Tag: Pride Publishing

An Alisa Review: Facing Fears (Kiss of Leather #7) by Morticia Knight

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

 

As the men at Kiss of Leather celebrate the resolution of the case of Corey’s kidnappers, Master Hunter worries that he’ll never see Tobey again.

 

Chuck isn’t about to let one of the key figures behind Corey’s kidnapping get away from him again. Everything he and Stone have discovered through their months-long investigation is about to come together. However, when Chuck follows the suspect to a shipyard, it’s not only his own life that’s in danger.

 

Master Hunter is officially part-owner of Kiss of Leather, so he’s thrilled to raise a toast in celebration now that the mystery of Corey’s kidnapping has been solved. However, he can’t help but feel left out. Everyone is paired up except for him. He’s never believed in monogamy before, but after Tobey unexpectedly left Kiss of Leather and no one knows where he’s gone, did Hunter make a horrible mistake by not sharing his true feelings?

 

Tobey has been miserable ever since leaving West Hollywood and going back to Idaho. After breaking his own promise to himself by falling in love with his trainer, Tobey impulsively left Kiss of Leather because of something awful Master Hunter said. But things at home are worse than ever and he’s come to realize that those who are related to him by blood aren’t necessarily his true family. The only place he’s ever felt he truly belonged was at Kiss of Leather.

 

Tobey has to face Hunter if he goes back to Kiss of Leather and Hunter has to figure out what he really wants from life and love. It takes a charity slave auction to show them what they’ve both been too stubborn to see.

 

This was another great story in this series, it starts right off where the Cutting Cord stopped so there is no gap in between.  I loved getting to see more of Liam and Neal’s relationship before we delved into the dynamics of Hunter and Tobey.  I love how we get to continue to see all the other characters from the previous stories and see how they continue to grow and help each other.

 

Hunter had emotionally hurt Tobey sometime during the last book, but it wasn’t something we saw.  When Tobey returns they both need to re-evaluate what happened before and maybe take a closer look at themselves.  I loved how determined Hunter was once he finally admitted his true feelings, he just has to have the courage to really open up to Tobey.

 

Tobey really need someone to love and care for him, seeing him feel rejected by Hunter and then again by his family is heartbreaking; I just wanted to hug him and tell him everything would be fine.  Hunter tries to plan everything down to a T in order to show Tobey how he feels but when it doesn’t all go to plan he really adapts quickly and they are able to work everything out between them.  I did feel that once they actually talked and got together things resolved quite quickly but it didn’t take away from the story for me.

 

The cover art by Posh Gosh is gives great visuals of the characters and follows the pattern for the series.

 

Sales Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 151 pages

Published: July 4, 2017 by Pride Publishing

ISBN: 9781786515957

Edition Language: English

Series: Kiss of Leather #7

Blog Tour: Burning Boundaries, by Bellora Quinn and Sadie Rose Bermingham

Burning Boundaries (Elemental Evidence #2)

by Bellora Quinn and Sadie Rose Bermingham

Publisher: Pride Publishing
Cover Artist: Emmy Ellis

Release Dates

Preorder: 23rd May
Early Download (from Pride Publishing): 6th June
General Release: 4th July

Genre(s): Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Fantasy – Urban & Magical Beings, Mystery & Thriller, Paranormal, Paranormal – Psychic Talents

Hello, I’m Dr. Gale and I’ve been asked to think of twenty random things that people might not know about me, so here goes.

 

