review

Old Town New by BA Tortuga : Release Day Review

April 20, 2016 by Denise

Danny Avers is a teacher in small town Colorado. Back in the day, before high-speed Internet, social media, smartphones, or streaming anything, Danny’s just trying to live down his wild teenage years and carry on the only way he knows how: one day at a time. The last person he expects to see back in town is Harlan Quinn, his old best friend and former consummate bad boy. And when he finds out Quinn is the new sheriff and his new neighbor, it’s even more of a shock.

Quinn knows there’s more to his old hometown than meets the eye. There’s more to Danny than old memories and quiet living too. But as in the past, stirring things up is Quinn’s specialty, and he sets out to do that, in more ways than one, pushing Danny to admit there’s more to life and that their old town just might manage to be new again. That’s if old town thinking doesn’t get them both killed.

Title: Old Town New
Author: BA Tortuga
Release Date: April 20, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: TBC (Novella)

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

ARe

BA Tortuga is new find for me, I’ve only read one other book of hers. I absolutely love that this book takes place in a small town before smart phones and wifi were the norm, sometimes a great story is lost in the technology.

Harlan Quinn comes back to town after 10 years away as the new Sheriff. Danny Avers his old friend and high school boyfriend lives right across the street from the Sheriff’s new rental house. The two pick up their friendship as soon as they see each other, both having reasons for staying in the closet in a small town.

Danny is just living each day the same as the last, work as a history teacher at the high school by day and recluse by night. A tragic accident 10 years ago left Danny with a broken body that will never be completely mended and 5 dead friends. Small town thinking has everyone playing the blame game and Danny is just trying to survive and not drown beneath the guilt and accusations.

Danny and Quinn decide together that they need to stop paying for past sins so they can pave a future together as long as Quinn’s current case doesn’t get them killed first.

I loved it! As much drama and guilt as Danny and Quinn were experiencing their romantic relationship seemed effortless. It was beautiful to watch it unfold. As all the crap from Quinn’s job rained down on them they came together as a united front, never tearing each other down.

I loved the touch of mystery that Quinn’s job added to the story without taking it over. But most of all I loved how strong Danny was, his body may be broken but his spirit never would be.

Great read. I will be adding this to my re-read list.

5 pieces of eye candy

Selfie by Amy Lane : Blog tour, Review and Giveaway

April 19, 2016 by Denise

One year ago, actor Connor Montgomery lost the love of his life to a drunk driver. But what’s worse for Connor is what he still has: a lifetime of secrets born of hiding his relationship from the glare of Hollywood. Unable to let go of the world he and Vinnie shared, Connor films a drunken YouTube confession on the anniversary of Vinnie’s death.

Thankfully, the video was silent—a familiar state for Connor—so his secret is still safe. He needs a fresh start, and a new role on the hit TV show Wolf’s Landing might be just that.

The move to Bluewater Bay may also mean a second chance in the form of his studio-assigned assistant. Noah Dakers sees through Connor’s facades more quickly than Connor could imagine. Noah’s quiet strength and sarcastic companionship offers Connor a chance at love that Hollywood’s closet has never allowed. But to accept it, Connor must let Vinnie go and learn to live again.

**For the Selfie blog tour, Amy Lane has written a few monologues from Vinnie’s video blog, set prior to the crash that takes his life. These monologues, performed by Nick J. Russo of Dark Night Sound, correspond to scenes or memories referenced by Connor in Selfie, giving you a unique look at this off-screen character.

Please visit http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/selfie and select the extras tab for all six monologues, which will be updated there as they are published.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

I never know what to expect from an Amy Lane book. Sometimes I walk away with just a general feeling of happiness and joy, other times, I’ve used an entire box of tissues, and still want to curl up in a ball on the couch. Selfie was somewhere in between. Connor and Noah put the pieces of my heart back together again, after my heart felt so sad from Connor’s grief over losing Vinnie.

Noah, clearly one of the most patient and loving man ever, was willing to wait for Connor to finish grieving, and even was willing to take a backseat to Vinnie’s ghost. What kind of man could be so selfless, and put himself out there for that kind of potential heartache? Yet, he did, and he was supportive of Connor, no matter what happened.

