Hi peeps! We have Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn stopping by today with the tour for their new release Goalie Interference, we have a great excerpt and an awesome Q&A, so check out the post and enjoy! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Goalie Interference
(Hat Trick 02)
by
Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn
It’s goalie vs. goalie in this brand-new enemies-to-lovers hockey romance from Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn…
Ryu Mori has had a stellar season as goalie for the Atlanta Venom. So when he’s called into management’s office, he’s expecting to hear he’s the new starting goalie for the team, not that some new guy—an incredibly hot, annoyingly bratty rookie—is here to compete for his spot.
Not everyone gets to play in the best league in the world. Emmitt Armstrong knows that, and he’s not about to waste the opportunity after grinding his way from the bottom to the top. If the Venom are looking for a meek, mild-mannered pushover, they’ve got the wrong guy.
Ryu doesn’t want to admit the other goalie’s smart mouth turns him on. Beating Armstrong at practice feels good, sure, but there are other, more fun ways to shut his rival up.
In this league, it’s winner takes all. But there’s more to life than winning, and if Emmitt and Ryu can get past their egos and competitive natures, they might just discover they work better as partners than they ever imagined possible.
Hi peeps! We have Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn stopping by today with the tour for their new release Off The Ice, we have a great excerpt and an awesome giveaway, so check out the post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Off The Ice
(Hat Trick 01)
by
Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn
Tristan Holt is nothing if not pragmatic. Despite a flourishing career as a defenseman for the Atlanta Venom, Tristan knows he can’t play hockey forever. One day he’ll retire—if an injury doesn’t force him to hang up his skates first. His backup plan? Finishing his business degree. But he doesn’t count on a very inappropriate attraction to his standoffish sociology professor, Sebastian Cruz.
Sebastian is on the bottom rung of the Sociology Department at Georgia State. He has his sights set on tenure, and he can’t afford to be distracted, especially not by a sexy student with a body straight out of Sebastian’s dreams. No matter how much Tristan tempts him, that’s one line Sebastian won’t cross. At least not until summer classes end. After that, everything is fair game.
But Sebastian lives loud and proud, and Tristan is terrified of being the first out player in the NHL. Neither of them can afford to risk their hearts when they can’t imagine a happily ever after. The problem is, unlike hockey, when it comes to love, there are no rules.
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.
Title: Moonlight Becomes You, 2nd edition Series: Lucky Moon 01 Author: Piper Vaughn & M.J. O’Shea Genre: Contemporary Length: Novel (200pgs) ISBN: 978-1-62798-573-4 Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (7th April 2014) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts Reviewer: Pixie Blurb: Eleven years ago, Shane Ventura made the biggest mistake of his life when he caved in to pressure from his record label to kick his best friend, Jesse Seider, out of their band, Luck. To this day, Shane has never wanted anyone more, and all the sex and alcohol in the world can’t fill the void Jesse left behind. Not even the prospect of teaming up with Britain’s hottest band, Moonlight, for a massive world tour can get him out of his funk. Then he meets lead singer Kayden Berlin and falls into instant lust.
Kayden may act like he’s not interested, but Shane knows he feels the spark between them. Yet the harder Shane pushes, the more Kayden pulls away, until one explosive night leaves Shane with a broken heart. That seems to be his lot—lucky at everything but love. Shane still has one lesson left to learn, though: when it comes to love, you can’t always leave things to chance.
You can also download More Than Moonlight a collection of FREE short stories a prequel to this series athttp://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-morethanmoonlight-578423-145.html
Review:This is the second edition and while the storyline remains the same, it has been expanded with added scenes and an epilogue. This book was great, it has rock and roll, sex, betrayal, a little bit of *******… (I am soooo not telling you), heartbreak and forgiveness.
I loved all the characters (well except for Nicky, Shane’s brother). Shane made the biggest mistake of his life when he betrayed his best friend and lover Jesse and he has regretted it ever since, he has now met someone who he wants even more than he wanted Jesse, Kayden but Kayden doesn’t want anything to do with Shane.
You feel Shane’s frustration and bewilderment from the first time he meets Kayden as Kayden makes his dislike of Shane and his brother well known, Shane tries his best to get on Kayden’s good side but whenever he seems to make a breakthrough, Kayden always reverts back to disdain. Can he ever break through Kayden’s walls… but what about Jesse? He still has dreams about him and there are flashback’s to his life with Jesse.
Well what can I say but… wow way to get your *******. It’s blistering hot, sad, forgiving and heartfelt. It’s a great read that will have you chuckling, smiling and hopeful. A definite feel good, happy ever after.
