Review: The Last Favor by Meg Harding

Three years ago Andrew Wilson and Flynn Barnett were in a relationship, until Flynn made a mistake that nearly cost Andrew his life. Andrew walked away from the FBI, his home, and his partner, and started over back in Montreal, running a restaurant.

Fast forward to the present and Andrew is knee-deep in preparations for his sister’s wedding. When an ex-colleague calls to ask for one last favor, the last person he expects to walk through his door is Flynn, in need of a place to stay. Only thing is, Andrew can’t say no.

Two weeks of wedding hijinks bring back all the old feelings that have simmered below the surface. Caught in a cycle of fighting and making up, the two men try to figure out if there’s anything they can salvage. And even if there is, Andrew can’t be sure this time will be any different.



This story was sweet and light. Andrew approaches Flynn in a bar one night and they have a one night stand. The next day he finds his one night stand in his boss’ office and is told they are now partners.

This story time jumps a bit, so there really isn’t any relationship development. I was just told that they ended up being partners and lovers, and everything was fine. Until Flynn made a secret, strategic move on a case they were on, which blew up in everyone’s face.

The reader is treated to the cliffsnotes version of their romance, and then Andrew is licking his wounds three years later after leaving the FBI and becoming a chef. His sister’s wedding is in two weeks and he is asked for a favor from his ex-FBI buddy Clint. Who should happen at the doorstep the next day, but Flynn.

I didn’t really get into this couple. I enjoyed them individually, and I think I could have really loved Flynn if I knew him better. The personality that I did see worked for me. I thought they could be good for each other, but the development wasn’t really there to convince me. Andrew is more laid back and Flynn is a bit flighty but uptight. I can totally relate to Flynn. Independent and just wants things to go the way he wants without any real input from anyone else. This pisses Andrew off, and was something that was mentioned as being a problem when they were together, but it’s not really something they work through during this story. Together, or apart, I don’t know. They worked for the most part, but they could have worked just as well with other people.

I did enjoy their arguments. I enjoyed their heat. I liked that Andrew stuck up for himself and didn’t fold to his feelings. He needed to be heard, and he made sure that his issues were out in the open. I just wasn’t convinced that they had worked anything out, and the problems that made Andrew leave weren’t really resolved.

Overall, this story was fine. It was interesting enough that I didn’t get distracted. I would have preferred more relationship development, and more character development for Flynn. The writing style was good, and the overall plot was decent. I would read more from this author.

A light read with reunited lovers, with some serious moments. I would recommend it to readers who want something light, but not overly fluffy.


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Review: Forbidden by Scarlet Blackwell

When things are forbidden, you merely want them more…

Vice-president David should have had it all–nice cars, the most expensive restaurants and the finest clothes. But he hides a secret from all his colleagues–he’s gay. He’s too scared to come out at work so he spends his evenings cruising for company and frequenting strip clubs. In one such place, he meets pole dancer Jeremy, a young man with problems of his own. Jeremy’s controlled by his boss Donny and soon David’s interest starts to spell danger for them both…










So my first Scarlet Blackwell. I was warned she writes very crazy, over the top characters and stories, this book was definitely that! I don’t know if it was the forewarning, but I really enjoyed this story.


David is the vice-president of a big corporate company and deep in the closet. He decides to check out a seedy gay strip club and falls in insta-lust with one of the dancers, Jeremy. Jeremy works for Donny, and here enters our caricature bad guy. Donny is a seedy club owner/pimp/rapist and has a special obsession for Jeremy.

I actually really liked David and Jeremy’s relationship, yes it's insta-lust/love, but if you know that going in, I think it works. They're both hesitant to start something serious, but can't deny the attraction and ‘connection’ they share. David still has to work through coming to terms with leaving the closet and Jeremy needs to escape the clutches of Donny. Their ‘connection’ was definitely more based on the physical than emotional, but they had enough deeper thoughts for it not to feel like pwp (porn without plot).

The stripping was really really good! I could have definitely used more dancing scenes.


Goodness this book was FULL of sex and it was HOT! It was rough and dirty and all round yummy! if this is normal of Blackwell books, I’m officially a fan.

The story lost a couple of points for me with the end scene, where David goes and ‘takes care’ of Donny. It was all a little too much to be good fun and when it was all over, Jeremy was sad because he didn’t have a job anymore… because that makes sense when your boss rapes you regularly.


This was such good crazy fun! if you know not to take this seriously and you enjoy crazy characters, over the top storylines and super hot sex, I’d say give this a go.


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Purchase Links:
NineStar Press: http://ninestarpress.com/product/forbidden-scarlet-blackwell/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Scarlet-Blackwell-ebook/dp/B018Q8E5SU

Interested in learning about the author & read an excerpt? Check out the info below!


Author Bio

Scarlet likes cats and hats and firmly believes that the only thing better than one attractive man is two attractive men.

Email: scarlet.blackwell@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.scarletblackwell.com/Pages/default.aspx
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScarletBlckwl?lang=en-gb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scarlet.blackwell
Blog: http://scarletblackwell.blogspot.co.uk/

Excerpt

©Copyright Scarlet Blackwell 2015
All rights reserved.

Coxx was new to him. A last stop at the end of a night of solitary drinking. Somewhere he’d always wanted to go but had been afraid to. Not that night. That night alcohol gave him courage beyond his wildest dreams. After his tough day at work, he didn’t care about denying himself anymore.

