Hi peeps! We have L.A. Bryce stopping by today with her new release Love, Trust & Secrets, we have a fantastic giveaway. So check out the post and enter that giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Love, Trust & Secrets
by
L.A. Bryce
For a man on the run, is finding love a good enough reason to stay? And for a man who doesn’t want to leave, is a secret enough reason to walk away?
Even though a bad situation brings Tyler and Jarod together, they quickly find the good in their relationship. But when Tyler falls in love and finds the feelings returned, he’s forced to question if his and Jarod’s relationship is worth risking his freedom, his life, and their hearts.
Jarod knows Tyler is hiding something, but his fear of scaring Tyler away has him accepting Tyler’s silence. But instead of keeping Tyler close, Jarod’s avoidance ultimately leads to Tyler being taken away, leaving Jarod clueless and unable to help the man he loves.
Love, Trust, and Secrets is a story whose main focus is the love between two men and all the trial and tribulations that come with that love.
Hi guys, we have A.E. Via visiting today with the tour for new audio release Embracing His Syn, we have a brilliant giveaway where you can win your own audiobook of Nothing Special, so check out the post and then enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~ p.s. keep an eye out for Prime’s review coming soon!
Embracing His Syn
(Nothing Special 02)
by
Narrator: Aiden Snow
A.E. Via
Sergeant Corbin “Syn” Sydney had dedicated his life to becoming the best detective. So when he heard there was an opening on the notorious Atlanta Narcotics Task Force, he jumped at the chance. But, what he wasn’t ready for was realizing just how lonely he’d made himself, when he observed the loving and dedicated relationship between the two men he served under: Lieutenant Cashel “God” Godfrey and Lieutenant Leonidis Day.
Syn prepared himself to accept his lonely fate until he walked into a small pub and met the long-haired, tattooed bartender, Furious Barkley. Before Syn can even understand why, he’s overcome with feelings he barely recognizes: passion, yearning, craving. And if the dark, lustful gazes are anything to go by, Furious might be feeling the same things for him.
Just two thing needs to happen before Syn and Furi can give each other what’s been missing from their lives for so long…Syn needs to find the evidence that proves Furi’s innocence of murder, as well as protect him from a past that refuses to let go.
Hi guys! We have Ari McKay popping in today with their new release Recipe For Romance, we have a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Recipe For Romance
by
Ari McKay
Four couples, four different stories — and one spicy Recipe for Romance from author Ari McKay!
Welcome to Montgomery House, Charleston’s finest restaurant. When you walk in the front doors of the stately former mansion, you’ll be surrounded by true Southern charm. Owner Rhys Montgomery will personally welcome you, while the tantalizing scents of Executive Chef Stephen Pierce’s latest culinary masterpiece linger in the air. Enjoy a walk in the gardens or an elegant meal in the dining room, as you watch the love stories play out around you…
Bay Leaves and Bachelors — Clay Turner’s heart was broken by a wealthy man who said he was boring. When rich, outgoing restaurateur Rhys Montgomery sets his sights on the quiet academic, drawn in by Clay’s intelligence and sex appeal, he finds he has an uphill battle to win Clay’s trust. Can Rhys burrow his way into Clay’s heart, or will Clay’s insecurity become a wall between them that not even true love can break down?
Fennel and Forgiveness — Seven years ago, Max Boyd broke Darius Cooper’s heart. Darius wanted a commitment, and Max wanted to focus on his career in Georgia’s television industry. Their ten year difference in age and experience tore them apart, but fate throws them back together when Max arrives at the Montgomery House, where Darius now works. Will Southern Wedding Belles bring them a second chance for love or is Darius’s trust too shattered for Max to heal?
Ginger and Gentlemen — Ian Pierce has lived in his older brother Stephen’s shadow his entire life, always feeling second best. His best friend, Matt Davis, is the only person he trusts to be on his side. Despite being in dire financial straits, Ian wants to refuse Stephen’s request to film an episode of Mouth of the South at Ian’s restaurant, but the bonus money offered in the contract is too much to resist. He accepts without knowing the hefty bonus comes from Matt, not the production company. Will Ian feel betrayed by the one person he trusts above all others when he finds out, or will Matt’s desire to help Ian succeed even at his own financial risk take them from friends to lovers at last?
Cinnamon and Seduction — Chef Stephen Pierce has talent and a determination to succeed that is matched only by his fierce temper and prickly personality. Yet his long-suffering personal assistant, Robert Logan, has carried a torch for Stephen since the day they met. Everyone around Montgomery House knows Robert is in love with Stephen — everyone, that is, except Stephen himself. Can Rhys, Clay, Darius, Max, Ian, and Matt find a way to make Stephen see that Robert is the perfect man for him, or will even Robert’s legendary talent for matchmaking fail to win him the man he loves?
