Tag: first in a series

A Mika Review: Kage by Maris Black

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Kage coverMy name is Jamie Atwood, and I’m an addict. I never thought I’d say such a thing. Never had a problem being overly-attached to anything in my life. I came from a perfectly middle-class family, made good grades, and had a hot cheerleader girlfriend… but the truth is, nothing ever really moved me. So how did a guy like me become an addict?

I met Michael Kage.

Kage is an MMA fighter. A famous one. I like to think I helped him get that way.

He’s charming as hell, with looks to rival any movie star and talent to back it up. So why did he need to hire me as an intern Publicist? Simple. He has a darkness in him– like a black hole so deep it could swallow him, and me, and everyone we know– and that’s not good for business.

The first time I met him, I felt the pull. I think the addiction began at that very moment. And even if I’d known then what I know now, I would have fallen for him. How could I not?

For me, Kage is everything.

As much as I would like to 1 star the story, I can’t. The writing was okay, just not so much the execution. I think I would have liked the story if Jamie was not a idiot in the beginning, and then acting like a love drawn puppy later on in the story. I found Kage ridiculous. If there was ever an athlete who worked out his much, ate the right things every freaking day but turns around drinking and smoking weed. Really? Kage, you respect your body? When did Kage become a psychopath? His range of emotions went from scared closeted guy to You don’t know what I’m capable of. His behavior at the end of the story left a really bad taste in my mouth.

The story had some good parts. I do feel like Jamie was naive to certain situations. He did not see that Kage misled him from the beginning. I thought the whole uncle owning the business/mob tie situation was irrelevant, I did not get the point of this plot reference. Another huge problem to me was the sex. I’m not a man, but I’ve read countless mm books and PREPARATION is a must. For this author to do that with someone that was considered a virgin was demeaning/border like assault during that last scene.

Cover Art by: I actually liked the simplicity of this cover.

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

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 226 pages
Published May 25th 2015 by Maris Black Books
ASINB00VMX9MSK
edition languageEnglish

A Paul B Review: Bound to Brody (Shifters and Lovers #1) by Ali Atwood

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Bound To Brody coverWhen Zac McQuade comes home for his niece’s baptism, his college crush Brody Maitland pays him a visit. Hoping for a social call, he is disappointed when he wants his help tracking a missing patient. As the two investigate, things heat up both for them and in the mystery. Will secrets past and present separate them permanently?

Zac McQuade spent several years in the military after school. Upon his release from the military, he is contacted by a government agency to become an elite assassin. As a cover, he informs people that he is in the foreign investigations division of the FBI. After having completed his last assignment, he heads home to attend the christening of his niece and take a much needed breather from work.

Brody Maitland is a psychiatrist at the local university. He is worried when one of his patients disappears with no explanation. Having heard that his former crush is home to visit his family, he contacts Zac in hopes that he will help to unofficially investigate the disappearance of his patient. Zac, knowing that he isn’t trained for this despite his professed credentials, agrees to help Brody out if only to spend some time with him.

As the investigation progresses, they find that the missing student might be victim of a serial killer. While tracking down information, they come to realize that they had feelings for each other while in school. As this bond grows, it serves not only to bring them together but also will be used against them. The killer uses this growing bond to put the protagonists in jeopardy. Will the secret that Brody is keeping which could save them from the killer also destroy the building romance between the two heroes?

This is the first book in the new Shifters and Lovers series by Ali Atwood. There is much that I liked about the book. First, other than the fact the series name, the fact that one of the protagonists is a shifter is not revealed until near the end of the book. To extend this point, our shifter did not grow up knowing about paranormals as he was adopted at an early age. Another difference is that this is not a story of destined mate. It starts out as a story of unrequited love that soon evolves. The author sets up further books in the series as our heroes decide to find out if there are others like him.

I also am interested to see if Zac’s occupation will play in the hunt for more shifters. This is a good start to a new series in my opinion.

The cover art by Scott Carpenter is simply gorgeous. Two well built shirtless men dominate the top two thirds of the cover. The bottom third has a cougar ready to pounce. Nicely done.

