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Snowbody Like You by Ariella Zoelle: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Getting stranded with an attractive stranger in a hotel room with only one bed is something Jude’s dreamed about forever. When he finds himself in that situation for real, can it live up to his expectations?

Jude Moore

I never expected a blizzard to turn one of my daydreams into a reality. The meet-cute gods generously bless me with the perfect costar to act out my favorite scenario about being snowed in at a hotel room with only one bed. Rigby is my ideal fantasy man brought to life: tall, adorable, with a dash of academic nerdiness thrown in to make him absolutely perfect. The best part is that he’s actually real and not just a figment of my imagination.

Is it too soon to ask if he wants his next starring role to be my boyfriend?

Rigby Pasquali

Falling in love with a charming cutie at the airport during a flight delay was not on my to-do list, but a chance encounter with Jude teaches me that the impossible is actually possible. He’s full of endless surprises like that. Once we get back home, my favorite discovery is learning that his creative imagination is as vivid as mine. That’s when things get really exciting as he makes all of my dreams come true.

Jude is made of magic and muchness, so how could I not love him with all my heart?

Snowbody Like You is the first book in the Suite Dreams series and part of the Sunnyside universe. This novel features an instalove, role-playing, height difference, only one bed romance. Full of cute sweetness and sexy fun, every story ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

Snowbody Like You was originally featured as a 14k short story in the Winter Wonderland giveaway. It has been expanded into a 61k full-length novel, which means there’s more of Jude and Rigby to love!

Snowbody Like You (Suite Dreams, Book 1)
By Ariella Zoelle

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Chapter 3: Jude Moore

“Remember how I said my mom and sister pray for me to find Mr. Right every time I fly?”

I didn’t blame Rigby for looking confused by my jump in conversation. “Yeah?”

“My sister’s biggest fear is I’ll be unprepared when I finally meet the love of my life.”

He couldn’t hold back a laugh. “That’s her biggest fear?”

“Well, that, and spiders,” I joked. “Lucy takes it upon herself to ensure that never happens.”

“Meaning?”

“Even though I haven’t been with a guy in five years, I have condoms and lube in my bag thanks to her. I can show you her texts about it if you don’t believe me.”

The spark of interest in his blue eyes made my prick perk up at the promise of some horizontal fun together in our near future. “After hearing your stories about Lucy, I totally believe you, but I also kind of want to see her texts.”

More than happy to indulge his curiosity, I took out my phone. I showed him Mom and Lucy’s group chat messages about keeping an eye out for my Hallmark hottie before I pulled up the private texts with just my sister.

Lucy: How could you let your condoms expire unused? What’s wrong with you?

Jude: It’s not like I need them for solo action.

Lucy: The point is using them with someone else, dumbass! I shouldn’t have to explain that to you. It really has been too long if you don’t know that.

Jude: Sorry, I’ve been too busy being single to fuck around. It takes up all my free time.

Lucy: That’s bullshit, and you know it. Please try not to waste the new box I snuck into your bag.

Jude: It’s not sneaking when you announce you’re responsible for it.

Lucy: One day you’ll thank me for making sure you’re prepared for meeting Mr. Right McDreamy.

Jude: You act like we’ll be fucking in an airplane bathroom the minute we meet

Lucy: Would you rather get back to your apartment with him and realize you can’t get laid because you don’t have condoms?

Jude: I’m about to go through security. I look forward to getting this lecture again in a few years when they expire unused.

Rigby laughed hard as he scrolled through our exchange. “Wow, and I thought I was close with my sister. I can only imagine Lucy’s reaction when she finds out you finally put them to good use.”

The confirmation that we were definitely going to fuck gave me a semi. “She’ll gloat about it for the rest of my life, but I can live with that when you’re the reason I’m getting ribbed.”

He snickered. “Did you just make a ribbed condom joke?”

“I sure did.”

Rigby came over to me and helped me stand up from my chair at the table. Our sizable height difference made me extra horny. “Remind me to thank her afterward.”

To my great delight, Rigby leaned down to kiss me. He was tentative, almost like he feared I’d reject him. There wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of that.

