ARC Review: When Death Frees the Devil by L.J. Hayward

From the Blurb:

Ethan is finally free. He’s left the Cabal behind and embraced a civilian life with Jack, the man he loves. The only problem is that the Cabal isn’t willing to let him go. A call in the middle of the night and a threat to Jack’s family, and Ethan is back in the game. The only way out is to take on the organization that spent years warping his life. 

Jack’s boyfriend has a way of vanishing on him, but this time Ethan’s disappearance is more frightening than ever. A trail of mysterious clues, a hit against his family, and the handprint of the Cabal on everything means the greatest test of love and determination Jack has ever endured. 

Torn apart by forces greater than they are, Jack and Ethan must fight harrowing battles to get back to each other. The Cabal is the greatest foe either of them has had to face. Ethan is willing to throw away everything to bring an end to the Cabal’s evil. And Jack is willing to do the same to make sure Ethan comes out the other side alive.

Ky's rating:

*5 well-deserving stars*

Third and last (?) book for this amazing series and it was every bit as good as what we're used to getting from this author!

Jack and Ethan are back and they're in trouble once more. Ethan is trying to bring down the people who have harmed so many young lives in the name of an experiment and in an effort to gain money and power. It's not an easy feat but Ethan has always been the odd one out so if anyone can do it, it should be him. Plus, now he has something to lose...

Cover Reveal: Up Close And Personal by Jay Hogan

Coming soon... 

the 3rd installment of the Auckland Med series by Jay Hogan

Up Close And Personal

Blurb:

DETECTIVE MARK KNIGHT has a serious problem—one that comes in the form of Auckland Med’s brand-new forensic pathologist. Six feet of delicious blond-haired, scary smart, stern and disapproving hotness—DR EDWARD R NEWTON.
 
The man is miles out of Mark’s league; completely opposite in almost every way, and shockingly immune to Mark’s flirtations. Mark should just let him go. But the alluring doctor has taken residence in Mark’s brain and is messing with his life’s plan—in particular Mark’s determination to skirt attachments and all the self-absorbed drama that goes with them.
 
Mark has spent two years watching his friends drop like flies to the white picket virus, only to suddenly find himself hankering for a hammer and some white paint. Edward, however, doesn’t want a bar of Mark’s roguish charm.
 
But it’s not like Mark can avoid the sexy pathologist—death brings them together on a regular basis. So when a string of murders threatens both their lives and sends them into hiding, something has to give.


Expected publication: March 12, 2020

About the author:

Jay Hogan is a New Zealand author writing in m/m romance and romantic suspense.She has travelled extensively and lived in a few different countries. In another life, she was an Intensive Care Nurse, Counselor, and Nursing Lecturer.

She is owned by a huge Maine Coon cat and a gorgeous Cocker Spaniel.

What do you think of the cover? Tell us in the comments!

Until next time, happy reading!

Bookblast: Shatterproof Bond Series by Isobel Starling

The Shatterproof Bond Series:

Book 1: As You Wish

Book 2: Illuminate the Shadows

Book 3: Return to Zero

Book 4: Counterblow

Book 5: Powder Burns

Publisher: Decent Fellows Press

Release date: Already released in print, ebook, and audiobook

Length (Print/Ebook/Audio):

Book 1: As You Wish, 45k words | 4 hours audio

Book 2: Illuminate the Shadows 55k words | 5 hours audio

Book 3: Return to Zero 70k words | 7 hours audio

Book 4: Counterblow 48k words | 4.5 hours audio

Book 5: Powder Burns 103k words | 10 hours audio

Subgenre: M/M Romance Thriller

Warnings: Mild BDSM

Purchase now:

As You Wish

Illuminate the Shadows

Return to Zero

Counterblow

Powder Burns 

Book 1: As You Wish

WINNER OF THE 2018 AUDIOBOOK REVIEWER AWARD FOR ROMANCE

1 wedding, 2 best men, one hell of a love story!
Declan Ramsay was set to be the best man at his brother's wedding in Scotland, sharing best man duties with the bride's gay kid brother Sam. Sam was abroad finishing his studies so the best men communicated by email for more than a year and wouldn't meet for the first time until a few days before the wedding.

But on meeting Sam Aiken, Declan is surprised to see he isn't a kid at all, but a striking, athletic blond man with gorgeous green eyes and a wicked sense of humor. Declan is alarmed by the ferocious attraction he feels for Sam. And as the attraction is reciprocated, the events at Dunloch Castle change everything Declan has ever believed about himself.

But is Sam Aiken all he appears to be?

Also available in paperback and as an award-winning audiobook, narrated by Gary Furlong.




Book 2: Illuminate the Shadows

A Scotsman and an Englishman fall in love…

After the most amazing week of his life, at Dunloch Castle on the banks of Loch Ness, in Scotland. The charming, mysterious Samuel Aiken has turned Declan Ramsay’s life upside down. Declan has experienced a remarkable change. He has come to terms with the fact he is bisexual, and he has fallen head-over-heels in love with his boss’s son Sam.

However, falling for his boss’s son was never going to be an easy path to happiness, mainly because the boss in question is multi-millionaire property tycoon and former MI5 operative, Sir James Aiken.

Sir James is repulsed by his son’s homosexuality, and so discovering that his employee Declan Ramsay- the man he installed to run his luxury property rental empire- is in a relationship with Sam, does not go down well.

