TCO Reviewer: Jennifer

Looks Can Be Deceiving: An M/M Age Play Romance (The Lodge Book 2) by Quinn Ward: New Release Review

June 8, 2020 by Denise

How can a single parent long for someone to call Daddy?

Everything I do is to make sure my daughter has a good life. More often than not, that means I have to ignore my own desires, but she’s worth it.

Working at a kink club might not have been my best move, but the tips make up for the torture of being faced with my fantasies every night.
One night, that’s all William asked for…

One night will never be enough for me. As soon as I felt his arms holding me while I fell asleep in his lap, I was hooked. He encourages me to be little, but understands it’s not something I can give him all the time.

He loves me just as I am, whether I’m little and needy or on my knees and begging for him.

When the sides of my life collide, will it all be too much for William?

Looks Can Be Deceiving is the second book set at The Lodge, the quirkiest kink club in Annandale. It features an overworked single dad and a retired soldier who avoids any structure in his life until his boy needs mandated nap time and play time

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Okay, so I’m coming into this series late, but that’s okay, it didn’t take anything away from the story for me. I am curious to go back and read some, though I will say that this one took me a bit to get into because my husband’s name is Corey and it was hard to separate it when his name was spoken, especially when he was little. I also dunno how I’ll go back and read about Jack, as that’s my dad’s name and I dunno if he’s a Daddy or not, but… also very weird.

ANYWAY… in this one, we have William and Corey. Now keep in mind, I don’t know these two from any other story but this one, so if they make an appearance in previous books, I dunno. William though, is retired from the military and moved to town to be closer to his sister, who now has a teenage son and has been a single mother with no help from their parents, he feels guilty for being away when she needed help…. Trying to make up for it now, he still likes the fact that he can kind of do whatever he wants with no one tying him down anymore. I’m sure being career military would get tiresome doing everything on someone else’s time, I can understand his need to not have any ties… though his sister and nephew kind of are, his nephew is out and in college now, so he really has no responsibilities to speak of… unless you count the work he does at his friend’s club from time to time, but he isn’t there in any official capacity, he doesn’t even technically work there….still, that’s where he meets Corey.

Corey, I felt a kinship with right away. A single dad (which is absolutely my kink) with a selfish baby mama and an adorable daughter that he’s breaking his back to give the best life to because of said selfish baby mama. Not only did I have a selfish baby daddy before meeting my husband over a decade ago, I related with the arguments and the constant having to readjust schedules for their irresponsibility. I also loved that he didn’t just jump in and throw his kid into anything until he was 10000000 percent sure about whatever it is. Kids come first, period and even in a romance novel, I was glad to see that.

Aside from all that, William and Corey did not start out on the best foot. William was a bit of an assumer, especially when he found Corey sleeping on the couch in the office of the bar or calling in at what is definition of the very last minute without having someone to cover his shift …. So it was rocky at first, but when William opened his eyes and started seeing for Corey for all the is and all that he’s struggling with, especially his need to be little, he offered him everything that Corey needed but was too afraid to ask for.

After William stopped being stubborn, I adored how patient he was with Corey and how he too, put Corey’s needs before his own. I enjoyed seeing him get Corey to open up and feel comfortable in this space that he longed for but never felt comfortable acknowledging. He thought that maybe one day, but until his daughter was grown, he didn’t know how to delegate because he never had the time to even explore…. Did I mention the selfish baby mama? Yeah, you won’t like her, I dind’t and never warmed up for her, even if she did end up doing the right thing for the kid she didn’t really seem to care about… but whatevs on that… it’s probably my own prejudice of selfish parents clouding my judgement there.

I did have a little trouble with the “dark” parts of their sexual relationship though only because it seemed so opposite and came out of nowhere for me. While I find it appealing in some aspects, I didn’t know if I liked the very very slight humiliation and diiiiiirty talking while Corey was little. To each his own, I am all for that, but it seemed out of place to me. Again, probably just to me, but I thought I’d give it a mention.