The seedy male strip club was nestled at the ass end of West Hollywood, tucked away almost apologetically among the back streets. Its windows promised hot male dancers to cater to every whim. The carpet was sticky, but the beer was cold. A long runway featured shiny brass poles currently occupied by two dancers. The place was half-full, a slow night.

David Ackroyd sat on a stool at the edge of the stage, his gaze on the lithe blond at the end of the runway. He hadn’t expected to find any of the dancers worth more than titillation, but since the young man first slunk from behind the velvet curtains, he’d had David’s rapt attention.

He was average height with a lean, tanned body. All strong limbs and toned muscle, he wore nothing more than a sparkly silver thong and silly matching boots. The dancer’s plump, pert ass mesmerised David as he shook it in time to an old Mötley Crüe song and gyrated in front of a group of four giggling women.

Perhaps David hadn’t expected to see women in a place like Coxx, but why not? Ogling nearly naked men wasn’t the province of gay men alone; women had as much right to get their kicks as he did. The blond dancer played up to his audience by sliding to his knees and letting the women stroke his thighs and press bills into his thong. David doubted he would let his male admirers get quite so fresh with him. Having a man grope you was different. More intimidating, fraught with risk.

David took a swallow of Jack Daniel’s and Coke, wishing for a better look at the blond dancer. He glanced at the other man on the runway, a brunet. He was ripped and hard but nothing special to look at. He seemed tired, jaded and only spared each person at the edge of the stage fleeting attention. That was fine by David. He only had eyes for the blond.

Fluidly, the dancer stood up, moved a few steps back to the pole in the middle of the stage, and swung himself around it, wrapping his long limbs gracefully about the steel. David stared. The man hung upside down, ankles clinging, six-packed abdomen rippling. Then, he dismounted, stalked across the runway and stood with legs spread and hands on his hips, facing David. He seemed to wait as though for approval. David gulped as he lifted his gaze up the dancer’s magnificent body, lingering on the enticing bulge in his underwear. The blond was nearly too pretty to be called handsome.

Maybe late twenties with perfect skin and large, almond-shaped eyes of piercing blue. A smile curled around the edges of his plump, sensual mouth as if he knew every one of David’s thoughts. Like he had watched him out of the corner of his eye and known David was salivating for a bit of the dancer’s attention.

David’s cock stirred. It filled with blood, pressing against his underwear with a sweet ache. He forgot where he was and drowned in the thrill of an attractive man seeking him out. David imagined they were in a nightclub, and he could take this beautiful stranger home if he wanted to and make love to him all night without money changing hands. He took another swallow of his drink as the man spun around, bent at the waist, and shook his ripe buttocks. Reaching back, the dancer stroked his own backside with lingering, sensual touches and pulled his cheeks just far enough apart that the string on the ridiculous thong shifted, barely covering a hint of pink pucker.

David clutched his knees and ground his teeth. His rampant cock raged against his pants. The dancer turned around. One hand on his thigh, fingers perilously close to his package, he swivelled his hips, thrusting his groin in David’s direction.

David watched raptly as the blond inched his fingers closer to the sparkling material covering his assets. His fingertips traced the bulge between his legs before he cupped himself and rubbed overtly. David licked his lips. The flimsy thong seemed to expand. Was the dancer getting hard? It was difficult to see in the darkness and playing shadows, but the underwear seemed strained to bursting, and the blond stroked his cock and balls as if he was very excited.

David placed his hands on the edge of the runway. He ached to touch, but he wouldn’t be that guy, grabbing disrespectfully and forgetting his boundaries. Now if the blond wanted to invite him to delve into that sparkly bill-stuffed pouch right here in front of all these people, that would be a different matter. David would give him the handjob of his life, no worries. Hell, he would open his mouth and let the dancer fuck it to his heart’s content right then if he wanted to.

The blond moved closer. He slid to his knees with thighs wide apart. David stared up at the sweat glistening on the dancer’s face and torso. He smelled the guy’s cologne, heady and spicy, and it made his cock jolt and throb. His fingers twitched. The dancer smiled. He gripped David’s right hand at the wrist and brought it to him, deliberately placing it on his own upper thigh.

His flesh was like damp silk. David stifled a groan. The blond guided David’s fingers to his inner thigh, electric-blue eyes never leaving his. When his touch grazed heavy balls, David thought he would whimper with desire. The blond’s hard-on was evident from this angle; his cockhead almost reared over the top of the overstuffed pouch. He ran his tongue slowly over his lips and then pressed David’s hand right into his groin, over a rigid pole, generous in every way.

David caught his breath. He closed his fingers around the dancer’s turgid shaft, squeezing gently but with greed, aware of overstepping the mark and ready to be apologetic.

A moment later, the blond jerked away. He skipped back to the pole and wound himself around it a couple of times before blowing kisses in the general direction of all those watching. Then, he disappeared behind the curtain.

David sat in crushing disappointment. His heart raced, and his cock threatened to explode. His desire dampened his underwear. He tried to rationalise to himself what had just happened. A scorching encounter with a man paid to interact with his audience. A bonus in every way at the end of a draining day. He smiled ruefully and finished his drink, adjusting himself discreetly before sliding from the stool. Drink and lust made him unsteady when he stood. He weaved his way to the exit and vowed he’d never come here again.

Audiobook Review: Trial By Fire by BA Tortuga

One Aussie. One Texan. One baby. One hell of a fight.

When his sister and her husband are killed in an accident, Aussie cattle station owner Lachlan McCoughney rushes to Texas to rescue their infant daughter, Chloe. He expects to find his niece living in squalor with the Sheffields, a rodeo family.

