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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Book Review

Wildfire (In Vino Veritas) by Garrett Leigh: Release Day Review

September 8, 2022 by Denise

.                                  .

A gorgeous new sexual awakening romance with sizzling first times, snarky British banter, and off-the-charts chemistry.

Life doesn’t always pan out as you expect. When it explodes in my face, literally, an old friend offers me a place to heal and a job renovating the kitchen of Burlington’s coolest wine bar.

V&V is a chill fest. Living above it should be a blast. But I’m not built to be a social butterfly. Not anymore. I’m a damaged man.

And I’m not its target clientele.

At least, I think I’m not until I come face to face with the most beautiful human I’ve ever seen. Joss is the new chef and my roommate. He has hair like spun gold and it’s as pretty as the rest of him. Crystal blue eyes. Megawatt smile.

I can’t stop staring. Or thinking about him. He chases my nightmares away. And when he spots my crush a mile off, his solution to our chemical attraction blows my mind.

An experiment of sorts. Science. Is this sexual exploration or sex education?

Either way, Joss is only here for the summer. He’s leaving.

I can’t fall in love with him.

I can’t.

Shame my foolish heart never got the memo.

WILDFIRE is a heartfelt MM friends-to-lovers, hurt/comfort romance in the True North world, with a brooding lumbersexual, a wild-hearted chef, sweet angst and all the Vermont food. Content warning: contains mentions of depression, ADHD, suicidal ideation, and PTSD recovery.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Audio – Audible

Goodreads

I am a big fan of Garrett Leigh. Often dark and gritty, definitely not what you would call light hearted. But those are my jam. I love a good messed up character. And these guys were messed up, but not in a way I’ve come to expect. Not a bad thing at all.

Let’s discuss. First, almost all of Garrett Leigh’s books are set in the UK. This one is part of the In Vino Veritas world so it is set in Vermont. One of the characters, Joss, is British. The other, Kai, is Vermont born and bred. What struck me a little funny is how often the Americans say “Dude”. I mean, we really do say dude. Probably too often. But it didn’t really fit the vibe of the characters to me. It doesn’t take away from the story at all, but I couldn’t NOT say something. Dude.

Kai has some serious PTSD from an incident not even a year ago when he worked mountain rescue. Ironically, the incident happened on his way home from work. He has left that job and another former mountain rescue guy, Tanner (from Heartscape, another book by Garrett Leigh in the In Vino Veritas world) pulls him back from the brink of mental health collapse and is a support to him in more ways than one.

Joss, self described wanderer, chef and friend of Tanner’s husband lands at the bar to head up the new kitchen there. And to share an apartment with Kai.

How are these guys “messed up”? Well besides Kai’s PTSD that is triggered by things that have nothing to do with what happened, he is also straight. But Joss is so pretty with his long blonde hair and blue eyes. Joss has pretty severe ADHD and nonverbal Tourette’s Syndrome. And while that mostly manifests when he is sleeping or soon after waking up in the morning, it can still pop up.

I loved that ADHD was described in a completely different way than what so many people think it is. Being hyper focused. Or completely zoning out. Or going down a google rabbit hole because he couldn’t remember what he was originally looking up. Burning food, or pots, or kitchens, because he forgot what he was doing. And there is no way to predict any of those things. AND he is medicating twice daily.

Both guys are really down on themselves about these issues that they have no control over. Joss’s ADHD/Tourette’s doesn’t bother Kai in the least. In fact, he kind of steps in quietly to help steer Joss in the right direction when he can. And Joss’s presence in the apartment alone helps Kai. And even though he is straight, he feels such a strong connection with Joss.

Their connection and subsequent relationship, such as it is, is so organic. Nothing is forced. Even formerly straight Kai just kind of goes with it. He questions things, but those questions don’t seem to hold him back.

I loved these guys. Seeing ADHD through Joss’s eyes was enlightening. And Kai’s PTSD that slowly gets better, but will probably never go away.

Must read for any Garrett Leigh fan.

4 pieces of eye candy

Filed Under: Book Review, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, Release Day Review, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 4 stars, author, book, Book Reviews, gay, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, multi-author series, new release, release day review, review, romance

Tide To You (Destination Daddies Season Two) by JJ Harper: New Release Review

September 5, 2022 by Denise

.                                 .