I tugged on his sweater to pull him closer as I kissed him back with five years of pent-up lust. Moaning against his lush lips, I was already rock-hard and ready to fuck.

His tongue teased mine, making me crave more. I laced my fingers through his hair as I resisted being swept away by our ardent passion.

When we paused for air, we were both breathless and aroused. He was the first to breathe in awe, “Wow.”

“I’d say.” I couldn’t stop grinning. “And here I was afraid it had been so long that maybe I’d forgotten how to kiss.”

His laughter filled me with indescribable levels of joy. “Oh my god, I was worried about the same thing!”

“Want to see if we remember how to get naked?”

Get ready for Book 2
Flawsome Explorations

Coming July 23

Unexpected sparks fly when a shy, straight, nerdy sweetheart meets a flirtatious, sexy, older Frenchman. Is Zio brave enough to take a chance on Armand?

Fabrizio “Zio” Revello

I embrace the philosophy that nobody is perfect by studying the art of imperfection. But then I meet Armand, forcing me to completely reevaluate my world view. From his gorgeous face, teasing sense of humor, and a French accent to die for, everything about him makes me forget one very important detail: I’ve never been attracted to a man until him. I shouldn’t let him tempt me, but the glimpse of the real Armand behind his playful flirtations makes him impossible to resist.

I’ve never been the adventurous type, but Armand makes me want to be brave and daring. Isn’t a lifetime of happiness with a person who understands me worth the risk?

Armand Bellamy

I approach Zio in search of a no-strings-attached evening of fun to kick off my business trip to Hawaii. But I get way more than I bargained for when I discover a shy, nerdy sweetheart who finds beauty in my flaws. He even accepts the hidden parts of my heart that I hide from the world. It makes me want to make him mine—not just for one night but for every night of the rest of our lives.

He says he’s straight, but when have I ever let that stop me from getting what I want?

Flawsome Explorations is the second book in the Suite Dreams series and part of the Sunnyside universe. This novel features a bisexual awakening, shy/flirt, age gap, instalove, opposites attract romance. Full of cute sweetness and sexy fun, every story ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

Pre-Order Link

Goodreads

So. Hmm. Well…it was…cute?

I get it, it was a bit of a riff on Hallmark Christmas movies. Strangers in an airport, snow, forced proximity, etc. Cute. But oh my.

There is literally almost zero plot to this book. It is almost ALL sex. And- there is tons of conversation DURING sex. And not even related to the sex. Like, a conversation about something not sex related WHILE THEY ARE HAVING SEX.

And, of course, insta love. Literally saying they love each other after less than 24 hours.

Jude constantly talking about how tall Rigby is and how much he loves it.

Jude’s sister and mother were a bit over the top. Ok, maybe if you have a really close relationship with your sibling you might openly talk about sex as in depth (eek, sorry) as they do. But his mom as well?

Oof, sorry. This one was a pass for me.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

Ariella Zoelle previously published as A.F. Zoelle. She adores steamy, funny, swoony romances where couples are allowed to just be happy. That means she writes low angst stories full of heat, humor, and heart. Her vast knowledge of weird, wild, and wonderful randomness colors her writing, meaning her characters have some pretty strange and entertaining interests.

There are even rumors that she’s a time management wizard who uses her magic powers to create enough free time to turn her massive horde of plot bunnies into sassy M/M romance novels. Her next feat will be turning herself into a full-time author.

For real time updates on her writing progress, please join her Facebook group for exclusive teasers or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. You can also sign up for her newsletter to gain access to bonus chapters, previews of upcoming books, exclusive visual guides, and more.

Connect with Ariella:
Website: https://www.ariellazoelle.com/
Newsletter: https://www.ariellazoelle.com/newsletter
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/amazingafzoelle/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/extraafzoelle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriellaZoelle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariellazoelle/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ariellazoelle
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ariella-zoelle

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Wicked Outlaw (Ward Security Book 6) by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott: RB, Excerpt, New Release Review *2

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Cole loves the city. He loves the noise, chaos, and having tacos delivered at 2 a.m.

He loves his job at Ward Security. He might look like a bodyguard, but there’s nothing better than being counted as one of the hacking tech triplets.

