Tag: m/m/m

Love Gets Into the Game with Sloan Johnson’s Triple Play (giveaway)

TriplePlayBlogTour

Triple Play
by Sloan Johnson
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Romance, Sports

Triple Play

Amazon • Nook • Kobo • iBooks

Drew Jackson seemed to have it all. He has a family who loves and supports him, a tight circle of friends, and is a rising star with the Milwaukee Mavericks. Then, it all begins to unravel. Cam, the only man he’s ever loved, falls head over heels for Drew’s teammate. He makes a critical mistake in the playoffs that he’s not sure he’ll be able to recover from. And then, his world really crashes around him…

Eric Sapp may no longer play for the Mavericks, but he’s still one of the guys. No one could have imagined how much his life would change when he agreed to help his former teammates mourn the end of their run for the pennant. After stopping a brutal attack, Eric is forced to face the feelings that’ve been growing for his roommate, Drew. That’d be much easier if Drew wasn’t hell-bent on pushing everyone away as he recovers.

Neither of them were counting on Bryce Shaw. He and Drew enjoyed the one night they spent together, but knew it was unlikely they’d be anything more since they lived in different parts of the country. After Bryce is relocated to help a failing LGBT homeless outreach, he wants to explore something more with the Mavericks’ short stop.

As much as Eric wishes he could be the one to help his friend, he knows Bryce holds the key to Drew’s recovery. Will pushing the two back together be the biggest mistake of his life or will they all learn there is strength in numbers?

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Also in the Series

Wild Pitch Curve Ball

About Sloan Johnson

Sloan Johnson

Sloan Johnson is a big city girl trapped in a country girl’s life. While she longs for the hustle and bustle of New York City or Las Vegas, she hasn’t yet figured out how to sit on the deck with her morning coffee, watching the deer and wild turkeys in the fields while surrounded by concrete and glass.

When she was three, her parents received their first call from the principal asking them to pick her up from school. Apparently, if you aren’t enrolled, you can’t attend classes, even in Kindergarten. The next week, she was in preschool and started plotting her first story soon after.

Later in life, her parents needed to do something to help their socially awkward, uncoordinated child come out of her shell and figured there was no better place than a bar on Wednesday nights. It’s a good thing they did because this is where she found her love of reading and writing. Who needs socialization when you can sit alone in your bedroom with a good book?

Now, Sloan is a tattooed mom with a mohawk and two kids. She’s been kicked out of the PTA in two school districts and is no longer asked to help with fundraisers because she’s been known to lose herself with a good book and forget she has somewhere to be.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Tumblr

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Giveaway

Enter to win a Giveaway Prize of $50 Gift Card (Amazon / iBooks, Winner’s Choice). Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and IndieSage Promotions  [  @indiesagepromo  ] .

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A Paul B Review: Fae For All (Cloverleah Pack #6) by Lisa Oliver

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Fae for All coverJax, Fafnir, and Aelfric are destined to form a triad. Two of the three try to deny their bond. But this is not the only problem. They must deal with outside forces who are trying to destroy not only their mating but also the entire Cloverleah pack.

Jax is a half fae, half wolf shifter. Shortly after his first shift almost 300 years ago, he was banished by his grandfather. Only one member of his Cloverleah pack knows of the entirety of his heritage. He has not heard news of his family for almost a century.

Aelfric and Fafnir are fae princes. They met while roaming the European countryside over 300 years ago. Because of their identical birthmarks, they know that the third person in their triad is a wolf shifter. They have been searching since they met for their missing mate. They have asked for the help of the omega of the Cloverleah pack to aid them in their search.

After members of another pack claim that they are the third for the fae, Jax insists that they are all fakes. Jax reveals that his is the true mate for Aelfric and Fafnir. The fae pair are upset that Jax has known for weeks that they are his mates. When challenged by the other pack for the right to the fae since the bond has not been completed, Jax defeats the other wolves. However, the fae pair becomes frightened when they see Jax’s true wolf form, a dire wolf. Jax is heartbroken as his mates seem to be just like his family and most other fae who look down on shifters.

