Hi guys, we have Lissa Kasey and Sam Kadence stopping by with three of their books, Hidden Gem, On the Right Track and Unicorns and Rainbow Poop. We have excerpts from each book, a short interview and a fantastic giveaway. There are also reviews from myself and Tina so enjoy the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~

 Hidden Gem

Lissa Kasey

Misaki “Aki” Itou is a psi—a person with mutated DNA granting him psychic abilities. He’s also a contracted companion—a whore. It may not be the perfect profession, but having a roof over his head, food to eat, and not being subjected to torture is a dream come true. He is the top companion at the Hidden Gem, and it makes him enough money to buy the prettiest, most sparkly shoes he can find.

Shane McNaughton is an Irishman who survived the Third World War and works as a cop. Head of Missing Persons, he’s good at finding people, but after the plague of the Third mutated his DNA, he has a hard time letting anyone see the monster inside. He’s been paying for Aki’s services for two years, both the psi and the sexual kind, but he wants more from the companion.

Shane needs Aki’s ability to see into another person’s past to track down a serial killer murdering the children of rich and powerful men, but the more they work together, the clearer it becomes that they are linked through a darker past than either of them realizes. 

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5376

On the Right Track

Sam Kadence

Ryunoski “Ru” Nakimura knows all about the trappings of fame. Expelled from a boy band for coming out as gay, he still wants to continue his career in music. Too bad his ex finds nothing better to do than exploit their relationship in the press, so Ru leaves California behind to lie low in Minnesota for a while.

Adam Corbin attends a Minnesota high school and wants to coast through as a typical student. He’s friends with an openly gay student, Bas Axelrod, but while Adam plays football, he also stays away from much socializing. Blending in and not outing himself has been easy because he’s never really been seriously interested in any of the guys he’s encountered.

When Adam meets Ru in a library, Adam begins to think he’s found that special young man who might make it worthwhile to just be himself. And for Ru, Adam looks like someone he might trade his fame for, if they could be together. Ru and Adam will both come to realize that courage and love must go hand in hand if they are to have a future.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4094

Unicorns and Rainbow Poop

Sam Kadence

Ex-boyband member Dane Karlson is struggling to overcome an eating disorder and a body dismorphic disorder. His fall through a glass table puts him in rehab and on the road to recovery. Then a friend dies. When depression causes him to lose ground, he calls for the only person he trusts—former bandmate Tommy. But Tommy doesn’t know how to help. He begs his friend Sebastian “Bas” Axelrod to aid them through the emotional struggle.

Bas, an openly gay high school student who’s recently lost his grandmother, is trying to survive his last few months of school before escaping to Stanford. Having just lost the only person in his family to care for him, he is victim to the cruelty of the others. His younger brother bullies him, and his parents are suing him for his gran’s inheritance. When Tommy calls, Bas can’t help but run to his side.

Together Dane and Bas find a middle ground, supporting each other through the lows, dancing together during the highs. They build friendships and plan for the prom and graduation, thinking positively as long as they are together.

Lissa/Sam interview

Excerpt

HIDDEN GEM:

First Glimpse by Lissa Kasey

Aki swept up a bottle of McNaughton’s favorite scotch and headed toward the broad Irishman. The man’s shoulders were arched forward, back tense, hair a sexy mess, and face covered with a couple days’ growth. Obviously the cop was on a difficult case. The detective hadn’t yet asked for him, just for his usual meal—almost bloody steak with a baked potato.

“You look like you could use a drink,” Aki told him as he slid into the chair beside him. He turned an empty glass over and poured three fingers of the golden liquid.

McNaughton sighed, his dark eyes roaming over Aki’s small body, platinum blond hair pulled up and styled with sparkling pins, see-thru knit top, and super-short skirt, then over his bare legs down to the gleaming heels. The shoes were a silver mesh of crystals that slid up just past his ankles. A gift from McNaughton. The cop sucked in a deep breath and slid his hand over the covered part of Aki’s thigh. He knew better than to touch bare flesh to bare flesh. Aki was a cognitive psi, could see entire lives of horrors with a single touch, and he was sure McNaughton’s past was filled with a lot of nasty memories.

“Wish you had time for me tonight. But I’ve got a feeling you’re booked up tight.” He glanced back at the room bustling with companions and potential customers. Aki was the only psi in the room, his pale-pupiled blue eyes telling the world that he was different.

