BLITZ for Double Six (Rowan House #5) by Brenda Murphy (excerpt and giveaway)

Title: Double Six

Series: Rowan House, Book Five

Author: Brenda Murphy

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: November 18, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Female/Female, Female/Female Menage

Length: 63500

Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, Contemporary, romance, BDSM, interracial, ménage, switch, edge play, knife play, pain play, extortion, kidnapping, Oslo, Norway, Isle of Skye

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Synopsis

Elaine MacLeod, the most feared and revered Mistress of Rowan House, is frustrated. Overworked, still hurt and angry over the departure of her long-term lover, she refuses to admit Rowan House needs another Mistress to accommodate their guests. Unconvinced anyone will be able to meet her high standards, Elaine grudgingly agrees to audition the sole applicant, Petra Grendhal.

Robin Broadacre would do anything for the woman who rescued her from certain death at the hands of her previous employers. When she volunteers to assist Petra with her audition, Elaine is forced to reckon with her desire for Robin. Drawn to Petra’s fiery strength and icy demeanor as well Robin’s devotion, Elaine finds herself torn between her passion for both women. When Petra disappears on a trip to Oslo, Elaine and Robin’s search leads them to menaces from Robin’s past and a fight for their lives.

Excerpt

Double Six
Brenda Murphy © 2019
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One
“Are you sure this is what we need?” Elaine lowered the hairbrush and shifted her gaze to Martha’s face, reflected in the dressing table mirror.

Martha quirked her mouth. “We’ve been over this. Just give her a chance. You can’t keep up with our client requests.”

Elaine tossed the brush on the top of the dressing table. “Because you and Lucia don’t help.” She swept her titian hair back and up into a high ponytail.

Martha handed her an elastic. “We’re not having this argument again. Lucia and I are finished with that side of the business. We can’t keep putting people off or they’ll find other houses to visit.

Elaine knotted a hunter-green ribbon in her hair. “Oh please. Like they could find anyone like me. Or what we offer here.” She shoved away from the vanity and turned to face her sister. “Fine. We’ll see how she handles herself. But the timing sucks.”

Martha placed her hands on her sister’s shoulders. “We had to work with the dates she gave us. Lucia thinks she’d be a good fit. We’ve had our trip planned for a long time. We trust you to make a good decision.

Alone. Again. “I’m not worried about making a wrong decision. Who’ll sub for her? Benita and Fallon are on holiday. No one else likes heavy pain play.”

Martha grinned wickedly at Elaine. “Maybe you could give it a go?”

Elaine rolled her eyes at her sister. “The switch gene is not in me. Go on, go on your holiday. I’ll figure it out.” Somehow. Damn, I miss Roxy.

Lucia and Myfanwy stood next to the car, their breath visible as they chatted in the frosty gray morning. Millie loaded the last of their luggage into the trunk and closed the lid gently. Martha placed her hand on Elaine’s forearm. “You have our itinerary. We can return if it’s an emergency”—she straightened to her full height and squared her shoulders—“but we are not to be disturbed unless it is.”

Elaine rolled her eyes at her sister. “Yes, sister dear, goddess forbid I interrupt your honeymoon. Like you haven’t already had one. I won’t bother you.” She let the devil show in her eyes. “I expect you’ll be tied up.”

Martha settled her fedora on her head. “I’m not going to waste my time replying to that, and please for the love of all that’s good, try to get along with Petra. We don’t have any other candidates.”

“So we should settle?” Elaine placed her hand on her hip.

“No one is saying settle. What I am saying is do not make a snap judgment. Or piss her off so much she leaves.”

Elaine shrugged. “If she can’t stand the heat…”

“Martha, we need to leave now.” Lucia spoke over Elaine, her voice a soft command. “I’m sure Elaine and Petra will sort things.”

“See, even your Miss agrees.” Elaine smirked at Martha.

Martha smiled at Elaine, not giving her the argument she craved. “Try it some time. You might find you like it.”

“Ha. A cold day in hell. Go now or you’ll miss the ferry.”

Martha gave Elaine a quick hard hug before she hurried down the steps to the car.

Purchase

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

Meet the Author

Brenda Murphy writes short fiction and novels. She loves tattoos and sideshows, and yes, those are her monkeys. When she is not swilling gallons of hot tea and writing, she wrangles two kids, two dogs, and one unrepentant parrot. She writes about life, books, and writing on her blog Writing While Distracted.

