Audio Book Review: His Consort by Mary Calmes

From The Blurb:

Length 8 hrs and 36 mins 

A new life in New Orleans is all Jason Thorpe had hoped: his quaint little store attracts a devoted staff and his warm, loving heart grants him a loyal circle of friends. He's perfectly content, having left behind the chill of a confusing and danger-filled night in Washington, until he discovers something unbelievable lurking in the steamy darkness of the shadowy streets of the Vieux Carré, something that turns out to be terrifying... and utterly mesmerizing. 

The prince of the vampyrs, Varic Maedoc, is visiting New Orleans when he finds out the man who once helped his counselor is there in the Quarter. He thinks to simply meet and thank Jason—until he lays eyes on him. Varic’s devoted himself to protect the honor of his race, and he's never wanted a mate before... but he immediately knows he must have this man, and no one else will do. 

Varic may want to bring Jason safely into his world, but someone who doesn’t like the human's soothing influence on vampyrs has deadly plans that would disrupt Varic's dreams. Now, unable to tell friend from foe, Jason finds himself wondering how to hold on to the prince’s heart when he’s fighting for his life.

Karen's rating:

It's Mary Calmes's Vampyres on audio...of course I had to hear this...

If you follow my reviews and thank you for doing that by the way, than you also know I've read this book. I'm kind of getting addicted to doing that...reading a story and then listening to the audio...I've discovered it's something that I really enjoy doing.  Although it's not often that I want to re-read a book I love listening to audio books...some of them over and over and over again. It's just a thing that I enjoy doing. So since I've already read and reviewed this story as an e-book I'm going to steal from it for some of this review, so if something seems repetitious it's probably because it is...

I have a small group of authors that I'll just read whatever they write and the reasons may vary but mostly it's the entertainment factor and just the fact that for whatever reason I can easily escape into the story and enjoy it without a lot of deep thoughts or intellectual rhetoric involved...what can I say, sometimes a girl just wants to read a story that's entertaining.

So just to summarize there are a number of reasons that I had so much fun reading this story and they've all held true in listening to the audio book and they were...

I really liked both of the MCs.  Jason Thorpe was the expected 'everyone loves him' MC and I liked wandering through the first part of the book as his history and character were layered onto him and we got to see how he came to be in New Orleans and the events that slowly converged to bring him together with Varic Maedoc, Prince of the Vampyres.

Release: Stranded by Cara Dee

Stranded by Cara Dee

Title: Auctioned

Genre: Gay Romance

Pairing: Crime/Suspense

Amazon Universal

Goodreads

Synopsis:

Stranded is the second book in The Auctioned Series. Before you read further, you should read Auctioned.

“You have my word, Gray. I will get you off this island, and I will bring you home.” 
It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out job. Nothing Darius Quinn hadn’t done before. But this job had something none of the others did: Gray Nolan. 
Like Murphy’s Law advised, anything that could go wrong, would. A mission to save one hometown favorite son was turning into a quest to rescue thirteen traumatized young men against odds so steep, he’d need an oxygen mask to scale them. 
Facing new dangers and an uncertain future, Darius keeps Gray close and is soon forced to accept that this has become much more than an assignment. For a man whose reputation was built on being ice-cold under pressure, Darius is beginning to discover how good it feels to burn.

Excerpt:

“Can I go to the waterfall and clean up? I feel gross,” Gray said.
Darius hesitated. Several of the others had already been there, though that was before it was pitch black outside. On the other hand, it would be a good idea to redress Gray’s thigh, especially after his stupid swim in the ocean earlier.
“If I go with you,” he decided. It wouldn’t hurt to get himself cleaned up too. His skin itched like nothing else, and perhaps he could wash away some of the tension in his body as well. It’d been one of the longest days he’d ever endured.
It was settled, and he grabbed a medical kit as Ryan extended a bag of something.
“Food and a towel.”
Darius nodded in acknowledgment, and then he trailed over to Gray.
To make the trek easier, they took the longer route along the beach, and when the little stream appeared, all they had to do was follow it.
“Don’t walk too fast, knucklehead,” Darius murmured.
Gray huffed a breath and slowed down a bit. “I just wanna get there—ouch.” He hissed and hopped on his good leg as he held his foot. “Fuck.”
“What happened?” Darius closed the distance, not that he could see shit.
“I don’t know. Stepped on something. It’s fine.”
“Wanna use my shoes?” Darius obviously hadn’t been able to pack proper boots, like the ones Ry had arrived in, but he’d included a pair of sneakers that he’d changed into earlier. Gray was more than welcome to them.
“It’s okay. They’re probably too big anyway.”
Maybe a size or two, but it would feel better than walking around a jungle barefoot. A jungle that, even if small in size by comparison, was alive with countless sounds. This time of year, the humidity wasn’t stifling, but the dampness was still wherever they turned. Leaves glistened in the pale moonlight. Frogs and birds competed with their calls, and the underbrush rustled with the breeze and invisible critters.
“Come on, we’re almost there.” Gray was walking again. “By the way, did you guys contact your sister?”

Bookblast: Bad Deal by Ember-Raine Winters & Faith Ryan

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Bad Deal (Belikov Crime Family 1)

Author: Ember-Raine Winters & Faith Ryan

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Always Inked

Genre/s: Dark Erotic Romance, Mafia/MC

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 40 000 words

It’s the first in a series but stands alone

Add on Goodreads

Blurb

He’s a Russian devil and he owns me.

