Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

The Art of Hero Worship by Mia Kerick : Cover Reveal, Excerpt and Giveaway

January 14, 2016 by Denise

Trembling on the floor, pressed beneath a row of seats in a dark theater, college freshman Jason Tripp listens to the terrifying sound of gunshots, as an unknown shooter moves methodically through the theater, randomly murdering men, women, and children attending a student performance of Hamlet. Junior Liam Norcross drapes his massive body on top of Jason, sheltering the younger man from the deathly hail of bullets, risking his life willingly, and maybe even eagerly.

As a result of the shared horror, an extraordinary bond forms between the two young men, which causes discomfort for family and friends, as well as for Jason and Liam, themselves. And added to the challenge of two previously “straight” men falling into a same-sex love, are the complications that arise from the abundance of secrets Liam holds with regard to a past family tragedy. The fledgling passion between the men seems bound to fade away into the darkness from which it emerged.

Jason, however, is inexplicably called to rescue his hero in return, by delving into Liam’s shady past and uncovering the mystery that compels the older man to act as the college town’s selfless savior.

The Art of Hero Worship takes the reader on a voyage from the dark and chilling chaos that accompanies a mass shooting to the thrill of an unexpected and sensual romance.

Author Name: Mia Kerick

Book Name: The Art of Hero Worship

Release Date: February 14, 2016

There You Are by CJane Elliott : Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

January 13, 2016 by Denise

Bisexual musician Cody Bellstrom is a free spirit, easygoing and unattached. On a cross-country trip, Cody befriends young Sandy Nixon and gets him safely to Portland and his uncle, Phineas MacDonald. Beautiful Phineas turns Cody’s life upside down, and Cody learns he’s not as unattached as he aspires to be. With the hard-won knowledge of what lies underneath his need to be free, Cody wins a chance at real freedom and true love.

Ever since his longtime lover Allen died, Phineas MacDonald has lived a circumscribed life. He stopped performing as fierce drag queen Phanny Hill and works part-time in a bookstore. Phineas never expected to find love again. But when sexy and caring Cody Bellstrom turns up, Phineas feels his orderly life slipping out of his control. Cody brings him alive again, but now Phineas must find the courage to let go of his grief over Allen and give love a second chance.

Author Name: CJane Elliott

Book Name: There You Are

Series: Wild and Precious

Book: Two

Series should be read in order to best appreciate this book

Release Date: December 23, 2015

Pages or Words: 33,000 words

Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: AngstyG

“YOU SURE about this?” Bette’s pointed glance packed a world of meaning as she maneuvered the car through the DC traffic and Union Station came into view.

Cody shifted, touching the door handle to ready his escape. “Yes, I’m sure. Didn’t we go over this?” In excruciating detail, he added silently but didn’t dare say aloud. Not with the mood Bette was in.

“I’m giving you one more chance to come to your senses.” Bette pulled up outside the train station, frowning, and turned off the engine.

She looked so unhappy, Cody wanted to change his mind. I can’t, he thought.

Won’t, you mean, said the Bette in his head. He reached over and laid his hand on top of hers. “You’ll get along fine without me.”

“That’s not the point.” She nailed him with a baleful scowl. “We don’t want to get along without you. Dang you, Cody Bellstrom, you have no idea who you are to us.” At his puzzled expression, she turned away and stared stonily through the windshield.

“Well… I guess this is it.” Cody waited, but she didn’t respond. “I love you, girl, you know that, right? You and Aurora.” He meant it. He, Bette, and Aurora had been friends since they were college freshmen ten and a half years ago. Cody sometimes found it hard to believe that he’d known them since before Bette and Aurora had become a couple. It seemed like they’d been together forever.

A barely perceptible nod.

“Come on, Bette, don’t be mad. I’ll be back. I swear.”

“Sure you will.” She sighed and turned a softer face toward him. “Goddammit, you better. We love you. If you gotta do this, of course we can’t stop you. All we want is for you to be happy.”

A car honked behind them, and a uniformed officer motioned them to get moving.

“Shoot,” Bette muttered. “All right, babe. Get outta here.”

