ARC Review : The Athlete And The Aristocrat by Louisa Masters

Blurb :

Sometimes love takes balls.

Newly retired championship footballer Simon Wood is taking on his next challenge. His plan for a charity to provide funding for underprivileged children to pursue football as a career has passed its first hurdle: he has backers and an executive consultant. Now it’s time to get the ball rolling.

Lucien Morel, heir to the multibillion-euro Morel Corporation, is shocked—and thrilled—to learn his father has volunteered him as consultant to a fledgling football charity. Better yet, the brains behind it all is heartthrob Simon Wood, his teenage idol and crush.

Although Simon and Lucien get off on the wrong foot, it’s not long before they’re getting along like a house on fire—sparks included. But with the charity under public scrutiny, can their romance thrive?

Christelle's rating :



A little comment on the side : I’m always apprehensive when French characters and settings are used. Either authors feel the need to include paragraphs in French - most of the time full of errors, which drives me up the wall – or insert so many bad clichés that it’s not even laughable. But not here, and just for that, a thumbs up from me !!!

This is a MM Romance between two well fleshed out characters. Simon is a newly-retired UK professional football player, is now willing to dedicate his time to train underprivileged kids through a charity program. As for Lucien, he is not only the heir of a French millionaire, but also a talented businessman and very agreeable to get involved into his father’s plans to found Simon's project.

Through implementing this charity’s program, Simon and Lucien got to work together, to know each other and willing to succumb to their attraction. However, neither of them want to threaten the launch of the charity and both have a pretty busy schedule. Could their relationship go any further ? And what is exactly their relationship ?

ARC Review: Exit Through the Gift Shop by Kim Fielding

Blurb:

Alex’s traditional family Christmas Compromise means spending the holiday at a second-rate theme park, Poseidon’s Planet, but Alex doesn’t mind. He enjoys the rides and the company of his family, and it’s a good break from his going-nowhere existence back in Indiana. Then he meets a certain sexy employee in a pirate costume, and Alex’s vacation gets even better. But thrill rides last only a short time, and sooner or later everyone has to return to real life. Alex long ago gave up on marrying a handsome prince—will he have to give up on his pirate as well?

Dani's rating:

I liked this story quite a bit. It's cute and sweet and celebrates an entirely secular version of Christmas spent at an amusement park where Alex, who's there for an annual family vacation, meets the glorious pirate Rory. Rory and Alex click immediately.

The story takes place over a couple days, and even though there's no steam, save for a few lingering kisses, and no epilogue, I bought Alex and Rory's HFN hook, line, and sinker.

Blogtour: His Cursed Prince by Ryan Loveless

Please say hello to Ryan Loveless and 

His Cursed Prince 

Hello everyone,

First, I want to thank My Fiction Nook for hosting me today. My new release, "His Cursed Prince", is an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. It's lighter than my usual fare, and I had lot of fun with it. In keeping with that attitude, I thought I'd do a list for you today.

5 Excuses Tuckington Belle Has Made to Get out of Dates His Brother Has Set Up

1. "I have to get my dog ready for a competition." As a result, he spent a year on the show dog circuit, even though prior to his saying this, he had never considered doing such a thing.

2. "If we go on a date and fall in love, and then I have to do a dress fitting for her, the pitter-pat of my lovestruck heart might cause me to jab her with a pin. Better safe than sorry."

3. "If I go on this date, who will take care of mom in her dotage?"

4. "I'm in bed by 7, and I don't need company."

5. "This is a really small village. How do you know we aren't related? Wouldn't want to risk it."


In the excerpt below, Tuck goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid meeting a girl his brother is trying to set him up with.

Blurb:

Three facts about Tuckington Belle:

1. Given the choice between illegally scaling the royal castle’s walls to steal flowers for a client at his family’s dress shop or going on a date with a girl his brother set him up with (“He’s fertile, and he can sew!”), Tuck will scale the wall like a spider after a fly.

2. If, upon knocking himself unconscious when he falls off the wall, Tuck wakes up bruised, blindfolded, and inside the castle, where—based on the unearthly wails heard nightly—the prince no one has seen in ten years is probably a ghost, Tuck would still choose this over a date with a girl.

3. Tuck thinks it’s time to admit he’s gay.


Three facts about Prince Frederick George Deor (Read and approved with great reluctance by Lord “Protocol is Protocol. Stop Being a Pain About It” Todd):

1. He brought a curse upon himself and now bears the skin of a snake.

2. He can’t take his eyes off the injured thief recovering in the castle.

3. Friendships born from lying and insisting the other person wears a blindfold can blossom into true love—which he needs to break the curse.

