Tag: mpreg

For All Lovers of Shifters, SciFy & Romance~Mate of the Tyger Prince by Shannon West (excerpt and giveaway)

MateoftheTygerPrince - West

Mate of the Tyger Prince (Mate of the Tyger Prince #1) by Shannon West
Release Date: January 19, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dark Hollows Press
Cover Artist: Eden Connors

Blurb

Diplomatic marriages between two members of different planets certainly aren’t unheard of—but for Prince Mikos of Tygeria and Col. Ryan Donnelly of Earth, it might just be a fate worse than death. The union is meant to end a devastating war that has lasted for over a hundred and fifty years, but when the female bride intended for the fierce, sexy prince runs away, her handsome brother is substituted instead. Men are for mating as far as the Tygerian prince is concerned, but the colonel also happens to be Mikos’s sworn enemy, not to mention being completely irritating.
Ryan is horrified to learn that the Tygerians not only expect him to take the place of his sister, marry the Bloody Prince of Tygeria, and go to live with him on his mysterious planet, but they also expect him to undergo physical alteration to have the man’s baby! And nobody is taking hell no for an answer. Ryan’s being asked to turn his whole life upside down and the handsome Tygerian gets under his skin like nobody else. But with the fate of the universe at stake, how can he say no? Can the two enemies put aside their differences and focus on making love and not war—not to mention a baby? As a powerful love struggles to take root, can they learn to trust each other and stand together against the forces that are trying to tear them apart?

Pages or Words: 75,795 words
Categories: Erotica, M/M Romance, Romance, Science Fiction, Tiger Shifters

Excerpt:

“Son, are you all right? Your highness…Consort Blake, please! Put a stop to this now—my son is injured!”
“I’m fine, Father,” Ryan said, embarrassed and trying to gently push him off.
“Your son is injured?” the king’s consort said, his eyebrows lifting in outrage. “What about my son? Your son indeed!”
Then as the words sunk in, Blake suddenly straightened up and tilted his head, one eyebrow quirking upward. “Did you say your son?”
“Yes, of course he is! And your son just attacked him!” the consul said, casting a wounded, outraged look back over his shoulder.
Blake smiled then and rubbed his hands together, as eager as a cat who’d just spied a big bowl of tasty cream. “You mean to tell me this young man… Your unmarried son? Well, why didn’t you say so? Who needs the daughter? This one will do fine. In fact, he’ll do even better!” He stepped forward and laid a hand on Prince Mikos’s arm. “Stop playing with him, Miki. You’ll have plenty of time to do that after the wedding. This young man,” he said, gesturing grandly toward Ryan, “is your new mate and royal consort.” He got a speculative look in his eye. “Maybe even the bearer of your children.”

Buy the book: Amazon

Meet the Author:

Shannon West lives in the South with her husband and family. A lover and avid reader of M/M romances, she began writing them a few years ago and now has over forty short stories, novellas, and novels to her credit. She is a two-time finalist in the Rainbow awards for 2013 and 2014, and an honorable mention for 2015 and named an All Romance ebooks top ten author for 2013 and 2014. She writes shifters, primarily and some BDSM and contemporary. She loves men and everything about them, and believes that love is love, no matter the gender. She mostly spends her days at the keyboard, trying to elude housework, which stalks her relentlessly.

 

Where to find the author:

Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Jessie G. Books, The Hat Party, Decadent Delights, Happily Ever Chapter, Bonkers About Books, Unquietly Me, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Multitasking Mommas, Book Lovers 4Ever, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Kiki’s Kinky Picks, Three Books Over The Rainbow, MM Good Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Alpha Book Club, Lee Brazil, Inked Rainbow Reads, Divine Magazine, My Fiction Nook

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Mate of the Tyger Prince’ by Shannon West.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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Love Vampires & M/M Romance? Check Out Alex’s Surprise & Saving Alex (Unexpected Series #1 & #2) by Chris McHart (excerpt & Giveaway)

Alex-Print-Cover1

Alex’s Surprise & Saving Alex (Unexpected Series #1 & #2) by Chris McHart
Series should be read in order
Release Date: Alex’s Surprise – June 26