When a much-needed holiday turns into so much more than sun and sand.
Hudson
Why have I even entered that competition? I never win anything. Ever.
Colour me surprised I won a weeklong holiday in a resort for Daddies and boys. And at the right time too.

A break from work.
A break from bad choices.
A break from being seen only as a sugar Daddy.

The Hôtel Plaisir looks the perfect place to unwind, relax, and have some fun. Even more perfect is the beautiful young man waiting for me. He’s everything I’ve ever looked for. He’s also the host for the week, which makes him out of bounds.
Doesn’t it?

Yannick
The chance to organise my own event and prove to my father I can be trusted to run our family hotel landed in my hands thanks to Cuffd and their competition. The winner gets an all-inclusive week at our resort.

I didn’t expect him to be my dream Daddy.
I didn’t expect to hurt so much when he played with the other boys.
I didn’t expect to give myself to a man who will leave.

But it is too good to pass up. Even if it breaks my father’s trust.

Tide to You is part of the Destination Daddies Season Two multi-author series. It features an older, jaded Daddy and a boy who knows he has more to lose than his heart. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many destinations and Daddies to discover, why not grab them all?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

This story sounded like a fun little romp. And it definitely started out that way, but then got a bit serious. Which made it disjointed.

Yannick is part owner of a hotel with his father. It was originally owned by both of his fathers until an ugly break up. So while Yannick basically runs the hotel, his father and his father’s partner micromanage him constantly. To prove his worth, he organized a special week for Daddies and boys. All unattached and wanting to have a fun week at a gorgeous hotel with a pool, activities, playrooms and the beach.

Hudson enters a contest to win the stay at the hotel for free that week. It was done after half a bottle of wine and on a whim. So he completely forgot until he found out he won.

Hudson does enjoy some boys when he first. But he is drawn to Yannick. They cannot fight their chemistry. They spend the rest of the week falling in love. Oh, and having LOTS of sex. There’s a bit of a kerfuffle with another guest, but that is quickly taken care of and isn’t a plot point at all. We see that same guest later in the book. But again, his presence doesn’t seem to fit into the plot.

So you think, that’s it. Cute little vacation romance and they magically figure out how to make life work when they are in two different countries. Instead we get another whole plot involving embezzlement, Yannick’s bio father (the one to leave when the relationship fell apart), Hudson’s best friend, dealing with Hudson’s company and on and on. It seemed like the embezzlement storyline was tacked on to make the book longer. It was just odd.

I hope that wasn’t too spoilery. None of this is mentioned in the blurb. That makes you think it is a lighthearted vacation HEA. But the whole arc of the story is more than that, without it being enough. It needed to be meatier.

3 pieces of eye candy

Filed Under: Book Review, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 3 stars, author, book, Book Reviews, gay, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review, romance

Mother Parker by Rhys Everly: New Release Review

September 4, 2022 by Denise

.                                 .

Divorced. Beaten down. A failure. Until a ray of sunshine comes into my life…

People call me Officer Grumpypants, but wouldn’t you be if life kept knocking you down?

My life is an endless sh*t list that I can’t even begin to unravel.

It all started when my parents died.

It continued when I was forced to sell my house.

And it all came to an epic conclusion when my wife walked out on me.

What I need is to get my mind in order and my life back on track.

So when my old commander offers me a job in Mayberry Holm, I grab the opportunity by the balls.

I’m ready to put my head down and my hands to work.

What I wasn’t planning though was becoming pet food for crows by this infuriating little man who throws seeds at my face.

Or being hired to help said man with his new store.

Or having to protect him from a bunch of criminals that prey on his softness and sweetness.

Even though he drives me insane, I can’t stop thinking of him. And even though he’s annoyingly cheerful, I can’t help but smile around him.

Or fantasize about him doing… naughty things to me.

What the hell is happening to me? Am I falling for the young, bubbly, pink-haired man? And is it too late to stop it?

Welcome to Mayberry Holm, a small island in the Atlantic full of crime, secrets and happily-ever-afters, and the ex-Navy SEALs that come to deal with them all.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Okay, new series! Protector, opposites, Navy SEALs? Why would I turn this down?