Excerpt:

“Don’t take your coat off!” his mother said as soon as he stepped in the door. “We need purple wildflowers.” He threw his hands into a defensive position upon seeing her rushing toward him like a carriage out of control, and she shoved a pair of scissors and a brown potato sack into his hands.

“It’s too late to go into the woods,” Tuck protested.

“Tuckington, I am not going to adorn the dress of young Miss Pringle with weeds picked from the woods. Use your head, son! Go for the good stuff!”

“Mama, you’re not making—” He stopped talking when the glint in her eyes turned slightly insane. Shit. He began to back out the door. “You’ve got bail money in case I get caught?”

ARC Review: Just in Time by Jacqueline Rohrbach

From the blurb:

The legendary ghosts of Christmas—Past, Present, and Future—failed to cure Evan Eazer of his misanthropy. He hates people, loves conflict, and has a swearing habit to boot. Phil, the Ghost of Imaginary Time couldn’t be more thrilled. Finally, it’s his turn to get off the bench and into the game. He’s sure he can cure Evan and earn back his place in the giving-people-Christmas-epiphanies rotation. 

Evan won’t reform easy. He’s immune to Phil’s many charms and seems content to live out the rest of his life bitter and alone. Worse, Phil’s time on the bench has left him ignorant to the ways of humanity. He struggles to navigate the new world and find his place within it let alone help someone else find his way back on the right path. 

But one thing Phil does understand about the strange world in which he finds himself is Evan and his pain. He knows what it’s like to be misunderstood by pretty much everyone. But can he get Evan to understand him, too?

Heather's rating:





I've had a string of mediocre books recently, but then Just in Time comes along and reminds me of how fecking enjoyable books can be again!

I haven't read Jacqueline Rohrbach before now, but she is on my radar forever more. Just in Time was funny as hell, and actually worked as a romance in under 75 pages.

Audio Book Review: Highway Man by Eden Winters

From The Blurb:

LENGTH: 1 hour, 43 minutes 

If their gravelly-voiced front man died in the wreck that claimed the rest of Trickster, what's he doing filling in for a tribute band's absent guitarist? All Killian Desmond wants is to forget that tragic accident, make a few bucks off rodeo wins and pick-up gigs, and occasionally find a willing one-night stand. A listening ear in the form of a fellow musician he dubs Tex reopens old wounds. Tex knows the songs and hears the pain—Killy may have found more than he was looking for.

Karen's rating:

It's been a long time since I read this one...

and when I saw it on audible I just couldn't resist the opportunity to enjoy it on audio.

Every since the accident that claimed his life...Killian Desmond has lived his life in the shadows letting the world believe that the accident that claimed  him brother and bandmates also claimed him. But when the opportunity to earn a night's pay filling in with a tribute band presents itself Killian discovers that not everyone in the band is easily fooled and Tex sees past the shadows to the man who's hiding.

At less than 2 hours 'Highway Man' packs an emotional punch that will leave the reader reaching for some tissues and a little red around the eyes. It's been at least 6 years since I read the e-book but despite the years between then and now, the one thing I had no problem remembering was how much I enjoyed this story so there I was 'Highway Man' by Eden Winters and narrated by Darcy Stark...no thought needed on this one...I  clicked the buy button and it was a done deal.

ARC Review: Miracle on Three Kings Day by Beth Laycock

From The Blurb:

Levi’s family knows he needs to find a way out of his funk and be a part of the world again. His brother, Jesse, invites Levi to join him in sunny Spain for the holidays, but a delay at the airport finds Levi at Jesse’s home while his brother is stranded in Scotland. Luckily Alejandro—Alex—is on hand with a key, a friendly smile, and a willingness to keep Levi company. He might even manage to draw Levi out of his shell for some mutual flirting. 

Levi surprises himself when he accepts an invitation to spend New Year’s Eve with Alex at Alex’s café, but is he ready for more when it means jumping back into life feetfirst? Besides, with an ocean between them and Alex hiding a part of his life that Levi isn’t sure he can handle, they’ll need their own Three Kings’ Day miracle to stay together.

Karen's rating:

‘Miracle on ThreeKings’ Day’ takes the reader from the usual North America location to a small town on the coast of the beautiful country of Spain. Levi’s fallen into a rut and his family knows that somethings got to give to get him out of it. He needs a change. So it’s with this in mind that his brother Jesse sends him a ticket and invites him to spend the New Year in Spain. What neither Jesse nor Levi count on is Jesse getting stuck in Scotland and Levi finding himself alone in a country that he’s not familiar with and doesn’t speak the language and even more Levi’s not prepared for Alex. His brother’s best friend.