Overall though, it’s a very sweet story with an adorable little girl, a very vernerable and needy little and an endlessly patient Daddy, along with some sweet side characters/family members as well. I’m really curious to read more about William’s nephew and his roommate/boyfriend/little, Chase. I think he’ll be super cute and I hope they’re next. For now, I’m off to read what I missed by coming into this series in the middle.

4 pieces of eye candy

Dancing with Daddy by Susan Hawke: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour and New Release Review

June 1, 2020 by Denise

I love my daughter, but finding out she wasn’t biologically mine is the best news ever.

I’m a widower who is too scared to have the stupid test that would tell me whether or not I even have the gene that would mean dealing with a horrible illness and certain death. A gene that could’ve also been passed to my child, had she been mine.

She’ll need her father, if something ever does happen to me…That’s why I search for Maddie’s biological father, and when I find him, ask him to become part of her life.

What I didn’t expect is for him to become my best friend. Shane is fun and easygoing, the exact opposite of me. He makes me laugh. He’s the perfect antidote for my neurotic existence. And he’s bi, like me.

But am I courageous enough to take the leap into falling in love with him?

Dancing with Daddy is a super sweet, full-length, standalone, feel good mm romance. There’s no angst, just two very opposite men who befriend each other super fast then slowly find their way to love…all while parenting the precocious five-year-old who belongs to both of them.

Audio coming soon. Narrated by Michael Dean

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

BookBub

Maddie’s eyes popped open. “I’m awake!” A sleepy smile spread over her face as she took a good look at Gary. “Your hair is blue.”

Gary struck a pose. “I know, isn’t it delish? And before you say it, yes, I’m aware there are holes in my ears.”

I smiled when Maddie started giggling. She pushed the button on her bed—a neat trick the nurse had taught her the night before—until she was sitting up. She studied him for a moment, her eyes sparkling with delight. “You’re silly.”

“I know you are, but what am I?” Gary teased and lifted a lollipop and a large sticker from his bin. “Listen, my precious. Don’t hate me but I have to poke you with a super tiny needle so we can check your blood. Don’t worry, I promise I won’t feel a thing. You might, but I won’t. Isn’t that great? And even better? If you’re super brave while I take your blood for my dumb test, I’ll give you a sticker and this red sucker. What do you say, gorgeous? Can Gary do his job so your doctor can decide if you can go home this morning?”

Maddie’s head bobbed up and down. “Yes, I want to go home.” She nervously eyed the small bin of supplies he carried. “Promise it won’t hurt?”

Gary grimaced and shrugged. “Wee-eell… promise is an awfully big word. How about I promise to try my best? If I do it right, it probably won’t hurt any more than getting bitten by a mosquito.”

Maddie wrinkled her nose. “Mosquito bites are itchy. I got stung by a bee one time when I was little. Will it hurt that bad?” She held up her index finger, as if Gary could see the ghost of the bee sting she’d gotten last summer.

“Hmm…” Gary pretended to think about it while he tapped his chin. “I’m pretty good at my job, so I don’t think it will hurt as bad as a bee sting but I can promise it won’t be itchy like a mosquito bite. So what do you say, do we have a deal?” He held out his pinky to swear and flashed her a wink.

Maddie hesitated for a few seconds before holding her small finger out to hook it around his for the official pinky swear. “Deal.”

While Gary got to work, he kept her preoccupied by discussing the new Frozen movie. I was impressed when Maddie didn’t do more than flinch when he poked her with the needle. If anything, she’d been more upset by the pinch from the length of rubber he’d used as a tourniquet. I fought a yawn while I watched as Gary answered a stream of curious questions when she saw the blood filling the vials.

