Jocelynn Drake

Something About Jace (Pineapple Grove Book 1) by Drake & Elliott: RDB, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

December 28, 2018 by Denise

Gallery owner Jace Townsend loves his tiny hometown of Pineapple Grove, deep in South Florida. His life is filled with sunshine, blue skies, jogging on the beach with his dog, and the greatest friends a guy could want. What more could he ask for?

Love would be a great start. After his last relationship fell apart, Jace has begun to wonder if he’s ever going to find someone who would fit into his quiet life.

Of course, the last person who would fit into his life is a major movie star.

Trent Elrige is drowning. He’s constantly on the go from one movie obligation to the next. And after the last stalker got a little too close for comfort, Trent decides it’s time to take a step back and figure out what he’s doing with his life.

Pineapple Grove seemed the perfect spot to hide for six months and figure out his future. He just wasn’t expecting to be tackled by love so quickly.

But now that he’s found Jace, is he willing to risk everything he’s worked so hard for? And is Jace willing to walk away from his precious Pineapple Grove to be with Trent?

Title: Something About Jace

Series: Pineapple Grove #1

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake & Elliott, LLC

Release Date: December 28, 2018

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 63k

Genre: Romance

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As they continued down the block, Trent kept his head down as the random car passed them, so no one could clearly see his face in the splash of headlights. It hit him then—that he was fooling himself. He wanted a normal life with quiet nights, but could he have that? He’d traded privacy for fame when he’d been a teenager. Yeah, too young to realize what he was giving up, but he couldn’t fool himself into thinking he hadn’t entirely known what he was getting into.

And he did love his life—loved acting and all the travel. But he also was ready to have a real home. Was that even possible?

The thought made him tired all of a sudden. Tired of having to watch every little thing he did. He glanced at Jace often as they kept to the shadows and made their way back to his house, his heart achingly heavy. Even Ripley seemed to get that they were trying to escape notice as she trotted along quietly ahead of them, her head up and alert for new people.

Before they reached his back patio, Jace stopped him with a hand on his lower back. “You worried they’re going to figure out where you live?”

“No, I think we lost them.”

“You got quiet on me. If you’re worried that was the sort of thing to chase me off, don’t. I…like you. And I’m not ready for whatever this is to stop. We’ve had dinner only twice, and I really think we should continue to give kissing a try.”

He stared at him for several moments, realizing he hadn’t even been thinking of what kind of hardship anyone who tried having a life with him would experience. Of course, he’d thought of it before, but his thoughts had been a little more on the selfish side tonight. He just had so much to work through.

As he stared at this gorgeous man with his brown eyes, he realized nothing had to be figured out just then, and his morose mood faded away. “Good, because I’m not either.” He grabbed Jace’s hand and tugged him into the house. Ripley trotted in after them and lay down on the rug between the living and dining rooms.

Since the place had about a million windows, Trent flipped off the light as the door slammed behind them. Jace’s laughter pulled him in so hard and fast, he grabbed the man and slanted his mouth over his. He licked along his bottom lip until Jace opened for him with a low growl in the back of his throat. They kissed for long, slow moments before pulling back, their gazes catching in the moonlight and locking as heat flared.

Something passed between them then, something that had Trent catching his breath and Jace’s eyes widening. It made Trent feel like he had butterflies in his chest.

Before he could take another deep breath, they went back at each other like they were starving, tongues stroking in a way that had all Trent’s blood flowing south.

Can we just take a moment of silence for the hot guy on the cover? Just maybe to appreciate him, and objectify him a little bit.

K, thanks for that.

So, I am undeniably a fan of these two authors, as well as their Unbreakable Bond & Ward Security series’. In this one though, we have Trent, who you may remember from one of said series’, but I’m going to be honest, I don’t remember which one. That’s okay though, you don’t need to, as it isn’t really a spin-off, but instead an awesome start to a new series.

So, Trent is a movie star, and now… if you’re like me… the movie star, rock star, billionaire- oh-powerful person meeting the quirky nobody from small town USA isn’t usually my thing. It’s just so unrealistic to me.. I like blue-collar, everyday, real-world problems kinda guys.

However, I adored Trent. Taking six months off to figure out what he wants in life…he goes to Pineapple Grove and rents a house on the beach, knowing that no one would suspect him there. He’d have privacy and time to decide his next move. He’s lonely with his busy schedule and nobody to come home to, but he’s also struggling with the fact that he’s bisexual and what that could mean to his career. It hasn’t been an issue until now, because in a very Hallmark movie kinda way, he meets Jace.

Jace who owns his own art studio where he sells local art, as well as his sister’s, was running on the beach with his dog…. (Of course, there’s a dog) who literally runs right into Trent. Not knowing who he is, the two start chatting and there are sparks and flirty smiles and a cute puppy… SCORE! So, one asks the other out, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Getting to know one another was cute, that part was realistic in the fact that as you would expect, they have to keep their dating a secret, not only because no one knows that Trent is bi, but because he honestly wants to protect the anonymity of Jace as well. With someone targeting his sister’s artwork and defacing her murals from around town, he’s got enough on his plate than having to worry about paparazzi and everything that comes with dating Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor. So, I appreciated that and it only made Trent more charming. You could tell the situation wasn’t ideal, and it never felt like he was trying to keep Jace a secret or using him in any way… he genuinely cared for him and he was stuck between a rock and a hard place too. (

Through it all though, Jace has such great friends and family… They were all so accepting and supportive of Jace and eventually Trent, that even when they were being pushy and nosy, you could tell they loved him and just wanted him happy. , and of course I wasn’t disappointed in that ending… ALL the feels!! I hope we get to see so much more from them….All of them, actually, I’m so excited for Wesley!