JR Richards

What’s worse than wanting the one person you can never have? How about finally getting them. Don’t get me wrong, the sex was great, but everything that came after? Yeah, it’s like they say, be careful what you wish for.

Ruslan Belikov

My brother made a deal that didn’t go as planned. Now I have to get back what’s ours, and pretty boy Jacoby is the tool to make that happen. I’ll torture and use him until I get what I want, then I’ll toss him aside like the rest.

A motorcycle club and a Mafia family shouldn’t make deals. Someone’s bound to lose. Family, friends and hearts, nothing’s safe in a world fueled by drugs, money and sex.



WARNING: Ruslan Belikov and Jacoby Richards may not be for everyone. They are two dominant men thrown into an impossible situation. Some readers may find their story makes them uncomfortable. If you don't like dark and dirty mafia bosses who use torture and sex to get their way turn back now. You have been warned.

Buy Links

Amazon Universal Link

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Excerpt

I follow behind them quietly as Demitri shoves him toward the bathroom. I notice Jacoby wince as Demitri squeezes his shoulder. I file that information away for later when the fun really begins. As I enter the bathroom, I remove my suit jacket folding it over the counter and rolling my sleeves up to my elbows.

ARC Review: Stranded (8392, #2) by Cara Dee

Blurb:

Stranded is the second book in The Auctioned Series. Before you read further, you should read Auctioned. ​

“You have my word, Gray. I will get you off this island, and I will bring you home.”

It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out job. Nothing Darius Quinn hadn’t done before. But this job had something none of the others did: Gray Nolan.

​Like Murphy’s Law advised, anything that could go wrong, would. A mission to save one hometown favorite son was turning into a quest to rescue thirteen traumatized young men against odds so steep, he’d need an oxygen mask to scale them. ​

Facing new dangers and an uncertain future, Darius keeps Gray close and is soon forced to accept that this has become much more than an assignment. For a man whose reputation was built on being ice-cold under pressure, Darius is beginning to discover how good it feels to burn.

Jewel's rating:



Stranded is book 2 in Cara Dee's 8392 series that began with Auctioned. A few things to be aware of are - this book is not a stand alone. There will be 5 books all told before Gray and Darius get their HEA. Also, the story deals with some difficult subjects; human and drug trafficking, surviving severe trauma, and PTSD. It's not an easy read, nor is it meant to be.

Stranded picks up right where Auctioned left off and though Darius has helped some of the boys to escape their captivity, they are by no means out of danger and they have to face that danger before they get rescued. Understandably, there's a lot of anger and uncertainty, and so many feelings of guilt for those that didn't make it.

Blogtour: Catastrophe Queen by Emma Hart

One hot mess. One hot boss. One too many hot encounters...

Catastrophe Queen, an all-new hilarious office romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Emma Hart is available now!

It’s not you. It’s me.

No, seriously. It is me. Not only does my name literally mean “unfortunate,” but that’s the story of my life.

Everything I touch turns to cr*p. An apartment fire—that I swear I was not responsible for—means I’m living back at home with my s*x-mad parents. Yay, me!

Which is why I need my new job as personal assistant to Cameron Reid to get back on my feet. Three months in this job and I can move back out and, hopefully, remember to turn off my flat iron once in a while.

Ahem.

On paper, my job is easy. Make coffee. Book appointments. Keep everything in order.

Until I walk in on my boss, half-naked, wearing nothing but the kind of tiny white towel that dreams are made of.

Now, nothing is easy—except our mutual attraction. But he’s my boss, and you know what they say about mixing work and pleasure: unless you do p*rn, it’s just not worth it.

Or is it?

Download your copy today!

Amazon | AppleBooks | Amazon Worldwide | Nook | Kobo 

Add to GoodReads

Excerpt:

I took my coffee from the counter and scanned the room for an empty table. There wasn’t one, which killed my chances of wasting more time before I went home.

With a sigh, I checked my phone for the time and headed for the door. I was going to end up at home earlier than I’d planned, and I needed to check with my mom to make sure there wasn’t anything kinky happening somewhere in the house.

I’d considered bleaching my eyes enough in the last few weeks, thank you.

I was fairly sure I was safe because my grandfather and great aunt were coming to stay to celebrate Grandpa’s eightieth birthday. It was still a miracle my exhibitionist mother shared DNA with either of them. Unlike her, they were reserved, polite, and didn’t flash their flesh in the hopes of getting out of a speeding ticket.

Really, it was no wonder I was a walking disaster.

I pulled up my messages and clicked on my mom’s name. My thumb was poised to type the burning question of whether or not it was safe to come home when I glanced up.

And saw the car screeching to a stop, mere inches from me.

I screamed and stepped back. My heel caught on the curb, sending me toppling backward, and both my coffee and phone went flying. My cup slammed against the sidewalk, splattering hot liquid everywhere right as I managed to save my phone from certain death by concrete.

My heart was beating so fast it should have exploded, and adrenaline raced through my veins. I gripped my phone against me so tightly that the edges pressed painfully into my skin.

Oh my God.

I’d just almost died.

