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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Marley Valentine

Unloved (The Unlucky Ones) by Marley Valentine: Quick Review

February 22, 2024 by Denise

From USA Today bestselling author Marley Valentine comes an all new emotional, hurt/comfort, polyamorous romance.

We longed. We lost. We loved. Desperately.

I thought I had my life all figured out. But after a college football accident leaves me deaf, I was learning how to live all over again.

I expected the anger, the frustration, and the struggle to readjust, but what I didn’t expect to happen amongst the chaos, was to fall in love.

Especially not with two men.

Rough-edged puzzle pieces, Rhys, Samuel, and I were nothing but aching memories, painful realities, and hidden scars.

We were products of our pasts, abandoned and unloved, messy and complicated. Individually we had baggage; together we had mountains to climb.

But when the three of us were tangled up in one another, spilling secrets in the dark, hearts beating in sync, nothing else mattered but them.

We needed to break the cycle, because they deserved love… And who knows, maybe I finally did too.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

I am such a complete sucker for angst. Add in friends to lovers, bi awakening, a throuple AND a deaf main character? It’s like catnip. And the story didn’t disappoint.

I didn’t read book 1 so everything was new to me. There seems to be quite a bit of overlap of stories with book 1 and 2, but really it’s fine if you haven’t read book 1. But you know I am going back for it!

Lennox becomes deaf without warning. He grew up in the foster system and had no idea that this was a genetic possibility. Until he took a hard hit in football and never heard again.

You could feel his fear. Fear, being overwhelmed, feeling excluded, anxiety, depression. All completely new feelings to a college football player. His best friend Samuel is there for him every step of the way. Especially since his brother took off after a bad break up. He does have a close friend group who went through foster care with him and they all rally around Lennox during this huge change.

On the outskirts is Rhys. Fresh out of rehab for the millionth time. He wants to stay sober. His sponsor is one of Lennox’s foster siblings. And Rhys has a deaf sister so he knows ASL. Sounds like the starts aligned, right?

Wrong. Samuel is still exploring being bi. Being bi with his best friend. Who is now deaf. And Rhys who is struggling to stay sober, helping Lennox learn sign language and falling for both men. And Lennox, learning how to navigate life while deaf, trying to repair his relationship with his brother, exploring a romantic and sexual relationship with his best friend AND his feelings for Rhys. It’s a lot.

And yet all of these things unfold with sensitivity and realness. No shortcuts were taken on their road to heeling and self discovery.

I adored these men together. They were absolutely made for each other.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

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

Ache by Marley Valentine: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, and Release Day Review * 2

June 22, 2021 by Denise

I couldn’t tell you when I fell in love with Gael Herrera, but I wish I knew how to make it stop.

Falling in love with a straight man is a rookie mistake. But falling in love with my soon-to-be-married-to-a-woman best friend is nothing but heartache.

Through all the years, and all the men I’ve fooled around with, he’s always been at the back of my mind. An unrequited crush I wish I could shake. A dream that was never going to come true.

When I whisk him off to a surprise bachelor party weekend in Vegas, I surrender to the idea that this is an opportunity for me to finally let go of my feelings for him and say goodbye.

But after a heated exchange and an even hotter kiss, everything I thought I knew about our friendship changed.

Maybe I had it wrong. Maybe, after all this time, we were more than best friends. Maybe, just maybe, he felt it too.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads

Confidently, she places her hand on her hip, not caring that every inch of her is on display. “I don’t need you to touch me because you feel bad, Gael.”

“That’s not what I’m doing,” I protest.

She leisurely reaches for a nearby towel and wraps it around her body. “Is this about Frankie?”

God, I hated hearing that man’s name. “Why are we talking about Frankie?”

“Because every time he comes up, you turn into”—she gestures her hand up and down my body—“this.”

“I just don’t like him for Jordan,” I exclaim.

“They have sex Gael, it’s hardly a marriage proposal.”