I will say that I was a little surprised that this one wasn’t as action-packed and life-threatening as the other two series I mentioned before. There are no dangerous situations where someone could get killed, though the troublemaker was easily figured out the second they popped up on page. I wasn’t disappointed at all. It was a nice change of pace and I enjoyed the slow pace and genuineness of it. Can’t wait for more!

4 Pieces of Candy

Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott have teamed up to combine their evil genius to create intense gay romantic suspense stories that have car chases, shoot outs, explosions, scorching hot love scenes, and tender, tear-jerking moments. Their first joint books are in the Unbreakable Bonds series.

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Sadistic Sherlock (Ward Security #4) by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott: EXCLUSIVE Excerpt, RDB, Release Day Review and Giveaway

September 30, 2018 by Denise

Ten years ago, Dominic Walsh faked his own death. With no true identity, it wasn’t hard. But if he’d stayed, he would have been drawn further into a life he’d never chosen. He has friends and family at Ward Security now and has managed to escape his dark past. There is only one thing he truly wants.

Abraham Stephens.

When Dom was first tasked with watching over his friend’s father, he didn’t expect to fall so hard for the gorgeous silver fox. But Abe is interested in friendship only. He’s at a point in his life where he wants something permanent, not a romp with the sexy redhead who happens to be the same age as his son.

But Abe finds himself drawn deeper into Dom’s life when cryptic messages start appearing—ones that frighten the skilled security specialist. The more Dom tries to hide what’s happening, the more Abe wants to help him.

And maybe, just maybe, he’ll find a way to trust the strength of the bond Dom understood from the start.

Title: Sadistic Sherlock

Series: Ward Security Series #4

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake and Elliott Publishing, LLC

Release Date: September 28, 2018

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 64k

Genre: Romance, Thriller/Suspense

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Abe Stephens set down his phone and pressed his forehead against the wall. He groaned long and loud. Flirting with danger seemed to be his M.O. more and more these days. It was getting too damn hard to resist Dominic Walsh. He was hands down one of the sexiest men he’d ever met. One chime from his phone and he was hurriedly pulling up the app, hoping it was Dom with his funny texts. Some of which left him feeling faintly sweaty and tempted to go back on his vow to start looking for someone who’d be interested in a more permanent arrangement rather than the wild, string-free fling he was sure Dom was looking for.

It was worse when they actually spoke.

Fuck, he loved Dom’s voice. Warm, scratchy, and always tinged with humor. The kind of voice that made him think of sweat pants Sundays, curled up on the couch in front of an action movie. Or low, gritty murmurs and moans of pleasure in a dark room.

As usual lately, whenever he let his mind go there, he lost track of anything else he was doing. He had a feeling that voice would sound so good in the dark, it would make him lose his mind. He blinked at the wall, desperate to swing his imagination away from that.

Why the hell had he agreed to go to Dom’s house? His home!

Abe snatched the towel off his shoulder and wiped at the sweat over his brow. The late-June heat was making the humid air thick. He began unplugging tools in his garage. If he was going to continue to work here, he should probably think about putting in air conditioning. He’d taken up creating hand-carved chairs as a hobby, then moved into whimsical window frames after a neighbor had commissioned one for his daughter’s eighth birthday. Nearly every parent who’d attended the little girl’s party had called to order more, and several had gone on to order chairs as well. Word had spread.

At this rate, he could quit the accounting he did part-time altogether.

Though that was his profession, he hadn’t truly enjoyed it since the financial world had gone to shit in 2008.

With his workshop put to rights, he walked through his house for a shower, telling himself with every step that he was just getting clean to be polite after sweating his ass off in his garage most of the day. He wasn’t hoping that Dom would put his hands on his clean skin. Or press his face into his clean neck. Or nibble his way along his jaw to his lips while sliding his hands down his chest to his…fuck, he was going to need to take care of something else while he was in the shower.

Still calling himself a liar forty minutes later, his headlights lit up the cute white brick house he’d been to only once before. The place had surprised him. He’d expected to find Dom in an apartment or an in-town rental. Instead, Dom had invested in an older fixer-upper with lots of personality. Just like the man himself.

Set back in the trees, the house offered privacy on the quaint, heavily wooded street in Mount Airy, not far from the Mount Airy Forest. Dom had told him he bought the place for the old brick-arched doorway leading to the deck and for the backyard full of trees.

Dom surprised him every time he saw him. He came off as a jokester, but there were layers to the man Abe ached to explore.

He parked in the driveway and sat another moment to mentally put up thick walls around his heart. Tonight, it would be more difficult than usual because Abe had a big birthday coming up. The dreaded five-oh. He’d been dealing with a lot of deep thoughts about his life and where it was going. With his son happily settled down, he felt like he was drifting, and he wasn’t sure why. He had everything he could possibly want. Happy son. A home. A fulfilling hobby. Steady income. What more could he possibly need?

