Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (20th February 2018)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖 3 Hearts
Blurb:Learning to love means a study in patience.
Fresh out of the military, Ben Cooper is ready for a new start. He’s away from his domineering father, making his own choices… and out of the closet. On his first day of college, he meets David Powell, who’s just the kind of gorgeous man Ben’s dreamed of. Too bad he’s the teaching assistant—which makes him off-limits in Ben’s eyes.
David is Ben’s age, but his life has taken a different path. He’s close with his family, who helped him deal with personal struggles after he came out. And while he’s staying away from any hint of scandal, Ben’s a kind of temptation he hasn’t faced in years. If only they’d met on more equal footing. As the semester progresses and their lives become more entwined, keeping their relationship platonic becomes more difficult. They just have to hold out until the end of the semester….
Review: Teaching Ben is a cutesy story about two college students in their mid-twenties. This is very much what I expect from the author, Shea Connor, and I was quite pleased with this addition to the Dreamspun Desires line.
Teaching Ben is the story of Ben Cooper and his college tutor David Powell. Ben is twenty-four and recently out of the air force. After growing up with a controlling father who was also in the military which led into his career in the navy. Now he can have a life for himself and for Ben that is going to college and studying communications and documentary making. On his first days in one of his introductory subjects he feels an instant spark of attraction to third year student and his tutor for the class, David Powell.
David is also twenty-four. He’s got a past as a member of a rich family and growing up getting everything he wanted. A life altering situation some years ago meant that David had learnt his lesson and had since been working hard to finish college. Meeting Ben, David can’t deny the attraction, however David also knows that he start a relationship with a student he was teaching for the semester.
This is a sweet, well-paced book with very little angst. These are just ordinary guys living life, meeting their challenges head on, going to college and that ultimately is what makes this charming.
Blurb: Learning to love means a study in patience.
Fresh out of the military, Ben Cooper is ready for a new start. He’s away from his domineering father, making his own choices… and out of the closet. On his first day of college, he meets David Powell, who’s just the kind of gorgeous man Ben’s dreamed of. Too bad he’s the teaching assistant—which makes him off-limits in Ben’s eyes.
David is Ben’s age, but his life has taken a different path. He’s close with his family, who helped him deal with personal struggles after he came out. And while he’s staying away from any hint of scandal, Ben’s a kind of temptation he hasn’t faced in years. If only they’d met on more equal footing. As the semester progresses and their lives become more entwined, keeping their relationship platonic becomes more difficult. They just have to hold out until the end of the semester….
Review: Teaching Ben is a cutesy story… it’s best way to describe this sugary sweet romance between two college students in their mid-twenties. This is very much what I expect from the author, Shea Connor, and I was quite please with this addition to the Dreamspun Desires line. The narration for this audio was by Kenneth Obi, a new narrator for me but recently I’ve heard a few audios narrated by Obi. Overall, I find that I am now always happy to hear Obi’s narration. He nails the characters and the tone for the most part and I like his ability to all primary and secondary characters a unique voice.
Teaching Ben is the story of Ben Cooper and his college tutor David Powell. Ben is twenty-four and recently out of the air force. After growing up with a controlling father who was also in the military which led into his career in the navy. Now he can have a life for himself and for Ben that is going to college and studying communications and documentary making. On his first days in one of his introductory subjects he feels an instant spark of attraction to third year student and his tutor for the class, David Powell.
David is also twenty-four. He’s got a past as a member of a rich family and growing up getting everything he wanted. A life altering situation some years ago meant that David had learnt his lesson and had since been working hard to finish college. Meeting Ben, David can’t deny the attraction, however David also knows that he start a relationship with a student he was teaching for the semester.
This is a sweet, well-paced book with very little angst. These are just ordinary guys living life, meeting their challenges head on, going to college and that ultimately is what makes this charming.
