Category: Uncategorized

A MelanieM Review: Free Falling Crimson (Altered States #3) by Laura Harner and T. A. Webb

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

New Orleans, Louisiana. 2015.

Free Falling Crimson coverA bank is robbed and two guards are torn apart and yet the cameras show nothing.  No suspicious persons to be identified and no clues to help search out the killer. Other than the bloody aftermath. Except the fact that the victims are human and the crimes occur in  Human Only establishments.  All signs point to a Preternatural killer with a grudge against humans. It’s not the first, and it won’t be the last.

Three years have passed since a vampire burst into flames on television and humans were forced to face a new world where supernatural beings exist. Caught up in the revelation and new world order are Sam Garrett and Travis Boudreaux, former NOPD detectives. Once human, they find themselves part of the preternatural world. Now everything is different, new lives, new rules, only their strange bond and attraction to each other has remained the same.

So much to contend with.   Humans Only separatist groups are springing up everywhere ala KKK. Also out to get them is a vampire with political ambitions with huge plans of his own. No one’s safe in a world where humans—and supers—are forced to adapt, or die.

Working together as part of a team sanctioned by Homeland Security to carry out Justice Department decrees, Sam and Travis ensure the deadliest of supers pay for their crimes. Permanently.

Warning: This is a steamy urban fantasy. In this series the vampires don’t sparkle, werewolves kill.

Free Falling Crimson (Altered States, #3) by Laura Harner and T. A. Webb is the culmination of three preceding stories and its by far the best of them all.  While the others were setting out the characters, relationships (no matter how tenuous), and world building, this story pulls it all together in a taut thriller guaranteed to make your heart race for multiple reasons.

At the center of this series is newly made supernaturals Sam Garrett and Travis Boudreaux.  Their job as partners on the force pulled them together, their feelings for each other initialized a strange bond that even the calamitous events couldn’t destroy.  Now back together again, Sam and Travis are trying to make their new relationship work amidst a crime spree that seems unsolvable and a new world order that seems to want to repeat the same mistakes made with those of Japanese ancestry during WWII.  A Humans Only rights group is gaining in power and political leverage.  Everywhere there are talks of internment camps and registering supernatural beings.  And that makes solving this case even more important to all.

Harner and Webb understand complicated plots and they keep several important story lines in play at the same time to further deepen the mysteries and obfuscate important details and agendas.  Secondary but hugely important characters have relationships in motion at every stage of the game. Some of imploding under stress and power struggles, others are being formed despite outward behaviors to the contrary.  And each pairing is critical to the overall picture.  The Altered States series is very much a chess game and the authors are very adept at keeping their end game a secret while constantly upping the suspense and, yes, sometimes terror at the events happening all around our characters.

Sam and Travis finally commit to each other and the sex scenes are intense and oh so hot!  How I have waited for this to happen.  Other couples find themselves in flux and compelling new characters find their way into the mix.  Love, love, loved it.

Of course, it ends on a cliffhanger.  A heartbreaking, pulse pounding cliffhanger.  It is as marvelous as it is frustrating.  I can’t wait to see what happens next.

At around 152 pages, this is not a quick read because  you will find yourself backtracking to check facts, people and relationships along the way.  I told you it was complicated, but as you gather hints throughout the story, you begin to get and appreciate the layers to all the characters and story lines woven into the Altered States series.   Pick up the first story and get started if you are new to the series.  But if you have been reading along as I have,  than this is the book you’lll love on every front!

Cover artist Laura Harner.  I’m not a fan of red covers and this one doesn’t change my mind.  I get why the artist choose red but it just never works well, no matter the design.  A smaller dosage of crimson would have highlighted the drama, instead its lost in the monotone palette.