I loved, loved, loved this story. Levi and Alex worked for me as friends, as lovers. Without a doubt I would be over the moon to get more story for these two men. Their meeting was done is such a natural and organic way…seriously who hasn’t found themselves stranded at an airport because of weather or some other unforeseen set of circumstances on one occasion or another…it’s happened to me twice and I don’t even fly that often. So when Levi finally reaches him brother he’s told to go Alex’s Café and get Jesse’s spare key from him…how many people have or leave a key with a neighbor or friend as a matter of course…again not an unusual or surprising thing to for Jesse to have done. So these to men meeting seemed more like an ordinary course of events than something bizarre or contrived.

ARC Review: Homebird by Amy Lane

From The Blurb:

Crispin Henry isn’t an adventurer. He learned early on that the world is a frightening place and that home is rare and precious. If his friends didn’t drag him to sports games and ill-advised trips to Vegas, he wouldn’t get out at all—and his trip to Munich for Oktoberfest is no exception. But it’s there that he meets Luka Gabriel, and he learns to take a chance. 

Luka is a free-spirited world traveler, working at Oktoberfest to feed his enchantment with new places and new people. His only possessions fit in his backpack, and he depends on the kindness of strangers for a place to sleep. Crispin should know better—but he takes Luka’s hand anyway, and together they turn three nights in Munich into the relationship neither of them has been brave enough to risk—and neither can let go of. 

When Luka turns up on Crispin’s doorstep before the holiday season, Crispin takes him in on hope alone. Yes, he knows the odds are good Luka will flutter out of his life again and leave him bereft, but isn’t it worth it to see if Luka is a homebird after all?

Karen's rating:

Sometimes home can be a person and not just a place...

As is usually the case with an Amy Lane story. I was all in from the beginning. I totally related to Crispin because like him, I'm a homebird. I also loved his band of friends they were the kind of friends that I think anyone would love to have.

And like Crispin, I was charmed by Luka from the moment we met him. I found the relationship between these two men to be both interesting and unique. While I'm sure some would consider it to be love at first sight and I can see where that's coming from, for me it felt more like a really strong attraction that we got to see grow and become something stronger and more than that initial strong attraction. Something based on friendship, trust and respect. 

Crispin and Luka have not only both suffered loss in their past.  It's a loss that resulted from similar experiences. I really loved how this part of the story was handled...two men, similar experiences but each man choosing a different solution...

Crispin chooses to set down roots...he has his home, his sister Millie, his cat and the dog he shares custody of with Mille and most importantly he has his friends..friends who keep him moving, who force him to not just exist but to live...friends who are the reason that he's in Germany at Octoberfest where he meets the enchanting Luka.

ARC Review: Haste Ye Back by R.Quincy Cameron

Blurb :

The situation seems ideal: a month off work and a sweet deal to extend his stay in an unexpected paradise. Needless to say, Aaron is thrilled to snag an extra few days in Scotland after his work conference to soak up the magic of the country.

However, his plans to tourist his way around Edinburgh before his January 1st flight home are thwarted by a strange influx of people into the capital. Add in trains that don't run on New Year's, fireworks, first-footing, and running into the same gorgeous stranger as he exits every other shop, and Aaron really should have googled what “Hogmanay” was before he found himself whisked into the whirlwind of Scottish revelry and the impossible draw of that sexy stranger who tastes like scotch and, impossibly, already feels like the beginnings of home.

Christelle' rating :

This is a short “Christmas story” set in Edinburgh during the Scottish Hogmanay celebrations happening at the end of the year. Aaron, on a business trip, is delayed from his return to the US for a few days and uses his time to visit Edinburgh where he keeps bumping into "Connor", a man for whom he feels a lot, a lot of attraction, not one-sided !!

What didn’t work for me ? It felt like an unfinished story, a teaser about what could have been a sweet and hot romance. Alas, I’m among the readers who believe that no HEA takes the romance away.

What work well for me ? The setting was really enjoyable and well displayed, the characters were charming, their encounter was promising and full of chemistry. I give three stars for that good and entertaining introduction, but like the Cadbury kid would say : “can’t you make it a bit longer ?”.

--------------------------------------

ARC of “Haste Ye Back” was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Get the book :

Buy Links are provided as a courtesy and do not constitute an endorsement of or affiliation with this book, author or bookseller listed.


Thanks for visiting our blog and I hope you enjoyed my review !