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Publisher: Alex’s Surprise – M/M Romance Group on Goodreads. Saving Alex – Chris McHart
Cover Artist: Meg Bawden of Bawd Designs

Sales Links:  Amazon DE | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon US

Saving Alex Sales  Link:  Barnes and Noble |Alex’s Surprise Sales:  Barnes and Noble  | Amazon Print (both)

 Alex’s Surprise is a free story! You can download it on Goodreads, Amazon and ARe

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Alex's-Surprise---pdf-cover---jpeg2Alex’s Surprise: Alex wanted a night of hot passion with Gerome, but he gets more than he ever bargained for. His life will be changed forever in a world where he’ll be thrown in jail— or worse— for being pregnant.

Alex’s best friend, Sam, has been acting strange ever since he met Alex’s one-night stand, but now Alex needs help in order to hide, and Sam is his only hope.

Saving Alex: Not only is Alex pregnant, something punishable by jail time, but Gerome, the father of the baby, is a vampire Saving Alex2aaprince. When strangers invade Alex’s home and kidnap him, he doesn’t know who is responsible, if he’ll ever see the man he loves again, or even get to see the child growing inside him.

Considering himself the father of his lover’s child, Sam has a hard time standing around and letting others plan Alex’s rescue. But when the Prince and his trackers find an important clue, the race to save his beloved is on. Now all he can do is cross his fingers that the scheme they’ve devised will work.

When Prince Gerome receives ransom demands, the instructions are clear: mate a complete stranger or he’ll never see Alex or the child he carries again. Will he be able to convince his newly intended to help, or will those seeking to dethrone his family win this evil game of blackmail?

Caution: Contains a kidnapping, unwanted matings, a scheming king, way too many people that follow their own plans and a highly pregnant Alex (mpreg)

 

  • Goodreads Link
  • Pages or Words: Alex’s Surprise – 27,000 words, Saving Alex – 33,000 words
  • Categories: Alternate universe, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Mystery, Paranormal, MPREG

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Alex zapped, annoyed, through the channels. He lounged on the couch, bored out of his mind. Sam, his best friend and roommate, had taken up the recliner, reading something. Maybe Alex should do that as well? Watching TV wasn’t going to keep him entertained, since nothing caught his interest, no movie, no documentary, nothing. He zapped on, but stopped at a news report showing a pregnant man. He sat up a bit straighter. What was up with that?

The man’s stomach was swollen, showing he was at least five or six months along. His hands were cuffed in front of his baby bump and tears were streaming down his face. The camera showed a courtroom full of people, slowly sweeping over the interested men and women watching the process.

Alex turned up the volume. What had the man done? And why was he pregnant? He’d heard it was possible, but he’d never encountered someone who’d actually experienced that.

The reporter’s voice came up. “Robert B. was tried for violation of the racial laws. Today’s sentencing was long awaited. No one had heard of pregnant men for years, and there had been uncertainty about the actual jurisdiction in such cases. B., who is, according to doctors, six months along, was sentenced to five years in jail. His child will be put in an orphanage until he is released. The fathering sire has no legal claim over the child. He will be able to visit his child, but he can’t get guardianship over him or her. The child and the carrier will be outcasts of society after that.

“B. broke down after hearing the judge’s decision. Even though it’s forbidden, he clearly hoped the old laws would be overturned. Instead, the judge confirmed that male breeding between the races is still forbidden and punishable. With that, back to the studio.”

The picture changed, now showing a woman in a suit, smiling at the camera. “Thanks to our reporter in Berlin for a summary of today’s events in court. Now to the weather…”

Alex turned down the volume, muting the forecast. He turned to Sam, who had apparently put down his book to watch the news as well. “Did you hear that? How can they judge someone because he got pregnant?”

“I have no idea? Maybe because it’s wrong? Are these children dangerous? I’ve never met one, or heard of one, for that matter, but I guess there’s a reason it’s forbidden. The whole pregnant man thing is so strange, no wonder it’s against the laws. Who knows what’ll come out of such breedings.”