Instead, Lachlan finds Holden Sheffield, a salt-of-the-earth cowboy running a huge business operation. They want to explore their mutual attraction despite the many problems thrown their way, and together, they must find a way to give Chloe a new family and find a love that spans thousands of acres and two continents.

Listening Length: 5 hrs 36 mins
Narrator: Rusty Topsfield


It's official!


I've popped my audiobook and Dreamspun Desires cherries!



It was a long search for the right narrator that didn't sound so robotic. And if anyone is going to pop my audio cherry, it should be someone memorable. And you can't forget a name like Rusty Topsfield.


I'm going to pretend this is what Rusty looks like except with ginger hair. Dreamboat.

Well, how was a first timer's take on audiobooks? I don't think it'll be something I'll run to listen to a lot. I was hesitant to trying audiobooks, so this was going to be my trial run. A book I didn't read, but had a physical copy in case it bombed.

Verdict: story didn't bomb...just the narration.

This story was flufftastic, over the top and filled with some sexual tension - a good mix for entertainment purposes. I knew ahead of time that I would need to suspend reality while reading.


Baby orphan Chloe has two uncles who want for custody, once they meet sparks fly and they fall in love. I like this guardian/battling in laws fall in love trope. Billionaire Aussie uncle Lachlan learns his sister is dead and gets a surprise when he learns she was married and had a baby. So he travels to Texas to get his niece. But his niece already has a guardian, her dead father's fraternal twin Holden. The two square off and argued, said a lot of "good deals" and angry flirted. But then a kidnapping happens by a group of the sloppiest kidnappers ever. Just horrible. An ensemble cast with big personalities get together to find the kidnapped baby, which gets solved fairly quickly...because sloppy. There was even a murder added on top of the men fighting and sexing.

And more importantly instalove.

But for this brand, it's to be expected, so no complaints here.

I think I can separate the story from the narrator...mostly. Because though Rusty, my audiobook de-virginizer, was memorable...Rusty got lazier as the story progressed especially with the accents. Hoo boy, Rusty's Texan accent was okay-ish? But he tended to mix in a lot of the Texan "good deal" with Aussie Lachlan. Rusty was reading from the text, I get it it. But the accents didn't have much distinction after a while and when more Aussies and Texans came in?



Oh those were horrible!The Australian accents sounds like a Brit/Martian/Southern person implanted a garbage disposal inside their throat.

What in the world was that?

It was distracting as hell and made me laugh for all the wrong reasons. Then I'd have to replay the damn scene to figure out what the hell was said. Like when one of the main men's dad said "I'm pooped", but the accent made it sound like I've pooped.

So there I am wondering why his father took a dump when there was custody battling going on and a baby missing. Couldn't he have excused himself to the bathroom without announcing?

Anyway, the story has a lot of action in between the fluff and over the top-ness.

The story is probably about 3.5-3.75 Hearts.
The Narration...is about 2 Hearts.

I'll audiobook again.


Whatever.


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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Dragon Men Series by Amber Kell


Amber Kell and Signal Boost Promotions are celebrating her upcoming release in her Dragon Men series with a $10 gift card to ARe or Amazon! Check out her series recap and read for more giveaway details below!

Amber Kell - Dragon Men Series - Series Recap & Giveaway


Dragons. Scaled mythical beasts known for their powerful imagery across the ages. But what happens when those same beasts can transform into equally impressive men. The dukes, lords and religious icons of the planet Dragait are looking for their mates. Where can they find those lucky few who can match the passion and wonder of a shapeshifting dragon. In this series you discover what happens when a dragon finds something more valuable than gold to hoard.

Mate Hunt

Joriah Eprion didn̥t know what sort of trouble he could get into when his father sends him to another planet to find a mate. Barely making it into the spaceport he tumbles into a sizzling attraction to a man sitting at the spaceport then falls equally for another man at a bar. Unable to resist either man he sets up a confrontation between two of the most powerful men in the kingdom both who are vying for his hand. Will Jory survive their courtship or will he become a
pawn between two men used to getting their own way.
Some m/m/m scenes.

Mate Test

When High Duke Torrance Zelan is sent to negotiate mineral rights he didn't know that his uncle had already offered Tor’s hand in marriage. Still broken-hearted from losing his lover two years before, Tor isn’t prepared for his attraction to the dragon king. King Naron knows it’s wrong to trick the handsome duke, but the temptation to test Tor for compatibility is too much to resist. Out of all the candidates Naron knows which sexy lord he wants warming his bed.





Mate Dance

Heading to a bar after a dance performance, intergalactically famous dancer, Raven, ran into a little girl beside the dead body of her grandmother. His one good deed in helping out the little girl, his one good deed would leads him into the arms of a dragon prince. Raven soon learns that once a dragon claims its mate, it will keep him closer than gold.




ARe:https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-matedance-1281182-340.html

Mate Healer

Lian Blythorpe avoids entanglements. Scared by his parents’ violent ending he vows to keep things light between himself and any partner. His plans are abandoned when he meets Nevair Dragonfang, the religious leader for an entire planet. One glance into Nevair's intense gaze and Lian melts. It only takes one time before Lian finds himself captured by his sexy mate and can't imagine life without him. Unfortunately not everyone is pleased with their mating and one man's jealousy leads Lian to a trial by fire he might be able to survive.




ARe:https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-matehealer-1271540-340.html

Author Bio
Amber Kell has made a career out of daydreaming. It has been a lifelong habit she practices diligently as shown by her complete lack of focus on anything not related to her fantasy world building.

