Hey guys, today we are visited byAleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt with their newest Riptide Publishing release Hostile Ground, they have a great giveaway and we have Thommie’s review for you to enjoy, so don’t just sit there have a look at what we have today and then don’t forget to click that Rafflecopter Link! <3 ~Pixie~
Welcome to the Riptide Publishing, Aleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt blog tour for our thriller, Hostile Ground!
Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off our backlists (excluding Hostile Ground) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 17th, and winners will be announced on May 19th. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.
Hostile Ground
by
L.A. Witt & Aleksandr Voinov
Enemy territory is a dangerous place to fall in love.
After the deaths of three undercover cops investigating a drug ring in a seedy strip club in Seattle, Detective Mahir Hussain has been sent to finish the job. He joins the club’s security team in the hopes of finding enough evidence to bust the operation before the men in charge find a reason to put him in a shallow grave.
To protect the strippers, only gay men can work the club. Ridley, the cold and intimidating head of security, knows exactly how to test potential new hires—including Mahir. From the minute they meet, Mahir and Ridley engage in a dangerous dance of sex and mind games. Mahir needs to find his evidence before Ridley figures out he’s a cop—and before they both grow too close to betray one another.
As the game goes on, Mahir burrows deeper into the operation, where he learns there’s much more happening than meets the eye . . . and why every cop who made it this far has been silenced with a bullet.
Hostile Ground is available May 12th from Riptide Publishing.
Title: Vanquished Thief Series: Vanquished #3 Author: Yamila Abraham Genre: Yaoi / BDSM (Hentai) Length: Novella (99 pages) ASIN: B00JJVMAW2 (ISBN-13: 9781311055651) Publisher: Yaoi Press (April 7th, 2014)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2.5~3 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: A waifish mortal thief is caught stealing in Darkhelm’s castle, and is only spared execution because his lovely body can be used for better things.
The Dragon King Caine doubts that such an unskilled mortal thief could have truly breached the underworld. He wishes to know what this creature really is, and what he wants with their beautiful slave Jonah. He intends to subject the pretty waif to some of their more exquisite tortures until he gets an answer.
The frightening truth behind the thief’s identity may place the mighty King Caine in a submissive position for the first time ever! An erotic BDSM medieval fantasy with a romantic twist! Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Vanquished-Thief-Medieval-Gay-BDSMErotica-ebook/dp/B00JJVMAW2 Review: Book three in the Vanquished series comes and treats us to a surprising twist. We’ve been used to mortals being in the mercy of demons, Princes and Kings being vanquished by the sublime torments of extreme pleasure, but this time around, the author has granted us with yet another being extraordinaire.
There is not much to say about this new addition to the series. The sexual games work in the same path though there are new kinks introduced. The cruelty of the main characters is always followed by their love and nurturing nature as weird as it may seem for demons to behave this way. The main change came with Jonah’s new role. Though he remains a very wanton Uke, he took on a leading role in the previous book, which turned into full sadistic Seme into this one for a short spell. This new version of Jonah was definitely not met favourably from me.
So, in this book, we have a thief breaking and entering King Cain’s realm without anyone noticing him. How very weird this was in itself, but when the thief is caught, things become weirder still. It seems as if this thief is seeking punishment, instead of avoiding it… He seems to be quite cocky too and secure in some hidden knowledge. Could it be that this particular thief is much, much more than he seems?
I have made up my mind and my favourite character in this series is definitely Randell. He is the perfect sadist for my poor dark heart and he manages to make me smile each and every time I read another installment. King Caine is the sweet sort. No matter how hard he tries to be severe and cruel, deep inside his heart he’s a damned softie; there’s no other explanation for his behaviour. I would have love to see him in a vulnerable position and damn if this wasn’t the perfect opportunity to do so, but I guess the author wanted her Seme unspoiled. In any case, this new twist in the plot may very well produce interesting and enticing future installments.
Hiya guys, today we have Jaime Reese and her newest release A Hunted Man, there’s two excerpts, a giveaway and Thommie’s great review (which has me wanting this book) so get to reading this post and remember to click that Rafflecopter link 😉 <3 ~Pixie~
After surviving ten years in prison, Cameron Pierce is attempting to put the past behind him. He tries to adjust to his newfound freedom with a place at the halfway house and a job. But one lesson he learned in prison keeps him guarded: hope is a dangerous thing.
Hunter Donovan, Assistant State Attorney, is a man of justice who loves a challenge. After a lifetime of putting his career first, a milestone brings him to a harsh realization—he’s lonely.
Hunter’s world changes when he meets Cam. The wary young man intrigues him and awakens a desire unlike anything he’s ever experienced. When Cam’s past resurfaces and threatens to rip them apart, their budding relationship is challenged and Cam’s hope for a future begins to dim.
These outside forces hunting Cam will stop at nothing to send him back to prison. But they’ll have to get past Hunter first.
Title: Stalking the Hygienist Series: Paranormal Dentistry for the Fanged and Friendly Series, #2 Author: Jackie Nacht Genre: Paranormal Romance / Shifters Length: Novella (62 pages) ISBN: MLR1020140 Publisher: MLR Press, LLC (April 17th, 2014) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2.5~3 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: This lion shifter will go to any length to get his deer shifting hygienist, including going to the dentist. Bring on the nitrous oxide!
Beauregard made a mistake… a horrible mistake. Now embarrassed he focuses on what he loves most, working as a hygienist at Paranormal Dentistry for the Fanged and Friendly.
As soon as Sergei saw Beauregard coming up to his meat counter, he fell hard for the deer shifter. The only problem is Beauregard is running from him. Being the lion shifter he is, Sergei decides to take matters into his own hand and goes hunting. However, Sergei never imagined he would have to face his worst fear and choke down a salad. What’s it going to take to make Beauregard his?
Review: Paranormal Dentistry for the Fanged and Friendly comes back with book two and Beauregard’s story. Now for those of you who didn’t read the first book, this is a series that while each and every installment can be read as a standalone, it would be better to read them in order, so that you can get a better grasp of the town these stories are set and the shifter community that exists there. It also helps with each couple as we first meet them on other installments and then their story comes forward.
So we met Beauregard on book one; he is the deer shifter and hygienist working for Dr. Gunner Samuels. In book one, we saw him obsessed with Dallas the bear and frankly, I thought they would hit it off. But fate has other plans for our dear deer…
Sergei the lion and the local butcher knows he is Beauregard’s mate, he feels it in his soul, but the obsession Beau had for the bear has put their relationship back quite a lot, as now his beloved deer is refusing to even go out on a date with him out of fear that he’s going too fast again.
Sergei has to literally stalk his prey and not let up the pressure until Beauregard gives in.
This series is basically the light to this author’s darkness. This novella is one of the sweet and fluffy types Jackie Nacht writes, with lots of fun and games, bantering and chasing and playfulness in the mix. The key setting is (from what I’ve understood so far) a carnivore with a herbivore coupling. A satirical effort or an attempt of endearing the complete opposites, the couple you think, “no way are those two going to be together, such as a lion-sifter and a deer-shifter.
It also has that fated-mates vibe, but written in a weird way. What I mean is that while the “bond” exists, it isn’t the focus or even a reason to force the mates into a bonding; it’s more like a path to show the most compatible couplings, and incentive to make them come closer a bit faster. However, on both books, the fated-mates concept was very subtle, it faded under the humor, and games the couples have.
As for this particular read I liked it but found that it was missing things and it also was in need of a bit more polishing and proofing. What it was missing was the scene of Beauregard and Sergei’s first meeting. One must read the first book in order to get that first time feeling, the chemistry between them two and a feel of Sergei as a person. While their first interaction was mentioned here, it was a bit vague and I would much have preferred it as a flashback or memory in order to give those sparks. Ah, and that is the key word, because yes this couple was fun, and yes they were funny, and yes they were playful and at times their antics made me smile, but there was that spark missing that rendered their lovemaking a bit flat, a bit bland, a bit unreachable. What can I say, I need my smut to be intense and this wasn’t. It was soft and snugly and it happened a bit too fast methinks.
Overall, though it was a good read, a fast one too, one of those that don’t require lots of thinking and doesn’t challenge, simply exists to give you a sweet vibe and take your mind out of anything heavy. Recommended for those who love sweetly, snugly, paranormal romance.
Title: Guarded Author: Cat Grant & L.A. Witt Genre: Contemporary Romance / BDSM Length: Novel (344 pages) ISBN: 9780989694940 Publisher: Cat Grant Books (April 7th, 2014) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5~4 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: On the surface, rock star Jordan Kane has it all. His band No Rules is burning up the charts and headlining a world tour. His bodyguard doubles as a hot, kinky boyfriend who knows just how to push all his buttons. But behind the scenes, he’s suffocating.
Jase Hewitt never imagined he’d have a shot at bedding the larger than life rock star – never mind dominating him – but now he’s worried he’s in over his head. Jordan’s kinks run deep, dark, and sometimes dangerous, putting Jase’s desires to both pleasure and protect him at odds.
They might have a fighting chance at finding the safe, happy medium between what Jordan needs and what Jase is willing to give, but there’s one problem: Daniel, Jordan’s childhood best friend, the band’s talented guitarist — and a volatile, hard-partying drug addict. Jordan is determined to save Daniel from himself, but Jase has been there, done that, and desperately wants to protect Jordan from the inevitable heartache of watching an addict self-destruct.
When Daniel goes off the rails again, Jordan calls off the tour to get him help. Tension within the band skyrockets and pressure from the record label sends Jordan into a dark spiral. Now his band — and his life — are balanced on a knife’s edge, and Jase is the only one who can pull him back… but only if the echoes of his own tragic past don’t push him over first. Purchase Link: ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-guarded-1441814-354.html Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Guarded-Cat-Grant-ebook/dp/B00JGWKT1I Review: Rock stars, drugs, sex… Nah, not good enough, let me try this again.
Gorgeous, stunningly hot rock-star and equally drool-worthy bodyguard; addictions to alcohol and drugs with seriously realistic repercussions packing one hell of an emotional punch; lots of kinky, domineering, controlling and breath-taking (pun intended) sex that drives you out of your mind with the carnal and sensuous eroticism it packs. These are the ingredients of this exiting book and trust me when I say that this was one hell of a ride I didn’t expect.
Truth is I feared this would be just another one of “those” books, that generate the same old theme with nothing new to give, and I was a bit apprehensive of it when I started reading. But, really, I should’ve known that both authors wouldn’t simply write a trivial story. This book is so much more than that. The view and life of the rock stars when they are off the stage and all lights are off is amazing. The needs they have, the tiredness they feel, the choices they make, everything is charged with realistic-feeling emotions that do not fail to turn you inside out, drain you out of everything, only to recharge you with new feelings of hope, happiness and eroticism in the end.
