An Alisa Review: Dirty Angel by Barbara Elsborg

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

Art profile portrait of beautiful man with body of athlete. Photo.
Art profile portrait of beautiful man with body of athlete. Photo.

Dying Sucks

Particularly when you discover there really is a hell. Aden thinks there’s no way he can avoid going down, but when an angel and demon can’t agree over his fate, Aden is given one more month to gain redemption. He doubts he can find a way to become a better man in so short a time. But it’s worth a try, right?

Living sucks

Particularly when you can’t shake free of an obsessive ex. Brody might be managing to hold down his job as a vet, but his personal life is a mess. If he doesn’t pull himself together soon, he’s going to be sliding downhill too fast to stop.

One wet night, on a dark country lane, two worlds collide and destinies change forever.

Barbara Elsborg did a great job with this story.  Aden is getting a second chance to try and be a better person by living up to his potential.  Brody is ready to give up and doesn’t know if it’s worth it to pull himself together.

 

Aden has had the worst luck when it comes to his life, his parents didn’t love him and he was constantly abused by others when they died.  He was never loved and doesn’t know how to or why you would want to love someone.  Brody thought he loved his ex and when things go too far he finally breaks free only to have him come back to try and get him back.

 

Both Aden and Brody have heartbreaking back stories that greatly affect their lives.  They both connect with each other and the reader quickly.  They don’t hold back their emotions and are willing to just let everything out which makes understanding the characters easy.  There is a great HFN ending looking a bit in the future which gives hope for both of the characters.

 

Cover art Joe Raven is perfect for this book.

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 255 pages
Published: June 1, 2016 by Barbara Elsborg
ISBN: 9781682521274
Edition Language: English

 

In Our Spotlight: Set Me Free by Kitty Stephens (Author Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway)

Set Me Free 1600px FRONT (Smashwords, Amazon)

Set Me Free by Kitty Stephens
Release Date: June 9, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Interlude Press
Cover Artist: C.B. Messer

Today Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is very lucky to be interviewing Kitty Stephens, author of Set Me Free. Hi Kitty, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

My name Kitty Stephens. I currently reside in Ohio, with my husband, my son, and our three guinea pigs. I’ve been an avid reader since I was very young and started writing when I was around nine or ten. Once I had internet access, I became active in fan communities and started posting my work on various fan sites. Set Me Free is my first book.

What did you want to be when you grew up?  When I was a child and got asked this question, I had one answer; I wanted to be a writer. Actually, I said “novelist”, possibly because it sounded more professional to my ears (but in retrospect probably made me sound pretentious). This answer was the only answer I had, all the way until I graduated high school and even into the few years I attended college. My mother even used to tell people that I was going to publish a book and make enough money to buy her a nice house to retire in.

Even though life got in the way and took me on a few detours, I never stopped wanting to write my own books and have them published. It’s taken me a lot longer than I could have anticipated, but publishing Set Me Free is the culmination of a lifelong dream for me.

Blurb

When an affluent college-bound boy falls for a young artist, he must choose between the life that’s been mapped out for him and the chance at true love.

 

Pages or Words: 63,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

They found a secluded spot to sit off the main drag and scarfed down pieces of pizza and people-watched. Aaron had been full of nerves earlier, but Lucky put him at ease. He had that way about him.

“I’ve got a few minutes left,” Lucky said when they finished their food.

They got up, sipping at their drinks as they made their way through the crowd back toward Lucky’s booth. It was now or never. He had to ask, had to get the words out, or miss his shot.

“Can I ask you something?” Lucky spoke up before Aaron could. Maybe Lucky would… Aaron held his breath, nodding. “It might sound weird.”

“Sure,” Aaron replied, his heart beating a little faster. He had no idea what was coming now; what could Lucky possibly want from him? A kiss?

“Can you take your picture for me?”

Aaron blinked at him. Lucky tilted his head off to one side and Aaron turned his head the same direction. His gaze landed on a photo booth, realization sinking in. His mouth fell open, unsure what to say. It was a little weird because they barely knew each other, but also flattering.

