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Sky Full Of Mysteries by Rick R Reed: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

August 14, 2018 by Denise

What if your first love was abducted and presumed dead—but returned twenty years later?

That’s the dilemma Cole Weston faces. Now happily married to Tommy D’Amico, he’s suddenly thrown into a surreal world when his first love, Rory Schneidmiller, unexpectedly reappears.

Where has Rory been all this time? What happened to him two decades ago, when a strange mass appeared in the night sky and lifted him into the heavens? Rory has no memory of those years. For him, it’s as though only a day or two has passed.

Rory still loves Cole with the passion unique to young first love. Cole has never forgotten Rory, yet Tommy has been his rock, by his side since Rory disappeared.

Cole is forced to choose between an idealized and passionate first love and the comfort of a long-term marriage. How can he decide? Who faces this kind of quandary, anyway? The answers might lie among the stars….

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SKY FULL OF MYSTERIES: “Abduction,” An Exclusive Excerpt from my alien abduction gay romance

A Guest Post by Rick R. Reed

Sky Full of Mysteries is, in the end, all about love, yet alien abduction is what propels the plot. Here, come along with our main character, Rory, as he leaves this earth. He will be gone for about twenty years, although, to him, the passage of time will feel much, much briefer.

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT

Rory made his way a little to the west and found the perfect alley. The streetlight had burned out, and there was a large dumpster for additional cover. High-rise apartment buildings rose up all around him for protective cover. Hand on his fly, Rory wanted to laugh with relief. The quiet and dark little spot appeared as an oasis, the perfect solution to an embarrassing problem.

Rory stood next to the dumpster, unzipped his fly, and then, hand on the brick wall and leaning his weight into it, let go.

The relief caused a deep sigh to issue from his lips. The release was so pleasurable it was a slice of heaven. His sigh approached a growl of contentment, almost sexual. He closed his eyes with delight.

And then, from even the cover of his closed eyelids, he saw it. Bright light.

Shit was the first thought that sprang to mind. The cops was the second. Rory opened his eyes, trying to make his stream go faster, to finish up, because there was no way he could stop himself now. He wanted to bark out some giddy, hysterical laughter, even as he imagined calling Cole from a police precinct to bail him out on a charge of indecent exposure.

All this went through Rory’s head in a millisecond. When he finished—because he had to finish, it didn’t matter who was watching— he looked around.

Sigh. There was no police car at the mouth of the alley, no beat cop shining a flashlight on him in all his unzipped glory.

No, the light, Rory realized, was coming from above. He quickly shook off and stuffed his dick back in his shorts. He raised his head, shielding his eyes from the brilliant light and squinting into it at the same time, but even those measures were feeble against the blinding illumination. The light was so bright it ignited a shooting pain in his head, made him fear scorching his retinas.

There was a grinding sound too. It took him a moment to notice that, because he was so stunned by the hovering light of a thousand suns above him. It was like the mechanical drumbeat of machinery going about its business. Boom, boom. Boom, boom—like the beating of a clockwork heart.

Rory was too stunned to be afraid. He turned and leaned back against the wall, a little breathless, and closed his eyes to witness myriad suns, orange and red, pulsating on his inner eyelids.

When he opened his eyes again, careful to keep them cast down on the bricks of the alley, he noticed how the shining illuminated everything at his feet—the crushed Old Style beer can, the used condom, the coffee grounds, and the oil stains. He took this in dully, like he was observing these mundane castoffs as someone who was studying them, but for whom they were foreign. Like an archeologist peering down at relics from an ancient civilization.

For a jarring moment, he couldn’t, for the life of him, recall where he was.

Maybe this way of occupying his mind was a defense, he realized at last. A defense against horror and recognition.

Because, with a certainty that approached 100 percent, Rory knew what was issuing the bright light above him, knew without having to go to the trouble to peer into its blinding white light once more. The realization made him shiver, despite his racing heart and the light sheen of sweat that covered his face.

It was it. The membrane, the cloud, the ship. It was not in the distance, as before, but directly above.

The cold seized his limbs, paralyzing, like the very blood in his veins was slowing, freezing.

And then he felt nothing at all, save for a few vague physical sensations—a pulling at the top of his head, so hard he could feel his hair rise, strand by strand, then faster, until all of it stood straight up. His limbs followed, arms stretching up above his head, but not of their own accord.

And then, with a terror so acute it made him not scream but laugh hysterically, his feet lost contact with the ground as he rose slowly into the light.

Rick R. Reed wrote this amazing book, and still hours later, I really have no idea what to say about it. Go read it! Give it a chance, even if “sci-fi isn’t my thing” is a mantra for you! There, my work here is done. Okay, since I am guessing that will not work as a review, I will try to put my feelings into words about this book, but it will not be easy. I am not a sci-fi person either…ever. And I really try never to do books that will make me cry like a baby, or are extremely antsy…but since it was Rick, well, here I am.

First, I will say, that I really only give 5 pieces of eye candy, if I will read a book again, which I can’t…not that I won’t…but I can’t…because that much crying is hard on me! But those 4.5 pieces of eye candy should really be 4.99999 pieces. This book had so much emotion in it. I cried…not a little, but I bawled, and I normally avoid those types of books, because I am not an angsty read kind of girl. But Rick writes so well, with so much emotion, that I can’t NOT read something he wrote, so bawling it will be. 🙂

More than the first half of the book is Cole and Rory, the aftermath of Rory’s appearance and Cole meeting and connecting, more than once with Tommy. It takes place in 1997. And the heartbreak that Cole goes through is unfathomable to me. He finds the love of his life, they move in together, and just weeks later, he disappears without a trace. When Rory disappeared, he took Cole’s light, not just the light of his life, but his own light. It was difficult to read how angry, despondent and closed off from everyone that Cole became, as a result.

Rory’s disappearance had no effect on his life…that he knew of. He had no memory of his time away, just brief flashes. Meanwhile, his disappearance destroyed three lives beyond any impact anyone could understand. His reappearance, 20 years later, changed his entire life in an instant, even as everyone had moved on as best they could.

