giveaway

Alexa Land: Interview and Author Reading at Rainbow Con

July 17, 2015 by Denise

Tw coming home o Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy is currently at Rainbow Con in Tampa, Florida, as you may know from some of our posts. What a great opportunity to connect with authors, readers and bloggers. It’s already been so much fun!

We thought this would be a great opportunity to bring the authors directly to our followers via video interviews. We have already interviewed three authors, and have several more coming up in the next few days, so watch our blog page over the next few weeks for all the interviews. So, our “Friday Five-ish Good Questions” is coming to you LIVE and in person!!!

And first up, with a HUGE surprise for all her readers is the amazing Alexa Land, author of the Firsts and Forever series.

Check out the interview with Alexa, along with her author reading. So much to look forward to already, and there may be a surprise or two in the videos, so tune in! Give us your feedback, and one commenter will win a copy of Alexa Land’s book Coming Home from TCO on Release Day (wink, wink).

Author Interview: http://youtu.be/nXOVA_mDvdk

Author Reading: http://youtu.be/tzRPbSkFiZE

Coming Home Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1TGl4GL

Held Hostage (Sin City Book 4) by Morticia Knight: Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

July 13, 2015 by Denise

SWAT officer Cole can handle just about anything, until he rescues Brett – a man who makes him question all he’s ever believed about love.

As a member of the Las Vegas Police Department’s SWAT team, Cole has seen his fair share of danger, but he’s never taken a chance on love. He’s willing to have some fun when the mood strikes him, but he’s married to the job. Called in on a hostage situation, Cole is prepared for anything and everything… except for the brave and beautiful Brett.

Brett has been burned before, most recently by Officer Parker McLean. He’s hoping to settle down in Vegas, perhaps find someone he can build a life with. The last thing Brett’s looking for is another man in uniform. But when he meets Cole, there’s an attraction that can’t be denied. Still, he hadn’t expected to fall for the chiseled alpha.

What begins as nothing more than two people experiencing a great night together spirals into something far deeper. But will Brett be able to handle the stress that comes with having a lover who constantly puts his life in jeopardy? And can Cole risk his heart on an everyday hero, or will the job he knows so well remain his top priority?

Author Name: Morticia Knight

Book Name: Held Hostage

Series: Sin City

Book: Four

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Pages or Words: 50,244 words

Categories: Thrillers and Suspense, Crime, Gay Fiction, Gay Romance, M/M Romance

Publisher: Totally Bound

Cover Artist: Posh Gosh

Brett had already grabbed both of them a beer and had brought it straight to the bedroom. Instead of jumping him the minute they’d entered the apartment, Cole had simply followed behind, eyeing him, as Brett had moved through the motions of being a good host and getting comfortable. He wasn’t going to stop and analyze why a man who’d just told him the night before that he didn’t do relationships had shown up unannounced at his job and was once again in his bedroom less than twenty-four hours later.

“Stop.”

Brett let go of the tie that he’d half unknotted already. He’d already hung his suit coat in the closet and had toed off his loafers then pushed them out of the way over by the dresser. Banner300x250 (1)

“How important is that tie to you?”

Brett glanced down at the royal blue silk neck accessory that had an elegant silver paisley design woven into the fabric. He liked it. Liked it a lot even. But was it important? Not really. He’d purchased close to a hundred ties since he’d been employed by Jon Martin. He wore one every day and preferred to have on the most recent seasonal styles when he went to work. It had no significance beyond that.

“Not important at all.”

Cole stepped toward him and Brett’s heartbeat accelerated. Cole reached down to finish untying the knot then pulled one end, sliding the thin strip of fabric out from under his collar. Cole wrapped the ends around each of his large hands then snapped them. It went taut. It was strong. Brett couldn’t wait to find out what it would feel like when Cole bound him with it.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Totally Bound

Author Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men forever after. If there happens to be some friendly bondage or floggings involved, she doesn’t begrudge her characters whatever their filthy little heart’s desire. Even though she’s been crafting her naughty tales for more years than she’d like to share – her adventures as a published author began in 2011. Once upon a time she was the lead singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She currently resides on the northern Oregon coast and when she’s not fantasizing about hot men she takes walks along the ocean and annoys the local Karaoke bar patrons.

