A Ali Review: Uninvited Guest by Brian Lancaster

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Uninvested GuestFate is conspiring against lawyer Anton Swann. First his grandmother dies, then he hits the worst traffic of his life on the way home from her funeral, keeping him from friends in London—and possibly a much longed-for sighting of his ex. And finally the detour he thought would save him time ends with the electrics failing on his car, leaving Anton to trudge through heavy rain back to an old cottage he’d passed along the way, hoping to find help.

What he finds instead is the mysterious Dr. Stephen Miller, a man fighting his own battles. Anton is invited inside to join the tail end of an all-male dinner party, but this is no chance encounter. What Anton thought was fate is actually a spirit at work making sure he ends up at the cottage—and stays there until unfinished business is resolved for both Anton and Stephen.
 
This was my first time reading this author so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I was pleased with this story.  The writing had a nice flow to it and the characters were well developed.  I liked the slight paranormal twist to it.  It was just the right amount in my opinion.  It was a bit insta-love which in general isn’t my thing but for some reason it still worked for me.  I didn’t care for some of the terminology in the sex scenes though, things like “soft, muscled boundary” and “squirting rivers of hot  nectar ” didn’t work for me and made the scenes kind of awkward.
Overall though I thought this was a solid, nice story and I will definitely try more from this author in the future.

Cover art by L.C. Chase is just gorgeous.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published November 13th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press (first published November 12th 2015)
ISBN 1634767020 (ISBN13: 9781634767026)
Edition LanguageEnglish

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best Books of December 2015

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Best Books of December

2015

 

Its has been a stellar month.  From the great advent stories to our regular reviews that have run the gamut from science fiction to contemporary romance with a kink to the supernatural and shifters in love, we have read and reviewed the lot and its been wonderful.  And so hard to pick the best of the month.  I had to narrow it down to the 5 star ratings with a  sprinkling of 4.75 stars which were rounded up.  I also divided them out as well into Advent Short Stories and Audio books.  Still there were many.  Take a look back, see what stories you may have missed and enjoy!

The titles are linked to our reviews.  As always happy reading!

Best Books of December 2015

Sleigh Ride Advent StoryAdvent Short Stories:

It Was Close…

Best Audiobooks of December 2015audiobook clipart bw

 

A MelanieM Review: First Comes Marriage by Shira Anthony

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

First Comes MarriageTheir marriage was supposed to be all business….

When struggling novelist Chris Valentine meets Jesse Donovan, he’s interested in a book contract, or possibly a date. The last thing Chris expects is a marriage proposal from New York City’s most eligible bachelor!

Jesse’s in a pinch: to keep control of his company, he has to marry. So he has valid reasons for offering Chris this business deal. In exchange for living in a gorgeous mansion for a year, playing the doting husband, Chris gets all the writing time he wants and walks away with a million dollar payoff. Surely Chris can handle that. He can handle living with the most handsome and endearing man he’s ever met, a man he immediately knows he wants in the worst way and can’t have. Or can he?

A Dreamspun Desires title*

While I was gobbling up every book I could read growing up, among those countless paperbacks included untold numbers of romance novels, from the gothic to the regency to the contemporary.  My parents upper garage has shelves still lined with hundreds of yellowed paperbacks whose covers mirrored that of the one Paul Richmond designed for Shira Anthony’s First Come Marriage.  This is the first novel from Dreamspinner’s new Dreamspun Desires Romance line, with tales and covers guaranteed to bring back memories of those stories you may have read and loved so well.  I was so eager to dive into the story and find out what Shira Anthony and Dreamspinner had in store for us all.  Happily, I discovered a familiar and wonderfully romantic story certain to warm your heart and make the time fly joyfully by!

Shira Anthony picks that age old theme of a marriage of convenience (yes, a favorite of mine) and transforms it within the M/M genre.  I especially liked that she kept many of the old romance novel features…like a will clause, a specific time frame…moving within that prescribed romance novel format. It might seem similar to Harlequin and other romance publishers yet the author makes it her own with her characterizations, locations and dialog.

Taken outside of the prescribed romance novel format some of the character choices might have one snorting…a tad.  But remember the trope this story is mirroring with affection and those small irritations fly away as they did back when I was reading the original stories.  It was a conscious decision to take these romance novels as what they were…an adult wish for the best happily ever after, a contemporary Cinderella Story and if you have to take quite a few leaps of faith?  Well, so be it.