It seemed that Connor’s biggest issue was not necessarily his grief of Vinnie, but not being able to express his grief to anyone but his agent. Not Vinnie’s family, not the world that saw the movie star, even initially not to Noah. That allowed his grieving process to not even begin until the anniversary of Vinnie’s death, when he began to blow it all out of the water.

And let’s not forget Vinnie’s “ghost”, who we find out was not the saint that he originally is seen as. Vinnie was a fairly selfish man, who loved a man who was willing to give up everything to have a chance at their happiness. His ghost was a bit selfish as well. But in the end, he goes away quietly, after a difficult goodbye with Connor.

My heart broke for Connor having to go through all this, and for Noah who had to watch from the sidelines, and could only be supportive. But thank goodness it’s an Amy Lane novel, so there is an HEA!!!

There were a couple loose ends I would have loved to see tied up a little more neatly, but in real life, those likely would not have been tied up anyway, so sometimes you have to let things go.

Definitely recommend. And I would like to re-read this, from the point of view of knowing Vinnie and his ways. I wonder if my read will be a different feeling…

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Amy Lane exists happily with her noisy family in a crumbling suburban crapmansion, and equally happily with the surprisingly demanding voices who live in her head.

She loves cats, movies, yarn, pretty colors, pretty men, shiny things, and Twu Wuv, and despises house cleaning, low fat granola bars, and vainglorious prickweenies.

She can be found at her computer, dodging housework, or simultaneously reading, watching television, and knitting, because she likes to freak people out by proving it can be done.

Connect with Amy:

Website: com
Blog: blogspot.com
Twitter: @amymaclane
Facebook group: Amy Lane Anonymous
Goodreads: com/amymaclane

About Nick J. Russo

Nick J. Russo has been a professional performer for over a decade, but has been voicing audio books for the past few years. He has voiced several titles throughout the romance, sci-fi, supernatural, and thriller genres, and has recently started his very own sound studio; Dark Night Sound. On top of voice acting, Russo manages Dark Night Sound with his fiance and works with a staff of four up and coming narrators. In his free time, Russo is a drummer in a pop/rock cover band, loves to travel, and dreams of one day being able to voice a role in an animated comedy series.

To celebrate the release of Selfie, one lucky person will receive e-copies of Amy’s entire backlist with Riptide, and an Amy Lane t-shirt. Leave a comment to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on April 23, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Unstable Stud by Ariel Tachna Release Day Review and Guest Post

April 14, 2016 by Denise

Horses were his passion, until he laid eyes on his boss.

Eighteen months ago, tragedy struck Bywater Farm when a riding accident killed Clay Hunter’s lover and traumatized his prize horse, King of Hearts. Clay and King lingered in limbo, surviving but not really living, until a breath of fresh air in the form of Luke Davis, a new groom in the stud barn, revives them both.

When a fall from King’s back sends Luke to the emergency room, Clay watches the shaky foundation of their budding relationship tumble down. Can Clay really love a jockey again, or will his fear of losing another man he loves keep them apart for good?

Title: Unstable Stud
Series: Lexington Lovers
Author: Ariel Tachna
Release Date: April 15, 2016
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 204

Going Home

I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, but I haven’t lived there, not really, since I was eighteen. It hasn’t even been my official permanent address since I was twenty-three. (We won’t discuss how many years ago that was.) And yet when you say “home,” Lexington is still what comes to my mind. It’s also what comes to mind when you say a number of other words.

Horses.

Racing.

Stables.

Those were the words Elizabeth said to me not quite a year ago when we were first discussing the Dreamspun Desires line and my possible contribution to it. It would perhaps have been more logical to set the book in Texas, where I live now, instead of setting it in Lexington, where I haven’t lived in a number of years, but people don’t ride the same in Texas as they do in Lexington. It’s a horse culture, but it’s not my horse culture. My horse culture is English saddles, three-day events, Thoroughbred auctions, and Derby Day. (No, not Kentucky Derby Day. Nobody in Kentucky needs to specify which Derby we’re talking about because really, in our world, there’s only one.) Big hats, fancy parties with betting pools, the race on every TV in sight. That’s my horse culture. In Texas you can barely find it on TV at home, much less out in a bar or restaurant. Sacrilege!