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

Book details:
Ebook, 78 pages
Edtion: English
Published: May 1, 2015 by Extasy Books
ISBN: 978-1-4847-0329-4
Series: Shifters and Lovers
Bound to Brody (Shifters and Lovers #1)

Enter the World of Sex & Cybercrime with “Would I Lie To You?” by Brad Vance (author interview and giveaway)

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 Would I Lie To You? (The Game Players #1) by Brad Vance
Release Date: April 24, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Brad Vance
Cover Artist: Brad Vance

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Sales Links: (Amazon exclusive)

Our Interview with Brad Vance….

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Brad Vance, author of “Would I Lie to You?” Hi Brad, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Thank you! Glad to be here.

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

Well, it’s the first time I’ve come up with a pair of characters I felt could sustain a series. They’re complex and brilliant and easily bored, so they’ll be challenging each other to keep it fresh for some time to come. I’ve had other pairs about whom readers have said, “I want more!” But I’d given those guys their HEAs and I couldn’t figure out how to write more about them without undoing that HEA. And after all the angst and pain I put them through, I just couldn’t do that to them, or myself!

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

I got the book title looking at the cover model, Daniel Sobieray. That pick just popped out at me on a stock photo site, and I could hear him asking that – “Would I lie to you?” The answer, when you look at him, is yeah, you would. The series title is “The Game Players” because these are guys who aren’t interested in a relationship that’s, you know, Friday nights at the Olive Garden and the latest blockbuster movie. Marc and Jesse have that “fighting their attraction” trope, but I messed with that, and turned it into something more complex. Each knows very well that the other is just as attracted to him, but not only do circumstances stand in the way, but they’re both willing to play a game of teasing and expectations that lasts a long time. Just “giving in” would be boring, to both of them. Most of the sexual heat between them in the book is really the “foreplay” that builds them up to the big release!

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

I think they’re both special! But if I was to talk about Marc, I’d say that he’s an interesting type. He’s totally in control in life, running a multibillion dollar corporation, but he needs that release of a dom/sub relationship, somewhere he can lose that control, if only for a night. But – he’s not the kind of sub you’d see on his knees in a bar, crawling around licking any boot in sight. Marc’s not a weak person, he’s strong, and he’s looking for someone even stronger.

What do you think makes a good story?

Research, realism, believability. Dialogue that sounds like something actual men would say to each other. If you make the guy a cop, pick up a textbook on policing or a cop memoir and see what the job is really like. If you make the guy a soldier, make sure you know the job he has, the lingo, etc. We all have these fantasy men (fireman, cop, etc.) but to me, what fulfills the fantasy is that sense that this guy really is what you say he is.

What does your family think of your writing?

Well, my mom knows about it, but the only book she’s read is “Apollo’s Curse,” the one with no sex in it! She’s glad I’m making a living, but when I was just writing erotica and revealed to her that I was actually making money at it, all she said was, “Well…sure are a lot of weirdos out there.”

Young male fashion model posing outdoors against rustic background

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Software billionaire Marc Julian’s orderly life is shattered one night by a cyber-intrusion into his company’s servers. He’s always surrounded himself with the best people, but finding the culprit behind this might require a real expert…and sometimes it takes a thief to catch a thief.

Jesse Winchester and his team of “grey hat” hackers are suddenly available to Marc. Marc doesn’t know if he should trust Jesse with the keys to his company’s kingdom. After all, Jesse’s a convicted felon, sent to prison for violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. A felon sentenced to thirty-five years in prison, who mysteriously served only three years before being released…

Marc’s first company, his whole life, was shattered because he trusted the wrong person. This time there’s even more at stake, but few other options. Especially when his evil enemies, the billionaire industrialist Krom brothers, are revealed to be the source of the intrusion.

Is Jesse there to help Marc, or does he have his own history with the Kroms, his own score to settle? As Jesse and Marc spend more time together, their growing intimacy is at war with their need to win their respective battles. Soon the game they start to play with each other, against each other, becomes more exciting, more exquisitely frustrating…and more dangerous.

Pages or Words: 289 pages

Categories: BDSM, Crime Fiction, M/M Romance, Thriller, Cybercrime

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

He’d made a mistake with Marc. He’d thought they could play a game together, to pass the time, let off steam, release stress.

Marc was smart enough to know that that’s all it was.

Right?

But the look on his face, when Jesse said goodbye… The shock. The disappointment. The…

Say it. The hurt. That was when Jesse knew that for Marc, it had been more.

That was when Jesse knew that it had been more for him, too.

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About the author:
Brad Vance writes gay romance, erotica and paranormal stories and novels, including the breakout hits “A Little Too Broken” and “Have a Little Faith in Me.”

