5 stars

Copper Creek by Cate Ashwood: Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

March 28, 2019 by Denise

Frankie:
My life sucks.
After spending a year jobless and on the edge of becoming homeless, I’d officially reached a level of desperation that, even if I wasn’t completely broke, retail therapy couldn’t fix.
While Sawyer’s Ferry, Alaska, is the last place on earth I’d ever want to visit, when my best friend, Holden, begs me to fly out and plan his wedding, I can’t say no. What I didn’t expect was to stumble into the administrative chaos at Copper Creek Brewing—or its too-hot-to-be-legal owner.
Clearly the man needs my help, and I’m willing to go above and beyond.
Way beyond.

Barrett:
I am screwed.
Six months after my assistant up and quit, I’m not any closer to finding a replacement, and things at the brewery are starting to fall apart.
And then in walks Frankie. He’s not the typical guy you’d find in these parts, and he brings with him a world of confusion. Because as much as I need his help, I can’t seem to keep my eyes—or hands—off him.
He’s supposed to be getting my life in order, but instead there’s a chance he could turn everything upside down.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Straight ahead, I could see miles and miles of open ocean. Islands dotted the distance between me and the blue horizon. Seagulls, the shit-hawks of the sea, had always seemed mangy and diseased back in New York, scamming french fries off tourists and scavenging garbage cans for scraps. But here, they were graceful and elegant as they glided through the air, riding the gusts of wind coming up from the cliffs below.

“Pretty spectacular, huh?” Barrett said.

“It’s amazing.” I closed my eyes and held on to the railing as the salt-crusted breeze kissed my face. I inhaled, pulling the scent of the sea deep into my lungs and holding it there, like it might heal all the broken parts of me.

I opened my eyes to find Barrett watching me so intensely I was breathless all over again.

He stepped closer, crowding me against the railing. I had the open ocean at my back and a wall of man at my front. I swallowed hard, my brain scrambling to make sense of the situation.

Barrett lifted his hand, brushing one of my curls to the side, his fingers lingering to twist the hair loosely around his knuckle. I stood, struck dumb as he combed his fingers through my hair. The sensation of it sparked shivers down my spine, and when he tightened his grip, tugging my head back to look at him, I whimpered.

In that moment, Barrett owned me, and even if he hadn’t had such a tight hold on me, I couldn’t have moved. I might never move again.

He leaned in closer.

“Barrett,” I whispered.

“Hmm.”

“I have to tell you something.”

“What’s that?” His voice made me tremble.

“I don’t think you’re straight.”

He slowly lifted one eyebrow. “Frankie?” he whispered.

“Hmm.”

“Shut up.”

The air between us sizzled with tension as he tightened his grip and leaned forward and gently nudged my nose with his. I tilted my head, begging him to kiss me. My whole body was lit up, every cell aware of him. I’d never been so desperate for anything.

He brushed his lips against mine, not a kiss, just a simple touch, and I was going insane. He chuckled softly, his breath ghosting against my mouth I wanted to kick him or scream. He was torturing me, and I hated it, but at the same time, I didn’t want it to stop.

Finally, when I was right on the precipice of dying in his arms, he closed the last of the space and kissed me.

For real.

The slow-playing Barrett of a moment before was gone, and left in his place was a man who knew how to kiss, who took what he wanted. It was consuming and dizzying and so fucking good my knees almost gave out.

Between the course scrape of his beard against my skin, the tight grip of his hands on me, and the demandingness of his mouth on mine, I was fucking putty in his hands.

He spun me, pressing me against the rough brick, his hand braced on the window frame. I slid my hands into his hair, holding on to him, drawing out the kiss like it was the only thing tethering me to earth.

I am so in love with this series, and we finally get Frankie!

If you don’t remember Frankie, I urge you to go back and read Gage and Holden’s story, as he’s Holden’s bestie from New York. He’s crazy, in-your-face and unapologetic about who he is and I love that so much about him. So, after losing his job when Holden’s dad’s company went under, he’s been staying with his cousin Gia, who just told him she’s pregnant again, and their already small apartment was about to get smaller…. So, he needed to find someplace else to go…. Enter Holden with a great idea… Come to Sawyers Ferry and plan his wedding !!!

He grumbled about it, sure, but how can you not fall in love with the place. I knew he would. I’m not sure if this is a real place… but if it’s not, I want to wish it real and go visit all these hot guys and their family-like community. So, in all his grumbling about being their glory, he stumbles upon brewery owner, Barrett.