Tommy could not have been more loving to Cole, even when Cole deserved nothing but anger and disappointment. Meanwhile, at times it was hard to love Cole, yet you couldn’t help it because it was so obvious to the reader how torn he was. The author did an amazing job of creating a character in Cole that really had a difficult time with the choices in front of him, for his entire life. The reader felt awful for Cole, and then when Rory reappeared in his life? Another choice to be made.

At that point, I was completely in awe how Rick was able to make me want a happy ending for all three of the men, knowing there was no chance of that happening (yes, I am crying again as I type this…that is how much this book affected me). Small spoiler: all three get a happy ending, but not in any way that you would think they would.

How Rick made all these characters so believable in their reactions, in their realization of their needs and wants, and their emotions is beyond me, but he conveyed them so well in his portrayal of them. And Rory’s mom…my heart still hurts for her pain…(Yep, still crying! Dang you Rick R. Reed!) Few books have ever left me with book hangovers…I believe prior to Sky Full of Mysteries, the total was two. I’m up to three now. And looking up, it appears I was able to find a few words to say about it. 🙂

Please read this book! It truly is about a love across time and space.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. He’s the award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction and is forever at work on yet another book. Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” You can find him at www.rickrreed.com or www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA with his beloved husband.

FIND RICK ONLINE

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/rickrreedbooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rickrreed

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RickReedWRITER

Blog: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/

Website: www.rickrreed.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rick-r-reed

Email: rickrreedbooks@gmail.com

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Montana Series by RJ Scott: Series Review and Giveaway

August 13, 2018 by Denise

Crooked Tree Ranch (Montana #1)

The Cowboy and the City Slicker.

On the spur of the moment, with his life collapsing around him, Jay Sullivan answers an ad for a business manager with an expertise in marketing, on a dude ranch in Montana.

With his sister, Ashley, niece, Kirsten and nephew, Josh, in tow, he moves lock stock and barrel from New York to Montana to start a new life on Crooked Tree Ranch.

Foreman and part owner of the ranch, ex rodeo star Nathaniel ‘Nate’ Todd has been running the dude ranch, for five years ever since his mentor Marcus Allen became ill.

His brothers convince him that he needs to get an expert in to help the business grow. He knows things have to change and but when the new guy turns up, with a troubled family in tow – he just isn’t prepared for how much.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Okay…. I’m in love with the whole family!

Nate is the oldest of the brother’s that run Crooked Tree Ranch. He’s broody and reserved, and he’s had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders since losing both parents and having to take care of so much at barely adult age. He’s doing it though, with the help of two awesome brothers and a couple of ol’ ranch hands that are more like family…. Even the surly, old, foul-mouthed Henry that you can’t help but love, despite his old timey views of the world and what’s acceptable. I hated him until he saw some page time, and he’s like that grandpa that says all the wrong things, but you have to love him anyway, cuz he’s grandpa.

Anyway…The Crooked Tree is losing profit since dude ranches are all about commodity and the illusion of actually being on a dude ranch, instead of the way they do it on CT; so, when they decide to run an add for a marketing guru to come in and spruce up the place.

Jay just got fired from his job in New York; downsizing, I guess. Either way, he’s working one day and gone the next. Taking care of his big sister and her two kids since she was in an abusive relationship though, he can’t afford to be out of a job….especially in New York. He tries just about everything he can to find work, but when nothing pans out; he sees an opening at a Dude Ranch in Montana. Waaaay different life than life in New York.

It’s rough going at first…. Jay’s niece Kristen is a nightmare, Ashley (the sister) is wary of the guys, even though Gabe, the middle brother takes a very special interest in the little family (seriously, he’s so cute) and Jay and Nate do NOT get along….. until they do.

Their relationship is rocky and starts off as nothing more than physical, but it was a given, seeing how much these guys actually were into each other and trying to hide it. Nate surprised me, I thought he would be harder to convince to want “more”, but he fell for Jay swift and vicious.

I loved the relationship between the brothers, I loved the relationship between both families, and the way they all came together. I’m anxious to see what happens with Markus, even though, his surliness wasn’t my favorite and I didn’t know how to take him; he really feels like he’s keeping secrets and I don’t like that. I was also hoping for a more karmic punch in the face for the ex who hurt the nephew and sister. I hope his plane crashed on his way home or something…but I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the family.

4 well deserved stars from me!

The Rancher’s Son (Montana #2)

A man without memories, and the cop who never gave up hope.

When he wakes up in the hospital, the victim of a brutal beating, John Doe has no memories of who he is or who hurt him. The cops can find nothing to identify him and he can’t remember anything to help… except the name Ethan and one recurring place from his dreams. Two words, and they’re not much, but it’s a start: Crooked Tree.

Detective Ethan Allens has never stopped searching for the two boys who vanished. When a report lands on Ethan’s desk that may give new leads, he jumps at the chance to follow them up. The man he finds isn’t his brother, but it’s someone who could maybe help him discover what happened twelve years ago.

What neither man can know is that facing the very real demons of the past could destroy any kind of future they may have together.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Okay, so I’m not big into the whole amnesia trope. It gets too angsty for me, and I can’t deal… In saying that… this one is by far my favorite. I absolutely adored Adam and Ethan!

If you’ve read the first one, you’ll know that Adam ran away 12 years ago, just a teenager, with his best friend Justin, who happened to be Ethan’s brother. They were all like one big family, having grown up on the Crooked Tree Ranch together, but Adam and Ethan had always had a connection unlike the other boys. They loved each other, even from a young age, they knew they loved each other; but something happened and Justin and Adam fled. Ethan never gave up hope of finding them, though almost everyone else did. Especially their fathers. Well, Ethan and Justin’s anyway, Markus.

When a badly beaten John Doe comes up as a red-flagged, it gets pinged to Ethan who’s a cop in Missoula. Hoping and praying it’s his missing brother, he literally runs right that minute to jump on a plane and go see for himself. Sadly, it isn’t, but it is his lost love, Adam.

