3 stars

Trapped in Oz by Andrew Grey: TBT – Throwback Thursday Quick Review

June 7, 2018 by Denise Leave a Comment

Tales from Kansas

Martin Long has plans and dreams, but they are derailed when his parents move and must sell their house. In need of a place to stay, fast, he answers an ad for a roommate, and even though the house needs work, the owner seems nice so Martin agrees to move in.

Gary Hunter is barely making ends meet, with mysteriously disappearing tips at work and tuition to pay. Disowned by his family and left with a house in need of repair, Gary desperately needs the extra set of hands along with the money.

When Gary confesses that his family disowned him for being gay, Martin makes his own confession that opens a world of possibilities. But Gary has paid a heavy price for being who he is, and Martin’s unwillingness to open up to his family puts strain on the fledgling relationship.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Very cute, YA read.

Martin’s dad has accepted a job that’s taking him and his mother out of state, though he’s an adult now with a good job, maybe college and all of his friends here, he decides to stay behind. Well, his parents insist that he stay behind, really, I don’t think he would’ve on his own lol Anyway, he needs to find someone looking for a roommate, fast.

Gary inherited his grandmother’s house when she passed, but never had much of a relationship with her because his parents wouldn’t allow it. Now, kicked out and disowned by the terrible people, he has a place to stay but not enough money for the taxes and upkeep; and thankfully, but unfortunately for his expenses, his douchey roommate flunked out of school and had to leave. Meaning, he needed a new roommate fast, someone that wouldn’t care about his sexual preference.

Easier said than done, but he gets lucky when he meets Martin, and after getting to know Martin a little bit, he tells him before he moves in. It’s a problem for Martin, but not because Gary’s gay, but because Martin is too, he’s just never gotten to experience what that means, just yet. He’s scared of how his parents will react, especially after hearing how Gary’s own coming out was.

I will say that I was kinda annoyed that Gary put so much pressure on Martin, though I understand not wanting to be in a relationship where he had to hide it, Martin was literally JUST coming to terms with it himself, so I can understand his hesitancy… some people go decades without ever telling anyone, or accepting it themselves… and it’s up to them when and where they feel comfortable coming out. I didn’t like that Gary seemed to guilt him, even if it wasn’t intentional…. And I didn’t like that Martin felt like he had to choose between one or the other.

I also felt a bit like these guys were so young, and the pickin’s were slim, that it was just convieniant because they lived together…. I mean, they liked each other, sure…. But it didn’t feel like much more than that for me. I dunno… maybe I’m reading too much into it, but to me… it felt forced because it was a right time right place kinda thing. It worked out for them in the end, though I was also surprised at how Martin’s family took it. They were accepting eventually….but I figured with the way his mom was, that she already knew.

Overall, it’s a cute, short read with a happy ending. That’s good right?

3 pieces of eye candy from me!

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The California Dashwoods by Lisa Henry: New Release Review

May 23, 2018 by Denise

Make a new future. Choose your true family. Know your own heart.

When Elliott Dashwood’s father dies, leaving his family virtually penniless, it’s up to Elliott to do what he’s always done: be the responsible one. Now isn’t the right time for any added complications. So what the hell is he doing hooking up with Ned Ferrars? It’s just a fling, right?

Elliott tries to put it behind him when the family makes a fresh start in California, and if he secretly hopes to hear from Ned again, nobody else needs to know. While his mom is slowly coming to terms with her grief, teenage Greta is more vulnerable than she’s letting on, and Marianne—romantic, reckless Marianne—seems determined to throw herself headfirst into a risky love affair. And when Elliott discovers the secret Ned’s been keeping, he realizes that Marianne isn’t the only one pinning her hopes on a fantasy.

All the Dashwoods can tell you that feelings are messy and heartbreak hurts. But Elliott has to figure out if he can stop being the sensible one for once, and if he’s willing to risk his heart on his own romance.
A modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.

