A Paul B Review: Tanner and Shade (Demon Elite 4) by April Kelley

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Tanner and Shade Finn O’Reilly has be staying at the Lakeshore safe house since his rescue from slave traffickers a couple of months ago. He had started flirting with Shade upon his arrival. Things seemed to be going along real well with him until Finn finds out that Shade has been dating Tanner for the past two years. Seeing that his relationship with a married man had gotten him into the situation he is currently in, Finn wants no part of breaking up a happy home. He will do what he has must to prevent getting involved with another married man.

Tanner and Shade have kept their relationship a secret from their bosses for the past couple of years. While at the Agency, there was a no fraternization policy in place. Now that the Demon Elite squad has gone private, the two have no idea what their boss Justin would think about the relationship. Both men find Finn attractive and openly flirt with him. Shade does the more open flirting while Tanner is there for cuddles during movie night and the like.

As Finn continues to resist both men, they decide to try to get Finn to join their relationship. Before they can discuss the matter with him, Finn decides the best course of action is to run away from the situation, knowing it would hurt both the men and his brother. While he is leaving town, Finn is stopped by one of the crooked cops working for Victoria Mize and his ex-boyfriend Harrison Belani. Tanner and Shade must rescue their wayward witness before his is returned to where this whole mess started, back to Harrison.

This fourth book in the Demon Elite series is a tale of three broken men who will form a relationship to help each other heal and grown. Finn is driven by the bad relationship that leads to his being sold into sexual slavery. Tanner still suffers from physical and psychological effects of being tortured during a mission gone wrong. Shade has blamed himself for not being there when his family died when he was a teen. Add in the fact that Finn blames himself for his mother’s murder and you can see why they need each other to heal. I have a feeling there will be some bumpy times ahead for the group but will make it through.

This book also expands on how rotten a person Victoria Mize really is. First she him up her brother as a fall guy for an attempted kidnapping. Then she sells her own brother to the slave trafficking business. Here is hoping that she gets put out of business soon.

The cover art by Latrisha Waters follows the pattern of the other Demon Elite. Shade and Tanner are shown with shirts open showing their chiseled physique. The Demon Elite shield is in the upper right hand corner this time.

Sales Links

Book Details

EBook, 116 pages
Edition Language: English
Published: July 8, 2016 by eXtasy Books
ISBN: 978-1-4874-0794-0

Series: Demon Elite

A Paul B Review: Wolf (Demon Elite 2) by April Kelley

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Wolf Demon Elite Liam O’Reilly has not heard from his brother Finn for a week. This is unusual because the brothers do not go more than two days without speaking. Fearing something is wrong, he confronts his mother and step-father Richard. Liam never liked his step-father and dislikes his mother for putting up with his abuse of the family. While talking with his parents, Liam learns that Richard has sent Finn to a gay conversion camp. After threatening to call the police, Liam receives a video saying to go to a meeting if he wants to see his brother again. The crap hits the fan at this meeting and results with Liam being arrested with no hope of release from the crooked cops that took him in.

Spenser Ross, known to everyone as Wolf, is an elite assassin for the team. He has developed a soft spot for Finn O’Reilly after his team rescued him from sex traffickers. He assures Finn that they are doing what they can to find Liam, whom no one has heard from since his encounter with Crash a month ago. Following up on a lead, he finds he is a moment too late to rescues Liam from jail, but follows those who have come to move him. He arrives at a warehouse being used by the sex traffickers. When he saves Liam from being turned over to the man who had originally paid for Finn, he finds that Liam is just as feisty as Finn had described him. The Irish red headed firecracker (Liam insists it is strawberry blond) at first resists going with his would be rescuer. After all, he’s been screwed over by authority figures for the past month. Only after being convinced that he helped rescue Finn and that Finn is safe does Liam begin to trust his hero. Now all they have to do is get back to company headquarters with a department full of crooked cops along with Wolf’s ex-boss on their tail.

