Hi guys! We have Ari & McKay stopping by today with their new release Herc’s Mercs Collection Vol III, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ ❤️ ~Pixie~
Herc’s Mercs Collection Vol III
by
Ari McKay
No matter where in the world they have to go, the men of Hercules Security are ready to kick ass, take names, and, above all, save lives. Putting themselves in harm’s way is second nature to these men, and they’ll do whatever it takes to protect the innocent. Unfortunately the cost of such bravery is often brutally high, and sometimes the price a hero must pay isn’t always obvious…
Hunter Callahan loved his job as an explosives expert, but when a seven-year-old boy walks into camp wearing a suicide vest, the explosion that rocks Hunter’s world leaves him with wounds too deep to see with the untrained eye. Payne “Pita” Gibson is the only one who stands a chance of saving Hunter from self destruction, but doing so means Payne must share private facets of his own life. Could his unusual form of therapy not only help Hunter, but also win his heart? Pushing Hunter’s limits so hard is a test of Payne’s own strength of will — but everyone knows that it’s No Pain, No Gain.
When Joe Morrissey returns home from a traumatic mission, he never expects to discover that his longtime partner and lover, Brian Finnegan, has fallen in love with someone else. Even though he wants Finn to be happy, Joe finds it difficult to share his lover with Drew Martin. But when fallout from Joe’s recent mission puts Finn in danger, Joe must work with Drew to save Finn’s life. With everything he holds dear at risk, Joe is pushed to the breaking point — and Drew must step in to help put him back together. As Drew develops feelings for Joe as well, can Joe open his heart to the possibility of there being Room For One More?
Captain Sami Soros and Father Jay Blackstone cross paths at a major European hub. When systems shut down due to a cyber-attack, flights are delayed and the resulting chaos is unprecedented.
After having served three tours in Afghanistan, recently discharged Sami struggles with his new civilian status. Emotionally depleted, and dangerously edgy, he views most of his fellowmen with utter contempt.
Jay is returning to his parish in San Francisco after a month-long retreat meant to shore up a crumbling vocation. All vestiges of spirituality melt away when he sets eyes on Sami.
They begin a clandestine affair fueled by a shared addiction to extreme forms of BDSM. Their relationship goes off the rails, and Jay reaches out to Rino Duran, a former seminarian. With the help of Dr. Ethan Marshall, Rino’s full-time Dom, the established couple attempt to separate truth from lies to give Jay and Sami a shot at happiness.
Review: Yield is the fifth book in the Bay Area Professionals series by Mickie B Ashling. I have loved reading this series, it is complex and a total emotional rollercoaster. To say that is an intense read is an understatement and in my mind is the most intense, as well as being the best book in this series.
Although I’ve been enjoying this series, I can’t say if I am completely sold of Ashling’s writing to put them into my authors I must read list. I find BDSM a little hit and miss. I’m not sure why, I suppose the easiest explanation is the some authors can write the emotions of the D/s couple really well, while others just write what feels like a soft porn. I personally don’t like long sex scenes in books, because romance isn’t all about smut, and Ashling nailed this well. There is a lot of depth to the stories and the characters, even some of the minor characters have their little side stories going on at the same time. However, everything comes together in a nice, neat package by the end (which is essential in my mind).
Despite being the fifth in this series, Yield works fine as a standalone book, although there are direct ties to the previous book in the series, Forged in Trust (that one, I think, is the most titillating book in the series).
As I said, this is an intense read. It covers an insanely broad range of issues including rape, PTSD and abuse. The MCs, Sami and Jay, are also sit on the more extreme side of kinks compared to previous MCs in this series. The characters are so bloody complicated I don’t think I can do justice with describing them here. I don’t want to get into too much detail because spoilers, ick, and also I don’t want to be writing a ten page review.
Captain Sami Soros has served three tours in Afghanistan, leaving his physically and emotionally drained. He has a lot of issues to deal with mentally as he attempts to fit into the world outside of the military. Father Jay Blackstone is a clergyman who has been questioning his vocation, but he also has a slew of mental demons to contend with as well. The depth of these guys is astonishing. They are almost like they are two sides of the same coin. They have opposing world views, which is fundamental to their very different career paths. Yet, while their philosophies are very different it is almost as if, as they work through their demons, their kinks and get help from their friends, their beliefs are essentially the same once they are boiled down. The issue is, that it is a very rocky road to get there.
As I said, I enjoyed the story, the character and plot development and the intensity of pretty much everything. However, I have to say, as someone not totally keen on BDSM romance, I think I need to take a break from it for a while before I find another one to read.
