review

Like I Promised (Heather Bay Book 1) by Charlie Novak: Release Day Review and Excerpt

July 21, 2022 by Denise

. .

Falling for my childhood sweetheart wasn’t part of the plan.

Moving back to Heather Bay wasn’t on Oliver’s agenda for the summer, but after inheriting a cottage in dire need of renovation he doesn’t have much choice. Supervising the builders should be easy… except the man in charge is Oliver’s childhood best friend and ex-boyfriend.

Lane’s spent nine years desperately trying to forget his first love, but that doesn’t stop him from fantasising about Oliver in every spare moment once he discovers Oliver’s back in town. Falling into bed together isn’t supposed to mean anything, even if Lane’s emotions feel too big to be ignored.

Being drawn to each other is one thing, but being stuck together after disaster strikes the renovations is another. The pull of the past is strong but Oliver and Lane have been down this road before. This time they’ll need to learn from their mistakes so they can finally keep their promises.

Like I Promised is a steamy second-chance contemporary MM romance featuring former childhood sweethearts, interfering friends, questionable barbecues, a very lazy collie, cosy coffee shops, and secret beaches.

Title: Like I Promised

Series: Heather Bay (Book One)

Release Date: 21st July 2022

Author: Charlie Novak

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

I took a step closer until we were side by side. There was barely any space between us. I turned my head to look at him and found Oliver’s beautiful dark eyes gazing back at me.

“I missed you,” I said. “I missed you so much. There were days when all I wanted to do was talk to you—about work, about Sparrow, about some random shit I’d seen on TV. About everything.”

“I wanted to do the same, especially that first year. Everything was so hard. I didn’t know anyone, I felt so alone and isolated, and I kept wondering if I’d made a mistake moving away.”

Something deep inside me cracked as Oliver spoke. I knew we were both to blame for what had happened between us, but it didn’t stop guilt from spilling into my chest. My hand brushed against his.

I love a good second chance romance. Going back home to your small town. Faced with the guy you loved all your life but he chose to stay home while you went to college. And as soon as they see each other again **sparks**.

After literally not speaking for nine years, Lane and Oliver kind of fell right back into being friends. Probably because they started as friends when they were kids. But even with time and two broken hearts, they were meant to be.

I loved that neither one was all pissy at the other for what had happened. They both accepted fault and figured it was inevitable at the time. Imagine that, being all mature.

Then there’s the forced proximity. That always leads to sexy times.

It was fun to have characters from another book show up in this one AND there are big hints that another character will make an appearance. I love that because you get to revisit guys you fell in love with previously.

There is a lot of reminiscing, not only between Oliver and Lane, but also with their group of friends. Friends Oliver lost when he went away to college as well. Of course there are some newcomers to the group who are really interesting and I hope we get their stories as well.

No big drama. No bg angst. No big fight, subsequent break up and make up. Just two guys who know what they want and are willing to work for it. Oh and the sex scenes about lit my Kindle on fire. I kind of wish that had been explored a bit more. But I’m not complaining.

4 pieces of eye candy

. .

Charlie lives in England with her husband and two cheeky dogs. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with baking, Dungeons and Dragons, reading and many other nerdy pursuits. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…

You can find her at charlienovak.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter, on Twitter and Instagram as @charlienwrites and you can join her Facebook reader group Charlie’s Angels for cover reveals, sneak peaks and general book shenanigans!

Website: https://charlienovak.com/

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Linktree (for all links) https://linktr.ee/charlienovak

Level Up (Reigns Brothers, Book 2) by Kindle Alexander: Blog Tour and New Release Review

July 19, 2022 by Denise

. .

Duncan “Ducky” Reigns, metalhead and hardcore gamer, has spent his life railing against the establishment. But now when he looks at himself in the mirror that’s not the person he sees. Though he and his brother have worked hard to create a successful multi-million-dollar company, he’s lost himself and his identity in the process.

Chad Reeves, successful in his own right, has achieved every goal he’s set for himself. But living up to the legacy of his uber-successful father feels like an impossible task. When the heavy burden of a lifelong secret begins to unravel, he’s forced to face the truth. He’s lacking in what matters the most and only one thing can make it right.

