review

Cardeno C. Author Spotlight: Three Novella Reviews

June 22, 2015 by Denise

Sometimes to find love, you must first learn forgiveness.

A dozen years, two thousand miles, and a law degree after high school, Rafi Steiner continues to harbor resentment toward Isaac Jones, his childhood bully turned NBA star. When Isaac appears at Rafi’s favorite restaurant acting like a long-lost friend, Rafi bluntly dismisses him.

But Isaac is tenacious and he has his heart set on the grown-up version of the boy he always wanted and never forgot. The way Isaac sees it, he and Rafi are perfect for each other, if only he could sink the most important shot of his life: his one shot at forgiveness.

This started out feeling somewhat sad. Rafi, when he first sees Isaac after so many years, is filled with anger and hatred. Isaac had bullied him during their years in school together, relentlessly. Rafi saw no reason to reaquaint himself with the man who had tortured him for so many years.

Isaac, however, still had a relentless streak, but this time it was in his pursuit of Rafi. Showing up at his house, entering because he had seen Rafi enter the code, bringing food, and just finding ways to be sweet. And as they began to bond again, Isaac helped Rafi realize that maybe his memories were slightly skewed, and that there were many ways that Isaac had found to protect him.

Isaac was sweet and loving, and turned his life inside out to come back for Rafi. I truly enjoyed watching Isaac break down the walls that Rafi had put up all those years ago.

4 pieces of eye candy for me.

Places in Time by Cardeno C.

A relationship-challenged actor unexpectedly finds love in the arms of his childhood best friend.

“Sexiest Man Alive” and Golden Globe winning actor Ethan Baker lights up the screen but fizzles in his personal life. When his latest gi places in ntime rlfriend breaks up with him, Ethan turns to his one “forever” person—Jude Harrison. But as Ethan makes the familiar drive to his best friend’s house, an unexpected detour and a bewildering passenger take him through places in time he’d long forgotten. Suddenly Ethan sees Jude’s actions over the years from a different perspective, but it’s his own reaction that’s the biggest surprise.

Okay, I will admit, I have a super soft spot for stories that include time travel of some sort. And this hit all my buttons perfectly!

Ethan and Jude had been friends since they were teenagers, but had never ventured past that friend zone. Whenever something happened in Ethan’s life, Jude was the person he turned to. And as a lovely redheaded lady guides Ethan through visions of important events that happened during his life, Ethan learned how much Jude had truly sacrificed for him, and how much Jude truly loved him.

Ethan learned from this, and became aware of what Jude truly meant to him. By growing and seeing the sacrifices, he was able to bring himself to finally love Jude.

I rarely give novellas 5 pieces of eye candy. I am a full length novel kind of girl. That being said, for me a 5 piece of eye candy story is one that I will re-read again, and I imagine this will stay to the top of my TBR for quite a while as a re-read.

1-5 pieces eye candy

All of Me by Cardeno C.

To bond with his destined mate, an Alpha wolf must look past what he sees and trust what he feels.

Bonded by their parents before they were conceived, wolf shifters Abel and Kai adored each other since they were children. As teens, th all of me e two future Alphas took the next step in their bonding process and vowed to remain true to one another until Kai came of age. But when tragedy struck, Abel felt betrayed and ran from Kai instead of completing their mating.

Abel never stops yearning for the man who was supposed to lead by his side and after years without contact, Kai returns, broken and on death’s door. If Abel wants to fulfill their destiny and merge their packs, he’ll need to look past what he saw and trust his heart.

Lots of heart wrenching tears, anger and finally happiness for our Alphas. All of the characters were very likable, I just wish we could have seen more from Kai’s perspective. The story felt rushed and I feel it could have been even better if it was a bit longer, but it was a pretty intense little read. The romance was sweet and the story was very well written. I have always liked everything I have read from Cardeno C and All Of Me was a great little way to get though the afternoon.

4 pieces of Eye Candy from me.

Secret by Kindle Alexander: Blog Tour, Bonus Content, Reviews and Giveaways

June 16, 2015 by Denise

Title: Secret

Author: Kindle Alexander

Genre: M/M Romance

Release: June 9, 2015

Tristan Wilder, self-made millionaire and devastatingly handsome CEO of Wilder-Nation is on the verge of a very lucrative buyout. With tough negotiations ahead, he’s armed with his acquisition pitch, ready to launch the deal of a lifetime. There’s just one glitch. The last thing he expects is to fall for the hot business owner he’s trying to sway.

Dylan Reeves, computer science engineer and founder of the very successful social media site, Secret, is faced with a life-altering decision. A devoted family man with three kids and a wife, Dylan has been living a secret for years. Fiercely loyal to his convictions, his boundaries blur after meeting the striking owner of the corporation interested in acquiring his company. For the first time in his life, reckless desire consumes him when the gorgeous computer mogul makes an offer he can’t refuse.

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I was fortunate enough to read this book early on, when only a few people had had the pleasure of reading it, and I knew immediately that it was going to be a hit for Kindle Alexander. This story has all the passion and love of all their previous books, and the commitment to family that has always been a foundation that strengthens their stories.

Tristan and Dylan captured my heart quickly. Dylan, a man married to his best friend, committed to keeping their family in tact, and keeping himself from dating until his children are done with school, finds himself quickly falling in love with Tristan, a single man who he is doing business with.

I love how well adjusted this family is. Although Dylan and his wife agree that they can see each other outside their marriage, they have not told their children. Raising their children has been their first priority, and as you meet the children you find that they have done a spectacular job of that, with three very well adjusted children.