Nay… I didn’t….

Okay, so… Parker, nicknamed by his own sister, Officer Grumpypants, or something silly but accurate, was really hard for me to like. I didn’t for a good bit of this book, I’ll be honest.
It was almost like he took douchey-ness to extra douchy-ness… but he grew on me.
He grew on me mostly because I liked how he eventually was with Hwan.

Hwan… I loved immediately. He’s the sun to Parker’s gloom, living his best, albeit somewhat lonely life, he was content. I liked that he didn’t let Parker’s disposition get him down and when someone is threatening his bubble tea shop, the protector Parker, sets out to find who’s responsible.

I will admit that for a first book, I did feel a little out of the loop at times… like there was something I was missing or maybe should’ve read first, but I didn’t find out about the sneak peek until I’d finished and read other reviews to see if maybe I missed something.

I wish someone would’ve told me sooner, but meh…

It was a fun little roller coaster ride through the isle of Mayberry, and I’m really excited to see who’s next!

4 pieces of eye candy

Filed Under: Book Review, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Reviewer: Jennifer Tagged With: 4 stars, author, book, Book Reviews, gay, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review, romance

Prepared (Auctioned, Book 6) by Cara Dee: New Release Review

September 4, 2022 by Denise

.                                    .

Book 6 • Family • Humor • Action • Bachelor Party Fun
It’s time for the happily ever after Gray and Darius have fought so hard for…once they get out of this darn jungle in Belize

“You have to understand, I thought I wasn’t going to make it. I said goodbye to everyone in my head.”

Three years ago, Gray Nolan lost all hope of ever seeing his friends and family again. Now, everyone was gathering to watch him become Gray Quinn. At long last. But before his and Darius’s big day, they had one more mission to undertake. Just a simple in-and-out stint. Nothing to worry about.

Certainly nothing as challenging as a two-day bachelor party featuring a pack of wild children, three best men in charge with an abundance of creativity, a hockey game between the younger whippersnappers and the more…seasoned grunts, and a very open bar.

*Please note the books in the Auctioned Series must be read in order. Auctioned, Stranded, Deserted, Played, Finished, and then Prepared.

Prepared by Cara Dee

Series: The Auctioned Series #6
Genre: Gay Romance/Romantic Suspense/Wedding Romance

Tags: #HEA #FoundFamily #TheAuctionedSeries #AgeDifference #Vows #BachelorPartyFun #Wedding #TheJourneyHome #Humor #Action #TraumaRecovery #Homestead #CamassiaCoveUniverse #KindleUnlimited

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

“I’m not ready for this,” Darius muttered into his coffee mug.

He and Gray stood on the porch as four vehicles rolled up. Just as Gray and Darius had finished their chores for the day. Every animal had been fed, the dogs and the kids had been dropped off at Darius’s folks’ house after school and day care, and—

Whoa.

Gray let out a laugh as a dance song from the ’90s blared out of Case and Boone’s truck. They were the first to park, right next to the Wagoneer, followed by Ryan’s truck.

Case jumped out with an actual boombox on his shoulder and bobbed his head to the beat.

Ethan and Avery emerged from Ryan’s truck too.

Gray didn’t actually know exactly who was showing up today. He’d been told it wasn’t mandatory; it was basically a briefing for the bachelor party activities that would take place this week, and Ryan and Avery were in contact with everyone. And those who didn’t have anything better to do today could stop by.

“Jesus,” Darius sighed.

Gray grinned and descended the porch steps. “Come on, baby.” It was time to greet their guests.

Abel and Madigan parked next to Ryan at the same time as the Tenleys appeared on the guest cabin’s porch.

Gage, Gideon, and Gabriel stepped out of the last car.

“Who else is feeling fucking pumped for this wedding?” Case hollered over the music.

“He’s gonna give the pigs a goddamn heart attack,” Darius said.

Gray chuckled and picked up the pace, and he met up with Case and Boone right before the bridge that crossed the stream.

“I see you brought the party with you.” He exchanged a grin with Case and hugged him. “Good to see you again, Casey.”

“You too, man. Since our men don’t dance, I’m hauling you out on the dance floor when we go clubbing.”

“No spoilers, you little shit!” Ryan yelled.

