Genre: Historical Americas, Western, Mythology, Other Paranormal
Length: Short Story (57 Pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (1st December 2018)
Heat level: Low
Heart Rating: đź’–đź’–đź’–đź’– 4 Hearts
Blurb: Lord protector of whores, thieves, sorcerers, and deviants.
Owning a parcel of land the railroad needs to cross means Edward gets to run the border town around the station as he sees fit. What starts as a place to indulge his varied appetites becomes a haven to society’s castoffs, and if Edward encourages legends about its founder to flourish, well, he’s not so much a liar as a man who wants to protect all the cultures living in peace. Being mayor means folks might ignore his vices, but they also expect him to fix what goes wrong.
When a crushing heat wave and drought threaten not only the town’s diverse holiday celebrations but its very existence, Edward must turn to the one man he’d rather french kiss a timber rattler than face—the icily elegant Cantonese mage Edward walked out on but never stopped loving.
Review:Â Edward is in need of some big help and he turns to the one man who would be willing to do it, his ex. A heatwave is on them and it is natural. A beautiful town created for those that most would not except and they need to fix it.
Magical and mysterious this story gives you that. It was just a taste though and I do hope that this author turns it into a pretty cool story. The story flowed just like one would like and the characters were quite a hit with me.
I enjoyed it quite a bit. Lets just say that it was not what I expected.
Hi guys! We have Drew Marvin Frayne visiting today with his new release The Bibliophile, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant $10 NineStar GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤ ~Pixie~
The Bibliophile
by
Drew Marvin Frayne
Nathanial Goldsmith is the only son of the richest man in the Idaho territory, Jessum Goldsmith, the Silver Baron of the Western Lands, as he is called in all the newspapers. But life in the late nineteenth-century American West weaves no magic spell for Nathanial, who longs for the academic worlds his father has forced him to leave behind.
To toughen him up, Nathanial’s father has indentured him to a ranchman, Cayuse Jem, a large, raw-boned, taciturn man Nathanial’s father believes will help teach his son to “become a man.” Cut off from his books and the life he has always known, Nathanial is not only forced to co-exist with Cayuse Jem, but to truly get to know him. In doing so, Nathanial discovers there is more to this silent horseman than meets the eye. And, in the process, Nathanial also learns a few things about life, about human nature, and about the differences in being a man and a boy…
Blurb: For the last six months, Detective James Ralston has worked the nightshift as security for the Pacific Blue Hotel, and every night at 2 a.m. his rounds lead him to the radio room where the handsome and mysterious Franklin Fairchild sits listening to waltzes as old as the hotel itself. James is drawn to Franklin, but Franklin is a man at the end of his rope, and James has no intention of getting caught up in whatever trouble Franklin is in. A heated encounter late one night sends James down a disturbing path and has him questioning everything around him, including his very sanity.
Review: I loved the couple in this book. James is military veteran and works at the hotel. Franklin is a true gentleman that keeps to himself though he follows the same routine every night. James is attracted to Franklin so when one night Franklin is not in his usual spot James goes looking for him. They then become drawn in a fight for their lives as the mystery begins to unravel.Â
I loved this entire book. It draws you in from the start and does not let go until the very end. Great details along with breath-taking suspense scenes leave the reader wanting more.
Blurb: While most pirates sail in search of riches, Captain Devon Hall, the infamous Phantom of the Caribbean, is driven by vengeance. Devon has sworn to put an end to the corrupt governor of Jamaica and break the ruthless man’s stranglehold in the Caribbean.
When Devon is wounded and stranded on land, an unlikely rescuer comes to his aid. Brett Campbell is nothing like his uncle, the governor, and his goals are not so different from Devon’s. Brett longs for freedom, but his obligations to protect those under his uncle’s control keep him from fleeing. Throwing in with Devon might increase both their chances of success—and survival.
When the governor’s attempts to destroy Devon escalate and place Brett in danger and in the hands of the ruthless and depraved pirate Captain Blackburn, Devon must risk everything to save the man he loves and repay his enemies.
