachel.  And your heart is broken all over again.  The debilitating impact of the crash upon Rachel turns her into a child, one that loves Jelly Babies along with her brother.  Again, Scott and Quinton have done with research with Rachel, so that her behavior that wavers along with the emotional atmosphere at the restaurant is in line with realistic profile of someone with the same type of brain damage this character has incurred.   I adored her. You will too.  Plus I think I have found a new candy addiction as well.

A harder nut to crack, per se, is the character of  Devon Trelawney.  His first appearance puts everyone on guard, from the Mandineaus to the readers.  The authors make his personal growth and change in outlook such a strong element of this story that when the “real” Devon Trelawney emerges he takes our breathe away with his warmth and caring.  That switch allows us the embrace his relationship with Lewis, Rachel, and beyond.  This romance aspect of Heat   is charming and oh so hot!  Trust me, the heat is not restricted just to the kitchen here (but yes, that kitchen is a very sexy place too), but all over Laurels and the intense attraction that flares up between these not too dissimilar men.

I finished the story and then made sure I had it right.  Heat is but the first in a new series entitled Salisbury Stories from RJ Scott and Chris Quinton.  If this book is any indication, then Heat and the Salisbury Stories will be on everyones “must have, must read” list for the year and beyond.  But don’t take my word for it.  Pick up Heat (Salisbury Stories #1) today and begin your introduction to these captivating characters, their restaurant, and a romance to cheer for.  Its a definite recommended read here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words and a sumptuous banquet for all lovers of romance and hot men.

Cover art by Meredith Russell.  Russell delivers a wonderful cover, complete with charming location.

Sales Links:  Love Lane Books    All Romance eBooks    amazon    Heat (Salisbury Stories#1)

Book Details:

book, 205 pages
Published October 24th 2014 by Love Lane Books Limited (first published October 23rd 2014)
edition languageEnglish
url http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/heat.html
seriesSalisbury Stories #1

Let’s Go Back to Bluewater Bay with Starstruck by L. A. Witt (book tour and contest)

Welcome to Bluewater Bay!BWBlogo_Web

This quiet little logging town on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula has been stagnating for decades, on the verge of ghost town status. Until a television crew moves in to film Wolf’s Landing, a soon-to-be cult hit based on the wildly successful shifter novels penned by local author Hunter Easton.

Wolf’s Landing’s success spawns everything from merchandise to movie talks, and Bluewater Bay explodes into a mecca for fans and tourists alike. The locals still aren’t quite sure what to make of all this—the town is rejuvenated, but at what cost? And the Hollywood-based production crew is out of their element in this small, mossy seaside locale. Needless to say, sparks fly.

This collaborative story world is brought to you by ten award-winning, best-selling LGBTQ romance authors:  L.A. Witt,  L.B. Gregg,  Z.A. Maxfield,  Aleksandr Voinov,  Heidi Belleau,  Rachel Haimowitz,  Anne Tenino,  Amy Lane,  SE Jakes, and  G.B. Gordon. Each contemporary novel stands alone, but all are built around the town and the people of Bluewater Bay and the Wolf’s Landing media empire.

Join L.A. Witt and L.B. Gregg for the Welcome to Bluewater Bay Tour, and check out Starstruck and There’s Something About Ari to meet the cast, crew, and locals!BWB_150x300

About Starstruck

Starstruck_150pixels4pwHollywood is full of dirty secrets, but Carter refuses to be Levi’s.

Retired action star Levi Pritchard has made a quiet life for himself in the sleepy logging town of Bluewater Bay, Washington. But then Hollywood comes to film the wildly popular television series Wolf’s Landing, and Bluewater Bay isn’t so sleepy anymore. His retirement doesn’t stick, either, because he’s offered a part on the show—exactly the kind of complex role he’d always wanted, one that would prove him more than a glorified stuntman. The only catch? He has to stay in the closet—no matter how attractive he finds his co-star.

Carter Samuels is the critically-acclaimed male lead on Wolf’s Landing. And now, the man who inspired him to take up acting—and made him realize he’s gay—is joining the cast, and sparks fly between them instantly. But Carter is out and proud and determined to stay true to himself.

Remaining just friends is the only thing to do, as both the studio and Levi’s disapproving, dysfunctional family keep reminding them. Except their friendship deepens by the day, tempting them with what they can’t have but both desperately need.