The lovers cannot hide from the looming presence of Sir James Aiken for long! Soon enough James makes his move, and Declan finds out what he will have to endure to stay with Sam, and what he will have to give to feel worthy of Sam's love.



Book 3: Return to Zero

Life takes a darker turn for Sam and Declan...

Pulled into a world of secrets and lies for the man he loves, Declan Ramsay’s life has changed immeasurably in the eight months since meeting and falling for his boss’s son, Sam Aiken. Declan's journey of personal discovery is about to take a darker turn, and for Sam, the world becomes more treacherous than he could ever have imagined.

Two agents are missing -- presumed dead, while on a reconnaissance mission at an outdoor adventure center in the Scottish Highlands. Sir James Aiken sends his son and Declan to follow the trail, and discover the fate of the agents.

As the mission offers his first chance to use the skills he learned on the MI6 training course in Morocco, Declan is keen to get started. However, Sir James sees to it that the seeds of doubt and discord have been sewn between the couple, as they begin their mission.

The journey to their Highland location, and the discoveries they make when they reach the G’wan Adventures center, prove that Sir James Aiken has been less than honest with his son. Events in the Highlands force Sam and Declan to face their greatest fears and understand what they both really want from life -- and from each other.




Book 4: Counterblow

True love comes at a cost...

After the devastating events in the Scottish Highlands, Sam and Declan have moved on to a new, deeper level in their romance. Their commitment to each other is unquestionable; however, there are plenty of questions that need answering about other aspects of their lives, and those who sought to end them.

Sam is trying his best to deal with the day to day frustrations of his injuries. He’s completely dependent on Declan for everything and hates the way the scales have tipped in their relationship. Although he’s officially on leave, Sam’s mind cannot stop replaying all that happened to him and questioning why, and who is behind it all.

Declan’s relief at having Sam home throws him into house-husband mode. He’s happy to take the reins and care for his partner, however, beneath the surface Declan cannot help but be drawn back to how he felt in the Highlands, and how they were betrayed by a man who was supposed to have their back. Declan had promised Sir James Aiken that he would pay if he hurt Sam, and now Declan has to decide how he can deliver his payback and put his and Sam’s world back on an even keel.



Book 5: Powder Burns

One book, Two Missions, and a memory-key full of secrets!

After a series of terrorist attacks on fracking sites owned by a Gas multinational named Drilsink, Sir James Aiken’s agency is bought in to find the radical Eco-terrorist group responsible. He sends Sam and Declan to work undercover at Imperial College where Intel suggests the group is recruiting. While Sam works behind the scenes, Declan takes on the identity of Geologist Dr. Tobias Hunter and soon makes an enemy of a fellow science geek- a man who Declan comes to despise more than Sir James Aiken!

When the operation moves from London to Munich and then Vienna, Sam, and Declan are thrown headlong into a spy scenario straight out of the thriller novels they love to read—but with a distinct and disturbing sexual twist! Sam meets an old friend and uncovers shocking information about James’ past.

With Erik Madsson still imprisoned inside the A.L.L. HQ, James comes to realize that he should have listened to his son. Keeping the enemy inside his own home is about to be the biggest mistake he has ever made.

Excerpt from As You Wish (Shatterproof Bond #1)

Book Review: Criminal Intentions S2E5: Deep Spiral by Cole McCade

From The Blurb:

A deadly, unstable shooter. 

A trap Malcolm and Seong-Jae can't escape. 

And more than one life on the line as they find themselves facing down one of the Golden Ratio Killer's proxies in a high-stakes hostage situation that could ramp up the serial murderer's mathematical body counts exponentially. 

And if Malcolm and Seong-Jae aren't careful, they'll be among the tally. 

While back home, Huang's life hangs in the balance—and Anjulie walks a thin line between justice and deception. 

Everything's spiraling out of control. 

And the more they fight to survive, the deeper they sink into a twisted game governed by not one, but two minds. 

With Sila and the Golden Ratio Killer as the players... 

Will our heroes end up as nothing more than pawns?

Karen's rating:

Well here I am back to review Cole McCade's latest episode of 'Criminal Intentions, Season Two' and while I thankfully feel that I can take a tiny step back from the edge of the cliff and maybe even breath a bit...not much but I'll take what I can get.

Now before I get into my review for Episode 5, Deep Spiral...let me just say yes, I did read the preview at the end of this episode and I also read Cole's Q&A which comes right after the preview and I have my theory on what it all means and I'm going to have faith in Cole and stick with what I'm thinking until I'm forced to do otherwise...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Ok, now that we're done with the elephant in the room let's move on to this episode...holyfreakin'motherof$#$*&*%(*$(#!!!!...seriously if ever an author has f*$#ed with my emotions it's Cole McCade, without fail each episode in this series is a roller coaster ride of epic proportions and...well, quite honestly "I LOVE IT!"...what can I say I'm a glutton for punishment, so bring it on.

