A MelanieM Review: Champagne Kisses by Lynda Aicher

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The Christmas Eve wedding Evan Cleary pulled together in four weeks is crashing down around him and taking his fledgling event planning business with it. With an empty altar and over a hundred guests arriving soon, he turns to the resistant, gorgeous brother of the runaway groom for help.

When Richard Patterson’s flamboyant brother storms out hours before he’s scheduled to marry his equally dramatic partner, Richard is left dealing with the fallout. The last thing he wants is more drama, yet he can’t deny his attraction to the effeminate event planner trying to salvage the wedding.

Evan thinks his crush on Richard is a lost cause, but one steaming kiss later, he learns different. What starts as a night of hot sex turns into a connection neither expected. But Evan knows their relationship is hopeless unless the ultra-conservative Richard can embrace every part of him—both in private and in public.

Short, sweet and sexy, this Christmas novella is the very definition of opposites attract. Lynda Aicher starts off on one side of the spectrum with Evan Cleary. Flamboyant, some would say delicate to the point of being effeminate, Evan has worked hard on this Christmas Eve wedding which was to launch his event planning business…even though it had disaster written all over it, starting with the couple in question.

His opposite is Richard Patterson, masculine, solid, gorgeous, someone who has never been attracted before to someone of Evan’s “type”, until now, an attitude that doesn’t sit especially well with Evan. It’s a night of emotional meltdowns, harsh attitudes, and revelations set amidst a wedding that anyone would call the wedding of your dreams. Aicher has described it in detail and I’m sure more than one reader sighed in response.

I liked the clash of personalities which included that of Richard’s brother and Evan, which had a friendship here too. There is a bit of hot domination play here and enough drama to satisfy those who need it in their relationship stories. All in all a satisfying sexy romp.

My only issues? Some very iffy word choices, a very big no if you are at all familiar with my reviews. Two words that should never appear with regard to the male anatomy…canal and channel. And they both appear here. I just start waiting for the tugboats to appear. Or river barges or things of that nature. It almost got this story knocked down to a 3 star but no, the rest of it was charming. When they appear, close your eyes and move swiftly past. Other than that, this story is a keeper.

Cover art by L.C. Chase is nice but doesn’t have enough details to make it stand out from any other cover.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 83 pages
Published December 14th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
Original TitleChampagne Kisses
ISBN139781626493759
Edition LanguageEnglish
URL

A Stella Review: The Last Favor by Meg Harding

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Three years ago Andrew Wilson and Flynn Barnett were in a relationship, until Flynn made a mistake that nearly cost Andrew his life. Andrew walked away from the FBI, his home, and his partner, and started over back in Montreal, running a restaurant.

Fast forward to the present and Andrew is knee-deep in preparations for his sister’s wedding. When an ex-colleague calls to ask for one last favor, the last person he expects to walk through his door is Flynn, in need of a place to stay. Only thing is, Andrew can’t say no.

Two weeks of wedding hijinks bring back all the old feelings that have simmered below the surface. Caught in a cycle of fighting and making up, the two men try to figure out if there’s anything they can salvage. And even if there is, Andrew can’t be sure this time will be any different.

The Last Favor was my first book by Meg Harding and overall it was good reading. Being a fan of second chance at love stories, I couldn’t miss this novella, plus I’m always looking for new to me authors.

The blurb tells you pretty much everything you need to know so I’m not going to linger on the plot more.

First of all what I liked: the secondary characters were the winners for me, I like big families like the one of Andrew’s, and in the chaos the preparations for his sister’s wedding, they were crazy, frenetic and a little protective and meddlers, just how I like families to be.

I liked how the author laid out the starting part, showing me how Andrew and Flynn met, how they were close in their relationship, and how this ended and why. It gave me all the facts soon, allowing me to make up my own mind on the characters. At the same time I saw their mistakes and their stupidity. Let’s be honest, Andrew is forty but a little childish, he should have approached the situation that led them to the end of their relationship (but not of their love) in a different way and not leave Flynn with nothing said.

What I didn’t like: first of all the verbal form, I often had issues with the use of the present, in this case especially it put a stop to my reading, a slowness that left me not so convinced of the whole story. At times I was a little bored too. Moreover IMO this novella needed to be more engaging, I wanted more of them together and alone. I wanted more explanations between them because at the end they overcame three years apart without even a deep chat. It basically misses a good tempo.

Still, I found The Last Favor a good story and I’ll surely read more of this author works. Something in the style caught my attention.

The cover art by Bree Archer is well done and so bright it showed me hope.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 124 pages
Published April 6th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1634772490 (ISBN13: 9781634772495)
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Big Love by Rick R. Reed

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

When Dane Bernard, a teacher at Summitville High School, gets a call from the police telling him that his wife has been killed in an accident, he’s devastated. He and Katy were married for twenty years, and were, in fact, high school sweethearts. Breaking the news to his children was difficult but not as difficult as what he decides to tell them after he’s had some time to come to terms with his wife’s death—he’s gay. And he chooses to tell them now because he’s going to go forward as a gay man out of the closet.