As Tristan and Dylan begin to realize that this can’t be just a one time affair for them, Dylan was frightened of the reaction his children would have. But he needn’t have been concerned. The entire goal of that family was to raise children who didn’t judge people, and were able to love other’s based on their merits, and that is what they did. The love and acceptance by the entire family was just a beautiful read. One can only wish all families could be like this.

Probably my favorite part was how the family came together at the end to create a blended family, just as you would hope would happen now. It was so heartwarming to see how everyone was supportive of Tristan and Dylan’s relationship, as well as all the other relationships that developed throughout the story.

This is a definite re-read for me, as many Kindle Alexander books are. Four and a half pieces of eye candy for Secret! And here’s hoping there might be a follow up book for poor Julian. 🙂

I am sure we have all heard the saying, “that moment when you finish a great book and now you don’t know what to do with yourself”. That was me when I finished Secret. Fantastic writing, lots of different emotions, and amazing characters. I did not want to put this story down until I was finished. I really enjoyed everything about it. The love scenes were sweet, very well done, and soooo hot.

From the first moment Tristan and Dylan meet, they have a strong pull toward one another. The fact that Dylan is married makes this a very unique read, and as always, Kindle takes that part of the story and nails it. Teri plays a wonderful part in Dylan and Tristan’s relationship and I really liked her. There were some great secondary characters as well to add even more life to this story.

This is one Journey I really didn’t want to end. I loved how Secret played out. For sure a reread and 5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Tristan’s Favorite Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup sugar
16 ounces pasta
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
Combine milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar in separate container. Stir to combine.
Add pepper, carrots and onion to pasta.
Pour dressing over pasta. Mix well. Chill overnight.

I made Tristan’s macaroni salad (see picture below) to test and my husband LOVED it. His words “You could make this again”, which translates to “OMG! This was the best thing ever, and I want more now!!!” 🙂

Best Selling Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer, and a genre-crosser who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica in both the male/male and male/female genres. It’s always a surprise to see what’s coming next!

I live in the suburbs of Dallas where it’s true, the only thing bigger than an over active imagination, may be women’s hair!

Usually, I try for funny. Humor is a major part of my life – I love to laugh, and it seems to be the thing I do in most situations – regardless of the situation, but jokes are a tricky deal… I don’t want to offend anyone and jokes tend to offend. So instead I’m going to tell you about Kindle.

I tragically lost my sixteen year old daughter to a drunk driver. She had just been at home, it was early in the night and I heard the accident happen. I’ll never forget that moment. The sirens were immediate and something inside me just knew. I left my house, drove straight to the accident on nothing more than instinct. I got to be there when my little girl died – weirdly, I consider that a true gift from above. She didn’t have to be alone.

That time in my life was terrible. It’s everything you think it would be times about a billion. I love that kid. I loved being her mother and I loved watching her grow into this incredibly beautiful person, both inside and out. She was such a gift to me. To have it all ripped away so suddenly broke me.

Her name was Kindle. Honest to goodness – it was her name and she died a few weeks before Amazon released their brand new Kindle ereader. She had no idea it was coming out and she would have finally gotten her name on something! Try finding a ruler with the name Kindle on it.. It never happened.

Through the course of that crippling event I was lucky enough to begin to write with a dear friend in the fan fiction world of Facebook. She got me through those dark days with her unwavering support and friendship. There wasn’t a time she wasn’t there for me. Sometimes together and sometimes by myself, we built a world where Kindle lives and stands for peace, love and harmony. It’s its own kind of support group. I know without question I wouldn’t be here today without her.

Find out more by visiting www.kindlealexander.com or email me at kindle@kindlealexander.com

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Embrace the Fire by Felice Stevens – Friday Five-ish Good Questions, Review and Blog Tour

June 5, 2015 by Denise

Embrace the Fire

Through Hell and Back # 3

By: Felice Stevens

Releasing May 26th, 2015

Loose ID

Synopsis:

Brandon Gilbert has spent years in hiding, but finally he’s accomplished his dream of working as a public school teacher. When offered the chance to help bullied children, there was no way he could say no. Not to mention that meeting Dr. Tash Weber, the psychiatrist who helps them, a sad yet sexy older man, ignited a spark inside Brandon he’d never had before.

Though five years have passed since the death of his lover, Dr. Sebastian “Tash” Weber has no interest in relationships or love. But young, enigmatic Brandon awakens his heart and his desire. Despite Tash’s best efforts to push him away, Brandon unlocks the passion for life Tash thought he’d lost forever.

Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan for either Brandon or Tash, but neither family disapproval nor self-doubts can stop them from embracing the fire that burns between them. And when Brandon returns home to fight for a future he never imagined possible, he and Tash discover that the one thing worth fighting for has been with them all along.

Link to Follow Tour

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/1HvOvTv

Goodreads Series Link: http://bit.ly/1GMKQER

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | Publisher | Kobo | iTunes

Denise’s Review:

Embrace the Fire is the third (and final?) book in the Through Hell and Back series by Felice Stevens. This book features the last foster brother for the reader to meet, Brandon and the previously met, and dashing Tash.

One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was that it wasn’t filled with tons of angst. I have said on more than one occasion that Book 1, A Walk Through Fire, broke me into pieces when I read it. It is probably on my all time list as number 1, the book that I cried the hardest over. Yes, Felice put me back together in Book 2, but I will always remember how broken I was after Book 1. In many ways, that is what you want in a book. You want it to stick with you, and this entire series has done that for me.

However, there are times you want to read a book, especially the final book in a series with a smile on your face through most of it, having some “insta-love” and seeing that the worst that happens is Brandon believing he had committed a horrible crime. Those books stick with you for a different reason. They make you smile, they make you laugh, they make you happy because you know the main characters, have finally found their love, and their entire family finds a completeness they had been missing.

