Category: STRWCS

A MelanieM Review: A Forbidden Rumspringa (Gay Amish #1) by Keira Andrews

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

When two young Amish men find love, will they risk losing everything?

Forbidden Rumspringa coverIsaac Byler’s life changed when his family moved from their Amish home in Ohio to follow their new bishop to northern Minnesota.   Their previous bishop and settlement, while holding to the Amish ways, was never as strict as the Swartzentruber Amish life they are expected to lead in Zebulon.  All it took to shake up their community was a horrible accident that cost their small Ohio town the lives of several of their teenagers on a Rumspringa.  Now in Zebulon, that outlet and glimpse into the English world is forbidden as is all but the smallest contact with the outside world.  Every aspect of their lives is rigorously charted, inspected and regulated by their bishop and laws.  And Isaac is feeling smothered and guilty about the fact.

Isaac is also turning 18, an age where he is expected to join the church and marry, two things he has been avoiding at all costs.  The reasons behind his continued postponement are ones Isaac refuses to acknowledge.  But that’s about to change as well.  His parents have apprenticed Isaac to the community’s carpenter, David Lantz, a young man supporting his mother and sibling after his father died.  Isaac has been avoiding David too because being near the carpenter raises unseemly and forbidden feelings in him that he is supposed to save for his wife.

When David and Isaac start to work together, their attraction and feelings towards each other grows as does their guilt and confusion over their futures.  David too shares Isaac’s desires, and he harbors another secret as well.  But can their love withstand the pressures of their  families, community, and religion to conform and marry?  Or will they take the chance on a life together outside in the English world and face the possibility of never seeing home and family again?

What a fantastic book!  I had heard rumors about this novel circulating around certain LGBTQ internet groups for a little while but it still I was unprepared for the engrossing stunner of a story that is A Forbidden Rumspringa by Keira Andrews.   Andrews brings us into the heart of the Amish, in particular the  type of Amish known as the Swartzentruber, a super conservative, almost fundamentalist, religious sect within the Amish community that believes in zero contact with the outside world.  I mean a total rejection of anything that could be said to be modern, English, or prideful.  That includes rubber wheels for their buggies, shoes outside of church, and a rigid adherence to a strict “by the bishop” lifestyle where everyone is under constant surveillance and every part of their lives dictated by their bishop and religion.

Keira Andrews introduces us to this society and new settlement through the eyes of Isaac Byler, a 18 year boy, who is questioning their new lifestyle under their bishop and his future as it has been laid out for him by his parents and community. What little freedoms they had in their previous Amish community in Ohio have been left behind them when they fled their settlement because of an accident that killed several teenagers on a Rumspringa.   For those readers unfamiliar with the Amish lifestyle and religion, the Rumspringa is (in some Amish communities) “a period of adolescence in which boys and girls are given greater personal freedom and allowed to form romantic relationships, usually ending with the choice of baptism into the church or leaving the community.”  In other words, a time to get wild and get it out of their system before accepting communion and becoming a part of the church and community.  But due to that tragedy, an Ohio settlement shatters and a splinter group that includes the new bishop and several families leaves, heading to Minnesota in search of an isolated stricter life.

All this information as to their past history is imparted through Isaac’s memories and musings. How I loved and understood Isaac.  He is at a juncture in his life where he is expected to join the church, marry and start a farm of his own. None of which he wants to do.  Not only is Isaac (and his best friend) chafing under the new restrictions but Isaac’s beloved older brother has left for the outside world and been shunned for his actions.  Isaac is a bundle of questions,, guilt, and forbidden attractions towards men, especially the carpenter, David Lantz, to whom he is to be apprenticed.  Andrews pulls us completely into Isaac’s world, so intimately that we feel as though we are his constant companion, privy to all his thoughts and feelings.  We are so much a part of Isaac that we feel connected to him by his interactions with his family, his love for his brothers and sisters, the responsibility he feels towards his parents, everything that he treasures that is now starting to butt up against the clear realities of life in Zebulon.  Because nothing is thriving in Zebulon except the bishop.

