Hi guys! We have Andy V. Roamer stopping by today with the tour for his new release Why Can’t Freshman Summer Be Like Pizza?, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic $25 Amazon GC so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Why Can’t Freshman Summer Be Like Pizza?
(The Pizza Chronicles 02)
by
Andy V. Roamer
RV, having successfully completed his freshman year at the demanding Boston Latin School, is hoping for a great summer. He’s now fifteen years old and looking forward to sharing many languid summer days with his friend Bobby, who’s told him he has gay feelings too. But life and family and duties for a son of immigrant parents makes it difficult to steal time away with Bobby.
Bobby, too, has pressures. He spends part of the summer away at football camp, and his father pushes him to work a summer job at a friend’s accounting firm. Bobby takes the job grudgingly, wanting to spend any extra time practicing the necessary skills to make Latin’s varsity football team.
On top of everything, RV’s best friend Carole goes away for the summer, jumping at an opportunity to spend it with her father in Paris. Luckily, there is always Mr. Aniso, RV’s Latin teacher, to talk to whenever RV is lonely. He’s also there for RV when he inadvertently spills one of Bobby’s secrets, and Bobby is so angry RV is afraid he is ready to cut off the friendship.
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult, LGBTQIA+, Young adult, contemporary, family-drama, interracial, gay, in the closet, immigrant family, high school, mentor
RV is a good kid, starting his freshman year at the demanding Boston Latin School. Though his genes didn’t give him a lot of good things, they did give him a decent brain. So he’s doing his best to keep up in high school, despite all the additional pressures he’s facing: His immigrant parents, who don’t want him to forget his roots and insist on other rules. Some tough kids at school who bully teachers as well as students. His puny muscles. His mean gym teacher. The Guy Upstairs who doesn’t answer his prayers. And the most confusing fact of all—that he might be gay.
Luckily, RV develops a friendship with Mr. Aniso, his Latin teacher, who is gay and always there to talk to. RV thinks his problems are solved when he starts going out with Carole. But things only get more complicated when RV develops a crush on Bobby, the football player in his class. And to RV’s surprise, Bobby admits he may have gay feelings, too.
Chapter One—Why Can’t Life Be Like Pizza? Why can’t life be like pizza?
I’ve been asking myself the question a lot lately. I love pizza. Pizza makes me feel good. Especially since I discovered Joe’s. Joe’s Pizza is quiet and out of the way and allows me to think. And Joe’s combinations are the best. Pepperoni and onions. Garlic and mushroom. Cheese and chicken. And if you really want that little kick in the old butt: the super jalapeno. Mmmm, good. Gets you going again. And lets you forget all your troubles.
What troubles can a fourteen-year-old guy have? Ha! First of all, I’m not a regular guy, as anyone can guess from my taste in pizza. My parents are immigrants who are trying to make a better life for themselves here in the United States. Besides the usual things American parents worry about, like making money and having their kids do well in school, my parents spend more time worrying about the big things: politics, communism, fascism, global warming, and the fact they and their parents survived violence and jail so I-better-be-grateful-I’m-not-miserable-like-kids-in-other-parts-of-the-world.
Grateful? Ha! As far as I’m concerned, life is pretty miserable already. Instead of thinking about the World Series or Disneyland, I worry about terrorists down the street or the dirty bombs the strange family around the corner might be building.
I don’t know why I worry about everything, but I do. It’s probably in my genes. Other guys have genes that gave them big muscles or hairy chests. I got nerves.
And then there’s my name. RV. Yeah, RV. No, I’m not a camper or anything. RV is short for Arvydas. That’s right. “Are-vee-duh-s.” Mom and Dad say it’s a common name in Lithuania, which is the country in Eastern Europe where my parents were born. A name like that might be fine for Lithuania, but what about the United States? Couldn’t Mom and Dad have named me Joe, or Mike, or even Darryl? My brother, Ray, has a normal name. Why couldn’t they have given me one?
I even look a little weird, I think. Tall and skinny with an uncoordinated walk because of my big feet that get in the way and make me feel like a clod. Oh, yeah. I’ve been getting some zits lately, and I wear glasses since I’m pretty nearsighted. Not a pretty sight, is it? At least the glasses are not too thick. Mom and Dad don’t have a lot of money to spend, but they did fork up the money to get me thin lenses, so I don’t look like a complete zomboid.
What can I do? I try my best, despite it all. I’m lucky because I’ve done well in school, so at least my genes gave me a half-decent brain. Hey, I’m not bragging. It’s just nice to feel good about something when most days I feel pretty much a loser at so many things. When I was in grammar school, there were enough days when I came home from school and cried because some big oaf threatened me, or I got hit in the stomach during my pathetic attempts to play ball during recess.
Mom always tried to comfort me. “Nesirūpink,” she would say. “Esi gabus. Kai užaugsi, visiems nušluostysi nuosis.” We talk Lithuanian at home. Translated, that sentence means, “Don’t worry. You’re smart. When you grow up, you’ll show them.” Actually, not “you’ll show them,” but “you’ll wipe all their noses.” Lithuanians have a funny way of expressing themselves. Not sure I aspire to wiping anyone’s nose when I get older, but that’s what they say.
Whatever. I’m determined to put all that behind me. I’m starting a new life. My new life. Today was the first day of high school. I’m going to Boston Latin School. You have to take an exam to go there, so it’s full of smart kids. Besides smart kids, it has heavy-duty history too. It was founded in 1635, a year before Harvard. They already gave us a speech about that.
And about pressure. The pressure to succeed with all this history breathing down our necks. Pressure, ha! Doesn’t scare me. I know all about pressure. I’ve gotten pressure from cretinous bullies at school. I get it from cretinous Lith a-holes, who Mom and Dad keep pushing me to hang around with because they say it’s important to be part of the immigrant community. And I even get pressure from cretinous jerks in the neighborhood.
Cretinous. A good word. That’s something else about me. I like words. Real words and made-up ones. There’s something cool about them. Yeah, yeah, I know what people would say. You think words are cool? Kid, you’ve got more problems than you thought.