“I’d really like to draw you again.” Lucky seemed slightly embarrassed. “I mean, I could take pictures on my phone if that’s better for you, but that seemed creepier somehow.”

Aaron couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped at Lucky’s words, even as the idea of Lucky drawing him again and again left him breathless. “Um,” he managed to get out, glancing around at the crowd. A familiar blonde head caught his eye and he nearly choked.

Was Lyn at the carnival? Wasn’t she supposed to be with their mothers?

Aaron pulled Lucky by the hand into the photo booth and slid the curtain shut.

Lucky slid money into the slot as they sat down. His breath caught as Lucky’s hands touched his face gently. “Like this,” Lucky whispered, turning his head to the side. The camera flashed. Lucky’s fingers turned his head to the front, pulling away just in time for the camera to go off again. Once again, Lucky’s fingers turned his head to the side, only now he was facing Lucky, staring deeply into his eyes.

Aaron tried not to hyperventilate as he held Lucky’s gaze. The camera flashed for the last time but neither of them moved.

“Go out with me?” Aaron suddenly blurted out. He had to do something or he might do something even more insane, like kiss Lucky. Aaron so wasn’t ready for that yet. Lucky’s eyes widened and he smiled.

“Sure,” Lucky drawled after a moment. “When?”

Buy the book:

 

 

Meet the author

Kitty Stephens’ writing aspirations date back to her childhood, when she and her brother would make up stories about characters in their favorite books. She eventually started writing stories in online fan communities, and majored in English at Ohio State University. She lives in Ohio with her husband and son. Set Me Free is her first novel.

Get to know the author on tumblr at @kittystephenswrites and on Twitter at @KittyStephensWr

Where to find the author:

Twitter: @KittyStephensWr

Tumblr: kittystephenswrites.tumblr.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KittyStephensWrites?fref=ts

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

9-Jun

Happily Ever Chapter, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Book Lovers 4Ever, Havan Fellows

10-Jun

Oh My Shelves, Bonkers About Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

13-Jun

Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Unquietly Me, A.M. Leibowitz

14-Jun

BFD Book Blog, Velvet Panic, My Fiction Nook

15-Jun

Anna Butler Fiction, Three Books Over The Rainbow, MM Good Book Reviews

16-Jun

Making It Happen, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Open Skye Book Reviews

17-Jun

The Novel Approach, V’s Reads, Prism Book Alliance

20-Jun

Up All Night, Read All Day, Bayou Book Junkie

21-Jun

Nephy Hart, Love Bytes

22-Jun

Alpha Book Club, Molly Lolly, Divine Magazine

Final Set Me Free

Giveaway

Must be  18 years of age or older.

 

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

Love Can Show You that There’s ‘Always Another Side’ by Annabelle Jacobs (excerpt and giveaway)

 

 

Author: Annabelle Jacobs

 

 

 

Release Date: June 3 2016

 

 

 

Length: 60,000 words

 

Buy Link: myBook.to/Always_Another_Side

 

Price:  3.99

 

Blurb

 

Starting over at forty is hard work for landscape architect Jack Bowman. His long-term partner hurt him badly. With his self-esteem dented by the break up, trusting a new lover is going to take time.

Tyler Freeman is equally unlucky when it comes to love. Now that he’s over thirty-five, he’s tired of getting played. All he wants is someone special. How hard can it be to meet a man who’s honest, with no hidden surprises?

Being set up on a blind date might be a classic cliché, but it’s a stroke of good luck for Jack and Tyler. They have a lot in common, including previous relationships steeped in deceit, but it’s worth navigating their trust issues if it means laying those ghosts to rest.

Making it work finally seems possible—until an accidental discovery threatens their newfound happiness.

 

Excerpt

 

Everyone said their goodbyes, and Jack tried not to notice the blatant, knowing looks being passed around. He had no doubt he’d be getting some nosy texts later. On the plus side, at least he wouldn’t be the only one.

 

Now it was only the two of them, they wandered into the bar area and snagged a small table by the fireplace. It wasn’t lit—the late-April weather had been far too mild to warrant an open fire. The Saturday-night crowd from earlier had clearly moved on to somewhere else, and the room had quietened considerably.