Slowly as the narrative proceeds,  the author enlarges the reader’s view of Isaac and Zebulon to include the community’s farms, neighbors, and the group in general as Isaac interacts with various members of Zebulon. What a contrast between the healthy Amish community in Ohio they left and the starving, reduced one in Minnesota.  That no family can grow enough, make enough supplies or have enough resources to survive is adding to the  pressure for Isaac to stay and help support his family.  The portrait of this type of Amish community is startling.  I am sure that the pressures and strains represented here are the last ones to come to mind when you think of an Amish family but this story and its well drawn characters push the reader into forming other opinions or perspectives here.  Another gem of this story and author.

Especially well done is the familial bonds and community ties that hold Isaac and David in place.  You feel the emotions and love that tugs at them at the same time you totally understand the guilt and fear that threatens to overwhelm them.  David’s character is one that straddles both communities, that of the English or outside world and that of the Amish.  But deep within David remains that love and ingrained religious beliefs that continue to frame his life if not his thoughts. He is another great character, someone who is brave, troubled,and confused yet is still the impetus for the actions and events to come.

If those ties are all you have known, what amount of courage does it take to even think of leaving it and your families forever behind?  Huge questions posed by the author and characters on an intimate scale.  And every bit of emotional turmoil and pain is relayed from page to reader in believable scene after scene.  The descriptions, the dialog, and the settings are all so authentically elevated and yet on the same level as each other.  It all rings true.  Not one aspect appears more realistic or well researched than another.  The reader will throw their heart into this story and characters.  And that will make it hard to leave them all behind by the time this tale is over.  Luckily for us, Keira Andrews will pick up their story in a sequel to come.

A Forbidden Rumspringa is one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words’ best stories of 2014.  As is that remarkable cover, so evocative of the novel and the Amish community found within.   I highly recommend this book to all readers, add it to your TBR list today.

Cover Design by Dar Albert.  Best cover of the month and of 2014. Love it.

Sales Links:    All Romance eBooks (ARe)     Amazon          A Forbidden Rumspringa

Book Details:

ebook, 231 pages
Published September 3rd 2014 by KA Books (first published August 31st 2014)
ISBN139780993859823
edition languageEnglish
seriesGay Amish #1
settingMinnesota (United States)

 

A MelanieM Review: Pulling Leather (Pickup Men #3) by L.C. Chase

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 The toughest ride of his life is all in his head.

PullingLeather_500x750Bull rider Scott Gillard has been fighting all his life, only to have it culminate in a horrific act of hate committed upon someone who used to be one of his closest friends.  While Scott didn’t himself commit the crime, Scott was both the impetus and accelerant for his friends actions and it has cost him everything.

After the brutal beating that cost Tripp Colby his career and almost his life, Scott has left the professional  bull rider circuit  behind.  His past actions and anger have cost him his sponsorships and his career as a bull rider is all but over.  But the past two years have been Scott try to become a better man who is responsible for his actions and more accepting of the sexuality he has always denied.   Scott is trying to change and make amends but will the other rodeo riders and professionals forgive him and let him come back?

Pickup man Cory Ackerson has never backed away from who he is, even if it meant constant harassment and bigoted attacks.  He’s confident in his skills, whether it is acting to save a bull rider on the circuit or putting on his eye liner.  A constant on the gay rodeo circuit, Cory is intrigued when Scott Gillard shows up at one of their rodeos looking to make amends and searching to see if there is a place for Scott somewhere in the rodeo scene.

Cory reaches out to Scott when Scott’s entrance is met with anger and Scott’s only action of one of quiet defense and pain.   Slowly the two form an unlikely friendship between one who is so flamboyantly gay and one who is still struggling to come out of the closet and find acceptance.  When friendship turns to love, Scott must finally decide which path he will take, the one that leads out of the closet or the one that lets fear lead the way away from the one man he loves.

I think that Pulling Leather is absolutely the best so far of the Pick Up Men series by L.C. Chase.  Scott Gillard was a creature of fear and hate in the previous stories.  And while we may have guessed at the secrets he was hiding, he never completely rose above a shallow portrait of a bigot.  Now L. C. Chase gives Scott Gillard his story of redemption and love and pulls the readers along each step of the way.