Well, I’m sorry. I do think words are cool. There’s something fun about making them up or learning a new one. Kind of unlocks something in the world. And I like the world despite all my worrying. It can be an okay place sometimes.
Okay, okay, I’m getting off track. I want to write about my first day of school. Mom and Dad gave me this new—well, refurbished, but new to me anyway—computer for getting into Latin school, and they keep after me to make good use of it. So, I’ve decided I’m going to write about my new life. My life away from cretins—Lith, American, or any other kind.
The first person I met at school today was Carole. Carole Higginbottom. She’s in my homeroom. She was sitting in the first row, first seat, and I was sitting right behind her. We started talking. She’s from West Roxbury, too, which is where we live.
West Roxbury is part of Boston. You have to live somewhere in Boston in order to go to Latin school. West Roxbury is a nice neighborhood, for the most part, with houses, trees, grass, and people going to work and coming home. Kind of an all-American place, I guess. We used to live in a different, tougher part of Boston, but Mom and Dad moved away from there because they said the neighborhood was getting too rough. They promised I wouldn’t get beat up so much in West Roxbury. I don’t know. West Roxbury is better, but I still have gotten a few black-and-blue marks with “made in West Roxbury” on them, so as far as I’m concerned it isn’t any perfect place either.
Carole lives in another part of West Roxbury, near Centre Street, which is the main street in the area. People like to hang out there. Mom says that part of West Roxbury is a little dicey. (Mom thinks a lot of neighborhoods are too dicey. Maybe that’s where I get my worrying from.) Anyway, Carole sure doesn’t seem dicey. As a matter of fact, she’s a little goofy. Tall and skinny with red hair, red cheeks, and a million freckles. And she has a really sharp nose that curves up like those special ski slopes you see in the Olympics. But I get the feeling she’s smart. She says she likes science. That’s good because I might need help with science. I’m better with other subjects like history and English.
Our homeroom teacher is Mr. Bologna, Carmine Bologna. He’s a little scary with slicked-back dark hair and even darker eyes that stare at you forever. He looks like he’s part of the organization we’re not supposed to talk about—you know, the scary one from Italy that’s into murder, racketeering, and drugs. Two guys were horsing around in the back of the class and Mr. Bologna came right up to them, said a few words under his breath, and just stared at them. Boy, did they settle down fast. I’m no troublemaker, but I’ll really have to watch myself. Don’t want to deal with the Bologna stare if I can help it.
Today was mostly about walking around, learning about our subjects, and meeting teachers. Besides all the regular subjects, I have to take Latin. I don’t have anything against it per se, but is it really necessary to learn a dead language? And then there’s the teacher, Mr. Aniso. He’s kind of light in his loafers. That’s another new phrase I learned recently. It refers to gay guys, and Mr. Aniso is so gay it hurts. I just hope he can’t tell anything about me. I don’t wave my wrist around the way he does, do I?
Yeah, that’s something else I have to come to terms with. I might be heading in that direction. Yeah, me. I can hardly believe it. Me! Why? It can’t be true, can it? I’ve been praying to God, asking Him not to make me gay, but I don’t think He’s listening. If He exists, that is. Maybe He’s not answering because He doesn’t exist.
I don’t know. People on TV and in books say being gay is okay. Movie stars and rock stars are gay. There are gay mayors and other gay political types. That’s fine for them, but they don’t live with my family. Mom’s a heavy-duty Catholic. Dad’s a macho, “what-me-cry?” kind of guy. And my younger brother, Ray, well, Ray probably doesn’t care one way or another, but he doesn’t count anyway since he hates everybody. And then there are all those Lith immigrants, the community that’s so important to Mom and Dad. Most of them are so Old World and conservative. I don’t think being gay would go down well with them.
Not that I am gay for certain. I’m just saying it’s crossed my mind because…well, because I think about guys sometimes. And I notice them. Notice how they look when they’re coming down the street. Notice their eyes or their hair or the way they move. Just notice them.
Oh, I notice girls, too, but something about guys is different. I can’t put my finger on it, but I think about them as much or maybe more than girls. And I want to be with them. Is that normal? What’s normal anyway? To be honest, I’m so inexperienced. Never dated. Never even kissed anyone. Not like that anyway. No, I’ve spent my time worrying about communism, terrorism, and global warming. Like I said, I’ve always felt a little out of step with the rest of humanity.
Dealing with all this is just too much. To be nervous about things the way I am. To be speaking a language most people haven’t heard of. To have a strange name. To wear glasses and look nerdy. And now I might be gay? It’s all too confusing. I might as well start on antidepressants, or something stronger, right now.
But no. I try to look on the bright side of things. Take Carole for instance. She seems nice and fun, and maybe we’ll be friends. And if she likes me, I can’t be too weird, can I? I guess I’ll find out. I better not think about it. There’s enough to worry about as it is. I just have to take a breath and focus on my homework. Yeah, we got homework already. At least that’s one thing I’m good at. And when I go to Joe’s, well, life’s not so bad, at least while I’m eating my chicken and cheese or super jalapeno slice.
Andy V. Roamer grew up in the Boston area and moved to New York City after college. He worked in book publishing for many years, starting out in the children’s and YA books division and then wearing many other hats. This is his first novel about RV, the teenage son of immigrants from Lithuania in Eastern Europe, as RV tries to negotiate his demanding high school, his budding sexuality, and new relationships. He has written an adult novel, Confessions of a Gay Curmudgeon, under the pen name Andy V. Ambrose. To relax, Andy loves to ride his bike, read, watch foreign and independent movies, and travel.
Hi guys! We have R.L. Merrill poppin gin today with the tour for her story in the Worst Holiday Ever anthology, The Thanksgiving Parade From Hell. We have a great exclusive excerpt and an awesome $25 Amazon or Dreamspinner GC, so check out the post and enter he giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Worst Holiday Ever
(Anthology)
by
Eva Moore, Adrienne Bell, Kilby Blades, Kari Lemor, Preslaysa Williams, Marie Booth, R.L. Merrill, Erin St. Charles, Meg Bellamy
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! OK—scratch that. It’s time for another obligatory family gathering. And nothing spices up the egg nog like bringing your partner home. Surely your belligerent brother-in law, your gimlet-eyed granny and your drunken uncle will keep it classy. With forced proximity and alcoholic beverages, what could possibly go wrong?
