review

The Heart of St. Nick by A.D. Ellis: New Release Review

November 16, 2022 by Denise

. .

Hayden Green is the epitome of a cheery, generous, small-town guy. He keeps himself busy in a tiny railroad town tucked in the hills of the Midwest by helping others. If he also finds himself wishing for a tall, dark, and handsome man to waltz into town and sweep him off his feet, who can blame him?

Gannon Snow closed himself off to emotions and connections a long time ago. He’ll head back to his late grandfather’s beloved holiday town, but only to sell the old man’s house and store. He has his own business to run and no time for feelings. Much to his chagrin, Gannon gets caught up in nostalgia and finds himself mesmerized by a happy little holiday helper.

Hayden and Gannon share an instant connection, but Gannon isn’t staying and Hayden isn’t keen on a broken heart. However, the universe—and maybe some holiday magic, which Gannon most definitely doesn’t believe in—has a different plan, and the men find themselves smack dab in the middle of a small-town Christmas romance.

**The Heart of St. Nick is a steamy, forced proximity, small-town M/M holiday romance with a slight age gap between a bowtie and suspender-wearing good guy and an emotionally-stunted man with a cold heart just waiting to be melted.**

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This was a cute holiday romance, with some serious steam. It had an eternally happy optimist trying to convince the grumpy, guilt ridden visitor that there was really magic in the happy town of St. Nick.

Hayden lived in the town his entire life, with a small stint away for college where he learned he needed to go back to his small town in order to be happy. I really liked that Hayden was very sure of what he needed and wanted. He wasn’t afraid to speak up when Gannon was being an idiot, just as much as when he was trying to show Gannon all the joy that would come from his permanent return to St. Nick.

Gannon had so much guilt from ignoring his grandfather for so many years. It was completely understandable that at such an impressionable age he learned that the world was not a safe place for him to have feelings in. He second guessed his feelings the entire way. (His inner monologue was quite funny at times.) He couldn’t seem to get himself to believe that he could take his feelings, and make a positive relationship from it.

In the end, Joseph (and Ellen!) found a way to bring them together, unintentionally, but his actions brought Gannon home where Joseph knew he belonged. Never giving up hope that it would happen.

A feel good holiday romance, with a little forced proximity, some steamy scenes, and a letter to make you cry.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Fran Cuthbert Ruins Christmas by Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock: Release Blitz, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

November 16, 2022 by Denise

. .

Welcome (back) to Christmas Valley. Where it’s Christmas every. F@$#ing. Day.

It’s your typical Hallmark movie plot: my big city boyfriend dumped me, so my adorable five-year-old daughters and I moved back to my hometown just in time for Christmas. I guess the magic of the holiday is going to show me what I really wanted all along, or something.

But on Hallmark, people aren’t usually mainlining their mother’s Xanax. Or stealing the last available Peachblossom Pony Pal from their hot doctor because they have to give their kids the best Christmas ever. And when they run into their high school sweetheart, they don’t usually face the gulf of lies that exists between Cass Sullivan and me.

Oh yeah, and their hometown isn’t located directly up Christmas’s butthole.

I left Christmas Valley because I couldn’t listen to one more carol or look at one more tinsel-wrapped streetlamp. But moving to Boston meant leaving Cass, and that has always been my one regret. I mean, I also regret the box of Franzia in my closet, being publicly dumped, agreeing to take tap dancing lessons with my mom, and the fact that I can’t seem to open my mouth without a little white lie popping out. But mostly Cass.

When I need someone to play Santa for my girls’ favorite Christmas tradition, Cass steps in. Suddenly, I’m falling for him like we’re seventeen again. Can we put aside two decades’ worth of baggage and give each other a second chance? Can he help me build a life in Christmas Valley? And has he really been banging our former geometry teacher?

Only Christmastime will tell. If the holidays don’t kill me first.

Fran Cuthbert Ruins Christmas is a sweet, low-heat holiday novella featuring a second chance romance, a hot mess MC who could use a steadying hand, adorable kids and dogs, and a guaranteed HEA.