 

“Thanks for offering me a lift.” Tyler smiled and took a sip of his drink. “I wasn’t ready to leave yet.”

 

“Me neither.” Jack had bought another Coke, and he ran his finger down through the condensation on the outside of the glass. “I have to admit I was a bit—a lot sceptical about whether or not this was a good idea.”

 

Tyler glanced up and met his gaze. “Meeting me?”

 

Jack’s smile was wry. “I was talking about the whole blind date thing, but yeah… I guess it was meeting you in general.” He cringed as he said it, perhaps not the best thing to say to someone whom you were hoping to go out with again. And despite Jack’s misgivings and preconceptions, he liked Tyler.

 

Tyler cocked his head to one side and frowned, as though he wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

 

Jack had probably offended him, because no one liked to hear that sort of thing. But then, he’d offered to drive Tyler home so they could spend more time together—alone—so Tyler must realise Jack wanted to get to know him better. Or maybe not. If Jack had learned one thing from his breakup with Simon, it was that communication was key. Never assume someone knew what you meant or what you were thinking.

 

“I know that sounds bad, and it’s nothing personal. Christ, I’m pulling out all the clichés tonight, but it really was a case of it being me and not you.” Jack laughed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Shit. Just when it was going so well. I’ve managed to fuck it up, haven’t I?”

 

Author Bio

 

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats.

 

An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

Author Links

A BJ Audiobook Review: Where Nerves End (Tucker Springs #1) by L.A. Witt ~ Narrated by Iggy Toma

 

Rating:     3.5 out of 5 stars

Where Nerves End audiobookJason Davis can handle a breakup. And an overwhelming mortgage. And a struggling business. And the excruciating pain that keeps him up at night thanks to a shoulder injury. But all of it at once? Not so much. When his shoulder finally pushes him to a breaking point, Jason takes a friend’s advice and gives acupuncture a try.

Acupuncturist Michael Whitman is a single dad struggling to make ends meet. When a mutual friend refers Jason as a patient, and Jason suggests a roommate arrangement to alleviate their respective financial strains, Michael jumps at the opportunity.

But Jason soon finds himself regretting it—he’s too damn attracted to Michael, and living with him is harder than he thought it’d be. In fact, the temptation to act on his feelings would almost be too much if not for the fact that Michael is straight. Or at least, that’s what their mutual friend claims.

This book began well for me. I liked Jason, felt for him and what he was going through, and was very eager to see him find the help he needed to get his life on track. When he met Michael and not only was he able to help him with his pain, but with his financial problems, that was working for me. I enjoyed Michael and his son for the healthy lifestyle and his caring. I felt the chemistry of Jason’s immediate attraction and his frustration at Michael being straight.  I also enjoyed all the stuff on the eastern medicine, acupuncture, cupping, etc. Very interesting.

Midway through I begin to not enjoy it quite as much. First the characters have a talk and Michael has the perfect opportunity to say something to Jason that he chooses not to reveal. The next thing we know, the whole story changed for me. I’m not a fan of misunderstandings, miscommunications, and of MC having sex with other people in my books. In this book, we get all three, I’m sad to say. And nope, I didn’t enjoy that part at all. Why did that have to happen? It left me pouting. Later, after he pursues Jason and they have an interlude, Michael does explain his reasoning, and it actually made sense a bit until the next thing he turns around and does is deny the whole thing and suddenly it makes no sense at all. Michael’s complete denial to everyone, even though he admitted he’d knew for years and years and even thought he’d grown up with a close gay friend who he never confided in bugged me as well.

So while I enjoyed how the story ultimately ended, the storyline itself lost its glow for me after that. However, Iggy Toma is a wonderful narrator and did a great job of keeping me engaged. He brought the characters to life and gave them dimension. I enjoyed the distinct voices he used, and the emotion he put into each scene. I’d give the narrator 4 stars and the story 3 stars for an average of 3.5.

