Tag: JMS Books LLC

An Ashlez Review: Murderous Twins by Edward Kendrick

Rating – 4.5 out of 5

Blaine Ayers and Lloyd Thomas are identical twins — separated at birth, reunited by accident, and serial killers by choice. Two men, posing as one.

Steve Cooke is a private investigator married to Gary Drake-Cooke, an interior decorator.

The four men’s paths cross when Blaine and Lloyd move into a house across the street from Steve and Gary. What happens next has the potential to change their lives forever — for better or for worse.

Warning: This story contains scenes of graphic violence.

 
You know,  what, as short as this book is I think it was great – I think it had more potential if it were a bit longer and more in depth on the past of each of Blaine and Lloyd, I would have liked to see a bit more in that aspect.
 
It’s typical reasons serial killers exist – anyone who has seen criminal minds will understand.  I liked the neighbor detective and his want to find out what’s going on – I enjoyed reading about his husband.
 
If you want a hot and heavy romance this is definitely not the book for you – there’s none of that in this book and honestly I was OK with that – it fits more with the story than if it had a steamy romance.
 
Once you get to about halfway things really start to get interesting, and I really couldn’t put it down.  Not going to go into much detail due to the nature of the book – hello thriller – but I enjoyed it immensely it was exciting and kept me engaged.  I do think it reads like an episode of criminal minds which, of course, who would hate.Nature vs Nurture.
 
Cover Art:  Other than the cover being twins it really doesn’t lead to the story – not mad at it though, perhaps a bloody item would make it more dynamic!

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC  | Amazon

Book Details:
Kindle Edition, 112 pages
Published August 11th 2018 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07FP6G9DV
Edition Language English

Release Blitz – Us Again by Nell Iris (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS Books
 
Length: 9,200 words approx.
 
Publisher: JMS Books
 
Blurb
 

When Alex gets a call in the middle of the night telling him his ex-boyfriend is in the hospital, he only hesitates for a second before rushing to Sammy’s side. But the Sammy in the hospital bed is fragile and not the same man who told Alex to leave seven months ago.


Alex wants to help Sammy get better and is desperate to find out what went wrong between them. Maybe he’ll even get a second chance with the man he hasn’t been able to get over.


But will Sammy let Alex back into his life?


Excerpt


Except for the dim light of a wall-mounted lamp next to the only occupied bed, the room is dark. Sammy is a shapeless silhouette from here and I take a step closer. Another. And another until I’m right by his side.

My knees buckle when I finally see him. His golden hair is plastered to his face, his cheeks hollow, his full lips dry and cracked. Long lashes fan out over black shadows under the eyes. His hand rests on his pillow and is so thin and bony, tears well up in my eyes.

A steadily beeping monitor surveils his vital signs. An IV bag hangs on a metal pole, and the line snakes its way down into his hand.

My hand flies to my mouth and my shoulders shake. To avoid ending up in a sobbing pile on the floor, I sink down in the chair next to his bed.

Sammy was always slender. Like a willow with long limbs, narrow hips, and a concave stomach. But now … he looks emaciated. Hardly there. Easily breakable and so fucking small I wouldn’t be surprised if a stiff breeze could snap him in two.

I reach out but hesitate to touch him. Instead, I lay my hand next to his on the pillow. My olive complexion seems dirty next to his pallor.

“Oh, Sammy.” I don’t even try to wipe the moisture from my face; I just let the tears flow. I want to crawl into bed with him, scoop him up in my arms, and use my big body to shield him from the world. But all I do is move my hand closer, until my fingertips ghost against his pinkie. A jolt of electricity races through my body and a sigh slips out.

“Now will you tell me what happened?” I hiss to David who’s sat down on a chair on the other side of Sammy’s bed sometime during the last minute.

“His boss called me this evening. Apparently, he fainted.”

I gasp and can’t keep my hands off him any longer. Carefully, I lay my palm on top of his hand and something snaps into place in my chest when I finally touch him. He’s cold. I’d give him all my warmth if he would just open his eyes and smile at me and call me Care Bear again.

“Doesn’t he fucking eat?” I grind out between clenched teeth.

