Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

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Charlie Sunshine by Lily Morton: New Release Review * 2

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Sometimes love is a lot closer to home than you think.

Charlie Burroughs can’t keep a man. All he wants is a good relationship like the ones he sees his friends having, but none of the men he picks ever work out. Despite him trying to be the perfect boyfriend, the men are either threatened by his looks or his epilepsy or a combination of the two. It’s lucky that he has his best friend Misha to turn to. The two of them are closer than peas in a pod and fiercely loyal to each other. He can’t imagine his life without Misha in it.

Misha Lebedinsky is the complete opposite of his best friend. Being the support system for his mum and twin sisters leaves Misha with neither the time nor the inclination for a relationship. Quick and frequent hook-ups are his favourite means of communication and any other pesky emotional needs he has are met by Charlie, who he’s devoted to. He lives a life of happy compartmentalization with no intention of ever changing.

All of this changes when the two best friends move in together. Being in close proximity means that they suddenly start to see each other in a very different light. But Charlie struggles when his drive to be the perfect partner clashes with the fact that he’s in love with a man who knows every little thing about him. And even if he can get past that, can a relationship ever work with a man who’d need a dictionary to tell him what love means?

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a love story about a sunny librarian who has relationship written all over him and a cynical banker who doesn’t even have it in his blurb.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Never judge a book by its cover… because this cover reminds me of the old Geico caveman, but I adored this story so, so, so much!

Charlie is beautiful (despite the cover) and he’s inherently chipper and happy and good-hearted, and friendly and funny and just beautiful inside and out. I loved him, sure, but probably not as much as I loved his best friend Misha.

Misha is Charlie’s complete opposite, but they’ve been best friends since they were kids. Where Misha is a very successful banker, Charlie works in a library. Where Charlie is a serial monogamist, Misha doesn’t know the word relationship. It works for them though, they make each other better. What I loved the most though was the way Misha takes care of Charlie… Even from the beginning, even when Charlie had a very short-term, very condescending boyfriend that you’ll hate, even then, Misha took care of him. It gets frustrating, the level of cluelessness they both share, but it makes it that much sweeter when they both realize that aside from being best friends, they care about each other like no one else ever would.

I loved their banter and the way were best friends before anything else. Both men were so selfless and there for each other, they truly just wanted each other to be safe and happy. Everyone knew they were soulmates, their friends and families were so supportive and encouraging, it was almost a relief when they realized they were meant to be more. I don’t want to give everything away because it’s honestly such a low-angst, feel-good read. Everything I read from this author is, she’s an instant buy for me. This one was no different. Loved the ending, I can’t wait to see who’s next and where these guys go from here. Perfect ending.

5 pieces of eye candy

From the moment that I discovered my first Lily Morton book, she has never let me down. Quirky, fun characters who can laugh at themselves and are just fun. Even the grumpy ones end up being fun.

Charlie is the perennially happy guy. Even after a freak accident that left him with epilepsy, he still won’t be anything but happy. In front of people. He is always that “I’m fine!” guy. But his best friend since he was 6 years old can see through it.

Misha is the opposite of Charlie. Hedge fund manager, snappy suits, fancy car, the right address. But together, they are perfect. How could they not be after 20 something years of friendship?

Charlie loses his last roommate and instead of looking for another, Misha invites him to be HIS roommate. No big deal, right? HA! HA I say! Since they each have crushes on each other but won’t do anything about it because 1. best friends and 2. they want different things. Charlie is the settle down, white picket fence with a chocolate lab kind of guy. But Misha is only about the one night stand.

Plus Charlie has a boyfriend, who works with Misha and they hate each other. And he really doesn’t treat Charlie well. The last straw was when Charlie started having a seizure and the evil boyfriend didn’t catch him before he fell. In fact, he moved away. Bastard.

Now everyone is single and tip toeing around each other’s hot selves and ignoring the giant condom shaped elephant in the room.

