Release Day Review

The Charmer (The Vers Podcast book 4) by Riley Hart: New Release Review

September 11, 2023 by Denise

Corbin

If you listen to The Vers, a queer podcast I host with my three best friends, you know me as The Charmer. I’m always happy, flirting, and trying to win everyone over. I think most people would be surprised to learn I have a lot more going on beneath the surface.

But ever since all my friends have fallen in love, it’s getting more difficult not to feel left out…

Cue my fascination with Spencer, my neighbor who hates me. There’s something addicting about getting under his skin, and I blame the combination of my confusing emotions and too many drinks for spilling my guts to him about all my insecurities…and about how much I love cuddling.

Turns out, Spencer doesn’t hate me, and my word vomit is the catalyst that makes us decide to be cuddle buddies. When I need affection, I go to him, and he just…holds me. Along the way we become friends, and when I fall for him, it’s surprising that he feels the same. Spencer’s easy to talk to, fun to be around, and did I mention he’s hot? I love how confident he is in his full figure, and there’s nothing like being in his beefy arms.

Spencer has me wanting more for the first time in my life, and he’s determined to help with my disordered eating, but if I want a healthy future with him, I need to work toward being healthy for myself too.

The Charmer is an opposites-attract romance with a body-positive MC and a cuddle fiend learning to love himself.

The Charmer deals with disordered eating, low self-esteem, and negative talk about weight. While the story is uplifting and none of these are heavy-handed, please see the content warning at the beginning of the book for a full list.

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Not gonna lie, I did not like Corbin at the beginning of this book. More than the beginning. Maybe because I know similar personalities, maybe because of his disordered eating-also knowing people like this. But his over the top ME! ME! ME! schtick bugged me. But the more I read, the more I realized what an act it was. How truly insecure he was. And even with 3 best friends who adore him, he was really starved for love, acceptance and affection because he basically grew up without it.

Spencer is pretty much the opposite. He’s squishy, he knows it, he won’t apologize for it. It’s almost a nonissue for him. He is comfortable in his skin. He doesn’t have a group of friends. He is only on social media for his job. He has a family who loves him exactly as he is.

They are neighbors who run into each other at a function and Corbin kind of latches on to him. Besides the friends difference, Spencer has what Corbin wants. Spencer is also an excellent cuddler, which Corbin CRAVES.

Watching Corbin go from almost obnoxious, pay attention to me, like my nearly naked pics and tell me how pretty I am, to realizing that his friends love him for him. And Spencer seems to really like him for him. And he needs to like himself for who he is.

It isn’t a sudden awakening either, which made it so much more realistic. And the disordered eating is in the forefront ahead of working out. But working out to combat previous calories is definitely there.

Besides this being a great story with realistic characters, I really appreciated that men can feel the pressure to look perfect as well. Definitely not to the extent of women, but it is there. Add in the gay community which can be super toxic about looks and bodies as well, it was a great representation.

Of course the other three Vers guys and their significant others play a role in this story as well. And the Poddies just fold Spencer into the group like he was always there.

This was a great final book in the series.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

French Fancy by Lily Morton: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

August 24, 2023 by Denise

. .

Pip Simmonds is the twinkiest twink in London. He’s loud, proud,
and packed to the brim with sass. But when he’s laid low by illness, even his hotpants lose their sparkle and his worried boss sends him to the South of France to recuperate in his holiday home.

Cap Ferrat is beautiful, and the periwinkle-blue villa is luxurious, but the real draw for Pip is the villa’s other resident—his boss’s younger brother, Olivier Durand.

Olivier owns a perfume empire and has spent his whole life running from any other form of commitment. He’s worldly, carefree, wild, and the perfect choice for a holiday fling.

Drawn together by proximity, the two men become lovers and friends and then something more. Something special. But will their special bond hold true after summer’s end, when they both must return to their real lives?

