Hi guys! We have Crystal Lacy stopping by today with her new audio release Brave For You, we have a brilliant giveaway where you can win an audio copy of Brave For You, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Brave For You
(Oahu Love 01)
by
Crystal Lacy
Narrator: Iggy Toma
Less than a year after moving to Hawaii, construction foreman Nate Ellison’s wife leaves him and their infant son for another man. Months into single-fatherhood, Nate meets Andrew “An” Hoang and is slowly drawn into An’s life. Through An’s friendship, he finds himself finally enjoying his new home in paradise.
An Hoang hasn’t had a real relationship in years. With his pediatrics practice and a niece to care for on his days off, he doesn’t have the headspace for more than a simple roll in the sack. But when he meets Nate—who just happens to be the gorgeous construction worker he encountered in the lobby of his apartment building—something about Nate makes it impossible for him not to care. When Nate needs An’s help with his son, An doesn’t refuse.
What happens when Nate’s past and An’s old-fashioned parents interfere just as the two men begin to fall for each other? Will they find the means to be brave and give their love a chance to flourish?
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (4th August 2016)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating:♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Blurb: Portland Pack Chronicles: Book Two
In the four months since hedgehog shifter Avery Babineaux started investigating the disappearance of a young female werewolf from the Portland Pack, he’s discovered his life’s passion. Now he’s apprenticing under established PI Corbin Reid. Avery hopes his training with Reid will help him finally bring Lacey home, but detective work isn’t without its perils, and the potential dangers strain his relationship with his new mate, Dylan.
Dylan Green would be perfectly content with his mating and his motorcycle shop if it wasn’t for his constant worry about Avery’s safety and the fact that Avery’s never home. Proud as he might be of Avery’s determination to prove his worth and fulfill his promise to Lacey’s father, Dylan can’t stand the thought of Avery being hurt. Yet what right does he have to demand Avery give up his job when it’s clear Avery’s found his true purpose? Still, Dylan wishes he could, and the appearance of a new police detective who sets his sights on Avery only adds to the tension.
Something has to give, but stubbornness runs in both their veins, and it might take a catastrophe for them to find a compromise they can live with.
Review: Prickly By Nature is the second book in the Portland Chronicles series. I feel that it would be very difficult to understand the overarching plotlines without having read or heard book 1 before hand. It is an enjoyable addition to the series.
We pick up the story of prickly hedgehog shifter, Avery Babineaux, and his wolf shifter mate Dylan Green. Avery is as prickly as his creature. He’s a good old southern boy from an obscenely rich family who believe that if there’s anything worse than Avery being gay, it’s that he’s mated to a wolf shifter. Avery and Dylan have overcome their problems to enjoy a proper mating. But Avery is taking on more than he really should in his new career as a private investigator and Dylan both worries and feels neglected by his mate. Throw in a mystery carried over from the previous book involving human trafficking and a new set of mates and everything in the story is ready to go.
However, it pains me to say I did not enjoy the story as much as I had been hoping, or rather expecting to. I enjoyed the plot in general and I loved the voice that Iggy Toma gave to the story. For me the narration was actually the saving grace that kept me going. My issue was the overall flow of the story was a tad too slow for my liking. In fact, I think the best way to put it that there was a lot of “telling” and “listing” in the story. Even the sex scenes seemed a little long and purely explanatory.
I think for me this is a book I would rather read the written word instead of hearing. I would definitely find more enjoyment out of that. This is a good paranormal romance from an equally enjoyable series – it’s just not the best installment in my opinion.
Owen Meade is desperately in need of a hero. Raised by a mother who made him ashamed of his stutter, his sexual orientation, and his congenitally amputated arm, Owen lives like a hermit in his Tucker Springs apartment. But then hunky veterinarian Nick Reynolds moves in downstairs.
Nick is sexy and confident, and makes Owen comfortable with himself in a way nobody ever has. He also introduces Owen to his firecracker of a little sister, who was born with a similar congenital amputation but never let it stand in her way. When she signs the two of them up for piano lessons – and insists that they play together in a recital – Owen can’t find a way to say no. Especially since it gives him a good excuse to spend more time with Nick.