Where to find the author:

Goodreads

Tour Dates & Stops:

7-Jul

Bayou Book Junkie

Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

Up All Night, Read All Day

8-Jul

Prism Book Alliance

Jessie G. Books

9-Jul

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

Inked Rainbow Reads

10-Jul

TTC Books and More

VS Reads

13-Jul

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Molly Lolly

Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy

One Step Further by Felice Stevens: Blog Tour, Reviews, Excerpt and Giveaway

July 2, 2015 by Denise

Title: One Step Further

Author: Felice Stevens

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: June 29, 2015

Alex Stern has it all; good looks, charm, a job he loves and everyone calls him a friend. He lives life to the fullest at a breakneck pace, in the city that never sleeps. But Alex is also a master pretender; not even his best friend sees the pain that Alex hides so well. Alex himself isn’t sure who he is or what he’s searching for, he only knows that he hasn’t found it yet.

As a veterinarian, Rafe Hazelton loves each animal that crosses his path; they don’t care if he stutters a bit or that prefers men. Their love is unconditional, but his life is still empty; they can only give him so much. New friendships convince him it’s time to break the wall of loneliness he’s hidden behind since childhood and discover what he’s been missing.

Alex and Rafe forge a friendship that turns physical, and they both swear that the relationship will last only as long as the fun does. But when old heartaches come to light and secrets hidden for years are revealed, Alex and Rafe discover if they accept what’s in their hearts and take it one step further, the greatest reward is waiting for them in the end.

Denise’s Review:

There are several things you can count on with a Felice Stevens novel. First, that there will be an HEA. No matter what, she will make sure that the men you have learned to love on her pages will learn to love each other, and find their way to their happy ending (and yes, I mean that in both senses of the word! 🙂 ) Second, there will be emotion, lots of it. Whether that is you, as the reader, dealing with the angst right along with the characters, or just reading how the characters react to the situations they find themselves in. Third, there will be animals. And I truly love this about Felice’s books. She adds in a mix of animals, because she believes, as I do, that animals enhance our lives, and bring us so much joy. And fourth, you will love these sexy, strong men. Although they may not see themselves as strong in the beginning these men, no matter how crippling their issues, find their strength, in each other, and in themselves. This book hits all of these notes, without question, and I was happy to be along for the ride.

Rafe, Lucky’s veterinarian from Memories of the Heart, is a shy, lonely man who has never been in love, and is very inexperienced. His life has been about his vet practice and keeping himself as invisible as possible, with a stutter that he has allowed to oversee much of his life and personality. Meanwhile Alex is vivacious, outgoing, always the life of the party, and quick to throw a joke, especially if it throws people off track from delving further into the depths of his private life. Even his best friend Micah has no idea the secret that he has held close to his heart for 15 years.

These two men begin their relationship as friends, moving to friends with benefits, and into lovers. Their relationship naturally evolves, as they support each other through some very difficult times. As Rafe deals with the passing of a mother that clearly has never felt love for him, Alex is there to help him find a way to deal with all the emotions that come with that. As Alex finds himself soon dealing with his own family situation, Rafe, as he has become more confident, is right by Alex’s side to support him through those challenges. One of the things that I appreciated about this book was their unwavering support. Even when these men thought they didn’t need or want the others support, they got it, and realized how much they really DID need it.

This is another Felice Stevens story with lots of heart, passion, and some angst thrown in the mix. As always, Felice brings you two men who need each other more than they each realize. It was sweet, sexy, and such a great example of true friends to lovers. These men needed a true friend just as much as they needed a special man in their life. It showed the men the impact of true friends, and allowed them to move forward in their outside relationships as well.

What a joy this book was to read, as all of her books are. Felice can pack a lot of emotion into one book, and has hit a winner with One Step Further. (And how about that gorgeous cover! Another Reese Dante winner!) 4.5 pieces of eye candy for me!