Title: Fran Cuthbert Ruins Christmas
Authors: Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock
Length: 45K
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday Romance.
Tropes: second chance romance

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I ducked through the archway that led to Santa’s Grotto, and followed a tiny, curving path through a forest-themed corridor lit with splashes of colored Christmas lights until I reached the entrance to the grotto where, for some unaccountable reason, the forest theme ended and the toyshop one began. A train whistled jauntily as it rattled past on its tracks.

“Holly jolly Christmas,” an elf said, and then hesitated before showing me an iPad. The screen displayed an order form for exorbitantly priced photo packages. “Are you here for Santa photos?”

“No,” I said. There was a woman with three children lined up in front of me. She looked at me suspiciously. The kids took the opportunity to beat each other with inflatable candy canes. “I’m here to see C—Santa,” I corrected myself before I ruined Christmas for the brats in front of me. “It’s a personal matter.”

The woman looked even more suspicious. So did the elf.

I lowered my voice. “I’m a friend of Cass’s.”

“Oh!” the elf exclaimed. His voice lost at least half an octave of elfishness. “Yeah, dude, no problem. He’ll be about fifteen.”

Up at the front of the grotto, Cass sat on a glittery gold throne, a wobbly-lipped toddler on his knee. He bounced his leg a little to distract the kid, and yeah…no way should my gaze have been drawn to Santa’s thigh like that. But whatever his suit pants were made of, the fabric looked silky and thin, and I couldn’t help it if it clung to his thigh muscles when he flexed them. Hell, even the padding in his tunic wasn’t putting me off. I had enough of a dad bod these days that I was in no position to judge Santa for overindulging in gingerbread. I wasn’t a fan of the fake white beard, but it did make me wonder how he’d look if he let his stubble grow into a real one. I was not opposed.

“Adam! Adam! Adam!” the mom of the toddler trilled, trying to prevent the kid from diving over the edge of toddler uncertainty into the full-blown screaming fit we all knew was right around the corner. Life is fraught when you’re a toddler. It’s fraught when you’re thirty-six too.

Cass bounced his knee again, and the toddler reached up and caught his beard and tugged it. Crisis averted.

The elf moved in to take photos while Cass asked the kid, who was really way too small to answer a weird stranger, what he wanted for Christmas. The kid stared up at him warily, his fist still wrapped in the Santa beard, and didn’t answer. But he didn’t start screaming either, so that was a win.

Cass smiled at Adam from behind his now lopsided beard, and my heart did a dangerous loop-the-loop. Then the toddler and his mom left and were replaced by the three kids with the inflatable candy canes. The boys yelled their lists over each other to get heard, while the little girl waited her turn. When Cass finally got the boys to simmer down and asked the girl what she wanted, she took her thumb out of her mouth and said in a whisper-sweet Shirley Temple voice that I didn’t believe for a second—I’d seen her wielding her candy cane with unrestrained fury—“I want a Pony Pals sleeping bag and a Sugarpie parasol, please.”

“I will try my very hardest,” Cass promised, and the little girl beamed.

The kids and Cass posed for their photos, and then, as Cass was helping the girl off his lap, he looked over at the line and saw me waiting.

The girl made an ‘eep’ sound as he swung her a little too wide, and Cass made an ‘oops’ one as he brought her back down for a safe landing. The kids and their mom left.

“Sparkles, I’m going to take five,” Cass said.

“There’s no kids here, you don’t have to call me that,” the elf said.

“There could be kids just around the corner.”

“Whatever, Santa.”

Cass rolled his eyes at the elf and nodded toward a red door behind his throne. “Fran?”

I love how these two authors write together. They have a seamlessness to their writing that works so well. It really is quite difficult, in my opinion, to know when one is writing or the other. Their humor is spot on, and nothing is quite as it seems to the naked eye in every book. Fran Cuthbert Ruins Christmas is much the same. This one is full of humor and when you throw in a few cute children, a lot of idiotic moves and second chances, you end up with a holiday romance from these authors.