The prologue offers a glimpse into the action two years prior that caused all the anguish and shattered lives in the process.  When Pulling Leather finally begins Scott is coming off two years of intensive therapy and self reflection.  Now his friend and therapist thinks it is time for Scott to confront his feelings, make amends for his past actions and abuse, and take those first shaky steps out of the closet.  Thankfully, this is a realistic portrait of a man still in need of support, and work.  Scott Gillard is uncertain, apprehensive, and emotionally fragile.  That all that is hidden behind a large, gruff exterior makes his acceptance and turnabout harder for others to accept.  I think L.C. Chase has made Scott such a believable, “rough around the edges” sort of cowboy.  His background is especially painful and it is revealed slowly over the length of the story as Scott gains enough confidence in Cory to reveal parts of himself and his upbringing known only to his therapist.

Cory Ackerson is such an appealing character.  It will be easy for the reader to connect with such a strong character who is unapologetically, flamboyantly gay!  He’s open, non-judgmental yet not without flaws.  I appreciated the fact that Chase didn’t make Cory Scott’s salvation as only Scott could do that for himself.  But Cory and the manner in which he lives his life works to be a lovely example of life lived outside the closet and not only for Scott.

Some readers may find Scott’s progress too slow but I thought that was one of the most authentic touches here.  Scott has a ton of anger and denial to overcome and that is never a swift journey.  Other aspects of this story draw on Chase’s strengths as an author.  Her rodeo universes, both straight and gay, are realistically portrayed as are the people who participate in them.  I believed in this story and her characters because you can almost smell the sawdust from the arena as well as the smell of sweat covered leather from all the rodeo professionals here, male or female, straight or gay. Chase does a terrific job in making all her bull riders and pick up men credible and down to earth.  Loved that.

I am not sure how many stories she has planned for this series but I do know it keeps getting better and better with each installment.  I hope she continues it because its obvious there are so many more stories in this universe that need telling.  Consider this highly recommended but don’t start the series here.  Check out the list below and start at the beginning with Pick Up Men!  If you love cowboys and the rodeo circuit, this is a series for you!

Cover art by L.C. Chase.  That cover is so perfect for the character and story.Love that cover! One of the best of the month.

Sales Links:    Riptide Press      All Romance eBooks (ARe)   Amazon Pulling Leather

Book Details:

ebook, 177 pages
Published September 1st 2014 by Riptide Publishing
original titlePulling Leather
ISBN139781626491618
edition languageEnglish
seriesPickup Men #3

The books in the Pick Up Men series in the order they were written and should be read are:

Pick Up Men by L.C. Chase
Let it Ride (Pickup Men, #2)
Pulling Leather (Pickup Men #3)

A MelanieM Review: Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) (Pulp Friction 2014 #16) by T.A. Webb

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Aftershocks coverCharlie Turner’s life has never been easy.  From the moment his father died, Charlie has tried to fill the void his father left with his family while dialing down his own expectations for his future.  He stepped into his father’s business, supporting his mother and younger brother letting his own personal dreams and relationships suffer.  Troubles and turmoils came, exploded and where dealt with.  Charlie’s life started to move forward when he met Amos Greene and moved into Mountain Shadows.   And just when his relationship with Amos Greene had stabilized and his brother, Damon, looked to be on the right track with his life, a monster in their midst shattered their calm and progress with one horrific event.

Now Charlie and all around him are trying to find a way to pick up the pieces of their lives and move forward once more.  But how to do that when you feel like you have been broken into pieces?  It will take everyone  to help Charlie and his brother to deal with all the pain and fear to move past the recent events, even if it means dealing with their  own secrets and past histories.

Aftershocks. What a perfect name for this story.  Why?  Because sometimes its not the earthquake itself that causes the most damage, but the aftershocks, the reverberations from that seismic event that continues to riffle the landscape in wave after wave.  That metaphor is perfect for dealing with the emotional consequences and impact of a horrific act upon a close-knit group of  individuals, including family members.  In this case its Charlie Turner, his boyfriend Amos Greene and Charlie’s family that consists of his mother and his younger brother, Damon.