Unfortunately, Adam has no memory of anything prior to waking up in the hospital and has no idea where he’s been or who he was with the last twelve years. Doesn’t even know why he ran. Ethan wanted answers, of course he did. He still hoped he’d find his brother alive, and Adam has all the answers, he just doesn’t know them yet.

As Ethan takes Adam back to the Ranch that they both called home for so long, hoping to help his memory fill in it’s blanks, he never wavers in his love for Adam. He felt it way back when and he still feels it now. And even though Adam knows that he feels it too, he wants to make sure he’s able to have a life with Ethan before he tells him. He wants the memories back so he can know without a doubt that he can love him without anything hanging over their heads. It’s admirable….

Now, these books are loooooong, and I wanted to know everything right then, but I didn’t skip ahead… it kept me interested the entire time. That’s rare for me, as longer books are harder to keep my attention and I tend to skim. Not here. I needed everything and I was so afraid of missing something. Nothing made sense when it came to why the boys left and had to stay gone. When we find out why, or the suspected reason why, it made sense…. Kind of, although maybe a little unbelievable… but maybe just because I live in a small town where stuff like that only happens in the movies… I dunno….

Anyway, the pieces slowly started coming together and I enjoyed meeting Adam’s brother Cole, I was happy he remembered him. And hello, hot Navy SEAL…. Nice of you to join us! We got to see all the guys, Nate and Jay, and such a sweet little tidbit from Gabe and Ashley… I liked seeing Luke and Kristen together, I’m curious to see how that goes, being that they’re so young.

I felt for Ethan and Justin’s dad, Markus. I wasn’t so sure of him in the beginning. I hated the way he seemed to just give up on Ethan in favor of his failed hope to ever find Justin. They had a strained relationship, and it was nice to see why Markus was the way he was. I couldn’t imagine losing a child and just not knowing where they were, or if they were even dead or alive. That has to be a parents personal hell.

Overall though, and since the book is already out, it won’t be such a spoiler… Justin is in fact, not dead and my heart was hammering in the small two lines that he came back and I cannot wait to jump into his story. I want to know more, to fill in the blanks of where they’ve been and why… And hello, another hot soldier… don’t mind if I do! And with Sam, the Chef? I literally just finished that one and am not even taking a break, I’m itching to get to it.

The only thing I didn’t care for, was at the end, Ethan is going back to Missoula to work and coming home when he can, while Adam stays at the ranch… I wanted them to ride off in the sunset together and that doesn’t include a long-distance relationship… sigh…. I hope they get it together in Justin’s book.

(Lookit me being all emotionally invested and irrational)

4 stars for me on this one… Definitely, recommend!

A Cowboy’s Home (Montana #3)

One burned and broken man finds his way home. Can he find peace in the arms of a man easy to love?

Justin made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, battling domestic terrorism, never the man he really was, using hate to avenge the death of his best friend. The friend he’d killed.

What he doesn’t count on is getting shot, and if he’s going to die he wants it to be on Crooked Tree soil. Home.

Sam is as much a part of Crooked Tree as any of the families, and the offer to buy into the ranch is a dream come true. But falling for a hidden, secretive, injured man isn’t the way to keep his head in the game.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Holy drama and angst… I was not ready.

Okay, I was actually so ready, I couldn’t wait to finally get Justin home!!

Although I felt like a bit of it was too far-fetched, I guess it made for a good reason why he was gone like he was. As we know from the beginning, Adam and his bestie Justin had gone missing 12 years ago and nobody knew where they went or what had happened to them. When Adam pops up with amnesia and no recollection of his life, only the name of a ranch and random name in his head… he makes his way with Ethan (Justin’s brother) back to the ranch and Justin finds out that he’s actually alive.

After being told that he was dead and lead to a life of danger and murder for hire from some form of government agency… the last twelve years had been a lie. After finding out and having what amounts to a shoot out with the only people who knows who he is, he somehow makes it back to the ranch, although hidden, but back home, to die. Quite literally, I hurt for him so bad, the things he’d been through and the life that was taken from him. His best friend, his brothers, his family….He’d been lied to about all of it, so seeing them all, knowing they were okay, he was prepared to die.

Then comes Sam…. Now, I loved Sam. Flirty and sassy and so lonely; had been working on the ranch at the restaurant, looking for a place to belong. Having a terrible family who turned their back on him, he made a sort of home out of the family of all the guys we’ve gotten to know and love. Being around all of those loved up couples though, I could see where it would be lonely.

After finding that someone was sneaking into the restaurant after hours, he follows the blood trail to one of the vacant cabins, and finds a very sick, very injured Justin… though he doesn’t know him to be Justin, and to keep him safe, Justin makes him swear not to tell anyone, nor does he tell him his name. Foruntaly, he’s too hurt for just Sam to take care of, so he brings Gabe, who brings Ethan who brings the rest of the crew, and they all get Justin back… kind of.

He’s bent on leaving to keep everyone safe, but he’s in no shape to go anywhere for a while. Sam, as well as the rest of the guys take shifts nursing back to health, but all he really wants is Sam. The rest, everyone one else wants answers, answers that Justin cant’ give them… especially Adam. He’s better of not knowing. I truly believed that too. What they went through was torture. He was once again protecting Adam, and trying to protect everyone else…. Through all of it though, Sam was there just for him.

I see everyone talking about how this one wasn’t so much romantic as the others, but I disagree…I think the way Justin needed Sam was very romantic, and the way in which Sam gave to him, with no exceptions, no real idea who he really was, just how he felt, with such patience and understanding and no conditions…. That was very romantic. How can you say otherwise? I loved it.
Of course, Justin was determined to leave, to keep people out of harms way and to seek the last person on this revenge list…. But after the threat of everything is over…. And it’s not just that easy, but come on… I can’t give it all away… he comes back for his family, his home….. and hopefully Sam.