Hi guys, we have J.R. Gray stopping by with his new release Oasis, we have a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Oasis
(Inferno 02)
by
J.R. Gray
I worshiped at the altar of pain, surviving on avoidance, physical to avoid the mental, anything to forget what I’d lost. When Remi walked through the door, I felt like I’d paid my price for the passage through hell and been granted a taste of Eden. Remi was my oasis and I was going to drown myself in him.
But life takes with no remorse and everything was a mirage. The past won’t stay dead and a cruel phantom comes to destroy our happiness. The more we need each other the further apart our lives drive us. I’m torn between my perfect past and the hope of an oasis, and either choice demands I cut out part of my soul.
Hi guys! We have Schuyler L’Roux stopping by today with his new release There’s Always Something Collection, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
There’s Always Something
(There’s Always Something 01 – 03)
by
Schuyler L’Roux
There’s Something about a Kilt
It’s a hellaciously hot day in Minneapolis and all Thom wants to do is enjoy his ice cream and forget about the stacks of essays waiting for him back in his stifling apartment. Until he meets Gerry, a kilted, tattooed Welshman. The conversation is smooth and the attraction immediate, but Gerry is only in town for the night and isn’t down for anything quick and forgettable. When they meet again, hours later, Gerry knows there’s something in the air and all bets are off. Including his kilt.
There’s Something about Pain
Still devastated that Gerry never called him back after an epic night of passionate connection, Thom has been taken to Los Angeles by his best friends for a weekend of debauchery and forgetting. Yet when a drunken decision leads them to Gerry, Thom has a choice to make. Does he take Gerry’s invitation to reenter the world of BDSM, with a proper guide this time, and reclaim power he lost years ago? Or does Thom take his revenge?
There’s Something about Flying
After walking away from Gerry, Thom is back home in Minnesota living his best life. He’s flying through the air, embracing the sexual power he reclaimed in a lonely dungeon with Gerry. Yet when Gerry arrives unannounced and full of inexplicable hope, Thom has another choice to make. Does he let Gerry go and finally close the book on their tryst? Or does Thom open up his heart to the reality of their past and the potential of their future? The third and final chapter of the There’s Always Something trilogy stays true to form: there’s always an ending.
Hi guys! We have J.M. Dabney stopping by today with the tour for their new release By Way Of Pain, we have a great new excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
By Way Of Pain
by
J.M. Dabney
Double lives were just the way it was for a man like me. By day I was a man with a reputation above reproach. Even assassins needed backup plans. For fifteen years, life was going without a hitch until I had to take out a witness. When it was time to kill him, beautiful eyes filled with fear urged me to do something else. Yet, in order to do that, I had to break him, and by way of pain, my captive would experience pleasure he’d never dreamed.
This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.
Trigger Warnings: Title contains the following possible triggers. Humiliation, Violence, Master/slave elements, Male Chastity, Murder, Imprisonment, Dub-Con, and Brief Torture.
Blurb: Roque “Ro” Celdran dreams of a better life, far away from the hand-to-mouth existence of his migrant worker family. He moves to San Francisco to study Landscape Design but finds himself short of cash. Tony, Ro’s identical twin, comes up with a plan to help Ro make ends meet. The BDSM club Tony frequents is looking for gay men to act as submissives to the Dommes-in-training. Ro reluctantly takes the job and falls headfirst into a world he neither understands nor desires.
Lance Roberts is the new doctor at the dental practice started by Scott Gregory and Robin Kennedy. On the surface, he seems to have it all: the Mensa IQ, blond and blue-eyed good looks, and the determination to make it in his competitive field. Underneath lies a frustrated Dom in search of the perfect sub who can handle his obsessive behavior and debilitating need for control.
When Ro ends up in Lance’s dental chair, the last thing either one expects is a physical and mental connection. Ro’s attraction to “White Bread” never pans out, and Lance’s weakness for Latinos always leads to a dead end. Could this time be different? What happens between the two alphas leads to a lot of soul-searching and some surprising conclusions.
Review: Fractured is the third book in Mickie B Ashling’s Bay Area Professionals series. While this is the third book in the series, you can easily read this as a standalone as there are only brief appearances of the founding (if you will) characters of the series, Scott and Robin, as Lance is the new doctor in their practice. However, if you tried to read book 2 as a standalone, the word impossible comes to mind.
Although I’ve been enjoying this series, I can’t say if I am completely sold of Ashling’s writing to put them into my authors I must read list. Yet in saying that, I’m really impressed with how well the author deals with what could be classed as taboo, or even progressive, storylines that heavily involve some form of kink. I find these types of books hit and miss, but I am really impressed by how Ashling tells the story with an edgy twist, but also manages to move the story along quick enough that I didn’t get bored. I personally don’t like long sex scenes in books, because romance isn’t all about smut, and Ashling nailed this (pun intended) really well.