Book Review : Spirit by John Inman

Blurb :

Jason Day, brilliant designer of video games, is not only a confirmed bachelor, but he’s as gay as a maypole. One wouldn’t think being saddled with his precocious four-year-old nephew for four weeks would be enough to throw him off-kilter.

Wrong. Timmy, Jason’s nephew, is a true handful.

But just when Timmy and Uncle Jason begin to bond, and Jason feels he’s getting a grip on this babysitting business once and for all, he’s thrown for a loop by a couple of visitors—one from Tucson, the other from beyond the grave.

I’m sorry. Say what?

Toss a murder, a hot young stud, an unexpected love affair, and a spooky-ass ghost with a weird sense of humor into Jason’s summer plans, and you’ve got the makings for one hell of a ride

Christelle's rating :

**SO entertaining !!!** I laughed SO, SO much reading this one.

This is a “paranormal” MM romance, a “ghost story”, with 4 MCs. Yes, four of them but it wouldn’t work at all if they were not all there.

You have Jason, so funny, adorable, loyal and having a blast trying and amusingly falling to get the upper hand when babysitting…

and Sam, the sexy Sam, who is of course going to be a perfect mismatch for Jason…

Book Review : A Charm of Finches (Venery #2) by Suanne Laqueur

Blurb :

“I swear. Give me one more chance and I will make the most of it.”

Ex-hustler Javier Landes is asking for his third chance at love. The third time proves to be the charm when he meets a Manhattan art therapist named Steffen Finch. What starts as casual and curious deepens into a passionate, soulful relationship—everything Jav has ever wanted, and everything he fears losing.

Stef’s business card reads Curator & Sailor. His creativity and insightful nature have made him into a talented therapist, the one to call for tough cases. His professional success can’t conceal a deep need to connect with someone, but Javier Landes is the last person Stef expected.

Geronimo "Geno" Caan is Stef's most challenging case. To cope with his ordeal, he's allowed an alter-ego called Mos to make decisions, and now lives a double life within a web of lies. Under Stef’s navigation, Geno uses art to express what Mos forbids to be spoken aloud. But as Geno’s attachment to Stef gradually extends to Jav, the boundaries between professional and personal begin to blur.

Over the course of a year, Jav, Stef and Geno form an unexpected and unconventional triangle, revealing how men make love in times of war and how love is a great wisdom made up of small understandings. The long-awaited second book of the Venery series, A Charm of Finches is an epic tale of survival and secrets guaranteed to make you think and feel and remember.

Christelle' rating :

**5 +++ Flowers**

A roller coaster of emotions that deeply resonated for me : this very-well written and evocative life and romance story stirred so many feelings that it will stay in my mind for quite a long time. Suanne Laqueur is a VERY talented writer !

It might not strictly be a standalone and I advise to read An Exaltation of Larks  before to get some insight of the characters (it’s also a beautiful life story including the journey of Jav who plays a huge part in this installment).

Warnings : there are some topics that can be triggers : abduction and gang-rape, child abuse, atrocities perpetrated during WWII and in the concentration camps. This is NOT a piling of dire experiences for the sake of it, was never graphic, but evocative enough to be unsettling.

ARC Review: Hero for the Holidays by Charles Payseur

Blurb:

A Spandex and Superpowers Story

Cody travels from Metro City to the Caribbean island lair of Dr. Devious to look after the place while the supervillain is in space for the holidays… and maybe to mend his broken heart. With Christmas fast approaching, Cody is desperate to avoid reminders of his recent disastrous breakup, and a few weeks of sun and relaxation sound perfect—until a drunk (but very cute) superhero crashes the party by literally crashing onto the beach. 

And that’s just the start of Cody’s problems—angry shark-men, mysterious lava creatures, and a malfunctioning AI all make his holiday getaway anything but relaxing. Amid the chaos of his adventures in lair-sitting, though, Cody might find just what he needs—a new chance at love.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar "Warmest Wishes."

Todd's rating:

 This short, superhero story was kind of quirky and fun for its length and for what it was.

Our blog reviews the Dreamspinner Advent stories every year, splitting them up amongst our reviewers, and I was assigned this one to read, but superhero books aren't in my regular rotation of "must read" tropes. They're okay, but I rarely go and hunt them down.

For those that are comic fans, though, both Cody and Sonny were extremely likeable MC's and the story had the *beginnings* of a relationship, but they were hindered a bit, as Sunny was locked away behind a force field for nearly the entire story.

