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In Our Book Spotlight:Connection (Evan and Jeremy #1) by Brigham Vaughn (author guest post, excerpt and free book)

Connection Final Cover

Connection (Evan and Jeremy #1) by Brigham Vaughn
Cover Artist: Brigham Vaughn
Publisher: Two Peninsulas Press (Indie/Self-Published)
Goodreads Link

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Brigham Vaughn here today to talk about her  novel, Connection, and the inspiration behind it.  Welcome, Brigham.  Tell our readers about Connection and the series its linked to.

When I began writing the novella “Equals” I never dreamed that almost two years later it would become a 4-novella series with a 2-novel spin off. I loved Russ and Stephen–the couple in the original series—but Evan and Jeremy slowly but surely stole my heart.

Jeremy was a side character in the first book. An ex of Stephen’s whose crippling car accident fifteen years prior set Stephen up for a host of relationship issues and created one of the main conflicts between him and Russ in “Equals”.

Evan was a throwaway character, originally written into “Partners” to give Stephen’s hometown of Putnam a more sympathetic face and depth.  He was a lost, lonely young man, aching to find gay men to look up to and found in role models in Russ and Stephen. Russ caught a glimpse of that and a very tentative friendship was formed, leading Evan toward a future in Atlanta.

By the time I finished “Partners” I knew I needed to tell Evan’s story. My betas strenuously agreed.  As I tossed around ideas of who I would pair Evan with, Jeremy popped into my head. At first it seemed preposterous; Jeremy was thirty-six, mentally and physically scarred from the accident, and bitter and jaded by the idea of dating. Twenty-one-year-old Evan—despite his shyness and insecurities—was wide-eyed and optimistic. He longed for a relationship and the security it would bring. They had nothing to offer each other.

Except, I’d just written a May/December romance where the age difference between Russ and Stephen worked. They balanced each other out.  What if Jeremy’s brashness was the perfect counterpoint to Evan’s shyness? What if Evan’s optimism softened Jeremy’s pessimism? What if they gave each other the strength to work through their own fears and insecurities? What if they were better together than they could ever be apart?

With those thoughts, the idea of the story fell into place. The characters fit together like puzzle pieces in my head. It wouldn’t be an easy road to get them to that point, but once I did, I knew they’d be perfect for each other.

The first book, “Connection,” was released last October. The second half is called “Trust” and it is available today.  The books will take you from Evan’s arrival in Atlanta and through the next year of his life as he and Jeremy meet and build a relationship.

If you’re new to the “Equals” world, you can read “Connection” and “Trust” as standalone novels.  But if you’d like to start at the very beginning, pick up a copy of “Equals”. It is available for free.

I have no doubt you’ll love all four men as much as I do.

Blurb

After a lifetime of being told he’s worthless, shy, sheltered Evan Harris is forced out of the closet and kicked out of his home. Friends in Atlanta give him a place to stay while he gets on his feet, but despite his eagerness to explore the city, it isn’t exactly what he expected.

Physically and emotionally scarred from a devastating car accident, Jeremy Lewis struggles to reconcile the brash, outgoing man he used to be with the social recluse he’s become.

Loneliness draws them to each other, but a strong mutual attraction isn’t enough to overcome their pasts. In order to be together, Evan must discover his own worth and Jeremy must trust someone to see past his scars.

Series and Number: “Connection” Series Book 1 of a 2-part series

Excerpt

“So how do you know the grooms?” The man he was pretty sure he recognized from the sporting goods store dropped onto the stool to his left, and Evan jerked, spilling some of his drink on the bar.

“Oh, um, I met Russ and Stephen last fall when they were in Stephen’s hometown. I worked at the funeral home there when they buried his father.”

The guy frowned. “So you’re just visiting Atlanta then?”

Evan shook his head. “No. I moved to Atlanta in February. When we met last fall, Russ was nice enough to kind of”—he struggled to find the right words as he mopped up the spill—“take me under his wing, I guess. Once I moved here, Russ and Stephen helped me get settled and find the guts to go off on my own.”

He chuckled and nudged Evan’s elbow with his. “I dunno, seems like you must have had some guts in the first place.”

“Maybe.” Evan blushed. “I’d like to think so.”

“How do you like Atlanta?”

“It’s lonely,” Evan said, surprising himself with his candor. The drink he was working on must’ve loosened his tongue. “I mean, it’s fine, I guess. I just haven’t met anyone yet.” In his head, Atlanta had been a gay man’s paradise where there would be available guys everywhere he looked, but it hadn’t worked out that way. At least, not for him.

“Amen, kid.” The guy raised his glass and clinked it against Evan’s. “What’s your name, anyway?”

“Evan Harris.” He glanced at the guy out of the corner of his eye.

“Nice to meet you. Jeremy Lewis.” He narrowed his eyes at Evan. “Wait a minute, you came into Johnson’s sporting goods a while ago, didn’t you? You needed running shoes, I think.”

“I … yeah,” Evan replied, shocked but flattered that the guy—Jeremy—had remembered him. “I did. Russ suggested I go there, actually. Um, thanks for your help, by the way. The new shoes are much better. The fit specialist did a great job.”