All Devon’s ever wanted is his ship, his freedom, friends who stand by his side through thick and thin, and someone to love. But facing dangers at sea and on land, Devon wonders if they will live to enjoy it all.
Review: An adventure for whats right, love and to do away with an evil governor. Captain Devon Hall takes to the seas in this swashbuckling tale of vengeance. I loved Devon as he had the right idea. It was dangerous and mystery filled.
When Brett comes into the picture Devon rethink his priorities to include Brett. I loved these two together even though it was intense at times. Great action scenes and settings that made me feel as though I was actually there witnessing all that was happening.
Blurb:Â Take a journey into the past and meet the men who laughed, lived, and loved in a bygone era. This collection includes three short but sweet tales of infatuation, adventure, humor, and even a dash of the paranormal.
When Love Walked In
Private investigator Bruce Shannon’s cases of missing persons and infidelity don’t inspire warm feelings around Valentine’s Day. Luckily Bruce is quite happy with only his cat for companionship—until handsome Jace Scarret wanders off the street and into Bruce’s life.
In His Corner
Former world heavyweight boxing champion Jessie “the Demon” Dalton needs a cornerman, and Eli jumps at the chance, hoping for answers about why Jessie broke his heart years ago. It soon becomes clear that Jessie needs Eli in his corner—and in his life. Now all Eli has to do is convince Jessie.
Believe Me, Beloved
Robert Bradley dreams of singing on the radio, and when he attends the masked ball of handsome station owner Gabriel Chase, Robert has no idea his dream is about to take an unexpected paranormal turn.
In His Corner originally published by Torquere Press, Inc., September, 2012.
When Love Walked In originally published by Torquere Press, Inc., February, 2012.
Believe Me, Beloved originally published in Masks Off Anthology by Top Shelf, An imprint of Torquere Press Publishers, 2012.
Review: Three short stories with different themes that are sweet and breathtaking.
In His Corner is about Eli, who has been in love with Jesse forever and finally gets his chance when they meet again years later. This story was short and sweet.
When Love Walked is about Bruce who helps Jace with a meal and somewhere to sleep. Love blossoms between these two and I could feel the emotions. This is another short and sweet story.
Believe Me, Beloved is about Robert being invited to a costume ball by the owner Gabriel. He has a certain mask to wear and soon is introduced to a world he never knew existed. I loved this slightly longer story. Robert and Gabriel were great together.
Each story has an atmosphere that draws you in and makes you comfortable with the couples. I think they would have been better had they been longer but they were no less great to read.
Blurb: Working for the Bureau of Prohibition means facing dangerous criminals, desperate gangsters, speakeasies springing up overnight, a city controlled by corruption, and an employer that can’t be trusted. If that’s not enough, best friends and lovers Harlan Mackay and Nathan Reilly still bear the scars—both seen and unseen—that they earned fighting in the First World War. When a ghost from the past resurfaces to destroy everything they hold dear, it might be the last straw for Harlan and Nathan.
New York City is a war zone, the government is in the pocket of organized crime, and the exposure of their illicit romance is a constant danger. For Harlan and Nathan, it’s not a question of whether they’ll escape unscathed, but of which enemy will get them first….
Second Edition, First Edition published by Charlie Cochet, May 2012.
Review: Harlan and Nathan have been though a lot together. They met during the first world war and have been together ever since. They are partners on the force and have the responsibility of taking down dangerous criminals. I loved the atmosphere of the book. I could feel the era purring through the words.
There is quite a lot of story packed into this short read but it’s well written and has a host of characters that bring the story to life. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
Blurb: Gil Porter and Matt Grayson’s Bent Oak Ranch in Mercy, Texas, is a rare haven for gay men in the nineteenth century, and their friend Carlos Hernandez will need it when a man from his past unexpectedly comes back into his life.