Bywater Farms, the horse farm in Unstable Stud, is a Kentucky horse farm through and through, an amalgam of a couple of different farms I spent quite a bit of time on when I was younger, but ultimately a true racing farm with hot-blooded stallions kept separate from the mares, in stalls that are nicer than some houses I’ve seen, with heat in the winter and fans or even air conditioning in the summer. They each have their own paddock, because everyone knows stallions don’t play nicely with each other. They have their own equipment, their own grooms, and their every whim catered to because their bloodlines are golden and their sperm is worth thousands or even tens of thousands per ounce.

This is the world Clay Hunter has grown up in, fallen in love in, and lost his lover in. He’s jaded and heartbroken and used to being as universally recognized and revered as his horses. And then there’s Luke Davis. Stable boy, not even a groom when the book starts. He’s a literal muckraker, cleaning up after the stallions because at least that lets him be with the horses. He’s poor, has only a high-school education, and grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. He has no place in Clay’s world except to get rid of the detritus left behind by the beautiful beasts he adores.

This is the horse world I grew up in, the one that still calls to my soul. Yes, writing a book set in a town I know, but from twenty years ago, is a challenge, but it couldn’t be set anywhere else. Fortunately for me, my family is still there, and my mother is tickled every time I ask her a question. You’ll see more of her and her input in A Matchless Man, which comes out in October, but for now, enjoy Unstable Stud!

Thank you, Two Chicks Obsessed, for hosting a stop on my blog tour, and thank all of you for reading. Leave a comment with a horse-related entry to be eligible to win an ebook of your choice from my Dreamspinner publications.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press ebook

Dreamspinner Press paperback

ARe

I’ve really enjoyed the Dreamspun Desires series so far, and Ariel Tachna’s book in this category was another one I enjoyed. Luke was a sweet, kind, gentle man who just wanted to pay the bills left behind by his mother and find someone who would love him. Meanwhile, Clay still mourning the tragic accident that took his partner allowed Luke to take on the care of King, his partner’s horse.

This book was a very slow burn, first kiss at about 70%. It harkened back to the sweet Harlequin books that rarely went much further than a consummation with a virgin bride. I enjoyed the sweetness of it, as that is what I have come to expect from this series.

However, there were areas of the book that I felt could have been expanded, questions that I thought should have been dealt with or answered. Those things left me feeling like the book was somewhat unfinished. They reached their HEA, but as a reader, I was left somewhat unsatisfied with how things were glossed over, or left unanswered.

I did like the relationship between the two MC’s, as well as their relationships with the secondary characters. I just wished for a little more development.

3.5 pieces of eye candy.

“Is Mr. Hunter as handsome in person as he is on TV?”

So much for not talking about his reaction to his boss. “Yes,” Luke said simply, hoping that would be the end of it.

“Don’t give me that, young man,” Mrs. Twitchell scolded. “I’m old, not dead. I know how these things work. He’s gay and single, and so are you. There’s no reason for you not to have noticed him.”

“He’s also my boss and completely out of my league,” Luke reminded her. “I may be single, but that doesn’t make me interesting to a man like him.”

“A man like what?” Mrs. Twitchell pressed. “Lonely because his partner died almost two years ago? Or maybe afraid to trust again because all the news ever talks about is how much money he has? Oh, or maybe ostracized by at least half the horse world for being gay in the first place? Have I forgotten anything?”

Luke squirmed in his chair, trying to formulate a reply. The waiter brought their steaks before he could decide what to say. Luke hoped the distraction would allow him to change the subject, but Mrs. Twitchell had the bit between her teeth. “You didn’t answer me.”

“I think he is lonely,” Luke said, “but he’s used to cultured, powerful men like him who know which fork to use and which wine to pair with what dish. Men who have a different suit for each day of the week and a full wardrobe for the change of seasons. I watch the news too, and I hear how people in his circles are judged. I wouldn’t last ten minutes at his side. They’d crucify me and take him with me.”

“There’s nothing those men know that you couldn’t learn given a little time, and there’s nothing they have that you couldn’t have with a little money,” Mrs. Twitchell said with a dismissive wave of her fork. “But I’ll tell you what they don’t have, most of them. They don’t have your passion for the horses in your care. They don’t have your compassion for those less fortunate than you. And they don’t have the kind of heart that has you taking an old woman out to dinner rather than going out for a night on the town when you’ve surely earned it. If you’re right—and I’m not saying you are—but if you’re right, you’re better off without someone like that. But here’s the other thing I know: that horse you spent today taking care of would be a liability in most people’s books. He’s unrideable and barely even useful as a stud. And yet Mr. Hunter kept him. That should tell you something about the kind of man your boss is, no matter what face he shows to the world.”

