The Spy’s Love Song by Kim Fielding ~ Audio Review

Title: The Spy’s Love Song

Series: Stars from Peril 01, Dreamspun Desires 67

Author: Kim Fielding

Narrator: Drew Bacca

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 5 hrs, 32 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (28th February 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: For a singer and a spy, love might be mission impossible.

Jaxon Powers has what most only dream of. Fame. Fortune. Gold records and Grammy awards. Lavish hotel suites and an endless parade of eager bedmates. He’s adored all over the world – even in the remote, repressive country of Vasnytsia, where the tyrannical dictator is a big fan. The State Department hopes a performance might improve US relations with a dangerous ene-my. But it means Jaxon’s going in alone…with one exception.

Secret agent Reid Stanfill has a covert agenda with global ramifications. Duty means everything to him, even when it involves protecting a jaded rock star. Jaxon and Reid’s mutual attraction is dangerous under Vasnytsia’s harsh laws – and matters get even worse when they’re trapped inside the borders.

Romance will have to wait…assuming they make it out alive.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: The Spy’s Love Song is the first book in Kim Fielding’s series Stars from Peril. I really enjoy Fielding’s writing style and so was pretty confident that I would at least enjoy this story. The writing style is easy for me to connect to and I find a majority of Fielding’s characters both relatable and entertaining.

It was actually good timing for me to listen to this audio, because I also had the ebook for book 2 in the series and I listened in case I needed a refresher. FYI: these do work as standalone book with only passing reference with the character who happens to be the famous person from the small town of Peril. In fact, the characters aren’t even physically in the town, it just happens that one MC is a small town boy who has made it famous.

The audio narration for this story was by Drew Bacca, who is a completely new narrator for me. I found his voice matched both characters and the theme of the story well. He was able to convey the emotions – the danger and the passion – pretty damn well. I look forward to hearing more performances him in the future.

For me this book is a mix between The Cold War (in the style of The Man from UNCLE) and the Seth Rogen/James Franco movie The Interview. If you don’t know what I’m talking about you could also think gay James Bond with a spoiled Rockstar and hot sexual tension. If a pseudo-James Bond minus the Bond girls is your thing in a romance this book will probably go for this one.

Jaxon Powers transformed his life and moved to the big city to try to make his big break after his parents took his coming out badly. In fact, he hasn’t spoken to them in years. But now he has made it big and a big name. He’s doing world tours, recording albums, and basically living the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll lifestyle. He is a spoiled, bored and jaded celebrity. Then one days he gets what has to be the strangest request. Apparently, the dictator of some eastern European country is a massive fan of his and requests that Jaxon fly over to perform a couple shows. The US State Department see this as the perfect opportunity to see into the country Vasnytia and get some intelligence. Vasnytia is basically like North Korea/USSR.

This is where Secret Agent Reid Stanfil comes in. He is all that is awesome and the embodiment of a secret agent man: he’s ex-military, knows the local language, sexy as well and good to have when you’re in a spot of trouble. He accompanies Jaxon to Vasnytia and goes to all lengths to ensure the man’s safety, as well as conduct any secret agent type business. They have an instant connection, but Reid is well aware of the dangers of giving into his base desires. However, things go awry, to put it nicely, and when the guys are running for their lives the last thing they have time for is to give into their feelings.

I really liked the two characters together and I love that they didn’t have sex in stupid places at ridiculous times although they had a good chemistry. I found that Drew Bacca’s performances lifted this chemistry between the characters and made the whole story a lot more relatable.

Take The Edge Off by T.A. Moore Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt & Giveaway!

T.A. Moore - Take The Edge Off BT Banner

Hi guys, we have T.A. Moore stopping by today with her new release Take The Edge Off, we have guest post from T.A., a great excerpt and a fantastic $20 Dreamspinner GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~

Take The Edge Off

T.A. Moore

You don’t end up an ex-car thief and ex-con because you’re good at resisting temptation… and Cal Tate’s rich new boss is very tempting.

Cal has always been the bad boy lovers don’t bring home to Mom, but now he’d like someone other than a debt collector waiting for him at home. He has a legit job as a driver with his brother’s company, he’s got a doctor on the hook, and he still can’t help crawling into bed with Joseph Bailey.

Joe has never met anyone as easy in their own skin as his new driver. Or as ridiculously beautiful. He’s in London to downsize the family business… and to investigate the abusive emails that imply a dark secret around his mother’s death. But unpicking the lies he’s been told makes Joe realize he isn’t sure who is without them.

When his life falls apart, the only person he can be himself with is Cal. But with the anonymous stalker’s threats increasing, Joe worries that someone will finish the job they started over two decades ago—and end any chance for a happy future between him and Cal.

.•.•.**❣️ Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK ❣️**.•.•.

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The Player’s Protégé by CJane Elliott Release Tour, Guest Post & Exclusive Excerpt, & Giveaway!

CJane Elliott - The Player's Protégé Tour Banner

Hi guys! We have CJane Elliott visiting today with the tour for her new release The Player’s Protégé, we have a great guest post from CJane, a great exclusive excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~

The Player’s Protégé

(Campus Connections 02)

CJane Elliott

When his friends bet cynical Jerry that he can’t turn sweet Arlo into a player, Jerry might win the bet but lose his heart.

College senior Jerry Helstrom survived a gay childhood in Texas by being fierce and fabulous. At school he’s known as a player and has kept his heart so guarded that he’s forgotten he has one. When his friends bet him he can’t teach inexperienced Arlo Barnes to become a stud like him, Jerry takes on the challenge and quickly finds himself drawn to his enticing trainee.

Arlo kicks butt as a Tae Kwon Do black belt, but his sexual game is lacking. He’s been dumped by his only boyfriend and needs help getting himself out there. Enter Jerry Helstrom, player extraordinaire and happy to provide Arlo with some hands-on coaching. Jerry encourages Arlo to ask for what he wants in sex and in life, something Arlo struggles with. The struggle deepens when Arlo discovers that what he truly wants is the seemingly unattainable Jerry Helstrom.

Jerry can teach Arlo to play the field, but can Arlo teach Jerry to play for keeps?

Continue reading “The Player’s Protégé by CJane Elliott Release Tour, Guest Post & Exclusive Excerpt, & Giveaway!” →

The Nerd and the Prince by B.G. Thomas ~ Audio Review

Title: The Nerd and the Prince

Series: Small Town Dreams 01 / Dreamspun Desires 66

Author: B.G. Thomas

Narrator: Seb Yarrick

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 7 hrs, 6 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (17th September 2017)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Prince Charming is the man next door.

