review

Beauty, Inc. by Tara Lain: Release Day Review

June 8, 2016 by Denise

Is beauty only skin deep?

Chemist Dr. Robert “Belle” Belleterre loves flowers, green trees, his best friend Judy, and “his baby:” the new face cream he developed to help put his father’s small cosmetics company on the map. Sadly he gets no help from his alcoholic, gambling-addicted father, who loses Belle in a poker game to Magnus Strong, the CEO of Beauty, Inc., the largest American cosmetics company—a man infamous for his scarred ugliness.

Belle finds himself uprooted from his home, living in a wildly crazy apartment in New York owned by Mr. Pennymaker, and completely unprepared for his mad attraction to the charismatic Strong. Feeling like a traitor, Belle fights his passion, only to see more and more of the goodness and humility hidden by Strong’s ugly face. But when Belle’s family starts manipulating his life again, the odds turn against happiness for beautiful Belle and his beloved beast.

Title: Beauty, Inc.
Series: Pennymaker Tales: Book Three
Author: Tara Lain
Release Date: June 8, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 121

This was a cute story with a kind of magical feel to it. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, so I don’t know if I missed something in the others that tied into this one in anyway. However I still really enjoyed this book. I was very sweet with minimal angst, at least minimal for me. Belle was a fun character. I felt so bad for him. I wanted to positively murder his dad and brothers. It was nice to see him grow and become happier throughout the book. Magnus was a very emotional character for me. He had so much pain in him my heart broke a little. Sometimes he was a little hard to take, he was very domineering. However, with all that he did I always had the feeling that he was trying to take care of Belle.

4 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

ARe

Dreamspinner Press

Misinformation by Keelan Ellis : Preorder Blitz, Teaser and Giveaway

June 6, 2016 by Denise

Book Title: Misinformation

Author: Keelan Ellis

Release Date:

Pages/Word Count: 197 pages

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Ethan Daniels, host of a popular conservative cable news program, has never thought of his bisexuality as a problem, even though he has never acted on his attraction to men. Since his divorce, his desire has become more acute. When he meets Charlie Woods, his daughter’s first grade teacher, they have an instant spark, but Ethan hesitates to act. His contract is up for renewal, there are already rumors swirling about him because of a brief encounter from his past, and the last thing his employers want is for one of their stars to come out publicly.

Charlie avoids romantic entanglements because he prefers living on his own terms. He keeps love and sex completely separate, never seeing anyone more than a few times. Hooking up with a closeted celebrity like Ethan seems safe from emotional involvement, even if they have to keep their fledgling relationship secret.

The last thing they expect is to fall in love, but their strong mutual attraction moves them both to make changes neither of them thought they wanted or needed.

Amazon Preorder Link

ARe Preorder Link

Dreamspinner Press Preorder Link

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love Can’t Conquer by Kim Fielding : Release Day Review

June 3, 2016 by Denise

Bullied as a child in small-town Kansas, Jeremy Cox ultimately escaped to Portland, Oregon. Now in his forties, he’s an urban park ranger who does his best to rescue runaways and other street people. His ex-boyfriend, Donny—lost to drinking and drugs six years earlier—appears on his doorstep and inadvertently drags Jeremy into danger. As if dealing with Donny’s issues doesn’t cause enough turmoil, Jeremy meets a fascinating but enigmatic man who carries more than his fair share of problems.

Qayin Hill has almost nothing but skeletons in his closet and demons in his head. A former addict who struggles with anxiety and depression, Qay doesn’t know which of his secrets to reveal to Jeremy—or how to react when Jeremy wants to save him from himself.

Despite the pasts that continue to haunt them, Jeremy and Qay find passion, friendship, and a tentative hope for the future. Now they need to decide whether love is truly a powerful thing or if, despite the old adage, love can’t conquer all.

Title: Love Can’t Conquer
Author: Kim Fielding
Release Date: June 3, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 260

I feel like I just got off of a roller coaster! I need something light and fluffy Stat!

Being bullied in small-town Kansas growing up was the stuff of nightmares, and as soon as he could Jeremy Cox left town. A college scholarship took him to Oregon, about as far away from Kansas as he could get.

Jeremy’s ex-boyfriend shows up one night beaten and bloody leaving Jeremy no choice but to help him out, but helping him opens Jeremy up to a world of danger he doesn’t see coming.