That’s what this book was for me, it was sweet, and honest, and loving. Tash, while older, and hesitant about the difference in their ages, was no match for the determination of Brandon who decided that he wanted that man without question. I also really enjoyed the fact that although Brandon was beyond grateful to have found his foster brothers, and reconciled, he knew that his place was by Tash’s side, and was not willing to throw himself into a situation he wasn’t comfortable with, merely because his brothers had been searching for him for years.

This book was such a great finish to the series. It answered the questions, and let you know that everyone was doing well. I loved that we still were given a glimpse into the loves and relationships of Ash and Luke. You weren’t just allowed to catch up with them, but got to still see the connection the brothers had with their lovers.

And the best part was the epilogue. That was worth its weight in gold. We wait for our HEA, and many times it is “fade to black”. This was more than fade to black, it was a glimpse into the future for these three (actually four) couples, so we were able to see their HEA in living color. That brought more than a tear to my eye, it brought a huge smile to my face, and left me that way for the rest of the day.

My final determination is four pieces of eye candy, and my sincere hope that we can see glimpses of these boys in the future.

Five-ish Good Questions with Felice Stevens:

(A feature on Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy)

So…tell us about the main character(s)…not Brandon and Tash, the animals, what do you have for us in this book? J In all honesty, I absolutely love how much you put into your animals in your books, it warms my heart even more when I read your books. I think of that as your hallmark, so tell us why that is important to you.

I’m a huge animal lover; when I was a child I used to feel the strays in our backyard, so it always seemed natural to have animals in my stories. Rescued was personal, as it is based on a real life pit bull named Pearl who was rescued from a laboratory, where they were performing brain experiments on her. She is doing very well and lives with my friend.

Brandon is a public school teacher in NYC, which has to be very stressful. What drives him to want to give so much in such a demanding environment?

When you read the book, the underlying theme for Brandon is that he is not your average NYC hipster 25 year old. Because he grew up in such a fractured environment, he doesn’t want others to live like that and wants to make a difference to children, like the teachers in his life made a difference to him.

Embrace the Fire is a May-December romance. Why did you choose to do that with these men? (I’ll admit I haven’t read but one or two of these, so I am excited to see what you do with this.)

I’ll tell you it chose me. People may not believe it and I didn’t’ until I began writing myself, but the characters really drive the story. I started this book three times and each time, if I veered away from Brandon’s love interest being Tash, they fought me. I have to think of it as being that they really love each other (as I evidenced from the instant attraction) and nobody, especially me, the author, was going to keep them apart. Lol.

What is your vision of what Brandon and Tash look like? Do you have celebrity inspirations/crushes for these two characters?

I have a Pinterest Board where I play around with celebrity inspirations. Tash is a Bradley Cooper with his glasses and Brandon is Alex Pettyfair. Check out my board for some cute pictures of the guys.

I get arrested in Tampa, FL (cause it might happen in July at Rainbow Con, just saying J ). I call you for advice. Give me five words of advice.

Hmm, free legal advice huh? Well I could say “Tell them it’s ‘That time of the month’ Always got us out of gym because our male gym teacher was too embarrassed to question us.” Or “Blame it on the alcohol”

Other Books by Felice Stevens:

Excerpt:

Brandon glanced around the empty room. “Guess we’re a little early.” Chairs were set around in a haphazard manner, and the desk in the front was bare of any material.

When Gage checked his watch, he shrugged. “Yeah, only by about ten minutes. Why don’t I go tell them we’re here?”

Before Brandon had a chance to answer him, Gage left. After wandering around the room, Brandon stood at the window, looking out over the dark city sky. It was times like these he wondered if he could risk it all, go back home, and deal with the consequences. He understood a little better now, with the wisdom coming from a life hard-lived, why his foster mother became so overprotective of him. Years of being beaten down and weakened by living with a bully and abuser like Munson would make anyone want to believe in a religion that promised salvation. While he didn’t understand the religious aspect, he supposed it gave her something to hold on to when her life crashed and burned around her.

The door opened. “Oh, hello. I didn’t realize anyone was here yet.”

Brandon turned from his contemplation and faced the man at the door. His eyes widened, recognizing the man he’d seen crossing the street. Once again his body registered an unusual heated response.

“Yes. I’m here for the mentoring program. I came with Gage Taylor.” The man was even better-looking close up. His eyes were hazel with streaks of gold, and his face had a masculine, rugged quality. Not classically handsome, but arresting and, in Brandon’s eyes, so much more memorable.

“Oh great.” The man entered the room, leaving the door ajar behind him. “We were hoping Gage was able to pick up a few volunteers to come tonight.” He extended his hand. “I’m Tash. I run the program.”

At the press of Tash’s hand, a shiver rippled through Brandon. Deciding he was reading more into the touch than he thought, Brandon withdrew his hand a little quicker than he normally would and sat in one of the chairs, drawing a quizzical look from Tash.

“Tash. That’s an unusual name.” To his shock, Brandon realized he’d gotten hard. Mortified and hoping his cheeks weren’t red, he shifted in his seat, trying to get comfortable. This had never happened before. Ever. He took several deep breaths and concentrated on the man speaking.

Tash rubbed his chin ruefully. “Would you believe my mother is an avid reader of Regency romances and Sebastian was her favorite name? My sister couldn’t pronounce it when she was a baby, and it was shortened to Tash.” He chuckled. “I suppose I should be grateful she didn’t also add the title she loved the most, or you’d be calling me Duke.”

They were still laughing when Gage walked in, followed by a group of people, some of whom Brandon recognized from the pictures hanging on the wall.