None of these people are able to deal intellectually or emotionally with the guilt, pain, and fear that recent events have inflicted upon them.  Charlie is especially vulnerable.  He sees himself as a standin for his deceased father and feels that he has failed them all.  Damon too has been unable to deal with the consequences of those events as he was the target and victim.  Amos?  Has his own pain and fears stemming from his past.  Even Charlie and Damon’s mother seems helpless to move out of the stasis she seems frozen in.  And all this feels absolutely real, as necessary a reaction to the devastating events as any we could  expect.  These people and their burdens feel authentic because we have gotten to know them intimately as the series progressed.  And we are emotionally with them now as they try to get past their combined pain so any future might be possible.  But how?

T.A. Webb acknowledges the emotional quagmire his characters are stuck in and then quietly and assuredly moves them forward through their pain and issues into some form of recognition and acceptance.  The method  Webb chooses is believable and grounded in what would be a logical and realistic solution to this mountain of emotional turmoil these people find themselves in.  I admire T.A. Webb for choosing to go down this path and making it come across as the brave thing to do as well as letting the reader into the type of self reflection and questioning needed to make it work.  It’s quietly stunning and hugely effective in bringing yet more depth to already full realized characters. It will also bring a few shocking revelations of its own into play as well.

We are almost there.  T.A. Webb has one more story to go before the series finale.  The aftershocks continue to shake the ground under the feet of all of Webb’s characters and we begin to wonder if they will ever achieve a firm foundation for themselves and each other.  It’s a startling achievement for this author that we are asking ourselves that question so  close to the end and still so unsure of where T.A. Webb is taking us all.  What a journey its been.  I can hold off on reaching the end a little longer.

I consider Aftershocks so remarkable in its tone and character.  But to do it justice, pick up the series from the beginning and work your way through it and all the connecting series.  This is one you shouldn’t miss out on.  No surprise here to find its on ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Best of 2014 list.   I highly recommend this to one and all.

Cover art by Laura Harner.  Lovely and perfect for this story and series. That’s Charley to a T.

Sales Links:        All Romance eBooks (ARe)         Amazon           Aftershocks

Book Details:
ebook, 50 pages
Published August 31st 2014 by A Bear on Books (first published August 30th 2014)
edition languageEnglish
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #16, Earthquake

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

Round One:

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

Round Two:

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

Round Three:

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

Round Four:

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

Round Five: to be released

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

Sixth Book Series Finale Written by all the Authors
charactersFinn Lorensso

Side Stories or Interludes:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)
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: Blown Chance (Whispering Winds, #4) (Pulp Friction 2014 #15) by Havan Fellows

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

PF4_BlownChance400x600Rowen Smithe had been anticipating the worst when his past came calling in the form of his former partner. Once through the initial explosions (and when all first aide supplies were put away), the truth about Rowen, the warped nature of his childhood, previous profession, everything came to light.  And his Mountain Shadow family didn’t abandon him.  In fact it brought them all closer together.

But not everyone in Rowen’s past is willing to let Rowen off so easily.  An old acquaintance arrives quietly in Mountain Shadows and his target is Rowen Smithe.  Recovering from the turmoil of the recent events, none of Mountain Shadows campground are prepared for what is to come, the least of which is Mick Rutger.

Mick Rutgers is in love with Rowen Smithe and has been working hard to break down the barriers Rowen has raised to protect himself.  But when Rowen’s former partner appears and their history together comes out, Mick thinks the time has finally come for them to have a future together.  It seems that Fate has one last hurdle for the pair to overcome.   One more dangerous element from Rowen’s past.  Is this the one that brings them closer together? Or is it the one to break Mick’s resolve and destroy their chance at happiness forever?

Blown Chance is guaranteed to break your heart in more ways than you might think possible.  The previous 3.5 (yes, .5) stories have been setting us up for this emotional rollercoaster.  The scrabbled together family of Mountain Shadows has just undergone an emotional tsunami resulting from the revelations about Rowen’s past, including childhood and dubious profession.  Still once the shocks have worn off and the wounds patched up (ok part of that was deadly funny), all the characters we have come to love over this series (and some from last year’s) pull together once more in love and support.   Its has been emotionally draining for all, and yes, I am including the reader here too.  But peace is such a fragile thing, especially when the people involved are such explosive individuals with past histories that refuse to stay in the past.

