Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Release Day Review

Stuck With You by Jay Northcote: New Release Blitz with Review

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Two clashing colleagues stuck together for Christmas—will opposites eventually attract?

Patrick has been single since he broke up with his cheating ex almost a year ago. With Christmas looming, he’s resigned to spending it alone with only memories of happier times for company. When a business trip with a co-worker leaves them stranded in the Lake District due to heavy snow, it seems Patrick will have company for Christmas after all. It’s a shame his companion is Kyle, who’s undeniably attractive, but annoying as hell.

Aware of Patrick’s reluctant admiration, Kyle basks in the attention even though Patrick isn’t the type of man he normally goes for. Averse to relationships after being hurt in the past, Kyle enjoys the occasional hook up, but has given up on seeking anything more meaningful.

Stuck together, their antagonism escalates along with a heavy dose of sexual tension until it finally ignites. What starts as a Christmas fling soon feels like something special; but will their tentative connection melt away as the snow thaws? If they’re going to take a chance on finding happiness together, they’ll have to put their differences aside and learn to trust one another.

Contains: enemies-to-lovers, snowball fights, bickering, spanking, a cute dog, a wise old lady, mistletoe, and a happy ending (of course).

Length: 53,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Hot cover!

With our first snowfall coming down right now here in the Midwest, and Christmas right around the corner, I figured this one would be perfect. Co-workers who can’t stand each other, but secretly attracted to one another… uhm, yes please…. But, let’s discuss.

Patrick and Kyle are forced on a business trip together when their boss is fed up with their back and forth. I get it though, these guys are night and day. Patrick is a year off of a betrayal by his fiancé and though he knows that he’s a commitment kind of guy, he hasn’t jumped in and got back out there yet.

Kyle is the exact opposite, and I’ll admit, I did not like him….He’s bratty, conceited, slutty, childish and immature… I never warmed up to him. So, like I said, forced on a trip together, their car breaks down in a snow storm on the way home. No choice but to take shelter from the cold, they find a little flat in a tiny village with a grumpy (at first) old lady.

I don’t even know how it happened, because Kyle is obsessed with Grindr and Patrick is telling himself the entire time, that even though Kyle is gorgeous, younger and conceited… he knows he’s bad news… Kyle admits several times that he’s never been attracted to Patrick, and he’s not his type and he really treats him awful….but then all of the sudden, there’s spanking. Lots of spanking. Lots of spanking and awkward dirty talk … I will admit that I skimmed, it was very uncomfortable, and maybe it was supposed to be. Maybe it was these two trying to figure out what they needed from each other… but it was like…. I’m going to spank you, then apologize and ask if you’re okay… then we’re going to talk, awkwardly while we take a trip to poundtown together, and then go back to grumping at each other once it’s over. I just couldn’t keep the connection with these two, because it was like, one step forward and then two steps back.

Thhheeeeennnn, when I think maybe…. Patrick jumps the gun and makes an assumption (Grindr induced assumption)… Kyle throws a hissy fit and then childishly pouts and makes Patrick pay for it, even though he apologized, more than once… and it just didn’t work for me. I wanted it to, so, so, so bad, because I loved the premise and I love Jay… but I just couldn’t get into this one. Maybe it was me, I dunno.

Alls well that ended well though, because once these two worked out their feelings and admitted their attraction to one another, things went much better and we get a very cute HEA.. which is always a happy ending for me.

3 pieces of eye candy from me

 

November 23 – Gay Book Reviews, Diverse Reader, BFD Book Blog, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Lelyana’s Reviews, November 26 – CupcakesAndBookshelves, The Day Before You Came, Mirrigold, Mainely Stories, Mikku-chan, November 28 – Megan’s Media Melange, The Geekery Book Review, Wicked Faerie’s Tales & Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed, November 30 – Momma Says: To Read or Not To Read, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Xtreme Delusions, December 3 – Gay Fiction Addiction, December 5 – Book Corner Reviews, Boulevard des Passions, December 7 – Valerie Ullmer, Southern Babes Book Blog, Kimmers Erotic Book Banter, Lillian Francis, Book Lovers 4Ever, Open Skye Book Reviews, Jessie G, Bayou Book Junkie, Making It Happen

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has been published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are also available as audiobooks.