Sometimes a simple reboot is all it takes to realize the answers are right in front of you. A soul-searching trip to paradise changes everything for two best friends… if they are brave enough to follow their hearts and reach for the Level Up.

Title: Level Up: Ducky’s Story

Author: Kindle Alexander

Release: July 12, 2022

Genre: MM Romance

Cover Design: Reese Dante

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Bookbub

I didn’t get a chance to read the first book in this series, Breakaway, about Ducky’s brother (the non a-hole one apparently), because well that period of time reading was just in RL for me. However, it does seem like one I might be interested in going back to. But I liked the idea that Ducky and Chad had been gaming friends, and as it turned out, they were best friends, but had never actually met in person.

There wasn’t a lot of angst between the characters, once they finally met each other. Although it took a really long time for them to realize they wanted each other (around 70%?) Each main character had personal issues to deal with, but in the case of Ducky, I feel like perhaps I missed a piece from book 1. I didn’t really understand where his motivation for giving his money away came from. Meanwhile, Chad had, as he put it, daddy issues. Which this was actually fascinating! How often have you ever read the romance of someone, with kids and the HEA. Then read one of the children’s romance and he has daddy issues. Don’t you always think that they must be perfect parents? Good to have the reality of, yes, parents F up, and kids may take those issues upon themselves.

Once the two characters went to Hawaii, I felt like it was a bit redundant, until they got together, but then it was all the feelings pouring out of Chad, and Ducky “same”. (Which made me laugh, btw…think Han Solo “I know”). Ducky, though, noticing how Chad could calm him when he was anxious, similar to his brother Dallas was sweet.

This book wasn’t as deep into the characters as most KA books, but at 60K words, that’s to be expected. However, I did feel like there was a missing element in this book. I would have loved to see just a bit more interaction between the MC’s prior to meeting up, or getting together. It made it hard to believe the chemistry was as strong as it was. Sex scenes though…SMOKING!

This is a good beach read…which is good since they are in Hawaii for half of it. 3.5 pieces of eye candy.

Best Selling Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer, and a genre-crosser who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica in both the male/male and male/female genres. It’s always a surprise to see what’s coming next!

I live in the suburbs of Dallas where it’s true, the only thing bigger than an over active imagination, may be women’s hair!

Usually, I try for funny. Humor is a major part of my life – I love to laugh, and it seems to be the thing I do in most situations – regardless of the situation, but jokes are a tricky deal… I don’t want to offend anyone and jokes tend to offend. So instead I’m going to tell you about Kindle.

I tragically lost my sixteen year old daughter to a drunk driver. She had just been at home, it was early in the night and I heard the accident happen. I’ll never forget that moment. The sirens were immediate and something inside me just knew. I left my house, drove straight to the accident on nothing more than instinct. I got to be there when my little girl died – weirdly, I consider that a true gift from above. She didn’t have to be alone.

That time in my life was terrible. It’s everything you think it would be times about a billion. I love that kid. I loved being her mother and I loved watching her grow into this incredibly beautiful person, both inside and out. She was such a gift to me. To have it all ripped away so suddenly broke me.

Her name was Kindle. Honest to goodness – it was her name and she died a few weeks before Amazon released their brand new Kindle ereader. She had no idea it was coming out and she would have finally gotten her name on something! Try finding a ruler with the name Kindle on it.. It never happened.

Through the course of that crippling event I was lucky enough to begin to write with a dear friend in the fan fiction world of Facebook. She got me through those dark days with her unwavering support and friendship. There wasn’t a time she wasn’t there for me. Sometimes together and sometimes by myself, we built a world where Kindle lives and stands for peace, love and harmony. It’s its own kind of support group. I know without question I wouldn’t be here today without her.

Find out more by visiting www.kindlealexander.com or email me at kindle@kindlealexander.com

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Strut (Style Series, Book 2) by Jay Hogan: RB, Excerpt and Release Day Review

July 14, 2022 by Denise

. .

New Zealand farm boy turns New York fashion model.
Fairy tale? Maybe. But it hasn’t been easy. A year in this crazy city, working my tail off just to survive in a ruthless industry where sex sells and boundaries are too readily crossed.

A year and a reassuring ocean away from Hunter Donovan—a sexy, humiliating mistake that I’m not about to repeat. Distance is good. Distance is safe.