Fran moves back home with his twin daughters from Boston after his relationship falls apart. Initially, he wants his ex to come to Christmas Valley to continue a holiday tradition for the girls, despite his ex having met someone else. Soon after, you begin to see what a hot mess Fran is, in so many hilarious (and not so hilarious) ways. He drinks wine by the boxes, eats very badly, and has a very bad habit of lying when he doesn’t know how to handle something. That is the spot where it fell a little flat for me.

Fran’s lying broke his relationship with Cass up back when they were getting ready to go to college. And it seemed as if he never learned to turn that off. He lied about just about everything, which became awkward for him, and messed up a second chance with Cass-again. And Cass forgave him rather quickly, in my estimation.

Cass was a sweetheart, and despite having his heart broken by Fran more than once, he kept going back. (I loved his idea for a business! Perfect for Christmas Valley!) In the end, Fran came up with a grand gesture to show Cass how much he meant to him, and as befitting the hot mess that Fran was…it failed spectacularly.

It did seem that Fran might have learned his lesson, but dang…the man knows how to sabotage himself.

It was funny, joyful, cute children and a whole lot of mess with Fran and Liar Bob. A holiday romance with a third chance to get to their happy ending, and they did.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

About Lisa Henry:

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house with too many cats, a dog, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

Lisa has been published since 2012, and was a LAMBDA finalist for her quirky, awkward coming-of-age romance Adulting 101, and a Rainbow Awards finalist for 2019’s Anhaga.

To connect with Lisa on social media, you can find her here:

Website
Facebook
Instagram
Goodreads
Bookbub
Twitter

She also has a Facebook group where you’ll be kept in the loop with updates on releases, have a chance to win prizes, and probably see lots of lots of pictures of her dog and cats. You can find it here: Lisa Henry’s Hangout.

About J.A. Rock:

J.A. Rock is the author of over twenty LGBTQ romance, suspense, and horror novels, as well as an occasional contributor to HuffPo Queer Voices. J.A.’s books have received Lambda Literary, INDIEFAB, and EPIC Award nominations, and The Subs Club received the 2016 National Leather Association-International Novel Award. 24/7 was named one of the best books of 2016 by Kirkus Reviews. J.A. lives in Chicago with an extremely judgmental dog, Professor Anne Studebaker.

https://jarockauthor.com
facebook.com/ja.rock.39
twitter.com/jarockauthor

The Book Nook, our shared FB Group with Sarah Honey:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rockhenryhoney

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North’s Pole by Leta Blake: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 15, 2022 by Denise

Located on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille in beautiful Northern Idaho, Camp Bay Chalet is a discrete and cozy B&B, popular with both locals and minor celebrities for its fabulous holiday weekends.

The pic seen around the world….

The son of Hollywood royalty, North Astor-Ford has lived his entire life in the public’s eye. He knows better than anyone that someone is always watching.

So when one not-so-innocent picture meant for a hook-up accidentally ends up crossposted across all his social media, North is left humiliated and scared. With no one to turn to, he flees to Camp Bay Chalet to be close to the one person he used to count on to protect him from the world.

Liam’s life has been in a holding pattern since the moment North fired him three years ago, even if it was for the best. A romance between a bodyguard and his client would’ve caused exactly the sort of scandal Liam was hired to prevent.

Now that North is back in his orbit, Liam’s going to do what he does best, protect North from the world. And maybe, just maybe, the charm of a Camp Bay Chalet Christmas will be enough to both heal North and bring about the romance they’ve both always wanted.

North’s Pole takes place in the Camp Bay shared universe, but can be read as a stand-alone. Look for more of the Camp Bay universe in Stolen Christmas by Marie Sexton.

Title: North’s Pole
Authors: Leta Blake
Length: 60K
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Christmas, rom-com, light Gay Romance.
Tropes: Himbo + Cinnamon roll, Christmas, new adult.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

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North Astor-Ford, son of hotel heiress Susan Astor and actor Deacon Ford, is in piping hot—yes, that’s boiling hot—water! This time over an, ahem, inappropriate upload to his social media accounts. The internet is burning down over this scorching and raunchy shot!

“Why are you looking at that garbage?” I asked my sister.

“What? TikTok?” Maeve ran her thumb over the screen, navigating away from the video discussing the latest bumble my former protectee, twenty-one-year-old North Astor-Ford, had made.

