Hi guys, we have Jan Irving stopping by today with her upcoming release Sylvan, a collection of four novellas, we have a brilliant guest post and a short excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Sylvan
(A Collection of 4 Novellas)
by
Jan Irving
Sylvan Collection
Return to small-town Sylvan in Jan Irving’s bestselling series—reimagined and re-edited with an all-new bonus novella.
The small Western town of Sylvan is a place for new beginnings for those who won’t settle for anything less than true love. These sweet tales of slow-simmering romance and the old-fashioned values of commitment and pulling together when times get tough prove that sometimes the best matches are also the most unexpected.
With the help of a storm, a washed-up Olympic swimmer and a carpenter cracking under the strain of caring for his Alzheimer’s-affected father learn that opposites sometimes really do attract.
A likable cowboy called Happy Nate is determined to help a mute boy speak again—and to help his father move beyond the repression of the Mennonite community to find the love he deserves.
When a hard-partying cowboy is suddenly saddled with a surprise baby, he’s at his wit’s end. Luckily the local doctor is available to help, and if the two men can find the courage to accept themselves and step into a new life, they might just make a real family. They’ll need to lend each other strength when an unspeakable tragedy strikes—and when it’s time to pick up the pieces.
Hey peeps, we have Jan Irving visiting us today on the last day of her blog tour for her newest release STAR, Jan tells us a little about the book and there’s a great excerpt 😉 We also have a review from Lisa and she was blown away by STAR so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
STAR
by
Jan Irving
When an angel takes over his boss’s body after a freak accident, Matthew’s cracked heart opens, but will he lose his once in a lifetime chance at love before the holidays are over?
Matthew Cromby figures it will be just another lousy holiday to get through, especially when mouthing off costs him his job. The bitter ex-con never counts on lightning striking his former boss Star Hollister during a freak LA storm that forces an angel to take over Star’s body.
Lost and vulnerable, Star relies on Matthew’s street smarts to keep him safe. Moreover, since he’s been watching over Matthew all his life, he yearns to heal him. But Star can’t stay in a human body without diminishing himself so unless they find a miracle they will be parted forever.
Publisher’s Note: This book was previously released by another publisher. It has been revised and re-edited for release with Totally Bound Publishing.
Title: Shady Author: Jan Irving Genre: Futuristic / Sci-Fi / Kinks & Fetish Length: Novella (84 pages) ISBN: 9781781849354 Publisher: Totally Bound (January 3rd, 2014) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: Dark and tormented cop Shade will do anything to possess Nick, the caring artist who is a killer’s next target.
Can a dark, tormented cop and a warm, caring hustler fall in love while trying to stop a murderer? Created to be the perfect killer, Shade has done some ‘shady’ things in his past but when he meets Nick, a sexy and honorable part-time painter, Shade is drawn to possess him. And Shade is very good at getting what he wants, using any means necessary…
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of dubious consent and descriptions of graphic off-scene violence.
Purchase Link: https://www.totallybound.com/shady Review: Here I was thinking I’d be reading yet another cliché of a story when I was shockingly surprised by the creativity and imagination on this one.
So no, you don’t have yet another hustler/cop romantic story here. There is crime, action, mystery, suspense, hot sex, and a fabulous don’t-give-a-shit bastard of a main character. How very refreshing (stealing this from Yoshi) that our main character is devastatingly an ar$sehole until the very end. How wonderfully is that explained in the end. How intriguingly captivating the tale was spun and told. I loved it, there.
Of course, it would have been awesome if the “romantic” development had more – it felt a bit crippled – it would be great if there was more from the characters, information and time with them would have been brilliant, it would have been fantastic if this wasn’t a novella.
However, for its length I was more than satisfied and quite enjoyed the reading. It made me smile, it made me wonder, and it gave me a good couple of hours enjoyment.
If you are a fan of futuristic mysteries, this is certainly a story worth reading.
Blurb:Navy SEAL Simon Morrison came home broken. But quilter Tate Stevens is slowly healing him. If only Simon’s secret didn’t endanger them both. Tate… I fell in love with a man I didn’t understand. You know how that is? Simon Morrison has long silver blond hair in a ragged ponytail and blue eyes more alive than I’ve ever seen, like he’s walked with death so everything else has burned away. He’s a warrior who came back broken, who hides in the shadows. And there’s something dangerous about him, but I didn’t understand until the night I ran after him and they were waiting—the other wolves. They tore into me and I died. My name is Tate Stevens and I died but something keeps me here. I can’t leave my warrior behind, no matter how much it hurts or how whatever it is I am becoming confuses me.
