Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Honeymoon Their Way by Morticia Knight: Release Day Review

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honeymoonsynopsis

Chad has pined for Raudel since high school, but he’s been avoiding him ever since Raudel caught him in an excruciatingly embarrassing moment. So when Chad’s sister invites Raudel to join them for her weeklong prewedding celebration at Lake Tahoe, Chad is horrified. He brainstorms his escape, until reality crashes down and he discovers he’s bunking with Raudel in the last available bedroom at the lakeside retreat.

Thrown together by the bridal party from hell, Chad and Raudel unite and attempt to survive Chad’s bridezilla sister, a crazy grandmother, an overbearing mother, and the search for the perfect chocolate fountain. Despite the little time they have together, they reconnect when unexpected discoveries come to light. Love may find a way amid the nuptial chaos, but it’s unlikely to be exactly the way they expect.

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Title: Honeymoon Their Way
Author: Morticia Knight
Release Date: November 2, 2016
Category: Contemporary, States of Love
Pages: 113

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ARe

Dreamspinner Press

 

deanna review

I love stories like this! Your high school crush comes back to town after a few years and the sparks fly.

Chad has had a crush on Raudel for years, YEARS!!! Raudel is best friends with Chad’s sister Lindsey. Lindsey is getting married and driving her whole family crazy. The only bright spot for Chad is that Raudel can’t make it to the wedding. After their last disastrous encounter Chad would rather die that have to face Raudel again.

Raudel has rearranged his schedule to be able to make it to Lindsey’s wedding and on the top of his list is working things out with Chad. Raudel hasn’t been able get him out of his head, even through they haven’t seen each other in 7 years.

When Lindsey drops the bomb that Raudel will be coming to the wedding, Chad is already working on an escape plan. There is no way he can be trapped under the same roof with Raudel for two weeks and not die of unrequited love. Raudel heads to Lake Tahoe with one goal in mind, making Chad his.

Super cute, light and easy read. It’s really entertaining and I laughed quite a bit.

4 pieces of eye candy

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Masked in Music by Ginger Voight: Quick Review

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man playing electrical guitar in black and yellowsynopsis

When a young musician takes his first gig with a hard-partying band in Los Angeles, forbidden sparks fly with the sexy lead singer. It is an attraction they must both fight, especially since their band also includes a violent homophobe just itching for a reason to snap.

Rudy Renfro thought he’d never find anything he loved as much as music. Then he met Tony Rojas, the enticing lead singer of an up-and-coming band in Los Angeles. Tonos de Oro found themselves in need of a guitarist to take them next level. Enter Rudy, who had been playing since he was nine. After ten years of honing his skill, this rocker prodigy has absorbed everything musical simply because it was safer there. He found a mask in the music. Hidden by his guitar, he didn’t have to face the fact that despite being an all-American boy with every known advantage, he was 100-percent, undeniably gay.

Now he’s in a band notorious for being hard-partying hedonists, one of which is a raging homophobe. This spells big trouble for Rudy. The longer he’s around Tony, the harder it is to fight his intense attraction, even when giving into this man and all his confusing, frustrating mixed signals could not only end Rudy’s budding music career… it could threaten his life.

Rudy Renfro comes of age bursting out of the closet and into the spotlight… and it could cost him everything.

Ginger Voight finally brings her trademarked rock and roll angst to an M/M saga sure to blaze right off of the pages. More hot new characters join her growing book universe in a story chock-full of exciting cameos of old favorites, including a finale that threatens to undo every happy ending you’ve read so far.

Intended for readers 18+ for sexual content and violence.

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ARe

 

paula review

This book was brilliant. The cast of characters were extremely well written and the story was told so well. I absolutley loved Rudy. This is really a story about him figuring himself out and finding his place in the world. Traveling this journey with him as he becomes comfortable and confident in himself is beautiful. Learning to stand up for himself and who he is. Learning to demand that he be treated decently and with respect. Finding a “family” in unexpected places. This book made me breathless and left me in awe. The struggle and doubt, that becomes strength and confidence. This is the first MM written by this author and she knocked it out of the park. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

5 pieces of eye candy

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The Outfielders by Robert P. Rowe: Exclusive Guest Post

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outfieldersthe_postcard_front_dspsynopsis

Sometimes love can come out of left field.

Tony was waiting until he went away to college to come out to his parents and start his new gay life. Unfortunately, at twenty-four, it doesn’t look like college is going to happen after all. Stuck in a dead-end job in a small town and still living at home, with all the arrested development that entails, he finds escape in playing for the company baseball team and lusting after his straight outfielder crush, Alex. But Tony’s best friend, Jennifer, thinks she’s found a plan in the pages of gay romance novels. All Tony has to do is convince Alex he’s gay for you… or for Tony. It’s easy—just find some excuse to be alone in bed together and let nature take its course. What could possibly go wrong?