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

Book Details:

ebook
Published February 1st 2015 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781941841006
edition languageEnglish
seriesAltered States #3

Books in the Altered States Series in the order they should be read:

• Altered States (Altered States, #0.5)
• Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States, #1)
• Deadly Shades of Gold (Altered States, #2)
• Free Falling Crimson (Altered States, #3)

A PaulB Review: Layne, River & Damion (Storming Love: Blizzard #4) by Vicktor Alexander

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Layne River and Damion coverDamion had his heart broken six months ago when his boyfriend of ten years called things off. When he is trapped at work in a college library with a cute student and his ex, Damion must decide what to do next.

“Layne, River and Damion” is the fourth book released in the Storming Love: Blizzard series. Each book can be read as a standalone.

River Cunningham is a marketing student at Yale University. While studying at a university library during a snowstorm, his mind wanders to the janitor passing by. After taking the janitor’s pic and sending it to his best friend, the janitor teases him that River did not catch his best side in the photo he had just taken.

Damion Martin, the janitor of said photo, had his heart broken six months previously by his boyfriend of ten years, Layne. Still hurting, Damion decides the cute student might be what it takes to move on from is ex, who happens to work in the same library as Damion does.

Layne Haylse is working as a librarian at Yale. While he believes he did the best thing for Damion by breaking things off with him, Layne still longs for Damion. He knows he has hurt Damion by his actions but still wonders if there might be a chance left between them, despite the reasons for the breakup.

As the snowstorm intensifies, the power goes out in the library. This brings the three characters together to survive during the blackout. While Damion and Layne talk about the reasons for the breakup, Damion still has interest in River. The three must figure out how to move forward once the lights come back on.

I liked how the author established the back story between Layne and Damion. The reason for the break up between Layne and Damion also laid the groundwork for the reason behind the ménage pairing that would come about later. I also liked how the author left open the possibility of a future story with the characters with his happy for now ending. The one complaint I have with the book is that only these three characters are stuck at a library at Yale University during the blackout and snowstorm. If the storm was intensified that suddenly, wouldn’t more students and employees be there?

The cover art by Kris Jacen mimics the other books in the Blizzard series. However, with this book there are three silhouettes instead of two, to reflect the three characters in the story.

Sales Links:    MLR Press        All Romance (ARe)     Amazon          Buy It Here

Book details:
Kindle Edition, 54 pages
Published February 15th 2015 by ManLove Romance Press
ASINB00TOKGUEM
edition languageEnglish
seriesStorming Love: Blizzard #4

Series: Storming Love Blizzard
Jens & Eliot by Sara York (Storming Love: Blizzard #1)
Kimo & Mike by Neil Plakcy (Storming Love: Blizzard #2)
Seth & Casey by R.J. Scott (Storming Love: Blizzard #3)
Layne, River & Damion by Vicktor Alexander (Storming Love: Blizzard #4)
Gavin & Morgan by Nicole Dennis (Storming Love: Blizzard # 5)

A MelanieM Review: Deadly Shades of Gold (Altered States #2) by L.E. Harner, and T.A. Webb

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

“Wolf or vamp? Decide. It has to be now.”

Deadly Shades of Gold coverA life altering decision made in seconds. For those were the last words Sam Garrett ever heard—as a human. And as something other than human, his career as a cop was over.

Travis Boudreaux knows exactly how Sam feels, its an all too familiar situation. But as Travis and Sam are about to find out… when some doors close, the golden window of opportunity opens. Crimes against supernaturals require a new and different approach, and once the Feds show up, the Odd Squad isn’t the only law enforcement game in town.

With paranormal crimes flourishing and  a revenge-seeking vampire creating deadly havoc, the new federal agent-in-charge is on a recruiting mission—and he’s more than ready to fight fire with fire. What do you get when you mix old friends, new enemies, and a license to kill?

Pure dynamite.

Warning: This is an erotic urban fantasy. In this series the vampires don’t sparkle, werewolves kill, and the men sometimes have sex. With each other.

