Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Release Day Review

Hard To Let Go by Jaclyn Quinn: Release Day Review

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Owen Richards lives a quiet life in his small hometown of Haven’s Cove. He has a rewarding life consisting of three very supportive—not to mention feisty—women, and a successful bakery that he owns and absolutely loves. Yet, Owen can’t seem to shake this emptiness inside or the intense feeling that something is missing. A sudden encounter with a man from his past, one he despises, turns his entire world upside down. When Owen finds himself attracted to that sexy man, he questions everything, including his sanity. After all, only an incredibly disturbed person would find that he can’t stop thinking about his high school bully.

Brody Walker never expected to return to Haven’s Cove. He’s made a life for himself in Boston where he can truly be the person he was always meant to be. But an unexpected call has Brody facing all the demons he’d left behind so long ago. Now, he’s faced with not only a difficult goodbye, but one long overdue apology to a man who is no longer that lanky kid from high school. The challenge is to convince the guy he’s changed—and also prove he’s worth taking a chance on.

When passions ignite, truths are exposed, changing beliefs these men have held on to for years. Faced with the knowledge that things aren’t always what they seem, will they choose to hold on to the incredible thing they’ve found…or is it easier to give in to the fear and let go?

Hard To Let Go

Jaclyn Quinn

Release Date: Feb 19th

Genre: M/M Romance

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

 

I don’t do love triangles so I was a little bit worried about this one in the beginning. See, Owen and his boyfriend Jonah were best friends that turned into more, Jonah was there for Owen when he needed him the most and he’d always have love for him…. Unfortunately, as of lately, they both knew that things weren’t that way with them anymore. They had all the love in the world for each other, but they weren’t in love with each other. I respected how maturely they handed everything and was glad that there wasn’t a bad guy in the situation; they were both very likeable characters.

Now… on his way to work one morning, Owen runs into an old high school bully, Brody. Brody and his friends weren’t just bullies, they were BULLIES… especially the ring leader, Chuck, and it’s heartbreaking what they put Owen through…. What’s even worse though, is the heartbreaking, terrible life that Brody was hiding from. I couldn’t stomach the way his father treated him and I’m really bummed that he didn’t get the karmic justice that he deserved. Somethin akin to ripping his flesh off the bones and keeping him alive for days to be tortured…. Too much? Meh, doubtful….

Anyway, although Owen is angry at seeing Brody and very mistrusting of him, he didn’t know that Jonah had already hired him to some remodeling work at Owen’s house. It starts off terribly, but, once Owen knows why Brody is back in town and finds out the way he suffered alongside Owen all those years ago, just in a different way… things change for the pair.

I love how jealous both men get in regards to the other man while they try to hide their feelings for each other. I love Owen’s family and Brody’s best friend Gabe, I really hope he gets a story with Nate, as well as Jonah gets his happy with someone perfect. I love that Owen cared so much about Brody and was there with him every step of the way when tragedy strikes and Brody needed him.

These two had the best chemistry, and not even just during sexy times….this author done an awesome job expressing such deep feelings of confusion, lust, anger, regret, guilt, sadness and overall love. This is my first by this author, but it for sure won’t be my last!!

4 heartbreaking and hopeful stars from me.

The Artist’s Touch by E.J. Russell: Blog Tour, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Two men haunted by more than the past.

Painter Stefan Cobbe was homeless and debt-ridden after the death of his wealthy partner, but the worst loss of all was his artistic inspiration. After two years of nothing, he’s offered patronage by an eccentric gallery owner and starts to produce again, canvas after canvas. The only problem? He can’t remember painting any of them—not one single brushstroke.

Luke Morganstern’s reputation as an art-fraud investigator is in tatters. He can’t afford to turn down any job, even a lousy one for an anonymous client who sends him after an unidentified forger in a remote cabin in Oregon. When the alleged forger turns out to be Stefan, the man he never stopped loving, Luke’s professional ethics are stretched beyond the breaking point.

