Hi guys, we have Con Riley stopping by today with her new re-release After Ben, we have a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
After Ben
(Seattle Stories 01)
by
Con Riley
No more kissing a ghost…
A year after the sudden death of his longtime partner, Ben, Theo Anderson is still grieving. The last thing he’s looking for is a new lover, but as Theo discovers, sometimes life has its own plans.
The strength of his attraction to fellow gym member Peter is surprising. So is how compelling he finds Morgan, a new friend he makes online. Morgan is witty and fierce on the internet forum they frequent, while Peter is physically present in a way that’s hard to ignore.
Both men bring Theo closer to acceptance: he needs to lay Ben’s memory to rest if he’s to start afresh with a new lover.
Getting honest about the reasons for his yearlong isolation means confronting why he lost Ben… only just when he’s ready to commit, Theo finds he isn’t the only one haunted by the past.
Whether with Peter or with Morgan, choosing to love again—after Ben—might not be Theo’s toughest challenge.
Blurb: Every story has more than one point of view.
As the mate to the Dark Mage Morgorth, Aishe has learned a lot about magick, love, and himself. He tries to find a home with Morgorth, to be accepted into his world; to survive in a world full of magick, treachery and deception. But all the while he struggles to keep a secret about his past and their intertwined destinies. Despite all the obstacles thrown at both of them, Aishe is determined to stay by Morgorth’s side, no matter what the future brings — even if that future turns dark with death should Morgorth embrace his grim destiny.
But when Morgorth leaves with his mentor to collect another stone of power, Aishe is left behind. It is then that a surprise attack comes and Aishe, determined to protect and defend his new home, decides to take the invaders on by himself. It might prove to be too much for him to handle… especially when he learns the one who leads the invaders is a mage.
The third book in the “Stones of Power” series allows us a glimpse inside the mind of Lord Morgorth’s better half, a dialen named Aishe: his motivations, his personal sorrows, and his struggle to find a place to call home.
Review: I loved Aishe’s point of view as some things that happened in book one by Aishe explained. I love Aishe’ determination to stick with Morgorth no matter what. We get an an inside depth of how Aishe feels and thinks.
Like with the other books conflicts arise and Aishe finds himself in the middle of it trying to protect himself, Morgorth and his new home. There was action, adventure and creatures galore in this amazing addition.
Title: Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities
Series: Claimings 02
Author: Lyn Gala
Genre: Science Fiction, First Contact
Length: Novel (213pgs)
Publisher: Lyn Gala (May 19, 2018)
Heat Level: Low – Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.75 Hearts
Blurb: Ondry and Liam have settled into a good life, but their trading is still tied up with humans, and humans are always messy. When political changes at the human base lead Ondry to attempt a difficult trade, the pair find themselves entangled in human affairs. Liam wants to help the people he left and the worlds being torn apart. He also wants to serve Ondry with not only the pleasures of the nest but also by bringing human profits.
Ondry has no hope of understanding human psychology in general, he only knows that he will hold onto his palteia with the last breath in his body, and he’d like to keep his status and his wealth too. Unfortunately, new humans bring new conflicts and he is not sure how to protect Liam. He does know one thing that humans seem to constantly forget—that the peaceful Rownt are predators and when their families are threatened, Rownt become deadly killers. Liam is his family, and Ondry will protect him with his last breath… assuming that he can recognize the dangers in time to do so.
Blurb: Morgorth is considered a villain by his own people and known as the Dark Mage of the North. But now all he feels is light and love as he pursues a budding relationship with Aishe, a dialen of the Ravena tribe. Morgorth hardly believes his good fortune. He has allowed Aishe into his home, into his bed, into his heart. He laughs more, smiles more, and feels happier than he ever has before.
He should have known such bliss never lasts.
The Council of Mages, the ruling body over all mages on Karshian, knows he has Rambujek, a major stone of power—a stone won from an evil sorcerer. They also know his destiny—to become the Destroyer. Fearful, they send two emissaries to take the stone from Morgorth, using whatever means necessary. This includes tricks, threats to those under his protection, and the threat of war. A war Morgorth knows he would never survive.
Conflict soon arises between him and Aishe. Their tenuous relationship is put into jeopardy, their very beliefs about themselves and their love is put into question. Morgorth doubts if he should keep Aishe in his life. He doesn’t know if he can protect Aishe from his enemies. Or from the monster he might become.
