Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

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Deck The Palms (An Annabeth Albert Christmas) by Annabeth Albert: New Release Review

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Nolan Bell has a very Merry problem this holiday season…

As a native New Yorker, I’ve always dreamed of my name in lights on Broadway. But when my Army officer brother calls in a favor, I wind up in Hawaii to help his family while he’s deployed.

A winter in paradise doesn’t sound too bad until I become the substitute choir teacher at a middle school near the base. Wrangling a bunch of tweens while planning the annual school holiday lights festival is a far cry from playing Peter Pan.
Enter Merrick “Merry” Winters, the school’s grumpy but hot shop teacher. I can win over any audience, but Merry’s a tough sell. And I need his help to make the festival successful.

The more time I spend with Merry, the less grumpy he seems, and the more I like the guy. He’s the third generation of a legendary North Shore surfing family. He’s committed to raising his twin boys on the island as a single dad. And like me, he doesn’t have time for an inconvenient but undeniable attraction.

As disasters pile up, the only holiday magic Merry and I seem to be making is with each other. What starts as a harmless fling becomes the only present I want under my tree.

If I want this romance to last past New Year’s, I have to decide which dreams are truly worth chasing.

Can Merry and I catch a wave for a future together before the sun sets on this holiday season?

A brand-new holiday romance from the author of the beloved The Geek Who Saved Christmas starring two middle school teachers in over their heads in an opposites-attract, fish-out-of-water romance. Deck the Palms features a slightly grumpy single dad and a sunny city slicker navigating family dynamics amid holiday small-town romance vibes with a side of Hawaiian sunshine. Guaranteed low-angst, feel-good, happy ending with a heaping helping of holiday spice!

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This book was so fun! First, I LOVE that it was set in Hawaii. Unexpected just because in the US, Christmas usually means snow and cutting down a tree and hot chocolate and ice skating. But with this we got the rainy season, a foil tree, Hawaiian shaved ice and surfing.

Another thing I loved is that the native New Yorker was Mr Sunshine and the Hawaiian born was Grumpy. These guys were raised completely opposite. One hippie surfer family, the other uptown NY snobs. Luckily Nolan doesn’t take after his snobby parents.

There’s also twin boys who are pranksters, nieces who Nolan is helping with while his sister in law recovers from giving birth for the third baby and a charter school that has seen better days. Oh, and throw a holidays lights show incorporating all of the kids.

Ms Albert doesn’t shy away from the realities of living in Hawaii. From the Naval base to the natives being priced out of their island and the over running tourism. And she did that without being preachy at all. She also shows us different parts of the island. From the surfing on the north shore to the tourism of the bigger cities and the realities of so many teachers working a second job just to afford the rent.

Working together on the holiday show gives Nolan and Merry time to explore being together. Even for a short time. Because Nolan is going back to Broadway, right? Wink wink

I think this was my favorite Christmas book this year.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Ice & Sweet: An MM Christmas Romance by Charlie Novak: New Release Review

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Falling for my crush at my ex’s Christmas wedding? Piece of cake!

Making the cake for my ex-fake boyfriend turned best friend’s wedding the week before Christmas was easy. Carting it halfway across England in the snow was not. Especially not when a blown-out back tyre leads to me coming face to face with my long term crush for the first time in five years.

I’ve known André since his days of boyband superstardom, but since I was supposed to be dating one of his bandmates, I was never able to act on my feelings. But now we’re both single and stuck in a hotel for the weekend with our interfering friends who seem determined to push us together.

But maybe André and I don’t need a push. Maybe all we need is a chance to see if the spark we felt all those years ago is still there.

After all, it is Christmas. And that means anything could happen.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

This book just made me happy. The two main characters are connected to other side characters we know. So that brought in mentions of other characters who already had their happily ever after. But they stayed out of the way and didn’t demand the spotlight. So even though we didn’t know Andre and Luke, they are still part of the world we know in Charlie Novak’s books.

Being that the book started at a wedding two weeks before Christmas, I was thrilled to know that this wasn’t a two strangers meeting romance or an enemies to lovers romance or even a friends to lovers romance.

Rediscovering each other as people, but on a different deeper level than before. Neither afraid of PDA or moving too fast or being too clingy. They also had a similar background, which put them on more of an even playing field, in terms of status. No worries there.

