Blurb: Police officer Jordan and dragon shifter Edra might have to work together, but they don’t trust each other—even if sparks do fly between them.
If anyone finds out Jordan’s a mytho sympathizer, it could kill his career. No one can know that he frequents the satyr dens and uses the drug Bliss. Another satyr overdose might not get much attention, but two dead humans? That shouldn’t be possible.
And it might not be an accident.
Edra, Mythological Services Liaison, has been covering up mytho crimes to protect the community’s reputation. With a mayoral election looming, the last thing his people need is a scandal.
To get a murderer off the streets, Jordan and Edra will be spending a lot of time together, and it won’t be easy to keep up with their deceptions… or to keep resisting each other
Review: A scientific experiment gone awry send the earth into chaos. New inhabitants are stranded on earth because of what happened. Edra, a dragon shifter knight, is the new liaison for the SFPD. Jordan Kells is a recently promoted homicide detective with a few secrets of his own. When murders begin happen and the blame is a drug called bliss the two men begin working together to discover what is going on. The Mythos claim it’s impossible to overdose on the drug so an investigation begins.
With it being an election year the current major is no help to the Mythos as he tries to stir up trouble against them. Edra and Jordan have a fight on their hands as the news keeps up fake news regarding the murders as well as the mayors bad publicity.
I really liked these two men and their determination to find out what happened. The attraction between them is hot even though they try to deny it. It’ simply a wonderful story with many twists and turns that lead the reader deeper into the story.
Blurb: Robin, the recipient of a brand-new heart, knows he can’t give it to just anyone…. Robin’s been through his share of upsets recently, from heart transplant surgery to a brutal breakup. But his experiences have taught him life is short, and he’s ready to seize the day and start anew. A job at Euro Pride Tours is just the kind of adventure he’s looking for. He gets to see the world and live a little, but love isn’t on his radar screen. He isn’t sure his heart can endure that again.
Johan might’ve disappointed his family by striking out on his own, but when he meets Robin, he has no intention of letting him down. Each man is just what the other needs to feel whole again, and while Johan might not be the man Robin originally thought he was, he’s exactly what the doctor ordered to make Robin’s borrowed heart beat faster. As the tour through Germany progresses, they grow closer, but when Robin’s ex joins the tour, he could bring their blossoming love to a dramatic halt.
Review: I love reading anything by Andrew Grey and he probably shares my absolute top spot of authors I will automatically read. I love the heart and emotions that are central to each story and getting to know the characters as they develop throughout their stories. There is something infinitely pleasing in knowing I can expect wonderful, relatable characters consistently from one fantastic author.
Admittedly, I’ve given Borrowed Hearts a lower rating than I do many of Grey’s books I’ve reviewed, considering he is author I usually give 4 or 5 star reviews. However, that isn’t to say I’ve done this because the story is not good or not relatable. I thoroughly loved the story, the themes and the personal challenges faced by the characters. Ultimately, the rating was because despite this, I never thought that I properly connected with the MCs, especially the German MC, Johan. I also thought that the storyline concerning the American MC’s, Robin’s, ex was a little rushed.
The story is about Robin, who six years previous, was the recipient of a heart transplant as his own rapidly failed. However, in the previous year, he has also had to come to terms with a boyfriend who didn’t love, was not faithful to him and saw Robin as an object of pity. All in all, a general bastard who Robin needed to deal with emotionally before giving his heart to another man. That other man being Johan. They meet in Germany, where Robin has moved as a tour guide for a travel company that specialises in gay European tours. With German ancestry, Robin feels a great connection to the country and in trying to get his life together, decides that Germany is the place to be. Johan is assigned to Robin’s tour as the bus driver, they’ve worked together previously but nothing really happened of note then. But now Robin is ready, and Johan has to show that he will never forsake Robin because Robin is on borrowed time with borrowed heart.
One thing that I found particularly interesting of the story was the fact that Grey tackled a character who has gone through an organ transplant. Generally, Grey features characters who have gone through cancer, their children have cancer, or are visually or hearing impaired. The whole idea of a character who is an organ donation recipient is novel for me, but I think that it’s an important one because unless you go through it or know someone who has, these are not thoughts or feelings that we normal dwell. And I thinking that is what makes this story most interesting.