Morgan’s Review:

I’ll start by saying I adore Felice. She always writes such wonderful stories. This book comes after Memories of the Heart and deals with Rafe and Alex. These two are such complex characters. They both have issues they are struggling to overcome. Alex is so confident, outgoing and full of life, yet on the inside he’s a broken man with secrets no one knows. Rafe is shy, lonely and tends to stutter. He’s more comfortable around animals than people. These two very different men come to realize they are more alike than they thought, and maybe they could be happy if they open themselves up fully to each other.

I was so excited for the release of this book and I was not disappointed. Be ready for the different turns this read takes and make sure you have the tissues ready. Definitely 5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Through his years of practice and experience, Rafe had learned to help and comfort, to step in when his expertise was needed, and step away when there was no hope left at all. What Alex didn’t know was that Rafe always held out hope for life, and though he might give the appearance of a man ruled by quiet and calm, in truth he was tenacious as a bulldog and refused to accept defeat.So Rafe allowed Alex to sit in his moody silence until their beers came and they both took long, bracing swallows.“Can I speak now?”Alex shrugged. “Suit yourself.” That offhand comment led Rafe to believe Alex didn’t expect much from people or life in general. Perhaps he too had been disappointed by the people who should have always been there for him and weren’t.

“All my life I’ve been told I was different and that kids wouldn’t like me because of my stutter. When I realized I was gay, I knew my struggle only increased ten-fold. It made me retreat even more.”

Alex traced the lip of his beer bottle with his finger. “Yeah. I can understand that to an extent.”

“That’s my point. You can understand it to an extent, but not really. I’m not saying this in a spiteful way.” It was so important to Rafe to make Alex understand where he was coming from. “You’re a big, good-looking man with a great personality. Everywhere you go, you make friends so easily; people gravitate to you naturally. It’s a gift, if you think about it.”“I have many gifts,” said Alex with a wink and smiled for the first time since they sat down. Rafe wasn’t fooled.“You’re deflecting,” he stated, and like Rafe knew he would, Alex stopped smiling, his mouth thinning to a tight line. “Don’t get angry with me.”“I’m not. I’m only wondering when you decided to appoint yourself as my therapist.”

Rafe pinned Alex with a stare and a raised brow. “When someone sticks their tongue down my throat, it’s a signal to me that maybe we’ve gone beyond a handshake and a ‘Hi, how are you.’”Alex stared at him for a moment, then his eyes creased with amusement and he started to laugh. He didn’t stop, even when the waiter arrived with their food.Rafe folded his arms and glared. “I’m not finished. You make friends easily but it’s all on the surface, isn’t it? I bet people don’t ever really get to know the real you, do they?”Once again, Alex stopped laughing, only this time it seemed he’d had enough. “I don’t have to listen to this shit.” He looked around for the waiter. “I’ll get my food to go.”

“That’s what you always do, don’t you. Instead of talking about things, you make a joke or run away. It’s easier to run away.”

As Rafe spoke, Alex’s face grew dark with anger. Now that he’d started talking, Rafe couldn’t stop; the words spilled like water rushing from a dam.

“I know what it’s like. My reason is obvious. I spent almost my whole life hiding behind a wall of silence. But what reason do you have to play the class clown all the time? People would like you no matter what.”

For a moment Alex stared at him, then smiled a real smile, the first all night. It kindled a glow in his deep blue eyes.

“Do you realize something?” He leaned forward and Rafe swore he could feel the warmth radiating from Alex’s body across the table.

Caught up in the moment, Rafe couldn’t look away. The sounds of the pub faded in the background, including the music, which unfortunately had gone from ’80s retro to modern day rap. “Wha-what?” His mouth tasted dry even with the beer he’d drunk.

“You barely stuttered, not at all until now.”

Alex’s large warm palm slid over his own hand and gave it a squeeze. “That’s great isn’t it? You must be getting more comfortable with me.” A wide grin broke across his face. “Guess that tongue down the throat action worked for something.”

I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending just around the corner. I started reading traditional historical romances when I was a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until I picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that my interest in romance novels became renewed.

