Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Quick Reviews

Oh So Oscar (Forever Love Book 3) by Charlie Novak: Release Blitz, Excerpt and Release Day Review

by

What happens when a prickly travel journalist falls for his fake boyfriend?

Oscar Moore has two problems. One: He’s accidentally managed to convince his boss, the legendary editor of The Traveller, that he has a boyfriend. And two: he now has to persuade photographer and casual acquaintance, Ilias Verrati, to play along for a week-long couple’s retreat in Hawaii.

Ilias is full of sass and sunshine, but his constant flirting grates on Oscar. Unfortunately, unless Oscar wants to confess and risk his job, he has to keep up the ruse. He can manage a week, and if he can pull this off then editorial glory awaits.

Oscar and Ilias both have their own reasons for avoiding relationships—even if they desperately want one—and their work makes finding love even more difficult, but maybe a fake relationship is just what they need to give them a nudge in the right direction.

Under the Hawaiian sun, Oscar discovers there’s more to Ilias than meets the eye. But before Ilias will risk his heart, Oscar will have to find a way to open it.

Oh So Oscar is a 78,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring fake dating, luxurious hotel rooms, star gazing, and delicious food. It also contains discussions of grief, including the past loss of a parent, and the past loss of a partner.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Across the horizon, the sun turned the sky into an unearthly spectacle of colour and fire. I’d watched sunsets before, hundreds of them, but this one took my breath away in a whole new way.

I slotted my camera together at speed, lifting its bulk to my eye as I attempted to capture the majesty before me. I knew that any photo I took was never going to do the sight justice, but I had to try.

Beside me, Oscar let out a slow breath. I lowered the camera for a moment, turning my head to see his dark eyes fixed on the flaming clouds that danced across the sky.

“Wow,” he said softly. “It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah,” I said, never taking my eyes off him. “It is.”

He turned his head and I felt my face heat as I suddenly pretended to be very interested in my camera, praying that he hadn’t noticed me staring at him. This was just supposed to be fake. I wasn’t supposed to be developing any kind of feelings for Oscar. 

Oscar. The oft talked about but rarely seen brother. Because he is a travel writer and lives in London, he isn’t around the family as much as all of the other siblings. This time the focus is on him as the series moves out of Lincoln and the surrounding area.

Another thing that sets Oscar apart from his siblings is that he is demisexual. Yes, gay, but also demi. Hard to deal with when you are a travel writer and can be away for days and weeks at a time. So it didn’t even cross his mind when pitching LGBT+ inclusive destinations that to review them, he should be going as half of a couple. So when put on the spot he throws out the name of a gay travel photographer he has met a few times. Ya, a few times. Not even someone he would call a friend.

But Ilias is up for the adventure, if for nothing than to get a vacation in Hawaii and some exposure in a famous publication. Going with Oscar is a definite plus, even if he is grumpy.

But when they are together in Hawaii Oscar opens up more. And Ilias is a perfect gentlemen. With a little light teasing. Once Ilias knows that Oscar is demisexual, he takes that seriously. And they also agree to date each other.

In the cold light of day- in London- things are awkward again. The vacation rose colored glasses are off. But Oscar’s editor has another assignment. Fifteen boutique hotels all across England, and one in Scotland. For him and his boyfriend.

And it is during that several week 15 stay assignment that they REALLY get to know each other. They aren’t scheduled every minute of the day with resort amenities. Besides staying overnight and having one meal at each place, they are free to do whatever they’d like. And Ilias opens up as well.

This is a slow slow burn due to they whole demisexual thing, but let me tell you. WORTH IT! I thought Finn was hot. Oscar, once he feels desire for someone, let’s himself be free. Even when he realized he was ready for more, what he whispered to Ilias over a table nearly lit my kindle on fire.

Damn.

We not only get to revisit all of our other favorite characters, we also get a cute Easter Egg. I love when authors do that.

And again, a great epilogue.

Definitely a must read. The subject of demisexuality is treated with care without making it feel odd. Or that the person who was demi was odd. Nice representation.

4 pieces of eye candy

Charlie lives in England with her husband and two cheeky dogs. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them. 

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with baking, Dungeons and Dragons, reading and many other nerdy pursuits. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

Website: https://charlienovak.com/

Newsletter https://charlienovak.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/charlienovakauthor/

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/charlie-novak

Twitter https://twitter.com/charlienwrites

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

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@charlienwrites 

Facebook Group Charlie’s Angels (https://www.facebook.com/groups/charlienovaksangels/)

Linktree (for all links) https://linktr.ee/charlienovak

Marriage is Murder (Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem Book 2) by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

by

Spring is in full bloom, love is in the air, and Cupid has taken deadly aim in Savannah.

