Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

3 stars

R for Rough (Camassia Cove Universe #17) by Cara Dee: Release Day Review

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Standalone • MM • Primal Play • DD/lb • Age gap • Interrogation Play • Coworkers • Camassia Cove Universe
Apply the right amount of war paint and rehearse your safewords for Griffin and Tracy’s romance. They may start out as two chefs working awkwardly together, but they share a desire that soon brings them together, forcing them to address the tension between them.

I didn’t know why Griffin hated me so much, but it was wearing me down. I walked on eggshells around him at work, and I hated that I still wanted him. I saw him in my dreams, my fantasies, and…frankly, in some nightmares too. And then I freaking saw him at a munch, and I almost lost it. Just how much did we have in common?! Was there no way for us to coexist? My friend Abel firmly believed Griffin and I belonged together, but I didn’t know what that guy was smoking.

Something had to give, though—and that made me think of what my grandpa used to tell me as a kid. I’d been too young to wield an axe, so he’d chopped wood while I had walked along the tree line to collect kindling. Then when I came across a branch I couldn’t break, he’d say, “It’s just a matter of finding the right pressure point. You can do it, Tracy.”

Maybe that could be applied to Griffin too.

It was just a matter of finding the right pressure point.

This story takes place in Cara Dee’s Camassia Cove Universe, a fictional town where all books stand on their own, unless otherwise stated, and the reader can jump in wherever they want.

Amazon – All Regions

I’ve read A LOT of Cara Dee books. Probably 90%. A lot of them have kink. But what really drew me in were the relationships. The connections, the falling in love, getting to know you stories. And lately, that is really missing from the kink books.

This can be read as a stand alone, even though it’s in the Cammisa Cove world and we even get a few guest stars from McLean House. And being that it was kind of a stand alone, I was really expecting and hoping for a relationship that beings, grows, flourishes…. but instead we got some cursory back story, very little one on one time and then another kinky game.

And I am not going to yuck someone’s yum, but this kinky game was 100% not for me. Rough play? sure. Primal play? ok. But basically beating the crap out of each other and calling it kink? Not my jam. I was actually a bit disturbed at points.

I really wanted to get to KNOW Tracey and Griffin. But I didn’t.

3 pieces of eye candy

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex. 

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly. 

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write. 

Find Cara on social media here: https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage

 

Joint Penetration (Hot Under the Collar Book 3) by Katherine McIntyre: Release Day Review

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Liam Kelly is in love with his best friend. His straight, freshly divorced best friend, who wants to experiment…with him.

Ollie

The last thing I expected from my wife was a divorce. I’d checked all the boxes off—cozy house near my folks, joined the family business as a contractor, and married right out of high school. Except the more I think about how distant we’ve been, the more our split makes sense. And the more time I spend blowing off steam with my best friend, the more I want to actually…blow him.

Liam

Have I been hopelessly in love with Ollie my entire life? Yes, yes, I have. Has he been married for the past decade? Yes, yes, he has. However, when his wife calls it quits, my heart can’t help contriving scenarios where he might not be as straight as he seems. And when those scenarios start coming true—from scorching looks to playful grapples until we go much further—I throw myself into the deep end.

The second we start hooking up, I can’t hold back the feelings I’ve been clutching tight to for over a decade. But if this ends up a rebound for Ollie, a blip before he looks for a new wife, I won’t only be out a best friend but the love of my life.

Joint Penetration is a high heat, low angst M/M best friends to lovers romance with a bi awakening, birdwatching jokes, and a loud, nosy family that reads as a standalone.

Amazon – All Regions

I hadn’t read the previous books so I can say this definitely works as a stand alone. Everything else is true too. High heat, low angst, bi awakening, bff to lovers….

Which made this a fun book to read, albeit a little unbelievable at times. Especially the beginning.

Listen, I love a bi-awakening or gay for you. But there’s usually some introspection. ESPECIALLY when it’s your best friend. But nope, he was pretty much all in from the get go.