About L.A. Witt.

L.A. Witt is an author of gay erotic romances, and has been recently exiled from Okinawa, Japan, to Omaha, Nebraska. She resides there with her husband, a telekinetic goldfish, and two incredibly spoiled cats. It’s unclear if the exile was the result of the mostly classified “Aquarium Incident,” or if she’s actually being hidden, for her protection, from the Polynesian Mafia and her arch nemesis, erotic romance author Lauren Gallagher.

Should you encounter Lauren, don’t tell her L.A. is in Omaha. This bio will self-destruct in 17 seconds.

Connect with L.A.:

Contest:  Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (excluding Starstruck) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 9th, and winners will be announced on November 10th. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

A MelanieM Review: Red Dirt Heart 3 by N. R. Walker

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Red Dirt Heart3Life for Charlie Sutton has never been better.  With Travis by his side now on a permanent visa, Charlie feels that there is nothing he can’t do.  Run his multi-million dollars station,  finish his degree and even become a member of the local ranch board.  But things change quickly and before Charlie knows it he is dealing with Ma’s failing health, issues among his staff and  Travis’ latest rescue, a wombat baby named Nuggat!

Still, Charlie knows that with Travis’ love and support, he can manage anything.  But then Charlie’s calm and stability is shattered in two heartbreaking moments.  A revelation from Charlie’s past makes him question everything he knows about his life.  And Travis receives bad news from home.  News that makes him leave for the States.  A pivotal moment in the life of Charlie Sutton has arrived and how he deals with it  will either throw everything he has gained away or give him finally the future he has always wanted.

Red Dirt Heart 3 continues and deepens the story of the Sutton Station and its owner, Charley Sutton, as he adjusts to all the foundation shaking changes that have occurred in his life.  From the solitary son of an embittered, albeit successful rancher on the largest station in the Northern Territory, Charlie’s life dramatically changed with the arrival of Travis, the international exchange agronomist, who arrived to research and experience first hand life on the Australian desert. With the harsh conditions and by develop strategies that would work both in Texas where Travis came from and in arid stressful conditions of the Sutton Station, Travis hoped to make an impact but never envisioned that his heart would be stolen by the land and Charlie Sutton.

What a lovely, complicated character we have in Charlie Sutton. By making it his voice that we hear as the story unfolds, his ruminations, confused thoughts and feelings about every aspect of his life and the farm makes him our intimate companion, one who we become heavily invested in.  Add to that the impeccable created of Travis Craig and we have a team to root for and love.  Travis is a charming and layered a character as you will meet, clearly Charlie’s equal in complexity while maintaining an open heart and outlook that Charlie needs in his life.   Walker slowly reels us into their romance over the first 2 stories as neither man anticipated falling deeply in love, especially the quiet, and closeted Charlie.  Loving Travis has meant that Charlie has had to take a hard look at his father’s bigoted legacy which had become an ingrained part of Charlie’s inner voice, one that made Charlie think he would never be good enough to take his father’s place and have someone to love and love him back.  Between a mother who deserted them both and a stringent, harsh father, Charlie’s life became one of self isolation and work.  Then Travis arrived and everything changed…almost.  What made the first stories so deep and real was the growth that had to happen inside Charlie.  All the ground swells of emotions, arguments, and hard self introspection that Charlie had to go through was not only believable but we were in his head as each new decision and change happened and sometimes fought against.

N. R. Walker has the ability to bring the Sutton Station to life as we read.  It becomes lively, loud, and intimate the deeper we delve into the story and these characters lives.   And while Charlie loves and needs to have Travis there with him at home, Charlie’s inner voices have only quoted but not gone away.  That strong, judgmental voice of his father’s is still, unconsciously or not,  impacting Charlie’s outlook still. He fears what the other ranchers/farmers will think if they find out charlie is gay and in love with another man.  Will he be ostracized our outcast by his peer, his father’s peers and the businesses the Sutoon station depends on?  I love that N. R. Walker’s  capacity to make all these frustrating aspects of self acceptance and character growth work superbly within her story.  It makes her characters so human and relatable.

Am I obsessed with this series and group of characters?  Why yes, I am.  Each new book brings about a deepened saga, full of heart, red dirt, and the enormous capacity of people when hit with life shaking revelations, bullying, new life changing relationships, love, and even loss, who then continue on to make something better out of their lives, for themselves and the others they care for.  This is a series I have already found myself returning to again, rereading the stories in preparation for the next.

