4.5 stars

The Mystery of the Moving Image (Snow & Winter 3) by C.S. Poe: Exclusive Guest Post (#3 in series), Release Day Review and Giveaway

September 12, 2018 by Denise

It’s summer in New York City, and antique shop owner Sebastian Snow is taking the next big step in his relationship with NYPD homicide detective, Calvin Winter: they’re moving in together. What should have been a wonderful week of playing house and celebrating Calvin’s birthday comes to an abrupt end when a mysterious package arrives at the Emporium.

Inside is a Thomas Edison Kinetoscope, a movie viewer from the nineteenth century, invented by the grandfather of modern cinema, W. K. L. Dickson. And along with it, footage of a murder that took place over a hundred years ago.

Sebastian resists the urge to start sleuthing, even if the culprit is long dead and there’s no apparent danger. But break-ins at the Emporium, a robbery, and dead bodies aren’t as easy to ignore, and Sebastian soon realizes that the century-old murder will lead him to a modern-day killer.

However, even with Sebastian’s vast knowledge of Victorian America and his unrelenting perseverance in the face of danger, this may be the one mystery he won’t survive.

DSP Publications

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

GooglePlay

iTunes

Kobo

Goodreads

Hello again, friends! I’m C.S. Poe, and this is the third stop of The Mystery of the Moving Image blog tour. This is Book Three in the mystery-romance series, Snow & Winter. My post is a continuation of an exclusive coda, following Sebastian and Calvin’s adventure in apartment hunting in the East Village of New York City!

There is also a giveaway I hope you will enter. I have Sebastian and Calvin acrylic keychains that are super adorable, and signed character artwork.

Enjoy Part 3 of my coda.

C.S. Poe

I got out of the passenger seat of Calvin’s car the next morning, shut the door, and looked up at the classical architecture of a small residential building we were checking out with a new Realtor. “Not bad,” I murmured.

“Mr. Snow!”

I turned toward the building’s front door and a big man with a big smile, dressed in a bigger suit, came at me with his hand outstretched. “Ah, yeah. That’s me,” I said, reluctantly shaking his hand.

“Timothy Thomas, licensed real estate agent. It’s a real pleasure!” He just about dislocated my arm.

All right, Starry-Eyed, Steve. It is eight in the damn morning and I’ve only had one cup of coffee.

Luckily, Calvin stepped onto the sidewalk before I had the chance to tell Boy Scout Bill to calm down.

“And you must be Mr. Winter,” Timothy said, shaking hands with a man who could handle that ridiculous, meathead grip. “Are we excited to see our dream home today?” he asked next.

“I’ll reserve my judgement until I’m holding the keys,” I answered.

Calvin nudged my arm. “We haven’t had the best of luck so far,” he said more tactfully.

Timothy made a grand gesture with his hands. “I understand. I understand perfectly. But I’ve just the place. It’s huge, spacious—great for a family.”

“We only have a dog,” I added quickly.

Timothy smiled his big smile again. “And this apartment could easily fit a Great Dane. Come on.” He motioned for us to follow, walked to a small gate, and started down the steps to a basement dwelling.

“Uh. Hang on,” I called, rushing after. “Tim? No first floor apartments. That was my biggest no-no.”

Timothy glanced back at me while pushing open the door. “This is a basement apartment.”

“If I didn’t want the first floor, what on Earth makes you think—”

“Just go look,” Calvin whispered in my ear, coming up behind me.

“Jesus Christ,” I muttered. I walked down the steps like a chastised child, following Timothy into the darkness.

“What’d I say?” Timothy asked. “Huge! Am I right?”

“Yeah. A real cave,” I replied, deadpan. I mean, I admit it was nice on my eyes, but there were no windows. Even I needed a bit of sunlight now and then.

I heard a heavy thud and turned around. Calvin was wincing and rubbing the top of his head while it was awkwardly cocked to one side. “Did you…hit your head on the ceiling?” I looked back to Timothy. “We’re going to need a taller place.”

The hunt really went downhill from there. And it wasn’t even due to my pickiness. I mean, it’s like Timothy had gathered up every short, dank, weird little shithole he’d been absolutely unable to get off the market and said, here you cranky sonofabitch! This is all you get to pick from!

“This apartment isn’t wide enough, Tim,” Calvin said.

“I know it’s a strange design, but you don’t actually lose that much floorplan!” He turned and pointed down the long, awkward setup with both hands, and motioned like he was aiding an oversized truck backing up. “See how far it goes?”

I did see how far it went.

Calvin stepped around us into what I guessed was the bedroom, a room with no door that seamlessly rolled into the room even further in behind it. “I don’t think a bed can fit in here.”

“Oh no, it can!” Timothy insisted.

Calvin held his arms out and put his hands on either wall. He looked at me.

I shook my head.

“What else is there?” he asked Timothy.

“Why is the shower in the kitchen, Tim?” I asked.

“They’re remodeling.”

“Where is it going after they’re done?”

“Ah….”

“The bedroom is in a loft,” Timothy explained.

I pointed at the ladder and shook my head. “No.”

“No?” he echoed.

I raised my hand and ticked the points off on each finger. “Legally blind. Mornings. No coffee. I’m going to kill myself.”

