Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

author

Treble Maker (Perfect Harmony Book 1) by Annabeth Albert: Re-Release Review

by

He’s all about that bass…

Cody Rivers wants to be a music star. And this a cappella singing competition could be his best, last chance to make it happen. However, his punk style and rocker attitude don’t exactly fit in with the world of clean-cut, wholesome a cappella groups or reality music TV shows. Even worse, a bumbling bass singer from a rival group might be his undoing.

Lucas Norwood isn’t cut out to be a star. He’s content being in the background of his college a cappella group, trying not to trip over his feet while attempting to fit in with his more conservative friend group. He’s also determined not to let Cody’s barbs—or his smoking hot good looks—get to him.

When the show forces them to work together, their chemistry is undeniable, both on and off the stage. But giving into their attraction may have real consequences, especially with elimination looming. Will making their dreams come true mean losing each other?

Treble Maker was previously published. This version has received a light editing update, but otherwise it’s the same fan-favorite story. Contains two rival musicians who couldn’t be more opposite, first time feel, plenty of steam, and a guaranteed happy ending.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Treble Maker was Annabeth Albert’s first published book. It has been rereleased with very small changes. I might have read it already, but because of my fabulous memory and the amount of books I read, I don’t remember it. That isn’t a bad thing.

As such, I am going to review this as if it was her first book. Because I liked it, but I didn’t love it. And I found some parts problematic, which I probably wouldn’t have even noticed the first time around. The more you know and all that.

The scene is a reality show a cappella competition. Pitch Perfect on tv. Cody just wants to make it as a singer. If he has to gather together an a cappella group to do it, so be it. He isn’t great at sharing the spotlight though.

Lucas is the opposite. Quiet guy, part of a collegiate group. Said college is very conservative and religious and his father is a professor there who has a small amount of fame from books he has written. Lucas is gay. Even out. But he has chosen abstinence, as they are taught that being gay isn’t a sin. It’s that “gay lifestyle” that is.

This is my problematic part. Cody really pushes Lucas. Pushes him into something he said he didn’t want. Or wanted, but wouldn’t act on. BUT being that when this was first published, the idea of explicit consent wasn’t really at the forefront.

So the story is split between the competition and rehearsing for it, and Cody pushing Lucas’ boundaries.

It was a fun story overall and once Lucas was all in with the sexy times- whew! It was hot. Lucas had a little kink that Cody had no problem working with and playing to which lead to some incredibly steamy scenes.

I also enjoyed Lucas taking a stand for himself with his parents toward the end of the book. I always root for someone standing up for themselves.

If you want to know how Annabeth Albert started off, or if you just enjoy a fun story, give it a go.

3.5 Pieces of Eye Candy

Right Move: A Gay Cowboy Romance (Clean Slate Ranch Book 6) by A.M. Arthur: New Release Review

by

Opposites attract in this sexy, slow-burn romance, the next installment in A.M. Arthur’s fan-favorite Clean Slate Ranch series.

Levi Peletier is settled—for now. With his life on the rodeo circuit reined in, he’s content doing trick riding demos for tourists at Clean Slate Ranch and spending his off-hours with three finicky felines. It’s a life he’s grateful for, one that keeps his heart safe.

George Thompson couldn’t be less like the ruggedly sexy Levi. A onetime figure skating star, he’s hung up his skates to live in introverted anonymity in San Francisco. An effort to shake up his regular routine finds him at Thanksgiving dinner, dude ranch style, and he immediately falls in love with the gorgeous view—the wide-open spaces and big blue sky aren’t bad, either.

The country cowboy and the stay-put city boy strike up an unlikely friendship that blossoms into something more. But getting attached is a bad idea. Because the open road is calling to Levi, and it’s a call George can’t imagine answering. When the past catches up to them, this odd couple will have to decide if a future together is worth fighting for.