Small-town business owner Jason Brewster has big dreams: world travel, adventure, and, most of all, a passionate romance worthy of a fairy tale. But he doesn’t believe fantasies can come true…. Until Adam moves in next door. He’s handsome, cultured, European, and, best of all, in-terested in Jason. It’s like something out of the stories Jason loves.

But Adam – whose real name is Amadeo Montefalcone – has a secret. He’s royalty, prince of the small country of Monterosia. Only he doesn’t want to rule, and especially doesn’t want the love-less marriage waiting for him at home. So he ran away in search of true love. With a man. And with Jason, he finds it. But Adam can’t run forever. The truth will come out. If Jason can forgive Adam’s deception, they might find their happily ever after.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: The Nerd and The Prince by BG Thomas a proper fairy tale, royal romance type story that is probably more than a few people’s guilty pleasure. BG Thomas is a relatively new author to me, so I’ve been keen to read or listen to more. The story itself is a lot of fun and was enhanced by the narration by Seb Yarrick.

I checked my Audible library and was shocked to realise that this was only the second book I’ve heard Seb Yarrick perform. I wrote in a previous review that I’ve heard him before, but I think I must be mixing him up with another narrator who does good European and English accent. Oops. My bad. Sorry. Nonetheless, this does not take away from the fact that I feel that Seb Yarrick is a wonderful narrator, his performance injects the right emotion into the story and characters, and really sets the tone well for the whole book. I’m looking forward to more performances by Yarrick in the future.

The story, overall, is a lot of fun and I personally feel that it is a very refreshing change from the usual modern fairy tale royal romances. Unlike some other stories, he did the drama and secret keeping thing without making it explode to provide more, and probably, unnecessary drama. The Prince knew he was falling in love and that he had to tell his nerd the truth and I liked how this all went down.

The story is simple enough. Prince Amadeo Montefalcone of Monterosia, a relatively unknown European principality, decides to run away so he can live a normal life, at least for a little, as an out gay man instead on being forced into marriage with a woman. The principality itself is fictional, but the town that Amadeo tell people he is from, Trieste, is near the Italian/Slovenian border. He runs away to small town America and becomes Adam, a cultured Italian man looking to experience a bit of the US. Then Adam meets his neighbor, the owner of a small book store and café/diner, who dreams of one day travelling the world and falling head over heals for his prince charming. The two guys have chemistry, there is no doubt of that, but there is, naturally, the obstacle of the whole gay prince thing and said prince not telling anyone his real identity as he falls in love.

The Nerd and the Prince is a totally sweet and fluffy story. It is a true romantic story with a lot of heart and feeling. I can’t wait to see what else BG Thomas has in store for us in this series.

The Missing Ingredient by Brian Lancaster ~ Audio Review

Title: The Missing Ingredient

Series: Dreamspun Desires 63

Author: Brian Lancaster

Narrator: Seb Yarrick

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 5 hrs, 19 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (8th November 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

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

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

A year ago, a horrible accident killed Marcus’s best friend, Raine, leaving her children without a mother and her husband, Tom, without a partner. Consumed by grief, Tom has been going it alone, refusing help, but when Marcus sees him out with the children, it’s obvious that Tom and his two daughters need someone. His persistent caring finally wears Tom down, allowing him to accept the comfort Marcus offers.

Soon Marcus is up to his elbows in homework, home-cooked meals, and after-school activities. Over time he helps them rebuild their world, until soon their lives are approaching normal. Then the unexpected happens: Tom confesses he has romantic feelings for Marcus, and nothing can ever be the same.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: The Missing Ingredient is a standalone book by Brian Lancaster for the Dreamspun Desires house line. Brian Lancaster is a new author to me, I read this book when the ebook initially came out and absolutely loved it. I remember loving the friends to lovers storyline, the emotion and depth we get from both MCs and the wonderful chemistry that exists between the two men.

Seb Yarrick was the narrator of this audio and one that I’ve heard a number of times before, usually performing one accent or another. I most commonly have heard him do English accents, but he does also perform other non-descript European accents and I’m pretty sure I’ve heard his native accent in another Dreamspun novel, which is possibly American. I’m not sure and a quick Google search did not help. His performance was absolutely wonderful. He nailed the emotions of both Marcus – the ambitious chef that needs to fight for love and friendship in this story, and Tom – who is a widower who hasn’t been able to move on after the loss of his wife.

The only cloud in chef Marcus Vine’s life is that he lost his best friend in a car accident a year ago. At the moment his professional career has taken off in a way that means that he is now being recognized on the street and his restaurant in London is so close to gaining a Michelin Star. However, his personal life is not so good. He’s never found his perfect man, over the years he has compared many men to his best friend’s husband. After the death of best friend Lorraine, he was told by her husband Tom that he and his daughters needed space. Marcus never got a call back and didn’t want to intrude, so it has also been almost a year since he last saw his god children.

Tom has been struggling with life since his wife killed in a car accident, he has doubts in every corner of his life. He is can hardly keep his head above water when it comes to looking after his daughters, one of them has severe asthma, as well as trying to be a productive partner in his business. When Marcus accidently comes into his life again Tom realizes that he can ask for help and learns that it’s ok if there is more between him and Marcus. Not that Tom can be surprised about that, he has known for years that he was bisexual, so a relationship with another man is not a hurdle in this book (thank God!). In fact, his biggest problem is that discovering it’s ok to ask for help is not a simple lesson to learn and the men have a very bumpy road to their HEA.

On the whole, this was a wonderful story that was performed to perfection. Complete love and adoration for this book, the author and the narrator.

Bad to the Bone by Nicki Bennet ~ Audio Review

Title: Bad to the Bone

Series: Dreamspun Desires 58

Author: Nicki Bennet

Narrator: Colin Darcy

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 5 hrs, 54 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (24th August 2018)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Alex can’t think of himself as anything but a failure. In high school, he was on the fast track to a career in pro football when he forged an unlikely friendship with a half-Comanche boy from the wrong part of town, Ricky Lee Jennings. Their shared love of books could have grown into more—but a homophobic teammate attacked Ricky Lee, and Alex wouldn’t risk his scholarship to defend him. Ricky Lee was kicked out of school, and Alex never heard from him again. Now Alex’s glory days are nothing but a memory. An injury ended his football aspirations, his marriage fell apart, and his dreams of making a difference as an environmental lobbyist are as dead as his fantasies of sports stardom. But all that could change in one magical night, when Ricky Lee shows up at their high-school reunion.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Bad to the Bone is a standalone book by Nicki Bennet for Dreamspun Desires. The author is relatively new to me, but I have to admit that I have read the ebook before. I am definitely open to reading more books by Nicki Bennet in the future as well – the story seemed a bit rough but it has a whole heap of heart.