Hi guys, we have Davidson King stopping by today with the tour for her new release Snow Storm, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic $10 Amazon GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway!  ❤ ~Pixie~
Snow Storm
(Haven Hart 05)
by
Davidson King
The city of Haven Hart rests under the heel of Christopher Manos. He reigns over the most dangerous and deadliest citizens as the most powerful crime boss the city has seen in generations. Yet, for the last five years, the harshest edges of his nature have been tempered by the loving devotion of his husband, Snow, and the nephew Christopher adores like a son. His life is a balance of darkness and light until a birthday trip for his nephew, Simon, is interrupted by a hail of bullets and explosions, threatening to destroy it all.
Snow has found a home, a family, and the love of one of Haven Hart’s most powerful men. When Christopher and Simon are kidnapped, Snow risks everything to find his family. Utilizing specialized skills he learned on the streets and the finer points of running a city from his crime boss husband, Snow takes on roles he never dreamed he would–protector, leader, and avenger. No one threatens his family and lives. Experienced enough to know he can’t do this alone, Snow calls in every favor he is owed, risking his life promising favors in return, all to save his family and the man he loves.
The sins of the Manos crime family are escaping the dark recesses of the past and threatening the bright future of everything Snow and Christopher have built. Yet, even with the help of some unlikely and uniquely dangerous people, Snow finds himself wondering if their efforts will be enough to save the two most important people in his life. Will the loving family Snow has finally found be taken from him forever?
Hi guys, we have Shane K. Morton popping in today with the tour for his new release Fault Lines, we have a great exclusive excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Fault Lines
(Sequal to The Trouble With Off-Campus Housing)
by
Shane K. Morton
Drag goddess, Ursula Moolay, left Kentucky as fast as her size twelve pumps could carry her and has created a new life for herself in Los Angeles. Here, she has found herself surrounded by a group of people with their own secrets and lies:
A daytime Soap stud hiding in the Hollywood closet.
A reality television producer prepared to destroy his star.
An aging showgirl- the complex’s mother hen, fighting to survive.
A married male escort desperately hiding his profession from his pregnant wife.
And finally, Ursula, pulled into a terrifying ordeal of drugs, murder, and deception as she grapples with her own identity.
Enter the world of red carpet meltdowns, sex tapes, shopping with drag queens, earthquakes, mortgages and murder.
Can they survive or will they each fall into the cracks of LA’s fault lines?
Hi peeps, we have Garrett Leigh popping in today with the tour for her new release Jude, we have a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for the review coming soon!
Jude
(Lucky 03)
by
Garrett Leigh
Isha has spent the last year watching his BFF get his happily-ever-after. He’s proud of Dom, but…it hurts to see him so free while Isha’s love life is still on lockdown. Only Isha’s ex-wife knows the secret that he’s kept caged for so long—that he’s queer too, and he’s lonely.
Jude’s too chained to his work to notice what he’s missing by being terminally single, but a new face in the village soon catches his attention. City boy Isha is gorgeous, and when he starts to haunt Jude’s reptile shop as well as the hook-up app on his phone, he’s a welcome distraction from Jude’s business problems.
For a control freak like Isha, letting Jude under his skin is an existential meltdown, but Jude’s not in the market to be anyone’s queer crisis, not when he’s facing troubles of his own. Unlocking their lives could push both men apart forever, but it might be a risk worth taking if sharing is the key to their happy future.
Hi guys! We have Marina Vivancos popping in today with her new release Honeythorn, we have a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Honeythorn
by
Marina Vivancos
Omega Milan Pryor knows his duty. He must travel North through the continent towards the snow, the cold, and his new betrothed. They say that Lord Alpha Raphael Ledford, the man he is to marry, is as artic as the weather of his land. But Milan has always been an optimist. Perhaps he might find friendship in the arranged marriage. Even love.
It doesn’t take long for Milan to realize that all the rumours about Lord Raphael are true. Reclusive, distant, frigid. Milan finds himself unwelcome in what he must now call his new home. He’s used to fighting for what he wants—but can he survive a husband as cruel as Lord Raphael?
