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Supernatural Book Spotlight: Cronin’s Key III by N. R. Walker (excerpt and giveaway)

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Cronin’s Key III by N.R. Walker
Release Date: September 18

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Publisher: BlueHeart Press
Cover Artist: Sara York

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Buy the book:  Amazon

STRW Author BookSynopsis

History isn’t always what it seems…

Twelve months after his change, Alec MacAidan is still getting used to his many vampire talents. While most vampires would give anything to have more than one supernatural power, Alec craves nothing more than peace and time alone with Cronin. But when Alec meets entities from outside this realm, he’s left powerless in their presence.

Zoan are half-lycan, half-dragon creatures that have slipped through time and reality, seemingly undetected by man and vampire. Or have they? They bear an uncanny resemblance to gargoyles, leaving Alec’s view on all things weird to get a whole lot weirder.

This new quest leads Alec, Cronin, and their band of friends to Paris, Rome, and Moscow, where they learn that gargoyles aren’t simply statues on walls. In the underground pits beneath churches all over the world, Alec discovers the Key’s true destiny. Facing the Zoan might take every talent he has. And he may need help from the dead to get them all out alive.

Pages or Words: 58,800 words
Categories: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

Alec sat back in the chair and held in a sigh, feeling every bit the lab rat he’d become. Since he’d become a vampire a year ago, he’d been put through test after test, so each and every one of his unending list of talents could be explored and documented.
He’d agreed to this, and he knew it was the right thing to do, but in that very moment, he wished to be doing anything else.
And with talents for making errant thoughts an instant reality—like setting fire to sofas and making Xbox controllers explode in Eiji’s hand because he’d somehow won—it wasn’t a good frame of mind to be in.
He loved Jodis. He really did. She had become one of his best friends. But she’d also taken it upon herself to document his talents, and he’d just about had enough for one day. If replicating wasn’t a talent so frowned upon in the vampire world, he’d make a copy of himself to endure Jodis’ tests while he and Cronin hid out in their bedroom. He’d replicated himself a few times, experimentally of course, and found it too taxing on himself anyway.
“Can you do it again?” she asked, notepad and pen in hand.
Alec had found a certain talent he’d dubbed the chameleon, for obvious reasons, because he could make things change color. It was absurd, really, and probably of no better use than a party trick. But he could, if he concentrated, turn a red pen blue or a white shirt black. The talent could only manifest by touch, and it lasted only a few minutes before returning to its original color, but Jodis was rather intrigued.
Alec, on the other hand, had passed bored like it was standing still and was well on his way to irate. “Jodis, I’ve kinda had enough of this today.”
“Last one, I promise.”
For Alec, it wasn’t so much as reining in a temper anymore, where the most damage done was a cutting remark. Now it was keeping a lid on a few dozen talents that reacted poorly to anger. He only had to get really pissed off and a rage would barrel out of him like nuclear fallout, literally knocking humans and vampires off their feet. Or he could burst eardrums with a furious roar, or maybe he could turn them to stone, or dust. Or maybe, just maybe, he could rip an earthquake through the apartment so he didn’t have to do any more of these stupid fucking tests.
“Alec,” Eleanor cautioned from the next room.
“I wasn’t actually going to do that,” he replied petulantly. He knew Eleanor, with the gift of foresight, saw possible outcomes of decisions made, and that did nothing to quell his frustration. “Jesus, now my thoughts aren’t even my own.” Standing up, he snatched the purple notebook off the desk, holding it for half a second and slamming it back down. It was now black, as was every page inside it, and it was smoldering as though it almost caught fire.
Cronin was suddenly in front of him, a hand cupped to his face. “He’s had enough,” he said to Jodis, and they disappeared.
* * * *
As soon as Alec’s feet hit the soft earth, he took a deep breath of fresh air and reveled in the silence.
His life hadn’t exactly been quiet in the last twelve months.
He felt the warmth of Cronin’s hand in his, smelled the sweet aromas of heath and moss from both the vampire beside him and the cool air of the long-abandoned battlefield, and Alec exhaled loudly.
Cronin had somehow learned to quiet his mind a little and it gave Alec the silence he so desperately needed. In the last twelve months, Cronin had taken Alec on more time-outs than he could count. Knowing when he’d had enough and was reaching breaking point, Cronin would simply remove Alec from the situation, leaping him somewhere quiet where his mind could have some much needed solitude. But with a gentle squeeze of his hand, Cronin reassured him he was there.
“I’m sorry,” Alec said.
“Don’t apologize,” Cronin said adamantly. “I can’t begin to imagine your frustrations.”
“Jodis is only trying to help. I behaved badly.” He could very well speak words directly into Jodis’ mind and tell her privately that he was sorry. But he’d prefer not invade the thoughts of others, preferring to apologize in person.
“She understands,” Cronin said, trying to pacify him.
Alec sighed loudly and allowed the quiet to envelope him. “I love it here,” he said eventually.
The field at Dunadd, Scotland, had become a sanctuary for Alec. No voices in his head, no city of millions with flurrying thoughts unbidden through his mind, no politics of vampire councils, no meetings, no one hovering.
Just Cronin.
“It affords you a great privacy,” Cronin said. His Scottish accent and formal tone still made Alec smile. “Your talents as a vampire are a burdensome gift.”
Alec had learned very early on to block out the voices and thoughts of those around him, but living in a city of millions made it a constant effort, and his display of anger at Jodis just minutes ago bothered him. “These talents are a pain in my ass.”
Cronin laughed quietly. “Your control over them still astounds us all.”
“The control you keep talking about is a talent in itself. It’s like casting a net over a thousand different fish.” Alec sighed loudly. “I’ve told you that before.”
“I know. Though it amazes me still.” Cronin squeezed Alec’s hand again and looked out across the field of long grass to the line of trees that fronted the river. “Lie down with me.”
Cronin simply lay flat on his back in the middle of the field and when Alec lay down next to him, Cronin snatched up Alec’s hand again. And together in the mind-clearing silence, they watched the blanket of stars glide across the sky.
It was a clear autumn night in Scotland, cold and dark. Neither of those things impeded a vampire of course, and Alec would never tire of the simple changes he’d gone through when he became a vampire. It was the complex changes he was beginning to struggle with. The talents he’d been given made him unique: the only vampire ever to have all vampire talents, some he was still discovering a year after his change. It was these talents that made his life hectic, his obligations as the key to the vampire world that gave him a great responsibility, and as Cronin had said, it was becoming a great burden.
Alec loved that Cronin would leap them to the very field where his human life had ended. The old battlefield in Scotland was also where they’d first made love, where they came to talk, to be by themselves. Like now.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” Alec whispered, his anger and frustration from before almost gone. “I feel like I can breathe here.”
“Is that not what husbands do?” Cronin asked with a smile. “Save the other from the myriad of madness?”
“Husbands,” Alec said, bringing Cronin’s knuckles up to his lips and kissing them softly. “Now that is something I’ll never tire of.”

