Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

TCO Reviewer: Denise

Believe (Skins #3) by Garrett Leigh: Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

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Flight paramedic Rhys Foster is hooked on adrenaline. By day it’s blood and guts, by night it’s the thrill of the club. With a different face in his bed most nights, he doesn’t have time to be lonely…right?

Entertainer Jevon Campbell is a play therapist like no other—dancer, magician, acrobat, he brings it all to his global mission to help children in need laugh again. He’s on a rare home visit when he encounters enigmatic Rhys in a London bar.

Their connection is instant, but Rhys fast realises Jevon’s easy confidence doesn’t stretch as far as the bedroom. He has no idea how mesmerising he is—how beautiful—and Rhys resolves to show him.

They grow closer, but time isn’t on their side. Rhys seems unable to articulate how he feels, and with Jevon’s imminent departure from the UK hanging over them, their separate commitments could tear them apart forever.

As the days slip by, Rhys must learn to believe he’s worth the happiness Jevon is offering.

Length: 55,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Amazon US

Amazon UK

 

Dream (Book #1) – Amazon US | Amazon UK

Whisper (Book #2) – Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Angsty books are always difficult for me as a reader. I love my happy endings so much, a part of me wants it from the very beginning, but that wouldn’t make for an interesting story. 🙂 With Garrett’s books, there is always such great character development that it helps me to get through any angst. Believe is that book for me. Well developed characters, living in real world situations, and trying to find love, even when they think they aren’t looking for it.

These two characters had a connection immediately, and it seemed to shine off the page to the reader. And as they explored their relationship, they found a compatibility that helped to ease the loneliness, as well as the stresses of jobs that kept them away from one another. They certainly lit up the pages of my e-reader, as Garrett’s characters so often do! It really touched my heart to have Rhys, who had been to sex clubs, etc, be as gentle and kind with Jevon as he began to explore a relationship he’d never dared have before.

I love it when author’s bring in other characters from previous books in the series, so the reader gets a glimpse of where they are in their new lives, and how they can assist in this one. This author does this very well, allowing us to see the characters and their interactions.

Definitely a love story worth taking a risk on, but I recommend reading books 1 and 2 first to get a fully fleshed out feel for all the characters in the book.

4 pieces of eye candy

 

June 26 – Gay Book Reviews, June 28 – Katie’s Book Corner, Cupcakes & Bookshelves, Jessie G Books, The Blogger Girls, Two Chicks Obsessed, June 30 – My Fiction Nook, Love Unchained, July 2 – Diverse Reader, Urban Smoothie Read, Jim’s Reading Room, July 4 – Mikku-chan, Sanaa’s Book Blog, July 6 – Kimmer’s Erotic Book Banter, Wicked Reads, July 9 – Open Mind For A Different View, Gay Media Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales & Reviews, July 11 – Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bonkers About Books, July 16 – The Geekery Book Review, Mirrigold, My Book Filled Life, July 23 – Reading In Sarah’s Corner, Book Lovers 4Ever, July 25 – Drops of Ink, Lillian Francis, Bayou Book Junkie

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.

Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.

Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock sitemoonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.

Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh

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All That Glitters by Kate Sherwood: Exclusive Author Guest Post and Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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No matter what he tells himself, wealthy NYC architect Liam has never been able to forget his first love, Ben. But as he approaches midlife and realizes something is missing, can he forgive himself for the worst mistake he ever made—the one that left a hole no amount of career success can fill? Or will fear keep him from the full life he really wants?

Liam and Ben were childhood sweethearts, then college boyfriends. But when Liam cheated on Ben, Ben forced himself to cut ties and move on. He’s still living in the small town where they grew up, teaching, but it’s not the life he imagined for himself as a younger man. Still, when Liam returns, he can’t risk his heart again. He certainly can’t allow himself to love Liam again after fighting so hard to get over him.

Neither man wants to let go of the past and face their apprehension at starting over. They don’t want to fall in love a second time—but sometimes love happens whether it’s wanted or not.

Title: All That Glitters
Author: Kate Sherwood
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 201

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

Secondary characters in m/m – the women

Female characters sometimes have a hard time in m/m romance. The main characters don’t want to sleep with them, so some authors don’t seem to have much interest in them, either.

For me, though? If I were to go through my books and pick out my favourite people, I bet a big chunk of them would be my female secondary characters.

The romantic leads are great and everything, but they’re too damn serious! They’re going through big crises and having explosive emotional experiences and that’s all great, but… it doesn’t make me want to pour a glass of wine and just hang out with them.

No, it’s the secondary female characters I want to be friends with. We’d laugh at the male leads together, but then try to help them out with our superior wisdom… we’d be excellent.

In All That Glitters, Dinah is the wife of Ben’s best friend, and a friend of Ben’s in her own right. So when Ben re-encounters an old love after a long time apart, Dinah’s right there to wring the details out of him. And later on, when she gets the old love alone, she gives him the treatment, too. Dinah is a force of nature, and I love her!

Ben and Dinah excerpt

“What does he look like?” Dinah asked. She and Seth had been reasonably discreet while Tamara was with them all in the yard, but now that Seth was off supervising Tamara in the bath and Dinah and Ben were relaxing on the back patio with well-earned drinks, the questions were coming out. “I’ve seen old pictures, obviously, but has he aged well? Sometimes guys like that—I mean, he was so pretty, wasn’t he? Sometimes they kinda lose it when they fill out. Is he still pretty?”