Alex frowned. A new life was precious, not wrong. He couldn’t imagine a child being dangerous, even if it was mixed. Children born from interracial relationships were allowed, as long as one of the parents was female and the other male. Why this didn’t apply to children born from a same-sex relationship was beyond Alex. Even if it was unusual for a man to be pregnant, he shouldn’t be put in jail for something like that.

This was the first case in a long time, according to the reporter, but he’d not given a reason why the laws were upheld. “It’s still wrong to judge someone for getting pregnant.”

“I don’t know. Like I said, there must be a reason why it’s forbidden.” Sam picked up his book again, ending the conversation.

Alex took a moment to study his friend’s features as he buried himself in yet another sci-fi book. He was quite handsome with his blond, unruly hair and his strong jaw. The gaze of the piercing blue eyes that never seemed to miss anything flew over the page, pulling Sam into yet another outlandish adventure.

Maybe Sam was right. There had to be a reason it was against the law. Alex was kind of sorry for the man who now faced five years in prison, but then, the man knew what he risked with getting pregnant in the first place.

Alex settled back and focused on the TV again. Sam was not in the mood to discuss the matter anymore, his mind clearly on the story he was reading. As if they’d need sci-fi to experience something unusual. Ever since paranormals had come out of hiding back in the 1980s, going to certain clubs could be more adventurous than anything an author could come up with.

Maybe he should go out today? Blowing off some steam wouldn’t hurt. He’d not gotten laid in quite a while, and a night in one of the mixed clubs sounded too good to resist. It was better than staring at a rerun of a movie.

Alex switched off the TV and stood. “I’m going out, do you want to come with me?”

“What do you have in mind?” Sam looked up from his book. “Dancing? I thought of going to the Downtown.”

“Na, go without me. I’m not in the mood for that crowd.”

“You sure? It’s been months since you’ve been out.” Alex wasn’t surprised, Sam wasn’t one to go out much, and he despised big crowds. The Downtown is a huge mixed club, catering to all kinds of paranormals and humans. Not that paranormals were forbidden anywhere, but they, as well as humans, preferred to stick with their own kind. One of the exceptions was a club like the one Alex was going to visit. A night of dancing, and maybe getting laid, sounded better with every second.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Chris McHart is from Germany and, while an accountant, writing is Chris’s real passion.
Chris likes to spend time with family and has way too many animals that demand constant attention. Chris also enjoys landscaping and cooking.
Whenever Chris has a free minute, it’s spent writing on a laptop, a cup of coffee in hand, deeply lost in the worlds Chris’s muses have created.
When coming up for some air, you’ll find Chris on a lot of social networks. Check out Chris’s website to see where you can find out more. Chris looks forward to hearing from you!

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008256641886
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chris-McHart/326380184192029?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chris_mchart
Blog: https://www.chrismchart.com

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Tour Dates & Stops: July 6, 2015
Parker Williams, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Bayou Book Junkie, Velvet Panic, Bike Book Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Hat Party, MM Good Book Reviews, Jessie G. Books, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Amanda C. Stone, Rainbow Gold Reviews

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 3 print copies of Alex’s Surprise/Saving Alex.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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A MelanieM Review: Two Hearts One Voice (Mending the Rift #3) by Valentina Heart

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Two Hearts One Voice coverThey are at war, fearing for each other, both carrying the upbringing of their children and the survival of their country. They are kings.

With the future of the throne secured, Rin and Merin still have little time to rejoice for their children or the unity of their kingdoms. Stuck in the middle of a battlefield, their lives prove to be once again at risk, Rin heads out on a long journey home with his heirs, leaving Merin to lead their army.

Rin receives his rightful title of a king from the Kari council and for once feels as if he belongs on the throne without Merin there to guide him. Missing his husband, he raises their children the best he can, but there’s no end to the war in sight and, after months of futile conflicts, Rin sees Merin cut down in battle.

Distraught and with no patience for his council, Rin threatens the Riki, making even his own men fear him.

Can Rin cope alone and still win the war, or will his sorrow mark the end of his reign?