While I enjoyed the ebook well enough when I read it, I felt that there was a significant chance that I would connect to the audio more than I had to the text. It’s not anything that I’ve attached to any narrator in particular, but I find that a good performance by any narrator lifts a story that I might have enjoyed but did not love. The narrator of this particular audio, Colin Darcy, is one which I’ve enjoyed performances in the past, I couldn’t name one without any certainty unless I went to my audible library first.

As for the story itself:
Alex is a washed-up jock. He’s approximately 27/28 and is about to attend his 10 year high school reunion. Back in college an injury ended his chances to be a pro footballer. He’s since moved back to his hometown, married a woman and divorced her, and now he runs his family’s store and is involved with the local library.

In high school his best friend was Ricky-Lee, who was judged by some of the more horrible people of the town for his sexuality and his ethnicity (he’s half Comanche Indian). Ricky-Lee left after he and Alex were caught in a compromising position and Alex was unable to defend him. When Ricky-Lee comes back to town he’s grown up and although a little mysterious, there is nothing bad about this all-around good guy. Alex has to work through his own personal baggage before he and Ricky-Lee can begin to pick up the pieces of their friendship and make something more.

The story itself is fun and there is true chemistry between the two characters. However, I’m not totally happy with the development of the characters, or lack thereof, throughout the story. This is a book for those that want to read an easy romance of rekindling a lost love, and all of it taking place at a school reunion.

Redeeming the Stepbrother by Andrew Grey ~ Audio Review

Title: Redeeming the Stepbrother

Series: Tales from St Giles 02

Author: Andrew Grey

Narrator: Jack Wesley

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 5 hrs, 57 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (10th April 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Family can be a blessing and a curse, but for artist Florian, it’s a nightmare he longs to escape.

As chief designer for Bartholomew Porcelain Studio, Florian specializes in painting birds. He also watches them in the wild to distract himself from his short-tempered mother, at least tempo-rarily. Florian’s heart is too soft to leave his stepsister, Ella, to suffer alone. Still, he can’t help dreaming about one day finding happiness and love.

When Count Dieter von Hollenbach arrives in town to visit a friend and present an award, he isn’t looking for romance. Then again, he doesn’t expect someone as perfect as Florian to come into his life. To make sure Florian is all he seems and that their connection is genuine, Dieter keeps his title to himself.

But he isn’t the only one with a secret.

At a masquerade ball to celebrate the award, some of the masks fall away, but those that remain in place could destroy the love beginning to grow between them.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Redeeming the Stepbrother is the second book in Andrew Grey’s Tales from St Giles series. Andrew Grey is up there is as one of favourite authors, I always connect with his stories and his characters, and I love the depth and complexity he gives to his MCs. This is, for the most part, based partially of the classic tale of Cinderella. I love books that are either inspired by or are simply a modern MM retelling of the classic fairy tales. Here, Grey only takes elements of the old tale and crafts the lives of people in an idyllic, sleepy town which is dependent on the Bartholomew family porcelain business to hire a great deal of the locals.

The story is the romance between Florian Cinderson and Count Dieter von Hollenbach. Dieter keeps his title a secret for much of the story, and with the last name Cinderson and a stepsister called Ella, it’s clear that Florian is the character to have elements of Cinderella injected into his story.

Florian tends to share the Cinderella story with Ella. Ella is the one that is treated as a slave by her stepmother. Florian misses his deceased stepfather a lot, the man was an important role model for him, but the only reason he sticks around is because his mother and brother can be fairly horrible people. He loves his sister to bits and will do anything to protect her. It’s a complicated story to unpack, but that is why you need to read the book and I won’t make any potentially spoilery comments.

Dieter on the other hand Mr tall, dark, handsome and mysterious. He feels an instant attraction to Florian, the main reason why he was in town anyway. It was because of Florian’s artwork that the Bartholomew porcelain works were honored with a very important prize. Dieter has a complicated family as well, although his are not intrusive like Florian’s. Quite simply, in finding love Dieter begins to find peace with his past as he realizes the depths of what he feels and the importance of Florian in his life. The main hurdle these guys have to deal with in the end is the fact that they live and work in two different countries on two different continents.

The narrator of the audio is Jack Wesley, a new narrator for me, as I have only heard his performance of both Tales from St Giles stories. He does a good job and lifts the story and characters so much so that I found that I enjoyed the audio of this book more than I did reading the book. I particularly liked his performance of Florian. Although he also did a pretty good job with Dieter, I felt the accent he used was a little shaky but after a bit I got used to it and let it slide.

I really adore both books in this series so far, I love the fairy-tale element. I’ve loved reading these books and listening to the audios. I sincerely hope that there are more Tales from St Giles to come in the future.

Two of A Kind by B.A. Tortuga Audio Review

Title: Two of A Kind

Series: Dreamspun Desires 65

Author: B.A. Tortuga

Narrator: John Solo

Genre: Contemporary, Cowboys

Length: 6 hrs

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (21st February 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Working on a full house.

Once upon a time, Trey Williamson and Ap McIntosh had quite the whirlwind romance – but that was before family tragedy left them the guardians of five kids. Their lives have changed quite a bit over the last six years, but Ap is still on the rodeo circuit, doing what he does best in an at-tempt to feed all those extra mouths.

That leaves Trey back on the ranch, isolated and overworked as the kids’ sole caregiver. Some-thing has to give, and when Ap comes home, they’re reminded how hot they burned once upon a time. But is it a love that can withstand wrangling over time, money, and the future? They have to decide what kind of family they want to be…and whether what they share can stand the test of time.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Two of A Kind is a wonderfully, sexy cowboy romance with a cast of crazy kids by BA Tortuga, for Dreamspun Desires. I love BA Tortuga’s stories, especially the cowboy ones. Because seriously, a story about a hot but flawed cowboy is just wonderful. Tortuga, for the most part, does justice to a story with at least one cute kid in addition to the cowboys. I love it!

I read the book of this when it came out and absolutely adored it from start to finish. So I was looking forward to killing some time during my commute listening to it all over again. On top of that, I was looking forward to the narration of John Solo, who did not disappoint. It feels like its been ages since I’ve heard Solo’s work. His voice lent added so much depth to the story, I loved it.

Trey Williamson and Ap MacIntosh met years ago when Trey’s sister and Ap’s brother got married and then proceeded to have five kids. They are both quite young – in their late twenties – and so six years ago when tragedy struck and Trey and Ap became the guardians to their nephews and nieces they were just at the start of their own adult lives. Trey had been saving to go to college and Ap had been on the road competing rodeos since he was approximately sixteen. While their siblings had been alive the two men had shared a couple of special moments but could never explore a serious relationship once they became the guardians to the kids. Trey stayed behind on the small ranch looking after the kids day in and day out, while Ap stayed on the rodeo circuit making money to raise the kids. In fact, Ap leaves very little money for himself, leaving it all for the kids.