The cover  by L.C. Chase ties in with the rest of the series and does an adequate job of representing the guys and the town although I didn’t find it sexy or particularly appealing.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTunes


Book Details:

Audible Audio, 7 pages, 6 hrs 55 mins
Published December 20th 2015 by Riptide Publishing (first published June 3rd 2012)
ASINB019NHFKC8
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesTucker Springs #1 settingTucker Springs, Colorado (United States

A Stella Review: Under a Sky of Ash by Brandon Witt

RATING  5 out of 5 stars

Under A Sky Of AshMore than a decade after leaving Colorado to attend college and escape his past, Isaiah Greene moves back and builds a life in Denver as a special education teacher. When he meets Ben Woods, the mentor of one of his students, the attraction is immediate. The revelations that they’ve both suffered traumatic childhoods form a bond between them.

Raised by an abusive grandmother, Ben is a recovering addict who has made a family with his construction worker boss, Hershel, and Hershel’s husband, Daniel—drag queen ManDonna. Adding Isaiah to his life gives Ben a glimpse of a future he’d never dreamed possible for himself.

Both Isaiah and Ben are survivors, but when guilt drives a wedge between them, the past threatens to end their relationship.

Ben and Isaiah embark on journeys of self-discovery. Though their path will be difficult at times, humor and love find a way to bring light to the darkness.

Under a Sky of Ash was my first book by Brandon Witt, although I already knew him and heard good things about him, I hadn’t had the pleasure of reading one of his stories. Yes, this novel was a huge pleasure to read. Since the first chapters, I understood the talent of the author’s style.

The story touched my heart deeply, of course the prologue broke my heart, I met Isaiah, only twelve years old, having his first kiss with the sweet RJ, both so young and enthusiastic of the life, until RJ’s dad almost killed them. And then my heart broke again each time Isaiah and RJ met later in the years. Each time Isaiah couldn’t forgive himself and forget that night. Each time I saw Aaron and that time when he finally found a family. The book was a continuos of “times” to me, some made my soul cry, others lift it.

This is not an easy read, it is pretty heavy, a punch in the gut, the characters very complex, but Under a Sky of Ash was so worth all of my tears, it packs so many feelings hard to ignore. And all of them delivered. Probably this was what I most appreciated, the author’s ability to deliver everything he wrote, making me part of the characters’ lives and their emotions. He delivered their strength and courage and I felt the comfort when  they finally found a little happiness.

If you’re looking for a light story to escape your reality, look away, but if you’re a fan of angst, this novel is a winner, you can’t miss it. I’ve discovered a new author and I’m soon going to read more of his works.

The cover art by Anne Cain is good but I would have preferred something different, it didn’t convince me.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 270 pages
Published March 21st 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781634770484
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Paul B Review: Wooing the Lighthouse Keeper (Tales of the Briny Nyx) by Charlie Richards

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Wooing the LIghthouse KeeperCharlie Richards has begun a new paranormal series.  This time, her focus is on briny nix, or mermen.  The first book is Wooing the Lighthouse Keeper.

Wayne Thorpe has enjoyed being a high school teacher.  He is shocked when he is accused of inappropriate behavior with an ex-lover.  While the allegations are being looked into by the school board, Wayne decides to get away from the controversy.  He decides to fill in for a friend’s father who happens to be a lighthouse keeper, who is attending his daughter’s wedding.   

Zarek Rudiman is about to celebrate his birthday.  With this birthday, he can petition the nix court to change how relations with the human world are dealt with.  However, someone does not want this to happen.  The royal guard has come to arrest Zarek for treason to the crown, even though he is a distant relative of the king.  With the help of his valet, Zarek narrowly avoids arrest at the house but he is followed by the guards.  Through the help of a friend in the guard, Zarek escapes through a cave.  As he escapes though, one of the guards strikes his tail with a trident, severely injuring him.  As he swims out the other side, he must avoid the sharks that will sense blood in the water.  Exhausted, Zarek finally washes ashore beneath a steep cliff.

Wayne and a friend have just finished dinner one night when they notice a naked man below on the beach, obviously injured.  Wayne feels an instant attraction to this man, who is bleeding from both legs.  When the man wakes up, Zarek recognizes that Wayne is his Adelfi Psychi, his soul mate.  However, Wayne is not buying his story of how he landed up naked on the beach.  Zarek must convince Wayne that not only is he not in danger but also not to call the police.  Zarek is worried about undercover nixes who serve as spies in the human world, reporting to the court on the current condition of the human world.  Will Zarek be able to convince Wayne that mermen exist and that he is Zarek’s mate?