Though it isn’t so cut and dry, they do get there in the end. I was so glad that the two of them found their way to each other and I love the way that Sam helps Justin heal, and Justin gives Sam the family that he’s been missing since he was 15.

Overall, such a great addition, I can’t wait to read more. I’m hoping to maybe see some more of Rob, and maybe Ryan and Aaron… (Aaron Carter, haha), whoever’s next.. I can’t wait to see! We have weddings in the near future to see!

4 stars from me on this one!

Snow In Montana (Montana #4)

An actor in the closet, a sheriff in love, and memories that won’t stay hidden.

Jordan Darby is known as the King of Christmas. The star of eight made-for-TV Christmas movies, the leading man who always gets his girl. Filming at Crooked Tree Ranch in Montana, in the ice and snow, Jordan is fighting to make a go of his new company and dealing with fears of exposure over one huge secret. After all, who the hell would buy into him being a romantic straight lead if rumors about him being gay were proven to be true?

Sheriff Ryan Carter is advising on the new movie being made at Crooked Tree. He hoped this would be one day of work and nothing more. Until, that is, he meets the hero. But while Jordan is sexy, he’s also very much stuck in the closet—everything that Ryan doesn’t need in his life. And then lust becomes part of the equation, and Ryan’s quiet life is thrown into turmoil.

Their story unfolds against the chaos that overtakes the ranch, with Adam regaining memories that terrify him and make him look at Justin differently, and Justin leaving the ranch to make things right. Only through trusting in love and friendship can Justin and Adam learn to look to the future instead of letting the past destroy everything. But will they ever see clearly enough to do that?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Sigh… these books just keep getting better.

I was so in love with Justin and Adam story as best friends torn apart by a childhood trauma that nobody could really explain. So, I was glad that we get to see them in this one; to get their continued stories in each point of view…. Back to that in a minute…

So, if you’re reading this one, then I’m assuming you’ve read the others. If you haven’t, stop what you’re doing…..and go do it. You won’t regret it. So, after reading the others, you’ll know Ryan, the Sherriff of small-town Montana, and friend of the guys of Crooked Tree, is lonely. Six-five and intimidating on the outside, you’d never guess that he’s a big ol’ softy with lowish self-esteem and a big ol’ heart. You couldn’t not love him.

And Jordan, he’s new… an actor that his brother and their team had requested to shoot their Christmas movie on the ranch. A closeted B-list actor, Jordan was the king of Christmas movies made for tv, and he and his brother had sunk all of their inheritance into making their own production company. That meant for the next few years until Jordan made a bigger name for himself, he’d need to keep a lid on his sexuality, especially since he’d been playing hetero parts his entire career.

Unfortunately, things aren’t always as easy as we’d like them to be, and there was a guy who came around to cause trouble, but I was surprised that nothing really happened with that. The angst and turmoil came from Justin and Adam really. While the guys did have to juggle a somewhat long-distance relationship at one point, it didn’t get much page time and it got resolved fairly quickly. I was glad to see that.

Back to Adam and Justin…. I admired Justin courage to do what he needed to do for Adam. It had to be so hard on him. I loved seeing a new side to him, where he was all emotion and vulnerability. I adored Sam and his unwavering love for Justin. No matter what, he was there for him, no question; even if it meant leaving his home, his business and everything he’d worked so hard for. He’d do whatever Justin needed, no hesitation. Isn’t that beautiful?

I was a little bit confused about Luke and Kirstin…. It was mentioned that there was unrequited love there, but I thought from literally all of the books that they were together. What did I miss there???
Other than that… I loved it all. I loved seeing all the guys and how their families are expanding and growing with each other. Everyone is happy and healthy and together, and back on Crooked Tree.

You can’t ask for better than that. I’m so excited to read Aaron (Ryan’s brother) next!!!

4 stars from me!

Book #5 – Second Chance Ranch – Out August 28 – All Info Here.

RJ’s goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

RJ is the author of the over one hundred novels and discovered romance in books at a very young age. She realized that if there wasn’t romance on the page, she could create it in her head, and is a lifelong writer.

She lives and works out of her home in the beautiful English countryside, spends her spare time reading, watching films, and enjoying time with her family.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit and has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the following links below:

Email RJ (rj@rjscott.co.uk)

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Shoulder Season by Jackie North: Exclusive Guest Post and Excerpt, Release Day Review

August 10, 2018 by Denise

Two young men from two different countries find a common language as they recover from broken hearts and broken bones. Can they rebuild their lives together?

Ben’s boyfriend has not only dumped him, he’s also cancelled their mutual travel plans. Since Ben has the time off and the money saved up, he decides to travel anyway, and based on a last-minute, very inexpensive red-eye airline fare, ends up in Reykjavik, Iceland.

He’s ill-prepared for the weather and knows nothing about the country, so he considers flying home the next day. Except his new neighbor, Solvin, a local Icelander who is currently on leave from work due to a car accident, shows up with a cane and shoulder sling and literally falls into Ben’s apartment. It’s the beginning of an adventure that might show Ben how good life can be… and that coming home sometimes means traveling halfway around the world.

World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

Title: Shoulder Season
Author: Jackie North
Release Date: August 10, 2018
Category: Contemporary, World of Love
Pages: 84

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Hello and thank you Two Chicks Obsessed for letting me guest post on your blog today! I’m here to promote my soon-to-be released book from Dreamspinner, which is Shoulder Season. But also, I’m here to talk about Iceland, where the book takes place.

Iceland to me has always seemed a faraway, rather exotic place that I would never be able to travel to. The location always seemed too remote, too obscure, too cold, and thus impossible. I’d always heard that Greenland was named Greenland to entice visitors and settlers and that Iceland was named Iceland to keep people from going there. Whether or not that’s true, it certainly worked on me! Iceland was foreboding, far away, and very, very cold.