But now Hunter is back. In New York. In my life. In all those treacherous feelings that haven’t gone anywhere. But when my world suddenly crashes and I have to piece myself back together and fight for my career, will Hunter be there when I need him? Will we have what it takes to make it through this, together?

Note: This book contains themes of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Title: Strut

Series: The Style Series #2

Author: Jay Hogan

Genre: MM Romance

Release date: July 14th, 2022

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Halfway down the block I came upon a small queue outside a tidy brick establishment which proved to be Color. The distant thrum of Ariana Grande leaking through the double wooden doors onto the sidewalk reminded me I was close to a generation older than most of the guys ahead of me waiting to get in.

I joined the line, ignoring a low whistle of interest from one of the guys as I passed. I took his appreciation as reassurance that my skinny black jeans paired with one of Rhys’s new season tight black-and-white-checked T-shirts passed muster. I checked my phone as I waited and fired off a text to my younger sister knowing it was afternoon in New Zealand. A few seconds later the phone rang in my hand, and I smiled and swiped it open.

“Hey, sis.”

“Hey, you. I’m heading to the supermarket. What’s up?”

The line shrank by a couple of guys, and everyone shuffled forward. “Not much. I’m waiting to get into a bar and thought I might catch you.”

Silence. “Hunter Donovan is in a queue?” She chuckled. “You don’t do queues, bro. I thought you rarefied fashionista types skipped those pesky things.”

“It’s not that level of club,” I explained. “Think popular, off-the-beaten-track gay bar. I doubt I’ll see anyone I know and certainly no one who knows me.”

“A gay bar? Ohhhhh, are you on a date?”

“No, I am not on a date. You know me. Besides, I’ve only been here two days.”

“You’re right. I do know you. Which means you’re cruising for some pretty arse. You after a bit of downtown rough, big brother?”

“Jesus, Patty, you sound like a low-budget movie, and we are not having that conversation. Ever. If you must know, I met a guy I worked with in Auckland and he happens to tend bar here. I said I’d drop by.” Kind of, almost.

“Riiiight.” She sounded sceptical. “Do I know them? You’ve always said the best thing about your trips to New York was all the great clubs. I’ve never known you to waste your time on suburban bars.” My sister was way too perceptive.

“True, but this is that model from fashion week last year? The guy Rhys discovered—”

“Oh my god,” she blurted. “That gorgeous hunk of drool you shot for Flare. Alec someone, right?”

“Alec Williamson. He got signed by Cage Talent after the show and has been in New York since. I ran into him quite by chance.”

Patty was quiet for a few seconds as the cogs in her brain ticked over. “But you liked him, right?”

What the fuck? I said nothing

“You can’t lie to me, Hunter. I know you. He’s the one hanging in your office on your wall of fame, aka my personal wall of hotness. He’s wearing Rhys’s design. Holy shit, Hunter. Do you have a thing? Are you—”

I needed to shut this down fast. “He’s hanging there because it was my best friend’s signature shoot for his new label,” I argued. “Not because it’s Alec.”

“Mm-hmm.” There was an irritating smile in her voice. “Pull the other one. I called into Flare that day, remember? You couldn’t take your eyes off him. Neither could I, to be honest, but you were a little smitten kitten.”

I so was. “I so wasn’t. You’re dreaming. Alec is a great model, that’s all. If I was smitten, it was on a purely professional level.”

“And yet you’re queuing to have a drink at the place he works?”

Well, when you put it like that. “Maybe.” It was all she was getting. “It’s the friendly thing to do, right?”

“Aha. Yep. Very neighbourly of you. Oh, here’s a thought. If you like him, how about you keep it in your pants for once, at least for more than a day? Get to know him.”

Too fucking late. “Oh, look at that, the bouncer’s waving me in. Gotta go, sis. Nice talking to you.” I stabbed the End Call button, stared at the double doors for a second, took a deep breath, and then pushed through.

The immediate assault to my eardrums almost rattled my brain from my skull. Add that to the heaving crowd and multicoloured light display circling the room and dripping down the walls, and I needed a minute to orient myself. I passed the coat check desk and slid against the closest wall to take a look around.

