Hi guys, we have Cardeno C. stopping by today with four of her audio releases each from a different series, we have Jesse’s Diner, The Half of Us, Something In The Way He Needs and Where He Ends & I Begin, we also have some audio excerpts, Tams reviews and a fantastic giveaway, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~

Jesse’s Diner

Cardeno C.

Narrator: Paul Morey

Two men with a shared history and a mutual attraction must be honest with themselves and each other so both their dreams come true.

Quiet, unassuming Tanner Sellers spends his time running a diner in Hope, Arizona. Not particularly social, 22-year-old Tanner keeps to himself and enjoys his simple life, but he longs for someone to call his own. In his most secret fantasy, that someone is sexy Steve Faus. But Steve is his friend’s father and mentor’s widower and therefore off-limits.

Despite some challenges, 39-year-old Steve Faus has had a good life. He’s extremely successful at work, has a great relationship with his college-age son, and lives in a wonderful town. Eighteen months after losing his partner, the one thing Steve lacks is someone to share his life with. If Steve is honest with himself, that someone is the young man he has known and cared about for years. Steve and Tanner want one another; all they need is a little push in the right direction to make both their dreams come true.

The Half of Us

Cardeno C.

Narrator: Ezekiel Robison

Short-tempered, arrogant heart surgeon Jason Garcia grew up wanting a close-knit family, but believes he ruined those dreams when he broke up his marriage. The benefit of divorce is having as much random sex as he wants, and it’s a benefit Jason is exploiting when he meets a sweet, shy man at a bar and convinces him to go home for a no-strings-attached night of fun.

Eight years living in Las Vegas hasn’t dimmed Abe Green’s optimism, earnestness, or desire to find the one. When a sexy man with lonely eyes propositions him, Abe decides to give himself a birthday present – one night of spontaneous fun with no thoughts of the future. But one night turns into two and then three, and Abe realizes his heart is involved.

For the first time, Abe feels safe enough with someone he respects and adores to let go of his inhibitions in the bedroom. If Jason can get past his own inhibitions and open his heart and his life to Abe, he might finally find the family he craves.

Something In The Way He Needs

Cardeno C.

Narrator: Ezekiel Robison

Controlled Asher didn’t expect to fall for free-spirited Daniel, but they’ll find what they desperately need in one another.

Police captain Asher Penaz’s staunch professionalism bleeds into his home life, down to his neatly pressed attire and Spartan apartment. He enjoys being in charge and in control, so his sudden and powerful attraction to the lighthearted, free-spirited Daniel Tover throws him for a loop. In his entire life, Daniel has never gotten what he needs, so he moves to the next place, the next job, the next attempt to find something worth staying for, always landing at the top of his game, but never feeling like he belongs.

The chemistry between Asher and Daniel sizzles, but with all that fire comes the risk of getting burned. As both men struggle to learn themselves while getting to know each other, the lines of desire and control blur. If Daniel and Asher can walk through the flames together, they might find what they desperately need.

Where He Ends & I Begin

Cardeno C.

Narrator: Alexander Collins

Aggressive, physical, and brave, Jake Owens is a small town football hero turned big city cop who passes his time with meaningless encounters believing he can’t have who he really wants: Nate Richardson, his best friend since before forever. Thoughtful, quiet, and kind, Nate is a brilliant doctor who has always known who he is and has never been able to shake his crush on loyal, courageous, straight Jake.

After a passionate night together, Nate realizes Jake isn’t as straight as he assumed, but he worries that what they shared was a fluke, a result of too much closeness for too long. For Jake, the question isn’t how they ended up in bed together because he has always known that Nate holds his heart; it’s how he’ll convince Nate that he wants and needs to stay there.

About Cardeno

Cardeno C. – CC to friends – is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a lot of happiness and a few “awwws” into a reader’s day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno’s stories range from sweet to intense, contemporary to paranormal, long to short, but they always include strong relationships and walks into the happily-ever- after sunset.

Cardeno’s Home, Family, and Mates series have received awards from Love Romances and More Golden Roses, Rainbow Awards, the Goodreads M/M Romance Group, and various reviewers. But even more special to CC are heartfelt reactions from readers, like, “You bring joy and love and make it part of the every day.”

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Cafe Risqué ~ SharedBlog | Pintrest | Google+ | Youtube

Giveaway!

Win a Audio book of choice from author Cardeno C.!

Cardeno C. Rafflecopter Giveaway!

Review

Title: Jesse’s Diner

Series: Hope, #2

Author: Cardeno C

Narrator: Paul Morey

Genre: May – December Romance

Length: 2 hours and 49 minutes

Publisher: The Romance Authors, LLC (12-22-2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Tams

Blurb: Two men with a shared history and a mutual attraction must be honest with themselves and each other so both their dreams come true.