Maybe slightly dramatic, but I probably wasn’t far wrong. I didn’t even know I’d stepped into the road. When had that happened? Had I really been in that deep into my own little world that I hadn’t even checked for traffic?

Dear God.

How was I still alive?

ARC Review : The Other Book by Roe Horvat

Blurb :

It was supposed to be just sex... Famous last words.

Tyler doesn't overthink pleasure and avoids complications. He knows it might be stupid to get involved with his closeted boss, but the temptation is too great. At first, the cold and beautiful Joel Sandstrom seems to loathe Tyler's guts.

Except one late night at the office, his reasons become clear...and his control breaks.

Every time they touch, Joel's stony face comes alive, harsh lines smooth out, and for a minute, he looks serene. Happy, even. Just sex - dirty, intense, spectacular sex.

During their covert encounters, Tyler discovers the power he has over the lonesome man, and it's a heady feeling. What if he could set Joel free and give him peace of mind? When Tyler realizes how much Joel needs him, he doesn't regret breaking his own rules.

Gay erotic romance. Contains explicit scenes and sexual interactions between more than two partners. For adult readers only.

Christelle's rating :



The other book is different from what I read so far from this author (and there is no complaint from me in that statement). I commend Roe Horvat's explanatory notes about that.

Let’s get my niggle out of the way first : as much as I could sense a whole range of emotion including love and respect during all the highly erotic and sensual scenes, I didn’t get the same sense outside of them, so the path that lead to this loving relationship between Tyler and Joel felt too “insta-lovey” and the angst felt contrived for me. I missed what I enjoyed so much from Roe Horvat’s previous book The Layover.

That said, I found this story very sensual. And damned, all these erotic scenes were so well done imo, whatever the numbering : twosome, threesome, foursome. It was *SCORCHING HOT* and full of emotion. That was the best part of this “other book” for me : when I could eventually connect with the MCs (or with their two friends), grasp the strength of their bond and what kept me turning one page after the other.

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

ARC of “The Other Book” was generously provided by the author/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 !

Release Blitz: Kennard's Story - Cronin's Key IV by N.R. Walker

Cronin’s Key IV 

N.R. Walker 

(Cronin’s Key #4)

Publication date: January 28th 2019

Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Blurb:

Kennard and Stas have been enjoying being newly bonded mates, hidden away for the last six months in Stas’ cabin, deep in the forests of Northern Russia. When they get a visit from Alec, Cronin, Eiji, and Jodis, Kennard and Stas decide to return to London where they get news of a supernatural disturbance in India.

Excited for a new adventure, the band of friends embark on a journey like they’ve never seen before. Following a trail of snakes and serpents, they slip through gates into timeless dimensions all over the world, leaving them without their vampire powers. Even Alec is powerless as they follow a trail of gates and doorways to their final destination. 

But the bad guy isn’t who they think it is, and Kennard will need to draw on his past to save their future. Because history is never what it seems…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble

EXCERPT:

Chapter One
“Do you think we should try and get out of bed today?” Kennard asked.
“No.” Stas’ voice was gruff, warm and delicious in his ear.
Kennard smiled into the mattress and tried to pull himself toward his pillow, a feigned escape attempt, but Stas’ huge hand gripped his hip and slid him back into place. Then Stas rolled on top of him, his erection pressing against Kennard’s ass. Kennard lifted his hips and spread his legs, giving Stas all the permission he needed as he laughed into the sheet. “It’s been six months. I guess one more day won’t hurt.”
Stas pushed inside him and both men groaned. “We never leave,” Stas whispered, his fangs at Kennard’s shoulder. “Stay here forever.”
Kennard had always doubted the mating bond between vampires. Well, not doubted. He’d never understood it. He’d spent most of his six hundred years alone. He’d had acquaintances and friends and a lot of lovers. Yet his heart had never been moved by anyone. He almost thought it had frozen in his chest when he was changed from human to vampire, because the way he’d seen mated pairs behave was so foreign to him.
But then there was Stas.
As soon as he’d seen him, he knew. The melancholy that had settled over him in the months before, like a mist, had dissolved the moment his eyes fell upon him. His purpose was now clear. This huge, hulking Russian vampire was his.
They’d been holed up in Stas’ cabin in Lithuania at first, barely leaving each other’s embrace for a minute. Then they’d driven Stas’ truck to one of his cabins in some far-off Russian forest and hadn’t left each other’s side, or their bed. Except to feed, which hadn’t been anywhere near as often as it probably should’ve been, because they seemed to feed off each other. Energy, blood, love. Sex. So much sex, yet nowhere near enough. They’d barely stopped long enough for important conversations. Stas had managed to give some of his history, Kennard even less so.
The desire, the bone-deep need to be with Stas, to have him inside him, to be one with him was so profound it was dizzying. Kennard used to roll his eyes at newly fated mates. They used to make him sick. Now he wanted nothing more.
“You are everything,” Stas whispered. He ran his hand through Kennard’s hair, messing it up even further, kissing his head. “My everything.”
Kennard rolled his hips and pressed his forehead into the mattress, arching his back. “I ty moy,” Kennard murmured.
And you are mine.
Stas always reacted when Kennard spoke Russian. Especially in bed. He growled into the back of Kennard’s neck and sunk his fangs into Kennard’s shoulder while he thrust deeper inside him, and Kennard’s whole body sang.
Every cell, every fiber of his being.
And afterwards, when Stas had wrung Kennard of every ounce of pleasure, they lay in bed in each other’s arms.
“I might even try turning on that old radio set today,” Kennard said. “If the batteries work.”
Stas laughed. “You said yesterday. And last week.”
Kennard laughed into his chest, Stas’ chest hair tickling his face, but lovely and soft and warm. “I’ve lost all track of days.”
“I think is March,” Stas said with a chuckle.
Kennard found his broken English adorable, and he hummed happily. “Sounds about right.”
Stas ran his wide hands over Kennard’s slender form, over his pointed hip, up his spine. He was literally twice Kennard’s size. Stas had a masculine build, short, dark-brown hair, blue eyes, and a square jaw. Broad shoulders, huge hands. Everything about him screamed man. Whereas Kennard was fine-featured with pretty, boyish looks and white-blond hair. Stas was a loner, his home in the Russian wilds, in a basic cabin with no electricity or running water, and Kennard was a social guy who lived in an expensive apartment with every conceivable technology and thrived in the London nightlife. Opposites in every way, yet one perfectly complemented the other. “Do you wish to feed?” Stas asked.
Kennard considered it and took stock of his body, his baser need to feed. “No,” he said simply. “I don’t need anything but you right now. What about you?”
But Stas didn’t answer. He cocked his head and he frowned. “Hear that?”