I have to admit I laughed out loud at portions of Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5).  But humor has little place here.  Rowen’s past is one of horrific events of which sometimes he has been the cause.  And that past refuses to let him go.  It returns silently and swiftly just when you think Rowen and Mick are settling down enough to talk about a relationship.  Havan Fellows lulls us into temporary complacency and then smacks us down with a tide of events and people that we really should have seen coming.  She builds us up and then brings us down but not so far at first that we think we’re safe.  Because no one is.

I love the suspense  and anticipation Fellows builds into her plot.  It’s crazy white knuckle ride of action, stealth, and surprise!  Still, amongst all the shocks and tremors here, Havan Fellows never forgets the complicated men at the center and their strained journey towards love and acceptance.   Rowen quickly became a favorite of mine with his tortured demeanor and his ability to become a part of the woodland environment around him.  Rowen is such an interesting, quixotic personality that he just draws you to him.  So we can understand Mick Rutger’s fascination with Rowen and ultimately his love for him as well.  Their tentative bonds have been constantly under stress, but the worst is about to confront them all.  How is all plays out  is wildly inventive, crazily satisfying, and totally frustrating.

I get the ending, I really do.  It makes absolute sense.  But now I need book 5.  I need to see what happens next.  I care for these characters and want them to have their happily ever after.  They deserve it and so do the readers.  I know its coming but waiting is get harder by the minute.  How I love the anticipation!

This is an outstanding series.  The fact that it gets intertwined with the Pulp Friction 2013 series is just the icing on the cake.  Loved that series, love this series too.  Whispering Winds and all the other Elemental Connections series are easily at the top of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of 2014.  If you have started reading them yet,  (perhaps there is a binge reading fest ahead), start at the first story and work your way through.  It’s the best way to understand the characters and to watch the relationships change and  grow.  Pick them up today.

Cover art by Laura Harner.  These covers are tremendous, great for branding the series and the characters.

Sales links:            All Romance eBooks              Amazon             Blown Chances

 

Here are the books in the Elemental Connections series to date:

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 T.A. Webb
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire

Round Two:

Controlled Burn by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth by T.A. Webb

Round Three:

Backburn by Laura Harner
Cold Feet by Lee Brazil
Blow Hard by Havan Fellows
Tremors by T.A. Webb
Taking Chances  by Lee Brazil– bonus book, In From the Cold

Round Four:

Flare-up by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold by Lee Brazil
Wicked Winds by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Blown Chance by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks by T.A. Webb

Book Details:
Published August 15th 2014 by Appleton Publishing Avenue (first published August 14th 2014)
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #15, Whispering Winds #4

A MelanieM Review: Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5) by T.A. Webb

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Frankie's Knight coverAtlanta Detective Frankie Prater is working a case where young boys working as prositutes have gone missing.  Then he gets a lead on his case from a most unexpected source…the Arizona Flagstaff Police Department where a joint task force has convened after the arrest of a serial  rapist murderer and sadist..  Turns out that this monster is responsible for the abduction of 40 boys and girls from around the country and among them just might be the young boy missing Frankie is looking for in Atlanta.

Frankie journeys to Flagstaff hoping for answers and perhaps even the boy himself.  With him is Brady Owens.  Brady lived six years as a prostitute after his parents threw him out at the age of twelve.  While on the streets, his boyfriend was killed by a rogue cop and he himself was tortured before being saved by Frankie’s brother, the City Knight and his friends.  Now he lives with Frankie and his kids.   Brady has turned eighteen. Brady knows what and who he wants.  It’s Frankie Prater and he is pretty sure that Frankie wants him back.  But how to convince him that he’s all grownup and ready for a relationship?

In the middle of an investigation where the missing kids are  plentiful, their bodies are missing, and clues are scarce, will Frankie figure out his feelings for Brady before the investigation turns deadly once more?

