Book Reviews

First Impressions (Auckland Med: Book One) by Jay Hogan: New Release Review

November 19, 2019 by Denise

Michael:

Two years ago I made a mistake—a big one. Then I added a couple more just for good measure. I screwed up my life, but I survived. Now I have the opportunity for a fresh start. Two years in NZ. Away from the LA gossip, a chance to breathe, to rebuild my life. But I’m taking my new set of rules with me.

I don’t do relationships.

I don’t do commitment.

I don’t do white picket fences.

And I especially don’t do arrogant, holier-than-thou, smoking-hot K9 officers who walk into my ER and rock my world.

Josh:

One thing’s for certain: Dr. Michael Oliver is an arrogant, untrustworthy player, and I barely survived the last one of those. He might be gorgeous, but my daughter takes number-one priority. I won’t risk her being hurt again. I’m a solo dad, a K9 cop, and a son to pain-in-the-arse parents.

I don’t have time for games.

I don’t have time for taking chances. I don’t have time for more complications in my life.

And I sure as hell don’t have time for the infuriating Dr. Michael Oliver, however damn sexy he is.

Title: First Impressions
Series: Auckland Med: Book One
Author: Jay Hogan
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Category: Contemporary Romance

Amazon

Okay, first impression? Hot cover!

Anytime you give me a hot man in uniform, it’s going to give me pause. Throw in a hot doctor, uhm, yes, please! Make one of them a dad? Just take my money…. Take all of it!

In this one, we have Michael, who I’ll get to first. I didn’t care for him in the beginning. He’s arrogant and slutty and no matter what his reasons were, I just didn’t connect with him. After the death of a patient had hit him hard and lead to a multitude of problems in his life fueled by alcohol, guilt, and anger, he tucked his tail and ran away to Auckland, NZ, to take a job there. That’s where he meets K9 officer, Josh something or other and his dog.

A drug sting lead him and his team to the club where he finds Michael in a compromising position in the backroom of a club. He’s unapologetic but he knows Michael’s type, having had his heartbroken by a player of the same type. He wasn’t far off, Michael admits later to have purposefully cheated and though it’s off-page, I just never got over that either. I get the why’s, kind of, but it just wasn’t a good excuse to me. I didn’t like the way he treated Josh one second and then flipped the next and their banter wasn’t fun in the beginning.

So, after a scene at the club that left one officer dead, another injured and Michael a witness… Josh had to put his feelings away for a bit and tolerate Michael. He was insanely attracted to him, but he knew it would only lead to heartbreak. That’s all guys like Michael were good for, right?

Somehow or another, their angry banter turns sexual, which was hot. I hate the friends with benny’s thing, but anyone who saw them together knew how they were lying to themselves because you could tell that even from the beginning, even though they didn’t want to, they developed feelings for each other. I adored how vulnerable Michael let himself be with Josh, and I loved seeing Josh take charge and give Michael what he didn’t know he needed. I loved the relationship with Josh and his sister and his relationship with his daughter. It may have been a secondary storyline, but, it was real and sweet and he was protective and smart when it came to her and her safety and the strained relationship with his parents… who are horrible, by the way. I actually thought they’d be a bigger problem than they were, but I was glad about that.

Of course, with any relationship that starts out casual with one or the other constantly reminding each other that it’s casual, it’s bound to get… messy. And it did. Again, I couldn’t stand how Michael used all these different things to push Josh away and I couldn’t stand how Josh just let him. I didn’t like that even though it was Michael that needed to do the groveling and the growing, that Josh was the one who went after him. To fight for them. Michael should’ve been the one to realize how stupid he was being and stop running for a change. I also didn’t understand the unlikely friendship with the ex and his new fiance, especially a touchy feely one at that.

I dunno, when I adored it, I really, truly adored it but Michael really need a slap or two upside his head to maybe knock some sense into him. The dialogue between them was a little….eeeek, but, only because I didn’t see Michael as the person he let himself sometimes be. It was hard for me to connect with him throughout. I wanted to, ooooh, how I wanted to… it just sadly never happened.

It definitely kept me interested though and I was glad for the happy ending, but my goodness, did it take a while to get there. I’d be really interested to see who’s next. I loved Michael’s makeup wearing charge nurse, Cam and Josh’s bestie, Mark… I’ll definitely be looking forward to the next one!