Jeremy grinned. “Glad to hear my employees know what they’re doing.”

Evan wasn’t sure what else to say about running shoes that wouldn’t make him sound like an idiot, but he didn’t want Jeremy to stop talking to him, so he changed the subject. “How do you know them?”

“Stephen and Russ? I just met Russ a few months ago, but Stephen’s my ex.”

“Really?” Evan gaped at him for a moment before all the pieces fell into place. Stephen had mentioned his ex’s car accident. That explained the limp and the scar. “Oh.”

“Mmmhmm. Stephen’s always had a thing for younger guys. We met when I was twenty, and he was … oh, must have been about thirty-two, thirty-three, maybe? Hell if I can remember. It’s been fifteen years.”

Which meant Jeremy was in his mid-thirties now. Up close, Evan could see the lines around his eyes when he smiled. Evan liked them.

“You’re not jealous of Russ?” he blurted out, then bit his lip, hoping Jeremy wasn’t offended.

“It’s complicated,” Jeremy said with a sigh as his lips twisted in a bitter smile. “I know Russ is a hell of a lot better for Stephen than I ever was, and I’m glad they’re happy together. It’s … it’s not that I want to be with Stephen, and, hell, I’m not a relationship kinda guy, but something about seeing them together makes me envious, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.” Evan sighed.

Jeremy nudged him with his elbow again. “Come on, kid, I’m sure you can’t have any trouble picking up guys.”

Evan sputtered, nearly choking on his drink and wondering how the guy knew he was gay. Am I obvious? he wondered. “Umm, I haven’t exactly ever done it before …” he muttered into his glass, embarrassed to confess his lack of dating experience but unable to hold his tongue.

“Don’t tell me you’re a virgin?” Jeremy’s gaze was disbelieving, and the tips of Evan’s ears went red-hot.

“Okay, I won’t then.” Evan tilted his drink back and shook an ice cube into his mouth, crunching down on it. He refused to look at the guy next to him for fear he’d turn tomato red.

Jeremy whistled quietly. “Kid, if you go into a gay club it’ll be like waving a steak at starving tigers. They’ll be all over you.”

“I think you’ve had too much to drink,” Evan protested. “I’m nothing special.”

“Oh, Jesus, you have to be kidding me.” Jeremy stood with a groan. “Okay, unless you’ve got somewhere you need to be, I want you to come have a seat with me at a booth over there. My leg is fucking killing me, and we need to have a long talk about why you don’t realize you’re the kind of pretty little twink who makes gay men cream their jockstraps.”

Evan blushed, but he followed Jeremy toward the cozy booths anyway, embarrassed, terrified, and completely intrigued by the gorgeous guy who had called him pretty.

Series and Number: “Connection” Series Book 1 of a 2-part series

Trailer:https://youtu.be/ZDdF89vL7ak

Publication Date: October 16. 2015
Word Count /or Page Number: 62,216 words/ 189 pages

Buy Links:  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK | Amazon CA | All Romance  |Barnes & Noble | iTunes |

Kobo  | Smashwords

About The Author

Brigham Vaughn Right

Author Bio:

Brigham Vaughn is starting the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga.  She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.

Social Media Links:

Genre: Contemporary
Couples: M/M
Rating: Adult

Publisher: Two Peninsulas Press (Indie/Self-Published)
Publication Date: October 16. 2015
Word Count / Page Number: 62,216 words/ 189 pages

Equals (Equals #1) by Brigham Vaughn  Goodreads link free at Amazon etc.

 

Being Released Today:

Trust

Trust (Connection #2)

 

Evan Harris thinks his relationship with Jeremy Lewis is going well. But when Jeremy bolts, Evan is left nursing a broken heart. Jeremy loves Evan, but his inability to trust holds him back from facing his past head on and building the future he desperately wants. Evan’s patience is at the breaking point, and he struggles to decide if Jeremy deserves another chance.


Scarred by his own parents’ treatment of him, Jeremy doesn’t trust Evan’s mother’s motives when she reappears in Evan’s life after his father lands in jail. The ensuing disagreement about his concerns puts further pressure on their developing relationship.

Unless Jeremy can learn to trust and Evan can let go of past hurts, they’ll miss out on the relationship they’ve both been searching for.

Buy It here at Amazon

Its Release Day for Second to None (The Breakfast Club #3) by Felice Stevens (excerpt and contest

SecondToNoneRDB Banner

Second to None

The Breakfast Club, Book 3

Felice Stevens

M/M Romance

Second to None

Cover Designer: Reese Dante

Cover Photo: Stock Photo

Release Date: January 28, 2016

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1K7uhSq

Buy Links

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Vp6UK4 |Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1NyzbI5 | Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1OWTwcf

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1PBF13e | ARe: http://bit.ly/1nPOp6U | KOBO: http://bit.ly/1nNIQGd

BLURB:

Nightclub owner Marcus Feldman never met a man he didn’t love, at least for the night. Although his best friends have all found love, Marcus shuns their advice to commit to one man and settle down. His past has taught him monogamy and marriage is for fools, and Marcus is anything but a fool.

