Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

5 stars

Following the Rules (The Script Club #1) by Lane Hayes: RDB, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

by

The geek, the jock, and a new set of rules…

Topher-

My friend’s brother needs an academic assistant and I need a job. Problem…jocks are my weakness. Seriously. I lose my ability to speak coherently around muscle-bound hotties. Oh yeah, I lose my inhibitions too—not a good look for a guy with a genius IQ. So what am I going to do about Simon?

Simon-

Finishing college isn’t high on my list of priorities, but my future in professional football is looking bleak. I need a plan B or C, and I could use some help navigating life as an undergrad. Topher is perfect. He’s also a little strange…but in a good way. And I like the way I feel when I’m around him—as though anything is possible. Maybe if we follow our hearts, we’ll find what we’re looking for. But that means changing the rules…

Following the Rules is a MM, bisexual awakening romance starring a lovable nerd, a cool jock, and some extracurricular fun.

Title: Following the Rules

Author Name: Lane Hayes

Series Title and Number: The Script Club #1

Publisher: Lane Hayes

Cover Artist: Sleepy Fox Studio

Release Date: May 7, 2021

Romance Pairings: Male/Male

Other Tags or Categories: Nerd/Jock, MM Romance, Bisexual Awakening, Best Friend’s Brother

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

I served us both a slice of each kind of pizza and slid a plate his way, gesturing for him to help himself to the cheese or whatever else he might want.

“I don’t care about money,” I said around a mouthful of food. “Eat up. This is tasty, but it won’t be as good when it’s cold.”

Topher flashed an anxious sideways smile and took a mouse-sized nibble. “Mmm, that’s delicious.”

I washed down my pizza with a healthy swig of wine, nudging his knee as I swiveled to face him. “Are you okay?”

He wiped his hands on a napkin and drained half his water, setting it on the island with a decisive thud. “Yes, I’m just a little nervous.”

“Nervous? Oh. I’m sorry.” I frowned and before I could rein my tongue, blurted, “You seemed fine when we were joking about tiny gorilla penises, and hell…you saw my dick and—”

“I wasn’t joking. I was reciting a fact and as far as your penis is concerned…”

I twisted to face him, unable to contain a mischievous grin.

“Yes? I’m waiting,” I singsonged, biting into the ham and pineapple pizza.

“I told you, Simon…I was simply doing the math,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Six and a half inches.”

“Nine.”

Topher narrowed his eyes, his features softening in amusement. “Six and three-quarters, max.”

I scoffed and hooked my thumb under the elastic waistband of my sweats. “Wanna see?”

“No! Geez. You know, it’s very difficult to stay on topic with you. And staying on topic is the only way this will work.”

“Okay, fine. Back to dick size. What animal has the biggest schlong on the planet?”

He gaped at me for a hot second. “The blue whale. It’s estimated to be seven to ten feet long.”

“Whoa!”

“Although I don’t know that it’s ever been measured during intercourse. Or if that’s even possible.” He reached for his pizza with his brow knit in concentration as though pondering whale dick…as one does.

“Whales are huge. It makes sense. What about land animals?”

“Elephants. They’ve legitimately measured specimens in excess of thirty-nine inches.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” I snort-laughed. “Christ, I’m feeling very inadequate with my mere twelve inches.”

“Six,” Topher scoffed. “Look, before we get sidetracked again, I just want to—”

“I’ll pay you double.”

“What? Why?”

I sighed as I picked up my wineglass. “I don’t want to fail. No…it’s more than that. I need to look smart. I can’t come across as the fuckup wide receiver who got dumped from the NFL and blew the cushy back-door admittance to a prestigious university by failing his first semester. I thought I might be able to muddle through with a few pointers from George, but it’s going to take more than that. I need a real assistant.”

Topher widened his eyes, then blinked in disbelief when I named an exorbitant salary. I had a hard time keeping my own expression. What the hell was I thinking? Did I really need an assistant?

I didn’t know, but I needed…something.

“Oh, that’s a lot of money,” he whispered breathlessly.

“It’s the going rate for a personal assistant. Ironically, I never had one while I played ball, but I need the help now. I want the best, and George says that’s you.”

Topher smiled. “George didn’t say he was the best?”

“Actually, he did. But we can’t be in the same room for an hour without wanting to take a swing at each other.”

“You and George fight?”

