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Nothing Special VII: EX Meridian by A.E. Via: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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A.E. Via is back again today, and bringing her oh so alpha guys for the next installment of the Nothing Special series, EX Meridian. I love Adrienne’s stories, because they are gritty, full of heart, and all the demons that these men battle daily. Also, I have to say, she is honestly one of the most lovely people you ever would meet, if you get the chance. Check out her post, excerpt, and grab the book! Don’t forget to enter the fantastic giveaway!

Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlanta’s streets. The last thing their task force needs is a pair of trained killers in town with a personal score to settle. 

Take a man and strip him of his ability to feel compassion, empathy, remorse, or any of the emotions that make him human, but leave the ones that ignite rage and aggression and you have the perfect killing machine—now imagine two of them.

Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for ‘guaranteed death’ to international terrorists. Two broken men from the same crooked streets, recruited into an unsanctioned government program that few know about. Trained to operate most efficiently—lethally—together.

When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, he’s stateside before he can consider the rules he’ll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. There’s mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives can’t get the job done then they’d be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly.

“I know who you are.” The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. “You’re the fucking devil.”

Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. “Say that loud enough… maybe God will save you.”

But after their first run-in with the big lieutenant and his protective husband, Day, Ex and Meridian start to reevaluate their own relationship. Wondering if they could be even deadlier if they let loose the feelings for each other that they’ve been forced to suppress for years.

Meridian’s dark eyes stayed locked on his, “A man who can fight beside the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker, Ex—it makes him more dangerous.”

No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a HEA.
Note: This is a partners-to-lovers, out-for-you, action romance.

Title:  Nothing Special VII: Ex Meridian

Series: Nothing Special

Author: A.E. Via

M/M Action Romance

Edited by: Sue Laybourn

Cover Artist – Jay Aheer

PAGE COUNT – 302

Official Release Date: February 24, 2020

Amazon

Universal Buy Link 

Hello Friends!!

I want to thank Denise so much for welcoming me back to promote another new release here on Two Chicks! My MM action/romance novel entitled – Nothing Special VII: EX Meridian – released on February 24th is already getting amazing reviews. I’m so excited to bring you the seventh installment in the award-winning, best-selling Nothing Special series.

I really can’t wait to introduce my new dark alphas into this series. I’ve had Ex and Meridian on my mind for a while but didn’t know if I was going to give them a standalone or a series. But the moment I heard God talking, I knew I had to give him the challenge. My assassins are dark and beautiful in the most nonconventional way. You don’t see their appeal immediately… you have to fall for them first.

I’m hoping that Ex and Meridian’s characters in this installment will be ones that readers can empathize with and relate to. We all have inner struggles, demons, or simply our conscience that we fight with daily. But, true to my style, these men experience inner battles to the fifth power.

I’m used to writing stories about characters that are real, men that you might actually meet in your neighborhood, in your grocery store, or your local police department. Stories that are genuine and relatable. But, then sometimes I want to just give you a balls-to-the-wall, fast and furious ride.

This book is about highly complex MCs that will take the readers through lots of twists and unexpected surprises. I haven’t written four POVs in one book in almost a year, and I must say it was a pleasurable challenge.

Be sure to follow me on social media, or sign-up for my newsletter to never miss another release.

Happy Reading!

xoxoxox

Adrienne V.

“Calm down, Cash. You don’t know if anything is—”

“You’re right! I don’t know! How the fuck could I do that, Leo?” God paced back and forth in the tight confines of the empty bathroom while he had a small conniption.

“Cashel. Stop it. You made a judgment call and you—”

“Against your judgment.” God ran his hand through his hair, looking at him apologetically. “How could I do that?”

Day couldn’t stand to see his partner like this—doubting himself to the point where it was making him frantic. And he understood why. He hadn’t wanted his husband to tell Ex and Meridian that Joseph was staying at their enforcers—Ruxs and Green’s—house until it was time to give his recorded statement. None of them trusted him staying in a safe house with some other random cops.

“Ruxs and Green were home all night… nothing happened. Hart has a couple of his men over there now and it’s all clear. You got this, okay. The kid’s gonna stay safe.”

“I just… there was something about that guy,” God said, standing with his head down and his hands braced on the sink.

Day came and stood behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. “Which one?”

“Ex.” God shook his head. “There was this kind of pain in his eyes. This case is personal for him.”

“So, why’d you tell him?”

“I just got a gut feeling that something is going to happen, Leo. Something bad, something we can’t defeat… and we’re gonna need them.”

Day turned his husband around so he could see him. “Look at me.”

He waited as God began to relax in his hold the longer he stared at him. Day gave him a slow smile. “That’s better.”

God bent until their foreheads touched. “We shouldn’t be in here like this.”

“It’s okay,” Day whispered. “It’s okay to take five minutes for yourself.”

God squeezed his waist and pulled him closer. He buried his face in his neck and groaned. “Sweetheart. Please tell me I didn’t just make the biggest mistake of my career.”

