Release Day Review

There’s This Guy by Rhys Ford: Release Day Review with Giveaway

March 17, 2017 by Denise

there's this guy synopsis How do you save a drowning man when that drowning man is you?

Jake Moore’s world fits too tightly around him. Every penny he makes as a welder goes to care for his dying father, an abusive, controlling man who’s the only family Jake has left. Because of a promise to his dead mother, Jake resists his desire for other men, but it leaves him consumed by darkness.

It takes all of Dallas Yates’s imagination to see the possibilities in the fatigued art deco building on WeHo’s outskirts, but what seals the deal is a shy smile from the handsome metal worker across the street. Their friendship deepens while Dallas peels back the hardened layers strangling Jake’s soul. It’s easy to love the sweet, artistic man hidden behind Jake’s shattered exterior, but Dallas knows Jake needs to first learn to love himself.

When Jake’s world crumbles, he reaches for Dallas, the man he’s learned to lean on. It’s only a matter of time before he’s left to drift in a life he never wanted to lead and while he wants more, Jake’s past haunts him, making him doubt he’s worth the love Dallas is so desperate to give him.

Title: There’s This Guy
Author: Rhys Ford
Release Date: March 17, 2017
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 200

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paula review

Rhys Ford has yet to create a character that hasn’t had me wrapped around their finger. Jake and Dallas were no exception. Jake about broke me in this story. His parents messed him up so bad, it made me cry. As a parent I found myself wondering through a lot of this story how a parent could treat their child this way. I’m as clueless now as I have ever been. Jake is an extremely well developed character. I went on this journey with him and I was exhausted by the time I finished(in a good way). Dallas was perfect for Jake. His lightness was so good for Jake to experience. He has such a beautiful heart. And of course it wouldn’t be a Rhys Ford book if it didn’t have a little mystery in it. Not telling what though, you’ll have to read and find out for yourself.

5 pieces of eye candy

5-pieces-eye-candy6

denise review

The only book I have read by Rhys Ford before was Fish and Ghosts a few years ago, and I recall enjoying the book. So, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started There’s This Guy.

The opening scene with Jake was powerful, frightening, and grabbed you quickly. The reader can tell that they are in for a hell of a ride from the very beginning. Dallas was light-hearted and was able to slowly take a hold on Jake’s heart, one interaction at a time. You literally saw Jake changing as you read the book. That was awesome to see.

However, where I struggled with the book, and considered putting it down was the descriptions. There were too many metaphors and embellished descriptions for me. It felt overly wordy and unnecessary, especially in the first half of the book. I struggled with really loving the story and the characters, especially Celeste, and feeling as if the book might have been even better with about 1/3 less words.

In the end, I enjoyed the story, and stayed in, happy to see Jake work so hard to find his happy ending with Dallas.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

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Step by Step by K.C. Wells: Blog Tour, Excerpt, and Giveaway

March 17, 2017 by Denise

synopsis Jamie’s life is one big financial mess, and it really isn’t his fault. However, the last thing he expected to find in the library was a Good Samaritan. He might have been suspicious of Guy’s motives at first, but it soon becomes apparent that his savior is a good man who has been lucky in life and is looking to pay it forward. Guy being gay is not a problem. Jamie’s not interested… or so he thinks.

Guy is happy to help Jamie, and the two men get along fine. But when Jamie’s curiosity leads him from one thing to another, Guy finds himself looking at the young man with new eyes. What started out as a hand up is now something completely different….

Title: Step by Step
Author: K.C. Wells
Release Date: March 13, 2017
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 256

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excerpt

“Please, tell me you’re tapping that gorgeous ass,” Troy said in a low voice.

Guy followed Troy’s gaze to where Jamie stood next to Cole, talking and smiling with Simon Bexter. Guy smiled to himself. Perfect. Cole had caught on to Guy’s plan.

Then Troy’s words hit home. “Excuse me?”

Troy indicated Jamie with a nod of his head. “Your so-called roommate. Only that’s a euphemism, right?” He gave Guy a sideways glance. “You are fucking him, right?”

“Wrong.” Guy set his jaw. It wasn’t the first time that evening that he’d heard that assumption. “One, he’s straight, and—”

Troy snorted. “And what’s wrong with that? He just doesn’t know what he’s missing.” He leered. “You could be the one to teach him how to take a dick.”

Guy tried not to growl. “And two, I’m helping him get a good start in life. Like someone once did for me.” Right then he was asking himself why he’d invited Troy in the first place.