Still, it was a cute story with good characters and super hot scenes. It didn’t lag or drag on at all and kept me reading. It was a fun beach read that was well written. There’s not a lot for me to say about it, but it’s worth the read.

3 pieces of eye candy

Lost In Someone (Calston Cove Book 2) by JJ Harper: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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.                    .

It only takes one night to turn their lives upside down.

Brodie always thought he was straight, but he experiences the greatest night of his life with a man. A total stranger. They never even exchanged names.

It’s the shake-up he needed. He leaves his job and heads down to his best friend, Merrick. Even if that night haunts not only his dreams but also his waking thoughts, he’s determined to make a new life in Devon. He can’t have time for regrets.

Ivan had to leave. His best friend, Drew, let him down, his sort of ex shocked him with disturbing news, and he’s sick and tired of easy hook-ups. The only bright light is a chance encounter with the hottest man he’s ever seen, but he wakes up alone and has no way of finding him.

Resigned to never seeing him again, Ivan returns home to Calston Cove. An apology to Drew leads to a dinner invitation with a few friends.

And a face he never expected to see again.

Are Brodie and Ivan able to recapture the best night of their lives, or is one night all they’re going to have?

When Ivan’s past comes back, threatening to ruin his relationship with Brodie, are they strong enough together to make things work?

Lost in Someone is a bi-awakening story and book two in the Calston Cove series. It can be read as a stand-alone but is enjoyed more by knowing Drew and Merrick’s story in Life After Love.

Title: Lost In Someone
Authors: JJ Harper
Length: 60k
Series: Calston Cove, Book 2
Genre: Contemporary.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

A few minutes later, the house is empty. It seems larger, more echo-y now it’s just the two of us. “What do you need me to do?”

“It’s to do with the bed. Something is not right with it.” He walks back to the open door.

I follow him up the stairs. Ten minutes ago, only a bare mattress was on the bed, but now the stunning brass king-size bed is made up with dark red brocade sheets and a duvet takes centre stage. Candles stand on the windowsill and all along the edge of the skirting boards. Brodie leans against the windowsill, his arms across his chest, his feet crossed at the ankles, the grey April sky highlighting his almost black hair like a halo. The epitome of cool, but his jaw is hard with tension. He’s nervous. Why?

“Hey, are you okay?” He’s practically vibrating. From excitement, nervousness, fear? “What’s wrong?”

He shakes his head, swiping the back of his hand over his eyes. He’s crying. “Brodie, baby. What’s up?”

“I don’t know how to do this shit. I never thought I’d be in love, and to find it in a dark club with a stranger is romance film shit. But here I am, five months into a relationship with someone I respect so much. A man who makes me laugh, who puts up with my sweaty, stinky trainers and my equally sweaty and stinky body. I wanted to do something special to show you how much I love you and want to be with you.” He snuffles, wipes his knuckle under his nose, and chuckles. “Don’t panic. I’m not proposing, but I am asking you to think about moving in here with me. Once it’s all finished, I mean.”

I stare at him and then look around the room. He’d planned this—with Merrick—to make it special. I grab his arms and pull him away from the window into my embrace. “You do this shit damn well, baby. I love you too. So much. We met for a reason that night. It was to lead you here to me. Some serious chaos theory must have been going on to mix our lives, but I’m glad it happened.” I let him go. “I think we’ll be very happy here. You and me.”

“Is that a yes?” He laughs, looking hopeful.

“It’s a yes.” I drag him down until our backs hit the bed. “Do we get to christen this bed now?”

I read and enjoyed book 1 quite a lot. So I was excited for book 2. And I liked it. But not as much as the first.

This time we have Ivan, best friend of Drew from book 1. And Merrick’s best friend from London- Brodie. They have no idea who each other are and have a random hook up that leads to going back to a hotel room for most of the night. Except they never exchanged names.

Oh, and Brodie had never been with a man before. Never really thought about it until that met when he met Ivan. Which is fine, but for a guy he never even thought about possibly being queer to all of a sudden having sex with a man- a stranger- there was no angst. It was a bit too easy for me.