I fell in love with Valentina Heart’s Merin and Rin in the first two stories in the Mending the Rift series.  Two kingdoms, torn by constant warfare, turn to royal marriage to stop the conflict and losses from battle.   Prince Rinin, heir to the throne of Kari Kingdom, has been demanded as a war conquest by King Merinej of Jede.  Rinin is an innocent, sheltered and lovely.  King Merin, a warrior,experienced and bold.  As part of their marriage contract, Rinin demands that Merin be faithful and in return Rinin will  provide the heir Merin needs.  And yes, this is a male pregnancy series.

The first two stories had an interesting format that brought y0u intimately into the thoughts of the main characters.  The first book is narrated by Rinin, the second by Merin and I loved that.  It was even more powerful when the traumatic events of the second story came close to shattering the characters and our hearts.  So I was thrilled to see that the last story in the trilogy was out.  How would it all end?  Who would be the narrator of this final story?

Two Hearts, One Voice by Valentina Heart brings the trilogy to a close with a tale that, while it supplies a satisfactory happy ending, is missing the impact and drama of the first two stories.  And that has to do to the manner in which it is told.  We lose the powerful single person narration to a narrative of multiple points of view and a time frame that goes from immediate events unfolding to years down the line.  Unfortunately, this change up in style brings about a loss of energy and power to the story.  Two Hearts, One Voice fluctuates between powerful scenes of battle to the intrigue of the court, and then back again.  These transitions don’t feel as smooth as they should and the momentum of Merin and Rin’s story gets lost along the way.

Another element that lessens the impact of the finale is that the power of Owner of My Heart (Mending the Rift #2) was so strong and that story so full of pain and loss, that any finale would be hard put to equal its effect upon the reader.  Plus the children grow at such a speed here that its hard to connect with any of them emotionally as we do their parents.  For those readers not fond of mpreg, other than the mention of the children and Rin’s after-childbirth body, this element takes a back-burner to the battles still going on and the mechanisms found at court.

So, while I was not completely satisfied with the story, I still found many wonderful scenes to throw my heart into.  Merin’s segments at the front, Rin’s anger and pain….that made this story sing with life and energy.  That and their love for each other that Valentina Heart made so real and gripping.  I loved their love story most of all and here they get the ending they both deserved and wanted.  I will have to be content with that.

Two Hearts, Once Voice is not a standalone story. As part of a series, the books must be read in the order they were written.  None are long and that works if you want to read them together in one sitting as I did the first two.  I recommend this series. The love story is moving, the mpreg aspect well done, and you get a HEA you want for them both.

Cover art is ok but nothing that really captures your imagination like it should.

Sales Links:  Totally Bound Books – Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

Note: This book and series contains scenes of and references to Mpreg.

book, 95 pages
Expected publication: June 2nd 2015 by Totally Bound Publishing
original titleTwo Hearts One Voice
ISBN 1784305731 (ISBN13: 9781784305734)
edition languageEnglish
seriesMending the Rift #3

Books in the Mending the Rift series:

  • King’s Conquest (Mending the Rift, #1)
  • Owner of My Heart (Mending the Rift, #2)
  • Two Hearts One Voice (Mending the Rift #3)

 

A Paul B Review: Rock Star Baby (Bad Oak Boys #1) by Erin M. Leaf

 

Rating: 5 stars out of 5:

rock star baby coverFaylen Forst wins a contest to kiss a member of the band Bad Oak. However, her Alpha father forbids her to go since she is only sixteen. She instead sends her brother, Alpha-Heir Bardulf. Little do they know that this would begin something momentous in their world.

Bardulf Forst is Alpha-Heir to his pack. His younger sister Faylen informs him that she has submitted his name as her substitute after she wins a fan club contest for the band Bad Oak. The winner is supposed to kiss one of the members of the band backstage after the concert in New York City. She also says that her brother needs to get out and find his mate. Bardulf counters that is would be unlikely for a gay werewolf to find his mate at a rock concert.