Newly engaged, Royce Locke and Sawyer Key are ready to set the date and charge full-steam ahead into their happily ever after, but homicides and unresolved conflicts keep getting in their way. Neither detective has met a case they couldn’t solve, but their latest investigations will push their limits and challenge their faith when the line between friend and foe becomes blurred. And if that weren’t enough, a random encounter with a stranger will trigger a series of events that could either make or break the couple.

Love—often a thriller, sometimes a killer, but always worth the battle.

Marriage is Murder is book two in the Matrimony and Mayhem trilogy, the second story arc for Royce Locke and Sawyer Key.

** New readers should start with the Zero Hour trilogy before reading Matrimony and Mayhem. ** Marriage is Murder is a continuation of Royce and Sawyer’s happily ever after as they move into the next phase of their lives—professionally and personally. Though some storylines span the trilogy, this book does not end in a cliffhanger. Heat, humor, heart, and homicide abound. You have been warned. 18+

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Book 1: The Magnolia Murders (Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem Book 1)

Book 3: Killer Honeymoon (Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem Book 3) (out 7/1)

When Royce had pulled up to The Pirate’s House restaurant, he figured he’d seen it all and that nothing could shock him at that point in his career. He’d gone through the usual steps of putting on his PPE, signing in at the scene, and chatting with the responding officers, Jennifer Wang and Sierra Knight, who happened to be two of his favorites. Something in their expressions had tipped Royce off that this crime scene was like no other he’d ever seen. His brows edged toward his hairline as they described arriving on location.

“Shot through the heart with an arrow?” Royce had asked when they’d finished.

Wang nodded. “He landed on the wedding cake.”

“Smashed it to bits,” Knight added. “Vanilla cake with strawberry filling.”

Tara arrived before Royce could say anything further. She greeted the patrol officers and asked them to bring her up to speed. Royce noticed what looked like the top of a hickey peeking out from the collar of her shirt. He knew Tara and Candy had gone out a few times since he’d reintroduced them two months ago, but neither had mentioned the dates to him, and he didn’t push. He really, really wanted to, though. As if sensing Royce’s attention on her, Tara rolled her shoulders and adjusted her shirt before meeting his gaze with a quirked brow.

“Shot through the heart with an arrow?” she asked Royce.

“I had the same reaction. Does that make Cupid our prime suspect?”

“Or someone living out Bon Jovi lyrics,” Tara replied.

More adventures for Locke and Key.

Both are settling into their new normal. Sawyer investigating cold cases and Royce working on current homicides with his new partner until his new program for teens is ready. The last book solved a cold case (and a current murder) so they worked in tandem. This time they are working independent cases. Sawyer is mostly closing a couple of cold cases without a ton of fanfare. But Royce has a murder to solve that has some interesting twists and turns to it.

And throughout it all Sawyer’s mother is planning their wedding. Spoiler alert: we get a wedding date!

The book was a fun read, the story uncomplicated with a lot of different loose ends being tied up. And while solving the murder turned out to be pretty interesting, it wasn’t a huge page turner. Like I said, fun. But not really gripping.

I think the next book might be the last and even though I really want them to get their wedding, family and happily ever after, I would love to sink my teeth into a juicy mystery.

Must read for fans of the series.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.

I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me at:
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aimee-nicole-walker
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AimeeNWalker
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/aimeenicole.walker
Instagram – http://instagram.com/aimeenicolewalker
Blog – AimeeNicoleWalker.blogspot.com

Want to be the first to know about my book releases and have access to extra content? You can sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/dlhPYj

My favorite place to hang out and chat with my readers is my Facebook group. Would you like to be a member of Aimee’s Dye Hards? We’d love to have you! Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AimeesDyeHards/

Connect with Aimee:
https://linktr.ee/AimeeNicoleWalker

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Long Game (Game Changers book 6) by Rachel Reid: New Release Review

by

The sequel is finally here! Shane and Ilya’s story, first seen in Heated Rivalry, continues in this long-awaited hockey romance from Rachel Reid.

“Everything you could want from this magnetic couple! A passionate, sexy, emotional sequel that grips your heart! Shane and Ilya forever!” —#1 NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely, author of Hopelessly Bromantic

To the world they are rivals, but to each other they are everything.