The characters, Jordan, Jase, and Daniel are… the best description I can find for them is raw. They are humane, they are flawed to the bone, and they are geniuses who drown in their own brilliance. Their strengths and weaknesses are sublime and you can’t help but feel a number of emotions for each of them.
I loved Jordan, I hated Jordan, and I pitied Jordan. His love for both Jase and Daniel was heart breaking and it managed to do just that, break my heart a bit in the end.
Daniel; he just killed me. I managed to re-live the same emotions I used to feel about a number of extremely talented people who simply throw their life away, and/or can’t find the strength to go on despite their brilliance.
But Jase, I think he was my favorite character, though I hated his guilt to no end. He made me happy, he made me horny (yes, he did) he made me cry, he made me mad.
In the end, what I’m trying to say I that these authors manipulated their characters to the max of their strength in order to deliver an incredible story that lacked nothing. It felt too real, it felt too raw, and it definitely felt too hot.
If I wasn’t so emotionally drained by the end of this story, I think this book would’ve taken a good 4.5 hearts from me, but I just couldn’t handle it all. While I had fun, and I loved the BDSM aspect more than I can say, I couldn’t handle the emotional roller coaster that came within the blink of an eye. The highs and the lows of the story were too close to each other and I constantly felt unbalanced while reading it, not being able to set for one bit in a particular emotion, and that was what in the end took a heart from my rating.
Overall though I found it an amazing book, incredibly well written and worthy of your selves. Strongly recommended for those who love a love story that takes lots of work to stand and survive.
Hi guys, today we are joined by Chris T. Kat and her brand new release Sacrifices, we have a brilliant giveaway and we have Thommie’s review… and you can actually picture Thommie pulling her hair out as she wrote the review LOL So enjoy our post, click that Rafflecopter link and grin at Thommie’s excellent review. <3 ~Pixie~
Sacrifices
(A Jeff Woods Mystery 02)
by
Chris T Kat
When he was outed on the local news, Jeff Woods gave up his dream job as a detective to become an on-air radio personality. The sacrifice was worth it to keep Alex and Sean in his life, but Alex lost his job, too. Jeff can tell Alex worries he’s pressuring Jeff too much, first with Sean and now the lack of money, but he has no idea what that will lead Alex to do. Desperate times bring out the stupidity in some people, and when Jeff discovers Alex is in over his head in a situation he can’t handle, he needs all his self-control to stay calm.
Life is not easy with the Church of Virtue still spouting venom wherever they go, homophobes at the police department, a gangster who wants Alex in the worst possible way, and a bed that barely holds one grown man, much less two (and a child), but Jeff is there to stay for good, and he’ll do what it takes to make Alex believe him.
Title: The Merry Executioner Returns Series: A Strange Place in Time III Author: Alyx J. Shaw Genre: High Fantasy Length: Novel (294 pages) ISBN: 9781603706988 Publisher: Prizm Press, Torquere Press (March 12th, 2014) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: With the last member of the Court returned home, John Arrowsmith and his group of friends prepare to defend their land from ancient adversaries bent on their destruction. With enemies advancing on all sides and attacks coming from within their own home, it’s difficult to determine where to strike.
With friends succumbing to assassins and attacks, John Arrowsmith must use his abilities to their utmost to prevent tragedy befalling his adopted homeland. But tragedy comes in many forms, and his long-time lover has been gone a very long time… Will the band of friends save the day? Find out in this third installment of the Strange Places in Time series! Purchase Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=17&products_id=1940 Review: The third and final part of this saga picks up exactly where it left on the second book. Our nine incredible members of the Court have finally some clue as to who is behind the incidents happening in Dargoth and why. And just like the previous two books, this one as well starts with a power kick of action, attacks on all fronts, hideous and crippling losses, even death among the fellowship. The pace is fast and furious alternating between fights, unexpected attacks, and even more unexpected relationships forming between our guys.
Dubious characters that were somewhat in between good and evil take form now and even more plots are discovered as the story goes. Frankly, this was one hell of a ride when it came to conspiracy and having the enemy no two steps ahead but a whole damned mile. If you have ever played a high fantasy MMORPG and taken part in raids with big bossed that needed a huge amount of planning strategy in how to freaking down them; if you’ve ever gone into wipefest after wipefest trying to down the same boss for hours then you definitely appreciate this entire sage, and even more so this final book. For me it felt the same way as when I was raiding Icecrown in World of Warcraft, and this final scene quite literally reminded me of the damned Lich King who in the end, even after you killed him, he still continued to go on.
That means I simply loved it. I love everything about his story. I loved how things panned out with Misty and Blue, and yes, I cried for Misty. I loved Arrowsmith and Infamous’ story even as it literally ripped my heart apart, stomped all over it only to have it put back yet again a bit raw, a bit tender, but definitely mellow and sweet in the end. I died with joy, laughter and pain for my beloved Ice Prince Monshika. I cannot begin to tell you how freaking brilliant that relationship was and how much an emotional rollercoaster it turned out to be. I still wonder at what became of Sly and was finally satisfied with his role and the fact that we got to finally see in his soul.
Gosh, there are so many thing to say, this book was so intense and with a nonstop action pace, but I fear I cannot spoil it for you. For me it was fantastic, it reminded me why I loved playing games so much and if you’re a lover of high fantasy, if you are and/or were at some point a gamer, I feel you will adore this trilogy just like I did. Definitely recommended!
Title: All Will Be Revealed Author: U Z. Eliserio Genre: Science Fiction / Conspiracy Length: Novel (165 pages) ISBN: 9781610406659 Publisher: Torquere Press, Inc (March 12th, 2014) Heat Level: Low Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2.5~3 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: Danton de Mesa lives a quiet life producing videos of the Equine Show with his boss, Mr. Cretar, for people to watch on the Cloud. But Corporation Agent Rashiva Panashi enters his life and turns it upside down.
With the Equine Show shut down, Danton goes to work for the Corporation, which is a daily dose of backstabbing, espionage, counter-terrorism, and really small cubicles. But when Mr. Cretar’s brother is assassinated, Danton’s old boss becomes the new Prince of Keramus. To make things even more complicated, Danton starts dating Rashiva, who, when he is not wearing his intergalactic man of mystery mask, turns out to be a pretty fun guy.
Tensions are high between the Keramus Kingdom and the Corporation, and humanity might get involved in another war with their more powerful neighbors. Rashiva is accused to assassinating Mr. Cretar’s brother. Worse yet, one of the men investigating the murder of the monarch happens to be Danton’s ex!
With an intergalactic war on the horizon, Danton has to choose between, peace, safety, loyalty, and the person who might just be the love of his life. Purchase Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=4148 Review: This is a weird surrealistic work of fiction where time is not defined, worlds exist without much information and the basic structure of them is somewhat vague. The story starts on an asteroid, property of the Cooperation and bound to its funds. Mr. Cretar and Danton, the owner and employer of the Show await final judgment and Rashiva comes to deliver the bad news. The Show is off, and a new era begins. Keramusians, humans and a whole lot of other creatures including robots are this universe’s inhabitants. Keramusians are depicted as the creators of the humans, some kind of Gods yet the war between creator and creature that raged for years was finally over twenty years ago. The Prince of Keramusians and the Prime Minister of Earth are pro peace, a peace fragile that is shattered the moment the Prince is killed…
A conspiracy theory plot with so many elements in a sci-fi fiction work with a lot of world’s details can make it awfully difficult for you to sit back and enjoy while comprehending. The fact that time slips by without being defined makes this reading a hardship though it never stops gripping you in its web. The romantic relationship that dominates the story is yet another element that makes your head spin. It escalates quickly and without enough roots or ground to be based upon, yet it comes almost as a predefined thing, as if destiny made it be so. The couple has no real ties to keep them together in loyalty yet that’s exactly where they remain.
Sometimes nothing ever makes sense and others there is a world of sophistication going on behind this weird relationship. No, there are no intimate scenes to strengthen the bond, it all comes from a self-sufficient source, and the love between this couple becomes stronger and stronger without reason or evidence, even as the relationship itself is drenched in lies and conspiracy. But the point that love will prevail insists upon existing and in the end, it does exactly that. Realistic? Hardly. Everything is beyond that. This world, this setting, this whole story is all fiction based upon some noble ideas that give it a hint of tangible, but ultimately it remains out of reach.
There is a controlled chaos that characterizes the writing style here. It’s not all dumped into you, it’s not a mere throw out of info and ideas. But the read surely isn’t what we call approachable. In the end, I must answer one question; did I like it?
Yes and no. The fact that I felt lost most of the time was not enjoyable. The time frame not being defined was a burden. I loved the conspiracy plot and how it went, though even that didn’t have a proper closure. I loved the creatures here a lot. They were something I’d like to read more about. But overall, everything needed a bit more for me, especially the relationship part, that needed a proper birth and blooming period, which it lacked. The end itself was frustrating as hell; was it a cliffhanger? I don’t know, I didn’t get the feeling a sequel is to come and shed a bit light to the many questions left behind.
So bottom end, it was a good read, but not good enough.
Title: Bound to be a Groom Author: Megan Mulry Genre: Erotic Historical Romance / F/F/M/M / BDSM Length: Novel (192 pages) ISBN: 978-1-62649-112-0 Publisher: Riptide Publishing (Apr 14th, 2014) Heat: Explicit Heart: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: Sometimes our wildest dreams come true.
In the tumultuous summer of 1808, Spain and England are close to war and four young lovers are close to ecstasy.
To carve out an independent life with the woman she loves, ANNA knows she must leave her quiet Spanish convent to become a courtesan. To gain experience, she sets her sights on . . .
SEBASTIAN, whose powerful, aristocratic confidence suits Anna’s mercenary goals. But his arrogance masks a craving for submission that Anna instinctively satisfies. Sebastian soon begs for her hand in marriage, even if it means sharing her with . . .
PIA, who trusts Anna completely—with her body and her future—until she learns of Anna’s hasty marriage. Pia questions their commitment to each other as they leave for London to meet . . .
FARLEIGH, the seemingly feckless duke who thinks he’s over Sebastian, the potent Spanish soldier he bedded two years ago.
What begins as a series of erotic escapades soon evolves into a deep, unbreakable bond. Two men and two women who yearn to explore are about to make their wildest dreams come true.
Review: This was quite a read, fun, enjoyable, and somewhat inspiring.
