book

Like a Lover by Jay Northcote : Release Day Tour, Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

September 4, 2015 by Denise

Josh has a plan: get through uni with a good degree and no debts. Focused on his goals, he’s working as an escort to pay his way. He enjoys the no-strings sex and doesn’t have the time or inclination for a relationship. Falling in love definitely isn’t part of the deal—especially not with a client.

When Rupert meets Josh in a bar, he’s smitten on sight. He’s never paid for sex before, but when Josh propositions him, he can’t resist. He should have known one night would never be enough. Luckily for him, he has an inheritance to support his addiction to Josh, because his job in IT wouldn’t cover the cost.

With each appointment the lines get increasingly blurred. Something is developing between them that feels more like a relationship than a business transaction, but they come from different worlds and to go from client-and-escort to lovers seems impossible. If they want a future together, Josh and Rupert have a lot to overcome.

Author Name: Jay Northcote

Book Name: Like a Lover

Series: Housemates Book Two

Release Date: September 4, 2015

Pages or Words: 48,450 words

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Jaybird Press

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

“I like your lip ring,” Rupert said. His gaze dropped lower to Josh’s collarbones. “What are your tattoos of?”

“Swallows.” Rupert would just be able to see the wing tips that showed in this low-necked T-shirt. “Two of them.”

“Have you got any other tattoos?”

Josh gave a slow, teasing smile. “Maybe. Do you want me to show you?”

Rupert met his eyes again. There was a flicker of uncertainty before he answered. “Yes. I’d like that.”

Josh turned over the possibilities in his mind. It had been a long time since he’d had sex for anything other than for money. He usually saw clients at least three nights a week. They scratched the itch for him, and he didn’t have the time or inclination to hook up with other guys. He hadn’t dated since he’d started working as an escort. Josh didn’t like lying about his job, but most guys didn’t want to date escorts.

It would be easy to pick Rupert up tonight, though, and have no-strings sex with him for fun rather than cash. But Josh’s rent was due.

“Me too. But it’ll cost you,” he finally said.

Rupert frowned, obvious confusion crossing his features as he tried to make sense of Josh’s words. “What? I don’t—”

“You’re hot, and I wish I could do this without asking you for money. But a client let me down this evening. I have a hotel room booked and paid for next door, and I need someone to cover the cost for me.” The lie came smoothly. “I can’t afford to have sex for free tonight.”

Rupert’s mouth dropped open. Shock was evident on his face, but there was something else that was harder to read. His cheeks flooded pink again and his eyes went dark. “You’re….” His voice came out husky, and he cleared his throat. “You’re a….”

“A sex worker. An escort, to be precise. Hooker, rent boy, you get the gist. I’m an expensive one too. But my clients think I’m worth the money.” Josh waited, tension making a muscle tick in his jaw as he forced himself to stay still and hold Rupert’s gaze. On the occasions he’d tried picking up clients face-to-face, their reactions had varied. Interest, anger, excitement, disgust… he’d seen them all. He steeled himself, ready for rejection.

Rupert licked his lips. “How much?” he finally asked.

This was my first read by Jay Northcote and it definitely won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this book and was excited to see how Northcote would play out the escort angel in with romance. Once again we have 2 gorgeous and fabulous MCs.

Josh, the sexy escort & student. Rupert, the equally sexy business man with enough money to keep on paying Josh for his services.

From the minute John & Rupert met you could sense the sparks that where there. Their scenes were HOT as all get out (keep fan close by) but also sweet. I like to see the softer side of the MCs after the lovemaking. After every time they met, I was hoping that one of them would be able to say (out loud) their true feelings for each other, but as all stubborn men are…they didn’t. So there I am waiting…….and waiting…….and waiting…reading their inner dialogue….you know there will be a fallout……you can just feel it brewing…and your waiting and BAM there it is. What completely shocked me – I was not expecting sweet Rupert to be the one so cold and angry. He quickly redeemed himself, but the anger and pain he felt…UGH…it tore my heart out, stomped all over it and kicked it to the curb. By this time I really wanted to jump into the book and shake Josh’s stupidity out of him. No more spoilers…..Sorry!