Being bonded to one who rejects you is a painful thing. Will Milan be able to win his husband’s regard? What terrible secret is Lord Raphael keeping, and will Milan be able to discover it before it’s too late?
Hi guys! We have Avery Cockburn stopping by with the cover for her upcoming release Play Hard, we have a brilliant giveaway so check out the cover and enter the giveaway!❤ ~Pixie~
Play Hard
(Glasgow Lads 04.5)
by
Avery Cockburn
“I’ll always want more of you.”
Robert McKenzie lives to work. He’s fresh out of university as a video-game entrepreneur, and his new app could actually save lives. But burning the candle at both ends means missing out on the best parts of his own life—including his boyfriend, Liam.
Liam Carroll works to live. His job as a bartender pays the rent—if not always the heating bill—and that’s plenty for now. But Robert’s workaholism reminds Liam his own life is going nowhere, and his own dreams are scaring the pants off him.
To jolt them out of their ruts, Robert invents a new game: He and Liam are to take turns offering each other sexy new challenges with irresistible rewards.
Of course, Robert gets more than he bargained for, as Liam takes their game in one surprising direction after another. Whether it’s in the bedroom, on the football pitch, or at the pub (or even the supermarket?), the things they learn about each other—and themselves—could change their lives forever.
Play Hard is the feel-good, staying-in-love story the world needs right now!
Note: This happier-ever-after novella features the main characters of Playing With Fire but can be read as a stand-alone story
Release date: 23rd April 2019
.•.•.**❣️ Coming Soon ❣️**.•.•.
Hi guys, we have Suki Fleet popping in today with her new re-release This Is Not A Love Story, we have a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
This Is Not A Love Story
by
Suki Fleet
When fifteen-year-old Romeo’s mother leaves one day and doesn’t return, he finds himself homeless and trying to survive on the streets. Mute and terrified, his silence makes him vulnerable, and one night he is beaten by a gang of other kids, only to be rescued by a boy who pledges to take care of him.
Julian is barely two years older than Romeo. After running away from an increasingly violent homelife, he makes some difficult choices and ends up selling himself on the street to survive. Taking care of Romeo changes him, gives him a purpose in life, gives him hope, and though he tries to be strong and keep his troubles with drugs behind him, living as they do is slowly destroying him, and he begins to doubt he can be strong enough.
This is the story of their struggle to find a way off the streets and stay together at all costs. But when events threaten to tear them apart, Romeo knows he must find the strength within himself to help Julian (and not let their love story turn into a tragedy).
Hi guys, we have Shane K. Morton popping in today with his new release Fault Lines, we have a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Fault Lines
(Sequal to The Trouble With Off-Campus Housing)
by
Shane K. Morton
Drag goddess, Ursula Moolay, left Kentucky as fast as her size twelve pumps could carry her and has created a new life for herself in Los Angeles. Here, she has found herself surrounded by a group of people with their own secrets and lies:
A daytime Soap stud hiding in the Hollywood closet.
A reality television producer prepared to destroy his star.
An aging showgirl- the complex’s mother hen, fighting to survive.
A married male escort desperately hiding his profession from his pregnant wife.
And finally, Ursula, pulled into a terrifying ordeal of drugs, murder, and deception as she grapples with her own identity.
Enter the world of red carpet meltdowns, sex tapes, shopping with drag queens, earthquakes, mortgages and murder.
Can they survive or will they each fall into the cracks of LA’s fault lines?
Blurb:Â Can cats and dogs ever get along, let alone fall in love?
Sam knows you can never go home again. As an orphaned feline shifter raised by wolves, being an outcast is nothing new to him. But the pack is still his family, and when one of them passes away, Sam returns to the New Mexico desert to say good-bye.
Gus is a loner who rarely returns to his pack, but as fate would have it, Sam is there when he chooses to visit. The history between Gus and Sam is tumultuous, to say the least, but when Gus gets an eyeful of the grown-up and gorgeous version of his childhood bully, he can’t con-trol his reaction. And he isn’t alone.
The attraction is powerful, but so are their differences. And with trouble brewing in the pack and danger surrounding them, Sam and Gus might not have the opportunity to seek common ground.