“He said he does. He said he was fine.”

“Clearly, he lied.”

“Clearly.”

“What’s all this?” I sweep my hand at the IV pole.

“He was severely dehydrated so they’re giving him fluids.” He rattles on about vital signs and nutrition and how Sammy will need to see a therapist and a dietitian to straighten out his eating and I only listen with one ear. Even though I asked, I can’t absorb all that information.

“Don’t you fucking check on your own brother?” I interrupt. I’ve always had a foul mouth, and frazzled nerves make it worse, but I don’t give a shit if David is offended.

“I should have. I knew he was … sad. I talked to him on the phone almost every day and he said he was fine.” David’s voice trembles, saturated with guilt and remorse, but it just makes me angrier.

“Are you telling me you haven’t taken the time to visit him for seven fucking months?”

“No! That’s not true!”

“It seems that way to me.”

“Who are you to talk? You left him!”

His words sting. He might as well have thrown acid on my face. I tighten my muscles, so I won’t jerk under his accusations. “He told me to leave. He said he never wanted to see me again. I did not leave willingly.” I shoot him an angry glare but quickly look away. I want to take out my fear and worry on him. Plant my fist in his face and roar out the pain that took up residence in my chest when I laid eyes on Sammy a few minutes ago.

Dear, sweet Sammy.

“I don’t even know what happened. I thought he loved me,” I whisper. My head is heavy, and I let it sink down until it rests on his bed.

 

Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies’ room), loves music (and singing along but, let’s face it, she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (“Make it so”). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!


Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.


Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.


Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.

Email contact@nelliris.com
Web www.nelliris.com
Twitter @nellirisauthor
Facebook page www.facebook.com/nellirisauthor
Facebook profile www.facebook.com/nell.iris.12
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/nelliris
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nell_iris/
QueeRomance Ink https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/nell-iris/

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An Ashlez Review: The Beach Brat by Louise Collins

Rating:3 stars out of 5
 

He’s known on the sands as Beach Brat Brody, the arrogant surfer with his group of loyal fans. Finn and his best friend Trent are lifeguards, and Finn has been captivated by Brody since he first saw him surf. He’s hot, skilled, and has Finn’s heart.

He doesn’t just want to know the Beach Brat, but also the man behind the board. But Brody is guarded and gives nothing of himself away. He doesn’t do relationships, and Finn doesn’t do one-night stands.

Encouraged by his friends, Brody tackles a dangerous wave and Finn rushes to save him. The Beach Brat loses his sass and his confidence. Putting aside his broken heart, Finn vows to help Brody get on the board again.

They tackle his fear of the sea together, and Finn catches glimpses of the hidden Brody. His walls come down, and things start to look promising, but Finn has his own demons. Just as him and Brody begin to get close, Finn rushes into the sea for a dangerous rescue that might cost him everything.

I liked it – it didn’t blow my mind though.  I feel sort of conflicted since during the beginning of the book Finn came across as cute/shy boy – and then a bit of the way in his personality completely changed to be more aggressive/self assured – I’m unsure if I was just interpreting him the wrong way (which could totaly be the case) or if it really was a switch.

I got the feeling that Brody was the self assured/young/cocky “beach brat” in the beginning, then he seems more standoffish and shy.  I didn’t mind Brody’s backstory that came out at the end but I felt like it wasn’t that “oomph” that I needed to put the book over the top.

I did like the surfing parts, and the struggle, learning to cope, etc. – overcoming I guess would be the better word.

It’s also a very slow burn – it starts off intense and then it mellows for the rest of the book – I honestly thought that this would be a reverse friend situation – which kind of threw me for a loop.  I did feel a sense of “whiplash” while reading it, both from the personalities/slow progress.

It definitely hits the contemporary mark though so if you’re looking for a MM romantic contemporary this would be a good one.  Especially if you like sea/surfing books.

Cover Art: the cover art 100% fits the story – I do wish the surfboard was bright yellow like in the story though, other than that it’s one spot on cover to describe a book.