Owen knows he’s falling hard for his neighbor, but every time he gets close, Nick inexplicably pulls away. Battling his mother’s scorn and Nick’s secrets, Owen soon realizes that instead of waiting for a hero, it’s time to be one – for himself and for Nick.
Review: I don’t know where to start so I think I will go with AMAZING! That pretty much sums up the characters, the story, and the narration.
Own has been infatuated with his neighbor since he moved to Tucker Springs. When she suddenly moves he is hurt but more that he no longer gets to hear the piano that soothed him nightly. Owen has one arm due to a birth defect and a mother that left him with no confidence so he works from home and is a hermit. When Nick moves in below him and isn’t put off by his arm his life begins to change. Nick introduces him to his sister who also has the same birth defect but the opposite arm and she handles it the opposite as Owen.
Nick also has a secret that makes him keep men at a distance and won’t give into a relationship, but he finds Owen hard to resist.
This is such a lovely story of two men each with his own issue that seriously affects his life. I adored Nick and was so glad to finally get his story. It was better than I hoped for. The story has a lot of angst, some sad moments but I loved the ending. It’s the first in a while that left me laughing.
I listened to this on Audio instead of reading.
I adore Iggy Tomas narrations. He is good at bringing characters to life but even more so at bringing a story to life. I love his soothing voice and could listen to it for hours. Well, I guess I do!
If you like stories about broken men, a few surprises, unlikely heroes and an allover great romance I highly recommend this book.
If you haven’t read or listened to any of the other Tucker Springs books don’t worry each stands alone but I highly recommend them all.
Blurb: The course of true love doesn’t always run clean. But sometimes getting dirty is half the fun.
Entomology grad student Adam Ellery meets Denver Rogers, a muscle-bound hunk of sexy, when Denver effortlessly dispatches the drunken frat boys harassing Adam at the Tucker Springs laundromat. Thanking him turns into flirting, and then, much to Adam’s delight, hot sex over the laundry table.
Though Denver’s job as a bouncer at a gay bar means he gets his pick of geek-sexy college twinks, he can’t get Adam out of his head. Adam seems to need the same rough play Denver does, and it’s damn hard to say no to such a perfect fit.
Trouble is, Adam isn’t just shy: he has obsessive compulsive disorder and clinical anxiety, conditions which have ruined past relationships. And while Denver might be able to bench-press a pile of grad students, he comes from a history of abuse and is terrified of getting his GED. Neither Denver nor Adam want to face their dirty laundry, but to stay together, they’re going to have to come clean.
Review: Dirty Laundry is the third book in the Tucker Springs series though these books stand alone.
In Dirty Laundry we get Denver’s story. He goes one night to do laundry when a bunch of Frat boys are picking on another young man, he breaks it up and he and Adam enjoy a hot round of sex in the Laudro Rama.
Not a man for relationships he is shocked finding himself hoping this twink does call him.
Adam is a grad student studying bugs. He has recently moved out of the frat house after a break-up. He suffers OCD and is having a hard enough time living in a new apartment now he finds himself wanting to see Denver knowing once he finds out about his problems he will leave.
I love stories about broken men. I especially love it when both characters are broken. Denver though big and strong feels like a dummy because he can’t get his dream job because he can’t pass a test. Adam has OCD with panic attacks. I love how Heidi did such a good job getting both Adams OCD right, though every case is different. I was able to relate to him having OCD though mine is nothing like his. What I really liked was how she used BDSM to help Adam. The BDSM is not overboard and not the major focus of the story but the aid to help bring both Denver and Adam together. There is a strong plot and some hot man-sex.
I loved Iggy’s Thomas voice for Denver. He did such a good job with the cowboy twang. I was surprised since he has such a soft voice. I am still not sure I liked Adams voice, I think it was a bit over the top. But having said that there was a good distinction between the characters. As usual his narration is quite good. He can always draw me into a story.
If you love sexy cowboys and bouncers, sweet nerdy college students, a touch of BDSM, an allover good romance and some hot man-sex then you should like this.