Barrett is firmly in the closet with both doors closed and married to his work. Broody and gorgeous, I hoped for someone amazing for him, and getting to know him, I would not have pegged Frankie to be his type, but I think that’s why they work so well with me. They’re complete opposites.

While volunteering to help Barrett get his office into shape in the few months he’ll be in town, the chemistry between the two is intense, but with Barrett so deep in the closet and Frankie being born already out of it… I was afraid that Frankie was going to get hurt. Little did I know, when Barrett stopped avoiding his feelings for Frankie, he pulled out all the stops in wooing him and showing him how he felt. He was romantic and sweet and not at all the broody guy we thought we knew. With Frankie, he was open to learn who he was and what he liked, and all the while, they were developing deep feelings for each other, it was cute to watch, but sad because you knew there was a deadline on their time together.

It was rocky, that’s for sure… there were some parts that broke my heart for both of them, because it was so obvious that they belonged together…. But like every part of this series, even the heartbreak is worth it in the end. Barrett doesn’t go down without a fight…. I loved him all the more for what he did and how he did it, and I cannot wait to see what’s next for these guys, as well as everyone else we’ve met and have yet to meet.

What an awesome addition to an amazing series…

FAVORITE LINE:

“I have some deliveries to make in Juneau, and I thought you might like to come along. Get out of the confines of this town for a few days. See more of Alaska than the Sawyer’s Ferry town square.”
“Count me in.”
“I’ll pick you up at six tomorrow morning,”
“I changed my mind. Bring me back something nice.”

5 Pieces of Eye Candy

Leave a comment on the post. Congratulate Cate on her new release, let her know your thoughts on the excerpt, etc, and you could win something from her extensive backlist!

Black by Quin & Perin: New Release Review

March 26, 2019 by Denise

“Meow!”
There it was.
The sound that made my knees buckle.
He purred, neck stretched, eyes half-lidded.
With those cat ears, in his hair.
And the tail, that he flicked.

A ray of sun in the drizzling rain. I’d been a traveler, floating adrift, while he’d stayed in one place. How was I supposed to know he’d become my anchor? My light. My everything. But would I ever become his?

***As a standalone romance, “Black” features detailed adult m/m content, a hurt/comfort relationship as well as “kitty play.”

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Alright, so… a book with kitty play.

Where do I start? …. First, the premise had me like, whaaaaaat? Then I giggled, then maybe I scoffed, then I thought about it and was still like, whaaaaaaat? But I thought, alright, I’ve never heard of this, sounds ridiculous, I laughed and I scoffed and I thought whaaaaaat? But I kinda wanna read it.
Y’all, I am SO. GLAD. I. DID !

We’ll first start with Tony, who had quit his job as a lawyer and developed a gyspy soul that made for leavin. He stayed long enough in one place to make a little money and then he was off to something new, experiencing new things and being fortunate enough to write about it. All this happens off page, we’re only told about it in the beginning, but you get a good look at his life from before he made it town to visit his sister and niece. I adored Tony, with hipster beard, his man bun and his tattoo’s. I also loved his confidence, his patience and sweetness, I believe you will too.

So, upon one of his first days in town, he sits on the beach, taking in this new place, where he runs across Dima. Dima is snarky, also confident, almost too confident, and doesn’t give Tony the time of day, even if he does appreciate the way he keeps coming back each day to try to impress him. But, it’s mostly an act for Dima, because Tony’s exactly someone that Dima would like in his life, he’s just been smacked down too many times, the last boyfriend he had, taking the cake, so he knew better now. Nobody stays. Everyone leaves him. It was so understandable. I really felt for him. He had his reason’s and once you get to know him, you’ll understand why……. Lemme tell ya, I got hit with right hook there in beginning, and I loved it! I adored Dima.

So, just like a kitty you wanted to keep, if you kept coming back, kept doing little things to gain it’s trust, they’ll eventually stop swatting at you, and let you live in their world. That’s what Tony did. He kept coming back, he didn’t let Dima tell him no, didn’t let Dima push him away, and he tried. Ooooh, how he’d tried.

The kitty kink was something that neither of them had tried before and it was cute watching them both figure it out. It seems so weird, and I don’t mean to kink shame…. But cats? I am NOT a cat person. But ya know who is? Tony…. LOL
They never got weird with it, it was never something taboo or gross. It was sweet, really hot and once you got to know Dima, it was perfect. The way he cuddled into Tony was so feline like, the way he purred when he was happy or had Tony’s hands on him. It didn’t start out a purr, it was just a noise he makes that sounds like a purr… A content sound, and Tony loved hearing it. Dima also had claws, that liked to come out when he was riled up with Tony, both in bed and out of it. So, if you keep an open mind, you’ll see all these things that make what they’re doing something that they both need. Weird as it may seem, it just really wasn’t.