Cody leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll text. And call. And Skype.”

“Okay. Send us a postcard from every stop, and take a picture of yourself in Powell’s Books when you get to Portland.”

“Will do.”

Cody opened the door and unfurled himself from the passenger seat, then hauled out his luggage, such as it was. He traveled light; always had. A knapsack, one rolling suitcase, and his guitar, and he was good to go.

He stood on the curb and waved as Bette pulled away, then strode into the station, his spirits lifting, while Willie Nelson’s “On The Road Again” played on a loop in his mind.

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Author Interview

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing CJane Elliott, author of There You Are.

Hi CJane, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book

Hi there! Thank you for having me on the blog today to share about my new novella, There You Are, which is the second book in the Wild and Precious series. There You Are picks up the story of Cody Bellstrom where we left him in Wild and Precious. He moves to Portland, Oregon to join a funk band and meets the man who is to become the love of his life, Phineas MacDonald. But they both have issues to work through before they can get to their happy ending

By the way, those who have read my novella, Mercury In Retrograde, will recognize a cameo appearance of one of the main characters, Alex Harrison, toward the end of the book. It’s a short but key scene which proves to be a turning point for Cody.

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

I hadn’t planned to write a series, but when I released Wild and Precious, so many readers liked Cody Bellstrom that I decided to give him his own story. The same with Sandy Nixon, who I didn’t know existed until I started to write There You Are, and who will be the main character in the third book in the series, Sand-Man’s Family.

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

The title Wild and Precious comes from Mary Oliver’s poem “The Summer Day” and refers to the last line: Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

The title There You Are comes from the line in the movie Buckaroo Banzai (and it’s also been attributed to Confucius): No matter where you go, there you are.

Have you ever given one of your characters the personality of someone you know?

At times. The dad in my first novel Serpentine Walls was a lot like my own father. And Matthew from that book was based on a guy I knew in my twenties who was merry and fun and had reddish hair! But more often than not, my characters aren’t strictly based on real life people, but are more an amalgam of personality traits.

What do you think makes a good story?

Realistic characters with believable dialogue and enough drama (internal and external) to make the resolution satisfying. I love when characters have to grow and change in order to reach their happy ending.

What does your family think of your writing?

They all know what I write and thinks it’s awesome that I’m publishing fiction. I read my drafts aloud to my husband when I have him captive driving us on a road trip. My 20 year old son has read at least one of my books and survived the experience.

Also in the Series

Aspiring writer Brent Granger has good friends and a great job at an arts magazine in DC, but he’s batting zero in the arena of love. Brent begins to get a clue why things aren’t working with women from his strong attraction to his gorgeous, gay, and already attached boss, Graham Stoneford. When he sees a personal ad from a man that quotes his favorite poet, Brent decides to do something wild and answer.

Enter Cody Bellstrom, easygoing bisexual musician, who is happy to initiate Brent in the ways of gay sex. Brent now has a new problem: he realizes he’s gay and no one in his life knows it. Cody tires of hiding their relationship, but Brent finds it challenging to come out to family, friends, and especially to Graham. In the end, Brent must confront the truth of where – and with whom – his heart lies.

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After years of hearing characters chatting away in her head, CJane Elliott finally decided to put them on paper and hasn’t looked back since. A psychotherapist by training, CJane enjoys writing sexy, passionate stories that also explore the human psyche. CJane has traveled all over North America for work and her characters are travelers, too, traveling down into their own depths to find what they need to get to the happy ending.

CJane is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality and is particularly fond of coming out stories.

In her spare time, CJane can be found dancing, listening to music, or watching old movies. Her husband and son support her writing habit by staying out of the way when they see her hunched over, staring intensely at her laptop.