I’d been halfway prepared for her to freak out, so it was a relief when she was fascinated instead. When he was done, Gary let her pick the Band-Aid color—blue to match his hair, she decided—that he used to cover the wound. Next came the sticker, a three-inch circle with a picture of a cartoon vampire with a big letter A beside his head.

Whether it was from my lack of sleep or my relief that this hospital ordeal was nearly done, I couldn’t say. But… I didn’t give any thought as to what the A represented until Maddie asked an innocent question.

“Does my sticker have an A on it because I passed the blood test?” She smiled proudly at the sticker then held it up for me to see.

Gary chuckled. “Nope, it’s not that kind of test, silly girl. The letter on your sticker stands for the kind of blood you have. Everyone’s blood has a letter that says what type it is and yours is A. Isn’t that cool?”

I sucked in such a deep breath that I nearly choked on my own spit when I realized what he’d said. Shaking my head as I coughed, I was quick to correct him. “That can’t be right, Gary. My wife was type O like I am. If I’m correctly remembering what I learned in biology, isn’t that impossible?”

He winced and looked uncomfortable as he quickly started packing up his things. “There’s no mistake, Mr. Weston. I’m surprised it didn’t come up when your daughter was born or you would’ve already known. We even verified it against the records her doctor sent over before surgery yesterday. I don’t know what to tell you but your daughter is definitely type A.”

The poor guy looked like he was hoping the floor would swallow him. I was too stunned to smooth it over while I tried to make sense of this new information when I felt Maddie tugging at my arm. “Why, Daddy? Does that mean my blood is bad?”

And just like that, everything was okay. As I shook my head and began to answer that simple childish question, I felt lighter than I had in years. It was as if a gigantic weight had been lifted from my shoulders that I hadn’t known was there. Discovering my precious little girl wasn’t biologically my daughter was the best news I’d heard since Trina found out she was pregnant.

Gary looked worried when I started laughing. And laughing. Then laughing some more.

Super slow burn at warp speed.

Confusing, right? If you love stories with single dads, you’ll enjoy this story, though if you’re a parent at all, you’ll likely spend the first half like me, saying whaaaaaaat are you doing???

See, Bradley lost his wife with whom he had a good relationship and a very sweet daughter. After losing her, he was a bit neurotic when it came to making sure Maddie stayed safe and happy, as someone who might carry the gene for Huntington’s Disease, I think it was… so he was worried about what might happen if he was diagnosed with it, what that means for his daughter Maddie (who is seriously, so cute).

Not having the best relationship with his deceased wife’s mother, he worried who would get Maddie if something should happen to him. I know, morbid, but you think about these things as a parent. So, when Maddie gets rushed to the hospital with appendicitis and has to have it removed, an ‘off-handed’ comment about blood type has Bradley realizing that he’s not Maddie’s biological father. Instead of being upset by this, he’s thrilled. No way she might have the same gene he was worried about, right?

Okay, I can see that being a relief, especially because he saw his dad suffer from it at a very young age and he lost him at a young age as well. So, I can definitely see the plus side… but just being okay with the fact that your wife got pregnant by another man and never told you, then to find out that this little girl that is your whole entire world is not yours? I would be devastated. Simply put, devastated. I’d be so mad at my SO for lying to me for so long, but not Bradley. He’s just happy…. So happy, in fact, that he jumps on social media and finds this girl’s real dad and messages him out of the blue without doing any other background search on him other than social media and a quick question or two from his wife’s crazy (and I do mean crazy) sister.

Not for me. Not in today’s world, not without an extensive background check, contacting a lawyer to see what my options are or if there’s a chance that she could be taken away, literally anything. But nope, not Bradley… he messages him out of the blue, tells the dude he has a daughter, and then offers for him to move in with him without doing any of the above-mentioned things at all! I mean, a few messages on social media where he tells you that he’s not an ax murderer is not the same as knowing he’s not an ax murderer! I dunno… I found it very hard to get past this, as a parent myself and a single parent for much of their toddler years, I could’ve never….