Then, a surprise from an ex and my heart gets broken. I wanted to punch him in the face and skin him alive. It’s still fresh, seeing as I just finished the book, and I want to rant until all the bad words about him tell you enough to get the picture. But, I’ll not get ranty in this one, and let you all read it for yourself, because you need to…. Because experiencing it like I did, had me crying and scoffing and again, saying whaaaaaaaaaat are you doing!!?? But in the end, you won’t be disappointed, (even though I would’ve liked to have seen Dima tell the ex where to shove his impatience and snooty attitude)…. It worked out beautifully in the end, and I honestly am going to say right now, that I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s so much more than kitty play, and I can promise you by the first page, you’ll be sucked in.

I’d absolutely love to see more from these two. I’d love read more about their lives together, so, just throwin that out there! Overall, it was an excellent read, and I really, really enjoyed it!

5 pieces of eye candy from me!

Cronin’s Key I,II,III by NR Walker: Audiobook Reviews Narrated by Joel Leslie

March 12, 2019 by Denise

NYPD Detective Alec MacAidan has always been good with weird. After all, his life has been a string of the unexplainable. But when an injured man gives him cryptic clues, then turns to dust in front of him, Alec’s view on weird is changed forever.

Cronin, a vampire Elder, has spent the last 1,000 years waiting for Alec. He’d been told his fated one would be a man wielding a shield, but he didn’t expect him to be human, and he certainly didn’t expect that shield to be a police badge.

Both men, strong-willed and stubborn, are still learning how to cope with the push and pull of being fated, when fate throws them another curveball.

Rumors have spread quickly of turmoil in Egypt. Covens are fleeing with news of a vampire who has a talent like no other, hell-bent on unleashing the wrath of Death.

Alec and Cronin are thrown into a world of weird Alec cannot imagine. What he learned in school of ancient pharaohs and Egyptian gods was far from the truth. Instead, he finds out firsthand that history isn’t always what it seems.

History isn’t always what it seems.

With the battle of Egypt behind them, Alec and Cronin are enjoying the thrill of new love. Though fate doesn’t wait long before throwing them back into the world of weird.
They know Alec’s blood is special, though its true purpose still eludes them. And given Alec’s inability to be changed into a vampire, Cronin is free to drink from him at will. But the ramifications of drinking such powerful blood starts a ripple effect.
With the help of Jorge, a disturbing vampire-child with the gift of foresight, Alec and Cronin face a new kind of war. This time their investigations lead them to the borders of China and Mongolia—but it’s not what lies in the pits beneath that worries Alec.
It’s the creator behind it all.
In the underground depths of China, amidst a war with the Terracotta Army, they will find out just what the Key is, and what Alec means to the vampire world.

History isn’t always what it seems….

Twelve months after his change, Alec MacAidan is still getting used to his many vampire talents. While most vampires would give anything to have more than one supernatural power, Alec craves nothing more than peace and time alone with Cronin. But when Alec meets entities from outside this realm, he’s left powerless in their presence.

Zoan are half-lycan, half-dragon creatures that have slipped through time and reality, seemingly undetected by man and vampire. Or have they? They bear an uncanny resemblance to gargoyles, leaving Alec’s view on all things weird to get a whole lot weirder.

This new quest leads Alec, Cronin, and their band of friends to Paris, Rome, and Moscow, where they learn that gargoyles aren’t simply statues on walls. In the underground pits beneath churches all over the world, Alec discovers the Key’s true destiny. Facing the Zoan might take every talent he has. And he may need help from the dead to get them all out alive.

Cronin’s Key I – Audible

Cronin’s Key II – Audible

Cronin’s Key III – Audible

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I’m going to review all of these three books at once, because I literally listened to them back to back to back. There was no real way to separate them.

I read the original stories when they first were released as ebooks, and even though I rarely read any sort of paranormal, and then on top of it, nothing that is vampire (literally nothing, this is the only vampire series I have ever read), I consumed these books immediately. NR Walker is such a fantastic story teller. She draws the reader in from the beginning, layers in so much history, and fantastical situations, you don’t know if they may or may not be real, and you honestly don’t want to go look it up, on the off chance you find out it wasn’t real. She sucks you in, grabs a hold of your lapel, and doesn’t let you go until the end of each book. You can say this about all of her books. I haven’t read one yet that I haven’t loved.