Yup, there it was again. The same conflict, the same desire to talk about Liam, to obsess over him, fighting with the absolutely commonsense instinct to avoid the topic and work on banishing him from Ben’s mind. But Dinah was his hostess and was making pleasant conversation—it would be churlish to shut her down. “He’s not so pretty. But he still looks good. Just in a different way.”

“Still has the cheekbones, though?”

“Really, Dinah, where would his cheekbones go?”

“They could get buried under fat. That happens. Or just—I don’t know. Saggy skin, maybe?”

“We’re in our thirties. I don’t think we need to worry about saggy skin. Not yet.”

She took a sip of her lemonade, then said, “You’re still pretty, in case you were wondering. A bit more manly than in the old pictures, but if I compare now-you to then-you, I’d say you’re still at least as good-looking. He wouldn’t have seen you and been disappointed. In case you were wondering.”

“He’s spent more time with Uncle Calvin than he has with me. Whatever he was doing in North Falls, it had nothing to do with how good-looking anyone is. And he’s gone back to the city now—at least, he was supposed to have—so none of this is important anymore.”

“Was it important before? When he was still here?”

“No.” But Ben really tried not to lie to his friends so he added, “It might have felt important. But it wasn’t.”

“You’re sure?”

“I guess so. I mean—he’s gone. We cleared the air, which was good, and he’s gone back to the city. Which is also good. He’s got a life there.”

“A career,” she said with a sage nod. “And you know about all that because you’ve googled him a bunch of times over the years, right? You probably have an alert set up for any mention of his name.”

“Lots of people Google-stalk their exes every now and then.”

Right now, I don’t get to read as much as I’d like…because RL happens. I’m having a good week if I can read one full book, and listen to half an audio book…again, RL. It usually takes me about five days right now to read a 250 page book. I read All That Glitters in two days, that says a TON about this book for me. In addition, I will admit I was a bit scared to read it. If you read the blurb carefully, you’ll see that Liam cheated on his boyfriend Ben years previously (there are mentions/discussions about it in the book, but no “on screen” cheating), and having been in that situation, I was not sure it was something I wanted to read about. But it was Kate Sherwood, and I had to hope that she would make it so I could get through without too much pain. I need not have worried. I didn’t even cry! (Okay, I got a little teary eyed, but I was expecting it would be an ugly cry, so I was happy!)

Man…Ben made Liam work for it, he really did. And to be fair, Liam deserved to work for it. He messed up badly when he cheated, more than once, on Ben. Meanwhile, Ben realized that he was a party to it, by not confronting the situation, despite knowing what was happening behind his back. However, what I appreciated the most was the the author made Liam a deeply flawed character. He clearly had spent years trying to be an image of himself that he thought he needed to be, he kept trying to live up to that, and yet kept coming back home, because he knew that was where his heart was, not just with Ben, but with everyone in North Falls. Liam had spent years trying to amass enough money and prestige, and yet never was satisfied, always wanting to be the one who won, who left the indelible mark.

Ben, at the same time, was afraid of being hurt again, and so avoided it at all costs. He lived in the same town, had the same friends, and worked at the same elementary school he’d gone to as a child. He even had dated a nice steady man, one he knew would not be able to hurt him, but still missed and loved the man who’d broken his heart so completely. His lack of trust for Liam was evident in so many ways. I loved how immediately upon seeing Liam he was still so angry and raw, cursing at him, telling him to leave. It was evident that his pain was as real as the day Liam left, and he wanted the source of that pain away from him. Yet, Liam could not keep himself from going back to North Falls, not necessarily to see Ben, but because he needed the grounding of the town and the people who’d known him his entire life.

On a side note, the secondary characters (including the wife of Ben’s best friend, Dinah, who Kate discusses about) are fantastic in this story. Calvin, well, if every reader doesn’t fall in love with Calvin and his rather pushy matchmaking skills, I will be very surprised. Even Seth, who himself was hurt when his two best friends split up, and Liam went to NYC, couldn’t help but be a little bit of a matchmaker as well. Even Liam’s parents provided some hilarious entertainment (who knew!) while discussing their next stage in life.

This book isn’t about sex either (as I’ve said before there doesn’t have to be a lot of on screen sex for me to love the read, and this is a perfect example for me), it is about love, and the recapture of it, after it has been split right down the middle, cut apart, and then slowly, one painstaking stitch at a time, sewn back together. It was about a deeply flawed character not only trying to get back the love of his life, but find a new life of his own, and a new love of himself. None of that could happen without the love of the man he’d been missing for years, and the time he spent reconnecting with a place and the people that had been the best part of his life.

I highly recommend this book. (And PLEASE don’t let the “cheating” throw you off as a reader…I promise, I don’t like it either, but it is off page, really tells a part of the story that is important to learning who these characters are now, and how they became the men they needed the other to be.)

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Kate Sherwood started writing about the same time she got back on a horse after almost twenty years away from riding. She’d like to think she was too young for it to be a midlife crisis, but apparently she was ready for some changes!

Kate grew up near Toronto, Ontario (Canada) and went to school in Montreal, then Vancouver. But for the last decade or so she’s been a country girl. Sure, she misses some of the conveniences of the city, but living close to nature makes up for those lacks. She’s living in Ontario’s “cottage country”–other people save up their time and come to spend their vacations in her neighborhood, but she gets to live there all year round!

Since her first book was published in 2010, she’s kept herself busy with novels, novellas, and short stories in almost all the sub-genres of m/m romance. Contemporary, suspense, scifi or fantasy–the settings are just the backdrop for her characters to answer the important questions. How much can they share, and what do they need to keep? Can they bring themselves to trust someone, after being disappointed so many times? Are they brave enough to take a chance on love?