Blogtour: Jeremiah by Jayce Ellis

Please welcome Jayce Ellis with 

Jeremiah

High Rise #1

Jeremiah Stewart’s sexuality is no one’s business. Not that he’s hiding it. When—if—he finds the right one, he’ll absolutely introduce him to Mom. But a late-night brush with a sexy stranger in too much lip gloss has him rethinking nearly everything…

To Collin Galloway, direction is a four-letter word. Sure, he hates his job, he hates living with his parents and he really hates watching everyone move on without him. But he doesn’t know what he wants to do, long-term, and he won’t figure it out by thirsting over Jeremiah, the superhot, superintense paramedic who is suddenly everywhere Collin looks.

When Jeremiah’s faced with losing all he’s worked so hard to build, he reluctantly accepts Collin’s help. They’re both determined to stay professional…which works about as well as either would imagine. But Collin only does closets with clothes, and Jeremiah has to decide if he’s finally found the one worth bringing home to Mom.

Excerpt:

I waved before stepping on [the elevators] and pressing the button for ten. I just barely caught the muffled “hold that” from down the hall.

No lie, I was tempted to let it close and let whoever it was catch the next one, but I pressed the door open button and three people staggered on. And I fucking choked on air because one of them, a dark-haired man with brown eyes smudged with liner, was about the prettiest thing I’d ever seen.

He was also apparently the only sober one, and he gave me a tiny smile. “Thanks. Appreciate it.”

I nodded and posted up in the corner. The girl could barely stand up straight, probably part liquor and part the obscene heels she was wearing, and the other guy, a blond, was red-cheeked and giggling to himself. But the brunet could get it, even though the pseudo-spiky hair that had probably been perfect a few hours ago had wilted in this fuck-ass humidity. White boy problems. His shirt was sticking to him, and…did that bitch say PrEP-py on it? Like a neon sign he was trying to hit. I homed in again on the blue liner and sparkly lip-gloss he was gnawing off. I wanted to stop him, soothe that bruised lower lip with my tongue, and…the thought made my body stir in ways it hadn’t for months.

Blogtour: Love On The Line Series by Lynn Michaels

Lines on the Mirror 

Love on the Line Book 1 

Martin has always done everything his parents ever asked, never making waves, but never learning how to say no either. Then his new partying neighbors introduce him to a different lifestyle that pushes his limits.

The only thing keeping him grounded is getting back in touch with his first love, Daltrey, who moved across the country when they were still teenagers. Now, he's a successful artist and plays by his own rules. He wants Martin but won't compromise his morals.

When Martin lets his new friends drag him down until he hits bottom, can he ever find his way back to Daltrey and take control of his life?

Note: Love on the Line books can be read in any order. 

Goodreads * Amazon

Paint on the Canvas 

Love on the Line Book 2 

by Lynn Michaels 

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance 

A life-changing sacrifice for art and love. 

Daltrey Boxbaum is an artist, a lover, an addict, and more. Through the years, he finds and loses love, fights addiction, and defines himself in new ways. 

Martin Hannan was the love of Daltrey’s life, the son of a world-famous Silicon Valley developer and tycoon. Left behind to fight his own battles, Martin’s reappearance in Daltrey’s life turns the stable world he’s worked so hard for inside out. 

Note: Love on the Line books can be read in any order, but best fits the numbered order. 

Goodreads * Amazon

ARC Review: Criminal Intentions S2E4: Hard Angle by Cole McCade

From The Blurb:

Unsettled tensions from the last case come to a head as Seong-Jae reveals his secrets — but will it be enough to repair the fractures in his relationship with Malcolm? 

Especially when their only promising lead on the Golden Ratio Killer's identity falls apart, along with any hope of returning home to Baltimore and to their life together. 

When their primary suspect turns up dead... 

...after attempting to kill the daughter of another suspect. 

The Golden Ratio killer's strange web of deception, double-backs, and doppelgangers grows ever more tangled, and as those twisted threads ensnare Malcolm and Seong-Jae, they find themselves pulled ever further apart. Not even Malcolm's patience may be able to save them, their relationship a painful casualty of their job. 

That doesn't mean he won't try. 

But Malcolm's desperate attempts to hold them together put them in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

And that unfortunate coincidence? 

Might just end both their lives.

Karen's rating:

So at the end of episode three I was standing at the edge of a cliff...I'm pretty sure that I'm now tumbling over said cliff...so if anyone has a minute...maybe you could throw me a rope...please!

Seriously, there are cliffhangers and then there's 'Holy hell, what just happened here? and did anyone get the number of the truck that hit me?'

Seriously if I thought I was standing at the edge of a cliff after the last episode I have taken a headlong tumble over the edge on this one and now I have the quandary of explaining why without giving anything away...good luck to me.

Here in 'Hard Angles' things take some dramatic changes Seong-Jae finally confides in Mal and plans that were set into motion in the previous episode are revealed while still other plans are only beginning to play out. Most importantly though is the fact that, that cliff has gotten a whole lot steeper. There were a couple of things that I have to admit I did not see coming and the ramifications have the potential to be not only disastrous but downright deadly.

