Tag: author Christine D’Abo

Christine d’Abo on Ringside Romance’s Finale, Losing It (Ringside Romance #4)  (Riptide Publishing’s Tour and Giveaway)

Losing It (Ringside Romance #4) by Christine d’Abo
Riptide Publishing
Cover Art: L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy It here

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Christine d’Abo here today on tour for Losing It, the last in her Ringside Romances. Welcome, Christine.

✒︎

Hello, my name is Christine d’Abo and I’m so happy to be here today.

All things, no matter how good and loved, must eventually come to an end. When I originally planned to write my Ringside Romance series, it was only going to be three books. But then my lovely Justin came into being and there was no way I could leave this world without giving him his happy ending. So here we are, at the final stop on the journey, with both excitement and a few tears.

Justin’s character was my way of showing myself that every character can be his or her own hero. That we don’t have to be slaves to our circumstances, that given the right motivation and support from those who love us, we can move past our own negativity and become someone more.

Justin thought the person to help him was Grady.

That was because he hadn’t met Finn yet.

By helping Finn find his voice, Justin realizes that there’s more to life, more to himself, than he’d ever realized. I hope you’ll join me for LOSING IT, the final tale in the world of the Ringside Gym, where even the most unlikely of heroes can find his happily ever after.

About Losing It

Finn Miller doesn’t do social. He works his IT job from home as often as he can to avoid people. If it weren’t for his weekly training sessions at Ringside Gym, he might never leave his apartment. And he only does that because of Leo, the gym member he’s in love with. When Finn gets talked into attending a speed dating fund-raiser at the gym, his greatest wish is to have the courage to try to say something—anything—to Leo.

Justin McCormick has spent most of his adult life being used, whether playing a corporate heavy, or acting as guard dog for his ward. So when he leaves Vancouver for a fresh start in Toronto, he doesn’t quite know what to do with himself.

The moment Justin sees Finn at a speed dating event, he knows there’s no way he’ll make it without a little help, so he offers to coach Finn on the art of conversation. What he doesn’t count on is his unexpected attraction to this shy boxer, or his fear that if Finn gets his way, Justin might lose out on his best chance at love.

Available now from Riptide Publishing!

About Ringside Romance

Deep in the heart of Toronto lies Ringside Gym. Once a safe haven for troubled teens, Ringside has gone derelict, a forgotten memory of past days. Until a group of friends set out to do what they can to bring life back to the ring and create a new home for LGBT youths.

But when their lives threaten to pull down their dreams, each man must turn to others to help make it a reality. Winners take all—but there are no losers in love.

Check out the Ringside Romance universe!

About Christine d’Abo

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.

You can visit Christine at her website www.christinedabo.com, and chat with her on Facebook and Twitter. Want to keep up with Christine’s new releases? Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free book!

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Losing It, one lucky winner will receive a $25 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on February 24, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

 

An Ali Review: Making It (Ringside Romance #3) by Christine d’Abo

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Devan knows exactly what he wants from life: a good career, a husband who loves him, and a child to call his own. He’s working at the perfect job, and has found the man of his dreams in Eli. That only leaves one box left to tick. When his friend offers to be a surrogate mother for Devan and Eli, he’s convinced all his dreams have come true.

Eli has been fighting his entire life. Fighting to keep his sick mother safe, fighting his frustration, and fighting daily as an up-and-coming MMA star. The one thing he can’t fight is the feeling that he’s made a terrible mistake agreeing to be a father with Devan. On the worst night of their lives, Eli knows Devan is better off without him, and leaves.

When Eli returns three years later he comes face-to-face with Devan and a son who might be his. Devan has moved on with his life, but seeing Eli once again reignites forgotten passion. Yet if Eli wants to make it work with Devan, he must decide if he’s ready for the biggest fight of his life.
I was super excited about this book. I love a good second chance story. Unfortunately this didn’t live up to my expectations. 

The book starts three years in the past. Eli and Devon are married and they’re in a bad place. Things happen and Eli walks away from it all and the way he does it is truly horrible. My status update at this point said “Eli exhibited a bionic level of asshattery. He’s going to need to crawl through broken glass while begging for forgiveness for this to work for me.”

And there is the problem. He didn’t. He just shows back up, says he’s sorry and they’re seeing each other again. I couldn’t understand any decision Devon made at this point. They do this weird thing where they decide Devon should see other people so he knows he wants Eli back (but he hasn’t dated at all in the three years he’s been gone) AND he leaves his kid with Eli as the babysitter. Devon was like that one friend we all have who makes constant decisions that make you scream “WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING!?!” internally every time you talk about their relationship.
Despite the dramatic set up, the story is actually low angst and low drama and a nice and mellow love story. Which is not necessarily a bad thing but it was absolutely not what I was expecting or wanting from this book.