There is no way he will ever love horses, cows, and the great wide open of Texas.

At least, that’s what he thinks until JB Alexander rides into his life.

He can’t deny the burning attraction of JB’s easy smile and weird sense of humor.

And while they’re dodging gun shots, crazy neighbors, meddling family, and secret plots, Cole might be forced to admit that he’s found an even greater love.

Wicked Outlaw is the sixth full-length novel in the Ward Security series and is jam packed with crazy neighbors, wild gun shots, a horse named Dopey, llamas, code names, a bisexual awakening, and new beginnings.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

He was about to put on his headphones for some music when Rowe’s red head popped around the doorway. “Cole, I need you in my office.”

Cole set the headphones down and stood. He followed his boss and settled in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

Surprisingly, Rowe’s area was one of the hot spots for the entire building. His large office with the big, comfortable black leather couch tended to become a random crossroads or meeting place. All throughout the day, people popped in and out to ask Rowe questions, bring him updates, or share a joke. And Rowe welcomed every last one of them, regardless of what they did at the company.

They had meetings there often and the cool, blue paint on the walls gave the room a comforting feel. Cole might feel more at home in the tech room, but this was his second-favorite spot at Ward Security. Rowe always greeted him with a smile or a teasing comment like they were old friends.

“How’s the hand?” Rowe asked with a wicked smirk. He dropped behind his desk and relaxed in his large leather desk chair. “You cleaned that man’s clock pretty good.”

“Sore, but fine,” he replied, once again flexing his hand in his lap. “He still in police custody?”

Rowe shook his head. “No, bastard got out. They couldn’t hold him for threats. Which brings me to the problem I brought up last night. Derrick Briggs is a piece of work, with dirty hands in several deep pots, one of which is the local mob.”

Cole’s heart skipped a beat. The mob. Shit. No wonder Gidget had been so hesitant to talk about it. This was definitely worse than he’d imagined. “You think he’s going to come after me?”

“I do. I’d like to put Sven on you for the time being—”

“No,” Cole interrupted. “I don’t need a bodyguard. Look at me.” He tapped both hands on his broad chest. “I’m nearly as big as Sven. I can take care of myself.”

Rowe shook his head, not looking convinced in the least. “Not against a bullet.” He paused and added with a wry grin, “And nobody is as big as Sven.”

“A bodyguard isn’t going to help with a bullet, either.”

“Sven also has years of training. He knows what to look for, and he knows exactly how to handle an armed assailant or assailants.”

Cole glared at his boss for a moment. He didn’t think he’d ever utter these words. Never truly thought about it, but he was feeling cornered. Maybe it was time, considering the line of work he was in. “Then train me.”

Rowe leaned back in his chair, eyeing Cole closely. Cole held his breath. He loved his job behind the computer, working at Ward Security. He’d never had any interest in doing what the bodyguards did.

At last, Rowe shook his head. “Like I said, years of training. We don’t have that kind of time. But I am going to remember this moment.” He pointed at Cole, his smirk returning for a heartbeat. “However, I came up with a different idea. You, laying low for a while. Out of town.”

Cole’s eyes flared open wide. “What? No, that’s not a good idea, either.”

“It’s an excellent idea, and it’s not a suggestion. I’ve already called a friend, JB Alexander, and set everything up.”

Cole vaguely remembered meeting JB a couple of years ago. Thin guy, about six feet tall with blond hair. “Wait, isn’t he from Texas?”

Rowe nodded, the corner of his mouth turning up in a half grin. “On a ranch outside of Austin. It’s the perfect place for you to hole up while I work on getting Derrick Briggs behind bars.”

“You’re saying you want me to go to Texas.” Cole scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to get his brain to process the insanity Rowe was force-feeding him. “Isn’t this a bit of overkill?”

“I don’t think it is.” Rowe leaned forward, placing his forearms on the top of his desk. “Last night wasn’t Briggs’s first encounter with the cops. He’s managed to sneak out of assault charges and more in the past. There are rumors a few guys have disappeared because of him.”

Cole could feel the blood drain from his face to pool nauseatingly in his stomach. A kind of cold clamminess clung to his skin. This was getting worse by the second.