Jules Wingate hopes to start over in Mercy as the schoolmaster after a scandal sent him and his son fleeing their former home. But he discovers he’s left one bad situation for another when he encounters his former student and lover, Carlos. No matter how Jules tries to resist, he yearns for the passionate connection they once shared… before Carlos broke his heart.
Carlos knows his foolish, immature actions hurt Jules, but he desperately wants a second chance and to show Jules he’s changed. But trust so badly broken is hard to repair. While he works to earn Jules’s forgiveness, someone else at the ranch has his sights set on Carlos—and he doesn’t care how many lives he has to ruin to make Carlos his and his alone.
Review: Carlos is a hard worker and takes his job at the ranch seriously. When an old flame shows up Carlos takes it upon himself to show the man he is not the way the man remembers.
Jules and his stepson Albert move to Mercy under stressful circumstances. Upon learning that the ranch has horses Al is ecstatic and quickly becomes a part of the everyday hustle and bustle of it. Jules on the other hand is wary due to Carlos being his ex lover and the man who broke his heart.
A truly wonderful and sweet story about forgiveness, love and second chances. I loved that Jules did not give in right away and made Carlos prove he was a changed man.
Blurb: Boston in 1888 is quite urbane, but unfortunately for Gil Porter, that isn’t the same thing as being understanding. When his sexuality is exposed by the scandalous suicide of his lover, Gil is exiled to the small town of Mercy, Texas, by his domineering father, George, who believes life on Vernon Porter’s ranch will cure Gil of his “unnatural” desires. Grieving and ashamed, Gil is determined to keep his distance from everyone until he can return home. To his surprise, he finds acceptance at Bent Oak Ranch, especially from Matt Grayson, the handsome son of the ranch foreman. Knowing he must fight his attraction to Matt, Gil courts a local girl, but an unexpected encounter with Matt leads to his discovery of Matt’s feelings for him. Torn between Matt and his desire to be “normal,” between returning to his old life and building a new one in Texas, Gil is faced with a choice—appeasing his father or becoming the man Matt knows he can be.
Review: Gil is shipped to Mercy, Texas to toughen up and become a man according to his father who found out he likes other men. Gil is unhappy and miserable and it shows. When he arrives at the ranch he meets Matt.
This is a back and forth story with Gil questioning himself and trying to come to terms with himself. While I understood it also got tiresome eventually. Matt was not about to be put off and does not let Gil’s attitude change his feelings for the man.
The details of the story were so good it almost felt like I was back in that time era. I was happy that the ranch offered a safe haven for gay men in a time whee is was not safe being found out. Enjoyable and entertaining.
Hi guys! We have Ari McKay popping in today with their upcoming release The Quality of Mercy, we have a brilliant guest post from Ari and a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
The Quality of Mercy
(Bent Oak Saga 02)
by
Ari McKay
Gil Porter and Matt Grayson’s Bent Oak Ranch in Mercy, Texas, is a rare haven for gay men in the nineteenth century, and their friend Carlos Hernandez will need it when a man from his past unexpectedly comes back into his life.
Jules Wingate hopes to start over in Mercy as the schoolmaster after a scandal sent him and his son fleeing their former home. But he discovers he’s left one bad situation for another when he encounters his former student and lover, Carlos. No matter how Jules tries to resist, he yearns for the passionate connection they once shared… before Carlos broke his heart.
Carlos knows his foolish, immature actions hurt Jules, but he desperately wants a second chance and to show Jules he’s changed. But trust so badly broken is hard to repair. While he works to earn Jules’s forgiveness, someone else at the ranch has his sights set on Carlos—and he doesn’t care how many lives he has to ruin to make Carlos his and his alone.
Hi guys, we have Alex Standish popping in today with her upcoming release Changing Tides, we have a short guest post from Alex and a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Changing Tides
by
Alex Standish
While most pirates sail in search of riches, Captain Devon Hall, the infamous Phantom of the Caribbean, is driven by vengeance. Devon has sworn to put an end to the corrupt governor of Jamaica and break the ruthless man’s stranglehold in the Caribbean.