T.A. Webb is killing me here.  Never have I handed out  so many high ratings as I have with this series and authors.  And with Frankie’s Knight, a side story from this year’s Pulp Friction’s Elemental Connections series, the  pattern continues.  Once more, T.A. Webb is able to combine the two series (City Knight) and (Earthquake) in a realistic and dramatic fashion.  Here the connecting element is missing boys, both in Atlanta and Flagstaff.   Unfortunately from the last Earthquake novel, Tremors (Earthquake #3), we have learned  the identity of the culprit behind a main character’s kidnapping.  It is revealed that he is not only a sadist but a serial rapist and murderer of more than 40 boys and girls across the US.  That horrific discovery reverberates across agencies and states where the children were kidnapped, among them Atlanta.

There is always an element of angst to these stories whether it is kidnapping, torture, abuse or murder.  But in Frankie’s Knight, that aspect is heartbreaking as Webb works the reality of  those discarded LGBTQ children on the streets and the life that awaits them there as castoffs from  family and society. There are so many of them, a fact highlighted by the shear number of children this person was able to kidnap and kill without raising alarm. Unfortunately this is another realistic element here as the media and law enforcement can attest.   T.A. Webb’s treatment and characterizations of these kids is both authentic and profoundly painful.  We have seen it in Brady Owens and his friends from the City Knight series last year.  Here Brady’s background of abuse and prostitution will come into play in a most unexpected way.

T.A. Webb’s plot is gripping.  The suspense  builds as the hunt for the Atlanta boy intensifies.  All the law enforcement agents gathered combine forces and resources to put this person away for good, find the boys and girls missing, even if they think it is only bodies to locate at this point.  And through it all, Brady and Frankie are trying to find their way to each other and a HEA.  Webb gives us tension with a capital T, whether it is the building sexual tension between Brady and Frankie or the stress and tension caused by the investigation that comes with a time restriction.  It all builds into an explosive finale worth of the plot and characters.  Just amazing.  And once more,  T.A. Webb leaves the reader wanting more of all the people and couple involved.

I highly recommend Frankie’s Knight and all of the Earthquake and Elemental Connections series.  I have listed them for you at the bottom.  However, in order to avoid spoilers and to understand the sequence of events and character development, they should be read in the order they were written.  Grab them all up today.  This is one amazing author and series!

Cover art by Laura Harner.  Amazing cover, I love it.

Sales links:             All Romance eBooks           Amazon           Frankie’s Knight

Books in the Earthquake (Pulp Friction 2014) series in the order they should be read:

Higher Ground (Earthquake #1) (Pulp Friction 2014 #4)
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) (Pulp Friction 2014 #8)
Tremors (Earthquake #3) (Pulp Friction #12)
Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5)
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) (Pulp Friction 2014 #16)

Higher Ground coverMoving Earth coverTremors cover by TA WebbFrankie's Knight cover

Book Details:
ebook, 65 pages
Published August 26th 2014 by A Bear on Books
ISBN139781310928611
edition languageEnglish

In the Author Spotlight: Interview with Havan Fellows on her Hard, Sexy Men! (contest)

Blown Away coverBlown Kisses coverBlown Hard

PF4_BlownChance400x600

Meet Havan Fellows!

Up Close and In the Author’s Interview Chair!

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 Contest:  Havan Fellows has stopped by for interview and brought a contest with her as well.  To enter to win, visit this rafflecopter link for the entry form and additional  contest details.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Meet Havan Fellows! Creator of Wick, Rowen and so many other memorable characters and one of the authors of the Pulp Friction Author Group:

Oooooh…thank you for having me again, Melanie. You know I love visiting you and the cutie pie puppies! *sneaks puppies treats* What? Oh nothing is in my hands…um…now. 🙂 So you had some questions you wanted to ask me? *clears throat*

First maybe I should introduce myself…my name is Havan Fellows…I’m an author. I’ve written in different genres—het and M/M romance…but I’ve only so far published M/M romance (it’s my pleasure…guilty or otherwise hehe). I’m published with Breathless Press, Totally Bound, and self-published…and I also write with two terrific groups; Story Orgy (SO) and Pulp Friction (PF). I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a lucky lucky person…the amazing authors at Story Orgy and Pulp Friction have taught me more than any workshop or class could’ve…I owe a lot to them…especially my best friend—the multi-talented Lee Brazil (who writes for SO and PF also), Lee’s the one that kicked my assets into drive when I explained I wanted to write but was afraid to put myself out there. Did I mention really really lucky?

