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Love, Trust, and Secrets by LA Bryce: Blog Tour, New Release Review and Giveaway

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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.

Publisher: JMS Books

Length: 91,000 words

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JMS Books

I feel like I need to apologize. Lately it seems that most of what I am reading is just not that good. Maybe I am just spoiled because I know (to me) what really good books are. I also won’t pander to authors I am “friends” with. I try to be honest in my reviews without being cruel or mean.

That being said, this one was another snooze for me.
Jarod meets Tyler at a bar when Tyler begs him for help claiming to be drugged. Ok, good start. Jarod takes him home after he passed out. And basically stayed passed out for 2 days. When he woke up, he ran. But then he went back to find out what happened and punched Jarod. Repeatedly. And Jarod just took it. Couple of days later they go on a date. Mmmkay

The whole book is about them keeping things from each other. And getting mad when they find out. But at the same time, they don’t communicate! “What’s wrong?” “Nothing”. And that’s it.

I get Tyler’s big secret. But Jarod? He was hiding that why?
Then toward the end of the book Jarod says they have been together for almost a year. Ya, because several chapters start with “two months later” or “the next month flew by”.
There was just no cohesion, loose ends everywhere. Plot points that didn’t drive the story, plot points that didn’t get resolved.
With a strict edit, this could be a decent book. But with the rambling, it’s just boring.
Sorry…2.5 pieces of eye candy

I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember; my parents tell me it’s been going on even further back than that and not always at the appropriate times. Now I choose to use my gift for good.

I enjoy meeting new people, even if they’re only in my head.

I believe love comes in all different packages and each should be wrapped in a ribbon and cherished.

 

I’m currently working on a contemporary romance with a splash of suspense. I get a thrill coming up with unexpected and usually dangerous situations for my characters to be in and then thinking of extraordinary ways for them to escape with outcomes that deviate fro

m the expected.

I live with my family in the Northeast where we enjoy white winters, balmy summers, a spring flurried with fragrant flowers, and a fall filled with piles of leaves to dive in to. Our small town offers the old world charm of knowing your neighbor and its location enables us to take off for dinner in a city known for its beautiful skyline or to an afternoon playing in the sand of some of the best beaches found in the United States.

For me, writing is relaxation for the soul and reading is its nourishment.

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I’ve Got You by Becca Seymour: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

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When a single dad and a newly outed veterinarian meet by chance, it takes red-cheeked conversations, a tentative friendship, and the willingness to put their hearts on the line to show these men they’re made for each other.

Single dad Davis Jackson is busy balancing his coffee shop and being the best dad he can be. That doesn’t mean he’s not lonely. After a fumbling encounter with a man who looks as gorgeous as he does unhappy, Davis is left wondering who the mystery man is.

All Davis knows is that he has never felt such an instant attraction to anyone before, but when he discovers the brown-eyed man’s identity, it’s clear the recently out-of-the-closet veterinarian is lost and quite possibly broken.

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“Unexpected Meeting” Exclusive Excerpt from I’ve Got You by Becca Seymour

I had no idea what the hell had just happened, but I was sure the man beside me had been about to pass out. He’d turned white and seemed on the cusp of hyperventilating.

Still gripping his arms, I shook off the wayward thought of how strong they felt under my palms, instead concentrating on helping him breathe. Slowly, his color returned, yet I held on tightly, certain my touch was keeping him grounded.

His stare, which had been pointedly fixed on my mouth as I breathed with him, dropped down. Rex was no longer leaning on him, having shifted when I’d first reached out to him. I wasn’t sure if his eyes remained open, but I felt his arms shift, turn out slightly as his hands gripped my forearms so we were holding on to each other. I squeezed gently, not knowing what he needed, but hoping the gesture would continue to help him calm.

When I’d headed out this evening, this wasn’t quite the position I’d expected to be in. Okay, hanging on to another man, or possibly a woman, wouldn’t have been a shitty way to end the evening, but being someone’s lifeline… definitely not my expectation.

His breaths started to even out, and his fingers flexed on my skin. I was quite happy to stay this way a while longer. Touching firm muscles, having his appealing scent wrap around me, was surprisingly familiar, and hell, kinda nice, despite the weird situation and the poor guy’s meltdown.