As the two men take tentative steps toward reconciliation, evidence begins to mount that they’re not alone in the woods. Someone—or something—is watching. Something with sinister plans for them both. To escape, Luke must overcome his suspicions and Stefan must trust Luke with his deepest fears. Otherwise they could forfeit their relationship, their sanity—and their lives.

Publisher’s note: This is a heavily revised and significantly expanded reprint of Northern Light. The second book in the Art Medium series, Tested In Fire, is a first edition. Both are sold together in both ebook and print collections.

Thank you Two Chicks Obsessed for inviting me to stop by today! Hello, intrepid internet adventurers, and welcome to the blog tour for The Artist’s Touch, the first book in my Art Medium series. After the release of book two, Tested in Fire, in April, I’ll be giving away a $40 Riptide gift card, so please leave a comment for a chance to win.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this novella, but I got more than I bargained for, in a good way. A second chance at love for these two men, a ton of history behind them, both when they were together, and afterwards, and some supernatural elements thrown in (notice what’s behind the MC on the cover????).

Well, it was definitely intriguing, and I had no idea that little tiny plot points in the story along the way, would transcend into what was a huge crescendo at the end. I really enjoyed those final scenes, knowing how the small touches had helped to build to such a huge ending (the kind where you cringe a little at what the MC’s are going through, love it!).

Small spoiler ahead! This novella isn’t long, but definitely packs a punch, with two second chance love stories, the one you expect, and the one you don’t.

Definitely recommend this one! 4 pieces of eye candy

 

About the Art Medium Series

Artists use all manner of materials to express their vision, to interpret the world around them, to affect the hearts and minds of their audience.

But what if the artist himself were the medium? And what if artistic inspiration weren’t the only force at work?

If painter Stefan Cobbe and art investigator Luke Morganstern don’t answer those questions fast, they stand to lose their reputations, their relationship—and their lives.

Check out the Art Medium series now!

E.J. Russell holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business-intelligence consultant. After her twin sons left for college and she no longer spent half her waking hours ferrying them to dance class, she returned to her childhood love of writing fiction. Now she wonders why she ever thought an empty nest meant leisure.

E.J. lives in rural Oregon with her curmudgeonly husband, the only man on the planet who cares less about sports than she does. She enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

Connect with E.J.:

Website: ejrussell.com

Blog: ejrussell.com/bloggery/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/E.J.Russell.author

Twitter: twitter.com/ej_russell

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ejrussell/

To celebrate the release of both books in the Art Medium series, one lucky winner will receive a $40 Riptide credit! Winner will be pulled from entries to both blog tours. Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Contest closes at midnight, Eastern time, on April 7, 2017 and is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following The Artist’s Touch tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

 

Second Wind by Aimee Nicole Walker: EXCLUSIVE Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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Second wind: a new strength or energy to continue something that is an effort. After an amicable divorce, Lincoln Huxley is ready to embrace the sexuality he repressed for more than two decades. Rush Holden is no longer willing to settle for closeted men or those who don’t share his dreams of marriage and fatherhood. A chance encounter on a lakeside pier is the second wind they both need. Or will it just be a painful reminder of all they had lost?

Second chance: an opportunity to try something again that failed one time. Rush and Lincoln have shared a lot of firsts—friendship, young love, and heartbreak. Cruel reality forced the two men to choose paths that took their lives in different directions. Twenty-six years later, they get a second chance to fall in love with each all over again. Can it really be that simple, or will the same issues ruin their happiness a second time?

Happily ever after: to live happily for the rest of one’s life. Rush and Lincoln know that love and life can’t be defined by words alone. Patience, commitment, and the determination to do whatever it takes will be the only way the two men achieve their happily ever after.

Second Wind is a funny, sexy, and endearing standalone romance novel about love, loss, and rediscovery. It contains sexually explicit material and is intended for adults 18 and older.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

 

Rush wanted to believe me; I saw that in his eyes. It was also evident how much he longed to be the one holding my hand in the hallways at school and proudly wearing my varsity jacket, but in his green gaze too was the heartbreaking acceptance that it would never happen.