“Oh!” Case shouted and held out his free arm. “Who you callin’ shit, you old fuck!”

Oh God. Gray could only shake his head in amusement—and move on to greet the others. Boone got a hug, Ethan got a hug, they all got hugs. Gideon and Gabriel were already goofing off, dancing to the new song that was playing. All ’90s, give or take a few years. That was Case O’Sullivan. From “Mr. Saxobeat” to “Boom, Boom, Boom” by Vengaboys.

It was possible Gray was subscribing to Case’s playlists on Spotify.

Darius couldn’t stay grumpy for too long. By the time he’d greeted everyone, he’d reached his wry-smirk stage.

Gray threw an arm around Abel’s shoulders and smacked a loud smooch to his cheek. “Are you ready for this mayhem?”

“Are you?” Abel grinned. “Keep in mind, I helped plan it all.”

Yeah, Gray was game.

I’ve been a fan of this series for a while. Luckily, I discovered it a bit late so that I got to read the first three back to back. I was even a bit hesitant with the first one, but I gave it a go and was sucked right in. One of the books was just ok for me, but the rest? A+ So of course I HAD to read this one.

Let me say that a lot of times I feel that the “final” book in a series where they get their super Happily Ever After and the wedding seem kind of forced. Like the fan base loved the couple so much the author felt they had to do the wedding book. Because of that, they were fine. But lacking. Not so here.

At the beginning of every chapter are Darius’ thoughts as he is trying to write his vows. Anecdotes about their relationship, little stories about what has happened or is happening. The love is just so very evident that it is swoony. And not at all cheesy. I hate cheesy.

The story takes us from a rescue op that they couldn’t say no to in the jungles of Belize. It was exciting and fast and didn’t linger. They get 24 hours of R&R at a resort and we really get to check in with a few other characters we know and love. Not only from this series, but also from The Game series. Then they return to Washington a week before their wedding. Which involves plans set forth by the best men (there are 3) and include family, friends and their kids.

Again, this could easily have been a fluffy filler book. But the plans made for them to celebrate a “bachelor” party are just so quintessentially them. You’ll smile. I promise. Ok, twice a tear leaked out of my eye. But mostly smiles.

There are A LOT of characters. It’s a little hard to keep up with them all but the main parts of the story do not hinge on you knowing them at all. But they were still good to see.

Utterly satisfying, still incredibly sexy, so full of love and family. It’s a must.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. 

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. 

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write. 

Find Cara on social media here: https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage

Filed Under: Book Review, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 4.5 stars, author, book, Book Reviews, gay, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review, romance, series

The Dating Disaster (Franklin U Book 2) by Saxon James: RB, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

September 2, 2022 by Denise

.                              .
Thousands of students on this campus, and I keep being set up with the roommate I can’t stand.

Felix

One date.

That’s how long it takes for Marshall Harrows to end up on my bad side.

Luckily I have no plans to see the giant teddy bear again. Except when he shows up as my new roommate, I can’t escape him, and he’s just as irritating as I thought he’d be.

He leaves cupboards ajar and puts empty milk cartons back in the fridge. His bedroom door is always open, I find his underwear on the laundry floor, and he has this whole bashful sweetheart thing going on that I just … can’t … stand.

But the most completely, horribly irritating thing about him is that he’s totally my type.

And my friends won’t stop setting us up on blind dates.

Marshall

One date.

That’s how long it took for Felix Andrews to steal my heart.

The sparky little spitfire is everything I’m not. Confident, adorable, and completely outspoken.

He also wants nothing to do with me. Which is a real problem when I want to give him everything. Including my virginity.

But the more I try to gain his attention, the more I see the real him. The one who doesn’t feel worthy of being treated like anything other than a one-night stand. So I decide to take matters into my own hands.

A total do-over. One night. One date. Where hopefully I can steal his heart too.

Title: The Dating Disaster
Authors: Saxon James
Series: Franklin U Series, Book 2
Genre: Contemporary.
Tropes: Roommates to Lovers, Opposites Attract, Size Difference, Player / Virgin.
Release Date: September 1st

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

“Okay, then what about this”—I wave a hand over myself—“would you change to not be disappointing?”

“We are so not playing that game.”

“Why? You’ve never been worried about offending me before.”