She reclined on the sofa, propping up her swollen feet after a shift on the ER’s hard floors and scrolling TikTok like her life depended on it. “Your ‘garbage’ is my ‘yummy treat.’”

“It’s shameless gossip about a guy who—” I stopped myself.

Maeve glanced up, one perfectly shaped, black brow lifting, as her lips twisted into that annoying smirk, which, as her twin, I was all too familiar with. I’m pretty sure she’d smirked at me like that in the womb.

“It’s also cat-in-Santa-hat videos and old people dancing and puppies in the rain and babies tasting sour things for the first time and KPop idols and holiday memes and—”

“Stop. I get it.”

“Clearly, you don’t.”

“Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t get it.”

Immature and ineffective as a come-back goes, sure, but it was all I had in me when my mind kept circling back to the implications of that TikTok about North.

I gave myself a stern, internal lecture.

You have no right to give a damn anymore when it comes to North Astor-Ford and his sexy problems.

Avoidance had worked in the past, and I could make it work again. I turned my focus to helping my four-year-old nephew put all his Tonka Trucks, Matchbox Cars, and Paw Patrol figures back in the big, blue bin they belonged in. We crawled around on the floor together as Aiden sang the “clean up” song I’d taught him.

A few seconds passed.

“Give me that,” I said, crawling over to Maeve and surrendering to my curiosity.

Grabbing the phone from her hand, I accidentally cued the next video. “How do I…?” I tried swiping up and down, but that just brought me to a video of a black cat eating a holiday-themed treat with a superior expression on his face while a male voiceover narrated the cat’s smug inner-thoughts. “Christ, get that video back, will you?” I thrust the phone back to her.

“Yeah, Christ, Mama,” Aiden echoed. “Get the bideo back.”

“I’ve told you not to teach him to take God’s name in vain,” Maeve scolded. “Mom will have a heart attack.”

“He didn’t take God’s name—”

“He did, Liam.”

“He took His Son’s name in vain.” Shockingly, she didn’t fry me with her glare. “Never mind. Just find that video again.”

She frowned at the phone as she scrolled. “I don’t know why you still care about that spoiled kid. He left you jobless during a pandemic in the middle of a crap economy. You owe him nothing.”

“I know.”

It was true, but it wasn’t the whole story.

I’d never told Maeve the truth about North and why he’d let me go during his senior year of high school. Having a bodyguard, even a nineteen-year-old one like I’d been back then, was always going to be a pain in North’s ass. But having a bodyguard he was attracted to was oh-so-much worse.

I couldn’t blame North for wanting to put himself out of his misery by putting me as far away as possible. The fact it’d helped me out of my misery, too—because the attraction was very much mutual—was something I hadn’t shared with anyone in my family. Though something told me Mom and Maeve both suspected the truth.

“Here,” Maeve said, passing the phone over before heaving herself upright. She patted the sofa next to her. “I want to watch too.”

The TikTok-er was a young brunette woman with hair that was half-long, half-short, but not really a mullet either. She wore enormous peppermint candy-shaped earrings and very long fingernails that were painted with sparkling candy-cane stripes. She seemed more gleeful than outraged as she described North’s mishap.

And it truly seemed like a mishap to me.

Though some on the internet were apparently calling it a gross violation of human decency, and others were saying it was sexual harassment via non-consensual worldwide web exposure.

“It’s true I never consented to see that pic,” the woman said, eyes wide with delight. “But it’s not like I’m mad about it!” She laughed. “If you’re going to upload your tool to the bona fide inter-damn-net in this year of our Lord twenty-twenty-two, at least make sure you’re showing off a nice hammer, am I right? And, oh my God, North Astor-Ford has one divine hammer!” The TikTok-er pretended to gag on a dick before adding, “Just call him Thor! Whew, what a dick pic!”

Not my protectee. Not my problem.

I mentally repeated the mantra: Not my problem. So why did North still feel like my problem?