This is the second book in the bestselling Model Agency series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Title: French Fancy
Authors: Lily Morton
Length: 396 pages
Series: The Model Agency, Book 2
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Comedy

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Goodreads

“Good morning,” he says, one dark eyebrow rising. “You slept well, Pip?”

“I did.” I sit down at the table genteelly. “It’s amazing what a nighttime swim does for you.”

His eyes twinkle with amusement. “I will take your word for it.” He cocks his head, and a strand of hair falls across the olive skin of his cheek like a comma. “Pip? Is that your real name?”

“No, it’s Phillip.”

“Philippe. I like that.”

“Well, it sounds a lot nicer in French.”

“What doesn’t?”

“You do not,” Elise scolds me. “Speak in French. How will you ever correct your terrible accent if you do not speak it here?”

I roll my eyes. “It’s not my fault my French teacher comes from Newcastle.”

“Parle-moi en français,” she chides again.

“You are learning French?” Olivier’s face is lively and interested.

Elise puts a plate of food in front of me. “Eat all of that,” she scolds. “Still too thin, Pip.”

“That is not for me?” Olivier says. “If this were a queue in a shop, I should be complaining loudly.”

She rolls her eyes. “To have made food for you at this time of the morning would have required psychic talents to know you were getting up. And if I had that gift, I would be on the stage, no?”

“I can get up early,” he says.

I warm to him even more. His face is mischievous and naughty, and it doesn’t take Elise’s indulgent smile to know this is familiar banter for them.

She waves her hand, dismissing his statement. “Sometimes, if there is enough temptation.”

“There can never be enough temptation,” he tells her solemnly.

She grimaces at him and heads back towards the range. “And coffee and a cigarette are not part of a nutritious diet,” she throws over her shoulder.

“According to you.” He winks at me.

I’ve been staring at him and heat washes over my face at being caught. But then I rally and grin at him. “Nice to see you with all my clothes on,” I say in French.

He’s taking a sip of coffee and accidentally inhales, spluttering over the table.

I am pretty sure that everyone who read The Sunny Side has been eagerly awaiting Pip’s book. He was a scene stealer that everyone noticed. And now almost a year later, here he is.

Seems our Pip was quite ill and insisted on returning to work too soon. But Jonah, his boss, put him on a plane to recuperate further at his family’s villa in the South of France. Poor Pip. However will he manage? Spoiler alert: he’ll manage just fine.

Jonas’ brother, Olivier, shows up at the villa seemingly without a care in the world. It was quite unexpected as he tends to be a workaholic spending most of his time in Paris. Curious.

First thing I noticed was that Pip wasn’t nearly as snarky and attention seeking as he was in The Sunny Side. Part of that was definitely him still being sick. But I think part of it was that he didn’t have to be over the top to get attention from Olivier. I mean, at work in London he is surrounded by models. And while he is a good looking guy, he is short and probably would be easy to look past. But at the villa, Olivier only has eyes for him. As a friend. Mmmmhmm.

Olivier is so oblivious. EVERYONE sees what is going on. Except for him and Pip. Even the grouchy next door neighbor- a famous photographer. And the house keeper. And Olivier’s best friend.

He takes the time to show Pip all of his favorite places and things. Pip has never had a man shower him with so much attention. And Olivier is a GENTLEMAN.

Even after being kind of tricked? but not really? into sexy times by Armand, Olivier’s best friend, they still each insist on that whole friendship label.

But then Pip is recovered and headed back to London. Olivier has huge work fires to put out in Paris. An emergency brings them back together and STILL these dummies can’t figure out what is going on between them. It’s almost comical.

But of course they do and there is a great happily ever after. Well deserved too.

I have to say that the visuals painted by the author were truly amazing. I ended up googling the town and the pictures were just as she described. The town, the sea, the villas, the flowers…just all so stunning. It isn’t often that an author can make me picture so clearly in my mind a place I have never been.

Also, don’t you worry. Pip is still a sassy, snarky guy. But it’s all done with love.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Lily is a bestselling gay romance author. She writes love stories filled with heat and humour.