  1. My Doctorate is in Security Usability of AI processes in Authentication and Transmission Programs. I received it when I was just twenty years old.
  2. My middle names are Wesley Arthur. Wesley is my father’s name, though everyone calls him Troy. I think that may be a Stingray thing, but I’m not sure. Arthur is my maternal grandmother’s maiden name.
  3. I learned to write code when I was four and a half. I built my first computer when I was seven.
  4. I was the youngest person ever to enroll at my University College, I was twelve years and seven months old.
  5. From the age of 8, until I was about 14, I was actually quite chubby. I burned all the photos.
  6. My Mama calls me Ilmari, my Papi calls me Blue, short for Blue-Eyes.
  7. The first time I tried to surf a telephone line I was six and a half years old. I eavesdropped on my Great Grandmama’s neighbours but then my Papi caught me and I came back to my own body so fast that I knocked myself out. Which was kind of embarrassing.
  8. This will surprise Chivis, but I can actually ride a horse. He isn’t the only city person that’s done great outdoors stuff. I also ski pretty well.
  9. I took up running when I was 13, mainly to impress a guy I liked at my University.
  10. I have dated precisely four other people prior to meeting Jake Chivis. That’s not counting casual flings. Two guys, and two girls.
  11. I am 6’ 2” tall.
  12. Yes, I am a natural blond.
  13. Yes, I wear contacts. No, they aren’t tinted, my eyes are genuinely this color.
  14. I speak five languages, English, French, Suomi, Catalan and Malay Chinese.
  15. I’m an Aquarius.
  16. My favourite place in the world is Kotka in Finland. It’s where my Great Grandmama and Aunts lived and it’s so beautiful it takes my breath away.
  17. I was actually born in Mauritania, in a war zone, to be precise, but my birth was registered in New Haven, New York State. I have joint American/Finn nationality because my mother was born in Finland.
  18. My Great Grandfather studied in England and was one of the very first pilots for the Royal Flying Corps, the forerunner of the R.A.F. He was decorated for gallantry and outstanding service during the First World War. In spite of knowing this, I still hate flying.
  19. My shoe size is 10 and a half. Or 11 in American.
  20. I have a serious thing for tall, shy, part-Native-American Arson Investigators.  

Blurb:

Mari Gale’s life has been a whirlwind since meeting Jake Chivis. A new job prospect and his mother’s health preoccupy him, so when Jake invites him on a date he’s ready to cut loose. Their night out turns into a nightmare when a fire breaks out in the basement of the bar and they barely escape.

Soon Jake learns that the horrific accident is being investigated as a possible homicide, and it’s not the only case. Detective Inspector Cordiline of the London Met hints at spontaneous human combustion, but as far as Jake knows, SHC doesn’t exist.

When Mari looks into a group called Birthright, he finds a connection to the victims of the fires and Jake risks himself to go undercover at the shadowy organization. The race is on to determine the truth before Jake becomes the next target.

Length: 103,000 Words
Format: eBook
Pairing: MM
Heat Level: 4 out of 5
Price: $5.99

 

Elemental Evidence Series Info:

Former Detective Jake Chivis is a Fire Elemental who uses psychometry to see the past. Doctor Ilmarinen Gale is an Air Elemental, a human/cybernetic interface, able to infiltrate even the toughest information systems. Together they find out just how potent a combination Fire and Air can be when it comes to solving crimes.

Amid murder, conspiracy and a world that views them with suspicion, and sometimes contempt, Jake and Mari circumvent the conventional. While the police aren’t always appreciative of their methods they can’t deny the results.

When they aren’t busy consulting for the police, figuring one another out is their next big mystery. One that proves as frustrating as it is passionate. Between hunting killers and avoiding competing government agencies that want the two of them working on their side, they just might have enough time for love.

Excerpt:

Was that flirting? Was he flirting with the guy? Jake tried to rein those thoughts in but he couldn’t help it. Mari had a habit of flirting, but it had never bugged Jake before. Jesus, they’d managed to go to one bar for an hour and already he was devolving into Neanderthal territory. He realized something else. It had never really bothered him when he and Alex had gone out and his ex had spent all night coming on to strangers. Then again, he’d known Alex was doing it to get a rise out of him. That was not Mari’s way, at all.

“You want another drink?” Jake asked, by way of keeping himself from hauling Mari out of there and grilling him about whether he wanted to sleep with Mr. Whips and Tattoos. They had to step to one side as a sweating, agitated-looking guy pushed by them on the stairs in an obvious hurry to get down to the basement for some chastisement. Though he looked chastised enough already, in Jake’s opinion.

