Quick Reviews

Nothing Special V by A.E. Via: Blog Tour, Excerpt and HUGE Giveaway!

January 12, 2017 by Denise

synopsis

The boys are back and fiercer than ever!

“We were a unit tonight, moving as one. Even apart, we are deadly, but when combined – we are f**kin’ unstoppable.” ~~ God ~~

Atlanta’s notorious narcotics task force is at it again. They are stronger, bigger, and better than ever. Especially when a city councilman sends RECON Marine, Edwin Steele – who’s been blacklisted from his Oakland department – to join the team. God and Day weren’t recruiting. They have a lot on their plates, like the fact they’re supposed to be getting married soon. They don’t have the time or the patience to integrate a decorated war hero with a slight chip on his shoulder into their well-oiled machine.

A hothead that’s uncontrollable and terrible with authority… but wasn’t that their team motto?

Steele was ready to hang up his shield. He was done fighting with bigoted bastards that couldn’t respect the job. He was good at fighting; he just needed the right team to fight with. When his uncle – City Councilman, Rasmus Steele – shows him a video of God’s team in action, he knows right away, it’s where his nephew belongs in order to restore his faith.

Steele pointed to the driver, a behemoth of a man wielding those massive firearms like a true beast… like a soldier. “And him. Who the hell is he?”

“That’s your new boss. Lieutenant Cashel Godfrey… they call him… God.”

Steele was skeptical about his new placement, but when he meets God’s technology specialist/computer genius, “Tech,” he’s willing to give it his all, and he definitely shows and proves.

Tech is stunning. His sweater vest and khakis, a stark contrast to the blue-jeaned roughnecks he works with. A beautiful sheep amongst the wolves. Steel thinks there’s no way the brilliant man would be interested in a hardhead like him, but Tech has a few badass hidden talents of his own and manages to surprise him… surprise all of them.

This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA. There are no multiple pairings in this novel.

Author A.E. Via

Title: Nothing Special V

M/M GAY CONTEMPORARY

Edited by: Tina Adamski

Cover Artist – Jay Aheer

PAGE COUNT – 365

Release Date: December 12, 2016

excerpt

Steele looked at his watch. It was going on five. He figured if he disappeared for a little while and popped back up before the cake cutting, no one would know. He had to do something to loosen the tightening in his slacks. Tech had the audacity to show up in a dark royal blue suit with velvet lapels – which appeared black in dim lighting – and matching blue suede loafers. And he’d be damned, Tech had on a goddamn bow tie made from the same material as the lapels. The pants stopped an inch above his ankles and Steele could see he wasn’t wearing socks. He took another swig of his drink and placed the glass back on the counter, one of the kitchen staff snatching it right up.

He walked over to Tech, not interrupting whatever he was talking about with Free and Furi. When they finished, Steele leaned into Tech’s back. “Come with me.”

Tech turned and looked behind him, giving Steele a skeptical look. Tech knew Steele’s voice. Knew when it was full of want. He took Steele’s hand and let him lead him up the stairs while most of the guests weren’t paying attention to the front of the loft. He really didn’t care if they were seen or not. Steele opened his bedroom door and hurried Tech inside. He closed and locked the door, then stepped back so he could look at his boyfriend. Steele had long ago shed his borrowed suit jacket and was rolling up his sleeves like he was about to do something serious to Tech.

Neither of them said anything while the sexual tension built around them and saturated the air. Tech leaned against the door, his hand drifting down to the front of his pants, rubbing himself there, like just looking at Steele made him hard. Steele stalked forward and brushed his hand over the bow tie, his eyes hooded, his dick rock hard. He wrapped one arm around Tech’s back, still caressing the fabric of his suit. “You look breathtaking, dressed up like this. I couldn’t keep my eyes off you,” Steele whispered. He methodically removed Tech’s suit jacket but didn’t touch his black dress shirt or that tie. He walked Tech to his bed, watching his eyes behind those frames cloud with lust.

“Edwin,” Tech moaned, leaning into his neck and sucking at his throat.

Steele growled, easing Tech down on the bed and covering his body, pressing firmly against him. Steele kissed Tech with all the built up passion he’d kept contained for the last eight hours.

