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Nothing Special VII: EX Meridian by A.E. Via: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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A.E. Via is back again today, and bringing her oh so alpha guys for the next installment of the Nothing Special series, EX Meridian. I love Adrienne’s stories, because they are gritty, full of heart, and all the demons that these men battle daily. Also, I have to say, she is honestly one of the most lovely people you ever would meet, if you get the chance. Check out her post, excerpt, and grab the book! Don’t forget to enter the fantastic giveaway!

Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlanta’s streets. The last thing their task force needs is a pair of trained killers in town with a personal score to settle. 

Take a man and strip him of his ability to feel compassion, empathy, remorse, or any of the emotions that make him human, but leave the ones that ignite rage and aggression and you have the perfect killing machine—now imagine two of them.

Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for ‘guaranteed death’ to international terrorists. Two broken men from the same crooked streets, recruited into an unsanctioned government program that few know about. Trained to operate most efficiently—lethally—together.

When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, he’s stateside before he can consider the rules he’ll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. There’s mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives can’t get the job done then they’d be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly.

“I know who you are.” The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. “You’re the fucking devil.”

Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. “Say that loud enough… maybe God will save you.”

But after their first run-in with the big lieutenant and his protective husband, Day, Ex and Meridian start to reevaluate their own relationship. Wondering if they could be even deadlier if they let loose the feelings for each other that they’ve been forced to suppress for years.

Meridian’s dark eyes stayed locked on his, “A man who can fight beside the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker, Ex—it makes him more dangerous.”

No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a HEA.
Note: This is a partners-to-lovers, out-for-you, action romance.

Title:  Nothing Special VII: Ex Meridian

Series: Nothing Special

Author: A.E. Via

M/M Action Romance

Edited by: Sue Laybourn

Cover Artist – Jay Aheer

PAGE COUNT – 302

Official Release Date: February 24, 2020

Amazon

Universal Buy Link 

Hello Friends!!

I want to thank Denise so much for welcoming me back to promote another new release here on Two Chicks! My MM action/romance novel entitled – Nothing Special VII: EX Meridian – released on February 24th is already getting amazing reviews. I’m so excited to bring you the seventh installment in the award-winning, best-selling Nothing Special series.

I really can’t wait to introduce my new dark alphas into this series. I’ve had Ex and Meridian on my mind for a while but didn’t know if I was going to give them a standalone or a series. But the moment I heard God talking, I knew I had to give him the challenge. My assassins are dark and beautiful in the most nonconventional way. You don’t see their appeal immediately… you have to fall for them first.

I’m hoping that Ex and Meridian’s characters in this installment will be ones that readers can empathize with and relate to. We all have inner struggles, demons, or simply our conscience that we fight with daily. But, true to my style, these men experience inner battles to the fifth power.

I’m used to writing stories about characters that are real, men that you might actually meet in your neighborhood, in your grocery store, or your local police department. Stories that are genuine and relatable. But, then sometimes I want to just give you a balls-to-the-wall, fast and furious ride.

This book is about highly complex MCs that will take the readers through lots of twists and unexpected surprises. I haven’t written four POVs in one book in almost a year, and I must say it was a pleasurable challenge.

Be sure to follow me on social media, or sign-up for my newsletter to never miss another release.

Happy Reading!

xoxoxox

Adrienne V.

“Calm down, Cash. You don’t know if anything is—”

“You’re right! I don’t know! How the fuck could I do that, Leo?” God paced back and forth in the tight confines of the empty bathroom while he had a small conniption.

“Cashel. Stop it. You made a judgment call and you—”

“Against your judgment.” God ran his hand through his hair, looking at him apologetically. “How could I do that?”

Day couldn’t stand to see his partner like this—doubting himself to the point where it was making him frantic. And he understood why. He hadn’t wanted his husband to tell Ex and Meridian that Joseph was staying at their enforcers—Ruxs and Green’s—house until it was time to give his recorded statement. None of them trusted him staying in a safe house with some other random cops.

“Ruxs and Green were home all night… nothing happened. Hart has a couple of his men over there now and it’s all clear. You got this, okay. The kid’s gonna stay safe.”

“I just… there was something about that guy,” God said, standing with his head down and his hands braced on the sink.

Day came and stood behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. “Which one?”

“Ex.” God shook his head. “There was this kind of pain in his eyes. This case is personal for him.”

“So, why’d you tell him?”

“I just got a gut feeling that something is going to happen, Leo. Something bad, something we can’t defeat… and we’re gonna need them.”

Day turned his husband around so he could see him. “Look at me.”

He waited as God began to relax in his hold the longer he stared at him. Day gave him a slow smile. “That’s better.”

God bent until their foreheads touched. “We shouldn’t be in here like this.”

“It’s okay,” Day whispered. “It’s okay to take five minutes for yourself.”

God squeezed his waist and pulled him closer. He buried his face in his neck and groaned. “Sweetheart. Please tell me I didn’t just make the biggest mistake of my career.”