“If you do,” Mari said, then exhaled a huff that might have been regret and might have been relief. “Unless, of course, you just want to put me over your shoulder and carry me out, Mr. Caveman. I wasn’t giving him the come-on. So you can stop looking daggers. And don’t deny it.” He pointed a slender finger at Jake as he opened his mouth. “I could see you thinking it. Yes, he’s very cute, but he’s not really my type. I do like his toy box though.”

Jake snapped his mouth closed then pushed a hand through his hair and let out a sigh of his own. He had always pitied guys that acted like possessive jerks and here he was being as transparent as glass, all but snarling at anyone who got too close to Mari. “I’m sorry. I was aiming not to be obvious. I’ll try and refrain from clubbing you over the head and dragging you out by the hair.” He managed a sheepish grin.

“In that case, it would be my pleasure to have another drink with you, Chivis.” Mari chuckled, slipping a hand around the nape of his neck and towing him in for a brief, firm kiss.

They made their way back up into the bar and as they were weaving their way through the crowd, Jake heard someone shout, then screaming coming from the direction of the basement.

The red and gold lighting seemed to be flickering and Mari yelled, “Can you smell something burning?”

Jake noticed the smell just as Mari was saying it, and turned his head. A curl of pale smoke was winding up from the basement stairway, not thick but noticeable.

“Shit!” He grabbed Mari’s arm. “Get out of here. Hurry.”

Jake gave him a push toward the front exit then shoved through the crowd, trying to get to the stairs.

Buy Links Etc:

Publisher: https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/burning-boundaries

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Boundaries-Elemental-Evidence-Book-ebook/dp/B071ZGP541

Apple: Coming Soon

ARe: Coming Soon

Barnes & Noble:

Kobo: Coming Soon

Smashwords: Coming Soon

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34913207-burning-boundaries

Author Bio:

Bellora Quinn:

Originally hailing from Detroit Michigan, Bellora now resides on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida where a herd of Dachshunds keeps her entertained. She got her start in writing at the dawn of the internet when she discovered PbEMs (Play by email) and found a passion for collaborative writing and steamy hot erotica. Soap Opera like blogs soon followed and eventually full novels. The majority of her stories are in the M/M genre with urban fantasy or paranormal settings.

Sadie Rose Bermingham:

A storyteller since before she started school, Sadie also enjoys reading, photography, live music and long walks on the beach. Sadie has worked as a bookseller, a pedigree editor for the racing industry and a local and family history researcher. Originally from the north of England, she has been working her way across the UK ever since. She currently resides on the south east coast with her long term partner, where she hopes to buy a mobile home and establish a whippet farm.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.belloraquinn.com | https://www.sadierosebermingham.com | 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElementalEvidence/

Twitter: 

https://www.twitter.com/BelloraQ

https://www.twitter.com/SadieBermingham

A Kai Review: Misdemeanor (Responsible Adult #1) by C.F. White

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

After his mother tragically dies and his deadbeat father goes off the rails, nineteen-year-old Micky is left to care for his disabled little brother, Flynn.
Juggling college, a dead-end job and Flynn’s special needs means Micky has to put his bad-boy past behind him and be the responsible adult to keep his brother out of care. He doesn’t have time for anything else in his life.
Until he meets Dan…

This story took me by surprise. I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did. So I’m so glad I read it and I can’t wait for book two.

The story was well written and involved me at the beginning to the end. It was really angsty, anyone who knows me know I avoid much angst like a plague, but I couldn’t be bothered this time since the story brought important and hard subjects. And although the dark part of this book, it moved me and made me smile sometimes.

The characters were great. Flynn was my favorite! With Willian’s Syndrome and eight years old, he was just so cute and sweet. I wanted to hug tight and protect him. I was so glad Micky was there for his little brother and it was one of the things that I loved about him. He was a good character. And even though he pissed me off a little, when he pushed Dan away, he felt human and real.

Dan was just an amazing guy. He was supportive and kind. I really loved him. And he and Micky together was so great for each other. I also loved the interaction between Flynn and Dan. But Well, Flynn interaction with anyone was just lovely.

The three of them, Dan, Micky, and Flynn, was really good as a family and I was cheering so much for them.

The story also brings great support characters. Like Jason, Micky’s best friend and Doug, Micky’s co-worker. I absolutely want to see more about them in book two.