As the three try to repair the damage done during their initial meeting, they must also fend off not only some leaders of the wolf council but also must deal with the elders of the fae world. After Aelfric registers their mating, the elders plan a huge celebration in finding the last surviving member of the leaders of the western regions of the fae world. Jax returns to his family estate where he receives a warning from his late grandfather. Will this new triad survive the upcoming celebration?

This is the sixth installment of Ms. Oliver’s Cloverleah Pack series. Reading the previous books will help understand some of the underlying plot lines and motivations of the characters.

It is rare that I give sequels a five star rating but feel that this book deserves one. I really loved the interactions between our three protagonists. Having been hurt by his fae family, you can understand Jax’s feelings when his mates are initially frightened of his wolf. I felt the enduring love that Fafnir and Aelfric have had after 300 years of being together, yet missing their third. The Cloverleah pack and the triad in particular must endure challenges not only from the wolf shifters but also from the fae rulers. Having to deal with the elders and the other rulers, Jax’s distaste for his fae connections is highly understandable.

I eagerly wait on the next in this entertaining series and highly recommend this book and series.

The cover art was designed by the author using Shutterstock and Dreamstime photos. It shows Jax and his wolf in front of what appears to be blue landscape.

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

Book Details
Ebook,
Published: May 2015 by Lisa Oliver
ISBN:
Edition: English
Series: Cloverleah Pack
The Reluctant Wolf (Cloverleah Pack #1)
The Runaway Cat (Cloverleah Pack #2)
(Cloverleah Pack #3)
(Cloverleah Pack #4)
(Cloverleah Pack #5)
Fae for All (Cloverleah Pack #6)

3 Wounded Hearts, One HEA in Friday at the 7-Eleven by J. T. Hall (excerpt and giveaway)

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Friday at the 7-Eleven by J. T. Hall
Release Date: June 3, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Sales Links: Torquere Press

Blurb:

Brent’s a bully who picks on his workmate Alex. What Brent doesn’t realize, however, is that Alex wants him, but is too scared to ask. Meanwhile Brent’s convinced that all he needs is a firm hand to push him down and force him to be a good guy.

Then he meets Craig, a muscled veteran working at the local 7-Eleven. Craig knows a switch when he sees it, and Brent’s got it written all over him. He needs a hard takedown and some training to harness that sadistic side. Craig decides that what might be best is for all three of them to get together. Only by embracing honesty and self-control can each of them find what they need.

Pages or Words: 17,000 words

Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly

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Excerpt:

Craig couldn’t help but chuckle, as the day’s events unfolded.

He’d had his eye on Brent for some time—weeks, in fact. Six feet tall with light brown hair in a neat cropped style, muscles that advertised his time at the gym, and gorgeous blue eyes. What was there not to notice? The guy scowled a lot, though, and moved with a jerky, decisive style. Brent was a guy used to giving orders, and he wasn’t happy about it.

Craig had known Brent would love taking orders. Yet, it had to be from somebody with the power and the balls to back it up.
Happily, fifteen years as a Marine had given him that power.

As he cleaned up around the drinking fountain and the snack area, Craig grinned, recalling the feel of Brent’s mouth on his cock, the way the guy had challenged him, and then ended up begging for release. Brent’s little tagalong had been watching, too.
Younger guy, blond and lean, probably more into running than lifting weights. Obviously a submissive, and pining after someone who might not give a fuck about him. But cute. Very cute.

 

About J. T. Hall

J.T. Hall has a bachelor degree in Creative Writing and a Master in Education. She has long been active in the LGBT and local leather community and does charity work including AIDS education and suicide prevention. Currently, J.T. works as a technical writer in the healthcare industry and lives with her partner and teenaged daughter in sunny Arizona.