I feel that this new series is off to a good start.  Unlike the author’s other paranormal series, which featured scientists as the primary antagonist, this series starts off with internal turmoil within the briny nix.  It will be interesting to see how Zarek is able to return to the world of the nix.  Meanwhile, he bides his time with Wayne on shore.  Tran and Easton’s unintended initiation to the world of the nix set up future mating for this series.  This sets up what looks like another enjoyable series from Ms. Richards.

The cover art by Angela Waters shows a shirtless Zarek coming out of the surf with a lighthouse in the background.  It is a perfect cover for this book.

Sales Links:  eXtasy Books | Amazon

Book Details

EBook, 76 pages

Edition Language:  English

Published:  May 15, 2016 by eXtasy Books

ISBN:  978-1-4874-0709-4

Series:  Tales of the Briny Nix

Wooing the Lighthouse Keeper (Tales of the Briny Nix #1)

An Ali Review: Hat Trick by Meg Harding

 Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Hat TrickNathan Barres has always loved hockey before anything else. When a one night stand with Felix Moore gives him emotions, he flees the scene. He’s not expecting to see Felix ever again. So when an injury knocks him out of the game for several weeks, he’s less than pleased to see the Winnipeg Wolves newest trainer is none other than Felix.

Almost two years later, and the feelings are still there. Nathan does his best to shove them to the back burner and ignore the temptation Felix presents. That is, until Felix makes him an offer that’s just a little too tempting–with amazing results. He’s a hockey player after all, and they’re nothing if not superstitious. If Felix is his good luck charm, who is he to resist?

I am a gigantic hockey fan and therefore a fan of hockey stories.  I had high hopes for this as I had read this author before and enjoyed her work.  Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me.  The main characters were very immature and I had a hard time reconciling that with their jobs and responsibilities.  It didn’t seem realistic to me.  My main issue was that the entire plot is based on super bad communication.  It was to an extreme level and was ridiculous in my opinion.  As previously stated they had important jobs.  Nathan was the captain of the hockey team and would have to be able to communicate well, as his role is to talk to the referees and advocate for his team as well as to provide motivation and guidance of the other players.  Felix was a team trainer and would have to be able to communicate with the players as well as the coaches and owners of the team.  So how they couldn’t have simple conversations was beyond me.  There were a whole bunch of small things that bothered me also and some were petty, but once everything added up it still led to an overall lack of enjoyment of the book.
Cover by Ginny Glass. I do not care for the cover of this.  The overall design and the guy on the right side were fine but the guy on the left looks like a professional wrestler, not a team medical staff member.
Sales Links: Loose id LLC | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 133 pages
Published May 10th 2016 by Loose Id (first published May 9th 2016)
ISBN139781682521250
Edition LanguageEnglish

Release Blitz – Return To Zero (Shatterproof Bond #2) – Isobel Starling (excerpt and giveaway)

Release Blitz – Return To Zero (Shatterproof Bond #2) – Isobel Starling

 
Author: Isobel Starling
 
Release Date: June 6 2016
 
Price: £4.99/$4.99
 
Buy Links:
 
 
Length: 71,000 words
 
Previous Books In Series: 
 
Blurb:
 
Pulled into a world of secrets and lies for the man he loves, Declan Ramsay’s life has changed immeasurably in the eight months since meeting, and falling for his boss’s son, Sam Aiken.  Declan journey of personal discovery is about to take a darker turn, and for Sam, the world becomes more treacherous than he could ever have imagined.
 
Two agents are missing — presumed dead, while on a reconnaissance mission at an outdoor adventure centre in the Scottish Highlands.  Sir James Aiken sends his son and Declan to follow the trail, and discover the fate of the agents.
As the mission offers his first chance to use the skills he learned on the MI6 training course in Morocco, Declan is keen to get started. However, Sir James sees to it that the seeds of doubt and discord have been sewn between the couple, as they begin their mission.
 
