Hi guys, we have Jay Northcote popping in today with the tour for his new re-release Nothing Special, we have a short excerpt and Tams’ review so check out the post and enjoy! ❤ ~Pixie~
Nothing Special
by
Jay Northcote
When Noah’s insecurity threatens their fledgling relationship, can Sol convince Noah that he’s enough?
Noah thinks he’s nothing special. Average height, a bit on the skinny side, and cute but rather geeky, he’s relentlessly ordinary. He certainly doesn’t expect to be noticed by Sol, the gorgeous dark-haired stranger Noah usually sees on his commute home.
When a friend persuades Noah to take a big risk in a bid to get Sol’s attention, things turn out better than Noah dared to hope. But Noah doesn’t believe he’s interesting or sexy enough to hold Sol’s attention.
As Sol tries to get closer, Noah tries to protect his heart by pulling away. If their relationship is going to survive, Noah needs to accept that Sol sees him very differently to how Noah sees himself. Because to Sol, Noah is something very special indeed.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (11th December 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Just released from the military, wounded warrior Eric Tremaine is trying to put his life back to-gether like the doctors reassembled his shattered leg. He’s a man with no home, since his Loui-siana family rejected him, so Eric winds up in Texas with his old Army buddy, Adam Winchester, and his lover, Sage.
When Eric decides to stop sitting on his ass feeling sorry for himself, he is introduced to trainer Troy Daniels, who lost both his legs in a teenage accident. Troy knows what it’s like to feel as if your body is your enemy. While Eric and Troy have a bumpy start, they soon find enough com-mon ground to make a friendship, if not more. But taking it to the next level means finding out what they have to offer each other, and the world, before they can trust that the love they find together won’t cause more pain than pleasure.
Review: The Articles of Release is the second book in BA Tortuga’s The Release series. I really enjoy Tortuga’s writing and always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. There’s always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy!
The Articles of Release picks up with the same themes of healing and moving on, like The Terms of Release (book 1), and even if there is a little cowboy influence this is a book with completely different emotions and struggles. It would work as a standalone book, but I feel that some readers that love details would be intrigued by Sage and Adam if they hadn’t read their story already because these guys are really well developed by now.
Robert Nieman was the narrator of this book. I was a little bit concerned because I had loved the narration by Slate Anders. Yet, I am familiar with Nieman’s work and have enjoyed many of the audios he has narrated for Dreamspinner authors, so I didn’t really think about it too much. The choice in narrator was perfect. Nieman’s performance and voice suited the two main characters, as he conveyed their thoughts, words and emotions. The narration ensured that I was fully and emotionally invested in the story and wanting the MCs to get their HEA.
As for the actual story, the characters are two men who have been through their own different versions of hell, at different times in their lives. Eric Tremaine is an army veteran who has been discharged from service after sustaining horrific and painful injuries to his legs. His parents and the rest of his family don’t talk to him because he is gay, so life is lonely until he joins up with his old army buddy, Adam and Adam’s husband Sage (from book 1). This is how Eric ends up meeting Troy.
Troy works at gym as a physical therapist and has been helping Sage, who has needed surgery on both his knees. He then started working out with Adam and the three are now friends. So much so that Sage wanted Troy to meet Adam’s friend, Eric, who was also in need of intense physical therapy so that he could get learn to live with the pain that his injuries left him in. Troy is different though because he has been through the agony before. He was a teenager when an accident on the family ranch meant that he lost both his legs. Troy is now a daredevil, ready for the next adrenaline rush and won’t let anything to stop him, not even his prosthetic limbs. The only problem he seems to have is that his parents are worry wards, but his family are wonderful and supportive, the complete opposite to Eric.
However, the road is very bumpy for these guys. Eric is only at the start of his journey and so he is ready to fight everyone around him. Which just shows how great the people he has chosen to be around are. Troy also has a few lessons to learn when it comes to love and making something permanent in his life, particularly when he needs to support the man he is falling for as he heals. Troy also needs to learn that it’s not just about him and his life when it comes to love as well and that his potentially dangerous antics are difficult for someone to sit back and watch.
I adored this story. There is physical and mental healing, there are great friends and some great family too. These guys don’t fall into love or into bed quickly, they take their time trying to get their complicated lives to slowly fit together.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (9th November 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Rico Gonzalves-Macias didn’t expect to fall in love during his internship in New York – and he didn’t expect the boss’ son to out them both and get him fired either. When he returns to Sac-ramento stunned and heartbroken, he finds his cousin, Adam, and Adam’s boyfriend, Finn, haven’t just been house-sitting – they’ve made his once sterile apartment into a home.
When Adam gets him a job interview with the adorable, magnetic, practically perfect Derek Hus-ton, Rico feels especially out of his depth. Derek makes it no secret that he wants Rico, but Rico is just starting to figure out that he’s a beginner at the really important stuff and doesn’t want to jump into anything with both feet.
Derek is a both-feet kind of guy. But he’s also made mistakes of his own and doesn’t want to pressure Rico into anything. Together, they work to find a compromise between instant attrac-tion and long-lasting love, and while they’re working, Rico gets a primer in why family isn’t al-ways a bad idea. He needs to believe Derek can be his family before Derek’s formidable pa-tience runs out – because even a practically perfect boyfriend is capable of being hurt.
Review: Bitter Taffy is the second book in Amy Lane’s Candy Man series. I’ve have come to enjoy some of Lane’s books and this book is no exception. I find the writing style is really accessible, in that it is well written and very expressive without too much complicated language, so it’s easy to relax and read or listen to the book. The narration was performed by Philip Alces, who narrates the full series. Alces has a soft and gentle voice that matches the sweetness of the plot and conveys the variety of emotions that tumble through the MCs. It was a wonderful performance and completely on point.