You can’t get to first base if you don’t take a chance and step up to the plate.

Title: The Outfielders
Author: Robert P. Rowe
Release Date: October 31, 2016
Category: Contemporary, New Adult
Pages: 240

Guest Post

Happy Halloween. I’m Robert P. Rowe and I’ve just finished my latest novel for Dreamspinner Press entitled: The Outfielders. Unlike my first novel, Second-Story Man, this book is intentionally light.

People often ask me where I get the ideas for my stories. In this case I was looking for characters that would be average all-American guys. Well, what’s more all-American than baseball? And it doesn’t hurt that baseball players happen to be hot.

Speaking of average, I also like characters that lead average lives and face the same struggles as the rest of us. One of the major struggles in a bad economy is the fact that too many adult children can’t afford to move out on their own, or go away to college. This generation finds themselves still living with parents and too often still acting like children. The struggle becomes one of truly growing up and facing the challenges of the world. But as I mentioned, this story is light. The struggles remain a backdrop to the real challenges of romance.

After I wrote The Outfielders I knew that someone would catch me if I messed up on any of the baseball rules or jargon. It’s not like I’ve never played the game, but there are all sorts of nuances that can’t be overlooked when you’re writing a book—and one can’t expect the editors to find sports related errors. I needed another kind of editor to help me out. I sent excerpts from the book off to a young sports writer. I was pleased to learn that most the ball field scenes I’d written were accurate but he added words and phrases that gave the story the right kind of color. “Down the middle,” “popup,” and “tricky offspeed pitching” are not terms that come up in my everyday vocabulary. My favorite added word was “bobbled.”

I’m considering writing a few more stories centered in the fictional town of Groverville. In The Outfielders readers are introduced to an interesting cast of characters. It would be a shame if we never had a chance to learn more about them.

My various story interests are more endless than my time. I’ve just started a new job that has me pretty busy art directing theme park attractions. Still, I’m determined to find some time to tell a few more tales.

In The Outfielders my main character, Tony, is not the brightest. He’s been hiding his secret crush, and the fact that he’s gay, for years. He hides another secret too. He really likes to bake cookies. With that in mind I’ve included one of Tony’s favorite recipes here. Tony has a rocky road ahead of him and for readers there’s no better way to curl up with a good book than to have a batch of fresh baked cookies nearby. Enjoy.

 

Tony’s Rocky Road Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

 

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

  1. Cream butter and sugars together.
  2. Add egg and vanilla, mix well.
  3. Add flour, salt, soda and coconut. Mix well.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients in the order given. Mix well between each.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

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meet the author

Robert P. Rowe has spent his entire career as a storyteller making an incredible leap from Disneyland ride operator to show-designer and art director at Walt Disney Imagineering. Immersive storytelling presents a distinctive challenge unlike that of live theater, film, radio, or print media. Although he currently freelances, his work can be found around the world, primarily in Disney and Universal Studios parks. The theme park industry is a very cyclical business where it’s either feast or famine. For Rowe his active imagination can’t seem to take any time off. When he’s not designing fantastic worlds he’s writing about the characters who live there. Additionally his outside interests include all aspects of architecture with a specific fascination for the theatrical design of homes from mid-century movies and television. He has a keen enthusiasm for mid-century science fiction.

Author Website: http://www.robertprowe.com/

Something in Common by Talia Carmichael: Quick Review

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synopsis

In this collection, explore seven stories of men who don’t think they can possibly be a match… until they discover that sometimes all it takes is a little something in common. From rough starts, to friends hesitating to take that next step, to complete opposites, Talia Carmichael’s series shows the ways that love can conquer many odds.

Cover Artist: Detour, Sparks, Resonate, Irresistible, Trouble, Chances, Magnetism Cover Art: Paul Richmond. Something in Common bundle Cover Design: Paul Richmond.

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ARe

Dreamspinner Press

 

deanna review

I love a long series with a ton of crossover characters and you definitely get that with this series. This series is rich with interesting characters and great backstory.

Detour: Robert is a geeky professor who gets pulled over by the sexy cop Miguel for running a red light. Miguel is instantly intrigued by the professor and sets out to cross paths with the man on numerous occasions. Robert is completely oblivious to the fact that A, Miguel is gay and B, he’s interested in the professor. Apparently subtlety isn’t working and once Miguel hits him over the head with it the sparks fly.

