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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Eli Easton

The Best Gift by Eli Easton: New Release Review

December 6, 2021 by Denise

THE BEST GIFT – by Eli Easton
With help from a Christmas miracle, two bruised hearts find joy again.

Greg Cabot is the third generation to run Cabot’s Christmas Wonderland and tree farm in rural Vermont. But this year will be his last. Since the death of his son, Sam, in Afghanistan, Greg no longer has the heart to run a business based on holiday cheer. When he picks up a hitchhiking soldier on a snowy night, he finds the help he needs to get his farm through the holidays—and maybe much more.

Sergeant Robbie Sparks doesn’t have much to be thankful for this holiday season. Badly wounded in Afghanistan, he’s spent most of the past year in recovery and was discharged after ten years of service. When fate lands him at Cabot’s tree farm, he feels like he’s fallen into a snow globe reality. Friendly people, gorgeous trees, lots of Christmas kitsch… and Greg Cabot.

Greg believes he’s too heartbroken for romance, but those we love never truly leave us. A little nudge from heaven may help build a bridge for these two men trying to heal. If only they are willing to take that first step.

This stand-alone, long novella is a small town, Christmas cornucopia, May-December, hurt/comfort , military romance stuffed full of family and holiday feels.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

This one breaks your heart, but puts it back together again with pine needles and hot cocoa.

Greg’s broken heart is palpable. His only son was killed in action and after this season he is selling the 3 generation Christmas tree farm. But he is still kind enough to pick up a hitch hiker and offer him a bed for the night. But Robbie makes himself useful and is quickly hired for the season.

Those two broken men lived and worked together, acting awkwardly, until Robbie made a move. Then the classic “while you are here” scenario.

Both of these men just pulled on my heart strings. Robbie is still recovering physically but can’t seem to recover mentally. Greg tries to help, but he doesn’t know the whole story. Robbie doesn’t even know the whole story because he can’t remember.

Oh my god did I cry toward the end of this book. Let it be known that you will need tissues while reading. But it is so worth it in the end.

This was a beautiful story of love, forgiving yourself and Christmas magic.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Filed Under: Book Review, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 4.5 stars, book, Book Reviews, Eli Easton, gay, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, novella, review, romance

The Best Gift by Eli Easton: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

November 19, 2021 by Denise

With help from a Christmas miracle, two bruised hearts find joy again.

Greg Cabot is the third generation to run Cabot’s Christmas Wonderland and tree farm in rural Vermont. But this year will be his last. Since the death of his son, Sam, in Afghanistan, Greg no longer has the heart to run a business based on holiday cheer. When he picks up a hitchhiking soldier on a snowy night, he finds the help he needs to get his farm through the holidays—and maybe much more.

Sergeant Robbie Sparks doesn’t have much to be thankful for this holiday season. Badly wounded in Afghanistan, he’s spent the last eight months in recovery and was discharged after ten years of service. When fate lands him at Cabot’s tree farm, he feels like he’s fallen into a snow globe reality. Friendly people, gorgeous trees, lots of Christmas kitsch… and Greg Cabot.

Greg believes he’s too heartbroken for romance, but those we love never truly leave us. A little nudge from heaven may help build a bridge for these two men trying to heal. If only they are willing to take that first step.

This stand-alone, long novella is a small town, Christmas cornucopia, May-December, hurt/comfort , ex-military romance stuffed full of family and holiday feels.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

The sleigh and horses were put away, Jim was paid, and we began the walk home. The country lane was cast in blues and grays thanks to a full moon, which was a blessing since I hadn’t brought a flashlight. But it was all the more surprising when fat flakes began to fall.

I stopped and looked up at the sky. What had been a completely clear sky no more than an hour past was now leaden with gray. But the full moon glowed in an empty patch in the clouds like an all-seeing eye. It reminded me of how, in the summertime, it can rain even while the sun is shining.

“Vermont!” I shook my head. “Snow wasn’t—”

“—in the forecast.” Robbie broke in. “You have childlike faith in the weather report, tree man.”

I snorted. “Weather determines how many customers I’ll have on any given day. So, yeah, I count on it to be accurate more often than not.”

“It is pretty,” Robbie commented as we started walking again.

He meant the snow, I figured, and it was. The moonlight turned the slow, fat clusters into falling crystals that glinted in the light now and then, like frozen fireflies.

We walked on. I kept my pace slow, mindful of Robbie’s limp, which seemed to be getting worse.

“You had a long work day today,” I noted again. “Sorry about that.”

“Nahsir. I was on the baler most of the day. I think I’m just stiff from riding the sl—” Robbie slipped on an icy spot and flailed for a moment, cursing.