Chris Valentine is a struggling writer.  He’s sweet, adorable and clearly in need of someone to love him.  Along comes wealthy Jesse Donovan, in need of a spouse in order to maintain control of his company.  The men and their romance unfolds sweetly, gently and with the misunderstandings popping up as they should.  I liked both Jesse’s stepmother and Chris’ mom.  From the moment I picked it up, the story just flew by, bringing up all those happy memories of the romance stories of the past and intermingling them with this sexy, cheerful new M/M HEA from Shira Anthony and Dreamspinner Press.

I can’t wait to see what the next story in this series brings.  This is just so much fun!  Romance, sexy men, and a HEA!  You just can’t go wrong.  Pick up First Comes Marriage by Shira Anthony, the first in the new Dreamspun Desires series from Dreamspinner Press.  I think you’ll be as delighted and entertained as I was.

Cover artist: Paul Richmond does justice with total affection to those wonderful romantic covers of the past right down to the design.  Great job.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Link to come

Book Details:

ebook, 262 pages
Expected publication: January 15th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
Original TitleFirst Comes Marriage
ISBN139781634768443
Edition LanguageEnglish

*Dreamspun Desires is a series from Dreamspinner Press: “Dreamspun Desires are contemporary category romance novels, complete with your favorite heartwarming heroes, captivating plots, and exotic settings. These titles are all about happily ever afters that leave you with a satisfied smile for days.”

A Stella Advent Story Review: Blame It on the Fruitcake by Pat Henshaw

RATING 4 out of 5

Sleigh Ride Advent StoryFruitcake is the laughingstock of the holiday season. But can it be an aphrodisiac instead? Motorcycle mechanic Sam McGuire is surprised to find a gaily wrapped box on his doorstep with a piece of fruitcake accompanying an invitation to a holiday party.

Wondering if he’ll fit in, Sam attends the party—mostly to get more of the fruitcake he falls in love with—and meets Jay Merriweather, his new neighbor. The lure of Jay’s big family and its holiday tradition of enjoying Grandma’s fruitcake hook Sam, as does the sexy man himself.

But Sam can’t imagine why handsome, college-educated Jay would want someone like him, who was raised in a children’s home and barely graduated high school. Maybe the magic of the holiday season can help two men who seem so different come together like the ingredients in a well-made fruitcake.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package “Sleigh Ride”.

Blame it on the Fruitcake by Pat Henshaw was my first story by this author and I was pleasurably surprised by it. Although it’s a short, the author did really great, especially with the character of Sam. I could feel his past, his hurts and his feelings. I cheered him on to find some family and forget about the one who abandoned him in a basket. I was so happy he met the sunny Jay and his delicious fruitcake, not a sweets but a truly drug (LOL).  I felt the loneliness in Sam, scared to be part of something because he had none in his life and someone like Jay, so different from his nature, doesn’t seem the right person.

I liked the writing, the reading flew easily and I liked the plot and the development of the story. Sweet but not too much, most of all, a real story, believable. There were some funny moments too, when Sam stole the fruitcake.

Another great addition to the DSP Advent Calendar.

The cover art by Paul Richmond is so cute and his style is unique and lovely. He’s one of my favorite artist so of course this one is a winner to me.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 36 pages
Published November 30th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB018RUW5XO
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calendar

A Stella Advent Story Review: Talk Turkey By Bru Baker

Rating: 4 out of 5

Talk TurkeyCarson is a California transplant settling into life in the Windy City. On his first Christmas away from home, he assures his worried family he’ll be having a real Christmas dinner.

Recent culinary school graduate Tom Stockton earns some extra money giving out cooking advice at the Talk Turkey hotline. Tom’s honeyed voice and sharp sense of humor are attractive to the lonely Carson, and Carson finds reasons to call the hotline again and again. But on Christmas Eve, Carson’s call is less playful and more panicked with the big meal looming. Carson is just looking for advice, but Tom has a surprise in store that might lead to much more.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package “Sleigh Ride”.