Even though my review miiiight seems ranty, it’s a solid 4 pieces of eye candy from me

18

Lucky Break (Clean Slate Ranch Book 4) by A.M. Arthur: New Release Review

November 18, 2019 by Denise

Welcome to Clean Slate Ranch: home of tight jeans, cowboy boots and rough trails. For some men, it’s a fantasy come true.

Shawn Matthews never imagined he’d be living out of his car, trying to make ends meet, but life doesn’t always go your way—he knows that better than most. When an accident leaves the Clean Slate Ranch shorthanded, Shawn is enlisted to help cook and finds himself bunked next to the sexiest cowboy he’s ever laid eyes on.

The first time Robin Butler spots the new chef, he thinks he’s seeing an actual ghost. Shawn is the spitting image of his late husband, and it spooks the hell out of him. The former rodeo-star-turned-ranch-hand does his best to avoid the soft-spoken cook—except it’s kind of tough when the man makes the best damn grub this side of the Mississippi and has a boy-next-door charm that’s impossible to resist.

Even though the tension between them practically sizzles, Shawn doesn’t do hookups and Robin isn’t ready for a new relationship. Besides, Robin can tell Shawn’s been hurt and deserves a partner who isn’t saddled with a tragic past. But chemistry doesn’t lie. Maybe finding each other—and a second chance at love—is the lucky break they both need.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

This book is approximately 99,000 words

Amazon

Oh yea, back on the ranch. The Clean Slate Ranch that is.

We got a hint about something brewing between Robin and Shawn at the end of the last book. And now we get their story. And background stories. Ugh, my heart.

Robin was definitely known as a guy who wasn’t discerning, shall we say, when it came to sex partners. He was all about having fun. Shawn, however, was the complete opposite of that. So they sniffed around each other for a bit until fate sort of threw them together.

We’ve seen the ranch with guests and the ghost town before, during and after construction. Now we see the in between. The ghost town closes for several months when it gets colder and the ranch closes for the Christmas holidays. Except for those who live there full time and a skeleton crew. It was cool to see more behind the scenes without guests there.

Robin doesn’t speak to his family, so staying on the ranch suits him fine. And Shawn really has no where else to go. Even though he is an employee of the ghost town, he gets an opportunity to work at the ranch while the ghost town is closed.

Robin was SO PATIENT with Shawn. Taking the time to even romance him a bit. Going at Shawn’s pace in the bedroom. It was kind of surprising based on Robin’s reputation. But so, so sweet.

The down time on the ranch let them get to really know each other and spend time together. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Miss Angsty Author loves to make readers cry, wrote a really sweet book.

Ok, Robin’s back story is sad. Shawn’s back story is sad. But nothing that made me cry. This might just be a first for me.

Two likable characters, a slow but steady burn (which turned wicked hot) and some redemption.

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

* Disclosure of Material: We may have received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that we would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. We have not been asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor were we compensated in any way. We are posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. *

For Sam, times infinity by Suki Fleet: Blog Tour, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 15, 2019 by Denise

After growing up in care, all Sam wants is to make a home for him and Tommy, his kid brother by choice. But it’s not as easy as he thought, especially when his social worker finds him a job miles away. And falling for the surprising boy at work only makes things harder.

Evra is different, his past a mystery. Being truly himself is not something he’s ever felt safe enough to be with anyone, not until Sam, the shyest boy ever, saves his life at work and Evra finds himself inexplicably trusting him. Wanting him.

Problem is, Sam is leaving, unable to stand being so far away from Tommy. And Evra can’t leave, not when he has consequences to face.

Making things work might seem complicated, but sometimes falling in love has its own consequences.

Length: 60,000 words approx.

Amazon US – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK – Kindle Unlimited

Okay, so, I have a hard time with stories where bad people get away with being bad people and it really seemed like that’s all there were here in the beginning, apart from Sam and Evra, but everyone was terrible to them. I’m also not a big fan of young adult, so I was wary in the beginning of this one.

First we meet Sam and Evra, who work together at the same factory, though in different parts. Work isn’t good for either of them, their boss is terrible, as are the people they work with, both men have a bully that seems intent to make work miserable for the pair of them, but for different reasons. Sam is only there because the home he aged out of helped him find the job, though it was hours away from who he considered his little brother from the home, Tommy. They will break your heart. Sam loved Tommy so much and hearing the two talk, you knew that they only had each other, but unfortunately, Sam not really being Tommy’s brother and the fact that Tommy’s only 13 and has special needs, he needs the care system still, especially while Sam gets established… they’re working towards it though and I was glad to see that for them, even if it did seem that there were hundreds of hurdles in their way.