Sales Link:  Amazon

Book Details:Kindle Edition, 152 pages
Published August 25th 2018 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07GGZWCFS
Edition LanguageEnglish

An Alisa Review: Homeless in Heaven by Deirdre O’Dare

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

Homeless for over two years, Merl has hunkered down to endure a second winter in Eden, Colorado. He has lost the ability to trust or accept kindness as anything but a sneaky attempt to weaken for an attack. He sells aluminum cans and other trash to survive, knowing he should attempt to get back into the mainstream but he lacks the will to try.

 

Nate has led a sheltered and privileged life as the only child of wealthy older parents, now deceased. He is working on a photo journalism piece about the homeless people in Eden when he first encounters Merl. The big man impresses him so much that when an early blizzard hits, he goes back to the camps try to bring Merl and others to shelter in his own home.

 

Can he win Merl’s trust and cooperation in an effort to provide positive long term help to other homeless people in the area? Even more important, can he forge a real partnership with the suspicious older man?

 

This story left quite a bit to be desired for me.  It was written well but I just think it needed more depth and length to get me to connect to it.  The story is honest about some homelessness in the world but I felt that it romanticized trying to help.

 

Nathan is apparently so taken with his very short interaction with Merl that he risks everything to bring others into his home.  I don’t know if it was supposed to be a life altering experience for him but it just seemed to jump the gun on why he was doing it.  Merl pushes him away but quickly changes his mind and suddenly they are talking about long term without anything else really happening.  I just felt that this was a quick jump into bed and it didn’t feel like it could really be long term and at the same time we weren’t given too much to connect with the characters.

 

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is nice but I didn’t feel it showed the characters well.

 

Sales Links: JMS Books | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 49 pages

Published: August 4, 2018 by JMS Books

ISBN: 9781634865883

Edition Language: English

A Lucy Review: Promises by Ruby Moone

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Charles Hawkins is a former soldier who was saved from death in Napoleon’s war by his friend, Edward.  Now Edward has come begging a favor.  He needs Charles to host his youngest brother, Sebastian, for a month at his remote country estate and try to convince Sebastian not to get their father to purchase a commission to allow him to go to war as well.  Edward survived the war but two of their brothers did not.  Edward is afraid that Sebastian is going into it as “….nothing more than another jaunt.”  He believes his brother to be “… young, foolish and seemingly incapable.”  This is a big favor to ask because Charles wants, no, needs, his solitude.  But how do you say no to the man who saved your life? 

Sebastian’s arrival at Charles’ home is less than exceptional.  In fact, he arrives so drunk he falls out of the carriage, face plants, tells Charles he is pretty and then sleeps for hours.  It is not an auspicious start to the month.  Upon sobering up, however, Sebastian is a different person.  He is quiet, kind and polite.  Charles doesn’t regale him with horror stories of war.  Instead, he questions why Sebastian expects his family to pay for things.  “Hardly a babe in arms.  Why do you feel your family should provide everything for you?” 

Sebastian has a secret, however, and it is one that has made him feel inferior and useless in every way.  He doesn’t feel there is anything he can be good at.  He wants the respect of his brother and father, to make them proud, and he feels fighting is the only way to do that. 

Sebastian needs to move.  He “…just wanted to get out into the sunshine, take off his coat, and do something physical before he burst.”  This is another thing that makes his family look askance at him.  Why can’t he just be like the others?  Add in that all his brothers resemble each other – dark haired and short – while he is fair and tall and it makes him feel more alienated.  I have to say that I loved Sebastian.  He tries so hard, suffers so much and is such a good person. He’s trying to be the best he can for his family in any way he knows how.   

The estate has only Charles and his two manservants, Coulson and Blackstone. They are loyal to Charles and as Sebastian begins to work around the estate, they become friends with him.  Charles is much more reserved than any of the others, but he has some truly terrible memories of the war and the guilt and pain weigh on him greatly.  That being said, he is also a kind, intelligent man who listens to Sebastian and tries to help him.

The story is relationship focused, not just on sex or love, but on learning to trust.  There is a point where Charles doesn’t react well to a confidence Sebastian shares.  He doesn’t yell or carry on, he just doesn’t understand the import of it until later and when he does, he makes a point to do what is right by Sebastian.  Loved that.  Historical M/M romances are sometimes so dependent on suspending belief for the relationship, as being hung is a real threat, but the way this worked out made me believe it could work.  I loved the last line and felt it was so fitting to the feel of the story.