Website | Facebook | Blog | Instagram

Giveaway

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A MelanieM Review: Unbreakable (a Heaven and Hell Club prequel) by Colette Davison

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Mac’s life isn’t perfect, but he likes it the way it is: safe and predictable.

Mac works in a struggling pole dancing club at night, and a gym during the day. He’s tired and cash strapped, but content, until a confident twink walks into the club and turns his life upside down. It’s hard to resist when Russel asks him to be his fake boyfriend for one night, in return for double his normal take-home pay.

One date turns into more, as Mac helps Russell get an exclusive that will secure him the job he’s always wanted. But the rich playboy who holds Russel’s career in his hands isn’t going to give him the scoop so easily.

As Mac and Russel spend more time together, the lines between fake and real begin to get blurred, but can their relationship become strong enough to be unbreakable in the face of adversity?

Unbreakable is a fake boyfriend MM romance, with a buff pole dancer who swears like a trooper, a twink who likes to take charge, some spanking, light bondage, and a happy ever after. It’s a prequel story to Broken, but can be read as a standalone romance.

It had been a while since I had read a Colette Davison story and after reading this, I really have to wonder why it took me so long. This author (and this series) is definitely back on my radar and on my TBR pile after reading the endearing, very hot, and quite wonderful prequel Unbreakable (Heaven and Hell Club) by Colette Davison.

Unbreakable is the origin story that sets up the couples and foundation for the series Heaven and Hell, a strip club. Here we leap into the club at its very seedy beginnings and original name, with three of its exotic dancers. While how the club gets established is a secondary story thread (although still very important), the main plot here is the meeting, romance, and relationship between exotic dancer Mac and fashion layout designer/reporter Russell. The characterizations here is where the book just shines.

Characterizations and the D/s relationship that develops between Mac and Russell. Honestly, I will probably give the story a 5 star review based on Davison’s careful (and accurate) slow advancement of the bdsm and Dom/submissive aspect of their relationship. The author demonstrates that you can both show how hot it is, while also threading in for those new to the elements of submission as was Mac, such necessary rules such as aftercare, safe words, respect, and prior discussions of what is expected and what is not allowed by each party. All the while keeping the scene romantic and very sexy, and yes, vulnerable. This continues throughout the story, something that just commands my respect and committed me to their relationship and romance.

Additionally, each man had their own demons to fight. Those were very believable given the backgrounds the author provided for us. I love the way each man started working, with help from the other, their way through those issues. The personal growth demonstrated here again just drew me in. So too the details of each man’s physicality. Mac is big, strong, fluid as a dancer, and yet imposing physically. Russell is considered a femme with his dress, slight build, and actions. However, their roles in the bedroom are the opposite of what most ppl have assumed about them.

There is another interesting plot thread here that helps cement their relationship and that carries us into the end of the story.

There is also the wonderful couple of Michael and Edward who will become the owners of Heaven and Hell and hopefully we will get their full story later on.

Unbreakable (a Heaven and Hell Club prequel) by Colette Davison is beautifully written, full of great characters, a hot and very well done D/s relationship, and a great way to launch a series I can’t wait to read. Do I recommend it? You betcha! Grab it up today!

Cover artist: Colette Davison. This cover says it all. Love it madly!

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book Details:

Kindle Edition

Published November 14th 2019

ASIN B07Z2BWGNB

Edition Language English

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Master Of Obsidian (Master Chronicles #1) by Jamie Craig

Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

This is a dark erotic romance, with urban fantasy elements, set in Chicago. Jesse is a human who works for a vampire named Gideon doing private investigations. They’ve been hired to solve a murder that may tie to a dangerous new demon drug. This shows alternating points of view, but I still feel like I got to know Jesse better than Gideon, which may be a good thing.

One issue is the plot is obviously just to move them from one sex scene to another, which is a shame because there could have been something more interesting done with what is here. For instance, seeing more of their actual relationship before being thrown into their sexual relationship would have given this a more solid basis. More UST before they got together as well as any indication at all that Jesse was into pain before they have sex, would have made it less jarring. Seeing Jesse’s fantasies and revelling in Gideon’s angst to control himself would have added more depth. For me, the distressing part was no aftercare, even when Jesse had open wounds. Gideon doesn’t really treat Jesse with the care, the respect, the reader is told he has for him; not just in their personal interactions, but with the case they are working, where he doesn’t give Jesse vital information. At least that is acknowledged after the fact, it’s just that so much of this really should have been talked about before all the events that happen.

