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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Natural Disaster (Storm Chasers #1) by Erin McLellan

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

This story had so much energy! There’s a constant underlying tension in the KTTY newsroom as storm chasers tackle coverage of tornadoes across the Oklahoma countryside. The tension spreads to readers as we get to know the storm chaser characters, their hopes, dreams, and their fears. 

It’s the fear that grabbed me in this story. Guthrie Gale, the well-known human interest reporter who’s the son of infamous storm chaser Slim Bridges wants no part of chasing tornadoes, but with budget cuts at the station, he’s strong-armed into taking on a rookie for the season. What no one knows however is that Guthrie had a close experience with a tornado when he was a child on a chase with his father that’s left him with high anxiety and the fear that he won’t survive the season.

Rookie chaser Luke Masters is a great guy. Young, sweet, good-looking, intelligent, interested, and with nerves of steel, Luke also shows compassion and a strong focus when they are in the field that helps calm Guthrie’s nerves, at least a little.

After one close storm, their attraction explodes into a close encounter of the sexual kind and the two realize they need to face the fact their attraction might lead to problems. So they make a pact to remain friends only, until the end of the season when they can explore whether they want to remain friends or start a relationship. For different reasons, both men are done playing the field and each would like a lasting relationship so they know there’s a chance for more after the season. But during the story, as the season progresses, so much happens to bring them closer and learn more about each other that it’s readily apparent they’d be good for each other.

The tornado season doesn’t pass quietly, though, and when they’re caught in the field with no backup and a twister heading their way, the real nail-biting begins.

I loved the slow burn, the banter, the camaraderie, and the way Guthrie’s anxiety is expressed, discussed, and shown throughout the book. Luke’s fear of abandonment is also addressed and explored. The story’s conclusion isn’t a quick resolution to everyone’s issues but does provide a satisfying hope for a happy future.

I definitely recommend this story to all lovers of MM romance, hashtags—friends to lovers, coworkers, dangerous professions, storm chasers, reporters, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and age gap. What a great book!

The cover by Brooke Albrecht features a man with a hand on a steering wheel against a dark background with a tornado in the lower panel. The scene eerily represents the tension of the storm chasers in the story. Very well done. 

Sales Links:  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 201 pages
Published October 11th 2019 by Erin McLellan
ASINB07YPLRVK1
Edition Language English
Series Storm Chasers #1

Audio Blitz and Giveaway for Nothing Special V by AE Via and Aiden Snow (Narrator)

 

Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Narrated by: Aiden Snow
 
Length: 12hrs 29mins
 
Nothing Special Series



Book #1 – Nothing Special – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #2 – Embracing His Syn – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #3 – Here Comes Trouble – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Book #4 – Don’t Judge – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

 
Blurb
 

Atlanta’s notorious narcotics task force is at it again. They are stronger, bigger, and better than ever. Especially when a city councilman sends RECON Marine Edwin Steele – who’s been blacklisted from his Oakland department – to join the team.


Steele was ready to hang up his shield. He was done fighting with bigoted bastards that couldn’t respect the job. He was good at fighting; he just needed the right team to fight with. When his uncle – City Councilman Rasmus Steele – shows him a video of God’s team in action, he knows right away it’s where his nephew belongs in order to restore his faith.


Steele was skeptical about his new placement, but when he meets God’s technology specialist/computer genius, “Tech”, he’s willing to give it his all, and he definitely shows and proves.


Tech is stunning. His sweater vest and khakis, a stark contrast to the blue-jeaned roughnecks he works with. A beautiful sheep amongst the wolves. Steel thinks there’s no way the brilliant man would be interested in a hardhead like him, but Tech has a few badass hidden talents of his own and manages to surprise him…surprise all of them.

A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for five years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay lit for over fifteen years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great new up and coming MM authors.


A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her. Writing.


A.E.’s writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.


Now that she’s gotten over her 10 books published hump, she’s kind of known now for her hardcore, play rough and love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes, but she won’t push herself into a whole other genre. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.


Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.

 

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Review Tour and Giveaway for 33 Degrees of Separation (Legacy #3) by Rain Carrington

 

Buy Links: 
– Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited
 
Legacy Series
 
Book #1 – Remember The Alamo – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 – The Principle – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
 
Blurb
 

I’m Ian, and this is my story. Like the others, I have a legacy. I was raised with the best of everything, one of the riches kids I knew. That isn’t the legacy, however. That is to be a part of something I didn’t want, and never asked for it’s tearing me apart, but I can fight it. With some help, I can fight it.


Meeting Pat Castaldo, the hot, muscled FBI agent was the beginning of a life I thought was ending. I am terrified I’ll get him killed, and others, if I can’t stand up to my father and the other men that make up the terrible secret society. My family has been members for hundreds of years, and it was supposed to be passed to me. I don’t want it, but I took it, and I took it to end them once and for all.