However, after six years Trey is burning out. Six kids between the ages of six and sixteen takes a lot of energy and he has basically been a single parent the entire time. So Ap has to come back and be more than the uncle who rings up while on the circuit and go back to visit for special occasions. Ap learns some important home truths as he finds out just what Trey sacrificed to raise the kids and work his exhausting schedule. And so years after they had started to explore an intimate relationship, they are finally together under the same roof and no longer just passing ships in the night.

There was a lot of emotion and while I felt a bit of resentment at Ap for never trying to be more than the bread winner and the cool uncle who drops in every now and again, I really did like Ap and liked how his character matured.

Everyone who loves a good cowboy romance will be entertained by this one!

The Best Worst Honeymoon by Andrew Grey ~ Audio Review

Title: The Best Worst Honeymoon

Series: Dreamspun Desires 60

Author: Andrew Grey

Narrator: John Solo

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 5 hrs, 49 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (15th January 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: How can heartbreak turn into happily ever after?

Tommy Gordon is all set for happily ever after – until heartbreak strikes when his husband-to-be leaves him at the altar. In a bid for distraction, his best friend, Grayson Phillips, suggests he takes advantage of the luxury honeymoon anyway! But the last thing Tommy wants is to go alone, so he invites Grayson and his son, Petey, along.

Beautiful Bonaire lends itself to romance, and along with close quarters, relaxing on the water, and a matchmaking kid, Tommy and Grayson soon find themselves closer than ever…and con-sidering more, much to Grayson’s delight. But before they can plan the best best honeymoon ever, dark clouds descend in the form of Tommy’s ex and a sting from paradise that could ruin everything.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: The Best Worst Honeymoon is written by Andrew Grey for Dreamspun Desires.

I make it no secret that Andrew Grey is one of my all-time favorite authors and he is an automatic read for me. However, while The Best Worst Honeymoon Ever is not up there with my favorite books, it is a fun book. The story is quite simple really. The book itself is also well paced with solid character development.

Although the narration, which was completely wonderful, by John Solo really lifted the entire story and made it more enjoyable. It almost feels as though his voice added credibility to the story, he really nailed the voice of the MC’s, Tommy and Grayson, and the little boy, Petey.

The book opens with Tommy Gordon nervous for his wedding, but is bolstered by the presence of his best man and best friend, Grayson Philips, and Grayson’s incorrigible son, Petey. Then immediately Tommy’s world is crashing down around him when he is jilted by his fiancé. When Tommy plans to cancel his tropical honeymoon, Grayson convinces Tommy to go and have fun. Which leads to Grayson and Petey tagging along to the tropical island.

This is a fun and sexy story that turns friends to lovers, which has the family friendly element with the addition of the precocious Petey, who is more than happy for his dad to get with Uncle Tommy so that he can keep Uncle Tommy for real. Seriously, cute and sneaky kid. Petey also is a highlight when Tommy gathers the courage to properly face his ex that the three of can have a chance to become a family.

For fans of Andrew Grey and the Dreamspinner Press house line, Dreamspun Desire this is one to add to your list as, at least for me, it is everything that I expect from both.

Love You So Special by Tara Lain ~ Audio Review

Title: Love You So Special

Series: Love You So 03

Author: Tara Lain

Narrator: Ry Forest

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 5 hrs, 18 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (24th January 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Can a man’s secret yearnings be revealed in a tank full of fish?

Artie Haynes knows he’s nothing special, with just-your-regular-brown hair, a solid plumber’s job, not much education, and a family that can barely get off the couch. But Artie has quirks – like his love of tropical fish, a landlord who’s a professor of existentialism, a passion for the amazing piano music he hears at a concert hall while he’s fixing the bathrooms – and the fact that he’s never come out as gay and probably never will. But when he’s hired to build a guesthouse for the pianist whose music enchanted him, Artie is swept up into an unimaginable world.

François Desmarais may be famous, rich, and revered as one of the world’s great classical com-posers and pianists, but he’s soothed and challenged by the inquisitive, stalwart, protective man in his back yard. When François’ terrible fear of crowds turns into a dangerous plot, Artie can stay in the closet or prove just how special he is.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Love You So Special is the third book in Tara Lain’s Love You So series. Each book is about a different couple and while the previous characters pop up briefly or mentioned in passing these are standalone stories, completely independent from each other. The one thing that is common between the books in this series is that one main character has either a health condition (epilepsy in book 2) or mental health issues (self esteem issues in book 1 and anxiety in book 3). I haven’t read (or heard) a lot of Tara Lain books but I have loved this series, I’ve loved how the stories have flowed, the sweetness and the love needed to help the MCs heal.

Ry Forest has done an exceptional job narrating this series too. I’ve never heard him perform before I listened to these audios. His softly spoken voice is perfect for capturing the tone and emotion of the MCs as they grow and learn about love, ultimately accepting love in their lives.

In this final instalment we meet Artie Haynes, who is a plumber. He comes from a blue-collar family, using to not having enough money and used to being told that he is nothing special. However, it is clear from the start that Artie is very special and he is as smart as a whip, his biggest problem is that his talents were never nurtured at school. Working at a theatre which is undergoing major repairs, he is drawn by the music of the performers, especially a piano player who disappeared as fast as they appeared.

Artie’s job takes him to the home of the Desmarais family, a mother with her grown son. Francois has crippling anxiety, which is probably made worse by the fact that he is one of the most sought after classical concert pianists. His mother is his manager, organising tours and appearances. Unfortunately, Francois does like the continual performances and his mother is bull-headed when it comes to her son’s career. A chance meeting with the plumber who is fixing up the guest house on his mother’s property where Francois intends to live leads both men on a journey of discovery – about themselves and each other. Things take a dangerous turn when it seems that Francois is in danger from a stalkerish fan.

This is a fast paced romance that manages to stay sweet between all the danger. There is a touch of angst as Francois faces his anxieties and gets the courage to be himself and discover love for the first time.

A Fool and His Manny by Amy Lane ~ Audio Review

Title: A Fool and His Manny

Series: The Mannies 04 / Dreamspun Desires 62

Author: Amy Lane

Narrator: Kenneth Obi

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 6 hrs, 18 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (6th December 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Seeing the truth and falling in love.

Dustin Robbins-Grayson was a surly adolescent when Quinlan Gregory started the nanny gig. After a rocky start, he grew into Quinlan’s friend and confidant—and a damned sexy man.

