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Liars (Licking Thicket Book 2) by Lucy Lennox & May Archer: Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

October 29, 2020 by Denise

Parrish Partridge’s True Facts:

There’s nothing hotter than a tall, gruff, bewildered, tattooed mountain of a man cuddling a sweet, orphaned baby, so you can tell yourself that you’ll resist him…

But that’s a lie.

And when that man asks you to do him a favor and pretend to be his very temporary, very fake fiance to help him get custody of that adorable baby, you can pretend you know better than to say yes…

But that’s a lie, too.

And when you actually get to know your kind, strong, pullet-loving prince of a fiance, and all his crazy, lovable, meddling neighbors, you can tell yourself you’re not really falling for Diesel Church and the town of Licking Thicket…

But that might be the biggest lie of all.

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“This is really pretty, actually.”

I followed his gaze as he looked around at the honeyed wood paneling I’d installed on the walls and ceiling in the kitchen and the living area just beyond it. Despite baby crap everywhere, my home was clean and bright. It may have been small and really run-down on the outside, but I’d been working hard to fix up the inside myself, and I was proud of it.

“Thank you,” I said gruffly, turning away to look for enough space in the fridge to fit his chicken dish. I didn’t have much in the way of food right now, so it was mostly an excuse not to have to meet his eyes after throwing him under the bus like I had.

“So… this is chicken pot pie with bacon-and-cheddar biscuits. I forgot to write down the reheating instructions. Do you have a pen and piece of paper?”

I glanced up at him from the door of the fridge. That was it? He wasn’t going to ask me what kind of crack I was smoking and why I’d claimed him as mine before we’d even officially met?

“Uh, sure. Lemme see…” I rooted around in the nearby junk drawer until I found a sticky-note pad and half-chewed pencil. “Sorry,” I muttered.

He took it delicately between two fingers and began to write the instructions in tidy penmanship before placing the sticky note onto the tinfoil.

“There. I hope you like it. I know it’s not much, but… I wanted to apologize for the way I snapped at you the other day, and Uncle Beau says no one’s ever gone wrong with an apology casserole.” He blinked rapidly and began looking everywhere but at me. “Which is probably not true. I kind of wonder if anyone’s accidentally poisoned someone with one, you know? Like, God forbid, at a funeral or a wake? What if they’d accidentally used old mayo or bad eggs or…” He blinked up at me and blushed as red as his old beater car out front. “Maybe that’s inappropriate. I promise I used all fresh ingredients in yours.”

He was adorably flustered, and I wanted to kiss his fool face off right there in the middle of my kitchen.

“It’s alright. I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I managed. I wasn’t about to tell him I was a vegetarian. I didn’t tell most people anyway, but I for damned sure wasn’t telling a man who’d gone out of his way to bring me a bacon-and-chicken casserole thing.

We stared at each other for a beat before he pulled the dish off the counter and shoved it at me. “Fridge is best. And, um… I probably have to go now.”

I took the dish and turned to throw it in the fridge, but when I turned back around, he was already halfway across the room waving goodbye over his shoulder and thanking me for my generosity in supplying him with writing implements. He reached the door and pulled it open, only to realize it was the coat closet. “Oh.”

I slapped my hand over my mouth as he turned in a few confused circles and tried a different door. That one was to my bedroom. He let out a little squeaky noise of alarm and slammed the door closed again. The sound shot like a crack through the small house, waking the baby he probably hadn’t noticed asleep in the portable crib on the far side of my bed. Suddenly, Marigold’s angry shrieks rang out around us.

The look of horror on Parrish’s face was almost comical. “Oh my God, my apology casserole visit is going to need an apology casserole,” he whispered in shock. “This is unprecedented.”

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so the opportunity to read Parrish and Diesel’s story, was a “gimme”. These two authors write very well together, and bring the funny.

I laughed out loud several times. The fall festival??? HILARIOUS!

“Now everyone knows Johnsons are big fans of the Lickin.'” Amos rolled his eyes. “That ain’t no secret. Big Red Johnson goes crazy at Lickin’ time. And don’t get me wrong. Nutters like the Lickin’ too, But you might say bobbing is what Nutters do best.”