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.

She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things…but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

Where to find the author:

 RC

Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, Just Love Romance, Divine Magazine, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, My Fiction Nook, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Full Moon Dreaming, Bayou Book Junkie, MM Good Book Reviews, SA McAuley, The Blogger Girls, V’s Reads, The Jena Wade, BFD Book Blog, Carly’s Book Reviews, Reviews by Jessewave, Nephylim, Inked Rainbow Reads, Jessie G. Books, Iyana Jenna, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Molly Lolly, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Mikky’s World of Books, Amanda C. Stone, Prism Book Alliance, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Kimi-chan, Up All Night, Read All Day, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Charley Descoteaux, Multitasking Mommas, Ogitchida Book Blog, The Novel Approach, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Velvet Panic

 

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Rafflecopter Prize: One copy from backlist, including Cronin’s Key III
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Take a Early Morning Quickie with The Other Half Of Me by Lor Rose (excerpt and giveaway)

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The Other Half Of Me by Lor Rose

Author: Lor Rose
Title: The Other Half Of Me
Series Title and Number: Patryk’s Branch Book One
Publisher: Thirteen Below Press
Release Date: September 15, 2015

Purchase Links: eBook: Thirteen Below Press | Print: Thirteen Below Press

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Book Blurb

As a homicide detective for the greater Houston area, Detective Barrack Invar’s job was stressful enough without his Lieutenant breathing down his neck to do more, not to mention his girlfriend, Isabella. His partner, Calhoun, was a joke. It didn’t help that over the years Barrack earned a reputation as being a bit of an asshole at work. Things for Barrack didn’t look any brighter in the wake of a murder case with absolutely no leads at all. Until he came home to a wonderful surprise. His best friend since the age of three had finally come home. 

Willow only survived. His best friend since childhood, Barrack, was all that mattered to him. Willow craved any small scraps of affection Barrack was willing to give. Every look, every praise, every touch, tore Willow’s soul because he was constantly reminded of what he couldn’t have. Barrack. When Willow unexpectedly returned home his insides burned with the need for the man he loved. The need to give control…

Barrack found his feelings towards Willow slowly twisted and changed. He loved his best friend. A man. For Barrack it was a very simple thing. Willow on the other hand could not accept what Barrack was freely willing to give. Willow did the only thing he knew. He ran. 

Returning home, Willow’s fears were confirmed when Barrack refused to come with him. Barrack’s promises to follow seemed long in coming. Willow was left devastated feeling abandoned and alone.

Can Barrack convince Willow of his love? Will Willow allow Barrack to love him?