When Devon is wounded and stranded on land, an unlikely rescuer comes to his aid. Brett Campbell is nothing like his uncle, the governor, and his goals are not so different from Devon’s. Brett longs for freedom, but his obligations to protect those under his uncle’s control keep him from fleeing. Throwing in with Devon might increase both their chances of success—and survival.
When the governor’s attempts to destroy Devon escalate and place Brett in danger and in the hands of the ruthless and depraved pirate Captain Blackburn, Devon must risk everything to save the man he loves and repay his enemies.
All Devon’s ever wanted is his ship, his freedom, friends who stand by his side through thick and thin, and someone to love. But facing dangers at sea and on land, Devon wonders if they will live to enjoy it all.
Blurb: Hugh Lafoux managed to survive the Civil War, but came out of it scarred for life and with an intricately crafted metal leg. Since the war ended, he’s wandered aimlessly, looking for the next card game and easy sex. He boards the Bayou Belle in Saint Louis, expecting a nice easy ride down to Memphis. But he runs afoul of Big Al Shank, the owner of the Belle, and ends up beaten and thrown overboard into the dark river.
Former slave Cotton Freeman spends most of his time hunting alligators along the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee. While looking for larger gators north of town one night, Cotton unexpectedly fishes a man out of the water. As Cotton nurses Hugh back to health, they realize a mutual attraction, and their love grows. But when Big Al Shank returns to destroy them, love might not be enough to win the battle.
Review:Â I have only read one or two books by this author but have always been impressed with the work A.J. Marcus has done. They are well written with a lot of detail and meat to it. I am not a fan of books written with the past in mind. They come off very dry and boring to me. Although this one did have a lot of heat and heart to it, it was also missing something important to make it a perfect story.
A.J. Marcus has created a world that has the feeling of being in a different time period as well as another place altogether. Hugh has been caught cheating and the revenge is to throw his ass overboard. Which I am fairly certain is a better chance than most would have gotten back then. He had not expect Cotton to rescue his ass. Now Cotton use to be a slave and afterwards he basically hunts gators along the water coast, which is how he came to be in place to drag Hugh’s ass out of the water.
Now their love is heating up and they have the riverboat owner coming for them, the need to protect each other. With the help of Cotton’s friend Casandra, they are about to get pay backs. Now this story is a bit different than most that I have read. I mean you have romance, hot sex, steampunk and a bit of history to it. You have two characters who have heat, are very sexy and a bit quirky in my eyes who have found love with each other which is a main attraction to me.
I enjoy the look into their world and what it is like to be different from one another. A.J. Marcus has managed to pull off a historical type story with difficulties that others came across in the past and made it a pretty good read. I can honestly say that this is a damn good book, but was not for me. It is a very fast paced story with a pretty damn good plot to it. I loved the characters and their mismatched ways. Like I said the book was not for me, however it was one fantastic read for those who like the historical type stories. I would recommend it.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (16th January 2017)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating:♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Blurb: In the small mountain town of Amorea, it’s stretching toward autumn of 1954. The memories of a world at war are fading in the face of a prosperous future. Doors are left unlocked at night, and neighbors are always there to give each other a helping hand.
The people here know certain things as fact:
Amorea is the best little town there is.
The only good commie is a dead commie.
The Women’s Club of Amorea runs the town with an immaculately gloved fist.
And bookstore owner Mike Frazier loves that boy down at the diner, Sean Mellgard. Why they haven’t gotten their acts together is anybody’s guess. It may be the world’s longest courtship, but no one can deny the way they look at each other.
Slow and steady wins the race, or so they say.
But something’s wrong with Mike. He hears voices in his house late at night. There are shadows crawling along the walls and great clouds of birds overhead that only he can see.
Something’s happening in Amorea. And Mike will do whatever he can to keep the man he loves.
