Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (22nd November 2017)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Even though bankers’ hours leave long weekends for romance, cosmic intervention is Grant’s only option when money doesn’t buy happiness and he’s got virginity in spades. Grant Adams is a 26-year-old bank teller who’s unlucky at love, yet hopelessly hopeful. After years of horrific first dates, he’s convinced he’s saving himself for true love. Surely he has bad taste in men because it couldn’t possibly be his persnickety nature that’s sent them packing.
Tristan Carr has been in a holding pattern since his daughter was born 15 years ago, which suits his workaholic lifestyle just fine. This ex-naval officer turned auto mechanic never wanted any-one interfering with being a weekend dad. For Tristan to rearrange his carefully orchestrated life, a guy will need to be special. Or, in the case of the newest employee at his bank, the guy will need to be adorable, shy, and open to the prospect of forever when it shows up at his win-dow.
Review: Bankers’ Hours is a standalone novel by Wade Kelly and the audio book is narrated by Derrick McClain.
For me Wade Kelly is a completely new author for me, so I had no idea what I was in for in terms of the writing style and the story other than what I read on the blurb. However, Derrick McClain is not a new narrator for me, and I have particularly enjoyed his work narrating contemporary romances. I was not disappointed by the narration of Bankers’ Hours, in fact I think that it probably elevated the story.
This novel is the story of bank teller Grant Adams. The branch that he had been working for had closed and he was one of a handful of employees who have been redeployed to other branches. This means that Grant has made a big move – he’s moved out of the home he shared with his mother and to a completely new town where he has no one. He isn’t out in his new town but that’s only because he doesn’t have anyone to talk to about such things.
At the bank he meets Tristan Carr. He’s a local mechanic. Tall and handsome he is mouth watering and beautiful to Grant, but when Tristan mentions a daughter Grant is disappointed when he comes to conclusion that Tristan is gay. The two see each other around town and this culminates in an invitation of drinks. The thing is Grant doesn’t have the best social skills and he sucks at reading any body language cues from Tristan. The two have a rocky road ahead, fraught with Grant’s nature that seems to be something like anxiety which makes him pick at just about anything and then Tristan has to deal with his teenage daughter and his horrid ex-wife. However, for these guys it isn’t love that’s the problem, it’s getting their lives to align.
On the whole this is a good book with thoroughly enjoyable characters. I will admit to preferring Tristan over Grant. Yeah, Grant has a few odd quirks and is a bit on the clingy and whingy side of things, but I do understand him because I see a lot of myself in Grant. So even though he isn’t my favourite of the two MCs, he is by far the most relatable to me. There isn’t anything too specific that you need to like to get into this book. This is one of those contemporary books that I would recommend to just about anyone.
Hi guys, we have Wade Kelly popping in today with her newest release Back Off! That’s My Jock, Wade has a fantastic character interview with Doug & Sam and Wade is holding a awesome giveaway! So check out the post and leave a comment (with a way to be contacted) to enter the giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~
Back Off! That’s My Jock
(JOCK 03)
by
Wade Kelly
Defining his sexuality didn’t make sense until his best friend spelled it out.
Doug Archer did some pretty idiotic things in the first eight weeks of his junior year of college. First, he kissed his gay best friend, and second, he kissed a guy he’d mistaken for a girl. Not stellar moments for Doug. If he isn’t careful, he’ll lose his spot on the soccer team to the new freshman, or worse, he might misconstrue his new friend Rob’s overly affectionate tendencies for flirting. But if Doug isn’t bothered by another guy’s attention, and he normally dates girls, does that mean he’s gay or bisexual?
Sam Garber suppressed his same-sex attraction his entire life. His father told him it was immoral, and Sam did everything he could to bury his feelings. However, after meeting Doug at a party and kissing him, Sam can’t think of anything else. He decides dating girls is the best way to keep his secret hidden. With playoffs in sight, this is no time to think about guys in any other context than soccer. Only, neither boy anticipates the difficulty in suppressing his attraction for another jock!
Blurb: What if sexuality wasn’t a definable thing and labels merely got in the way?
Nick Jones can’t remember a time when he wasn’t part of the in crowd. Everywhere he goes, he stands out as the best looking guy in the room, and women practically fall into bed with him. Then, after kissing Corey on a dare led to much more and on many occasions, Nick’s “screw anything” reputation escalated, but he didn’t care.
When Nick meets RC at the restaurant where he works, it throws his whole life out of whack. RC lives up to his dubbed nickname “Scruffy Dude”. He seems Nick’s complete opposite, but Nick can’t get him out of his head.
Because of peer pressure and his fears about defining his sexuality, Nick struggles with stepping out of his comfort zone and caring about someone different than himself. If he’s lucky, somewhere between arrogance and ignorance, Nick might find out what it means to be an adult, but if he’s wrong, he could lose everything.