When Brodie decides to make a big life change, he ends up in Calston Cove because his bff Merrick is there. And surprise! Drew’s bff Ivan! They pretty quickly pick up where they left off.

And like a Hallmark movie, everything just falls into place. Ivan and Brodie are in a relationship, more big life changes happen, Brodie just goes with the flow. Ivan freaks out a little, but considering what is happening, not too bad.

And then happily ever after. I really enjoyed the last epilogue as well. We get to witness consequences that we don’t always see. That was super satisfying.

Overall the book was fine. It wasn’t great, but it definitely wasn’t bad. Some more depth would be nice.

3 pieces of eye candy

You will normally find JJ in the living room—typing away—with her dog, Siddiqi. As a hopeless romantic, she dives into her stories, always falling in love with her men, making sure they get the happy ever after they deserve, even if they do have to work hard for it.

As a bona fide bookaholic, a wine-drinking and swear-like-a-sailor type of girl, she has yet to work out how to act her age!! LOL. And she has no intentions of growing up or growing old gracefully.

JJ lives in a small, very quiet, village in Lincolnshire, UK, with her husband and dog, and spends all day dreaming up stories full of really hot men.

Connect with JJ:
Find out more: http://jjharperauthor.ctcin.bio
Author page: https://www.facebook.com/authorJJHarper
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jessjhoney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessjharper
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessjharper
Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/ha7whyj6
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jj-harper
Check out my website: https://www.jjharper-author.com
Sign up to my newsletter here: https://bit.ly/3u7qLYc
Preorder link: Https://mybook.to/Lostinsomeone
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Curveball by Eric Goodman: New Release Review

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Jess Singer, pitching prodigy and son of the infamous Jewish Joe Singer—who starred on the mound for the same MLB team twenty-five years earlier—is blessed with a plus-plus curveball, possesses immense athletic abilities, and is on the fast-track to stardom. But he’s harboring perhaps the most potent secret a professional athlete can possess: his sexual preference.

In this briskly paced, highly entertaining novel following three generations of Singers during Jess’s first year in The Show, Eric Goodman imagines what life might be like for a gay baseball player. Will Jess live in a confined closet or do what no baseball player has done yet? Goodman charts Jess’s path with tremendous sensitivity and grace, while detailing a season as riveting as watching your favorite underdog take their shot at the golden ring.

Written with Goodman’s usual flair, humor, and zing—not to mention his deep knowledge and love of baseball—Curveball is a feel-good love story in which virtue and a wicked curve triumph over considerable adversity.

Amazon – All Regions

I love baseball. And you pretty much HAVE to love baseball to enjoy this book. A rookie pitcher making it to the show with the support of his grandfather and parents. Oh, and his dad was also a famous MLB pitcher in his day. Something happened to get him suspended and although the suspension was lifted, we never really got the full story.

And therein lies my biggest issue with this book. It was packed full of different stories. First wives who were sent to a psych facility and never came out. Some big baseball scandal 25 years ago. Cancer. An octogenarian love story. A wife with a secret that the husband doesn’t want to know. A rival middle reliever. Being Jewish. And in the center is Jess. Rookie pitcher with a wicked curve ball, a legacy to continue and a closet to hide in. But almost none of them were resolved! Including death threats!

The relationships between grandfather, father and son were interesting. A lot isn’t said about Joe (Jess’ father) and how he was raised by Jack (Jess’ grandfather), just the lingering animosity of The Scandal. Without Jess, I don’t know that Joe and Jack would still have a relationship. The intergenerational play was pretty fascinating to see.

I wanted more of Jess coming to terms with his sexuality. Because he told NO ONE. And then with no warning- BAM!- he’s in bed with a man floating in the afterglow. No warning, no lead up, no hints, nothing. This happened more than a few times where there was just no transition at all. Warm us up a little please.

And as I said, baseball. There is A LOT of baseball. So if you don’t enjoy it- especially the math in figuring out the post season- your eyes will glaze over. I don’t know how the author got permission to use real teams and real players, but I did enjoy that. But I love baseball.