The place was humming, the music pulsing loudly above the thrum of a hundred different conversations, while the surprisingly spacious dancefloor writhed with every possible combination of couples, throuples, and dogpiles of slick bodies. Like the queue outside, it was a younger crowd, mostly early twenties, but with enough around my age to drop the creep factor to acceptable. I watched the dancers for a bit, appreciating all the hot skin and tight muscle on display before scouting the bar.

“You wanna dance?” A warm body leaned close, and I turned to find an attractive dark-haired man just inches from my face. He had the greenest eyes I’d ever seen and a pouty mouth made for sucking cock. He licked his lips and ran his hand up my arm. “You’re fucking gorgeous.”

On any other night I would’ve had him down the back and on his knees with my dick down his throat in about five minutes flat, but I wasn’t even tempted—a disturbing fact that was worth an alarm bell or two. Instead, I simply smiled and covered his hand with mine.

“Thanks. You’re pretty hot yourself, but I’m meeting someone.”

After reading Flare, the first book in this new series, I couldn’t wait for Strut. Totally worth the wait. You don’t have to read Flare, but you should. I said so.

Strut time jumps us almost a year or so. Alec was signed by a modeling agency and has moved to New York City. He is hustling all he can modeling, trying to make a name and face for himself. But it is a tough gig. He’s in a 3 bedroom apartment with 9 other models. They rack up debt with the agency (I had no idea this was a thing and I was scandalized) and many have second jobs. Alec is a bartender at a small gay club on the weekends.

Then one day he runs into a photographer from his home in Auckland. The photographer who helped him (and his friend’s design line, Flare) get exposure. Same guy he had a hot encounter with at a bar and watched as he immediately walked away. THAT guy.

Honestly, I’m surprised it took them a year to run into each other. Yes, NYC is big, but the male modeling world isn’t. Anyway. Even though they both were so obviously into each other back in New Zealand, Hunter ran and Alec was pissed, and he isn’t getting over it quickly.

Let me first say that this is the first book by this author that wasn’t set in NZ. It was set in NYC which I am very acquainted with, growing up less than an hour away. And I’d like to say well done. There were no stereotypes of the City or it’s people. That was SO refreshing. No clichés, distances between places was correct, etc. New York City was a gorgeous background character in and of itself.

I loved how Alec did not immediately swoon over Hunter. He didn’t even want to hear his apologies or excuses or anything. Bravo, Alec. But Hunter wore him down, pulling romance he didn’t know he had right out of his back pocket.

Alec runs into some trouble with another photographer when he is up for a campaign that will completely change his career. There are rippling effects to this trouble and Alec enlists his friends in NZ.

Seeing everyone come together- including other models and his model roommates was great. And something that I am positive happens in real life and is never spoken about. So this really broadened an already big issue without downplaying the original issue.

Alec and Hunter are great together. Their personalities just mesh and even though Hunter is new to the whole boyfriend thing, he really tries to be the best one he can.

If you loved Flare, you will love Strut. Even if you didn’t love Flare you will love Strut. A book that was romantic and sexy and real life conflict and awareness raising with a plot.

4 pieces of eye candy

. .

Heart, humour and keeping it real

Jay is a 2020 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Gay Romance and her book Off Balance was the 2021 New Zealand Romance Book of the Year.

She is a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense, primarily set in New Zealand. She writes character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality and a splash of angst. She’s travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life she was a critical care nurse, nurse educator and counsellor. Jay is owned by a huge Maine Coon cat and a gorgeous Cocker Spaniel

Find Jay in all the places: https://jayhoganauthor.contactin.bio/

Killer Honeymoon (Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem, Book 3) by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

July 12, 2022 by Denise

. .
Honeymoon, happily ever after, and…homicide?

Newlyweds, Royce Locke and Sawyer Key, embark on a honeymoon road trip where their biggest threat should be dodging drunk tourists on golf carts. But their arrival on South Bass Island lands them in the middle of a contentious battle between lifelong islanders and a property developer who won’t accept no for an answer. Tempers soar as the barometric pressure drops, signaling a dangerous storm brewing on the horizon and across the street. Minding their own business becomes impossible when a homicide wrecks their vacation and puts Royce and Sawyer in the path of a twisted killer.

Will their honeymoon be two tickets to paradise or a one-way trip to the morgue?