“I’m going to have to say no too,” Calvin murmured while staring up at the loft. “I’d really like a place where I can stand up straight when I get out of bed.”

I’ve got a great place in Midtown.”

“What?”

“Just a block away from Times Square.”

“Tim, I think we’re done.”

Another action packed Snow and Winter book! I have been absolutely loving this series–yes, a big part is that I identify with the extreme snark of Seb, but also because the author weaves in so many different aspects seamlessly. Murder, snark, mystery, snark, ex-lovers times two, even more snark, and friends that continue to be there for Seb through thick and thin. (C’mon, Max had to be one of the truest friends ever to deal with all he’s dealt with and keep coming back for me…maybe someday we get to see his story?).

This book really highlighted the vulnerabilities of both Seb and Calvin, and it both touched my heart, and broke it. Calvin crying on Seb’s shoulder? For a detective who does everything he can to hide even the barest hint of vulnerability, that he can let go and not only show it to Seb, but allow Seb to carry him through that moment was such a beautiful moment. Meanwhile, Seb, trying NOT to show his vulnerabilities, still finds himself mired in a lack of confidence…even in the bedroom, how often do you ever read that in any time of romance? Yet, he knows that Calvin is always there for him, and trusts him completely.

I would have loved to see a bit more of Seb’s dad…because Seb learned that snark from one person! 🙂 I also really liked that we got to see more of Neil, and how he deals with the way his world has changed.

On top of all of that, Poe, weaves a mystery in here that has some dead bodies, but takes more than half the book to even find out what the mystery to solve is. Loved it!

Oh, and I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…these covers are fantastic. I love them, and they fit this series, and Seb, so perfectly.

Recommended, as I seem to do with all of C.S. Poe’s books. This series is not only worth picking up, but binge reading. And I was just wishing that this series was out on audio, and I see that The Mystery of Nevermore and The Mystery of the Curiosities, and they are both narrated by Derrick McClain, and so I need to go now, because I will be listening for hours. (HOW did I not know these were there???)

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Tour:

09/10/18 – Gay Book Reviews

09/11/18 – Love Bytes Reviews

09/12/18 – Two Chicks Obsessed

09/13/18 – It’s About the Book

09/14/18 – Boy Meets Boy

C.S. Poe is a Lambda Literary and EPIC award finalist author of gay mystery, romance, and paranormal books.

She is a reluctant mover and has called many places home in her lifetime. C.S. has lived in New York City, Key West, and Ibaraki, Japan, to name a few. She misses the cleanliness, convenience, and limited-edition gachapon of Japan, but she was never very good at riding bikes to get around.

She has an affinity for all things cute and colorful and a major weakness for toys. C.S. is an avid fan of coffee, reading, and cats. She’s rescued two cats—Milo and Kasper do their best on a daily basis to sidetrack her from work.

C.S. is a member of the International Thriller Writers organization.

Her debut novel, The Mystery of Nevermore, was published by DSP Publications, 2016.

| C.S. Poe’s Curious & Mysterious |Acrylic Sebastian and Calvin keychains and signed character art.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules & Regulations:

Giveaway ends 10/19/18

One winner will be randomly chosen by C.S. Poe

Open to US and International mailing addresses.

Threepeat by K.C. Wells & Parker Williams: Exclusive Guest Post and New Release Review

August 29, 2018 by Denise

Can two Doms open their hearts again for a young man desperately in need of their help?

Two years ago, Aaron Greene and Sam Thompson were devastated when their submissive broke the contract that bound the three of them together. They still wonder what happened and whether they can find a way to move forward. When Aaron finds a sick young man by the curbside, his protective instincts kick in, and after consulting Sam, he takes Tim home.

After being thrown out of his home, Tim Waterman finds himself on the street, doing whatever he needs to survive. Until a bear of a Good Samaritan scoops him up and saves him. Then one bear becomes two, and a chance discovery gets him thinking about what might be, if he’s bold enough to make a move.

So what happens when Aaron and Sam wake up one morning to find Tim naked in their bed? Will they get a new chance at life, or will history Threepeat itself?

Title: Threepeat
Series: Secrets: Book Three
Authors: K.C. Wells and Parker Williams
Release Date: August 21, 2018
Category: BDSM, Contemporary
Pages: 330

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Vic Prentiss

What is the best gift you ever gave?

After Sebastian broke the contract he had with Aaron and Sam, the two men sunk into a deep funk. They stopped going out, stopping having friends in. It was like they just stopped existing. While I was out of town working on a project, I saw a painting in a shop. It was a young man, facing the sea, looking for something. It called to me, and I knew I had to get it for Aaron and Sam, because they needed to find someone who would complete them. They loved the picture, and it led them to finding a new young man.

Rob Daniels

What was your favorite subject in school?

You’re kidding, right? I hated school. They always wanted you to do things a certain way. I…had issues following rules. Jamie and I would get up into trouble all the time. To be honest, I wish I had paid more attention, especially in Maths class. It might have helped when I got the new job.

Ellis Mann

What’s the last thing you tell your partner before bed?