Title: The Working Elf Blues Author: Piper Vaughn Genre: Paranormal/Holiday Length: Novella (53 pages) Publisher: Less Than Three Press (December 17th 2014) Heat Level: Mild Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts Blurb: Garnet Evergreen has never heard of an elf abandoning the North Pole for a human, but he yearns to be the first. Ever since he saw Wes, the boy with sorrowful eyes, Garnet felt an undeniable kinship. Over the years, he’s watched that boy grow into a man, and now he’s determined to give Wes a Christmas he’ll never forget. If only Garnet had thought to test his father’s sleigh before leaving…
Orphaned as a child, Wes spends every Christmas alone at his cabin. When he’s woken by a suspicious boom and finds a wrecked sleigh and an unconscious elf, he doesn’t know how to react. Wes isn’t fanciful. He doesn’t give much credence to the stories about Santa Claus and flying reindeer. But a part of him wants desperately to believe when Garnet promises forever, even if life has taught him that no one ever stays…
Review: Garnet has been watching over Wes since he was just a little boy, and he snuck onto his dad’s sleigh one Christmas Eve, only to find a lonely and afraid kid who had lost his parents. He stayed by Wes’s bedside that night and watched him sleep, and he’s watched over him from afar since that night. Now Garnet finds himself in love with the man who Wes has become, but will Wes feel the same way?
Wes has distant memories of the family he lost, and of the boy turned young man with the red hair that has been in his peripheral vision a time or two. He’s rudely awoke by a loud bang one night to find a crashed sleigh and an injured man with red hair and pointy ears. What the heck?! When Garnet wakes up in Wes’s bed, he is honest with him about everything. Who he is, how he’s watched over him for a lifetime and most important, how he feels about Wes.
Garnet has a choice to make though. Will he chose his family, his life as an elf? Or will the possibility of a life with Wes be strong enough to convince this elf to spend just one lifetime as a human who is loved?
Vaughn has delivered a sugary sweet, romantic little Christmas treat with this one. A short story that is busting at the seams with content. You really get a thorough look into the lives of both Garnet and Wes, the loss of Wes’s family and how it affected him, Garnet watching him over the years and how their feelings for each other grow into more very quickly. There is no full on sex in this story, but the heavy-duty make out sessions more than make up for it.
The perfect story for readers of the genre that don’t care for the more sensual stories. There is definitely a passion and chemistry between Garnet and Wes and boy do they like to kiss, the focus of this story shines on how they found each other and how they complement each other in the present. This is a must read if you are looking for a fun, cheesy, romantic Holiday story!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: The Luckiest (2nd Edition) Series: Lucky Moon 02 Author: Piper Vaughn & M.J. O’Shea Genre: Contemporary Length: Super Novel (280pgs) ISBN: 978-1-62798-975-6 Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (8th September 2014) Heat Rating: Explicit Heart Level: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts Reviewer: Pixie Blurb: Rock star Nick Ventura has finally hit rock bottom. Jealous of his brother’s new love, he overindulges in his usual vices and winds up crashing his car into a department store in a drunken haze. Publicly humiliated and on the verge of jail time, he enters into a court-ordered rehabilitation program.
Nutritionist Luka Novak is flamboyant, effeminate, and the type of gay man bisexual Nick would normally sneer at. But his sunny nature hides a deep hurt caused by an unfaithful ex-boyfriend. As much as Luka knows he should be wary of Nick’s reputation, he’s drawn to Nick despite himself. Their tentative friendship turns into romance, but Luka soon comes to realize Nick’s fear of losing his bad boy reputation means he’ll probably never go public with their relationship.
Nick never needed anyone until Luka came into his life. Now he has to reconcile his carefree past with the future he suddenly wants more than anything. And the first lesson he must learn is how to become the man both he and Luka need him to be, rather than stay the boy he always was. Alone.
You can also get the free ebook Lucky Moon 1.5 – Beyond Moonlight (3 short stories) http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-beyondmoonlight-677693-145.html
Review: This book is the 2nd edition and has had the editing cleaned-up but the storyline has not been changed. Nick is falling to rock bottom quickly and this latest incident of driving while high and drunk into Saks has forced the people around him to intervene, now forced into rehab and counselling he has no intention of changing his ways and he hasn’t any problems anyway. Luka is the nutritionist at the rehab centre and he quickly sees behind Nick’s shell, they become friends and then more when Nick is released but Nick’s fame comes at a price and Luka doesn’t believe that Nick will pay the price to be with him.