             “I wish it could be you, Rush,” I said when silent tears slid down his face. I begged him with my eyes to see the truth and hear it in my words. “I only want you.”

             He said nothing for several moments, so I closed my book and rose from his bed. Rush’s hand snaked out and grabbed my wrist. “Don’t go.”

             I sat back down and slowly tugged my arm until his hand slid down to mine. Then I curled my fingers protectively around his like I wished I could protect our hearts. I knew no good would come out of the love building between us, but I was powerless to stop it. Only Rush could stop me from hurting him by sending me away. Instead of telling me to go, he leaned into me and pressed his mouth against my throat.

             “Promise me that you’ll only give this to me,” he said, placing his hand over my wildly beating heart. “I’ll share your time if I have to, but I won’t share this. Tell me it’s mine, Linc. Please.”

             “Only yours, Rush,” I easily promised.

 

Let’s start off right away with, this is not a romance, this is truly a love story. Yes, there is romance, sweet, sexy, humorous, two men (along with others in the family!) falling in love. But above all this is an out (pun intended) and out LOVE STORY! And I can’t even express how much I absolutely cherished reading every word of it.

This second chance love story brought two men full circle, from falling in love as children, to broken hearts as teenagers, to having lived their lives missing something to finding each other once again in middle age, and instantly reconnecting.

There was no extreme angst, although this reviewer cried more than one or two tears, just lives that were lived only halfway until that moment they look up and see each other when the time was right for them to find their happily ever after.

If you are looking for a story where you have instant gratification, and revengeful angry reconnections, this is not the story for you. A good portion of the first half of the book is about these characters finding themselves, and becoming the men they needed to be in order to be able to love the man they’d love their entire lifetime.

However, if you are looking for a story where you can feel how deeply two men connect, as they re-connect, one where love shines through their story, as well as the stories of those they love, one where you just enjoy each moment, each picture in their lives, this is an amazing story for that.

It still has quite a bit of the heat that Aimee Nicole Walker is known for (who says your sex life goes dark in your 40s????), so don’t think it is just a sweet little love story. As someone who might be able to relate to these mens’ ages, it is fantastic to read a book sometimes where the characters are not all 28, beautiful hair, and not a single crows foot to be found.

Lastly, that cover. What an amazing cover Jay Aheer did for this book. Creative, beautiful, and really poignant to the love story.

5+ pieces of eye candy, without question.

Denise loved this book so much she wants to give away two ebook copies of it. Leave a comment about the book, the excerpt, the cover…anything.

Going Overboard by L.A. Witt: Exclusive Guest Post and Giveaway

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Second-class petty officers Dalton Taylor and Chris Ingram have been best friends since coxswain’s school. Now they’re stationed together in the Harbor Patrol Unit of NAS Adams. They’re content as friends, but secretly, they both ache for more. Neither makes a move, though; while Dalton is out and proud, Chris is closeted—even from his best friend.

Then another coxswain’s negligence nearly drowns Dalton. After a taste of how easily they could lose each other, neither man can keep his feelings hidden anymore, and it turns out love and sex come easy when you’re falling for your best friend.

Things aren’t just heating up between the friends-turned-lovers, though. The Navy is investigating the accident, and the Harbor Patrol chief isn’t going to let his star coxswain go down for dereliction of duty, even if saving him means throwing Dalton under the bus.

As the threats and gaslighting pile up, Chris and Dalton need each other more than ever—as shipmates, friends, and lovers. But if their chief prevails, the only way they can save their careers is to let each other go.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

 

Fact, Fiction, & Creative License – Military Characters

One thing I’m asked about a lot is how much of my characters—particularly military characters—are based on reality, and how much I’ve made up.

The short answer is—a lot of both.