Tyler Reiss’s dream of dancing professionally is unexpectedly cut short and replaced by a different kind of love. He trades in his ballet slippers for go go boots, and spends his nights dancing at the hottest gay club in the city. Flirting with the customers for tips is easy, but resisting the dark and sexy Marcus is becoming harder to do with each passing day.

Unforeseen circumstances bring Marcus and Tyler closer and though they give in to their mutual passion, both still struggle to guard their hearts. When crises threaten, Tyler and Marcus find their strength in each other rather than falling apart. Tyler must choose to either run, or stay and fight for the life he wants, while Marcus realizes that love doesn’t mean losing himself and opens his heart, making him a better man in the end.

 

TEASERS

STNTeasFinal

 

EXCERPT

“Marcus?”

His eyelids fluttered open to the sight of a hospital room instead of his bedroom. His neck hurt and his legs were contorted in a pretzel-like position. He untangled himself from the chair he’d fallen asleep in after they moved Tyler to a room last night around three a.m., and walked over to the hospital bed where Tyler lay wide-awake.

Tyler stared up at him, confusion apparent in his furrowed brow, but Marcus noticed his bright, pain-free eyes.

“Hey, how’re you feeling?”

“Like someone punched my guts in.” He licked his lips. “Is there any water? I’m really thirsty.”

Marcus took the plastic cup from the swing table next to the bed and poured Tyler a small glass. “Let me raise the bed for you so you don’t spill it.” Tyler nodded and Marcus pressed the button and watched the head of the bed raise up a few inches before stopping. “Here. Drink it slow.”

Tyler gave him a searching look but said nothing and drank his water. His head fell back on the pillow, and he closed his eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

“That’s not very nice. How about: ‘Thanks Marcus for staying the night. I appreciate it.’”

He grinned at Tyler who rolled his eyes. “Thanks Marcus for staying the night. I appreciate it.” He sighed. “But why are you here? And what time is it anyway?”

Marcus consulted his watch. “It’s seven a.m. The doctor said last night when they brought you into the room here that if you didn’t show any signs of a concussion, they’d spring you out sometime this morning.”

“Okay. But that doesn’t answer my question about what you’re doing here.”

“I stayed to make sure you were okay, plus I’m taking you home when you’re discharged.”

“I can call a cab.” Tyler winced as he sat up. “I’m fine, and it doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as it did yesterday.” His fingers touched his side. “They have me taped up pretty well.”

“Let me see.” Before Tyler responded, Marcus placed his hand over Tyler’s rib cage and felt the bulky bandage through the thin fabric of the hospital gown. He slid his hand around Tyler’s waist.

“Marcus, stop,” Tyler warned.

“Stop what?” He might be far from innocent, but he could play the part.

“Oh, am I interrupting?” A nurse walked in with a tray and a thermometer. “I’m sorry, but I have to give him his meds and take his BP and temperature.”

“I hope you’re taking it rectally. I was always told it gave the most accurate reading. Is that true?” He stepped away from the bed and winked at the nurse, who broke out in laughter.

“Marcus, shut up,” said Tyler, not even trying to hide the exasperation in his voice.

“Oh Marcus, you’re silly.” She bit her lips to stop her amusement. “Don’t worry, Mr. Reiss. Your boyfriend is right, but we take it by the eardrum method. It’s very accurate as well.” She busied herself, unaware of Tyler’s glare. “Just relax now.”

After finishing, she pulled away the blood pressure machine and smiled. “Very good. All your vitals are excellent. How’s your head?”

“Hard as a rock,” Marcus spoke before Tyler could answer.

“Oh, you’re a kidder.” She patted him on his arm. “I think it’s sweet the way you stayed here all night to make sure everything was okay. And now you get to take him home and baby him.”

Watching Tyler grow angrier by the minute was a better show than anything he’d ever watched on television. “I’m looking forward to it. I may have to borrow a nurse outfit.”

The nurse’s laughter followed her out the door, but Tyler was having none of it. Seeing the hostility in his blue-gray eyes, Marcus girded himself.

“What the hell are you talking about? I’m not going home with you.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. While life is tough, she believes there is a happy ending for everyone. She started reading traditional historical romances as a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that her interest in romance novels was renewed.

But somewhere along the way, her reading shifted to stories of men falling in love. Once she picked up her first gay romance, she became so enamored of the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion there was no turning back.

Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. Although she practices law, she daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be some angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Twitter:https://twitter.com/FeliceStevens1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/felicestevens/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8432880.Felice_Stevens

Instagram: https://instagram.com/FeliceStevens

Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/felicestevensauthor?ref=hl

Newsletter: http://felicestevens.us8.list-manage2.com/subscribe?u=d43061d90bf2256eb322ed69f&id=586ac8fa57

GIVEAWAY

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Take a Walk on the Sinful Side with Jambrea Jo Jones’ ‘Vegas Sin City’ (character interview, excerpt and giveaway)

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Vegas Sin Blog Tour

Jambrea Jo Jones

Hi everyone, Jambrea Jo Jones here! Today I’ll be introducing you all to another character from my new release, Vegas Sin. This time we’re interviewing Owen.