Review: I loved it and I hated it! There is a very strong message in Names Can Never Hurt Me, and for me that was that we can overcome our flaws, we can see our mistakes, learn from them, and improve our behaviors and our lives. Because Nick wasn’t just called names by a bunch of psychotic, incestuous friends, he really was a shallow, clueless superbly flawed character deserving of such labels many times.
I had a hard time relating to the character of Nick. At his age I had finished college, started my career, gotten married and already had one child. I have been very independent my whole life so I could not put myself in Nick’s place.
He’s a grown man living with his parents, his mother still does his laundry and cooks for him. He’s completely unmotivated by anything but meaningless sex. He seems to know he’s hot and that’s about it. I also don’t think Nick ever does figure out what being an adult means, he goes straight from living with his mommy, to living with his boyfriend. Never experiencing living on his own.
I can get on board with RC. He’s living on his own, struggling through life and stereotypes, and overcoming horrible things that have happened to him. I think he totally sold himself short, even after hooking up with Nick, RC deserves better.
Just saying.
There are moments in this story where I just bang my head on the desk and ask the gods why, why would this dialogue ever be included, but then there were moments of humor, passion, and poignant words, too.
The sexual content was purposefully diverse, with the shallow brief encounters leaving me feeling dirty and discarded with a bad taste in my mouth, pun intended. The more tender, slow and sensual experiences between Nick and RC are arousing yes, but also warm the heart.
Names Can Never Hurt Me was a mixed bag for me. The light-hearted, shallow dialogue does not quite outweigh the wonderful poignant moments for me. The two things that saved the story were the characters of RC and Corey. They have strength and conviction, they help others, and they carry the story.
Jack Amber did a great job giving each character a unique voice, and despite the dialogue coming out of some of these characters’ mouths. He delivered the story with complete respect.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Blurb: Even though bankers’ hours leave long weekends for romance, cosmic intervention is Grant’s only option when money doesn’t buy happiness and he’s got virginity in spades.
Grant Adams is a twenty-six-year-old bank teller who’s unlucky at love, yet hopelessly hopeful. After years of horrific first dates, he’s convinced he’s saving himself for true love. Surely he has bad taste in men because it couldn’t possibly be his persnickety nature that’s sent them packing.
Tristan Carr has been in a holding pattern since his daughter was born fifteen years ago, which suits his workaholic lifestyle just fine. This ex–naval officer turned auto mechanic never wanted anyone interfering with being a weekend dad. For Tristan to rearrange his carefully orchestrated life, a guy will need to be special.
Or in the case of the newest employee at his bank, the guy will need to be adorable, shy, and open to the prospect of forever when it shows up at his window.
Review: I’m pretty sure this is the first book I’ve read by Wade Kelly – can’t find any in my library – and after reading Bankers’ Hours, I really want to find more of her work. The writing style was just so easy to lose myself in. However, this is one of those books where I read – totally love it – but I know that for a lot of people who it could be potentially hit and miss.
Bankers’ Hours is the story of Grant Adams, he’s got a job as a bank clerk after graduating from university with an accounting degree. After the branch where he worked closed down he saw the opportunity to relocate to another branch as an opportunity to refresh and revitalize his life.
He’s a straight-laced type of guy who needs an injection of passion – not just the romantic kind – into his life and pronto! At the new branch he meets Tristan Carr and the two hit it off. So much so that they end up in a very permanent fix very quickly.
In his thirties, Tristan also has a teenage daughter who as a completely delightful character along with her two friends. Tristan’s car is, rather predictably, the unstable character of the book and makes things move forward in a big way. Her back story is also interesting, though I felt that there could have had a bit more to her story, it was a little weak at first.
And this is where I know that it will be hit and miss to a lot of people – part of Grant and Tristan’s relationship, the two guys staying together and actually making it relies very heavily on insta-love. The fact that Grant is one of those types where anything and everything happens to them, if only by accident, doesn’t help the situation either.
Regardless, this is a truly fun and easy read. Grant’s voice as he tells the story is just perfect – I was never left wondering about what Tristan could have been thinking (though the guy is a bit of a drama queen).
If you don’t like insta-love, then probably best to stay away or you’ll just get frustrated. Otherwise, I kinda think this is a universally appealing romance.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Hi guys, we have Wade Kelly stopping by with the tour for her upcoming release Banker’ Hours, we have a fantastic guest post and Wade has an interview with one of her characters Grant, there’s also a brilliant excerpt and Wade has a awesome giveaway! So enjoy the post and leave a comment on this post! <3 ~Pixie~
Bankers’ Hours
by
Wade Kelly
Even though bankers’ hours leave long weekends for romance, cosmic intervention is Grant’s only option when money doesn’t buy happiness and he’s got virginity in spades.