Of course they end up together! It is a romance with a happily ever after. But watching them discover the love they have that is beyond best friend love is wonderful. And it isn’t just Charlie who changes Misha from a one off guy to a happily in love buy. But Misha also changes Charlie. From always having a happy face on to finally asking for help when he needs it and letting people know that sometimes he isn’t great.

They were just super adorable and I LOVED Charlie’s parents- mom, step dad, father and step father. Do they math.

If you are a Lily Morton fan, don’t miss this one.

4 pieces of eye candy

The Parable of the Mustard Seed by Lisa Henry: New Release Review

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The past never stays buried forever.

John Faimu is an Australian-Samoan police officer who deals with hurt kids every day. He loves what he does, but he’s tired of the grind of shift work, and of trying to find a balance between his job, his family, and the young man who straddles the increasingly blurry line between both.

Caleb Fletcher was the teenager John saved from a cult eight long years ago, and he’s now the young man John wants in ways that neither of them should risk.

Eight years after his rescue, Caleb is still struggling with PTSD and self-harm. John has always been his rock, but now Caleb wants more. Can he convince John to cross a line and love him the way they both crave? And when the monsters from Caleb’s past come back seeking to silence him for good, will John’s love be enough to save him?

The Parable of the Mustard Seed is an mm gay romance featuring hurt/comfort, first times, found family, and angst with a happy ending.

Publisher: self published

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Release Date: 3 April 2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Romance Pairings: Male/Male

Book Length (eBook): 79,000 words

Genre: Romance

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I had to mull over my review for this book for a few days. I generally do not do books with angst. I leave those to one of the other reviewers, but loving all things Aussie, I wanted to give this one a go. It was hard at some points…really hard. But considering the situation Caleb came out of, to expect anything less would have been doing the story a huge disservice.

John was so sweet, cared about everyone around him, not just Caleb, but his family, and even the kids on the street that he watched over during his shifts. He didn’t do a very good job of taking care of himself, but he seemed to love everything he did. And with Caleb, it was never a job. He loved him from day one.

As John and Caleb finally took their relationship to the next level, and Caleb asked to keep it from his father, it made sense. Caleb wanted something his own, that his father didn’t have to help him to deal with. However, it also put John in a very difficult position. And once Caleb’s father found out, under unpleasant circumstances, it made for awkward moments. However, they handled it like adults, knowing that Caleb’s health was of the uppermost importance.

All of this was on par with what I expected of the book. Toward the end of the book, I felt like there was something missing. It wasn’t that everything was necessarily tied up in a neat bow, but in some ways it was. Too neat. Which I think I could have understood better if it was a year, or three years later. However, just a few months later left me wondering how the next episode would be dealt with.

Overall, very well written, and touched on the depths of mental health, PTSD, and the fact that years later just the smallest things can be the biggest factors in a relapse. If you need some angst in your stories, this one is for you! Not a ton, but it isn’t for the lighthearted. I loved though that these men loved each other no matter what, without fail, and always there for one another.

4 pieces of eye candy

Promises, Part 3: (Bounty Hunters Series, Book 3) by A.E. Via: Audiobook Review

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Bradford (Ford) King was sure he had the rest of his life mapped out. Life was simple, no distractions or complications – at age 46, that’s all Ford wanted. What he didn’t want was his work partner, sniper/watchman Dana, giving him s–t all the time.

Dana Cadby had grown up labeled a roughneck from the wrong side of the tracks. Dana pulled himself up by his own boot straps and made a name for himself in the marksman community. He’d been Duke’s bounty watchman for five years. At 33, he was trusted, well-respected by his peers, his bosses, his friends…so why couldn’t he earn the same respect from his partner?

Dana knew he was bisexual before he graduated high school. He also knew he was attracted to the huge, 6’3″ SEAL from the moment he and his brother came to join their team.

When Duke sends Dana and Ford out to track down their most dangerous bounty yet, they both embrace the fact that they make one hell of a team…but they fight tooth and nail against the powerful intimacy brewing between them.

Contains mature themes.

