Hi guys, we have Chris T. Kat popping in now with her newest release Despite the Odds, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and my review. So check out this great story and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~

Despite the Odds

Chris T. Kat

Never judge a book by its cover.

Michael Campbell can’t hold a job for more than a few days. He’s lucky his foreman is giving him another chance with the solar panel project at a primary school in Atlantic City. When he spies a man walking strangely in front of the school, Michael laughs, assuming he’s drunk or high. Little does he realize that Joshua Stone, a teaching assistant, has cerebral palsy, and he’s having a bad muscle control day. Taking a tumble right in front of the handsome construction worker is just his luck.

When Michael learns the truth, he feels badly for his cruel behavior. He offers to give Joshua—and his tricycle, the Racing Rhonda—a lift. Joshua accepts the help, and suddenly there’s a gorgeous man breezing into his life, turning his world upside down. But Michael has more issues than his inability to hold down a job, and neither man is sure if they’ll be able to overcome their fears in order to be together.

Excerpt

Henderson bulldozed right into Michael’s personal space, surprising him with the action. “You stupid son of a bitch!”

“Hey! No calling my mother names, okay?” Michael tried to joke. He’d never seen Henderson this angry. Neither did he care to have all this anger directed at him. Sure, he could hold his own if necessary, but he was more a run-away-if-there’s-trouble kind of guy.

“Do you know who that was?”

“A drunk who shouldn’t set foot on school property?” Michael hazarded.

Henderson’s eyes narrowed to small slits when he replied, “His name is Joshua Stone, and he isn’t drunk. He’s a teaching assistant who works here.”

“He looked drunk to me.”

Henderson closed his eyes, obviously trying to rein in his temper, before he put a bit more distance between them. “Mr. Stone is disabled, hence the way he walks. It’s not always that obvious, but he was carrying books, a lot of books, which threw off his balance. He’s a very good teaching assistant. He doesn’t deserve to be laughed at by someone like you, who can’t even take care of himself.”

That stung.

About Chris

Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.

Where to find the author:

Giveaway!

Win Chris T. Kat’s Jeff Woods Mystery collection, a three-book collection!

Chris T. Kat Rafflecopter giveaway!

Review

Title: Despite the Odds

Series: Odds Are 01

Author: Chris T. Kat

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella (114pgs)

ISBN: 978-1-63476-026-3

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (3^rd June 2015)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Never judge a book by its cover.

Michael Campbell can’t hold a job for more than a few days. He’s lucky his foreman is giving him another chance with the solar panel project at an elementary school in Atlantic City. When he spies a man walking strangely in front of the school, Michael laughs, assuming he’s drunk or high. Little does he realize that Joshua Stone, a teaching assistant, has cerebral palsy, and he’s having a bad muscle control day. Taking a tumble right in front of the handsome construction worker is just his luck.

When Michael learns the truth, he feels bad for his cruel behavior. He offers to give Joshua—and his tricycle, the Racing Rhonda—a lift. Joshua accepts the help, and suddenly there’s a gorgeous man breezing into his life, turning his world upside down. But Michael has more issues than his inability to hold down a job, and neither man is sure if they’ll be able to overcome their fears in order to be together.

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6459

Review: Michael has trouble holding down a job but he always tries his best, he’s doing great at his latest job installing solar panels at an elementary school and has his fingers crossed that he’ll last until the job is finished. When Michael sees a man stumbling along in broad daylight he laughs thinking the guy must be drunk but he is soon slapped down when his co-worker snarls that he has just made fun of a man with cerebral palsy. Joshua is a teaching assistant who loves his job but struggles at times with his disabilities, when he’s laughed at by a construction worker it’s just another mark to an already trying day. Struggling to get home later that day he’s surprised when the worker offers him a lift and it’s the start of a beautiful relationship. But can both men put aside their fears and embrace the love they have found?

This is a fantastic story of overcoming fears and disabilities and opening up to the possibility of love. Michael seems to be a bit of a Jack the lad and when he first laughs at Joshua you kind of hope that he will fall of a ladder, but he quickly redeems himself and you quickly warm up to his live and let live attitude. Joshua is a very caring young man and he quickly worms his way into your heart, he’s determined to live his life and doesn’t let his cerebral palsy control him. These two meeting sets them on a journey of friendship, acceptance and love.

Chris T. Kat has written a story that is both serious and fun, she takes disabilities and doesn’t allow them to be a hindrance, she doesn’t sugar coat the disabilities but adds some fun for both Joshua and Michael. For Joshua meeting someone who accepts his disabilities without looks of pity and over caring is hard but with Michael’s easy attitude Joshua doesn’t feel like Michael is acting anything but himself. For Michael meeting someone who doesn’t treat him like an idiot or stupid for his disability, when it’s discovered, and Joshua’s easy acceptance has Michael opening up more and seeing his own actions as a defence mechanism. Together they make a fantastic couple.

Now this is a very easy story to read and fall into, we have a very easy relationship between Joshua and Michael building, we have Michael being a charmer, we have Joshua excited but slightly wary and we have some wonderful brief secondary characters. This story comes together wonderfully, we have the budding romance of Michael and Joshua that is both slow and fast moving, they spend most of their time together but they don’t rush the physical side of things. Don’t expect lots of bedroom antic’s because you will end up disappointed, doesn’t mean there isn’t a sexy scene or two but this story doesn’t drip sex, there’s so much more to find in this incredible story.

I recommend this to those who adore budding relationships getting on its feet, who adore characters that aren’t perfect or flawless, who adore stories of overcoming disabilities, who love characters finding love and who love stories that are a perfect enjoyable afternoon read. 

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