Kate’s books balance drama with humor, angst with optimism. They feature strong, damaged men who fight themselves harder than they fight anyone else. And, wherever possible, there are animals: horses, dogs, cats ferrets, squirrels… sometimes it’s easier to bond with a non-human, and most of Kate’s men need all the help they can get.

When she’s not writing as Kate Sherwood (m/m romance), there’s always Cate Cameron (m/f romance, YA romance) and Catherine Dale (everything else). There are so many stories just waiting to be discovered!

Social Media Links:

booklives.com (website and blog)

https://twitter.com/kate_sherwood

https://www.facebook.com/kate.sherwood.79

Kate has generously offered a giveaway today of All That Glitters AND an ecopy of anything from her backlist. Lots of ways to enter! Enjoy!
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Speed Dating the Boss by Sue Brown: Release Day Review

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Will a mix of privilege and blue collar be a recipe for love… or disaster?

Dan’s pretty satisfied with his job at the working-class bar Cowboys and Angels. He enjoys his simple life, his apartment, and his cat, but he could do without the fights that break out in the bar, his boss’s meddling daughter, Ariel… oh, and a brutal, unrequited crush on his straight alpha boss, Gideon.

When Dan’s friend prepares to tie the knot, everyone insists that Dan needs a date for the wedding. Before he can protest, Ariel arranges a gay speed-dating event at the bar with Gideon as a participant. The unforeseen revelation that Gideon is bisexual raises Dan’s hopes, especially when Gideon announces that he wants to accompany Dan to the wedding. Could Gideon really be interested in Dan?

When Dan needs someone most, Gideon offers his unconditional support, and with genuine commitment, he shows Dan the kind of man he really is. Teaming up to save the wedding from a hungover groom and intolerant parents, can Gideon convince Dan they’re the best match since beer and pizza?

Title: Speed Dating the Boss
Series: Cowboys and Angels: Book One
Author: Sue Brown
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 195

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

I like Sue Brown’s books. She can put two men pretty much anywhere in the world, and even though, I believe, she is from the UK, she never makes me read anything but the local flavor of her characters. I always want to be a fly on the wall in her books, seeing what’s happening as if it is happening right in front of me.

This book was no different. The blurb caught my eye instantly and I was intrigued as to where this story could lead. I definitely wanted to sit in Cowboys and Angels and watch Dan and Gideon dance around each other, with Dan being completely clueless about Gideon’s feelings. With the speed dating event, it was fun, a little sassy, and a unique way to introduce future characters in this series.

Dan and Gideon’s romance was a very slow burn…I believe their first actual kiss was at about 85%. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely am fine with a slow burn, and even very little to no sex in the book. However, I didn’t feel like they were dancing around each other as much as they were completely miscommunicating, and couldn’t seem to get on the same page. Although once they did, they seemed to be very much in sync, and were able to almost predict how the other would react to a situation. However, it felt like that came very late in the game.

Another problem I had was the bar fights. I could not understand how that continued to happen, why it was allowed to happen, and written off almost as a cost of doing business. I see where it went when it came into play much later in the book (and that was a HUGE issue), but it just seemed as if this was something that can’t happen in any business, especially in New York City, no matter how much Gideon doted on his spoiled adult daughter.

This book had some sweet moments, Gideon was a huge romantic to the rather rough and tumble Dan, but they seemed to offset each other. The wedding caused a few awkward moments, but I loved the “gotcha” moment from Dan’s “ex”. Totally worth it!

This was a sweet romance that could have used some reality checks, but all in all a book I enjoyed. I will definitely read book 2.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

The Looking Glass Series by Penny Brandon: Series Review, Excerpts and Giveaway

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RELEASE BLITZ and SERIES REVIEW TOUR

THE LOOKING GLASS

 

Marc was straight, always had been and always thought he would be, but when shown his true love in a magic mirror he was shocked to find out his true love was a man. Not only that, it was up to him to convince his true love they were meant to be together. All bad enough, but after finding Liam, the only way he’s able to persuade Liam to go out with him is to offer him sex – even though that was something Marc was definitely not ready for.

Liam thought Marc was crazy. Marc was straight and he was talking about true love and making a life together, but Liam didn’t believe in love and he certainly wasn’t going to fall in love with a crazy straight guy regardless of how sexy he was. But he hadn’t reckoned on Marc’s pushy attitude or his offer of sex which, no matter how much he knew he should, Liam couldn’t turn down.

Book 1: Choices (The Looking Glass 1)  

44,000 words/130 pages

Goodreads 

Amazon US 

Amazon  UK

Simon glanced up from his incessant paperwork as the light tinkle of the bell above the door announced the arrival of a customer. Glad of the respite, he pushed the bundle of inventory notes to the side. He stood and slipped out from behind the vintage walnut desk that functioned as his service counter, and approached the man.

“May I help you?” he asked, smiling.

The smile the customer attempted to give back was filled with confusion. “I’m not sure. I don’t actually know what I’m doing here; I was on my way for coffee…”

The silence that followed the bemused confession was interlaced with the loud and continuous ticking of the antique grandfather clock situated at the far end of the shop. Sometimes soothing, sometimes irritating, never unnoticed, it ticked off a few seconds while the customer grew more confused, especially when he looked around and saw where he was.

Simon nodded slowly and brushed a dark strand of hair from his face. He was familiar with these types of customers; those searching for something though they had no idea what it was. He was going to have to show him.