He has no idea how to be with a man, and when new teacher Seth Wolcott arrives at the school several months later, he finds himself attracted in a way he’s never before experienced. But before they even have a chance to get to know one another, and before Seth finds out Dane is gay, one of Dane’s students, a gay teen who has been the victim of school bullies one too many times, is spotted on the ledge at the top of the roof of the school and Dane is the only one outside who might possibly help him. He gets an unexpected assist from Seth and together they manage to get the boy down, but not before Dane shares that he’s gay—and he does it in front of the whole school.

Truman Reid is an effeminate gay teen. He has a wonderful sense of fashion and can put together innumerable outfits from thrift shop finds, but not a day goes by that the jocks and others in the school don’t bully him, laugh at him, trip him, and often beat him up. When he arrived at school that morning and discovered the main bulletin board covered in photos of him in drag, it was his last straw. People might say it gets better, but Truman didn’t think he could wait for that to happen, so he headed for the roof.

Dane and Seth volunteer to spend extra time with Truman to help his mother out. Dirt poor, she doesn’t have enough money to pay for counseling for him, but with the guys offering to act as big brothers, it helps her breathe easier. And after Truman turns the corner, he decides that no amount of hiding or wearing other clothes or acting butch is going to help him, so he takes the opposite stance and flaunts his flamboyance by wearing makeup, T-shirts with hand-printed slogans, and bright, colorful outfits he puts together from thrift shop finds. Though they initially worry about him, Seth and Dane back off when they see he’s doing well and they focus on enjoying their own budding relationship.

This is a sweet story, with the lives of the three men entwined, and lessons to be learned by all. No one—man or boy—is the teacher. Each contributes to the other so that they all take away positive life lessons. There’s no explicit sex, though there is mention of it, and no on-page sex for the underage character. It’s just a romantic story, a coming of age story for both Truman and Dane, though at least twenty-five years separate their age. And the romantic ending provides a happy situation for each of the three characters.