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (27th February 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Aaron Hall has never been able to remain faithful to a single woman, and for most of his life, he’s dated two women at once. Recently his girlfriend tracked him down and knocked on his door – and his live-in girlfriend answered. Now he has no girlfriend and a mortgage he can’t pay by himself.
Vinnie Rosello needs to change his life – get a better job, stop drinking all his money away, find himself a serious boyfriend…and move out of his parents’ house. Aaron needs help with his ex-penses, so they become housemates.
Even though Aaron harbors some misconceptions about gay men and Vinnie misses his large Italian family, both men find comfort in their friendship. It’s a good arrangement until everything between them changes.
Vinnie falls in love with Aaron, and Aaron is shocked to realize he feels the same. There’s only one problem – he’s still straight. He’ll have to overcome his fear of labels in order to love the man who’s captured his heart.
Review: The Straight Boyfriend is the third book in Renae Kaye’s Loving You series.
I’m going to keep my comments on the author and the narrator quite short, because this is a feeling that echoes throughout the whole series for me. At this point I am warming up to her Renae Kaye’s writing. Since we’re not here for an Australian geography lesson, suffice to say that I connect with the very Aussie tone in her writing because I am Aussie myself. I feel the humour and love hearing the slang that is part of my everyday life in my favourite genre of book. So far there’s been a bit of a pattern in her writing where we have at least one main character who doesn’t want to come out of the closet because of his very blokey workplace (lots of miners, industrial workers) or his very manly-man type father. Not that it’s a bad thing, if you like a book with that sort of storyline.
The narration for this book was by Joel Leslie, who only narrates books 2 and 3. After listening to his two performances for this series, I feel that he fit the books really well. While I enjoyed Gilles narration in the first book, it annoyed me when his Aussie accent slipped a bit (I know it’s a stupid of me) and I also just remembered that his pronunciation of the name Aaron was odd. However, I loved Leslie’s Aussie accent, it was really well done. I also am a fan of pretty much all of Joel Leslie’s performances because I always feel the emotions from the characters and hear their distinct voices, this book was no different.
The Straight Boyfriend. The title says it all. By the time I got to this book, I had a pretty good idea about Vinnie and Aaron because they were so prominent as secondary characters in the previous books. The set up for this story happened in book 2, so there isn’t much point listening or reading this one before at least going to the previous book.
Vinnie is a sweet guy from an unconventional, Italian family. He has a thing about epiphanies, and a subcategory of which being epipoofanies. He’s really a wonder and fun loving. He has a big heart, with a complicated family and is lonely. Wanting to get out of his parents’ home, he moves in with Aaron – a friend of a friend whose house he would often drink at after watching amateur football games.
Aaron is a manwhore and a serial cheater, he is unapologetic about the fact, although he now feels a sense of shame. He wants to better himself, he wants to be a good boyfriend/partner, but is unsure if he could even be faithful to a girl. After all, it was this that led him to a mortgage he could no longer afford without a roommate. Having Vinnie as a roommate would help him with that mortgage, but hanging with the gay man, although he is determined that he is straight, does have a positive effect. Aaron is adaman that he is straight. But he has *feelings* when it comes to Vinnie. Add to that, Vinnie, who has never been alone in a house in his life, often spends the night in Aaron’s bed, completely platonic.
It’s just awkward because Vinnie is in love with a straight man and he knows he has to get rid of those feelings because he was pining for something that would never happen. Yet, for Aaron life with Vinnie is slowly opening his life to much more than he thought. Aaron has a lot of angst, because it has to be a mind fuck to be straight, a manwhore and now suddenly falling for a gay man. Aaron has a long journey and Vinnie is strong. These guys have a serious connection and it is completely wonderful.
This book had a lot more angst and confusion compared to the previous book in the serious, but it worked well. However, the ending was sweet and poignant and totally worth all the drama. It was great to catch up with all the characters that we’ve met through the journey as well. This is a wonderful end to a wonderful series.
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press (19th September 2017)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: This isn’t his sister’s Wonderland….
Henry never believed his older sister Alice’s fantastic tales about the world down the rabbit hole. When he’s whisked away to the bizarre land, his best chance for escape is to ally himself with the person called the Mad Hatter. Hatter – an odd but strangely attractive fellow – just wants to avoid execution. If that means delivering “Boy Alice” to the Queen of Hearts at her Red Castle, Hatter will do what he has to do to stay alive. It doesn’t matter if Henry and Hatter find each oth-er intolerable. They’re stuck with each other.
Along their journey, Henry and Hatter must confront what they’ve always accepted as truth. As dislike grows into tolerance and something like friendship, the young men see the chance for a closer relationship. But Wonderland is a dangerous place, and first they have to get away with their lives.
Review: Mad About the Hatter is an audio for a book that I remember reading a couple years ago. I remember that I loved reading the book and was totally keen on listening to the audio.