Day smoothed his hands over his ponytail. “You didn’t make a mistake… you may’ve just saved one of our lives. We trust you, God. I trust you.”

“C’mere,” God said roughly, then took his mouth.

Day let his husband lose himself for a couple of minutes as the kiss turned passionate.

Why do I love these books? They are like action movies in book form. I am not the biggest fan of action movies, but I can’t stop reading (and then listening) to these books.

This latest installment brings in two brand new characters. Ex and Meridian. They are partners working for the government on black ops. Trained assassins who do the dirty work you never hear about to keep the world safe. To that end, they are officially dead. For Meridian who has no family, that is fine. But for Ex, with a younger brother and mother it is harder. Especially when his brother is the innocent victim of a drive by shooting.

Enter God and Day. This is on their turf. They want justice but they are being thwarted at every turn. When Ex and Meridian think the Atlanta PD aren’t doing their jobs, they quietly interfere. Until they aren’t so quiet.

Two pairs of big ole alpha men. Hot. Two of them already a couple, the other two dancing around it. SUPER HOT. If I encountered their machismo in real life I would roll my eyes. On the page though? Damn.

There was a good story line in there as well. Drug dealers, corruption, pay offs. The ending- wow. Seeing these men as real humans who get scared. It gave me feels.

I’d love to see more of Ex and Meridian, but I doubt it. But the door was definitely left open for more of God and Day and their crew,

4 pieces of eye candy

This story was overwhelming and intense and as much as I love this series, these guys and all the guys of God and Day’s team. I actually had to put it down a couple of times to get rid of the pit in my gut. I was ON EDGE, y’all.

These guys make God, Day and their crew of rowdy boys, look like kittens compared to America’s most savage defenders. Ex and his partner Meridian are the typs of guys you only hear about in movies. Jason Bourne type guys, chemically and physically modified to be killing machines for our country. They’re the baddest of the bad, because they’re basically robots… or they should be… but when Ex’s baby brother is killed in God’s neck of the woods, the guys go rogue in order to exact vengeance on his killers.

And oooh, what a ride it is. These two have been through everything together, but being off on their own without their handler in their ear, and Ex going through the loss of one of the only few people in the world who ever meant something to him, was messing with his head. He felt it.

That opened up all kinds of feelings he didn’t know he possessed, and the biggest of that, aside from anger, guilt and pure rage at the persons responsible for his brother’s death, is his love and need for his partner, Meridian. And it wasn’t one sided, Mere would do anything for Ex, including this off the radar mission to get justice for Ex’s baby brother.

Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as getting in, getting messy and getting out… no, they’ve got dirty DA’s, dirty cops and God and Day’s crew to get around, because as we know, if anything goes on in God’s city, he knows about it and he and his guys go above and beyond to stop it. Except this time, there’s a couple of rogue Ravens they’re unsure about, though they don’t know how dangerous these guys are at first…

I wish I could tell you this whole story, I feel like I could talk about it forever.. but I won’t, because it needs to be experienced like it was for me. We see all the guys and their guys, we get the guns and explosions, but it’s more intense because these guys don’t have rules. They don’t have red tape, they don’t have anyone to answer to… not even God and Day. They don’t have to be clean and by the book. They get in, they get messy and they get out, before anyone even knows they’ve been there. It was impressive and scary and it makes you think about how real these kinds of guys are and how terrifying it would be to come face to face with one, but how badly I want to do it anyway.

What a frickin ride this one. I’m still flummoxed lol I’m impressed and I cannot wait for Fox and Bull. Every book is my new favorite, though I still have such a soft spot for Ruxs and Green, and it didn’t change after this one, especially after how big this story played a part with them… They’ll forever be my favorite, but these guys, Ex and Meridian are coming in a hot, close second. And I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing more of them in the future, too. I hope we do anyway.

Overall, an amazing read. I wouldn’t suggest skipping any book in this series, but if you do… make sure it isn’t this one. All the stars from me!

5 pieces of eye candy

A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay literature for over twenty years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great, new up and coming MM authors.

A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her. Writing.

A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is well-known for her hardcore, love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.

Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com  for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48195130-bishop

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Newsletter Signup: https://goo.gl/4hfuMh

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

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Tricks and Bids by Jacqueline Grey: Exclusive Author Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Today, we have something exciting for you! Jacqueline Grey is here with her new release, Tricks and Bids. And she brought not only an excerpt and giveaway, but a fantastic story about when the story was first published, her uncle, and the Christmas she won’t ever forget. We can all imagine that relative who will look at us and say “we need to talk”…Enjoy the guest post, and make sure you sign up for the giveaway!

 

When Michael Nole propositions Dillon Spade outside a BDSM club one evening, all he is looking for is a potential client and a little kink. He gets much more than he bargained for. As a prostitute, Michael enjoys sex but keeps an emotional distance between himself and the men he sleeps with. His priority is to keep himself safe, but after a night in Dillon’s bed, he finds the line between enjoyment and occupation blurring.