One of the things I liked about this book is that it was different. Different in that the two main characters have an established relationship (one was the bodyguard of the other) but hadn’t seen each other in 3 years. AND the book doesn’t start with the established relationship. It is explained to us at necessary points in the book. It is a bit strange that Liam became a bodyguard at 19. NINETEEN? Really? And North’s super picky parents were cool with it? I can’t get over that.

That said, there were other good parts. Liam is a caretaker and thrives on it. So when North is back in his life, he has someone to focus on. Someone he really cares about. North needs taking care of. I hate to say someone is dumb, but the one main character, North, is definitely not the brightest crayon in the box.

The setting for the story sounded like a fairytale. A chalet in snowy Idaho at Christmas time.

Liam and North are made for each other. They are adorable of course, but it bothered me that Liam basically ditched his family because of North. Not permanently, obviously. But basically like “sorry, North is here. do not disturb”. And North being that dull crayon is just happy to have Liam all to himself.

There were cute scenes and sexy scenes. North’s parents are ridiculous and his sister is kind of a jerk, imo. And he has the loving grandmother and the nasty grandmother. Liam’s mother is the stereotypical “oh we’ve never met but welcome and let me hug you and do all of the motherly things” mom. Liam’s nephews are super cute, natch, but his sister keeps North at arm’s length.

Cute story, good setting. Some of it was a bit eye rolling. But, yanno, grain of salt. Or flake of sn0w. Whichever.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

. .

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.

If you’d like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta’s newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H

Bonus material for the Heat of Love series, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married series, Training Season series, Smoky Mountain Dreams, Mr. Frosty Pants, The River Leith, and more is available on Leta Blake’s Patreon account. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/letablake

Or you can find out more about her by following her online:

On the web: https://letablake.com

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

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

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Bete Noire: En Pointe, Book Two (En Pointe Series 2) by Mickie B Ashling: Release Blitz, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

November 15, 2022 by Denise

Misha Vergara had it all—a promising career as a principal dancer, a thriving stage partnership with Talia Baranova, and the unconditional support of his mentor—until he revealed his true feelings for Henri.

Crushed, and worried about her own reputation, Talia publicly denounced Misha and severed their intricate relationship. Now, thirsting for revenge, she vows to destroy the people he loves. Dating his alleged half brother is only the beginning.

Kazimir Lebedev has done everything he can for his illegitimate son, except acknowledge paternity. When Misha announces he’s bisexual, Kaz struggles to understand. With Talia behaving recklessly and making vicious threats, he can no longer guarantee a good outcome, for any of them.

Finally reunited after a six month separation, Misha and Henri enjoy every sublime moment of their New York vacation. Henri has secretly loved Misha since he was thirteen years old, so being out with him is a dream come true. Until news of an abduction propels them back to St. Petersburg, Russia. Will they weather this latest crisis and grow even closer or will Talia wreak havoc on their newfound bliss?

Bête Noir is a direct sequel to Torn, the first book in the En Pointe Series. The novels should be read in order to fully appreciate the dynamic of these complex characters. Content Warning: Kidnapping, violence, death of a secondary character.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Misha’s POV

As I stood at the back of the theater, enjoying what might be Henri’s last performance at the Mariinsky, I soaked in his arresting presence. Even in the White Rabbit costume, with heavy stage makeup masking his attractive features, he shined like the brightest star in the sky. When we were on stage together, I couldn’t take in the full measure of his talent, but from a distance, I was enchanted by his playful interpretation of the role. It was no surprise the audience was riveted whenever he appeared. His legs were encased in red tights, leaving nothing to the imagination, and I zeroed in on his scrumptious package. My body’s spontaneous reaction to Henri was predictable, and I reached down to adjust myself, looking forward to the lovemaking we would enjoy later in the evening.

After the performance, I waved my ID at the security guards, in lockstep with everyone else. Although they recognized me, I couldn’t deviate from the rules. I took the stairs down to the basement where Henri shared a dressing room with a bunch of other guys.

I received the usual perfunctory greetings, and waited for Henri to shed his rabbit persona. He creamed off the heavy makeup, while fixing his moss-green gaze on my image standing behind him. When his cinnamon complexion peeked through the guck, he smiled in response to my reaction.