Between sex scenes, most of the information is told to the reader as a statement right before they need it, rather than being seen in flashbacks. I’m going to mention something that is not related to the plot, so it’s not a spoiler, but would turn many people off: I want readers to be aware there is a scene where Jesse gets off to Gideon’s snuff porn. This caused an issue for me: why is Jesse expecting better behavior from John, the blackest of mages, but then turns around and has no issue with Gideon’s past? I guess for those raised on a TV show with Angel and Spike, maybe this isn’t a big deal? But the reader doesn’t get to know enough of this supposedly good Gideon that is trying to save humans before being introduced to who he used to be. Then, there is the torture scene which really points out the problems with the world-building. One assumes, if the suspect were human, they would have involved the police, but since the suspect is a vampire (demon), they can do whatever they want to her? Obviously humans, mages, and vampires know about each other and coexist, but that is all the reader really knows about this world. In the end, I was left with a few steamy sex scenes and characters that are a bit twisted and not necessarily likeable. Even Jesse seemed more dangerously obsessed with Gideon rather than in love with him, enough to blur ethical lines and basically do whatever he wants as long as Jesse gets what he wants from Gideon.

I think for maximum enjoyment, this should be read as a series of sexual fantasies without a lot of expectations. Since it’s about vampires, expect a lot a blood. Also be aware this has a m/m/f scene, violence, torture, and Gideon sharing Jesse, so they are not monogamous in the traditional sense.

The cover art for my version was done by Cover Design: Written Ink Designs (written-ink.com) with image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License. It does communicate the BDSM elements, but not really the paranormal or investigative elements.

Sales Links: JMS Books LLC | Amazon |

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 192 pages
Published September 25th 2019 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07XWNT85S

An Alisa Review: Rules to Break (Davey’s Rules #2) by Susan Hawke

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Davey’s Rule #91: Daddy never loses faith in his boy.

Bryan Miller is satisfied with his uncomplicated life. He’s a discipline Daddy who’s not in the market for any kind of permanent relationship. And why should he be? Like the waves he surfs in the small beach town he calls home, there’s always another body available to warm his bed when he tires of the current flavor of the week.

Preston Wallace is a snotty rich brat with enough attitude to keep all the Daddies from giving him a chance. He gets it… people are jealous of him for being rich, hot, and fit. It would take a strong Daddy to take him in hand.

A casual conversation on the night of Preston’s twenty-fifth birthday ties these two stubborn men together in a bet right out of the musical My Fair Lady. Can Daddy Bryan turn the obnoxious brat into a dateable boy within a ninety-day timeframe?

Strap in for a roller-coaster of emotions as Bryan takes firm control of a brat who might just need to know someone cares enough to try.

This is the second book in this series about not-so-perfect Daddies, adorable “boys,” and one sassy brat with an insane list of rules. Grab your fan and tissues because this series comes with both a high heat advisory and all the squishy feels you’d want from a Susan Hawke book. Possible trigger for the death a background character.

I have mixed emotions about this book, I was glad that we were able to see Preston as an actual person and learn about him but I felt that he just continued to feel hurt and not really wanted throughout the book. Yea he had Daddy Bryan but he knew their “relationship” had an expiration date and that would be the end of it and even though Bryan helped hold him up during their 90 days he always knew it was going to end.

Bryan is a Daddy but not one for relationships. Preston is a brat but has some people in his corner but as Bryan slowly learns, Preston has learned to wear his attitude as a shield.

I liked that Bryan was able to show Preston that he is worth someone’s time even if it took until the very end of the book for Bryan to realize he was worth his time forever. I hated seeing Preston just wish and hope for someone to love and care for him and unfortunately his attitude was just a byproduct of how he grew up. I also got confused on the timeline, I know Preston and Bryan had 90 days in the bet but so much happened in the first week and then a couple weeks later and suddenly they were at the end of their time, I don’t know I just felt like I missed something and was trying to place when things were happening.

The cover art by Cate Ashwood is great and I like the visual of Preston.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 311 pages

Published: September 26, 2019

Edition Language: English

Series: Davey’s Rules #2

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Earthquakes (New Amsterdam #4) by Kelly Wyre

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

This is the fourth book in the series focusing on Ellis and his crush on one of his customers from the firing range named Bryndon. Previously Ellis seemed enamored with Clark; there is definitely still hero worship involved, complicated by doing BDSM scenes with Clark and his husband, but Ellis knows the difference between what he has and what he wants. He’s decided that he wants Bryn.