Cronin and Alec are so fantastic together, they really do fit as a team. And the secondary characters never feel secondary. All of them feel as vital to the book as the MC’s. There is such history, and backstory, that it literally takes all three books to understand exactly how everyone fits into the puzzle. (And later, you find out even more in book 4, which I never saw coming!)

I’ll admit to having a little trepidation with listening to these stories on audio (I actually bought the first one when it was released, and then didn’t listen to it) because I loved these stories so much, I didn’t want to take the chance that it wouldn’t live up to what I remembered.

And then along came Joel Leslie. When Joel Leslie speaks to me in an accent, I can’t stop listening. I don’t even really want to. His voices are so distinct, so varying for each character, you know exactly who is speaking, without even hearing the “…Cronin said”. His voice is so rich and distinct, that you sink into the story even more than you would if you were reading it. Not all books should be audio, I don’t think. However, if you have Joel Leslie as your narrator, you can guarantee you are going to get a fantastic reading of the book, which will enrich your experience as a reader.

These books are fantastic all on their own. Add in an amazing voice to give the characters life, and you take it to another level.

Stories: 5 pieces of eye candy

Narration: 5 pieces of eye candy

Milo (Finding Home Book 2) by Lily Morton: Release Day Review

February 15, 2019 by Denise

Once upon a time a brave knight rescued a young man. Unfortunately, he then spent the next few years bossing the young man around and treating him like a child.

Milo has been burying himself at Chi an Mor, hiding from the wreckage of his once promising career and running from a bad relationship that destroyed what little confidence he had. For all of that time, Niall has been there for him. An arrogant and funny man, he couldn’t be any more different from the shy and once stuttery Milo, which has never stopped Milo from crushing wildly on him.

However, just as Milo makes the decision to move on from his hopeless crush he and Niall are thrown into close contact, and for the first time ever Niall appears to be returning his interest. But it can never work. How can it when Milo always needs rescuing?

From the bestselling author of the Mixed Messages series comes a story about a man who needs to write his own happily ever after.

This is the second book in the Finding Home series but it can be read as a standalone.

Content warning: There are descriptions of domestic abuse in this book.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

So, I had to go back and read Oz, because really… this is one series I’ll revisit often. I am so in love with all of these guys! I’m not sure anyone can top Oz and Silas, but I was so excited to know that we’d get Milo and Niall, and I honestly couldn’t put it down. (Literally, I got nothing done the entire day)

In the beginning we get to see what brought Milo to the estate. We get kind of the idea in Oz’s story, but seeing it and understanding what made Milo kind of, turn in on himself was so heartbreaking. He spent so long being dragged down by this ex boyfriend that it completely changed his view of himself. I really hurt for him.
Luckily, his brother’s best friend and friend of the family, Niall, goes to check on him when his brother Gideon can’t reach him for a couple of days and walks in on the abuse as it’s happening and gets Milo out of there.

Niall is amazing. There were bits of him that turned me off, most definitely, (like being friends with benny’s with Milo’s brother, Gideon…as short as a month prior, uhm, ewww)… but it was obvious to everyone, (except Milo), that he adored Milo and always had. He was kind of his self-proclaimed protector and he was like a little brother to Niall….. until he wasn’t. Until he started seeing him as a man instead of the little boy that used to follow him and Gideon around all the time…

When an accident takes Oz and Silas away for the week, they leave their baby with her uncle’s Niall and Milo… Watching their back and forth was just as entertaining as Oz and Silas’ was. Milo was getting himself back to the before the ex, self…. Milo and with the help of his friendship with Oz and Silas, and Niall giving him encouragement, endless patience and really just everything he needed, it was fun to see him come out of his shell and tap into his inner- Oz… they were really two peas in a pod. I loved seeing more of Oz and Silas, too…I’ll never turn down a chance to catch up with them…

And then Niall coming to the realization that Milo is a man…. And a man that makes him feel like no other man, or woman ever has before… he see’s him in such a new light, and he runs with it… albeit slowly… cuz hello.. he needed Milo to trust him and see him in the same way….

I will also say, I did not like Gideon (Milo’s brother) until the very end. He grew on me, but I haaaated the little tests and pettiness that he put Niall and Milo through, and I wanted so badly for Niall to tell him to just stop, I wanted him to stick up for Milo… I don’t feel like he ever did. He stayed loyal to him, but didn’t put a stop to the way Gideon treated him and the way he talked to him, all the snide remarks and hurtful comments and that drove me crazy. Especially when he told Milo that HE needed to try because he was his brother… UGHHH I’d have knocked Gideon in his teeth a time or two… BUT, I’m thinking maybe he might be next? I’m not sure about that one… he seems selfish and self-absorbed. It’d be interesting to read…. We shall see.

