Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy
Sharing our love of M/M Romance
Let the Sparks fly” “Sometimes we need to lose ourselves and become invisible to the outside world. It’s the only way I know to find me again and drown out all the negatives.
[Read more…] about Passion’s Pride by Piper Kay: Release Day Blitz, Excerpt and Giveaway
A story of two men and the boundless love that forever changed them.
Vannguard Shaw has spent the last ten years serving a life sentence and adjusting to the ache of solitude. He accepts his fate, a sacrifice for the only man he ever loved and the one person who saw beyond his rough edges.
Drayton grew up with a trust fund and pre-planned future, but an unexpected encounter one night forces him to abandon everything and start from scratch. He is now a self-made man and developer of one of the most sought after electric exotic automobiles in the world with a fortune greater than that of his birthright. Yet, he’d surrender it all—again—for the only man who’s still ever-present in his heart.
After a decade and entirely too much distance between them, Vann is suddenly released back into a world that has been nothing but cruel. Drayton never lost hope they would once again reunite and pick up where they left off, but Vann’s stubborn nature and repeated encounters with a heartbreaking world prove to be a challenge.
Vann needs to tap into his fighting spirit’s reservoir of strength and hope life doesn’t punish him for taking a chance. Only then will he realize his own value and feel worthy enough to finally have Drayton’s heart. And their chance at forever.
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* Although part of a series, this full-length novel can be read as a stand-alone. *Word count: 124K
“Emotionally, beautiful and inspiring” – Amanda L Amazon Reviewer
“A great addition to this series. One of the most romantic books I’ve read this year.” – Bayou Book Junkie
“Overall…Their story is beautiful, heartbreaking, inspiring, sexy, and moving.” – Two Book Pushers
There are a lot of second chance love stories out there in the world. But I really don’t know that I’ve read one like this. One of them knowing where the other is (prison) and working to get him out. And the other having no idea what is going on- until he is released. Right into the arms of his first love and the man he went to prison for.
Oftentimes with this trope there is a lot of push and pull. One character pushing the other toward reconciliation and the other fighting it tooth and nail. Instead, we found two men who were separated by a decade and a lifetime of experience,getting to know each other all over again, falling in love all over again.
Both of them are so SO damaged- but they don’t use that against each other. Vann tries to use his damage- quite often- as a reason that Dray should walk away. Vann has accepted his lot in life- forever the ex con who will never be as good as Dray. But he doesn’t feel sorry for himself. It is more of a realist attitude. And while it could have gone overboard with the platitudes of Dray reassuring Vann- it never happens. He reassures him, he loves him, he is THERE for him. Which is exactly what Vann needs.
There was also a whole story line about what Drayton had been doing with his life for the past ten years and how he was trying to draw Vann into that life. Some of it was a bit of a stretch for me- but it also reinforced what kind of men they were, Vann refused to have anything handed to him and Dray wasn’t going to buy his love or trust.
Matt and Julian feature fairly prominently (as they should since Vann is staying at their halfway house) and we got some great cameos from previous characters.
There is a slow build of sexual tension since they don’t get much alone time at all in the beginning. What they do get is seriously hot. When they get alone time- whew! Have a fire extinguisher handy.
This is a must read that can be a stand alone- but you should really read them all. Excellent writing, great characters and a moving story.
Favorite Line: “The only positive of being away from you for so long is that now I get to enjoy falling for you all over”
4.5 pieces of eye candy
“You’re cute when you don’t get your way.”
How far would you go for the man of your dreams?
Now that he’s single, Chicago businessman Jordan Monroe can finally take his long-desired trip to Mackinac Island for the Somewhere In Time fan celebration weekend. On the first day, Jordan finds himself attracted to Miles Colter, a handsome local stable owner who is giving horseback tours of film locations.
Jordan is surprised and charmed that Miles pursues him. When Jordan learns the stable is in trouble, he wants to help despite Miles’s resistance. As their relationship grows personally and professionally, Jordan dreads the issues that face them—an ex who won’t let him go, the complications of a long-distance relationship, and a secret he knows he shouldn’t be keeping.
Can Jordan and Miles find a way to forge a love as timeless as the romance in their favorite film?
States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.
Title: Somewhere on Mackinac
Author: Jeff Adams
Release Date: May 3, 2017
Category: Contemporary, States of Love
Pages: 113
I’m happy to close out the blog tour for “Somewhere on Mackinac” here at Two Chick Obsessed.
Somewhere on Mackinac is part of Dreamspinner’s States of Love series, which sets romances in each of the fifty U.S. States. The book is set on Mackinac Island, Michigan and is the story of Jordan, a visitor from Chicago, a Miles, an Island native who runs his family’s horse stable. They meet because of the Somewhere in Time fan celebration weekend taking place at the Grand Hotel. They both love the 1980 film starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour and it’s what initially draws them together.