I didn’t like Nick in Moonlight Becomes You but now seeing things from his point of view I can totally understand why he acted like he did and why he still acts that way. Nick has only ever had one sure thing in his life and that’s his brother Shane but when Shane takes up with Jesse and then marries him Nick starts to do more drinking and drugs, he can’t cope with the desertion of his brother or Jesse for taking his brother away and it leads to him crashing his car. Luka cuts straight through to Nick’s core and sees what Nick has been missing and through friendship he helps Nick to get back on his own two feet without resorting to drink or drugs to block out how he feels.
I really liked this book. The relationship between Nick and Luka was slow. Even though they were attracted to each other, they became friends first and spent time together as just friends. And then they started dating before sex became involved. And yes, Nick is still a bit of a prick, but he does try to curb his impulses. Unfortunately, he still screws up with Luka a couple of times because of his image and what Nick thinks other people would think. When Nick and Luka are alone they are the perfect couple and get along great but even trying to get Nick to go out in public with him is hard and Luka won’t accept that or any excuses, Luka is very ridged in that respect as he won’t be hidden or go back in the closet for anyone.
The way that Nick was portrayed was good. He has relied on his brother to clean up his messes and to be there for him all the time. But, we have to remember that Nick was still quite young when the band got their contract and he has just followed in his brothers footsteps and done what he did. He has never really had to face responsibility for his actions, as everybody threw money at a problem and it just went away. I can understand why Nick felt abandoned by his brother and I admired the way that when he got out of rehab, he stayed away from the temptation of returning to the drink and drugs. Although his determination to keep the image he had was a silly one, considering how much he had changed.
This really is a book where Nick finds himself and finally grows up. He becomes a better person and some of that was for Luka. Because he wanted to be, the sort of man Luka wanted. But that doesn’t mean he has an easy time, far from it. He messes up quite a few times and yes, Luka forgives him. But, Luka has a core of steel and when Nick goes too far, Luka shows him just how steely he can be. Luka is the man for Nick. He can gauge Nick’s actions well, and he doesn’t let Nick get away with anything. The lovemaking between them is hot and erotic. And the revelation that Nick has about the difference between sex and lovemaking is really good.
With this book I am going to recommend it to those who want, a story where one of the MC’s finally faces up to taking responsibility, falling in love and accepting that things change. And who want a bit of angst, humour, and a relationship that is slow and sweet but with its ups and downs but with a happy ending.
Blurb: When they were teens, Castor McCormick was the bane of Blake Kowalski’s existence. Their mutual animosity led to summers filled with rivalry. Now, nearly two decades later, Cas is moving back into the neighborhood to live in his grandmother’s old house. Blake tells himself he isn’t interested in seeing how snarky little Cas grew up, but when his mother dupes him into visiting his former nemesis, he finds out “pretty” can evolve into “sexy as hell” on the right man.
Cas didn’t think he wanted to see Blake again. No one has ever pushed his buttons like the arrogant boy he remembers from their youth. Turns out, the adult version of Blake still gets him hot under the collar—and everywhere else. With Blake on leave from work to nurse an injured leg and Cas taking time to move and unpack, they form a tentative friendship that turns into a sexual affair neither man can deny. But when Cas’s job sends him out-of-state to deal with a difficult client, their new relationship will be tested, and if they fail, Blake’s broken leg might not be the only thing to end up scarred.
Review: I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book for review prior to its release, and I can honestly say I enjoyed it.
The story revolves around 2 mc’s Blake and Castor (Cas). They have known each other all their lives and were sworn enemies.
The story picks up, with them both in their thirties and Cas has moved into his grandmothers old house, making him one of Blake’s mothers neighbors. It just so happens that Blake is living at his mums temporarily due to a broken leg.
After lots of not so subtle, but still endearing, match making, Blake and Cas get together.
Blake and Cas’ relationship starts as hot as hell fucking, but it soon grows to mean a lot more to each man. Blake’s domination of Cas, particularly in the early scenes, even made me want to switch places with Cas, lol.
Inevitably, in the final chapters, I grew frustrated with both MCs as their lack of proper communication nearly prevented them from staying together. But in true Piper Vaughn style, she gave me what I wanted.
I have only just discovered that this is book 2 in the series- this is certainly not an issue as it can be read as a standalone book. I will definitely be looking up book 1 though and catching up on my missing read.
Would I recommend this book? HELL YES!
I’d recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a simple not too brain taxing, hot as heck read.