Day smoothed his hands over his ponytail. “You didn’t make a mistake… you may’ve just saved one of our lives. We trust you, God. I trust you.”

“C’mere,” God said roughly, then took his mouth.

Day let his husband lose himself for a couple of minutes as the kiss turned passionate.

Why do I love these books? They are like action movies in book form. I am not the biggest fan of action movies, but I can’t stop reading (and then listening) to these books.

This latest installment brings in two brand new characters. Ex and Meridian. They are partners working for the government on black ops. Trained assassins who do the dirty work you never hear about to keep the world safe. To that end, they are officially dead. For Meridian who has no family, that is fine. But for Ex, with a younger brother and mother it is harder. Especially when his brother is the innocent victim of a drive by shooting.

Enter God and Day. This is on their turf. They want justice but they are being thwarted at every turn. When Ex and Meridian think the Atlanta PD aren’t doing their jobs, they quietly interfere. Until they aren’t so quiet.

Two pairs of big ole alpha men. Hot. Two of them already a couple, the other two dancing around it. SUPER HOT. If I encountered their machismo in real life I would roll my eyes. On the page though? Damn.

There was a good story line in there as well. Drug dealers, corruption, pay offs. The ending- wow. Seeing these men as real humans who get scared. It gave me feels.

I’d love to see more of Ex and Meridian, but I doubt it. But the door was definitely left open for more of God and Day and their crew,

4 pieces of eye candy

This story was overwhelming and intense and as much as I love this series, these guys and all the guys of God and Day’s team. I actually had to put it down a couple of times to get rid of the pit in my gut. I was ON EDGE, y’all.

These guys make God, Day and their crew of rowdy boys, look like kittens compared to America’s most savage defenders. Ex and his partner Meridian are the typs of guys you only hear about in movies. Jason Bourne type guys, chemically and physically modified to be killing machines for our country. They’re the baddest of the bad, because they’re basically robots… or they should be… but when Ex’s baby brother is killed in God’s neck of the woods, the guys go rogue in order to exact vengeance on his killers.

And oooh, what a ride it is. These two have been through everything together, but being off on their own without their handler in their ear, and Ex going through the loss of one of the only few people in the world who ever meant something to him, was messing with his head. He felt it.

That opened up all kinds of feelings he didn’t know he possessed, and the biggest of that, aside from anger, guilt and pure rage at the persons responsible for his brother’s death, is his love and need for his partner, Meridian. And it wasn’t one sided, Mere would do anything for Ex, including this off the radar mission to get justice for Ex’s baby brother.

Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as getting in, getting messy and getting out… no, they’ve got dirty DA’s, dirty cops and God and Day’s crew to get around, because as we know, if anything goes on in God’s city, he knows about it and he and his guys go above and beyond to stop it. Except this time, there’s a couple of rogue Ravens they’re unsure about, though they don’t know how dangerous these guys are at first…

I wish I could tell you this whole story, I feel like I could talk about it forever.. but I won’t, because it needs to be experienced like it was for me. We see all the guys and their guys, we get the guns and explosions, but it’s more intense because these guys don’t have rules. They don’t have red tape, they don’t have anyone to answer to… not even God and Day. They don’t have to be clean and by the book. They get in, they get messy and they get out, before anyone even knows they’ve been there. It was impressive and scary and it makes you think about how real these kinds of guys are and how terrifying it would be to come face to face with one, but how badly I want to do it anyway.

What a frickin ride this one. I’m still flummoxed lol I’m impressed and I cannot wait for Fox and Bull. Every book is my new favorite, though I still have such a soft spot for Ruxs and Green, and it didn’t change after this one, especially after how big this story played a part with them… They’ll forever be my favorite, but these guys, Ex and Meridian are coming in a hot, close second. And I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing more of them in the future, too. I hope we do anyway.

Overall, an amazing read. I wouldn’t suggest skipping any book in this series, but if you do… make sure it isn’t this one. All the stars from me!

5 pieces of eye candy

A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay literature for over twenty years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great, new up and coming MM authors.

A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her. Writing.

A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is well-known for her hardcore, love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.

Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com  for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48195130-bishop

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com

A.E. Newsletter Signup: https://goo.gl/4hfuMh

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAEVia

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The Road Home by L.A. Witt: Quick Review

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David Coleman has made some mistakes, and he’ll be living with the consequences for the rest of his life. He’s made decisions that have left him estranged from his once tight knit family. Even now, when David is clean and sober and working his way through medical school with a promising future ahead, his parents refuse to forgive or forget.

When he gets some grim news about his father, David realizes he’s running out of time to make amends. As he comes home for the holidays and his sister’s wedding, he knows it’s going to be tense, but he’s desperate to prove they’re wrong about him. And since they won’t take his word for it, he’s bringing reinforcements.

Hunter Scott will do anything for his childhood best friend, but he never thought that would include posing as his boyfriend. Except David’s family has always respected Hunter. Maybe if they see that David is good enough for Hunter to love, they’ll realize he’s good enough for them too.