As I grew older, of course, my opinion changed. I began to see the appeal of any Nordic country, be it Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Greenland, and, yes, last but not least, Iceland. Travel videos and blog posts, as well as the images, the stories about equality among the citizens, the low crime rate, the clean, healthy lifestyle, made me realize that yes, I’d like to go to a Nordic country. But which one? Well, because Iceland was an island, not to mention all those geologic wonders contained in this little country, it won my heart.

If I were to travel there, I’d like to go by boat around the island, stopping off to see all the sites and scenery. I want to bask in the waters of the Blue Lagoon, I want to see the geysers, view the northern lights, and pet sweet-faced Icelandic ponies. I want to eat fermented shark and homemade skyr, the famous Icelandic yogurt. I want to visit all the waterfalls and stand behind as many as will let me, especially Seljalandsfoss, which to me is the prettiest. I want to dance at the edge of the famous (and dangerous) sneaker waves at Black Beach. I want to do everything!

Top of my list is to visit a sculpture called the Sun Voyager. In Icelandic, it’s called Solfar. The sculpture is in the shape of a ship built of bones, and sits at the south end of XYZ bay. It faces the water, and the blue air sweeps over the edges of the sculpture. What I’d love to do is stand there with the Icelandic wind in my hair while the setting sunlight gleams on the metal and, as the sculpture is intended to do, be carried off on thoughts of hope and anticipation as to what the future will bring.

I thought I would share a little excerpt from Shoulder Season:

“What’s the sculpture called again?” asked Ben as he opened the door for Solvin. Solvin gave him a smile as he clambered in. When Ben was settled beside him, Solvin asked a question in Icelandic, and the taxi driver answered, and off they went, down the placid streets of Reykjavik.

“It’s called the Sun Voyager, the boat of dreams,” said Solvin, and he looked at Ben as he said it. “It represents hope and new beginnings.”

New beginnings seemed to be what Iceland had become for Ben, a country where he could start as he meant to go on and where every conversation didn’t end in an argument, and cups of coffee could be drunk in a casual way, with no need to rush off afterward. He settled back in his seat, and when his hand touched Solvin’s thigh, he left it in place and brushed the backs of his fingers along the material of Solvin’s jeans. Not only did Solvin not move away or push Ben’s hand off, he dipped his head and smiled at Ben as though they shared a secret the taxi driver didn’t need to know about.

All the way through town, Ben left his hand there, looked at the blush on Solvin’s cheeks, and thought about new beginnings.

This is a new to me author and I was drawn to it because I am, quite honestly, fascinated with Iceland. Like top of my bucket list fascinated. And this story gave me a nice look into the country.

Ben heads off to Iceland on a spur of the moment trip after being unceremoniously dumped by his boyfriend and their joint vacation cancelled. He got a cheap flight and what seems like an Air BnB apartment to rent but no other plans. Until he meets his neighbor Solvin who is off of work for 6 weeks while recovering from a car accident.

A friendship and very sweet little romance blossoms. They didn’t jump right into bed together. There was no frantic kissing and groping up against a wall. Instead, Solvin takes Ben out sight seeing around Iceland. Everyday they get closer. They were both shy and timid and adorable together.

There was a bit of repetition in the book as far as Ben dwelling on his very recent ex boyfriend and I honestly skimmed over a bit of that as I didn’t think it was necessary to move the story forward.

There is a HEA which is fairly implausible, but hey- why not. We read romances for the HEA’s, not the plausibility.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Jackie North has been writing stories since grade school and spent years absorbing the mainstream romances that she found at her local grocery store. Her dream was to someday leave her corporate day job behind and travel the world. She also wanted to put her English degree to good use and write romance novels, because for years she’s had a never-ending movie of made-up love stories in her head that simply wouldn’t leave her alone.

As fate would have it, she discovered m/m romance and decided that men falling in love with other men was exactly what she wanted to write books about. In this dazzling new world, she turned her grocery-store romance ideas around and is now putting them to paper as fast as her fingers can type. She creates characters who are a bit flawed and broken, who find themselves on the edge of society, and maybe a few who are a little bit lost, but who all deserve a happily ever after. (And she makes sure they get it!)

She likes long walks on the beach, the smell of lavender and rainstorms, and enjoys sleeping in on snowy mornings. She is especially fond of pizza and beer and, when time allows, long road trips with soda fountain drinks and rock and roll music. In her heart, there is peace to be found everywhere, but since in the real world this isn’t always true, Jackie writes for love.

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JackieNorthAuthor/

Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/jackienorthMM

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackieNorthMM

Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/jackienorthauthor/

Website: https://www.jackienorth.com

Email: jackie@jackienorth.com

Iceland Images zip contains copyright-free images from Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/

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

The Master Will Appear by L.A. Witt: Audiobook Tour and Review with Giveaway

August 10, 2018 by Denise

Dr. Mikhail “Misha” Budnikov takes one look at fellow fencer Ryan O’Connor and instantly knows his type. The undisciplined hothead is all ego with no finesse and even less control. In short, Misha’s pet peeves personified. To put the arrogant kid in check, Misha challenges him to a sparring match, which he predictably wins.

Not so predictably, Ryan asks him to be a mentor and show him how to fence. Startled by the moment of humility, Misha agrees.

What begins as fencing lessons becomes something much hotter, and before they know it, Misha is giving Ryan an entirely different kind of education. Dominance, submission, pain, pleasure—at the hands of an older, experienced man, a whole new world is opening up for Ryan.

As the trust deepens and their bond strengthens, though, Ryan retreats because that sham called love left him jaded long ago. Cynical beyond his years, he’s not letting his guard down, least of all for a thrice-divorced man twice his age.

Now Misha has to find a way to crack through those defenses…or accept defeat and walk away from the submissive who might just be the love of his life.

Length: 12hrs 59mins

Narrated By: Michael Ferraiuolo

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Audible

I have this book on paperback (stick with me here…) that I purchased and had signed by the awesome L.A. Witt at GRL last year, but I never read it, even though I REALLY wanted to. The reason was simply because for some reason the size of the book (Amazon estimates at 447 pages) intimidated me. So when the Audible version came out, I jumped at the chance to listen to it.

