TCO Exclusives

In Safe Hands by Victoria Sue: Release Day Review with Giveaway

March 19, 2019 by Denise

Former helicopter pilot Maverick Delgardo’s injuries ended his Air Force career, leaving him bitter and one drink away from becoming an alcoholic. When his sister asks for his help on a private protection case to babysit a disgraced pop star, Mav reluctantly agrees.

Deacon Daniels, onetime lead singer and idol to his teenage fans, saw his career and reputation ruined when a reporter’s exposé led to a devastating scandal. Without money or a job, a heartbroken Deacon has lost custody of his baby niece. And just when he thinks his life can’t get any worse, a stalker’s threatening messages escalate to murder.

Mav only agreed to one meeting, but his protective instincts kick in, along with an attraction to Deacon. When the body count increases, however, Mav is unsure he is up to the task of protecting Deacon from a killer. But it is too late for Mav to step away, now that he’s lost his heart, and he must find the strength to reassure Deacon and his niece that they are in safe hands no matter the cost.

In Safe Hands By Victoria Sue
Release Date Mar 19, 2019
Type Novels
Words 73,065
Pages 210
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Wow, the suspense and angst in this one was enough to give me a few more gray hairs.

Maverick Delgardo is retired from the Air Force after an accident left him unfit for duty. An amputee and disfigured from the fire, when we meet him, he’s still not coping, sleeping on his sister’s couch and drinking til he forgets all he lost… which was more than just his leg.

Deacon Daniel’s used to be a heartthrob lead singer, but all that went to dirt when a bad manager, a scandal and his mother got involved. Let me tell you right now, his mother is the epitome of the worst person alive, and I’d have rather seen her die than spend an extra minute trying to find the real killer. Dramatic? Sure… but the woman was evil, through and through. She got off lucky as far as I’m concerned. I actually spent the whole book thinking she had something to do with everything that was happening, so I was kind of bummed she didn’t get the karmic smack she deserved.

ANYWAY… So, as Mav’s sister used to be a cop but was now running a process serving business that was supposed to be a security firm as well back before her husband ran off with a younger woman… she decided to take on a desperate client who at first just had a stalker…that stalker turned deadly though and everyone Deacon had any dealings with started dropping like flies…. Giving Maverick a reason to get up off the couch and stop wasting his life feeling sorry for himself…

He wanted to keep Deacon safe, of course, he did… especially when he knew that he came with a little girl, who I absolutely fell in love with, because I’m such a sucker for hot guys with kids, and she was so precious. I really felt for her, having lost both her parents and then the one person who cared about her because of her grandmother…. (don’t go on another tangent about the mother….) So, it was cute to see these two tiptoe around each other at first, but then, even as Deacon had nothing really to offer, he had no money, no life and virtually destitute at the moment, he came into his inner spitfire and didn’t let Mac push him away…. Loved that!

Now, the only problem I had with this story was all the coincidences Literally, everyone in this story was connected somehow. I was floored when I found out who the killer was, but then he knew literally everyone and it stemmed back years and years! How? It was random that Deacon got referred to Jamie (Mav’s sister), and who knew that Mav would even be there? But it had nothing to do with Mav, it was all about Deacon… I dunno, while the plotline itself was a good one and I gasped with a nooooo way…. The rest of it just seemed too far fetched. Like, it didn’t need all the added coincidences, you had enough with just that. I won’t give it away, obviously, who the killer is… but I hope you’re as surprised as I was! It’s most definitely worth the read. A bit pricey for me for a kindle book… but it’ll definitely get your blood pumping…

I also thought the clause at the end, when the killer threatens Mav to stay away from Deacon and his baby was ridiculous… like it was his one last effort to make Deacon unhappy, and Mav just complies with it? Uhm, no… the dude was going to prison and you have all these cop friends and contacts… you can’t make sure that the killer doesn’t cause any more trouble from prison?? That whole thing just seemed unnecessary, I’m glad it didn’t last long!

Other than that, it was a suspenseful and angsty read and I feel like I need a nap after reading it, just my heart can go back to beating in its normal rhythm for a while….