Just dying laughing. However, I also cried at some of it (you’ll know when you get there…it’s a nose blowing time).

Overall though, these two men…they definitely needed a class on communication. Liars was an apt name for this book. They had a really hard time telling the truth and actually talking to each other, not just about their needs and wants, but about things as simple as Diesel not eating chicken casserole because he was vegetarian.

The two MC’s really stood well together in the face of the challenge of raising one infant, and it was so endearing. Where Diesel had some challenges at being a sudden father, Parrish was able to step in, help, and teach Diesel some of what he needed to know.

Another fun, sexy (HAWT!), and endearing book by these two authors who know how to do small town romance right. 🙂

4 pieces of eye candy

After enjoying creative writing as a child, Lucy didn’t write her first novel until she was over 40 years old. Her debut novel, Borrowing Blue, was published in the autumn of 2016. Lucy has an English Literature degree from Vanderbilt University, but that doesn’t hold a candle to the years and years of staying up all night reading tantalizing novels on her own. She has three children, plays tennis, and hates folding laundry. While her husband is no shmoopy romance hero, he is very good at math, cooks a mean lasagne, has gorgeous eyes, looks hot in his business clothes, and makes her laugh every single day.

Lucy hopes you enjoy sexy heroes as much as she does. Happy reading!

May is an M/M author who lives in Boston. She spends her days raising three incredibly sarcastic children, finding inventive ways to drive her husband crazy, planning beach vacations, avoiding the gym, reading M/M romance, and occasionally writing it. She also writes MF romance as Maisy Archer.

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Bear Essentials (Bear Lake Chronicles Book 1) by Rain Carrington: RDB, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

October 26, 2020 by Denise

A man determined. Another wounded to his soul. A town that slumbers.

A sleepy little town doesn’t know what, or whom, is about to hit it when Ked, Kaden Edmond Donegal, comes to live there.

Hyper and determined, Ked longs to be a great forest ranger, taking care of the land, watching over it like its protector. What he didn’t count on is falling in love with the people there nearly as much as the land, and one in particular that doesn’t give him the time of day.

Sean Ashby moved to Bear Lake to hide away from the world after he nearly died while serving in the army. A local artist, he makes his living bringing pieces of wood to life with stories of their own. When he sees Ked, he sees someone who needs tamed, but he doesn’t feel as if he’s up to the job.

Not giving up on the bearded ginger bear, Ked does everything he can to get in the way of the man, and he finally gets what he wants. Or, at least, what he thought he wanted. Sean is a dominant who needs a submissive, and Ked never thought of himself that way. With Ked’s rambling voice hushed and his hyper movements slowed, Sean leads him into a new life he didn’t realize he needs so badly.

The townspeople take him in as family, a man loves him unconditionally, and poachers are in need of catching. Is Ked up for his new life? Can he be a part of a community that is quirky and quiet, or will his own quirks and rarely silent voice make him permanently an outsider?

Contains BDSM and consensual sex between two men. Trigger warnings: abuse, violence and PTSD flashbacks.

Book Title: Bear Essentials

Author: Rain Carrington

Release Date: October 25, 2020

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Themes: Small town, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD, BDSM

Goodreads

Amazon US – Kindle Unlimited

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Having a very rare moment of quiet, Ked leaned on the frame of the door as he watched his two roommates going at it, letting him relive the months he’d rented a room from them.

They were a devoted couple, sure, but they definitely weren’t monogamous. As soon as he answered the ad for the gay-friendly room for rent, he’d had no idea what that would entail. The fact that two days after he’d moved in, he had been involved in an orgy, well, he could have never predicted that in a million years.

It was time to leave. His schooling was complete, his education less than his parents were happy with, but enough to be the forest ranger he’d longed to become. He was an officer of the law, the law of the actual land, a certified first responder, could work as a wild firefighter, and it was all about to be tested in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

Bear Lake, Colorado.

“Are you going to say goodbye?”

Calvin looked up and grinned while Ron kept pounding him. “Be with you in about fifteen seconds, judging by his breathing.”