Still holding on, I dipped my head a little, leaning closer. “You good?” I kept my voice low, quiet, not wanting to break the moment or startle him.

A slight, jerky nod was my answer.

“Okay. There’s no rush.” And there really wasn’t. There was something about him, this random guy who was a sorta friend to Carter, that had made it easy to reach out and comfort him. He was attractive, sure, with short, dark brown hair that was a little messy, possibly from running his fingers through it one too many times, plus he had the prettiest eyes I’d ever seen on a man or woman. But there was something deeper there too. He seemed lost.

Alright… I was a little bit leery about coming into this one because though I wanted a Scott story, he was a really big bully in Tanner and Carter’s story, so I wasn’t sure he was going to be able to redeem himself. He did though, he really really did.

So, first things first, we met both guys in Tanner and Carter’s story… Davis, because he and his daughter Libby, is who Tanner had moved to the small town to be close to. I loved Davis and anyone who’s read any of my reviews, know that I’m an absolute sucker for a hot dad story… and this one was up close and personal with

Davis’ daughter, Libby. She wasn’t pushed aside as an afterthought, she was ample page time and all the guys from this book and the previous one was wrapped around her one-year-old little finger. I loved it.

Then, we know Scott as the jerky vet that made a lot of trouble for Carter in his story. As I mentioned, he wasn’t one to be liked in that story… he was bigoted and hateful and went out of his way to try to run Carter off or to get him fired, and I hated him for that because I HATE when people get away with being terrible people.

However, in saying that… when you read about the environment in which he grew up and the abuse he endured because of his sexuality, I didn’t blame him for being scared of it or scared to admit it. It was hard reading about, because not only do most folks have a hard time with coming out and acceptance, not only with themselves but the acceptance that other people have with them… Scott knew it wasn’t an option, not ever, and he’d been conditioned to be afraid of it. I hated it so bad for him, especially because while meeting Davis the time or two they’d run into each other, even though they were attracted to one another, Scott’s anxiety and fears had him having near on panic attacks. Luckily, Davis was sweet and patient and understanding, and even though he’d heard a lot of bad about this guy, mostly
from Tanner… he couldn’t help but be intrigued by him.

There wasn’t a whole lot of drama in this one, which I really liked. I’m not a big fan of angst… instead, we got to focus on these two getting to know each other while Scott figured out what he wanted his next move to be. Did he want to stay at the practice and work with the animals, or move on? He was taking some time to figure out what he wanted and at the same time, figure out if being out was worth it. It was, especially because Davis and Libby were so amazing and cute.

Of course, we get to see some of our favorites from the other books, and meet some new ones along the way… like Scott’s sister and her kids, that was equally as cute as Davis’ and Carter’s parents, who were so sweet and not afraid of the embarrassing scene that had me cracking up with Scott and his loose lips. I’ve totally done that before… it was amazingly bad but so funny.

The abusive dad does pop up and try to wave his bully flag around, but both Scott and his sister have both grown since meeting Davis, and it was awesome to see them stick up for themselves. More of that, please!

I dunno who will be next or if anyone will be, but I really enjoyed this one and I would absolutely be interested in reading more from these couples. Awesome addition!

4 pieces of eye candy

 

Becca Seymour lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.

Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.

Author Website: https://beccaseymour.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/authorbeccaseymour

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/beccaseymourauthor/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/beccaseymour_

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorbeccaseymour/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18745264.Becca_Seymour

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/21905/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Becca-Seymour/e/B07NYXX6JP


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Raze (Riven Series Book 3) by Roan Parrish: New Release Review

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Sometimes the walls we build to save ourselves have to come tumbling down.

For the last ten years, Huey has built his life around his sobriety. If that means he doesn’t give a damn about finding love or companionship for himself, well, it’s probably better that way. After all, the last thing he wants is to hurt anyone else. Until Felix Rainey walks into his bar, fresh-faced, unbearably sweet–and, for some reason Huey can’t fathom, interested in him.

As the eldest of five kids, Felix Rainey spent his childhood cooking dinner, checking homework, and working after-school jobs. Now in his twenties, he’s still scrambling to make ends meet and wondering what the hell he’s doing with his life. When he meets Huey, he’s intimidated . . . and enamored. Huey’s strong and confident, he owns his own business–hell, he’s friends with rock stars. What could he ever see in Felix?