This is a lovely story and I would recommend it particularly for fans of historical romance. 

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is a Sebastian against the books and desk of Charles.  I thought it was fitting to the mood of the story.

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC  |  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 136 pages
Published August 25th 2018 by JMS Books
ISBN139781634867252
Edition Language English

A VVivacious Review: Breaking the Bonds (Cascade City Pack #2) by Rebecca James

Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5

A year has passed since the events of “A New Beginning” and Jax finds himself deep undercover trying to find the root of evil that had infiltrated the Human-Shifter Congress.

A year in he finds himself closer to his goal but having to try harder to keep appearances, when he finds out that things are worse than he could have imagined.

Jax finds himself in the middle of an omega sex-trafficking ring where omegas are kept constantly in heat by the use of a compound that is causing a whole lot of side effects in the shifters who have been targeted with it.

It is time for everybody to work together as they break this vicious cycle and overcome the elements who have worked so hard and for so long to destroy any attempts at a peaceful existence between humans and shifters.

I really don’t know what to rate this book, it was a compelling follow-up to this saga but while it lacked the intensity of the first in the Cascade City Pack series that could be because this one was very different to its predecessor. This one is all about the human-shifter dynamics and about breaking the cycle and putting both species on an equal till. Personally, I was very satisfied but the ending felt like coming full cycle it made me feel like this was it and that we were saying goodbye to this series and its characters who we have known for almost five books now and that gave my feelings a very melancholy edge. Most of the times I come out of reading a book pretty sure of what I will be rating it, sometimes as I write the review my rating changes to a little extent as I realise more things I liked or didn’t as I process my thoughts but this one was not one of them. Sometimes and this is really rare because you can most assuredly rate the ones you really like as 5 stars and the ones you didn’t a single and the ones which you liked but not too much three but what do you rate a book that feels unrateable it’s like I can’t quantify the quality that the book has. This is shaping up to one of those books, so I’m just winging it when it comes to the rating. But thankfully reviews aren’t all about ratings and I do actually get to share my thoughts and try to relay in words what I couldn’t in numbers, about this book’s unquantifiable quality.

Like most books in these series (River Wolf Pack, Angel Hills Pack & Cascade City Pack) this book is also told from multiple POVs (I almost wrote all but then I realized that the first two books in the River Wolf Pack series only had dual POVs if even that, I can’t be very sure but I think those two books are told from the POV of both main characters in those books). I personally have been loving this way of storytelling especially as it pertains to this story because there are already a ton of characters I’m invested it and this way I get to know how they all are in a more intimate way as I get to spend some time in their head and see their troubles because not everyone’s involved in human-shifter politics and they have other worries which is immediately brought to fore as we start this book with Sam’s POV and how he isn’t feeling well and how he is worried about his alpha. It was kind of nice in hindsight to have some characters be more grounded. This story ultimately reveals the bigger scandal that was hinted at, at the end of the first book and everyone is distressed by it but not everyone can be directly involved so it was nice to have Sam be worried for other reasons. It was nice for Sid to world towards a human-shifter alliance but in a different way. It added gravity to the sex-trafficking that was happening unbeknownst to many.

I had a moment of epiphany in this book when I was reading Josiah’s POV and it was just the thought that I have known River and Josiah for so long and I still wanted to know more about them. I loved their dynamic in this one, it was more settled and not as explosive as in the previous book but still such a comfortable relationship. I loved how much both Josiah and River have grown thanks to their relationship, how it has opened River’s eyes to being more open-minded and not as entrenched in the past and how Josiah has realized that a bit of caution would be the better part of valour when it comes to jumping into a situation head first. There is still much ahead for these two but it is amazing to see River as the Alpha he is hands down the best Pack Alpha around, he is amazing and David is right when he says that it says something about River that he has not one but two prolific packs to his credit.

