ARC Review : Conspiracy Theory (Hamarsson & Dempsey #1) by Elle Keaton

Blurb

Years of grueling police work have left Niall Hamarsson jaded and disillusioned with life…although it’s likely he’s been that way all along. The last straw lands when the DA refuses to try a case Niall worked for years to bring to justice. Within hours he finds himself heading to the only place he’s ever been able to call home—a place he knows he doesn’t belong.

Mat Dempsey returned to Piedras Island after his father’s death. These days he’s Island County’s sheriff. He’s happy enough, even if moving home from San Francisco effectively forced him back into the closet. Mat’s well-ordered universe collapses when a local’s body is discovered floating in the cold waters of Hidden Harbor’s marina. All hell breaks loose in the community, and accusations fly…all coinciding with Niall Hamarsson’s return.

Niall and Mat have a history, and it’s not one Mat’s proud of. He owes Niall an apology, even if it means getting down on his knees. However, Mat’s first priority is investigating the murder before his community tears itself apart and he may have to ask the aloof Niall Hamarsson for help.

Push apart, pull together, yes or no... The chemistry crackles between them but will the two men be able to put aside their pasts and embrace a future?

Christelle's rating:

A good page-turner for me as I always enjoy a good MM romance with a suspense subplot. Beware: this is an “on-going” series and this first part sets the ground…and what a solid ground for further enjoyment !!!

Niall Hamarsson is a loner. With his past childhood slowly revealed, it’s no surprise. His detective work, even thought quite successful, has left him jaded and on a spur of a moment, he decides to take a break and go back to the island he spent part of his childhood with his now-gone grandparents. But no rest for the wicked…A murder and a series of incidents on the island, an encounter with Matt, the current sheriff…Niall has a lot on his plate and he can’t ignore his baggage. As for Matt, the murder and reappearance of Niall shatters the sense of security he covets but hasn’t yet reached.

The pace is quite good with the slow but steady and captivating discovery of who Niall is, the characters are well drawn with 2 guys not spared by life and all the surrounding “small-community” cast, the plot interesting and, if I have to make an educated guess, far from being over and the angst is delicious.

Blogtour: Minuet by A.M. Leibowitz

Minuet

by 

A.M. Leibowitz

Notes From Boston #4

Categories: queer, MMF, romance

Blurb:

When it comes to love, Mack Whitman prefers to limit it to writing songs and poetry.

Aromantic, he’s content to have quality friendships and people who sometimes also share his bed. He’s never considered himself the jealous type. But when he sees everyone in his life, from his best friends to his occasional partners, moving toward more settled lives, it leaves him frustrated, disappointed, and worried he’ll be left behind.

Amelia Roberts doesn’t care about the genders of her partners as long as she follows her one rule: Don’t ever fall in love. It’s worked out well for her, since that’s a line she knows she’ll never cross with Mack. He’s as happy as she is to keep things as they are. The only trouble with her philosophy is that she didn’t count on meeting the one person who might change her mind.

Jomari O’Brien’s supportive family made it smooth for him to transition several years ago. Since then, he’s been in and out of love, and other people’s beds, plenty of times, and he has no regrets. Each one is a small part of a larger symphony. Becoming involved with two people at once is a more complicated harmony, but it’s one he’s willing to learn as long as they are.

Their individual melodies become discordant as they struggle to make them fit together. But if all three can learn to play with each other instead of against, they may yet hit all the right notes.

About the Series:
When Trevor, Nate, Jamie, and Mack moved in together, they had no idea how it would change their lives. Four roommates. Four stories about living and loving in the City on a Hill.



Publisher | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | iBooks | Barnes and Noble  Kobo | Smashwords | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

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They paid for the groceries and headed for Mack’s van. Once they’d loaded it up, Mack went to start the van, but Trevor put a hand on his arm.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“I’m not letting you go home without talking about what the hell that was back there. You were really pissed off when you came to see me. You’re calm now, but if you go back home, you’re gonna get right back into that mess all over again.”

He was right, and Mack knew it. He turned over the engine. “Look, it’s freezing out here. I’ll drive you back, and I’ll explain on the way.”

“Fair enough.”

Mack waited until they were out on the road to say, “It’s fucking weird, having both of them together. It’s not like it hasn’t happened before, but not like this. I don’t know. It felt like they were doing this bonding thing, and I wasn’t part of that.”

“I get it,” Trevor said.

“Do you? Because your family looks different.”

“What is it you wanted? To have Amelia to yourself? You’ve said she’s not your girlfriend. So why does it matter?”

ARC Review: Flame and Ash (Witchbane #3) by Morgan Brice

From The Blurb:

The third novel in the Witchbane series. 

One hundred years ago, a sheriff’s posse killed dark warlock Rhyfel Gremory, but his witch-disciples escaped, and their magic made them nearly immortal. To keep their power, each year one of the witch-disciples kills a descendant of one of the men in the posse, a twelve-year cycle that has cost dozens of lives, including that of Seth Tanner’s brother, Jesse 

Seth rescued Evan Malone from one of the witches, and they’ve fallen in love despite the danger and chaos, going on the road to complete the quest and bring an end to the ritual murders. Their relationship is new, their emotions are raw, and the danger is real. It’s a challenge to find their way as a couple while they’re on the road together in the close quarters of Seth’s RV, training in magic and combat skills to fight off a supernatural killer. 

