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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

3 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
Rebound Control by Jodi OliverMy review! Enthusiastic 5 pieces of eye candy!!!This is a very rare 5 POEC for me. I could probably pick it apart to bring it to 4.5 but I'm not going to. I have also never identified with a male pro hockey player in my life until I started reading this book.This is book 5, but I haven't read the previous 4. This stands alone really well.Elliott is the goalie for a pro hockey team in Chicago. His twin brother is also on the team. And as is with a lot of twins, they are almost opposites. And now that his twin is married, Elliott is feeling more than a little left out.What is obvious to the reader (or at least to me) is that he has a pretty heavy case of ADHD. Which also makes him feel his feelings VERY strongly. Elliott doesn't know this and just thinks he is different and weird. All of the fun things kids in school used to call him.When he meets Hunter- oh those feelings. And then he runs into Hunter (sort of). More feelings. Then he goes to see him- FEELINGS.The person who doesn't want feelings is Hunter. TOO BAD. Feel them! lolHunter, the full time firefighter and former Navy SEAL who lives with his uncle after his husband died in a house fire. He does not want love to then lost it again. We all know how that goes.Hunter and Elliott are sooooooo perfect together. For a guy who didn't want love again, he is the most loving and attentive guy to Elliott. Like swoony without being cheesy. And really, the way Hunter treats Elliott is something we should all aspire to have.Although it is briefly addressed but not formerly diagnosed in the book, Elliott is probably also a bit autistic. He has sensory issues and a bit of a childlike joy that you just don't often see in grown men. Especially big pro hockey players.The love these two men had for each other was so pure and perfect. Swoon ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

4 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨Let’s celebrate! It’s release day for REBOUND CONTROL by @jodioliverauthor! Grab it in KU!#OneClickHeremybook.to/ReboundControlWhy you need to #ONECLICK this book…🏒🚒Hockey goalie x Firefighter🏒🚒Praise🏒🚒ADHD rep🏒🚒Late night ice cream drives🏒🚒Found FamilyElliotHow is it possible to be surrounded by people who love me, yet I still feel alone?Everyone is falling in love, and it’s like I’ve been left on the outside.I want that for myself, but the thought of putting myself out there is terrifying.Growing up being told you’re ‘too much’ puts a dent in your confidence, no matter how hard you try to hide it.Until one day, Lieutenant Hunter Bowen finds me trapped in an elevator.His kind words and gentle smile only heightens the crush I have on him, and when he asks me to join him one night, I push my fears aside and say yes.I’m great at controlling the rebound on the ice, but when it comes to bruised hearts?I guess we’ll find out.HunterWhen I became a widower seven years ago, my entire world was flipped upside down.I needed a fresh start, so I left the military and moved across the country, and vowed never to fall in love again.That was until I met Elliot Olsen.The guy who has the brightest smile, the biggest heart, and a whole heap of unspoken emotions.I try to keep my heart at a distance, but the fire burns too bright between us to ignore.The only problem is I’ve been here before, and I don’t know if I can risk having my heart torn apart again.Rebound Control is a sports romance featuring a hockey goaltender and a firefighter. It includes ADHD rep, a protective mc, late night ice cream drives and all the Thunder found family vibes.It is book five in the Chicago Thunder series and can be read as a standalone.#newrelease #jodioliver #hockeyromance The Author Agency🏒🚒 ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

4 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨ TEASER: PLAYING FOR THE PRESIDENT’S DAUGHTER by @authorkimberlyknight & @rachellynadams releasing February 2nd! Pre-Order now at your favorite book vendor as it will be exclusive to Amazon on release day! #PreOrderNowbooks2read.com/u/3nLogBWhy you will love this book…🔥MMF🔥Baseball Romance🔥Friends to Lovers🔥Double Biawakening🔥Polyamory🔥StepbrotherThe president’s daughter shouldn’t be sharing a bed with two men. She definitely shouldn’t still be thinking about them after one night together.Faye Donnelley lives with every move photographed or judged. She can handle gossip blogs and political narratives, but what she really wants is something that isn’t for public consumption. One Fourth of July with two college baseball players finally gives her a night that isn’t for cameras or anyone outside that room.Dylan Statler and Jase Matthewson are best friends, stepbrothers, and college teammates with dreams of making it to the big leagues. Hooking up with the president’s daughter was supposed to be a one-time thing. Except they can’t stop checking Faye’s socials or replaying how it felt with her pressed between them, their hands and mouths all over her.After Dylan and Jase are drafted by different teams hundreds of miles apart, their private group text with Faye turns into stolen weekends, hotel rooms, and late-night video calls they can’t resist. It starts to feel like they aren’t just playing for their careers, but for the president’s daughter, and for something between the guys they can’t ignore. If their relationship gets exposed, Faye could become a political talking point while sports media outlets dissect Dylan and Jase’s personal lives instead of their stats. That fallout would be bad enough, but when a terrifying moment shakes their world, it forces them to decide if they’re willing to risk it all or walk away from a relationship that only works when all three are together.✨INFLUENCERS: Sign up to review this awesome release: bit.ly/pftpdsignup#kimberlyknight #rachellynadams #mmfromance The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

5 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
Ruthless: Park Avenue Kings Book 5 by Ella Frank and Brooke BlaineMy review:Book 4 left me wanting. It focused so much on Theo and Shep and their relationship that the plot got lost. And there was plot there to be had. And then...CLIFFHANGER! So this book picks up right where book 4 left off. In the jungles of Brazil. Theo has been kidnapped, King and Shep are trying to find him. I'll leave all of that there.Back in New York, the plot (and the kidnapping plot) start to come into focus. The who and the why. But also the anger at not only King, but the others in the group for doubting Theo and for not being more careful.Again, I think things were wrapped up a little too easily and quickly and then the focus was back on the relationship. But at least no cliffhangers.There's one book left in the series and I will definitely read it because I hate leaving things undone. But I am definitely seeing the formula that these authors use in the series that they write.4 Pieces of Eye Candy ... See MoreSee Less

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Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

5 days ago

Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
✨Let’s celebrate! It’s release day for RUTHLESS by @ellafrank1 & @brookeblaine1! Grab it in KU!#OneClickHeregeni.us/ruthlesspakWhy you need to #ONECLICK this book…🔥MM Romance🔥Billionaire🔥Alpha Heroes🔥Royalty🔥Friends to Lovers🔥Workplace Romance🔥Secret Romance🔥Anti-heroesThey called him America’s golden son.Now he’s the man who’d burn the world for a prince.When Prince Theodore Rinaldi vanishes, Shepard “Shep” Winchester III will do anything to bring him back.What starts as a mission of duty ignites into a forbidden obsession—one that blurs every line between loyalty and love.Back in New York, the Kings are under attack, their secrets exposed, their brotherhood fractured.And when an attempt on Theo’s life plays out in front of flashing cameras, the world sees what they were never meant to: a touch too intimate, a look too raw.Shep is the son of American power.Theo is European royalty.And in a world built on loyalty, betrayal, and lies, love might be the most ruthless act of all.Ruthless (Park Avenue Kings #5) is the second book in a duet within the Park Avenue Kings series.Merciless (Park Avenue Kings #4) is the first and should be read before Ruthless.Books 1-3 can be read as standalone novels.��Grab book 1 in this duet, Merciless, available in KU: geniu.us/mercilesspak#newrelease #ellafrank #brookeblaine #mmromance The Author Agency ... See MoreSee Less

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