blog tour

Rex (Walkers of Coyote Ridge Book 6) by Nicole Edwards: Release Day Review

March 27, 2019 by Denise

Whether it was due to lack of funds, lack of desire, or one lame excuse after another, Rex Sharpe has managed to ignore the one and only dream he’s ever had: turning his family’s dilapidated old farmhouse into a bed and breakfast. Until now. When his cousin Travis Walker decides to invest in a venture that will help revitalize the small town of Coyote Ridge, Rex knows it’s time to put up or shut up.

They say third time’s a charm, right? Jack Cunningham learns that’s not always true. When his world is unexpectedly tipped on its axis, Jack does what he does best. He runs. Only this time, he doesn’t get far. A one-night encounter with a sexy cowboy has Jack’s already topsy-turvy world spinning even more, and he soon learns, it’s only the beginning.

Amazon

I read quite a few Nicole Edwards books back in the day. Now that I pretty strictly read MM, I read Ethan a few years ago and Beau last year. I enjoyed Ethan, Beau was ok. But this one was really, meh. I was bored.

The first three chapters are just first, Rex trying to talk himself into something, then the next is Jack trying to talk himself into something and then Rex again. Rex was trying to convince himself to work on his dream project. Turning his generational family home into a bed and breakfast. Not for nothing, but if you have had this dream since you were 13, probably you wouldn’t have to talk yourself into it.

Jack is trying to convince himself to go inside his apartment. Where fiance number 3 is. But he doesn’t want to. He should have listened to himself.

Jack and Rex meet at a bar. Cliche. Jack gets wasted and Rex drives him- a complete stranger- back to his hotel. But don’t worry, Rex would never take advantage of a drunk straight guy! He will let him nap for an hour or so first. *eye roll*

And now because there aren’t any hotel rooms anywhere around him, Jack ends up in Rex’s spare bedroom. Uh huh.

Have hot sex- walk away and ignore it. Flirt heavily- then turn a cold shoulder. Get in a big fight- hide in your room.

I really, really hate to say this. But the dynamic between Jack and Rex was much like that of het couples in traditional romances I won’t read anymore. Because of all of this bs.

I felt no connection, no chemistry between them. Boring.

Besides the completely unbelievable happenings of a huge influx of money from family investors into a B&B that has no business plan at all.

Rex has trauma from his past. Because of that trauma, the town shunned him and his brother. His brother left when he was 18, but Rex stuck around. Because B&B dreams. (And Rex is one of the least likely guys to seem to want to open a B&B, but whatevs). But he doesn’t seem to have any issues with nosy townspeople now.

I made it to the end. Barely. I don’t know if I could read another by this author. Honestly, I think she should stick with MF romances.

2.5 Pieces of Eye Candy

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!

Wicked Games (Queen City Rogues Series, Book 2) by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

March 26, 2019 by Denise

Ryder Jameson and Lucien Clarke have a complicated past: Ryder conserves art; Lucien steals it. Their love-hate relationship spans six years and two continents and has endured multiple heists. Hoping to restore his tarnished reputation, Ryder returns home to Cincinnati to accept a position at an acclaimed museum. When Lucien suddenly reappears in Ryder’s life, the treasure seeker hopes to nab a priceless Shang Dynasty artifact and recapture Ryder’s jilted heart.

Something more sinister than stolen art is stirring in the Queen City. Ryder and Lucien must join forces to untangle a web of secrets, lies, and treachery bigger than either of them expected. Trust won’t come easy, but they’ll need to rely on each other because pulling the wrong thread could have deadly consequences.

Is it fate that keeps bringing Ryder and Lucien together, or are they merely pawns in someone’s wicked games? Will they play for keeps this time or become collateral damage?

Wicked Games is a second-chance romance filled with passion, humor, and intrigue. It’s the second book in the Queen City Rogues series but can be read on its own. Wicked Games contains mature sexual content intended for readers 18 and older.

Wicked Games

Queen City Rogues Series, Book 2

Aimee Nicole Walker

M/M Romance/Suspense

Release Date: 03.11.19

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Ryder said nothing else until we arrived at the hotel. “Really? You’re staying inside a museum? Talk about irony. Do you steal the towels and robes from the luxury hotels before you scurry out of town? Is your urbane polish nothing but a veneer?”

Ryder knew fully well the ways my inner beast and baser needs could make a person forget all about the polish that had initially caught their attention. I’d never felt bad about using my looks, charisma, or my body to get what I wanted until I met Ryder. Then each day became one regret after the other until my life was nothing more than a cold existence. I recognized the same loneliness when I looked into Ryder’s stunning blue eyes. I couldn’t remember a time when I hated myself more.

“Come on,” Ryder said irritably. “I have things I need to do this evening.”