Grant Adams is a twenty-six-year-old bank teller who’s unlucky at love, yet hopelessly hopeful. After years of horrific first dates, he’s convinced he’s saving himself for true love. Surely he has bad taste in men because it couldn’t possibly be his persnickety nature that’s sent them packing.
Tristan Carr’s life has been in a holding pattern since his daughter was born. Fifteen years later, he’s still alone and that suits his workaholic lifestyle just fine. For Tristan to rearrange his workaholic lifestyle and weekend fatherhood, a guy needed to be special. Or in the case of the newest employee at his bank, the guy would need to be adorable, shy, and open to the prospect of forever when it shows up at his window.
Title: Misplaced Affection Author: Wade Kelly Genre: New Adult Romance Length: Novel (380 pages) Publisher: Wade Kelly Books (January 1st 2015) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts Blurb: Clichés are overrated and loving the boy next door may not be as genuine as the love Flynn sacrifices along the way.
Knowing he’s gay and acting on it were two separate notions to Flynn Brewer until he’d met Keith, his first boyfriend, in high school. Before then, being gay wasn’t as real as the pain of living day-to-day. Flynn’s fear of coming out to his religious best friend Zach in their conservative community destroyed his relationship with Keith, but Flynn rationalized his avoidance and bottled up the truth until it was regrettably too late.
Zachary Mitchell was the perfect son and role model as far as the outside world could tell. Active in his church while attending college, Zach had a personality that could sell anything, do anything, or be anything. Except, he couldn’t sell the truth to himself. Just when he was ready to reveal his internal conflict to Flynn and expose the darkness lurking in his heart, and in his “perfect” family, Zach met a girl and got sucked deeper into his chasm of deception.
Caught in a living Newton’s Cradle of his own design, Flynn must choose between idealistic childhood fantasy, or a tempestuous passion that could ignite the very air he breathes.
Review:Misplaced Affection is the story of three young men… Flynn, Zach, and Keith, as they navigate their way through childhood, high school, love, loss and ignorance in an effort to find themselves and where they belong. Or more importantly, who they belong with.
Flynn Brewer lost his mother and his brother when he was still a child. Raised by an emotionally absent father since, he connected on a deeper level with his neighbor and best friend, Zach Mitchell more than anyone else. Flynn realized he was gay and that his feelings for Zach went beyond just friendship early on, but fear of losing that friendship and being ostracized by his friends if he came out kept him in a closet of sorts.
Keith Leppo never hides his sexuality, but he doesn’t wear it like a badge either. When he and Flynn start to explore being more than just friends, all Keith wants to do is shout it from the rooftops that Flynn is his. He is extremely jealous, likes to be in control, and hates the bond that Flynn shares with Zach instantly.
Flynn is adamant about his anonymity though and refuses to acknowledge he and Keith are anything more than friends, and Keith is surprisingly okay with that when it comes to everyone, except Zach.
The story unfolds in three parts from each young man’s POV, so parts of the story are told multiple times, but through a different set of eyes. That was one of my favorite things about the story, getting to watch a specific event unfold from three different vantage points gave the story depth and variety.
As the story progresses you learn more about each character on a personal level, and something that Keith did or said while you were inside Flynn’s head that maybe pissed you off, took on new meaning when you saw it through Keith’s eyes, or even Zach’s. And you may think that this set up would be tedious, repetitive, but I assure you it is not. Each point of view is distinctly different and crucial to the overall fell of the story.
I laughed, and then I cried, I laughed while I was crying and I tell you right now that laughter through tears is my favorite emotion. There is something to be said about an author that can take you to such an emotional place that you are snot slinging, chortling while your eyes are glued to the page, trying to anticipate if you should grab a drink next, or a tissue!
Wade Kelly is like diet Amy Lane, very in sync with her ability to bring the angst and emotional outbursts to any story she writes. Three-dimensional characters, flawed, believable, with a strong storyline, and fantastically driven secondary characters to give the overall feel of the book some spine.
Definitely a must read! Required reading materials include a full bottle of vodka and a new box of Kleenex though, be warned. An angsty and emotional story about finding your way in life, and being who you are regardless of the consequences.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Title: Names Can Never Hurt Me Author: Wade Kelly Genre: Contemporary Length: Novel (340 pages) Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 11th 2014) Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts Reviewer: Tams Blurb: What if sexuality wasn’t a definable thing and labels merely got in the way?