Alrighty then!  With Deadly Shades of Gold, the romance of Sam and Travis is about to be well…something hot and wonderful.  As well as totally unexpected.  I loved this story wholeheartedly.  It made me want to do a few high fives and “hell to the yeah’s”!  To recap briefly, Sam and Travis were partners on the force and soon to be partners in love when a vampire attacked Travis and killed him.  But Travis didn’t stay dead for long and his return (on the day of his funeral), revealed to the world that vampires and other supernatural beings were real and living along side of them.  Surprise!  And quite, naturally it split up Sam and Travis to go their separate ways.

In Deep Blues Goodbye, Sam became the focus of two warring supernatural groups and the end result was a life altering decision (not to be revealed here).  The choice made is startling as is the effects it has on Sam, his career, and all those around him.   It also brings Travis back into his life and that’s where this story takes flight for me more once more.  I love this two together.  Apart, its bittersweet but together? They become dynamic and compelling.  It doesn’t matter whether they are human or supernatural, Harner and Webb have created a romance that feels powerful and real, a connection that jumps off the page and into your heart.  This story starts them on the path back to each other and something more as it picks up from that moment.

I love how believable the authors made the characters adjustment to their new status.  There’s plenty of confusion and pain to go around, second guessing and indecision often rules the day.  The process of accepting and adjusting to being a supernatural takes time and we watch it happen as Sam works his way through this tumultuous period. More plot threads are revealed, including perhaps, a motive or two from the head villain himself.  Unknown histories are starting to surface and more supernatural politics combine with romance for another superb installment in this series.  I think this is my favorite so far.

I highly recommend this series.  I love the world building, its layered and complicated, just like the characters themselves.  I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Cover art by Laura Harner.  Love this cover, wish there was more branding to the series.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 134 pages
Published February 19th 2013 by Hot Corner Press
ISBN139781937252311
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://lauraharner.com
seriesAltered States #2
charactersSam Garrett (Altered States), Travis Boudreaux

Books in the Altered States Series in the order they should be read:
• Altered States (Altered States, #0.5)
• Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States, #1)
• Deadly Shades of Gold (Altered States, #2)
• Free Falling Crimson (Altered States, #3)

 

Book Spotlight: Other Freedom by Catherine L. Byrne (interview and contest)

someotherfreedom72 (2)

Some Other Freedom by Catherine L. Byrne
Release Date: February 15, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

 

Author Catherine L. Byrne is here with her latest story, Other Freedom.  We have a Q & A with Catherine, along with excerpts and a contest for you all to enter.  Check it all out below…

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts
Catherine L Byrne amused herself writing as a hobby for some years until she had her daughter, but becoming a mum made her realise she now had a purpose and time was limited, so she must get on with writing seriously.
The winter of 2009 was severe and as she and her family live in a small village, they were house bound by unusually deep snow for southern England. So she settled down in her office (i.e. the corner of her bedroom) and began her first book, which was published in 2010.
She hasn’t stopped writing since, generally on the theme of forbidden or unrequited love, and often including erotic scenes.

Where to find the author:
Website : https://catherinelbyrne.wordpress.com/
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinelbyrne

Publisher: eXtasy Books
Cover Artist:  Latrisha Waters,

Sales Links: Extasy Books  Amazon

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Ambitious teacher Anthony, who is firmly in the closet, works at a very conservative school, carefully living up to expectations in order to further his career.

After drinking too much at a wedding, however, he meets a gorgeous man and can’t resist having a passionate liaison with him.
Weeks later, Anthony is engaged to his girlfriend, but then his secret lover turns up at school as the new teacher in his department…

SOFRC

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

“Here’s your drink, mate,” he said to Anthony, as if asking him a question. Anthony smiled at the Australian accent, and the waiter gave him a subtle wink, making him quickly look away as the man gave Francesca her Daiquiri.

“Shall we eat here too?” said Francesca. “Could we have a menu please?” She smiled, fluttering her eyelashes at the waiter, who smiled back, showing a gold tooth.

