Owen Meade is desperately in need of a hero. Raised by a mother who made him ashamed of his stutter, his sexual orientation, and his congenitally amputated arm, Owen lives like a hermit in his Tucker Springs apartment. But then hunky veterinarian Nick Reynolds moves in downstairs.
Nick is sexy and confident, and makes Owen comfortable with himself in a way nobody ever has. He also introduces Owen to his firecracker of a little sister, who was born with a similar congenital amputation but never let it stand in her way. When she signs the two of them up for piano lessons – and insists that they play together in a recital – Owen can’t find a way to say no. Especially since it gives him a good excuse to spend more time with Nick.
Owen knows he’s falling hard for his neighbor, but every time he gets close, Nick inexplicably pulls away. Battling his mother’s scorn and Nick’s secrets, Owen soon realizes that instead of waiting for a hero, it’s time to be one – for himself and for Nick.
Review: I don’t know where to start so I think I will go with AMAZING! That pretty much sums up the characters, the story, and the narration.
Own has been infatuated with his neighbor since he moved to Tucker Springs. When she suddenly moves he is hurt but more that he no longer gets to hear the piano that soothed him nightly. Owen has one arm due to a birth defect and a mother that left him with no confidence so he works from home and is a hermit. When Nick moves in below him and isn’t put off by his arm his life begins to change. Nick introduces him to his sister who also has the same birth defect but the opposite arm and she handles it the opposite as Owen.
Nick also has a secret that makes him keep men at a distance and won’t give into a relationship, but he finds Owen hard to resist.
This is such a lovely story of two men each with his own issue that seriously affects his life. I adored Nick and was so glad to finally get his story. It was better than I hoped for. The story has a lot of angst, some sad moments but I loved the ending. It’s the first in a while that left me laughing.
I listened to this on Audio instead of reading.
I adore Iggy Tomas narrations. He is good at bringing characters to life but even more so at bringing a story to life. I love his soothing voice and could listen to it for hours. Well, I guess I do!
If you like stories about broken men, a few surprises, unlikely heroes and an allover great romance I highly recommend this book.
If you haven’t read or listened to any of the other Tucker Springs books don’t worry each stands alone but I highly recommend them all.
Blurb: Opposites attract, but heaven help these two.
Tattoo artist Seth Wheeler thinks he’s struck gold when Darren Romero rents the apartment across the hall. The new guy is gorgeous, witty, and single, plus he’s just the right blend of bold and flirtatious. Perfect.
Except then Darren reveals that he moved to Tucker Springs to take a job as the youth pastor at the New Light Church. Seth is not only an atheist, but was thrown out by his ultra-religious family when he came out. He tends to avoid believers, not out of judgment but out of self-preservation.
But Darren doesn’t give up easily, and he steadily chips away at Seth’s defenses. Darren is everything Seth wants in a man…except for that one massive detail he just can’t overlook. Is Darren’s religion the real problem, or is it just a convenient smoke screen to keep him from facing deeper fears? It’s either see the light, or risk pushing Darren away forever.
This is a book four of the series but stands alone perfectly. Each book is a standalone set in Tucker Springs.
Seth is a tattoo artist has been single for several years and is an Atheist. He lives above his tattoo shop.
Darren is a minister that moved from Oklahoma across from Seth. Sparks fly immediately between the two men, but Seth has a very hard time dealing with his attraction to Darren. Partially because Darren is a minister which could cause all sorts of issues since ministers don’t do casual sex. Seth doesn’t do relationships and the biggest thing is the religious issue. But Darren is unlike any other minister or man he has met.
I have been eagerly awaiting Seth’s story and was not disappointed. Who would be a better match for the Atheist Seth than a minister? I loved both Darren and Seth. I loved the dynamics of their relationship. My only issue with the story is that they kept going back and forth over the same issues. I wish there had been a bit more to the story, just a little more action.
Charlie David did a good job telling the story. he showed great excitement and I loved how he conveyed Seth’s inner conflict. I do wish he had changed the voices of Seth and Darren a bit more. However, the story is written well enough and he narrates well enough you could follow along quite well.
If you like ministers, tattoo artists, good contemporary romance and some fairly hot man-sex you should love this. I also highly recommend this entire series.
