release day review

Thin Ice: MM Small Town/Hockey Romance (The Elmwood Stories Book 4) by Lane Hayes: Release Day Review and IG Giveaway

May 20, 2024 by Denise

The hunky dad, the hockey coach, and a new start…

Bryson

Elmwood isn’t good for my love life. Hey, I’m a positive person and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about small-town living, but I haven’t had a date in years. That’s fine—my son is and always has been my number one focus.

Except now he’s grown and gone. And it’s lonely.

Okay, yes, the new hockey coach is hot and single, but he’s off-limits. Smitty’s trouble with a capital T, and his baggage might outweigh mine. Besides, we said nothing would happen after “that” night. It was a one-time, never to be repeated deal.

At least…that’s what I thought.

Smitty

Am I sad about retiring from pro hockey? Honestly, no. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t in pain. I need a rest and I could use a distraction from unwelcome memories at home. Stat.

So…Elmwood.

Look, we all know I won’t last a whole season of coaching high school kids, but stepping in till they find a better candidate is a good temporary plan. And Bryson’s here.

There’s something about the hot dad with the sunny smile and bad dad jokes that makes me feel alive again. I’m not in the market for forever—been there, done that. Look, I’ve taken risks for my sport, but I’m not giving my heart away again. I know thin ice when I see it.

Or do I?

Thin Ice is an MM bisexual, age-gap, small-town romance featuring a silver fox dad, the new hockey coach, and a fresh start on solid ground.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

I’ve really loved this series so far. The small town is so quaint without being Mayberry-like. The small town quirks are so accurate without going over the top. And of course- hot hockey guys hooking up with regular folk. Is it a bit of a stretch to have so many out gay former players? Sure. Ask me if I care. HA!

We’ve seen Bryson in previous books. Local realtor and father to an up and coming AHL player shooting for NHL. He’s also out and proud but has really focused on his business and his son. Always putting his son first.

Except when he hooks up with his son’s hockey nemesis. But it’s just a one off, so no big whoop, right?

Right….but Smitty is retiring. And Elmwood’s brand spanking new high school needs a hockey coach. And even though Smitty has a job lined up in a few months, he agrees to be an interim coach. Which means he needs someplace to live. So he needs Bryson- the realtor.

The antics come to fruition when they become neighbors. Smitty wants more of the hooking up. Bryson is trying to hold back. But between Smitty’s really ridiculous attempts to get Bryson’s attention (borrowing ONE teaspoon of sugar) and Bryson’s so lame you have to laugh dad jokes, being neighbors is suddenly very convenient.

Watching Smitty really find a purpose in coaching kids with no skill (save one), come to a bit of a truce with Bryson’s son, and integrating himself into the community is a joy.

Watching Bryson try to pretend nothing is going on is comical.

And again, it seems that this book has a bit of a time jump (a year or 2?) from the previous book so we really get to see previous main characters settled into their lives. Living in Elmwood and being happy.

The only thing that kind of bothered me was that Bryson had a bit of a past. But besides when he tells Smitty about it, it’s not mentioned at all. Ok, once or twice more with a sentence. But you’d think that would be a big part of his personality and it would be more at the forefront.

But anyway, it certainly didn’t take away from the story which I thoroughly enjoyed.

More gay hockey players move to Elmwood please!

4 pieces of eye candy

Immersion Play (Leather and Lattes Book 1) by Katherine McIntyre: Release Day Review * 2

May 20, 2024 by Denise

One bratty boy searching for somewhere to call home, one damaged Daddy Dom looking to escape his grief, and one kinky found family ready to help them both heal.

Micah’s starting over. He left his old life in the middle of the night and showed up in San Francisco on a job tip from a friend. However, when Meg hires him at Whipped, he not only enters a new city but also a whole new world with this cozy crew of kinksters. And one man continues to catch his attention again and again.

Parker doesn’t do relationships. After his mom died and his father became a shell of himself, he swore never to let anyone wreck him like that. Except Micah’s gotten under his skin. The hot new barista at Whipped isn’t as vanilla as they all thought, and he’s the brattiest boy that Parker could’ve ever dreamed of playing with. The connection between them? Incendiary.