“Of course, I’ll get it.” He strode out, reminding Anthony of Blondie at the wedding. How would it feel if this Australian lay on top of him on the huge hotel office desk? He turned back again to his girlfriend. His proper, steady girlfriend.

Lunging to kiss her, his lips hit her cheek, and she twisted her head so their mouths could meet, but he moved the wrong way and kissed her hair. His hand slipped on the arm of her chair and he fell forwards onto her shoulder. A sudden gust of wind, carrying the rotting, fishy smell from the tide going out, forced him to stifle a cough.

“Here you go.” The Australian accent conveyed a hint of amusement as the couple untangled themselves and sat up.
Pages or Words: 51,189

SOFBannerTemplate

Tour Dates: March 4, 2015

Tour Stops:

Parker Williams, MM Good Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Bayou Book Junkie, Inked Rainbow Reads, BFD Book Blog, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Love Bytes, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Cate Ashwood, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fallen Angel Reviews, Nic Starr, It’s Raining Men, Michael Mandrake

 

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

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In Our Author Spotlight: Alexis Woods on Baseball, Writing, and Opening Day! (author interview/Contest)

 

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Up Close and Personal With Author Alexis Woods!

Opening Day cover

Alexis Woods has stopped by today to talk about her latest story Opening Day, baseball and writing.   As part of her guest post, we are hosting a  giveaway of Opening Day!  For all the details, see the contest section below.

Q and A With Alexis Woods!

Q. Baseball, America’s sport, and a wonderful place for a romance. Why include it in your story?

All of my stories have a backdrop or theme, and I have always loved the use of innuendo – baseball is just perfect with all of its lovely little terms: pitching, catching, wood, and, of course, all the “bases.” It was a lot of fun writing this story and trying to work in as many of the terms as I could.

Q. What was the inspiration behind your story and characters?

Ace and Darren were easy to write as they mirrored real life. I’m a pharmacist, just like Darren, and my husband is a front-store supervisor for a well-known pharmacy chain. The proverbial “they” always say write what you know. I grew up playing softball and my husband is from New England, big Red Sox fan, and got me hooked, watching them avidly in the mid-90’s.

Q. Do you include a brownie recipe as well? What is your favorite brownie to eat?

I didn’t, but I’ll share my favorite here. I make what I call my Rocky Road Brownies: Take any box mix that you like and add an additional 1 cup each of mini-marshmallows, chocolate chips and white chocolate chips to the recipe. It’ll need an extra ten minutes baking time, but they are absolutely delicious. Super moist.

Q. Were you a voracious reader as a child?

Always. I had to read before bed, late at night, under the covers, flashlight in hand. Now I’ve got a stocked e-reader, white words on a black background and I’m golden.

Q. What childhood books and authors had the great impact on you and has that carried over into adulthood?

This is a tough question, but I’d have to say Mercedes Lackey. She is one of the few authors that I have read so many her books. I love her world-building, the Heralds of Valdemar being my favorite. She also gave me my first exposure to M/M, but it was almost another dozen years before I truly discovered the genre.

Q. Favorite genre to read and write in?

I was a hard-core fantasy reader for a long, long time, especially anything with battle and military scenes. Up until 2011, I was eating up the children’s and teen fantasy fiction. I absolutely love the Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan and all of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson stories, but I got caught up in the 50 Shades phenomenon and then paranormal romance, eventually finding my way to the Goodreads M/M Romance Group. Hooked ever since, their Don’t Read in the Closet event is what finally got me writing. Haven’t looked back since.

Q Vulnerability in a character is a great way to grab onto a reader’s heart. Does that come into play when creating a character or does the character “appear” sort of fully formed?

My character’s are never fully formed until they start talking to me. Every time I sit down to write, they whisper the things they want to say and do. Putting actions (and their voice) into words takes time, but I strive to make it true-to-life.