Of course, even in the early stages of love there are obstacles to overcome. As you might have guessed, the fact these two live apart will be an issue. Chicago isn’t all that far from Mackinac, but it takes some effort to get there. It’s about seven hours with a car/ferry trip or three by plane. It’s not exactly a trip you’d make on a whim. For both guys, the distance factor is a significant one for a number of reasons.
As if distance weren’t enough, each of them at least one other thing going on that makes starting a relationship more difficult.
For Jordan, he’s also got ex-boyfriend baggage. Drake is suddenly makes moves about wanting him back and he’s going to some extraordinary lengths to try to get Jordan back. It’s the last thing Jordan needs as he’s thinking about starting something new. Plus, the reasons he broke it off with Drake haven’t gone away.
There’s also trouble with Miles’s business. The family stable is in trouble and while Miles doesn’t know what to do about it he’s also one of those men who doesn’t want to ask for help. Jordan, however, has the skills to help but getting Miles to accept assistance might be more difficult than actually saving the business.
Love can be a minefield of so many different issues, and yet it can be so worth it in the end. I hope you’ll pick up Somewhere on Mackinac and see how the magical place, combined with the guys’ favorite movie, work to help them see past the problems they run into.
The excerpt below gives you a glimpse of how Jordan discovers Miles needs help.
There’s also a Rafflecopter below where you can enter for the chance to win a free copy of the book. Feel free to leave question and comments as well. I’ll stop back over the coming days to leave responses. Thanks for stopping to check out Somewhere on Mackinac!
Suddenly, Miles’s voice was in the distance, and he didn’t sound happy. I couldn’t make out everything he was saying, but it was a heated discussion. Hopefully I could sit here, since I was off the road, and he’d ride by so there wouldn’t need to be an awkward moment.
“You realize this could be the end of our family business, right?” he asked.
The soft clip-clop of his horse was all I heard for a few moments.
“I bought you out because it was the right thing to do. Can’t you reinvest some of that money to help clean up your mistakes?”
He was right behind me.
“You may have left, but I still live here. It’s not my fault you got bored. I would’ve taken over everything and you know it.”
I willed myself to become one with the bench as the horse stopped.
“I gotta go.”
I held my breath, hoping he’d nudge the horse into moving. Silence prevailed. Maybe Miles was considering the conversation. Maybe he had a way to make horses go stealth. Maybe he was staring at the back of my head.
“How much did you hear?”
Option three was right.
I pivoted on the bench to look at him atop Wildfire. Of course, Miles looked great in a red plaid shirt and blue jeans along with the denim jacket I’d first seen him in. What I didn’t like were the worry lines around his eyes, or the way his forehead was deeply furrowed.
“Enough.” There was no reason for me to lie. “Anything I can do to help?”
“Not unless you’ve got a way to make my brother stop being a self-obsessed ass.”
I shrugged. “’Fraid I don’t have a fix for that.”
“Well, I’m sorry I disturbed you. I should get going, but hopefully I’ll see you later.”
Before Wildfire could even get a couple of steps, I got up and approached. He pulled back on Wildfire’s reins and the animal obediently stopped.
“Sounded like you’re having business problems.” I approached Wildfire so I could rub his nose. “Maybe I could help with that?”
“I’m not sure anyone can.” Miles tensed in the saddle.
“Business strategy is what I do.” I looked up at him. “I’ve never worked with a stable, but I’m happy to offer any guidance if I can.”
His sigh sounded like a breath he’d held for years.
“Honestly, it’d be good to talk to someone who doesn’t live here. Trying to keep it under wraps to keep the gossip down isn’t easy. Luckily, Mr. Walker at the bank maintains discretion.”
“Tight cash flow?”
“That’s part of it.” The tension in his voice implied there was a lot more to the story. “You really think you could help?”
“Maybe. Whether I can or can’t, I’ll certainly keep your confidence.”
Miles dismounted, and the horse gave a sound of protest while cocking his head to look at his rider.
“It’s okay, boy. I got something for you.” He pulled an apple from his jacket pocket, which the horse eagerly snatched. “See, it’s all good.”
The smile Miles had for the horse was unburdened and reminded me of the one I’d received from him just yesterday. He talked quietly to the animal as he led him to a tree to tie him up.
“You sure you want to hear this? You’re on vacation after all.”
“Tell me.” I gestured back to the bench.
As a teenager, I remember watching Somewhere in Time over and over. (It’s been many years since I’ve watched it, but I have it on order now! 🙂 ) I loved the tragic, but happily ever after story. So getting the chance to be reminded of that with Somewhere on Mackinac was not something I was going to pass up, and Jeff did a fantastic job interweaving Richard and Elise’s story gently throughout. He didn’t retell the story, he simply impressed upon the reader how important this movie was to both the MC’s.