If you have not made the acquaintance of this remarkable author and series, run, don’t walk, to the nearest computer and grab up Red Dirt Heart 1, then proceed briskly to Red Dirt Heart 2, and then here at Red Dirt Heart 3.  There will be a Red Dirt Heart 4 and possibly 5.  I love the simplicity in naming the series, it has certainly made it easy for me to remember the title of each book!  I also have several interviews with N. R. Walker, about her writing and this series.  You can find them here and here.

At the end of the year Red Dirt Heart and N. R. Walker will be at the top of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of 2014 lists.  Don’t wait until then to start your journey into the harsh, beautiful land of Australia’s Northern Territory and the men who live and love there!  Happy Reading.

Cover art by Sara York, who does a lovely job branding the series but still giving each book a distinct look.

Sales Links:     All Romance eBooks       amazon     Red Dirt Heart 3

Book Details:

Please note: This book is set in Australia, using Australian English and lingo.

ebook, 287 pages
Published October 17th 2014
edition languageEnglish
seriesRed Dirt #3

Mount Up with Silvia Violet’s Shifting Hearts (Wild R Farm 6) Book Tour and Contest

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Check out Silvia Violet’s latest release in her series Wild R Farm, Shifting Hearts.  Read the blurb, check out the excerpt and don’t forget to enter the contest provided below!

Book Name: Shifting Hearts (Wild R Farm 6)
Goodreads Page
Author Name: Silvia Violet

Author Bio:

Silvia Violet writes erotic romance in a variety of genres including paranormal, contemporary, sci fi, and historical. She can be found haunting coffee shops looking for the darkest, strongest cup of coffee she can find. Once equipped with the needed fuel, she can happily sit for hours pounding away at her laptop. Silvia typically leaves home disguised as a suburban stay-at-home-mom, and other coffee shop patrons tend to ask her hilarious questions like “Do you write children’s books?” She loves watching the looks on their faces when they learn what she’s actually up to. When not writing, Silvia enjoys baking sinfully delicious treats, exploring new styles of cooking, and reading to her incorrigible offspring.

Author Contact:

For a list of Silvia’s available titles visit Silvia Violet’s website!

Wild R 6 400x600Publisher: Silvia Violet Books
Cover Artist: Meredith Russell

Sales LInks: Amazon    All Romance eBooks  Smashwords

Shifting Hearts Blurb:

After experiencing what happens when someone you love walks away and never looks back, Brandon decided love was for fools. Then he spent a summer with Zach. He struggled against feelings that grew every time he and Zach were together, telling himself they were just having a fling. When Zach confessed his love one hot summer night, Brandon panicked. He scoffed at Zach and made sure he walked away first.

Three years later, their paths cross again when Zach becomes the vet at Wild R Farm where Brandon works. Brandon realizes his feelings haven’t changed, but Zach treats Brandon with scorn despite Brandon’s every attempt to show Zach he’s no longer the self-centered man he used to be. When a night out ends with Brandon driving Zach home, confessions are made on both sides, and hope begins to build in Brandon’s heart.

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Western/Cowboy

Shifting Hearts Excerpt:

Brandon settled his and Zach’s tabs and managed to get Zach to his truck without incident. “Did you drive here?”

“Nope, Martin picked me up.”

Brandon snorted again. Fucking Martin. The two of them together was so not going to happen.

Zach giggled. “I’ve always loved it when you go all ferocious stallion.”

Oh fuck. “Just get in the truck, Zach.” Brandon helped him step up and maneuver himself into the passenger seat.

“It’s fucking wrong.“ Zach said as he laid his head back on the seat.

“What is?”

“That you’re so fucking hot.”

No. No, no, no. This was not happening. “Just close your eyes and stop talking. You’ll be better off that way.” Maybe he’d pass out and then Brandon’s dick could stop reacting to his soft words and beautiful eyes and everything that made him the only man Brandon really wanted.

“No, I’ll forget it all. Best thing about being drunk. I might as well say what I want because who will care later.”

“I will.”

“Nah, you never did. That’s what makes it so unfair.”

Brandon rubbed his forehead, trying to ward off a massive headache. “You’re wrong about that. I—”

“What? You didn’t mean to look at me like I was a bug you wanted to squash when I said I loved you?”

