Hey look what I have for you today guys! Yep we have J.P. Barnaby and her heartbreaking incredible story Spencer. J.P. has also let us have a peek into Henry’s life (you will so have to read this series now just to find out who Henry is *snigger*) and has a fabulous $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway, I have also thrown in Thommie’s review, and let me tell you that Thommie was emotionally wrung out when she finished reading both Aaron & Spencer (yes these books must be read in order), so enjoy our post today and good luck! *muah* ~Pixie~
A Survivor Story: Spencer
It’s been nearly five years since Aaron woke up in the hospital so broken, he couldn’t stand the sight of his own face. The flashbacks no longer dominate his life, but he’s still unable to find intimacy with his lover, Spencer Thomas. With time, patience, and the support of his family, his therapist, and his loving partner, Aaron has figured out how to live again. The problem is, Spencer hasn’t. His life has been on hold as he waits for the day he and Aaron can have a normal relationship. Hoping to move things forward for them both, he takes a job as a programmer in downtown Chicago, leaving Aaron alone.
Reeling in the wake of Spencer’s absence, Aaron receives another shock when his attackers are caught.
Now, he must testify and verbalize his worst nightmare. Publicly reliving his trauma without Spencer at his side destroys his precarious control. But he finds someone who can understand and empathize in Jordan, who watched his brother cut down in a school shooting. With Spencer gone and the DA knocking at his door, Aaron seeks solace in Jordan, and Spencer will have to risk everything to hold on to Aaron’s love.
Buy Links:
Dreamspinner Ebook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4773&cPath=55_395
Dreamspinner Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4818&cPath=55_395
“Stephanie,” Miranda Thomas offered with one hand on her round belly. The baby kicked her hand and she smiled. She felt the rumble of a chuckle in her husband Henry’s chest as she rested against him on their plush couch. He wrapped his arms around her, resting his hands on top of hers.
“Chloe,” he countered and nuzzled her hair out of the way to place a kiss on her neck. God, she loved him. Even Nell liked him and her sister didn’t like anyone. That could have something to do with Henry’s new thriving counseling practice, but she didn’t think so. Nell never had a thing for money. She, like Miranda, judged people based on who they were, not what they had.
Henry Thomas was a good man, a good husband, and soon, he’d be a good father.
“I don’t hate that one,” she admitted. “Let’s write that one down.”
“I don’t know why we’re picking girls names. He’s a boy.”
“Did you ask the tech when I got dressed?” She laughed. “Or is that a guess? I thought we didn’t want to know.” Miranda twisted a little to capture her husband’s lips in a slow kiss.
“I didn’t ask. I just know.”
“Okay, so what boys names do you like?”
“Anything but Henry Junior. I only escaped being a junior by the grace of God and a different middle name. Let’s allow him to be his own man.”
“I’m good with that. How about Bernard?” She kept her face solemn as he leaned around to peer at her. The horror in his expression brought a giggle to her lips.
“Seriously?”
“No, you said anything but Henry. I just wanted to test that theory.”
He wrapped his arms a little tighter and kissed her cheek with a grin.
“Okay, if he comes out really hairy with a casket around his neck, we’ll totally go with Bernard.” Henry brushed a wayward piece of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She sighed, her heart bursting with love for her husband and unborn child. She had everything she wanted right there on their little couch.
“How about Spencer?”
“Eh, I’m not loving that. What about Brandon?”
“That’s pretty common lately. I think Steve and Donna just named their son Brandon.”
“Albert?”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, okay, maybe not.” Henry laughed and kissed her behind the ear.
“Do I have to go to work tonight? I want to just sit here on the couch with you.”
“I told you to quit when you got pregnant, honey.” Henry’s voice grew serious. “You don’t have to work at all. I’ll provide for you and the baby.”
“I know. I worked so hard for my degree, though. It seems like a waste when there’s such a shortage of nurses. I didn’t know I’d feel like this.” Miranda rubbed her ever-expanding belly with their joined hands. “Maybe I won’t go back after the baby is born.”
“God, I would love that.”
“I know you would. And now, I just have one more week, Henry. I couldn’t leave with Sharon on vacation. Just one more week, and I’ll be your little wifie, barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.”
Henry sat up and turned Miranda gently in his arms.
“You know that’s not how I feel, right? I just want you to be safe and happy.”
“Sweetheart, I was teasing. You may have a few interesting personality traits, but being a Neanderthal has never been one of them.”