Qayin Hill is struggling with anxiety, depression and addiction but he’s still fighting. Meeting Jeremy at a coffee shop is a stroke of luck in Qay’s otherwise unlucky existence. The two hit it off, but Qay is torn about what if anything he should reveal about his past. Sometimes skeletons are best left in the closet.

Together the two will have to battle past demons and a torrent of trouble Jeremy’s ex has left in his wake to come out whole on the other side.

Holy Shit! I need a Xanax after this book. Every time something would happen I would think to myself, ok it can’t get any worse things have to get better, but oh my God they spiraled down so far. If there is a rock bottom these poor guys hit every rock, stick and stone on the way down.

The characters were well developed, the back story was amazingly believable and much like real life.

The story was gripping and emotional and I had a hard time putting it down, but all of the plot lines were answered before the book ended. I wasn’t left wanting for anything except a cathartic cry and maybe a glass of scotch.

4 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

ARe

Dreamspinner Press

Reckless by Caitlin Ricci : Release Day Review

June 3, 2016 by Denise

When his best friend, Lee, offered him his sub as part of a bet, Colton Prier never expected more than a clean condo from the boy. But Tate Nicholson is well-trained, eager , and he likes rope play as much as Colton enjoys tying him up. It should have ended after one night, but they begin meeting in secret, and Colton can’t stop thinking about Tate. It’s a betrayal of his friendship with Lee to fall in love with Tate, but Colton can’t help wanting the sub for himself.

He’s not alone in his feelings, either. Tate thought he was happy with Lee. Not completely fulfilled, but happy enough. But as he spends more time with Colton, he realizes Lee isn’t capable of giving him what he wants anyway. Lee demands his full submission, but Tate doesn’t want to be a lifestyle sub. Colton expects his obedience at times but gives him his freedom more often than not, which is more in line with what Tate wants.

When Tate really needs his Dom and Lee isn’t around to help him, he reaches the tipping point and needs to choose who he wants to give his submission to, and to accept the consequences of his choice when he does.

Title: Reckless
Author: Caitlin Ricci
Release Date: June 3, 2016
Category: Contemporary, BDSM
Pages: 200

A book about BDSM that was well written and not so overly crowded with sex scenes that the story was lost.

Colton wins Tate, his best friends sub for the weekend after a lucky bet. Colton is sure Tate will just be cooking and cleaning for him, he doesn’t have the time or want for a sub at the moment. Tate walks in and rocks his world, he may be young but he knows what he wants.

Both Tate and Colt know one weekend won’t be enough. After a few stolen nights Tate is forced to choose between Lee and Colt. Will Colt and Lee’s friendship survive? Can Colt live with the choice Tate makes either way?

I really enjoyed this story. For me, this is one of those “I’ll never be in a relationship like this but I so enjoy reading about it” subjects.

The sharp contrast between Lee and Colton was interesting, completely different while neither was painted in a negative light.

I loved that Tate knew enough about himself to know what he wanted and ask about what he didn’t understand. The care Colton took with his was so soft and tender compared to their hot passionate moments.

I loved that the story didn’t stop when Tate made his decision. I really enjoyed seeing the relationship progress.

4 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

ARe

Dreamspinner Press

A Time to Rise by Tal Bauer : 5 star Review

June 2, 2016 by Denise

History says the Knights Templar were destroyed in 1307.
History is wrong.

Vampires haunt the sewers beneath Rome, revenants desecrate graveyards, ghouls devour helpless passersby, and incubi stalk dark alleys and seedy nightclubs in Italy’s capital. Deep in the Vatican, a brotherhood exists, sworn protectors of the earth, and they stand firm against monsters from the dark depths. Operating in secret and silence, they protect our world from the sinister, the etheric, and the evils that exist beyond the Veil.

But it’s a lonely life, and Alain Autenberg knows that more than most. His lover was ripped from him years ago, and he vowed never to get close to another soul again. Even when the loneliness presses down on him, and his empty heart cries out for something more.

Something more comes in Cristoph Hasse, a new soldier arriving in Rome to serve in the Pontifical Swiss Guard. Young, brash, and fitting in at right angles everywhere he goes, Cris struggles in the murky, deceptive labyrinth of the Vatican. Propelled forward by a past he can’t understand, Cris collides with Alain, and both men crash headfirst into the darkest secret of the Vatican…and of the world.

A Time to Rise contains adult content suitable for mature readers only.

I will start off by saying this was an AMAZING read for me. I was hooked from the very first page on. I was so sad when it was over. Can someone PLEASE make this into a movie because that would be epic!