Candy Man has a really cute premise. It’s about this almost hippy-like guy, Darren, who runs a boutique candy store in Old Sacramento and just so happens to have psychic visions about the people that he needs to help, i.e. people that are down on their luck and may not be looking for love but are gonna get it anyway. Really cool.
I dimly remember once reading book 3 in this series without going back to the start.
Bitter Taffy features Rico Gonzalves-Macias and Derek Huston. Both characters popped up in book one with a connection to Adam. Rico being the only family member of Adam, who kicks off the stories within this little world, and Derek both hit on Adam and commissioned some art work off of him. Between Darren, Candy Heaven owner, and Adam, they are the main connections between a majority of the characters that we meet throughout the series.
Rico is forced to leave New York when the man that he fell in love with didn’t stand up for him, which meant that Rico lost his internship after only four months, because that guy was the boss’s son. Rico feels a little like a stranger in his own home, with his cousin, Adam, and Adam’s boyfriend Finn, living in his apartment while he had been away, the two men had made it more homey in a couple months than he ever did in six years. Even his dog, Clopper, seemed to now belong to Adam. With the loss of his internship, Rico is at a loose end but doesn’t want Adam to do him a favour to help him get a job.
All that changes when he meets Derek. Derek Huston is a little older and owns his own company that acts to contract out various people, like Rico who does advertising, to smaller businesses who wouldn’t normally afford a firm to do the same thing. Derek is instantly attracted to Rico. He wants to give him and job and a whole lot more. However, Derek respects Rico’s heartbreak and he is committed to waiting patiently for the man to be ready. The guys take it slowly, getting to know each other while Rico mends. This makes for some great chemistry and sexual tension; it also makes their romance relatable and believable.
An awesome second book to the Candy Man series, now for the next one!
Blurb: Wars change, warriors don’t…or so they say.
The Serai have won the galactic war. Tasked to take charge of the human assimilation into their herd, Prince Jytrerd never thought to find a mate among the human slaves. He learns that the human Captain Ian McCaskey is his potential breeder and saves his life. Because they are sterile, the Serai need the genetic materials their captives give to father their younglings. But Ian resists, and it doesn’t take long for Jytrerd to realize that for their relationship to flourish, the two of them must connect on a deeper level. It is now up to Jytrerd to make Ian understand that he is valued above all others.
Review: Prince Jytrerd, is part of an alien species that protects earth. Ian is the captain of a ship that was captured along with others and sentenced in a variety of ways. I honestly did not how I felt about the executions. They were brutal if you ask me but they did not go into detail which I appreciated.
Ian is saved from death by Prince Jytrerd and set in his household, what follows is Ian getting to know his place and the others. But not all is roses. There are bumps along the way that cause major complications for the two men.
Interesting beginning to a series that I look forward to reading more of.
Blurb: Levi is a badger shifter, an alpha’s son, and a carrier. The fact that he can get pregnant is a secret, and his family risks a lot by keeping it. He needs to find a husband and get married as soon as he can if he doesn’t want the council to take him and make that decision for him. He agrees to meet Dimitri Marson, the son of the bear alpha. Dimitri is the best candidate for Levi’s cete, but when Levi meets him, he realizes he’s not for him.
Dimitri doesn’t understand why Levi pushes him away. They might not be in love, but they both know getting married is what’s best for the sleuth and the cete, and for Levi. Besides, Dimitri is handsome and rich, something anyone would want. Right?
When his mother points out how much of an idiot he’s been, Dimitri tries to make amends. Levi gives him a second chance, but their union might end before it even starts. Someone is trying to kill Dimitri, and they’re not stopping for anything.
Will Dimitri manage to save himself? And if he does, will Levi really give him another chance to show him they really can work well together?
Review: Each book in the Allegheny Shifters collection features a different romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.
Levi is a cute little badger shifter who is in need of a husband. He has a secret that is somewhat dangerous to him, he is a carrier. His father, the alpha, sets him up with an asshat bear shifter. To bad the man is a jerk, but damn is he sexy. To bad Levi has a bigger attitude and turns the shifter down. This Leads him to a sexy little shifter who is in danger, Seamus. Wow choices are hard.
Dimitri lets his attitude take over and if I was Levi, I would not give him a second chance. But he is determined to change Levi’s mind, but he is surprised to find out that Levi is changing Dimitri’s attitude. Now if they could just figure out who is trying to kill them both. Or should I say the three of them, surprise and I am not talking about Seamus.
Now my first thoughts with carrier was not pregnancy. It was a nice surprise though and I truly enjoyed it. This story is very catchy and kept my attention throughout. The characters are fully developed and sexy as hell. I like how the author uses unique shifters in her stories. The worlds she creates are unique in themselves and quite a blast to live in.
I had a lot of fun reading this and can not wait to get my hands on the next book. Catherine Lieven’s is one of my top favorite authors and I am glad to see that she is still one.
Blurb: .With his career firmly established and his reputation as a successful PI growing, Hades should have the perfect life with his human lover, his faithful ferryman, his dogs and the parts of his family still speaking to him. But murder and chaos are never far away for death lords as his nephew Dionysus and his oldest friend Charon are drawn into the maelstrom.
Includes: Books, Bulls, & Bacchanals: Brandywine Investigations #4 Midwinter Dancing: Brandywine Investigations #4.5 Pack Up the Moon: Brandywine Investigations #5
Please note: Books, Bulls & Bacchanals has been re-edited with a few story adjustments for this edition.
I really enjoyed this murder mystery with Dio and Leander. The two of them are so different yet have similar issues to work through. Leander’s back story is heartbreaking to say the least. Dio is just a delight all around.
Wonderful story with plenty of mystery and some hot action between Dio and Leander.