David has to be my favourite character. I love him so much and every relationship he has is a treasure to witness. I loved that we could focus on River and David for a bit in this one and see how close these two are and how open with one another. I always love David and Briar because I honest to god forget they are brothers but we didn’t get much of them in this one.

Though we finally got to see David and Jax and considering everything that has happened, these two deserve their happy ending. That scene where David just happens to come across Jax is so surreal, God! These two have such an intense chemistry it is hard to breathe at times.

We also get to see Jax’s POV in this one and it was much needed and I know I really wanted it and I am really happy that I got it. Jax has been in a very tough situation the past year working as a sort of double agent and when he comes across the omega sex-trafficking ring, he is right in the middle of that depravity forced to keep his cover. I really understand all his feelings and for a moment I was scared he would run away but I guess David can work miracles, all in all, the situation kind of forces Jax’s hand but I was so glad in the end, because David, Jax and Brooks deserve a happy ending after all they have been through.

We do also get the conclusion of Jaime and Mark’s storyline and I am happy with how things ended there. I had forgotten a lot of characters because it has been quite a while since I have read “A New Beginning” but the moment I was reintroduced to the characters that I had known but had forgotten somehow I felt as invested in them as if I had remembered them the whole time. I am really happy for these two.

So yeah as the book ended I was really wondering if Rebecca James was ending the series here but then I thought about it and I was like no there is so much more that I need to know especially, about Sid and Grier. Sid is a character that has been very interesting to me and I really want his story to have a happy ending and this twist in the form of Grier seems like a pretty innovative one and I want to see where these two end up.

I am so happy with this one, I love these characters so much and their individual struggles just make them even more endearing but somehow if for some reason this is actually an end I feel like we are leaving these characters at a very optimistic note with a whole world of possibilities in front of them. Until next time!

Cover Art by Written Ink Designs. Loved the cover.

Sales Link:   JMS Book LLC  |  Amazon

Book Details:Kindle Edition
Published August 18th 2018 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07FZG5H4F
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesCascade City Pack #2

 

 

A Lucy Review: Falling into Love (Family Found #1) by Kris T. Bethke and Nell Iris

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

This book is the set up for the series and focuses on one of the five friends who make up a chosen family.  Liam, Jackson, Wade, Everett and Drew all bonded over an outdoor trip that ended up in the emergency room for Liam, who happens to be extremely klutzy and accident-prone.  These guys are very close and in each other’s business, literally, as they are all co-owners of V Wilderness Adventures.  It is at a guided hike with Liam as the guide that Austin and Liam get to meet. Well, that’s sort of incorrect.  Austin is a radiology tech and he knows Liam from his numerous trips to Urgent Care.  Their initial hike ends that way as well.

The book is told in the back and forth first person point of view of Liam and Austin.  Austin is not only a tech but he is the bass player in a band and invites Liam to come to the gig, which Liam, Drew and Everett go.  Liam is in lust for sure and Austin can’t help but “…egged me on a little.  Made me show off a little.”  Also turns Austin turns into Austin McSlutterson, “Who apparently excelled in cheesy pickup lines.”  Austin doesn’t swear, so we get a lot of “poop” and “fudging heck”, which was a little strange to me.  There are also numerous occasions of “happy butt wiggles”, which seemed out of place for the age of these guys.

The first date of Austin and Liam is a campfire party with the five friends and I felt sort of bad for Austin.  The five friends are so tight and have so many inside jokes and comments that it seems like it would be difficult, if not impossible, to break into this group and feel like a part of it.  Austin asks a valid question, why does Jackson live in a tent?  He gets a sort of non-answer (I like the outdoors) and because Austin is confused when Jackson is vague on purpose, Liam laughs at him and “Everyone else cracked up, too.”  I couldn’t help but think Austin was excluded, even if Liam did give the “We all…didn’t mean anything by it.” 

There isn’t a lot going on in the story other than the relationship and introducing the others.  I definitely want to know Drew’s story because I think there is a big history there.   We get to find out Austin has bigots for parents, which was sad.  Otherwise, it’s just the guys getting to know each other and moving pretty quickly in the relationship department.  I would have loved a little more depth to Liam and Austin and the story in general.

