Hi guys, we have A.E. Via visiting today with the tour for her new audio release Don’t Judge, we have a brilliant giveaway where you can win your own audiobook of Don’t Judge, so check out the post and then enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Don’t Judge
(Nothing Special 04)
by
Narrator: Aiden Snow
A.E. Via
Detective Austin Michaels didn’t think life could get any better after he was accepted into the most notorious narcotics task force on the East Coast, headed up by two of the baddest Lieutenants with the Atlanta Police Department – Cashel Godfrey and Leonidis Day.
Michaels knew he would fit right in as the team’s sniper, having received his fair share of commendations for marksmanship. He was just as badass as the rest of the twenty brothers that made up their team. But when Michaels lets their prime suspect get away from a huge bust with over a quarter of a million dollars in drugs, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it right.
Left with no other options, God chooses to bring in outside help, calling on his long-time friend and bounty hunter, Judge Josephson.
Judge was considered one of the best trackers during his enlistment in the United States Marine Corps. After retiring, he used those skills to become one of the most sought out fugitive trackers in the country. When Judge gets a call from his old friend needing his help, he quickly tells God, yes.
Hi guys, we have Elle Keaton stopping in today with her new release Trusting The Elements, we have a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway ❤️ ~Pixie~
Trusting The Elements
(Never Too Late 01)
by
Elle Keaton
There’s nothing like a near death car accident to open your eyes. Otto Proulx decides surviving was a sign; he’s being given a second chance to claim the life he wants to live. For the past few years he’s been hiding in the shadows, vague texts from a troubled ex-partner keep him at home along with his general lack of luck in the romance department. This is his last chance, he’s certain, this time he’ll meet the man for him, the one he’s sure is out there somewhere.
Greg Trainor runs a specialty kite shop and helps his friends out when they ask. That’s the kind of guy he is, if somebody needs something, they call on Greg. He’s a big guy and no genius, but he’s dependable. So…yeah, when he sees a car precariously perched on the side of the road, he stops to help out; it’s what he does.
One night of passion leads to…several more and suddenly both men are searching around to define what they have together. Neither wants to scare the other off and neither wants to ask for more. Will the two men be able to set aside their fears and create a family together, trusting the elements are in their favor?
Hi guys! We have Colette Davison stopping by today with her new look Why I… series, we have great excerpts from the series and a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon GC! ❤ ~Pixie~
Why I Left You
(Why I… 01)
by
Colette Davison
Guilt has torn them apart…
…but can they have a second chance?
Jamie is struggling with university, money and depression.
The last thing he needs is Brett, the guy who walked out on him four years ago. Yet, he could be just what Jamie needs.
Brett has his own way of dealing with heartache.
Ever since Jamie left him, he’s been running away from commitment. But when he Jamie comes back into his life, he’s forced to re-examine everything.
Brett and Jamie are drawn back into each other’s arms by an undeniable spark.
But unless they can come to terms with the past, their relationship won’t survive the present.
Why I Left You is a MM hurt/comfort, friends to lovers romance with explicit language and steamy scenes between gay men. It’s the first in a series of standalone romances with a happy ever after.
Fin has put his life on hold to raise his little sister.
Following the death of their parents, he’s convinced her well-being is all that matters, even if it’s at his expense.
Noah has been living a lie for years.
After being publicly outed and kicked out from home, he’s ready to let go of his anger and finally be free.
A chance meeting between Fin and Noah opens endless possibilities. Can they be together despite all their baggage? Or will the truth crush them beyond repair?
Why I Need You is a MM hurt/comfort, insta-dad romance with explicit language and steamy scenes between gay men. It’s the second in a series of standalone romances with a happy ever after.
Quick to help others with their pain, but hiding his own, his life consists of a string of break-ups.
Ryan needs a way to leave his abusive boyfriend.
Working with Martin is supposed to help him raise enough funds to escape. It’s just business. With an ocean between them, it couldn’t be anything more. Could it?
One is close enough to giving up on love. The other wounded by it.
Can they trust each other? Or will the distance, hurt, and abuse get in the way of their happy ever after?
Why I Trust You is a MM hurt/comfort romance with explicit language and steamy scenes between gay men. It’s the third in a series of standalone romances with a happy ever after.
***Trigger warnings: Domestic violence and abuse***
Hi guys, we have A.E. Via visiting today with the tour for her new audio release Here Comes Trouble, we have a brilliant giveaway where you can win your own audiobook of Here Comes Trouble, so check out the post and then enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for Prime’s review coming soon!