Where to find the author:

E-mail: cjaneelliott@gmail.com

Website: http://www.cjaneelliott.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CJaneElliott

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cjane.elliott

Tour Dates & Stops:

23-Dec

Book Lovers 4Ever, Louise Lyons, Joyfully Jay, The Hat Party

30-Dec

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Love Bytes

6-Jan

Unquietly Me, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, A.M. Leibowitz

13-Jan

Havan Fellows, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Divine Magazine, Jessie G. Books

20-Jan

Happily Ever Chapter, Bonkers About Books, My Fiction Nook, Prism Book Alliance

27-Jan

The Novel Approach, Alpha Book Club, Bayou Book Junkie

3-Feb

Molly Lolly, MM Good Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

10-Feb

BFD Book Blog, TTC Books and More, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Up All Night, Read All Day

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Ghosts by Jackie Keswick : Cover Reveal and Giveaway

January 13, 2016 by Denise

GHOSTS
by Jackie Keswick
The Power of Zero #2
Publication Date:February 10, 2016
Genres: Adult,Contemporary,LGBT, M/M, Novella, Romance, Suspense

Synopsis: Jack Horwood doesn’t do families. Or Christmas. From the time his mother sold him to her pimp to the moment he walked out on the man he loved, Christmas has always been about change and painful choices. This year seems no different. Helping Daniel and Nico recover from their imprisonment and hunting down those responsible puts Jack in a frame of mind he doesn’t want to inflict on anyone. Least of all Gareth and the tentative relationship they’ve started to rebuild.

But Gareth, for whom Christmas is all about new beginnings, won’t let Jack take the easy way out. He makes him face his ghosts instead. Even when said ghosts invade their bedroom.

When Daniel’s parents are found, Jack is determined to settle the matter without involving Daniel at all. But fate decrees otherwise, and it’s Gareth who helps him finally understand that the strongest bonds are those forged together. Once he gets that, Jack can step up and make a decision designed to lay his ghosts to rest—for good.

OTHER BOOKS IN THE POWER OF ZERO SERIES…

JOB HUNT
by Jackie Keswick
The Power of Zero #1
Publication Date: May 13, 2015
Genres: Adult,Contemporary,LGBT, M/M, Novella, Romance, Suspense

BUY: Amazon • Amazon PRINT • B&N • KOBO • iBooks • ARe • Dreamspinner Press

Synopsis: You don’t greet your new boss dressed like an underage rent boy. But when Jack Horwood—ace hacker and ex-MI6 operative—opens the door to Gareth Flynn, he’s too busy to worry over details like that. And anyway, his potential new boss is his former Commanding Officer – the same guy Jack has had a crush on since he was seventeen. So he should understand, right?

When he applied for the job in Nancarrow Mining’s corporate security division, Jack had hoped for peaceful days repelling cyber attacks. Maybe a bit of corporate espionage on the side. His plans didn’t include rescuing abused children, hunting pimps, or dealing with his overly protective and hot-as-hell boss, Gareth Flynn.

Walking away is not an option. Jack never takes the easy way out. More than that, meeting Gareth raises old ghosts that Jack needs to put to rest. Rescuing kids. Taking risks. Saving the day. Jack can do all that – but deciding what to do about his attraction to Gareth isn’t the sort of cloak-and-dagger game Jack plays well. Yet Gareth, strong and smart and always on hand when needed, might be Jack’s salvation.

ABOUT JACKIE KESWICK

Jackie Keswick was born behind the Iron Curtain with itchy feet, a bent for rocks and a recurrent dream of stepping off a bus in the middle of nowhere to go home. She’s worked in a hospital and as the only girl with 52 men on an oil rig, spent a winter in Moscow and a summer in Iceland and finally settled in the country of her dreams with her dream team: a husband, a cat, a tandem, a hammer and a laptop.
Jackie loves stories about unexpected reunions and second chances, and men who don’t follow the rules when those rules are stupid. She has a thing for green eyes and tight cyclist’s butts and is a great believer in making up soundtracks for everything, including her characters and the cat.

And she still hasn’t found the place where the bus stops.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Cross to Bare by Susan Mac Nicol : Blog Tour, Author Interview and Excerpt

January 11, 2016 by Denise

Blog Tour

Title: Cross to Bare

Series: Men of London

Author: Susan Mac Nicol

Publishing Company: Boroughs Publishing Group

Release Date: November 10, 2015

Tough in business but romantic at heart, fashion designer Lenny James isn’t hiding his masculinity behind his super successful female alter ego, but a vulnerability that only handsome financier Brook Hunter will be man enough to reveal…and worship.

