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Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Book Review

Team Luker by Nell Iris: RDB, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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What if this is the last time we lie like this?
Uncertainty is keeping Ellery Luker awake at night and robbing him of his appetite. It’s been five days since the love of his life and partner of twenty-five years, Jools, went to the doctor. Five days since the biopsy. Five days of going crazy with worry and what ifs?
What if Jools suffer from the same disease that stole Ellery’s mother when he was just eleven?
What if all Ellery’s worst fears come true?
What if…?

Length: 5,500 words approx.

Amazon

JMS Books

This story had all the fixin’s to emotionally ruin my life. Luckily, it didn’t… but it did make me cry.

Jools and Ellery have been together since college, when Jools would see Ellery in the library and take his breath away. Now, twenty-five years later, they were still just as in love now as they were all those years ago… so what would Ellery do if something happened to his beloved Jools?

Having lost his mother to cancer when he was eleven, the thought of losing his husband to the same thing had him losing sleep and unable to eat out of worry. He’d lay awake at nights watching his husband, scared to death that it could be the last time….

Dramatic? Maybe… but I understood it, because I’m the worrier in our family, and if anything were to happen to my husband, I just don’t think I’d survive it. I don’t know how people go on living after losing their other half. It’s a great fear of mine, so it hit me in a way I wasn’t expecting for such a short read that packed a lifetime of love with these two.

Lying in bed together, Jools can feel Ellery’s worry, so to get him to relax, he starts telling him the story of how they met… it was so very sweet, and seemed to help.
But the next day Ellery had work and it was the day the find out if the biopsy was something to be worried about or not.

I won’t spoil the ending, but you should definitely give this one a read. It’s short and sweet and leaves you reminded to hug your loved ones a little tighter… you never know what could happen.

5 Pieces of Candy

Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies’ room), loves music (and singing along but, let’s face it, she’s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (“Make it so”). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!

Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.

Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.

Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.

Email contact@nelliris.com

Web www.nelliris.com

Twitter @nellirisauthor

Facebook page www.facebook.com/nellirisauthor

Facebook profile www.facebook.com/nell.iris.12

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/nelliris

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

QueeRomance Ink https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/nell-iris/

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Fire and Agate by Andrew Grey: Audiobook Review

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When Chris Anducci is moved off jail duty and into the sheriff’s office, he doesn’t expect his first assignment to be protecting a witness against a human-trafficking ring. Knowing the new sheriff doesn’t abide screwups, Chris reluctantly agrees to work the case.

Pavle Kasun has spent the last four years of his life at the mercy of others. When an opportunity presented itself, he took it, resulting in his rescue. Now, the safe houses he’s placed in are being threatened, and he needs protection if he is to have any sort of chance at a life.

Chris opens his home to Pavle, but he doesn’t expect Pavle and his story to get under his skin…and stay there. Soon, they discover they have more in common than either of them thought. Slowly, Pavle comes out of his shell, and Chris finds someone who touches his heart. But as the men looking for Pavle close in, they will stop at nothing to get him out of the way. Even if Chris can keep him safe, he might not be able to protect his heart if Pavle moves back home.

Amazon Ebook

Audible

I love this series so I wasn’t surprised that I liked this one as well. Andrew Grey has a unique way of taking a sensitive subject and painting the picture so that it’s bearable and not so dark.

Chris is newly promoted to the sheriff’s office and his first real assignment is a favor to the Carlisle PD. Keep their human trafficking victim, Pavle safe until he can help the DEA, FBI and every other three letter agency identify his keepers. Chris will need to find a way to keep Pavle save without making it seem that he’s just exchanged one prison for another and without any of those pesky feelings getting in the way for the strong, enigmatic man.

The story was entertaining and enjoyable. The characters were well developed as was the storyline. I love that we get to catch up with old characters like Red and Terry. The audio performance was perfect, as is to be expected from Greg Tremblay. He didn’t get to be one of my go-to narrators for no reason. This was the perfect way to spend 6 hours.

4 Pieces of Candy

Ramen Assassin by Rhys Ford: New Release Review

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When life gives Kuro Jenkins lemons, he wants to make ponzu to serve at his Los Angeles ramen shop.