The angst came in the form of a school of angry shark-men and an evil AI come-robot, and there was one pretty decent, voyeuristic, sexy scene. Because... attraction plus force field, but sometimes guys have to get creative, right? ;- )

Blogtour: Nobody's Hero by Katey Hawthorne

Blogtour

Please welcome Katey Hawthorn with

Nobody's Hero 

Superpowered Love #3

Blurb:

Jamie Monday lives in two different worlds. With his family, he's the golden child of awakened superpowered society. He's meant to do great things and pass on his powers—with the appropriate girl, hand-picked by his mother. He's already failed at the first, so he can't bring himself to tell her the wife and children aren't happening either.

With his friends, he's the social director and life of the party. He's also an out gay man with an appetite for quick and easy lays. It's tough to have a relationship when you're hiding off-the-charts electrical powers, but Jamie doesn't mind.

Not until the prickly, paddy rocking, geeky-hot new guy at work shows him what he's been missing. Kellan's singular combination of dirty mouth and pure soul makes Jamie spark right from the beginning. But if he's going to overcome Kelly's defensive front and reach the gentle heart inside, Jamie will first have to come to terms with his own divided lives.

The Superpowered Love series explores the mixed-up love lives of the “awakened”, humans with awakened thermal or electrical superpowers.

Excerpt:

First Date Nerves

Thanks for having me here at My Fiction Nook! I’m dropping in with an exclusive excerpt from the newest Superpowered Love Book, Nobody’s Hero, today. Though the books explore the love lives of superpowered folk, this particular superpowered guy, Jamie, is sweet on a “sleeper”, someone without superpowers, called Kellan. Also, they work together. So… complicated.

Without further ado, let’s jump right into that first date feeling!

I said, as we waited for the Down button to work its magic, "And, just for the record, if you end up hating me, I am really good with smoothing shit over. So you won't have to be all awkward at work."

[Kellan] was looking at the door with that lopsided smile on his face. "I'm definitely not going to hate you."

Seeing as it was after-hours, the elevator popped right up. We got inside, and I put myself a little too close. "You never know. It could happen."

He leaned against the wall, looked me in the eye—he was close enough that it sent a lightning bolt into my stomach—and said, "There's no way you're that fucking clueless, James."

"Oh, so you do like me."

He grinned full on. "What I know of you."

"A lot?"

ARC Review : The Victorian (Lavender Shores #9) by Rosalind Abel

Blurb :

Sexy bartender Seth Marino is the epitome of the allure and sophistication for which the town of Lavender Shores is known. For twenty years, Seth has found contentment and happiness as co-owner of the Blue Blossom Bed-and-Breakfast. Seth’s kind heart, good looks, and humor charm both locals and tourists—except the one person who despises him.

Charley Perez began building the life of his dreams a few years before Seth moved to town. Just as his hard work was about to pay off, Charley saw his hopes for building a restaurant worthy of his abuela’s recipes slip through his fingers when Seth arrived. Sure, maybe Charley has a temper, perhaps he should smile more, but does the whole world have to lay out the red carpet for the slutty bartender while never giving Charley a break?

When Lavender Shores welcomes a star-studded food-and-wine celebration, Seth and Charley are forced to work together, leading to an explosion of anger and passion. Both men find the heat and fire of hatred morphing into an irresistible attraction. But even as Seth sees a different side of Charley, the hurt and anger of the past simmer below the surface, threatening the future. And a lifetime of struggle isn’t easy for Charley, who must find the courage to show his true self in seeking help and reaching for his dreams.

Christelle's rating :

I just LOVED it : for me, the best of the "Lavender Shores" series, set in a small town closed to San Francisco, filled with many, many hot gay men. Each time I read one of the books of this series, I can’t help going on the “Lavender Shores website” dedicated to this series with lovely pics of the settings and many of the characters.

It can be read as a standalone and this time, we finally get the story of the “famous” bartender, Seth, and his long-time enemy, Charley, owner of a Mexican tavern. Yep, you can guess, it’s an “enemies-to-lovers” MM romance, with both MCs in their 40s. Yummy !!!

And what a blast I had. First, the prologue is smoking, scorching hot. And then, from this prologue to the swooning epilogue over several months, it’s a delicious revelation of all the angst, jealousy and hurt between Charley and Seth and a great firework of chemistry.

Book Review: The Wolf at the Door (Big Bad Wolf #1) by Charlie Adhara

From the Blurb: 

Hunting for big bad wolves was never part of Agent Cooper Dayton’s plan, but a werewolf attack lands him in the carefully guarded Bureau of Special Investigations. A new case comes with a new partner: ruggedly sexy werewolf Oliver Park.

Park is an agent of The Trust, a werewolf oversight organization working to ease escalating tensions with the BSI. But as far as Cooper’s concerned, it’s failing. As they investigate a series of mysterious deaths unlike anything they’ve seen, every bone in Cooper’s body is suspicious of his new partner—even when Park proves himself as competent as he is utterly captivating.