Evra was a little mysterious for me. Not only his relationship with Mav (who I eventually came to adore, despite he and Karl’s bullying) but also the home they lived in. Taken in as refugees when their shipping container was found, Mav and Evra had come across each other while in care, but was now living in a support house tht tried to help them get established, but didn’t at all because of the tyrant, militant, manipulative person they lived with. How he could dictate their every moment (even bowl movements) was so strange to me and I don’t know how nobody noticed this or how he wasn’t in prison or locked in a loony bin. I didn’t understand that entire storyline. It seemed so unbelievable because who would willingly go along with that?

Evra though, especially because of his upbringing, didn’t understand the whole right from wrong 100% though, he didn’t realize what Berill was doing was wrong. Strange, but not wrong. Not until Maverick found out. I loved how much Mav had Evra’s back. I hate that we didn’t get to see the “consequences” that Beril got, but maybe next book??? I’m hoping so. I cannot handle when bad people get away with being bad.. I need karmic justice… I’m petty that way!

So, it’s a complicated situation for all involved, but together, with all of them being there for one another, things get worked out, all while Sam and Evra fall for each other. It was a bittersweet ending, especially knowing how much the boys had gone through to get to where they ended up… I love happy or happy for now endings, I wouldn’t mind reading more about Karl and Mav. I have a feeling they’ll break my heart too.

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

About The Author

Award Winning Author. Prolific Reader (though less prolific than they’d like). Lover of angst, romance and unexpected love stories.

Suki Fleet’s first novel This is Not a Love Story won Best Gay Debut in the 2014 Rainbow Awards, and was a finalist in the 2015 Lambda Awards. Foxes won Best Gay Young Adult story in the 2016 Rainbow Awards.

You can contact Suki at sukifleet@gmail.com

If you’re interested in hearing about upcoming releases, works in progress, giveaways and freebies, please sign up to Suki’s newsletter.

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* Disclosure of Material: We may have received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that we would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. We have not been asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor were we compensated in any way. We are posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. *

Unbreakable (A Heaven and Hell Club Prequel) by Colette Davison: Release Day Blitz, Excerpt and Reviews

November 14, 2019 by Denise

Mac’s life isn’t perfect, but he likes it the way it is: safe and predictable.

Mac works in a struggling pole dancing club at night, and a gym during the day. He’s tired and cash strapped, but content, until a confident twink walks into the club and turns his life upside down. It’s hard to resist when Russel asks him to be his fake boyfriend for one night, in return for double his normal take-home pay.

One date turns into more, as Mac helps Russel get an exclusive that will secure him the job he’s always wanted. But the rich playboy who holds Russel’s career in his hands isn’t going to give him the scoop so easily.

As Mac and Russel spend more time together, the lines between fake and real begin to get blurred, but can their relationship become strong enough to be unbreakable in the face of adversity?

Unbreakable is a fake boyfriend MM romance, with a buff pole dancer who swears like a trooper, a twink who likes to take charge, some spanking, light bondage, and a happy ever after. It’s a prequel story to Broken, but can be read as a standalone romance.

Book Title: Unbreakable (a Heaven and Hell Club prequel)

Author: Colette Davison

Publisher: Independently published

Cover Artist: Colette Davison

Release Date: November 14, 2019

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Fake boyfriend

Themes: Self-belief, stronger together, faithfulness, friendship

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 65 000 words

It’s a prequel to Broken, but can be read as a standalone.

Add on Goodreads

Amazon US – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK – Kindle Unlimited

The city centre was packed, and a steady stream of well-dressed shoppers moved in and out of the posh department store. Mac really didn’t belong there, let alone loitering outside it. He was about to give up and go home—he’d been waiting for almost half an hour—when Russel appeared out of the crowd and flounced up to him.

“You were early!”

Mac narrowed his eyes. “You’re late.”

Russel waved his hand. “Only by a few minutes.” His eyes travelled up and down Mac’s body, full lips pursed thoughtfully. “Are those the nicest clothes you’ve got?”

Mac looked down at his tatty jeans, threadbare coat, and death metal T-shirt. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

Russel nodded towards the doors to the store. “We might have a problem getting in there. Not to worry.” He looped his arm through Mac’s. “There are plenty of other shops in Leeds. This way.”