“I’m sure Bart can fit you in.” Aki’s eyes scanned the room until he found his boss, who was engaged with negotiations with another client. “Looks like you need some trouble eased tonight.” He leaned in close enough his breath ran across McNaughton’s cheek.

McNaughton turned his head, lips nearly close enough to touch. “Would love a bit of time with your shine.”

“Words like honey, McNaughton.”

The cop flashed him one of his rare, heart-stopping smiles then nodded as Bart appeared beside them. “Table seven is ready, Aki. Number one.” Bart told him.

Aki grabbed Bart’s wrist with a gloved hand. “The cop needs some time tonight. You can make that happen, right?”

“Of course.” Bart nodded to them and took Aki’s vacated seat and Aki made his way to his next client of the evening. There were only two services Aki performed. A hand job and a blow job, one and two. This client wanted number one—which meant he was cheap since rarely did anyone ask for a hand job from him. But his prices were astronomical anyway.

“Hello,” Aki smiled at the man as he slid into the chair opposite him. The client was dressed nice, button down shirt, pressed pants, but he was bald and a little heavier around the waist. A politician probably. “If you’re ready we can head upstairs.”

The man barely spoke, but he leered, eyes tracing over Aki’s form more like he was cattle than a night of entertainment. Even in his worst moments McNaughton had never done that. It wasn’t appreciation, but something darker. Aki sighed internally and hoped this would be fast. He knew a thousand ways to get a man off in minutes. Something about him just set off Aki’s creep radar.

“I hear some wait months for the pleasure of your time,” the man said with slightly accented speech.

Not usually. The only ones who waited weeks were because their schedule and Aki’s conflicted or because they’d done something to upset him or Bart. Most clients got in within a few days if not the same day of requesting Aki’s time. And regulars were always given precedence over someone not yet vetted like this client. “If I don’t please you I can see if Preston or Royce is available.”

“I was hoping for Candy originally.”

Was always good to be told he was second choice. Aki gritted his teeth. “Candy only serves a special kind of client. And he does have a wait list.” Mostly because he took clients who wanted a little more kink than any of the other male companions preferred. Aki was going to recommend this client be removed from the premises after the service was over.

“I guess you’ll have to do then. Won’t you?” He gave Aki a chilling smile.

Bastard. Aki got up from his seat and offered his gloved hand to the man who followed closely. They’d reached the stairs when the man grabbed him, yanked Aki against him and shoved his hand up Aki’s skirt, groping him and sending him into a spiral of nightmares.

A dark room. The metallic stink of blood. Screams. The sound of knives being sharpened. Metal bars clanking. Crying. Pain. The music of an ice cream truck. How odd. It was all ripped away a moment later, but Aki’s stomach was already heaving. The small plate of fruit and yogurt he’d had for dinner was not going to stay down.

Someone carried him unceremoniously to the private companion bathroom near the kitchen and set him in front of the toilet just as the mash of fruits and dairy came up. Aki heaved a couple of minutes, his brain swirling with the images that thankfully began to fade just as quickly as they’d come. With any luck he’d be able to brush his teeth, wash his face and go about his work day.

He glanced up to find Manny, the head of security standing at the door. McNaughton knelt beside Aki. Had held his hair back and even used his jacket to cover Aki’s bottom. The skirts really were too short.

“Bart is already having the guy removed. He should never have touched you like that. Sorry I didn’t get to you quicker,” Manny told Aki. “Grateful to you, Detective, for responding so quickly.”

McNaughton stroked Aki’s back, using the soft material of the sweater to run circles over his spine. “Want to talk about it?”

Aki sighed. “Same crap. Just weird. Darkness, crying, smelled blood. Heard knives.” He shook his head. “The guy could work at a butcher for all I know. The memories get so jumbled.” Often with his own horrific past. “Thought I heard a kid. And bars rattling like in a jail. And the music from an ice cream truck.”

McNaughton nodded like it made perfect sense to him and helped Aki get up and make his way to the sink where there were spare toothbrushes and endless varieties of paste. The cop leaned over and kissed Aki’s hair. “Gotta go. I’ll have Bart reschedule me sometime this week though. Love that you wore my shoes.” He was gone a moment later.