When more people vanish, pressure to solve the case skyrockets. And though he’d resolved to keep things professional, Cooper’s friction with Park soon erupts…into a physical need that can’t be contained or controlled. 

But with a body count that’s rising by the day, werewolves and humans are in equal danger. If Cooper and Park don’t catch the killer soon, one—or both—of them could be the next to go.

Ky's rating:

I decided to read this book after one of my friends wrote a very enthusiastic review about it. I trust her judgement since we usually like the same things and our tastes mosty line up, so when the book went on sale I snatched it right up and dove in. I was in for a surprise! I couldn't put the book down until I learned who was the bad guy. The mystery kept me glued to my screen and the plot as a whole was very nicely crafted. Likeable characters, unique paranormal universe, captivating mystery, unpredictable turns and suspects all around. The author didn't even give me a chance, I was hooked right from the start!

ARC Review : Teach Me To Touch You (Teach Me Series, Novella 1) by Joshua Landon

Blurb :

Austin’s father deserts his young family, leaving Austin and his sister to struggle with poverty and neglect at home and bullying at school. When Austin’s first girlfriend kisses him in high school, he suffers a PTSD flashback to childhood abuse and scares his girlfriend away.

A Marine at eighteen, Austin returns home after four years with his PTSD aggravated by nightmares of war. He fears he’ll never have a sex life because he cannot tolerate human touch.

Daniel, a psychiatric technician with a speciality in PTSD, helps Austin readjust to civilian life. Over months of work together, trust grows between them along with an attraction they hide from each other, knowing Austin is straight and Daniel is gay.

A gifted healer, Daniel believes a sexual relationship between them could harm Austin since he's Daniel's client, though Austin is anxious to learn to touch again. But when their visits are scheduled to end, and separation looms, both men must deeply examine their concerns and untangle their desires for the future.

(Note: This book contains material that may be disturbing to some readers, including strong language, child sexual abuse, and consensual gay sexual situations. It is recommended for adult readers.)

Christelle's rating :

Ouch, I didn’t realize it would end up with a cliffie !! This series is about s slow-burn romance between Daniel, a very intelligent, positive, patient and caring healer and Austin who suffered so much during his childhood and his young life during the war.

I read this first part of this story with a lot of interest as I’m a strong believer of the power of “touch”. And I was not disappointed in the way it was presented, as well as the struggles of an abused child and an army veteran suffering PTSD.

It pleased me but also annoyed me as I felt that all this healing process took too much room over the relationship between Daniel and Austin, so I was pleased to see there is more to come as I could start feeling some connection between these well drawn characters by the end of this first part.

Audio Book Review: Beneath The Stain by Amy Lane

From The Blurb:

Listening Time:  16 hrs., 37 min. 

In one breath of shotgunned pot smoke, Grant Adams breaks every taboo Mackey knows—and Mackey refuses to look back. In the shadows of their small town, Mackey and Grant carry on a precocious affair under the noses and behind the backs of girlfriends, parents, and overprotective older brothers. When Mackey's band finally has a chance to make it big, Mackey and Grant are put to the test. 

And fail miserably.

Karen's rating:

Read the book, listened to the audio and cried ugly tears throughout them both...

I read this back in 2015 and the story was put out in 7 separate installments and I'm not sure how things went amiss but my review is on Booklikes, and not here, so I'm just going to copy and paste each post to one review here and then I'll add my update re: the audio book...

Part 1 - rating: 4 stars 
I got through part 1 and yes, I'm hooked and loving it so far. These guys are just a bundle of sad events and so far no tears but I'm seeing them in my future. On to part 2 and a full review at the end. Wish me luck.
Part 2 - ratting: 4 stars 
So far this is turning out to be everything my friends have promised and more. So it's on to part 3.
Part 3 - rating: 5 stars 
I have no words so I'm just going to read book 4.
Part 4 - rating: 5 stars 
Just one thing to say here before I go sliding into book 5...way to make a girl cry Amy Lane. I think you broke some more of me with Tony.
Part 5 - rating: 5 stars 
And that's all I'm going to say for now because I'm done so I'm going to be doing my reviews of the full story soon.
Part 6 - rating: 5 stars 
This story does not let go once you start it snags your heart and holds on tight from start to finish and I am actually finished. So on to #7 and my actual review.
Part 7 - rating: 5 stars 
Words...I have none...yep, I've been sitting here for the past 30 minutes staring at a blank screen hoping for some magical words but I have none. I think Ms. Lane used all the magical words when she wrote this story because there just don't seem to be any floating around in the air right now so I'm pretty much at a loss for what to do here. How to explain what an amazing journey I just took with the most incredible collection of people. I know it's probably going to be a long time before my heart stops aching and I feel like I've got some equilibrium back in my brain.