Dillon hasn’t taken another man home since his previous lover passed away six years ago, but there is something about Michael that calls to his inner Dominant in a way he cannot resist. His instincts want to claim the boy even as he reminds himself that he is only paying Michael for temporary company.

Their relationship may have started as a business transaction, but it’s difficult to remain professional when breaking all the rules.

Title:  Tricks and Bids

Series: Suit of Harte’s, Book One

Author: Jacqueline Grey

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: February 17, 2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 20300

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, BDSM, romance, contemporary, gay, sex industry, prostitution

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I am so happy to be here.  Thank you for having me.

 

A Christmas I’ll Never Forget

When Tricks and Bids first came out in 2014 it was paramount that my mother and my uncle hear about it.  They were the biggest supporters, so how could I not tell them?  The thing is, how do you tell your dearest uncle that his precious niece has written a very kinky, very steamy romance novel?

Well, I did, and he gave me his usual reply when I ramble on about interests he doesn’t understand: “Ok.” The genre was beyond him, but he was proud of my accomplishment and happy for me which is what mattered. It wasn’t until Christmas Eve dinner of that year that I learned just how supportive my uncle was of me.

The first thing my uncle said when he arrived for dinner that night was “We need to talk.” I’m sure that when any parental figure says those words, no matter what their age, the person they’re talking to will immediately think that shit hit the fan or they’re in trouble.  Attempting to remain calm I said, “Ok, do you want to talk now?  Is everything all right?”  He reassured me that everything was fine, and we would talk later, but he followed that up with repeating “we need to talk” so the reassurance didn’t stay for long.

We sat down for dinner and everyone began eating and chatting.  During a quiet moment over the antipasto my uncle announced, “I read a book.”  Now the thing you need to know is that my uncle is not a reader.  The number of books he’s read for pleasure in his life could probably be counted on one hand.  Therefore, I was shocked, and I asked, “What book?”  Mom got it before me.  As soon as I heard her “oh” I understood what book my uncle was referring to.  All he said was “we need to talk.”

There I was sitting at the table feeling like my father had just read my diary, but I’m a big girl, and I have always been honest whenever people ask me questions. I’m a terrible liar and I’m blunt so I figure it’s easier to tell the truth than come up with something false, so I said, “whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

He said, “I don’t think I want to know.”

The main thing he was wondering was how the little niece he’d watch grow up suddenly knew about things like BDSM, wax play and gay sex.  I told him I learned most of it through books and television.

“You had to say ‘mostly’?” was his reply.

Like I said, I’m blunt and honest.

I give my uncle props for making it through my book.  For not being a reader and to read something that was way outside his comfort zone was an immense show of support.  He’s purchased the other books in the trilogy but hasn’t worked up the nerve to read them.  I told him that’s fine.  He should read Ghost House instead.  There’s no kink and the only sex is at the end.  If necessary, he could skip that part.

If you’re into reading (unlike my uncle) and you like your romance kinky then look no further.  Tricks and Bids is back on the shelves and will soon be followed by the second and third books in the Suit of Harte’s series.

“Hey. Wanna play?”

Dillon glanced up to find a young man leaning against the hood of his car. At Dillon’s pointed look, he took a step back, so he no longer touched the automobile.

“What gave you the impression I want company?”

“You obviously didn’t find what you were looking for in there” came the reply with a nod back at Harte, the BDSM club Dillon had just exited. “If you had, you wouldn’t be leaving this early.”

“And you think you’re what I want?”

The boy shrugged.

Dillon peered at him. He appeared to be in his midtwenties, fit and tight in the way Dillon remembered being before he’d hit thirty-three. He was shorter than Dillon with dark-brown hair long enough to grip: two things Dillon liked in a submissive. There was something familiar about him as well. If Dillon wasn’t mistaken, he’d seen him heading into a nearby motel a few times and never with the same “date.”

“Are you a prostitute?” Dillon asked.

The blunt question evoked an expression of surprise, but it rapidly morphed into a smooth smile. “‘Prostitute’ sounds like a job. It’s more of a hobby.”

“One you get paid for.”

“It’s a good hobby.”

Dillon cracked a smile. “How much do you charge?”

“Depends on what you want to do.”

That was reasonable enough, and if he’d been waiting outside Harte, he must know to expect kink and charge for it accordingly. “Are you clean?”

“Yes, and condoms are necessary and at your expense.”

“Expense? That sounds like a job term to me,” Dillon teased.

He considered his options. The boy was right. He hadn’t found what he was searching for in the club, and he held no illusions he ever would. Even after six years, he couldn’t help comparing every submissive he came across to the lover he’d lost. Harte called him a stubborn old goat, but the thought of building a relationship from scratch exhausted him. It was so hard to find someone whose rhythms and tastes fit with his own. Granted, the club was designed for negotiation and mutually desired play, but that was for the scenes that took place there. What about the rest of the time?