I’ll be honest and admit I had no clue the Swiss Guard was so fascinating. I had heard of them before but I had no idea about the story behind them. The Author tells such a fantastic story I had to do more research and go read more on them. I got a pretty cool history lesson in addition to an awesome read.

Lotario was something else. When he started the story off by throwing vodka on a paranormal creature and lighting it up I knew I was going to like him. He’s also pretty kick ass for a Priest. He’s been doing his job for a very long time and it shows. He’s an interesting individual and I enjoyed seeing the type of friendship he and Alain had developed from working so closely together through all the years.

Alain is the loner in the Swiss Guard. He’s always kept to himself working on projects no one knows anything about and it’s made the rest of the Guard very wary and distrustful of him. They avoid him like the plague and I’m surprised he stayed sane with everything he had to deal with through the years. He was a really good guy with some demons of his own and I felt for him throughout the story.

Cris was the angry new recruit who felt like he had no place where he belonged. He had such a chip on his shoulder and was always upset with everything. I figured there had to be a story behind his behavior. Alain and Cris are eventually forced together when Alain is tasked with being a mentor for Cris and neither of them are very happy.

I really liked Cris and thought him and Alain were perfect for each other. When Alain finally gave into his desire for Cris the sex was seriously hot.

We have a good number of secondary characters as well. Each one plays a significant part and adds life to the story. I feel like Luca has his own story to tell and I hope we get to revisit these characters again very soon. I would love to know how Cris and Alain are holding up.

This is a very fast paced read with lots of action, drama, mystery and intrigue. It’s definitely more than just a romance. The gore factor is right up there with a horror movie and the scenes are described so well I felt like I was in the room watching. It will keep you on your toes and I had no idea what to expect next. I will be looking forward to more stories from this author.

5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Amazon

ARe

Stained by Chris T. Kat: Release Day Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

June 1, 2016 by Denise

Blair Clark has reached his breaking point. Forced to leave one job because of sexual harassment, he’s having difficulty finding another. Since no one believes what happened, Blair’s left with a stain on his employment record that he can’t get rid of. He’s had to move back home with his mother. As if that’s not bad enough, he realizes his crush, Travis, is simply using him. His romantic life looks as hopeless as his job search.

Jack Ross is sure he’ll never find anyone who’ll love him for who he is. All anyone sees is the port-wine stain on his left cheek—not the man behind it. Even his mother thinks he should get rid of it. But the procedure is difficult and painful.

When Blair applies for a secretarial position with Jack’s firm, both men learn that beauty is, indeed, in the eye of the beholder. It’ll take a lot of trust to chase away their insecurities, but if they take a chance on one another, love will find a way.

Author Name: Chris T. Kat

Book Name: Stained

Release Date: June 1^st, 2016

Pages or Words: 119 pages

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance

Goodreads Link

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Bree Archer

From Chapter One

“Can’t I?” I gazed into Travis’s brown eyes, the same eyes I dreamed about at night. In those dreams they were filled with love, but when I looked now, I only saw cruelty, arrogance, and something more, something darker I didn’t want to think about.

“No.” Travis snatched my chin, held it tightly between his big fingers and forced me to keep perfectly still. “No, you can’t. Choose a manly job and they’ll stop. Keep flaunting your sexuality and that’s what they’ll do.”

“Flaunting my sexuality? What’s that got to do with my job?”

“You’re a secretary, for fuck’s sake. It’s a woman’s job. Now stop adding fuel to the fire and cowboy up.” Travis’s voice remained low but it held an angry edge to it, one I recognized well.

I dropped my gaze, and a moment later Travis let go of my chin. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I winced when another guy asked, “Having trouble keeping the fairy in line?”

“Are you kidding?” Travis replied, puffing up his chest.

Enough was enough. I bolted up, ready to leave, when a big hand clamped on my arm. I tugged, but the grip tightened. Anxiety blossomed into fear, especially when the table dropped into sudden silence.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Travis hissed.

My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, making it impossible for me to answer. What the hell was wrong with me? Why had I pursued Travis for so many months? Just because of his looks? Sure, he was hot, and exactly how I liked my men—big, fair-haired, and brown-eyed. But there was no love lost between us. Travis would never come out as gay, even though he liked to fool around with me whenever it was convenient for him.

“Blair, sit your ass down again, you’re attracting attention.”