Quiet, unassuming Tanner Sellers spends his time running a diner in Hope, Arizona. Not particularly social, twenty-two-year-old Tanner keeps to himself and enjoys his simple life, but he longs for someone to call his own. In his most secret fantasy, that someone is sexy Steve Faus. But Steve is his friend’s father and mentor’s widower and therefore off-limits.

Despite some challenges, thirty-nine-year-old Steve Faus has had a good life. He’s extremely successful at work, has a great relationship with his college-age son, and lives in a wonderful town. Eighteen months after losing his partner, the one thing Steve lacks is someone to share his life. If Steve is honest with himself, that someone is the young man he has known and cared about for years. Steve and Tanner want one another. All they need is a little push in the right direction to make both their dreams come true.

Product Link(s): http://amzn.to/1Psw4TT | https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/jesses-diner-hope-book-2-unabridged/id1071035789

Review: What would you do if you knew your time here was about to expire? Jessie knows he won’t beat the cancer, so with his son Mike’s help.

He sets out to make sure the things he cares about most will be taken care of once he’s gone. He wants to make sure the diner is taken care of so he leaves it to Tanner, Mike’s best friend, and somewhat of an adopted son to Jessie. Making sure that his husband Steve doesn’t fade away to depression once he’s gone, well Tanner is key to that as well.

This is a super short story so the review will be as well. Let me just say if the fact that Cardeno C penned the story isn’t enough to make this one an auto buy, then the fact that Paul Morey narrates should make it a no brainer. Need more convincing?

Okay then. The story almost seems like insta-love in the beginning, but as the story unfolds you learn it is anything but. The feelings are mutual and a long time coming. Morey really translates each character from paper to audio well, I especially like the way he totally immerses himself into not just conveying the characters, but conveying the emotions.

Definitely a must listen, as I said it’s super short, super sexy and well worth the couple of hours to give it a listen.

Title: The Half of Us

Series: Family book 04

Author: Cardeno C

Narrator: Ezekiel Robinson

Genre: Contemporary MM Contemporary Romance

Length: 6 hours and 29 minutes

Publisher: The Romance Authors, LLC (12-04-2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Tams

Blurb: Short-tempered, arrogant heart surgeon Jason Garcia grew up wanting a close-knit family, but believes he ruined those dreams when he broke up his marriage. The benefit of divorce is having as much random sex as he wants, and it’s a benefit Jason is exploiting when he meets a sweet, shy man at a bar and convinces him to go home for a no-strings-attached night of fun.

Eight years living in Las Vegas hasn’t dimmed Abe Green’s optimism, earnestness, or desire to find the one. When a sexy man with lonely eyes propositions him, Abe decides to give himself a birthday present – one night of spontaneous fun with no thoughts of the future. But one night turns into two and then three, and Abe realizes his heart is involved.

For the first time, Abe feels safe enough with someone he respects and adores to let go of his inhibitions in the bedroom. If Jason can get past his own inhibitions and open his heart and his life to Abe, he might finally find the family he craves.

Product Link: http://amzn.to/1Peno7z

Review: Jason Garcia is a brilliant physician and surgeon, but the man is terrible when it comes to intimacy and relationships. Divorced from his wife and estranged from his two teenage children, Jason enjoys random hook-ups with virtual strangers to take the edge off. Until he meets Abe, the one night stand that Jason can’t stop thinking about.

Abe Green is patient, loyal and steadfast, which is a plus for his job as a teacher. He’s worn out with the bar scene and never does random hook-ups. Abe wants the real thing. Love, family, stability and endurance; and as much as he wants that to be with Jason, he recognizes the hesitancy in Jason’s eyes. The man is persistent, and though Jason refuses to commit, the two can’t help breaking all their rules with each other.

What to say about this book other than I loved it. Jason was probably one of the most developed characters I’ve read in a while. He went from a serial sleeper to a committed family man that was happy and content with his life. His transformation was slow and gradual, just like his love story with Abe. They totally completed each other and it was so much fun to watch! Jason was a bear at times, brash and loud. Abe was patient with him and was able to get through to Jason every time, eventually. It was Jason’s growing relationship with Abe that brought Jason and his teenage children closer as well.

A few key points for me… when Jason gets off a seven day stretch, he’s exhausted and frazzled and takes it out on Abe. Ever patient, Abe just complies with Jason’s request and then after, when they talk about it, Jason sees what he did and apologizes. Before Abe, he would have told the guy to fuck off and wrote him off. Then there is the point in the story when he realizes he is in love with Abe. The way it was described, Jason mentally working out his feelings, it was perfect and so well conveyed.