Here Comes Trouble
(Nothing Special 03)
by
Narrator: Aiden Snow
A.E. Via
Detectives Mark Ruxsberg and Chris Green are very good at their jobs. Being the enforcers for God and Day’s notorious Atlanta PD Narcotics Task Force causes the crazy duo to get into more trouble than they can often get out of. The pair never misses out on an opportunity to drive their lieutenants crazy with their dangerous, reckless, and costly stunts, landing them in the hot seat in front of God…often.
Ruxs and Green love their jobs and they don’t mind the very demanding schedule that leaves them little time for socializing or dating. It’s fine with them, they enjoy hanging out with each other anyway.
However, most of the men in their close circle of friends and colleagues are pairing off and settling down. God has Day, Ro has Johnson, and their Sergeant Syn has Furious.
For the past several years, Ruxs has only sought out the advice and company of one person, his partner and best friend Green, and vice versa. Both of these alpha males are presumed straight, but neither can deny the heat that’s building in their once-“just friends” relationship.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (28th March 2018)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: With four girls, single dad Ryan Withers has his hands too full to look for romance. He’s not complaining – he loves his daughter and the three nieces he adopted when their parents died, and he would do anything for them. He’s caught off guard when his mother and daughter de-cide to play matchmaker.
Alex Bernot works in disaster relief, his job taking him all over the world, helping others, for ex-tended periods of time. He’s staying with his aunt while he’s home, and she sets him up on a blind date. Finding a special someone isn’t really on his mind, but he goes to make his aunt hap-py.
Ryan and Alex enjoy each other’s company more than either of them expected, and they soon make a second date. Their lives are complicated, though, in very different ways, and soon, fami-ly needs and their jobs conspire to pull them apart. They’ll need to figure out how to work through the things keeping them apart, but first, they’ll have to decide if they even want to….
Review: Daddy Needs A Date is a standalone book by Sean Michael. Since reading more of Sean Michael’s work, particularly through Dreamspun Desires, I’m totally getting into the writing style and now look forward to Michael’s new releases. For the most part, they are usually quite happy and fluffy stories, with some adorable children and strong themes of building families and bringing together people in a way that is totally relatable and believable. In short, Sean Michael has recently made it onto my seemingly long list of authors I must read these days.
The narration of this novel was performed by Stever Balderson. I didn’t recognise the name, but when I looked in my audible library, I found that I had listened to Balderson once before in the past, performing Michael’s novel Add Love To The Mix. I remember not only loving that book, but also the performance, so it was just another reason to look forward to starting and savouring this story. In terms of the current performance, Balderson has once more done a fantastic job bringing heart and depth to the characters, not only the two main characters, but to a handful of very important background characters. I think he has a real knack at capturing the emotion and urgency of an emergency worker during the action scenes, but also successfully brings it down to when the character is home and has to discover the joys of building a life and settling down. He also brings great depth to a single father who is very lonely, as well as an enjoyable performance on the child characters who adore their father because he is the centre of their world.
As for the story itself, which I’ve just alluded to, Sean Michael has written a beautiful story of two men trying to find their way in the world. There is so much love and emotion that I found myself quickly lost in the plot and cheering on the men who have so much chemistry, they just need to learn to trust their emotions and give love a chance.
For both MCs, their lives are dominated by caring for others: Ryan Withers is a young father with four daughters. When he was fifteen and still unsure of himself, he got his high school girlfriend pregnant. The girl didn’t want the baby but he did, and with the support of his wonderful mother, he became a single father. Later down the track, in recent years, he lost his sister and brother in law, and necessity led to him adopting his orphaned three nieces. Life hasn’t always been easy, but Ryan has not only become a great father and has learnt to juggle his home and work life. Unfortunately, though, his juggling act does not help him meet new people, especially potential boyfriends. With a well-meaning mother and a concerned teenaged daughter, Ryan finds himself set up on a date with a nephew of a woman that his mother knows. Ryan is not happy, yet he is touched by his daughter’s concerns, and so he swallows his pride and goes on the blind date.
Alex Bernot is a dedicated disaster relief worker. With no real close ties other than the aunt he lives with in between trips in disaster zones all over the world, Alex has no reason to stay still or settle. However, things begin to change when he set up on a blind date by his aunt. It starts off a little rocky to realise that Ryan has four kids and he was about ready to hit the brakes right then. But something, some feeling, propels him forward and the men begin to get to know each other. Falling in love is the easy part, the truly difficult part is Alex’s work and need to travel into dangerous zones with little or no communications back to the States. My heart broke for Ryan as he was left to keep things going, however, with four girls it doesn’t matter how understanding Ryan is when Alex has to learn what it truly takes to have a family that depends on him for love.