Blogtour: Going Down by Lady Jaguar

Going Down 

by Lady Jaguar

About the book:

A misunderstanding leads to seduction, then a life-changing job offer…
Tino Santini is calm and decent with a core of steel, qualities he needs when he is offered the role of PA to ferocious CEO, Richard Mason.
The opportunity arises after Tino is trapped with Mason in the office elevator just before Thanksgiving. A bottle of brandy kickstarts a night of scorching sex which does wonders for Tino’s flagging career.
Pansexual multi-millionaire, Richard, has it all; wealth, success, commitment-free sex every time he snaps his fingers, but a former female lover, a New York gangster and a murky past all threaten to destroy his chance of happiness.
Tino gradually learns who his boss really is, whilst willingly keeping him happy both in the bedroom and out of it. Neither of them expect their relationship to be anything other than business, until a personal tragedy means that Richard needs Tino more than ever.For both of them, that first chance meeting is the catalyst for a headlong plunge into sexual adventures, murder and possibly love.
Warnings: one instance of drug use, alcohol use, violence, historical incest query, extreme possessiveness.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN

Hi everyone, and very many thanks for featuring my book, Going Down, on your blog. It’s lovely to be here! The chapter below is actually pretty special, because it didn’t make it into the book. Sometimes, you need to be disciplined enough to know when to leave things out, so although I love this scene between Richard and Tino, this is the only place you’ll find it. The sexual tension between them is definitely in the book though. I hope you enjoy it!

Tino was greeted with hugs and kisses when he walked into the dance studio on Lexington Avenue. He wasn't the only man there. A variety of genders, of all shapes and sizes did the class, and he felt at home. 

He peeled off his tracksuit bottoms and pulled on leg warmers. It was great to be back in dance wear again, even though he looked critically at his body in the tiny shorts and cropped singlet and thought there could be some improvement. 

They all padded barefoot to the middle of the floor to warm up. The poles were scattered around them, the idea being they took turns and spotted each other as they practiced each move. There were no mats to land on if they fell, and even a wooden floor could result in bruises if they weren't careful. 

They went through the warm up, flexing their hands and feet, preparing their leg muscles. Tino glanced at the glass panels, behind which some of the partners watched. He had lied when he said his boss couldn't observe him. What he had actually meant was, he didn't want him to. 

No way in hell. 

Fortunately, he wasn't there. Tino didn't think even Richard Mason was that bold, and what the hell would he want to watch Tino doing a pole workout for anyway?

ARC Review: Criminal Intentions S2E3: Cold Calculation by Cole McCade

From The Blurb:

ABOUT THIS EPISODE 

How do you profile a serial killer who keeps changing his pattern? 

A body encased in ice and a cryptic message make Malcolm, Seong-Jae, and Aanga Joshi question everything they thought they'd learned about the Golden Ratio Killer. If their suspect can change his methods and alter his patterns, he could easily disappear... 

...along with any chance of catching him before he completes his deadly game. 

To keep up, Malcolm and Seong-Jae will have to find the bigger picture, the larger plan to intercept their target before that strange message turns into another victim — but it's the small things tripping them up when their relationship and some unsettled business between them leaves them stumbling around each other and falling head-first into mistakes that could cost them more than just the case. 

It could cost another innocent life, and leave that blood stained on their hands. 

ABOUT SEASON TWO 

Malcolm Khalaji and Seong-Jae Yoon are back on the case — and partnering with the FBI on a horrific serial murder case that will test Malcolm's faith and revive the darkest parts of Seong-Jae's past. With an enigmatic killer leading them on a wild goose chase through city after city and body after body, both Mal and Seong-Jae will find themselves pushed to their limits as they discover the worst of what humanity can do. 

Even two minds against one may not be enough as they track the devious Golden Ratio Killer, and try to find the key to his pattern. But the trail of breadcrumbs left by the white rabbit will lead them suspiciously close to home, and a connection they never could have predicted. With their worlds exploding around them and everyone they know suddenly cast into doubt... 

Can their partnership — and their love — survive the greatest trial of their lives?

Karen's rating:

I give up...I keep thinking this series can't possibly get better and then...I read the next book only to discover that I'm wrong again...

For me the challenge is quickly becoming the fact that once I've read the next book what do I say? What words do I use to explain how amazing this series is. If we count last season we're 17 stories into this series and it's not loosing steam, slowing down or becoming less interesting. In fact if anything with each story I become less patient with waiting for the next episode because damn...there's a serial killer on the loose and honestly if it was only that simple, than maybe I could be a bit more patient but it's not there's more so very much more.

This episode ended with more than a few unanswered questions about the crime that needs to be solved but also we're left with Mal and Seong-Jae in the midst of a relationship crisis...Mal's worried that they've been here before and Seong-Jae's desperately trying to convince himself that his past isn't once again colliding with the events of the present and that maybe this time it's going to destroy his future with Mal.

Like so many others my heart was breaking for Mal as he struggled to not just be what Seong-Jae needed, but to discern what it was that his lover did need. All while giving him the two things that he knew for sure...space and love (Seong-Jae may not want to say the word but Mal's not shy about it). I admit given Seong-Jae a cuff upside the head and telling him to get his sh*t together held some definite appeal for me, I also understood that Seong-Jae needed to process things because if what he believes to be true is...well then...it's going to change things...so many things.

Release Blitz: Where We Belong by Shann McPherson

Where We Belong

Shann McPherson

Published by: HQ Digital

Publication date: February 21st 2020

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

An emotional, compelling page-turner from your next romance obsession, Shann McPherson, about the power of friendship and finding love where you least expect it. 