And as usual, L.A. Witt rarely disappoints. This author writes across genres (she has several pen names), across age, race, religion, political issues, as well as across sexual orientation. That is one of the things that I love most about this author. She does not write the same group of 20 something gay, white males, living in San Francisco (as an example) for each book. While I enjoy those books, I also very much appreciate that this author realizes that this is a very diverse country, and world, and her writing reflects that.

In the case of The Master Will Appear, Witt takes on a Russian college professor and fencing. I’d imagine that took some serious research. Misha, the Russian college professor, and a Dom, meets and clashes instantly with Ryan, a college student at a different university at a fencing club, and Ryan asks Misha to teach him more about fencing. As they take on a teacher/student relationship, they also quickly learn that not only are they attracted to each other, but Ryan wants to learn more about being a submissive. I love that this didn’t turn into a story about Ryan becoming the best fencer, and winning-or losing-a huge match (a la Karate Kid), while falling in love with his teacher. It really was a story about not just the relationship that developed between Misha and Ryan, both romantic and D/s, but also about the relationships that these men had with their families and friends.

All that helped the story flow from a realistic perspective, and explained so much about Ryan’s outlook on love and life. With Misha clearly being a romantic (he’s being married and divorced three times) and Ryan being as anti-romance as possible, it left room for Ryan to learn what love was, when he had not seen any examples of it in his life before Misha. It took time for Ryan to transition to that point, but Misha was patient, even as Ryan didn’t realize he was falling in love. He realized he loved being a sub, and the sex, but missed the part where he fell in love. I do enjoy it when characters are clueless about their own feelings. J

Witt took her time showing us all the levels of these men, just as it would take time in a real relationship. We learned new things about their pasts, how they became the men they were, winding it all together to allow the reader to learn who they were slowly.

The narrator, new to me as an audiobook listener, was engaging to listen to, and was able to perfect the Russian accent (at least to this untrained ear) so that the listener didn’t always need to know by the words who was speaking. Yet, he didn’t overdo the accent. It was only apparent while Misha spoke, not in his thoughts while it was in his POV, and it wasn’t so thick to make it difficult to understand. I tend to listen to my audiobooks at 1.25X, and had absolutely no problems dicephering the words.

All in all, a book I would definitely read and listen to again.

Story: 4.5 pieces of eye candy

Narration: 4 pieces of eye candy

August 1 – Dog-Eared Daydreams, Mainely Stories, Gay Book Reviews, August 6 – Gay Media Reviews, August 8 – Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, Love Unchained Book Reviews, August 10 – Lillian Francis, Momma Says To Read Or Not To Read, Bayou Book Junkie, Xtreme Delusions, Two Chicks Obsessed, Wicked Reads, United Indie Book Blog, BFD Book Blog, We Three Queens

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…

Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com

E-mail: gallagherwitt@gmail.com

Twitter: @GallagherWitt

Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com

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Hard to Hold by Jaclyn Quinn: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

August 9, 2018 by Denise

Perfect, happy, “Jonah the Savior”, that’s how most people see Jonah Taylor. What they don’t always see is how incredibly overwhelmed he is with his new business or how lonely he is. When a painfully shy man enters his wellness center, all Jonah wants to do is help break him out of his shell. The problem is, the attraction he feels to the nervous, timid man is undeniable.

Cameron Vaughn has let most of his life be decided for him. A traumatic event from his past has caused him to doubt every decision he makes. When he’s forced into a new, anxiety-ridden situation, his first instinct is to run. So, what is it about the owner of the wellness center that has him questioning everything he’s ever been told?

Can one man convince the other he’s worth saving? Can the other realize he’s strong enough to save himself? Together, can they prove that what they’ve found is worth holding on to?

HARD TO HOLD

HAVEN’S COVE SERIES BOOK 2

JACLYN QUINN

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 07.24.18

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon AU

Jonah sat in his office on Monday morning with a smile on his face that he couldn’t seem to stop from forming. Cameron had spent most of Sunday with him, and although they hadn’t done much more than kiss or hold each other after their night together, it was more than enough for now. He’d even skipped Sunday dinner with his family because he was still really upset with his mom. Jonah sure as hell didn’t blame him.

Being with him was better than Jonah’s wild imagination could’ve ever thought up because he couldn’t have imagined the absolute awe on Cameron’s face as they discovered each other. He couldn’t wait to see him and glanced at the clock—again. Couldn’t the damn day go by any faster? He still had hours to go.

He picked up his coffee and took a sip of the liquid, hoping it would get him through the day. He was exhausted physically, but emotionally, he was bouncing off the walls. He hadn’t even noticed when Gabe came to the door until he heard him clearing his throat dramatically.

Gabe crossed his arms then raised one hand to scratch his chin skeptically as he arched one eyebrow and studied Jonah. “You had sex.”

Jonah spewed the sip of coffee he’d just taken, choking on it a little. He wiped the coffee from his chin and looked up at Gabe in surprise. “What?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, sir. I know that look when I see it, and I want details.” He came in the room, sitting down in the chair alongside Jonah’s desk. Putting his elbow on the desk, he leaned his chin on his hand like he was ready for Jonah to tell a tale. “Spill.”

“There’s nothing to tell,” he said, but for the life of him, he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

“Hmm, there it is… That’s the face of a man who thoroughly enjoyed himself this weekend. A little, I’ll scratch yours if you scratch mine, perhaps?”

“Jeez, Gabe.” Jonah sighed, shaking his head in amusement.

“Now, I’m going to take a wild guess here and assume the cheesy grin on your face was not created by some one-night stand. No, that’s the grin of a man who finally got what he wanted, am I right?”

“How do you do that?” Jonah asked, taken aback by his accuracy.

“It’s a gift. Now, stop avoiding the subject. Tell me before I start to whine.”

Jonah scrubbed a hand over his face and laughed. “Cameron may have spent Saturday night at my place.” Gabe waved his hand as if to tell Jonah to go on. “And we may have gotten to know each other better.”

