Tag: gay fiction

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Permanently Legless by JL Merrow

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Permanently Legless newChris came home from Afghanistan when he was severely injured and lost both legs. Finally released from medical care and adjusting to civilian life, with his sense of humor intact, he sets out for the local gay bar where he met a guy the week before he shipped out. Josh has been on his mind a lot, and he hopes to at least get to see him there, though he’s pretty sure Josh has forgotten him, and even if not, Josh may be turned off by Chris’s disability.

When Josh gave his number to Chris, he really hoped he’d hear from him again. It’s been close to a year but the man was truly unforgettable. Now, when he turns around and spots Chris, he’s shocked but finds himself still attracted. Can there be any hope for someone Chris probably filed away as a one-night stand?

I hope all readers enjoy this story as much as I did. Though brief, it packs a lot of punch. And it’s also full of humor, much of it from Chris and his light-hearted view of his circumstances. Both characters are sweet and seem genuinely suited to each other. A nice tidbit to make me wish for more about these guys in the future.

Cover art on this new edition, by Written Ink Designs, depicts a fully armed soldier in uniform looking skyward. There’s a British flag superimposed at the bottom of the cover with a small wheelchair in the left corner. The cover captures Chris’s spirit.

Sales Links:  JMS Books |  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, 23 pages
Published June 4th 2016 by JMS Books (first published January 22nd 2012)
ISBN139781634860994
Edition LanguageEnglish

Connect with Harper Miller On Writing LGBT Characters of Color, Interracial Romance & Complexity (Kinky Connect Chronicles) by Harper Miller

Complexity

TITLE: Complexity (Kinky Connect Chronicles) by Harper Miller
COVER ARTIST: Taria Reed Digital Artist

LENGTH: 140 Pages
RELEASE DATE: July 8, 2016

Interracial/Multicultural Romance and Writing LGBT Characters of Color

By Harper Miller

My latest release Complexity features a gay interracial/multicultural pairing. One of my MCs is Puerto Rican, and the other is white. Writing this story, I had to tap into a multitude of sources to ensure I got Manny’s character right. Luckily, I have numerous Puerto Rican friends. My translator who assisted me with Manny’s lingo is Puerto Rican, and my copy editor is also Puerto Rican. It was like winning the lottery with getting input with this story! I believe that if you’re writing about a culture that is not your own, it’s imperative to get feedback from people who live the culture day in and day out. It also helps that one of my beta readers is a bisexual male. Of course, they’re not the authorities on what makes someone Puerto Rican or bi, but they prevented me from heading into WTF territory and provided some authenticity.

When I envisioned this story; I knew I wanted my hero to be different. We’re used to seeing the “spicy Latin lover” in romance novels, and I wanted to get as far away from that image as possible. Why not a guy who was the epitome of what most people would perceive as uber-masculine and rough around the edges? More real, less refined, and street savvy. Those qualities attracted me to Manny’s character. I envisioned him as the anti-hero. The everyday guy who just happened to stumble upon a ridiculous situation that altered the course of his life.

I also wanted to tap into the hookup culture when it comes to being online. Sites like Grindr make it so incredibly hard for dating to happen. While I’m not a gay male, I can say for certain that sites like Tinder, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and Match.com aren’t any better from a woman’s perspective. Someone is always looking for the next best thing. With Manny, he wanted one thing and one thing only, a mind-blowing orgasm. Funny, he got way more than he bargained for.

For me, it was important to mention the racial dynamics between Chris and Manny. Far too often people skim over their characters discussing race as if it will take away from the story. I think taking the racial dynamics into account makes the story real. In 2016, race is still an issue, and it’s often something that impacts interracial couplings so why not touch on it?

I write primarily interracial/multicultural erotica for this very reason. We don’t get to see people of color at the helm of mainstream contemporary romance. We also don’t often see people of color with kinky tendencies show up in well-developed plots. The Kinky Connect Chronicles kills two birds with one stone. You get stories that acknowledge racial differences and embrace kinky proclivities. Oh, and there’s hot man lovin’… RAWR!

Sure, I’m a bit bias, but if you’re looking for a story that’s engaging and quick with just the right amount of filth, I think you should give Complexity a whirl.