Cover art by Written Ink Designs shows Liam and Austin with a background of the forest.  It fit the feel of the book pretty well.

Sales Links:  JMS Books LLC  |  Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 112 pages
Published September 1st 2018 by JMS Books LLC
ASINB07GM1GLJQ
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesFamily Found #1

A Stella Review: Courted by Sarah Hadley Brook

RATING 2,5 out of 5 stars

Dr. Kevin Matthews is so wrapped up in his work, he hasn’t found time for love or even casual fun in far too long.

When gorgeous new nurse Mac Winters shows up at the hospital, the attraction between him and Kevin is immediate and intense. After several weeks of flirting and heated stares, they finally spend an evening getting to know each other.

Unfortunately, just when things turn hot and heavy, Mac announces he’s abstaining from sex because he’s tired of hookups and wants something real. Then he surprises Kevin by announcing he’s going to court the doctor. Can two modern men have an old-fashioned romance – and build something true and lasting together — while taking sex out of the equation?

Courted by Sarah Hadley Brook is a sweet and quick story about Mac and Kevin and their powerful love at first sight, but as opposed to what usually happens in books (and in real life LOL), Mac wants to take some time to court Kevin before fall in bed with him cause he’s sure the doctor is the right person.

I quiet like the short, fast paced, well written,engaging. It is well done. Still, maybe it is too short, cause there was really no space for some character building. I get to know pretty much nothing about the main couple, apart their daily jobs. There aren’t important second characters. It’s a good short but you need to lower you expectations and just enjoy what you get. In my opinion it could have been so much better if the author had worked more on little details, like just a couple of informations about their pasts or families or friends.

It missed a lot to be more complete and developed. That’s why I can’t give Courted an higher rating. But if you can overlook all these lacking it is a cute story to spend some time in a carefree way.

The cover art by Written Ink Designs is siple and well done, I like it.

SALE LINKS  JMS BOOKS  |  Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

Kindle Edition, 49 pages

Published August 4th 2018 by JMS Books LLC

ASIN B07FRQG3Q7

Edition Language English

Retro Review Tour – Love and Mystery Box Set by W S Long (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS Books
 
Length: 94,708 words
 
Publisher: JMS Books 
 
Blurb
 

Love and Murder — Jake Chandler is a struggling small-town Florida lawyer, and his life is falling apart. His ex-wife makes seeing his daughter difficult, his boyfriend Noah may be cheating on him, and his money woes are growing. Jake hopes that a new murder defense case will help with his money woes, but his ex-wife Elena is the prosecutor. It’s bad enough she has to fight with him over custody of their daughter. Now she wants nothing more than to beat him in the courtroom, too.

And then people around him start dying.

First, an ex-lover gets his brains blown out while he and Jake have coffee. The danger comes even closer. Then Jake meets handsome FBI agent Xavier, who is investigating the crimes surrounding him. Can Jake trust this new man in his life? Is Xavier who he says he is? Or does his involvement put Jake and those he loves in even more danger?

Love and Pain — After their too-thrilling courtship that included capturing his former lover’s killer, Jake Chandler has started a new life for himself with FBI agent Xavier. Living together is wonderful, but moving to Washington D.C. has resulted in temporary jobs that don’t last long. When Jake finally lucks out on a too-good-to-be-true position with a big law firm, Xavier suspects Jake’s new boss is crooked.

With some sleuthing, snooping, and close calls, Jake gets deeper into trouble at work, and conflicts with Xavier make his world start to crumble. When a key witness is shot to death in front of Jake, they both begin to realize how high the stakes are. Can Jake and Xavier get through these threats and find happiness with each other?

September 3 – Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings, A One-Click Addicts, September 5 – Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, MM Good Book Reviews, September 7 – OMG Reads, September 10 – Drops Of Ink, Love Unchained Book Reviews, September 12 – Megan’s Media Melange, Bayou Book Junkie, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, Book Review By Virginia Lee
 
Excerpt
 

Light posts adorned with holiday decorations lined the road to Ivan’s apartment. I told Ivan I would stop by his apartment to pick him up for dinner. But, traffic from the nearby shopping mall didn’t help.

