Tag: Pride Publishing

Release Blitz & Review Tour – Wake (Tidal #1) by K. Evan Coles and Brigham Vaughn (giveaway)

Buy Links: Pride Publishing (Early Download) | Amazon US | Amazon UK


Publisher: Pride Publishing


Length: 96,517 words


Blurb

Book one in the Tidal series

Carter Hamilton and Riley Porter-Wright room together as Harvard undergraduates. An immediate friendship forms, but as the years pass it deepens into something neither man understands. As attraction simmers under the surface, lines begin to blur. When they move back to Manhattan, they gradually slip into the lives their families have envisioned for them.

Both men marry, but in time, Riley realizes he’s ended up in a passionless relationship like his parents’ while his career takes center stage. Although he loves his wife, Carter misses the emotional and physical connection he shared with Riley.

The weight of Riley’s feelings and his growing discontentment with his life eventually push him to tell Carter the truth about how he feels. Shocked and unable to face his own feelings, Carter rejects Riley.

As each man comes to terms with the lies they’ve told themselves, each other and the people around them, they find their lives changing in ways they never imagined. They soon discover that the truths they’ve been longing to tell shake the foundations of their friendship.

 
Author Bios

K. Evan Coles is a mother and tech pirate by day and a writer by night. She is a dreamer who, with a little hard work and a lot of good coffee, coaxes words out of her head and onto paper.

K. lives in the northeast United States, where she complains bitterly about the winters, but truly loves the region and its diverse, tenacious and deceptively compassionate people. You’ll usually find K. nerding out over books, movies and television with friends and family. She’s especially proud to be raising her son as part of a new generation of unabashed geeks.

 

 

Brigham Vaughn is starting the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga.  She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.

Email: brighamvaughn@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brigham.vaughn
Facebook Author Page:

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An Alisa Review: Sand Trap (The Wyverns #4) by L.M. Somerton

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

Exposing secrets can be lethal.

 

Crow has had his eye on baby-faced Shelton since the young man became part of the Wyverns, but Crow is a committed Dom and unsure that Shelton is ready, or willing, to become his submissive. Getting trapped together during a dust storm provides an opportunity to find out.

 

When the dust settles, the winds have scoured the desert and uncovered a shallow grave full of bodies. Smuggling people across the border is big business and Crow knows that the traffickers will not want their gruesome secret revealed to the authorities.

 

When Shelton is taken and used as collateral, Crow and the Wyverns have to decide just how far they are prepared to go to serve justice and save Shelton’s life.

 

This was another nice story in this series.  Crow and Shelton have been dancing around each other for quite awhile.  After the Wyverns are away on a mission for an extended period of time Crow decides they have had enough waiting.  They just get started exploring their connection when Shelton is taken.

 

Shelton and Crow have a great connection that they have built through their flirting and friendship.  We can see both Shelton’s and Crow’s feelings for each other and how desperate Crow is to get Shelton back.  With the length of this book there wasn’t actually much of it that had the characters together, which I would have liked to see more of.  I’m really looking forward to Hatcher’s story which I hope is next.

 

The cover art by Posh Gosh is eye catching and follows the pattern for the series.

 

Sales Links: Pride Publishing | Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 61 pages

Publication: May 2, 2017 by Pride Publishing

ISBN: 9781786515452

Edition Language: English

Series: The Wyverns #4

A Julia Review: Realm of Passion (Sexy Snax #114) by Courtney Breazile

Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Irresistible magic in a tempting body.

Callie’s body is the perfect hiding place for the magic of the fairy realm. Malia is the perfect guard for her body against the demons determined to have the magic for themselves. Malia can’t resist the magic—it calls to her—and Callie’s body is as close as she can get to it. Surprised to find the body so welcoming, Malia refuses to give it up once she has it.

What can I say about Realm of Passion by Courtney Breazile? First of all, I have never read anything that felt so rushed before – be it short story, novella or novel. The storyline has enough content that you could and should fill at least twice as many pages with it. It is basically a plot worthy of an entire novel pushed into the format of a novella. Scenes that feel like they should be important for character and plot development are only given a quick mention consisting of no more than a couple of sentences. The lore is hastily explained and very standard for a fantasy story. Even though the end takes place in a completely different realm than ours, there is only just the faintest trace of world building and we learn hardly anything about the fairy realm or its inhabitants.

The characters are of course majorly suffering from the hasty writing as well. We get to learn next to nothing but the most superficial information about their personalities, relationships and motivations. They cannot respond to events with the proper amount of emotions or opinions since there is almost no time before jumping to the next scene. In the beginning, for example, Callie loses a patient on the operating table, goes to puke in the bathroom and is already contemplating on treating herself to dinner two paragraphs later – seemingly without any repercussions of just watching a woman die under her hands a few hours earlier! The reader is not nearly given enough time and exposition to become involved with the characters and their actions in any shape or form. Therefore, the characters feel empty and impersonal. The person, who is supposed to be the main villain, receives probably one and a half pages of appearance time in the end and the two supporting characters are apparently killed but it is only mentioned briefly afterwards and no one seems to care anyway.