Review: It’s no secret. I absolutely love and will devour each and every TJ Klune book. Whether that book is in written or audio form, I will love it either way. He makes me laugh and he makes me cry, sometimes at the same time. I tell you, the man is evil, because his writing touches the soul speaks to every fiber of my being. Sounds a bit melodramatic, right? I know but seriously, I am having problems conjuring the words to describe why I love his writing and the stories he weaves with the most wonderful characters. However, Murmuration is a bit different in that despite having some light hearted moments it was more intense and full of mystery than anything else.
I heard Murmuration off the back of listening to TJ’s book Wolfsong. Both audios have the same narrator – Kirt Graves – who absolutely get the characters and the emotions on point.
Right I’m trying to keep this short because I think every time I write a TJ Klune review I go on and on and just gush about how much I love his writing and the book in question. I don’t want to give too much away either, so I really need to keep it brief.
This is a slow burn story between Mike and Sean in the very familiar theme of friends becoming lovers. In Murmuration we’re going back to 1950s small town America, an idyllic time for kids playing out on the road, people keeping their doors unlocked and generally tight communities where everyone knows each other and takes care of one another. I felt a bit of trepidation, though, because of the historical setting and what this could mean for a gay relationship. However, as you read and get hooked on the plot, it had me wondering if you can call it a historical as indicated by the blurb. It certainly gave us a setting and a starting point but there is so much more going on than the time/year that the book is set in. There is definitely a sense of mystery as odd things occur in the quiet small town.
Klune weaves together a complex story with many layers and I’m convinced he does it just to fuck with our minds. Because seriously that ending, was not expecting, seriously massive mind fuck. I can’t even say what book it immediately made me think of because for fans of Klune [and have followed his blog and Facebook] you will probably know what book I’m talking about! It’s one of those endings that have stuck with me and makes me keep on thinking. But ultimately I am happy because it was a HEA.
If you’re looking for a pure romance, I’m not sure what to say about it. It is a very romantic and very sweet story woven in between the darkness and intrigue of the surrounding world. This about a guy trying to find himself in a world that seems dark and scary, but it is the romance that gives us the sense of hope and light.
Hi guys! We have Bryan T. Clark stopping by today with his new interracial historical romance Come to the Oaks, we have a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and click that giveaway link! <3 ~Pixie~
Come to the Oaks
The Story of Ben and Tobias
by
Bryan T. Clark
In 1845, as America is drowning in its own racial conflict, in a time when forbidden love has to remain a secret, can two young men find love when one has everything to lose, and the other has nothing?
For Tobias, a young African man, life has ended before it began. Snatched abruptly from his homeland and enslaved into the Antebellum South, grand homes and majestic oak trees meant little to him. Now he is considered the property of other men, but his spirit would not be broken.
The awkward Benjamin Nathanael Lee lives a privileged life. His father owns the largest tobacco plantation south of the Mason Dixon line. Ben wants little to do with the harsh realities of running a plantation—that is, until he meets Tobias, the one person that changes everything for him.
Wealth, greed, and power brought them together. The same now threatens to separate them forever. The two men are on the verge of losing the one thing that matters: their love for one another. Against the odds, they steal off and embark on a journey to find freedom: the freedom to love one another and to live a life without the chains of slavery.
Come to the Oaks is the tale of a forbidden romance—a love forged by two young men as they journey through a land that is tearing itself apart.
Hi guys, we have Karen Bovenmyer popping in today with her upcoming debut novel Swift for the Sun, we have a brilliant guest post and a great new excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
Swift for the Sun
by
Karen Bovenmyer
Benjamin Lector imagines himself a smuggler, a gun runner, and an all-around scoundrel. A preacher’s son turned criminal, first and foremost, he is a survivor.
When Benjamin is shipwrecked on Dread Island, fortune sends an unlikely savior—a blond savage who is everything Benjamin didn’t know he needed. Falling in love with Sun is easy. But pirates have come looking for the remains of Benjamin’s cargo, and they find their former slave, Sun, instead.