Review: Morgorth and Aishe are settling into their lives together and as such we get to see them in more intimate settings. There were a lot of those scenes throughout. Morgorth finds the council of mages wants the ruby stone he took from the mage in the last book and sends mages to get it by trickery, deception and threats. They also fear what Morgorth will become.
We are introduced to even more conflict in this story as Aishe and Morgorths relationship is tested.
I liked the story but at times I felt conflicted with it. I really liked Aishe and Morgorth together as Aishe seemed to ground Morgorth.
Hi guys, we have Eli Easton stopping by today with the tour for her new expanded re-release Puzzle Me This, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic $25 Amazon GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for Prime’s review coming soon!
Puzzle Me This
by
Eli Easton
Luke Schumaker designs computer games, working from his home. Every day he walks his dog in the woods nearby, never suspecting that someone who is completely smitten is watching.
The watcher is Alex Shaw, and he too works from home, designing logic and crossword puzzles. Alex’s options are limited: he’s too shy to approach Luke and his wheelchair won’t let him follow into the woods. His solution? Secret messages for Luke in the crosswords he writes for the local paper.
When Luke decodes them, romance begins, but then they face greater puzzles, like Alex’s interfering sister and what commitment to a man in a wheelchair really takes. And, most puzzling of all, how do you know if love is real?
New Expanded Third Edition The Expanded Edition features 15K new words and an overall edit
Blurb: Lord Morgorth is a dark mage on the planet Karishian. He’s considered a villain by his peers and relishes the title, having embraced the role early in his life. However, not all of his actions are necessarily villainous.
Despite owning several of the Stones of Power—gemstones infused with powerful magick—he doesn’t use them, preferring to keep them hidden away and out of destructive, power-hungry hands. He hates them more than anything. So when a sorcerer gets a hold of a major stone, Morgorth has no choice but to go after him. But, to his irritation, he is not alone. Aishe is a dialen whose tribe was massacred by the sorcerer, and is now on a mission of vengeance. The attraction is instant between them, but Morgorth keeps his distance. Because of a traumatic childhood and a deadly destiny, he has no desire for emotional complications. But Aishe’s very presence challenges Morgorth’s resolve.
Not only does Morgorth admire Aishe’s strength and intelligence, but he begins to see Aishe as a friend. As their hunt continues and their time together lengthens, their bond deepens, as does Morgorth’s fear. If he becomes the monster that destiny claims he will be, will he hurt Aishe? Will he harm the one person who sees right through him? Who accepts him wholeheartedly? Determined to not let that happen, Morgorth keeps Aishe at a distance. But when Aishe is kidnapped by the sorcerer, what will Morgorth do to get him back?
Review: I really enjoyed this action packed adventure about two men who are on the hunt for a mage who has stolen a stone of power and killed many to get it. Morgorth is a dark mage with an abusive past that owns five stones. He does not use them nut keeps them safe from anyone else using them.
I loved the details of this world. The creatures were terrifying in their descriptions, the people were unique and interesting. Aishe is a Dialen, fierce and proud. I admired his determination in seeing justice done for his tribe.
Morgorth learns much about himself in this story. Aishe was good for him in that he brought out a different side of him that he did not know existed. These two faced many dangers throughout and sometimes ended up hurt. I was curious about when Aishe hinted they had met before but the story did not elaborate when or where.
Hi guys, we have Eli Easton stopping by today with her new expanded re-release Puzzle Me This, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic $25 Amazon GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Puzzle Me This
by
Eli Easton
Luke Schumaker designs computer games, working from his home. Every day he walks his dog in the woods nearby, never suspecting that someone who is completely smitten is watching.
The watcher is Alex Shaw, and he too works from home, designing logic and crossword puzzles. Alex’s options are limited: he’s too shy to approach Luke and his wheelchair won’t let him follow into the woods. His solution? Secret messages for Luke in the crosswords he writes for the local paper.
When Luke decodes them, romance begins, but then they face greater puzzles, like Alex’s interfering sister and what commitment to a man in a wheelchair really takes. And, most puzzling of all, how do you know if love is real?
New Expanded Third Edition The Expanded Edition features 15K new words and an overall edit
Blurb: Owen Meade is in need of a hero. Sheltered, ashamed, and ridiculed by his own mother for his sexuality, his stutter, and his congenital arm amputation, Owen lives like a hermit, rarely leaving his apartment. He hardly dares to hope for more… until veterinarian Nick Reynolds moves in downstairs.