The only thing I didn’t like was the end. It was because the story ends with a kind of cliffhanger. Be warned! I felt like the author could have finished the story in one book or at least without that cliff. I really didn’t like that.

The cover art by Posh Gosh is ok. Not great, but seems to fit the story somehow if you think the boy on the cover is our Micky.

Sales Links:  Pride Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 1st edition, 226 pages
Published June 6th 2017 by Pride Publishing
ISBN13 9781786515667
Edition Language English
Series Responsible Adult #1

A MelanieM Review: Feral Dust Bunnies (Offbeat Crimes #4) by Angel Martinez

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

An orphaned kitten may be the only witness to romance and the impossible.

Officer Alex Wolf responds to a lot of ‘paranormal’ calls that aren’t. Exotic pet birds aren’t monsters and unusual dog breeds aren’t aliens. It’s a good thing he likes the animal control officers, but he both yearns for and dreads those calls where he runs into ACO Jason Shen. Jason’s scent is so delicious that Wolf has a difficult time humaning around him.

Animal control calls take a disturbing turn, though, when Wolf and his lizard-man partner, Krisk, discover the impossibly mummified bodies of rats and an unfortunate mother cat. The rescue of the cat’s sole surviving kitten not only gives Wolf more time with Jason, which is both perplexing and wonderful, but also leads to dangerous discoveries. Something inconceivable stalks the city and its officers of the law. Wolf has to figure out what it is before it can attack and drain the life from the people and the kitten he loves.

I should know by now that the cuter the title the scarier the story with this series and Angel Martinez.  I mean we started at Lime Gelatin and Other Monsters which laid down the universe and characters (book 1) and with each story after, the author has been ramping it up!  The monsters have been scarier, the romances more heartwarming, the couples and their various backgrounds far more fascinating and absorbing than it might appear on the surface…it just keeps getting better and better.  Next came giant pills bugs in space (The Pill Bugs of Time (Offbeat Crimes, #2).   Trust me, that’s something that doesn’t bear thinking about too closely.  Great story though.  Followed by two of my favorites, animated clothing in love (Hunter Green Pea Coat (Offbeat Crimes, #2.5) and the truly remarkable, almost unimaginable verse spitting flying books and a vampire with blood issues (Skim Blood and Savage Verse (Offbeat Crimes, #3).

Then Feral Dust Bunnies showed up. Be still my heart!  If I was one of those people who used emojis in their reviews, I’d be throwing them everywhere. Hearts and stuff. Why?  Because I loved this story.  First of all.  That title!  Hooked!  I always knew those suckers were alive!  Next up.  The characters.  Wolf and his  lizard partner Krisk were always mentioned in the other stories as being good if strange and uncommunicative officers of the 77th Precinct, the one that handles the offbeat and downright weird crimes.  Feral Dust Bunnies gives us the real insight into their partnership and Wolf’s background, and such a sad one it is.  He’s an actual wolf, cursed as a pup and turned into a human.  The full story is actually poignant as is his continuing attempts to navigate the human world through a wolf mind.  Martinez does an amazing job of making Wolf such a believable being.  We’re in his head and heart as he tries to work through the simplest of things as a grocery list which can still confound him yet have the great skill set to solve the most difficult of crimes.  He’s given an amazing foster mother to help him work through daily life tasks and be his support as well as a great friend and partner in Krisk whose story we’ve yet to hear.

In one awful event, two amazing things happen for him and the readers.  Wolf finds an orphaned kitten and he calls on the services of ACO Jason Chen, who makes Wolf want to lick him.  I tell you, these two characters (and yes Audacity the kitten is a full blown character) are almost beyond description they are that good!  Wolf’s  interaction with them, I want to say Audacity, but you really can’t leave Jason out of any of it, is intimate, tender, believable and will leave you with a hurt face, because you’re smiling too much over each scene.

Of course, Wolf is never alone.  His ‘pack’ is the other officers at the 77th Precinct and they figure largely in this story too.  Martinez treats them with all the love and care you would expect.  They may not get a lot of time on the page but when they show up, it’s as the fully fleshed out characters we know and love.  And sometimes laugh at or with.

