Blurb: Dr. Oliver Pierce always thought Omegas werenāt worth his time. Heād even fought hospital management to keep Omegas from working there. But what if he was wrong? It was something heād never imagined possible. That was, until he met Anson.
Anson Shaw had barely managed to get free from his ex-husband alive. After months of therapy heād decided it wasnāt worth being under the thumb of an Alpha. But then he met Oliver. Everyone told Anson to stay away from him, yet despite their warnings he found himself being drawn to the Alpha.
Can an Alpha really change? Is it possible for an Omega to stand up to an Alpha and demand respect? When the Hartās Medical Center stalker comes after Anson, both men search their hearts to find if love is worth the risk.
Warning: Triggers possible for shooting as well as gruesome notes left for the stalkerās victims..
Review: I admit I could not stand Oliver throughout the series for the way he felt about omegas. But once he met Anson everything changed for him. The stalker is scary crazy as he or she attacked Anson. I loved how everyone rallied around Anson and helped. Oliver telling Kelby off in a way had me shouting for joy as I can not stand her.
Oliver comes a long way from his thinking omegas are beneath him. But the two highlight for me were when Anson marches into the chief of police’s office to inform him of what he thought about his lead of detectives ignoring a stalker, which helped the chief realize the bigotry going on under his nose. The second was the hilarious incident when Anson was on bedrest and farting scene.
Delightful addition to the series. Fantastic read.
Blurb: Ronan Hart had done everything he could think of to save his familyās hospital, but he knew he was failing. Desperate, he went out on a limb and hired an Omega who everyone claimed was unconventional to help him. Little did he know that āunconventionalā meant insane, or that heād willingly fall down the manās rabbit hole to be with him.
Shale Baker did things his own way. He believed that everyone should be treated equally, even Omegas like him. If it required kicking down doors, blowing things up, or something completely out of the box, like Tiptoeing Through a Minefield. He was prepared to take on the world to make it a just place, but he hadnāt ever imagined what would happen to all his careful planning when he fell in love.
These two obstinate men must find a way to compromise before itās too late. It isnāt just a happily ever after they are fighting for, but their very lives.
Warning: Hijinx and mayhem abound as Shale comes up with one crazy plan after another to catch a stalker. There are no limits when it comes to Shaleās imagination, or the stalkerās determination to make him pay.
PLEASE NOTE: Although each couple gets their very own HEA, this series should be read in order for maximum enjoyment!.
Review: Ronan and Shale have been dancing around each other since Shale was first hired at Hart medical Center. Shale has done his best to improve the hospital’s atmosphere as well as those employed. But things are not easy. I loved this story. Shale was fierce in his determination to find out who the stalker is. but at the same time he should have been careful.
I really enjoy this series and waiting for the clues to the final reveal as to who the stalker is. I have my suspicions as to who it is but only time will tell if I’m right or not. Amazing story with romance, danger, suspense, mystery and love.
Blurb: In an Alpha dominated world, Oslo Hall had to fight for his right to make a living for himself. It wasnāt always easy, but since heād grown up with parents who had to work multiple jobs to put food on the table, he was used to working hard. But that left little time for things like love. Oh, heād tried. Heād even gotten married, but it wasnāt until the divorce that he realized, heād never been in love with his husband. Too bad he hadnāt discovered that until after heād gotten pregnant.
Bradford Radcliff had spent his entire career fighting for the rights of Omegas in family court. He was proud of the work heās done. But it wasnāt until he met Oslo Hall, who might lose his unborn child if the Alpha father decided to demand custody, that Bradford realized just how important it was to win. The thought of Oslo having to give up his own child was more than Bradford could bear, especially since somewhere along the way heād fallen in love with both Oslo and his unborn child.
If only that were all that was against them, they might stand a chance. But the Hartās Medical Center stalker has targeted Oslo and the threats had them both terrified, especially when Shale decides heās going to try and catch the stalker using Oslo as bait.
Warning: Graphic threats made by a stalker.
PLEASE NOTE: Although each book focuses on a different couple, and they all have HEAs, this series is better enjoyed when read in order! Join us in trying to figure out who the stalker is!.
Review: Bradford finally meets the one for him in Oslo Hall. I loved these two together. Oslo is now on the stalkers radar and Bradford wants to help keep the man safe. I loved how Bradford does not think twice about stepping in Oslo’s defense or protection.
Amazing addition to the series that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Danger, bigoted stalker/s, romance, suspense and romance are all in abundance in this story.
Blurb: Case Weber has been riddled with guilt for his whole adult existence. One act changed the course of his life, causing him to believe he didnāt deserve to find his happily ever after.
Alaric Sutton had always been a bit of an ass. Heād never considered it a problem until things at Hart Medical Center started to change. But it wasnāt until Case Weber yelled at him that Alaric realized it wasnāt okay for him to treat others with disrespect. His only problem? How did he change after all this time?
Deciding to ask for help, Alaric went to the one person who had stood up to him, Case Weber. Who would have thought that one request could transform his lonely existence into one with hope and a possible life with an Omega he respected?
But life has never been that simple. As the Hart Medical Centerās stalker goes after Case, can Alaric save him from the not so veiled threats? Will it even matter if he does if Case canāt forgive himself for his past?
Warning: Triggers of abuse and abortion are contained in this story. As well as a group of friends who will do whatever it takes to find this elusive stalker that has been plaguing the Omegas of Hart Medical Center.
Review: When Case is targeted by the stalker, Dr Alaric Sutton takes it upon himself to keep Case safe. Case has been through trying times both in his past and present so he is stunned when Alaric asks for his help in changing the way he speaks to people.
I loved this addition but I have a feeling I know who the stalker is. I just wish there was more clues. I loved Alaric and Case together. Alaric was always there whether Case needed him or not.
Blurb: As an Omega and a single father, Tenzin Patel knew his chances of finding love were slim to none. It didnāt help that the last Alpha he was married to took off and left him without a word. In their world, that meant a life of being alone. Not that it mattered, Tenzin wasnāt sure heād ever be able to trust another Alpha not to screw him over.
There wasnāt much Dr. Emmett Gates hadnāt accomplished. As one of the countryās leading pediatric orthopedic surgeons, he was the epitome of success. If only he could find that one Omega in order to have the family he desperately wanted. That was proving harder to do than he imagined, especially when he compared all Omegas to the one he couldnāt have, Tenzin Patel, who not only was married but had kids. No way would he ever try to break apart a family, which left him alone.
When tragedy strikes and the two are thrown together, Emmett was thrilled to find out Tenzin was divorced. The only problem was the obstacles Tenzin had put in place to block him. Good thing Emmett was good at Hurdling Fences to get what he wanted.
Review: Tenzen has a secret that if found out could spell disaster. Dr. Gates has been attracted to Tenzen since first laying eyes on the man. Secrets are revealed when after Tenzen’s daughter is hurt that she is not his and his husband left.
I loved this story. The stalker has turned his/her sights on Tenzen and along with that the threat of his daughter being taken away. I loved how Emmett steps in to help Tenzen and the two grow closer.
It was an awesome read but I admit to wanting to know more about the stalker’s identity as I have my suspicions about who they might be.
Blurb: Winter was Gabriel Wellsā favorite time of year. Having been born in Colorado, snow was in his veins. When his life turned upside down and he ended up in Florida for the winter, Gabriel didnāt handle it well. Who was he kidding? He fucked up royally.
Timmy Shaw had always believed people deserved a second chance to make a first impression. As an occupational therapist, he didnāt always meet people when they were at their best. But after a month, he was sure Gabriel had to have ice in his veins considering how he treated others, especially the manās own mother.
What neither man realized? Thereās a thin line between love and hate. Any other time, they may not have had a chance, but itās Christmas and miracles are happening everywhere. It may take some work, but if they can find common ground, they may have a chance at happily ever after with the help of a special Christmas List.
Review: Gabriel is stuck in Florida caring for his mother after she has a stroke. He’s not happy and it shows. His mom’s physical therapist helps Dottie to try to be independent again and takes Gabriel to task for the things he says about his mother.
Things change when Timothy’s mom suggests that Gabriel is scared of losing his mother and acting out so they devise a plan to get him to relax by coming up with things to do that are similar to what he did in Colorado.
I loved this story so much. As someone who had something similar to a stroke years ago I could relate to what Dottie was going through. Gabriel for his part began to realize the way he treated his mother and Timothy. The things they did together were funny and sweet and with time Gabriel changed for the better.
Blurb: Itās Christmas and time for those who celebrate to spend hours finding the perfect gifts for those they love. Which also means long lines, angry and rude shoppers who are willing to fight so they can buy their own gifts at fifty percent off, and dealing with overworked and irritated store employees who are out of patience and good cheer. Right?
Except this year, Patrick and Cabot have discovered that the best gift of all doesnāt require any shopping, lines, or rude people. Just the willingness to open oneās heart. For they are not only giving the greatest gift of all, theyāre receiving it, too. A family.
Join them on this journey as they discover what the true meaning of giving is. It will take believing in the magic of Christmas, but in return they just might receive the most amazing Christmas Gift ever ā a happily ever after. .
Review: A sweet story about two men, Patrick and Cabot, who find each other are exactly what the other needs. Patrick is looking to adopt the two children, Maya and Liam, he is taking care of. Cabot is looking for someone to love.
The family find joy in everything they do together and it shows. I loved how in tune Cabot was to the kids and Patrick. Patrick for his part was adorable when flustered.
Finding love is hardāespecially when youāre a demon and your potential mate is your sacrificeā¦
Sammy is content with running his bookshop and leading a book club consisting solely of paranormal creatures. Despite the persistence of his friends, he has resolved himself to a life without romance, since he doesnāt think anybody could find him and his tendency to spill useless knowledge whenever he gets nervous attractive.
Dresalantion is a demon prince and slightlyāmake that majorlyāannoyed when somebody persistently tries to summon him. He finally decides to show up and put the fear of Dresalantion into his summoners but finds himself rescuing their sacrifice instead.
Sammy intrigues him from the get-go, and when Dre realizes that Sammy can get him the manga heās been hunting for monthsānot to mention that he refuses a wish he offered himāthe sexy demon decides to get to know this fascinating man better. Much better.
Reader advisory: This book contanis scenes of kidnapping and an attempted human sacrifice.
Excerpt
āIs everybody set?ā
Sammy looked around the group of people gathered in his bookstore. It was Wednesday, which meant there would be a book club meeting after closing hours. Their little group met at least twice every month to discuss books and interesting topics related to books, and Sammy loved it. It had formed half a year after he had opened his shop, Sammyās Book Corner, and the participants had become something like a family to him, which he desperately needed after his parents had died five years before. He gazed around to make sure everybody had their stash of cookiesāthis time provided by Mavis and Maribell, the two witchesāalong with their favorite drink.