Amazon

Carina Press

The Clean Slate Ranch series is branching out. This time we get to know more about the twins in the upstairs apartment that we met in the previous book. And Levi, the trick rider we also met previously. This is part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone.

George and Orry are twins who are very quiet and keep to themselves. But, by association, get involved with the Clean Slate Ranch “family”. A big Thanksgiving dinner and an injured cat bring George and Levi together. Even though George is a complete introvert and is bordering on agoraphobia and Levi is outgoing and loves the outdoors.

Levi slowly romances George without even meaning to, I don’t think. But the calls and lunches are definitely romantic. Levi is hesitant because of the age difference and because George is so shy. But with Levi, he slowly comes out of his shell.

I really like how Levi was portrayed. He has done a lot of soul searching the past 4 years after a tragedy and you can tell by the way he speaks how mindful he is. “I hear you and I respect that”. Very new age-y, hippyish, but it totally works for him.

Even though we got to know George, I don’t feel like his story was fully told.

Ugh, sometimes when you are “friends” with an author, reviews can be difficult. There is nothing wrong with this book at all. It is written well, there is a good romance, hot sex, care and respect given to past traumas and current virginities. There are even cute cats. And even though I liked the book and will recommend it- especially for followers of the author and/or series, it might be time to put the Clean Slate Ranch out to pasture.

3.5 Pieces of Eye Candy

The Captain’s Snowbound Christmas by Catherine Curzon & Eleanor Harkstead: New Release Review

by

A Captivating Captains story

Will Reuben be unwrapping a captain this Christmas?

Reuben’s a makeup artist who’s much in demand in the business, from making the beautiful even more gorgeous, to creating an alluring love-scene glow. All of his Christmas wishes come true at once when he’s hired to work on the set of his favorite TV show. And not only that, but on the swoony Christopher Manners.

Bunny is lusted after by millions as the brooding hero of television’s Captain Firth adventures. His manly swash and handsome buckle have earned him a legion of fans and when he strides onto the screen and commands, “draw your sword, sir”, it’s time to get down to business.

When Reuben and Bunny’s first date turns into a disaster, it looks as though the show’s over before it’s begun, but a blizzard, a mysterious bearded man in a red coat and a hot winter night combine to give them a second chance.

Amazon

Pride Publishing

Holiday romances are my favorite. And there were so many to choose from this year! I only was able to read a few of them, but this one was a must read, because I love when these authors co-write. It is seamless to me, and that isn’t always the case with books that are co-authored.

I have to start with poor Rueben. We’ve all been in the situation he was in (well maybe not that exact situation), when you open your mouth, and the wrong thing comes out…despite all your best intentions. That was bound to happen…poor Rueben…and it did. It almost waylaid the budding romance with Bunny (which by the way, this was just a bit of an odd nickname for the MC, it threw me a big). However, thanks to a little bit of car trouble, and a little bit of the old Christmas magic, they were able to find their way to each other.

This novella was all kinds of gooey, and fluffy, and happy, and that’s exactly what we need during the holidays, and really all the time right now. I will probably re-read this in July, when it’s sweltering outside, and I can fall into the joy of a little Christmas love.

4 pieces of eye candy

Limits and Stakes by Jacqueline Grey: Exclusive Author Guest Post and Excerpt

by

Professor Danny Stone doesn’t date students. Though the university does not forbid such relationships, he’d rather be safe than sorry, but with his sparkling blue eyes and silky blond hair, Christopher Owen is a temptation begging him to break the rules. He already bent them when he kissed Chris over winter break.

Spring break will be different. Danny’s plan is to spend the week at a BDSM club a few towns over. Playing with a sub or two who have no connection to his university will do him a world of good, and he can put Chris out of his mind.

But when the first sub that catches his eye turns out to be Christopher, Danny’s willpower is put to the ultimate test. Chris is brand new to the scene and feels safest with Danny. Will Danny be able to introduce him to the wonders of BDSM without crossing too many lines? Or will fate pull them together and show them sometimes rules are destined to be broken?

