Hi guys, we have J.R. Loveless stopping by today with her upcoming release Love and Snowball Fights, we have an awesome guest post where J.R. shares her delicious peanut butter blossom cookies recipe and we also have a great excerpt. So guys check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Love and Snowball Fights
by
J.R. Loveless
Lane Freeman supposed there were worse places to be dumped than a place named Christmas Valley. After being ejected from the foster care system, he spent the past five years hitchhiking and moving around. But six months of a steady job at Tal’s Bar and Grill, an apartment, and even a three-legged cat, have him almost ready to risk putting down a few roots when Tal’s brother comes home for the holidays.
Dallas firefighter Trey Jenkins reluctantly accepts that Lane isn’t like the other drifters who’ve come through his brother’s place. A fragile attraction begins to bloom between them, in spite of the many reasons they both have to fight it. Trey wants to give Lane a family, but experience has taught Lane to depend on no one but himself. Will winter love burn hot in a town called Christmas Valley, or will Lane return to his wandering ways?
Hiya guys, we have J.R. Loveless popping in today with her upcoming release You Belong With Me, we heave a brilliant guest post from J.R. and a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
You Belong With Me
by
J.R. Loveless
Scott has been in love with his best friend Craig for years, but watching Craig with his manipulative boyfriend has worn Scott down, and he knows he needs a break from the pain and maybe a change of scenery and perspective. His twin sister, Karen, convinces him to spend a summer in Paris.
Karen is sick and tired of seeing Scott suffer, and she’s not going to stand for it anymore. She confronts Craig and tells him what he’s been missing by spurning Scott’s affection in favor of a jerk who mistreats him.
When Craig unknowingly breaks Scott’s heart, Craig opens his eyes—and his own heart—to the possibility of a future with Scott. He plans to use the time while Scott’s abroad to orchestrate a romantic surprise that will show Scott they belong together. But when he sees Scott with another man at the airport, Craig fears he’s too late.
Hi guys, we have J.R. Loveless popping in with her upcoming re-release Fragments of a Unicorn’s Soul, we have a great excerpt, a brilliant giveaway and my review, so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Fragments of a Unicorn’s Soul
by
J.R. Loveless
Content with his life, Elek Keros never questions the ways of the Unicorn. Until one night the sense of something coming awakens him from a deep sleep. He breaks Unicorn law by leaving the enchanted glade his kind lives in to search for what is calling to him. Each night he returns home without answers, but he cannot stop entering the forest day after day to find what he seeks.
The answer lies in a small child Elek rescues. Over the years, he watches over the boy, learns all that he can about the human and steadily falls in love with him. But how can the love he feels possibly breach the divide between their two worlds?
Title: Swift’s Temptation Series: N/A Author: J.R. Loveless Genre: Contemporary Length: 237 pages Publisher: Torquere Press (February 16th, 2016) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts Blurb: Small town farm boy Fagan Swift moves to New York City to escape the suffocating confines of his hometown and, after nine months of job searching, stumbles on a well-paying position at an escort agency. Once there, he meets the most arrogant, infuriating man he’s ever known, Xavier James. The sparks fly from the very moment they meet, igniting a fire between the two men that blazes out of control.
Too much champagne at the company Christmas party finds Fagan waking up in a stranger’s hotel room. Only his hangover is the least of his worries when he finds that the stranger is none other than Xavier, and a call from his best friend, Trinity, sends him winging towards home when his father ends up in the hospital. Blackmail and lust follow swiftly on Fagan’s heels and he has no choice but to give into Xavier’s demands to be his lover. His father’s life depends on it.
Can Fagan survive long enough to untangle the web of blackmail Xavier has woven around him or will it drag his soul down into the darkness threatening to consume him?
This was previously published by Silver Publishing.
Review: When I first started reading this book I wasn’t sure if I wanted to finish it. In fact I was not only angry but in tears at how a man can treat another with such hatred. However the further on the story went and I realized there was something in the past that made him react the way he did.
This story is quite different from the ones I normally read, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have read one other book by this author and love the world she creates. This story showed me something so different that I was caught off guard by it, but it also talks of pain so deep that you change who you are over time and how hard it is to get your true self back. There is nothing paranormal happening here. I am talking about overcoming your past.
Fagan’s mother passed away when he was twelve years old, and it seems that his father has never been happy with him ever since. Not when he told him he was gay, nor how he didn’t want to take over the farm, or that he was moving to New York to learn how to be an artist. He felt the pain of feeling like nothing he ever did was good enough for anyone.