Charming, handsome Nick steals past Owen’s defenses and makes him feel almost normal. Meeting his fiery, determined little sister, June, who was born with a similar amputation, helps too. June always seems to get her way—she even convinces Owen to sign up for piano lessons with her. Suddenly the only thing standing between Owen and his perfect life is Nick. No matter how much he flirts, how attracted to Owen he seems to be, or how much time they spend together, Nick always pulls away.
Caught between his mother’s contempt and Nick’s stubbornness, Owen makes a decision. It’s time to be the hero of his own story, and that means going after what he wants: not just Nick, but the full life he deserves.
Review: I don’t know where to start so I think I will go with AMAZING! That pretty much sums up the characters and the story.
Owen has been infatuated with his neighbor since he moved to Tucker Springs. When she suddenly moves he is hurt but more that he no longer gets to hear the piano that soothed him nightly. Owen has one arm due to a birth defect and a mother that left him with no confidence so he works from home and is a hermit. When Nick moves in below him and isn’t put off by his arm his life begins to change. Nick introduces him to his sister who also has the same birth defect but the opposite arm and she handles it the opposite of Owen.
Nick also has a secret that makes him keep men at a distance and won’t give into a relationship, but he finds Owen hard to resist.
This is such a lovely story of two men each with his own issue that seriously affects his life. I adored Nick and was so glad to finally get his story. It was better than I hoped for. The story has a lot of angst, some sad moments but I loved the ending. It’s the first in a while that left me laughing.
If you like stories about broken men, a few surprises, unlikely heroes and an allover great romance I highly recommend this book.
If you haven’t read any of the other Tucker Springs books don’t worry each stands alone but I highly recommend them all.
Hi peeps! We have M.D. Grimm visiting today with the tour for her new release Lapis Lazuli: Forgotten and Remembered and her amazing series The Stones of Power, we have a fantastic guest post from M.D., a great excerpt and a brilliant $20 Amazon GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for my reviews of the series posting over the next couple of days!
Ruby: Lost and Found
(The Stones of Power 01)
by
M.D. Grimm
Lord Morgorth is a dark mage on the planet Karishian. He’s considered a villain by his peers and relishes the title, having embraced the role early in his life. However, not all of his actions are necessarily villainous.
Despite owning several of the Stones of Power—gemstones infused with powerful magick—he doesn’t use them, preferring to keep them hidden away and out of destructive, power-hungry hands. He hates them more than anything. So when a sorcerer gets a hold of a major stone, Morgorth has no choice but to go after him. But, to his irritation, he is not alone. Aishe is a dialen whose tribe was massacred by the sorcerer, and is now on a mission of vengeance. The attraction is instant between them, but Morgorth keeps his distance. Because of a traumatic childhood and a deadly destiny, he has no desire for emotional complications. But Aishe’s very presence challenges Morgorth’s resolve.
Not only does Morgorth admire Aishe’s strength and intelligence, but he begins to see Aishe as a friend. As their hunt continues and their time together lengthens, their bond deepens, as does Morgorth’s fear. If he becomes the monster that destiny claims he will be, will he hurt Aishe? Will he harm the one person who sees right through him? Who accepts him wholeheartedly? Determined to not let that happen, Morgorth keeps Aishe at a distance. But when Aishe is kidnapped by the sorcerer, what will Morgorth do to get him back?
Morgorth is considered a villain by his own people and known as the Dark Mage of the North. But now all he feels is light and love as he pursues a budding relationship with Aishe, a dialen of the Ravena tribe. Morgorth hardly believes his good fortune. He has allowed Aishe into his home, into his bed, into his heart. He laughs more, smiles more, and feels happier than he ever has before.
He should have known such bliss never lasts.
The Council of Mages, the ruling body over all mages on Karshian, knows he has Rambujek, a major stone of power—a stone won from an evil sorcerer. They also know his destiny—to become the Destroyer. Fearful, they send two emissaries to take the stone from Morgorth, using whatever means necessary. This includes tricks, threats to those under his protection, and the threat of war. A war Morgorth knows he would never survive.
Conflict soon arises between him and Aishe. Their tenuous relationship is put into jeopardy, their very beliefs about themselves and their love is put into question. Morgorth doubts if he should keep Aishe in his life. He doesn’t know if he can protect Aishe from his enemies. Or from the monster he might become.