The Other Half Of Me Cover
Excerpt

The energy of the crowd and passion from the band was infectious. Barrack stood as close to the stage as he could. His body ached and his eyes itched with need for sleep after a long day at work then the concert, but it was worth it. Seeing him made it worth it.
He headed for the VIP line forming next to where NRG Stadium kept their performance stage when not in use. Other bodies ran into him, one group nearly running him over with their purple VIP passes swinging from their necks. Barrack shook his head. Purple badges like theirs only allowed them into VIP after-show signings, nothing special. Black was the next level up, with after-show backstage access and a gift signed from all the band members for Christmas. White, like his, allowed backstage access before and after shows, as well as the yearly gifts at Christmas and the holder’s birthday, plus special one-on-one time with the band at a scheduled party near Halloween.
The organizers broke up the white badges into groups of seven per party to allow more one-on-one time. Hence, only twenty-one people had a white VIP badge. If a white badge didn’t come to a white party more than twice in a row, they automatically lost their white VIP status since other people would use it to its full advantage, like him.
“Hey Barrack!”
He turned to see Bridge, the band’s head of security, waving him over, then shouldered his way through the crowd, slowly making his way to the front of the line.
“Annoying, isn’t it?” Bridge’s voice had a slight rasp to it. He was a tall broad man with a stern-looking face and jaw. His hair looked swept back by the wind.
The two clasped hands and Bridge pulled him into a one-armed hug, each patting the other heavily on the back. “If I had to deal with this all the time, then shit yeah. Doesn’t it get annoying?” Barrack asked and gave Bridge one more hearty pat on the arm before releasing him.
Bridge shrugged. “Not really, no. How you’ve been?”
Barrack smiled at his old friend. They had gotten close once a long time ago when they’d been undercover. When everything was all said and done with that case, the men had lost contact, only to be reacquainted a few years later when Emotio hit the scene.
He shrugged. “Same old, same old.”
Bridge shook his head. “Come on.” He opened the door to allow them inside. Barrack stepped into a much quieter but still busy space. Stage personnel hustled about doing whatever it was that they did. One was carrying a large stuffed rhinoceros—he didn’t want to know.
“Barrack.” Rex Louis Clark, the drummer waved and Barrack waved back. The man stood shirtless with raven black hair that shined blue in the light. A white stripe accented the side of his head. The tabloids had nicknamed him ‘Skunk’, and for good reason. He’d been known to have a bad temper. He was talking to Luxe, the band’s stylist. Why, he didn’t know since the man seemed to be allergic to shirts.
“Everyone else is in back,” Bridge said. “The public signing will start in half an hour.” Bridge patted him on the back and walked off, leading the way.
“That’s it?” Half an hour seemed like a short break after such a performance.
Bridge shrugged. “Aksel and Patryk wanted to be done early.”
“Wonder why,” he mused aloud while they turned a corner.
Bridge sighed, but it sounded more like a disbelieving tsk. He opened another door and walked inside with Barrack following behind.
“You know you’re the only fan we actually like enough to hang out with,” Bishop, the lead guitarist, said from the wet bar. His silk black pirate shirt caught the light, highlighting his exposed chest. His shoulder-length bleached hair sported pink highlights at the tips, which faded up the length.
“That one isn’t so bad,” Aksel, the bass player, said as he plopped on the couch. His purple Mohawk didn’t even move.
Titus, the piano or keyboard player, threw wadded paper at Aksel, which he caught. “Do ya mean Greg?” Titus’s slight Irish accent came through. His all white hair almost glowed in the fluorescent lighting.
“I hate him,” Bishop said as he took a long drink.
“That’s because—” Patryk Sama’el, the lead singer, walked in from another door on the opposite side of the room. “—he drinks just as much alcohol as you.” His hair was black, the sides of his head shaved into a military buzz, and the center was long, thick, and styled effortlessly to the side. A chunk of white highlighted his bangs. Diamond stud earrings decorated his ears. He had changed from his earlier outfit into skinny jeans and a loose rock and roll T-shirt. “And even we cannot afford that.” His comment won a round of chuckles and the finger from Bishop.
The singer shook his head and plopped on the couch next to Aksel. Heavy black makeup framed his eyes, as did an elegant gray and black masquerade mask. This air of secrecy heightened Emotio’s fame. No one had seen Patryk’s face, not even Emotio’s other members. Rumors soared over Patryk’s looks, but the man in the center of it all, Patryk, neither confirmed nor denied anything. Patryk Sama’el symbolized mystery, and mysteries were intriguing.
“Hey Barrack,” Patryk said with a tiny wave, looking relaxed but tired.
“Hey, guys.” Barrack entered the room while Bridge said his goodbyes. “You want a water?” Barrack asked Patryk who nodded. Barrack had to practically shove Bishop out of the way to get to the wet bar.
He retrieved two waters, then handed one to Patryk while he sat between Aksel and Patryk. “Where’s Dominik?” Another scan of the room confirmed the electric violinist wasn’t there.
Titus tossed him the wad of paper, and he tossed it back. “Good question.”
“Bathroom,” Patryk supplied with a sigh.
Barrack looked him over. Patryk seemed to have melted farther into the couch since he sat down, “Okay?”
Patryk nodded. “Just tired.”
“If I danced like you in them damn high heels, I’d be tired too.” Bishop twirled and went back to the bar for another drink.
Before anyone could answer, Dominik walked in from the same door Patryk had. He stopped short when he saw Barrack. “Hey.” On stage, Dominik was a force worthy of the band’s fame, but in that moment, he seemed tiny and timid, as if he were two different people.
His emerald-green hair had white accents. Dominik’s style was the most formal. A well-tailored suit showed off his form. The jacket was opened, exposing a white button-up shirt and loosened black silk necktie.
“You okay?” Barrack asked while getting up. “Here, sit. You look tired.”
Dominik smiled, but it seemed sad to Barrack. “I’m fine.”
“Please, sit.” He motioned to the spot he’d given up. Dominik meekly nodded and slowly made his way to the sofa. To Barrack, he seemed to move a little too gingerly. “Thanks,” Dominik said as he passed. Barrack’s gaze zeroed in on him pressing his arm to his side. A small bruise visible on Dominik’s knuckles made Barrack frown.
“Son of a bitch.” Rex burst into the room and chucked something against the wall, but Barrack didn’t see what it was. Barrack was too focused on Dominik’s barely there flinch and subsequent wince.
He covered it up well. “Lose a bet?” Dominik’s response was more subdued than usual as he sat.
Rex growled as he strode across the room to the other door. “Shut up,” he snapped. “I’m taking a shower.” The poor door almost groaned under Rex’s grip as he wrenched it open, and the reverberating slam when he left sent a crack throughout the room.
“Well he’s a ray of sunshine, isn’t he?” Bishop listed to the side with a giggle.
Patryk sighed, but Barrack could tell he was watching Dominik, too. “Stop drinking. We still have the signing to do.”
Bishop flipped him off again. “You gonna stop me?”
“And mess up this manicure?” Patryk waved black fingernails at him. “I don’t think so. Barrack can subdue your drunk ass.”
Bishop looked at him with bleary eyes. He must’ve been drinking on stage. “Wouldn’t mind ‘hat at all.”
“Barrack is off limits. He’s got that Willow fellow,” Titus said while still tossing the wad of paper around.
Barrack shook his head. “We’re not together.”
Patryk chuckled. “The way you talk about him sure makes it seem you are.”
Barrack moved and sat on the arm of the couch closest to Patryk. “Well, he does have a nice ass.”
Bishop spit out his drink. “You’re gay!”
“No.” Barrack took Patryk’s water and opened it, then gave it back. “Drink that,” he said under his breath, then turned his attention back to Bishop. “But I can appreciate a nice ass when I see one.”
“We have got to meet this Willow,” Titus said. “He’s all ya talk about.”
Barrack shrugged. “He’s busy.”
Aksel heaved himself up. “The fucker is always busy,” he said while retrieving his own water.
“Be nice,” Patryk said.
Aksel made a jacking off motion. “Suck me.”
Barrack laughed, but Patryk punched his thigh. “What?” He asked then took a drink of water.
“Don’t encourage him,” Patryk quipped, then took a swig of water.
A knock on the door stole everyone’s attention. Bridge stuck his head in. “Signing starts in 5. Where’s Skunk?”
Bishop giggled. “Ima tell you said ‘hat.”
“That’s great, where is he?”
Barrack nodded to the other door. “Showering, should be about done.”
Bridge walked into the room and to the other door. “You guys get out there and I’ll get him.”
“Better you than me,” Patryk said as he got up.
The rest of the band followed with their own brand of sarcasm except for Dominik. He sat on the sofa and looked a little pale. “You okay?” Barrack asked again.
“Yeah. Help me up.” Dominik offered his hand, and Barrack pulled him up. The man seemed too light even for his smaller physique.
Barrack watched Dominik walk. He had a slight hitch to his step. “If you ever need anything, I can help you.”
Dominik stopped and turned. The gaze that met Barrack’s could only be described as broken. “You’re a really good friend.” With that, Dominik strode off with Barrack following. They arrived at the signing and Dominik took his place between Aksel and Rex.
Bridge came up behind him. “Everything all right?”
He stepped back so he and Bridge were behind the band but out of earshot. “You know what I think.”
“Yeah” was all Bridge said, and the two lapsed into silence.