Title: Promises, Part 3

Series: Bounty Hunters

Author: A.E. Via

Listening Length: 8 hours

Narrator: Aiden Snow

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Audible

“Grin all you want, you cocky little shit, but I’ll show you what this old man can do when I get you on that mat.” Ford ripped his arms away and walked up the row, turning the corner without a backwards glance.

Dana pulled in a breath of air and ran his hand over his chest where Ford’s arm had been. He felt hot and mildly embarrassed. He thought he’d played it off well, though. He should’ve known Ford wouldn’t take the joke for what it was. The man had no sense of humor… when it came to him, anyway. Dana had seen Ford laugh with his brother and smile when he was going over the latest military gadget he was able to get on the underground web, but lately the man refused to humor him. Dana dropped down on the small bench between the lockers. His big mouth had just written a check that his body was going to have to cash. Ford would be more than happy to teach his thirty-three-year-old ass a lesson in respecting his elders.

“Your bounty will not expect you to wrestle with him. Getting him on the ground is the best way to subdue him. Rush him, catch him off guard.” Quick walked back and forth across the mat, his muscular arms clasped behind his back while he instructed. Quick was an eighth degree black belt. He’d been studying martial arts since he was a boy. Hell, even Ford and Brian together couldn’t take him down. He was fast and a master at counter-maneuvers. You had to be able to get your hands on him first to do anything to him, and that was pretty much impossible. So Dana could respect Quick as a teacher. “Don’t second guess yourself. There’s no time for that. If you have an opportunity, take it. Got it?”

Everyone nodded their understanding. Duke stepped up. His black and gray hair was thick and disordered. He looked confident as always, but his eyes couldn’t hide his concern. “I called the extra training session this month because I’ve been contracted to go after a couple pretty big fish. These two brothers – Raymond and John Grossman – are well-known meth dealers here in Atlanta. They were bonded out on a five hundred thousand-dollar bond each but failed to appear a month ago. These men are dangerous. They have security, armed guards. They have money and lots of contacts, meaning plenty of places to hide. We’re going to have extensive hours of surveillance and scouting ahead of us. We’re going to finish training here then reconvene at the office for a strategy meeting later today. We gotta bring our A-game, like always. We were brought on because we know how to do this shit, so let’s get ready.” Duke looked back at his business partner. “Alright, Quick. Let’s get started.”

Ford moved back, letting him catch his breath. Dana was panting and sweating all over the place. They’d moved on from counter attacks to take-downs and submissions. Quick was giving them pointers while he demonstrated on the other martial arts instructor employed by the gym. Ford kept dumping Dana on his back every time he came at him. Although Ford never cracked a smile, it still looked like he enjoyed seeing Dana down there in pain, his face a mask of frustration as he tried to gain the upper hand.

“Dana, stop letting him get his arms around your thighs, goddamnit! You’re overthinking it!” Quick barked.

“Pair me with Duke or something. How the hell am I going to take Ford’s big ass down?” Dana fussed back, slowly getting back up on one knee.

“Are you saying you can only take down smaller men? If you are, then you are useless to me.” Quick was in Dana’s face, his forehead bumping into him while he pushed him back. “What’s size have to do with skill? You’ve seen me take down Brian and Ford. Both of them are bigger than me. You’ve seen Duke take down men twice his size. Defeating your opponent only takes skill and confidence, Dana, and you’ve got both of those in spades, so use them. Now get your ass back in position and stop bitching or I’ll have you riding a goddamn desk while the real men do the work.”

When Dana got back in front of Ford, the bastard couldn’t resist returning the wink Dana had given him in the locker room. “Now you be sure to take it easy on this old man.”

“Fuck you,” Dana grumbled, crouching down again.

“No. I’ll leave that to your prima donna girlfriend.”

Dana stood up, wondering what the hell business that was of Ford’s. “Jealous?”

Ford grunted an angry breath. “Of what? Being a fool just to get some bougie ass from a stuck-up bitch?”