His restlessness was at an all-time high, and Dom’s determination to move beyond friendship was starting to wear him down. Not that he was that resistant—he wasn’t—it was just…he couldn’t get why someone as insanely hot as Dominic Walsh wanted him so badly.

A lot of those deep thoughts lately had been the “What would naked with Dom be like?” kind…

It’s always so fun when a couple who are obviously attracted to each other in one book finally get their own book. Sadistic Sherlock is for Dom and Abe.

Abe is nearing 50 and although he always felt that he was bisexual he never got a chance to act on it. I don’t know if this is “officially” a trope, but I really like it. Because you still see the insecurities that the character feels, but you also get the excitement without him wondering why he is all of a sudden attracted to men.

Dom wants Abe bad but sees his hesitation, so he goes about it slowly. Becoming his friend. Texting, hanging out, until, FINALLY. Yes, finally.

The storyline also involves Dom’s twin brother finding him 10 years after he faked his own death. I don’t think we ever really found out how his brother found out that he hadn’t really died. It kind of sounds like he knew all along, but then why did he wait 10 years?

Anyway. This is a very fast paced book. There always seems to be a lot going on. And I really enjoy that. I like not having lulls in the book where I want to skip paragraphs or even pages.

Fixing the problem, as it were, seemed a bit far fetched- especially because it was Abe’s plan. The accountant. But, hey, whatever. It was still fun and exciting and I loved Abe and Dom together.

We do, of course get some Rowe and even some Noah. I miss the other guys though. But I also like that the authors don’t fall back on those characters to keep us interested.

4 pieces of eye candy

This one seemed so different than the others, but no less intense, and no less amazing. This one centers around Dom and Shane’s (who’s with Quinn) dad, Abe. Dom isn’t the broody, ill-tempered, confused BAMF that the rest of the guys at Ward seemed to be in their books, and I liked that. He’s funny, he laughs, and like the rest of them, he’s just an all around good guy.

He’s also had a crush on Shane’s dad for as long as he’d known the man. A little advice from the movie star he was working to protect had him realizing that he’d never get what he wanted unless he went after it…. So, he did… unfortunately, working for that same movie star is what had Dom in the limelight and called attention to a past that he went to great lengths to get away from. So, when that past comes back in the form of an identical twin psychopathic brother, Dom isn’t sure what to do, to keep Abe safe.

Here’s where my problems come in. Dude…you work for a BA, bodyguarding company. You ARE one of them… and yet, you don’t tell them when your psycho brother comes around threatening you and you hot daddy?? Why not??!! It’s literally ALL of your jobs… that didn’t make sense to me. I mean, I guess, I get it.. you didn’t want these people to know where you came from or whatever, but… not even Rowe, who knew the whole story? He just kind of ignored it, hoping it would go away or something, when he knew that it wouldn’t. I didn’t understand that part. It took well over half of the book for anyone to find out, and it was because of Abe, not Dom. It was already too late for him. Thank goodness Abe done something first!

Now, Abe… I loved Abe…having a son the same age as the guy he’d been crushing on, he thought maybe it was a mid-life crisis… That and the fact that Dom liked to play the field, he didn’t want to jump into his bisexuality with a guy who didn’t want the same thing he wanted…which was a relationship. Had he been paying attention, though, he’d have known that all Dom wanted was him…

Unfortunately, before all the cards were on the table, Dom’s brother showed up…

Y’all…this guy was a legit psycho…talkin’ about wolf packs and a crazy life of crime lol, he just didn’t seem all there for me. He spent the last decade doing whatever he wanted, not caring about the consequences…and honestly, I’m surprised he hadn’t gotten caught until the end, because he didn’t seem very smart to me. How he didn’t realize that he was being played at the end, was beyond me…but, meh, whatever worked. It all just seemed like a badly acted B rated movie, if I’m honest.

I of course, loved all the guys from Ward security… I’m so obsessed with this series, and all the guys in it; and I’m so glad we get another HEA…and aww, the expanding family with Lucas and Andrei… hope there’s more to that… I’d love it!

But, this one just wasn’t my favorite of them all so far, but I’ll definitely be waiting for more! Maybe even from Trent, or the awkward numbers guy, Daniel was his name?? I don’t remember… but, yeah… I’m all in for more!

4 pieces of eye candy from me

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Blaze (Unbreakable Bonds #5) by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott: EXCLUSIVE Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

June 22, 2018 by Denise

The rings have been selected.
The champagne placed on ice.
The cake decorated.

And the pre-wedding sex is off the charts…

Lucas Vallois and Andrei Hadeon are finally ready to walk down the aisle. There’s just one small problem.

A ghost from Lucas’s past shows up days before the wedding, desperate for help. Against his better judgement, Lucas and his best friend, Ashton Frost, plan a fast trip back to the one place they swore they’d never go: their hometown in Oklahoma. But the danger is worse than they expected.

Now, they’re in a race to track down a killer, keep a young girl safe, and get Lucas back in time to say, “I do.”