The delicious smell of freshly baked cookies mixed with the aroma of two hazelnut toffee lattes, the sharper tang of two Chai teasāheavy on the cinnamonāand his own hot chocolate before the familiar background scent of books, both old and new, made him once again congratulate himself on buying the fancy coffeemaker and establishing the little lounging area across from his cash counter. The members of their book club were seated on the four old couches around two low tables, getting comfortable.
Sammy was especially proud of this setup, since he had found all the furniture at flea markets and had given them each a do-over. The whiskey-colored leather couch hadnāt been much work. Just cleaning and treating the leather with a special balm had made the piece shine again. It now smelled faintly of beeswax, something that made Sammy crave a peppermint tea with honey every time he sat on it. The two chaises had required more effort. He had upholstered them and given them each a new cloth as well. Now customers could sit down on the colors of the rainbow to read their latest purchase. The last item was a lounger whose frame he had painted in pink then sprinkled with golden glitter for good measure. A turquoise throw made the piece stand out. One of the tables was covered in dots of various sizes and colors, and the other one had wall tattoos of Drogon and Smaug looking at each other on a black background.
Sammy was the first to admit that his artistic talent was closer to what a six-year old could produce than the fine artistry people with a real gift made, but he had done a good job with the furniture and his shop. Perhaps it was because he loved his little haven of books so much that it brought out the best in him. Except for the laptop in his office and the coffeemaker, nothing in the shop was new. Most everything had come from flea markets and garage sales, making for an interesting and charming mix of styles. Sammy had dedicated quite some time matching his books with the furniture. His antiques were stacked in open wardrobes that matched their ageāor came close to it. The fantasy and science fiction books lived on shelves from IKEA, which he had sprayed silver. The romance books had found their home in old wooden wine crates that were clustered around the shop in small stacks of six to ten. Comics and manga were stashed in big boxes he had built from panoplies and painted in different hues of blue. The shop was Sammyās idea of home, a feeling that seemed to convey itself, because most of his customers were regulars and loved hanging out in the place.
Sammy looked at his fellow book club members and adopted family and felt a brief shudder when he remembered their last meeting, where Amber the banshee had insisted on providing the baked goods. She might be four hundred years old, but just like every other banshee in the world, her baking skills were those of a blind man who had to find his way in a kitchen with both arms tied behind his back. Nonexistent. According to Emilia, the vampire in their group, this had something to do with their magic, which allowed them to pinpoint the exact time of death for every person. Apparently, the mixture of being able to look into the future without upsetting the balance of time and still warning people of their impending end didnāt go well with any kind of cooking. As to why exactly that was, Emilia couldnātāor wouldnātātell. As the only human in a group of paranormals, Sammy had gotten used to not knowing everything. There was too much going on and he had learned soon after stepping into this world that ignorance truly was bliss in many cases where paranormals were involved. He would have preferred to know about Amberās anti-talent in the kitchen, though, before heād accepted her offer to bring snacks.
Per group vote, Amber had been banned from ever bringing sweets to the meetings again, even though Jon, the zombie living in the cellar under the bookshop, had later confessed to Sammy that the stone-hard lumps werenāt that bad, once one managed to get through the crustāthe burnt, black crust that may or may not once have been sugar. Sammy swallowed hard. Just remembering the taste made his stomach revolt. And he hadnāt even been able to get to the core of theāhe tried to find a fitting word for the deadly pieces of ballistic bakery and finally settled for āpastriesā. Declan and Troy, the two werewolf alphas, as well as Emilia, had sharper teeth and more strength in their jaws, yet the looks on their faces when the crust gave way had been disturbing, to put it mildly.
āI donāt see whatās so different about these,ā Amber declared with a pout while holding up a perfectly shaped chocolate chip cookie. Her pixie cut with the neon green hair went well with the huge, sapphire-green earrings, the thick golden chain with various amulets dangling from her neck, the five leather bracelets with Celtic runes etched into them and the approximately twelve rings she was wearing on her fingers. Compared to her jewelry, her outfit was plaināblack skinny jeans, black sneakers and a black shirt with a sparkling unicorn on it, declaring Eat My Stardust, Suckers.
āThe difference, my dear Amber, is that these cookies can be eaten without costing you a tooth. Iām so sorry to break this to you, but your baking skills are what I imagine Terry Pratchett had in mind when he created dwarf bread.ā
Declan put one of the cookies in his mouth, munched on it with an expression of pure bliss on his ridiculously handsome face and gulped it down. He and Troy, who wasnāt there on that day due to business, looked like everybodyās wet dream. They were tall and had angular faces with chiseled jaws and sharp cheekbones, broad shoulders, slim hips, long, muscular legs and hair so thick and healthy that Sammy knew women would murder for it. Apparently, the good looks were part of the genetic makeup of shifters, but Sammy still found it almost offensive how perfect Declan and Troy were. Like two sides of a coin, one dark and dangerous, the other blond andā¦well, dangerous, they were a constant temptation for women and men alike. When theyād first joined the book club, Sammy had had some disturbingly hot dreams about threesomes with them and it had taken him almost four months until he had been able to put them firmly in the āfriend zoneā. It had helpedāonce theyād felt comfortable enough to relax during the meetingsāto see their true selves. Because, no matter how perfect their looks were, the two werewolves were almost annoyingly arrogant and overconfident, as was typical for alphasāor so Sammy had been told by Jon. Their saving grace was a great sense of humor and their unusual choice of favorite bookāPride and Prejudice. After they had confessed this, nobody in their little circle was able to take them too seriously anymore, because how could somebody who loved the perfect book be a bad person? The posturing was just thatāa faƧade to frighten potential enemies awayāand the paranormal world was full of those.
āDwarf bread?ā Amber lifted one of her meticulously plucked eyebrows, a hint of steel in her voice.
āDonāt take it to heart, dear. If you want, you can come over and maybe we can teach you how to get them right.ā
Maribell smiled at Amber and patted her hand. The witch looked like a nice, elderly lady with her flower-print dress, the square handbag and the perfectly coiffed bun at the back of her head. Her thick black hair was infused with gray strands, and around her almond-shaped eyesāa heritage from her Asian fatherālaugh lines softened her features. Sammy knew better, though. Maribell reminded him of his first-grade teacher, Mrs. Smithson, who had been able to shut unruly pupils up with one stern look. Those who inspired her displeasure quickly learned that there was nothing worse than the wrath of a teacher provokedā¦except for the wrath of witches. And with Mavis and Maribell, the first lesson was also the last.
Xenia Melzer was born and raised in a small village in the South of Bavaria. As one of nature’s true chocoholics, she’s always in search of the perfect chocolate experience. So far, she’s had about a dozen truly remarkable ones. Despite having been in close proximity to the mountains all her life, she has never understood why so many people think snow sports are fun. There are neither chocolate nor horses involved and it’s cold by definition, so where’s the sense? She does not like beer either and has never been to the Oktoberfest ā no quality chocolate there.
Even though her mind is preoccupied with various stories most of the time, Xenia has managed to get through school and university with surprisingly good grades. Right after school she met her one true love who showed her that reality is capable of producing some truly amazing love stories itself.
While she was having her two children, she started writing down the most persistent stories in her head as a way of relieving mommy-related stress symptoms. As it turned out, the stress-relief has now become a source of the same, albeit a positive one.
When she’s not writing, she translates the stories of other authors into German, enjoys riding and running, spending time with her kids, and dancing with her husband. If you want to contact her, please visit either herwebsite, or write her anemail.
Giveaway
Enter to win signed/personalized copies of books 1 & 2 in the Club Whisper series and a $5.00 First For Romance Gift Code!
XENIA MELZER IS GIVING AWAY THIS FABULOUS PRIZE TO ONE LUCKY WINNER. ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN SIGNED/PERSONALIZED COPIES OF BOOKS 1 & 2 IN THE CLUB WHISPER SERIES AND A $5.00 FIRST FOR ROMANCE GIFT CODE!
Notice: This competition ends on 13th January 2021 at 5pm GMT. Competition hosted by Totally Entwined Group.
Blurb: Do you believe in the magic of Christmas? Tim Richards didnāt, so why had he thought he could make a Christmas wish and have it come true?
Much to his surprise, he met the man of his dreams when Nick Snow walked into his world and turned it upside down. The life he had always hated was becoming something from a dream and more than anything he could have ever possibly imagined. For Tim, to believe childhood fantasies could come true, was impossible.
Nick Snow tended to only think about work. That was, until he met Tim. Heād never imagined anyone would ever come between him and his career. Now he knew that there was so much more to life than a job.
Can Nick show Tim that Christmas Magic is real?
Warning: This book contains frivolity, laughter, and a lot of sex. Nothing is off the table when these two figure out if their reality is nothing more than fantasy, or if their fantasies can become reality, with faith in a little Christmas Magic..
Review: Tim’s life consists of working several jobs to make ends meet. He wishes for something better in his life but thinks it won’t happen. When he meets Nick his life takes a turn he never dreamed would be possible.
Nick is sweet and attentive as he learns about Tim’s life or lack there of. He has all the confidence that Tim will succeed when he gets a new job at a toy store. Along with that Nick dazzles him with things Tim never experienced as a child.
I loved everything about this story. It was heart warming to see so much happiness brought Tim’s way after all he had endured. Fantastic read.
Hi guys! We have Katey Hawthorne popping in today with her new release Poor Little Rich Boy, we have a brilliant short guest post from Katey, a great excerpt and a fantastic 2 x Ā£10 Amazon GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ā¤ļø ~Pixie~
Poor Little Rich Boy
by
Katey Hawthorne
Ted MacTaggart’s overbearing father is still trying to control his life, even from the grave. His will insists that, in order to inherit the family company, MAC Superior, Ted must be married by his twenty-fifth birthday — and the marriage has to be “real.” As in the board of MAC has to sign off on it.
Ted could fight the will, but then the handsome, artistic Ryan Costa, an old friend from school days walks back into his life, offering to be his groom-of-convenience. Ted draws up the contracts and Ryan, who has family medical bill problems, agrees gladly to the terms. Ted, emotionally walled off and afraid of his attraction to Ryan, also suggests they should keep their relationship strictly professional. Caring for people has always proven a weakness for him. Now isn’t the time to start.
It’s not long before Ryan’s charm breaks through Ted’s walls, but Ted isn’t his own worst enemy in this case. Other forces are vying for MAC Superior, and even when their relationship is becoming the real deal, its shaky foundations land Ryan and Ted in trouble.