I bent forward and whispered in his ear. “You are so hot.”

“Like what you see?”

“Very much.”

“I can’t wait to find out,” he breathed.

“Whenever you’re ready, my love.”

My endearment generated another dazzling smile and he pushed away from the changing table. I tracked his progress like a hawk eying his next meal. Standing in front of his open locker, Henri rolled off the sinful tights, removed his top, and reached for his street clothes. The elastic bands of the jockstrap encircled his waist and disappeared down his ass crack while the front pouch cradled his genitals. I might have drooled at this point, and if we didn’t get away soon I couldn’t be held responsible for my actions. He cackled when he recognized the blatant desire on my face and hurried to cover up.

Grabbing his bag, he reached for my hand. “Ready?”

“Hell, yeah.”

We headed to his apartment to get a change of clothes for tomorrow. When the elevator door opened, there were three men in dark suits waiting outside his door. I pressed the down button before they could react, and we took off running when it dinged open.

“What’s going on?” Henri demanded when we slowed down several blocks later.

I gave him a quick synopsis of my earlier conversation with the minister and the French expletives pouring out of his mouth were jarring. His agitation was contagious, and my own fear rose significantly.

“Why are we going to the hotel?”

“To get my stuff.”

“I’m sure those bastards already know I’m registered.”

“How?” My naiveté was still in place and Henri scowled at me.

“The all-seeing FSB has a list of every foreigner who’s flown into this country or rented a car, or checked into a hotel. I will stake my life on it.”

“I believe you,” I said. “Shall we try to catch the train home?”

“What about your things?”

“There’s nothing irreplaceable in my carryall. My wallet and ID are in my pocket. What about you?”

“Same. Let’s go,” he said with some urgency.

“Hold on a second.”

“Why?”

“There’s no turning back if you walk away. They’ll blackball you for sure.”

He gave me one of his typical Gallic shrugs. “And if I stick around, I might lose my actual balls.”

I am such a sucker for a book with dancers. BALLET DANCERS. But I should have left this one alone.

This is not a stand alone so you really must read book 1. I did. Although after reading book 2, both could have used a good edit and then one book that flowed better might have come out of it.

The book takes place mostly in Russia, some in Estonia. And for Russian kids (yes, kids, that is coming next) they speak with a lot of American slang. Totally didn’t fit.

Book 1 set the story. Misha, sort of an orphan, is being raised by his biological grandmother (but he doesn’t know that) and he knows his biological father as her son and calls him uncle. But he has no idea of the blood relation. Luckily (?) he looks like his Brazilian mother. He is part of a famous ballet company in Russia. His uncle sponsors him and his 2 best friends. One, Talia, he partners with and it is assumed that when they are old enough they will marry. BUT he is secretly with his other best friend, Henri.

Here’s where I say something about kids. Look, I know it’s fiction. But I just don’t want to hear about two 16 year olds having sex. It’s kind of icky.

I’m also surprised that it took that long for anyone to realize that Misha’s “uncle” is the Russian Foreign Minister and childhood bffs with Putin.

The uncle is a patron of the ballet and sponsors three dancers but his family never goes with him? His wife who loves being rich and seen by those who care? Because it’s the ballet. In RUSSIA.

It was all just too much. I made it through both books but it sounds like there will be a third. No thanks. I’ll be passing on that.

2.5 pieces of eye candy

MICKIE B. ASHLING is the pseudonym of a multi-published author who resides in a suburb outside Chicago. She is a product of her upbringing in various cultures, having lived in Japan, the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East. Fluent in three languages, she’s a citizen of the world and an interesting mixture of East and West.

Since 2009, Mickie has written several dozen novels in the LGBTQ+ genre—which have been translated into French, Italian, Spanish, and German. Some of her backlist is still “Under Construction” as she slowly transitions from traditional publishing to representing herself. Her goal is to have most of her novels back in the universe by the end of 2023. Audiobooks and foreign translations are still available at Amazon and Audible.