I was irritated when Ellis “realizes” he’s in love with Bryn, even though he’s only spoken a few sentences with the guy. Having said that, in the same conversation Daniel was talking to Ellis about Clark, which I loved. So, while the recapping will let you read this as a standalone, it has more emotional impact if you’ve read book one, story 1.1, and book three. Once Clark, Daniel, and Lucien try to help Ellis get noticed by Bryn, their worlds crash together. Bryn’s friend Medea is annoying, but she is also a force of nature as she helps play matchmaker. It’s also nice to have wealthy friends Ellis can borrow a plane from whenever he wants. While this widens the friends as family cast, the focus is on the two main characters. The alternating points of view between Ellis and Bryn actually made me worry for both of them.

Bryn is a ballet dancer with mental health issues. The creepy parts of this are him being haunted by someone who’s dead. He keeps everyone at arm’s length, but Ellis sneaks into his thoughts…and then Ellis ignores all Bryn’s boundaries. Even though he is the submissive, it is Ellis that pushes this whole thing forward. The more the author reveals about Bryn, the less likeable he is to me. At the same time, I see why Ellis wants to save him. His mother has been emotionally abusive his whole life so it’s not any different when Bryn goes home for his father’s funeral, Ellis in tow. Unfortunately, most of this is about Bryn’s revenge on his Mom and a plot twist that seems to have been written to heal Bryn. For me, it all comes down to this: how can Ellis trust Bryn to tie him up, to hurt him? Ellis is basically a saint, but I thought he had a somewhat healthy view of the situation until he agreed to a scene when Bryn was angry, under stress and emotional duress, and had been drinking. This was just a big turn-off for me. I was not convinced that the cathartic release was worth more than having this be safe and sane.

While love will not cure mental illness, it can give a person hope and support. If that had been the focus, I would have enjoyed this more. Complex PTSD would make sense for this character, but the author chose to have Bryn be on antipsychotics. My understanding is that hallucinations can be suppressed, not cured–even his epiphany, his closure, wouldn’t stop real hallucinations that require antipsychotics. In the end, even though there is a happily ever after, it didn’t seem realistic to me. There was no follow-up about the state of Bryn’s mental health, no therapy, no mention of Ellis meeting Bryn’s therapist, no way to know if Bryn was still having hallucinations or still taking medication…the whole thing is just dropped out of the plot. I know this is fiction, and I applaud having mental health issues being represented, but it does a disservice to people if it’s not portrayed accurately or just used as a plot device until it’s no longer needed.

The cover design is by Natasha Snow. It matches the rest of the series with the city view, but this one shows Bryn–dancing, but to me also wrestling with his darkness

Sales Links: JMS Books LLC | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 228 pages
Published September 28th 2019 by JMS Books LLC (first published February 29th 2016)
Original Title Earthquakes
ASIN B07Y3TL7XB
Series New Amsterdam #4

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Shot in the Dark (New Amsterdam #3) by Kelly Wyre

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Ellis Parker is a military man who puts his faith in truth, duty, honor, and living for the moment.

Keeping that peace isn’t easy, and he reveres the person who helps him stay on his chosen path: Ellis’ former Dominant lover and New Amsterdam’s most well-connected bartender, Maxwell Clark.

So when Clark makes a rare and unexpected offer that might let Ellis relive the days when Ellis was Clark’s, who is Ellis to refuse such a chance?

This is numbered the third book in this series, but it is much shorter than the others, more like the two short stories between book one and two. I feel like it could be read as a standalone since most of it is a flashback that actually takes place before book one. It features Ellis, who works as an instructor at a shooting range. Ellis had met Clark and Tim at a support meeting for veterans with PTSD more than five years ago. So far Break, the BDSM club Clark co-owns, has been mentioned, even glimpsed at, but not really utilized. Clark was known as a dom at Break, yet he’s mostly been a submissive in the context of the previous books, so this was the first chance to see him dominate someone and use equipment. I thought the scene was hot, intimate, and well done. Since Clark is Daniel’s submissive and husband, it made me wonder if being a dom was something he missed. That is answered a bit at the end, opening up the possibility for seeing more of Clark in that role. This doesn’t really do anything more with any previous plotline. If you have read the previous books, you should like this and if you haven’t, this might be good to see if you like the writing style of this author.

