review

Aftermath by Cara Dee : Book Review

November 15, 2015 by Denise

Austin Huntley and Cameron Nash are like night and day. One is a family man, works in a nice office, drives an expensive car, and is content to be content. The other one is an antisocial car mechanic with a short fuse.

Some things don’t change. Others definitely do.

After surviving a five-month long kidnapping together, they struggle to return to normalcy, all while realizing that they’re more drawn to each other than they ever could’ve imagined.

“I know I’m not normal, but I’m not fucking stupid.”

“Define normal,” Austin countered quietly, meeting Cam in the doorway. “And for not being normal, you’re the only person in the world who makes sense right now. What does that say about me?”

Warning: This story contains violence and scenes of an explicit, erotic nature between two men and is intended for adults, 18+.

Wow. Just wow. This was a book that I bought months ago, on a recommendation, and then just hesitated to read. Whether it was that I was scared that it would be too violent, or that I wouldn’t get an HEA, I’m not sure. But I will say it right now, I was dead wrong. This book was so well done, and hit all the marks, I couldn’t have been happier with it.

Yes, there is violence in it, but what I appreciated about the way it was written was that it was presented as flashbacks. This allowed the reader to get caught up in the lives of Cam and Austin as they were in present time, while still learning throughout the story what they went through during their five months of hell. So, although you are sad, and heartbroken, you don’t have to worry about crying your eyes out, before you move to happier times.

Cam and Austin for me were just a perfect match for me. Opposites, but they clearly were falling in love in the cell they were locked in, finding comfort and strength in each other, while they worked to get out, gun or no gun.

What a fantastic story, and I honestly am excited to see what the second book in the series will bring.

5 pieces of eye candy for me, without question.

Amazon

Will and Patrick Meet the Family by Blake and Griffiths: Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

November 10, 2015 by Denise

Author: Leta Blake & Alice Griffiths

Title: Will & Patrick Meet the Family

Series Title and Number: Wake Up Married, Episode 2

Publisher: Leta Blake Books

Release Date: November 10, 2015

Genre: Romantic Comedy M/M Romance

Tags: gay, woke up married, tropes, rom-com, mafia, forced marriage, disabled heroes

Heat Level (1 being no sexual content, 5 being erotica): 2 for this Episode, 5 for entire serial

Pairing: M/M

Length: 32,000 words

Book/Buy Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Book Blurb

Follow Will & Patrick as they cope with the fallout from their Vegas wedding in this second installment of the romantic-comedy serial, Wake Up Married, by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!

Meeting the family is challenging for every new couple. But for Will and Patrick, the awkward family moments only grow more hilarious—and painful—when they must hide the truth of their predicament from the people they care about most.

Throw in the sexual tension flaring between them, uncomfortable run ins with Will’s all-too-recent ex-boyfriend, an overprotective mobster father, and a mafia spy tailing them around Healing, South Dakota, and you’ve got a recipe for madcap laughs and surprisingly heartwarming feels.

Episode 2 of 6 in the Wake Up Married serial.
Excerpt

Keying open the door to their hotel room, Will tries to fake some cheer. “Honey, I’m home! And I brought dinner!” He stops and grips the bags more firmly as his cock rushes with a sudden influx of blood.

“Just put it over there.” Patrick’s ass is in the air, his hands flat on the floor, and he’s wearing nothing but his black boxer-brief underwear. “I’ll eat it when I’m done.”

Will stares as Patrick swivels, his body moving fluidly and his legs flexing in strong, limber movements.

“What are you doing?”

“This is downward dog. And this—” Patrick moves down with careful, slow strength. “Is plank position.” The muscles in his arms, back, and thighs are like bundles of wires, and Will’s mouth goes dry, remembering clearly how they felt under his hands.

“Looks hard.”

Patrick doesn’t answer. Will turns to put the food on the table, because if he keeps watching, something else is going to be hard too.

He clears his throat, glancing over his shoulder at the flexing muscles in Patrick’s back. “When we met, I wouldn’t have pegged you as a yoga kind of guy.”