I am a quick reader so this was a short read for (even at 145pgs). The story flowed nicely. The writing & editing were flawless. I didn’t feel rushed & just the right amount of story was given. There were a few secondary characters and their involvement in the story was just the right amount.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a quick romance with an HEA! I really enjoyed Northcote’s writing and will be looking for more work done by her.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

Where to find the author:

Jay’s books (universal amazon author page link): http://author.to/jaynorthcote

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bayou Book Junkie, Bookaholic Confessions, My Fiction Nook, BFD Book Blog, Reviews by Jessewave, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Happily Ever Chapter, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Carly’s Book Reviews, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Louise Lyons, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Multitasking Mommas, Boys on the Brink Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Nephylim, Iyana Jenna, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Mikky’s World of Books, 3 Chicks After Dark, V’s Reads, Velvet Panic

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buttermilk Ranch by Patricia Logan : Blog Tour, Author Interview and Giveaway

August 29, 2015 by Denise

Wendell Blackowl has spent all his life in the working cow horse show ring where toiling with sweaty cowboys all day is the fodder for wet dreams. Though privately he’s come to terms with his sexuality, publicly Dell’s had to build a façade. When his beloved horse Buttermilk dies, Dell finds himself at loose ends so he decides to pick himself up by his boot straps and do what he’s always wanted to do… open an environmentally friendly organic vegetarian café.

Pace Avila, well known music critic, has been drawn to Austin by the live music scene. When friends invite him to check out a fresh new dinner experience, Pace reluctantly agrees to push the deadline on his national column. He isn’t interested in vegetarian food or a restaurant with the cheesy name of Buttermilk Ranch Café, but the moment Pace lays eyes on the stunning cowboy chef, things begin looking up.

When openly gay Pace walks into his cafe and his life, Dell realizes he’s tired of living a lie and tired of being alone. When Mother Nature throws an unprecedented storm at Austin, the muddy waters threaten to wipe out everything Dell’s worked so hard to build. He soon realizes that with a man like Pace by his side, love really can conquer all.

Author Name: Patricia Logan

Book Name: Buttermilk Ranch

Release Date: August 29, 2015

Pages or Words: 62,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance, Western/Cowboy

Publisher: Westburg Publishing

Cover Artist: AJ Corza

Author Interview:

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Patricia Logan author of Buttermilk Ranch.

What is your least favorite part of the publishing/writing process?
- I hate the gap between typing The End and release day when revisions and editing takes place.

As an author, is there one subject you would never write about? What would it be?
- Yes. What would it be? Since I write so much BDSM, I would never write a story including scat or golden showers.

When did you first realize you wanted to write?
- When I was very young, in grade school, I really wanted to be a writer but I never saw myself able to finish a book and never dreamed of being published.

How long did it take to write this book?
- This one took about 5 weeks. It’s about 62,000 words.

For Fun: Where is one place you’d like to visit you haven’t been before?
- I’d love to travel all over Europe. I’ve only been to Germany in Europe

“Yoo Hoo! Dell, ya up there, ya sidewinder! Get outa bed or I’m gonna drag that lazy ass out!”

“What?” Pace said, startled awake as he lifted his head from Dell’s chest where he’d fallen asleep in the wee hours of the morning. He wiped his face of drool and stared across the muscled chest he loved, finding Dell’s face. He had one eye peeled open and he didn’t look all too happy by what sounded like Branch’s bellowing from downstairs.

“Fuckin’ ass poor timin’,” Dell grumbled as they both sat upright in bed. Pace knew it would be pretty awful if Branch came bursting into the room with them, lying buck naked in bed. “Guess I’d better find out just what the hell he’s doin’ here.” Pace watched as Dell threw his legs over the side of the bed. He watched his ass from behind, noting the muscled expanse of his back and the thick thighs he loved so much, as the man stood.

“What the hell is he doing here? He and the boys had a show,” Pace grumbled.

“Ya rattlesnake! Ya need me to come up there and put my boot up yer ass?” Branch howled. Pace couldn’t help but chuckle. He loved his brother but he loved the disgusted look on Dell’s face more. Dell walked to the doorway and stuck his head out.