Aki cleaned up and made his way back to work. At least the night was almost over. He was sad that McNaughton hadn’t stayed. Would have liked to see that smile another time or two. At least the rest of the night flew by without incident, even if the detective didn’t return.

“Sleeping with me tonight?” Candy asked as he stripped out of their work clothes, leaving just a pair of bright pink underwear and crawled into bed. His purple hair was already brushed and eyes heavy with sleep.

“Please,” Aki whispered. He stripped off everything but his underwear too. After putting his shoes and pins away, he washed his face.

“Heard that guy touched you. What a jerk.”

“He wanted you to begin with.” Aki curled up beside his best friend.

Candy flicked off the light. “I would have brought him down a few pegs.”

Aki smiled, but he didn’t want to think of the horrible man at all. Those memories just needed to go away. He had enough of his own to battle with each day. He fell asleep hoping to wake up with less nasty memories each day.

The next afternoon Aki was up early and at Artie’s for breakfast—best 24/7 diner in the area—when McNaughton arrived. The man sat down at his table without asking and pushed a pair of slim, jeweled, yellow flat sandals into Aki’s hands. “What’s this for?” Aki asked.

He just shook his head. He threw a stack of cash on the table and motioned to the waitress. “Anything he wants is on me.” He then got up from the table and headed for the door.

“Well that was weird,” Aki said to LuAnn, the waitress.

She pointed at the Vid screen. “He had a rough night. Caught the guy who was killing kids.” The Vidscreen was turned to the news. Something about a man named the “Ice Cream Killer” had been captured. Apparently he used an ice cream truck to lure kids in, kidnapped them, raped them and killed them. Real monster.

A picture popped up of the guy. It was the client from the Gem. Maybe that’s why McNaughton was at the Gem. No matter what he hoped the detective visited him tonight. The new yellow shoes would need a new skirt to match…

Hidden Gem

EXCERPT FOR ON THE RIGHT TRACK

RU’S phone pinged with a new message from Tommy.

Looks like another one, sorry.

The text was attached to a photo of the cover of a magazine featuring Ru kissing his ex-boyfriend Kris and then a smaller picture of Kris kissing another guy. Headline for that one was Vocal Growth Star Jilted! Six months and still front page news.

He sighed. Even leaving California hadn’t helped. Here he was in the cold autumn of Minnesota, alone, but still stalked by the conservative media who thought anyone under eighteen didn’t deserve to recognize their sexuality. Sure he was gay. He’d known for years. Had even made the mistake of telling his father when he was eleven. Why did that make him a bad guy?

As part of a boy band that had traveled the world a few times and won a hefty number of awards, he was required to maintain a wholesome image. At least that’s what his former recording studio had told him. And wholesome didn’t mean kissing another guy, even when he and Kris had been exclusive for almost two years. So, while it was okay for other celebrities to come out and show pride, anyone under the magical age of eighteen was ridiculed, cast out, and treated as a pariah of the community.

Do you need me to come stay with you? Tommy texted again. He was a former bandmate but still a good friend. Tommy hadn’t cared when Ru told him he was gay. He did offer to kick the crap out of Kris after the guy had set them up to be photographed together, outing Ru to the whole world, only to then cheat on him. Would Ru’s heart ever stop breaking at the memory?

Ru texted back He never really loved me, did he?

On the right Track (audio)

UNICORNS AND RAINBOW POOP EXCERPT:

“So I was thinking since you and I both care about Tommy, we have something in common. See, Tommy is stressed, and I thought we could do something nice for him.”

Dane sat but glared at the man suspiciously. “What sort of nice thing?”

Bas motioned to the bags. “We’re going to make him cookies.”

Dane gulped. “I don’t like food.”

“You won’t be eating it. Tommy will. He canceled a class to come here. Did he tell you? He was taking a theater class at the community college back in Minnesota. Had to withdraw to be here. And with college, you know that means giving up any money paid. Not that money matters much to you guys. Though as young as you all are, I hope you’re well invested.”

Bas shrugged at him and began taking things out of the bags. Flour, eggs, sugar—both white and brown—food coloring, butter, vanilla, and lemons.

“I didn’t know,” Dane said quietly. He’d thought Tommy would be the least affected by his problems. Of course he’d been wrong about that too. Couldn’t he do anything right? “I don’t know anything about cooking.”

“That’s okay. I got this recipe online. It’s pretty easy. We’re making unicorn poop cookies.”

