review

Hard Job: MM SEAL Bodyguard Romance (A-List Security Book 2) by Annabeth Albert: New Release Review

July 7, 2022 by Denise

. .

How hard can it be to guard the country’s biggest rockstar?

As a SEAL officer, I’m no stranger to danger, but running my own security firm is a new challenge. Finding the right bodyguard for each client isn’t easy. Our next gig? My little brother’s best friend, rock god Ezra Moon, has a security crisis. Ezra is convinced I’m the right man for the job, but I’m not so sure.

From crowd surfing to infamous pictures, Ezra is known for taking risks. It’s no wonder his record label thinks he needs a keeper on tour.

But there’s not a tour bus big enough to contain our incendiary attraction. Ezra and his antics push every last one of my buttons, but the real problem is how much I want to kiss some sense into him. He’s a client, and angry make-out sessions aren’t the answer. Yet we keep finding ourselves alone and burning up the sheets until our secret fling threatens to scorch both of us.

I’ve spent my whole life running from the spotlight, trying to distance myself from my notorious father. Ezra wants to live his best life on the biggest stage. A future seems impossible, but our feelings are undeniable. Can I admit how hard I’ve fallen for Ezra without losing everything?

HARD JOB is book two in a brand-new SEAL bodyguard series. It features a reluctant SEAL bodyguard, a mouthy rock star with a heart of gold, molten chemistry, and pie. Lots of pie. Also, all the high heat, big emotions, and found family feels readers expect from this fan-favorite military romance author. Join A-List security for this new series featuring former SEALs and the celebrity clients who win their hearts. Happy endings and no cliffhangers guaranteed!

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Tough Luck: MM SEAL Bodyguard Romance (A-List Security Book 1)

Bad Deal: MM SEAL Bodyguard Romance (A-List Security Book 3)

Somehow I missed book one of this new series. I will definitely be going back to read Danny and Chase’s story. Luckily, this is easily read as a stand alone so I didn’t lose anything that I couldn’t extrapolate easily.

So. Rock star, yes please. Former SEAL now bodyguard, also yes please. Turn your AC on because this was a hot one.

Duncan has been a secret fan of They Wear Crowns and had a crush on the lead singer Ezra since they released their first album. Before that, Duncan knew Ezra from when he and Duncan’s half brother were on a television show together.

Ezra, on the other hand, ALWAYS had a crush on Duncan. There’s maybe a 5ish year age difference which explains why Duncan had no interest in Ezra at first. But now, he is an adult with a great career and Duncan’s brother suggests him as security for the band and Ezra.

So they are thrown together right before the band is back on tour. Ezra can flirt with the best of them and it doesn’t take long to wear down Duncan’s tissue paper thin defenses. But Duncan doesn’t believe in happily ever after. He grew up with a Hollywood big wig for a father who has been married 4 times and had a lot of accusations swept under the rug. His father also wants him to work for him. Which is comical because Duncan does not have the personality for that at all. Can you imagine a former SEAL schmoozing in Hollywood? Duncan doesn’t even like sharing a last name with his father.

In the meantime Ezra and his band continue to tour with Duncan working security. And meeting in one of their hotel rooms at night. They are keeping everything on the downlow though, partly because Ezra is a client and partly because Duncan does not want to be in the gossip rags like his father. That leads to a lot of strife between them. But Duncan is definitely catching some feelings and that is just complicating things even further. Silly feelings.

I loved Ezra. He is down to earth, very mature considering his life in show biz, but also fun. He does not take himself too seriously at all. But don’t worry. Because Duncan is ALL about the serious. Probably too much about the serious. But together they are amazing. Duncan doesn’t realize how incredibly sweet and loving he is. He is such a nurturer but at the same time has no problem giving up control in the bedroom.

There isn’t a ton of interaction with the other band members. Mostly their manager, some with Ezra’s parents and then Duncan’s step brother and father. It kept the story from getting overly cluttered, but it was also a little odd that he didn’t hang with them much.

This was a good read with very likable characters who were meant for each other.

4 pieces of eye candy

We Choose You (Choice Versus Fate, Book 1) by Katy Manz: Audiobook Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

June 30, 2022 by Denise

. .

James and Aidan didn’t need fate. They had each other.

Alpha James and Beta Aiden love each other and don’t care what fate has to say about that. Mating doesn’t need to be based on pheromones and scents. And kids? There were many ways to build a family.