Where to find the author:

Facebook
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JTHall7
Blog: http://jthallwriting.wordpress.com

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Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Friday at the 7-Eleven’. Must be 18 years of age or older. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
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Tour Dates & Stops: June 17, 2015

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Full Moon Dreaming, Jessie G. Books, Inked Rainbow Reads, Kimi-Chan, Havan Fellows, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Hat Party, Molly Lolly, Decadent Delights, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bayou Book Junkie, Redz World, My Fiction Nook, Velvet Panic

Up Close & Personal with Author Trina Lane and Turkish Delights (contest)

Turkish Delight cover

Trina Lane is here today with her book, Turkish Delights!  Not only does she have a contest for all to enter but a NSFW, totally hot excerpt to read (cue the fans).  Check it all out below starting with Trina Lane’s guest blog Mirror Mirror on the Wall.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall by Trina Lane

Who is the hottest of them all? One of the great things about all the different publishers, genres, and authors available today in the erotic romance world is that there is generally a favorite type of character for every person. So I’m going to use today’s blog post to do a little reader feedback research. I pose a question to all of you reading this today. What type of character really rings your bells and why? Are you the type of person who goes for the stoically quiet and intense alpha? Do you gravitate toward the geeky scientist? Are you a lover of men who are literally out of this world? Or are you just looking for an everyday man?

Of those general stereotypes what characteristics are you looking for? Are looks all that matter? Do your heroes require unlimited riches to makes your ultimate fantasies come true? How can we as authors write better characters? Do you like a lot of backstory or is it better to get right down to business? Do you find characters who know how to handle themselves in and out of the bedroom sexy, or do you enjoy reading about someone is simply trying to figure things out day by day?

When it comes to writing the perfect pair. Do opposites really attract? What about two strong men that can’t seem to resist the attraction pulling them together, but on paper make the worst possible sense? Does there always need to be some kind of give and take in a relationship, even if BDSM is your preferred genre, or is there a real place for my way or the highway?

Finally I ask you to weigh in on the angst/conflict vs true romance debate. I realize that sometimes we all want a little sweetness in our lives, but I’ve read reviews of some author’s hard work where a critic lambasts the book because there is no conflict. They call it unrealistic and insulting to readers because it is so unbelievable. But here’s a side question related to that. Don’t we sometimes read romantic fiction to escape reality? I know I do. As you can see this post is really more about you as readers than about my thoughts. So as a reward for participating I’m going to giveaway two copies of Turkish Delights. Please include in your posts some means of me contacting you otherwise you’ll lose out!

Thanks for Playing,
Trina

 

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Blurb for Turkish Delights:

This is the newest addition to Totally Bound’s, Totally Five Star imprint.

Three very different men from three different countries look to build a love greater than any Wonder of the World.

Project manager Garrett Sloan builds majestic hotels for the rich and famous around the world, but when it comes to love, all his relationships seem to crumble. His latest project lands him in Istanbul, where the desire he’s held for a certain French architect heats up under the Middle Eastern sun, and his resolve never to mix business with pleasure melts beneath the added hot stare and skilled hands of a Turkish mason.

The three men discover they want to build a relationship to stand the test of time—much like Kyle LaFleure’s buildings and Emir Şahin’s stonework. As the bonds between Garrett and his partners grow stronger and more complex, they work to lay the perfect foundation on which to build a lasting relationship. Can the three men construct a relationship that will endure? Or will their love reach its zenith when their shared task of finishing the ultimate Ottoman luxury hotel reaches its completion?  Reader advisory: This book contains a scene of double penetration.

Like the sound of Turkish Delights? Buy it here.

Excerpt from Turkish Delights (NSFW) Link only for those 18 years of age or older. Click to proceed.

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About Trina Lane:

If you look up the word conundrum in the dictionary, there should be a photo of Trina Lane. Her personality is so multifaceted that her friends have spent countless hours scratching their heads in wonder. A scientist with a passion for history, music and photography she loves to travel and experience new places but is terminally shy around people she doesn’t know.

