Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

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Best Laid Plans (Garnet Run Book 2) by Roan Parrish: New Release Review * 2

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A man who’s been moving his whole life finally finds a reason to stay put.

Charlie Matheson has spent his life taking care of things. When his parents died two days before his eighteenth birthday, he took care of his younger brother, even though that meant putting his own dreams on hold. He took care of his father’s hardware store, building it into something known several towns over. He took care of the cat he found in the woods…so now he has a cat.

When a stranger with epic tattoos and a glare to match starts coming into Matheson’s Hardware, buying things seemingly at random and lugging them off in a car so beat-up Charlie feels bad for it, his instinct is to help. When the man comes in for the fifth time in a week, Charlie can’t resist intervening.

Rye Janssen has spent his life breaking things. Promises. His parents’ hearts. Leases. He isn’t used to people wanting to put things back together—not the crumbling house he just inherited, not his future and certainly not him. But the longer he stays in Garnet Run, the more he can see himself belonging there. And the more time he spends with Charlie, the more he can see himself falling asleep in Charlie’s arms…and waking up in them.

Is this what it feels like to have a home—and someone to share it with?

Amazon

Carina Press

Better Than People (Book 1)

One of the things I really love about Roan Parrish‘s books are the writing. They are just SO well written. I don’t just mean edited well or a good story- although both are undeniably true. I mean she is a master of prose and narrative. She not only paints a picture that immerses you in the story, but the natural flow of language keeps you there.

I’m kind of gushing. But I know for a fact that I will have to look up at least 5 words that she uses. But the use of these words also flows. Because it is so well written. It’s not like she pulled this 25 cent word out of a thesaurus to sound smart. The writing IS smart. Do you know how many times I read the phrase “boner killer” in books? Far, far too many. Ms. Parrish instead said “anaphrodisiac”. It just elevates the narrative.

I’ll stop now. Instead I will talk about swoony Charlie, who we met in Better Than People, and Rye, a guy with no direction in life who packs up his cat and moves from Seattle to Wyoming when he finds out a grandfather he didn’t know he had, died and left him a house.

Being that Charlie owns the town’s hardware store and the house is quite literally falling down around him, Rye and Charlie meet quickly. But Charlie’s need to help is butting up against Rye’s need to be independent.

So begins their story of finding each other, learning to accept help, learning to love yourself and 2 amazing cats in the mix.

Just read it. You won’t be disappointed. You don’t have to read the first book, Better Than People, but you should. Because it is also a treasure.

And so, I am giving this book my ever rare, but certainly deserved…

5 pieces of eye candy

Another fantastic emotional journey by Roan Parrish. Every book I read by this author, I continue to be impressed by the level of emotion that is leveled into the stories, without creating unnecessary angst. (I’m not an angsty reader…that’s Erin…I like happy and sweet and an HEA that makes me feel squishy inside.)

We met Charlie in Better Than People, as the mysterious brother who raised Jack after their parents were killed. We didn’t learn a lot about Charlie in that book, other than he clearly loved his brother, and he was kind of stand-offish. In this book, we learn how he really dealt with their parents’ death, how it changed his life forever in many ways. The scene where this is addressed…just powerful.

Rye, in his own way stand-offish, but because of past hurts and challenges. But he was such a brave soul to pick up and move (and not leave his cat behind!!!!), and even when he saw the dilapidated home he was left didn’t give up, just kept trying and moving forward. Watching him learn to accept help was touching. It wasn’t easy for him, but he knew he could only do so much on his own.

These two men really complimented each other, and were able to work together to make a challenging situation become a great situation. 🙂 I love that Rye, despite his normal cynicism, saw the good in the kids at his house, and let them stay, even though he knew Charlie would not like it. He trusted the kids, and it said so much about the person he was. And in the end, he was right…he just had to convince Charlie of that.

Side note…the cats…yes, this crazy cat lady loved every minute with those two.

So well written, and it just felt warm and sunny and I felt happy when I finished. As an aside, the cover is perfect for the book!

4.5 pieces of eye candy

An Echo in the Sorrow (Soulbound #6) by Hailey Turner: Blog Tour, Exclusive Author Interview and Excerpt

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Forgiveness is a hollow prayer you only hear in your dreams.

Patrick Collins has spent years handling cases as a special agent for the Supernatural Operations Agency, even as his secret standing in the preternatural world has changed. He should have confessed to his role as co-leader of the New York City god pack when he and Jonothon de Vere took up the mantle months ago, but he didn’t. Now that split loyalty will cost him at a time when he can least afford it.

Outmaneuvered, framed for murder, and targeted by the Dominion Sect, Patrick has to face a past full of lies to regain his freedom. Revealing the truth means he’ll need to give up the life that has defined him. Everything he’s fought to build with his pack is at stake, and losing them isn’t a price Patrick is willing to pay, but some choices aren’t his to make.