Nick Jones can’t remember a time when he wasn’t part of the in crowd. Everywhere he goes, he stands out as the best-looking guy in the room, and women practically fall into bed with him. Then, after kissing Corey on a dare led to much more and on many occasions, Nick’s “screw anything” reputation escalated, but he didn’t care.
When Nick meets RC at the restaurant where he works, it throws his whole life out of whack. Overweight, always sweaty, gay, and hairy like a bear, RC lives up to his dubbed nickname “Scruffy Dude.” He seems Nick’s complete opposite, but Nick can’t get him out of his head.
Because of peer-pressure and his fears about defining his sexuality, Nick struggles with stepping out of his comfort zone and caring about someone different from himself. If he’s lucky, somewhere between arrogance and ignorance, Nick might find out what it means to be an adult, but if he’s wrong, he could lose everything.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5303 Review: Nick Jones life changes after just one kiss. He doesn’t realize it at the time, he’s actually always been gay, but he’s hidden behind a string of girlfriends and that one boyfriend that lights him up like none of the girls can. He refuses to be gay though, in fact, if he had a mantra it would be “I’m not gay!” for as often as he says it. Me thinks thou doth protest too much!
A year later and Nick is just going through the motions in his mundane life. The only bright sparks are his friend and sometimes lover Corey, and the strange man who eats where he works all the time, RC. He’s broken up with another girl, and jumps straight into a relationship with yet another girl, trying to convince himself that getting laid on a regular basis makes him happy. But getting to know RC more with each conversation they have is making Nick take stock, and reconsider some things about himself.
RC is not an easy man to get to know. He is always on guard and doesn’t let anyone close. He has no friends and no social skills to speak of. But there is something about the cute guy that works at the Diner. It takes a lot of effort and time, but the two become friends, best friends in fact. Both men appreciate that they can just be themselves around each other. But as Nick starts to open himself up to the feelings he’s having, he starts to want more from RC than just friendship. RC is adamant that he is not going there! His past is way too painful and Nick is way too much like a lot of the people who made that past painful. Nick is about to find out what he wouldn’t do for the right guy, which is nothing.
This was very a much coming of age and finding yourself story. Not just for Nick, who is trying to decide his sexuality, but for RC as well. As he’s never actually been in love or been loved. Nick was raised with so much love, and the entire time he’s wrestling with his emotions over what his parents will say when they find out, he doesn’t realize they already know. What Nick has to learn is restraint, patience and unconditional love. So what if RC is a little overweight, big, and burly. The way he makes him feel safe, protected and loved regardless is what Nick comes to realize are the important things. He fell in love with someone, the wrapping doesn’t matter.
This book was an emotionally charged and endearing story about a very slow building love between two unlikely men. Trust and communication are what is at the root of their relationship, which is built before anything else, and it’s what makes them so strong. At first, it looked like this was going to be another ‘gay for you’ story, but as the story played itself out, it wasn’t that at all. And these characters were far from perfect, if anything, they were perfectly flawed. Another thing that only added to the depth of the story. And it was refreshing to read a character that was surrounded by love and acceptance, his demons were the ones he created himself by his actions, and only he can change that.
I devoured this book in one long setting. I was so intrigued by the dynamics of the characters, and the way they bounced off each other. Sexy, romantic, endearing and realistic are just a few words to describe this book. Definitely a must read.
Title: My Roommate’s a Jock? Well Crap! Author: Wade Kelly Narrator: Jason Lovett Genre: Contemporary Romance Length: 9 hours and 21 minutes Publisher: Dreamspinner Press 01-16-14 Heat Level: Moderate Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3.5 Reviewer: Tams Blurb: It’s easy to become cynical when life never goes your way.
Cole Reid has been a social recluse since he was fifteen, when he was outed by his high school baseball team. Since then, his obsessive-compulsive behavior and sarcastic nature have driven away most of the population, and everyone else hates him because he’s gay. As he sees it, he’s bound to repulse any prospective friends, let alone boyfriends, so why bother?
By the time Cole enters college, he’s become an anal-retentive loner—but it’s not a problem until his roommate graduates and the housing department assigns Ellis Montgomery to move in with Cole. Ellis is messy, gorgeous, straight, and worst of all, a “jock”!
During a school year filled with frat buddies, camping expeditions, and meddling parents, Cole and Ellis develop a friendship that turns Cole’s glass-half-empty outlook on its head. There must be more to Ellis than a fun-loving jock—and maybe Cole’s reawakening libido has rekindled his hope for more than camaraderie. Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4707
Review: Cole Reid is not only cynical, he’s neurotic and slightly OCD. He’s been a loner since high school when he was embarrassingly outed in the locker room and then pummelled by the jock he was eyeing. He tried to live in the dorms when he started college, but the more private apartment style housing worked better for him. His current roommate moves out and Cole can’t find a replacement before the new term, so he is assigned one, much to his dismay.
