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Book Excerpts

Fractured Hope (Hope’s Ridge Book 1) by Kady Cordova: Blog Tour, Exclusive Book Excerpt, New Release Book Review and Giveaway

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Can I really escape hell to find all I’ve ever longed for?

Bodhi
Finding yourself is hard. Finding someone you can truly trust is harder.

I have never known what it was like to have a true home or family, let alone real love.

After almost a year of planning, I finally escaped my abusive ex and ran as far away as I could with just the clothes on my back and a handful of cash. When I arrive in the quaint town of Hope’s Ridge, I’m ready to start over and reclaim my life.

When I painfully crash into Atticus’s life, something about him puts me at ease. I’ve never been one to trust, but now I’m in a situation where I have no choice. He might be what I’ve been longing for my whole life.

Atticus
I love my tight-knit town, my big Greek family, and the life I’ve built. I have a successful garage with my brothers and love my job. I have it good, but every now and then I long for a connection. Someone to chase away the loneliness that’s been creeping in. As my brothers like to point out, I am set in my ways and not one for flings, bar hopping, or one-night stands.

When a beautiful man stumbles into my life, I’m blown away. He’s skittish and afraid, but all I want to do is take care of him.

When Bodhi’s ex starts making threats, danger gets ever closer and threatens everything I hold dear. Can I keep Bodhi safe and prove to him he is worthy of love? Or will he run and take my heart with him?

Fractured Hope is a small-town, hurt/comfort, age-gap MM Romance with a broken boy looking for a safe place, a lonely man longing to find his person, and a family full of love, mischief, and colorful characters ready to step in and protect each other no matter the costs.

Title: Fractured Hope
Authors: Kady Cordova
Length: 71k
Series: Hope’s Ridge, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary.

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Exclusive excerpt Fractured Hope

I rose to greet him with a hug.

“You really are okay,” he said with relief. “So, who do we have here?” He turned toward Bodhi. “You must be the injured party I’ve heard nothing about.” He winked in Bodhi’s direction and elbowed me to introduce him.

“This is Bodhi—” I waved my hand at Bodhi. “—and this is my brother Sebastian, or Seb, as we call him.”

“The best-looking brother,” Seb added with his patented look at me dashing smile. Bodhi sat frozen as Seb approached and took Doc’s seat by the couch. Seb was the tallest and bulkiest of us. He and I did look similar; although, his nearly black hair was long and wavy. His beard was also longer and thicker than mine. Bodhi’s reaction seemed to be about more than just Seb’s presence. He’d been tensed up since my brother was in the doorway. Was he scared of Seb?

Punching my brother on the shoulder, I growled. “Leave him alone, jackass.” I gestured for Seb to follow me out so I could explain everything and get going as soon as possible. “Just give me a sec,” I said over my shoulder to a stoic and frozen Bodhi as I pushed Seb through to the office and closed the door behind us.

“He’s just your type. An injured stray,” Seb said, waggling his eyebrows.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I flicked my hair out of my eyes and ignored his comment. “Just come on. I need to go through the day’s customers with you real quick. Oh, and sleeping beauty agreed to come in, so keep an eye out for him.”

Seb chuckled, gathering his thick hair up into his customary bun, ready to get to work. I went through the schedule and told him about the accident and how Bodhi was injured. I also made a note to investigate getting that storm drain fixed and the garage door greased. Seb offered to make a few calls.

What a way to start the day.

This book caught me right from the start. A guy literally escaping an abusive relationship. I love following a character overcoming adversity. Rising from the ashes, so to speak.

And so Bohdi runs. Gets on a bus and goes as far as it will take him. Which is Hope’s Ridge, Montana. A small town where everyone knows everyone and all of their business. Not a place to blend in and get lost. Especially after he gets startled and injures himself in front of the mechanics shop Atticus runs with his brothers.

Atticus is that guy. The big teddy bear type who will always help whomever, wherever with whatever. It’s just in his nature. And he gets to demonstrate that with Bodhi.