Dakota Chase isn’t really an author on my radar and I think this was the first time I had read the author’s work initially a couple years ago. But the writing is fun and even though it is a fantasy based on a classic book, the story doesn’t feel completely ridiculous. The narration was also awesome. I don’t actually remember the narrator’s name, although when I heard him talking I know I’ve heard his narration at least once before and like this time, I am sure it was a pleasing audio experience. I particularly loved the voices that Froomkin gave these classic characters that we know so well, especially Hatter, the Tweedles and the Chesire Cat.
Mad About the Hatter is a story that is about a sweet, quiet romance with a dash of friendship and adventure, all set in the world of Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland. It’s an interesting spin on the classic, where the events of the book take place after Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The story itself is more of an young adult read than anything else because this story is essentially eighteen year old Henry coming to terms with his own identity – having a coming of age adventure and falling in love.
Anyone who likes urban fantasies and new takes on classic tales would enjoy this story, although if you’re dead set against young adult fiction, then this probably isn’t what you’re looking for.
The story starts with Henry. He and his sister, Alice, do not have an easy relationship, despite the fact that their only other family is their possibly alcoholic father and mysterious/random Uncle Leonard. The main problem is that Alice likes to talk about her time in Wonderland which Henry knows that logically could not have happened at all. I was siding with Henry there although Henry is a bit of brat at the start of this book. Then his sister gave him punch and Henry’s world changes to the surreal.
We meet up with the Mad Hatter. The Red Queen is getting more insane by the day and is having people beheaded left, right and centre. When Hatter is sent after “Boy Alice”, we have the quirky adventure throughout Wonderland not unlike the original. We also meet other familiar characters, aside from the Red Queen, including Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat as well as that opium fiend Caterpillar.
There is not a lot of romance, there is very little in the way of sex but there are some rather sweet moments between Hatter and Henry. I particularly liked the end but it left me thinking “but I want more!!!!” but in a totally good way.
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (January 25, 2017)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Blurb: .All Solae wants is to be accepted and loved by the family that has always rejected him. But given it was his late mother who cursed the kingdom to eternal winter, the chances of that happening are minimal. If he can find a way to break the curse, however, surely that would be enough to change their minds regarding him.
But Solae is forbidden to practice magic because of his mother, which limits his ability to pursue solutions. Desperate for advice and new ideas, he contacts a famous curse breaker—and has no idea what to do when the man unexpectedly shows up, handsome and friendly and dangerously intriguing.
I loved Solae. I felt he was born into a family that did not care anything for him and treated him wrong. A rescuer in the name of Millio comes to save him from said family.
The story was short but good. The only gripe I have is that the people doing Solae wrong never paid for their misdeeds against him and that pissed me off.
Other than it as a really good read.
Pixie’s Review: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
This story is a great version of the Snow White fairytale. Solae is the son of the ‘evil’ witch and the King, after the King is convinced by others that his new Queen is an evil witch he has her killed and she curses the Kingdom, Solae is left behind to bear the brunt of hate when the Kingdom falls into an endless winter.
Millio is a magic user who has secrets of his own but when he is contacted by Solae about his Kingdom’s curse he travels to the Kingdom to help out, but what he discovers is a sweet gentle prince who is despised because of his fathers vanity.
I enjoyed this story immensely and cheered for Solae and Millio as they got to know each other, the treatment that the pair receive makes you gnash your teeth at the injustice done to the both of them and you really do hope that rather than break the curse that they leave it in place for all the petty minded people in the Kingdom.
You’ll enjoy this if you love old fairytales with a new twist, characters who overcome those around them, and a great ending.
Blurb: Twelve years have passed since Tristan and his friends were rescued by the council enforcers and brought to Gillham. Tristan’s friends have adapted. They have full lives, but he doesn’t. He’s still trapped in the grief of losing his mate in the lab they were both locked in, and he hasn’t given himself the opportunity to start healing, isolating himself instead.
Hudson knows exactly what losing a mate does to a person. He lost Paul, his mate, in a car accident twenty-six years earlier, and in many ways, he still feels the pain of that day. When he meets Tristan, he immediately knows he can help him—if not to heal, at least to have a chance to start living again.
Tristan’s shell is hard to break, but Hudson isn’t the kind of man who gives up easily. Still, Tristan has to be the one to choose to take the first step toward healing, or Hudson won’t be able to do anything for him. Will Tristan’s shroud of grief keep Hudson away, or will Hudson be able to get through to him and talk to his hurting soul?
Review:Each book in Council Enforcers collection features a different romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order. This series is the children from Whitedell Pride and Gillham Pack so I would suggest reading those first.
Tristan is one of the shifters who had been rescued from one of the labs twelve years ago. His mate had been killed and he was still hurting. He had never spoken a word of it to his friends or the pack though. He designed his beautiful home and made it his prison. A prison of pain and guilt.
