Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

Riptide

Relay by Layla Reyne: Blog Tour, Exclusive Guest Post, Review and Giveaway

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Welcome to the RELAY Blog Tour, presented by Layla Reyne and Riptide Publishing! RELAY, by Layla Reyne, is Book 1 of the Changing Lanes sports romance series featuring Olympic swimmers. RELAY is an enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance between Alex, the team captain, and his closeted ex, Dane, swimming’s biggest star. Read on to learn more about RELAY, Changing Lanes, and Layla Reyne!

Captain is not a title Alejandro “Alex” Cantu takes lightly. Elected by his teammates to helm the US Men’s Swim Team, he proudly accepts the role, despite juggling endless training, team administrative work, and helping out on the family farm. And despite his ex-lover, Dane Ellis—swimming’s biggest star—also making the Olympic Team.

Dane has been a pawn in his celebrity parents’ empire from crib to pool, flashing his camera-ready smile on demand and staying deeply in the closet. Only once did he drop the act—the summer he fell in love with Alex. Ten years later, Dane longs to cut his parents’ strings, drop his too-bright smile, and beg Alex for another chance.

Alex, though, isn’t ready to forgive and forget, and Dane is a distraction he doesn’t need on his team, until an injury forces Alex to accept Dane as his medley relay anchor. Working together, their passion reignites. When Dane’s parents threaten reprisal and Alex is accused of doping, the two must risk everything to prove Alex’s innocence, to love one another, and to win back their spots on the team, together.

Researching for Olympic Swimming

 Relay and Medley are contemporary sports romances featuring Olympic swimmers as they train for and compete in the Olympics. Relay’s Alex and Dane, and Medley’s Bas and Jacob, make-up the four-man medley-relay squad for USA Swimming.

While the Olympics are broadcast and we see what goes on at the meet portion of the event, training leading up to it isn’t as much of an open book. In researching and drafting Relay, which is focused more heavily on the training portion of Olympic competition, I gathered what information I could about past Olympic “training camps.” The teams do have domestic and international training camps, which are increasingly covered and attended by the media and fans. There are pictures, for instance, from the past camps that were very helpful in describing facilities and setting the scene.

As for what actually goes on at training camp, practice regimens, etc., that sort of information is not as widely available, so yes, some creative license had to be taken. That said, I have a number of friends who swam at the collegiate level, and I peppered them with questions—from diet, to pool versus dryland training, to swimwear and terminology. They were an invaluable resource to helping me get the details as close as I could.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

 

About Changing Lanes

A chance at gold or a chance at love? Members of the US Men’s Swim Team fight for both in this sports romance duology following two couples on one medley relay team as they train and compete in the world’s biggest sporting event: the Olympics. To reach the top of the podium, they’ll need to depend on one another and be willing to change lanes—in their lives and hearts, and in the biggest race of their athletic careers.

Check out Changing Lanes!

Anything Olympics related, especially swimming and gymnastics (anyone on that one???) and I will snap it up right away, without question. So when I saw this up for preorder, it was with grabby hands that I requested this one, and I was not disappointed. The author did a fantastic job with this story.

It has to be difficult to write about an area of sports that is only really seen by the public every four years, but well done by the author to connect with those that have an inside track into how that world works.

Alex and Dane certainly had their work cut out for them to come back together. Lovers at 16, then Dane turned his back when his parents said he had to leave. The anger and hatred that burned between them was palpable from the first day they were back in each other’s orbits. With Alex as captain, he was able to make decisions, along with the coach, who would swim what group events, and he didn’t hesitate to use that power to push Dane to the side, even knowing there was a chance it could affect the team’s chances of bringing home gold. In the end, the choice was taken away from him, once their anger was so out of control, it affected the entire team.

It took time for Alex to come to terms with where Dane was at in his life that he would walk away from what was clearly love, and even when he began to, Dane found a way to make it worse, allowing Alex’s belief in him to falter, because he knew there would be no way he could save him otherwise.

They worked together to overcome the outside forces that worked against them as individuals and a couple, even overcoming a small twist I didn’t see coming.