Ten years.

That’s how long Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have been seeing each other. How long they’ve been keeping their relationship a secret. From friends, from family…from the league. If Shane wants to stay at the top of his game, what he and Ilya share has to remain secret. He loves Ilya, but what if going public ruins everything?

Ilya is sick of secrets. Shane has gotten so good at hiding his feelings, sometimes Ilya questions if they even exist. The closeness, the intimacy, even the risk that would come with being open about their relationship…Ilya wants it all.

It’s time for them to decide what’s most important—hockey or love.

It’s time to make a call.

Amazon

Game Changers
Book 1: Game Changer
Book 2: Heated Rivalry
Book 3: Tough Guy
Book 4: Common Goal
Book 5: Role Model
Book 6: The Long Game

Who has been waiting since the end of book 2 to see Shane and Ilya’s happily ever after? We fell in love with these guys in Heated Rivalry and then got glimpses of them for the next 3 books, just whetting our appetites. And this is our payoff.

Something I really loved was the overlap between this book and the one just prior, Role Model. It was fun realizing that book 6 was happening while book 5 was happening. Well, book 5 would have ended about halfway through book 6. But still. Nicely done.

Ilya is still Ilya, but in this book he is vulnerable. Like with a capital V. He is hiding from everyone- especially Shane- that depression has creeped in. Even though he is terrified of ending up like his mother, he also doesn’t believe he would end up like his mother. And wow, the portrayal of his depression and how he goes about hiding it and faking it are so SO spot on. It broke my heart.

Their differing personalities are so evident in this installment. Ilya, the tough guy, the jokester who lets everything roll off his back because his ego is the size of Canada is just done. He wants his happily every after. He wants to tell the world how much he loves Shane. He has the confidence to say “if you don’t like it too bad”. But Shane isn’t there. He just wants to play hockey and win more Cups and not be the poster boy for being an out hockey player. Obviously there are others, but that only means he has seen the scrutiny on them since they came out. He is willing to tough out their original plan of waiting. Ilya isn’t happy with that, but he is also quiet about it.

Their journey includes fights and disagreements and dipping their toes in safe waters of hanging out as a couple when it is safe and of course hockey and a commissioner who gives Shane some veiled threats. And then Shane and Ilya some not so veiled threats.

But they do get their happily ever after and I kind of loved it. A lot. And while their story is, by romance book standards, complete, I would love more. Even as background characters supporting new main characters. I want to see them playing hockey as out players. I want to see them become dads.

I’m not ready to let them go.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Broken Things (Lost & Found book 4) by Barbara Elsborg: Release Day Review

by

An ancient book of faerie magic. A renegade who will stop at nothing to possess it. And the two boys who stand in his way.

When fifteen-year-old Tar, part vampire, part something else, helps his father break into a remote house, he doesn’t care about the book his father is looking for. What he does care about is the little locked-up faerie kid. Merrick is alone, vulnerable and deaf.

The break in goes wrong, but Tar refuses to leave the eight-year-old even though it means facing his father’s fury. Events spiral from bad, to worse, to out of control: the book disappears, and Tar and Merrick are wrenched apart.

The boys grow into men, one living in the light and one in darkness, yet neither has forgotten the other. As powerful forces rise, the search for the missing book gains momentum, and Tar and Merrick’s paths collide once more.

Merrick is the key to the missing book and Tar is faced with a near impossible task: to keep the man he cares for safe, and do everything he can to stop the book and its secrets from falling into the wrong hands. And maybe, just maybe, save the world as we know it.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

If you have read the previous three and are fans of this series, you know you want to know about the mysterious Tar. The guy in charge of PR, the guy who won’t say what he is, although many have guessed vampire. But he isn’t just vampire. And he is more than the stoic, stand off-ish guy that not many like to be around.

The book starts when Tar is 15, so we get a lot of his backstory and what made him the man he is today. A mother who disappeared when he was young, a conman for a father, a deaf 8 year old boy and a magic book that too many people want to get their hands on.

Then book then jumps to present day. We already know from previous books that Tar is the head of Paranormal Relations, kind of a paranormal police. That is secret because most people have no idea that paranormals exist. We also catch up with that 8 year old boy, who now wears cochlear implants and is a traveling doctor.