This action-packed shifter novel is the ultimate opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers ro-mance, and it includes a bonus novella, In the Dog House.
Review: Just Like Cats and Dogs is the first book in BA Tortuga’s Sanctury series, paranormal/shape shifter romance. Since finding myself a fan of Tortuga’s writing (I’ve discovered that I find it so easy to connect to the story and the characters) I was looking forward to reading the author’s take on the shape shifter genre, because before this I think I’ve only read or listened to contemporary novels in the past. This was a pleasant departure which, for the most part I enjoyed. I found that I had an interesting mix of feelings for the story as well as the narration. Anyone who is into shifter romances will definitely enjoy this story.
So, into the narration. Joe Formichella is a new narrator to me and I was left with mixed feelings. I thought that he lent a good voice and tone to the characters, however, I thought that there was some inflection lacking in the overall presentation of his voice. At times the narration seemed flat. I’m a person who listens to every book at 1.35x speed, so I imagine it would have been a lot more difficult to listen to at normal speed.
The story itself was quite interesting. The MCs are Sam and Gus.
Sam is a feline shifter who was orphaned and then adopted by a mated wolf couple who adopted a number of shifter children to create their eclectic family. The problem with being the only feline in a pack of wolves is that Sam has never been allowed to shifter and run with his brothers and sisters and parents because the alpha does not want the wolves to get out of control and attacked Sam. I understand the sentiment, but it does feel clear from the start that alpha was quite OTT with some of his protections. Gus is a wolf who was born into the pack but he is a loner. His little brother is Sam’s best friend and at most has always thought of Sam as a pest. Gus is the strong and silent type from the start but will do anything to help his family and his pack.
Tragedy brings Sam back to his home pack, knowing that he will only be able to stay for a short period of time because it has been clear to him since he was a child that besides his parents and siblings, he did not belong in the pack. His father has died suddenly and despite being shifters there had been not enough time to help him. When he arrives home, he runs into Gus. The two have always had an uneasy relationship but now that they are both older something has changed between them. Between the emotions and having trouble dealing with the pack he grew up in, he finds he also must deal with the mutual attraction between him and Gus. Their relationship is complicated, pack structure made sure of this and their personality differences merely cemented it.
These guys have a rocky journey and it takes time, which is rather a change of pace from many shifter based stories. They guys need time for their relationship, and their characters to develop, which is totally pleasing. At the end of this audio there is also the bonus novella which is about Sam and Gus in the life they made for themselves, it is also vital set up for the next book. The only thing I need to say, once again associated with the narration, is that it was a little confusing because there didn’t seem to be any pause between the end of the novel and the start of the novella, which had me confused for a few moments. Although this is probably because I didn’t read the blurb properly and see that there was a bonus story at the end.
All in all, this is an enjoyable audio and very enjoyable world we’ve been set in. I can’t wait for the next book.
Blurb: When orphaned omega, Luke, wakes up from a coma after being struck by a car, the last person he expects to see at his bedside is uptight, pack leader Daniel. Daniel is not only an alpha, but he is actually claiming to be Luke’s alpha! Can Luke trust this claim with his sense of smell suddenly gone and his wolf not responding?
Daniel knows that Luke is his mate…if the stubborn omega won’t take him at his word, then he will just have to romance the heck out of him until he does! Daniel is skilled at planning, but does he have the skills to plan his way into convincing his omega to accept Daniel as his fated mate?
Review: Each book in the Northern Lodge Pack collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.
Luke and his little brothers had been sold to a creepy alpha who intended to add them to his little omega pregnancy circle. Thankfully they had been rescued along with the older omega’s. Now they were both older and trying to figure out their way. Luke was very protective of not only his baby brother but of the little ones in the pack. Saving one of the pups and then getting hit by a truck, he is surprised to wake up to his mate sitting besides him. The problem was he had no clue that Daniel was his mate, because his sniffer was broken.
Daniel knew it was hard for Luke to take him at his word, so he decided to woo him and romance him with human ways. Know the true reason for different colors of flowers or what six flower mean? Well read the book and you will find out.