Jono knows they can’t cede any more territory if they want to win the god pack civil war spilling into the streets of New York City. But the souls of werecreatures are free for the taking when demons come to town and angels sing a warning no one can ignore. When Jono’s worst fear comes to life, and he loses the one person he can’t live without, the only option left is to fight.

Facing down the demons of their past and the ones in their present, Patrick and Jono will learn the hard way that some sins never wash away clean.

An Echo in the Sorrow is a 118k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot. It is a direct sequel to On the Wings of War. Reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one.

Title and cover: An Echo in the Sorrow

Series: Soulbound 6

Publisher: Self-published

Release Date (Print & Ebook/Audio): March 1, 2021

Length (Print & Ebook/Audio):  117,943 words

Subgenre: LGBTQ Urban Fantasy

Warnings: None

Cover artist: AngstyG LLC

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Mini-interview with Hailey Turner:

Author Hailey Turner is back with book 6 in the Soulbound series, An Echo in the Sorrow! To celebrate the release, she’s joining Two Chicks Obsessed to talk: writing a series, her favorite book she’s written, and the future of the series. Welcome, Hailey!

Do you find it more challenging to write the first book in a series or to write the subsequent novels?

For me, the later books are the hardest to write. Trying to keep the momentum going without repeating myself or making things boring can be tough in a long series.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I’ve written 15 books so far. A Ferry of Bones & Gold is my favorite, because it was the start of my Soulbound adventure.

What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

I give myself a set number of words to meet each day. On weekdays I write in the morning and evening around my day job. On Weekends, I write until I hit that number and then take the rest of the day off.

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

An Echo in the Sorrow is the sixth book in the Soulbound series, and there’s one more book left. I’m both looking forward and dreading writing the end.

“The only way to win is to take them out completely. That’s going to be a costly fight in terms of blood and territory,” Jono said.

“What about our alliances?” Wade asked.

Jono shook his head. “Their assistance in maintaining our borders is helpful, but we need to be the ones to push Estelle and Youssef out. This is our fight.”

“What about going the direct route and meeting them in the challenge ring?” Marek asked.

“I wouldn’t trust any fight that happens in that place,” Amelia said flatly.

Other people in the crowd echoed her statement. Patrick had never been to the challenge ring located beneath the god pack home in Hamilton Heights. The underground space was familiar to everyone else from the times all the alphas had been summoned to meetings. He’d seen the aftermath of fights held in other challenge rings to know they were bloody spaces. He agreed with Amelia though—no fight held in a space controlled by Estelle and Youssef could be handled fairly.

“I’m not sure how much help the fae will be able to provide right now. Tiarnán was summoned to Tír na nÓg today on an emergency basis. He’s been our liaison for the fae, and I don’t know when he’ll return,” Sage said.

Patrick shrugged. “His absence shouldn’t affect the alliance. We—”

A loud explosion in the bar above cut him off, magic crashing against the wards embedded in Tempest’s walls. They flashed fire bright for a split second, nearly blinding Patrick. Before the glow faded, Patrick was on his feet and racing for the stairs, Jono right on his heels. The crowd of alphas peeled away from his headlong rush forward, giving them both space.

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

Connect with Hailey Turner:

Newsletter:  You can keep up with Hailey’s future projects by joining her newsletter, where you can instantly download several free short stories:  http://bit.ly/HaileyTurnerNews

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Facebook Profile:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014824811406

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Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16473068.Hailey_Turner

Website:  www.haileyturner.com

Blood On Tap by Riley Long: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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Drew
What’s a retired rockstar vamp to do in a quaint, quiet English town?
Buy the only pub, make it a vampire haven, and flirt incessantly with my one and only employee, of course.

Nova
I hate everything about my new boss.
His face. His arrogant smile.
The way he acts like he knows everything.
I hate him so much I just want to… kiss him? What the hell?

Riley Long on Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Drew:

I shouldn’t have been surprised by his presence in such a vampire-heavy town, but a vampire serving humans was unusual to my eyes. Seeing an apex predator doing something so mundane struck me as odd. I made my way to the bar and slid onto a stool, the vinyl cracked and fraying.

“Hi there,” I murmured, my voice low. I smiled at the tall, blond bartender, whose wavy hair would have reached his shoulders if it hadn’t been tied back. He looked very much like he could have come out of a picture book about Viking times, except he wore a snug-fitting t-shirt with Blood Money’s logo emblazoned on it, and jeans that perfectly cupped his very firm ass.

“What can I—?” He ended abruptly and tilted his head to the side. His eyes narrowed as he took me in, and I ran a hand through my damp, close-cropped hair. When he spoke again, his tone was cold, closed off, and his expression was carefully neutral. “Are you—?” he shook his head. “Can I help you?”

