Skylar M. Cates

The Christmas Lights Battle by Skylar M. Cates: New Release Review and Giveaway

December 10, 2018 by Denise

For a single dad and his neighbor, the Christmas competition is on!

Julian Moss wants to give his children a happy Christmas. Since his divorce, Julian has no time for a social life; he’s been doing the tiring work of two parents while his cheating ex-husband dodges his responsibilities. If that isn’t stressful enough, he has to deal with his new—and ridiculously good-looking—neighbor and his noisy dogs. Christmas used to be Julian’s favorite holiday, but lately all he sees is the cost. Then Julian’s young son tells him about a Christmas lights competition with a much-needed prize.

Leo Adams is going to be alone for Christmas…again. All he’s ever wanted is to be accepted by his family, but he knows that will never happen. Deciding to focus on his career as a personal trainer, Leo develops a boot camp program on the beach, but he needs publicity. The lights competition offers Leo a way to get some free press, and if it annoys his snooty neighbor Julian—all the better.

The battle is on, and both Julian and Leo want to win. The stakes are high, the reward is great, and the neighbors are in it to win it. There’s nothing like a little competition to make Christmas at Shelby Beach extra merry and bright.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!

Too much? Sorry …. This one really put me in the Christmas spirit. First, we meet Julian and his two adorable kids, Charlie and Sadie. I don’t need to tell anyone how much I adore a hot single dad and his babies. They’re my favorite!

After his divorce, (and y’all, you will hate the cheating, verbally and emotionally abusive ex-husband, here’s your warning)…. Julian is doing everything he can to just make life easy for their children, who both suffer from emotional issues, like anxiety and aggression. Julian is so patient and easy with them, he loves them more than anything….so seeing them hurt time and again by the ex, hurts him too. Never one to stand up for himself, especially with the ex, I was so glad to see him finally do it….

Now, Leo is house/dog sitting for a close friend who just happens to be Julian’s nextdoor neighbor. They don’t get along at first, but it’s short-lived and kind of entertaining… I hated that it hurt Leo, even a little bit, because he’s been hurt so much, I just didn’t want anymore for him… Leo is charming and gorgeous and generous and sweet… it’s easy to become smitten with him… and he’s good with the kids. As a single parent, you can’t ask for anything better than that.

When the small town of Shelby Beach, holds a Christmas Lights competition, both of the men are intent on winning. Julian, so he can give the kids a good Christmas, and maybe do something fun with them, and Leo, because he’s still trying to make a name for himself in Shelby Beach, and getting the exposure and his name out there could go a long way in his want to start his own business. But, as the competition gets on and the guys call a truce, an unfortunate, tiny little accident has Julian needing Leo’s help, and Leo being all in to help out, and even to merge the competition.

I don’t want to give everything away, but I just adored this story. It’s sweet and light and fun, and I loved these two together. I loved Julian’s family and what they could give Leo, because he so desperately needed the love that his own family failed to give him. I loved how accepting they all were, if even a little nutty, Julian’s family and Leo’s best friends… I loved how the ex- seemed to just go away and we never saw him again… and I loved the little happy for now we get, that could promise so much more for these two in coming books. Which I’m very much hoping for. Overall though, it was just the perfect little Christmas read on this cold and rainy day for me, and I loved it.

FAVORITE LINE: “If Falling in love is insane, I want to be crazy every day of my life.”

4 Pieces of Candy

Skylar M. Cates loves a good romance, especially ones that are steamy and emotionally satisfying. She is quite happy to drink coffee, curl up with a good book, and not move all day. Her bestselling novels feature strong, passionate men. Skylar loves to craft stories where realistic men are challenged with emotional situations. Skylar’s character-driven series will often feature close-knit familes, animals, and loyal friendships being tested.

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Skylar M. Cates has offered a copy of her other holiday story, The Holiday Hoax. Simply leave a comment on this blog post.

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Rocking the Cowboy by Skylar M. Cates: Exclusive Guest Post and Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

August 24, 2018 by Denise

Opposites who go together like country and rock ’n’ roll.

Long before he was a superstar, Remy Sean had a secret crush on Jed Riley. But Jed sees Remy as a spoiled pop rocker and an extension of his father’s control. Still, Jed is willing to let Remy hide from the press on his ranch—but only as a way to get his father out of his life and business for good.