Tams’ Review: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
E-book review April 2013
LA Witt is an author whose work I will grab regardless, I have yet to read a book by this author that I did not like. Witt has a keen eye for details and possess the ability to transform the reader directly into her world. Likeable characters, realistic situations and some of the steamiest sex scenes I’ve ever read!
For those of you that read book 1 in this series, Where Nerves End, you will immediately recognize Seth. The openly gay, laid back tattoo artist hasn’t always had an easy life. Shunned by his fanatical family when he came out to them in college, he had to learn to make his own way in life quickly when all communication and funding for college were abruptly cut off. He has a good life now with a good job, an apartment and a fantastic close knit group of friends.
When sex on a stick Darren moves into the apartment across the hall, the animalistic attraction between the two is instantaneous. Darren wastes no time getting Seth into his bed. When Seth learns that Darren is a minister he immediately withdraws from him. The pain of his past hasn’t faded and he subconsciously groups Darren in the same class with his family. But he can’t stop thinking about the minister with his dark hair and eyes and a dry, witty sense of humor that makes Seth laugh.
Seth tries very hard not to want Darren, but the fact that the two of them can’t be around each other for very long without ending up in bed doesn’t help his flimsy resistance. Unlike Seth, Darren knows exactly what he wants and what he wants is Seth. When Darren approaches the subject of taking their relationship beyond just the bedroom, Seth’s self-preservation mode kicks in. Will the harsh words he says create a rift between the pair that can’t be undone? Or will Darren forgive the man he’s fallen in love with, the man that’s also fallen in love with him, but won’t admit it, not even to himself.
The story flows effortlessly and before I knew it I was at the end. The characters are both flawed and carry some pretty serious baggage, but this only makes them more believable and likeable in the end. The sex is sensual, steamy and well conveyed by the author. This is a must read for any M/M fans.
Audio review May 2016
This story was already a favorite read of mine, now with Charlie David’s narration I love the story just that much more. David is not so much a narrator as a story teller. His changes in tone, nuance and inflection are slight from one character to the next, but he still does a great job of making sure the reader/listener is aware of whose voice they are hearing. Listening to Seth and Darren’s story actually brought things to the forefront that I missed when I read the book. The struggle Seth had with his attraction to Darren coupled with his disdain for Darren’s profession had more impact when I was listening to their conversations. As I stated 3 years ago after reading the book, these guys are inexplicably drawn to each other to spite their differences, both having some baggage that they automatically bring into the relationship. It’s Seth that really has to examine who he is and who he wants to be before the two of them can make a go at it.
Definitely worth the read or the listen, both even. I think that you will get something different from each version as I did, and both are well worth your time. A passionate love story about how opposites not only attract, they can make it work.
Blurb: The course of true love doesn’t always run clean. But sometimes getting dirty is half the fun.
Entomology grad student Adam Ellery meets Denver Rogers, a muscle-bound hunk of sexy, when Denver effortlessly dispatches the drunken frat boys harassing Adam at the Tucker Springs laundromat. Thanking him turns into flirting, and then, much to Adam’s delight, hot sex over the laundry table.
Though Denver’s job as a bouncer at a gay bar means he gets his pick of geek-sexy college twinks, he can’t get Adam out of his head. Adam seems to need the same rough play Denver does, and it’s damn hard to say no to such a perfect fit.
Trouble is, Adam isn’t just shy: he has obsessive compulsive disorder and clinical anxiety, conditions which have ruined past relationships. And while Denver might be able to bench-press a pile of grad students, he comes from a history of abuse and is terrified of getting his GED. Neither Denver nor Adam want to face their dirty laundry, but to stay together, they’re going to have to come clean.
Review: Dirty Laundry is the third book in the Tucker Springs series though these books stand alone.
In Dirty Laundry we get Denver’s story. He goes one night to do laundry when a bunch of Frat boys are picking on another young man, he breaks it up and he and Adam enjoy a hot round of sex in the Laudro Rama.
Not a man for relationships he is shocked finding himself hoping this twink does call him.
Adam is a grad student studying bugs. He has recently moved out of the frat house after a break-up. He suffers OCD and is having a hard enough time living in a new apartment now he finds himself wanting to see Denver knowing once he finds out about his problems he will leave.