I do like a book that doesn’t tie everything up neatly, 100%. That to me is real life. There were several unanswered questions, along with people who definitely needed more of a comeuppance, but that is how real life is sometimes. Not all the questions are answered, and not everything ties up in a neat little bow. And that works just fine for me.

These two got their HEA, and the reader gets a glimpse of the next book, and even through how the secondary characters react, what their issues will be. I’m looking forward to it.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist Layla Reyne was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bicoastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart-pounding romance. When she’s not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs.

Social Media:

Website: http://laylareyne.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/laylareyne

FB Profile: www.facebook.com/laylareynebooks

FB Fan Page: www.facebook.com/laylareyne

FB Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216903272072959/

Tumblr: laylareyne.tumblr.com

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/laylareyne

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

Amazon: amazon.com/author/laylareyne

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bN9ncH

 

To celebrate the release of Relay, one lucky winner will receive a signed paperback copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on January 13, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Reckless Behavior by L.A. Witt and Cari Z: Release Day Review, Blog Tour and Giveaway

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After too many years of putting his job first, Detective Andreas Ruffner is getting his priorities straight. He’s ready to spend some quality time with his adult kids, not to mention come clean about some things he should’ve told them a long time ago. And introduce them to his partner and boyfriend, Darren Corliss.

But in a heartbeat, a family dinner turns into Andreas’s worst nightmare. When the dust settles, one of his kids is hurt, and the other three have been abducted.

Andreas is going to find his kids, and nothing, not even a broken ankle, is going to stop him. Thank God for his sharp, level-headed partner . . . who has a crisis of his own pulling him away when Andreas needs him the most. As both men try to support—and lean on—each other, they get no closer to finding the kids. And the longer the children are missing, the less likely it is they’ll ever be found.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

 

Sometimes, you sit down to read and want a wildly passionate, steamy story about two men falling in love. Other times, you need something… more. And that’s what you’ll get with the entire Bad Behavior series from LA Witt and Cari Z. Somehow, I’d completely missed the second book in the series, but that didn’t stop me from clutching Reckless Behavior, book three, in my greedy little hands as soon as possible.

I absolutely loved Andreas and Darren when I read Risky Behavior. They didn’t meet, fall in love, face issues, and live happily ever after. That’d be far too sweet for an ass like Andreas (and I mean that in the best possible way). He didn’t want Darren as a partner. Didn’t like knowing why Darren was there, but something made the rookie detective impossible to resist.

A lot of times, I get bored by series that continue with the same main characters. Once I’m certain they’re stable in their relationship and are going to make it through whatever comes after the end, it’s hard to keep my attention. Andreas and Darren are an excellent departure from this issue.

There’s so much I can’t say about Reckless Behavior because it’ll either spoil this book or the books before, but basically, it comes down to people holding grudges over that first big case, determined to teach Andreas a lesson. Again, it could’ve turned incredibly cliche, but the writing talents of this duo kept me turning from one page to the next until… I’m not going to admit how late it was when I finished and went to sleep. I’m a responsible adult who would never stay up until nearly sunrise in thedead of winter, all because she needed to make sure the couple was going to be okay. That everyone was going to be okay.

I can’t wait to see what comes next for Andreas and Darren. They’re one of my favorite couples of 2017!

5 pieces of candy (preferably the peppermint butter mints, because YUM)

About the Bad Behavior Series

It’s “hell no” at first sight for newly partnered detectives Andreas Ruffner and Darren Corliss. Darren is too chipper, Andreas is too gruff, and that whole “IA wants me to prove you’re a dirty cop” thing really doesn’t get them off on the right foot.

It doesn’t matter if they like each other. They’re partners and that’s final. Though Andreas is easy on the eyes. And Darren is kind of cute. And . . . okay, maybe they can make this work.

They’d better, because as their cases get more horrifying—and more personal—they’ll have to trust each other with their lives, and with their hearts.

Check out Bad Behavior!

About Cari Z

Cari Z was a bookworm as a child and remains one to this day. In an effort to combat her antisocial reading behavior, she did all sorts of crazy things, from competitive gymnastics to alligator wresting (who even knew that was legal!) to finally joining the Peace Corps, which promptly sent her and her husband to the wilds of West Africa, stuck them in a hut, and said, “See ya!” She also started writing, because some things she just thought she could do better. She’s still climbing that ladder, but can’t stop herself from writing, or from sharing what she creates.