He cocks his head in surprise, and then, as though making a split-second decision, he turns his chair to face me too. Our knees have an inch of space between them, and for some reason, I’m overly aware of the distance. “Fine. You shouldn’t have worn black because you’re basically screaming that you either want to cover sweat patches or are anxious about your body.”

He’s right about the sweat patches but not the rest. I might not be some jacked gym bro, but I’m happy with who I am. “Gotta keep them guessing about that six-pack,” I say dryly, patting my soft stomach.

Felix snorts. “Six-packs are overrated.”

“You have one,” I point out. He’s not overly muscled, more thin and lean than anything, but I definitely noticed his abs when he was wearing that crop top last weekend.

“Barely, and only because it’s everyone else’s type, but it’s not mine.”

“You like big guys, right? You don’t want them ripped?” The guy he was with last weekend looked muscly.

“No.”

“Then you prefer …”

His eyes drop, slowly running over me, before he jerks them away. Interesting. If I didn’t know better, I’d think maybe I’m exactly Felix’s type. The way he kissed me supports that theory.

Before he can get up and leave—or go back to ignoring me—I ask, “So what color should I have worn, then?”

“Royal blue.” There’s no hesitation in his answer.

“I don’t think I own anything that color.”

“Yes, you do. That button-up with the subtle pineapple pri—” He cuts off, and I lift my eyebrows. That got specific.

“Pineapple shirt for my next date. Got it.”

He reluctantly meets my eyes.

“Anything else?” I ask. “To make sure my date shows up.”

“Yes, don’t slick your hair back like that. You remind me of my dad.”

I bark a loud laugh that sounds closer to my brother’s usual laugh than mine. “I look like a dad, got it.”

“And …”

“Yeah?” Might as well get it all out there.

“Well … maybe don’t shave. Possibly. Just my opinion.”

I reach up and run my hand over my smooth jaw. It’s not something I normally do, but it grows fast and looked too long for meeting someone for the first time. “I didn’t want to look like a mountain man.”

His exhale is short and shaky. “Some of us like mountain men.”

I know we are only in book 2, but I am loving the representation of different types of students. Too often there is the jock and the brain and little in between. Book 1 was a jock, who didn’t act like the stereotypical jock, and the bad boy. This one gives us the twink flirt who is very sex positive and the quiet big guy who wants to find his person.

Opposites on the outside, but perfect for each other. After several missteps. Comical missteps from our point of view. But Felix was hurt by it and Marshall didn’t know why. No one knew why because Felix didn’t tell anyone that he actually wanted to find a boyfriend. So everyone was still acting like he was still the hook up king.

Marshall is just a teddy bear. He’s big, a bit soft around the middle but strong, quiet and wants a partner. But in college, no one seems to want that. Add in that he is a virgin AND demisexual and things get complicated.

And if Marshall is a teddy bear, Felix is a koala bear. He loves to touch and cuddle and be held and carried. He loves it, Marshall loves it, but they each made assumptions that is keeping them from being boyfriends. Silly boys.

There are several meddling friends, characters we met in book 1 (love that), a stray cat named Buttons and a plant called Cactus Everdeen.

This was a super sweet story with characters you can’t help but love. You are cheering them on from the beginning until they get their happily ever after. And there is a super satisfying epilogue as well.

4 pieces of eye candy

.                            .

Saxon James is an author from Aus who’s obsessed with writing queer characters.

She has a range of books from YA to adult and they all have one thing in common: swoony, sweet love.

When not writing, Saxon exists on a diet of coffee and chocolate while putting her KU subscription to the test.

Connect with Saxon:
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/saxonssweethearts/
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/thesaxonjames/
Newsletter: www.subscribepage.com/saxonjames
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Saxon-James/e/B082TP7BR7
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/saxon-james
Instagram: www.instagram.com/saxonjameswrites/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@saxon.james
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Review, Giveaway, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, Release Day Review Tagged With: author, blog tour, Blog Tours, Book Reviews, excerpt, gay, giveaway, Giveaways, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review, romance

Real Hazard (West Coast Forensics, Book 4) by Elle Keaton: New Release Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

August 29, 2022 by Denise

.                            .