When Alice ‘Murph’ Murphy’s beloved mother died, she promised to keep the family bakery in Graceville, Georgia afloat—even if it meant letting her high-school sweetheart, Nash Harris, go. For years, Murph has been biding her time, waiting for Nash to come back for her.
So when he strolls into Piece O’ Cake, Murph’s heart skips a beat—until he hands her an invitation to his wedding… There are painful secrets in both their pasts that only the two of them share, and Murph can’t bear the thought of Nash belonging to someone else. 

There’s only one thing Murph can think of to do: fake a relationship with local bar owner and old friend Harley Shaw to remind Nash of what he’s losing, and win him back for good. 

Nash is Murph’s best friend, a vivid reminder of her childhood and all the things she’s lost—but the more time Murph and Harley spend together, the more the lines between real and pretend begin to blur. Can Murph choose between the one who got away and the one who never left—and heal her aching heart?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iBooks

EXCERPT:

I push my glasses up my nose for the millionth time, and while holding my breath and with one eye narrowed, I wipe a tiny smudge of frosting from the silver turntable holding Mr. and Mrs. Robertson’s fiftieth wedding anniversary cake. It may have taken me two full days and most of last night, but I’ve finally finished. Exhaling the breath I’ve been holding for a beat too long, I take a step back to really appreciate my craftsmanship. Four layers of lemon and blueberry perfection, covered in a fluffy whipped buttercream frosting, decorated with beautiful red roses, delicate peonies, and a smattering of baby’s breath, all of which have been hand-piped by yours truly.
I place a hand on my hip, smiling proudly. “Alice Murphy, once again you’ve outdone yourself,” I whisper under my breath, mentally high-fiving myself.
The bell above the door to the shop jingles, pulling me from my musings, and I walk through from the kitchen to the front of the store, still smiling at the thought of my latest masterpiece.
“Welcome to Piece O’ Cake,” I sing in a cheerful customer service voice. “How can I help yo—” Stopping dead in my tracks, my eyes go wide as I gawp at the unexpected figure standing in the middle of the shop. He’s shadowed by the afternoon sun shining in through the windows, backlighting him to nothing more than a darkened silhouette, and I blink hard, unsure whether or not I’m imagining things. But then he speaks. And I would know that voice anywhere. This is definitely not my imagination playing tricks on me.
“Hey, Murph.” The shadow takes a step forward, coming in to the glow of the overhead lights, and I’m immediately enamored by that all too familiar grin.
“N-Nash?” I gasp.

ARC Review: Slow Dances Under An Orange Moon by V. L. Locey

From The Blurb:

Can the love they once shared be saved or has the pain of the past eclipsed it? 

It’s been twenty years since Kye McLeod left the quaint little mountain town of Spruce Lake, Maine to play professional hockey. He’s had his share of ups and downs, but his choice to hit the big city and not look back has paid off handsomely. The future hall-of-famer is now ready to retire and come out of that dark closet he’s been sequestered in since his first secretive kiss with Davy Aguirre in high school. Now that he’s heading home to keep an eye on his feisty grandfather, there might be the chance to rekindle the flame between him and Davy. 

Kye quickly learns that the boy he left behind isn’t the man he’s now knocking heads with. He always imagined grown-up Davy—who now insists on being called David—would be beyond the pain that Kye’s youthful blunder caused him, but now he’s not so sure. When the wildlife conservation officer squares off with the ex-hockey captain their connection is incendiary, and there are more than just fireworks. However, winning back the man he walked away from may not be as easy as he thought…

Karen's rating:

"Slow Dances Under an Orange Moon" is without a doubt my favorite book in this series so far. I've enjoyed all of the stories in V. L. Locey's 'Colors of Love' series but this one...well for me this one just ended up being all that and a whole lot more.

Kye McLeod is returning home after a successful 20 year career in professional hockey and he's got a two objectives for his return. The first one is to take care of Dunny, his grandfather. He's going to get Dunny's home repaired and believe me it's much needed repairs with a list that just keeps growing and growing. Objective number 2 is to get back the love of his life a certain sexy Wildlife Conservation Officer..."call me Dave or David not Davy Aguirre".

There was so much that I loved about this story first there was Kye McLeod. I loved Kye both his comments and his inner monologues. Then there was Dunny. Kye's grandfather he was so freakin' adorable and just totally blunt in the things he said...Gee! I wonder where Kye got it from.

Next there's Davy call me Dave/David. I really liked him. I loved that he didn't fall all over himself when Kye said he wanted to fix things between them but he also didn't say 'no'. He made Kye prove himself by planting roots to show that he wasn't going to run off again and as Kye went about planting his roots hijinx ensued.

ARC Review: Fake It 'til You Make Out (Love & Luck #1) by Isla Olsen

Blurb:

Heath

It’s a classic story: Boy meets girl, girl breaks boy’s heart, boy pretends to be gay to get back at girl, girl outs boy to everyone on Facebook… 

Okay, maybe it’s not that classic. But it’s what happened to me. 

When I bump into my cheating ex and catch sight of the moon-sized rock on her finger, there’s only one option to save face: pretend to be dating my gay best friend, Declan. 

And when she outs me on Facebook and everyone I know sees it, there’s still only one option: keep pretending to be dating Declan. 