In Feral Dust Bunnies, a villain we’ve only been getting hints about further solidifies here.  The plot thickens as a famous detective says and becomes even more frightening for everyone involved.   There’s another story with Wolf coming out  ~ Jackalopes & Woofen-Poofs (Offbeat Crimes, #5).  I’m on that like hotcakes!    Where do we go from there?  I have no idea. Quite frankly the author’s mind is a wild, imaginative and scary place.  I haven’t a clue where she’s taking us but I can’t wait to hop on board.  I may need my blankie and a kitten.  Plus a broom.

New to this series?  Start at the beginning and meet all the detectives at the 77th Precinct.  Watch them find love while solving some of the wildest cases you will ever read about.  The writing is excellent, the pace as fast as rollercoaster and the imagination of one Angel Martinez?  Out of this world!

Cover art by Posh Gosh is nice and I have to admit how do you do Feral Dust Bunnies?

Sales Links:  Pride Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 115 pages
Published June 20th 2017 by Pride Publishing
Original TitleFeral Dust Bunnies
ISBN139781786515933
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Offbeat Crimes #4

Series:

A Caryn Review: Misdemeanor (Responsible Adult #1) by C.F. White

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

WARNING!  CLIFFHANGER!!!

OK, got that out of my system.  I hate cliffhangers.  I enjoy series in general, and I probably will read the next installment of this one (the first in the Responsible Adult series), but was that ending really necessary?  Also, there were noticeable grammar/editing errors, not too many, but these days I have seen improvement in the MM romance genre in general, and now expect better proofreading than what I saw here.

Mickey is an angry, violent kid from an abusive home.  He was going down the wrong path – fighting, partying, petty crime, failing school – when his mother died.  His father was a drunk and a deadbeat, so Mickey suddenly fell into the role of caregiver for his little brother.  Dylan has William’s syndrome, which makes him a little slow, a little small, a lot hyper, but an incredibly happy kid. (Wikipedia says “100% of those with Williams syndrome were kind-spirited, 90% sought the company of others, 87% empathize with others’ pain, 84% are caring, 83% are unselfish/forgiving, 75% never go unnoticed in a group, and 75% are happy when others do well”)  Dylan is lovable, but a lot of hard work for a 19 year old brother who is  trying to keep a roof over their heads at the same time that he is going to school to better both of their lives.

Mickey was referred for a job at an upscale grocery store, in somewhat shady way, and the manager Dan decided to hire him despite his criminal record.  Dan was in instant lust with Mickey, which helped with the decision to hire him.  Mickey is closeted, but drawn to Dan anyway, and when a chance meeting let Dylan get to know Dan, both men started to see each other as more than just a good fuck.  Mickey wasn’t looking for it, but finding a man who was caring, grounded, intelligent and thoughtful relieved anxieties he wouldn’t even allow himself to acknowledge.  But, pursuing a relationship with an impulsive teenager with an anger management problem, no matter how much Dan cared for Mickey and wanted to see him prosper, was bound to run into trouble.

Their growing relationship was punctuated by a lot of false starts, and Mickey kept sabotaging it with his uncontrolled temper and intermittent self loathing.  I didn’t even like Mickey for the first half of the book, because he was a selfish asshole who took advantage of Dan’s generosity over and over, and treated him like crap.  Mickey grew on me though, because he was growing up, and by the end of the book was not just trying, but actually succeeding in doing the right thing, at least most of the time.

The cast of secondary characters added a lot to the book, even though I found I didn’t like many of them.  Dylan, of course, is the most important one, and he is absolutely delightful.  His happy child’s view of life inspires everyone to want to take care of him, and through him Mickey has more allies than he realizes.  Other characters are more of caricatures:  Dougie, the awkward, obese, and incredibly socially inept coworker at the grocery that seemed like he had some kind of syndrome of his own; Jason, the delinquent best mate who always has Mickey’s back despite being a fence and a thief; Paul, the hanger-on who is willing to be bullied just to hang with the cool kids; Hollie and Tara, the large-breasted girls who seemingly will do anything to have sex with Mickey, and care about nothing else.