TWO OF A KIND

It’s amazing what a little mascara and lipstick, a blonde wig, false boobs, and top-notch female fashion can hide. Not that Lenny James is hiding his masculinity. He uses his normal voice when he’s Laverne, and he’s not particularly camp as a man. His reasons for creating his alter ego are locked deep in his past. He is who he is: tough in business, and a romantic at heart. What he’s hiding is vulnerability. He wants a man to accept both sides of him.

Gorgeous, commanding, and dark as sin, Brook Hunter meets Lenny and knows nothing about Laverne until fate pushes her into his path. Cross-dressing is as far from Brook’s reality as fashion is from his world of diplomacy and high finance. Understanding and truth take time, and trust doesn’t come easy. But Brook is about to show Lenny that there are no sides to true love, just the place where they meet in the middle.

Goodreads Link

Author Interview

Welcome to Susan Mac Nicol! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions.

TCO: When you started writing the first book in Men of London series, did you foresee that you would take it this far? Where did you envision it going at the beginning?

SM: When my publisher pitched the series to me mid-2014, I didn’t really think I’d be writing eight books, no. I thought maybe four, then back to stand alone novels, as this is what I enjoy. So now I’m busy writing the final and eight book in this series, I have to say I look back and think -wow! I love this series though and have plans of keeping it going, perhaps not being as prolific as I have been.

I don’t want to see the series disappear, and I hope to keep it going, albeit a little slower than I’ve produced books in the past.

TCO: This story is very different than the other books in the series-in my estimation. It’s still a love story, but I feel like the differences in the characters, which are always tortured in some way by you, are more internal struggles. What was your inspiration to write specifically with Lenny/Laverne?

Laverne crept into Suit Yourself in her designer suit and then demanded her own story. In Suit Yourself, I needed a fashion diva to run the fashion ‘empire’ called Debussy’s, and rather than create a specific male or female character, there was the germ of an idea that perhaps I could do something different. I’d been exposed to the world of drag queens and cross dressing at the time this happened and I think that seed grew into Cross to Bare. I knew it would be a tough challenge to write, but I was determined to give both Lenny and Laverne a voice.

TCO: How did you research this story? Finding someone who was able to talk about finding a connection with a man who dresses as a woman professionally must have been a challenge.

I am very fortunate in that having my male pole dancing group on Facebook, I am privileged to know a lot of men who are willing to help me out when it comes to advice on the creative and different outlook of being a performer, a dancer and an athlete. This group is diverse, with artistes and performers who are not shy about showing their feminine side, their love for heels and women’s clothes and wearing corsets. And of course, Johnny O’Connell, the gorgeous model for Leslie on Suit Yourself cover, was the best person to ask. He performs in Boylesque, wears said corsets and heels, (and looks fabulous doing so) and had a wonderful frank view to share with me on the reasons a man likes wearing women’s clothing and what it felt like to be someone else. I don’t know what I’d do without him 🙂 His insight made Laverne who she was and did Lenny justice in encapsulating his desire to create his alter ego.

TCO: We get a small peek of what’s ahead, but what do you have coming in the series? Where do you see it going? I believe there is a YA ahead?

The next book in the series, book six, is called Flying Solo. This is about Maxwell Lewis, who we met in Suit Yourself, meeting geeky gamer Gibson Henry. This will be released on January 28^th. I don’t have a blurb or cover to share yet, as it’s still in the works but the Pinterest board might give you some insight. Maxwell is loosely based on my good friend Warren Allen and some of the facts about Maxwell ring true for Warren as well. My lips are sealed.

https://www.pinterest.com/susiemax777/flying-solo-men-of-london-book-6/

And hmm, it’s not a YA on the way, it’s more of a NA I think. Jax, from Feat of Clay, is eighteen and his love interest, Dare, is twenty-five. I see it simply as a first love story; a coming of age romance between two men of very different backgrounds. This is the seventh book in the series and is called Damaged Goods.