Talk Turkey by Bru Baker was probably one of the funniest I read among the DSP Advent Calendar stories I read this year. And surely the most developed in the MCs’ relationship. If you’re looking for an original plot, give this Holiday short a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

Carson has just moved to Chicago and in his first Christmas alone, away from his family, he promises his mum he is still going to celebrate with someone and cooking. The only little problem? He knows nothing about gravy, pot and what size of turkey to buy. Luckly he can count on Tom to save him from a frozen turkey called Terry.

It was a great pleasure to read this story, it was engaging and hilarious, I laughed so much. A lovely surprise by an author I’m soon going to read more about.

Cover art by Catt Ford is perfection.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

eebook, 58 pages
Published December 1st 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB018RVC1LO
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calendar

A Wild Heart Gets A Chance at Love with CJane Elliott’s ‘There You Are’ (excerpt and giveaway)

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There You Are (Wild and Precious #2) by CJane Elliott
Release Date: December 23, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: AngstyG

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing CJane Elliott, author of There You Are. Hi CJane, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hi there! Thank you for having me on the blog today to share about my new novella, There You Are, which is the second book in the Wild and Precious series. There You Are picks up the story of Cody Bellstrom where we left him in Wild and Precious. He moves to Portland, Oregon, and meets the man who is to become the love of his life, Phineas MacDonald. But they both have issues to work through before they can get to their happy ending.

By the way, those who have read my novella, Mercury In Retrograde, will recognize a cameo appearance of one of the main characters, Alex Harrison, toward the end of the book. It’s a short but key scene which proves to be a turning point for Cody.

  • Tell us something no one else knows about your characters.

Phineas sucked his thumb until he was five. Cody doesn’t mind Phineas’s oral fixation.

Cody started his music career with clarinet lessons at age six because his father was a jazz drummer who loved classic jazz music and wanted Cody to be the next Benny Goodman. Cody quit clarinet after his dad left them.

  • Have you ever written something that made you cry?

Many times! I tend toward writing angst so there’s a vein of melancholy running through most of my writing, even though my characters get to their happy ending. I don’t want to make it too easy on them, though!

  • Have you ever co-written with someone before?

No. It appeals to me from the standpoint of having someone else be involved in the writing. But that’s also why I’m leery of it, because what if we proved incompatible? What I’d really like to do is team up with some fellow writers and do an anthology of some kind.

  • What is the most difficult part of writing for you?

It’s different things at different times. These last few months the most difficult part has been continuing to write at all while working almost fulltime, preparing for the holidays, and preparing for this book release. Usually the most difficult part is starting something new, although I’ve been using outlines and other tools to create plot and characters ahead of time and that makes it easier.

  • Name your four most important food groups.

Pasta, chocolate, red wine, and coffee.

Thank you, CJane, that was perfect. Now more  about There You Are (Wild and Precious #2) by CJane Elliott

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Blurb

Bisexual musician Cody Bellstrom is a free spirit, easygoing and unattached. On a cross-country trip, Cody befriends young Sandy Nixon and gets him safely to Portland and his uncle, Phineas MacDonald. Beautiful Phineas turns Cody’s life upside down, and Cody learns he’s not as unattached as he aspires to be. With the hard-won knowledge of what lies underneath his need to be free, Cody wins a chance at real freedom and true love.

Ever since his longtime lover Allen died, Phineas MacDonald has lived a circumscribed life. He stopped performing as fierce drag queen Phanny Hill and works part-time in a bookstore. Phineas never expected to find love again. But when sexy and caring Cody Bellstrom turns up, Phineas feels his orderly life slipping out of his control. Cody brings him alive again, but now Phineas must find the courage to let go of his grief over Allen and give love a second chance.

 

Pages or Words: 33,000 words
Series should be read in order to best appreciate this book
Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt:

“YOU SURE about this?” Bette’s pointed glance packed a world of meaning as she maneuvered the car through the DC traffic and Union Station came into view.

Cody shifted, touching the door handle to ready his escape. “Yes, I’m sure. Didn’t we go over this?” In excruciating detail, he added silently but didn’t dare say aloud. Not with the mood Bette was in.

“I’m giving you one more chance to come to your senses.” Bette pulled up outside the train station, frowning, and turned off the engine.

She looked so unhappy, Cody wanted to change his mind. I can’t, he thought.