Patrick grunts. He’s in a position now that Will can’t even imagine twisting himself into.

“I mean, you don’t seem like an ‘om’ type.”

“Yoga, and meditation for that matter, are legitimate, effective, and scientifically proven means to an end: physical health and reduction of mental stress. In other words, it helps keep me sane.” Patrick moves into an upright position, sweeps his arms over his head, and brings them back to a prayerful place at his chest. “Sanity is something you could stand to try. And none of that spiritual mumbo jumbo has anything to do with it.”

“So says the guy who believes in astrology.”

“Sure, be a Libra about it.”

Will feels heat in his cheeks. “The yoga doesn’t seem to hurt as far as keeping the rest of you in shape either.”

Patrick’s lips turn up into a smirk.

Will clears his throat, turning to the bags of food. He keeps his back to Patrick as he unpacks the takeout packages onto the small dining table. “So, do you want the gyros or the mac ‘n’ joes, because I can go either way.”

Patrick’s breath is tingly in Will’s ear and his body heat warm along Will’s back. “I go both ways too. It’s your call.” He reaches around and plucks up one of the Styrofoam boxes without looking inside.

Will swallows and gestures at the box still on the table. “This will be fine.”

He doesn’t know for sure which it is, but it will be fine, so long as his dick stops acting like a traitor and his mind stops supplying him with images of Patrick bent over, taking Will’s fingers into his tight, hot—God!

He shakes himself.

“Mmm, gyros,” Patrick murmurs from his perch on the bed. “So good.”

Will’s eyes flutter closed as he sits at the table and spreads a napkin over his crotch. No matter how good Patrick looks almost naked, they aren’t doing that again. It would be wrong. Because Will loves Ryan.

Who are you trying to convince?

He sighs and begins to eat. Mac ‘n’ joe is always tasty. Though at the moment it seems hard to choke down.

What a great cast of characters. Ryan, I just want to smack so hard. I seriously dislike that guy, but I do love how Patrick deals with him. Not quite sure what I think about Will’s mom, but I adore his grandma. Patrick is making friends all over the place. He is still kind of rude and blunt, but a few people have snuck past his guard and do actually like him I think. There are a few moments where things look like they might be getting steamy for these two. At least Patrick and Will are starting to get along more. This story is really coming together and I can’t wait to read more.

4 pieces of eye candy

Author Bios

Leta Blake

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

You can find out more about her by following her online:

On the web: http://letablake.wordpress.com/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letablake

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/LetaBlake

Alice Griffiths

A long-time reader of romance novels, Alice Griffiths finally took the plunge into writing, teaming up with best-selling author Leta Blake for the ‘Woke up Married’ serialized comedy. A lover of tropes, Alice enjoys mining old ideas and putting a fresh, funny spin on them. Formerly working in the newspaper industry, Alice is now an art curator. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

You can find out more about her by following her online:

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alice_Author

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alice.griffiths.7169

Tour Schedule

11/9	Gay Book Reviews	http://gaybook.reviews
11/9	Unrandom Randomness	http://bronwynheeley.blogspot.com.au
11/9	World of Diversity Fiction	http://wodfreview.com
11/9	Bike Book Reviews	http://bikebookreviews.blogspot.com
11/9	V’s Reads	http://vsreads.com
11/9	Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words	http://ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords.com
11/9	The Novel Approach	http://thenovelapproachreviews.com
11/10	BookWinked	Www.bookwinked.com
11/10	Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words	www.scatteredthoughtsandroguewords.com
11/10	Literary Nymphs Hot List	http://literarynymphshotlist.blogspot.com/
11/10	two chicks obsessed with books and eye candy	twochicksobsessed.com
11/10	Sinfully Addicted	http://sinfullysexybooks.blogspot.co.uk/
11/10	3 Chicks After Dark	http://3chicksafterdark.com/
11/11	Gay.Guy.Reading and Friends	http://ggr-review.com/
11/11	brantley	twitter.com/celli
11/11	Inked Rainbow Reads	www.inkedrainbowreads.com
11/11	JP Barnaby	www.JPBarnaby.com
11/12	QUEERcentric Books	www.blog.queercentricbooks.com
11/12	JB’s Book Obsession	http://jbsbookobsession.blogspot.com/
11/13	Mikky’s World Of Books	http://mikkysworldofbooks.blogspot.fr/
11/13	Abbey’s 1-Click Book Blog	http://www.abbeys1clickblog.com
11/13	Bayou Book Junkie	http://bayoubookjunkie.blogspot.com/
11/13	Teatime and Books	http://www.teatimeandbooks76.blogspot.com
11/13	MM Good Book Reviews	https://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
11/13	Prism Book Alliance	http://www.prismbookalliance.com