The story is about Roque, aka Ro, and Lance. As I just said, Lance is the new doctor at a surgery set up by a dental surgeon and dental hygienist who live the BDSM lifestyle, except at work. Lance is also a Dom, he needs the perfect sub that can match his need to dominate and control, but so far he’s been very unlucky in love.
Ro is a man of many dreams, he wants an easier life, away from his family and wants to study landscape design, but since he’s short of cash, his twin brother produces the answer. There’s a BDSM club which needs a submissive, gay male to perform scenes with the training Doms. He enters the BDSM world reticent but desperate, not expecting to find what he needs.
It is at the dental surgery where Lance and Ro meet. The sparks fly but both guys have been unlucky going after the type of man that they see in each other. These guys are extremely complicated characters and part of what can make these books hard to read is that Ashling delves deep into the minds of the MC as you go along. The character development is spectacular. Likewise, the secondary characters are also amazing. These guys are complicated but they have good people in their lives to help them along the way.
I recommend this one to those that first, love BDSM, but also have a touch of angst tied within a pretty complex and deep storyline.
Hi guys! We have J.M. Dabney stopping by today with their new release By Way Of Pain, we have a great excerpt so check out the post and enjoy! ❤ ~Pixie~
By Way Of Pain
by
J.M. Dabney
Double lives were just the way it was for a man like me. By day I was a man with a reputation above reproach. Even assassins needed backup plans. For fifteen years, life was going without a hitch until I had to take out a witness. When it was time to kill him, beautiful eyes filled with fear urged me to do something else. Yet, in order to do that, I had to break him, and by way of pain, my captive would experience pleasure he’d never dreamed.
This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.
Trigger Warnings: Title contains the following possible triggers. Humiliation, Violence, Master/slave elements, Male Chastity, Murder, Imprisonment, Dub-Con, and Brief Torture.
Blurb: Getting to know each other hasn’t been an easy journey for Scott Gregory and Robin “Red” Kennedy. Falling in love and exploring their kinkier sides revealed a perfect match, and Scott is a devoted sub to Red’s headstrong and often impulsive Dominant personality.
Scott, Robin, and their friend, Susie, open a new dental practice a short distance from the old office but miles away from Scott’s former boss and his Promise Keeper mentality. But the move doesn’t guarantee a happy ending. Robin’s mother is in a medical crisis. Scott’s grandfather makes an unexpected appearance. Ongoing interference from Jenna, Ron’s needy assistant, stirs up trouble. And Susie, having completed her training as a Dominatrix, is on a quest for the perfect male submissive.
Then there’s one more threat to their relationship: Robin’s desire for a public collaring, something the shy and formerly closeted Scott is having a really hard time accepting. Is a strong and binding love―albeit a kinky one―enough to keep Scott and Robin together?
Review: Bonds of Love is the second book in Mickie B Ashling’s Bay Area Professionals series. Being new to the author’s work, I feel that I am still exploring their writing style, although I really did enjoy the first book to the series. This novel is a direct continuation from Impacted! and so it is vital that you read the first book before moving onto this one.
The story picks up Robin and Scott’s lives as a D/s couple, but also as professionals as dental hygienist and dental surgeon, respectively. They are still dealing with much of the fall out that came with working the homophobe dentist that they used to work for – and surprisingly this has spread to encroach their personal lives/backgrounds. To be perfectly honest, although I liked the introduction of a new character (an elderly gent and all around nice fellow), I found this storyline dragging on a but of a turn off.
Scott and Robin continue to build their lives together. It’s tricky when they work with each other and are in love with each other. Then there is the whole exploration of the BDSM, which leads to Robin wanting to collar Scott in front of (mostly) his acquaintances at their preferred club. Also, on the topic of BDSM, we see Scott’s best friend, Susie, explore her needs as a dominatrix in her quest to find satisfaction and maybe even a sub of her own (again, another strangely complicated storyline).
While, over all, I found the story enjoyable and glad to see the guys are just as awesome together as they were in the first book, I was turned off a bit by the melodrama that seemed to pop around every corner.
I recommend this one for people that like BDSM romances and/or to those that love a good soap opera.
Hi guys! We have Ryan Loveless popping in today with her new release A Cordial Agreement, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
A Cordial Agreement
by
Ryan Loveless
Can a wealthy but frustrated CEO and a guilt-ridden stripper find what they need in a consensual, nonsexual whipping boy arrangement?