NS5 - Teaser

michelle review

*****THE BOYS ARE BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER*****
Nothing makes me happier than when one of my favorite series has a new book added to the family. I absolutely love the Nothing Special Series and AE Via has outdone herself once again.
Nothing Special V has everything I love in a series….New characters….new relationship….previous characters and all the God and Day you can handle. Via does an excellent job in keeping you engrossed in the pages as we watch the Bad A$$ awesomeness that is the Narcotics Unit come alive. Her stories, especially the Nothing Special Series, always gives me goosebumps while reading it. In the 1st book when God goes crazy over Day being held captive will forever be my #1 scene. It gave me ALL THE FEELS, however, the opening chapter of Nothing Special V comes very close to taking that #1 spot…
The sound of Desert Eagle handguns. “You hear that, Ro? Hang in there. He’s here
OMG…..That line right there will have you reading until the wee hours of the morning. This book was a little different from the previous ones as it had multiple POVs besides the 2 MCs, Tech & Steele. We get into the minds of God, Day, Tech (Eekkkk….he is one bad a$$ computer nerd), Steel (ex-military….enough said!) and Free (yep….new character who I have started to adore).
If you haven’t started this series – YOU SHOULD
If you have and are waiting to read this – DON’T WAIT
If you want a read that will leave you wanting more – HURRY UP AND 1-CLICK.
Book Hangover – ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY
Via could write 100 books in this series and I would always want more. I could read about every single character she could create and never get tired of them. I wish I could give more than 5 pieces of eye candy as this deserves a sh!t ton more. I cannot wait for Free and Hart to get their story. Well done Ms. Via – You have delivered another fantastic read.

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meet the author

ae-author-pic

A.E. Via is an author in the beautiful gay romance genre and also founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books. Her writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family—a husband and four children. Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors.

Visit my site to learn more! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next

Links

Amazon Buy Link: http://amzn.to/2jzH7C8

Barnes & Noble: https://goo.gl/DVKJ5O

Smashwords: https://goo.gl/psjFiu

Goodreads: https://goo.gl/e0aytf

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Blog: http://authoraevia.com/blogfann.html

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

Block and Strike by Kelly Jensen: Release Day Review

January 6, 2017 by Denise

synopsis Jacob Kendricks is three months out of prison, estranged from his daughter, and ready to get his life on track. Taking care of the bum curled up on his doorstep isn’t part of the plan. When he realizes the man has been assaulted, Jake takes him to the hospital, where he learns that Max is his downstairs neighbor… and that he could really use a friend. Keeping Max in the friend-zone would be easier if he wasn’t so damned cute.

Maxwell Wilson has been bullied for years, and the only person who ever cared lives too far away to come to his rescue. Now his upstairs neighbor is offering support. Max remains cautious, suspecting he is little more than a project for the handsome Jake. When he learns Jake has had boyfriends as well as girlfriends, Max has to reevaluate his priorities—and muster the courage to take a chance at love.

Just when a happy future is within their grasp, life knocks them back down. A devastating blow leaves Max lower than ever and Jake wrestling with regret. They both have to find the strength to stand on their own before they can stand together.

Title: Block and Strike
Author: Kelly Jensen
Release Date: January 6, 2017
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 266