“He said he would bring him over in the new year. That’s more than just sex.”

She shakes her head at me. “He said that because you seem to turn into an over protective, ornery father every time he mentions people he’s with.”

His father? God, that was so far from the truth. Nothing I felt about him was familial. Not in a long time and even less so lately.

Lately, I was fucking jealous, and Elena knew it. Every part of me knew she did, but she wasn’t going to call me out. Because she was hiding from the truth just as much as I was.

“Sorry,” I say, because honesty isn’t really an option right now. “I can’t help but feel protective over him. Ever since—”

“I know,” Elena says, nothing but understanding in her voice. “Ever since he got kicked out of his home, you’ve felt the need to protect him. I get it. You’re the same with me,” she adds with a soft smile. “You’re like that with everyone you love. And we love you for it, but you need to let this disdain for Frankie go and let Jordan live his life. If it turns to shit, you’ll be there for him, because that’s what good friends do.”

Every word she said pricked at my heart in pain, leaving little holes as reminders that this was so much more than being worried and protective of your friend. It was a lifetime of hurt, longing, lust, and confusion. And it was wrong.

The only other book I have read by Marley Valentine is Without You, which if you know me I rarely read anything that says “angsty”, but I absolutely loved that book. (Go grab it if you haven’t read it!) It broke my heart about six different ways, and then put it all back together again. So, I definitely went into this book expecting something quite similar. Anyway, since I hadn’t been burned with the angst on Without You, I figured I had to try this. I was not disappointed.

There is a piece in this book that the author calls “an unconventional triangle”, which **small spoiler** may cause some people to be overly cautious about reading it. Don’t, please! It is usually a piece that I don’t want to read either, but the author did it very well. Honestly, the author made it very real life. Life is about choices, day to day, week to week, year over year. And in this case, the heart had made its choice years before.

It was obvious from the first chapter how in love these two MC’s were with each other. They just were not bright enough to figure out that they other one was also in love with them, despite everyone around them realizing it.

They go to Vegas, and realize that they’ve hid it from each other all these years, etc. The first half of the book is almost entirely based in Vegas, and sets up the second half of the book very well.

The MC’s were best friends before they were lovers. However, they were also family. Jordan found family in Gael, as well as with the entire Herrera family, and it was just wonderful to see how much they loved him back, no matter what. Each person in that family was there for everyone else, at all times. What a joy to read.

I cried…multiple times…reading this book, something I genuinely try to avoid. However, with this author I have done it more than once, and it’s likely I will do it again. And I’m here for it. 🙂

A big recommend, without question. Take on the Ache, but, I promise, you’ll get to your HEA.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Apparently this was a short that was included in a previous anthology. It has since been re-edited with 50,000 words added.

We’ve seen this- best friends, gay falls for straight, long drawn out angst, straight goes gay for you, happily ever after. It’s a bit that-but definitely more.

The more involves Gael’s family taking him in as their own when his parents throw him out at 17 for being gay. More is watching your best friend get engaged to a woman. More is finding out your straight best friend wants you just as badly.

I really loved that most of this book took place over a weekend in Vegas. The back story between Jordan and Gael is explained at appropriate times to move the story alone without bogging us down with their entire relationship since they were teenagers. It moved fast without sacrificing story and it had SO. MANY. FEELS. Family feels, romantic feels, friends feels, love feels. Sigh.

No one was a jerk, no one was the bad guy, no one needed to be redeemed. Just an awesome friends to lovers story that was really well done.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Living in Sydney, Australia with her family, Marley Valentine is a USA Today bestselling author and a former social worker who uses her past experiences to write real life, emotional and heartfelt contemporary romance.

She enjoys mixing it up with both M/F and M/M Romance incorporating all forms of life, lust and love as her characters embark on their journey to their happily ever after.

When she’s not busy writing her own stories, she spends most of her time immersed in the words of her favourite authors.

Marley enjoys interacting with her readers so please feel free to reach out to her via Facebook, Instagram, email and/or subscribe to her newsletter.

