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That Turtle Story by C.S. Poe: Excerpt and Release Day Review

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Nor O’Brien spends his days in sunny Key West caring for and rehabilitating sea turtles. He doesn’t need anything else in life, expect maybe a significant other to cuddle with after a long day. But recent heartbreak has left Nor salty, and he’s not in the mood for anything, Christmas included.

Then Eugene Montgomery walks into Turtle R&R, claiming to have found a clutch of eggs in distress. Nor is smitten with the tourist at first sight, and at the suggestion of his screwball colleagues, indulges in some no-strings-attached fun. Nor and Eugene are quick to get along, happily enjoy each other’s company, and take in the island’s unique holiday pleasures together.

But Nor would never leave his turtles, not for any man. So when his rebound fling turns into strong romantic feelings for Eugene, it’ll take a Christmas miracle to keep the two together forever in Key West.

Title: That Turtle Story
Author: C.S. Poe
Category: Holiday, Advent
Pages: 41

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

“Nor was recently dumped,” Gus said suddenly from behind us.

Eugene looked over my shoulder at her.

“Yup. So it’s mot that he’s a typical eye-undresser,” Gus continued, “just that I think he’s entering the rebound state–”

“I’m not,” I hastily said to Eugene.

“And he saw your abs,” Gus said.

Eugene smiled at that and glanced down at me. “I’m a personal trainer,” he clarified.

“Of course you are,” I answered. My face and neck were hot, I was surprised no one saw smoke wafting up from the collar of my shirt. “Gus is teasing.”

“No, I’m not,” Gus said, sounding too serious for her own good. “Hey, if you’re into dudes,” she addressed Eugene, “Nor is Grinch-lite–cute in the glass-is-half-empty sort of way. Might make your vacation memorable.”

I specifically asked the author for the above excerpt, because it was such a perfect example, early in the story, of how funny and enjoyable this one was.

I love C.S. Poe‘s stories, long and short, in part because the humor and sarcasm that she puts into her characters speaks to my sarcastic personality. And this short Christmas story is no exception. Nor’s internal dialogue, and Bah Humbug attitude, made me laugh, Gus’s external dialogue was hilarious. And I loved how sweet Eugene was. All the things I love about this author’s books.

Their conflict was simply a lack of verbal communication, although their communication behind closed doors seemed to be spot on. 🙂 The story was cute, sweet and fun.

The ending was just perfect, because you couldn’t help but root for these two.

4 pieces of eye candy

 

First Light (Heartsville Book 2) by Christina Lee and Felice Stevens: New Release Review

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Two years after the death of his wife, Aubrey Hendricks is still weighed down by grief. He can’t focus on anything beyond working at the family farm, First Light. At the urging of a friend, he takes a step toward resuming a normal life and reopens the bakery his wife once ran. He places a Help Wanted ad in the local paper, and to his surprise, an applicant shows up the next day.

When Oliver Hansen gets a second chance at life, he grasps it with both hands. Leaving his stressful life in New York, he plans to enjoy the simpler things. Driving to Heartsville in the Pocono Mountains to thank his heart donor’s widower is a top priority. But the brusque man with the melancholy eyes strikes a chord in Oliver. So when Aubrey mistakenly believes he’s there to apply for the bakery job…Oliver takes him up on the offer.

As Oliver busies himself with the grand reopening, he and Aubrey establish a tentative friendship, which soon shifts to blazing attraction. Oliver falls hard for him, yet he can’t help but wonder if Aubrey’s feelings are an attempt to maintain a connection to the wife he’s still mourning. And Aubrey is unsure if Oliver will tire of the slow pace in Heartsville and go running back to the city he loves. The two must successfully navigate the stormy waters of grief, doubt, and their very different lifestyles, or they risk losing both their hearts—again.

*Please note: This is in the same world as our MMM, LAST CALL, except FIRST LIGHT is MM and a complete standalone.