Overall though… I loved it. I love the series, I love the couples and I love their little families. I cannot wait to read more of all of them…. Even if it is Gideon up next. Best series I’ve read so far this year. Hands down.

5 pieces of eye candy from me!

Gage (Trenton Security Book 3) by J.M. Dabney: Release Day Review

January 30, 2019 by Denise

The forbidden is the sweetest lure.

Trenton Security’s Public Relations go-to was Hayden Gage. He loved his job, and it kept him distracted from the demons haunting his nightmares. His past wasn’t up for discussion, and Hayden wouldn’t allow it to intrude on his future. Yet, that was easier said than done when his best friend came to him desperate for help, and it put him right on the path to his one weakness.

Young didn’t equal lost.

Derrick Thorpe lived in the shadow of his father’s mistakes. Although he was adopted by Linus Trenton, he wanted to prove that he wasn’t like his biological father. When he was asked to go undercover to help at Trenton Security, it put him in close quarters with Gage. Being Gage’s was only an act, but when lines blur, what happens when the operation ends?

Amazon

Another hit with the crazies of Trenton Securities team.

In this one, we have Gage, who you should remember from previous books, and Derrick, who was the former sheriff’s son, adopted by Linus and his brood. Remember him? Well, he’s a man now, and he’s got his sights set on Hayden Gage.

Gage however, like all the other guys that have been brought into the fold, has a troubled past. Much like Derricks, and I was surprised that that wasn’t touched on a little bit more. They’re backgrounds and “daddy issues” as Gage called them once, were very similar. Both of them equally as heartbreaking, living with abusive and sadistic father’s… .Gage tries to keep his distance from Derrick because his rage and anger from a life he left long ago was still at the forefront just begging to be unleashed.

While there is a trigger warning, there is also somewhat graphic details of self-harm. Normally, I’d cringe at this, but it was explained in the most perfectly accurate way, it made it relatable, if that makes sense? Like, instead of judging a person on why they do it…. Listen to actually WHY, someone might do it. If you didn’t understand before, Gage should give you a better understanding. I appreciated that.

So, Gage is set on keeping his distance, and Derrick is mourning the death of a dream that he’s had for far too long about belonging to Gage, but when Gage’s best friend and teammate calls because his daughter’s gone missing… they’re thrust together to try and find her.

Going undercover wasn’t ideal for Derrick, but he knows that if they have any chance of finding the missing girl, he has to do it….and any chance to spend with
Gage, he’s taking that too. However, during the mission, lines get blurred and it’s harder for Gage to deny what he feels for Derrick, and the things he might want from him. It also gives Derrick the option to show Gage that he’s not scared of him, or what he wants… and in fact, it might just be what Derrick wants to.

And fear not, we do get justice for the abused…. I kind of adored Kray and I feel like down the road, he’d have an amazing story to tell… I especially hope to get him a happily ever after. If anyone deserves one, it’s him. I’m also super excited for more of Raul and Pure… I have a feeling they’re just waiting on their third… because if they haven’t figured it out between the two of them yet, something has to be missing. I’m hoping not, because minages aren’t my favorite… but this author makes it work… so I’ll deal if it is…. But I sincerely hope he’s next!

Overall, as always, it’s another sweet and hopeful addition to an awesome, daddy-loving series. I’ll just be over here, impatiently waiting for more!

5 pieces of eye candy from me

Is It Over Yet? by L.A. Witt: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Release Day Review * 2 and Giveaway

January 8, 2019 by Denise

Rhys Powell and Derek Scott are divorcing. Mistakes have been made, lines have been crossed, and there’s no going back. Both men are exhausted and ready to move on.

But their daughter is getting married soon. In the name of not putting a damper on her wedding, Derek and Rhys agree to keep the divorce on the down-low and show up as the happy couple everyone still believes they are.

And between a roller coaster of a road trip and the love and joy surrounding the wedding… Derek and Rhys just might remember why they fell for each other in the first place.

Are they only kidding themselves? Or can a rekindled spark really light the way to forgiveness?