This book is sexy, there is low angst and overall, while it is relatable it probably does go towards the fluffy and sweet kind of things. This is a great book when you are looking for something easy to listen to, the performance is excellent, if you want a no-nonsense kind of romance or coming down for a book that broke your emotions. I think for me this will be one of those books I’ll listen to again on a flight to pass the time (because I never listen to new stories when I’m travelling).
Captain Sami Soros and Father Jay Blackstone cross paths at a major European hub. When systems shut down due to a cyber-attack, flights are delayed and the resulting chaos is unprecedented.
After having served three tours in Afghanistan, recently discharged Sami struggles with his new civilian status. Emotionally depleted, and dangerously edgy, he views most of his fellowmen with utter contempt.
Jay is returning to his parish in San Francisco after a month-long retreat meant to shore up a crumbling vocation. All vestiges of spirituality melt away when he sets eyes on Sami.
They begin a clandestine affair fueled by a shared addiction to extreme forms of BDSM. Their relationship goes off the rails, and Jay reaches out to Rino Duran, a former seminarian. With the help of Dr. Ethan Marshall, Rino’s full-time Dom, the established couple attempt to separate truth from lies to give Jay and Sami a shot at happiness.
Review: Yield is the fifth book in the Bay Area Professionals series by Mickie B Ashling. I have loved reading this series, it is complex and a total emotional rollercoaster. To say that is an intense read is an understatement and in my mind is the most intense, as well as being the best book in this series.
Although I’ve been enjoying this series, I can’t say if I am completely sold of Ashling’s writing to put them into my authors I must read list. I find BDSM a little hit and miss. I’m not sure why, I suppose the easiest explanation is the some authors can write the emotions of the D/s couple really well, while others just write what feels like a soft porn. I personally don’t like long sex scenes in books, because romance isn’t all about smut, and Ashling nailed this well. There is a lot of depth to the stories and the characters, even some of the minor characters have their little side stories going on at the same time. However, everything comes together in a nice, neat package by the end (which is essential in my mind).
Despite being the fifth in this series, Yield works fine as a standalone book, although there are direct ties to the previous book in the series, Forged in Trust (that one, I think, is the most titillating book in the series).
As I said, this is an intense read. It covers an insanely broad range of issues including rape, PTSD and abuse. The MCs, Sami and Jay, are also sit on the more extreme side of kinks compared to previous MCs in this series. The characters are so bloody complicated I don’t think I can do justice with describing them here. I don’t want to get into too much detail because spoilers, ick, and also I don’t want to be writing a ten page review.
Captain Sami Soros has served three tours in Afghanistan, leaving his physically and emotionally drained. He has a lot of issues to deal with mentally as he attempts to fit into the world outside of the military. Father Jay Blackstone is a clergyman who has been questioning his vocation, but he also has a slew of mental demons to contend with as well. The depth of these guys is astonishing. They are almost like they are two sides of the same coin. They have opposing world views, which is fundamental to their very different career paths. Yet, while their philosophies are very different it is almost as if, as they work through their demons, their kinks and get help from their friends, their beliefs are essentially the same once they are boiled down. The issue is, that it is a very rocky road to get there.
As I said, I enjoyed the story, the character and plot development and the intensity of pretty much everything. However, I have to say, as someone not totally keen on BDSM romance, I think I need to take a break from it for a while before I find another one to read.
Blurb: A friends-to-lovers novella that came from Out of the Shadows because Nate and Dylan needed a story….
Nate and Dylan have been pals for a long time. So what if their friends think they’ve got a little bromance going? Doesn’t mean there’s anything more to it than that, right? And even if there is, Nate and Dylan are totally oblivious….
Until the night they share a drunken kiss, and everything changes.
Review: Bromantically Yours is a novella spin-off, sequel by KC Wells for her book Out of the Shadows (Dreamspun Desires #40), about lifelong friends Nate and Dylan. I listened to the audio of Out of the Shadows about a year and a half ago, so while I roughly remember the plot and the featured couple, I don’t really remember Nate or Dylan, who are best friends of Josh, who is now with Christian, who is a hermit due to disfiguring scars.
Nate and Dylan are best friends and have been close since they were kids. They’ve both thought that they were straight, although they both love and support their gay best friend, Josh. One night, when not only Josh and Christian bail on them, but also their other friend Logan, the two men end up at Nate’s place for beer, pizza and movies. It’s here when things get very personal, as secret desires come to light and a kiss (and more) happens. In the aftermath, these guys need to work out what they are going to do, but that’s a lot easier when they have a friend who is more than happy to play matchmaker.