I love stories about broken men. I especially love it when both characters are broken. Denver though big and strong feels like a dummy because he can’t get his dream job because he can’t pass a test. Adam has OCD with panic attacks. I love how Heidi did such a good job getting both Adams OCD right, though every case is different. I was able to relate to him having OCD though mine is nothing like his. What I really liked was how she used BDSM to help Adam. The BDSM is not overboard and not the major focus of the story but the aid to help bring both Denver and Adam together. There is a strong plot and some hot man-sex.
I loved Iggy’s Thomas voice for Denver. He did such a good job with the cowboy twang. I was surprised since he has such a soft voice. I am still not sure I liked Adams voice, I think it was a bit over the top. But having said that there was a good distinction between the characters. As usual his narration is quite good. He can always draw me into a story.
If you love sexy cowboys and bouncers, sweet nerdy college students, a touch of BDSM, an allover good romance and some hot man-sex then you should like this.
Blurb: The toughest ride of his life is all in his head.
Bull rider Scott Gillard has a reputation for quick fists and harsh words. What no one knows is where that anger comes from. After a shocking incident sends him into a tailspin, he knows he needs help: he’s been fighting a battle he could never win. Now he’s trying to navigate a new life and embrace his true self, but some days are easier than others.
Pickup man Cory Ackerson has suffered his share of harassment, but his light still burns bright. He doesn’t let anything or anyone keep him down, so when he meets the rugged cowboy with a battered chip on his shoulder and regret in his dark eyes, all he wants to do is help.
As their unlikely friendship grows into something deeper, Scott must overcome his past to be the man Cory deserves, or lose his best chance at his own happily ever after.
Review: This book is part of a series and is best read/listened to in order.
Scott is struggling not only with his part in what happened to Tripp but his own sexuality. With the help of his dear friend and beard Brandy he has made some decisions. First: to confront Tripp and Marty. Tripp gets him to work in the LGBT rodeo circuit helping him train bull riders and to perhaps work back into getting ready to ride himself again after being out of the rodeo for over 2 years.
When Scott meets Cory, a sweet pickup man that battles harassment but still holds his own and never seems down. They develop a fast friendship. Scott soon feels more but isn’t quite ready to deal with it yet.
I have been waiting for Scott’s story. He was the man you loved to hate through the entire series so far. Now to see why he was so angry and full of hate was intriguing. I liked that there was so much going on here. I liked finding out why Scott had a thing against being gay and that he faced that as well as Tripp and Marty. I liked the slow burn between Scott and Cory and the friends to lovers plot.
Dorian Bane is a great choice of narrator for this series. He has a deep rustic voice for Scott, yet he was able to pull off Cory’s sweeter, softer voice as well. He makes it easy to follow all the characters and pulls you deep into the story.
If you like rodeos, pickup men, coming out, friend to lovers and second chances (at friendships and other relationships) you will love this!
This is a book three in the series You can read or listen as a standalone as the backstory is worked in well but I highly recommend reading (or listening to the other two books first.) If you like cowboys, you won’t be sorry!
Hi peeps, we have Kim Fielding stopping by with her newest release Staged, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway!
Staged
(A Belonging ‘Verse Novel)
by
Kim Fielding
Once the second-prize winner on My Slave’s Got Talent, Sky Blue has spent the past few years singing at a failing New York nightclub. While Sky has never had control over his fate, his life seems to take a turn for the worse when he’s torn from the familiar comfort of performing and sold to a rich and enigmatic man.
Morgan Wallace takes his newly purchased slave to San Francisco, his intentions unclear. On the one hand, he treats Sky with more kindness than Sky has ever known—treats him like a real person. On the other hand, he shares Sky at parties hosted by his sadistic new friends.
A confused slave is an endangered slave, and Sky isn’t even sure of his master’s real name. Is he Morgan Wallace, wealthy and cruel, or Mackenzie Webster, caring and compassionate? Caught between hope, fear, and an undeniably growing attachment, Sky struggles to untangle which parts are real and which are merely a performance. His future, his heart, and even his life may depend on it.
Hi guys, we have Kris Ripper stopping by with zir new release Gays of Our Lives, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Emerson Robinette only leaves his apartment to get laid and go to work. Having MS—and trying to pretend he doesn’t—makes everything more complicated, especially his fantasies of coming on strong and holding a guy down. Finding a partner who’ll explore that with him isn’t Emerson’s idea of a realistic goal.