I’d recommend this to those who enjoy tags like coming out, older men, teens, men with children, and those who simply like a romantic story about real people because each of the situations in this story could have really happened to someone we know.

~~~~~

Cover Art by Reese Dante beautifully depicts the two adult MCs as we would imagine them to be.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages

Published April 4th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press

ISBN 1634769775 (ISBN13: 9781634769778)

Edition Language English

Early Morning Coffee Sip and Book Break: A.M. Leibowitz ‘What Once Was Lost’ (excerpt and giveaway)

What Once Was Lost by A.M. Leibowitz
Release Date: March 11, 2016

Goodreads
Publisher: MLR Press
Cover Artist: Jared Rackler

Blurb

Following a volatile break-up with his partner, Casey has been raising his son, Ryan, mostly on his own. While Ryan is on a camping trip in the Adirondacks, Casey and Brook make another attempt to work through their differences, with disastrous results. But when Ryan and his friend disappear in the mountains, Casey and Brook travel together to find him. The tension leads to an opportunity to listen to each other, reconcile their history, and recover the love they once shared.

Pages or Words: 21,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance

Excerpt

It couldn’t be real. It was a vision or a nightmare or maybe stress-related, but that could not possibly be his former lover standing on the porch with his hand raised to press the bell again. That was not the man who continued to haunt both his dreams and his nightmares. He shuddered; the previous night’s mental sleep wanderings had been a horrifying mix of erotic and sorrowful, and he wasn’t in a hurry to relive them in the flesh. In confusion, Casey slammed the door shut.

“Open the damn door, Case,” the man on the other side said.

Casey growled and opened it again. “What the hell are you doing here, Brook?”

“I came to get my kid for the weekend because you failed to drop him off.”

“We talked about this weeks ago.” Casey glared at Brook. “Ryan’s going camping with Annie, Chuck, and their kids. You knew about this.”

“Maybe I decided the answer is no.” Brook crossed his arms. “You never gave me the choice–you just told me what was going on, same as always. I’d like a say in what happens this time.”

“Not gonna happen. Also, you have no business showing up at my door. We agreed to a neutral location for a reason.”

“Oh, right, because we couldn’t stop pissing each other off every time we were together. I’m glad to see you’ve gained some maturity since then,” Brook shot back.

No, you ass, Casey thought. It’s because if I let you in my house, and you begged to stay, I’d have taken you back and gotten my heart crushed again. “Go home,” he said. He made to close the door again.

Brook blocked it with his foot. “He’s my kid too. I should’ve had a say in it. This is my weekend.”

“First of all, he’s not yours in any legal sense. Second, you lost the right to have a say the minute you fucked someone else in our bed.”

Brook’s mouth dropped open, and his eyes flicked to the stairs behind Casey. When Casey turned his head to follow Brook’s gaze, he sighed. Ryan was standing in the middle of the staircase, staring at them. His mouth was set in a thin line, and he had a deep scowl.

“Ry, I’m sorry,” Casey said. “You don’t need—”

“I don’t need what?” Ryan asked, crossing his arms. “The truth? Is that why Pop left?”

Both men were silent, but from the look on Ryan’s face, neither of them had to say anything else. Ryan scoffed and turned around to thunder back up the stairs.

“Charming as always, I see,” Brook said.

“Fuck off. I didn’t invite you here today. You showed up unannounced right before Ry’s weekend trip. But hey, I guess you don’t care whether you ruin it for him. Kind of like everything else.”

“God, I forgot what a whiny ass you are,” Brook said, sneering.

Casey wanted to punch him, but that wouldn’t do anything to improve things with Ryan. “Look, this isn’t the time. You want to have some drawn-out argument where we both accuse each other of random shit from the whole span of our relationship? Great. I’ll pencil you in for noon tomorrow, when my son is happily off in the woods with his best friend’s family. Until then, get the hell off my porch.”

Buy the book

MLR Press | Amazon | ARe | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

Meet the author:

A.M. Leibowitz is a queer spouse, parent, feminist, and book-lover falling somewhere on the Geek-Nerd Spectrum. Ze keeps warm through the long, cold western New York winters by writing about life, relationships, hope, and happy-for-now endings. In between noveling and editing, ze blogs coffee-fueled, quirky commentary on faith, culture, writing, books, and hir family.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amymitchell29
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/UnchainedFaith
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyunchained (@amyunchained)
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amyunchained/
Web site: http://amleibowitz.com
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00OIC158W (A. M. Leibowitz)
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AMLeibowitz

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, My Fiction Nook, Oh My Shelves, BFD Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie,

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Jena Wade, Kirsty Loves Books, Alpha Book Club, Unquietly Me,

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, MM Good Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, Mikky’s World of Books,

Nautical Star Books, Making It Happen, Full Moon Dreaming, Molly Lolly, Three Books Over The Rainbow,

Velvet Panic, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Outrageous Heroes, Louise Lyons, Dawn’s Reading Nook

Giveaway

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A Lila Review: House Hunt (The Power of Zero #3) by Jackie Keswick

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Jack Horwood hates owing favors. But when a simple day out to treat Gareth to the best oysters in England leads to a discovery of drugs and counterfeit money—things that neither Jack nor Gareth have the jurisdiction to handle—he has to call in help. Help that doesn’t come cheap, and that forces him to do something he promised himself he’d never do again—walk away from Gareth and the family he’s starting to make for himself.

Three months undercover is a long time. After missing Gareth’s birthday, Jack is determined not to miss their first anniversary. But coming home and being home are two very different things. So when he is asked to assist with a corporate espionage investigation, Jack can’t say no, despite knowing it will impact his already straining relationship.

Except, of course, he’s walking into a trap….

House Hunt is a less elaborate version of the first book in the series. Instead of overlapping events, we get to see them happening one after the other; affecting, not only their outcomes but Jack’s and Gareth’s relationship and newly formed family.

In my opinion, this streamlined version of events took away from the complexity of Jack’s life and mind. Perhaps, now that he has Gareth in his life, things are not as chaotic as in the beginning, but I missed the intensity of following unrelated plots, all at ones. There’s no lack of action, just a simple structure that wasn’t present in Job Hunt.

There’s a separation between the drugs and counterfeit undercover work, the MC’s life together, and the corporate espionage investigation. This is not bad, it just slows the middle part of the story and makes the ending feel rush. Not enough time to enjoy the resolution. And my biggest pet-peeve were the fade-to-black scenes, not only the sex scenes but the majority of the transitions.

As before, the author did an excellent job getting the reader into the story, the MCs’ mood, and the British landscape. Food plays another important role from the opening scene to the very end. It not only shows how much Gareth care, but how aware Jack is of Gareth’s attentions and his need to take care of others.

The characters didn’t live in a bubble even when most of them worked at Nancarrow Mining. They had relationships and a role to play in order to advance the overall plot. But we do get the sense of home when Jack and Gareth were at Richmond, Gareth’s house. It was their space to be a couple, to learn how to be together when the stress of their real life tried to blindside them.

Jack’s and Gareth’s relationship moves forward in this installment, and we get to see a side of them we had hope for before. There’s more background about their time together in the Army, and what Gareth does for Aidan. Plus, more Nico and Daniel and a house hunt for their family to be together.

Overall, another good addition to The Power of Zero series. I’d definitely look forward to more about Jack, Garreth, and their band of misfits.

This is the third cover by Maria Fanning and the concept still very similar— showing a main event in the story. Personally, it feels more like a café than a house, but the whole idea works well.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 300 pages
Published: March 30, 2016, by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781634771382
Edition Language: English

Series: The Power of Zero
Book #1: Job Hunt
Book #2: Ghosts
Book #3: House Hunt

Chris Scully Talks “Open for You” and Her Latest Story ‘Happy’ – guest blog, excerpt and giveaway

Happy by Chris Scully
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Bree Archer

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Chris Scully here today to talk about her latest novel, Happy. Welcome, Chris.