“Not only did you come between him and what he sees as his property, but you made him look like a chump in a very public, very high-brow place. He’s gonna want you dead in the worst way.”

“I see what you mean,” Cole replied in a low, rough voice.

“Good. Then it leaves me with two choices. One is that I put Sven on you and possibly another guy, twenty-four seven. At least until we know this guy won’t come after you.”

But that meant putting friends and coworkers directly in the line of fire to protect his ass. No, that wasn’t an option.

“I still won’t go for that.”

Rowe held up both his empty hands in front of him as if to say Cole was taking the decision out of his hands.

“But Texas?”

Ah Ward Security. A world of code names, explosions and love matches. After pairing off most of the main body guards and one of the techies- it is time for another tech guy- Cole. Although unexpectedly.

To ensure his safety, Ward Security ships Cole off to the ranch owned by Noah’s Army buddy JB. So the city boy from Cincinnati is now on a ranch in the middle of Texas. Don’t worry- there’s wifi.

Cole and JB had immediate chemistry. But Cole is straight. Interesting. And then a near death experience has Cole kissing the hell out of JB.

I loved that Cole, the straight guy, kissed JB first. AND didn’t freak out. I mean, he stepped back to figure things out but he wasn’t a jerk about it. There definitely was some awkward.

The plot of the book was a bit on the weak side. Developer wants JB and two other ranches to sell to him so that he can build a resort. Then different things keep happening on the ranch. Since JB is the holdout on selling, it isn’t too much of a leap to figure it out.

Not really a spoiler, because duh it’s a romance, but Cole does get past his “I’m straight” thing. And then he and JB have a lot of fun together. I liked that after the first kiss, Cole accepted his attraction to JB and JB didn’t really question Cole’s motives. There wasn’t the existential dread of “omg am I GAY?” or “is he just using me to experiment?”

We do get a classic Ward Security mission, complete with code names. But sadly no explosions.

This was a super easy read, fun and sexy.

4 pieces of eye candy

Oh, how I love thee let me count the ways. This is another slam dunk for Ms. Drake and Ms. Elliot.  The authors definitely have a way with words. They know how to bring you into the story so you become you obsessed with their men.

I don’t want to give too much away on this review. But what I do you wanna say is there is a lot of Passion and you feel for these characters in the spot they’re in. JB feels like he’s lost everything when he loses Noah. Then along comes Cole.

And he finally understands what he felt for Noah was not what as strong as he thought it was. There’s not as much action in this one as there usually is in Jocelyn and Rinda’s books. But it’s still keeps you on your edge of your seats.

These authors still remain in my top 5 faves.

4 pieces of eye candy

Proficiency Bonus (Roll for Love Book 3) by Charlie Novak: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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Organising yourself is harder than it looks—Lewis may be a highly proficient PA for two very successful cosplayers, but that means nothing when you’re living at your parent’s house after yet another failed relationship and trying to find some stable ground.

Jason Lu, star of Celestials, is stuck between a rock and a hard place. When the show is cancelled and his character pigeonholed into a homophobic ending, Jason must choose whether to fall in line or break ranks. But one misstep will mean bumping heads with some powerful people.

Teaming up with the very cute guy he met at Comic Con seems like a natural first step and now Lewis and Jason must choose between heartbreak and justice. As they forge ahead, they realise there are no bonuses for navigating life’s challenges, instead they’ll just have to fight for what they believe in.

But sometimes overcoming the biggest hurdles yields the best results.

Proficiency Bonus is a 79,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring plushies, Pokémon, and a fight for the perfect ending. It is book three in the Roll for Love series and can be read as a standalone.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Lewis POV 

At first, I hadn’t been sure whether Jason had meant to send me such blatantly sexy selfies, but over the past couple of weeks, I’d noticed a distinct uptick in the number of shirtless ones where his skin was glistening, and they were taken at just the right angle to show off all Jason’s best features. If they hadn’t been deliberate before, they were now.

“Thanks. You’re not bad yourself,” Jason said, and I felt my interest pique. I’d tried to be restrained, and so far I’d managed not to send any of the slightly slutty selfies I’d taken. I’d wanted to. I just hadn’t been sure whether they’d be welcome or whether that would be a step too far.