When Ariel Tachna was twelve years old, she discovered two things: the French language and romance novels. Those two loves have defined her ever since. By the time she finished high school, she’d written four novels, none of which anyone would want to read now, featuring a young woman who was—you guessed it—bilingual. That girl was everything Ariel wanted to be at age twelve and wasn’t.

She now lives on the outskirts of Houston with her husband (who also speaks French), her kids (who understand French even when they’re too lazy to speak it back), and their two dogs (who steadfastly refuse to answer any French commands).

Visit Ariel:

Website: www.arieltachna.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArielTachna

E-mail: arieltachna@gmail.com

Planting His Dream by Andrew Grey: 5 star Release Day Review

April 11, 2016 by Denise

Foster dreams of getting away, but after his father’s death, he has to take over the family dairy farm. It soon becomes clear his father hasn’t been doing the best job of running it, so not only does Foster need to take over the day-to-day operations, he also needs to find new ways of bringing in revenue.

Javi has no time to dream. He and his family are migrant workers, and daily survival is a struggle, so they travel to anywhere they can get work. When they arrive in their old van, Foster arranges for Javi to help him on the farm.

To Javi’s surprise, Foster listens to his ideas and actually puts them into action. Over days that turn into weeks, they grow to like and then care for each other, but they come from two very different worlds, and they both have responsibilities to their families that neither can walk away from. Is it possible for them to discover a dream they can share? Perhaps they can plant their own and nurture it together to see it grow, if their different backgrounds don’t separate them forever.

Title: Planting His Dream
Author: Andrew Grey
Release Date: April 11, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 200

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

ARe

One of my favorite Andrew Grey books yet! Absolutely loved this story.

Foster, a young farmer struggling to keep the family farm after his father’s sudden death meets Javi, a young migrant worker at the farm to pick asparagus. Foster is struggling to come to terms with his father’s death and the financial state the farm is in when Javi comes to the farm and awakens all these new feelings in him. Javi is also struggling, with an abusive father and a mother and two younger siblings to help take care of. As a migrant worker, Javi must go where the work is. There is no sense in dreaming of what he could have with Foster, in his life dreams only bring a reminder of what you can’t have.

Slowly, Foster and Javi develop a friendship while repairing the farm. Foster is thankful for the new ideas that Javi has suggested and Javi is awestruck that someone is listening to his suggestions. Over the weeks the two work together they must come to terms with their feelings for each other, knowing their time together is short. Javi is not in a position to leave his family, even if it means missing out on a love like theirs.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Perhaps even after Javi and Foster have to go their separate ways maybe they will just find their way to being where they need to be. Together.

I loved this story. The strong sense of family and hard work was endearing. The huge amount of detail about farm life was interesting and gave the story a feeling of authenticity.

It was a great read, I couldn’t put it down.

5 pieces of eye candy

Talk Dirty to Me by Jessie G: Blog Tour, Exclusive Post, Review and Giveaway

April 8, 2016 by Denise

As a secret agent for the DEA, Snake’s gone deep into Devils Pride MC with the hope of bringing down the head of Miami’s lucrative drug trade and finds himself saddled with the club’s volatile and secretive SA instead. Unfortunately, after years as partners doing shit neither of them wanted to do for reasons neither of them felt comfortable sharing, Snake considers Trick his best friend. Now he’ll do anything to repair the damage his own necessary lies did to their friendship because, while Trick may have walked away from the MC, Snake needs someone he trusts to have his back.

Meanwhile, Snake’s contact at the DEA has him tied up in knots. The sexy voice and inappropriate comments have him walking around with a permanent set of blue balls. Life undercover is lonely and he lives for every phone call, but his own personal Deep Throat is skittish about committing to a date once Snake returns to headquarters. As far as Snake’s concerned, they only have one shot to build something together and he’s not willing to waste it.