This is a quick listen, so if you want to get through the audio in a day or on a short trip, it’s super easy. Overall, the story is very cute with some steamy sex scenes and great chemistry between the couple, good for those that are a sucker for friends to lovers type stories. It’s also got a few funny moments, because the entire world seems to realise that these two are made for each other, but Nate and Dylan haven’t got the memo yet.
The narration by Daniel Henning was great. I didn’t know what to expect as I’ve not heard any other performances by Henning, but his voice suited both men, but I especially liked his portrayal of Dylan.
Hi guys! We have A. Nybo stopping by today with their upcoming release The Shaman of Kupa Piti we have a great excerpt so check out the post and enjoy! ❤️ ~Pixie~
The Shaman of Kupa Piti
(Shaman’s Law 01)
by
A. Nybo
When an international case involving a series of ritual murders lands in his lap, strait-laced and logical Agent Leon Armstrong is going to need some help.
Leon follows the trail to the opal-mining town of Coober Pedy, Australia, where he gets tangled up with the wild Russian mystic Sergei Menshikov. Despite his commitment to rationality, Leon discovers he isn’t immune to the way of the spirits, no matter how much he’d like to think so. When Sergei tells him he treads a predestined path, Leon’s world turns upside down.
Leon’s experiences in Coober Pedy will change his life forever, but can he hold out against Sergei and the spirits—who Sergei claims have chosen them for each other?
Hi peeps, we have Posy Roberts popping in today with her paperback release All I Want – Home For The Holidays, we have a brilliant giveaway and Lisa’s review of Analog to Digital, and Tams audio review of Feathers from the Sky, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
All I Want – Home For The Holidays
by
Posy Roberts
Prefer paperbacks? Both Feathers From the Sky and Analog to Digital in printed in All I Want: Home for the Holidays.
Heading home for the holidays is stressful enough, but pile secrets atop carefully wrapped presents, and it’s enough to turn anyone into a Grinch. But as the year comes to a close, surprises might spell new beginnings.
Hi guys, we have V.L. Locey stopping by today with the tour for her new release Shake The Stars, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for Prime’s review coming soon!
Shake The Stars
by
V.L. Locey
Spending time in the Poconos with his family was the last thing Dane Forrester wanted to do over the summer. He had dreams of spending his last break touring Europe and gathering story ideas for his upcoming creative writing classes before heading to college. Maybe even finding that elusive first love in a small café in Paris, or along the Rhine, or even in a sultry villa in Italy. But no, he was stuck at the Silver Fir Lodge with his family where his dreams of romance and passion would wither and die a slow painful death, or so he imagined.
When all seemed lost, the budding wordsmith is saved—in more than one sense—by Khalid Novak, a lifeguard at the lodge’s pool. Khalid is two years older, a bit more sophisticated, and the most incredibly alluring thing Dane has ever seen. The two young men find themselves joyously wound in a searing romance that teaches Dane that love can be wildly intense yet fleeting so one should revel in it when the discovery is made.
Can this summer romance survive the chill of autumn as well as the winds of time?
Hi guys, we have R.J. Scott stopping by today with her new release What Lies Beneath, We have a fantastic $10 Amazon GC giveaway so check out the post and enter that giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
What Lies Beneath
(Lancaster Falls 01)
by
R.J. Scott
In the hottest summer on record, Iron Lake reservoir is emptying, revealing secrets that were intended to stay hidden beneath the water. The tragic story of a missing man is a media sensation, and abruptly the writer and the cop falling in love is just a postscript to horrors neither could have imagined.
Best Selling Horror writer Chris Lassiter struggles for inspiration and he’s close to never writing again. His life has become an endless loop of nothing but empty pages, personal appearances, and a marketing machine that is systematically destroying his muse. In a desperate attempt to force Chris to complete unfinished manuscripts his agent buys a remote cabin. All Chris has to do is hide away and write, but he’s lost his muse, and not even he can make stories appear from thin air.
Sawyer Wiseman left town for Chicago, chasing the excitement and potential of being a big city cop, rising the ranks, and making his mark. A case gone horribly wrong draws him back to Lancaster Falls. Working for the tiny police department in the town he’d been running from, digging into cold cases and police corruption, he spends his day’s healing, and his nights hoping the nightmares of his last case leave him alone.
Hi guys! We have Victoria Milne stopping by today with the tour for her new release Purple Method, we have a fantastic guest post, a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Purple Method
(Purple Method 01)
by
Victoria Milne
When one kiss changes everything, closeted heavy metal singer Max Diaz and MMA fighter Rick Bernstein must decide how hard they’re willing to fight—for their dreams and each other.