As the mate to the Dark Mage Morgorth, Aishe has learned a lot about magick, love, and himself. He tries to find a home with Morgorth, to be accepted into his world; to survive in a world full of magick, treachery and deception. But all the while he struggles to keep a secret about his past and their intertwined destinies. Despite all the obstacles thrown at both of them, Aishe is determined to stay by Morgorth’s side, no matter what the future brings – even if that future turns dark with death should Morgorth embrace his grim destiny.
But when Morgorth leaves with his mentor to collect another stone of power, Aishe is left behind. It is then that a surprise attack comes and Aishe, determined to protect and defend his new home, decides to take the invaders on by himself. It might prove to be too much for him to handle… especially when he learns the one who leads the invaders is a mage.
The third book in the “Stones of Power” series allows us a glimpse inside the mind of Lord Morgorth’s better half, a dialen named Aishe: his motivations, his personal sorrows, and his struggle to find a place to call home.
Time travel. For mages, it violates their number one rule: what the Mother has written, let no one unwrite. The Mother writes the destinies of the creatures on the world of Karishian. If her writings were undone, it is feared that Creation itself could be undone. The Dark Mage Morgorth takes this rule to heart, but there are others who do not.
Morgorth is about to claim a stone of power when it is stolen from him by a female mage he hasn’t seen in decades. As they struggle for the stone, she activates it, and Morgorth is unwillingly plunged into another time and another place. It isn’t long before he realizes what time he’s found himself in and there are a few familiar faces.
Most notable is a much younger version of Aishe. His mate.
Living with a tribe who will be massacred, caring for a young lad who will become his mate, and fighting a battle against a mage who can travel from past to future at a whim; Morgorth’s life has never been easy but now he must contend with the will of the Mother. Unable to change the future and the tragedies of Aishe’s life, he must decide what his role in his mate’s past will be, and ask himself one vital question: how does one defeat time?
Those words often invoke a sense of love and comfort. But for the dark mage Morgorth, they mean hate and pain. As the seventh son of a seventh son, many believe Morgorth’s destiny is to become the Destroyer. His father embraced such a future and trained Morgorth through torture and fear to become his weapon. Morgorth managed to escape his father’s cruelty, but not the nightmares that still haunt him. For many years he’s lived with the stain of his father’s savagery, but now he must confront his nightmares head-on.
His father has found a stone of power.
Morgorth must return to his land of birth, to the memories he’s tried his entire life to suppress. Aishe is determined to help Morgorth defeat his inner demons, but he knows he might not be enough to save Morgorth from embracing his darkness. They know it will be a fight to the death and know Morgorth won’t be the same if he survives. With Aishe by his side, Morgorth hunts for his father, and finds answers to questions he never dared to ask—and must live with the truths they reveal.
Lord Morgorth is haunted by dreams of his father. Although Morgorth killed him, his father’s presence and brutality won’t completely die. But now he has more to worry about—in the form of the Council of Mages’ inquiry into the duel between Morgorth and an elder of the council. Morgorth expects sabotage and prepares accordingly. He fears for Aishe’s life, knowing that the best way to sabotage the inquiry is to eliminate the witnesses. He sets into motion a desperate plan that, though it will protect Aishe, could put a strain on their relationship not easily removed.
Yet the true danger lurks unseen, and it will take all of Morgorth’s skill, strength, and devotion to Aishe, to save his mate from the hold of a foe Morgorth has yet to tangle with: a dream demon. Now Morgorth must throw aside caution, restraint, and fear if he is to save the one most dear to him. He must call upon the power of the one thing he hates more than even his father: a stone of power.
But even if he manages to save Aishe, his mate’s experiences in Dreamworld—at the mercy of the dream demon—have changed him forever and could shatter their bond irrevocably.
Lord Morgorth, Dark Mage of the North, has never felt so far away from his precious mate as he does now. Still reeling from the events of a month before, Aishe struggles to come to grips with what the dream demon did to him while pretending to be Morgorth. For his part, Morgorth is haunted by the chilling vision the Mother sent him while he traversed Dreamworld—a vision where he kills the one most precious to him. Due to that knowledge, he knows he must choose his magick or his mate.
A choice with devastating consequences…
When Morgorth goes missing, Aishe must search for him, frightened that he has lost his mage forever. In his heart he knows they were meant for each other and refuses to allow his own horrid memories to tear them apart. But when he finds Morgorth he is stunned to realize that Morgorth doesn’t remember him. In fact, in Morgorth’s mind, he is a young lad named Lazur.