“Owen, it’s only fair that I interview you as well. I talked to Harrison about a birthday memory. I think, for you, I’d just like your happiest memory.” I put my hands in my lap and waited for him to respond.

Owen fidgeted in his seat, but seemed game for the question.

“I can do that. I mean, I’m generally a happy guy. Or I try to be. It could be said I’m happiest when I’m messing with my partner, but that isn’t the best moment I had.”

“No?”

“It’s fun, but it’s only a brief moment of happy. No. There are other things.”

“Like what?”

“Didn’t you write the story?” Owen gave me one of those ‘duh’ looks.

“Well—I know of a couple, but figured since, you know, this is an interview of sorts I’d let you talk about it.”

“See? Fun times messing with people.” Owen winked.

“Get on with your memory.” I couldn’t hold back a grin.

“Yes, ma’am.”

There was a pause.

“Now, would be nice.”

“Hold on.” Owen held up a hand. “Okay. I think most would expect me to say Harrison is my happiest, but he is in the now and future. For a memory, I’d have to go with the night my niece was born.”

“Were you there?”

“Well, yeah, but not in the room. My sister needed a ride to the hospital. I did the brother thing and made sure she got there. We were lucky she didn’t have it the car!”

“I stayed outside in the waiting room until they called me back. I mean—babies aren’t the best to look at when they’re that fresh, but that little munchkin stole my heart that day. That little life was one I would protect with everything I am. She’s grown into a cute kid. I think she kind of looks like her uncle.” Owen winked. “The thing is, I haven’t been there for her as much as I’ve wanted to. I have work and she’s been off with my sister. That kid has grown up before she needed to, so now I’m trying to make up for that. Show her it’s okay to be a kid and she doesn’t have to protect her mom. I’ll be there for both of them.”

“And Harrison?”

“Oh, she stole his heart from the first meeting. She’ll do that to you. My niece is one special kid.”

“So when it’s time for her to date…”

“You’re kidding, right? Not. Happening.”

“I hate to tell you this, Owen, but it is so going to happen, but I’m sure you’ll be there for any heartbreak. Just remember the ice cream.”

“You just stop. Right now. First you have her dating, now she’s getting a broken heart? Where’s my gun?”

I laughed.

“Keep laughing it up there, Ms. Jones. Come talk to me when your son is dating.”

That stopped me and I glared at Owen.

“I think we’re done here. Harrison, come get your man.”

Now it was Owen laughing as he met Harrison at the door.”

“Got ya!”

I watched them walk away, thinking of what other fun things I could put them through.

About Jambrea Jo Jones:

Jambrea wanted to be the youngest romance author published, but life impeded the dreams. She put her writing aside and went to college briefly, then enlisted in the Air Force. After serving in the military, she returned home to Indiana to start her family. A few years later, she discovered yahoo groups and book reviews. There was no turning back. She was bit by the writing bug.

She enjoys spending time with her son when not writing and loves to receive reader feedback. She’s addicted to the internet so feel free to email her anytime.

Vegas Sin

Vegas Sin (Totally Five Star)
by Jambrea Jo Jones
(Sales link above)

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Vegas Sin blurb

Sex, weddings and gambling hold a back seat to kidnapping and murder in the city of sin…

Owen Carpenter sets aside one night each month to relax at the Totally Five Star, but a case has just landed on his desk that has those nights disappearing for the foreseeable future. Someone is kidnapping women in Las Vegas and Owen needs to stop them before the women end up dead.

Harrison Boone is head of security at the Totally Five Star. He notices a man who comes in once a month and he wants to know more about him. When Owen introduces himself, there’s an instant attraction between Harrison and Owen, but they are interrupted by a kidnapping—at his hotel. After Harrison leaves the military, the hotel becomes his life, so Harrison will do anything to keep the hotel out of the news and protect its reputation.

Can Owen and Harrison find love in Sin City, or will the case of the disappearing women crush what might be the best bet the men have ever placed?

Pairing: MM
Book Length: Novel
Genre: Erotic Romance, Gay, Contemporary, Crime and Mystery, Thrillers and Suspense

Vegas Sin Excerpt

Now he needed coffee—stat. He hated the slop they had in the office, but it was better than nothing. He’d forgotten to set his coffeemaker up to brew last night. Of course, he’d been dealing with a sobbing sister and a too-serious niece. He hoped that nothing big had been tossed on his desk, but he wasn’t sure he’d get that lucky. It had been a busy week—not that he should be surprised—since it was Vegas, after all. The lights and gambling attracted all kinds. It kept him busy most days. Owen had just wrapped up a case late yesterday. A domestic violence situation where the boyfriend had killed the girlfriend. It was pretty open and shut, but he’d still had to cross his T’s and dot his I’s so the guy didn’t get off on a technicality.

At least he wasn’t set to testify anytime soon. He hated going to court. He’d rather be solving cases. Some of the other guys looked at it like a day off, but not him. All those people staring at him while he did his best not to fidget in the seat.