Rage and lust were such a heady combination, and it was all I could do to keep from pushing Ryder up against the lift wall and giving him the reunion we both so badly wanted. I didn’t speak to him, and I kept my hands in my pockets to prevent myself from reaching for him until we arrived at my hotel room. Don’t cross the line again. You’ve caused him enough pain.

“Are we doing this or not?” Ryder challenged when my hesitance became obvious.

The title of this book immediately makes me start singing Chris Isaak in my head. And if you don’t know what I am talking about I wonder if you are old enough to read these smexy books. Hmmm?

Disclaimer that this book is part of a series, which is a spin off of a larger series. But this one is the most stand alone of all of them. But they are all fun reads.

Back to the book.

Ryder goes back to his hometown of Cincinnati with his tail between his legs a bit after being fired from two jobs after artwork goes missing. With his mother on the board and an opening available for an art restoration specialist, Ryder takes the job.

But he can’t stop thinking about Sebastian. The man he pretty much fell in love with and then disappeared. Twice. Coincidence? Probably not. But then- Lucien, FKA as Sebastian, shows his face again. And a piece of art goes missing. AGAIN!

We find out Lucien’s true purpose and why he does what he does. And you actually feel badly for the guy. The guy who lied to and left poor Ryder high and dry TWICE!

Enter Lucien’s associates, boss and nemesis. All of the side characters were super fun and great additions to the story. Most of them band together to figure out who done it and why.

Lucien and Ryder have great chemistry. Even when Ryder “hates” Lucien. They simply cannot resist each other. It’s kind of funny and cute when Ryder tries to.

This was a fun romp with some interesting twists and turns and one gut punch. I gasped out loud.

Even though the story line is more serious, it really isn’t angsty and Aimee Nicole Walker is always good at injecting a bit of humor at the right time.

4 pieces of eye candy

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day. I’d love to hear from you.

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Upside Down by N.R. Walker: Blog Tour and New Release Review

March 22, 2019 by Denise

Jordan O’Neill isn’t a fan of labels, considering he has a few. Gay, geek, a librarian, socially awkward, a nervous rambler, an introvert, an outsider. The last thing he needs is one more. But he when he realises adding the label ‘asexual’ might explain a lot, it turns his world upside down.

Hennessy Lang moved to Surry Hills after splitting with his boyfriend. His being asexual had seen the end of a lot of his romances, but he’s determined to stay true to himself. Leaving his North Shore support group behind, he starts his own in Surry Hills, where he meets first-time-attendee Jordan.

A little bewildered and scared, but completely adorable, Hennessy is struck by this guy who’s trying to find where he belongs. Maybe Hennessy can convince Jordan that his world hasn’t been turned upside down at all, but maybe it’s now—for the first time in his life—the right way up.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Loved it. So much.

N.R. Walker continues to amaze me in her ability to write completely different stories all of the time. This time we get two asexual main characters. And it is hilarious. HILARIOUS. Laugh out loud in bed funny.

Ok, let’s back it on up for a sec. First of all, one of the main characters is a librarian. Which is awesome. And his best friend is also a librarian. Also awesome. Underlying everything in the book there is a quiet theme of telling us how awesome libraries are and that they aren’t just for checking out the latest best seller for free. YAY! Libraries!

Jordan, the librarian, is adorable. And so, so funny. His funny isn’t forced at all. It is just totally natural and it sucks you right in. But he is also grappling with the fact that he may be asexual. Grappling only because he doesn’t want another label. Even though that label could very well help him understand himself and his complete disinterest in sex. But he is still gay. And he still likes men. In fact, he has a bit of a crush on a guy on the bus he takes home from work everyday. He just doesn’t want to have sex with him.

Hennesey is a great character in his own right. He isn’t just there to listen to Jordan be funny. If that makes sense. You can picture him smiling and watching Jordan as he goes on one of his rambles. Besides being the “headphones guy” on the bus that Jordan crushes on, he also runs the Asexual support group that Jordan’s best friend convinces him to go to.

Because both Jordan and Hennesey are asexual, there is no sex in this book. None. Zero, zip, zilch. Instead of dealing with the “sexual tension” while a couple gets to know each other, they get to know each other. There is nothing in the way. No finish line as it were. They are there to know each other, to see how they are as a couple. And the way they do it is just adorable.

Because Jordan is coming to terms with being asexual, there is a lot of explanation of what exactly asexual is. And how it is different for everyone.

I could go on and on. I stayed up past my bed time to finish this book. I could seriously go back to the first page and read it again immediately. It is going in my “read again” folder on my kindle.

So, ya. Read it. Love it.

4.75 Pieces of Candy

Rewind by Roman Shaw: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

March 18, 2019 by Denise

The day Enzo Chevalier lost his hearing, everything changed. Forced to rebuild his future and fight for his dreams, Enzo refused to let anything take him down…until the man of his life walked out on him and shattered his heart.