He looked the guy over. Youngish, around mid-twenties, neatly dressed, suit and tie, smart haircut. Not his type, though cute if you went for the office look, but if the man was here for the reason Simon suspected, being his type would not have made the blindest difference in the world. The customer belonged to someone else.

Inwardly smiling this time, Simon inclined his head and took off his glasses, tucking them into his shirt pocket. “I think you may find what you’re looking for over there,” he said, indicating the back of the store.

“But I’m not looking for anything.” The tightly voiced remark only confirmed Simon’s thoughts.

“Then maybe something is looking for you.”

He motioned for the customer to follow as he headed toward the rear of the shop, noticing light brown eyes narrowing before the man reluctantly trailed after him, though he kept pausing and his eyes kept darting to and fro. He seemed more confused than ever, which was no less than Simon now expected. A lot of his clients were confused when they came here, but they all had a compulsion to find out what it was Simon offered to show them. That was what Simon was here for.

As they walked through the antique furniture and collectibles, the customer occasionally brushed his fingers against the larger, more opulent pieces. At one point he stopped and picked up an ornate frame, his fingertips caressing the heavily carved wood. Sensual, Simon noted, and smiled wistfully. Not my type, belongs to someone else, he reminded himself. Yeah, but it had been years.

The monotonous ticking got louder as they neared the far wall. The antiques here were older, bigger, heavier, and had been in the shop a long time—as had the piece Simon needed to show the man. At the further expression of bewilderment on the man’s face, Simon guessed he didn’t go for antiques; that his tastes ran toward a more contemporary look. That was okay. Simon wasn’t trying to sell him anything.

“Perhaps you’ll find something of interest in that corner,” he said, pointing. The man looked at him, his expressive eyes full of speculation. “Trust me,” Simon added, indicating the corner once again.

The man took a step toward the dark recess that housed the shop’s oldest piece. His steps were hesitant at first, but at a glint of reflected light, he moved closer.

The mirror stood six feet tall, its scratched and dented teak oval frame plain and simple while the glass surface was speckled and dusty. It did appear old, but not as in ancient, just neglected and unwanted. In reality, it didn’t even look like it should be in a shop like this. Maybe in some secondhand junk store with the bargain-basement pieces, but unlike the rest of the items in the shop, the mirror was priceless; its worth immeasurable.

“Do you see anything?” Simon asked, holding his breath slightly in anticipation.

The man glanced back at him, then stood in front of the mirror and gasped.

Some found the mirror on their own. Others, like this one, needed to be shown. All of them reacted the same way.

“What is it?” the man asked, his hand outstretched, his fingers a hairbreadth away from touching the surface. He wouldn’t touch it. No one did.

Simon smiled again. He always liked this part. It made all the years he’d been here tolerable.

“It’s your one true love.”

The second Brenn saw Joey’s image in the magic mirror, he was hooked. The moment he saw him in real life, Brenn knew Joey was going to be his forever. Joey was flirty, and fun, and he had the most gorgeous smile, but then Joey told him he was dying. Though devastated, Brenn didn’t want to give up on Joey, so he offered to look after him and make his last few days as comfortable as possible, but was that going to be enough when all Brenn really wanted was for Joey to live?

Brenn was everything Joey could have wished for; strong, built, and with the most amazing eyes. Also, Brenn was in love with him. That would have given Joey something to live for, if it hadn’t been too late. He had about three weeks left, but that didn’t seem to matter to Brenn. Brenn wanted to take him home, and Joey was willing to go with him, but on two conditions. He wanted Brenn to make love to him before he died, but no kissing.

BOOK 2: First Kiss (The Looking Glass 2)

47,000 words/154 pages

Goodreads

Amazon US

Amazon UK 

“Joey Singleton.” Joey put out his hand and Brenn took it. A tingle started from where their hands touched and traveled through Brenn’s body with lightning speed, igniting heat in his balls and cock. Instantly, he knew this was right, that what the mirror had told him, shown him, was exactly how it should be. Joey was his, now and forever. He smiled.

“Brendon Collins, but my family and friends call me Brenn.”

Joey’s hand remained glued to his until someone, Brenn suspected the dark-haired man, cleared his throat. Joey let go but not without a warm, knowing smile. He leaned in close, enough so the other men could still hear. “Don’t mind Paul. He thinks he’s my keeper.”

“Damn straight I am!” Paul scowled again as Joey laughed.

Brenn’s groin tightened, and he hoped no one was going to ask him to stand up anytime soon because he guessed his erection might raise a few eyebrows. But then, if Joey laughed like that again, an erection wouldn’t be a problem; he’d come in his pants.

“I noticed you from across the room.” Oh, that was cool. Brenn almost groaned as he realized what he’d said.

Joey’s open smile told him Joey didn’t mind. “I noticed you too. I mean, it’s pretty hard not to, being as you’re so big.” His smile changed, and Brenn could have sworn he saw something lewd in the tilt of Joey’s lips and in the unexpected gleam in his eyes.

Suddenly feeling awkward, Brenn glanced at the other two men at the table. Paul was still scowling, and Brenn wondered what he’d done to deserve it. Did Paul have a claim on Joey? Unbidden possessiveness had Brenn scowling back until he noticed the man sitting next to Paul put a hand on Paul’s arm. The touch was intimate and instantly recognizable as one between lovers.

“Leave him be, Paul.”

The man turned to Brenn and held out his hand. “I’m Dave, Paul’s partner.” Dave’s tone was calm, his smile warm.

Brenn shook Dave’s hand and then offered his hand to Paul. Paul took it with a little show of reluctance. Brenn wondered what his problem was. Paul was obviously with Dave, so what was it with Paul and Joey?