Dana rushed at Ford like an idiot, shoving his shoulder into his midsection, trying to take him down. Ford folded his heavy body over Dana’s back and dropped all his weight, slamming him down face first to the mat. The air rushed out of him and he struggled to breathe with the massive man pinning him down. Ford’s reverse bear-hug had Dana’s arms wrapped so tight, he felt like he was in the grip of an anaconda. The crazy part was, Dana didn’t hear or see anyone coming to his aid. Obviously, this wasn’t a technique they were learning.

Ford’s mouth was by his ear, his hot breath fanning over his heated skin. “Pretty shitty sneak attack, boy.”

“Boy?” Dana hissed, his face flat to the mat. “Why are you always talking shit about her, huh?”

Ford’s hold around his entire upper body kept him from being able to do anything but snarl his frustrated words. “Why, Ford? You’ve been an ass ever since I got back with her.” Dana struggled, getting more pissed off by the second. “Answer me. Why don’t you want me with her?”

“Because you deserve better than that,” Ford said too quietly for the other guys to hear, and let Dana go.

Ford is grouchy and kind of a jerk in the beginning. Hot, but still….these guys, I swear, none of them know how to talk to each other. Dana’s had feelings for Ford for the last several years, but Ford never gave him any indication that he wanted anything from him, even friendship as of lately… Dana was lonely and it surprised me that he had such a low opinion of himself. I guess with the dad he had and the girlfriend he barely tolerated, it would be easy to see why he had such low self-esteem. I have to say, with the girlfriend, I thought she was going to be more trouble than she was. I thought for sure that she had something to do with the guys that they were after… I was surprised and a little disappointed that she didn’t get called out and humiliated more than she did. I would’ve liked to have seen that. I was not a fan…. It felt like a movie, which is crazy to me, this whole new world of audio books, especially right now when I’m all quarantined and I can just put my head phones in and give it my full attention.

When something happens to Dana, my heart broke for Ford… he went from the broody, unfeeling guy to an absolute wreck, and it narrated beautifully. I’m kind of obsessed with this guys voice, I don’t even want to see what he looks like because in my mind, he’s every single one of these characters that I’m also obsessed with. I liked seeing being able to hear the different sides of each character because it made them so real to me I loved the way it all got handled and I loved the way it ended…for now. These guys are perfect for each other… and once I started on it, nobody dared to bother me the entire length of this book. I didn’t stop until it was over.

Another great addition to an already great series.

Easiest 5 stars from me

 


A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay lit for over fifteen years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great new up and coming MM authors.
A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her.
Writing.

A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is kind of known now for her hardcore, play rough and love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes, but she won’t push herself into a whole other genre. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.
Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.

Social Media Links
Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AuthorAEVia
Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7354860.A_E_Via
A.E. Newsletter Signup: https://goo.gl/4hfuMh

Four Letter Word by K.M. Neuhold: Blog Tour, Excerpt and New Release Review

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Relationships are hard enough between two people…can the four of us make it work? Or is love nothing more than a four letter word?

Polyamory…the first time Riot says the word, it feels like everything slots into place. Maybe I’m not greedy for loving both of my best friends at once…

For most of my life, I didn’t think I could ever have the kind of love I’ve been dreaming of, but somehow a sexy bartender with a major sweet tooth is making it all seem possible.

Maybe Riot is right: our capacity for love is bigger than most people let themselves feel. But will Leo and Hudson feel the same? Will they be willing to try to build this beautiful, complicated life with me?

If I can keep them from ripping each other’s heads off that is…

*** This is book two in the Love Logic series and can be read as a stand-alone. This is a MMMM story full of love and heat.

Four Letter Word

Love Logic Series, Book 2

KM Neuhold

M/M/M/M Romance, Menage

Release Date: 03.20.20

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Universal Buy Link

Rocket Science (Love Logic Book 1)

“Bish, hold up,” Hudson says, wrapping his thick fingers around my bicep to pull me to a stop. My heart beats harder at his touch, everything in me insisting I melt into him and give him anything he wants. After all, it’s what I want too.