Greg knows he’s not Snake’s type, or anyone’s for that matter. Former love interests called him plain, chubby, and boring. More comfortable in his tech cave than with people, he’s a grade A nerd who isn’t exactly GQ material. Normally he would never be brave enough to flirt with anyone—much less the very hot and very dangerous ginger who’d been starring in his nightly fantasies—but Snake needed something to keep him from getting lost undercover. What started out as a helping hand quickly became an integral part of their relationship—if one could call a five year phone conversation a relationship—and Greg is terrified that once Snake’s sees the wizard behind the curtain, he’ll lose the only man he’s ever loved.

Now the DEA has called Snake home to plan the next stage of the mission, leaving Greg no more places to hide. When fantasy and reality collide, will it be everything Snake hopes for or everything Greg fears? The trick will be staying alive long enough to figure out the answer.

Author Name: Jessie G. Books

Book Name: Talk Dirty to Me

Series: Devils Pride MC

Book: Two

Series must be read in order

Release Date: March 7, 2016)

Pages or Words: 78,000 words

Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Erotica, M/M Romance, Mystery, Romance (Please note: Snake’s bisexuality is only mentioned. It is not gone into.)

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/jessiegbooks

Publisher: Jessie G. Books Inc.

Cover Artist: Andrew Reyna, Dynamic Craft Studios

Amazon

ARe

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

First, I want to thank you for hosting my guys and always being supportive of my work. When we talked about this book, I asked you for a prompt and I’ve been mulling it over ever since. You asked me what my starting point was and I really had to go way back to find the answer.

I’ve been honest in saying that as a child, reading was a chore. I was bored, uninspired, and would do anything not to do it. Then my aunt gave me a book that was no doubt far too mature and opened up my eyes to a whole world of genres. My love of reading seemed to grow overnight. I couldn’t get enough and I wanted to try everything, and with that love came ideas of my own.

I toyed with them, filling notebooks with half-formed ideas, but never getting to the end. Fast forward thirty years, two kids, two marriages, a career, and life later, I had never realized my dream of being a published writer. It was always “when I had time” or “after the kids are grown” or “it’s just a hobby, I’m not good enough.” I told myself that last one a lot until I wrote Past Hurts. Getting to the end and loving it, imperfections and all, pushed me to actually take the chance of doing something with it. Taking the first step was all it took and, knock on wood, the muse has been very good to me now that I’ve stopped ignoring her.

I now have nine books on the market in three series and have plotted out several more (see my newest family tree). I also want to explore paranormal and even crossover between MM and MF some point. I’ve limited myself for so long by putting off what I really wanted to do and refuse to write just one type of book for however long the muse continues to inspire me.

**Check out the updated Family Tree!

“That sexy voice and those incredible brains are a potent combination.” There was a sigh and a muffled groan, reminding Greg why they were talking at close to three in the morning. “Lucky for you, my ego’s big enough to handle the challenge.”

“Your ego or your dick?” Just saying it made his mouth water and he’d give anything to see it, touch it, taste it…

“Damn, Sunshine, you gonna groan like that when I’m shoving my big ego down your throat?” The rough dirty talk was more like the Gene he knew and loved.

Yeah, as hopeless as it was, there was no other word for the feelings that ran deep and true inside him. And it was hopeless. While not conventionally handsome, Gene was everything he could ever want in a man—tall, strong, rugged, smart, and deadly—and damn him for being a ginger to boot. The type of man who had no trouble finding a willing body to fuck. The type of man who would never look twice at an out of shape, curly-haired, glasses-wearing geek. But that was his secret and as long as Gene didn’t know exactly what he looked like, he was able to hold on to the fantasy for a little while longer.

“You know I will.” He was groaning again just thinking about getting his lips anywhere near Gene’s body. “I can feel you fisting my hair, holding me still while you make me take every inch.”

“Fuck yeah, I’d grab two fistfuls and fuck that dirty mouth the way it deserves,” Gene promised. “You want that, don’t you, Sunshine? To be manhandled until your throat is raw and your lips are swollen.”

Greg fisted his own aching cock, dragging his palm from balls to tip. What he wouldn’t give for that just once. “More than anything.”

“My dirty little Valentine.” Gene’s voice was ragged and full of satisfaction. “Get your toy, dirty boy, I’m dying to pound that tight ass until you’re screaming my name.”