ARC Review: Kennard's Story (Cronin's Key IV) by N.R. Walker

Blurb:

Kennard and Stas have been enjoying being newly bonded mates, hidden away for the last six months in Stas' cabin, deep in the forests of Northern Russia. When they get a visit from Alec, Cronin, Eiji, and Jodis, Kennard and Stas decide to return to London where they get news of a supernatural disturbance in India.

Excited for a new adventure, the band of friends embark on a journey like they've never seen before. Following a trail of snakes and serpents, they slip through gates into timeless dimensions all over the world, leaving them without their vampire powers. Even Alec is powerless as they follow a trail of gates and doorways to their final destination.

But the bad guy isn't who they think it is, and Kennard will need to draw on his past to save their future. Because history is never what it seems.

Dani's rating:

I think the title is slightly misleading. While, yes, the story is told from Kennard's third-person perspective, this isn't as much Kennard's story as it is another adventure with Alec, Cronin, Eiji, and Jodis.

Kennard and Stas spend a few months getting to know each other in the most carnal way possible. The first couple chapters show them together and how close they've grown. I loved this and wanted more. Alas, that was not to be!

Alec and Co. show up and recruit Kennard and Stas to help them fight another power-hungry vampire, this one located in a sealed-up Indian temple.

Blogtour: Beneath These Fields by Ward Maia

Please welcome Ward Maia with 

Beneath These Fields 

a World Of Love novel 

Hi!

First I want to thank My Fiction Nook for hosting me today and giving me the opportunity to introduce my first book, Beneath These Fields, to the world. Storytelling is something that has always intrigued me. To be able to share some of my personal thoughts and experiences through the words and actions of my characters is a privilege I am fortunate enough to go through.

Even though Beneath These Fields is a work of fiction, it is based on a real place and borrows from Brazil’s rich background and how the history of coffee is intrinsically tied to the history of my country. When I started writing Ellis’s story, I only wanted to write about two people from completely different backgrounds discovering the things they had in common and falling in love. I also wanted Ellis to go through the process of not feeling like he belonged anywhere, to finding his home, that one place we all can look back to with fond eyes.

The more I reread my History books and developed Ellis’s story, the more I wanted the focus of to be on Ellis finding his connection to his family and his land. To find his home.

That four-letter word came to mean a lot to me as I wrote about Ellis, Rudá, and their relationship – to each other and to the Blue Feathers Coffee Farm. As an army brat, that elusive concept was something I was never able to fully grasp. Moving around made it difficult to set roots and have a place to hang my memories in. That’s why Ellis’s experience still lingers in the recesses of my mind, letting me feel through him something I could never truly live.

More than that, I wrote this story in hopes of showing that a person’s home isn’t necessarily where they were born and that that concept transcends ethnic backgrounds, religion, time, and even death.

Hopefully my darlings Ellis and Rudá will stay with everyone who reads their story, just as they have stayed with me.

Do you have any elusive four-letter words? Drop a comment down below and one lovely lucky winner will get a free copy of my book!

Blurb:

Sometimes true worth is well hidden.

Ellis Campos is a successful divorce lawyer with little to no time for a personal life. His predictable routine is disrupted when he inherits a coffee farm from an estranged aunt. There’s no room in his life for all the complications that come with managing a farm in another state. But his plans to quickly sell it and go back to the big city fall apart when he’s manipulated into spending a week on the estate.

Adding to the unexpected surprises, he meets Rudá, a native Brazilian who works on the farm, and while teaching him about his aunt’s home and family, also tempts Ellis like no one ever has.

He doesn’t expect his life to change in such a short time, but as he finds value and comfort in the farm’s routine, Ellis quickly realizes that, like the land itself, Rudá has secrets that could send him running back to Rio.

Excerpt:

The middle of the afternoon found Ellis sitting amidst a pile of papers and folders, with dust motes floating around him.