BLURB

Fairy tale endings weren’t made for people like me. Happy for now usually ain’t in the cards, either.

The dents on my wall from where my headboard kept knockin’ against the same spot was the first clue that I needed to calm my ass down. At the rate I was racking up notches and plowing through hookups, I wasn’t ever gonna find nothing real. Guess I kinda jinxed myself. I created my circumstances. You can’t get what you want if you keep falling back into the same pattern of bad habits. But then things changed. I stumbled onto somethin’ I never in a million years expected to happen. You gotta understand, I’m never the guy who wins. It was supposed to be just sex, but that shifty, rhyming and scheming bastard, Cupid, pulled a fast one.

I may have changed some stuff to protect a couple of people. But before you go believing the tabloids, make sure you understand that you’re gettin’ the lowdown straight from the source.

I needed to get this off my chest and it’s only fair that you at least get my side of it all. At some point, I might regret telling you any of this, but for now, you need to know.

*Disclaimer* This is a novella. Not a short story, novelette, or novel. This tale features an M/M pairing. If gay erotica/erotic romance is not your cup of tea and you are offended by same-sex relationships or crass language, you should bypass this story. Content is intended for a mature audience, 18+.

Complexity is the fourth installment in The Kinky Connect Chronicles. The Kinky Connect Chronicles are short erotic stories/novelettes all wrapped up in neat little bows. These stories are standalones. No cliffhangers in the lot!

Could we be more different? Him: famous, rich white dude. Me: Latino entrepreneur who stocked up on ramen noodles and peanut butter when Key Food had a sale. This dude was so beyond my scope but he didn’t act any differently than a hookup I would’ve scored downtown at one of the gay bars in Chelsea.

Honestly, I didn’t know if me taking this shit with Christopher to the next level was a good thing or a bad thing. I held my own. I had my own business and made money legitimately doing shit I loved. Some days were a struggle, and I fell on hard times every now and again, but I woke up with a sense of purpose. Maybe I was overthinking things. I knew this was just about sex, but I couldn’t help but wonder if I was some sort of pity fuck or if Chris had a Latino fetish. He seemed genuinely attracted to me, but you know, there’s always somebody on the web lookin’ to get their rocks off with that token piece of ass.

I needed to stop with the assumptions and just take the moment for what it was, because an opportunity like this wouldn’t ever happen again.

Stayin’ in my head was gonna fuck everything up, so I focused on the twinkling lights near the waterfront seventeen stories down. “Good, I don’t bareback either. If rubbers aren’t required, we ain’t fuckin’. Seems like it’s a little too late to be having this discussion, but I’m clean. I get tested every six weeks. Got a copy of my results in my wallet if you wanna see.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Every six weeks? Sleep around a lot?”

I laughed, pulling off my polo. “I like sex. I like safe sex. I like to be certain I stay safe, so if that means gettin’ tested more often, I’m cool with that.”

Sales Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | All Romance eBooks | Kobo Store

Harper Miller is a thirty-something native New Yorker. She’s traveled the world and lived in a variety of places but always finds her way back to the Big Apple. A lackluster love life leaves time to explore new interests, for Harper it is writing. The Sweetest Taboo: An Unconventional Romance is her debut novel. In her mind, the perfect Alpha male possesses intellect, humor, and a kinky streak that rivals the size of California.

When she isn’t writing, Harper utilizes her graduate degree in the field of medical research. She enjoys fitness-related activities, drinking copious amounts of wine and going on bad dates.

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Always Another Side by Annabelle Jacobs

Rating 4.5 stars out of 5

Always Another SideEight months ago, Jack’s world was shattered when he found out his long-time lover and life partner, Simon, was cheating on him and decided he no longer wanted to live with Jack. Eight months ago, when Tyler proclaimed his love to his boyfriend, James, he found out how foolish he was when James told him he already had a partner and what he and Tyler had together wasn’t love—it was just sex.