Instead he’s dodging bullets and wondering how the hell he ended up back in the Black Ops lifestyle he left behind him. After rescuing former child star Trey Bishop from a pair of thugs in the middle of the night, he knows it’s time to pick up his gun again. But it seems trouble isn’t done with Trey, and Kuro can’t quite let go… of either the gun or Trey Bishop.

Trey Bishop never denied his life’s downward spiral was his own fault. After a few stints in rehab, he’s finally shaken off his Hollywood bad-boy lifestyle but not his reputation. The destruction of his acting career and his relationships goes deep, and no one trusts anything he says, including the LAPD. When two men dragging a dead body spot him on a late-night run and try to murder him, Trey is grateful for the tall, dark, and deadly ramen shop owner he lusts over—not just for rescuing him, but also for believing him.

Now caught in a web of murders and lies, Trey knows someone wants him dead, and the only one on his side is a man with deep, dark secrets. Trey hopes Kuro Jenkins will stick around to see what the future holds for them once the dust settles, but from the looks of things, neither of them may survive to find out.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

I haven’t read anything written by Rhys Ford before, but I was in the mood for something a little different than my usual. I wanted a little mystery, a little intrigue and I got that in spades.

Trey and Kuro both stumble into the alley at the wrong place and wrong time, but maybe the universe got something right, as long as they can make it out alive. The plot has a few twists and turns to keep you on your toes. The characters were so well developed that when Trey felt like there was no one in his corner, I felt that! I felt his despair and helplessness.

This was a wild and entertaining ride. The perfect book to pull me out of my reading slump.

4 pieces of eye candy

SIR by N.R. Walker: New Release Review

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Founded over four hundred years ago, Sanctus Infinitus Redemptio is a private and very elite society where dominance and submission are revered. Steeped in tradition and excellence, every Dominant and every submissive, and their pairing, is selected with great care.

When Hunter Vargo is brought into the Sanctus, his need for strict dominance sees him paired with the wrong Master. But only a short time later, mistreated and his trust broken, he’s recalled, his collar removed. The Grand Master knows it will take a special kind of Dominant to restore the sub’s faith and trust.

Sig Bruckner’s world is perfect. He has a great job, he has high standing within the Sanctus, and he has Levin, the very best submissive. When he’s asked to take on a second sub, a submissive with issues and a rule not to touch him, Sig’s world is turned upside down.

When his Dominance, his patience, and self-control are tested, and when Sig’s relationship with both subs is pushed past his limits, everything begins to unravel. Yet Sig knows every good Dom learns from their subs, and he’s no exception. He might not be able to fix everything on his own, but perhaps the three of them together can.

Sig Bruckner is about to learn who’s really in control.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

One thing you can definitely say about N.R. Walker, she never writes the same story twice. Which is amazing. All of her books are unique to her (hello, androids?) and I’ve yet to find one I didn’t like. So when I saw she was writing a BDSM book? Sign me up.

But this is no ordinary BDSM book, of course. Instead, this is a whole society built around BDSM that lives among non-society members, but members outnumber non by quite a bit. They are, of course, completely secret.

The society places Doms and subs together. They pride themselves on their match ups. But this one went wrong with hard limits crossed and trust destroyed. So they ask the “nice” Dom to take on this sub, even though the Dom already has one sub and with the stipulation that it is a week trial and no sexual touching.

Well ok then.

What follows is a Dom and sub welcoming a new sub into their homes and lives. And even though they aren’t to have sexual contact, the sex isn’t lacking. It is just a little more creative. They are open and mostly honest with each other, Hunter thriving as a sub, but the fact that it is a “trial basis” looms over them.

The story flowed really nicely with no “filler”. Even though the entire book happens in a week, it didn’t feel stuffed full of information or rushed at all. I really loved watching these 3 men learn to be together as a unit.

It is definitely BDSM lite, which is kind of obvious from the beginning with Sig being called the nice Dom. But it is also explained how everyone, Dom and sub are different in their preferences.