I grabbed his arm, steadying him. And when Robbie’s feet were stable again, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world for me to slide my hand down Robbie’s arm and take his hand.

“Okay?” I asked, though whether I meant to ask if he was okay after almost slipping or okay with holding hands, I couldn’t have said.

“A-yup.” Robbie gripped my hand firmly, and we kept walking.

The crunch of our boots on the groomed snow, and the distant hoot of an owl, were the only sounds in the silent night. I wanted to chitchat, just to ease the tension that was growing in my gut. But my throat had closed up and my mind had gone utterly blank. I could only stare out at the bucolic scene in front of me, steal glances at the handsome young man beside me, and marvel over the feeling of Robbie’s hand in mine, attuned to it with every fiber of my being.

We were both wearing gloves, but even so, Robbie’s hand was large and strong and warm. And he was okay with holding hands. He wanted to hold my hand. And a man like Robbie wouldn’t do that just to keep from falling. He’d probably parachute out an airplane rather than touch someone he didn’t want to. I was simultaneously elated and terrified by that certainty.

How long had it been since I’d touched any man? At least three years. After Sam left, I was too busy picking up his slack and doing my own work at Cabot’s to even get on an app. Besides, that sort of sneaking around had lost its appeal long ago. Since Sam’s death, I’d barely been alive myself. It had probably been the summer before Sam’s senior year, when Sam and Roseanne had taken a mother-son road trip for three weeks down to Virginia. I’d hooked up with a man from upstate New York I’d chatted with on Hinge. I’d hoped it might lead to something, but when we’d gotten together for a date, there’d been no real connection, no sparks. The man was nice enough, but not attractive to me at all.

Jaysus. That felt like a lifetime ago.

And now this young man had fallen into my life like… like a gift. Hard-working. Polite. Kind to the families and kids who came to Cabot’s and to Roscoe and Lucy and Tori, which meant a lot to me. He had that occasional devil-may-care humor, which I wanted to see a lot more of. He was respectful and thoughtful, always trying to figure out what else he could do to lighten my load. Determined to power through his injuries and not looking for any sympathy, but tugging on my heartstrings all the more because of that.

Sexy as fuck.

Knock it off, I told myself sternly.

We turned onto the lane that would lead to the Cabot property. Up ahead a quarter mile or so, crop fields turned into a dark bank of Christmas trees. A stream gurgled to the right of the road….

Wait. I stopped.

“What?” Robbie asked, still holding my hand.

“That should be iced over.” I took a step toward the ditch, and Robbie followed.

We looked at the ribbon of ice in the ditch, which had cracks and openings through which we could see water run.

“Huh,” I said. “That’s normally completely frozen up this time of year. It shouldn’t be like this ’til April.”

“Global warming?” Robbie offered.

I frowned. It hadn’t been that warm lately. There shouldn’t be enough melt-off to create a stream here.

Robbie drew in a sharp breath. “Look.”

I glanced at him and then followed his gaze. Yes, by any standards, the landscape was breathtaking. A blanket of snow cloaked the fields on either side of the road, glistening in the moonlight that was still shining right along with the snow that fell. Down the road, the wide, long bank of neatly planted green trees looked like a medieval forest from a fairy tale. The stream gurgled. An owl hooted on a nearby fence post, its eyes flashing. Fat goose-feather snowflakes danced and glinted in the air.

He pointed toward the ditch. It took a moment, but I saw it—an all-white bunny sat by the stream, raised up on its hind legs, front paws held in front of its breast in a cute pose, nose twitching as it watched us. The whole scene was so Disney romantic, with the wildlife and gurgling brook, it suddenly seemed absurd.

I burst out laughing and Robbie followed. We looked at each other in disbelief.

“If I told someone about this, they’d never believe me,” Robbie grinned.

“Right? Someone’s put a lot of effort into setting this stage,” I agreed, shaking my head in amused wonder.

“Well. It’d be a shame to waste it.” Robbie’s smile faded.

And before I knew what was coming, Robbie tugged on my hand, stepped closer, and pressed our lips together.

I might have liked to think I’d nobly resist such an overture but, no. I was instantly lost. A red-hot flame of need and longing burst inside me the moment Robbie’s lips touched mine. I could only reach out blindly to wrap my arms around the man and pull him closer.

Robbie placed a hand firmly on the back of my neck and kissed me soundly, his tongue shockingly warm and sweet as he sucked at my mouth. The kiss went to my head like a shot of whiskey, or maybe two, and I realized, embarrassingly, that my knees were weak, and I might not even be able to stand without Robbie holding me up. Dear God, I was a forty-three-year-old man, not a teen.