“I’ll be down in a minute, ya jackass… unless ya want to see me in all my nekkid glory!” Dell yelled back.

Pace heard a chuckle coming from downstairs. “Hell naw! Get some clothes on there, scarecrow! Yer movin’ slower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut.”

“Oh for Christ’s sake, here we go,” Dell said, glancing over at him. Pace just buried his face in the pillow and laughed.

Amazon

This story was a huge hit for me. It was such an amazingly sweet story with a couple of fantastic characters. Dell and Pace just captured my heart from the moment I met them. I really liked the way Dell handles his “coming out” so to speak. It is done with so much lightness and humor. The interactions between Dell and Pace just made me melt.

Dell just has a feeling of such sincere niceness that you can’t help but love him. I like his kind of “roll with it” attitude. There are a few instances where you see a little bit of insecurity in Dell, but he always just pushed through and I like that. Pace is just so confident in himself that its fun to read. He is so understanding and nice when it comes to Dell’s inexperience.

I spent most of the time reading this smiling. I didn’t want the story to end, I could have kept reading about these two forever. The cast of secondary characters in the book just enriched it so much. Dell’s mom had me laughing so hard, and Paisley was just a dynamo. The story as a whole flowed really well. I can’t wait for more.

Patricia Logan resides in Los Angeles, California along with her husband, four children, her grandchild and ever increasing number of cats. When not being stage mom, baking cookies, or scooping kitty litter, she writes steamy, award winning, gay erotic romance and tries to lead her readers on a journey of discovery with more than a little angst.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ploganauthor

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorpatricialogan?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatriciaLogan1

Other: author website: http://authorpatricialogan.com/

Goodreads Link

Tour Dates & Stops:

29-Aug Three Books Over The Rainbow, Happily Ever Chapter, Because Two Men Are Better Than One,

Inked Rainbow Reads, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy

31-Aug Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Jena Wade, Divine Magazine, Cathy Brockman Romances

1-Sep LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Ogitchida Book Blog, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, BFD Book Blog

2-Sep Bayou Book Junkie, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, 3 Chicks After Dark, Books A to Z, Love Bytes, Emotion in Motion

3-Sep Molly Lolly, Bike Book Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Mikky’s World of Books, Up All Night, Read All Day
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ruin Porn by S.A. McAuley & SJD Peterson : Pre-Release Day Review

August 27, 2015 by Denise

There is underlying beauty in destruction….

Miah Thade, Finn Reese, and Ritchie Meyer are Resonator, an indie rock band with an edge—best friends turned rock stars, known as the Detroit 3. When Evin Rene appears in their life, none of them can deny he belongs with Rez.

They may have named their first album Ruin Porn because people get off on seeing how Detroit went from deeply loved to thoroughly forsaken, but they’re determined to prove that blight isn’t the entire story and blight isn’t always ugly.

Ritchie, Miah, Finn, and Evin take Resonator to a level no one anticipates. But no prosperity comes without sacrifice, and no secret stays hidden without a trail of lies. As Rez’s fame grows, so does the intensity between two of its members… as well as their potential for destruction.

Evin and Finn are about to discover the underlying beauty in their ruin porn.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

michelle review

I love when I read a new author(s) and have no idea what style of writing they use or how their stories develop. I read the blurb for Ruin Porn and figured since it was rockstars it would be an insta-love (because who can resist a sexy rockstar) – What I was not expecting was to feel a lot of different emotions and to fall completely in love with the MCs. Here we have 4 men all with different personalities that mesh well (and sometimes not) with each other.

Miah, the lead singer, is glue to the group (or so he thinks). He is hyper, cocky and the biggest slut ever (different day – different woman). His character makes you laugh one minute and question his sanity the next.

Ritchie, the drummer, is the mama bear trying to tame the cubs. He is the shoulder everyone leans on (amongst other things ****giggle***) and always trying to keep the peace.

Finn, the guitarist, is the sexy, candy sucking rock GOD!