What do you mean you can’t go again? LOL. Just kidding. Rob told me he said that to Vic, which got him corner time. I thought it was hilarious. When Wayne and I go to bed, emotions I’ve suppressed for so long rattle around in my head. Wayne brings them out, and helps me to find out who I am and how badly I need his guidance. Of course, the only thing I can possibly say is ‘I love you, Sir.’

Maggie Pierce

What is your motto?

My motto is simple. Love your family with your whole heart, because they’re the ones who will take care of you when you’re old. And one day, when I’m old, I hope Jarod remembers the good things I did for him, and not some of the… not so good things. (If you read Threepeat, you’ll see what I mean.)

Wayne Dwyer

What is your biggest strength?

Believe it or not, my biggest strength is Ellis. I know people tend to think of the submissive as the weaker partner, but that’s never the truth. In fact, Ellis has far more strength than I do. When he got shot, I fell apart. All I could see was him on the ground, bleeding out. My heart could have stopped in that moment, because if he’d died, I wouldn’t have wanted to go on without him. He’s doing his best to handle what happened. Sometimes I’m the one with the issues, because he’s my sub, and I want to take care of him. What happens when you have no power to fix his problems, though?

The house we based Aaron and Sam’s home on. Check out that theater!

I usually don’t read menage romance. I think it’s because my brain has a hard time wrapping around how three people can be in a relationship and there isn’t any jealousy or conflict from the aspect of a triad relationship. I really had a hard time wrapping my brain around the idea of two Doms with one sub, after those two Doms had been alone together in a relationship for several years. However, sometimes as a reader it’s good to challenge yourself, and read outside your box. I also had read and loved Books 1 and 2 in the series (as well as the previous series by these two authors). So, I decided to give this one a go. In the case of Threepeat, I am glad I did.

One of the things that I appreciated about the beginning of this book was that it focused on Aaron and Sam, before they ever meet Tim. The story begins by showing how the two men were still grieving the loss of the sub that had left them two years prior with no explanation. They were still partners, still had some types of sex, and still went about their daily routines, but it was obvious that the strain between them was there, and it needed a good strong kick from an outsider to bring them out of that grief.

Tim had everything ripped away from him, and had spent a few months on the streets getting sicker and sicker, until he couldn’t take care of himself. He had resigned himself to not living. What a sad, tragic mindset he was in. When Aaron found Tim, it was as if he needed Tim as much in that moment as Tim needed Aaron and Sam. He needed something to focus on, someone to bring him out of his grief, and out of his own personal hell, and taking care of an ill person will do just that.

The fact that Aaron and Sam never once brought up BDSM, or even the dynamics of their relationship was so important to the relevance of this story. If any of that had happened, it would have felt as if they were pushing Tim into a relationship, and even into a BDSM relationship, when he was young, vulnerable and had nowhere else to turn. Instead Aaron and Sam both declared that there was no need for a relationship, that they wanted Tim healthy, and happy, and they would do whatever was necessary to assist with that. They asked what he had wanted to do with his life, offered to help him with classes, finding friends, etc. All of that outside of the boundaries of any sort of romantic and/or BDSM relationship. This is exactly as it should have been, and as a reader, it made the book so much better for me.

This book wasn’t about the sex, or the BDSM, although there was plenty of it…including things I hadn’t ever thought of from a BDSM perspective, but most of all it was about taking a young man who had once had a family (loving or not) and showing him he could have a new one, even outside their home, and still be important to himself. It was truly heartwarming from that perspective. Just like Maggie, I wanted to wrap up Tim and keep him as he worked through his pain.

There had to be a big conflict, and there was. The reader could see it coming. However, I will say I was pretty shocked at how Aaron and Sam reacted in the moment. That I DID NOT see coming. But it reinforced the reality of life that you never know how someone is going to act in a given situation. And their repentance after the fact was perfect. Doms are not perfect, they are human beings and they eff up, and they acknowledged that right away.

All in all, so much better than this “no, thank you, I don’t really read menage” reader was expecting. (Side note…at the time I was reading this one, I happened to be listening to an Audible book that was also an mmm book…that’s never happened!).

Highly recommended.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

K.C. Wells started writing in 2012, although the idea of writing a novel had been in her head since she was a child. But after reading that first gay romance in 2009, she was hooked.

She now writes full time, and the line of men in her head, clamouring to tell their story, is getting longer and longer. If the frequent visits by plot bunnies are anything to go by, that’s not about to change anytime soon.

If you want to follow her exploits, you can sign up for her monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cNKHlT

You can stalk – er, find – her in the following places:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld

https://www.facebook.com/kcwells.WildWickedWonderful/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6576876.K_C_Wells

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00AECQ1LQ

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.c.wells/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/K_C_Wells

Blog: http://kcwellsworld.blogspot.co.uk/

Website: http://www.kcwellsworld.com/

Parker Williams believes that true love exists, but it always comes with a price. No happily ever after can ever be had without work, sweat, and tears that come with melding lives together.

Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Parker held his job for nearly 28 years before he decided to move on and try new things. He’s enjoying his new life as a stay-at-home author because work always frowned on naps.