In pursuit of the next witch-disciple, Seth and Evan team up with older hunters Milo and Toby as their quest to stop a century-long killing spree takes them to a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They’re ahead of the sacrifice cycle, with plans to stop the murders and kill the dark witch. Only this time, the hunters become the hunted when the witch knows they’re coming to get him, and has deadly plans of his own. When their lives are on the line, will love be enough? 

Flame and Ash contains sexually explicit content intended for adults 18 and over.

Karen's rating:

There's work, there's vacations, there are working vacations and then there's...travels with Seth and Evan. It's unlike any working vacation you could ever imagine. 

Before I get into anything in terms of specifics let me just say if you haven't read  the previous stories in this series and by read I mean read or listened to the audio, I strongly recommend doing this to get the full background on Seth and Evan. Also this series connects to the authors "Badlands" series and to some of her stories that are written under the authors name of Gail Z. Martin. However, when it comes to reading these stories or even the 'Badlands' stories it's definitely an individual choice. While I've read the 'Badlands' series, I haven't read any of the other stories that are connected to this series and so far I haven't found it to be a problem.

Seth and Evan met back in the first book when Seth rescued Evan from one of the dark witch Rhyfel Gremory's disciples (for more on this just read the blurb). Since then these two have discovered that they have a few things in common the most important being that they're attracted to each other and they both want to see Gremory's disciples defeated to ensure not just their safety but that of the descendants of the deputies who originally destroyed Gremory.

I've been enjoying this series on audio but when the opportunity for this story was presented I decided that I didn't want to wait for the audio...not that I won't get it when it's available because rest assured...I will. But I was just to curious to see what was in store for Seth and Evan as they travel to North Carolina seeking to once again do battle with one of Gremory's disciples and save yet another descendant of the original posse and this time they've got help...not just the intended victim and his boyfriend but the boys are meeting up with Milo and Toby, Seth's mentors in the demon hunting world.

Blogtour: Roots Of Evil by K.C. Wells

Please welcome K.C. Wells with 

Roots Of Evil 

Merrychurch Mysteries #2

Blurb:

Many consider Naomi Teedle the village witch. Most people avoid her except when they have need of her herbs and potions. She lives alone on the outskirts of Merrychurch, and that’s fine by everyone—old Mrs. Teedle is not the most pleasant of people. But when she is found murdered, her mouth bulging with her own herbs and roots, suddenly no one has a bad word to say about her.

Jonathon de Mountford is adjusting to life up at the manor house, but it’s not a solitary life: pub landlord Mike Tattersall sees to that. Jonathon is both horrified to learn of the recent murder and confused by the sudden reversal of public opinion. Surely someone in the village had reason to want her dead?

He and Mike decide it’s time for them to step in and “help” the local police with their investigation. Only problem is, their sleuthing uncovers more than one suspect—and the list is getting longer…

Exclusive Excerpt:

Wednesday, November 8

“Jonathon.”

No response.

Mike tried again, only this time he nudged the sleeping Jonathon’s thigh with his own. “Jonathon!”

“Hmm?” Brown eyes gradually focused on him, blinking. When that familiar smile blossomed, Mike’s stomach did a flip-flop. Jonathon first thing in the morning was always a gorgeous sight. Then Jonathon grinned as he slid a warm hand over Mike’s fuzzy belly, moving lower….

Mike grabbed him firmly by the wrist. “Much as I love the way you’re going—”

“Oh good, me too.” Jonathon let out a sleepy chuckle.

“That was not why I woke you up.” Mike gestured toward the bedside table on Jonathon’s side. “Your phone was buzzing. You’ve missed a call.”

“Good. Too bloody early to be calling me anyway.” Jonathon shifted closer, until his lips were inches from Mike’s nipple—then he froze. “Wait a minute. No one I know would be calling me at this hour.” He raised his head and squinted at the window. “It’s only just dawn.”

Mike let out a patient sigh. “You’re usually awake before dawn. Which is why I woke you up. I figured it had to be important.”

With a huff, Jonathon rolled over, grabbed his phone, and peered at the screen. His face fell. “Oh God. Well, that’s killed my mood.”

“Who called?”

Jonathon sat up in bed and tapped the keys on his phone. “My father.”

Mike could understand that reaction. One withering glance from Thomas de Mountford had been enough to shrivel Mike’s nuts to the size of raisins.

He waited while Jonathon listened to a voicemail message, his facial expression not improving. If anything, it appeared to worsen. After a few minutes, Jonathon tossed his phone onto the bed and sank back against the pillows.

“He’s coming to see me,” Jonathon said in a subdued voice.

“When?”

“This weekend. And he’s staying the night.” A few minutes was all it had taken to change Jonathon’s mood from playful to downright miserable.

“Any clues as to the reason for this sudden visit?”