I found this second book in the Demon Elite series enjoyable. It starts during the events of the first book Crash and explains how Liam got tied up in all this mess in the first place. As with the first book, the attraction between protector and protected is almost instant. However, the most important thing I am finding in this series is the sense of family that the team has. Having Liam and Wolf hook up reinforces this with their relationship to Finn. Wolf also has a brotherly relationship with the team’s young tech geek Germ. It is Clair, the fifteen year old girl rescued along with Finn that really brings this point home. She becomes Wolf’s foster daughter and the team’s little sister/niece. It will be interesting to see how much further this family grows.

The cover art by Latrisha Waters depicts Wolf as I would figure him to be. The cover shows a long haired Native American male in a white tee shirt with a leather jacket over it. In the corner is the Demon Elite crest, which is tattooed on each member of the team.

Sales Links

Book Details

ebook, 120 pages
Published March 1st 2016 by eXtasy Books
ISBN 1487406444 (ISBN13: 9781487406448)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDemon Elite #2

Series: Demon Elite

Crash (Demon Elite #1)
Wolf (Demon Elite #2)
Cosmo (Demon Elite #3)
Tanner & Shade (Demon Elite #4)
Ashley (Demon Elite #5)

A Paul B Review: Crash (Demon Elite 1) by April Kelley

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Crash Elijah Spade’s life got complicated after his mother’s death. Having had virtually no contact with his mother’s relatives due to their criminal activities, Elijah is now caught up unwillingly in their plans. Forced to help kidnap another gay man at a club, Elijah decides that is one man is going to die do to his actions, it should be him for helping out his relatives. However, the attempted escape fails and Elijah and the victim are both captured. Not knowing what happened to the mark, Elijah is thrown into the family dungeon where he lingers for weeks on end. Hope comes when a fellow prisoner escapes and sends in help to rescue Elijah.

Crash Morgan is an assassin for the Demon Elite team. His job is to kill the worst of the worst in society. Those who die by his hand need to die. So when his boss tell him that his next assignment is to watch and question a young man who is in the hospital, Crash initially objects. When goes to the hospital room to watch over Elijah, Crash feels instantly protective of him. Crash realizes that the man in the hospital bed may have to go to jail so any feelings are inappropriate. Besides, it is against company policy. As Crash gets to hear Elijah’s story, he cannot help but feel sorry for the guy. His feelings for him start to grow also. So when a pair of dirty cops sent by Elijah’s family show up, Crash takes matters into his own hands and escapes the hospital with Elijah. Now can he keep them both alive to see if what both men are beginning to feel will grow?

This is the first book in the Demon Elite series by April Kelley. The story revolves around an elite squad of men who contract out their services to right injustices in the world. I thought her portrayal of what would be symptoms of PTSD in Elijah was well written. Elijah’s anxiety attacks and his fear of Crash leaving him were realistic given the circumstances of his imprisonment. Crash’s mother, who seems to act as a mother to the team, immediately bonds with Elijah after she learns what has happened to him. The author also sets up future books with a twist that puts the integrity of the Demon Elite team in question. It will be interesting to see how Crash and company takes on “the big bad.”

Sales Links

Book Details

EBook, 120 pages
Published: January 1, 2016 by eXtasy Books
Edition Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-4874-0587-8

Series: Demon Elite

A Paul B Review: Crash (Demon Elite #1) by April Kelley

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Elijah Spade’s life got complicated after his mother’s death. Having had virtually no contact with his mother’s relatives due to their criminal activities, Elijah is now caught up unwillingly in their plans. Forced to help kidnap another gay man at a club, Elijah decides that is one man is going to die do to his actions, it should be him for helping out his relatives. However, the attempted escape fails and Elijah and the victim are both captured. Not knowing what happened to the mark, Elijah is thrown into the family dungeon where he lingers for weeks on end. Hope comes when a fellow prisoner escapes and sends in help to rescue Elijah.