His partner was out on leave so that left him picking up the slack. They had a few cases open that he’d have to take a look at and see what else he could do, as long as something new didn’t take priority.

The coffeepot was almost empty. There probably wasn’t even enough for a cup. It seemed the guys did that shit all the time. Owen poured the little bit into his cup. At least it would give him a jolt while he waited for a fresh batch to brew. He didn’t even think about how long the pot had been setting there. The others would pass it up in a heartbeat and wait until someone else made it, then they would all jump on it like vultures. Shit. He really should have brewed some at home.

Maybe he would swing by a Starbucks later. He hated to spend the extra money, but he couldn’t live without the nectar of the gods. The sludge in his cup wasn’t going to cut it. After one sip, he dumped it out. Nothing was going to save that coffee. Leaving the pot brewing, he made his way to his desk. It was pretty quiet. The shift change meeting wouldn’t happen for about an hour, so he had time to go through the files from yesterday.

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Pride Publishing January Blog Tour Competition:

Enter Pride Publishing’s monthly competition for your chance to win a free eBook of your choice! (Not including boxsets or anthologies.)  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Enter here: http://www.pride-publishing.com/blog-tour-competition-january

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A BJ Review: Tracefinder: Contact (Tracefinder #1) by Kaje Harper

Rating:  4.75 stars out of 5

TracefinderWhat could an undercover cop and a drug lord’s pet psychic have in common?

Brian Kerr has spent years hiding behind a facade of mental slowness. His brother and sister got all three of them off the streets and into a cushy life, under the protection of a dangerous criminal. But to keep that safety, Brian has to use his Finding talent to track down the boss’s enemies. Although he pretends not to know what he’s really doing, each Find takes its toll, and he’s trapped in a life he hates, losing touch with his true self.

Nick Rugo’s job is to protect and serve the people of Minneapolis as an undercover cop. He isn’t closeted, but he isn’t out at work, and there’s a wild, angry side to him that he’s managed to keep hidden until now. When he’s assigned to bring Brian’s boss to justice, he intends to use anything and anyone it takes to do that.

Nick initially sees Brian as a pawn to be played in his case, but he keeps getting glimpses of a different man behind the slow, simpleminded mask. As the two men get to know each other, it becomes clear they share secrets, some of which might get them both killed.

A very usual contemporary with a paranormal twist and flawed characters of an entirely different type than I’m used to reading. This one set itself apart from most that I’ve read and stuck in my head (in a good way). Each and every character is interesting, multi-layered, and well-drawn, the pacing moved well, and there were even well-handled animal characters which is always a plus for me. This story unfolds slowly but it didn’t take long to discover that for those like me who love broken boys, this series promises to be a find indeed.

Not high on the heat meter and even the romance element is on the milder side, but that seems fitting given the characters in this story. Nick Rugo and Brian Kerr are worlds apart in many ways, but they share difficult childhoods that have left them trying hold themselves together by whatever means they can. Nick often deals by lashing out in physical violence such as bar fights, while Brian deals by hiding within himself behind the persona of a simpleton called Bry. But is Bry real or did Brian create him as a cover? Even Brian himself seems confused on that point.

The author rather leaves us guessing as to what exactly is wrong with Brian aside from severe dyslexia. How much of who he is (or pretends to be?) is the result of a defense mechanism he began in childhood? How slow/special needs is he really? That’s not immediately clear. Hell, it’s not even totally clear by the end. And I actually loved that. It kept me thinking and guessing and trying to piece things out.

In the end, I decided that regardless of how slow Brian might be, one thing is for sure, he’s far from stupid. His intelligence shines though to me in many ways. Devising an intricate ruse/cover (or even playing into it) and keeping it up over the long haul wouldn’t have been easy. I loved how sometimes Brian’s true intelligence would slip out in the things he said, and how adept he was at covering them up with quick thinking and acting. Also Brian certainly seemed to have a handle on good/bad and right/wrong–he continuously makes insightful and succinct judgments about those around him and his insights into the motivations of others showed a high degree of intuitiveness.

I applaud the author for tackling this rather different type of romance. At first I had a hard time seeing how these two could forge a relationship that would believably complement each other without being woefully uneven, without one being more of a caregiver. By the end of the book, the author had me believably seeing how these two men complemented each other, how each had needs that the other met, and that they were if not equal, at least moving towards it. I felt the sexy bits were skillfully handled and fitting for this couple.

Brian’s siblings, Lori and Damon, are also nuanced characters with complicated motivations that make them far from black/white, bad/good. I’m glad this will be a series because I there are so many questions still in my mind, so many things I’d love to explore and learn about all of them.

When I read a story, connecting to the characters is probably one of the most important things for me. I definitely got that here. I liked Nick, found Brian fascinating, and adored badass Damon. I hope there’ll be more of him in the book two.

The cover is eye-catching and hot. Love everything about it, the layout, the model, the black and white with just a flash of color, it’s perfect.