Killer Honeymoon is book three in the Matrimony and Mayhem trilogy, the second story arc for Royce Locke and Sawyer Key. ** New readers should start with the Zero Hour trilogy before reading Matrimony and Mayhem. ** Killer Honeymoon is a continuation of Royce and Sawyer’s happily ever after as they move into the next phase of their lives—professionally and personally. Though some storylines span the trilogy, this book does not end in a cliffhanger. Heat, humor, heart, and homicide abound. You have been warned. 18+

Title: Killer Honeymoon
Authors: Aimee Nicole Walker
Length: 247 pages
Series: Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem, Book 3
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Contemporary

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

The Magnolia Murders (Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem Book 1)

Marriage is Murder (Sawyer and Royce: Matrimony and Mayhem Book 2)

“Where are you going?”

Sawyer whisked his shirt over his head but kept walking. “Now it’s time.”

Royce pushed back from the table so fast his chair crashed to the ground. He caught up to Sawyer before he reached the hallway. Sawyer laughed when Royce pulled him into his arms and ghosted a finger over his lips.

“The only thing more beautiful than seeing your lips curve in a smile just for me is seeing them wrapped around my cock.”

“You charmer,” Sawyer teased, though he was utterly enchanted by his man.

Royce pushed him against the wall and caged Sawyer’s head between his hands. “Less talking, more kissing and sucking.”

Sawyer pushed off the wall, forcing Royce to take a step back. He grabbed his hand and led Royce to the bathroom. Sawyer turned on the water to let it heat up, then focused on stripping his husband bare. He was so eager to touch and suck that he nearly stepped into the shower fully dressed before checking the temperature.

Royce snagged his wrist and dragged him back. “I love that you want me so badly, but maybe you should take your clothes off first.”

Finally, FINALLY…Sawyer and Royce make it down the aisle and are married. But before that, I cried. Yes, literally 2 percent into the book and I was blubbering.

Anyway, luckily the wedding was uneventful as far as catastrophes. Evangeline made everything absolutely perfect.

Off they go on their honeymoon. First to TN and Sawyer’s sister’s cabin. Idk, this seemed like a weird stop for me. SC to TN and from there to MI where Sawyer’s parents have a house on one of the little islands.

Being that I live in a seasonally active vacation area, some of the descriptions were just so spot on. Corporations buying up properties so that they can use them as vacation rentals and slowly pushing the full timers out. It’s sad that it is so real. So when Frank, the permanent resident who lives across the street from Sawyer’s parents place has issues with the barely legal kids renting next door, I sympathized.

The “kids” are nasty too. Just mean and rude and ridiculous. But then there is a nasty storm and when the debris is cleared, several people are missing and others are turning up dead. So OF COURSE Sawyer and Royce stayed out of it. Laughing yet? I know.

Figuring out the murderer wasn’t difficult. Their motivation I didn’t guess and it was pretty cool.

This was mostly a light hearted, schmoopy honeymoon book with a murder mystery that wasn’t difficult to figure out, but that’s fine. It was a nice closure on this chapter of their lives.

Pack tissues.

4 pieces of eye candy

. .

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.

I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me at:
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Dirty Daddies Pride 2022 Anthology: New Release Reviews

July 11, 2022 by Denise

. .

The Daddies are back and dirtier than ever in this brand new Dirty Daddies anthology!

Love comes in all shapes, sizes, and gender pairings and these 26 brand new, smoking hot daddies are here to prove it. No matter how you like your daddies — stern and sexy or sweet and cuddly — this anthology has a little something for everyone.

Dirty Daddies Pride 2022 includes 26 brand new MM, FF, and MMF Daddy Dom novellas from the following authors:

Pepper North
Daryl Banner
Delia Grace
Siobhan Smile
Aster Rae
Jacki James
Nora Phoenix
M.A. Innes
P. D. Carter
KM Neuhold
Della Cain
Chloe Lynn Ellis
Dakota Trace
Mika Lane
Jamie Merrick
Chara Croft
Gianni Holmes
Morticia Knight
Lesley Clark
Kelly Fox
Mia Monroe
Reese Morrison
Sammi Cee
Lorelei M. Hart
Emma Alcott
Ava Sinclair
Maren Smith

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

The Sheriff’s Troublemaker by Kelly Fox

I’ve been wanting to read Kelly Fox‘s work for a while now, but haven’t for one rather silly reason. I know a Kelly Fox in RL, and she would NEVER write or read an mm romance, and I think my head couldn’t get around that, so this was the perfect opportunity to jump right in. The author wrote a little forward about the MC Jason for the readers (which was SUPER helpful for me not having read anything by her) about him having been a “wholly irredeemable asshole” in previous books, but had been working through getting him to be redeemable after all. Read the forward, too, it’s funny. Now on to the review.