Ron was much bigger, a beefy gym rat that never once took his eyes from the hole he was pounding, making Ked roll his eyes. “Ron? Done?”

“Umph, umph, umph,” he grunted, then stiffened as he climaxed, bringing Calvin’s hips back and holding him there, leaning his head back.

Ked had seen that a lot over the previous two years but knew he wouldn’t miss it. He had no real feelings for the two except friendship, no matter how much they’d tried to pull him into to their relationship.

Calvin got off the bed, not a stitch of clothing on, and ran over to him, hugging him tight. “We’ll miss you.”

Usually talkative to the point of people trying and failing to shut him up, Ked, which was a nickname, hugged his friend back and kept from sobbing by biting the tip of his tongue, a move generally saved for keeping it from wagging.

Ron groaned as he moved from the bed, slapping him on the arm. “Yeah, it was fun. Keep in touch.”

Just sentiment from the big guy. “Thanks,” he croaked, the tears retreating some.

To Calvin, Ked started to ramble, “Thanks for everything, I mean, well, the sex was great, you know, but I mean the job, the movie theatre, you know, and feeding me until I got on my feet. I don’t know what I would have done without you, and it’s been fun, well, the sex, it was great, you know.”

“Shh, I know all that. You rambled about it for hours last night.”

Calvin was dark-skinned and skinny as a rail, but he blinked his chestnut eyes at Ked, and Ked melted. “Sorry. I know I did.”

“It’s okay. We’re gonna miss that, and you.”

Ked’s blue eyes welled with tears once more; a cobalt blue, his mother had always bragged. One thing he’d miss the most was not being the smallest man in the room at a hundred and forty pounds, five foot practically nothing. Well, five foot seven inches to be exact, but he didn’t look it. He towered over Calvin, though, and he’d miss that.

“Get moving if you want to get there before nightfall.”

The drive would be long, and he’d have a lot of time to worry and wonder. He did that a lot, worrying that his parents were right, that he was throwing away opportunities others would kill for.

I struggled a bit with this book. It was just a bit too insta-love for me. I liked the MC’s, and the quirky side characters, as well. However, something about the way this couple came about just didn’t work well for me.

However, the two MC’s were their own brandy of quirky…first kiss and love scene in a place I will admit I have never read before. You definitely feel a little dirty after reading that one…in many of the best ways. And for Ked to research his way into finding his submissive side, that was pretty awesome, actually. He approached it from a logical side (after a little bit of spying) and determined through research what might work for him.

Meanwhile, Sean, the mysterious wood carver, definitely made Ked work for his affections and time. While trying his best to help protect Ked in whatever ways he could from the present danger of the poachers. I loved that Sean respected Ked’s work, and their shared love of the land. It wasn’t just about what was best for Sean.

The visuals created of the location in the book were amazing. It’s clear the author has a genuine love for that area of the country, and portrayed it very well.

3 pieces of eye candy

I love writing, it’s been my dream for many years, and in October of 2013, when my first book went live on Amazon, that dream came true.

Writing love stories that are centered on flawed but lovable characters is my passion. Finding love between people isn’t easy, nor should it be. Even in a book, there have to be obstacles for the story to feel real.

I am a mother of three amazing people, and three adorable fur babies. I live in Colorado but love many other places besides my home. One state in particular is New Mexico, the state where I was born has always held a place in my heart.

People and places make my stories what they are. Each character I’ve written is a part of me in some way. Each place I write is as well. Adventures come in many ways, and each of my stories has taken me on an adventure that I treasure.

Come with me on my adventures and fall in love with my characters, as I have. I promise, you will love the ride.

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Origin by AJ Sherwood & Jocelynn Drake: Exclusive Excerpt and New Release Review * 2

October 22, 2020 by Denise

Cameron wants to make it clear that he did not go into the festival to find a dragon mate.

Germany is supposed to be an escape. With a new mechanical engineering degree, a new job looming, and a whole life planned out that isn’t his, Germany seems like the best place to find himself.

So how does he end up discovering his lost magic heritage, running from bad guys with a secret agenda, and being adopted by the not-so-extinct Fire Dragon clan?