So let’s make it clear from the start for people who dismiss the blurb and/or don’t really understand it. The story is set on the 19th century and the main character is a woman raised in a convent in Spain. Back then women had no power whatsoever, no freedom to do as they pleased, and they were simply assets and “jewels” in a “man’s world” surrounded by rules and restrictions. Our main character Anna is a dominant woman living in a world where her dreams to live with her lover Pia are quite impossible. Her only way to achieve that in her mind is to become the mistress of a wealthy aristocrat, gather as much jewelry and money as she can, and life with her lover as two spinsters somewhere remote in the future.
That seemed like the only feasible option until she met Sebastian. Sebastian is not only a man in a man’s world, he is also a capable soldier and a wealthy aristocrat. You’d think he has it easy, but he is as much a prisoner of his life and “duties” as Anna and Pia, with the difference that he’s more let’s say able to live a little behind the scenes in utmost secret. He craved for a life where he could be dominated by his loved one, but such dreams are impossible even for him. Until he meets Anna and the possibility to have even a fraction of his dreams, come true is right around the corner.
It is astonishing how beautifully written this book is when it comes to pointing out society’s control and rule over one’s life. I seriously loved the creative and light way all these things were brought to life in this story. Sebastian’s submissiveness allows Anna to take her lover Pia with her, and the three of them, under the disguise of matrimony and friendship achieve what would have been a pipe dream. They become a chain of sorts, one depending on the other and the last link comes to bind them in the form of Farleigh, the English Duke (and previous Dom/lover of Sebastian) who is severely hurt by his “duty’s” commend and his crushed dreams. His longing of freedom within his “golden bounds” is drowned in shame and society’s shunning of anything that is not “black and white”, so when every fantasy he’s harbored deep in his soul has the possibility of coming to life, he can’t even accept it for what it is, his fears that it can’t be done tainting his soul.
Every single one of these characters is unique though they share the same passions. They make it so easy for you to like them and take this journey along with them. Anna is domineering and quite exquisite in her ambitions and determination. Pia, utterly sensuous in her abandonment to Anna’s will, but strong enough to have her mind and wishes when it’s out of the bedroom. Sebastian is glorious (I wish for such a husband myself) hot as hell too, and Leigh, oh dear Lord what a charming man. I wish he had a bit more space in the book, for poor guy came in nearly the end of the story.
What was a fem/fem relationship in the beginning turned into a steaming hot ménage with two girls and a fantastic man who loved to please, ending in a glorious quartet that made you sigh in tandem with these two couples. The sensuous flow of erotic scenes was never-ending, the eroticism each and every one of them gave was pant-worthy, the way they combined into/with each other was magical, and the final balance had me wistfully sighing. There was no lack of envy while reading this I’m not ashamed to admit. As much as I’m not into F/F reading, this book managed to grip me in its web and not let go until the very end.
Recommended to all who enjoy queer, ménage, swinging and all in between.
Title: Reluctance Series: Southwestern Shifters, #9 Author: Bailey Bradford Genre: Paranormal Romance / Werewolves Length: Novella (200 pages) ISBN: 9780857156600 Publisher: Totally Bound (March 7th, 2014) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: What starts out as a simple assignment becomes everything Keegan ever feared, and everything he ever wanted.
Keegan has served Marcus, his Alpha Anax, to the best of his abilities. After the deaths of several guards a year ago, however, Keegan is afraid he’s going to unravel at the seams. His worry over keeping everyone safe robs him of sleep and any hope of peace.
And people are noticing. Members of the guards he is captain of think he needs to get laid, or at least remember how to laugh. Keegan thinks they need to learn that there are boundaries they shouldn’t cross with him. When he learns of a security breach by Marcus’ brother Aidan, exposing a flaw in the safety measures Keegan has set in place, Keegan is desperate to find someone to make sure the electronics at the shifter compound are break-in proof.
Marcus and Nathan are worried about Keegan. When they find someone to do the job Keegan needs done, they make sure Keegan is the one to take a short trip to Brazil to pick up the security expert, Olin. But when Olin and Keegan meet, they snap and snarl at each other while fighting the mating bond that keeps flaring between them.
Then something happens that forces them to both depend on each other, and if they’re lucky enough, they might even survive the ordeal. But first, they’ll have to escape their would-be captors, and make it through the rainforest, where strange things are bound to happen.
Review: Well, I’ll be damned if this wasn’t an awesome instalment to this series. To be very honest I had somehow given up that this series would make that leap and go from flat and bland to something more, but as I said this instalment certainly went beyond my expectations.
That’s not to say there weren’t stereotypes, clichés, and the “fated forced mating” that I so much despise. But – at that is one huge “but” – the story made up for all those in a most exciting way for me. Made me think Ms. Bailey Bradford is getting better and better at her writing and conveying of emotions/feeling through written text. Because there was one hell of a charge and chemistry and electrifying eroticism nearly palpable all over the lines, the kinky stuff were deliciously written, shocking in their introduction, but amazingly developed as the mated bond went deeper and deeper.
And at this point, I’m going to put a full stop and go back a bit as the need to go over the characters is becoming heavy. Keegan; oh my freaking God, loved him. Totally loved him, even as he made one hell of a 180 turn the moment he laid hands on Olin. Did you notice I said hands not eyes? Yup, hands, because he sure fought the bond as much as he could. But who would have thought that Keegan, the control freak out turn so pliant when Shorty went to claim him… Just loved it! It was fun, it was hot, it made sense, and I had a blast reading this story. As for Olin, damn he was all short guys with a chip on their shoulders are. But I liked the fact that the author didn’t magically change him, rather let him slowly learn and accept and adapt to all the changes “Fate” threw his way. That short son of a … made my heart race with his sadistic streak, because yeah, this was one kinky/sadomasochistic read I absolutely adored.
Action wise, well there was intensity and a hell lot of running, but the story is left unfinished giving you the notion that another instalment linked with this one is going to continue this particular story in the future. The villain remains a mystery and a big, scary cat comes in to blur the waters. It is known that in Ms. Bradford world there are no known other shifters beside werewolves, but things are changing and they are damned well enticing. Perhaps this author has more to give in this series after all.
Definitely recommended to fans of the genre and there is that big promise of a change for the future instalment in this one, thus making this book a bit of a necessity in order to catch up with the twist on the path. Enjoy, I sure as hell did.
Title: Exodus Series: Heaven Corp, #2 Author: CC Bridges Genre: Science Fiction / Angels & Demons / BDSM Length: Novel (200 pages) ISBN: 978-1-62798-531-4 Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (March 3rd, 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: Henry “Hank” Abraham’s privileged status in the floating city of Heaven lets him flout Morality Laws that control the lives of others. But when he wakes up in the arms of another stranger, only bodyguard Ian Caldwell’s quick thinking saves his life.
Though Ian’s from the low levels and the labor class, he’s used to dealing with the pampered society of Heaven. He’s assigned to protect Hank while angels, cybernetically modified humans who defend Heaven, investigate the assassination attempt. Doing his job means Ian must ignore his growing interest in Hank. Acting on their mutual attraction would certainly get Ian reprogrammed, something neither of them can afford.
When Hank follows Ian to a popular BDSM club in Downside and his ID chip is lost during a nearly fatal mugging, he finds himself locked out of Heaven. As Ian fights to get them home, rumors of impending war begin to circulate—along with more troubling news that Ian is wanted for Hank’s murder. While struggling to keep the man he has come to love safe, Ian must find out who’s behind the plot and if it’s a catalyst for war or just a convenient excuse.
Review: This was a book whose world-set caused many, many questions in me. The basic society set up is the classic element of how rich people are viewed against the less fortunate.
Hank has everything he wants and leads a life that has no purpose besides partying all night long. When his life is endangered by assassinations attempts though, Ian, his bodyguard saves him time and again. Hank is used to getting what he wants, but there is simply one thing he can’t get his hands on, Ian. For Ian pursuing anything with Hank could mean losing everything he has achieved. Having male-male intercourse is against the law, but Ian’s lifestyle is even more dangerous than that. Being a Dom is not easy in Heaven, so Ian often travels Downside to Hell to sate his cravings.
When Hank follows him there it’s both the best thing he could do, and the very worse, for while he avoided being killed in his own apartment by doing so, both Ian and Hank are trapped Downside with assassins the last thing on their mind. They are in danger if they stay, but in greater danger if the go back too.
The plot is not challenging, yet it still remains interesting. I admit to have been charmed by it and reading it with great curiosity. It was evident from the beginning who was behind the murder attempts. Still the action was fun. Perhaps it was the most enjoyable thing in this book.
The world-set is what rather blew my mind. It was a very interesting idea what with angels being computerized humans, made of high-tech, floating cities that were called Heaven, different tiers on the Heaven’s society, politics that made even the notion of the most peaceful place a pit of hyenas and cobras set on poisoning and turning against each other. The classic angels are non-existent here and I admit that it intrigued me. God AI? Heh, it definitely had a ring about it. However, it begged for more questions. We see that Angels are humans wiped out of emotions and loaded with high-tech. So what are the Demons? Why were the demons depicted as the classic ones, with leathery wings, horns and golden eyes? Angels gained their power from technology, but where did Demons take their power from? Heaven was created after the old Earth was destroyed by greed or whatever, so humans were forced to build floating cities, the rich went higher and the laborers who built the cities remained on the lower tiers with the very unfortunate people remaining on “Hell” aka Earth. The angels abandoned the fight for earth and literally left it behind to the demons…
Still I insist on knowing where did the Demons come from in first place? How were they summoned? From where? If God was AI, who is Megatron? What was Anael, why was she so unique (I’m smelling intrigue here)? Who is behind these mysterious figures? Who created them in first place? And most importantly, what was the cause behind the angels’ reaction in the end of this story?
Questions, questions, questions… I wonder if I’ll get an answer for them, and frankly, this is the only thing keeping me intrigued and wanting to read the next book, because as it is, this entire thing is full of holes, and the intimate parts of it quite failed. I wonder if I should go there. I just need to point out for the author’s benefit as well, that having a sex scene between two people ending in about a couple of minutes to mere seconds every time is not fun. Especially when the BDSM element is thrown there and one of them is a total virgin at the scene, including the “morality” brainwashing of years, finding pain as erotic so suddenly, it was just too hasty and hazy, while it required a lot of developing. In any case, the romantic thing between Ian and Hank could have been dealt much, much better. As it was, it failed for me.
But, you’ll notice how I still have 3 Hearts for this book. I liked despite all the above. I liked the action and I want more, and if you don’t count, the sex scenes I liked the whole flirting and chasing that went between this pair so, there. I hope the next one covers my curiosity though.