Blurb: Who wouldn’t want a nice cup of tall, dark, and gorgeous? Shaun Rogers does. He’s working at the front desk of a clothing-optional gay resort when Conrad “Con” Brooks walks in. The sweet, funny, and smart IT guy is there to install a new network and security system, and sparks fly between the two men from the start. Trouble is, Shaun’s hiding his sexuality from his grandmother, the only family he has left, and that makes him reluctant to take the leap with Con.
Then a man claiming to be Shaun’s absent father shows up out of nowhere, throwing Shaun completely off balance. His life spiraling toward chaos, Shaun soon discovers that his “father” is hiding secrets of his own. When things come to a head between them, it’s Con who comes to Shaun’s rescue—but the incident could force Shaun into a decision he’s not sure he’s ready to make.
Review:Nobody’s Son is the third book in Shae O’Connor’s series, Sons. I recommend reading books 1 and 2 beforehand because there are a lot of interconnecting characters between the books. However, each book focuses on a different romantic couple and so can also be read as a standalone book.
In saying all that, I seriously had forgotten that I had read books 1 and 2 of the series (*turns beet red in embarrassment*). Then I was reading some of the books minor characters in the when they were first introduced and it all clicked to me. All in all, though, this is a great series to read and Nobody’s Son is a wonderful addition and add new depth to the series and the characters we had met in the first books.
The story is about Shaun and Conrad (aka Con). Shaun is such a sweet guy and in total contrast to his bosses and the people around him that work at the exclusively gay resort outside of Atlanta. He was raised by his mother and grandmother, before his mother was killed in the line of duty as a cop. Now all he has is his grandmother, as well as a sort of step father figure in Darnell, who had been dating his mother at the time of her death. Shaun is scared to lose what little he has by coming out, but then he meets Con at work. From there, everything changes. All of a sudden he has found a guy he likes more than a little, he has a man claiming to be his father but clearly has ulterior motives and then there is Darnell, who after ten years has started dating again.
As for Con, he’s really just an awesome guy. He’s all muscle and he’s tall. He’s come to the resort to install a new computer, server and security system. Honestly, the one downfall of this book for me is that there isn’t a lot more of Con’s story. He is there for Shaun the whole way and in general is a wonderful guy – the chemistry between them was hot – but I would have liked to know more of his POV. The book is, after all, exclusively Shaun’s POV.
Regardless I love the characters, their depth and the various interactions. I particularly liked learning of Shaun’s family life, with his grandmother and Darnell. Both characters were a wonderful addition and it is easy to see how it was written that these two shaped Shaun’s early and teenage years. The relationship, very much like father and son, between Shaun and Darnell is perfectly sweet.
I won’t continue raving on. I can’t stop recommending this book. The first couple books were definitely more niche tastes, but this book is more of a general love story that I think everyone could get behind.
Hi guys! We have Shae Connor popping in today with her upcoming release Teaching Ben, we have a brilliant guest post from Shae and a great excerpt so check out the post and enjoy! ❤ ~Pixie~
Teaching Ben
(Dreamspun Desires 52)
by
Shae Connor
Learning to love means a study in patience.
Fresh out of the military, Ben Cooper is ready for a new start. He’s away from his domineering father, making his own choices… and out of the closet. On his first day of college, he meets David Powell, who’s just the kind of gorgeous man Ben’s dreamed of. Too bad he’s the teaching assistant—which makes him off-limits in Ben’s eyes.
David is Ben’s age, but his life has taken a different path. He’s close with his family, who helped him deal with personal struggles after he came out. And while he’s staying away from any hint of scandal, Ben’s a kind of temptation he hasn’t faced in years. If only they’d met on more equal footing.
As the semester progresses and their lives become more entwined, keeping their relationship platonic becomes more difficult. They just have to hold out until the end of the semester….