Stuart Cochrane and Philip Sundstrom are very busy men. Stuart, freshly graduated from California Pacific, works as much as he can to save money for medical school. Philip, now in charge of the family home-construction company, works long hours to save the company from his fatherās blunders and back-stabbing cronies. A chance encounter brings them together and the attraction is fierce and instant. While neither has time for a relationship, they canāt keep away from each other.
When the National Team recruits Stuart to cox, only Philip understands that Stuartās sick of rowing and wants nothing more than to start medical school. When Philipās board of directors plots to remove him from his own company, Stuart helps him scheme and strategize. Despite their emotional and sexual chemistry, Stuartās hang-ups about money and rich people doom their fledgling relationship. But after a personal tragedy, Stuart must overcome his prejudices and accept Philipās help. Can Philip set aside his broken heart to help Stuart in his hour of greatest need and, dare he hope, a family?
The waiter held Philipās eye a moment too long. Philip knew what that meant and flushed from the starched collar of his shirt all the way up to the gelled magnificence of his golden bangs. Left to its own devices, his hair flopped down to cover his eyes, and right then, Philip kind of wished it could. Instead, heād styled his hair like he always did, parting it on the left and then the bulk of the bangs were up up and away! in a truly stupendous flight of fancy that was probably on the wrong side of metrosexual for a corporate CEO. When he was by himself, he played the game, but cāmon, dude. He was here with his girlfriend. What kind of trash did he think Philip was? It meant he had to cut the waiter. The cut direct wasnāt his style, but Philip felt like he didnāt have a choice. Angie was his priority.
āThe waiterās certainly attentive this evening,ā Angie commented.
Philip cocked one eyebrow. āSweetheart, did you get a good look at yourself? Youāre stunning.ā
āYou think so?ā she said, smiling sweetly. āThank you, Philip. Itās always nice to be noticed.ā
āI always notice you,ā he said, smiling back. He raised his wine glass in a salute. āNotice and appreciate.ā
Angie touched her glass to his in an almost-silent toast. āCharmer. Half the time I feel upstaged by you. Is that a new suit? You look amazing.ā Then she glanced at the waiter. āI get the feeling Iām not the only one who thinks your tailor is a god among men.ā
āBoy, you buy one new sport suitāā
āA week,ā Angie interrupted, her eyes merry. She was enjoying herself.
āāone new suit, and people accuse you of being a dandy.ā Philip sighed theatrically. āMemo to self: return the ascot and waistcoat ASAP,ā he said in a stage whisper.
They shared a quiet laugh. Philip reached across the table to caress her cheek, and Angie leaned into his touch. Her beauty struck him once again, and that evening, sheād gone all out, every bit his match in an ivory satin gown with the back down to here and her auburn hair done with seed pearls as it cascaded down her back. She even wore a simple cameo around her neck, an antique Wedgwood piece heād given her for Valentineās Day the year before. Then he noticed sheād mounted it on a mauve ribbon that clashed horribly with her auburn hair. What on earth had she been thinking? Heād given it to her on a cream ribbon for a reasonā
Dinner arrived and Philip dropped his hand.
He tried to ignore the argument going in his mind about the colors, but it was hard. Heād always had an overdeveloped sense of aesthetics, and at times growing up with Brad and Randall had been nothing but torment. Buildersā houses were always one of two types: ramshackle and about to fall over, or palatial monuments to every architectural innovation and new concept to show up in the design rags. The Sundstrom home was one of the latter type, if poorly decorated, and no sooner had he shoved Randall off stage and into the hands of the police than he called in the cavalry to remove the worst of his fatherās excesses and atrocities. Gone were the putti pissing into fountains and faux-antique tapestries and superfluous televisions, and there were no moreāPhilip jerked his thoughts back to the here and now. He sat across the table from a beautiful woman at a posh restaurant. His aesthetic hang-ups could wait.
Philip genuinely enjoyed Angieās company. They might not live togetherāyetābut they certainly spent a lot of time in each otherās company, mostly at her condo. She found his house ācreepy, like a funeral home,ā even with Randall out of there and every room but his motherās old sitting room and her library redone. Not that he blamed herāit was large and foreboding, and maybe it was time to sell it. When heād called to invite her out to dinner earlier in the week, sheād been overjoyed, even more so than usual. It made him wonder if he werenāt missing something, but a thorough search of his day planner by both himself and Suresh revealed nothing.
After gnawing his guts out for a while, heād finally given up, and when it came time to pick her up, he gave in and let himself enjoy the evening. āAre you ready to go home?ā
āYes, I think so,ā Angie said. Was that a tightening around her eyes?
Philip signaled the waiter, who promptly brought him the check. When Philip put a black Amex card down, the manās eyes widened. It would have been comical, but Philip found it hard to believe no one at this restaurant had ever seen American Expressās Centurion Card before.
āHere you are, Mr. Sundstrom,ā the waiter said when he returned, placing the receipt before Philip and then departing. Philip signed it, including a generous tip.
Philip held Angieās chair for her and then waited patiently while she wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. As they walked out of the restaurant, Philip smiled at their waiter. āThank you. We had a lovely evening.ā
But it was only as they waited for his car to be brought around that he noticed the waiter had written a numberāpresumably hisāon the back of the credit card slip, but lightly and in pencil so it didnāt show from the front. Classy. Philip crumpled it up and threw it in the trash.
āTheyāre staring at you out here too,ā Angie whispered.
Philip blushed. āI think you mean theyāre looking at you.ā
āSome of them, maybe.ā She laughed. āA few, the straight ones.ā
But they werenāt all straight, he could tell that right off the bat. Sorry, boys. He played, but never when he was in a committed relationship.
āRemind me not to come back here. This is very embarrassing.ā
She hooked her arm on his. āI think itās hilarious, and you blush very prettily.ā
āGreat.ā He rolled his eyes.
It made him uncomfortable, that regard, even if he understood it. Thanks to the last year at SunHo, he knew how to project an air of authority, and a lot of people found that attractive. It wasnāt quite a matter of ādo the opposite of Randall.ā After all, his father had run SunHo with an air of power, but in Philipās estimation, that power was based on fear. Employees in SunHoās corporate offices had feared for their jobs, at least when Randall stomped and blustered. But authority? That was something different. Philip knew when he spoke, he would be listened to. He might be young for a CEO, but by and large, he was respected. He wasnāt sure Randall couldāve said that, or even appreciated the difference.
In his early thirties, Philip was young, fit, and, based on the evidence at dinner, handsome; he was very well situated financially, and the waiter and valets could tell that from the credit card and his car. He loved his Merc, a sleek sports car, the six-figure kind with the spoiler to prevent it from taking flight. At least he assumed thatās why they stared. Or maybe he had spinach stuck between his teeth, he thought ruefully, the perils of being a vegetarian there to keep him humble.
They drove back to Angieās condo in silence, insulated from the sounds of the city by the Merc, but what, Philip wondered, isolated them from each other? He bore responsibility for that, the lionās share, at least. He felt bad for neglecting Angie in favor of SunHo. It wasnāt that he preferred SunHo per se, but it seemed so much more immediate to him. Moreā¦real, he realized guiltily, but thatās not how he wanted his life to be. Angie always understoodāor acted as if she did. She got that heād taken over the family business, even if she didnāt know the particulars of how that had come about. As far as he was concerned, she didnāt need to either.
But simply because Philip had chosen this life, it didnāt stand to reason that Angie was happy with it. He knew sheād prefer to be living the high life, preferably in San Francisco. Angie cared for him, so no gold digger, she, but he didnāt fool himself on that score either. She enjoyed the life his money afforded them. Buying Brad out a few years ago mightāve set him back, but SunHo grew and expanded, despite the recession and building slowdown. Philip was loaded, and Angie knew it.
He glanced over at Angie as he drove, her face turned away from him, inscrutable in the passing lights. He knew what he wanted from the next step in life, but was it what Angie wanted?
Unable to decipher his uncharacteristically enigmatic girlfriend, Philip retreated into his thoughts, pretending he was in the cockpit of a spaceship instead of a luxury car, because damn, the onboard computer was almost that complicated. He liked Mercedes for the same reason he liked Macs. They both embodied high performance and elegant design and didnāt bother him with a lot of irritating details. Sure, BMW made amazing cars, but they always seemed to want his input on some matter or other, and he got enough of that at work. As for PCs, Philip was sure there was an elegant and highly functional one somewhere, heād just never heard of it. But really, theyād gone from a charming dinner together full of conversation and laughter to him retreating into his imagination. Again. Heād been doing that more and more lately.
If he were to be honest with himself, it couldnāt be a good sign, but they looked good together, and she was someone to hold on cold, dark nights. Angie was someone to cling to when heād spent too much time reading the Existentialists and felt too alone in an uncaring universe. But was that really a reason to stay in a relationship with someone? On the whole, Philip reasoned, there were worse ones, but it would only be fair if she felt the same way, and he knew for a fact she had no patience for what she called his ānavel-gazing.ā This raised the question of why on Earth he was with someone who so easily dismissed his interests and the things he valued. On the other hand, he didnāt remember his parents sharing that many interests. So many puzzles.
The keypad at the entrance to the parking lot under Angieās condo tower saved Philip from further omphaloskepsis. After he parked in her designated guest space and opened the door for her, Angie again laughed and flirted in the elevator.
āDinner was great, but tomorrow night I want to go clubbing in the city,ā she said, moving in close, breathing in his ear, hand roaming south of his belt.
āWhatāre you doing?ā Philip gasped at the sudden assault.
āWhat does it feel like Iām doing?ā
He looked down at her, amazed at her audacity. āGroping me. What if someone comes in?ā
Christopher Koehler always wanted to write, but it wasnāt until his grad school years that he realized writing was how he wanted to spend his life. Long something of a hothouse flower, heās been lucky to be surrounded by people who encouraged that, especially his long-suffering husband of twenty-nine years and counting.
He loves many genres of fiction and nonfiction, but heās especially fond of romances, because itās in them that human emotions and relations, at least most of the ones fit to be discussed publicly, are laid bare.
While writing is his passion and his life, when heās not doing that, heās a househusband, at-home dad, and oarsman with a slightly disturbing interest in manners and the other ways people behave badly.
Christopher is approaching the tenth anniversary of publication and has been fortunate to be recognized for his writing, including by the American Library Association, which named Poz a 2016 Recommended Title, and an Honorable Mention for āTransformation,ā in Innovation, Volume 6 of Queer Sci Fiās Flash Fiction Anthology.
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Blurb: Detective Jamal Tuma was used to life not going his way. As an omega in an alpha dominated world, heād experienced more than his fair share of bigotry when heād decided to enter the police force. His life had been put in danger more times than he could count for no other reason than alphas above him thought it wouldnāt matter if heād died on the job. Yet, in the six years heād been a cop, heād never come quite so close to death as he did when an alpha doctor didnāt feel it necessary to treat his gunshot wound.