ARC Review: Purrfect Holiday by Jana Denardo

Blurb:
A Story from the Warmest Wishes: Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar

Tony Gatti had his life planned: get his veterinarian license and go to work with his dad and uncle. Soon after achieving his goals, he learned the shadows and blurriness in his vision went beyond needing glasses. Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic mutation with no cure. With his sight almost gone, he moves into his grandmother’s St. Augustine, Florida, home with his guide dog, Raven, to start life over. Nonna Concetta thinks she knows the perfect job for him. Her vet is looking for someone to destress the cats at a local rescue.

Javier didn’t plan to hire a cute former veterinarian to fill the role of cat cuddler, but Tony couldn’t be more perfect. Worried his attraction is inappropriate and knowing the holiday season always depresses him, Javier wonders if he should ask Tony out, or if he’d just be spreading the gloom to someone who already has enough of his own. But if he takes the plunge, could it turn out to be the best holiday ever?




Jewel's rating:



Purrfect Holiday is a super cute Christmas story, full of fluff - both of the furry companion kind and the metaphorical kind.

Tony Gatti was a veterinarian before he started to lose his vision. He feels the loss deeply, but is trying to make the best of a situation he cant change by going back to school for a different career path. Still, he loves animals and wants to work with them in some capacity. His grandmother, whom he lives with, suggested he apply for a part time job opening at the local vet as a cat cuddler. Now doesn't that sound like the most perfect job ever?

Book Review : Bound Forever (Bound #3) by Ava March

Blurb :

Lord Oliver Marsden’s life is perfect...well, almost perfect. His bookshop is doing well, his bank account isn’t empty, and his nights are filled with a deliciously dominant man...who tends to be a bit too domineering outside of the bedchamber. But Vincent loves him and that’s all that should matter.

Then Vincent receives a letter that changes everything. Oliver seizes the moment and pushes Vincent toward a night they will never forget. Yet their night together has repercussions neither of them anticipated…

Christelle's rating :

**4.5 flowers** for this book and the whole series (it's one on-going romance sliced in 3 installments)

Yes, it’s definitely a HOT historical romance between Oliver and Vincent, friends since they were at school despite their differences in status and wealth.

See, Oliver is in love with Vincent but afraid to admit he discovered that Vincent "buggers" some men in a brothel. In a desperate attempt to have at least a nugget of intimacy with Vincent, he decides to impersonate a brothel’s employee for one night with Vincent.

Stating like that, it doesn’t seem really thrilling but hold on : this steamy deception is the start of altering changes for Oliver and Vincent.

Happy Holidays!!

We wish you all

We will be back on December 26.

BEST OF 2018

Welcome to our annual BEST OF post, in which we list our most favorite reads of the year.

All the way at the end, there's a chance to win a $25 Dreamspinner Press credit.




First up, Heather's choices:


Squared Away by Annabeth Albert

Introducing Mr. Winterbourne and Mr. Winterbourne's Christmas by Joanna Chambers

Honeymoon for One by Keira Andrews

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

Vanilla Clouds by Roe Horvat

Salt Magic Skin Magic by Lee Welch

Ravensong by TJ Klune

Brief Cases by Jim Butcher

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen

Jewel's choices:


Power Play by Cara Dee

Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

Point of Contact by Menalie Hansen

Ravensong by TJ Klune

Whisper by Tal Bauer

Object of Desire by Dal Maclean

Shades by Jaime Reece

Sin and Tonic by Rhys Ford

Where Death Meets the Devil by LJ Hayward

A Wish Upon the Stars by TJ Klune

Christelle's choices:


A Charm of Finches (Venery #2) by Suanne Laqueur

The Story of Us by Barbara Elsborg

Trick Roller (Seven of Spades #2) by Cordelia Kingsbridge

Reckless Behavior (Bad Behavior #3) by L.A.Witt and Cari Z.