“What?”

“They are sugar cookies with food coloring in them to make them all rainbow-like. Unicorns are good luck and all that. Supposed to be the embodiment of goodness and purity.” Bas picked up his tablet, tapped the screen, and flipped it so Dane could see. The cookies really did look like a big pile of rainbow poop.

“Looks tasty,” Dane grumbled.

“We shall see, right? Think you can measure for me?” He pulled out a couple of cookie sheets and turned on one of the many ovens. “I got permission to use the kitchen here, but we can’t get too rowdy or they’ll kick me out.” He winked at Dane. “I’m pretty sure the orderlies outside are to make sure I’m not burning the place down.”

Dane got up and moved around the counter to stare at the list of ingredients. Bas plugged in a big mixer and took the mixing bowl out of it, bringing it to the counter for them to fill.

“This is really for Tommy?”

“Sure. We can send some to Ru and Adam too if you’d like. I heard they are only an hour or so away.”

“I don’t want Ru to know I’m here,” Dane said immediately. He didn’t need to mess up anyone else’s life.

“No worries. We need tell them nothing other than that they are from you.”

Unicorns and Rainbow Poop

About author

Sam Kadence has always dreamed about being someone else, somewhere else. With very little musical talent, Sam decided the only way to make those dreams come true was to try everything from cosplay at the local anime conventions to writing novels about pretending to run away to become a musician.

Sam has a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing, sells textbooks for a living, enjoys taking photographs of Asian Ball Joint Dolls to tell more stories, and has eclectic taste in music from J-pop to rock and country. All of which finds its way into the books eventually.

Email: samkadence.author@gmail.com

Lissa Kasey lives in St. Paul, MN, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing, and collects Asian Ball Joint Dolls who look like her characters. She has three cats who enjoy waking her up an hour before her alarm every morning and sitting on her lap to help her write. She can often be found at Anime Conventions masquerading as random characters when she’s not writing about boy romance.

Author Contact:

https://www.facebook.com/lissa.kasey, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008292783586&fref=ts, parisbvamp@yahoo.com

Giveaway

Win print copies of Hidden Gem, Unicorns and rainbow Poop, and audio book codes for On the Right Track. (two of each)

Sam Kadence & Lissa Kasey Rafflecopter giveaway!

Reviews

Title: Hidden Gem

Author: Lissa Kasey

Genre: Paranormal, Science Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Length: Novel (246pgs)

ISBN: 978-1-63216-199-4

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (26^th September 2014)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Misaki “Aki” Itou is a psi—a person with mutated DNA granting him psychic abilities. He’s also a contracted companion—a whore. It may not be the perfect profession, but having a roof over his head, food to eat, and not being subjected to torture is a dream come true. He is the top companion at the Hidden Gem, and it makes him enough money to buy the prettiest, most sparkly shoes he can find.

Shane McNaughton is an Irishman who survived the Third World War and works as a cop. Head of Missing Persons, he’s good at finding people, but after the plague of the Third mutated his DNA, he has a hard time letting anyone see the monster inside. He’s been paying for Aki’s services for two years, both the psi and the sexual kind, but he wants more from the companion.

Shane needs Aki’s ability to see into another person’s past to track down a serial killer murdering the children of rich and powerful men, but the more they work together, the clearer it becomes that they are linked through a darker past than either of them realizes.

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5376

Review: Aki is a psi; he has mutated DNA that means he is able to read your past with a touch, but living in a world that fears those that are different left him starving and beaten until he was taken off the streets to become a contracted companion. The Hidden Gem welcomed him with open arms and he has repaid them by becoming their top companion, earning enough money to keep him in sparkly shoes and pretty clothes. Shane survived the Third World War greatly changed; now working as a cop finding missing people and assisting in the odd homicide but keeping people at arm’s length to hide the monster inside him. Shane has visited Aki many times over the last two years for both work and personal needs and he wishes he could have more from the companion. As Shane tracks down a serial killer it becomes clear to him that Ari is somehow connected, but can Shane save him from what is to come?

Oh my, this story certainly surprised me with the intriguing plot and stunning characters. The world has changed from what we know; World War Three changed not only the landscape but for some it changed their very genetics, A-Ms (Animal-Mutation) and not long after came the psi’s. A country split and containment camps and shunning for the psi and A-Ms hiding their natures, this is the world we find ourselves in and it is fascinating. Shane is investigating a puzzling serial killer, asking Aki to help seems to be his best bet for any clue but not even Aki could have seen the outcome that they are heading for.