Finding Meredith’s office was harder than he’d anticipated. Ellis opened dozens of doors and searched through countless rooms before he’d finally stumbled on the double carved wooden doors. They were closed but not locked.

It would’ve been easier to ask someone, but then he risked being shown the wrong office by “accident.” With that in mind, he did his best to skirt the people working inside the house. It hadn’t been too difficult, considering there didn’t seem to be that many people around. There were a couple of close calls where Ellis had to duck into a room or around a corner before being spotted. Hiding left him feeling ridiculous and paranoid because he was trying to be stealthy while moving around his own property.

He eventually stumbled upon Meredith’s office and, after making sure it was hers, started searching the shelves filled with documents and books. It turned out Meredith was quite the eclectic reader, and some of the titles, crammed in between ledgers and old receipts, he recognized from his own personal collection.

Release Day Blitz: The Case of the Voracious Vintner by Tara Lain

The next installment to the 
The Middlemark Mysteries Series 
is now available!

The Case of the Voracious Vintner
(A Middlemark Mystery Series, Bk 2) 

By Tara Lain 

Blurb:

Where Bo Marchand comes from, gay men are just confirmed bachelors who never found the right girl. But now Bo’s a successful winemaker on the central coast of California, supporting his whole damned Georgia family, and all he really wants is the beautiful, slightly mysterious Jeremy Aames.

Jeremy’s vineyard is under threat from Ernest Ottersen, the voracious winemaker who seems to know all Jeremy’s blending secrets and manages to grab all his customers. Bo tries to help Jeremy and even provides a phony alibi for Jeremy when Ottersen turns up dead in Jeremy’s tasting room. But it’s clear Jeremy isn’t who he claims, and Bo must decide if it’s worth tossing over his established life for a man who doesn’t seem to trust anyone. When Jeremy gets kidnapped, some the conservative winemakers turn out to be kinky sex fiends, and the list of murderers keeps dwindling down to Jeremy. Bo has to choose between hopping on his white horse or climbing back in his peach-pie-lined closet.

Available for purchase at

Kindle | Amazon Paperback | Nook | Kobo | iTunes | Dreamspinner Press | BAM

Excerpt

Cover Reveal: Better Be Sure by Andy Gallo

Cover Reveal

We're delighted to reveal the cover for Andy Gallo's upcoming novel 

Better Be Sure 

Blurb:

When the stakes are this high, you better be sure you can win.

Jackson Murphy lost his parents to a boating accident, but they’re never far from his thoughts. He attends the same university as his parents, joined the same fraternity as his dad, and even lives in his father’s old room, along with his adopted brother, Marcus. Life brightens when he meets the man of his dreams.

Edward Knowles trades full-time college for working during the day and community college at night when his father’s factory closes. He intends to stay deep in the closet to keep his job in heating and cooling. But Jack pushes all his buttons.

Jack’s college rival challenges him to bring a date to the upcoming dance. He goads Jack into accepting even though failure means he and Marcus will lose their room and Jack must leave the fraternity.

Jack is falling hard for Ed, but Ed will never agree to go the dance. Ed—not knowing the stakes of the wager—has also made it clear that Jack taking another man will end their romance.

With pressure from friends and enemies alike, will Jack hold on to his legacy… or his heart?

Series: Harrison Campus: Book 1
Release Date: March 26, 2019
Category: Contemporary, New Adult
Pages: 206

Pre-order the book:

And now, drumroll, please...

ARC Review: Parallel Larry by Jacqueline Rohrbach

Blurb:

Larry’s search for love didn’t include Greg, his regular waiter at his favorite restaurant. Always too busy daydreaming about a handsome doctor, Larry fails to notice Greg’s shy advances. But when Greg finally finds the courage to ask Larry out, he’s suddenly killed in a freak car accident. Only then does Larry realize how perfect they could have been together. 

No one gets a second shot at true love. Or do they? 

Inexplicably, Larry is drawn into a parallel reality, and in this new timeline, Greg is still very much alive. Here, the shy young waiter Larry knew from before has managed to live out many of his dreams. All except one: he hasn’t found love. Larry gets one more shot after all! 

There are a few problems. One, Larry’s time is limited. Two, Greg has already dated the parallel reality’s Larry, and he was a real jerk. Now Larry has to prove he’s nothing at all like his evil doppelganger and that he is willing to risk everything to protect the man he loves. 

He’s found Greg again. To keep him, Larry will have to stop daydreaming and fight himself—literally—not just metaphorically.

Todd's rating:

Well, that was certainly... something.

When I read the blurb, I was excited about a second chance romance, after the second MC got hit by a car and died, when the first MC "somehow" traveled to a parallel universe.

However, the premise that the dude's decade-old, super-common household appliance [ 2-slice TOASTER (hide spoiler)] was somehow powerful enough to displace space and time to send him to an entirely different UNIVERSE? Oh, boy. Not a good start for the possibility of me fully engaging with this story. : (

"I was just making breakfast and *BAM*, dafuq is this shit?"

I did like both Larry and the somewhat-meek Greg. And I wanted to believe that Parallel Greg's crush on Larry and Larry's sudden revelation that he 'should' have noticed non-parallel Greg (pre-death) would be enough to sell their feelings, but that wasn't the case.