There were, in fact, no worries. Ok, a bit about their odd work schedules, but still. No worries, no angst, no drama. Just two guys falling in love right in time for Christmas.

4 pieces of eye candy

The Guy Next Door by Devon McCormack: Release Day Review

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ZANE

Is it wrong that I watch him?
Leif Anderson seems like a friendly, kind, normal, boy-next-door type.
Unlike me.
His stalker, a creep who moved into the place next to his parents’ house to keep an eye on him.
I’m not the bad guy, though.
I’m the one who will protect him.
The cops don’t believe he’s in danger.
Maybe they’re right, and this is all in my messed-up head.
I’ve been wrong before.
And no matter how I justify this to myself, my motives aren’t entirely pure.
It’s impossible to watch a guy this hot walking around in those adorable beanies without getting a little turned on.
When he discovers my secret surveillance, I’m sure it’s over.
No way he believes my reasons for watching him, but he doesn’t report me for my crime.
He’s curious about me in a way I don’t expect from a straight guy.
Or as I quickly learn, maybe not so straight.
Before I know it, we’re on a journey, exploring this wild, exciting part of Leif while I try to keep him safe from harm.
But the closer we get to one another, the more I wonder: what if it was all in my head?
What if no one’s coming for him?
What if the real threat to Leif is me, the guy next door?

*The Guy Next Door is a steamy romantic suspense but contains content that may trigger some readers. During the book’s preorder period, a complete content warning will be available on the author’s website. When the book is available for order, the warning will appear at the start of the book and can be viewed using the Look Inside feature.

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What drew me to this book was the mental health representation. And since both characters have mental health issues, I guess you can say it was represented. But I feel like a big opportunity was lost there.

Zane is the strange guy who moved in next door. Leif is taking time off of college after being hospitalized for mental health issues. Zane is definitely sketchy, even after his explanation. His whole reason for moving in next door just didn’t ring true.

I also didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between the 2 guys. Especially since Leif has always identified as straight. And the weirdness coming off of Zane.

That being said, I did like the basic premise of the story, I just wish it had played out differently. It wasn’t all that cohesive of a mystery.

Ultimately, did I think that Zane and Leif were cute together? Yes. Leif exploring his sexuality was fun. And the truest thing with the mental health rep (at least to me) was Leif’s parents checking in on him a little too much, which annoyed him.

Devon McCormack can write well, no doubt. The story just lacked a little for me.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

The Story of Danny Rose (Hillcroft Group Book 1) by Cara Dee: New Release Review

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The Hillcroft Group, #1 Standalone Age gap Military DD/lb
“Try to read his file from the Army from another perspective. Less stone-faced, devoid of emotion, SAS operator and more as…oh, I don’t know, the loving, caring, nurturing Dom that you are.”

There was nothing like kicking off your vacation by realizing someone had broken in to your cabin. More than that, he was waiting when you arrived.

This young guy had plagued my dreams when I’d spent two months with his detachment a couple years ago. He was cocky, volatile, and resourceful. Resourceful enough to track me down, piss me off, and get himself invited for steaks and beer.

I was quickly going to learn there was a lot more to him than being a soldier with boundary issues, though. Starting the moment I accidentally spotted a small stuffed animal in his backpack.

He changed everything. The story of Danny Rose went from anecdotes I occasionally shared with recruits, to…becoming my whole bloody life.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

This book was mostly what I had hoped for. Back to a couple who get together but take the time to get to know each other. Not immediately off to a Game at McLean House or in a scene.

Danny and Emerson met briefly years ago. Danny never forgot Emerson though and after he left the military, tracked him down. Partly because he wanted to be a PMC and partly because he just wanted him.

We got a brief bit of their story previously in a short involving the Tenley twins. This expands on that story. And while it was expanded, and I did enjoy it, the near immediate “I’m a little” and “I’m a Daddy” great, let’s explore that together immediately, was a bit too fast for me. Again, more flirting. More fun. The PMC guys need a little fun and joy in their lives. Also, more background into the characters.

Having the Tenley twins in the background of the story was really fun. Seeing them as 20 year olds, taking orders, being voyeurs without apology and getting insight into how they became the growly Doms we know and love was interesting.