Cameron blames tall, dark, and sexy Alric, king of the Fire dragons. His fated mate. Because of course he is, and mates are meant to take the blame, right?

It may take a hot second, but as Cameron learns more about the scarred Alric and the life he’s landed in, Cameron realizes that perhaps this is where he’s meant to be, magic and mates and kidnapping and all.

Turns out coming to Germany wasn’t an escape but his awakening.

Title: Origin (Spells n’ Scales, Book 1)
Author: AJ Sherwood & Jocelynn Drake

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Alric’s body burned. Every seductive pass of Cameron’s amazing hands left Alric aching to pull Cameron closer. He wanted to claim his mouth in a deep, drugging kiss that would finally wipe away his knowing little smirk. The man massaging tense muscles was well aware of how he was driving Alric crazy. It was all Alric could do to hold back the moan rising in his throat.

He was fairly certain all the blood in his body had flooded south to his throbbing cock pressed against the front of his slacks, demanding to have a turn with Cameron’s magical hands and that wonderfully slick oil.

To have those long, nimble fingers wrap around him and—

No! No thinking about that.

Clenching his teeth, Alric fisted his right hand at his side, inwardly praying Cameron didn’t notice the fine trembling of his muscles as he struggled to get control of himself.

Of course, that wasn’t possible.

Cameron chuckled softly, his warm breath brushing against Alric’s bare neck. Goosebumps broke out across his flesh, and Alric sucked in a breath through his teeth.

“Relax,” Cameron murmured. “The point of the massage is to help you relax. Make you feel good.”

“Would you be able to relax if someone was doing this to you?” Alric asked, his voice little more than a harsh growl.

Cameron hummed as if he was giving it some thought. He bent, dipping his fingers into the oil again. Moving behind Alric, he cradled his neck on either side, gently massaging muscles there before sweeping down across his chest. Alric’s nipples hardened to painful points, and there was no stopping the quick breath he sharply sucked in. This wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t stop how his body reacted to each amazing caress. He could only control what he did about it. And right now, he was going to sit there and take it because it made Cameron happy.

Alright, fine, he might be enjoying it too. A little.

“Just anyone massaging me?” Cameron asked.

Rage scorched through Alric’s body, and he glared at the wall in front of him at the thought of anyone putting their hands on Cameron. No one should touch him. Just Alric. Only Alric. Scheiße, and that was his dragon flaring up with possessiveness. Alric shoved it back down mentally.

“Whoa! You just got really warm,” Cameron gasped, his hands leaving Alric for a moment. “Are you okay?”

Alric nearly groaned at himself. “Yes. Of course. Hot flash,” he muttered and then rolled his eyes at himself. A fucking hot flash? Wonderful. That was really sexy. Now he was a menopausal woman.

I’ve only read one other book that had dragon shifters and it definitely wasn’t my favorite. But since Jocelynn Drake is one of the authors (I’ve never read AJ Sherwood, so no opinion yet) I figured why not?

Looking at it from completely a fantasy aspect- it was a fun book. The world building was pretty excellent and I love how Dragon shifters and mages (doers of magic) need each other for different reasons. I also REALLY loved that the one main character is Asian. I don’t think Asian people get nearly enough representation in books. Not only is he a main character, he seems to be fairly powerful, is mated with the dragon king and his twin sister and grandmother are also mages. Pretty cool.

Two things really bugged me. First- dragon shifters need mages in order to procreate. Dragon shifters are all pansexual because they don’t know what gender their fated mate will be. Ok, so like in this story we have a male dragon king and a male mage that are fated mates. They talk about having a family together. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? Seems kind of integral to the story, in my opinion.

Next is the clan of mages that are out for revenge. Meaning kill all of the dragon shifters. Ok. But I thought they needed each other? Mages get the power for their magic from dragons. So how are they able to do powerful magic without dragons?

I know, I know, I should let these things go. Maybe they will be addressed in book 2. But seriously, Cameron, the mage fated to mate with Alric, king of the dragon shifters, should be questioning these things! He didn’t even know he was a mage. And then they are talking about having a family. And this formerly human gay guy doesn’t say “Whoa, whoa, whoa… who here is getting pregnant and how?” Because I would TOTALLY ask that question.