I grew up around the military, and I’ve been a Navy spouse for the last 15 years. As a result, I’m around a lot of service members and their families. Particularly when we’re stationed overseas (we’ve spent 7 of the last 10 years overseas), the majority of my face-to-face interaction comes from other people living on base.

So, when it comes to creating my military characters… they’re pretty much people I’ve encountered in real life. Obviously not exact clones, but very much inspired by reality. Whether it’s someone’s speech pattern (especially their cursing), the challenges they’ve faced in their careers, their pre-military background, the after effects of being in combat—chances are, it’s something I picked up from real life. I don’t really have to make up a lot of it.

The self-medicating deeply-traumatized drone pilot who can’t talk about what happened and no one will take him seriously? Real person.

The ex-Marine who drank himself stupid at the expense of his jobs and relationships because he couldn’t cope with his trauma? Know him.

The Sailor who put her life on the line to save a shipmate, only to find herself under the command’s microscope instead of getting an award, and pretty much overnight deciding she’s done with the Navy? At least three people.

The gay man who married a lesbian so they could safely stay in the closet during DADT? Officers and senior enlisted with deep regrets over using women as beards, only to wind up having their wives hate them later? Higher-ranking older service members who feel compelled to come out to set an example for their younger subordinates—both to let the queer people know they’re not alone, and to let the homophobes know they won’t be tolerated? You guessed it.

A lot of other things come from real life, either from general observations of military life or from specific experiences/anecdotes/etc. For example, when people read Conduct Unbecoming, the single most frequent question I get is if I made up the following:

“Oh, look, a cheater’s house.” He gestured out the window.

I pulled up to a stop sign, then looked at the house he’d indicated. “What? How can you tell?”

He shot me an incredulous look. “You don’t know this shit?”

“Well, on my last base, the my-husband-isn’t-home signal was a mop next to the front door.” I craned my neck but didn’t see the incriminating mop propped up next to the door.

“Not here. All the husbands found out about that one. Here, it’s a detergent box in the dining room window.”

I glanced up just before I pulled through the intersection, and sure enough, peeking down from the window of one unit’s dining room, was a box of Tide.

I shook my head. “Every fucking base.”

“Yeah, get used to it,” he said. “It’s way worse out here than it is in the States.”

The answer? No, I did not make it up. The Tide box was a thing when I was on Okinawa, and it’s one I personally witnessed. The “signal” varies, and it changes constantly—the mop against the door, a towel in a mailbox, even a red light in the kitchen window, which I thought was a little on the nose. Things like this aren’t as common anymore now that Tinder is a thing, but it is absolutely real, and that’s why it wound up in a book.

I try to work in a lot of those real details from life on a military base, whether it’s things from base housing or the rank dynamics on the job. As I said, I don’t really have to make it up—real life offers plenty of material!

Going Overboard gets into a lot of the, shall we say, unsavory aspects of being in the military. When Chris and Dalton find themselves butting heads with a chief, and they’re afraid to go to another chief or a senior chief for help because “chiefs protect chiefs”? That’s absolutely a thing. When their chief gaslights and threatens them? When one of the heroic Sailors is threatened with an investigation and chastised for losing a weapon while saving her shipmate’s life? Seen it happen.

Without getting into spoilers, there are a number of moments in Going Overboard where my editors said—and my readers will likely say—“Can he really do that?”

And the answer is “On paper, no. In practice, yes. Because it definitely happens.”

So yes, when I write military stories and military characters, I do sometimes take some creative license, but more often than not? I don’t have to. Because in this odd little world, fact really is stranger than fiction.

 

Welcome to Anchor Point!

Nestled on the northern coast of Oregon, this small town is home to Naval Air Station Adams. On base, you’ll find freshly minted Sailors who’ve just graduated boot camp, salty officers counting down till retirement, grounded pilots who’ve landed behind desks, and everyone in between—and they’re all looking for love. Well, not all of them, but that won’t stop love from finding them.