“Not as much now that we’re older, but…yeah, I guess we still fight. We don’t have much in common.”

“You and I have even less in common,” he replied.

“That’s a good thing. Trust me, it’s better for me that you don’t know that I slept with a teddy bear until I was thirteen…or that I still have that damn bear for reasons unknown.” I gave a self-deprecating chuckle, then sipped my wine and set it on the island. “So…are you in? Make me smarter, Toph. I need your brain!”

He stared at me for a long moment, inclining his head. “Okay.”

“Yes!” I fist-pumped the air as if I’d just scored a touchdown and held out my hand for a high five.

Topher left me hanging for a few long seconds before gently tapping his palm to mine. I grabbed his wrist to hold him steady for a redo. The contact was light and breezy…and spontaneous. But that was how I rolled. For a guy who played professional football, it was nothing.

However, this didn’t feel like nothing.

This is one of my favorite tropes. I loved Topher, his idiosyncrasies where down right adorable. I loved hoe open he was in certain aspects of his life. So sweet and confident. But knew his limits and tried to keep to his comfort zone.

Now Si (Simon) was soooo sweet and sexy. The perfect match for Topher. He just stood up and embraced his sexuality. He respected Topher, but also tried to push his boundaries a bit. I felt bad for him and where he was at with his choices. I HATED his agent.

All in all this was a sweet, sexy, funny read. Another hit for this author.

5 pieces of eye candy

Geek and Jock. A trope that will last forever and ever. It’s like the epitome of opposites attract. This time we get EPIC geek and jock. A rocket scientist and a professional football player.

The geek- Topher- is kind of roped in to tutoring/helping his roommates brother with his online college classes. The big jock football player brother who was released from his contract and needs to do something with his life. Jocks are Topher’s kryptonite. Simon is in limbo with his career and kind of lost. But what he does find is a strong attraction to Topher.

What I really enjoyed about this book and made it a bit different from most geek/jock books is that Topher is so sex positive. More often than not the geeky guy is a virgin or has very limited experience. But not Topher. He is experienced, he loves sex, he is open to trying new things and he is NOT shy about it.

And Simon, having grown up with a nerdy brother, isn’t a jerk at all. He’s a nice guy who kind of doesn’t know what to do. He has the beach house but he is lonely and drives an hour to hang out with family and friends. And Topher.

The main reason Topher took the job with Simon was because his paid internship fell through. So he was waiting and hoping for that to come through again, but also open to other internships. And even though that was a big plot point at the beginning, it never really went anywhere as he seemed to spend all of his time with Simon.

Simon also is a house flipper, he is the money man not the toolbelt man, but we don’t really see that either. That would have been some fun scenes looking at houses to flip.

So, yes, I did like it. I liked how confident Topher was and how open Simon was. There were a few loose ends that could have been tied up, but overall a good read.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Lane Hayes loves a good romance! An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016, 2017, and 2018-2019 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a not quite empty nest.

Author Links

Website: https://lane-hayes.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaneHayes3

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7125719.Lane_Hayes

Instagram: https://instagram.com/LaneHayesauthor

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/authors/lane-hayes

Gideon’s Wish: Gay Romance by Bryan T. Clark: Blog Tour, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

He might be Mr. Right, but their timing is all kinds of wrong…

Gideon Miller is done letting his heart do the thinking for him. Been there, done that, still has the emotional scars to prove it. Besides, he’s leaving Los Angeles soon. There’d be no point in starting up a new romance now. But when he meets the off-the-charts sexy, ex-military man next door, Gideon starts to question everything…

Isaiah Williams needs a fresh start. With his time in the Navy—and a painful, toxic relationship—behind him, he’s ready to start a new life. Now all he has to do is figure out how to keep his matchmaking mother out of his business…and how to not fall for his sweet, nerdy, and entirely too attractive neighbor…

They’re complete opposites with nothing but trust issues in common. Their timing? Terrible. And yet…none of that matters when they’re together. Will love be enough to get Gideon and Isaiah to happily ever after? Or are they destined to remain star-crossed?

“Gideon’s Wish, a standalone, steamy, lightly angsty, M/M contemporary romance, features a loveable, openly gay handyman and the not-so-openly gay alpha male of his dreams. HEA guaranteed. Download today and get ready to fall in love with your next favorite read.”