But somewhere along the way, my tastes shifted. While I still enjoys a juicy Historical romance, I began experimenting with newer, more cutting edge genres and discovered the world of Male/Male romance. Once I picked up her first, I became so enamored of the authors, the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion of the books, I knew I wanted to write my own.

I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

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Helping Hand by Jay Northcote: Blog Tour, Giveaway and Review

June 26, 2015 by Denise

Wanking with a mate isn’t gay—as long as you keep your hands to yourself.

Jez Fielding and James MacKenzie—Big Mac to his mates—are in their second year at uni. After partying too hard last year, they make a pact to rein themselves in. While their housemates are out drinking every weekend, Jez and Mac stay in to save cash and focus on their studies.

When Jez suggests watching some porn together, he isn’t expecting Mac to agree to it. One thing leads to another, and soon their arrangement becomes hands-on rather than hands-off. But falling for your straight friend can only end badly, unless there’s a chance he might feel the same.

Author Name: Jay Northcote
Book Name: Helping Hand
Release Date: June 26, 2015
Pages or Words: Approximately 33,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Romance

Afterwards, Jez blamed the alcohol for loosening his tongue, because he didn’t think about it before he spoke. The words tumbled out before he could stop them.

“Man, I’m seriously horny now. Have you got any decent porn on that laptop?”

“Huh?” Mac snapped his head around to meet Jez’s gaze. Jez’s heart pounded erratically, but his dick was still standing to attention. “What… you mean, you want to wank in here? Now? Wouldn’t that be weird?” Mac sounded seriously freaked out.

Jez backtracked quickly, cheeks hot. “It doesn’t have to be weird. I’ve done it before with guys at school, and it’s never been a big deal. But don’t worry about it. I’ll go and watch my own stash instead. But I need something soon, ’cause I’m gonna explode after watching that sex scene.”

Jez was expecting an instant no from Mac. He wouldn’t have blamed him. A lot of guys wouldn’t be into what Jez was suggesting. Jez’s heart still thumped hard, but his arousal didn’t abate despite his anxiety. He was shocked by how much he wanted this.

Mac bit his lip and frowned. “Seriously. You’ve done that?”

Jez shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. “Yeah. Like I said, it was no big deal. Just guys messing around.”

Mac stared a moment longer, then he stood, and Jez’s heart sank as he walked away. But Mac only went to fetch his laptop from the dining table. He sat back down and then opened it and tapped in his password.

“What sort of stuff do you wanna watch?” Mac’s voice was gruff and he focused on the screen rather than Jez.

Fuck. They were really going to do this, then.

Amazon

This novella, about 1500 locations, was sexy and fun. These young men start as Uni roommates, friends. As their relationship starts with just handjobs while watching porn, they are friends who quickly begin to move from handjobs, to give each other handjobs, to some BJ’s. As they move through figuring out what they are to each other, it is obvious they are enjoying it enough to not want to stop.

Jez and Mac are sweet and sexy together, and as always Jay writes some pretty hot scenes. These young men have to learn to navigate not only finding that they are attracted to a man, but how to communicate their needs and wants to each other, and enter into a relationship.

A fun read! Pick it up and enjoy! Four pieces of eye candy.

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.

Goodreads Links:

Author: http://bit.ly/1Qwo6PE

Book: http://bit.ly/1SdRasE

Publisher: Jaybird Press

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

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Tour Dates & Stops: June 26, 2015

Parker Williams, BFD Book Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, My Fiction Nook, Prism Book Alliance, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Inked Rainbow Reads, Havan Fellows, Cate Ashwood, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Charley Descoteaux, Chris McHart, Happily Ever Chapter, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Molly Lolly, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Nic Starr, Elin Gregory, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, MM Good Book Reviews, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Hearts on Fire, 3 Chicks After Dark, Carly’s Book Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Iyana Jenna, Divine Magazine, Mikky’s World of Books, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Velvet Panic, The Hat Party, Andrew Q. Gordon

Silver Scars by Posy Roberts: Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

June 26, 2015 by Denise

A bomb destroyed high-powered lawyer Gil Lemieux’s seemingly perfect life, and PTSD has ruled every decision since the explosion that left him scarred inside and outside. Moving home with his mom is meant to be a temporary measure, just like proofreading for a medical institution is only meant to be a stopgap. But two years after taking on the wrong court case, he’s still living in fear.