“Oh? Have you been looking at pictures of me, Mr. Lu?” I asked, unable to stop myself from grinning. I flicked over to my Instagram, wondering which ones he’d been looking at. My eyes settled over the picture of me at Pride.

“Er…” Jason stammered. “Maybe?”

“Can I ask which ones?”

“Just, you know, some of the ones on Instagram.”

“It was the Pride one, wasn’t it?” Some hot feeling swirled in my gut and my hips absent-mindedly rubbed across the bed. I bit my lip to stop myself from moaning.

What would Jason do if I moaned? Would he freak out and hang up, or would he indulge me in a little fun? Quiet fun since it was the weekend, and my mothers were downstairs. And there was no way in hell I was having phone sex where there was any chance of them hearing me.

God, I needed my own place.

“If I said yes,” Jason said quietly, “would you mind?”

“Definitely not. In fact, I have more photos I could send you… if you’re interested?”

“That, er, that would be nice.”

There was an audible amount of tension between us but neither of us seemed ready to break it. If we did, we both knew there’d be no coming back, and it felt like we weren’t quite ready for that.

“You looking forward to your Christmas break?” I asked, changing the subject and rowing us back to safer waters.

First off, I ADORE this cover. He is Jason!

If you read the first two of this triology, you know Lewis. PA to Edward who deserves a raise. This time, he gets his happily ever after.

Lewis and Jason meet in the green room at London Comic Con. Lewis thinks he looks familiar, but can’t place him and shrugs it off as being mistaken. Except Jason is one of the leads in a VERY popular show called Celestials.

Since we are in the social media age, they reconnect through instagram and develop a friendship over their shared love of Pokemon and other nerdy things. (No offense as I am a self professed nerd) So when Jason decides to go home to London during the Christmas break, he and Lewis decide to meet up.

Whirlwind romance! But not really because they really got to know each other over several months of texting and facetiming. Their chemistry in person was off the charts, even though the flirting they did online was so tame it almost wasn’t there.

Through all of this, Jason learns news about his show that he knows will upset the fans. And I don’t want to spoil anything, but it was pretty awesome to read a plot point that gets discussed fairly often in the LGBT world- burying the gays. You finally get a gay character who isn’t a stereo type, who is happy and stable, but they are always the first to get killed off.

Getting to know Lewis more was great. His whole giant blended crazy family are introduced as well. They made my head spin, but they were super fun and obviously loved each other quite a bit.

Another great thing was Lewis having ADHD. Because the author took the time to explain how ADHD affects Lewis AND how he can be so scatterbrained in his personal life, but meticulous in his work life. He is a fixer and wants to help Jason with his work issue- but he also never gets pushy or bossy. Just offers.

I really loved these two together. And I loved that there is an Asian main character. We need more of that!

There is also PLENTY of Edward and Izzy, as well as other characters from the previous books.

Super fun read that can be a stand alone, but all three books are great reads.

4 pieces of eye candy

Charlie lives in England with her husband and a dachshund named Biscuit. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that loves comes in all shapes and sizes.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

Connect with Charlie:

Website: https://charlienovak.com/
Newsletter https://charlienovak.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/charlienovakauthor/
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/charlie-novak
Twitter https://twitter.com/charlienwrites

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Guardian Gabe: The Lonely Heroes Series, Book Two by Sam E. Kraemer: Quick Review

by

Gabriele Torrente

“Mr. Torrente? You need to come down here.”

My receptionist isn’t one to make demands, so I hurry down the stairs to see what all the fuss is about. Little did I know, the moment I walk down those stairs, my life is going to change in ways I can’t begin to fathom.

The boy and girl seated in the lobby come as a surprise, but the man bursting through the front door moments later has me nearly swallowing my tongue. He’s beautiful, funny, and infuriating. He says he’s a dancer with a job lined up on a cruise ship, but he’s crazy if he thinks I’ll admit to being the father of these two adorable kids I’ve never seen before in my life. His name is Dexter Carrington.

What the hell is happening to my once serene life?