Used to being admired and fawned over, Remy keenly feels the sting of Jed’s dismissal. Can he make Jed see him as more than a pain in the ass? Or is Jed too tangled up in his ranch to see past his old hurt?

Jed doesn’t believe someone desired by so many fans could want him, a simple cowboy. But Remy is determined to change Jed’s mind and steal his heart….

Title: Rocking the Cowboy
Author: Skylar M. Cates
Release Date: August 21, 2018
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 222

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Hello! Skylar, here. Thanks for hosting me!

I’m excited to share my thoughts on cowboys, my writing news, and a giveaway for you. I’m thrilled about the August release of Rocking the Cowboy. Who said a pop star and a cowboy can’t find HEA? Not me! I love Jed and Remy for their chemistry together as well as their generous hearts.

My writing news:

I’ll be self-publishing a Christmas book in December 2018. It’s about two neighbors who feud over a Christmas lights competition (look for it on Amazon)!

Finally, my newsletter is releasing in late August/early September with some great giveaways and exclusive content. If interested, you can sign up for it here:

http://eepurl.com/cxODzT

Jed and Remy had some swoon worthy moments in Rocking the Cowboy. Remy is a total flirt, but he is vulnerable underneath it, whereas Jed is not used to flirting (or even conversation, lol). Here is an early scene from the book. Enjoy!

He fixed Remy his dessert of grilled pineapple and melted dark chocolate, with fresh whipped cream on top.

Remy groaned. “You’re right. If there is a dessert on earth better, I sure as hell don’t know what it is. Thanks. For bringing me here….”

“Welcome.” Remy could see the curve of Jed’s lips in the firelight.

“Is this a date?” Remy teased with a wink.

Jed looked away. “This is us just getting to know each other.”

“I’m calling it a date. Fuck, I like being out here, and I like sharing this delicious concoction. Man, you could have been a chef.”

Jed shook his head. “No such thing as a bonfire chef.”

“You’d be the first, then. An original.”

“I’m just a rancher. That’s all I am.”

“Why do you keep doing that?” Remy asked.

“Doing what?”

“Dismissing yourself. I’m a simple guy. I’m a rancher. As if those things aren’t valuable, when they are. Don’t sell yourself short. You have a lot to offer the world. You made this whole night possible, and you were really kind about my songwriting thing a minute ago.”

“Anybody would do that—”

“No, they wouldn’t. People aren’t always kind. They’re assholes mostly. And I think you’re a lot more than you let on.”

Jed’s eyes met his. The soft expression suddenly made Remy uncomfortable before Jed looked away, a slight flush on his cheeks.

I want him.

God, how Remy did. He was drowning in all the want. He wanted Jed to pin him down, climb on top of him, and kiss him senseless.

Jed stood up and brushed off some dirt. “We should go back. It’s getting late.”

“Sure.” Remy couldn’t read him. Just a second ago, he had been sure that Jed was about to kiss him…. Fuck, maybe he was wrong. He was a mess these days. Was he only seeing what he wanted?

SOME THOUGHTS ON COWBOYS

These two men were a ton of fun to write, especially Jed. I love cowboys. Maybe it’s because I spent my childhood on the Jersey Shore, where cowboys were a total mystery, but I always found cowboys sexy.

In my twenties, I moved out to Arizona, and I frequented the cowboy bars. Those guys, however, were more like city wannabe-cowboys. When I created Jed in Rocking the Cowboy, I wanted my guy to truly love his land, animals, and the quiet. A loud city would never be for Jed.

Some of my favorite cowboy crushes have been from the movies or television. Here are four movies at the top of my list:

Legends of the Fall

Besides the beautiful scenery of Brad Pitt, this film also boasted beautiful scenery of the river. It is the saga of three brothers. My favorite part was actually Aiden Quinn’s storyline because he was so sad and unable to get the girl.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

I loved this film so hard! A young Paul Newman and Robert Redford? Swoon! In the film, the two leads go on the run. Along the way, they share their fears and dreams. It’s a total bromance. The girl? What girl?

Giant

If you never saw this saga about Texas oilmen, rent it. James Dean is so tortured, you want to cry for him even as he does all the wrong actions, and Rock Hudson is stunning and very alpha. My favorite scene, however, is when Rock’s character finally changes his world view and defends his grandbaby. It always makes me cry and gives me hope that we can all change and grow.