Publisher: Cornbread Publishing

Release Date: Saturday, May 1 2021

Page Count: 364

Cover Artist: Karrie Jax

Genres: Romance MM

Amazon 

“Your dad and I are so proud of you and the work you’ve done on the house. I admit, I thought your dad was crazy to want to take the loan out to do this…But it really looks nice.”

He knew she was referring to the latest pictures he’d sent her. Although he’d spent every bit of the twenty grand from the home equity loan they’d taken out for the project, they saved so much money in labor by him doing the work himself.

Gideon groaned into the receiver. He hated talking money with her. It was always ‘we can’t afford that.’ “Well, I wanted to talk to you and Dad about the master bathroom. I was thinking we should redo the bathroom before we put it back up for rent. I can pay for it with the money I’m making, and…” The sound of a door closing caused Gideon to look over his shoulders, out the window, and into the carport that he and his neighbor, Daisy, shared.

Jesus! Gideon’s lower jaw dropped as he stared at the young man coming out of Daisy’s house holding a trash bag. Shirtless, his gorgeous brown chest muscles were like two rounded mountains.

As the guy walked across the carport, Gideon’s eyes traced down his picture-perfect six-pack abs to a tapered waist and strong thighs. He had the classic military hair cut, trimmed short all the way around except for the top of his head.

“Hold on! Your father’s walking in. Talk to him about that. I love you!”

“I love you, too,” he tried to say before she was gone. As he waited for his dad to get on the phone, Gideon now remembered Daisy saying last week that her son, Isaiah, was coming home and would be staying with her until he got on his feet. Was this who this gorgeous specimen of a man was?

Gideon’s gaze fell below the guy’s waist. Holy shit! What the hell is that swinging in his black nylon gym shorts? Obviously, commando under the tight shorts, the sheer size of it sent blood flooding into Gideon’s own groin.

The man’s warm chestnut skin tone complimented his black hair and thin, neatly-trimmed mustache that dropped to his jaw line. If this was indeed Isaiah, he was way better-looking than his brothers and in great shape. He was all kinds of sexy.

What a cute read!
I completely fell in love with Gideon and Isaiah….they are seriously the cutest.
Let’s discuss….

Gideon is in town only long enough to fix up his grandma’s house that the family inherited, so they can rent it out and hopefully make some money to use towards their tourist destination in the rainforest, where he lives with his mom, dad and brother. The rainforest and nature and the family business has been his life and up until now, he’s been okay with that.

Following a slimy ex and then getting sick and staying for treatment under the guise of working on the house was more apt to say but his family didn’t know that. I truly felt for him and I liked that Gideon wasn’t a perfect character, but one with what some might consider a flaw or two that would take an understanding partner to come to terms with.

When we meet Isaiah, I wasn’t sure what to think of him. Gorgeous ex-navy man, he’s staying with his mother while he’s back in town and studying to graduate the police academy… Gideon is their neighbor and though he isn’t typically Isaiah’s type, he doesn’t deny that he’s smitten with him the moment he lays eyes on him. He tries to talk himself out of it, but Gideon is so charming and so unexpectedly cute, he can’t help but fall for him….. and calling him Puppy…. I loved that.

Unfortunately, the more time these two spend with each other, the deeper their feelings grow, and that sucks because eventually, Gideon has to get back to his family. He can’t stay… no matter how much he wants to… See, the tourist destination thing is his family’s dream… or his dads, I should say… not his. He just doesn’t want to disappoint them. He knows that his dad is getting up there in age and he’s expected to take things over when his dad can no longer do it. Meeting Isaiah made him want things he couldn’t have….for more than one reason.

This was a really sweet read with very little angst and it was exactly what I needed today. I won’t tell you all how it ends or give any more details, (like I like doing because I have no self-control) but I’ll say that if you like sweet couple’s who find their way to forever, this is the one for you. What a cute ending as well. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of these two and their families.

5 pieces of eye candy

Bryan T. Clark is a hopeless, perpetual, unceasing, relentless, unremitting, persistent, interminable romantic. He is a voracious reader who is blessed with an innate love of writing and who, after over 30 years, remains madly in love with the man of his dreams. So, it is no surprise then, that his passion in life is writing captivating and engaging romantic dramas about men who love men. He is committed to bringing his readers stories of real life, with multicultural characters, riveting plots, and of course, what we all desire…ever-lasting love. A multi-published, Rainbow Award winning author and a 2x LAMBDA Literary Finalist, he is also a funny, loving, family-oriented, and a proud member of the LGBTQ community. He is the founder of Cornbread Publishing Inc. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Bryan and his husband of thirty-six years have made their home and life in the Central Valley of California.