I swallow hard and turn to face him. “What’s up?” I ask as casually as I can manage.

He steps closer, crowding into my space until all I can feel is the warmth of his body and all I can smell is his spicy whiskey body soap and a hint of the alcohol on his breath. He cups my face, and the move is so familiar at this point I don’t think I could keep myself from leaning into it if I tried.

“Come home with me?” he asks, his voice a low murmur that vibrates through me and strokes my cock awake without any effort.

“I…” My brain is foggy from the booze, but more than that, my body is quickly getting drunk on Hudson’s closeness. If I say yes, I know we’ll have a fun night together. He knows exactly how to touch me, exactly how to make me come so hard I’ll see stars for hours. I sway into him, my cock fully hard just thinking about how Hudson’s bare skin feels against mine. “Have to go home…alone.”

Hudson’s shoulders sag. He strokes his thumb across my cheek without saying a word and I wonder if he’s hoping to change my mind. His hot breath ghosts over my lips a fraction of a second before his mouth is on mine. I brace for a hungry onslaught, steeling myself to refuse him again no matter how good the kiss is. But, to my surprise, his lips move slowly against mine, which is strangely harder to resist than if he shoved his tongue down my throat and started grinding his erection against me. I put my hands on his chest, curling my fingers around the fabric of his shirt and parting my lips to deepen the kiss.

It’s entirely too easy to get lost in the sweet rhythm of his mouth, the familiar taste of his tongue, the comforting feeling of his body against mine.

He breaks the kiss without warning and I drag in a breath in an attempt to get my thoughts back in the right order. 

I’m fairly certain I have read at least one of this author’s books before. I liked it, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression to go search out other titles. But this became available and I am always intrigued with how an author tackles polyamory. Because it can be really good, or really, really bad. And this one, was really good.

Bishop, Leo and Hudson were best friends practically since diapers. But when they were teenagers, Leo and Hudson- forever in one competition or another- want to know who kisses better. So they ask Bishop to judge. And from that moment, Bishop knew he was in love with his 2 best friends.

Flash forward 16 years. Although, the timeline was a little wonky for me. But it hardly matters. Anyway. Bishop is still in love with his best friends, even though his best friends no longer speak to each other. He hooks up with the hot bartender one night, but doesn’t want to lead him on. Because of that pesky unrequited love for two men. Until Riot- the bartender- explains polyamory. Suddenly things start clicking into place.

Over the course of the book, relationships are formed. As a whole, and as individual couples. There’s math involved to tell me how many couples there are, but that is too much work. But the author does take the time to nurture and grow each individual relationship. Without being too long, boring, or tedious. No one was left behind. No one came out as the alpha couple. They were all equals. After some past hurts were worked out. That past hurt between Leo and Hudson was kind of anticlimactic to me, but it is what it is.

If you want an honest, loving, really good look at polyamory and what it means to all parties involved, this is the book for you. Because polyamory doesn’t mean just a foursome, but all individual relationships cherished within.

4 pieces of eye candy

Author K.M.Neuhold is a complete romance junkie, a total sap in every way. She started her journey as an author in new adult, MF romance, but after a chance reading of an MM book she was completely hooked on everything about lovely- and sometimes damaged- men finding their Happily Ever After together. She has a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well. And she fully admits that her OCD tendencies of making sure every side character has a full backstory will likely always lead to every book having a spin-off or series. When she’s not writing she’s a lion tamer, an astronaut, and a superhero…just kidding, she’s likely watching Netflix and snuggling with her husky while her amazing husband brings her coffee.

 linktr.ee/KMNeuhold

Third One (Those Other Books series) by Roe Horvat: Blog Tour, Excerpt and New Release Review

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It could have been just an innocent crush. Something guiltless and fleeting. But Luke spends every day with Marcus; they talk, touch and dance together, they create and perform together. They know each other inside out. As a consequence, Luke has been in love with his very much taken choreographer for years. Seeing Marcus and his partner Liam together has become increasingly painful, and Luke needs to leave. His dancing career is nearing an end anyway. He will start university, reinvent himself, forget Marcus and find happiness elsewhere.