Dexter Carrington

A call from my mother informs me that she has my niece and nephew for the summer because my sister, a mediocre hair stylist from Jersey City, has decided to take a job that requires her to travel.

The unexpected call a few weeks later telling me my mother passed away is devastating, and a social worker says my niece and nephew will have to go into foster care, which only compounds my problems. I’m able to work out a deal to take the kids until my sister is found or their father is identified. Should be easy since I have a photo of him, right?

The handsome man I meet claims to be a wedding photographer, but when I catch the flash of a gun holster while he’s kneeling down to talk to my niece and nephew—who he looks nothing like—I have the impression there’s a lot more to him than he’s letting on. He’s unlike any man I’ve ever met, and his name is Gabriele Torrente.

What the hell is happening to my once dull and peaceful life?

This book is approximately 103,000 words in length, and doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. It is the second book in the series entitled, “The Lonely Heroes Series.”

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Okay, so I’m coming in on book 2 and didn’t read book one, but I hear of children and a single dad and I have to give it a shot, right? Hot dads, they’re kinda my thing… In saying that, I’ve got to say, I did not care for Gabe one bit and he never really redeemed himself for me. He was high handed and judgmental and there were a couple of times that I wanted to smack both him and Dexter for the way they treated the kids and each other… Gabe was very hot and cold, in my opinion and I understand that he was thrust into this situation that he wasn’t ready for and never planned for, but still.. sometimes it just didn’t sit right for me. I really felt for the kids and they were just adorable and sweet throughout the whole thing.

Now, when Dexter’s mom dies, he get saddled with his sisters kids and a work obligation means he can’t take them with him, so it’s either find their mother, who is who knows where, (she was a homophobic witch and I didn’t care at all if she was ever found)….or the kids’ dad, who they believe is Gabe. I will say that I did love how protective Gabe is with anyone he cares about and try as he may to not get roped in, he did….and he did care for the kids, and pretty quickly, for Dexter too. They had good chemistry most of the time, but when it wasn’t, it just really wasn.t

There is also so many people to remember, extended family and whatnot and so much going on. I feel like this could’ve been stretched for two or even three books and it would’ve been a more enjoyable read but everything was just so packed in and it was one thing after another and just when you thought things were going to be okay, something else gets thrown in and upends everything and it was just exhausting LOL I’m not a big fan of angst, I don’t feel like I’m emotionally stable enough to handle a whole lot, even with fictional people, but it definitely had me flippin pages almost faster than I could read them. If you like that sort of thing and fast-paced, action from beginning to end kind of reads, you’ll likely really like this one. It felt like it could’ve been a movie… though if it was, there’s no way it would’ve gotten everything in one movie. It was a lot.

The ending was cute and I was happy for the kids, who were my favorite part of the whole story, but I would’ve liked to have seen Gabe redeem himself a little more… I just never warmed up to him. He had amazing qualities, like he was very protective and his alpha-like personality would’ve been hot, if he wasn’t so high handed and cold… but, all was well that ended well. I’m happy the kids were happy.

3 pieces of eye candy

Sweet Hart (Hart Consulting Book 1) by Rae Marks: New Release Review

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FROM EXCITING AUTHOR OF LGBT ROMANCE RAE MARKS

Book one in the Hart Consulting series

When Brayden stumbles into a covert operation, Sam has to keep him alive. Together they navigate their unexpected attraction and the world of the Ukrainian mafia.

Brayden Hart needs to find his older brother Mason and time is running out. Mason disappeared after being discharged from the military two years before. While on leave from the army, Bray follows a lead his friend has been able to find. When he knocks on the door of a dingy apartment outside Miami, the last person he expects to meet is the gorgeous but grumpy Sam Wheeler.

Sam denies knowing Bray’s brother and turns him away. But Sam is Bray’s only lead. Luckily, Bray’s childhood friend is one of the best hackers in the country and helps Bray follow Sam to Ukraine.

In Kiev, Bray falls blindly into the fray of a covert operation and Sam steps in to keep him alive. While navigating the choppy waters of the Ukrainian mafia, Bray and Sam fall into the bedroom. But what happens when the mission ends?