However, the deeper their relationship grows, the more Micah’s realizing he can’t just be casual with Parker—not anymore. The man’s made a mark on his soul, inspired dreams Micah had never even thought to reach for. But if Parker isn’t willing to bend his rules to risk his heart, the two of them are definitely going to break.

Enter Whipped, a unique cafe that caters to coffee and kink addicts alike…

Amazon – All Regions

This was a fun into to a new book series. I’m definitely calling this one kink light though. But there is definitely potential for coming books to up the kink level.

The series is centered around a cafe that caters to a kink community and their attached club in San Francisco.

Micah went to college there but went home to his pretty conservative family and hometown after graduating. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of his family coupled with a crappy job send him back to SF. His best friend from college hooks him up with a job at the cafe, but he goes in knowing that it’s all about kink. He swears he is vanilla but doesn’t judge anyone for what they like.

Parker is a Dom Daddy who has seen a broken heart and doesn’t want it to happen to him. So he tries to stick to just teaching and some regular sub clients. But the new kid at the cafe….

It was fun watching Micah discover that he isn’t really that vanilla. He is so open to experiences and even watching scenes. And Micah and Parker are so flirtatious with each other. You don’t often read overt flirting for any extended amount of time. Of course Micah’s version of flirting can also come across as bratting. Which Parker LOVES.

I found this to be a great story and I really liked how Micah and Parker approached kink together. Slow and steady, always checking in, setting boundaries for themselves. I hate when a character is all “I’m new to kink so strap me to the St Andrews cross and get your worst paddle out”. Like, no. This was much more realistic without being slow or boring.

Both characters were good guys who really came alive when they were together.

Lots of fun side characters I hope we get to explore in upcoming books.

4 pieces of eye candy

This new series is already so promising. I do enjoy this author’s found family themes throughout her books, and this series looks to be along the same lines, weaving characters into the scene seamlessly.

Micah has a cr@p family, except for his sister (who is herself welcomed into the kink community they are building, later in the book). But he has a friend who he trusted enough to help him get away from the situation he was in, and helped him to find himself. Although he’d never ventured down that road, rather than expressing any disgust or unwillingness to even see what was happening, he was curious and open to other people’s wants. Meanwhile, he slowly figured out his own.

Parker was honestly tough to read about for me. Having a father that was basically disintegrating before your eyes is hard, and it brought up a bit of my own grief (that’s when you know you’ve got something good on your hands, if the author can immerse you that much). I felt for how hard he had it, but he couldn’t resist a sassy boy, Micah was his downfall.

This was a really good start to the series, and you can see a bit of what is ahead. A rich tapestry of found family, and a group brought together by kink, but kept together by their friendships. Looking forward to more books in ths Leather and Lattes series.

4 pieces of eye candy

The Science of Attraction: A Mackenzie Country Story by Jay Hogan: Book Excerpt and New Release Review

February 26, 2024 by Denise

I am Mackenzie Country born and bred. Farming the high country runs in my blood, like my father, and his father, and my great grandfather before him. My future has been mapped out for me since the day I was born. Or at least it was, until Liam Skelton walks onto Lane Station, lights a fire in my heart, and turns my whole world upside down.

Bossy, tatted, and out and proud, Liam is everything my father abhors.
And I want him.
Badly.

But having a chance with Liam means risking everything. My family. My future. And my life in these mountains that I love.
Still, the heart wants what it wants, and mine wants Liam.

With so many things against us, maybe we don’t have a chance.
Maybe we’ll crash and burn.
Or maybe we’ll find a way to have it all.

Title: The Science of Attraction

Series: Mackenzie Country #3

Author: Jay Hogan

Genre: MM Romance

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

When we arrived back at the cottage, Jules looked pretty much like I figured I did—grilled to within an inch of his life. I’d barely stepped in the door when he grabbed my hand and pulled me back out onto the veranda and proceeded to kiss me like he hadn’t seen me for months. I loved it, along with far too much of the man actually doing it considering I’d only known him a month.

“I’m so sorry,” he apologised, brushing my hair out of my eyes. “How bad were they?”