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Dreamspinner Press

jennifer

Shew, this story was an emotional rollercoaster…
First, I should say that there will most likely be mild spoilers, because that’s just how I do it. So, prepare.
Jake is fresh out of jail; not wanting to mess up, not wanting to call attention to himself and only worried about himself and when he can see the daughter his ex-wife won’t let him see when he finds a drunk guy passed out on his door-step…. Only this isn’t a drunk guy passed out and covered in vomit and urine, it’s a guy so beat up and left for dead, he doesn’t even recognize that it’s the man who lives downstairs; Max.
Max is so beat down by life. Used to being shuffled around, neglected, beat up and abused; he’s just a hot mess. He flinches at his own shadow and doesn’t have any self-worth at all. He’s trying, but life just keeps on knocking him down. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time has him victim to another beating and thankfully, Jake is there to help him out, even if he does have trouble accepting.
Jake has secrets though, several of them and Max wants to run every time he finds out a new one. I’d say none of them are really terrible. I think Jake has a problem with his anger, but I can’t at all blame him a bit for any of it. In a way I even hated how he made up with the ex and the guy that sent him to prison because every bit of it was their fault. You tell a man that loves you, that your boyfriend beat you up and he DOESN’T come over and give him a taste of his own medicine, that man, isn’t a man… At least in my opinion… Had it been one of my three brothers, my dad or my husband, any man puts his hands on me; he’ll be eating his meals through a straw for the foreseeable future… So, I didn’t hold that against him and I’m glad Max didn’t either.
I loved these two together. It took a while for Max to trust and rightfully so…. then it took a bit for them to admit their attraction for one another, but once they did; I was glad it progressed the way it did. Jake was patient and understanding; he didn’t push or expect too much and you could feel how much he cared about Max from the beginning; how he does things to get him to open himself up to new things, like taking him to the dojo and helping him learn self-confidence and having him meet accepting and considerate people.
I loved Jake’s family. They were great and accepting and they took to Max with open arms; which was awesome, because his dad seemed terrible, even though we thankfully never met him and Max’s mom had passed away and that still hit him hard. I wished that he had closure on what she meant because as a mother, I’d like to think she didn’t mean what he thought she meant. I do wish his dad would have gotten the karmatic beat down that he deserved though.
I also loved that Jake called Max beautiful. Sappy but true, I felt like not only was it sweet but I felt like Max needed that. Overall, this was a pretty angsty read, not too much, but enough to have me flipping pages like crazy to see what happened next… and then I was extremely happy with the ending. I wouldn’t mind reading more about these two and their families.
4 pieces of eye candy for me.

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A Coal Miner’s Son by T.A. Chase: Release Day Review

January 4, 2017 by Denise

synopsis James Callahan is the only son of Nicholas Callahan, owner of the Willow Hollow mine in West Virginia—but he’s never considered himself any better than the miners. He’s best friends with Owain Rees, one of the miners’ kids, and he’s been attracted to Cai, Owain’s older brother, for years. James gets the feeling he might not be the only one sensing the tension between them, but Cai avoids him religiously.

Cai has been working the mine since he was sixteen. He acknowledges James is cute, but he’s grown up privileged while Cai’s family has always been working class, and Cai fears that chasm is too wide to cross. When family drama pushes them together, will Cai and James see they’re more alike than they realized?

Take a leap of faith as two men from different worlds, employer and employee, rich and poor, discover that love transcends social barriers.

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Title: A Coal Miner’s Son
Author: T.A. Chase
Release Date: January 4, 2017
Category: Contemporary, States of Love
Pages: 107

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Dreamspinner Press

jennifer
Owain and James have been friends for as long as they can remember.
James’s Dad ownes the Willow Hollow mines that the little town in West Virgina sit in.
James has always had a crush on Owians brother Cai but, Cai never gave him the time of day because just like a lot of other people in the town; they thought James was like his father….

Let’s talk about James’ father. He was pompous and self-important, I didn’t care for him at all and I was glad James stood up to him about the things that we’re important.

We have other stories going on within the story; like Cai and Owain’s sister leaving her husband who was a drunk and physically violent, so they were dealing with that. That’s actually what helped Cai get over his aversion to dating the boss’s son. Then, we have their sister, who honestly, is another weird spelled name and I don’t remember it; but she’s going to school to be a doctor and the town pitches in to keep her in school, because they know she’ll come back and the town will finally have a doctor. Not many know that James is a big contributor to her though; and the rest of the town, even though they’d probably not like knowing that he buys groceries for the small town and helps them out with things they need.

He’s a genuinely nice guy and he has the means to help. I wish the town would have been more appreciative. I did like the small town feel of this story though, living in a ridiculously small town, I really enjoy the concept of the town being more like a family and everyone helping everyone. I like that Cai and James didn’t hide their relationship once they got together and for the most part people seemed accepting. I liked how James thought about the miners and their families and was good to everyone. He was truly a really nice guy.