Evin, the bassist, is the newbie to the group. He is shy/reserved and completely in lust with the straight boys of Resonator (at least he thinks they are)

Miah, Ritchie & Finn have been BFFs since childhood growing up on the wrong side of Detroit. Evin and his band are suppose to go on tour as the opening act for Resonator, but misfortune takes away that opportunity…….Without spoiling too much……Evin gets a second chance and goes on tour with them. Cue in the sexual tension between a few band mates, a voyeur scene (HOT), and an offer no one wants to refuse and you have yourself one of the hottest books around.

McAuley & Peterson (my first read by both authors) give great detail to everything from what each character is feeling, what is going on while playing on stage, how their body reacts with the contact from another….I mean holy heaven I was either panting and fanning myself from the sexiness of the story or holding my breath hoping everything doesn’t fall apart.

The flow of the book was exactly what I was not expecting….I was expecting a fast pace, hard rock story that gave more sex than story, but I was completely wrong. Yes – there is HOT, steamy, you–will-need-a-cold-shower sex, but OMG there was a fantastic story as well. It had everything you want in a book…..Character development, laughter, heartbreak, tears of frustration and of love. You will fall in love with Rez.

What do you do when the lies you tell could destroy everything you’ve always wanted? The answer to that is……READ. THIS. BOOK. to find out. I wish I could give more than 5 stars!!!! …..AND I am really hoping that there will be a book 2 so we can see what happens with Miah & Ritchie (because those 2 stubborn A$$ES need to get their crap together)

An ARC was provided for an honest review!

Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen : Cover Reveal, R-Rated Excerpt and Giveaway

August 27, 2015 by Denise

Successful lawyer Jeremy Speer has it all—a loving husband, a beautiful home, and a cherished dream that’s about to become reality. He’s learned not to take happiness for granted, meeting the challenges of life and love head-on with unwavering commitment and fierce devotion. A series of tragic events leave Jeremy shattered, adrift on a sea of unimaginable pain. He’s able to piece his life back together, but instead of embracing it, he merely exists, using isolation and punishing physical exertion to keep the world at bay.

High school teacher Kai Daniels has a heart for at-risk kids—he was one himself, and a teenage brush with the law and some troubled years behind bars left him scarred inside and out. With courage, hard work, and the support of friends, he’s built a fulfilling life that leaves no time for a relationship.

An intense encounter with Kai at a gay club ignites a spark in Jeremy that he thought was extinguished forever, but he’s unwilling to destroy the fragile peace he’s managed to create, and he leaves Kai humiliated and disappointed. Things should have ended there, but a bizarre occurrence brings the two together in a way neither of them expected.

Author Name: Melanie Hansen

Book Name: Signs of Life

Release Date: September 28, 2015

Pages or Words: 80,000 words

Categories: M/M Romance

excerpt

Jeremy almost flinched as the man’s eyes met his but somehow he managed not to. There was something vaguely familiar about him, which was why Jeremy had been watching him in the first place, but he was positive they’d never met. This man was unforgettable. When Jeremy had first walked into the club, so noisy and crowded, he’d almost turned around and left. It was a mad impulse that led him here in the first place, and it had been so long since Jeremy was impulsive that he felt shaken and out of his depth. That fact alone had stiffened his resolve to stay for at least a little while; then he’d gotten a glimpse of the beautiful, exotic man, and nothing could have convinced him to leave.

The first thing that struck Jeremy was how confident he seemed, how he held himself. Here was a man who knew who he was and was comfortable in his own skin. He was simply dressed in a tight black graphic T-shirt and jeans, but when he’d stood up from his stool to dig his wallet out of his back pocket to pay for his drink, Jeremy’s mouth watered as the jeans slid down to ride low on the man’s hips, showing a slice of muscled belly.

His shoulders were broad, his torso slim and compact yet rippling with muscle under the tight shirt. Long, lean legs were showcased by the soft, worn jeans, black boots completing the look. As Jeremy stood at the edges of the sheltering crowd and stared, he noticed the leather bracelets and silver rings the man sported on his wrists and hands, his eyes following the corded forearms up to a tattoo that was just visible on his right bicep, the lower edge of it peeking out of the sleeve of the shirt. Cory Z 1

Jeremy edged closer, lust surging through him, his eyes drinking in thick black hair, carelessly styled, and a nose that had been broken before but did nothing to detract from the man’s startling good looks. As he tilted his head back to take a long swallow of his beer, Jeremy’s mouth watered at the arch of his throat, the muscles working as he swallowed, a pair of sinful lips wrapped around the tip of the bottle like Jeremy suddenly wanted them wrapped around the tip of his cock, drinking him down as Jeremy emptied his balls against the back of his throat….