If you forget that these guys are virtual strangers and a little girl is in the middle of it. I actually did really enjoy the three as a little family, though it took the guys over half the book to admit anything towards each other, nothing really happened between them til about 80% in, though it was an entertaining 2/3 of the story. That’s where I went with slow burn that happened at warp speed because everything felt so rushed until the romance came in.

And everything wasn’t always easy, I liked the realness of a lot of situations, if you forget the whole first bit and how that went down… it was definitely a very cute, low angst read. I loved the relationship between Shane and Maddie and I hated that he missed so much time with her and ended up thankful that Bradley reached out to him, I just wished he’d have done it in a smarter way lol alls well that ended well though, these two were perfect for each other. I was glad about that because honestly, I wasn’t so sure about Shane in the beginning, but he grew on me quickly. I loved the way he was with Bradley, especially after they got together. He made him not seem so neurotic and overly ….everything lol

I also loved their support system, the few family members sprinkled throughout, and then Shane’s little old lady neighbor was the cutest. Overall, it was a cute story and if you like single dad romances with cute kids and hot guys, you won’t regret picking this one up. Super cute ending, too!

As an avid reader and big romance fan myself, I love sharing the stories of the different people who live in my imagination. My stories are filled with humor, a few tears, and the underlying message to not give up hope, even in the darkest of times, because life can change on a dime when you least expect it. This theme comes from a lifetime of lessons learned on my own hard journey through the pains of poverty, the loss of more loved ones than I’d care to count, and the struggles of living through chronic illnesses. Life can be hard, but it can also be good! Through it all I’ve found that love, laughter, and family can make all the difference, and that’s what I try to bring to every tale I tell.

I’m a happily married mom with one snarky teenage boy, and three grown “kids of my heart.” I’m more widely known for my mpreg writings as Susi Hawke; this new name is a departure from that. Whether written by Susan or Susi, the books are filled with that all-important love, laughter, and family I mentioned; the only difference is that this name has no male pregnancy. I look forward to sharing my stories with you, and to bringing more romance and laughter into this world that needs it so very badly.

Connect with Susan: Facebook Page | Twitter | Instagram

Website | | Facebook Group: The Hawke’s Nest

Amazon Page | Goodreads | BookBub

Bishop (A True Lovers Story) by A.E. Via: Audiobook Review

June 1, 2020 by Denise

At only 32, Bishop Stockley has lived a hard-knock life. After doing five years in a federal prison, Bishop is back at his dad’s trailer and working for his landscaping company, thrust into a legit world where he’s no longer the alpha – a world where a criminal record is the least of his disadvantages, because Bishop can’t read or write.

Bishop already had the deck stacked against him, but he wasn’t afraid of hard work to change his situation, and he did want to change. Especially after he encountered Edison Scala, a kind-spirited office manager who didn’t hesitate to come to his defense…a man that saw past Bishop’s grass-stained coveralls. A man who wasn’t intimidated by his stern features and his silence.

Bishop knew Edison was off-limits. He’d made personal vows to himself when he was released from prison, ones that he never intended to break. But, when Edison asked him about providing landscaping services at his home, there was no way he could refuse. He hadn’t expected Edison to feed him, praise him, encourage him, and look at him the way he did – as if Bishop was somebody.

Bishop: A True Lover’s Story

A.E. Via

M/M Romance

Audio Release: 03.31.20

Narrator: Tor Thom

Publisher: Tantor

Listening Length: 13 hours and 10 minutes

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Audible

“Bishop,” he breathed. “I can’t believe this. Your drawing is beautiful, but to think you thought of this from looking at that,” Edison pointed to his open patio doors. “It’s unbelievable. You are so talented.”

Edison couldn’t tell if Bishop was blushing, because his skin was too tanned and his stubble too dark. But the way his gaze darted over the drawing, then to Edison’s face was telling. Bishop wanted him to like his work, wanted him to love it. Just like he wanted Bishop to love his cooking.