Author Website: https://www.btclark.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/btclarkauthor

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/BryanTClarkx2

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romanceauthor

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53309216-far-away

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Nothing Special VIII: SWAT Ed.: Fox & Bull by A.E. Via: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review *2 and Giveaway

by

A fox can set many traps to catch his target—but this one only needs one to catch his.

Dominic “Bull” Walker is used to the simpler things in life. Give him his own land to work, a strong horse, and twelve hours of daylight, and he is a contented man. But when someone threatens to take away the successful ranch that took him two years to rebuild, he’ll accept any help he can get to defend it.

Mandel “Fox” Tucker is a sixth-generation SWAT soldier. It’s embedded in his bones to protect and serve his community. So when he gets word of the vandalism occurring on the Walker Ranch, he quickly volunteers the free time he has, thanks to his recent suspension.

The brief visit Fox had with Bull four months ago had been a contentious—but powerful—encounter. Therefore, he’s not surprised when he shows up on his doorstep unannounced and has to pull out some of his best tricks to get past the six-foot-four, stubborn Texan.

Fox is only there to safeguard what’s most important to Bull. But being on the ranch brings an awareness to him that he embraces with both hands. Nature, peace… love—things he never found in the city.

This book contains the love story of two new characters. It is a part of a series but can be read as a standalone.
There are no multiple pairings or sharing. Ends in a very HEA.
Trigger Warning: Mild police violence. Scenes are not graphic.

Amazon US – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK – Kindle Unlimited

“Hey,” Fox said, staring up at him. “I’m going to find who did this…and when I do…I’m going to make ’em pay.”

Bull realized Fox was almost standing on top of him they were so close. But his aura exuded protectiveness and power that Bull needed whether he wanted to admit it or not. “I haven’t made any enemies, Fox. I’m not that kinda man. I don’t go looking for trouble.”

“You don’t have to, Bull. Sometimes trouble comes looking for you.”Fox nodded towards the house where a couple of Bull’s maintenance workers were tacking plywood over the missing window. “Let’s go inside and eat breakfast, then we can work out what you’re gonna tell your employees.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like. I don’t want you to tell anyone I’m a cop. Not yet anyway. It’s best to let people feel comfortable around me, and no one is ever comfortable talking to a detective,”Fox said. “We’ll just say I’m here doing land surveys. No one really knows what those guys do in that line of work. I think their job is to just walk around on land. Besides, you don’t want a small town spreading gossip that you got a detective snooping around your place of business.”

“That would definitely turn people off from bringing their kids around here. I can’t afford to lose any business right now. Especially during the cold season,”Bull said gravely. 

“Then let’s hope it doesn’t take me long.”Fox put his hand on Bull’s shoulder and squeezed, the firm, reassuring touch reaching him even through his thick black Carhartt coat. 

“Yeah. Let’s hope,”Bull muttered as he followed Fox back to the house because there was nothing else he could do. He’s only been here a few minutes, and he’s already talking about hurrying up. If that wasn’t enough for Bull to get his head out of the clouds, he didn’t know what would be. At thirty-three, Bull was in the settling-down phase of his life. And men like Fox were not catchable.

We, as a fandom, have been eagerly awaiting this book. The sparks between Fox and Bull were just too hot to ignore.

Most of Ms Via’s books- especially involving the SWAT guys or the guys from narcotics- are action packed roller coasters. This one is tame by comparison. But it works because this story is 99.8% set on Bull’s ranch.

Fox volunteers to check out the ranch after he is benched at work again. Also handy since he has had the hots for Bull since he met him.

Instead of our usual cast of characters, this time we get Bull’s father, their housekeeper, Bull’s best friend, and other random ranch hands.

Don’t worry. God and Day and the others make more than one appearance. But Atlanta PD is not the main focus here.

Instead the focus is on Fox and Bull dancing around each other, figure out who is vandalizing the ranch and Fox figuring out where he belongs.

The heat was NOT turned down at all in this book compared to others. Ms Via can write a sex scene as well as she can write an action scene. Both keep you glued to the pages.