Other than those two fairly glaring things, the story as a whole was well done. The history, even the citizens having a dragon festival unbeknownst to them that dragons are real.

Ok, I do have more questions, but they are minor.

I do want to read book 2 as I am invested now in their story, having the dragons find more mages, how they are going to find and fight the evil mages, etc.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

I loved the excerpt I read on this so much that I had to read it, even though I hadn’t read anything on dragon shifters previously.

I absolutely loved the two MC’s. Cameron was fun, and lighthearted, yet so smart and willing to do whatever needed to be done in the moment. Meanwhile Alric was very old school, taking his responsibilities very much to heart, and guarding his heart due to his injuries. They complimented each other very well. The side characters were great as well. Loved Cameron’s sister and grandmother, and Ravi, of course.

I’m definitely with Erin on one of the things that I felt needed to be addressed further. There was talk throughout the book about how dragons needed mages in order to have children, but never HOW. Is it surrogate, does someone suddenly develop the parts to do that. And I feel like if they are going to talk about having children, which they did, right before their mating ritual, then it is kind of imperative to let the person who has no idea what the process is, know so that he can step back and maybe decide.

Overall, this is a fun start to the series. It made me laugh out loud several times, and tear up a little. And I’d definitely like to see more of the Fire Dragon Clan, as well as see how they deal with their enemies.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

AJ Sherwood believes in happily ever afters, magic, dragons, good men, and dark chocolate. She’s often dreams at night of delectable men doing sexy things with each other. In between writing multiple books (often at the same time) she pets her cats, plays with her dogs, and attempts insane things like aerial yoga.

She currently resides in Tennessee with aforementioned cats, dogs, and her editor/best friend/sister/partner in crime.

Connect with AJ: https://www.ajsherwood.com/

New York Times Bestselling author Jocelynn Drake loves a good story, whether she is reading it or writing one of her own. Over the years, her stories have allowed her to explore space, talk to dragons, dodge bullets with assassins, hang with vampires, and fall in love again and again.

This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the U.S. with her husband. Recently, they’ve settled near the Rockies.

When she is not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can be found cuddling her cat Demona, walking her dog Ace, or playing video games. She loves Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.

She is the author of the urban fantasy series: The Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. She has just completed a gay romantic suspense series called The Exit Strategy about two assassins falling in love and trying to create a life together. Her newest project returns to her vampire roots with a MM paranormal romance series Lords of Discord.

With Rinda Elliott, she is one half of the Drake & Elliott writing team and has produced such series as Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, Pineapple Grove, and Weavers Circle.

With AJ Sherwood, she is journeying into a new MM paranormal romance series called Spells n’ Scales that is set to launch in September 2020.

Connect with Jocelynn: https://jocelynndrake.com/

Bully King: An MM Bully Romance by Andi Jaxon: Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

October 19, 2020 by Denise

I’m the pastor’s son.
He’s the star quarterback for a small Kentucky high school.
While the town worships him, I pray for God to take my life.
He makes my life a living hell by making me his victim.
This perverse game we play could end us both.
How can something that feels so right be so wrong?
The price if the truth is discovered is death, but I can’t stop.
Neither can he.
No one can know.
Can I risk it?
Is Roman King worth dying for?

*This story is an m/m bully romance including dubious consent, assault, talk of suicide and is intended for readers 18+. Please proceed with caution.*

Title: Bully King

Author: Andi Jaxon

Release: October 15, 2020

Genre: M/M Bully Romance

Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

“Jonah.” My name is growled.

Roman grabs my shirt when I spin around and pulls me into a classroom with no lights on. Did he not hear the sermon? We can’t be caught together. Expecting to hit the wall, I stumble into the gloomy room with Roman shutting the door behind me.

“What are you doing in here?”

He doesn’t answer me, just grips my shirt again and pushes me against the wall where we won’t be seen by anyone walking past the door and he’s pressed against me. His lips are harsh and demanding against mine. He’s pissed off, but I’m too hurt by my father’s words to be angry yet. It’ll come, but right now, my heart is heavy and broken.