Ryan Oakley is the lead singer of the band Bad Oak. As part of the concert tour, a member of the band kisses a fan selected by a contest from the local fan club. He is taken aback when the winner of the contest decides to send her older brother when her father forbids her to go. When he comments to a fellow band member, he is reminded that Ryan insisted that it be an equal opportunity contest and that he had a lot of gay fans. Resigned, Ryan agrees to meet the brother.

On the way to the concert, Bardulf comes to the conclusion that he should just go to the concert and let the band member off the hook when it comes to the kiss. When he meets Ryan backstage, the attraction is instant on both of their parts. What is supposed to be a kiss quickly turns into a backstage tryst. Bardulf also realizes that Ryan is in fact his mate. He wonders how the mate of the Alpha-Heir can be human.

As the romance develops, things for both Bardulf and Ryan are not what they seem. It appears that Ryan is not quite all human as Bardulf suspects. Also, his father the alpha is acting even more irrationally than he has been in the past. This is especially true when he discovers that Bardulf has discovered his mate. Bardulf must find out what is causing his father’s strange behavior while finding time to spend with his rock star mate. To add complications to all of this, Bardulf has become ill. And he must get ready for the Wolf Council meeting that will be selecting the new North American leader. Will he be able to survive all the changes in his life?

I highly enjoyed this first book of the Bad Oak Boys series. The author has provided some new angles into the usual paranormal genre. While most of the male pregnancy stories center around either an alpha/omega or alien/human encounter, Ms. Leaf has centered hers around two strong alpha males (one the alpha-heir, the other the lead singer of a rock band) and makes that difference a key in the plot development. As the other members of Ryan’s band are family members, the author has left herself plenty of room to expand this entertaining new series.

The cover art by Jay Aheer accurately reflects the story. In the background, you have a shirtless Bardulf standing next to Ryan playing guitar. In the foreground you have a white wolf of one of the characters. It is a well done cover.

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

Book Details
Ebook, 150 pages
Published: March 12, 2015 by Evernight Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-77233-277-3
Edition: English
Series: Bad Oak Boys
Rock Star Baby (Bad Oak Boys #1)

A Mika Review: The Harvest: Journey’s End (The Harvest #2) by M.A. Church

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

TheHarvest_JourneysEnd_500Adapting is a word Dale Michaels has become familiar with. As he settles into his new life with the Tah’Narian starship captain Keyno, Dale has adapted to life with an alien, space travel, and having his body mutated so he can carry young. He’s closed the chapter on his old life.
 Living on Tah’Nar, Dale has a loving mate and good friends. He’s helped cement peace with the Onfre. Sure, being double-dosed during his harvest led to some serious drama, but that’s over. Dale’s happy. 

But life is never that simple. 

Even though Dale loves Keyno, he still struggles with the way the Tah’Narians harvest young males as mates. Dale finds himself hijacked by his own body, courtesy of his extra dose of Tah’Narian DNA. Then there’s the devastating secret his mate, Keyno, has hid all this time. And if all that isn’t enough, outside forces threaten to rip Dale’s hard-won peace apart as well.

  Join Dale for a non-stop adventure and a love that crosses several worlds and transcends space.

I loved the follow-up to the first story. Everyone is pregnant and happy!!! I really enjoyed this one, I’m going to be sad if this is the last book. I really enjoyed the couples coming together helping each other. This was no exception from my first reaction of the first book. It was sweet, endearing, a little teary at times. I thought Keyno & Dale was so sweet at times. Even Colt changed his ways. I hope we get something on Kia because he became my new favorite alien ever!

As usual Dale and Keyno run into some problems and boy, does it cause problems between them two> But with the emotions running high, the waddling, and the high tree house it doesn’t last long. I was truly happy with the outcome and predictions for all the couples, especially Chad and Gibor on their pregnancy. What sealed the story for was the decision to return to Earth to visit their parents; I loved how fidgety Keyno was with trying to please Dale’s family. I liked how respetive Dale’s parents were to the twins. I am pleased with this one a lot. This was a great installment in the series, crossing fingers we get to see these guys in a future book, because I wanted more to the ending.