Mac opened his mouth to object but snapped it shut again.

“I thought we’d do a bit of shopping and then grab a coffee somewhere,” Russel said. “We need to get a few facts straight before this evening.”

“What facts?”

“How long we’ve been together, what star sign we both are, favourite colours, hobbies… that sort of thing.”

“Is that really necessary?”

“Yes!”

Mac shook his head. Russel probably wasn’t a psycho, but he was a demanding son of a bitch. There was no way he was going to remember those kinds of stupid details about a fucking stranger. He kept his thoughts to himself. Russel was paying him, and that was all that mattered.

I read and reviewed Broken by this author and being that this was a prequel to that, I definitely wanted to read it. Honestly, I wish I had read this first and then Broken. Or this, then another book with Michael and Edward as the main characters and then Broken.

As a cute, fake boyfriend story, it was highly readable. But at the same time, Broken was so angsty and I knew what was coming, it kind of took away a little bit from me. Not a ton because the focus is on different couples, but still.

Overall, Mac and Russel were pretty adorable together, even though Russel was almost a caricature of a stereotypical flamboyant gay man . And once they got down to it, they lit my kindle on fire. But there was a lot of repetitive language used to seemingly fill up the pages. And the resolution of the biggest plot point in the book was completely anti climatic and sort of an after thought.

It’s cute, sexy, but fluffy. If you haven’t read Broken yet, definitely read this one first so you don’t have that cloud lingering that you know what is coming.

3 Pieces of Candy

Okay, so this is a prequel and there is already one established couple so I’m not sure if I missed any other stories in the series so far, but if I did, it didn’t feel like it. So, Mac is a dancer at a club, though I honestly don’t remember what it’s called, but, he works with two close friends/chosen family, Edward and Michael. They’re the already established couple and remember them because they’re the ones who have plans for the Heaven and Hell club… the place now, is a seedy little place where customers aren’t what they once were and their owner/boss is greedy and lazy and just not a nice guy. It seems jerks who get away with being jerks is a thing in stories I’m reading lately… but anyway…. It’s just another night on the grind when Russel walks in in all his beautiful glory and Mac is intrigued but the pair of them are so different. Color him surprised when Russel propositions him but it’s not the type he’s used to.

Russel is the “layout guy” but what he really wants to do is become a journalist. When he gets an opportunity to write a piece for one of the most fashionable bachelors, he thinks his luck is about to change when his boss gives him a chance to cover it. Never mind he’s only doing it because Russel is gay and so is Remy, the bachelor in question, but he doesn’t look the gift horse in the mouth and takes the job, with the stipulation that it’s a couple’s party, even though Remy is very single. After trying his few friends to pose as his boyfriend, someone suggests Mac and it’s not such a bad idea, right?

Playing a fake boyfriend never works out according to plan.. We already knew that these two were going to fall in love and why wouldn’t they? They’re adorable together and I loved how loyal they were to one another. When the fake part goes out the window, I adored them together. Russel is so confident and sassy that I’m surprised he ever lets anyone get anything on over him and Mac is strong yet vuernerable and I love love love that stereotypes are thrown out the window in this one. Just because Mac is the muscled up, broody guy, doesn’t make him a top… he’s actually almost strictly bottom and not only that, he likes to be dominated…. Or maybe not dominated, as it isn’t that dark… but maybe controlled a bit, though only by Russel. He trusted him from the get go and I liked that…. And just because Russel is a makeup wearing ball of sass, doesn’t mean he’ll take crap from anyone… he surely doesn’t and he knows just what Mac needs to make him crazy for him. It was hot. I liked that neither of them were what I was expecting.

What I hate more than anything, though, and you’ll know it, if you’ve read any of my reviews….ever.. is that I’m way too petty and callous to not want retribution against someone who has wronged me. It’s the type of person I am. I hate when people get taken advantage of, I hate manipulators and I despise when people get away with being jerks. Entitled A-holes and this sstory is full of them.

Remy, who you’ll realize pretty early on is the most manipulative and the story mainly focuses on him and what he tries to do to the couple, and honestly, I cannot believe people act like him, he’s the epitome of SPOILED, entitled and bratty… it’s almost laughable how bratty and immature, but I hated him immediately and really really hated him by the end, though I’m glad he somewhat got put in his place. What I hated, is that both of their bosses, the greedy pos and then Russel’s boss, who was so immorally disgusting, the way spoke to Russel and the situations he put him in were absolutely unethical and he should’ve lost his job at the very least. I hated that he screwed over Russel and just gets to go about his way being an awful fake human being. I wished for karmic justice on him too….