Billionaire mogul Grant Jessup, fifty-three, buries his sexual tastes and the reasons behind them—the stresses of his business empire and family. In contrast, Jim Sieber understands the regret that makes him seek pain and penance. As an asexual averse to erotic touch, Jim sets strict boundaries. But as the relationship evolves, Grant struggles to respect them, and both men realize for their association to continue and perhaps grow into real feelings, they’ll have to explore new ways to satisfy each other.
Hi guys! We have Michael Mandrake stopping by today with the tour for his new release Love Kills, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for our review coming soon!
Love Kills
(Criminal Delights 08: Serial Killers)
by
Michael Mandrake
Deranged birds of a feather flock together… leaving trails of blood in their wake.
Holland has fantasies most can’t accept. When potential mates discover Holland’s bloodlust, it’s too late for them to refuse. Determined to get what he wants, Holland continues to seek a man to fulfill his deepest desire and he won’t stop at anything
Archer is inspired and aroused by the tales he’s heard from his boyfriend. Still, he’s greedy for something that pushes him over the edge. Although this might drive him and his partner apart, Archer’s dark want won’t disappear.
Clint’s love for his job has slipped for years, and he’s pondered change. These days he’s cared more about how to please his man, than the rigorous position of solving murder cases. Clint thinks his attitude will eventually get better, thus prompting him to stay aboard. Still, the constant worry of Archer finding someone new niggles at him.
Putting sketchy characters behind bars had always been Clint’s forte, but when new feelings arise, Clint’s conscience is tested. Furthermore, what will happen if Clint is forced to choose between the love of his life, his career, and his morality?
This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.
Hi guys! We have Tamryn Eradani stopping in today with her new release To Love and To Cherish, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
To Love and To Cherish
(Enchanting Encounters 03)
by
Tamryn Eradani
Kyle’s never been shy about going after what he wants. After two short term contracts, he wants something closer to permanent with Aidan. And what better way to bring them closer than to spend time apart? Being away from each other for the first time in their relationship might make them both realize they’d rather be together.
Hi guys! We have Michael Mandrake stopping by today with his new release Love Kills, we have a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Love Kills
(Criminal Delights 08: Serial Killers)
by
Michael Mandrake
Deranged birds of a feather flock together… leaving trails of blood in their wake.
Holland has fantasies most can’t accept. When potential mates discover Holland’s bloodlust, it’s too late for them to refuse. Determined to get what he wants, Holland continues to seek a man to fulfill his deepest desire and he won’t stop at anything
Archer is inspired and aroused by the tales he’s heard from his boyfriend. Still, he’s greedy for something that pushes him over the edge. Although this might drive him and his partner apart, Archer’s dark want won’t disappear.
Clint’s love for his job has slipped for years, and he’s pondered change. These days he’s cared more about how to please his man, than the rigorous position of solving murder cases. Clint thinks his attitude will eventually get better, thus prompting him to stay aboard. Still, the constant worry of Archer finding someone new niggles at him.
Putting sketchy characters behind bars had always been Clint’s forte, but when new feelings arise, Clint’s conscience is tested. Furthermore, what will happen if Clint is forced to choose between the love of his life, his career, and his morality?
This book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance.
Warning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.
Hearing those words from his very straight, very ex-best friend doesn’t put Nate in a helpful mood. Not only did Kellan Brooks’s father destroy Nate’s family in his quest for power, but Kel-lan broke Nate’s heart back in high school. Nate thought he could trust his best friend with the revelation that he might be gay, only to find out he was horribly wrong and become the laugh-ingstock of the whole school. Kellan must be truly desperate if he’s turning to Nate now.
Kellan’s through letting his father run his life, and he wants to make the man pay for cutting him off. What better way to stick it to the bigot than to come out as gay himself—especially with the son of the very man his father crushed on his quest for money and power. Kellan can’t blame Nate for wanting nothing to do with him, though. Kellan will have to convince him to play along, but it’s even harder to convince himself that the heat between them is only an act….
Review: Bad Company is the first book in KA Mitchell’s series Bad in Baltimore. I’ve not read anything in the past by Mitchell but I was nonetheless intrigued reading the blurb and I was happy to become invested in a new series. For that matter, Chet Daniels as the narrator of the audiobook was also a new experience for me, so I really went into this one blind.
So firstly, the narration. I was quite impressed by the narration. I found myself easily getting lost in the narration and the characters and the voices given to the characters. For me the narration was easily the highlight of the book. Daniels’ voice was entertaining and quite honestly kept me going because I have a suspicion that if I were to read this story it would be a reluctant finish at best, or a did not finish at worst.