Giveaway

2 copies of Will & Patrick Meet the Family (Wake Up Married, Episode 2)
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Reckless by Nicole Edwards : Blog Tour, Excerpt and Giveaway

November 3, 2015 by Denise

Title: Reckless

Series: Pier 70 #1

Author: Nicole Edwards

Genre: Adult, M/M Romance

Published: October 27, 2015

He’s a walking contradiction…Cam Strickland, one of the four owners of Pier 70 Marina, has earned the nickname his friends gave him years ago. Reckless. Sure. By definition. When it comes to fun, Cam hasn’t yet met a challenge he wouldn’t accept. In other areas, he’s likely far too cautious for his own good.He’s his complete opposite…Gannon Burgess, CEO of Burgess Entertainment, one of the top video game producers in the world, finds himself smack in the middle of the last place he would ever expect to be. But Gannon only thinks he is out of his element standing in the small marina office. Then… he meets Cam.

Rumor is opposites attract.

Sparks fly when this sexy, tattooed bad boy comes face to face with this buttoned-up gamer in glasses.

Can Cam and Gannon push one another out of their comfort zones? Or — thanks to the events that have shaped their lives — will the time they spend together prove to be just another reckless adventure? This one involving their hearts.

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Reckless Excerpt © Nicole Edwards 2015

“That guy was totally checking you out,” Milly said when Gannon pulled out onto the road that would lead back to the office. “Holy shit. Did you see his tattoos? And those muscles.”

Yeah, Gannon had seen them, all right.

“And I’m pretty sure his nipples were pierced?”

Gannon didn’t take his eyes off the road, not wanting Milly to see the confusion on his face. “Pierced? Why would…? What makes you think that?”

“I could see the outline through his shirt. Sheesh. Pay more attention, Gannon.”

Oh, he’d paid plenty of attention. Too much attention.

Milly continued. “He was hot, right? You thought he was hot?”

Gannon chuckled, amused by her excitement. It wasn’t new for Milly. She was constantly attempting to set him up with someone, and on the off chance Gannon showed even the slightest hint of interest, she was all over it.

“You should call him,” she said, still rambling incessantly. “Ask him out. Or maybe he’ll call you. If he does, will you go out with him?”

“Take a breath.”

Milly made a dramatic effort to inhale and exhale, giggling as she did. “That was so worth the hour trip,” she told him.

“So does that mean we don’t have to go out on the boat then?”

She leveled him with a glare.

Couldn’t blame him for trying.

“I wonder if he’ll be the one to take us out on the lake next week.”

Gannon did, too. Part of him hoped he did; the other part, now that he’d had a chance to get his bearings, wasn’t sure he could handle being close to Cam for any extended period of time. As it was, every time he blinked, Gannon saw him as vividly as though he were still standing only a few feet away.

That couldn’t be good.

“When we get back to the office,” Milly began, “I’m gonna send out a memo and let the team know this is a mandatory team-building event.”

“Mandatory?” Gannon glanced over at her.

“If I give them an option, they’ll stay right there in the office.”

True, they would. He would, too.

Thankfully, Milly was silent for a few minutes. Long enough for Gannon to gather his thoughts about Cam.