“Oh, for the love of Gucci, Jonah. Did you fuck or what? I’m getting gray hair here waiting for you to spit it out.” Gabe rolled his eyes.

Jonah laughed at his friend’s sheer knack for being blunt. “Ugh…okay! No, we didn’t fuck, as you so romantically put it. Let’s just say neither one of us was left unsatisfied.” He felt awkward talking about this, knowing it was Cameron’s first time with a man, but he did say the only people he wasn’t ready to tell were his parents.

“Ah, so there was some deliciousness though?” Gabe waggled his eyebrows.

“Deliciousness?”

“Stalling,” Gabe said in a sing-song voice, teasing Jonah.

Fuck it... “We both got off…twice. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Now, was that so hard?” Gabe chuckled. “I must say, I had my doubts. So, are you two an item now?”

Jonah….

The ex-boyfriend of Owen, who you just couldn’t help love. More best friends than anything, he was respectable and so understanding when his boyfriend had feelings for someone else. It hadn’t been working for them for a while, but still… it had to be tough. I admired the way he loved Owen enough to want to see him happy, even if it wasn’t with him. And he deserves to be happy too. So… already, I loved Jonah. Side note… I loved his giant, deep voiced brother Zachariah as well, and I hope to be seeing more of him in the future… just throwing that out there <wink wink>

So, in this one… we of course know, Jonah.. if you don’t, I strongly urge you to go back and read the other two in this series, because…those guys are just as amazing. It’s a year later and with help from Gabe, he’d opened his own gym. He’s struggling, because of course opening your own business is a lot of work, especially when doing it on your own…but he’s happy. He’s always been of a mind that whatever you want in life, you can have it, as long as you work for it. So, that’s what he’s done.

Cameron… how to describe Cameron. Lost. Numb. Scared. Shy. Confused. Don’t get me wrong, he has justifiable reason to keep himself sheltered, but he doesn’t want to.. He’s tired of living life on everyone else’s terms, listening to people tell him who he should be and what he should want; and his brother and sister-in-law know that he’s hiding from who he really is because he’s been told his whole life that he’s different than what he really is. He finally starts questioning that when he meets Jonah.

It’s a slow-going read, sometimes too slow for me, but only because I wanted so much for Cameron. It was exactly what he needed though, and I adored Jonah for letting things happen naturally. Jonah is endlessly patient and so understanding, I truly believe he would’ve waited for Cameron forever had he needed to.

A childhood trauma and extremely overbearing parents caused Cameron to be confused about his sexuality and the things he was capable of in life; but with a small push from his brother and a three-month trial at Jonah’s gym… Cameron slowly comes out of his shell. Not only comes out of his shell, but he also starts a friendship with Jonah, which of course turns into more.

It’s hard, especially with Cameron’s mother thinking she still knows what’s best for Cameron… my goodness that woman, I’d have liked to have smacked her a time or two, and the therapist that went behind Cam’s back to tell her things ILLEGALLY… I wish he’d have gotten his karmic smack down, but sadly that didn’t happen….but eventually, the more he felt comfortable with Jonah, and the more he opened himself up to the possibility of things that actually made him happy… the more he let himself live.

I was rooting for them from the very beginning, and I knew it would be worth it. I’m loving the way that everyone is progressing forward with the guys and their families. I truly can’t wait to read more.. I’m really crossing my fingers that Zach is next!

What an awesome addition to a really great series. 4 pieces of eye candy from me!

I have been an artist from a very young age. From drawing cartoon characters and evolving into portraits, making jewelry, photography, and now writing. I have an amazing support system in my family and friends and couldn’t be more grateful.

I live in central New Jersey, love summers at the Jersey Shore, rock music, wine, sexy men, and laughing a lot with my amazing friends and family. Sunday dinners at my parents’ house are crazy, hysterical and you can count on a movie quote…or ten…being thrown out. Insults between siblings is how we show our love for each other!

When I’m not creating, you can find me reading books from my favorite authors. I’m a hopeless romantic, starving for passionate characters and always craving that happy ending, whether in reading or in writing my own books.

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The Missing Ingredient by Brian Lancaster: EXCLUSIVE Excerpt, Release Day Review

August 7, 2018 by Denise

It can take losing everything to realize what you had all along.

Up-and-coming London chef Marcus Vine is poised on the edge of success, but the only men courting him are investors. That leaves Marcus with some free time—which is fortunate, because his godchildren need him.

A year ago, a horrible accident killed Marcus’s best friend, Raine, leaving her children without a mother and her husband, Tom, without a partner. Consumed by grief, Tom has been going it alone, refusing help, but when Marcus sees him out with the children, it’s obvious that Tom and his two daughters need someone. His persistent caring finally wears Tom down, allowing him to accept the comfort Marcus offers. Soon Marcus is up to his elbows in homework, home-cooked meals, and after-school activities. Over time he helps them rebuild their world, until soon their lives are approaching normal.
Then the unexpected happens: Tom confesses he has romantic feelings for Marcus, and nothing can ever be the same.

Title: The Missing Ingredient
Author: Brian Lancaster
Release Date: August 7, 2018
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 211

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Ten minutes later Marcus heard Tom’s soft footfalls on the stairs.

“You want a beer?” said Marcus, twisting around and yanking open the fridge door as Tom hit the bottom step. “Got a couple of cold ones in here.”

“Actually, another reason I came back is because—” said Tom, hesitating momentarily before going on. “Because I wanted a chat with you.”

“Oh, shit,” Marcus hissed, two bottles of Asahi in one hand, and quietly closed the fridge door shut, his face falling. “What have I done now?”

Tom appeared genuinely mystified.

“Sorry?” he said, taken aback. “What do you mean?”

“Whenever you want to chat with me, it usually means you’re either going to tell me to fuck off or back off.”

“No, I—” said Tom, his eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, before he deflated with a sigh and gently shook his head. “Is that what you think? Hell, have I really been that much of a dick? After everything you’ve done for us, for me?”