I will say that Bodhi and Atticus moved quickly. Yes, it’s a book. But I was still surprised that Bodhi wasn’t really apprehensive at all. But he was also getting taken care of which is not something he has ever had. But he is also incredibly vulnerable.

Of course Bodhi’s ex comes looking for him which leads to some intense scenes. I would have liked to see him earlier in the story. It would have added a lot to the story instead of just Bodhi and Atticus getting together.

We get to know Atticus’ brothers, mother and grandmother as well as a few people in town. Getting the lay of the land as it were for more books in the series. There are definitely more stories to be told.

If hurt/comfort is your catnip, dive right in. For a first book, not bad.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Kady Cordova is a queer author from Australia.

They survive on coffee and chaos. She has always been a hopeless romantic at heart even though they grow a little cynical and sarcastic with age.

Love is love and everyone deserves a happily ever after.

Kady is an advocate for Mental Health, Invisible Illnesses, and Protecting Trans Kids.

Fractured Hope is Kady’s debut novel.

Connect with Kady:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadycordova/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kadycordovaauthor
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kadycordovaauthor1
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadycordova
Amazon: amazon.com/author/kadycordova
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/kadycordova_romance/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KadyCordova
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Icebreaker: A MM Hockey Romance (Portland Lumberjacks Book 1): Release Blitz, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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Axel Karlsson, a grumpy hockey defenseman in the twilight of an NHL career haunted by scandal and injury, is traded to the Portland Lumberjacks, a startup expansion team. There, he meets Quinn O’Reilly, a sunshiny, brash, talented rookie with a heart of gold.

Despite their differences, Axel and Quinn are drawn to each other, finding unexpected connections amid the pressures they face in trying to make the Lumberjacks contenders.

As they navigate the ups and downs of their relationship, Axel and Quinn find strength and support in their loved ones – Axel’s artistic sister Maja and stoic father Sven, Quinn’s fiercely protective sister Maggie and lovable best friend Milo.

But the road to happily ever after is never smooth, and Axel and Quinn must confront the ghosts of their pasts and the challenges of their present if they hope to have a future. With the help of their found family on the Lumberjacks and the love they’ve forged against all odds, they’ll learn that even the most battered and bruised hearts can thaw and bloom with the warmth of love and acceptance.

Icebreaker, Book 1 in Portland Lumberjacks, is a mm hockey romance with grumpy/sunshine, first time, and age gap themes, steamy scenes, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Title: Icebreaker
Authors: Blair Brady
Length: 60k
Series: Portland Lumberjacks, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary, Sports – hockey.

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Quinn Confesses to Best Friend, Moose

Moose’s manic grin softened into a gentle smile. “I should think so. Hopefully, you felt more than one thing. You’ve been dreaming about this moment for most of your life. It’s okay to be excited about it. I’d be screaming my fool head off.”

I nodded, swallowing around the lump starting to form in my throat. Moose was right about my excitement, and I did demonstrate that at the rink, but I was hesitant to say more—worried that the rest of the story would tumble out.

He tilted his head to the right. “It’s not like you to be quiet. Where’s brash Quinn O’Reilly? Did he leave the room?”

“Well, I guess there was something,” I blurted out. All Moose had to do was look at me a certain way, and all my secrets tumbled into the open. “I guess it might be someone instead of something else.”

Suddenly, one of Moose’s eyebrows arched nearly up to his hairline. “Oh, do tell.” He leaned forward with his chin propped on his hands, exaggerating his interest in my day. “Was he a cute singer with dimples? Or maybe a goalie with…well, you’ve told me about what kind of ass they have.”

I smacked him with a throw pillow from the couch. “No, doofus,” my cheeks flared beet red. “It’s…uh, fuck… can’t believe I’m saying this.”

“No turning back now.”

I sighed heavily. “Axel Karlsson.”