Hi guys, we have Shae Connor stopping by today with her upcoming re-release Accidental Fall, we have a brilliant guest post and a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Accidental Fall
by
Shae Connor
When it comes to relationships, college roommates Greg and Keith are polar opposites. A recovering addict, Greg avoids sex because it’s too closely tied in his mind with the alcohol and drugs he gave up. In contrast, Keith protects his heart by limiting sex to one-night stands and weekend flings.
As the two get to know each other better, they feel drawn together, and slowly they take tentative steps toward something real. Their attraction soon flares hot, but Greg’s fears overwhelm him, sending him running. It’s up to Keith to help Greg learn to trust in himself—and in the way they feel about each other.
*Title free on publisher’s site at time of posting Title: Sons and Brothers Series: Sons, Epilogue Author: Shae Connor Genre: Contemporary Length: Short (35 pages) Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (31 Dec 2015) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts Blurb: Sons: Epilogue
As the end of the year approaches, seven gay men in their own unique romances ring in the holidays in their own unique ways. Six months after they started dating, Evan Day and Riley Yeats are settling into living together in Riley’s loft.
Across town, Shaun Rogers and Con Brooks are celebrating an old-fashioned Christmas with Shaun’s family.
But when threesome Mikey O’Malley, Jimmy Black, and Cory Lassiter pull off a big New Year’s Eve surprise, their friends find themselves considering the future of their own relationships.
Review: This is a short story strictly for those who have been reading, have read or will read Shae Connor’s series, Sons.
This is a nice, quick holiday story that ties together the loose ends (imagined or real) from the 3 books and the 2 couples and trio which were the MCs of the stories. Evan and Riley’s story was in book 1, Mikey, Cory and Jimmy’s story was book 2 and Shaun and Con’s story finished off the series in book 3.
It’s not entirely vital to read but it’s just a nice way to ensure everyone’s HEA and end a wonderful series.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Hi guys, we have Shae Connor stopping by today on the blog tour for her newest release Wayward Son, we have a fantastic guest post, a wonderful giveaway and Prime’s review, so check out the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Wayward Son
(Sons 02)
by
Shae Connor
After his move to Atlanta and away from the influence of his conservative parents, Mikey O’Malley finally feels free to be himself: art student, aspiring animator, and out gay man. He has friends, a new job, and not one, but two men interested in him. Cory Lassiter and Jimmy Black have been a happy couple for years, occasionally bringing a twink into their bed, but only for a brief roll in the hay. When Mikey meets the pair, the attraction is immediate, and it runs three ways. Mikey just can’t believe they’d have room in their lives for a permanent addition.
When Mikey’s newfound life is shattered by a lawsuit that accuses him of molesting a child years earlier, he’s determined to face his troubles on his own, but Cory and Jimmy are just as determined that he not have to go it alone. To reconcile his need for independence and his desire for love, Mikey has to learn that being a man isn’t just about standing on your own two feet. It’s about letting yourself lean on the ones who love you.
Title: Unfortunate Son Series: Sons #1 Author: Shae Connor Genre: Contemporary Length: Novel (194 pages) Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (January 12th, 2015) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4.5Hearts Blurb: Five years ago, Evan Day lost his lover in the Afghan sand, and in the fallout, lost his military career and his family. With help from friends, he reinvented himself as porn star Trevor Hardball, but his scars are hidden, not healed. When Riley Yeats falls into Evan’s lap in a bar, he awakens a part of Evan he’d thought was dead and gone. Evan’s fascinated by the blond and twinky Riley, even though he’s the opposite of Evan’s usual type.
Then Evan’s family reappears in his life, and Evan soon learns Riley has his own family-inflected wounds – ones that make it hard for him to be there for Evan. A disastrous confrontation between Evan and his parents leaves Evan’s mother injured and Evan overcome by anger and fear.
Losing his tenuous hold on his emotional control, Evan makes one bad decision after another, but maybe his final fall will be wake-up call Evan needs to set things right – with his parents, and with Riley.