Cari enjoys a wide range of literary genres, from the classics (get ‘im, Ahab) to science fiction and fantasy of all types, to historical fiction and reference materials (no, seriously, there are so many great encyclopedias out there). She writes in a wide range of genres as well, but somehow 90% of what she produces ends up falling into the broad and exciting category of m/m erotica. There’s a sprinkling of f/m and f/f and even m/f/m in her repertoire, but her true love is man love. And there’s a lot of love to go around.

Cari has published short stories, novellas, and novels with numerous print and e-presses, and she also offers up a tremendous amount of free content on Literotica.com, under the name Carizabeth.

Connect with Cari at http://cari-z.net/  or via her blog, http://carizerotica.blogspot.com/

About L.A. Witt

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut . .

L.A.’s backlist is available on her website, and updates (as well as random thoughts and the odd snarky comment) can be found on her blog or on Twitter (@GallagherWitt).

To celebrate the release of Reckless Behavior, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit and their choice in an ebook from each of Cari and L.A.’s backlist! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on January 6, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

New Hand by L.A. Witt: Exclusive Excerpt, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

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Months after his husband’s death, Garrett Blaine desperately needs a fresh start. He sells his house in Seattle, leaves his accounting job, and starts bartending in Bluewater Bay. There he meets a man who wakes up his nearly forgotten libido.

Jesse Connelly’s friend with benefits bolted after Jesse disclosed his HIV status. Stood up and stinging, Jesse tries to drown his sorrows . . . and finds an unexpected connection with a lonely bartender.

Jesse and Garrett quickly bond over a shared love of comics and card games, and they can’t get enough of each other between the sheets. Not even a bumpy start and a fifteen-year age gap can derail them as they go from strangers to lovers, then friends, then much more.

But as Garrett’s feelings for Jesse deepen, so does his grief for the man he lost—especially as he sees hints of his late husband in his new boyfriend. Now Garrett has to figure out if Jesse is his second chance at true love, or if Jesse’s just filling in for the man he’s never fully grieved. And he needs to figure it out soon, because Jesse’s starting to wonder the same thing.

 

Amazon

Riptide Books

I helped him carry the books to the cash register. As I rang them up and he pulled out his wallet, Garrett did a double take. “Holy shit. Magic: The Gathering?” He picked up one of the starter decks off the rack. “They still make this game?”

“You know it?”

“Yeah. One of my roommates in college taught me to play.” He hung the deck back up. “I can’t even remember the last time I played. I’ve probably forgotten everything.”

“You’d be surprised. I know guys who learned when it first came out in the mid-1990s, then picked it up again years later and played it just fine. I mean, as long as you know the basic rules, you just follow the directions on the cards.”

He seemed to consider that for a moment. “True. I don’t remember it being all that complicated.”

“Well, it didn’t use to be. They’ve, uh, added to it.”

“Yeah? You play?”

I nodded. “We have tournaments here, actually.” I nodded toward the tables, which were currently empty. “I play in them whenever I’m not working.”

Garrett glanced at the tables, lips pursed. Then he tossed a starter deck and some boosters on top of the books.

As I scanned them, I said, “If you ever want to play, say the word. I’ve got plenty of decks at home.” And why did my heart start pounding as soon as I’d asked? It wasn’t like I’d suggested we go on a date or something.

But as he always seemed to do when I’d said something that sounded stupid to me, he smiled. “I might take you up on that.” He paused, then added, “If you don’t mind me being a little rusty.”

“Sounds like fun. I’ll go easy on you.” I very nearly cringed. Every other thing I said to him came out sounding like it could be seriously misconstrued.

God help me, but the man winked. “You don’t have to do that. I’m pretty sure it’ll come back to me.”

“Yeah. We’ll see.” I chuckled, hoping he didn’t notice how jittery I suddenly was as I rang up the cards and books. If he did, he didn’t say anything.

After he’d paid and I’d bagged everything, I handed it all over the counter.