So pull up a barstool, grab a beer, and get ready for some sea stories as these men in uniform—or not—navigate the waters of love and life in the military.

Anchor Point stories can be enjoyed in any order. Hop in wherever you’d like!

Check out Anchor Point today!

 

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…L.A.’s backlist is available on her website, and updates (as well as random thoughts and the odd snarky comment) can be found on her blog or on Twitter (@GallagherWitt).

 

To celebrate the release of Going Overboard, one lucky winner will receive their choice of two eBooks off L. A. Witt’s backlist (excluding Going Overboard) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on February 10, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

 

Swann’s Revenge by Shira Anthony: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, and Giveaway

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Can a swan make peace with his ugly duckling past?

Chubby geek Jimmy Zebulon’s heart broke the day his high school crush, Danny Parker, looked on as his teammates tormented Jimmy. Fifteen years later, Jimmy is long gone, and from his ashes has risen Graham Swann, a movie-star-handsome law firm owner. Graham thinks Jimmy and his past are long forgotten—until attorney Dan Parker shows up for his first day of work.

Getting injured playing college ball was the best thing that ever happened to Dan. It turned his future in a better direction and allowed him to emerge from the closet that trapped him.

Graham wants to believe his childhood dream can come true, but he can’t bring himself to tell Dan who he really is—and their pasts might ruin any chance for a happily ever after….

Title: Swann’s Revenge
Author: Shira Anthony
Release Date: February 6, 2018
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 224

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Kobo Books

Barnes & Noble

iTunes

 

 

Shira’s Recipe for Romance: Swann’s Revenge (Dreamspun Desires)

Thank you, Two Chicks Obsessed, for hosting the first stop on the Swann’s Revenge Book Tour! I’m so happy to share my latest entry in the Dreamspun Desires line of romance-forward, tropey love stories from Dreamspinner Press. Be sure to read to the bottom of the post about how to enter to win a cool unisex leather heart bracelet to celebrate the book tour and read an excerpt from the story.

Swann’s Revenge is an honest to goodness “category romance.” The term comes from the old tradition of publishing a certain number of books on a monthly basis in a certain category. You remember these. When I was a kid, they were the Harlequin and Silhouette romances that were shipped, 4 books a month, on subscription.

Category romances were sweet, sometimes funny, standalone stories with a yummy happy ending. These were romances that made you feel good. For me, I remember being an angsty teen and reading these books. They made my heart pound, made my arms ache, and gave me that rush of “oh yeah!” at the end of the story that made me want to devour more romances.

When I worked on Swann’s Revenge and the other Dreamspun Desires I’ve written, I did a lot of thinking about what makes a classic category romance make me feel so damn good. I’ve reread a few of the old romances, and I really thought about what makes them work for a reader like me. My husband, the scientist, would call that “reverse engineering.” It was a bit like eating a really good piece of cake and figuring out what ingredients went into it because you don’t have the recipe!

So what’s the recipe?

Take two main characters and ratchet up the heat. I’m talking a very slow burn that builds until you are fanning yourself and ready to scream, “Tell him you love him already!” Or at least, “Tell him you want to have sex with him already!”  In the case of Swann’s Revenge, it’s “Tell him who you are already!” that comes to mind, since the MC, Graham Swann, has a secret past he can’t bring himself to tell the other MC, Dan Parker, about.

Stir in something that presents a bit of a sticking point for both characters and threatens to keep them apart. Nothing too angsty here, just something they have to overcome separately or, even better, together. In Swann’s Revenge, it’s Graham’s secret that keeps him from allowing himself to be vulnerable and letting himself fall for Dan.

Add a secondary character or two who just might derail the budding romance or help it happen for our main characters. In Swann’s Revenge, the secondary character isn’t out to derail the romance, but she does up the ante between our two men.