Foster Jennings

Things I love

✓ my kid sister

✓ the no-hope dogs I rehabilitate

✓ my job as an EMT

✓ and maybe my new friend Dutch.

But Dutch isn’t gay and physical attraction isn’t something I feel often. Are these feelings real, or am I just tired of being alone?

Dutch Hansen

This is all Hazel’s fault. Hazel the Hazard.

✓ Hazel made me come to first grade safety day.

✓ Hazel blurted out—loudly—about the beautiful fireman.

✓ Hazel invited the beautiful fireman over for a tea party.

I swear I’m not gay, but Foster Jennings is the most beautiful man I’ve ever met, outside and in.

Dutch
Hansen is the single dad of a precocious daughter. He moved to Piedras wanting a better life for Hazel and himself. Things are shaping up, he’s landed a permanent job at Brooch Resort and Hazel has quit having nightmares that someone is going to steal her away.

Then everything goes sideways, Dutch’s past threatens his future and he doesn’t know where to turn.

Something is wrong, Dutch is pushing him away and won’t tell Foster why.

When Hazel goes missing Dutch can’t hide anymore, he needs his… Foster to help him get Hazel back.

#Demisexual #BiAwakening #SingleDad #FindingFamily

Book four in the West Coast Forensics series, can be read as a standalone but may be more fully enjoyed if you start with Real Trouble.

Title: Real Hazard
Authors: Elle Keaton
Series: West Coast Forensics, Book 4
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense.
Tropes: Demisexual, Bi-Awakening, Single Dad, Finding Family.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

“It is what it is. I’m the one who keeps an eye on the old man. Scott won’t set foot back here. Which, to be honest, I’m fine with. Scott and I do not get along. But enough about me.” Wade looked back at Dutch. “What about you? What skeletons do you have in your closet?”

Dutch blinked, feeling the spotlight swing his direction. He’d had just enough beer to be sort of honest. “Oh, you know. Chaos, mayhem, anarchy, and a little destruction here and there…”

“The cousins of the four horsemen.” Foster snickered, not knowing how close to the truth Dutch had come. Luckily the waiter returned with their beers and two bowls of popcorn, and the conversation veered away from the past. Dutch breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t even like thinking about his history, as if it might find its way back to him.

When their second beers were gone and the popcorn bowl empty, he and Foster both declined Wade’s offer to buy them a third. “I’m not the man I used to be.” “Dutch shook his head. “If I have another, I’ll need a ride home, and I need to be on my toes tomorrow.”

“Suit yourself,” Wade grumbled. “I’m gonna stay here a bit longer and drown my sorrows.”

“Dutch clapped him on the back as he scooted around to leave. “Take care. See you at work. Don’t let the raccoon sex get you down.”

“I keep promising myself I’ll quit.” Wade barked out a laugh. “Damn raccoons definitely have a better sex life than I do.”

Foster walked with Dutch to his car. “I never did find out your favorite band,” he complained. “Next time.”

“Definitely. My schedule is settling into something normal-ish, so just text me when you’re free.”

Dutch beeped his lock, watching Foster amble down the sidewalk to wherever he’d parked. Or maybe he’d walked here? Pulling onto the street, Dutch realized he was smiling. The evening had been fun. Even running into Wade had been fun. The squishy feeling in the center of his chest was a fledgling sense of belonging, and he wanted to keep it growing.”

I am such a sucker for a single dad!

I didn’t even realize that this was part of a series, so I’m going to have to go back and read the others, but in this one, we have Dutch and his daughter Hazel. (is that not the cutest old lady name?) They moved to a new town for a fresh, safe start, and things are going really well….for a while.

Foster is an EMT and it’s Hazel who brings him to attention during a safety day at school. I loved her from the very first second, I thought she was the cutest.
It isn’t often that you see a child character so upfront and prevalent, especially in m/m romance.
Not that it’s unheard of, but they tend to stay background characters and it felt like Hazel demanded to be seen and heard, and she fit in so effortlessly. I just adored her.

Unfortunately, as it does, just when folks finally find a little sense of happy, trouble comes knocking… Dutch tries to figure things out on his own and pushes Foster away… or he attempts to. Foster isn’t so easily swayed.. he’d already gone and gotten charmed by the cute duo, so he doesn’t scare away easily.