Website: https://jaynorthcote.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jay_Northcote

Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotewriter

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotefiction

Facebook author group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jaysplayground

Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/JN-readers

Jay’s books: http://author.to/JayNorthcote

 

Lost and Found by Quin Perin: RDB, Exclusive Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

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He is…

half my age,

my son’s friend,

and he calls me Daddy.

I brought him to his knees until he did the same to me.

“He was like a greedy little puppy, trying to please me. And goddamn, I needed him to need me.”

A May/December Second Chance Romance with a sprinkle of Daddy Kink. After their first encounter in “Take it All”, Lost and Found explores how Dave and Carter’s relationship took root and blossomed.

As a standalone novella, Lost and Found features explicit adult m/m content, Daddy Kink, age gap as well as romantic elements. The book ends…well, let’s see how it ends, shall we?

Book Title: Lost and Found – A May/December Gay Romance

Author: Quin Perin

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist:X Potion Designs

Genre/s: Second Chance Gay Romance

Length: 21 500 words/80 pages

It is a standalone story.

Add on Goodreads 

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

“Please,” Carter begged, tears in his eyes. Desperate, that’s what he was. The schedules I’d given him worked most of the time. But he needed the physical contact.

I released his hair and cupped his jaw, fingers digging into his cheeks. “You crossed a line, boy. Now go sit on the couch and think about what you’ve done before I do something I’ll regret.”

There it was again, that daring glimmer in his eyes. His hands almost touched the thick bulge I sported, but he knew better. He receded, never breaking eye contact while I nodded and praised him, “Good boy.”

It took another fifteen minutes to clean up the kitchen and cool down. I felt sick thinking about what had just happened. Our kinky connection almost exposed because Carter loved to play with fire. He wasn’t an ordinary submissive. Not like the ones I’d read about online. He was cheeky as fuck. But there he sat, with his head bent and his hands resting on his thighs, waiting for me to come over.

“I am sorry, Daddy,” he whispered when I rounded the couch and stood in front of him.

“Look at me.”

Staring up at me from the couch, he worried his bottom lip, chewing the right side of it until it was raw and swollen. I hated that habit.

“Stop biting your lip,” I ordered and brushed my thumb over it. The moment we connected, Carter’s eyes slid closed, and the tension seemed to flow from him. It’s what he needed, my touch, my affection.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured when I dipped my thumb into his mouth, pulling his lower lip down.

“You gonna make it up to Daddy?” Arousal was beating rage into submission, shutting off my brain. I needed to punish him as much as he needed me to do it. He’d won.

I made him undo my jeans. Which he did with such enthusiasm, I almost forgot the way he’d behaved. Next, he pulled down my briefs, letting my pulsing erection jut free. He tried to catch it with his mouth, but first it slid over his cheek, a string of precum landing there. I’d never seen anything sexier.

I moaned at the way he worked me into his mouth. That tight and warm heat. That goddamn tongue teasing me. I placed my hands on the back of his head, helping him to take in more. I’d never had someone suck my cock like they fucking loved it. Until Carter did exactly that. He slurped and moaned, his hands at the back of my thighs pulling me in deeper. He was going wild, bobbing and pumping and making my knees shake. I freed my balls while he went at it, blinking up with those big brown eyes, glazed with lust.

“You’re doing so good,” I rasped, “make it up to Daddy.”

His nose nuzzled my pubes, and my balls drew up tight, the tension spiking to new heights, ready to burst. But I didn’t let him finish me. Instead, I yanked him off, eliciting a surprised cry when I spun him around on the couch so his body splayed out on top of it. Carter scrambled, waving his ass at me as though it were my prize. Which it was. But he had to learn he couldn’t risk what we had. Not like that.

Without even undoing his loose-hanging jeans, I tore them down his legs. Another yelp. His underwear and pants pooled around his knees. Gazing over his shoulder with his bare ass on display, I straddled him, my wet cock bouncing with the movement, hanging out of my undone jeans. Carter tried to prop up onto his elbows, but I pinned him down, one hand slamming between his shoulder blades.

“Stay, boy!” I hissed and rubbed my free hand over the globes of his perfect ass. I’d never seen an ass like that, so round and taut and just…yeah, perfect.

Then, the spanking began.

Okay…. So, if you’re looking for daddy kink and filth, this is absolutely the book for you. If you’re looking for any kind of storyline…. I’d skip it.

So, Dave has a thing for his son’s best friend Carter. Carter also has a thing for his best friend’s dad, Dave. They also have a shared kink, Daddy/boy. Now, this goes on in secret for about two years, until Carter develops feelings and wants more from Daddy Dave. Instead of having a conversation about it, they end up in an argument about it that turns into a tantrum on both of their parts  I feel like, and Carter gets his feelings hurt…. Naturally, because Dave was kind of a jerk…. But he feels bad, so he apologizes, and then they have the whole argument all over again…. Same result.

Now, my biggest problem with this is… both guys were so immature. I could see where they were both coming from, but my goodness… have a conversation without throwing  hissy fit and stop jumping to conclusions that are so ridiculous… I wondered who the daddy was supposed to be, because Dave didn’t seem like the one who was put together, and they just seemed to be playing at Daddy/son, not really living it…. Although, it’s described as living it…

I felt like I was skimming for the most part, everything is just explained, I didn’t feel like I was living or even reading it… I was just reading about it… does that make sense? If you read it, you’ll understand.

The premise was awesome, I really like the trope, but this one just didn’t work for me. Years wasted over miscommunication and immaturity, feelings were hurt over lies and assumptions… it was just too much angst in such a small story.

3 pieces of eye candy from me

 

This is Quin&Perin. We are a team of Sultry Gay Romance writers who focus on detailed, toe-curling, and realistic smut scenes with a fair share of dirty talking (Oh, boy). Unlike other authors, we write without the goal of publishing anything. Publishing is just the cherry on top of a cream-covered bubble butt.

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Fair Isn’t Life by Kaje Harper: Exclusive Double Guest Post, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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I am so super excited to welcome Kaje Harper today at Two Chicks Obsessed. As soon as I saw Fair Isn’t Life was coming out, I immediately messaged Kaje and asked her to do a special guest post. Both Kaje and I live in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, where the Great Minnesota Get Together, also known as the Minnesota State Fair, is and where this book begins. The Minnesota State Fair is a huge deal in the state, and brings people from all over to eat “food on a stick”, see farm animals, and sweat in the hot sun and humidity that is a Minnesota summer. So, I had to do a “this or that” list with Kaje to see what our differences are. Check it out (and yes, all these things are things you can do/see/eat at the Minnesota State Fair), and enter the giveaway!

 

Luke Lafontaine survived the past year by not thinking about the father he lost, the dairy farm he couldn’t save from bankruptcy, or his way of life that vanished with the rap of an auctioneer’s hammer. Cleaning up city folks’ trash at the Minnesota State Fair is just another dead-end job. But at the Fair, surrounded by a celebration of farm life, ambitions he’d given up on and buried deep start to revive. And seeing Mason Bell in the parade—gorgeous, gay, out-of-his-league Mason—stirs other buried dreams.

Mason left his hometown for college in Minneapolis without looking back. Student life is fun, classes are great, gay guys are easy to find, but it’s all a bit superficial. He’s at the State Fair parade route with his band when he realizes a scruffy maintenance worker is Luke, his secret high school crush. Luke should be safely home working on his dad’s farm, not picking up litter. Mason wishes he hadn’t fallen out of touch. He’s an optimist, though, and it’s never too late for second chances. Now he just has to convince Luke.

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

Title: Fair Isn’t Life
Author: Kaje Harper
Release Date: November 16, 2018
Category: Contemporary, States of Love (Minnesota)
Pages: 148

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Dreamspinner Press

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

iBooks

Thanks for giving me time to hang out on this blog, as my new book, Fair Isn’t Life, is released. How fun that we’ve both been to the Minnesota State Fair (second largest in the nation, I’ll have you know) where my book begins. The Fair has so many good things, including more food than anyone can possibly even try once.  I insisted Denise had to fill these questions out too – let’s see how our choices compare.

  1. Pork chop on a stick or turkey legs?

KH: I have to admit I’ve never tried either one. If I did, I’d be more likely to go for the pork chop. I eat 95% vegetarian, but when I splurge it’s usually bacon-related.

DSC: I’m not a big meat person (giggle), but definitely prefer turkey legs. And I am totally down with the bacon-related items that Kaje mentioned!

  1. Swine barn or miracle of birth center

KH: I love the Miracle of Birth Center, run by the veterinary college. It’s an important piece of Fair Isn’t Life too, as Luke confronts his dreams and future in there. Seriously— newborn calves, tiny piglets, twin lambs, and fuzzy ducklings. What’s not to love? (Although the annual biggest pig at the Fair in the Swine Barn is pretty impressive too. This year “Johnny” topped the scales at 1,040 pounds.)

DSC: Definitely the Miracle of Birth Center. I love goats! Like seriously LOOOOVVVEEEE goats, so any chance I get to see baby goats, or any goats, is my time. That being said, they are also in the Swine Barn, so I win either way.

  1. Space needle or Giant Slide

KH: I’m a Needle fan – I love looking down from (safe) heights. My kids loved the slide better.

DSC: Although we didn’t do it this year, I definitely prefer the Giant Slide. Although the bags you sit on are itchy!

  1. Sweet Martha’s cookies or deep fried candy bars/Oreos

KH: Cookies. Give me all the cookies. (I have nothing against candy bars – chocolate is my preferred writing fuel, but deep frying puts them over the top for me.)

DSC: Definitely Sweet Martha’s cookies. That overflowing bucket of melting cookies has you sick to your stomach. Why do they bother selling the little cone of them, I have always wondered. Does anyone actually buy that? lol

  1. French Fries or Cheese Curds

KH: Fries, please. Better yet, Duke’s Poutine – fries with cheese curds and gravy – a taste of my Montreal roots.

DSC: Cheese Curds. Deep fried deliciousness…Kaje mentioned the Poutine…my family loves it…me? I don’t quite get it, but hey, they can have that, and I get all the cheese curds!

  1. Ball Park (beer garden) or Wine Country

KH: I like a good wine (or even a cheap wine LOL), but never learned to appreciate beer. (My main characters Luke and Mason would say the opposite.)

DSC: This one I follow the family wherever they choose to go, neither one is a draw for me. But give me a huge cup of the lemonade? Oh yes!

  1. Coliseum or Grandstand

KH: Coliseum. I’m crazy about horses (I worked in a riding camp for girls as a teen) and I’m not crazy about really loud music and crowds, so I’d rather watch the pretty ponies.

DSC: hahaha I chose the Coliseum, but for all the little shops that surround it. I found some awesome Christmas presents there this year, and at a great deal since it was Labor Day! 🙂

  1. Open Sky Ride or Closed Sky Ride

KH: Open Sky Ride – I like the way it passes over the crowd but not too high and wide open, so you feel engaged with the fair below. This year, as we passed over the karaoke booth, they were playing Bohemian Rhapsody and people in the chairs were singing along with the folks on the ground to Freddie Mercury’s classic.  (Fun observation – everyone from seniors to preteens knew the words. Freddie was a genius.)

In years past, the building roof that the ride goes over had lots of dropped hats and flip flops; by now, we saw it’s mostly adorned with underwear. My son and I discussed how you could get out of bras and particularly undershorts while in the chair seats, or if people brought them along to drop…

DSC: Open Sky Ride. Although that being said, this year I noticed a ton of people dropped their undergarments on the roof of one of the buildings as they went overhead. I had to wonder…did they plan ahead for that? hahaha Kaje and I mentioned the same thing! I took a picture as a memorial. Someday someone will find that in my phone and wonder WTF?

  1. Agriculture Building or Education Building

KH: I like the Ag building. It brings the flavor of a real fair to the big urban celebration. I like looking at the prize winning vegetables and all the flowers.

DSC: Agriculture building. I love the Christmas display they get up in the middle. And the apples, and the taste testing. 🙂


  1. West End or International Bazaar

KJ: International Bazaar – it feels hopeful to see people learning about and enjoying other cultures.

DSC: We did the West End this year, and really enjoyed it. Definitely a must again next year. But I love the International Bazaar too.

  1. Butterfly House or Reptile House

KH: Reptiles are fascinating— I once owned a pet snake and he was a cutie. But I vote Butterfly House. I like watching the little kids in awe of having a butterfly land on their arm. There’s a tinge of sadness in the fragility that ends up in small crumpled losses in the corners (and that’s something that Mason was upset about as a kid, in a cut scene that didn’t make it into the book.) Still, the big-eyed wonder and seeing the kids try so hard to be still and gentle warms my heart.

DSC: Butterfly House. And I didn’t realize when I was reading the book the butterfly reference was more than the brief reference, so now I want to see that scene! 🙂

  1. Midway or Kidway

KH: Other than the Sky Ride or a Ferris Wheel, I’m not much of a rides person. So this depends on who I’m with. My first time at the Fair was when my older son was just 18 months old. This summer, my younger son was 22 years old. Their tastes changed.

DSC: I normally would have said neither, but this year my brother made me go on several of the fun houses in the Midway and we had a blast! Loads of fun.

  1. Haunted House or Fun House

KH: Fun House – not a fan of horror, or screaming. (Plus sometimes there are clowns in the haunted house.)

DSC: See previous answer! And the New York City one was awesome!!!

  1. Ice Cream or Custard

KH: If I’m going to eat a frozen treat, let it be decadent – Custard.

DSC: I’m going to go with the milk shakes, cause those are awesome!

  1. Minnesota Apples or Minnesota Honey

KH: Apples. The Honeycrisp is a Minnesota creation.

DSC: Honey all the way. The honey ice cream is delicious!

  1. Fried Pickles or Corn on the Cob

KH: Corn. I never developed a taste for pickles. And the corn is soooooooo good.

DSC: Hmmmm….well since it’s on a stick, I’m going with Corn on the Cob!!!!

KH: Thanks for inviting me onboard today, and for reminding me about all the good stuff from our Fair (and now I really want Funnel Cakes…)

DSC: Thanks for playing along!

Okay, I am not sure if it’s fair (haha, get it?) for me to review this book. I mean the Minnesota State Fair, and just all the Minnesota references were out of this world. I had so much fun with this book. Although it starts at the fair, as these two men get reaquainted, there are tons of other references that made me smile, laugh, or just reminded me of all the good stuff that comes with living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. (Go Twins!) It was a great step into what a lot of people call “flyover country”, but don’t realize is a rich, diverse area with lots to see and do, including the Great Minnesota Get Together.

All that being said, I really did love this book, not just because of the location of the story, but also from a character driven aspect.

I really liked both of these characters, and what they were dealing with during this time in their lives. Luke was trying to bring himself out of a grief stricken and guilt induced depression that was crushing. He knew he needed to do something with his life, but hadn’t been able to see through the cloud of grief to decide. Having someone like Mason come back into his life at a time when he needed a guiding support, and even someone to push him a little was very realistic. It was obvious Luke had spent much of his life doing what he was told, and trying to be the good, faithful son, because his father wanted that from him. Breaking out a little was a great way for him to begin to find himself, who he wanted to be, what he wanted to do with his life, and acknowledge that he wanted Mason as his man.

Meanwhile, Mason, despite being a small femme man, knew what he wanted, and went right after it. He wanted Luke in his life, and even when Luke got caught up in all the things going on in his brain, Mason was patient but persistent. He wasn’t about to let Luke give up simply because he couldn’t believe that someone would want him. He helped Luke find his way, simply by being there for him, and giving him a helping hand as Luke tried to gain his footing. Mason may have been chatty, and gregarious, perhaps thought of by some of the baseball players in the book as over the top, but he absolutely knew when the right time was to sit back and wait, and when to push forward. I loved Mason’s attitude. He was confident, and helped Luke find his own confidence in himself and what he could do.

There was so much character development in this short novel, I was very impressed. Each movement of Luke’s, each comment, or non-comment, spoke to his personality, and the stressors in his life. So very well done. And we got an HFN, so that always makes me happy!

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I get asked about my name a lot. It’s not something exotic, though. “Kaje” is pronounced just like “cage” – it’s an old nickname. I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – forty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have Young Adult short stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)

It was my husband who finally convinced me that after all the years of writing just for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published, including Amazon bestseller The Rebuilding Year and Rainbow Award Best Mystery-Thriller Tracefinder: Contact. A complete list with links can be found on my website “Books” page at https://kajeharper.wordpress.com/books/.

I’m always pleased to have readers find me online at:

Website: https://kajeharper.wordpress.com/

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

Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4769304.Kaje_Harper

Leave a comment on this post, and win an ebook copy of one of Kaje’s backlist books.

Bishop Ridge by Cate Ashwood: Release Day Review

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They found exactly what they weren’t looking for.

Logan:

I had almost everything I’d ever wanted—career, friends, my own easy life in Sawyer’s Ferry, Alaska. I’d given up on filling in the missing pieces long ago. Now, I was more than satisfied with the perfectly practiced, perfectly predictable routine I’d created for myself. At least until Jackson Daly walked into my clinic.

Jackson:

Working the rigs is temporary. Everything in my life is. Jobs, cities, and the guys I take home—nothing sticks, and that’s exactly the way I like it. After four years in Alaska, I’m itching to pick up and leave. I’m ready to move on and start over someplace new, until a one-night stand I can’t seem to shake has me breaking all my own rules.

Now as I get closer to walking away, my reasons for leaving seem blurrier than ever, and for the first time in my life, there could be something worth staying for.

Title: Bishop Ridge
Series: Sawyer’s Ferry Book 2
Genre: Contemporary m/m romance
Length: 52,000 words
Release date: November 16th, 2018

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I was SO excited to know that Logan was getting a story, I couldn’t wait for this one! I loved Holden and Gage so much, but as Gage’s bestie and fellow surgeon, I wanted him to get a HEA too. Life in such a small town with so little opportunity to find someone you hadn’t known your whole life, was rare…. So, when Logan took the ferry on his monthly trek to the next town to work and ran into rough and tumble, rig runner, Jackson… I was pumped!

Jackson was a rolling stone, having never settled down in one place for longer than it took to get comfortable. Content on random hookups and new friends wherever he goes, it was just dumb luck he was crazy attracted to the surgeon he stopped in to see about removing a bullet from his shoulder that had been there from years ago. They were from two totally different paths, but you know what they say about opposites right? So, after running into Logan at the small mini mart across from the hospital had seemed like fate, and they both jumped at the chance to explore the attraction….

Of course, one time turned into two, and that turned into texts and then phone calls and pretty soon, they were in a relationship…without calling it a relationship. But much like Gage and Holden, whatever they had going on, had an expiration date, because Jackson wasn’t known for staying… in fact, he had something lined up already, and it wasn’t too long away.

I loved these two together, though; they had such great chemistry and wether Jackson wanted it or not… he wasn’t the roughneck he was with everyone else…. Not with Logan at least. Logan brought out something in him that I think even he didn’t realize, and I loved it. They were sweet, Logan especially.
Both men know that feelings are developing, they had the first time they were together, but they both did a good job denying it… even though they acknowledged it and pretended they didn’t.

So, when the time came and it was time for someone to get hurt, I knew exactly who it would be. There’s no cheating, nothing like that…. But they’d laid out the terms before anything started and though you can’t help how you feel, I knew it was going to backfire. My heart broke a little bit for Logan, and I hated that he had to be the one to fight for them when to me, Jackson should’ve been the one to realize he made a mistake and go after Logan. He deserved it, he should’ve been the one fighting for them…

BUT, I guess alls well that ends well, and it definitely did for these too. At least for now, it’s still new. I’m really hoping that we get to see more from these guys, as well as Gage and Holden, but also… I really want Witt to get a happily ever after. I found myself more curious about him the more I read about him. He’s quiet and shy, loyal and charming, even when he doesn’t realize it. I really hope the next story is for him. I’d love that.

Overall though… I’m already in love with this series, the little town and all the friendly, family like people in it and I just can’t wait for more, no matter who it is.

4 pieces of eye candy from me!

Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert: Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

One hard-nosed military police officer.

One overly enthusiastic elf.

One poorly timed snowstorm.

Is it a recipe for disaster? Or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for holiday romance?

Teddy MacNally loves Christmas and everything that goes along with it. When he plays an elf for his charity’s events, he never expects to be paired with a Scrooge masquerading as Santa Claus. His new mission: make the holiday-hating soldier believe he was born to say ho-ho-ho.

Sergeant Major Nicholas Nowicki doesn’t do Santa, but he’s army to his blood. When his CO asks an unusual favor, Nick of course obliges. The elf to his Kris Kringle? Tempting. Too tempting—Nick’s only in town for another month, and Teddy’s too young, too cheerful and too nice for a one-night stand.

The slow, sexy make-out sessions while Teddy and Nick are alone and snowbound, though, feel like anything but a quick hookup. As a stress-free holiday fling turns into Christmas all year round, Teddy can’t imagine his life without Nick. And Nick’s days on the base may be coming to a close, but he doesn’t plan on leaving anything, or anyone, behind.

Publisher: Carina Press (Harlequin)

Release Date (Print & Ebook): Ebook: Monday November 12, 2018; Print (mmp): Tuesday November 27, 2018

Length (Print & Ebook): Ebook: 288; Print (mmp): 288

Subgenre: Contemporary Romance, Male/Male Romance, Holiday Romance, Military Romance

Amazon

Carina Press

Barnes & Noble

 

“Hey, I’m happy for the company,” Teddy reassured him. “I’d just hate having to find another backup Santa because this one froze to death for not knowing the area. But just watch, by next year, you’ll be as prepared as any native.”

Nick took a spoonful of stew and swallowed before answering. “Won’t be here next year, sorry.”

“Oh. Being moved to another base?” Teddy was hit with a brief pang, which was ridiculous. The military moved people all the time, and like Charlie said, people left. No surprise here.

“No. Retiring. Last day is December 22nd.”

“Retiring? You’re only fortyish right? Isn’t that a bit young?”

“Ish.” Nick’s tone stayed bland, mouth not curving into a smile. “Forty-six. And almost thirty years of service is positively ancient in military terms. I’ve done pretty much everything an enlisted person can do—pretty rare for us to stay on after getting our twenty years of service. I’m a dinosaur at twenty-eight years in. Most of my friends left at twenty, but I was set on making sergeant major, so I stayed in.”

“So what will you do? Go back to school? Civilian law enforcement? Some new dream to chase?” Teddy leaned forward, eager to hear Nick’s big plans.

“Too old to go back to school.” Nick waved a hand dismissively. “And no dreams. All I ever wanted was to be a cop. Joined the military police because we couldn’t afford college, and I liked the idea of being in the service and still being able to be a cop. Then I set my sights on advancing. Last goal was to make sergeant major, and I did that, so no complaints.”

Teddy liked listening to Nick talk, but he was a bit disheartened by how…defeated he sounded. Like he’d battled Father Time and time had won and now he had no choice but to move on. And that was damn sad. He said he had no complaints, but Teddy could read between the lines well enough to see that Nick didn’t want to retire.

“But you can still be a cop. I bet there’s not a law enforcement agency in the country that wouldn’t be happy to have you. Hell, you could even do FBI or Secret Service—”

“Slow down, Teddy.” Nick smiled, the first one Teddy had really seen from him, this one accompanied by a subtle head shake. But Teddy could take the censure—the smile was damn worth it. Broad with both cheek and chin dimples, it took Nick from “scary giant man” to “Hollywood action star” in a single upward slant of his lips. “You sure know how to dream big. And I’ve thought about civilian law enforcement. I’ve even got the degrees they all want, but in the end, I think I’m just too old a dog to learn new tricks.”

Tis the season for Christmas stories! And for me there is no better way than with a book by one of my favorite authors.

This story deviated from her norm in that it was set in upstate NY (not the Pacific Northwest or San Diego) and it featured an Army MP (not a Navy Seal). And it was adorable.

Nick is in his last month of active duty as an Army mp before he retires. Sounds like he was pushed into retirement, but I don’t think it was ever explained why. And without giving anything away, the events surrounding the tragedy in Nick’s family was never really explained either. Small details most probably won’t notice.

Teddy runs a non-profit in his home town. A hometown that seems to be overrun by his extended family. Nick is persuaded to help Teddy and the non profit by dressing as Santa for some pictures and other events leading up to Christmas.

To say Nick and Teddy are polar opposites is putting it mildly. Nick is super grumpy, minimalistic, isn’t close to his family and doesn’t care about the holidays. And he much prefers sun and surf to snow and ice. Teddy is a do-gooder, perpetually happy, is ridiculously close to his family and adores the holidays.

I loved Teddy’s confidence. He puts himself out there with Nick and when he is turned down he doesn’t get all mopey and feeling sorry for himself. He just continues on. The way he slowly insinuated himself into Nick’s life as a friend was super cute.

And then they did get together and wow. That would melt the snow on the roof.

I appreciated that the book included Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve in the story line. It was a fairly happy, low angst book with all of the holiday and family feels.

4 Pieces of Candy

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer. Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Her critically acclaimed and fan-favorite LGBTQ romance series include the #OutOfUniform, #Gaymers, #PortlandHeat, #RainbowCove and #PerfectHarmony series.

To find out what she’s working on next and other fun extras, check out her website: annabethalbert.com or connect with Annabeth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify! Also, be sure to sign up for her newsletter for free ficlets, bonus reads, and contests. The fan group, Annabeth’s Angels, on Facebook is also a great place for bonus content and exclusive contests.

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The Husband Gambit by L.A. Witt: Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

Marry me for 1 year. Payment: $1.2 million.

Hayden Somerset is convinced the ad is a joke, but he responds anyway because, hello, $1.2 million. He’s broke, living in a tiny apartment with two roommates, and exhausted from praying his ancient car survives just one more week. His skyrocketing rent and crushing student loans aren’t helping either. At this point, there isn’t much Hayden wouldn’t do for that kind of cash.

The ad isn’t a joke. Jesse Ambrose is absolutely serious. His father, the charismatic patriarch of a powerful Hollywood dynasty, has his eye on politics, and he’s counting on California’s liberals and progressives to elect him. But Jesse knows what his father believes when cameras and voters aren’t around. As the election looms, he’ll do anything to force the man’s hand and show the public who Isaac Ambrose really is.

Anything, including marrying a stranger so his father will make good on his promise to disown Jesse if he ever takes a husband.

Now he just has to wait for his father to take the bait… and try not to accidentally fall in love with his fake husband.

Length: 95,000 words approx.

Cover Design: L.A. Witt

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

This book was so fun!

I am a big fan of LA Witt and she has never written a book like this (at least that I have read) and it was so welcome. It was filled with humor, but nothing forced, no stupid jokes. Hayden is just a funny person. And that is who he is.

Hayden is a typical struggling actor in LA. With a master’s degree in theater arts. So a well education struggling actor. He shares a 2 bedroom apartment with his 2 best friends who are also struggling, just not to be actors. The three of them together count every dime and pinch every penny just to make it every month. I really loved how the 3 guys pooled all of their resources. It wasn’t just that this one had his share of the rent and that one didn’t. So when Hayden sees a random odd ad for someone to be a husband for a year and to get paid $100k a month to do it, he had to find out more.

Jesse is a semi anonymous son of a famous producer and comes from a long line of Hollywood royalty. But now his father is flirting with running for governor. And Jesse wants to stop him. Because on the outside he seems like a liberal progressive. But really he is a racist homophobe. Jesse is willing to give up his inheritance, his monthly stipend and his family in order to out his father as the bigot he is. Step 1- get a husband.

I think what I loved a lot about this book- besides the humor- is that neither guy is a jerk in any way. They seemed to become almost instant friends and that shows. And even though there was some sexual tension, it wasn’t in your face. In fact, it seems like the two men didn’t even realize it until they kissed at their wedding.

So while this trope has been around forever and will never go away, this particular telling was my favorite. I genuinely cared about these guys, the main story line didn’t get lost between sex scenes and all of the supporting characters did what they were meant to- they supported the story.

Even with the racist, homophobic father and the threat of losing everything, it was still fairly lighthearted. And I really enjoyed it.

November 15 – Cdawgz Reads, On Top Down Under, Two Chicks Obsessed, Gay Book Reviews, Xtreme Delusions, OMG Reads, November 17 – Henna Loves Books, Open Mind For A Different View, Urban Smoothie Read, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, November 19 – Cupcakes & Bookshelves, November 21 – Love Unchained, V’s Reads, Mainely Stories, November 23 – Momma Says: to Read or Not To Read, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bonkers About Books, Engaging Secrets, MM Good Book Reviews, November 26 – Jim’s Reading Room, Making It Happen, November 28 – Megan’s Media Melange, November 30 – Mirrigold – Mutterings & Musings, Lillian Francis, Valerie Ullmer, Reading In Sarah’s Corner, Sexy Erotic Xciting, Southern Babes Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, Wicked Reads

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…

Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com
E-mail: gallagherwitt@gmail.com
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com

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