Review: This is a really good book – I’m just going to put it out there. I did have some reservations when I started because I although I like to read military-based characters, I’m a particular when it comes to characters that are involved in porn. It’s mostly because books where one or more characters are porn stars tend to be an excuse for countless needless sex scenes which have nothing to do with the actual plot of the book and generally is just jerk off material.
However, from the start I loved this book and got stuck right into the storylines and the characters. Evan was dishonourably discharged from the marines in the aftermath of his first love being killed while they were on tour. Getting home, Evan was left being compared to his older, dead brother (Charlie) – then he was disowned by his family. Luckily, he had good friends, Cory, who had been friends with Charlie and had looked out for Evan since Charlie’s death.
Cory and his then new boyfriend, Jimmy helped Evan become the man he is and that we meet five years down the track. Riley, comes from a rich family and the only reason he hasn’t been disowned (can’t have a gay heir, apparently) is the scandal it would cause. He is immediately attracted to Evan, doesn’t know too much about porn but he is too standoffish. Or maybe I just felt like he wasn’t putting in much effort where Evan was concerned.
We don’t get to know too much about Riley, so as much as I like him as a character and as much as you see the spark being he and Evan, I feel like anything that I write about him here is going to be a spoiler. And that’s the only reason why I’m giving this book 4.5-hearts instead of 5-hearts. But luckily, Riley’s character does show some evolution and by the end, he’s got things together.
I really wanted to know more about Riley. This story is told from Evan/Trevor’s side, so there are times when I really wanted to get into Riley’s head and know what’s going through his sometimes thick skull. This is especially true when it comes to the pair’s bizarre arguments where Riley tends to close up and Evan leaves, blaming himself for the entire thing.
I really want to know what makes Riley tick and, I hate to sound like clichéd, but I want to know more about the journey his character other than just knowing that his character has developed. I don’t want tears or hissy fits, just a few words of explanation here and there. Also, Evan, when he is just released from hospital with pretty bad injuries (and pain meds), has sex with Riley (and not the slow, calmer kind). He’s got numerous injuries, on pain meds and just been falling asleep… why? Just why would anyone want to have sex at this point? Kissing and heavy petting, maybe, but not all out sex.
There are a whole host of minor characters that are more than a little interesting. Particularly, I liked Evan’s friends Cory and Jimmy, as well as Riley’s friend, Mikey. These guys are going to be the subject of book 2, which I am excited about. Evan is estrangement from his parents, but I liked how it was handled and although this parents did take exception to him being gay they weren’t made out to be outright villains. In fact, I really liked Evan’s parents. The same went with Riley’s family, although we don’t get to truly meet them nor do we truly get to know the exact circumstances.
This is book 1 of a series, I am really am looking forward to more! I hope for plenty of more glimpses of Evan and Trevor.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Hiya guys, today we have Kiernan Kelly stopping by to show off her story in the Wilde City Press anthology Butt Babe’s in Boyland. So enjoy the post and check out Lisa’s review <3 ~Pixie~
The holidays are a time for visiting with family and friends, and sharing tales of peace, childlike innocence, and good will towards all mankind. These are not those stories. Instead, sit back and allow yourself to be regaled with the colorful adventures of toy-themed parties with a twist, the future of Elf Enforcement, misfit sex toys at the North Pole, the mysterious Workshop 69, special delivery packages, and a serious case of potentially mistaken identity. This year, the Butt-thology authors cordially invite you to join them in creating a new tradition.
This holiday season, it’s not just turkeys getting stuffed!
Hey peep’s, we have Bru Baker popping in to tout her newest story My OTP in the anthology All in a Days Work, she chats briefly about workplace encounters and then we have my review of this great anthology, so enjoy the post <3 ~Pixie~
All in a Day’s Work
by
Varius Authors
A guy’s got to make a living. He can do it the conventional way—by selling cars, scooping ice cream, or delivering sandwiches—or he can earn his money as a spy, a historical interpreter, or the host of a myth-busting television show. Whether the men in this anthology are working hard to build their own business or performing in drag at a dance hall, every day has the potential for surprises and the chance to satisfy their lust or maybe find something more permanent. For the guys in these stories, what’s all in a day’s work might be anything but what they expected.