Trina has been devouring romance novels since her tender teenage years, although only began writing in 2007. When her debut novel was met with resounding success, she said “Hey I can do that again”. The rest as they say is history.

Her choices in reading and writing material are as diverse as her iTunes library, which contains music from Mozart to Metallica. Her one concession is all stories must have a happily ever after ending-did we mention she’s incurably romantic?

She lives in Missouri with her loving and indulgent husband, and orange tabby cat—affectionately referred to as ‘Houdini’ for his stealthy escape attempts.

Contest

Enter Totally Bound’s competition for the chance to win a copy of Turkish Delights and three books from Trina Lane’s backlist!

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Contest link and prizes provided by Totally Bound Books.

Direct link: https://www.totallybound.com/turkish-delights-giveaway/?af=53be8f313b20b

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A PaulB Review: Layne, River & Damion (Storming Love: Blizzard #4) by Vicktor Alexander

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Layne River and Damion coverDamion had his heart broken six months ago when his boyfriend of ten years called things off. When he is trapped at work in a college library with a cute student and his ex, Damion must decide what to do next.

“Layne, River and Damion” is the fourth book released in the Storming Love: Blizzard series. Each book can be read as a standalone.

River Cunningham is a marketing student at Yale University. While studying at a university library during a snowstorm, his mind wanders to the janitor passing by. After taking the janitor’s pic and sending it to his best friend, the janitor teases him that River did not catch his best side in the photo he had just taken.

Damion Martin, the janitor of said photo, had his heart broken six months previously by his boyfriend of ten years, Layne. Still hurting, Damion decides the cute student might be what it takes to move on from is ex, who happens to work in the same library as Damion does.

Layne Haylse is working as a librarian at Yale. While he believes he did the best thing for Damion by breaking things off with him, Layne still longs for Damion. He knows he has hurt Damion by his actions but still wonders if there might be a chance left between them, despite the reasons for the breakup.

As the snowstorm intensifies, the power goes out in the library. This brings the three characters together to survive during the blackout. While Damion and Layne talk about the reasons for the breakup, Damion still has interest in River. The three must figure out how to move forward once the lights come back on.

I liked how the author established the back story between Layne and Damion. The reason for the break up between Layne and Damion also laid the groundwork for the reason behind the ménage pairing that would come about later. I also liked how the author left open the possibility of a future story with the characters with his happy for now ending. The one complaint I have with the book is that only these three characters are stuck at a library at Yale University during the blackout and snowstorm. If the storm was intensified that suddenly, wouldn’t more students and employees be there?

The cover art by Kris Jacen mimics the other books in the Blizzard series. However, with this book there are three silhouettes instead of two, to reflect the three characters in the story.

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

Book details:
Kindle Edition, 54 pages
Published February 15th 2015 by ManLove Romance Press
ASINB00TOKGUEM
edition languageEnglish
seriesStorming Love: Blizzard #4

Series: Storming Love Blizzard
Jens & Eliot by Sara York (Storming Love: Blizzard #1)
Kimo & Mike by Neil Plakcy (Storming Love: Blizzard #2)
Seth & Casey by R.J. Scott (Storming Love: Blizzard #3)
Layne, River & Damion by Vicktor Alexander (Storming Love: Blizzard #4)
Gavin & Morgan by Nicole Dennis (Storming Love: Blizzard # 5)

A MelanieM Review: Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States #1) by L.E. Harner, T.A. Webb

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Deep Blues Goodbye coverWith one startling action, the world changed forever. Recently deceased NOPD Detective Travis Boudreaux was in the process of being mourned and buried when he had the bad taste to sit up at his own funeral.  Until that happened no one knew that vampires and werewolves had been living amongst them. Now two years later, the fight is on for civil rights for preternatural beings and most humans are on the bandwagon. Except whoever is killing vampires and would be vampires.