Sales Links: eXtasy Press | Amazon

Book Details

Kindle Edition, 122 pages
Published January 8th 2016 by eXtasy Books
ASINB01A2O3KZU
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDemon Elite #1

Series: Demon Elite

Author Special: April Kelly on Writing & Real LIfe and her Book ‘Coming Back Home’ (excerpt and giveaway)

BT_Banner

We are happy to welcome April Kelley here today. April Kelley is the author of the popular Pickelville series and is here to talk writing and her latest release, Coming Back Home.

Writing When Real Life Creeps In by April Kelley

The past couple weeks have been the hardest I’ve had to go through in a long time. My Grandfather got seriously ill and was in the hospital. He passed away just a few days ago. My whole family was at the hospital the entire week being with him through it all. There was no doubt in my mind that the man who helped raise me was loved. I think it goes without saying that I will miss him more with each passing day.

Sadly, my family started arguing and feelings were hurt. Maybe it was the stress of the situation or the fact that we all were in such close quarters for an entire week. Whatever the reason, the arguing just made the whole thing that much worse and caused some irreversible damage to our relationships with each other.

All this made it impossible to work on my usual stories. As someone who writes full time, this is a huge problem. A problem that needs to be solved quickly.

So what did I do?

I wrote something else. Not the paranormal story I was working on before Grandpa went into the hospital. My emotions were to all over the place for that story. All my fabulous readers can tell you I very rarely write angsty stuff. If it’s in a story it’s brief. I’m all about the romance. But my normal was disturbed and I just couldn’t seem to get in the right frame of mind. So I started writing something else. I’m a few pages into a story called 27 Lies My Mother Told Me. It’s complete fiction but it’s helping me work through all those emotions of the past week. It’s also completely different than anything I’ve written so far. I had an idea for the story months ago, but it seems the characters want to take it in a different direction.

So I added a fourth story to my list of things to write, but this one I’m writing during those particular times when the stress seems unbearable. After all, writing is therapeutic all by itself. I might as well use it to de-stress and work through whatever emotions I’m feeling to get to a better place.

Title: Coming Back Home
Series: Pickelville

Author: April Kelley
Publisher: Extasy Books
Cover Artist: Carmen Waters

Length: 31,435 words
Release Date: October 15, 2015

Blurb

One huge fight changed Seth’s life forever.

Seth Murray just might be the most stubborn man on the face of this plant. He refused to move back to Pickleville because of one fight with his father. That is until he gets a call saying that his dad has passed away suddenly. The first person Seth thinks about is the one man he gave up because of his stubborn pride. Five years ago, all Seth wanted was to be with Carter. Now he doesn’t know what he wants. And Carter has his own life. One that Seth certainly didn’t see coming when he finally reconnects with the man again. One that revolves around a certain blonde haired, blue-eyed little girl that completely melts Seth’s heart the minute he meets her.

Excerpt

Seth knew Carter saw him. How could he not. Carter walked right passed him into the horse barn like Seth had been invisible, though. Seth followed him in and stood there for a second watching Carter go into the tack room. Seth followed him in and then closed the door after him, plunging them both into darkness.

“Open the door, Seth.”

“No.”

“Then at least turn on the light.”

“No, I like it this way.” It made the conversation they needed to have that much easier. Still scared the crap out of him though, not that he would be admitting that anytime soon to anyone.

“Seth.”

“I’ll turn on the light when you tell me what your problem is.”

“I don’t have a problem. Now, turn on the light before you trip over something.”

“Right, like you’re really worried about my wellbeing at the moment.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Well, it’s a little too late for that, now isn’t it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the way you’ve been treating me. Like I have the damn plague or something.”

He heard Carter sigh. “Seth, please. Just open the door so I can do my job.”

“The sooner you tell me what your problem is, the sooner I let you out.”

“I can physically remove you from in front of that door.”

Seth narrowed his eyes. Logically, he knew Carter couldn’t see him, but he didn’t care at the moment. Seth didn’t say anything. The more he talked the more Carter wanted to argue about everything, but the real problem. Instead, he decided to wait Carter out.