Author Links

Website: https://mickiebashling.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mickie.ashling/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MickieAshling

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2904716.Mickie_B_Ashling

Email: mickie.ashling@gmail.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickieashling/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mickie-b-ashling

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Identity by E.M. Leya: New Release Review

November 14, 2022 by Denise

. .

When a simple DNA test triggers an alert for a kidnapping that happened nearly thirty years ago, Detective Brax Monson is sent to investigate. He questions the accuracy of the DNA testing until he meets the victim and pieces start to fall together.

Oak never dreamed that he could have been kidnapped from his real family at the age of two. Every memory he has is of a loving mother and father who raised him. But being an attorney, he knows that DNA doesn’t lie.

Working together, Oak and Brax must weave their way through the evidence, trying to piece together why Oak was taken. Neither man planned on needing the other, but as they weed through years of lies and deceit, they find that through the darkness, they are each other’s light as they pursue the truth.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

I’ll start this review by saying, I bought this book myself, it was not an ARC. And I don’t often review for the blog with ones that I purchase…not sure why, I just don’t. 🙂 But I could not let this one get away without giving it a ton of praise.

This book was just fantastic, beginning to end. The MC’s who fall in love, they just do fall in love, slowly (I loved how they really followed the ethical line there). There were no miscommunications that didn’t quite make sense, no secrets, no questioning if they wanted someone else. It was just two mature adults getting to know each other and spending time learning the little parts. However, their romance and HEA was almost a side story to the main story, the aftermath of Oak finding out he had been kidnapped as a toddler.

Oak was not abused, he was loved and cared for. He grew up knowing that, and having the best that his “parents” could provide him. He went to school, became an attorney, still talked to his “parents” quite often after they moved further away in their later years. However, in the end, he had been kidnapped by these people. Taken from a family that had loved him, true parents that searched for him for decades, siblings that missed him.

While Oak and Brax dug deep to find out what really happened and why, Oak was able to connect with his real family, learn to love them quickly, and figure out how to deal with the fallout of such a devastating event on everyone.

He handled it as an adult, but what was so fantastic, was how the author took the reader through Oak’s emotions, and how they changed as each new piece was unveiled. Initially he was torn between loving his “parents” and being angry at them for kidnapping him. He continued to transition those feelings throughout the story until the final moments. Just incredibly well written.

I know this was stand-alone, and I would love to see more of this author’s works that are similar…but I immediately went and looked to see what else E.M. Leya had to offer a reader…quite a lot! How do you pick? I definitely will want more, but where do I start? I’m taking suggestions. 🙂

Without hesitation this one is worth every single piece. 5 pieces of eye candy

Dead Serious Case #2 Mrs Delores Abernathy: (MM Paranormal Romance) (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed) by Vawn Cassidy: New Release Review and Giveaway

November 14, 2022 by Denise

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In the business of unfinished business…

It’s been over six months since a freak accident left pathologist Tristan Everett able to see ghosts, something he has yet to confess to his boyfriend. Instead, he now has a new calling, one he’s not entirely happy about… help the dead resolve their unfinished business so they can pass into the light, sounds simple right?

Wrong…

When the spirit of a sweet old lady follows him home he has no idea how to help her. When he finds out she’s been murdered by arsenic poisoning, a curiously outdated murder weapon, he once again finds himself tangled up in a murder investigation.

For Inspector Danny Hayes of New Scotland Yard, life couldn’t be better. After moving to London and meeting Tristan he’s ready to move their relationship to the next level, but something weird is going on with Tristan, he’s acting very strangely and with a killer on the loose he’s not taking any chances. He’s determined to discover whatever it is Tristan’s hiding from him.

Surrounded by a bunch of potentially murderous old ladies and aided by his sidekick, deceased drag queen and spirit guide in training, Dusty, Tristan must unravel the mystery of Mrs Delores Abernathy’s unfinished business and find the courage to share his deepest secret with the man he loves.

From author Wendy Saunders writing as Vawn Cassidy, comes the second book in this funny and touching paranormal MM romance/dark comedy suspense series.