Ellis Montgomery is a star soccer player, a jock, and now he’s Cole’s new roommate. Ellis is outgoing, laid back and anything but a neat freak. Cole is very glass half empty, while Ellis is glass half-full, which makes for some very interesting situations throughout this story. An amusing romance ensues between these two. Cole has almost always known he was gay, but Ellis was assuredly very much straight, right? There is a lot of give and take to be had here, and both guys have to learn that mere attraction won’t sustain a relationship. Communication, trust and compromise are what will keep them together in the end.
I think I would classify this story as a romantic comedy with a dark edge to it. Cole has this inner monologue running throughout that borders on psychotic at times, but it will having you laughing aloud. Ellis figures out he’s attracted to Cole early on, it’s how to deal with that attraction and their budding relationship in public that will prove challenging. There was a struggle for Ellis in the story with the sexual aspect of their relationship that was very unique. I don’t want to say too much and give it away, because it was a welcome surprise for me to have an author word it the way Kelly did, so I’ll leave that part for you to discover.
Narrated by Jason Lovett who himself sounds like a neurotic college kid, so it was kind of perfect. His voice comes across as shy, insecure and young, which really worked for these two characters. Both Cole and Ellis are conflicted by their growing feelings for one another, and it was nice that even though there was a connection from the start, it wasn’t an instant love type of story. Their romance is rocky, inexperienced and at times volatile.
There were just a couple of times when the story and the characters didn’t connect. Slightly disjointed I guess you could say. But overall, this was a great story with some brilliant one-liners and good narration. And while the sex scenes weren’t over the top erotic, they weren’t just alluded to either. The romance fits the age of the characters very well. If you like a story with laugh out loud moments that will surely put a smile on your face, you should grab a copy!
** I received a copy of this audio book from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review through MM Good Book Reviews ** http://www.mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com
Blurb: Matt Dixon, a young firefighter, is the golden child of his family, and he never dreamed that coming out would challenge more than the way his church sees him.
For years, Matt has led a double life hoping to avoid ridicule. When a self-righteous pastor’s statements provoke him to defend his recently deceased best friend’s honor and subsequently out himself, he suffers the brutal aftermath of his revelation. Everyone in his life, including his family and his new lover, Darian, must deal with the ramifications as Matt struggles to come to terms with guilt, shame, and his very belief in God.
Darian Weston lost his fiancé when Jamie took his life and his feelings for Matt added guilt to his burden of grief. Confused and lonely, Darian clings to Matt despite his inner strife. But small-town realities keep intruding, and if Matt and Darian hope to make a life together, they must first take a stand for what they believe in, even if they fear the cost.
Review: When Jamie Miller committed suicide, he forever changed the lives of the two men he loved most; His best friend, Matt, the young firefighter and his fiancé, the young lost soul, Darian. In the aftermath of Jamie’s death, Matt and Darian begin an unconventional relationship that is fueled by grief and lust. The attraction is undeniable and immediate, and even though both men struggle internally with their relationship and the fact they really should not be doing this, they can’t seem to get enough of each other.
Matt has only recently come out to his parents and his church and is still dealing with the aftermath. His parents are initially standoffish, but they eventually come to their own terms with his homosexuality. Crazy church members and homophobic co-workers only add to the grief in his life, and he’s still recovering from the loss of his best friend.
Darian’s part in the story is a little darker. He is consumed with grief in the aftermath of Jamie’s death, to the point that it manifests itself as Jamie, ridiculing and condemning him for having a relationship with Matt. Darian’s addictions are scary and he was by far the most interesting character in this story for me. He literally hit rock bottom and struggled immensely to regain his footing and attempt to be happy, not just with Matt, but with life in general.
This is the first book by Kelly that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. I’m a huge fan of love stories that are rooted in reality. Characters that have depth and overcome enormous odds to be together and be happy. Kelly delivers all these attributes and many more within the pages of this book. Her writing is intense and gripping. There is a HEA for us hopeless romantics, and some hot sex scenes with our two ML, in fact at the start of the book I don’t think they strayed far from the bed! Definitely a must read for fans of the genre.
At age sixteen, Todd Hoffman is a social outcast. He lives with his mother in a rundown mobile home and doesn’t wear the nice clothes or drive fancy cars like the other students. He has one outlet: he secretly writes fan fiction about a boy falling in love with another boy he’s crushing on, and posts it online.
When Galen Caulfield, Todd’s real life object of affection, notices him and asks him out, Todd feels like he’s living his fantasy. Soon enough he realizes that fantasy and reality are two very different propositions.