Amazon-Kindle Unlimited

First Light is a super slow burn romance with mature men and second chances.

I really enjoy books with main characters are around my age. It shows that just because you aren’t 22 anymore doesn’t mean you can’t find love. And for Aubrey, it was finding love for a second time when he absolutely did not expect it.

There were no real dramatics or big angst between the couple- which I thoroughly enjoyed. It could have been VERY dramatic or angsty given the nature of their relationship, but as mature men, they actually discuss things. So refreshing.

Poor Aubrey is so gruff and grumpy. He honestly doesn’t realize how many people truly care about him. He doesn’t have the typical walls up of “I’ll never love again!”, he is just doing the best that he can.

And while Oliver is a total city guy his whole life, he adjusts to living a quiet farm life fairly quickly. He was open to new things, new experiences, perhaps a new life. He never tried to make Aubrey move on. In fact, he encouraged Aubrey to talk about Lisa and their life together.

I didn’t completely understand why Aubrey’s former in laws blamed him for Lisa’s death. She was a grown woman who was driving herself home. I mean, if it was me I sure wouldn’t want someone coming to pick me up just because it was raining. They only appear about twice in the story and were a bit distracting for me. If anything, I would have wanted them in there more. Perhaps making Aubrey question moving on with his life.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The premise was different, mature men, slow burn…so many things to love

4 Pieces of Candy

Oz by Lily Morton: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and New Release Review

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What happens when temporary becomes forever?

Oz Gallagher does not do relationships well. Bored and jobless after another disastrous hook up, he decides to leave London for a temporary job in the wilds of Cornwall. Surely managing a stately home on a country estate will be easier than navigating the detritus of his relationships at home. Six months there will alleviate a bit of his wanderlust and then he can come back to London as footloose and fancy-free as the day he left it.

However, when he gets there he finds a house in danger of crumbling to the ground and a man who is completely unlike anyone he’s ever met. An earl belonging to a family whose roots go back hundreds of years, Silas is the living embodiment of duty and sacrifice. Two things that Oz has never wanted. He’s also warm and funny and he draws Oz to him like a magnet.

Oz banks on the fact that they’re from two very different worlds to stop himself falling for Silas. But what will he do when he realises that these differences are actually part of the pull to one another? Will falling in love be enough to make him stop moving at last and realise that he’s finally home?

OZ

A FINDING HOME NOVEL

LILY MORTON

M/M ROMANCE

RELEASE DATE: 11.20.18

COVER DESIGN: Natasha Snow Designs

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

 

That night at midnight I sit at the kitchen table looking over the mass of papers and plans and sheets of paper covered with my sprawling handwriting. I lift my glasses and rub my eyes and look again. No, still there.

I look down at my current huge shadow who is sitting by my chair and watching me with mournful brown eyes. “Are you waiting for me to start screaming, Chewwy, or just bored?”I ask conversationally. He stares at me for a long second and then gives a huge yawn which shows off his massive teeth. I shrug. “Okay, just bored.”

“I didn’t know you wore glasses.”

The deep voice coming from the kitchen door makes me jump. “Shit, you startled me.” I take my black-framed glasses off, feeling slightly self-conscious at being found talking to the dog. “I took my contact lenses out.”

Silas gives me an exhausted smile. “They suit you.”

He comes into the room fully and I look at the tired slump of his shoulders. “Have you been out on a call?”

He gives a jaw-cracking yawn that almost sets me off. “Horse birth that looked like it was about to go pear shaped.”

“Bugger. Was everything okay?”

He nods and grins. “One very pretty filly called Moonshine.”

“Aw, that’s pretty.” I pause. “So, while we had dinner you’ve had your hand up a horse’s vagina.” He nods, biting his lip in an attempt not to smile, and I grin. “After the dinner we had, I have to say your evening looks like it might have been better.”

A burst of laughter comes from him and I smile as he sinks into the chair opposite me. I can’t help the warm feeling I’m getting in my chest at making him laugh. Why, oh why, does he have to be so nice and sleepy looking?