Two men with hearts badly bruised finally agreed to their friends’ machinations to bring them together for a blind date. Both went reluctantly, but both found the seed of what could and would become a second chance to find happiness—as long as they remembered their hard-won lesson of the importance of communication in a relationship. And it seems like the baby steps they take are going to lead them somewhere special. Even though Jack doesn’t want to get into another relationship, Tyler’s heart is set on finding the man of his dreams. That’s how he got in trouble with James—he jumped into what he thought was going to be forever, but he jumped too soon.

This time, both men take it slowly and they talk about what’s important to them and how they feel about the past. There’s a bump in the road to happiness when Jack finds out Tyler was involved in the breakup of someone’s relationship, but after thinking it over, and talking to Tyler about it, he realizes that Tyler is on the other side and was likely equally hurt. Finding they have a lot in common, they keep dating, spending occasional nights with each other<spoiler>

I really enjoyed this story, my first from this author. I found the characters were very well-developed, and the relationship, which initially seemed so fragile, proved to be strong, making it a pleasure to watch the men develop as a couple. And though I thought I knew what might happen, when it did I just went with the flow and knew that the author would move them to where they needed to be. That may sound odd or awkward, but truly, I simply enjoyed the storytelling, the characters, and their situation. This book was a pleasure to read—just the right amount of angst and romance, and wonderfully hot, sexy older characters. What’s not to like? I recommend this to those who enjoy contemporary MM romance with older MCs.

~~~~~

Cover art by Natasha Snow depicts a very handsome older man—the perfect depiction of Jack, one of the MCs.

Sales Links:   Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 167 pages
Published June 3rd 2016 by Annabelle Jacobs
ASINB01G8T7GIU
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Ali Review: Perilous by Cari Z

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

PerilousIn 1803, England declares war on France, staking the fates of two mighty empires against one another. Thousands of men serve in the British navy, hungry for distinction in the battle against Bonaparte.

One of them, Lieutenant Thomas Williams, thinks he knows what he wants out of life: prize money at sea, a career of decent note, and the means to maintain his independence when he leaves the navy. What he finds is service under Captain Christopher Knightly: a tactical genius, inveterate charmer, and the youngest son of a wealthy noble house.

Their unexpected and perilous love affair is a gamble against the odds, for in a time of war, nothing is sure to last. If the French don’t tear them apart, one slip in front of the wrong eyes or ears might. When the demands of Christopher’s family take him from Thomas’s side, he thinks it might be the best thing for his captain. Little does Tom realize just how far Christopher will go to return to him, and when life takes a turn for the worse, how much further he will go to save him.

I really liked the setting of this book.  It was a different time period than I’ve read in historicals before and the atmosphere was done so well I could easily picture the ships and the sailors on their missions.  The aspect that was lacking for me was the romance.  I never felt the connection between the two men.  The story was told from Thomas’ point of view and I connected with him much more.  Christopher didn’t feel like an equal character to me, more like a supporting character, and in fact I didn’t really care for him that much.  I never felt his love of Thomas until the very end of the book.
Overall I thought this was an average read.  The rich world building and unique setting make it something that you should check out if you’re a fan of historicals.
Cover:  I love the cover.  I think it’s gorgeous and it totally captures the plot/mood of the book.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details:
ebook, 129 pages
Published May 9th 2016 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781911153504
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Ali Review: Heaven Sent: The Complete Series (Heaven Sent #1-6) by Jet Mykles

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Heaven Sent Boxed EditionThis collection of stories included the 6 main books of the series as well as 4 shorts the author calls “flings”.  The stories follow the 4 guys that make up the band Heaven Sent and their manager.  Each story focuses one couple but the rest of the band members are in each book and we follow their journey along the way.
Book One:  Heaven