The author didn’t pull out the whole mating heat in this one, but a romantic scene throughout. How time took them to the moment when Luke finally figures it out. I will admit that the grammar and spelling are getting better but there are still a few mistakes in the book. As well as the fact that the author keeps rushing these books out, without truly reading through it all. The only thing I keep thinking is she needs a better beta reader. It was not as bad as the previous books but still felt a bit off. I will admit that I give this book and the previous ones a higher rating because I like the story, but truthfully they don’t really deserve it for the errors in the story and the rush to publish.
Other than those problems, I did enjoy this book quite a bit and can see myself reading it more than once.
My brother Leo and I are exactly like most people—we do what we can to scrape by, we watch each other’s backs, and we fight about stupid stuff… but there is one tiny thing that’s a bit strange about us. We see ghosts. Well, I see ghosts, he only hears them.
Our mother told me when I was young that I had a gift and that it was my duty to use that gift to help others. So that’s what I’ve done. I’ve dedicated my life to helping spirits find their way to the other side. But between meeting a really cute guy who happens to be a ghost, and heading to a haunted sanatorium for a week, I’m starting to think I may be in a little over my head. Something isn’t right at Akasha Sanatorium and for the first time, I’m actually kind of terrified.
Leo~
Being able to hear ghosts sounds cool, but the reality of it is that there’s constant whispers. Everywhere I go there are voices, and all I want is to have some peace and quiet. My brother has no idea that I’ve been haunted by a ghost every day for the last three years. He’s always there, always talking, always following me around. He hides from Xander and drives me crazy.
My brother convinced me to film some stupid paranormal investigations show. I hate it, but he loves it, so I go along with his harebrained plan. Of course, he picks a creepy sanatorium this time. And as expected, it’s awful… but at least while we’re here, I can take advantage of the hot guy with the scar that I bump into. Unfortunately, everything here is so messed up, I’m not sure we’re getting out of it alive.
Akasha Sanatorium is book one in the Malachai Brothers: Beyond The Veil series and should be read in order. This is a paranormal series with a sprinkle of romance and a small number of explicit M/M scenes.
Review: Twins Xander and Leo have abilities that aid them in their you tube show about investigating haunted locations. Leo can hear ghosts while Xander can see them. These two rely on each other ever since a house fire claimed the lives of their parents and little brother Ballard.
They are on to Akasha Sanatorium, which sounded a lot like Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Kentucky to me. There were many spine tingling scenes, many horror inducing mind numbing moments that had me on the edge of my seat. My heart wept for all the souls that were trapped in that deadly place.
Many twists and turns take place that had me intrigued. I liked all the characters and am curious about who exactly Zyler and Ato are. I absolutely loved the entire story from start to finish. I felt as though I was actually there as the story progressed. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book as there were a few questions that I had that were not answered yet.
Blurb: Just a Little Love Bite: A long-awaited-for vacation ends in disaster, forcing one man to make the ultimate life and death choice.
Eric Young and Daren Creston met when both attended a pride parade in Denver with friends. They’d immediately hit it off. Three months later, city-dwelling Eric moved in with small-town living Daren, and they made their home in Colin City. Seven years later, they are still very much in love. After years of saving, Eric and Daren head to a dude ranch for a little sun, fun, and sexy cowboy roleplay in the bedroom. The place has amazing reviews, is run by vampires, and was recommended by their wolf shifter buddies. After a tragic riding accident leaves Daren’s life hanging perilously by a thread, Eric is willing to do anything to save his lover. Death, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, hears Eric’s cries. His interest is piqued. When Death makes the pretty human an offer–the price, Eric and Daren’s souls–will Eric take it? And if he does, will Daren ever be able to forgive him?
Review: Each book in the A Loving Nip collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order. This story is branched off from several series and I would start with book one in the Wolves of Stone Ridge series.
Eric and Daren have been together for quite sometime. They were a truly beautiful couple and so very much in love. They had decided to take a vacation that was ran by vampires, oh boy cowboys. Then something bad happened and it would cost Daren his life, that is until Death steps in. He offers Eric a way to save Daren and damn if he doesn’t take it. Death has finally found two men he might just fall in love with. To top it off, one of his ancient demons was missing and they were going to need help.