Troy groaned. “Seriously? Just look at him. That is one beautiful specimen of manhood right there.”

Guy watched how Jamie interacted with others. It was funny, but until that moment, he’d never seen him as a man. He was just…. Jamie. But Troy had a point. Jamie’s creamy skin, gorgeous blue eyes, and slim figure all added up to a beautiful man.

How come I never saw him so clearly before?

Maybe it was because Jamie was straight. Guy wasn’t in the habit of lusting after straight guys. He’d had his fingers burned in the past, and on both occasions, it hadn’t turned out well. Maybe that was why his brain had refused to acknowledge what he was now seeing: Jamie was lovely.

Then Jamie glanced across at him and his eyes lit up.

“Ooh, someone’s happy,” Troy said in a singsong voice. “Look at that smile.” He nudged Guy with his elbow. “You play your cards right and you could have that tasty piece of ass warming your sheets tonight.”

Guy turned to Troy with a sigh of exasperation. “You don’t listen, do you? Not going to happen. You got that? Now go find yourself someone else to pester.” He had no idea why Troy’s suggestions evoked such a strong reaction in him, but he wasn’t about to spend time fathoming it out. Not when Jamie was walking over to him.

Troy huffed and left him to go to the bar, and Guy was fine with that. He’d known Troy for years, but recently he had changed. He’d become a pig, pure and simple. At least Guy could see that now.

Well, no more.

Jamie stopped in front of him, his face glowing. “Thank you.” The words were uttered fervently but quietly.

“For what?”

Jamie’s smile hadn’t dimmed. “I figured it out, with a little help from Cole. You put a lot of thought into that guest list, didn’t you?”

Guy played the innocent. “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.” When Jamie continued to stare, he had to relent. “Okay, so I might have invited a few lawyers.” He nodded in Cole’s direction. “I got the impression you were a little awestruck when I introduced you to Cole.”

Jamie chuckled. “That would be an understatement. I may have a mild case of hero-worship.”

“Hero?” Guy widened his eyes. “Wow.” He buffed his fingernails on his shirt. “Guess I did good, then.”

Jamie laughed. “Better than good. You are one cool guy, do you know that?”

Fuck, the light in his eyes….

Guy steered himself away from that particular thought, but he had to admit it had shaken him. When was the last time someone looked at me like that?

The sad thing was, he couldn’t remember.

Guy pulled himself together. “So are you done schmoozing for the night, or is Cole about to introduce you to another mover and shaker?”

Jamie laughed again, and Guy loved its natural, unforced quality. Even his laughter makes me feel good. He gave himself a mental slap. He did not want to think about Jamie like that.

Guy smiled. “I’m going to mingle and make sure everybody’s happy. Cole looks like he’s taking good care of you.” He reached out and squeezed Jamie’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re having a good time.”

To his surprise Jamie gave him a quick hug. “Thank you,” he whispered before releasing him and disappearing in Cole’s direction.

Guy stared after him, shocked by the unexpected display of affection. Then Troy stepped into his line of sight, his lips contorted into a smirk, his eyebrows arched.

Guy slowly turned away and headed into the living room.
Nope. Not going there.

meet the author

K.C. Wells started writing in 2012, although the idea of writing a novel had been in her head since she was a child. But after reading that first gay romance in 2009, she was hooked.

She now writes full time, and the line of men in her head, clamouring to tell their story, is getting longer and longer. If the frequent visits by plot bunnies are anything to go by, that’s not about to change anytime soon.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://kcwellsworld.com

Blog: http://kcwellsworld.blogspot.co.uk/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6576876.K_C_Wells

Dreamspinner Press: http://dreamspinnerpress.com/

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An Officer’s Submission by Christa Tomlinson: Release Day Review, Blitz, Excerpt and Giveaway

March 16, 2017 by Denise

Title: An Officer’s Submission

Series: Cuffs, Collars, and Love #4

Author: Christa Tomlinson

Publisher: Self- Torlina Publishing

Release Date: March 16

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 67,000

Genre: Romance, erotic romance, contemporary, D/S, established couples

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“You don’t ever have to keep anything you feel locked up, Clay. I’m your Dom, and whatever you need from me, I’ll gladly give to you.”
– Sergeant Logan Pierce

Police Officer Clay Foster is finally at peace and happy with his life. He enjoys his career as a member of Houston’s SWAT team, and he loves submitting to his Dom in the bedroom. His life is perfect, until one cruel act destroys Clay’s bubble of happiness. Shattered trust forces Clay to reevaluate his career, his relationship, and himself.