Hudson had lost his mate over twenty-six years ago to a car accident. So he knows how it feels to loose a mate. So when he meets Tristan, he sees the same pain as he had and still has. He just wants to help the man, but doesn’t expect to fall in love with.
Fascinating story that kept my attention throughout the whole book. It has quite a bit of surprises in it for me, lots of action, excitement and so much more in it. The worlds that this author creates is quite entertaining and somewhat mysterious. The characters are fully developed with quite a bit of attitude backing them up.
I enjoyed reading this story and can’t wait to get my hands on the next one. I would definitely recommend it.
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc. (3rd January 2018)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Blurb: Zachary Bradford has spent his whole life running from the future he’s seen, not wanting to accept it. He definitely doesn’t want anything to do with Titus Lucius, the man his parents have arranged for him to marry, and who he’s secretly loved for years.
Titus has been tasked with finding the new Royal Seer. A search that leads him to his betrothed, Zachary. He must make Zachary accept both their new relationship, and the future he’s running from. He doesn’t have an easy time of it, as Zachary is determined to keep him at arm’s length, and hide from the truth of his own destiny.
The final battle for the balance of both our world and the Nether is finally at hand, and everything hinges on Zachary’s ability to see the future. He must accept fate, even if that means losing the one person he loves above all.
Review: Because of a future he has seen in a vision Zachary does everything he can to push Titus away from him. He does not want to be a royal seer in the least. Titus is tasked to find the royal seer and is surprised when he discovers who it is.
I really liked Titus and Zachary. Though I understood Zachary’s fear his constant moodiness got on my nerves. Titus was strong and determined which I liked in a character. This was a great addition to the series that I enjoyed reading.
Blurb: **Previously Published As Marc’s the Spot with Loose ID**
Marcus “Marc” Lacroix, a red panda shifter, knows who Lucas Grayson is, and up until playing with him during the world cup of hockey, didn’t much care for him. But when he finds out the jaguar shifter with the hot body has a personality to match, he’s a bit blown away. A night of celebration leads the two of them to the bedroom, and they discover that one night might not be enough to finish this thing between them.
Passion grows to love and more than a little kink, and the two make things work despite the obstacles standing in their way. Lucas plays for the Aces and Marc for the Hares, the distance and crazy schedules of a pro-hockey player keeping them apart. Lucas discovers it’s harder to let go of things than he’d thought. When ill-fate strikes, Lucas spirals and Marc has to try and hold them together. It’s one match Marc doesn’t know if he’ll win.
**No content changes have been made, only minor edits.**
Review: When I first came across this story, I didn’t immediately pick it up. It wasn’t until I actually realized that it is a paranormal that I decided to give it a try. I have not read many stories by this author, so I wasn’t real sure what I was going to get. I love paranormal romance stories, but am not a fan of anything sports, so it was going to be an interesting read.
Marc is a cute red panda shifter and a goalie. He is not what I had expected to say the least. I am picturing a very small person but he is in fact taller than I had thought. So I put my son in his place and imagined him playing the game, and remembered a couple of goal shots he had done, and got it. Marc has the hots for a player on another team, and things are heating up pretty fast between them.
Lucas is a jaguar shifter and lets just say he is sexy as hell. He is falling for the goalie of another team and damn things are looking up for them both. Then an injury ends his life on the ice, as a player. If you want to know more, read the book.
Now I will say that it is a very cute story, but also very long winded. The story jumps time from meeting to hooking up. It is a long distance romance I suppose. There is no real spice to the story, just a normal romance. If you didn’t know they were shifters, you would not know it through out the story to much. Half the time I forgot they were, because the story is focused on the ice. It is a straightforward romance with just a bit of kink, nothing making the story standout at all.
The guys had chemistry from the start, but the story did not. It came off as a bit boring and dull to me, don’t get me wrong I still liked it a bit, but wouldn’t read it again. It was drawn out and could have been a bit better had there been more excitement to it. However for now, there is nothing to make me want to read it once more. I am sorry, it is a cute story but just off to me.
Blurb: When alpha Jake and his two betas, Theo and Landis escaped their birth pack, they never expected to get caught in a category 4 storm thousands of miles from home. The fishing vessel they were on capsized and the three find themselves washed ashore of a deserted island.
With Jake’s leg being injured and Landis not regaining consciousness, Jake and Theo must find a way to keep them all alive until they can either find help, or be rescued. The trio soon find out the that island isn’t as deserted as they thought it was, and that their rescuers come with guns, mistrust, and very special powers.
Once thrown in a cell, they are informed that it is for the residents protection, not theirs. When one of their rescuers turns out to be their mate, Jake, Theo, and Landis become excited,because not only have they found their mate, but that means that these three lifelong friends and lovers can finally claim each other and become a mated quad.