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

Victoria Sue fell in love with love stories as a child when she would hide away with her mom’s library books and dream of the dashing hero coming to rescue her from math homework. She never mastered math but never stopped loving her heroes and decided to give them the happy ever afters they fight so hard for.

She loves reading and writing about gorgeous boys loving each other the best—and creating a family for them to adore. Thrilled to hear from her readers, she can be found most days lurking on Facebook where she doesn’t need factor 1000 sun-cream to hide her freckles.

www.victoriasue.com

@vickysuewrites

https://www.facebook.com/victoriasueauthor

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1182647028418709/

Leave a comment for Victoria Sue and you could win a copy of any of her backlist books.

The Leprechaun Next Door by Elizabeth Coldwell: Exclusive Guest Post, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

March 18, 2019 by Denise

Thank you to Elizabeth Coldwell for stopping by today and bringing an exclusive Guest Post for her new book, The Leprechaun Next Door. Johnny is a little naughty, so you know I like him. 🙂 Congrats to Elizabeth on the new release, and make sure you leave a comment, and you could win a copy of the book!

Happiness might be waiting at the end of the rainbow, but will it come with a price?

Devon’s down on his luck—he’s lost his job and discovered his boyfriend is cheating on him. His neighbor, Johnny, is not only cute, he also has a big secret: he’s a leprechaun with a pot of gold… and the ability to grant wishes.

Can Devon wish his way out of the hole he’s found himself in? He’d like a new job, some revenge on his lying ex, and maybe even love. Johnny can give him what he wants, but it won’t come for free… or in the ways Devon expects. Can he trust a sexy leprechaun to help him make a new start and wish himself into the arms of the man of his dreams?

Title: The Leprechaun Next Door
Author: Elizabeth Coldwell
Release Date: March 15, 2019
Category: Fantasy
Pages: 145

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Dreamspinner Press

Love That Leprechaun

When you’re thinking up the paranormal love interest in an urban fantasy novel, a leprechaun might not be high on the list. Other, more popular creatures definitely have the edge when it comes to being a supernatural bad boy. Vampires are a given – they’re dark, brooding and danger lurks behind their handsome, sophisticated façade. Shifters may be charming, but they could unleash their animal side at any moment. As for elves, just think Orlando Bloom in the Lord of the Rings films and it’s easy to see why they have their many admirers. But leprechauns?

It’s fair to say the leprechaun suffers from an image problem. They’re always depicted as no more than three feet high and grumpy, dressed in a green suit, buckled hat and knee britches, and almost homicidally attracted to protecting their stash of gold. If you’re American, you may also find it hard to separate them from their caricature on a breakfast cereal packet (Lucky Charms have never reached the UK in any quantity, which means an awful lot of jokes on The Simpsons passed us by over the years…). But the fact they’ve never really been regarded as sex symbols means there’s a lot more scope to get creative, and unleash a side of them the reader has never considered. Part of the fun of writing The Leprechaun Next Door was riffing on that unflattering image and the opportunity it gives Johnny, the leprechaun of the title, to hide in plain sight in a world where paranormal beings exist alongside humans – if only you know where to look.

Leprechauns are, as I’m sure you’re aware, one of the staple figures in Irish mythology. Stories about their misdeeds date back to mediaeval times, though their green clothing is a more modern invention. When I started researching them for the novel, this being one of those books where the title came first and everything else followed, I discovered one of the alternative spellings of their name was lubrican. And if that doesn’t make you think of sex, what does?

So as I worked on creating Johnny, I gave him most of the main traits of the classic leprechaun. He’s protective of his gold, which is safely stashed away from prying eyes, and has the ability to grant three wishes. However, because leprechauns have a streak of malevolence and love practical jokes, those wishes have to be carefully considered because they’re likely to come with a sting in their tail. Plenty of the old folk tales about leprechauns involve them tricking simple Irish folk into making foolish wishes that will dog them with bad luck. When Johnny grants Devon his wishes, Devon is in a low place, and as one of his wishes contains an element of revenge, that’s all Johnny needs to wreak a little havoc.