In the middle of all this, I am falling in love. That was a surprise, and one that possibly terrifies me more than the Gilded Grail. This could hurt, and I could get this beautiful man killed, along with a lot of others if I fail. My money may be able to solve some of my troubles, but there is much more that it can’t.


I’ve never had to be brave or fight for anything. This is my fight, though, and I will win. I’ll win it for my friends, for humanity and, maybe most of all, I’ll win it for Pat. 

 
***



Raised in wealth most could only dream of, Ian Andrews III didn’t know another way of life existed until he went to college and learned about the world. There he met friends and came down from his palace to try to be like everyone else, but he had too much money to achieve that.


When he was set to finish graduate school, his father took him on a trip to learn the destiny that had been chosen for him. He would become a member of the Gilded Grail, a secret society that had members whose families had been a part of it for hundreds of years.


He was a legacy, and there was no choice for him. He would become a member, or he’d die.


Learning about this secret society, hearing their ways and goals, then going through the initiation, he was terrified and ran off to hide away from them and everyone.


His best friend worried when he’d been gone for days, his phone left in his room, not a word from him. Calling in help, it came in the form of an FBI agent in town on business. He was doing a favor, checking up on the missing college student, and right away smelled trouble. When he saw Ian’s computer history and the name Gilded Grail, he knew he had to find Ian.


Once he did, he learned the secrets that no one outside the order knew. Together, they decided to try to stop them from a horrible goal they’d set, one that threatened every man, woman and child in the world.


Falling in love with one another was easy but keeping that attraction at bay to try to save everyone a horrible fate, Ian and Pat struggled. Pat called for more help, and Javier Duran came, an old lover of Pat’s, and one of the world best mercenaries.


Sparks fly and jealousies ignite. Saving the world and falling in love at the same time wasn’t easy on any man. It could tear them apart or make them more determined to have the other in their lives forever. That was considering if they could stop the Grail and there was a forever…


 

About Rain
 

I love writing, it’s been my dream for many years, and in October of 2013, when my first book went live on Amazon, that dream came true.


Writing love stories that are centered on flawed but lovable characters is my passion. Finding love between people isn’t easy, nor should it be. Even in a book, there have to be obstacles for the story to feel real.


I am a mother of three amazing people, and three adorable fur babies. I live in Colorado, but love many other places besides my home. One state in particular is New Mexico, the state where I was born has always held a place in my heart.


People and places make my stories what they are. Each character I’ve written is a part of me in some way. Each place I write is as well. Adventures come in many ways, and each of my stories has taken me on an adventure that I treasure.


Come with me on my adventures and fall in love with my characters, as I have. I promise you will love the ride.


https://www.raincarrington.com
https://twitter.com/RainCarrington
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rain-carrington
https://www.facebook.com/rain.carrington

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A Stella Review: All at Sea by J.L. Merrow

RATING 4 out of 5 stars

Eighteen-year-old Londoner Josh feels all at sea, holidaying with his family on the Isle of Wight. He’d rather be living it up in Ibiza, dancing until all hours, and maybe finding out what it’s like to be with another man. What chance does he have of getting lucky with his newly-single mum and little sisters in tow?

Cambridge student Rupe is making the most of his summer job at the boating lake, charming customers with his good looks and theatrical manner. Life looks even sunnier when he meets the cute, inexperienced Josh and asks him out for a date on a boat. But there are dark clouds in Rupe’s life, and even love on an island isn’t always plain sailing.

All at Sea was a super short story, just 26 pages. As everything JL Merrow does, it’s well written and engaging. Being so short, we just got a glimpse of how the main characters met, still we learned quite a lot about them, their families, their dreams, their hobbies. Plus at the end there were just a couple of pages to let us know if Rupe and Josh got their hea or not.
Each time JL surprises me and leaves me truly satisfied, I can’t get enough of this author and her English that at first was incomprehensible to me. Who would have guessed she would have become my fave.

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is simple but fitting, I like it

SALE LINKS  JMS Books LLC | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 26 pages

Published September 28th 2019 by JMS Books LLC

ASIN B07W6LCXD2

Edition Language English

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Nuts (Ace’s Wild #2) by S.E. Jakes

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

This series takes place in the same town, though each book is by a different author. Jagger and Preston meet on the first day of junior year after Preston gets punished for flunking out of several private schools and sent to a rough Boston public school. Although Jagger is from a family that skirts the law, Preston sees more kindness in them than his own blue-blood family. After being disowned Preston feels his only way to make something of himself is to go into the service. On his last leave a year ago he kissed Jagger…and then ghosted him. Now that Preston is out of the service, they will have to deal with what is simmering beneath their friendship.