Keith Kramer might be based 1,500 miles away from Gil, but their shared work brings them together—a chance meeting that’s life-changing. Gil is drawn to Keith’s good looks and intelligence, but it’s his innate understanding that Gil is more than the scars on his skin that is truly attractive. He’s everything Gil used to be and more. It blows Gil’s mind that his attraction might be returned.

Only doubt could widen the distance between them. Keith’s hopefulness, borne out of surviving some tough challenges of his own, isn’t enough to bridge the distance alone. Gil will need to believe he has as much to offer as Keith if they’re to build a life together.

Author Name: Posy Roberts
Book Name: Silver Scars
Release Date: June 22, 2015
Pages or Words: 86,700 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Reading this book was tough in many ways, and in many ways these men made it really easy. Both so scarred by events in their lives, Gil not believing anyone would love him because of his physical, as well as emotional scars. PTSD had taken quite the toll on the former family law attorney, making his struggles to engage in every day activities prominent. However, after meeting Keith, he found that he no longer was willing to wallow in his pain. He began to work through his challenges to find a way to be “worthy” of Keith.

Meanwhile, Keith’s challenges were more physical after a gunshot wound had left his leg damaged six years before. However, he was in the space to feel positive about the future, and try to encourage Gil to be as well. He hit a huge snag in his recovery, and although you could tell that he was brought down by this, they worked together to find a way to get through it.

Although this book would be considered “insta-love”, it was amazing how their connection unfolded organically. They became connected BECAUSE of who they were at that time in their lives. From there it just blossomed into what would be considered a normal long distance relationship. Gil made a huge step himself, changing his entire life for Keith, and even with a major setback, he was able to continue to move forward with the life he wanted.

This was not an easy read, and it certainly wasn’t a light read. But what it was was a REAL read. These types of men exist in real life, and have to live with the consequences of someone else’s actions.

On anther note, the author did a fantastic job portraying PTSD, and the ongoing effects of it. It was obvious from the nightmares, to psychotherapy, to the every day dealings that this was something that the author felt strongly about portraying in the most realistic way possible. I commend the author on the amount of research on PTSD that must have been done to complete this book.

My final determination is four pieces of eye candy. If you want an authentic portrayal of PTSD, and the effects on a relationship, and how to work on overcoming those effects, this is a great book to read.

Amazon

Posy Roberts writes about romantic male love. Whether these characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.

Posy is married to a man who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep; her daughter, a budding author and dedicated Whovian, helps her come up with character names. When Posy’s not writing, she enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make normal seem more interesting.

Where to find the author:

Facebook Author Page

Twitter: @PosyRoberts

Facebook Author Group

Author’s Website

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Labyrinth Bound Press

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card

Tour Dates & Stops: June 22 – 26, 2015

22-Jun

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

My Fiction Nook

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

23-Jun

Inked Rainbow Reads

3 Chicks After Dark

As The Pages Turn

Cate Ashwood

Happily Ever Chapter

Prism Book Alliance

24-Jun

Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance

Molly Lolly

Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Bayou Book Junkie

25-Jun

MM Good Book Reviews

Hearts on Fire

Bike Book Reviews

BFD Book Blog

26-Jun

Rainbow Gold Reviews

Love Bytes

Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy

Chris McHart

Multitasking Mommas

Carly’s Book Reviews

One Step Further by Felice Stevens: Giveaway-one of two copies!

June 19, 2015 by Denise

Synopsis:

Giveaway:

Felice has offered to give away one ARC of One Step Further on our blog, and here is your chance to win. Also, TCO will give away one copy of the book to an entrant on release day. All we ask in both cases is that you leave an honest review of the book once you finish reading it! So, nothing to lose! Enter the rafflecopter below to win!

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