He wondered if Milly was right. Maybe he should ask Cam out.

It’d been a long time since he’d felt this sort of attraction to a man; surely he shouldn’t ignore it. If he did, who knew how long it would be before it happened again.

You’ll see him on Tuesday, remember?

Okay, so the voice in his head had a point, but could he wait until then? What if he didn’t get to see Cam on Tuesday? What if someone else took them out on the boat? Then what would he do?

What if Cam wasn’t interested? What if Gannon made a fool of himself?

Gannon took a deep breath.

The pessimism didn’t suit him. He didn’t like to think negatively. Though he hadn’t always had the easiest life, he had set out years ago to think positive. He attributed his success to that, the fact that he didn’t look for doom and gloom around every corner.

So, yeah, what could it hurt?

“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?”

Gannon shot a look at Milly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Milly’s husky laugh filled the car. “And now I know you’re lying.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because you didn’t answer my question with a question.”

Turning back to face the road, Gannon smiled to himself.

This woman knew him too well.

Want more steamy M/M novels from Nicole Edwards?

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New York Times bestselling author Nicole Edwards launched her professional writing career in July of 2012. Having been an avid reader all of her life and a huge fan of creative writing, it seemed the likely path for her to take. Since then, she has released fifteen books and has no plans to stop. As her full-time career/hobby, Nicole writes steamy contemporary and erotic romances.Nicole is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who was born and raised in Texas. Married with three kids and four dogs, she has plenty of interaction to keep her imagination brewing. Her books have been featured in USA Today’s Happy Ever After segment as well as Indie Reader’s best seller list. She has forged her way as an independent author.Although she has a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, she prefers to be hiding out in her writing cave, talking to the fictional characters that have built up in her head over the years.When she isn’t writing or plotting her next book (sometimes translated to “playing on Facebook”), Nicole loves to read and spend time with her family and her dogs.

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Dominque by Nicole Colville: Book Review

October 29, 2015 by Denise

What does it cost to sell yourself? Your body? Your heart? Your soul?

At eighteen, with no job, no money, and a young sister to care for, becoming an escort seemed the perfect answer, but by the age of twenty four, Dominque is left wondering how he can break free of his ‘short term’ solution.

Jacob is at the top of his profession, leaving him with no time or desire for a relationship. Caring for another person full time isn’t on his agenda, but that soon changes when fate steps in and offers him the chance of something more.

Unable to forget the intriguing brunette after their first date, Jacob is enticed to spend more time with Dominque, seeking to put the pain of the past behind them, and bring peace to the wounded bird who captivated him so easily, but the fear in Dominque keeps them separated. Only through gaining his trust can Jacob hope to set him free.

It’s not just the clients who pay

*Dominque is a standalone book included in the Knights to Remember series and can be read at any point*

I went into this book blind, not knowing what to expect, and not having read the rest of the Knights to Remember series. I loved the cover, and just decided to dive in.
What a great book! Dominque became an escort to keep his sister and himself afloat after the passing of their mother. He long ago had stopped enjoying it, and was able to use it to get off, and stave off cravings for his submissive side. Then Jacob comes along and throws his world into disarray, wanting the submissive Dominque, but also the strong man he represented.
This book took BDSM to what I think is a more natural side for many in that lifestyle. Often people in the lifestyle are able to be Dom and sub, and yet able to stand apart as well. Jacob was so taken with Dominque, he was more than okay with Domique being a bit of the aggressor in their relationship sometimes. He found himself enjoying this new side. He was still able to be a strong Dominant to his submissive, but never felt the need to hold Dominque back. That was refreshing to see in a BDSM book.
Their relationship was unique and evolving. It moved fast, but at one point there was a line in the book that said something like “they were moving fast, but they were going to get to the same point anyway, so why slow down”. It was so appropriate for these men, at this point in their lives, ready to move in new directions, and bring each other along for the ride.

What an emotional story, having so many things pulling these men together, and yet the things that often come into play in these types of relationships not being what tried to pull them apart. It was the little things they had to battle through in order to find their happy ending.