Amazon

Pride Publishing

For a first time author, at least I assume since this is the only title listed on their Amazon page, it was an okay book. But it definitely needed some cleaning up, editing, scenes cut and scenes added.

We jump right in with no back story. Just immediately Bray knocking on Sam’s door looking for his brother Mase. From there we head to the Ukraine. Sam is undercover trying to…do something? I know he is dealing with the mob and the mob deals with drugs and human trafficking. But it’s kind of fuzzy what Sam’s goal was. Whatever the goal, he has Bray there with him- which was not part of the plan.

There’s a lot of back story that is slow to be revealed. Several things were never wrapped up. Taking so long to find out what made these guys tick really kept me from connecting with them. There are quite a few Ukrainian characters and I still don’t know what all is going on there.

The story evened out a bit toward the middle and it was easier to read, but it was also chock full of sex scenes. The story that is there is just muddled.

If there is a book two (kind of seems as though there will be), I am sure several unanswered questions will remain unanswered and that bugs me.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

Following the Rules (The Script Club #1) by Lane Hayes: RDB, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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The geek, the jock, and a new set of rules…

Topher-

My friend’s brother needs an academic assistant and I need a job. Problem…jocks are my weakness. Seriously. I lose my ability to speak coherently around muscle-bound hotties. Oh yeah, I lose my inhibitions too—not a good look for a guy with a genius IQ. So what am I going to do about Simon?

Simon-

Finishing college isn’t high on my list of priorities, but my future in professional football is looking bleak. I need a plan B or C, and I could use some help navigating life as an undergrad. Topher is perfect. He’s also a little strange…but in a good way. And I like the way I feel when I’m around him—as though anything is possible. Maybe if we follow our hearts, we’ll find what we’re looking for. But that means changing the rules…

Following the Rules is a MM, bisexual awakening romance starring a lovable nerd, a cool jock, and some extracurricular fun.

Title: Following the Rules

Author Name: Lane Hayes

Series Title and Number: The Script Club #1

Publisher: Lane Hayes

Cover Artist: Sleepy Fox Studio

Release Date: May 7, 2021

Romance Pairings: Male/Male

Other Tags or Categories: Nerd/Jock, MM Romance, Bisexual Awakening, Best Friend’s Brother

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Goodreads

I served us both a slice of each kind of pizza and slid a plate his way, gesturing for him to help himself to the cheese or whatever else he might want.

“I don’t care about money,” I said around a mouthful of food. “Eat up. This is tasty, but it won’t be as good when it’s cold.”

Topher flashed an anxious sideways smile and took a mouse-sized nibble. “Mmm, that’s delicious.”

I washed down my pizza with a healthy swig of wine, nudging his knee as I swiveled to face him. “Are you okay?”

He wiped his hands on a napkin and drained half his water, setting it on the island with a decisive thud. “Yes, I’m just a little nervous.”

“Nervous? Oh. I’m sorry.” I frowned and before I could rein my tongue, blurted, “You seemed fine when we were joking about tiny gorilla penises, and hell…you saw my dick and—”

“I wasn’t joking. I was reciting a fact and as far as your penis is concerned…”

I twisted to face him, unable to contain a mischievous grin.

“Yes? I’m waiting,” I singsonged, biting into the ham and pineapple pizza.

“I told you, Simon…I was simply doing the math,” he replied matter-of-factly. “Six and a half inches.”

“Nine.”

Topher narrowed his eyes, his features softening in amusement. “Six and three-quarters, max.”

I scoffed and hooked my thumb under the elastic waistband of my sweats. “Wanna see?”

“No! Geez. You know, it’s very difficult to stay on topic with you. And staying on topic is the only way this will work.”

“Okay, fine. Back to dick size. What animal has the biggest schlong on the planet?”

He gaped at me for a hot second. “The blue whale. It’s estimated to be seven to ten feet long.”

“Whoa!”

“Although I don’t know that it’s ever been measured during intercourse. Or if that’s even possible.” He reached for his pizza with his brow knit in concentration as though pondering whale dick…as one does.

“Whales are huge. It makes sense. What about land animals?”