Connect with Parker on:

Twitter: @ParkerWAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parker.williams.75641

Or you can visit his website: www.ParkerWilliamsAuthor.com

* Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. *

Sky Full Of Mysteries by Rick R Reed: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

August 14, 2018 by Denise

What if your first love was abducted and presumed dead—but returned twenty years later?

That’s the dilemma Cole Weston faces. Now happily married to Tommy D’Amico, he’s suddenly thrown into a surreal world when his first love, Rory Schneidmiller, unexpectedly reappears.

Where has Rory been all this time? What happened to him two decades ago, when a strange mass appeared in the night sky and lifted him into the heavens? Rory has no memory of those years. For him, it’s as though only a day or two has passed.

Rory still loves Cole with the passion unique to young first love. Cole has never forgotten Rory, yet Tommy has been his rock, by his side since Rory disappeared.

Cole is forced to choose between an idealized and passionate first love and the comfort of a long-term marriage. How can he decide? Who faces this kind of quandary, anyway? The answers might lie among the stars….

Amazon
Dreamspinner Press paperback
Dreamspinner Press ebook

SKY FULL OF MYSTERIES: “Abduction,” An Exclusive Excerpt from my alien abduction gay romance

A Guest Post by Rick R. Reed

Sky Full of Mysteries is, in the end, all about love, yet alien abduction is what propels the plot. Here, come along with our main character, Rory, as he leaves this earth. He will be gone for about twenty years, although, to him, the passage of time will feel much, much briefer.

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT

Rory made his way a little to the west and found the perfect alley. The streetlight had burned out, and there was a large dumpster for additional cover. High-rise apartment buildings rose up all around him for protective cover. Hand on his fly, Rory wanted to laugh with relief. The quiet and dark little spot appeared as an oasis, the perfect solution to an embarrassing problem.

Rory stood next to the dumpster, unzipped his fly, and then, hand on the brick wall and leaning his weight into it, let go.

The relief caused a deep sigh to issue from his lips. The release was so pleasurable it was a slice of heaven. His sigh approached a growl of contentment, almost sexual. He closed his eyes with delight.

And then, from even the cover of his closed eyelids, he saw it. Bright light.

Shit was the first thought that sprang to mind. The cops was the second. Rory opened his eyes, trying to make his stream go faster, to finish up, because there was no way he could stop himself now. He wanted to bark out some giddy, hysterical laughter, even as he imagined calling Cole from a police precinct to bail him out on a charge of indecent exposure.

All this went through Rory’s head in a millisecond. When he finished—because he had to finish, it didn’t matter who was watching— he looked around.

Sigh. There was no police car at the mouth of the alley, no beat cop shining a flashlight on him in all his unzipped glory.

No, the light, Rory realized, was coming from above. He quickly shook off and stuffed his dick back in his shorts. He raised his head, shielding his eyes from the brilliant light and squinting into it at the same time, but even those measures were feeble against the blinding illumination. The light was so bright it ignited a shooting pain in his head, made him fear scorching his retinas.

There was a grinding sound too. It took him a moment to notice that, because he was so stunned by the hovering light of a thousand suns above him. It was like the mechanical drumbeat of machinery going about its business. Boom, boom. Boom, boom—like the beating of a clockwork heart.

Rory was too stunned to be afraid. He turned and leaned back against the wall, a little breathless, and closed his eyes to witness myriad suns, orange and red, pulsating on his inner eyelids.

When he opened his eyes again, careful to keep them cast down on the bricks of the alley, he noticed how the shining illuminated everything at his feet—the crushed Old Style beer can, the used condom, the coffee grounds, and the oil stains. He took this in dully, like he was observing these mundane castoffs as someone who was studying them, but for whom they were foreign. Like an archeologist peering down at relics from an ancient civilization.

For a jarring moment, he couldn’t, for the life of him, recall where he was.

Maybe this way of occupying his mind was a defense, he realized at last. A defense against horror and recognition.

Because, with a certainty that approached 100 percent, Rory knew what was issuing the bright light above him, knew without having to go to the trouble to peer into its blinding white light once more. The realization made him shiver, despite his racing heart and the light sheen of sweat that covered his face.

It was it. The membrane, the cloud, the ship. It was not in the distance, as before, but directly above.

The cold seized his limbs, paralyzing, like the very blood in his veins was slowing, freezing.

And then he felt nothing at all, save for a few vague physical sensations—a pulling at the top of his head, so hard he could feel his hair rise, strand by strand, then faster, until all of it stood straight up. His limbs followed, arms stretching up above his head, but not of their own accord.

And then, with a terror so acute it made him not scream but laugh hysterically, his feet lost contact with the ground as he rose slowly into the light.

Rick R. Reed wrote this amazing book, and still hours later, I really have no idea what to say about it. Go read it! Give it a chance, even if “sci-fi isn’t my thing” is a mantra for you! There, my work here is done. Okay, since I am guessing that will not work as a review, I will try to put my feelings into words about this book, but it will not be easy. I am not a sci-fi person either…ever. And I really try never to do books that will make me cry like a baby, or are extremely antsy…but since it was Rick, well, here I am.