~~~~~~~~~

Hello! I’m Chris Scully. Welcome to the blog tour for my new novella, Happy, from Dreamspinner Press. Join me at various tour stops, where I’ll be sharing some guest posts, excerpts and more. Enter a Rafflecopter giveaway to win a gift certificate and ebook of your choice. Thanks for stopping by and joining me on the tour! And a very special thanks to my hosts today.

**SPOILER ALERT** I don’t consider any of the below to be true spoilers, but if you really don’t want any hints, stop reading now

Happy was written long before the current discussion around “Gay For You” and bi-erasure in gay and m/m romance. But in a way it’s very timely. Happy is definitely an “Open for you” story. It’s not something I consciously set out to write, although at the start Peter was bi-curious, but it just developed that way. Peter Georgiou is well aware of his attraction to both men and women, although he’s hesitant to openly accept it because of how that would be received by his traditional Greek Orthodox family. Part of that involves not using the label for himself. He’s not in denial about his sexuality, but there’s a whole side of himself he represses a bit rather than stir up the inevitable trouble at home. He’s got an ex-fiancée whom he genuinely cared for, and a new girlfriend that his mother set him up with. And frankly, he’s never met someone he’s prepared to out himself for. Enter Louie Papadakis, who has returned home after a long estrangement from his family. Peter admires Louie’s bravery, not only for coming out at a young age, at great personal cost, but also for being able to be his own person and escape the demands of his family. But Peter also sees how Louie is still treated by certain segments of their Greek neighbourhood, including Peter’s own ultra-traditional mother. With his best friends’ relationship as a guide, Peter is encouraged to follow his heart, and the more time he spends with Louie, the more Peter begins to understand that true happiness can only come from being his authentic self. The question is will his family be so accepting?

About Happy – Blurb

Growing up Greek-Canadian, Peter Georgiou always knew his duty was to his family, for whom twenty-first century rules don’t apply. In his early thirties, Peter still lives at home, dates who his parents tell him to, and works at the family restaurant. But watching his two best friends find happiness in each other’s arms has made him worry over his destiny.

When Louie Papadakis returns home to nurse his broken heart and start a new life, he can’t believe his sister is dating his high school crush, Peter. There’s a sadness behind Peter’s eyes that draws him in, and a chemistry he wishes he could ignore. After his closeted ex broke his heart, Louie is afraid to fall in love again, especially with a man who’s keeping secrets.

As Peter finds himself drawn to Louie in unexpected ways, old and new worlds collide. Then a family crisis forces Peter’s hand, and he must decide if he’s willing to sacrifice his happiness for family duty.

Excerpt

“Are you happy?”

It was a simple question. Should have been a simple answer. So why was it still rattling around in Peter’s head an hour after Adam had asked it? And why did his insides squirm uncomfortably every time he thought about it? Of course he was happy. Wasn’t he?

He rinsed his hands under the bathroom faucet and chanced a final glance in the mirror. The man staring back at him certainly didn’t look happy.

You’re a sad fucking case these days, Peter Georgiou, he thought tiredly, taking in the dark circles beneath his eyes and the retreating hairline that even the closest shave couldn’t disguise. His lungs grew tight, and he quickly averted his eyes before he looked too deeply and saw something he’d rather not see.

Peter cupped his hands beneath the water, letting it spill through his fingers before bending to splash his overheated face. He struggled to recall a time when he hadn’t felt this weight on his chest, but if it had ever existed, it must have been long ago. Before he knew what expectations were. What had happened to the boy who was going to get away and see the world? Be his own man?

He straightened and flicked his wet fingers at the mirror, shattering his reflection with droplets. With a sigh he reached for the nearby hand towel to dry it off. His image blurred for a second and then crystalized again as the water evaporated. He made a face and then looked away. Ugh. He shouldn’t have had that last beer. He was a gloomy drunk to begin with, but tonight he was more morose than usual.

When had it all started to go wrong? With his dad’s heart attack? When Elena ended their engagement? Or was it before that, even?

The sounds of laughter filtered up to the second floor through the floorboards of the old house. The party was winding down, but a few stragglers still hung on in the living room, having moved inside after darkness settled in and brought the mosquitos with it. Peter wondered if he could slip out without anyone noticing. Then he remembered he had no way to get home without Julian, unless he called a cab.

He was reaching for the door handle when voices drifted through the open window, too low to hear the words but loud enough for him to recognize the speakers. Curious, Peter crept to the window and squinted into the shadows. The bathroom overlooked the narrow backyard, and sound drifted easily. Through the fluttering streamers and paper bells stretching over the deck, two familiar figures moved about below, illuminated by the glow from the kitchen.