Title:  Limits and Stakes

Series: Suit of Harte’s, Book Three

Author: Jacqueline Grey

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: 12/21/2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 32500

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, BDSM, Gay, Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Exhibitionism, Bondage, Sensation Play, Professor/Student

Amazon

Nine Star Press

I am so happy to be here.

Today I thought I’d talk a little about memorable kisses. When working on Limits and Stakes, there was one scene that stuck in my mind.  It’s not even a scene, really, it’s a memory of Chris and Daniel’s first kiss:

The small details of that moment were forever embedded in his mind. One evening during winter break, they’d come across each other outside the math building on campus. He couldn’t recall why they’d lingered. All he remembered was huddling in his coat against the winter chill and then not caring about the weather as he became entranced by the puffs of air dancing between them as they spoke, the rosy color on Chris’s cheeks, and the sparkle in his clear blue eyes. There had been silence all around them when the conversation had hit a lull and a pull, an irresistible urge that had driven him to kiss a student.

Reading this paragraph made me thing of some of the memorable kisses in my life. Somehow, they always seem to be first kisses. My first kiss ever (with one of the sweetest boys I’ve known), my first kiss with a girl (she was either drunk or high and it wasn’t the best, but I won’t forget it), my first kiss with my best friend in high school (she was HOT and knew how to kiss)…

I did a lot of kissing in high school.  In college too, but those seem to be less memorable. After college my most memorable kiss was the one I waited seven years for. I thought he was hot since the moment I met him and whenever we’d see each other we would flirt so intensely people thought we’d started sleeping together the first day we met. After a few years he became one of my best friends, but although we were close and attracted to each other, we never crossed the line. Until one day, seven years later, we were sitting on the balcony of his hotel room at an anime convention.  He was dressed in a suit with a tie (I have no idea what I was wearing). Everyone else was inside the room, and I just couldn’t get over how hot he looked. We were flirting and teasing each other, and I kept playing with his tie. Eventually I decided to give in to the attraction. We ended up making out on the balcony for a long time, and it had been totally worth the wait.

So, do you have special kisses you remember?

It was spring break, and Daniel Stone was enjoying a full week of student-free days. Dressed head-to-toe in tight black leather and itching to play, Daniel entered the Lock & Key. The club wasn’t as big as the one he’d been a member of before moving to Georgia, and membership wasn’t as exclusive, but it was well-recommended, and the staff kept an eye out for the patrons. Most of the members seemed to be well-versed in the lifestyle as well, enough to give him the confidence that, if he were to play with someone, they would at least know what they were doing or say something if they didn’t.

The club was a sufficient distance from where he worked, so he didn’t have to worry about being spotted as a familiar face outside of the scene. A BDSM club in a college town was not where a professor wanted to be found, no matter how liberal the residents claimed to be. A five-hour drive and the expense of a hotel room for the week was a worthy price for freedom.

He ordered a bottle of water and scanned the crowd for potential company. A small group of men caught his eye. Two of the three he disregarded immediately, but the third, a lean blond in the skimpiest pair of leather shorts he’d ever seen, held his attention. He was unable to tear his gaze from all that pale skin or the way the leather hugged his perfectly round bottom.

The boy was obviously new to the scene. There was uncertainty in his movements, but he was doing his best to keep up the conversation. Daniel had full confidence the young man would succeed. Anyone brave enough to go out in public in shorts like those could hold a simple conversation.

When the group moved toward the bar, Daniel finally saw the young man’s face. He froze in surprise. Of the students crowding Georgia State University campus, he now faced the one he’d wanted to avoid the most, the one he wanted to forget. Against his better judgment, he intercepted the group.

“Chris,” he said.

Chris Owen looked up at him, startled. His eyes widened in recognition, and his mouth fell open.

“Pr—” He stopped himself just in time. “Mr. Stone.”