Book eight will be the last one for now and is tentatively titled Hard Climate. It’s Ryan Bishop’s and Mango Munroe’s story, from Cross to Bare. Fierce eco-warrior Mango and his volatile relationship with nightclub owner and part time drag queen, Ryan aka Delilah Delish. Once again I am counting on my good friends Warren and Johnny to help me out. I think we have a weekend trip planned to Blackpool to visit a drag queen club called Funny Girls. I can’t wait.

I have an idea for a spin off series featuring two of the characters (I’m not saying who!) which will lead into this couple’s story developing, but with a different case each time. Oops. Perhaps that might give you a clue? It’s early days yet though so I’ll need to see where it takes me.

TCO Note: **rubs hands in glee**

TCO: Fun Question.

You’ve been arrested and call me to come bail you out. What have you been arrested for, and what three things do you ask me to bring to you?

OMG, let me think. I think I’d be arrested for trying to kidnap Benedict Cumberbatch. It’s the most likely scenario *snorts* I’ve been arrested lurking around the film studio with handcuffs, a blindfold, a ball gag and some lube. Sorry? What did you say? Oh, I see. That does sound rather kinky, doesn’t it *winks* More like a fantasy than an abduction plan.

What will I ask you to bring me? Well, seeing as how I’m bound to be released soon, as I’m a famous author who simply couldn’t be a common stalker and would be kidnapper, could you bring *whispers* handcuffs, lube and a ball gag? Mine seem to have gone missing….

Thank you so much to Sue for stopping by!!! Can’t wait to see what comes ahead for her Men of London. 🙂

Any Susan Mac Nicol book I read, always manages to touch my heart in ways that I never would imagine.

We met Laverne and Lenny in a previous book in the Men of London series (one of my favorite series btw) and you couldn’t help but fall in love with both of them. Two personalities of the same person. Different in many ways, but so much in common. Lenny wanted to be loved, for who he was, warts and all, cross dressing or not. And I loved Laverne, just as much as Lenny.

I’ll admit, I have not read a lot of books with cross dressing as a theme, not because I avoid them, but merely because I haven’t come across them, but Susan managed to take what could be a very challenging subject, and one I imagine she researched heavily, and made it a very important part of a strong personality, like Lenny, and not a “problem” or a fault. Lenny was completely comfortable in the world he had created for himself. Until Brook. 🙂

Brook meanwhile, confused, but still did not want to let Lenny go, had to learn to love Laverne as well. What a fantastic pair these two made, as Brook had to decide what he could and couldn’t deal with from a partner.

I just loved this pairing. Susan always manages to find a pairing that doesn’t seem like it will work from the outside, but when they get to know each other, they find the exact thing they are looking for from a boyfriend/husband/partner.

Another winner in this series, which has been a winner from the beginning.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

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Brook smiled. “The chemistry is still there, though. No doubt about that.” His brows furrowed. “And if I remember from our last window encounter, you promised to return the favour,” he murmured as he reached out and removed the glass from Lenny’s hands. He put the whisky down on the table by the window then dipped his finger in the cool liquid. Brook’s finger came up, and he slid it across Lenny’s bottom lip, slowly. He thought he was going to shoot in his pants with the eroticism of that gesture. The whisky flavour burned into his lips and he slid his tongue out and sucked the finger caressing his mouth. Brook’s eyes widened in lust, the pupils expanding. His lips parted and Lenny wanted to thrust his tongue and his cock inside the hot, wet heat of that mouth.

“Let’s get this over with, shall we, because obviously neither of us can wait,” Brook whispered, as his tongue slid into Lenny’s ear. His hands slid under the red jacket, tugging the shirt from his trousers, and then caressing the heated skin beneath. “Otherwise we’ll not enjoy my wonderful Chicken Cacciatore that I slaved over all day. Let’s fuck first, talk later.”