Gripping his face, I kiss him back just as hard, frantic for his touch. My tongue duels with his and my teeth latch onto his lip. He growls, the rumble of it vibrating my chest. He’s pressed against me, mouth to thigh, and hard as steel. Blood pumps through my veins, filling my cock at his closeness.

He reaches for my pants, and I break our kiss.

“Roman,” I pant, my hands reaching for his wrists.

“Why do you come here?”

His question catches me off-guard. He’s still crowding me against the wall, his deep blue eyes searching my face for something, but it’s hard to think with him this close to me.

“Why wouldn’t I? I’m a son of God.”

Confusion leaves me open for his next assault. Roman’s lips crush mine, taking no prisoners. This kiss is hard, demanding, brutal. It’s exactly what I need. The pain, the desperation.

I kiss him back just as hard, biting at his lips, sucking on his tongue, ravaging his mouth. My dick aches in my pants, hard, desperate for attention. Roman’s body moves against me, his dick just as hard behind his zipper.

Reaching down, he grabs my leg and pulls it around his hip to get a better angle. His thick cock sliding against mine has my eyes rolling back into my head and he swallows my moan.

My hands grip his shirt, pushing him away from me, forcing him to let go of my lips. We stand there for a long minute, panting, not saying anything.

“We can’t do this here.” I’m finally able to get the words out.

Roman smirks that damn look that says, “I can do whatever the fuck I want.” His hands cup my ass, forcing me to grind against him. My eyes close and a groan rumbles from my throat.

“Stop,” I pant. “We can’t do this here. Not in the House of God. It’s sacrosanct. It’s wrong.”

“Does it feel good, Jonah?” Roman lips brush against my ear. “My dick against yours?”

“Yes,” I hiss through clenched teeth, pleasure overriding the common sense part of my brain.

“Does it feel right? Me touching you like this?” His teeth nip at the skin of my neck. “Huh? Does this feel perverted? Does this feel like something you can just stop wanting?”

Roman’s hand moves to the front of my pants once again, his palm pushing and stroking against my dick through my pants. My hips buck against him on instinct, wanting more.

His lips drop to mine again, shutting down all logical thought. My hands move to his hair, pulling on the gold locks he wears so proudly.

Okay… I hope you’re ready for this…

Page 1, I’m flat out, ugly crying, like….body-wracking, soul shattering sobs. Think Farrah from Teen Mom, but like… worse, cuz I’m not on camera but in my room, feeling this kids’ words to God like I’d heard them before. Wanna know why? Because I have. This story hit me in ways that I was not prepared for and I want to tell you all the reasons, but I’ll spare you the pages of sob story for me and just tell you how I related to this so hardcore.

First, I was raised in a Pentecostal church with these very same rules and all the hate that accompanies them. My mom, though not as crazy as Jonah’s dad, were so similar. My heart broke for him and his home life because imagine…. Imagine that life. A kid, scared in his own home, pretending to be something he’s not and warring with himself because he wants so badly to change. To be normal. How heartbreaking, right? Then, starting highschool in a new town, the Bible Belt, where I live, he’s got to hide from everyone there as well, on top of being targeted by the most popular, untouchable highschool bully… The harassing that goes on here, is disgusting, and it made me sick a time or two at what he went through at the hands of them. Especially, Roman, the beautiful one that makes it all worse and better at the same time.

In the beginning… I did not believe that there was a single thing that Roman could do to redeem himself and all the ways in which he tormented Jonah. He wasn’t just a bully, he was downright criminal about it more than once. I hated him. I hated him so much!

And don’t get me wrong, I understand that a tough home life is kind of a staple for bullies, right? It doesn’t give you a free pass to be so angry that you assault people. Torture people… and I hated the way that he treated Jonah, and I hated the way Jonah took it because he felt like he deserved it in some way. He also really liked it, but that’s just an aside lol There were lots of reasons to hate Roman King.

Fortuntately, and I don’t even know when it started happening because nothing really changed in the way that Roman treated Jonah, but something changed in Roman. There is a triggering part in a locker room and I wish someone would’ve warned me about that, not that I get triggered by much at all, but I almost found it unforgivable. I’m still kind of warring with that. I don’t think it’ll be something I forget for a while.