Until a chance meeting with a hipster on a bus makes him reconsider. Obie is happy, open-hearted, and warm; what’s more, he gets his kicks being physically dominated, spanked, and teased until he’s begging. It would be perfect, except for one thing: Emerson isn’t made for happiness, and he doesn’t see how a guy like Obie would settle for a cynic like him.
But as far as Obie’s concerned, the only thing keeping them apart is Emerson. Can Emerson handle a boyfriend who’s more invested in his future than he is? Emerson’s barely convinced he has a future. But when Obie’s smiling at him, anything seems possible.
Hi guys, we have J.A. Rock stopping by today with her new re-release The Silvers, we have a fantastic guest post, a fantastic excerpt and a fabulous giveaway, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
The Silvers
by
J.A. Rock
What humans want from the Silver Planet is water. What they find is a race of humanoids who are sentient, but as emotionless and serene as the plants and placid lakes they tend.
B, captain of the mission, doesn’t believe that the “Silvers” are intelligent, and lets his crew experiment on them. But then he bonds with Imms, who seems different from the others—interested in learning, intrigued by human feelings. And B realizes that capturing, studying, and killing this planet’s natives has done incalculable damage.
When a fire aboard B’s ship kills most of the crew and endangers Imms, B decides to take him back to Earth. But the simplicity of the Silver Planet doesn’t follow them. Imms learns the full spectrum of human emotions, including a love B is frightened to return, and a mistrust of the bureaucracy that wants to treat Imms like a test subject, even if they have to eliminate B to do it.
Hi peeps, we have Garrett Leigh stopping by with the tour for her newest release What Remains, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Aerin’s review, so enjoy the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
What Remains
by
Garrett Leigh
Web designer Jodi Peters is a solitary creature. Lunch twice a week with his ex-girlfriend-turned-BFF and the occasional messy venture to a dodgy gay bar is all the company he needs, right?
Then one night he stumbles across newly divorced firefighter Rupert O’Neil. Rupert is lost and lonely, but just about the sweetest bloke Jodi has ever known. Add in the heady current between them, and Jodi can’t help falling hard in love. He offers Rupert a home within the walls of his cosy Tottenham flat—a sanctuary to nurture their own brand of family—and for four blissful years, life is never sweeter.
Until a cruel twist of fate snatches it all away. A moment of distraction leaves Jodi fighting for a life he can’t remember and shatters Rupert’s heart. Jodi doesn’t know him—or want to. With little left of the man he adores, Rupert must cling to what remains of his shaky faith and pray that Jodi can learn to love him again.
Blurb: Web designer Jodi Peters is a solitary creature. Lunch twice a week with his ex-girlfriend-turned-BFF and the occasional messy venture to a dodgy gay bar is all the company he needs, right?
Then one night he stumbles across newly divorced firefighter Rupert O’Neil. Rupert is lost and lonely, but just about the sweetest bloke Jodi has ever known. Add in the heady current between them, and Jodi can’t help falling hard in love. He offers Rupert a home within the walls of his cozy Tottenham flat—a sanctuary to nurture their own brand of family—and for four blissful years, life is never sweeter.
Until a cruel twist of fate snatches it all away. A moment of distraction leaves Jodi fighting for a life he can’t remember and shatters Rupert’s heart. Jodi doesn’t know him—or want to.
With little left of the man he adores, Rupert must cling to what remains of his shaky faith and pray that Jodi can learn to love him again.
Review: This book has been a surprise from the very beginning, because it didn’t start with Rupert and Jodi meeting each other and falling in love. This book starts with an established couple who has been happy for the past 4 years. Rupert and Jodi are everything to each other. That happy couple you can’t help but envy. By the end of the prologue, Rupert and Jodi’s world crumbles around them as Jodi fights for his life and Rupert prepares himself for the struggles ahead.
The next few chapters alternate between Jodi’s recovery and amnesia, which was heartbreaking, and flashbacks from the time Jodi and Rupert met and fell in love. I can’t tolerate flashbacks at any time, and god knows I tried! So I skimmed through the flashbacks and devoured the present. What a complete contrast, isn’t it?