So much was left undone. So much. We didn’t even get an epilogue. I feel a little cheated.

3 pieces of eye candy

The Linebacker : The Portland Protectors – EHM Security Series Book 2: An MM Best Friends-to-Lovers Romance (Package Deal World) by Emerson Beckett and Rheland Richmond: New Release Review

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Is it wrong for me to want the world to know I’m in love with Patrick Griffin and have been since we were eight-years-old?

Patrick Griffin

I hurt him. I didn’t mean to.

Now he’s gone, and I deserve it.

As a linebacker in the NFL, I’ve never found the right time to come out of the closet. Not even when I promised Cole I would.

But now, with Cole’s band, Fallen Angel, in the spotlight along with my team, the pressure is mounting. Everyone thinks we’re just best friends, but the weight of my secret is tearing us apart.

And it just might be too late to save us when I can.

Cole Bradley

Is it wrong for me to want the world to know I’m in love with Patrick Griffin and have been since we were eight-years-old?

He is the love of my life, but it’s been years of waiting and excuses.

All our friends, even his teammates, have a public life. So why can’t we?

He promised it would be different in Portland.

But then he tells yet another reporter he’s single. I need a break. It’s perfect timing since our band is heading out on tour.

I don’t know if I can live without him. But I don’t think I can do forever in the closet.

It’s always been Patrick for me, but is it too much to ask for the world to know he’s mine too?

The Linebacker is a secret romance and childhood best friends-to-lovers MM Romance. It is book two in the Portland Protectors-EHM Security Series and the eleventh book in the Package Deal World.

To maximize reader enjoyment, it is highly recommended to read the other books in the Package Deal Series, as well as book one, The Rockstar. Series reading order can be found at the beginning of each book.

Content Warning: Referenced off the page homophobic violence toward an off the page character, and an automobile accident.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

New to me authors, which means I didn’t heed the recommendation to read all of the previous books in the Package Deal Series. But besides a big party scene with a lot of people who were obviously featured in other books, I didn’t feel like I missed anything there.

What I did miss was the love story. As far as I can tell, Patrick and Cole haven’t had a book until now. And their whole love story being missing kind of took me out of the emotion of the story. The book starts with them as an established couple- albeit in the closet from all but their closest friends. Not only that, but almost immediately, they break up. Or take a break. Or some space. Or however you want to put it.

Maybe in previous books there was enough of their love story in the background. Maybe I did miss that. Can’t say I’ll know for sure because I wasn’t nearly invested enough to go back and find out.

From my perspective the book was fine. Nothing too exciting, the sex scenes were fine, I liked the friendships they had and the ending was kind of…meh. Like it more faded out than came to a definitive conclusion.

3 pieces of eye candy

Friends Like Them (Redemption Ridge Book Four) by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Owen Doyle’s rough beginnings taught him not to form attachments, yet he’s drawn to Tyler Booth like a magnet. Their relationship has blossomed from strangers to the best friends, with each twist in the journey weaving their connection tighter. But Owen has a six-year secret that’s become unbearably painful to keep. As the seams of his resistance fray, Owen will lean into a new mentoring opportunity to keep from ruining the best thing in his life.

Tyler will never regret going to jail and getting sober because meeting Owen saved his life and taught him how to trust again. Their inseparable bond has earned much teasing over the years, but Tyler doesn’t recognize himself without Owen. When he senses a yawning chasm between them, he’ll turn to mutual friends for help. Their well-meaning advice opens Tyler’s eyes to unexplored possibilities and will snap missing puzzle pieces into place.

Some hopes are too big to stifle, and some truths are too big to ignore. A photo booth, smoking-hot kisses, and honest revelations will take Owen and Tyler’s intimacy to a whole new level. But before they can achieve their happily ever after, they must unload the baggage from their pasts. Will the road to discovery guide them to the necessary healing, or are the guys destined for the highway to heartache?