I’ve been enjoying the States of Love series with Dreamspinner Press, because it is low angst, with the inevitable HEA, but also stretches out to find the little known pieces of the states we know and love. With this story, Jeff shows us all the little things about Mackinac Island, Michigan that most readers weren’t aware of: cars still not allowed, the Grand Hotel, even the tree from the movie.
Jordan and Miles are sweet together, as they venture into a short term relationship. As Jordan hides a secret, they find they are becoming more, and that adds stress to that new relationship. Finding a way through the secrets, and into a life together is a bit of a challenge for them, but all good relationships come with time, compromise and a willingness to try.
Of course there is an HEA, because all love stories must have one (even Richard and Elise’s), but my absolute favorite part of this was just reliving the joy from the movie from an entirely new angle. What a joy to bring these two things together.
4 pieces of eye candy
Jeff’s written stories since he was in middle school and became a gay romance writer in 2009 when his first short stories were published.
Jeff lives in rural Northern California with his husband of twenty years, Will. Some of his favorite things include the musicals Rent and [title of show], the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey teams, and the reality TV competition So You Think You Can Dance. If forced to pick his favorite book it would be a tie between Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and David Levithan’s Every Day.
He also co-hosts the weekly show Jeff & Will’s Big Gay Fiction Podcast with his husband. You can learn more at BigGayFictionPodcast.com.
Links:
Website: http://jeffadamswrites.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeffAndWill/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterJeffAdams
When Zachary Hall leaves Utah for a job in Washington, it’s finally his chance to live as a gay man and maybe find someone special. In a bar he meets Thomas Scarborough, a man who seems perfect in and out of the bedroom. But Thomas never dates. He never even sleeps with the same man twice. Despite their instant connection, he can offer Zachary only his friendship, and Zachary is looking for more.
Thomas is tempted to break his own rules, but years before, he became the victim of a stalker who nearly destroyed his life. Even though his stalker died, Thomas obsessively keeps others at a distance. Despite his fascination with Zachary, he is unable to lower his barriers. Frustrated, Zachary accepts he will never have what he wants with Thomas and soon finds it with another man.
But young gay men in Washington, DC are being murdered, and the victims all have a connection to Thomas. Once again someone is watching Thomas’s every move. Can it be a coincidence? When the depraved killer turns his attention toward Zachary, Thomas must face the demons of his past—or lose his chance to open his heart to Zachary forever.
Title: Every Breath You Take
Author: Robert Winter
Release Date: May 5, 2017
Category: Mystery/Suspense
Pages: 240
What can I say about this book without giving away too much? First, it takes the Police song (which no one at the time it came out realized was really a song about stalking) and puts a bit of an edge on it.
Thomas who self professes to be promiscious, is stalked until he has to leave his home, his family and his job and start over in Washington. But the worst part is how he handles it emotionally. He cuts himself off from anything that will allow him to feel close to someone. The sex is fine, but never a date, never a connection. He was so emotionally damaged, it isn’t difficult to see how his answer was to not allow anyone near enough to hurt him again.
With Zachary coming into the picture, there is such a connection, Thomas has a hard time denying it…yet he does. Often. Almost any chance he gets, which only causes more pain to both of them. Then you add in the suspense of murders that are connected somehow to Thomas, and you have the makings of a book that will keep you up late at night.
Finding a balance between suspense and romance is not easy. The author needs to keep the reader connected to the characters, and in this case characters who are not together other than physically for most of the book, as well as create a mysterious plot that even has the reader wondering who it is that is committing these heinous crimes.
One thing this book needed, and Robert Winter gave to the reader, was the POV of the killer. It allowed you to see what kind of mind was being dealt with. The man was literally insane. (I said online that I would likely never think of the word Beloved the same way again, and after having finished the book, it will still stand true.) The reader needed to see that. Not just that the killings happened, but the level that this man went to to have Thomas as his own. Side note here…how crazy is Robert Winter to be able to see that mind and be able to write it? Well done here. It kept me glued to the edge of my seat every time the stalker came onto the page.
Since I rarely read anything truly suspenseful, this was a departure from my normal reads. However, I found myself so engaged, wanting to know what happened next, and how this would play out, I read this ravenously. (Thank goodness I had no kids that needed dinner or to be transported or just to live 🙂 ) The tiny little pieces here and there gave me the clues I needed to hopefully help the MC’s find the killer in time. (I helped, right?)
One thing that didn’t quite work well for me was the epilogue. It almost seemed to be written after the rest of the book or by a different author. It didn’t quite feel completely true to the characters previous dialogue. Not enough to pull me out of the story, but enough to make me wonder if it was added later as an afterthought. However, I will also say because there was not a ton of interaction between the MC’s throughout the book, it could have been due to that.