Title: Wood, Screws, and Nails Author: Piper Vaughn and Kade Boehme Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance Length: Novel (176 pages) ISBN: 9781627988018 Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (April 23rd, 2014) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts Reviewer: Eric Blurb: Aaron Costa’s summer was all planned. Despite having to remodel the family lake house, it would be a vacation of sorts, and he had every intention of enjoying it—until the friend who was supposed to help him got injured and left him in a lurch. He decides to take the opportunity to bond with his son and hires Julian and his roommate, Malachi, to assist.
As a broke college student, Malachi could use the money, and spending the summer with Aaron for eye candy sounds like a dream. “Look but don’t touch” becomes his motto. But when Julian starts flaking on his responsibilities and Malachi and Aaron are forced to spend long hours alone together, their mutual attraction is impossible to resist.
Aaron can’t fight the temptation sexy Malachi presents.
But more than their age difference stands in their way, not the least of which is Aaron’s semi-closeted status and the fact that he’s never openly discussed his sexuality with his son. He has no idea how Julian will react when he learns his father is not only gay, he’s also dating his best friend. Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4910 Review: Yummy, amazing, and sexy as hell are three words I would use to describe this novella. Powerful, emotional, and fun are another three. Honestly, this is one of those books that is so worth it. Piper Vaughn is a new author and knows what she is doing.
Aaron has it all figured out. He has a plan to get a house remodelled in time for a sale in August. But when Malachi comes around willing to do some work to help out, Aaron finds himself consumed and distracted by Malachi’s beauty. A story that is worth the read and amazing as ever, this novella is one for the perfect reads list.
Aaron has his flaws and stands strong no matter what. Malachi is one of those men that doesn’t give up on what he wants when he wants it. And he wants Aaron. A story of understanding, construction, and some hot sex, this is a worthwhile read. I highly recommend it to those that want to have a nice good read. It takes place during the summer but it is perfect for any time of year.
Go on out and get a copy. You won’t regret it at all.
Blurb: An Isla Sagrario Story In the 1700s on the island of Sagrario, men who love other men find safe haven. For Francis Holland, an escaped indentured servant, Sagrario offers nothing but loneliness. His life begins to change when he finds Wick, a merman, washed ashore.
When Wick awakens under Francis’s care, Francis returns him to the sea at his request. Soon after, they begin to meet in secret, and gradually, Francis blossoms under this new companionship. However, a merman is a difficult creature to entrust one’s heart to. With one trapped on land and the other at sea, the differences in their species threaten to keep them apart forever. It may not be long before Wick is gone, taking Francis’s reason to smile with him.
Review: A sweet and magical tale of a lonely man finding love in a very unsuspecting place…under the sea. I loved the tempo and the flow of this story, very dreamlike and fantastical exactly as it was meant to be. An entertaining twist on The Little Mermaid, short and more simplified. Interested in reading more of these stories people escaping to Isla Sagrario and finding their love and new life.
Blurb: Dustin Davis spent years wishing for a prince but kissing frog after slimy frog. When he sees Archer Kyriakides for the first time, Dusty thinks his luck has finally changed. Archer could be it. The One. But their hot and cold romance leaves Dusty confused: why does it feel right one moment and wrong the next? It doesn’t make sense—until the day Dusty meets Archer’s identical twin, Asher, and realizes he’s been seeing them both.
Asher Kyriakides dreams of being a fashion photographer, but he’s stuck with a job he hates and an irresponsible playboy brother whose habits drive him absolutely insane, especially when he finds out Archer is dating the cute little blond Asher can’t seem to forget. Torn between loyalty and desire, Asher does nothing but try to warn Dusty away.
But when Archer finally goes too far, Dusty turns to Asher for comfort, and Asher knows he can’t refuse. It isn’t long before they realize they’re falling fast, but more than one thing stands in their way, not the least of which is Archer, who isn’t quite ready to stop being a thorn in his brother’s side.
Review: Yikes, this was a big jump from the first book in the series, One Small Thing, which I really enjoyed. The story started out with promise, and I was interested in how the conflicts between Dustin and Asher would evolve, but unfortunately I never got invested enough to care.
Partly the issue was the good twin/evil twin trope, which is hard to pull off without making the story feel two-dimensional. Archer was just a little too ‘bad’ for my taste, rendering the story unbelievable.
It also didn’t help that both the twins had ‘A’ names. And very similar ones at that. Often, I got confused at who was who and had to reread sections.
That being said, I did enjoy the scenes from Asher’s perspective as he worked in his photo studio, and Dusty and Asher are sweet together. I’m also happy that Dusty finally got his HEA.