Sometimes the most well-known truth is the greatest lie…
For his entire life, Morgorth always knew his destiny was to become the Destroyer of his home world. His birthright as the third seventh son of a seventh son guaranteed such an outcome. Everyone told him so—except his mentor, Master Ulezander. Morgorth will learn that his mentor has been keeping the greatest secret of all: his true destiny.
Blurb: Shawn is on the run from the law and love, to protect himself and anyone else involved. Until he meets Hunter, and he no longer wants to run.
ER physician’s assistant Hunter guards his heart carefully, but that doesn’t stop him from falling for the temp front desk clerk. He keeps his distance from relationships for a good reason but just can’t help himself when it comes to Shawn.
Forced into a hostage situation, buried passions explode in the aftermath, and sex in the supply closet brings both their hearts back to life. But as they explore their relationship, the past catches up with Shawn.
FBI agent Nick Truman has finally found his man, and when Shawn escapes, he focuses his attention on Hunter. Will Shawn sacrifice himself to save Hunter from the man who framed him for murder?.
Review: Hunter is a physician’s assistant at a hospital in the rough part of the city, he has avoided entanglement with men for the past several months for a very good reason but the front desk clerk, Shawn, has managed to crack Hunter’s shell and draw his interest. Shawn is on the run, he’s hiding from the law to protect himself and those he loves he can’t get involved with anyone but Hunter appeals to him in a way no one has before. Their attraction to each other explodes after a tense hostage situation, and no longer able to deny his passion Shawn can no longer rebuff Hunter. Just as things are looking up Shawn’s past explodes into the present, and Shawn has a choice to make: continue to run or protect his lover from the man who framed him for murder.
Hmmm this is a great suspense/thriller with a good dose of passion and a dash of romance. Hunter has had a hard year, his last relationship ended in violence and his guilty feelings are eating away at him. He’s avoided having his heart engaged by sticking to one night stands and booty calls but it hasn’t stopped him from becoming enthralled with the front desk clerk at the hospital where he works.
Shawn has avoided getting close to anyone while he has been on the run, getting involved with Hunter is not an option but the fear and adrenalin after being held hostage has the passion between them exploding. One encounter is not enough and Shawn keeps going back for more until his past catches up with him and the eyes of a killer are drawn to Hunter.
I have to admit that as I started reading this story that I wasn’t sure what to expect, we are initially led to believe that Shawn is already in a relationship so I was wary of continuing but I am glad that I stuck with it as what we initially learn is later disabused with the truth. Hunter is a great character whose caring heart has him wanting to help even when things look dour, Shawn is a great man who has fallen foul of some unscrupulous men, he’s running for his life and he may be under the radar but he sticks to legit means to do it.
Their passion is explosive and even as Shawn tries to back away he just can’t. Their relationship is very quick to start after a lot of dancing around each other, and you can tell that they both want more than just a series of one night stands. Their relationship is only just beginning even as the story ends so we just might get another story out of this great couple.
The actual storyline is pretty gripping as we are very slowly fed Shawn’s story with tidbits of information, and we discover it all in the shape of a letter written to Hunter explaining everything. As you can guess the story is from Hunter’s view point but you can fully imagine by Shawn’s actions the pure fear and hopelessness of his situation. There’s plenty of action littered throughout the book and I’m not even gonna comment on the bad guys except to say that a fiery pit in hell is too good for them. This really is a great suspense/thriller, it’s well written and while there’s a romance it isn’t a sweet building one, it’s one that is built during fraught times so don’t expect it to follow normal guidelines of relationships, it starts with sex and secrets and we have no clue which way it will go as we are led down a well-crafted story.
I have to recommend this to those who love thrillers and suspense, who love relationships being embarked on during difficult times, who love action and danger, who love gripping stories of men done wrong and love man who will do anything for the men they are coming to love.
Blurb: Paul Hannon flunked out of vet school. His fiancée left him. He can barely afford his rent, and he hates his house. About the only things he has left are a pantry full of his ex’s kitchen gadgets and a lot of emotional baggage. He could really use a win—and that’s when he meets El.
Pawnbroker El Rozal is a cynic. His own family’s dysfunction has taught him that love and relationships lead to misery. Despite that belief, he keeps making up excuses to see Paul again. Paul, who doesn’t seem to realize that he’s talented and kind and worthy. Paul, who’s not over his ex-fiancée and is probably straight anyway. Paul, who’s so blind to El’s growing attraction, even asking him out on dates doesn’t seem to tip him off.