Since the death and return of his partner and almost love, Detective Sam Garrett has hated all things preternatural. Having your undead partner try to make you his first meal will do that to a guy. When Sam’s attitude gets the best of him on the job, Sam finds himself banished to the Paranormal Criminal Investigations Unit—the Odd Squad—under the oversight of Detective Danny Burkette.

Now it’s up to Burkette to work with Garrett by day and Boudreaux by night as they follow a trail of clues that leads from the historic cemeteries of New Orleans to the bayous of southern Louisiana. During the course of their investigations, both men come to the attention  of a Master vampire and the local werewolf pack Alpha.  If they aren’t careful, it won’t be just Boudreaux whose dead, but maybe even Sam as well.  Some lessons in life—and death—take longer to learn…and Sam and Travis find out that not all second chances are created equal.

Warning: This is an erotic urban fantasy. In this series the vampires don’t sparkle, werewolves kill, and the men sometimes have sex. With each other.

Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States #1) by L.E. Harner and T.A. Webb deepens the amazing world building these authors are constructing for this series.  New Orleans, that rich feast of a city, is the perfect setting for supernatural beings  in love and evil schemes that are slow to unfold.  After that shocker at the end of Altered States, I eagerly grabed this up to see what had occurred only to find that two years had passed and the aftermath is viewed through the various perspective of the characters involved.  And yes, I was a little disappointed.  After all, what happened at the funeral was a stunner for all involved, including the now animated corpse of Travis Boudreaux.  But two years have passed since Travis was turned and now everyone has to deal with the fact that vampires, werewolves and more exist and live among them.  And not everyone is happy about that, including Sam.

I adore Sam, he’s a piece of cynical perfection and disappointment.  What happened to Travis altered Sam as well, especially since both men were so close to falling in love, if they hadn’t already.  But a vampire and fate intervenes and their new  relationship was destroyed…or so they think.  It soon becomes apparent that Sam has never gotten over Travis and that just adds onto the bitterness Sam already feels about the whole undead thing and his partner.  I loved the two of them together and their bonding extends past themselves and the pages to include the reader.  In fact, I so bought into their burgeoning love affair that  aspects of this story threw me off.

Without heading into spoiler territory, other supernaturals arrive to further complicate the current state of affairs and all their attention will be focusing on Sam.   We see Travis as he is trying to move forward with his undead life with not a whole lot of success.  We see Sam also trying to do the same, both are stalled and bitter.  Something has to occur to break the stasis and it’s a doozy.

As part of the events that happen,  a bonded pair will have some wild hot sex with one of our main characters.  Normally this doesn’t bother me, especially when the authors make a case for it to happen.  But here? Not an element I enjoyed.  I understood where the authors were going with it, but I so bought into Sam and Travis’ romance that this aspect never became palatable.  How a reader feels about this (it’s really not cheating) will likely foretell how they feel about this installment in the series.  Some readers will be asking if they can skip over this book (and yes, the third book sort of resolves this), but no *shakes finger*, unfortunately you can’t.

Think of each story as a building block essential to the whole construct.  Miss even one, and you miss key elements that not only enrich the series but deepen the mystery and suspense Harner and Webb are working hard to build.  So much of this story is worthy of your attention and commitment.  And, perhaps,  the few elements that bothered me won’t phase you in the least.  This is going to be one wild ride!

Another reason to start reading this series?  This year’s Pulp Friction 2015 gang situates all their interconnected series in the Altered States universe.  So its double or is that quadruple the fun for all!  So get started.  Each is a fast, wild, suspenseful tale…over before you know it.  However, don’t be astonished if it lingers on in the questions and clues left behind (and even more shockers).