Blurb: “Daddy” is not a title Rue Murray wanted, but he never thought he’d have sex with a woman either. Now he’s the unwitting father of a newborn named Alice. Between bartending and cosmetology school, Rue doesn’t have time for babies, but he can’t give her up. What Rue needs is a babysitter, and he’s running out of options. He’s on the verge of quitting school to watch Alice himself when he remembers his reclusive new neighbor, Erik.
Erik Van Nuys is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesn’t like people in general, and he likes babies even less. Still, with his royalties dwindling, he could use the extra cash. Reluctantly, he takes on the role of manny—and even more reluctantly, he finds himself falling for Alice and her flamboyant father.
Rue and Erik are as different as two people can be, and Alice is the unlikeliest of babies, but Rue has never been happier than when Alice and Erik are by his side. At least, not until he receives an offer that puts all his dreams within reach and he’s forced to choose: the future he’s always wanted, or the family he thought he never did.
Review: There are so many things to love about this story. The writing is engaging, simple and effective. The story is sweet. And the characters all made me smile. Particularly Erik, who tries hard to overcome his social awkwardness to help out a neighbor with his child. What a wonderful guy he is! I loved him and his addiction to Star Wars.
The romance was good in the end, but I must admit, I didn’t really feel the love connection between Erik and Rue as much as I did for Erik and Dusty. For a long while there, I was hoping—even though I knew it couldn’t be the case—for these two characters to see how well they fit together. I think partly the reason I felt this way was due to the way Dusty was written. I “felt” him and was more emotionally attached to his backstory than with Erik. I sympathized with him for his unfortunate luck with past romances, and the times when he and Erik were together, I was shown their connection and care for each other, rather than told it, like I felt was the case for Erik and Rue.
Nevertheless, this is a sweet story with a tender heart to it, and it kept me curious and wanting to read on. . . . And now I want to know that Dusty gets his Happily Ever After too!
Blurb: Johnny Cairo is known as the Scaremaster. He works for Fear Asylum, his father’s traveling haunted house, and makes his living terrifying people. But Johnny has never frightened easily himself. That is, until he wakes up in the middle of the night and finds his best friend’s younger brother in his bed. Naked.
Johnny’s fought against his attraction to Brennan for years, worried that giving in to it will lead to losing the friendship he shares with Brennan’s older brother, Eddie. As much as he fights it, though, the lure of having Brennan in his bed proves too hard to resist. They start an affair that’s supposed to be no-strings-attached, but Johnny’s persistent denial of the growing feelings between them leads to a rift that might not be mendable. Then an accident at Fear Asylum nearly costs Johnny the one thing he holds dear, and he learns that while his nickname might be the Scaremaster, he knows next to nothing about real fear.
Review: This very quick story is perhaps a study in seduction. Loved it and mostly loved Brennan. His insistence was hilarious having poor Johnny scrambling for some semblance of sanity.
Johnny has crushing on Brennan for years, but Brennan being his best friend’s younger brother complicated things. Johnny has no intention of jeopardizing his friendship due to lust. While working on the Fear Asylum and keeping an eye on Brennan for his friend’s sake, Johnny fails to realize how much Brennan has really grown up. That is until one night he finds Brennan in his bed. So yes, Johnny is shocked and that keeps him from reacting and turning Brennan down… the first night. The second night he’s determined to do so, but Brennan kisses him and well, his brain melts and the third and the forth…
But eventually Johnny gets a grip in his sanity that seems to be escaping him lately and turns the young man down. A bit harsh, admittedly, but the result is the same. Problem is Johnny never thought that he’d be missing Brennan this much and the very idea of losing him forever hits the target when an accident occurs and the very possibility that Brennan with leave forever knocks on the door.
The story was very sweet and sexy. As I said I loved Brennan. He was cute and persistent even when it hurt him. And Johnny, oh dear, poor guy lost his mind. It happens, of course, but reading it just brought memories and made me smile.
Problem is that it was too short of a story and left some questions behind. First off, I have no idea how old Johnny is. Brennan is twenty and calls Johnny “old man” at some point, but I’d love to have a clearer view. And the story being so short left no room for emotions to develop. Yes, the lust was almost tangible and the intensity of the guys’ lovemaking nearly there, but that desperation for me was due to a long longing and the fact that nothing was secure between them. I’d have loved if this story was a bit longer and gave us some more “quality” time with the guys.
As it was, it was sexy and fun enough and a quite enjoyable read. The writing was easy-going and I literally inhaled it. If you’re up for this kind of read I totally recommend it.
p.s.