Moose blinked, and his mouth fell open in surprise. “Axel Karlsson? That guy you told me about? We watched him growling like a feral beast in a press conference. I thought he would eat those reporters for a late-night snack.”

I nodded and buried my face in my hands. “Yeah, that guy. I think…well, I guess I know… I’ve got a crush on him.”

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Blair Brady loves cooking, gardening, traveling, and hot and steamy romances…with a caramel latte on the side.

Connect with Blair:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077580952120
https://www.blairbrady.com

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Greek God (Flying into Love, Book 7) by CF White: Release Blitz, Exclusive Excerpt, and Giveaway

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Can a Greek God make Jesse believe in love again?

Jesse’s heartache is as vast as the Aegean Sea when his mother’s sudden passing lures him back to the Greek island he swore never to return to. With bitterness festering over his mother’s abandonment, Jesse’s unprepared for the emotional maelstrom awaiting him.

Demetrios still carries the scars of a teenage love affair that once set his small-island life ablaze. Bound to Naxos by duty and drowning his sorrow in fleeting dalliances with tourists, he’s blindsided when Jesse, his stepbrother, returns for his mother’s funeral.

Jesse grapples with the pain of his mother’s choices and Demetrios struggles with the weight of familial expectations. But their undeniable chemistry reignites, challenging them to confront what happened before their romance crashed and burned.

Is it too late for Jesse and Demetrios to embrace what they long denied themselves? Or will fear of heartbreak keep them anchored in their past?

Greek God (Flying into Love #7) is a stepbrothers-to-lovers, hurt/comfort, second chance standalone romance in the steamy MM Flying into Love series, featuring a shy and awkward illustrator who doesn’t believe in love and an enigmatic playboy oozing romance.

Title: Greek God
Authors: C F White
Length: 308 pages
Series: Flying into Love, Book 7

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Jesse peered over his shoulder. Demetrios stood over him, hands in his trouser pockets. Jesse turned away, lifted his glasses to wipe his eyes, then stood, shoving his phone back in his pocket. “How’s Anastasia?”

“Who?”

“The girl you’re fucking for an apartment.”

“Jesse—”

“I can’t do this, Dem.”

“Do what?”

“This!” He flapped a hand at the two of them. “You. I don’t know who you are. What you are. Or what I even am to you.”

“If you’d let me, I’d show you.” Demetrios stepped forward, reaching for Jesse’s hand, but Jesse dipped away, out of reach. “You stopped talking to me. You didn’t even want to be friends!” His voice was so weak at the word, ‘friends’ as if it was a last resort.

“How can we be friends, Dem?”

“Why can’t we be friends?”

“Because we’re brothers. And you’re here. And I can’t be here. And you…you…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it. The pain was too much. “Why am I even here?” He asked himself instead, then stormed off. He had to get away. Needed to leave. Mostly because of how good Demetrios looked. How intoxicating he smelled. How genuine he came across.

And how easy it would be to be lured back into the fairytale.

“Jesse!”

Jesse marched along the seafront, dress shoes clomping on concrete and filling up with sand particles to irritate his feet. It was better to focus on that than the emotional pain. It hurt less. He dodged the bars, those strolling along with ice creams, and found himself outside the Kallis Taverna, the sign outside stating it was closed for a wedding.

Jesse needed to cry. But he couldn’t do it out in the open among the excited holiday makers. So he ducked into the passage separating the taverna from the apartments and, midway, fell against the wall as dusk hit, providing him with shade from the sun and a shadow from his life. From himself. From everything that caused him to break.

“Jesse?” Of course Demetrios would find him.

Jesse took his glasses off, cleaning them on his shirt and sniffed. Demetrios stood in front of him, that sweetened scent driving into Jesse’s consciousness and leaving an imprint on his broken heart. He put his glasses back on, lifted his head and met his gaze.

No words exchanged. Just soft breath meshing with soft breath as they inhaled each other and exhaled their defeat. Jesse didn’t move away. He stood there, grounded against the concrete wall, blocked away from the rest of Aegleia.