At twenty-one, Dusty sees how Quinlan sacrificed his own life and desires to care for Dusty’s family. He’s ready to claim Quinlan—he’s never met a kinder, more capable, more lovable man. Or a lonelier one. Quinlan has spent his life as the stranger on the edge of the photograph, but Dusty wants Quinlan to be the center of his world. First he has to convince Quinlan he’s an adult, their love is real, and Quinlan can be more than a friend and caregiver. Can he show Quin that he deserves to be both a man and a lover, and that in Dusty’s eyes, he’s never been “just the manny?”

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: A Fool and his Manny is the fourth book in Amy Lane’s, The Mannies. I have adored every book in this series, so much so that I’ve both read the books and listened to the audio. It is just so super sweet, there is so much love and a crazy, whacky family supporting all the MCs.

It is also the last book in the series, so it’s kind of a butter sweet ending with all the happy couples and seeing the Robbins family and their associated branches grow over about twenty years. This is the second book in the series that goes onto the next generation of the people that are somehow apart of the Robbins family.

This is the story of the oldest Robbins-Grayson, Dustin. His father knocked up his mother, in book one (the hero’s, Tino, best friend and sister) and way before his parents had a bajillion kids. Now Dustin is all grown up and attracted to Quinlan Gregory, the man we met in book 3, a trumpet player and friend of Sammy (Dustin’s cousin) who was taken in and hired by Dustin’s parents to be a manny for their herd of kids. Dustin was a teen by book 3, he isn’t that much younger than Quinlan, so I assure you, it really isn’t as weird as it sounds. This is a relatively low angst book, my favorite kind, and Dustin and Quinlan make a totally cute couple.

I really enjoyed seeing this side of Dustin. He was always a brat when we’ve seen him previously. Now he has grown up and matured into a young man. Quinlan was an ordinary college student and gifted musician when we first met him but there has always been an element of loneliness to him from the start. He is one of those characters that I felt strongly and looked forward to having his own HEA. It makes me ridiculously happy to say that. I love how Lane has developed all the characters over the four books. On a side note, I loved the conversation on the band bus involving Harry Potter and how the kids grew up from cute kids to good looking (yes, we’re talking about Neville Longbottom!).

Kenneth Obi is the narrator and does a wonderful job. Obi did not narrate the previous books in the series (John Solo was the narrator for books 1 and 2, and Peter B Brooke was the narrator of 3), I’m not sure if this was on purpose in terms of what the narrator could bring to the characters, or if it was just a matter of availability. Nonetheless, I’ve enjoyed many of Obi’s performances and this was no exception. He added a depth to the characters with his tone that meant I could feel when the high emotional times popped up.

This is a must read for anyone who has been following the series. I’ve tried to be concise with my description but as you can probably tell, there is a lot of background, hence my recommendation. For those that haven’t read the series, I recommend reading it in order because this is a proper family saga that spans approximately 22 years. If you love a sweet story with a HEA and low angst this is the book for you, especially if you’re a sucker hot guys working with kids.

The Color Of Summer by Anna Martin Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Anna Martin - The Color Of Summer RTBANNER-34

Hi guys! We have Anna Martin popping in today with the tour for her new release The Color Of Summer, we have a great new excerpt and a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for our review coming soon!

The Color of Summer

Anna Martin

Tattoo artist Max Marshall rushes into his hometown of Sweetwater, West Virginia—and is promptly pulled over for speeding. Max’s luck isn’t all bad, though, because he recognizes the deputy, Tyler Reed, Max’s childhood best friend’s older brother.

Reconnecting with Tyler helps Max settle back in, and it also leads to attraction. But when he tries to explore that connection at the grand opening of his tattoo studio—by kissing Tyler—awkwardness ensues. Max wants more, but has he misread Tyler’s signals?

As a single father raising a six-year-old daughter, Tyler doesn’t have much time to date. He’s ignored his attraction to men for years, but he can’t stop thinking about the kiss he shared with Max. If he can handle the complications of dating in a small town and the possible consequences to his career, this romance could blossom with all the colors of summer.

.•.•.**❣️ Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK ❣️**.•.•.

Continue reading “The Color Of Summer by Anna Martin Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway!” →

Rocking the Cowboy by Skylar M. Cates ~ Audio Review

Title: Rocking the Cowboy

Series: Dreamspun Desires 64

Author: Skylar M. Cates

Narrator: Colin Darcy

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 7 hrs, 38 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (3rd January 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Opposites who go together like country and rock ’n’ roll.

Long before he was a superstar, Remy Sean had a secret crush on Jed Riley. But Jed sees Remy as a spoiled pop rocker and an extension of his father’s control. Still, Jed is willing to let Remy hide from the press on his ranch—but only as a way to get his father out of his life and business for good.

Used to being admired and fawned over, Remy keenly feels the sting of Jed’s dismissal. Can he make Jed see him as more than a pain in the ass? Or is Jed too tangled up in his ranch to see past his old hurt?

Jed doesn’t believe someone desired by so many fans could want him, a simple cowboy. But Remy is determined to change Jed’s mind and steal his heart….

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Rocking the Cowboy is a Dreamspun Desires line book by Skylar M Cates. I’ve read the book in ebook format and while it enjoyed it well enough, I had thought that perhaps hearing the audio would add another layer of interesting to the story.

I’ve read a handful Skylar M Cates books before – some I enjoyed and one I couldn’t finish. Ultimately, while this wasn’t the greatest book I’ve ever read, I really did enjoy this one. The romance was wonderful, the characters were relatable, the story was a lot of fun and most importantly the MCs had great chemistry.

In addition to that, the narration was good. Colin Darcy is a relatively new narrator to me. However, I feel that he did justice to this story, which is great because of its simplicity. His performance was great, despite the fact it didn’t really change my mind in calling this an excellent story, to a totally awesome story.

Rockstar Remy Sean has gone through a horrifying experience on stage where he almost got trapped by stampeding fans who broke through barriers to get onto stage. His agent, who personally is not a good man but ruthless in business, decides that Remy should go spend time at the family ranch which is ran by his son, Jed Riley. The problem is, Jed does not get along with his father at all.

Remy looks forward to this opportunity to heal from his mostly psychological scars. Years ago, when he had been sixteen, he had spent the summer at the ranch. Back when things were a lot better for the Riley family. This had been when Remy first met Jed, but he was certain that over the years he had a bad case of hero worship for Jed.

Jed makes a deal with his father for Remy to stay at the ranch in exchange for his father’s compliance. Jed will do anything to make his mother and sister happy and he has zero time for his a-hole father. What Jed didn’t expect, despite a bumpy start, was that he would have a true connection to Remy.