Sparks: Bernie is Robert’s lab assistant and he has formed an unlikely friendship with Tomas, Miguel’s brother. There is quite a big age difference between the two and with Tomas always calling Bernie “Kid” he doesn’t think there will ever be anything romantic between them. After a revelation while out dancing one night, Tomas starts to see Bernie in a new way. Now all he has to do is convince Bernie he doesn’t see him as an obligation.

Resonate: It was not love at first sight for Gerald and Bur. But is Bernie’s brother and a retired rock star. Gerald is a cop that works with Miguel. Gerald has never been attracted to a man before, but there is something about Bur he can’t get out of his mind. But Bur is carrying pain from his past and he isn’t interested in being anyone’s experiment. Gerald will have to use all of his charm to convince Bur to give love a shot.

Irresistible: Harper, Gerald’s best friend is still mourning his dead husband two years later. He’s trying to move past the pain and pick up the pieces. Del is Bur and Bernie’s brother trying to acclimate to raising his two younger brothers on his own. Bur and Bernie are after him to meet new people when his younger brother’s scheming puts him right in Harper’s path. The two form a tentative friendship trying to navigate a relationship together with two young boys.

Trouble: Alex hasn’t dated in the two years since he moved to town. Drowning in a pain he hasn’t shared with anyone, even his best friend Robert. Les, knows just how to push Alex’s buttons to make him crazy. After some time, Alex realizes he enjoys the verbal sparring with Les. After an unorthodox beginning, Les is determined to make Alex his.

Chances: Theron has spent all of his time working on opening Treble Duo, the center the Jenkins brothers have setup to help abused children. He hasn’t had time for anything else until he sees Robert’s brother Aristotle. Aristotle is a mountain of a man and has Theron intrigued. No matter how hard Aristotle resists Theron isn’t letting go of perfection.

Magnetism: Taggart is a cop who works closely with Treble Duo to ensure some cases don’t fall through the cracks. Treble Duo’s head of security Rhodes has peaked his interest. Now, he just has to come up with a plan of attack and reel Rhodes in.

This is going up on my list of all time favorite series. I love the diversity in characters, the unique names and the individual stories. Each story was entertaining in its own way and no two were the same.

You always like some characters more than others and I can’t tell you how happy I was that after everything Harper went through he got a happy ending.

This is the first book I have read by Talia Carmichael, but it won’t be the last. I’m so in love with this group of characters I really hope there are more to come.

5 pieces of eye candy

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Murmuration by TJ KLune: Release Day Review

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murmuation

synopsis

In the small mountain town of Amorea, it’s stretching toward autumn of 1954. The memories of a world at war are fading in the face of a prosperous future. Doors are left unlocked at night, and neighbors are always there to give each other a helping hand.

The people here know certain things as fact:

Amorea is the best little town there is.

The only good Commie is a dead Commie.

The Women’s Club of Amorea runs the town with an immaculately gloved fist.

And bookstore owner Mike Frazier loves that boy down at the diner, Sean Mellgard. Why they haven’t gotten their acts together is anybody’s guess. It may be the world’s longest courtship, but no one can deny the way they look at each other.

Slow and steady wins the race, or so they say.

But something’s wrong with Mike. He hears voices in his house late at night. There are shadows crawling along the walls, and great clouds of birds overhead that only he can see.
Something’s happening in Amorea. And Mike will do whatever he can to keep the man he loves

Title: Murmuration
Author: TJ Klune
Release Date: October 28, 2016
Category: Science Fiction, Historical: Americas
Pages: 324

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ARe

Dreamspinner Press

 

jennifer

What the F?

Ok, so…. I’ve read all things T.J. and I’ve cried my eyes out to the point I made myself sick, with Jack and Jackie. I laughed til I made myself sick with “Tell Me It’s Real”… I did a little of both and then ended up smiling til my face hurt with BOTK and I’ve dabbled a little of a little of the in between. I’m not usually a fan of paranormal, I don’t read them, just not my thing, but it doesn’t matter what this author writes, I’ll be reading it.

This one though? This one had me scratching my head, my heart racing, me flippin’ pages like a crazy person and I think a couple times I even loudly said “whaaaaaaaaaaaat”? It was confusing and crazy and romantic and wonderful… it was so many contradictions all in one, I didn’t know what to do with myself at times but to shut up and keep reading. I’d love to go into detail and wax on and on about every little thing I found fascinating about this read, I want to spoil the crap out of it so you can understand my point of view with it all…. I guarantee it that you’ll have a different one, and the next person will have a different one…. That’s why it’s so amazing, in the craziest way… It was a mind-f for sure and I loved every second of it.