Adam hopped up to perch on the deck railing, facing the house as Joe filled a garbage bag with the litter from earlier in the evening. After a mumbled comment, Joe set down his bag and moved to stand between Adam’s splayed knees, his back turned toward Peter, his hands seeking out Adam’s hips. As Peter watched from his secret vantage point, Adam wrapped his arms around Joe’s neck and leaned down to kiss him.

It was slow and tender, and Peter’s stomach hollowed.

His best friends rarely displayed this side of their relationship in public. They’d always been affectionate with each other—Joe was a chronic hugger—even when they were only friends, so once they’d gone beyond that, not much had changed. Unless you happened to notice the way they looked at each other, or the way they finished each other’s sentences, or how one would know what the other wanted without him saying a word.

Peter did his best not to notice.

There was enough light from the house to see Joe’s hand slide up Adam’s pale thigh and under the leg of his shorts. Peter’s breath hitched. His groin filled with a slow heat.

About the Author

CHRIS SCULLY lives in Toronto, Canada. She grew up spinning romantic stories in her head and always dreamed of one day being a writer even though life had other plans. Her characters have accompanied her through career turns as a librarian and an IT professional, until finally, to escape the tedium of a corporate day job, she took a chance and began putting her daydreams down on paper.

Tired of the same old boy-meets-girl stories, she’s found a home in gay romance and strives to give her characters the happy endings they deserve. She divides her time between a mundane 9-5 cubicle job and a much more interesting fantasy life. When she’s not working or writing (which isn’t often these days) she loves puttering in the garden and traveling. She is an avid reader and tries to bring pieces of other genres and styles to her stories. While her head is crammed full of all the things she’d like to try writing, her focus is always on the characters first. She describes her characters as authentic, ordinary people—the kind of guy you might meet on the street, or the one who might be your best friend.

Although keeping up with social media is still a struggle given her schedule, she does love to hear from readers.

Connect with Chris:

Website: http://chrisscullyblog.wordpress.com
Facebook: facebook.com/chris.scully.author
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/6152322.Chr…
Email: cscully@bell.net

Buy Links

Available March 30, 2016

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | ARe

Giveaway

Link to Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ff396dca2/

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Blog Schedule:

Other blogs on the Happy tour:

March 24: MM Good Book Reviews
March 28: Open Skye Book Reviews
March 29: Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
March 30: Hearts on Fire
March 30: Divine Magazine
March 31: Love Bytes
March 31: The Novel Approach
April 1: Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

In the Fantasy Spotlight: Fragments of a Unicorn’s Soul by J.R. Loveless (excerpt and giveaway)

Fragments of a Unicorn’s Soul by J.R. Loveless
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kris Norris
Release Date: 4/6/16

Book/Buy Links

Goodreads | Torquere Books

Book Blurb

Content with his life, Elek Keros never questions the ways of the Unicorn. Until one night the sense of something coming awakens him from a deep sleep. He breaks Unicorn law by leaving the enchanted glade his kind lives in to search for what is calling to him. Each night he returns home without answers, but he cannot stop entering the forest day after day to find what he seeks.

The answer lies in a small child Elek rescues. Over the years, he watches over the boy, learns all that he can about the human and steadily falls in love with him. But how can the love he feels possibly breach the divide between their two worlds?

Heat Level: 3
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 12k words
Genre: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Urban Fantasy

Excerpt

Elek let out a pained whinny, tossing his head in denial of Jonathan’s words. The human male would not be coming back. It struck such pain through his heart that Elek did not understand how to cope with it. What could he say to make Jonathan remain by his side? Please don’t go.

Heart wrenching at the distress in Elekís voice, Jonathan stifled a small sound and rested his forehead against Elek’s neck. ‘I can’t stay, Elek. It’s not possible.’

Why? Elek demanded.

‘Because my feelings for you aren’t rational! You aren’t human, Elek, and, I can’t do this anymore. All I can think of is you, all I dream of is being here with you. It isn’t possible,’ Jonathan cried, squeezing his eyes shut. Today would be their last day together. He returned to school tomorrow.

Desperation rose in Elek. A strange burning sensation started behind Elekís eyes. Salt stung his nostrils and water welled up, spilling down his muzzle.

Jonathan felt wetness drip onto his neck and he pulled back in surprise. His sapphire gaze widened in shock. ‘Elek!’

I’ love you, Jonathan. Elek keened to him, frantically hoping that Jonathan returned his love.

Jonathan shook his head. ‘No, Elek. No. You can’t. It’s not possible. Please, don’t.’

Elek struggled to his feet, backing away from Jonathan. He’d put his heart in Jonathan’s hands and the human had rejected him. Despite knowing that their love wasn’t possible, Elek couldn’t stop the hurt spearing deep into his soul.

Jonathan gave him a helpless look. ‘Elek, please don’t go.’