But as Hunter and David lean on each other through snowstorms, family drama, and visits from personal demons, maybe this relationship isn’t as much of a performance as it was meant to be.

The Road Home is approximately 82,000 words long.

CW: Recovering addict struggling on-page, references to meth use, combat PTSD, discussions of suicide

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Kind of…definitely not my favorite by LA Witt. There was plenty of angst- but it was really family driven, not relationship driven. So much so that I wanted to scream at my kindle. Like, dude. Toxic is toxic! Stop trying to please them!

Anyway, best friends to lovers although they were lovers- or at least boyfriends- back in high school, on a road trip home for Christmas. David is still trying to win back his family’s love after drug addiction. And choosing to do porn. His parents were focused on the porn thing, his brother on the drug addiction thing. But never mind that he is in MED SCHOOL. Like come on. Give the guy a break.

Hunter is the perfect best friend. Flourishing Naval career, great family, supportive best friend. So much so that he pretends to be David’s boyfriend during their trip home hoping that David’s family will finally turn around. Uh, no. Sorry. If you have to have a perfect boyfriend to show your worth to someone, they aren’t worth it.

I get it. Family. But David stresses so often how his friends from his porn career saved his life and are his family. Dude, stick with that. They love you for you.

The on again off again thing between David and Hunter throughout the book was a bit commonplace. Been there, read that.

LA Witt is in my top ten for favorite authors to read, but this one was a miss.

3 Pieces of Eye Candy

Work-Love Balance by Allison Temple: Blog Tour, New Release Review and Giveaway

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The customer always comes first, but IT consultant Brady Jansen loves to hate Nash O’Hara. Except the fine line between hate and attraction means sometimes Brady can’t help it when he crosses the boundary between professional and personal.

Recently divorced, workaholic Nash knows he’s hard to please. When the smart-mouthed IT consultant he depends on to keep his office running offers a no-commitment hookup, it seems like exactly what he and Brady both need to get through a busy summer at work. No one has to know about their arrangement.

But the more time they spend together, the more secrets they have to keep from the people around them—and from each other. The lies are piling up, until it’s hard to tell who’s fooling whom. If Brady and Nash want to find the balance between work and love, a little honesty will go a long way.

Work-Love Balance is a 70k contemporary MM office romance. It’s hot enough you’ll want to make sure the air conditioning is on in your cubicle, and heartfelt enough you’ll want to smack both characters before the end. HEA guaranteed.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I’ve read a couple books from this author before, and enjoyed them, so I made sure to grab this one, because office romances are some of my favorites. They almost always lead to some hot fun in someone’s office, because we know it is never the lackeys that have these romances, always at least one of the bosses. J

This one didn’t disappoint in that aspect. Definitely some hotness happening in Nash’s office. That being said, he was kind of a douche to begin with. I wasn’t a big fan of him initially. He treated Brady like he wasn’t much more than his assistant…and actually treated his assistants better than Brady. But he grew on me once I understood him a bit more.

Brady meanwhile was quite the enigma. I wasn’t quite sure where he was coming from in his life at first, and still didn’t quite feel like we got to know him as well as we did Nash.

However, the two of them together, once Nash got over the “he’s too young for me, and I have two kids” stuff, were really well put together. The banter between them was good, once Nash wasn’t quite the douche. And sexy times, were definitely sexy. That being said, they were a bit clueless when it came to thinking that the walls in the office were sound proof. 😉

So, this is an enjoyable read, if not quite re-read material.

3.5 pieces of eye candy
Allison Temple has been a writer since the second grade, when she wrote a short story about a girl and her horse. Her grandmother typed it out for her and said she’s never seen so many quotation marks from a seven-year-old before. Allison took that as a challenge and has gone on to try to break her previous record in all her subsequent works.
Allison lives in Toronto with her very patient husband and the world’s neediest cat. She splits her free time between writing, community theater stage management, and traveling anywhere that has good wine. Tragically, this leaves no time to clean her house.

Social Media

Newsletter (get a free short story right now): https://allisontemplebooks.com/newsletter 

Facebook Reader group: https://facebook.com/groups/allisonsalist  

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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/allison-temple

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Leave a comment telling us about your first job. One commenter will win the tour-wide prize of any ebook from Allison’s backlist.

Saving Rafe (Lords of Discord #2) by Jocelynn Drake: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

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I’m so excited for today’s guest post! She’s definitely one of my fave authors, as she creates worlds so well, and always has some sort of “boom” in them. 😉 Jocelynn Drake is here talking about Saving Rafe, and where she started when she created the Lords of Discord series. There’s also a fantastic excerpt from Saving Rafe that is super sexy. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

 

The troublemaker. The risk taker. The sexy club owner full of wicked promises.

Rafe has devoted his immortal existence to pleasure and causing mischief.

The only ones who can depend on him are his brothers. Of course, that’s very much a Varik thing.

But when the leader of the Arsenault clan specifically requests Rafe’s help in tracking down a killer, he can’t say no.