“You’re drunk. Really fucking drunk, and I’d be an idiot to say anything now. More of an idiot than I already have been and—”

“Fuck, you’re babbling.” Zach looked extremely amused.

Brandon scowled at him. “Nope, it’s your imagination”

“It’s not.”

“Yeah, it is”

Zach grinned. “You could kiss me to shut me up.”


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October 27: Rainbow Gold Reviews, Angel Martinez, Michael Mandrake, My Fiction Nook
October 28: Cate Ashwood, Cathy Brockman Romances, Amanda C. Stone, Love Bytes
October 29: Multitasking Mommas, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fallen Angel Reviews, Kimi-Chan, BFD Book Blog
October 30: Prism Book Alliance, Tara Lain, Inked Rainbow Reads
October 31: MM Good Book Reviews, Parker Williams, Jade Crystal

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A MelanieM Review: Brothers in Arms (The Broken Road Cafe #2) by T.A. Webb

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Brothers In Arms coverDaniel O’Leary fled his high powered life in Atlanta, exchanging it for ownership of the The Broken Road Cafe in Blue Ridge, a life he hoped would be simpler,honest, in all ways easier on the soul and emotions.  But life has a way of playing with your expectations.  Instead Daniel met Chief of Police Nick Oliver, a closeted, complex man and fell in love.  As did Nick.  Daniel also found his life filling up with new friends, neighbors, and town folk determined to pull him into the close knit soceity of small town life even as his connections to Atlanta refused to let him go.

Now Daniel finds himself immersed in the lives of those around him and finds that life in Blue Ridge is every bit as full of complexities, pain, and bullying as life in Atlanta.  One of The Broken Road’s high school employees is  being harassed by the local school bullies and his vulnerability  pulls at Dan’s heart while leaving him at odds as to what to do about it.  Nick’s semi-closeted status is starting to cause further issues between them and someone from Dan’s past in Atlanta arrives to cause more pain and heartache.

But there is an even bigger danger lurking, one that will change everyones life forever.  The Broken Road Cafe is supposed to be a new life for Daniel O’Leary but what happens when his old one won’t let him go?

The Broken Road Cafe charmed me with its plot and myriad cast of inviting characters.  I loved the premise and the relocation to a small town that felt so similar in culture and mannerisms to the places my  relatives grew up and still reside to this day in Georgia.  Now with Brothers in Arms, the author widens his lens to include more of the townspeople and places than we have visited before.

Small town, Georgia is a place that T.A. Webb knows intimately and that knowledge allows Webb to usher his readers into the minds and community of Blue Ridge, Georgia.  Whether it is the wonderful mayor or the bigoted hard-nosed high school football coach, these people feel as believable as they do familiar.  Outside Daniel O’Leary is slowly finding his way into the life of Blue Ridge, one he accessed by buying the town’s favorite eating spot, The Broken Road Cafe.   Whether it is through the people that come there to dine or the employees who work for Dan, the pull of a closely knit community is having its effect upon Daniel.

In this story, bullying at the high school level is having an impact upon one of Daniel’s most vulnerable employees.  Webb’s blunt, factual treatment of this issue serves to highlight all the victims of bullying, not just the direct target themselves.  It also points out just how difficult it is to stop the bullying at its origin, especially when it occurs on the playing field of high school sports.  This is a heartrending aspect of this story, and if you find yourself sniffling at the pain caused by the bullying and the aftermath felt by the victim, well, you aren’t alone.

Daniel’s new love, Nick Oliver, is still closeted to most and having issues coming out.  And Nick’s wavering is  having ripple effects in all his relationships, not just with Daniel.  Serious issues continues to pile up at an alarming rate and Nick is the first to wonder if he is able to handle them all.

T.A. Webb has a multitude of plot threads running throughout Brothers in Arms.  From the intimate messiness of relationships to the broader scope of business and family, the author weaves the past events and characters together with all the new ones for a complex, suspenseful and totally surprising wonder of a story.   It is hard to comment to  much on the plot and events as each could contribute to a spoiler alert for all the twists and turns Webb has in store for everyone here.

I really didn’t see that ending coming,  I don’t think you will either.  Sigh.

No matter.  Still, I want more.  More of Blue Ridge, more of The Broken Road Cafe, and all the people who pass through its doors.  Here’s hoping for a long and lovely run.  If you are already on board with this series, pick this up now and continue the tale of Daniel O’Leary’s new life in Blue Ridge.  If you are new to this series, start at The Broken Road Cafe to see how it all began.  Both are among Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words highly recommended reads!