Relief flooded through Daniel. He preferred to keep his daily life separate from the club and was glad it would remain that way.

“You know this kid?” asked one of the men. He stood too close to Chris for Daniel’s liking.

“Yes.” Daniel resisted the impulse to claim anything more. He had no right to claim anything, but his instincts wouldn’t let him back down completely. “My apologies for the interruption. I wasn’t aware Chris planned to be here today.”

The stranger scrutinized the young man, paying particular attention to his neck. “He’s not marked.”

“I’m instructing him,” Daniel said. Well, he had been. For half a semester, he’d tutored Chris in advanced calc, but that had changed after winter break. Either way, the details didn’t apply here. He clutched at straws with half-truths, but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to know why Chris was there and what he had in mind. He wanted to keep the boy safe.

He wanted to keep him.

No. He’s a student. You promised him two months ago nothing would happen between the two of you, and now you’re trying to put a collar on him? Get a grip, Stone!

“Of course, he’s free to choose who he goes with,” Daniel added, attempting to pull himself out of the hole he’d been digging.

The other man looked at Chris expectantly. Chris flickered his eyes back and forth between them, seemingly lost on how to answer. Daniel put a hand on his shoulder.

“You can continue to the bar as you were, or you can take a tour of the club with me. Which do you want to do? There is no wrong choice.”

“I…” Chris’s gaze locked on Daniel’s. “I…” He swallowed. “I want to go with you.”

There was a tsk from behind Chris, but Daniel ignored it. He also did his best to ignore the sense of triumph running through him.

“Follow me,” he said and headed toward the bar.

“I thought we were going for a tour.”

“One step at a time, boy.” Daniel ordered another water, then scanned the room for somewhere to sit. When the bartender put the drink on the counter, Daniel left it for Chris to pick up and led the way toward the table he’d found. He was glad to hear the crinkle of plastic as Chris followed. The seating he’d chosen had a semblance of privacy. Daniel took the chair against the wall and gestured for Chris to take the other.

“Now, I take it this is what you meant about trying new things over spring break?” he asked.

The boy flushed red. “I… Yes. I’ve always wanted to come here and finally worked up the courage to do it.”

“You did more than that.” Daniel dropped a pointed glance in the direction of Chris’s shorts.

The color in Chris’s face deepened. “You’re not gonna tell anyone, are you?”

“I believe a person’s private life is their own business.”

“Thanks.”

Daniel took a sip of his water. After a moment, Chris did the same. Daniel caught himself staring when Chris licked his lips. He’d kissed that mouth.

The small details of that moment were forever embedded in his mind. One evening during winter break, they’d come across each other outside the math building on campus. He couldn’t recall why they’d lingered. All he remembered was huddling in his coat against the winter chill and then not caring about the weather as he became entranced by the puffs of air dancing between them as they spoke, the rosy color on Chris’s cheeks, and the sparkle in his clear blue eyes. There had been silence all around them when the conversation had hit a lull and a pull, an irresistible urge that had driven him to kiss a student. Granted, Chris was a grad student and not in any of Daniel’s classes, but Daniel had been his tutor at the time. Even if he hadn’t, Chris was still a student at the college where Daniel worked, and that wasn’t something Daniel was comfortable with. Recklessness led to trouble, and so he’d pulled away. Yet here was that face again, looking at him so openly as if the kiss had never happened and Daniel hadn’t ruined an innocent student-teacher relationship.

He mentally shook himself from his reverie. “Did you have anything in mind when you came here tonight, or was getting through the door the main goal?”

Chris’s blush deepened. “That seemed to be a big enough goal to start with.”

“Now that you’ve accomplished it, what do you plan to do next?”

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

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

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

http://jacquelinegrey.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JacquelineGreyBooks

https://twitter.com/jacqueline_grey

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

 

Angels in the City by Garrett Leigh: New Release Review

by

A fake relationship with a stranger. An office romance with doughnuts and white knights. An addictive arrangement—friends with benefits—fast turns to love.