His voice breaks into my thoughts. “How bad was it?”

I shudder. “We had beef casserole.”

He grimaces. “God, I feel your pain. Last time I forced that down I was ten and I had to eat it because my father believed in serving up leftovers until they were eaten.” I stare at him and he nods. “I had it for breakfast, lunch and supper.”

“Oh my God. Did you eat it in the end?”

“Did I, fuck. I gave it to Cyclops, our old bulldog. It made him sick, though, so I spent a whole night nursing him and mopping up vomit.” He pauses. “Which was still better than eating that shit.”

I laugh. “Is that where the desire to be a vet came from?”

He stares at the wall, deep in thought. “No. I just think that animals are better than humans for the most part. They’re simple. You love them and they love you back, and no matter how you fuck up they still love you. That’s loyalty for you.” He seems to come to and gives me an embarrassed look.

I sort of stumbled on Lily Morton a while ago and devoured the Mixed Messages series. So I was thrilled to see a new release. Oz is connected to the Mixed Messages series, but it is completely unnecessary to read them first.

So while I did like this book, I didn’t love it, and there were a few things that had me stuck. The book opens with Oz finding his boyfriend/boss in bed with someone else. Who he lives with. Or had lived with for like 3 weeks. And I think it was mentioned that he had the job for all of 6 weeks. Any mention of where he lived or worked previously isn’t mentioned at all. That was just odd.

Silas is a bit….wishy washy for me. He is an heir with a title, Lord Ashcroft, and a mansion but is also a full time veterinarian. Which is totally fine. But he doesn’t seem to really be passionate about either. Nothing about him really stood out.

Moving on, the book was fun and witty like the previous, but it seems like everyone around Oz absorbed his personality traits. Oz is a force to be reckoned with, but he shouldn’t overshadow everyone else.

I did like the slight age gap and that it wasn’t a focus at all. Instead the focus was more on the difference in class and background. Oz never giving himself enough credit just because he has a pedigree. And Silas trying hard to seem like a “normal guy”.

I enjoyed the story, but I felt it was lacking a bit. It seemed that the job that Oz was originally hired for wasn’t completed on page- not for nothing, but a big reveal, congrats, we did it chapter was necessary. Stronger characters would have worked better for me. But still a cute story.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Lily writes contemporary romance novels, and specialises in hot love stories with a good dose of humour.

Lily lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle.

She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else could she get to spend her time with hot, funny men!

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family.

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Santa Daddy by Keira Andrews: RDB, Review and Giveaway

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Mall Santas aren’t supposed to be hot.

Hunter Adams is hopelessly adrift after college. He’s still a virgin, can’t find a real job, and has no clue what to do with his life. In desperation, he returns to his humiliating old job as an elf at the Santa’s Village in his hometown’s dying mall. The Santa on the job is an unexpectedly sexy lumberjack, twice Hunter’s size and age. He makes Hunter feel very naughty—too bad he’s grumpy and intimidating.

Years after the tragic death of his partner, Nick Spini has his beagle and long, hard days on his Christmas tree farm. That’s plenty. But he can’t refuse a loyal friend’s plea for help and finds himself filling in as Santa at the local mall. Despite Nick’s attempt to stay aloof, the beautiful, anxious young man playing elf brings out his long-dormant daddy instincts.

When a surprise blizzard traps them alone in Nick’s isolated forest home, their attraction burns even brighter. Will they surrender to the sizzling connection between them and find the release and comfort they crave?

Santa Daddy is a holiday gay romance from Keira Andrews featuring an age gap, steamy m/m first times, daddy role-playing and light spanking, Christmas romance feels, and of course a happy ending.

Length: 30,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Dar Albert @ Wicked Smart Design

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Keira Andrews writes across such a wide range of romance sub-genres. Her characters can be anything from vampires to an age gap to historical and everything in between. But she manages to create a world where those characters find what they are looking for, not just as a romantic partner, but often in their own lives, as well.