Sergeant Logan Pierce is the leader of Houston’s elite SWAT team. On the force, he’s the best at what he does. In private, the most important thing in his life is taking care of his submissive, Clay. Clay is his whole world, and Logan will do whatever is necessary to keep him safe. Even if that means going up against Clay’s stubbornness in order to help him heal.

Can Logan and Clay work together to rebuild their happiness? Can they find their way back to the shared passion of Dominance and submission? Or will their love and relationship end before it’s truly begun?

“It’s good to be back home.”

Logan looked down at him with an eyebrow raised. “Home?”

Clay snorted a laugh. As usual, they were at Logan’s house. When he thought about it, he realized he hadn’t been back to his apartment in weeks. In fact, his bags from their recent trip to Colorado were here at Logan’s. He hadn’t bothered to take them back to his place after their return.

“If I’m in your space too much, I can throw all my stuff in the car and head back to my apartment,” he said as he pretended to pull away.

Logan tightened his grip on his foot. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Clay bit his lip to hold back a grin. “I didn’t think you wanted me to. But what I meant is, I feel good about life. That trip was awesome. I got to play in the snow, just like I wanted.”

“And I got to warm you up when you were done.”

“You did a very good job. You might have gotten me a little overheated a few times,” he teased. He wiggled his toes as Logan squeezed his foot again. “You and I are in a great place. And I think things are going to be better at work now too. We redid Hayden’s ridiculous course and passed with flying colors this time. I’m hoping the fact that we passed the redo means Hayden will get off our backs and quit fucking with our schedule.”

“The team is gelling again. And we’re hoping Hayden will finally move on and give up on his pet project of tormenting our team. Anything else?”

Clay shifted, looking at the TV instead of Logan. “What else is there?”

“Are you still blaming yourself for that idiot making those fake calls to our team?”

Clay pulled his feet off Logan’s lap for real this time and got up from the couch. “Why wouldn’t I blame myself? It was my fault.”

“It wasn’t your fault. And I don’t like hearing you say that it was.”

“C’mon, Sarge. You know that was on me.” Clay roughly ran a hand through his hair, turning his back on his lover. “If I hadn’t gone to that convention and went on camera bragging about how badass our team was, that whacko would have never taken it as a challenge to try and prove he was better than us.” He turned back around as Logan grabbed his hand and pulled him to stand in between his legs.

“Maybe not. But maybe he would have taken his anger out in another way.”

“What do you mean?”

“You read the report Roberts put together on the guy. He was looking for revenge because he felt he’d been slighted too many times. What if he’d physically attacked the people he wanted revenge against? Someone or several someones could have been hurt. At least with the revenge tactics he chose, no one was. We managed to catch the idiot, and hopefully he’ll be granted some time to think about what he did.”

“Are you forgetting he tried to kill me?” Clay saw a muscle tic in Logan’s jaw at the question, his hazel eyes going hard before he answered.

“No, I’m not forgetting.”

Clay tilted his head to the side as he studied his lover. “You know, I noticed that the perp seemed a little worse for wear before you got him loaded in the patrol car. Did you do anything to cause that?”

“I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”

Logan’s response was a non-answer, but it confirmed Clay’s suspicions. “I’m a cop. On occasion, I might get hurt. And you can’t go after people because of that.”

“And you’re mine. Did you forget that?”

Clay shook his head. “No, Sir.”

“Come here.” Clay followed the gentle pull Logan gave his hand to drop down to the couch and straddle his lap.

“You’re my lover. My submissive. It’s my right and my pleasure to protect you, always.” He brought a hand up, his thumb sliding across the metal collar that circled Clay’s neck. “I won’t let anything or anyone hurt you or take you away from me.”

A thrill shot through Clay at that declaration. Logan’s unapologetic possessiveness had caused problems early on in their relationship, but they’d worked on it and come to an understanding on boundaries. Now, he was able to revel in Logan’s possessiveness and caring, because he knew it wouldn’t get out of hand. Clay pressed his forehead to Logan’s and closed his eyes. “I love when you talk to me like that.”

Logan’s hand moved to grip the back of his neck. “Do you?”

His eyes still closed, Clay nodded.

“Tell me why.”

“Because it makes me feel like the most important thing in your world. I’ve never felt like that with anyone.”