Q. Title or story…which comes first

The story line first, but the title quickly follows. The working title usually holds through to the finale, with maybe a minor tweak. The cover comes last, although I usually get ideas from the story about what I want, they raely become reality. Not that I’m complaining, the finished product (assembled by fellow author and cover-composer, Shayla Mist) for both Opening Day, and its sequel, Evading Exodus, are stunning.

Q. What’s next for Alexis Woods?

That’s easy. Evading Exodus, as I mentioned above as the sequel to Opening Day will be available at the beginning of April.

Religion often plays a marked role in my stories, although not in an overbearing way. If you’re a member of Goodreads and kept up with Love’s Landscapes, I’ve got an unpublishable story there about two twin Jewish boys, and last winter I wrote Lion’s Hero, for the Boughs of Evergreen Anthology about an Angel and a Jewish man coming together during Chanukah. April marks the start of Passover and is the backdrop for Evading Exodus. This story is a bit longer at 16k and is told from Darren’s point of view. Darren, or Dare, as Ace comes to call him, worries about their relationship when an old friend of Ace’s arrives in town, and it just so happens that that old friend is also one of Darren’s exes. Friends and family join together, braving the plagues of Exodus, riding out the waves of miscommunication and discomfort, understanding and pleasure to brave their future together.
Following Evading Exodus, will be Ultimate Summer, book three of the series, to be released at the beginning of summer. It’s focused on two new characters, but Ace and Dare make a cameo appearance.

I’ve got at least two other short stories planned, and I am currently working on what I hope will be a novel length M/M/M romance backdropped on solving a cold-case murder.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Alexis Woods...

Alexis Woods is the pen name of Alexis of Woods End, mundanely known as Alicia Mattson. You can find my reviews and book lists here.

I’m an: Author/Anachronist, Beta, Coffee Lover, Daughter/Dancer, Friend/Fighter, Jewish, Khazar, Lover/Leader, Mother/Medieval, Novice, Opinionated, Pharmacist, Romantic/Reenactor, Sister/Scout, Traveler, Visionary, Wife

Always an avid reader and colorful dreamer, it was only a matter of time before taking pen to paper, oftentimes literally. A firm believer in every song tells a story and every story has a song, I sing under my breath, tap my toes and swing my hips, much to the delight of my co-workers and friends. I freely admit that becoming a romance author is the best mid-life crisis a girl could ever have.

You can contact/follow Alexis Woods at:

If you’re another Author, I’d love to connect with you on Facebook.

Opening Day (Southern Jersey Shores #1) by Alexis Woods

Opening Day cover

STRW Author BookSynopsis

When pharmacy manager, Aaron Lark, known to his best friends as Ace, is dumped by his latest boyfriend, he decides to step back from the dating scene. What he doesn’t expect is for the blue-eyed pharmacist, Darren Goldman, to step into, and rock, his world. Bonding over beer, brownies and baseball, Ace and Darren play a game where hopefully both end up crossing home plate as winners.

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

To enter to win a eBook copy of Opening Day by Alexis Woods, leave a comment below about baseball and romance, or any combination thereof.  Use the link provided for all contest details. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

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Sales Links:    Beaten Track Publishing      All Romance (ARe)     Amazon        Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 48 pages
Expected publication: March 1st 2015 by Beaten Track Publishing
ISBN139781910635308
edition languageEnglish
series Southern Jersey Shores #1

A MelanieM Review: Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States #1) by L.E. Harner, T.A. Webb

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Deep Blues Goodbye coverWith one startling action, the world changed forever. Recently deceased NOPD Detective Travis Boudreaux was in the process of being mourned and buried when he had the bad taste to sit up at his own funeral.  Until that happened no one knew that vampires and werewolves had been living amongst them. Now two years later, the fight is on for civil rights for preternatural beings and most humans are on the bandwagon. Except whoever is killing vampires and would be vampires.

Since the death and return of his partner and almost love, Detective Sam Garrett has hated all things preternatural. Having your undead partner try to make you his first meal will do that to a guy. When Sam’s attitude gets the best of him on the job, Sam finds himself banished to the Paranormal Criminal Investigations Unit—the Odd Squad—under the oversight of Detective Danny Burkette.