When fate comes knocking years later, James does what any wolf in his situation would—he runs away. He has a mate he loves more than anything, and they’re just about to get everything they want: a family. He can’t risk losing everything because Fate decided to be a butt.

Omega Riley scented his fated mate once months earlier, and the wolf ran away. He is coming to terms with his singledom. Everything is going as well as it can, that is, until his fated mate’s children walk into his classroom.

We Choose You is book one in the sweet with knotty heat MM shifter mpreg romance series: Choice Vs. Fate. It features an alpha wolf shifter who mated his beta best friend, the omega sent by fate, true love, twins who will steal your heart, adorable babies, and a guaranteed happy ever after.

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Audible – Audiobook

“Yes. God I missed you so much. Mm.” I loved hearing Aiden scream out. Some don’t like their partners to be vocal, but the more I heard his pleasured sound, the harder it drove me to get him to moan out more. I fell deeper into my pleasure and the search for mutual release. Continuing to pump his cock in tandem with my movements, I could tell this was going to be a quick one. I could already feel my knot forming. Usually, alphas couldn’t knot betas, but I always had with Aiden. Even if we could never have a family this way, our bodies fit and wanted that extra connection. Instead of ensuring conception, our locking together was for us to feel close.

Soon, the warmth of his release covered my hand as my cock spent itself deep inside his ass. We would be stuck like this for the next few minutes, so I gently maneuvered us into a nearby chair. After so many years, we were pros at getting comfortable wherever and whenever we ended up having sex. We’d also learned quickly never to do this in public unless we felt like getting caught. No matter if there was a witness to our lovemaking, there would be no way to quickly deflate. Some didn’t like the feeling for an extended amount of time. We found it amazing.

“So, how was the trip?” I asked as we caught our breath. With desire sated for the moment, I wanted to hear all about the art tour and my husband’s plans for the coming months.

“Great. I sold all the paintings I brought along and I got contracted for another twenty-four canvases before the next show in the summer. They want a beach feel to the collection but said I can follow my muse and see what it produces. I missed you though.” Aiden sighed and leaned deeper into me before continuing. “I was thinking maybe I should stop touring after the summer show. At least for a bit. Maybe we can revisit the idea of starting a family? We said we would wait a few more years, but I think the timing is right, now.”

My original 3 pieces of eye candy review of the ebook is here. And I wish I could say that I liked it even more on audiobook, which quite often happens with me. But in this case, no.

Generally, I listen to audiobooks on about 1.2-1.3X speed, mostly because it takes me so long to listen to one, that I need to keep going. 🙂 But wow, this narrator read so slow, that I ended up listening at 1.6X speed. And just to be sure, I went back to 1.3X, as well as 1.0X and it felt like he was talking through molasses. I just couldn’t stay there. Also his enunciation just seemed off and stilted. He seemed to emphasize the wrong words in sentences, and took me right out of the story. I was thinking that he must have been a first time narrator, but no, it looks like he’s narrated quite a few books.

The voices seemed not quite right to me, as well as the pitch…which I will admit could partially be because of listening at 1.6X speed. However, any slower and I just would not have made it through.

There have been very few audiobooks that I haven’t finished before. I finished this one, but it was tough. This narrator is definitely not for me.

I wish I could give it a higher rating, but 2 pieces of eye candy is all I can give.

. .

Katy Manz has always dreamed of being a romance writer. She wanted to bring the stories created in her mind to a world of readers that would fall in love with her characters as much as she has. Keep a lookout for more books in this series and future series to come.

Connect with Katy:
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Rookie Mistake (On Board Book 1) by L.A. Witt and Anna Zabo: Release Day Review

June 28, 2022 by Denise

Rookie forward Isaac Rivera is still finding his footing in the big leagues where he’s no longer the best player on the roster. It’s a whole new world, especially now that several of his hockey idols have become teammates. Friends, even.

There’s one who’s more than a hockey idol, though… and he might end up being more than a friend.

Julien Landry is a powerhouse on the ice. In eight years, he’s become one of the league’s top defensemen and the heartthrob everyone wants to bed. But fallout from a painful mistake as a rookie, followed by years of rough-and-tumble hookups, have him itching for something more.

When a connection sparks between him and Isaac, he discovers what he’s been missing: someone he can trust with his body and his heart. As long as Isaac and Julien keep the heat between them off the ice, what could go wrong?

But Julien’s past is never far behind him, and when it comes crashing in, he might lose everything—his career, his friends, and the first person he’s ever really loved.

CW: discussions of past abuse and sexual assault

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I’ve always been a fan of LA Witt. And I’ve enjoyed Anna Zabo’s books. So match made in heaven, right?