El may not do relationships, but something has to give. If he wants to keep Paul, he’ll have to convince him he’s worthy of love—and he’ll have to admit that attachment might not be so bad after all.
Review: Paul moved to Tucker Springs for his girlfriend so she could sell her sculptures. When she found out he failed his vet school and got a job as a receptionist, she found someone else. Someone she felt could help her make it in the art world. Down on his luck, Paul kept trying to win Stacy over. For her birthday, he went to the Tucker Springs Pawn to find a gift for her.
El was immediately taken by the cute, innocent young man. Straight man.
All Paul really wants is love and acceptance. To be able to make out in public, hold hands in public.
This was such a fun, romantic story. I loved how Paul was so clueless that El was taking thing just to see him, especially when he took the dog left on the vet’s steps for Paul. I loved the way El’s friend chided him about Paul and the fun banter between El, his friend, and his family.
If you are looking for fun, humorous romance, like bisexual men, Gay for you stories, cute dogs, gardening and an all over great romance, this is the book for you. It’s perfect for an afternoon of relaxing.
Hi guys! We have Heloise West stopping by today with her new re-release Hitting Black Ice, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Hitting Black Ice
(Heart and Haven 01)
by
Heloise West
Shawn is on the run from the law and love, to protect himself and anyone else involved. Until he meets Hunter, and he no longer wants to run.
ER physician’s assistant Hunter guards his heart carefully, but that doesn’t stop him from falling for the temp front desk clerk. He keeps his distance from relationships for a good reason but just can’t help himself when it comes to Shawn.
Forced into a hostage situation, buried passions explode in the aftermath, and sex in the supply closet brings both their hearts back to life. But as they explore their relationship, the past catches up with Shawn.
FBI agent Nick Truman has finally found his man, and when Shawn escapes, he focuses his attention on Hunter. Will Shawn sacrifice himself to save Hunter from the man who framed him for murder?
Hi guys, we have Jay Northcote popping in today with the tour for his new re-release Nothing Ventured, we have a short excerpt and Leigh’s review so check out the post and enjoy! ❤ ~Pixie~
Nothing Ventured
by
Jay Northcote
Mud, sweat, and reluctant romance. Can Aiden and Matt sort out their feelings before race day?
When Aiden agrees to run the Mad Mucker—a twelve-mile muddy slog over an obstacle course—he’s expecting it to be a bit of a laugh. The training will be tough, but Aiden could use the motivation to regain some fitness.
Matt is the sexy cousin of one of Aiden’s coworkers and a last-minute addition to the team. When he agrees to train with Aiden, Aiden suddenly finds the prospect of regular workouts a lot more appealing.
Soon attraction flares, and they embark on an intense physical relationship. Matt doesn’t want to fall in love with a man, and Aiden doesn’t want to fall in love at all, but despite their insistence on no strings, they grow closer. As the day of the race approaches, time is running out for them to work out how they feel about each other.
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 (11th September 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Blurb: Sometimes family chooses you.
At forty, Vincent “Vinnie” Fierro is still afraid to admit he might be gay—even to himself. It’ll be a problem for his big, fat Italian family. Still, after three failed marriages, it’s getting harder to ignore what he really wants.
Vinnie attempts some self-exploration in Chicago’s Boystown bars, far from anyone who knows him. Naturally, he runs smack into someone from the neighborhood.
Between working two jobs, going to school, taking care of his grandmother, and dealing with his mother’s ongoing substance abuse, Trey Giles has little time for fun, let alone dating someone who swears he’s straight. Yet after one night of dancing cheek-to-cheek, Trey agrees to let Vinnie court him and see if he truly belongs on this side of the fence—though Trey intends to keep his virginity intact.
It seems like a solid plan, but nothing is simple when family is involved. When Vinnie’s family finds out about their relationship, the situation is sticky enough, but when Trey’s mother goes critical, Vinnie and Trey must decide whose happiness is most important—their families’ or their own.
There’s just something really warm about this story that makes reading this fun and easy. I read this over a couple of cold, wintry evenings, and it was like having hot chocolate and marshmallows. Yum.
The pace is superb for a light read. There is no major angst or any dramatic unexpected turns, the story is simply about two sweet guys, Vinnie and Trey, who let themselves show their attraction to one another and it simmers and grows into love.
The two perspectives worked for me as well. Trey’s perspective is in the first person and Vinnie’s is in the third—both are skillfully written and pleasant to read. Though, I felt a touch more connected with Trey most of the story.
