Category: Uncategorized
A BJ Audiobook Review: Second Hand (Tucker Springs #2) by Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton Narrated by Iggy Toma
Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
Paul Hannon moved to Tucker Springs for his girlfriend, but she’s left him with a house he can’t afford and a pantry full of useless gadgets. All Paul wants is to get back to normal, even if he’s not sure what that is anymore. When he wanders into Tucker Pawn for a gift to win her back, he meets El Rozal, pawn shop owner and all-around cynic.
El Rozal doesn’t do relationships, especially not with clueless straight boys still pining for their ex. El may make his living dealing in castoffs, but that doesn’t apply to men. Still, when Paul starts clearing out his old life, pawning kitchen equipment he never wanted in the first place, El is drawn to Paul in spite of himself.
Paul and El have nothing in common except a past full of disappointments. There’s no reason to believe the two of them could fit, but in El’s line of work, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. When it comes to love, El and Paul may learn that secondhand doesn’t mean second best.
This is actually the third I’ve listened to in this series, and my favorite so far. A very sweet story with enjoyable characters, interesting families and a cute dog. Neither of the guys are gorgeous or have fancy careers, but are both ordinary guys that I could relate to. El owns a pawnshop which had been his grandfather’s and has a hoarder mother (loved the way that was handled), and Paul dreamed of being a vet but didn’t do so well in school and ended up working at a vet’s office as a receptionist. Paul’s denial and story read very real to me, perhaps because overall he didn’t come across as the smartest tool in the shed. No that he was dumb, but he was refreshingly simple. Thoroughly enjoyed Paul and also liked his mother, especially her reaction at the end.
El’s big family was well drawn and interesting, as was his big bouncer friend Denver who is the MC in the next story (which I’m now eager to read). And I loved El both for his role in his family, for taking over her grandfather’s store with hopes of helping his mother, and for his easy going and relatable personality. The way he dealt with his attraction to Paul and the little one item a day limit ploy that Paul never did figure out was great. I felt the chemistry between the guys, not scorching hot but a slow, realistic burn that had me unable to stop listening.
I could relate so well to Paul’s desire to be number one for someone at something as well as to his cluelessness about when folks were flirting with or interested in him. And El’s words about the unimportance of things, which tied up beautifully at the ending, really spoke to me. The secondary characters were also very relatable and individual.
The narrator, Iggy Toma, was perfect for this story. The voices were different for each character and sounded just right. The emotions and nuances of character came through well. Overall, I listened to this story in one single day.
The cover by L.C. Chase ties is very cute and fitting for the series.
Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTune
Book Details: Published January 22nd 2016 by Riptide Publishing
Update:
We are experiencing technical difficulties and will post today’s reviews and articles as soon as the issues are resolved. Thanks for your patience!
Its Release Day for Heart Ripper: Coffin Nails MC (Sex & Mayhem #9) by K.A. Merikan (Guest post and excerpt)
Heart Ripper: Coffin Nails MC (Sex & Mayhem #9)
by K.A. Merikan
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have K. A Merikan here today to talk about their latest release, Heart Ripper, 9th in the Sex & Mayhem series. Welcome!
We knew we’d write Heart Ripper as soon as David appeared on the pages of Split as the MCs younger brother. There was just something about this tertiary character that spoke to us, and in no time, we were hard at work. David comes from a very devout Catholic background, and the overbearing nature of his mother doesn’t do him any favors in discovering his sexual interests. But then comes Raja, a friend of David’s brother, and he sweeps David off his feet without knowing who he’s dealing with.
This story is much sweeter than many of the other Sex & Mayhem books in the sense that one of the characters is not in any way connected to the criminal world, and that is one of the reasons Raja, the newly appointed club president of one of the Coffin Nails MC chapters, likes him so much. David is a sweet ray of sunshine and normalcy, the kind of boyfriend Raja never had, and he can’t deny himself the attraction, even if he knows he should not pursue this particular guy.
I guess most of us like a story of a forbidden love, one that needs to face many obstacles. It isn’t easy for Raja to openly date a guy, and it is even harder for David to put everything on the line, but their connection is explosive, and neither of them can make himself give up on it.