Genre: Contemporary
Tags: friends to lovers, gay for you, rock star, secret, detective
Heat Level: 4
Pairing: MM
Length: 50,434

About the Author

Lor is a snarky, over the top genderfluid polyamorous demipansexual with dark hair and pink highlights. Although, sometimes the color varies. She is almost constantly fighting with her muse, Animus, or referring the fights Lor Rosebetween Animus and Epicene, her other muse. Lor started reading very questionable M/M fanfiction at a very young age in the closet. Literally. Though that didn’t stop her from getting caught once or twice. This early love of things M/M sparked her writing career. Without a doubt, her Christian high school English teacher Mrs. B didn’t expect Lor to fall into the M/M genre. Mrs. B did know Lor would be a writer someday because when the class had a minimum, Lor had a maximum. It truly was unfair.
Besides writing, Lor may also be found with one of her two horses, the Chihuahua or her cat. Any un-caught typos are courtesy of the cat, who shoves Lor’s things out of the way when it’s her time for cuddles or playtime… Which is about every ten minutes.
Author Links
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Giveaway

Enter to win a Signed paperback copy and matching bookmark. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Indigo Marketing.
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A BJ Review: Linhart’s Beautiful Beast by Mel Bossa

Rating:  3.75 stars out of 5

Linhart's Beautiful Beast coverIn 1934 Quebec, Joseph Vega has been locked up in Linhart Prison for three years for an assault committed on a man who’d been in process of robbing his mother’s home. He’s lost track of himself and nearly forgotten how to feel in the cold, dark place.