AND THEN there was an epilogue. Listen, I love a good epilogue. But I really thought, hoped, wished, that this would be the first book of at least several. PLEASE! I need more! More of Sig, Levin and Hunter but also more of the SIR society. Yes, I am being a greedy brat, but that’s how much I enjoyed it. The set up screams for more. So, pretty please?

4 Pieces of Candy

In Safe Hands (Heroes & Babies Book 1) by Victoria Sue: Quick Review

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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.

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 pumpin…

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 Candy

Rules to Follow (Davey’s Rules Book 1) by Susan Hawke: Blog Tour, Excerpt and Review

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Davey’s Rule #86: A good Daddy will never lie to his boy… even by omission.

Travis Miller has a pretty solid life in the small California beach town he calls home. He’s working his way up in the district attorney’s office, he owns a home with an ocean view, and he has close ties with his family. Life is good. If only he could find a sweet boy to call his own, life would be… perfect. 

Adam Nichols’ life has never been easy. Growing up in foster care taught him to be strong, so finding himself in a violent relationship was a shock. Now that he’s finally free of it, he faces new problems. He’s jobless, homeless, and terrified of starting from scratch.

With a little help from an old friend, Adam discovers a whole new world. He goes from rock bottom to renting a room from a hot assistant DA and working at Daddy’s Lap, a kink club that opens his vanilla eyes to things he’d never imagined. His new roommate is a balm to Adam’s damaged soul. The tender way Travis cares for him is almost like the Daddy kink community he’s seen at the club. But Travis isn’t a Daddy… right? If he were, surely he’d have said so. 

What happens when a lie by omission threatens to bring their budding relationship tumbling down around them? Will Travis ever be able to earn Adam’s trust again?

This is the first book in a new series about not-so-perfect Daddies, adorable “boys,” and one sassy brat with an insane list of rules. Grab your fan and tissues because this series comes with both a high heat advisory and all the squishy feels you’d want from a Susan Hawke book. Possible trigger for references to domestic violence.

Rules to Follow

Davey’s Rules Series, Book 1

Susan Hawke

M/M Romance – Daddy/boy

Release Date: 07.14.19

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

After the movie, we finally took our groceries home. Travis insisted on putting everything away himself. “While I do this, how about you order us a pizza? After that scare fest you talked me into watching, I’m in the mood for something lighter. While we eat, maybe we can watch that Adam Sandler movie we never finished.”

“That sounds like an excellent plan. Same order as last time?” I was already on my phone, loading the website to order online.

“Yes, but no onions or extra garlic on this one.” He sounded so certain, I couldn’t help but look up curiously. He was bent into the refrigerator, so I couldn’t see his face. Not that I minded the view I did have, though. In fact, I was so busy checking out his butt that it took me a second for his next comment to register. “Unless you promise to eat the same thing. If we end up kissing again, I refuse to have bad breath unless it’s mutual.”

This was the first time he’d acknowledged the kiss. And he was hinting at another? My mouth went dry as I adjusted my pants that had suddenly gotten a little too tight in certain areas. “I-I, umm…” I gave my head a shake and started again when I couldn’t get the words out the first time. “I vote for onions and garlic on the whole thing. Mutual bad breath for the win. Besides, there’s garlic in the sauce anyway.”

When he stood and looked over at me, I focused on my screen. I could feel my stupid cheeks blushing. I knew he’d noticed it when I heard a quiet chuckle. Deciding this was a good time to excuse myself and get a little bit under control, I headed out of the room.

“I’ll be right back; I’m just going to change. If we’re going to be in relaxation mode, these stiff jeans need to go.” Just the mention of the word stiff had me blushing all over again, because my pants weren’t the only stiff thing on my body.

By the time I cleaned up and changed into pj pants, Travis was waiting in the living room with our pizza and a couple glasses of wine. My eyes widened when I took in the dimly lit room with the movie paused and waiting on the TV. Gulping, I glanced at Travis. “Wow, I didn’t mean to take that long.”

He shook his head and patted the couch beside him as he turned and stretched a leg out like he had last time. “You didn’t take too long, they were just really fast with the delivery this time. Come sit with me. I was thinking maybe we could cuddle. Unless you think that’s too much, too soon?”