BUT, I’ll digress, because it could just be my mood and the fact that I’ve read just jerky characters lately, but the overall love story between Mac and Russel, I loved…which is the point, here LOL
I loved their friendships that they had, that hopefully you’ll see more of in the series… I loved their loyalty to one another and the trust they had in each other. I loved seeing them fall in love with other, when their start was less than ideal and a little cliché, and I loved how things ended for the both of them and they got such a sweet happy ending. I’m not sure I’ll read anymore from the series, but it is very well written and worth the read.

4 pieces of eye candy

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.

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Claiming Marcus (Lords of Discord Book 1) by Jocelynn Drake: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Reviews and Giveaway

November 4, 2019 by Denise

Vampires slaughtered my family.

No one believed me until I met some new friends, who promised to help me get justice.

But nothing prepared me for Marcus Varik.

Tall, dark, and mind-numbingly sexy.

But he’s also shy, protective, and adorably eccentric.

Oh God, I should have never agreed to betray him.

Hopefully, it’s not too late to fix my mistake before I lose more people I love.

Claiming Marcus is the first book in an MM paranormal romance series that has vampires, betrayal, annoying brothers, music, heartbreak, hope, sexy times, and a raven named Ozzie.

Title: Claiming Marcus

Series: Lords of Discord #1

Author: Jocelynn Drake

Publisher: Indie

Release Date: 10/31/2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 100,000

Genre: Romance, paranormal romance

Add to Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

The Playlist for CLAIMING MARCUS

Like many authors, I prefer to write to music. Sometimes I will create a specific playlist that I’m listening to and sometimes I will to specific albums over and over again to keep me in a specific mindset.

When I was working on Shiver, book 1 of the Unbreakable Bonds series, most of my writing was done to the Counting Crows’ album “August and Everything After.” After I finished that book, I really haven’t listened to that album much.

I’ve written at least three books to video game scores created by Jesper Kyd. I particularly love the score for Assassin’s Creed II. I still use it a lot to this day. There were also a couple of books that were written to the score for Constantine. That’s some good, creepy music.

For Claiming Marcus, book 1 of the Lords of Discord, I bounced around a lot. This is my first time writing vampires in more than five years so it was interesting trying to find the right mood music and mindset to match the book.

For Marcus, I found myself drifting to Beethoven a lot. He’s got some great, moody pieces that can be melancholy or excited or angry. I could easily see Marcus coming back to Beethoven over and over again to pull some of the angst and venom from his soul.

After he became a vampire, Marcus had more to worry about than just his mother and brothers. He had to deal with being a new creature in a new society. He had to deal with other vampires, which seemed to naturally bring me to Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor from the Nine Inch Nails.

When it came to the human Ethan, I found myself drifting in a totally different direction. Ethan has a great love of Tori Amos. An accomplished pianist, Tori offers some great songs that match Ethan’s moods. The hardest part was picking just the right ones that matched him. Naturally, his love of a pianist made Ethan a natural admirer of Marcus.

And then, of course, I needed a few more songs that spoke to the love they were trying to nurture in the midst of the chaos.

If you would like to listen to the playlist that I’ve pulled together for CLAIMING MARCUS, you can find it here on Spotify.

Ethan wanted to feel panic and fear when he stared at Marcus. There really was no doubt in his mind that Marcus and his brothers were vampires. A sane person would have taken his brother to a hospital. Ethan hadn’t seen the actual wounds, but just the amount of blood he cleaned up meant that Bel had been seriously injured. No one could heal from that without medical assistance.

And yet, just an hour later, Bel’s color was starting to improve. He was resting on the couch, his breathing falling in a steady rhythm.

Looking at the aristocratic creature seated on the piano bench, streaked with his brother’s blood, Ethan couldn’t see anything but a man exhausted and hurting in ways that he couldn’t fully understand. He trusted Marcus to not harm him. He’d already gone out of his way to protect him from Meryl and Cain.

Ethan wanted to take care of Marcus. It was clear that he was the family protector. He was the one who made the hard decisions and directed the others in order to get things done and keep them safe. But who was there to take care of Marcus?