Cover art by Laura Harner works for the series.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 120 pages
Published August 16th 2012 by Hot Corner Press
ISBN139781937252243
edition languageEnglish
seriesAltered States #1
charactersSam Garrett (Altered States), Travis Boudreaux

Books in the Altered States Series in the order they should be read:

  • Altered States (Altered States, #0.5)
  • Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States, #1)
  • Deadly Shades of Gold (Altered States, #2)
  • Free Falling Crimson (Altered States, #3)

 

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review:Turkish Delight by Trina Lane

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Turkish Delight coverGarrett Sloan is a project manager for Totally Five Star Hotels which is building a luxury hotel in Istanbul. They plan to make it highly exclusive and state of the art, yet it must blend with the culture of the area. As the story opens, Garrett is set to convey a last minute change of plans to French architect Kyle LaFleure as he arrives in Turkey just as the construction is set to begin. Garrett has been drooling over the gorgeous Frenchman for years but is staying professional and holding himself back from acting on his attraction. It’s evident that Kyle is equally attracted to him so when local stonework artisan Emir Sahin shows up to work with them on the hotel and both appear to be drawn to the sexy smoking-hot man, it poses a conundrum for Garrett. How can he be so attracted to two men at once?

When a situation arises in which all three men are drawn together, they finally act on their attraction and it’s evident that no one of the three means more than the others to each of the three. Confusing? Basically, each man seeks out both of the others and eventually all three fall in love. Most of the story takes place over the course of the year and a half it takes to build the hotel, and most of the story is about their sex life. There’s threesomes and twosomes and every conceivable position that three men can get into. If you like a little story with a lot of sex, this one is for you.

The major angst in Garrett’s life is a job decision he’s forced to make– Should he take on the CFO job offered to him by his mentor when it will mean that he needs to live in London? Though he would love the job, he doesn’t want to ask Emir to leave his homeland. <spoiler>.

Kyle has no angst. Basically, he’s just the filling in the man sandwich. Emir’s angst revolves around his family and their desire for him to marry. He has to choose whether or not to tell his parents that he’s gay. Of the old traditional culture, it’s unlikely that they will accept him once they know.

If I were to count the pages in this book and compare the content of the story outside of the sex scenes, it would likely be less than a third. Though the sex scenes were imaginative and hot, after a while I wanted the story to move on to the conclusion rather than to read about their threesome one more time.

I would recommend it to those who enjoy reading ménage and/or those who like a lot of sex in their books, but not to anyone looking for a serious drama.

Cover Art by Posh Gosh nicely depicts the three MCs as described within the story, and includes objects which symbolize elements present in the story.

Sales Links:   Totally Bound         All Romance (ARe)           Amazon links coming     Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: March 6th 2015 by Totally Bound
ISBN139781784304355
edition languageEnglish
urlhttps://www.totallybound.com

A Stella Review: Rabbit Season (Lost Shifters #2) by Megan Derr

Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars

Rabbit Season CoverSidney has quietly loved twin brothers Brook and Colby for years, watching and pining as they came to his house for the summer every year. Painfully aware that they have each other, and that they have no reason to notice the unremarkable duck they grew up babysitting. 

Then the twins and their mother are attacked days before an important meeting that will change the shifter world forever. When the twins come to stay with Sidney’s family until the attackers are caught, Sidney learns that all things have their season, and even violent protests will not keep two rabbits from the man for whom they’ve been patiently waiting…

Warning: Story contains incest

Just a short premise. Even if this is a very light book, if you are uneasy to read about incest, I think this book it’s not for you. Usually I don’t feel so comfortable reading about this theme but I found out that it’s really important how the author showes it to us. In this case, it wasn’t so hard to me to read the incesty threesome (how Brook called it), maybe cause it’s a paranormal story, or perhaps cause it’s not uncommon in the shifters’ world Megan created, in general it’s allowed. In fact, if you’ll read the book, you’ll discover Sidney’s parent are the first to welcome his relationship. No drama at all.