This is the third book in the series but is fine as a standalone. You see both couples from books one and two in this but the way the books are done they can all be easily read on their own.
This cover was done by L.C. Chase and I like it a lot.  I think it’s a good cover by itself but overall the covers of the books in this series have been some of my favorites this year.  They coordinate really well and they’re all striking in their own way.
Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 226 pages
Published August 7th 2017 by Riptide Publishing
Original TitleMaking It
ISBN139781626495821
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesRingside Romance #3

An Ali Review: Faking It (Ringside Romance #2) by Christine d’Abo

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Max Tremblay should be happy. His night club, Frantic, is one of the most popular gay clubs in Toronto, and his childhood refuge, Ringside Gym, is well on the way to reopening. But when he finds yet another drunk in the alley beside the bar, Max isn’t sure this is the life he truly wants.

Grady Barnes has it all. He’s rich, famous, and wants for nothing. Well, nothing but a good relationship with his father. When he discovers that his father is going to force him into an arranged marriage, Grady has had enough. He tracks down Max, the man who got him to safety after a night of overindulgence, and makes him a proposal: pretend to be his fiancé for two weeks and he’ll invest in Ringside Gym.

When the pair travel to Vancouver to attend a family wedding, the flames of their mutual attraction ignite, and they discover that the only difference between pretend and reality is how well they can fake it. 
I totally love the fake boyfriend trope.  I don’t know why because I wouldn’t believe it for minute in real life, but I love reading about them in books.  This story did not disappoint.  This was one of the better ones I’ve read.
Max helps Grady one night at his club and a series of events lead to them pretending they’re a couple while they attend a wedding for Grady’s brother.  How hard can it be?  Well, as it turns out, pretty hard.  Max underestimates the horribleness that is Grandy’s family.
 
The two men find they are genuinely attracted to each other but Grady’s personal life is a mess and he can’t be a partner to Max when he can’t even deal with his own life.  The story takes a serious twist mid way through and it becomes a story filled with emotions.  There’s a bit of heartache for everyone involved before we finally get to their hea.
 
This is the second book in the series but it can easily be read as a standalone.  There are a few appearances by characters from the first story but only in a peripheral way.  
 
I enjoyed this one a lot, even more than the first book in the series, and it’s one I would definitely recommend.
 
The cover is done by L.C. Chase and I think she did a great job of it.  The cover is striking and catches your attention right off.  It’s also complementary to the cover on book one.
Sales Links:   Riptide Publishing | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 238 pages
Published May 8th 2017 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN13 9781626495531
Edition Language English
Series Ringside Romance #2

An Ali Release Day Review: Working It (Ringside Romance #1) by Christine d’Abo

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
workingit_500x750-1Nolan Carmichael is getting a fresh start—new career, new company, new life. The only problem is, he liked his old life just fine . . . until an accident robbed him of his health, his job, his self-confidence, and his ability to go out in public without having anxiety attacks.

Zack Anderson has scared away his last four administrative assistants. So when he hires Nolan on a whim, he’s not too worried, since Nolan will be gone within the week anyway. Two weeks later, Nolan has made himself indispensable, completely reforming Zack’s schedule, life . . . and libido.

But in a company already torn by internal politics, one wrong step could ruin both their careers. And not only are they working to reopen Ringside Gym, Zack’s retreat when he was a troubled teen, but they also can’t help themselves falling for each other. If only the rest of their lives could go as smoothly as things do when they’re alone together.
This started out really great for me. Nolan suffers from severe anxiety due to a horrible car accident and he’s not been able to go back to his job as a result. He’s decided to try something new and ends up interviewing for an assistant position at Zack’s company.

Zack is the horrible boss that no one can work with and he was truly an asshat in the beginning of the book. I was loving this part of the book. It had a enemies to lovers vibe and the two men had a bunch of UST and some hate kissing and it all looked very promising. Then around the middle mark the vibe changed and it became almost a sweet story. I found Zack’s total 180 hard to believe. I’m not sure why or how this all happened. It was a super fast turn around and no reason was given.