A shrill cry echoed throughout the trees and Elek spun around, racing away from Jonathan, trying to outrun the pain. But it haunted him, nipping at his hooves like dogs at the paws of a fox. The human did not return his love. Elek didn’t stop running until he’d reached the glade. His head hung down almost to the ground in sorrow, and the normally vibrant spiral horn had dulled to a grayish color.

Author Bio

J.R. Loveless is a native Floridian who spends her days in an office physically but mentally is frolicking between the pages of her imagination. Writing has been a lifelong passion that escaped from her in the midst of life until she discovered Yaoi. After following breadcrumbs of the anime style, she discovered a forum dedicated to the world of Yaoi. Inspired, she tried her own hand at M/M romances, spending hours building worlds of her own with the newfound support of other forum members. She can never write enough of the electrifying emotions that blaze across the hearts and souls of her characters.

She is a self-confessed Dr. Who addict with a spastic dog and a neurotic cat for companions on her long journey through the many chapters of her life. One day she hopes to visit far off places and have grand adventures like those of the characters in her stories.

Blog: http://jrloveless.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjrloveless
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrloveless
Website: http://www.jrloveless.com

Giveaway

Rafflecopter Prize: eBook copy of Fragments of a Unicorn. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
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A.C. Katt’s The Sarrans Series Continues with The Sarran Senator (excerpt and giveaway)

The Sarran Senator (The Sarrans #4) by A.C. Katt
Release Date: March 27, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: JMS Books

Blurb

The Sarrans return home from Earth in triumph, having gained many new Earthen fems, coffee, chocolate, and cats.

Senator Samuel Johnson joins his grandson Michael, his daughter Sara, and her WarriorPair on Sarran. To his delighted surprise, he bonds irrevocably with Tarin, one of Sarran’s top engineers. Tarin had been bonded before and thought he would never experience a bond again, yet Sam’s love gives him a new lease on life. Now they only hope the Goddess has a fem for them.

Then the Sarran Elders host a mixer for Sarran warriors to meet the Earthen fems. Margaret Mary O’Neil, Meg to her friends, is a talented woman who fled to Sarran like so many Earth women looking for a new life. When she meets Sam and Tarin, her life changes forever.

But while things are looking up for the Sarrans, with new babies being born and WarriorPairs settling down, their enemy the Zyptz are relentless in their efforts to wipe them out. When the Zyptz attack both Sarran and Earth, the mutual dependence between the two becomes ever more evident.

Pages or Words: 50,531 words
Categories: Bisexual, Fantasy, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Ménage, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction

Excerpt

::We will need to get our promise rings and Asta glasses, but we can decide where to live and get our rings and glasses later. Right now I want you under me.:: Tarin pushed Sam’s shoulders down into the softness of the couch pillows. Sam turned on his side so they faced each other.

::I foolishly didn’t bother to ask, although I should have consulted Mark, but now that I’ve taken the vial, does my equipment work the same way?::

::Yes and no. Externally you will see the slick that pours from under your foreskin. This enables one of us to penetrate the other and our fem without pain when we bond. Internally, there will be a type of a tube, a Secondary Sperm Valve that connects your channel to the seminal vesicle in your partner. When a Sarran Warrior receives sperm from his bonded, it opens the valve. The sperm goes through the valve to connect to the seminal vesicle where they mix with the sperm of your bonded. It is only when they mix that we can impregnate our fem. Our offspring are born with half of our fem’s DNA and one-quarter of each of ours. After we form the bond with our fem, we may make penetrative love with her or without her, as the Triad chooses.::

::I feel foolish asking for such basic information. I had the whole voyage to research this aspect of Sarran physiology. I was concentrating on helping Michael adjust to Sara’s Warriors.::

::You did the right thing, my fox. From the holos you showed me, Michael had reason to be wary.::

::Now I feel like a pre-pubescent offspring in health class, not knowing how my body is supposed to function.:: Sam blushed. ::How do I please you?::

::All the ways you’d please yourself without penetration. Let me show you.:: Tarin sat up, got off the couch, and knelt in front of Sam, removing the boots Mark and Juraens had fabricated for him on board the Brightstar. Tarin kissed the inside of Sam’s knee. Sam moaned. He never knew he had a hot spot there.

Tarin removed his own boots and then attacked Sam’s flightsuit. The one-piece garment came off quickly, giving Tarin access to Sam’s body.

Sam looked at his lover in appreciation. “You have a beautiful, hard form. I love your wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. You are everything I ever looked for in a man. If I had met you before Mary, I doubt I would have joined the army. I’d have become a college professor and lived in a house very much like this with you always at my side.”

Sam ran his palm down Tarin’s side from his shoulder to the curve of his ass. “Beautiful … I can’t believe how lucky I am and it seems even our dreams are in alignment.”