Add doubts and stir again. Little niggles or fears. Maybe sprinkle a little misunderstanding in while you’re at it. Pour all the ingredients into a pan and bake it at high temperature. What do you get? Sexy, sweet, and spicy romance that tastes as good as tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich on a cold day, or maybe some really good mac ‘n cheese. We’re not talking prime rib that you eat with expensive French wine, but the kind of meal that leaves you satisfied and smiling. Simply fun and feel-good fare.

Swann’s Revenge releases February 6th from Dreamspinner Press! You can buy it alone, or you can subscribe to the Dreamspun Desires line and get two books a month at a significant discount (ebook and paperback). Read down for an excerpt and don’t forget to enter the giveaway! -Shira

“Terri tells me you’re from my neck of the woods,” Dan said and leaned back in his chair.

Graham met Dan’s gaze. The urge to shift in his seat passed as he reasserted control. “Oh? Where would that be?” He made it his practice never to divulge too much about himself. Even Terri, whom he’d met when they were both taking prep classes for the Tennessee bar examination, only knew so much. The past was best forgotten.

“Carletonville. My folks still live out there.” Dan chuckled. “They still go to all the football games at Merrill High.”

Graham pretended the name hadn’t made his stomach drop into his feet. The back of his neck felt cold and clammy. “How nice,” he said evenly. “Did you play?”

“I did. But that was a long time ago,” Dan said with a sigh and shake of his head. “A different lifetime.”

“I see.” Graham glanced at his watch. He needed to end this interview soon or he’d lose his composure.

Fortunately, Dan got the message and stood. “I’m probably keeping you from something. I’m sure we’ll have more time to chat later.”

“I’ll have my assistant set up a few hours for us to go over strategy tomorrow morning.” Graham smiled and added, “Good to have you aboard.”

“Thanks again.”

Graham watched Dan leave, all the while struggling to keep his discomfort from showing. Dan closed the door behind him and Graham let out a long breath. How had he missed it before?

The Invincible Danny Parker. North Carolina All- State Quarterback of the Year. Full ride at Carolina. NCAA All-America Quarterback. A shoo-in for the pros until he tore his ACL in his senior year and had to quit the game.

Graham thought he’d forgotten what it felt like to sit in the mud as half the football team looked on and laughed, but he’d been wrong. All his memories came barreling back, and with them the pain and humiliation of fifteen years before.

The day after, he’d quit the band. When his mother remarried in June, they moved to Memphis and he took his stepfather’s name. He grew nearly eight inches his senior year.  He put high school and the chubby kid behind him. In college, he learned he didn’t have asthma at all—he’d been allergic to the mold in the Carletonville apartment where he and his mother lived. He started to exercise. His roommate taught him to play racquetball and he started running regularly. He got into shape and learned to imitate the way the popular students dressed. He was accepted into a great law school and never looked back.

Fifteen years before, Jimmy Zebulon, the chubby kid with a face covered in zits, left Carletonville and never returned. Jimmy had moved on with his life. He’d banished the memories and the shame. He’d been absolutely fine.

Until now.

Shira Anthony was a professional opera singer in her last incarnation, performing roles in such operas as Tosca, i Pagliacci, and La Traviata, among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle. You can hear Shira singing “Vissi d’arte” from Puccini’s Tosca by clicking here: Shira’s Singing

Shira loves a great happily-ever-after and never writes a story without one. She’s happy to write what her muse tells her, whether it’s fantasy, sci fi, paranormal, or contemporary romance. She particularly loves writing series, because she thinks of her characters as old friends and she wants to visit them even after their stories are told.

In real life, Shira sang professionally for 14 years, and she currently works as a public sector attorney advocating for children. She’s happy to have made writing her second full-time job, even if it means she rarely has time to watch TV or go to the movies. Shira writes about the things she knows and loves, whether it’s music and musicians, the ocean, or the places she’s lived or traveled to. She spent her middle school years living in France, and tries to visit as often as she can.