When she told her husband what she wanted to do with her life, he told her to go have fun.
During those seconds she isn't writing, she remembers she has children who humor her with games of 'what if' and let her drag them to foreign lands to gather inspiration. Her youngest confided in her that he wants to write because he longs for a website and an author name—two things apparently necessary to be a proper writer.

Despite her husband's insistence she doesn't drink enough to be a true literary genius, she continues to spin stories of people falling happily in love and staying that way.

She is thwarted during the day by a traffic jam of cats on the stairway and a puppy who insists on walks, but she bravely perseveres.

Website: http://www.amberkell.com
E-mail: amberkellwrites@gmail.com








Review: A Love Like Blood by Victor Yates

Half Somali and Cuban, 17-year old Carsten Tynes, deals with the intricacies of race, Americanism, syncretism, and sexuality under the abusive hand of his father in A Love Like Blood. Carsten's camera is the thread that slowly unravels his relationship with his father and reveals the unseen world of men who move at night. When death pushes his boyfriend and father together into an abandoned camera store, he makes a dangerous move to save them.












This story starts off with Carsten’s scattered thoughts as he meets his neighbour, Brett, while moving into a new house with his father and two brothers. The flow was not what I am used to, and it was difficult at first to pick up the threads. But as the story moves, those disjointed thoughts start to bring the pieces of Carsten together. Being queer and living in a strictly religious household, with his abusive father who wants him to marry by eighteen, makes his secret all the more terrifying to reveal.

Once I understood the style, I really enjoyed this story. It is dark, and powerful. Carsten will do anything to earn his father’s approval and love, spending his days trying to figure out how to be the image his father wants for him, and failing because it isn’t who he is.

Photography is the only way Carsten and his father can bond, and through Carsten’s perspective of the world through his lens, the reader learns the textures, angles, and shades of Carsten’s life. From the sharp edges of violence, to the contradictory angles of Brett.

While the abuse is hard to read, it also gives the opportunity to learn how Carsten survives it. There is a fortitude that grounds Carsten in life. If he can live through his camera, the rest doesn’t matter. His father’s approval of his work is enough to get him through.

I have to admit, I power read this. I picked it up, and didn’t put it down until I was at 96% and my eyes refused to stay open. The beauty of Carsten, and his relationship with Brett helped to overshadow his father’s abuse towards him.

Sometimes father was capitalised. This was intriguing. Godly in his status, the man becomes something more in Carsten’s eyes. Father’s word is the law Carsten lives by, even when he fails. Anything from his mannerisms, to his skin care routine are stifled and hidden, to the best of his ability, so as not to be called a girl and beaten for it. His fear of coming out to his father is palpable. And I believed him when he confided in Brett that his father would kill him if he told him. The undertone of violence is a constant threat, but more than that, being disowned, and fatherless is what Carsten fears.

Brett’s presence in Carsten’s life provides an opportunity to explore his feelings more, out in the open, away from his father’s watchful eyes. He allows those thoughts he keeps hidden, to surface and give him strength. Brett is manly, with unapologetic effeminate traits, that immediately put Carsten’s father on edge. Against his father’s wishes, Carsten takes every opportunity to sneak out and spend time with Brett. Although sometimes it is hard to express to Brett the differences between Brett’s white upbringing and Carsten’s Somali upbringing, they manage to build a solid foundation that Carsten can escape to late at night when his father sleeps.

For a first novel, I am impressed. This piece of literary fiction is moving and powerful. It gives the reader a glimpse into life under the strict rule of an abusive father, and how a child’s loyalty is stretched beyond breaking point. All through this story, there is this constant feeling of how much Carsten loves his father, even when his father causes him harm. Carsten will never stop trying to earn his father’s approval and love. His loyalty runs bone deep, even when those bones are broken. As he awakens into a man, and has to make hard choices, that want is ever present. Behind the lens and in the darkroom he is able to capture a small taste of how it feels for his father to be proud of him, and he chases it with dogged determination.

Through this darkness, there are spots of light. Little tastes of rebellion in the images Carsten hides away from his father. The relationship he has with Brett. His brother’s sticking up for him and accepting him for who he is.

This story is hard, and it is not for everyone. Those who find it difficult to read books with triggers, and those who are not far enough in their recovery from their own abuse, this book is not for you yet. This is recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction with queer characters, fighting hard for the right to exist in the world as they are, with or without their parents love.



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Review: Beta Test (gaymers #2) by Annabeth Albert

Player vs. Player. Fight!

Brilliant graphic designer Ravi Tandel is ahead of the game—he's just been asked to present a top secret project at a huge conference in Seattle. All systems are go…until he learns his buttoned-up office nemesis is coming along for the ride.

Tristan Jones isn't really the gamer type, but he knows the back end of the video game business inside out. Together, he and Ravi will give an awesome presentation. If they survive the cross-country trip first.

Tossed together in close quarters, Ravi's shocked to see Tristan's sexy, softer side emerge from such a conservative shell. He's less shocked to learn his handsome colleague's prominent family would never support an out-and-proud son. But Ravi didn't struggle through his own coming out to hide who he is now. To be together, Tristan will have to push past his fear and ultimately decide: Does he want a future with Ravi? Or is it game over before they've even begun?


Coworkers Ravi Tandel and Tristan Jones have little in common, and little love to spare for one another. Ravi is laid back, spontaneous, popular, and openly gay. Tristan, on the other hand, plays strictly by the book, is highly organized, doesn’t have many friends, and is practically still in the closet. The two clash whenever they have to work with each other, and so keep their interactions to a minimum.