Decked Out by Eva Moore A Perfect Fit by Adrienne Bell Crazy Old Money by Kilby Blades Stealing Christmas by Kari Lemor Touched by Fate by Preslaysa Williams Ringing in the Reefer by Marie Booth The Thanksgiving Parade From Hell by R.L. Merrill Thankful in Perdition by Erin St. Charles Feliz Chanukah! by Meg Bellamy
This anthology is for readers who love any or all of the following: m/m, #ownvoices, plus-sized heroes, interracial/multicultural families, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Chanukah! (M/M, M/M/F, M/F)
It is best to leave this one to the mature audiences.
Hi guys, we have Matthew J. Metzger popping in today with his new release Bump, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Bump
by
Matthew J. Metzger
David’s pregnant.
He’s always wanted to have children, and being a stepfather for the past two years has been a great adventure. There’d even been a plan to start looking into adoption and turn their family of three into four.
But now there’s a bump, and David doesn’t know what to do. He’s spent years escaping the grip of his own body and burying the past—but there’s no way he can hide from his history if he lets the bump get any bigger. It’s not just his baby; it’s also his breakdown.
Hi guys, we have V.S. Morgan popping in today with the tour for her new release Jared’s Family, we have a brilliant excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and click that giveaway link! <3 ~Pixie~
Jared’s Family
(Sequel to The Gift and Sam’s Temptation)
by
V.S. Morgan
After witnessing his mother’s death, a once outgoing preschooler is now a quiet shadow of himself. The little boy suffers nightmares and rarely speaks, choosing to use the basic sign language he learned in daycare. Desperate to help his little nephew, Virge Stevens takes a leave of absence from the LAPD to bring Donovan, known as D to Montana for the therapy he needs.
A chance meeting at the library changes Virge and his nephew’s lives forever.
Jared Malone is one of five brothers, right smack damn in the middle. He is the peacemaker and the one who gets shit done. When his younger brother gets sick, Jared fills in reading to small children at the library. There he encounters a tall, dark, and handsome stranger and his cute little boy. Jared is immediately drawn to Virge but is still dealing with the betrayal of an abusive ex.
As the Malone family welcomes them to the ranch and into their lives, Virge’s instant attraction for Jared grows, but the cowboy is fifteen years younger than him. Will he be rejected?
Both men have secrets. Secrets that could destroy the connection between them. Can they overcome the odds and find happiness together?
Hi guys, we have V.S. Morgan stopping by today with her new release Jared’s Family, we have a brilliant excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Jared’s Family
(Sequel to The Gift and Sam’s Temptation)
by
V.S. Morgan
After witnessing his mother’s death, a once outgoing preschooler is now a quiet shadow of himself. The little boy suffers nightmares and rarely speaks, choosing to use the basic sign language he learned in daycare. Desperate to help his little nephew, Virge Stevens takes a leave of absence from the LAPD to bring Donovan, known as D to Montana for the therapy he needs.
A chance meeting at the library changes Virge and his nephew’s lives forever.
Jared Malone is one of five brothers, right smack damn in the middle. He is the peacemaker and the one who gets shit done. When his younger brother gets sick, Jared fills in reading to small children at the library. There he encounters a tall, dark, and handsome stranger and his cute little boy. Jared is immediately drawn to Virge but is still dealing with the betrayal of an abusive ex.
As the Malone family welcomes them to the ranch and into their lives, Virge’s instant attraction for Jared grows, but the cowboy is fifteen years younger than him. Will he be rejected?
Both men have secrets. Secrets that could destroy the connection between them. Can they overcome the odds and find happiness together?
Hiya guys, we have R.J. Scott stopping by with the first book in her Montana series, we have a great excerpt, a fantastic giveaway and my review, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Crooked Tree Ranch
(Montana 01)
by
R.J. Scott
When a cowboy meets the guy from the city, he can’t know how much things will change.
On the spur of the moment, with his life collapsing around him, Jay Sullivan answers an ad for a business manager with an expertise in marketing, on a dude ranch in Montana. With his sister, Ashley, niece, Kirsten and nephew, Josh, in tow, he moves lock stock and barrel from New York to Montana to start a new life on Crooked Tree Ranch.
Foreman and part owner of the ranch, ex rodeo star Nathaniel ‘Nate’ Todd has been running the dude ranch, for five years ever since his mentor Marcus Allen became ill. His brothers convince him that he needs to get an expert in to help the business grow. He knows things have to change and but when the new guy turns up, with a troubled family in tow – he just isn’t prepared for how much.
“… This is a beautiful love story between two men, each with secrets they are afraid to reveal. …”
Blurb: There are lots of things that brighten Joel’s life. His three-year-old daughter, Evie, is one. His close relationship with her mother, his best friend from university, is another. Joel’s boyfriend, Dan, adds spice to his childfree nights, and Joel is pretty happy with how things are.
Then one cold and rainy night, everything changes. Joel’s life is turned upside down when he becomes a full-time dad to Evie, and his previously carefree relationship with Dan cracks under the strain.
Meeting Liam, who acts as if getting hurt isn’t a foregone conclusion, shakes Joel to the core. Their attraction is mutual, and Liam makes no secret of how serious he is about Joel. But Joel is wary. He tells himself he’s keeping Liam at a distance for Evie’s sake, when really he’s protecting his own heart. Taking a chance on this new relationship with Liam may seem a small step—a little thing—but is it one Joel can take after losing so much already?
Review: Joel’s life is turned upside down when in a matter of days he loses his best friend, then his boyfriend and becomes a full-time dad. Joel is no stranger to loss, and this recent turn of events causes him to completely reevaluate his life. Claire’s death, his best friend and the mother of his daughter, has left him raw and vulnerable. On one hand he begins looking at things differently, on the other he becomes more guarded. Little imperfections he previously overlooked in his relationship with Dan become large gashes, and soon enough they split, amicably. Joel resides himself to just being Evie’s father, until a trip to the ER changes everything, again.
Liam is larger than life, carefree, and too good to be true. And he has his sights set on Joel. The first time Joel ran into him, literally, was the night Claire died and Liam lent him a shoulder to cry on. Then they ran into each other at the bar the night Joel broke up with Dan. When Joel has to rush Evie to the ER one night, Liam is there on duty. Again, Liam is friendly, receptive, and flirtatious and this time Joel accepts. Slowly these two get to know each other and feeling of like start showing signs of love. It seems like as soon as Joel realizes he loves Liam, he slams the door. He is so afraid of losing one more thing he cares for that he is resigned to ending things before they even start. Joel does some serious soul-searching and concludes that Liam is worth the risk. The question now is, does Liam still think Joel is worth the risk?
This was such a heartwarming story about love, loss, and evolving. Joel has no contempt or anger consuming him like a lot of people would have, dealing with what he’s dealt with. Even his broken relationship with Dan wasn’t what I first assumed when reading the blurb. It’s more Joel’s decision than Dan’s and it’s more of an outgrowing each other than Dan leaving Joel because he became a full-time father. Liam has experienced loss as well so he can relate to what Joel is feeling. Joel has to come to terms with his own issues and not let them define who he is in order to make things between him and Liam work. He has to learn that life is about The Little Things!
A little bit of drama, a little bit of angst and a lot of love! I definitely recommend The Little Things. There are some oh so sexy couch and bed room romps, but make sure you have tissues handy as well. There are some tear-jerker moments.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through MM Good Book Reviews*
Blurb: Gage Synclair, international, hard-hitting investigative photojournalist, is preparing for the final special report of his career. A story of deception and murder six long years in the making. After spending ten years in some of the worst parts of the world, he’s ready to settle life down and open an art gallery in his hometown of Chicago.
Trent Cooper, electrical contractor, is surprised by the last minute request for a fast-paced electrical remodel, little did he know he’d be immediately propositioned by the gallery’s owner. Being gay in the construction industry isn’t easy, nor is being father to his two young adopted children. Trent keeps his life in separate zones to avoid a short circuit. Will their high-voltage passion break the currents between them forever?
Review: Gage has spent the last ten years as an international investigative photojournalist. He is about to retire and open his own art gallery, but he has one last special report to finish. A report that has been six years in the making and while he puts the final changes to his report, he oversees the remodeling of his gallery. Trent is an electrical contractor who gets a last-minute electrical gig for an art gallery. he is surprised by the owner and even more surprised when the man makes a pass at him. Trent has his children to think of and makes sure all parts of his life are separated, but Gage tempts him to mix business with pleasure.
This is a wonderful family story that has a fantastic romance and a very surprising twist. Gage has always been a very short-term type of man. He has travelled all over the world and now it is his time to retire and settle down, opening his own art gallery in Chicago. Gage never expects the love of his life to walk through his doors. But, when he does, Gage will do everything in his power to win his man and keep him and his family safe. Even if it means giving up his final dream. Trent hasn’t had much time for men. He has his children to think of, and so when he walks onto a new job site meeting, Gage knocks him for six. Being romanced by Gage slowly erodes Trent’s walls and they quickly fall in love. But, a twist of fate nearly rips them apart and could throw Trent’s family into danger.
The characters of this book are just incredible. Each and every one of them will worm their way into your heart. Gage is a wonderful man, who pursues Trent with all his wooing skills. Trent is a fantastic father, who deserves to be romanced. And his children, Hunter and Emalynn, are brilliant, and add a touch of sweetness to the story. The romance is nicely paced and I liked that Trent didn’t just jump into Gage’s arms straight away. I liked that he put his kids first and that they were an integral part of the story. I thought Gage’s determination to romance Trent was sweet, but I did think he got a bit clingy at times. I also thought that Gage’s reaction to the twist was a bit over the top, but kind of understandable. Trent handled it just right and was much more forgiving than I would have been. Gage really comes through for Trent and his family though. and you really can’t help but love a man who would go to the lengths that he did. The storyline is good with an added twist that for some reason didn’t quite surprise me. Why I don’t know, but I wasn’t really shocked by the twist.
I will recommend this to those that love family stories, hot men coming together and discovering love, a twist that will raise eyebrows and a very happy ending.
Blurb: Channing and Jon’s marriage is tested when Jon suggests they adopt a baby. Channing struggles with indecision and a lack of confidence in his abilities to raise a child–again.
Channing, nutritionist and personal trainer, loves life with his husband of four years, Jon, a pediatrician. Jon surprises Channing with a desire to adopt a friend’s baby and Channing is thrown into a tailspin of indecision.
Channing already has a child–a twenty-year-old daughter whose transition from childhood to adulthood brought difficulties and pain for both. He struggles with the choice between making his husband happy by parenting a newborn or being satisfied with the experience he already has where the worst perils of fatherhood are already behind him.
Channing has to choose whether to ultimately break his husband’s heart… or go after a complete love he never knew could exist.
Reviewer: Pammie
Review: Channing is thrown into a complete tailspin, when Jon casually announces over lunch that he wants them to adopt a baby. Channing has already raised one child. A daughter conceived when he and a friend were exploring their sexuality. He was assuredly gay, she straight. They remained friends, and Channing took his role as father seriously.
The first thing in Channing’s mind is re-living how he and Jon met. The next is visiting his daughter, Audrey. To his surprise, she’s delighted at the prospect of Jon and him adopting a baby.
Channing is still in turmoil when he arrives home, unsure whether he wants the responsibility of a child for a second time. Jon welcomes him home, but when he proposes a toast to the new baby, Channing blows.
However, his anger pales in comparison to Jon’s. Jon storms off to bed, leaving Channing stunned.
By the time Channing is ready to go to bed, hours have passed. Channing has analyzed everything about their relationship, and his role in raising Audrey. However, it’s his response to seeing Jon in bed that makes him realize that their relationship isn’t just one thing or another; it’s a whole thing – complete love.
I felt more for Channing than Jon in this story, but then it was told from his perspective. I could empathize with his shock and insecurities, the way adoption was dropped into his lap. The epiphany he has when going to bed seemed a little out-of-place, but I liked that their love is strong enough so that Jon, although upset, doesn’t turn Channing away. A short, sweet Father’s Day treat.
Blurb:The last thing rock star Channing Anderson can handle is being in a relationship. But when the father of three takes one look into the deep violet eyes of his sons’ dapperly dressed tutor, he instantly changes his mind.
Divorced rock singer Channing Anderson is looking for a tutor for his five-year old triplets–Dominick, Destin, and Drake. They boys are a handful, and it doesn’t help matters Channing is a soft touch. He never had time for them when he was on the road and left most of their rearing to Addie, their mother. Addie left him for another man, gave him custody of the boys, and went on about her life. Channing’s sister, Virginia, thinks Channing is in way over his head. Along comes an English-born valet to put some order into the boys’ lives and a second chance for love and family in Channing’s heart.
Review: Rock star Channing is getting desperate, his son Dominick has been kicked out of yet another school and there are no more schools to turn to in the Greater Boston area…public or private. Virginia (Channing’s sister) comes up with a plan to hire a tutor. Broderick (Brodie) is set to make a new start in America. Discovering that he will have three charges instead of just the one he was told about might be a bit more challenging, but he thinks he can manage just fine. Channing is swept away from the first second he lays eyes on Brodie and sets about coaxing the sexy tutor into his bed. Brodie isn’t sure of his feelings though and Channing wonders if he can pursued Brodie to make their family complete.
This is a wonderful family story that warms the heart as you see the perfect family coming together. Channing came out of the closet after his divorce, his ex-wife walked out on him and their children without a backwards glance. But, being a rock star and a parent is a struggle especially when one of your children are commonly viewed as Satan’s spawn. Taking the chance on an overseas tutor, Channing comes to realize that Brodie is a blessing. Brodie embraces his new job in America, and falls hard for the father. But, his sexuality confuses him and he doesn’t want to risk the well-being of Dominick, Destin, and Drake, when he has just started making progress with them.
I enjoyed this light-hearted, feel good family story. the triplets are absolutely gems, each child unique in their own way, but oh so loveable. Channing is a wonderful father who is having a bit of a time of it and who finds himself attracted to Brodie. Quickly falling in love with the man as he gets to know him better. Brodie sweeps in like Mary Poppins, nothing ruffles his calm, and he soon puts the triplets in their place. Falling for their father wasn’t in the plan and he is really sweet as he tries to figure out how he really feels. Addie (Channing’s ex-wife) is an extremely nasty woman and you are actually glad that she left the children in the first place. The writing is pretty good and the relationship was okay, it didn’t quite rock my world though.
I recommend this to those that love family stories, three cute cherubs, a rock star and tutor falling in love and a very happy ending.
Blurb: Jerry McKenzie is a reclusive and antisocial artist, quite content to ride his horses and work in his studio, keeping to himself. It’s not any kind of life for a child, and when Jerry finds out he’s been named his orphaned nephew’s guardian, he panics. He doesn’t know what to do with a child and isn’t sure he can give William the affection and the love the boy so desperately needs.
Then Jerry meets David Loewenberger, the new teacher William becomes immediately attached to, and he starts to see how they could make a family together: a family to replace the one William lost, a family David had given up on ever finding… a family Jerry never knew he wanted.
Review: William Baldwin Pruit III is a ten-year boy, living for the last five years of his life in a boarding school in Switzerland. That all comes to an abrupt end when a lawyer shows up to inform him that his parent died in an accident and as they decided in their will William is to go and live with his only relative alive, Jerry McKenzie.
Jerry is forty-six years old and has no family. All he wants and needs is his art and the occasional twink to get off. When a lawyer shows up at his front door telling him he has inherited a ten-year old kid, his first reaction is to tell him he doesn’t want the responsibility and that they can take the kid back to boarding school. But, after realizing that William is in the back of the car and listening at his words Jerry caves in and gives it a trial. After all, even if the kid is the only family he has, Jerry has been alone for so long he is convinced he doesn’t need one now.
Just when Jerry is about to freak out with the changes in his life and a little boy who needs him, David shows up. David is going to be William’s teacher and offers to help Jerry in this new role. But, while they start a platonic friendship it quickly becomes clear that there is so much more for the two men.
This book had all it takes to be a really, really good one. The kid character was perhaps one of the best to start a story with and I feel that it went to complete waste, because while the opening scene was perfect, the rest was just downhill.
It made quite an impression to me that while the two main characters were supposed to be forty-six and forty-two years old their entire behavior was that of teenagers. It made quite an impression on me that a teacher makes a house-call and in the very same day hooks up with the child’s guardian. It made quite an impression on me that said teacher keeps claiming not wanting to hurt the kid yet his entire behavior was selfish and childish. It made quite an impression to me that while this story started with the little boy and how lonely and unloved that kid felt, it continued to be one enormous case of games between the adults and the child was left on the sides only to come forth when needed as a shield. It made quite an impression to me that while this book was about middle-aged men who finally find a family and have to work through it, there were so many tears and melodramatic scenes that would be more at home in a young adult soap-opera.
No, I did not like the writing in this novel at all. The dialogues were beyond surreal, they had this wistful touch all over them and they were literally quite sappy, not what I expected from this kind of read. It was too much on every account. Too fast to fall in love, too fast to make commitment, too fast to break it up and too fast to come back together.
One other thing I didn’t like was the logic behind the events that followed. The logic behind the “villain” in attacking a tenured teacher, the logic behind the “villain” in attacking a little boy without consequences, the logic behind the pair’s final falls out. Oh I really didn’t understand that one. Was it the fact that the characters kept interrupting each other and no one ever made a full sentence? Or was it the fact that there was no reason for their fall out at all. I don’t know, it made no sense.
Bottom end the plot was not attracting at all. They fell in love, things seemed great, a bad guy shows up and creates a bit trouble and after a huge melodramatic scene everything fell in place as if by magic. The characters were too immature and the erotic part was too much. The only thing that held my interested was the child character; everything else was a big no for me.
Blurb: “Daddy” is not a title Rue Murray wanted, but he never thought he’d have sex with a woman either. Now he’s the unwitting father of a newborn named Alice. Between bartending and cosmetology school, Rue doesn’t have time for babies, but he can’t give her up. What Rue needs is a babysitter, and he’s running out of options. He’s on the verge of quitting school to watch Alice himself when he remembers his reclusive new neighbor, Erik.
Erik Van Nuys is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesn’t like people in general, and he likes babies even less. Still, with his royalties dwindling, he could use the extra cash. Reluctantly, he takes on the role of manny—and even more reluctantly, he finds himself falling for Alice and her flamboyant father.
Rue and Erik are as different as two people can be, and Alice is the unlikeliest of babies, but Rue has never been happier than when Alice and Erik are by his side. At least, not until he receives an offer that puts all his dreams within reach and he’s forced to choose: the future he’s always wanted, or the family he thought he never did.
Review: There are so many things to love about this story. The writing is engaging, simple and effective. The story is sweet. And the characters all made me smile. Particularly Erik, who tries hard to overcome his social awkwardness to help out a neighbor with his child. What a wonderful guy he is! I loved him and his addiction to Star Wars.
The romance was good in the end, but I must admit, I didn’t really feel the love connection between Erik and Rue as much as I did for Erik and Dusty. For a long while there, I was hoping—even though I knew it couldn’t be the case—for these two characters to see how well they fit together. I think partly the reason I felt this way was due to the way Dusty was written. I “felt” him and was more emotionally attached to his backstory than with Erik. I sympathized with him for his unfortunate luck with past romances, and the times when he and Erik were together, I was shown their connection and care for each other, rather than told it, like I felt was the case for Erik and Rue.
Nevertheless, this is a sweet story with a tender heart to it, and it kept me curious and wanting to read on. . . . And now I want to know that Dusty gets his Happily Ever After too!
Blurb:Robotics researcher Henry Travis uses his brain for just about everything, but once he meets Nick Shelton over the hood of his 1960 Mercedes 300, he’s at a loss. How does he control his attraction to this brash, sexy mechanic?
Nick owns his own classic car garage, and he is more than willing to hit it with the brainy, seriously hot, Henry. What he doesn’t need is the aggro that comes with feelings. But since his 14yo nephew, Grant, has come to live with him, he’s been dealing with aggravation every day. And now his dad lives with him, too. A dad who doesn’t mind commenting on Nick’s lame parenting skills.
With Henry turning his crank in a big way, and Nick enjoying not being in charge for a change, things heat up pretty fast. They’re actually dating, with dinner and everything, before he knows it. And the after-dinner drinks at Henry’s gorgeous house have Nick wiping the sweat from his brow.
But Henry and Grant don’t get along; Nick isn’t sure he wants a relationship at all, and Nick’s dad, Big Mike, has an opinion on everything.
How’s a guy to have fun on the weekends – even during the week, for crying out loud – with all the family baggage hanging around?
Review: Nick is a mechanic who has a thing for smart guys. When Henry drives into his garage, Nick gets tongue-tied over the hot, smart genius and proceeds to wonder how he can catch the robotics researcher’s eye. Henry is a robotics researcher and likes things just the way he wants them. Driving into Nick’s garage disrupts his orderly life, when the hot mechanic catches his eye.
This is a great story of opposites attracts. The genius and the grunt both bring something unique to a relationship that balances on a knife edge. Nick has always had a thing for smart guys. He knows the relationships will never last, but the alluring pull of brains just keeps tantalizing him. When he meets Henry he is instantly attracted to him, but his bumbling makes him think Henry would never be interested. So, when Henry asks him out he is surprised, but pleased. Nick thinks his relationship is doomed though, when he keeps saying the wrong thing and it doesn’t help when his family problems interfere.
Both Nick and Henry are great characters, although you only get Nick’s perspective on things Henry’s character still shines through. Henry is rigid, his emotions rarely really engage with anything other than his work, his fish and his garden. So, when he begins to have feelings for Nick it throws him a bit. Nick really does think he is stupid, but he isn’t, he just doesn’t know what to say when put on the spot and finds it difficult to articulate what he wants to say. Expect fireworks as Nick and Henry clash and expect explosions when they make up.
They storyline is good and not just the relationship between Nick and Henry, but the development of Nick’s relationship with his nephew, Grant, the worry over his father Mike, and the prejudice aimed at Grant’s perspective girlfriend, Shawn. I did enjoy the story but at times found that the wealth of information at times was just too much, it was more like rambling in Nick’s mind and didn’t keep my attention.
I will recommend this to those who like opposites attracting, bumbling relationships, hot sex, a touch of kinky sex talk and a very happily ever after.
Blurb:Seth returns home and Jared is determined to finally make Seth his. Unfortunately not everyone wants that to happen.
Seth Hall returns to his hometown for the first time in eleven years. Now a father of two, he vows not to let his past intervene when he sets up a happy, stable life for them. That is, until Jared, the boy who had broken his heart all those years ago turns up wanting a chance with him.
Jared Stewart thought he had lost his only chance to be with Seth. When Seth finally comes home, Jared makes it his mission to catch Seth once and for all but unfortunately not everyone wants that to happen.
Will they be finally able to make a life for themselves together? Or will they be torn apart again, by people they thought they could trust?
Review: Seth returns to his hometown eleven years after having his heart broken by his high school crush. Now he’s starting a new life with his children and starting up his new bakery, when his long ago crush walks back into his life. Jared never understood why Seth left him behind and now he has the chance to make Seth his. But, first they have to put the past to rest and sort out misunderstandings. But, someone doesn’t want them to be together and sets out to tear them apart. Can Jared convince Seth to stick around and fight for their love?
This is a great story of two young men who were driven apart by malicious friends, and then reuniting years later to discover love. Seth has been through hell. Returning to his hometown with his children is the only thing he wants to do, but running into the man who broke his heart years before isn’t something he needed on his first day. Jared is excited that Seth has come home. He is determined to make Seth his and getting to the bottom of why Seth ran all those years ago is the first step. Jared is a very confident man, although he hid a part of himself when Seth left him. But, after learning that Seth was injured, Jared finally admitted to everyone what he really wanted and now he sets out to get it. Seth is a much more unsure character. He was ridiculed in school and then was hurt by Jared, so he is still sore years later. Add that to his recent loss and brush with death he does get emotional when those close to him are threatened.
Both characters are great and although at first there is some angst between them, they both recover quickly and dive into a rekindling of their feelings for each other. The relationship develops quickly and is both hot and loving. the children are sweet and cheeky and extended family wonderful. The storyline is good with a touch of malicious mischief, threats and a very unstable woman. I really liked how the story played out and I understood Seth’s reactions to the threats he received. I know some people don’t like crying men, but it really fits with the circumstances and wasn’t over the top.
I will recommend this to those who love reuniting high school crushes, an unstable threat, danger, hot sex, settling the past and a very happy ending.
Blurb: Noah Lethem is 29 years old and raising his sister Hannah’s two small children. Resigned to a life of permanent chaos, he has given up on romantic relationships. Then, when his neighbor Marcy encourages him to visit the local rec center for a pick-up game of floor hockey, he meets Dillon Greer; and though they are both interested in starting a relationship, Noah remains wary of shaking up the kids’ lives. Of course, their lives might be shaken up anyway, if Hannah has her way and takes them away from the home they share with Noah to live with her new boyfriend. Now, Noah must learn to balance his new romance with his imperfect family or risk losing both.
Review: Noah is raising his sister’s kids and her most of the time. He has put his life on hold to do this. His best friend and babysitter is concerned for him and insists he take a night to himself, if it’s just to go play hockey There he meets Dillon and though he is very interested, he is sure that the man wouldn’t be interested in the baggage of his life.
This is such a lovely sweet story. Though it has some sadness and a bit of suspense it is still a sweet loving story. I couldn’t put it down. It’s one of those stories’s that makes you sigh and wish you could find a man like either Noah or Dillon or both! I highly recommend this one!
Recommendations: If you like men raising family’s children, sweet story with some angst, true love, hot sensual sex, not explicit sex, a great story, this one is for you!
Blurb: Jamie and Luke’s first anniversary is fast approach and Jamie knows exactly what he wants to give Luke. The platinum wedding bands have been burning a hole in his suitcase in the attic for two months. But before he can say those four life-changing words, an accident throws their well-ordered lives into disarray.
Tissue Alert: Please keep a box of tissues handy to stem the flow of tears.
Review: This story is part of a series that is best read in order. Jamie and Luke are coming up to their one year anniversary and Jamie has plans to celebrate, but before they come to fruition he has to get through the Christmas school play and Luke has a promotion in his sights, but an accident throws their entire world into chaos.
This isn’t your typical Christmas story, it is funny and heart wrenching and joyful and loving. Jamie and Luke have been together for nearly a year and they have become a family. Reggie is an adorable child and his relationship with both Luke and Jamie is wonderful. Seeing how Jamie has slotted into their family is really nice and the way that Jamie and Luke are together is really sweet. Jamie is my hero in this story and his actions with Reggie and Luke makes you love him to death, and his love for his family is astounding, that man can do no wrong in my eyes.
I am not going into the storyline, all I will tell you, is that it will affect you and make you sniffle into a tissue. There was one bug bear for me and that was we never heard anything about the circumstances of the accident i.e. why it happened. Other than that this story was perfect and I loved the incredible writing, the characters were perfect and really well-developed, the storyline is shocking but brilliant and the ending is incredibly sweet.
Lisa Worrall will tear your heart out, throw it around, jump up and down on it, and throw it in a blender before piecing it back together in a story that will make your eyes fill and tears trickle down your cheeks, before giving you an ending that is pure love and happiness. This is a must read book, so add it to your bookshelf and buy some tissues.
Blurb: Gabe and Matteo have settled into the highs and lows of new fatherhood—exhaustion, dirty diapers, baby bottles and a whole lot of love. But as their first family Christmas looms on the horizon, Matteo is worried about how his partner is handling his new role as Papa Gabe.
There’s no doubt Gabe adores the twins, but his libido, his sense of proportion and perhaps his sanity seem to have disappeared under the strain. Matteo is determined to make their new family work, but it may take thinking outside the box to get back the calm, sensible Gabe he planned to share fatherhood and the rest of his life with.
Review: Oh dear me, what a story…I must confess that I did think when starting this book that I was in for a ride. Well, I was in for a ride alright, but not the expected one. I think I’m freaked out from the memories this book awakened and the frustration that had its hold on me for almost the entire read.
Gabe and Matty are new to the fatherhood lifestyle and of course like all parents, they try to find their path. While Matty seems to be dealing with it pretty good, Gabe has gone crazy with his OCD and shopping mania.
And oh my God, the flashbacks, the déjà vu, and the agony all that brought to me. Sweet Jesus, I thought I’d left all that behind.
As is normal when you have a new baby in the house, the nerves and your sanity takes a good hit, having twins just doubles all that. Eventually the pair goes from the happy place of having the babies to the accusations of you do too much and you don’t do nearly as much and pointing fingers and having fights to the point of breaking up.
What really got me the most during this read was their “talks” (not fights because they did not fight, they were having a discussion, right?) and how real they were. The fact that each of them only said their peace, intentionally blinding themselves to their own mistakes, and oh dear, the misunderstanding of each word was so real to me. I’m still cringing inside.
Anyway, of course the story ends well. The new daddies find their peace after an honest talk that to my eyes felt surreal because you do NOT overcome such emotions with a simple talk and a make-up sex. But even if I do acknowledge the well written part of their problems and agony over their new life, this story didn’t make much sense to me. The end was a bit… I don’t know what the point was and add that to the fact that emotionally and sexually I did not feel the pair’s chemistry at all. This story left me baffled. The only reason for the 2.5 stars I’m giving this story is the realistic portrayal of those oh-so-awful-days when hormones hit you and you barely can cope with the changes of your reality. Other than that, I really needed more and didn’t get it. For me, this story was far off the Christmas spirit with nothing to do with the Holidays at all.
Blurb: Cary Redding is a walking contradiction. On the surface he’s a renowned cellist, sought after by conductors the world over. Underneath, he’s a troubled man flirting with addictions to alcohol and anonymous sex. The reason for the discord? Cary knows he’s a liar, a cheat. He’s the melody thief.
Cary manages his double life just fine until he gets mugged on a deserted Milan street. Things look grim until handsome lawyer Antonio Bianchi steps in and saves his life. When Antonio offers something foreign to Cary—romance—Cary doesn’t know what to do. But then things get even more complicated. For one thing, Antonio has a six-year-old son. For another, Cary has to confess about his alter ego and hope Antonio forgives him.
Just when Cary thinks he’s figured it all out, past and present collide and he is forced to choose between the family he wanted as a boy and the one he has come to love as a man.
Review: This book is quite different from the lot I’ve read. It starts of full power introducing Cary, a very talented, famous cellist who has serious issues underneath the façade he plasters for the stage. When lights go out, he lets his troubled self emerge, using a different identity, becoming a man who cares for nothing other than anonymous sex on the darkest corners of Milan. After one such night he gets mugged on a dark alley ending up with some bruises and a broken wrist. Fear consumes him, but to his rescue comes Antonio, a stunning man, and helps him through the recovery. Antonio seems genuinely interested on Cary, but he makes no move toward him and resists all Cary’s advances. Until Cary comes clean to him about the lies, the fake identity and the way he leads his life.
For a man who has lived all his life staying away from relationships and romance, even more so family, as Cary claims over and over that he hates kids, he finds himself trapped with emotions toward Antonio and his son. The feelings he’s had for himself for 28 years, that he’s and unworthy man, unworthy of love, soon subside and although scared to death he makes the decision to let himself be loved as well as return it.
Up until this point the story is fast and furious one might say. The author is rough and blunt in her description of Cary’s messy life and it suits him well. The intensity is there and when Cary finally couples with Antonio, it is liquid fire. The heat is incredible, yet it nearly stops there. The story continues with their joint life, the efforts to make it work and the lessons Cary has to learn in order to be in a partner and a parent. The inner fight he has to battle between his addiction, his guilt and a past that still burns. The rush slows down and the story goes quite mellow. The appearance of Cary’s (for 28 years dead) father somehow charges the story with a different kind of rush. It is plain that The Melody Thief revolves around Cary’s life and emotions. The intensity rises up a notch when Cary finds himself in a crossroad between his juvenile dreams and his present and future; however that notch is quite small. The events that follow and the way the story ends were by this point quite predictable. I would have loved to see a bit more about Cary’s brother though, since he was mentioned so much, yet we never saw a glimpse of him
As I said this book was quite different, enjoyable nonetheless. A romance with a very realistic approach, and a beautiful introduction at the world of classical music that was not as heavy as I imagined it might be. On the contrary, it was easy to follow and accept. If you’re a romantic this book might string a cord or two. Recommended.
Blurb:Jacen Ives comes face to face with his past when he finds himself sharing a house with Kayne Henderson and his children. Will a childhood crush lead him to happiness or destroy his life?
Jacen has always hidden his feelings from the boy he knew he was meant to love, while Kayne, eighteen and confused, married his high school girlfriend and started a family, unaware of the trouble looming ahead. So with one last kiss goodbye, Kayne lied about his feelings for his best friend’s brother and let his heart walk away.
Six years later, Kayne and Jacen must work together to find out who is trying to destroy their lives–George, a jealous, unstable ex-boyfriend responsible for assaulting Jacen; or Teagan, the woman overcome with seething hatred towards the man who stole her ex-husband’s heart?
Review: Jacen left to start a new life when he left for college. All he had to really remember Kayne by was one last kiss goodbye. But, now years later he is back and his and Kayne’s lives become entangled again, but this time the truth comes out. Kayne hid his feelings, six years ago, to allow Jacen to grow and become the man he was meant to be and is now single with two young children. Kayne hopes to make up for the past and make Jacen face the truth.
This was a lovely story that had a bittersweet parting, some angst, some danger and some making up. Jacen believes that Kayne is straight. he has always believed it and still he is in love with him, even after all these years. Kayne couldn’t let anyone know that he pined for Jacen and ended up having a family. But, now he’s getting divorced and Jacen is coming home. But between their exs, trouble is following both of them.
This is quite a sweet novella, if you just concentrate on Jacen and Kayne’s relationship and ignore the flying debris of their past relationships, Jacen loving Kayne for years, Kayne wanting Jacen for years, but Kayne knows that Jacen has to spread his wings and become a man. He lets Jacen go physically, because no matter what he wants, at that point Jacen was only 15 and heading for university. Jacen takes that kiss with him knowing that is all he will ever have of Kayne. But, years later they struggle to connect, as Kayne tries to make Jacen realize that it is him Kayne wants. If we bring in the previous relationships, then we get quite a messy story as Kayne’s ex, Teagan, just wants to punish him and Jacen’s ex, George, wants him back even after beating the crap out of him. (Stupid man)
So, a sweet but troubled romance story, that will have you going awwww and dewy-eyed as their love unfolds. It’s the type of romance that you would tell the grandkids. letting love go and then fighting for it at the right time, becoming stronger for what has gone before and accepting that sometimes you have to take a chance on new/old love and believe that it’s right for you. This is a well written story that was a joy to read.
So if you want a story of lasting love, growing up, making mistakes, reuniting, a touch of danger, some angst and a wonderful ending then this is the book for you.
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