Charlie Richards became a favorite of mine awhile back and I am always on the look out for when she gets a book out. I wasn’t to sure about whether I would like this book or not, basically the blurb made me think of a different out for this book. However I was glad to see that it was perfect in every way. Action packed, danger filled, hot sexy times with three going at it, adventure and so very much more is what is given in this story. As usual it caught my attention and kept it all the way to the end. It gave me everything I could ask for in a story. Let me say death never looked so good.
I had quite a bit of fun reading this and I can guarantee that it is one of those stories that will be read many times over. I would definitely recommend it and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book.
Blurb: Time travel is a precarious business at the best of times, but when Qasim El-Fahkri’s mission to the past ends in violence, it has a ripple effect through every level of the Temporal Research Institute.
Rhys Griffiths finds himself caught in the wake of the disastrous jump, his own career uncertain. With the Supervisory Board breathing down his neck, operatives demanding answers to baffling questions, and life outside of work bearing down on him, his only respite comes from Qasim’s company. As the professional slowly becomes the personal, they must confront the echoes of their own pasts to try and move forward in the future.
But another past is waiting for Qasim, and there may be no coming back from this one…
For full enjoyment, it is recommended to first read books 1, Time Waits, and 2, Time Lost.
Review: Many things are in upheaval in this addition of Out of Time. Qasim and Rhys lives are thrown for a loop when a jump turns bad. With time running out both men struggle finding out answers while seemingly growing closer to the other.
Interesting story with a lot of twists and turns around every corner. I was fascinated with how Rhys and Qasim handled different aspects of the questions as well as Qasim’s past.
I liked the story and the characters throughout as the story progressed. I felt as though I was there with the men as traversed through what was going on and the subsequent answers to some questions.
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc. (December 18, 2017)
Heat level: Low
Heart Rating: đź’–đź’–đź’–đź’– 4 Hearts
Blurb: All David wants is to escape his family, but he’s stuck with no way out. With the holidays quickly approaching, David is desperate for a night of partying his heart out. What he found was Mordechai—a panther shifter who is determined to save David from his own miserable life.
Between David’s drunken uncle, his angst-ridden brother, and his flip-floppy aunt, Mordechai has his work cut out for him. Mordechai sees how happy his youngest brother is and wants that same connection Malachi shares with his mates. What he got instead were a load of problems. Not only is David’s home life a dysfunctional mess, but Mordechai’s isn’t any better.
When Mordechai notices he’s being followed, it’s up to him to keep his mate safe, though he doesn’t have a clue why someone is after him until he’s attacked and the truth about his family finally comes to light—a truth he refuses to believe.
Review: Each Book in the Brac Village collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters I would recommend reading them in sequential order. This particular story is connected to the Brac Pack, Zeus Pack, Christian’s Coven, Brac Pack Next Generation, and Demon Warriors. To enjoy this to get the full impact I would suggest starting with the Brac Pack series first.
All David wants is a peaceful life. With his parents death, it left him and his older brother living with his uncle. An uncle that drank his life away and an aunt that came over but isn’t truly any help. To top it off his brother feel guilty and in pain most of the time. Then he meets Mordechai and his life might be looking up.
Mordechai is a panther shifter and he just wants what his brother has found, a mate. Too bad someone seems to be after him, but he has no clue why. You learn more about his parents but not too much. His father was murdered and there’s not a lot of information on that. Then there is an older brother who is an asshat. Top that off with a equally rotten mother and his family might just be screwed up as David’s. Although he does have three brothers that are pretty sweet and hot.
Put that together with an agency searching for them and you don’t find out much more than that. Nor does the story explain why Mordechai was singled out by the agency. This story felt rushed and left me with questions. To top it off the mating usually gets a bit of discussion with the mate, but there wasn’t too much of that going on. The story had quite a bit of action and danger in it plus some hot sexy times.
I found a few issues in the story but not enough to take away from the story. I enjoyed it and will see what the next story has going on.
Blurb: Milt Grabaur has left his life, home, and teaching career in Ohio to start anew. The Summer Winds trailer park in Palm Springs, butted up against the San Jacinto mountain range, seems the perfect place to forget the pain of nursing his beloved husband through Alzheimer’s and seeing him off on his final passage.