Shane and Aki are wonderful characters, Shane may be big, growly and not very friendly and when you learn his past you can understand his stand-offish attitude, but he has a soft spot for Aki, then there’s Aki who seems to be a young innocent who has an obsession with sparkly shoes, but has an horrific past and it’s amazing after everything he has been through that he has a soft heart for Shane. They have much to work out before they even start dating, Aki must learn to shield himself and Shane must learn to be what Aki needs and Shane also needs to get to the bottom of his serial killer case which seems to get bigger and more complex with every victim.

I have to admit that I couldn’t put this story down, it’s growth was amazing with plots and twists that just seemed to get bigger and bigger, there was also a couple of moments where my jaw dropped in surprise because the twist just came from nowhere. We are treated to a host of wonderful characters besides Aki and Shane; some of those include Candy, Paris and Jack. We are led a merry chase as we try to figure out who the serial killer is, and just where Aki fits in to Shane’s feeling that he might be connected…. And I will tell you now I think I was shell-shocked by the revelation because that had never even crossed my mind!

I have to recommend this to those who love science-fiction that blends with the paranormal, who love unconventional love stories, who love surprising thrillers and mysteries, fantastic characters who all have their own stories and a rollercoaster ride that you don’t want to get off.     

Title: On the Right Track 

Series: Vocal Growth 01

Author: Sam Kadence

Genre: YA, Contemporary

Length: Novel (184pgs)

Publisher: Harmony Ink Press, Dreamspinner Press (15^th August 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts 

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Ryunoski “Ru” Nakimura knows all about the trappings of fame. Expelled from a boy band for coming out as gay, he still wants to continue his career in music. Too bad his ex finds nothing better to do than exploit their relationship in the press, so Ru leaves California behind to lie low in Minnesota for a while. 

Adam Corbin attends a Minnesota high school and wants to coast through as a typical student. He’s friends with an openly gay student, Bas Axelrod, but while Adam plays football, he also stays away from much socializing. Blending in and not outing himself has been easy because he’s never really been seriously interested in any of the guys he’s encountered. 

When Adam meets Ru in a library, Adam begins to think he’s found that special young man who might make it worthwhile to just be himself. And for Ru, Adam looks like someone he might trade his fame for, if they could be together. Ru and Adam will both come to realize that courage and love must go hand in hand if they are to have a future.     

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4094   

Review: Ru is seventeen and already knows the pitfalls of fame. As a member of a boy band, he was dumped by his band and his record company when his then lover outed him. Ru is in Minnesota to lay low, while he writes songs for his solo career and comes across a beautiful young man in a library. A young man who doesn’t know who he is and makes him feel like the teenager he really is. Adam is sixteen and is perfectly happy to keep his head down and coast through school. When he meets a gorgeous young man in the library, he is both scared and excited and finally seizes the chance to be his true self with another person. Both young men come to realize, that to be together they need courage and love. 

This story is amazing. It isn’t the usual rock-star story, but a story of two teenagers who have grown up in different surroundings and finding a youthful love. Ru has been through some difficult times, since he was outed. Hounded by the media, his ex-boyfriend living off the fame and the only friend he really has is Tommy his ex-band mate. When he meets Adam, he falls for the wonderful boy and tries to spend as much time getting to know him as he can. At the same time, keeping hidden his fame. Adam knows the truth of being gay where he lives, he has seen his friend Bas badly beaten after he came out and Adam is scared to death of the same thing happening to him, if anyone found out. Meeting Ru has him being himself, he discovers more confidence in himself, and when he is outed himself, he confronts his bullies head on. 

I was so impressed with this story that I re-read it immediately after I finished it. And I still loved every word in it. This story is so much more than just two young men meeting and falling in love. It’s about the family and support you have and the friends who are true friends. It’s about finding the courage to hold your head up high, in spite of the insults and abuse. And that no matter what your positions in life, bullies are still bullies. We feel drawn to the boys in this story as we get to know them and their fears. We see how they become confident and how they rely on each other for support. The supporting characters are wonderful, with Tommy being the big brother that Ru desperately needs and Bas being an incredible role model and friend to Adam. 