But things are never that easy. It turns out the island is a hidden sanctuary for omega wolves who don’t trust anyone from the outside world, especially alphas and betas. Each of these omegas had been abused by dominating alphas, which caused them to run from their lives and hide away.
Now Jake, Theo, and Landis must do whatever is necessary to gain the trust of their mate, as well as all these special men, so that they may be allowed to stay on the island, not only for their own safety, but so they can claim their mate, and each other.
Please Note: This book was originally released as part of an anthology. 6,000 words have been added and it has been re-edited.
Review: Although I’ve read this type of story before I was looking forward to reading this one. I loved some of the authors other series I’ve read so I was expecting more a long the same lines. Alpha Jake and Betas Theo and Landis have been everything to each other for a long time. However they keep things quiet with the other members of their pack. When they are found out they flee for their lives.
We are introduced to Aiden, the trios mate and Finn. Now I found Aiden to be a bit childish considering his age and what about Finn? There is not a lot of resolution to different questions I have by the end of the book.
I am hoping at least some questions will be answered later in the series or the next book.
I had no idea what to expect when I started listening to this audiobook. Both the author, Colette Davison, and the narrator, Piers Ryman, were totally new to me. I Wish For You was amazing. All the parts of the book – from the characters, the writing, the plot and the narration – worked wonderfully, giving the reader a sweet, sexy friends to lovers romance.
The narration was flawless. This was the first time I’ve heard Piers Ryman and quite frankly, it was a flawless performance in my opinion. I look forward to any other work he does in the future. Ryman does justice to three very complex characters, whose relationship (at least the friendship part) is already establishment and therefore they are past having to get to know each other. Each character had a distinct voice and tone which suited each man.
The plot itself is quite simple, but was so well executed, that I don’t want to give too many details away. The story opens from Seb’s point of view as his best friends Connor and Matt meet his drunk butt in a pub. He’s been dumped and it’s his best friends since childhood who come to his rescue. An impulsive camping trip, lots of alcohol and wishing upon shooting stars blurs the lines of friendship for these men. But with only Seb out gay, Matt believing he is straight and Connor refusing to allow himself close enough to love anybody, they are complicated. Thankfully, these guys know how to communicate, they take their time to do things properly and as a reader it just made me so happy.
The guys have three very distinct personalities. I adored each of them, which for me does not always happen, especially when we get into menage/poly romances. Seb is the one that leads everyone into trouble, and the leader when it comes to easing into a physical relationship. Connor is a nurturer but his fear based on his past, which you can’t blame the guy for, is a hurdle that only Matt and Seb can help him with. And then there is Matt. He’s the soft, cuddly teddy bear. I don’t want to say that he is glue between the three, because this is a relationship that has been clearly written that this relationship couldn’t work if one of them was left out. Instead, I think the best way to put it is that Matt is the one that is something of a conduit for the emotions, helping Connor express himself and compliments Seb’s matter-of-fact delivery of the more practical side of their physical relationship. I’m really finding it difficult to put into words, so I hope that makes sense!
I think what I loved the most was that despite being friends, the guys don’t have a smooth transition into the romantic relationship. There is some baggage associated for all the characters, and so for these reasons I find this one easy to relate to each of the characters and what they need to go through to make things work. The POV alternates between the three men throughout out the story, which is just another thing that I liked about this book. I never felt that I was missing information or emotions because I got a full story.
This book has got me intrigued into reading more of Colette Davison’s work. This was such a well written story with characters that were so beautifully developed, I need more.
If you’re sucker for a friends to lovers story, this is an awesome book for you, and if you love MMM on top of that then you be very happy.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (12th December 2016)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at 18 for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boy-friend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is look-ing better and better.
Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of 15 years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to suc-cumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian – even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.
When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a friends with benefits fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an old guy who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage?
Review: Lord of A Thousand Steps is the fourth book in Tara Lain’s Love in Laguna series. This has been a wonderful series to listen to on audio, Lain’s writing translates well to audio narration and the characters are just so relatable. I was looking forward to this book because we’ve already met both characters separately in the previous books. The series revolves around one of the men in the featured couple battling his way out of the closet, while the other is out and proud but needs to support and understand the transition is new man needs so much.
KC Kelly has done a fantastic job performing the narration for this series. He nails the light-hearted moments just as well as he nails the tense moment, with just the right tone and distinct voices for the main characters.
Ian Carney entered this series in book 2, when he showed up on his much older brother Jim’s doorstep with a stray cat he found outside Jim’s place. Ian was about to go to college and be the architect he had always dreamed of being when their father disowned him for being gay. Three years down the track, Ian is living with his brother and his brother’s fiancé and the cat. He has become that architect he has always wanted to be. And the same boyfriend, Rico, he had when he arrived in Laguna is still with him. But when Rico goes to Mexico Ian is understanding and sympathetic of Rico’s situation, with his father potentially dying. Ian is the loyal boyfriend to a fault, even when he feels an attraction to one of his bosses at the firm where he works while attending school.