“Oh good, Randy, you met Tash.” Gage dropped into the chair next to Brandon. “Randy is the teacher I told you guys about. Even though he joined our staff as a permanent teacher only this year, he’s already made a tremendous difference in the lives of the kids he teaches.”

Brandon’s face colored, and he squirmed under the scrutiny as the attention of everyone in the room shifted to him. “It’s no big deal,” he muttered. “The kids are awesome and eager to learn.”

“My man here is too modest.” Gage stretched out his long legs. “Within weeks of the start of the school year, all the kids could talk about was Mr. Gilbert and how much they love him. All the kids want to be in his classroom. He’s taken it upon himself to stay late, well after school is over, to work with any of the kids who are struggling, not only the ones in his class.”

“Come on, Gage, cut it out. That’s not why we’re here,” Brandon protested, unzipping his jacket. He hung it on the back of his chair. “Don’t hold up the meeting. No one wants to hear you talk about me.”

“But you’re wrong, Randy,” Tash cut in. “You’re exactly the type of person we need for this program. Someone young, who the kids can identify with, someone who doesn’t look down on them. Someone with empathy for their pain.”

Their gazes held, and Brandon’s breath grew short in his throat. Like a movie where the sound is muted, the rest of the room disappeared; it was as if only he and Tash were present in that small conference room, with Tash whispering the words straight to Brandon’s heart.

Instead of the familiar trepidation at facing new people, Tash’s presence centered Brandon, untangling all the knots the big ball of his hopes and dreams had twisted themselves up into. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Brandon felt safe.

“You make me sound special. I’m not.” It was the truth. All he gave those kids was his time and concern. They craved attention and the knowledge that another person gave a damn about them. Brandon was anything but special. If they knew who he really was, they’d avoid him.

“Everyone is special.” The man he recognized as the founder of the clinic, Dr. Drew Klein, spoke. “That’s what we need these kids to understand. Because they’re different, either in their looks or their sexual orientation, that doesn’t make them weird or bad. Loving someone differently from the norm doesn’t make you wrong.” The doctor smiled at him with a clear, friendly expression.

Brandon wondered if the doctor was gay. In the chair next to his, Tash’s presence brushed up against him, warming him as if he’d been caressed. Brandon’s skin prickled with awareness.

“There’s a chance Randy can help you since he’s already taken it on himself to tutor the kids.” The door opened, and a young man walked in carrying a box of coffee and a bag that smelled like sugar. Gage’s eyes lit up. “I didn’t know you were having coffee and snacks.”

Tash chuckled and bent over to whisper in Brandon’s ear. “If I hadn’t seen how dedicated Gage was to these kids, I’d swear he did this for the free coffee and doughnuts.”

Brandon snorted, knowing well his fellow teacher’s propensity for caffeine and sweets. “I know. The man should just get an IV of the stuff.”

He and Tash shared a smile, and Brandon’s heart gave a funny thump in his chest. Heat rose in his face, and Brandon knew he blushed. Embarrassed, he fidgeted with his watchband, then raked a hand through his hair. He couldn’t sit still and tore his gaze away from Tash’s mesmerizing eyes.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1I0Kf15

B&N Author Page, http://bit.ly/1LIs1Tq

iTunes Author Page, http://apple.co/1SBGnJK

Kobo Author Page: http://bit.ly/1J0zQ8H

Publisher: http://bit.ly/1J0ZSa8

Author Info:I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending just around the corner. I started reading traditional historical romances when I was a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until I picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that my interest in romance novels became renewed.But somewhere along the way, my tastes shifted. While I still enjoys a juicy Historical romance, I began experimenting with newer, more cutting edge genres and discovered the world of Male/Male romance. Once I picked up her first, I became so enamored of the authors, the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion of the books, I knew I wanted to write my own.I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReadsWebsite: http://www.felicestevens.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/felicestevensauthor?ref=hlTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/FeliceStevens1GoodReads: http://bit.ly/1FlTTbp

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Kage by Maris Black: Blog Tour and Review

June 4, 2015 by Denise

Synopsis:

ROUND 1 of the KAGE Trilogy

My name is Jamie Atwood, and I’m an addict. I never thought I’d say such a thing. Never had a problem being overly-attached to anything in my life. I came from a perfectly middle-class family, made good grades, and had a hot cheerleader girlfriend. But the truth is, nothing ever really moved me. So how did a guy like me become an addict?

I met Michael Kage.

Kage is an MMA fighter. A famous one. I like to think I helped him get that way.

He’s charming as hell, with looks to rival any movie star and talent to back it up. So why did he need to hire me as an intern Publicist? Simple. He has a darkness in him– like a black hole so deep it could swallow him, and me, and everyone we know– and that’s not good for business.

The first time I met him, I felt the pull. I think the addiction began at that very moment. And even if I’d known then what I know now, I would have fallen for him. How could I not?

For me, Kage is everything.

Author Name: Maris Black
Book Title: KAGE
Book Length: Full Length Novel (81,549 words)
Genre: Gay Romance, M/M
Book Release Date: 05/25/2015
Publisher: Maris Black Books
Cover Artist: Maris Black
Good Read Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25282503-kage?ac=1

Buy
Links:

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DE
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AllRomance

Maris Black Books on Barnes & Noble

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Book 2: Kage Unleashed

Available for preorder: http://amzn.to/1K02kyA

R-Rated Excerpt:

Kage pushed his tongue deeper into my mouth,
and suddenly I was sucking hungrily at his tongue, winding my arms around his
neck, and pressing my lower body against his. I was desperate to get closer, to
feel through the barrier of my clothing what he had pressed against me. My
hunger knew no bounds, growing exponentially with each passing second as it
became clearer that this was not some fevered fantasy. This was actually
happening.

And I was going to let it.