This one was a slow burn and I enjoyed every bit of it. I mean, cute kids, a sexy EMT, an ex-enforcer for a motorcycle gang, an outspoken and resilient little girl, and ….also puppers! Why wouldn’t you want to read this one?

5 easy pieces of eye candy for me! I can’t wait to go back and read all that I missed!

.                               .

Elle Keaton writes contemporary gay romance and MM romantic suspense set in the Pacific Northwest. Elle’s books are known for their hot mm romance, complex characters, and unique sense of place. The men start out broken, and maybe they’re still banged up by the end, but they always find the other half of their hearts.

Elle published first in 2017, now she has over seventeen books available for you to read or listen to.

She loves cats and dogs, Star Wars and Star Trek, pineapple on pizza, and is known to start crossword puzzles with ballpoint pen.

Love always wins, thank you for supporting this indie author!

Connect with Elle:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ElleKeatonWrites
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HighwayToElle/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/elle-keaton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellekeatonauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PirateQueenRdz1
MeWe: https://mewe.com/profile/5ac2766f310a7853d4ce8ad4
Website: https://www.ellekeaton.com/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3R02Cff
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/ek-gr-profile

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Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Review, Giveaway, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, Release Day Review, TCO Exclusives, TCO Reviewer: Denise Tagged With: 4 stars, 5 stars, author, blog tour, Blog Tours, book, Book Excerpts, Book Reviews, Elle Keaton, excerpt, exclusive, gay, giveaway, Giveaways, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review, romance

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

We are two chicks who love books (m/m romance with an HEA) and enjoy our eye candy. http://twochickso

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

2 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨Let’s celebrate! It’s release day for HAT TRICK by @authoremlindsey! Grab it in KU!#OneClickNowa.co/d/0io1BhPZWhy you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥Friends to Lovers🔥Only One Bed🔥Sexual Awakening🔥Hockey Goalies in love🔥Grumpy/Sunshine🔥Hockey Bro Banter🔥Praise Kink“For five million dollars, would you send a relative to jail?”"Bud, I would pay five million dollars to send a few there."Problem number one: Almost everything the world thinks they know about me is a lie.Problem number two: Two people know the truth.Problem number three: One of those two is a stalker and he's having a blast using that informationagainst me to get his way.The good news is, the second person who knows the truth about who I am seems pretty dedicated totaking my stalker down.The bad news is, it’s NHL goalie Vanya Maximov, and he and I had a one night stand that I can’t stop thinking about. And while Vanya might be walking sunshine so bright he can make even my blind ass see light, we have no business being together.I’m a mess, and while Vanya is everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner, he deserves better than me.If only he was willing to listen to reason. If only he was less stubborn and able to give up on a lost cause.But with his ability to give me exactly what I want—a little pain with my pleasure—and his refusal to treat me like I’m fragile, something dangerous starts happening.I’m beginning to think that maybe—just maybe—he’s right, and I am worth everything he sees.Hat Trick is the second book in the Punk as Puck spin-off series, Legends and Fury. It’s a high heat, friends to lovers romance with a sunshine NHL goalie who also might be a golden retriever in disguise, a PPHL goalie with big black cat energy, a stalker, and no faith in himself, hooking up in a friend’s car, praise and pain, high stakes romance, hockey bro banter, tons of chirping, and the swooniest happily ever after.#newbookalert #emlindsey #mmromance The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

4 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨Did you see?✨SUCK, a MM Monster Romance by @authoremlindsey & @coraroseauthor is available NOW! Grab it in KU! #OneClickNowmybook.to/feedandfeastbook1 Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥Monster/human🔥MM Romance🔥Hurt/Comfort🔥Sexual Awakening🔥Monster Peen🔥Opposites Attract🔥First Times🔥Lots of Sucking🔥Body Piercings🔥Monster World🔥Power Dynamics🔥High HeatWhen portals from another world split open the sky, humanity braces for war… only to discover the monsters from Erethar aren’t here to conquer. They need something from humans. Something oddly specific in order to survive.Suck is the first book in the MM Monster Romance series Feed and Feast. It contains a clueless human who’s just looking to do his duty for humanity, a naïve monster who has no idea how much humanity will change him, so much sucking, swooning, antagonists to lovers, cuddling as a love language, body piercings, secret romance, and a toe-curling happily ever after.#newbookalert #corarose #emlindsey #monsterromance The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