Fans of cowboy stories will not be disappointed, and if you like yourself a bit of a celebrity falling for an ordinary guy type of story then you’re in luck here too. Overall, a fun and enjoyable audio book.

Stetsons and Stakeouts by B.A. Tortuga

Title: Stetsons and Stakeouts

Author: B.A. Tortuga

Genre: Contemporary, Cowboys, Western, Action, Thriller

Length: Novel (292 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-64080-915-4

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (11 Dec 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Gianni Cesare is a DEA agent and rancher—who also happens to be a millionaire heir to an Italian count. Running a multiagency sting out of his East Texas ranch means he needs a new foreman… preferably someone a little wet behind the ears who won’t ask too many questions.

Gianni’s Aunt Jerilyn hires Bonner Fannin, a roughstock rider with zero ranch experience and a sister who’s pregnant with a violent biker’s twins. If that’s not bad enough, Bonner is pretending he and his sister are married to protect her and to help get him the job.

Gianni didn’t think Bonner was the marrying type during their torrid beach affair years ago, but he’s not sure if he has time to explore that thought now, as overrun as his ranch is with drug cartels, macho government agents, and local cops. Looks like Bonner and Gianni are both in over their heads, and they may have to band together during this adventure to swim rather than sink.

Purchase Link: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Stetsons and Stakeout is a standalone novel by BA Tortuga. Stetsons and Stakeouts is a little different to what I’ve read by the author in the past, though has the same basic elements that are familiar with their writing. It’s a real fun cop adventure, action type of story, with a good dash of danger and a real sweet (and sexy romance). All around it’s a totally enjoyable read. It is also everything that I would expect from BA Tortuga, whose books I now absolutely adore and class them as a must read. I find that I really connect with Tortuga’s writing style (I don’t think I did at first, but I definitely do now), and I love the chemistry created between the characters and their depth.

Stetsons and Stakeouts is the story of Gianni Cesare and Bonner Fannin. The two men are complete opposites of each other, but at the same time they are completely perfect together, their chemistry on the page was fantastic. Gianni has a bit of an interesting CV: DEA agent, rancher, millionaire as well as son and heir to an Italian count. He uses his background as an Italian to his advantage when it comes to his work, although he is quite firmly an American who just happened to grow up in Italy. He also owns his mother’s share in the family’s ranch, where his aunt who owns the other half, lives. Gianni loves his zia and the ranch, however, work has kept him away. Until now, a big case involving drugs from Mexico, biker gangs and the like (it’s always drugs and weapons in books) takes him back to the land. On the land we also get to meet two of Gianni’s childhood friends, the town sheriff and an ex-military man who was injured in the service, who quickly come to help Gianni in the big case.

Gianni also meets Bonner. Bonner is essentially in hiding with his little sister, a nineteen year old young woman who is pregnant with twins and needs to get away from the baby daddy. Bonner is hired by Gianni’s aunt and when the two men meet, the sparks begin to fly instantly. However, as their worlds collide danger comes to both men and their families, as Gianni and his people try to unravel and solve the case.

I really enjoyed this story, the MCs are wonderful and work well together, but I also really enjoyed the minor characters that all had their role to play in Gianni’s mission. I really do hope that we get to hear from Gianni’s two best friends, or even one or two of his co-workers, because the glimpse I got of these characters was wonderful and has me curious, wanting to know more about these guys.

A Full Plate by Kim Fielding ~ Audio Review

Title: A Full Plate

Series: Dreamspun Desires 56

Author: Kim Fielding

Narrator: Kenneth Obi

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 5 hrs, 19 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (5th June 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Opposites come together for a spicy surprise.

Bradford “Tully” Tolliver has everything—money, a great car, a beautiful condo, and a promising career as one of Portland’s hottest young lawyers. Sure, he puts in long hours and has no social life to speak of, but who needs romance when corporations pay top dollar for his expertise? He hesitates when a colleague asks if her cousin can live with him, but the arrangement will last less than a year, and then the cousin—Sage Filling—will return to his tiny hometown.

But Sage is handsome and intriguing, and his cooking makes Tully swoon. Sage has obligations back home, though, and Tully has offers he might not refuse from a persistent—and very wealthy—ex. Since Tully and Sage each have a full plate, can they make room for a side of love?

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: A Full Plate is a novel by Kim Fielding from the Dreamspun Desires line. I’ve read this book in the past and have enjoyed it, I love the ease of the audio format for my commute and so enjoy listening to books that I’ve read and liked in the past.

I’m also always curious because sometimes narration can help me enjoy the story more. This story was excellently narrated by Kenneth Obi, a narrator I’ve become more familiar with in the past 6 or so months and I’ve never had an issue with his narration. I really enjoyed the he gave to the characters and the tone used throughout the book. It worked well. I think the only reason why his narration didn’t allow me to enjoy the story so much more than when I read it is probably because I felt that the story was a tad slow in the middle leading up to when the characters get their butts into action. Not to say that this was a bad story, because obviously, I don’t think that at all.

The story is about high-power lawyer Bradford Tolliver, better known as Tully to his friends, and Sage Filling, the cousin of one of Tully’s friends. At first it seems like these guys are complete opposites. Tully is a well-educated city boy, whereas Sage is a country boy who had spent so much time and energy running his family’s diner in his home town. Sage needs to make money and he can’t do it at the old diner anymore, so he’s in the city where he is a line cook at a greasy burger joint. Sage also happens to be a cooking prodigy; his only problem is that he doesn’t have the fancy education to be much more than a line cook anywhere. Tully takes Sage in as a roommate, in exchange for his room and board, Sage does all the cooking.

These guys don’t come together easily. Their road to each other is a little bumpy to say the least, mostly because Sage doesn’t want to start a relationship when he is only going to be in Portland for less than a year. Tully will take anything he can with Sage, even if he knows it will end in heartache. Regardless, these guys are clearly made for each other and their subtle romance is something that I cheered on. The most telling part was when their lives meshed together so easily and both men displayed some misplaced jealousy.

If you’re into a sweet romance between a country and a city boy this is the story for you. I enjoyed the lack of ego and these guys just being average guys trying to make their lives work.

Love You So Hard by Tara Lain ~ Audio Review

Title: Love You So Hard

Series: Love You So 01

Author: Tara Lain

Narrator: Ry Forest

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 2 hrs, 55 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (17th July 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Craig Elson’s life has hit rock bottom. Even though he’s one of the best strategic planners around, a more confident guy takes credit for his work, and despite being a good-looking man, he suffers insults from the slimiest creep at the bar. Taking care of his beloved mom, who has

Alzheimer’s, uses all his funds, leaving him in a plain, depressing car…and a plain, depressing life.
Until he sees gorgeous grad student Jesse Randall and his T-shirt that reads “I Would Bottom You So Hard”. The message seeps into Craig’s soul, and he asks Jesse to teach him to top.