Tarin blushed. ::I keep in shape because any Sarran Warrior can be called to battle at any time. You were in governance, how did you train? You have a hard and well-made body, my fox.::

::In the Senate Gym. I exercised and had a trainer. If I were going to be the President, I had to be in the best shape I’d ever been in my life. The job is debilitating. Although the United States is only one country on Earth, the President of the United States carries the weight of the world on his shoulders because we act as the planet’s police and are the only major power left on Earth. Russia and China have the land mass and China has population, but the United States still has the upper hand in weaponry. We, like the Sarrans, also have fierce Warriors.::

::Being on council is much the same as you describe the presidency. The Elders aged quickly during the war and later when the Zyptz took our fems, the Elders bore the brunt of finding a solution. Our population is dangerously low, a mere twenty-thousand WarriorPairs. If you add the unbonded Warriors and offspring, it is another ten thousand. We need all of these bebes our fems are carrying and we must keep them safe.::

::You have too much open land to police properly. What you need is a type of radar that lets the government know immediately if the atmosphere has been breached, or better still, something that shields the planet from all but our own vessels.::

“I’ve been working on that project with Bron. It’s almost ready.”

Sam was about to speak and Tarin put a finger on his lips. ::My fox, I want to know everything about you. We could talk until dawntine but right now, I want to love you. We’re naked and wanting. Can we make love?::

Sam smiled and kissed his bonded’s eyes. “I was counting on it.”

Buy the book:

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C3J942U

JMS Books; http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=82_200&products_id=1648

Meet the author:

AC Katt was born in New York City’s Greenwich Village. She remembers sitting at the fountain in Washington Square Park listening to folk music while they passed the hat. At nine, her parents dragged her to New Jersey where she grew up, married and raised four children and became a voracious reader of romantic fiction. At one time she owned over two thousand novels, until she and her husband took themselves and the cat to New Mexico for their health and its great beauty.

Now, most of AC’s books are electronic (although she still keeps six bookcases of hardcovers), so she never has to give away another book. AC is a late bloomer, however, she claims to have found her niche writing LGBT romance.

She hangs out at ACKatt.com and ackattsjournal.com; where she keeps her blog. To get snippets of new releases and Works in Progress subscribe to AC Katt’s Kattery by sending an e-mail to mlhansel@gmail.com.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AC-Katt-62628106022/?fref=ts
Twitter: @ackatt
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ackatt/
Website: www.ackatt.com

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Molly Lolly, BFD Book Blog, MM Good Book Reviews, Sassygirl Books,

Bayou Book Junkie, Full Moon Dreaming, Bonkers About Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents,

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Book Lovers 4Ever, Happily Ever Chapter, Alpha Book Club,

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Havan Fellows, Unquietly Me, Redz World, A.M. Leibowitz,

Inked Rainbow Reads, V’s Reads, Man2ManTastic, Oh My Shelves, The Dark Arts, The Hat Party,

Rednecks and Romance, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, MM Book Escape, Chris McHart

Giveaway

Enter to win a full set of ’The Sarran’ series by A.C. Katt! Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

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A Free Dreamer Review: The Circus of the Damned (Deal with a Devil) by Cornelia Grey

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Magician Gilbert Blake has spent his entire life conning drunkards in the seediest pubs in the darkest towns, careful to hide the true depths of his power. But when he spends a little too much time in Shadowsea and the infamous slumlord Count Reuben gets wind of his abilities, hiding within the Circus of the Damned may be Gilbert’s only chance at survival.

But there’s more to the Circus than meets the eye. Every time a performer dies, a new one must take his place, or the entire circus suffers the consequences. And while the handsome ringmaster Jesse isn’t one to coerce unwilling performers into giving up their souls to the devil, a recent death in their ranks makes Gilbert exactly what they need.

Yet the longer Gilbert stays with the Circus, the more danger he seems to bring them. Being with Jesse is more than Gilbert could have hoped for, but as Count Reuben’s men continue to search for Gilbert and the Circus loses another performer, they all face running out of time long before the Devil claims his due.

First of all, I had very high expectations of this book, since I absolutely loved “Devil at the Crossroads by Cornelia Grey” . Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite manage to live up to my expectations.

But let’s talk about the things I liked first. Once again, Cornelia Grey gave the trope of the “deal with the devil” an interesting and unique twist. The descriptions of the circus were full of loving details that made the whole setting come alive. I could practically breathe the circus air and see myself talking to all those unusual and strange circus performers.

I could easily relate to the protagonists and found myself head over heels for Gilbert within a few words. Gilbert is a real man – he drinks, he gambles (and cheats), he’s got a foul mouth and doesn’t mind the occasional brawl and he’s absolutely unapologetic about it. He openly admits that his pet mouse is probably a lot more intelligent than him and saved his ass on more than one occasion. I loved how Miss Grey gave even Gilbert’s mouse her own distinct characteristics.

The plot was fascinating from the very beginning. There’s tons of actions and the love story between Gilbert and Jesse develops as more of a side product, which is a huge bonus for me because I love stories with lots of plot and little romance. Once the sex did happen, it wasn’t simply hot. It was sensual and very erotic, even if the action itself was mostly vanilla. The UST up to that point alone had me drooling. Miss Grey definitely knows how to write sex! I loved that there were no sappy declarations of love. Gilbert is a man of action, so he acted and didn’t talk.