So, living in a small southern town with the Lord on your back, I can understand how scary it was for these kids an I hurt for them. Also relatable because my own kid came out just a couple of years ago with the very same fears about the rest of his family. Those same prayers, asking to be struck down if he couldn’t be made normal… for God to change him or change his family that would cast him out. As he cried to me the night he was outed in middle school, begging me to let him leave at 13. Over my dead body, right? I said that I’d take the brunt of whatever fallout and I’d keep his secret and tell anyone whenever he was ready. When he was, I laid out our conditions and we were set to cut out any and all who had a negative word to say about my boy or his “situation”…. Even one word. I almost dared it.

That’s the way a parent is supposed to react when their baby has a secret that feels like it’s weighing down their soul. You take that burden because that’s literally what you signed on for. It’s your job.

I also hated all the parents… Jonah and Roman’s moms for being so weak that they couldn’t/didn’t put their babies first. What kind of mother does that make you? No mother at all, I’ll say it right now. Their dads, both of them, garbage. I won’t give either of them another word. I’m glad at least one of them got the karmic justice they deserved.

What I loved though, was Jonah’s little sister and biggest champion, Mary. I loved best friend Taylor and his mom Krystal. (I hope we see more of Taylor in what I hope will be future stories of not only these two, but also him)… I loved the school friend, Anna, and despite the emotional roller coaster that was this story, I absolutely fell in love with Roman and his possessiveness , though I still think he borders criminal and definitely needs some couseling for his need to hurt people to feel in control…. You can’t help but love him though, because he loves Jonah in the only way that he knows how, and he loves him in a way that’s kinda skewed, but that’s honest and raw and sometimes hurts… and to me, that’s the best kind. I don’t think that anyone could love Jonah more than Roman, and I think the same is true for Roman.

What a crazy, angsty, tear-jerking, terrible, yet amazing read. I really, really, really hope this isn’t it for them. It feels like their story is just beginning. 4 stars from me! I need more!

4 pieces of eye candy

This is a new to me author. I chose to read this, honestly, because of the grief the author got by using the same title as another (MF traditional romance) book. It just wasn’t cool.

Well…uhm…ya. This book was not for me. It starts off with a really long prayer by one of the main characters, Jonah. His father is a preacher and they just moved to Kentucky from Washington state. At first it doesn’t seem like his father is one of the “fire and brimstone” kind of preachers. He started off pretty normal I thought. Until the Sunday sermon about GAYS and their inherent evil. EEK!

He is also being bullied at school by the football team. Total cliche. The head bully is the golden boy football quarterback. And once we got to know Roman more, you see why he is the way he is. Alcoholic, abusive father who used to be in the NFL. Bullied at home, so he bullies at school. But he is drawn to Jonah, which is confusing for him. Or not. He has bedded most of the girls in his high school apparently, so when Jonah and his sister arrive, he immediately goes for her. But there’s still Jonah.

As expected, they start hooking up. But Roman is horrible to Jonah. Treats him like utter crap. He is all about appearances at school so he “has” to treat him like crap there. But he revels in causing Jonah pain. Sorry, 17/18 years old is a bit too young to be messing around with S/M especially since neither of them ackowledge it as such. And Jonah doesn’t like it. But he is so desperate for acceptance, that he takes it. And rough sex like that between teenagers was a little cringy.

Roman says it is because of the town’s history with gays and how they are treated. So when Roman’s best friend is caught kissing a boy, he helps him get out of the immediate situation, but then beats the shit out of him the next day in front of the school.

It was all too much. Roman was never redeemed, in my opinion. Jonah never stood up for himself. I honestly understand that these things still happen in 2020 in the US and elsewhere. But the main characters should have some sort of public redemption. He beats up his best friend and nothing?

I hated Roman. I disliked Jonah. Their parents are all awful in different ways. The only likable character was Jonah’s sister, Mary

Sarcastic and snarky, I love to laugh and read dark fucked up shit. I write about tortured pasts and hot sex, a happily ever after that has to be worked for. My stories tend to be a little dark but with some comic relief, typically in the form of sarcasm.