I think my biggest issue with the book though was much of the romance and them falling in love took place off page. We see things that are happening at their work and at the gym Zack owns but we didn’t see a lot of their on page romance time and I felt cheated. I would have been fine with what we saw if the book would have been longer and had contained more of them together. By the end they’re all in love and I wasn’t really sure why. It didn’t feel believable.

Overall this was pretty good but had the ability to be great and I’m kind of bummed that it tapered off like it did. But…..I had never read this author before and I will definitely read the next book in this series and I will take a look at her other work.
Cover art by L.C. Chase:  I like the cover.  It is not one that really stands out but it is nice.
Sales Links 
65a2f-waxcreative-amazon-kindle
Book Details:
ebook, 247 pages
Expected publication: February 6th 2017 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN 1626495211 (ISBN13: 9781626495210)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesRingside Romance #1

In the Spotlight: Working It (Ringside Romance #1) by Christine d’Abo ( guest post and giveaway)

workingit_500x750-1

Working It (Ringside Romance #1) by Christine d’Abo
Riptide Publishing
Cover art by L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Christine d’Abo here today to talk about her latest story, Working It.  Welcome, Christine!

📚

Thank you for having me here today. I’m so happy to be able to talk to you about my new book, WORKING IT, which is book one in my new Ringside Romance series. Don’t let the series title fool you, this is low on the boxing and high on sexual tension.

As an avid reader of all things romance, I personally love it when authors take chances and play around with what we consider typical romance tropes. Those situations that for whatever reason, really work for us as lovers of romance. One of my personal favorite tropes is the whole boss-assistant dynamic. There’s something wonderful about the tension that can be created when two people are working together, under pressure and in close quarters, that appeals to me.

I wanted to take this trope and do something a little fun with it. What would happen if both the characters were gay? What if they were so vastly different that under any other circumstance they probably never meet, let alone fall in love? What if they worked day in and day out in an office together?

In WORKING IT, Nolan Carmichael is working through the trauma of a serious car accident. He gets a job as Zack Anderson’s executive assistant, a position that no one at the company wants. Somehow the two of them work through their differences and fall in love.

I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

You can visit Christine at her website www.christinedabo.com, and chat with her on Facebook and Twitter. Want to keep up with Christine’s new releases? Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free book!

About Working It

Nolan Carmichael is getting a fresh start—new career, new company, new life. The only problem is, he liked his old life just fine . . . until an accident robbed him of his health, his job, his self-confidence, and his ability to go out in public without having anxiety attacks.

Zack Anderson has scared away his last four executive assistants. So when he hires Nolan on a whim, he’s not too worried, since Nolan will be gone within the week anyway. Two weeks later, Nolan has made himself indispensable, completely reforming Zack’s schedule, life . . . and libido.

But in a company already torn by internal politics, one wrong step could ruin both their careers. And not only are they working to reopen Ringside Gym, Zack’s retreat when he was a troubled teen, but they also can’t help themselves falling for each other. If only the rest of their lives could go as smoothly as things do when they’re alone together.

Now available from Riptide Publishing. 

This title is part of the Ringside Romance universe.

About Christine d’Abo

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.

Connect with Christine:

workingit_tourbanner

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Working It, one lucky winner will receive a $25 Riptide Publishing credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on February 11, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: No Quarter (Bounty #1) by Christine d’Abo

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

NoQuarter_600x900Bounty hunter Gar Stitt is assigned the job of capturing the legendary space pirate Faolan Wolf. But the captor becomes the captive, figuratively, when the two find the heat between them combustible. Though unsuitable, their attraction grows and Gar begins to feel things he’s never even allowed himself to consider before. And when Gar is betrayed by the man who rescued him when his family was killed, Wolf is there to help him as the two embark on a journey of revenge.

But what Gar finds along the way is love—a feeling that he hasn’t felt since he was a young man and he had to identify his dead sister’s body. And Wolf loves him in return, though he’s reluctant to admit it since he knows his days are numbered. Surprises are in store for both men, but they find that together they can overcome the seemingly insurmountable odds.

I was a little nervous when I first started reading this story, as I was informed of a severe beating that occurs in the early part of the book, and I read some negative reviews about it. I took over for a reviewer who couldn’t finish the book but told me what to expect. So with trepidation, I arrived at that point in the story, but I found that my perspective was a bit different from some of the other readers/reviewers, and although I didn’t like what occurred, at that point I could understand why it happened the way it did. By the end of that segment of the book, without realizing it, the characters had captured my interest, and I started to look forward to their story. I definitely need to pass on the warning of graphic violence, however. It is very evident that it will be a trigger to those who do not want to read about it.