Length: 60,000 words

Cover Design: Lori Witt

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK

Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Chapter 1

Rhys

The suburban Chicago house I’d lived in for the past six years came into view, and my stomach knotted tighter. It was the same feeling I’d had on my way to a job I’d hated a lifetime ago, when pulling up to the building made me groan out loud at the prospect of another shift in that godforsaken place. Didn’t seem right to feel that way coming home, but there it was, same as it had been for the past two months.

By the time I pulled into the garage beside the familiar red Corolla, my jaw ached from clenching my teeth. Probably because that’s what I’d been doing every night this week at the same time. Ugh. If I didn’t move out of this place soon, my dental bills were going to be astronomical. That was a good enough reason to step things up, wasn’t it? So I didn’t grind my teeth to dust?

As if I didn’t already have a laundry list of reasons why I needed to get out of here.

With an ache in my jaw and a sour feeling in my throat, I collected my coffee cup, lunch bag, and briefcase, and got out of the car. On the way inside, I couldn’t help limping a little, which added to my festering annoyance. It wasn’t unusual for my leg to be sore by the end of the day, especially after I’d been coaching basketball, but it wasn’t doing much for my shitty mood. I couldn’t think of much that would, though. Nothing short of substances that would get me fired. Or maybe finding a note on the counter that said I moved out. There wasn’t a plant on this earth that would get me higher than reading those three sweet little words.

But unless my soon-to-be ex-husband had won the lottery since this morning, he was just as stuck here as I was.

At the door, I paused for a deep breath to steel myself, then went inside. The kitchen and living room were empty. Derek’s car was here, so it was a safe bet he was home, but he was somewhere else in the house. Good enough for me. If I was lucky, he’d stay that way long enough for me to wind down.

I went through my usual motions—cleaning out my lunch bag, rinsing the Tupperware dishes, checking the cats’ food and water, perusing the mail. For years this routine had soothed me. Helped me shift from work to home so I could relax. Not so much these days.

Our long-haired calico, Lucy, hopped upon the counter and chirped at me, and I managed to crack a smile as I scratched her back the way she loved. She arched under my hand and purred. I chuckled, and I didn’t even mind that she was kicking the mail everywhere as she strutted back and forth on the counter.

“Hey, sweetheart. You miss me?”

More purring.

I kept scratching and petting her for a moment, trying not to think about the future. Or the fact that Derek and I still hadn’t come to a custody agreement about the cats. They were littermates, and though they could fight almost as loudly as we could, they were inseparable. There was no “you take Lucy and I’ll take Chico.” When this was all over and we finally went our separate ways, someone was taking both cats, and someone would be living without them.

I scooped Lucy into my arms, and I hugged her tight, which just made her purr louder and my conscience burn hotter. Guilt had been a constant friend for the past couple of months, and every time I thought about either losing my cats or taking them away from Derek, I wanted to cry. As if I hadn’t done enough of that recently.

I’m so sorry, guys. I buried my face in Lucy’s plush fur. I fucked everything up.

The click of a door at the opposite end of the house made my spine stiffen. Lucy tensed too. By the time Derek was halfway up the hall, she’d stopped purring. As he cleared the corner into the living room, she wriggled in my arms, and I sighed as I set her back down on the counter. She jumped to the floor and trotted out of the room, probably to the office where Chico was likely watching birds.

I watched her go, fresh guilt gnawing at me. Things had really gone to shit when even the cats didn’t want to be in the same room with the two of us.

Without the cat to hold my attention anymore, I turned to see where Derek was headed so I could make my own escape. I still needed to change clothes anyway, not to mention take off my prosthetic and sit for a while to give my joints a rest. If he was going to hang out in the living room, then I could go into my bedroom or join the cats in the office.

But Derek wasn’t heading into the living room. He was coming into the kitchen. And from the way his gaze was fixed on me, he wanted to talk about something.

I swallowed. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Do you have a few minutes?”

I struggled to hold his gaze. He didn’t seem like he was looking for a fight. There was some tension in his features, but it didn’t read as hostility or anger.

I shifted my weight, wincing at the vicious ache in my hip. “Yeah. Do you mind if we sit, though?”

“Sure. Yeah. Living room?”

“Okay.” I followed him out of the kitchen, and we sat on opposite ends of the sofa. As soon as I was seated, I leaned down, rolled up my pant leg, and disconnected my prosthetic. Derek didn’t speak while I removed it; for all our inability to coexist lately, he was still in the habit of giving me a minute to get situated, particularly when I needed to kick off the prosthetic after a long day on my feet.