This cover is by Natasha Snow. It matches the others in the series; they tend to focus on the city rather than anything more personal to the storylines.

Sales Links: JMS Books LLC | Amazon

Book Details;

Kindle Edition, 35 pages
Published September 21st 2019 by JMS Books LLC (first published September 4th 2012)
ASINB07WTRFN3Y
Series New Amsterdam #3

A Chaos Moondrawn Review: Winter’s Knight (New Amsterdam #2) by Kelly Wyre

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

If you want a continuation of Clark and Daniel from book one, there is a short story numbered 1.1. This second book in the series actually gives more details on the backstory of how clubs Bliss and Break came to be. There is finally more shown about Clark’s side job with Lucien, complete with glimpses of Lucien and Clark’s complicated relationship as friends, business owners, and employee/employer, which help address one criticism I had for book one. Apparently they are not just bar owners, but they and their friends/employees have formed a vigilante group bent on taking down a BDSM club involved in the skin trade, run by the mob.

Lucien hasn’t seen his friend Shea for three years, since he quit his job and vanished. Lucian has kept tabs on him and he seemed alright: maybe just dropped out of the rat race to sidestep the expectations of his family. This had some amazing parts, and then had things that just didn’t work for me. Lucian is in love with him, yet stops talking to him? It’s weird that Lucian just decides to finally ask Shea out on a date under these circumstances. One thing that confused me was how close Lucian seems to Shea’s family, and how Shea is supposedly close to his family, yet when Shea just stops going home, no one goes to see him? He built his house on the family property! The author tries, unsuccessfully in my opinion, to explain this away. Could Shea really stay hidden just by selling his things and changing his job? His parents go to society and charity galas; could Shea really be that much of an unknown quantity with the mob looking for him?

They have known each other since they were six, so the three years apart helps separate the love of a childhood friend from the love for an adult. This unravels slowly, the reader working out the story of Shea from Lucien’s point of view. Shea has a country accent at the beginning, fine since he grew up on a farm, albeit a wealthy successful one. Yet, at times he is very loquacious. At first it seemed to only be pretty protocol speech when they Scene, but then it fades in and out at other times also. Yes, he is well educated, but it just doesn’t seem to me like this character ever found a consistent voice. I struggled with Lucian as well. Some of his dialogue is so pretentious, “and thus you please me greatly,” not just when they Scene, but all the time. Yes, they call him Prince, and he plays that up, but…at times his words still seemed forced, awkward, and highly stylized–like he was trying too hard to be posh. This too is weakly explained away by, a lisp? My theory is that the author is too caught up in dichotomy, but opposite sides to everyone doesn’t always translate into successfully making them complex characters.

This becomes about taking down the bad guys in military mode with guns and state of the art equipment. Though, Lucian is aware of his “arrogant insanity at orchestrating such chaos.” Although dubcon and murder are mentioned, they happened previous to the events in this book and are not described. There is, however, on page torture. I couldn’t help but think of the Unbreakable Bonds series by Drake and Elliot, so if you liked those, you might like this, but the sense of closeness, of friends as family, is not quite realized. Lucien’s father is a corrupt politician with ties to the mob, so although Shea’s storyline finds resolution here, there could be more bad guys for the vigilante friends to go after in the future. Yet, they also introduce a criminal named Kris Fawkes with the enemy of my enemy is my friend type of scenario.

The sex scenes here are tempered a bit at the beginning due to Shea’s past trauma, which is actually very effective. It’s when the BDSM becomes more involved that I think it falls down. “Shea had to trust that what he longed for wouldn’t harm him so long as he did it with the man who claimed to love him.” This needed more deft handling. So, for me the erotic parts where a mixed bag. Since this is a romance, I’m going to judge it on that part of the book, more so than anything else, and even relying on a shared history, this didn’t sparkle where it could have.

The cover design by Natasha Snow matches the series, but I have no idea what this cover is about.

Sales Links: JMS Books LLC | Amazon

Book Details:Kindle Edition, 183 pages
Published September 8th 2019 by JMS Books LLC (first published April 2012)
Original Title Winter’s Knight
ASINB07XD9162C
Series New Amsterdam #2

An Alisa Review: Forever Nine by Kris T. Bethke

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

When Jesse Reid needs emergency surgery, he calls his neighbor to come pick him up instead of one of his many family members. As the youngest of nine, Jesse is used to feeling like a leftover, and he doesn’t need their coddling.