His best friend had moved with him and things were looking up. He ended up in a job he would have never expected, by getting run over by a dog. He was now working for an escort service where you provided the dreams of people, but no sex was involved. Thank god because the man was gay. However thinks started going downhill when the owner’s cousin took an instant hate towards him.
Xavier had been hurt by a boyfriend a few years ago and it made him bitter and mean. So when he sees Fagan and is attracted to him, he started hating the man. Treating him like a common whore. However time went past and he realized he totally screwed up. He had a lot of things to fix and one of them was the heart of the man he has fallen in love with.
This story was one of the best I have ever read and I wished I could give it a higher rating than just a five. It actually made me feel something so deep that I had to take a deep breath after reading it. It shows the darkness to Xavier’s soul over time and how much pain he could give to someone. Then it shows what he will do to fix what he has done wrong. It shows how much pain Fagan goes through and what it takes to have forgiveness in one’s heart.
This is one story that I would definitely recommend it.
It was more powerful than even I could have expected. I truly loved it and can’t wait to see what other stories this amazing author has out.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Hi guys, we have J.R. Loveless popping in today with her new re-release Swift’s Temptation, we have a great excerpt, a brilliant giveaway and Lisa’s review so enjoy the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~
Swift’s Temptation
by
J.R. Loveless
Small town farm boy Fagan Swift moves to New York City to escape the suffocating confines of his hometown and, after nine months of job searching, stumbles on a well-paying position at an escort agency. Once there, he meets the most arrogant, infuriating man he’s ever known, Xavier James. The sparks fly from the very moment they meet, igniting a fire between the two men that blazes out of control.
Too much champagne at the company Christmas party finds Fagan waking up in a stranger’s hotel room. Only his hangover is the least of his worries when he finds that the stranger is none other than Xavier, and a call from his best friend, Trinity, sends him winging towards home when his father ends up in the hospital. Blackmail and lust follow swiftly on Fagan’s heels and he has no choice but to give into Xavier’s demands to be his lover. His father’s life depends on it. Can Fagan survive long enough to untangle the web of blackmail Xavier has woven around him or will it drag his soul down into the darkness threatening to consume him?
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (23rd November 2012)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3 – 3 ½ Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: In an attempt to atone for his sins and find some solace, ADA Agent Gabriel Romero helps other Deviants in need. But with threats from both sides—Normals and the Deviants who despise them—he finds it harder and harder to outrun his ghosts, especially after a difficult mission to rescue twin brothers held at an enemy compound, where Gabriel meets Alexander Ryker. Gabriel finds his new charge unexpectedly attractive, and that’s a complication he does not want—one he thinks he doesn’t deserve.
Despite the frosty reception from the stubborn agent who rescued him, sheltered telepath Alex feels an instant connection through the pain he sees in Gabriel’s eyes, and he does everything he can to gain his attention. The realities he must face while mastering his ability are hard, but failing to learn to defend himself is not an option. Soon he’ll need his newfound strength to convince Gabriel he deserves to live and love again.
Review: Gabriel is a Deviant, a human with special powers, to atone for sins in the past he rescues and helps other Deviants for the Agency for Deviant Assistance (ADA), but he finds it harder and harder to outrun a past that haunts him with their enemies consistently upping the stakes. Alex and his brother Jason have been captured by Deviants who are set on using them for their own needs, when rescue comes in the shape of Gabriel Alex finds himself drawn to the older man, but getting the man to open up to him is impossible. Alex works on getting Gabriel to forgive himself, while Gabriel teaches Alex how to survive. But, will either of them survive when Gabriel’s past comes to call?
This is a great paranormal story where being different will get you killed. When some humans began to develop special powers they became Deviant’s, the normal’s began to hunt them down and then the Government’s decided concentration camps would keep them safe… it just made them sitting ducks. One man created the Agency for Deviant Assistance after the murder of his wife and son and has dedicated his time and resources to saving Deviant’s… one such man was Gabriel. Gabriel’s power is strong, a group of Deviant’s captured him, and during his rescue, he lost the one person most precious to him. Gabriel has spent years fighting back and rescuing all the Deviants he can. This is how he comes to meet Alex. Alex is drawn to Gabriel but is resentful that he has to change to live in the world, cracking through Gabriel’s shell is harder than learning to defend himself but when Alex is in danger Gabriel finally accepts his feelings for the younger man.
