Review: House of Cards (Porthkennack #4) by Garrett Leigh

Calum Hardy’s life has unravelled. Reeling from the betrayal of a man he once loved, he boards a train heading south, with no real idea where he’s going except a world away from London.

Brix Lusmoore can hardly believe his eyes when he spots one of his oldest friends outside Truro station. He hasn’t seen Calum since he fled the capital himself four years ago, harbouring a life-changing secret. But despite the years of silence, their old bond remains, warm and true—and layered with simmering heat they’ve never forgotten.

Calum takes refuge with Brix and a job at his Porthkennack tattoo shop. Bit by bit, he rebuilds his life, but both men carry the ghosts of the past, and it will take more than a rekindled friendship and the magic of the Cornish coast to chase them away.


Garrett Leigh doesn’t do light and easy. Her romances are gritty, which is often a more realistic look at life and love. That’s definitely the case in ‘House of Cards.’

The setting of the Cornish coast added depth and meshed well with the story - tough, stormy, and dark.

description

For a large chunk of the book, Calum is hardly holding on. His ex did a number on him, and his confidence is completely shot.

It would be hard not to fall for Calum. All he wanted was a home and someone to call his own.

Brix is a paragon of virtue. He loves his friends and family deeply, and spends his time off rescuing chickens. But Brix also has personal demons that keep him from finding his happily ever after.

When Brix and Calum are reunited, it’s under less-than-perfect circumstances. But if doesn’t take long for the two to fall back into the easy friendship that they once shared.

I think what I liked most about the book was how easily the two just clicked, despite the years and the circumstances.

Brix slowly coaxes Calum back to his former happy self. It takes a long time, but bit by bit Calum re-builds himself. Living with Calum also makes Brix question his life of solitude.

I’d say for the majority of the book, the focus is on Calum’s healing, rather than the romance. It dragged at points, but that healing was necessary for Calum and Brix to come together as whole and happy equals.

Once the two start moving beyond friendship, it’s a slow process. Though Brix and Calum were clearly made for each other, they don’t make falling in love easy.

Both have to let go of misgivings and past hurts. The happy ever after is hard-won, but perfect!

If you’re looking for a slow-burn MM romance with lots of emphasis on healing, give ‘House of Cards’ a try!



Guest Review: The New Wolf (Building The Pack #1) by R.J. Scott

A dangerous lone wolf is intent on destroying the beginnings of a pack and when Connor is attacked, and near death, there is only one thing that can save him. A wolf shifter’s bite.

N.B. Originally published through Extasy Publishing, this edition features the same story with new cover art.


After a hate crime leaves one of them near dead, Veterinarian Josh Nolan and Cop Connor Vincent are starting a new life in Black Creek, a remote town on the edge of the Green Mountains range, Vermont.

Josh is taking over his grandfather's practice, and Connor starts a new position with the local sheriff's office.

When Connor becomes curious about unsolved crimes going back fifty years he can't know the kind of secrets he begins to unearth. Or the danger that he puts himself and Josh in.


Reviewer: Shee Reader

This is a quick and exciting shifter read that I really enjoyed!

A dangerous lone wolf is intent on destroying the beginnings of a pack and when Connor is attacked, and near death, there is only one thing that can save him. A wolf shifter’s bite.

After a hate crime leaves one of them near dead, Veterinarian Josh Nolan and Cop Connor Vincent are starting a new life in Black Creek, a remote town on the edge of the Green Mountains range, Vermont.
Josh is taking over his grandfather's practice, and Connor starts a new position with the local sheriff's office.
When Connor becomes curious about unsolved crimes going back fifty years he can't know the kind of secrets he begins to unearth. Or the danger that he puts himself and Josh in.

The rogue wolf is going around attacking people, human and shifter alike and Connor is in serious danger. He has the lifesaving bite, and is curious to see who else in the new home town is a shifter? As Connor trusts Josh with the story, there a few things they learn about Josh’s grandfather into the bargain!

