Tag: Lissa Matthews

Malachi's Word by Lissa Matthews

81p+eJn5vBL._SL1500_Title:Malachi’s Word

Series: The Bar Next Door, 01

Author:Lissa Matthews

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella (50 pages)

Publisher:Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (November 6th, 2012)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Reviewer:   Cat

Blurb:   Drunken confessions. Sobering friendship. And two cowboys gambling on love…

The Bar Next Door, Book 1

Could he love me? Malachi has wanted to know the answer since his best friend, Daniel, confessed to being gay. He has never forgotten that long-ago conversation, or the secret hope that another confession would follow: that Daniel is in love with him.

Daniel is—and always has been—in love with Malachi. But how is he supposed to share that information without risking the only friendship that has ever mattered to him? He couldn’t handle it if he were kicked out of Malachi’s life. The best Daniel could do was move home to Texas, buy a little rundown ranch to work outside Austin, and visit the watering hole where Malachi tends bar.

Malachi knows that something heavy is riding his friend and he’s tired of watching Daniel’s downward spiral of too much beer and too many meaningless flings. Enough is enough.

Except, when he gets Daniel home and some strong coffee down his gullet, the truth comes pouring out. A truth that nearly knocks Malachi out of his boots.

Courage like that doesn’t come easy…and Malachi can only pray his answer is enough to turn lifelong friends into forever lovers.

Product Warnings
This little tale tries to contain a gay bar, a lot of beer, a hot cowboy with a pitchfork, another one with a serious addiction to boots and coffee, and a secret yearning between the two for hot blooded, can’t wait to get naked, just leave your boots on sex. Oh, and there are doughnuts…

Purchase Link: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/malachis-word-p-7107.html

Review: Malachi is part owner of The Bar next Door with his friend Eli.  Mal has to sit every night and watch his best friend Daniel hit on guys and get sloppy drunk, wishing it could be him going home with Daniel and wondering why he does this every night. Daniel got a ranch near Mal’s bar so he could at least be close. He has always loved mal since they were boys but knew if he ever told him he would lose him. After his stint in the service, he could no longer be so far away so he did the only thing he knew to do, move to the same town.

This is actually a very interesting story, however I felt like I was in the middle of a series not on the first book. I loved how Mal and Daniel had the same feelings and was afraid to tell the other. I liked all the characters and can’t wait to read Eli’s story, which is next.  I adored the little warnings in the blurb and front of the book.

If you like, friends to lovers, bars, cowboys, and donuts this is for you!

Eli's Promise by Lissa Matthews

18356980Title:   Eli’s Promise

Series: The Bar Next Door 02 

Author:   Lissa Matthews  

Genre: Contemporary Western

Length: Novella (95 pages)

Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (December 31st, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer:   Cat

Blurb:   “Time and distance have a way of sneaking up on feelings thought long buried. “
“The Bar Next Door, Book 2”
Five years ago, Eli held the hand of his dying lover and made a promise he never intended to keep. Find someone new to love? Be happy? Fat chance. Eli s happiness died that day. He s doing well to put one foot in front of the other, much less risk his heart again.

The only thorn in his side is Asa, part-time waiter at The Bar Next Door, who can’t seem to take a hint.

After years of carrying more responsibility on his broad, cowboy shoulders than most people twice his age, Asa knows what he wants when he sees it. Eli. Shadows haunt the gorgeous older bartender, who also happens to be one of Asa’s bosses, but Asa doesn’t t care about potential complications. He only wants to banish Eli s ghosts and bring Eli back to life.

Persistence, a little impatience, and Asa’s very wicked mouth goes to work on Eli’s grumpy, prickly defenses. But Asa may have to block the door to love with his foot or his heart before Eli slams it in his face.

Warning: Beware of stubborn cowboys, sticky bar floors and hot sexy showers, eavesdropping cooks and well-meaning friends, Irish whiskey, and a young man who doesn’t t understand the word no.

Purchase Link:   http://store.samhainpublishing.com/elis-promise-p-73175.html

Review: This is book two of the Bar Next Door series. I did feel this one stands alone pretty well.

Eli is still pining over the death of his lover and does not intend to keep the promise he made on Thad’s deathbed, to find someone else to love. He can’t imagine loving anyone else, until the cute new waiter Asa showed up.

I really liked this story much better than the first, though  I would have liked more on the first lover and the death but we did get enough here in tidbits to get the feel of the situation.  This story has a lot of sadness and I will say I nearly cried a couple of times.  I love stories that make me cry! I absolutely loved Eli and Asa. We also get a little more on Abe the cook and we did get some more of Danny and Mal and even their fathers. This was a sweet, sad, but very good story.

If you like, cowboys, college students, Bartenders, sad stories, happy endings, sweet loving ManSex and sticky floors this one is for you!