Sidney is a duck shifter and the heir of the kingdom; he has two dads, Troy, human and James, the flock leader. He’s in love with the Hot Twinks (Brook and Colby), the rabbit shifters, since forever. he has tried (not so) hard to forget them, until one morning, still wearing Spiderman pajama pants, he finds them in his kitchen. Just like that, after being ignored all these years, they start flirting with him. Are they making fun of him?

Colby and Brook have feelings for Sidney since he was sixteen, but they stayed away because he was too young. Now he’s twenty and they are ready to take what they want.

The flock is not welcoming this new relationship, they want Sidney to be with a duck, not a rabbit, even less two of them. So Sidney needs to understand if the rabbits are just looking for some fun time or something more. Are the Hot Twins worthy losing the flock leading?

The author created a great shifters world with a DPRS (Department for the Protection and Regulation of Shifters) and a Lost Shifters Foundation, who rescue feral shifters and find them a home. Being a short book, I understand it wasn’t possible to develop all the conflicts and mysteries we read about them, but I think it has penalized the success of the story.

Rabbit Season is cute and there are some funny dialogues that lighten the story, but I missed the sweetness of Backwoods Asylum. In my opinion it’s due to the choice of adding the sexual aspect. In fact, while in the first book the physical relationship between the two Mcs started at the end of the story and there were no sex scenes, in this second one Sidney and the Hot Twinks are together and having hot sex almost from the start. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading steamy sex scenes, really love, just not in this story. Maybe it’s cause I’m still playing with Hansel and Gretel (if you read Brady and Skylar’s story, you know what I’m talking about). I thought I was going to read something on the same line. I simply didn’t get the same emotions from this book, even if I enjoyed a lot and I devoured it.

So far, I want to recommend the Lost Shifters series, it’s a funny, sweet and light reading.

The COVER DESIGNED by London Burden is not ethereal as the Backwoods Asylum one. It misses one thing: the clothes Brook and Colby stole to Sidney in the scene at the pond. It would have fitted the story perfectly.

Sales Links:  Less Than Three Press  All Romance (ARe)  Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: February 18th 2015 by Less Than Three Press
original titleRabbit Season
ISBN139781620044346
edition languageEnglish
seriesLost Shifters #2

Books In the Lost Shifters series:

  • Backwoods Asylum (Lost Shifters #1)
  • Rabbit Season  (Lost Shifters #2)

Review: The Oracle’s Flame (The Oracle #1) by Mell Eight

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5 (rounded up to 4):

The Oracle's FlameThe Oracle has looked into the future and sees nothing but devastation and ruin after the King of Altnoia, along with his Queen and  Heir are killed, assassinated by his cousin who then assumes the throne.  Missing from the carnage is the rightful’s King’s young son, Prince Edan.  Missing or dead?  Only the Oracle knows the truth.  If the Kingdom and all who live there are to survive and thrive, then Prince Edan must be found and restored to the throne.

Dragon, the newly minted Dragon of Fire, has been chosen for the job.  He must find Prince Edan and then keep him alive, a desperate mission when the forces of the Usurper are scouring the Kingdom looking for the Prince as well.  But it’s Prince Edan’s secret location that upsets Dragon most of all.  Edan is hiding out on a pirate’s ship and the last place a fire loving dragon wants to be is on the high seas and seasick.

Not only seasick and sick of the water, no one will tell Dragon which pirate is the prince.  And not even the Oracle could have prepared Dragon for a pair of sexy twin pirates and the feelings they engender inside a lonely dragon.

New author, new series.  Both things make this reviewer extremely happy.  Add a dragon or two and things get just that much better.  The Oracle’s Flame, the first in The Oracle series, sets the foundation for this universe and the stories to come.  The story begins in the Monastery, built into and under the Sacred Mountain.  In this ancient building, more city than single structure, the Oracle and the Four Castes live and carry out the Oracle’s plans.