Jesse’s had his eye on the quiet hottie who comes into the coffee shop, and he’s more than eager to perfect his tutoring. He sets out to get Craig a new job, a new apartment, and a new life so far outside plain and depressing that it’s unrecognizable. The problem is, Craig loves his les-sons – and his teacher – too much to want to graduate. How can Craig reach the top without los-ing his sassy bottom?

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Love You So Hard is the first book in Tara Lain’s Love You So, series. It is a really nice, relatively short audiobook that is totally sweet. I’ve enjoyed Tara Lain’s writing in the past, including the second book in this series. So it goes without saying, it’s OK to listen to this out of order, you don’t get any spoilers of what happened in book 2 about book 1 other than seeing the two guys together.

Craig Elson works hard. He prides himself on his work as a strategic planner and is expecting a big promotion at work. His mother is in a care home due to the Alzheimer’s taking her memories away from Craig. The highlight of his day is going to the coffee shop and seeing the hot guy who wears the shirt that says “I’d Bottom You So Hard”. But when his boss takes credit for his, gets the promotion that Craig was looking to get, Craig just hits a wall and decides to take a vacation to figure out his next step.

This is where Jesse steps in. Jesse, he’s writing his PhD thesis and teaching at the college and happens to be the guy who wears the shirt that intrigues Craig so much. It just so happens that he is as curious about Craig as Craig is about he. They get to talking and strike a deal – Jesse is going to become Craig’s tutor to help him get his life together and find a better job.

What I love about this the most is the simplicity of the story. What we get as the reader/listener is a beautiful romance as two men unwittingly get involved and transform each other’s lives.

The one thing I am going to whinge about, and it’s honestly nothing bad about the book or the narration, just the simple fact that I cannot stand how Americans pronounce Craig (i.e. “kreg” instead of “krayg”).

Fire and Flint by Andrew Grey ~ Audio Review

Title: Fire and Flint

Series: Carlisle Deputies 01

Author: Andrew Grey

Narrator: Greg Tremblay

Genre: Contemporary, Men in Uniform

Length: 6 hrs, 8 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (12th June 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Jordan Erichsohn suspects something is rotten about his boss, Judge Crawford. Unfortunately, he has nowhere to turn and doubts anyone will believe his claims – least of all the handsome deputy, Pierre Ravelle, who has been assigned to protect the judge after he received threaten-ing letters. The judge has a long reach, and if he finds out Jordan’s turned on him, he might im-pede Jordan adopting his son, Jeremiah.

When Jordan can no longer stay silent, he gathers his courage and tells Pierre what he knows. To his surprise and relief, Pierre believes him, and Jordan finds an ally…and maybe more.

Pierre vows to do what it takes to protect Jordan and Jeremiah and see justice done. He’s willing to fight for the man he’s growing to love and the family he’s starting to think of as his own. But Crawford is a powerful and dangerous enemy, and he’s not above ripping apart everything Jor-dan and Pierre are trying to build in order to save himself….

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: I love almost anything written by Andrew Grey. The man has a way with words and romance that I absolutely love. So, I’m not going to spend time gushing over how much I love his characters and how well they develop over the course of the book, and the chemistry, the sexual tension between the MCs. He also does wonderful stories with kids, who don’t steal the show but are often as sweet and as lovable as their fathers. I basically love everything.

Greg Tremblay performs the audio for this book. I know his narration from other Andrew Grey audios, particularly from the Senses series. In this book, his voice is absolutely perfect for tone and suspense in the stories, as well as providing the perfect tone for the individual characters.

Fire and Flint is the story of Carlisle Deputy, Pierre Revelle, and Jordan Erichsohn, the assistant to Judge Crawford. The judge has been receiving some threatening letters lately which is what brings the two men together. Jordan, finds it difficult to trust the deputy and scared to do anything that could jeopardise his adoption of a sweet little boy who needs love and parent. The situation is dangerous because Jordan is sure, or at least suspects, that there is something crooked with this boss. Pierre is instantly attracted to Jordan, but he is a professional and he is intent on finding out what the hell is happening. Love comes organically as Jordan helps Pierre try to discover the truth of who and why the judge is being threatened.

Fire and Flint is a fast paced suspense, romance. This is good for people that love a good romance where the sexy cop comes riding in like a knight in shining armour and a strong lawyer who has so much love to give. They aren’t a conventional family but their chemistry together is perfect.

Fractured by Mickie B Ashling Retro Review

Title: Fractured

Series: Bay Area Professionals 03

Author: Mickie B Ashling

Genre: Contemporary, BDSM

Length: Novel (216 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-62798-782-0

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (24 March 2014)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Roque “Ro” Celdran dreams of a better life, far away from the hand-to-mouth existence of his migrant worker family. He moves to San Francisco to study Landscape Design but finds himself short of cash. Tony, Ro’s identical twin, comes up with a plan to help Ro make ends meet. The BDSM club Tony frequents is looking for gay men to act as submissives to the Dommes-in-training. Ro reluctantly takes the job and falls headfirst into a world he neither understands nor desires.

Lance Roberts is the new doctor at the dental practice started by Scott Gregory and Robin Kennedy. On the surface, he seems to have it all: the Mensa IQ, blond and blue-eyed good looks, and the determination to make it in his competitive field. Underneath lies a frustrated Dom in search of the perfect sub who can handle his obsessive behavior and debilitating need for control.

When Ro ends up in Lance’s dental chair, the last thing either one expects is a physical and mental connection. Ro’s attraction to “White Bread” never pans out, and Lance’s weakness for Latinos always leads to a dead end. Could this time be different? What happens between the two alphas leads to a lot of soul-searching and some surprising conclusions.

Purchase Link: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Fractured is the third book in Mickie B Ashling’s Bay Area Professionals series. While this is the third book in the series, you can easily read this as a standalone as there are only brief appearances of the founding (if you will) characters of the series, Scott and Robin, as Lance is the new doctor in their practice. However, if you tried to read book 2 as a standalone, the word impossible comes to mind.

Although I’ve been enjoying this series, I can’t say if I am completely sold of Ashling’s writing to put them into my authors I must read list. Yet in saying that, I’m really impressed with how well the author deals with what could be classed as taboo, or even progressive, storylines that heavily involve some form of kink. I find these types of books hit and miss, but I am really impressed by how Ashling tells the story with an edgy twist, but also manages to move the story along quick enough that I didn’t get bored. I personally don’t like long sex scenes in books, because romance isn’t all about smut, and Ashling nailed this (pun intended) really well.