This book was painful, especially when we get Rupert’s POV. Because it hurts so much when the person Rupert loves more than life itself looks at him like he’s a stranger. This book is full of feels, emotions, and angst (although not as bad as it could have been) and once the flashbacks stopped completely (after 10 chapters or so) I couldn’t put this book down.
I have a weakness for books with characters who suffer from illnesses/disabilities, be they temporary or permanent, and this has become one of my favorites. I think my absolute favorite thing was the fact that we get Jodi’s POV throughout his amnesia and the recovery period that follows. It was absolutely fascinating to get a glimpse of how Jodi thinks and how he feels, because it made the difference between grudgingly accepting his condition and being absolutely fascinated by it.
There’s also the duality of feeling Rupert’s angst, desolation, depression and sadness while understanding and making sense of Jodi’s actions and the reasons he’s acting the way he is. Absolutely fabulous and the best kind of mind-fuck, one I thoroughly enjoyed! To make everything even more perfect, Rupert’s endearment for Jodi boyo made me melt into a puddle of goo.
I don’t want to give any spoilers by telling you how Jodi’s amnesia progresses. But don’t make any assumptions, because I assure you this will not go the direction you’re thinking. Rupert and Jodi do get their HEA, and it’s absolutely beautiful. Any book that ends like this deserves to be read:
“I fucking love you, boyo, you know that?” Jodi looked up and grinned.
“Course I do, knobhead. That’s why I made it this far.”
“Knobhead?”
“Yeah . . . knobhead, my whole fucking world, whatever I call you, it all means the same, ’cause I love you too, Rupe. More than you’ll ever know.” * I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Hi peeps, we have Christine d’Abo popping in today with her new release No Master, the third and final book in the Bounty series, we have a brilliant guest post, a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and Shorty’s review, so enjoy the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
No Master
(Bounty 03)
by
Christine d’Abo
No man in the galaxy inspires more fear than Korbin, the Admiral of the Black. His life as leader of the biggest pirate band in space leaves little room for trust, so when Korbin’s second-in-command disappears without a trace, he suspects the worst.
Zain Strand has left his life as a sex slave behind and risen within the pirate ranks. But he abandons it all to rescue an old friend from recapture by the slavers—even if that means a suicidal confrontation with his old master. He doesn’t expect Korbin’s arrival, doesn’t want Korbin’s help . . . but Korbin gives Zain no choice.
Posing as master and slave to infiltrate a slave auction, Korbin and Zain embark on a journey of lust that rapidly reveals their deeper feelings. When Zain’s old master discovers their ruse, Korbin must do everything in his power to save both their lives and their newfound love.
Publisher’s note: While books #1 and #2 in the Bounty series should be read in order, this book stands alone and can be read without the first two.
This title is an edited second edition, previously published in 2011.
Hi guys, we have Marie Sexton and L.A. Witt popping in today with their new re-release Roped In, we have a great excerpt, a brilliant giveaway and Cat’s review, so enjoy the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Roped In
by
Marie Sexton & L.A. Witt
Graham and his roping partner, Jackson, have been friends since they were boys. They’ve ruled the rodeo scene for ten years running, but lately, Graham’s heart isn’t in the game. He’s tired of the bruises, the cowboy mentality, and the animal rights activists who picket every event. He’s also tired of being in love with Jackson, and nothing’s been the same between them since their disastrous drunken encounter the year before.
Then Graham has a run-in with one of the rodeo protesters, and everything changes. Kaz is young, idealistic, and sexy as hell. But he’s also a know-it-all, animal-loving vegan, bent on saving the world one cow at a time. They have next to nothing in common, but Graham can’t stop thinking about what might happen if they can stop butting heads long enough to give it a try. Unfortunately, no matter how attracted Graham is to other men, he always panics and runs when the clothes start to come off. But Kaz has an idea for getting Graham past his nerves and into bed.
All they need is a bit of rope.
(Note: This is a re-edited second edition of a previously published title.)
Hiya peeps, we have R.D. Hero stopping by with the tour for her newest release Wet Heat, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out this great new paranormal story and enjoy the post! <3 ~Pixie~
Wet Heat
by
R.D. Hero
Most omega werewolves want a mate and pups, but Lee Aung prefers an unconventional party-boy lifestyle. Yet at forty-two, he’s stopped going into heat, which means he’s expired goods—no longer a fertile, young omega that alpha wolves drool over. So Lee uses Wet Heat, a synthetic pheromone, to reel in the alpha hookups.