Cover Artist Lou Harper had a perfect picture of Dale with his accepting of his new status. He has totally come full circle with his acceptance into his new role and lifestyle.

Sales Links:   All Romance (ARe)               Amazon               Buy it here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 245 pages
Published January 1st 2014
ASINB00RJLZOAE
edition languageEnglish
seriesThe Harvest #2

A Mika Review: The Harvest: Taken (The Harvest #1) by M.A. Church

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The Harvest Taken coverWe are not alone. In the year 2050 mankind’s never-ending quest for proof life exists in the universe is answered—in the form of massive space ships that appear without warning above the capitals of all major nations. The name of their planet is Tah’Nar—and is dying. The United States sets up a lottery system, and each young man between the ages of twenty-three and twenty-eight is assigned a number. Once a year, for the next five years, numbers will be drawn and a new set of one thousand males will be collected. The media coined the expression ‘The Harvest’ for when the Tah’Narian’s collect these young men.

 Captain Keyno Landium Shou is a Tah’Narian starship captain who has been granted the right to take a mate, any mate, he wants during the last harvest on Earth. Dale was seventeen when the aliens first appeared. His parents assumed he’d be safe since the final collection would be done before he turned twenty-three. He didn’t fall within the guidelines established, so they took for granted he had nothing to fear.
 They were wrong.

This book had ridiculousness all over it, and I loved every second of it. C’mon,  it had me at mpreg.  Something I’ve been enjoying more and more. M.A. Church is a new author to me, and while I constantly rolled my eyes at the silly notions to things that happened in the book I really enjoyed it. Honestly, I felt like this was a mf book the entire time. It was silly, but I liked it for a first time mpreg story. Dale wasn’t supposed to be in the lottery for Humans take for The Harvest. He basically was kidnapped illegally. He went from being pissed off to protective in 96 hours to Keyno the alien that had him Taken.

It was a big production between these two, but again I love it. I loved it for it’s sugary sweetness that was in the book. Dale didn’t have to wait long for some since of familiarity, on the ship was his best friend Chad that got Harvested the previous year, you would think Dale would have been happy but of course he thought Chad was crazy for thinking Space was his home. Well after their “talk” about what was expected Dale had a change of heart. From here on out it was sugary sweetness. Keyno was a sweetheart who has wanted Dale since meeting Chad last year. I actually liked the aliens here.

Of course Dale wouldn’t be Dale without the problems he presented in the beginning, because of his health he had to be Double Dosed so his body could adhere to the changes of the pregnancy. I found myself laughing and smiling throughout the book. I definitely read it because of the smut, and sugary sweetness involved in the story. Also the King’s Husband pulled at my heart strings. What do you know Dale made quite the impression on these aliens. I would recommend to lovers of fantasy, mpreg, sugary sweet smut readers.

Cover Artist Lou Harper had a perfect picture of Dale after his slight alteration. I liked it, he even got use to it. It was fitting for the story.

 

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe)             Amazon             buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, Smashwords, 195 pages
Published October 1st 2014 by M.A. Church (first published October 30th 2013)
ISBN139781626330252
edition languageEnglish
url
seriesThe Harvest #1

The Harvest Series continues! On Tour with M.A. Church and The Harvest: Journey’s End (book tour and contest)

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Book Name: The Harvest: Journey’s End
Book Two of ‘The Harvest’ series. Best read in order.
Author Name: M.A. Church

Author Bio:

M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!

When not writing, she’s exploring the latest M/M novel to hit the market, watching her beloved Steelers, or sitting glued to HGTV. That’s if she’s not on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two children.

She was a finalist in the Rainbow awards for 2013.

Where to find the author:

Publisher: Self-published
Cover Artist: Lou Harper

Sales Links:  ARe  Amazon    GR

The Harvest: Journey’s End Blurb:TheHarvest_JourneysEnd_500

To survive is to adapt…

Dale Michaels knows all about change. As he settles into his new life with the Tah’Narian starship captain Keyno Shou, Dale has adapted to life with an alien, space travel, and having his body mutated so he can carry a young. He’s closed the chapter on his old life.