Title: The California Dashwoods
Author: Lisa Henry
Publisher: self published
Release Date: May 1
Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 62 000
Genre: Romance

Amazon

Another Jane Austen retelling. This one reimagines Sense & Sensibility into modern day California.

Elliot, Marianne and Greta have recently lost their father and are preparing to move out of the only house they’ve known to make room for their half brother and his nasty wife. The only good thing to come out of all of it is meeting Ned, Elliot’s half brother’s brother-in-law. The two have instant chemistry and after exchanging hand jobs, they’re discovered by pretty much everyone in the house and the impending move becomes immediate. The siblings and their mother head to California with little money but a fierce sense of family. Elliot will do whatever he needs to provide for his younger sisters, while trying to come to terms with his father’s death and figuring out what to do with his life.

I’m not going to lie. I didn’t read S&S, but I have seen the 1996 Alan Rickman version many times and I’m pretty much an expert on that, so. This is a pretty faithful rendering of the original. This means that not only do we have polar opposite siblings, a crash and burn romance, and a heartless extended family, but our main “heroes” have virtually zero page time together after their initial meeting. These two don’t even know each other, which may have worked in Austen’s day, but I think disqualifies this as a modern “romance”. The writing was fine, and I liked how closely it followed the original while changing the setting completely, but I like romance in my romance novels, amirite? The dynamic between Elliot and Ned therefore isn’t the fault of Lisa Henry, and this is still a nice read. Just don’t expect a modern twist on how they obtain their HEA.

3 pieces of eye candy

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And the Beagle Makes Three by Geoffrey Knight: New Release Review

May 3, 2018 by Denise

When Stuart Summerfield finally realized he was gay, he knew that telling his beloved wife Claire would be one of the hardest, most heartbreaking things he would ever do. Unfortunately Stu’s coming out wasn’t simply heartbreaking… it had the most unexpected and tragic consequences imaginable.

Now, almost one year after the car accident that took Claire’s life, Stu has buried himself in his work to push through the pain and guilt while doing his best to raise, Atticus, their young son, who has himself handled his grief in his own unique way. While getting by one day at a time proves difficult enough, it never crossed Stu’s mind that the family’s annual weekend away at the lakeside home of his sister-in-law, Bethany, would still go ahead now that Claire was gone.

Atticus, however, has other ideas. With his loyal beagle Digby by his side, Atty makes a phone call to Aunt Bethany in an effort to keep the family tradition alive, no matter what chaos and calamity might ensue.

And so over the course of one weekend filled with commotion—and emotion—Stu and Atty are about to learn that healing can open up your heart, that grief can sometimes be good, and that nobody travels the road to recovery alone.

Amazon

Ok, so this is the first for me by this author, but a cute kid and a puppy on the front? A must have, right?

So, I was a little bit confused by the beginning of this one, the puppy follows the kid into school and nobody says anything? Then, these reports, or, whatever they’re doing in the class, seems a bit old for 8 year olds. I wasn’t even doing things like that in middle school, let alone elementary, as a matter of fact…everyone seems to treat Atty like an adult, rather than an 8 year old.…. And those teachers, while maybe well meaning, were extremely disrespectful, in my opinion…Speaking of disrespectful… I spent a good half of this book, fuming with all the disrespect. Be prepared for that.

Now, on to the story… Stuart and his son Atticus are trying to get on with their life after a terrible car accident takes the life of Stuarts wife, (Atticus’s mom)…. Seems she left in a hurry when finding out that Stu was in fact gay. I felt bad for Stu, because it was obvious he loved his wife, and his son; but he couldn’t deny who he was any longer. On the way to her sister Claire’s, she had an accident and didn’t make it.

Now, Atticus had planned their traditional weekend away at Claire’s, even though neither of them wanted to, they packed their things and went anyway. Claire and her family were the epitome of the worst kind of people. Her children were spawns of the devil, and Claire herself was just…..awful. I don’t care if she sort of redeemed herself at the end, nothing excuses how nasty, hateful and just mean she was throughout the whole thing. I literally hated every second that nobody put them in their place.