If you want to see our inspiration photos for this book, check out the ‘Heart Ripper’ Pinterest board: https://uk.pinterest.com/KAMerikan/heart-ripper-by-ka-merikan-sexmayhem-9/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29330795-heart-ripper—coffin-nails-mc
Buy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GBO228Q/

EXCERPT:
The bearded guy from downstairs slid inside, locking the door of the bathroom with a loud, final-sounding clang, and then his dark gaze was on David, rendering him mute and unable to defend himself from that strong presence.
The man was taller than David, and the white T-shirt he was wearing clung to his athletic body as he glided through the bathroom. For a moment, the world slowed down, and David could swear he saw the pitch-black hair float in the air, the curved-up moustache twitch as the man smiled beneath the thick, well-kept beard. Bold black tattoos covered the man’s arms, all the way to his wrists, and some even peeked out from under the round collar of the shirt, beckoning David to have a closer look at the dark, warm-hued skin, which had immediately set the man apart from everyone else present at the party.
“I… I mean, okay, I guess you need it more,” David uttered and attempted to pass the guy, fleeing for the door. He was hot, cold, sweaty all over, and nervous as hell. Life had been so much easier years ago, before puberty hit him in the face like a red hot poker drenched in sin.
The man stood in his way, and before David could utter a word of protest, a palm as hot as molten lava burned the skin of his throat, squeezing gently as the man pushed David back. David stepped back in a daze, letting the stranger direct him toward the wall, until his knees hit something hard and cool. The man pushed him down, and David obeyed yet again, taking a seat on the closed toilet.
He could barely breathe from the stress of being alone with this guy in a locked room. “I’m sorry if I stared,” he wanted to say, but only managed a hoarse whisper. His body was still processing being touched by this man. Older, bigger, with eyes that could scorch David alive.
“I enjoyed you staring,” said the stranger with a small smirk to his lips as he traced his thumb over David’s lips. It was the sulphur to the match of David’s arousal, and he quickly clenched his thighs in panic. Even his accent immediately set him apart from most people David met. Rich and thick as sugar syrup, it was definitely Southern.
Even fumbly kisses with a girl at church camp weren’t as igniting as one touch from this man. David would burn in hell for the images crawling out of the back of his mind. His heart was beating so hard it made him light-headed.
The man liked him looking.
So he wasn’t about to scold David for it. But what could a man like this possibly want with him then? A man with all that dark hair on his thick arms, a face as handsome as if it were a gift from the devil himself, and touch that made every hair on David’s body bristle.
“This… this is a misunderstanding,” David mumbled.
The man smirked and pulled down the zipper of his jeans, slowly letting go of David’s neck. “Nice to meet you, pretty boy.”
About the author
K. A. Merikan is the pen name for Kat and Agnes Merikan, a team of writers, who are mistaken for sisters with surprising regularity. Kat’s the mean sergeant and survival specialist of the duo, never hesitating to kick Agnes’s ass when she’s slacking off. Her memory works like an easy-access catalogue, which allows her to keep up with both book details and social media. Also works as the emergency GPS. Agnes is the Merikan nitpicker, usually found busy with formatting and research. Her attention tends to be scattered, and despite pushing thirty, she needs to apply makeup to buy alcohol. Self-proclaimed queen of the roads.
They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and books. When you pick up a Merikan book, there’s one thing you can be sure of – it will be full of surprises.
e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com
More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at:
- K.A. Merikan’s author page: http://kamerikan.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KAMerikan
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KA_Merikan
- Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6150530.K_A_Merikan
- Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/KAMerikan/
A Lila Review: The High Kings Golden Tongue by Megan Derr
Rating: 5+ stars out of 5
Prince Allen has trained his entire life to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious mother, who has made their kingdom one of the wealthiest and most influential in the empire. For the past few years he has trained to become the new consort of the High King. The only thing no one prepared him for was the stubborn, arrogant High King himself, who declares Allen useless and throws him out of court.
High King Sarrica is ruling an empire at war, and that war will grow exponentially worse if his carefully laid plans do not come to fruition. He’s overwhelmed and needs help, as much as he hates to admit it, but it must be someone like his late consort: a soldier, someone who understands war, who is not unfamiliar with or afraid of the harsher elements of rule. What he doesn’t need is the delicate, pretty little politician foisted on him right as everything goes wrong.
The High King’s Golden Tongue is an excellent fantasy tale of love, trust, family, and friendship.