First, I will say, that I really only give 5 pieces of eye candy, if I will read a book again, which I can’t…not that I won’t…but I can’t…because that much crying is hard on me! But those 4.5 pieces of eye candy should really be 4.99999 pieces. This book had so much emotion in it. I cried…not a little, but I bawled, and I normally avoid those types of books, because I am not an angsty read kind of girl. But Rick writes so well, with so much emotion, that I can’t NOT read something he wrote, so bawling it will be. 🙂

More than the first half of the book is Cole and Rory, the aftermath of Rory’s appearance and Cole meeting and connecting, more than once with Tommy. It takes place in 1997. And the heartbreak that Cole goes through is unfathomable to me. He finds the love of his life, they move in together, and just weeks later, he disappears without a trace. When Rory disappeared, he took Cole’s light, not just the light of his life, but his own light. It was difficult to read how angry, despondent and closed off from everyone that Cole became, as a result.

Rory’s disappearance had no effect on his life…that he knew of. He had no memory of his time away, just brief flashes. Meanwhile, his disappearance destroyed three lives beyond any impact anyone could understand. His reappearance, 20 years later, changed his entire life in an instant, even as everyone had moved on as best they could.

Tommy could not have been more loving to Cole, even when Cole deserved nothing but anger and disappointment. Meanwhile, at times it was hard to love Cole, yet you couldn’t help it because it was so obvious to the reader how torn he was. The author did an amazing job of creating a character in Cole that really had a difficult time with the choices in front of him, for his entire life. The reader felt awful for Cole, and then when Rory reappeared in his life? Another choice to be made.

At that point, I was completely in awe how Rick was able to make me want a happy ending for all three of the men, knowing there was no chance of that happening (yes, I am crying again as I type this…that is how much this book affected me). Small spoiler: all three get a happy ending, but not in any way that you would think they would.

How Rick made all these characters so believable in their reactions, in their realization of their needs and wants, and their emotions is beyond me, but he conveyed them so well in his portrayal of them. And Rory’s mom…my heart still hurts for her pain…(Yep, still crying! Dang you Rick R. Reed!) Few books have ever left me with book hangovers…I believe prior to Sky Full of Mysteries, the total was two. I’m up to three now. And looking up, it appears I was able to find a few words to say about it. 🙂

Please read this book! It truly is about a love across time and space.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. He’s the award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction and is forever at work on yet another book. Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” You can find him at www.rickrreed.com or www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA with his beloved husband.

FIND RICK ONLINE

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/rickrreedbooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rickrreed

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RickReedWRITER

Blog: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/

Website: www.rickrreed.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rick-r-reed

Email: rickrreedbooks@gmail.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Master Will Appear by L.A. Witt: Audiobook Tour and Review with Giveaway

August 10, 2018 by Denise

Dr. Mikhail “Misha” Budnikov takes one look at fellow fencer Ryan O’Connor and instantly knows his type. The undisciplined hothead is all ego with no finesse and even less control. In short, Misha’s pet peeves personified. To put the arrogant kid in check, Misha challenges him to a sparring match, which he predictably wins.

Not so predictably, Ryan asks him to be a mentor and show him how to fence. Startled by the moment of humility, Misha agrees.

What begins as fencing lessons becomes something much hotter, and before they know it, Misha is giving Ryan an entirely different kind of education. Dominance, submission, pain, pleasure—at the hands of an older, experienced man, a whole new world is opening up for Ryan.

As the trust deepens and their bond strengthens, though, Ryan retreats because that sham called love left him jaded long ago. Cynical beyond his years, he’s not letting his guard down, least of all for a thrice-divorced man twice his age.

Now Misha has to find a way to crack through those defenses…or accept defeat and walk away from the submissive who might just be the love of his life.

Length: 12hrs 59mins

Narrated By: Michael Ferraiuolo

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Audible

I have this book on paperback (stick with me here…) that I purchased and had signed by the awesome L.A. Witt at GRL last year, but I never read it, even though I REALLY wanted to. The reason was simply because for some reason the size of the book (Amazon estimates at 447 pages) intimidated me. So when the Audible version came out, I jumped at the chance to listen to it.

And as usual, L.A. Witt rarely disappoints. This author writes across genres (she has several pen names), across age, race, religion, political issues, as well as across sexual orientation. That is one of the things that I love most about this author. She does not write the same group of 20 something gay, white males, living in San Francisco (as an example) for each book. While I enjoy those books, I also very much appreciate that this author realizes that this is a very diverse country, and world, and her writing reflects that.

In the case of The Master Will Appear, Witt takes on a Russian college professor and fencing. I’d imagine that took some serious research. Misha, the Russian college professor, and a Dom, meets and clashes instantly with Ryan, a college student at a different university at a fencing club, and Ryan asks Misha to teach him more about fencing. As they take on a teacher/student relationship, they also quickly learn that not only are they attracted to each other, but Ryan wants to learn more about being a submissive. I love that this didn’t turn into a story about Ryan becoming the best fencer, and winning-or losing-a huge match (a la Karate Kid), while falling in love with his teacher. It really was a story about not just the relationship that developed between Misha and Ryan, both romantic and D/s, but also about the relationships that these men had with their families and friends.