Blogtour: Out in the Deep and Out In The End Zone by Lane Hayes

Both Now Available in Audio!

 

Title: Out in the Deep, Out in College #1  

Author: Lane Hayes  

Publisher: Lane Hayes

Narrated by: Michael Pauley  

Release Date: January 17th, 2019  

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex  

Pairing: Male/Male  

Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins  

Genre: Romance, New Adult, Bisexual, College romance, Water Polo, Coming out

Add to Goodreads

Listen to an Excerpt and Purchase at Audible

 

Synopsis

Derek Vaughn is a little too serious. He’s a type A control personality with a penchant for order and a love of water polo. But he’s determined to enjoy his last year of college. The real world with a serious job and big expectations can wait for a few months. He’s going soak up every minute on campus with his friends and teammates before he moves on. The only possible kink in his plan is the new guy on the team… also known as his nemesis.

Gabe Chadwick has big Olympic dreams. His transfer between Southern California universities has nothing to do with scholastics. The degree is his backup plan. He’s not there to party or make friends. And he certainly isn’t going to announce his sexuality. But he can’t deny there’s something special about the uptight team captain. However, when an unwitting friendship and mutual attraction collide, both will have to decide if this is the real thing or if they’re about to lose it all in the deep.

 

Title: Out in the End Zone, Out in College #2 

Author: Lane Hayes  

Publisher: Lane Hayes  

Narrated by: Michael Pauley

Release Date: January 23rd, 2019

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex  

Pairing: Male/Male  

Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins  

Genre: Romance, New Adult, Bisexual, College romance, Football, Coming out

Add to Goodreads

Listen to an Excerpt and Purchase at Audible

 

Synopsis

Evan di Angelo is an upbeat, good-natured goofball who loves his friends and family… and football. A traumatic accident may have ended his hopes of playing professionally, but he’s made the most of his four years on the field at a small Southern California college. He’s learned the hard way to embrace change, take chances and try things outside of his comfort zone...like agreeing to play fake boyfriends for someone else’s senior project.

Mitch Peterson knows that being his authentic self is the path to true happiness. He’s grown from a shy, quiet kid from a broken home to an out and proud budding internet sensation bound for grad school. An awesome senior project is the key. It’s unlikely anyone will believe the hunky, straight athlete is Mitch’s new lover, but it’s worth a shot. However, as their tentative friendship blossoms into unexpected attraction, the lines between reality and fiction blur for both men. Evan is forced to face old demons and decide if he has the courage to take the next step and come out in the end zone.

 

  Meet the Author

ARC Review: The Other Book by Roe Horvat

From The Blurb:

It was supposed to be just sex... Famous last words. 

Tyler doesn't overthink pleasure and avoids complications. He knows it might be stupid to get involved with his closeted boss, but the temptation is too great. At first, the cold and beautiful Joel Sandstrom seems to loathe Tyler's guts. 

Except one late night at the office, his reasons become clear...and his control breaks. 

Every time they touch, Joel's stony face comes alive, harsh lines smooth out, and for a minute, he looks serene. Happy, even. Just sex - dirty, intense, spectacular sex. 

During their covert encounters, Tyler discovers the power he has over the lonesome man, and it's a heady feeling. What if he could set Joel free and give him peace of mind? When Tyler realizes how much Joel needs him, he doesn't regret breaking his own rules. 

Gay erotic romance. Contains explicit scenes and sexual interactions between more than two partners. For adult readers only.

Karen's rating:

The Other Book is also a different book...

I'm fairly new to the writings of Roe Horvat...as in this is my second book by this author and honestly what I'm left wondering at this point is "damn, girl what the hell have you been waiting for?".

'The Other Book' is one of the few books that I've read that while it has a fair amount of sex in it there are two things that I found to be very different from most other books that can make this claim...one...the sex is not gratuitous, it is an integral part of the story and two...it never felt excessive or unnecessary at any given time and I almost forgot there's a very solid story that it supports...not the other way around.

Tyler and Joel are two incredibly different men. Tyler's comfortable in his own skin he knows who he is and he's more than good with it. He's been raised by a mother who's both loving and supportive and I suspect a bit of a free spirit...she was a delightful addition to this story.

Joel is like a spring that's been wound too tight and one touch and it's going to fly out of it's casing and go in a million different directions. Joel's been raised by his father who to say the least is the polar opposite of Tyler's mother.

Book Review : Suspicion (Diversion #7) by Eden Winters

Blurb :

Lucky “Simon Harrison” Lucklighter left behind his criminal past to become one of the best agents in the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau. He’s found a committed partner in fellow agent Bo Schollenberger and built a life.

Now, enemies within the SNB and a friend’s betrayal leave him nowhere to turn—not even to his mentor.

His boss’s life, the future of the SNB, and Lucky’s career depend on him. With the help of his lover, an old enemy turned ally, and a man Lucky thought he’d seen the last of, he must stand and fight for what he believes in.

Even if he has to step outside the law.

Christelle's rating :

YEAH !!!!!!!! Finally, more of Lucky and Bo. The 7th book of the series and the *awesomeness* of this series is not faltering…not even a second 😍😅😍

A year ago, I gave a go at this series about Lucky, a former drug trafficker working off his sentence with the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau, and Bo, a newbie at SNB and to be trained by Lucky to go on the field. Since Diversion, I got fully invested and ADDICTED in following their various adventures, whether it be their missions at the SNB, the dealing with their past and ghosts, or their falling for each other. It is so entertaining !!!