I quite enjoyed this story and liked the world building; we are drawn into a world where there is no hiding if you are suspected of being a Deviant, there are no real repercussions from the Government for murdering a Deviant and the danger for being different is brutal and swift. There seem to be two groups of Deviant’s, those that want to be left alone and those that want revenge on the humans for the treatment of Deviant’s and the ADA is the former group. This shows humanity at its worse, destroying what they don’t understand in a bloody and brutal fashion and it doesn’t matter how old the Deviant is.
I wasn’t sure what to make of Alex and Gabriel’s relationship as Alex spends his time trying to get close to Gabriel, and Gabriel pushes Alex away with every breath, so I was beginning to think Alex was a glutton for punishment but finally you see Gabriel begin to soften. Gabriel is tortured by his past and Alex tries to heal him, and while there is an attraction between them, it gets pushed to the back a lot by the circumstances they find themselves in. We meet many characters in this story and with some of them. You get the feeling that there will be stories for them in the future. Although we do get a bit of a happy ending for Gabriel and Alex the ending isn’t really an ending, it’s left open for the next couple to continue the main storyline, so not really a cliffhanger but no real conclusion.
I recommend this to those who love paranormal stories, danger, a difficult relationship, letting go of the past and accepting a new fate.
Blurb: Veterinarian Seth Davies comes to Senaka, Wyoming, looking for peace and anonymity, trying to escape his past. He’s always been a target for trouble and pain, and Seth has had more than his share of both. Kasey Whitedove takes one look at Seth and assumes the worst. No white man could love animals the way the mostly Cheyenne population expects, and Kasey makes Seth’s first days in Senaka more than unpleasant.
Then an accident puts Kasey in the uncomfortable position of eating crow—and helplessly desiring Seth—despite the danger of Kasey’s life as a werewolf and Seth’s stressful secrets. Chasing Seth down and keeping him safe from his past has just become Kasey’s most important job.
Review: Seth Davies has been trying to escape his past for years. A born wolf, his parents raised him to think they were the last of their kind. A created wolf found him after his parents death and convinced Seth that they were mates, and then abused him for months before his best friend Nick rescued him. He spent years moving from town to town until he settled in the small town of Senaka, Wyoming as the new vet. Seth hopes to find a fresh start in Senaka, to leave behind the shadows of his past. Did I mention he is a magnet for trouble?
Kasey Whitedove is the sheriff in Senaka. He is a born wolf as well, the son of the alpha that has been bred to be the future alpha. The Cheyenne wolves believe they are the only true wolves, that any other wolves are created. Created wolves are volatile and dangerous. When Kasey’s horse has trouble in her labor, he is less than pleased to learn the new vet is a white man. Even after Seth saves both momma and baby, Kasey is still down right hateful to him. But Seth has gotten under his skin and soon Kasey is forced to redefine his beliefs.
An accident reveals that these two unlikely wolves are, in fact, mates. Both fight it at the start and in a lovely little twist, its Seth that fights against the bond the hardest. Seth doesn’t trust anyone but Nick, especially not another wolf after what the last one did to him. I also liked the fact that even after Kasey claimed Seth and the bond was in place, Seth still fought it. Kasey is one hundred percent dominate alpha male, and Seth is submissive by nature, but they both want an equal partner. The beauty of this book was watching them find that balance. Learning to trust one another and embrace the bond.
I was completely engrossed in this story line from the start. It was a little bit cheesy and slightly predictable, but there was something about the ornery sheriff that always had to be in control and the fragile Vet that just wanted to be loved, but was too standoffish to let anyone get that close. It was a dichotomy of give and take for them to make it work. Once they find that balance so they can be together they still have to deal with Kasey’s pack. Thinking they are the only pack of born wolves, they assume Seth is a created, not good. All the while there is a shadow looming in the background as Seth’s past comes back to haunt him.
Narration is key with audio books and that is why I marked this one down a notch. If I had read this one, it might have gotten 5 stars, but Jeff Gelder’s mediocre vocals were a little off-putting. His changes in nuance and inflection from one character to the next are barely distinguishable, bordering on monotone. The actual story kept me intrigued though which should be a testament to Loveless’s prowess.
This is a must read for fans of a strong, dominant alpha male romance. There is an added element of surprise, and enough sexy to keep your blood pumping. I’m happy to learn that this is the first book in a series. The title for the sequel tells us that it will center around Nick and Thayne. Nick is Seth’s best friend and possibly the future alpha of his pack, and Thayne is Kasey’s younger brother. It promises to be a very juicy sequel!