All through this terrible weekend, we see only a few glimpses of the officer that pulls Stu and Atty over, I hoped he had a bigger role in the story, but… he didn’t. Once in the beginning, once in the middle, and once at the end. That’s it. They do share a kiss at the end, but that’s it. I was kinda disappointed by that.

And lastly, the twist at the end, broke my heart. It was a good bad kind of twist, one that I did not see coming and had me tearing up a bit… poor Digby, and poor Atticus. It was the best part of the story, that twist, and it was a gut wrencher.

Overall, though…. I just couldn’t get over how terrible everyone was to Atticus and Stu… It was a lot to take, and too much to get over for me. I don’t think this is one I”ll be revisiting.

3 pieces of eye candy from me

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The Eager Boy by Sean Michael: Exclusive Guest Post and Release Day Review

April 26, 2018 by Denise

Eight months ago Robin Secoya left his lover and master, Stack Lobond, because he didn’t believe Stack really cared about him. He was sure that for Stack, any warm body would do, and Robin wasn’t willing to be just a warm body anymore.

A chance meeting at the Iron Eagle Gym brings them back together, and old feelings aren’t far from the surface. They decide they can’t pass up a second chance at romance. But this time, it isn’t just Stack’s demanding career as a big-cat vet putting strain on their relationship. Robin also has a new job that takes up a lot of his time.

Will their kinky love affair crash and burn a second time, or can they find the balance that will allow the passion between them to flourish?

Title: The Eager Boy
Author: Sean Michael
Release Date: April 24, 2018
Category: BDSM
Pages: An Iron Eagle Gym: Book 5

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Thank you to Two Chicks Obsessed for hosting me today!

One of the characters in The Eager Boy – Stack – rides a motorcycle. I have a neat coincidence happening. The book came out this week, and this week is also the week when our weather turned from winter to summer (yeah, we have kind of skipped over most of spring) which means that there were suddenly a whole bunch of motorcycles on the road. Given that for six months of the year the roads are fairly traitorous for two wheeled vehicles, most drivers of motorcycles only use them during the late spring, summer and early fall.

There’s something sexy about a man on a motorcycle, isn’t there? There’s the leathers they wear to keep the bugs and wind from trashing their skin, not to mention to help against road rash should they have an accident. And there’s the image of the motorcycle driver being a bad boy. Yum.

I’m not that knowledgeable about motorcycles, but even I can recognize something unique and special when I see it on the road. There’s one here in the city that is this really dark pearlized purple with always brightly polished chrome. It’s quality. That’s the kind of bike I like to think that Stack rides. Something that makes people who see it immediately think that it’s quality and it’s driver is hot 😉

Whether you’re into motorcycles or not, I hope you enjoy Stack and Robin’s story.

Sean

smut fixes everything

I do like Sean Michael’s writing. It is real, the conversations are how I would expect to hear them as if I was standing next to the characters in real life, and the issues that come up are often ones you see in your own relationships or those around you.

This book with Robin and Stack was a second chance romance, Robin having left Stack months before because Stack was not giving him the attention he needed. And Stack, when he had the chance to get his boy back, realized he needed to change. However, I felt like it wasn’t the most sincere of changes in the beginning. Stack claimed not to know why Robin left, and clearly communication was an issue, but not having spent the time to understand why he left, before trying to reclaim their love lost me somehow.

I loved that Robin decided to reclaim his independence, getting a job, and his own apartment, working out on his terms. However, when he met up with Stack again, he seemed to immediately fall into whatever Stack wanted to do, which in the short run included getting into bed, and a scene. I felt that keeping his job was essential to him continuing a path towards independence, even if they lived together.

Although, I liked the characters, and their second chance, I felt like there were some pieces missing. I would love to catch up with them later, though, and see if that has been addressed.