Title: Blaze

Series: Unbreakable Bonds #5

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake and Elliott Publishing LLC

Release Date: June 22, 2018

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 75,000

Genre: Romance, Thriller/Suspense

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Shiver (Unbreakable Bonds Series Book 1

Shatter (Unbreakable Bonds Series Book 2

Torch (Unbreakable Bonds Series Book 3

Devour (Unbreakable Bonds Series Book 4

Blaze (Unbreakable Bonds Series Book 5

Lucas rolled his head on the headrest, his smile disappearing as he took in his best friend. Snow’s hands lay in fists on his lap and through his jeans, Lucas could see muscles taut with tension. He should never have agreed to let him come here. While Lucas’s childhood had been neglect and trash, Ashton Frost’s had been so much worse. It had been easy for Lucas to leave this world—but it had been necessary for Snow.

Problem was, Lucas needed him here, too. With him.

“Twenty-one years,” Lucas said softly.

Snow cleared his throat, but his voice came out raspy. “The town hasn’t changed in places.”

“And in others, it has.”

Snow stared through the windshield. “Feels the same, though.” He gritted his teeth so hard, Lucas heard the crunch. “I knew it would be difficult to come here, but I didn’t know the memories would swoop back in so fast.”

Lucas laid his hand on Snow’s leg, reassured by the warmth and strength under his palm. Snow had always been frank and open with him when he guarded his heart against most everyone else. It had been amazing to watch him soften and bloom in his relationship with Jude Torres. Lucas had worried something like that would never happen for Snow. Hell, he hadn’t expected to find that kind of connection himself.

But they both had.

They had grown past this place, and the sooner they took care of business and left, the better.

Snow sighed and closed his eyes. Lucas’s heart ached for him. His memories weren’t great, but Snow had been treated like something less than garbage, and Lucas had spent the majority of his first eighteen years doing what he could to offer him something good. His love for Ashton Frost was fierce—there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for the man, and it had been that way since the first day they’d met when Snow had been a dirt-covered, angry boy facing a group of bullies.

Theirs was a connection he’d never been able to explain. It wasn’t sexual, but it was something deeper than friends and brothers. He just flat-out loved the man. Always had.

He was reminded that Snow felt the same when his light blue eyes opened and focused on Lucas. They stared at each other for a few moments before a small smile pulled up one corner of Snow’s lips. “You’re gonna be a married man.”

“Shocking, isn’t it?”

“A few years ago, it would have been but not now. Not after watching the two of you together the past couple of years.”

“Are you going to take that step yourself?”

“Marry Jude?” Snow shrugged. Some of the tension seemed to drain out of him, but that usually happened when Snow thought of Jude. “We already are, as far as I’m concerned. I’m not like you—I don’t need the ceremony. We drew up legal papers making each other beneficiaries and more. All I need is that man in my life. For the rest of it.”

“I never said I needed a ceremony,” Lucas half growled. “I’d prefer if we met in front of a Justice of Peace.”

Snow snorted, his grin growing. “Don’t give me that bullshit. You want to parade that beautiful man down the aisle and show him off in some lavish ceremony. And don’t tell me you’re doing all this for Ian, either.”

“You don’t think I did?” He lifted an eyebrow. “That boy loves planning these sorts of things.”

“No doubt there, so yeah, maybe this is for Ian some. But be honest. You want to show Andrei off and thumb your nose at all those business associates who only tolerate you because of money. The ones who don’t think men should marry each other.”

He smirked. “Yeah, maybe. But don’t think you’re off the damn hook. Ian will turn his sights to you next.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi7t94kgYTA

Siiiiiiigh…

Can you really grasp all the emotions that I meant to convey in that sigh? You will, you will if you read this book. Of course, if you’ve gotten this far in the series, surely you’ve gone and fell in love with this group of guys like I have…and even though Noah and Rowe are such a hard couple to top, because they’re so amazing and dangerous, and every bad boy fantasy come to life. No one will ever top Andrei and Lucas for me. And in this one, it’s mostly about them…though you know where there is one, there is all; so we get them all too…

BUT, it’s finally wedding time. 10 days until Andrei and Lucas finally say “I do”…I dunno about y’all, but I have been WAITING for this…Not so patiently, I might add. There is no one sweeter than Andrei, and I absolutely adore the way he is with Lucas…and Lucas, how everyone’s health, happiness and well-being comes before his, his love for Andrei is…otherworldly. There is no topping it. You can feel it, anytime they so much as look at each other…and as an avid reader that’s quite obsessed with her book boys…feeling it myself about fictional characters is ridiculous… yet, somehow…I do with these two.

Okay, so you get I’m a fan-girl…Moving on.

So, it’s ten days til wedding day, and Ian has been planning his little heart out, everything is going to be perfect…until Snow brings home a visitor from their past, in the form of Lucas’s sister. The same sister that said horrible, nasty things to him and sided with his family when he came out…. It was hard for him to hear her out, but because he’s Lucas, and Lucas has Andrei… he did.