Even when they were kids and only knew each other for a few days, you could tell that their souls were connected. The way Tar took care of Merrick, defending him, was quite literally willing to put his life on the line for this 8 year old he never met before. And Merrick just implicitly trusted Tar and looked up to him.

So when their paths cross again in London twenty some odd years later, it seems like kismet. But Tar isn’t who Merrick remembers. He is a broken man who doesn’t trust anyone and can’t stand to be touched. And even though Merrick didn’t have an ideal life, he is just the kind of positive person that can’t help but be positive. Even though he has been running and looking over his shoulder since that fateful day in the forest.

The story brings back old enemies looking for the magical book. Tar and Merrick are trying to get to the bottom of it, using what little magic Merrick has and the resources Tar has. We also see Tar and Merrick as adults falling in love with each other. Tar, the man who is never happy, always grumpy, often scary turns into a bit of a marshmallow with Merrick. There’s a learning curve, though, for the man who doesn’t let people get close, doesn’t touch unless he has to, doesn’t share his life. But Merrick integrates himself like a stray kitten that you don’t want but it keeps showing up on your doorstep so you feed it until you finally break and let him in.

This was by far my favorite of the series. I don’t know if it was because of the change in Tar, or that so many previous main characters are involved in the story or because the magic was just wonderful. And by magic, I mean really faerie magic. It was a beautiful little world hidden inside… well, you’ll see.

You can read this as a stand alone easily, but the others are very good reads as well.

4 pieces of eye candy

Barbara Elsborg lives in Kent in the South of England. She always wanted to be a spy, but having confessed to everyone without them even resorting to torture, she decided it was not for her. Volcanology scorched her feet. A morbid fear of sharks put paid to marine biology. So instead, she spent several years successfully selling cyanide.

After dragging up two rotten, ungrateful children and frustrating her sexy, devoted, wonderful husband (who can now stop twisting her arm) she finally has time to conduct an affair with an electrifying plugged-in male, her laptop.

Her books feature quirky heroines and bad boys, and she hopes they are as much fun to read as they were to write.

Flare: Style Series #1 by Jay Hogan: RB, Excerpt and Release Day Review

by

Fashioning a heart, love by design.

FLARE

My own fashion label. The shiny new sign above the door means everything. My dream. My life. Worth every gruelling hour I’ve spent making it happen. Nothing can stop me now. Not the fear. Not the nightmares. Not my sad excuse for a love life. And certainly not Beckett Northcott, the sexy English professor who wouldn’t know a fitted shirt if it slapped him in the face and who has flannel down to an art form.

I don’t date for a very good reason, and yet Beck makes me want to break every damn one of my rules. But with my debut at Fashion Week looming, my business in trouble, and Beckett Northcott peeling open my terrified heart to a future I’ve never imagined, the threads of my carefully woven life are unravelling at the seams.

I could walk away. Or I could take a chance that Beck and I might just have what it takes to fashion a new life, together. A fresh design from a new cloth.

Past sexual assault and PTSD.

Title: Flare

Series: The Style Series #1

Author: Jay Hogan

Genre: MM Romance

Tropes: Opposites Attract | Hurt/comfort | Found Family | Age gap | Humour | Fashion

Release date: April 21st, 2022

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Rhys

Shayne extolled the virtues of his lookbook in painful detail, careful to point out all the high-profile designers he’d modelled for. The message was clear. If I wanted Flare, my shiny new label, to succeed in its first appearance at Fashion Week, I needed him, front and centre. I didn’t even have an open call going. He’d just arrived on the doorstep of Flare and assumed I’d be interested, no, gagging to see him. I’d have choked on the sheer audacity if it wasn’t for the fact he had a point.

I did need something, but it certainly wasn’t his or anybody else’s bullshit.

My gaze flicked over his shoulder to where my shop assistant stood with his lips flattened against the glass, his tongue darting obscenely in and out. Kip made no bones about his gutter-dragging opinion of the excruciatingly beautiful but arrogant-as-fuck model, and I made a fair attempt at swallowing my laugh. But the resulting half snort almost blew the show.

Shayne spun in his seat, but you had to be quicker than that to catch Kip Grantham napping—his attention locked on his steamer as he pressed my new season feather-collared jackets fresh from my manufacturer. He gave Shayne a waggle of his fingers that got ten points for insolence but didn’t fool anyone.

Shayne turned back with his lip curled. Beauty never made up for a personality that verged on the nasty, which was only one of the reasons Shayne wouldn’t be gracing my runway anytime soon. The other reason being his tendency for drama with a capital D, and I prized composure as much as looks in the models I employed.