The best thing about holiday stories is that, even though you are reading romance, you are always guaranteed a happy ending. And I have to say I absolutely loved the ending to Santa Daddy. Hunter, who is rudderless in life, finding and charting his course, as he finds the love of his life, created a dynamic that worked well for these two MC’s.

There was a large age gap between Hunter and Nick, but with the Daddy kink it worked. Keira Andrews can write some seriously sexy and hot scenes, and this book is no exception. She also writes her characters with heart, as well as real issues and problems.

Nick was a big Grinch who was forced to deal with someone, despite his initial intentions to stay as far away as possible. Then realizing that Hunter was a virgin, and was into having a daddy, his enjoyment of the holiday season took a turn upward.

This was a fun, sexy, cute holiday story, that you’ll definitely want to pull out again next Christmas.

4 pieces of eye candy

After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, fantasy, and paranormal fiction and — although she loves delicious angst along the way — Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said:

“The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.”

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Loving A Warrior by Melanie Hansen: Blog Tour and New Release Review

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BUD/S: six months of the most intense training there is. It’s survival of the toughest, and Matt Knytych is determined to come out the other side a navy SEAL.

Distraction is life or death. And just the sight of former marine Shane Hovland is enough to shake Matt’s concentration.

Shane came to BUD/S training ready to prove himself—again. Semper Fi is forever, but he needs a new start. Not this dangerous heat with a man he barely knows.

Everything they’ve ever wanted is riding on a thin, punishing line. And they’ll have to fight for more than just each other if they want to make it through intact.

After all, the only easy day was yesterday.

Length: 77,300 words approx.

Publisher: Carina Press

Amazon US

Amazon UK

I went into Loving A Warrior with high hopes. I had read one other book by this author and it destroyed me. It broke my heart, made me cry and then put me back together again. So I was looking forward to the feels! To a great story! A fabulous romance!

But it was…boring.

Literally 80 or 85% of the book is them going through BUD/S training to become SEALs. Besides some kissing and one quick jerk off scene, both buys are willing to wait so they are distracted. Just. Wait.

And they are together a lot. But they just abstain. Which is FINE. I have nothing against that. But then give me more story. Not more SEAL training. “Get wet and sandy!” It was so tedious.

The real story, the conflict, the drama all happened at the very end of the book. There were super vague hints to it, but it should have been explored more throughout the book.

If you want to learn about the brutal training you have to go through to become a SEAL, read this book. If you want a romance and hot sex between 2 SEALs, I can suggest way better books.

3 pieces of eye candy

Melanie Hansen doesn’t get nearly enough sleep. She loves all things coffee-related, including collecting mugs from every place she’s visited. After spending eighteen years as a military spouse, Melanie definitely considers herself a moving expert. She has lived and worked all over the country, and hopes to bring these rich and varied life experiences to the love stories she gets up in the wee hours to write. On her off-time, you can find Melanie watching baseball, reading or spending time with her husband and two teenage sons.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

November 26 – The Novel Approach, Diverse Reader, Xtreme Delusions, Gay Book Reviews, Archaeolibrarian, BFD Book Blog, Love Sawyer, November 28 – The Blogger Girls, November 29 – Joyfully Jay, November 30 – Two Chicks Obsessed, Mikku-chan, Mainely Stories, December 1 – My Fiction Nook, December 4 – Love Bytes, December 5 – Mirrigold, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bayou Book Junkie, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, Valerie Ullmer, Jessie G Books, Wicked Faerie’s Tales & Reviews, Lillian Francis, Reading In Sarah’s Corner, Jim’s Reading Room, Making It Happen, Sexy Erotic Xciting, MM Good Book Reviews, December 6 – Gay Book Reviews

 

Claimed (Breaking Free Book 7) by A.M. Arthur: New Release Review

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University student Demir Higgs is on the fast-track to graduate with honors and dive straight into medical school. His career plan leaves little time for dating, so after he catches his casual boyfriend cheating, Demir attends an anonymous sex party, determined to finally lose his virginity. He chooses an older alpha in a red mask and the man takes Demir apart piece by glorious piece, worshiping his body in ways Demir never imagined. Too bad he’ll never see the man again.