Title: Fractured Series: Bay Area Professionals Author: Mickie B. Ashling Genre: Contemporary Romance / BDSM Length: Novel (216 pages) ISBN: 978-1-62798-782-0 Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (March 24th, 2014) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: Roque “Ro” Celdran dreams of a better life, far away from the hand-to-mouth existence of his migrant worker family. He moves to San Francisco to study Landscape Design but finds himself short of cash. Tony, Ro’s identical twin, comes up with a plan to help Ro make ends meet. The BDSM club Tony frequents is looking for gay men to act as submissives to the Dommes-in-training. Ro reluctantly takes the job and falls headfirst into a world he neither understands nor desires.
Lance Roberts is the new doctor at the dental practice started by Scott Gregory and Robin Kennedy. On the surface, he seems to have it all: the Mensa IQ, blond and blue-eyed good looks, and the determination to make it in his competitive field. Underneath lies a frustrated Dom in search of the perfect sub who can handle his obsessive behavior and debilitating need for control.
When Ro ends up in Lance’s dental chair, the last thing either one expects is a physical and mental connection. Ro’s attraction to “White Bread” never pans out, and Lance’s weakness for Latinos always leads to a dead-end. Could this time be different? What happens between the two alphas leads to a lot of soul-searching and some surprising conclusions. Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4775 Review: Well this was a very interesting book in so many ways. First of all, we have a dentist for a main character and I have to praise the research behind this part of the story. Everything regarding anything dental was described wonderfully, and the way, venues, materials a dentist uses were so real it made me cringe. Fact is I have a sort of phobia toward this profession and damn it if I didn’t feel at times as if I was there, in that clinic facing that Doc. *shudders* But it gave this entire read a very realistic side, made me feel as if I’m right in there, in the heart of this story, inside this very setting. It was a great feeling to be able to immerse myself in such a way in this story.
The other equally interesting things here are the twins. Being a person who has been and still am surrounded by twins, identical and not, my entire life I can’t help but notice how close to the psyche and behavior of twins the author got. At times I felt as if I was reading about my ex-partner and his brother, it was so close to them. Yes, there are twins who get along extremely well even as they are nothing like the other in personality, and then there are those twins who not only are miles in character away from each other, but there is this user/abuser thing going in on between them.
This story has the second part of twins; Ro always the good guy, the one who tries to make a life by working hard toward his goals and his twin is the taking-the-easy-road kind of guy, always irresponsible, always wanting to get somewhere easily and fast. When he crashes and burns though it is Ro cleaning up the mess. This time things got too far and Ro might not only be unable to help his twin, but he is in danger of losing the one thing he thought he’d never get in his life.
The romantic part of the book on the other hand is actually not only sweet, it is intriguing and really worth reading. Lance, the Doc, is a challenging character. He is supposed to be a Dom, but damn if he didn’t give submissive vibes from the beginning of this story. It had me wondering about him the entire time I was reading and when it got to the point where some elements were revealed, well everything made sense then and the way the story turned satisfied me to no end. I loved the dynamic between Lance and Ro. I loved how they handled their relationship. I loved how the book ended with the guys finally having found their place and their own unique style, without suffocating with all those labels and expectations. Not your typical BDSM read, not your typical D/s relationship, and that was perhaps what makes this even more worth reading.
I enjoyed it very much, even as Ro made me want to slap him at times with his holding up the deception, and if you like, a nice romantic story with a kinky bit in it, then this is one I definitely recommend.
Title: Vanquished Knight Author: Yamila Abraham Genre: Yaoi / Dark Fantasy / Forced Seduction Length: Novella (74 pages) ASIN: B00IISN850 Publisher: Yaoi Press (February 17th, 2014) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: A debauched dragon king subjugates a chaste knight who has volunteered to be his willing captive.
King Caine and his councilor Randell are owed a debt by the mortal king ruling in the land above them. When Caine sees the knight Jonah he’s stricken by his beauty and innocence—and then senses something even more compelling about him. Jonah surprises everyone by accepting his fate as Caine’s sacrifice. He willingly descends to Darkhelm to be used as the king and his councilor see fit.
An erotic medieval fantasy with a romantic twist! Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Vanquished-Knight-Medieval-Gay-BDSMErotica-ebook/dp/B00IISN850 Review: Okay, I had tremendous fun and laughed my head off with this little book. It seriously made me weep with the dialogue and Jonah’s lines. The best part of it was the “eeee” screeching and the “aaaeeiiii” that had me almost to my knees in surrender. I’m taking this book to be a bit in the comedy side, because frankly there is no other way to read it. It was hilarious as hell and even when in the most erotic scene that demanded all my attention and seriousness I couldn’t stop laughing. Jonah was simply irresistible when it came to that.
So, setting: medieval…? Hmmm… It is the year 8 thousand plus somewhere, in an alternate world where there are gods and demons and gods rule the above world while demons rule the Underworld. The mortal’s god is kind of like the Christian one. I mean, who has Knights/soldiers and demands them to be chaste? The hell is that all about? No touching, no getting off and of course no intercourse…especially any kinky stuff. That is punishable with death.
The Underworld though, King Caine’s domain. Oh Hell, I wanna go offer myself there for eternity. Perverse, cruel, sublime. King Caine is freaking awesome. I want to worship him forever awesome, and if you take a look at that exquisite cover, he is drool-worthy. His Councillor Randell follows right after him in hotness level and dear Lord they have such depraved longings. Yes, I’m still grinning from ear to ear. Cheshire cat has nothing on me.
The story is simple enough. The above world is plagued with evil sky-rocks that turn men into animals (not literally you wicked minds) and the King has no other way to save his people but to ask for the help of the demon King. In return King Caine may ask whatever he wants, no matter how cruel it may be. Deal made and Caine leads his soldiers to remove the wicked rock. On his way though he sets his eyes upon this gorgeous young soldier, who seems to be the only one not afraid or disgusted by him. Yup, Caine’s got his sacrifice all right.
I liked the plot, I liked the way the story spun and made all parties wait and get frustrated. I even liked the fact that cruel demonic all-feared Caine was so gentle (not literally again) and sweet with Jonah, the Knight. I liked how Randell seemed to be the exact opposite of Caine. I loved the ménage. Oh yeah, I definitely loved that. What weirded me out a bit and was somehow a turn off was Jonah’s immediate compliance. He not only surrendered to two fearsome demons with, let me tell you, huge, massive, gargantuan appendages, but he went from chaste knight to whorish slut in the blink of an eye. What was up with that? I mean some sort of… ah I don’t know, uhm pain? Suffering? Something was call for there, just not that…
Okay, perhaps I’m being weird, after all Jonah said so himself that he didn’t like the war and fighting in the above world, but most of all he didn’t like to be made feel as if he was evil for merely thinking kinky stuff. So he was very relieved to be claimed by Caine. But it was a bit too easy, and oh my freaking God how hilarious his lines. I can’t stop thinking of it. He was made to speak about how it felt to be penetrated and all that, so you can imagine how that went. Needless to say that I pictured and heard it all in my head in Japanese language and tone of voice. Just imagine it for a moment: “eeee, itai, itai, yada, yamero kudasai”. No, I’m not a nerd… I think.
So anyway, funny book, funny story. The erotic blended with hilarity and the story was laden with that weird kind of tender, the tender cruel masters give. It was a bit romantic, a bit sweet even at points. I wished it was darker and a bit more blood and gore – it had demons of course I wanted blood – but overall I had a splendid time reading it. If that’s what you looking for, I suggest you give it a try.
Disclaimer: I find Yaoi a blend of erotica and comedy, so my view of it might be quite different from that of hardcore Yaoi readers.
Title: Mark Cooper versus America Author: J.A. Rock & Lisa Henry Genre: New Adult Romance Length: Novel (273 pages) ISBN: 978-1-62300-583-2 Publisher: Loose Id (January 28th, 2014) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: Mark Cooper is angry, homesick, and about to take his stepdad’s dubious advice and rush Prescott College’s biggest party fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi. Greek life is as foreign to Aussie transplant Mark as Pennsylvania’s snowstorms and bear sightings. So, when the fraternity extends Mark a bid, Mark vows to get himself kicked out by the end of pledge period. But then he’s drawn into Alpha Delt’s feud with a neighboring fraternity.
Studious Deacon Holt is disappointed to learn Mark’s pledging Alpha Delt, his fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa’s sworn enemy. Mark is too beautiful for Deacon to pass up an invitation for sex, but beyond sex, Deacon’s not sure. He wants a relationship, but a difficult family situation prevents him from pursuing anything beyond his studies.
Mark and Deacon’s affair heats up as the war between their fraternities escalates. They explore kinks they didn’t know they had while keeping their liaison a secret from their brothers. But what Romeo and Juliet didn’t teach these star-crossed lovers is how to move beyond sex and into a place where they share more than a bed. That’s something they’ll have to figure out on their own—if the friction between their houses, and between Mark and America, doesn’t tear them apart. Purchase Link: http://www.loose-id.com/mark-cooper-versus-america.html Review: This book is a gem. That’s the most proper word to describe it. While the theme is the old college kids and frat-boys rivalry, the execution of this book is brilliant.
First of all, the description and portrayal of this young man, Mark, who has come from another country, hell another continent the other side of the planet, to live in America is plain brilliant. His enormous change in his life, his education, his knowledge and lifestyle are displayed with great mastery. His anger toward everything and his sense of loss that he so hard tries to hide, how much he tries for the sake of his family and on for his very few friends, his sweetness under all that bravado, everything about Mark is a lure. He literally is enchanting and requires no effort from you to like him and love him even. His antics as he tries to do what he’s asked – practically join a frat house for the sake of his stepfather and make an effort to be nice and make friends – trying to assimilate to this new life, trying to understand his peers yet not wanting to settle and change for no one… I loved him.
I loved how scared he was, how much people and love mattered to him when all he tried to do was hide it under the mask of the uncaring and daredevil. It’s been a long time since I felt for a character that he’s too close to being real and Mark managed to give me that feeling.
Then, there’s Deacon – Deke – and his amazing, supportive character. Deke is fantastic in his own way and his relationship with Mark was a treat for me to read. Their “hook up gone repeatedly wrong” was brilliant, witnessing this relationship bloom and evolve was the best part of the book. There are no words to describe the mastery of the writing for this couple, their wonderful kinks that were revealed through natural exploration and chance, making me at least love the intimate scenes beyond description.
The trap of going too far and being a stereotypical cliché in the “BDSM” genre was so brilliantly avoided and at the same time provided a beautiful, gorgeous eroticism to this book that left me speechless. Everything I read was an adventure that mixed the social, sensual, and emotional parts of this novel with a subtlety worth any praise.