“I have a couple more.” Bishop’s knee bounced underneath the table as he flipped to the next page.

Edison gasped. It was the same concept, except with different patio sets and different flower options. The lines were still as sleek and complicated as the first possibility. Then Bishop flipped another page. Just as elaborate and intricate as the others. He shook his head, smiling over at this amazing man. “How do I possibly choose?”

Bishop licked his lips and Edison felt his smile fade as he stared at Bishop’s full mouth, wondering what it’d be like to kiss him.

Okay, first, I was so excited for this!

I’m somewhat of a newb when it comes to audiobooks and I will admit that I am very picky when it comes to them because I just neeeed it to sound exactly the way it does in my head.
Don’t come for me, I already know what you’re going to say… but it’s why I can’t get into many that I’ve tried. But let me just say that I never…. Ever…have that problem with this author, her narrator or any of her stories because they’re spot on… (to me at least)

So, into the story… that honestly kept me on the edge of my seat whilst listening to it in the many places I got to sneak it into during my first full week of self-isolation. (with a houseful of children and my husband, believe me, it’s harder than you’d think!)

Edison, who we meet first, is an executive assistant at a law firm. He’s kind of the big wig of the office, though as sweet as he is and as non-confrontational, everyone just kind of walks all over him and treats him like crap. It had me sick to my stomach the way a few people treated, most especially Skylar, but we’ll get to him in a minute. Since losing his mother as an infant and his father, who was his best friend, a couple years back, he was pretty much alone in every sense of the word, save for an Aunt and Uncle. I was glad that he had them, but as Edison is an adult, he kind of left them to their lives and kept himself to himself.

He was lonely, sure, but he had a job he loved, even if the people were less than welcoming, he had hobbies that required only him, like reading and cooking and he’s just an all-around good guy. He sees the best in people, even when they don’t deserve it. When he meets Bishop outside of his office one day, he’s instantly attracted to him but as shy as he seems to be, his co-worker Skylar doesn’t help things the other times they run into each other. Skylar is jealous and selfish and petty and I knew he was going to be trouble… I kind of wish Trent would’ve scalped him or something when he had the chance, but alas, I wished for karmic street justice instead of the legal kind he eventually got… but, I won’t give too much that away. It was only just enough satisfaction, I hope to see more in the next one… but, rewind, back to Bishop.

Now, Bishop was brought up by a teenage father who didn’t know how to be one. His childhood lacked any kind of education or goals, so it wasn’t a surprise he was in and out of juvie as a child and then raised in the streets the rest of the time. When he went to prison for a crime his gang committed, he was lucky an even douchier ex kind of kept him from going away for longer after humiliating him in court. After a handful of years in prison, Bishop was finally out of prison, out of the gang and trying to forge a relationship that he never had with his dad. He and his childhood friend, ex-gang member and prison friend Trent left that life behind and were trying to be better… even if Trent needed a little firmer hand than Bishop did in the beginning.

I adored Bishop’s dad and their relationship. I understand being young parents and doing so many things wrong. I loved how he owned it and was set to be all his son needed him to be, even if Bishop pushed him away and tried to resist it at first. As a parent, better late than never, and I loved how much he loved his son and supported him and encouraged him to better himself, he was amazing. And so was Trent, who as I said was more like Bishop’s little brother and they acted like it too. I loved how loyal Trent was, always down for whatever, always having Bishops back and loving him the way a chosen family would. I adored Trent and the way he’s portrayed and I cannot wait to see him and meet Wood in the next book! Yay!

Growing up the way he did, Bishop had a lot of obstacles in his way to get where he wanted in life, but he was working on it with the help of Trent and Mike and he knew it wouldn’t be easy. When he meets Edison, he knows that he wants to be better for him too.