Tyler is the manager of the Weiss Hotel and he’s under a lot of pressure.  His dad has cancer and the hotel is doing poorly.  He decides to open a night club and asks the band to perform on opening night.  Tyler is awe struck when the lead singer Johnnie asks him to hang out.  This book was one of my least favorites in the series.  My issue was that the first few sex scenes were dubious consent and that’s something that I’m not at all a fan off.  Johnnie keeps making sexual passes at Tyler and Tyler keeps telling him “No, I’m straight and I’m not interested” but Johnnie does not take “No” for an answer.  Then after being pushed in to it, Tyler decided he’s bisexual after all and falls for Johnnie.  I didn’t care for Johnnie or this plot device so despite the overall plot being good the story was just ok for me.  It was also an insta-love which I can sometimes go with the flow on but since I was already annoyed in regards to the consent issue the insta-love annoyed me too.
Fling 1.5:  Pretty Red Ribbon
This is a short story about Johnnie decorating himself in bows and ribbons as a Christmas gift for Tyler.  It was a short and steamy story that I would have enjoyed had I not still disliked Johnnie. (I did eventually get over my dislike by the time I got to the later books)
Book Two:  Purgatory
This story starts in the past and we see a glimpse of the guys prior to Heaven Sent becoming famous.  Luc and Reese are friends until Reese tries to kiss him and Luc freaks out.  The two men haven’t seen each other for years but a wedding brings them back together.  Reese is shocked to find that Luc has come out as bisexual and has always regretted his past behavior.  I really liked these two together.  Their love story was more believable as they had so much history.  I was really enjoying this one until close to the end when Luc does something really outrageous I couldn’t believe it.  It was an over the top, alpha, “I know what’s best for you” type of move and ended up making me dislike him and dropped my rating of the book.
Fling 2.5:  Sexy Spring Surprise
This is a sexy short featuring Luc and Reese.  It was enjoyable and steamy.
Book Three:  Hell
This story finds the band looking to do some changes in their style of music and they’re auditioning new band members.  They settle on keyboard player Heller and Brent and Hell immediately hit it off with their love of music.  This story shows the guys become friends slowly over time and then become lovers.  Through it all Brent is struggling with some personal issues and he has a hard time accepting that Hell loves him.  There is a bit of drama before Brent figures things out.  This book felt the most realistic to me and I really felt bad for Brent when he messes up.  Hell was a fun and likable character.  This ended up being my favorite book of the series.
Fling 3.5:  Feisty Little Firecracker
This was a very steamy short about Brent and Hell on the 4th of July.  Great little erotica short.  I loved this one.
Book Four:  Faith
This story starts a few years down the road and Darien is the only one of the band members not in a committed relationship.  He’s lonely and he knows it and it leads to him asking a girl he’s been seeing to marry him.  When things don’t work out Hell refers him to his lawyer friend Chris.  Chris is Darien’s total opposite and is quiet and reserved while Darien is constantly talking and seeking people to interact with.  These two were adorable together and they had a nice love story.  I enjoyed this one a lot.
Fling 4.5:  Sly Spectral Trick
This was a Halloween short story that started a bit creepy and then ended quite steamy.  It stars Darian and Chris and it was another one I really enjoyed.
Book Five:  Genesis
This story is another few years down the road and focuses on all four couples equally.  They guys have been touring and working for years and they’re all in a place where they are thinking about taking a break.  A few of them also have big life choices like marriage and children on the mind.  I thought this was done well and it went from one couple to the other and back again.  I enjoyed this one a lot and it was a nice wrap up to these four couple’s stories.
Book Six:  Revelations
This book takes place while the band is on hiatus and focuses on the band’s manager Gretchen.  She has feelings for her personal assistant, Owen, but feels he is too young for (he’s about 10 years younger).  She meets Archer through a business deal and the two of them start seeing each other.  After meeting Owen a few times Archer realizes Owen and Gretchen have feelings for each other so he proposes they have a menage and that leads to a poly relationship.  This was my least favorite story in the series because it felt really under developed.  There is little plot and it felt more like erotica.  It was smoking hot but I would have liked to see these three fall for each other.
This was a mixed bag for me.  Some of the stories I liked a lot.  Some were average and there were a few I didn’t care for.  All of the books and flings can be read as standalones except for book five Genesis.  If you’re looking for something that is lighter with lot’s of steamy scenes this is a series you should check out.
Cover art by P.L. Nunn
Sales Links:  Loose Id LLC   no other links found
Book Details:
ebook, 698 pages
Published May 10th 2016 by Loose Id
ISBN139781682521472
Edition LanguageEnglishSeriesHeaven Sent #1-6

Cover Reveal for Werewolf’s Tale and a Druid’s Sword by Lexi Ander (cover reveal and giveaway)

CR_Banner