Her daughter, Lucas’ niece is in trouble… a niece he’s never met.. and he’s skeptical and hesitant, but they’re family, and you know how Andrei is about family. Lucas I think just hopes to swoop in like he does, fix things and get on with his life, maybe finding a little bit of closure back in his home town while he’s at it. Of course, he doesn’t go alone, he takes Snow…Little did they know, the little bit of trouble was actually quite a bit of trouble, and it’s a big ol’ whirlwind of danger and death… exactly what fuels guys like Snow, and especially Rowe and Noah…(they are serious BA in this one….again)

It’s hard for the guys to be there and there’s a lot of chasing their tails at first, but they get to the bottom of it. Of course they do… especially w hen the whole gang shows up. But, everything gets worked out in the end, and I think Snow and Lucas get the closure they needed. Maybe not the way they wanted, but, enough. I wish we wouldn’t got a little more Snow and Jude, but, that’s may just be me being selfish lol…And, last but not least…we meet a couple of new people that I hope stick around…oh, and of course, we get our wedding.

This is just another perfect addition to an already amazing series, and I find myself wishing that this series could last forever, because I’m not sure I’ll ever be done with them. For now though, I’ll patiently… or somewhat patiently wait for the next one.

5 pieces of eye candy from me!

I love the Unbreakable Bonds series. One of the reasons is that it wasn’t stretched out. Each guy got a book and a novella. Their stories were complete. So I thought that this book would be stretching Lucas and Andrei’s story with their wedding. But who can resist a wedding? Not me.

But we got so much more!!!

Lucas and Snow went back to their hometown. Seeing both men as anything less than the confident successful men they were was heart breaking. But, they are there to help Lucas’s niece-which isn’t as simple as they thought.

Through the story we get all of the main guys. And of course there is aission, hilarious code names and explosion.

And we still get a wedding. Swoon.

This installment did not disappoint and was a fun, exciting read.

4 pieces of eye candy

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Deadly Dorian by Drake & Elliott: Book Blast, Excerpt and Giveaway

April 13, 2018 by Denise

Someone is trying to kill Marc Foster.

Attempted poisoning was bad enough, but when the would-be killer messes with the brakes on Marc’s precious Porsche, the art dealer admits he needs help. He just wasn’t expecting help to be quite so dark and sexy.

Royce Karras loves his job at Ward Security. He’s making up for a lifetime of bad decisions and a bloody past he’d rather forget. But Marc isn’t the spoiled rich boy he thought he’d be protecting. Sticking close to Marc as his “boyfriend” gives Royce insight into his toxic family, but it also reveals a brilliant, compassionate man who completely disarms Royce. Against his better judgment, Royce finds himself falling.

But can they find a way to make it work when Royce’s past threatens to tear their lives apart? Their future hinges on a lost Renaissance painting, six Bichon Frises, and a pornographic Robin Hood.

No worries, right?

Title: Deadly Dorian

Series: Ward Security Series #3

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake and Elliott Publishing LLC

Release Date: April 13, 2018

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 87K

Genre: Romance, Thriller/Suspense

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39182824-deadly-dorian

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Marc Foster rose from one of the outdoor couches and came toward him with his right hand out. There was no missing how he shifted his left hand slightly behind his body, but Royce already caught sight of what looked like a bandage. He stood taller than Royce by several inches, his shoulders broad, his body slim. He wore a fashionable suit that probably cost more than a month of Royce’s salary.

But his damn face—that was going to be a problem.

He had the most fascinating combination of features Royce had ever seen. Sharp was the first description that came to mind. He had thick, black, slanting eyebrows over piercing, blue eyes, bladed cheekbones and chin—all of it coming together to form a stunning, intense face that was completely belied by the softest-looking, fullest lips he’d ever seen. The dichotomy of severe and overly sensual startled, sending a punch of surprising lust into Royce’s gut. Marc wore his dark brown hair long on top, and it looked like he’d been running his hands through it, because it curled back off his face in soft waves with one strand falling over his eye.

It was the perfect length for gripping.

“Royce Karras?”

“Yes.” He wanted to say more, but he felt momentarily tongue-tied and shocked. Rich playboys were far from the kind of men he usually liked to get rowdy with, so his gut reaction to this one made him feel off. He’d never been much of a talker, though. He hoped the man didn’t want a chatterbox for a pretend boyfriend.

The smile that stretched those full lips revealed teeth that went along with the program: sharp and flawlessly white. But the smile softened his features, making him seem more welcoming.

And…somewhat devastating. Royce would have no trouble pretending to be attracted to this man.

Marc nodded then, his gaze running down Royce’s body.

Royce wondered what he thought as he took in his black vest over the white button-down shirt tucked into dark jeans. Black motorcycle boots completed the look. He’d also rolled up his sleeves, leaving the tattoos on his left arm in plain sight. He’d trimmed his black beard close to his chin. Normally, he wore the company’s polo or T-shirts on jobs, but Andrei had asked him to “hot it up” a little so he’d appeal to a rich playboy.

He watched that rich playboy now as he eyed him, then turned back to Quinn. Royce followed his gaze to find his coworker standing silently, watching them with a funny smile on his face.

“He will work,” Marc said in a no-nonsense tone. “My acquaintances won’t question me wanting him.”

That particular word choice sent a blast of heat to Royce’s groin, and he ruthlessly ignored it. But the image that had surged into his mind had been this gorgeous, haughty man kneeling before him, and that was harder to push aside. He’d look so pretty like that, his head back, mouth open, waiting on instruction.

Royce knew, without a doubt, that he could have this man on his knees, that he could easily overpower him despite his taller form. If there was one thing that always played out in Royce’s favor, it was the steely strength he carried in his compact body. It had been the reason he’d been a very successful shylock for a bloodthirsty bookie in Virginia. He came with the element of surprise—always underestimated, always triumphant in a fight. He didn’t have the special martial arts training of a lot of his coworkers, but that didn’t matter. There was something to be said for sheer determination.