Taking Marcus’s bloody hand in his, Ethan pulled him to his feet and led him out of the music room. He paused in the hallway. The third floor held four rooms with locked doors. One of them was Marcus’s private bedroom, but he didn’t know which one.

“Here,” Marcus said, pointing to a pair of double doors farther down the hall.

Ethan nodded and led the way, pulling the keys Marcus had given him out of his pocket. He unlocked the doors and pushed them open. There was only one small lamp on the nightstand burning, but it was enough to illuminate the large room with an enormous four-poster bed and a long bureau made of a dark wood. The walls were a dark blue with white trim. The carpet under their feet was so thick it was almost like walking on a cloud.

“Thank you, Ethan,” Marcus murmured. He squeezed Ethan’s hand before releasing it. “You can sleep in the green room if you’re too tired to return home. And you don’t have to come in to work tomorrow…or rather today. You need your rest.”

Ethan turned and smirked up at Marcus. “Work, huh? I thought I was fired.”

Marcus gave him a tired little smile. “I don’t think I technically fired you. Just threatened to do it.”

Taking a step closer, Ethan slowly reached up and touch the top button on his stained shirt. “Well, I think I’m technically here as a friend, because if your employee did this…” Ethan paused and slipped the first button through the hole. “We’d have to deal with a whole lot of HR shit, and we don’t want to do that.”

Marcus swallowed hard, staring at Ethan. He licked his lips as his breathing picked up, but he didn’t say anything to stop Ethan. Yeah, Marcus was attracted to him. Ethan thought he’d picked up a few little tells over the past couple of weeks, but Marcus was overall very careful. The guy was stuck so far in the closet, there was little hope of him ever seeing daylight.

But this wasn’t about Marcus exploring his sexuality. There was still the issue of him being a vampire and holding knowledge of his mother’s killer. This was about Ethan seeing that Marcus got some well-deserved rest.

Still moving slowly, Ethan lowered his hands and unbuttoned the next three buttons before Marcus finally moved, capturing both of his hands in his.

“Ethan?”

“It’s okay,” he said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I’m just helping you. I’m going to turn on the shower and get the water to warm up. Do you want me to help you finish getting undressed?”

Marcus’s mouth dropped open and sort of soundlessly bobbed for a second like he couldn’t get the words out.

Ethan chuckled. He was so damn attracted to this man, to this vulnerable side that he was sure his brothers didn’t get to see. Ethan pulled his hands free and resumed unbuttoning his shirt. He pulled the shirt free of Marcus’s pants to get the last couple of buttons. Hours ago, Marcus had rolled his sleeves up his forearms so that all Ethan had to do was run his palms up Marcus’s strong chest, reveling in the feel of hard muscle. A low groan rumbled in Marcus’s throat and that sound sent blood rushing to Ethan’s cock. Fuck, that was an amazing sound. He smoothed his hands across Marcus’s shoulders, pushing the shirt down his arms and to the floor.

“Ethan…I…”

“Shhh,” Ethan murmured. “Nothing is going to happen. You’re safe.” He leaned up on the tips of his toes and pressed a light kiss to Marcus’s throat. Strong hands immediately clamped down on his hips, holding him in place. Fingers dug into his ass and Ethan nearly moaned. He’d die to feel those hands all over his body. Just the thought had his cock stiffening.

“Not sure if the promise of nothing has me relieved or disappointed,” Marcus admitted in a shaky voice. He looked down and Ethan could feel the slight tremor creeping through Marcus’s muscles. “I’ve…I’ve never—”

“I know,” Ethan interrupted. “That’s why nothing is going to happen.” Well, one of the reasons, at least. “You need someone to take care of you tonight. Shower and then bed. Once you’re tucked in, I’m going to head home, but I’ll return later today.”

Sadness crept into Marcus’s blue eyes, but there was also relief there. He nodded and released Ethan.

“Finish getting undressed, my sexy friend,” Ethan said and sauntered toward the open door across from the bed. He was guessing it was a private bathroom.

He flicked a switch and sucked in a harsh breath as buttery light cascaded over warm marbled and gold fixtures. The bathroom was almost as big as his old apartment. There was a large garden tub that could easily fit three full-grown men, a double sink vanity with a long mirror, and a shower stall that had enough space and heads to cover the same three men who just climbed out of the tub.

There was muffled thump on the floor and Ethan guessed that Marcus had dropped a shoe. “Are you so touchy-feely with all your friends?”