Brace Jacobs had never given much thought to the omegas in their world. As a doctor, heād taken an oath to heal, no matter their color, creed, sex, or even their omega status. But not everyone felt the way he did. It didnāt sit well with Brace, but he didnāt go out of his way to fix the problem, either. That was until Detective Jamal Tuma came through those doors and nearly died with Braceās hands deep in his body as he fought to save the omega.
Warning: Hijinx and mayhem will ensue as these two fight the world around them, as well as their own ridiculous preconceived notions, as they hope to build a future together. But that might be easier said than done when there are stalkers, assholes, idiots, and one very determined Patient Care Coordinator, who will kick everyoneās ass while planning a circus, if thatās what it takes for them to begin Breaking Barriers.
Review: From the moment Brace meets an omega with a gunshot to the abdomen he has been at the man’s side waiting for him to come out of his coma. The new patient coordinator, Shale is a blast as he doesn’t crap from anyone. This was a delightful story to read with colorful characters, a mysterious stalker and alphas who are bigots trying hard to stop the changes implemented at the hospital.
I loved how Jamal stood up for himself even against Brace. He’s as fierce as Shale when he is determined about something. Jamal and Brace were off the charts cute together. Even though we still don’t know who the stalker is I enjoyed the story. I really felt for omegas as some alphas see them as less than. It really angered me that some police and doctors who are sworn to protect and serve everyone shun them.
I am honestly intrigued with this series so far and am looking forward to getting to know the characters more as the series progresses.
Fantastic read and highly recommended.
Title: Hurdling Fences
Series: Hart Medical Center 02
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Omegaverse
Length: Novella (157pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (February 7, 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: As an Omega and a single father, Tenzin Patel knew his chances of finding love were slim to none. It didnāt help that the last Alpha he was married to took off and left him without a word. In their world, that meant a life of being alone. Not that it mattered, Tenzin wasnāt sure heād ever be able to trust another Alpha not to screw him over.
There wasnāt much Dr. Emmett Gates hadnāt accomplished. As one of the countryās leading pediatric orthopedic surgeons, he was the epitome of success. If only he could find that one Omega in order to have the family he desperately wanted. That was proving harder to do than he imagined, especially when he compared all Omegas to the one he couldnāt have, Tenzin Patel, who not only was married but had kids. No way would he ever try to break apart a family, which left him alone.
When tragedy strikes and the two are thrown together, Emmett was thrilled to find out Tenzin was divorced. The only problem was the obstacles Tenzin had put in place to block him. Good thing Emmett was good at Hurdling Fences to get what he wanted.
Review: Tenzen has a secret that if found out could spell disaster. Dr. Gates has been attracted to Tenzen since first laying eyes on the man. Secrets are revealed when after Tenzen’s daughter is hurt that she is not his and his husband left.
I loved this story. The stalker has turned his/her sights on Tenzen and along with that the threat of his daughter being taken away. I loved how Emmett steps in to help Tenzen and the two grow closer.
It was an awesome read but I admit to wanting to know more about the stalker’s identity as I have my suspicions about who they might be.
Fantastic read.
Title: Stumbling into Obstacles
Series: Hart Medical Center 03
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Omegaverse
Length: Novella (156pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (March 13, 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Case Weber has been riddled with guilt for his whole adult existence. One act changed the course of his life, causing him to believe he didnāt deserve to find his happily ever after.
Alaric Sutton had always been a bit of an ass. Heād never considered it a problem until things at Hart Medical Center started to change. But it wasnāt until Case Weber yelled at him that Alaric realized it wasnāt okay for him to treat others with disrespect. His only problem? How did he change after all this time?
Deciding to ask for help, Alaric went to the one person who had stood up to him, Case Weber. Who would have thought that one request could transform his lonely existence into one with hope and a possible life with an Omega he respected?
But life has never been that simple. As the Hart Medical Centerās stalker goes after Case, can Alaric save him from the not so veiled threats? Will it even matter if he does if Case canāt forgive himself for his past?
Warning: Triggers of abuse and abortion are contained in this story. As well as a group of friends who will do whatever it takes to find this elusive stalker that has been plaguing the Omegas of Hart Medical Center.
Review: When Case is targeted by the stalker, Dr Alaric Sutton takes it upon himself to keep Case safe. Case has been through trying times both in his past and present so he is stunned when Alaric asks for his help in changing the way he speaks to people.
I loved this addition but I have a feeling I know who the stalker is. I just wish there was more clues. I loved Alaric and Case together. Alaric was always there whether Case needed him or not.
Fantastic addition to the series.
Title: Head on Collision
Series: Hart Medical Center 04
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Omegaverse
Length: Novella (157pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (April 25, 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: In an Alpha dominated world, Oslo Hall had to fight for his right to make a living for himself. It wasnāt always easy, but since heād grown up with parents who had to work multiple jobs to put food on the table, he was used to working hard. But that left little time for things like love. Oh, heād tried. Heād even gotten married, but it wasnāt until the divorce that he realized, heād never been in love with his husband. Too bad he hadnāt discovered that until after heād gotten pregnant.
Bradford Radcliff had spent his entire career fighting for the rights of Omegas in family court. He was proud of the work heās done. But it wasnāt until he met Oslo Hall, who might lose his unborn child if the Alpha father decided to demand custody, that Bradford realized just how important it was to win. The thought of Oslo having to give up his own child was more than Bradford could bear, especially since somewhere along the way heād fallen in love with both Oslo and his unborn child.
If only that were all that was against them, they might stand a chance. But the Hartās Medical Center stalker has targeted Oslo and the threats had them both terrified, especially when Shale decides heās going to try and catch the stalker using Oslo as bait.
Warning: Graphic threats made by a stalker.
PLEASE NOTE: Although each book focuses on a different couple, and they all have HEAs, this series is better enjoyed when read in order! Join us in trying to figure out who the stalker is!.
Review: Bradford finally meets the one for him in Oslo Hall. I loved these two together. Oslo is now on the stalkers radar and Bradford wants to help keep the man safe. I loved how Bradford does not think twice about stepping in Oslo’s defense or protection.
Amazing addition to the series that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Danger, bigoted stalker/s, romance, suspense and romance are all in abundance in this story.
Fantastic read and highly recommended.
Title: Tiptoeing Through a Minefield
Series: Hart Medical Center 05
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Omegaverse
Length: Novella (155pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (May 26, 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Ronan Hart had done everything he could think of to save his familyās hospital, but he knew he was failing. Desperate, he went out on a limb and hired an Omega who everyone claimed was unconventional to help him. Little did he know that āunconventionalā meant insane, or that heād willingly fall down the manās rabbit hole to be with him.
Shale Baker did things his own way. He believed that everyone should be treated equally, even Omegas like him. If it required kicking down doors, blowing things up, or something completely out of the box, like Tiptoeing Through a Minefield. He was prepared to take on the world to make it a just place, but he hadnāt ever imagined what would happen to all his careful planning when he fell in love.
These two obstinate men must find a way to compromise before itās too late. It isnāt just a happily ever after they are fighting for, but their very lives.
Warning: Hijinx and mayhem abound as Shale comes up with one crazy plan after another to catch a stalker. There are no limits when it comes to Shaleās imagination, or the stalkerās determination to make him pay.
PLEASE NOTE: Although each couple gets their very own HEA, this series should be read in order for maximum enjoyment!.
Review: Ronan and Shale have been dancing around each other since Shale was first hired at Hart medical Center. Shale has done his best to improve the hospital’s atmosphere as well as those employed. But things are not easy. I loved this story. Shale was fierce in his determination to find out who the stalker is. but at the same time he should have been careful.
I really enjoy this series and waiting for the clues to the final reveal as to who the stalker is. I have my suspicions as to who it is but only time will tell if I’m right or not. Amazing story with romance, danger, suspense, mystery and love.
Fantastic read and highly recommended.
Title: Clashing With a Titan
Series: Hart Medical Center 06
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Omegaverse
Length: Novella (86pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (July 4, 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Dr. Oliver Pierce always thought Omegas werenāt worth his time. Heād even fought hospital management to keep Omegas from working there. But what if he was wrong? It was something heād never imagined possible. That was, until he met Anson.
Anson Shaw had barely managed to get free from his ex-husband alive. After months of therapy heād decided it wasnāt worth being under the thumb of an Alpha. But then he met Oliver. Everyone told Anson to stay away from him, yet despite their warnings he found himself being drawn to the Alpha.
Can an Alpha really change? Is it possible for an Omega to stand up to an Alpha and demand respect? When the Hartās Medical Center stalker comes after Anson, both men search their hearts to find if love is worth the risk.
Warning: Triggers possible for shooting as well as gruesome notes left for the stalkerās victims..
Review: I admit I could not stand Oliver throughout the series for the way he felt about omegas. But once he met Anson everything changed for him. The stalker is scary crazy as he or she attacked Anson. I loved how everyone rallied around Anson and helped. Oliver telling Kelby off in a way had me shouting for joy as I can not stand her.
Oliver comes a long way from his thinking omegas are beneath him. But the two highlight for me were when Anson marches into the chief of police’s office to inform him of what he thought about his lead of detectives ignoring a stalker, which helped the chief realize the bigotry going on under his nose. The second was the hilarious incident when Anson was on bedrest and farting scene.
Delightful addition to the series. Fantastic read.
Title: Shattering Foundations
Series: Hart Medical Center 07
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Omegaverse
Length: Novella (166pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (September 13, 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Doss Callaway had never dreamed heād have a family since he was basically infertile. After all, what Alpha would want an Omega who couldnāt father a child? It was why heād become an obstetrician, to help other Omegas find a way to have the life he would never have.
Landon Odell had been forced to put his carefree life on hold when his parents had died and heād become the guardian to his three-year-old baby brother. Now that his brother was grown, Landon hoped to never have that kind of responsibility again.
Fate had other plans for these two. The only problem ā so does the Hartās Medical Center stalker and accomplice. Will Doss and Landon be able to find a future together, or will one of them die when the stalker kills for the first time?
Warning: Rape is involved in this story, although the actual act is off screen. Although each couple in this series gets their own HEA, you should read the entire series for the ongoing story arc!
Review: Dr. Doss Calloways has a busy life. He loves his job of delivering babies and helping omegas. When he’s called to the emergency room to treat a raped omega he jumps to conclusions when the omega’s, Braccen, brother barges in demanding answers. Alpha Landon has been raising Braccen sine their parents deaths when Braccen was only three.
Braccen was promised to an alpha name Yurick who took matters into his own hands after being refused Braccen’s hand by Landon. This is where Doss and Landon meet and Landon learns of the stalkers. In an attempt to keep Braccen safe they move in with Doss.