The journey to their Highland location, and the discoveries they make when they reach the G’wan Adventures centre, prove that Sir James Aiken has been less than honest with his son.  Events in the Highlands force Sam and Declan to face their greatest fears, and understand what they both really want from life — and from each other.
 
Author Bio:
 
Inspiration strikes at the strangest of times. 
Born in Germany, Isobel Starling spent most of her twenty-year professional career making art.  She relocated to the UK and, faced with the dreaded artist’s creative block, Isobel started to write and found she loved it more than making art. 
 
Isobel’s first novel “Schonling” was a best seller in the GLBT-Bisexual genre on the ‘All Romance ebooks’ site.  She mainly writes M/M Romantic comedy thrillers and has just completed her sixth book.  Isobel has also signed French translation rights for novella “As You Wish”. 
 
Isobel adores the M/M genre and enjoys writing about wounded souls and the complexities of personal relationships.  Despite not having found proof yet, Isobel believes in love at first sight and endeavors to give her men a thrilling journey and a satisfying ending!
Social Media links

http://isobelstarling.wix.com/books
https://www.facebook.com/isobelstarling
https://twitter.com/isobel_starling
https://isobelstarling.wordpress.com

Excerpt from “Return to Zero” (Shatterproof Bond #2) By Isobel Starling


“Hullo,”


“Parcel for Samuel Aiken” The gruff male voice said. Declan peered at the CCTV image on the wall tablet screen of a courier wearing a Swift Co tabard.


“Hang on a minute” Declan replied “You expectin’ anythin Sam?” He hollered. He would not be fooled a second time. Sam sauntered out of the bedroom, bare
chested, with dark grey jersey pyjama trousers hugging his prominent hip bones.


“Let him in,” He directed, so Declan did as he was told and pressed the button to unlock the downstairs door. Sam and Declan stood either side of the closed front door, both on edge, expecting… something. Had James sent them a message at last?


They both startled and sniggered at each other, at hearing the hard thump on the front door. Sam took a quick look through the peep hole to see the courier — a grey haired, slightly obese Asian man in his early fifties, with Fred Flintstone stubble on his chubby face. He held a package the size of a shoe box, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string, in an old fashioned way. Sam opened the door, and was immediately knocked back by the scent of sweat and cigarettes. The man smelled like he had bathed in kebabs. If this was an attempted assassination, the courier’s armpits would surely do the job. The man shoved a clipboard in Sam’s direction. He browsed the delivery note attached. The ‘sender’ address box was empty.


“Where d’ya pick this up from mate? I weren’t expectin’ nuffink,” Sam said in a rangy East London accent.


“I picks up from the depot, and delivers. Don’t know nuffin’ abaht where vu packages comes from, not my business,”


“Well, it had better not be tickin’” Sam joked, his expression gormless. The courier snickered and put the box to his ear.


“Nah, prob’ly a pair of shoes, or somefink — nice surprise from your lady love?”


“Yeah, prob’ly,” Sam mimicked. He signed an illegible squiggle, took the box, and was immediately surprised by its lightness. “Cheers mate, have a good one,” he said, giving the clipboard back, and then closing the door.


Declan observed the wall mounted tablet screen as the courier left, and the main entrance door sealed behind him. He then opened the apartment front door and checked the hallway and staircase. Nothing had been left behind. Declan felt a little melodramatic and over cautious with his behaviour, but he had a strange gut feeling that something was afoot, something that would bring more sweeping changes to his life. He couldn’t put his finger on it. Declan had felt this tinge of something ever since coming back from Morocco, like he was still in a holding pattern, waiting for permission to land. Sam didn’t seem to be unduly concerned about James lack of contact, but the past few months had seen a huge shift in the way Declan lived his life, and his self-esteem. Long hidden memories had been uncovered by the ‘interview’, and the flashes of remembrance that Declan couldn’t dare talk about, made him feel unnerved and uncomfortable.