The classic leprechaun occupation is making and mending shoes, but in the modern world, the cobbler’s shop has all but disappeared from our high streets. So instead Johnny is a bartender who knows how to throw a great party. Rather than fitting the leprechaun image of being quick-tempered and solitary, he’s friendly, garrulous, and great fun to be around, which is part of the reason why Devon is so attracted to him. And like all leprechauns, Johnny loves to drink and adores music, especially that played by Devon, who’s been forced to hide his dreams of being a singer and songwriter since his ex was never very supportive of his talent. I like to think that Johnny would be a good friend but one you wouldn’t want to cross.

Now that I’ve done my best to reclaim the leprechaun, maybe it’s time to shine a light on other less popular supernatural creatures and make them sexy too. Once you start looking, there are so many to choose from. Try Jimmy Squarefoot, a creature from the Isle of Man who walks on two legs but has a pig’s head and the tusks of a boar. Or Jack Frost, the King of Winter, who’ll freeze you as soon as look at you. Bring on the dwarves, the pixies and the sprites – in the world of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, each one of them is just waiting to find the right man to love.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I set a leprechaun trap for St Patrick’s Day, and I need to check whether I’ve caught anything. If I have, my wish is simple – that you all have as much fun reading The Leprechaun Next Door as I had writing it.

I am Rotherham’s foremost (okay, only) writer of quality erotica and erotic romance. Though I’m now based in London, family and football take me back North on a regular basis. Indeed, if you’re ever at a Rotherham United match (I know, what are the chances?) and you spot a small blonde with a large ‘London Millers’ flag, that’ll be me. Originally from South Yorkshire, Elizabeth Coldwell has been making up stories for as long as she can remember, only now she gets to people them with hot men. When she’s not got her nose in a book, she’s reviewing or trying to stop one or both of her cats from walking over her keyboard. She spends her time following her home town football team and baking the best brownies in East London.

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Leave a comment for Elizabeth, and you could win a copy of the book.

Rewind by Roman Shaw: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

March 18, 2019 by Denise

The day Enzo Chevalier lost his hearing, everything changed. Forced to rebuild his future and fight for his dreams, Enzo refused to let anything take him down…until the man of his life walked out on him and shattered his heart.

Florian Beaudry had his whole life figured out. His business was flourishing and everything was settling down at last. Or so he believed…until he walked in on his girlfriend and best friend.

Still on the rebound and unable to trust another man, Enzo never expected a chance encounter with Florian. The one person he thought he would never see again. The one person he missed the most.

Were they truly meant to get a second chance or were they doomed from the start?

REWIND is an MM romance novel set entirely in France. Though part of a series, it is a standalone story without a cliffhanger.

Book Title: Rewind

Author: Rowan Shaw

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Molly Phipps

Genre/s: MM Romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 73 350 words/ 343 pages

Release Date: March 18th, 2019

Goodreads

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon FR

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

All other vendors (Nook, Kobo, iBooks)

“You gave him your phone number?” Patrick asked, crashing on my couch later that night.

“You’re so curious. And please don’t rip the fabric with your keys. Thanks.”

He shifted around and pulled the chain to the front of his pants. “Aww, come on! Did you or did you not?” he signed, crossing his legs at the knees.

“Maybe.”

His arched brow never fell. “You still haven’t told me who he is.”

I let myself drop into the armchair closer to the entrance and placed my feet on the wooden coffee table between us.

“So who was the blond guy at the club? He had eyes to die for—as blue as the Mediterranean Sea. You missed your chance to get laid. He wouldn’t stop ogling you.”

I raked my mind for a reply. “I didn’t tell you who he is because I know you’re gonna judge.”

Patrick raised his hand to his chest in a feigned hurt movement.

“You know you would. You do that all the time.”

“I do not.”

“Yes, you do.”

“The only one I ever judged from the start was Cyrille, and I was right about him. If you had listened to me, it would’ve spared you a whole lot of heartache.”

He was right about that, but I wasn’t about to acknowledge it. The last thing Patrick needed was for me to inflate his large ego.

My conversation with Florian at the bar had lasted for hours. He hadn’t left his stool to dance at all, even when a couple of guys came up to flirt with him. He brushed them both off and stayed with me.