Mell Eight has created a wonderful, fascinating universe for this series.  The Oracle herself is thousands of years old, exchanging human bodies as is necessary but retaining the knowledge and feelings of all the Oracles inside.  At the moment, the Oracle is a young girl, the previous body/person having recently perished.  Into her personal chambers she calls for her new Dragon of Fire.  As Dragon proceeds down the hallways of the Monastery, he recalls the chain of events that made him the Dragon of Fire only three days prior.  Inside the Oracle’s chambers lie the testing room into which all the young are called to be tested.   When they leave it will be as a member of one of the Four Castes, Air, Water, Earth, and of course, Fire.  Each young person leaves changed in appearance and with a tattoo marking their new position and Caste on their backs.

For Dragon, his hair has turned cherry red, the color of flames.  And his eyes are the bluest of blues that you find in the hottest center of a candle’s fire.  All members of the Fire caste have red hair and blue eyes after testing.  But only one has the red dragon tattoo on his back, signaling his high position.  And only the Elder Flame is higher in the cast then the Dragon of Fire.  So many rich details….and the author continues to add continuously to the atmosphere and minutiae of the Monastery and the world created within to the reader’s delight.

But  Mell Eight has the dragon leaving this mesmerizing location for a mission he must succeed at otherwise the Kingdom of Altnoia will be lost. From deeply serious to highly humorous and back again, the narrative swings merrily as Dragon boards the pirate vessel in a most unusual manner, assuming a lower caste position to hide his true nature and lowly name to go along with it.  Quite naturally, a fire dragon will not be pleased to be surrounded by water, rained upon and or tossed about by waves.  And at all times, it is easy to remember that Dragon is also quite new as a Dragon of Fire and out on his own for the first time in his life.  It’s an all around precarious position for Dragon and the author makes the most of it here to our delight and sometimes consternation.

There are many other characters involved in this story, including a pair of brother pirates, twins Shev and Shov. Physically identical, they couldn’t be less alike in personality.  But both brothers are attracted to Dragon who is confused by his attraction to them both and unsure of what it all means.  There is a charming naivete and innocence to Dragon, one recognized by the brothers and other pirates aboard.  I enjoyed the fact that aspect of Dragon’s character was valued rather than exploited by those around him.  And that aura of innocence that surrounds Dragon makes the relationship that finally evolves between the three of them not only something the reader will be able to relate to but all aspects of their unusual relationship as well. That The Oracle’s Flame involves a m/m/m relationship as well as one that includes twincest feels as though it was meant to be instead of something kinky or misplaced.  It does occur towards the end of the story for those readers who find these elements not ones they normally read but the events that lead up to it feels natural and not strained by circumstances.

What will everyone find marvelous?  Oh, the wonder when an angry dragon takes flight!  Mell Eight makes us feel the fury and the beating wings, the fire as it explodes upon contact and the happiness of a dragon when a tiny flames dance in his hands.  During those moments, Dragon is so alive, so unbelievably real and magnificent that you wish dragons were as real as Dragon feels on the pages before you.  Of course, he felt that way too as he moaned with seasickness and shivered under the onslaught of a torrential rain, pitiful and endearing always.

Ultimately, it’s the characters that make a story or series.  In The Oracle’s Flame Mell Eight has provided us with many to love and wonder about.  I only wish that I had seen more of the fight to win the throne.  How satisfying that would have been.  But I was happy with this tale of love and adventure and thrilled with Dragon and his twins.  I think you will be too.

Cover art by London Burdon.  Minimal but it works for the story and as series branding.

The Oracle series includes:

The Oracle’s Flame, #1
The Oracle’s Hatchling, #2

Book Details:
Publisher’s Warning: Contains twincest and a threesome relationship
ebook, 18,700 words
The Oracle’s Flame at LT3 Press

Published November 20th 2013 by Less Than Three Press LLC (first published November 19th 2013)
original title The Oracle’s Flame
ISBN13 9781620042823
edition language English