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.vance.10
Facebook Author Page: https://www.bradvanceerotica.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/BradVanceAuthor
Google: https://plus.google.com/u/1/+BradVance/about

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Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: One of three E-book copies of ‘Would I Lie To You?’ by Brad Vance
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Tour Dates & Stops: May 11 – May 29, 2015
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14-May
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15-May
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18-May
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19-May
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20-May
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21-May
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

22-May
Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance

25-May
BFD Book Blog

26-May
Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

27-May
Iyana Jenna

28-May
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MM Good Book Reviews

29-May
My Fiction Nook
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Because Two Men Are Better Than One

A Stella Review: An Intrepid Trip to Love (A Little Bite of Love #1) by Charlie Cochet

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

An Intrepid Trip to Love coverTristan ‘Trip’ Hagan is a Husky shifter who was born to be the Hagan Clan’s next Alpha, a position of honor and nobility, a position he never wanted and was all too happy to pass onto his younger brother. But when they discovered his brother couldn’t have pups, the responsibility of continuing the Hagan Alpha line fell back to Trip. Under the weight of the Hagan Council’s demand to fulfill his duty, Trip settled down and produced an heir, but after years of struggling to uphold his family’s traditions, Trip found the courage to do what no other Hagan Alpha had done in the history of the clan: he came out.

Five years later, and Trip is living a happy life with his cheeky pup and their own little makeshift family. True mates within canine shifter clans are very rare, but Trip has had one since he can remember. Despite losing his heart to Boone twenty years ago, Trip holds little hope of ever getting to bond with the sexy Enforcer, as it’s against clan laws for pure-bloods to bond with half-breeds. With the call from their feral halves to seal the bond growing stronger by the day, can Trip and Boone find a way to be together without losing everything?

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love Has No Boundaries” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story

The blurb tells pretty much everything you have to know about the story so I’m just going to leave some of my thoughts.

First of all it’s free, so picking it will cost nothing, you can give it a chance and I’m sure you’re going to love it. If you are already a Cochet’s fan like me you can’t absolute miss this gem, but if she’s a new to you author, An Intrepid Trip To Love it could be the right book to start knowing how amazingly she writes.

An Intrepid Trip to Love is a fantastic read, it caught me from the start and Robbie got my heart at his first whined Dad!.
The story opens with an hilarious dis-adventure, four grown up men and a seven years old who can’t get rid of a monster of a spider, saved by a woman (of course, we’re awesome!). Robbie is funny and smart, definitely too smart for his age.

“It’s okay, Dad. No one’s going to think any less of you for not being able to kill a spider.”
Trip arched an eyebrow at his son. “You’re the next Alpha, why don’t you kill it?”
“Because I’m seven.” The “duh” wasn’t said but it was certainly implied. “But you, you’re old.”
“I’m thirty-five! In human years, anyway.”
“That’s, like, still super old. Even in human years.”
“Why am I bothering? I have underwear older than you.”
“Gross.”
“They’re clean…”

Trip is the greatest dad ever, even if he makes Robbie feels ashamed of him every day with the unbelievable things trip is capable of. Boone is Trip’s mate since Trip was fifteen years old. Boone has been at his side as his guardian, never insisting to be something more considering the Hagan Clan and its rules. They had some stolen moments sometimes, but Trip can’t take it anymore, being without Boone as his mate is becoming unbearable.

“What did you think you were doing?”
“You always say if we need help or if there’s an emergency to call Boone. You said he’s the biggest, strongest, bravest, most honest, most reliable…”
Trip felt his face burning up as Robbie proceeded to list every one of Boone’s virtues off his little fingers. With a nervous laugh, Trip threw a hand over his pup’s mouth. Mortified didn’t begin to cover it. Boone, on the other hand, seemed thoroughly amused, and his lips quirked up on one side.
“Is that so?”
“Well, you know, you are an Enforcer.”

An Intrepid Trip To Love is funny, sweet, with a great second characters cast and a huge sense of family. There is also a lot of hatred but the HEA is assure so don’t worry, you are going to read a light story.

I reread An Intrepid Trip To Love to refresh my memory of this funny couple and be ready for the second one in the series, Healing Hunter’s Heart, and I loved it more than the first time if possible, cause I already gave it a five stars review.