Overall, very well done suspense and romantic pairing. I hope to read more from this author as he continues to venture into this genre.
4 pieces of eye candy
“His name is Salvatore Rossi. He’s a vampire. And he’s my true mate.”
By not relying on anyone except himself, Salvatore Rossi escaped a dead-end existence and reached the height of corporate success. But just when he has everything he always wanted, fate throws Salvatore a challenge he can’t solve alone and a young wolf shifter comes to his rescue.
Since childhood, Yoram Smith’s family was certain he would grow to become Alpha and save their beloved pack from its slow demise. When the time comes for a new leader, Yoram is forced to juggle his duty to care for a splintering pack with his duty to care for an absent mate, and his own strength suffers.
Being turned into a vampire didn’t alter Salvatore’s life philosophy: if you don’t rely on anyone, nobody can let you down. But when the boy who saved his life becomes a man who needs his help, the icy vampire must find his humanity.
Title: To Touch You
Author: Cardeno C.
Publisher: The Romance Authors, LLC
Genre: Gay romance paranormal (shifter/vampire)
Series: Mates (each book is a standalone about a different couple)
ISBN: 9781942184690
ASIN: B072KY67NL
Cover Artist: J.K. Hogan
Release Date: May 4, 2017
Word count: 66,181
Page Count: 260
I have been waiting for another Mates book for probably close to two years now and hot damn was it worth the wait.
Salvatore Rossi is on the fast track with his career. He has no time for friends, family or relationships. Then a chance meeting with a 7 year old boy in an alley in Miancarem sets his life on an entirely different course. His only salvation is choosing the long life of a vampire over the decidedly shorter life of a cancer riddled human.
Yoram Smith is a strong wolf, and he’s known since he was seven years old that he has a true mate out there. He’s even met the man, but as the years go on and Yoram grows into an alpha wolf he begins to wonder if his mate will ever come to him. 27 now, he hasn’t seen his mate in a decade with no signs of the man. He feels like he’s about to come apart at the seams now that he’s the Alpha and he’s being pulled in a million directions with no relief in sight.
Salvatore has made it a point to stay away. He doesn’t do any kind of relationship and he doesn’t understand the “true mate” thing everyone keeps telling him about. What he does know is that the pull to be near Yoram is getting harder to deny. When he can’t take it anymore he makes the trip from Vegas to Miancarem. He doesn’t expect to find his mate about to unravel at the seams. The stress of juggling pack needs with his own needs are wearing him down.
Sal and Yoram will need to work together to get the pack to embrace change and their relationship while learning to trust each other with their own needs.
This book was amazing. When Sal and Yoram were apart my heart was breaking for Yorry. You could feel the despair and hopelessness hop off the page at you. It made me want to throttle Sal for being so damn stubborn. Once they got it together, hot dog the chemistry was off the charts. If this is where the Mates series ends, it was a great story to end with.
“I’ll gladly give up forever to touch you.”
How does your heart not melt?!?
5 pieces of eye candy
Author Website: http://www.cardenoc.com/en/book/to-touch-you
When true love is a lie and pleasure turns to pain.
Adam Webb spent most of his teenage years in love with his best friend, Gabriel Connor, only to be thrown out of their shared apartment when he finally found the courage to reveal his feelings.
Seven months later, Adam’s effort to save their lost friendship finds him more than he ever asked for. After all, being thrown out has to be better than thrown into a wall. However, Adam isn’t ready to give up. Trapped and isolated in a dangerous relationship, he falls deeper and deeper into Gabriel’s world.
Despite Adam’s attempts to push them away, his friends are determined to help, but the man who fights hardest is Cameron McCain, Adam’s photography teacher—a man who treasures what Gabriel does not.
They say love should conquer all. But when passion breeds fear and love turns toxic, will Adam make the right choice?
This was my first read by Avylinn Winter. I wanted to read and review because I don’t think that there is enough representation of domestic violence in gay romance- especially in young adult gay romance. And, unfortunately, I didn’t love it. It was *okay*, but it could have been so much more.
The entire tone of the book was rather flat. It was told from only Adam’s point of view, and while there is noting inherently wrong with that, it just didn’t ring completely true for me. Maybe there wasn’t enough build up to the romantic relationship as they were long time friends first. If there was more…pining on Adam’s part. Or showing what great friends they were to each other first, then Adam nearly immediately accepting Gabe’s ultimatum to stay in the closet and the (yes, I am going to say this) date rape would make more sense.
This is subject matter that needs to be spoken about more often. But the story needs to hit deeper.
Pieces of Candy: 2.5