Bloodline by Barbara Elsborg

Where Death meets the Devil (Death and the Devil #1) by LJ Hayward

A Wish Upon the Stars (Tales from Verania #4) by TJ Klune

Robby Riverton : Mail Order Bride by Eli Easton

Bound series (it's one book sliced into 3, imo and I made a global review for book#3) by Ava March

Somewhere over Lorain Road by Bud Gundy

Fake Out (Fake Boyfriend #1) by Eden Finley

Todd's choices:


Ravensong by TJ Klune

Fake Out (Fake Boyfriend #1) by Eden Finley

And the next Thing You Know (Why You? #2) by Chase Taylor Hackett

A Wish Upon the Stars by TJ Klune

Lords of Arcadia (Entire Series) by John Goode

Lupine Road by Cal Matthews

Bobby Green (Johnnies #5) by Amy Lane

Detour (Transportation #1) by Reesa Herberth

A Fool and His Manny (The Mannies #4) by Amy Lane

Pisces Hooks Taurus (Signs of Love #4) by Anyta Sunday

Karen's choices:

ARC Review: Tutus and Tinsel by Rhys Ford

From The Blurb:

Zig Reid-Harris has everything an eleven-year-old girl could ever want: a great home, two fantastic fathers named Deacon Reid and Lang Harris, and all the books she could possible read. 

When a school assignment about holiday traditions unexpectedly broadsides her, she discovers burying the past isn’t as easy as it looks, and the stark reality of her life before her adoption sinks in. Ashamed of the bleakness and poverty she came from, Zig struggles with the assignment until an epiphany strikes the whole family—it’s time to start their own traditions. 

Zig and her fathers plunge into the insanity of holiday joy, exploring everything the season has to offer and learning how precious family truly is along the way.

Karen's rating:

Christmas is a time for family and traditions...

But before we start down that road...I just want to say if you haven't read the first two books in Rhys Ford's 'Half Moon Bay' series than I strongly recommend reading them before starting this story.

'Tutus and Tinsel' is a holiday slice of life with Deacon, Lang and their now daughter, Zig. I really enjoyed 'Fish Stick Fridays', the first book in this series where we got to see Deacon and Lang meet and watch their relationship turn into a partnership and while we got more Deacon and Lang in 'Hanging the Stars' this was actually Lang's brother West and Angel's story.

While Zig (Deacon's niece) may be the star of this one...everyone gets a to shine a bit as we get a peek at Lang and Deacon in their new roles as fathers raising Zig and doing their best to help her find her place in the world and to create the type of holiday that neither Deacon or Zig has ever experienced in their lives because Christmas is a time for family and traditions something that's been in short supply for both of them during their lives.

When Zig gets a school assignment that requires her to write about Christmas's and their traditions from her past the result is that Zig and her dads decide that they need to figure out a few traditions of their own.

Having read the first books in this series made this story such a perfect holiday story for this story and these characters. I loved seeming Deacon and Lang together and so happy and to have created such a wonderful family with Zig and extending it to include Angel, West (Lang's brother) and Roman (Angel's younger brother).

ARC Review: Santa On the Beach by Crystel Greene

From The Blurb:

The sexy Santa and the virgin dad.... 

Single dad Mario, twenty-one, has finally won shared custody of his five-year-old son, Sammy. They’re spending Christmas at a Tenerife resort to celebrate. The children’s swimming instructor, Josie, is sexy and fun, and Mario can’t stop dreaming about him. But Mario has no clue how to talk to a hot guy. 

With his suntan, Speedos, and rippling abs, Josie seems to be the typical jock. He’s super sweet too, and everyone loves him. But he only has eyes for the fire-eyed little dad who looks like his son’s older brother and won’t stop policing the swimming class. 

Sammy would like to be a king in the hotel’s nativity play. But he’s too afraid to go anywhere without his dad. Mario would like a holiday romance with Josie, or even a little more, but between building his tech company and trying to do his part as Sammy’s father he has missed out on a lot and is too inexperienced to know where to begin. 

Luckily Santa might have just the thing for everyone on his list...

Karen's rating:

‘Santa on the Beach’ offered up a sweet premise…when Mario a 21 year old, single dad gains shared custody of his son and sees him fledgling company in the black for the first time. He decides that he and Sammy need to celebrate with a destination vacation for Christmas. Someplace warm and family friendly with lots of activities for Sammy.

Mario quickly discovers that what sounded good in theory might not be so great in execution when he’s faced with the reality that his son isn’t interested in…and just downright refuses to participate in the children’s activities.

Mario’s journey into parenthood has been more than a little obstacle ridden. As a teenage dad, he’s had more than a few strikes against him the least of which most people just assume he couldn’t possibly be a good and responsible father. It’s always assumed that he either doesn’t care or he’s overly protective and doesn’t give his son enough independence…damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t it would seem. But Mario’s worked hard to prove his critics wrong and he’s created a successful business that allows him to help support his son and himself financially as well as being there for his son when he needs him.