3 pieces of eye candy

Best-selling author Sean Michael is a maple leaf–loving Canadian who spends hours hiding out in used book stores. With far more ideas than time, Sean keeps several documents open at all times. From romance to fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi, Sean is limited only by the need for sleep—and the periodic Beaver Tail.

Sean fantasizes about one day retiring on a secluded island populated entirely by horseshoe crabs after inventing a brain-to-computer dictation system. Until then, Sean will continue to write the old-fashioned way.

Sean Michael on the web:

WEBSITE: http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com

BLOG: http://seanmichaelwrites.blogspot.ca

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites/

TWITTER: @seanmichael09

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/seanmichaelpics/

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Captain Merric by Rebecca Cohen: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour and Review

April 13, 2018 by Denise

A tale of pirates, lost love, and the fight for a happy ending.

After he’s set adrift and left to die by his mutinous crew, the last person Royal Navy officer Daniel Horton expects to come to his rescue is Captain Merric. An infamous pirate, Merric is known as much for stealing his victims’ hearts as their jewels. Daniel’s world is about to be turned upside down when he recognises Captain Merric as none other than Edward Merriston, someone he thought he’d never see again.

Edward can’t believe Daniel Horton is aboard his ship. While Edward is willing to do anything he can to get a second chance at their happy ending, Daniel isn’t interested in digging up the past. But Daniel is one priceless treasure Captain Merric isn’t about to let go of without a fight.

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design

Length: 55,000 words approx.

Amazon

Exclusive Excerpt

Edward chewed thoughtfully on a hunk of bread before speaking. “I admit I was surprised to hear Captain Horton was unmarried. I thought your father would have pushed for a good match.”

“Oh, he has tried several times, but me being at sea so often had been an inconvenience to his plans. Henry had it far worse, but as older brother and next baron he was always the priority.”

“Marriage is not about love when you are a member of the peerage, it is about allegiances and power,” said Edward with a sneer. “You could have married someone and lived at opposite ends of country and no one would have thought it strange.”

“Perhaps so, but I at least would wish to try and be a good husband if I were to marry—but alas I have not the disposition to make even the most patient woman happy.”

Edward laughed. “Don’t think I will be cowed by your disposition… I have already seen you soften a little in a few days. I imagine you would be a different man after a few weeks. Well, not different, but more as you were.”

“I fear you will be disappointed if you expect to me to revert back to the boy that I was. In the same way life at sea has changed you, it has changed me. You cannot have the blood of men on your hands and not be affected by it all. I have been in sea battles, raids, and skirmishes—none of them pass without leaving a mark. I have seen good and bad men die, come close myself at least once, and every event has in some way made me who I am today.”

Edward placed a hand on his thigh. “I understand that. And I do not challenge it. We are all the reflections of a well-lived past. I want to know the Daniel of today, not then, but you will not persuade me that the fundamentals that were deep in your core aren’t still there.”

“I am still stubborn and argumentative, if that’s what you mean.”

“Good to know. Do you still have a desire to stack coins by size order?”

Daniel laughed, remembering the times Edward had teased him over it. “There are some habits that I will never break. That and ensuring my books are always in alphabetical order by author. You were always an unruly sod—used to mess up my system just to get a rise.”

“I have always loved getting a rise out of you.” Edward leaned closer and raised an eyebrow.

After 15 years, pirate Captain Edward Merric and naval Captain Daniel Horton come face to face again. After a misunderstanding perpetrated by Edward’s father, Daniel has believed Edward to be long dead, while Edward believed Daniel no longer wanted to be with him. The misunderstanding is quickly uncovered but these two still have some issues to overcome if they are going to be together. After the pain of losing his first love, Daniel locked his heart away and became a successful, if not cold and unapproachable, captain in the British Navy. Edward has to decide if he can give up the carefree pirate’s life he’s led and thrived in since he last saw Daniel. Edward is determined to win Daniel back, while Daniel will struggle with what he has to give up in to be with his great love. Count on smexy times at a tropical waterfall, which I think is a requirement for a Carribbean pirate story (or at least should be).