“Would you like a drink, Brenn?” Joey’s light voice broke into Brenn’s thoughts. Brenn turned back to him. “No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Well, I would. Paul, can you get me a beer?” Joey’s request was both a question and a demand, and it surprised Brenn to hear the authority ringing in his tone. It also intrigued him.

“You don’t—”

“Paul.” The warning note in Dave’s voice stopped Paul from saying any more—so did the grip Dave had on his arm. Paul grumbled but got up. Joey looked at Dave.

Dave grinned. “I’ll go with him.”

Joey watched as both men left the table; then he sighed in relief. “Now that they’ve gone, we can talk. So, how big are you?”

“Big?” Brenn pulled a face. “Six-three, why?”

“No, I mean how big are you?” Joey held his hands apart and indicated a length. The lewd look was back and so was the sparkle in Joey’s perfect blue eyes.

“Oh.” Now that wasn’t a question Brenn had expected to be asked, not so soon anyway. “Um, nine inches.”

“Nine! Are you kidding me? That’s huge!” Joey’s eyes widened, and some color rushed to his cheeks. “How do you cope with something so big?”

Brenn quickly looked around. There was no one within hearing distance. “I’ve never had any complaints.”

“I’m sure you haven’t. Shit, I don’t know if I could take nine inches.”

Not certain where this was going, Brenn smiled. “Well I wasn’t asking you to, but I’m sure you could if you tried.”

Joey’s smirk had Brenn’s dick jumping to attention again. Damn, and he’d only just got it down.

“Pity, ’cause I’d love to try.”

“Are you flirting with me?” Brenn couldn’t help grinning. He hadn’t been sure what Joey would be like, but this cocky attitude was something he found fascinating.

“Flirting? I thought I was coming on to you thick and strong.” Joey leaned even closer and winked. “So where to? Your place or mine?”

“You want to come home with me?” Fuck! Had Joey picked up how Brenn felt about him, or was this how he acted with everyone he met?

“Yeah, I know. Stupid idea, but it was worth a shot.”

Stupid? No, Brenn didn’t think it was stupid. “I’d love to take you home, but don’t you think it’s a bit sudden?” he asked, trying to work out where Joey was coming from. He wanted Joey, but he wasn’t sure if Joey was joking or not. There was something off about this conversation, as if Joey was making fun, but of himself.

“Yeah, I guess so. And I don’t think Paul would let me. He really takes looking after me far too seriously.”

“Looking after you?” That was a strange turn of phrase.

Joey nodded, his smile slipping slightly. “You didn’t notice the wheelchair?” He tapped the arm of the chair he sat in.

Brenn hadn’t noticed it; he’d been too busy gazing at Joey’s face. He peeked down and eyed the wheelchair. Standard hospital issue. “What did you do, break your leg?”

Joey shook his head slowly. “No.”

Brenn glanced back up to Joey’s eyes. They were clouded in sorrow now. “What is it?” he asked, sudden dread filling his heart.

Joey stared at him for a moment as if unsure Brenn was for real, but then he smiled again, though it was twisted with apology and regret.

“I’m dying.”

As the keeper of a magic mirror that shows those lucky few their one true love, Simon dreams of the day it will show him his, but he never dreamt of a punk-assed kid with ripped jeans and rainbow colored hair. Devastated, Simon tries to push Alex away, refusing to tell him they were fated, but Alex keeps coming back, showing all the signs of a man drawn to his soulmate. Realizing he’s made a terrible mistake, Simon figures the only way to fix it is to be the man Alex wants because Alex is the man Simon needs if he’s ever to have a future.

Never before has Alex fallen so hard for a man who obviously doesn’t like him, but Alex is sure there’s a passionate man beneath Simon’s prickly exterior. Peeling away Simon’s layers is like ripping off a bandaid, but it’s worth it when Alex finally has Simon in his arms. The problem is, though he may have Simon’s body, he doesn’t have his heart, and that’s the part Alex wants most. Until he finds out Simon has lied to him.

BOOK 3: His Heart’s Desire (The Looking Glass 3)

51,000 words/161 pages

Goodreads

Amazon US

Amazon UK

SIMON CLOSED THE door, and before he could stop himself, he sank to his knees, all composure gone as he watched his chance of happiness walk away. A small sob erupted from his throat as the pain of loss bit deep. He’d never get another chance now, and the sense of betrayal felt like a stab to the heart.

Not once in all the years he’d been the mirror’s keeper had he imagined he wouldn’t be the one to see his one true love, his soul’s other half. It was what Simon had yearned for with every cell of his being, a decade long obsession, but instead of being given his heart’s desire, he’d been relegated to someone else’s.

Curled up into a ball on a cold floor, Simon couldn’t believe how everything had gone so appallingly wrong. He’d undertaken everything asked of him, everything his job entailed, but he must have royally fucked up if Alex was his reward.

Alex was the absolute opposite of who Simon had always imagined his ideal partner to be. Simon had always wanted someone older than him, someone with experience, someone who knew how to treat a man. Alex was young, brash enough to be intrusive, and the way he was dressed… Simon groaned as disappointment shot through him like a double-bladed knife. It wasn’t as if he’d expected to meet someone with impeccable taste in clothes, but he most certainly hadn’t anticipated someone who didn’t give a shit. Unless Alex thought his ripped jeans and stained T-shirt were a fashion statement.