Won’t, you mean, said the Bette in his head. He reached over and laid his hand on top of hers. “You’ll get along fine without me.”

“That’s not the point.” She nailed him with a baleful scowl. “We don’t want to get along without you. Dang you, Cody Bellstrom, you have no idea who you are to us.” At his puzzled expression, she turned away and stared stonily through the windshield.

“Well… I guess this is it.” Cody waited, but she didn’t respond. “I love you, girl, you know that, right? You and Aurora.” He meant it. He, Bette, and Aurora had been friends since they were college freshmen ten and a half years ago. Cody sometimes found it hard to believe that he’d known them since before Bette and Aurora had become a couple. It seemed like they’d been together forever.

A barely perceptible nod.

“Come on, Bette, don’t be mad. I’ll be back. I swear.”

“Sure you will.” She sighed and turned a softer face toward him. “Goddammit, you better. We love you. If you gotta do this, of course we can’t stop you. All we want is for you to be happy.”

A car honked behind them, and a uniformed officer motioned them to get moving.

“Shoot,” Bette muttered. “All right, babe. Get outta here.”

Cody leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll text. And call. And Skype.”

“Okay. Send us a postcard from every stop, and take a picture of yourself in Powell’s Books when you get to Portland.”

“Will do.”

Cody opened the door and unfurled himself from the passenger seat, then hauled out his luggage, such as it was. He traveled light; always had. A knapsack, one rolling suitcase, and his guitar, and he was good to go.

He stood on the curb and waved as Bette pulled away, then strode into the station, his spirits lifting, while Willie Nelson’s “On The Road Again” played on a loop in his mind.

WildAndPrecious_postcard_front_DSP

Aspiring writer Brent Granger has good friends and a great job at an arts magazine in DC, but he’s batting zero in the arena of love. Brent begins to get a clue why things aren’t working with women from his strong attraction to his gorgeous, gay, and already attached boss, Graham Stoneford. When he sees a personal ad from a man that quotes his favorite poet, Brent decides to do something wild and answer.

Enter Cody Bellstrom, easygoing bisexual musician, who is happy to initiate Brent in the ways of gay sex. Brent now has a new problem: he realizes he’s gay and no one in his life knows it. Cody tires of hiding their relationship, but Brent finds it challenging to come out to family, friends, and especially to Graham. In the end, Brent must confront the truth of where – and with whom – his heart lies.

Buy Links: Dreamspinner Press |  Amazon

Buy the book:

Dreamspinner |  ARe |  Amazon |  Apple |  Kobo |  Barne&Noble |  Google Play

 

Meet the author:

After years of hearing characters chatting away in her head, CJane Elliott finally decided to put them on paper and hasn’t looked back since. A psychotherapist by training, CJane enjoys writing sexy, passionate stories that also explore the human psyche. CJane has traveled all over North America for work and her characters are travelers, too, traveling down into their own depths to find what they need to get to the happy ending.

CJane is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality and is particularly fond of coming out stories.

In her spare time, CJane can be found dancing, listening to music, or watching old movies. Her husband and son support her writing habit by staying out of the way when they see her hunched over, staring intensely at her laptop.

Where to find the author:

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Tour Dates & Stops:

23-Dec

Book Lovers 4Ever, Louise Lyons, Joyfully Jay, The Hat Party

30-Dec

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Love Bytes

6-Jan

Unquietly Me, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, A.M. Leibowitz

13-Jan

Havan Fellows, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Divine Magazine, Jessie G. Books

20-Jan

Happily Ever Chapter, Bonkers About Books, My Fiction Nook, Prism Book Alliance

27-Jan

The Novel Approach, Alpha Book Club, Bayou Book Junkie

3-Feb

Molly Lolly, MM Good Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

10-Feb

BFD Book Blog, TTC Books and More, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Up All Night, Read All Day

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Any book from CJane’s backlist.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prize   provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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A Stella Advent Story Review: The Beary Best Holiday Party Ever by B.G. Thomas

Rating: 4,25 out of 5 stars

The Beary Best Holiday Party EverBefore he discovered the Heartland Bear Clan, Ron Corbin figured no one could ever love a “fatass” like him. But the big group of big men accepts him, and likes him just the way he is. Having finally found a place he belongs, he works hard to get elected president of the club—and wins. He’s the happiest he’s ever been.