The stalkers begin rearing their heads and finally we find out at least who one of the stalkers is.
Intense and scary good. I liked that the story was not as focused on the couple in this one. There were a lot of moving parts that brought this story to life.
Fantastic read.
Title: Barreling Through Road Blocks
Series: Hart Medical Center 08
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Omegaverse
Length: Novella (101pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (November 10, 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: The moment Soren Larsen first saw Cillian he knew they were meant to be together. Convincing Cillian would be tough, but Soren was willing to put in the work to woo him. That was assuming the stalker didnāt kill Cillian first.
Cillian Driscoll had never thought too much about love. His career working in the emergency room as a physicianās assistant was too important to him to worry about the future. Then he got his first threat from the hospitalās stalker. He might have thought he was too independent to need an Alpha, but being in Sorenās arms was the only place he felt safe.
The stalkerās plan to kill the Omegas of Hartās Medical Center is cunning. No one is safe. But the stalkerās victims and their husbands refuse to give up hope.
Can love really conquer all? Soren and Cillian will test that theory as they try to stop the stalker before itās too late.
Author’s Note: This is the last book in the Hart Medical Center Series.
Review: The stalker steps up their plans in this suspense filled story with mutiple attacks and some deaths. Cillian is on the stalkers radar and the chief of police Soren takes it upon himself to keep the man safe. But with the stalker still out there and unknown is anyone safe?
Oh my god this story was amazing. I was wrong in my guesses about who the stalker was. But I’m glad they finally found out who it was. My mind was blown by how many people helped this person in their revenge plans. I was disgusted with all who were involved with them.
Cillian and Soren were a delight to read about. I was intrigued by Soren’s family background as well as his fierce determination to keep Cillian safe. I’m really sad to see the series end as it was so good following the investigation and the clues.
Blurb: Raise your wine glasses high to toast the men of Dahlonia while they discover the secret to happiness ā LOVE.
There was no doubt about it, Macalister Whitmore was as straight-laced as they came. He worked all the time, never did anything that would be considered fun, and almost always wore a suit and tie, even in the laid back southern town of Dahlonia, where the dress code tended to be jeans and t-shirts. It was how his parents raised him and Macalister was sure even a tanning salon couldnāt change that.
David Wilson wanted to throttle his best friend for sending Mac to his tanning salon to try and loosen up the uptight lawyer. He had never met anyone that had actually worn a suit to a tanning salon before. What Mac needed was a doctor to remove that stick from his ass. Then again, if Mac continued to look down his nose at David, he would remove it himself.
Still, it seemed that opposites do attract, so they decide to give each other a chance.
Happily ever after may sound like a dream come true, but no one ever said it didnāt come with pain and heartache. Will they walk away from each other, or walk through hell for the chance to pop some Bubbly and celebrate finding their happy ending?
Review: Each book in the Uncorked collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.
A brand new series by one of my favorite authors, and I knew right off the bat I had to read it. She creates worlds that are funny as hell, with a serious tone to parts of it and some interesting times to find. The characters are fully developed just as the story itself is.
Mac is a focused on work and no fun. From the time he was born his parents told him what he was going to do and where he would work. He got his law degree and went to work where they wanted, but then he decided to think for himself. Now he was a lawyer for the people. So his friends decided to help him out. They sent him to get a tan.
David was a pretty good guy and loved owning his own business. He gave tans out, and it didnāt always turn out well. Guys thought it meant he was up for anything. Then he was told about Mac, and man is that guy just meant to be punched. However he looks underneath the facade, and well things heat up.
It is a pretty good story although the characters both needed to be swatted. I had a lot of fun reading this and definitely would recommend it.
Title: Full Bodied
Series: Uncorked 02
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Shea Balik (November 14, 2017)
Length: Novella (124pgs)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Raise your wine glasses high to toast the men of Dahlonia while they discover the secret to happiness ā LOVE.
For Nolan Woods, life had been a miserable existence that had left him lonely and depressed. Nothing had ever seemed to go his way. It was his own fault for being such a loser, but it would still be nice if just once he had something end up in his favor. Unfortunately, for that to happen heād have to put down the food he loved so much.
West Baxter led a charmed life. In college, he and his friends had decided to open a winery, allowing him to travel and meet new people. It had been a playboy lifestyle but when he met Nolan Woods, he found himself longing to settle down instead. Too bad their new winery needed him out on the road to sell their wines it they ever hoped of being the success they had dreamed about.
Nolanās misery had him taking drastic action to change himself. He never thought in a million years anyone would like him as he was. But before he could go under the knife, West had finally had enough of life on the road and seduced Nolan.
Suddenly Nolan no longer knew what to do. He didnāt believe West would ever be able to love him as he was, but if he told West his plans West just might realize what a loser Nolan was and leave him even sooner. Either way, Nolan had to pray that West would understand that Nolan could no longer be Full Bodied.
Review: Each book in the Uncorked collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.
Nolan is a sweet young man who has just a slight little problem. He is overweight and needs to lose it. Not only for his health but for his happiness. All through growing up and into adulthood he had been teased and bullied. He left home hoping never to come back. That all ended when his mother called him about his fathers death, and begged him to come home. So getting a job at the winery sounded good. He just hadnāt expected to have a crush on one of the bosses.
West was that boss, the one Nolan had a crush on. Sexy as all get out, he has a big heart as well. He has wanted Nolan from the start, but had decided he needed to take his time. He traveled quite a bit for the business and wasnāt yet ready to give it up. That is until he found Nolan in tears.
This is a cute story that made my day. I had a blast reading it and the characters were just perfect for it. This story caught my attention from the moment I started reading and kept it all the way to the end. It has a fully developed plot that will keep you entertained, and some pretty hot sex. I can not wait to get my hands on the next story.
Title: Blush
Series: Uncorked 03
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel (184 Pages)
Publisher: Shea Balik (November 29, 2017)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Raise your wine glasses high to toast the men of Dahlonia while they discover the secret to happiness ā LOVE.
Fifteen years ago, Kadyn Bellamy and Valor Lee had blown any chance of building a future together. Valor had joined the CIA to hunt down terrorists and Kadyn abhorred violence. At the time, their differences had seemed insurmountable.
When Valor shows up in Dahlonia looking as hot as ever, Kadyn needs to decide if he can reconcile their divergent viewpoints. The choice wasnāt as easy as it might seem. If only the love heād felt for Valor had diminished, he could easily walk away. It didnāt seem fair that he might have to give up the love of his life, twice.
All Valor wanted was the future he and Kadyn had dreamed. For fifteen years, his love for Kadyn had only grown. Heād known when heād walked away from Kadyn all those years ago, it would be a challenge to convince Kadyn they could still make their dreams come true.
It was only when tragedy struck, that Kadyn was forced to come to grips with the past. With eyes wide open, he was ready to take a step into the future. He just needed to decide if Valor would be a part of it or not
Review: Each book in the Uncorked collection features a different romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.
I came across Shea when she came out with the first book in the Cedar Falls collection. From that moment on I knew that she was going to become a favorite of mine. They seem to always have a quirky character in them, one that will always have you laughing your ass off. It seems that she has went on with that with the rest of her books. It is one of the things that I love the most.
Then there is an alpha male that our men fall in love with, as well as one that has had a rough time. However sometimes both men have had a bad tumble in life. With this story it has a deeper story inside. When wanting peace, it does take a bit of violence to get there. This story will have you in tears and also laughing.
Valor and Kadyn were lovers many years before and had been in love. With violence, brought in Valorās desires to protect his family, friends and country. His father had been killed by terrorist, and he wanted to make those pay. He joined the CIA to make that work, but in doing so he destroyed what he had had with the man he loved.
Kadyn had lost his father to a violent act, all because of a football game. He went in the opposite direction as Valor. He was always wanting peace and never could stand violence. He saw a darker side to Valor, but his heart had been torn in two, when the man he loved chose the CIA to him. They went their own way.
Now fifteen years later, and Valor was back. He wanted the man he loved back with him. It was not going so well though. When Chet and Leo are attacked, and Chet fighting for his life, it brings Kadyn into focus. He was seeing why Valor had made the choice.
I am mostly on Kadyn side of the coin so to speak, violence only seems to bring more violence. However I can also understand Valor as well. Humanās seem to need the violence in their lives sometimes. There will never be peace completely. Shine was a big kick in this story, and canāt wait to read his. I think I actually loved this book even more then the others, but what a struggle our sexy Leo and Chet will have to go through. I really canāt wait to get to their story.
I enjoyed reading this and can guarantee that it will be read many times over. I had a lot of fun reading this and can not wait to get my hands on the next book. I can guarantee that this book will have you crying in your crackers. I loved it and would recommend it to all.
Title: Shine
Series: Uncorked 04
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novella (193pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (December 8, 2017)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Raise your wine glasses high to toast the men of Dahlonia while they discover the secret to happiness ā LOVE.
Shine was over people thinking because he had a southern accent, and made moonshine, that he was a hillbilly redneck with no education. Sure, he occasionally liked to fuck with them and spout out his grandpappyās sayings, like every dog should have a few fleas, but that didnāt make him dumber than a box of rocks. So, when he met a man who made his heart race and his mouth go dry with the thought of licking every inch of his body, then instantly put him down because he was making moonshine instead of wine, Shine dared him to try and drink with the big boys.
Montague knew better than to take the challenge to drink the moonshine Shine was offering, but he refused to be insulted by some hick from this small, backwater town. The fire that ignited in his stomach and burned a path up his throat, making him want to cry for his mommy, told him just how stupid he could be. Fucking pride. If Shine didnāt get that smirk off his face at Montagueās reaction to the battery acid he called alcohol, Montague was going to punch him in the mouth. Or kiss him. It was a tough call to make.
There is a fine line between love and hate, especially when alcohol is involved. Then again, it might take a little liquid courage to drop their defenses enough to discover their passion for each other.
Review: Each book in the Uncorked collection features a different romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.
To me there is nothing better than a good romance between two sexy men. If those me just so happen to throw sparks off and have some humor going on, then the better. I came across this author some time ago and knew she was going to be one that I would follow. Her stories always have just a bit of conflict in them, lots of humor, hot sex and some good old fashion loving.
When people find out that Shine talks with a southern accent and deals with moonshine, they tend to throw him to the curb and call him a redneck hillbilly with no brains. That is what happens when he comes across Montague. The truth is, Shine is probably one of the smartest men around.
Montague has never really had a job, just a few part-time ones here and there. He has a job now as tour guide, but the creep he works for is asking for a bit more then our sexy man is willing to give. Now the first time Montague and Shine meet, it doesnāt go down so well. But he might be the only one willing to give Montague a full time job and help.