She giggled as he tickled her until she threatened to pee on his new couch like a puppy.
“Oh!”
“No, no puppies. At least not until the baby is a little older.”
He grinned at her pout but caught her bottom lip between his as he kissed her.
“Okay, go get ready for work before I call them and tell them you’re never coming back. God, you’re really thinking about staying home with our kids?”
“Yeah, I am.”
“I love you, both of you,” he said, resting his hand on hers over their new son or daughter. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
“And I promise, we’ll get a puppy when things calm after the baby. We have time.”
“A whole lifetime,” she promised back.
Award winning romance novelist, J. P. Barnaby has penned over a dozen books including the Working Boys series, the Little Boy Lost series, In the Absence of Monsters, and Aaron. As a bisexual woman, J.P. is a proud member of the GLBT community both online and in her small town on the outskirts of Chicago. A member of Mensa, she is described as brilliant but troubled, sweet but introverted, and talented but deviant. She spends her days writing software and her nights writing erotica, which is, of course, far more interesting. The spare time that she carves out between her career and her novels is spent reading about the concept of love, which, like some of her characters, she has never quite figured out for herself.
For a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card just click:
Title: Spencer
Series: A Survivor Story #3
Author: J.P. Barnaby
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel (216 pages)
ISNB: 978-1-62798-702-8
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 
4.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb: It’s been nearly five years since Aaron woke up in the hospital so broken, he couldn’t stand the sight of his own face. The flashbacks no longer dominate his life, but he’s still unable to find intimacy with his lover, Spencer Thomas. With time, patience, and the support of his family, his therapist, and his loving partner, Aaron has figured out how to live again. The problem is, Spencer hasn’t. His life has been on hold as he waits for the day he and Aaron can have a normal relationship. Hoping to move things forward for them both, he takes a job as a programmer in downtown Chicago, leaving Aaron alone.
Reeling in the wake of Spencer’s absence, Aaron receives another shock when his attackers are caught.
Now, he must testify and verbalize his worst nightmare. Publicly reliving his trauma without Spencer at his side destroys his precarious control. But he finds someone who can understand and empathize in Jordan, who watched his brother cut down in a school shooting. With Spencer gone and the DA knocking at his door, Aaron seeks solace in Jordan, and Spencer will have to risk everything to hold on to Aaron’s love.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4773
Review: The sequel to Aaron’s story comes with Spencer and it continues with a heart breaking story three years after Aaron and Spencer became an official couple. While the first book introduced us to the characters and their circumstances, the second picks up and takes us through the difficult journey both Spencer and Aaron have to take in order to continue to live their lives, not merely as shells bound to their suffering, but as people in control of their lives and demons past, present , and future. Not an easy task, but the author delivers a hell of a story, one that will shatter your illusions, break your heart and reform it as the story evolves.
I can’t say how much I liked this book even as it hurt reading it every step of the way. These characters are magnificent and I’m not referring only to our protagonists, but the entire cast. Each and every one of them is a character with a life-like and realistic portrayal rarely witnessed in books these days. They have a personality that sucks you right in in the story, gripping you and keeping you bound till it ends with no means to escape.
If you thought that Aaron would magically overcome his fears and live a wonderful life from that moment on with Spencer, well you were dead wrong. Life is not that easy and this story manages to capture the very essence of what struggling through nightmares is really about. In addition the tiredness that comes through struggling each and every day overcomes our protagonists, new characters are introduced who become causes for turbulence and jealousy, old characters get older and their new problems add onto the already existing pile, and all this is cause for a hell of an emotional punch throughout the story.
The maturity that comes with time is also amazing to witness. There were times that I came to hate Spencer and even get impatient with Aaron, but no matter what, the way that the story was told made it nearly impossible to judge any one character and point fingers. You just couldn’t figure out how you or anyone in a similar situation would react and thus the story reached the goal of making you think and re-evaluate your beliefs and ideals.
As for the erotic part that was quite lacking in the prequel, I loved how the author approached and finally made it all happen. Honestly I didn’t think she could thus I was really surprised with the end of this fabulous book. The satisfaction I got from this entire read is beyond words and I really don’t know if I want another sequel with these boys, because I feel as if this story is now finally told with the best closure ever.
All in all, this was yet another brilliant title delivered by J.P. Barnaby. Strongly recommended for an intense, emotional ride with a heavy dose of a realistically painted love story.
Review for Aaron: http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/aaron-by-j-p-barnaby/