Sure, Rafe claims he’s doing it for his family. They’ve attracted too many enemies and could use a few allies.

That’s not the whole truth, though.

There’s something about Philippe Arsenault that draws Rafe in. He wants more of Philippe. The vampire leaves him longing for another second in his presence, another taste of his lips, another caress of those perfect fingers.

Yet when it’s all over, what will become of Philippe and Rafe? Because Philippe will always be an Arsenault, and Rafe will always be a Varik.

Saving Rafe is the second book in an MM paranormal romance series that has vampires, betrayal, annoying brothers, music, heartbreak, hope, sexy times, and a pair of star-crossed lovers.

Title:  Saving Rafe

Series: Lords of Discord #2

Author: Jocelynn Drake

Publisher:  Indie

Release Date: March 6, 2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 105000

Genre: Romance, paranormal romance

Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Claiming Marcus (Book in the Lords of Discord series)

A Different Kind of Vampire By Jocelynn Drake

I have loved vampires forever. From Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Anne Rice’s Lestat to Kerrelyn Sparks’ cuddly, sexy vampires to Lynsay Sands’ Atlantean vampires. I love them when they are mindless, blood-sucking killing machines and I love them when they are brooding, tortured souls who just need a hug.

One of the hardest and most exciting questions when starting a new vampire series is: What kind of vampire do you want?

Mindless killer?

Tortured soul?

Just a regular guy with diet restrictions?

Are you going to follow all the old school rules of garlic, mirrors, church relics, and a stake through the heart?

Are they superhuman with great healing, speed, and mind control?

Sadly, you can’t do it all because you’re likely to end up with a mess.

When I was creating my vampires for the Dark Days series, I went with a lot of the traditional rules and myths. They were superhuman and couldn’t go into churches. They were incredibly fast and great healers. And could even do a little mind control. But they were dead during the daylight hours.

When I decided to tackle the Lords of Discord series, I thought I’d pull back on the powers just a little and make my vampires slightly more human. Oh, they are still good at healing, but it takes a little longer than blink an eye and the wound is gone.

The vampires in the Lords of Discord can eat regular food. They just don’t need to. It’s more for pleasure than sustenance.

They are also awake during the daylight hours, but their severe allergy to the sun continues.

And when it comes to powers, that’s where the fun stuff kicks in.

Each vampire ends up with a different gift, and they never quite know what they are going to end up with.

As we learned in Claiming Marcus, Marcus Varik has the ability to suck all light in a room into himself, creating a suffocating, all-encompassing darkness.

In Saving Rafe, Rafe shows off his ability to “charm” and influence others to do his bidding.

Beltran has already shown that he can speak to and control animals.

And Winter, he’s given little hints of his ability, but you’ll learn more about the youngest Varik soon.

Be sure to catch up with all the Varik brothers in Claiming Marcus and Saving Rafe — the first two books in the Lords of Discord series.

From their first meeting at The Gallery, Philippe found himself drawn to Rafe. Everything about the vampire whispered temptation. Philippe longed to pin Rafe to the nearest flat surface and make the most delicious moans rise from those lush parted lips. But more than feeding and fucking, Rafe whispered of escape and freedom. No more worry and responsibility beating him down. With Rafe, Philippe would be able to run free and laugh, enjoy the long life he’d been cursed with.

Jullien had warned him that Rafe didn’t seem to be appearing at his club as much as he had in the past, but Philippe wasn’t worried. Lola had spotted the Arsenault pair from where she was leaning against the bar. If she hadn’t called Rafe already to alert him that the clan leader was at his club, she would shortly.

No. There was no need. Rafe was already there.

The vampire was in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by a throng of men and women as they moved to the pounding beat of the music. A slender blonde pressed tightly to his front, her long arms wrapped around Rafe’s neck, while a muscular man in a shirt that looked as if it was a second skin was pressed against Rafe’s back.

Reaching behind him, Rafe grabbed a handful of the dancer’s hair and held him in place as Rafe ravaged his mouth. Even through the writhing crowd of bodies, Philippe could see the man’s left hand tighten on the vampire.

Blood shot straight to Philippe’s dick as he regarded the blatant display of sex and power. His fangs ached to slide down, but Philippe couldn’t figure out if he wanted to join the sexy threesome or if he wished to shove both humans away so he could claim Rafe for himself. Neither of them was a healthy thought or would help his clan, so he shoved away the flicker of hunger.

As if he knew what was flitting through Philippe’s brain, Rafe released his companion and looked directly at Philippe, a wicked grin growing on his glistening lips. There was the faintest glow in his sharp blue eyes. It could be blamed on the flashing lights, but Philippe recognized it for what it was. Hunger. Sharp, sexual hunger.

Philippe’s breath caught in his throat and his fucking dick gave another begging throb, urging him to cross the damn club and grab Rafe, but he kept his feet planted as if they’d been bolted to the floor.

The look passed in just a second; then Rafe was turning to both people cuddled against him. He said something to each in their ears before extricating himself and making his way across the club toward Philippe.