There was no embarrassment as he reached for the long, thick vibrating dildo he’d already prepared in anticipation of this phone call. He wanted Gene too much to allow embarrassment to stop him from experiencing whatever he could with the man. “Tell me…tell me how you want me. On my back? On my knees?”

“On your back so I can see your face,” Gene purred and Greg felt his heart skip another beat. His dirtiest fantasies had nothing on phone sex with Gene. The real thing would probably kill him.

I adore Jessie’s Stories. I always devour them and then I’m sad because it’s over. I was really looking forward to Gene and Greg’s story and she did not disappoint me one bit.

Gene was always the loner and the badass. Being undercover for the DEA didn’t really give him any other choice. With this story, I get to see a whole new side to Gene. I loved seeing him brought to his knees by the love he had for Greg. Greg always felt like he wasn’t good enough for Gene. Being a hacker/nerd for the DEA, he was a lonely man himself as well. He hasn’t had very good luck with men throughout his life. Lots of bad experiences have pretty much killed his self esteem. It was nice to see his personal growth and how far he comes in being comfortable in his own skin.

I absolutely love getting to spend time with some of our very favorite past characters. The ongoing snark and humor between all of them makes for a damn good time. This story is packed with action, passion and hilarity that made me want more and more. Definitely can’t wait for the next installment.

5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Jessie G is an author that puts so much into her books. She spends the extra effort on research, gives back to her readers, and creates real people. Her characters are always flawed in some way, whether through circumstance or environment. Yet, the flaws she creates in those characters are often what appeal most to their future partner(s).

In Talk Dirty to Me, she created a character who is confident in his skills behind his computer, while nearly without self esteem in person. Greg sees himself as overweight, frumpy, and not in the same league as the gorgeous Snake, aka, Gene. To have a character with this type of personality is rare in this genre, where tone abs and muscle bound men abound. Although he and Snake had a healthy phone relationship, when it came time to actually show himself to the man of his dreams, Greg couldn’t help but try to hide himself away, at which point Snake put his foot down, showing Greg he wanted him just as he was.

The duo, along with a big crew of assistants, worked to take down what they could of the stronghold Snake had been investigating for years. And this is where Jessie absolutely shines as an author. The layers that she puts into her books are deeper than any author I’ve read in this genre. One simple comment made four books ago, may end up having a huge impact on how an incident is dealt with in the current book. Or she may set up what appears to be an innocent situation that will turn deadly or vital to the series, without anyone noticing. It is her true strength as an author, to create a world that is truly as complex as real life, and she brings it all around in this book, as she so often does. She ties off one or two loose ends from a previous book, yet leaves breadcrumbs along the way for the next two or three books, or even a different series.

Gene and Greg worked together by opposites attracting, but also by meeting each other’s emotional needs. Where one was lacking in skills or confidence, the other was able to pick up the slack. With the building of their relationship, you also were able to see the confidence increase in Greg as a person, his self esteem projecting not only in his work, but in his personality. There is a bonus scene that you have to read AFTER you read the book (here) that helps to see where Greg has become more confident in himself as a sex partner for Gene. Check it out, but only after you’ve read Talk Dirty to Me. (It’s NSFW!)

Great job by Jessie on this. 5 pieces of eye candy for me!

Like many readers, the dream of being a writer has been with me a long time. After three decades of trying, I’d begun to doubt. Thanks to social media, I followed my favorite authors hoping to glean some words of wisdom as I pounded out half-formed ideas with alarming regularity. Two repetitive themes emerged: to be a great writer you must read a lot and your butt must be in the chair every day like it’s a job. The more you write, the easier it will be to write and the better you will be at writing. I took that advice to heart and write every day. With three series in the works and a full schedule of releases planned for the next two years, it’s been amazing to have made this dream my reality.