Coming from a background in computer game design, Eli has written over 50 books in m/m romance since 2013. The Mating of Michael (2014) and A Second Harvest (2016) both won The William Neale Award for Best Gay Contemporary Romance, and Eli’s books have won many awards from the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s Reader’s Choice Awards. She is best known for her Christmas romances, the Howl at the Moon series of rom coms featuring dog shifters, and the Nerds Vs Jocks series, co-written with Tara Lain.

Connect with Eli:
www.elieaston.com
Facebook: Eli Easton
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/164054884188096
Twitter: @elieastona Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Giveaway, TCO Exclusives Tagged With: author, blog tour, Blog Tours, book, Book Excerpts, Eli Easton, excerpt, exclusive, gay, giveaway, Giveaways, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, romance

Betting on His BF: A Friends-to-Lovers, Buddy Trip, Bisexual Awakening Romance (Nerds vs Jocks) by Eli Easton and Tara Lain: New Release Review

September 24, 2021 by Denise

Big Bet. Big Trouble. Big Love.

When Felix the Quiz Bowl Champion reveals other oversized assets besides his brain, it takes PJ, the super-wheeler-dealer, to wangle maximum profits from it—in bets, wet jock strap contests, and Wang of the Week.

But winning money turns out to be second to falling in lust, and sexual escapades replace time at the poker tables as the number-one activity of their wicked week in Vegas.

Still, accepting the hospitality of PJ’s father’s client, the mobster Joey Oretano, proves a nearly fatal money-saving scheme, and brings Felix and PJ face-to-face with the serious side of life.
Very. Serious.

Will someone take the chance to be a hero?
Or will someone wind up dead?

BETTING ON HIS BF is a friends-to-lovers, bisexual awakening, what-happens-in-Vegas-can-win-you-money, dash-of-suspense, MM romance—with large assets.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Let me preface this by saying that I KNOW there are some hard core fans of these authors. And while I don’t know who wrote what parts, I can pretty much guess, but I won’t point it out. But, at least to me, it is super obvious that it was written by 2 different people.

The story started out pretty well. Felix and PJ, characters we know from the previous 3 books, on a road trip together to Vegas. First stop- a buffet. Of course! But they got scammed by the small print and PJ being PJ made a wager to get their food for free. And what he was betting was a continuous theme throughout. Constantly. Always. Like omg we get it. It doesn’t need to constantly be talked about. And if I were Felix, I’d be SO PISSED at PJ. The fact that he isn’t is mind boggling.

Ok. Felix and PJ are cute together. Doing that flirty bff thing. You know there will be more, but it is fun to watch them flirt and squirm.

PJ, who has very wealthy parents, scores a free suite for them from one of his father’s clients. Can you say stereotype? “Mafia” springs to mind. And how these kids didn’t realize is beyond me.

Anyway, PJ really persuades Felix into things he is uncomfortable with (again, friends don’t treat friends like that), but whatever. They are having fun until something happens with PJ’s father, which makes the hotel owner/client of PJ’s father mad and drama ensues.

It was SO convoluted and completely unnecessary. It was like they realized they had to fill in a lot more story to make a book and added this whole nonsense. Eye rolling nonsense.

Literally the best part of the book was the epilogue.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

Filed Under: Book Review, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 2.5 stars, Book Reviews, Eli Easton, gay, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review, romance, Tara Lain

Head to Head (Nerds Vs Jocks, Book 3) by Eli Easton & Tara Lain: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, and Giveaway

May 31, 2021 by Denise

If these two don’t kill each other, they might fall in love.

Rand hates Jax because he’s the laid-back, vegan-eating, tree-hugging, total-Zen-until-I-get-a-chance-to-screw-you president of Sigma Mu Tau, the nerdy fraternity that’s the sworn enemy of Rand’s house, Alpha Lambda Alpha. What a phony!

Jax hates Rand for being the privileged, rich-heir-to-an-oil-empire, environment-destroying, soul-sucking president of the ALA jocks—but mostly because Rand hated him first. Rand has sent nothing but hateful vibes his way since the day they met. What a douche!

The enemies have never had a single conversation that didn’t involve shouting—until Jax’s old Buick breaks down on a road trip and Rand plays reluctant rescuer. Jax is forced to sit on Rand’s dead cow seats. Rand learns chickens can enter the living room and that Jax’s beliefs are more than skin-deep. The bitter rivals embark on a quest to save a family member and discover that sometimes animosity is a mask for crazy-hot attraction. With this much face time, head-to-head might become heart-to-heart.

HEAD TO HEAD is an enemies to lovers, forced proximity, opposites attract, searching for his sister, clashing cultures, MM romance—with a whole lot of fracking.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

I’d been so angry after the meetup with the Johnsons that I’d just walked away from my father and fucking Fremont before I said something I couldn’t take back, and I wasn’t ready to hang out with them on a long flight either.