All that helped the story flow from a realistic perspective, and explained so much about Ryan’s outlook on love and life. With Misha clearly being a romantic (he’s being married and divorced three times) and Ryan being as anti-romance as possible, it left room for Ryan to learn what love was, when he had not seen any examples of it in his life before Misha. It took time for Ryan to transition to that point, but Misha was patient, even as Ryan didn’t realize he was falling in love. He realized he loved being a sub, and the sex, but missed the part where he fell in love. I do enjoy it when characters are clueless about their own feelings. J

Witt took her time showing us all the levels of these men, just as it would take time in a real relationship. We learned new things about their pasts, how they became the men they were, winding it all together to allow the reader to learn who they were slowly.

The narrator, new to me as an audiobook listener, was engaging to listen to, and was able to perfect the Russian accent (at least to this untrained ear) so that the listener didn’t always need to know by the words who was speaking. Yet, he didn’t overdo the accent. It was only apparent while Misha spoke, not in his thoughts while it was in his POV, and it wasn’t so thick to make it difficult to understand. I tend to listen to my audiobooks at 1.25X, and had absolutely no problems dicephering the words.

All in all, a book I would definitely read and listen to again.

Story: 4.5 pieces of eye candy

Narration: 4 pieces of eye candy

August 1 – Dog-Eared Daydreams, Mainely Stories, Gay Book Reviews, August 6 – Gay Media Reviews, August 8 – Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, Love Unchained Book Reviews, August 10 – Lillian Francis, Momma Says To Read Or Not To Read, Bayou Book Junkie, Xtreme Delusions, Two Chicks Obsessed, Wicked Reads, United Indie Book Blog, BFD Book Blog, We Three Queens

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…

Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com

E-mail: gallagherwitt@gmail.com

Twitter: @GallagherWitt

Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love in Spades by Charlie Cochet: Exclusive Excerpt, Audio Book Tour, and Review

July 27, 2018 by Denise

Ex-Special Forces soldier Anston “Ace” Sharpe is fighting a different battle these days—one involving the world of private security across the state of Florida. As part owner of Four Kings Security, Ace and his fellow Kings tackle everything from armed transport and investigations to cyber intelligence and executive protection. Cocky, fearless, and brash, Ace isn’t afraid to take risks.

After years of working alongside his father, Colton Connolly is ready to take the helm at Connolly Maritime, but his father’s retirement is put on hold when Colton begins receiving death threats. If that isn’t bad enough, his father signs a contract with Four Kings Security to provide Colton with round-the-clock protection, despite his adamant refusal. Colton’s life has been turned upside down, the last thing he needs is a shadow, especially in the form of infuriating, sexy-as-sin Ace Sharpe, who seems to be on a mission to drive Colton mad.

Sparks fly the moment Colton and Ace meet on a sultry night club dance floor. But getting involved with a client, even one as fiery and beautiful as Colton Connolly, is a line Ace is unwilling to cross. Colton might be attracted to Ace, but he’d been burned before. He might be willing to put his life in Ace’s hands, but not his heart.

As the Florida nights heat up, so does their passion, and Ace and Colton are faced with a difficult choice—take the plunge and risk it all, or play it safe and walk away?

If Ace can keep a deadly threat from robbing Colton of a future….

Love in Spades: Four Kings Security, Book 1

Author: Charlie Cochet

AUDIO RELEASE: 06.20.18

COVER DESIGN: REESE DANTE

NARRATOR: Greg Boudreaux

https://www.facebook.com/GTremblayVoice/

Listening Length: 7 hours and 53 minutes

Audible

Amazon ebook

iTunes

“Do I get a gun?” Colton asked.

“Have you ever fired a gun?”

“No. I’m not really a fan.”

“It’s amazing how many clients believe we’re going to arm them. Even if you were an expert marksman, you wouldn’t get a gun. You get a pen.”

Wait…. “A pen?”

“Yep. Titanium.” Ace handed Colton a silver pen, and Colton hesitantly took it from him. He held it up in front of him and peered at it.

“I’m supposed to fend off an attacker with a pen?” Was it a Bond pen? If he clicked the end or twisted it, would it release a toxic gas or set off an explosive? He clicked the end, and the ink nib popped out. Nope. It was just a pen.

“It’s a tactical weapon,” Ace assured him. “With the right amount of force in the right place, it can cause some serious damage.”

Colton eyed him skeptically. “You’re messing with me.”

“No.”

“What if they have a gun?”

“That’s a different lesson.”

Colton sighed. “Okay, show me.”

“Not if you’re going to give me attitude.”

“I’m not giving you attitude.”

Ace held his hand out. “Give me the pen.”

“No. It’s my pen.” Colton clutched it to his chest. “You gave it to me.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. This is the only defense I have. You’re not taking it from me.”

“Colton, you do realize I could take it from you without you even realizing.”

“Oh yeah, Mr. Hot-Shot-Green-Beret? Then do it.”

“Colton,” Ace warned.

“Come on. I want to see your super-secret moves.”

“I don’t even know what to say to you right now, other than you’re being ridiculous. And I have your pen.” Ace held up a silver pen.

“What the hell?” Colton gaped at his empty hands before his head shot up. “How’d you do that?”

“With years of practice. Now, are you going to pay attention?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“Can I have my pen back?”