There is a short free Valentine story too, called The Perfect Valentine’s Day (you can find it here if you are interested. Here we meet Trip and Robbie looking for a present to Boone for the Valentine’s Day. Trip is our usual dork and Robbie is our lovely too smart kid who knows the difference between underwear and a hairband (I’m starting to doubt he’s really Trip’s son!). A super sweet and funny little story, adorable as the first one, in which we can get a glimpse of Trip and Boone life together.

Cover art by Charlie Cochet. Sweet and cute as the story.

Sales Links:  It’s Free here at Goodreads M/M Romance Group    All Romance (ARe) 

Book Details:

Published May 26th 2013 by M/M Romance Group @ goodreads
ebook, 84 pages

A Little Bite of Love Series
An Intrepid Trip To Love #1
The Perfect Valentine’s Day #1,5
Healing Hunter’s Heart #2

 

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Max and the Prince (Bodyguards Inc. #3) by R.J. Scott

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Max and the PrinceWhen bodyguard Max Connery is called to headquarters to meet his new assignment, Prince Lucien, he doesn’t expect to encounter the shy, sweet, young man who wants nothing more than to finish his university studies and to continue to participate on the swim team.

Max looks younger than his twenty-eight years and, in fact, is often mistaken for being under twenty-one. He’s five foot nine, blond, muscular, and a former RAF pilot who retired after his plane crashed and the ejection mechanism failed to get him out before being injured. He’s overcome his disability but not interested in going back.

Lucien is twenty-five, having delayed starting university due to problems in his homeland and his own personal issues surrounding the death of his younger brother, which he took hard and was slow to recover from. He’s received threatening letters from a stalker, both in his homeland and now again in Wales where he attends school, but he refuses to leave, because attaining his degree and competing with the swim team are very important to him. Besides, the letters aren’t really outright threats to him, or requests for money; they are more like missives with hidden meanings and he won’t give in to his stalker. They decide that Max can pretend to be his boyfriend, rent one of the rooms in Luke’s apartment, and hang out with the swim team, even if it means swimming with them.

Most of the story is the development of the romance between Max and Luke who are not able to stay away from each other. Max is experienced but has never been in love. Luke is a virgin but has had one minor experience in the past. They are attracted to each other right from the start, though it takes a while for Max to overcome his reticence to get involved with a client.

There’s quite a bit of speculation about the source of the letters Luke receives since they don’t explicitly state anything threatening, and there’s a lot of discussion between Max and people at the BI office, but it takes a while for the clues to start to make sense. I would have liked to know more about Max’s employer, Kyle, and his assistant, Ross. There’s an implied backstory there, but not having read the first books, it’s hard to determine what it is. The blurbs for the first books don’t mention the formation of BI or Kyle’s and Ross’s names so, although this book can be read as a standalone, readers who have a chance to read this series in sequence should do so.

The story also has a subplot about Luke’s roommate who was addicted to pain medication and a few scenes involving a drug dealer who was eventually murdered in their house by Luke’s stalker. One subplot that seemed to be out of the realm of believable is the fact that Max showed up at the swim team training with Luke and was not only accepted there with him but included in the practices and eventually as a backup for competitive meets. I just couldn’t buy that one—not on a university team.

The conclusion was anti-climactic and overall the story seemed very unlike the R.J. Scott books I’ve read in the past. This one was too simple, light, fluffy—I’m not even sure I can find the right word. I’d recommend this to those who like a very light, fairly short, hot M/M romance with a twist of mystery and intrigue.

Cover design by Meredith Russell is a photo of a handsome, dark-haired young man. Since Max is blond, one can assume it is a photo of Prince Lucien, bare-chested and likely ready for a swim meet.

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

Book Details:

139 pages
Published March 27th 2015 by Love Lane Books Limited (first published March 25th 2015)

A Sammy Review: Cronin’s Key (Cronin’s Key #1) by N.R. Walker

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5:

Cronin's key coverWeird and Alec MacAidan tend to go together. From bending bullets to people suddenly turning to ash, his experience on the police force and in life haven’t necessarily been the most normal, but it’s about to get a whole lot weirder when a vampire named Cronin shows up at the station and disappears with Alec in front of a whole bunch of cops.

Alec’s full of questions, but the answers always seem to lead to more. There’s a whole other world out there Alec had no idea about, and Cronin and his coven are all part of that. Alec’s been told most of his life that he’s special, but he just never had this in mind – being fated to a vampire is one thing, but what they discover about just how special he is… well that’s a whole different ball game.