I grabbed for my phone and dialed.

Two rings and my father’s anxious and pissed-off voice said, “Where the hell are you?”

“Go back without me. I’ll come later on commercial.”

“What the fuck, Rand? Don’t be childish. I have a perfectly good jet waiting at the airport.”

“I said I’ll take commercial.”

“Why?”

“You know why, and so does Fremont. Thanks for a happy graduation day, by the way.”

“Dammit, Rand, be fair. Neither Fremont nor I had any way of knowing we were walking up to some alternate boyfriend you never told us about. Yes, Fre told me that you two weren’t engaged, but come on. Couples fight. They break up and get back together. It never occurred to me you wouldn’t even want Fre at your graduation, for craps sake. So I made a gaff? I’ve got a big mouth. Sue me.”

Shit, my head was spinning. Had I overreacted? Everything he said made sense as usual, but my heart hurt and my stomach wanted to lose its contents. “Look, Dad, I just need to think. I’ll be home later tonight or tomorrow, whenever I can get a flight.” I hung up and wiped angrily at my eyes.

“Hi. Are you an SMT?”

I blinked and stared at a kid, maybe seventeen or eighteen, standing at the base of the porch. “No.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Darn. I just love the SMTs. My dad says they’re the very best fraternity with all the smart guys. I really hope they ask me to pledge.”

“You’re a freshman?”

“In the fall. So why aren’t you an SMT? You look like a smart guy.” He grinned and pushed up his glasses. He was SMT material all right. He reminded me of Sean.

“I’m an ALA.”

“Oh.” His eyes widened as he looked across the street. “Aren’t the SMTs and the ALAs enemies?”

I gave him a tight smile. “We used to be. But things kind of changed this year.”

“Darn. I thought all the jokes and pranks sounded like fun.”

“The Dean got tired of them.”

“Oh.” He gave an exaggerated sigh. “So is there anybody inside?”

I shrugged. “There might be, but I didn’t see anyone.”

“I’ll go see.” He walked up the first two steps, then stopped. “So if ALA and SMT are friends now, maybe I’ll see you.”

I shook my head. “I just graduated. I’m headed home.” The words felt like rocks scratching over my throat.

“Oh yeah, that makes sense.” He took another step. “I thought you looked like an adult.” He walked inside as my stomach did a flip. Jesus. Didn’t I wish.

About Eli:

Coming from a background in computer game design, Eli has written over 35 books in m/m romance since 2013. The Mating of Michael (2014) and A Second Harvest (2016) both won The William Neale Award for Best Gay Contemporary Romance, and Eli’s books have won many awards from the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s Reader’s Choice Awards. She is best known for her Christmas romances, the Howl at the Moon series of rom coms featuring dog shifters, and her Sex in Seattle series, which revolves around a sex clinic in Seattle.

Connect with Eli:
www.elieaston.com
Facebook: Eli Easton
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/164054884188096
Twitter: @elieastonAbout Tara:

Tara Lain believes in happy ever afters – and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn’t believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara’s characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara’s creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Tara loves animals of all kinds (even snakes), diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers.

She has around 57 books published or scheduled for publication.

Connect with Tara:
Website: https://taralain.com/
Facebook Reader’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255111391312743
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taralain/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/taralain
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taralainauthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tara-lain

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Giveaway, Release Day Review, TCO Exclusives, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: author, blog tour, Blog Tours, book, Book Excerpts, Eli Easton, excerpt, exclusive, gay, giveaway, Giveaways, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, romance, Tara Lain

Schooling the Jock (Nerds Vs Jocks, Book 1) by Eli Easton & Tara Lain: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

February 23, 2021 by Denise

Only an unfair universe makes a guy who’s that gorgeous so damned obnoxious.

A-hoe!
Poindexter!
Snarky, superbrain Dobbs and snooty football star Jesse stare at each other from their rival frat houses on opposites sides of the street — and opposite sides of everything else.

Alpha Lambda Alpha and Sigma Mu Tau have been sworn enemies for decades. Then one disastrous prank proves to be the last straw, and the college dean blows his cork!

Work together or lose both your houses.

Question – -How can Dobbs win his coveted Quiz Bowl championship with when he’s forced to put a dumb jock on his team?
Answer — Lots of personal schooling.

But when personal becomes very personal, Jesse risks causing his overtaxed family one more huge worry and the running back starts running.

Will Dobbs give up on the shocked jock, or show him that the answer to the big question is, Yes?

SCHOOLING THE JOCK is an enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, campus romance – with one hell of a lightning round.