“Oh, he’s here already,” Jullien murmured behind him as if he’d just spotted Rafe.

Philippe gave a curt nod, not trusting himself to speak yet. He wanted to reach down and adjust himself in his slacks, but he was afraid of Rafe catching the movement as he got closer. Philippe kept his eyes on Rafe as he smiled and laughed, kissing cheeks of familiar patrons while he slowly made his way through the crowd. Halfway to Philippe, a vampire he didn’t recognize whispered in Rafe’s ear while handing him a drink. Rafe’s smile shrank a millimeter as he accepted the glass.

And those electric-blue eyes were on Philippe as he sipped his dark drink, a wicked smile playing on his lips. God, Philippe was dying to kiss that smile off his lips.

When Rafe was standing in front of him, the club owner took a deep breath as if he was scenting the air. Philippe couldn’t guess what he smelled, but he carefully schooled his face, giving away nothing but mild amusement.

“You’ve finally made your way into my little den of sin,” Rafe said with a laugh.

“I’ve heard so much about it, Mr. Varik. I thought I should see it for myself.”

Rafe’s eyes sparkled with laughter, and he leaned close so he could speak directly into Philippe’s ear. Behind him, Jullien stepped forward, bumping Philippe’s shoulder. Philippe immediately reached back, pressing a restraining hand to Jullien’s stomach. Rafe wasn’t threatening him. No, the vampire was playing with him, and there was a part of Philippe dying to play with Rafe.

“Come now, Philippe. We’re going to be forming an alliance. We’re practically family. I think you can call me Rafe.”

For a second, Philippe closed his eyes at Rafe’s rough whisper. It was like the vampire was lightly raking his nails across all Philippe’s nerve endings, sending the most decadent shiver across his flesh. There was a whiff of blood and alcohol on Rafe’s breath, enflaming Philippe’s hunger. He had only to turn his head and he’d be able to capture Rafe’s sinful mouth in a scorching kiss.

But Philippe didn’t let himself move. Didn’t flinch a single muscle as he fought his own desires to get to the heart of what Rafe was telling him.

Philippe’s eyes snapped open, and he found himself drowning in Rafe’s all-too-perceptive blue eyes. “You’re going to help me find Piper?”

Something passed over Rafe’s face for a second, but Philippe couldn’t describe it. It was gone almost as quickly as it appeared, and Rafe was smiling his wicked grin again.

“The Variks are happy to help the Arsenaults,” Rafe said, and they were back to the diplomatic comments.

Philippe couldn’t quite stop his disappointment from showing. He liked the flirty, playful Rafe more. The one who liked to fan the flames. He didn’t seem the “watch the world burn” type, but he didn’t mind lighting a few small controlled fires to shake things up.

I am obsessed.

I was so so excited to see that Rafe was next. I was so enamored with him in Marcus’ story, I just knew that he was going to be my favorite. The careless playboy who took nothing seriously and enjoyed gaining all the wrong kind of attention… I just knew that there was something there, waiting for someone to come along to let it out. I think Bel and Winter are going to give him a run for his money because I’m so excited for them, but Rafe is hands down, my favorite so far!

A little about Rafe…other than being the playboy with a penchant for sex, blood and his sarcastic nature, he was hiding this loneliness and such a deprecating sense of self. He tried to tell himself he had all that life had to offer, but he was missing something so big. He was envious of his brother and his newfound love in Ethan, even if he wasn’t honest with himself, he wanted what they had so badly, he just didn’t think it was possible for him…. And that’s where we meet Philippe.

Philippe seemed to be the polar opposite of Rafe. Leader of his clan of misfits, along with his power, he made his family up of people who needed his help. What a sweet heart he had. I could see why Rafe was so smitten. When one of his family goes missing, he goes to Rafe for help.

These two were drawn to each other from the first time they lay eyes on each other, but Philippe needed Rafe’s help and Rafe didn’t waste his time with repeats and relationships, right? But he could… with Philippe, he could… not only that, he wanted to, more than almost anything. First things first though, was finding out who was targeting Philippe’s clan and why.

This whole story kept me on the edge of my seat and it felt like the craziest action movie I could see so clearly in my head. I won’t give it all away, but some key points are….throughout this story, we so much growth within the family and get to know each of the brothers a little bit better. We meet some new players and get a sense for what’s coming. We see Rafe war himself between what’s in his heart wants and what it needs…. There were so many times when Rafe would tell himself one thing and in the same breath, say the exact opposite when it came to Philippe. He loved him so much, even from the beginning, even when he knew he shouldn’t, even when he tried not to and told himself to stop. He couldn’t. He’s a romantic at heart, really… this whole story was so romantic when you separated it from all the action and blood and war lol

I’m not usually a fan of paranormal… no, correction, not usually.. I’m just not a fan of paranormal, period… but I can’t get enough of this series. I’ve gone and fell in love with each of these brothers and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Bel and Winter and hopefully Ryder and Gideon. Maybe Gideon and Winter? That’d be cute, huh? Or Gideon and Ryder? I hope Gideon gets some happy, I hope he gets a story.
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite series that I’ll definitely revisit and probably often. What a great read! Don’t pass it up, especially if you love family, romance and a whole lot of blood.