When a beautiful ginger-head man named Christophe Dubois is led into his cell, Joe knows he’s in trouble. From the moment Joe lays eyes on the disowned son of an affluent politician, his life begins to change. Christophe is spoiled but also bold, curious, and feisty, and his presence opens up feelings that Joe has tried to bury and deny down for years. Eventually, Joe can’t resist the temptation of climbing into the man’s bunk. But he’s not the only one drawn by Dubois and soon Joe must fight to keep Christophe safe.

Inside they were thrown together in a cruel and barren place, but is the flame that burns between Joe and Chris enough to keep them together when they are released from the confining walls and face an even tougher world?

I have always been drawn to prison stories, and when I saw the cover and blurb this one called out to me. This one isn’t your typical prison story though, but a historical story with an interesting location and time period placing it during the Great Depression era during events leading up to World War II. Although much of the story takes place within the walls of Linhart, the plot touches on events both leading up to the two men’s incarceration and events after their release.

Those inside the prison pretty much lived up to my ideas of what had to be, but I found myself struggling with Joe’s mother’s reactions after his release, but kept reminding myself of the timeframe and that it was to be expected even if disappointing.

Both main characters were interesting and well-drawn. Watching Joe struggle to accept himself as his feelings for Chris emerged, as he slowly broke through the walls he’d built inside himself was the highlight of the story for me. I truly felt these two guy’s connection, their heat, and their pain.

However, the story’s pacing was uneven for me. It was slow to engage me, taking until the eleven percent mark on my kindle for me to really get invested enough to have the story begin to carry me along. Beyond that, some parts held me captivated and had me turning pages late into the night while others seemed to drag. There were some editing errors and a few places where I was left a bit confused.

Overall, this is a thought-provoking and touching story with some deeply poignant moments and an interesting setting and period.

The cover is quite fitting for this story showing the prison, the hot guy and the barren landscape with trees below.

Sales Links:  JMS Books | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here


Book Details:  

Kindle Edition, 217 pages
Published July 19th 2015 by JMS Books LLC (first published July 12th 2015)
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edition languageEnglish

A Paul B Review: Condor and the Shifting Sands (Condor One #7) by John Simpson

Book Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Series Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Condor and the Shifting Sands cover

The first eBook that I ever read was John Simpson’s Condor One. This would hook me into the mm romance genre. I have followed the series over the last several years and have enjoyed it very much. Now, the series comes to an end as Mr. Simpson has published Condor and the Shifting Sands.

David Windsor, the former President of the United States and current US Ambassador to the Court of St. James (in other words, US Ambassador to the United Kingdom), where his cousin King William sits on the throne. He receives a call from the Duke of Somerset, also know as Darren Wilson the son of the current US President. He tells his David that his mother would like him to call him as soon as possible. Knowing something must be wrong if the President was not using official channels to contact him, David places the call.

President Victoria Wilson asks David and his husband Shane Thompson-Windsor to stop by Washington on the pretense of visiting Shane’s ailing father. However, she has other plans for the men. There are two world problems that are growing quickly and there are no other options than to send David and Shane to try to diffuse the situations. It appears that ISIS is about to take over and destroy a key dam in Iraq that if destroyed will flood a lot of the country. Also, Vladimir Putin is doing some sabre rattling around the border of Ukraine. She would like the pair to fly over there to find solutions to both problems without starting World War III. It is up to David to find diplomatic solutions while Shane once again protects his backside and gives his own unique opinion of the situation.

Shifting Sands is a good send off for the series but there was something missing from it to make it an excellent one. First, readers are used to books in the series being about twice as long as this one and the story felt a bit rushed. While most of the supporting characters make an appearance in the book, I felt that they should have been featured more during this book, especially their son Jack. But Sands does give you the romance and action from David and Shane that you have come to expect from this series.

The cover art by Maria Fanning has been consistent throughout the series. The same models for David and Shane have been featured on most of the covers. This cover has the pair standing in front of a window presumably at Winfield House. Above this, a picture of a swirling sand dune take the to third of the cover. It is a solid cover for the book.

The Condor One series started with David Windsor running for election for President while being guarded by Secret Service Agent Shane Thompson and their budding romance. The first three books deal with the election and David’s term as president and being the first openly gay president. Then next four books deal with the time immediately after David’s presidency and building a family with Shane and their adopted son Jack.

In the series, Mr. Simpson tackled marriage equality, the war in Iraq, the military industrial complex, don’t ask-don’t tell, energy policy, radical Islam, sleeper cells, Al Qaeda, ISIS, Ukraine, homelessness, gay teens and more. Mr. Simpson has tried to keep the series relevant but real life current events can sometimes get in the way of that. (Osama bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi were still alive in his books after both were killed due to the lag in publication.) The only small quibble I had with the series is some continuity issues through the books. It seemed that the ages of Brandon Wilson and Jack Thompson-Windsor seem to bounce around. Also, David and Shane were first going to retire to Palm Springs but wound up in New Jersey. But these do not take away in the enjoyment of the series. Here is hoping that David and Shane have a fulfilling retirement away from their political stage.