So when Ravi and Tristan are forced to take a road trip together in order to represent their company, a video game developer, at an expo in Seattle, they’re both surprised by the undeniable sexual tension between them. They come to an agreement: what happens in Seattle stays in Seattle. But once they return home, they find it hard to keep their hands off of each other.


I’m all for an opposites-attract romance, especially when the MCs have to learn how to interact with one another. Ravi and Tristan may bicker, but they aren’t openly or maliciously hostile towards one another.

I really enjoyed the build-up of Tristan and Ravi’s relationship. It’s a slow burn romance, one which balances the sexual tension with the emotional aspect well. I hate road trips IRL, and tend to avoid them in my reading too, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Ravi and Tristan’s journey up to Seattle. Once the two were forced to spend time together in close quarters, it became clear that their negative perceptions of one another were false.

And once they reached Seattle and got down and dirty, I was a very happy camper. Tristan and Ravi quickly discover that they’re great in bed together, and I’d have to agree.

This book is as much about the romance as it is about Tristan learning to accept and like himself. Coming from a conservative and politically active family, Tristan let family pressure and guilt force him back into the closet. As the story progresses, Tristan realizes that he doesn’t owe his family anything, especially not when they’re all too happy to endorse homophobic policies.

Even better, we see Tristan learn to like himself, and be confident in his abilities. Between his family and a past dickhead boyfriend, Tristan’s self-confidence is completely shot. But that changes as he and Ravi spend time together.

Ravi and Tristan bond over their work, their families, and their love for gaming. I was glad to see that Ravi wasn’t as clueless as he first appeared, and was actually very aware of Tristan’s limits. I loved seeing Tristan come out of his shell in response to Ravi’s attention.

‘Beta Test’ is a easy, sexy, and nerdy book. It’s a quick read, and doesn’t require much effort to just sit back and enjoy. Perfect for when you’re in the mood for a feel-good read.

If you’re looking for an opposites-attract MM romance, I’d definitely recommend ‘Beta Test’!


A review copy was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Midnight Rodeo: Belonging (Midnight Rodeo #2) Anthology

What happens when rodeos start to get too tough for humans to compete in? Midnight Rodeo, of course, where supernatural creatures work for the prize money, and for the awe of their audience.

Light a Rocket by Julia Talbot
Rocket is probably the worst rider in Darque and Knight rodeo. This cheetah shifter is fast, but he only has so many lives in his cat body, and he spends more time injured than not. Raven Walkingman is the number one cowboy, at the top of his game. The two seem an unlikely match, but Raven enjoys doing things no one expects him to, including Rocket. Raven likes his relationships casual and when Rocket starts talking mates as shifters do, Raven pulls up the stakes. He has his animal spirit guides, his good friends, and his fancy trailer. He doesn't need a ragtag cheetah falling for. His spirit guides know better. They adore Rocket and are more than happy to support him, and abandon Raven, until the stubborn fool does the right thing. 

Freaked Out by Kiernan Kelly
Gargoyle-shifter Killian has spent his life living and working with all different sorts of supernatural folk, but because he had three forms instead of two like most other shifters, he feels like a freak. His habit of minding his own business has been his shield against being hurt, and to aid in that endeavor, he's adopted a stony personality. When a troupe of sideshow performers are hired by Darque and Knight to augment the rodeo, he's forced to redefine his ideas of what constitutes beauty and what defines a freak. Meanwhile, the hard, protective shell he's erected around his heart threatens to crack wide open under the tender touch of Micah, the sideshow's hideous Snake Man.

Tails and Whiskers by BA Tortuga
Tiger shifter Dmitri loves the rodeo. Darque and Knight has become his home, and he adores all of his new friends. His past as a circus animal makes him hate injustice, so when he meets a trick rider and fox shifter, Dmitri is appalled to find that the hot little kit isn't allowed inside the rodeo unless he's working In fact, none of the entertainers are allowed in, all being contractors and thus bound to a greedy goblin. As Dmitri and Isaac fall in love, they find growing dissatisfaction with the status quo, and they go to their friends for support in forcing a policy change. Too bad there's a certain goblin who doesn't want to give up control of his workers. Can Dmitri and Isaac find a way to be together, and to make a change for the better of everyone at D&K?


Midnight Rodeo Belonging is the second in the series set in the shifter world of the Midnight Rodeo. I actually hadn’t read the first in the series, Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming when I snatched this one up for review, and you really don’t have to, but now, after reading Belonging, I want to. While the first book is more focused on the key players in the Darque and Knight Midnight Rodeo world, this installment looks at the characters who, may not draw the crowds and sell the tickets that the riders and main performers do, they are just as integral to the running of the show. What I really appreciated about the three stories was the uniqueness of the characters. These aren’t just wolf and bear shifters, these stories have spiritwalkers, foxes, all kinds of kitties, vampires, demons, and my personal favorite, a gargoyle (insert purring sounds here).


Light a Rocket by Julia Talbot 
Remember how I said the Midnight Rodeo: Belonging is about the secondary characters at the rodeo? I lied just a smidge. Light a Rocket has a major player as an MC, Raven, the King of the Cowboys and a spiritwalker. Firstly, how cool is a freakin’ spiritwalker? So freakin’ cool! Raven is kind of like a shifter who doesn’t shift, but he does have the souls of spirit animals that he can call upon to help him, guide him, etc. Rocket is a cheetah shifter who is a terrible bull rider, but he’s determined to make it on his own no matter how hungry he gets and how many injuries he sustains. Raven is attracted to Rocket, but in a ‘convenient, hot-piece-of-ass’ kind of way at first and Rocket is star struck by the King of the Cowboys.