She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.

Lily has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – Chocolate Baileys.

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On the Double (The Renegades Book 3) by Cara Dee: New Release Review

August 23, 2023 by Denise

The Renegades #3 • Romantic Suspense • Action • MMM
“It’s a fine line between not revealing your arsenal and creating disorder by showing your strength.”

Funny how calm you could feel when someone had ripped the heart out of your chest.

River and Reese Tenley had grown up on the fringes of society, spending most of their adult years as private military contractors in places nobody else wanted to go. It’d been the two of them against the world, and they’d never believed their missing puzzle piece had existed—until they’d met Shay. The young man who’d quickly become their everything.

So the moment he was kidnapped… The moment those sick bastards took Shay, the twin brothers had nothing left to lose.

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Oh man do I love the Tenleys. They are my favorite relationship in the various worlds of Cara Dee. I could almost feel their guttural pain when Shay was kidnapped in book 1. Hearing about what they were doing in southern California to find those responsible should have been shocking, but I honestly expected no less of them.

But now they have met up with everyone else- and a couple new additions-in Columbia. The cartel baddies are there. And so is Shay.

All together in the jungle the guys formulate a plan. With help from Crew and Adrien working undercover on the inside, they want Shay out.

It’s fast paced and nail biting. But there are still small moments of humor which are so necessary with such a tense situation. Everyone played their roles perfectly. It was brutal and bloody and the smoke hasn’t even cleared yet. But there is still one more book to go to wrap everything up. I can’t wait.

4 pieces of eye candy

The Fortunate Son (Redemption Ridge Book Two) By Aimee Nicole Walker: New Release Review

August 23, 2023 by Denise

Ivan Gallagher’s first and only attempt at love nearly cost him everything—his reputation, family, and even his freedom. Needing an outlet for his pent-up passion, the gruff foreman turns his beekeeping hobby into a successful business. Just when he’s on the verge of taking his liquid gold to the next level, a granted favor transforms his orderly life into a sticky mess.

Rory Snyder was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but wealth couldn’t spare him from loss and heartache. Finding himself at the center of a dangerous media storm, the social media influencer seeks refuge at Redemption Ridge. Too bad the Viking-sized Ivan seems impervious to Rory’s charms because he could use a sexy distraction from the chaos threatening to ruin his life.

Predawn collisions in the hallway lead to revelations, explorations, and something far sweeter than honey. Soon, living in the moment becomes living for the moment. But for how long? A future seems impossible for the humble foreman and the fortunate son until a common nemesis makes Ivan and Rory realize what they truly stand to lose.

The Fortunate Son is book two in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. The Fortunate Son contains mature themes and is intended for adults.

Content Warning: homophobia, underage alcohol addiction, and intentional overdosing are briefly discussed in this book, though no graphic descriptions are used.

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If you read book 1 you know you were intrigued by Ivan, the foreman at Redemption Ridge. BIG, gruff, growly…did I mention big? Ya, him.

We got a hint at what was to come at the end of book 1 when he encounters Rory in the kitchen on his way to a meeting with the boss and his bosses…best friend? friend with benefits? boyfriend? No one is totally sure. But the guy is also a fed. And he needs his brother Rory to chill on the ranch for a while. Rory’s father (they are half brothers) is in politics and running for office and the opposition is trying to smear his name by digging into his son’s personal life.

So growly Ivan thinks he is now a babysitter to sassy Rory. But Rory isn’t afraid of work. Or of Ivan.

Both characters play off of each other really well, I think. Rory comes off as sassy and headstrong- which he is-but he is also kind of a mess. After the death of his mother, his father sort of checked out of the parenting thing. Which works GREAT with teenagers. So of course he did everything to get attention. And even though he is a grown man now who has cleaned up his act and has a very successful travel/environmental blog, his father’s opposition wants dirt.