Lenny agreed wholeheartedly. With a low moan, he mashed his mouth against Brook’s and took possession of it. Familiar and wanton in return, Brook’s questing tongue slid into Lenny’s mouth. The slippery sensation of that deliciously heated organ, currently on a quest to drive him crazy, took him back to those passion fuelled days when he and Brook had been together. The feel of strong fingers against Lenny’s skin and the heat of that body pressed against his – it was if they’d never been apart. Lenny wasn’t one for insta-love but insta-lust he could definitely understand.

“I’d forgotten how damn good you taste and feel,” Brook gasped as his hands fumbled with buttons, opening Lenny’s trousers. He cried out as Brook’s hand slid inside his silk boxers and slid fingers down his hardened and wet cock. “This – this is what I want, you inside me.”

That phrase made Lenny thrust his cock harder into the tight confines of Brook’s hand.

“You keep saying that and I won’t have anything to fuck you with because you’ll make me come,” he managed to get out. “Turn around, face the glass.” He didn’t wait for Brook to obey, simply spun him round hard and slammed him against the cold, silken wall. “You’d better hope this is one way glass, because otherwise your neighbours are going to see you being royally skewered this time.” Lenny kicked off his trousers and underwear, giving a sigh of relief as his cock sprung free.

Susan Mac Nicol is a self-confessed bookaholic, an avid watcher of videos of sexy pole dancing men, geek and nerd and in love with her Smartphone. She is never happier than when sitting scribbling down words and making two men fall in love.

In an ideal world, Susan Mac Nicol would be Queen of England and banish all the bad people to the Never Never Lands of Wherever -Who Cares. As that’s never going to happen, she contents herself with writing her HEA stories and pretending, that just for a little while, good things happen to good people.

Sue is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She lives in the quaint village of Bocking in Essex, set in the countryside and not far from the sea should she get the yen to eat crab or oysters on the Cromer Pier.

Social Media:

website: www.susanmacnicol.com
blog: susanmacnicol.wordpress.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/susiemax77
twitter: www.twitter.com/SusanMacNicol7
linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/susanmacnicol/48/a44/602

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Andrew Grey’s Fire and Rain – Release Day Review

January 10, 2016 by Heather

Since the death of their mother, Josten Applewhite has done what he’s had to do to take care of his little brother and keep their small family together. But in an instant, a stroke of bad luck tears down what little home he’s managed to build, and Jos and Isaac end up on the streets.

That’s where Officer Kip Rogers finds them, and even though he knows he should let the proper authorities handle things, he cannot find it in his heart to turn them away, going so far as to invite them to stay in his home until they get back on their feet. With the help of Kip and his friends, Jos starts to rebuild his life. But experience has taught him nothing comes for free, and the generosity seems too good to be true—just like everything about Kip.

Kip’s falling hard for Jos, and he likes the way Jos and Isaac make his big house feel like a home. But their arrangement can’t be permanent, not with Jos set on making his own way. Then a distant relative emerges, determined to destroy Jos’s family, and Kip knows Jos needs him—even if he’s not ready to admit it.

Andrew Grey is one of the few author’s who’ve made it onto my auto-buy list. Fire and Water, the first book in the Carlisle Cops series, was the book that placed him there. While I love seeing more books released featuring the small communities I’ve come to expect from Andrew, I will admit it always makes me nervous when I crack open the next book. I keep worrying that, as much as I love him, this book will be the one to make me wish he’d ended the series sooner. I’m elated to say Andrew has not hit that point with the boys from Carlisle. If anything, he has continued leaving me wanting more.

From the moment Kip responds to a call and finds Jos and Isaac trying to stay warm and dry, your heart begins to melt. As typical for this author, he doesn’t simply try to draw you into the romance between the couple, he takes you on a journey of growth for all of the characters.

It was easy to see the road Jos would have to travel. No matter how bad his situation might have seemed, he was determined to make it on his own, not only for himself, but for his young brother who needed him. At times, I wanted to slap him but then I thought about how I would look at the world if I’d gone through what he had. A steady parade of men coming through the door, a minimally present mother, being thrust into parenthood at a young age, and then losing everything. It’d be hard to believe anyone truly wanted to help without expecting anything in return.