This book is a different read than what I’m used to, but I’m glad I gave it a chance. If you’re looking for a low angst book with a “FINALLY” type of relationship lol, you’ll enjoy this book.

4 pieces of eye candy for me

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Painted on my Heart by Kindle Alexander: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review, and Giveaway

January 3, 2017 by Denise

Title: Painted On My Heart

Author: Kindle Alexander

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: January 2, 2017

Artist Kellus Hardin let love and loyalty cloud his past decisions, a mistake he definitely won’t make again. Now, lost and alone, he’s left to pick up the shattered pieces of his broken heart while facing the truth of his reality.

Arik Layne exudes power, confidence, and determination. But when an encounter with the guarded artist shakes him to the core and alters all his future goals, he finds more than just his heart on the line.

For Kellus, opening himself to love isn’t an option.

All Arik wants is to make the artist his.

Can love create a masterpiece when it’s painted on your heart?

Painted on My Heart by Kindle Alexander from Bibliophile Productions on Vimeo.

teaser

deanna review

Wow! There isn’t one aspect of this book that I don’t adore. The writing is stellar, the characters are complex and relatable and the plot line kept you on the edge of your seat.

Arik owns a chain of popular hotels and is opening one in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. His cousin Gage has hired local artist Kellus to make an original piece to hang in the lobby of the hotel. Kellus has made other pieces for his hotel chain but Arik has never had the opportunity to meet the artist face to face. One look and Arik is hooked.

Kellus has come to learn that he can’t depend on anyone but himself. His family has turned their back on him and his best friend/boyfriend has chosen his drug habit over him, but not before taking everything of value from him and leaving his life in tatters. Kellus has the weight of the world on his shoulders and he doesn’t have time for a relationship. Kellus’s big dream is for stability, it both his personal and professional life.

Arik is offering both, but it will take a huge leap of faith from Kellus to believe they won’t be snatched away. Just as Kellus starts to get comfortable with Arik, his ex rears his ugly head, sending Kellus off doing damage control. Kellus is so afraid that he isn’t worth the drama and extra effort and that Arik will walk away, when all Arik wants to do is hold onto his gorgeous artist tighter.

I love the character crossover. We get to see Gage and Trent and Colt and Jace again, which is always a good thing.

This was a long book, but an amazing book. Despite the length, the plot never got stuck it always kept moving. For me there weren’t any parts that were slower that others, the whole storyline was well developed and entertaining.

Arik, what can I say about Arik. His confidence was a delight. He saw who he wanted and he barreled through Kellus’s defenses to get to his heart. The way Arik could take one look at Kellus’s art and see exactly what Kellus was going through at that point one in his life was one more foundation block in building their rock solid relationship.

The quirky relationship Arik has with Gage had be laughing, it was much needed comic relief. They fight like children and at times it was just the levity that was needed. While Arik and Gage are the larger than life jokesters, Kellus and Trent are the quiet strength.

Kellus reminds me of a wounded warrior, he may have been broken by his ex at one point but his spirit is still fierce. The words were so well written that at the height of the drama with his ex I could actually feel his embarrassment, despair and soul crushing ache of not being in control of anything. Even when it appeared that nothing else could be heaped on top of Kellus without breaking him, his inner strength would surprise the hell out of you.

This book was a great way to start out 2017.

5 pieces of eye candy

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Chapter 1

The shrill ring of his phone should have startled him awake, but Kellus Hardin was just too damn tired to do much more than roll in the direction of the irritating sound and throw a hand out to half-ass search around his mattress for the device. When he came up empty handed, he managed to turn the other way and do the same. By the time his exhausted sleep-hazed brain identified the phone wasn’t anywhere around him, he heard the chirp indicating a voice mail. He cracked an eyelid and lifted his head enough to look over at the alarm clock. Four thirty in the morning. Seriously? Nothing good could come from a call that time of night. He collapsed back to the bed with an annoyed groan. He’d been asleep less than an hour after working the fifteen before on the pieces he had due for the art gallery opening.