As Huey and Felix get closer, the spark catches and soon they can’t get enough of each other. But Huey’s worked hard to avoid intimacy, and Felix threatens his carefully constructed defenses. Huey realizes he needs to change if he wants to truly put his past behind him–and build a future with Felix.

Roan Parrish‘s pitch-perfect Riven novels can be read together or separately:
RIVEN * REND * RAZE

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I am a big, big fan of Roan Parrish. Her books are just so well written. That being said, this is my least favorite of them all. But take that with a grain of salt. Which is your least favorite color of M&M? Exactly.

Huey has been around since book 1, Riven. He’s gruff and grouchy, but he has a heart of gold. Getting more of his back story helped us understand him more and why he is the way he is.

Enter Felix, the guy who DOESN’T want to be a rock star. But what he needs is someone to take care of him. He’s acted like the head of household for his siblings for far too many years.

So Felix and Huey begin to navigate a relationship together. But kind of for the wrong reasons. I mean, they were totally into each other, but Huey entered the relationship as a duty and Felix entered it when he was lonely.

So it took a long time for each of them to realize that they do really care for each other and they needed to let go of their hangs ups. Most of that was on Huey, but Felix really did have some issues as well. Those absolutely could have been addressed more thoroughly.

Usually the prose in her books is almost lyrical to me. I just sink right in. This one wasn’t quite that way for me. Now, it totally could have been the mood I was in when I read it. Because I was definitely a bit stabby.

I wanted more. I wanted Huey to be grouchier before he melted into the teddy bear underneath. I wanted him to be more protective of Felix. More bossy. I get why he wasn’t- he was almost treating Felix like one of his sponsees. Which was part of the issue with their relationship. And we circle back. So you see, it could totally just be me.

Don’t think for one second I didn’t like this book. I did. Quite a bit. I just didn’t totally fall in love with it like I usually do. But I am absolutely going to go back for a re-read when I am less stabby. It almost pains me to not love this book as much as I was expecting. So let’s totally chalk it up to me and my bad attitude, shall we?

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

Triple Threat by Davidson King: Exclusive Guest Post, Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

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Lee, Jones, and Ginger deal with dangerous situations and mounting stress daily working for the most powerful assassin organization in the world. All of those things seem like a walk in the park compared to the friction that sparks between them. When all three are assigned to the same job, ignoring the heat from the inferno of desire becomes impossible.
Lee is a master at deciphering codes, skilled in hacking complicated systems, and never misses a target, even from over fifty miles away. His feelings for Jones and Ginger, however, may be the first code he’s unable to crack.

Jones deals in absolutes, but the road to his past is paved with bodies and regrets. Getting Lee to acknowledge the pull they both feel toward Ginger may be the hardest mission he’s ever had to face.

Ginger struggles to cope with the overwhelming guilt that accompanies this new job. Falling for these hired killers will be a risk—one that could wind up with him losing in the end or gaining everything he’s ever wanted.

As the three work together to take down a human trafficking ring—and save a desperate soul—time is of the essence. Their lives are on the line as mysteries unfold and unexpected encounters throw them off course. Will Lee, Jones, and Ginger let doubts come between them, distracting them from their mission and blocking any hope of love? Or can they face the toughest challenge of their lives and become…a triple threat?

Triple Threat

Haven Heart Series, Book 6

Davidson King

Release Date: June 27th

M/M, Suspense, Romance, Action, Menage

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

 

Writing Ménage

Ménage is my most favorite trope to read, and probably not for the reasons you think. While sex is lovely it’s not on the top of my list. Because it’s my favorite, I find myself as a critical reader when it came to ménage. I have found exceptional books that tackled the dynamic perfectly. And others that were just either a big orgy or something felt like it was missing.

Triple Threat is a ménage and the first I’ve ever written.  Going into it I was nervous partially because it’s following a story arc and I was tossing in an MMM where some don’t like them, and also because I was writing the one trope, I am somewhat judgmental with.

It was important to me while pushing the story arc forward, to also bring the elements of each character out and connect them in a way that was believable and realistic. I felt I accomplished that but recognize where I find the strengths of a throuple, others may not.