Ice Cream Dreams by Shae Connor My OTP by Bru Baker The Bet by Holly O. Hale Not Quite 1776 by Therese Woodson Extra Mayo by Henrietta Clarke Short Timer by Jenni Michaels Dance Hall Days by Amy Jo Cousins Unmasked by Kay Walker
Hey guys, a bunch of us bloggers have got together to show our support for T.J. Klune and Eric Arvin by joining up for the Grand Adventures blog tour. This blog tour is to bring to attention the wonderful authors who donated a story and Dreamspinners Press who are donating 100% of the income from the sale to Eric & T.J. and there’s even a great giveaway for you to enjoy! I know the people in this genre are just incredible! So check out what the authors have to say, visit Dreamspinners Press and have a look at the great Grand Adventures goodies and click our Rafflecopter link to win some of those great goodies 🙂 ~Pixie~ p.s. I’d like to give a shout out to Brandilyn from Prism Book Alliance for pulling us bloggers together and organizing our roles in this tour 😉
Description:
On September 1, 2011, TJ Klune wrote, “…it’s not about the ending, it’s about the journey…” in a review of Eric Arvin’s Woke Up in a Strange Place. With those words, two men began a journey of love and invited us to ride along. TJ and Eric have shared so much with us: their wonderful books, their smiles, their humor, their lives, and their inspiring devotion to each other. In December of 2013, their journey took a detour when Eric was taken to the emergency room. He survived the surgery to remove a cavernous hemangioma from his brain stem, but the challenges TJ and Eric face are far from over.
The authors in this anthology donated their talent as a way to support Eric’s continued recovery, to help bring strength to TJ, and to show both of them just how much love surrounds them. Grand Adventures is a diverse range of stories about the journey of love. We’re going on some grand adventures for a great cause. Thank you for joining us.
One hundred percent of the income from this volume goes directly to TJ and Eric.
Foreword by S.A. McAuley
An Unexpected Thing by John Amory (Sequel to Protection)
The Twinkie Ignition by J.E. Birk
When Friendship Becomes More by Sophie Bonaste
Isle of Waiting by Sue Brown (A Missing Moment from Isle of Waves)
The Jogger by KC Burn
Holding Court by Cardeno C.
For Dear Life by Mary Calmes
Under the Full Moon by Ellis Carrington
Stripped by Shae Connor (2nd Edition)
That Place Across the Hall by C.C. Dado
Mistaken MD by Phoenix Emrys
Cops and Comix by Rhys Ford
Last First Kiss by LE Franks
Tomorrow by John Goode
From Fantasy to Friends by CR Guiliano (A Companion to For You)
Hello everyone! My name is John Amory, and my contribution to the Grand Adventures anthology is titled “An Unexpected Thing.” This short is actually a sequel to a story that Dreamspinner published last June in its Daily Dose compilation called “Protection.” The new story picks up about two years after Jamie and Ben met; both are back from London and traveling the West Coast. Jamie is en route to a shooting competition with Ben in tow, but when their plane is diverted, they are forced to find their own way through the Cascades to Seattle. They, of course, find something else along the way.