I loved it – it seems I can’t say that enough – it was truly a very enjoyable book, full with humor and a playfulness that had you with a smile on your face almost non-stop. If that’s what you’re looking for then yes I totally recommend this book. Definitely “frat-boys” written right for me.
Hiya peeps look who we have with us today… Riptide Publishing’s Anne Tenino with her newest release Poster Boy from her Theta Alpha Gamma series, she has a fantastic giveaway and a guest post about Beer Terrorists!!!! So I leave you Anne’s hands while you join in the fun and then check out Thommie’s review <3 ~Pixie~
Welcome to the Poster Boy Blog Tour! *confetti*
As you may or may not know, Poster Boy is the fifth in the Theta Alpha Gamma series, and (at least as far as I’m able to be sure about such things) the last TAG book. No, no, don’t be sad, be happy—we’re gonna go out in style!
Let’s discuss the nitty-gritty: the Blog Tour Giveaway. The prize package this time includes: one lovely “Theta Alpha Gamma Beer Terrorist Response Team” sweatshirt (I believe I have sizes M-XXL available, choice of two styles); one paperback copy of Frat Boy and Toppywith the new cover art, signed and inscribed to the winner; a bar of soap I bought in Les Baux (was going to send olives from Sainte-Remy, but we ate them . . . sorry about that) and; of course, one penis crocheted by moi.
How does one win, you ask? By following the tour, collecting all the official “prize” words (posts will have them clearly marked), and using them as directed at the end of this post (it’s complicated).
Happy word hunting, and enjoy the tour (psssssst, this one is heavy on the cut scenes).
It’s all fun and games until someone puts his heart out.
When Jock meets sexy grad student Toby at a frat party, things finally start looking up. After having been outed to his hockey team and then changing schools, he figures he’s due something good—like the sex he missed out on in the closet. Toby seems like a great place to start, and their night together is an awesome introduction to the fine art of hooking up.
Toby’s heart takes a bruising after the near-perfect experience with Jock leads to . . . nothing. He’s been left on the outside as his friends pair up into blissful coupledom, and he’s in danger of never completing (or starting) his thesis. Can’t something go right?
Then Toby’s coerced into chaperoning a Theta Alpha Gamma trip to France. Not that he’s complaining. What better place to finish his thesis and get over that frat boy? Except Jock’s outing is leaked to the press, making him an unwilling gay rights martyr, and he decides France is a great escape, too. It’s a break from reality for both guys, but they soon find their connection is as real as it gets.
* * *
Nominally, the Theta Alpha Gamma books are contemporary romantic comedy. There’re no shifter, no aliens, no vampires, no magical realms, no Byronic men in breeches, none of that stuff. Just fratbros, grad students and the necessary supporting characters to make things go.
Yep, nothing paranormal here. But fantasy? Now, I can make an argument for that . . .
Beer terrorists. There are, among the TAG bros, those who believe ardently in the existence of a shadowy, nefarious, tea-totaling militia that is a clear and present threat to the world’s beer supply. Do you see where the fantasy element comes in, now?
Occasionally, someone will tell me that “real” frat boys wouldn’t buy into this sort of fantasy. Probably not, but I’m not in the business of pedaling reality. I’m in the business of telling a story, and in my storyland, guys who still remember playing “siege” and “dragon slayer” as kids can go ahead and let loose. Go ahead and believe that forming a Beer Terrorist Response Team and implementing a training program in Provence is perfectly reasonable and sane. Have some fun. Play beer terrorist.
Readers of the series may know the concept of a beer terrorist was born in a previous book,Sweet Young Thang, when the TAG Alumni Association (kinda, sorta) try to cut off the brothers’ beer money unless they voted to rescind a membership policy welcoming gay and bi members. I could have left it at that, and come up with some new bizarre thing for the TAG guys to do in Poster Boy, but the idea of refined, complacent Provence overrun by crazy, fantasy-addled college boys? Yeah, it would take a stronger author than me to resist.
I remember the very day that I decided to have a select few of the (weirder) fratbros go to Provence and start some kind of Beer Terrorist Response Team training camp. The idea came to me in the car (as they like to do—ideas are sneaky little things, and prefer to reveal themselves when there’s no writing utensil around and they can’t be captured), and when that happens, I make a voice memo on my phone. I always put the date and time on these memos, and when I transcribe them later I make a note of that date and time.
On September 12th, 2013 (at 8:27 a.m.), I made a note to myself to have the fratbros “see this trip as a training camp for anti-beer terrorist response team. Gets ridiculous. Keep it secret from Toby.”
I offer you this voice memo snippet out of guilt, because I know there was an inciting incident. Something that made me think of sending them, too. I just can’t remember what it was, in spite of trying to etch it into my memory. Yes, it’s true; as I age, my memories are mostly made up of remembering I thought of something I wanted to remember, and even that something in particular made me think of it. But can I remember the actual thing or the thing that made me think of the thing? No.
Which brings us full circle (I’m serious, bear with me) to why I write these sort of fantasy/pretend threads into my work—because I’m no longer young. I’ve seen too much of the world to believe that (should beer terrorists even be a real thing) I have any hope of slaying that dragon. I’ve heard “that’s ridiculous,” or “that’s impossible” too many times in this life. But there’s one thing I can still do, and that’s create a world where those kinds of “pretend” things can survive, and even flourish.
For anyone who’s confused, let me make it clear—yes, Poster Boy is foremost a love story. It’s just a love story with an interesting (and possibly deluded) set of secondary characters.
It’s a contemporary romantic comedy fantasy.
* * *
Giveaway!
For those of you playing to win the blog tour prize cache, here’s the word: shenanigans.
The word game—the rules are that I provide a bunch of words, and you have to create an ode to testicles. Hey, it’s fair—I gave you an ode to testicles in the book (well, part of one), you should give me one in return, using all the words from the tour. You may add any other words you need to, but it must include every word I gave out on the tour.
Of course, creative cheating might receive a pass from me . . .
At the end of the tour, send your ode to me at anne @ annetenino.comand I will choose one lucky winner from all the entries I receive by paying one of my children some exorbitant amount to draw an ode out of a hat (or other handy receptacle). All masterpieces must be to me by May 4th, 2014 at midnight Pacific Daylight Time (GMT -7:00). For a schedule of all tour stops, you can go here.
Oh, and:
*If the winner will be at GRL, GayRomance Northwest or the RT Booklover’s Convention, I’m also offering a lunch with me. And yes, I’ll pay. 😉
Raised on a steady diet of Monty Python, classical music and the visual arts, Anne Tenino was—famously—the first patient diagnosed with Compulsive Romantic Disorder. Since that day, Anne has taken on conquering the M/M world through therapeutic writing. Finding out who those guys having sex in her head are and what to do with them has been extremely liberating.
Anne’s husband finds it liberating as well, although in a somewhat different way. Her two daughters are mildly confused by Anne’s need to twist Ken dolls into odd positions. However, other than occasionally stealing Ken1’s strap-on, they let Mom do her thing without interference.
Wondering what Anne does in her spare time? Mostly she lies on the couch, eats bonbons and shirks housework.
Blurb:It’s all fun and games until someone puts his heart out.
After being outed to his hockey team and then changing schools, Jock figures he’s due for something good—like the sex he missed out on in the closet. Toby, the hot grad student he meets at a frat party, seems like a great place to start, and their night together is an awesome introduction to the fine art of hooking up.
Toby’s heart takes a bruising after the near-perfect experience with Jock leads to . . . nothing. He’s been left on the outside as his friends pair up into blissful coupledom, and he’s in danger of never completing (or starting) his thesis. Can’t something go right?
Then Toby’s coerced into chaperoning a Theta Alpha Gamma trip to France. Not that he’s complaining. What better place to finish his thesis and get over that frat boy? Except Jock’s outing is leaked to the press, turning him into an unwilling gay rights martyr, and he decides France would be a great escape, too. It’s a break from reality for both guys, but they soon find their connection is as real as it gets.
Review: And the TAG boys are back this time around with Jock and Toby’s story. Honestly it was about time for Toby to find his mate and I was so glad to see who Jock really was, as in the previous book all I got of him was Tank’s little brother, and boy did Tank smothered Jock down.
But here we are, our guys in full display and I must admit I was surprised by both main characters and their personalities. Truth be told I was surprised by the whole book as it was a bit different from the rest of the series while still retaining the humor and fun we are used to.
Jock is a character made of many layers and they slowly get out. There were times I loved him and God, there were times I thought what a complete jerk. But even as I was totally wanting to rip him to shreds at times he managed with one line to melt my heart, not in a sappy way though. I must commend the author’s ability to make sappy lines not feel sappy at all. She created a personality for Jock that was a blend of smart, sexy, naïve, and endearingly “slow” all at once. And she gave him the ability to work his “flaws” on his own, with an honesty that made you swoon and actually love the kid.
As for Toby, oh dear, where did that cynical, guy with that overconfident smirk go? Who was this new Toby we got to witness reshaping in this book? I loved every single part of his transformation. I loved every moment of his sentimentality. Most of all I loved Toby, the frat-boy secret General. He was a glorious character and the link that connected everything and everyone in this book. He was also an incredible lover. I think he surpasses many characters when it comes to being a considerate lover/partner. Both our guys together though were pretty brilliant. The scenes between them were not only sensual and erotic, they were interesting, intriguing, and downright gripping in the way they made you want to know what was coming next, and how the relationship would eventually evolve. I loved this couple not just because they were hot, but for all this relationship represented.
As for the “Boys” and their adventures in France, I don’t think there are words. Oh my God, one must read this book if only for Danny’s sake, I can’t say how much he made me laugh. Noah *groans* was also a star in his own way here and dear author, give the poor guy a break already. We already saw how “disturbed” Turbo was by his bisexuality. Enlighten the guy and make poor Noah smile aye?
Action-wise though I think the series has a penchant for overreaction and surrealism. Yet again the “fratbro’s” antics managed to cause a scene, this in international territory.
Overall this was yet another sweet and charming story in the TAG universe, one that can’t stand alone albeit with caution as there are many elements mentioned on the prequels that could cause a bit of confusion here. However in my opinion you could read this book and enjoy it even without the missing intel. Best though you pick out the books in the series, they are guaranteed to give you fits of laughter, steaming relationships and a great deal of fun with character written with a lovely humoristic pen. Enjoy!