For Braden Lord, his life is a mess. His professional life is fine, he’s CEO of a major architectural firm. His personal life is a mess. He’s divorcing his wife, trying to keep his kids and she is after everything she can get her grubby hands on, including the company if she can. Braden is ready to not live a lie in the back of the closet. His attraction to the firms intern, Ian, doesn’t help but Braden is far too ethical to allow anything to happen. But fate brings them together, along with Ian’s cat and Braden’s kids, who both love Ian as well. If not for the conspiring ex-wife, their lives seem to just click together as the romance slowly builds once Ian can allow himself to give his heart to another after Rico.
I have to admit that this is probably my least favourite book in the series. I simply found Ian’s situation was vastly more complicated than called for. While there was no cheating or anything, the timeline made the plot feel rather compressed and I didn’t feel the development of the characters quite like I did in the other books until about halfway through this one. The story also employs one plot device that I feel is bit bland – the old evil ex, for both men, the lying rat ex-boyfriend and the bitch ex-wife who doesn’t want her kids so much as she wants revenge. Still, how Lain has written this in works fine and actually adds a little more drama into the overall plot.
Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable book and those that have been following the series will likely appreciate Ian getting his own story, I know I did.
Hi guys! We have Alex Jane stopping by today with the tour for her new release A Foreign Country, we have a brilliant giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
A Foreign Country
(A Mr & Mr Detective Story 02)
by
Alex Jane
Private Detective John Right’s life is pretty good.
He loathes paperwork and could do without wasting his weekends catching out cheating spouses, but business is booming and he’s sharing his life with Jason, a man he’s still crazy about after three years.
The only downside is his lover’s baffling choice of friends and the fact that John is convinced Jason is keeping secrets from his dark past.
When a late-night phone call leads them to a kidnap victim with amnesia, and a dangerous man from Jason’s previous life suddenly resurfaces, they have much more than just secrets to deal with.
And after their mysterious house guest starts to show more than a passing interest in the detective couple, John is left struggling when his relationship, as well as his detecting skills, are put to the test.
Are they strong enough to resist the temptation of an enigmatic stranger?
Hi guys! We have Colette Davison stopping by today with the tour for her new audio release I Wished For You, we have a great excerpt, a brilliant giveaway and Prime’s review so check out the post and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon GC! ❤ ~Pixie~
I Wished For You
by
Narrated by: Piers Ryman
Colette Davison
Three wishes.
Seb wants to be happy.
Matt wants to find ‘the one.’
Connor wants them.
Two drunken kisses.
Seb didn’t plan to kiss Matt and Connor, but he doesn’t regret it, even if it has changed their friendship forever.
Matt has never considered dating a man before, let alone two. Despite his confusion, being with Seb and Connor feels right.
One uncertain future.
Connor’s potential fate has stopped him living and loving. Can he face his fears to be with the men he loves?
Hi guys, we have Jay Northcote popping in today with the tour for his new re-release Nothing Special, we have a short excerpt and Tams’ review so check out the post and enjoy! ❤ ~Pixie~
Nothing Special
by
Jay Northcote
When Noah’s insecurity threatens their fledgling relationship, can Sol convince Noah that he’s enough?
Noah thinks he’s nothing special. Average height, a bit on the skinny side, and cute but rather geeky, he’s relentlessly ordinary. He certainly doesn’t expect to be noticed by Sol, the gorgeous dark-haired stranger Noah usually sees on his commute home.
When a friend persuades Noah to take a big risk in a bid to get Sol’s attention, things turn out better than Noah dared to hope. But Noah doesn’t believe he’s interesting or sexy enough to hold Sol’s attention.
As Sol tries to get closer, Noah tries to protect his heart by pulling away. If their relationship is going to survive, Noah needs to accept that Sol sees him very differently to how Noah sees himself. Because to Sol, Noah is something very special indeed.
Hi guys! We have Brooklyn Ray visiting today with her new release Predatory, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic $10 NineStar GC giveaway, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
Predatory
(Port Lewis Witches 04)
by
Brooklyn Ray
Donovan Quinn is faced with the impossible: unleashing the wild energy inside him. In the aftermath of a rushed, thoughtless sacrifice, his circle mates brainstorm a plan to appease the Queen of Water. Meanwhile, Donovan desperately tries to find a way to access the lonely Earth magic hiding inside him.
But with his heart reaching for Tyler, the aggressive and volatile head witch of his circle, and friendships being tested at every turn, Donovan is at a standstill with his magic. Saving his friends, his circle, and his heart becomes far more complicated than he ever thought.