Ivan is also pretty complicated. He messed up and did his time in prison. But he can’t seem to forgive himself. It’s pretty sad. But like I said both guys are really good for each other. Ivan doesn’t have a lot of self confidence but Rory has it in spades. And Rory is still learning how not to let the past drag him down and to not beg for love from his father. All while the 2 of them steam up the pages.

The author knows how to make us care about characters even before they are the main characters with their own story. We started to care about Ivan in the previous book. Now we wondering about other characters and when they will get their happily ever afters. All without pulling focus from the main couple.

Most of the previous characters make an appearance- including the evil religious cult and Finley’s mom. She cracks me up. I love how she just takes everyone under her wing.

And I really loved how they melded their lives without anyone making a sacrifice. Ivan couldn’t imagine leaving the ranch, but Rory traveled for his blog. But they figured it out and it was wonderful.

4 pieces of eye candy

Kicking it in Vegas: Out and Kickin’ Book 2: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt , New Release Review and Giveaway

August 13, 2023 by Denise

. .

I woke up in Vegas with a hangover and a ring on my finger.

At my last recollection, the bachelor party was off to a great start. During dinner I met sexy celebrity Chef Oliver who was far more intriguing than his surly public persona let on.

Afterwards, my buddies and I set out to bar-hop at some of Sin City’s biggest hot spots. To my surprise, I ran into Oliver again as he was unwinding by tossing back drinks at a bar. What followed was a hot night of dancing and drinking… and a very confusing morning.

Not only did we spend the night together, we got married. Oliver is quick to suggest divorce, but I’m not ready to give up so easily. We may be opposites in every way imaginable, but there’s a chemistry between us I can’t deny or ignore.

Can I convince Oliver to give our unlikely romance a chance? Or will what happened in Vegas end in Vegas?

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Goodreads

Cam

“Divorced?” I asked, my voice coming out sounding like a squeak.

Oliver nodded as he pulled on his clothes. “Yeah. I have a buddy who’s an attorney. He’ll handle everything, don’t worry. Let’s just make this a clean break. No mess, no fuss.” He peered in the mirror and skillfully tousled his hair. “I just need your contact info so when Grant gets the paperwork drawn up, I’ll know where to send it.”

We hadn’t even been married twelve hours and Oliver was already talking about divorce. My mind raced. I know we barely know each other, but we had to have a reason to get married, right? “Wait.”

Oliver stopped what he was doing and looked at me. “Yes?”

My heart thudded. I knew I was taking a risk. “Maybe we don’t.”

“Don’t what? Wait? I can call Grant right now if that’s what you mean.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped to light up the screen.

I took a deep breath and a few steps to cross the room before putting a hand on Oliver’s. “No, I mean, maybe we don’t have to get divorced right away.”

He frowned. “What are you talking about? Of course we do.”

I took the phone from his hand and gently set it on the dresser. “I mean, we don’t have to. Look, I know you’re probably not a romantic at heart like I am. I’m a huge marshmallow who believes in love. And I honestly believe that we wouldn’t have gotten married last night if there wasn’t something between us. A spark, something. I don’t know. I just don’t think we need to go get the courts involved just yet. Give us a chance to get to know each other first. Then we can decide whether we want to stay married.”

Oliver shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a great idea.”

My lower lip wobbled as tears threatened to fall. I’d finally gotten married and I couldn’t remember it and it was to a guy who didn’t even want me. “Don’t you think it’s worth a try? Besides, it’s not that easy to get a divorce, is it? Back home, there are residency requirements and waiting periods. Is Nevada like that, too?”

He scrubbed his hands over his face and growled, deep and sexy, in what seemed like frustration. “I don’t know. An annulment then. I’ll figure it out.”

I put my hand on his arm. “Don’t you think we deserve a chance?”

If you read Kickin it with the Best Man, which was book one, this book gives us the bachelor weekend of those two main characters. And even though it is their weekend, obviously we are focusing on another couple.