“It’s true. You are the most important thing to me. Having you in my life, wearing my collar, means everything to me.”

Clay opened his eyes and looked into his lover’s gaze, seeing the sincerity there. Not that he doubted him. Logan had proven time and time again how much he loved him. “I don’t deserve you, Sir. And I don’t do enough to show you how much I love you in return.”

“You don’t have to do anything to deserve me. I’m with you because I don’t ever want to be with anyone else.”

“Well, maybe I can show you what I feel tonight. Physically.”

michelle review

The boys are back and I couldn’t be happier. The Sergeant (book 1) is one of my favorites and I absolutely love Tomlinson’s writing. An Officer’s Submission is book 4 in the Cuffs, Collars and Love series. You will need to have read The Sergeant (book 1) and A Christmas Story (book 3) prior to reading this to get the back story of Clay and Logan.

I am not one for spoilers but I can guarantee that Tomlinson will take you on a joyous and wonderful ride. The writing is superb and the book flows with a natural ease. Tomlinson definitely doesn’t short change you in the romance department and all the while you get the feels… She will make you love to hate Logan and Clay and at the same time fall deeper in love with them. It’s hard writing reviews for books you love with everything you are because no one likes spoilers and Al I want to do is gush about everything….But…I will refrain.

If you want to shed some tears, smile from ear to ear, get stars in your eyes and kinda – maybe want to throat punch a MC than this is the book for you. If you have yet to read this series you really, really should. If you like a great and engaging story you should read this. If BDSM is your thing….Well…You should have already started this series. If BDSM isn’t your thing I would hope you’d give it a try as Tomlinson does a fantastic job with it.

I need this series to go on forever whether it’s with new couples or a continuation of Logan and Clay for years to come. I am a fan for life. Fantastic job.

5 pieces of eye candy

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Self-Torlina Publishing

Christa Tomlinson is an exciting up and coming author in erotic romance. Christa graduated from The University of Missouri-St. Louis with a degree in history. She loves to create stories that are emotional and lovely with sex that is integral to the characters’ romantic arc. Her books include straight couples, curvy couples, gay, and multicultural couples. Love is love and everyone should have their story told.

Christa lives in Houston, Texas with her two dogs, and is a retired roller derby player. She enjoys hearing from readers, other authors and aspiring writers. For more on Christa’s work, including deleted scenes, excerpts, and free reads, visit www.ChristaTomlinson.com

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Two Cowboys and a Baby by BA Tortuga: Release Day Review, Guest Post and Giveaway

March 15, 2017 by Denise

synopsis
A little bundle of joy means big changes.
Hoss McMasters has a working ranch, a bull riding career, a nosy momma, and a best friend he’s been in love with since he can remember. He’s a busy, happy cowboy, living the good life.
Then one morning he discovers a baby on his doorstep.
Well, Hoss does what any reasonable man would do—he calls his momma and his buddy, Sheriff Pooter, and they head to the clinic to see if Doc knows of any suddenly not-so-pregnant girls.
In the meantime, Hoss and his best friend, Bradley, have their hands full trying to care for an infant, run a ranch, and deal with the sudden confession that Bradley doesn’t hate Hoss for coming out to him in high school. In fact, Bradley’s been trying to catch Hoss’s attention for damn near a decade.

Title: Two Cowboys and a Baby
Author: BA Tortuga
Release Date: March 15, 2017
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires, Western
Pages: 220

Guest Post

Strawberry Pie

Hey, y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and lover of all things cowboy.

So, I always get asked if my characters are like me, like my family, and I always say no.

Still, bits of my family always sneak in.

For instance, Hoss from Two Cowboys and a Baby? Loves strawberry pie with a fiery passion. Adores it.

My daddy? Loves strawberry pie. I make him one every single time I see him. It’s his favorite dessert and we all know, that last piece, belongs to Daddy. No question.

So, I’ll do y’all a favor. I’ll share my recipe. It’s tried and tried and tried and tried and true. 😉

Daddy’s Strawberry Pie

1 crust, baked off. Your choice of recipe.

3 pints strawberries

1 c. sugar

3 T. cornstarch

½ c. water

Clean and top your berries, then smash enough to make 1 cup. Put those, plus sugar, water and cornstarch in a nice sized pan and cook til it boils and goes thick. Don’t stop stirring. Take off the heat and cool.

