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TCO Reviewer: Denise

His Reluctant Cowboy: A Gay Cowboy Romance (Woods Ranch Book 2) by A.M. Arthur: Release Day Review * 2

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He thought his cowboy days were behind him. But life—and love—had other plans.

Michael Pearce left the small-town life of Weston and cattle ranching for the hustle of Austin, and never looked back—until his father suffers a stroke and requires in-home care.

Josiah Sheridan became a certified nursing assistant after seeing how wonderful his single mother’s in-home aides were before she died. He wants to help people, and he does his best with the work he can find in small-town Weston, Texas. He also lives a complicated life with his lover—to the rest of the world, they’re just roommates. Behind closed doors, their life is…strained.

Meeting Michael, a kind and openly gay—not to mention much older—man, gives Josiah a glimpse into a brighter, happier world. He loves Michael’s self-confidence and plethora of life stories. But it will take patience, planning, and more courage than Josiah thinks he has to finally break free from his old life and find real love with Michael.

Amazon

Carina Press

Book 1: His Fresh Start Cowboy
Book 3: His Accidental Cowboy (Coming 6/23)

It’s been a minute since I got to read some of AM Arthur’s cowboys. I missed them.

This is book 2, but you don’t have to read book 1. In fact, I kind of like that they are basically 2 new characters. We met Josiah briefly in book 1, but he wasn’t one of the guys working at Woods Ranch. And Michael is back in town to help his estranged father after he had a stroke. His estranged father we also met in book 1. Elmer, the metal sculpture artist who rented out his trailer.

Both of these guys are broken. Michael’s brand new ex husband weasled him out of a lot of money, his business and his patent. Josiah is in a relationship that is a secret, but they live together and he is being abused.

This led to a nice, slow burn between them. The attraction is immediate and obvious, but they are both wary. Partly because Josiah is Michael’s dad’s home nurse. But partly because of what they each just got out of.

Josiah just broke my heart. He is one of those people that just keeps having crappy things happen to. To be honest, a few too many tragic things. He seemed to have a permanent black cloud. What I assumed about what had happened to him wasn’t even close.

The Big Fight that strained the relationship between Elmer and Michael was also a bit…anticlimatic. Not that the trauma that caused the fight wasn’t exactly that- trauma. But these two men should have mended fences long ago. I think because we also met Elmer previously, we know he is a good guy. So Michael being mad at him for something 20 years ago just didn’t seem right.

I did appreciate how gentle Michael was with Josiah, even before he knew everything that has happened to him. But I wished he would have stopped Josiah from doing things around the house. That isn’t part of being a home nurse. But he cooked and cleaned everyday. Breakfast and lunch for Elmer? ok. But having dinner in the crockpot for Elmer and Michael just seemed a little much.

You could see the coming conflict toward the end from a mile away. I could have made a list that would have been checked off.

I don’t not like the story. I did. But I think Elmer deserved more grace from Michael. Michael should have been WAY more angry at his ex and everyone should have noticed what was going on with Josiah. They went from the slowest of slow burns to moving in together.

And not for nothin, but the Woods family is a little too good. Silly, but still.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

I haven’t gotten to read this author’s cowboy books before, but figured I would jump in here. This is book 2, but it stands alone.

Michael is recently divorced and had everything taken from him from his awful ex. Meanwhile, Josiah, I don’t want to say much, but it isn’t a good situation, it made my heart hurt for him.

This was a slow burn, which was good for the situations these two were coming out of. However, it just didn’t work well for me. Too many things just didn’t sit well for me. I felt like there were pieces that didn’t quite make sense for me, or were too blatantly wrong for what I expected. And the ending was a bit too predictable.

It was an okay story, and I’d like to read another cowboy book from this author, because I love the narration and descriptions, and few authors can make me cry more than once in a book, and she does most of the time. This just wasn’t the right story for me, I think.

Spiritual Whispers by V.L. Locey: New Release Review

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In a tiny Vermont town, two men are about to discover the joys of falling in love all over again.

Taliesin Wadleigh has lived in Couton-on-the-River for his entire life. Six of those twenty-six years he spent with the first man who had ever captured his heart. Those times were the happiest of his life and then, without warning, his fiancé was taken from him. Physically, at least. Spiritually, Carmichael is still in that whimsical shop with his beloved. Having a charming spirit close at hand to share late night tea with has helped heal Taliesin’s aching heart, and he’s happy spending his days selling antiques to tourists and avoiding the outside world and all those who inhabit it. Or so he tells himself…

Then a tall, handsome stranger walks into his shop and Taliesin, as well as Carmichael, senses that their life—and perhaps their afterlife—is going to change dramatically.