Connect with Marley:
Website: https://www.marleyvbooks.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarleyVNL
Audio Newsletter: https://bit.ly/MarleyVAudio
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2VuYfg8
Instagram: http://bit.ly/MVBooksIG
Twitter: http://bit.ly/MarleyTwitter
BookBub: http://bit.ly/MVBookBub
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Un7EdJ
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/MVGoodreads

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Excerpt, Book Review, New Release Book Blast, New Release Review, Quick Reviews, Release Day Review, TCO Exclusives Tagged With: author, blog tour, Blog Tours, book, Book Excerpts, Book Reviews, excerpt, exclusive, gay, lgbtq, m/m romance, Marley Valentine, mmromance, new release, review, romance

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

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

8 hours ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨It’s cover reveal day for BLUEBIRD DAY by @ryecoxauthor releasing November 16th!What you will find inside…🔥Fake Boyfriend❄️Holiday Romance 🔥Slow Burn❄️Stranded Together on a ski lift🔥Sworn Off Love❄️Chinese MC🔥MM Romance There's always something to look forward to after a shitstorm.David LiuI thought nothing could be worse than being cheated on, then my ex proves me wrong by parading around his affair partner at our cousin's wedding.It's a week and a half long event at a ski lounge, and I'm stuck watching their sickening PDA. Not only that, my ex is set on rubbing his new relationship in my face at every chance he can get.As if things aren't complicated enough, my ex's other cousin offers himself as a buffer.Jensen lives abroad and is the free spirit of his family. I'm warned against him. He's known as a bit of a Casanova, and I allegedly fall in love with any man who can make me laugh (which I do not! I vow never to love again).But Jensen's more than just the funny guy who's helping me keep my ex off my back. The more time we spend together, the more I want to dive straight into complicated and forget all about my vow of singlehood.Even if it's all fake, I know he's mine to keep.Bluebird Day is a standalone fake dating MM holiday romance featuring endless banter, one nosy family, an MC who swore off love (who's he kidding?), stranded on a ski lift ;), and a slow burn that ends in the sweetest happily ever after.Cover Credit:Illustrations by Rho3x, Typography by Getcovers#coverreveal #ryecox #mmromance #holidayromance The Author Agency ...

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

8 hours ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨TEASER: EVERY NOVEMBER by @authorbecbenson releasing October 21st!Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥hurt/comfort🔥hookups to lovers🔥long distance situationship🔥insta-lust/emotional slow burn🔥mental health themes/rep🔥marking🔥mutual piningTwo thousand miles. Eleven months. One night a year in a town neither of us lives in anymore.MARCUSGoing home is a performance. One I’ve rehearsed my whole life, even if I’m not sure why I keep showing back up.Then I met him.Evan is confident, happy, free in a way I’m immediately drawn to. Our chance encounter was only meant to be a one-time thing – a way for us to blow off some steam while we were both in town for the holiday.But three years later, I find myself looking forward to going home in a way I never thought possible. Evan is the first good thing in my life in a long time. Which is exactly how I know it won't last.EVANI have a great life in Seattle with good friends and my dream job, but it still feels like something is missing.Maybe it’s being so far from my family. Going home to see them is always one of the highlights of my year.Even more so since meeting Marcus.I know our situation is meant to be a holiday fling, but after three years of hotel rooms and opening up to each other in a way that feels like so much more, it’s hard not to wonder what we could be – if he’d give us the chance.Are we strong enough to survive the distance, or is one night a year all we’ll ever get?Every November is a standalone MM romance with a long-distance situationship, mutual pining, and hurt/comfort themes. HEA guaranteed.#becbenson #hookuptoloversromance The Author Agency ...