Holden McRae is a big, beautiful man, everything Jesse wants. But Holden has made it clear he doesn’t want Jesse as a submissive.

Under the influence of Holden’s care, Jesse becomes bolder and makes Holden see what he’s been missing. The two men’s interests line up, and the attraction that has always been there is something they can finally act on. As Jesse heals, he shares parts of his life with Holden, and Holden helps him see he’s so much more than #9. Their love might not be the most conventional, but maybe it’s exactly what both men need.

This was a nice short story. Jesse is tired of being the afterthought with his family and is overwhelmed by them so he calls Holden from the hospital. Holden has denied his attraction to Jesse for years but their forced closeness breaks through his barriers.

I felt for Jesse with his family and was so glad that Holden stood up for him with his family which helped him to learn some more about his brothers but also help get his thoughts across to them. Holden seems basically scared of throwing Jesse into the BDSM deep end but Jesse has been curious for years. I don’t know I think they jumped into some things a bit quick and Jesse had a hard time saying what he wanted which made Holden have to assume. I’m not sure there was something wrong with the story but it just didn’t click or work for me.

I think the cover art by Written Ink Designs is a nice picture of Jesse.

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

Book Details:

ebook, 83 pages

Published: July 20, 2019 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634869454

Edition Language: English

An Alisa Review: Come Play: An MM Erotica Charity Anthology

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Watch and Learn if the Coach’s Little Kitten can be Tamed. Follow the Doctor’s Orders and read all about Brotherly Love. Understand Abstract Love and then take a peek at A Kink Chronicles Short. It’s all about Pretty Boys, The Kiss, and Particular Tastes bundled up in this must-have erotic anthology.

Come, play with us.

Abstract Love by Sara Dobie Bauer

A Kink Chronicles Short by Luna David

Brotherly Love by Lynn Van Dorn

Coach’s Little Kitten by Quin Perin

Doctor’s Orders by Emma Jaye

Particular Tastes by T.S. McKinney

Pretty Boy by E.M. Denning

Tamed by T.M. Chris

The Kiss by A.G. Carothers

Watch and Learn by K.C. Wells

** All proceeds from this anthology will be donated to The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org **

This anthology features a collection of erotic MM short stories.

I love collections like this, it gives such a great variety to read and exposes me to new authors. I really enjoyed the interactions with these characters for the most part and what I didn’t were mostly just items I would stay away from in my usual reading. I love that this collection of stories is benefiting The Trevor Project tool, it always makes me appreciate authors a bit more when I know they care.

In Coach’s Little Kitten Baxter is out satisfying his sexual urges when Caleb catches his eye. I liked the connection that Caleb and Baxter had, even if they more than likely won’t see each other again. Donovan is Abstract Love fights his attraction to Sam with all his might. But we get to see that he is deeper than what he shows on the surface and it may just take him a little bit to come to terms with how he is feeling.

In The Kiss we see Liam search out his desires and finds much more than he ever bargained for with Gavin. Some of the definitions within this story confused me, especially primal, but I liked reading about BDSM with a slightly different angle. I loved Paul in Pretty Boy, even when he was sure that no one would want his in his women’s clothes and makeup, he still wears them even in secret. Once Mark realizes what’s going on though he quickly shows Paul how much it doesn’t bother him, I will point out for some this story had the most taboo to it, not that it bothered me ;).

In Particular Tastes Christian is still trying to come to terms with what happened months ago but Hudson doesn’t want that to happen. It was funny seeing neither of them knowing how to actually approach the other but finally get a chance to figure it out. Doctor’s Orders pulled at your heart strings before it got to the kinky part, Alex has been through so much. I was glad that Nate was able to show Alex that he can be whatever he needs to be and there is nothing Alex could do that would make Nate back away, even trying his kink he has never told anyone about.

I love Jay and Jamie in Brotherly Love, though I have to say I really hated the relationship their parents had with the other with Jay’s mom and also Jamie’s dad showing contempt or not love towards their step-sons. I hated seeing that these two have been battling with their feelings for so long but finally get the chance to figure it out, even if Jay pushes a bit. I loved how accepting Jay’s father was of their relationship and Jamie was able to gain that family when his father turned his back on them and the back and forth snippets helped to see how their relationship has evolved over the years. In A Kink Chronicles Short we see Knox, Zach, Ronan and Jamie exploring some of their fantasies. I love the closeness of these characters and how they are willing to do almost anything to make their fantasies come true knowing that Zach is true to Knox while Jamie is true to Ronan.