If you are a fan, you’ll definitely want to read. And this really can be read as a stand alone, but going back to book 1 is not a waste of time at all.

4 pieces of eye candy

Sighhhh, I love all of them. I’m always ready for more of this series!

You know how you’re waiting for something for a long time and then you finally get it and then you’re kinda scared of it because you want it to be everything you hyped it up to be but are scared it won’t be? Yeah… this isn’t like that. This was well worth the wait and definitely worth the read.

I’ve been intrigued by Fox and Bull since we were first introduced to them and I loved getting to know them both better in this one. I’m going to try to be as spoiler free as I can because I got in a little bit of trouble in my last review and I don’t want to do that again lol

So, first, Fox and Bull had already known each other and I like the meet again scenario that’s a little different in this book. I also really dig a hot cop and a cowboy because uhmm, duh. Why are we not funding more of this?

I absolutely adored Fox, though my heart hurt for him and all he’d been through and put up with to get where he was. I loved Bull for being this sort of safe place for him.

I loved catching up with some of the rest of the guys, even though I was a little torn with my normally unwavering love for God in this one. I didn’t think that could ever happen, but jeez, what a jerk (this is not the first name I called him but it’s the one safest for my review LOL) I can see where he was coming from, the tiniest bit, but I really felt like he was trying to come in between these two and I really didn’t like that. It clouded my opinion of him slightly, though I still love him so… ya know…

Sidenote: I did not like Dale. I’m not fond of love triangles and I was worried that this one would be. It wasn’t, thankfully, but I still wasn’t a fan of him.

I like the way things progressed here, it was a slow burn, and I feel like it was what both of them needed because both were afraid of getting hurt. I loved their witty banter (especially Fox and Dale) and how fun it was watching them learn to trust each other and slowly give in to their feelings for one another.

It was really sweet as much as it was dirty and sexy and all the other fun words that you expect from Queen V. (Can we call her that? I think that should be a thing)

Anyway… I’m not sure that anyone will ever top Ruxs and Green for me, but these two were entertaining, sweet, heartbreaking, funny and I was really rooting for them. I liked that there wasn’t a lot of angst and though there was drama, it wasn’t enough to make me think that they wouldn’t come out together in the end. I loved the ending and other than a brief wtf moment from God, it was perfect!

A great addition to an already amazing series that I cannot wait to start all over and re-read them again!

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. 

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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Always (Single Dads #4) by RJ Scott: Release Day Review

by

Lives change in an instant, but with family found and forever love, there is always hope.

Impetuously putting his life on the line, Adam saved a child trapped in a car wreck and suffered career-ending injuries. Living with chronic pain, and at his lowest moments, he had friends who wouldn’t let him give up, a family who had his back, and even though his future was different from what he’d always planned, he at least had hope. When Cameron and Finn land on his doorstep, he never dreamed that he would fall in love with the small family or that maybe he’d get to be a hero again.

Cameron goes from being a devoted husband to a single dad overnight. With his neatly planned future in ruins, he will do anything to make a new life for his son, even if it means moving to the other side of the country. Renting a room from Adam is the first step in making a home for him and Finn, but falling for the former firefighter was never part of the plan.

The shadows from Cameron’s past might take a long time to touch this fragile future, but will he have to face the consequences alone when they do? Or will there always be hope?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Siiiiiiigh, single dads are my trigger.

Is there anything sexier than a hot dad? I mean, really?
I say no… especially when you have a protective one, like Cam. Let’s discuss.

Cam’s life falls apart when his husband is accused of murder and losing millions of his clients money, leaving Cam and his son, Finn, fending for themselves against an angry mob of New Yorkers that swear he knows where their lost money is. He doesn’t…. he just put his trust in the wrong man and it destroyed him. Forced to start over and keep his son safe, an old childhood best friend gives him a safe place to land and get back on his feet, even if the blow out between them has Cam having second thoughts about it. With no other option and a kid to think of, they hop on a bus and move cross country to California, with Adam.

Now, Adam was a firefighter, I’m sure you’ll remember him, he’s friends with Eric, Leo and the rest of the hotties that used to live in his house… but he was injured on the job and is struggling with chronic pain and finding where he fits in now that he can’t do the hero stuff anymore. Fortnately, Nick volunteered his (Adams) house as safe spot for them to land, knowing that since the falling out with Cam a while back, he wouldn’t want to stay with him…. This is where Adam and Cam (and Finn) meet.