Midwinter Dancing
I personally did not care for this story about Artemis and Ing. First it’s female, female which I do not care for. Second it did not feel complete. It cuts off shortly after the two meet.
*Pixie*~~ It’s a short or more like an interlude where Ing, who believes in the old Gods because of her Grandmothers stories, stumbles across some young ladies dancing in the snow. Ing who feels out of place in her own family feels an immediate connection to Artemis.
It’s a cute short, too short to give much more than a ‘I liked it’, it would be interesting to see if a more fleshed out story of Artemis and Ing was in the future.
Pack Up the Moon
In this story Charon, the ferryman, plays a starring role as well as Azeban, the raccoon lesser god. Azeban is forced to do an ancient beings bidding. There is no way out that he can see until Charon takes an interest. Once the plan is revealed it will take a miracle or two to thwart the god’s plan.
I loved this story. Suspense, mayhem, love and learning to trust others. Azeban and Charon made a hot couple.
I really enjoyed most of the stories in this book. Each one added an extra layer of mystery to the overall feel except for the second book. All it added was two extra characters. Aside from that the investigations were done brilliantly. The conclusions to each case were awesome.
Blurb: Sometimes the best thing in your life is the result of the worst thing that happened to you.
Ned is fleeing New York—and Paris, one of his one-night stands who can’t take no for an answer. He goes back home to Gillham, hoping Paris won’t find him, but not really believing it. The last thing he expected was to meet his mate. He’s only twenty-two, and he has a stalker. What is he going to do with a mate?
Luke didn’t think he had a mate until he met Ned. He was created in a petri dish and raised as a killer until the pack rescued him when he was seven, and he is neither human nor shifter. To add to his weirdness, he’s a virgin, and he’s not interested in sex.
Ned keeps Luke at arm’s length, especially after Paris manages to find him and threatens his best friend, Amy. It gets harder and harder to stay away from Luke, though, and Ned is torn between the need to be with his mate and the need to keep Luke safe.
Will Ned be able to find a compromise? Will Paris be stopped in time, or will he manage to separate Ned and Luke before they even get a chance to be together?
Review: Each book in Wyoming Shifters: 12 Years Later collection features a different romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order. This series is the children from Whitedell Pride, Gillham Pack and Council Enforcers, so I would suggest reading those first.
Luke is one of those kids that was created in a lab and turned into a killer. Having been rescued as a child and raised in the pack. He is now working as a deputy for the police department in Gillham. He doesn’t really have an interest in sex and he is a bit stiff. What he had not expected to find was his mate. A mate that acted like he didn’t want him.
Ned was running away from college. He has someone after him and needs his family. To find his mate should bring him happiness, but he is human. He is also only a young man and doesn’t want to settle down, but mostly it is to protect his family. He should know that Luke can take care of himself.
Most of the time they have their serious tones but there is quite a bit of humor mixed in with them that make them even more fascinating for me. Each story will have danger, excitement, adventure and some hot fun sexy times.
I love how Catherine puts together a book that will draw you in and keep you captivated all the way to the end. Catherine has become one of my favorite authors, and I am glad to see that it will never change. This is one book I would recommend.
Blurb: “The Emperor cares for each and every one of his subjects.”
Many consider the catchphrase of the imperial Lotus Knights to be nothing more but well-polished propaganda, but for Yaden, it is a way of life.
A young Lotus Knight himself, his first mission in service of the Emperor sends him to the remote village of Hagermarsh, a suspiciously friendly place on a planet known for its inhospitable people. But how to uncover a demonist coven when nothing bad ever happens? Getting to know the villagers only complicates things – the motherly fishmonger surely isn’t a demonist. Nor the gruff leader of the local militia. And definitely not the cute baker from across the street.
Or are they?
Come discover a dazzling, hopeful universe of knights and monsters, of psions, aliens and ancient deities! The Demon of Hagermarsh is the first book of ‘Sir Yaden’, an epic SF saga of grand adventure, romance, bromance and family, set in the multi-faceted Virasana Empire. It is a romantic adventure and can be read as a standalone.
Review: Not a lot is given about Yaden’s Lotus Knight but there are a lot of flashbacks before this happens. He is given a mission by the emperor to look for demons in a small village. The village seems friendly and quaint. Darios is his gladiator guardian who I liked a lot.
I liked most things that happen in this very long story. Unfortunately, it was a little too much on details that were unnecessary for me at times as I stopped multiple times and had to regroup myself to continue reading. A good portion of the first half of this story is this way and the good stuff starts happening at the halfway mark.
Given that this is the first book in a series many authors try to fit too much in the first book and sometimes it feels overwhelming. This was the case with this book to me. After the halfway mark things are still slow but better. I never actually got a feel for Yaden and Caleb as a couple.
The many genre’s in this book added an extra element that brought enjoyment to the story. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (24th January 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Kee Smith isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows who he used to be – the ignored gay son who chose a blue-collar job just because no one expected it, the submissive bottom who en-joyed large, masculine jocks who put him in his place, the sleek, fashionable twink who partied all night. But after his ex-boyfriend hit Kee and called him names,
Kee retired from the social scene.
Back after a year’s hiatus, Kee still doesn’t know where he fits. His friends say he’s a twunk – a twink who put on muscle and turned into a hunk – but Kee is searching for somewhere to be-long. Instead of going back to his usual type, Kee hooks up with twink Tate Stevens – a fashion-industry professional who works the image hard. It proves to be the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because he’s starting to regain his sexual confidence.
With Tate, Kee can open up about his fears and confusion without ridicule. Tate has his own fears about putting on weight and getting old. It will take work to make a relationship of oppo-sites succeed, but they begin to realize the compromises will be worth it if they can be together.