Billy Blue is a sexy California surfer type who once dreamed of being a singer but now works at Trader Joe’s and lives in his own trailer at Summer Winds. He’s focused on recovery from the alcoholism that put his dreams on hold. When his new neighbor moves in, Billy falls for the gray-eyed man. His sadness and loneliness awaken something Billy’s never felt before—real love.
When a summer storm and flash flood jeopardize Milt’s home, Billy comes to the rescue, hoping the two men might get better acquainted… and maybe begin a new romance.
But Milt’s devotion to his late husband is strong, and he worries that acting on his attraction will be a betrayal. Can they lay down their baggage and find out how redemptive love can be?
Review: I didn’t really know what to expect with Blue Umbrella Sky by Rick R Reed. Rick R Reed is not unknown author to me, but he is an author that I’ve never really been able to really get into his writing. I never had a problem with his stories or characters, it was just that the various books I had tried in the past I had been unable to really connect to. However, the reason that I wanted to give this book a go was because of the blurb – a colleague of mine lost her mother to early onset Alzheimer’s disease last year, with a similar family history and age to Corky in the book, so I kind of felt some connection to the story already because I had seen my colleague go through this heartbreak.
Milt, who has struggled to move on with his life after his partner died, merely exists in The Summer Winds trailer park in Palm Springs, California. He takes a long journey to healing throughout the course of this book. He deals with the loneliness, wanting to push everyone away when it seems to easiest thing to do, and feeling as though he has nothing left to give emotionally and physically to the world after giving his all to his deceased husband, Corky. Milt’s journey is one of heartache and hope but it something that I felt was representing so well and the depth of the emotions involved was not glossed over.
The man to help heal Milt’s heart is Billy Blue. Billy had big dreams to become a singer, and is hoping to find a place for himself in the world. For now he works at Trader Joe’s and lives in his own trailer at Summer Winds. He’s trying his best to get his life together and get over his problems with alcohol so that he can heal himself. Billy has just as much healing to do as Milt. Two men are neighbours, their trailers parked next to each other. The sadness of Milt calls to Billy, and he seems to see that they could do a lot more healing together than they could apart.
Blue Umbrella Sky is an intense book, which I found myself crying through off and on. Because this includes something I’ve seen distantly in my own life, I think that is why I was able to start and finish this book. I found it difficult due to the intensity but totally worth it. This is about hope and healing and finding new love when one man thought that he would never find his place in the world again.
As to my thoughts on the author, I’m not sure if this book has bumped Rick R Reed from my “mostly avoid” list, but I think I will be open to other books if anything else sparks my interest.
Hi guys! We have Gregory L. Norris stopping by today with his new release Hope, Tears, Steam, Gears, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Hope, Tears, Steam, Gears
by
Gregory L. Norris
At the request of the Earl of Kensington, Donovan Tisdale attends a mind-expanding presentation by Richard Sandominus Flynn, the Minster of Steam-based Sciences. Flynn reveals the next step in steam-based power—flights to the moon and far beyond conducted by mechanical men.
The attraction between Donovan and Flynn ignites from the moment they meet and follows them through the dangerous political climate of Her Majesty’s jeweled city as dark powers seek to dismantle the clean-based power poised to send humanity to the stars.
Hi guys, we have Jacqueline Rohrbach popping in today with her new release Soulstealers, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar CG giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Soulstealers
by
Jacqueline Rohrbach
Arnaka Skytree grew up believing she was chosen to bring new magic to the world. As the heir to the cult of druids responsible for keeping their floating palace habitable for the wealthy aristocracy, she’s expected to wield her power as those before her did: by culling the souls of peasant women.
But when Arnaka learns more about the source of her magic, and that her best friend’s soul will be harvested, she embarks on a journey to end the barbarous practice and to restore a long-forgotten harmonious system of magic practiced by the original druids. Along the way, she discovers she’s not the only girl chosen to restore balance to their world—many others have powerful magic inside, and with them, she will tear the floating palace from the sky so everyone can live in the sun—out of the shadow of the eclipse.
Warning: Graphic violence, internalized misogyny, family abuse
Title: Lust and Other Drugs