An up-and-coming heavy metal singer and a martial artist desperate to join a top MMA gym must decide how hard they’re willing to fight—for their dreams and each other.
Max Diaz is firmly in the closet, and as unbearable as that’s becoming, he can’t risk his only remaining family—his brother, Tony—or his band Purple Method’s chance to make it big.
Rick Bernstein dreams of rising in the ranks of the MMA circuit and securing a training career at a top gym, but with rejections coming thick and fast and his financial future in dire jeopardy, starting a relationship is the last thing on his mind—especially with someone who isn’t out.
But when Purple Method returns to Elfinbrook after a six-month tour, one kiss changes everything. Now Max and Rick face decisions that will change both of their lives forever.
Hi guys, we have J.R. Gray stopping by with his new release Oasis, we have a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Oasis
(Inferno 02)
by
J.R. Gray
I worshiped at the altar of pain, surviving on avoidance, physical to avoid the mental, anything to forget what I’d lost. When Remi walked through the door, I felt like I’d paid my price for the passage through hell and been granted a taste of Eden. Remi was my oasis and I was going to drown myself in him.
But life takes with no remorse and everything was a mirage. The past won’t stay dead and a cruel phantom comes to destroy our happiness. The more we need each other the further apart our lives drive us. I’m torn between my perfect past and the hope of an oasis, and either choice demands I cut out part of my soul.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (25th August 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Kasey “Tuff” Tuffman just told Nashville to kiss his you know what. After winning Best New Art-ist at an award show, he knows it’s time to head back home to Texas. So after a very public meltdown, Tuff makes his way to Austin, where the Red Dirt music lives large.
Jonah Littlejohn once loved KT more than anything in the world. When KT loses it on national TV, Jonah knows he has to reach out and offer his home studio as a place to heal and make music. A bad relationship has left Jonah broken and wary of romance, but he wants to help his old lover out. Seeing Jonah again proves to Tuff that he’s made the right decision. Now all he has to do is convince Jonah that they’re the most perfect duet there’s ever been.
Review: Best New Artist is a standalone romance by BA Tortuga, which will appeal to everyone that not only loves a good cowboy romance, some country music and a second chance at love. Well, it’s more country music than actually cowboy, but I hope you get what I mean. As for the author, I really enjoy Tortuga’s writing and always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. There’s always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy!
Brian Hutchison performed the narration for this audio book. I’ve only heard his narration twice before, on what has actually become one of my favourite ongoing series. But Best New Artist is so different from the crazy world of PIs and mystery, that hearing Hutchison perform a romance about two country musicians was definitely novel. However, Hutchison perfectly suited the role. He nailed the uncertainty, the longing and the unrequited needs of the characters.
This is a story of two men who weren’t actually torn apart, but they never got over each other despite believing at the time breaking up was the best thing for them both – one didn’t want to live in a closet and the other wanted fame and fortune as a country singer.
Kasey “Tuff” Tuffman is a man that should be at the top of his game. But he is unsatisfied with the Nashville country scene. Like other Texans before him, he expects to be chewed up and spat out. So, when he has a very public meltdown on television, he goes back to Texas to lick his wounds.
Jonah Littlejohn used to be in love with Kasey. In fact, he still was in love with the man but breaking up ten years ago was something that he did for his own sanity. In ten years he’s gone through his own horror with an ex, while watching Kasey’s career from afar. But when he sees Kasey lose it on television, he calls Kasey’s parents to pass on the message that Kasey is welcome to regroup his thoughts at Jonah’s farm/music compound where many local musicians get together and jam and create raw music.
When Kasey makes it to Jonah’s place things are awkward. Jonah’s best friend is suspicious of Kasey, mostly because he saw Jonah’s misery when they first broke up and saw Jonah almost die as well. Even Jonah’s dogs are suspicious. But slowly, it’s clear that there is something very strong between the two guys. However, they have a lot of has happened and there is a lot of uncertainty and fear on both sides, despite the love being there.
This book is the journey of these two men finding their way back to each other. It’s sweet, highly emotive, low on angst and drama, but totally thoughtful.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (16th August 2018)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: California firefighter Hayden Hurst is starting to realize there’s more to life than fighting fires and drinking with his buddies. He has room in his home and his life for someone special, but no one has stood out among his hookups. And while he’s out at work, admitting he’s gay is very different from showing up at social functions with a man. He’s afraid that’ll be too much for his less-than-accepting “friends”.
Broadway dancer Jez Bouchet hasn’t been mistaken for straight since he was gay-bashed at 17. After getting a lucrative job offer in Hollywood, he uproots his life in New York and drives to Los Angeles. His brother, who is Hayden’s best friend, arranges for him to crash at Hayden’s place.