Review: Don’t Twunk With My Heart is the second book in Renae Kaye’s Loving You series.
I’m going to keep my comments on the author because this is a feeling that echoes throughout the whole series for me. At this point I am warming up to Renae Kaye’s writing. For me, an Aussie author writing about her own city is major plus for me. Since we’re not here for a geography lesson, suffice to say that I connect with the very Aussie tone in her writing. I feel the humour and love hearing the slang that is part of my everyday life in my favourite genre of book. So far there’s been a bit of a pattern in her writing where we have at least one main character who doesn’t want to come out of the closet because of his very blokey workplace (lots of miners, industrial workers) or his very manly-man type father. Not that it’s a bad thing, if you like a book with that sort of storyline.
The narration for this book was by Joel Leslie, who takes over from Dave Gilles in the narration of the series. In fact, I have to say that I think this was a good move. While I enjoyed Gilles narration and it was overall great, it annoyed me when his Aussie accent slipped a bit (I know it’s a really stupid thing to get annoyed at). However, I loved Leslie’s Aussie accent, it was really well. I also am a fan of pretty much all of Joel Leslie’s performances because I always feel the emotions from the characters and hear their distinct voices.
Don’t Twunk With My Heart is really sweet and a great return to the world of the Loving You series. Jay is as loud and out there as ever, Liam is as stoic and as sweet as ever. But this book moves onto Jay’s friend, Kee Smith. Kee was a twink but a horrific experience meant that he stayed away from the Perth gay scene for a year and focused on his work, very physical work that has meant that in the space of a year he lost his twink physique. In short, he is now a twunk.
Side note: Jay incessant babbling where he goes through twinks, twunks and twanks is hilarious and definitely one of my favourite moments of the book.
On Kee’s first night back in the scene he meets Tate. Tate is most definitely a twink and he finds himself somewhat confused by the all the twink, twank and twunk talk. However, it is impossible to deny that there is an attraction between the men. They are both out of the closet already too, although Kee’s family are not that nice, so their story is about how a person change. Change is not bad in this case, it’s more of a change into the person who they really are. Kee feels a little lost and finds a lifeline with Tate as finds himself in the world once more. Tate is pretty complicated as well, he is in his thirties and older than Kee. Since he works in fashion he fears putting on weight and getting old, something that Kee picks up and helps Tate just as Tate helps Kee.
This is a really sweet story. Kee and Tate have a wonderful connection with great chemistry. The characters are down to earth and relatable. Another enjoyable book by Renae Kaye, I’m ready for the next!
Blurb: Driven by his desire to become a successful fashion designer and concerned with hiding his questionable past, Ru Maitland has let obsession with action movie star Gray Anson on the big screen replace his social life. Then obsession and reality collide when Ru is asked to design fashion costumes for a special performance of Hamlet at the Playhouse in Laguna starring none other than Gray Anson. Gray turns out to be a compelling mix of shy and brash and, despite a high profile engagement to a female socialite, the signals Gray sends Ru have his libido doing the salsa.
Gray Anson has what most people only dream of – great wealth, huge fame, a job he loves. For that, he’s given up any semblance of privacy and the right to say no to the thousands of people who depend on him and the millions who love him. He sees everything he’s ever wanted just outside the bubble of his life, but how can he make the compromises needed to embrace it? When Ru’s shady past crashes into Gray’s paparazzi-haunted present, both men have to learn that sometimes the only acceptable compromise is the truth.
Review: The Prince and the Playhouse is the third book in Tara Lain’s Love in Laguna series. This is a series that you need to follow in order to enjoy properly. The characters are intertwined throughout and now that I’ve gone through two books, I looked forward to checking in with the couples from books 1 and 2. When starting this series I had the niggling feeling that I’ve tried reading a book from the series before, not realising it was a series, and didn’t enjoy the book. And surprise, surprise, that book was The Prince and the Playhouse. I have to say, now that I’ve gone through the audios of this series in the proper order, I really enjoyed and has been looking forward to this story.
KC Kelly has once again done a great performance for the book. I really have no complaints. To be perfectly honest, I was simply happy that he didn’t use the voice he had done for Ru in book 1 here, because I really hadn’t liked that. Also because of that voice, I didn’t really feel particularly close to Ru. But Ru is a character full of surprises and his story was excellent.
Ru Maitland is an up and coming fashion designer, he works alongside popular designer Shaz (Chase from book 1), who is also Ru’s best friend. Ru hasn’t done well in the romance department; he has been more concerned with his career and making it in the fashion industry. He also has a massive secret which he has never told anyone of his friends, and that past is just about ready to catch up with him just as his love life and career begin to take off. Ru has been hired to work for a well known movie director, who has turned his hand to directing a stage production of Hamlet, with Ru providing his own unique brand for the costumes. This production is even more special because it features the world’s hottest action star as Hamlet, as well as one of the hottest actors on TV. Both men are attracted to Ru, but for Ru it is action star Gray Anson who is the main attraction. Ru has crushed over the movie star for a long time and now he meets the man in real life.
The possibilities aren’t exactly endless for an out and proud fashion designer and a closeted action star who is under strict order to keep that closet door firmly shut. Gray Anson isn’t exactly happy with how his life is going, mostly because every aspect of his life, including the people (women) he is seen with, is controlled by his bigoted manager. Gray knows he can’t offer a whole lot on the relationship side of things but he can’t help his attraction to Ru and the wonderful thing that his life becomes when they are alone together, because they truly can’t appear as anything more than friends in public.
The guys have a strong connection which I really enjoyed hearing. Although I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ru even though he was ready and willing to keep everything in the closet for Gray. Gray as a character wasn’t entirely likable to me at first, but as the story progressed his character changed in positive ways because of Ru.