Well…yes, mostly. Let’s dig.

LA Witt has been known to have increasingly long books. And that’s fine. Sometimes a story needs 100 pages to be told. And sometimes it needs 400 pages. And while this one clocks in at over 500 pages, it really didn’t have to.

There is A LOT of hockey in this book. “But, Erin, of course there is! Both main characters are hockey players!” True, true. But there are descriptions that go pages about plays, what happened during the game, where the puck went, etc. Play by plays of a fictional game that I really don’t think added anything to the story.

What I can see is the passion both authors have for the game. And I commend that. But I just wish there wasn’t so much of the game play that had my eyes glazing over a bit. Admittedly, I am not really a hockey fan. But I have read plenty of books featuring hockey. And I’ve enjoyed them. But I also wasn’t immersed in hockey.

Ok, moving on.

Beyond the above, I kind of loved the whole dynamic going on. The seasoned players kind of taking the rookie under their wings. Also Julien has different reasons for doing that. And his friends know he has different reasons, but they are cool with it.

Isaac is totally star struck and trying not to be. He had posters of Julien on his bedroom walls. Now he is not only playing on the same team as him, but apparently they are friends? Until Julien passes him his address.

Although unrealistic, I loved that being gay in hockey wasn’t a huge plot point. People knew Julien was gay (or bi? sorry, can’t remember) and it was no big deal. No big announcements really. They kept their relationship on the down low, not because they were two men, but because they were two men on the same team and one was a rookie.

There’s also a subplot involving Julien and another player who used to be on his team but now plays for someone else. That definitely added a lot to the story and to who Julien is.

As always, the sex scenes were off the chart hot and very unexpected.

I definitely want to read book 2. I can guess who it is about and I need to see that. But maybe a little less play by play.

4 pieces of eye candy

Unexpected by Felice Stevens: Release Blitz with Release Day Review

June 24, 2022 by Denise

. .

Party planner Colin Brightman doesn’t drink or dance, preferring to go to bed early with his spreadsheets and lists. All he wants is to forget the singles weekend his friends sent him on, but he’s stuck with a suitcase filled with condoms and skimpy Speedos that don’t belong to him.

He doesn’t expect his luggage thief to be ex-baseball superstar Walker “Walk-Off” Scanlon. Or that Walker has hired his firm to put on a charity event at his bar. Colin can’t deny the mixed emotions the annoyingly flirty man stirs in him, but he refuses to fall for someone who racks up lovers as easily as he once hit home runs.

No matter how much he might want to.

Walker Scanlon likes his men easygoing with no complications. He’s had enough of those in his life. So why is he drawn to tense and straitlaced Colin and his frosty scowl? Even his corny one-liners and jokes don’t get him a smile. But the sparks between them are undeniable. And that unexpected kiss? Amazin’.

Now if only Colin would stop running away. Good thing Walker is fast on his feet, because he has no intention of letting Colin go.

When Colin and Walker come face to face with past hurts and betrayals, they’ll need to trust themselves and each other to learn that heartbreak and love don’t go hand in hand. It’s the bottom of the ninth and if they swing for the stars, they just might hit the grand slam of a lifetime.

Title: Unexpected

Author: Felice Stevens

Release: June 23, 2022

Genre: M/M Romance (stand alone)

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I have to admit. I am a sucker for a baseball player. And one that is past 30? Even better! The older I get, the more I appreciate “mature” characters finding love.

Walker is retired from the game after a career ending injury. He has always been out, never hiding his sexuality. He is also Jewish and wouldn’t play on religious holidays. Two strikes against him in the macho world of professional sports. But he made it through fairly unscathed, except for the career ending injury that was definitely caused on purpose. So now he owns a high end sports bar and is surrounded by guys from his baseball days. He is a really good guy, basically.

But when Colin first sees him, they are at a gay singles resort and he is in the middle of the dance floor doing the limbo. In a Speedo. Super straight laced Colin thinks he is ridiculous. Super hot, but ridiculous.

The universe brings them together in two different ways. So you know it was meant to be. But Colin was hurt by his ex husband and Walker was hurt by his parents and they both have some walls to get through.

Walker is fun. He is a SHAMELESS flirt. He sees what he wants and goes after it. Everyone loves him-friends, customers, employees. His flirting can be so cheesy but at the same time, you just have to smile.

Colin is the complete opposite. Couldn’t flirt if he tried. Very introverted. Has 2 friends. But he and Walker are drawn to each other, as much as Colin doesn’t want to admit it.