After losing his job at the bank, Lee can’t afford to keep up his Wet Heat habit. His solution: scam free samples by pretending to be a happily mated test subject at Wet Heat headquarters. There, Lee spends two years being interviewed by the reserved alpha scientist, Cain, who at thirty-two is unmated and—up until this point—content with that.
Cain never really felt his alpha instincts, nor took part in the usual alpha/beta/omega social dynamics. But after discovering that Lee has been lying about his unmated status for two years, Cain finally admits that for the first time, he wants to court an omega. Unfortunately, he’s picked the one omega who doesn’t want to be courted.
Hi guys, we have Ann Gallagher stopping by today with the tour for her new release All The Wrong Places, we have a great excerpt a fantastic giveaway and Aerin’s review so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
All The Wrong Places
(Bluewater Bay 14)
by
Ann Gallagher
Three cheating girlfriends in a row have given skateboarder Brennan Cross the same excuse: he wasn’t meeting their needs. Desperate and humiliated, he goes to the professionals at the local sex shop for advice.
Zafir Hamady, a sales clerk at Red Hot Bluewater, has an unusual theory: he doesn’t think Brennan is a bad lover. In fact, he doesn’t think Brennan is heterosexual. Or sexual at all, for that matter. He also can’t stop thinking about Brennan. But even if he’s right and Brennan really is asexual, that doesn’t mean Zafir has a chance. Brennan’s never dated a man, and Zafir’s never met anyone who’s game for a Muslim single father with a smart mouth and a GED.
Brennan’s always thought of himself as straight. But when sex is explicitly out of the mix, he finds himself drawn to Zafir for the qualities and interests they share. And Zafir can’t help enjoying Brennan’s company and the growing bond between Brennan and his son. They work well together, but with so many issues between them, doubts creep in, and Brennan’s struggle with his identity could push away the one person he didn’t know he could love.
Blurb: Three cheating girlfriends in a row have given skateboarder Brennan Cross the same excuse: he wasn’t meeting their needs. Desperate and humiliated, he goes to the professionals at the local sex shop for advice.
Zafir Hamady, a sales clerk at Red Hot Bluewater, has an unusual theory: he doesn’t think Brennan is a bad lover. In fact, he doesn’t think Brennan is heterosexual. Or sexual at all, for that matter. He also can’t stop thinking about Brennan. But even if he’s right and Brennan really is asexual, that doesn’t mean Zafir has a chance. Brennan’s never dated a man, and Zafir’s never met anyone whose game for a Muslim single father with a smart mouth and a GED.
Brennan’s always thought of himself as straight. But when sex is explicitly out of the mix, he finds himself drawn to Zafir for the qualities and interests they share. And Zafir can’t help enjoying Brennan’s company and the growing bond between Brennan and his son. They work well together, but with so many issues between them, doubts creep in, and Brennan’s struggle with his identity could push away the one person he didn’t know he could love.
Review: After reading the blurb for All the Wrong Places I was convinced that I wouldn’t like it that much since my favorite books usually have lots of dirty, filthy sex in them. Since both characters are asexual men I knew this wasn’t up my alley and yet I was compelled to read it. This book ended up being a journey of self-discovery for Brennan, one of our main characters, and for me as well. If you’re expecting any heat or sex of any kind, if the lack of steam is a deal breaker for you, then this book is not for you.
Brennan is a man in his 20’s who’s struggling to understand what he’s doing wrong in his relationships with women. He knows his problems start with his inability to make his girlfriends sexually happy, he realizes something must be wrong. Yet, he can’t figure out what needs to change. Heartbroken after his latest girlfriend cheated on him, he goes to Red Hot Bluewater (the adult store in Bluewater Bay) in search of some answers. Who better to answer his questions than a person who’s heard it all and would never make fun of him?
Zafir is an asexual man who’s also bi-romantic (able to form strong emotional connections with both sexes) and who falls under the gray-sexual area of the asexual spectrum (able to have sex and enjoy it, if there is a strong emotional connection established with that person). Talking to Brennan even for a few minutes makes it very obvious to him that Brennan is asexual as well. Yes, Brennan has been in relationships with women and has had sex with every single one of them, but he’s never initiated it and has always been a source of tension for him.