Dillon didn’t want a casual play partner. That did nothing more for him than scratch an itch that would return in no time. He wanted someone he could build a life with. He wasn’t going to find that with a prostitute, but something about the stranger brought forth yearnings Dillon hadn’t felt in years. He could take the boy home with him, indulge in what he wanted in his own territory and under his own rules. It would be a purchased illusion, but it beat going home alone and sleeping in an empty bed.

“Come on,” he said, pulling his car door open and unlocking the other side. “We’ll talk details when we get to my place.”

“Your place? Don’t you mean a hotel?”

“My place,” repeated Dillon. “I don’t do quick fucks.”

I am not totally sure if this is a first time author or not. The dedication at the front made me think so, but there are several other books with authors of the same name. So, I am going to go with first time author. Well done.

I don’t always love novellas or shorts, unless it is an established couple I know. I just feel like so much is sacrificed for a shorter story. I like to sink my teeth in while getting to know these characters. And I did.

Mike (Michael) is a prostitute. BY CHOICE. This was actually really refreshing. Some people actually choose to be a sex worker. Their reasons are their own. But for Michael, it’s because he makes good money, can choose his sex partners and hours AND he has fun.

Dillon is a Dom without a sub. And he isn’t super broody or anything. He knows what he wants and he isn’t willing to compromise with a quick scene in a club. And even though he has to pay Michael, he is getting what he wants on his turf.

Their connection is quick and intense, but not rushed. It didn’t feel like an instalove to me at all. Instalust yes. Their scenes are H.O.T.

This is obviously the start of a series and I definitely want to read more.

4 pieces of eye candy

Jacqueline Grey currently lives on an island on the east coast of the United States. She spends her time outside her day job juggling her many interests which include reading, writing and drinking tea. She loves M/M romance, usually focusing on stories that include BDSM themes to one degree or another.

Jacqueline has always been driven by characters. She loves a good plot, but it’s the characters that pull her into a story. She loves romance and believes everyone has a right to be happy. She enjoys seeing her characters find that happiness for themselves.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

http://jacquelinegrey.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JacquelineGreyBooks

https://twitter.com/jacqueline_grey

https://www.pinterest.com/Jacqueline_Grey/

 

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2/24     MM Good Book Reviews        http://mmgoodbookreviews.com

2/25     The Blogger Girls        http://thebloggergirls.com/

2/26     Love Bytes Reviews     http://lovebytesreviews.com/

2/27     Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy       https://twochicksobsessed.com/

2/28     BFD Book Blog http://bfdbookblog.net/

 

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Roxy’s Recovery by Kim Breyon: Quick Review * 2

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As the newest veterinarian in the small town of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Vaughn Winters doesn’t have time for relationships. He is too busy healing injuries and establishing his reputation as a trustworthy vet. But when a strange man waves him down one stormy night seeking help for his injured dog, Vaughn simply can’t refuse.

Obviously homeless and with no means to pay for Roxy’s medical care, Vaughn throws caution to the wind and strikes a deal with the hesitant stranger that would allow Roxy the time to heal and provide some much-needed TLC to his property as well. As the days pass, Vaughn’s curiosity grows. Alex’s dedication to the job is as surprising as the sexy tats hidden beneath his rugged clothes. What could have pushed this kind, hardworking man to the streets, or cast such dark shadows in his otherwise bright blue eyes?

Will six weeks be enough time to earn Alex’s trust? Or will asking questions cause him to tuck tail and run as soon as Roxy is able?

***

Roxy’s Recovery is a 61k standalone contemporary romance involving two men, a meddling sister, and a seriously sassy pug.

Title: Roxy’s Recovery

Author: Kim Breyon

Publisher: self-published/Amazon

Release Date (Print & Ebook): November 21st, 2019

Length: 62k words

Subgenre: contemporary romance

Warnings: Very brief on-page mentions of dog abuse & domestic abuse. It is mentioned after the act has occurred, not during.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

“I’m worried about you, Alex, and it bothers me that I still don’t know what happened to you. You haven’t told me why you left Spokane, so all I can assume is it was something awful.”

He looked away, shaking his head in frustration. “Everyone assumes that.”

“Well, what else am I supposed to think? What could have happened to make you want to live on the streets? Or put Roxy in danger when you clearly love her more than anything? It’s what anyone would think! And it’s why Bri is worried! It’s not normal for people to choose to live that way unless they’re…” I bit my tongue from saying more.

He scoffed. “Unless they’re the cause of their own problems, right? Like a drug addict? Believe me, I know. People have assumed the worst. They’ve accused me of trying to steal shit or take one look at me and assume I’m some criminal!”

“I didn’t,” I argued. “And I still don’t.”

His jaw ticked. “Yeah, well, you were the first.”

