Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Pros & Cons of Vengeance and Pros & Cons of Deception by A.E. Wasp: Audiobook Tour and Reviews

February 19, 2020 by Denise

There’s nothing like being blackmailed by a dead man to really bring a group of cons together. And what a group we are: a hacker, a thief, a con artist, a thug, and a Federal agent with an axe to grind. The deal is simple, we do the jobs and Charlie’s lawyer wipes the slate clean for each of us, one at a time.

Since job number one calls for some muscle, it looks like I’m up first. I’m Steele Alvarez, ex-Special Forces Close Protection Specialist (aka, a bodyguard for some not so nice guys).

After learning what the job is — taking down a seemingly untouchable senator with a penchant for beating up young male prostitutes — I’m in. No questions. A bullet ought to do the trick.

Then I met Senator Harlan’s latest victim: Breck Pfeiffer, the gorgeous hooker with a heart of gold and the soul of a fighter. One look at him and I’m gone. That kid laid me out harder than any punch ever did. I’ll do anything to protect Breck, even kill for him. But Breck doesn’t want the senator dead, he wants vengeance.

If we’re going to find a way to bring down the slimebag and get the blackest mark on my record erased, I’m going to need all the help I can get.

Like it or not, we’re all in this together.

BOOK 1

Book Title: Pros & Cons of Vengeance

Author: A. E. Wasp

Publisher: Tantor

Narrator: Tor Thom & Alexandre Steele

Release Date: April 2019

Genre: M/M Romantic suspense/romantic comedy

Trope/s: Bodyguard. Leverage meets Charlie’s Angels but more gay

Themes: Vengeance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 8 hours 54 minutes

It is a standalone story.

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This is a new series to me. I’ve grabbed a couple of A.E. Wasp’s books, but I’m pretty sure they are in my TBR pile (although I will be digging through to find what I have!) What a great concept this series is! A bit of Charlie’s Angels but more gay (and with way more technology). 🙂 And the first book starts off with a bit of a bang.

This book is a bit more insta-love than I’ve read in a long while, but these two were definitely good contrasts for each other. Steele was all about protecting, and Breck definitely needed some additional protection as the entire group tried to work through Charlie’s first assignment for them. And wow, these assignments are no small feat. Taking someone down like the Senator they were working to demolish needed an entire team. I loved how these men all worked together to destroy this common enemy, despite them not having met previous to Charlie’s funeral.

I was not a huge fan of the narration of this book. I might have been okay (although I don’t know for sure) if there had only been one narrator. However, with two narrators, it pulled me out of the book in two different ways. One of the narrators, I just didn’t really like his voice a lot. And that happens of course, in every day life. I can usually get through that with audiobooks. In addition, though, one of the MC’s, (and I really only noticed it when it was one of the MC’s, and only when he was “speaking”). The two narrators’ voice for that MC were so different it was really confusing for me. Again, that happens. However, one voice was very deep, almost scratchy, while with the other narrator is was much higher pitched. I really struggled with the narration.

Definitely looking forward to the next story (see below) and seeing what Wesley has in store for Danny. 🙂

In the end…

Story: 3.5 pieces of eye candy

Narration: 2.5 pieces of eye candy

There’s nothing like being blackmailed by a dead man to really bring a group of cons together. The deal is simple, we do the jobs and Charlie’s lawyer wipes the slate clean for each of us, one at a time.

Job number two lands right in my lap. I’m Bond. Wesley Bond. (I can’t resist saying it that way. Blame my dad, if you can find him.) You could call me a hacker. I redistribute wealth – moving it from rich slimebags to poorer but infinitely more deserving people – and make a tidy profit as I do. My mission, should I choose to accept it, is to bring down some modern-day slave traders.

With the life of the one person in this world I love on the line, I can’t afford any screw-ups or distractions. Unfortunately, my biggest distraction is my biggest asset – Danny Monroe. Danny is a leftover complication from our first job. He’s a smart, funny, gorgeous ex-prostitute, who can’t seem to keep his clothes on. I can’t seem to keep my mouth shut around him. But I need a fake boyfriend, and Danny is the only option.

We don’t know who the bad guy is; we have no idea how to prove anything. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to need all the help I can get. Like it or not, we’re all in this together.

Book Title: Pros & Cons of Deception

Author: A. E. Wasp

Publisher: Tantor

Narrator: Tor Thom & Alexandre Steele

Release Date: June 2019

Genre: M/M Romantic suspense/romantic comedy

Trope/s: Fake boyfriends. Leverage meets Charlie’s Angels but more gay

Themes: Justice

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 8 hours 13 minutes

It is a standalone story but it helps to read the first one.

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This story, for whatever reason, resonated with me more than book 1, even the narrators.

I enjoyed this one a bit more, and laughed at a lot more of the dialogue. “Big Daddy”, the tiny little shorts, and all the quick comebacks were all very well done. The group seemed to coalesce a little more with their second case in.

Wesley and Danny were really sweet together, once Wesley got past his hangup with Danny’s age. And everyone allowing Danny to do something besides work on his tan, was great. He wanted to be useful for more than eye candy, although that ended up being some of what he did anyway, and that worked out well.

The narration was not as rough to me this time. It seemed to be less of a jump around for me on this book, and I enjoyed that more.

This series is starting to really come along, and I am looking forward to then next book in the series.

Story: 3.5 pieces of eye candy

Narration: 3 pieces of eye candy

A dreamer and an idealist, Amy writes about people finding connection in a world that can seem lonely and magic in a world that can seem all too mundane. She invites readers into her characters’ lives and worlds when they are their most vulnerable, their most human, living with the same hopes and fears we all have. An avid traveler who has lived in big cities and small towns in four different continents, Amy has found that time and distance are no barriers to love. She invites her readers to reach out and share how her characters have touched their lives or how the found families they have gathered around them have shaped their worlds.

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Twitter: @AmyWasp | Newsletter Sign-up | Instagram: @amywasp

Dead of Knight (Guardians of Camelot, Book 2) by Victoria Sue: Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

February 14, 2020 by Denise

Victoria Sue is stopping by today, to bring an exclusive excerpt from her most recent book, Dead of Knight (Guardians of Camelot, Book 2). If you haven’t checked out this series, it is a good one, combining some historical, some contemporary, some paranormal, and a whole lot of love. Check out the excerpt, and the giveaway at the end.

A battle is coming…

…and the immortal knights aren’t ready.

Will an orphan be the key?

For fifteen hundred years Lucan has waged war with the greatest enemy the world has ever known

…and fought the ancient curse that means loving someone with all his heart and soul might be the reason they die.

Tom wasn’t supposed to be born… twice.

How, as a young child, had he even heard the monsters at all?

How, as an adult, is he caught up in a deadly battle to fight evil, but cannot get one stubborn man to even acknowledge he exists?

Time is running out, not just to unravel the secrets of Tom’s destiny, but for Tom to show Lucan that loving someone with all that they have doesn’t mean breaking their heart.

Or does it?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

“How will we know where to look?” Ali shot a worried look at Lucan. Lucan had already walked around the perimeter railings. The cemetery had shut at 4.30 p.m., but it wouldn’t be dark for another hour. They needed to find Tom, and fast. Lance pulled up, and he and Mel got out. Mel didn’t speak, just gazed at the ornate gates and dipped his hand under the collar of his jacket.

Kay looked over the huge area. “Where do we start?”

“Fan out?” Ali suggested. Lucan closed his eyes. He’d hoped for something, anything to say Tom was here, but there was nothing.

Mel brought out the pendant he wore around his neck and glanced at Lucan. “Do you feel him?”

Lucan shook his head. “But I don’t know that I would do.”

Mel scoffed, making his opinion of Lucan’s answer abundantly clear.

Kay looked around. “He would want somewhere as isolated as possible.”

“No,” Mel said slowly. “I don’t think he would. The college wasn’t isolated. I think he enjoys hiding in plain sight.”

“Are there any other places near?”

Mel tilted his head on one side, seeming to think. “He’s not here.”

Lucan growled in frustration. There was nowhere else. They could search the city if they had a few spare years maybe, but Tom barely had an hour before dusk. Tears clogged his throat, and he swallowed hard. He didn’t have time for this. He didn’t—

“Wait.” Everyone looked at Charles, a frown marring his features. “That makes no sense.”

“Nothing makes any sense,” Lucan bit out.

“No. I’ve been going over in my head all the things Gawain told me. What you know about them. The safeguards Merlin made as much as he could. But didn’t Father Joseph just say when Tom was born he heard the Ursus?”

“We assume so,” Lance agreed. “He wouldn’t know what the sound was, but he described it perfectly.”

He glanced at Gawain. “And I know humans can’t hear them even if they are standing next to them, but what if the night Tom was born caused something to go wrong?” He grimaced. “That’s the wrong word, but if great magic is generated when the Tresors are created, what if it was taken from somewhere else?”

“What do you mean?” Mel queried.

“Magic doesn’t exist in a bubble. Earth magic cannot be created without harnessing power from elsewhere.”

Gawain glanced at Mel. “Do you remember when I explained rebirth?”

Mel nodded. “That the way I use fire draws on the power of the earth.”

“And the way Merlin altered Morgan’s spell. Dark magic could only come at a heavy cost,” Lance added. “And how we will only be able to defeat it when we are joined as whole.”

Gawain chewed the inside of his cheek. “But I don’t think you’re saying that, are you?”

Charles shook his head. “Or not just, no. One of the notebooks mentions the word tentoria. It means devoid of soul, and I took it to mean how your souls were originally split, but it appears with the phrase incompleta mortem which means incomplete death and renascentia which as you know means rebirth.”

Gawain leaned forward, his face a study of concentration. “You are worried that one causes the other, and that incompleta mortem means tentoria or that bringing someone back doesn’t make them whole.”

“I have absolutely no idea what either of you mean,” Lance said with frustration.

Neither did Lucan.

“Necromancy is a forbidden art,” Gawain explained. “Morally it was always so, but the notebooks explore a deeper meaning.”

“What?” Lucan asked, running out of patience rapidly.

“That bringing back someone from the dead means they have an incomplete soul.”

Mel shuddered, and Lucan and Gawain both noticed. “I don’t mean you,” Gawain said hurriedly. “Your soul was reborn; you weren’t brought back from the dead.”

“And what has any of this got to do with Tom’s birth?” Lucan said, his voice gaining in decibels.

“Sorry.” Charles was immediately contrite. “That was my roundabout way of explaining there has to be a balance. Gawain told me about the teenager, and I have seen many things in my life to doubt any possibility, no matter how fantastic it sounds. What if he’s incomplete? What if it takes magic to generate him? But he doesn’t have enough? What if good magic can only take power from bad, the same as good and evil being two sides of the same coin? He’s been in the chapel twice. What if he’s a warning? What if he’s trying to tell us something? And Mel said about Aalardin hiding in plain sight. I just—”

Lucan stared at Lance, comprehension and horror registering on his face.

Lucan was running for his bike before Charles had finished his sentence. He heard the shouts behind him and the start of car engines. He swore under his breath because if Charles was right—and Lucan knew, absolutely knew he was—Tom had been under their noses all day.

This series….Oh, this series…I really do like this series a whole lot. It has a lot of what I look for. I love historical, and this definitely has some aspects of King Arthur’s Court in it. I love some suspense, and there is definitely plenty of that. This author really excels at suspense in my eyes, throwing out a few clues here and there, then just tossing it all on the table. And even some contemporary aspects, although they are a bit smaller in book 2, than they were in book 1.

For my tastes, I think I preferred book 1 more simply because it had more romantic elements than I felt Dead of Knight did. In book 2, it wasn’t insta-love, because they really had loved each other the entire time, age was what was holding Lucan back. It was more a breakdown of the walls that had been holding Lucan back, and a realization that they really did belong together. This book was far more, in my opinion, heavily towards the suspense side. That was fine, just not what I had expected. There were a lot of small details in this book that the reader needed to keep track of, in order to understand why something happened, or would happen. I always enjoy a book that makes me think.

Lucan was exactly what you want for your Valentine, steadfast, loyal, and when he loved it was with everything in his heart. Meanwhile, Tom was discovering who he was, who he was to become, and dealing with a past that wouldn’t let him go. During that though, he never gave up on his love for Lucan…well, there was one tiny moment, but…you’ll see. 🙂

Seeing how everything worked out, at the end, even with Lucan and Tom’s HEA (well, really right now it can only be a HFN), I’m looking forward to how the story arc continues to play out. Kay gave us a little bit of a shock at the end of this book, so seeing where it goes will be interesting.

4 pieces of eye candy

Victoria Sue fell in love with love stories as a child when she would hide away with her mom’s library books and dream of the dashing hero coming to rescue her from math homework. She never mastered math but never stopped loving her heroes and decided to give them the happy ever afters they fight so hard for.
She loves reading and writing about gorgeous boys loving each other the best—and creating a family for them to adore. Thrilled to hear from her readers, she can be found most days lurking on Facebook where she doesn’t need factor 1000 sun-cream to hide her freckles.

www.victoriasue.com

@vickysuewrites

https://www.facebook.com/victoriasueauthor

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Newsletter: http://bit.ly/VictoriaSueNewsletter

For a chance at a $5 Amazon US voucher an ebook from her backlist, just leave a comment on this post.

Stay Lucky by Leta Blake: New Release Review * 2

February 3, 2020 by Denise

A second chance to build the family of their dreams…

Dr. Grant Anderson long ago gave up on a relationship with Leo Garner. After all Leo left him for a movie star, and who can compete with that? But now, Leo’s back with his adorable, genius daughter in tow, leaving Grant consumed by three important questions:

1)Did Leo come home without the movie star because he’s looking for a fresh start?
2)Does he want a do-over with Grant too?
3)Why else would Leo be hanging around Grant’s hospital so much anyway?

The attraction between Grant and Leo is undeniable, and soon their affection reignites as well. But will their luck hold out through health scares and family drama so they can find their happy ending at last?

*This book is a single dad, opposites attract, second chance, hurt/comfort, medical romance by Smoky Mountain Dreams author Leta Blake, featuring over 60,000 words of an emotional, moving m/m romance with a happy ending you’ll love!

*Originally published in 2018 under the same title using the pen-name, Halsey Harlow.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

This was cute, a bit silly, but a smiling feel good second chance story with a kid that is way too smart for her own good. Even with a main character that was kind of hard to like, unless he was interacting with said smart kid.

Remember the show “House. MD”? And the main character was such a grouchy jerk that you wondered how anyone was friends with him? Ya, that. Grant was NOT a likable person. I wondered how his best friend, Alec, put up with him. Ugh.

He definitely got better once the romancing with Leo started. But seriously, the whole surgeon who makes nurses cry is just boring.

I thought it was a big second chance love story thing, but really they had only been on a few dates years ago before Leo was swept off of his feet by his ex boyfriend, leaving Grant in the dust. (there’s also a time line issue but probably no one will notice expect me)

So when Leo comes back, sick and with a daughter in tow, Grant does everything to make everyone hate him. Sorry, but eye roll.

They did, obviously, get back together. But we didn’t even really get the romance of it. More of a whole “huh, I guess we have been dating for the last month” kind of thing.

A bit too saccharine sweet for me, a bit too eye rolling, just a bit too schmoopy.

3 pieces of eye candy

Okay, so, I’m not a fan of movie stars and celebrities and rock stars… the whole rich and unattainable just isn’t for me, so I was apprehensive about this one when I read that Leo had up and left his high school boyfriend to live the high life with his ex, who’s a movie star and never looked back. I am, however, a sucker for a cute kid and a hot dad, so I overlooked my apprehension and jumped in with this one.

I will say, that Grant is a big pill to swallow. He is not likable in the beginning and his condescending attitude leaves very little to be desired… seeing the guy he could’ve fallen for all those years ago and who had a big hand in turning him into the pompous p*ick he that he turned into, seeing him back in town and chronically ill, well, that was a kick in the gut that made his sour attitude and lack of charm all the more appealing. Especially to Leo himself and Grant’s best friend Alec (who I wouldn’t mind reading about. I need to look into that)

Now, in saying all that…. Grant tries hard to not get close to Leo again, still stinging from the last time he left, it seems like the universe (and Alec) is determined to throw these two back together at all costs. See, Leo is sick and having to do dialysis three times a week at the hospital where Grant is a broody surgeon that everyone scurries away from. He’s charmed by the outspoken Lucky, who is Leo’s daughter and she’s taken with him and his inability to sugar coat. She trusts him and I adored their relationship with one another.

Dr. Grant will grow on you, I promise you. He’s brazen and outspoken and brutally, brutally honest, but he falls for Leo and Lucky so hard. It’s hard, especially with a meddling Memaw, a junkie sister who keeps letting them down and an ex that doesn’t try to be drama, but just is….(though the story isn’t any love triangle stuff, I hate that and he doesn’t make trouble in that way, which I’m glad about because I’m the least angsty person around.)

Overall though, watching Dr. Grant have a change of heart and do anything he can to protect his people… it’s well worth the read. I adored his relationship with Leo separately from how I adored it with Lucky, but I equally loved them all together…. Especially when you realize why Grant is the way he turned out to be and knowing that Lucky and Leo thawed that cold and lifeless heart of his.

5 pieces of eye candy

Find Me: An Omegaverse Story (Finding Free Book 4) by A.M. Arthur: New Release Review

February 3, 2020 by Denise

Layne Higgs grew up with a clear plan for his future: find his bondmate, mate during heat, and raise a family with the same love and devotion his parents showered on him. Until two years ago, he never anticipated that future would be with his best friend-now-boyfriend Peyton, and Layne has never been happier. Then an unexpected, impossible pregnancy obliterates everything Layne knows about himself as an omega.

Peyton Tovey has lived his entire life on borrowed time and that time is running out. With a baby on the way, Peyton agrees to participate in a risky gene therapy trial to save his life and give him the future he wants with Layne and their son. But the cost of the trial is more than anyone anticipates, and to have their happy future, Peyton and Layne will both have to find their way back to each other—or lose everything.

FIND ME is the fourth book in the “Finding Free” omegaverse series, which is a spin-off of the fan-favorite “Breaking Free” series. This is an original universe featuring mpreg, A/B/O dynamics, heats, knotting and an alpha-dominated society that is starting to see advances in omega rights. Content warnings for dark themes apply. Please see interior book blurb for an additional, spoilery warning.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Oh man I have been waiting for this story. So yes, you really need to read the other books. Since book 6 of the previous series, Feel, I have been waiting for this story. In Feel, Peyton was a child newly diagnosed with a disease that would likely kill him by the time he was 25. And then Demir, a beta still a teenager himself, decided that he would become a doctor to go into research for the specific purpose of curing the disease so Peyton wouldn’t die.

For several books, Peyton and his disease have been in the background. Often mentioned, but never the main focus of the story. This spin off series dealing with the children of the men in the first book focuses more on not only Peyton and his disease, but his best friend Layne. And then we watch their relationship morph in the previous book. And now. NOW! FINALLY! Not only the love story of Peyton and Layne, but also that horrible third wheel, Donal Syndrome.

Think you’re going to get a tidy little wrap up of this story? HA! You don’t know this author very well.

There were so many gasps, tears and smiles. My heart broke over and over again. Things I never expected to happen. I mean, there were parts that my mouth was just hanging open.

We do, ultimately, get to witness the happily ever after, with a few adjustments.

My only real critique is that there are SO many characters, the author takes the time to explain who they are and how they fit and any important plot points regarding them we need to know. So yes, this makes it easier for people who haven’t read all of the books or don’t remember everything, but it gets a bit tedious. Those paragraphs are easy enough to skim over though.

This was, by far, my favorite of this spin off series. I feel like through it all Peyton and Layne were the central couple before they were even a couple. Everyone was rooting for them. And we got our pay off.

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

Candy Hearts by Erin McLellan: Exclusive Excerpt and New Release Review

February 3, 2020 by Denise

Mechanic Benji Holiday is so over Valentine’s Day and men who don’t get him. A weekend getaway with friends to escape the holiday hubbub is exactly what he needs. But William O’Dare—a stern and silent nightclub owner with “Be My Valentine” practically stamped on his forehead—throws a wrench into Benji’s plans.

William has spent years focused on his career, and it has cost him friendships and love. Inexperienced in the business of romance, he’s on the hunt for the perfect partner, and he’s armed with specific criteria to guide him. But William didn’t expect a hunky mechanic wrapped in satin and lace to show up on his doorstep.

Unable to resist their attraction, Benji and William agree to be secret fake valentines for the weekend, but secrets have a way of getting out. William gets struck by Cupid’s arrow, and as the weekend winds down, he doesn’t want fake or secret. He wants Benji to be his valentine for real and for keeps.

Candy Hearts is a male/male Valentine’s Day novella featuring a house party power outage, meddling friends and siblings, naughty lingerie and naughtier toys, homemade Valentine’s Day cards, and a happily ever after.

Candy Hearts by Erin McLellan

Series: So Over the Holidays #2

Publisher: Erin McLellan

Release Date (ebook): Feb. 3, 2020

Length: 50k word

Subgenre: contemporary romance, holiday romance, erotic romance

Warnings: explicit sex and language

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Benji rubbed his face against the best pillow ever. It smelled good too, this pillow. Like pricy aftershave and jizz.

His head shot up, and he met the dark eyes of William O’Dare. William had taken his glasses off, and his eyes looked sleepy and large and unguarded without the specs.

Not a pillow, then, but William’s firm, perfect chest.

“How long have I been holding you cuddle hostage?” Benji whispered.

“Not long.”

William rubbed a hand over the back of Benji’s neck, sending a wash of tingly heat through him.

Benji’s resolve to crawl off this beautiful man dissolved completely. He slumped back onto William’s abdomen. So hard yet so comfortable.

“Like ten minutes?”

“Like an hour and a half.”

Benji yelped. “I slept on top of you for an hour and a half!”

“Yes.”

“Oh no. I’m such a jerk. Did you sleep too?”

William was silent for a long beat before he shrugged and said, “Yes.”

“Liar.”

“It was like dozing. Relaxing here with you, not worrying about … well, anything.”

“What do you normally worry about?” Benji asked.

“Work.”

“Blah. Boring.”

William laughed and touched Benji’s chin. “It can be, but it’s been the only thing in my life for a very long time.”

William’s serious gaze sent a shot of fear from Benji’s heart to his fingertips. This was getting a little heavy, and they needed some ground rules. Benji needed ground rules, or he was going to get his hopes up.

He’d get his hopes up or get his heart broken. Either way, he was a total sucker for assholes who were married to their jobs. Or married to other men. He’d fallen into that trap once too.

God, guys sucked sometimes.

“Will. Can I call you Will?”

“Wish you wouldn’t,” William said with a laugh.

“Fine. William. What are we doing?”

Suddenly, William seemed very interested in the thick curtains behind the couch, his gaze shifting away from Benji. “Cuddling. Or cuddle hostaging?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

A small, unhappy smile marred William’s stern face and he wrinkled his big nose. Benji adored that nose, especially when it wrinkled up like that.

“I know,” William said. “I wasn’t planning on a fake valentine this weekend.”

Benji frowned and took a deep breath. He hadn’t been planning on fucking a stranger either. He definitely hadn’t been planning on cuddling with one. Or being a fake valentine, but he’d suggested it, and here they were. Ground rules. He needed them!

“I have a problem,” Benji blurted. William frowned. Now they were frowning at each other like two very unhappy cuddlers. “It’s a personal problem. A love-life problem. And I’ve been trying to solve it. Trying to figure myself out. To figure out how to be healthy when it comes to relationships and friendships and boundaries. I’m worried I just fucked that up.”

William let out a shuddery sigh. A disappointed sigh, maybe? Or a scared one? Then William lifted a hand and cupped Benji’s cheek. “Sweetheart. Can I call you sweetheart?”

“Wish you would. Like, all the time,” Benji admitted.

“Sweetheart, whatever you’re worried about, I’ll help if I can. If you’re freaked out about what we did, we can fix it. I’m not here to hurt you or complicate things for you. It’ll be okay. If I can make it okay, I will.”

Okay, so this was super cute, super fun, sexy AF, and I just all around enjoyed it. Something about men in lingerie, that is just super sexy.

Benji, despite being a mechanic, which I think would generally give someone a less than sunny attitude, was sparkly, and had a great joy of life. I felt like he would be young, no matter his age. His love of pretty things on his skin was just a part of his overall charm. He definitely had self-esteem issues, but they were not worked through by being with William. He had already been working through them, in my estimation.

William, meanwhile needed someone sparkly and fun and joyous. The workaholic was (to use Benji’s phrase) boring. I mean, who under the age of 60 mentions playing Canasta? lol In the end, though, Benji was exactly what he needed when he needed it. He loved giving all he could to Benji, not just in bed, but even in their conversations. Benji needed compliments and pet names, and William was able to pick up on that quickly.

They really blended together so well, in a “stuck in the dark” situation. But as always, can they make it work in the real world? Finding that “sweet” spot will be tons of fun for these two characters!

Not angsty, loads of sexy, fun times. Perfect for a Valentine’s read.

4 pieces of eye candy

Erin McLellan is the author of several contemporary romances, all of which have characters who are complex, goodhearted, and a little quirky. She likes her stories to have a sexy spark and a happily ever after. Originally from Oklahoma, she currently lives in Alaska and spends her time dreaming up love stories set in the Great Plains. She is a lover of chocolate, college sports, antiquing, Dr Pepper, and binge-worthy TV shows.

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Website: https://smarturl.it/erinmclellan

Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4) by Morgan Brice: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

January 31, 2020 by Denise

As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand?

Cold cases, old enemies, ex-lovers, and vengeful spirits are making life dangerous for psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his boyfriend, homicide detective Vic D’Amato.

The ghosts of Myrtle Beach are restless, trapped by love, secrets, scandals, and spells, keeping Simon busy protecting the living from the unhappy dead. Someone from Vic’s past is out to destroy him and everyone he holds dear, and the high-profile trial of the first case Simon and Vic worked together puts them in the spotlight—and put a target on their backs. As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand?

Loose Ends is an urban fantasy MM paranormal romance with spooky supernatural suspense, hot sex, hurt/comfort, feisty friends, found family, ghosts galore, and dark magic. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels. Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

Book Title: Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4)

Author: Morgan Brice

Cover Artist: Natania Barron

Release Date: December 30, 2019

Genre/s: Urban Fantasy, MM paranormal romance

Trope/s: Spooky supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, dark magic.

Themes: Trust, loyalty, commitment, partnership

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and

features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.

Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

Length: 62 000 words/ 220 pages

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The Pros/Cons Of Established Couples By Morgan Brice

Romance seems split between series that follow an established couple, and series in which each book highlights a new couple falling in love. I love both kinds of books as a reader, and as a writer, I see pros and cons to both.

So far, all three of my urban fantasy MM paranormal romance series focus on couples in established, evolving relationships. One big reason is because the series also focus on solving mysteries/crimes as well as on the dynamics of the couple involved, so there’s more to each book than how to get the main characters to fall in love (which happens in the first of each series).

I also have been salty for years about the so-called ‘Moonlighting Effect’. A 1980s TV show had two characters who finally ended the sexual tension to get together and then the show got cancelled, and ever since, scriptwriters believe they have to keep breaking couples apart to keep us ‘interested’. I think established couples can be very interesting, especially if they are growing personally and as a couple as the story progresses. As someone who’s been married for a long time, I can attest that there is plenty of story gold in the ups and downs of figuring out how to evolve as both an individual as a couple. And I like to read about characters who share that dynamic of my own life.

At the same time, I understand the appeal of reading about a new couple in each book, to get that rush and uncertainty of discovery and falling in love. It’s lots of fun to meet the relatives and friends of the characters as they find their perfect partner, and get cameo glimpses of prior couples as the series moves on. Having a different couple in each book suits certain types of stories better than others, and I have some new series in mind that will probably follow this pattern.

Of course, while the upside to having a different couple in each book is that readers repeat that emotional rollercoaster of falling in love, the downside is that once the couple gets their happily ever after, we don’t get to have more stories about them. That’s very frustrating for me as a reader when I really connect to a character or couple. I want to know more!

Ultimately, the love story has to work for the type of overall tale being told. My hope is that you’ll fall in love with my characters as they fall in love with each other, and want to continue the ride!

“I’ve been poking around on the Buccaneer story since the place shut down,” Josh said. “My team’s visited probably a dozen times. Plus, I knew people who worked on the construction and dismantling, and who ran the rides when it was open.” He leaned forward, dropping his voice. “They won’t talk on the record, or to the police, but I’ve heard all their stories. And the rumors that got out? They’re just a fraction of how fucked up that place was.”

Simon sat back in his chair, settling his lanky body and long legs as best he could. He warmed his hands on the hot paper cup and tucked a strand of long chestnut hair behind one ear. “Tell me.”

“One of my sources was a crane operator when they were installing the Riptide Roll steel coaster,” Josh confided. “He saw one of the workmen fall from the top of the first hill when they were assembling the ride. Says the guy died on impact. The company paid to hush it up. Same thing happened when another worker was crushed to death. A load of steel pipe shifted, and he ended up underneath it.”

“Jesus.”

“That’s not all of it. The place was only open for barely two seasons, but the ride operators had stories that would curl your hair. Riders got whiplash, one girl lost a couple of fingers, and a kid died from head injuries when his ride car came loose and crashed. Not to mention the operator who got electrocuted when he had to run his ride in the rain.”

“If the owners had to cover all that up, no wonder they went bankrupt,” Simon said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe they didn’t get shut down.”

“Their rides continued to pass inspections from the state office—or maybe someone got paid off. Still, they closed suddenly before the end of their last season,” Josh said. “Whistleblowers went to the media. The situation was going to be ugly. But then it turned out to be even worse.”

Simon remembered the end of the story. Investors clamored for their money back when the park abruptly shut down, only to find out that the accounts were empty, the books had been cooked, and the profits were never real. Before it could turn into a media circus and authorities asked for serious jail time, Ellington killed himself, and Stevens skipped town.

“Any clue about who’s haunting the place?”

Josh chewed on his lip and looked at Simon. “I was hoping you’d come over with us this afternoon and help me figure that out. I’m doing my best to learn, but my skills aren’t as powerful as yours, and I don’t know how to really use them. I can sense when spirits are nearby, and I see them better than the average person, but having a conversation is beyond what I can do.”

This series is definitely out of my normal wheelhouse. I’ve read all of them, and this might be my favorite since Book 1. Because like all romance novels, we saw a lot of connection between the established couple. You can’t have a romance if you don’t have two (or more) characters connecting and finding their HFN/HEA. And Simon and Vic have been doing that all along.

This book though, I thought, gave such a strong tug on the heartstrings from an emotional standpoint. It really spent a good portion of the book (or at least when there wasn’t some villain trying to step where they shouldn’t) on showing how the relationship between Simon and Vic has developed, how they feel about each other, and, because I love my HEA, where it was headed. 🙂

It’s so rare to be able to continue to see how a couple you fell in love with handle their everyday lives, as well as when trouble rears its ugly head. And now four books plus later, we are still seeing this.

I don’t know if Morgan Brice does a lot of research or just has a bit of crazy brain, but the things she comes up with for the supernatural elements are insane (in a very good way!), and bring such a special touch to the books. As an example, there is a part in the book when one of Simon’s friends is helping to deal with a paranormal issue, and Simon brings a long list of things, some of which I recognize the names of, some could be made up, or maybe researched and added in. Either way, it adds a sense of realistic need for the items, and their usage.

Vic, well, his sweetness showed itself again. He is devoted to Simon, and has been since practically day one. All he wants to do is make sure Simon has all the happiness he desires, and Vic will do what he can to make sure that happens. So sweet!

Anyway, another winner for me. 4 pieces of eye candy

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.