“You aren’t going to question if he’s big enough to fight someone off for you?” Quinn asked. “He gets that a lot.”

Marc smirked and brought those astute blue eyes back to him. “I have absolutely no doubt this man can protect me. Anyone paying close enough attention would see that he could easily take them down.”

Royce hoped the lust coating his last three words was only in his own imagination. A quick glance at Quinn told him it was not. And the IT guy was finding this situation highly amusing as he lifted one eyebrow behind his black-framed glasses.

Check out Jennifer’s 5 pieces of eye candy review and an additional exclusive excerpt here.

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Deadly Dorian by Jocelyn Drake and Rhinda Elliott: Exclusive Excerpt, Pre-Release Day Review and Giveaway

April 7, 2018 by Denise

**TCO is excited to have Jocelynn Drake and Rhinda Elliott stop by with a sassy, exclusive excerpt from Deadly Dorian, which comes out next week–EEK!–Make sure you check out the giveaway at the bottom of the page for a chance at an ebook copy of any of Drake and Elliott’s back releases.

Someone is trying to kill Marc Foster.

But can they find a way to make it work when Royce’s past threatens to tear their lives apart? Their future hinges on a lost Renaissance painting, six Bichon Frises, and a pornographic Robin Hood.

No worries, right?

Pre-order exclusively at Amazon

Just like the kitchen, the living room looked completely untouched. He’d seen model homes that looked more lived-in. A white sofa and a black chair faced a nondescript wooden table. A TV offered the only break in the white walls. There were no pictures of family or friends. No art whatsoever. There was…nothing.

An uneasy twist tightened his stomach. It didn’t look as if anyone lived in this house. There was nothing personal. No little hint into the man who was supposed to be keeping him safe, as if he’d erased all signs of his soul. Marc had watched those horrible true-crime shows that revealed images of a psychotic killer’s home to find it meticulously cleaned and organized. Royce’s home reminded him a little too much of that.

“Have you lived here long?” Marc called after Royce as he continued to follow Royce’s heavy footsteps. He paused at the foot of the stairs by the front entrance, then shrugged. Royce never told him to stay in the living room. Didn’t speak to him at all. So, he went up.

At the top of the stairs, he found three open doors. One to a bathroom and another to a spare bedroom with only a queen-sized mattress and box spring on the hardwood floor. The other room was the master bedroom, and this one had a little shred of color and personality.

The king-sized bed dominated the room with its black comforter and wooden headboard with the open slats. Perfect for gripping or tying someone to. Marc blinked and jerked his gaze away from the bed to the pair of framed pictures on the nightstand. Without thinking, he stepped farther into the room, squinting at the pictures. One looked a couple of decades old at least and was of two young boys. The other was of a handsome young man with a colorful scarf tied around his neck. It looked like a nice spring day with cherry blossoms in the background. Even from a distance, the man’s smile was incredibly sweet.

Royce stepped out of the walk-in closet with a black roller bag in hand. He glared at Marc, looking as if he were surprised to find him there. “Wait downstairs,” he barked. “I’ll be down in five minutes.”

Marc stiffened at his tone, feeling like a scolded child. Sure, this was Royce’s private domain, and the man couldn’t like having his privacy invaded, but Royce was about to touch every inch of Marc’s private life. “Of course,” Marc bit out as he turned on his heel and started to leave the room.

A low muttered curse rumbled from Royce a second later. “Wait,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Is there anything in particular I should pack?”

“Most days I’ll be at the gallery downtown. You can wear whatever you want there.” Marc partially turned to look at Royce, still expecting to be ejected from the room at any second.

“Jeans and T-shirt?”

“You can wear onesie unicorn pajamas and a tiara every day to the gallery. It certainly wouldn’t be the strangest thing I’ve seen.” Some of the tension eased from Marc’s shoulders when he saw the corner of Royce’s mouth jerk like he was fighting back a smile.

Clearing his throat, Royce tossed the roller bag on the bed and opened it. “I’ll skip the onesie this time. I’ll be carrying, and it could get in the way.”

His heart missed a beat at the mention of the fact that Royce would by carrying a gun and that danger was still haunting his steps. It was easy to forget at times when he was focused on the strange man grabbing clothes out of the top dresser drawer on the opposite side of the room.

With every one of these books, I come out thinking that it’s my new favorite.

Maybe it is for the time being, I dunno…I think I might be a little bit in love with all of them though! In this one, we have Royce…who I had been waiting for. He was beautifully tragic in a way that you just knew he had some hidden heartache in him, and boy did he.

And Marc… the art dealer who was convinced that someone in his family was trying to kill him. That’s when he met with Royce, because he needed a bodyguard.And because it was someone that had access to his home, and all aspects of his life, he needed them to be with him 24/7…And what better way to go undercover, than to pretend he’s Marc’s boyfriend. What could possibly go wrong there??

I will admit, that this story kept me on my toes and flipping through pages like crazy. I read it half of a day because I couldn’t put it down once I’d started. Who I was convinced was behind it, wasn’t at all and really surprised me by the end. I love that it was a twist that I didn’t see coming.