Title: Schooling the Jock

Series: Nerds Vs Jocks, Book 1

Authors: Eli Easton & Tara Lain

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodread

BookBub

After lunch, Jesse’s mom said she’d clean up if Jesse watched Eli, so the three of us went out to the barn with the family dog, who I’d learned was named Mack, at our heels. Bella, the brown cow, wasn’t in the barn, but she was out in the pasture. When Jesse called her, she lazily ambled toward the fence. Eli stood on the lower fence railing and held out a baby carrot. The cow walked up and took it with an alarmingly huge gray tongue. Eli clapped his hands and petted her head.

“Look, Dobbs!” Eli said. “She’s real.”

“She certainly is,” I agreed. “She has pretty eyes.”

Eli didn’t say anything.

“And shapely legs. For a cow.”

I glanced at Jesse who rolled his eyes but smiled.

“She’s the prettiest cow in the world,” Eli pronounced.

“Well, she needs a crown then, don’t you think?”

Eli looked at me like I was nuts. I glanced around. I spotted a holly bush by the barn and went over. I took out my handy-dandy pocketknife and cut some branches. I bent them to form a circle and wove the ends together to make it stay.

When I presented it to Eli, he grinned. “This isn’t a crown! A crown is gold.”

“Au contraire, little dude. A crown can be made of all sorts of things. This is a cow crown.”

Eli placed it on Bella’s head, looping it over one ear. Bella looked unimpressed. She tr

ied to nose Eli’s hand, looking for more carrots. Finding none, she started walking along the fence, eating grass. The holly circle dangled.

Eli followed her along the fence line, chattering to her. Jesse and I stayed where we were and watched.

“Thanks for, you know, being nice to Eli.”

I gave him a don’t-be-weird look. “Despite what you might have heard, I reserve my venom for grown men.”

“Ah. That explains it. And here I thought you might have a kernel of decency.”

“Nope. Although, I can’t be mean to you today either. Not after you fed me sloppy joes and, uh, helped your mom at lunch.” My cheeks heated. That was such a lame thing to say even if I’d been thinking it. I tried to make up for the compliment. “You guys have a whole routine. You should take it on the road.”

He shrugged. “We’ve all learned how to get things done as efficiently as possible, I guess.”

And yet, you’re at Madison. “Bet she misses you when you’re gone.”

Jesse’s face tightened. “I got offered a good football scholarship to Madison, so it made sense. And my mom wanted me to go.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Really? You’re not that intolerable.”

He rolled his eyes. “I think she wanted me to get away from it for a few years. To be more independent.” He made a face. “Not that it’s bad, Eli and Micah. It’s just…”

“Challenging?”

He shrugged. “More like all-consuming. The first five years were really rough, especially since my folks were trying to get a diagnosis so they even had a clue what to do. But they’ve come a long way. Eli especially.”

“Yeah, I noticed Eli’s really affectionate with you. That’s great. I thought autistic people didn’t like to be touched.”

Jesse nodded. “None of us can touch Micah. Eli’s like that with most people. Even my mom and I can’t touch him sometimes. But, when he’s in the mood, he lets me. I think he missed me. And you were there. Like, he was maybe feeling a little jealous or insecure? And he’s upset because Micah’s in the hospital.”

That all might be true, but I knew what I saw. “Grammy Dobbs always said, the eyes speak louder than words. Eli looks at you like you’re his hero. He loves you a lot.”

Jesse’s face softened. “Yeah. I don’t know. It’s kind of a brother thing.”

“A brother thing?”

“Eli and Micah are in their own world. Micah’s non-verbal, so Eli talks for him. I guess, as their older brother, I’m sort of on the fringes of that bubble too.”

Jesse’s tone made that sound like a special thing. And I wasn’t sure what to feel about that, or this farm, or this family. He looked so ridiculously handsome standing there with the red barn behind him, the snow under his boots, and that sheepskin-lined corduroy farm jacket, hair mussed by the wind, pink cheeks, eyes bright. Like, if he were a calendar model, I’d leave it on that page for perpetuity. And he was looking at me in a way Jesse Knox had never looked at me before. His face was open and his eyes warm. Hot even? He stared at me. And I stared back. His gaze flickered to my lips.

A frisson of lust shot down my body, lighting me on fire. I suddenly had a bone-deep urge to kiss him. I coughed, shocked at myself. I mean, I was only human, and Jesse was…Jesse. But I was getting way out over my feet here. Thinking of him that way was extremely unwise.

“So! I hear there are chickens,” I said to lighten the mood.

Jesse waggled his eyebrows. “There are. Real live ones.”

“Oh, my God. This is practically a safari!” I shouted.

Jesse laughed.

This was a fun story of two guys who are seemingly complete opposites. Two frat houses who aren’t really rivals since one is a jock house and the other is a nerd house, but being that they are across the street from each other, they play pranks on each other. Until one prank got a little out of hand and the dean comes down hard on them. The jock house has a competitive flag football team and the nerd house has a quiz bowl team. And they each have to send two people to the other teams.