Now, a bad habit I have is the gift of babble…my father once said that I kinda just throw words out there and the listener has to collect them and put them into proper order to understand anything I say (maybe that explains my love of em-dashes and ellipses? lol)…and since I don’t want to prove him right…um…let’s get on with the questions, shall we?

STRW:  Where did you get your inspiration for Rowen?

Havan Fellows: Well, back in September or October of 2013 the PF group (Laura Harner, Tom Webb, Lee Brazil and myself) were having another one of our get-togethers…the wine was flowing, the laughter was contagious and the sexy pictures were stimulating…oh crap, TMI? Anyway, we were talking about next year…and if there would be a next year. Of course we all wanted to give PF another go…and Flagstaff seemed like a terrific idea for the backdrop…but I was faced with my normal fears. I always worry that I’ll just recycle characters—and Wick is an epic character in my opinion…but not one I want to take on for another year (he’s very high maintenance, let me tell you! lol). So I was wondering what would be the opposite of Wick? What about a quiet recluse? That had merit, and would work well in a cabin in a campground in the middle of almost nowhere. So Rowen was born…and grew in my mind very quickly.

STRW:  Sometimes characters are too big for one series. Wick is like that. Is Rowen another?

Havan Fellows: I think that goes back to my Wick is epic comment, huh? Guess I jumped the gun…lol. I don’t know if Rowen is, yet. I don’t plan stuff like that out ahead—and I’m very grateful when others think that way toward my characters. In fact, even though Rowen wormed his way into my heart before I finished writing the first book, I didn’t think others would take to him like I did. He doesn’t make it easy for people to understand or like him, but the feedback I’m getting about Rowen is amazing and really makes me smile. Thanks to all the Rowen lovers – you have spurred me on throughout all the books. 🙂

STRW:  How many stories are you working on at one time?

Havan Fellows: Well I always have a PF book going it seems (already started on Final Blow – you should see the opening for it *blinks*)…and I have my Monday prompt story with Story Orgy (free reads every Monday yay!!!)…and sometimes (like now) I have a third book I’m trying to get to a publishable state of mind.

STRW:  Will there be a Pulp Friction 2015?

Havan Fellows: Ahhh…now that is the question…and soon we might actually have an answer to it.

STRW:  Favorite character of yours?

Havan Fellows: Now now now…I love all of my main characters equally (eyes the trouble makers—Wick & Shan). Now that I’ve given the PC answer…there is something about an imperfect person finding redemption and becoming someone they never thought they could be…and having others see the good in them they don’t feel is there. I believe I hit that mark with Jude from Judging Jude. Even though he thought he was trash, a select few always saw the good he didn’t even realize he did.

STRW:  Do you listen to music as you write and if so, is there a type of music?

Havan Fellows: Nope…I may listen to a song before I write to get me in the mood, but during writing I kinda need quiet. I like to sing and move when I hear music…and my hands don’t stay on the keyboard…lol.

STRW:  Favorite book you read as a child. What impact did it have on you.

Havan Fellows: I think all of Christopher Pike’s books hit me hard. I remember dragging my mama to the bookstore and picking out two of his books each time…from him I worked my way up to Stephen King and Dean Koontz (OMG Lightning by Dean Koontz will stick with you forever!) If you are looking for a specific classic book, I’m not sure I could name one. I was awful at keeping my concentration on books I was forced to read…but the ones I chose to read—now they were something else!

STRW:  If Wick could have super powers, what would they be?

Havan Fellows: HA! Dangerous. Probably nothing that would make him invincible…taking away the threat of defeat or death would lesson his fun in a situation. No x-ray vision or anything like that either…he doesn’t go where he isn’t openly invited, it’s half the fun to make something beg him for it, lol. Oh wait! He does have super powers…he’s named them Banyu…lmao.

 STRW:  What’s next up for Havan Fellows?