Friends Like Them is book four in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. Friends Like Them contains mature themes and is intended for adults.

“I have a hard-on,” Tyler whispered. He lifted his head, met Owen’s gaze, and swiped his tongue over his bottom lip. “For you.” Tyler stepped closer and swallowed hard. “And you’re hard for me too.”

The wondrous expression on Tyler’s face made Owen want to smile and laugh, but he didn’t want Tyler to think he was making fun of him. That was the absolute last impression he wanted Tyler to have about their first kisses. But how honest should he be? He didn’t want to scare Tyler off after yearning for this opportunity for so damn long. Owen wanted to believe Tyler’s erection signified something deep and meaningful, but it could have resulted from friction and loneliness. Please let it be door number one. Owen tempered his naturally assertive personality and aimed for chill. He took a step forward, too, so that they were toe to toe in the cramped space.

“I am very hard for you.”

Tyler closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Owen longed to lean forward and kiss his neck, but he didn’t dare move. Tyler twisted his fingers in Owen’s shirt again and opened his eyes. “I don’t know what to do with this.” He didn’t mean literally. They’d shared a small jail cell for two years, and Owen had heard the unmistakable sounds of Tyler jerking off when he thought Owen was sleeping. Tyler had meant he didn’t know what to do with an erection for his best friend, who also happened to be a guy. Tyler wasn’t raised in a world where men chose other men. Yes, he’d been around gay and bisexual men for the past four years on the ranch, but he never pictured that future for himself.

The turmoil in Tyler’s voice made Owen’s heart fall. In a perfect world, one kiss would prove they were meant to be together. Hell, that sounded more like a fantasy than any version of the world they lived in. “We don’t have to do anything about it, Ty. We could pretend it never happened.” Well, Ty could. Owen would hold on to the moment until his dying breath.

Tyler darted a glance toward the photo tray. Owen removed the strips, folded them in half without looking at the images, and tucked the pictures in his pocket. He’d take them out later when he was alone and let his mind run as free as a wild mustang.

“We don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to, Ty. Nothing has to change. You’re still my best friend.” Owen’s voice came out a little shaky, and Tyler’s eyes widened. One of them sounded terrified, and the other looked it. Their friendship was the single most important thing in both their lives. Owen would do anything to keep Tyler in his life, even if it meant an end to his impossible dream.

Tyler swallowed hard. “You want to pretend it didn’t happen?”

“I didn’t say that,” Owen replied carefully. “I said we could.” He again debated just how honest to be with Tyler because he couldn’t get a good read on his reaction. Tyler seemed upset by the idea Owen could forget about their encounter, but he didn’t sound encouraged by the notion Owen wanted to remember it. He felt damned no matter how he responded. Someone thumped into the booth again, giving him a valid excuse to postpone a further response. “Can we talk about this in private?”

Tyler searched his eyes for several seconds before nodding.

“We should probably get back out there,” Owen suggested. He received another nod, but neither made a move toward the door. “You should probably turn loose of my shirt first.”

Tyler looked down at his hands but didn’t release Owen’s shirt. “I can’t.”

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. Somehow I missed the third (I’ll be remedying that) and here we are at book four. There is nothing wrong with this book at all. It just lacked a big emotional punch for me.

Tyler and Owen have been around since the beginning of the series. Best friends practically connected at the hip. We didn’t get to know a ton about them except that they met in prison, became best friends and both came to Redemption Ranch upon release. And normally I really love friends to lovers stories. It’s one of my favorite tropes. But besides Tyler getting jealous at the beginning because Owen was helping a new employee, there was just no bang. No sizzle.

Owen was out and proud. Tyler was very closeted. But they went from best friends to kissing to a relationship in a blink. Not a blink, but literally one night.

Then I was expecting angst later on in the story. Nope. Previously Tyler had been very intimidated by Hope, local shop owner, hippie free spirit. But after he got with Owen, totally fine there too.

The book was fine. The story was fine. These two guys belonged together. But this story just felt like filler.

3 pieces of eye candy

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Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.

I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me at:
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