I took a step closer, not daring to touch him yet. “One of the first questions I asked you was if you were running from trouble. You didn’t hesitate to say no, and I believed you. You want to know why?”

His jaw ticked again.

“Because I heard the pain in your voice even then. I heard the things you didn’t say, and I saw how tired you were. The shadows in your eyes. You may not have been asking for help, but you wanted someone to give you a chance.” Alex didn’t look away, and I took that as a good sign. “Whether you meant to or not, you’d shown your true self that night, and it was enough for me.”

So, I’m a sucker for a hot dad, even if it is the dad of a fur baby instead of a real one. Vaughn is too, apparently, at least he is when he runs into an unkempt man and his injured dog in the pouring rain.

Alex has nothing left in this world but a few cents, an inherited harmonica and the puppy his dad gifted him before he passed. After falling on hard times and trusting the wrong man, Alex is lost and wandering, trying to just not give up. If not for his little pug, Roxy, he might have. With no destination in mind and nothing to do when he gets there, Alex has been wandering for months. It was pure luck that the man who stopped to help him and Roxy on the side of the highway, was Vaughn.

First things first, Vaughn has a huge heart and while it might sometimes leap before it looks, you just can’t help but fall in love with him. When he sees a down on his luck drifter with pain in his eyes, he offers him a place to stay while he and his dog heal and in return he can do some landscaping work around Vaughn’s clinic. He didn’t plan to fall for the mystery man and his dog, but after taking things slow, earning his trust and getting to know him… he didn’t stand a chance.

Healing after a toxic and/or abusive relationship is tricky and there are a lot of do’s and don’ts there that Alex needed to get through before things could progress with the nice man helping him and Roxy. He didn’t want to do anything to mess up the deal they’d made but he also couldn’t help but falling for the sweet man that just seemed to keep offering everything he and Roxy needed. He was hesitant to accept it because he didn’t want to get thrown back into the same type of relationship he was in before. He knew Vaughn wouldn’t physically hurt him, but he was wary. Rightfully so….

It took the two some time to get to where they needed to be and even then, it’s tossed around by a few speed bumps that had me broken hearted for both of them. I thought they both were too darn stubborn and misunderstandings and confused feelings had a lot of the blame. Understandably though, especially when you’re getting to know someone and figuring out how to navigate a relationship. I loved both of these guys, and I adored them together. I wish the ex that popped up would’ve gotten a bigger dose of karmic justice, but meh…. Not everyone is as petty as me LOL

Such a cute ending, loved to see inside the head of Roxy for a cute minute and really wouldn’t mind reading more about these two in the future!

Very cute read.

4 pieces of eye candy from me!

I loved this story. It’s rare that you have a character as selfless and caring as Alex. When he is down on his luck and homeless, Roxy his beloved pet Pug is all he has. When Roxy gets hurt he knows he has to do what he can to stop her pain, even if that means losing the only thing he has left in the world.

When Vaughn finds them on the side of the road in a snow storm and offers his assistance he know he will do anything he can to save Roxy for Alex. Alex puts his pride aside to take the offered help, but in exchange he works as a handy man for Vaughn’s veterinarian practice.

Vaughn and Alex become friendly and then romantic all the while Alex is trying to keep himself at a distance because he know good things don’t last forever. The two will need to work together to stay together while at the same time not crushing the independence that Alex just earned.

This is such a good read. I love how hard Alex worked on reaching his goals, independence and care for Roxy. I also love how even when Vaughn had a hard time understanding why Alex needed those things he didn’t push him to change his goals or stop all together. The compromise and understanding make this such a sweet holiday read.

4 pieces of eye candy

I am an Idaho native who grew up dreaming about traveling the world and writing stories. As a child, I would often spend my spare time curled up with my favorite blanket and a notebook, writing another fairy tale. I never would have guessed those fairy tales would one day grow into gay romances, but that is where my heart led me and I am so glad it did. I write about love because I believe it can happen to anyone, with anyone. I also believe dreams never expire, redemption is possible, and true forgiveness can heal us in ways we never expect. I know firsthand how messy life can get, but as any artist will tell you, a little mess is needed to create something beautiful. You can often find me with a mug of coffee in one hand and a dog toy in the other. There is never a day that goes by without my sweet boy insisting on a game – or twenty – of fetch.

Author links:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/KimBreyon

IG: www.instagram.com/kimbreyon

FB: www.facebook.com/kimbreyon

FB Group: www.facebook.com/groups/breyonsbraveones

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/BREYON-newsletter

GR: http://bit.ly/Goodreads-Breyon

Hard Ride: A Gay Cowboy Romance (Clean Slate Ranch Book 5) by A.M. Arthur: New Release Review

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Five Weddings and a Fake Boyfriend

City slicker Derrick Massey has always had a thing for cowboys. So a roll in the hay with Kendall “Slater” Stamos during a rustic weekend wedding is more than A-OK. But when Slater’s forced to hang up his saddle for the season, Derrick surprises even himself with his proposition: be my fake boyfriend and get my family off my back about finding a permanent partner.