He unwound my arms from his neck and reached
down to pull my t-shirt over my head so that we were skin to skin. The scrub of
chest hair against my nipples was exquisite torture, and I moaned, pulling back
to catch my breath.

“Fuck no, you’re not going anywhere!” Kage
yanked me back against him. “I’ve waited too long for this. Been patient
enough.” He covered my mouth and face with kisses, moved down to my throat, and
bit the sensitive skin there until I cried out. I was overcome with passion, my
breath coming in quick gasps as I fought to keep it together. I had always
thought of myself as a player and a skilled lover, but I swear Kage made me
feel like a virgin all over again.

“Take off your pants,” he said.

“What are you planning on doing to me?” I
asked, my voice distant to my own ears as I worked my shorts down my legs,
leaving my boxer briefs on.

“What I should have done when you first got
here…”

“How did you know I’d let you?”

He chuckled. “I could tell by the way you look
at me. Like you’re eating me alive with your eyes.”

“I don’t do that,” I protested. “I don’t even
like guys.”

“Liar.” Kage shook his head and took a step
back. “Get on your knees, Jamie.”

“Pardon me?”

“Don’t give me that look. I said get on your
knees.”

I wanted to tell him no, that this was
insanity, and that I wasn’t gay. I wanted to point out that I’d just recently
had a girlfriend whom I’d fucked soundly on a regular basis. But instead I sank
to my knees in front of him and waited, looking up at his unbelievably perfect
body, all muscles and planes and smooth skin. The boyish face with the
five-o’clock shadow, the dark locks of hair that fell loosely around his face…
and that’s when I felt it. He was right. I was devouring him with my eyes,
because God help me I could not get enough.

Denise’s Review:What can I say about this book? In all honesty, if it were not for the blog tour, I likely would not have picked this book up to read it. I have never enjoyed boxing, which my father used to watch all the time, and MMA really, really would not do it for me. I just don’t like fighting. So, I likely would have passed on this book if I saw it as a recommendation in Amazon.

That being said, I could not put this book down!!! I was almost late getting somewhere I needed to be because “I just need to finish this chapter”. It is not overly graphic in the MMA information, so it was a good way to break me in…I am going to guess that the next one will be a bit more graphic just because of the direction the book was heading. The relationship between these two was a slow burn, lots of babbling, “innocent” touches, flirting through the first half, but it kept me completely engrossed.

I was impressed with Kage’s character. He clearly has a lot of demons, which the reader hasn’t received more than a hint of in Book 1. However, he clearly cares a lot about Jamie, and really wants him to be there, with him, through the beginning stages of his career.

Meanwhile, Jamie has never been with a man, so this is a GFY book. He’s never even entertained the idea, but has been intrigued with Michael Kage from the second he saw him. As they dance around each other, Jamie does everything he can to keep them in the closet, while Michael is slowly inching out.

There is somewhat of a cliffhanger, since this is Book 1 of the trilogy. It is not the nail-biting, “OMG! How will we survive until August” kind of cliffhanger, but it is there. However, I still think this book is worth reading now, as their relationship is quite sweet for most of it. Michael truly becomes a bit of a teddy bear when Jamie is around.

Definitely looking forward to Book 2 in August. This book was a solid 4 pieces of eye candy for me!

Author: Bio:

My name is Maris Black (sort of), and I’m a Southern Girl
through and through.

In college, I majored in English and discovered the joys of
creative writing and literary interpretation. After honing my skills
discovering hidden meanings authors probably never intended, I collected
my near-worthless English degree and got a job at a newspaper making
minimum wage. But I soon had to admit that small town reporting
was not going to pay the bills, so I went back to school and
joined the medical field. Logical progression, right? But no matter what
I did, my school notebooks and journals would not stop filling up with
fiction. I was constantly plotting, constantly jotting prose, constantly
casting the people I met as characters in the secret novels in my
head.

Yep. I can blame my creative mother for that one!

When I finally started writing fiction for a living, I surprised
myself with my choice of genre. I’d always known I wanted to write romance, but
the first story that popped out was about a couple of guys finding love during
a threesome with a woman. Then I wrote about more guys, and more guys, and more
guys. I was never a reader of gay fiction, and I’d never planned to write it.
The only excuse I have for myself is: Hey, it’s just what comes out!

AUTHOR CONTACT
LINKS:

Facebook Profile: http://facebook.com/maris.black.7
Facebook Fan Page: http://facebook.com/marisblackbooks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/marisblackbooks
Website: http://marisblack.com

RAFFLECOPTER
Prize: $20 Gift Card (Retailer of choice)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**One commenter on this blog post will win a copy of the book from the author.**

Tour Schedule:

5/25/2015 Cia’s Stories

5/25/2015 Rainbow Gold Reviews

5/26/2015 Love Bytes

5/26/2015 Sue Brown

5/27/2015 Multitaskingmommas Book Reviews

5/27/2015 Gay.Guy.Reading and Friends

5/28/2015 RJ Scott

5/28/2015 Wicked Faerie’s Tales and
Reviews

5/29/2015 Diverse Reader

5/29/2015 Joyfully Jay

5/30/2015 Nessa’s Book Reviews

5/30/2015 The Land of Make Believe

5/30/2015 Foxylutely Books

5/31/2015 Man2ManTastic

5/31/2015 Cravin “I” Candy

6/1/2015 MM Good Book Reviews

6/1/2015 Sid Love Writes

6/2/2015 Bayou Book Junkie

6/2/2015 Scattered Thoughts and
Rogue Words

6/3/2015 Drops of Ink

6/3/2015 BFD Book Blog

6/4/2015 The Novel Approach

6/4/2015 Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy

6/5/2015 Fangirl Moments and My
Two Cents

6/5/2015 Hearts On Fire Reviews

Ann Lister: Meant for Me (Rock Gods #5) Blog Tour, Author Interview, Review and Giveaway

June 2, 2015 by Denise

Story Blurb:

Tony Wilcox, the quiet keyboard player for
Ivory Tower, has always believed he was straight. A sexual encounter with his
best friend leaves Tony questioning his heart and the unwavering attraction he
has for Jared. Living and working together is no longer enough for Tony… he
wants more. He wants Jared as his.