First things first…. I love Adam… I love how sweet and sensitive he is, and I love how quickly he falls for Cam and his son. I love how he wants to protect them and even though Cam has his heart set on leaving as soon as everyone in New York forgets his name, he can’t help but fall for Adam too.

This is probably my favorite story of the series and I just loved these two together. I wanted to shake Cam a time or two, but as a one time single mother, I can one hundred percent see where he was coming from. He hadn’t planned on staying and his kid was his number one priority… he already felt as though he let him down once, he didn’t want to do it again. Cute right?

Anyway….I won’t give away the whole story, but I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the other guys I’d missed from previous books, it was nice to see them all again… Overall, great read! If you love single dads, cute kids and slow burning romances, this one is totally for you. If you haven’t read the others, I would suggest doing that too, cuz they’re all really great!

5 pieces of eye candy

Bounce (Outback Boys Book 2) by Becca Seymour: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

by

Standoffish Aiden is content keeping people at a distance and ensuring his boundaries are impenetrable. There’s safety in not opening up, but there’s also a loneliness he doesn’t realise exists until he meets Riley, a new member of the LGBTQI+ adventure group Outback Boys.

Fascinated by the new guy, Aiden is quick to discover his flirtation skills are rusty and his sweet-talking is cringeworthy. But sweet and clumsy Riley doesn’t seem to mind so much.

Even though Riley doesn’t quite know how to handle Aiden’s intensity, he’s willing to step out of his comfort zone and see how their tentative friendship unravels.

Between a surf lesson that resembles a kangaroo on acid and paddle boarding that is trickier than walking a tightrope, Aiden and Riley discover love may be a possibility after all.

Happiness relies on honesty and openness, though. And with both men holding on tightly to past struggles, their future together is at risk. Can the two Aussies bounce back and heal themselves and each other, or are some wounds too raw to recover from?

Outback Boys is a sweet and sexy M/M romance series complete with bruised butts, rope burn, and overworked muscles… all in the pursuit of adventure, of course!

Trigger Warning: Contains themes (discussions) of mental illness and suicide.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Stumble (Outback Boys Book 1)

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I turned to head towards Pete, only to catch my foot and stumble. I felt myself tumbling forwards, slow motion beginning to play out as I tried to move my hands to protect my face. Not even halfway down, I jerked abruptly, coming to a stop.

“Whoa there.” Aiden’s firm hands were on me, one arm wrapped around my chest. “You okay?”

Wide-eyed, I nodded, angling to face him. With Aiden wrapped around me, it was impossible not to see the green flecks in his grey eyes. “Yeah, thanks.”

He shifted, helping me get myself upright. With my face on fire, I was eager to escape, to hide behind Pete or perhaps jump in the river I could hear in the distance.

“I can be such a klutz.” I forced humour into my words, trying to overcome my mortification. “My parents used to legit carry a first aid kit with them everywhere we went, even if just to the supermarket as a kid. I once broke my little finger playing hopscotch.” My eyes swept over Aiden’s face, still so close his breath brushed against my skin. “Yeah, I know. Hopscotch. How’s that even possible, right?” I seriously needed to stop talking, else I’d end up telling him how I got circumcised after a devastating encounter with a zipper.

That thought had me stepping out of Aiden’s grasp. “Thank you,” I managed again. “For preventing me from bouncing on my arse or my face.” I turned abruptly, giving an awkward over-the-shoulder wave while trying not to spend too much time contemplating how strong Aiden must really be to prevent my backside from meeting dirt.

One thing I could be sure of, between him being untouchable and me being my usual charming, awkward self, it wouldn’t take long for Aiden to forget this encounter as well as my name.

I jumped into the second one without having read the first one first, but I’ve already got it and I cant wait to jump into it. If this one was any indication, I won’t be disappointed.

Okay, so, first things first… this story features Riley and Aiden, who meet at a weekend camping retreat or something like that. I forget what they called it but it was a weekend of adventures, like rock climbing, hiking, kayaking and outdoorsy stuff. I could sense that Riley wasn’t really much of the adventurous type normally but he’d gone with his friend Pete, who I was unsure of at first but grew to love, especially with the hard time he’s having, and I definitely filled out the survey at the end so we can hopefully get his story next… but I digress lol

So, at this adventurous weekend, Riley meets Aiden, who is a guide on said adventure, and he’s gorgeous and stacked and easy-going and though he’s the center of a lot of folks attention with his easy smile and friendly attitude, no one has captured his attention since he lost his partner a few years prior. I didn’t feel like it followed him around like a black cloud, but he definitely kept a part of himself back from people …..until Riley, that is.