Galen is the high school soccer team captain, clearly out of Todd’s league. On top of that, he’s popular, good-looking, and confident, so everyone thinks he’s straight. Now it’s up to Todd to decide whether Galen is the boy of his dreams or just another dumb jock.
1st Edition published by Amazon Digital Services, Aug 24, 2012.
Length: Novel (210p.) | Genre: Contemporary, Coming of Age| Release Date: August 12, 2013
Taren Laxley has never known anything but life as a slave. When a lusty pirate kidnaps him and holds him prisoner on his ship, Taren embraces the chance to realize his dream of a seagoing life. Not only does the pirate captain offer him freedom in exchange for three years of labor and sexual servitude, but the pleasures Taren finds when he joins the captain and first mate in bed far surpass his greatest fantasies.
Then, during a storm, Taren dives overboard to save another sailor and is lost at sea. He’s rescued by Ian Dunaidh, the enigmatic and seemingly ageless captain of a rival ship, the Phantom, and Taren feels an overwhelming attraction to Ian that Ian appears to share. Soon Taren learns a secret that will change his life forever: Ian and his people are Ea, shape-shifting merfolk… and Taren is one of them too. Bound to each other by a fierce passion neither can explain or deny, Taren and Ian are soon embroiled in a war and forced to fight for a future—not only for themselves but for all their kind.
Length: Novel (214p.) | Genre: High Fantasy, Paranormal, Shapeshifter, M/M/M or More
What happens after “happily ever after”? No matter how long they’ve been together, the couples in this anthology find that keeping a relationship alive takes work. Whether it’s job conflicts or family issues, the seven-year-itch or just plain stuck-in-a-rut routine, these men face the challenges of keeping the spark alive with humor, creativity, and romance.
At First Sound by G.S. Wiley
Change of Heart by Rhidian Brenig Jones
Cupcakes for Two by K. Lynn
Dream Lover by Nico Jaye
Happy Holidays by Anna Butler
Home on the Range by Anna Martin
How to Date Your Husband by AC Valentine
Like an Old Sweater by Elizabella Gold
Looking Back by Rob Rosen
Quarter Moon Over a Ten Cent Town by Stephen Osborne
Even after a decade, the life that journalist Brent Walsh and Milwaukee homicide detective Shawn Mackey have made together is far from boring. But when a new case cuts a weekend getaway short, they aren’t quite prepared for how it will impact their personal lives. Suddenly there’s too much to juggle: Shawn will be working the case of the sharpshooter who is trying to infect random people with HIV, Brent needs to cover the story but fears a conflict of interest, one of Shawn’s colleagues is attracted to him, and Brent sincerely needs to mend the painful break with his childhood best friend, Ollie, and heal their broken hearts.
Though the case comes to a close, it’s not the end of their troubles. Shawn and Brent still face a past of old white lies, a present possibility of inviting another man to their bed, and a future with children, not to mention health issues and national fallout from the case. It’s enough to make them want to run away—until they realize they have to face those challenges head-on so they can get on with the life of love they’re hoping for.
Length: Novel (204p.) | Genre: Mystery/Suspense, M/M/M or More | Release Date: August 14, 2013
When Madison “Matty” Ward finds himself out of work and without a place to live, his cousin comes through with a job on the Gates cattle ranch. Despite not knowing anything about herding cattle or taking care of horses, Matty does his best to impress the older hunky foreman, Baxter Hollingsworth. Baxter is drawn to the new young hand, but he’s deeply closeted, and after an openly gay veterinarian shows he’s interested in Matty, Baxter’s repressed feelings lead to an explosive encounter. Baxter then withdraws—leaving Matty feeling angry and used—until an accident forces him to confront his fears.
Length: Novella (120p.) | Genre: Western | Release Date: August 14, 2013 | Buy as eBook ($3.99 ISBN: 978-1-62380-066-1)
Dominic Holland leaves behind in London the shattered remains of a dishonest relationship and sets about rediscovering himself across the pond, exploring New York City and two widely different possible futures. Through a series of increasingly public encounters with a mysterious silver-haired man, Dominic gets a tantalizing taste of a new kind of freedom. But it’s fellow journalist Alex Everton who attracts Dominic, making him yearn for a real and honest love. But Alex is working on a story that is linked to his past, leaving Dominic unsure of whether he will be the one to heal his heart.
Length: Novella (208p.) | Genre: Contemporary | Release Date: August 14, 2013 | Buy as eBook ($5.99 ISBN: 978-1-62380-778-8)
Summer School by Tam Ames
Jeremy Decker’s recent split with his long-distance boyfriend has left him lonely with a mountain of debt. His only practical source of extra cash is to teach summer school, even if it means teaching history—not easy for an English teacher. To support him, the school hires Lucas Van Sloan, a much-younger college history student.