But Paddy Brennan, a sexy bear cub who blew into town and became Mr. Popular overnight, is elected vice-president. Ron doesn’t think Paddy has earned the honor, and now he’ll have to work shoulder to shoulder (and belly to belly) with the guy for a year.

Ron will do what’s best for the club even if that means setting his personal feeling—that Paddy is a jerk—aside. But then as the two men get to know each other, Ron reluctantly finds he not only likes the guy, but is growing more and more attracted to him.

Deep down, Ron still worries he isn’t good enough, but maybe Paddy can show him there’s a beary happy ending waiting for them after all.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package “Sleigh Ride”.

The Beary Best Holiday Party Ever was a great surprise, well written and so realistic. Finally a story with normal characters, physically imperfect like us. The dialogues were all true and believable and I soon connected with Ron and his funny mind. The whole short was really awesome but I want more, I want Billy’s book. The bootylicious drag queen took my heart.

If you’re looking for a quick but well developed story, full of humor and sweet times, this new one by BG Thomas is highly recommended. I already have my eyes on a couple more of books by this new to me author.

The cover art by Catt Ford is really well done and fitting. Cute too.

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

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 81 pages
Published November 30th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB018RVC1NW
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calenda

SALE LINKS

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AMAZON http://www.amazon.com/Beary-Holiday-Party-Advent-Calendar-ebook/dp/B018RVC1NW

DSP  

In the Spotlight: ‘Life is a Stevie Wonder Song’ by V.L. Locey (excerpt and giveaway)

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Life is a Stevie Wonder Song by V.L. Locey
Release Date: December 30, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: Kris Norris

Banner300x250

Blurb

Authors know that their muse is a fickle creature. Best-selling spy novelist Stephen Ramsey has been in a hate-hate relationship with his inspiration for months. Stephen’s publisher lays a legal ultimatum upon him, with a rapidly approaching deadline, he knows he must do something to kick-start his creativity or face the unemployment line. His daughter comes up with a possible answer: a summer camp for the creative soul. With nothing to lose, Stephen packs up his laptop, phonograph and beloved record albums and heads from Manhattan to the Catskill Mountains.

There, among a horde of college students attending for extra credits, is Declan Pomeroy, a photographer of fey creatures who is twenty years younger than Stephen. The woods are a magical place, and he quickly finds himself falling under the spell of the free-spirited photographer. Confusion wars with desire inside Stephen as he succumbs to the feelings welling up inside. But, sadly, summer camp always has to end. Can a man who has just found himself really leave the person that makes his heart sing?

 

Pages or Words: 24,600 words
Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Gay For You, May/December

Excerpt

Then he appeared from the tree line, a lithe, pale creature of the Finnish goddess Mielikki’s woods if ever I had seen one. Yay for that semester of world mythology back in college finally paying off. Declan wore nothing but a scrap of linen tied around his lean waist and a camera around his neck. I swallowed and stepped down off the porch, anxious to get closer to him. He waited patiently for me. As I drew closer, I could hear him humming. A smile tweaked my lips. It was Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

“You look like you have too much on,” Declan announced when I stood in front of him. I glanced down at my attire. Gym shorts, a T-shirt, and sneakers sans socks. “How would you feel about doing this nude?” My sight knifed back from my clothes to my guide into the Twilight Zone.

“You’re not naked,” I pointed out once I could speak around the knot of desire clogging my throat.

“I usually am, but I figured you’d be far too uptight to not have clothes on, so, I fashioned a makeshift chiton to cover my goodies.”

“Okay. Yes, I’m not comfortable with our goodies hanging out.” He glanced up at the fat moon over our heads, then sighed dramatically. “I can do no shirt and no shoes, however.”

Declan’s gaze returned to me from Madame Luna. He made a sort of cooing sound then rose to his tiny toes to press his lips to mine. It was a soft peck, our mouths touching for a mere second, but it did things to my perceptions of who Steven Ramsey is that I still cannot fully explain.

“I think I’d like to see you without a shirt,” he whispered over my lips.

“What are you doing?” I croaked. He shrugged a shoulder, then dropped back down to stand flat-footed. “Stop it, okay? I’m old enough to be your father.”