Jared Baker, the bass player for the band, has
a past that is getting in the way of him fully embracing what he wants… Tony.
He’s tried everything to create distance between them, but none of it
eliminated the feelings he has developed for Tony.

Trying to
suppress the anger and confusion from Jared withdrawing from his life, Tony
does his best to get beyond the feelings he has for his friend. When Jared becomes
deathly ill, it’s Tony that he calls for help and Tony has to decide if he can
heal Jared without giving away too much of his heart.

Can best friends find their way to true love
and discover if they were meant for each other, or will the challenges of life
force them to choose separate paths?

Book Details:

Author Name: Ann Lister

Book Title: Meant For Me, The Rock Gods series, Book 5

Publisher: SleighFarm Publishing Group

Book Length: 270 pages, 85,000 words

Genre: Gay Romance, Erotic

Book Release Date: May 28, 2015

Cover Artist: Kellie Dennis from Book Cover By Design

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/519355.Ann_Lister

Purchase Link:

Meant For Me

Denise’s Review:

What can I say about Meant for Me? First, I want to take Tony and Jared and give them huge hugs!

I really enjoyed the sweetness of Jared and Tony. Sometimes you just need the sweetness. And honestly for me, at the time that I read this book, I needed one just like that. It wasn’t filled with angst (other than my own, by being pissed at Harry), and they had such a loving connection. It made my heart happy. I didn’t want to read the rest of the night, once I finished MFM, because Ann Lister book cover front and back I wanted that feeling to just stay and soak it up.

I liked the fact that the angst in this book was low. They were connected, not just emotionally, but by their friendship. They both were afraid to take it further because losing a friendship over something that may not work was not worth it for them. I loved that connection, it felt real. It was organic, and had been portrayed throughout the series. In fact, there were several mentions during the book about how everyone knew they were together…before Tony and Jared knew they were together. That shows a growing of characters over a long period of time, and really made this book easy to read and believable.

I’m hoping most people come away with that feeling and enjoy it for the story it is. Not every book needs to be overdone with angst. Sometimes enjoying that connection leaves the reader feeling fulfilled.

Now, don’t get me wrong, that does not mean there wasn’t also hotness, because, I have said this before and I stand behind my statement. NOBODY writes hotter sex scenes than Ann Lister. No one! So, while their connection was emotional, and sweet, and mostly angst-free…their connection in the bedroom almost lit my iPad on fire!

In addition, Meant for Me got me totally revved for Dante and Ash. Those boys are gonna probably crash hard before they actually burn it up! 😀 That ones gonna be a hot one. Definitely some angst ahead there!!!

My final call for Meant for Me is 4.5 pieces of eye candy. When you have a book that you want to re-read, you know its going to get the rating, and this one is definitely on my re-read list.

Author Interview:

Welcome to Ann Lister! Thank you so much for joining us here on Two Chicks Obsessed!

TCO: When you started writing the first book in the Rock Gods series, did you foresee that you would take it this far? Where did you envision it going at the beginning?

Honestly, I wasn’t sure how far this would go. I started with Dagger’s band, Black Ice, and I had rough outline planned for stories about the guys in that band. What surprised me was while I was writing Fall For Me, I started hearing the voices from the men in Ivory Tower and they were LOUD. Next thing I knew I was jumping from Black Ice over to write stories for Ivory Tower. Same thing happened again when I was writing Meant For Me.

Suddenly Dante and Ashton were screaming at me to write their story and I couldn’t shut them up. First time ever, I ended up writing Tony and Jared’s story at the same time I was writing Dante and Ashton’s. Talk about head hopping!

TCO: This story is very different than the other books in the series-in my estimation. It is much more about connection and a sweet romance, supporting each other when times are tough. Was that how you saw Jared and Tony from the beginning?

I absolutely did see them as the quiet, secretive, and very private twosome that everyone questioned what they were up to. For those that have followed the series they should remember Tony and Jared always being in the background which is where they prefer to be, while quietly observing the others. Tony and Jared are immensely loyal to each other and truly enjoy spending time with each other. But spending all that time together opened up a door for them. All they had to do was decide if they had the balls to step through it and explore what was waiting for them on the other side.

TCO: You talk in your dedicatio

n about how this book was the first time you hadn’t been writing while dealing with the grief from the loss of a loved one. How did writing this story compare to writing under what had to be difficult emotional conditions for you.

I think by now many probably know I recently lost most of my immediate family in a relatively short period of time and it did throw me into a tailspin that led to some pretty dark days. I think the writing helped me to crawl out of the hole I was in emotionally. On some days, writing felt like therapy and it was healing. There are a few sections in this story where Tony deals with a little bit of what I was going through. I’ve learned a lot about myself from having gone through the last four years. I believe I am a much stronger person from having lived it and I also feel my writing has improved because I’ve been able to fold some of this emotion into the stories that is raw and very real. I’m happy to say that I am well on my way to having the old Ann back. I missed that crazy bitch, so it is good to feel whole again.

TCO: We get a peek at what is next for this series at the end of Meant for Me. Can you give our readers what you see ahead for Dante and Ashes?