When Travis pulled at my arm with more force, I planted my feet. I didn’t anticipate Travis letting go all of a sudden, leaving me to stumble backward. I crashed into someone behind me, taking us both to the ground.

Rolling to my knees and away from whomever I’d thrown, I apologized, “I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?”

Heat flooded my cheeks as embarrassment swept over me. Holding out a hand for the guy I’d tripped, I recoiled when the man sat up, revealing his face. A gasp tumbled over my lips and I stared openmouthed. The skin of the man’s left side was stained in red, giving him a slightly scary appearance, as if he’d been badly burnt.

“I’m fine,” the man said, his brows creasing in a frown. Obviously he’d seen my reaction and wasn’t too thrilled about it.

I couldn’t help but stare even more. The man’s dark blue eyes bore right into me, daring me to say anything. The stained skin drew my attention, no matter how hard I tried to look elsewhere. It looked so painful, a large blotch of red that started below the man’s eye, covered his whole cheek, and tapered out at his jawline.

“It’s not contagious, if that’s what you’re afraid of,” the man said in an icy tone. He rose in one fluid motion, holding out his hand for me to… to what? Help me up? Why would he do that?

I eyed the outstretched hand, hating myself for the fear coursing through me. Just when I was about to take the man up on the offer, two big hands grabbed my waist and hoisted me to my feet.

Stained was my first read by Chris T. Kat. This was a novella with two things you don’t often see in books. An issue with a disfigurement on one MC’s face, along with issues of domestic violence and abuse. It made me curious to see how the author would handle both issues.

I was slightly confused at the blurb discussing the port wine stain on Jack’s face, as if he was considering having it removed. He was not. He had dealt with it in his life, and didn’t have any desire to change it. I thought how Jack handled the ongoing situation of people’s horror and thoughtlessness was so well done. He knew he wasn’t going to change it, and just allowed people to think what they would, and tried not to feel uncomfortable about it.

Blair’s ongoing lack of self-confidence, allowing himself to be used, and abused was somewhat confusing to me, as a reader. I couldn’t pinpoint why he felt that way, other than having been picked on his entire life, for his size and effeminate qualities. His family was supportive and encouraging of him, to be followed by Jack quite quickly. However, I could see with those feelings how he would have been able to be abused by Travis, who was a bully, as well as an abuser. Although I thought that the situation wrapped up just a bit too quickly and neatly, I was happy to see Travis get what he deserved.

Lastly, the writing style on this one was a bit stiff for my tastes. I felt sometimes as if an editor went through and replaced words with longer synonyms. I could see how it might be somewhat stiff with the narrator being the type of personality he was, but it still felt forced in some places.

3 pieces of eye candy

Blair is currently having a string of bad luck. He lost his job due to a sexual harassment claim, had to move back in with his mother, and his boyfriend is a controlling jerk. A wrong step at a bar has Blair coming face to face with Jack who has a port wine stained birthmark on his face. A gaping Blair doesn’t handle the situation well partly because his boyfriend is a jerk and partly because he is taken off guard.

Go figure, Blair’s last ditch effort for a job comes with an interview with Jack. After the two get over the initial awkwardness of the situation they work really well together. As the weeks go by a mutual attraction develops which Blair is much to scared to pursue because of the way the last job ended.

Blair finally realizes what a jerk his boyfriend is and decides that he needs to end things. The boyfriend doesn’t take it well, manhandling Blair and trying to blackmail him into staying. Jack rushes in to the rescue and as they say, the rest is history.

I have to say once I picked this book up I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what Blair’s jerk of a boyfriend was up to. Damn, I’m not really sure their has been a character I’ve hated more.

The characters were well developed and endearing, most of them. The plot was well developed and moved at a steady pace. This is definitely a book I would re-read.

4 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

ARe

Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.

Where to find the author:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christi_kat

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/ChrisTKat

Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.com

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Chris-T.-Kat/e/B008FQQH2Q

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, Alpha Book Club, Gay Media Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, V’s Reads,

Kirsty Loves Books, MM Good Book Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, The Jena Wade,

A.M. Leibowitz, Making It Happen, BFD Book Blog, The Blogger Girls, 3 Chicks After Dark, Jessie G. Books,

Man2ManTastic, Nephy Hart, Open Skye Book Reviews, Butterfly-O-Meter, Inked Rainbow Reads, Velvet Panic,

Molly Lolly, The Hat Party, Bayou Book Junkie, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Havan Fellows, Oh My Shelves,

Book Lovers 4Ever, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Outrageous Heroes