Jagger is bi, but Preston clings to the idea he’s straight: allowing a gay for you/bi for you/out for you trope. There is also a M/F scene in this book. This is has many firsts for Preston: first time with BDSM, first time with a man, etc. There is very slight dubcon in that Preston doesn’t want to admit what he wants–he wants to be tricked or forced into it, which he is when Jagger wins him in a card game. Of course, that is Jagger’s friends setting them up, and Preston finding a way to act out to get what he wants. I found this was one of those books where I just got so frustrated because no one is honest and they don’t communicate until the very end, but Preston finds a way to act out and finally get what he wants. I do find that the Green Beret manly-man realizing it doesn’t make him weak to be submissive, is getting to be an over-used trope lately.

The big mystery here is Preston’s family, but ultimately it’s about control…and, as the reader finds out later, something more. There are secrets and lies that bind Jagger and Preston closer than Preston knows. Jagger has always had his eye on the prize, an endgame. The villians here are supposed to be the good guys. In a way this does glorify a family with mob ties whilst trying to have it have its cake and eat it too, as Jagger tries to go legitimate. This one sentence is a spoiler: everyone is being investigated by various alphabet agencies, yet no one knows about Preston co-owning everything?! Is that even possible?

This has all the feels, but it’s slow to start, quick to resolve and then over the top after a quick 180. It’s enjoyable, hot, even romantic in its own way (ride or die), but it could have been even better if it had been longer, in order to allow more time for the story arc. Also, it tries to straddle that bad boy line whilst still trying to make Jaggar noble – to mixed success.

The cover art design is by Sleepy Fox Studio. It does pertain to the story, but it just shows Jagger, so for me it doesn’t show a partnership.

Buy Link:  Amazon |  http://bit.ly/NutsSEJakes

Book Details;

Kindle Edition, 118 pages
Published October 1st 2019 by Stephanie Tyler LLC
ASINB07YF8ZVVF
Edition Language English
Series Ace’s Wild #2

Love That Hint of the Magical in your Stories? Check Out the New Release Blitz for He Dreams Magic by Emme C. Taylor (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: He Dreams Magic

Author: Emme C. Taylor

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: October 28, 2019

Heat Level: 1 – No Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 88100

Genre: Fantasy, LGBT, fantasy, alternate universe, literature, horror, captivity, magic, magic users, action/adventure, monsters, slow burn

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Synopsis

Ren has always wanted to leave, to escape his quiet village life. He wakes up from gold-tinged dreams with his heart pounding and a yearning for something he can’t name, can’t hold. He longs to experience something magical just once in his life.

Nico’s monsters don’t lurk under the bed. They walk in daylight. They haunt him every day of his life. He’s possibly the strongest magician of his time, yet he’s trapped. All he wants is an out.

At a magical carnival in the middle of a forest, Ren and Nico collide. They’ve been on this collision course their entire lives, always hurtling toward each other. For both men, escape is now. They have no choice but to flee together. Monsters and betrayal hunt them across strange lands. They find themselves on a journey to save each other—and possibly the world. All they have is one another, Nico’s magic, and a lifetime of half-remembered dreams. But finding each other, finally having someone to rely on, might be the strongest magic of all.

Excerpt

He Dreams Magic
Emme C. Taylor © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Ren

The lake was on fire. Ren dipped his oars into the water and swept himself closer to the blaze, each stroke an exultation. He’d been waiting months for this, counting down the hot summer weeks to autumn and rain and flames.

He was ready to throw himself into the burn.

The fire came on time, as it did every year. The first rainstorm of autumn brought them down from the sky. Or so the story was told. Ren couldn’t quite bring himself to believe they rode through the skies on storm clouds and dropped to the ground between thunderclaps, stealing their impossible power from the lightning.

Then again, they were magicians. Anything was possible.

Ren’s village, Klein, lay huddled in the dark at his back. On the opposite shore, half the forest flickered red. The low clouds caught and held the glowing light from below. The spectacle could be seen from every village in the surrounding valley, a beacon: come, step into the heat, play with us, burn with us.

For the first time in his life, he was going to see it up close. From the quiet safety of Klein, the spectacle always gave the impression of a town set aflame. So near to it, it wasn’t like that at all. More like the whole world had ignited. His fingers around the wood paddles twitched with anticipation. This was it. Finally. Finally.

By the time Ren reached the middle of the lake, half of it alight, a bright crimson flared across the surface and leaped like waves in wind. Reflections set the rest of the lake ablaze so that it seemed to Ren he was sitting in the very middle of the conflagration. So far, he had avoided the areas of the lake that had caught flame.