Sparks fly and so do the clothes when these two finally get it together. You mix that in with some powerful alcohol and we will see what happens with these two. Great story with likable characters. I always did get a kick out of this series, and definitely canāt wait to get my hands on the next one. But I will leave the drinking to those who can handle the crazy alcohol that Shine makes.
Blurb:Ā At a very early age, Ben learned that, in life, there was no such thing as something to believe in. What was the point? Each time he did, someone would come along and prove to him how wrong he was. The fact that his sister died by a drunk driver, whoād walked away without a scratch, and forcing Tobias to move to Texas ā one of the most homophobic states in the country ā to take care of his now motherless nieces, drove home just how cruel life could be. How was he supposed to help two of the sweetest kids heād ever known deal with the hell their life would be without the one person theyād depended on, when he was fairly certain, his moving to Texas would only show them how horrible people could be to one another?
Darius had seen things that would make most people cringe in revulsion and dread. His parents had traveled, with Darius in tow, all around the world to help those in need. So tragedy wasnāt something new to him. As terrible as some of it had been, Darius had also seen the kindness and sacrifice people made to help others. He was a true believer in the goodness of humanity.
Determined to help Ben discover that though he may have had hit a few bumps in the road growing up, heād also met people who had been there for him, helping him when they didnāt have to get involved. For life might not always be perfect and at times even cruel, but it was also wonderful and kind if one knew where to look.
Ben had to admit that Darius was causing him to look at the world differently. That there might be a chance heād been only looking for the negative. But, for him, there was one more test that the world would have to pass for him to truly change and it would take a Christmas Miracle to do it.
Review: A heartwarming story that will make you sad, happy and laugh. Ben gets called home to take care of his nieces after his sisters death. While at the funeral he meets the minister Darius when he comes to his rescue after Ben’s mother starts up with him.
I did not like Ben’s prejudice, homophobic mother. She really got on my nerves. Thankfully Darius was always there to help.
I loved the life changing aspects of the book and how each character dealt with certain situations.
Great read.
Title: Christmas Magic
Series: Believe 02
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Contemporary, Holidays
Length: Novel (192pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (December 14, 2018)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Do you believe in the magic of Christmas? Tim Richards didnāt, so why had he thought he could make a Christmas wish and have it come true?
Much to his surprise, he met the man of his dreams when Nick Snow walked into his world and turned it upside down. The life he had always hated was becoming something from a dream and more than anything he could have ever possibly imagined. For Tim, to believe childhood fantasies could come true, was impossible.
Nick Snow tended to only think about work. That was, until he met Tim. Heād never imagined anyone would ever come between him and his career. Now he knew that there was so much more to life than a job.
Can Nick show Tim that Christmas Magic is real?
Warning: This book contains frivolity, laughter, and a lot of sex. Nothing is off the table when these two figure out if their reality is nothing more than fantasy, or if their fantasies can become reality, with faith in a little Christmas Magic..
Review: Tim’s life consists of working several jobs to make ends meet. He wishes for something better in his life but thinks it won’t happen. When he meets Nick his life takes a turn he never dreamed would be possible.
Nick is sweet and attentive as he learns about Tim’s life or lack there of. He has all the confidence that Tim will succeed when he gets a new job at a toy store. Along with that Nick dazzles him with things Tim never experienced as a child.
I loved everything about this story. It was heart warming to see so much happiness brought Tim’s way after all he had endured. Fantastic read.
Title: Christmas Gift
Series: Believe 03
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Holiday, Contemporary
Length: Novella (150pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (December 15, 2019)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Itās Christmas and time for those who celebrate to spend hours finding the perfect gifts for those they love. Which also means long lines, angry and rude shoppers who are willing to fight so they can buy their own gifts at fifty percent off, and dealing with overworked and irritated store employees who are out of patience and good cheer. Right?
Except this year, Patrick and Cabot have discovered that the best gift of all doesnāt require any shopping, lines, or rude people. Just the willingness to open oneās heart. For they are not only giving the greatest gift of all, theyāre receiving it, too. A family.
Join them on this journey as they discover what the true meaning of giving is. It will take believing in the magic of Christmas, but in return they just might receive the most amazing Christmas Gift ever ā a happily ever after. .
Review: A sweet story about two men, Patrick and Cabot, who find each other are exactly what the other needs. Patrick is looking to adopt the two children, Maya and Liam, he is taking care of. Cabot is looking for someone to love.
The family find joy in everything they do together and it shows. I loved how in tune Cabot was to the kids and Patrick. Patrick for his part was adorable when flustered.
Fantastic read.
Title: Christmas List
Series: Believe 04
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Holiday, Contemporary
Length: Novella (144pgs)
Publisher: Shea Balik (December 18, 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ššššš 5 Hearts
Blurb: Winter was Gabriel Wellsā favorite time of year. Having been born in Colorado, snow was in his veins. When his life turned upside down and he ended up in Florida for the winter, Gabriel didnāt handle it well. Who was he kidding? He fucked up royally.
Timmy Shaw had always believed people deserved a second chance to make a first impression. As an occupational therapist, he didnāt always meet people when they were at their best. But after a month, he was sure Gabriel had to have ice in his veins considering how he treated others, especially the manās own mother.
What neither man realized? Thereās a thin line between love and hate. Any other time, they may not have had a chance, but itās Christmas and miracles are happening everywhere. It may take some work, but if they can find common ground, they may have a chance at happily ever after with the help of a special Christmas List.
Review: Gabriel is stuck in Florida caring for his mother after she has a stroke. He’s not happy and it shows. His mom’s physical therapist helps Dottie to try to be independent again and takes Gabriel to task for the things he says about his mother.
Things change when Timothy’s mom suggests that Gabriel is scared of losing his mother and acting out so they devise a plan to get him to relax by coming up with things to do that are similar to what he did in Colorado.
I loved this story so much. As someone who had something similar to a stroke years ago I could relate to what Dottie was going through. Gabriel for his part began to realize the way he treated his mother and Timothy. The things they did together were funny and sweet and with time Gabriel changed for the better.
Everyone hopes his road to happily ever after will be carefree and smooth, but too often hair-pin turns and detours seem to get in the way.
Having thought he was on the road to forever before, former Silicon Valley programmer Dan Lassiter is leery about pedaling down it again. His elderly companion Charlie urges him to get to know Rick Reardon whose bakery is across the street from Danās bicycle shop.
Under the watchful eye of Charlie, Dan and Rick take tentative steps towards each other, all the while trying to avoid potholes such as exes, homophobes, and family problems.
As summer turns to fall and then winter, they hope that the road will be smooth going from their first date and first kiss to having what Rickās sister euphemistically calls their āsleep oversā. At each step, though, they are tripped up and wonder why there seem to be so many bumps in their road.
Maybe Dan and Rick should heed some of Charlieās sage advice or maybe they should listen to their hearts instead of the warnings from their pasts.
One of the delights of the holiday season is a cookie exchange with friends and coworkers. True, itās going to be a little light this year, what with COVID restrictions and all. But that makes it all the better to devise a game plan for next year and the one after.
Why a game plan?
Because you donāt want to be the person whose cookies smash and break before they are exchanged. You want to be the one with the perfectly delicious looking stack of an array of different cookie types, each cookie looking enticing in its own right.
But how can you do that with a stack of cookies?
Glad you asked.
You need to come up with your cookie tiers. Or you can steal mine.
The bottom tier for my cookie exchange plate is a pan cookieāusually chocolate chip bars or pecan pie barsāanything with enough internal heft that they can withstand a stack of cookies on top of them and still not be squished.
Stay away from lemon bars or cheesecake bars, which while yummy will yield like sinkholes, making them and the cookies stacked on top into one mega-cookie.
True, thatās great for the person who picks up the top cookie and finds them all stuck together in the jackpot of the holiday season.
Still, if you get caught with the mega-cookie, you are stuck with it and canāt pry one off and leave the rest for another hapless eater.
So be kind and plan a sturdy, non-sinkable bottom tier.
The middle tier is the traditional colorful cookie tierāgingerbread people, cut-out and frosted cookies, and shaped dough goodies.
The key to this layer is color, lots and lots of color. For example, blue, white, and silver for Hanukkah or green and red for Christmas or black, red and green for Kwanzaa or red, green, brown, and white for Solstice. Whatever you celebrate, make sure the colors pop at the mid-level of your cookie tier.
Remember that frosting and piping are your friends at this tier.
Finally, add the touch de resistance to the top tier: light, airy meringue delights and chocolate chip clouds.
Make these small, bite-sized treats so that you can use them to place around the decorated cookies to highlight their colors and decorations. Or you can use them to stack into a pyramid to support the cling-wrap or other protective layer youāre using to transport your exchange plate.
Whether you call them biscuits (like the Great British Baking Show does) or cookies like Americans do, edible exchanges are the highlight of any season, but particularly of those holidays in the winter.
Do you participate in a cookie exchange either during the holidays or during the rest of the year? If so, whatās your favorite cookie type?
Give yourself a gift of cheer with four HEA romances to take the edge off 2020:
Blame It on the Fruitcake where a motorcycle shop owner and a location scout bond over a grandmotherās holiday recipe;
The Orpheum Miracle in which a squatter in a revival theater meets the man of his dreams;
Making the Holidays Happy Again that sees a blacksmith forge a future with a chemist; and
Heart of the Holidays where a bicycle repairman and a baker travel down the road to love.
And whatever you do, remember that Every day is a good day for romance.
Excerpt
The kids and their mom arrived after lunch, right about the time Charlie usually turned in for a nap. He gave them the once over as they got out of the car, nodded to me with raised eyebrows, and ambled back toward the house. I guess he figured heād meet them sometime, probably sooner rather than later, so he didnāt have to knock himself out now. It was the siesta part of his day.
After the kids tumbled from the car and jumped on Rick, he pointed at my open garage and waved at me. I waved back, and they galloped across the street.
āHi, Iām McKinsey! You can call me Mack.ā The red-haired boy danced in front of me. His hair blazed in the sun and was as bright as his green eyes and freckles. He didnāt look anything like his uncle. āSo these are all the bikes I can ride? Can I try them out first?ā
āYeah, but donāt go very far. Iāve got an app keeping an eye on them.ā
āCool. Bye.ā
He didnāt wait for me to explain further, but ran toward the racks so fast that I thought he would barrel into them. A small hand on my arm stopped me from chasing after him.
āDonāt worry. Heās careful. He wonāt hurt the bikes. We wonāt go far because of mom.ā Since I wasnāt worried about the bicycles, I looked down into brown eyes, a solemn face, and curly sable hair. āIām Leslie. Everyone calls me Lee. My brother throws himself into his activities. I donāt. Can we choose any of the bicycles?ā
I glanced up at their uncle who shrugged at me. The small hand let go of my arm, so I looked down at Lee again.