I’m going to explain those comments before I go into discussing the story. Basically, there are a lot of sex scenes in this book that go on for long chapters. If that’s you’re thing, this is probably going to be one hot read. However, for me, it’s not really my thing, so while I enjoyed the story for the most part the sex scenes popping up (especially at points where I wanted the plot to move forward) were annoying at times.
As for the story itself, we follow the romance between Kellan and Nate. Kellan and Nate were best friends once upon a time when they were kids, but Kellan’s uber rich father destroyed Nate’s father’s livelihood and stole his idea/patent, which was compounded by the fact that Kellan never stood up for Nate in high school when he was bullied for being gay.
Now that they are adults, Kellan is a rich boy and more than a tad arrogant and selfish. His father is an arsehole and the two butt heads, ending in Kellan with no money, no car and no place to live. He is homeless. All Kellan wants is revenge on his father, who also does not approve of Kellan being gay. So Kellan throws himself at the mercy of his ex-best friend, who is now a successful newspaper editor and the two concoct a plan that will allow Nate to do an expose on Kellan’s father, and Kellan can get his revenge on his father.
I had trouble with the storyline, because it was hard to suspend my disbelief to believe that this hare-brained scheme would work in any world. Kellan was also a difficult character to warm up to, and in some respects so was Nate. They’re both contrary sort of blokes but they did have a chemistry that made their romance work. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the audio enough that I am willing to go on and give the rest of the series a go. It’s not uncommon that a narrator will allow me to enjoy a book that I normally wouldn’t be able to finish if I read it.
I recommend this book to people that like 1) lots of sex, and, 2) friends-to-enemies-to-lovers type scenario (which was honestly the draw for me).
Blurb: Sometimes you have to get dirty to come clean.
When muscle-bound Denver Rogers effortlessly dispatches the frat boys harassing grad student Adam Ellery at the Tucker Springs laundromat, Adam’s thank-you turns into impromptu sex over the laundry table. The problem comes when they exchange numbers. What if Adam wants to meet again and discovers Denver is a high-school dropout with a learning disability who works as a bouncer at a local gay bar? Or what if Denver calls Adam only to learn while he might be brilliant in the lab, outside of it he has crippling social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder?
Either way, neither of them can shake the memory of their laundromat encounter. Despite their fears of what the other might think, they can only remember how good the other one feels. The more they get together, the kinkier things become. They’re both a little bent, but in just the right ways.
Maybe the secret to staying together isn’t to keep things clean and proper. Maybe it’s best to keep their laundry just a little bit dirty.
Review:This is the 2nd edition and while it has been tweaked and brushed up there’s no change to the story.
Adam is being harassed by frat boys when he does his laundry. Lucky for him, sexy cowboy, Denver, comes to his rescue and Adam ends up bent over the Laundromat table having the time of his life, after he thanks his savior. Denver can’t get Adam out of his head, even seeing all the other hot geeky twinks at work doesn’t stop him wanting Adam. Adam seemed to want the same kind of play as Denver enjoys, but Denver has to wait for Adam to make the first move.
This is a wonderful story of working past your limitations and embracing your quirks. Adam suffers from OCD, he has a lot of quirks that go with it and he has to work hard to keep his panic attacks at bay. When Adam first meets Denver he tries to hide his problems, believing that if Denver found out about his mental health, then he would want nothing to do with him. Denver has his own problem which holds him back, he works as a bouncer because the job he really wants means going back to school and he just can’t deal with books. dating Adam makes him want to try though and both men have to face their problems.
Denver and Adam are a couple that you wouldn’t think would work, but both their personalities are perfectly synced. they draw out the best in each other and are very encouraging when it comes to their individual problems. The one thing you could never doubt is how hot they are together, and we get the pleasure of seeing how hot they are together with their kinks, and although there are elements of BDSM, we really only see the kink side, with Adam reminiscing about the more mainstream BDSM.
I will admit that when I first started the book and for the first couple of chapters I thought it was going to be the typical BDSM Dom/sub story, but we get so much more than that. We get their everyday fears and the mental health problems they face, but we also see how their kinks work with the OCD. Adam and his OCD are written incredible well, with his fears being dealt with instead of being glossed over. Denver’s learning disability was covered and handled quite well, and his reaction to the knowledge was perfectly described. Both these characters’ worm their way into your affections because they are both so incredibly sweet with each other, they try to protect each other in their own way and they both dread the other finding out the truth about them.
I will recommend this to those who love geeks and cowboys, dealing with mental health problems head on, some hot kink and BDSM elements, gaining control of your life and finding your own flawed true love.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (12 April 2019, 2nd edition)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: On his way home from vacation, Scott Gregory, a closeted sub, hooks up with the gorgeous Red, a flamboyant Dom, for a thrilling one-off at a BDSM bar. They part ways after a satisfying scene… but meet again when Robin Kennedy—Red—arrives at his new job as a dental hygienist and discovers one of his two bosses is Scott.