He wanted to be everything to Cronin. And he would be. Everything he needed, everything he wanted, Alec was it.

 As Cronin was to him.

N.R. Walker has always been the author I go to when I need a break from reality. her books tend to provide me with easy escapes and easy reads, and Cronin’s Key is no different. When I had time to read, I flew through the pages and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

This book, which I hope is the first in at least a three book series, provides a great introduction to both Alec and Cronin. They both have distinct personalities that Walker does a great job of highlighting. Furthermore, the way that the connection between them builds, despite there being an instant love factor due to fate, is really great, especially the bits of humor that are laced into it. I had so much fun reading their banter and it kept me smiling.

The side characters were really great too. I enjoyed getting to know them as well as how they laced into the story of Alec and Cronin. They didn’t take away from it, but they added greatly to the depth. It presented a whole new dynamic that I certainly appreciated.

But my favorite part, hands down, is the alternate history and therefore the world that Walker created. Instead of just throwing vampires into society as we know it, she took events such as the Black Plague and reimagined them. I was so giddy over this and so enamored by the past that she built. I really hope that this continues in coming books, as it was such a strong element to the book that it’s something I will remember this book for.

My only complaint would be that I wasn’t immediately drawn in at the beginning, and unfortunately some of the lines were a bit cheesy, especially toward the end in battle scenes. It was just that the villain sounded like they were from a badly scripted series, but besides that, it read very well. In general, this was a fun start to a new series that I will look forward to reading more of.

The cover art by Sara York does a nice job of accenting the story, though I am not necessarily the most pleased with it aesthetically. It fits the story, but looks-wise, it’s not that great.

 

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

Book Details:

ebook, 265 pages
Published March 13th 2015 by Self-Published (first published March 12th 2015)
original titleCronin’s Key
edition languageEnglish
seriesCronin’s Key #1

A Mika Review: You In My Arms (The Sunset Club #1) by A.C. Katt

Rating: 2.75 stars out of 5 star

You in My Arms coverJason’s priorities are non-negotiable: take care of his sister; keep a roof over their heads; go back to school eventually. Can one club owner make it easier to uphold his priorities and maybe add him to the list? 

Jason Monroe had to leave school to be the guardian of his sister Kitty when his dad and step-mom die in a car crash. He’s working two jobs to keep them afloat, but their boat is leaking much like the roof of their old house. Jason doesn’t have time for love that is until Zach Montgomery, the owner of the Sunset Club, the premier gay club on the Jersey Shore comes calling.

I love kids, and tragedy together. You In My Arms by A.C.. Katt has both.  I honestly liked the characters. Of course we had a crude guy who didn’t do relationships, because hey, that’s what appeals to people. I knew right off the back his tune was going to change once he met the right person. I think it has the potential to be a 4 star book if the author went in with a red pen and crossed out most of the communication between the two. On my goodness, these people TALKED too damn much. It was so scatter-brained between everyone. I mean, come on, one minute one topic then the next it’s tears and run on sentences. I actually didn’t see the chemistry building up between the two so fast. One minute they were in the bar talking, the next Zach bogarts his way into Jason’s life.

I actually liked how devoted Jason was to taking care of his sister. But some things in the story? I don’t know if I believed in them well enough because its as though Jason had blinders on. Zach definitely moved fast when it came to Jason, I mean super fast. All in all, it was okay. I enjoyed the premise more than the execution.

Cover Art by: WinterHeart design. I think the design team got it backwards. Zach is supposed to be the older burnet guy, where as on the cover he looks the youngest. Jason was the 22 yr old blond and he looks middle aged to me. I think it could have been better.

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

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 166 pages
Published March 19th 2015 by ManLove Romance Press
ASINB00UZIXQ58
edition languageEnglish
seriesThe Sunset Club #1

In the Spotlight: Falling (Fall or Break #1) by Barbara Elsborg (author interview and contest)

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Falling (Fall or Break #1) by Barbara Elsborg
Samhain Publishing

Falling cover

Author Barbara Elsborg is here today to talk about her book, Falling, and the Fall or Break series.  Check out our interview below and the book details  that follow.