Lucas, with his swimmer’s physique and optimism, not to mention his determination to get what he wants, both attracts and annoys Jeremy… and what Lucas wants is Jeremy. The heat flares between them, but when Jeremy’s ex, a high-powered attorney with plenty of experience turning things his way, shows he wants Jeremy too, it threatens to snuff out the flame of passion and new love.
Matt Dixon, a young firefighter, is the golden child of his family, and he never dreamed that coming out would challenge more than the way his church sees him.
For years, Matt has led a double life hoping to avoid ridicule. When a self-righteous pastor’s statements provoke him to defend his recently deceased best friend’s honor and subsequently out himself, he suffers the brutal aftermath of his revelation. Everyone in his life, including his family and his new lover, Darian, must deal with the ramifications as Matt struggles to come to terms with guilt, shame, and his very belief in God.
Darian Weston lost his fiancé when Jamie took his life, and his feelings for Matt added guilt to his burden of grief. Confused and lonely, Darian clings to Matt despite his inner strife. But small-town realities keep intruding, and if Matt and Darian hope to make a life together, they must first take a stand for what they believe in, even if they fear the cost.
When small-time thief Timmy Harwell recklessly “borrows” a Cadillac for a joyride, he doesn’t expect to find a cool $100,000 in the trunk. His elation turns to terror when he realizes the SUV and the dough belong to Miguel Garcia, aka El Poco, a Tijuana drug dealer with a nasty reputation. Timmy sees only one way out: leave the stolen car behind and run as fast as he can.
His getaway is cut short when a storm strands him outside Jasper Stone’s secluded mountain cabin. Jasper finds Timmy in his shed, unconscious and burning up with fever, and takes care of the younger man, nursing him back to health. The two begin to grow close, but Jasper, a writer who seeks only solitude, is everything Timmy isn’t. Straightforward, honest, and kind.
Timmy needs Jasper’s help—and wants his respect—so he hides his dishonest habits. But when El Poco comes after him, Timmy realizes he’s not the only one at risk. His actions have also put Jasper in harm’s way. Honesty now could mean Timmy loses the man he’s come to love, but not being honest could mean far worse.
Harmony Ink Press’ releases for the week of August 12, 2013
On the Right Track by Sam Kadence
Ryunoski “Ru” Nakimura knows all about the trappings of fame. Expelled from a boy band for coming out as gay, he still wants to continue his career in music. Too bad his ex finds nothing better to do than exploit their relationship in the press, so Ru leaves California behind to lie low in Minnesota for a while.
Adam Corbin attends a Minnesota high school and wants to coast through as a typical student. He’s friends with an openly gay student, Bas Axelrod, but while Adam plays football, he also stays away from much socializing. Blending in and not outing himself has been easy because he’s never really been seriously interested in any of the guys he’s encountered.
When Adam meets Ru in a library, Adam begins to think he’s found that special young man who might make it worthwhile to just be himself. And for Ru, Adam looks like someone he might trade his fame for, if they could be together. Ru and Adam will both come to realize that courage and love must go hand in hand if they are to have a future.
Length: Novel (184p.) | Genre: Contemporary, Gay, YA | Release Date: August 15, 2013
Blurb: It’s easy to become cynical when life never goes your way.
Cole Reid has been a social recluse since he was fifteen, when he was outed by his high school baseball team. Since then, his obsessive-compulsive behavior and sarcastic nature have driven away most of the population, and everyone else hates him because he’s gay. As he sees it, he’s bound to repulse any prospective friends, let alone boyfriends, so why bother?
By the time Cole enters college, he’s become an anal-retentive loner—but it’s not a problem until his roommate graduates and the housing department assigns Ellis Montgomery to move in with Cole. Ellis is messy, gorgeous, straight, and worst of all, a jock!
During a school year filled with frat buddies, camping expeditions, and meddling parents, Cole and Ellis develop a friendship that turns Cole’s glass-half-empty outlook on its head. There must be more to Ellis than a fun-loving jock—and maybe Cole’s reawakening libido has rekindled his hope for more than camaraderie
Review: I really wanted to love this book. Humor, and a jock/geek love story sounds exactly like my kind of book. Sadly, I didn’t love it.
Cole is a geeky college student who doesn’t make friends easily. The one that he does have has graduated and moved away, leaving him without a best friend and roommate. Cole is a little eccentric and OCD, so sharing his living space with just anyone isn’t going to work. He doesn’t really have the option of waiting for a good match because he has one of the coveted apartments on campus. His only request to Sam, the man in charge of housing, is no jocks. But that’s exactly what he gets. Cole, understandably has a bad history with jocks after being outed and beaten up by one in high school. It only makes it worse that he’s ridiculously attracted to his new roomie Ellis, when he should hate him on the spot.