Title: Dead Serious Case #2 Mrs. Delores Abernathy
Authors: Vawn Cassidy
Length: 90K
Series: Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Deceased, Book 2
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense, Romance/Dark Comedy.
Tropes: ongoing paranormal romance/comedy/mystery.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Book 1: Dead Serious Case #1 Miz Dusty Le Frey: (Crawshanks Guide to the Recently Departed)

You have to read book 1 before you read this one. Theoretically, it could stand alone, but you won’t want it to, you will want and need to go back, so just go ahead and start at the beginning.

What a treat this one was! Bringing back Tristan, Danny, and the incomparable Dusty (well, not literally in the last case…unless…). Getting to come back into this world was fun, definitely had it’s sad moments, and an HEA or two.

Honestly, in some ways this could have been the end of a duet of books. There were enough HEAs to go around. We get closure in a few things, and Dusty even gets some closure on her life. But, no way do you want this to be the end of the series. (And if you read below, you will see it isn’t. YEAH!)

Tristan and Danny are settling into their relationship, both are even thinking about the possibility of them moving in together. Tristan and Danny spend time with Tristan’s father (if you want to weep a little…wait for Danny and Tristan’s dad…oh the feels!) Meanwhile, Tristan is still concerned that Danny will think him insane if he tells him he can see ghosts.

Tristan happens to be at the care home for his father, when an elderly woman with severe dementia passes away, but he notices that she has the markings to indicate she died by arsenic poisoning, and the case of Mrs. Delores Abernathy has begun. You can’t help but root for Delores to find her closure, as she sticks to the side of Tristan or Dusty like glue.

There are a few other feel great moments and scenes that will pull at your heartstrings, even as Tristan and Danny work to find Delores’ killer.

Some action and adventure in the old folks home, and with Tristan and Dusty, of course. All in all a good romp through the world that only Crawshank could understand.

Definitely recommend this one, and eagerly anticipating book 3. Make sure you check out the amazing giveaway below, with a chance to be a character!

4 pieces of eye candy

Vawn is running a special event to help raise money for the True Colors United Charity!!!!

Details below:

The Prize

One winner will win the opportunity to be written into book 3 – Dead Series (Cold) Case #3 Mr Bruce Reyes. They can choose the profession of their character and whether they are living or deceased. They will also get a mention on the dedication page and receive a signed paperback copy plus a Dead Serious themed swag bag including Dead Serious Character trading cards, a DS tote, bookmarks, stickers, a keyring and a mug.

How to enter

Go to the fundraising page on True Colours and make a donation, it can be as much or as little as you’d like. The donation will act as your entry, so you need to make sure your name is on the donation or added to the comments section of the donation. (Anonymous donations will be ineligible simply because I have no way of contacting them if they are drawn as the winner.)

Anyone who would like to make a donation but doesn’t want to enter the competition can also do so, all they need to do is put N/E in the comments section of their donation.

The fundraiser is open until 31^st Mar 2023 at which time a winner will be selected at random from the eligible entries.

The Charity

In the United States, 4.2 million youth experience homelessness each year, with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ peers.

True Colors United is a non-profit which began in New York in 2008 co-founded by Cyndi Lauper. Through a wide array of advocacy, training & education, youth collaboration, and technical assistance programs, True Colors United implements innovative solutions to youth homelessness that focus on the unique experiences of LGBTQ young people.

Their website link – https://truecolorsunited.org

My fundraising page on True Colours – https://my.truecolorsunited.org/DeadSeriousCharacterMe

All the details are also on the events page on my website and links are on all my social media

www.vawncassidy.com/events

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Vawn Cassidy is the MM pen name of British author Wendy Saunders, she lives in the UK with her husband and children. She loves all things MM and is an avid reader herself.
As Vawn Cassidy she writes Paranormal/Dark Comedy/Mystery and Contemporary Romance and more recently is branching out into Historical & Supernatural MM/LGBTQ+ Fiction with her upcoming London Gothic series.
She also has an insane love of Lego and pop culture.

Connect with Vawn:
Website: www.vawncassidy.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/VawnCassidyAuthor
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/group/cassidysbayboys
Instagram: www.instagram.com/vawncassidyauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/VawnCassidy
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/vawncassidy
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/vawn-cassidy
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3y9ars1

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