“You work here?” I knew it was a stupid question. He was behind the bar, of course he worked there, but I couldn’t help asking. I couldn’t wrap my mind around a vampire serving humans willingly.

He nodded. “And I’m busy.” He grabbed empty glasses off the bar top and put them in a tray, then grabbed a rag and began to wipe the bar down.

“Oh, yeah, totally. I can tell.” There were no patrons asking for his attention at that moment and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

“I’ve never seen you around here.”

I laughed a little. “Don’t worry, Tex, I’m not looking to steal your territory.”

He shook his head. “No territory to steal. It’s not like that around here.”

“Then what’s it like?” I leaned forward and slid my fangs out with a smile. I wanted him to see I meant no harm.

He dropped his voice to a hiss, leaning in close. “Put your fangs away, for fuck’s sake. Nobody needs to see that.”

Riley Long is a wife and mother living a quiet life in Virginia, with her husband, son, and one goofy pit bull. She passes her evenings writing, reading, and watching bad television (or not so bad television). For fun, Riley participates in NaNoWriMo, GISH, and reads with her book club, the BAMFs. She likes things with silly acronyms. The craziest thing Riley has ever done involves whipped cream and hugs. Riley writes sweet and sexy romance, with a special place in her heart for hipsters and musicians.

Connect with Riley:
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/riley-long
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Charisma Check by Charlie Novak: Quick Review

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Hatred is complicated, clothing is simple—Edward doesn’t need a man, and he certainly doesn’t need cosplayer and tattoo artist, Izzy Montes, AKA The Masked Gentleman, Edward’s ultimate nemesis.

Edward and Izzy have been antagonising each other for over three years. Their rivalry is fierce, and Edward is determined to keep Izzy at arm’s length. Which would be all well and good… if they weren’t engaging in a secret, heated hook-ups.

Forced to appear together at a film premier in LA, Edward is determined to get in and out with minimal damage to his reputation… and his heart. But Izzy Montes proves to be a complication Edward couldn’t have predicted. Biting, funny, and charming in equal measure, he’s the one man Edward needs to loathe.

He’s also the one man Edward can’t get out of his mind.

Not that Izzy plans on letting him.

Charisma Check is a 80,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring comic conventions, snark, many costume changes, and only one bed. It is book two in the Roll for Love series and should be read as part of the series.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Okay, so I was really hoping for Izzy’s story with this one so I was pleased we were going to have another nerdy storyline. I don’t understand cosplay or any of the things they roleplay and I don’t understand ninety percent of the nerd speak, but I really enjoyed the first one so I couldn’t wait for this one.

Izzy felt different to me in this one and maybe because we were seeing such a different side to him.

I will say that their banter seemed very immature and it really really threw me off at times. I mean, the overly using curse words just seemed so forced to sound cool or something and their comebacks to each other was so juvenile, I had to actually stop and try to find how old these two were. I swear, other than the cussing, it sounds just like my teenagers arguing.

Apart from that, these two are pretty well known in the cosplay comic-con universe and were kind of important in terms of doing it well enough to pass for whoever they’re roleplaying about, so much so that they’re both asked to be red carpet cosplayers for movie premiers and stuff.

Of course, they both agree, though both of them think twice about it because they know they’ll be working with each other and despite hooking up every time they’re within arms reach of one another, they spend the rest of the time talking about hating each other and actively showing that they hate each other in immature ways…. Which we covered already……and they were both just so stubborn that I just wanted to shake them.

However, what happens when two people who “hate” each other but don’t really hate each other are forced to be in the same proximity to one another for an extended period of time? Of course, their real feelings come out and it’s impossible to deny that these two are actually crazy about each other.(As much as they don’t want to be.)

I loved getting to see Jay and Leo again, I really liked them, and I liked how low-angst this one was. I’m not sure if I believed these two as a couple, although I did enjoy each of them letting their guards down and slowly open up to each other. It was a rough road with these two, but they got there in the end.

It was a sweet ending too. I’m excited to see who’s next!

3.5 pieces of eye candy

The Beautiful Things Shoppe (Seasons of New Hope Book 2) by Philip William Stover: New Release Review

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Their collections may clash but their hearts are a perfect match.

Moving to eclectic New Hope, Pennsylvania, and running The Beautiful Things Shoppe is a dream come true for elegant and reserved fine arts dealer Prescott J. Henderson. He never agreed to share the space with Danny Roman, an easygoing extrovert who collects retro toys and colorful knickknacks.

And yet here they are, trapped together in the quaint shop as they scramble to open in time for New Hope’s charming Winter Festival.

Danny has spent years leading with his heart instead of his head. The Beautiful Things Shoppe is his chance to ground himself and build something permanent and joyful. The last thing he needs is an uptight snob who doesn’t appreciate his whimsy occupying half his shop.