When Eason Dunne retired from professional baseball two years ago, he had plans. Amazing plans. Happy plans. Two years after he hung up his cleats, all those glorious ambitions have fizzled. He’s now divorced and flitting from one project to another, hoping to find…something special. Inheriting an old inn in some one horse—pardon him, one moose—town in Vermont was not at all something special. Lacking anything else of meaning in his life, he makes the trip from Las Vegas to Couton-on-the-River to try his hand at innkeeping. It’s in this little tourist trap that he wanders into the local antiquity shop and meets the eclectic, bespeckled, adorable owner. A man with somewhat offbeat taste in furnishings, a cross-eyed cat, a seemingly haunted radio, and one rather protective ghost.

Eason isn’t sure what to make of the situation or his attraction to the skinny man in the bow tie, but when danger threatens Taliesin, both men who love him are going to have to work together to save him.

Spiritual Whispers is a standalone small-town gay paranormal romance with a lovely age gap, a quirky antique shop owner, a disillusioned retired baseball player, a ghostly protector, a lazy shop cat, lots of tea, the occasional moose, and a happy-ever-after.

Amazon – All Regions

Full disclosure: I don’t think I’ve read anything by this author before, because…don’t hate me!…I’m not a hockey person. Any other sport yes, but hockey is not my jam. So, I went into this book blind as to the author’s style of writing, or level of levity or heat. I was more than happily surprised. I just adored this book!

Taliesin had it VERY rough growing up, yet ended up finding a man who, though he was some 30 years his senior, he just adored. Then he died, and Taliesin was broke and  alone with just a musty antique shop, Carmichael’s sassy cat, and an old radio that somehow communicated with the dead. He was definitely a different breed of person. He loved his bowties, and got so excited at finding buttons. He was just adorable, and how you could read this and not want to wrap him up in a cocoon and keep him safe forever is beyond me. Also, Taliesin made me laugh so hard. From now on my new phrase is “Go Baseball!” (This is coming from a huge baseball fan.)

Eason, who was also older than Taliesin by quite a few years, retired from baseball and decided that after receiving an old inn, he would fix it up and run it. When he finds Taliesin, he just can’t get enough of him. Eason was sweet, caring and really saw Taliesin for the person beyond the bowties and strange speaking patterns. Eason’s inner monologue cracked me the F up!!! (I very rarely highlight books. This one I highlighted many times.)

“Three grand and a signed baseball!” I shouted. The crowd stared at me in complete loss. “I’m a retired MLB player.” Nothing. Not even a sniffle. “I know Derek Jeter.”

That made them all ooh and aah. Whatever F*ckers.

Taliesin still had a lot of issues to deal with beyond the antique store. He had Carmichael’s children, the lack of money, and a powerful grief that he was working through, but it still was important to him to keep Carmichael in his heart, even as he fell for Eason. In the end, it took both men he loved to save him. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Yes, I cried, several times…cause why are people mean? I also laughed a lot (The “Precious Moments thingies” made me snort laugh.). I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, and I definitely would read it again. Honestly, I’d love to see more from this author as well, because I don’t think this was a one-off. I wonder if she’s written any more? 😉

4 pieces of eye candy

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USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.

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Dearly & Deviant Daniel: M/M Urban Fantasy Romance (Dearly and The Departed Book 1) by L.A. Kaye: New Release Review

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When the family business is death, what does it take to feel alive?

Maybe a gorgeous motorcycle mechanic with a dark past has a few ideas?

Mortician Keir Dearly has a secret he plans to take to his grave. If he tells anyone he speaks with the dead who come through his funeral home, who will believe him? Keeping the secret prevents Keir from pursuing a love life because how would a lover react to such news?

Mechanic Dashiell Clegg owns Clegg Cycles, the family business his father left to him and his estranged brother Daniel. Dash has only seen Daniel twice since Dash was released from prison, and that’s perfectly fine with both of them. The brothers stay out of each other’s lives until one day, Dash gets a call that changes everything.

When Dash’s brother, deviant Daniel Clegg, shows up on Keir’s table with a final request: Keep my brother from being blamed for my murder, the temptation to jump into the mix is too much for Keir to resist. Can Keir save Dashiell Clegg without telling anyone about his conversations with the dead?

After being warned about communing with the Departed, will Dearly have to pay a price for assisting them in finding their final peace?