Tump the rest of the strawberries in the pie shell (whole is prettier, sliced is better to eat). Pour cooked berries over top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Top with whipped cream/cool whip/whathaveyou.

Much love, y’all.

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jennifer

First, let me just say that, I am a sucker for hot guys with kids. For those of you who read my reviews, this is not a secret. I don’t care how terrible the story is, I’ll like it because, hot guys with kids are kind of my thing. Now, in saying that… this story was really cute.
It was a bit unbelievable and left some holes that I would’ve liked filled, like… who was the mother and wouldshe ever come back? I mean she hadn’t, but I’d have liked to have seen some protection in the way so that she couldn’t come back and take the baby, if she wanted to.
The whole thing with the brother, was so unbelievable… just like Bradley said, it was something from a bad soap opera, I wouldn’t have bought it either if I was him….And the brother, him just being okay with his brother raising his kid as his own? Seriously? No muss or fuss about it…. Not even a “thanks bro!”
There were also words like “whut”, “ruint” and “spoilt” that I was just like….no, no, no… In no way am I a grammar police and I understand that these guys were cowboys and they had kind of a lazy, southern draw, but, “whut”… just made them sound uneducated and they both seemed like smart guys, so why?
Other than that, I loved the family aspect of this story. Hoss’s mom was a big help and I love the small town community, living where everybody knows everybody and has since preschool kind of thing. I live in a town like that. It’s homey.
I’m also glad that Bradley and Hoss figured their stuff out together…. It kinda just came out of nowhere, randomly while they were arguing and I wasn’t ready for it, even though I was ready for it because the back and forth was exhausting… but, there was no lead-up lol, it was just blurted out there and then nobody really reacted about it… it just was what it was. So, I was glad it wasn’t more of a back and forth than it already was.
Overall, it was a cute little read, a bit unrealistic, like I said, but it was cute and I enjoyed the HFN ending.
3 pieces of eye candy for me.

meet the author

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds and her beloved wife, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head. Find her on the web at www.batortuga.com

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Running With the Moon by Kiernan Kelly: Release Day Review with Giveaway

March 15, 2017 by Denise

synopsis Heart of the Wolf

What happens when a veterinarian ends up a patient in his own animal clinic?

Dr. Dae Anderson needs to lose the deadbeat boyfriend who is holding him back, but Jack is determined to hang on to Dae—even if he has to resort to violence.

Dae has worked hard to fit in among humans, and if his secret gets out, he’ll lose everything. His veterinary assistant, Sean, might be just the man to stand with Dae… against Jack and the world.

Courage of the Wolf

The most painful changes don’t involve the shape of the body, but of the heart….

Just as Dae and Sean are settling in to life as a couple, Dae is contacted by his brother, who still lives with his former pack and who exiled him for being gay.

If he refuses to return to Wyoming, a sociopathic alpha will slaughter Dae’s family one member at a time. And deep down, Dae knows he must confront his past before he can truly have a loving future with Sean. First, they have to stay alive.

First Edition of Heart of the Wolf published as Change of Heart by Torquere Press, 2007.
First Edition of Courage of the Wolf published as Change in Attitude by Torquere Press, 2011.

Title: Running With the Moon
Author: Kiernan Kelly
Release Date: March 15, 2017
Category: Paranormal: Werewolves/Shifters
Pages: 140

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michelle review

Running with the Moon is a 2 part story where we meet Dae, the Vet Shifter and his adorable tech Sean. Dae is in an abusive relationship while Sean is hanging out on the sidelines waiting to jump in. I absolutely adored Sean and loved how Dae had no clue Sean had any feelings towards him.

Both stories combined are about 150 pages and Kelly manages to put a lot of information into those pages. Short stories always have (IMO) given a fast pace feeling due to trying to tell a story in fewer pages. Sometimes it works and other times is doesn’t. Running with the Moon fell in between for me. I would have preferred to have more character development as well as more details regarding Dae as a shifter throughout both short stories. The writing was good and there was no grammar/editing issue that I saw.

I really enjoyed this book but wished it would have been longer. Kelly gave us a little bit of everything – some sweet, some sexy, some actions and some tension.