Zafir and Brennan become friends, they have a lot in common, and enjoy spending time together. Zafir is tremendously helpful to Brennan. He is someone who can answer all his questions, reassure him that he is normal and just as good as everybody else,even if his body isn’t wired to need sex.
What I loved most about this book was how complex the characters are. There’s more than just the issue of asexuality that’s being discussed. Zafir is Muslim, follows the Muslim religion and he is teaching his own son about the teachings of Allah. Can you imagine a better time than right now to discuss/address the struggles of Muslim men and women, the discrimination and hatred people have towards them?
Zafir’s insecurities run deep and are not due to his religion only. Becoming a single father at 17 has been brutal, but his son came first. Even if that meant dropping out of high-school in order to care for him. Hard work and perseverance lead him to a GED and a string of retail jobs.
Currently working two jobs in order to afford a better life for his child doesn’t give him much spare time to spend with his so. But, he is aware of the sacrifices he needs to make. Zafir is aware that he will never have a successful career and that’s a sore issue for him. He and his son Tariq have dealt with a lot of loss over the years and it seems like Zafir is never good enough for people to stay. He is either too poor, too short, looks too much like a terrorist, too uneducated, and lacking potential for more.
Even though his friendship with Brennan starts to feel like more and even though he starts to develop feelings for Brennan, he is determined to keep things as they are. If they don’t become more than friends, then Brennan will not find a reason to leave him and Tariq.
This book is about more than sex. It’s about how to fall in love with somebody you never expected to fall for. It’s not about sexual attraction. It’s about emotional attraction and soul-deep connection. It’s about prejudice and struggles, about self-discovery and learning to accept that being different still means being normal. It’s about a child struggling to accept that the people he loves always leave. About an adult struggling with his sense of self-worth.
I learned so much from this book, or maybe learned isn’t exactly the right word. Sure, I’ve heard of asexual people. I’ve read about them even. But, I never truly grasped what it really means and how it truly feels. This book has become personal to me. It helped me understand things about myself that I never considered.
It was beautiful, enlightening and has a beautiful happy ending!
Recommended! * I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Hi peeps, we have J.A. Rock stopping by with her newest addition to The Subs Club series 24/7, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
24/7
(The Subs Club 04)
by
J.A. Rock
We started the Subs Club to make the kink community safer for subs. Except now the others are so busy chasing their happy endings, it’s like they’ve forgotten what Bill did to Hal and the fact that he got away with it. They used to think I was betraying Hal’s memory by hooking up with the owners of the club where he died. Now they don’t seem to care about any of it anymore.
Maybe I am sometimes angry with GK and Kel for giving Bill a second chance, but they’ve been mentoring me for a year now, and whatever else they’ve done, they make me feel incredibly safe. So I want to try something: I want to offer them my complete submission, 24/7. To serve the people who forgave Bill. That’s the way I want to hurt.
Except I’m starting to care about them in a way I never meant to—and I think they feel the same way. But after Hal, I don’t know if I want to be in love again. Because what I really need, more than anything, is to see Bill brought to justice. Even if I have to do it myself. Even if it means losing GK and Kel.
Hi guys, we have Cari Z. stopping by with her great new superhero/supervillain release Where There’s A Will, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so enjoy the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Where There’s A Will
(Panopolis 03)
by
Cari Z.
Being a Hero in Panopolis means living the high life: parties, money, influence, even reality television. And I’m one of the most powerful Heroes in the city. I have plenty of fans, a manager who looks out for me (after himself), and a job that pays the bills. I should be enjoying myself.
Unfortunately, the downside of my superpower means I can’t touch anyone, which tends to put a damper on things. I probably don’t deserve all those perks anyway, since I’m working in secret with two of Panopolis’s biggest Villains to undermine GenCorp—my main sponsor and the company that controls what gets through my force field.
I obviously don’t trust my corporate overseers, but they’ve hired a new scientist who actually seems interested in helping me. Dr. Mansourian might have the answers to all my questions—not to mention a starring role in most of my dreams—but he’s hiding something big. If I let him have what he wants, I might not live to regret it.