This was a fun story, a little bit Hollywood, a little bit gangsta, and a whole lot of love.
Hi guys! We have Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus stopping by today with the tour for their new release The Demon of Hagermarsh, we have an exclusive excerpt and Shorty’s review, so check out the post and enjoy! ❤ ~Pixie~
The Demon of Hagermarsh
(Virasana Empire: Sir Yaden 01)
by
Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus
“The Emperor cares for each and every one of his subjects.”
Many consider the catchphrase of the imperial Lotus Knights to be nothing more but well-polished propaganda, but for Yaden, it is a way of life.
A young Lotus Knight himself, his first mission in service of the Emperor sends him to the remote village of Hagermarsh, a suspiciously friendly place on a planet known for its inhospitable people. But how to uncover a demonist coven when nothing bad ever happens? Getting to know the villagers only complicates things – the motherly fishmonger surely isn’t a demonist. Nor the gruff leader of the local militia. And definitely not the cute baker from across the street.
Or are they?
Come discover a dazzling, hopeful universe of knights and monsters, of psions, aliens and ancient deities! The Demon of Hagermarsh is the first book of ‘Sir Yaden’, an epic SF saga of grand adventure, romance, bromance and family, set in the multi-faceted Virasana Empire. It is a romantic adventure and can be read as a standalone.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (2nd September 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: They say a man can always come home. So after doing hard time, Sage Redding heads to his family’s northeast Texas ranch to help his ailing daddy with the cutting horses.
Adam (Win) Winchester is a county deputy and the cousin of one of the men killed in the inci-dent that sent Sage to prison for almost a decade. While Win’s uncles, Jim and Teddy, are de-termined to make Sage and the entire Redding family pay for their loss, Win just figures Sage has paid his dues and maybe needs a friend. Maybe he needs more than a friend. In fact, Win’s counting on it.
No one’s denying Sage is an ex-con who went to prison for manslaughter. Regardless of the love he has for his father, he’s returned knowing things will likely go badly for him. Maybe a man can always come home, but he may not be able to stay.
Review: The Terms of Release is the first book in BA Tortuga’s series, The Release. I’ve really come to enjoy Tortuga’s writing, I always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. There’s always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy!
The Terms of Release is a real gritty cowboy romance, about healing, home and family. The narration was performed by Slate Anders. I’ve never heard Anders narrate before, but his voice was absolutely perfect for the book. He uses an intense, earthy tone for the narration, complimenting both MCs well. To be perfectly honest, this was a pretty flawless performance, Anders was able to get the tone and emotion of the book, which always just bubbling at the surface.
The book is about Sage Redding and Adam Winchester (Win). Sage cannot catch a break. He’s returned to Texas from California, after spending the past twelve years in prison for manslaughter, when his only crime was taking drugs and being near a meth lab when it blew up – killing his ex-boyfriend, a dealer, a woman and a little kid. However, he has done his time and he wants to move on, he will do anything to be a better man. In fact, he needs to learn to be a man. He went into jail at the age of nineteen and doesn’t really understand the outside world real world (these parts of the books gave me big Shawshank Redemption vibes, lol). It’s just that when he goes back to Texas to help his parents, his ex’s family (who placed the man on a pedestal he did not deserve) treat Sage like a pariah, calling him a murderer.
Adam Winchester hears the whispers. He was in the army at the time this had all happened, serving overseas, and is now a police deputy. It also happens that Sage’s ex was Adam’s cousin. Although Adam doesn’t see the man as angelic as the rest of his family, and he firmly believes that Sage has served his time and deserves a chance to move on.
Adam finds himself looking out for the Sage, making sure that he isn’t bothered too much. Then he finds himself befriending the man before more comes of their attraction. There is an instant attraction between the men, but it is left for a bit so that their characters develop and they get to know each other. Both men are complicated with a lot of baggage which includes their families, although Sage has a pretty awesome family it is because the ranch was in trouble that he had to return. Overall, I felt the story does them justice and I adored both Adam and Sage by the end of it.
There are some really cool secondary characters as well. Not everyone is against Sage, his mother, father and sister are quite wonderful, as are the people at the biker owned diner.
I recommend this one for anyone that loves a small-town cowboy, a bit of angst and a touch of dark and gritty drama.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (24th November 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Jim Carney has a full time job – running from himself. Since he walked out on his wealthy family at 16 because he’d wrecked his best friend’s life over some yaoi graphic novels, Jim has lived a macho, blue-collar existence of too much booze and too little responsibility. Then Billy Ballew, the man Jim most admires, gives Jim a chance to come through as his construction supervisor. For once, Jim is determined to make someone proud. Then Jim goes in for a physical for his new job, and his yaoi dream comes to life in the form of cardiologist Ken Tanaka. Jim discovers he has two heart problems – a wonky mitral valve and a serious attraction to his doctor. But Ken is a major player, and Jim might be just a notch on the doc’s stethoscope. To Ken, Jim is unforgettable – but the living embodiment of his traditional family’s worst nightmares. How come the minute Jim decides to be responsible, he finds himself taking care of his kid brother, getting a proposal from a wealthy woman, making a deal with the devil, and winding up in the hospital – when all he really wants is the knave of broken hearts?
Review: Knave of Broken Hearts is the second book in Tara Lain’s Love in Laguna series. I would suggest reading this series in order, because it would make it easier to understand the large cast of secondary characters that we are getting to know. I love Tara Lain’s writing, I find it so easy to connect to, but in saying that I do think that I once tried reading a book in this series (without realising it was a series) and didn’t really enjoy it and so just became a forgettable experience.
KC Kelly, who is performs the narration for the audio of this series has done an excellent job for the second book. There is nothing really that took away from my enjoyment of the book, it was just so easy to connect with the characters when I started listening to this book.