This story focuses on the 2 jocks sent over to compete on the quiz bowl team. Dobbs (a nickname from his last name. Seriously- why do guys always do that?) is the quiz bowl team captain and he takes his position and his team VERY seriously. And when Dobbs and Jesse, the jock, end up stuck with each other for a weekend, expectations start to fall away.

Of course Jesse is in the closet. But he doesn’t even try to fake it with girls. He is committed to football because of his scholarship, and his college program because he is all about being a nurse. But you know the jock is going to fall for the nerd. And the nerd is going to figure out that the jock is pretty smart and a giant softie.

I loved how the entire story really involved a lot of different characters from both houses, as well as Jesse’s family. It made the whole story more believable.

One of the things that bugged me was the 2 frat guys who were responsible for the final prank never got any repercussions from their house. I understand how the dean was punishing everyone, but you would think that those two guys would face disciplinary actions.

And there were two sides to the punishment from the dean. But the flag football story will be in book 2.

If you enjoy college stories, opposites attract, etc, you will enjoy this story. Low angst and mostly fun.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Coming from a background in computer game design, Eli has written over 35 books in m/m romance since 2013. The Mating of Michael (2014) and A Second Harvest (2016) both won The William Neale Award for Best Gay Contemporary Romance, and Eli’s books have won many awards from the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s Reader’s Choice Awards. She is best known for her Christmas romances, the Howl at the Moon series of rom coms featuring dog shifters, and her Sex in Seattle series, which revolves around a sex clinic in Seattle.

Connect with Eli:
www.elieaston.com
Facebook: Eli Easton
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/164054884188096
Twitter: @elieaston

Tara Lain believes in happy ever afters – and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn’t believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara’s characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara’s creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Tara loves animals of all kinds (even snakes), diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers.

She has around 57 books published or scheduled for publication.

Connect with Tara:
Website: https://taralain.com/
Facebook Reader’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255111391312743
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taralain/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/taralain
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taralainauthor/
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Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Review, Giveaway, New Release Book Blast, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Exclusives, TCO Reviewer: Erin Tagged With: 3.5 stars, author, blog tour, Blog Tours, book, Book Excerpts, Book Reviews, Eli Easton, excerpt, exclusive, gay, giveaway, Giveaways, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review, romance, Tara Lain

Angels Sing (Daddy Dearest Book 2) by Eli Easton: Blog Tour and New Release Review

December 2, 2019 by Denise

Jamie Bailey has not had such a wonderful life. He gave up his dreams of Harvard at 18 to raise his sister’s unwanted baby, and later a prized job to help a sick friend. Now the father of six-year-old Mia, and assistant manager at Raven Books, Jamie’s dreams are dashed once again when Uncle Billy admits what dire straights the bookshop is in.

Stanton Potter, son of the most notorious businesswoman in Bedford Falls, loves his job teaching at the local elementary school. But he’s less than thrilled when he is forced to put together a Christmas pageant with first-graders, including Mia Bailey.

When Stanton meets Jamie, angels sing. Jamie’s gender-bending fashion sense, and sweet aura, have Stanton suffering through the worse crush he’s had since he was a teen. But can there be any hope for them when Jamie and Mia’s lives are about to be uprooted?

This Christmas, its Jamie’s turn to receive a little help from heaven.

Cover Design: Reese Dante

Daddy Dearest Series

The Daddy Dearest series features single dads. Each book in the series features a new couple and can be read as a stand-alone.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Family Camp (Daddy Dearest Book 1)

 

I’m such a sucker for a hot dad, and then you go and throw on a Christmas theme and it’s like, just take my money… take all of it, I don’t even care if it’s good. This one, though? This one hit me all kinds in every feel I have.

So, Jamie’s Uncle Billy owns a bookstore that Jamie’s been working at since he was in high school. Destined to do great things, even accepted to Harvard, he let the great opportunities slip by to raise his sister’s baby and stick around for his sick Uncle Billy… now, Mia is six, exceptionally smart and in first grade and even being so young, he didn’t regret it for a second. Mia is everything to Jamie and I love love loved their relationship and the way he put her first, always. Amazing parenting is so hot… having been a single mom when my kids were toddlers, I get it.

Unfortunately, Mia’s a gal of structure and routine, so when her teacher needs to go on bed rest the last couple months of her pregnancy, she isn’t so excited to find the 5th-grade sporting coach as her need stand-in teacher. Jamie’s wary at first, but the jockey teacher pushes all of his buttons and it is so insanely awkward and cute in the beginning because just as much as Mr. Stanton Potter pushes Jamie’s buttons, Jamie’s pushes Stanton’s as well.