He smiled then spun around, his bare back gleaming pure white. I wanted to touch his skin, trace the knobs of his spine with my tongue. This whole thing was pure insanity, yet I hurried to strip off my old T-shirt and kick off my sneakers. Declan glanced over his shoulder, smiled again, and then rushed off into the night, the coquette. I followed because what else could I do? Not traipsing after the kid was impossible. The grass was cool and wet under my bare soles. The high whine of a mosquito zipped past my ear. I would be nothing but a massive bug bite in the morning. I walked behind Declan, swatting at the air, hoping I didn’t step on something that would require stitches or a tetanus shot. We stepped into the woods. I debated going back for my shoes.

“We have to be as silent as possible,” Declan, standing on my right, whispered.

“Shoes are quiet,” I replied, my hand resting on the scraggy bark of an old pine.

“Shoes don’t allow you to touch the earth.”

“They also don’t allow thorns to penetrate your flesh,” I parried. My guide grunted in consternation then set off once again. A million questions bounced around my head as I tenderly placed one foot down then the other. What kind of camera did he use? Was there a special ethereal film for capturing fey? Did I need therapy? Did I just step on a slug?

We walked deeper into the woods. The farther we traveled, the more I wanted to speak up or at least scoff. I was working on a good zinger when I ran into Declan’s bare back. He threw up a hand to silence me. My body tightened from a weird combination of fear and desire. The kid felt wonderful pressed against my chest, his clammy skin resting against mine. I peered over his head, my hand coming to rest on his left hip. Declan leaned back into me just the slightest bit. My cock began to swell. My eyelids drifted down as he wiggled enticingly closer still.

“Look at the hazy ring around the moon,” Declan whispered. My fingers dug into his bony hip. I opened my eyes and looked up. We were on the edge of a small glen. He lifted up his camera and snapped several images as I stared at the milky white fingers of magic tickling the moon. “Now look at the ground.” I did. There, in the center of the small glen, was a small, perfectly circular ring of mushrooms perhaps ten feet wide. “That’s known as a fairy ring.”

“Huh,” I grunted, my body trying desperately to take over the show. Declan had to feel my erection resting against his pert ass. He seemed perfectly as ease with a hard dick between his buttocks. I, on the other hand, was slowly going mad. I longed to lower my mouth to his neck and lick the sweat from his skin. I also wanted to run away screaming to the world that I was not a faggot, but was I? It certainly looked it. Declan lowered his camera and took a few shots of the white mushrooms.

“I’ve heard tales of the fey blessing those who stand in a fairy ring under a full moon. Would you like to go stand in the ring, Steven?” he asked. I nodded. He slid out of my grasp and reached back to find my hand. His fingers were thinner than mine. He pulled me into the glen. I glanced up, then back. “Are you afraid that someone will see us cuddling in the fairy ring?”

“At the moment,” I stepped carefully over several large mushrooms,” I’m afraid of everything, mostly you.”

 

Buy the book: Torquere Books

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Meet the Author

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, belly laughs, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, two dogs, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and three Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand. She can also be found online on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and GoodReads.

Where to find the author:


Tour Dates & Stops: December 29, 2015

Parker Williams, The Hat Party, Bayou Book Junkie, Havan Fellows, Just Love Romance, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, The Jena Wade, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, 3 Chicks After Dark, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, MM Good Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Velvet Panic

Final updated Life is a Stevie Wonder Song

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Life is a Stevie Wonder’ song by V.L. Locey.  Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

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A Stella Advent Story Review: Nøtteknekkeren by Felicitas Ivey

Rating: 3,75 stars out of 5

Notteknekkeren coverThijs and his older brother, Rik, are spending Christmas Eve at their uncle Yvo’s annual gathering. For Thijs, it’s the first time he’s been there in almost a decade.

Thijs has vague memories of the magical Christmases spent with his uncle. But he doesn’t know if the images in his mind of the enchantment that happened while he waited for Santa are dreams, memories, or the product of years of therapy for an accident he doesn’t remember. He just knows when he stopped visiting Uncle Yvo, the dreams stopped too.

Are his dreams of a prince waiting for him every Christmas Eve just dreams? Tonight might finally be Thijs’s chance to learn the truth.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Advent Calendar package “Sleigh Ride”.