Robin and Scott embark on a journey of exploration into their kinkier sides and discover they’re more than compatible—they’re a perfect match. But keeping employer/employee and Dom/sub separate at the office presents difficulties, and to make matters even more complicated, the owner of the dental practice is an acknowledged homophobe.
They fall in love, but Robin chafes at all the secrecy, refusing to live in the shadows. Scott isn’t as brave; he’s desperate to protect his job and his future. Will they be able to find some middle ground… or will their entire relationship fall apart because of fear?
Review: Impacted! is the first book in Mickie B Ashling’s Bay Area Professionals series. I’m aware of the author, however, I can’t say I ever remembering reading Ashling’s work, so I went into this book blind about anything except the blurb. Being that there is already four books in the series I can see that this could become quite the saga, but I will park those thoughts for now until I get to the rest of the books.
The only thing that I was concerned about was that this is a BDSM novel, I find BDSM a little hit and miss. I’m not sure why, I suppose the easiest explanation is the some authors can write the emotions of the D/s couple really well, while others just write what feels like a soft porn. The latter is certainly not the case with this story. There is a lot of depth to the stories and the characters, even some of the minor characters have their little side stories going on at the same time. It very much reminds me of a soap opera in that respect. The BDSM side of things, while important and an essential part of the relationships in the book, is not the primary focus of the book.
The story is about Scott Gregory, he’s a closeted sub working for a homophobic jerk while at the same time being one of the best dental surgeons around. On vacation, he had an amazing night with a Dom called Red, who understood Scott’s needs as a submissive, but it was only a one night stand. However, everything changes when Scott is back at work and the new dental hygienist ends up being Red, real name Robin Kennedy.
I don’t want to go more into this because while the characters are complicated, much more on blurb and we’d be in major spoiler territory. Scott and Robin are an excellent couple, they have chemistry, baggage and will to make it as a couple, which makes for a compelling story. I found the side story where Scott’s best friend explores her kinks with the support of Scott and Red interesting too, despite the fact I’m not into reading women in sex scenes. So fair warning if you’re like me, but at the same time it is not a lot and everything is done tastefully.
I recommend this one for people looking for a bit of saga and are into BDSM romances.
Hi guys, we have K.A. Merikan stopping by today with their new release In The Arms of the Beast, we have a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
In The Arms Of The Beast
(Kings of Hell MC 05)
by
K.A. Merikan
— The real demons live within —
Laurent. Time traveller. Devoted husband. Stubborn as the devil himself. Beast. Kings of Hell MC president. Will stop at nothing to protect his family.
After everything Baal put them through, neither Laurent nor Beast considered ever making another pact with a demon, but in the spur of the moment, temptation becomes too great, and they decide on one more deal.
This time, with Mr. Magpie.
But the gift might prove to be more than they can handle. The danger to the human world has already strained their relationship, but Magpie’s offering brings out the worst in both Laurent and Beast. Confronted with each other’s flaws, they need to decide if, despite all they’ve been through together, perhaps they’re just not meant to be.
With the world on the brink of collapse, and their pact binding them in new and unexpected ways, they have to put their differences aside to stand a chance at saving their family.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS: Themes: motorcycle club, alternative lifestyles, demons, tattoos, secrets, crime, gothic, opposites attract, biker, commitment, family, sacrifice, relationship issues, established couple Genre: Dark, paranormal M/M romance Content: Scorching hot, emotional, explicit scenes Length: ~105,000 words (Book 5 in the series)
FINAL BOOK IN THE SERIES. NOT A STANDALONE.
WARNING: This story contains scenes of violence, offensive language, and morally ambiguous characters.
Blurb: — Nothing can stop true love. Not time. Not even the devil himself. —
1805. Laurent. Indentured servant. Desperate to escape a life that is falling apart.
2017. Beast. Kings of Hell Motorcycle Club vice president. His fists do the talking.
Beast has been disfigured in a fire, but he’s covered his skin with tattoos to make sure no one mistakes his scars for weakness. The accident not only hurt his body, but damaged his soul and self-esteem, so he’s wrapped himself in a tight cocoon of violence and mayhem where no one can reach him.
Until one night, when he finds a young man covered in blood in their clubhouse. Sweet, innocent, and as beautiful as an angel fallen from heaven, Laurent pulls on all of Beast’s heartstrings. Laurent is so lost in the world around him, and is such a tangled mystery, that Beast can’t help but let the man claw his way into the stone that is Beast’s heart.