The two had instant chemistry, and how could you not be completely smitten over Riley. He’s shy, clumsy, non-confrontational to a fault and there’s just this thing about him that you want to wrap him up in a little bubble and put him in your pocket… he’s so cute, I didn’t blame Aiden for taking an interest.

After the weekend is over, the two exchange numbers and though they live a good distance apart for driving every day and Aiden was living with his Pops (who is very outspoken and hilarious and cares about Aiden and soon after meeting him, Riley as well) but he’s running their cow farm or whatever it is cows do on farms or ranches or whatever… so it isn’t like the two can just pop out and meet up just anytime, but they do make an effort to spend time together through the week and get to know one another.

It’s easy-going for the most part, though both men do have some hang-ups that do cause a little hiccup… not a bump per se, but something they needed to work out before things progressed.

As I’ve noticed with any story I’ve ever read by this author, she does not disappoint. It of course, gets worked out and in the most perfectly swoon-worthy way possible.

Again, I was not disappointed… I adored this story. I adored Riley and Aiden, and I cannot wait to see what happens with Pete. He deserves some happy. <3

5 Pieces of Eye Candy 

Becca Seymour lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.

Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.

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Stumble (Outback Boys Book 1) by Becca Seymour: Quick Review

by

Trey has a problem he’s worked hard to manage. It involves not turning into a bumbling mess while around a gorgeous brown-haired man who’s way out of his league. Eight months’ practice from being part of the same LGBTQI+ adventure group, Outback Boys, means he’s perfected the skill.

That’s until an epic stumble makes his head spin and he throws all caution to the wind. But there’s no turning back now, especially since a snow-filled trip means they’re forced to spend even more time together.

Mark has no concerns about the changes unfolding between him and Trey, the giant of a man who’s adorably reserved. He’s been crushing on him for so long that he’s eager to explore more. But when their latest adventure is over and they fall back into the real world, balancing work, life, and a relationship proves more challenging than he envisioned.

Something has got to give, and neither man knows the best way ahead without upsetting the status quo. Can the two Aussies work their way through their new connection, or will they stumble at the first hurdle in their way?

Outback Boys is a sweet and sexy low-angst M/M romance series complete with bruised butts, rope burn, and overworked muscles… all in the pursuit of adventure, of course!

This title was originally part of the Winter Wonderland Giveaway. The Amazon version, however, includes new bonus content–two extended scenes and a must-read epilogue.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Release Date: March 27, 2021

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Hello, hot cover, I’d buy this book for you alone! In saying that… Trey and Mark were also adorable, so I definitely recommend!

Mark and Trey are regulars with the Outback adventure group and though they’re about as opposite as two people can be, their attraction to one another is obvious.

I love how open and assured Trey is, how he might be a tiny bit self-conscious or shy, his personality isn’t one to dwell on it and it makes for some pretty entertaining moments with Mark, who he not only has a crush on, but it’s made worse when an extra-long flight to the US has Mark going into protective mode and wanting to be there for Trey because he knows he’s afraid.

I loved how sweet and attentive Mark is even from the beginning. Having been on plenty of ski trips that his wealthy life has provided him, he didn’t mind a bit to stay on the easier slopes and watch Trey attempt to try to learn without hurting himself and he just enjoyed spending time with Trey, no matter what they were doing.

Another thing I loved is Mark’s easy-going and laid-back nature. Money wasn’t a problem between them, though it could’ve been and so often is when there’s a good gap in income, what with stubborn male pride and all that, but there was none of that here. It was perfectly handled, I think, where Trey just took everything with a good humor and didn’t make it a big deal either. I like that.

I also liked Mark’s family and accepting they were of Trey, and though there is an ex that pops up a time or two, I liked that he basically stayed in the background and the story stayed low-angst and just sweet.

I haven’t read any story by this author that I didn’t adore, and this one was no different. Such a sweet ending too, I cannot wait to see what happens with Pete, I really hope the next story is about him!

Overall, a great start to what I know will be an amazing series!

5 Pieces of Eye Candy