Ivan didn’t answer his cell. I wanted to tell him how late I was running.

When I finally pulled in, Ivan stood outside with three police officers. One police vehicle blocked his car. I nodded to Ivan as I approached. His arms were crossed while an officer asked him questions.

“So could you tell what was taken?” the one officer asked.

Ivan looked towards me while he spoke. “No. I haven’t done a full inventory but the TV’s still there. I had some loose cash. That’s gone, and some clothes.”

“I saw you had a gun safe — anything missing?” the second officer chimed in.

“It looks like someone tried to get in it, but everything’s there,” Ivan said. “I was on duty so my Beretta was with me. Had the gun safe. Don’t have any other guns.”

Don’t have any other guns.

Ivan stared at me, watched me as he had said this.

I averted his gaze.

Another officer chimed in. “That’s good. Can you imagine the paperwork you would have to fill out if your weapon was stolen?” The first officer shook his head. “Well, you know with the holidays, there’s a rash of burglaries. We’ll follow up on it. They should be done dusting the fingerprints in a few.”

“All right. Thanks,” Ivan said, as he shook hands.

As the officers moved away. I came closer.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Well it’s been a crappy day,” Ivan blurted. Veins on his neck stood out as he spoke. “Before I came home, your ex-wife called Bush and told him you got Frank Peoples back on the street. Then I come home to this mess,” he shouted, waving his hand in the direction of his apartment. “The chief thinks it looks bad someone else’s DNA’s on that stupid mug, and he’s taking it out on us. Me.”

“Sorry.” Just doing my job, Ivan. Not your fault.” I stopped. I wasn’t sure but the more I talked the more irritated he seemed. “Sorry about what happened. Anything I can do?”

Ivan shook his head.

“I can stick around if you still wanna grab some food.’’

“No,” he answered without hesitation, his face red now. “It’s best that you leave.”

I stood there. His tone and demeanor showed obvious anger. I thought about what I had spoken to Noah about the night before, and felt grateful that I didn’t go through with it.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” I said. He continued to avoid eye contact. I shrugged, then walked to my car. I got in, when I heard him next to my window.

I rolled my window down and he said, “Hey, wait. Sorry I snapped at you.”

“Ivan. Don’t worry about it. You got a lot of stuff going on. ”

“I’ll give you a call later, Jake.” His voice calmer. “Rain check on dinner?”

“Sure,” I said. “Are you sure you don’t want me to wait?”

He shook his head.

Two other uniformed officers walked down the stairs, and Ivan turned his attention to them. One of them carried a paper bag marked “Evidence” with a red seal tape over the top.

I took the only exit out, and waited for the traffic light. When it turned green, I saw a familiar red Jeep parked in a corner in the complex under a tree. A shadow in the vehicle ducked.

Noah?

Seconds later my cell rang.

“Hello.”

“Jake, I’m in a bind,” Noah whispered.

“Where are you?”

“I’m in the Jeep.” He spoke fast. “Can you pull back around?”

“Why?”

“Listen, I can’t explain right now, but I got into Ivan’s apartment.”

“Are you crazy?”

 
Author Bio
 

Lawyer by day, writer by night. When I’m not lawyering during the day, I’m often reading or writing gay fiction involving men who desire a happily ever after. I’m happily married to a mild-mannered college professor, who likes to escape to the Orlando theme parks, or to a faraway place. You can often find me on social media, sometimes talking about books, but many times mouthing about TV, movies and other geeky stuff involving superheroes. Oh, and I use a pen name to protect the innocent.

 

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Release Blitz – – Falling Into Love by Nell Iris & Kris T Bethke (excerpt and giveaway)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS Books
 
Length: 34,305 words
 
Publisher: JMS Books
 
Blurb
 

Liam O’Donoughue is happy with his life. He runs V Wilderness Adventures with his best friends, his chosen brothers, and gets to spend his days hiking in the gorgeous Adirondacks. What’s not to love? But when he meets Austin on a hike, he thinks he’s found something he didn’t even know was missing.