L.A. Kaye’s debut novel, Dearly & Deviant Daniel, is the first tale in the Dearly & the Departed M/M paranormal romance series.It’s a little mysterious, a little creepy, and a lotta sexy, so be sure to check it out! It’s approximately 90,000 words in length and ends happily for now.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

I was a little torn on this book. On the one hand, Keir is so sweet, and does everything he can for the people who come into his care, body and soul, even the ones who truly don’t deserve it. On the other, Dash, although I know he had been through a lot, just rubbed me the wrong way at times.

The story itself is good, with a little bit of paranormal, along with someone who really took his job and his place in the world of death seriously. It has some good characters, and some clearly deviant ones – see Daniel, who was a complete a$$wipe in life, and not much better in death.

His brother Dash, while messed up in his own life, then had to deal with the mess Daniel left for him. It just bothered me how he left, just slowly disappearing from Keir’s life until he left town. It felt like he couldn’t handle Keir, much less the life he had been leading.

The story was not meant for an HEA, or even really an HFN, but it still felt that it needed a bit more resolution for these two. However, they found who actually killed Daniel, and discovered all the horrible things he did in life, so that was a huge positive. The mystery was good, and the right people got what they deserved, which is always good.

4 pieces of eye candy

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Something Undeniable: Split Rock Ranch Book 1 by Rory Maxwell: New Release Review with Giveaway

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Micah Avery has called Split Rock Ranch home for most of his life—it’s one of the few places he can be totally himself without worry or judgment. The ranch, the horses, and the people are Micah’s future, and he couldn’t be happier. The fact that it’s also home to the ranch manager he’s determined to marry one day is icing on the cake . . . all he needs is for Ryan to notice him.

Ryan Astor came to Split Rock Ranch at a time when he was desperate to start over. It was just supposed to be a stop on the road, but instead he found a home and a family—that family includes Micah, the sweet kid who’s been the ranch mascot since before he was tall enough to see over the stall doors. Ryan’s finally found his place, and he can’t imagine wanting anything to change.

Then little Micah Avery grows up. And Ryan’s suddenly confronted with a whole mess of feelings and desires he never expected. Now he needs to decide if he can give in to what they both want without jeopardizing everything they have.

Something Undeniable is a slow-burn, 37k-word novella with an age gap, mutual pining, and plenty of heat. It’s the first book in the Split Rock Ranch series, but can be read as a stand-alone story.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

This looks to be a new author, and she did a very good job on this slow burn cowboy romance. There were still a few unanswered questions for me at the end, but overall well done.

When we first meet Micah and Ryan, Micah is a senior in high school but has been in love with Ryan for several years. He told his friend right away when Ryan came to the ranch that he would marry him someday. Ryan, of course, had no idea, and didn’t even consider Micah, since he was so much older. Until right at Micah’s graduation, when Micah has no idea if he wants to stay or go away to college. They have a moment, and then Micah leaves for 3 years.

I have to give kudos to the author on this. She didn’t shy away from the distance that these two needed in order for Micah to mature, and decide what he really wanted. Micah even had relationships before he came back, but always wanted Ryan. This was really well done. The two men circled each other when Micah returned, but it wasn’t long.

The side characters were really well done, as well. One is on the autism spectrum and is very well portrayed. Since everyone on the spectrum is different in their needs and concerns, it was great to see not only the representation, but also the respect that all the characters gave her for her skills and joy in what she did.

Very enjoyable, and I’m interested to see how the author takes their relationship in book 2 and challenges it, because Micah and Ryan definitely got their HEA in the first book.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

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Rory Maxwell discovered romance novels on her mom’s bookshelf when she was probably too young to be reading them—the reward for being a nosy kid with great reading comprehension. The magic of a dial-up internet connection led her to the wonderful world of MM fanfiction a few years later and she fell love with the genre. In 2019 she woke up with a plot bunny, opened a word doc, and started trying to figure out how this writing stuff worked.

Rory grew up outside of Washington, DC, moved away, and then came back for reasons she doesn’t fully understand. An artist and writer, she always has too many exciting ideas and not nearly enough free time. One day, she hopes to escape to the mountains and open an LGBTQIA+ friendly bed and breakfast where she can work from home and write as much as she wants. In the meantime, she splits her time between her day job and writing MM romance with endearing characters, lots of feels, plenty of heat, and a dash of kink.

Connect with Roxy:
www.rorymaxwellwrites.com
www.amazon.com/rory.maxwell
https://www.facebook.com/rory.maxwell.writes
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https://www.instagram.com/rory.maxwell.writes
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Underdog (In Vino Veritas) by L.A. Witt: Audiobook Review, Narration by Nick J. Russo

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Life in foster care wasn’t easy. Life after prison? Unforgiving. But I’m determined to stay out of trouble, and I’m gaining a foothold on the closest I’ve ever known to normal.