The attraction between Hayden and Jez is unexpected but fiery, and they succumb before they’re even sure they like each other. But Jez hates Hayden’s homophobic friends, and Hay-den knows Jez is too flamboyant for him to fly under the radar. Then there’s the complication of Jez’s brother.
Despite those hurdles, they fling themselves into a relationship. But Jez has secrets: a tiny spoiled dog and a determined stalker. If he doesn’t come clean, he might torch their burgeoning relationship before it has a chance to bloom.
Review: Set Ablaze is a standalone book by KC Burn and narrated by Darcy Stark. I was looking forward to this because I’ve enjoyed other books by Burn in the past, I really gel with Burn’s writing and there isn’t an audiobook performance that I didn’t enjoy.
The story starts with firefighter Hayden Hurst, he’s very much a closeted man who is afraid of what the macho, homophobic men in his world of firefighters think of him. When his best friend, who is also a fire fighter from another from another station, wants Hayden to take in his baby brother as a tenant, Hayden feels that there is no reason to say no. Then he meets Jez – again, because he did know Jez briefly when they were kids. Jez challenges everything about Hayden and his closeted lifestyle.
Jez refuses to be anything other than the man he his. His life was made hell because his family could never accept the fact that he is gay. He has been beaten for it, he has been ignored by everyone but his family and his life has been generally shitty. Except he was able to make a better life for himself in New York. It wasn’t until he moved back to California for a new and exciting job that he sees why he left California in the first place, as well as realising that he has been seeing his brother in the wrong light, he falls for the closeted Hayden, and then discovers that Hayden has a few homophobic a-holes for “friends”.
In terms of the audiobook, the narration was fantastic and probably one of my favourite things of the whole audio experience. I feel that this is one of those books that I would enjoy more listening to the audio than if I had actually read the book. I’ll get to the reasons why soon enough. Overall, there wasn’t anything that I didn’t like about the performance of the book, although I felt that it was held back (I can’t think of a better word) by my feelings about the plot of the book.
I liked the book for the most part. The closeted firefighter was an interesting, I loved getting to know Hayden. Jez was also interesting because this is a man who has clawed his way back from adversity and is someone that he wants to be and loves himself as a person. My biggest issue, however, was some of the threads of the plot seemed rather weak. I don’t want to give spoilers, but the men that surround Hayden, in particular, Jez’s brother and his motivations, aren’t particularly strong. Which wouldn’t normally matter for many minor characters. But these guys influence everything in how Hayden sees himself and his place in life and for that reason they needed to be stronger, or at least they needed to make more sense a lot quicker. Yet, in saying that I like how the story arc went and it was, overall, enjoyable.
If you’re into an angsty, closet case type of story, this is probably a good one for you.
Series: Fish Out of Water 04 / Racing for the Moon 02
Author: Amy Lane
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: Novel (290 Pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 28, 2018)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts
Blurb:Can a hitman and a psychic negotiate a relationship while all hell breaks loose?
The world might not know who Lee Burton is, but it needs his black ops division and the work they do to keep it safe. Lee’s spent his life following orders—until he sees a kill jacket on Ernie Caulfield. Ernie isn’t a typical target, and something is very wrong with Burton’s chain of command.
Ernie’s life may seem adrift, but his every action helps to shelter his mind from the psychic storm raging within. When Lee Burton shows up to save him from assassins and club bunnies, Ernie seizes his hand and doesn’t look back. Burton is Ernie’s best bet in a tumultuous world, and after one day together, he’s pretty sure Lee knows Ernie is his destiny as well.
But when Burton refused Ernie’s contract, he kicked an entire piranha tank of bad guys, and Burton can’t rest until he takes down the rogue military unit that would try to kill a spacey psychic. Ernie’s in love with Burton and Burton’s confused as hell by Ernie—but Ernie’s not changing his mind and Burton can’t stay away. Psychics, assassins, and bad guys—throw them into the desert with a forbidden love affair and what could possibly go wrong?
Review: Burton is black ops. Basically he is sent to kill for his country. However when he is sent to kill a kid, he is left with different feelings. Feelings he had not expected, seeing as he usually was with women. He was starting to feel things for Ernie and lets just see how far he runs.
Ernie is quite unique. He sees what is happening around him, he sees what is to happen and he can pretty much locate anyone with his thoughts. Oh and lets not forget he can talk to someone with his mind, pretty cool. When Burton comes to kill him but saves his ass, plus lets not forget some sexy hot times, the kid is falling in love.