So two things I really loved, I already mentioned. The main characters are a bit older. I think 38 and 44? AND they are both Jewish. How often does that happen? I loved it.

The author obviously has a love of Brooklyn and knows it well. The borough is almost a third main character.

There was a lot of misunderstandings between the two men. A few too many, in my opinion. They did always get past it by talking to each other and a long time didn’t pass before they figured things out.

There could have been a lot of angst. Both men had trauma. But it was dealt with in a way that the tone of the story didn’t bring you down.

Fun story, mature characters, great setting and side characters who added to the story.

4 pieces of eye candy

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending just around the corner. Her characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy, and that includes love.

She lives in New York City and has way too much black in her wardrobe yet can’t stop buying “just one more pair” of black pants. Felice is a happily addicted Bravo and Say Yes to the Dress addict and proud of it. And let’s not get started on House Hunters. Her dream day starts out with iced coffee and ends with Prosecco, because…why shouldn’t it? You can find her procrastinating on FB in her reader group, Felice’s Breakfast Club.

You can find all my books, grouped by series in proper reading order on my website located here:

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A Foot in the Door (An Open Doors Novel) by Vinni George: Exclusive Excerpt and New Release Review

June 20, 2022 by Denise

. .

The student…

If he wants a job when he finishes grad school, Tanner Brown needs to get a foot in the door. But when he arrives at the country’s largest statistics conference to find he has nowhere to stay, he’s not sure it’s worth it. Especially when he realizes his hot faculty crush just witnessed his embarrassment from a front row seat.

The professor…

Dr. Beckett James is happily focused on his career until one of his former students slides into his line of sight. Tanner is brilliant and engaging, and when he ends up without a room, Beckett has no choice but to offer him a place to stay for the weekend. Even if it means testing his restraint.

The problem…

When their conference fling turns into an on-campus complication, Tanner and Beckett will have to control the variables that threaten to keep them apart or risk losing their chance at a happy ending before it’s even begun.

A Foot in the Door is the third full-length novel in the Open Doors series featuring a statistics professor who makes a mean curry, a ginger-haired student with a bright future, and an offer neither can refuse.

A Foot in the Door

By Vinni George

Open Doors, Book 3

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The crack and hiss of an opening soda can sounded behind me, and I heard Tanner clear his throat as he poured the fizzy water into the glass. “So how did you learn to cook?”

“Oh, um, my mom. She’s Indian and a feminist and made sure both my sister and I knew our way around the kitchen. Though, honestly, I think that might have been in part because my dad is the kind of guy who can burn water, and she wanted to make sure we wouldn’t starve if she had a late class.”

Tanner’s brow creased. “What does she do?”

“English professor. Her area of interest is modernism. She’s doing a guest faculty spot at Oxford this year.”

“So is your dad a lawyer, then?”

I gave him a confused look. “No, he’s a computer engineer.”

Tanner spun his glass on the countertop between his hands. “Oh, I thought maybe since you went into academia like your mom that your sister followed in your dad’s footsteps.”

A laugh bubbled up from my chest because there was no way Tanner could have known how completely different my sister and my dad were in every sense of the word. “Nope. Trudy is her own person and a bit of an anomaly.”

“Fair enough.”

“What about you? Are you following in someone’s footsteps?”

It was Tanner’s turn to chuckle, and I leaned back against the counter to watch as his face broke into a grin. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed the cut of his jaw or the fullness of his lips, and seeing him smile was a delight.

“Not at all. My mom does medical coding for a local hospital, and my dad is a mechanic. I’m the first person in my family to go to grad school, and quite frankly, neither of my parents really understand what I’m studying or what I hope to do.”

“I feel that. Even though my mom is in academia, English is a far cry from statistics. She doesn’t get why I’d rather study numbers than words.”

Tanner laughed, and the sound echoed through the kitchen and settled in my chest. “Like modernism is so easy to understand.”

“Right? But she’s obsessed. Has been as long as I’ve been alive and probably long before that. I mean, how else does a half-Indian kid end up with the name Beckett Eliot?”

“I was going to ask,” Tanner said with another laugh.

“Eh, my sister has it worse. Gertrude Virginia.”

Tanner grimaced. “Yikes.”

I’ve really been enjoying this series. All the men are very different and in different situations. Which, side note, HUGE props to the author on the timeline of these books. It isn’t easy to write a book where you can tell that something happens to another couple in “their book”, and keeping it within the timeline. It is easier, with a series, to have one couple go through their book, then move to the next. These books all have very intertwined timelines, and I just loved it!