Florian Beaudry had his whole life figured out. His business was flourishing and everything was settling down at last. Or so he believed…until he walked in on his girlfriend and best friend.

Still on the rebound and unable to trust another man, Enzo never expected a chance encounter with Florian. The one person he thought he would never see again. The one person he missed the most.

Were they truly meant to get a second chance or were they doomed from the start?

REWIND is an MM romance novel set entirely in France. Though part of a series, it is a standalone story without a cliffhanger.

Book Title: Rewind

Author: Rowan Shaw

Publisher: Self-published

Cover Artist: Molly Phipps

Genre/s: MM Romance

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 73 350 words/ 343 pages

Release Date: March 18th, 2019

Goodreads

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“You gave him your phone number?” Patrick asked, crashing on my couch later that night.

“You’re so curious. And please don’t rip the fabric with your keys. Thanks.”

He shifted around and pulled the chain to the front of his pants. “Aww, come on! Did you or did you not?” he signed, crossing his legs at the knees.

“Maybe.”

His arched brow never fell. “You still haven’t told me who he is.”

I let myself drop into the armchair closer to the entrance and placed my feet on the wooden coffee table between us.

“So who was the blond guy at the club? He had eyes to die for—as blue as the Mediterranean Sea. You missed your chance to get laid. He wouldn’t stop ogling you.”

I raked my mind for a reply. “I didn’t tell you who he is because I know you’re gonna judge.”

Patrick raised his hand to his chest in a feigned hurt movement.

“You know you would. You do that all the time.”

“I do not.”

“Yes, you do.”

“The only one I ever judged from the start was Cyrille, and I was right about him. If you had listened to me, it would’ve spared you a whole lot of heartache.”

He was right about that, but I wasn’t about to acknowledge it. The last thing Patrick needed was for me to inflate his large ego.

My conversation with Florian at the bar had lasted for hours. He hadn’t left his stool to dance at all, even when a couple of guys came up to flirt with him. He brushed them both off and stayed with me.

“Did you see the look on Cyrille’s face when he spotted you with him, though?” Patrick let out a laugh that was silent to me, his Adam’s apple dancing in his throat when he tilted his head back.

I had hoped my ex wouldn’t show up at all, though. Florian and I were laughing so hard remembering our teenage years, Cyrille’s presence was a slap back to reality. I was thankful he didn’t talk to me.

“Honestly, I don’t get that guy. He dumps you, then he can’t stand seeing you with other men,” Patrick signed.

I had a hard time with this one. While the story itself is good, and I enjoyed the romance aspect between Florian, who just finds his girlfriend in bed with his best friend, and she’s so catty about it, it’s disgusting… and Enzo, an ex from high school who’s still hung up on his emotionally and verbally abusive ex boyfriend who both work at a school for the deaf, since Enzo himself is deaf… they meet again in a club while both are trying to lick their wounds and move on.

The way in which their friendship/relationship ended back then was kind of hidden and little bit confusing to me. I don’t understand why it was something that wasn’t talked about more, but, it didn’t take away from the story, other than it caused a little bit of friction I guess.

The two of these guys were cute together. I enjoyed watching them get to know each other all over again and reminisce here and there about the past…. But what irritated me to no end, is the terrible terrible terrible people that just kept getting away with being terrible people!

Enzo’s ex who was so awful… I’m not kidding, he turned my stomach. He was so condescending and belittling to Enzo, and nobody ever done anything about it. He’s a sociopath who lacks any kind of emotional or moral compassion.

And Florian’s ex literally ruins every part of his life, with his ridiculously ignorant friends, his job, and eventually his relationship with Enzo, which also irritated me to no end, because why not lean on your man when you need him? Why let anyone take your relationship from you… that’s exactly what everyone wanted. Ugh, I just couldn’t with that.

So, definitely frustrating for me, especially because although Florian’s ex has somewhat a nice change of decency when she feels badly about all the havoc she inflicted on his life, only slightly, because she didn’t stop it, OR the ex best friend of
Florian’s that went so far beyond any type revenge that he had no right to… she was just a disgusting person, and Florian didn’t karmically kick her in the teeth, he just ran to her when she summoned him, because why? She didn’t deserve that…. As a matter of fact, the things she deserved I won’t even mention because I’m having a hard time remembering that she’s a fictional character and I don’t know if I wanna acknowledge that level of craziness from myself.

So, yeah… it was a hard read for me. Angsty and just ridiculous in some parts that I never felt were justifiable…. And I just have such a pet peeve for people who get away with being terrible people. We have enough bad in the world, I don’t wanna read about it too, and these people were the worst!

Apart from that, it did have a happy ending for the couple and I was glad for that. They really did make a cute couple, and I love second chancers. I feel like Raphael is going to be just as angsty, so I might skip the next one… but if you like a realistic, angsty read, don’t pass this one up. It just sadly wasn’t my kind of read, and that’s on me.