Their awkwardness is adorable, as Stanton is bi but a bit inexperienced when it comes to me and Jamie being so young, raising a daughter and running a bookstore full time, they just tip toe around each other until Stanton needs help and Jamie offers. Watching them tiptoe gets funner, but they eventually get things even out, and then it’s just sweet. However, the book store in trouble and it’s time for Stanton to come to Jamie’s aide, with his mother as well, though neither of them know that part just yet.

I loved their relationship with each other and watching it become something amazing. I loved Mia and her relationship with literally everyone she cared about in her life. I loved Stanton’s mom, though I didn’t think I was going to at first, she really surprised me. I loved Uncle Billy, he seemed so sweet and sincere. And most of all, I loved the Christmas miracle that kept Mia and Jamie from having to up and leave before he really got to experience things with Stanton. I just loved all of it. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you love sweet guys, cute kids, a teacher and a bookstore owner and Christmas miracle’s, you’ll love this one! I know I sure did! <3

And although this is technically story 2 in Daddy Dearest series, it can be read as a standalone, the previous couple and story isn’t mentioned. Though I’ve read it too and you should definitely go read it as well 😊

5 pieces of eye candy

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particular admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include “Blame it on the Mistletoe”, “Unwrapping Hank” and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles”. Her “Howl at the Moon” series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

Her website is www.elieaston.com

You can email her at eli@elieaston.com

 

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Review, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, TCO Reviewer: Jennifer Tagged With: 5 stars, author, blog tour, Blog Tours, book, Book Reviews, Eli Easton, gay, lgbtq, m/m romance, mmromance, new release, review, romance

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

We are two chicks who love books (m/m romance with an HEA) and enjoy our eye candy. http://twochickso

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

3 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨PREORDER NOW: PARAYZE by @jj_asher_writes releasing July 13th! #PreOrderHere mybook.to/paralyzeWhy you will love this book…🔥Forbidden🔥Brother's Best Friend🔥Age Gap (21/34)🔥Forced Proximity 🔥Opposites Attract 🔥Grumpy/Sunshine🔥Bi-Awakening 🔥Hurt/ComfortCarey—twenty-one, flirtatious and sun-kissed, chasing a place that feels like home. His latest bright idea? Fly halfway across the world to a town he hardly remembers, to crash for the holidays with his estranged older brother who he's scarcely seen in the past sixteen years. Only to arrive on his doorstep to find that brother AWOL and the entire contents of his apartment strewn across the front lawn of the apartment building.Tek—thirty-four, exhausted, and barely holding it together. Deserted by his best friend and business partner, he's left to carry the weight of a tattoo shop in the aftermath of an affair that sent staff numbers from four to one in the space of a single afternoon. He keeps his world small, and his hookups controlled on purpose. Then Carey walks in like a damn storm, making Tek question everything he ever knew about himself. Including why he can't stop thinking about the golden tan of another man's stomach. Tek turns Carey away but desperation rewards his persistence with a job offer, and boundaries start to blur. Tek knows better. He's spent the last decade with the world at arms length with iron clad rules that he breaks for no one, especially not the sunshine-smiling younger brother of his runaway best friend. But the more Tek resists, the more Carey leans in, and the line between right and wrong starts to look too appealing not to cross.Abandonment may have brought them together, but loneliness is what keeps them close. And the one thing Tek swore he'd never reach for again might just give him the extra strength he's always needed. ✨INFLUENCERS: Sign up to release events here: bit.ly/PARALYZESIGNUP#comingsoon #jjasher #mmromance The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

4 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨It’s cover reveal day for DON’T FALL by @authoremlindsey releasing July 1st!#PreOrderNowa.co/d/00RZxM7KWhy you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥Enemies to Lover🔥Forced Proximity🔥Only One Bed🔥Praise Kink🔥Grumpy/Sunshine🔥Grumpy falls first🔥Hate Sex🔥Best Friend's Brother🔥MM Romance That’s it. My neighbor has to die. There’s no other way around it. The man must be killed—and I’ll even find a way to do it gently, but this cannot go on.Okay, maybe I’m a bit dramatic, but living next to my brother’s best friend who decided to befriend the crows that spend all week spreading garbage across my lawn is not what I signed up for.I wanted quiet.I wanted peace.I wanted to stop fantasizing about the gorgeous man I couldn’t stand.Unfortunately for me, North is a big presence with an annoyingly sunny smile and a way of making life sound like it’s worth living. And as a widower who wants to spend the rest of my life wallowing, the last person I want around is one who makes me question my new life’s purpose.But these feelings can’t be real, can they? I had my great love, and I lost him. So that’s supposed to be it for me.Isn’t that the way things go?I can’t seem to stay away from North, even when I know I should. And when he starts to make me feel like maybe there’s another happily ever after out there, I find that as cautious as I’ve taken each step, I’m on the verge of falling once more.Don’t Fall is the first book in the small town, enemies to lovers, heavy yearning, MM romance series, Storm Season. It features a virgin EMT whose smile is hiding a lot of things, a disgruntled, grieving writer who just wants solid sleep and a good meal, neighborhood crows wreaking havoc, cooking lessons, hurt/comfort, and a toe-curling happily ever after.✨INFLUENCERS: Sign up here for this amazing release: bit.ly/DONTFALLSIGNUP#coverreveal #emlindsey #mmromance The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