This was a smooth, fast read with a simple plot. If you’re looking for a break in-between more angst driven stories, this is a great option.
Blurb: Ten years ago, Roark lost his lover to a virus that killed millions. He’s searched for Frankie ever since. But bringing Frankie back might cost him more than his sanity. It might cost him his life.
Ten years ago, a virus swept the planet, killing millions. Just as the human population was starting to recover from that disaster, mechanical aliens invaded Earth looking for iron–and they had no problem exterminating the human race to get it.
Anthony Roarke lost his lover in the first wave of the virus. Frankie’s family secreted him away in a cryogenics facility until a cure could be found. But that was before the mechs invaded.
Roarke has searched for Frankie since the day he disappeared. Once word reaches he that Frankie has been located, Roarke wastes no time in going after his lover. But brining Frankie into the new world might cost him more than his sanity. It might cost him his life.
Review: Ten years ago out on a date, Frankie had been injected with a virus that had killed million’s of people. He had been turned into a popsicle to keep him alive until a virus had been created. The problem was that had been five years before Frankie had been saved. His parents had placed him as far from the man he loved. So when Roark brought him out he had no clue of the new world or the dangers that existed.
Roark was the commander of his team keeping them alive, saving those in danger, taking out the mechs and looking for the man he loved. He knew he was going to have to explain what was happening but damn if his heart didn’t sing.
There was only one part of the story that I absolutely hated and that was mentioning to a man he loves that he slept with three guys. However I understood the reasoning for him letting him know due to the fact that one of them was at their camp, so it was all good. Plus Frankie punching the guy once was a fine addition. As always the author has created a world that is not only fascinating but kept my attention throughout. I loved the guys and their friends quite a bit. I really liked Frankie’s spunky attitude.
This story was a blast and I can honestly say that it will be read many times over. There is a serious tone to it, but humor was mixed in. It was the perfect story to me and I can’t wait to get started on book two.
Hi guys, we have Jay Northcote popping in today with his new re-release Nothing Ventured, we have a short excerpt so check out the post and enjoy! ❤ ~Pixie~
Nothing Ventured
by
Jay Northcote
Mud, sweat, and reluctant romance. Can Aiden and Matt sort out their feelings before race day?
When Aiden agrees to run the Mad Mucker—a twelve-mile muddy slog over an obstacle course—he’s expecting it to be a bit of a laugh. The training will be tough, but Aiden could use the motivation to regain some fitness.
Matt is the sexy cousin of one of Aiden’s coworkers and a last-minute addition to the team. When he agrees to train with Aiden, Aiden suddenly finds the prospect of regular workouts a lot more appealing.
Soon attraction flares, and they embark on an intense physical relationship. Matt doesn’t want to fall in love with a man, and Aiden doesn’t want to fall in love at all, but despite their insistence on no strings, they grow closer. As the day of the race approaches, time is running out for them to work out how they feel about each other.
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.
Title: Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts
Series: Claimings 01
Author: Lyn Gala
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: Novella (179pgs)
Publisher: Lyn Gala (May 19, 2018)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.75 Hearts
Blurb: Liam loves his life as a linguist and trader on the Rownt homeworld, but he has ignored his heart and sexual needs for years. After escaping the horrors of war, he wants a boring life. He won’t risk letting anyone come too close because he won’t risk letting anyone see his deeply submissive nature. For him, submission comes with pain. Life burned that lesson into his soul from a young age.
This fear keeps him from noticing that the Rownt trader Ondry cares for him. Ondry may not understand humans, but he recognizes a wounded soul, and his need to protect Liam is quickly outpacing his common sense. They may have laws, culture, and incompatible genitalia in their way, but Ondry knows that he can find a way to overcome all that if he can just overcome the ghosts of Liam’s past. Only then can he take possession of a man he has grown to respect..
Review: Liam is a human trader who favors another trader named Ondry. I admit to being confused by some of their interactions but then again it’s a sci-fi story so I understood to a point. The culture and customs are vastly different from humans.
Ondry cultivates his so called relationship with Liam and takes things slow as he sees a damaged soul. Liam has been abused and does not trust easily. This was a complex yet unique tale that I enjoyed reading.
Blurb: When Noah’s insecurity threatens their fledgling relationship, can Sol con-vince 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 at-tention, 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, No-ah is something very special indeed.
This is a standalone story with a satisfying happy ending.