Final rating is 4.5 pieces of eye candy, and a definite re-read for me!

Will & Patrick Wake Up Married by Blake and Griffiths: Review

October 29, 2015 by Denise

Join the fun in this vibrant first installment of the new romantic comedy serial by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!

After a drunken night of hot sex in Vegas, strangers Will Patterson and Dr. Patrick McCloud wake up married. A quickie divorce is the most obvious way out—unless you’re the heir of a staunchly Catholic mafia boss with a draconian position on the sanctity of marriage.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Will and Patrick don’t like it, or each other, but they have to make the best of it until they can find another way out of their marriage. To ensure the trust fund Will’s charitable foundation relies on isn’t revoked by his mobster grandfather, he and Patrick travel to Will’s hometown of Healing, South Dakota, posing as a newlywed couple in the throes of true love at first sight.

Complicating their scheme are Will’s unresolved feelings for his all-too-recent ex-boyfriend Ryan, and Patrick’s desire to get back to the only thing that really matters to him in life: neurosurgery. Will they fool everyone? Or will the mafia get wind that their marriage is a fake? Throw their simmering attraction into the mix and all bets are off!

Episode 1 of 6 in the Wake Up Married serial.

OMG…this is going to be a good one. It starts off snarky and just keeps going. I laughed quite a bit during this. I don’t usually read serials, I like when I book has a beginning, middle, and an end but I thought I would give this a shot. These two characters are awesome. First you have Will,who seems like a really nice guy,who just happens to be a mob boss’ grandson. Then you have Patrick, a kind of cold snotty nerosurgeon. Following a crappy phony call from Will’s on and off boyfriend, you have a night with lots of alcohol (which is a no-no for recovering alcoholic Will) and a Vegas wedding with his new “friend” Patrick. Unfortunately there can be no anullment(they consumated the wedding) and if they divorce Will loses the trust left by his great-grandfather due to the no divorce clause in it. The secondary characters are entertaining as well so far. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

The Making of Matt by Nicola Haken: Blog Tour, Review, Teasers, Excerpt and Giveaway

October 20, 2015 by Denise

Title: The Making of Matt

Series: Souls of the Knight

Author: Nicola Haken

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: October 19, 2015

Matt Carter, self-proclaimed sex-god and drummer for world renowned Souls of the Knight, didn’t have the time or inclination for planning his future, preferring to fill his days with music, women and alcohol. He didn’t want or need anything else in his life.

Until the band parted ways and he found himself no longer living the dream.

Bored and lonely, with too much time and money on his hands, Matt turns to his best friend, Alex Clark, to help devise a new direction to take his life in. Together, they embrace their newfound venture, as owner and manager of one of L.A.’s hottest gay clubs – Kaleidoscope. For the first time, Matt has a plan. He knows where life is heading.

Until a devastating phone call turns his whole world upside down, sending him straight into the comforting arms of his best friend and leading him to doubt everything he’s ever known or believed about himself.

Alex had always been content with his unrequited feelings for his rockstar friend, but as Matt starts to question if he might actually feel the same, he runs as fast as his feet will allow.

Has Matt gone too far? Has his reputation as an irresponsible womanizer who refuses to take life seriously, finally managed to push his best friend away for good?

Or is Alex hiding secrets of his own?

HELL YEAH……Now that was exactly how I had hoped Matt’s book went. In book 1 I thought Matt was…well a twat….in book 2 he still was, but I was warming to the fact that he is completely different person behind closed doors. Now that his book is here I am so stinking excited that we finally see what Matt & Alex’s friendship was like and how it would morph into a relationship!