The characters of the book are Jim Carney and Doctor Ken Tanaka. Jim was actually in book 1, a close ally and now friend to Billy Ballew. In fact, Jim now works for Billy after Billy took the big step to start up his own contracting business. Jim starts the book in a really down position. Being in the closet means that although he has been supportive of Billy, he feels like a liar and begins to revaluate his life as his new job begins to take off. To top it off, he has a tonne of baggage when it comes to his family as well, who he hasn’t seen in years. It just so happens that the doctor’s appointment that he has to attend for the new job leads him to the office of cardiologist Doctor Ken Tanaka.
Ken comes from a very traditional Japanese family. His parents love him and are endlessly proud of his professional accomplishments. In fact, his mother loves him so much and is so traditional, that now she has accepted that her son is gay, he is going to find him a good Japanese boy to marry. Because… well, tradition. But Ken is conflicted when it comes to his attraction to Jim, after all Jim is a patient as well as being a man who is struggling even more than Ken. But the two men, once thrown into each other’s orbit, cannot do anything but get back together.
However, it isn’t all roses. Ken is confused by his feelings for a man who would not pass muster with his parents, no matter how accepting they are. Ken has concerns for Jim’s health. Jim is struggling to become the better man he wanted to become. Jim also has to deal with his estranged family when his little brother arrives on his doorstep, desperate for help from his big brother (the two had never been close, due to their age difference). The guys have a lot of growing to do before the spark between them becomes a blazing fire.
Once again, I’ve loved the in-depth development we see of the MCs, but also love the support and getting to know the secondary characters in this book. I see that one character being in closet is the theme in this series. I don’t think its necessarily a bad thing because all the characters are very different have their reasons for staying in the closet, oh, and there are a lot of blue-collar construction workers. It is only when they fall in love that they realise that they can live in freedom. It’s a really sweet, heart-warming series, with really down to earth characters so far.
Blurb: MORTALS BEWARE: What am I saying? If you made it this far, you’ll be fine…
The end is here.
Will our heroes save the day? Or will they lose to the dark forces that conspire against all the realms?
The demon Kinzer is on the run–a fugitive accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He’s lost what little he had left to live for. But despite how futile his efforts against Armageddon seem, he fights on…even when all hope seems lost.
Meanwhile, Trey and Kid are sent to an immortal prison to await sentencing for the same crime Kinzer is wanted for. As immortals work to decide the fates of these creatures, a greater war lingers on the horizon. And with it, will come an apocalypse that will ravage the heavens and the Earth.
All creation is f*cked, and despite anyone’s cries and pleas for mercy, no god will come to their rescue.
Not in…
THE CLIPPED SAGA.
*This is the third and final installment in the saga.
Review: This installment of the Clipped Saga has many twists and turns as well as plenty of action and heart stopping suspense. Throughout this entire series I have been on the edge of my seat. Though I will admit the sex scenes took me by surprise with the pain in them.
Aside from the sometimes brutality that goes on I was entranced by the story. I was drawn in from the beginning of the series to the end. Kinzar, Trey, Kid, Hayde and all their allies fight for their lives as well as humanities against Janka and his crew. The fight scenes were awesome and in great detail.
I have never read a series quite like it before as most dial back the horror and details. Not so in this series. You get a no holds barred story that packs quite a punch and leaves you reeling at times with it’s fast pace and the things that go on.
Even though I did not care for the assault/rape scenes and was squeamish with the sex I still loved the series. If your looking for HEA and sweetness this series is not for you. If you like dark, gritty in your face horrifying with a storyline that is amazing this series is definitely for you.
Blurb: Just a little Love Bite: After getting out from under his mother’s thumb, a young man fears he traded one taskmaster for another.
Raphael Corsair didn’t understand his brother’s sudden desire to couple with some huge black guy. Still, staying with Giles at the Montana cattle ranch gave him the opportunity to escape from under his mother’s thumb. Lenora Corsair was dominating and controlling, and Raphael would do anything to get away from her, even learn how to ride a horse and rope cows. To his surprise, the ranch’s owners offered him an office position. The only disconcerting aspect came in the form of big, handsome Kase Corrocus. The ranch hand made no bones about the fact that he was interested in Raphael. Except, Raphael didn’t consider himself gay. Then why did his prick get hard any time he was near the disconcerting man? On top of that confusion, why couldn’t his mother leave him alone?
Review: Each book in A Loving Nip collection features a different romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order. In fact I would recommend reading the very first series that leads you to this one. Wolves of Stone Ridge is the starter that many different series branched off, so I would start with that one first. There are about five different series, so you will definitely be entertained.
I came across Charlie when she wrote her very first book for the Wolves of Stone Ridge series and never looked back. You will meet a group of alpha that want the love of their mates. They live many centuries and their mates make their lives better and a bit interesting. Most of the time they have their serious tones but there is quite a bit of humor mixed in with them that make them even more fascinating for me. Each story will have danger, excitement, adventure, and a touch of kink to them that will keep your attention the whole time, like it does for me.
Raphael decided to stay at the ranch where his brother made his home at. He couldn’t see what the big deal was, give him a fancy coffee shop anytime. However there was one man on the ranch that might just change his mind. To bad Raphael is not gay.
Kase is one hell of a paranormal who has just found his mate. Now he just has to change the man’s mind. Things are going to get real interesting. I love how Charlie puts together a book that will draw you in and keep you captivated all the way to the end. Charlie has become one of my favorite authors, and I am glad to see that it will never change. This is one book I would recommend.
Blurb: It’s 1992 and Los Angeles is burning. Noah Valentine, the owner of Pinx Video in Silver Lake, notices the fires have taken their toll on fellow shopkeeper Guy Peterson’s camera shop. After the riots end, he decides to stop by Guy’s apartment to pick up his overdue videos, only to find Guy’s family dividing up his belongings. He died in the camera store fire—or did he? Noah and his downstairs neighbors begin to suspect something else might have happened to Guy Peterson. Something truly sinister.