These two met when Tanner was in Beckett’s class previously, but didn’t connect until Tanner is stranded at a conference and Beckett saves him by giving him a place to stay. Tanner, a poor grad student, is almost done with his degree, and ready to look for a job in his chosen career, and in fact he went back to school after working for several years, so he’s an older student, setting him with some real world experience with Beckett. He can only hope to work for the company that Beckett’s friend owns.

Beckett meanwhile never missed love, couldn’t have cared less about it, but in no time flat fell hard for Tanner. This led to the conflict of teacher/student at the same school, then later while Tanner was chosen to participate in a competition that would net him a job at the company of his dreams. I won’t spoil it, but what Beckett did was pretty cr@ppy, in my estimation. There could have been about 10 other options he could have chosen, and he went for the worst option…which, of course, they needed conflict, but this was not what I had expected, and it kind of left me heartbroken, as well.

All in all, though, I found the book entertaining, and enjoyed the geekiness of these guys when it came to numbers and patterns. They really were a very good match for each other. The cover fit the description of Beckett, to a T, as well.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, Brody and Phin. There was some serious tension going on with these two during A Foot in the Door.

4 pieces of eye candy

Vinni George has been a lover of romance novels (of all shapes, sizes, and colors) since she first got her hands on one of her grandmother’s Harlequins and has never looked back. She lives in Ohio with her two favorite guys (her husband and son) and, hopefully—one day—a dog. When not writing her own stories, she can be found helping to polish other people’s novels. In her spare time, Vinni dabbles in performance art, quilting, and various culinary pursuits and enjoys traveling.

Connect with Vinni:
Website: http://vinnigeorge.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Vinni-George/e/B0912X5MNL/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk
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Saint’s Song: Rebel Kings MC: Cam, Alexei, and Saint by Garrett Leigh: RB, Release Day Review and Giveaway

June 16, 2022 by Denise

Expect: a fragile king, a sweet-hearted henchman, an enigmatic hitman, and a fight to the death.

Cam, Alexei, and Saint have survived their battle with the devil, but with too many enemies to count, can they survive the war?

“Kill me,” I choked out. “If he’s dead, you gotta kill me too.”

One club, one heart.

Three men, one soul.

Can loving someone kill you? I feel like the world is ending every time I look at them.

Cam. My brother. My president.

He’s the love of my life

And then there’s Alexei. I didn’t know I could feel this way about one person, let alone two. But I think of him in every breath I breathe for Cam. Every thundering beat of my heart. Because there is no Cam without him.

There is no me. My life wasn’t worth living until I found something worth dying for.
And I’d die for them a thousand times.

Saint’s Song is the second in a hurt/comfort, biker romance, MMM duet from the world of the Rebel Kings MC. Content warnings inside the book.

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

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Book #1 – Devil’s Dance – Amazon – All Regions

Devil’s Dance Paperback – The Ripped Bodice

Book #3 – Forgive Me Father – Pre-Order – Out Nov ’22

So, I fell even more in love with these guys.

Firstly, let me admit that I had to reread book 1. And then I reread my review of book 1. I ended that review with:

“This is book one of two. Apparently book 2 explores more of the relationship growing between the three men together. Because as a triad we didn’t get a whole lot. So I definitely want more. But there are other characters I would love to see get their happily ever after as well. Fingers crossed for more books.”

Let me confirm that yes, they are a firm triad in this book. And it plays out in so many different ways. Each man has his own personality, but how he loves the other two- with his heart and his body- are unique to them. With Saint they are gentle. Saint is always gentle. Cam and Alexi, not so much.

There is still trouble happening with the MC, fall out from what happened at the end of book 1 and more trouble around the corner. Cam is still determined to go straight. So they have to do something about the trouble.

As an American (this book takes place in England), I really appreciated that this outlaw motorcycle club doesn’t use guns. They don’t even entertain the idea. Alexi does, but he is a Russian hitman. But the MC? Nope. Pipes, hammers, chains. Old school. Which is still brutal af but it also makes the fights extremely personal.

The who and what of the issue between the Rebel Kings and the Crows is twisty and turny. Makes for an interesting plot, but also made my eyes cross if I was reading too late at night.

So I got what I wanted out of book 2. AND there are more to come according to the author’s note at the end of this book. So yay!

4 pieces of eye candy

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer.

Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.

Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.

Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh

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