This is definitely one of those stories I’d love a sequel to come by and give us a bit more. It’d be such a shame for Johnny and Brennan to end here.
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (6th December 2011)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4 ½Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb:Nothing says Christmas like droves of the undead…
All Emery wants for Christmas is someone to share it with. It looks like he might finally be getting his wish in Ross, the sexy customer he’s been crushing on for months. But neither of them counted on the zombies, or on being caught in the worst blizzard in half a century. Even with a plan for contending with the zombie hordes, surviving will take a miracle.
It’s not exactly how Emery dreamed of spending Christmas with Ross, but he can’t think of a better way to spend a zombie apocalypse.
Review: Emery is alone, not just at work but in his life as well. Only now, he has dreams that involve one of the regular customers. Christmas Eve sees one of his dreams come true when Ross rushes into the diner and sweeps him off his feet… just not quite in the circumstances that he had hoped for. Ross is heading to the diner when the worst happens. Now he has to reach Emery and get him to safety before they too become victims. he has watched Emery for a while and this is so not how he wanted to ask him out.
A thoroughly enjoyable short story. that may be short in pages but is more than large in its gruesomeness. Emery has had a crush on Ross for about three months and has been trying to work up the courage to ask him out. Ross has just decided to ask Emery to go out with him when disaster hits the city. As the two men struggle to survive and to get to safety they reveal to each other how they feel.
This is romance in the middle of a horror story, which I found to be good. Although I really don’t want to know how the author knows what a head being smashed in sounds like (oh God there goes the gag reflex) or the other multitude of gruesome sounds that are described. I really liked the action and I thought that the Zombies were coolly disgusting. The quick relationship that is forged between Emery and Ross is well done and yes, it’s quick. But they have been watching each other for months. The sex between them is hot, but it is more than just sex, it’s as though they are both celebrating being alive and having survived.
I have to hope (with fingers crossed and lots of begging if I have to) that Piper Vaughn will revisit this couple in future so we can find out how they are doing and to find out how the Zombies came to be. I have to highly recommend this one if you like Zombies, horror, lots of violence towards Zombies and a romance and hot sex in the midst of danger.
Blurb: Ahoy, me proud beauty, shiver me timbers! I ask ye to sail me jollyboat on the high seas, lubber, but will ye dare to accept? On offer be a pirate’s life full of danger and risk, and not just to yer neck, but to yer very virgin heart! There’s many a bodice to be ripped–or perhaps I should say many a codpiece to be snapped–and should ye be graced enough to cross bones with a corsair, don’t be an addlepate! Heave ho, lad, handsomely, and show him how ye bury yer treasure!
Pirates didn’t only sail the high seas in historical times. Modern-day renegades and futuristic rebels are just as ripe for adventure and plunder. No matter the time, place, or circumstances, bad boys steal affection as often as they salvage treasure, and in these stories of romance, a rogue’s black heart always conceals a center of gold.
Review: Daniel is a captain in the Royal Navy when his crew forms a mutiny against him and finds himself adrift in a small boat and then picked up by pirates. James is the pirate Captain Merric. His crew fish out a Navy captain from the sea who turns out to be a childhood sweetheart.
This is a cute read where two childhood sweethearts are reunited after 16 years apart; only for one to be a Navy captain and the other a pirate captain. Daniel tries to fight his renewed feelings for James knowing he has to return to England and James decides that Daniel is his and will do anything to have him. An enjoyable short story.
Ellen Holiday – Touched by the West Wind Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3, Genre: Historical, Pirate Length: Short (16pgs)
Review: Tom and Bren are part of a pirate crew. These two young men have been best friends for years when they realize that the way they feel has changed.
This is a sweet romance of two young men who discover their feelings have changed and what they feel for their friend is love. It is a sweet exploration of their feelings as they embark on an innocent physical exploration of each other. A sweet romantic story.
K.R. Foster – The Golden Galleon Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4, Genre: Contemporary Length: Short (12pgs)
Review: Flynn and Jason own the Golden Galleon restaurant together, as well as being life partners. Flynn is having a nice relaxing day off reading his favorite author’s latest novel when he gets a phone call from a desperate Jason begging him to come in on his day off.
Flynn is unhappy to arrive at the restaurant only to find that Jason lied to him, Jason asks him to go to the office where he makes it up to him in a hot and horny manner. A sweet, hot and sexy short.
Emily Moreton – My Hand in Yours Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½, Genre: Fantasy, Pirate Length: Short (10pgs)
Review: Jack is a peace keeper for a coastal town. Robert is a pirate. They come together for primal needs and continue to do so for over five years whenever Robert is in town.