“It was fine,” I reassured him. “I just have to be nice to you if I don’t want my balls fed to Holden’s stud Angus bull while they’re still attached. A terrifying thought if I let myself dwell on it too much.”

“Oh god,” he moaned. “I’m gonna kill him.”

I laughed and grabbed his arm before he could follow through. “Forget it. Besides—” I lifted up on my toes and pressed our lips together. “—I have zero intention of being anything other than very, very nice to you.” I palmed his dick through his jeans and squeezed. “So, I figure I’m safe.”

His eyes rolled back in his head and he thrust into my hand, adding in a strangled voice, “The kennel shed out back should be friend-free if we hurry.”

“No time for that.” Zach waggled his brows at us through the window.

“Fuck me,” Jules groaned under his breath.

“I heard that.” Zach smirked. “But Gil needs a hand on the barbecue and your name was volunteered.”

“Go on.” I gave Jules a shove toward the front door and then slapped his butt on the way. “We have all night.”

He grumbled over his shoulder, “If there’s anything left of my nerves after the Gordon Ramsey of the Mackenzie is done using me as his bitch.”

I laughed and gave him another shove.

Oh man I knew this would be good, and I was right.

Full disclosure, this can be read as a stand alone, but you should really read the first two for quite a bit of back story.

Ok. Julian. Jules. Golden son. First born. Running the sheep station since his father had a stroke. His very bigoted father. The one who kicked out his other son for being gay. Which is why Julian has buried the fact that he is bisexual. That’s a can of worms he doesn’t want to open. They have enough problems with his father still trying to run the station even though he physically and mentally can’t.

So the family hired one of the best therapists in New Zealand to help Paddy with his rehabilitation. And when he just walks into the family home in the middle of a situation, Jules worries about that can of worms.

Liam is out and proud and isn’t afraid to call people out. Even people he is hired to help. Like Paddy. There’s quite a bit of tension which just reinforces Julian’s desire to bury his attraction to men. Except Liam ticks a bunch of boxes Jules didn’t even know he had.

This is a great story that really allows Julian to grow and to come into his own. He is moving the station into producing better wool, spending where it needs to be spent as an investment. Without the support of his father. Or his father’s best friend who lives there as well.

But with his father out of the day to day grind, Julian shines. He is a great boss, working right alongside the other men, never expecting them to do something he wouldn’t. Which is the biggest reason most of them know he’s been sneaking around with Liam.

I won’t say much more because there’s a lot of story there. But none of it was tedious. I gasped, I cried, I swooned, I cheered.

I will say that I love that Jay Hogan (and other authors) from New Zealand or Australia don’t pander to American readers. Kiwi slang is used often and it’s fun looking things up. Plus I feel like I learn stuff reading these books. I google everything to get a good idea of where the story takes place.

I think this one is the strongest story of the three. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books. But this one, with Julian standing up for himself, growing into his own man, I loved it.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Heart, humour and keeping it real.

Jay is a 2020 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Gay Romance and her book Off Balance was the 2021 New Zealand Romance Book of the Year.

She is a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense, primarily set in New Zealand. She writes character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality and a splash of angst. She’s travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life she was a critical care nurse, nurse educator and counsellor. Jay is owned by a huge Maine Coon cat and a gorgeous Cocker Spaniel

Find Jay in all the places: https://www.jayhoganauthor.com/landingpage

Catered All the Way: An MM Holiday Christmas Romance by Annabeth Albert: New Release Review

December 11, 2023 by Denise

Tis the season for a hopeless crush on my older brother’s best friend…

This year will be different. I’m all grown up, my gaming channel is a huge success, and I finally have the confidence to make my move on Atlas Orion, the hottest chief in the navy.

However, I don’t intend for my smooth move to be covering Atlas in cranberry sauce. Not at all how I want to reintroduce myself to my new roomie and coworker. Atlas is in town to help save Seasons, my family’s historic holiday gift shop and event space. Seasons is booked solid with catered parties, so we need to avoid any more disasters.

Like my malfunctioning air mattress. We’re down to one bed, two dudes, and a whole lot of holiday-fling temptation. Atlas has never been with a guy, but I don’t have to do much persuading. And what better way to explore than a secret romp? No strings, and no one has to know.