I am a firm believer in marriage equality, love at first sight, power dynamics, and happily ever after. I’m a lover of strong secondary characters, and series filled with families—biological or chosen. All are themes you’ll find throughout my books.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessieGBooks

Google +: google.com/+Jessiegbooksmm

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jessiegbooks

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jessiegbooks/

TSU: https://www.tsu.co/jessiegbooks

Tumblr (NSFW 18+): http://jessiegbooks.tumblr.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessieGBooks

Author Pages:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1P69wrd

All Romance eBooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Jessie+G.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jessiegbooks

Tour Dates & Stops:

14-Mar: Sassygirl Books, Carly’s Book Reviews

16-Mar: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

18-Mar: Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Foxylutely Book Reviews

21-Mar: Alpha Book Club

23-Mar: V’s Reads

25-Mar: The Dark Arts

28-Mar: Oh My Shelves

30-Mar: Happily Ever Chapter, The Hat Party

1-Apr: 3 Chicks After Dark, Velvet Panic, MM Good Book Reviews

4-Apr: Full Moon Dreaming, Outrageous Heroes, Mikky’s World of Books, Nephy Hart,

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Book Lovers 4Ever. Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words,

Up All Night, Read All Day

6-Apr: Man2ManTastic, The Novel Approach

8-Apr: Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Joyfully Jay

11-Apr: A.M. Leibowitz

13-Apr: Divine Magazine, Unquietly Me

15-Apr: Bonkers About Books

18-Apr: Kirsty Loves Books

20-Apr: Cathy Brockman Romances

22-Apr: Dawn’s Reading Nook, MM Book Escape

25-Apr: Molly Lolly, Books A to Z

27-Apr: Prism Book Alliance

29-Apr: Love Bytes, My Fiction Nook,

2-May: TTC Books and More, Bayou Book Junkie

4-May: Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Inked Rainbow Reads, Hearts on Fire, Making It Happen,

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

6-May: BFD Book Blog, Multitasking Mommas

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The Last Favor by Meg Harding: Release Day Review, Character Interview and Giveaway

April 6, 2016 by Denise

Three years ago Andrew Wilson and Flynn Barnett were in a relationship, until Flynn made a mistake that nearly cost Andrew his life. Andrew walked away from the FBI, his home, and his partner, and started over back in Montreal, running a restaurant.

Fast forward to the present and Andrew is knee-deep in preparations for his sister’s wedding. When an ex-colleague calls to ask for one last favor, the last person he expects to walk through his door is Flynn, in need of a place to stay. Only thing is, Andrew can’t say no.

Two weeks of wedding hijinks bring back all the old feelings that have simmered below the surface. Caught in a cycle of fighting and making up, the two men try to figure out if there’s anything they can salvage. And even if there is, Andrew can’t be sure this time will be any different.

Title: The Last Favor
Author: Meg Harding
Release Date: April 6, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 124

Thanks for having me today Two Chicks! I’m here today to introduce everyone to Andy and Flynn, the stars of The Last Favor. They’re a special little duo, and I thought it would be fun to let them interview each other for the readers. The story centers around a wedding, so we’re going to keep the questions wedding themed. So, without further ado: Flynn and Andy!

Andy: Would we have a casual wedding?

Flynn: As in no suits? God no. You are definitely wearing a suit.

Andy: *blushes* What flowers would you want to have at our wedding?

Flynn: *rolls his eyes* You’re allergic to flowers. We won’t have any.

Andy: We could have a few. As long as I’m not breathing them in for too long.

Flynn. No flowers. Why do we need flowers? Are we flower people? *waves hand* It’s my turn to ask a question. Where do you want to go on the honeymoon?

Andy: *thinking about it* I want to go to Britain.

Flynn: What? Why? I thought you’d want some cliché place, like Hawaii or Tahiti.

Andy: Because I’m such a cliché. Love you too. No, I want to go to Britain so you can see how not British you are. And how awesome Canada is in comparison.

Flynn: Canada is a frozen tundra in which you have trapped me. I was thinking we’d do our honeymoon in Thailand.

Andy: Why Thailand?

Flynn: I’ve been doing research, and I think it offers the best mix of activities that we would both find acceptable and be willing to partake in together.

Andy: That’s actually really sweet.

Flynn: *smiles widely* I’m always sweet.

Andy: *snorts*

**side note** The character interview was awesome! It really is exactly how these characters are, and their relationship

I had not read anything by Meg Harding before, so this novella was a jump in for me. However, I enjoyed the premise that these lovers who once were so passionate about each other could be torn apart by one moment, and Andy would just walk away, and that Flynn would just let him.