And when Declan and I have to kiss to keep up the ruse and it turns out there’s actually a spark between us (more like a blazing inferno, if truth be told) there’s once again only one option…

Todd's rating:

As the blurb states:

It’s a classic story: Boy meets girl, girl breaks boy’s heart, boy pretends to be gay to get back at girl, girl outs boy to everyone on Facebook…

And that was actually a pretty accurate description of how the book got started, as Heath pretended to be in a relationship with his gay best friend, Declan, which set up all sorts of hilarity when they were only *pretending* to be a couple in front of their friends and family.

Ben Ryland: I still want proof of some kind before I'm totally sold on this heath thing. Doesn't need to be naked proof but I need something!

Me: He likes riding cowboy? He likes the taste of cum? Do you want me to go on?

Ben Ryland: Yeah no thanks, that'll do pig.

But when Heath decided that they needed to really sell their fake relationship at Declan's birthday party, by exchanging a steamy kiss in public, one bathroom stall later and their relationship immediately changed from faking it to a whole helluva lot more real.

Blogtour: Never Date a Doctor by Melanie A. Smith

Never Date a Doctor

Melanie A. Smith

Publication date: February 25th 2020

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From best-selling author Melanie A. Smith comes the first book in a new series of steamy contemporary medical romance standalone novels about life lessons that break all the rules. 

What’s the first rule of nurse’s club? That’s right: Never date a doctor. Which Sasha Suvorin has no intention of doing anyway, since she’s a nurse at Rutherford Hospital by day and working on her master’s degree by night. Who has time for dating, much less dating someone you work with? Bad idea much? 

That is, until the sexy British Dr. Caleb Thompson starts at her hospital. It also doesn’t help that he’s exactly her type with his dark hair, blue eyes, and rockin’ bod. Or that he’s not your typical arrogant and bossy surgeon. But Sasha isn’t so easily convinced, and she soon discovers Dr. Hottie has a past that puts a stop to whatever she might have been feeling before anything ever starts between them. 

Unfortunately, working together means facing temptation. Every. Single. Day. Is Sasha strong enough to resist what might just be the perfect man? And if she gives in, will Cal’s past stay in the past? Sasha may be used to playing it safe, but life has a way of teaching its lessons … one way or another.

Goodreads / Amazon

Research...What it takes:

Never Date a Doctor: A Life Lessons Novel is a contemporary/medical romance set to the backdrop of the fictional Rutherford Hospital’s cardiac unit. It’s always important to me that my setting be realistic without being overwhelming. So, while the medical part is present, it’s meant to add a layer of structure to the plot and enhance the various sorts of conflict. The trick was balancing that with not getting overly technical.

Still, I like to make sure even the small details are as accurate as possible. Since I took all of the undergraduate classes required for medical school, and my older brother is a surgeon, between that and my recent experience actually undergoing various cardiac tests (don’t worry, I’m fine, turns out it was just a pickle addiction that lead to high blood pressure), I already had a pretty good handle on the general hospital/medical topics. 

I did, however, have to do some light research on the specific duties of each type of hospital job included, which I actually enjoyed. I was most familiar with the doctor’s qualifications and roles but had to look more closely at the others. As I researched the different functions of human resources, hospital administration, orderlies, medical assistants, nurses, and nurse practitioners, though, I learned quite a bit. Serious props to our medical community, y’all, they’re amazing in the hours they work, their dedication, and all at relatively low pay.

Blogtour: Gates of Heaven series by M. Tasia

RELEASING JANUARY 30 

Joey 

Gates of Heaven Book 4 

by M. Tasia 

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance 

The next installment in the Gates of Heaven Series by M. Tasia. 

Preorder available NOW, click the links below. 

Secrets and lies, a family that lived in the darkest alleys of criminal life are what Joey brings to a relationship, which means the LAPD officer who has captured his heart is completely off limits. 

Goodreads * Boroughs Publishing

James 

Gates of Heaven Book 3 

GOING IT ALONE

Too many ghosts live inside James Masterson's head, and they weren't the company he sought. Actually, he prefers no one's company, but he finds himself surrounded by overly friendly, meddlesome types while visiting his brother at The Gates in DTLA. Somehow, James becomes the unwelcome subject of Detective Richard Ross's attention, and, before he knows how it happened, James is caught up in Ross's family drama. When a madman tries to kill Ross's sister and her daughter, James's special ops Army training kicks in, and he becomes their hero, something he knows down to his core, he is not. The thing about crazy killers is they never give up, and when the final showdown comes to a head, James knows he'll do anything to keep the family he has found, especially the love of a sexy detective. 

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Finn 

Gates of Heaven Book 2 

Release Blitz: Chaser by Rick R. Reed

Title: Chaser

Series: Chaser, Book One

Author: Rick R. Reed

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: February 24, 2020

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 67500

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Insta-love, family illness, separation, perceived cheating, physical fitness, narcissistic character, betrayal

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Synopsis

Caden DeSarro is what they call a chubby chaser. He likes his guys with a few extra pounds on them. So when he meets Kevin Dodge in a bar bathroom, he can’t help but stare. As far as Caden is concerned, Kevin is physically perfect: a stocky bearded blond. But Caden gets tongue-tied and misses his chance.

When Caden runs into Kevin one night on the el train, he figures it’s fate offering him a second shot. Caden manages to get invited back to Kevin’s place for a one-night stand that turns into the kind of relationship he’s dreamed about.