Then, thanks to a pair of escape artist dogs from the sanctuary where I’ve found work, I cross paths with my boss’s neighbor, Ty Adams. He’s a horse trainer, and winter is his quiet season. It’s also the season when he gets restless and lonely—two things I know all about. He’s not interested in love or romance. I’m just happy someone’s interested in me at all, even if emotions are strictly forbidden.

When we’re not together, I’m thinking about him. When we are together… Well, I’m definitely thinking about what he does to me and what I want to do with him.

As we keep each other warm through the Vermont winter, this feels a lot more than physical. Somehow he soothes my pain, and I wonder if I’m touching something deep inside him too. But Ty won’t let himself love anyone. I never had a chance. And now, with my past closing in, I could lose the one man I hoped I could count on. The one I thought might be different.

When his present and my history collide, is it too much to hope he’ll choose me?

CW: Sick horse and a minor accident involving a horse—no animal deaths or serious injuries/illnesses.

Audible – Narrated by Nick J. Russo

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

First, this is not a short book/audiobook. I mean let’s face it, L.A. Witt doesn’t really write short books, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. It tops out around 400 pages in the ebook, and 12 hours on the audiobook, and not one ounce of filler in there. Zero. So, plan to be engaged the entire way! I know I was.

What can I say? Landon got ALL the love from me. A really good guy (c’mon he loved animals so much!) who thanks to a really cr@ppy childhood grew up and got himself into a lot of trouble, multiple times, until he was locked up for nearly 10 years. It’s hard to imagine how someone can not come out of something like that completely changed. And to see how many people questioned him, shunned him, assumed that he was always up to his “old ways”. He took each of those blows to heart, but tried to be so forgiving, and understanding of them, that this is what he felt he deserved and always would. Yet he treated each one of those animals like they were precocious children and gave them all the love he had in him. It was hard not to love Landon from the first page.

Ty was also a really good guy, very dedicated to his career, so much so that he never saw it coming that he and Landon were just going to continue on the path toward each other. It was honestly a little funny how he kept denying it, and explaining it away as two friends just having great sex, denying it to himself as much as he did to Landon. This guy could not get out of his own head. But he quickly began to see Landon not as a friends with benefits situation, but as someone who he could depend on, and learn to incorporate into his life.

There was one thing that Ty did that, while I understood why he did it, and honestly would have likely done it myself in that situation, I was bothered that he didn’t end up telling Landon about it. I would have liked to have seen that level of honesty from Ty. But it didn’t change the course of the book, and likely wouldn’t have changed their relationship in the long run.

I will admit I cried more than once at the treatment of Landon, who just wanted to get his life on track, to put his head down and work. Meanwhile so many people would not give him a chance. It was heartbreaking. And yet, I would imagine so realistic to those who are coming to the outside after incarceration.

The knowledge given to the reader/listener about the horse world was not overwhelming, but definitely enough to make sure you knew what was going on. And with all the different personalities in the different animals, it just made it that much more fun to read.

I don’t often re-read/re-listen to books, but this one will definitely hit that list. Now that my heart isn’t in my throat wondering about the HEA (which this author always gives…but it was hard sometimes to see it coming!)

Narrator Nick J. Russo, does another fantastic job with character voices. I always appreciate a narrator who can give multiple voices to his characters, and being able to tell who was who based on voice is a talent. He did a great job of this. I enjoy his narration every time I get the chance to listen, and I will be listening to this one again!

Story: 4.5 pieces of eye candyNarration: 4 pieces of eye candy

Bad Deal: MM SEAL Bodyguard Romance (A-List Security Book 3) by Annabeth Albert: New Release Review

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I’m a bodyguard and far from ideal boyfriend material, but agreeing to this fake dating scheme might be the best bad deal I’ve ever made…
I’m a fixer. As a SEAL chief, I succeeded in impossible no-win situations. Now I’m retired and determined to improve the lives of my former military teammates through our Hollywood security firm. Plus, I get to guard intriguing people like Ambrose Sterling, creator of one of my favorite TV shows.

Of course, I want to keep Ambrose safe. When he’s attacked, I leap into action to save him and his scrappy little therapy dog.

But my good deed results in a coastal road trip with me pretending to be Ambrose’s boyfriend to keep him out of more danger.

I don’t do relationships, and I’ve never thought about dating a man before, but here I am, sizzling with every touch and dreaming about more stolen kisses.