Being in Lucky’s head, the best grumpy ass** in my reading world, is a thrill I can’t get enough. It’s hilarious to see him playing (well…trying, but us, readers can see through his BS) the badass while mellowing to Bo and building some fierce and loyal strings with his sister, his boss, a cat, and, gasp, even some friends.

Audio Book Review: The Missing Ingredient by Brian Lancaster

From The Blurb:

It can take losing everything to realize what you had all along.

Up-and-coming London chef Marcus Vine is poised on the edge of success, but the only men courting him are investors. That leaves Marcus with some free time—which is fortunate, because his godchildren need him. 

A year ago, a horrible accident killed Marcus’s best friend, Raine, leaving her children without a mother and her husband, Tom, without a partner. Consumed by grief, Tom has been going it alone, refusing help, but when Marcus sees him out with the children, it’s obvious that Tom and his two daughters need someone. His persistent caring finally wears Tom down, allowing him to accept the comfort Marcus offers. Soon Marcus is up to his elbows in homework, home-cooked meals, and after-school activities. Over time he helps them rebuild their world, until soon their lives are approaching normal. 

Then the unexpected happens: Tom confesses he has romantic feelings for Marcus, and nothing can ever be the same. 


Dreamspun Desires #63

Karen's rating:

Some ingredients are harder to substitute than others...

Marcus Vine is on the cusp of success as a chef, but finds that having only investors  interested in him leaves him with time to spare and following the loss of his best friend Raine, Marcus turns to helping Raine's husband Tom as he struggles to come to grips with losing his wife and the mother of his children...Marcus's godchildren, trying to rebuild their lives to a new normal.

Marcus days become filled with childcare and he finds himself becoming a part of a family as little by little Tom and his godchildren begin to rely on him for the stability he brings to their lives.

For Marcus what starts as simply helping his deceased best friend's husband care for his daughters and get back to being a family again puts him and Tom in close proximity to each other on a regular basis and Marcus is faced with his feelings for Tom becoming more than just that of a family friend and ultimately Tom also begins to realize that he has an attraction for Marcus that has nothing to do with friendship or gratitude but he's also not willing to step out of the safety of the closet he's been hiding in.

I liked the dynamics between Marcus and Tom. Marcus has an established career and he's confident about his choices. In general I liked Marcus and the fact that while he didn't push Tom nor did he just hide in the closet and hope that things would change. He kept his promises in regards to helping with the children and while he was willing to give Tom time...he wasn't willing to give forever. So while I may not have liked him quite as much as Marcus I did have a lot of empathy for Tom.

ARC Review: Criminal Intentions: Cult of Personality by Cole McCade

From The Blurb:

ABOUT THIS EPISODE 

"He pushed me."  

Three words turn a suspected suicide into an unsettling murder, pointing to a killer whose methods and motives threaten to expose buried memories of Seong-Jae's past. Yet neither Malcolm nor Seong-Jae are ready for the shadowed secrets that could shatter their tenuous new relationship, when a haunting presence seems to stalk them around every corner, watching their smallest move, baiting them and flirting just out of reach. Is it the killer, always staying one step ahead? 

Or a green-eyed ghost, luring both Malcolm and Seong-Jae toward the point of no return? 

ABOUT THE SERIES 

Baltimore homicide detective Malcolm Khalaji has his own way of doing things: quiet, methodical, logical, effective, not always particularly legal. He’s used to working alone—and the last thing he needs is a new partner ten years his junior.

Especially one like Seong-Jae Yoon. 

Icy. Willful. Detached. Stubborn. Seong-Jae is all that and more, impossible to work with and headstrong enough to get them both killed…if they don’t kill each other first. Foxlike and sullen, Seong-Jae’s disdainful beauty conceals a smoldering and ferocious temper, and as he and Malcolm clash the sparks between them build until neither can tell the difference between loathing and desire. 

But as bodies pile up at their feet a string of strange, seemingly unrelated murders takes a bizarre turn, leading them deeper and deeper into Baltimore’s criminal underworld. Every death carries a dangerous message, another in a trail of breadcrumbs that can only end in blood. 

Malcolm and Seong-Jae must combine their wits against an unseen killer and trace the unsettling murders to their source. Together, they’ll descend the darkest pathways of a twisted mind—and discover just how deep the rabbit hole goes. And if they can’t learn to trust each other? 

Neither will make it out alive.



Karen's rating:

This review is brought to you by the puddle of goo that use to be me...

This one melted me...I use to be a real person but now I'm just a puddle of goo in my office chair.

To start with we have yet another crime for our intrepid couple to solve and this one is every bit as disturbing as previous cases. While we have the similarity of a father and son being involved that's where it all ends and the only clue that Mal and Seong-Jae have to help them solve their case is "he pushed me." not a lot to go on. As Mal and Seong-Jae begin their investigation a suspected suicide starts to look a bit suspicious as it looks more and more like their victim might have had a helping hand. Without fail I have been enthralled by each and every case that we've been presented with.