Except Marcus loves him back. And Liam knows. Liam’s dark eyes and his imposing silhouette begin haunting Luke’s dreams. Drowning in both lust and sadness, Luke is swept into a passionate triangle with two men who couldn’t be more different. Suddenly, instead of fear or caution, there’s just a mind-numbing desire for more.

Book Title: Third One (Those Other Books series)

Author: Roe Horvat

Publisher: Roe Horvat

Cover Artist: Roe Horvat

Release Date: March 30th 2020

Genre: Contemporary MMM erotic romance

Trope/s: Established couple + third, hurt/comfort

Themes: Two dancers and a businessman, Swedish coast, Gothenburg, pining, passion

Length:  46 000 words/140 pages

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Add on Goodreads

Amazon US-Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK-Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link 

Liam had always known words wouldn’t fix this. He walked closer, pausing next to Luke, who still wouldn’t look at him. Liam covered Luke’s left hand with his. The chill shocked him at first. Luke’s hand was ice-cold, and Liam was painfully aware of the last time they’d touched, two months ago at the hospital. He squeezed lightly before he stroked Luke’s fingers, warming them. Luke didn’t move, except his head sunk lower.

He didn’t pull away. Luke didn’t pull away.

Of course, he didn’t. Liam hadn’t imagined the energy between them. Carefully watching Luke’s profile for clues, he lifted his other hand and let it rest on Luke’s neck. Luke squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled harshly, and Liam could see Luke struggling. His chest ached at the sight. He massaged Luke’s nape while the man battled with himself. Liam stepped closer still until his nose brushed Luke’s hair. Breathing in Luke’s scent, he nuzzled his temple. Just a second passed, and Liam wanted to pause the time. Please. He felt a shudder ripple through Luke. One more second, one more breath. It was unmistakable. They both felt it, the same pull, the same rush of want, glimpses of a future, a different reality where they would touch willingly and with the ease of familiar lovers. God, it had been such a long time since Liam felt this sure, this convinced of the grand potential of love.

A deep sigh and Luke leaned away, pulling his hand from underneath Liam’s.

“This is so wrong,” Luke blurted. He hugged his hand to his chest as if Liam had burned him with his touch.

“Why?” Liam asked.

Luke met Liam’s eyes, his mouth parted and closed again. Of course, he didn’t have an answer.

“You are supposed to hate me,” Luke whispered.

Liam smiled through the sadness. He caressed Luke’s cheek, then let his nails brush through the stubble. Luke sucked in a breath, and his pupils widened. Yes, he felt it too, Liam could see.

“I don’t hate you. Never have.”

“You should.”

Liam only shrugged. He needed more time with Luke. It wasn’t just Marcus who bound them together, not anymore. Luke stood still, accepting Liam’s touch, but it was obvious he could leave any second now. Liam had nothing to lose. He brushed a thumb over Luke’s lips. Their gazes locked, and Liam inched closer. He felt Luke’s short, shallow breaths against his finger. He traced the shape, the curve from the center of Luke’s top lip to the left corner. Leaning closer still, he managed to brush his nose against Luke’s in a featherlight touch.

Maybe the kiss wouldn’t have changed anything, and maybe it would have. Liam never got to know. Luke tore away, a low hiss escaping, and he was gone.

Throwing his head back, Liam braced his hands on his hips and sighed.

He needed more time. But how?

If you want to read well written three way sex, this is the book for you. What was missing was the emotional connection.

Liam and Marcus are a long time couple. But then Marcus falls in love with Lucas- who is also in love with him. But won’t do anything about it because Marcus is in a relationship. Admirable, but he doesn’t understand that Liam and Marcus had been in a triad previously and are open to the idea.