Though unexpected, the arrangement is a win-win. Derrick gets a plus-one for a slew of summer weddings and Slater gets a place to stay while he recuperates…with lots of casual fun in between. Which is just how the sexy cowboy likes it: casual. Yet it’s obvious the chemistry between them is anything but.

With the countdown to their “breakup” on, the more time the two men spend together. And the more it becomes clear that what they have could be real, if only they let it be.

This book is approximately 83,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

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Giddy up! We are getting back in the saddle at Clean Slate Ranch!

We met Derrick way back in book one as the brother of the groom in the wedding party that brought Wes to Mack. Poor Derrick. Hooking up in all the wrong places or getting turned down flat. So when he finds himself on the ranch again and can’t sleep, he runs into Slater working out at in the garage. And then they work out together. *wink wink* And then they part ways having agreed to a one time thing.

Fast forward a bit and circumstances have brought the two men together again. And they make a mutually beneficial arrangement. A place to stay for one guy, 5 wedding dates for the other. Simple right?

Fake boyfriends can get tricky. Sometimes they either hate each first or don’t know each other at all. But these guys get along and at least are fairly acquainted with each other.

It actually plays out really well. There is little to no awkward between the guys as they establish their fake relationship. They just kind of go with it. And being that Derrick’s brother at least knew of Slater, he is totally accepting of it.

There was a fun cast of characters in this one. Getting off the ranch for almost the entire story opened the world up. My old home town was even mentioned-which is kind of rare based on the fact that it is a good sized city.

I loved the neighbors Dex and Morgan. The friendship that developed between Dex and Slater was seamless. That was a bit of a pun. You’ll get it when you read it.

Slater has his secret(s) which eventually come to light. But Derrick is just Derrick. He is a good guy without being gullible or naive.

OF COURSE I want to know more about the upstairs neighbors George and Orry. I’m sure I sniffed a spin off there somewhere.

I really enjoyed this ride, a little off the beaten path, but she reins it in.

I’M SORRY! I’m just feeling punny. Go read it so I don’t pun you more.

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

Cancer Ships Aquarius by Anyta Sunday: Blog Tour and New Release Review

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Prepare to dip your toe into the biggest adventure of your life, Cancer. There’s romance in the air, and it smells deliciously salty.

Dumped by the fifth girl in two years and abandoned by his best friends, Reid Glover is alone and in need of a home.

Desperate, he interviews to become a live-in manny aboard widowed Sullivan Bell’s yacht, the Aquarian.

The job? Not to look after thirteen-year-old Joanna. No, this child-mastermind needs Reid to befriend her dad, urge him to participate more in family life, encourage him to date, oh, and become his closest confidant and help him unleash his bottled emotions.

No pressure.

At least he’s not entirely out of his depth.

Okay, so he may have a slight aversion to the ocean. And possibly attract more than his fair share of misadventure.

But he is a pro at crying.

Watch out, Sullivan. Reid is on his way with a family-sized carton of tissues. He will help Sullivan through his fears. Will help him find love again.

Will absolutely not fall for him in the process . . .

Caution, Cancer, how long will you fool yourself?

Title: Cancer Ships Aquarius

Author: Anyta Sunday

Series: Signs of Love #5

Release Date: February 17, 2020

 Subgenre: Contemporary m/m romance

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Their gazes snagged, and Reid’s knees wobbled.

Sullivan pulled him into the main room beside the bed. Through a crack in the curtains, dim light seeped in from the light-spangled city below. Sullivan stood, and Reid heard every shift of his clothes, felt the heat of Sullivan’s body, smelled the scent of vanilla soap and under it Sullivan.

Reid licked his lip, trembling at what they were about to do. Waiting for it to happen.

Sullivan pinched Reid’s tie and drew if off him slowly, keeping the knot in place.

“Sullivan?” Reid watched Sullivan set the tie carefully on the bed beside their pillows. “This is my first time with a man.”

Sullivan plucked gently at his buttons. His words tickled over Reid’s nose. “I bet you’re wondering what I will do with you. How it will feel.”

Yes. “I need you to take my breath away.”

 

Reid, freshly dumped with the same ol’ line he’s been hearing his whole life, “it’s not you, it’s me”. Even from his own dad when he left, he’d long since read between those lines and figured out they meant the exact opposite. The common denominator was him afterall… So, finding himself broken up with and homeless, save for sleeping on the floor of his friends place, he needed the manny job he was applying for the same day as his broken heart. That’s when he meets Johanna, the daughter he’s interviewing to be looked after. Only, she’s almost 14 and Reid is only there because she talked her widowed father into needing a nanny as a guise to find him a new love.