Review: Nothing Special is a standalone novel by Jay Northcote, this is a second edition of the book, which was previously published in 2014 by Dreamspinner Press. I’m not sure how much has changed with the re-release as I’ve not read this before. In fact, I really didn’t know what to expect because Jay Northcote isn’t an author that I am familiar. I’m sure I’ve heard the name before, just not sure if I’ve ever read anything by Northcote before now.
Set in London, the story starts with Noah talking to his best friend, Dom, about the hot guy he’s been talking about for the last couple months, who he sees every day on the way home on the tube. The hot guy wears a London Zoo polo and work boots, Noah just doesn’t believe a good-looking guy like Zoo Guy could ever have any interest in him. Noah has extremely low self-esteem, but it is his best friend that encourages to pursue Zoo Guy – Sol – who is just as interested in Noah.
Noah is such a sweet and lovable character. He is shy and geeky, which probably lends to his character having low self-esteem. He has finished uni, has an alright job at a bookstore and still lives with his parents. Sol is Noah’s opposite in the fact that he is outgoing, but is completely crazy over Noah. Sol is sweet, but he is also kind, gentle and despite outward appearances he also has his own insecurities.
The relationship between Noah and Sol is wonderful. This isn’t an instalove where the two guys get over their baggage, have tonnes of hot sex and fall in love. Instead, these guys take their time to get to know each other. But don’t worry, the intimacy and sex in the book reflects the same sweetness and reflects Noah’s need to be sure about love. The guys have great chemistry together, but they complement each other in so many ways it felt just right. The book is all about the romance rather than getting the guys to their HEA, if that makes sense to anyone other than me because it sounds good in my head. There is low level angst, which is entirely fuelled by miscommunication. I usually hate miscommunication plot points because they are usually just used and don’t make sense to the characters. However, everything that happened felt organic with the characters as we get to know them.
This is such a sweet and beautiful story. Nothing Special is a very simple romance and for me that it was makes it so excellent. It was just so easy to connect with Noah and Sol. I recommend this one for those that want a sweet, gentle romance and a HEA that had me smiling so much.
Blurb: **Previously Published As Marc’s the Spot with Loose ID**
Marcus “Marc” Lacroix, a red panda shifter, knows who Lucas Grayson is, and up until playing with him during the world cup of hockey, didn’t much care for him. But when he finds out the jaguar shifter with the hot body has a personality to match, he’s a bit blown away. A night of celebration leads the two of them to the bedroom, and they discover that one night might not be enough to finish this thing between them.
Passion grows to love and more than a little kink, and the two make things work despite the obstacles standing in their way. Lucas plays for the Aces and Marc for the Hares, the distance and crazy schedules of a pro-hockey player keeping them apart. Lucas discovers it’s harder to let go of things than he’d thought. When ill-fate strikes, Lucas spirals and Marc has to try and hold them together. It’s one match Marc doesn’t know if he’ll win.
**No content changes have been made, only minor edits.**
Review: When I first came across this story, I didn’t immediately pick it up. It wasn’t until I actually realized that it is a paranormal that I decided to give it a try. I have not read many stories by this author, so I wasn’t real sure what I was going to get. I love paranormal romance stories, but am not a fan of anything sports, so it was going to be an interesting read.
Marc is a cute red panda shifter and a goalie. He is not what I had expected to say the least. I am picturing a very small person but he is in fact taller than I had thought. So I put my son in his place and imagined him playing the game, and remembered a couple of goal shots he had done, and got it. Marc has the hots for a player on another team, and things are heating up pretty fast between them.
Lucas is a jaguar shifter and lets just say he is sexy as hell. He is falling for the goalie of another team and damn things are looking up for them both. Then an injury ends his life on the ice, as a player. If you want to know more, read the book.
Now I will say that it is a very cute story, but also very long winded. The story jumps time from meeting to hooking up. It is a long distance romance I suppose. There is no real spice to the story, just a normal romance. If you didn’t know they were shifters, you would not know it through out the story to much. Half the time I forgot they were, because the story is focused on the ice. It is a straightforward romance with just a bit of kink, nothing making the story standout at all.
The guys had chemistry from the start, but the story did not. It came off as a bit boring and dull to me, don’t get me wrong I still liked it a bit, but wouldn’t read it again. It was drawn out and could have been a bit better had there been more excitement to it. However for now, there is nothing to make me want to read it once more. I am sorry, it is a cute story but just off to me.
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.