It took a moment for Simon to realize he was not just being a snob, but an ungrateful snob. He should have been rejoicing in the fact there was someone out there for him. Instead he was bemoaning the how and the who. Did it matter? Shouldn’t he just accept the mirror’s gift like all those other men before him? Simon winced as he remembered the way Alex had blithely walked into the apartment without regard to privacy or etiquette. Also the way Alex had grabbed Simon’s arm. Feeling the echo of that unwanted touch, Simon shuddered. No, Alex was not a gift. He was a bloody nightmare.

Cold eventually seeped into his consciousness, exacerbating his misery but at least forcing him to come to his senses. He blinked, noticing the darkness outside his windows. Having no idea how long he’d been lying there but guessing it had been several hours, Simon slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. His limbs groaned in protest, but it was the crushing pain behind his eyes that had Simon moaning.

He took a deep breath to clear his head a little and then wiped away the wetness on his cheeks. Moping wasn’t going to help him sort out this situation; he knew that. However, he had no idea what would. He could very well be released from duty as the mirror’s keeper because he had refused to tell Alex the reason behind the image, or he could be forced to stay here as punishment, forever showing other men their heart’s desire while knowing he’d never have his.

Right then neither of those possibilities were something Simon wanted to consider. He had nowhere to go, not from here. The shop had not only been his place of work, but also his home. It had provided food, clothes, and a roof over his head. It had also given him a purpose over the years, one he’d been happy to fulfill until he’d become jealous and impatient.

Castigating himself for being such a fool, Simon got up off the floor, then automatically locked the door before making his way to his apartment. He bypassed the mirror, ignoring the pull that had drawn him toward its darkened face every night since he’d been its keeper. He used to stand before it, his heart filled with hope, with expectancy, waiting for his chance to be shown a glimpse of his soul mate. That had now been stolen from him, and never again would he allow himself to be mocked by the mirror’s blind cruelty.

 

NOTE:

Though The Looking Glass is a series of three books, each one can be read as a standalone, however, there is one character (The Mirror’s Keeper – Simon) who is a part of the first two books, and his story is told in the third. So those reading His Heart’s Desire (The Looking Glass 3) may want to read the first book Choices (TLG 1), and then the second book First Kiss (TLG 2) if they want to get the whole of Simon’s story. But those reading Choices or First Kiss don’t need to read either of the others.

This series is a little bit fairy tale, a little bit “bring me to tears”, and a little bit “make me angry”, but all in all, satisfying and a good change up to a “normal” mm romance.

Simon is in charge of a mirror that shows someone their true love, the one that needs them. He is a supporting character initially before becoming the MC in book 3 to wrap it up. With books 1 and 2, others see their true love, and then find that person in order to convince them that their HEA would be with them. In book 3, it’s Simon’s turn. However, at that point, he had been helping others for years and became bitter and angry when he did not see his true love, but someone else saw HIM as their soulmate.

Although I enjoyed books 1 and 2…with book 2 giving me more than a few tears, book 3 seemed to draw out the most emotions from me. I found myself disliking Simon, for his treatment of his soulmate. He was angry at being the one who “needed” his true love, and treated Alex as if he was unworthy of his affection.

It isn’t often that you like a main character, in this case Simon, when you first meet him, then find you dislike him the further you go along, only to have him be redeemed in your eyes late in the book. Simon did that for me. He was sweet and pleasant and looked forward to his interactions with the random men who wandered into the antique shop to see a vision of their true love. Yet, as the reader continues through books 1 and 2, you see Simon change and become someone you would prefer NOT get his HEA. Alex, though, is nothing if not determined to get his man. J

One thing I really enjoyed was getting a little peek at who would be taking over the care of the mirror and antique shop. That weighed on my mind as I read through Simon’s story, and I was glad to see that it gave me the resolution I wanted to know about.

In the end all three stories came with their HEA’s, and I enjoyed the different take on how they got there.

4 pieces of eye candy

Penny is a complete romantic who believes everyone can fall in love if only they’ll open their heart to the possibility, which is why she writes those hot, erotic stories that will always have a happily ever after. However, it doesn’t mean she’ll necessarily make it easy for her men to get there. A lover of things that go bump in the night, Penny’s imagination can sometimes run riot, so magic mirrors and evil dolls is only the beginning.

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Shoes and Ties by Jena Wade: Series Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

by

Ashten Brody is a chef fresh out of college. He lands his dream job working as a personal chef to Trent Cole, local luxury hotel owner. As it turns out, Trent is also his dream man.

After working together, the two are unable to deny their attraction. One late night they can’t hold back any longer. Too bad Ashten rushes off soon after.

In the weeks that follow, it appears to Ashten that he has landed his dream man and his dream job. He and Trent appear to be on the path to a serious relationship and life-long happiness. Life seems to be just too perfect…

Book 1

Book Title: Shoes & Ties (Shoes and Ties #1)

Author: Jena Wade

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Silver Heart Design

Genre/s: gay contemporary romance

Length:   33 000 words

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Ashten Brody smoothed his hands down the front of his suit one more time. He hadn’t expected Trent Cole’s security guards to frisk him at the door. The man ran a luxury hotel in North Carolina. It wasn’t like he was a celebrity. Though he had the appearance of one.

As flustered as he was now, Ashten was confident that he was the right person to be Trent’s new personal chef. He was not confident, however, that Mr. Cole would hire him. He’d only just finished his degree in culinary arts and hospitality management. He was young and green, but he wanted this job and would do anything to get it. Well, that was a slight exaggeration, but he would wear a bland, conservative suit complete with a tie and jacket if it helped him beat out the competition.