It’s only when two of New Hope’s historic landmarks—each as different as Danny and Prescott—are threatened that a tentative alliance forms. And with it, the first blush of romance. Suddenly, running The Beautiful Things Shoppe together doesn’t seem so bad…until Danny’s secret threatens to ruin it all.

Seasons of New Hope
Book 1: The Hideaway Inn
Book 2: The Beautiful Things Shoppe

Amazon

Carina Press

I’ll start by saying, I didn’t read the first book, but it definitely was a stand-alone…although after reading this book, and seeing a bit about the MC’s from book 1, I definitely can see going back and reading the first in the series.

This book is an enemies to lovers story, with forced proximity. However, they quickly learn that they have more in common than they expect, and it’s adorable! I loved how the owner of the building set them up without their knowledge, and they kept falling into that trap.

Prescott and Danny, on the surface, were quite the opposites. One really into antiques from the late 19th century, the other into anything kitschy and fun (he described it as things that made him happy), yet both really just wanting to share their love of their items with other people. It didn’t take them long to find a common purpose that brought them together.

The secrets that they held I thought were probably a little too small to be of the level of concern that was portrayed. Meanwhile, Prescott’s ex was everything you don’t want to see in an ex, out for what worked best for him and how he could make that happen.

This was an enjoyable book that brought two opposites together to find their other half.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Philip William Stover splits his time between Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and New York City. He has an MFA in writing and is a clinical professor at New York University.

As a freelance journalist, his essays and reviews have appeared in Newsday, the Forward, the Tony Awards, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Houston Chronicle, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and other national publications. For many years he ghosted for an international best-selling women’s fiction author. He has published multiple middle-grade novels for Simon & Schuster and was the American Theater critic for About.com.

He grew up tearing the covers off the romance novels he devoured so he wouldn’t get teased at school. Now he enjoys traveling the world with his husband of over twenty years and would never consider defacing any of the books he loves.

He can be found on social media as Philip William Stover.

Natural Twenty by Charlie Novak: Quick Review

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Plants are easier than people—that’s Leo’s rule of thumb. After all, nobody really wants a man who looks like he belongs in a biker gang but would rather spend his time buried in books and flowers. It’s just easier to be single. Until he meets the owner of the new book shop.

Jacob Morris knows two things: he’s really attracted to the man who runs the local flower shop, and he doesn’t date. Not when he’s still healing from a bad breakup, has a new business to run, game nights to organise, workshops to host, and a website to build.

When friendship blooms into something more, Leo and Jay must decide whether to roll the dice and take a chance on love or keep forging ahead on their quests alone. Will their roll yield a one or a perfect, natural twenty?

Natural Twenty is an 80,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring Dungeons & Dragons, secret flower language bouquets, a spoilt Staffy (or two), and a best friend who is basically a gothic prince. It is book one in the Roll for Love series and can be read as a standalone

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

So, okay, I have a thing for big beefy tattooed guys who you think can squish you into little bits if you were to find them in a dark alley somewhere, but are actually romantic softies that wouldn’t hurt a fly. Well, we get that in Leo.
He’s big and intimidating and can be awkward when it comes to socializing and being around people, but he has a big ol soft heart and it’s impossible not to completely fall in love with him from the beginning. Owning a flower shop, he tends to stay behind the scenes when he can, but when a new bookshop opens up down the block, his employee Emily encourages him to take some flowers to the new owners to welcome them to the hood and congratulate them on their grand opening. That’s where he meets Edward and Jay.

Now, Edward, I will say, I was smitten with. I hope he gets his own story next, but Jay completely took Leos breath away and they bonded instantly over books and cosplay and dungeons and dragons. I will admit that I had to skim over all those bits, I haven’t a clue what any of that is, but it was cute to see how excited they all were over it.

The two of them, as well as Edward and Emily and her husband, they all become friends, having bi-weekly I think it was, game nights and stuff… I adored these secondary characters as well, so the fit so well in the stories, I could see where each guy needed them around. With their budding friendship though, it was impossible to not feel the connection between the two, though neither of them were ready for a relationship or to jump into anything. I was glad to see them take it slow, but I definitely wanted to shake them both a couple of times, Jay especially when he tried to push Leo away. He more than sweetly made up for it, but I was rooting for them from the very start.

Because Leo felt awkward and Jay was still healing from a toxic relationship where his ex cheated with his best friend and never even apologized for it, I could understand his hesitation. Being betrayed like that sometimes never heals, but Leo was patient and understanding and sighhh, he was just perfect.

I don’t want to give too much of the story away, I’ve been told recently that I do that and people straight come for me, so I’ll just say…. if you like a slow burn, with friends to lovers, good friends and cute puppy… you will adore this story. I know I did!
I really wanted that ex to get a peek at Jay and Leo and know what he lost and how happy he is without him, but I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next!

4 Pieces of eye candy