5 pieces of eye candy

Vampire books can be either really good or really bad. When I read the first, Claiming Marcus, I held my breath waiting to see what I would get. It was definitely good, almost really good. This one is good. But not close to really good.

I like the plot, but it seemed so stretched out. Phillippe goes to Rafe for help with a missing clan member. Turns out that 2 clan members were already murdered before Phillippe looked for help. I get that they are a secretive, keep to themselves kind of clan, but I don’t see Phillippe as having the ego to not ask for help sooner. I get that a couple of his other clanmates don’t want him asking for help, but that should have been a big warning right there.

I really liked snarky Rafe from book 1. I feel like he lost a bit of his snark, a bit of what makes him Rafe when he fell for Phillippe. As a couple I liked them ok, but more sexual tension would have been welcome.

I do love that Aiden is back for good. The four brothers desperately needed him and his guidance. The scenes with him and the brothers together were so sweet.

We are obviously building up to a show down with the ministry, but I’m sure the next book will be more set up for that. Don’t get me wrong, I will definitely read the other books when they come out. I look forward to them in fact. Something just fell a little flat with me in this one.

3 pieces of eye candy

It started with a battered notebook. Jocelynn Drake wrote her first story when she was 12 years old. It was a retelling of Robin Hood that now included a kickass female who could keep up with all the boys and be more than just a sad little love interest. From there, she explored space, talked to dragons, and fell in love again and again and again.

This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the US with her patient husband. They’ve settled near the Rockies…for now. She spends the majority of her time lost in the strong embrace of a good book.

When she’s not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can usually be found cuddling with her cat Demona, walking her dog Ace, or flinging curses at the TV while playing a video game. Outside of books, furry babies, and video games, she is completely enamored of Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.

She is the author of the urban fantasy series: The Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. She also has a gay romantic suspense series called The Exit Strategy and has recently launched a new paranormal series called the Lords of Discord. She has also co-authored with Rinda Elliott the following series: Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, and Pineapple Grove. She can be found at www.JocelynnDrake.com.

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https://jocelynndrake.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jocelynn.drake/

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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1080585.Jocelynn_Drake

jocelynn@jocelynndrake.com

 

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Nothing Special VII – Ex Meridian by A.E. Via: Release Day Review

by

Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlanta’s streets. The last thing their task force needs is a pair of trained killers in town with a personal score to settle.

Take a man and strip him of his ability to feel compassion, empathy, remorse, or any of the emotions that make him human, but leave the ones that ignite rage and aggression and you have the perfect killing machine—now imagine two of them.

Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for ‘guaranteed death’ to international terrorists. Two broken men from the same crooked streets, recruited into an unsanctioned government program that few know about. Trained to operate most efficiently—lethally—together.

When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, he’s stateside before he can consider the rules he’ll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. There’s mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives can’t get the job done then they’d be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly.

“I know who you are.” The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. “You’re the fucking devil.”
Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. “Say that loud enough… maybe God will save you.”

But after their first run-in with the big lieutenant and his protective husband, Day, Ex and Meridian start to reevaluate their own relationship. Wondering if they could be even deadlier if they let loose the feelings for each other that they’ve been forced to suppress for years.

Meridian’s dark eyes stayed locked on his, “A man who can fight beside the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker, Ex—it makes him more dangerous.”

No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a HEA.
Note: This is a partners-to-lovers, out-for-you, action romance.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

This story was overwhelming and intense and as much as I love this series, these guys and all the guys of God and Day’s team. I actually had to put it down a couple of times to get rid of the pit in my gut. I was ON EDGE, y’all.

These guys make God, Day and their crew of rowdy boys, look like kittens compared to America’s most savage defenders. Ex and his partner Meridian are the typs of guys you only hear about in movies. Jason Bourne type guys, chemically and physically modified to be killing machines for our country. They’re the baddest of the bad, because they’re basically robots… or they should be… but when Ex’s baby brother is killed in God’s neck of the woods, the guys go rogue in order to exact vengeance on his killers.

And oooh, what a ride it is. These two have been through everything together, but being off on their own without their handler in their ear, and Ex going through the loss of one of the only few people in the world who ever meant something to him, was messing with his head. He felt it.

That opened up all kinds of feelings he didn’t know he possessed, and the biggest of that, aside from anger, guilt and pure rage at the persons responsible for his brtohers death, is his love and need for his partner, Meridian. And it wasn’t one sided, Mere would do anything for Ex, including this off the radar mission to get justice for Ex’s baby brother.

Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as getting in, getting messy and getting out… no, they’ve got dirty DA’s, dirty cops and God and Day’s crew to get around, because as we know, if anything goes on in God’s city, he knows about it and he and his guys go above and beyond to stop it. Except this time, there’s a couple of rogue Ravens they’re unsure about, though they don’t know how dangerous these guys are at first…

I wish I could tell you this whole story, I feel like I could talk about it forever.. but I won’t, because it needs to be experienced like it was for me. We see all the guys and their guys, we get the guns and explosions, but it’s more intense because these guys don’t have rules. They don’t have red tape, they don’t have anyone to answer to… not even God and Day. They don’t have to be clean and by the book. They get in, they get messy and they get out, before anyone even knows they’ve been there. It was impressive and scary and it makes you think about how real these kinds of guys are and how terrifying it would be to come face to face with one, but how badly I want to do it anyway.

What a frickin ride this one. I’m still flummoxed lol I’m impressed and I cannot wait for Fox and Bull. Every book is my new favorite, though I still have such a soft spot for Ruxs and Green, and it didn’t change after this one, especially after how big this story played a part with them… They’ll forever be my favorite, but these guys, Ex and Meridian are coming in a hot, close second. And I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing more of them in the future, too. I hope we do anyway.

Overall, an amazing read. I wouldn’t suggest skipping any book in this series, but if you do… make sure it isn’t this one.

FAVORITE LINE: “A man who can partner with the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker… it makes him more dangerous.”

“If you had stopped breathing,” Meridian said hoarsely, looking Ex dead in his eyes. “I would’ve laid here holding you until I did too.”

5 Pieces of Eye Candy

Of Magic and Scales by Natalina Reis: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

by

With a serial killer on the loose, the baffling mystery of Aiden’s past, and their tenuous budding romance, Aiden and Fouchard tread through a world of magic and myth on padded shoes, terrified to stir up something neither can control or defeat.

Aiden Mercer’s life now centers around lounging on the sunny beaches of his adopted country with a beer in one hand and a coffee in the other while admiring the local male population. After a rough life as a respected detective in DC, playing it cool shouldn’t be too hard, right? With the magical community on his case and dead bodies piling up around town, the responsibility of finding their killer seems fated to fall on him and deny him of his easy living.

Then there is Naël.

Cantankerous merman Naël Fouchard’s life is focused on bringing up and protecting his little sister. When DNA found at the scene of the murders mark him as the prime suspect, Naël seeks out the help of Aiden, whose reputation as a detective grossly belies his lazy lifestyle and apparent lack of ambition.

The chemistry between the strong, stoic Naël and the easygoing Aiden is undeniable, no matter how many walls Aiden builds.

If this unlikely pair can’t come to terms with their feelings for each other long enough to catch the killer, their emotional turmoil might yet allow the murderer to kill them instead.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Murder Mystery

Pairings: MM

Tropes: Reluctant hero

Keywords/Categories: merman, romantic comedy, mythology, detective, police investigation, murder mystery, shifters, humor

Publisher

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CAN

Amazon AU

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

iBooks

Goodreads

QueeRomance Ink

I’m not sure what I am, but I certainly know what I am not. I know I’m not a witch because—well, I’m male. I’m definitely not an elf, since I have no sudden urges to hop onto somebody’s shelf around Christmas. Vampire I am not. My perfectly straight teeth have never once turned into fangs, neither have I ever had a sudden, strange craving for human blood. I’m not a werewolf either. I do have hair on my body but nothing that would qualify me as a wolfman. Besides, I am still pretty much myself during full moons.

But I am not a regular either, because unlike most normal humans, I can see magic beings. By “seeing,” I mean I recognize them as such. Anyone can see them, unless the magicals choose for them not to. I, on the other hand, can always recognize them, unless they purposely hide themselves behind a special magic charm.

I don’t remember not having the ability, so I’m guessing I was born like this. Whatever this is. Good thing that I’m used to it, because seeing magical beings for what they are can be a pretty traumatizing experience, as it was the time I freaked out during a trip to Greece, when I had a close encounter with a minotaur. Nice chap as it turns out but not a pretty sight.

I’ve lived a pretty normal, average life running Bicas R Us, a coffee shop in a small coastal town in sunny Portugal, for the past year or so. After an incident in Northern Virginia that put me on the pages of the local news—don’t ask; it involved a pretty handsome elf and his irate troll boyfriend—I thought it would be better to start again somewhere new. I had visited the tiny nation some years before and fallen in love with its never-ending beaches and kicked-back lifestyle, so I packed my bags, contacted a real estate agent and the immigration office, and got myself a brand-new life.

I had played with the idea of buying a coffee shop on the beach, but I figured it would be a mother to keep the place—and the coffee—free of sand. So, I bought a store nearby in the town square, a short walk from the beach. Portugal is littered with three things: tourists, ancient churches, and coffee shops. Nobody would notice me, the brown haired, blue-eyed American who came to explore the locals’ passion for the hot brew.

The other perk of living here was that magical creatures were not spotted as often. Vampires were virtually nonexistent because of the year-round sunny weather, trolls and ogres were limited to the mountains in the north and, unless you visited the nearby mountain of Sintra that crawled with magical activity, the only thread of magic on the coast was the sporadic water sprite and the beachcombing witches who sold their wares in local shops. All in all, a pretty placid place for someone like me to live in.