I love these two together, they were so opposite but in the very best ways and it comes across so genuine and real. Where Bishop was growly and big and intimidating and quiet, Edison was soft and sweet and naive in some ways, but it just made him who he is and you couldn’t help but fall in love with both of them. It wasn’t always easy though, with Bishop wanting to work a little more on bettering himself, though not being able to stay away from Edison and sweet blushing face and amazing ways he took care of Bishop by cooking for him and helping him, even unknowingly that he was worthy. I could imagine Bishop not feeling that with the way he’d grown up.

Of course, there are some bumps in the road, what with Bishop’s ex being petty in the beginning (thankfully he didn’t last long) and then Skylar, the jealous and somewhat psycho co-worker… there were some times that I wanted to grab Bishop a time or two and tell him to stop running away, but I understood it. It was realistic and raw and I felt it for them. Fortunately, Edison loved Bishop for exactly who he was, no question, no hesitation and Bishop pulled Edison out of his shell and boosted his self-confidence and self-worth. It was just beautiful to see, all of it. Aside from Ruxs and Green from the Nothing Special series, this might be my new favorite from Ms. A.

I truly cannot wait for more, I’ll be fangirling like a lunatic until I find out what happens with Trent and Wood and I’ll absolutely be one of the first in line to have it on audio as well as my kindle and a dark and gritty paperback too.

Loved it! <3

4 pieces of eye candy

A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay literature for over twenty years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great, new up and coming MM authors.

A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her.

Writing.

A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is well-known for her hardcore, love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.

Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48195130-bishop

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Newsletter Signup: https://goo.gl/4hfuMh

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

His Accidental Daddy by Luna David: New Release Review

May 19, 2020 by Denise

With the deck stacked against him from birth, Asher Simmons lives a quiet, simple life. He talks to plants more than he does humans and prefers it that way. Though he’s always felt like something is missing, understanding what that is and how to get it feels like an insurmountable task.

Making a living out of helping others achieve their professional dreams serves to help Thornton Hayes realize his own. He’s also a Daddy, through and through, and Thornton’s one dream of finding a boy who needs a man to take care of his every need is one he’s had no luck of fulfilling.

When a terrible accident brings the two men together, neither of them expect their intense connection. Has Daddy found a little he can pamper, protect, and provide for, or will Asher deny every instinct he has to regress?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Thorton and Asher… very sweet couple.
When we first meet Asher, my heart kind of broke for him. I think because I saw so much of myself in him, what with his anxiety disorder and constant fear of…well, just about everything. Traumatized by his childhood and his negligent parents, I could understand why he had the obstacles that he did. Getting into a car accident when he was so terrified to drive was the last thing he needed, right? Maybe not…

Thorton is a very sweet Daddy, though I wasn’t so sure of him in the beginning. He had another boy, though only casually and you don’t see any time between them on page, other than a quick conversation, but I dunno… he struck me the wrong way in the very beginning. I loved him though, he was so good to Asher, having been the one to accidentally run into his car after running a red light through a downpour, it was evident from the very moment he saw asher, the kind of person he was. The kind of Daddy.

Though used to being on his own, Asher hesitated when Thorton wanted to do whatever he could to take care of him, he didn’t put up a fight for too long. Trusting the man after he’d spent three days in the hospital at his bedside, he really didn’t have any other option anyway. He needed the help and Thorton was so sweetly offering. He just didn’t know quite yet what all it entailed.

Now, I loved seeing Asher come into his own. I loved seeing him testing out life as a little and I loved the way he let his guards down and could be himself with Thorton. I could understand his hesitance, letting Thorton do everything for him and take care of him a way that they both needed, but it was foreign to Asher, as he’d never had anyone take care of him like that before…. Not even his parents. Watching them together was sweet, and I loved all the side characters. I was so happy to see the Trenton and Mandi angle, and of course, cute little Gigi, I wouldn’t mind reading about that little family some more.