“Fuck,” he growled out, turning over again. He tucked a soft pillow into his side and decided he’d deal with that call in the morning. His exhausted state gave a solid thumbs-up on the plan, and he easily drifted back to sleep. What had to be a mere second later, the ringing started again. Stupid cell phone.

Kellus threw the covers away from his body and darted off the bed, angrier than he’d been in a very long time. He was fucking tired—tired of his fucked-up life and tired of this motherfucker who wouldn’t leave him the fuck alone.

Fuck!

With a vengeance, he zeroed in on the location of the noise. He marched to his laundry basket by the bedroom door and began tearing through the clothes to find the stupid phone, no doubt still inside his paint-spattered coveralls where he’d dropped it not fifty-three minutes ago before he’d finally managed to crawl into bed.

Palming the device, he glared at the caller ID. John. Of course. Who else would call in the middle of the fucking night?

“What?” he shouted as he connected the call.

“Come get him.” A deep masculine voice with a Spanish accent had him pulling the phone from his ear to look down at the screen in confusion.

Wait. Great. Even fucking better—John’s dealer.

“No,” he said firmly as he stood tall and fisted his free hand at his side. His chest bowed in defiance as if the guy on the other end of the phone were right there in his darkened bedroom. “You give him that shit, you deal with him.”

The harsh laugh on the other end of the line held what might have been genuine amusement. “I deal with him and it won’t end well.” The line went dead. Kellus shoved his fingers through his hair to help push the long strands out of his eyes.

“Fuck!” he bellowed to the empty room, spinning in a complete circle, gripping his phone in his hand and punching his fist through the air. Thank God he was alone, because if anybody had witnessed that little outburst he’d have been carted off to the nearest mental facility. He was just so fucking sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Breath heaving as anger and dread coursed through his veins, Kellus stood there, staring absently at his bed. The fatigue of the day settled heavy on his shoulders. He had responsibilities. He couldn’t take on more of John’s bullshit. He jammed the heels of his palms against his tired eyes and released an exhausted sigh. After so many hours holding a brush for the fine details of his painting, his hands cramped with the movement, and the muscles in his neck and back protested the long hours he’d put in today. He needed sleep. More than the fifty-three minutes he’d gotten.

“I’m not fucking doing this again. I warned him the last time. I made it clear. No more!” Kellus sliced the hand still holding his cell through the air with finality. With that decision made, he stalked across the room and tossed his phone on the nightstand. He climbed back in his bed, whipping the covers over his exhausted body.

He hadn’t heard from John in six days.

Six glorious, productive, happy days.

Staring up at the ceiling, unable to get his mind to shut off, he told himself he’d made the right decision. John needed to stay away. Kellus forced his eyelids closed. At this point, he’d still get a few good hours sleep before he had to start his day. The longer he lay there, the more guilt crept in.

It always did.

Images of his best friend came to mind. Happier times. Memories of his and John’s younger days and all the trouble they’d managed to get into. Those thoughts actually calmed his breathing. His mind drifted to the summer of their senior year. He hadn’t thought about that time in so long. He and John had gone to the lake with some friends. A healthy, glowing, handsome John had teased him unmercifully until he had finally agreed to skinny dip…

“Fuck!” Kellus whipped off the covers and rose, angry and worried.

He couldn’t leave John in that place.

Kellus stopped dead center in his bedroom, fuming; he was so pissed at himself, at his own indecision, at John. What the fuck was wrong with him? John had destroyed both their lives, shit on him over and over with absolutely no regard for his feelings whatsoever. He’d lost everything because of John. He swore he’d never do this again.

But he couldn’t leave John there.

Not there.