Blurb: Paul Hannon moved to Tucker Springs for his girlfriend, but she’s left him with a house he can’t afford and a pantry full of useless gadgets. All Paul wants is to get back to normal, even if he’s not sure what that is anymore. When he wanders into Tucker Pawn for a gift to win her back, he meets El Rozal, pawn shop owner and all-around cynic.
El Rozal doesn’t do relationships, especially not with clueless straight boys still pining for their ex. El may make his living dealing in castoffs, but that doesn’t apply to men. Still, when Paul starts clearing out his old life, pawning kitchen equipment he never wanted in the first place, El is drawn to Paul in spite of himself.
Paul and El have nothing in common except a past full of disappointments. There’s no reason to believe the two of them could fit, but in El’s line of work, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. When it comes to love, El and Paul may learn that secondhand doesn’t mean second best.
Review: Paul moved to Tucker Springs for his girlfriends so she could sell her sculptures. When she found out he failed his vet school and got a job as a receptionist, she found someone else. Someone she felt could help her make it in the art world. Down on his luck, Paul kept trying to win Stacy over. For her birthday, he went to the Tucker Springs Pawn to find a gift for her.
El was immediately taken by the cute, innocent young man. Straight man.
All Paul really wants is love and acceptance. To be able to make out in public, hold hands in public.
This was such a fun, romantic story. I loved how Paul was so clueless that El was taking thing just to see him, especially when he took the dog left on the vet’s steps for Paul. I loved the way El’s friend chided him about Paul and the fun banter between El, his friend, and his family.
If you are looking for fun, humorous romance, like bisexual men, Gay for you stories, cute dogs, gardening and an all over great romance, this is the book for you. It’s perfect for an afternoon of yard work or housework.
Plug in your earphones and let Iggy Toma tell you the story of El and Paul! I love Iggy Toma. He can tell a story so well. His voice is nearly mesmerizing. He conveys all the characters so well. * I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Where Nerves End Series: Tucker Springs 01 Author: L.A. Witt Genre: Contemporary Length: 6 hours and 55 minutes Publisher: Riptide Publishing (December 22nd, 2015) Narrator: Iggy Toma Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts Blurb: Jason Davis can handle a breakup. And an overwhelming mortgage. And a struggling business. And the excruciating pain that keeps him up at night thanks to a shoulder injury. But all of it at once? Not so much. When his shoulder finally pushes him to a breaking point, Jason takes a friend’s advice and gives acupuncture a try.
Acupuncturist Michael Whitman is a single dad struggling to make ends meet. When a mutual friend refers Jason as a patient, and Jason suggests a roommate arrangement to alleviate their respective financial strains, Michael jumps at the opportunity.
But Jason soon finds himself regretting it – he’s too damn attracted to Michael, and living with him is harder than he thought it’d be. In fact, the temptation to act on his feelings would almost be too much if not for the fact that Michael is straight.
Or at least, that’s what their mutual friend claims.
Review:Where the Nerves in was a breathtakingly Beautiful story, full off angst, passion and coming out.
Chronic pain has ruled Jay’s life for a long time now. His boyfriend left him with a big mortgage, his business partner left him with a big mortgage and failing business, and with the pain he deals with all the time he has no control over his life. Finally, at wit’s end with no other option in sight, he goes to see an acupuncturist that his best friend recommends. He finds himself attracted but the man is straight, divorced with a seven-year-old child.
Finding out Michael was also suffering from stress of business and mortgage he suggest he move in with him to help them both and so he can continue his treatments. But will the sexual tension be too much?
I loved this story. I loved both Jay and Michael. I could feel their anguish and pain. Whether it was emotional (Michael) or physical (Jay).
Iggy Toma did an excellent job of conveying both men’s feelings so well. I loved his silky, soft voice. His portrayal of each character was clear and he also was able to show the internal thoughts for both men clearly as well.
If you like coming out stories, lots of angst and some hot mansex you will love this.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Prickly By Nature
Title: Never a Hero 
Title: Dirty Laundry
Title: Second Hand
Title: Where Nerves End