This story has a lovely committed couple making life changes for each other, fantastic beasts and plenty of intrigue. It has a gentle pace but there is still plenty of action. Since it’s a quick read, I’d love more from these characters.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.




Release Blitz + Giveaway: Roaring Waters (Warfield Hotel Mysteries #3) by C.J. Baty


Celebrate the release of Roaring Waters (Warfield Hotel Mysteries #3) with author C.J. Baty and Signal Boost Promotions! See today's blitz info and enter in the giveaway for a chance to win eBook copies of Drifting Sands AND Crashing Waves (Warfield Hotel Mysteries #1-2)!!




Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 194 pages

The Warfield Hotel Mysteries Series

Drifting Sands (Book #1) - Amazon US | Amazon UK
Crashing Waves (Book #2) - Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Damien Fitzgerald has lived through hell and is determined to never let anyone get close to him again. A fervent reporter, he throws his life into his work and doesn’t care whose toes he steps on. But someone else does. He’s got a stalker, and the messages are growing increasingly threatening. He turns to his best friend, Justin Warfield and his lover, Private Investigator Marcus Drummond. Seems like a good idea until Robert Wyler becomes part of the package.


Robert Wyler, the manager of the bar at the Warfield Inn, has always been misunderstood. Sure he takes care of his body, wears his hair long and likes tatts, but that doesn’t mean he’s domineering. A cold exterior hides the more passionate man inside. Men like Damien Fitzgerald get on his nerves. Too good looking. Too arrogant. But when Justin and Marcus needed his help to guard the man from a stalker, Robert couldn’t say no.


Damien and Robert have a history. Whenever they are near each other sparks fly. Can Damien and Robert get past their prejudices to find the real men hiding underneath. Will they find love before the stalker gets to Damien and their chance at happiness is destroyed forever…



Author Bio


C. J. Baty lives in southwest Ohio. Her heart, however, lives in the mountains of Tennessee where she hopes to retire some day. The mountains have always provided her with inspiration and a soothing balm to the stresses of everyday life.


The dream of writing her own stories started in high school but was left on the back burner of life until her son introduced her to fan fiction and encouraged her to give it a try. She found that her passion for telling a story was still there and writing them down to share with others was much more thrilling than she had ever expected.



She has a loving and supportive family who don't mind fixing their own meals when she is in the middle of a story, and a network of friends who have encouraged and cheered her on in her quest of being an author.


One thing she has learned from life and she is often heard to say is: “You are never too old to follow your dream!”







Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions



Audiobook Review: The Luckiest Master (Iron Eagle Gym #3) by Sean Michael

When Master Damien Richardson (Day to his friends) takes over the front desk manager job at the Iron Eagle Gym, he knows he’s going to need an assistant. But finding the right person for the job is harder than he thought it would be. When he meets Saw, he thinks he’s found the solution to all his problems, and maybe something more.

Sawyer Whitehead lost his master to a tragic car accident some years ago, and since then one opportunity after another has gone sour on him. Thoroughly convinced he’s cursed and a jinx to everything and everyone he touches, he refuses to officially become Day’s assistant because he knows that as soon as he does, something terrible will happen. He’s even more determined not to get involved with Day, despite his attraction, because it would kill him to be responsible for tragedy befalling the lovely man.

Day must convince Saw that he’s not cursed and that together, they can face any challenge that comes their way—in both their professional and personal partnerships.

Length: 7 hours 4 minutes
Narrator: Jeff Gelder

Reviewer: Shee Reader

Oh my word, the things Saw has been through broke my heart. Thankfully, in true Sean Michael tradition, his would-be master, Day has everything Saw needs, just as Saw is the perfect man for Day. There is a certain comfort in these troubled times, in reading, or listening to a book that has a very low ‘angst score’.

The sex is plentiful (after a slowish burn), kinky and hot. Saw is such a complicated character who has the weight of several worlds on his shoulders, but he loves looking after Master Day. I adored the part in story where Saw got sick and Day went to Saw’s home to look after him. Such sweetness and love! Happy sigh.