It’s been 3 years since Sullivan’s husband passed away and though he’s an excellent father, he’s running from the hurt of losing the love of his life and dragging his daughter with him while he researches and invents great things! Sounds great, and a lot of fun, unless you’re a teenage girl who wants a place to call home so she can make friends and like boys, especially the one at the marina who lives a few docks down. She’s the mastermind here and she’s honest with Reid from the start and Reid, being the caring heart that he is, along with really needing the job, he’s determined to help this family.

He isn’t prepared for the gorgeous Sullivan to naysay him at every turn and genuinely not want him there. He’s isn’t prepared for liking him and his daughter so much and falling for them the more he gets to know him. And it’s funny and sweet and I completely fell in love with Reid and Johanna, especially. Unfortunately, Sullivan wasn’t prepared for Reid at all and wasn’t ready to move on from his husband. This is why I don’t care for widowed romances because it’s so hard to have a one true love when you’ve already had one. I know, I know, it’s not realistic, and of course Sullivan deserved a second love, but I felt like it was at the suffering of Reid…..he deserved more. Especially at the end… I HATED that Sullivan used those words on him “it’s not you, it’s me” knowing how painful they were to Reid. I hate that even after that, Sullivan wasn’t the one who chased after Reid and showed him that he did love him, but instead, it was Reid chasing Sullivan AGAIN and showing him that he loved him. Reid asks at one point, do I put others happiness and needs before my own? And the best friend said, you already know the answer to that… well, of course, he did… and he deserved for someone to put him first for a change and Sullivan didn’t do that.

I was literally floating through this whole book, loving every single second of it. I ugly cried and then felt so let down by that at the end. I wanted so badly for Reid to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was wanted and loved. He deserved that, didn’t he? He shouldn’t have had to work so hard for it. And don’t get me wrong, it ended beautifully, and I loved the two of them together, I just wish it didn’t feel so one sided at times. My stomach literally sank and it felt empty and I wanted Sullivan to show him that he was worthy after a lifetime feeling anything but.

Other than that, it’s an entertaining and sweet read with lots of giggles, plenty of tears and of course, horoscopes of love. I adored every book in this series and this one was no different. I can’t wait to see who’s next.

4 pieces of eye candy

A bit about me, Anyta Sunday: I’m a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.

My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.

Author website: http://www.anytasunday.com/

Author newsletter signup: http://www.anytasunday.com/newsletter-free-e-book/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SlowBurnSundays/

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/anytasunday

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BookBub: https://bookbub.com/authors/anyta-sunday

Dead of Knight (Guardians of Camelot, Book 2) by Victoria Sue: Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Victoria Sue is stopping by today, to bring an exclusive excerpt from her most recent book, Dead of Knight (Guardians of Camelot, Book 2). If you haven’t checked out this series, it is a good one, combining some historical, some contemporary, some paranormal, and a whole lot of love. Check out the excerpt, and the giveaway at the end. 

A battle is coming…

…and the immortal knights aren’t ready.

Will an orphan be the key?

For fifteen hundred years Lucan has waged war with the greatest enemy the world has ever known

…and fought the ancient curse that means loving someone with all his heart and soul might be the reason they die.

Tom wasn’t supposed to be born… twice.

How, as a young child, had he even heard the monsters at all?

How, as an adult, is he caught up in a deadly battle to fight evil, but cannot get one stubborn man to even acknowledge he exists?

Time is running out, not just to unravel the secrets of Tom’s destiny, but for Tom to show Lucan that loving someone with all that they have doesn’t mean breaking their heart.

Or does it?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

“How will we know where to look?” Ali shot a worried look at Lucan. Lucan had already walked around the perimeter railings. The cemetery had shut at 4.30 p.m., but it wouldn’t be dark for another hour. They needed to find Tom, and fast. Lance pulled up, and he and Mel got out. Mel didn’t speak, just gazed at the ornate gates and dipped his hand under the collar of his jacket.

Kay looked over the huge area. “Where do we start?”

“Fan out?” Ali suggested. Lucan closed his eyes. He’d hoped for something, anything to say Tom was here, but there was nothing.

Mel brought out the pendant he wore around his neck and glanced at Lucan. “Do you feel him?”

Lucan shook his head. “But I don’t know that I would do.”

Mel scoffed, making his opinion of Lucan’s answer abundantly clear.

Kay looked around. “He would want somewhere as isolated as possible.”

“No,” Mel said slowly. “I don’t think he would. The college wasn’t isolated. I think he enjoys hiding in plain sight.”

“Are there any other places near?”

Mel tilted his head on one side, seeming to think. “He’s not here.”

Lucan growled in frustration. There was nowhere else. They could search the city if they had a few spare years maybe, but Tom barely had an hour before dusk. Tears clogged his throat, and he swallowed hard. He didn’t have time for this. He didn’t—

“Wait.” Everyone looked at Charles, a frown marring his features. “That makes no sense.”

“Nothing makes any sense,” Lucan bit out.