Living on Tah’Nar, Dale has a loving mate and good friends. He’s helped cement peace with the Onfre. Sure, being double-dosed during his harvest led to some serious drama, but that’s over. Dale’s happy.
\
But life is never that simple.

Even though Dale loves Keyno, he still struggles with the way the Tah’Narians harvest young males as mates. Dale finds himself hijacked by his own body, courtesy of his extra dose of Tah’Narian DNA. Then there’s the devastating secret his mate, Keyno, has hid all this time. And if all that isn’t enough, outside forces threaten to rip Dale’s hard-won peace apart as well.

Join Dale for a non-stop adventure and a love that crosses several worlds and transcends space.

The Harvest: Journey’s End Exclusive Excerpt:

Book #2 in The Harvest series

Excerpt:

(The excerpt is from estrus (or heat) for Dale.)

Within seconds, his barb locked us together, making me cry out from the pressure of it engaging inside me. Keyno dropped down on top of me, propped up on his elbows, holding me close while I struggled to breathe. Lovingly, he wiped the sweaty hair away from my face while he murmured softly to me.

Finally, my brain engaged, and I remembered how to speak. Questions ran around in my head as my chest heaved.

“What was—fucking hell, what was…?” I was sweaty, dizzy, hoarse from screaming, and more than a little freaked out by what had just happened. “I don’t know what that was, but it was unlike anything I have ever felt, and scary as shit.”

“It’s normal, love. It has to do with your new womb, and the fact that you’re producing eggs now. Those eggs want to be fertilized; it’s a biological imperative. Your hormones are rising, driving your body to have sex, and when you do, your body rewards you. The orgasms you have during this time are different, because the pathway to your womb is contracting, drawing my seed up. Think massive g-spot and anal orgasm.”

Categories: Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Science Fiction

Pages or Words: 90,000 words
Tour Dates/Stops:

HBadge25-Jan

Cate Ashwood

Emotion in Motion

Christy Loves 2 Read

6-Jan

3 Chicks After Dark

The Novel Approach

7-Jan

Kristy’s Brain Food

Carly’s Book Reviews

8-Jan

Hearts on Fire

Bayou Book Junkie

9-Jan

MM Good Book Reviews

Prism Book Alliance

12-Jan

Kimi-Chan

Full Moon Dreaming

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Multitasking Mommas

13-Jan

Love Bytes

BFD Book Blog

14-Jan

Parker Williams

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

15-Jan

Amanda C. Stone

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Review: Pretty Poison by Kari Gregg

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Pretty Poison coverNoah was only a toddler when an accident shattered not only his body but his life and that of his family.  Noah fell through the bars of a balcony railing from their eighth floor apartment, landing on the ground below, his body crushed.  Had he been human, the fall  would have killed him.  But Noah is a wolf shifter and he survived but barely.  The pack Alpha at the time as well  as others  saw Noah as a cripple, a pup to be put down as it was of no use to the pack because Noah would never be able to contribute.  Facing Noah’s death, his family took him and fled to the country where they asked human doctors to help Noah survive the fall, something the pack doctors refused to do.

Years later, Noah and his family remain isolated not only because they broke pack law but to protect Noah whose health remains fragile.  Migraines, slight with legs unable to support his body, Noah uses crutches to get around and has medication that keeps him from shifting.  But he has a tight knit family to support him and a online business he created that he loves and is  successful at.

But the past returns when the new Alpha, Wade,  arrives to claim his mate, the mating pact formed before Noah’s birth by Noah’s parents and their Alpha.  Wade chooses Noah over his brothers to the horror of Noah’s family.  Wade is determined to correct the wrongs of the previous Alpha and choosing Noah as his mate is just the start.  Noah will protect his family at all costs and goes willingly if fearfully.  But can Wade protect Noah from pack members who still regard Noah as a poison and are determined to finished what their older Alpha ordered?