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The Sex Coach by Garrett Leigh: Blog Tour, New Release Book Review and Giveaway

October 14, 2020 by Denise

The teacher and the student. The stable hand and the single dad. First times and friendship turn to love.

Toby
There’s nothing attractive about a twenty-four year old virgin, especially not one who blushes every time a hot dude looks his way. But I can’t help the heat that ripples through me every time I see Cole Maguire. And the clench of my heart when I realise how unhappy he is. He’s a city boy with a baby on his hip—we have nothing in common—but if he can teach me how to own my sexuality, perhaps I can teach him he’s worth loving.

Cole
I don’t like horses. But I love my daughter, and there’s nothing I won’t do for her, including leaving the city for life on a farm. I’m ready for that, but I’m not ready for blushing stable hands who make my heart race and my blood run hot. Toby has no idea how beautiful he is. I can teach him that, if he can handle the heat, but after one night with him…damn.

Maybe it’s me that has a lot to learn.

The Sex Coach is an MM summer romance with first times, a virgin stable hand, a single dad pilates teacher, and guaranteed happy ending.

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Length: 61,000 words approx.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Terrible title. Sorry, but it is.

One of the things I really liked about this book is that we are back on the farm where we met and fell in love with so many couples. Joe and Harry, Rhys and Jevon, Angelo and Dylan… But you also can completely read this book as a stand alone.

Toby is adorable. Being that he started at the farm as a teen, he is still viewed as a kid by most of the men. Which is kind of infuriating for him. And even though he held an inrequited torch for his boss Joe, he has only dated women.

Cole gets hired at the farm to take over/fill in/help out with Angelo’s pilates classes. A single father who has partial custody of his infant daughter, he is kind of at a cross roads in his life. But he notices Toby and Toby notices him. Toby who doesn’t know how to approach a man, let alone what to do, and Cole who feels like he will always be alone because he has a daughter.

Ahh but there are some sparks between the two. So Cole is acting as Toby’s “sex coach” (I still say it is a terrible title), which of course leads to FEELINGS by both that they both refuse to admit.

Toby is still adorable. With Cole, with the guys on the farm, with the animals, with Cole’s daughter. ADORABLE.

Cole, though. I don’t know. He definitely has some mental health issues. Depression, anxiety. And those problems are never addressed. They don’t just go away because you have a boyfriend. I was actually really disappointed that his major mood swings were written off as “that is just how Cole is. a cranky bastard” or similar. No, the guy is obviously depressed, and has anxiety that gives him insomnia, etc.

ESPECIALLY since he is written as this hippie kind of guy. Yoga, pilates, essential oils, barefoot toes in the grass kind of guy.

So I did really like them together, I just wish Cole got his act together more. Because Toby deserves it.

Because of Cole’s unresolved and completely ignored issues, I have to say that this was my least favorite of all of Garrett Leigh‘s books. Even so, it is worth a read, even if it is just to catch up with some of our favorite guys.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer.

Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.

Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.

Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh

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Short Stack by Lily Morton: New Release Review

October 8, 2020 by Denise

What happens after the happy ending?

Drawn together for the first time, this is a collection of Lily’s short stories about the much-loved men from her Mixed Messages and Finding Home series. Follow them through awkward marriage proposals, birthdays, a fraught babysitting job, and a very drunken Eurovision Song Contest party.

It includes stories previously written for her website and readers’ group, along with deleted scenes and four brand new and exclusive short stories – Bad Valentine, Marrying Jude, Babysitting Billy, and House Hunting.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

If you are a fan of Lily Morton‘s guys, from Milo to Oz to Henry and all of them in between, you will enjoy this collection.

Catching up with various couples from 2 series, we get short stories that are set after the end of the book but at times before the epilogue as well as scenes that were cut for various reasons.

There’s funny- Babysitting Billy, Swoony- Marrying Jude, and short “clips” that just give you a little more into the men.

Obviously you will need to have read the books or you won’t feel a connection to the characters. But for those of us who feel invested in these characters, it was really lovely to revisit them. And even though Milo is my favorite character, Gideon in Babysitting Billy is my favorite story.

4.5 Pieces of Eye Candy