In 1805, Laurent has no family, no means, and his eyesight is failing. To escape a life of poverty, he uses his beauty, but that only backfires and leads him to a catastrophe that changes his life forever. He takes one step into the abyss and is transported to the future, ready to fight for a life worth living.
What he doesn’t expect in his way is a brutal, gruff wall of tattooed muscle with a tender side that only Laurent is allowed to touch. And yet, if Laurent ever wants to earn his freedom, he might have to tear out the heart of the very man who took care of him when it mattered most.
Review: Oh what a riveting, fantastic story. I was entranced from the beginning when Laurent, a servant from the eighteen hundreds, finds himself in the present. The man who finds him is called Beast, a badly scarred man the result of a fire.
The thing I liked was the differences between them. The past and present collide in a well written story that is mysterious, suspenseful and oh so good. These two souls have been through so much yet together they must continue to fight if they both want to survive.
I loved things were different from Laurent’s perspective. I cannot imagine how I would be if I were in his shoes seeing things I have never seen before and trying to process everything. The mystery was outstanding and well thought out.
I don’t want to give anything away so no spoilers from me sorry. Needless to say I was hooked from start to finish. I could barely put it down for any reason until the very end.
Blurb: Captain Ales is a lonely smuggler at the galaxy’s Outer Verge, and the last of his people. He’s been trying to move on from a life of drugs and meaningless sex, but finding love in this forgotten corner of the galaxy is difficult.
When he’s sent on a mysterious smuggling mission to a world under siege, he’s enticed by promises of the domination he craves. But soon Ales finds himself entwined in a galactic power struggle that could cost him everything.
Review: Ales is a smuggler, the only one of his home world left after invading forces destroyed the entire planet. He is sent to a planet on the brink of war with a cargo to deliver. Though I understood what was going on up to this point his interactions with Turo confused me. His sudden about face to agree to do whatever Turo wanted was baffling. Yes I understood him wanting to save Jansan but at what cost?
Turo confused me as I was honestly not sure exactly what he was fighting for. Maybe it’s just me though. There is a lot of sex but the scene with Turo and Ales being tied up left me disturbed.
Freedom always comes at a price as someones idea of freedom may not be someone elses. I liked the conflict and the battles. The descriptions were amazing.
Hi guys, we have Brina Brady stopping by today with her new release Buried Secrets, we have a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Buried Secrets
(Buried Secrets 01)
by
Brina Brady
When Alek Belanov loses his family at four years old, his Russian mobster uncle raises him.
Now, at twenty-two, Alek wants nothing more than to find out who murdered his family and why. After Alek gets out of prison for a crime he didn’t commit, his uncle sends him away to the Gay Protection Society, claiming Alek’s life is in danger.
Sexy Rafe Escobar is the head of the secret Gay Protection Society, and he chooses Alek as his personal charge. Rafe warns Alek that if he breaks security rules, he will discipline him. Alek has some slip-ups here and there, but he adores his protector and wishes to please him in every way.
Alek quickly finds his place among the other men who seek shelter and those who guard them. What was supposed to be a safe haven becomes a group on the run as security breaches and threats force them to move from town to town.
Is Rafe and Alek’s relationship strong enough to withstand the secrets and deceptions of people trying to destroy them?
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This book contains mild BDSM elements including restraints, blindfolds, and spanking. While Buried Secrets is a stand-alone book with no cliffhanger, the story will continue with Emilio and Kaden.
I am from Huntington Beach, Ca. I taught various subjects at a Continuation High School in Los Angeles, California for 27 years. I obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in history, Secondary Social Science Credential and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Reading and Secondary Education from California State University, Long Beach. I also enrolled in some creative writing classes at UCLA. I am currently taking classes from Romance Writers of America.
Authors: Michael Murphy, Anna Martin, Grace R. Duncan, Kim Fielding and Sean Michael
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Collection (5 full length novels)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (5th May 2017)
Overall Heat Level: Explicit
Overall Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Blurb: Enjoy a selection of the greatest hits of gay romance published by Dreamspinner Press combined into one exclusive volume: by Anna Martin: Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me, a story of a boy who he wanted to marry his best friend at age six, and the journey that finally gets them there; by Sean Michael: The New Boy, a romance between a shy photographer new to the scene and an experienced model and Dom; by Grace R. Duncan: Beautiful boy, about a Dom with a hurtful past and the sub who shows him love again; by Kim Fielding: Rattlesnake, where a drifter on a quest finds hope and a home; and by Michael Murphy: The President’s Husband, in which the first openly gay president and first husband of the United States must deal with the pressures of their demanding new jobs.