On the other hand, once those early scenes were out of the way, the development of the relationship between the men, their pursuit of the man who destroyed Gar’s family, Gar’s reunion with a long-lost family member, the exciting space battles, and the rush against time to find a medication for Wolf make this book a very enjoyable read.

Cover art by Lou Harper shows a single man in the act of disrobing. Bright and colorful, this color scheme carries on throughout the series.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, Second, 240 pages
Published April 25th 2016 by Riptide Publishing (first published March 31st 2010)
ISBN139781626493995
Edition LanguageEnglish

SeriesBounty #1

Love Sex with your Science Fiction? Its the Bounty Series Finale with No Master (Bounty #3) by Christine d’Abo (giveaway)

NoMaster_600x900

No Master (Bounty #3) by Christine d’Abo
Riptide Publishing
Cover art by Lou Harper

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

 

Hello, my name is Christine d’Abo! Thank you so much for having me here on the blog today.

There’s something special about the last book in a series. In the case of my Bounty series, I wanted to explore a character that held more power than some of the previous characters. Korbin, the Admiral of the Black is the de facto leader of the space pirates; a dangerous man who is not to be trifled with. The only man to come close is Zain, the Admiral’s second in command and the one person who knows all of his secrets.

Too bad for Korbin, Zain has more than a few secrets of his own.

I loved playing with the master/slave dynamic with these two men. The power exchange in their professional lives becomes confused when they must take things to the next level. Zain’s past as a freed sex slave makes every interaction with Korbin painful when they are forced to pretend to be master and slave. It forces them to confront their feelings for one another, something they wouldn’t otherwise have done.

Not to mention the sex.

Did I mention the sex?

Yeah…it’s pretty hot. ☺

I hope you enjoy the final tale in the Bounty series.

If you would like to learn more about me, please pay a visit to my website www.christinedabo.com. I’m also very active on Twitter as @Christine_dAbo and have a monthly newsletter. If you’d like to sign up, simply click here to fill out the form.

About No Master

No man in the galaxy inspires more fear than Korbin, the Admiral of the Black. His life as leader of the biggest pirate band in space leaves little room for trust, so when Korbin’s second-in-command disappears without a trace, he suspects the worst.

Zain Strand has left his life as a sex slave behind and risen within the pirate ranks. But he abandons it all to rescue an old friend from recapture by the slavers—even if that means a suicidal confrontation with his old master. He doesn’t expect Korbin’s arrival, doesn’t want Korbin’s help . . . but Korbin gives Zain no choice.

Posing as master and slave to infiltrate a slave auction, Korbin and Zain embark on a journey of lust that rapidly reveals their deeper feelings. When Zain’s old master discovers their ruse, Korbin must do everything in his power to save both their lives and their newfound love.

—

Publisher’s note: While books #1 and #2 in the Bounty series should be read in order, this book stands alone and can be read without the first two.

This title is an edited second edition, previously published in 2011.

About Christine d’Abo

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.

Connect with Christine:

NoMaster_TourBanner

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of the Bounty series, one lucky person will receive a $50 gift certificate to Riptide. Winner will be selected from across all three book tours (No Quarter, No Remedy, No Master) and as such, the contest is open until midnight, Eastern time, on July 2, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Comment to enter, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Bounty

Bounty hunters and pirates may contend for dominance in the vast reaches of interstellar space, but the heart of the conflict always comes down to who you know. Who you hate. Who you love.

Its Space Operas and Love for Christine d’Abo with No Quarter (Bounty #1) (guest post,excerpt and giveaway)

NoQuarter_600x900

No Quarter (Bounty #1) by Christine d’Abo
Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by Lou Harper

Read an Excerpt/Buy It Here

❊❊❊❊❊

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Christine d’Abo here today to share her thoughts about her latest release, No Quarter and her love of science fiction.  Welcome, Christine!

❊❊❊❊❊

Hello, my name is Christine d’Abo! Thank you so much for having me here on the blog today. I have been a big fan of all things science fiction since I was six. I started by watching reruns of the original Star Trek, moved on to watching (and re watching) Star Wars, and finally I was introduced to the world of Doctor Who.

My world exploded, expanded and I loved it all. The idea of space operas, and how they focus on the people and their developments, rather than the science was what appealed even at that young an age. The adventure, the romance, good versus evil, showed me that there could be more to live that what existed in my tiny world.