Then the man’s eyes met his, the predatory heat in them making Jeremy’s knees weak. As the man licked his lips, Jeremy noticed with a jolt he was sporting a hoop through the lower one, emphasizing the plump fullness of it, and the simmering lust ramped up into raging hunger. Helplessly Jeremy moved closer, the man holding his gaze, the eyeliner he had lightly applied around his amazing golden eyes making him look even more exotic, dangerous.

Jeremy got as close as he could, the people massed around the bar making it difficult to get next to his target. The man looked Jeremy up and down leisurely, all the way to his feet and back up to his flushed and burning face; then he slowly spread his knees wide, making room for Jeremy between them. Jeremy moved in, feeling like he was strangling, his chest tight, the need to touch, kiss, lick and bite overwhelming him.

“Hey,” the man said, his voice deep and husky, lightly accented.

Jeremy swallowed, then nodded, all of his senses focused on the heat of the man’s body close to his, the way his legs looked splayed around Jeremy’s hips.

“Are you here with anyone?” he asked, annoyed at how abrupt his voice sounded. He wasn’t used to making small talk anymore, wasn’t used to the mating dance between strangers. It had been so easy with Brent: a backyard barbeque with friends, an introduction, mutual attraction and easy conversation leading to an invitation to dinner. They hadn’t spent more than a day or two apart after that.

The thought of Brent was like ice water on his ardor, and he could feel himself shutting down, wondering what the hell he was doing. Just as he was about to take a step back and leave, he felt the man settle his warm hands on his hips, stroking the skin between his shirt and the waistband of his jeans with a rough thumb.

“Just a friend,” the man said softly. Jeremy struggled to focus, remembering he’d just asked if he was here with anyone. The thumb caressing Jeremy’s sensitive skin was rough, callused, and it felt so good. It had been so long since he’d been touched….

Jeremy took a deep breath. He could do this… he wanted to do this. It was just fucking, just mutual pleasure with a willing stranger, a stranger he would never lay eyes on again. Purging his thoughts of anything except need, lust, he laid his hands high on the man’s splayed thighs, drawing circles with this thumbs along the inner seam of his jeans, flirting with his crotch but not quite touching.

“I want to fuck you,” Jeremy blurted, hating himself for his ineptness, his cheeks flushing hotter as the man’s amazing eyes filled with amusement.

“Yeah, I got that, amigo,” he said, tightening his grip on Jeremy’s hips to keep him from moving away. “And I want to let you.”

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6746 (ebook)

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6747 (paperback)

Author Guest Post:

IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK. That is my new mantra. IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK!

I discovered Cory Zwierzynski when I saw gifs of his Andrew Christian “Kiss” video on Tumblr…

(Do yourself a favor and watch the whole video, so HOT! http://www.andrewchristian.com/index.php/kiss.html )

Once I tracked down who the sexy man with the smirk was, I searched out everything I could find about him, and learned that he’s an Andrew Christian exclusive model. I watched all of his Andrew Christian videos and drooled over all of his pics. I followed him on every social media known to man.

(Follow him on Instagram, it’s worth it! https://instagram.com/coryz07/ ) Cory Z 2

When I began writing Signs of Life, the physical description of my character, Kai, started to become Cory in my head. The eyes, the hair, the tattoo, the attitude…Cory was Kai. So when it came time for the cover art, I couldn’t stop thinking, what if? What if I could get Cory for my cover?

Nah, that will never happen. Andrew Christian will laugh you out of town.

I told myself that over and over, talking myself out of it, until I brought up the idea to my friend Kenya one day. She told me, “What do you have to lose? The worst that could happen is they would say ‘no’ or totally ignore you. So what? At least you’d know.”