Oh, Dante and Ashton are my fighters! They love to hate each other, but beneath the surface the passion bubbling between them can only lead to one thing: heat that burns up the sheets. Both are total alphas and that leads to some loud and physical…..interactions, once they finally allow the other into their hearts.

TCO: Fun Question.

You and I are in Vegas, and get ourselves arrested. What are we arrested for? And who do we call to bail us out of jail?

Well, we were in Vegas recently, but we shall not speak of what may or may not have happened there due to the Vegas Code of silence. But, if I were to hypothetically answer your question…..I might say we were arrested for one count of soliciting a go-go boy and several counts of lewd and lascivious behavior on stage while we were soliciting this poor boy. The actual arrest got ugly, since we thought it might be fun – and naughty, if we resisted (totally your idea), and that led to yet another count against us of assault on a police officer. Our one phone call was to Sandrine Gasq Dion because we knew she would come into the police station with her guns blazing and break us out of there. And, at the moment, there may or may

not be a warrant out for both of our arrests. 🙂

Excerpt:

“I’m thinking champagne and maybe some strawberries,” Jared suggested.

“Hmmm, romantic,” Tony teased. “I didn’t know you were capable.”

“Capable? I’ll show you what I’m capable of,” Jared countered. “I’ll dribble the champagne all over your naked body and lick you clean, and then I’ll get you dirty with my spunk. I’ll use my dick to paint my name across your chest in the come smears and fuck you while I watch it dry. How’s that sound?”

“Jesussss!” Tony moaned. “It sounds fucking filthy. I love it.”

Jared laughed, a deep, throaty sound that aroused Tony even more. “I knew you’d like that scenario,” Jared said. “It’s why we’re so good together.”

“We do bring out the best in each other,” Tony bit at Jared’s neck and sucked with force.

“Let’s get naked,” Jared suggested.

“I’ll get the champagne,” Tony added.

Author Bio:

Ann Lister writes erotic love stories using beautifully drawn characters; flawed and emotionally damaged, and at the height of their careers, each in search of the one thing that still eludes them: love.

The Rock Gods series gave her Bestselling Author status on Amazon. Each book in this series brings her two favorite elements together: musicians and the love between two men. These stories focus on what it truly means to love; love unconditionally, love without restrictions or labels, love without fear or judgment – to just simply love.

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Lister/95422803480?fref=photo

Website: www.annlisterpublications.com

Twitter: @AnnListerAuthor

Amazon Buy Links: Rock Gods Series

Fall For Me (part 1)

·
Take What You Want (part 2)

·
Make You Mine (part 3)

·
Looking at Forever (part 4)

·
Meant For Me (part 5)

Giveaway:

*** US ONLY

5 signed copies of one Rock Gods title (5 winners)
5 swag bundles (5 winners)
1 signed set (4 titles) of The Rock Gods series

*** WORLDWIDE

1 digital set of The complete Rock Gods Series (1 winner)
5 e copies of a Rock God book of choice (5 winners)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ann Lister Schedule

Gateway Books to M/M Romance

May 28, 2015 by Denise

**This might seem like a long post, but I think you’ll agree there is lots of great stuff in here, and stuff you can refer back to, so feel free to pin it, share it, whatever!**

So…I was out in an author’s street team recently and she mentioned Gateway books. She described it as “leading women to m/m romance” (which I think it should be leading anyone to m/m romance). After discussing with a friend, we decided it was more like an addiction, especially using the term Gateway. These are books that you would recommend to someone who has never read m/m and you are hoping to get them to take the leap, the leap that will be the Gateway to their addiction to reading m/m romance.

For me, I never had it recommended, except by Amazon. I was out on Amazon looking for more books along the lines of Jaci Burton’s sports books, with those delicious covers. I wasn’t finding anything I liked. Down at the bottom was the “customers who bought this also bought” section. And there was Colt Michaels from Double Full by Kindle Alexander. The gorgeous cover, done by the amazing Reese Dante, drew me in instantly, and I purchased the book based on the cover alone. I didn’t really read the blurb, just started the book and was instantly hooked (and if you have read the book, you know how it starts…how could you not be hooked?)

That was my Gateway book. So, it got me thinking, what would other people think would be a Gateway book? And what would authors that write in the genre describe as a Gateway book? I also wanted some male perspectives so I made sure to hit up a few of my fave male bloggers, as well as male authors. I got some fantastic answers! Interestingly, very few books are repeated. There are many of these books that I haven’t personally read, but clearly I need to get on them.

*All comments are those made by the authors/ bloggers to me, as they sent them.

Author 1: River Jaymes’ Backup Boyfriend, Kade Boehme’s Chasing the Rainbow Kindle Alexander’s The Current Between Us, and Melissa Collins’ Let Love Live

Author 2: Texas Pride, generally Mary Calmes books, NR Walker – Red Dirt Series. I’m halfway through that series and it’s great.

Kindle Alexander:

I think if M/F readers are truly interested in seeing what all the fuss is about with M/M romance, they should start with Suzanne Brockman or J.R. Ward. Brockman has Jules and Robin. Ward has Blay, Saxton and Quinn. Those are series book, but can be read as stand alones.

On Ward though, if you go back to book 3 or 4 and meet these guys when they are first introduced, you’ll fall in love with them before you ever learn they are gay. The story to their coming out is incredible. It’s angsty and you get why they struggle. I loved it.

Another primarily M/F author that represents gay men well is Nicole Edwards – Ethan. I love Ethan and Beau. I read that story first and loved it, then went back and met both men in the earlier books. I loved that part too.

If you are ready to just jump in, I suggest Sara York’s Texas Soul series or Colorado Heart series. They are nicely priced. Also LA Witt can write a good book. For us – that was our progression into the M/M world. We started with Ward, moved to Brockman on a recommendation and then met Sara online. We moved straight into her world. The rest is history.