I leaned the prosthetic against the end table and sat back, releasing a relieved sigh. Everything ached, especially my hips, knees, and right ankle, and taking some weight off them felt so good. I might’ve even relaxed if not for Derek waiting a cushion away to have a conversation. Ugh. God. What now?

Schooling my expression, I twisted toward him. I stole a second just to look at him. There would come a time in the very near future when all I had left of him was pictures, and even with the constant tension hanging between us, it hurt to imagine not seeing him anymore. Seeing him like this hurt too. The dark eyes that had tongue-tied me on day one were cold now. Beside his eyes and mouth were lines that deepened whenever he smiled or laughed, and they were barely visible now. The near-black hair I’d run my fingers through millions of times, the soft lips I’d tasted more times than I could count, that spot on his neck where a single kiss could make him shudder all over—it was all out of my reach now.

Maybe it was time to take my sister up on the offer to come stay with her. I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could handle.

Forcing back my emotions, I tried to sound casual. “All right. What’s up?”

He mirrored me, pulling his knee up onto the cushion and drumming his fingers on his inseam. “Um.” He stared down at his hand. “So, I talked to Vanessa this morning.”

My gut clenched. Instantly my mind was filled with a million worst case scenarios. I’d expected him to have something on his mind about us, not about our daughter, and panic shot through me. Had something happened? Was she hurt? Sick? “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah. Everything’s fine.” He made a calm down gesture. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Okay. Good.” I exhaled, my heartbeat coming back down. It wasn’t unusual for her to call him, but the whole “we need to talk” thing had me on edge. “So…” I raised my eyebrows. Oh God, had he told her? Did he finally tell her we were divorcing? He’d been dancing around that for two months.

Derek cleared his throat, and to my surprise, he smiled, though he still seemed guarded. “She’s, um… She’s getting married.”

I blinked. “She is?”

He nodded. “Corbin proposed last night.”

“Oh. Wow.” I actually laughed because I was so relieved that instead of something horrible, he was breaking the news that Vanessa was engaged. “That’s great!”

“Yeah. It is.” He met my gaze, but then he broke eye contact, and his smile faltered.

How could a conversation be this much of a roller coaster after thirty seconds? Oh, right, because it was us and we were a disaster. A disaster our daughter still didn’t know about.

Derek took a deep breath and sat up a little. “Here’s the thing—they want to get married sooner than later. Corbin is going to be transferring within the next year, and he’ll probably deploy at some point. So they want to get all their ducks in a row quickly.”

I nodded. “Makes sense. How soon is soon?”

“They’re thinking February.”

I whistled. “Really not letting the grass grow, are they?”

He laughed quietly. “No. But it’s still three months away. It isn’t like they’re eloping next week.”

“True.” And why was this line of conversation making me apprehensive? Like it was going somewhere I really didn’t want it to go? I was thrilled for our daughter and her husband-to-be, but something about this discussion with Derek…didn’t feel right. After nine years together, I knew him, I knew his tells, and I knew there was more to this than just telling me Vanessa was getting married.

Chewing his lip, Derek dropped his gaze and watched his fingers drumming on his knee again. There was definitely something on his mind. Something he needed to say, but either couldn’t figure out how to or couldn’t quite work up the nerve.

“Derek?” I nudged. “What am I missing here? You’re happy about this, right?”

“Yeah. Of course. I’m… There’s just…” He closed his eyes. Finally, he met mine again. “Vanessa still doesn’t know about, um, us.”

I winced. In the two months since we’d decided to split up, we’d debated more than once when and how we should tell her. The holidays were almost upon us, so that hadn’t seemed like the right time, and we’d agreed to keep a lid on it until after the New Year. She couldn’t make it out for Thanksgiving, and she was spending Christmas with her mom, so it wasn’t as if we’d have to play happy husbands right in front of her. Just keep up the illusion on social media and on the phone. Easy. Except for the part where it meant we’d had to keep it quiet from almost everyone else so no one accidentally let it slip on Facebook. And we were still stuck living together anyway because neither of us could afford to move out yet, so the whole fucking world thought everything was quiet on the home front. The closest we’d come to letting it slip was when a friend noticed our wedding portrait wasn’t on the mantle anymore. Derek had quickly said the frame had broken, and the subject had dropped. For now.

“Right,” I said. “So what does that have to do with her getting—” I tensed, then inclined my head. “Derek, please tell me you’re not going where I think you’re going.”

He looked at me plaintively. “It’s her wedding, Rhys. The next couple of months are going to be stressful as hell for her, and I’d rather all that stress be about planning her wedding. Not worrying about her dads splitting up.”