Contest: Enter to win a eBook from Barbara Elsborg’s library.  Leave a comment below, along with an email address where you can be contacted.  And also click on the Rafflecopter link below as well.  Contest ends midnight, April 21st (2 weeks from today):
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An Interview with Barbara Elsborg on “Falling”….

1. What prompted you to write Falling?

I hate the idea of someone being put in prison for something they didn’t do. I hate the idea of someone being accused of something they didn’t do! It made me think how awful it must be to be in prison and be constantly encouraged to admit your guilt and how hard it must be to stand against that pressure. It used to be the case that if you didn’t admit your guilt you spent more of your sentence behind bars. That’s not really true now BUT since a parole board has to agree to your early release, if you haven’t accepted your guilt it can be a reason to deny you the chance of life outside on license. I had to do a lot of research to check I had my facts right!

2. Where do you draw your inspiration?

Everywhere. Things I’m told, things I read or see. An addiction to Google! Another inspiration for Falling was when a friend told me of a young man she knew who was a teacher in Scotland – accused of abuse by a pupil. He was innocent. The accusation was withdrawn but the damage was done and he left teaching. I think in these days of political correctness, you have to be so careful what you say and do and in a way, it’s a shame. We need a better balance.

3. Falling is the first in the Fall or Break series. Will you continue with the couple in Falling or will each subsequent book feature a different set of MCs?

The next book Breaking – features Conrad – a minor character out of Falling. It’s a stand alone book but it does help to know who Conrad used to be with. Malachi and Harper have a little part in Breaking – out in July. I prefer writing books that tell the story of one couple, and end it rather than let it run to several books.

4. Or will the series chart the progression of the relationship?

So no – LOL – the series will be about different MCs!

5. Were you a prolific reader as a child?

Huge reader. I used to be trouble with the local library because I took books back to change them for new ones before they’d filed the cards for the ones I’d taken out. (that dates me!) I read very fast. 80 pages in 30 minutes of a paperback – often even quicker. I also read up to 3 books at the same time – not actually at the same time but I have 3 by the side of the bed now, all part read, plus the one on my Kindle. I read according to mood! I’m not always in the mood for romance. I like suspense and thrillers.

6. If so, what book or author made a impact on you as a child reader?

That’s really hard. I think I might pick the Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. I loved the idea of another land up a tree!I was scared of heights though so I never climbed trees.

7. And has that impact continued into adulthood, as a reader and writer?

No. Enid Blyton was of her time. Some stories like the Magic Faraway Tree can be read now, but the others are dated. I didn’t have a favourite author. I just read anything. Once I was in my teens I was addicted to James Bond books. Then I branched out to the classics. There aren’t many genres I won’t try. The one I have the most difficulties with is hard core sci fi. It’s too technical for me.

8. Who do you consider your influences as an author today?

Impossible to say. I’ve read so much and loved so much- Adele Parks, Jennifer Crusie, Fiona Walker, Freya North – but I love thriller and suspense writers like Mark Billingham, Tom Wood, Karin Slaughter, Harlan Coben, Mo Hayder – so many. I also love regency romances – Eloisa James, Mary Balogh, Julia Quinn… too many to mention. I think any good author that you read has to have some influence if only to encourage you to write better.

9. What drives you to write? And have you always written?

What drives me? The love of telling a story, the need for a happy ending, a belief in love, an interest in what makes people tick. I have always written. I started with fan fiction as a teenager for TV shows and wrote my first novel in my early twenties. I found writing was a way to escape a not very happy time at school. I could dive into my own world, make myself the heroine and give myself a HEA.

10. What’s next for Barbara Elsborg?
I have an MM called The Demon You Know out in April. An MMF called Talking Trouble out in May. Breaking out in July and I’ve just finished writing an MM tentatively called Give Yourself Away. It’s going to be a year of many releases!! But on a personal note, I’m going to be at RT in Dallas if anyone would like to meet me!

STRW Author BookSynopsis

About Falling…

Falling is easy. Landing without breaking your heart? Impossible.

Harper is no longer behind bars, but it doesn’t feel like it. Ten years serving time for a crime he didn’t commit have left him shut down, numb, and a frozen wreck over the simplest of choices.

He’s acutely aware of the dark-haired young man checking him out in the supermarket, but he’s too deep in panic mode to even meet the guy’s gaze. Afraid the slightest move will trigger a fall that will never stop.