5 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨EXCERPT: DEVIATE ME by @daphne.thorne.author releasing May 27th! #PreOrderHere a.co/d/0footXlx Damien jumps out of his bed and quickly crosses the room. His soft, naked steps on the hardwood floors remind me of when we were just kids. When he’d sneak from his bed into mine, so that I could shelter him from the loud arguments our parents had all the time. And that’s exactly what he does now; he crawls into my bed.Oh, no . . . Holy shit.I stop breathing as he gets under the covers and curls into a ball next to me, nuzzling his face in my neck. It’s been years since he’s done this. We were both children when it started, and it was a completely innocent thing. It was normal to wrap my arms around his tiny body and let him sleep where he felt safe. Even when we were much older and we’d already run away from home, he’d done this when he’d felt really upset. And I never thought anything of it.This time, however, is different. I can’t stop my skin from erupting into goosebumps, and my heart from beating hard against my ribcage. I can’t stop the rush of blood towards my groin either, which is probably the worst part. Damien’s breath is hot against my skin, and he smells heavenly. His scent reminds me a lot of honey and mint.Fucking Jacob chose his nickname pretty well . . .#mmmromance #daphnethorne #spicyromance The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

1 week ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
My review:Hat Trick by EM Lindsey After reading book 1, I couldn't wait to read about the other brothers. We knew from book 1 that it was going to be Micah and Vanya. They had started dancing around each other in book 1.Man, Micah is DAMAGED. Not only his childhood, but his adulthood as well. And then he tops it all off with a stalker that he swears isn't a stalker but ya, he's a stalker.Vanya has nothing but heart eyes for his pretty little goalie. But, in my opinion, takes way too much crap from Micah. But he never gives up. He slows down and steps back but never gives up. Gotta give him patience and tenacity points.When things begin to escalate with the stalker, Vanya always seems to be there to help- much to Micah's chagrin. Remember, always treating Vanya like crap. Which killed me because he is such a teddy bear!We meet one of Vanya's brothers and can we say stereotype Russians much?Although Micah did soften up in the end and Vanya got the love he deserved, there was still a little too much I didn't like. I really hope book 3 is better.3 pieces of eye candy ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

1 week ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨Let’s celebrate! It’s release day for HAT TRICK by @authoremlindsey! Grab it in KU!#OneClickNowa.co/d/0io1BhPZWhy you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥Friends to Lovers🔥Only One Bed🔥Sexual Awakening🔥Hockey Goalies in love🔥Grumpy/Sunshine🔥Hockey Bro Banter🔥Praise Kink“For five million dollars, would you send a relative to jail?”"Bud, I would pay five million dollars to send a few there."Problem number one: Almost everything the world thinks they know about me is a lie.Problem number two: Two people know the truth.Problem number three: One of those two is a stalker and he's having a blast using that informationagainst me to get his way.The good news is, the second person who knows the truth about who I am seems pretty dedicated totaking my stalker down.The bad news is, it’s NHL goalie Vanya Maximov, and he and I had a one night stand that I can’t stop thinking about. And while Vanya might be walking sunshine so bright he can make even my blind ass see light, we have no business being together.I’m a mess, and while Vanya is everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner, he deserves better than me.If only he was willing to listen to reason. If only he was less stubborn and able to give up on a lost cause.But with his ability to give me exactly what I want—a little pain with my pleasure—and his refusal to treat me like I’m fragile, something dangerous starts happening.I’m beginning to think that maybe—just maybe—he’s right, and I am worth everything he sees.Hat Trick is the second book in the Punk as Puck spin-off series, Legends and Fury. It’s a high heat, friends to lovers romance with a sunshine NHL goalie who also might be a golden retriever in disguise, a PPHL goalie with big black cat energy, a stalker, and no faith in himself, hooking up in a friend’s car, praise and pain, high stakes romance, hockey bro banter, tons of chirping, and the swooniest happily ever after.#newbookalert #emlindsey #mmromance The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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