The problem? With every passing week, I fall harder for Atlas, who’s far more than his drool-worthy muscles and heroic job. He’s kind, funny, makes me breakfast in bed, and each midnight snowball fight brings us that much closer to heartbreak.

Atlas can’t stay in Kringle’s Crossing forever, and I can’t imagine leaving the only place I’ve called home. Our feelings run deep, but is it a holiday illusion? Can we find our way to a lasting future?

CATERED ALL THE WAY is a brand-new, full-length holiday romance from the beloved author of THE GEEK WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS. Lovers of stand-alone swoon-worthy Christmas stories will fall for this geek + military pairing. Full of spicy first times, bisexual awakening, quirky small-town residents, and guest appearances from some fan-favorite characters, this only one bed, brother’s best friend romance is sure to find a place under many trees! Dual POV and the happiest of endings guaranteed.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

I love Christmas romances. They are my version of a Hallmark Christmas movie. Except way better.

Annabeth Albert has brought us another adorable, sweet, hot romance just in time for Christmas. Set in the idyllic Kringle’s Crossing, we have Zeb, full time gaming streamer and part time cater waiter and retail worker for his family’s business. Every year he straps in to work the crazy season from Thanksgiving until Christmas. His brother’s best friend, Atlas, is due to arrive on leave from the military to help out. So Zeb finagles it so that Atlas stays with him instead of with Zeb’s brother. Not because he has a crush or anything. 😉

Atlas rather quickly realizes how attracted he is to Zeb. Which is a first for him. Zeb has no problem offering himself up on a platter for Atlas to experiment with. But of course the no strings attached experiment quickly grows strings. And they also have the shared history from when they were teens and Atlas was at their house often hanging out with Zeb’s brother.

There were actually quite a few little, or not so little, details that really caught my interest. Mostly because they gave the story and the characters that much more depth. And it wasn’t just Zeb and Atlas. But also Zeb’s brother and wife. The backgrounds of the men, their jobs, family issues and even a non-binary side character. So great to see that when if there are other LGBT+ characters they all seem to be close friends with each other. Nix worked there and was friendly, but they had their own life going on.

There were Easter eggs for those long time readers. Always fun. And selfishly, I love when a book is set in an area I sort of know. Kringle’s Crossing is fictitious, but other towns and areas mentioned were quite real.

This book will definitely hit you in the feels. Especially if you have experienced any of the situations that these characters have. Ultimately, you’ll be left with a smile and maybe a little Christmas cheer.

4 pieces of eye candy

Drama Queen (The Court Book 1) by Charlie Novak: New Release Review

December 2, 2023 by Denise

Note to self: dumping cocktails into a man’s lap does not count as a meet cute.

Accidentally throwing a jug of Sex on the Beach onto the hottest guy at drag brunch was not how I wanted to start my performance, and forgetting to ask for his name was the cherry on top.

But when he finds me online and invites me out for drinks, it seems like my chaotic shenanigans might have worked out for once. Falling into bed with West is easy, but balancing a gorgeous, rugby player boyfriend with a day job and drag is harder than dancing in eight inch heels.

And when my participation in a local drag story hour draws the ire of certain locals, it feels like everything might fall apart. West doesn’t understand why I won’t step down, but I’ve never been afraid of being myself.

Now I just need West to stand beside me. Because he’s the only man who’s ever loved me as Rory and Bubblegum Galaxy, and I won’t let that slip away.

You can call me a drama queen, but you’ll never dull my sparkle.

Content Warning: This novel contains an attempted homophobic attack, the use of slurs and violent language.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Back to Lincoln we go! This time with a new series and set of characters. Like a drag queen and a pro rugby player. I do love opposites attract.

Our rugby player is West, brother of Theo from the Heather Bay series. The drag queen is Bubblegum Galaxy and as a boy, Rory.

Some of the things I just loved about this book:

Bubblegum is an electrician during the day working with his dad and brother. His dad was a skinhead in his youth but now helps sew sequins onto his son’s costumes. And her brother is deaf so another deaf character is shown using BSL as well as the family using it while speaking.