I admit when I started reading Nøtteknekkeren by Felicitas Ivey I was a little dubious cause in the first part I had not idea where it was going. I’m not saying a lot about it since it was so short and unexpected, I don’t want to spoil it. But I can say it was cute and really, really well written, the reading flew by easily and the characters were all interesting. There were some fairytales elements that gave the story something extra.

The only remark I want to add is that I think this story, as the author wrote it, needed a little more pages to be fully developed, especially in the relationship between our MCs. Nonetheless it was so magical, mysterious, I found myself be captured by it. And the ending was so sweet.

The cover art by L.C. Chase is cute and very fitting.

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

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 55 pages
Published November 30th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ASINB018RSH5YU
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesSleigh Ride – 2015 Advent Calendar
Other Editions (1)
Nøtteknekkeren (2015 Advent Calendar – Sleigh Ride)

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A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Flesh Market (Bodies and Souls #1) by Kate Lowell

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Flesh MarketSpecial Agent Leo Gale is up a creek. A year and a half of deep cover is about to go up in flames. He needs help – something, someone to salvage the operation and save the lives of untold numbers of trafficked teenagers.

But he wasn’t expecting the partner they sent, or his own gut-punch of a response to the man.

Julian worked hard for that FBI Honors Internship. It was supposed to be a foot in the door. He’d never expected it to catapult him into the middle of a major undercover operation. Yet here he is, sleeping on a filthy mattress and using every trick in the book to avoid torture–and worse. He’s never felt so scared, or so alive, in his entire life, and he’s not sure if it’s the danger, or Leo, that’s making his heart race.

There’s no time to think about it, though. The operation is heating up, and Leo and Julian are running out of time and options. As choices become more difficult, they must find a way to take the traffickers down, or risk becoming just another set of organs for sale.

This is a riveting, nail-biting, action-adventure with a few very dark moments as two men go undercover to bust a ring trafficking in prostitution and organ harvesting.

FBI Special Agent Leo Gale was planted undercover over a year ago to infiltrate a ring specializing in kidnapping young, well-to-do teens. It’s slow going, and he’s helpless to stop the kidnapping of these young men and women who are trained and sold into prostitution nearly every day. He needs to decide whether to blow his cover and call in a raid, or stick it out. Just after he receives a message saying help is on the way, he finds himself promoted to the procurement team. And when his help arrives, it isn’t in the form of a rescue—it’s another agent, a young man named Julian Fitzroy.

Julian is actually an intern in the analyst division of FBI headquarters when Leo’s boss spots him and decides he’d be perfect for the job of going in as a kidnapped teen. Promising him a spot in the next FBI training class, he gets Julian set up for Leo to procure. The two are immediately attracted to each other, despite the fact that Leo is in his late thirties. He’s never given Julian’s background, but he figures Julian is about twenty-five or so, and he also assumes he’s been an agent for a year or more. Julian’s immediate task is to survive the training, aka torture, without blowing his or Leo’s cover.

He does, and together they uncover the fact that this “flesh market” is not only kidnapping young men and women for prostitution, but they’re also kidnapping those who aren’t so handsome or beautiful for a secondary market—organ harvesting. When they find out that the boys and girls who aren’t able to be broken for service prostitution are moved to the organ harvesting program, both men decide they must put an end to this travesty, no matter what. Julian refuses to allow Leo to call a halt to the operation until they get their hands on the data for the operation, even though it puts him in jeopardy.

The author takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions as Julian manages to survive beatings and a night with a wealthy client and his other “boy.” The descriptions of some of the activities related to captivity and organ harvesting may be too dark for some readers, so caution is advised. However, overall, the story itself is extremely interesting, and the way the author works through the finale and solution to getting the men out of there is very heavy in action and suspense.

There is no HEA, but the HFN is satisfying, and it’s very evident that there will be a sequel. This story would be perfect for those who enjoy age gap, law enforcement, and/or dark themes.

~~~

Cover art depicts a young man in the arms of a larger, tattooed man with the profile of another man in the doorway beyond. This scene represents Julian being held, and supposedly trained, by Leo while Leo’s boss looks on to be sure he’s doing his job. It’s a perfect representation of the helplessness of the situation for both men.

Sales Links:  Loose Id LLC | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Published November 10th 2015 by Loose Id
ISBN139781682520321
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesBodies and Souls #1