And as always in between the demands of their jobs and life in general there has been Seong-Jae and Mal exploring their relationship as both men admit to their feelings and their willingness to see where things can go. But of course this isn't going to happen without the usual banter and snark that flows between these two men as easily as breathing. I was honestly worried about how things would change once they became more involved and while it has changed especially with Malcolm it works...it works so wonderfully well. I think it's as much of a surprise for Seong-Jae as it was for me to discover that his 'old wolf' is  a cuddler and maybe a bit on the sappy side but it all seems to be such a part of him. If I was enamored of these two before they actually started being a couple it's only gotten better with this episode.

ARC Review : Cash (Lucky #2) by Garrett Leigh

Blurb :

Cash is a car mechanic with a secret. Head down, sleeves up, he hides from the past as much as his shattered heart, until a reluctant stumble into a Tottenham bar ends in the one night stand of his dreams.

Hunt saboteur Rae can’t believe his luck when he wakes up the next morning. Cash is gorgeous, and the hottest hook up he’s ever had. He doesn’t expect to see him again, until a twist of fate lands him on Cash’s doorstep a few months later.

United by a cause that’s broken Cash before, they are drawn together. They have more in common than they ever imagined, but with Cash haunted by the past, and Rae so tangled in the present, it’s not long before love isn’t enough to keep them alive.

Christelle's rating :

Second book in the Lucky series written by the talented Garrett Leigh, this can be read as a standalone, but it’s really nice to reconnect with Dom and Lucky, the MCs from the previous book making appearances as friends of Cash.

Cash is a secretive and brooding mechanic and owner of an old house in London he’s revamping. One night, he’s surprised to be intrigued by Rae, a guy he meets in a pub. However, he put that spark aside and doesn’t even try to contact him again. So, he’s very surprised to see him showing on his doorstep and even more stunned that Rae is connected to his past as an activist fighting against fox-hunting.

Both men are strong-willed, stubborn and not very good at communicating - emphasis on "not good". Despite their undeniable chemistry towards each other and their shared passion for fighting illegal fox-hunting, their temper and Cash’s previous bad experience with his lover keep getting on the way to their attraction.

Blogtour: Stay by KM Neuhold

STAY

K.M. NEUHOLD

M/M PUPPY PLAY ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 01.11.19

BLURB

What happens to a couple when one of them discovers a new kink that he’s not sure his partner will be into? 

Dear Art,

I’m sure you get messages like this all the time, but I feel like I don’t even know who I am anymore. I suppose I should start from the beginning… Three weeks ago, I saw puppy play for the first time, and now I can’t stop thinking about it. Wait, no, that’s not really the beginning… Ten years ago, my best friend who I’d been in love with my entire life told me he loved me too.

For ten years, I’ve been living in complete bliss with Lars, the man of my dreams. Don’t get me wrong, we have our fights and disagreements (mostly because I do irritating shit, and every once in a while, he reaches the end of his patience), but he is my other half in every way. I didn’t know I could love someone the way I love him.

Then, the puppy thing happened. It’s not so different from when I realized I was gay; there was a moment where everything sort of clicked into place, and my whole body was like “Yes, that’s what we’ve been trying to figure out all this time.” At first, I thought maybe I should just let it go because it’s not the kind of thing I can imagine my partner being into. But last week I went into a kink shop and ended up walking out with a puppy hood. I stashed it in our guest bedroom closet and haven’t even had the courage to take it out and try it on again, let alone show it to Lars. I don’t know what to do. How do I bring this up to him? And what if he isn’t into it? I feel like I don’t recognize myself anymore, and I don’t know where to turn. Please help. 

Sincerely,

One Lost Puppy

Get the book:

EXCERPT

Jonah stumbles a little on the way to our bedroom, letting me know he had too much to drink as well. When we reach the bedroom, he struggles to get his pants undone, so I bat his hands away and do it for him, carefully unzipping them and then lowering them, along with his underwear.

“Step out,” I instruct, kneeling at his feet to get his pants off without letting him trip over himself, his half hard cock swaying near my face.

“Mmm,” he hums, running his hands through my hair, his hazy, drunk eyes fixed on me.

“Hey, JJ?”

“Yeah?”

“Why haven’t you been sleeping well this week?”

As soon as the words are out, his warm, happy expression shutters, and he frowns at me. I can see the wheels turning behind his eyes, see him trying to come up with an answer. My stomach lurches with the realization that he’s planning on lying to me, again. Is this related to the porn thing earlier in the week or has he decided, after all these years, to make a habit out of lying to me?

“Come on, JJ, step out of your pants,” I repeat soberly when I realize he’s not going to answer. This time he does as I say with my help. By the time I stand up, he’s tugging his shirt off and tossing it in the pile of dirty clothes, and I follow suit, the two of us climbing into bed silently.

For the first time in our lives, there’s something Jonah isn’t telling me.

Heather's review:

I KNOW what you guys are thinking. Puppy play?? Really? But little innocent me (winks) is intrigued by the more offbeat side of BDSM, and since pain isn't my bag, puppy play falls right into my zone. Yes, puppy play. 

I didn't read the blurb very well, however, and didn't realize this was an established couple story, which I usually hate. I'm just not into a couple where the intimacy is already there prior to the reader meeting the two MCs. However, with Stay, the established couple aspect was adorable! I mean, this is a low-angst, super-lovey couple, and I stanned them so hard. Very low angst story, people.