I am a hardcore fan of wolf shifter stories, ok any shifter story.  Telling me that there is a new one out is like waving a pretty bauble in front of a magpie.  I just grab it up and jump right in.  Sometimes the story is like hitting the Lotto.  It’s a true winner in every respect.  World building, characters, plot.  You name it and the story has it in spades.  Other times, well, it’s that scratch off ticket that has almost all the same boxes, except one or two…almost a winner but not quite.  It’s that last one that reminds me of Pretty Poison by Kari Gregg.  It’s almost a great story.  It has some definitely terrific elements and then there are some that are both perplexing and a complete miss as far as plot and worldbuilding.

I loved Gregg’s plot.  What a great idea to have a wolf shifter injured at an early age and be unable to heal.  Instantaneously, you have made this character not only vulnerable but fascinating.  What happens when a shifter can’t heal?  How does a pack react? Here Gregg takes her lead from wolf biology and natural history.  Some packs accept an injured wolf but their harsh lifestyle makes it inevitable that it won’t survive long.  Translate that to a shifter universe where this pack lives in a fashion similar to the Amish, apart from human society, their young not educated past a certain age as they believe only in manual labor and jobs accessible for those that use their bodies and not their minds.  How that changes once an educated, tech savvy Noah joins the pack is not only realistic but sociologically sound. This aspect of Gregg’s novel is one of the true highlights of the story for me.

Noah is another plus.  I found his character to be interesting and accessible.   His differences extend past his injuries.  His coloration is rare, that of a true redhead (think Grey Wolf versus the smaller Red Wolf of the East Coast).  Noah has continued his education and now owns a web business that he works at online.  He is highly intelligent, technologically brilliant, and highly loyal. Plus he is cute. And he has endured countless hours of surgeries and therapy to help him continue to improve and maintain his current condition, even if it means numerous human medications and incapacitating migraines.  In fact most of the characters found here at very well done.  Each one feels like a real person, complete with both positive and negative aspects of their personalities.  It’s not the characters that I have issues with, but some of their actions that come across as less than plausible, including the short time frame of the story.

This is a case of near instant bonding, although thankfully not  instant love. But it’s a close call.  Gregg does establish a case of pheromones as the cause of their attraction but it still  feels too quick for all the adjustments that happens after Noah is pulled from his house and taken to the pack compound.  Gregg’s use of herbs that both harm and heal the werewolves is again a marvelous  element as is Noah’s changing situation once he is away from the family.  All great.  Even the miscommunication that occurs between Noah and Wade seems reasonable. And the sex scenes, including the one that ties the two wolves together, knotting, is white hot.  But there are also some very odd bits that intrude into the picture that makes the story go off course for me.

One is the case of Mpreg that occurs here.  Wolves have a gestation of 60 to 63 days and Gregg adheres to that.  But for a male pregnancy story to work (to my mind at least), it must be based somehow within the realm of scientific speculation. And if all conjecture, than at least give me a plausible explanation as to how it would work, especially with dealing with a species that shifts into different forms.   Gregg’s reasoning called up more questions than it answered.  Plus I am not sure it added anything especially relevant to the story, even given Noah’s rationale.

Another is actions of some of her characters that are counter to the personas she created.  Noah’s father especially acts in ways that seem counterintuitive to the scenes earlier in the story.  He loves his children, especially Noah, deeply and without regard to his own safety.  But later on in the story, he believes outsiders who in the past have done nothing but threaten his son over the continual advice and pleadings from his own children.  As the phrase goes “it does not compute.”

Pretty Poison is that shifter story that has much to offer.  Realistically developed characters, great plot, and interesting aspects to her world building make it easy to read but it also contains elements that cause the flow of the narrative to falter when the reader stops to ponder some of the stranger sections to the story.   If all of the above sound attractive, then pick it up and add it to your reading list.  If not, then consider some of Kari Gregg’s other stories.  She has a wonderful backlist where you will surely find something to your taste.

Cover artist Lou Harper.  I loved this cover.  The elements are dramatic, the men hot and sexy, and the wolf is gorgeous.  So well done.

Buy Link: ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 147 pages
Published December 15th 2013 by Kari Gregg (first published December 14th 2013)
original titlePretty Poison
ISBN132940148931812
edition languageEnglish