Dejected, Kellus ran a frustrated hand over his face, sighed, then went for his closet to dress.

~~~

Topping out at max speed, Arik Layne flew down the Dallas North Tollway. Being the only one on the highway might have been the only benefit of flying home in the middle of the night from his Escape Del Mar property.

God, he was past exhausted.

Less than five minutes later, Arik parked and wearily made his way through the private entrance of his downtown Dallas high-rise, shrugging out of his hand-tailored suit jacket before he reached the elevator. At the elevator, he tossed the garment over his arm and entered his exclusive security code into the wall-mounted keypad, effectively locking the car for his personal use. The doors opened immediately. The technology didn’t require him to do anything more than step inside before the doors closed and the overhead floor-indicator light displayed each passing floor, a soft ding sounding repeatedly as he traveled non-stop up the forty or so floors to his penthouse. Arik rested against the back wall, forcing a finger into the knot of his necktie to loosen its tight hold. He then removed each cuff link at his wrist and absently dropped them into his slacks pockets. The more he removed now, the faster he could hit his perfect Vera Wang mattress and shut his tired eyes.

The entire building was quiet. Another benefit to relocating to this area. Well, sort of. Dallas as a whole was quieter than any place he’d ever lived. He walked the few steps to his front door, pulling out his wallet to wave in front of the security pad when the doors didn’t unlock at his arrival. Strangely, the key card inside his wallet didn’t trigger the lock to release. Arik let out a yawn as he entered his code into the attached keypad. He’d have to remember to check his card in the morning.

The overhead lights automatically lit as he entered his front door, and the motion sensors continued lighting his way the deeper he ventured inside his home. Arik absently tossed his suit jacket on a chair in the living room, never straying from the direct path to his bedroom. He pulled his shirttails from his slacks, his level of sheer exhaustion rising with each step he took. Honestly, that had to be the only reason he didn’t register the glow of lights coming from underneath the closed door until he’d already turned the handle.

“What the fuck?” His heart almost leaped out of his chest when he stepped inside his bedroom to find someone sprawled across his bed in what probably qualified as a seductive pose. Recognition took another second to seep in.

“Surprise!” A small pop sounded and confetti flew into the air, scattering across his bed.

Arik’s brows snapped together. Oh hell no. He loved that bed.

“What the hell are you doing?” Arik asked as he moved farther inside the room. He registered the slight look of indignation and the flip of that long, black, silky hair before Boy Toy’s face morphed again into a pleasant smile.

“I came to surprise you.” BT wiggled his sexy ass and gave a cheeky little smile.

Even as tired and annoyed as he was, Arik experienced a stir below his belt. He was human after all, and this particular BT was especially skilled. He stopped at his dresser, reached inside his front slacks pockets and casually tossed the contents on the small tray. He didn’t like surprises of any kind, and BT, short for boy toy number one hundred and—hell, he’d lost count of the willing men he’d bedded—had just shocked the hell out of him.

This one was way too pretty and so deliciously tempting that for a split second he almost gave in…almost.

No, he had to stay firm. This was utter bullshit. He couldn’t have random BTs breaking into his home, surprising him at every turn, desecrating his perfect bed with confetti.

“How did you get in here?” he asked, leaning against the dresser, casually crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’ve been planning this since you left me last week. I swiped your card from your wallet when you were in the shower.” Boy Toy lost the erotic pose, probably too much strain for his delicate body.

“I guess I need to keep a closer eye on my wallet in the future.” Arik shoved away from the dresser and headed toward his closet.

“I’m beginning to think you’re not happy that I’m here. You know I’d look good on your arm for the opening of Escape Dallas.” BT hopped up from the bed and trailed after him, following him into the closet.

“Are these your things?” he asked, nodding toward the garment bag hanging in his closet with luggage settled beneath. Arik’s things had been pushed aside and replaced with BT’s, as if the guy planned to stay awhile. First the bed, now the closet. He didn’t allow anyone to breach his private space. That crossed every line he had.

Fuck, he’d known when he first saw this guy he’d be trouble. The gorgeous ones always were. Arik shook his head.

“Yes, I put them next to yours. I arrived late and didn’t have time to unpack.”

Arik abandoned his silk tie on the built-in dresser and began to grab BT’s things. The level of pissed off coursing through him now superseded any desire he might have mustered.