Sam sauntered into the kitchen and retrieved a pair of scissors from a drawer filled with miscellaneous kitchen implements. He put the box on the kitchen island worktop and cut the string. There was one branded Swift Co courier label on the front of the box, and no return address. Sam made an incision at the side of the brown wrapping paper, and then cut along one side, so as to keep the adhesive tape and any fingerprints or DNA that may have gotten stuck to it, intact. He slid out a cream coloured shoe-sized box. Sam looked curiously up at Declan, who stood silently beside with his arms folded.


“Would you like to do the honours?” Sam asked witheringly. Declan held his palms up in surrender,


“Nah, yer grand. I think The Amazing Sam’s got this one” he snickered.


The box displayed no visible wires, there was no ticking sound, and the box was feather-light. Sam thought that he would feel completely foolish about the cautious way he approached opening a package if it were empty, but he’d been trained to be cautious. He returned to the drawer filled with kitchen implements, and retrieved a pair of plastic barbeque tongs.


“You know I love you, right?” Sam said dramatically, as if they were to be his last words.


Declan shook his head at the ridiculousness of the charade and pursed his lips.


“On three. Ready?” Declan nodded,


“One…” Sam flicked the lid up and Declan reflexively stepped back covering his head with his arms.


“Ye said on three,” Declan whined, feeling like an idiot. Sam snickered with relief at the lack of fireworks. He used the tongs to remove a sheet of white tissue paper that covered the contents. When Sam saw what the box contained, he gasped and stepped back.


“What?” Declan said in alarm, seeing Sam’s complexion turn ghostly pale.


“Nothing” Sam flattened his expression and then reached to replace the lid. Declan stilled his hand, and took a look. The box held a noose made from red paracord rope. Just like the rope that had been secreted into his pocket at the Coburg Bar, nearly three months earlier.


“I’m going out. I’ve got to get this to the lab” Sam said coldly, his stare detached and light-years away.


Declan was suddenly overcome by a wave of frustration. “What the hell’s this about Sam? Jesus, I don’t even know where the fucking lab is!” he roared furiously.


Sam was shocked by the anger in Declan’s tone. He felt a prickle of guilt for behaving all ‘cloak and dagger’ with his partner — the one person he was supposed to trust. Declan had every right to know about the A.L.L lab and warehouse.


“Get dressed,” Sam directed, and then he turned and left the kitchen.
 

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

A MelanieM Review: Safe in His Heart (Safe #2) by Renae Kaye

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Safe In His HeartAndrew and Paul learned about God and Jesus in different churches and realize their views of spirituality are worlds apart.

Andrew was raised Catholic and was told his homosexuality was a sin. For his entire life, he hid the truth. He married and had children to present a façade to the world—that of a straight man. It’s not until he has an affair with Paul, who shows him a different side of Jesus, that Andrew realizes he can be gay and still believe in God. Paul’s Jesus is one of acceptance and love, and in Paul’s church, being gay is not a problem.

For Paul and Andrew, falling in love is the easy part of their journey. They must make it through the fires of cheating, being discovered, Andrew’s wife leaving, the necessities of childcare and family life, the demands of their jobs, and working on their commitment to each other. Only then can they be safe in each other’s heart.

As I suspect for many, I was anticipating a different sort of followup story for one of my favorite Renae Kaye novels, Safe in His Arms (Safe, #1).  I knew that  Paul, best friend of Lon Taylor, had a love life to sort out and this would be that story.  The question?  Which way would Renae Kaye go in choices for Paul?  Well, she made the most difficult choice she could make, for Paul, her readers, and herself.  And the end result is a story that is at times makes it hard to connect with one or more of the main characters and their relationship, makes you think about religion, the foundation of marriage, cheating, trust, and so much more right up until the end.   I loved it.

That’s right.  I loved this story.  But its a hard won sort of love.  Not the easily, fell in love at first sight that I do with most of Renae Kaye’s stories.  This one made me work hard for it.