Brokeback Mountain:

Do I really need to explain it? Heath and Jake = perfection

Who doesn’t love a good opposites attract romance? This one fits the bill nicely, with a cowboy who spends his time on his ranch, not seeing anyone else for days, and a rock star who is beloved by people young and old.

As Remy finally has to give in and allow himself to overcome the trauma he suffered while touring, he returns to a positive place from his teenage years, one that got him through a different painful period in his past. Meanwhile, Jed’s reasons for allowing Remy to stay at the ranch are convoluted to say the least, but come back to “Daddy issues”. Jed’s father abandoned his family which led to a huge hole in his life, and layers and layers of anger.

However, what I really loved about the story is it wasn’t a huge part of their romance or falling in love. Yes, Buddy is who brought them together (both times as it happens), but it just isn’t part of their day to day life on the ranch. They learn to love each other outside the trappings of the wealth and circumstance of Remy, and the strong personality and angst that Buddy brings into Jed’s life.

They were opposites who found that they wanted many of the same things in life, and discovered how to work their way to their HEA, with passion as well as compassion. Both Jed and Remy showed such compassion for others, but especially for each other. Both had to live with traumas that changed their lives, and finding what the right path for that was, wasn’t each. Yet they walked through that together.

A good solid HEA, and a low angst book. Recommended.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Skylar M. Cates loves a good romance, especially ones that are both steamy and emotionally satisfying. She is quite happy to drink coffee, curl up with a good book, and not move all day. Her best-selling novels feature strong, passionate men. Skylar loves to craft stories where realistic men are challenged with emotional situations. Skylar’s character-driven series will often feature close-knit families, animals, and loyal friendships being tested.

Skylar dreams about spending her days writing novels, walking along the beach, and listening to good live music. She also dreams of eating dessert without weight gain and robots cleaning her house. But she knows she can’t have it all… yet. Although lately the laundry room is the farthest place she has visited, Skylar still loves to chat with people from all around the globe.

What is your favorite cowboy from a movie or from a television show? One lucky commenter will get a $15 dollar credit at Dreamspinner.

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Close to You by Skylar M. Cates : Release Day Review

March 28, 2016 by Denise

It’s hard to recover from a first love. Some people never do.

How hard would you fight to keep your best friend? Marc Lucas and Tomas Santos have been best friends forever, but now their friendship is in a crisis. When they were boys, betrayals ripped their world apart. They thought it was fixed, but some parts remained broken. Ever since he saved him from a humiliation at school, Marc has loved Tomas. The last thing he expects is for Tomas to love him back. To keep his best friend, Marc revisits an abusive past he’s tried to forget.

For Tomas, loving Marc has been anything but easy. His upbringing told him it was wrong, so why did it feel so right? Accepting who he is as an adult, Tomas decides he needs a committed relationship. To his deep sorrow, he can’t seem to find it with Marc.

When the two find themselves alone and in the grip of a hurricane, long-buried feelings emerge. Being “just friends” is no longer an option. They must risk it all on love.

Title: Close to You
Series: Sunshine and Happiness: Book Three
Author: Skylar M. Cates
Release Date: March 28, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 248

I started reading this one not knowing it was part of a series. The story is strictly about Marc and Tomas but there are a vast number of characters from the previous books that I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read those first.

Marc and Tomas met in high school, Tomas new to town and Marc a boy from the wrong side of the tracks with an abusive father. It’s a beautiful first love and they both fall hard but circumstances beyond their control tear them apart. Years later they come back together with Marc stating they must only be friends, even though both of them are still in love. I believe Marc is afraid to lose Tomas all together and to make sure that doesn’t happen he tucks him safely in the friend zone.

Tomas realizes they are stuck in a holding pattern and moves away to try to move on with his life. Marc realizes he needs to make some changes and let down some walls or he may lose Tomas forever.

Aside from not having read the previous two books this was a good read. The POV pulled me out of the story at times and without chapter titles it was hard to know if I was reading about the past or the present.

Skylar Cates has created and interesting cast of characters. I could feel the pull between Marc and Tomas. Definitely an enjoyable read.

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