Of course the ending is firmly in the happily ever after camp, as is necessary for me some days, and this was just what the doctor ordered.

Jeff Gelder has a slightly breathy, almost jerky style to his narration that I take a little while to get used to each time, but his voice is wonderful to listen to, and since it is very recognisable, he quickly transports me directly into the world of the book.

Highly recommended!


I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.






Tag Team Review: Runner by Parker Williams

Matt Bowers’s life ended at sixteen, when a vicious betrayal by someone who he should have been able to trust left him a shell of himself, fighting OCD and PTSD, living in constant fear and always running. When he buys a remote tract of land, he thinks he’s found the perfect place to hide from the world and attempt to establish some peace. For ten years he believes he’s found a measure of comfort, until the day a stranger begins to run on Matt’s road.

He returns every day, an unwelcome intrusion into Matt’s carefully structured life. Matt appeals to the local sheriff, who cannot help him since the jogger is doing nothing wrong. Gradually, after tentatively breaking the ice, Matt begins to accept the man’s presence—

But when the runner doesn’t show up one day, it throws Matt’s world into chaos and he must make the hardest decision of his life.

Averaged!

Lost in a Book - 3.5 Hearts

I was drawn to this book. Not because I’m a runner (unless I’m being chased). No, it was the angsty premise with the reclusive MC that had me all caveman; MINE!

376 steps was all it took to change his world. Matt is a recluse living out in the middle of nowhere coping day to day in isolation. He has been merely surviving for 13 years since he was assaulted at the age of 16 without friends or family. Matt struggles with PTSD and OCD so each day is scheduled and always predictable until a runner passes his land in 376 steps. The runner continues to run by his property at the same time each day; back and forth. This unforeseeable situation throws Matt’s peaceful day into chaos. Matt calls his brother Clay, the sheriff and demands he speak to the runner to get him away from his property. Unfortunately for Matt, Clay is extremely worried about his mental health and unless Matt approaches the runner, Clay is threatening to have him placed in a treatment facility. To prove he is fine, Matt is required to make an approach and learn his name within a week. That’s it, simple right? Not for Matt. After putting the moment off as long as possible, Matt makes an approach and meets Charlie.

Charlie is a writer that moved from New York to Fall Harbor for peace. Along with writing, he works at the local library in town. Charlie enjoyed running and is intrigued by the mysterious man who watches him each day. Once Matt makes his approach, a slow and tentative friendship begins to form. Charlie is able to slowly insert himself into the very fabric of Matt’s carefully constructed world. Matt began to need Charlie to run by each day. His very presence was a soothing balm to Matt’s terror, anxiety and fear. Charlie’s simple touch grew more effective than Matt’s previous ritualistic coping methods. Charlie became the calm in Matt’s raging storm.

I liked Matt and Charlie together. Charlie had a calm sincerity that put Matt at ease. I really liked the authentic way the author handled Matt’s struggles. There wasn’t a quick fix for him. Those that struggle with OCD, PTSD, etc., face a lifetime battle. Matt had a difficult time adapting and it wasn’t glossed over. Keeping in mind the obstacles Matt faced and his fear of being touched, their physical relationship reflected that fear and showed care in each milestone Matt was able to accomplish. Charlie was extremely patient and perfect.

A little too perfect.

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The sugar laced words kept going on and on after 50%. The first 50% of the story I was totally digging it as Matt was beginning to accept something new in his life and the last 50% hit some potholes. It wasn’t insta-love but it wasn’t too far off either. I’m not quite sure where the love came from. We were cruising along on the very-little-interaction-and-watching-Charlie-run expressway and then BAM it’s love. Come again? Color me confused. The MCs were also a weeee bit dramatic at times which also played into the sugarfest going on. Another minor issue I had was the treatment of Matt when he was 16. After meeting with his psychologist and Dr. Rob asking about the assault one time, Matt decided he wasn’t going back and although it didn’t go over well at home, the issue was eventually dropped and Matt as a 16 year old stopped living. Another pothole in the story was only having Matt’s POV. Charlie lacked depth beyond him being a writer and doing everything he could to accommodate Matt. We missed out on what makes Charlie, Charlie.