Simon… I came back from Afghanistan with one goal, to find a place to die. But slowly, watching Tate working on his art quilts, it got so it didn’t hurt so much. I felt the colors coming back. He is my light. He is my heart. They tried to take him away from me while I screamed his name. And now he thinks he’s a monster. He is so alone. I have to find a way to bring him back to his light…
Review: This is book seven in the series but stands alone just fine I will warn you that you will want to go get the last three so get your credit cards handy.
Simon is a shifter and has been in Afghanistan and came back scarred and wanting to die. He lives in the hills alone having PTSD and not liking to be around people. One day by the stream in wolf form Tate notices him yet doesn’t act afraid. He watches Tate worried that something may happen to him so far from town in the woods. The young man and his quilting mesmerize him, no longer wanting to die but knowing that he can never be in Tate’s life.
Tate is a recluse himself. He came for LA to escape life, just write his books, and work on his quilts. He dreams of a man that can understand him for what he is and accept him for more than just sex.
I loved, loved, and loved this book. These uncommon cowboys are awesome! I love how some of the characters are shifters and the shifter element plays a little in the book but doesn’t overshadow the entire story. I also like the fact none of these men are perfect. Each one is damaged in some way and finds the perfect someone to compliment them and make them whole again. I also like that it never comes easy, and the men don’t really change they just heal.
I loved Simon. He is sexy in his own way. I really loved Tate. He may be small but he knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to be himself. I loved that he is a quilter and a true artist. I also liked how the other characters from the past books are brought in with just enough info you don’t get confused. Now let’s talk about twists. There are some big twists in here. I gasped, I cried and I sighed!
I highly recommend this book if you like shifters, cowboys, twists, broken men and some hot loving mansex.
Blurb:Mitchell Blake had given up on romance until a sexy biker shows up in his kitchen, claiming he’s an alien warrior sent to protect Mitchell from an assassin.
Mitchell Blake has given up on romance. At least the equations in his scientific experiments add up, unlike his charming, lying jerk of an ex. Nevertheless, he’s saddened when the guy he’s been exchanging glances with over lunch in the university cafe, brooding and darkly gorgeous poet Jaden Ross, is killed in a freak motorcycle crash…until Jaden shows up in Mitchell’s kitchen and tells him a crazy story that he’s been assigned as his unearthly protector.
Jaden is more than human. He’s a warrior from a galaxy far, far away and he’s not, unfortunately, just around to share his out-of-this-world body with Mitchell. Despite Jaden’s fear of appliances – they have moving parts and are very primitive – and his burning curiosity about human mating rituals, he is determined to keep Mitchell safe from the killer stalking him.
Reader Advisory: This series can be read separately as each story is unique.
Review: Mitchell is shocked when his door explodes off its hinges and the man that he has just been told is dead is standing there saying he is there to protect him. ‘Jaden’ or rather the entity that is now Jaden is there to protect Mitchell, so Mitchell can make discoveries that will save ‘Jaden’s’ race. Together they have to fight the one who doesn’t want Mitchell to proceed with his discoveries and the two explore their relationship as well.
This is another tongue in cheek light-hearted read from Jan Irving. Mitchell is a geek, Jaden is a hot biker and they have made eyes at each other across the canteen. But, now EZ, Mitchell’s best friend, says he’s died. But, Jaden then appears in Mitchell’s kitchen, telling him he is there to protect him. Jaden is an entity from another time and place, who has come to protect Mitchell from another entity. But, he also wants to bond/merge with Mitchell, but Mitchell is cautious.
I have to admit that I actually liked this book in a kinda goofy silly way. I liked the three main characters Mitchell, Jaden and EZ. I can’t say any of them were my favorite, because they all had their moments where they shined; Jaden with his being new to a human body and his reactions to arousal, Mitchell with his pure social cluelessness and EZ as the annoying female best friend. There are some parts that I had to read twice as I felt that I missed something, but other than that it was a light-hearted story.