The original story, in which this book is based on, was written in 2012 and was around 40 pages long. I read it about two years ago and rated five stars as well. I went back and skimmed over it, and found myself reading further than I first intended. The bones were all there, but this extended version is everything a reader could have wished for and so much more.
The fantasy world the author created includes several kingdoms with different languages and traditions— each of them with a rich history, royal families, and plots to take over the Empire. Simple things like food predilections, crops, and fashion are taking into account and spun into a well-connected tale.
Prince Allen is that connection between the kingdoms, but especially between the reader and the story. He had trained all his life to be a silver tongue, but more specifically, to be a King/Queen’s consort. He’s knowledgeable in politics, business, logistics, and many other things a regent would need to be taken care of. When Lord Tara’s family suggested him to be the Consort of the High King, he trained for two years just to be what King Sarrica needed.
Being a widower with two small children and a kingdom ready to go to war takes King Sarrica’s full attention. It’s not until the moment the Council brings a consort for him that he realizes that he didn’t want anyone to replace his late husband, Nyle. If forced, Sarrica wants a soldier, like him, to help him defend his Empire. He didn’t see value in Prince Allen’s knowledge and training. He pegs him as a spoiled royal looking for pampering and multiple lovers.
Sarrica’s dismissal puts Allen in an awkward position. If he returns home, his family would see him as a failure and his kingdom can take offense. If he stays, he would constantly be waiting for Sarrica’s call. Even if it’s just to warm up his bed, Allen wants to serve the stubborn King.
A series of misunderstandings, clever resolutions, and dark situations would mark a separate path for Sarrica and Allen. Their separation would show Sarrica how much he needed Allen and what he was willing to do to get his Golden tongue back. At the same time, Allen would find the friends he never had and a real reason to survive. He’s finally putting to practice everything he learned since childhood and discovering his own strength.
All these adventures are detailed, engaging, and fascinating. There isn’t a slow moment in this book. The plot moves forward steadily with every situation, and all the characters had a reason to exist. The amount of characters and setting involved is grant, but not overwhelming. Everything is presented cohesively and the narrations, as well as the dialogues, were well-written and witty.
I loved Tara, Rene, Lesto, and many of the Fathoms Deep and Three-headed Dragons. The friendship between Sarrica, Lesto, and Rene added a sense of familiarity and reality to the story. The settings, the fashion, and the food descriptions were great; the books and treaties, too. I only had trouble following some of the gender neutral names and I wished the author had explained the reason why some of the males were able to bear children.
Overall, an exquisite fantasy story filled with unique scenes and engaging characters. Really happy to see more books being added to the series.
The cover by John Coulthart is beautiful. The intricate design and the attention to detail bring small parts from the setting & the castle to life. It definitely has the feel of a medieval High Court.
Sale Links: LT3 | Amazon | ARe
Book Details:
ebook, 400 pages
Published: November 4, 2015, by Less Than Three Press
ISBN: 1620046245 (ISBN13: 9781620046241)
Edition Language: English
Series: Tales of the High Court
Book #1: The High King’s Golden Tongue
Book #2: The Pirate of Fathoms Deep
Book #3: The Heart of the Lost Star (2017)
A MelanieM Review: Truly, Madly, Boys – A Mad About The Brit Boys Anthology by JL Merrow & Josephine Myles.
Love—the most intense connection.
The challenge of finding love in the world today can take many forms, but at its heart love is the same: it’s all about forging a connection with another person. Experience romance at its most relatable in these four contemporary stories of male-male love with a British flavour from award-winning authors Josephine Myles and JL Merrow.
In these stories you’ll find out how to communicate without words, be teased by a memory that’s just out of reach, flash back to young love and emerging sexuality, and discover how opposites can attract when you meet a stranger in a strange land.
These stories have all been previously published, but are now available exclusively in this anthology.
Published June 10th 2016
ASINB01GXR3BU4
Edition LanguageEnglish
Release Blitz – Truly, Madly, Boys by JL Merrow & Josephine Myles (excerpt and Giveaway)
Truly, Madly, Boys – A Mad About The Brit Boys Anthology by JL Merrow & Josephine Myles
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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In Our Spotlight: ‘A Kind of Romance’ by Lane Hayes (excerpt and giveaway)
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SERIES: A Kind of Story
AUTHOR: Lane Hayes
COVER ARTIST: Aaron Anderson
LENGTH: 82,963 words
RELEASE DATE: June 06, 2016
BLURB: Zeke Gulden is a ruthless Wall Street exec. His hard-edged, no-nonsense attitude has served him well in the cutthroat business world, but less so in his personal life. When he finds out his ex-boyfriend cheated on him with a coworker, Zeke can’t let go—not until he finds a way to get even. However, his meddlesome father has other ideas. The new hire at the family-owned bagel store is somewhat colorful, but his dad is sure he’s the perfect man for Zeke.