I can honestly say that if it hadn’t been for the fact that I had just finished book three, this one would have sat in my inbox till eternity ended. The title itself is goofy, but for it to be for two different series is bewildering. This book should have been book three seeing as it has characters in it that should have been seen in that story. It is just off. Also two different series names makes it hard to locate. Second what is with the church reference? Really to call the man you love his church is just about as strange as one can get. Totally throws the whole book off. This is murder, suspense, mystery and some sexy times, and then the author throws in church, totally doesn’t go the way it was wanted I am guessing.
Then there is the way the guys talk, like they have no education. You know they have to have been smart in different ways, but the way they speak is not showing it. Then there is the fact that each characters boyfriend sounds like they have the same difficulties is making cookie cutters normal.
Overall the story would have been a five heart story had the story followed a different pattern than where it went. I actually have come to a final conclusion about this particular series. I felt like the author is pushing religion on her readers. To call someone their church is about as quirky as one can get and lets face it, it made the story drop quite a bit.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (30th October 2018)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Can a computer program understand love better than the human heart?
Archer, the AI at the dating service Q*pid, realizes humans don’t always make the best choices, so it begins making some unconventional choices for them.
Fox Kincade is the last of his group of friends to be single, so he’s delighted when he discovers a new match in his Q*pid app – one that, according to the new AI wizardry, should be the love of his life. Instead of the woman he’s expecting, he’s paired with Drew Larsen, a shy, somewhat nerdy PhD student who has also grown discouraged with romance.
Drew and Fox have little in common – aside from the fact that they’re both straight. Or so they thought. But as the guys get to know each other, they realize Archer might have the right idea. Their path isn’t smooth, because both need to overcome every idea they have about themselves and what true love might look like. But with the help of Archer – and some friends who have stuck with Fox and Drew through the thick and thin of their relationship trials – they might find their way into each other’s hearts.
Review: Q*pid is a very enjoyable book by Xavier Mayne and the audio is performed by Randy Sanda. I’m not familiar with either the author or the narrator, so other than liking the sound of the blurb, I went into this one completely blind and with no expectations.
What you read in the blurb is basically what you get, which is always a good start. We follow the development and implementation of a new AI for a dating site, which accesses all of a person’s online activity in order to make a better match than the usual dating algorithms. It’s all pretty cool, techy stuff if you’re into that. However, a momentary lapse means that Archer, the AI, starts to make matches which disregard a person’s sexuality. Of all the matches that were made, and those that were actually sent out, we meet Fox Kincaid and Drew Larsen.
What starts out as dinner and drinks to laugh about the predicament of two heterosexual men being matched to another man becomes a really sweet and deep friendship. Drew is a PhD candidate who studies economic history, while Fox is a successful businessman. Fox is very analytical, devoted to his spreadsheets, while Drew is more fluid in his thinking despite his academic background. They also contrast in their reactions to the news. Despite having his two best friends (which I was disappointed we never met) who had the stunning realisation that they were gay (or gay for you) with each other, Fox is adamant that he is straight and that he would never be with a man. Drew is much more composed, if anything he is amused though his anxieties tend to make him over think everything. Drew and Fox are complete opposite in some ways, yet completely compliment each other.
There are some pretty entertaining secondary characters too. Fox’s best friend, Chad, is portrayed as a California surfer dude and he is a riot. He has a heart of gold and wants nothing but the best for his friend. Then there is Mrs Schwartzman, who is Drew’s neighbour upstairs and a strong mother figure for Drew. The elderly woman is written like a Yittish Yoda, but she is certainly entertaining. She too has only the best of intentions for Drew and his life.
What I loved most about this was that the book is thought provoking, particularly in terms of privacy in the digital age. To lesser extent, there was the whole gay for you thing going on, and it was intriguing that perhaps humans need to “broaden their parameters” a little. Seriously interesting thoughts. Another interesting point was how people present themselves online and how we really don’t know what we need in a partner when we must explain it.
The only downside was that I found the plot was a bit slow at times, especially when Fox was being a dick. I accept that in terms of his personality that it was part of his coming to terms with his attraction to another man, it was just sometimes the plot felt as though it slowed down too much. As for the narration, I liked it but it didn’t really connect with my. Granted, Sanda did a good job giving the characters individual voices and even in conveying the themes of the story. However, I was too distracted by the fact I really wasn’t into Fox’s voice and I felt some of the emotion was missing.
I recommend this one if you’re into a contemporary, gay for you story line.
Series: The Teddy Bear Club 02, Dreamspun Desires 83
Author: Sean Michael
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel (195 pages)
ISBN: 978-1-64405-195-5
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (4th June 2019)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Too much of a good thing?