 Cover Art by Laura Harner.  Sexy cover  and great job of branding the  series, but I wish there was more to it than the torso.

Sales Links:   All Romance eBook         amazon        Brothers In Arms

Book Details:

ebook, 150 pages
Published July 24th 2014 by A Bear on Books
ISBN139781311991799
edition languageEnglish
seriesThe Broken Road Cafe #

Go Into the Fire with Chris Quinton & RJ Scott’s latest release, Heat! (book tour and contest)

heatbloglogo

 RJ Scott and Chris Quinton stopped by today with their latest story, Heat, for all of you to check out.  Read the synopsis, and the excerpt! And don’t forget to enter the contest!  Need a little more romance in your life?  Then turn up the Heat with RJ Scott and Chris Quinton!

Heat by Chris Quinton & RJ Scott

Available from Love Lane Books, Amazon and All Romance EBooks

http://lovelanebooks.blogspot.com/2014/10/heat-quinton-scott.html

The Book

Serving up passion, family, love and hate, with a side order of arson.

Lewis has lost nearly everything, and now it seems that Devon is here to take the last thing he has left – working in his beloved restaurant, Laurels. But when an arsonist threatens everything Lewis loves, he realizes sometimes everyone has their ghosts, and he discovers an unexpected ally who is prepared to risk everything for him.

* * * * *

Set in the small cathedral city of Salisbury, Master Chef Lewis Mandineau no longer owns the Laurels, the restaurant that had been in his family for generations. Betrayed and robbed by an ex-lover, he’s had to sell to Carnegie Enterprises, an American corporation. That isn’t all Lewis has to contend with. Rachel, his beloved younger sister has been left severely hurt by the car crash that killed their parents, and taking care of her has to be his priority.

Enter Devon Trelawney III, sent to assess the viability of the restaurant and its staff. Devon knows all about family tradition. But he also knows sentiment has no place in business matters, and the Laurels’ potential is swamped by the debts it has accrued. Devon is a hardheaded businessman, first and foremost, but Lewis and Rachel test his resolve in different ways. Soon Devon is forced to admit that what seems like an impossible love can sometimes become something very real.

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Author Bios

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 nearly 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.

Chris Quinton started creating stories not long after she mastered joined-up writing, somewhat to the bemusement of her parents and her English teachers. But she received plenty of encouragement. Her dad gave her an already old Everest typewriter when she was ten, and it was probably the best gift she’d ever received – until the inventions of the home-computer and the worldwide web.

Chris’s reading and writing interests range from historical, mystery, and paranormal, to science-fiction and fantasy, writing mostly in the male/male genre. She refuses to be pigeon-holed and intends to uphold the long and honourable tradition of the Eccentric Brit to the best of her ability. In her spare time [hah!] she reads, embroiders, quilts and knits. Over the years she has been a stable lad [briefly] in a local racing stable and stud, a part-time and unpaid amateur archaeologist, a civilian clerk at her local police station and a 15th century re-enactor.

She lives in a small and ancient city in the south-west of the United Kingdom, sharing her usually chaotic home with an extended family, three dogs, a frilled dragon [lizard] and sundry goldfish and tropicals.

ExcerptHeat 400x600

He’d seen photos of Lewis, but nothing had prepared Devon for the shock of seeing a gorgeous guy on his knees in front of him, let alone that he had what could easily have been blood splashed across his chef’s whites.

Cochineal. Okay, that spread of red had been the first thing he’d seen, but then he’d noticed the blue eyes, the short brown hair frosted with blond. He wasn’t sure if the scruff on the man’s face was designer stubble or he’d missed shaving for a few days, but it looked good on him. But Devon wasn’t here to drool over the staff. He had work to do, and he couldn’t afford to let one of his migraines push him to his knees. Not caring if he looked like a complete idiot, he pulled sunglasses from his pocket and slid them on to cover his eyes. He saw the questioning expression on the chef’s face but didn’t offer comment. Let him think what he wanted—it wasn’t as if Devon had the mental capacity to care at the moment.

His head was already a mess of history and facts about the place, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to remember Tudor this and Jacobean that. Something about folding doors or ceilings or something. None of it had sunk in. It was enough that he had been able to focus on table arrangement. Even that had the band of hurt tightening.