For over five years Robert comes to Jack whenever he is in town, when he is offered work on the Nether Shore, he asks Jack to make a huge decision. This is a nice sweet short.
Jana Denardo – Ghost of Jupiter Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Science Fiction, Inter-species Length: Short (35pgs)
Review: Telek is a Chimera (genetically engineered species) having been sold to the highest bidder he is now being transported. Al is a privateer who has raided a space craft, what he finds on board is more than he could have ever expected.
Telek has been bred to fight and kill. Chimera’s are feared as many have no control over themselves; a few can control themselves. Telek is one of the few. He begins to trust the privateer captain and wants more from him. Al trusts Telek not to hurt or kill him but he doesn’t want Telek thinking that he has to offer himself up to stay safe. Between them is a want to protect the other and a relationship based on trust. A great read I would love to see more from this writer.
E.S. Douglas – Officer and a Gentleman Pirate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4, Genre: Historical, Pirate Length: Short (16pgs)
Review: Geoffrey is a lieutenant in a British Colony; Captain Jones is a pirate he captured after bumping into him outside a tavern.
Jones uses his wiles to try to seduce the lieutenant so he can escape. Geoffrey tries to deny himself but fails; leading to the pirate escaping, but with instructions on how to contact him again. What will happen to these two men when they meet up again? A charming story which shows opposites attract.
K.J. Johnson – Objectivity Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3, Genre: Modern Pirate, Interracial Length: Short (27pgs)
Review: Matthew is a photo-journalist on assignment to get the dirt on African pirates. Achmed is the pirate leader who is trying to show Matthew why they have resorted to piracy.
Matthew battles his attraction to the pirate leader who has made it clear that he could kill him at any time. He also struggles to understand why these men have resorted to piracy. Meanwhile, Achmed is trying to make the photo-journalist understand why they rob the rich. When Matthew is injured on Achmed’s boat by an American soldier they both give in to the attraction. A nice story that could be built on for a future novella.
Cornelia Grey – Worth the Price Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Historical, Pirate Length: Short (31pgs)
Review: Edward is a lieutenant in the Royal Navy who has been captured by pirate Captain James O’Shea. When the pirate captain visits him he attacks him with a passion which surprises even him.
Edward ends up risking his life to save James. James ends up giving himself up to save his crew but what will Edward do when his Commodore tries to go back on his word and just how far will Edward go to rescue his pirate. A great short with some intense passion and it was really well written.
Juan Kenobi – Peter and the Lost Boys Heart Rating: ♥1, Genre: ???? Length: Short (15pgs)
Review: Peter is approached in a bar by Kap. Kap takes him to his home to discuss a job and Peter meets the lost boys.
Well there is no sex, no kissing, no nothing; just some sexual innuendo and a job offer. This short story felt more like a small clip from a much longer book.
M.J. O’Shea – Irish Red Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4, Genre: Historical 1713 Length: Short (11pgs)
Review: Chris is a tavern owner and Brian is the pirate captain, Irish Red. they have to keep their love a secret and Brian has promised that this will be his last trip.
Chris is waiting for Brian to return. He’s been waiting months and months when he hears the rumor that Irish Red has been killed. He struggles to go on with his life after that; until one night when an intruder enters the tavern. A wonderful short story that has a lot of emotion.
Piper Vaughn – Black John Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4,Genre: Historical 1715 Length: Short (15pgs)
Review: Juan thought the love of his life had died 5 years before. That is until he is washed up on the beach. He thinks this is his second chance, but Jacob has other ideas.
Jacob can’t believe that there are men living and loving openly together on this Island and even though he has found Juan again the fear is too deep. He will be leaving on the next cargo ship. It isn’t until Juan suffers a life threatening injury that Jacob realizes just what he could have lost.
Cooper West –Rough Trade Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Science Fiction, Pirates Length: Short (29pgs)
Review: Audacity is kinda like the captain of the Helos A.I. Battleship Carthage which turned to piracy before Audacity joined her. He’s trying to bail out one of his crew when he bumps into a desperate doctor who needs to get off the space port fast. Sag is a doctor and is pretty shocked that the space craft he is on is a pirate ship but he’s so glad to be off the space port.
This is a great read, I loved the story-line and plot and thought Audacity and Sag were great together.
B. Snow – From a Simmer to a Burn Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3, Genre: Historical, Interracial Length: Short (31pgs)
Review: Sule was a slave who escaped his Dutch owners. He has an anger that is so great that it burns constantly no matter how many fights he’s in and he hates all things Dutch. Olaf is Norwegian but can only communicate with the other crew in Dutch. Sule hates him for reminding him of the Dutch.