So I screwed up my courage, emailed Drew LaQuang, Cory’s booking person, and asked if I could license a picture of Cory for the cover of my book, explaining that I was a huge fan of his. Within a few hours I had my answer: “Sure!”

Cue intense fangirling and celebration! (My friend Monica heard me screaming all the way from Brazil and messaged me to ask what was going on, LOL).

I contacted Paul Richmond, the art director at Dreamspinner, and asked about the steps I’d need to follow for licensing a picture. He was extremely helpful, sent over the legal forms I had to have, and made sure I was aware of the size requirements, pixels, etc., for cover art.

Unfortunate Cory Z 4 ly all the pictures I found on the Andrew Christian website were too low-res to be used, so I emailed Drew and asked if they had higher-resolution pics I could look at. He immediately and graciously opened their photo archives to me, and I was able to browse at my leisure.

When I found one that I liked and that my cover artist, Natasha Snow, could work with, I filled out the licensing form and emailed it to Drew, who had it back to me in a few hours. I forwarded it to Paul and boom, I had my cover model. I had my actual face cast for Kai on my cover!

The whole experience has been amazing. I can’t emphasize enough how awesome the Andrew Christian organization is. Nobody laughed at me, nobody said ‘No,’ nobody said ‘Figure it out.’ Every time I emailed with a question or a problem (the low-res pics), Drew wrote me back in a timely fashion and helped me resolve it.

For a huge, multimillion dollar company to do that for some strange woman who emailed them out of the blue, that says a lot about their customer service and their appreciation of their fans. Andrew Christian and Drew made everything easy and painless, and now I have a cover that’s personal, and beautiful, and means a lot to me.

So from now on my mantra is, and I encourage everyone to adopt it because you just never know…IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK!

I’d love to hear about your favorite face cast for your favorite book characters! Share them in the comments!

(All photos in this post used by permission from Andrew Christian, Inc.)

Melanie Hansen has spent time in Texas and Florida prisons…for work. She’s been in a room with a 17-year-old mass murderer who was also one of the most soft-spoken and polite teenagers she’s ever met. After a 13-year career as a court reporter, she can tell many stories both hilarious and heartbreaking.

She grew up with an Air Force dad, and ended up marrying a Navy man. After living and working all over the country, she hopes to bring these rich and varied life experiences to her stories about people finding love amidst real-life struggles.

Melanie left the stressful world of the courtroom behind and now enjoys a rewarding career transcribing for a deaf student. She currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009084006829

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelJoyAZ

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25568156-signs-of-life

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow Designs. Model: Cory Zwierzynski. Photo Credit: Andrew Christian, Inc

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, BFD Book Blog, Jessie G. Books, Love Bytes, Bayou Book Junkie, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Molly Lolly, MM Good Book Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Divine Magazine, Amanda C. Stone, Nephylim, Reviews by Jessewave, Inked Rainbow Reads, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Happily Ever Chapter, The Jena Wade, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Mikky’s World of Books, Velvet Panic, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Andrew Q. Gordon, Ogitchida Book Blog, Charley Descoteaux, Bike Book Reviews, Foxylutely Book Reviews

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Strange Bedfellows by Cardeno C : Audio Book Tour, Review and Giveaway

August 26, 2015 by Denise

Can the billionaire son of a Democratic president build a family with the congressman son of a Republican senator? Forget politics, love makes strange bedfellows.

As the sole offspring of the Democratic United States president and his political operative wife, Trevor Moga was raised in an environment driven by the election cycle. During childhood, he fantasized about living in a made-for-television family, and as an adult, he rejected all things politics and built a highly successful career as far from his parents as possible.

Newly elected congressman Ford Hollingsworth is Republican royalty. The grandson of a revered governor and son of a respected senator, he was bred to value faith, family, and the goal of seeing a Hollingsworth in the White House.

When Trevor and Ford meet, sparks fly and a strong friendship is formed. But can the billionaire son of a Democratic president build a family with the congressman son of a Republican senator? Forget politics, love makes strange bedfellows.