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

8 hours ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨TEASER: TEMPT by @authoremlindsey & @coraroseauthor releasing October 14th!Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥Forbidden Romance🔥Forced Proximity🔥Double Monster 🍆, 🔥Breeding Kink🔥Hurt/Comfort🔥Sex Pollen🔥Deaf Human and Scarred MonsterWhen portals from another world split open the sky, humanity braces for war… only to discover the monsters from Erethar aren’t here to conquer. They need something from humans. Something oddly specific in order to survive.But being a Deaf man, they’ve wanted nothing to do with me. At least, up until I meet a very high-ranking monster in Las Vegas.My night with Eissa is meant to be a one-time thing with very specific rules, but when we get back home, he’s there, and still cornering me in dark alleys to take what he wants.Unfortunately, just as I’ve decided to move on, I become a target of an anti-monster faction, and I have no other choice but to take sanctuary on Erethar……as a newly contracted Vyastil companion to none other than Eissa himself.While Eissa hasn’t changed, here on Erethar it’s becoming obvious there’s more to his story than I thought. And if I play my cards right and learn exactly how to tempt him, he may be willing to do more than just take what I have to offer.He may be willing to keep me.My name is Luca, and I’m working my gym-tightened ass off to win the heart of a scarred Vyastil who needs more than just a little romp in the sheets.You’re welcome, Eissa.Tempt is the third book in the MM Monster Romance series Feed and Feast. It contains a touch-averse monster with scars both inside and out, a gym-bro human who has no idea how he got himself into this predicament, an Eretharian pet who likes to rearrange furniture, political intrigue, rebellion, and a little high treason…you know, as a treat. This book is high heat, high swoon, and ends with a happily ever after.#corarose #emlindsey #monsterromance The Author Agency ...

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

8 hours ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨TEASER: THE LOCKDOWN MANN by @rileyhartwrites releasing October 22nd! Why you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥Second Chance🔥Single Father 🔥Secret Relationship 🔥Professional Football Players 🔥Competitive MCs🔥Anonymous Online Messaging 🔥MM RomanceDesmondI was sixteen years old when I met Oakley Manning during a family beach vacation. He was funny, gorgeous, as obsessed with football as I was, and hurting after his mom abandoned him.For two weeks, we were inseparable. Oakley made me feel complete, settling something inside me.Then one night, I kissed him…and he kissed me back.When he walked away afterward, I pretended it hurt less than it did. It’s a lesson that’s stuck with me—the people I want never choose me back. OakleyEverything about what I shared with Desmond Jackson was perfect.Then, on the last morning of our trip, my ex-girlfriend-slash-best friend dropped a bomb: “I’m pregnant.” For the sake of the baby, we decided to make it work.Eleven years later, Serena and I are still best friends, but our relationship is over, though we haven’t told anyone. Between her mom’s recent diagnosis and our daughter, we aren’t ready for more complications.Enter Des, recently traded to L.A.’s second pro football team—my team being the first. Now he’s always in my periphery, infuriating and needling me…and still capable of making my pulse race. Our chemistry is as combustive as ever. Des worships my body in ways I’ve never experienced, but he doesn’t believe in forever, and I can’t do casual.We compete at everything, but he doesn’t know he’s already won my heart. I just hope it’s a prize he wants…and that my world won’t implode if I have him.#rileyhart #mmromance The Author Agency ...

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

1 day ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
My review: The Spare Affair by Ella Frank and Brooke BlaineIf you read book one, you would expect book 2. The "spare" and the man his brother was previously engaged to. Sent to Soltera to mend fences, Gabriel is faced with anther prince who is holding a serious grudge.Yes, many of the things Alejandro did to Gabriel or scheduled for Gabriel were amusing. But I didn't think the hate was all that warranted. Just because Gabriel shares the same face as his twin brother?The "let's get it out of our systems" and the "rules" were totally cliche.But when they finally let themselves have feelings *gasp* they were more fun to read.What caused the third act break up was silly. No spoilers but I just want to say DUH!!!It was a fun read, nothing unexpected or original but Frank/Blaine books are always entertaining.3 1/2 Pieces of Eye Candy ...

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