Cover art by Posh Gosh is OK – the model looks a little soft for how I imagined Mickey.

Sales Links:  Pride Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 226 pages
Expected publication: July 4th 2017 by Pride Publishing
ISBN139781786515667
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesResponsible Adult #1

An Alisa Review: The Running Fields by Sydney Presley

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

 

Fate brings them together in the end…

 

Ansgar wakes to find himself outside—somewhere he’s never been before. He’s scared out of his wits and wonders whether The Scientist is conducting another experiment. Is Ansgar naked, leaning against a large building so The Scientist can monitor his reactions? Ansgar doesn’t know, but what he does know is that the black wolf staring at him from the darkness isn’t something he expected to see.

 

The black wolf is Ben, and he didn’t expect to see a naked bloke on a cold night, sitting on his bare arse beside the old abandoned bread factory a mile or so away from town. Ben had only come out for a run, yet there he was, facing a man who clearly didn’t belong in these parts.

 

After taking Ansgar to his home, Ben discovers more about the big man—where he’s been, what he’s endured, and a few other things to boot. Things no one should have to go through. Ben’s determined to help heal Ansgar, to teach him the ways of not only the shifter world but the human one, too. Except there’s a human they need to be wary of, a man who calls himself The Scientist, and protecting Ansgar from him is Ben’s main priority.

 

The past holds a slew of secrets, ones that come tumbling out of hiding at an alarming rate. Ben and Ansgar need to face each one head on—although at times they’re overwhelming and relentless in their attack. The two men dream of living a life without fear in it one day, but unfortunately, dealing with the horrors from Ansgar’s old life have to come first.

 

I’m not quite sure what I thought about this story.  It kept my attention and I wanted to see what happened but it felt disjointed and not fully resolved by the end.  Ansgar is scared when he wakes up in an unknown place outside and even more confused when Ben shifts in front of him, he didn’t know anyone other than him could do that.

 

Ben can’t believe that the man he found in the running fields is his mate but he will accept this gift no matter what.  There was a lot that happened in a short period of time but I had some trouble understanding the characters actions, sometimes so accepting and other times just wanting to forget what happened.  It left me scratching my head.

 

We see the story from both Ansgar and Ben’s points of view and can see what some of their concerns and feelings are.  Ansgar has essentially been held captive his whole life and when he is suddenly free he is happy but doesn’t know what to do, he only knows bits and pieces of things he has been taught throughout the years.  Ben wants to protect his mate but isn’t sure what to do, with all that Ansgar has been through he doesn’t want to make anything worse.  I felt, even though he was with Ben all the time, than Ansgar was kinda left on his own to adapt and they both just mated without really talking.  Ansgar seemed to know somethings quickly or without being told but they were so random I would just get confused.

 

Cover art is very nice and catches your eye.

 

Sales Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 113 pages

Published: June 6, 2017 by Pride Publishing

ISBN: 9781786515759

Edition Language: English

A MelanieM Recent Release Review: The Wounded Warrior (Rocking W #1) by B.A. Tortuga

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

When Luke’s lost everything, the only thing to do is head back home to the ranch and pray that he finds his way again.

When Navy SEAL Luke Blanchard comes back to Northeast Texas after a devastating injury, he feels like the whole world has gone dark. In a wheelchair and feeling worthless, Luke has no idea what to do, even as his twin brother Matt is determined to lift him up and help him heal.

Rory McConnell is a local prodigy, a real estate lawyer with a plan to buy up land before his bitter rival can collect it. When the Blanchard ranch goes into the red, he offers to buy out the debt. Luke backs his brother instead, but he doesn’t believe for a minute that Rory is a bad guy. No one that sexy and fun can be, right?

As Luke claws his way out of depression with a crazy idea to run a therapy ranch, he and Rory start to explore the need growing between them. Will Rory’s need for revenge against a man who damaged him forever come between them, or will it be the force which brings these two wounded men together for good?

Ya’ll know I love me some B.A. Tortuga (hoping to sound all B.A. Tortuga like and probably not succeeding very well) and The Wounded Warrior (Rocking W #1) is just another prime example why.  The first in a new series from Pride Publishing, the author delivers up another great story with two wounded men, each damaged in different but very deep ways, living in a hot, small Texas town she knows inside and out.