Unfortunately, the minor characters didn’t get quite as much love as the protagonists did. Sure, there are lots of weird and unique people, but overall I would have loved to find out more about them. A few more conversations between Gilbert and the other circus performers would have been nice.

The world building was a little disappointing as well. There were some very interesting concepts there, but the bigger picture kind of fell flat. I couldn’t tell if this was a completely different world or if it was a kind of historical AU. That was a real shame.

To sum it up, “The Circus of the Damned” was a very enjoyable read. I’m hoping for a sequel so we get to find out more about the world and the side characters.

Cover by Kanaxa is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I’d love to have this book as a paperback, simply because it would look so amazing in my real bookshelf. It’s definitely the best of the series.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | ARe | Amazon

Book details:

ebook, 347 pages
Published November 3rd 2014 by Riptide Publishing
Original TitleCircus of the Damned (A Deal with a Devil Story)
ISBN139781626491656
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Paul B Review: The Leprechaun’s Gamble (Gifts of the Fae #1) by A.J. Marcus

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

A leprechaun gets but one chance to find love in the mortal realm. If the leprechaun is successful, they may live out their life with their true love in the mortal world with occasion visits back to the fairy world. If unsuccessful, they must find love in the fairy world which has proven difficult to do. Knowing both the reward and costs, young leprechauns gamble to find their true love.

Ailin is one such leprechaun. Having passed up his chance last year thinking he was too young for such an adventure, he decides to go forth this year. He knows that the portal will open on St. Patrick’s Day and will have until the equinox a few days later to find his love. Having found the portal site, Ailin crosses through then casts a spell to protect himself from the rush of other leprechauns coming through. Once he regains his senses, he heads to town. On the way, he meets a brownie, a dark fairy from another fairy kingdom. Ailin ignores the brownie’s temptations and finds a festival in the nearest town. He is off to find the man who will love him.

Rohan is a farmer to the north of the town. He inherited his grandfather’s farm recently and loves the simpler life. He enters a jig dance contest at the local festival. As competitors begin to drop, he notices the only one keeping up is a good looking red headed man, who happens to be Ailin in his human guise. Impressed that he can keep up, Rohan offers to buy the man a drink at the local tavern. The competitive nature in both men leads to a game of darts where wagers are made by the patrons. Finding the man challenging, he asks the man to come back to the farm with him. Ailin is overjoyed at the possibility that Rohan might be the one and accepts. Now he must turn this attraction to true love in the next few days or else he will never find mortal love.

This is the first book in the Gifts of the Fae series by A. J. Markus. If you are looking for two alpha males you have found it in this book. Both men acknowledge their competitive nature, which includes the size of their equipment. Of course both are well hung, as it seems they have to be the best at everything they do. It was interesting to see Ailin dance around some of Rohan’s questions as Ailin cannot lie to the human but also did not want to reveal his true nature until he know Rohan was the one for him. Overall it was an enjoyable start to this new series.

The cover art is perfect for this book. We have the red headed Ailin with his scruff standing beside the dark haired Rohan wearing what looks like a tam o’shanter. These fit the description of the characters perfectly. The rainbow above the author’s name is a nice touch. Kudos go to Carmen Waters for the cover.

Sales Links: eXtasy Books | Amazon

Book Details

ebook, 53 pages
Published March 14th 2016 by eXtasy Books
ISBN139781487406516
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series: Gifts of the Fae

The Leprechaun’s Gamble (Gifts of the Fae #1)

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Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

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What Once Was Lost by A.M. Leibowitz Release Date: March 11, 2016

Goodreads Publisher: MLR Press Cover Artist: Jared Rackler

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Happy by Chris Scully Dreamspinner Press Cover art by Bree Archer

~~~~~~~~~

About Happy – Blurb

Excerpt

About the Author

Buy Links

Available March 30, 2016

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | ARe

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Fragments of a Unicorn’s Soul by J.R. Loveless Publisher: Torquere Press Cover Artist: Kris Norris Release Date: 4/6/16

Book/Buy Links

Goodreads | Torquere Books

Book Blurb

Excerpt

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The Sarran Senator (The Sarrans #4) by A.C. Katt Release Date: March 27, 2016

Goodreads Link Publisher: JMS Books

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What Once Was Lost by A.M. Leibowitz
Release Date: March 11, 2016

Goodreads
Publisher: MLR Press
Cover Artist: Jared Rackler

Happy by Chris Scully
Dreamspinner Press
Cover art by Bree Archer

Fragments of a Unicorn’s Soul by J.R. Loveless
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kris Norris
Release Date: 4/6/16

The Sarran Senator (The Sarrans #4) by A.C. Katt
Release Date: March 27, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: JMS Books