There was much angst at the beginning. Marcus is a choreographer (I think) for a ballet company and Lucas is one of the dancers. So the unrequited love is something they deal with every day. Until Marcus gets hurt and ends up in the hospital.

But Lucas can’t deal, so he gives his notice to the ballet company. Not without thought- he is 35, his body hurts and he wants to go back to school to be a nurse. Go him.

At his going away party, after walking in on Marcus and Liam, the three forge a tentative relationship. And then there is lots of sex. Lots and lots and lots of sex.

And it was hot. Very well written. I can only assume visual aids were used to make sure the acrobatic feats could really happen.

But what was missing was that emotional connection. The intimacy. Lucas and Marcus already had at least an emotional connection, and Liam was all in, but I just didn’t FEEL it. Liam and Lucas went from 0-60 in a weekend.

While I am glad it wasn’t longer, I almost wish it was so that we could get to know theses guys as a triad while they got to know each other that way.

3 pieces of eye candy

Queer fiction author Roe Horvat was born in the post-communist wasteland of former Czechoslovakia. Equipped with a dark sense of sarcasm, Roe traveled Europe and finally settled in Sweden. He came out as transgender in 2017 and has been fabulous since. He loves Jane Austen, Douglas Adams, bad action movies, stand-up comedy, pale ale, and daiquiri. When not hiding in the studio doing graphics, he can be found trolling cafés in Gothenburg, writing, and people-watching.

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A Vigil in the Mourning (Soulbound IV) by Hailey Turner: Exclusive Guest Post, Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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I’m so incredibly excited to have Hailey Turner here today to give us a little bit extra about her newest release in the Soulbound series, A Vigil in the Mourning. As you will see below, I absolutely love this series (I try to contain my enthusiasm online, so Hailey doesn’t get creeped out, but I might stalk her IG a little bit, because she is also a huge cat lover like me :)) Anyway, when I asked for a guest post from Hailey I knew it had to be on her worldbuilding, which is so amazing, so well done, you can see these things that you’ve never seen, and understand what they are there for. I can’t think of any other authors who create worlds as well as she does! Anyway, check out her guest post on it, as well as the excerpt and a giveaway at the end!

 

The devil you know is never the one you should trust.

Special Agent Patrick Collins is dispatched to Chicago, chasing a lead on the Morrígan’s staff for the joint task force. Needing a cover for his presence in the Windy City, Patrick is ordered to investigate a politician running for mayor. In the lead up to election day, not everything is what it seems in a city where playing to win means appeasing the gods first and the electorate second.

But Chicago brings its own set of problems outside the case: a stand-offish local god pack, a missing immortal, and Patrick’s twin sister. Fighting Hannah and the Dominion Sect provides Patrick with a sinister reminder that some blood ties can never be cut.

Left behind in New York City, Jonothon de Vere finds himself targeted by hunters who will go through anyone to kill him—including the packs under his protection. With a bounty on his head, Jono is forced to make a choice that Patrick would never approve of. Doing so risks breaking the trust he’s built with the man he loves, but not acting will give the rival New York City god pack leverage Jono can’t afford to give up.

When Patrick and Jono reunite in Chicago, Patrick must confront the fraying of a relationship he’s come to rely on for his own sanity. But fixing their personal problems will have to wait—because Niflheim is clawing at the shores of Lake Michigan and the dead are hungry.

A Vigil in the Mourning is a 102k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot and a HFN ending. It is a direct sequel to A Crown of Iron & Silver. Reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one.

A Vigil in the Mourning by Hailey Turner

Series:  Soulbound IV

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date (Print & Ebook): April 6, 2020

Length (Print & Ebook): 102,951

Subgenre: LGBTQ Urban Fantasy

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Worldbuilding – Constraints and Freedom

If you read any of my books, I think it’s pretty obvious that I am fanatic in my love of worldbuilding. In science fiction and fantasy, you need a good foundation to build on if you want your story to thrive.