I have never met TJ or Eric, but I was struck by their struggle like everyone else. We are all a family of authors and readers in this genre, and it felt like someone in our family had suddenly fallen ill. I wanted to help, especially since TJ’s book Into This River I Drown had such an effect on me. When “Protection” was accepted for publication last year, it was the first book I chose from Dreamspinner’s catalog to read, so that I could get a feel for their audience, their authors, the style of stories they publish, etc. I was blown away by River, which is, in so many ways, a really atypical (but still brilliant) M/M romance. There was so much else going on: grief, redemption, faith, closure, all of these things played into the book’s themes, and they’re all things I think TJ handled beautifully. So I began “An Unexpected Thing” as a sequel to “Protection” that contained a guest appearance by two of TJ’s characters from Roseland, which seemed only appropriate given its ties to River. I eventually re-edited the story to not include TJ’s characters (since, if all the authors did that, it would be taxing on TJ to edit and approve each story), but the essence that those characters brought to the story is still there, as well as some other Easter eggs for fans of TJ’s book. “An Unexpected Thing” is about finding love in places you never thought you would, with people you never thought you would. That’s something I got from Into This River I Drown and from TJ and Eric’s personal story, and I think it’s something universal: keep your eyes and heart open, because The One might be someone you’d never notice otherwise.
Thanks for reading and for supporting Grand Adventures! You can find me on Twitter (@JohnAmory) or on GoodReads. Feel free to drop a line! Happy reading!
About John Amory:
John Amory is and always will be a hopeless romantic, which he blames on watching too many episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 growing up. He began writing stories and poems as a child, continuing through high school. He put writing on the backburner for a number of years, during which time he finished both Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in English, and is thrilled to be creating again now that he knows what “free time” means.
In another life, John is a newly minted college professor, as well as an actor/director/choreographer/playwright whose work has been performed in New York City and elsewhere. He is also obsessed with television and keeps two blogs on the subject: one for general reviews and comments (faketvcritic.blogspot.com), and one devoted solely to So You Think You Can Dance (cuttingsytycd.blogspot.com).
Feel free to drop a message here or on Twitter to say hi!
1. Tell us about your contribution to the anthology.
My short story is called When Friendship Becomes More.
Here’s the official blurb, because it explains the story better than I could:
Despite their differences, Jamie and Roy are not only college roommates, but best friends. What Jamie doesn’t know is that Roy has had a crush on him for years. When Jamie realizes Roy’s feelings during a camping trip with friends, the attraction will either prove mutual, or it will tear their friendship apart.
I’m really proud of this short story. It has moments that will make you laugh and cry. I hope everyone out there loves it as much as I do.
2. What is your favorite TJ and Eric memory?
Well, I haven’t been lucky enough to meet TJ or Eric in person. But I remember reading the news of TJ’s proposal in October of last year. I was instantly touched by the obvious love between the two men. It may not have been a showy proposal like that Home Depot one that went viral a few months ago, but it was one of the most love-filled proposals I’ve ever seen. And isn’t that what’s really important?
3. Why did you choose to participate in the anthology?
When I heard about the anthology it was a no-brainer. I knew I had to help TJ and Eric in any way I could. And since writing is one of my favorite things to do anyway, it was a win-win.
4. Do you have anything to say to TJ and Eric?
I just wanted to say that you two are both some of the strongest people I’ve ever known. I wish you only the best as you go forward. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!!!!!
About Sophie Bonaste:
Sophie Bonaste is a novelist who never set out to be a novelist. As a child, she wanted to be a Broadway actress and spent her childhood in numerous productions. But when adulthood set in and reality took over, Sophie chose to up the theater for a steady paycheck and instead turned to writing as a creative outlet. She stumbled into the M/M genre through fanfiction and never looked back. Sophie is quite happy with her change in artistic expression and doesn’t plan to stop writing for a long time.
A self-proclaimed nerd, Sophie is an avid fan of all things Star Wars and Harry Potter. (Sophie is a member of the Slytherin house, for those who were wondering.) Sophie also spends many hours watching and re-watching nerdy television shows. When she is not obsessing over the latest and greatest in nerdy entertainment, Sophie can be found screaming at her television during American football games. (Go Pack Go!) Sophie currently lives in Pennsylvania, about twenty minutes from her childhood town of The Middle of Nowhere.