At first I was not real fond of Raven. Sure, he was cool and what not, he offered some help to Rocket when he needed it, but it was not for altruistic reasons, it was for boner reasons. His sense of entitlement was a little off putting and I think to me it was annoying because I really liked and respected Rocket. BUT, Raven has his redemption when he sees Rocket for the strong and truly heroic character he is. While Rocket spent a good portion of the story trying to be worthy of Raven, Raven’s spirit animals put Raven in his place and taught him humility in a clever and meaningful way. The author did a great job of resolving Raven and Rocket’s relationship in a way that gave them equality regardless of how the story started in a really believable way.

Freaked Out by Kiernan Kelly 
Soooo, GARGOYLES. I’m going to take a moment to say, there are not enough gargoyle characters out there. You don’t get much more protective than a gargoyle so they make great fiercely defensive MC’s, plus they can have that whole, rugged hot-ugly thing going on that I love. So, more gargoyles ok? Okthanksbye.

Soooo, Kiernan Kelly wrote a story where a gargoyle, Killian, was one of the MC’s and I was smitten from the beginning. Gargoyles are interesting shifters in this one because they have three forms rather than two, human, gargoyle and stone. When a gargoyle is in a stone state it’s like he’s sleeping, but he can be vulnerable then and when a character is as protective and strong as a gargoyle AND has a vulnerable side too, it makes him even more appealing to me.

Darque and Knight have contracted a traveling ‘freak show’ to add to the entertainment value of the Midnight Rodeo. Killian is uncomfortable with the whole idea from the beginning, the thought of objectifying other paranormal characters does not set well with him. When he goes to inspect the tent he’s met with an extremely defensive manager and a man/snake hybrid, Micah, who looks as if he’s been caught and stuck in mid shift. Killian investigates further, gets to know the folks under the tent and makes it his mission to release them from the oppressive and abusive manager Emmet.

Micah is not what he seems and there’s a bit of a sci-fi element introduced to explain his situation and why he’s stuck in this limbo. Emmet abuses Micah terribly, but Micah is still has a good heart and will do anything to divert Emmet’s abuse away from his friends under the tent. Killian’s gargoyle is having none of that nonsense and takes on Emmet to save Micah and the others. There’s an epic good vs evil battle and a resolution that was hopeful and sweet. It was a little quick compared to all the build-up, but was still satisfying.

Tales and Whiskers by B.A. Tortuga 
Tales and Whiskers is the story of Dmitri, a tiger shifter that, along with his feline friends, feed all of the Rodeo folks. He’s a former circus animal who was terribly abused and is so thankful for his lot in life now. His English isn’t the best, but his grasp of what’s important makes him a favorite character. His large size is rivaled only by his large heart. The circus has contracted with another entertainment group and one of the acts is an acrobatic troupe of fox shifters that Dmitri quickly becomes smitten with, especially little Isaac.

These two are adorable together and go straight to the insta lust on it’s way to insta love. For some reason it really worked for them, I think it was Dmitri’s straightforward personality and appreciation for the good things that come his way. He’s not going to waste his time with angst when he can get all up in a sexy little fox shifter that he really likes. You have to respect that.

This story has a similar vein to it as Freaked Out in that the manager of the troupe of entertainers is oppressive and abusive to his acts. It wasn’t at all like rereading the same story, it was just a similar theme that just made me want to tell Darque and Knight that they really start needing to run some background checks. Dmitri rounds up the troops and goes after the evil in order to free his fox and all the others and it was pretty cool how they all rallied together for what they believed was right and needed to happen for these characters to be able to get their HEA’s one day too. There are a lot of personalities that would be great for future episodes of the Midnight Rodeo. Isaac has himself a lot of brothers who need to find their mates too.


While the stories all have the “need” and stunted sentence thing that many shifter stories do. Those familiar with the shifter genre know what I’m talking about. Where the word ‘need’ almost turns into a noun with how it’s used. You know when the heat turns up and one character gets a case of the “needs”. “He felt almost blind with need” and “hot drops of liquid need”. Then the stilted sentences, “Silly kit. His silly cheetah.” Y’all know what I mean. But, it worked for the feel of the stories, these were horny, otherworldly cowboys and such looking for their mates (or stumbling on them as the case may have been for a couple of them).

The Midnight Rodeo is a really fun shifter diversion with a unique take with writers that obviously complement one another well. They were different enough from one another to keep me curious as to what would be coming next, yet familiar enough to keep me invested in the world they’d built. I hope there’s more to come because the Midnight Rodeo is too fun of a ride to stop now.

For more info on Midnight Rodeo: Belonging, head over to Goodreads.


**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Review & Giveaway: Love’s Changes by LaQuette

**This is an erotic novella featuring graphic and explicit language and sexual content between consenting adult men in a loving relationship. Reader discretion is advised.**

A near-fatal shot through his chest teaches Lieutenant Bryan Smyth of the NYPD two things: He wants to live to see more days and he wants to spend them with his estranged husband, Justice.

Poor decisions made under the strain of grief split the seams of their marriage. Now it's up to Bryan to show Justice there's still enough of their love left to salvage from the ruins, still something worth the battle ahead.