We meet Jason in a rather hilarious way. He’s basically tagging a billboard with graffiti, being naughty, when the town Sheriff shows up to catch him in the act. And this pattern continues. When Jason is upset, hurting, stressed out, he acts out until Patrick the Sheriff shows up, they banter with lots of little snarky and funny comments and Jason is let go with a warning, most of the time.

We learn that Jason and his brother have struggled hard since they came out to their parents and their father set out to ruin their lives, which is how they both end up spiraling. Jason by needing a Daddy to take control of his self destructive tendencies, while Justin turned to drugs and alcohol. Jason spent a lot of time trying to save his brother, and he could never seem to get ahead, or a handle on how to deal with him. It obviously caused him a lot of pain, which kept him spiraling. The scene after the accident had me reaching for tissues. Justin made me want to reach out and hug him as well.

Patrick was a solid stable force for Jason, as he slowly began to understand what Jason was going through, and giving him a well deserved and very much needed spanking. But they had a lot to deal with, and I will say I cried more than once. Jason had a lot to deal with, and Patrick was able to be there for him, even if they had to hide it.

They really were perfect for each other in so many ways. And the sexy times….holy buckets….you might not want to read this out in public. 😉

My biggest thing in this story…I wanted to see a bit more about what happens with Justin, but maybe now if I am going to read more of this author, I might find out. 🙂

4 pieces of eye candy

Bite Me, Daddy by Mia Monroe

Not having read anything by Mia Monroe, I wanted to check this one out. The author seems to really like vampires, which turned out to be great for this story!

What a super sweet, with definitely a lot of sexy, story. Sebastian as it turns out is a vampire, but also a Daddy. Actually this story had a lot of plot points that were not your average Daddy story. Scout wanted the opportunity to dominate his someday Daddy (spoiler alert, he gets to eventually), but still wanted to submit to him, allow him to pick things for him, etc. Meanwhile, Sebastian was just looking for a home, a coven where he felt comfortable to be himself, have a found family. When he meets Scout, Sebastian knows he’s found that person. Sebastian really was very sweet, caring and found several ways to help take care of Scout.

This story had a lot of laughs for me. Sebastian being able to read Scout’s mind, as Scout was mentally saying things about how hot he thought Sebastian was, and later how crazy he thought Sebastian was, as he was told that he was a vampire.

There were quite a few touching moments, with some hurt as well. When Sebastian says that Scout is his soulmate, and Scout freaks out, I felt bad for Sebastian. However, he was persistent, as he kept trying to convince Scout.

This was fun, sexy, and still had some good feels.

4 pieces of eye candy

Cruising for a Daddy by Jacki James

Jacki James is another author I haven’t read, but will be checking out more of her books, after reading this one.

Adam is given a birthday present from his sister of a cruise that just happens to have a group for BDSM. He isn’t very happy about having to take time off work for it, but gamely sets out with his sister and her wife on what he describes as a blind date. However, her goal is to help him find a boy that will make him happy.

Meanwhile, Ollie and his best friend buy this cruise for themselves as a college graduation present, hoping to have a great time, and start themselves down the road of finding the Daddy they each are looking for.

Seeing how Adam and Ollie had completely different attitudes to their cruise was funny. Adam was basically just grumpy about it all, about going on the cruise, then about having to do activities outside of his suite. While Ollie wanted to do ALL the things, even down to being up on deck waving as they left port.

After a misunderstanding, they meet up and it progresses quickly from there, with them agreeing to spend the week together. Adam was very respectful of Ollie’s time for his best friend, but definitely wanted as much time with Ollie as he could get. Adam was definitely a Daddy, wanting to be in control, while Ollie was sweet, with a sexy boy side.

There was no angst, just a sweet and sexy story, with an ending that was expected, Ollie going home with his Daddy. Adam making sure that Ollie could be independent, but still wanting to have his boy with him.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

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!

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

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