Sales Links:   Goodreads |  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here
Book Details: 518 pages
Published January 9th, 2016 by Kaje Harper

A Stella Review: Haven’s Creed by Parker Williams

RATING  3, 5 out of 5 stars

Havan's CreedAn act of violence destroys his family and ends the life he knows. To escape his haunted past, he joins the military, where, as a sniper, he is trained to kill with precision and detachment. When a covert organization offers him a new purpose, he becomes Haven, an operative devoted to protecting the innocent when he can and avenging them when he cannot.

After ten years of battling the evil in the world, the life no longer holds the attraction or meaning it once had, and he’s ready to walk away. Then he meets Samuel, a young man forced from the age of twelve to work as a sex slave. If ever a man had a need for Haven, it is this one.

Yet nothing about this growing relationship is one-sided. Sammy gives Haven a stability he’s never known, and Haven becomes the rock upon which Sammy knows he can depend.

When Sammy reveals something about the enemy Haven has been hunting for months, Sammy fears it will destroy what they’ve built and he’ll lose his home in Haven’s heart.

After a year I finally had a chance at reading a new book by Parker Williams. I have to admit as I read the blurb of Haven’s Creed, I was soon curious about it. I understood the story would have been something different from the usual fluffy romance I so love and so I wanted to give it a try.

What surprised me was how much I felt myself into the story, I found hard to put it down and I read it quickly. I liked the premise, the writing, the secondary characters and the development of the general story. That’s why I gave it a high rating, because  I liked it so much.

That said,  I had a lot of issues with Haven’s Creed, the most important one was that the book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, I was waiting for something different and when I understood I wasn’t getting it, I felt so disappointed.

First of all, be aware, this story is extremely hard and violent, and it could hurt the sensibility of people not used to these kinds of themes. I had been cautioned about them and I started this book knowing it wouldn’t be strictly a romance but I was still hoping to get some kind of love story, in any way possible. The problem for me is that Haven’s Creed IS a romance, meaning the romantic part shadowed the fiction sections greatly, turning it into a simple love story with some violent elements (and not the other way around). And when you approach a reading knowing you are going to get something and then actually got another thing, the frustration is almost certain.

Also this narrative letdown also brought about some issues with the main characters. I was confused about Sammy. I was not sure how someone who went through hell like he did, could be so strong and dominant and open with his sexuality in his relationship with Haven. Not being scared of a new man felt unrealistic and extreme. And I was confused about Haven too. From the moment he met Sammy, he became needy and emotional, he started making mistakes during his job. There was a very improbable and pointless change in his personality that almost depreciated the whole first part of the story. Really a shame.

I was ready for violence, abuses, gritty scenes and a lot of blood.  I was ready for it to be emotional. I wasn’t honestly waiting for a HEA and for me there was one between Sammy and Haven. I was hoping for a love story and I’m happy I got it. But in my opinion the author should have been bolder and pushed more versus what the story promised.

Although it left me with a lot of not so good feelings, I gave Haven’s Creed 3,5 stars because it deserves them. The author was able to keep me glued to his words till the end and I can’t ignore this.

The cover art by Laura Harner could have worked but I already saw this cover around for another book, so to me it’s nothing new.

Sales Links:  Smashwords | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon |

Book Details:

Published December 14th 2015
Kindle Edition, 256 pages
ASIN B0190XCAX2
Edition Language English

A Mika Review: Rustic Melody (Rustic #1) by Nic Starr

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Rustic MelodyAdam Chambers has never seen eye-to-eye with his father and is reluctant to take over the family’s property-development company. To clear his head and work out what he wants to do with the rest of his life, Adam leaves his responsibilities in the city and heads out to see the country.

He isn’t much closer to deciding what to do with his life when he arrives at one of Australia’s largest events, the Tamworth Country Music Festival, and meets Joey Callaway.

Since Joey’s father’s tragic death left Joey the family’s debt-ridden pub, Joey has struggled, desperate to turn the business around and give his mum the life she deserves. A break away from the pressures of running the pub is just what he needs, and a hook-up with Adam is the perfect way to forget about his troubles.

The one-night stand might just be an opening act. If Adam and Joey can follow the music in their hearts, perhaps they can heal each other and create a melody that will last a lifetime.

This was my first novel by Nic Starr, and it was okay for me. The writing was okay, and the story was just okay for me. It was kind of flat, and one noted. I did like the characters a lot, but I felt like the story was very predictable. Joey was such a sweet and innocent character. He had a lot of stuff on his shoulders. I did like how he stepped up for his family, and family was a big thing to him. To be 21 years old he was extremely unselfish. Not once did he feel like “whoa is me”. He wasn’t bitter, or resentful for having his life surrounded by his family needs.

I liked Adam as well, but Adam was stuck in fear caused by his father. I get wanting to have your family be proud of him and whereas Joey was unselfish, I felt like Adam doesn’t really know what he wants. I feel like his idea that he comes up with was Joey’s. He brought it up, honestly it feel like Adam is stuck in his life. It’s not a bad thing he’s 23 years old, he has a while to try to figure out his life. I do think they were sweet together, but I didn’t really feel any passion. Again, I just read through, no ups and downs for me. Emotionally it was flat. I would have to see more emotions and passion, or declarations from the characters. I think it was okay for a first in a series.