Demetrios slipped a hand around Jesse’s neck, stepped closer, and kissed him.

It had been two years.

Two and a half years.

Nearly three years since he’d had Demetrios’ lips on his own. Since he’d had a kiss that sparked frustratingly inside him. Since he’d allowed himself to feel what it was Demetrios gave him that no one else could. He couldn’t fight the instinct, the innate need to feel the touch of him on his skin, to know how it felt to have him, body and soul. Like this. He kissed him back, tongues reuniting as Demetrios crushed his body against his, giving his all to him and this moment.

As the sun filtered down, bringing night to day, Demetrios kissed and kissed and fell into Jesse. Not quite suppressed, but not quite free, Jesse hung there like a slave for him. It was easier to let it all happen. To throw himself back into the fire. The initial burn might sting, but it was the scar tissue after that would forever blister.

Demetrios ripped his mouth away and, in velvety smooth tones that had Jesse caving, he rumbled a desperate and imploring, “Jesse.” Then he dipped his forehead to his and exhaled at the hardness locked within Jesse’s trousers.

Jesse knew he’d let him do it before Demetrios might have even had the thought, and he bashed the back of his head against the wall as Demetrios fiddled with his belt, unfastened his button and lowered his zip. He then kissed him as he delved his hand inside Jesse’s underwear and wrapped desperate, firm fingers around his needy, throbbing cock.

“Tell me you don’t want this,” Demetrios growled. “Tell me and I’ll stop.”

Jesse didn’t tell him any such thing.

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Brought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.

She eventually moved West to East along that vast District Line and settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.

After her second son was born with a rare disability, C F White’s life changed and brought pen back to paper having written stories as a child but never the confidence to show them to the world. Now, having embarked on this writing journey, she can’t stop. So strap in, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Connect with C.F.:
Subscribe to C F White to get bonus content from this series and others @: www.cfwhiteauthor.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014226126217
WattPad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/CFWhiteUK
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfwhiteuk
IG: https://www.instagram.com/c.f.whiteauthor/

Or why not join her reader group on Facebook: Tighty Whitey’s

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Immersion Play (Leather and Lattes Book 1) by Katherine McIntyre: Release Day Review * 2

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One bratty boy searching for somewhere to call home, one damaged Daddy Dom looking to escape his grief, and one kinky found family ready to help them both heal.

Micah’s starting over. He left his old life in the middle of the night and showed up in San Francisco on a job tip from a friend. However, when Meg hires him at Whipped, he not only enters a new city but also a whole new world with this cozy crew of kinksters. And one man continues to catch his attention again and again.

Parker doesn’t do relationships. After his mom died and his father became a shell of himself, he swore never to let anyone wreck him like that. Except Micah’s gotten under his skin. The hot new barista at Whipped isn’t as vanilla as they all thought, and he’s the brattiest boy that Parker could’ve ever dreamed of playing with. The connection between them? Incendiary.

However, the deeper their relationship grows, the more Micah’s realizing he can’t just be casual with Parker—not anymore. The man’s made a mark on his soul, inspired dreams Micah had never even thought to reach for. But if Parker isn’t willing to bend his rules to risk his heart, the two of them are definitely going to break.

Enter Whipped, a unique cafe that caters to coffee and kink addicts alike…

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This was a fun into to a new book series. I’m definitely calling this one kink light though. But there is definitely potential for coming books to up the kink level.

The series is centered around a cafe that caters to a kink community and their attached club in San Francisco.

Micah went to college there but went home to his pretty conservative family and hometown after graduating. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of his family coupled with a crappy job send him back to SF. His best friend from college hooks him up with a job at the cafe, but he goes in knowing that it’s all about kink. He swears he is vanilla but doesn’t judge anyone for what they like.

Parker is a Dom Daddy who has seen a broken heart and doesn’t want it to happen to him. So he tries to stick to just teaching and some regular sub clients. But the new kid at the cafe….