“Thanks,” he said. “This should keep me busy for a while.”

“You’d be surprised—most people blow through Wolf’s Landing in no time.”

“We’ll see.” That hint of shyness materialized again in the slight dip of his chin. “I’m, uh, not that fast of a reader.”

“Well, at least you can stretch it out for a while. I blazed through the first four books in two weeks, and had to wait months for the next one.” I sighed dramatically. “It was torture, I’m telling you.”

Garrett laughed. “I’m sure. Okay, well, I’ll let you get back to work.” He paused. “You coming by the bar tonight?”

I am now. My heart sped up. “You want me to?”

Our eyes locked. For a few seconds, we were both silent, the awkward tension of an unspoken dare hanging between us.

Then he swallowed. “It’s always good to see you.”

I moistened my lips. “I’ll be there after my shift, then.”

His face lit up. “Looking forward to it.”

You and me both.

He left, and before the door had even swung shut behind him, Dexy appeared beside me, craning her neck to watch him go. “That your new boo?”

“My ‘new boo’?” I rolled my eyes. “Seriously?”

She smothered a giggle and elbowed me. “I’m kidding. We both know he has to be your insatiable sex toy for a few months before he gets upgraded to boo status.”

“Dex!”

A gruff laugh from behind us turned me around, and I found Simon smirking at me.

I wagged a finger at him. “Not a word.”

“What?” He put up his hands and batted his eyes. “I said nothing.”

“Uh-huh.”

Dexy snorted. “Simon says . . .” She pointed at the window. “That dude is Jesse’s new boo.”

Simon laughed harder. Dexy giggled.

I just rolled my eyes. “I hate you both.”

But deep down, I kind of hoped they were onto something.

 

About Bluewater Bay

Welcome to Bluewater Bay! This quiet little logging town on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula has been stagnating for decades, on the verge of ghost town status. Until a television crew moves in to film Wolf’s Landing, a soon-to-be cult hit based on the wildly successful shifter novels penned by local author Hunter Easton.

Wolf’s Landing’s success spawns everything from merchandise to movie talks, and Bluewater Bay explodes into a mecca for fans and tourists alike. The locals still aren’t quite sure what to make of all this—the town is rejuvenated, but at what cost? And the Hollywood-based production crew is out of their element in this small, mossy seaside locale. Needless to say, sparks fly.

This collaborative story world is brought to you by eleven award-winning, best-selling LGBTQ romance authors: L.A. Witt, L.B. Gregg, Z.A. Maxfield,  Heidi Belleau, Rachel Haimowitz, Anne Tenino, Amy Lane, SE Jakes, G.B. Gordon, Jaime Samms and Ally Blue. Each contemporary novel stands alone, but all are built around the town and the people of Bluewater Bay and the Wolf’s Landing media empire.

Check it out at Riptide Publishing!

 

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut . . .

Connect with L.A.:

To celebrate the release of New Hand, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit and their choice of two ebooks off LA Witt’s backlist (not counting New Hand)! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on December 23, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Operation Green Card by G.B. Gordon: Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

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Arkady Izmaylov is a family man. He’s also gay. In Russia. His sister Natalya has been telling him to get out for years, but it’s only after an attack in the street that he finally concedes and says yes to her desperate plan of him marrying a stranger for a green card.

Jason Cooley was taught from birth that he’s no good to anyone. Then the military taught him he was good enough to save other lives, but that purpose got amputated along with his leg. He’s now working security at Wolf’s Landing and sending monthly checks to his ex for their daughter’s education. When Natalya asks him to marry her brother, Jason knows right away he’ll do it more for the mission than the money she’s offering. But when he actually meets Arkady, his mission turns complicated.

Jason quickly discovers he’s not as straight as he thought. He’s also the man of Arkady’s dreams. Arkady must convince Jason that he’s worth loving, and that Arkady won’t disappear from his life like everyone else. Because Arkady has always wanted a family of his own, and he’s not letting go of this one.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

I won’t lie, I am going to miss the Bluewater Bay series by Riptide (last book is out next week!). There have been some really great books in this series. This was a good one in the series, for sure. I like that it was one of the last two, going out in style! 🙂

Green card marriage is a trope which if you grew up reading Harlequin romances, you likely came across a time or two. And this one is based around that trope. However, I did like how this one came about. With as much as you hear in the news about how gay men are treated in countries such as Russia, this makes more sense than not.