The first in a new series from Lambda Award-winner Marshall Thornton, Night Drop strikes a lighter tone than the Boystown Mysteries, while bringing Silver Lake of the early 1990s to life..
Review: Video store owner Noah decides to get his overdue videos back only to discover the man, guy, is dead. Or is he. Along with his good friends and neighbors Marc and Louis they set out to determine what exactly is going on.
This story is dramatic. The riots in LA in the nineties was devastating and is brought to life in this murder mystery. The details were amazing, the writing fabulous and the overall story amazing. I felt as though I was there with the guys as they traversed through the clues.
The humor and closeness of these three men was comfortable. I really enjoyed the entire story from start to finish and am anxious to dive into the second book which I will dive into as soon as I finish this review.
Blurb: After a long stint in the training camps, Prince Derrick and his best friend Kylar are finally coming home to Tygeria. Celebrating on the lawless moon Belline, they run into Drex pirates and a wild brawl ensues. When the smoke clears and the dust settles, a friendly drink with a gorgeous young man named Egan leads to more than they bargained for.
Both Kylar and Derrick wake up the next morning in the brothel upstairs, bleary-eyed, hung-over and knowing that something significant happened to each of them—they just aren’t sure what it was. Running to catch their shuttle, they slip away from their wild night not knowing that the handsome and dangerous Rhaegar Barbosa, the pirate king himself, has claimed Derrick as his mate.
Teaming up to find the men who they now claim as their own, Rhaegar and Egan head to Tygeria. Rhaegar takes matters into his own hands and kidnaps Derrick, along with several members of the royal family. When threats begin to mount from all sides, Rhaegar realizes he may have to give up everything if he hopes to keep the one man he can’t live without.
Review: Each book in Mate of the Tyger Prince collection features a different romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.
Derrick and his best friend decide to spend their time after finishing training, getting drunk. To bad their memories are a bit foggy. Derrick is the prince to his world, and is now facing a young man who is pregnant. A man who is a pirate, a pirate that has some big secrets. The trouble is the King states that Derrick must marry Egan, a man he does not remember. The problem was, Derrick was not the one who got him pregnant. Kylar needs to come home soon.
I am afraid that this series is one of those that I couldn’t remember very well. Which is not a good sign for me. The constant going back and forth is troublesome and drove me nuts. The characters are charming but also spunky as hell. I don’t much care for Rhaegar. I think he has more secrets to tell, but he comes off as an ass. The king however needs to be kicked in the butt. He was an ass to his son and didn’t do the book any good. There is adventure, danger, murder, hot sex and well you will just have to read the story for more.
I hate to admit that this series was not one of my favorites. The story is entertaining and I did enjoy it, but the story just doesn’t flow right. It came off as choppy and not well articulated, but that doesn’t say the story is not good. It has some great potential, but so far it just needs a bit more work to it. I will see how the next book turns out to make up my mind though.
Blurb: When humans forsake the temples, the gods need to find other employment. Hades opens Brandywine Investigations after his divorce and his subsequent move to the modern world. If he was hoping for boring infidelity cases and lost dogs, he’s sorely mistaken as murder and mayhem find his agency and his extended family at an astonishing rate.
Please note: The stories in this omnibus have been reedited, and expanded by about 18K (total). The majority of the expansions were in No Enemy But Time.
Hades is given devastating news and so looks for something else in his life. He decides to open a P.I business called Brandywine Investigations. A few murders has him thinking they are connected and so starts looking for clues. He runs across Tiberius, Ti, right after one murder. Ti is a homeless man just looking for a place to sleep but his world is turned upside down when introduced to Hades’ world. I liked the story but at times felt Hades’ character was off somehow. Ti for his part was an alcoholic battling life and all that entails. The two work together to figure out the case.
No Enemy But Time
This is a story with Zack, God of the hunt and Hades son, and Michael. There are Fallen Angels going mad in the city and the consequences are deadly. It is up to Brandywine Investigations along with Zack’s help to find out what is going on. The problem is Michael begins to show the same signs as the other fallen angels did. Zack is in for a fight to save the man he loves. While I did not connect with the MC’s I did enjoy the story.
Dragons, Diamonds & Discord
This story is about Hermes and a dragon who steals his jewellery. But it’s way more complicated than that as it turns out it was not his doing. Chocked full of suspense and chaos this story packs a punch when it is revealed as to what is really going on.
I really liked these stories. They are all connected so it is best to read them in order. I liked the couples as well as the side characters. The mix of Greek mythology was a definite bonus for me. I especially liked the end when all the books are tied in together.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (31st December 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: One thing Liam Turner knows for sure is that he’s not gay – after all, his father makes it very clear he’ll allow no son of his to be gay. And Liam believes it, until a chance meeting with James “Jay” Bell turns Liam’s world upside-down. Jay is vivacious and unabashedly gay – from the tips of his bleached hair to the ends of his polished nails. With a flair for fashion, overreaction, and an inability to cork his verbal diarrhea, drama queen Jay must have a screw loose.
An accident as a teenager left Liam with a limp and a fear of driving. He can’t play football any-more either, and that makes him feel like less of a man. But that’s no reason to question his sexuality… unless the accident broke something else inside him. When being with Jay causes Liam’s protective instincts to emerge, Liam starts to believe all he’s known in life has been a convenient lie. From intolerance to confrontations, Liam must learn to overcome his fears – and his father – before he can accept his sexuality and truly love Jay.
Review: Loving Jay is the first book in Renae Kaye’s Loving You series.