West is a giant teddy bear. He doesn’t even play at being tough. He is just a nice guy who doesn’t want to ever make waves. He is pretty much immediately smitten by Bubblegum. He is also out so there is no sexuality struggle that we see often.

Bubblegum was definitely the main character of the book. How could she not be in all of her fabulousness?

The story also highlighted the utter ridiculousness of people protesting drag queen story hours. How it is just what the right has decided to focus their vitriol on even though it doesn’t affect their lives AT ALL. And how just one threat can make people scared to be themselves.

We got some awesome cameos from previous characters (Bitch Fit ftw!) besides Theo and Laurie. It was nice to see the three series tied together without forcing it. It was very cohesive.

Overall, I can’t wait for the next book! I am loving this new series.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Hide With Me (The Game Series Book 13) by Cara Dee: New Release Review

November 21, 2023 by Denise

𝐃𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐤 • 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐱 • 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 & 𝐅𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐲 • 𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 • 𝐀𝐠𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐩 • 𝐃/𝐬 • 𝐌𝐌𝐌 • 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
Don’t mind the sweet scent of waffles. That’s just little Gael breaking the resolves of two protective Daddies, one shy yet sinful bite at a time.

It’s no coincidence Gael Grimes is in Professor Aavik’s class. He’s had a crush on the professor since he first spotted the man in the kink community they’re both part of. According to Gael, Professor Aavik is just super dreamy! Distinguished, charismatic—a total silver fox. But when Gael’s ex-boyfriend ignores the restraining order against him and tries to reach out, another man steps out of the shadows, and Gael is suddenly at a loss for words and can’t describe the intense attraction.

Private investigator Joshua “Santiago” Jones has been keeping an eye on Gael for a while as a favor to a friend. Under different circumstances, he would’ve loved to get closer to Gael. The boy’s cuter than words, definitely on the Little spectrum, funny, smart…but this is work. The only reason Santiago has to get close now is to protect Gael from his stalker ex-boyfriend.
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The Game Series is a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, one thing is certain. This is not a perfect world—and maybe that’s why the happily ever after feels so good.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Oh I’ve been waiting for this book! I am a big fan of Cara Dee so I will read all of the books as they come out. But I was craving a new love story. New characters, new loves, new dynamics and boundaries and limits and roles. And I got them.

We knew Dean. As Walker’s step brother he has shown up before. Most notably when Walker and Macklin were figuring their relationship out. Also entering the picture ae Santiago and Gael. They have also had cameo’s in other books. But now we get to KNOW them as they get to know each other.

I always liked Dean, what we knew of him. So buttoned up and proper. A history professor and author. But behind closed doors he is filthy. And still almost proper if you can imagine.

Santiago is the kind of classic bad boy. A former cop who works as a private investigator now. The Tenley brothers have him looking into Gael’s ex boyfriend who is known to be rather stalkerish.

Since Dean and Santiago already knew each other and Gael is in Dean’s college class and Santiago is helping out Gael, it was the perfect storm for these men to find each other and explore what they are and can be.

Gael is so eager. He has zero experience, but mostly knows what he wants. Santiago and Dean have no problem helping him to explore.

Writing a triad story without one person becoming the center of attention or without one couple edging out the third. But Cara Dee knows how to do that. She’s done it before and she did it again. And while this is the third triad (pretty sure) in the Game series, all three triads are different from each other. There’s no falling on what she knows and did before. No changing of names to tell the same story. This one is as unique as the others.

Gael finding his submission and his middle/little self while Santiago and Dean guide him without pushing. He blossoms as he is free to be who he is. Especially after the toxic relationship he was in previously. And I do love that he isn’t one of the stereotypical body types we so often see. Refreshing.

Besides their burgeoning relationship, Gael also gets to experience one of his fantasies. Which, again, Cara Dee writes really well.

As much as I enjoyed this book and story, I feel like the Game included at the end of the book was unnecessary. Especially because it was so soon after the other thing. You’ll see.

And we were left hanging with something which has me like “ARGH!”. I’m sure Ms Dee is laughing knowing we are all probably like that.

Solid entry in the Game series. I can’t wait to hear more from these three. And to find out…..

4 pieces of eye candy