If you don’t want to talk, but you want to read more about my works, please use these links.
Harmony Ink – Sophie Bonaste
Dreamspinner Press – Sophie Bonaste
GIVEAWAY!
20″ x 26″ (image size: 16″ x 24″) signed & matted print of the Grand Adventures cover Grand Adventures Paperback $30 Dreamspinner Press Giftcard
Starts: 12:01 AM EDT on 29 Mar 2014 End: 11:59pm EDT on 8 April 2014
Heat Level: Moderate to Explicit, depending on the story
Heart Rating: 3-4 hearts, depending on the story
Blurb: Baseball – America’s favorite pastime – provides a field wide open for romance. A Home Field Advantage may not help when Toby must choose between the team he’s loved all his life and the man he could love for the rest of it. In 1927, Skip hides his sexuality to protect his career until he meets One Man to Remember. Ruben and Alan fell victim to a Wild Pitch, leaving them struggling with heartache and guilt, and now they’ve met again. And on One Last Road Trip, Jake retires and leaves baseball behind, hoping to reconnect with Mikko and get a second chance at love.
Home Field Advantage by Shae Connor
Toby MacMillan, grandson of Atlanta Braves owner Ray MacMillan, lives for baseball and loves his team. When he meets new team member Caleb Browning, an innocent welcome-to-the-big-leagues dinner leads to a not-so-innocent night together. Toby quickly calls things off, afraid of the ramifications of their tryst, but the two men develop a friendship that soon becomes more. After Caleb takes a fastball to the head, their budding romance hits the news—and Toby’s grandfather hits the roof. When Ray MacMillan demands Toby deny the relationship, Toby must choose between the team he’s loved all his life and the man he could love for the rest of it.
One Man to Remember by Kate McMurray
its 1927, and in New York City, Babe Ruth and the Yankees’ unstoppable batting lineup, Murderers’ Row, is all anyone can talk about. Across town, the Giants’ rookie infielder Skip Littlefield racks up hits, creating a streak to rival the Babe’s. Worried his secrets could get out, he avoids the spotlight, but he catches the attention of lauded sports reporter Walter Selby, a notorious dandy whose sexuality is an open secret. Skip reluctantly agrees to an interview, and mutual attraction is sparked. Skip can only hope the more charismatic stars will draw attention away from his romance with Walt. Otherwise, his career and everything he loves is at stake.
Wild Pitch by Marguerite Labbe
Ruben Martell fell in love with Alan Hartner during their years playing baseball. They stepped over the foul line once, but the encounter left them struggling with heartache and guilt, turning away from each other to focus on their families. Now retired from the majors, they run a batting cage together and coach rival Little League teams as they juggle fatherhood and being single again. Though Ruben has never given up hope that Alan might look at him as more than a friend, Alan seems determined to keep things the way they’ve always been. But long-buried feelings and desires have a way of resurfacing, and Ruben can’t wait forever.
One Last Road Trip by Kerry Freeman
With the last game of his Major League Baseball career behind him, Jake Wilson hits the road. Years have passed, but he never got over the romance he shared with Mikko Niemi back in college. Finally, he’s ready to do something about it. He starts with some crucial visits to his ex-wife in New Mexico, his son in Oklahoma, and his daughter in Tennessee. But his true destination is Mikko’s home in Georgia, where he’s hoping to get a second chance at love.
Review: Four short stories about the struggle to be gay in the major leagues, whether it is as a player or someone more behind the scenes. Each of these men has a story to tell, as a couple or as an individual. The common thread? Baseball!
One Man to Remember by Kate McMurray ~ This story has a historical romance aspect to it as it’s set in the 1920’s when being gay could still get you arrested. As well the ML frequent speakeasies as prohibition is still enforced and them being, a couple is majorly overlooking in such establishments. When the team owners begin to notice that their star player, Skip Littlefield, is spending too much time with the sports writer, Walter Selby, a known homosexual. They quickly demand he end the ‘friendship’. Will the budding affair survive prying eyes until the season is over?