Ace pressed his lips together like he was trying to keep from laughing. The guy was so fucking sexy. Colton wanted to climb him and do terrible things to his body. Instead he took the pen Ace handed him.

“Thank you.”

“Okay, put that in your pocket. First I’m going to demonstrate the moves.” Ace pulled his own pen from his pocket.”

“Ooh, yours is black. It looks very serious.”

“It’s the same as yours, but black.”

“It camouflages with your clothes.”

“Yes.”

“Does it come in different colors?”

“You should know that I’m two seconds away from putting you in a sleeper hold.”

There are few things that make a book that you’ve already read and loved better than having a good narrator do the Audible. If you are going to choose to listen to the audiobook, after having read the ebook, for me, you need to have an amazing narrator, to give the reader/listener that much more than they took from the first read. Fortunately, Charlie Cochet only ever has the best narrate her books. With this new self-published series, Four Kings Security, choosing Greg Boudreaux was fantastic. He is one of my top three narrators…if you want to know the other two, that’s a story for another day. 😉 Greg’s voice just resonates so well with me for any book he narrates. He moderates well, can change voices, and is able to carry a more steady pace when there isn’t character dialogue.

This book is sexy, with characters who are smart a**es, has action, and a family that won’t quit on each other. That is one of the things that I have always loved about Charlie’s books. Her books ALWAYS have family as integral part of them, and that family is so often a family of the character’s choosing, rather than (or in addition to) the bloodline they are born into. Family is about the people you keep close to you, through thick and thin, not necessarily the ones who raised you. The Four Kings? They are their own family, with some blood family thrown in there as well, and they have been with each other through the hardest moments of their lives, and will be there for the best times, as well.

With Ace, his family is what has gotten him through, and yet he can be the one who pisses off their boss, and laughs through it, knowing that their “King” will murder him if he gets dead. Colton has a family that adores him, and has never cared about his sexuality, and continues to extend love to everyone he meets. These two together create a dynamic that will carry through the entire series, I think, as they show the other Kings, the ones who have been burned by those that they loved, that love is possible for each of them.

Greg does a fantastic job of creating the character’s distinct voices (loved hearing him speak Spanish for Lucky!), and giving them all the personality he saw for them in the words. When there was sassyness by Ace or Colton…or really many of the characters…he portrayed that so well, with his voice. Creating urgency, as well as showing those tender moments, all are points that can be lost with some narrators, but never with Greg. He allows his characters’ to shine through, without making it about any “acting” voice, but simply the voice of what he sees for the characters. That fine line is never crossed with him (hence one of my top 3 narrators!). This is one of the many things I love about listening to his narration. He portrayed Ace and Colton with very distinct and separate characteristics.

Story: 4.5 pieces of eye candy

Narration: Also 4.5 pieces of eye candy

Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From adventurous agents and sexy shifters, to society gentlemen and hardboiled detectives, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!

Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

Website: http://www.charliecochet.com

Blog: http://www.charliecochet.com/blog

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/charliecochet

Facebook Author Page: http://facebook.com/authorcharliecochet

Tumblr: http://charliecochet.tumblr.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/charliecochet/

Twitter: @charliecochet

Instagram: http://instagram.com/charliecochet

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/charliecochet

Broken Rules by Michaela Grey: Exclusive Excerpt and New Release Review

July 25, 2018 by Denise

Sanyam Desai is a Dom, a master of his craft. He knows exactly how to make a person beg, and he does it for a living, but he has no idea how to be in love.

Sterling Reynard is in desperate need of manners and someone who cares enough to take him in hand, but he knows he’ll never be loved.

When Sterling’s world crumbles around him, he turns to the one person who’s never asked for anything from him but his trust. But their relationship is built on quicksand, and one careless word will bring the whole thing down.

Title: Broken Rules
Series: Mended Hearts: Book 2
Author: Michaela Grey
Release Date: July 24, 2018
Category: Contemporary, BDSM
Pages: 215

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Barnes and Noble

Sterling propped himself on his elbows and glanced at the clock. It was close to dinnertime. He’d slept right through lunch, he realized, surprised.

“Sanyam?”

There was no answer. Of course there was no answer. Why on earth would Sanyam have stuck around?

Rolling off the bed, Sterling limped to the bathroom, which was spotless. He used the toilet, washed his hands, and shuffled his halting way out to the living room just as Sanyam pushed the front door open and stepped inside.

“Oh,” Sterling said blankly. “I—thought you’d gone.”

Sanyam hefted the bags in his hands. “I did, briefly. I had a craving for some Thai curry. I hope you like spicy food.”

Sterling followed him to the table, and Sanyam set the food on it before turning to inspect Sterling, who blinked and drew back a pace.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to get a gauge of your mental state,” Sanyam said. “How are you feeling?”

Sterling twitched away from Sanyam’s probing gaze. “I didn’t jack off, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Sanyam’s eyes creased as he smiled. “I know. Sit. Let’s eat.”

Sterling sank into a chair as Sanyam gathered silverware and plates from his cupboards.

“How do you know?”

“Hmm? Know what?”

“Whether I’ve jacked off,” Sterling clarified. He shifted in his seat and winced. “You knew… at the club, that I had. And today, you knew I hadn’t. So… how?”