Hiya guys, today we are bringing you Heidi Belleau’s Straight Shooter, Heidi & Riptide publishing have stopped for a quick visit so Heidi can tell you a little about Straight Shooter. Heidi is also doing a great Giveaway where ebooks 1 & 2 of Rear Entrance Video series are up for grabs! So visit for a while, check out the book, Thommie’s review and then leave a comment to win those books! <3 ~Pixie~
Hello hello! I’m Heidi Belleau, and welcome to the Riptide Books “Straight Shooter” blog tour! Straight Shooter is the third (and final?) novel in my Rear Entrance Video series, and is the story of roommate Austin, a homophobic hockey player with a kinky secret . . . and the Dominant porn star who helps him get his act together. For the next two weeks, I’ll be hopping blog to blog giving you an inside look at the novel . . . and also giving away a prize! Read on for details! Thanks to MM Good Book Reviews and to all of you for tuning in!
About Straight Shooter
This macho jock has a crooked little secret.
College hockey player Austin Puett is in trouble. Unless he starts treating his flamboyantly gay roommate with respect, he’ll lose his room and his job at Rear Entrance Video. But Austin’s got a not-so-straight secret of his own: nothing turns him on more than insults implying he’s gay—even though he’s definitely not!—and all his old coping methods have stopped working.
Pure desperation drives him to rent a Mischievous Pictures porn flick about straight men tricked into servicing Puck, a male dominant. Instead of letting off steam, though, it just leaves him craving more, more, more, and suddenly, Austin finds himself at Mischievous Pictures Studios for an audition. After all, you can be Gay For Pay and still be straight . . . right?
But meeting Liam Williams, the real person behind Puck, confuses Austin even more. Liam really seems to like him as a person, and Austin likes him back. And while Gay For Pay’s okay, what does it make Austin if he still wants Liam when the cameras aren’t rolling?
About the Author
Heidi Belleau was born and raised in small town New Brunswick, Canada. She now lives in the rugged oil-patch frontier of Northern BC with her husband, an Irish ex-pat whose long work hours in the trades leave her plenty of quiet time to write. She has a degree in history from Simon Fraser University with a concentration in British and Irish studies; much of her work centered on popular culture, oral folklore, and sexuality, but she was known to perplex her professors with papers on the historical roots of modern romance novel tropes. (Ask her about Highlanders!) Her writing reflects everything she loves: diverse casts of characters, a sense of history and place, equal parts witty and filthy dialogue, the occasional mythological twist, and most of all, love—in all its weird and wonderful forms. She also writes queer-flavoured M/F as Heloise Belleau.
Chat with her on twitter using the handle @HeidiBelleau.
Or contact her using good ole-fashioned email: heidi.heloise.belleau @ gmail.com
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Contest
Comment to win! I’m giving away ebooks one and two of the Rear Entrance Video series (that’s “Apple Polisher” and “Wallflower”) to not one, but two lucky commenters on this tour! All you gotta do is leave a comment on this post with a way to contact you (and if your preferred method of contact is email, make sure to put that in the body of the comment, not just in the blog’s form—I can’t see that info! Each comment counts for another entry in the draw, so be sure and follow the entire tour. Entries close at midnight, Eastern Time, on April 21, and winners will be chosen on April 23rd. Contest is valid worldwide.
Review
Title: Straight Shooter
Series: Rear Entrance Video #3
Author: Heidi Belleau
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Kinks & Fetish
Length: Novel (277 pages)
ISBN: 978-1-62649-089-5
Publisher: Riptide Publishing (April 7th 2014)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating:♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb:This macho jock has a crooked little secret.
College hockey player Austin Puett is in trouble. Unless he starts treating his flamboyantly gay roommate with respect, he’ll lose his room and his job at Rear Entrance Video. But Austin’s got a not-so-straight secret of his own: nothing turns him on more than insults implying he’s gay—even though he’s definitely not!—and all his old coping methods have stopped working.
Pure desperation drives him to rent a Mischievous Pictures porn flick about straight men tricked into servicing Puck, a male dominant. Instead of letting off steam, though, it just leaves him craving more, more, more, and suddenly, Austin finds himself at Mischievous Pictures Studios for an audition. After all, you can be Gay for Pay and still be straight . . . right?
But meeting Liam Williams, the real person behind Puck, confuses Austin even more. Liam really seems to like him as a person, and Austin likes him back. And while Gay for Pay’s okay, what does it make Austin if he still wants Liam when the cameras aren’t rolling? Warnings: This title contains heavy kink & self-harm.
Review: First of all, let me start by saying that this was one hell of a book, exquisitely written, extremely well thought of, with a great development of character and romance right in the middle of one hell of a kink. And to top it all it made me laugh and laugh with an amazing humoristic streak that came from between the lines and colored a read that would otherwise have been a bit heavy and/or uncomfortable.
Right after that I’d like to state that I really, really dislike the whole humiliation kink – yes, this story’s theme is humiliation as a kink – to the point I avoid books with such theme as much as I can. It makes me feel uncomfortable and it’s simply non-appealing to me. And you may well wonder how on Earth I gave this book a 5 Hearts rating since this is the case. Well, there exactly is my point. That despite me harboring a true dislike for this particular kink, the writing of this book was so brilliant that not once, not even one time did I feel the need to skim pages, or feel slightly unnerved by what I was reading. Just brilliant!
Now I’ve been following the Rear Entrance Video books since the first one and I’ve been enchanted by them. One character that had my absolute attention has always been Austin and I’ve been patiently waiting for his story. I’m so freaking glad to admit that Austin surprised and shocked the Hell out of me. I would’ve never thought the author would think of such a story for him and I seriously admire her capability of not only writing it and daring this peculiar kink, but the way it was narrated, the storytelling itself is commendable and worthy of a damn prize.
Normally I would have expected the angst and utter confusion Bobby suffered in Wallflower. Yes, Austin was seriously out of depth in everything he did or thought through 70% of the book, but the fact that this was narrated with a heavy dose of humor balanced the angst and the heaviness that would have drowned the story otherwise, without diminishing the importance of his issues.
What I also went crazy overboard with was the development between Austin and Liam; their dynamic was fascinating. There were times I expected the story to go down one path only for it to make a 180 and totally surprise me with the twists the author brilliant imagination thought off. If anyone had told me that Austin and Liam would have that “break” between them or the way they would manage to overcome issues I was blind to see before they were revealed, I’d have called them crazy. I could not imagine how things would possibly turn for the better once they took the down path. But it happened. The characters were blessed with many layers and their depth went beyond the surface, so beyond what I expected, only to charm the hell out of us with the way they overcame some seriously heavy social obstacles in their path.
So, bottom end this story was the best of them for me because the way I saw it, it was a Hell of a challenge to write it down and make it appealing in the same time. It was fantastic, well written and so much fun. It was also the last one in this “universe” according to the dedication page and I can’t say how sorry I am that Rear Entrance Video is over. This was definitely a very worth reading stand-alone series, one I don’t even hesitate to recommend. The quality of all three books is excellent and Straight Shooter in my opinion is a must read. Enjoy!
Blurb:This macho jock has a crooked little secret.
College hockey player Austin Puett is in trouble. Unless he starts treating his flamboyantly gay roommate with respect, he’ll lose his room and his job at Rear Entrance Video. But Austin’s got a not-so-straight secret of his own: nothing turns him on more than insults implying he’s gay—even though he’s definitely not!—and all his old coping methods have stopped working.
Pure desperation drives him to rent a Mischievous Pictures porn flick about straight men tricked into servicing Puck, a male dominant. Instead of letting off steam, though, it just leaves him craving more, more, more, and suddenly, Austin finds himself at Mischievous Pictures Studios for an audition. After all, you can be Gay for Pay and still be straight . . . right?
But meeting Liam Williams, the real person behind Puck, confuses Austin even more. Liam really seems to like him as a person, and Austin likes him back. And while Gay for Pay’s okay, what does it make Austin if he still wants Liam when the cameras aren’t rolling? Warnings: This title contains heavy kink & self-harm.
Review: First of all, let me start by saying that this was one hell of a book, exquisitely written, extremely well thought of, with a great development of character and romance right in the middle of one hell of a kink. And to top it all it made me laugh and laugh with an amazing humoristic streak that came from between the lines and colored a read that would otherwise have been a bit heavy and/or uncomfortable.
Right after that I’d like to state that I really, really dislike the whole humiliation kink – yes, this story’s theme is humiliation as a kink – to the point I avoid books with such theme as much as I can. It makes me feel uncomfortable and it’s simply non-appealing to me. And you may well wonder how on Earth I gave this book a 5 Hearts rating since this is the case. Well, there exactly is my point. That despite me harboring a true dislike for this particular kink, the writing of this book was so brilliant that not once, not even one time did I feel the need to skim pages, or feel slightly unnerved by what I was reading. Just brilliant!
Now I’ve been following the Rear Entrance Video books since the first one and I’ve been enchanted by them. One character that had my absolute attention has always been Austin and I’ve been patiently waiting for his story. I’m so freaking glad to admit that Austin surprised and shocked the Hell out of me. I would’ve never thought the author would think of such a story for him and I seriously admire her capability of not only writing it and daring this peculiar kink, but the way it was narrated, the storytelling itself is commendable and worthy of a damn prize.
Normally I would have expected the angst and utter confusion Bobby suffered in Wallflower. Yes, Austin was seriously out of depth in everything he did or thought through 70% of the book, but the fact that this was narrated with a heavy dose of humor balanced the angst and the heaviness that would have drowned the story otherwise, without diminishing the importance of his issues.
What I also went crazy overboard with was the development between Austin and Liam; their dynamic was fascinating. There were times I expected the story to go down one path only for it to make a 180 and totally surprise me with the twists the author brilliant imagination thought off. If anyone had told me that Austin and Liam would have that “break” between them or the way they would manage to overcome issues I was blind to see before they were revealed, I’d have called them crazy. I could not imagine how things would possibly turn for the better once they took the down path. But it happened. The characters were blessed with many layers and their depth went beyond the surface, so beyond what I expected, only to charm the hell out of us with the way they overcame some seriously heavy social obstacles in their path.
So, bottom end this story was the best of them for me because the way I saw it, it was a Hell of a challenge to write it down and make it appealing in the same time. It was fantastic, well written and so much fun. It was also the last one in this “universe” according to the dedication page and I can’t say how sorry I am that Rear Entrance Video is over. This was definitely a very worth reading stand-alone series, one I don’t even hesitate to recommend. The quality of all three books is excellent and Straight Shooter in my opinion is a must read. Enjoy!