Austin Jock is content with his work as a radiology tech and playing bass in a cover band. Someday he wants to find his forever person but doesn’t believe in romantic fireworks and isn’t sure it’ll ever happen. Then Liam comes crashing into his life, igniting sparks. Huge, life-altering sparks.


The connection between the two men is instant, and things move fast. But Austin isn’t sure what to do with everything he’s feeling inside. Can Liam convince him falling in love is the easiest thing in the world?


Excerpt

As Austin relaxed, he smiled more, and his body lost that tight posture. He leaned against me a little as the evening wore on, and when he started to shiver, I put my arm around him. The soft sigh he gave was one of the sweetest sounds I’d ever heard. I wanted to push him down onto the ground and devour him, taste and touch every inch of his delectable skin. But it was much too soon for that, and I definitely didn’t want to do it with an audience.

Eventually, he pulled out his phone, woke it up, and sighed. He turned into me so his entire side was pressed against my chest and tilted his head back, so he could look into my eyes.

“I have to go. I’ve got an early-ish shift tomorrow.”

Acute disappointment flooded my veins. But I nodded.

“Let me walk you to your car,” I murmured.

He nodded and stood. It took a little bit to say goodbye. I appreciated the enthusiasm Everett gushed over him, and I was pleased to see Drew give him a warm handshake. Finally, we moved out of the ring of firelight and ambled toward his car. Neither one of us seemed in a hurry for things to end.

“So, uh.” Austin cleared his throat, and then whispered so softly it was barely audible. “Poop.”

I laughed quietly, and reached out, tilting his face up. “Thanks for coming. I really wanted to see you.”

Austin sucked in a breath and held it, then let it out in a rush of words, “Was this a date?”

It took me a second to understand, because he’d spoken so fast I almost couldn’t make out what he said. But when I did, my grin was so wide my face hurt.

“Well, I certainly thought it was. I definitely wanted it to be. What’s your verdict?”

He gave a shaky laugh. “Me, too.”

“Good.” I cautiously took a step closer, wanting to be in his space, and he let me. He even lifted a hand and placed it on my waist. I cursed the layers between us. I wanted to feel his touch on my skin.

“Do you maybe want to do it again? Uh, go on a date, I mean?”

“No maybe about it. I definitely want to do it again.”

Austin nodded, opened his mouth, and then shut it again. He shook his head, mouthed a word I couldn’t make out in the dimness, and then said, “Can I cook for you?”

“I would love that,” I said fervently.

“Oh. Good.” Austin’s smile bloomed on his face, and for a long minute, I was captivated by his full, kissable mouth. I almost didn’t hear what he said next. “I have Tuesday off. Want to come over?”

“Just tell me what time.”

Austin laughed, and I swore it sounded like music. “I’ll text you as soon as I figure out what to make. You don’t have any allergies, do you?”

“Not to food.”

“Good. Then. Tuesday?”

“Absolutely.”

Austin sucked in another breath, kissed my cheek again with one of those fleeting, butterfly kisses, and then scrambled to get in his car. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face as I waved him on and stood there until his car disappeared around the bend in the drive.


Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies’ room), loves music (and singing along but, let’s face it, she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (“Make it so”). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!


Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.


Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.


Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.


Email contact@nelliris.com
Web www.nelliris.com
Twitter @nellirisauthor
Facebook page www.facebook.com/nellirisauthor
Facebook profile www.facebook.com/nell.iris.12
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/nelliris
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nell_iris/
QueeRomance Ink https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/nell-iris/



Kris T. Bethke has been a voracious reader for pretty much her entire life and has been writing stories for nearly as long. An avid and prolific daydreamer, she always has a story in her head. She spends most of her free time reading, writing, or knitting/crocheting her latest project. Her biggest desire is to find a way to accomplish all three tasks at one time. A classic muscle car will always turn her head, and naps on the weekend are one of her greatest guilty pleasures. She lives in a converted attic with a way too fluffy cat and the voices in her head. She’ll tell you she thinks that’s a pretty good deal. Kris believes that love is love, no matter the gender of people involved, and that all love deserves to be celebrated.


Find her on her site https://kristbethke.com Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/people/Kris-T-Bethke/100014524539852 or on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/ 

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