There’s been a lot of twins in B.A.’s stories recently, not sure why other than maybe she’s as intrigued by the twin dynamics just as we are.  In The Wounded Warrior, we have another twin set in Luke and Matt Blanchard.  Luke, the Navy SEAL, is The Wounded Warrior, returning home from a tour in a wheelchair, his world blown apart.  Matt is the brother trying to find the Luke he knows and loves buried under the PTSD, depression, and darkness Luke is existing in.  A horse trainer, Matt also rescues horses and other animals, and its to these injured, almost broken animals that Luke is drawn to.  Something Matt notices as well, as watches as horses and man start to heal each other.

The beauty of B.A. Tortuga’s writing is her ability to make us empathize so completely with her characters because she pulls us into their mindset and their emotions.  Told from multiple points of view, we completely get these men and we hurt for them.  For Matt in his inability at times to help his brother, his twin and for Luke, caught up in survivor’s guilt, his wheelchair and his feelings of inadequacy after being a SEAL.  Those two alone are superb but then there’s another damaged soul here and that’s Rory McConnell.

Rory McConnell is a local real estate lawyer with a past that’s haunting him to the point that his present is consumed with plans of revenge against those that hurt him.  The author will only slowly reveal Rory’s past to  Luke and the readers after a time, but we get hints enough to know that what’s coming will be horrific. The Rory we meet is determined, charming and driven to the point he makes the wrong impression on both Blanchard brothers, something he soon corrects.  Its important we understand Rory the man, damaged and a warrior in his own right, avenging a wrong against a criminal or criminals still at large. Watching these men connect, learn to trust, and love is such an out and out pleasure.  Its sweet, sexy and enough to make you reach for those boxes of tissues!

Along with all that?  You get B.A. Tortuga’s cast of characters, from the Blanchard “Momma and dad “Preacher”, both people to be reckoned with, to Lori, Luke’s amazing assistance, Avery the therapist, and so many more including the town’s people themselves.  Here’s a small sample of Rory taking Luke out to the local restaurant where everyone in town eats for lunch.  The flow of the chatter has the easy, down home feel I’ve heard in town’s across Georgia and Alabama too.  It’s as recognizable as it is authentic.  I love it and it’s another reason I read a Tortuga story:

“Something smells amazing,” Luke said.

“It”s meatloaf day.”

“You like meatloaf?” Luke was undecided. His mom’s had not been great, but after the army he wasn’t picky.

“I hate it. I am going to have a patty melt. Hey, Sue Ann, how goes it?”

Sue Ann Landers’ who had been one of Mark’s conquests back in the day, was obviously a rockabilly fanatic, the bright crimson beehive matching her cat-eye glasses exactly. “Faboo. The new girl is pregnant, cries at the drop of a hat and spilled an entire tray of drinks on Miss Hattie’s church group.”

“Wow. If I let her wait on us and don’t make her cry, do I get our pie for free?” Luke reckoned Rory couldn’t not make a deal. It must be in the man’s bones.

“You’re on.”

They ended up at a table in the back, out of the way. Bless her red head, Sue Ann didn’t want his chair messing up the flow, but that worked for Luke. Less gawking.

I could see that so clearly, right down to Miss Hattie’s church group and the fact that Sue Ann called her Miss Hattie.  Truth rolling out in every word.  Combine that with characters you hurt for and grow to love, a story that makes you cry and woop for joy? And then sets you up for other stories?  Yep, I’m not only all in but I’m anxiously waiting for the next in the series.  Can’t wait to see which Blanchard boys gets the next one, if indeed it’s one of them.  Plus there’s all the veterans coming to The Rocking W.  Well, I’ll leave that part of the story to the readers.  I highly recommend this to all of you.  Grab it up and start reading before the next one comes out.

Cover art by Posh Gosh works great for the storyline and characters.

Sales Links:  Pride Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 217 pages
Published June 6th 2017 by Pride Publishing
ISBN139781786515551
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesRocking W #1