But the course of true love never runs smoothly—Kevin and Caden’s romance is no exception. When Caden returns from a few weeks away on business, Kevin surprises him with a new and “improved” body—one that fits Caden’s shallow friend Bobby’s ideal, but not Caden’s. Caden doesn’t know what to do, and his hesitation is just the opportunity Bobby was looking for.

Please note: This book is being re-released with a new publisher.

Excerpt

Chaser
Rick R. Reed © 2020
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One

“I like fat men.”

“You like big butts?”

“I cannot lie.”

Caden and his therapist laughed together over the song reference, both old enough to remember Sir Mix-A-Lot’s 1992 rap hit “Baby Got Back.” Camille D’Amico reined in her laughter abruptly, pushing her tortoiseshell glasses back up on her nose and fussing with her frizzy halo of brown hair. She adopted a serious expression. “So you’re attracted to heavier men. Is that a problem?”

“Not really a problem, I guess. It’s just that I wonder why. I mean, look at me.”

Caden stood up, turned around slowly, and sat back down in the comfortable overstuffed chair facing Camille. He knew what he was displaying—a very trim, tight five-foot-eleven frame upon which not even an ounce of fat rested. In the dictionary, if one looked up the word “lean,” there was Caden’s picture, the perfect illustration. He rubbed his hands over his black buzz cut and then brought one hand down to the stubble of his just-coming-in beard. Not only was he very fit, he was a very handsome thirty-year-old man.

“What?” Camille asked. “You think you’re too good for a guy with a few extra pounds on his frame? Think you’re slumming if you take a walk on the fat side?”

Caden shook his head and put up his palms in self-defense. “No, no, that’s not it at all. I don’t think I’m better, not by any stretch. I’m just wondering why, lately especially, I’ve been drawn to heavier men.”

“Is this something new for you?”

Release Blitz: Pros & Cons of Desire (Pros & Cons 3) by A. E. Wasp

Book Title: Pros and Cons of Desire (Pros and Cons 3)

Author: A. E. Wasp

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Angsty G

Release Date: February 20, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary romantic suspense/comedy

Trope/s: Law officer/thief. A gay cross of Charlie’s Angels and Leverage

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 65 000 words

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Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

 

Five Men. Five changes for redemption. One things for sure, these guys are no angels.

Blurb

Two jobs down, three to go, and job #3 is mine. My name is Ridge Pfeiffer. I’m a dirt poor jewel thief from the wrong side of the tracks, and I don't play well with others.

Theoretically, the deal works like this. I do the job Charlie planned for me and Miranda erases my past, makes my biggest problems go away. Too bad my biggest problem is the one thing I don’t want to go away: Diplomatic Security Agent Davis Ethan.

When Davis caught me breaking into a safe during job #2, I should have ended up in jail. instead, I ended up in his bed. Rich, gorgeous, and privileged, the only thing we have in common is a love of beautiful lingerie and beautiful men. He’s everything I hate, everything I want, and he could destroy me with a word.

There are a hundred red flags surrounding this job, I should walk away and take my chances, but I’m going to do it anyway. Anything to buy me one more night with Davis.

One more job, one more night, and then I’ll leave for good.

Excerpt

“You know we don't have to meet in places like this. I'm willing to spring for some better accommodations.” I said, stripping the nylon bedspread off and tossing it to the floor. I grimaced at the feel of it between my fingers.

“I like this,” Ridge said. “It's perfect.”

“Perfect for what?”

“Perfect for cheap, meaningless sex. And that's all this is.”

I wanted to argue with him, but I also wanted to get laid, and I knew pointing out that we both knew this was more would only chase him away. “Can’t we have expensive meaningless sex? I’ve done it in five-star resorts. All I’m asking for is a place with nice sheets and room service. And a mattress that may have been cleaned sometime in the last twenty years.”

Ridge pushed me against the wall. “We could, Rich Boy, but this is my world and if you want me, you get my world with it.”

“Maybe we could chip in and meet in the middle.”

“Maybe I like seeing the pretty rich boy begging for someone like me in this run down pay-by-the-hour motel.”

“Do you like it here?”

ARC Review: The Lady Traveler's Guide to Happily Ever After by Victoria Alexander

From the blurb:

For the past seven years, Viola Branham has enjoyed the luxury of traveling the world as an independent woman, and confining her awkward past to a distant, if painful, memory. But now she has been summoned home to England over a stipulation in the will of her late uncle, the Earl of Ellsworth, one that decrees she lose everything unless she reconciles with the man who broke her heart and ruined her life—her husband.

Heather's rating:





The Lady Travelers Guide to Happily Ever After took me forever to read (no, really. Like 3 weeks!), so I wasn't sure how I would feel about the book in the end. However, though the couple frustrated me at times and the plot was slow, I ended up enjoying the story.

I read this book off and on between other reads because, well, it didn't hold my attention. However, it's funny because the parts I did read, I actually liked. It just didn't have the grab, that thing that keeps me riveted to a book.

Blogtour: The Flowers of Time by A. L. Lester

Title: The Flowers of Time

Series: Lost in Time #3

Author: A. L. Lester

Publisher: JMS Books LLC

Release Date: 22 February 2020

Heat Level: 2 - Fade to Black Sex

Pairing: Female/NB

Length: 50,500 words

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Thriller/Suspense,

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Let's start off with our author interview:

We’ve all got a little voyeurism in us right?  If you could be a fly on the wall during an intimate encounter between two characters, not your own, who would they be?