Ethan laughed as he walked over to the shower. “Would you be jealous if I was?”

“Yes,” Marcus hissed, and that single word wrapped in a possessive tone warmed Ethan like nothing else could. He’d had more than a few sexual partners in his life, but no one he’d call a boyfriend and no one who ever felt possessive. He was just a warm body, a tight hole, a great mouth to fuck.

But with Marcus, he felt like more.

Opening the door, Ethan turned the handle, starting the shower. He stuck his hand in the spray, checking the temperature. Still cold. He started to turn to make sure that Marcus had a clean towel, but he jumped when he found Marcus standing directly behind him. The man had moved so silently and so fucking quickly. How had he not noticed him?

Because he’s a vampire.

Oh, yeah. Ethan’s brain kept conveniently forgetting that little fact.

It was even easier to forget when Marcus was standing just a couple of inches away, wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs. He was pale, but it didn’t detract from his beautiful body. Every inch of him was hard. Every. Fucking. Inch.

Wow….

So, I’m not a fan of paranormal. Not even a little bit, but, I haven’t read a story by Ms. Drake that I haven’t been so enamored with and this one was no different. I might have to take a dive into vampire romance, I fear I’ve been missin out!

So, in this one, we see Ethan as a child, when we witness his family being murdered by something he thought was only folklore and urban legends. Seeing his family torn to bits as well as his neighbors in the the apartment complex, hearing it as well as witnessing the aftermath, it’s no surprise that when we meet him again, he’s working with Legion to exterminate known vampires so he can get revenge from the killing of his family that left him all alone.

Getting a job with Marcus Valrik wasn’t easy, but he needed to find out if he was a vampire and if he or his family were the ones he needed to get even with. Turns out, he isn’t, and he’s not even sure he’s a vampire at all, though he’s pretty sure. Marcus and his brothers aren’t anything like you see in the movies and what this legion of vampire hunters expect him to be…they’re almost normal even.

I adored Marcus and even more, I loved his corky and eccentric brothers. I loved the bond they all had and their loyalty to each other and their mother. Being vampires didn’t do anything to change any of that, if anything, the 176 years they’d been vampires together had only made them closer… though they were very different from one another and it showed in the way they lived their lives.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that I loved it from beginning to end and I cannot wait to see who’s next… Hopefully Rafe, though I hope all the brothers get their own story!!!

5 well deserved pieces of eye candy from me!

SO GOOD!

Books with vampires can get really cheesy (uh, sparkly?) or really dark (thank you Anne Rice) or just really dumb (too many to name). But this was really, really well done.

Ethan, seeking revenge for the murders of his family when he was a child, gets hired by Marcus as a PA under false pretenses. Marcus needs help coordinating a move from South Carolina to Connecticut, Ethan is to provide intel to a vampire hate group.

But Ethan slowly gets to know Marcus. Who seems like a nice guy- not a vampire.

And Marcus. The oldest of four brothers- all vampires- who try to take care of their mother (also a vampire) while she teeters on the edge of sanity.

Ethan and Marcus start falling for each other- while we fall for them. Being that they grew up oh, almost 200 years apart, Ethan is out and proud but Marcus is in the closet still and scared. Ugh, my heart. Marcus is so sheltered even though he is nearly 200 years old. He just broke my heart.

Surrounding Marcus are his brothers. Definitely a recurring theme in Ms Drake’s books are the strong band of brothers- by blood or by circumstance. And you end up loving them all for different reasons.

The plot was interesting as well. Trying to figure out who the bad guys were, who killed Ethan’s family and why were ranking vampire government members being killed. It was woven together nicely, while still giving us a good romance between Marcus and Ethan.

So yep, I really loved it. I can’t wait for the next book with the next brother (who I picture as Eric Northman from True Blood). Points off from 5 POEC just because once their sexual relationship began, Marcus seemed way too experienced for someone with literally no experience.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

It started with a battered notebook. Jocelynn Drake wrote her first story when she was 12 years old. It was a retelling of Robin Hood that now included a kick-ass female who could keep up with all the boys and be more than just a sad little love interest. From there, she explored space, talked to dragons, and fell in love again and again and again.

This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the U.S. with her patient husband. They’ve settled near the Rockies…for now. She spends the majority of her time lost in the strong embrace of a good book.

When she’s not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can usually be found cuddling with her cat Demona, walking her dog Ace, or flinging curses at the TV while playing a video game. Outside of books, furry babies, and video games, she is completely enamored of Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.