“No, that sounds… ah… nice.” My heart pounded as I scurried over and got settled between his legs with my back to his chest. Travis pulled the coffee table closer and opened the pizza box.

“I brought napkins, if you need one. But I figure we can forgo plates tonight and keep it casual. Does that work for you?” His voice was like velvet as it caressed my ear.

I felt my blush return as I awkwardly nodded. “Y-Yes. That sounds good.” I waited while he started the movie then reached into the pizza box. I figured I would grab my slice after he’d taken first pick.

Instead of biting into the piece he’d chosen, he held it to my mouth instead. “Take a bite, sweet boy. You always tease me about wanting to feed you. Tonight I’d like to live up to my reputation.” He chuckled and waited for me to bite into the pizza.

It was weirdly nice to be fed. He patiently waited, lowering the slice while I chewed each mouthful. It wasn’t until I’d finished three slices and groaned that I couldn’t handle another bite that he finally ate his own. I slouched back against his shoulder, watching the movie while he had his turn at dinner. I didn’t even bother with the wine; I was buzzed enough on Travis.

If anybody had walked up right then and asked me about the movie, I doubted I could have told them anything more than who starred in it. I was too aware of Travis and how good it felt to snuggle against his hard body.

Was I falling for him? It sure felt like it. The way I kept blushing, the way my palms got damp, the way my heart raced when he was near… the signs were definitely there. I thought back over everything I’d seen of this man, poking my memories for a sign of anything wrong with him.

Something had to be, because I did not have a good track record where men were concerned. The more I considered it, though, I couldn’t find a single thing that would put up a red flag. If anything, he made me feel protected and special.

I went into this book, specifically this author, flying blind. I had been meaning to read some of her “How To” series and hadn’t been able to get there. However, this book just seemed like a fun one, based on the blurb, so I grabbed it. So happy I did!

The prologue did give me pause, and I had to go back and reread it, because I didn’t remember Davey being one of the MC’s. However, I quickly caught on to where the book was going, and immediately loved that out of the box beginning to the book. I also liked that we got all of Davey’s (current) list of rules at the end. I personally cannot wait to see what happens when it’s Davey’s turn. 🙂 Oh…and he will definitely be getting his own turn. However, from the looks of it, it might be a while! 😀

Travis and Adam were super cute! This was a bit more BDSM lite, but that was perfect for these two. They didn’t need whips, restraints, or voyeurism. They quickly learned they just needed each other and the strengths they bring to the relationship. I will say that the trope of having a lie of omission cause the tension in the relationship played out as you would expect. It wasn’t filled with huge drama, just took time to play out. I didn’t understand Travis’ need to hide it, but once it resolved, they seemed to be pretty well set together.

I would have given this 4 pieces of eye candy, but it got a .5 lift because this book was based in Santa Cruz, California, a place I lived for about 10 years. And there were so many ACTUAL real life references in there to the area. Not just Santa Cruz, but even to where I got my Associates Degree, Cabrillo College. All those references were amazing for me. Perhaps nobody else will catch them, but for me, it brought me full force into the story in a way few books can, as I could picture everything…from the Boardwalk in March, to the two campuses, and there was an extremely rare siting of the little mountain town of Bonny Doon. Was such a happy read for me already, this just added to the joy.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

As an avid reader and big romance fan myself, I love sharing the stories of the different people who live in my imagination. My stories are filled with humor, a few tears, and the underlying message to not give up hope, even in the darkest of times, because life can change on a dime when you least expect it. This theme comes from a lifetime of lessons learned on my own hard journey through the pains of poverty, the loss of more loved ones than I’d care to count, and the struggles of living through chronic illnesses. Life can be hard, but it can also be good! Through it all I’ve found that love, laughter, and family can make all the difference, and that’s what I try to bring to every tale I tell.

I’m a happily married mom with one snarky teenage boy, and three grown “kids of my heart.” I’m more widely known for my mpreg writings as Susi Hawke; this new name is a departure from that. Whether written by Susan or Susi, the books are filled with that all-important love, laughter, and family I mentioned; the only difference is that this name has no male pregnancy. I look forward to sharing my stories with you, and to bringing more romance and laughter into this world that needs it so very badly

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