Sanyam straightened with plates in his hands. “It’s in your bearing, for one thing. I can’t really put a finger on it, but it’s a combination of tension or lack thereof, as well as—” He laughed as he put the plates on the table. “You looked ridiculously guilty when you lied to me last night. You’re a terrible liar.”

Sterling scowled. “I’m a great liar, excuse you. My parents still think I’m straight, for one thing.”

Sanyam’s eyebrows went up as he went back to the kitchen to get Utopias from the refrigerator. “Oh dear. Are they homophobic?”

“Dad is,” Sterling said, hunching his shoulders and twirling a fork between his fingers. “Mom… doesn’t care.”

“About you being gay or in general?”

“Yes,” Sterling said flatly. “What kind of curry did you get?”

“Massaman and red,” Sanyam said. His eyes were sharp, but mercifully, he dropped the subject of Sterling’s parents. “If you can’t handle spice, stick with the massaman; I’ll take the red.”

Sterling bridled and snatched the red curry. “I can handle spice just fine, asshole.”

Sanyam’s lips twitched. “If I’d said I preferred the massaman, you’d have taken that instead, wouldn’t you?”

His eyes danced with amusement, and Sterling floundered. No one had ever found his dickish behavior funny before.

Sanyam’s smile widened. “Enjoy your spice, Fox.”

Sterling hesitated.

“What is it?”

“I… actually like massaman better,” he admitted.

Sanyam laughed out loud and handed him the container. “Good, because I prefer the red.”

Sterling’s lips curved as he took the curry and began to ladle it over his rice.

I will admit that I haven’t read anything by this author previously, but something about this book intrigued me right away (the cover threw me though…I didn’t understand it at all, until I read the book, then it made so much more sense!). I loved that it was BDSM, but clearly not just any BDSM. A Dom that actually WORKS as a Dominant for a living is not a book you read every day.

The beginning was a little rough for me. When they first met, there was a difficult situation, and I didn’t see or feel any chemistry. Then when they met the second time, I felt the same. I couldn’t see why Sanyam was drawn to Sterling at all. He wasn’t just a brat, he was an a-hole. Just a complete a-hole. A hard character to like initially. Of course, because the author really put her characterizations together well, you began to see why Sterling was a character that was hard to love, but that Sanyam looked right through to the core of. In that same vein, I even had a hard time figuring out why Sterling chose to meet with Sanyam at all. It just didn’t make sense to me. So yeah, the beginning was a touch rough.

But it smoothed out very quickly after that. The reader definitely saw the characters’ personalities, and how they were shaped. In the case of Sterling, he had several very traumatic events at an early age. Not physically traumatic, or even something that someone might characterize as “abusive”. However, with events such as that, it was obvious why Sterling developed a shell around him that he would rather have everything bounce off of, versus letting anyone close to him.

The glimpses of the “good guy” in Sterling were fantastic though. He took a situation that was an every day event with his sister, that could have been so tragic to the eroding of his shell, and slowly worked it into something positive, something he could feel proud of. Oh, he fell, many times, but he kept trying to find the good in himself, and Sanyam was will and able to help with that.

I loved that Sanyam was an Indian character, originally from Mumbai, and other than one very brief moment in the book, it was never an issue for him. The author could easily have used Sanyam’s race as a way to move the book forward, and yet did not, and I appreciated that. The issues that came up were plentiful and of the characters’ own making, so the book did not feel lacking by not addressing racism intensely.

By about 50% in the book, Sterling had stolen my heart, simply because he had so many hard knocks in his life, and they just kept coming. And although, no one could call him a positive person, he could easily have sank into drugs or alcohol, and instead stayed away from that, keeping his pain internal. Certainly not the best avenue, but it could have been so much worse for him. It did allow Sanyam the space to help where he could, and bring Sterling out of his head, and into his heart.

One last piece, the “resolution” scene, if you will. There were pieces that I didn’t quite like as a reader, simply because I want joy, and agreement and happiness everywhere…and yet, they were absolutely the right things for these characters, and once I thought on that, I completely agreed with the author’s choices there. So, although I always want everyone to have the happiest of happy endings, and to get everything they want, it truly was what was right for the characters. Bravo to the author for changing my mind…not always possible. 🙂

In the end, 4.5 pieces of eye candy, and one I think I’d like to read again. I think this is a book, I might glean even more from once I read it a second time. Recommended.

Michaela Grey lives and writes in the Texas hill country. Her hobbies include knitting, analyzing her favorite TV shows, and experiencing intense feelings over fictional characters. Michaela Grey told stories to put herself to sleep since she was old enough to hold a conversation in her head. When she learned to write, she began putting those stories down on paper. She and her family reside in the Texas hill country with their cats, and she is perpetually on the hunt for peaceful writing time, which her children make difficult to find. When she’s not writing, she’s watching hockey videos or avoiding responsibilities on Twitter, where she shamelessly ogles pretty people and tries to keep her cat off the keyboard.

Social media:

Twitter: @GreyMichaela

Tumblr: http://greymichaela.tumblr.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GreyMichaela

Email: greymichaela@gmail.com

Cover artist:

Kanaxa