Not two, if that’s okay, three! Will, Hugh and Truman in Kris Ripper’s Scientific Method books. The relationship builds over such a long time and is so strong. The intimacy is there on so many different levels and it would be amazing to watch.

If I were snooping around your kitchen and looked in your refrigerator right now, what would I find?

Thirty pints of milks in half-gallon containers waiting for me to take the cream off the top, three blended feeds for the Littlest child over the next day or so, a big block of cheese, condiments and some cherry tomatoes with fur on in the salad-liquidizing draw in the bottom.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

The ability to stretch time to fit in all the things I want to do and still get enough rest.

If you could trade places with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

Possibly Rob, from The Gate/Inheritance of Shadows. He’s very certain about what he wants and a very placid and contented sort of person. It would be nice to feel like that.

If you could sequester yourself for a week somewhere and just focus on your writing, where would you go and what would the environment be like?

It wouldn’t matter that much, because I’d be able to just focus on the words rather than everything going on around me. I get in to this ‘flat food’ place that’s a legacy from my programming days, where Mr AL jokes that I really would be best in a darkened room with a laptop and have pizza slid under the door to me at regular intervals.

If I could do a writing retreat anywhere, anywhere at all, I’d be happy somewhere no-one interacted with me whilst I was sat at the desk, meals and beverages turned up at regular intervals and my feet stayed warm. That’s all. 

What’s the one thing, you can’t live without?

Excluding family, kids and all that? Laptop, please. Not very interesting!

What internet site do you surf to the most?

Twitter, probably. I like to interact but I’m not great at real-life people, so twitter suits me. 

If you had your own talk show, who would your first three author guests be and why?

Can they be dead? I’d like to host Ursual Le Guin to ask her about writing the gender-fluid characters in The Left Hand of Darkness, Dorothy Dunnett to talk about her historical research for the Lymond series and a chap called John Seymour who wrote the definitive 1970s guide to self-sufficiency and who apparently ended up living in a poly relationship in his 80s and 90s on a smallholding on the west coast of Ireland. 

When you got your very first manuscript acceptance letter, what was your initial reaction and who was the first person you told?

I got an acceptance within a few days from JMS and was so utterly and completely shocked when I opened the email and read it I burst in to tears. Mr AL was sat on the sofa beside me and he thought I’d had a rejection. He had to make me tea.

Thanks so much!

Now on to the book...

Synopsis

Jones is determined to find out what caused the unexpected death of her father whilst they were exploring ancient ruins in the Himalayas. She’s never been interested in the idea of the marriage bed, but along with a stack of books and coded journals he’s left her with the promise she’ll travel back to England for the first time since childhood and try being the lady she’s never been.

Edie and her brother are leaving soon on a journey to the Himalayas to document and collect plants for the new Kew Gardens when she befriends Miss Jones in London. She’s never left England before and is delighted to learn that the lady will be returning to the mountains she calls home at the same time they are planning their travels. When they meet again in Srinagar, Edie is surprised to find that here the Miss Jones of the London salons is ‘just Jones’ the explorer, clad in breeches and boots and unconcerned with the proprieties Edie has been brought up to respect.

A non-binary explorer and a determined botanist make the long journey over the high mountain passes to Little Tibet, collecting flowers and exploring ruins on the way. Will Jones discover the root of the mysterious deaths of her parents? Will she confide in Edie and allow her to help in the quest? It’s a trip fraught with dangers for both of them, not least those of the heart.

Excerpt

Edie was still washing when she heard the commotion. The sheep and goats were making a dreadful racket, baaing and wailing much louder than she had ever heard them, even when they were on the move. Then the herd dogs joined in, giving tongue like Edie had never heard before. She didn’t have her stays on. Or her chemise. Or anything. She hastily pulled her dress over her head, grabbed up the pistol she kept by her camp bed and dashed out toward the noise in her bare feet, hair flying.

She ran without a thought. She didn’t know where anyone else was, but she assumed Henry and Bennett and the young men had already started the day of surveying they had planned last night. She and Jones had discussed riding out to look at the ruined caravanseri they had glimpsed from the hilltop yesterday as they were riding down into the valley, but Jones was usually up and about well before Edie emerged from her tent each morning, as were her men.

When she reached the little flock of sheep and goats, she stopped in horror. She wasn’t at first able to make out what she was seeing, but then it came into focus sharply, with scents and sounds and colors. There was a tiger in among the goats. It was eating one of them. Margery, the leader of the herd. The three herd dogs were going berserk, barking and making short forays toward the tiger, before backing off again. The goats couldn’t get away because they were tied. The tiger was sat in the middle of them, with its kill. It was peaceably eating Margery for breakfast.

Edie screamed. The dogs barked. Distantly she heard voices shouting, but they were a long way away.

The tiger looked at her. Or perhaps through her. It had big, black, bottomless eyes and looked annoyed that she had disturbed its breakfast. It stood up, ponderously, and growled. If anything, its eyes became darker and more menacing.

“I really don’t want your breakfast,” Edie said. “I liked Margery, I’m not going to eat her.” The dogs were still barking like mad.

The tiger growled again, sniffing the air. It took a step forward.