This is a good story about overcoming your anger to accept something that much better; if only you can accept what is offered and stop fighting the present and to start forgetting the past.
Riley Shane – On the Wings of Lir Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Steam punk, Pirate Length: Short (17pgs)
Review: Hugh is determined to capture the pirate Patrick Kelly. Kelly is raiding air-ships that are carrying children that are heading for the whore houses. When Hugh finds this out he has a choice to make.
This is a great story that I would really love to see made into a much, much longer story. Hugh is shocked when he finds out the truth behind the raids and he also finds Kelly to be extremely attractive. Kelly thinks Hugh looks like an angel and goes about persuading Hugh to look deeper.
Maggie Lee – The Winds of Change Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5, Genre: Historical 1717, Pirates Length: Short (33pgs)
Review: Cook and Seb have been friends for a year; Cook is firm in his belief that Seb will remain faithful even when Cook sleeps around. That conviction is shaken when they find berth on Edward Teach’s ships.
I found this to be a great story, where one man finally realizes that he can’t have his cake and eat it, too.
Overall Review: I have to say that I enjoyed some of the stories more than others, as always with an anthology you have your gems and then you have the plastic beads. I have to say that the gems are definitely worth reading in this anthology. There is some hot sex in some of the stories but in quite a few there are other sex acts and sometimes it’s just thoughts of sex. A lot of the pairings are good and quite a few of the stories are well written. So I would recommend this if you love pirates…or not.
Blurb: Jonah Beckett has been in love with his older brother’s best friend, Laurie, for years. When his boyfriend, Dirk, breaks up with him for refusing to put out, Jonah uses his heartbreak over the situation to ask Laurie to teach him all about sex before he starts college. Problem is, he made Dirk up, and he has no idea what will happen when Laurie finally finds out.
Reviewer: Portia
Review: This is the sweetest story that I’ve read in a long time. It was nice to have two young men who were comfortable with their sexuality, accepted by their families and completely in love. There were no real betrayals, no verbal or sexual abuse and just the tiniest bit of teenage angst. This is a relatively short read, but it is well written and made me smile…a lot.
If you would like a very sweet, very sexy tale of a young man losing his virginity in the most loving manner imaginable…this is definitely the book for you.
Blurb: Eleven years ago Shane Ventura made the biggest mistake of his life when he caved in to pressure from his record label to kick his best friend Jesse Seider out of their band, Luck. Though he had a gorgeous voice, Jesse wasn’t beautiful, and didn’t fit the label’s ideal look. But Shane’s never wanted anyone else more, and all the sex and alcohol in the world can’t fill the void Jesse left behind.
As his thirty-second birthday approaches, Shane feels more miserable than ever. Even the prospect of teaming up with Britain’s hottest band, Moonlight, for an epic world tour can’t get him out of his depressive funk. Until he meets lead singer, Kayden Berlin, and falls into instant lust.
Though Kayden acts like he’s not interested, Shane knows he feels the spark between them. But the harder Shane pushes, the more Kayden pulls away. Then one explosive night things finally come to a head and Shane is left nursing a broken heart. That seems to be Shane’s lot–lucky at everything but love, the one thing that matters most. But there’s a lesson Shane still hasn’t learned: when it comes to love, you can’t always leave things to chance.
Review: This book was great, it has rock and roll, sex, betrayal, a little bit of *******… (I am soooo not telling you), heart break and forgiveness.
I loved all the characters (well except for Nicky, Shane’s brother). Shane made the biggest mistake of his life when he betrayed his best friend and lover Jesse and he has regretted it ever since. Now he mets someone that he wants even more than he wanted Jesse, Kayden, but Kayden doesn’t want anything to do with Shane.
You feel Shane’s frustration and bewilderment from the first time he meets Kayden. You also see Kayden making his dislike of Shane and his brother well known. Shane tries his best to get on Kayden’s good side but whenever he seems to make a breakthrough, Kayden always reverts back to disdain. Can he ever break through Kayden’s walls? And what about Jesse? Shane still has dreams about him and there are flashbacks to his life with Jesse.
Well, what can I say but… wow way to get your *******. It’s blistering hot, sad, forgiving and heartfelt. It’s a great read that will have you chuckling, smiling and hopeful. A definite feel- good happily ever after.
Title: Prickly By Nature
![Luckiest[The]LG](https://mmgoodbookreviews.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/luckiestthelg-e1418003958598.jpg)