“You can’t ever do this again. I told you from the beginning,” Arik said, shoving the garment bag toward BT as he went for the two suitcases, then he tossed the strap of one over his shoulder and grabbed the other by the handgrip. How long had he even planned to stay that he needed all this?

“Be careful with that. It’s got my mink inside!” BT carefully draped the bag over his arm, allowing Arik to take him by his other arm and forcefully guide him from the closet.

“Why in the hell would you bring a fur coat to Texas?” Arik kept his grip tight, even when BT tried to worm his way out.

“Why would I leave home without… What are you doing?” BT actually held on to the doorframe to keep Arik from removing him from the bedroom.

“You’re going to the guest room, BT. We’ll talk—”

A solid outraged screech cut him off.

“Stop calling me that! I hate that. I have a name.” The guy went into full-on diva mode right there in the middle of his hall.

“You’ve known the deal from the beginning. I don’t like these kinds of surprises. I was very clear,” Arik said. When he realized it might take two hands to deposit BT into the guest bedroom, he went for that door, pushed it open wide, and tossed the suitcase in his hand across the room. For a second there, he’d thought the guy planned to go back to Arik’s bedroom which would have turned things pretty shitty real quick. Luckily, BT came toward him with a very calm, patient look on his face.

“If you would just go with it, we could have a very special relationship,” BT said, placing a delicate hand on Arik’s dress shirt, letting his fingers trail down Arik’s chest as he took a step closer. “I’m good at attending events with you. I look good on your arm. Besides, I’m tired of modeling. It takes up so much of my time. And if we came to some sort of arrangement, with all my extra free time, I could take care of you any way you saw fit.”

“Not gonna happen.”

BT’s words couldn’t have been better deterrent for giving in and indulging in a quick hook-up. Arik preferred his fun with no strings attached. Not that he had anything against the whole finding Mr. Right concept. But the boy toy currently groping his ass was not anywhere close to his idea of relationship material. Arik stopped the hand at his waistband and shrugged the case off his shoulder, dumping it right inside the guest bedroom door. He left the gorgeous but clearly crazy man standing there as he headed back toward his bedroom.

“I need to leave here by eight in the morning. Be ready.’’

“Seriously? You’re just leaving? I stretched myself to be ready for you.”

Arik looked back to see BT stomp his foot for good measure, his now flaccid dick swinging in the process. BT was certainly beautifully put together, tall, lean, chiseled abs, a perfect body that Arik knew from past experience could bring a lot of pleasure.

No, Arik. That was how he’d gotten in this situation in the first place. Stop. No. Walk away.

“Goodnight, BT. Don’t come back to my room,” he said at the door.

“Stop calling me BT! I’m not just your boy toy! My name is Steffan.”

Steffan—yeah, he remembered that now. Steffan twirled around and stalked into the guest bedroom, that long hair floating out around him. The door slammed shut in his wake.

Arik closed his door and reached down to twist the lock when he heard something crashing against the guest room door. Arik chuckled at that one and quickly opened his door again.

“Be ready by eight in the morning. I won’t be happy if you make me late,” he yelled before closing and relocking the door.

He staggered to the bed. His bed. Even with taking the time to rid the bedspread of the confetti and change the pillowcases where that overly strong cologne lingered, he’d still, hopefully, get at least a couple hours’ sleep.

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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Switched by N.R. Walker: Review

January 2, 2017 by Denise

synopsis

Israel Ingham’s life has never been easy. He grew up in a house devoid of love and warmth. Nothing he ever did was good enough. The fact Israel is gay just added to the long list of his father’s disappointments.

Then a letter from Eastport Children’s Hospital changes everything.

A discovery is made, one of gross human error. Twenty-six years ago two baby boys were switched at birth and sent home with the wrong families.

Sam, Israel’s best friend, has been his only source of love and support. With Sam beside him every step of the way, Israel decides to meet his birth mother and her son, the man who lived the life Israel should have.

Israel and Sam become closer than ever, amidst the tumultuous emotions of meeting his birth family, and Sam finds himself questioning his feelings toward his best friend. As Israel embraces new possibilities, he needs to dissect his painful relationship with his parents in order to salvage what’s left.

Because sometimes it takes proof you’re not actually family to become one.

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Amazon

denise review