It was fun watching Micah discover that he isn’t really that vanilla. He is so open to experiences and even watching scenes. And Micah and Parker are so flirtatious with each other. You don’t often read overt flirting for any extended amount of time. Of course Micah’s version of flirting can also come across as bratting. Which Parker LOVES.

I found this to be a great story and I really liked how Micah and Parker approached kink together. Slow and steady, always checking in, setting boundaries for themselves. I hate when a character is all “I’m new to kink so strap me to the St Andrews cross and get your worst paddle out”. Like, no. This was much more realistic without being slow or boring.

Both characters were good guys who really came alive when they were together.

Lots of fun side characters I hope we get to explore in upcoming books.

4 pieces of eye candy

This new series is already so promising. I do enjoy this author’s found family themes throughout her books, and this series looks to be along the same lines, weaving characters into the scene seamlessly.

Micah has a cr@p family, except for his sister (who is herself welcomed into the kink community they are building, later in the book). But he has a friend who he trusted enough to help him get away from the situation he was in, and helped him to find himself. Although he’d never ventured down that road, rather than expressing any disgust or unwillingness to even see what was happening, he was curious and open to other people’s wants. Meanwhile, he slowly figured out his own.

Parker was honestly tough to read about for me. Having a father that was basically disintegrating before your eyes is hard, and it brought up a bit of my own grief (that’s when you know you’ve got something good on your hands, if the author can immerse you that much). I felt for how hard he had it, but he couldn’t resist a sassy boy, Micah was his downfall.

This was a really good start to the series, and you can see a bit of what is ahead. A rich tapestry of found family, and a group brought together by kink, but kept together by their friendships. Looking forward to more books in ths Leather and Lattes series.

4 pieces of eye candy

Beautifully Fractured: A Grumpy/Sunshine Gay Awakening (Front Range University Book 1) by Michele Lenard: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and New Release Review

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Ever have someone get you so well it’s like looking in a mirror?

Cruz
Starting over is not what I had planned.

Those stories about magically becoming best friends with the person assigned to live with you… Yeah, that won’t be me. I already have a best friend. Even if I wanted a new one, Liam wouldn’t be it. He’s permanently grouchy, carrying a negative energy I don’t need since I’m finally in a good place. But I’ve never been good at ignoring when people need help, so I paste on a smile and play nice.

Predictably, Liam isn’t much of a talker, but after an unexpected accident he needs my help in other ways. Ways that offer me answers about myself. Ways that raise new questions about the football dreams I’ve been chasing since I was a kid. Ways that make me relive the past I want to ignore.

To say I’m confused is an understatement, but there’s one thing I know for certain…Liam is either the key to one door or the bolt that could prevent another from ever opening. And I have to choose which I want him to be.

Liam
Starting over is exactly what I need.

I can’t get any more invisible than I’ve been for the past few years, and I figure rooming with another person means at least one human on the planet can’t ignore me. Unfortunately, that human is Adonis personified, and not gay, so it’s looking like my invisibility streak might continue.

Then I suffer a minor accident, and Cruz’s hero complex comes out in full force.

I should be grateful to have someone to open my door and carry my books, but when you pair his selfless personality with that body… My mind starts to blur the roommate line, which makes his blur the line of not being gay.

My heart is already battered, and I doubt it can take rejection from the one person who broke down all the walls I’d built around it. That doesn’t mean I won’t try to give it to him anyway.

**Beautifully Fractured is a high-heat MM romance with medium angst that features a grumpy/sunshine relationship, forced proximity, hurt/comfort situations and a sexual-awakening. This is book one in a series of interconnected standalones. Though the main characters are athletes, this is not a sports romance. Rather, it’s a romance that happens to feature people who play sports.

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“So, why medicine?”

“Hmm?” Liam arches one brow independently of the other, a gesture I find fascinating since I can’t do it myself.

“Why do you want to work in medicine?” I repeat. “Family business?”