Cover Art by Book Cover by Design: This was a nice cover. The couple met by Adam playing so I appreciate the music as is.

Sales Links:

BUY IT ON

:: Amazon US :: Amazon UK :: Amazon AU ::

:: All Romance eBooks :: Kobo :: iTunes :: Barnes and Noble ::

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 174 pages
Expected publication: January 26th 2016
Original TitleRustic Melody
ASINB01A7ONMXU
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesRustic #1

Happy Australia Day! Celebrate with Christian Baines’ ‘Puppet Boy’ and his take on Australian Antiheroes (guest post and giveaway)

PuppetBoy

Puppet Boy by Christian Baines
Published by Bold Strokes Books
Goodreads Link

Sales Links: Amazon US

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Christian Baines back again to talk about his new release, Puppet Boy and writing Australian antihero characters.  Welcome, Christian, and happy Australia Day!

Australian Antiheroes by Christian Baines

Scheming bastards need love too. 

Thanks so much for having me back on the blog, Melanie. Always a great pleasure to be here and touch base with your readers! Before I start though, Puppet Boy’s main character, Eric, has a special Australia Day message he’d like to share with you all:

Happy Australia Day!

There. I said it. Now don’t tell me I never join in with things. Even a day that celebrates a nation so insecure it clings desperately to its forebears. A day that tries to ignore that this is a nation built on theft, colonisation, and slaughter. Oh, I know you foreigners think it’s cute. That Australia is awesome and sunny all the time, and that Aussies are all ridiculously sexy, and super nice. That we’re always surfing or drinking, when we’re not busy popping out baby Hugh Jackmans and Chris Hemsworths. That we treat all races equally and all love LGBT people and that every day in Sydney is Mardi Gras. That ours is a land of beauty, freedom, and equal opportunity at all.

I mean, sure. If that’s what the picture tells you to believe, then keep right on thinking it. Go on. Admire us. We did get our shit sorted on the whole gun thing, after all.

So let’s all say it again. Happy Australia Day! Enjoy your beach. Enjoy your barbecue. Enjoy that ‘authentic Aussie’ $8 meat pie ($12 if it’s kangaroo) you’re scarfing down at the Williamsburg organic market while trying to shield yourself from freezing New York winds. Try not to think of the blood of Indigenous nations as you smother it in tomato sau—pardon me. Ketchup. And enjoy your holiday.

Eric     

PS: That delicious Aussie flat white you’re drinking was invented in New Zealand.

Cheery, isn’t he?

Writing misanthropic characters isn’t easy. It isn’t that popular anymore either, particularly in gay fiction. The inherent optimism required in the romance genre makes it almost impossible, and in gay and MM fiction, romance is particularly dominant right now, sometimes to the point of giving readers false expectations when they pick up a non-romance book. There’s a pressure to be ‘gay positive.’ To show a world for LGBTs where everything ‘gets better’ despite the odds, depicting characters who deserve their HEA. Don’t be ambiguous. Don’t be bittersweet. Things that many people accept as a normal part of real life, yet won’t accept within the fantasy of a novel.

That’s a troubling idea for me. When we start to talk about characters in terms of what they deserve, we are inherently passing judgement on them, and this invariably limits the character.

When The Beast Without came out, a lot of readers remarked on the main character, Reylan’s cattiness, his apparent selfishness and arrogance, and other anti-social traits. Not to mention his rather dubious Blood Shade/vampire morality. For readers and critics who ‘got’ the book, this wasn’t a turn-off. It was simply there, part of what defined the character and gave him personality. Yet, Reylan also has a fiercely paternal streak, including a soft spot for lost kids/young supernaturals in trouble. Many of his friends, his servant, Brett, and his lover, are either former protégés, or lost souls he’s rescued. Reylan may pack an acid tongue, but ultimately, though he won’t admit it, he has a strong moral compass where the greater good is concerned. In the follow-up, The Orchard of Flesh, coming later this year, we get to see even more of that.

Then, there’s Eric.

I’m not going to tell anyone what to think of Eric. He’s a young man with a goal, an outspoken mind, and a social conscience, but also a decidedly skewed moral centre. He loves his girlfriend Mary, and has an obvious thing for young Middle Eastern men, to the point of keeping one tied up in his absent mother’s home theatre room. He’s caustic and cynical, but won’t spit venom at everyone he meets, and he seems to have no trouble making friends. There’s also the whole high-class rent boy thing – or maybe, as one character points out, he’s just worked out that sucking the right cock gets him taken to the opera.

A character like that doesn’t tend to fit the traditional romance archetypes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t write one, or that he can’t be likeable, or that he doesn’t feel the need for love. Eric is in some ways Daria from the namesake MTV cartoon, by way of Frank Underwood from House of Cards. He calls out his world’s wrongs as he sees them, but he’s also not afraid to manipulate the hell out of those around him to get his way. Yet when you look closely at Daria and Frank, you see their vulnerabilities, and their need for human connection, even when it’s shrouded by misanthropy or arguably sociopathic behaviour.