“Did you see the look on Cyrille’s face when he spotted you with him, though?” Patrick let out a laugh that was silent to me, his Adam’s apple dancing in his throat when he tilted his head back.

I had hoped my ex wouldn’t show up at all, though. Florian and I were laughing so hard remembering our teenage years, Cyrille’s presence was a slap back to reality. I was thankful he didn’t talk to me.

“Honestly, I don’t get that guy. He dumps you, then he can’t stand seeing you with other men,” Patrick signed.

I had a hard time with this one. While the story itself is good, and I enjoyed the romance aspect between Florian, who just finds his girlfriend in bed with his best friend, and she’s so catty about it, it’s disgusting… and Enzo, an ex from high school who’s still hung up on his emotionally and verbally abusive ex boyfriend who both work at a school for the deaf, since Enzo himself is deaf… they meet again in a club while both are trying to lick their wounds and move on.

The way in which their friendship/relationship ended back then was kind of hidden and little bit confusing to me. I don’t understand why it was something that wasn’t talked about more, but, it didn’t take away from the story, other than it caused a little bit of friction I guess.

The two of these guys were cute together. I enjoyed watching them get to know each other all over again and reminisce here and there about the past…. But what irritated me to no end, is the terrible terrible terrible people that just kept getting away with being terrible people!

Enzo’s ex who was so awful… I’m not kidding, he turned my stomach. He was so condescending and belittling to Enzo, and nobody ever done anything about it. He’s a sociopath who lacks any kind of emotional or moral compassion.

And Florian’s ex literally ruins every part of his life, with his ridiculously ignorant friends, his job, and eventually his relationship with Enzo, which also irritated me to no end, because why not lean on your man when you need him? Why let anyone take your relationship from you… that’s exactly what everyone wanted. Ugh, I just couldn’t with that.

So, definitely frustrating for me, especially because although Florian’s ex has somewhat a nice change of decency when she feels badly about all the havoc she inflicted on his life, only slightly, because she didn’t stop it, OR the ex best friend of
Florian’s that went so far beyond any type revenge that he had no right to… she was just a disgusting person, and Florian didn’t karmically kick her in the teeth, he just ran to her when she summoned him, because why? She didn’t deserve that…. As a matter of fact, the things she deserved I won’t even mention because I’m having a hard time remembering that she’s a fictional character and I don’t know if I wanna acknowledge that level of craziness from myself.

So, yeah… it was a hard read for me. Angsty and just ridiculous in some parts that I never felt were justifiable…. And I just have such a pet peeve for people who get away with being terrible people. We have enough bad in the world, I don’t wanna read about it too, and these people were the worst!

Apart from that, it did have a happy ending for the couple and I was glad for that. They really did make a cute couple, and I love second chancers. I feel like Raphael is going to be just as angsty, so I might skip the next one… but if you like a realistic, angsty read, don’t pass this one up. It just sadly wasn’t my kind of read, and that’s on me.

3 Pieces of Eye Candy

Rowan Shaw is a human being from Planet Earth (originally from the country of France). She’s also the queer author of Rewind, an MM romance series set entirely in her home country.

Addicted to reading and writing, Rowan can usually be found with a book in her hands or sitting in front of her computer typing some kind of story while listening to music from the 80s.

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A Body In A Bathhouse by Brad Shreve: Exclusive Excerpt, Tour and Giveaway

March 14, 2019 by Denise

On the verge of bankruptcy, private investigator, Mitch O’Reilly takes any gig that comes his way, while running his Eye Spy Supply shop in a forgotten Los Angeles strip mall. After two tours in Afghanistan, Mitch’s life amounts to operating his store, coping with his fun-loving sister, Josie, and scoring with anonymous men he meets online. That changes when he gets a break. A beloved comedy scriptwriter is murdered at a bathhouse, and Mitch is hired to prove the innocence of the club custodian. Adapting from a two-bit gumshoe to a high-profile sleuth proves more challenging than he expected.

As if Mitch didn’t have enough to deal with, charismatic bathhouse operator, Trent Nakos, enters his life. After a heartbreaking past, the manager is the definition of a man the brooding P.I. actively avoids.