I love pirate stories and second chance stories, but this book was just ok for me. I liked the plot fine, the writing itself just fell flat with paragraphs of dialogue, but no indication as to what else the speaker might be doing as he says a bunch of words or how he might sound as he’s saying them. Which leaves the reader to guess at what the speaker is feeling. The pace was therefore just a bit fast, as reactions to a conversation just sort of happen with no lead up. There’s also a number of typos that can be sort of jarring.

A cute read when you get past the blemishes.

3 pieces of eye candy

Rebecca Cohen is a Brit abroad. Having swapped the Thames for the Rhine, she has left London behind and now lives with her husband and young son in Basel, Switzerland. She can often be found with a pen in one hand and a cup of Darjeeling in the other. Blog: http://rebeccacohenwrites.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rebecca.cohen.710

Twitter: http://twitter.com/R_Cohen_writes

April 6 – Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

April 9 – Open Mind For A Different View

April 10 – The Novel Approach

April 11 – Cupcakes & Bookshelves, Making It Happen

April 12 – Diverse Reader

April 13 – Two Chicks Obsessed

April 14 – MM Good Book Reviews

April 16 – My Booked Filled Life, Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings, Velvetpanic, BooksLaidBareBoys, Bayou Book Junkie

April 17 – Love Bytes

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Sweet Nothings by T. Neilson: Exclusive Guest Post, New Release Review

April 9, 2018 by Denise

Will a bitter bite from the past spoil a sweet romance?

Tristan Love, the youngest of seven brothers, is back in his hometown. He’s left the New York food scene and an abusive relationship behind him, but he holds his love of French pastries close to his heart and is determined to put his skills to use in a bakery of his own.

Returning to his childhood home means his meddlesome brother Simon will butt into his business, but before the bakery even opens its doors, Tristan’s delectable creations have the town’s mouths watering, and Jake, a cute mechanic, asks Tristan out. It all seems worthwhile….

That is, until the bakery burns down, Jake’s criminal past comes to light, and Tristan’s nasty ex rears his head where he is decidedly not wanted.

Release Date Apr 3, 2018

Type Novel

Genre MM Contemporary Romance

Words 63,173

Pages 248

ISBN-13 978-1-64080-248-3

File Formats epub, mobi, pdf

Amazon

Dreamspinner

Kobo

Sometimes life slings something unpleasant your way, and there’s nothing you can do about it and there’s no way to get out of the way. At times like those, I reach for a romance. And a cinnamon roll.

I love pastries, and I love romance. The richer, fluffier, and sweeter the better. It’s like that meme that’s been going around the internet, “Cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too perfect”; that’s my ideal M/M pairing. Two cinnamon rolls, sweet and fluffy, but no strangers to sticky situations. In this case, there’s Tristan, the determined-to-prove-himself youngest of seven (seven!) who came back home after a bad romance and is picking up the pieces, and there’s Jake, who’s maybe a little crusty on one side what with his time in jail and the things people say about him, but who’s just as sweet as can be, and has a real soft side for anyone willing to take the time to try to uncover it.

But you can’t just have two cinnamon rolls there on a plate and call it good. You need a little something more. You need the guys who run the cafe next door who brew coffee strong enough to cut all that sugar, and the big sister who always cleans up the messes, and the brothers who squabble over who gets the most icing but really actually love one another right down to the crumbs. Basically the textual equivalent of coffee with those rolls. And possibly ice cream too. Because, heck. Everybody needs a sweet treat once in a while.

Sweet Nothings by T. Neilson: Release Day Review

T Neilson writes flirty, silly, contemporary m/m romance featuring recovering addicts, mental health problems, and abuse survivors. Honestly, honestly, the books are silly. I swear.

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