If you are looking for a quick and sweet story – this will definitely fit the bill. I look forward to reading more from this author.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

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Who We Are by Nicola Haken: Blog Tour, Reviews, Excerpt and Giveaway

March 14, 2017 by Denise

Title: Who We Are

Author: Nicola Haken

Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance

Release Date: March 13, 2017

synopsis

Since putting his life on hold ten years ago, Oliver Clayton doesn’t know who he is anymore. To his clients at the hair salon, he’s the sassy and confident stylist. To the crowds who come to watch his drag act at the club, he’s the fierce and fabulous Miss Tique. He’s popular. Talented. Out, proud, and self-assured.

He’s also a good actor.

Sebastian Day is content with life’s easy, if not a little monotonous, routine. After several failed relationships, he likes the simplicity of being alone in his truck at his job as a heavy goods driver, spending the weekends with his teenage son, and putting the world to rights with his cat, Marv. He’s not lonely. He isn’t hiding.

At least…he doesn’t think he is until he meets the mesmerising stranger with the red hair and purple lips.

Can Oliver and Sebastian help each other embrace who they are? Or will a cruel twist of fate end their journey before it’s even begun?

Angie at Wicked Reads ~ “Very heartwarming story, the banter between these guys is so sweet. I can’t say enough about this book to do it justice, just read it, you will love it.”

Beverly at Southern Babes Book Blog ~ “Sebastian and Oliver’s story is beautiful and heartbreaking… These two amazing men are trying to figure out who they really are and together they figure out that they can do anything.”

Jodi at Alpha Book Club ~ “Oliver’s story will make you cry and stand up and cheer for how strong of a human being he is… Loved this story and would recommend to anyone.”

MJ at Alixzia Reading Corner ~ “I ache and bleed with this book for every page turned! Highly recommend!”

Deanna at Two Chicks Obsessed ~ “This might be my new favorite Nicola Haken book. Broken nearly broke me, thus becoming my favorite; but this one left me far more emotional and thoughtful. I think it’s taken the crown.”

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Who We Are

~ Sebastian~

I WAS JUMPING down from my cab after arriving back from my last drop of the day when my life almost ended. Okay, so maybe I was known for being a tad on the dramatic side, but when Benny – my oldest friend and biggest pain in my arse -jumped out from behind my trailer, I almost choked on my fucking heart.

“Jesus Christ,” I muttered, breathless from the fright. “How the hell did you get in the yard?”

I’d been a heavy goods driver for thirteen years, working here at Patterson Haulage Ltd. for three of those – long enough to know they didn’t let pedestrians wander in off the streets to play hide and seek behind the lorries. Transport was in my genes, I guess. My dad had been a trucker all his life, and he met my mum at work – she worked as a clerk in the office. I never wanted to do anything else. I walked straight into my first warehouse job fresh out of school and stayed there until I was old enough to train for my Class 1 licence and could go out on the road. I loved my job.

“That old lady with the bright orange face let me in. Told her I needed to talk to you about Scott.”

“Scott?” Slamming the door to my cab closed, I fished my phone from the pocket of my Hi-Vis jacket and scanned the screen for missed calls. “What’s wrong with him?”

“Well, he likes Eminem, but hopefully he’ll grow out of that.”

“What?” Narrowing my eyes in confusion, I stared at Benny who looked to be admiring his thumbnail.

“Nothing’s wrong with him. I just knew they’d let me come see your truck if I played the kid card.”

Rolling my eyes, I huffed as I turned and re-opened my cab door. Climbing the steps, I leaned inside to grab my holdall and tacho card before hopping back down. “You’ve seen a wagon before. You shouldn’t use Scott like that. There could be a real emergency one day.”

“And if there is I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be the one anyone’d call about it,” he said, his tone amused as he ran his finger along the curtain of my trailer. “This needs a wash.”

“You offering?” I asked as I locked up the cab and started walking towards the transport office. I found it highly doubtful as I turned my head to the side and eyed up his leather coat, and beige turtleneck that no doubt he’d paid upwards of a hundred pounds for. Benny worked in recruitment. In other words, companies paid him far too much money to find them suitable candidates for their businesses, money which he wasted on overpriced shit he didn’t need. “Or did you come here for another reason?”

“I came because, as you know, it’s my birthday on Friday. The big three-four. I want y…” Pausing mid word, Benny spun on his heels. “Holy hot ginger.”

I didn’t need to turn around to know he’d spotted Rod, seeing as he was the only red-headed bloke who worked at this depot. “Christ, Benny. Keep it down. I have to work with these guys.”

“Chill out. The fact you’re mates with a gay guy won’t give away the big secret that you like cookies and ice cream.”

“It’s not a secret,” I snapped. Or maybe it was, given that I’d never told anyone I worked with that I was bisexual. My last two relationships had been with women, and ‘passing’ as straight was simply…easier. I was a copout and a liar but I was tired of explaining, defending myself.

There are a lot of misconceptions about bisexuality and I’d encountered most of them during my twenties. Now, at thirty-four, I was kind of exhausted with it all. I wanted to fall in love and create a future with another person as much as anyone, but I’d given up on the idea a while ago. Relationships, for me, whether with a man or a woman, seemed to consist of me justifying myself, reassuring my partner, or hiding – as Benny would say – the cookies or ice cream part of my sexuality.

I couldn’t just be me.

I wasn’t good enough.

Contrary to popular belief, I didn’t want to sleep with everybody, and there weren’t twice as many fish in the sea, because most fish thought I was confused, greedy, unfaithful, trying to be trendy, or afraid to admit I was gay. The last one confused me the most. The number of people who believed bisexuality was a temporary label used to ease the transition to gaytown would never cease to amaze me. It happened, sure, but there were a hell of a lot of bisexuals claiming to be gay, or straight, for no other reason than they couldn’t face the stigma attached to it, too.

I was simply attracted to people. I got turned on by the way someone carried themselves, by their confidence, or even shyness. I felt the same stir in my cock and pull of excitement in my chest when I saw the rugged grooves of a man’s chest as I did the silky curves of a woman’s hips. People are beautiful. I couldn’t help it. It’s just the way I was made.

Thankfully, many people realised these days that being gay or straight wasn’t a choice. Unfortunately, some of these same people believed bisexuals were capable of making a choice, and that they should. Well, I tried that when I was a teenager. I tried to pick a side, to ‘fit’ in somewhere.

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t work out too well.

“Just tell me what you came for,” I added to Benny, pushing open the swinging door that led to the warehouse which, in turn, led to the office.

“Do you have Scott this weekend?”

“No. Lisa’s taking him to see Jenny’s parents in Cornwall. Why?”

“Great! You’re coming to the village for my birthday.”

Ugh. “Ah, you know it’s not really my scene.” I had my reasons for not frequenting the village, unlike Benny who spent so much time there it could be considered his second home. Besides, after a day on the road my idea of a good time was Netflix and a takeaway.

“Yes, Mr Misery, I know having fun isn’t usually on your To Do list but it’s my birthday and you’ll hurt my feelings if you say no.”

We’d reached the office now and I handed my keys over to June through the window partition while raising a sceptical eyebrow at Benny. “Fine,” I said. “But as soon as you’re too drunk to notice whether I’m there or not I’m leaving.”

“I love you.” He turned to June who looked rather amused by my dickhead friend. “I love him, you know.”

“Knock it off, moron,” I said, ramming my shoulder into his.

“Watch the jacket!” he shrieked as he rubbed at the tan leather that made him look like a seventies pimp. “You’re covered in dirt and smell like oil.”

“Please excuse my friend, June. They don’t usually let him out unattended.”

“Don’t mind me, lovey. I’ve seen all sorts in my time.”

I risked a glance at Benny, whose mouth had dropped ever so slightly open. For a man who wasn’t easily offended, the image was priceless.

“You’re on the Midlands run tomorrow, lovey,” June added as she tapped on her keyboard.

Nodding, I told her I’d see her in the morning, swung my holdall over my shoulder and started making my way to the car park, all the while trying not to laugh at Benny’s reaction.

“Did she seriously refer to me as an all sort?” he muttered under his breath when we neared my car. I knew he wouldn’t let it go so easily. “Clearly, out of the all sorts she’s met none of them have been make-up artists.”

“Stop it,” I said, snorting as I clicked open the central locking on my matte black Ford Galaxy. “June’s lovely. A little old-fashioned, but harmless.”

“I’m sure. It just wouldn’t hurt for her to go down a shade or twelve in the foundation department is all I’m saying.”

Opening the rear door, I tossed my bag onto the back seat. “Have you finished being a bitch?”

“God, I hope not.”

Removing my thick, Hi-Vis jacket, I threw that on top of my bag, revealing my dark green uniform polo shirt, before closing the door and getting into the driver’s seat. “Is that all you wanted? You could’ve called or text.”

Benny leaned against my open door, hand on hip. “Told you, I wanted to see your big truck.” He winked at me.

I wanted so badly to roll my eyes, or at least keep a disinterested expression, but I couldn’t help chuckle at him.

“I was in the area, and besides, you’d have said no without my pretty face to seduce you.”

Probably.

“And hey, if you want to bring a plus one your red-haired co-worker is more than welcome.”

Shooing him away from the door, I pulled it closed and brought the engine to life before rolling down the electric window. “Let me know when and where during the week,” I said, dismissing the idea of inviting Rod. He’d only been here for three months and I didn’t know the guy well, but the fact he had a wife and three kids told me Rod wouldn’t be interested in the kind of socialising Benny had in mind for him.

“Will do,” he said, tapping the roof of my car before backing away. “Don’t forget I have expensive taste!”

Shaking my head, I bit my lip to suppress the grin that wanted to escape as I reversed out of my space. I already had his present – a bottle of Dior aftershave, same as every year. It was the only thing I knew the fussy bastard wouldn’t return in exchange for store credit.

deanna review

I’ve read some of Nicola Haken before and as usual she ripped my heart out of my chest again. In the best way possible. (There’s a compliment in there somewhere.)

Oliver Clayton put his life on hold 10 years ago to raise his little brother after his mother died of leukemia. He works in a hair salon by day and a drag bar by night to make ends meet.

Sebastian Day is a truck driver. He lives alone with his cat Marv and spends weekends with his son, who he’s raising with his best friend and her wife.

The two meet at a bar and exchange numbers. Both of them will need to come out of their comfort zones if they want to see where this goes. Oliver us so used to living for his brother and Sebastian isn’t really living at all, instead choosing to spend down time at home with his cat.

After several weeks of dating things start to get serious. They introduce their families and start planning for the future. When a health scare puts Oliver’s plans on hold Sebastian will need to hold on tight and anchor Oliver to the life they have started creating together. With support from Seb’s friend Benny and Oliver’s friend Rhys, Sebastian and Oliver can’t look anywhere but forward, together.

I’m not sure where to begin. Even knowing Nicola’s writing, when she hit me with the plot twist I was left stunned. I felt like Seb and Oliver had climbed to the top of the mountain together and she just drop kicked Oliver all the way back to the start of the trail. I cried all over myself while he climbed back up, she totally made up for it. The ending was perfection.

The speed of the story was perfect and it was in no way predictable. She shocked my socks off a few times. The characters were lovable and relatable.

I really would like a sequel that tells Rhys and Benny’s story but I’m so afraid of what she will do to them to give them their happily ever after. In order to live up to this book she’s going to have to hit one with a car or something equally shocking and horrific.

This might be my new favorite Nicola Haken book. Broken nearly broke me, thus becoming my favorite; but this one left me far more emotional and thoughtful. I think it’s taken the crown.

5 pieces of eye candy

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Whenever Ms Haken has a new release- I MUST HAVE IT! First the Souls of the Knight trilogy, which was so good. Plus, rock stars. But then she branched out a bit in her next 2 books. Both of them both broke my heart but left me happy. And she did it again.

When I first started reading this book I thought “hmm, maybe this will just be a nice love story romance and she won’t rip the heart right out of my chest and stomp on it”. HA! She did. And I am totally ok with that. Because her writing is so great that you have to feel deeply for her characters. They climb into you and won’t let go.

Oliver is a hair stylist just barely making ends meet while raising his brother. One night a week he goes out and performs as Miss Tique- his drag persona. And although he is in drag, he does it with his beard. And sings his own songs. I loved her.

Sebastian is a single dad, co-parenting with his best friend. And one night he runs into Oliver. Or Oliver runs into him. And he is smitten. The purple lipstick mesmerized him.

They begin to date, slowly. Each hiding the secret of the teenager at home. And while Sebastian is ready to go all in, Oliver isn’t. But fate has a different idea.

Even with everything life throws at them, they have a good slow romance burn. Both teenagers play heavily into the storyline which was nice because they really were integral to the story.

I don’t want to tell you too much about what happens. Because I really want you to read this book. Have tissues handy, but you will also smile and laugh and swoon.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

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Nicola Haken lives in Rochdale, England, with her five kids – one of whom is a grown man who many refer to as her husband. She spends her days writing about life, love, and all the beauty and angst that comes with it, and her nights binge watching Netflix or being the household slave. She’s also not very good at referring to herself in the third person, so if you’d like to get to know her your best bet would be to follow her on social media!

Oh, and if the kids ever ask, she moonlights as the Pink Power Ranger while they’re sleeping…

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