āYes. You have three choices. One, you can select a bike and ride it the entire time youāre here. Two, you could come back to the garage and pick another one to ride for the day, the half-day, the hour, or however long you want it. That means if you wanted, you could ride every bike in this place in one day. Or your third choice, you could stay at the bakery and not go bike riding at all.ā I winked at her. āI would choose the bakery except then Iād look like a human lead balloon if I did.ā
She giggled and put her hand on my arm again.
āI like you, Mr. Dan. I think weāll get along fine.ā She nodded and gave me a long assessing once over. āDonāt worry. You donāt look like a balloon at all. Not at all.ā
If sheād been in her teens, I would have thought she was flirting. But Lee seemed as if she was merely making an observation.
I liked both kids and their approaches to life. Iād be willing to bet Charlie would like them too when he got up from his nap and met them.
Unlike her brother, Lee sauntered over to the bikes, many of which were now askew thanks to Mackās unsorting process. She carefully started to right those tossed aside. She stopped at a turquoise bicycle, hopped on, and waved to me and her uncle as she sped away. Her brother was long gone. The bike rack still needed straightening which would give me something to do while Charlie snoozed.
I started toward it. Rick had surged across the street and was striding up to me.
āHere. Iāll help.ā He stood staring down at the mishmash of bikes. āIf you show me how to untangle them without making things worse.”
I nodded.
āI donāt get it. Arenāt you afraid people will just take off with your bikes and youāll never see them again?ā
I watched him bend over to pick up one on the ground. My groin tightened at the sight. We were going out to dinner. Together. Soon. My heart and dick lifted as my mind piled up image after image of dinner and afterward. It was about time for me to get back in the saddle as it were.
Author Bio
Pat Henshaw, born and raised in Nebraska, has lived on the U S’s three coasts, in Texas, Virginia, and now California.
Before she retired, she held a number of jobs, including theatrical costumer, newspaper features reporter and movie reviewer, librarian, junior college English instructor, and publicist.
She also loves to travel and has visited Canada, Mexico, Europe, Egypt, Thailand, and Central America as well as almost all fifty US states.
Now retired, she enjoys reading and writing as well as visiting her older daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren on the East Coast and playing havoc with her younger daughter’s life in NorCal.
She thanks you for reading her books and wants you to remember that every day is a good day for romance.
CEO Maine Braxton and his invaluable assistant, Colby, donāt realize they share a deep secret: theyāre in loveāwith each other. That secret may have never come to light but for a terrifying plane crash in the Cascade Mountains that changes everything.
In a struggle for survival, they brave bears, storms, and a life-threatening flood to make it out of the wilderness alive. The proximity to death makes them realize the importance of love over propriety. Confessions emerge. Passions ignite. They escape the wilds renewed and openly in love.
When they return to civilization, though, forces are already plotting to snuff out their short-lived romance and ruin everything both have worked so hard to achieve.
Colby LaSalle never dreamed his life would end in a plane crash over the Cascade Mountains in Washington State. But here he was, whispering fevered petitions to the Lord as the plane screamed, plunging downwardā¦faster, faster.
Out the windows, all he could see was white. And the only outcome he could imagine was that once that white cleared, the last thing heād take in would be towering pine trees and the cold side of a mountain hurtling toward him. It was almost too horrific to comprehend.
In those few moments, as Colby braced himself in his seat, head down near his knees, he found himself thinking what a loss this was. The man across from him, his boss, Maine Braxton, would never know the most important thing about Colby. And that thing was not his proficiency as an administrative assistant, keeping Maine on track and on schedule in all his business affairs, but that Colby was passionatelyāand secretlyāin love with him. With all his heart and soul.
That fact, and the unspoken words that hid it, seemed tragic to Colby, maybe even more tragic than the life he was about to lose. What kind of life, Colby wondered, did you really have if youād never truly loved and been loved in return?
Colby, at twenty-eight, had never been in love before. And now it looked as though he would never have the chance to act on his desire, on that feeling that made his heart flutter whenever Maine walked by his desk. Was love like a tree falling in the forest? If the object of that love never knew of it, did it really exist?
Colby looked up for a moment, maybe to have a final look at Maine, but was distracted by the view through the cockpit window of the six-seater plane they were traveling ināa Beechcraft Bonanza. The opaque fog of white cleared for a moment, and Colby could see, to his horror, that his imagination was correct.
They were hurtling toward the side of a mountain. The view was surreal. Shock kept him from thinking it was anything other than a very vivid nightmare.
He then looked over at Maine and saw he had slid from his seat to the floor. The strong, powerful man cowered there, hands over his head. His lips moved in what Colby could only assume was silent prayer.
Colby longed to slide over, to cover Maine with his own body and shield him from the impact, but he was paralyzed, a butterfly pinned to a board, and could only add his own whispered prayers to those of his boss.
āPlease, God, help us get out of this alive. Let Maine know how very much I love him. Give me that chance.ā
The private pilot, a blustery, gruff man named Gus Pangborn but whom everyone just called Rooster, shouted, āWeāre gonna try and go up! Weāre gonna try and go up!ā
Colby didnāt know if he was talking to him, Maine, or himself, but the desperation in the pilotās gravelly voice was clear. The despair in Roosterās words communicated one thing to Colby and one thing onlyāhe had no hope.
Colby squeezed his eyes shut tight and placed his head back down toward his knees again, covering it with his hands, although he wondered how much good it would do once the plane crashed, once it was consumed by a giant fireball.
What Colby LaSalle didnāt realize, though, was that the plane crash would signal not the end of his life, but the beginning.
Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist. Entertainment Weekly has described his work as āheartrending and sensitive.ā Lambda Literary has called him: āA writer that doesnāt disappointā¦ā Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his husband, Bruce, and their fierce Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix, Kodi.
Vivien Dean has had a lifetime love affair with stories. A multi-published author, her books have been EPPIE finalists, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Nominees, and readers favorites. After spending her twenties and early thirties traveling, she has finally settled down and currently resides in northern California with her British husband and two children.
A radical feminist turned cop and a former Lucia candidate are expectingātwins. A gender studies professor burns her candle at both ends. A lovelorn bus driver is feeling fragile, until an unexpected visit brings her some queer holiday cheer; and an obstetric nurse single mother delivers the expected, while her past catches her unprepared.
In the final A Tinsel and Spruce Needles Romance, the crew from Candlelight Kisses, Little x and Wild Bells make their way through Advent 2000, celebrating the first X(X)mas of a new millennium.
Rickās hand slid over the striated orb of her stomach. She looked like a giant walnut. Yes, a walnut, that was how Padma Lindgren felt about herself as she entered the ninth month of her pregnancy: she was moving slow as a walrus and going nutty into the bargain. Her enormous middle was striped with indelible stretch marks, distended like a carapace, overwhelmingly ever-present, forcing her to sleep in positions she had never slept in before.
The wan white of Rickieās freckled hand stood out against her belly, her touch making Padmaās skin break out in goosebumps. She hissed out air between her teeth. She knew her registered partnerāor wife, as she called her for shortāwas just saying good morning to the babies. It didnāt matter. Her sex ached in readiness. Her huge, dark mother-to-be nipples puckered. Her pulse pounded in her ears.
āMorning, love,ā Rick mumbled into her hair, and Padma whimpered. Erikaās hand stilled. āYou okay?ā
She turned in her arms, meeting Erika Stoltās soft, grey-green gaze. Her thin, pink lips were pointing down in an expression of worry. Padma groaned. āRick, please. Donāt stop. IāmāIām incandescent.ā
Erika smiled goofily. āYou really are.ā
Padma snorted, but Rickieās eyes held a promise: one promptly delivered on as she moved her tantalising palms up the sides of Padmaās bump to cup her swollen breasts.
A sharp quiver cut through Padma, from chest to groin. These last few months her tits had been ridiculously hypersensitive. Erika had always been a fan of them, it was trueāever since their school days, Padma suspectedābut now she was close to enlisting in the Holy Order of the Sacred Boobs. She grazed the undersides with her thumbs and Padma moaned.
Rick flushed with gratification. She flushed so easily it was just silly. And utterly fucking adorable.
Padma gripped her head, the semi-outgrown buzz cut tickling her fingers. She pulled her face up close. āYeah, Iām going to need you to suck them. Hard.ā
Rick didnāt need telling twice. She crushed their mouths together, swallowing Padmaās rough gasps as she continued to stroke her, but the kiss, for all its scintillating intensity, was nothing but a few seconds of foreplay before she progressed to Padmaās pebbled, painfully erect peaks.
She started with the left one, circling the areola with her tongue as she palmed the right. Padma sighed her encouragement. Her fingers brushed along Erikaās scalp, itching to pull, but endeavouring not to. She had to pace herself, or the moment would be over before it had properly begun; she knew this, although it was only the hard-earned self-discipline of the certified fitness instructor that managed to hold her in check.
Rick licked directly across her nipple and Padmaās hips bucked, her belly jutting into the warm, lean abdomen of her lover.
āFuck, babe.ā Rickās whisper had a gulpy, watery quality. Her right hand skimmed along Padmaās obliterated waistline, sweeping the underside of her bump before finding the jungle-like swelter of her bush.
Sparks of hot, treacle-sweet arousal ran the length and width of her. Padmaās fingers clamped around Rickieās skull. She was whimpering again. She couldnāt bloody help herself.
Rick chuckled, but after six years together, Padma knew exactly what that chuckle meant: Erika was skating the edge herself, the joy of sexual fulfilment gathering in her loins.
āDo it. I fucking swear to you, Rick, Iā Oh! God!ā
Rickie gorged on her breast. There was no other way to describe it. She had been rolling the nipple between her lips, teasingly, but now she was pulling, hard and relentless, and the rush of sensation made Padma cry out, her pussy starting to pound to the rhythm of Rickās tongue swiping and lapping. Even before Rick pushed inside her, Padma started to flow.
Rickie didnāt let go. Padmaās juices were pooling in her cupped palm, colostrum, no doubt, seeping into her working mouth, but Rick didnāt let go, wouldnāt, as Padmaās hands came down to her shoulders, her nails digging half-moons into her flesh.
She had three fingers inside her now, filling her, pumping and pummelling, and as Rick found her clit and pressed down heavy; as her mouth moved to repeat the exercise with her right tit; as her left hand rested on her belly, protectively, lovingly; Padmaās consciousness of the world around her broke into a million trembling little pieces, her back arching, the howl of her climax loud enough to make the icicles hanging outside their bedroom window dance and glitter in the bright, white December morning.
Well, not really. But it sure felt like it, as far as Padma Lindgren was concerned.