The worst example for this lack of proper character development is Callie, the main protagonist, whose feelings and decisions make almost no sense whatsoever. She lives a normal life until she finds out that magic is real and demons are coming to hunt her down because she carries magic within her that is needed to save the fairy realm. Oh, and she can now shoot beams of light from her hands that incinerate people. Basically, within a chapter of learning all of this and being kidnapped, she can only seem to think of one thing: hot sex with her fairy kidnapper who, of course, also immediately lusts after Callie in return! The sex scenes are described in greater detail than any other more plot-relevant scenes. That said, while the first sex scene might still be semi-entertaining, the ones that follow are mainly just the same over and over again. When the two protagonists profess their love for each other, you cannot help but cringe and shake your head, since they have barely gotten to know each other at this point nor spent more than maybe two days in each other’s company.

The only reason I gave this novel 1.5 stars is because at least the basic idea for the plot and characters seemed interesting enough which makes it just all the sadder that the material was treated this way. This felt like it should have been the plot outline for a story rather than the actual finished book.

I did like the cover art by Posh Gosh with its comic-like style. However, a pretty cover cannot redeem a story lacking so severely in execution.

Sales Links:   Pride Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 47 pages

Published April 9, 2012

by Pride Publishing

ISBN: 978-0-85715-938-0

Edition Language: English

A Caryn Review: The Star of Versailles by Catherine Curzon & Willow Winsham

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

During the Reign of Terror, Paris was worse than a nightmare.  People were being denounced and executed without trial, neighbors turned against one another, and the guillotine claimed the lives of thousands.   The king and queen were already dead, and Robespierre and his cronies were ruling the country.  Counter-revolutionary conspirators and foreign spies also operated in the shadows, but William Knowles was only there to find more information about the Star of Versailles, a diamond of incredible worth once owned by Marie Antoinette, now disappeared.  William masqueraded as Yves Morel, notorious torturer from the south, and lived in the house of Philippe Plamondon, whose wife Claudine was rumored to have been the last to possess the Star when she fled Paris.  Also living in the house was Vincent Tessier, the Butcher of Orleans, who was also obsessively seeking the diamond.

Alexandre Gaudet was a playwright who was living in luxury in London, darling of the English court and toast of the English theater, to whom the terror of the Revolution was only an annoyance across the Channel.  Until his sister Claudine disappeared, and he came to Paris to find and rescue her.  While both men were searching the Plamondon house for clues to her location, William ran into Gaudet, which led to Tessier apprehending Gaudet and taking him off to the dungeons to torture information from him.  William rescued Gaudet, but in doing so blew his own cover and then they both needed to flee the city.  Professor Dee, the notorious spymaster who was behind the whole scheme, tasked William with sticking close to Gaudet as they fled to Le Havre, as he also wanted the diamond and knew that following Gaudet was the best way to find it.

So this was a very complicated plot, with a lot of back story that wasn’t very clearly defined, and characters were introduced as though the reader should already know about them – for instance, the spymaster Dee (there was a real John Dee who was possibly a spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I of England, but that was 100 years earlier, so I was confused).  The reasons that William became a spy, and one that spoke French like a native and was given such an important post, were also never really adequately explained.  I got the impression that the authors assumed their readers had a fair amount of knowledge about this period in French history – I don’t – and perhaps if I had I would have appreciated the story more.  William initially seemed to be a consummate undercover spy, but later on in the book he turned into an ordinary man who foolishly stumbled into things.  Dee was a shadowy figure with connections and informants all over the country who operates more as a puppet master instead of getting directly involved, until he accompanies William and Gaudet and they met up with Dee’s daughter in a French village and suddenly he was neither mysterious nor powerful, and it was unclear what he was even doing in France other than looking for the Star.  And finally, Gaudet – he was ridiculous.  While supposedly scared for his life and fleeing Paris, he stops to pick up his poodle and his powder and rouge, and acts like a complete idiot – selfish and over-the-top flamboyant – and unnecessarily puts all of them in danger.  William supposedly fell in love with him during this period, but I would have wanted to kick his ass, so I lost respect for William at this point.  And within 24 hours of their first kiss, William, who has never been attracted to men before in his life, is enjoying his first time bottoming with only spit to ease the way.  Ummm, no.