Home Field Advantage by Shae Connor ~ Go braves! Toby MacMillan is the grandson of Ray MacMillan, current owner of the Atlanta Braves. He loves this team and his job running day-to-day affairs of the team and the players. When he meets the newest recruit, Caleb Browning, sparks fly immediately. The two share a very steamy, very passionate night that ends with Toby pushing Caleb away. He knows that neither of them can afford to pursue a relationship, there is no way they can be public, and his grandfather would disown him. After an accident leaves Caleb in the hospital their secret is exposed. Will Toby cave to his grandfather’s demands that he deny the man he loves? Or will he risk everything to be with Caleb?
One Last Road Trip by Kerry Freeman ~ Jake Wilson met the love of his life in college, when his pro baseball career was just starting. After a painful break up he met and married his wife, and fathered two beautiful children. He doesn’t regret his marriage, career or kids. What he does regret is losing the man he loved, Mikko. Jake is bisexual, and has finally shared this secret with his family. Now divorced and with his kids blessing, he takes a road trip to find the one that got away. Mikko is less than welcoming, but Jake lays it all on the line, leaving Mikko and going back home. Mikko has to decide if it’s worth the risk to allow Jake back into his life. Will Jake lose his love a second time around?
Wild Pitch by Marguerite Labbe ~ Ruben Martell has been in love with Alan Hartner for decades. They are both bisexual men that married woman and have families, but always harbored something special for each other. Now that they no longer have wives, Ruben is more determined than ever to have a relationship with Alan. But Alan is just as determined to keep things in the friends zone. A shared passion and desire soon have them delving back into familiar territory. Can they find a balance between friendship, family and love for each other?
I hate baseball. It’s like watching paint dry! But this anthology of short stories based within the sport left me breathless. Each story is different and unique. All the men share an almost common goal of keeping their sexuality a secret. And in the end they will all have to decide if that secret is more important than the happiness they deserve. Sex, steam, passion, and baseball. That is what Playing Ball is all about!
Genre: Science Fiction Romance *set in space with a dash of BDSM*
Length: Novella (12,000 words)
Publisher: Wilde City Press (August 7th 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts
Blurb: “Imagine, two horny guys, one small spaceship and exotic planets to explore! Each destination the perfect place for hot sexual fantasies and one on one action… But what happens when someone else catches a glimpse of the erotic play? What kind of show does the man with the sexy voice, watching through the ship’s cameras deserve? These two know exactly what to do and how to show it off for their mysterious third. This one is a voyeur’s ultimate fantasy and an exhibitionist’s wet dream!”
Review: Short, Sexy and Steamy! I haven’t gotten to wear my three favorite colors in a while.
Jace and Tals are seemingly alone in their adventures. Exploring planets and scavenging ships for parts, they think they are on their own. When they stumble across a ‘play’ table on ship, they can’t stop themselves from giving it a spin. It’s the third person in the equation that throws them for a loop. The man behind the voice calls himself simply, Cruz. He asks that they repair his ship and bring it to him for just a small price, the opportunity to watch.
So Jace and Tals begin the repairs, and the process of getting to know their host. They have no face to put with the name, just the voice on the com. They give Cruz what he wants and then some, and sexcapades in space is downright sexy, I assure you! When the repairs are done and it’s time to deliver the ship, are Jace and Tals really ready to meet the voice. To finally meet Cruz.
Holy hell, this was such a fun read! Jace and Tals definitely love each other and they do not suffer from performance anxiety. I especially loved the nice little twist at the end. If you are in the mood for something quick and sexy, this is the book for you. Smokin’ Hot!
Title: Teaching Ben
Title: Teaching Ben
Title: Nobody’s Son
*Title free on publisher’s site at time of posting
*Warning: Possible Spoilers Alert*