As I got older and my life experiences grew, I never lost that love of space opera. One thing that I wanted to do was to put my own mark on it, to show a different side to the worlds that had been portrayed. The Bounty series was my way of doing that. Not everyone in the universe is straight, and it’s important to show diversity out amongst the stars as well as here on Earth.

The men and women you’ll meet – both space pirates and bounty hunters alike – are full of life, love and are most definitely up to no good. I hope you enjoy reading their tales as much as I loved writing them.

If you would like to learn more about me, please pay a visit to my website http://www.christinedabo.com. I’m also very active on Twitter as @Christine_dAbo and have a monthly newsletter. If you’d like to sign up, simply click here to fill out the form.

About No Quarter

When bounty hunter Gar Stitt is given a simple locate-and-retrieve mission, he’s convinced it’s a waste of his skills. His success rate is legendary, after all, and Captain Faolan Wolf isn’t hard to find. He’s the most notorious pirate in the galaxy, and when he shows up planetside to take his pleasures, he’s far from subtle.

Faolan never expected a hot but tightly wound hunter to walk into his private party and try to apprehend him single-handedly. And when an unexpected betrayal forces them to work together, Faolan’s even more surprised to find himself drawn to Gar personally—especially since neither of them do personal.

Gar had intended to put Faolan in prison. Instead he finds his solitary existence shaken by his desire for the pirate. And when the bounty hunter becomes the hunted, he must put his faith in Faolan and his pirate crew, or run the risk of ending up dead.

Publisher’s note: This title is an edited second edition, previously published in 2010.

About Christine d’Abo

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.

Connect with Christine:

NoQuarter_TourBanner

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of the Bounty series, one lucky person will receive a $50 gift certificate to Riptide. Winner will be selected from across all three book tours (No Quarter, No Remedy, No Master) and as such, the contest is open until midnight, Eastern time, on July 2, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Comment to enter, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Bounty Series

Bounty hunters and pirates may contend for dominance in the vast reaches of interstellar space, but the heart of the conflict always comes down to who you know. Who you hate. Who you love.

Whether the prize is a priceless gem, political gain, the antidote to a rare poison, or a bounty big enough to secure any hunter’s future, the only way for a pirate or a hunter to come out ahead is by building alliances. One system, one planet, one person, one heart at a time. The distance between the stars may be infinite, but love doesn’t care about boundaries.

– See more at: http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/series/bounty#sthash.gZbNHJI3.dpuf

Holiday Spotlight with Christine d’Abo on Rebound Remedy and Riptide Publishing’s 2015 Holiday charity anthology (guest post and contest)

ReboundRemedy_500x750

Rebound Remedy by Christine d’Abo
Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist:  L.C. Chase

Buy it here at  Riptide Publishing

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to welcome Christine d’Abo here today to talk about her latest release, Rebound Remedy, a part of the Riptide Holiday charity anthology.  Welcome, Christine!

~

Hello, my name is Christine d’Abo! Thank you so much for having me here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words today. I’m very honored to have been asked to participate in the 2015 Riptide Holiday charity anthology. The holidays are the perfect time to not only give back to our community, but to raise awareness of the struggles that some of our youth endure.

When these teens should be enjoying candy, presents, movies and fun, they’re struggling with their families, friends and their self-images. No one should feel anything but love and support this time of year.

This is my small way of helping out, of paying it forward. I want to challenge each of you to do something this holiday season to pay it forward. Volunteer at a local food bank, soup kitchen or other community support organization. Buy a stranger a coffee. Pay for the meal of a young family. Give someone a hug.

Every small act of kindness makes the world a better place.

I wish you all the best this holiday season.

If you would like to learn more about me, please pay a visit to my website  http://www.christinedabo.com. I’m also very active on Twitter as @Christine_dAbo and have a monthly newsletter. If you’d like to sign up, simply click here to fill out the form.

About Rebound Remedy

ReboundRemedy_500x750The last thing Cole expects to get for the holidays is dumped.  But there he is, in the airport on his way to Banff for a romantic getaway, helplessly watching as his boyfriend’s ex declares undying love, proposes—and is accepted. With a few weeks to go until Christmas, Cole’s mood dives from jolly to jaded. But instead of sitting at home alone and feeling sorry for himself, he goes to his favorite bar, McGregor’s, for a pint and some company.

The moment Owen McGregor sets eyes on Cole, he knows there’s something wrong. So he takes it upon himself to ensure that Cole has a happy holiday: twelve outings for the twelve days before Christmas. Even if he can’t quite think up twelve activities that don’t involve getting the forlorn hunk into his bed.