This is the second or third book that I’ve listened to or read by Kaye, and I feel that I am warming up to her as an author slowly but surely. For me, an Aussie author writing about her own city (which isn’t on the eastern coast) is major plus for me as a South Australian, despite her books being set in Perth, Western Australia (I always appreciate the digs at the SA football teams too). Since we’re not here for a geography lesson, suffice to say that I connect with the very Aussie tone in her writing. So far there’s been a bit of a pattern in her writing where we have at least one main character who doesn’t want to come out of the closet because of his very blokey workplace (lots of miners) or his very manly-man type father. Not that it’s a bad thing, if you like a book with that sort of storyline.
The narration for this series is performed by Dave Gillies. I do like Gillies accent, despite the fact that he is Scottish, it’s a pretty decent Aussie accent. The only thing that I will make a comment on is that sometimes when the accent slipped I found it a bit annoying, but this was only a momentary thing for me. Overall, he does a brilliant job getting the tone and distinct voices of the various characters, because there is a large cast of guys aside from the main couple.
Loving Jay obviously has a guy called Jay (aka Jamie), who shares a mutual attraction to Liam Turner. Liam and Jay see each other every day at the train station on the way to work.
Liam is inexplicably drawn to the very obviously out and proud gay man, and Liam is fighting it. He doesn’t think that he can be gay. An accident when he was younger gave him a limp and leaves him unable to drive anymore, add to this hearing his dad wanting Liam to be a “proper man” (a real proper bloke), following the football (AFL) and all those other things that seem manly, and Liam is too afraid to face his true self. He’s had a couple failed relationships with women too, which doesn’t help his self-esteem.
But then there is Jay, and Jay is energy and light and love and laughter. At first they get to know each other over coffees at the train station. Then they have lunches. Liam is confused by his feelings for Jay, and Jay is strong throughout it all because his heart has already chosen the confused man.
Between Liam’s family, Jay’s really great family and their group of friends, there is a real feel good vibe about this whole book. These are very down to earth characters living a pretty normal life, making them totally relatable. Can’t wait to get to the next book!
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (4th September 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Adam Macias has been thrown a few curve balls in his life, but losing his VA grant because his car broke down and missing a class was the one that struck him out. One relative away from homelessness, he has taking the bus to Sacramento, where his cousin has offered a house-sitting job and a new start. He has one goal, and that’s to get his life back on track. Friends, pets, lovers need not apply.
Finn Stewart takes one look at Adam as he’s applying to Candy Heaven and decides he’s much too fascinating to leave alone. Finn is bright and shiny – and has never been hurt. Adam is wary of his attention from the very beginning – Finn is dangerous to every sort of peace Adam is forging, and Adam may just be too damaged to let him in at all.
But Finn is tenacious, and Adam’s new boss, Darrin, doesn’t take bullshit for an answer. Adam is going to have to ask himself which is harder – letting Finn in or living without him? With the holi-days approaching, it seems like an easy question, but Adam knows from experience that life is seldom simple. And the world seldom cooperates with hope, faith, or the plans of cats and men.
Review: Candy Man is the first book in Amy Lane’s series of the same name. I’ve have come to enjoy some of Lane’s books. However, I had not got into this series as the ebook predates when I first discovered the author. I have a dim memory of listening to one of the books in the series, but since I had read it out of order I never gave it a chance. Seems unfortunate, but it means that I’ve made an awesome discovery for the audio book format.
The narration was performed by Philip Alces, who narrates the full series. Alces has a soft and gentle voice that matches the sweetness of the plot and conveys the variety of emotions that tumble through the MCs. It was a wonderful performance and completely on point.
Candy Man has a really cute premise. It’s about this almost hippy-like guy, Darren, who runs a boutique candy store in Old Sacramento and just so happens to have psychic visions about the people that he needs to help, i.e. people that are down on their luck and may not be looking for love but are gonna get it anyway. Really cool.
The MC that needs help that introduces us to this world is Adam Macais. He had a really shitty upbringing. His family cursed his own existence, always more than happy to tell him that he was a bastard (honestly, can’t figure out that guy’s mum). When he left to go to the army, the dog that he had loved was euthanised by his vindictive mother. When he came out as gay he was outright rejected. In the army he had thought that he had found the love of his life, but that went awry. When he left the army he went back to school, but being sick meant that he lost his VA Grant. All that he had left was a handful of belongings and a crappy car that would take him to Sacramento. That’s where his cousin, Rico, lives and it feels like that Rico is the only light in his life.
Adam is staying at Rico’s place, looking after Rico’s dog, Clopper, and the decrepit cat, Gonzo, while Rico moves to New York for six months for an internship. Adam is determined to get his life back on track. He’s in the right place at the right time because barely after a day in Sacramento he walks into the store Candy Heaven, where the strange guy that runs the place, gives him an apron and tells Adam he is where he is meant to be.
Adam meets Finn when Finn delivers food from his family’s diner. Finn is super close to his family, they are big and boisterous and for Finn there is nothing bad in the world. He is outgoing and positive. He works for the family business while going to school to become an engineer. The moment he meets Adam, Finn knows that he can’t let the guy go. Good thing that Finn is a scrappy sort of guy because Adam is going to take a lot of getting to know and convincing that he is deserving of love, laughter and happiness.
Adam and Finn have great chemistry together. They are ying and yang but as they get to know each other it is clear that they both have something that the other needs. They are kind of like Beauty and the Beast in a way. Adam is a gritty character from a hard life, but that is only what we get on the surface as Adam has a lot of things to learn in the course of this book.
The world of the Candy Man has a strange type of mystical energy that makes it so easy to get love and hope. Candy Man was a really charming book and I can’t wait for the next one. This is good for people that love a rosy, sweet romance.