“All my slots are gone for this year, sorry,” I lied unapologetically, doing my best to ignore Kip thumbing his nose in the background.

“That’s not what I heard,” Shayne said tartly.

Bugger.

“I can wear anything well, and you know it.”

Which was unfortunately true, but beside the point. “I’m sure you’ll have a ton of designers clamouring to add you to their list once they know you’re back. I’ve already chosen the one pinch-hitter model I’m allowed from outside the casting call. You missed that day, right?” I couldn’t resist the dig.

He sniffed. “I was overseas. Miami. Stockholm.” He waved a hand in the air. “The casting agency contacted my agent, of course, but it couldn’t be helped.”

Behind Shayne, Kip gave an epic eye-roll that would’ve given the London Eye a run for its money.

Shayne studied his fingernails. “And yes, I’ve had a lot of requests since I returned. But I like your work, Rhys. It’s a little raw, but there’s a freshness to it—”

I imagined strangling the man by his Hermes scarf, knowing Kip would help me hide the body.

“—and since this is your debut year, I thought I’d give you first shot at me. I can help make that splash you need.”

Again, unfortunately true. But Jesus fucking Christ, he’d never speak like that to a seasoned designer. It was all I could do not to boot the arsehole from my office, but New Zealand fashion was a tiny industry, and the last thing I wanted was to earn a name for myself as a prima donna in my first year.

“I’m flattered you thought of me.” I almost choked on the words as Kip mimed hanging himself with his tie while walking downhill. “But not this time.” Read ever.

Shayne stared, bewildered, like I’d lost my ever-loving mind, and maybe I had. Then he shrugged. “Well, I hope you don’t come to regret your decision.” He shoved his lookbook in his fashionable Burberry satchel with an audible huff. “Young-gun invites only happen once, right?”

“Right.” I nodded sagely, wondering if it would be considered a service to humanity to throttle dickhead sanctimonious pricks on a Friday afternoon before they were let loose on an unsuspecting weekend. If it wasn’t, I was going to petition for a law change. “I guess I’ll have to rely on my actual designs, won’t I?”

He sent me a look that said he knew there was an insult in there somewhere, but I wasn’t worth the effort to search for it.

“I should be getting back to work.” I pushed to my feet and circled around the desk, making it clear the meeting was over.

Shayne gathered his coat and satchel and then stood. “I, um, ended things with Marc, in case you were wondering.”

I wasn’t and looked puzzled just to piss him off. “Marc?” I knew damn well who he was talking about.

He narrowed his gaze. “Marc Norman.”

“Oh. Shame.” I felt oddly relieved for Marc, who was in fact a lovely guy, if a bit . . . vacant.

Shayne ran his gaze slowly up my body and I suddenly needed a shower. “Maybe you and I could do . . . something?”

Not in a million years. “Thanks, but I’m too busy to date right now.”

He shot me a sly grin. “It wouldn’t have to be a date.”

And yeah, I might’ve thrown up in my mouth. “The answer’s still no.” I plastered a grin in place. “Sorry.”

A spark of annoyance flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t push.

“Let me walk you out.” I ushered Shayne past Kip, who discreetly stabbed a finger in and out of his mouth, and then out the front door of Flare and into the crisp June air laced with salt from the harbour beyond. As soon as the coast was clear, I spun back to my assistant, my mouth open in a silent scream. Kip raced to my side, and together we watched Shayne cross the road and disappear from view in a cloud of Yves St Laurent and pissy flounce.

“Oh. My. God. That man is a douchebag of the highest order.” Kip slipped his arm through mine and pulled me toward the service desk. “He’s always dropping into the shop looking for you. I put him off as often as I can, but he does actually spend money, so I don’t want to piss him off too much. I don’t know why he’s so fucking popular.”

I snorted a laugh. “You mean apart from his scorching angular waifish look and ability to have both men and women drooling over their credit cards as they rush to buy whatever the fuck he wears?”

Kip huffed. “People will follow any idiot off a cliff if they look like they know what they’re doing. Your clothes stand on their own, Rhys. They don’t need a pretty clothes horse.”

I shot him a look and he pulled a face.

“Okay, maybe one or two pretty clothes horses wouldn’t go amiss.

BIG trigger warning for this book. Sexual assault on page (kinda) but it is talked about throughout as it is a big big plot point.

Now you know.