And if you read my review of that book, a lot applied here. Silly, cute, super sexy fast beach read. But this one was a bit sillier and more far fetched than the first. Why? Because Cam (friend of the grooms) and Oliver (chef at the restaurant where the fancy dinner happened the first night) run into each other at a bar, ditch the grooms and other friends, bar hop some more and then get married before the night is over.

I know getting married in Vegas is a trope. Waking up married, marrying a stranger, getting married while wasted, etc. In Vegas. By an Elvis impersonator. Little eye rolling.

There’s a lot of sex in a short book, but whatever. But it just doesn’t give you the chance to get to know these guys at all so I just couldn’t get invested. For 140 some odd pages, it could keep my attention. Anything longer than that and I would have tapped out.

Sure it’s fun and sexy and completely unrealistic. As long as you go in knowing those things, it’s a nice fast read to fill the time.

3 pieces of eye candy

Riley Long is an author of gay romances novels spanning many genres from contemporary to paranormal. They live a quiet life in Virginia, with their husband, son, and two very silly pit bulls.

They spend their evenings writing, reading, and watching bad television (or not so bad television).

For fun, Riley participates in NaNoWriMo, GISH, and reads with her book club, the BAMFs.

They like things with silly acronyms.

Riley can tell you two different stories about getting covered in dairy products for a hug.

Connect with Riley:
https://www.facebook.com/WriterRileyLong
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1097122257097073
https://www.instagram.com/writerrileylong/
https://sendfox.com/writerrileylong

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Enemy Combatant (The Renegades Book 2) by Cara Dee: Release Day Review

August 7, 2023 by Denise

. .

The Renegades #2 • Romantic Suspense • Stockholm Syndrome • Hurt Comfort • Action • MM
“The best intelligence is the knowledge that your enemy doesn’t know you have.”

Crew Finlay’s ego had taken a hit or two. He couldn’t lie. As a Marine, he’d been one of the best. As a private military contractor, he’d…messed up a bit. Or failed spectacularly. Whatever. And now? A year into his new gig, working in private security for Elliott Jones, Crew had a lot to prove. He refused to screw this up too. They had people to bring home. So when he found himself holding a cartel freelancer hostage, he steeled himself and vowed not to fall for the bastard’s lies. As if Crew would believe this man was an undercover Fed. Come on.

Nah, this tall, older drink of water was full of it. Adrien Mercier, or whatever his real name might be, was going down. Until one day, when Adrien turned the tables, and then Crew was the one sitting with his hands cuffed behind his back.

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Poor Crew. He’s actually a good soldier but so far not a great PMC and he is still making stupid mistakes in book 2 of The Renegades. He is paired up with Ryan (Darius’ brother) in Europe trying to track down one of the bad guys.

One of the biggest stupid mistakes wasn’t solely his. Since Ryan was in on the mission to kidnap this cartel guy, he can take responsibility for him actually being an undercover Fed. HA!

After securing a place to stay in Italy, Ryan goes off to help out with another part of the mission leaving Crew along with their prisoner. He starts off pretty well with the mild torture techniques. Cooking himself delicious food but none for his captive. Sleeping on a cot with a mattress. Swimming in the cool lake when it’s a million degrees out.

After the truth comes to light, the chains and hand cuffs come off. And the pants. And there’s Crew’s next mistake. Because now HE is the prisoner.

The rest of the book is spent on a yacht with no land in sight while Adrien waits for word about the cartel guy he’s been working undercover for. He wants to wrap this up and go home. He has worked undercover on and off for years. But Crew wants this guy alive because he believes he knows where the hostages are. (yes, you absolutely need to read book 1)

There’s a lot of different names, countries, cartels, who is working with whom, who is trying to kill who, etc, etc. It twisted my brain, but that’s just how I am. Obviously this is a very well thought out plot.

And then there’s more naked times. And then Crew makes another bad decision. Bad according to his friends. I guess we’ll find out in book 3 if his decision was good or bad.

But I will say, I need more Crew and Adrien please.

4 pieces of eye candy