BuyLinks

eXtasy Books

AboutTheAuthor

Living in Southwest Michigan, April resides with her husband and two kids. She has been an avid reader for several years. Writing her first story at the age of ten, the characters in her head still won’t stop telling their stories. If April isn’t reading or writing she can be found outside playing with the animals or taking a long walk in the woods.

|| Blog || Website || Twitter || Email ||

RafflecopterGiveaway

Winner’s Prize: E-copy of Coming Back Home.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

TourSchedule

October 15:

World of Diversity Fiction

October 16:

October 19:

Wicked Faeries Tales & Reviews

October 20:

The Purple Rose Tea House

Diverse Reader

October 21:

Hearts on Fire

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

In the Spotlight: The Sum of Everything (Pickleville #2) by April Kelley (interview and contest)

The Sum of Everything (Pickleville #2) by April Kelley
Release Date: March 15, 2015

April Kelley is back with another story in her Pickleville series, The Sum of Everything. Want to know more? Check out the interview, excerpt and more we have for you below:

Publisher: eXtasy Books
Cover Artist: Carmen Waters

They say opposites attract but can they make love last?

Greg Mitchell’s entire childhood was filled with violence and abuse. That was until he came to work on the Heath Farm. His life was forever changed for the better, including meeting Brian Stockwell. From the first moment Greg met Brian he’s been in love. But a threat his father made four years ago has always held him back from pursuing any real relationship with Brian.

That was until he learns his father is on his deathbed and of no further harm to himself or Brian.

Greg finds out his family ties are stronger than he thought and they hold Greg back from really getting to know Brian the way he truly wants to. Both men discover that they have more differences than they originally thought.

Pages or Words: 41,533

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

Every time Greg Mitchell looked at Brian Stockwell, he hurt. It was like a physical ache in his chest where his heart should be. Greg caught a glimpse of the man he had been obsessed with for the past four years and that ache started up. Brian didn’t even know Greg existed and even thinking about that made Greg feel like he was in high school all over again.

Greg was coming out of the barn, just getting ready to get cleaned up for an evening class he had to commute too. This was his last semester of college and he thanked God every day for that fact. He couldn’t wait to get done. The commute from the farm to school was a bitch, especially this past winter when the snow was up to the windows of his truck and his dick practically fell off every time he went from the bunkhouse to one of the barns. Greg was just glad that it was summer for his last class ever. He didn’t have to worry about the roads being covered in ice and the cold seeping into his bones.

The sun didn’t go down until about the same time Greg got home from class, so he didn’t even have to worry about driving at night in a large city. Although, living in Pickleville his whole life meant every city was large. Living in a small town also meant driving anywhere after ten o’clock at night was an unusual occurrence for anyone who lived here. For a farmhand like Greg that was especially true. Greg had been so focused on finishing school for so long that he just didn’t have time for any extracurricular activities.

Greg sighed as he watched Brian step out of the main house. Brian had shorts on, khaki’s and a dark blue t-shirt. Even from as far away as Greg was, he could see Brian’s cute little nose wriggle his glasses further up his nose. His dark hair had that messy, spiky look that seemed to be at odds with Brian’s nerdy personality type.

Greg rolled his eyes at himself. He couldn’t blame his lack of a social life entirely on his college classes. If Brian ever did give him the time of day Greg still wouldn’t pursue any type of relationship. And he longed to have Brian under him, naked.

Greg sighed again. Roger Mitchell’s parting words four years ago were not an empty threat. Greg’s father was more than capable of following through on hurting anyone Greg even came close to dating. Roger would know too. Greg had seen him on campus more than once throughout the years he had been attending the University.

Yeah, it sounded crazy. It was crazy but it was Greg’s truth. Greg would live in it.