Sales Links:   Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

EBook, 82 pages
Edition: English
Published: August 16, 2015 by John Simpson
ISBN: 978-1-1516905089

Series: Condor One
Condor One (Condor One #1)
Talons of the Condor (Condor One #2)
Condor and Falcon (Condor One #3)
Out of the Gilded Cage (Condor One #4)
Condor and the Crown (Condor One #5)
Royal Love (Condor One #6)
Condor and the Shifting Sands (Condor One #7 FINALE)

Love a Friends to Lovers Story? Check Out Lodestones by Naomi MacKenzie (excerpt and giveaway)

Lodestones 1600px COVER-Front

Lodestones by Naomi MacKenzie
Release Date: September 8, 2015
Goodreads Link

Publisher: Duet Books, the YA imprint of Interlude Press
Cover Artist: Cover Design by Buckeyegrrl Designs
Cover and Interior Illustrations by Abby Hellstrom

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Buy the book:  Interlude Press |Amazon   |Smashwords  | Indiebound

Blurb

On the eve of a new school year, several groups of college students cross paths as they seek out a secret end-of-summer lake party—including Robin and Charlie, two inseparable friends who discover of the course of the twenty-four hours that their relationship is something much deeper than simple friendship.

Pages or Words: 226 pages
Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance, Young Adult

Excerpt

Larry holds up the flyer to study the map Florence drew. Barry is leaning to look at it, too, when it’s ripped from between Larry’s fingers.

A greasy man in a campus security uniform stands over them with a pinched expression. His faded nametag reads: Ron Anderchuk. “Another one,” he all but growls. “Where in heck did you get this, boys?”

Barry tries his best to look innocent. Which isn’t all that hard, since he knows nothing.

“Found it on the ground,” Larry lies.

“Uh-huh, uh-huh,” the security guy says. “Extra trouble for littering.” He glares hard at the paper for nearly a minute before looking back at them. “You do know parties like this are illegal, don’t ya, boys? And frowned upon by this here establishment.” He raps his knuckles on the table. “I think it best you stick around here this weekend. That would be best, don’t ya agree?” He widens his beady eyes while he waits for their assent.

Barry looks to Larry. Seeing him nodding, he mimics the gesture.

The security officer’s answering grunt sounds disbelieving. He mutters as he walks away; the flyer with their map is gripped in his fist.

“What are we—”

Larry holds up his hand, stopping Barry’s question in its tracks. “Not to worry; I have a photographic memory. I’ve got the map in here.” He taps a fingertip against his temple.

“Even after all of that? And we do have another problem, if Florence is to be believed.”

Larry hums and strokes his chin. He picks up Barry’s tray and they walk to the windows. The orientation officers are indeed spread across the entire expanse outside, handing out pamphlets and organizing games of lawn bowling and oversized croquet. The entrance to the student parking lot is completely blocked.

Barry should throw in the towel, admit defeat and convince Larry to do the same. And he would, if not for one thing. The one detail that has roped him into the excitement over the lake festivities fully and completely is Kate Zimmermann, captain of the Dicaroon Seadogs field hockey team. Barry was looking through the school’s website while Larry was plotting behind him and he caught sight of her picture. He informed Barry that she was one of the girls who was carrying the van’s bench seat into her dorm room and invited him to the party early that morning.

Barry is in love with Kate Zimmermann. He has been since seeing her on the Dicaroon University website the previous summer. Well, he’s in love with the image of her and her red hair and blue eyes and adorable freckles that are so voluminous that they connect on her face. He has dreamed of red-haired kids calling him Daddy and hitting balls with sticks. Possibly. And she’s throwing the party, so even if Barry will never get up the nerve to speak to her should he live for a thousand years, he has to go. For his future dream-wife.

“Well, then,” Larry says. He sets Barry’s lunch tray down on the bussing station and rubs his hands together. “I guess we are in need of a foolproof plan.”

“A stratagem,” Barry says. He feels immediately foolish for being such a huge dork.

But then Larry grins at him. “Ooh, yes, I like that. A stratagem.”

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RC

About the Author


Naomi MacKenzie is a writer and photographer from the eastern coast of Canada. She considers herself a Maritimer first and a Canadian second, or so she told the standardized testing people in essay form during the eleventh grade. She enjoys vegan baking, walks in the woods and, contrarily, hiding from the sun. Lodestones is her first novel.

Where to find the author:

Connect with Naomi MacKenzie at http://naomimackenzie.com/; on Twitter at @_naomimackenzie and on Facebook at Naomi MacKenzie.