Bryan's shooting has opened Justice's eyes to new lessons too. The first, tomorrow isn't promised, the second, life's too short to live in misery. Justice has watched Bryan shuffle back and forth attempting to balance the man he is at home and the man he has to be at the precinct for too long. Now, he's done. The only problem is, Justice's heart is having a hard time adhering to the exit strategy in his head.

Desperate to repair their bond, Bryan does the only thing he can to keep his marriage intact, he calls his crazy sister-in-law, True to stir up some organized chaos. She's a wildcard, yes. As unstable and deadly as nitroglycerin, but she gets the one thing Bryan needs more than anything, results.

The only question left: Is family and fidelity enough to get them through love's changes, or is this really the end?

**This book is a spin off from the Queens of Kings series featuring Bryan Smyth and Justice Amare. Although related to the Queens of Kings world, you do not need to read that series to understand this one.**


Justice and Bryan have been together for twenty-one years, but the last five, since losing their daughter, has been a fight for the survival of their marriage. Justice has finally had enough of Bryan’s closeted lifestyle, and unwillingness to fight for them, and is ready for the divorce Bryan asked for five years ago.

Bryan is recovering from a gunshot wound to the chest, and after coming out of his coma, and healed enough to start physical rehab, he is finally ready to make things right with Justice, and let go of the guilt that has consumed him since their daughter’s death. But now that Justice is giving up, Bryan has to trust that his sister-in-law can use her cunning to keep Justice from making the biggest mistake of the couple’s life.

This was impressive. I haven’t read anything from this author before, but it is clear that LaQuette is a skilled writer of romance. I was engaged with this couple from the first page, and felt the love and torment throughout the story.

Being an established couple, there wasn’t much in the way of relationship development, but the character development was strong, and the backstory worked to show how this couple evolved, and broke. Both strong personalities, it is difficult to see how this relationship will work itself out, but the hope is there that it will. I had to giggle at True’s statement ”All. Men. Are. Stupid.” when questioned about her simple, yet most likely effective, plan to bring Justice back. I really liked her and would love to spend more time with True. Take charge, and take no shit, is exactly how I like my women. But I digress, this is about the men…

The pacing of this story was good. It wasn’t squashed into a couple of days or weeks. It was broken up over time, which made it believable, with the seriousness of the plot.

Both characters got a point of view, so it was easy to see what was going on with each of them. I felt for them both, and understood where each of them were coming from. The communication problem, I’m going to assume is because of their time separated by their professions. Justice is career military, and Bryan is an NYPD lieutenant, so their time together is sparse. It was alluded to that most of the time they have together was reconnecting physically, rather than working on repairing their broken hearts after their daughter passed. Be that as it may, there was the somewhat typical breakdown of communication, which contributed to the bitter feelings they both had towards each other. But the connection, love, and want was all there, and I was pulling for them to get back together.

I am actually sad there isn’t a full length novel for this couple. The entire family is worth all the novels. LaQuette is an impressive storyteller, and this world she has created, with the military based family, and strong characters is something I am eager to read more of.

I don’t know if this is the first MM story LaQuette has written. It’s certainly the only one listed on her website, so maybe the first published piece?! It didn’t read like a first, and I would happily read anything else that comes out in this sub-genre. I would especially like to see the entire unfolding of this couple’s relationship and how they overcame the first part of their journey. This story was great, but it definitely left me wanting more.



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Interested in learning more about this book and author? LaQuette is also hosting a $15 Amazon gift card giveaway below!




Love's Changes: A Losing My Way
Novella
© 2016 All Rights Reserved
by
LaQuette
Genre: M/M Erotic Romance

Blurb:

A near-fatal shot through his chest teaches Lieutenant Bryan
Smyth of the NYPD two things: He wants to live to see more days and he wants to
spend them with his estranged husband, Justice.

Poor decisions made under the strain of grief split the seams of
their marriage. Now it's up to Bryan to show Justice there's still enough of
their love left to salvage from the ruins, still something worth the battle
ahead.

Bryan's shooting has opened Justice's eyes to new lessons too.
The first, tomorrow isn't promised, the second, life's too short to live in
misery. Justice has watched Bryan shuffle back and forth attempting to balance
the man he is at home and the man he has to be at the precinct for too long.
Now, he's done.

The only problem is Justice's heart is having a hard time
adhering to the exit strategy in his head.

Desperate to repair their bond, Bryan does the only thing he can
to keep his marriage intact, he calls his crazy sister-in-law, True to stir up
some organized chaos. She's a wildcard, yes.  As unstable and deadly as
nitroglycerin, but she gets the one thing Bryan needs more than anything,
results.

The only question left: Is family and fidelity enough to get
them through love's changes, or is this really the end?




Pre-Order Buy Links

Excerpt:

As soon as he heard the lock turn from the outside, Justice was
on his feet and heading in the direction of the door.

“It’s two o’ clock in the fucking morning and you’re just
dragging your ass in here now?”

Justice watched glass-like eyes stare back at him.  He
pulled Bryan by his collar, leaving him close enough to soak up the
intoxicating scent of Bryan’s natural man-spice aroma mixed with liquor.

“You went drinking with him?”

Bryan’s eyes focused on him a split second before he pulled out
of Justice’s grasp. “Yeah, we had a few, then went to see a movie.  What
of it?”

Bryan pushed past him and headed for the bathroom.  He
opened his pants and pulled out his long cock before positioning himself in
front of the toilet.

“A little privacy?” Bryan quipped.

“Not anything I haven’t seen before.” Justice wedged his
shoulder into the doorframe as he watched Bryan.  He had to admit,
watching Bryan take a piss wasn’t on his ‘Things that turn me on list’, but he
wasn’t about to give Bryan an inch of privacy until he knew every fucking
detail of the evening Bryan spent with that fucking Herrera.