Fresh off a long-term relationship with a controlling man, Malachi is stuck living with relatives who think he’s a waste of oxygen. The tall guy in the long, gray coat is the first bright spot he’s glimpsed in a long time…though the man’s unblinking stare at a bottle of shower gel is a touch alarming.

Hard experience tells both of them to turn away before lust turns to hopeless attraction, and inevitably to disaster. But once their sparks connect, the arc of electricity is too strong to deny. Even if the cost is too much to bear.

Warning: Contains an ex-con with disaster written all over him, a boy toy who’s trouble with a capital T, a damp old British house, compulsive meddling, and enough hot sex to cure the severe case of nervous babbling.  Read an excerpt here at Samhain.

Sales Links:  Samhain Publishing           Amazon       Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 282 pages
Published March 24th 2015 by Samhain Publishing
original titleFalling,ASINB00Q33IKYG
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.barbaraelsborg.com/book/falling/
seriesFall or Break #1

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Barbara Elsborg:

Barbara Elsborg lives in West Yorkshire in the north of England. She always wanted to be a spy, but having confessed to everyone without them even resorting to torture, she decided it was not for her. Vulcanology scorched her feet. A morbid fear of sharks put paid to marine biology. So instead, she spent several years successfully selling cyanide.

After dragging up two rotten, ungrateful children and frustrating her sexy, devoted, wonderful husband (who can now stop twisting her arm) she finally has time to conduct an affair with an electrifying plugged-in male, her laptop.

Her books feature quirky heroines and bad boys, and she hopes they are as much fun to read as they are to write.

Contact/follow Barbara at her blog/website:  http://www.barbaraelsborg.com/

A Mika Review: The Harvest: Taken (The Harvest #1) by M.A. Church

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The Harvest Taken coverWe are not alone. In the year 2050 mankind’s never-ending quest for proof life exists in the universe is answered—in the form of massive space ships that appear without warning above the capitals of all major nations. The name of their planet is Tah’Nar—and is dying. The United States sets up a lottery system, and each young man between the ages of twenty-three and twenty-eight is assigned a number. Once a year, for the next five years, numbers will be drawn and a new set of one thousand males will be collected. The media coined the expression ‘The Harvest’ for when the Tah’Narian’s collect these young men.

 Captain Keyno Landium Shou is a Tah’Narian starship captain who has been granted the right to take a mate, any mate, he wants during the last harvest on Earth. Dale was seventeen when the aliens first appeared. His parents assumed he’d be safe since the final collection would be done before he turned twenty-three. He didn’t fall within the guidelines established, so they took for granted he had nothing to fear.
 They were wrong.

This book had ridiculousness all over it, and I loved every second of it. C’mon,  it had me at mpreg.  Something I’ve been enjoying more and more. M.A. Church is a new author to me, and while I constantly rolled my eyes at the silly notions to things that happened in the book I really enjoyed it. Honestly, I felt like this was a mf book the entire time. It was silly, but I liked it for a first time mpreg story. Dale wasn’t supposed to be in the lottery for Humans take for The Harvest. He basically was kidnapped illegally. He went from being pissed off to protective in 96 hours to Keyno the alien that had him Taken.

It was a big production between these two, but again I love it. I loved it for it’s sugary sweetness that was in the book. Dale didn’t have to wait long for some since of familiarity, on the ship was his best friend Chad that got Harvested the previous year, you would think Dale would have been happy but of course he thought Chad was crazy for thinking Space was his home. Well after their “talk” about what was expected Dale had a change of heart. From here on out it was sugary sweetness. Keyno was a sweetheart who has wanted Dale since meeting Chad last year. I actually liked the aliens here.

Of course Dale wouldn’t be Dale without the problems he presented in the beginning, because of his health he had to be Double Dosed so his body could adhere to the changes of the pregnancy. I found myself laughing and smiling throughout the book. I definitely read it because of the smut, and sugary sweetness involved in the story. Also the King’s Husband pulled at my heart strings. What do you know Dale made quite the impression on these aliens. I would recommend to lovers of fantasy, mpreg, sugary sweet smut readers.

Cover Artist Lou Harper had a perfect picture of Dale after his slight alteration. I liked it, he even got use to it. It was fitting for the story.

 

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe)             Amazon             buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, Smashwords, 195 pages
Published October 1st 2014 by M.A. Church (first published October 30th 2013)
ISBN139781626330252
edition languageEnglish
url
seriesThe Harvest #1