Shira and her husband spend as many weekends as they can aboard their 35′ catamaran sailboat, Land’s Zen, at the Carolina Coast. Not only has sailing inspired her to write about pirates and mermen, her sailboat is her favorite place to write. And although the only mermen she’s found to date are in her own imagination, she keeps a sharp lookout for them when she’s on the water.

 

Finders Keepers by N.R. Walker: Release Day Review *2

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Finding hope, keeping love.

Needing a change of scene, Griffin Burke moves from Brisbane to Coolum Beach to start a new job. The beautiful white sand, aqua-coloured ocean, blue skies, and summer breezes are everything he longs for. What he finds is a mud-covered dog, lost and hungry, with a nametag and a phone number.

Dane Hughes is stuck in Surfers Paradise at a week-long work conference when he gets a phone call from his distraught mother. His dog, his fur baby, Wicket, has run away. Unable to leave and feeling helpless and miserable, he gets a text from a guy. “I think I found your dog…”

Griffin and Dane start talking, and Griffin agrees to look after Wicket until Dane can collect him. With a few days left before his new job starts, Griffin takes Wicket on some coastal adventures and sends Dane photos of their fun, and so the start of something new and kind of wonderful begins.

Griffin might have moved to Coolum in search of a new life, but what he finds is so much more. What he gets to keep just might take some four-legged help.

Amazon

 

 

Sign. Swoon. Smile. *fans self* This story is so sweet, so romantic, so hot. Like a rom com movie in gay book form. With lots of hot sex. AND A DOG NAMED WICKET!

I will read anything my NR Walker. I love her stories. I love how they are all so different. This has to be her sweetest to date. No angst, no miscommunications, no anger. Just two people falling in love.

A good, I’d say, third of the book is them communicating by text and phone calls. Dane is away at a work conference and Griffin found his lost dog Wicket. Since Griffin just moved, he gets to know the down by going on day trips with Wicket and relaying the info to Dane. When they finally meet- the sparks fly.

There aren’t a lot of supporting characters, save for some random co-workers. But Griffin’s landlady and her boyfriend/booty call are awesome. She is definitely the old lady I want to be!!! Both of them added to the story, yet still had their own story. I loved them both.

I don’t always love sweet, fluffy books like this. Oftentimes I don’t feel like I know the characters. But this one was different. You really get to know them, and in turn love them. You cheer for them and smile for them. It was sweet without being sappy and fluffy without being airheaded.

If you need a reconfirmations that love is out there, it is real and it doesn’t have to have obstacles- yes, this is absolutely the book for you.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Griffin is new to the beach town of Coolum and while out exploring places to hike, he happens upon Wicket, a wet, dirty and sweet dog. Griffin uses the contact info on Wicket’s tag to get in touch with Wicket’s human, Dane, who’s out of town on business. Griffin agrees to care for Wicket in the meantime and over the course of the next few days, the two men hit it off as they call and text, then make plans to meet. The rest is just a sweet story.

The book is told in first person by each of the MCs, one per chapter. As usual Walker’s writing is very good and I feel like her characters are real people. I wanted to grab and snuggle Wicket the dog. There’s not much serious angst. Initially they each go through wondering if the other man is gay? Single? Interested? Just being nice? Which, since I like these characters, I enjoy reading about their insecurities, what they really think of each other and how cute each one thinks the other is while not thinking it about themselves. It’s always nice to see likable characters find each other and develop their chemistry and relationship further. What’s not to like about these guys? Dane is devastated that his baby, Wicket, has gone missing. Griffin appoints himself Wicket’s caregiver until he’s sure who he’s sending him back to is worthy. Dane and Griffin are just good eggs, and I want them to care about each other, have great sex and be happy. And I’m not disappointed.

Good guys. A little bit of yummy angst. Sexy times. HEA. What more can I ask? I mean, there’s a DOG for crying out loud. There’s nothing not to like or want, as long as you’re okay with not whole lot of action, which is not a criticism. I’ve read a handful of Walker’s things and you just know what you’re getting from her. And that’s ok with me.

3.5 pieces of eye candy