The only part I had a small problem with, and it’s just my own little hangup I guess, was at the end when Thorton and Asher together, they go from Daddys good boy, to Asher being a dirty slut, and like I said, I’m all for kink, I’m all for all of it, honestly, but it felt so out of place with how their relationship was, it confused me and turned me off of it a little. But, it’s probably just me being too extra about it.

Overall, I just loved the pair and I thought they were super sweet together. Zero angst, kinda fluffy and all the sweetness you need. Also, a very sweet ending, I wouldn’t mind reading more of these two either.

4 pieces of eye candy

Luna David is a true romantic at heart who was fortunate enough to find and marry her soul mate. Most of the time she considers herself lucky to have been blessed with having g/b twins, but they’re giving her a run for her money. She’s a stay at home mom and an author, so when she’s not begging her little monsters to behave, you’ll most likely find her writing.

She loves anything book, coffee or dark chocolate related and can’t think of a better way to pass the time than to combine all three. She reads romance novels voraciously and while she prefers contemporary romance with strong Alpha males finding their soul mates, she’s a sucker for any well written, romantic story regardless of genre.

She created the Custos Securities Series because she loves to write what she loves to read. Her books feature strong dominant males and the men they would die protecting. Toss in some BDSM and kink and you’ve got her Catharsis Novel Series, The Boys Club Series, and Kink Chronicles Series. She loves nothing more than making her readers feel a wide range of emotions with her words. And she hopes you enjoy reading her books as much as she loved writing them. Happy Reading!

Connect with Luna:
https://linktr.ee/LunaDavid

Long Shadow (Hamarsson and Dempsey Book 2) by Elle Keaton: New Release Review

May 11, 2020 by Denise

Niall’s never known anything but betrayal. All Mat wants is Niall’s heart. What will it take for him to coax Niall in from the cold?

Mat’s connection with Niall is tenuous; one step forward, two steps back. Since that night on the beach Niall’s been avoiding Mat like a bad case of the flu–which, ironically, most of his deputies have come down with. What will it take for Niall to truly believe Mat wants him for who he is?

Mat’s overworked, Niall’s unnerved, and then things really go sideways.

Will a killer destroy everything before Niall realizes they are stronger together than apart?

Long Shadow is a dual POV about a broody introvert and a somewhat patient Sheriff. Mat’s going to have to prove to Niall he’s the man for him. The Hamarsson and Dempsey series follows the same couple as they find their way to their happily ever after.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Okay, this one took me a little bit to get into because I needed a refresher on book one and I honestly didn’t feel like I could handle the back and forth. I understand the one step forward, two steps back, especially after you get to know Niall, but it did take me a minute to get into because Matt was so endlessly patient and Niall was just prickly. I had forgotten that from last book so I had to go back and do a reread. Reading them together, I kind of fell in love with both of them.

They’re complete opposites in every way, the only thing they seem to have in common is law enforcement. Matt has a wonderful family and will do anything for his and Niall is very anti-family with none left. While Nial’s trying to work out what to do with his life now that he’s retired and tie up a few loose ends, he can’t keep his mind off of Matt. But seeing if he’s got what it takes to make something work with him is put on hold when an arsonist is busy at work on the island and most of Matt’s precinct is sick with the flu. It keeps him busy and distracted enough to give Nial the space he’s trying to give him as to not push him for anything he may not be able to give. With the history between them, he isn’t sure.

So the romance part takes a sideline to the mystery, but it’s always there, kinda smoldering in the background. While the guys’ are trying to find the source of all the chaos on the island, Niall opens himself up little bit by little bit, unable to keep Matt and his family at a distance because they’re all so open and accepting of him, even in his prickliness. I kinda loved them all.

With a lot of real-life situations, especially when you’re confused like Niall was, the thought of losing what you’re unsure about has a way of making up your mind. Once Niall thought he lost Mike, he realized how much he cared about him and how silly his doubts seemed. And that epilogue… I swooned!

I dunno what could possibly happen in book three but I’m bummed we have to wait until next year to see. I’m invested. I’d definitely recommend reading book one before jumping into this one, but if you like a broody hot cop and a sensitive family-oriented hot cop with some murder and mystery thrown in for good measure… you’ll love this one.

4 pieces of eye candy

Caulky (Four Bears Construction Book 1) by K.M. Neuhold: Quick Review

May 4, 2020 by Denise

Ren is in desperate need of a rebound fling. Lucky for him, the smoking hot contractor he hired has just the tool for the job.

The last thing I want is another relationship or another broken heart.

All I need are my bees and the occasional hookup to scratch the itch.

Okay, maybe meeting up with my hot contractor weekly is a little more than occasional. And maybe the way I’m starting to feel about the guy I’ve been anonymously chatting with online should concern me.

But CaulkyAF doesn’t want to meet, and Cole doesn’t want anything serious, so what’s the worst that could happen?

**** Caulky is book 1 in the Four Bears Construction Series and can be read as a stand-alone. This is a funny, steamy MM story guaranteed to make you laugh and swoon. Absolutely NO cheating and NO love triangle. This series does NOT contain shifters, it’s the OTHER kind of bears

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Okay, so I started off a little on the fence with this one. Premise is good, right? But oooooomg, do I hate when the guy is all, I don’t do relationships, I’m a one night guy, no repeats, I don’t do that….. that’s literally the first half of this story. I just wanna fast forward to the middle when all that is over with, because of course, it will be. Those are the ones that fall the fastest and the hardest.

Secondly, I didn’t find either of the characters likable in the beginning. I mean, I felt for Ren, being left the way he did when his boyfriend of five years just up and moves out, and I would’ve liked his personality if it didn’t feel like he was trying too hard to be funny that it just felt a little stilted. Cole, I just got annoyed at how often he played up this big whorey persona. Yes, we get it, you have your pick of any guy you set your eyes on, you don’t do repeat hookups, we geeeeeet it. Also, you kiss this guy, spend SIX MONTHS thinking about him, then sleep with him and a month later you remember him but not the house he took you too and you’re not foaming at the mouth over him anymore? ….. mmmkay.

So, Ren is looking for a rebound and who better than the hot guy he kissed once at the bar who turns out to be his construction worker he’s hired to do his bathroom. After a few hookups that are purely spontaneous, they each also get on this M4M app and talk to each other, only they don’t know it’s each other and it takes them waaaaay too long to figure it out, in the meantime, Cole is still saying he doesn’t do repeats, except, he is, and he’s so anti-relationship but when his buddy asks him about his ‘boyfriend’, he doesn’t deny that he could be in love with him….or at least have the potential… but not just with this guy he hardly knows and has hooked up with more than his usual once, but also this guy he’s chatted with a few times on this app. What a complete turn around, huh?

However, this is where things get cute for me. After Cole realizes that he has real feelings for Ren, he’s just actually really sweet. While Ren is still a little gunshy, having been in crappy seemingly one-sided relationships, he isn’t sure he can trust Cole not to leave him. He wants to, but it’s hard. Hashtag, relatable, right? In saying that, it isn’t angsty and back and forth the way I expected. It’s a grown up relationship, where they communicate and care about each other enough to be honest with one another. I really liked that.

I also adored their banter once it stopped feeling so forced. Maybe the awkwardness was just because it was new and they were trying to figure it all out, I dunno… but the second half of this book more than made up for the first half. I’m glad I stuck it out and I can’t wait to see what’s up with all the guys.
I loved all the side characters, from the best friends to the brothers to the amazingly supportive parents on both sides. I honestly cannot wait to see more of these guys.

FAVORITE LINE: “He’s a contractor; if porn has taught me anything, it’s that if you ask him to check your pipes, you’ll end up getting gang banged by him and like three other hot dudes.”

4 Pieces of Eye Candy