Following leads from sprawling mansions to sketchy hoods is demanding but becomes more troublesome when deadly threats jeopardize the biggest opportunity of his career.

Length: 65,000 words approx.

Cover Design: UmeWorks

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Trent sat at his desk, rested his chin on his fist, and flashed a mischievous grin. I struggled to look away from the rich golden eyes that complimented his olive skin. His wavy auburn hair looked tousled, but never moved. I guessed he spent time each morning nursing each strand in place for that perfect disheveled look.

He stared through me while stroking his scruffy chin. I debated whether he was flirting or looking past me in deep thought. If he caught me checking him out, he didn’t let on.

I broke the silence. “You’ve been under a lot of stress the past couple of days so we should get the questions out of the way.”

“Yes. We’ll talk while touring the facility. We’re reopening soon, for my sanity, I need one last walk-through. Follow me.”

We stepped into a TV lounge area. My eyes watered again.

“Sorry about the smell,” Trent said. “We’re taking advantage of the downtime to do some heavy-duty cleaning. I thought the scent would be gone by now.”

I nodded at the seating area. “Nice furniture. Like in the lobby.”

“They’re identical, except these are covered in plastic. They’re funny because they make farting sounds when the guys stand up, but it makes it easier to clean after hundreds of naked asses have been on them.”

I grinned.

They had also renovated the back of the club while keeping a different personality from the front and his office. The once-black walls were steel gray, and the black cement floors had been resurfaced with large, dark red tiles. I found it odd—it didn’t look the same, but it felt the same. I shrugged my shoulders and blinked my eyes to stop my heart from racing and skin from tingling.

“Let’s start in the sauna where he was murdered,” I directed. “Did he rent a room that night?”

“Yes, he always does. Room twenty-two is… was… his favorite, so we tried to keep it open for him. I’ll take you there after we see the sauna. The police cleared both. They took the tape down, but it’ll be awhile before I rent that room. It’d feel disrespectful.”

We walked through a narrow hall with many rooms on each side until we reached the sauna. Trent unlocked the door.

“Look inside. We haven’t turned it back on. We’ll have our guests use just the one in the back for a while. It’s bigger anyway.”

The small standard redwood sauna looked built more for home than a spa. The wall next to the door was smooth, and benches ran along the other three sides, except for the corner opposite the entrance, where the heater with hot rocks stood.

“The cops were thorough. I doubt you’ll find much.”

“How was he when he was found?”

His lower lip quivered. “He was naked on a mat, face down on the floor, with his ass to the door. He looked as if everything was fine, except for all the blood. The police took the mat for evidence. There was no sign of a struggle, so they think someone came in behind him. They say he most likely never saw who did it.”

I smirked. “Not that he could tell us, anyway.”

After growing up in Michigan and North Carolina, Brad Shreve criss-crossed the country while working in the hotel industry. In addition to working in hotels as a bellman, front desk clerk, and reservation call center director, he’s managed coffee houses, waited tables, sold potato chips off a truck and even hocked pre-burial funeral plans.

He credits Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak for developing his interest in art and storytelling. He’d spend hours on the floor sketching and painting and writing stories. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George gave him his first inklings that he’d like to be a novelist someday.

In addition to perpetually thinking of how to kill people, he’s a proud dad, a beach bum, and coffee house squatter.

He currently lives in the Los Angeles South Bay with his husband, Maurice.

Website/Newsletter Sign Up: www.bradshreve.com

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bradshreve

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradshreveauthor

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Order (Tattoos and Ties Duet Book 2) by Kindle Alexander: Blog Tour and Giveaway

March 13, 2019 by Denise

Assistant District Attorney Alec Pierce wants a future with the sexy, tough-talking biker who came to his rescue six months ago. But when evidence capable of destroying his future comes to light, Alec sets a plan in motion to keep the man he loves from a district attorney bent on vengeance.

Will Alec’s efforts pay off or will he destroy them both in the process?

As a Disciples of Havoc member, Keyes Dixon rides the line between society’s moral code and that of his brothers. He straddles two worlds… One owns him and the other seduces him with the promise of a future. But when a rush to judgment has him swerving to miss the roadblocks suddenly in his lane, he’ll have to choose between the club that demands his loyalty and the gorgeous assistant district attorney who deserves his commitment.