Hey guys, today we have the gorgeous Jacob Z. Flores visiting with his newest release When Love Comes to Town and you will have a chance to win your very own copy *squee* (just leave a comment with your email address to enter), we also have an excerpt and a dual review from Thommie and Tams so enjoy the post… I am just gonna go keep drooling over Jacob’s picture, damn he’s HOT! ~Pixie~ *PS I might have got carried away posting his picture…. but can you blame me LOL *
Hello, all! My name is Jacob Z. Flores, and I’m glad to be here at MM Good Book Reviews. I really appreciate my hosts for extending an invitation and for agreeing to be a stop on my blog tour promoting my latest Dreamspinner release, When Love Comes to Town. This is the fourth and final book of the Provincetown Series, but don’t worry: the books don’t have to be read in order of publication. I wrote each one so readers could enjoy them in any order they wished to pick them up. I like to make things as easy on my readers as possible. Who doesn’t like that?
Today, though, I’d like to talk about the cover for When Love Comes to Town, which happens to be my favorite of the four covers.
The artist responsible for the cover, as well as all of the covers for the Provincetown Series, is Michael Breyette. If you haven’t seen Michael’s paintings before, then you must immediately get yourself over to his website by clicking this link. Go ahead; click it. I’ll be right here waiting when you come back.
See? I told you you’d be glad you went, but did you really have to be gone for an hour? Sheesh! Just what were you doing over there?
So as you no doubt saw on the website, Michael’s artwork is stunning and, the pictures he paints capture intensely intimate or emotional moments. Many of his paintings are also set in Provincetown. Naturally, that made his artwork a perfect fit for this series.
What I appreciate the most about Michael’s art (besides the hot, barely dressed men that is) is the mood of his images. They are fun and flirty, which perfectly captures the tone I set for the entire series and for Provincetown itself.
The title of the painting for When Love Comes to Town is “Blue State,” which perfectly describes one of the main characters of the book, Brody O’Shea.
Why is Brody blue?
Well, it’s mostly because he’s waiting for the perfect man. You see, Brody has lived his life mostly for the moment. He’s a pretty attractive guy, and he’s super nice to boot, but he’s never really been into relationships. The last one he had was in college, and when it got too real, he bolted faster than a Phelps at a gay pride event. Since then, Brody has just drifted from guy to guy, living life as a happy horndog.
That never bothered him until he moved to Provincetown. All his friends have partnered up and found true love, and Brody now sees exactly what he’s been missing all these years. He wants what everyone else has found, especially as the characters prepare for the wedding of two of their closest friends.
So Brody searches for his true love, but he goes about it the wrong way. Brody has some pretty high standards. He has a list of requirements that his “perfect” man must have, and when the men he dates doesn’t meet one of his prerequisites, they’re crossed off the list and on he goes, looking for love in the arms of the next candidate.
Brody has yet to learn what all the other characters have already been schooled on. Love is not something you find; love finds you.
That is why when the ruggedly handsome sheriff’s deputy, Eric Vasquez comes to town for his cousin Van’s wedding, Brody dismisses the hot cop as a potential mate. He might find Eric to be the hottest man he’s ever seen with a quirky personality he is drawn to, but there’s a hitch—Eric’s daughter Maddie.
Being childless is the most important requirement Brody has for his ideal man. And like the man depicted on the cover, Brody turns his back to the sea, completely unaware that it may have brought to him not what he’s been looking for but what he might have always needed.
That is why I chose “Blue State” for the cover of the final book in the series.
Before I head back to my part of the Internet, I want to thank everyone here at MM Good Book Reviews and the readers who joined me today.
For those interested, I have included a blurb and excerpt below. Additionally, as part of my blog tour I’m hosting a giveaway.
Giveaway Contest!
When Love Comes to Town
Win an ecopy of When Love Comes to Town!
All you have to do is leave a comment to this post, and your name is entered to win a free copy of When Love Comes to Town.
Blurb:
Brody O’Shea isn’t looking for much, just a hot guy with a decent job, who is sane and doesn’t have kids. The son of a former rock star, Brody has lived through the pain of bankruptcy and bad parenting, and he doesn’t want to experience it again. As a reformed horndog, he wants the security and stability of a relationship. But almost every guy he meets seems satisfied with Mr. Right Now, and he wants to find Mr. Right—now!
The only men Eric Vasquez chases are criminals. As a deputy and single father, he has no need for a relationship after his last one ended disastrously. He lives for and through Maddie, his nine-year-old daughter. Everything else is a needless distraction, but distraction is what Eric gets when he comes to Provincetown to attend the wedding between his cousin Van and the man of his dreams.
When Brody and Eric meet, what they want and what they find conflict. An ocean of expectations separates them. If they cannot move past their reservations to reach each other’s shores, they might miss the boat when love comes to town.
Excerpt:
Brody closely scrutinized the passengers as they exited the ferry. Perhaps one of the men who now scurried down the ramp might be the man of his dreams. Stranger things had happened. It was Provincetown after all. If someone like Nino Santos could find love, why couldn’t he?
Nino wasn’t exactly the kind of guy who partnered up. He’d always been the fuck-’em-and-leave-’em type. That was how they’d met last year. As a trick. Yet somehow Nino—with his model-perfect body, asshole attitude, and vain, self-absorbed ways—managed to find true love with Teddy, the nicest and sweetest man to ever walk this planet.
Just how the fuck did that happen? How could Nino have someone, and he be alone?
That just didn’t make any sense whatsoever.
What was he doing wrong? Not a damn thing as far as he was concerned.
He just had standards he wasn’t willing to sacrifice. For anyone. Sure, plenty of guys made exceptions. Most of his friends had. Quinn had to deal with Gary’s penchant for drag, and Gary had to put up with Quinn’s more serious approach to life. Zach looked past Van’s old porn career, and Van got over how Zach treated him. Teddy saw beyond the many awful qualities Nino possessed. As for Nino, well, he couldn’t find one bad characteristic Teddy had that Nino would have to overcome. The only negative Teddy brought with him to a relationship was his best friend Irene. Which was bad enough.
He wasn’t willing to overlook things that bothered him. Why should he? He wasn’t going to change himself for someone else and let someone else call the shots.
That wasn’t love. That was a dictatorship, and his dick wasn’t going to be ordered around by anyone. Well, except him, of course.
It was entirely within the realm of possibility that he would find someone who met his standards, a list that had grown exponentially after his encounter with Dan, and whom he wouldn’t have to change for. After all, that was the entire reason for the list. Surely, the man who met all his requirements would not only be perfect for him, but those standards would make Brody perfect for his ideal man as well.
It was a win-win situation for everyone.
Now, all he had to do was find that one perfect guy.
The group that now made its way down the pier didn’t have anyone to his liking. They were all smoking and blowing their cancer clouds all over the damn place. How could making out with an ashtray be hot? Behind the Future Cancer Patients of America strolled an attractive group of guys, but they had a little too much swish in their hips. What were they trying to do? Wash their clothes as they walked? He pictured himself with a manlier man. So they were definite no-nos.
Then he spotted a dark-skinned, ruggedly handsome man step off the metal gangway and look up and down the pier. He had a soft spot for dark skin. Especially on men with a bearded and good-looking face. And there didn’t seem to be another man with him.
This guy had definite promise.
Not only did he appear single, but he also had a thick head of black hair that wasn’t so long that it made him look grungy and wasn’t so short that he looked like a carbon copy of every other man who came to Provincetown. It was longer on the top, especially toward the front, but trimmed perfectly at the nape of the neck and on the sides. His unique hairstyle marked him as someone who was his own man, an original. He liked that.
Brody also enjoyed the way strands of hair fell in front of his eyes, which looked light in color. He couldn’t tell what hue they were from this distance, but they looked to be a mixture of yellow, gold, and copper. How much more unique could a man get?
He also wasn’t immediately lighting up a cigarette. While it didn’t automatically make him a nonsmoker, it showed promise that he wasn’t. His clothes also didn’t look dated or filthy, and he carried himself with an air of confidence. Only the gainfully employed could pull that off in his opinion. That was yet another requirement met.
And he hadn’t even talked to him yet!
All this man had to be was a sane, humble, nonwhining, childless man, and eureka! He’d have struck gold.
But in order to find that out, Brody would have to go up and talk to him. He just didn’t have the time. What if he missed Van’s cousin Eric while he was chatting up the dark-skinned hottie who might be his potential new love?
There was no reason he couldn’t do both. All he had to do was go up to the man and talk to him while he kept a watchful eye for some guy who resembled Van. He’d always been a great multitasker.
Brody began his approach, and then he noticed the small problem that ruined everything.
Jacob Z. Flores lives a double life. During the day, he is a respected college English professor and mid-level administrator. At night and during his summer vacation, he loosens the tie and tosses aside the trendy sports coat to write man on man fiction, where the hard ass assessor of freshmen level composition turns his attention to the firm posteriors and other rigid appendages of the characters in his fictional world.
Summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, provide Jacob with inspiration for his fiction. The abundance of barely clothed man flesh and daily debauchery stimulates his personal muse. When he isn’t stroking the keyboard, Jacob spends time with his husband, Bruce, their three children, and two dogs, who represent a bright blue blip in an otherwise predominantly red swath in south Texas.
And I urge readers to visit me at any or all of my social media sites:
Blurb: Brody O’Shea isn’t looking for much, just a hot guy with a decent job, who is sane and doesn’t have kids. The son of a former rock star, Brody has lived through the pain of bankruptcy and bad parenting, and he doesn’t want to experience it again. As a reformed horndog, he wants the security and stability of a relationship. But almost every guy he meets seems satisfied with Mr. Right Now, and he wants to find Mr. Right—now!
The only men Eric Vasquez chases are criminals. As a deputy and single father, he has no need for a relationship after his last one ended disastrously. He lives for and through Maddie, his nine-year-old daughter. Everything else is a needless distraction, but distraction is what Eric gets when he comes to Provincetown to attend the wedding between his cousin Van and the man of his dreams.
When Brody and Eric meet, what they want and what they find conflict. An ocean of expectations separates them. If they cannot move past their reservations to reach each other’s shores, they might miss the boat when love comes to town.
And Provincetown boys are back, this time with Brody O’Shea’s story. You remember Brody right? Teddy’s college sweetheart, the one who dumped him after a marriage proposal, the one who went after Teddy when they came across each other in Provincetown years later, the blond, green-eyed , overconfident, and Hollywood material hunk? Yep, that Brody is back.
And that Brody is obsessed! Like I need to be in a relationship with the “One” and I need to spend every freaking spare time searching for him. Obsessed as in I have a list of qualities the perfect man must have and I’m not going to compromise. Obsessed as in one date and if you don’t meet the list you’re thrown to the curb. Yep, Brody is in for a real treat because our dear author throws in his way the “Perfect Man” who unfortunately has a little baggage. It’s called a child and it’s not on Brody’s list.