Sales Links: eXtasy Books (coming soon page) eXtasy Book Page upon release

About the author:

Living in Southwest Michigan, April lives with her husband and two kids. She has been an avid reader for several years. Writing her first story at the age of ten, the characters in her head still won’t stop telling their stories. If April isn’t reading or writing she can be found outside playing with the animals or taking a long walk in the woods.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoraprilkelley?ref=hl
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authoraprilkelley?ref=hl
Twitter: @authoraprilkell
Pinterest: April Kelley
Goodreads Link

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Decadent Delights, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, Love Bytes, Inked Rainbow Reads, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Hearts on Fire, MM Good Book Reviews, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Amanda C. Stone, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Molly Lolly

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

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Focusing in On Books: April Kelley’s ‘Whispers of Home

Whispers of Home by April Kelley

About April Kelley, including a few questions to get to know Author April Kelley better…

Q Do you have any particular music you listen to while you write?

At the moment, I listen to Sam Smith and the Beatles.

Q Do you prefer tea or coffee?

Coffee

Q Underwear: Sexy or comfortable?

Everything I wear is done so for comfort.

Born and raised in Southwest Michigan, April lives with her husband and two kids. She has been an avid reader for several years. Writing her first story at the age of ten, the characters in her head still won’t stop telling their stories. If April isn’t reading or writing she can be found outside playing with a farm full of animals or taking a long walk in the woods.

Where to find the author:

If you wish to contact her please email mailto:authoraprilkelley@gmail.com. You can also find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/april.ott.12?fref=ts

Publisher: eXtasy Books
Author Name: April Kelley
Cover Artist: Carmen Waters

Sales Links: eXtasy Books

Blurb:

All Jaron McAllister wanted to do was get out of the small town where he grew up. After being bullied all his life for being gay, that’s exactly what he does. He loses all contact with everyone in the town of Pickleville, including his emotionally distant mother and the only true friend he ever had.

When his best friend and mother of the child they share, get murdered he knows he must ask for help in the one place he thought he would never go back to. Coming back home isn’t easy and finding himself attracted to the town man-slut spells disaster. Travis Heath isn’t at all what his reputation suggests though.
Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance

Excerpt:

Jaron had been to the grocery store three times this week. Going only once a week would be grand, but very unlikely to happen apparently. He seriously needed to start making lists every week.

“I want the little man cookies.” Bobby was practically bouncing in the cart, pointing at an elf.

“The fudge ones?”

Bobby nodded his head. Jaron grabbed them off the shelf and placed them in the cart.

“Good choice,” someone spoke from behind Jaron. The voice was deep and made him moan in appreciation. He turned to put a face to that wonderful voice.

It was as if Jaron’s thoughts had conjured him up and placed him right next to the Oreo cookies . Travis Heath got hotter since high school. And taller. When did men stop growing? Jaron was probably at the guys shoulder, but it was hard to tell from down the aisle. Travis Heath’s strawberry blonde hair was longer than it had been in high school and could be seen curling around the cowboy hat he wore.

The two women at the end of the aisle clammed up upon seeing him. Jaron didn’t blame them.

He wouldn’t want to be caught talking shit either.

“I haven’t seen you guys in town before.” His smile was kind but his brown eyes—oh God help him—held mischief, as if the guy was up to something.

Pages or Words: 44,597 words
Tour Dates: February 16, 2015

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Love Bytes, Wake Up Your Wild Side, BFD Book Blog, MM Good Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Fallen Angel Reviews, Decadent Delights, Cate Ashwood, The Hat Party, Michael Mandrake, Velvet Panic, Kristy’s Brain Food

Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Whispers of Home’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sales Links

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

We are happy to welcome April Kelley here today. April Kelley is the author of the popular Pickelville series and is here to talk writing and her latest release, Coming Back Home.

Writing When Real Life Creeps In by April Kelley

Blurb

Share this:

The Sum of Everything (Pickleville #2) by April Kelley Release Date: March 15, 2015

Share this:

Whispers of Home by April Kelley

Share this:

The Sum of Everything (Pickleville #2) by April Kelley
Release Date: March 15, 2015