We are also introduced to several characters I am sure will be coming up in future Hillcroft Group books, as well as some excellently placed Easter eggs. I hope that future books in this series can focus more on the couple and less on the missions they are sure to be on, but that remains to be seen.

4 pieces of eye candy

Yes Guy by Barbara Elsborg: New Release Review

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Saying No has to stop!

Heath’s negative attitude leads to the loss of his boyfriend, his job and the place he calls home. Now he’s determined to be a yes guy. Yes, he’d love to flat sit while the owner is away, though one look at the horrendous mess and after a painful tussle with a belligerent cat, he wishes he’d stuck to his usual no.

No is the last thing Tristan expects to hear when he proposes in front of his boyfriend’s friends and family. Humiliated, he hides out in his brother’s empty flat without asking, because does he really need to hear another no?

What he needs is a guy who’ll say yes…yes…yes… Could that be Heath?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

This was a fun little romance filled with tropes that were cute and funny without being cheesy.

Two fairly epic break ups lead to the one apartment one bed thing. Also one guy finding the other naked in the tub. And he just gets in as well. Why not?

Even though Heath and Tristan are not on an even playing level, orphan versus happy family, business owner versus accountant, financially unequal as well. But literally none of that mattered. They were so perfect for each other that all of those disparages went away.

Sweet, cute, hot- very hot-, silly and funny that brings us to Christmas. Perfect pre-Christmas book to start getting us in the spirit.

4 pieces of eye candy

Black and Brown: Raven Assassins (Ravens Series Book 1) by AE Via: Release Day Review

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Grace’s composed, yet lethal disposition balances his partner Mirage’s impulsive nature, creating a duo—the second-generation Brown Ravens—with the potential for greatness.

Grace was one of the most decorated sharpshooters in the Marines. He’s fiercely committed to righting the wrongs that plague the world and protecting the innocent.
But there are too many rules and strict orders in the armed forces the Ravens don’t have.

Mirage left his world without a trace.

He has a brilliant mind and more degrees in science and medicine than one person could ever hope to obtain.
Now that the Ravens are done administering their treatments, Mirage can throw knives so fast they turn into phantom blades before he disappears in a way that leaves his enemies in chaos and confusion. And Grace can hit a target from three miles away.

When together, their form of silent communication in the field is astonishing. Grace’s subtle body movements speak their own language and his long, intense stares into Mirage’s grey eyes have created a special bond neither of them saw coming. A forbidden romance that won’t stop them from being the second-best assassins in the world.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Man, AE Via can write some morally gray characters like nobody’s business. And make us LIKE them.

I think her darkest were Ex and Meridian from, you guessed it, Ex Meridian in the Nothing Special series. Fans wanted more of these guys. And they wanted them now. We got a Valentine’s Day short. Too short. Enough to whet our appetites.

And now, finally, Black and Brown. A spin off of Ex Meridian. They are the first generation, the Blacks, part of a program that the government would deny knowledge of that shaped these two into perfect assassins through training and medicine.

And the Browns. Second generation. We get to see these guys through the whole process. Well, we see Mirage from before he joined and Grace after he caught Mirage sneaking around. This agency exploited Mirage by offering vengeance for the deaths of his parents and also a way to take out the worst evil the world has. With Grace as his partner.

I loved these two as partners. Grace who says almost nothing with words and everything with his mind. But only Mirage understands. They way they work together, with Mirage a shadow behind Grace. It’s a carefully choreographed dance between them, until someone or someones, cut in.

The Blacks are deployed to the situation and the two teams are face to face.

It’s very James Bond, but way more lethal. Who to trust, who not to trust. Who to take out, who to keep alive. And in between all of that, Mirage and Grace develop a relationship they aren’t supposed to have. Because it was trained out of them, by drugs or conditioning. And yet, they are feeling it.

So we do get sweet scenes of going out to dinner, cooking together, and of course sexy times. Which are sometimes tender. Sigh

I would have liked to hear Grace’s back story like we got with Mirage. And maybe we will. Because one thing is for sure, well adjusted men aren’t recruited to be black ops assassins.

There’s a lot of unanswered questions at the end of the book. I wouldn’t call it a cliffhanger, but definitely unfinished. OF COURSE! Because the author likes to torture us! I kid, I kid. Sort of.

So yes, I definitely can’t wait for the next book.

4 pieces of eye candy