It starts right at the beginning with Andrew.  Closeted, married Andrew.  For many readers, that is a huge “no” right there.  But in real life?  Its a fact, as is much of the rest of the story.  Conservative, religious background.  Homosexuality made to be a sin that will land you in hell via church teachings enforced by a rigid family.  Not uncommon.  So for Kaye to bring Andrew to life with all his faults so vividly splayed out before us, messy, sort of cowardly but human…its understandable.  As the story wears on, he becomes someone we connect with as well.  We watch him fail, be miserable, and go forward.  Yep, human.  And his  relationship with his wife?  Equally complicated, full of layers too.

Paul too, (loved Paul in the first story) is not without his own issues as he recognizes.  But he also knows what and who he wants.  Its Andrew.  The author has the tricky problem of having Paul deal with not one issue but many….a closeted Andrew, a married, cheating Andrew, religious guilt, his own resolutions to live openly…that’s a lot of obstacles to tackle at one time for love.  And a novel.  But Paul  slowly works through them…with help, with no help…but we the readers are there with him each step of the way.

The story is told from two points of view and its necessary to bring every aspect of their lives into focus and examine its impact on themselves and their relationship such as it is.  This will include Andrew’s household, something which could have become problematic when the children and wife become involved.  Yet I think they added not only believability but balance.  You see why Andrew stayed married and why he married in the first place.  It works.

Will this story make readers happy?  I don’t know.  It depends on how you like your romance.  If you want your romance stories without cheating, without real life struggles and mess, self-inflicted wounds, then perhaps this isn’t the story for you. But if you like stories that challenge you to think about how hard it sometimes it to reach for love, to grab for happiness, and surmount some very real emotional obstacles, pick up Safe in His Heart (Safe #2) by Renae Kaye.  The writing is wonderful, the story difficult yet moving.  I recommend it as I do all Renae Kaye stories.

Cover Artist: Anna Sikorska has a nice cover but its sort of generic.  I know its supposed to be Paul but eh.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book  Details:

ebook, 270 pages
Published May 2nd 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 163477227X (ISBN13: 9781634772273)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series Safe with links to my reviews:

Safe In His Arms
Safe In His Heart

A Lila Review: Chevalier (Romanus #2) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

ChevalierFireman Mason James thought finding out he is a Romanus—a rare class of gargoyle—would be the surprise of a lifetime, but he’s proven wrong when he discovers he is the son of a comte and goji nobility. But his newly discovered family doesn’t think his gargoyle lover, Luc, is good enough for a goji of Mason’s stature—how could a warrior ever be? But despite the Moreaus’ uncertainty and elitism, they are Mason’s only chance to unravel the mystery behind his mother’s death, find a solution for the class divide that might separate him from Luc, and discover what it truly means to be a Romanus.

 

Chevalier is an interesting addition to this series. It answers most of the questions left lingering at the end of Romanus. It can be read as a stand-alone if you like stories with established couples. There’s enough information and world-build involved to get right into the story. Perhaps, they should have been combined into one book instead of two separate stories.

Luc still my favorite character. He’s always there for Mason. Their connection deepened during this story, and I loved the easy banter between them and Luc’s playfulness. He also provides physical comfort to Mason with his presence and soft caresses. And there’s a new development about Luc’s position in the chasse.

Mason still has to deal with the repercussions from learning he’s a Romanus and where did he come from. We get to find out more about the meaning and the powers behind his new designation. Plus, he learns the reasons behind his family past; which takes them to France.

In this story with see more of romance, a relationship, between the MCs. Yes, they still have time for some smexy bits during the changes in their lives, but it’s more part of who they are as a couple, instead of an instinct.

There are a lot more characters in this book, but they’re easier to remember. Not all of them are relevant to the story, at the moment, but are worth mentioning even if in passing. I’d like to learn more about Gabriel’s story and Finn’s & Raoul’s.

As always, the author delivers a fantasy story with a world to be explored and characters interesting enough to want to read more about them. On the flip side, the info dump can be overwhelming and the world too much at times for such a simple story.

Another beautiful cover by Reese Dante showing one of the settings in the story. The font, the only thing bringing the two books in the series together.

I think the paperback edition combines the two covers perfectly.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | ARe

Book Details: 

ebook, 118 pages
Published: May 27, 2016, by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781634772457
Edition Language: English

Series: Romanus
Book #1: Romanus
Book #2: Chevalier