Characters like this work when you can find the human in the monster, whether that monster is a Blood Shade/vampire, or just a young man with a goal and an enduring distrust of humanity. My favourite parts of Puppet Boy aren’t about the prisoner in Eric’s basement, or his escorting exploits, or his jerk of a music teacher. They’re the scenes where he connects with Julien, the transfer student who catches his eye. Where they talk about their inspirations and dreams for the future. Where Julien falls asleep on Eric’s chest. The scenes where we catch a glimpse of Eric’s vulnerability. Those are the scenes where I kind of fall in love with Eric and want to see him come out on top, even when his attitude annoys me. Even when his morals seem way off base.

Even when he’s making fun of my meat pie and flat white.

Happy (for what it’s worth) Australia Day!

About Puppet Boy

A school in turmoil over its senior play, a sly career as a teenage gigolo, an unpredictable girlfriend with damage of her own, and a dangerous housebreaker tied up downstairs. Any of these would make a great plot for budding filmmaker Eric’s first movie.PuppetBoy

Unfortunately, they’re his real life.

When Julien, a handsome wannabe actor, transfers to Eric’s class, he’s a distraction, a rival, and one complication too many. Yet Eric can’t stop thinking about him. Helped by Eric’s girlfriend, Mary, they embark on a project that dangerously crosses the line between filmmaking and reality. As the boys become close, Eric soon wants to cross other lines entirely. Does Julien feel the same way, or is Eric being used on the gleefully twisted path to fame?

Genre:  gay fiction, contemporary, romance, LGBTQIA fiction

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, Paperback available, 314 pages
Published November 16th 2015 by Bold Strokes Books
ASINB01784KP2I
Edition LanguageEnglish,settingSydney (Australia)

Christian Baines’ new novel, Puppet Boy is now available from Bold Strokes Books or on Amazon.

He will be signing copies at The Bookshop Darlinghurst in Sydney on January 30 at 11.30am, and reading at Hares and Hyenas in Melbourne on February 1 at 7.30pm.

About the Author

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Christian Baines

Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Christian Baines has since lived in Brisbane, Sydney, and Toronto, earning an MA in creative writing at University of Technology, Sydney along the way. His musings on travel, theatre, and gay life have appeared in numerous publications in both Australia and Canada.

Dual passions for travel and mythology have sent him across the world in search of dark and entertaining stories. His first novel, The Beast Without, was released in 2013, followed by an erotic short story, The Prince and the Practitioner.

His second novel, Puppet Boy was released in late 2015.

Find Christian on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

  Giveaway

Enter to win a ebook copy of Puppet Boy by Christian Baines.  Must be 18 years of age or older.  Use the Rafflecopter link provided to enter.

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A Barb, the Zany Old Lady Review: Horsefeathers by Caitlin Ricci

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

HorsefeathersWhen Justin arrives at the mustang roundup run by the Bureau of Land Management, he’s dismayed to see that none of the mares or geldings meet the requirements his boss had given him for his next purchase. But he’s fascinated by a dark gray stallion, one with unusual forest-green eyes. The first time Brother Mustang sees Justin, he’s rightfully fearful and wants to charge the man, but Nohatu, the human who lives side-by-side in Brother Mustang’s mind is able to keep the stallion calm. Unfortunately for them, Justin makes the purchase, and Nohatu and Brother Mustang find themselves taken far away from the land they’ve known.

Caitlin Ricci took an interesting twist on shifters with this story. Each half lives within the current form, but they are not one and do not always agree. In addition, the human prefers being in the shifted form, even though he’s often in a subjugated position. We learn rather quickly that Nohatu prefers sex with men because as soon as he’s found in the stallion’s pen, he’s shipped off to the bus station, and on the way, he manages to seduce Justin into stopping for a quick blowjob. It turns out that sex is the means by which they pass on the spark to shift when they meet someone who appears to be of “their kind.” And they believe Justin is. The way the background is filled in is via storytelling by Nohatu of the tale of his own turning. It’s a clever way to impart a lot of information in a brief way.

Overall, the story was very short, but it was packed with a lot of information. On the negative side, there was no time for a romantic buildup, and in fact, it felt like there wasn’t even a romantic element promised for the future. The story ends with a HFN and actually felt as if might have been an introduction to some future series or novel.

There also wasn’t enough time to fully develop any of the characters, and although I felt a little sympathetic to Justin, I lost that when he made his decision at the end. And because Nohatu and Brother Mustang were at odds with each other throughout most of the story, and neither had a likeable personality, I couldn’t manage any empathy toward their joint or individual well-being.

Since it is so short and does display a clever and interesting treatment of shifters, I’d recommend the story to those who enjoy paranormal shifter stories with a different twist.

~~~~~

Cover art by Natasha Snow features a leafy background on which is the head of a white horse, looking down, with some of his mane flopped forward. If I look closely, I can see a hawk-like bird instead of the horse—one ear a beak, one a body, and the horse’s mane the full wingspan of a hawk in flight. It may be an optical illusion, but due to the content of the story, I suspect the artist did this purposely, and if so, she did a remarkable job.

Sales Links:   Less Than Three Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Published January 13th 2016 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781620046920
Edition LanguageEnglish
URL settingColorado (United States)