Benny Ruggieri is a fiercely proud New Yorker who dreams of making it big as a costume designer in the theater. In the meantime, he’s working two part-time jobs in the food biz. When his new boss sets him up with his successful son, Benny has zero expectations. If nothing else, he figures he can entertain himself by making the uptight businessman squirm. Instead, the two become unlikely friends with an inexplicable attraction they can’t ignore. Benny might be the one to help Zeke set aside his quest for revenge, if he’s willing to let go and forgive what he can’t forget… and give in to an unexpected kind of romance.

remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when a life-altering
event took place. I could do better than that. I could tell you the date and
time too. May 9, 7:04 a.m…. It was a Monday. Of course. I was standing in my
kitchen, cradling a cup of coffee while reading the news on my iPad when my
cell phone rang. I didn’t think twice about it. It rang all the fucking time.
The setting was almost always on vibrate, but last night I’d changed it,
thinking I didn’t want to miss Taylor’s call in case he decided to come by. He
didn’t call. And he didn’t come over. I didn’t really think he would, but when
we ran into each other at the farmers’ market in Union Square Sunday morning,
I’d foolishly hoped he might. That was our spot. It seemed like providence. A
sign of some sort telling us we should stop this nonsense and get back together
immediately. True, Taylor had confessed he’d been cheating on me with one of my
coworkers for the past six months, but… still.
incessant ringing served as a reminder I was a complete moron for wanting him
back. And when I saw the name displayed on my cell, I knew the caller would
agree wholeheartedly.
voice on the line. It was masculine but a little high-pitched. Definitely not
Dad. Whoever he was, he was calling from my father’s phone. My heart slammed
against my chest in a wave of instant panic.
You’re calling from my father’s phone. Is he oka—?”
head. We called 9-1-1. The paramedics said it looked like a superficial wound,
but there was blood everywhere and—They’re taking him to Mount Sinai on First.
I’m following now with William. Filipe doesn’t speak much English, so Rand is
staying to help mind the store and—”
was he?” It was a stupid question. However, I felt nauseated from the
unexpected adrenaline rush and was struggling to catch up and make sense of
this conversation.
caller replied with a heavy sigh. “I’m so sorry. I—I don’t know what else to
say. I’m sure he’s fine, but—I’ll meet you in the emergency room.”
asked, staring into the open great room of my condo in a trancelike state.
reflection on the shiny dark hardwood floors and the way the tiny flecks of
dust sparkled like fairy dust in the air. But I felt as though I were in a
vacuum. Sound was muffled, and the light was suddenly too bright. I pushed away
from the island and moved with purpose toward my bedroom, forgetting I’d been
waiting for a response until the caller spoke again.
“Benny.”




In the Spotlight: All the Wrong Places (Bluewater Bay #14) by Ann Gallagher (giveaway)
All the Wrong Places (Bluewater Bay #14) by Ann Gallagher
Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by L.C. Chase
Blurb
Three cheating girlfriends in a row have given skateboarder Brennan Cross the same excuse: he wasn’t meeting their needs. Desperate and humiliated, he goes to the professionals at the local sex shop for advice.
Zafir Hamady, a sales clerk at Red Hot Bluewater, has an unusual theory: he doesn’t think Brennan is a bad lover. In fact, he doesn’t think Brennan is heterosexual. Or sexual at all, for that matter. He also can’t stop thinking about Brennan. But even if he’s right and Brennan really is asexual, that doesn’t mean Zafir has a chance. Brennan’s never dated a man, and Zafir’s never met anyone who’s game for a Muslim single father with a smart mouth and a GED.
Brennan’s always thought of himself as straight. But when sex is explicitly out of the mix, he finds himself drawn to Zafir for the qualities and interests they share. And Zafir can’t help enjoying Brennan’s company and the growing bond between Brennan and his son. They work well together, but with so many issues between them, doubts creep in, and Brennan’s struggle with his identity could push away the one person he didn’t know he could love.