She is the New York Times Bestselling 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 new MM paranormal romance series. She is also the co-author of the Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, and Pineapple Grove series with Rinda Elliott.

https://jocelynndrake.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jocelynn.drake/

https://twitter.com/JocelynnDrake

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1080585.Jocelynn_Drake

jocelynn@jocelynndrake.com

https://www.instagram.com/jocelynn.drake/

Tour Schedule

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11/4 Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy https://twochicksobsessed.com/

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Twice Shy: A Single Dad Gay Romance (New Milton Book 3) by Sally Malcolm: Blog Tour, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 1, 2019 by Denise

The last thing Joel Morgan wants is to fall in love again. Scarred by his failed marriage, Joel’s determined to keep his life emotionally stable—which means taking a job teaching fourth grade, fixing up his house on weekends, and avoiding absolutely all romantic entanglements. And he’s doing great.

Until he meets sweet but struggling single dad, Ollie Snow.

Following the tragic death of his sister and her husband two years earlier, Ollie became the legal guardian of their two young sons—much to the horror of the boys’ conservative grandparents. They think Ollie’s too young and too gay to raise their grandsons. So to prove them wrong, Ollie’s determined to parent the boys without anyone’s help.

Until he meets reserved but caring teacher, Joel Morgan.

As the only two men in the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, Joel and Ollie are thrown together over a series of fundraising events and somewhere between the Beach Fun Run and the Christmas Market they fall in love. But Ollie has another reason for moving to New Milton—a reason he’s keeping close to his chest—and Joel’s wounded heart won’t trust a man with secrets.

Dare they hope for a future together, or will their past hurts keep them apart forever?

Length: 88,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Sally Malcolm

Amazon US – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK – Kindle Unlimited

Book #1 – Perfect Day – Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book #1.5 – Love Around The Corner – Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book #2 – Between The Lines – Amazon US | Amazon UK

So, I’m comin into this one late, but I saw single dad and of course I jumped at it. I haven’t read the other two in the series first. I should probably do that, but only because I wanna see how the others got together, it didn’t take me away from the story at all.

In this one, we have Ollie, who fought hard for custody of his niece and nephew after the death of his sister and brother-in-law. Fighting his conservative brother-in-laws parents was hard, but he’s determined to prove to everyone that he can be what the kids need him to be, even if it is proving harder than he’d ever thought possible. He’s kind of faking it until he makes it, which is hard to do since he’d had to give up his schooling, an internship and basically his life to take on two kids. He does it though, without complaint because he loves the two and five year old more than anything. Moving to the area, he hoped to connect with a long-lost-brother that had no idea he existed, he didn’t realize he’d meet a guy and fall for him too.

Joel is a teacher at the school where Ollie’s five year old nephew goes. He, along with Ollie get roped into the PTA and it’s there where they get to know each other. Joel is single, bi, though definitely not out at school, which makes his attraction to Ollie something he fears, especially after being royally screwed over by his wife some years ago. He’s not gotten over it and though I do think he goes a bit overboard with his overreactions sometimes, I know how long a bad relationship, deception and betrayal can have an effect on a person. I’ve lived it, myself. So, where I can see where he’s coming from a bit, my heart did hurt for Ollie because I can’t imagine how it would be for him.

So, things are rocky and Joel needs his relationship to stay a secret and Ollie is doing everything he can to keep the kids happy and healthy and together, sometimes getting by, by the skin of his teeth, and all the while, he tries to not fall for Joel, while Joel works on and fails more often than not, tries to learn to trust again. It’s a bumpy road, a slow burn and it takes a while to get there…but they do alright in the end. Nothing worth having is easy, right?

This was a very sweet story and I adored both Joel and Ollie by the end, I really can’t wait to go back and read Theo and Luca’s story, and hopefully the mechanic guy and his bookish fiancé have a story too. Can’t wait to see!

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

Sally Malcolm was bitten by the male/male romance bug in 2016 and hasn’t looked back.

Perfect Day was her first published male/male romance, with the follow-up (Between the Lines) out later in 2018 and a dozen other ideas bubbling away on the back burner. Her stories are emotional, sweetly angsty, and always have happy endings.

Sally also writes tie-in novels for the hit TV shows Stargate: SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. To date she’s penned nine novels and novellas, and four audio dramas.

She lives in South West London with her American husband, two lovely children, and two lazy cats.

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