Keira Andrews: I’ll recommend Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk. Great story and characters, and I can’t see anyone not falling in love with Whyborne & Griffin.

Paul Gay Berry-Gay Media Reviews: My first book from M/F to M/M was Texas Pride by Kindle Alexander, I had no clue what M/M was, I saw it on my Kobo and then the rest was history. I have not read an M/F since then. The second one I recommend is Opposites by TM SMith, as it has everything and what a beautiful read.

Scott Burkett-Gay Guy Reading and Friends (GGR-Review):
Memorizing You by Dan Skinner
This is a work of Fictional Literature that shows sexual orientation is something you are born with. Society and beliefs do not dictate a person’s sexual orientation. This is a romance that covers all of time, it’s clean, but thought provoking. If a new reader to this genre is skittish about the sex they can read this book and learn about Gay Romance with only the insinuation of sex and never seeing the actual act.

Love Life & Circumstance by J.T. Cheyanne and V.L. Moon
This is a book that focuses on Family. It shows that 2 men can care for and raise a child in a loving home, a place that the child will be free to be whatever he/she wishes to be. It also shows true love that men can experience towards each other, but it gives a twist that shows we are all fallible in what we believe to be what we really need. The sex is good and clean without being overabundant.

Through the Last Door by J.A. Jaken
This is a good choice if you like something in more of a Fantasy setting. This is a story of enrichment and finding oneself. About a young man who is thrust into a role as leader along with the trials that come with it. It is a story of accepting his heart’s desires and once he does it leaves the reader with a sense of fulfillment for the characters. Sex is minimal while the action and adventure are abundant.

Melissa Collins: Memories of the Heart by Felice Stevens

Nicole Colville:

The very first book I read which contained m/m and m/f was by Anne Rice and it was called Cry to Heaven. The m/m relationships were second place to the m/f but they caught my attention and I found I loved reading about them more than the m/f ones. Throughout all her books there is an underlying love between the men in her books, and I so wanted to hear more from them and in much more detail. 😀

I don’t know why, but it took me ages to move onto m/m and when I did it was through another channel, fanfiction. I started reading m/m and from there on I found full books on Amazon I could buy. My very first m/m reads were strictly erotic short reads. I think I did it backwards, normally people start off with YA and move in gradually, I went for the hardcore porn and no plot, lol.

I moved on and read K.C. Wells. She did a really sweet series with coming out /coming of age. It’s hard to recommend one author or one book without knowing personal tastes, like if your into BDSM and want to read m/m, I would recommend Sage Marlowe and his Sub-Mission series as an awesome starting place.

I’d say read menage with two menage and female, but so many people react to menage and feel jealous over sharing. E.M Leya is an author who has great menage and more with mixed sexes. Give it a ago, see what you think.

I basically read the blurb and if it caught my attention, I’d buy it. It takes time to find out what you like and who will be your go to author. Some people hate sex in books, but not all m/m is about sex, some are fade to black. If you want to ease yourself in gently, and you just want relationship and no sex, these are the best ones.

Rhys Ford: Z.A. Maxfield’s St. Nacho’s, Mercy Celeste’s Light From The Dark, Jordan L Hawk’s Whyborne, Jordan Castillo Price’s PsyCop, Amy Lane’s Clear Water, Mary Calmes’ Matter of Time.

Sandrine Gasq-Dion: Rock Gods by Ann Lister and Guns and Hoses by Brenda Cothern

Jessie Gin: One Real Thing by Anah Crow

Andrew Grey: Timing by Mary Calmes

Sloan Johnson: Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake, Senses Series by Andrew Grey, The Sergeant by Christa Tomlinson, Johnnies series by Amy Lane, and Trust the Focus by Megan Erickson

Renae Kaye: Promises by Marie Sexton. I think it’s a good book because it explores a man coming to accept his gay side, and how he slowly goes with the sex stuff. Which is a great place to start.

Tara Lain: Heaven by Jet Mykles. My own gateway book. Drawn Together or Crossing Borders by Z.A. Maxfield. Matter of Time by Mary Calmes. Edward Unconditionally by Lynn Lorenz. Hot Head by Damon Suede. Blame it on the Mistletoe or Unwrapping Hank by Eli Easton

Josephine Myles: Sex in Seattle Series by Eli Easton

Susan Mac Nicol: Adrien English by Josh Lanyon and Harper Fox’s A Midwinter Prince

Mikey Rakes: The first book I read was Cut and Run and feel in love with the genre. The Current Between Us is another I’d recommend. My husband loves the Cut and Run books and he also like Rhys Ford’s Sinners series. I loved Play It Again, Charlie.

Christa Tomlinson:

I’d say J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Two of the characters, Butch and Vishous have a very close relationship. Eventually they are open with the fact that there is some physical and emotional attraction between the two of them, even though they marry women. And they (including their wives) are all very cool and reasonable about it. Also, two other characters Quinn and Blay have a close relationship as well. Blay is gay and Quinn is Bi. The two are close, but are unable to be in a relationship together. She writes Blay in a relationship with another man and none of the other characters ever flinch. Eventually Blay and Quinn get their own book together in the series. I was already reading m/m by the time I found this series, but if I hadn’t been, this would have lead me to it.

Brad Vance: Hot Head by Damon Suede is a wildly popular book.

Sara York: Double Full by Kindle Alexander

review

Title: Secret

Author: Kindle Alexander

Genre: M/M Romance

Release: June 9, 2015

Ingredients:

Directions:

AUTHOR CONTACT LINKS:

AUTHOR CONTACT
LINKS: