Blurb: Jordan Erichsohn suspects something is rotten about his boss, Judge Crawford. Unfortunately, he has nowhere to turn and doubts anyone will believe his claims – least of all the handsome deputy, Pierre Ravelle, who has been assigned to protect the judge after he received threaten-ing letters. The judge has a long reach, and if he finds out Jordan’s turned on him, he might im-pede Jordan adopting his son, Jeremiah.
When Jordan can no longer stay silent, he gathers his courage and tells Pierre what he knows. To his surprise and relief, Pierre believes him, and Jordan finds an ally…and maybe more.
Pierre vows to do what it takes to protect Jordan and Jeremiah and see justice done. He’s willing to fight for the man he’s growing to love and the family he’s starting to think of as his own. But Crawford is a powerful and dangerous enemy, and he’s not above ripping apart everything Jor-dan and Pierre are trying to build in order to save himself….
Review: I love almost anything written by Andrew Grey. The man has a way with words and romance that I absolutely love. So, I’m not going to spend time gushing over how much I love his characters and how well they develop over the course of the book, and the chemistry, the sexual tension between the MCs. He also does wonderful stories with kids, who don’t steal the show but are often as sweet and as lovable as their fathers. I basically love everything.
Greg Tremblay performs the audio for this book. I know his narration from other Andrew Grey audios, particularly from the Senses series. In this book, his voice is absolutely perfect for tone and suspense in the stories, as well as providing the perfect tone for the individual characters.
Fire and Flint is the story of Carlisle Deputy, Pierre Revelle, and Jordan Erichsohn, the assistant to Judge Crawford. The judge has been receiving some threatening letters lately which is what brings the two men together. Jordan, finds it difficult to trust the deputy and scared to do anything that could jeopardise his adoption of a sweet little boy who needs love and parent. The situation is dangerous because Jordan is sure, or at least suspects, that there is something crooked with this boss. Pierre is instantly attracted to Jordan, but he is a professional and he is intent on finding out what the hell is happening. Love comes organically as Jordan helps Pierre try to discover the truth of who and why the judge is being threatened.
Fire and Flint is a fast paced suspense, romance. This is good for people that love a good romance where the sexy cop comes riding in like a knight in shining armour and a strong lawyer who has so much love to give. They aren’t a conventional family but their chemistry together is perfect.
Hi guys! We have Ian James Krender popping in today with his new updated re-release Murder In Torbaydos, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Murder In Torbaydos
by
Ian James Krender
What could possibly go wrong when buying an old Victorian property by the seaside to remodel and run as a hotel. Plenty when the ghostly inhabitants from past generations want their say…
Marjorie, Stanley, and the apple of their eyes—their camp son Christopher, buy a leaky wreck, transforming it into a 1970s house of wonders. Marjorie’s Bejam inspired cuisine soon puts their seaside guesthouse on the tourist map. The utterly vile Marjorie’s ambitions for her henpecked husband will stop at nothing, even murder when it comes to climbing to the top.
Meanwhile, in the 2000s, gay couple, Jez and Graham—who have exquisite taste, escape the London rat race and buy the same building—now derelict and full of Marjorie’s draylon headboards and lace curtains. They refurbish it into a modern five-star hotel, the self-described jewel in the crown of English seaside hotels.
Jez, a shallow yet fabulous queen with a penchant for designer clothes, is soon led astray by the opportunity of television fame, a not-so-straight Bulgarian boxer, and a cocaine-fueled celebrity lifestyle—all overseen by the malevolent spirits, an evil bunch, determined to create misery for all.
Warning: scenes of graphic violence, the deaths of secondary characters, and references to drug addiction and cheating
Blurb: Jeremy Spencer never imagined the occult order he and his boyfriend, Bowyn, started as a joke in college would become an international organization with hundreds of followers. Now a professor with expertise in Renaissance music, Jeremy finds himself drawn back into the world of free love and ceremonial magick he’d left behind, and the old jealousies and hurt that separated him from Bowyn eight years ago seem almost insignificant.
Then Jeremy begins to wonder if the centuries-old score he’s been asked to transcribe hides something sinister. With each stanza, local birds flock to the old mansion, a mysterious fog descends upon the grounds, and bats swarm the temple dome. During a séance, the group receives a cryptic warning from the spirit realm. And as the music’s performance draws nearer, Jeremy realizes it may hold the key to incredible power—power somebody is willing to kill for.
Review: Jeremy is drawn back into the occult order he helped found many years ago. With the temptation of transcribing a score of Renaissance music never heard of before, he returns to a world and a lover he left behind. Re-entering a world of free love and occult magick, Jeremy begins to wonder if the score hides a dark purpose and can he really trust some of the people that surround him, when strange events begin to happen.
Well, this story takes you on a journey leading you down a path that many view as suspect and some view as cult. It shows us a side of the occult that many don’t look at; mixing music with magick and that’s where Jeremy comes in. Jeremy is contacted by his old lover, Bowyn, to help transcribe an old score said to be written by Ficino, a Renaissance scholar. A score that has never been published or transcribed before. The temptation is too much and Jeremy is pulled back into a world he walked away from. Jeremy still loves Bowyn and finds it difficult at times to remember why he walked away, but remembers when jealousy starts to creep in. Deciphering the score isn’t all that easy, but as Jeremy starts to piece together the music he discovers that it may not be as benign as he first thought. and mysterious sinister events point to someone who is determined to perform the ritual at all costs.
I will be the first to hold my hands up and say that some of the details in this book flew over my head no matter how detailed the explanations were. Renaissance music, occult and alchemy might make a great background for a slightly sinister book, but having no grasp for even the basics made it harder to grasp the full details and intent of what the characters were hoping to achieve. But, saying that I still enjoyed this book. It’s very well written and draws you in as the story unfolds. And it has suspense and mystery woven through, adding a sinister undertone. Although there is a basic relationship between Bowyn and Jeremy and they apparently love each other, they still have sex and fool around with others. I can’t actually say that they get a happily ever after, but it is a happily for them arrangement.
The mystery and suspense are good and leaves a thread of tension throughout the book. There’s death and betrayal, love and hope and occult dealings. I actually think this is an intriguing story that shows a ‘whiter’ or good side to the occult. It has informative information and you can see that the author has done a lot of research.
I will recommend this to those who love mystery and suspense, occult dealings, twists, betrayal, underhand dealings, murder and manipulation and a happy for them ending.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (19th December 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Riley Parker: temp, twink, geek… sleuth?
Maybe Riley isn’t living up to his full potential, but being a temp executive assistant suits him. He’s never bored at work, he’s got friends who let him geek out, and he’s got a carefully crafted twink exterior… which might be getting constrictive now that he’s on the other side of 30. Life isn’t perfect, but it’s comfortable.
It all unravels when he takes a job working for a tea-obsessed cosmetics queen, the owner of Gautier Cosmetics. During the launch party for a new product, Riley finds his boss dead under suspicious circumstances, and the homicide detective is none other than Tadeo Martin, Riley’s high school obsession who never knew he was alive.
Tad drafts Riley to get the scoop on the inner workings of Gautier, and for Riley, it’s like a drug. His natural inquisitiveness is rewarded with more and more Tad. Unfortunately, his snooping puts him in the running for two other roles: suspect and victim. The killer doesn’t care which.
Review: Tea or Consequences is a mystery/suspense/romance by KC Burn. Burn is not a new author to me and although no on my list of automatic reads, I nonetheless am usually excited to give a new book by the author once I decide that I like the look of the blurb. I think it’s Burn’s way of writing feels so accessible to the read and flows easily, add on top of that generally relatable characters I’ve read in Burn’s books so far, it usually a pretty pleasing experience.
Darcy Stark is a relatively new narrator for me, the only other book I’ve heard him narrate is another KC Burn gem. I found his narration quite enjoyable. He makes the romance both cute and hot, but also has a great voice lending to the mystery and suspense aspect of the story. I especially loved the voice that he gave Riley.
In the book, Riley works as a temp PA for company executives, he enjoys the changes in work place as he takes on the job from PA’s that go on maternity leave, annual leave, etc. He knows that this isn’t the life for everyone, and he also knows that he is capable of doing a lot more, but for now he is happy in his current career choice and has worked hard to develop a reputation that many professionals would envy. Everything changes when he finds the boss of Gautier Cosmetics, his current assignment, dead in her office on the night of one of the most important party’s of the year. Think of The Devil Wear Prada but with a touch of a tea totalling, French Lady.
With the police and investigators investigating the suspicious death comes Tadeo Martin. He’s the homicide detective in charge the investigation and also the man that Riley had crushed over in high school. Back then it was the usual case of nerd crushing on jock and the jock not seeing the guy. And although Riley recognises the detective, he says nothing. Instead he is more than happy to jump on the band wagon and do a bit of poking around himself for Tadeo. The romance is sweet and happens quite naturally, however, the major part of this story is instead the investigation. I really liked how Burn seamlessly intertwined the romance into the ongoing mystery, without sacrificing the feel of danger as the guys close in on the murder.
This is good for someone who loves a murder mystery, it has an opulent setting and two ordinary guys caught in the middle. Awesome book in all and the narration just enhanced my enjoyment of the text.
Series: Dreamspun Desires 53 / Turquoise, New Mexico 01
Author: B.A. Tortuga
Narrator: Dorian Bane
Genre: Contemporary, Cowboys
Length: 6 hrs, 23 mins
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (16th August 2018)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb:Once upon a time, a prince lived in a magical kingdom called Turquoise, New Mexico.
Well, really, TJ is a small-town police chief. Every Friday, he holds court in the diner with the local holy roller, the art colonists, and the horsey people. But the Benes, who own the rodeo company, keep to themselves. TJ knows because he was once hot and heavy with the oldest Bene son.
When Wacey Bene gets trampled by a remuda and comes home to heal, he’s none too happy to run into TJ or his two little boys and their momma. The story might end there – if it wasn’t for some pesky bastard trying to kill Wacey.
The law steps in, and the townsfolk are cross about somebody messing with one of their own.
But once the bad guy is put away, can TJ and Wacey make their place in this wild and eccentric town a permanent one?
Review: Cowboy in the Crosshairs is the first book a new series called Turquoise, New Mexico by BA Tortuga. I’m a fan of Tortuga’s writing, especially their books with cowboys because cowboys are hot and awesome. But I wouldn’t have thought that without enjoying Tortuga’s writing style, which feel simple and accessible, but at the same time the plotlines are interesting.
The story is about cowboy Wacey Bene. He’s been away from his family’s ranch on the rodeo circuit for ten years after having his heart broken when he was barely out of high school. The boy that broke his heart was TJ. He is now the police chief, but ten years before he was a confused young man who was scared of coming out of the closet and somewhere along the way in the past ten years also decided that he needed to marry a woman so he could have a family. TJ now has two cute little boys and an ex-wife he is good friends with, despite divorcing because he finally was able to come out of the closet to her. These guys need to get over past hurts, as well as TJ needing to help Wacey avoid being injured or killed by some mystery person.
The narration for this audio is by Dorian Bane. I have to admit, I absolutely adore Bane’s voice. He has one of those rich and husky voices that are often spoken of in romances as the type that would make a lady (or anyone) swoon. His voice is well suited to books with rough, tough and ready men – i.e. cowboys and cops and whatnot. Luckily for us, in this book we get both a cowboy and a cop. Interestingly, probably because of the tone and emotion that Bane was able to inject into the story I find that I by far preferred the audio to reading this book and I was less inclined to be bothered by the points that had annoyed me in the original reading. Mostly at the time I had been annoyed with how Wacey and TJ treated each other at the start and I didn’t feel that I got enough plot development as to how they were able to go to a loving relationship. I suppose that is still true, but as I said I was merely less annoyed by this hole in the plot.
Overall, an enjoyable story to pass some time, particularly for those that have a weakness for cowboys and cops.
Blurb: For Scorpion agents Day and Knight, their relationship is slow to develop, and trust is hard to build. Then Day’s brother, Stephen, goes missing, and Day finds out more about him than he ever dreamed. Day’s first reaction to Stephen’s disappearance is to try to get to him as fast as possible. Knight initially holds him back so they can attempt to find out what they’re walking into. But when Knight sees Day’s desperation, he steps in to help and tries to calm the man he’s growing to care about, even though the trail is cold and clues are scarce.
When Day witnesses his brother being shot live on television, he loses the last of his control. Despite the lack of answers, Day is more determined than ever to find out what happened. Ste-phen was all the family he had left.
Bone-deep fear and adversity threaten to tear Day and Knight apart, but facing unimaginable hardship together might finally cement the bond between them.
Review: Dawn and Dusk is the third book in Dirk Greyson’s Day and Knight series. Dirk Greyson is the pen name for Andrew Grey when he’s writing suspense/mysteries or paranormal type books. I’ve read and heard audio from a couple of his other books (not the paranormal ones) besides the Day and Knight series and I am quite happy with reading the departure from the usual Andrew Grey formula that I know and love. In fact, I’m keen to check out what these paranormal stories are. But back to Day and Knight.
So yeah, Day and Knight series has been a great departure from what fans of Grey would usually expect. It follows secret agent guys Day and Knight (their nicknames, its corny but works awesome) as they try to work together and then discover that there is a lot more between them. The series has been a slow burn romance which needs to be read/listened to from the start to get to know the guys and to be able to track the story as each instalment starts off from where the previous book start. If you’re a person that prefers to have a HEA, perhaps now would be the best time to get into the story because we finally get an ending for these guys. However, in saying that both Day and Knight have a lot of demons to battle through, particularly for Knight, who has a tragic past that makes opening his heart to love difficult.
In my opinion Dawn and Dusk is the best book in the series and is a major pay off for anyone who has gone through the journey with the guys.
Day and Knight are back in the real world once more after their adventures in Mexico and Europe. They are excellent at their jobs and work well together, but once, more after arriving home Day is left confused by Knight. As soon as they are back Knight once again struggles with the relationship forming between the two men – which makes sense since the man has tons of baggage and an alcohol dependency that he has been working through. However, Knight is a man that struggles with his inner emotions and so how he treats Day in these periods is less than stellar. Their world is thrown into chaos once more when Day finds out that not only is his brother, a man he has idolised since Steven had raised Day after their parents’ death. Day needs to find his brother and Knight is torn in needing to protect Day and protect his feelings. But things just snowball when Day is shown television footage where he sees his brother shot and he suddenly faces the possibility that his brother is bad guy. This is where Knight steps as he is slowly beginning to come to terms with demons and realises that he will do anything for Day.
What I love about this series is that we’ve taken the time to get to know Day and Knight. They have developed and changed so much from the first book. They have had so much to work through before they could trust each other with their hearts. They needed to get to know each other beyond the physical side of their relationship and the professional side of things. Dawn and Dusk is a really pleasing story where I finally feel like I know these guys and finishing a few months after the first book started, I feel like they are strong together – as well as be awesome men of action. I liked the story with Day’s brother in this book because it gave even more depth to Day.
Andrew McFerrin has done an excellent job narrating this entire series. His voice and the tone he gives to Day and Knight individually suits them so well. It was so easy to get lost in the story just listening to the narration. McFerrin had me emotionally invested right to the end with the guys, something that I’m not completely sure would have happened if I had read the book first.
Blurb:Cloister Witte and his K-9 partner, Bourneville, find the lost and bring them home.
But the job doesn’t always end there.
Janet Morrow, a young trans woman, lies in a coma after wandering away from her car during a storm. But just because Cloister found the young tourist doesn’t mean she’s home. What brought her to Plenty, California… and who didn’t want her to leave?
With the help of Special Agent Javi Merlo, who continues to deny his growing feelings for the rough-edged deputy, Cloister unearths a ten-year-old conspiracy of silence that taps into Plenty’s history of corruption.
Janet Morrow’s old secrets aren’t the only ones coming to light. Javi has tried to put his past behind him, but some people seem determined to pull his skeletons out of the closet. His dark history with a senior agent in Phoenix complicates not just the investigation but his relationship with Cloister.
Review: Cloister and Javi both have issues that they deal with on a daily bases. I liked these two together as it seemed they both needed the others help at times. Javi is injured and decides to invite Cloister over because of it. The men closer as the story deepens.
Although I did enjoy this addition I felt there were too many unanswered questions left at the end. I wanted more about the murder/mystery going on and what the details were surrounding it. This story focused more on Javi and Cloister’s issues rather than the mystery at times which was fine but I wanted a balance.
Never the less it was still an entertaining and engaging read and I have to hope the unanswered questions will be answered at some point.
Blurb: When Ariel Gonda’s winery, the Lovely Pines, suffers a break-in, the police write the incident off as a prank since nothing was taken. But Ariel knows something is wrong—small clues are beginning to add up—and he turns to private investigator BJ Vinson for help.
BJ soon discovers the incident is anything but harmless. When a vineyard worker—who is also more than he seems—is killed, there are plenty of suspects to go around. But are the two crimes even related? As BJ and his significant other, Paul Barton, follow the trail from the central New Mexico wine country south to Las Cruces and Carlsbad, they discover a tangled web involving members of the US military, a mistaken identity, a family fortune in dispute, and even a secret baby. The body count is rising, and a child may be in danger. BJ will need all his skills to survive, because between a deadly sniper and sabotage, someone is determined to make sure this case goes unsolved.
Review: Another case down for the books. A break in with nothing messed with, a dead vineyard worker, missing stolen artifacts, shootings and BJ is in the middle of it all. He was hired by the owner of the Vineyard and he wanted to find out what was going on. You add in that the worker was not who he truly was will be a big hit with some major tears, money in high demands and some big secrets have got BJ running all over.
I love how you see Paul in parts of the story but doesn’t really have anything to do with the investigation. He is a joy sometimes and damn hot. Wow the author does give you one hell of a description of the surrounding areas they go into, it tends to drive me in a different direction. I loose interest when there is so much detail. The characters as always are very entertaining and quite interesting. He is very loyal to his friends and family, but push him in the wrong direction and your ass is grass.
The secondary characters are always a big hit with these stories. They really help with the investigation. They also have some pretty easy quirks to like. I like how the mysteries were wrote in this one but will admit that I figured out parts of it before the end. It is still enjoyable to watch BJ interact with his clients, the suspects, other agencies and his friends. He is like a dog with a bone in some parts which gets a big hit from me.
Now for the downside as well written as it was, the murder itself was too neat and it didn’t come off the way three bullets would or should have. It shows a more violent type then what was really behind it. As I said above the story just had too much description in it to make it keep my attention throughout the story. Usually I get caught up in a story but this one had me skimming parts of the story just to get through it. However that is just my insight.
Other than my issues with the story it was well written, even paced and a fun read. I would recommend it and the previous titles in the series.
Hi guys, we have Davidson King stopping by today with the tour for her new release Snow Storm, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic $10 Amazon GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Snow Storm
(Haven Hart 05)
by
Davidson King
The city of Haven Hart rests under the heel of Christopher Manos. He reigns over the most dangerous and deadliest citizens as the most powerful crime boss the city has seen in generations. Yet, for the last five years, the harshest edges of his nature have been tempered by the loving devotion of his husband, Snow, and the nephew Christopher adores like a son. His life is a balance of darkness and light until a birthday trip for his nephew, Simon, is interrupted by a hail of bullets and explosions, threatening to destroy it all.
Snow has found a home, a family, and the love of one of Haven Hart’s most powerful men. When Christopher and Simon are kidnapped, Snow risks everything to find his family. Utilizing specialized skills he learned on the streets and the finer points of running a city from his crime boss husband, Snow takes on roles he never dreamed he would–protector, leader, and avenger. No one threatens his family and lives. Experienced enough to know he can’t do this alone, Snow calls in every favor he is owed, risking his life promising favors in return, all to save his family and the man he loves.
The sins of the Manos crime family are escaping the dark recesses of the past and threatening the bright future of everything Snow and Christopher have built. Yet, even with the help of some unlikely and uniquely dangerous people, Snow finds himself wondering if their efforts will be enough to save the two most important people in his life. Will the loving family Snow has finally found be taken from him forever?
Blurb: Time travel is a precarious business at the best of times, but when Qasim El-Fahkri’s mission to the past ends in violence, it has a ripple effect through every level of the Temporal Research Institute.
Rhys Griffiths finds himself caught in the wake of the disastrous jump, his own career uncertain. With the Supervisory Board breathing down his neck, operatives demanding answers to baffling questions, and life outside of work bearing down on him, his only respite comes from Qasim’s company. As the professional slowly becomes the personal, they must confront the echoes of their own pasts to try and move forward in the future.
But another past is waiting for Qasim, and there may be no coming back from this one…
For full enjoyment, it is recommended to first read books 1, Time Waits, and 2, Time Lost.
Review: Many things are in upheaval in this addition of Out of Time. Qasim and Rhys lives are thrown for a loop when a jump turns bad. With time running out both men struggle finding out answers while seemingly growing closer to the other.
Interesting story with a lot of twists and turns around every corner. I was fascinated with how Rhys and Qasim handled different aspects of the questions as well as Qasim’s past.
I liked the story and the characters throughout as the story progressed. I felt as though I was there with the men as traversed through what was going on and the subsequent answers to some questions.
Blurb: The heat is growing from the inside, but danger is building on the outside.
Judge Andrew Phillips runs a tight ship in his courtroom. He’s tough, and when he hands down a sentence, he expects to be obeyed. So when a fugitive named Harper escapes and threatens his life, Andrew isn’t keen on 24/seven protection…especially not from Deputy Clay Brown. They have a past, one that could cause problems in their careers.
But with Clay assigned to Andrew and the two of them together every minute, there’s nowhere to hide from their attraction – or from the fact that there’s much more than chemistry blooming between them. As the threat intensifies, Clay knows he’ll do anything it takes to protect the peo-ple who are taking their places in his heart: Andrew and his young niece and nephew.
Review: Fire and Granite is the second book in Andrew Grey’s Carlisle Deputies series, which is a spin off of his Carlisle Cops series and has the same naming convention in that each book from both series is called “Fire and…”. I really enjoyed Carlisle Cops series. I’ve only read all of Carlisle Cops books and have heard the audio narration for half of the series. I’ve also read the first book of this series but again, have not heard the audio. Fire and Granite does work as a standalone book, although I do remember back to other books when we meet up with the various people on the Carlisle police force. To be perfectly honest, I don’t really remember the first book of this series all that well, but I remembered the names when I came across the characters in this book.
Granite and Fire is the story of Deputy Clay Brown and Judge Andrew Phillips. The two do not get along well at all, although Clay has no idea why the judge is a bit of a dick to him. Especially since they encounter each other in the courtroom when Clay needs to give testimony it can make for slightly awkward times and it makes a certain deputy very grumpy, but it’s a sexy kind of grumpy so I’m all good with that. They are thrown together when a prisoner transport goes wrong and sees two deputies in hospital and Clay uninjured when his no-good cousin (no love lost between the two men) is broken free and the deranged man goes after the judge he swore revenge on the last time he was in a court room. Now Clay is keeping guard on Andrew and the two men have no choice but to sort out their differences. However, in a pleasant turn of events their differences aren’t really differences at all. But the stakes are ramped up when Andrew, in the middle of being threatened by a criminal, needs to go out of state and then make a home for his niece and nephew as his sister struggles with mental illness. Clay is by his side every step of the way and the two men are quickly coming to realise just what that means to them and their hearts and their futures.
Narration for this book was by Greg Tremblay. I’ve heard Tremblay’s narration a number of times in the past, including a few other Andrew Grey books. I find Tremblay’s tone and timbre well suited to the characters that Grey writes and all in all, I have no complaints. I was really happy with how well paced the narration was and the voices and emotions given to the characters, particularly the kids. Grey tends to write kids into a lot of his books and sometimes narrators miss the mark with the little ones, but Tremblay was on point in my opinion.
This is perfect for those that love to read or listen to cops falling in love as they try to solve the crime, get the man they want to put in gaol and get the man that they want in their life and their bed.
Hi guys! We have C.B. Lewis stopping by today with her new release Time Taken, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Time Taken
(Out of Time 03)
by
C.B. Lewis
Time travel is a precarious business at the best of times, but when Qasim El-Fahkri’s mission to the past ends in violence, it has a ripple effect through every level of the Temporal Research Institute.
Rhys Griffiths finds himself caught in the wake of the disastrous jump, his own career uncertain. With the Supervisory Board breathing down his neck, operatives demanding answers to baffling questions, and life outside of work bearing down on him, his only respite comes from Qasim’s company. As the professional slowly becomes the personal, they must confront the echoes of their own pasts to try and move forward in the future.
But another past is waiting for Qasim, and there may be no coming back from this one…
For full enjoyment, it is recommended to first read books 1, Time Waits, and 2, Time Lost.
Blurb:They have eyes for each other. But someone is eyeing them for murder.
In the Junior students’ dormitory at Oakschott Hall, a heavy gaslight falls from the ceiling, crushing the head of a student sleeping beneath it. Was it simply a tragic accident? To avoid publicity, the Headmaster asks Colin Revell, a young Oxford University graduate and former Oakschott student, to quietly investigate.
While interviewing the faculty and staff, Colin meets Max Lambourne, a handsome don who was wounded and gassed in WWI. When Colin tries to help Max overcome his trauma and depression, the two men fall in love and begin an erotic affair.
But when another student dies—diving at night into an empty swimming pool—murder is suspected. Students and faculty all come under suspicion, and rumors proliferate when Scotland Yard intervenes. Meanwhile, during all this confusion and wild theories, the murderer sees Colin and Max as threats. Unbeknownst to the two lovers, their lives are now in danger.
Review: This story is a mash-up of Murder at School by James Hilton, so uses much of that story’s plotline and its characters. The gay romance element was added by Jim Austen.
So when I first started reading this I didn’t know it was a mash-up, I only found out about half-way through and being honest it didn’t make a difference to me.
Colin comes across as a bit sex mad, most thoughts seem to linger on sexual feelings, reminiscing, and fantasising… it was a bit off putting until he met Max and then his sexual thoughts petered off a bit. Another thing is that after the first couple of pages my mind seemed to want to read the book in a droll tone, and I can safely say that that was also Colin’s influence because he just seemed to be soooooo droll about everything until he gets his teeth in the mystery and thankfully my mind also jumped on board to drop the drollness. Okay enough about that lets move on.
Colin (for some reason) gets a note from the headmaster at Oakshott Hall, where he was once a pupil, asking him to investigate a mysterious death, but while he’s investigating the headmaster suddenly changes his tune but not before Colin meets the lovely Max. Colin heads home regretting not getting to know Max better, but Colin soon has another chance with Max when another death occurs at Oakshott Hall, the first dead boys’ brother. And so the true mystery begins.
Now I did enjoy this story but I did feel like throwing my kindle at times because of how dense everyone seem to be concerning the culprit, it was just so incredible that everyone believed the culprits innocent act. And the twist… very well played out.
Colin’s relationship with Max was a sweet little thing, very intense and passionate for both of them. I can’t say much about how well suited they are because we don’t really get to know Max that well. But the author did well to get their relationship off the ground considering it’s a mash-up and the characters we’re both straight men in the original story.
So the story is enjoyable and interesting, the outcome was exciting, and the characters are interesting. If you love historical mysteries, men finding love, and a surprising twist then you’ll enjoy this story.
Hi guys! We have Jim Austen visiting today with the tour for his new release Murder At Oakschott Hall, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for my review posting 8th March!
Murder At Oakschott Hall
by
Jim Austen
They have eyes for each other. But someone is eyeing them for murder. An erotic gay romance mystery.
In the Junior students’ dormitory at Oakschott Hall, a heavy gaslight falls from the ceiling, crushing the head of a student sleeping beneath it. Was it simply a tragic accident? To avoid publicity, the Headmaster asks Colin Revell, a young Oxford University graduate and former Oakschott student, to quietly investigate.
While interviewing the faculty and staff, Colin meets Max Lambourne, a handsome don who was wounded and gassed in WWI. When Colin tries to help Max overcome his trauma and depression, the two men fall in love and begin an erotic affair.
But when another student dies—diving at night into an empty swimming pool—murder is suspected. Students and faculty all come under suspicion, and rumors proliferate when Scotland Yard intervenes. Meanwhile, during all this confusion and wild theories, the murderer sees Colin and Max as threats. Unbeknownst to the two lovers, their lives are now in danger.
Hi peeps! We have Jim Austen visiting today with the cover to his new release Murder At Oakschott Hall, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Murder At Oakschott Hall
by
Jim Austen
They have eyes for each other. But someone is eyeing them for murder. An erotic gay romance mystery.
In the Junior students’ dormitory at Oakschott Hall, a heavy gaslight falls from the ceiling, crushing the head of a student sleeping beneath it. Was it simply a tragic accident? To avoid publicity, the Headmaster asks Colin Revell, a young Oxford University graduate and former Oakschott student, to quietly investigate.
While interviewing the faculty and staff, Colin meets Max Lambourne, a handsome don who was wounded and gassed in WWI. When Colin tries to help Max overcome his trauma and depression, the two men fall in love and begin an erotic affair.
But when another student dies—diving at night into an empty swimming pool—murder is suspected. Students and faculty all come under suspicion, and rumors proliferate when Scotland Yard intervenes. Meanwhile, during all this confusion and wild theories, the murderer sees Colin and Max as threats. Unbeknownst to the two lovers, their lives are now in danger.
Genre: Various – Contemporary, Murder Mystery, Paranormal
Length: Novella bundle (978 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (25 Sept 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Blurb: Hit author John Inman presents five novels of romance, from tongue in cheek to seriously chic
—Shy: Funny what a couple of guys can accomplish when they’re crazy about each other. Not even nine hundred chickens can stand in the way of true love.
—Loving Hector: Hector’s evil ex is dead set on holding on—even if it means kidnapping Hector to keep him from Dill forever! Now Dill has to pull an army together to rescue Hector, and just where the hell is he supposed to find an army? Gads, if only Dill could write books this interesting!
—Hobbled: Danny had plans to come out this summer—maybe even get laid! He doesn’t have time for ankle monitors and serial killers! Then ginger-haired Luke Jamison moves in next door. Gee. If Danny can survive it, this summer might not be so bad after all.
—Serenading Stanley: Welcome to the Belladonna Arms, a rundown little apartment building perched atop a hill in downtown San Diego, home to the city’s lost and lovelorn. While Roger tries to batter down Stanley’s defenses, Stanley turns to his new neighbors to learn about love.
—Spirit: Toss a murder, a hot young stud, an unexpected love affair, and a spooky-ass ghost with a weird sense of humor into Jason’s summer plans, and you’ve got the makings for one hell of a ride.
Review: This is the best hits collection bundle for John Inman and I have to say, this is truly a collection of brilliant book from an assortment of genres. I’ve read maybe one or two other John Inman books but to be quite honest, these ones have completely blown me away. I’ve rated this overall 5 out 5 – however, I am just going to make note that I also rate all of the featured novellas 5 as well.
All these stories are in the first person but brilliantly written – not once did I wonder what the other MC was thinking while reading all of these stories. The bonus is that they are all set in San Diego and I absolutely adore that city!
There are 5 stories featured, which are as follows:
Shy: 💖💖💖💖💖5 Hearts
The story is told by Tom – he is a mild mannered banker with a debilitating case of shyness. At an ex’s part he meets Frank – who also shares the same social anxiety. What ensues is a comedy of errors as the two guys overcome their anxiety and get to know each other.
This is funny and irreverent. The guys share a wonderful attraction which is over and above their shared disorder. Throw in a hilarious Chihuahua with a mind of its own and you got the start of a great relationship. Both Tom and Frank some bad apples in their lives but they can overcome any obstacle. I had kind of guessed the ending – at least part of it – but it is a tad gruesome and had me thinking of the TV show Deadwood. (Any fan of Deadwood will know what I mean when I say pigs!).
Loving Hector: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
The person telling this story is Dillard Brown – he has a nutty family including a mother who insists he’s straight and a grandfather whose sexuality seems to be fluid. He finds a stray dog – which he saves – and affectionately names it Chester while he half heartedly tries to track down the owner. Then enter, Hector, owner of said dog and actually made a brief (albeit nameless) appearance before the dog came onto the scene!
This book is nothing short of hilarious. Chester is on one escapade to another and quickly attaches himself to Dill after being returned to Hector. Dill and Hector’s relationship is nothing but bumpy but the attraction between the guys and their personalities – they are made for each other (quite literally). Then there are the minor characters, Dill’s boss’s and his grandfather take the prize for hilarity while his parents are simply nutty. His mother is completely adorable even if she is in her own little world. Then there is Hector’s ex (Valdemaro, though I kept thinking Voldemorte), the only thing not funny about this book: it was a good storyline though and brought the characters together wonderfully.
Hobbled: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
This is basically Rear Window re-told (which had been re-told as the movie Disturbia, too) with two young nineteen year old gay guys who happen to be developing a romantic relationship on the side. The narrator is Danny – he had something of a tantrum at work and now has not only a cast one leg from the incident but he also has a police ankle device from the judge after his ex-boss pressed charges.
So we have a bored teenager alone because his father has to go away for work and there are reports of a serial killer on the rampage after young guys. I don’t want to give away the back story because I think the whole “Rear Window” thing is a big give away. When a new neighbour moves in and Danny meets with some precocious young boys the drama and the mystery escalates rapidly. I will admit that it took me some time to figure things out but I will admit the side story with Danny’s father I had figured out as soon as the first clue was handed out.
Luke and Danny are really sweet together and their story is a great ride!
Serenading Stanley: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
This is book 1 of John Inman’s series Belladonna Arms and after reading Serenading Stanley I definitely want to (need to) read the rest of the series. Shy archaeology student, Stanley, moves into the fairly cheap Belladonna Arms so that he could be closer to uni (against the wishes of his mother who lives in the city). There he meets the hot and newly graduated nurse, Roger. Stanley is very reticent when it comes to Roger’s advances and so Roger has no choice but to woo the man.
This is another funny story (though still did not laugh as much as I did in Shy and Loving Hector). Besides Stanley and Roger, there are a whole host of quirky characters including transgender, transvestite queens, and just a few oddball gay men that all call the Belladonna Arms home. This is a lot of fun and very sexy.
Spirit:💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Time for a bit of a spooky story! Again, this is another book where I had elements of the story figured out where it comes to the ghost. I don’t want to go into too much details because it is a really interesting story that you will enjoy – even if, like me, you have figured out some of the major parts of the big picture, the smaller details are really great.
The story is told from the POV of Jason, who has been left as the carer of his nephew, Timmy, for a month while his sister and her less than stellar boyfriend go off on a holiday. Immediately Timmy starts talking about the man in the walls of his uncle’s house. Then Jason runs into the brother of his sister’s ex-husband, Sam. Sam and his family have not seen Timmy since his brother disappeared. That is where the true mystery starts. It also helps that there was a definite spark of attraction the moment that the two guys met.
There is some drama, romance, mystery, some of the hysterical one liners that I now come to expect with John’s writing and add into that a dash of horror. This is one spectacularly spooky story! It is so damn creepy that I love it!
Hi peeps! We have L.A. Bryce stopping by today with her new release In His Sights, we have a great exclusive excerpt and a fantastic giveaway where there’s a Kindle Fire HD 10 up for grabs. So check out the post and enter that awesome giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
In His Sights
by
L.A. Bryce
Meet two men who need each other’s help but don’t realize it until it’s almost too late.
Noah is gay and terrified someone might find out. So much so that when he was blackmailed with pictures of himself with another man, instead of coming clean, he left his SEAL team without a word.
The other man is openly gay Mason, a former Marine and now part of the FBI’s Joint Terrorist Task force. It takes eight years after their first meeting in the desert for a chance event bring the two men together again. Now Noah must decide if he’s ready to accept who he is or if it’s easier to cut and run. Can they navigate the obstacles in their path to build a relationship? And why does the thought of that scare them more than investigating a group of terrorists?
Blurb:For teenage secret agent Theo Reese, summer break isn’t a time to relax. In addition to his duties for Tactical Operational Support, Theo’s got a school project and, more than anything, wants to spend time with his boyfriend, Eddie.
A family trip to New York City is the last thing Theo needs.
But a friend of Theo’s father is in need of the Reese family’s special skills. Oliver Glenwood heads a music empire, and his daughter, Sofia, is a rising pop star—one who’d drawn the attention of kidnappers.
During the investigation, Theo discovers the threat poses more danger than originally suspected. Someone has planted code in Glenwood Music’s songs that can steal information from any personal device—or play a tone that can rouse uncontrollable rage. The consequences will be disastrous if the infected songs are downloaded by the public. Preventing worldwide catastrophe becomes even more difficult when Eddie arrives in the city, hoping to spend some quality time with Theo.
No one ever said being a covert agent would be easy.
Review: This was an amazing story with a twist I never saw coming.
Theo and his parents set out for New York to help a friend of his dad’s who is a talented songwriter among other things. Attempted kidnappings and unusual music manipulations lead Theo into a discovery that changes everything for him.
My heart went out to Theo as the story ended. I so loved the mystery, the investigation and the details in how the team discovers what is going on as well as how they stop the culprits from advancing any further. Great action scenes had me on the edge of my seat.
I love this series as we see how Theo interacts with others as well as how he adjusts when the call goes out for a mission. I do not want to give away anything about the book further than I already have.
Blurb: When B. J. Vinson, confidential investigator, learns his young friend, Jazz Penrod, has disappeared and has not been heard from in a month, he discovers some ominous emails. Jazz has been corresponding with a “Juan” through a dating site, and that single clue draws BJ and his significant other, Paul Barton, into the brutal but lucrative world of human trafficking.
Their trail leads to a mysterious Albuquerquean known only as Silver Wings, who protects the Bulgarian cartel that moves people—mostly the young and vulnerable—around the state to be sold into modern-day slavery, sexual and otherwise. Can BJ and Paul locate and expose Silver Wings without putting Jazz’s life in jeopardy? Hell, can they do so without putting themselves at risk? People start dying as BJ, Paul, and Henry Secatero, Jazz’s Navajo half-brother, get too close. To find the answer, bring down the ring, and save Jazz, they’ll need to locate the place where human trafficking ties into the Navajo Nation and the gay underground
Review: I would recommend reading this series in sequential order. It tells you about our sexy characters and gives you a bit more about their back ground. Also you will enjoy them quite a bit.
Jazz and his brother had helped B.J. on a case and was a dear friend. When his brother came to B.J. and wanted his help, B.J. had not expected Jazz to be a victim of human trafficking.
Jazz had been only looking for the one, the one that would love only him. It led him to many dating sites and to a man named Juan. The problem was Juan was deep neck in the world of selling young children and occasionally an adult. He was eighteen but looked like he was about fifteen or so. He was also very beautiful.
The lead went into many different directions all the way up to politician’s it would seem. They needed to find Jazz and then shut down the whole gig. The leader whom they call Silver Wings, is not only slippery but very deadly. To know more you need to read the book.
I came across this author when the first book came out in this series and lets just say he is one of my top mystery writers. This story was written about what truly goes on in our world, but the ending just so happens to be happy in the end. Well written and told with so much heart that it just draws you in and keeps you there. It gives you action, danger, murder, suspense and a few hot times for our two main characters. It actually gives you more than you could possibly ask for in a story.
Now on the downside, it is also a very long telling story. So I would suggest it on a cold winters day off with a glass of wine on the table besides you. For me I didn’t really like the fact that it came off so long and a bit over telling in parts, but the story itself rocks. Now even though I list it as gay romance it truly isn’t, it is more on the mystery than anything else. It has a much darker tone to it then the previous ones which one can expect from such a dark subject.
I can’t say that this one is a top favorite of mine, it is pretty high up there. I enjoyed the characters quite a bit and Jazz will be a favorite of mine, and I do hope to hear about him and his new guy in future books.
I enjoyed reading this story and would definitely recommend it.
Hi guys! We have Don Travis popping in today with his new release Abaddon’s Locusts, we have a brilliant exclusive excerpt and a fantastic $10 DSPP GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for Lisa’s review coming soon!
Abaddon’s Locusts
(BJ Vinson Mystery 05)
by
Don Travis
When B. J. Vinson, confidential investigator, learns his young friend, Jazz Penrod, has disappeared and has not been heard from in a month, he discovers some ominous emails. Jazz has been corresponding with a “Juan” through a dating site, and that single clue draws BJ and his significant other, Paul Barton, into the brutal but lucrative world of human trafficking.
Their trail leads to a mysterious Albuquerquean known only as Silver Wings, who protects the Bulgarian cartel that moves people—mostly the young and vulnerable—around the state to be sold into modern-day slavery, sexual and otherwise. Can BJ and Paul locate and expose Silver Wings without putting Jazz’s life in jeopardy? Hell, can they do so without putting themselves at risk? People start dying as BJ, Paul, and Henry Secatero, Jazz’s Navajo half-brother, get too close. To find the answer, bring down the ring, and save Jazz, they’ll need to locate the place where human trafficking ties into the Navajo Nation and the gay underground.
Warning: Kidnapping, Internet targeting, Human trafficking, Drug addiction, Sex trafficking,
Title: Fire and Flint
Title: Audio Assault
Title: Abaddon’s Locusts