Closing my eyes, I pushed out a long breath through my nose. We’d been married for seven years, and even though our happier days seemed like a lifetime ago, I remembered the stressful months leading up to the wedding like it was yesterday. The thought of my parents dropping a bomb like that in the middle of all that chaos? Of trying to enjoy my damn wedding while I worried myself sick about making them be in the same room? Okay, yeah, I got what he was driving at. But…fuck.

Honestly… just punch me in the face, it’ll hurt less.

I love, love, love stories like this one, that are so real and honest and hard !! People mess up and make mistakes, who can’t relate to that?

So, we come in to this one, with an already established relationship, Rhys and
Derek are married and have been for near on a decade. But during a rough patch, after a few too many drinks, one of them ends up going home with another man. I know cheating stories are a deal breaker for some… and for someone like myself, who’s ex-husband cheated and got someone else pregnant… it hurt, reading about it. (Though, there is no on-page cheating)… The anger and bitterness that Derek felt… the need for revenge and just so much hurt….

And I loved seeing Rhys guilt and the ownership of the mistake. He never once tried to blame it on anything other than his mess up. He never tried to make excuses, he never tried to justify the mistake, because as much as it killed Derek, it was killing Rhys too.

So, planning to get divorced… they decide to wait until after their daughter’s wedding to drop the news, plus, anyone who’s been divorced, knows that it’s not just easy as 1, 2, 3. It takes planning and money and it completely flips your life upside down.

There’s one little snibbit that I loved so hard, when Derek says, “Who knew this would be the hardest part about breaking up? Not just the hurt and betrayal, not just the upheaval of our peaceful life, but realizing that small things were gone.”
And it’s true… little things that you maybe took for granted while you were busy living life. Like watching tv together, or a book series you both loved and hadn’t finished. You have to mourn those things, losing them… it’s hard… and it was so perfectly written in this.

So, okay….enough of my psychoanalyzing…back to the story…. The guys had planned to wait to tell their daughter about their separation until after her wedding, but until then, and during the wedding, they wanted to put on the front that they were still together and happy. Not ideal, but I got it.

Over a 4 day long road trip and remembering all the reasons they loved each other in the first place, maybe the anger and hurt and resentment could be worked through. At times it feels like it can’t, and we go back and forth with Derek and how he feels, and then Rhys, I just wanted to hug him through the whole thing, but I loved how it ended. LOVED IT!! Could ya tell?

I could go on and on about this for days, I feel like… but I’ll spare you so you can actually read the story yourself… But, if you love second chance romances with real life hardships and mistakes.. you’ll love this one. You’ll cry over the love, the hurt, the anger, the guilt, and then the forgiveness, the relief and then the love again. I loved this book, SO MUCH! I absolutely recommend it.

5 well deserved pieces of eye candy from me!

FAVORITE LINE: “Who knew this would be the hardest part about breaking up? Not just the hurt and betrayal, not just the upheaval of our peaceful life, but realizing that small things were gone.”

I’ll read almost anything by LA Witt, so I was excited to see this new release as it was something different. A married couple on their way to divorce, but faking it for the sake of their daughter’s wedding. And I enjoyed it mostly. It certainly wasn’t amazing, but entirely readable with a decent story.

Derek and Rhys are broken up but still living together. Mostly for financial reasons but also because it never seems to be the right time to tell their daughter. So when she announces that she is getting married, they figure they should wait until after the wedding. But first they have to get through the wedding.

The tension between the two was very real. It didn’t come out right away why they were splitting up, but suffice it to say that one man was incredibly mad and the other was incredibly broken. But they have a 4 day each way road trip and a wedding to get through. They mutually agree to leave their problems behind for the trip and try to not only not kill each other, but maybe enjoy themselves.

Being that I live in a sort of similar situation in real life, I am going to tell you that a lot of what was going on with them was spot on. If you’re just basically nice to the other person will they assume that means you are wanting to get back together? Are they reading more into it? How can you be nice when you are so mad? But how can you ignore your past which was mostly happy?

So ya, spot on.

A lot of the back story was slow to come by and lacked a bit of punch for me. When and how they met, their daughter, their daughter’s mother, even the fact that Rhys wore a prosthetic leg and the story behind it felt like it was added to the story because it should be in there. But it also didn’t add anything to the story.

There was a bit of repetition with their daughter that got old and it wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly for me. I appreciated the epilogue, but again, it felt a bit like they were saying the same things over and over again.

Not her best, but worth the read for the feelings portrayed and the different story line.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

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

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