“No. I’ve been going over in my head all the things Gawain told me. What you know about them. The safeguards Merlin made as much as he could. But didn’t Father Joseph just say when Tom was born he heard the Ursus?”

“We assume so,” Lance agreed. “He wouldn’t know what the sound was, but he described it perfectly.”

He glanced at Gawain. “And I know humans can’t hear them even if they are standing next to them, but what if the night Tom was born caused something to go wrong?” He grimaced. “That’s the wrong word, but if great magic is generated when the Tresors are created, what if it was taken from somewhere else?”

“What do you mean?” Mel queried.

“Magic doesn’t exist in a bubble. Earth magic cannot be created without harnessing power from elsewhere.”

Gawain glanced at Mel. “Do you remember when I explained rebirth?”

Mel nodded. “That the way I use fire draws on the power of the earth.”

“And the way Merlin altered Morgan’s spell. Dark magic could only come at a heavy cost,” Lance added. “And how we will only be able to defeat it when we are joined as whole.”

Gawain chewed the inside of his cheek. “But I don’t think you’re saying that, are you?”

Charles shook his head. “Or not just, no. One of the notebooks mentions the word tentoria. It means devoid of soul, and I took it to mean how your souls were originally split, but it appears with the phrase incompleta mortem which means incomplete death and renascentia which as you know means rebirth.”

Gawain leaned forward, his face a study of concentration. “You are worried that one causes the other, and that incompleta mortem means tentoria or that bringing someone back doesn’t make them whole.”

“I have absolutely no idea what either of you mean,” Lance said with frustration.

Neither did Lucan.

“Necromancy is a forbidden art,” Gawain explained. “Morally it was always so, but the notebooks explore a deeper meaning.”

“What?” Lucan asked, running out of patience rapidly.

“That bringing back someone from the dead means they have an incomplete soul.”

Mel shuddered, and Lucan and Gawain both noticed. “I don’t mean you,” Gawain said hurriedly. “Your soul was reborn; you weren’t brought back from the dead.”

“And what has any of this got to do with Tom’s birth?” Lucan said, his voice gaining in decibels.

“Sorry.” Charles was immediately contrite. “That was my roundabout way of explaining there has to be a balance. Gawain told me about the teenager, and I have seen many things in my life to doubt any possibility, no matter how fantastic it sounds. What if he’s incomplete? What if it takes magic to generate him? But he doesn’t have enough? What if good magic can only take power from bad, the same as good and evil being two sides of the same coin? He’s been in the chapel twice. What if he’s a warning? What if he’s trying to tell us something? And Mel said about Aalardin hiding in plain sight. I just—”

Lucan stared at Lance, comprehension and horror registering on his face.

Lucan was running for his bike before Charles had finished his sentence. He heard the shouts behind him and the start of car engines. He swore under his breath because if Charles was right—and Lucan knew, absolutely knew he was—Tom had been under their noses all day.

This series….Oh, this series…I really do like this series a whole lot. It has a lot of what I look for. I love historical, and this definitely has some aspects of King Arthur’s Court in it. I love some suspense, and there is definitely plenty of that. This author really excels at suspense in my eyes, throwing out a few clues here and there, then just tossing it all on the table. And even some contemporary aspects, although they are a bit smaller in book 2, than they were in book 1.

For my tastes, I think I preferred book 1 more simply because it had more romantic elements than I felt Dead of Knight did. In book 2, it wasn’t insta-love, because they really had loved each other the entire time, age was what was holding Lucan back. It was more a breakdown of the walls that had been holding Lucan back, and a realization that they really did belong together. This book was far more, in my opinion, heavily towards the suspense side. That was fine, just not what I had expected.  There were a lot of small details in this book that the reader needed to keep track of, in order to understand why something happened, or would happen. I always enjoy a book that makes me think.

Lucan was exactly what you want for your Valentine, steadfast, loyal, and when he loved it was with everything in his heart. Meanwhile, Tom was discovering who he was, who he was to become, and dealing with a past that wouldn’t let him go. During that though, he never gave up on his love for Lucan…well, there was one tiny moment, but…you’ll see. 🙂

Seeing how everything worked out, at the end, even with Lucan and Tom’s HEA (well, really right now it can only be a HFN), I’m looking forward to how the story arc continues to play out. Kay gave us a little bit of a shock at the end of this book, so seeing where it goes will be interesting.

4 pieces of eye candy

Victoria Sue fell in love with love stories as a child when she would hide away with her mom’s library books and dream of the dashing hero coming to rescue her from math homework. She never mastered math but never stopped loving her heroes and decided to give them the happy ever afters they fight so hard for.
She loves reading and writing about gorgeous boys loving each other the best—and creating a family for them to adore. Thrilled to hear from her readers, she can be found most days lurking on Facebook where she doesn’t need factor 1000 sun-cream to hide her freckles.

www.victoriasue.com

@vickysuewrites

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