I hated seeing that Jake in Tamed has been shamed and hurt by so many Doms that while he longs to let go and for that connection he feels he has to fight for it. I loved that Eduardo could see right through it and made it known that he would stand by Jake for however long it would take him to earn his trust before they go any farther. Zac in Watch and Learn has never had good sex but Chris longs to show him what he’s been missing. These two go to some weird parties that have somethings going on far beyond my comfort zone but it helps Zac learn what really turns him on. I had the hardest time with their insistence that they didn’t want a relationship but ten months later they are having dinner together multiple times a week and doing special things for each other’s birthdays, I don’t know about you but it sounds like a relationship to me.

Cover art by Morningstar Ashley is great and gives just the right amount of these for this book.

Sales Links: Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 680 pages

Published: June 11, 2019

Edition Language: English

Blog Tour and Giveaway for Keeping Cade (Crave #1) by SE Jakes

Keeping Cade

Crave Series, Book 1

SE Jakes

Gay Menage Romance

Release Date: 05.27.19

BLURB

Protection has its price, but so do fantasies…

Fantasy Week happens twice a year at Crave, and it’s always a big hit—a way to live out your wildest fantasy in a safe, sane, and consensual manner.

But when Cade comes in with his Fantasy Week invitation, he’s not happy about it. He’s stoic as hell and his preferences don’t seem to match his fantasy at all…and yet, despite that, he enjoys himself with Tegan and Vic. At least at first.

When it becomes glaringly apparent that the fantasy isn’t something Cade’s comfortable with, it’s confusing for the men he’s been paired with, and Tegan and Vic put a stop to the scene immediately.

What Cade doesn’t know is that Tegan and Vic are not only co-owners of Crave, but they’re also owners of a mercenary group, Gray Ops, that’s run out of Crave. They’ve also been circling each other for years… but nothing sparks until their session with Cade.

What happened in Room 4 is something none of the men can forget…but it’s got nothing to do with a fantasy and everything to do with blackmail. Can Tegan and Vic help Cade keep his secrets, while keeping all of them safe at the same time? Because the threatening to spill out aren’t only Cade’s…

*This series is set in the MEN OF HONOR world, in the bar called Crave from Bound By Honor

Excerpt

Just when you thought you’d gotten away from this shit, you’re back in.

Oz stopped in front of the door marked Room 4 and handed Cade his card. “Give this to the first man you see inside the room—that’s when your fantasy starts, so now’s the time for any last-minute questions or concerns.”

“I just need to do this.” His heart thudded in his chest. He took a long gulp of water, and Oz put a hand on his arm.

“Hey, it’s normal to be nervous, but this is supposed to be fun. Freeing. Nothing happens that you don’t want. Remember, red and yellow, okay?”

Right—fun and freeing. Cade wanted to tell him that this was an obligation for someone he loved, because of someone he hated who, for all he knew, might show up behind this door…but instead, he simply nodded, handed off his glass…and walked inside.

The door closed behind him as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the low lighting in the room. Later, he’d notice the bed in the corner, the bench, and various BDSM tools, but his immediate focus couldn’t help but narrow, with a laserlike intensity, on a man who took up all the space in the room.

That force of nature stood casually, leaning against the wall, his gaze bent on exposing and seducing and Jesus, he was goddamned beautiful in that hot, badass kind of way with short, spiked, almost white-blond hair that made him look fierce. He was taller than Cade and broader, but his body was honed from whatever work he did for a living and not simply gym muscles. Cade could definitely tell the difference. This man was capable.

This man would break him. And he’d have fun doing it.

Cade shifted, not sure what to do next. Finally, he held out the card and said, “Hey, I’m Cade.” Like maybe the guy didn’t know who he was, or why he was here.

The man’s dark-blue eyes caught him, held him in place. “Hey, I’m the one who’s going to make you scream.”

His voice was a deep drawl that ran like warm honey down Cade’s spine. He fought a shudder and lost, and the man graced him with a wicked smile.

Man up. Get it over with. Cade straightened his spine and waited for the order.

It came far too quickly.

“Strip. Now. There’s no reason to keep your clothes on for what you’re here to do.”

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…

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