Warning: scenes with blood and gore, D/s themes, mentions of physical abuse
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (11th December 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Just released from the military, wounded warrior Eric Tremaine is trying to put his life back to-gether like the doctors reassembled his shattered leg. He’s a man with no home, since his Loui-siana family rejected him, so Eric winds up in Texas with his old Army buddy, Adam Winchester, and his lover, Sage.
When Eric decides to stop sitting on his ass feeling sorry for himself, he is introduced to trainer Troy Daniels, who lost both his legs in a teenage accident. Troy knows what it’s like to feel as if your body is your enemy. While Eric and Troy have a bumpy start, they soon find enough com-mon ground to make a friendship, if not more. But taking it to the next level means finding out what they have to offer each other, and the world, before they can trust that the love they find together won’t cause more pain than pleasure.
Review: The Articles of Release is the second book in BA Tortuga’s The Release series. I really enjoy Tortuga’s writing and always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. There’s always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy!
The Articles of Release picks up with the same themes of healing and moving on, like The Terms of Release (book 1), and even if there is a little cowboy influence this is a book with completely different emotions and struggles. It would work as a standalone book, but I feel that some readers that love details would be intrigued by Sage and Adam if they hadn’t read their story already because these guys are really well developed by now.
Robert Nieman was the narrator of this book. I was a little bit concerned because I had loved the narration by Slate Anders. Yet, I am familiar with Nieman’s work and have enjoyed many of the audios he has narrated for Dreamspinner authors, so I didn’t really think about it too much. The choice in narrator was perfect. Nieman’s performance and voice suited the two main characters, as he conveyed their thoughts, words and emotions. The narration ensured that I was fully and emotionally invested in the story and wanting the MCs to get their HEA.
As for the actual story, the characters are two men who have been through their own different versions of hell, at different times in their lives. Eric Tremaine is an army veteran who has been discharged from service after sustaining horrific and painful injuries to his legs. His parents and the rest of his family don’t talk to him because he is gay, so life is lonely until he joins up with his old army buddy, Adam and Adam’s husband Sage (from book 1). This is how Eric ends up meeting Troy.
Troy works at gym as a physical therapist and has been helping Sage, who has needed surgery on both his knees. He then started working out with Adam and the three are now friends. So much so that Sage wanted Troy to meet Adam’s friend, Eric, who was also in need of intense physical therapy so that he could get learn to live with the pain that his injuries left him in. Troy is different though because he has been through the agony before. He was a teenager when an accident on the family ranch meant that he lost both his legs. Troy is now a daredevil, ready for the next adrenaline rush and won’t let anything to stop him, not even his prosthetic limbs. The only problem he seems to have is that his parents are worry wards, but his family are wonderful and supportive, the complete opposite to Eric.
However, the road is very bumpy for these guys. Eric is only at the start of his journey and so he is ready to fight everyone around him. Which just shows how great the people he has chosen to be around are. Troy also has a few lessons to learn when it comes to love and making something permanent in his life, particularly when he needs to support the man he is falling for as he heals. Troy also needs to learn that it’s not just about him and his life when it comes to love as well and that his potentially dangerous antics are difficult for someone to sit back and watch.
I adored this story. There is physical and mental healing, there are great friends and some great family too. These guys don’t fall into love or into bed quickly, they take their time trying to get their complicated lives to slowly fit together.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (9th November 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Reviewer: Prime
Blurb: Rico Gonzalves-Macias didn’t expect to fall in love during his internship in New York – and he didn’t expect the boss’ son to out them both and get him fired either. When he returns to Sac-ramento stunned and heartbroken, he finds his cousin, Adam, and Adam’s boyfriend, Finn, haven’t just been house-sitting – they’ve made his once sterile apartment into a home.
When Adam gets him a job interview with the adorable, magnetic, practically perfect Derek Hus-ton, Rico feels especially out of his depth. Derek makes it no secret that he wants Rico, but Rico is just starting to figure out that he’s a beginner at the really important stuff and doesn’t want to jump into anything with both feet.
Derek is a both-feet kind of guy. But he’s also made mistakes of his own and doesn’t want to pressure Rico into anything. Together, they work to find a compromise between instant attrac-tion and long-lasting love, and while they’re working, Rico gets a primer in why family isn’t al-ways a bad idea. He needs to believe Derek can be his family before Derek’s formidable pa-tience runs out – because even a practically perfect boyfriend is capable of being hurt.
Review: Bitter Taffy is the second book in Amy Lane’s Candy Man series. I’ve have come to enjoy some of Lane’s books and this book is no exception. I find the writing style is really accessible, in that it is well written and very expressive without too much complicated language, so it’s easy to relax and read or listen to the book. The narration was performed by Philip Alces, who narrates the full series. Alces has a soft and gentle voice that matches the sweetness of the plot and conveys the variety of emotions that tumble through the MCs. It was a wonderful performance and completely on point.