Why do I continue to allow N.R. Walker to surprise me? There has not been one of this author’s books that I have been disappointed in, even ones that I would likely not have picked up if someone hadn’t said “read this!” And yet, I continue to be surprised by this author each and every time I read her books. She writes with such passion, and shows such character growth, that I wonder if she has a degree in human psychology, and if not, then she truly understands human emotion.

This book could have easily been a trope of “man finds he’s switched at birth, and falls in love with the man he was switched with”, which would have left me the feeling of a Hallmark movie. Instead, it was a story about family. It was about how one event, more than two decades before can determine family, how you see family, and what makes a family whole.

Switched was not your average male/male romance. It was a story focused on the growth of one character, Israel, after a circumstance that is almost impossible to understand all of the ramifications of. It also happened to have a hot, sexy lawyer who Israel realized he was in love with…and damn, those were some HAWT sex scenes.

In the end, though, to see how Israel found a way to love his parents, and to love himself, as well as letting in the love of another family, was heart warming. Israel worked hard to get there. It wasn’t a snap fix, as can sometimes happen in similar books. He was willing to put in the effort, and believe in what he could see of himself, and his family. The author gave the reader what they needed to really understand this character, time to learn where he came from, time to see where he was headed, and how he made himself get there. The journey the author brings you on sets you up from the beginning to understand how much change Israel needs in his life to feel whole, and to feel loved.

I cried several times in the book. Sometimes happy tears, sometimes tears of sadness, but as always the tears that N.R. Walker can so often bring to my eyes. She works magic in books that I only find with a few authors. I promise I will NEVER doubt again!!!! 🙂

5 pieces of eye candy!!!!

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Love and Snowball Fights by J.R. Loveless: Quick Review

January 2, 2017 by Denise

synopsis

Lane Freeman supposed there were worse places to be dumped than a place named Christmas Valley. After being ejected from the foster care system, he spent the past five years hitchhiking and moving around. But six months of a steady job at Tal’s Bar and Grill, an apartment, and even a three-legged cat have him almost ready to risk putting down a few roots when Tal’s brother comes home for the holidays.

Dallas firefighter Trey Jenkins reluctantly accepts that Lane isn’t like the other drifters who’ve come through his brother’s place. A fragile attraction begins to bloom between them in spite of the many reasons they each have to fight it. Trey wants to give Lane a family, but experience has taught Lane to depend on no one but himself. Will winter love burn hot in the town called Christmas Valley or will Lane return to his wandering ways?

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Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

deanna review

I really enjoyed this one, J R Loveless is a new author to me and I wasn’t disappointed.

Lane is extremely shy, almost painfully so. His parents died when he was 15 and he bounced around from foster home to foster home until he was 18. Then he roamed from place to place never allowing anyone close, until he lands in Christmas Valley.

Lane starts working at a restaurant as a bus boy and slowly the owner, Tal earns his trust. Then Lane finds a cat and before you know it, he’s put down some roots. He’s still extremely quiet and uncomfortable around strangers, but he’s taking care of himself.

Then Lane meets Trey, Tal’s brother who can only be described as rude. Trey is so used to Tal being taken in by a sad story and then being hurt when someone steals from him that he assumes Lane is doing the same thing. Without giving Lane a chance, Trey warns him about hurting Tal. Lane is so upset by the confrontation that he begins planning his escape from Christmas Valley and Trey.

Tal finally corners Trey and explains just how bad a life Lane had before coming to Christmas Valley. The story has Trey looking at Lane in a new light and he knows he has to do everything he can to repair the tenuous relationship he has with the skittish man.

As the two work together in the restaurant, Lane becomes more comfortable in Trey’s presence. A huge snowstorm leaves Lane and Trey snowed in together and Lane realizes that he’s fighting a losing battle trying to keep him feelings for Trey at bay. Trey only has until the snow melts to prove to Lane that he’s worth the gamble.

Great holiday read. I love stories with strong characters that don’t realize how strong they are. Lane is as strong as they come, but he didn’t realize it about himself. Trey may be physically stronger, but Lane is an emotional fortress.

If ever there was someone that deserved a happily ever after its Lane. I. So glad he got it.

J R Loveless is a new author to me, but I am definitely going to read a few more. Very enjoyable story, great scenery and characters.

4 pieces of eye candy

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