Blinking at the disturbance collecting in his vision, he attempted to focus on the office itself. The medium-sized room was a haven of normality, apart from the TV and DVD player in one corner and the easy chair in front of it. What the hell?

Before he could be offered one of the regular chairs in front of the desk, he strode around it and sat in the executive chair. It was a simple reinforcement of what Devon was in this equation, one he employed in every situation like this. He wasn’t here to be friends, he was here to see if his father’s acquisition could be streamlined enough to turn a decent profit. And if not, how disposal could be handled. That was all.

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A MelanieM Review: Stand By You (Belonging #3) by A.M. Arthur

Rating:  4.25 stars out of 5

RStand By You_coveromy Myers is still deep in recovery three months after friends rescued him from the apartment of his abusive boyfriend.  Unable to hold down most jobs, his friends offered him not only a place to stay with them at their apartment, but a  job bussing tables at their new coffee shop, Half Dozen.  Romy has almost completely shutdown, quiet and shaky from the PTSD and trauma he suffered at Carlos’ hands.  The old Romy, flirty, funny, and adorable, was buried deep inside.  After all being that person had almost gotten Romy killed.  Now alone and quiet is the key for Romy these days.  But watching his friends, Donner and Ezra so deeply in love sometimes makes Romy remember when he wanted that too.  Until it all went so wrong.

Brendan Walker has made watching over the wounded Romy sort of his job since he was the one to carry the bleeding man out of that apartment of horrors.  Ex football  player turned building maintenance worker, Brendan stays close, using funny texts and messages to stay close, developing a friendship that helps Romy stay grounded enough to get through social situations.  But Brendan finds Romy occupying his thoughts 24 hours a day.  And feelings start developing towards Romy that no straight man ought to have.

Now Brendan finds himself questioning his sexuality.  If he is gay, is that something his large family will accept?  And Romy finds Brendan protectiveness makes him feel safe, perhaps safe enough to think about love once more.  Can these men put uncertainty and their pasts behind them to make a future together?

Stand By You is the third book in the Belonging series about a close group of friendsby A.M. Arthur.  It is also the only book I have read so far in the series.  Normally I find that an impediment to understanding the characters and events that have already taken place, but in Stand By You, I missed the horrific events that precipitated Romy’s rescue from Carlos as they had already taken place.   Stand By You picks up with a physically recovered Romy still dealing with the emotional aftermath of his captivity and brutal treatment at his boyfriend’s hands.  Romy is such a clearly defined and believable character.It is easy to find yourself emphasizing with his problems and nightmares.  Watching his character learn to trust again was deeply moving and a wonderful part of this story.

Also touching was the figure of Brendan Walker.  A “bruiser” of a man in appearance, Brendan’s real self is that of a considerate, protective, thoughtful person who loves his family so much he is willing to let his assumptions  about their reactions rule his life.  Here Brendan’s biggest fear is being anything other than straight.  His attractions to men don’t start with Romy, so this isn’t a “gay for you” story but one about  acceptance and exploring your sexuality.  Brendan’s journey, while not as wounded a one, is as deeply affecting as Romy’s, especially since they are so intertwined.

There are so many issues that A. M. Arthur addresses in Stand By You, from the impact coming out has on a person and their  family, to the recovery from a trauma both emotional and physical, and people dealing with all facets of their personality, good and bad.  No matter the subject matter and the manner in which Arthur uses it in her story, this author handles it with sensitivity and care.  It makes for lovely reading and layered characters that makes an impression upon the readers from start to finish.

As with Foundation of Trust, Stand By You will drive me back to the other stories in this series.  To meet Donner and Ezra and all the rest and read their stories as well.  As I said, you could read this as a stand alone as I did. It works well as such.  Or go to the beginning (assuming you haven’t already done so) and start from there.  I will be playing catch up!  Either way, consider Stand By You by A.M. Arthur a highly recommended read at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

Cover artist not listed. But that is a good cover for this story.

Sales Links:    Carina Press   All Romance eBooks  amazon  Stand By You

Book Details:

Kindle Edition
Expected publication: October 20th 2014 by Carina Press
ASINB00LSDQNJK

 

Books in the Belonging Series in the order they were written:

No Such Thing (Belonging #1)
Maybe This Time (Belonging #2)
Stand By You (Belonging #3)