Though it’s subtle, I can see Liam’s posture get a little more rigid, almost like he’s putting up a force field. I don’t follow why that is–I can’t imagine why a question about careers would be crossing a line–yet I get the distinct feeling I’ll have to tread carefully going through the door I just opened.

“Why do you assume it’s a family business?”

 

I take a minute to think of the nicest way to answer. “You don’t really strike me as a people person, and I think you have to be to deal with patients. No offense.”

“I people with you just fine.”

“You do.” I agree. “But you sort of have to since we share a room. With others you seem a little guarded.”

“And you know this because we hang out with other people so often.” He snorts and takes another bite of his dinner.

“Sort of, yeah.”

“You know that makes no sense, right?”

“It makes total sense,” I disagree. “You don’t go to dinner with anyone else, you never mention anyone else, so I don’t think you’re peopling with anyone else.”

“I’m selective,” he says, and something about his deadpan delivery has me cracking up.

“Glad I made the cut.” I grin broadly.

“Like you said, I’m sort of stuck with you.”There was a lot in this book. Trauma from broken friendships, absentee parents, off page death, bullying and one character trying to figure out how to identify sexually. But even with the trauma, the story didn’t get bogged down with angst. In fact, I feel like one of the characters hasn’t had an appropriate response to his trauma seeing as it was fairly new.

Cruz is a jock football player, but he also wants to take college seriously which is why he is in the student dorms rather than the jock dorms. His roommate, Liam, is premed, and gay, and used to being bullied by jocks.

But they find their groove as roommates so to speak. Cruz is a total golden retriever type. Happy, helpful, doesn’t really understand why people can be mean. Like, what do

you mean you don’t want slobbery dog kisses all over your face? SO Cruz. But Cruz is struggling with his sexuality. Or lack thereof. He has just no interest. He seems to have just ignored it in high school, but in college, girls fawn over the football players. Especially the freshman who made the starting line up.

Liam refuses to hide that he is gay. And while he doesn’t think Cruz is gay, he does wonder if he is ACE or ARO or both. Which is kind of funny that he was bullied by jocks in high school for being gay and now he is helping a jock figure out what, if anything, gets his engine going.

Once Liam throws in the towel and accepts that Cruz is his new bff, they start opening up to each other. And then Liam gets hurt and Cruz wants to save the day. But that leaves them both confused.

Once we find out the real trauma that both of these guys went through and how it made them similar, we also see how different the response was for each. Sorry, no spoilers.

These boys will take you on an emotional ride at times. But it never gets too dark, too angsty, too much. Add in a pretty realistic (I think) view of someone coming to terms with their sexuality and what it might mean, led to a good story with an excellent ending.

4 pieces of eye candy

Friends Like Them (Redemption Ridge Book Four) by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Owen Doyle’s rough beginnings taught him not to form attachments, yet he’s drawn to Tyler Booth like a magnet. Their relationship has blossomed from strangers to the best friends, with each twist in the journey weaving their connection tighter. But Owen has a six-year secret that’s become unbearably painful to keep. As the seams of his resistance fray, Owen will lean into a new mentoring opportunity to keep from ruining the best thing in his life.

Tyler will never regret going to jail and getting sober because meeting Owen saved his life and taught him how to trust again. Their inseparable bond has earned much teasing over the years, but Tyler doesn’t recognize himself without Owen. When he senses a yawning chasm between them, he’ll turn to mutual friends for help. Their well-meaning advice opens Tyler’s eyes to unexplored possibilities and will snap missing puzzle pieces into place.

Some hopes are too big to stifle, and some truths are too big to ignore. A photo booth, smoking-hot kisses, and honest revelations will take Owen and Tyler’s intimacy to a whole new level. But before they can achieve their happily ever after, they must unload the baggage from their pasts. Will the road to discovery guide them to the necessary healing, or are the guys destined for the highway to heartache?

Friends Like Them is book four in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. Friends Like Them contains mature themes and is intended for adults.