3 Pieces of Eye Candy

Rowan Shaw is a human being from Planet Earth (originally from the country of France). She’s also the queer author of Rewind, an MM romance series set entirely in her home country.

Addicted to reading and writing, Rowan can usually be found with a book in her hands or sitting in front of her computer typing some kind of story while listening to music from the 80s.

Author Links

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A Body In A Bathhouse by Brad Shreve: Exclusive Excerpt, Tour and Giveaway

March 14, 2019 by Denise

On the verge of bankruptcy, private investigator, Mitch O’Reilly takes any gig that comes his way, while running his Eye Spy Supply shop in a forgotten Los Angeles strip mall. After two tours in Afghanistan, Mitch’s life amounts to operating his store, coping with his fun-loving sister, Josie, and scoring with anonymous men he meets online. That changes when he gets a break. A beloved comedy scriptwriter is murdered at a bathhouse, and Mitch is hired to prove the innocence of the club custodian. Adapting from a two-bit gumshoe to a high-profile sleuth proves more challenging than he expected.

As if Mitch didn’t have enough to deal with, charismatic bathhouse operator, Trent Nakos, enters his life. After a heartbreaking past, the manager is the definition of a man the brooding P.I. actively avoids.

Following leads from sprawling mansions to sketchy hoods is demanding but becomes more troublesome when deadly threats jeopardize the biggest opportunity of his career.

Length: 65,000 words approx.

Cover Design: UmeWorks

Amazon US

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Trent sat at his desk, rested his chin on his fist, and flashed a mischievous grin. I struggled to look away from the rich golden eyes that complimented his olive skin. His wavy auburn hair looked tousled, but never moved. I guessed he spent time each morning nursing each strand in place for that perfect disheveled look.

He stared through me while stroking his scruffy chin. I debated whether he was flirting or looking past me in deep thought. If he caught me checking him out, he didn’t let on.

I broke the silence. “You’ve been under a lot of stress the past couple of days so we should get the questions out of the way.”

“Yes. We’ll talk while touring the facility. We’re reopening soon, for my sanity, I need one last walk-through. Follow me.”

We stepped into a TV lounge area. My eyes watered again.

“Sorry about the smell,” Trent said. “We’re taking advantage of the downtime to do some heavy-duty cleaning. I thought the scent would be gone by now.”

I nodded at the seating area. “Nice furniture. Like in the lobby.”

“They’re identical, except these are covered in plastic. They’re funny because they make farting sounds when the guys stand up, but it makes it easier to clean after hundreds of naked asses have been on them.”

I grinned.

They had also renovated the back of the club while keeping a different personality from the front and his office. The once-black walls were steel gray, and the black cement floors had been resurfaced with large, dark red tiles. I found it odd—it didn’t look the same, but it felt the same. I shrugged my shoulders and blinked my eyes to stop my heart from racing and skin from tingling.

“Let’s start in the sauna where he was murdered,” I directed. “Did he rent a room that night?”

“Yes, he always does. Room twenty-two is… was… his favorite, so we tried to keep it open for him. I’ll take you there after we see the sauna. The police cleared both. They took the tape down, but it’ll be awhile before I rent that room. It’d feel disrespectful.”

We walked through a narrow hall with many rooms on each side until we reached the sauna. Trent unlocked the door.

“Look inside. We haven’t turned it back on. We’ll have our guests use just the one in the back for a while. It’s bigger anyway.”

The small standard redwood sauna looked built more for home than a spa. The wall next to the door was smooth, and benches ran along the other three sides, except for the corner opposite the entrance, where the heater with hot rocks stood.

“The cops were thorough. I doubt you’ll find much.”

“How was he when he was found?”

His lower lip quivered. “He was naked on a mat, face down on the floor, with his ass to the door. He looked as if everything was fine, except for all the blood. The police took the mat for evidence. There was no sign of a struggle, so they think someone came in behind him. They say he most likely never saw who did it.”

I smirked. “Not that he could tell us, anyway.”

After growing up in Michigan and North Carolina, Brad Shreve criss-crossed the country while working in the hotel industry. In addition to working in hotels as a bellman, front desk clerk, and reservation call center director, he’s managed coffee houses, waited tables, sold potato chips off a truck and even hocked pre-burial funeral plans.

He credits Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak for developing his interest in art and storytelling. He’d spend hours on the floor sketching and painting and writing stories. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George gave him his first inklings that he’d like to be a novelist someday.

In addition to perpetually thinking of how to kill people, he’s a proud dad, a beach bum, and coffee house squatter.

He currently lives in the Los Angeles South Bay with his husband, Maurice.

Website/Newsletter Sign Up: www.bradshreve.com

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