There was an instant connection on both sides for these men. Arkady knowing he was attracted. Meanwhile, Jason, never having considered himself to be bisexual, gave himself a ton of excuses, yet didn’t have any problem with it once he realized that he was attracted.

I loved that Arkady was free with his love. He loved his family and friends that he moved from, and wanted to have a new family and friends in his new life, throwing himself fully into loving and caring for the people around him as much as possible. Even down to wanting to do renovations for Jason. The reader could feel that it wasn’t just boredom, but a need to do something for someone who meant something to him.

Jason’s lack of belief in himself, didn’t start with his amputated leg, but as a child, and carried through his adult life. His belief that he couldn’t trust anyone to stay, or to appreciate him, not just himself made it difficult for Arkady to get through. So, he did it in small ways. Whether beers on the couch, or shooting at nuts on a log, he worked his way into Jason’s subconscious minute by minute.

I loved that their moment of realization came while sitting in a government office, it seemed so poetic. Another good entry into this fantastic series.

4 pieces of eye candy

About Bluewater Bay

Welcome to Bluewater Bay! This quiet little logging town on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula has been stagnating for decades, on the verge of ghost town status. Until a television crew moves in to film Wolf’s Landing, a soon-to-be cult hit based on the wildly successful shifter novels penned by local author Hunter Easton.

Wolf’s Landing’s success spawns everything from merchandise to movie talks, and Bluewater Bay explodes into a mecca for fans and tourists alike. The locals still aren’t quite sure what to make of all this—the town is rejuvenated, but at what cost? And the Hollywood-based production crew is out of their element in this small, mossy seaside locale. Needless to say, sparks fly.

This collaborative story world is brought to you by eleven award-winning, best-selling LGBTQ romance authors: L.A. Witt, L.B. Gregg, Z.A. Maxfield,  Heidi Belleau, Rachel Haimowitz, Anne Tenino, Amy Lane, SE Jakes, G.B. Gordon, Jaime Samms and Ally Blue. Each contemporary novel stands alone, but all are built around the town and the people of Bluewater Bay and the Wolf’s Landing media empire.

Check it out at Riptide Publishing!

G.B.Gordon worked as a packer, landscaper, waiter, and coach before going back to school to major in linguistics and, at 35, switch to less backbreaking monetary pursuits like translating, editing, and writing.

Having lived in various parts of the world, Gordon is now happily ensconced in suburban Ontario with the best of all husbands.

Connect with Gordon:

To celebrate the release of Operation Green Card, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on December 16, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

The Remaking of Corbin Wale by Roan Parrish: Exclusive Guest Post, Blog Tour with Giveaway

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Last month, Alex Barrow’s whole life imploded—partner, home, job, all gone in forty-eight hours. But sometimes when everything falls apart, better things appear almost like magic. Now, he’s back in his Michigan hometown, finally opening the bakery he’s always dreamed of. But the pleasure of opening day is nothing compared to the lonely and beautiful man who bewitches Alex before he even orders.

Corbin Wale is a weirdo. At least, that’s what he’s heard his whole life. He knows he’s often in a fantasy world, but the things he feels are very real. And so is the reason why he can never, ever be with Alex Barrow. Even if Alex is everything he’s always fantasized about. Even if maybe, just maybe, Corbin is Alex’s fantasy too.

When Corbin begins working at the bakery, he and Alex can’t deny their connection any longer. As the holiday season works its magic, Alex yearns for the man who seems out of reach. But to be with Alex, Corbin will have to challenge every truth he’s ever known. If his holiday risk pays off, two men from different worlds will get the love they’ve always longed for.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

My Favorite Holiday Stories are About Emotional Intensity

Holiday stories tend to fall into two general categories: 1.) Stories where, because of family expectations, the holidays are a period of intense emotion and social navigation for the main character; or 2.) Stories where, because of a lack of family or friends, the main character is alone for the holidays, resulting in either a period of intense emotional navigation because they’re alone, or emotional numbness because they’re accustomed to being alone.