Bryan shrugged his shoulders, oblivious to, or unconcerned with,
Justice’s building anger, and relieved himself without further thought.
When he was done, he washed his hands, then turned the shower on and adjusted
the spray.

As he began to remove his clothing he stopped to look at
Justice.  “I’ve had a long day.  I’m gonna take a shower and take my
ass to bed.  You wanna fight?  You’ll be fighting alone tonight.”

Without giving Justice another glance, or thought as it
appeared, Bryan stepped inside of the darkened shower stall.

Justice stood in the middle of the floor waiting, for what he
couldn’t really pinpoint.  Acknowledgement, an explanation, contrition,
something from Bryan that expressed some form of regret that he’d done
something to piss Justice off, instead Bryan's slightly drunk ass—if his
whistling of some pop tune was any indication of his intoxication
level—continued on behind the smoky shower glass as if Justice wasn’t even in
the room.

Bryan finished his shower, pulled a towel from the nearby rack
and tied it around his waist.  He stepped around Justice, and headed for
their bedroom. 

Justice tried hard not to stare at Bryan’s water-slicked
skin.  Bryan at any given time was a turn-on for him.  Bryan naked
and wet looking like something Justice should be licking or sopping up with a
biscuit had a way of making him forget his train of thought. 

At the moment Justice knew he was supposed to be mad about
something, but watching his man saunter in front of him, shoulders pulled back
in confidence, the globes of his ass sitting high and tight, Justice could
scarcely remember what he’d eaten for dinner, let alone the complicated trigger
to his inner-asshole.

He palmed the hard bulge of his jean-clad cock and closed his
eyes, trying his damnedest to remain focused on anything other than being
buried in Bryan’s ass.  After a few moments of fighting with his mind and
body, he walked into their bedroom.  Bryan was still in his towel, sitting
at the edge of the foot of the bed.

“Bryan, I can’t believe you’re really going to let this asshole
fuck with your recovery like this.  You fucking know better.  All
this jack-off is after is getting a piece of ass.”

“So what if he is?” Bryan’s answer striking a fast and fierce
blow to Justice’s chest.  “So what if the only thing he wants from me is a
good, hard fuck?  Why the fuck does that matter to you?  Why do you
get a say in that?  You just filed divorce papers.  Obviously you
don’t care about who fucks me or who I fuck.”

Molten heat carved through the walls of his chest, into the
center of his heart.  The gripping pain caused his breath to rush past his
lips.

“I will always care about you, Bryan.  About everything you
do,” he whispered.
Bryan’s flat palms rested against his spread thighs, holding his
heavy shoulders up as they threatened to slump in defeat.

“You don’t act like it.  You act like you don’t want
anything to do with me.  Like you hate me,” Bryan flinched as he spoke,
like the thought of Justice hating him physically hurt. 

Justice averted his eyes; he knew if he found the same sadness
in Bryan’s eyes as he did his words, he was going to crumble right where he
stood.

“I’ve never lived in the closet, Bryan.  I’ve been out
since I knew what gay meant.  I married you knowing that you weren’t
comfortable with your sexuality. That was my fault.  I shouldn’t have
fought you over the divorce when you asked me for it.  I should have seen
the writing on the wall then.  But I loved you so much, I couldn’t bear to
think of walking away.”

“And now you can?” Bryan’s words were quiet, but the question
shook him from the inside out making Justice’s body twitch with nervous energy.

No

The small word bounced off the inside of his head and made its
way to his hollow heart.  This was killing him.  Letting go of the
only man he’d loved, relinquishing his claim on Bryan, it was breaking him.

“What happened while I was in that coma to make you give up on
us, Justice?  Why are you so hell-bent on giving up now?” The mixture of
frustration and pain in Bryan’s voice was nearly choking Justice.  “For
five fucking years I pushed to end our marriage and you refused, you fought for
us, even when I couldn’t.  And now that I can finally see what a fool I
was you want to bounce?  What made this happen, Justice?”

“I just got tired of being the only one fighting for us.
After watching you nearly die, I didn’t have the energy to come back to us
fighting about these same issues.  Your fear to live in the light as a gay
man has been slowly killing us for years,” Justice offered.  “I’m just
finally giving you the freedom to live as you’ve always wanted, in the
shadows.”

Justice heard an audible breath cross Bryan’s lips.  It’s
heavy sound pulling his eyes from their current position on the floor to his
husband’s face.
He’d expected to find the sadness he’d been avoiding, but
instead he found Bryan’s features twisted into an angry scowl. 

“You know what Justice…fuck you!’




Booktrailer:




Author
Bio

2015 Swirl Awards Bronze winner in Romantic
Suspense, 2015 Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award Finalist in Erotic Romance,
bestselling erotic romance author, LaQuette, is a native of Brooklyn, New York.
She spends her time catering to her three distinct personalities: Wife, Mother,
and Educator.

Writing--her escape from everyday madness--has
always been a friend and comforter. She loves writing and devouring romance novels.
Although she possesses a graduate degree in English Lit, she'd forego
Shakespeare any day to read something hot, lusty, and romantic.

She loves hearing from readers and discussing the
crazy characters that are running around in her head causing so much trouble.
Contact her on
Facebook,
Twitter,
her website,
NovelsbyLaQuette.com,
Amazon,
her Facebook group, LaQuette's Lounge, and via email at
NovelsbyLaQuette@gmail.com. 


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