Now it’s up to Burkette to work with Garrett by day and Boudreaux by night as they follow a trail of clues that leads from the historic cemeteries of New Orleans to the bayous of southern Louisiana. During the course of their investigations, both men come to the attention  of a Master vampire and the local werewolf pack Alpha.  If they aren’t careful, it won’t be just Boudreaux whose dead, but maybe even Sam as well.  Some lessons in life—and death—take longer to learn…and Sam and Travis find out that not all second chances are created equal.

Warning: This is an erotic urban fantasy. In this series the vampires don’t sparkle, werewolves kill, and the men sometimes have sex. With each other.

Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States #1) by L.E. Harner and T.A. Webb deepens the amazing world building these authors are constructing for this series.  New Orleans, that rich feast of a city, is the perfect setting for supernatural beings  in love and evil schemes that are slow to unfold.  After that shocker at the end of Altered States, I eagerly grabed this up to see what had occurred only to find that two years had passed and the aftermath is viewed through the various perspective of the characters involved.  And yes, I was a little disappointed.  After all, what happened at the funeral was a stunner for all involved, including the now animated corpse of Travis Boudreaux.  But two years have passed since Travis was turned and now everyone has to deal with the fact that vampires, werewolves and more exist and live among them.  And not everyone is happy about that, including Sam.

I adore Sam, he’s a piece of cynical perfection and disappointment.  What happened to Travis altered Sam as well, especially since both men were so close to falling in love, if they hadn’t already.  But a vampire and fate intervenes and their new  relationship was destroyed…or so they think.  It soon becomes apparent that Sam has never gotten over Travis and that just adds onto the bitterness Sam already feels about the whole undead thing and his partner.  I loved the two of them together and their bonding extends past themselves and the pages to include the reader.  In fact, I so bought into their burgeoning love affair that  aspects of this story threw me off.

Without heading into spoiler territory, other supernaturals arrive to further complicate the current state of affairs and all their attention will be focusing on Sam.   We see Travis as he is trying to move forward with his undead life with not a whole lot of success.  We see Sam also trying to do the same, both are stalled and bitter.  Something has to occur to break the stasis and it’s a doozy.

As part of the events that happen,  a bonded pair will have some wild hot sex with one of our main characters.  Normally this doesn’t bother me, especially when the authors make a case for it to happen.  But here? Not an element I enjoyed.  I understood where the authors were going with it, but I so bought into Sam and Travis’ romance that this aspect never became palatable.  How a reader feels about this (it’s really not cheating) will likely foretell how they feel about this installment in the series.  Some readers will be asking if they can skip over this book (and yes, the third book sort of resolves this), but no *shakes finger*, unfortunately you can’t.

Think of each story as a building block essential to the whole construct.  Miss even one, and you miss key elements that not only enrich the series but deepen the mystery and suspense Harner and Webb are working hard to build.  So much of this story is worthy of your attention and commitment.  And, perhaps,  the few elements that bothered me won’t phase you in the least.  This is going to be one wild ride!

Another reason to start reading this series?  This year’s Pulp Friction 2015 gang situates all their interconnected series in the Altered States universe.  So its double or is that quadruple the fun for all!  So get started.  Each is a fast, wild, suspenseful tale…over before you know it.  However, don’t be astonished if it lingers on in the questions and clues left behind (and even more shockers).

Cover art by Laura Harner works for the series.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 120 pages
Published August 16th 2012 by Hot Corner Press
ISBN139781937252243
edition languageEnglish
seriesAltered States #1
charactersSam Garrett (Altered States), Travis Boudreaux

Books in the Altered States Series in the order they should be read:

  • Altered States (Altered States, #0.5)
  • Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States, #1)
  • Deadly Shades of Gold (Altered States, #2)
  • Free Falling Crimson (Altered States, #3)