Ezekial Robinson is a new narrator to me, but I absolutely loved his approach. He had this tone for Jason that bent and flowed with the character, his mood and his ever changing attitude. The tone was deep and sensual when appropriate, growling when needed and loud when he was pissed. Abe’s tone rarely changed, which fit his character perfectly. He rarely lost control of any situation, only coming out of his shell fully when he and Jason were in bed. Speaking of bed, these two were like rabbits. And Robinson nailed those scenes flawlessly right down to every moan, groan, sigh and scream.

Definitely a must listen, or read I’m sure. The storyline was steadily paced, the characters well developed and explored, it was sexy, passionate, emotional and completely engrossing.

Title: Something in the Way He Needs

Series: Family, #1

Author: Cardeno C

Narrator: Ezekiel Robison

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 7 hours and 6 minutes

Publisher: The Romance Authors LLC (01/14/2016)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Tams

Blurb: Controlled Asher didn’t expect to fall for free-spirited Daniel, but they’ll find what they desperately need in one another.

Police captain Asher Penaz’s staunch professionalism bleeds into his home life, down to his neatly pressed attire and spartan apartment. He enjoys being in charge and in control, so his sudden and powerful attraction to the lighthearted, free-spirited Daniel Tover throws him for a loop.

In his entire life, Daniel has never gotten what he needs, so he moves to the next place, the next job, the next attempt to find something worth staying for, always landing at the top of his game, but never feeling like he belongs.

The chemistry between Asher and Daniel sizzles, but with all that fire comes the risk of getting burned. As both men struggle to learn themselves while getting to know each other, the lines of desire and control blur.

If Daniel and Asher can walk through the flames together, they might find what they desperately need.

Product Link: http://amzn.to/23Jx8Nj

Review: Asher Penaz commands complete control in every aspect of his life. He is a no-nonsense police captain when he’s on the job and a brash, sharp, meticulous DOM when he plays. He doesn’t do relationships, kisses, romance, and boyfriends. No. Asher is confident in his life, until he meets an adorable blonde that blushes, has freckles and trips over his own feet in the middle of an empty room.

Daniel Tover stumbles into Asher’s life and neither of them will ever be the same. But when push comes to shove, can the cute guy that is most comfortable in his baggy jeans and flip-flops, soften the rough edges that constantly surround Asher Penaz?

I was drawn into this book from the first stumble in the hotel lobby in Vegas, and pretty much listening intently with bated breath from that point on. Asher is the proverbial alpha male type. Large, brooding, commands compliance as well as your undivided attention.

Daniel couldn’t be more opposite, polar, in fact; the very definition of twink to an extent… short, slender, beautiful, blonde and clumsy. Asher has these rules he lives by and one by one, Daniel has him breaking them all. The rude, crude and usually socially unacceptable Ash begins unknowingly readjusting his life to accommodate Daniel. Cuddling, kissing, dating… and shock of all shocks, he isn’t tying anyone up and inflicting sweet torturous pain on them.

It was an absolute pleasure to sit back and listen as Asher went on this journey of self-awareness he didn’t even know he was on. There was an almost constant monologue of Ash’s inner thoughts as his relationship with Daniel continually grew and evolved. But with the sweets, come the sours. About six months in, a small lack of communication causes a rift and Asher does something Daniel may not be able to forgive him for.

At first glance, you might think this is going to be either an insta-love story since Asher commands Daniel come home with him after only 48 hours of knowing one another, but it is far from. They fall into a comfortable existence, yes, but with each passing day they learn more about each other, grow closer and start to depend on each other.

The whole of this book really is the relationship between Ash and Daniel in great detail. I think my favorite aspect of this story was how Daniel had this kind of calming influence on Ash. A man can’t go from one extreme to the other overnight though, so there were understandably some speed bumps along the way.

The story was narrated by Ezekiel Robison and as I’ve said before, what he lacks in dialect, he makes up for with emotion. He had this big, loud, brash tone for Ash that was absolutely spot on. Daniel was never able to hide anything from Ash, even from the start; he is very much an open book. Robison was able to clearly express Daniel’s moods with differing tones and inflections.

I will say, Asher does something toward the end of the story. It’s a compilation of a bad week at work and that slight lack of communication I spoke of earlier combined with Ash’s jealous streak the size of Texas when it comes to Daniel. This is probably the worst mistake I have ever seen a fictional character that I liked make.

Up until this point, I had been so engrossed in this book that hours would fly by and it felt like 5 minutes. This really pulled me out of the story and had me thinking, what if that had gone the other way, and would Ash have put a stop to it? That is the only reason I knocked off a notch on my review. Sorry, I can’t say, that would be a spoiler.

Overall, this was such a fun read. I was so engaged from start to finish, riding along as Asher learned the meaning of the word Love.