Amazon / Audible / iTunes

I cannot say enough how much I love this book by Cardeno C. Here is my original 5 pieces of eye candy review (http://wp.me/p6h30q-mT). My opinion has not changed in the least. Ford is a sweet, loving caring man, whose goal is to do right by his family, by God, and by his newly elected position. Meanwhile, Trevor, hot dirty, sexy self-made millionaire, who happens to be son of the sitting President of the United States, yet wants nothing to do with politics.

The way these men worked towards finding the right place for each other in their lives wasn’t easy. They had to work through misunderstandings, family pressures, political pressures, and their own personal biases as to what the other person’s lives originally looked like to them. They found strength in each other, and were able to draw on that strength as a couple.

I did struggle with the narrator on this book, Ron Herczig. I felt quite often that he seemed to emphasize the wrong words in a sentence, and I found myself concentrating at times more on how he said something, or his voice, rather than the story. My goal with an audio book is to be drawn in so much that I hear the voice, only as an extension of the written word, not overriding that word. I just could not do it with this narrator. I felt drawn out of the story as I listened to the narrator reading it.

I encourage everyone to read this story, it is hot, sweet and a good time!

Story is 5 pieces of eye candy.

Narrator is 3.5 pieces of eye candy.

Cardeno C. – CC to friends – is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a lot of happiness and a few “awwws” into a reader’s day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno’s stories range from sweet to intense, contemporary to paranormal, long to short, but they always include strong relationships and walks into the happily-ever-after sunset.

Cardeno’s Home, Family, and Mates series have received awards from Love Romances and More Golden Roses, Rainbow Awards, the Goodreads M/M Romance Group, and various reviewers. But even more special to CC are heartfelt reactions from readers, like, “You bring joy and love and make it part of the every day.”

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Cafe Risqué ~ Shared Blog

Pintrest | Google+ | Youtube

Enter to win your own audio copy of Strange Bedfellows !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

presented by:

*Follow the tour by clicking the banner at the top of the page.

The Bouncer by AJ Llewellyn: Quick Review

August 23, 2015 by Denise

A human, a vampire and a werewolf walked into a bar. Sexy is what happens next.

Kevin Branigan thought he was moving to Austin, Texas, for a job. Instead, he got a life.

Kevin Branigan begins a new life in Austin, Texas, working as a bouncer at his brother’s bar. A teacher by trade, he’s had a hard time getting work and is still hurt over a catastrophic break-up. Doing something completely different seems like a great idea, and being close to his brother, Jack, and Jack’s husband, Tito, is another benefit to his changed circumstances.

Things are looking up until Tito intervenes in a drunken fight at the bar one night. Tito stops a patron from beating up his girlfriend, but it could be very bad if news gets out that Tito, a retired boxer, slugged the guy. Kevin takes the fall, and winds up being arrested.

Sentenced to community service in a gay church, Kevin begins to think that the signs are all bad. However, late one night at the bar, he’s seduced into a hot threesome with two of his co-workers. He finds himself drawn into this dangerous mix, as well as to a hunky undercover cop, Cruz Dixon. Unfortunately Cruz appears to have a boyfriend. Or does he? Can Kevin win over Cruz, who’s captured his heart and his mind? Can he really make a life for himself in the World Capital of Music? Or are his days as Austin’s newest bouncer numbered?

***ARC Copy Provided for Honest Review****
I enjoyed this story very much. Kevin is such a good guy and sweetheart that I fell for him just a little bit. It seems like the poor guy just can’t catch a break. First his ex screws him over, then he gets community service taking the fall for something he didn’t do to help out someone else.
I will say this for Keven though, they boy gets some HOT action for himself. Cruz is hard to read at first. He seems really closed off, but once he get going with Kevin it turns out great. I really enjoyed the interactions between Keven and Cruz, although they do seem to go from 0 to love at mach speed. On the whole though it was an entertaining story.

Amazon

A.J. Llewellyn lives in California, but dreams of living in Hawaii. Frequent trips to all the islands, bags of Kona coffee in the fridge and a healthy collection of Hawaiian records keep this writer refueled.

A.J. never lacks inspiration for male/male erotic romances and on the rare occasions this happens, pursues other passions such as collecting books on Hawaiiana, surfing and spending time with friends and animal companions.

A.J. Llewellyn believes that love is a song best sung out loud.