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Lexi Ander reveals the beautiful cover art of her next book titled WEREWOLF’S TALE AND A DRUID’S SWORD coming out from Less Than Three Press.
It releases on August 31, 2016.
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BLURB
After he’s kicked out for being gay, still reeling from being abandoned by the man he loves, Jude goes to live with his brother Beck, who thankfully is more than happy to take him in. But Jude has other secrets he’s yet to share, for fear that even Beck will reject him, leaving him well and truly alone.
Then he draws the attention of werewolves, and discovers that everything he thought he knew about Levi, the man who abandoned him, is a lie. But one lie leads to another, ending in a vast conspiracy that threatens to destroy everything Jude loves—and that doesn’t even begin to include the challenges that Beck is facing.
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PRESENTING
 
Cover Art by Aisha Akeju
WerewolfsTaleDruidSword
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TEASER
 
If fairytale beings walked the earth and there were humans who had extraordinary abilities, then what he saw could be something along those lines. Perhaps he wasn’t such a freak. Could there be a place for him where people believed him, where he could fit in? Even though he was reticent to share that part of himself, Jude did want to tell Beck and Diego, but how did he prove something no one else could see? 
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AuthorPic
Lexi has always been an avid reader, and at a young age started reading (secretly) her mother’s romances (the ones she was told not to touch). She was the only teenager she knew of who would be grounded from reading. Later, with a pencil and a note book, she wrote her own stories and shared them with friends because she loved to see their reactions. A Texas transplant, Lexi now kicks her boots up in the Midwest with her Yankee husband and her eighty-pound puppies named after vacuum cleaners.
 
||  Website  ||  Blog  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter  ||  Email  ||  Amazon Author Page  ||
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A Paul B Review: A Time to Rise by Tal Bauer

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

A Tiime To RiseFor all the holiness that surrounds Vatican City, evil lurks within its walls.

Alain Autenburg has been a member of the Swiss Guard for the past twelve years.  As a member of the group of men charged with protecting the Holy See and the Supreme Pontiff, the Swiss Guard have been serving popes for centuries.  Unbeknownst to most within the Guard, there is a subset within their numbers who are members of the Knights Templar.  They are responsible for ridding Rome of all the unholy paranormal happenings going on in the city.  Alain is the current Knight responsible for these duties.

Cristoph Haase is a new halberdier in the Swiss Guard.  Older than most of the other new soldiers in the pope’s army, Christoph is not quite sure why he is in Rome.  While it is the top assignment of the Swiss army to be selected as a member of the Guard, Cris is not sure he fits in.  Resigning would not only end his military career, but also leave a stain for any future private employment.  To make matters worse, Cris is fighting his attraction to and non-committal response from the Sergeant in the “Special Projects” office of the Guard, Alan Autenburg. To make matters worse, the sergeant is assigned to be his mentor.

As the attraction between the two grows, Alain has severe reservations about letting Cris into his world.  The last time he let someone in it almost destroyed him.  Alain wants to protect Cris from the things that go bump in the night.  A relationship with this new recruit would put in jeopardy, especially if he were to be trained as his replacement.  All that changes when Cris is cornered in a bar one night by an incubus who is trying to steal his soul.  The incubus shows both men their deepest desire.  They must now move forward with their relationship while fighting demons being called by someone within the walls of Catholic leadership.

This is a well-crafted book with enough tease of romance and action to fulfill the premise of the book.  Alain wants to be with Cris but the last man he was close to was hurt by his line of work so he Is very hesitant to follow his feelings.  This drives Cris crazy with what seems to be Alain’s flip flopping on whether or not to see where their feelings lead.  The secondary characters work to move the story along.  Of special note is Father Lotario.  The chain smoking, vodka swilling exorcist is not what one expects to find. I hope there are more tales of Alain, Cris and the demon fighting men of the Vatican.

The cover art by Aria Tan is perfect for the book.  Alain is standing in profile with the Vatican City skyline in the background.  You can also see Cris looking on in the background.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press | Amazon

Book Details

ebook
Published May 2nd 2016 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781911153481
Edition LanguageEnglish