Then again, the way things are going in Panopolis these days, I might not live either way.
Hi peeps, we have Christine d’Abo popping in with her new re-release No Quarter, we have a short post from Christine about her love of science fiction, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so enjoy the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
No Quarter
(Bounty 01)
by
Christine d’Abo
When bounty hunter Gar Stitt is given a simple locate-and-retrieve mission, he’s convinced it’s a waste of his skills. His success rate is legendary, after all, and Captain Faolan Wolf isn’t hard to find. He’s the most notorious pirate in the galaxy, and when he shows up planetside to take his pleasures, he’s far from subtle.
Faolan never expected a hot but tightly wound hunter to walk into his private party and try to apprehend him single-handedly. And when an unexpected betrayal forces them to work together, Faolan’s even more surprised to find himself drawn to Gar personally—especially since neither of them do personal.
Gar had intended to put Faolan in prison. Instead he finds his solitary existence shaken by his desire for the pirate. And when the bounty hunter becomes the hunted, he must put his faith in Faolan and his pirate crew, or run the risk of ending up dead.
Publisher’s note: This title is an edited second edition, previously published in 2010.
Hi guys, we have Amy Lane stopping by with her new release in the Bluewater Bay series Selfie, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway so enjoy the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Selfie
(Bluewater Bay 13)
by
Amy Lane
One year ago, actor Connor Montgomery lost the love of his life to a drunk driver. But what’s worse for Connor is what he still has: a lifetime of secrets born of hiding his relationship from the glare of Hollywood. Unable to let go of the world he and Vinnie shared, Connor films a drunken YouTube confession on the anniversary of Vinnie’s death.
Thankfully, the video was silent—a familiar state for Connor—so his secret is still safe. He needs a fresh start, and a new role on the hit TV show Wolf’s Landing might be just that.
The move to Bluewater Bay may also mean a second chance in the form of his studio-assigned assistant. Noah Dakers sees through Connor’s facades more quickly than Connor could imagine. Noah’s quiet strength and sarcastic companionship offers Connor a chance at love that Hollywood’s closet has never allowed. But to accept it, Connor must let Vinnie go and learn to live again.
Hi guys, we have Cornelia Grey popping in with the tour for her new release The Empty Hourglass, we have a great guest post, a great excerpt, and a fantastic giveaway, so enjoy the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
The Empty Hourglass
(Deal With A Devil)
by
Cornelia Grey
Thomas Escott has always wanted to be a toymaker, yet just as he achieves his dream, an accident claims his right hand. He’s certain his life is over—until he hears about groundbreaking prosthetics being made by a reclusive inventor.
Jethro Hastings is perfectly content to live alone up in the mountains working on a secret masterpiece: a humanoid automaton that will change the scientific community forever. He’s behind schedule, and the date of the unveiling is fast approaching, so when Thomas shows up on his doorstep offering help in exchange for a mechanical hand, Jethro agrees. Time, after all, is running out on another deal he’s made: one with the devil.
The devil gives Jethro’s inventions life, but he can just as quickly take life away—Jethro’s, to be exact. As the sand in the devil’s hourglass falls, marking the time until the end of the deal, inventions go haywire, people get hurt, and Thomas realizes he needs Jethro just as much as his prosthetic. Now he must find a way to save Jethro’s soul, but negotiating with a devil is just as difficult as it sounds.
Hello, everybody! I’m Alex Whitehall, and I’m here today touring for my New Adult story, Second Skin, which is about Jay and Roswell, who are on a journey of love, acceptance, and self-discovery.
Second Skin
by
Alex Whitehall
When Jay heads to the university’s learning center for help with his math class, he doesn’t expect his tutor to be tall, dark, and handsome. But Roswell is all that and more, and their instant connection over cult movies, books, and TV shows quickly evolves into dating.
That’s when things get tricky.
Roswell might claim he doesn’t have issues with Jay being trans, but when he’s constantly insisting they “take it slow,” Jay’s not so sure. He’s been hurt before, and he’s not going to let it happen again.
But then Roswell reveals that he, too, has a few secrets under his skin.
Title: Never a Hero 
Title: Covet Thy Neighbor
Title: Dirty Laundry
Title: Pulling Leather
Title: What Remains
Title: All the Wrong Places