“Elephants. They’ve legitimately measured specimens in excess of thirty-nine inches.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” I snort-laughed. “Christ, I’m feeling very inadequate with my mere twelve inches.”

“Six,” Topher scoffed. “Look, before we get sidetracked again, I just want to—”

“I’ll pay you double.”

“What? Why?”

I sighed as I picked up my wineglass. “I don’t want to fail. No…it’s more than that. I need to look smart. I can’t come across as the fuckup wide receiver who got dumped from the NFL and blew the cushy back-door admittance to a prestigious university by failing his first semester. I thought I might be able to muddle through with a few pointers from George, but it’s going to take more than that. I need a real assistant.”

Topher widened his eyes, then blinked in disbelief when I named an exorbitant salary. I had a hard time keeping my own expression. What the hell was I thinking? Did I really need an assistant?

I didn’t know, but I needed…something.

“Oh, that’s a lot of money,” he whispered breathlessly.

“It’s the going rate for a personal assistant. Ironically, I never had one while I played ball, but I need the help now. I want the best, and George says that’s you.”

Topher smiled. “George didn’t say he was the best?”

“Actually, he did. But we can’t be in the same room for an hour without wanting to take a swing at each other.”

“You and George fight?”

“Not as much now that we’re older, but…yeah, I guess we still fight. We don’t have much in common.”

“You and I have even less in common,” he replied.

“That’s a good thing. Trust me, it’s better for me that you don’t know that I slept with a teddy bear until I was thirteen…or that I still have that damn bear for reasons unknown.” I gave a self-deprecating chuckle, then sipped my wine and set it on the island. “So…are you in? Make me smarter, Toph. I need your brain!”

He stared at me for a long moment, inclining his head. “Okay.”

“Yes!” I fist-pumped the air as if I’d just scored a touchdown and held out my hand for a high five.

Topher left me hanging for a few long seconds before gently tapping his palm to mine. I grabbed his wrist to hold him steady for a redo. The contact was light and breezy…and spontaneous. But that was how I rolled. For a guy who played professional football, it was nothing.

However, this didn’t feel like nothing.

This is one of my favorite tropes. I loved Topher, his idiosyncrasies where down right adorable. I loved hoe open he was in certain aspects of his life. So sweet and confident. But knew his limits and tried to keep to his comfort zone.

Now Si (Simon) was soooo sweet and sexy. The perfect match for Topher. He just stood up and embraced his sexuality. He respected Topher, but also tried to push his boundaries a bit. I felt bad for him and where he was at with his choices. I HATED his agent.

All in all this was a sweet, sexy, funny read. Another hit for this author.

5 pieces of eye candy

Geek and Jock. A trope that will last forever and ever. It’s like the epitome of opposites attract. This time we get EPIC geek and jock. A rocket scientist and a professional football player.

The geek- Topher- is kind of roped in to tutoring/helping his roommates brother with his online college classes. The big jock football player brother who was released from his contract and needs to do something with his life. Jocks are Topher’s kryptonite. Simon is in limbo with his career and kind of lost. But what he does find is a strong attraction to Topher.

What I really enjoyed about this book and made it a bit different from most geek/jock books is that Topher is so sex positive. More often than not the geeky guy is a virgin or has very limited experience. But not Topher. He is experienced, he loves sex, he is open to trying new things and he is NOT shy about it.

And Simon, having grown up with a nerdy brother, isn’t a jerk at all. He’s a nice guy who kind of doesn’t know what to do. He has the beach house but he is lonely and drives an hour to hang out with family and friends. And Topher.

The main reason Topher took the job with Simon was because his paid internship fell through. So he was waiting and hoping for that to come through again, but also open to other internships. And even though that was a big plot point at the beginning, it never really went anywhere as he seemed to spend all of his time with Simon.

Simon also is a house flipper, he is the money man not the toolbelt man, but we don’t really see that either. That would have been some fun scenes looking at houses to flip.

So, yes, I did like it. I liked how confident Topher was and how open Simon was. There were a few loose ends that could have been tied up, but overall a good read.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Lane Hayes loves a good romance! An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016, 2017, and 2018-2019 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a not quite empty nest.

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