With each outing they take together, Cole realizes that the love he thought he’d shared with his ex was less than perfect. And that Owen might prove to be more than just his rebound remedy.

Rebound Remedy by  “http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/rebound-remedy“

Rebound Remedy is one of Riptide’s 2015 charity titles.

Twenty percent of the proceeds from this title will be donated to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) National Help Center.

Founded in 1996, the GLBT National Help Center is a non-profit organization that provides vital peer-support, community connections and resource information to people with questions regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Utilizing a diverse group of GLBT volunteers, they operate two national hotlines, the GLBT National Hotline and the GLBT National Youth Talkline, as well as private, volunteer one-to-one online chat, that help both youth and adults with coming-out issues, safer-sex information, school bullying, family concerns, relationship problems and a lot more.

To learn more about this charity or to donate directly, please visit their website:  “http://www.glbthotline.org/“

About The Author

About Christine

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.

Connect with Christine:

ReboundRemedy_TourBanner

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Rebound Remedy, Christine is giving away a tin of tea from David’s Teas! Your first comment at each stop on this tour enters you in the drawing. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 14, 2015. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. Entries. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Follow the tour for more opportunities to enter the giveaway! Don’t forget to leave your email or method of contact so Riptide can reach you if you win!

A Stella Review: The Dom Around The Corner (Escape #1) by Christine d’Abo

Rating:  3.75 stars out of 5

The Dom Around the Corner coverSimon is jaded. His bookstore is failing, his personal life is nonexistent, and he’s tired of the local scene. He’s desperate for a change, and hopes to find it at Escape, the hot new BDSM club in town.

What he finds there is Gavin. One look at the sexy submissive is all he needs to know that his trip to Escape was the right decision. And their night of no-holds-barred kinky sex feels like only the beginning . . . until his promising new sub vanishes with the dawn.

Then Gavin walks through the door of Simon’s bookstore—for business, not pleasure. To both of their surprise, he’s the consultant Simon hired to help save the store. As they work together, Simon realizes that he might have another shot at happiness, if only he can convince Gavin that he’s worth sticking around for.

The Dom Around The Corner is the first book in a new series by Christine d’Abo and the first I read by this author. I’m always curious about “new to me” writers and this one surprised me positively. I’m glad I picked this book to review. It was a winner to me for different reasons, apart from the BDSM theme which I enjoy a lot.

I’m a sucker for characters with baggage and bad luck in life, it makes them more real, just like me. In this book we meet Simon, a respected Dom, that is going through some hard times. His bookstore is having some trouble and he can’t come out of it.  He is still looking for a sub, the perfect one, the one Simon is searching for since forever, someone who fit in his life as a sub and as a life partner too. He is tired of the BDSM world around him, it is not what he wants anymore, to play for just a couple of hours. He makes a last attempt going to a new club and finally he finds Gavin.

Gavin has been without a Dom for three years. He’s still not ready to move on but he’s tired of being on pause with his life. He just needs someone who helps him relax and shut down his mind. He is soon attracted to the beautiful and powerful Dom but at the end of their first scenes together, scared of the possibility of something more, Gavin leaves Simon in a hurry. Destiny seems to put them on the same road again but can both of them put down their barriers and give their lives a second chance?

I loved Simon and Gavin, I found them so real in their worries and relationships. The book is also enriched by some second characters, as in Jocelyn, Simon’s cousin, a strong, helpful, stubborn young woman, the one to cheer Simon up; or Jared, the bartender matchmaker.

I liked the writing, the double POV helped me a lot at understanding both MCs and the dialogues were engaging. I think the author was really good at making me love Simon and Gavin (especially the young sub) choosing to focus the story in their present and not in Gavin’s hurtful past, which would have made the book definitely heavier.

The Dom Around The Corner has the right amount of everything I like to read about and I’d like to recommend it. I hope to see more of this new couple soon in the next book.

Cover art by L.C. Chase. Well done, the arrow recalls the story but it wasn’t eye catching to me cause I simply prefer another style.

Sales Links:   Riptide Publishing  –  – Amazon  Buy It Here on June 15th

Book Details:

ebook, Second Edition, 104 pages
Expected publication: June 15th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
original title Commanding Acquisitions (1-800-DOM-HELP, #2 )
ISBN 9781626493
Edition Language English
Escape series #1

Publisher’s note: This title is a heavily revised re-issue of a prior story, Commanding Acquisitions, originally released in 2010.

SALE LINKS

RIPTIDE PUBLISHING