The book dragged as the party moved through the countryside to Le Havre, relentlessly pursued by Tessier who was probably the most consistent character in the book (even though it made no sense to me that he hung back for so long before confronting them).  Think Javert from Les Miserables.  And in the end, they find the diamond, but what happens to it after that is kind of murky, and it really dropped out of the plot altogether.  The Star of Versailles turned out not to be the diamond after all, and that was a surprising plot twist, but it was not really followed up with more explanation, or resolution, which I found unsatisfying since it was the whole point of the story.

I do love a good historical, but this whole book seemed like an ambitious goal that was never realized.

Cover art by Posh Gosh showed a lovely picture of a diamond, but the bare-chested men didn’t really match the setting of the book

Sales Links:   Pride Publishing | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 270 pages
Published February 7th 2017 by Pride Publishing
ISBN139781786515230
Edition LanguageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Skim Blood and Savage Verse (Offbeat Crimes #3) by Angel Martinez

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Words damage more than just feelings as Carrington hunts feral books menacing the city.

When a ferocious book attacks Carrington at his own birthday party, he believes it’s an isolated incident. But similar books soon pop up all over town, menacing innocent people with harsh bits of poetry and blank verse that deliver damaging physical blows. It’s a frustrating case with too many variables and not enough answers, and the stakes go up with each attack.

With the help of his misfit squad mates at the 77th and the public library’s Rare Books Department, the missing pieces decrease but not Carrington’s vexations. His commanding officer rakes him over the coals at the beginning of every shift. His police partner has lost patience with what she sees as his delusional relationship choices and his inability to pick the right man in a vast field of two. City Hall demands that the books be stopped immediately. It’s enough to put a nutritionally challenged vampire off his skim blood.

The book rattled violently on the table in an imitation of a step dance and printed words leaped out of the pages at frightening speed. Just before they slammed into Carrington’s head, the flying words shrieked at him.
“You starveling, you eel-skin, you dried neat’s tongue, you bull’s pizzle!”
He had time for a split second of horror before the words rammed into him with the force of several fists.

                                                  from Skim Blood and Savage Verse (Offbeat Crimes #3) by Angel Martinez

Yes, feral books are rampaging about the city slinging deadly poetry at people’s heads!  Angel Martinez, you might as well drop the mike and leave the building! This is why I love to read, to come across passages and indeed an entire story full of such paragraphs and plot threads so imaginative and lively that I burst into giggles still at the very thought of them.  And that’s just one element here.

Yes its poor Carrington, that vampire who needs to exist on skim blood with the worst taste in men who is the focus here (well one of them at any rate).  His feral book attack launches an investigation and soon his squad realizes there have been attacks all over the city.  The librarian in the Rare Books Department at the Public Library is just the sort to set him, well not straight, but on the path to HEA, if Carrington can get past his own proclivities for picking up the most shallow, mean-spirited men around.  That’s a terrific storyline going on while in pursuit of the rampaging feral books (I can never get enough of those). The author gets us into Carr’s head and heart here.  While we are often frustrated with him, its also easy to understand why Carr is why he is.

But there’s another romance here.  One I rate just  as highly.  LJ, also known as Leather Jacket. Yes, an animated object of clothing who’s a member of the squad (loosely) gets a lover. I won’t go into the details because they are too wonderful and should be explored within the story itself.  This romance turned out to be so adorable, so charming and mysterious (and on-going probably into the next story) that I was just as equally invested in them as well as in Carrington and Erasmus, the librarian.   I will, however, mention that for those who  like a quick romance, that doesn’t happen.  Carr has plenty of issues and those have to be dealt with first.   But we get a closer look at Carr’s family, his partner Amanda (who I also adore) and other respective members of 77th Precinct.

There’s a dangling bit of mystery left here at the end, a rather large bit that I hope leads into the next story.  The 77th Precinct and all its members are downright addictive! You never know what wildly scary case will come their way with love tromping along too.  Or maybe being propelled by fairies or blasted by fire.  Probably not.  All too mundane.  Which is why I cannot wait for the next book in the series to arrive.  Pill bugs from space and now deadly poetry spitting flying feral books!  What will Angel Martinez come up with next?  I’ve got the popcorn and am patiently waiting to find out.

Cover art by Posh Gosh is very pretty and includes that flying book.

Sales Links

Pride Publishing | Amazon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 137 pages
Published April 4th 2017 by Pride Publishing
ISBN139781786515520
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series Offbeat Crimes 

A MelanieM Review: Patience (Dublin Virtues #1) by Helena Stone

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Patience is a virtue. But what if you wait too long?

While Xander Ekman’s dream of becoming a successful artist has come true, his love life has gone from bad to worse. Sick of the endless string of one-night-stands, he accepts the challenge when his best friend, Erik, bets him that he can’t be celibate for a month. Now all he needs is a reminder to keep his distance in the heat of the moment.