There was a section that I found funny just because of the cluelessness of Mitchell “”Jaden Ross, the gorgeous, tall, dark and dangerous guy with the motorcycle and the tats. He was killed swerving to avoid a litter of kittens on the freeway into campus.” “Oh” I decided it was better not say it seemed like a very worthy way to go. “Are they going to name one of the kittens after him?””
So I have to recommend this to those who want a light-hearted story, hot sex, a bit of danger, not a very strong story but fun and a happy ending.
Wise-talking college student Bailey Moore saves his romantic side for the historical romances he’s secretly addicted to—until he wakes up crushed under six foot plus of sexy, aroused ancient Viking.
Bailey Moore is a cynical, wise-talking college student who saves his mushy, romantic side for the historical romances he’s addicted to, until he wakes up crushed under six feet three inches of aroused Viking warrior.
At first he takes Freyr Grímsson as a glorious odd ball obsessed with Medieval role playing-down to his rough hewn sword, but Frey insists Bailey is his guide in this new world and when Bailey is attacked by a mysterious creature, he’s convinced that he and Frey have to wage a battle to drive evil forces off campus. But when his Viking conquers him in bed, Bailey is afraid Frey will also lay claim to his secret, vulnerable heart.
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of a light D/s nature.
Review: Let me just start by saying how very disappointed I am from this book. Reading the title The Viking in My Bed and the blurb I truly got excited and couldn’t wait till I got it on my hands. But you know what they say: Don’t get your expectations too high…
So let’s see. Bailey is a college student, he studies… God knows, that has to do with graphics? Yes! His professor (she’s also a big bad demon wannabe) gives him some old Celtic graphs to study and while Bailey’s playing with them he creates a summoning portal!!! But he doesn’t know it so the next morning he wakes up with big, horny Viking licking his… arm! Telling him that he want to make him his… woman!!! Bailey, although shocked, takes it in the stride believing it must be a joke from his friends due to his birthday. And while Freyr (the Viking) apparently knows no other way of communication beside roaring and bellowing that Bailey is “the guide” and he is “the guardian” and big bad things are coming after them (no reason on why all that is happening is given btw), BFF Candy shows up to calm things down by… grooming Freyr, conditioning and cropping his hair. So they get convinced that Freyr’s the real thing by his nasty scars. Now, except Freyr, there are other creatures coming after them from the void… The guardian fights and keeps the guide safe. Bailey learns that his professor manipulated him into creating the portal so she could be possessed by the Whisperer and then control his powers. So ultimately what guardian/guide needs to do, is go get the graphic, reopen the portal, send demons/guardian back and all clear. And here is my best part so far. All this happen during one day time. Freyr, of course, makes Bailey his woman and conquers him by… spanking him!! Oh, and Bailey falls for Freyr, cause Freyr made him look him in the eyes while they were lovemaking!!!The D/s scenes that we were being warned about, yeah!! I So after falling in love with Freyr, Bailey has no intention of letting him go. He and his friends make up a plan and armed with Molotov cocktails, they go after the professor… Well, the end, it is after all a love story!!!
All in all, I was expecting an adventure and didn’t get one. I was expecting some hot sexual scenes and didn’t get any. II wish there had been more of a love story, if nothing else. In one word I found the book lacking!
Pixie’s Two Cents: ♥♥♥2.5Hearts This is a humorous take on time-traveling Vikings and the love of good historicals. Bailey discovers that there are things that really just can’t be explained and finding a Viking in his bed is definitely one of them. Having that Viking declare him his guide is another and having evil come after him is the last straw. Frey has been summoned by the guide and it is his job to fight the evil and he decides to make Bailey his ‘woman’ (yeah, I know, but he’s a sexy Viking so I’ll give him some leeway).
I really do believe that this is more tongue in cheek, let’s have a giggle type of story from Frey’s over the top Viking tendencies, to Candy’s (Bailey’s friend) insisting on conditioning Frey’s hair, to the mention of re-enacting scenes in a Johanna Lindsey book. It’s not all smiley fun though, because Bailey has to face up to the fact that he was tricked and betrayed by a long-time family friend who is power mad and he doesn’t get the nice and tidy evil oh no his is the slimy, stinky evil with razor-sharp teeth and claws.
So in all honesty I will recommend this to those who want a light-hearted read that will have you giggling and laughing, with a slight poke at the more serious time-traveling Vikings, with lots of hot sex between a hot Viking and his ‘woman’ (sorry I just love that), some very slight kink and a happy ending for them all.