After his bondmate disappeared eleven years ago, Senior Constable Brandt Lars fell into his work and avoided dating, disinterested in relationships. Not until the boy in the blue mask. Introducing the young beta to the wonders of sex was Brandt’s absolute pleasure, and he can’t stop thinking about him—until Brandt comes face to face with Blue in the form of Demir Higgs, the middle son of a work colleague. Demir is equally drawn to Brandt and their chemistry is through the roof. The age difference is an issue, but their attraction is real, and stolen moments turn into a secret relationship they both enjoy…but something is still missing.

Years ago, Oliver Strand lost all his memories in a horrible car wreck that left his face scarred and his sense of smell obliterated. But he built a new life for himself and his son, and now he’s visiting Sansbury Province as a guest speaker at a territory-wide anti-sex-trafficking conference. What he does not expect to find at the conference is an alpha he doesn’t know, but who insists Oliver is his missing mate Ollie Lars, who disappeared the same week as Oliver’s accident.

Brandt is overjoyed to discover his bondmate is alive, despite Oliver having no memory of his old life in Sansbury, and he’s determined to keep both mate and son in his life. But he’s also in love with Demir and doesn’t want to lose him. Demir is ready to be the bigger person and step aside so the Lars family can be together again—until Demir realizes he and Oliver have unique chemistry of their own. And they’ve also both been claimed by the same alpha.

Can a grumpy alpha in love with two men, an omega with no memory of his mate, and a beta determined to chart his own course find a way to navigate the complicated waters of a poly relationship? Or will all three men end up stranded alone with broken hearts?

NOTE: This is a non-shifter, M/M/M Omegaverse story with alpha/omega/beta dynamics, heats, knotting, and mpreg. In this world, omegas are second-class citizens, but they are working toward gaining more civil rights and protections under the law. Series warnings for mentions of past physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Additional warnings for extremely kinky sex, including dirty talk, light spanking, biting, edging, roughhousing, come-swapping, and threesomes. This series is best read in numerical order.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

The is the book fans of the Breaking Free series have been waiting for. Sweet, beta Demir, cranky, Alpha Brandt and…..Brandt’s presumed dead spouse? YYAAASSS!!

I can hear it now. Oh you can’t do a menage in a Alpha/Omega/Beta universe!

Oh yes you can. And AM Arthur did. Quite well. It is hot. It is sweet. It is sexy. It is a bit romantic. And it is deliciously filthy. This book is not for the pearl clutching crowd.

Technically, I suppose, this could be read as a stand alone, but really, the world building that began in book 1 is so intricate and connected that you really should read them all in order.

Small little tangent here. I get plot bunnies- ideas for books- all. of. the. time. It’s almost annoying. But that is all I get. It’s the characterizations and world building and plot lines…. I could never do it. And after book 7, I don’t know how she keeps it all straight. Straight. Heh. It’s admirable to say the least.

Although Ollie and Brandt technically have a history together, Ollie remembers none of it and Brandt is the first to admit that Ollie is a different person now than he was then. So really, the three of them- Ollie, Brandt and Demir- coming together was rather organic. Nothing was forced or stilted. It all just made sense.

This is a BIG book. 400 solid pages. But you really need all of those pages to get the whole story. I don’t think any words were wasted. And there is still more to their story that we haven’t heard yet. Supposedly. I mean. I might have heard something. But I will totally deny it.

I’ll say it again in closing- this book is filthy. But in an oh so good way. And it isn’t gratuitously so. It fits. It is who they are. And it’s delicious.

4 Pieces of Candy