Ok. We start 22 years ago when Rhys was an underage guy who just wanted to go to the newest gay club and dance with his best friend. Instead he is roofied and raped.

Time jump to present. Rhys is an up and coming fashion designer who recently left a well known designer to create his own label. He also opened a clothing store that carries not only his work, but other designers as well. He has also been invited to participate in fashion week as a new designer.

An angry teenager with sticky fingers and his uncle come into Rhys’ life. The uncle, Beck, who wears a lot of flannel and clothes that are way too big and doesn’t know a thing about fashion. But he does know poetry. There’s a bit of miscommunication between Beck and Rhys leading to ruffled feathers and that seems to be a running theme with them.

What follows is a couple of guys who really want each other but their issues have issues. It is messy, but they deal with the mess as best they can.

There are a lot of characters involved in this book-which is nice because real life people have people! Kip, the only employee that Rhys has. And he would be lost without him. Jack, Beck’s nephew. Drew, a trans kid who does not have a good home life, Hunter and Rafe, best friends of Rhys and Beck, etc etc etc… All of them added to the story for the most part. Leon, the neighbor tattoo artist just seemed to antagonize Kip but I see a book in their future.

Jack really grows up throughout the book as well. Between working in a high fashion store with Rhys and Kip to befriending Drew, he positively blossomed. I kind of wish he started modeling. I think he can really do it.

Ultimately, the poet and designer work through everything thrown at them- and there is a lot- to get their happily ever after.

I really loved this book. My biggest complaint, if you can even call it that, was Beck being SO accommodating to Rhys. I mean, he is a nurturer, but still. I wanted him to stand up for himself a little bit more.

There was no magic cure, no “Rhys is better now!” Instead it is a realistic representation of what survivors go through- even 20 plus years later.

4 pieces of eye candy

Heart, humour and keeping it real.

Jay is a 2020 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Gay Romance and her book Off Balance was the 2021 New Zealand Romance Book of the Year.She is a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense, primarily set in New Zealand. She writes character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality and a splash of angst. She’s travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life she was a critical care nurse, nurse educator and counsellor. Jay is owned by a huge Maine Coon cat and a gorgeous Cocker Spaniel

Find Jay in all the places: https://jayhoganauthor.contactin.bio/

Green Eyed Boy (All American Boy Series) by BL Maxwell: New Release Review

by

After quitting his job, Billie Watts hits all the food festivals he can as he drives across the country. When he finally reaches Stoney Brook, Maine, he’s excited to find he’s there just in time to try one of the lobster rolls he’s heard so much about. The bright neon yellow food truck with a giant red lobster on top looks like the perfect place to try it.

Lance Karl is as ready as he can be for the start of the three-day Tall Ships Festival and hopes to sell enough lobster rolls out of his food truck to make a good start towards owning a restaurant. The day begins cold and misty, and a text from his nephew saying he can’t help him is not the perfect start he’d hoped for.

When a green-eyed stranger interrupts his frantic morning, Lance doesn’t realize meeting Billie will not only change his day, but maybe even the rest of his life. Two strangers, drawn together over their work ethic, and sealing the deal over delicious lobster rolls. They could just be the perfect match. A small-town MM Vacation romance.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I hadn’t realized that I had not read anything by this author as of yet. I keep meaning to, but just hadn’t gotten to it, so I was determined to read this one, and I wasn’t disappointed.

If you aren’t into insta-love, this one isn’t for  you. This was definitely a bit of love at first sight, or pretty darn close. Even better, though, they found they had a ton in common, right away, so it wasn’t just about lust, it was about their love of working in the food industry, and working together, whether on a food truck, when Billie shows up to save Lance’s day, or for a catering job to help Billie’s family out. They work really well together.

There wasn’t really any angst in this book, even when they realized they hadn’t told each other everything, but how much can you really tell someone in just a few days, especially when those days are spent working your tail off serving people food? Billie and Lance just clicked from the beginning, and it worked. They saw each other’s skills, and let them know they appreciated all the ways they helped each other out. They had fun and fell in love, all over lobster rolls. Nothing could be better. 🙂

4 pieces of eye candy

BL Maxwell grew up in a small town listening to her grandfather spin tales about his childhood. Later she became an avid reader and after a certain vampire series she became obsessed with fanfiction. She soon discovered Slash fanfiction and later discovered the MM genre and was hooked.

Many years later, she decided to take the plunge and write down some of the stories that seem to run through her head late at night when she’s trying to sleep.