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Giveaway

 

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 1 – $25 Interlude Press Gift Card, 5 e-copies of ‘Lodestones’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Tour Dates & Stops:

8-Sep Bayou Book Junkie, Mikky’s World of Books

9-Sep Hearts on Fire, Boys on the Brink Reviews

10-Sep Inked Rainbow Reads, Amanda C. Stone

11-Sep Velvet Panic, MM Good Book Reviews

14-Sep Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Novel Approach

15-Sep BFD Book Blog, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Prism Book Alliance

16-Sep V’s Reads, Divine Magazine, Happily Ever Chapter

17-Sep Wake Up Your Wild Side, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

18-Sep Molly Lolly, Love Bytes

21-Sep My Fiction Nook, Jessie G. Books, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

WillPride

Coffee Sip and Book Break Spotlight: Emerald Eyes (Bloodrose #9) by Julia Talbot (excerpt and giveaway)

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Emerald Eyes (Bloodrose #9) by Julia Talbot
Release Date: September 23, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kris Norris

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Buy the book:   Torquere Press

Blurb

When Jonny, the owner of club Bloodrose finds out his shifter mate Luc has a twin brother, he decides Yves needs protection from the bad guys who have tried to kill Luc. He sends Reuben, a werewolf security agent, to keep Yves safe from the killers. And from Yves himself.

Reuben has never met someone as determined to find trouble as Yves. The guy has this obsession with a set of emeralds, a dead younger brother, and some kind of demon ritual. All of this should make panther shifter Yves a bad bet as a mate, but that doesn’t keep Reuben from falling hard. Can he and team Bloodrose keep everyone alive long enough to convince Yves they’re made for each other?

Pages or Words: 23,000 words
Categories: BDSM, M/M Romance, Paranormal

Excerpt

Jonny glanced up from his stack of surveys and geological reports, frowning. Kasey rarely sounded so serious these days, which for a broody older vampire was quite a feat. Hooking up with a werewolf had been the best thing for the fellow, really.
“What’s wrong?”
Kasey’s black brows drew together in what looked to be a puzzled scowl. “We have a situation.”
He barely held back his eye roll. “Goody.”
“Yeah, yeah. Deke got these today. Came in from our monitoring entry into the country.” Kasey handed him a stack of printed photos. Of what looked like his lover, Luc. No, not just looked like. This was Luc, except that his slinky werekitty was asleep in cat form four feet above him on the top of his armoire.
He let one eyebrow raise and pinned Kasey with a look. “Explain.”
“Yeah, somehow I think we might have to ask Luc to do that.” Kasey walked over and pulled that fuzzy black tail hanging down like a lamp chain.
He did enjoy his lover’s speed, the wild yowl, the flash of claws. Good thing Kasey had a vamp’s reflexes.
“Hey, furball. I need you to be human for a minute,” Kasey said.
Luc muttered, calling Kasey a wild assortment of things, including a few insults about Kasey’s mother, as he crawled down the armoire.
“It’s not as if he can see the photo, Kasey,” Jonny reminded gently. “He’s blind.”
“Oh. Right.” Kasey grinned over at him. “He’s so good at everything, I forgot.”
Jonny did glare at his mate, however. “Tell me, sweet, do you have family I don’t know about?”
Luc stretched, totally unconcerned with hurrying to console him in the least. Possibly. Which one in particular?
“One who looks just like you?” It was uncanny, really.
Ah. My twin. Yves. So casual. Ah yes, my twin — as if it were nothing.
Jonny glared, knowing Luc would feel his disapproval. “This didn’t seem important?”
“Children, we need to share the information with the investigator,” Kasey reminded them.
“He has a twin, apparently.” Jonny nudged Luc with the toe of this shoe. “Come speak to Kasey.”
Luc sighed, a sound that came out as a cough for a kitty, before shifting to his human form, which always made Jonny’s ears pop.
“I thought you knew,” Luc murmured.
“How could we know?”
Luc shrugged. “He’s never in the States. He’s always in South America bonding with the natives and hunting precious gemstones. He’s an addict. Has to hunt. I haven’t talked to him in…”
Luc stopped and frowned, and Jonny didn’t like this. Not at all.
“…in a bit.”
“How long?” Kasey asked, tone sharp. Someone else felt the weird vibes, too.
“Right before I met my mate, I think. I spoke to him then.”
Jonny exchanged a glance with Kasey, who scowled. “What did you talk about?”
“Emeralds. He had asked me to acquire a certain pair, I did the job, put them in a safety deposit box, and let him know.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Who else knew about these emeralds?” Now Kasey was growling as though he was the werewolf instead of his lover, Deke.
“I have no idea. I had an address, a window. That was it.”
Jonny nodded slowly. “Okay. Kasey, you and Deke find out who else had an interest and if Silvia has anything to do with this. Luc, you need to get ahold of your brother. I want a detail on him.”
“What does that mean?” Luc scribbled down an address, a safety deposit box number. “He’ll go here. I mean, I’ll put an ad in the paper, see if he hollers. He’s… slippery.”
“That means if we thought he looked like you, someone else might think he’s you,” Kasey said. “I’m on it, Boss.”
Jonny sat back with a sigh, drew his mate into his lap. “You are a very great deal of trouble, sweet.”
“I’m worth it.” Luc kissed him. “Yves is… not like me.”
“Tell me about him?” Jonny stroked Luc’s hair, curious as hell.
“He’s addicted to gemstones, to the stories behind them. It’s like a sickness, worse than the jobs I used to work, I think, because I was at least collecting funds for it.” Luc leaned in, snuggling close. “There was another of us. He died fighting insurgents in the desert, long before there were troops on the ground. Yves went a little crazy when we lost Girard.”
“I’m sorry, sweet.” His family had been gone so long that he barely remembered them fondly.
“It was a long time ago; he’ll get over it.”
The sudden stiffness in Luc’s body said perhaps that was a bit of a fib. Jonny didn’t remark upon it; he simply touched and kissed until Luc relaxed.
“Love you, Mate.” And that was that, yes? What they had together, it was love.
“And I you, Luc.” He kissed Luc’s jaw. In fact, he loved his kit enough to want to finish off whoever had hurt him and to protect this unknown brother Yves.
Good thing Kasey and Deke knew what to do from here.
Someone needed to have a clear head in all this. He hoped his friends could do that for him.