Can Keyes escape his circumstances to take a chance on a future he wants?

Six months into what started as a one-night stand, both men must navigate their developing feelings as they remain bound by differing oaths that threaten to drive them apart. Not only does their future hang in the balance of opposing forces, but an unexpected strike of the gavel could send them on a collision course neither is prepared for.

Will havoc continue to determine their lives or is their love strong enough to bring order?

Title: Order

Series: Tattoos and Ties #2

Author: Kindle Alexander

Release: March 5, 2019

Genre: M/M Romance

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Havoc (Tattoos and Ties #1)

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Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2SoJJEB

Best Selling Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer, and a genre-crosser who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica in both the male/male and male/female genres. It’s always a surprise to see what’s coming next!

I live in the suburbs of Dallas where it’s true, the only thing bigger than an over active imagination, may be women’s hair!

Usually, I try for funny. Humor is a major part of my life – I love to laugh, and it seems to be the thing I do in most situations – regardless of the situation, but jokes are a tricky deal… I don’t want to offend anyone and jokes tend to offend. So instead I’m going to tell you about Kindle.

I tragically lost my sixteen year old daughter to a drunk driver. She had just been at home, it was early in the night and I heard the accident happen. I’ll never forget that moment. The sirens were immediate and something inside me just knew. I left my house, drove straight to the accident on nothing more than instinct. I got to be there when my little girl died – weirdly, I consider that a true gift from above. She didn’t have to be alone.

That time in my life was terrible. It’s everything you think it would be times about a billion. I love that kid. I loved being her mother and I loved watching her grow into this incredibly beautiful person, both inside and out. She was such a gift to me. To have it all ripped away so suddenly broke me.

Her name was Kindle. Honest to goodness – it was her name and she died a few weeks before Amazon released their brand new Kindle ereader. She had no idea it was coming out and she would have finally gotten her name on something! Try finding a ruler with the name Kindle on it.. It never happened.

Through the course of that crippling event I was lucky enough to begin to write with a dear friend in the fan fiction world of Facebook. She got me through those dark days with her unwavering support and friendship. There wasn’t a time she wasn’t there for me. Sometimes together and sometimes by myself, we built a world where Kindle lives and stands for peace, love and harmony. It’s its own kind of support group. I know without question I wouldn’t be here today without her.

Find out more by visiting www.kindlealexander.com or email me at kindle@kindlealexander.com

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A Model Escort by Amanda Meuwissen: Exclusive Author Guest Post

March 8, 2019 by Denise

TCO is very excited to have Amanda Meuwissen on the blog today, in celebration of her newest book, A Model Escort, talking about her favorite TV shows. I’ll admit I haven’t seen a couple of these show, but with all the snow that Minneapolis has gotten this winter (I live in the Twin Cities too!), I can absolutely see hunkering down and binge watching a few of these. What are your favorites? Congrats to Amanda on her latest release!

What’s the value of love?

Shy data scientist Owen Quinn is brilliant at predictive models but clueless at romance. Fortunately, a new career allows him to start over hundreds of miles from the ex he would rather forget. But the opportunity might go to waste since this isn’t the kind of problem he knows how to solve. The truth is, he’s terrible at making the first move and wishes a connection didn’t have to revolve around sex.

Cal Mercer works for the Nick of Time Escort Service. He’s picky about his clients and has never accepted a regular who is looking for companionship over sex—but can the right client change his mind? And can real feelings develop while money is changing hands? Owen and Cal might get to the root of their true feelings… if their pasts don’t interfere.

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Top Five Currently Running TV Shows

As an author, it’s no surprise that I was a voracious reader as a child—and that I spend time every single day either reading or writing something. But that in no way means I’m not also a lover of visual mediums like TV and film.

In fact, I created my second major in college combining my favorite things about creative writing, theater, and film to look at the nature of adaptation and what causes a story to be told differently depending on its medium.

There are so many outlets for consuming TV now, most of which have nothing to do with a normal network. Regardless of where I can find my favorite shows, there are some similar things I look for, namely, a good story, good characters, and unique takes on old tropes.