When Logan gets the call about newborn triplets in need of a home, he steps up, realizing too late the daunting task he’s taken on. He’d be lost without the men of the Teddy Bear Club—especially Dirk.
Dirk even offers to spend spring break at Logan’s home, helping him and the babies settle in. He loves being a dad, and he wants to help Logan find the same joy. It doesn’t hurt that they enjoy spending time together.
Before they even realize it, they’re settling into a routine… becoming a family.
Falling in love.
But their new bond is about to face the ultimate test. Will they come through and realize that with love, there’s no such thing as enough?
Review: The More the Merrier is the second book in The Teddy Bear Club by Sean Michael.
I’ve become more familiar recently with the work of Sean Michael and I am, quite honestly, a great fan now. For the most part, they are usually quite happy and fluffy stories, with some adorable children and strong themes of building families and bringing together people in a way that is totally relatable and believable. In short, Sean Michael has recently made it onto my seemingly long list of authors I must read these days.
I’ve been looking forward to this book since I read the first book in the series. And while it is a series and there are call backs to the kids and MCs of the previous book, I think this could easily work as a standalone book without losing any key points.
Logan is a lawyer, a single man who has a daughter with a friend who wanted a child (they have a very amicable agreement for their daughter), and now he has gone through the all the hoops to become a foster parent with the intention to possibly adopt. But then finding out that he is going to get newborn triplets, he understandably feels overwhelmed. Lucky for Logan, he has the men of the Teddy Bear Club to help him.
The Teddy Bear Club is a group of single dads who happen to be gay, their kids play with each other but most importantly the men support each other.
One of the men of the club is Dirk. The two men already of a connection and an easy friendship. Dirk also has a massive crush on Logan though he has never done anything to act on it. Logan’s desperate need for help, though, has leads Dirk to offer to move in with little girl to help with the triplets. It’s a win-win situation because Dirk can move into a safer neighbourhood and live in a larger home while he helps Logan. Logan sees the same advantages as Dirk and the men quickly fall into a routine as Logan deals with having the triplets, his older daughter, plus dirk and his daughter. The kids’ bond and the guys bond. Love grows. But life can change at the drop of a hat, Logan learnt that with the triplets, and it happens again. Now that he is growing closer to Dirk, the two men can now support each other.
I absolutely adored this book. I adored both Logan and Dirk and the five kids. Logan and Dirk are brilliant together. This was a sweet romance with low angst. Instead, this a story about two guys in an intense situation, one of them needing a heck of a lot of support, and both nursing a crush that could become something more. If you’re into romances with ordinary guys with extraordinary circumstances and lots of cute kiddies, then this will be a good book for you.
Hi guys! We have Gretchen Evans stopping by today with her new release Bumper to Bumper, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Bumper to Bumper
(Cruised 01)
by
Gretchen Evans
Gabe is bored with hookup culture. He’s in his thirties and wants something more stable. But sitting in traffic is even more boring. He expects more of the same tired, headless torsos when he swipes open Cruised, the most popular hookup app for men, during his morning commute. Instead, he meets Mark.
Mark is handsome, funny, and interested in conversation. He’s also interested in meeting Gabe in coffee shop bathrooms for quickies on the way to work. Mark doesn’t rush out of the room after sex either. He’s tender and sweet, and way more than Gabe had hoped for. The sex is hot, but the connection between Gabe and Mark is something deeper.
Gabe’s feelings grow each time he and Mark text, but seeing an attractive woman driving Mark’s car stops Gabe cold. He doesn’t want to hookup with a cheater. He doesn’t want to stop seeing Mark either. But could it all be a misunderstanding?
Gabe knows nothing about Mark’s life or how to negotiate a hookup into something more. Does Mark want something more, or is he already taken?
Hi peeps! We have C.F. White popping in today with her new release Love & Tea Bags, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Love & Tea Bags
by
C.F. White
Fate can be written in a tea bag too.
Mark Johnson is hitting his forties and is stuck in a rut.
He’s had the same boring office job for ten years, with no motivation or inclination to change it. The same crumbling house for ten years, with no cash or know-how to fix it. And the same Facebook status for five years—it’s complicated. It isn’t. He’s single. He just doesn’t want to correct it. That would be admitting defeat.
The day a tea bag splats onto his face whilst he’s emptying the dregs of his morning cuppa at Macy’s Tea Shoppe is the one that makes him question each of his current life choices…the tea bag and that the shop is currently being run by one rather friendly, rather hunky, but rather young Australian named Bradley Summers.