Kip’s journey was a bit harder to figure out. I never doubted that he was helping Jos and Isaac for a reason deeper than feeling some sense of civic duty. The revelation was heart-wrenching. What I loved the most about him was that he tried to weigh his own desires against Jos’. It truly felt as though he wanted what was best for Jos and Isaac, even if it was painful for him.

Unlike many romances involving children, I didn’t feel as though Isaac played a supporting role. He was the key to Jos and Kip falling in love. If Jos had been alone, Kip may not have felt the same draw to help him. If Jos hadn’t been responsible for Isaac’s well-being, he’d have never let Kip offer him a helping hand. He offered comedic relief at times, and worked well to show the soft heart of both adults.

I’ll admit, the distant relative’s return didn’t hold many surprises, but I don’t think it was meant to. It was simply a tool to help Jos realize how strong he was. What I enjoyed about this particular plot arc is that Andrew knew how much to add without going overboard.

I will say, if you’re looking for a hotter read, along the lines of Andrew Grey’s Bronco’s Boys series, this may not be the book for you. That’s not to take a single thing away from this story, because it’s one of my favorite books he’s written. But I felt it worth mentioning that this is a love story, a slow burn that leaves you with no doubt the couple will make it through anything life throws their way.

I’m not sure if there will be more Carlisle couples, but Fire and Rain left me wanting to read the story again, trying to figure out who might be next.

Amazon

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Gone Away by Elizabeth Noble : Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

January 6, 2016 by Denise

Mason Arquette isn’t one for mincing words. In fact, he often rubs people the wrong way—with the exception of Riece Burrell. Riece came with his own set of social issues, but he saw right through Mason’s tough exterior, and they made a perfect couple. Or so Mason thought… until Riece abruptly ended their relationship without much explanation.

Years later, Mason and Riece are thrown back together. As a US Forestry Service photographer, Riece is sent on assignment to the Black Hills, where Mason works. When Mason is tasked with guiding Riece around the territory, old feelings quickly are rekindled.

But nothing is ever easy. Just as Mason and Riece begin to work things out, they’re targeted by people with motives so vile and twisted they defy imagination. In a desperate race for their lives, they must depend on one another and take a big step out of their personal comfort zones to find their way back to safety—and back to love.

Author Name: Elizabeth Noble

Book Name: Gone Away

Series: Circles

Book: Four

This book can be read as a standalone

Release Date: January 6, 2016

Pages or Words: 115 pages

Categories: Contemporary, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Gay Fiction, MM Romance, Mystery

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: TL Bland

“Hungry?” Mason poked at the campfire he’d started. This spot was a popular one. There was already a fire pit rimmed with rock and stone, set against an outcrop and facing a small stand of trees. Whoever constructed it had clearly thought out the location well. The trees were far enough away to be of minimal danger from the fire, yet close enough to be convenient for hanging food from. Their fire was protected by the outcrop and the shallow pit.

Riece turned and studied Mason and their camp. He grinned and raised his camera to take a few more pictures. “You photograph very well.” Riece walked over and sat beside Mason. “Want to see?”

“Sure. If I don’t like them, do they get deleted?”

“No,” Riece said and rolled his eyes. He settled on the ground beside Mason and leaned against him while going through the photos he’d taken that day.

Without thinking, Mason lifted one arm and put it around Riece, tucking him close to his side. “Those are pretty good. Even the ones with me in them.” Both of their actions seemed natural and easy.

Riece snorted and pulled the micro-memory chip out. “Of course they are. I have excellent technique.”

Mason laughed and handed Riece his bag. Riece extracted a plastic case, slipped the chip into one of the slots, and put a new one in the camera. “What’s on the menu?”

“Chicken burritos—well, my version. I threw some potatoes on to bake too, and the all-time campfire favorite of s’mores.”

“Oh, nice. I haven’t had those since I was a kid. My mom used to make them for me over the stove.”

“You haven’t had s’mores until you’ve had them made over an open fire,” Mason said.

Riece tucked his camera away, and they set about assembling and eating their dinner. Mason squeezed shredded chicken from foil pouches onto tortilla wraps. They added shredded cheese, some salami, and dried fruits and spices to the mix. Mason rolled them in foil and set them on the hot embers from the fire to warm up. Dried power-drink mix to add to their water completed the meal. It was completely dark by the time Mason loaded skewers with marshmallows for roasting.