Magic. God, yes. He could practically taste it in the air, and he wanted more of it. He’d dreamed of magic for years, a gold thread of it always in his mind’s eye. Since childhood, magic remained a ball of yearning lodged in his chest. Ren had to see it for himself. Touch it. Experience it. He wanted to drink it, have it sear his throat.

For years, he’d heard whispers of this from people in nearby villages, those who had gotten close to it over the years.

Those who’d walked through it—and come out on the other side.

Ren paused in the middle of the lake to take it all in. He would be seeing fire in his dreams that night.

His turn had come to walk into this wild world.

He dug his oars into the lake, his reflection rippling away from the boat with each stroke. Ren pushed himself closer to the ruby burn, a moth drawn to the dangerous lure of light.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Meet the Author

Emme C. Taylor can be found wandering stormy beaches with a pen and notebook in hand, waiting for inspiration or lightning to strike. She believes the atmospheric environment helps her to write the grittiest parts of her stories. Crochet and dark chocolate ease her mind when her characters aren’t cooperating. Emme will happily talk about almost anything to avoid having to talk about herself. How about this weather, huh?

Twitter | Instagram

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Don’t Miss Out on the Blog Tour for Nuts (Ace’s Wild #2) by SE Jakes (excerpt and giveaway)

Nuts Tour Banner

Nuts

Ace’s Wild Series

SE Jakes

M/M Romance

Release Date: 10.01.19

NUTS ebook high-res

Blurb

Jagger’s the son of a bookmaker and fixer. Now, he’s the owner of an exclusive, underground club…and he’s also been put in charge of the family business.

Preston’s the son of a wealthy, powerful, blue-blood Boston family…or he was, until he was disowned for choosing his friendship with Jagger over his family. Ten years later, he’s a Special Forces Operator—and he’s still best friends with Jagger.

But things are about to change, for both men. Because after a long year of no contact, Preston’s coming home to Jagger for the first time since they shared a surprising kiss.

One night, one poker game, and one hand finds Jagger lucky—and skilled enough—to win a chance to fix things with Preston. But what’s at stake is far more than their friendship—it’s everything…and both men are all in to fight for what’s theirs.

***

For the first 90 days of this title’s publication, all sales and page reads will be donated to The LOFT: LGBT Center (http://www.loftgaycenter.org/the_loft_history)

Ace’s Wild is a multi-author series of books that take place in the same fictional town. Each story can be read in any order. The connecting element in the Ace’s Wild series is an adult store owned by Ace and Wilder. The main characters from each book will make at least one visit to Ace’s Wild, where they’ll buy a toy to use in their story! The only characters who cross over to each book are Ace and Wilder. And with various heat and kink levels, there’s sure to be something for everyone!

Buy Link: http://bit.ly/NutsSEJakes

Nuts Graphic 1

Nuts Graphic 1

Excerpt

Finally, Preston crumpled the wrapper from his burger and said, “An FBI agent came to my hotel tonight.”

Jagger’s jaw tightened, but he refused to look at Preston. “That didn’t take long. Sorry.”

“I wasn’t sleeping before that happened anyway.” Preston tried to make light of it. But Jagger’s family business always hung between them, an invisible barrier. A shield. Something Jagger needed to protect Preston from.

“You could’ve used the time to catch up on all the correspondence you missed.”

“I keep up just fine.”

“Not with me.”

“I read and listened to all your messages,” Preston corrected, trying to ignore Jagger’s accusing tone.

“You just didn’t acknowledge or answer them.”

Because I didn’t know how to say what I needed. But instead of telling Jagger that, he shot back, “You said you weren’t coming alone.”

“You told me not to. I didn’t answer. And I see you’re still good at changing the subject.”

“You’re determined to start a fight. I figured I’d choose the topic.”

When Jagger murmured, “Asshole,” Preston finally felt like they were back on even ground.

“You need to know that, no matter what, I’ll do time before I let him—or any of them—touch you or your family,” Preston growled.

“I’d walk into the station and surrender myself before I let that happen. They’ve got nothing.”

“I know it’s all bullshit. I can deal with it.”

“You shouldn’t have to.” Jagger’s hand went to his shoulder. “Did he touch you?”

“No,” Preston said quickly, swore his cheekbone throbbed.

As if reading his mind, Jagger ran a fingertip along the barely there—and forever reminder of their bond—scar. “That’s the day I knew.”

“Knew what?”

“That we were ride or die.”

SE Jakes Logo

SE Jakes writes m/m romance. She believes in happy endings and fighting for what you want in both fiction and real life. She lives in New York with her family and most days, she can be found happily writing (in bed). No really…

Facebook page: Facebook.com/SEJakes

Twitter: Twitter.com/authorsejakes

Goodreads Group: Ask SE Jakes

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Instagram: instagram.com/authorsejakes

Newsletter: www.SEJakes.com/Newsletter

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