I enjoyed today’s cool breeze blowing from the ocean, sitting on a chair in my small esplanade under a red umbrella with a glass of cold beer in my hand. Yes, in this sunny paradise I was allowed to sell and buy alcohol in my coffee shop. Behind my light pinewood counter, the wall shelves were covered in bottles that held more than coffee flavorings. What a great nation this was.

While Cristina, my only employee, was busy serving the few customers who loitered inside the café, I could enjoy the local fauna as they hurried from shop to shop or headed out to the beach. Summer hadn’t quite arrived yet, but the sun had warmed the air enough for the locals to shed their wintry clothes and don more relaxed apparel. From behind my shades, I followed the trek of three young men, all shirtless and in swimming trunks. Hot. Not the weather, the guys—tanned, lean and muscular, shorts low enough on their hips to reveal that sexy vee—

“Olha para ti, a salivar como um cão por um bife.” Cristina had sneaked up from behind and interrupted my yummy thoughts.

“Speak English, woman,” I told her, sliding my glasses down my nose to look at her over the rim. “You’d think you’re Portuguese, or something.”

She slapped me mercilessly across the back of my head and plopped herself on the chair next to mine. “Idiota.” Without so much as a may I, my small Portuguese friend and employee grabbed the glass from my hand and took a long swig of my beer. “Are you going to sit here all afternoon watching the hot guys walking by?”

“And what’s wrong with that?” Cristina spoke flawless English but enjoyed confusing me with spurts of Portuguese once in a while. She pulled up another chair and placed her feet on the seat, her legs crossed at the knees. “What exactly did you call me just now?”

“A dog salivating over a steak.” She took another swig before I could retrieve my beer. “Don’t you have more important things to do with your life, Aiden?”

I wiped her foam mustache with a finger. “Not really. Why do you think I moved here from Virginia?” She blinked her eyes at me, pretending not to know what I was talking about. “Easy living, sunshine, and hot, half-naked guys.”

Cristina laughed, her face turned to the sun. She had skin the same color as the cork in a wine bottle, a honeyed brown made darker since the early spring weather replaced the cool air of winter. “You’re something, Aiden. You have no other dream or ambition? Just basking in the sun and ogling sexy men?”

Not quite correct but part of the truth. “Are you jealous?”

The skin crinkled around her green eyes as she turned her gaze to me. “Only if you flirt with guys I have my eyes on.” She spotted a couple of newly arrived customers and hopped to her feet. “Customers. Unlike you, I have some interest in making a buck here and there. I enjoy having a roof over my head.”

As she walked away, I yelled, “No need. You can always sleep on the beach.”

In my effort to go out of my comfort zone- both new to me authors and/or tropes, I dove into (hahaha, I kill me) this book that had “magicals” and a merman (merrow) shifter. Because why not.

So. Much. Potential. But it just fell flat.

First, Aiden quit his job as a detective in Washington DC and moved to Portugal to open a coffee shop. Ok. How it stays running and making money when he only has one employee and he shows up sometimes is a mystery.

He also has some sort of magical power. He can see magicals, even when they are disguised as humans. He thinks that is all he is though. More than one magical laughs him off though because they think he is just denying what he is. What is he? We never find out. Come on.

Next is Naël. the Canadian American who lives in Portugal. He is, apparently, independently wealthy and raising his preteen sister. And he is a merrow- a merman shifter. He claims to be socially awkward, but really he is just kind of a jerk. To Aiden. And Aiden just puts up with it.

I did like the sister and Aiden’s best friend/only employee though.

Honestly, the plot was good. There was a murderer of magicals running around and Aiden the former detective is tasked with solving the crimes. He really isn’t very good as a detective though. But the story line following Naël and Aiden was decent, the murderer and reason well thought out.

A few more details that affect my rating. Contractions. USE THEM. It is awkward when characters don’t use them. That isn’t how people talk.

And the last name thing. Like WHY do they always have men calling each other by their last names? Ugh. It is so dumb. Is it a macho posturing thing? Sometimes it is appropriate- cops, sports guys, etc. But just guys? Nah. I have a lot of male friends and I can honestly say they never use last names.

I really wanted to like this book. I wanted more merrow shifting. I wanted to know what Aiden is. But too much took me right out of the story.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

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Natalina wrote her first romance at the age of 13 in collaboration with her best friend. Since then she has ventured into other genres, but romance is first and foremost in almost everything she writes. She’s the author of We Will Always Have the Closet, Desert Jewel, Loved You Always, and Lavender Fields.

After earning a degree in tourism and foreign languages, she worked as a tourist guide in her native Portugal for a short time before moving to the United States. She lived in three continents and a few islands, and her knack for languages and linguistics led her to a master’s degree in education. She lives in Virginia where she’s taught English as a Second Language to elementary school children for more years than she cares to admit.

Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Art and dance make her happy and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone. When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.

Author Website: https://natalinareis.com/

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