Blurb:For hundreds of years Elek Keros never questioned the way of his kind. Until the moment his soul awakens and he finds himself in love with a human. But how can he bridge the divide between their two worlds and claim what is rightfully his?
Content with his life, Elek Keros never questions the ways of the Unicorn. Until one night the sense of something coming awakens him from a deep sleep. He breaks Unicorn law by leaving the enchanted glade his kind lives in to search for what is calling to him. Each night he returns home without answers, but he cannot stop entering the forest day after day to find what he seeks.
The answer lies in a small child Elek rescues. Over the years, he watches over the boy, learns all that he can about the human and steadily falls in love with him. But how can the love he feels possibly breach the divide between their two worlds?
Review: Elek feels the pull for something… he knows it’s out there and has been searching for it. He’s shocked when he discovers what it is, but cannot change how he feels.
This is a lovely take on the legends and myths of Unicorns. bringing them into our modern-day with a lovely twist. Elek watches over the human from afar until the day he is followed by the human and they start to get to know each other. Jonathon is overjoyed to find the Unicorn from his childhood and is amazed that it can communicate with him. But, when he believes that what he feels for the Unicorn is wrong they part unhappy ways.
I really liked this story and thought that for a short it was quite full with details. Both the Unicorn’s and the human’s feelings are really well done and the longing of the Unicorn is wonderful. I also liked that there is a secret within the Unicorn herd. I really did want more interaction between the two MCs as there wasn’t much written about but we were given the impression that they spent a lot of time together. I am also really hoping that we will be seeing more of the Unicorns because there is a lot of potential to unearth the true reason behind the secret.
So I will recommend this to those who love fantasy, Unicorns, hot sex, a true love story and a happy ever after.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (30th September 2011)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Veterinarian Seth Davies comes to Senaka, Wyoming, looking for peace and anonymity, trying to escape his past. He’s always been a target for trouble and pain, and Seth has had more than his share of both. Kasey Whitedove takes one look at Seth and assumes the worst. No white man could love animals the way the mostly Cheyenne population expects, and Kasey makes Seth’s first days in Senaka more than unpleasant.
Then an accident puts Kasey in the uncomfortable position of eating crow—and helplessly desiring Seth—despite the danger of Kasey’s life as a werewolf and Seth’s stressful secrets. Chasing Seth down and keeping him safe from his past has just become Kasey’s most important job.
Review: Another touching angst filled book by J.R. Loveless. Seth has only now started having a semblance of balance after a traumatic event over two years ago. He has come to Senaka for the peace it brings him; little knowing that his life is about to change again. Kasey is the Sheriff of Senaka and he really can’t believe that the old vet sold his practice to a ‘white man’ I mean come on what would a ‘white man’ know about animals except how to hurt, hunt and kill them.
This is quite a controversial story as it has racism and a bigoted attitude by the Cheyenne but not about being gay (no everyone is fine with that). What we have in this story is a firm belief that only the Cheyenne or a Native American could be a werewolf and any person who was white that could change into a wolf is one of the Created and to be hated and feared as well as killed, as they would eventually give themselves over to the wolf and become a monster. Fantastic absolutely fantastic. J.R. Loveless has given us a great story to chew on; one to make us think and to give us a story that isn’t all sweetness and light when it comes to werewolf abilities. A fantastically written storyline and plot that doesn’t give us an easy ride as you will hate and love these characters in equal measure. Although, there is just a little extra sneer from you for Kasey’s father for not telling his pack the truth years ago.
The characters aren’t immediately loveable. They grow on you as you get to know them. With Seth your heart aches when you learn that he has been sheltered from the wolf-shifter world and not even told the most important facts that would keep him safe, the abuse he suffered at the hands of the Created or the prejudice of non-white wolves. I think that after everything that he has been through and now finding a mate who is disgusted with him, that his breaking down and crying every now and again is understandable. He has fear; anger and depression with little hope or joy to look forward to. With Kasey you have a bigot who thinks that the whites are a waste of space and you see his struggle when he finds out that his mate is white and according to him must be a Created One because he’s white. When he accepts the truth you then see his struggle to get his mate to accept him and to be patient while his mate overcomes his fears.
I fully recommend this to everyone who loves shifter and interracial stories because the conflict is good. For those who love hot sex, as it’s scorching and those who love angst and danger… danger with a twist that is.
Title: Swift’s Temptation