The elevator pinged, and he took a deep breath as he stepped out, still in awe that he had gotten an interview. The main office was located on the top floor of the ten-story hotel—convenient if Trent ever worked late and needed to crash at the office.

Finding the secretary easily, Ashten stood next to her desk and patiently waited for her to finish her phone call. The lobby area was comfortable, with decor that matched the rest of the hotel. Doors lined the walls, and a few windows revealed the insides of conference rooms and small offices. Ashten rested his hands on the mahogany horseshoe desk. It was large enough to fill his old apartment.

“May I help you?” Annette, as her nameplate said, asked as she hung up the phone.

“I have an interview scheduled with Mr. Cole. I’m a bit early. My name is Ashten Brody.” His voice sounded calmer than he felt. It was important to make a good impression on the secretary, though; they were the ones who ran the whole office.

The secretary raised her brow. She opened her mouth to speak, but the elevator at the opposite end of the room dinged, and Mr. Cole stepped onto the floor, a deep scowl etched on his handsome face. Ashten’s breath hitched in his throat. He bit his lip, pain stopping any reaction his cock might have had to the man capturing his attention. The pictures he’d found in his Internet search hadn’t done the man justice. Trent Cole oozed confidence. Ashten’s eyes followed him as he crossed the floor. A touch of afternoon stubble shaded his strong jaw, and his tailored suit outlined his broad shoulders perfectly. The open jacket revealed lean hips, which brought Ashten’s tongue out to wet his lips. Trent walked directly past the desk, not bothering to glance at Ashten or Annette. Everyone in the office moved faster and looked busier now that the boss was in the room.

“Annette, please send in the applicants as they arrive. The sooner I get these interviews over with, the sooner I can get back to real work. Thanks.” Without waiting for a reply, he stepped inside his office, leaving the door wide open.

Ashten’s face heated, and his heart pounded. He rolled his shoulders back to try to get ahold of himself.

“Go right in, dear. Good luck.” Annette gave him an encouraging grin.

Ashten flashed a broad smile. “Thank you, ma’am.” He turned and walked toward the open door.

 

A few months after his brother’s accident, Jesse Brody can’t stop thinking about Troy Evans, the police office that helped solve the case. Even though Troy almost had to arrest him, Jesse is sure he has a shot at a date.

The two meet by chance and share a nice dinner at Jesse’s apartment, which ends with Jesse all over Troy’s lap. Though he isn’t out at work, Troy agrees to give a relationship with Jesse a chance.

Book 2

Book Title: Lumber & Law (Shoes and Ties #2)

Author: Jena Wade

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Silver Heart Design

Genre/s: gay contemporary romance

Length:  29 000 words

Goodreads  

Amazon US

Amazon UK

 

Jesse settled onto his usual park bench. The warm sun beat down on his back through his T-shirt as he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. Runners and walkers passed him without a glance. The happy chatter of Frisbee games and families sitting on outspread picnic blankets filled the air.

Taking a deep breath, he touched the tablet in his hand, pulling up today’s news. He checked the time and tapped his foot against the concrete of the running path. His reason for being here today and every Sunday for the past six months had yet to show.

Any minute now Troy Evans would jog by, his golden retriever following closely behind him.

Jesse ran his fingers though his hair and glanced around the park. Annoyance prickled at his skin. Until his twin brother, Ashten, had been attacked three months ago, he hadn’t even known Troy’s name. It was just by chance that Detective Evans had been on duty when the police were called to investigate Ashten’s hit-and-run assault. In the week that followed, Jesse and Troy had spoken over the phone and occasionally met at the precinct to discuss the case. Since the woman responsible for hitting Ashten had been arrested, Jesse hadn’t spoken with Troy.

A knot formed in Jesse’s gut as he remembered why he never tried to contact the man again. When he’d found Trent, Ashten’s boyfriend, and Troy together, he’d assumed the worst. Jealousy and anger had spurred violence in him he didn’t know he had. Anger because it appeared as if Trent could replace Ashten so easily, and jealousy because he’d replaced him with the one man Jesse wanted.

Jesse had punched Trent square in the jaw.

Shame filled him at the memory. He’d read the situation completely wrong, and he’d looked like a fool because of it. Had Troy not threatened to arrest him, he might’ve messed up their little sting operation further, and Ashten’s assailant wouldn’t have been arrested that day.

It had only been a few months earlier that Jesse had seen Troy jog by at the park. He’d been mesmerized by the man’s movement. Troy had worn blue basketball shorts and a tank top that stretched nicely across his chiseled chest and abs. Jesse hadn’t hidden his admiration for the man very well. His neck craned until he had to stand in order to continue watching his magnificent form.

The man never noticed him.

 

Now that they’re living in their Happily Ever After, Ashten, Trent, Troy, and Jesse are ready to take the next step.
But what happens when the twins choose the same wedding date? May the best couple win…

Book 3

Book Title: Forever & Always (Shoes and Ties #3)

Author: Jena Wade

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Silver Heart Design

Genre/s: gay contemporary romance

Length: 8 000 words

Goodreads 

Amazon US

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Two novellas and a short story make up this short series, about twin brothers finding their loves. I enjoyed these two stories, plus their HEA. They were each very distinct personalities, despite being twins. Each falling in love with very different men.

I really liked that you could see their connection as brothers, and how much they harassed each other, as well as how they would fight like only siblings can, but obviously still loved each other. One of the parts that hit home to me the most was the dynamic with the entire family, as it reminded me so much of my own. Everyone all over the place, giving each other grief, having no filter, stepping into each other’s lives.