HF: Hopefully something brilliant and quirky and funny, with a side of steamy and interesting? Am I aiming too high? How about settling for Final Blow from PF and maybe the first book in a trilogy I’m working on unofficially titled Chance at Trust – the trilogy itself isn’t named yet, darn that always gets me. 🙂

Once again, thank you Melanie for having me and thanks to all that stayed long enough to read these thanks…lol. I would love it if you left a comment—perhaps telling us what type of character worms their way into your hearts most often? That would be interesting (and I might take notes for a future book! lol) But seriously, play with the Rafflecopter (he’s loves being manhandled)—there are two prizes up for grabs for two different winners…a $10 gift card to All Romance e-books and a complete set of my Pulp Friction 2014 books (including Final Blow, which will be whisked to you when it is available!)

Thanks, Havan, for stopping by and all the wonderful stories offered up as part of the contest.  I can’t wait for Final Blow to come out!

Follow Havan Fellows at:PF4_BlownChance400x600

A MelanieM Review: Not Fade Away (Hell or High Water #3.5) by S.E. Jakes

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

not fade awayProphet Drews and Tom Boudreaux are still adjusting to living together.  That includes Prophet’s habit of stealing his neighbor, Cillian’s couch, as a part of an ongoing bet, something that irritates Tommy.  For Prophet, pushing Tommy’s buttons is a favorite pastime, even better than stealing Cillian’s couch.

Nothing is worse for Prophet than boredom and one icy winter night sees Tommy and Prophet engaged in a game of Truth or Dare, the outcome of which sees Tommy stealing Cillian’s  couch for the last time.  But Truth or Dare brings into light a few truths that Prophet has been holding back from Tommy.  Can Tommy handle the truth from Prophet one more time?  And what will Tommy’s answer be in return?

What a pair Prophet Drews and Tom Boudreaux make!  Passionately wild about each other, torn between their present and uneasy future, Not Fade Away is an interlude that steps away from the immediate mystery and concentrates on moving their relationship forward yet one more level.

I thoroughly enjoyed this side story.  In a way, I think it is every bit as important to Prophet and Tommy’s saga as the main stories.  Sometimes the complexity and newness of this duo’s relationship, along with its challenges and personal highpoints, can get lost under the mysteries and intricacies of the plot threads running through the Hell or High Water series. The other stories must balance out other characters needs and appearances such as Mal and Cillian, along with the rest of the group. Prophet and Tommy has to be folded in, with SE Jakes juggling all their stories along with the overall plot the author wants to tell.  But there is so much to Tommy and Prophet’s love story and relationship that it needs it’s own time to shine.  And Not Fade Away puts that focus squarely on this dynamite pair.

I love that there is always some new revelation about Prophet’s and Tommy’s background.  And each new fact(s) brings a set of ripples that carry an increasingly large impact on both men and those around them.  Nothing is ever easy for these two and aren’t we thrilled that’s the case.  Here boredom brings about a game of Truth or Dare that explodes into a sexual melee, game forgotten until later.  It’s incredibly sexy, totally hot and once again demonstrates just how perfect these two are for each other.

Prophet pushes Tommy’s buttons and Tommy pushes back.  Their give and take, the balance they (and the author) maintains works here perfectly.  From action to dialog, this 52 page story sings with verve.  It’s fun, smoking hot, and this story deepens the relationship and love between Prophet and Tommy, taking their love and trust further than before.

If you are new to this pair and their convoluted story, this might not make too much sense.  It needs to be read in order so the events and character development makes sense.  I have listed the books in the order they were written and should be read at the end of this review.  I love the Hell or High Water series.  SE Jakes and her men just do it for me.  Start with Catch a Ghost and read your way through.  You are going to love these men and their growing relationship.  The ongoing mystery is pretty wild too.  You are going to love it!

Cover art by LC Chase. Love it!

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing   All Romance eBooks (ARe)  Amazon        Not Fade Away

Book Details:

ebook, 52 pages
Published August 18th 2014 by Riptide Publishing (first published August 16th 2014)
ISBN139781626490994
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://riptidepublishing.com/titles/not-fade-away
seriesHell or High Water #3.5, Extreme Escapes, Ltd

Hell or High Water Series in the order they were written and should be read:

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

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

Dirty Deeds (Dirty Deeds #1) Mal and Cillian 
Free Falling (Extreme Escapes, Ltd.) Blue and Mick