Each night of white-hot passion brings us closer to an unbreakable bond. But I’m blue-collar, and Ambrose is Hollywood elite. I want a happy ending more than anything. Can I turn this fake boyfriend gig into the real thing, or am I just a guest star?

BAD DEAL is book three in the A-List Security series. It features a highly protective SEAL bodyguard, a suit-wearing silver fox, an adorably ugly dog, and all sorts of brand-new emotions. Get ready for all the high heat, big feels, and found family feels readers expect from this fan-favorite military romance author. Join A-List Security for this lower-angst series featuring former SEALs and the celebrity clients who win their hearts. Happy endings and no cliffhangers guaranteed!

This is the second book this week that I have read where one of the main characters didn’t have any experience with men, but also didn’t doubt what he felt or that he could be “good enough” for the other main character. So refreshing!

Book 3 in the series (easily read as a stand alone) gives us Harley, owner of the security firm that is working a television shoot on site. One of his favorite tv shows. Written by the silver foxy Ambrose, Hollywood royalty.

I loved that it is Ambrose who has a crush on Harley first, instead of the other way around. It made Ambrose so much more real instead of untouchable Hollywood elite. His sister on the other hand…she bugged me. Anyway.

The overprotective sister enlists Harley as Ambrose’s plus one and to act as a bodyguard to her daughter’s wedding after he had a scare. Which leads us to the classic forced proximity/fake boyfriend. BUT, these guys actually like each other as humans. So many forced proximity/fake boyfriend tropes the guys hate each other for a myriad of reasons.

The self professed perma bachelor is actually quite good at the fake boyfriend stuff. So much that the faint line that was there is easily crossed. And he doesn’t fight it. Just kind of goes with the flow. He realizes that he isn’t straight, but pan. Or maybe not that he just realizes it, but he says it out loud. And is ready to act on it. With Ambrose.

A little more back story to why Ambrose had a panic disorder, or what brought it on would have been helpful. Because that is the main reason his sister is SO protective of him. It was bad enough that he has meds and a support dog. Perhaps she wouldn’t have bugged me so much if I knew more.

The chemistry between the two men is undeniable. They are completely open with each other and what they like sexually. No one stumbles or is afraid to speak up. That confidence that they had together spoke volumes.

This one is definitely my favorite of the series so far. Not that I didn’t like the others because I certainly did. But there’s something about these 2 guys that was just perfect.

4 pieces of eye candy

This is the third book in the A-List Security series, but does well as a stand alone. You do see the characters from the previous two books, but for short periods of time. This book spends quite a lot of time with Ambrose and Harley on a road trip.

Ambrose, a silver fox, grew up in Hollywood, because his father was famous, but he was more creative, as opposed to his sister who was more of the business side of their production company. (**Small spoiler here: I’ll be honest, I kept wondering if the sister was going to be a “villain” in the book – like perhaps she organized the protests or something – because she was not my favorite. She was beyond overprotective, almost a bit condescending for my tastes. But alas no villain, which was nice since I didn’t want Ambrose hurt.) Ambrose had a lot of anxiety, having an emotional support dog, which my visual of Hercules made him so adorable, yet we don’t really understand what that was about. I would have liked to know more about that. He did seem to become more confident as he felt safer with Harley, though. I also REALLY liked that Ambrose wasn’t a snob (his sister was). He was willing to help around the cabin, learn new things, not something one would expect from his pedigree.

Harley, meanwhile, only recently came to the realization that he was pan (prior to starting anything with Ambrose), and was surprisingly okay with it. Some nervousness telling his family, but overall, he understood that it was just another part of him, just as yet unexplored. We don’t often read about pan or demi characters, so it was nice to have that. As a fake boyfriend, he was great, even if he thought he would never make a good one, in real life or fake. He treated Ambrose so kindly, never made him feel less than when Ambrose had any sort of anxiety or nervousness, and treated Hercules like he was his own.

I loved that they explored sex and intimacy together, as Harley learned what they both liked. Harley didn’t have a SEAL ego that he had to know everything, he let Ambrose guide him to what would work for them both. And while they were hot together, they also were fine with just being together, hanging out, cuddling, etc. It also wasn’t all about f*cking, there were aspects of their sex life that you very rarely read about in books, which isn’t easy to do!

I really enjoyed this one, because these two were so romantic together. They definitely needed to learn to communicate better, but they cared about each other, and weren’t afraid to speak the words, when they could get the nerve to do it.

I’m looking forward to the next book (there’s a little preview in the back of Bad Deal), which has Avery, which we meet briefly in this book. Should be another fun one. (Speaking of Bad Deal…I never did figure out where the title came from. lol)

4 pieces of eye candy