RC

Meet the Author

Julia Talbot lives in the great Southwest, where there is hot and cold running rodeo, cowboys, and everything from meat and potatoes to the best Tex-Mex. A full time author, Julia has been published by Torquere Press, Dreamspinner and Changeling Press. She believes that everyone deserves a happy ending, so she writes about love without limits, where boys love boys, girls love girls, and boys and girls get together to get wild, especially when her crazy paranormal characters are involved. Find Julia at @juliatalbot on Twitter, or at http://www.juliatalbot.com.
Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotauthor
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/juliatalbotwriterpage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliatalbot
Website: http://www.juliatalbot.com


Tour Dates & Stops: September 17, 2015

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, The Jena Wade, Havan Fellows, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bayou Book Junkie, Charley Descoteaux, Molly Lolly, The Hat Party, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Jessie G. Books, Dawn’s Reading Nook, BFD Book Blog, MM Good Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, Inked Rainbow Reads, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

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Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of the book.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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WillPride

A Stella Review: Greater Love Hath No Man by Tinnean

Rating:  4 stars out of 5   ★★★★

Greater Love Hath No Man coverJames Trevalyan came from a long line of men who served the British Crown with their gift of a voice with compelling power, and kept that tradition going while he loved and lived with Jeremy Waters. When Jeremy died in his arms, James resolved to live without love. His family keeps him connected to life — Jamie, his son from his brief marriage to an American, and Pamela, his beloved little sister, caught in a loveless marriage to a cold, cruel man.

Then Tanner comes into his life, a clever and handsome agent who joins him in an ongoing undercover mission. How long will it take James to realize he and Tanner are meant for each other? And can Tanner survive the assignment that’s thrown him in with mobsters who want him dead simply because he knows too much?

Tinnean is one of my favorite authors even though I had read only one book written by her when I first began my obsession with m/m books, called The Light In Your Eyes. Theo aka Sweetcheeks is been in my heart all these years. She created a story and characters simply unforgettable.

In Greater Love Hath No Man I was really glad to find her beautiful writing style again. I enjoyed this book greatly. It was well written but it was no surprise and the characters were all were likeable and well defined, each of them with some background to let us know them better.

It wasn’t what I was expecting. I was ready for something like a “second chance at love” story, because reading the blurb it was clear James was going to lose his lover Jeremy and then meet Tanner during one of his works. I was thinking the most part of the book was going to focus on this second relationship but it wasn’t like that at all. In a way it was better, because Tinnean gave me a story that I define “complete”: I read the love story between James and Jeremy (and it wasn’t a snippet, but a long one) and I began to love both of them. Then she took Jeremy away and left (me and) James with a broken heart to mend. I followed James in his darker years when he was trying to glue the pieces of his life together again. I saw him struggling with his family and needing to be a beautiful father for his smart and sweet son. I saw him work 24/7. It was painful to see him alone in his pain but I was able to really know him. Then I met Tanner and read about the friendship he started with James.  And  finally James had his deserved HEA. It’s a story that takes place over a long period of time.

Although it is sad in some parts, everything is faced as a matter of fact, with no much fussing or drama, evolving the book to a light read. That’s one more reason why I love Tinnean’s work. These kind of books can make me emotional and happy and teary and satisfied all together.

There is  only thing that bothered me and it’s about the love story between Tanner and James. Even if their friendship was well developed, the switch to lovers wasn’t elaborated cause we get really few pages about them together, reducing their story to almost a secondary one and rushed through the ending. I’d have simply preferred a little more.

I was happy to read Greater Love Hath No Man, to me it was a huge reconfirmation of Tinnean’s talent after so many years from my first love with her works.

Cover art by Written Ink Designs. I couldn’t not love this cover cause they put the beautiful Fountain of Trevi on it, so it was a winner at first sight.

Sales Links:  JMS Books | All Romance (ARe) | Smashword| Amazon | Buy It Here

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 281 pages
Published July 12th 2015 by JMS Books, LLC
ASIN B00Z97YASM
Edition Language English