Ellis makes the choice to live on campus after commuting from his parent’s home the last two years. He could live in the dorms, but he needs the quiet to stay focused on his studies to keep his soccer scholarship. He’s a likable guy, but his new roommate seems a little crazy. Cole’s always freaking out at him for spilling milk, or not using a coaster, even though he cleans up after himself. A phone call from Cole’s old roommate helps Ellis understand Cole is a little better, and the two become friends. It’s a total surprise when Ellis kisses Cole one day. It’s confusing to both guys, but after that it’s almost impossible to ignore the chemistry between the two. The guys carry on being touchy-feely friends, and nothing much happens, but that amps up the sexual tension between Cole and Ellis.
Cole’s character was kind of all over the place. He’s socially awkward, but blurts out things he really shouldn’t. He’s negative, nerdy, but sassy at the same time. I just can’t get a good grasp on his character, as there are contradicting characteristics throughout the book. I do enjoy his potty mouth and made up words like “debaucherous”. He is alternately funny, then dramatic and silly.
I like Ellis, for the most part. He is confused with his feelings, but chose to ignore his issues more often than not, and ignoring things doesn’t help. This plays a huge part in silly misunderstandings throughout the book. He is also very mushy. Some people may enjoy it, but from complete denial to mush is just too large of a leap for me make in this situation.
Overall the characters, main and sub, are fairly immature and over the top. Doing things like sticking out their tongues and giggling, or calling their mother “mommy”, and letting her take away their cell phone for days… The guys are twenty plus years old! It is kind of ridiculous. Maybe I just prefer to think people of that age are a little more grown up?
Another big gripe is the random POVs. I actually enjoy a story written from the perspectives of both of the two main characters, and don’t mind another one thrown in, if it serves some purpose. I was so confused when a new, random, person would take over the storytelling, I had to go back and reread to know what was happening.
Overall, I had high hopes for this book that for me didn’t deliver.
Blurb: A six-year downward spiral into a world of lies and deception leads to the end of one man’s life when self-discovery crosses the line between being the perfect son or following his heart.
Jimmy Miller never intended to lead a double life starting the day he fell in love with Darian, but his parents’ divorce, fighting in school, and constantly keeping secrets for his closeted best friend and protector, Matt, force his hand. Jimmy finds the demands too great to withstand and ends it all prematurely, leaving behind an angry best friend and a shattered lover.
Matt and Darian cling to one another in the aftermath of their loss, forging a new friendship immediately tested by the truths of their relationships with Jimmy that are hidden in the pages of Jimmy’s journals. Will Matt and Darian discover what truly happened to their friend? And will this tragedy birth something beautiful between them as they learn the balance between life, family, and friendship when love is simply not enough?
A Bittersweet Dreams title: It’s an unfortunate truth: love doesn’t always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.
Reviewer: Astrid
Review: This was an exceptionally difficult read for me. I know firsthand the sorrow those left behind suffer when a loved one feels no alternative to ending their life.
The story begins with alternating internal dialogue of two characters. You don’t know who they are, but you are plunged into the static of their echoing emotions. It’s messy, chaotic and so profoundly real that you are compelled to keep reading.
Matt and Jamie are best friends. Jamie and Darian are lovers. Yet neither Matt nor Darian have crossed paths with one another over a six-year period. How is that possible? One confused and determined young man. Jamie’s conflicting emotions for both boys/men had him struggling for balance and left him feeling the only option was to compartmentalize and separate each relationship.
The journey truly begins at the end, when Matt finds the journals Jamie left behind. The head hopping and time jumping can be a little difficult to follow at times. What proved the most overwhelming chapter for me was when Matt came to Jamie’s final few journal entries and the scene of Jamie’s last moments – disturbing, heartbreaking and raw.
Matt and Darian are thrown together by their grief, each seeking solace and answers. I know some are going to be appalled with Matt and Darian for the timing of their first encounter and how quickly their connection developed. I did have a hard time with it myself but that’s the woman in me. We want our significant other to move on if we die… after a respectable <long> mourning period. Men are different creatures entirely. Matt is depicted as somewhat reckless with sexual encounters. Darian has a clear fear of abandonment and he’s just been abandoned with no hope for Jamie’s return. So I understood their need for one another and forgave the timing.
This story isn’t about Matt and Darian falling in love. It’s about Jamie’s life and the impact he had on their lives. My romance junky wants the guaranteed HEA, I want to believe they find a way to support each other and make it together, but their story ends at the beginning. You’re left with hope.
Title: Bankers’ Hours
Title: Names Can Never Hurt Me, 2nd edition
Title: Bankers’ Hours
Title: Misplaced Affection
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