Held captive by the pirates, Benjamin learns the depths of Sun’s past and the horrors he endured and was forced to perpetrate. Together, they must not only escape, but prevent a shipment of weapons from making its way to rebellious colonists. Benjamin is determined to save the man he loves and ensure that a peaceful future together is never threatened again. To succeed might require the unthinkable—an altruistic sacrifice.
Hi guys, we have Russell J. Sanders popping in today with his upcoming release All You Need Is Love, we have a brilliant guest post and a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~
All You Need Is Love
by
Russell J. Sanders
It is 1969 when Dewey Snodgress, high school theater star, meets irrepressible hippie Jeep Brickthorn, who quickly inserts himself into Dewey’s life—and eventually, into his heart. Meanwhile, Dewey prepares to appear in a production across town, a play about protestors of the Vietnam War, where he befriends the wild and wonderful Lucretia “LuLu” Belton, who is also determined to follow her dreams and become an actress—whether her parents approve or not.
 The show has a profound effect, especially on Dewey’s father, who reconsiders his approval of the war after his son’s performance. But Dewey knows his dad won’t be so accepting if he reveals the love he’s developing for Jeep, so he fights to push his feelings away and keep the peace in his family.
 Still, Dewey can’t ignore the ripples moving through society—from the impending Woodstock Festival to the Stonewall Riots—and he begins to see that the road to happiness and acceptance for him and Jeep might lead them away from conservative Fort Worth, Texas—and Dewey’s dad.
Hi guys, we have Karen Bovenmyer popping in today with her upcoming debut novel Swift for the Sun, we have a brilliant guest post, a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and click that giveaway link! <3 ~Pixie~
Swift for the Sun
by
Karen Bovenmyer
Benjamin Lector imagines himself a smuggler, a gun runner, and an all-around scoundrel. A preacher’s son turned criminal, first and foremost, he is a survivor.
When Benjamin is shipwrecked on Dread Island, fortune sends an unlikely savior—a blond savage who is everything Benjamin didn’t know he needed. Falling in love with Sun is easy. But pirates have come looking for the remains of Benjamin’s cargo, and they find their former slave, Sun, instead.
Held captive by the pirates, Benjamin learns the depths of Sun’s past and the horrors he endured and was forced to perpetrate. Together, they must not only escape, but prevent a shipment of weapons from making its way to rebellious colonists. Benjamin is determined to save the man he loves and ensure that a peaceful future together is never threatened again. To succeed might require the unthinkable—an altruistic sacrifice.
Blurb: In the small mountain town of Amorea, it’s stretching toward autumn of 1954. The memories of a world at war are fading in the face of a prosperous future. Doors are left unlocked at night, and neighbors are always there to give each other a helping hand.
The people here know certain things as fact:
Amorea is the best little town there is.
The only good Commie is a dead Commie.
The Women’s Club of Amorea runs the town with an immaculately gloved fist.
And bookstore owner Mike Frazier loves that boy down at the diner, Sean Mellgard. Why they haven’t gotten their acts together is anybody’s guess. It may be the world’s longest courtship, but no one can deny the way they look at each other.
Slow and steady wins the race, or so they say.
But something’s wrong with Mike. He hears voices in his house late at night. There are shadows crawling along the walls and great clouds of birds overhead that only he can see.
Something’s happening in Amorea. And Mike will do whatever he can to keep the man he loves.
Review: Wow, just wow. What a story. It is 1954 in a small town called Amorea. Everyone is nice. There are no cars or children and everyone knows everyone. Mike is smitten with Sean and has been courting him for years trying to get up the nerve to ask him out.
I went through all the emotions and still cannot settle on just one. Brilliantly written with the right amount of unsurety, drama, and a feeling of helplessness left me a wreck afterwards. But despite all that I loved this book.
The slow burn between the two MC’s fit perfectly with everything else going on in the story. One of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I’m sure it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but you won’t know until you try it.