I kind of felt like the two problems in the story was a bit much…like, we have this big thing with Marc and someone trying to kill him and then a huge thing pops up with Royce, making him have a big problem. It was a bit much, I’ll say again… I did like that during Royce’s problem, the guys all took his back and made him realize that they were all a family. All the guys that he worked with had his back not only on the job, but in life…Royce had felt alone for a very long time, and it was nice to see the brotherhood and connection that they all had together. They really proved themselves loyal after this one. I mean, not that they don’t already, but…especially after they helped Royce out with his situation.

With Marc, my heart kind of broke for him because he never felt good enough since he was the baby of the family, and wow, his siblings were kind of terrible, especially his sister. I never did warm up towards her.

I did love the way he and Royce were when they were together, though…It never felt like a show, or just a job, even from the beginning. They were perfect for each other and it was obvious. Of course, they both had to learn some things about themselves before we got there in the end, but of course they did.
It was just a perfect addition to an already great series, and you get to see all the hotties from previous books, so bonus there!

I honestly cannot wait for more from this series…

5 pieces of eye candy from me.

At TCO, we all love Jocelynn and Rhinda’s work, so leave a comment, and you could win and ebook copy of any of their backdated releases!

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Dantès Unglued by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott: Double Release Day Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

January 25, 2018 by Denise

When private investigator, Shane Stephens, is hired by the mayor of Cincinnati to track down the hacker who has been threatening him, Shane is sure this is the opportunity to launch the Merleau Detection Agency into the big time. He even convinces Rowe Ward of Ward Security to loan him one of his best IT specialists, Quinn Lake.

Shane, a man who prefers casual intimacy, is surprised by his attraction to the moody computer geek, but when Quinn suggests they have fun for the month he’s on loan, Shane happily agrees. Both men are expecting nothing more than a good time.

But the investigation takes an unexpected turn and they quickly discover they are facing more than a hacker out to ruin the mayor’s re-election chances. And as they spend more time together, they realize their relationship may be a lot more than just a good time.

With only weeks until the election, Shane and Quinn race to gather the proof they need while dodging bullets and possibly…falling in love.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

After one quick knock on Rowe’s door, he stepped inside without waiting for him to call since he was already expected. But he stopped short when he saw the tall man standing next to Rowe’s desk, his hands on his slender hips as he grinned down at Rowe. Quinn couldn’t stop his eyes from quickly sweeping over his broad shoulders and chest that tapered into a narrow waist. His eyes snapped back up to find a pair of brown eyes that twinkled as they finished checking him out as well.

“Sorry,” Quinn mumbled, instantly taking a step backward. “I can come back.” Rowe rarely saw clients. He had customer representatives that handled talking to the clients. Of course, with Rowe’s lack of a filter, it was better if he didn’t talk to the new clients directly.

“No, come in, Quinn,” Rowe said sharply. He stood behind his desk, drawing Quinn’s gaze to his shorter but broader frame. His dark red hair stood up slightly as if he’d been running his fingers through it. Quinn never took that as a particularly good sign.

With a quick jerk of his head, Quinn stepped in and shut the door behind him. The other man was smiling at him, that assessing look still in his eyes, and Quinn didn’t want to think about the fact that he was dying to take another longer look at him, but not with the freaking boss in the room.

“Quinn Lake, this is Shane Stephens. He’s a private investigator with The Merleau Detection Agency,” Rowe introduced.

Shane extended his hand to Quinn and Quinn clenched his teeth, trying to hide his discomfort at taking Shane’s hand. His own palms were sweaty, making the momentary contact awkward. Why the fuck was he always so damn awkward around hot guys?

“Rowe tells me you’re the best,” Shane said, releasing his hand.

Quinn couldn’t help the skeptical look he shot at Rowe, who only shrugged as he sat down again. “Well, I said you and Gidget are the best.”

“Is this about a job?”

“Sit, Quinn.” Rowe absently waved toward the two chairs in front of his desk. He shuffled some papers around without seeming to actually look at them, placing them in piles at the edge of his desk.

Shooting one last uncertain look at Shane, Quinn moved to the farthest chair and sat, his tablet clenched in both hands. His mind raced as he tried to figure out why he’d been called into this meeting. Clients didn’t meet with Rowe, and Quinn didn’t meet with clients unless they’d already been assigned a bodyguard. And while they’d worked with some private investigators in the past, Rowe wasn’t usually involved. He had a company to run.

“Shane recently acquired a client who is the victim of a hacker,” Rowe started.

Quinn looked up at Shane, who was still standing beside Rowe’s desk, his mind finally turning away from too many questions to a problem he could understand. “Identity theft? Bank accounts drained?”

“No, not yet.” Shane shook his head, some of his dark curly hair falling forward against his temple. “At least, not that we’ve uncovered.”

“Then how do you know this client was hacked?”

“There are other signs…but I can’t go into it.”

Quinn frowned for a second. That certainly wasn’t going to make his job easier. “Well, do you just need improved protection? Alerts on accounts? We’ve got a comprehensive list of things we can do to help shore up the client’s account protection and privacy.”

“Shane isn’t looking for protection from the hacker for the client.” Rowe paused until Quinn looked back at him. “His client has hired him to track down the identity of the hacker.”