In the beginning I wasn’t sure what to think so I was just along for the ride, but every time I kept thinking of putting it down, I thought…. Just one more chapter because I have to see what that was all about… It was like, the movie Pleasantville with a whole lot of Twilight Zone thrown in. I loved how things went back to the days when “courting” was normal and slow and a simple touch or a kiss was thought on for an age before it happened. People were respectable and friendly; and I’ll even admit a bit creepy at times as well. Mike and Sean were perfect for each other; they had a very complimentary way about each other and it was like they fit together; and even though Mike wasn’t good at saying it, it was very much known how much he cared for Sean. I loved it, the way he fought to get back there; what all he had to do to get back there, it made that slow torment of courting worth it; it made me route for them, Mike especially. And that ending…. I found the excitement bubbling up in your throat a real and true thing because I wanted it so bad and I was so scared it was going to be another wake up moment and forget what we were just doing and where we were just at. I would have broken my kindle I think in the rage I would have felt for these fictional characters.

I know I read a lot of chatter about this book; I got hints from the author on facebook and little things here and there… I felt prepared for going into this one with an open mind and a readiness to get in deep into some head tripping… but nay… nay I tell you.. I was not ready.

Do not pass up this book, I dare you to try to explain it once you’re finished…. It will most definitely chew you up and spit you out, and then put you back together again all happy and hopeful. Genius!

5-pieces-eye-candy2

In the Spotlight by Shona Husk: Release Day Blitz and Excerpt

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Title: In The Spotlight
Author: Shona Husk
Genre: Adult, M/M Romance
Published: October 25, 2016
Published By: Escape Publishing
synopsis
A diva who lives for the spotlight, a sailor deeply in the closet, a love that will change them both.
Ripley Malone is returning to Perth in triumph. A principal ballet dancer in a production that has critics raving, he is an unqualified success, and all the small-minded people that made his life hell can kiss his lycra-covered ass. But behind the makeup and the glitter and the costumes, Ripley is beginning to tire, tire of the competition, the drive, the endless parade of meaningless lovers.For Pierce Lovell, joining the Navy was a way out of rural Victoria, but becoming a submariner comes with its own set of challenges. The close living quarters and long months away are awkward enough without adding any extra tension around his sexuality. The fear is probably in his head, but he isn’t taking any chances with his career. He gets by on anonymous one-night-stands every time they come to shore and keeps his heart well-shielded. But one night with Ripley opens the tantalising possibility of more.Through a mistake Ripley is injured. He can’t dance. His wings are clipped and he crashes down and hits the earth hard. Pierce knows their affair can’t possibly end in anything but heartache, but he can’t stay away. As Ripley heals and reassesses his life, he is determined not to make the same mistakes again. That means letting someone see the vulnerable side of him. But vulnerability for Pierce could cost him everything.
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excerpt


In The Spotlight Excerpt © Shona Husk 2016
Four hours later the alarm went off. There was an arm wrapped around him and a body pressed against him. Pierce hadn’t expected to sleep, but he must have crashed. Now he didn’t want to move. He couldn’t call in sick. He had to turn up and prove he was sick to get the day off, which didn’t achieve anything. He closed his eyes again and tried not to enjoy the sensation of waking up with someone too much.
‘Whose dumb idea was it to get up early?’ Ripley rolled over and silenced the alarm.
‘Yours.’ Pierce sighed. An extra hour of sleep would’ve been nice.
‘Mmm. Yes.’ Ripley moved closer, pressing his body against Pierce’s back. He placed a kiss between his shoulder blades. ‘I didn’t want you to be running out the door without leaving me a number or a glass slipper or something.’
He really wanted his number? ‘I’ll give you my number.’
‘Good.’ His hand skimmed lower.
Pierce was fully awake and it took Ripley about three seconds to discover that.
‘Why couldn’t you work in the city …’ his hand was moving and there was a nice hardness pressing against Pierce’s ass.
He rolled over to face the dancer, not wanting to accidentally give him the wrong idea.
‘What time do you start?’
‘Ten-ish with class, then full rehearsal and individual coaching … then I get a few hours off before performing. I’m going back to sleep when you leave.’
Ripley would be dancing all day, it was no wonder he looked so good with his clothes off. ‘I would be too. What’s the show?’
‘Beastly … I am the beast.’
Pierce laughed.
Ripley pushed him onto his back and straddled him. ‘I can be horrible.’
‘This doesn’t feel horrible.’
‘Let me expand your repertoire beyond quick and dirty. Have a fling with me.’ His lips were dangerously close.
It was hard to think. He was going to get third-degree burns. He was going to end up with scars. But Ripley was offering him everything he wanted. And in three weeks’ time he was going to going through withdrawal and wanting to die.
At least he would’ve lived first.
meet the author
Shona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn’t looked back.

With over forty books published, ranging from sensual to scorching, she writes contemporary, paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance.
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