Arrogant much? Definitely. Brody is the epitome of arrogance, shallowness, and plain old stupid. And it’s exactly the reason he intrigued me and enticed me into reading this book. This kind of main character is usually hard to write because you need to give him absolutions and make him likable at some point. Fear not, Brody might seem like the total jerk, but not long into the story you come to absolutely adore him. I certainly liked him far quicker than I did Nino in book #3 so that’s something.
What made me wonder with Brody though was how mature he really is. From the little glimpse I got of him in book three he had this “nice” quality about him, but it was definitely overshadowed by arrogance back then. Here and now though, he surprised the heck out of me not only with his intuition, but also with how optimistic he was about life. That more than anything made me like him, a lot.
Now his counterpart is Eric, Eric a widower and father of this incredibly little munchkin of a 9 year old girl. I’m going to take a break here and fan-girl about Eric’s daughter, a very important character in this story as she seems to be orchestrating most of the events that occur. Not only is she a little adult, he is a joy to read. She has lost her daddy, her grandparents, and is forced to see her papa become a zombie since Eric has literally stop living his life and devoted himself in an almost scary way to her. Maddie gives this entire read a push and a direction not seen previously on the prequels of Provincetown Boys. I loved her and I wish I can see more of her in future installments.
So back to Eric, okay, he is one hot daddy. He is sex on legs, he is adorable, he is mouth-watering. He is a more difficult character than Brody. He has serious, serious issues that has been in him for years, and while the story is fun, and is hot, and is sweet, and has a happily ever after that goes hand in hand with the previous books, it also shares the one constant of said books – with the exception of Gil Kelly’s story – the fact that every couple has one week to make it happen in Provincetown. I don’t mind it, I don’t, I know it as a fact for this series and I’ve accepted it, but – and it’s a big but – one week felt so, so little time for Eric and Brody. It kind of jumped on the other side of credulity, so for me this thing kind of hampered things down a bit.
However, looking at the big picture here, the story was fun, it was funny, it had enticing characters, and damn it was hot. As in sizzling hot… As in steaming hot… Seriously, Eric was one daddy I’d like to have, that kind of hot. He was the very picture of a man’s man, and Eric with Brody they made one hell of a couple. So in the end I had a most enjoyable time reading this book. Well done and definitely recommended to all fans of romance.
Tams Review: 3 Hearts
Brody O’Shea and Eric Vasquez have both known their fair share of heartache. Brody had a tumultuous childhood that has left him slightly bitter. The certified playboy has sworn off one night stands in his search for that ever elusive one person to spend the rest of his life with. Eric could be the perfect guy for Brody, there is only one little problem, Eric’s nine year old daughter Maddie.
Eric’s husband, Maddie’s other daddy, died just a few years ago leaving Eric with the sole responsibility of raising their daughter. Devoting his life to his job and Maddie, the last thing he is looking for or expects is to fall in love. But he is so drawn to Brody that he can’t help himself. Eric is still reeling emotionally from the death of his husband though, that coupled with Brody’s revelation that he didn’t initially want to date anyone with children is a recipe for disaster from the start.
Can Brody get over his hang-up about guys with kids? And even if he can, will he be able to help Eric finally face the pain he has kept bottled up inside so that these two can have the future together they deserve?
It took me a little while to make my way through this book. The storyline in and of itself was promising, but I never felt a real connection to either Eric or Brody. What got me through this story was little Maddie, she was aboso-fricking-lutely adorable! Her little one liners and the way she was written as a young, old soul simply stole the book for me. I understood the issues that both men faced within the story, each having their own personal demons, but overall it didn’t flow well for me.
I’m giving this one 3/5 because even though I didn’t connect completely with the story, the writing wasn’t bad. And little Maddie herself deserves a star all her own! There are some really passionate love scenes sprinkled throughout, and there is something to be said about a couple that is strictly a top and a bottom, no versatility. I liked that aspect of their as well.
Don’t forget to visit the other blogs on the tour:
Jacob will be giving away an eBook copy of When Love Comes to Town at each stop. Winner will be chosen from comments, please include your email address in your comment.
Title: Yes, He’s My Ex Author: Julie Lynn Hayes Genre: Romantic Comedy Length: Novella (152 pages) ISBN: 978-1-62798-642-7 Publisher: Dreamspinner Press Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥2 ~ 2.5 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: Sometimes Sonny Scrignoli forgets he’s Tim Mansfield’s ex. He waltzes in and out of Tim’s apartment like he still lives there, driving Tim crazy. Is it really so hard to remember they’ve broken up? Then again, maybe Tim should quit having sex with him.
When Sonny disappears for two weeks, Tim can’t help but be concerned. A strange phone call and a mysterious cry for help leads Tim on a desperate search for his ex.
Sonny’s in big trouble, and it’s Tim to the rescue! He’s the only one who can save his ex from a fate worse than death. Bumbling gangsters, a thick headed former boyfriend, and secretive FBI agents lead Tim and Sonny on a merry chase full of laughs and quirks. Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4845 Review: I really, really wanted this book to work for me. And it was so promising, the beginning so much fun. I actually had to grab my sides at times to keep for falling apart with laughter. That only lasted until chapter six, aka 1/3 of the book. It was there after chapter seven that things started going downhill for me and I really began to feel like I fell in that damn rabbit-hole, a hole I never managed to quite get out off.
So first, let me start by saying that the writing and the humor was very great. Tim was that kind of character with that kind of snark that simply drags you in and doesn’t let go. He was the perfect character for me, one I could easily get lost in and be my favorite. I didn’t even mind Sonny’s little kid in a big man’s suit persona. Somehow, Sonny’s obliviousness and Tim’s reaction to him were a blast. Seriously, this story had so, so much potential to become a hell of a laugh till the very end.
However, the plot really ruined it with the surreal and ludicrous scenes. The rest of the cast was so much over the top, which I couldn’t take them in stride as much as I tried to. You can’t have everybody, and I literally mean everybody, be stupid, period. You can’t have crimes going on in that kind of capacity and let them roll like that by simply attaching the label humor on them. Some things become unbearable when they veer past reality so much.
If one or two supporting characters had a bit intellect in them, this story would be way different, but as it is it became a drag, challenging every idea of a comedy ever. It was more like those TV shows were everyone and everything is a satire of reality. Hmm, now that I think of it, if this read was labeled as satire I’d be more inclined to give it a higher rating.
The romance itself was great on the early chapters, but again it took such a fast turn from get-off-of-me-you-big-baboon to I’ll-love-you-for-ever that I wonder I didn’t get a whiplash. Also, it lacked information. Toward the end of the book, we get some insight on the reasons Sonny was an ex in the first place, but it did nothing to diminish the fact that we were on the dark for most of the read. I simply wish things were not so flat and shallow all the time. I feel there should be a balance and that was not accomplished at all, crippling the story and leaving you thinking, “Is this book ever going to end?”
So in the end, as much as it was intriguing at first, the book failed to achieve its goal, failed to entertain me and make me close its pages with a smile on my face.
Title: In the Pride’s Best Interest Series: Ariel Estates Series, #2 Author: Jessica Lee Genre: Paranormal Romance / Shifters Length: Novel (212 pages) ISBN: 9781607356417 Publisher: Resplendence Publishing (March 6th 2013) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts Reviewer: Thommie Blurb: Eli Novak, lion-shifter and Secretary of Ariel Estates has never been more fulfilled. Or more torn and confused in his life. No male has ever heated his blood or crept into his dreams before. Well, except for one. But that was over long before it ever started. So he’s straight, right? He loves women. Always has. So how can this strawberry-blond human male who stumbled onto their land have him questioning everything he ever thought he knew about himself.
Shayne Matthews is lost in the Smokey Mountains when a light in the distance leads the way to what he thinks could be a potential rescue. But it’s a decision that ends up landing him in a cell. Inside a world he never knew existed, fear turns to lust and a whirlwind of an adventure that puts him in the middle of a battle for dominance and power.
When the thirst for blood at Ariel Estates rears its ugly head once more, Eli is forced into a triangle of options where there is no right move. He must choose between his best friend, the human who’s claimed his heart, and what is in the Pride’s best interest. Purchase Link: http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/m8/558-978-1-60735-641-7–in-the-pride-s-best-interest-ariel-estates-series-book-two-by-jessica-lee.html Review: Oh my God, what a start! Talk about gripping your attention and stealing your breath away along with your mind from the first chapter.
The second book in the Ariel Estates Series starts with the tried and proved big bang like the first one did. A fast-paced story filled with anticipation, action, and lots of chemistry comes to steal you away for a couple of hours and take you on a ride where big badass lion shifters will fill your senses and make you gasp. What I like most about this series is the fact that the “cats” are mostly very well profiled. They have a very nice balance between their human and animal parts, and their instincts are such that require shifters to remain hidden from the world lest their inner animal surges forward and their secret is revealed.
And it’s precisely that secret the Secretary of Ariel Estates, Eli Novak, tries so hard to protect in the absence of his Alpha and best friend, Silas. But when a lost hiker stumbles upon the Prides lands and trespasses, Eli finds himself in a very peculiar predicament. Having harbored feelings for a male only once and a very long time ago, Eli felt safe in his sexuality until he lays eyes on Shayne. Everything turns upside down and while he makes sure the human is no danger for the pride, Eli can’t stop thinking of him.
I really liked how the author dealt with this dilemma here. The constant agonizing Eli felt gave the text a tension and a hint of despair. Already it has been established in book one how the pride feels for same-sex relationships, but the addition of a human in the mix makes things even more complicated, putting Eli, and Silas by proxy, in a hard and a rock place. When Eli goes to find Shayne outside the Estate, in order to explore his consuming emotions, things become dangerous. As Ariel does not lack for people with grudges and harboring hatred toward their new leader and his friends.
The action that takes place was lovely for me. I just loved the animalistic reaction even as I’d have preferred that “all hell breaking loose” to be a bit more, a bit grander. But even as fast as the villains went down – and at this point I need to highlight the fact that the villains are a bit overdramatic and mad as hell – what made the story a bit awkward was the final intimate scene between Eli and Shayne. The dialogues between them was, how should I this, off-putting, killing the mood, and after paragraphs of talking about the logistics of how and why, the act itself was fast, furious, and unfulfilling. While all other intimate scenes had this very good dose of sensual in them and eroticism was a constant, the final one, where fireworks should be exploding, well it failed. I also have that little thing with the phrase “like it?” It is certainly turning in a deal breaker for me.
Nonetheless, this book was still good and gave a bit more light in the Ariel Estates Pride, albeit we need more lore, but it was a very nice and gripping story, complimenting the first book in the series wonderfully.
Title: Straight Shooter