“You’re not a dick, Tom. But you can be bloody stubborn at times. Beer?”

Tom ambled over and took the proffered beer bottle, twisted the lid, and took a long draft. Afterward, visibly relaxing, he perched on the barstool. Marcus went and joined him, leaving a sizable distance between them.

“What I meant was, I don’t get to hang out with you anymore. And I know that’s what I asked for, but in all honesty, I miss it, I miss our little chats.”

“Yes, well, whose fault is that?”

“I know, I know. I already claimed the dick card, remember?”

Marcus relaxed too, then leaned forward to clink the neck of his bottle with Tom’s. “Well, if it’s any consolation, Tom, I miss our grown-up time together too.”

And it suddenly dawned on Marcus how much he really had missed just chatting to Tom. If only he could master his infatuation. Maybe now would be a good time to win some points in the friends stakes, tell Tom about Damian Stone, tell him what they had found out. But while the thoughts swirled around in his head, Tom had started talking.

“I really do like that shirt on you, Marcus. Is it cotton?”

“Egyptian cotton,” said Marcus absently.

“Looks comfortable. Mind if I…?” Tom held a hand out as if waiting for permission to touch the material.

“Sure. Knock yourself out.”

Tom reached across the distance and pinched the material beneath Marcus’s collar between his thumb and forefinger.

“This Indian tailor round the back of Edgware Road makes them for me. Has done for a couple of years. If you want, I can—”

When Marcus raised his eyes to meet Tom’s, all thoughts left him, the dark heat in that gaze blistering. A sudden memory came back, of Tom sitting on the garden rug, staring angrily at him. Except it had not been anger at all but lust. Instinctively he inhaled a deep breath as Tom fisted the shirt and pulled Marcus out of his chair toward him. Even as Tom brought their mouths together, Marcus hesitated, fully expecting him to recoil, to reevaluate in disgust what he had initiated. But the moment never came. Closemouthed lips pressed onto Marcus’s own—firm, urgent, yet still a little unsure. And then, a second later, the essence of Tom Bradford hit Marcus hard, spicy aftershave mixed with Tom’s natural body scent and heat, so masculine, intoxicating and addictive. Instinctively Marcus’s arms found their way around Tom’s neck and he stepped into the man’s body, molding himself into the embrace. When he pushed his tongue between Tom’s lips, forcing them to part, Marcus took control of the kiss, touching, stroking, exploring, snaking his own tongue around Tom’s. In response, Tom shuddered and released a deep moan, before lifting Marcus off the floor and walking him backward until he had him pinned up against the fridge door. Breathless, Marcus pulled his mouth away.

“Well. That’s one mystery solved,” whispered Tom as he lowered Marcus back to earth, his lips tickling Marcus’s ear.

“What do you mean?”

“I wondered if my attraction to you was all in my head” came Tom’s husky voice before he thrust his substantial rock-hard groin into Marcus’s own arousal.

“Apparently not.”

I haven’t read Brian Lancaster’s previous book, Uninvited Guest, so I really had nothing to go on, other than the blurb and that it was in the Dreamspun Desires category romance. I really liked to story premise, a widower falling in love with his deceased wife’s best friend, who comes to his aid with regards to the care of his children. (Warning, could be small spoilers ahead)

There were a few things that I didn’t quite understand with the story. The first, which never really resolved to my satisfaction, was Tom just turning Marcus away after Raine’s death, as if Marcus wasn’t grieving as well. This might have worked better in my mind if Tom felt confusion about his feelings for Marcus, but that wasn’t the case. He had no romantic feelings towards Marcus until after Marcus came back into their life.

The other issue I had was the search into the circumstances around Raine’s death. This bothered me simply because there really wasn’t a reason to look into it. It ended up causing hurt feelings and anger, and although the resolution-including the epilogue-was well done, I just thought it might have been unnecessary at that stage.

So, those were my issues. Now, what I loved about the book. J

First, and foremost, I loved the widower and kids situation, as I said earlier, with Marcus coming in to help at a later time. There was already a bond in place between Marcus and the children. And although I felt like Tom was a bit difficult to love at first, simply because he held back so much, it was obvious that part of the reason Marcus had stayed away was because of his inappropriate feelings toward Tom from the day they met.

I also really liked that Marcus did not allow himself to be walked all over. He was a proud man, confident in his business and himself, and he was able to stick up for himself when Tom was being difficult with him. He also continued to expand his business, even with all his new responsibilities, moving forward with a life that wasn’t wrapped around Tom and his family.

Once Tom and Marcus began a relationship, I like how they conducted themselves. They kept it discreet, in response to the children, yet were respectful of each other, and their separate lives.

In the end, definitely a book worth grabbing and spending an afternoon reading. Enjoy!

BRIAN LANCASTER is an author of gay romantic fiction in multiple genres, including contemporary, paranormal, fantasy, crime, mystery, and anything else his muse provides. Born in the sleepy South of England, the setting of many of his stories, he moved to Southeast Asia in 1998, where he shares a home with his longtime partner and two of the laziest cats on the planet.

Brian Lancaster once believed that writing gay romantic fiction would be easy and cathartic. He also believed in Santa Claus and the Jolly Green Giant. At least he still has fantasies about those two.

Born in the rural South of England in a town with its own clock tower and cricket pitch, he moved to Hong Kong in 1998. Life went from calm and curious to fast and furious. On the upside, the people he has since met provide inspiration for a whole new cast of characters in his stories. He also has his long-term, long-suffering partner and two cats to keep him grounded.

After winning two short story competitions in 2006 and being published in a compendium, he decided to dive into writing full- length novels. Diving proved to be easy; the challenge has been in treading water and trying to remain afloat. Cynical enough to be classed a curable romantic, he is not seeking an antidote. When not working or writing, he enjoys acting in community theater productions, composing music, hosting pub quizzes, and any socializing that involves Chardonnay. And for the record, he would like to remind all those self-righteous white wine drinkers that White Burgundy, Chablis, and Champagne are still essentially Chardonnays.