So here are my top five currently running TV shows (or serials on streaming services) and why I love them.

The Good Place

To be fair, I didn’t start watching this NBC show until season 1 was on Netflix, which I then binged, and have been keeping up with it ever since. This is a half-hour sitcom that I kept hearing about (thankfully, without spoilers) and decided to give chance. 5 episodes in a row later, I realized I needed to show my husband and stop watching it without him.

The show takes a humorous look at both the afterlife and moral philosophy, and while I can’t go into much detail, since spoilers abound, the creator describes what success looks like best, asking with each episode:

Is it funny?
Are the characters being developed?
Does the episode ask and answer a question about ethics?
Is it compelling?
Is it consistent with the long game?
Are we making use of the premise?

Those specific questions aren’t relevant to every story, but they create an important template for how every writer should look at their progression.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

An Amazon original, this is an hour-long comedic drama that carries a lot of the charm of a sitcom while never skimping on tough topics.

This show pulls you in and keeps every character so robust, you can’t find fault with it. Set in the late 1950s, the setting and costumes can be just as much a star of the show, but it never leans too much on historical context or real-life people, because the original content and characters shine the brightest.

If someone told me I’d one day love a show about a 50s housewife turned standup comic, I doubt I would have believed it, but this show lives up to all its hype.

The Haunting of Hill House

Now for a Netflix original. Again, hour-long, but this is nothing like the comedic series I’ve addressed so far. This is horror drama at its best. It strikes a unique balance of storytelling between characters and also different versions of those characters because we jump between past and present, seeing both child and adult versions of the main family.

A fault with a lot of horror in visuals mediums today is overuse of jump scares without atmosphere. This series will still make you jump, but it gets under your skin in the best way, while also telling very touching and emotional vignettes and ending in a way that I think a lot of horror shies from.

It’s just refreshing that, despite being horror, I was left with the most amazing sense of catharsis. Stories come to their natural conclusions when told well. Not everything needs to be 10 seasons or 7 books long.

Brooklyn 99

I guess I’m in a laughing mood a lot lately, because here’s another sitcom, this one originally on Fox and now on NBC as one of several shows to hit a new trend of fans saving their favorite stories by petitioning when they’re about to be cancelled until another network or service picks them up.

In this case, having watched it on both Fox and NBC, I can say that nothing has been lost or changed from switching networks (which can’t be said for predecessor Supergirl that moved from CBS to The CW).

Like The Good Place, this show manages to by uniquely funny with a wonderfully diverse cast, and never disappoints, often surprising you with how much heart it has. Comedy does not mean easy or simple or lesser, something I’m glad we’re seeing more of these days.

Lucifer

Yep, yet another show nearly cancelled that was picked up by someone else – this time from Fox to Netflix, which is still upcoming as its slated for its season 4 Netflix release later this year.

It’s rare that I have a show I cannot miss when it airs, but this was a first where that remained true through three seasons. Some of my favorite shows had really strong seasons 1 and 2 and then declined in quality (Supernatural, The Flash), but Lucifer never once disappointed me or had a dud of an episode.

It’s drama, action, humor, romance, but even more than the fun premise of having sympathy for the Devil himself is the focus on friendships. Between women, men, across genders, across ages and species, always over the romance angle. It’s also a cast of entirely 35+ for the main characters.

I daresay, Lucifer is a flawless show, and I hope its switch to Netflix doesn’t mar its perfection.

Amanda Meuwissen is a primarily gay romance writer, as well as Marketing Operations Manager for the software company Outsell. She has a Bachelor of Arts in a personally designed major from St. Olaf College in Creative Writing, and is an avid consumer of fiction through film, prose, and video games. As author of the paranormal romance trilogy The Incubus Saga, young adult novel Life as a Teenage Vampire, the novelette The Collector, and superhero duology Lovesick Gods and Lovesick Titans, Amanda regularly attends local comic conventions for fun and to meet with fans, where she will often be seen in costume as one of her favorite fictional characters. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband, John, and their cat, Helga, and can be found at www.amandameuwissen.com.

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