Flynn suddenly showing up at Andy’s parents house for a wedding, and putting himself in the position of getting hatred from all sides was a brave way to get his man back. He knew that by forcing the situation at a time when Andy really couldn’t just disappear again would allow him to work through the walls that had been built up in the three years they had been apart. Flynn just wouldn’t go away.

These men apart were strong individuals, both making choices that, in the end, may not have been correct, but they were necessary, in their eyes at the time. Together, you could see what made their relationship tick originally. Interestingly, though, it became obvious that although their relationship might have worked for them in the past, all their secrets would need to be revealed in order for them to work in the future.

The smallest things were unknown between each other. Flynn had no idea Andy could cook. How do you live with someone for that long and not know that they can cook? It was as if when they were together the first time they only wanted each other on the terms that the other person had put forth, and not the reality. Those things struck me as odd, since the men lived together for a considerable length of time, even if they were off on jobs.

The banter between them was witty and engaging, although it could easily have been expanded. I kept hoping with it being a winter wedding, and the lights and white Christmas tree that I would get some National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation from it, but alas no. 🙂 I enjoyed that they were able to connect during such a stressful time, but were able to walk away from each other knowing that they needed some time to process what they both knew was inevitable.

The epilogue left me wanting more, with more questions than I thought were answered. All in all though, I enjoyed the book a lot, it flowed well, made me laugh, and kept me turning the pages.

4 pieces of eye candy.

He isn’t expecting much when he opens the door, just a reasonably attractive man by Clint’s standards, which aren’t always credible. He hasn’t given any thought to what color hair the man would have (rich sable), or the color of his eyes (bright blue like the sun off a lake), or how tall he might be (several inches taller than Andy himself).
He hasn’t given any thought to whether he’d know the man.
He closes the door in that familiar face only moments after opening it, his stomach plummeting so far down it feels like it’s at his feet. His breathing is fast, his heart thumping away double time. He braces himself against the door, letting his head hang between his arms. There’s a good chance he’s having a panic attack. Flynn Barnett is standing on his doorstep. He tries to take a slow, long breath in.
“Seriously?” asks a deep, familiar voice in a slow drawl that’s somewhat muffled by the door. “This is a bit petty, no?”
Andy is going to kill Clint. He is going to tear him to pieces. “There’s been a misunderstanding,” he says. “I think you should ask your driver to take you to a hotel for the night.”
“My driver left.”
“Andy?” asks his mom, appearing in the hall behind him. “What’s going on? Let the poor man in.”
Andy shakes his head no. “He can’t stay.”
“You’re being ridiculous and very rude,” she says, eyeing him with concern. Her concern doesn’t stop her from gently prodding him out of the way so she can open the door. “You,” she breathes, standing frozen in the doorway, staring at their guest.
“Hello, Mrs. Wilson. Pleasure to see you again. It has been quite some time.”
She shuts the door in his face.
Andy can’t help it. He starts to laugh, and he can’t make himself stop. His mother doesn’t say one word, waiting for him to calm down on his own time. “You know he’s not going to leave if we don’t let him in,” points out Andy. “Probably climb the side of the house and come in through one of our bedroom windows.”
“I’ll go check and make sure they’re all locked.” And bless her, she starts to move like that’s exactly what she’s going to do.
“No,” says Andy, rubbing at his eyes, which are watering from his laughter. “I’m going to let him in. It was just the shock at first. That’s all. I’m fine. It’s fine. Everything’s fine.” He can be a mature adult about this. Clint wouldn’t have sent Flynn to him if it weren’t important. He knew their history.
He reopens the door and stares into a face from his past. A face he’d never thought to see again. Had kissed and stroked and even at times mended. The face of a man he had loved beyond words. A man who had given him the absolute happiest and the horrifyingly worst moments of his life.
“Hello, Flynn.”

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Meg Harding is a graduate of UCF, and is completing a masters program for Publishing in the UK. For as long as she can remember, writing has always been her passion, but she had an inability to ever actually finish anything. She’s immensely happy that her inability has fled and looks forward to where her mind will take her next. She’s a sucker for happy endings, the beach, and superheroes. In her dream life she owns a wildlife conservation and is surrounded by puppies. She’s a film buff, voracious reader, and a massive geek.

Website: Megharding.wordpress.com
Facebook: facebook.com/meghardingwrites
Twitter: twitter.com/cumberstone61

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