“That was pretty good.” Riece leaned against his pack and gazed up at the sky.

Mason laughed. “What were you expecting, squirrel meat?”

“I was worried about what we were going to eat. I’ll admit I had visions of freeze-dried food packets. I didn’t really pay attention when you were packing. I was afraid to look too closely,” Riece confessed.

“Tomorrow we’ll be near a river, and we can score some fresh fish and use our water filters to refill our bottles. I’ll show you how to spear fish.” Mason stood and stretched. When he began collecting their food stocks and garbage, Riece immediately joined in, helping him. “Anything like toothpaste or mouthwash we’ll store in our sack as well. That stuff smells good to wildlife too.”

“We can keep the lube with us, right?”

That made Mason laugh. “I wouldn’t dream of having it any other way. It’s nice enough out tonight. I can set the tent up, or we can sleep without it.”

“If you don’t mind, and if the wildlife will cover their eyes, I’d like to be able to see the open sky.” Riece sat cross-legged near the fire and pushed his hands against the ground. “Sort of hard and lumpy.”

“You’re such a city boy,” Mason said with a chuckle. “That’s what I brought a sleeping pad for.”

“Now who’s being a city boy? I was thinking more along the lines of how comfortable you are to sleep on.”

Mason smiled, rolled his eyes, and shook his head before he went about completing the task of getting their sleeping area readied. Riece packed their food in the bear bag they would use to secure it high enough off the ground it would be safe. Using a rock and some utility cord, Mason showed Riece how to rig it between two trees.

“We’ll use this as a base camp, hike farther out tomorrow, and come back here to sleep before heading to the next area you need to go to,” Mason explained. He’d spread the map out and traced their path with one finger.

Riece looked over his shoulder. Mason could feel his warm breath on the back of his neck and how he nodded every few seconds. Eventually Mason spread the sleeping pad out, and Riece inflated it before arranging their bedrolls over it.

The temperature dropped fast after the sun went down. Riece was lying on his back, arms bent under his head, looking up at the sky. They’d hiked quite a way that day, and Mason was getting tired. He spent a few minutes watching Riece. He’d folded his clothes and neatly placed them in his backpack, which made Mason smile. Even in the wilderness, there were some things Riece would do to follow his routine, and there was no stopping him. Mason had learned long ago trying to make Riece give up too many of his habits too quickly would cause him to close off and withdraw. Something Mason wanted to avoid at all cost.

Mason stripped off his clothes before he slid into the bedroll with Riece and wrapped one arm around his waist. Despite the cool night air, he was warm in seconds with Riece’s body against his.

Amazon

AllRomance

Dreamspinner Press

Elizabeth Noble started telling stories before she actually knew how to write, and her family was very happy when she learned to put words on a page. Those words turned into fan fiction that turned into a genuine love of M/M romance fiction. Being able to share her works with Dreamspinner is really a dream come true. She has a real love for a good mystery complete with murder and twisty plots as well as all things sci-fi, futuristic, and supernatural and a bit of an unnatural interest in a super-volcano in Wyoming.

Elizabeth has three grown children and is now happily owned by an adorable mixed breed canine princess and one tabby cat. She lives in her native northeast Ohio, the perfect place for gardening, winter and summer sports (go Tribe!). When she’s not writing she’s working as a veterinary nurse, so don’t be surprised to see her men with a pet or three who are a very big part of their lives.

Three of Elizabeth’s books have received Honorable Mentions in the Rainbow Awards.

Where to find the author:

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Parker Williams, The Hat Party, BFD Book Blog, Butterfly-O-Meter, Bayou Book Junkie, Book Lovers 4Ever, Happily Ever Chapter, A.M. Leibowitz, V’s Reads, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Molly Lolly, 3 Chicks After Dark, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Havan Fellows, Alpha Book Club, Velvet Panic, MM Good Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Charley Descoteaux, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, My Fiction Nook, Kirsty Loves Books