Candy Man has a really cute premise. It’s about this almost hippy-like guy, Darren, who runs a boutique candy store in Old Sacramento and just so happens to have psychic visions about the people that he needs to help, i.e. people that are down on their luck and may not be looking for love but are gonna get it anyway. Really cool.
I dimly remember once reading book 3 in this series without going back to the start.
Bitter Taffy features Rico Gonzalves-Macias and Derek Huston. Both characters popped up in book one with a connection to Adam. Rico being the only family member of Adam, who kicks off the stories within this little world, and Derek both hit on Adam and commissioned some art work off of him. Between Darren, Candy Heaven owner, and Adam, they are the main connections between a majority of the characters that we meet throughout the series.
Rico is forced to leave New York when the man that he fell in love with didn’t stand up for him, which meant that Rico lost his internship after only four months, because that guy was the boss’s son. Rico feels a little like a stranger in his own home, with his cousin, Adam, and Adam’s boyfriend Finn, living in his apartment while he had been away, the two men had made it more homey in a couple months than he ever did in six years. Even his dog, Clopper, seemed to now belong to Adam. With the loss of his internship, Rico is at a loose end but doesn’t want Adam to do him a favour to help him get a job.
All that changes when he meets Derek. Derek Huston is a little older and owns his own company that acts to contract out various people, like Rico who does advertising, to smaller businesses who wouldn’t normally afford a firm to do the same thing. Derek is instantly attracted to Rico. He wants to give him and job and a whole lot more. However, Derek respects Rico’s heartbreak and he is committed to waiting patiently for the man to be ready. The guys take it slowly, getting to know each other while Rico mends. This makes for some great chemistry and sexual tension; it also makes their romance relatable and believable.
An awesome second book to the Candy Man series, now for the next one!
Blurb: Wars change, warriors don’t…or so they say.
The Serai have won the galactic war. Tasked to take charge of the human assimilation into their herd, Prince Jytrerd never thought to find a mate among the human slaves. He learns that the human Captain Ian McCaskey is his potential breeder and saves his life. Because they are sterile, the Serai need the genetic materials their captives give to father their younglings. But Ian resists, and it doesn’t take long for Jytrerd to realize that for their relationship to flourish, the two of them must connect on a deeper level. It is now up to Jytrerd to make Ian understand that he is valued above all others.
Review: Prince Jytrerd, is part of an alien species that protects earth. Ian is the captain of a ship that was captured along with others and sentenced in a variety of ways. I honestly did not how I felt about the executions. They were brutal if you ask me but they did not go into detail which I appreciated.
Ian is saved from death by Prince Jytrerd and set in his household, what follows is Ian getting to know his place and the others. But not all is roses. There are bumps along the way that cause major complications for the two men.
Interesting beginning to a series that I look forward to reading more of.
Blurb: Levi is a badger shifter, an alpha’s son, and a carrier. The fact that he can get pregnant is a secret, and his family risks a lot by keeping it. He needs to find a husband and get married as soon as he can if he doesn’t want the council to take him and make that decision for him. He agrees to meet Dimitri Marson, the son of the bear alpha. Dimitri is the best candidate for Levi’s cete, but when Levi meets him, he realizes he’s not for him.
Dimitri doesn’t understand why Levi pushes him away. They might not be in love, but they both know getting married is what’s best for the sleuth and the cete, and for Levi. Besides, Dimitri is handsome and rich, something anyone would want. Right?
When his mother points out how much of an idiot he’s been, Dimitri tries to make amends. Levi gives him a second chance, but their union might end before it even starts. Someone is trying to kill Dimitri, and they’re not stopping for anything.
Will Dimitri manage to save himself? And if he does, will Levi really give him another chance to show him they really can work well together?
Review: Each book in the Allegheny Shifters collection features a different romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc and crossover characters, I would recommend reading the series in sequential order.
Levi is a cute little badger shifter who is in need of a husband. He has a secret that is somewhat dangerous to him, he is a carrier. His father, the alpha, sets him up with an asshat bear shifter. To bad the man is a jerk, but damn is he sexy. To bad Levi has a bigger attitude and turns the shifter down. This Leads him to a sexy little shifter who is in danger, Seamus. Wow choices are hard.
Dimitri lets his attitude take over and if I was Levi, I would not give him a second chance. But he is determined to change Levi’s mind, but he is surprised to find out that Levi is changing Dimitri’s attitude. Now if they could just figure out who is trying to kill them both. Or should I say the three of them, surprise and I am not talking about Seamus.
Now my first thoughts with carrier was not pregnancy. It was a nice surprise though and I truly enjoyed it. This story is very catchy and kept my attention throughout. The characters are fully developed and sexy as hell. I like how the author uses unique shifters in her stories. The worlds she creates are unique in themselves and quite a blast to live in.
I had a lot of fun reading this and can not wait to get my hands on the next book. Catherine Lieven’s is one of my top favorite authors and I am glad to see that she is still one.