“I have a hard-on,” Tyler whispered. He lifted his head, met Owen’s gaze, and swiped his tongue over his bottom lip. “For you.” Tyler stepped closer and swallowed hard. “And you’re hard for me too.”

The wondrous expression on Tyler’s face made Owen want to smile and laugh, but he didn’t want Tyler to think he was making fun of him. That was the absolute last impression he wanted Tyler to have about their first kisses. But how honest should he be? He didn’t want to scare Tyler off after yearning for this opportunity for so damn long. Owen wanted to believe Tyler’s erection signified something deep and meaningful, but it could have resulted from friction and loneliness. Please let it be door number one. Owen tempered his naturally assertive personality and aimed for chill. He took a step forward, too, so that they were toe to toe in the cramped space.

“I am very hard for you.”

Tyler closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Owen longed to lean forward and kiss his neck, but he didn’t dare move. Tyler twisted his fingers in Owen’s shirt again and opened his eyes. “I don’t know what to do with this.” He didn’t mean literally. They’d shared a small jail cell for two years, and Owen had heard the unmistakable sounds of Tyler jerking off when he thought Owen was sleeping. Tyler had meant he didn’t know what to do with an erection for his best friend, who also happened to be a guy. Tyler wasn’t raised in a world where men chose other men. Yes, he’d been around gay and bisexual men for the past four years on the ranch, but he never pictured that future for himself.

The turmoil in Tyler’s voice made Owen’s heart fall. In a perfect world, one kiss would prove they were meant to be together. Hell, that sounded more like a fantasy than any version of the world they lived in. “We don’t have to do anything about it, Ty. We could pretend it never happened.” Well, Ty could. Owen would hold on to the moment until his dying breath.

Tyler darted a glance toward the photo tray. Owen removed the strips, folded them in half without looking at the images, and tucked the pictures in his pocket. He’d take them out later when he was alone and let his mind run as free as a wild mustang.

“We don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to, Ty. Nothing has to change. You’re still my best friend.” Owen’s voice came out a little shaky, and Tyler’s eyes widened. One of them sounded terrified, and the other looked it. Their friendship was the single most important thing in both their lives. Owen would do anything to keep Tyler in his life, even if it meant an end to his impossible dream.

Tyler swallowed hard. “You want to pretend it didn’t happen?”

“I didn’t say that,” Owen replied carefully. “I said we could.” He again debated just how honest to be with Tyler because he couldn’t get a good read on his reaction. Tyler seemed upset by the idea Owen could forget about their encounter, but he didn’t sound encouraged by the notion Owen wanted to remember it. He felt damned no matter how he responded. Someone thumped into the booth again, giving him a valid excuse to postpone a further response. “Can we talk about this in private?”

Tyler searched his eyes for several seconds before nodding.

“We should probably get back out there,” Owen suggested. He received another nod, but neither made a move toward the door. “You should probably turn loose of my shirt first.”

Tyler looked down at his hands but didn’t release Owen’s shirt. “I can’t.”

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. Somehow I missed the third (I’ll be remedying that) and here we are at book four. There is nothing wrong with this book at all. It just lacked a big emotional punch for me.

Tyler and Owen have been around since the beginning of the series. Best friends practically connected at the hip. We didn’t get to know a ton about them except that they met in prison, became best friends and both came to Redemption Ranch upon release. And normally I really love friends to lovers stories. It’s one of my favorite tropes. But besides Tyler getting jealous at the beginning because Owen was helping a new employee, there was just no bang. No sizzle.

Owen was out and proud. Tyler was very closeted. But they went from best friends to kissing to a relationship in a blink. Not a blink, but literally one night.

Then I was expecting angst later on in the story. Nope. Previously Tyler had been very intimidated by Hope, local shop owner, hippie free spirit. But after he got with Owen, totally fine there too.

The book was fine. The story was fine. These two guys belonged together. But this story just felt like filler.

3 pieces of eye candy

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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.

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