The story is about Roque, aka Ro, and Lance. As I just said, Lance is the new doctor at a surgery set up by a dental surgeon and dental hygienist who live the BDSM lifestyle, except at work. Lance is also a Dom, he needs the perfect sub that can match his need to dominate and control, but so far he’s been very unlucky in love.

Ro is a man of many dreams, he wants an easier life, away from his family and wants to study landscape design, but since he’s short of cash, his twin brother produces the answer. There’s a BDSM club which needs a submissive, gay male to perform scenes with the training Doms. He enters the BDSM world reticent but desperate, not expecting to find what he needs.

It is at the dental surgery where Lance and Ro meet. The sparks fly but both guys have been unlucky going after the type of man that they see in each other. These guys are extremely complicated characters and part of what can make these books hard to read is that Ashling delves deep into the minds of the MC as you go along. The character development is spectacular. Likewise, the secondary characters are also amazing. These guys are complicated but they have good people in their lives to help them along the way.

I recommend this one to those that first, love BDSM, but also have a touch of angst tied within a pretty complex and deep storyline.

Eye of the Dragon by B.A. Tortuga

Title: Eye of the Dragon

Series: Wildcatters 02

Author: B.A. Tortuga

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella (142 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-64080-813-3

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (10 May 2019)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖 2.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Graduate student Cameron is on the trail of an ancient Chinese artifact, a ruby with a history. When he meets adventurer Poe in Mexico, he spills the beans on his quest, and Poe sees dollar signs as well as the hottest professor he’s ever met.

They head off to the salt flats and mountains of Utah, searching for a lost wagon train from the eighteen hundreds. What they find is danger beyond normal comprehension and a stone that drives men to insanity.

Soon Poe’s only concern is saving Cam, but to do that, he’ll need help from some old friends and a few new ones. When it becomes too late to turn away from their quest, Poe and Cam put themselves and their friends in deadly peril. It will take every bit of their talents and courage to make it through and survive the Dragon’s Eye.

Second Edition
First Edition published by Torquere Press, June 2008.

Purchase Link: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: I kind of knew what I was in for when I started Eye of the Dragon, although I wasn’t entirely happy about it, but I had already read book one in BA Tortuga’s Wildcatters series and silly me cannot handle not finishing a series. In saying that, I certainly had no surprises, so I found it easier to read. Eye of the Dragon is the sequel to Oil and Water, first publish in 2008 by Torquere press and second edition published by Dreamspinner in 2019.

However, the only disappointing thing is that this is in complete contrast to how much I’ve come to love BA Tortuga’s writing over the past year. I had already had the sneaking suspicion that I had tried reading Tortuga’s work about 10 years ago through Torquere Press, but I never got the spark of love which I get now from the author. I have now come to the conclusion that, quite simply, I don’t connect with Tortuga’s earlier work, and so I will leave it at that.

The story is a wild ride with tons of sex. I’m going to put in on front street, if you like a tonne of sex in your romances, this will probably appeal to you more than it does to me. For this reason I don’t feel comfortable going too deep into the plot because there feels like there is more sex than substance. I feel that there was never really any real context to the random sex scenes and it broke up the book too much for me. But the plot is fun, reading the blurb it made me think of a modern day, gay Indiana Jones type of thing. Cameron is a grad student who is out to get some life experience, and he finds it when he meets Poe (we met him briefly in book 1) in Mexico. The adventure is Poe and Cameron trying to find the relic known as the Eye of the Dragon. The guys together make a great couple and there really is a great spark between them, I just felt that it was lost along the way.

This review really pains me because of my recent love for Tortuga’s contemporary cowboy romances, but that’s just how it is.

Romancing the Undercover Millionaire by Clare London ~ Audio Review

Title: Romancing the Undercover Millionaire

Series: Romancing the… 03 / Dreamspun Desires 71

Author: Clare London

Narrator: Seb Yarick

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 7 hrs, 9 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (14th February 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Can poverty and privilege find a loving compromise?

Alexandre Bonfils, a rich and spoiled second son, is tired of being ignored and decides to help when the family’s exclusive wine business is in trouble. Going undercover in the warehouse, he loves the adventure – and the chance to be close to the sassy and sexy manager, Tate Somer-ton.

Tate is hardworking and financially struggling, bringing up his siblings on his own. A suspected saboteur at work is his latest challenge, but now he also has a clueless, though very attractive, new intern. There’s an immediate spark between the ill-matched couple, until a shocking acci-dent cuts short Alex’s amateur sleuthing.

While recovering in the generous care of Tate and his family, will Alex realize what belonging really means? Passion and pride come together to fight for the company they’re both committed to preserving, but can a personal bond remain when the dust settles?

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Romancing the Undercover Millionaire is the third book in Clare London’s Romancing The… series. I really like Clare London’s writing and this book, in fact the series, has not been an exception. All the books in the series are standalone, with no linking characters, so there’s no need to worry if you’ve not read the previous books. This series is really just sweet romances between men of completely different walks of life. This book is for the people that love the sweet romances, where Prince Charming comes in and saves the day.

The narration by Seb Yarick is quite good too, although the accents didn’t seem right throughout the book being that none of these are my native accents after a while it didn’t bother me at all. Instead the strength in his tone used for the millionaire in the book, Alexandre Bonfils, is perfect. Alex is something of an entitled guy who learns about what it’s like to be a person without the privilege and trappings that comes with absurd wealth. He also nails a great, soft spoken tone for the other MC, Tate.

With Alex being a millionaire, the ne’er do well son of the head of major international company, Tate really is his exact opposite, he’s the son of a factory worker who has become the warehouse manager for the Bonfils’ company. For Alex, after a show down with his father, Alex decides (with a bit of help) to show his family that he isn’t useless. But to do that he goes undercover in the company warehouse to track down some suspicious “accidents” that keep happening as the company approaches the release of a new wine that could win them one of the most prestigious awards in Europe. This is how he meets Tate, the warehouse manager. Tate has a few niggling feelings about Alex (who is definitely not going by the name Bonfils and has now dyed his blonde hair black). As they get to know each other, the suspicious activity begins to increase. Tate rejects his concerns over Alex when Alex is injured. When Tate insists on inviting Alex to stay with his family, the two men become closer and suddenly for Alex everything becomes more and more complicated when feelings become involved. However, all that Alex wants to do is figure what the hell is going on and who is trying to sabotage his family’s company.

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Take The Edge Off

T.A. Moore

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The Player’s Protégé

CJane Elliott

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The Color of Summer

Anna Martin

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