The psychology of a three-person relationship is vital. I need to feel it, believe it, know it in my bones to be true. Yes, sexually— if that’s even their preference— they must work as well. But more than anything you need to say, “Yeah they were never supposed to be two, always three.”

Writing ménage was so very hard because sometimes getting my thoughts out isn’t easy but in the end,  I felt I did it justice and wrote Jones, Lee, and Ginger exactly how they were meant to be portrayed, and pushed the story along.

With Lee and Jones busy, I popped my earbuds in, hit play on my Spotify, and drowned in the sounds of Pat Benatar. I loved the ‘80s, some of the ‘90s, but damn the ‘80s had amazing music. As with every time I listened to my music, I started swaying in my seat. I closed my eyes, let my hands tap, my feet slide, and that chorus in “We Belong”… it possessed me, and I couldn’t help myself but to sing. I sang softly as to not disturb Lee and Jones.

“What the absolute fuck!” The sound of Jones’ voice broke through. I opened my eyes and pulled my buds out. The van had stopped and now Lee was standing, staring at me, too.

“Hey,” I said meekly. “What’s up?”

“You scared the crap out of me,” Jones said, and Lee nodded in agreement.

“How?”

“One second it’s all quiet, then it’s like opera cats or something,” Lee answered, and this time Jones agreed.

“Wow, that’s harsh.” I drew my legs up to my chest, hearing the faint sounds of Tiffany singing that she thinks we’re alone now.

“Just warn us when you’re going to break out into song is all,” Lee grumbled, and then got back into the driver’s seat. I slipped the earbuds back in.

A tap on my leg had me pulling out my earbuds again.

“You listen to all ‘80s or you got some not shitty crap in there?” Jones asked, and I gripped my phone like he just shit on my dreams.

“Nothing of what I have is shit!”

Lee started to laugh as he pulled back onto the road and Jones had a huge grin. It was a change I hadn’t really seen in a while. Those two actually enjoying each other. I knew there was history there, everyone did.

If they wanted to be that way, okay. “Just for that,” I said as I put the phone on speaker and hit play. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts started singing about loving rock and roll, and because they love it so much, I sang with them.

Jones’ eyes widened and Lee once again pulled to the side of the road and turned in his seat. Seemed I was entertainment. I knew I didn’t have the best voice, but I had rendered these two dangerous men speechless. I was loving the power, the control.

Feeling daring, I inched over to Jones who looked positively terrified, and began drumming on his legs.

“Sweet Jesus,” Lee said and laughed so loudly I lost track of my words and watched him. Tears ran down his face, and he had his arms wrapped around his middle. It was a contagious laugh, and suddenly the three of us were in hysterics.

Finally we get Lee and Jones! And Ginger!

I loved the entire story line of this book regarding the human trafficking. The “romance” and start of the throuple, meh. Left me wanting a bit as it definitely took a background role.

Lee and Jones have refused to work together for a while. But now they have to. King is making them partner up to take down a human trafficking ring. And when Ginger sees that one of the boys up for auction is is brother, he is all in as well.

This book definitely gave all of King’s employees a heart. Showing that they aren’t just assassins. Like I said, it was a great story with a lot of twists and turns and tons of characters and even a few other incidental storylines in there.

What I really wanted as well was a good juicy love story between the three guys. But honestly, it seemed like they just kind of fell into it. Lots of flirting and and then BAM! They were a throuple. Very little discussion, Lee and Jones are all happy again like nothing happened between them in the past. Ginger questions his role in the throuple in the beginning, but then he is also all in with very little thought.

Don’t get me wrong, I think they are great together. But they needed to be together without the human trafficking assignment looming as well. They were so busy focusing on their assignment that they really didn’t have time to focus on themselves.

Knowing this author, we will definitely see more of these three. And I hope it is them living together happily.

We also got another fairly big hint as to the entire enigma that surrounds Poe. GAH!

So yes, really good book, fair love story. But if you are a fan of these books, you have to read this one to help connect all the dots leading to the next.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

When she’s not writing you can find her blogging away on Diverse Reader, her review and promotional site. She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

LinkTree to ALL links: https://linktr.ee/davidsonkingauthor

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