I like both types of stories because they’re great set-ups for putting romantic relationships through their paces. When a relationship has to contend with strong family dynamics, it’s placed under a microscope. When a relationship takes the place of family over the holidays, it takes on some of that emotional weight.

As a reader, the key to them working is great character development. I need to see exactly what feelings the characters will have when going to see family, or when treating Christmas like any other day because they don’t celebrate with family. What memories are brought up? What hopes did the holidays used to evince? What fears do they evince now? What do the characters dream of for holidays in the future? If a character doesn’t care about the holidays, how does that affect their partner? And, hey, cozy cuddling, making out in front of the fire, and descriptions of delicious food really doesn’t hurt!

 

About the 2017 Holiday Charity Collection

20% of all proceeds from this title will be donated to the Russian LGBT Network.

Each year, Riptide Publishing releases a holiday collection in support of an LGBTQ charity. Twenty percent of the proceeds from this year’s collection will be donated to the Russian LGBT Network.

The Russian LGBT network was founded in April 2006. It is an interregional, non-governmental human rights organization that promotes equal rights and respect for human dignity, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. They unite and develop regional initiatives, advocacy groups (at both national and international levels), and provide social and legal services.

To learn more about this charity or to donate directly, please visit their website: https://lgbtnet.org/en.

 

This collection would not be possible without the talent and generosity of its authors, who have brought us the following holiday stories:

Buy all three in the collection and save!

 

Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre.

When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.

 

She is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary Agency.

Connect with Roan:

To celebrate the release of The Remaking of Corbin Wale, one lucky winner will receive a $20 Amazon gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on December 2, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Count the Shells by Charlie Cochrane: Quick Review

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A standalone Porthkennack historical novel

Michael Gray returned from World War One injured, but at least he returned. Others were not so fortunate, including his first and greatest love, Thomas Carter-Clemence, with whom Michael had parted bitterly before the conflict began.

Broch, the Carter-Clemence home in Porthkennack, was an integral part of pre-war holidays for the Grays, the two families drawn together in the wake of their sons’ friendship. Returning to the once-beloved Cornish coast for a break with his sister and her family, Michael has to find the courage to face old memories . . . and dare new relationships.

When Thomas’s brother Harry makes an unexpected appearance, Michael is surprised to find himself deeply attracted to Harry for his own sake. But as their relationship heats up, it unearths startling revelations and bitter truths. Michael must decide whether Harry is the answer to his prayers or the last straw to break an old soldier’s back.

Word count: 66,000; page count: 246

Amazon

Riptide Books

Kobo Books

 

This book is part of a series that take place in the English seaside town of Porthkennack. Other authors in the series include Joanna Chambers and Alex Beecroft. This book wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t my favorite, in the series or otherwise.

Michael is a WWI veteran who’s returned to the summer home his family has stayed at since he was a child. While he has returned mostly unscathed physically, he’s haunted by both his experiences during the war as well as the fact that many of his former lovers and friends were left behind on the battlefields of Europe. He is especially broken over the wartime death of his first lover, Thomas, who died before the two could make amends after a falling out 10 years before. Understandably Michael is filled with regret over the unfinished business between them.

Enter Thomas’ younger brother Harry, whom Michael hasn’t seen in many years and who he remembers as the pesky kid that followed him and Thomas around every summer. But Harry is now older, wiser and considerably more attractive and the two embark on a friendship that quickly turns to more. Secrets involving both families are revealed leaving Michael reeling as he learns that perhaps his relationship with Thomas wasn’t mutually meaningful.

Most of the angst in this story is internal to Michael, as he tries to reconcile what he thought he knew about Thomas and what he’s learned about Thomas from Harry. Michael is also afraid that he may experience the same heartbreak with Harry.

I love that the setting is post-WWI; there aren’t enough gay romances during that time period. I also love that the books in this series take place in the same town at different points in time. The supporting characters are okay; the heroes don’t change much from begin to end. It was a sweet story, but I tend to prefer more external angst and action than the hero having to work things out in his own head before giving me an HEA (which this one does.)

2.5 pieces of eye candy