The fun thing about writing in SFF is that you can do anything—so long as that anything works within the rules you’ve built your world on. Which is a lot harder than it sounds, especially if you’re writing a long series that requires a lot of details, many of which may never make it on page. If they do, it might only be a throwaway line. But you, the writer, will know them, know what rule they help support, and that helps guide the worldbuilding.

When writing, the best way to build a world is to do it organically. Which means your most favorite world fact you created might never see the light of day. I have pages of notes on the science behind the werevirus or genes that carry magic in my series, but I’m never going to drop that long explanation into a book for fear of messing up the pacing and boring a reader.

With worldbuilding, you have a lot of freedom, but I personally believe that doesn’t equate to free rein. You want the world your characters exist in to be believable in a fantastical way for a reader, but actions within the world will still have consequences. Take Patrick and Jono. In my Soulbound world, messing with a person’s soul is a capital offense in the United States. Patrick accidentally tied their souls together, and that’s a crime they have to hide. I need to write the story around that law and the consequences of Patrick’s actions. Sometimes it’s not easy, but I still find it fun.

When you write a long series, you get to flesh out the world more, which I love. Maybe you get to introduce a new country, or a new world, maybe a new moment of first contact. As a writer, figuring out your world and how it works is a labor of love, but readers will always appreciate everything you know, even if they never read all of the pillars that help prop up your story.

“Where are you?” Patrick said when Wade picked up.

“Uh, why? Are you in trouble?” Wade asked.

“Not yet, but I’m being followed.”

“Werecreatures? I saw a couple this morning before I lost them.”

Patrick scowled and drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. “And you didn’t think you should go back to the hotel once you identified them?”

Wade snorted. “The hotel doesn’t have good snacks. I’m at Target getting better ones.”

“Of course you are.”

“It’s not like I can’t tell what they are, and I’m good at ditching people in a crowd. I’m not being followed right now. Trust me, I’d know if I was.”

“Get back to the hotel, Wade.”

“After I get snacks. And maybe another hot dog.”

“Wade.”

“Food first, fight later, bye.”

Wade ended the call, and Patrick swore. “Fucking teenagers.”

Okay, I am going to admit that I only started this series a few months back. I started listening to it on Audible, because I was like “well, I don’t read this stuff…” blah blah, whatever cr*p I told myself. I then got sucked in COMPLETELY!!! And after I finished this series, I moved over to Hailey’s Metahuman series, which is also fantastic. After all that, I figured I better stop trying to tell myself “I don’t read paranormal”. 🙂 This is a fantastic series, and I was totally on board with reading this ASAP. (And yes, I will be grabbing the Audible as soon as I see it drop.)

One of my favorite things about this series is Patrick, and his absolutely snarky, don’t give an f* attitude. Meanwhile Jono is the calming influence in their family, aka pack. Also, Wade and his food adventures never fail to crack me up. However, it is also just the way they all work together so well, after Patrick had years of working alone. They all just fit right.

I don’t want to give anything away, because if you love this series as much as I do, you are going to want to experience all the twists and turns. Just know you see those we have seen before in all their evil glory, some we haven’t seen much of before (think gods), and Patrick and Jono should never be allowed to be apart from each other ever again. lol They work so well together, and I loved how when they were apart, everyone kept asking Jono where Patrick was, even the people they hate. They just know they are made for each other. 🙂

Enjoy this one. I know I did…but please, please, please make sure you read books I-III first. You could read this as a stand alone if you really wanted…but you will enjoy it so much more if you have the background. Besides, you will want to just to enjoy the worldbuilding that is so much Hailey Turner’s specialty.

4 pieces of eye candy

Hailey Turner is big city girl who spoils her cats rotten and has a demanding day job that she loves, but not as much as she loves writing. She’s been writing since she was a young child and enjoys reading almost as much as creating a new story.

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Giveaway: Celebrate this exciting new installment in the SOULBOUND series with a giveaway! Two winners will receive any e-copy of a Hailey Turner book. Must be 18 to enter and win. Open Internationally.

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