“Whoa…” Quinn said on an exhale, sitting back in his chair. That…that was not an easy task. Most hackers were pretty damn good at not being found. You had to be if you wanted to survive as one. If you sucked, you were usually snagged by the FBI pretty damn fast. Quinn would know. He’d started hacking at a young age—not stealing other people’s money but just breaking through security systems because he could. It took the feds a solid five years to catch him. But his boss knew all this. Rowe knew everything about the people working for him.

“We’re not equipped to handle this level of…” Shane frowned at Rowe’s computer as if he blamed it for his problems. “Well, we’re not staffed yet to handle computer things like this. I can do some of the forensic research in accounting matters, but I need a computer genius like you.”

“That’s why I agreed to loan you to Shane and his business partner, Ethan, for one month,” Rowe announced.

Quinn was out of his seat in a shot, hovering over the edge of the desk as he looked down at his boss. Pain shot through his chest, and he was suddenly having trouble catching his breath. Panic clouded all of his thoughts. He loved working for Ward Security. He’d been there for just less than two years, and he’d never found another place where he’d felt like he fit so damn perfectly. This was home. These people he worked with, they were his friends. He didn’t have to hide or pretend or feel uncomfortable.

And Rowe…Rowe had always been amazing. Sure, he could be cranky and a little crazy. He was always loud and tended to speak before thinking. But Quinn always knew exactly where he stood with Rowe. He always felt like Rowe had his back.

But this…

“Are you getting rid of me?”

“What?” Rowe snapped. “Where the fuck did you get that idea?”

“You’re hiring another IT person. I saw the listing. And this? Putting me ‘on loan’?”

Rowe groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. With a heavy sigh, he pointed back at the chair Quinn had just vacated. “Sit.” Grudgingly, Quinn followed direction while Rowe looked over at Shane. “Can you give us a minute?”

Sigh….I love this series.

In this one, we have Quinn… very cute, shy and insecure IT nerd who works for Ward security, and Shane, who works for a fairly new start-up PI company who’s been hired by the mayor or Ohio.

Someone’s been sending him threatening emails, signed by his ex-wife who had recently passed away. The mayor seems like an alright family man, with two daughters, so, Shane takes on his case and promises discretion. Because Shane and his friend don’t have the money or recourses for an IT guru like Ward does, Rowe loans Quinn for the month until reelection to help Shane out.

Of course, they’re attracted to each other, but Shane is a serial bachelor and not a bit interested in relationships or monogamy and Quinn is inexperienced and not all impressed with the experiences he has had.

A month of long nights in the office together, working side by side with a man you’re attracted to each other, leads to hooking up, of course it does… what neither guy was expecting was to fall for each other. But, as things heat u between them, they get more complicated with the investigation and its hard to figure out who’s the guilty one in the scenario. Things just aren’t making sense, and after some miscommunication and differences of opinion, the guys take time to get their heads together.

Although I loved Quinn and his blushing and backbone when it came to Shane. I liked how Shane seemed to do a 180 with his feelings of commitment and relationships once he got to know Quinn better. It wasn’t hard to break him of all that and he didn’t fight it.

I feel like both of these guys got to prove themselves and I kept hoping that the misunderstanding would get cleared u for Quinn. I honestly thought it was going to be forgotten about, but… nay, it made me love them both more. Quinn for being able to ask about it and Shane for being awesome about it.

I loved these two. Im gonna have to go back and reread about Frost and Jude, cuz… just their small appearance, made me remember how hot their story was together. LOL, I’m such a sucker for the guys in this series. I might just go back and read them all. I’m very much hoping for more about Royce. That’ll be a good one, I just know it!

If you haven’t, you most definitely should!

5 well deserved pieces of eye candy from me!

First off, you really need to read book one. I guess *technically* you could get away without reading it but that would be silly. Trust me. Would I lie to you?

We had gotten to know Quinn and Shane a bit in previous books. Quinn is one of the computer geeks at Ward Security and Shane is part owner of a private investigator agency- way more gumshoe than smoking gun. When he is hired to track down a hacker, he has to enlist the help of Ward Security and Quinn.

Quinn and Shane have immediate chemistry and fight it for a bit. Partly because Shane only does one time things and Quinn was built for relationships. But after a steamy kiss, they come to a compromise- a short term “relationship” while they are working on the case.

Quinn and Shane are HOT together. And even though it is Shane who doesn’t want a relationship- he is the one who seems to be super sweet and almost romantic. Those little touches, brushing Quinn’s hair back, staring at him across the room when they are supposed to be working. Just swoony.

That being said, I think Quinn was the more developed character. Shane could have given me just a little more.

Like in all of the previous books there is excellent banter between not only the main characters, but the supporting characters as well. And we see most of them- I think only Lucas was left out. He might have been in there though. Apologies Lucas if you made an appearance and I missed your arrogant self.

The overall story was a bit convoluted, but it was ok. I really expected more than what I got. With focusing on the “hacker” and how it isn’t something you just pick up and do, I wanted a bit more explanation of how the hacker did it. I hope that made sense. I hate spoilers so I am trying desperately not to spoil.

And I didn’t love the title. I get it, but meh. After Psycho Romeo, and Shiver, Shatter, Torch, it was a bit weak.

4 pieces of eye candy