Often quirky, always queer, Elna Holst is an unapologetic genre-bender who writes anything from stories of sapphic lust and love to the odd existentialist horror piece, reads Tolstoy, and plays contract bridge. Find her on Instagram or Goodreads.
Publisher: Painted Hearts Publishing (19th November 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: šššš 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb:A fortune shouldnāt get you killed. A promise shouldnāt break your heart.
Attorney Rafe Stanton knows making promises is a dangerous thing. Over and over he has failed to keep people under his protection safe. For years he watched his younger cousin Noah lose his battle with drugs and alcohol, which eventually led to a deadly car accident. When he finds out about Noahās secret marriage to Logan Tate, Rafe has one last chance for redemption.
Inheriting a fortune should be a blessing, but for Logan life never works out that way. Heās learned the hard way that dreams donāt come trueāand if they do, well, there is usually a hefty price tag attached. All he really wants is a quiet life, but that isnāt in the cards when his apartment gets broken into and a pretentious lawyer from Boston arrives thinking he can call the shots.
The two men donāt see eye-to-eye about the inheritance, but with Noahās powerful family coming after Logan, they find themselves reluctantly on the same side. A gunman, greedy in-laws, and meddling friends are not enough trouble; soon they also need to deal with the explosive chemistry between them.
But Rafe made a promise to the past and Logan doesnāt trust easily, so a future together seems out of reach.
Review: When Noah dies Rafe is left feeling guilt over not doing more for his cousin, when he discovers Noahās Will he realises that the promise Noah extracted from him the night of his death is going to bring him head to head with Noahās family.
Logan is left reeling by his husbandās death, Noah promised to look after him but now with Noahās family setting their sights on Noahās money Logan wonders if he can survive the battle, with Rafe on his side he might just be able to make it but the attraction they feel for each other just might blow up in their faces.
A.G. Meiers has written a story that pulls a lot of emotion from the characters; we have guilt, grief, anger, sorrow, fear, loss, and a dash of happiness. Both Rafe and Logan go through a lot emotionally as they find their way to each other with Noahās wishes hanging between them as Logan just wants what Noah promised him and Rafe just wants to fulfil the promise he made to Noah.
Logan and Rafe both have secrets that affect how they feel. Rafe is tortured by guilt and feels he could have done more to protect people who relied on him, and Logan is bewildered by whatās happening to him, their secrets play a large part in how each man interacts with others especially those close to them.
We are pulled into this story from the first pages and it doesnāt let up as we are dragged along for the ride, itās a rollercoaster of emotion as we follow the ups and downs of the story. Logan and Rafeās relationship is fraught with emotional bombs, and they never know when an emotion bomb is about to go off. With the help of their friends they navigate the minefield of love and redemption and most of all forgiveness.
Thereās some amazing secondary characters in this story, uncle Vicky, his niece Ria, Jase, Kane, Rafeās dad and step-mom, they bring love, hope, kindness and acceptance into the story and an amazing support that both Rafe and Logan desperately need.
I really enjoyed this story and thought it was well written and for the most part well executed, there was one issue in particular I had with it and that was because of the actions of Noahās familyā¦ was Noahās death really an accident, not once after everything that came to light did anyone think that Noahās death was a bit convenient, even though Noahās death was an accident weāre human so of course the thought would flit through your mind after the truth is revealed about Noahās family, but not once did any of the characters even wonder for a second before dismissing it. I mean Noahās family are cold and ruthless I could so see them offing Noah to get their hands on his money.
I recommend this story to those who love a great storyline, love damaged main characters, who love family drama, who adore characters learning to forgive themselves and adore love stories where the love is hard fought.
A fortune shouldnāt get you killed. a Promise shouldnāt break your heart.
Attorney Rafe Stanton knows making promises is a dangerous thing. Over and over he has failed to keep people under his protection safe. For years he watched his younger cousin Noah lose his battle with drugs and alcohol, which eventually led to a deadly car accident. When he finds out about Noahās secret marriage to Logan Tate, Rafe has one last chance for redemption.
Inheriting a fortune should be a blessing, but for Logan life never works out that way. Heās learned the hard way that dreams donāt come trueāand if they do, well, there is usually a hefty price tag attached. All he really wants is a quiet life, but that isnāt in the cards when his apartment gets broken into and a pretentious lawyer from Boston arrives thinking he can call the shots.
The two men donāt see eye-to-eye about the inheritance, but with Noahās powerful family coming after Logan, they find themselves reluctantly on the same side. A gunman, greedy in-laws, and meddling friends are not enough trouble; soon they also need to deal with the explosive chemistry between them.
But Rafe made a promise to the past and Logan doesnāt trust easily, so a future together seems out of reach.
Rafe walked over the graveled driveway and took a narrow path along the side of the building. There was indeed a fourth door. Rafe knocked.
āWow, that was fast, Ria. I just got your message.ā A voice floated through a cracked window and then the door was pulled open. A young man was standing in the frame. Logan Tate. Rafe recognized him from the picture Kane had sent him earlier.
Whoever Ria was, Tate obviously found it appropriate to welcome her without a shirt. He was wearing nothing but some ripped jeans hanging low on his hips. Miles of golden skin over well-defined muscles. In fact, Tate had a six pack, with a swirl of soft brown hair disappearing into those jeans. Fuck. Rafe forced his eyes up. A square face, chiseled jaw. Tateās hair was still wet, he had it tucked behind his ears with a few strands escaping and falling into his face. His eyes were already huge, but now they were wide open in surprise. For a second Rafe felt like heād been transported into an American Eagle catalog shoot.
Before Rafe could get a word out, the door was slammed shut in his face. āAll right, that went well,ā he mumbled to himself. He stepped forward and knocked again. āCome on, Tate. Open the door.ā
āIāve got a lawyer, and I wonāt talk to anybody without him present,ā came the muffled reply through the door.
āI think there is a misunderstanding. Iām hereāā Rafeās cell started ringing. Annoyed, he pulled it out to silence it, when the door was ripped open again. Tateāstill without a shirtāstared at him with his phone in his hand.
āYouāre Rafe Stanton? Shit, I should have recognized you.ā Tate turned and disappeared into the house. Rafe took the open door as an invitation to follow. The room he walked into was dominated by a huge bay window overlooking the ocean and the rocky beach. It was filled with honey-colored pine wood furniture, which was typical for beach homes, but none of the usual lighthouse or seashell knick-knacks. Midday sun flooded every corner with light and warmth.
Tate pulled a shirt out of a laundry basket on the floor and quickly put it on. When he stretched up his arms, his pants dropped even lower and Rafeās eyes roamed over his Vee peeking out over his waistband. A bolt of lust hit him. Logan Tate was sinfully gorgeous. Itād been a long time that a manās beauty had such an immediate impact on Rafe.
Still pulling his shirt down, Tate said, āYeah, I should have recognized you. Noah showed me pictures. He talked about you all the time. Man, he loved you like a brother.ā
āExcuse me,ā Rafe replied tersely. He wanted to add: How dare you talk about him?You used him like everybody else.
āFuck. I shouldnāt have said that? I pissed you off. Iām sorry.ā Tate tugged on the bottom of his shirt and then waved to his small kitchen. āCoffee? I just made a fresh pot.ā
Wrestling with his emotions, Rafe nodded, āYes, thank you. And maybe we can start with formal introduction. My name is Rafe Stanton and Iām with Parker Law. Iām Noahās cousin, and Iām also the executor of his last will and testament.ā
Tate nodded and then walked over to the small, open kitchen and took two cups out of a glass cabinet and put them on the counter. āMilk? Sugar? Iām sorry Iāve no cream.ā
āNo, thank you. Black.ā
āOf course,ā Tate mumbled as he poured a cup and handed it over. Rafe only now noticed the dark purple bruise in his face and wondered what that was all about. āIām Logan Tate. Please call me Logan. IāmāIām Noahās husband, but then you know that already.ā
Yeah, Rafe knew, but he also hadnāt missed the slight hesitation, so he said, āIād still like to see some ID. Itās just a formality, but maybe we can get it out of the way.ā
āSure.ā Tate walked over to the small kitchen table tucked into a corner. He picked up his wallet and pulled out his driverās license.
Rafe took a quick look, even though heād seen a copy already. He could see one of his business cards lying on the table as well. His personal cell phone number was added in the middle. āNoah asked you to call me?ā
āYeah, he said to call you as soon as any lawyers from his family showed up. He said you would help me.ā
Damn, Noah, how about a heads-up? Rafe took a sip, hummed in surprise and then took another. āWow, this is good coffee.ā
Tate smiled. And for a split second Rafe felt like he was looking at the most beautiful human being heād ever met. Brown eyesāLogan had deep, dark brown eyes. It was a deadly combination with his honey blond hair. Rafe had a thing for blonds. Kane gave him crap about it all the time. Unconsciously bias.
āItās from a small coffee shop in town. They roast and blend their own. Glad you like it.ā
āMr. Tate, Logan, can I ask you a few questions?ā
āOf course, do you want to sit down?ā
āSure.ā They settled down on the kitchen table. Rafe took another sip of his coffee and watched Logan fiddle with his cup. When he realized what he was doing, he dropped his hands onto his lap and gave Rafe a nervous smile. āSo, what now?ā
āHow long have you been living here? Itās a nice place.ā
Rafe could almost see the mental eye roll at his attempt at small talk, but Logan decided to appease him. āI moved here a little less than a year ago. Noah and I, we used to travel a lot, but then we started to look for something closer to his family in Boston.ā
āHave you met his family?ā
Logan blushed and lowered his gaze. āNo, no, I havenāt. We kept our marriage quietāā
āWhy was that?ā
āFuck, what is this?ā Logan pushed his chair back and stood up. āYou know Iāve never met his family. Theyād have taken one look at me and crushed both of us. Noah was scared shitless of his mother, thatās why he kept our marriage a secret. Why are you asking these stupid questions?ā He walked to the bay window and looked out.
āOkay, then letās jump right in, what do you know about Noahās will?ā
Author Bio
Eighteen years ago, AG Meiers came to the United States for adventure, but stayed for love. Currently, she lives in New England with her husband and two awesome kids–balancing work, friends and family, and writing.
When she has some free time, her favorite thing to do is travel and visit new places. Her past trips have already brought her to a variety of countries on four continents. She never passes up an opportunity to experience different cultures, diverse people, and amazing locations.
Even though she has been dreaming up stories all her life, she has only recently started to write them down and share them with the world. As a writer, she loves to to put her characters through a lot of challenges, conflict, and heartbreak before she allows them to find their happy-ever-after.
Title: Clashing With a Titan
Title: Bubbly
Title: Full Bodied
Title: Blush
Title: Christmas Miracle