I loved how Alex knew exactly who Matt was both inside and out. Their friendship started in “Taming Ryder” and continues on into The Making of Matt. Matt & Alex are best friends who have completely different personalities and completely different tastes (or so we thought). While Matt is being Matt – Alex is trying to not let Matt affect him. He is trying to keep things platonic. He is trying to just be a friend but every time he walks in on Matt and another bimbo it gets harder and harder. Tragedy strikes, which brings Matt & Alex closer than normal. So what happens when Matt takes a chance and throws caution to the wind? Well…..A hell of a lot of tears, yelling, miscommunication and a secret so shocking I squealed…..not a happy jumping up and down squealing. NO – it was an OMG-I-DID-NOT-SEE-THAT-COMING and OMG-WHERE-WILL-THEY-GO-FROM-HERE and OMG-THEY-BETTER-GET-THEIR-HEA squeal!

Once again Haken takes us on an emotional rollercoaster. Matt & Alex go through some trying times and with the help from Uncle Sawyer (I heart him) they might be able to get passed them. They are faced with obstacles no one should have to deal with and you’ll find yourself hoping they come out on top. Haken was brilliant in the story she gave us. It was real, raw and in your face, but it was exactly how Matt would want it.
You NEED to read this. You will WANT to read this and once you start you will not be able to put it down.

****WELL F%UCKING DONE MS. HAKEN****

5 pieces of eye candy for The Making of Matt.

This was a refreshing GFY read. Matt is a “go with the flow” kind of guy, so when he finds himself attracted to his friend Alex it’s not a big drama. That’s not to say there aren’t bump in the relationship. I really liked Matt’s attitude and personality in this story. He would be someone I would love to hang out with. Alex has his own issues to deal with. I liked the way after the initial drama about Alex’s issue, both guys just kind of tackeled it head on. I do think Matt would have saved himself some heartache if he would have just told Alex what was going on with him instead of trying to hide it. Overall, i think the characters and the storyline were well writting. The flow is good and I really liked that it wasn’t an insta-love book.

“Matt, are you telling me you think you’re in love with Alex?”

“No! Yeah…fuck I don’t know. I can’t be, right?”

“If you’d asked me an hour ago I’d have said ‘don’t be so fucking ridiculous’, but after listening to you, fuck I really don’t know. Answer me this, you said he touched your dick and you freaked. Why, if you kissed him first?”

“Because I almost came right there in my fucking sweatpants and it scared the shit outta me. It made me question everything I’ve ever known. I mean come on, you can’t just turn gay, right?”

Just saying it out loud sounded fucking ludicrous.

“You’ve lived an extraordinary life, Matt. Maybe it’s something that’s always been there but never had an opportunity to come out.”

“I’ve met plenty of guys, Saw. Never once have I been attracted to a single one of ‘em.”

“Have you ever had your dick out of a woman long enough to actually get to know a guy before though?”

“Touché.” I laughed, not just at Sawyer’s comment but at the whole situation I found myself in. “This is all Jake’s fault, you know.”

“And how the hell do you figure that?”

“Because everything was fine before he came on the scene. We were happy living for the music and women, and then he shows up with all his fucking gayness and passes it on to you. Then, like the pair of you were some kind of butt bandit magnets, Ryder comes along. Then like the gift that keeps on giving the gayitis spreads and suddenly life is all gay porn, gay clubs and gay fucking underwear. It’s gayness overload, dude! I’m fucking telling you that shit is contagious.”

Sawyer snickered, rolling his eyes at the same time. “Is there such a thing as gay underwear?”

“According to Ryder,” I said, shrugging before undoing the button on my jeans to expose the branded hem of my underwear. Sawyer raised his eyebrow, one side of his mouth curling up into a smirk. “They’re comfortable,” I said, feeling the need to defend my favorite pair of shorts. “What the fuck am I gonna do?”

Nicola lives in Rochdale, England with her husband and four children (six if you include the dog and cat!) She is the author the author of the m/m romance Souls of the Knight series, and is currently working on a standalone with new boys, James and Theo, due for release early 2016. When she is not busy playing with her imaginary book friends (or talking about them with real life friends!) she can usually be found carrying out her ordinary mum/housewife/all round slave duties. Oh, and if the kids ever ask, she moonlights as the Pink Power Ranger while they’re sleeping…

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