There were a few tears shed, and some laughs. For me, the final piece to their story was very funny, everyone sitting around a kitchen table, finding out things they didn’t want to know about each other. Meanwhile the “other halves” sat around watching as if they were watching a TV show. Couldn’t have been more funny for me.

These are mostly lighthearted, yet well written stories, with an HEA for the brothers…as well as others. 😉 No spoilers here!

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Jena began writing in January of 2013 as a New Year’s Resolution–and so far she has stuck to it!

She lives in Michigan. By day she works as a web developer, and at night she writes. Born and raised on a farm, she spends most of her free time outdoors, playing in the garden, or riding her horses. She also helps run the family dairy farm.

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The Consumption of Magic by TJ Klune, Narrated by Michael Lesley: Audio Book Review * 2

by

Sam of Wilds faced the Dark wizard Myrin and lived to tell the tale. Granted, the battle left him scarred, but things could be a hell of a lot worse.

It’s not until he reunites with Morgan of Shadows and Randall that he realizes just how much worse things could be.

Because the scars have meaning and hint at Myrin’s true plans for Sam and the Kingdom of Verania.

With time running out, Sam and his band of merry misfits—the unicorn Gary, the half-giant Tiggy, Knight Commander Ryan Foxheart, and the dragon known as Kevin—must travel to the snowy mountains in the North and the heart of the Dark Woods to convince the remaining dragons to stand against Myrin. Along the way, Sam learns secrets of the past that will forever change the course of the future.

A reckoning is coming for Sam of Wilds, and there is nothing he can do to stop it.

Title: The Consumption of Magic
Series: Tales From Verania: Book Three
Author: TJ Klune
Narrator: Michael Lesley
Release Date: April 30, 2018
Category: High Fantasy
Length: 18 hours, 18 minutes

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Dreamspinner Press

 

The Consumption of Magic is the 3rd third book in Klune’s The Lightening Struck Heart series. I can gush all day about how much I loved this series. It’s crazy, funny, endearing, thoughtful, and at times heartbreaking. Book 1 is really a stand alone, where we sample the delightful characters of Verania, and watch as our hero Sam of Wilds grows as a wizard (all right, apprentice) falls in love, protects his friends and generally shows us why he’s our hero. Finish that and you don’t have to read further and you’ll be so happy. But books 2, 3 and 4 tell the rest of Sam’s story, specifically how he fits into an ancient prophecy and what he can do to stop an evil force from taking over the world. So, you start book 2, you have to finish.

This time around, Sam goes on a few adventures, rounding up the remaining dragons he needs to help him win in his fight against Myrin, the dark wizard threatening Sam’s friends and Verania itself. Naturally, there are shenanigans which are as important as any plot points. You will laugh. But I’ma warn you now, you may also cry. Sam’s been warned for a long time that he will suffer a great loss, and he does. And it sucks. But this only strengthens Sam’s resolve, which sets us up for the 4th and final book in the series.

Book 3 is fantastic and I didn’t think I could love it more. Until I listened to the audio. I won’t lie. At first I was like “Wait… what? Not at all what I pictured Sam to sound like.” Not disappointing, just different from what I had in my mind. That goes for all the voices, except Gary and Ryan, I think. Anyway, Michael Lesley does an amazing job and after not a long time, I realized that’s totally what Sam sounds like. I even listened to him through all the credits. Go figure. When I saw the audio was 18 hours (18!) I couldn’t believe it but after the first few of Sam’s dramatic, pause filled inner monologues, the length started to make sense. Lesley animates the crazy/hilarious text with however many characters, all distinct, but he can also bring on the serious when Sam has his moments of introspection and analysis, whether he’s in some absurd situation or faced with heartbreak. The only downside is that I think I miss these books even more after hearing their wonderful voices.

Story: 4.5 pieces of eye candy

Narration:  4.5 pieces of eye candy

I started this series after last year’s GRL, when I heard Michael Lesley’s excerpt from book 2, and fell in love with the series immediately. I listened to all three books as soon as I was able (and am now waiting anxiously for book 4). This series is so well-written, has so many characters that don’t just touch your heart, but sneak in and steal it, as if these are real people and not characters that come to life from TJ Klune’s imagination. In some cases, it rips your heart out a little, and in this book, it truly breaks your heart, but is so well done, you know that what is ahead will bring Sam his happy ending, and restore Verania to its glory. Other times, you laugh so hard, you wonder where the heck he comes up with this stuff. Seriously, the scenes where Sam is captured, and somehow talks himself out of it, as Gary argues away are some of the funniest stuff I have read in a very long time.

However, when you add in Michael Lesley’s narration, these books just become something more. You truly feel like you are IN Verania, that you can see Ryan Foxheart’s blush when Sam says something completely inappropriate, that you can see Gary’s glitter being sprayed everywhere as he goes into a unicorn rage, and that Sam’s blue and green magic is swirling around you as he considers whether to turn someone’s nose into a penis. Michael Lesley truly takes these books to the next level, and I am so glad that I could spend the time with this book, listening to it.

That being said…book 4 isn’t out on audio yet, although I know Michael Lesley is working on it. I could not wait, though, I needed to see how Sam saves Verania and gets his happy ending, and I was not disappointed. What a great finish to this part of the series. And the best part! I heard Michael Lesley’s voice in my head the entire time I read that book. I can’t wait to hear how he makes it even better than what I heard in my head.

Amazing work to both TJ Klune and Michael Lesley.

Story: 5 pieces of eye candy

Narration:  5 pieces of eye candy