Giveaway Info
Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist
Author Bio
Ann Gallagher is the slightly more civilized alter ego of L.A. Witt, Lauren Gallagher, and Lori A. Witt. So she tells herself, anyway. When she isn’t wreaking havoc on Spain with her husband and trusty two-headed Brahma bull, she writes romances just like her wilder counterparts, but without all the heat. She is also far too mature to get involved in the petty battle between L.A. and Lauren, but she’s seriously going to get even with Lori for a certain incident that shall not be discussed publicly.
Connect with Ann:
Website: http://loriawitt.com
Author Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com
Personal Blog: http://navywifeadventures.blogspot.
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Facebook: http://facebook.com//L-A-Witt-MM-Fiction

Bluewater Bay
Welcome to Bluewater Bay! 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 eleven 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, G.B. Gordon, and Jaime Samms. 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.
Summer Reading Lists and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
What Books Are on Your Summer Reading List?
So its time for that wonderful rite of summer …the big summer book and reading list. Unless you are downunder where its winter time, we are looking at summer…relaxation, the beach, or the mountains or wherever you love to go for vacation and total relaxation. Time to read. Time for the Kindle, Nook, paperback, hardback or however you get your books these days.
So what books are you anticipating this summer? What books are you reading this summer? Or even what books are you looking forward to releasing and then reading this summer? If you are a lover of the Rhys Ford Sinners series, then you will be crazy over Absinthe of Malice, a continuation of that series I will be reviewing when it releases on June 22. A Must Have, Must Read trust me. Waiting for the next Bluewater Bay story? Barb the Zany Old Lady will be reviewing one this week with more to come! Check it out!
I know many of us follow authors personal blogs, waiting for book announcements, or Goodread’s authors updates and scan the publishers like Dreamspinner, MLR,Riptide Publishing. and so many others for their upcoming novels as we eagerly await our favorites authors and series updates. So who and what are on your lists this summer?
Write and let us know!
Here is our schedule this week….its going to be a wonderful time here.
☀☼☀☼☀☼☀☼☀
This Week At Scattered Thoughts And Rogue Words
Sunday, June 12:
- What Books Are on Your Summer Reading List?
- This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
Monday, June 13:
- All The Wrong Places by Ann Gallagher, Bluewater Bay Riptide Tour and Giveaway
- Cover Reveal for – Blood Lines by A.L Bates
- A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review:All The Wrong Places by Ann Gallagher
- A F. D. Review: Love Can’t Conquer by Kim Fielding
- A Jeri Review: Out in the Field by Kate McMurray
Tuesday, June 14:
- In Our Spotlight: A Kind of Romance by Lane Hayes (excerpt and giveaway)
- Release Blitz – Truly, Madly, Boys by JL Merrow & Josephine Myles (excerpt and Giveaway)
- A MelanieM Review: Truly, Madly, Boys by JL Merrow & Josephine Myles
- A Stella Review: How To Wish Upon A Moon by Eli Easton
- A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Love Complicated by Teegan Loy.
Wednesday, June 15:
- Cover Reveal for Collars ‘N’ Cuffs, A Wayward Ink Publishing Anthology (cover reveal and giveaway)
- Book Tour: Heart Ripper (Sex&Mayhem #9) KA Merikan
- A MelanieM Review: 7 & 7 Anthology
- A Lila Review: The High Kings Golden Tongue by Megan Derr –
Thursday, June 16:
- Cover Reveal for – The Pinkerton Man Series by CJ Baty
- In the Spotlight: Elysium (Reunion #3) by JJ Harper (excerpt and giveaway)
- A BJ Audiobook Review: Second Hand by Heidi Cullinan
- A Stella Review: Shifting Silver by Brandon Witt
- A MelanieM Review: Finding Family by Connie Bailey
Friday, June 17:
- Always Another Side- by Annabelle Jacobs tour and book release
- An Ali Audiobook Review: How to Be a Normal Person by TJ Klune
- An Alisa Review: Sins of the Past by Amanda Young
- A Lila Audiobook Review: Lollipop by Amy Lane
Saturday, June 18:
- A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Rekindled Flame by Andrew Grey
- A MelanieM Review: Sandman’s Family by C.J. Elliot