Jonah Gray is rich, successful, and the most eligible bachelor in the city, according to his mother, at least. But the truth is, despite her efforts to pair him off, he’s fine on his own. All he needs is a date to the Christmas ball.

Sacha Ivanov is a lone wolf, content in the cycle of long days, late nights, and anonymous hook ups, but when a chance encounter in a broken-down lift brings a gorgeous copper-haired CEO into his life, everything begins to change.

As Christmas fast approaches, a favour for a stranger blooms into something more. He doesn’t do second dates or relationships. But for kind-hearted Jonah, his angel in the city, he might just change his mind.

Angels in the City is a Christmas themed MM friends-to-lovers, forced proximity, office romance. Expect fraught days, steamy nights, and true love built around festive snacks and Christmas trees.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Fake boyfriends is always a fun trope. But these guys were strangers to fake boyfriends in 20 minutes! And then fake boyfriends to a one night stand. But they work in the same building on the same floor and share the same break room.

Sacha is a Russian expat living in London. Everyone thinks he is grumpy and scary. But Jonah saw the real Sacha when they first met. It’s the Sacha that keeps drawing Jonah in.

This was Christmas themed, but definitely not just only a Christmas book. In fact, I loved that Sacha (being Russian) doesn’t even celebrate Christmas. It’s nice to see a character that is different from the norm.

Something that surprised me- the low angst! Garrett Leigh is a master of angst! But nope, except for a mother who died when he was young and a father he doesn’t speak to, there was no drama!

Being that it was tame, there was also quite a bit about their respective jobs. Those parts were a little boring. I don’t want to sit in on meetings at my own job, let alone fictional ones.

Overall, a fairly feel good, low angst, Christmas is involved story.

3.5 Pieces of Eye Candy

A String of Lights (Naughty or Nice?) by Alexa Milne: New Release Review

by

Sometimes loves shines a light.

Devlyn Collins lives with his mum and stepdad in the north of England. He goes out with his mates, drinks a bit too much and works for his Uncle Sid. The trouble is, he’s begun to think he wants more.

Henry Ward is a man with a secret—he’s a multi-millionaire who owns a landed estate on the edge of Exmoor, thanks to a massive win on the lottery. He’s also a man with a mission, determined to restore Secoombe Hall and village and find out how he shares a history with the place. He’s too busy for love.

Christmas brings these two men together when Henry offers Sid and Dev silly money for a last-minute job of putting up Christmas lights. Dev doesn’t expect to meet an attractive man in this small village and Henry expects them to be just strangers, passing for one night only.

But events conspire to bring Dev back to the village…and keep him there for Christmas. Will this be just a holiday romance, or could it develop into something more?

Amazon

Pride Publishing

I kind of live for the holiday stories every year. I am definitely an HEA, low angst, reader. I don’t mind insta-love, and definitely want some of the fluffy reads. Keep them coming, I say.

This one, although not quite insta-love, qualifies for me as one of those types of stories. Dev doesn’t mind working for his uncle, although you can tell it isn’t his dream job, but putting up the lights…that he really enjoys. Meanwhile, Henry, with money he received from lottery winnings (by the way, I applaud the author for not making the money between the siblings be a source of contention, that would have been disappointing) found this estate that spoke to him and did everything he could to fix it up, make it a place for tourists to come, and locals to feel at home, all in secret.

I loved that Dev was confident in himself, he never felt like he wasn’t worthy of someone’s affections. Meanwhile Henry, besides his millionaire side, also had a little bit of a bad boy side underneath his sweet little sweaters.

This story gave me such joy. I loved reading about the town (and definitely would love to read more about it…maybe the pastor???), the townpeople, as well as the MC’s…and the sassy cat who wouldn’t go back outside. 🙂 Definitely a stand alone, and will give you all the happy feels.

4 pieces of eye candy for me.