There are many things in this story that will tug at your heart. Not least of which is Bas’ speech that will hit you in the heart and bring tears to your eyes. The story is wonderfully written. The storyline is interesting and holds your attention. But, it is the characters and what they are going through that makes you love this book. The fear, depression, anger, hope, love, joy, understanding, and confidence are just some of the emotions that Ru and Adam experience and you experience it with them.

I have absolutely no choice but to recommend that everyone read this. And if you know a young gay man or a support group then donate a copy because this story might just give them hope that they are not alone.  

Title: Unicorns and Rainbow Poop

Series: Vocal Growth 02

Author: Sam Kadence

Genre: Young Adult

Length: Novel (260 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-63216-418-6 

Publisher: Harmony Ink Press,Dreamspinner Press (November 6th, 2014)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Reviewer: Tina

Blurb: Ex-boyband member Dane Karlson is struggling to overcome an eating disorder and a body dismorphic disorder. His fall through a glass table puts him in rehab and on the road to recovery. Then a friend dies. When depression causes him to lose ground, he calls for the only person he trusts—former bandmate Tommy. But Tommy doesn’t know how to help. He begs his friend Sebastian “Bas” Axelrod to aid them through the emotional struggle.

Bas, an openly gay high school student who’s recently lost his grandmother, is trying to survive his last few months of school before escaping to Stanford. Having just lost the only person in his family to care for him, he is victim to the cruelty of the others. His younger brother bullies him, and his parents are suing him for his gran’s inheritance. When Tommy calls, Bas can’t help but run to his side.

Together Dane and Bas find a middle ground, supporting each other through the lows, dancing together during the highs. They build friendships and plan for the prom and graduation, thinking positively as long as they are together.

Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5625

Review: Disclaimer: I have not yet read book 1 in this series (but I will be going back to read it).

WOW! I have to be honest that I wasn’t sure if I would like this book based on the title…but this is an absolute must read!! When you read the story, the title will make perfect sense and bring a smile to your face.

Let me get the basics out of the way first – the writing in this book is really good. I am a Nazi when it comes to grammatical and spelling errors and I found none in this book. I have never had a personal experience with eating disorders so I cannot speak to any of the technicalities about it. My review is based solely on the entertainment value of the book.

This story touched me on several different levels…as a mom, as a friend of gay couples that has suffered bullying for their sexual orientation and as a human being that believes all people should be treated equally.

Dane suffered at hands of his parents for most of his life, being subjected to physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse. Even though he has lived through all this abuse and had to grow up pretty quickly because of his fame, he has an innocence and childlike essence that just makes you want to hug him. He has no filter and says whatever comes to his mind regardless of the consequences.

Thankfully he has surrounded himself with friends that can support and care for him and who can help him learn how to be comfortable in social situations. I personally love his lack of filter as I lack one myself. Regrettably, those around him are easily hurt and don’t always understand his comments as ignorance instead of malice.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I absolutely love the way Bas, Adam and Ru help him heal from not only his eating disorder, but the effects of 12 years of abuse. These guys are truly great friends to him.

Bas is just as broken as Dane. His only advocate has been his grandmother whom he just lost. His family is absolutely horrible. He has been bullied and abused. He hides behind his snarky comments and flamboyant behavior. Fortunately for him, Dane sees through that protective layer to the man Bas really is and loves him for it. The 2 of them balance each other and make a great pair – even if they were to remain just friends, forever.

I’m hopeful Bas and Dane are able to follow through with the life plans that Bas has as I think that would be an inspiration for all the troubled teens they come in contact with.

Adam and Ru obviously have a history that is told in book 1 but it is not necessary to read that book before reading this book. As I stated, after falling in love with this book I will be going back to book 1 because I do think that information would help understand some of their quirks in this book.

Tommy is one of Ru and Dane’s ex-band members and plays a pretty big role in this book. He is a good friend to all these guys and wants to help all of them. Unfortunately, he is just as lost as Dane and Bas are but his unraveling takes place over the entire story and leaves us not so patiently waiting for book 3 for his story.

Another 2 characters that I’m hoping we’ll see more of are Paige and Marissa. I can’t say too much about either of them without giving too much away but they both play integral parts of the story that I would like to see more of in future books.

This book is very touching and will stay with you for a long time. It is definitely one you must read.

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