Review: I always like to have a bit of look over of Dreamspinner’s Greatest Hits collection at the end of every year. For the most part, I am always satisfied by the novels featured. I’m going to change up the review format to include an individual heat and heart rating for each of the five books featured. I’m not going to go into too much detail either, just a quick summary on my thoughts of the book and an equally brief summary on the overall plot.
Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me by Anna Martin and One Time I Kissed Him First
Rating: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts
This is a friends to lovers type of story, between two besties who have been fighting an attraction between each other since they were children. I’m not entirely familiar with Anna Martin’s work, so this was an interesting one for me. This is a charming tale and quite cute. I love how we get to know the characters so deeply before they get their HEA. I understand that this is greatly due to the format of the novel, the five times Scott kissed Evan is presented to us out of chronological order. Despite liking the premise (usually a sucker for these types of novels), I personally didn’t mesh well with the format and thought that it prevented me from relating to the characters, though I’m sure others will enjoy this one.
The New Boy by Sean Michael
Heat Rating: Explicit
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
The New Boy is the first book in the Iron Eagle Gym series by Sean Michael. I was curious about this book because I love Sean Michael, although for me BDSM books are usually hit and miss for me. I think I enjoy books by authors that understand the lifestyle, rather than others that make the book seem like a flimsy porno. And so, long story short, I did enjoy The New Boy. Lance is a photographer just won a once in a lifetime contract to shoot photos of models in an exclusive BDSM club, the only problem he has is finding models. One model that he does meet is Tide, he is not only a model but he’s also a Dom. I loved the introduction to the host of characters and the careful way in which the relationship between Lance (the sub) and Tide (the Dom) is defined and how it works. They are contrasting characters, Lance is quiet and shy (almost naïve), while Tide is in your face, a little cocky and knows what he wants. In short they are the typical sub/Dom duo. The only issue I found was that there was not a lot of development of either main character.
Beautiful Boy by Grace R. Duncan
Heat Rating: Explicit
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖 2.5 Hearts
You know how I was just talking about those hit and miss BDSM novels? Yep, this is one of the misses for me. In part I think it’s because of the couple of Grace R. Duncan books I’ve either heard the audio for or read, I’ve always found myself struggling with connecting to the characters I think it’s now safe to say that I find the author’s style not to my taste.
This is an insta-love BDSM romance, so I know that will turn off a number of people alone. Also, I know people that don’t like orgasm denial in BDSM, yet the BDSM itself is very basic, so there is not really a lot of balance in terms of the sex play. Mal is the Dom and after tragedy struck in an ill fated relationship, he decided to turn his back on the lifestyle. But Kyle, a sub he wins at a charity slave auction, is the young man that brings him back into the lifestyle. There is danger in the form of a serial and a heck of a lot of baggage from both men.
The other thing is, I swear I’ve read a book with a very similar storyline. I’m certain it’s a different book and one that I read sometime in the past couple years – I’ve definitely not read this book before. There are details that I remember from the other book that aren’t in this one. Regardless, I can’t remember what book it was, so maybe I’m wrong.
Rattlesnake by Kim Fielding
Heat Rating: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts
This is a charming book. Although I missed it’s initial release earlier in the year I looked forward to it mostly because I love Kim Fielding’s writing. This story has a lot of heart and a sweet romance between drifter, Jimmy Dorsett and small town, average guy Shane Little. Jimmy’s encounter with a hitchhiker has him heading to Rattlesnake to deliver a letter that has come so many years too late. Shane helps Jimmy when he breaks down and the sparks light immediately between the guys. Jimmy first fights his drifter instincts, but later this turns into fighting to keep them when the prospect of settling down with Shane scares him. These guys are great together, they have a lot of chemistry but the romance is sweet.
The President’s Husband by Michael Murphy
Heat Rating: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
By far my favorite book of the collection. This is a novel from the Dreamspun Desires line, which I fell in love with earlier in the year when I heard the audio for the book. My initial thoughts haven’t changed between hearing the audio and reading the novel. Essentially, this is a story of a relationship that becomes strained due to stress. Specifically, it’s the new POTUS and his husband who are struggling between the sudden inauguration from Vice President to POTUS within the space of an hour, and the President’s husband who wants to maintain his life as doctor and med school professor while battling the conservatives that believe that the very male President’s husband cannot be in the spot light.
Title: Siege Weapons
Title: Dreamspinner Press Year 9 Greatest Hits
Five Times My Best Friend Kissed Me by Anna Martin
The New Boy by Sean Michael
Beautiful Boy by Grace R. Duncan
Rattlesnake by Kim Fielding
The President’s Husband by Michael Murphy