Troy Moriarty doesn’t have time for love. He’s too busy trying to keep his recently opened tattoo parlour afloat. Besides, ever since the man who was supposed to be his business partner abandoned him to run the shop on his own, he has a hard time trusting others.

When Xander turns to Troy for a tattoo that will remind him to be patient, the attraction is instant. But faced with Xander’s month of celibacy, Troy’s trust issues, and a nemesis lurking in the background, their relationship may be doomed before it has a chance to begin.

Patience (Dublin Virtues #1) by Helena Stone represents a new story, new series and a new author for me.  After finishing Patience, I considered it a win in all three categories.  Set in the city of Dublin, a place I dearly love (and captured here pretty well, especially the climate), we meet Xander an artist whose habit of one night stands has left him feeling empty and used.  Enter his old friend and a bet.  One month of abstinence.

I thought the author did a terrific job of making me feel empathetic towards  Xander immediately.  Under Erik’s  questioning, Xander starts to crumble, admitting to the feelings and walls he’s built up to hide the emptiness inside.  Seeing Xander’s pain and understanding the man brings us so close to him at the very beginning.  We’re there, liking him and rooting for his HEA.

When Troy is introduced, its so beautifully done, like the author quietly dropping a puzzle piece in place.  There’s linking threads between them, of course, from major to slim, which are revealed to us and them over the course of the story.  Troy is as immensely likable and real as is Xander, and equally broken in the same parts of his heart.  Biggest issue?  Trust of course, and communication about the important things.  How true to life and how sadly realistic.

The author must have a real love of symmetry for she has given each man a best friend here that acts as their support, confidant, and all around ‘kick in the pants’ when needed.  I fell in love with both of them as well, each as different as can be and, fingers crossed I’m hoping that the next book or books in the series revolves around them.

I had a couple of small issues one.  One was that Xander kept making a big deal over his anger issues but quite frankly we never saw any that seemed out of control or over the top.  Everyone gets angry and he was able to pull back and deal each time.  So either it should have been brought more fully into the story or really not made an issue of at all.

Also I felt the ending was a little rushed.  One bit left us hanging, although I suppose that was for the books to come.  Still it made me wonder because everything else in this terrific story is so well supported and all the foundations so lovingly laid out.  But that’s it.  I loved this story.

I will of course be anxiously awaiting the next story in the series.  I can’t wait to see where the author takes us and who the story will be about.

My one last little nod to Dublin and Ireland.  Surely another symbol other than a kanji character could have been used.  Maybe a celtic rune perhaps?  Just a thought.

Cover art by Emmy Ellis is ok but nothing that shouts storyline to me.

Sales Links

Pride Publishing 


Pre-Order: Amazon US | Amazon UK  (March 28)

 

Book Details:

ebook, 1st edition, 170 pages
Published February 28th 2017 by Pride Publishing
ISBN139781786515360
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesDublin Virtues #1

In the Spotlight: Patience (Dublin Virtues #1) by Helena Stone (giveaway)

 

Buy Links: Pride Publishing (Early download)


Pre-Order: Amazon US | Amazon UK  (March 28)


Cover: Emmy Ellis


Length: 62,945 words


Publisher: Pride Publishing

Blurb


Patience is a virtue. But what if you wait too long?


While Xander Ekman’s dream of becoming a successful artist has come true, his love life has gone from bad to worse. Sick of the endless string of one-night stands, he accepts the challenge when his best friend, Erik, bets him that he can’t be celibate for a month. Now all he needs is a reminder to keep his distance in the heat of the moment.


Troy Moriarty doesn’t have time for love. He’s too busy trying to keep his recently opened tattoo parlor afloat. Besides, ever since the man who was supposed to be his business partner abandoned him to run the shop on his own, he has a hard time trusting others.


When Xander turns to Troy for a tattoo that will remind him to be patient, the attraction is instant. But faced with Xander’s month of celibacy, Troy’s trust issues, and a nemesis lurking in the background, their relationship may be doomed before it has a chance to begin.

Author Bio

Helena Stone can’t remember a life before words and reading. After growing up in a household where no holiday or festivity was complete without at least one new book, it’s hardly surprising she now owns more books than shelf space while her Kindle is about to explode.


The urge to write came as a surprise. The realisation that people might enjoy her words was a shock to say the least. Now that the writing bug has well and truly taken hold, Helena can no longer imagine not sharing the characters in her head and heart with the rest of the world.


Having left the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam for the peace and quiet of the Irish Country side she divides her time between reading, writing, long and often wet walks with the dog, her part-time job in a library, a grown-up daughter and her ever loving and patient husband.


Helena can be found in the following places: 

 

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