5 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
My review:Shadows Never Leave (Shadows duet book 2) by Lark TaylorThis is book 2 of a duet and you must read book 1 first...a.co/d/06h9mALvThis one was a bit tough for me. Mostly because I enjoyed book 1 so much I was expecting more from book 2.A note that cheating doesn't really bother me in books. But I felt that having Ryan engaged when Dominic returns was a bit too much...After 10 years Dom (and Max) are back. Dom wants to win Ryan back. Max wants his twin back in his life. But Ryan isn't that 18 year old kid anymore. And he isn't taking anyone's crap either.Dom is totally annoying at first. Ryan jokingly calls him a stalker, but there were stalker vibes there. Which fit with his personality but still.Too much of the book is them just rehashing what happened when Dom left and the fact that they have had zero communication in that time. Over and over and over again. It got to the point where I was ready to throw my kindle if Ryan said "BUT YOU LEFT!" one more time.And it is sooooooo obvious that he and his fiance Katie don't belong together. They liked each other. Probably loved each other. And they were the type of couple to make it work and make it look perfect on the outside. But they would have ended up miserable.So yes, we get the HEA. But we had to trudge through some mud to get there.3 pieces of eye candy ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

5 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
New release and my review for:Seven Minutes by Raquel Riley At times this was a difficult read for me (stress for ME). But that didn't make it a bad book. Quite the contrary. Any book that stirs feelings in you is a book that hits home.We aren't yet privy to the relationship between Adrian and Eli when a horrific car accident brings Eli to Adrian's emergency room. (maybe a nitpick here but how did none of the staff know it was his husband??) The title refers to the 7 minutes after you die when your brain is still functioning. Which is really kind of scary to me. But it is through those 7 minutes of recollection by Eli that we get most of the back story.Being that this is a romance, I don't think it is much of a spoiler that Eli survives. But what comes next is picking up the pieces of their lives, and more importantly, their marriage. There are fights and apologies and explanations.... Eli is still ready to give up despite his love for Adrian. Adrian is not giving up because of his love of Eli.You don't appreciate what you have until you lose it. Or almost lose it.4 Pieces of Eye CandyOne click here 👉 a.co/d/0e1X1vOC ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

5 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨Let’s celebrate! It’s release day for EVERYTHING, EVERY DAY FOR ETERNITY by @e.w.silver! Grab it in KU!#OneClickHerea.co/d/04PAcfh1Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥MM Paranormal Romance🔥Enemies to lovers🔥Forced proximity🔥Forbidden love🔥Star crossed lovers🔥Fated mates/chosen one🔥Revenge/atonement plot🔥Emotional healing after trauma🔥Second chance at trust🔥Hurt/comfort🔥Deep emotional intimacy🔥Protective partner / overprotective vampire🔥“I’d burn the world for you” devotion🔥Found family themes🔥D/s dynamic🔥Masochist × sadist compatibility issues🔥Aftercare as a love language🔥Rebuilding trust in intimacy🔥“I’m afraid I’ll hurt you” conflict🔥Magic with consequences🔥Life-or-death stakes🔥Dark curse / magical attack🔥Running out of time🔥Secrets that threaten love🔥Self-sacrifice for the one you loveOne broken wolf. One duty-bound vampire prince. One bond neither of them saw coming.Mark hasn’t shifted in ten years. Not since heartbreak stole his wolf and left him trapped in grief. He keeps to himself, silent and in pain... until the night Caster St. John, heir to the Vampire Crown, crosses his path.Caster is used to control. Command. Power.But Mark?Mark makes him want to break all his rules.Their connection is instant, intoxicating, undeniable, and dangerously forbidden. When a vengeful witch sets her sights on Mark, their fragile bond becomes the only thing standing between survival and destruction.Desire can be a weapon. Love can be a risk.But together? They might just be unstoppable.Everything, Every Day for Eternity is the first book in the Shadow Haven Series and an emotionally intense M/M romance about loss, healing, and choosing love even when it hurts.#newbookalert #ewsilver #mmparanormalromance The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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