I’d like to give a shoutout to Clay, Matt’s brother. It’s a damn cryin’ shame he is straight. I could totally get on board with a gay for you story line with his bossy copper self and another male MC. I really liked how much he loved Matt, pushed him and was always there for him.

All in all it was a decent read. If you like sugarfests in your romance, this book may be for you. Please excuse me while I make a dentist appointment to fix all these newly acquired cavities.

“Today you can’t. Tomorrow might be another story. Every day brings new adventures, so don’t worry about today, when tomorrow is around the corner.”

Sara - 4.5 Hearts

It’s hard not to review this book and reflect on it personally as so much of it hit me personally.

Let me try though, okay?

Matt Bowers was your average sixteen year old boy in love with his yellow car and crushing on boys when an adult took advantage of him sexually. From there, Matt’s OCD begins to service with cleaning and keeping things he can control in order. Though his mother tried to get him help, it wasn’t enough and Matt wasn’t cooperating enough so he gave in and gave up. When his settlement money from the incident was available at age 18, he bought some property away from the town to live alone.

I get Matt in a lot of ways. I know exactly when and what caused my OCD to surface and mine started with just my room to the rest of the house as well. Cleaning walls with an ammonia solution and tiled floors on my hands and knees with rags while making sure the china cabinet and all valuables in it shined as if the Queen were coming for tea. Books were arranged by author last name, then chronological release unless they were in a series than series trumped dates. All spices, canned goods and boxes were ordered alphabetically with labels facing forward. It was time consuming and yet calming for me to keep things in order. While I have been able to recognize what is my OCD rituals and how to let some of them go, when life gets stressful and other issues like anxiety, panic attacks or depression decide they want to play… my OCD gets ridiculously worse and I have to put what I can in order no matter how long it takes.

I am also an introvert in the classic sense and if you are familiar with the Myers Briggs test, I am an INTJ. Put all of that together with my mental health and let me tell you on a deep level I got Matt. The thing that drew me to this book was the blurb; of Matt living alone secluded on a property but seeing a runner… because while I have a few *cough* issues, running is my salvation, and how this new intruder gets to be part of Matt’s life.

There are a few things in this book that I can see not working for the majority of readers but for me, they worked because I have first-hand experience with them. Someone close to me was in a terrible accident when they were 16 and that accident resulted in a death. This person, they BS’d their way out of therapy and both sets of parents did nothing to ensure they were okay. School’s pushed them through their senior year and a downward spiral of addiction began to drag this person down. To this day with almost 26 years since the accident, they are still pretty messed up in ways that differ from Matt because this person has become addicted to alcohol and Matt has become addicted to keeping himself safe with his OCD and isolation. But as they say, same shit – different story, right?

Anyway, between that and my own issues with OCD, I got Matt and for me the romance and his entire story made sense.

So, Matt has been living on his property for the last 13 years alone, maintaining his schedule that keeps him grounded when a stranger runs by his property one day and then every day like clockwork at 10:30am. As this daily run occurs, this runner becomes part of Matt’s routine. Matt isn’t all that comfortable with the runner but he’s intrigued and after the man waves a few times, Matt even waves back though it doesn’t stop him from calling and complaining to his brother Clay who is also the town Sheriff. Matt just wants the man to go away so he can continue with his life as it was but once the disruption of schedule happens, the runner becomes part of Matt’s schedule. When Matt is tasked by his brother to get the man’s name so he can ask the man to change his route, we see baby steps and growth in Matt.

Goodness but when Clay asked Matt to get the man’s name I felt my own anxiety heighten because the guy is a stranger and what if he wanted to engage in small talk? But Matt is brave and walks to his fence but after a few words, Matt has a panic attack and things go south.

The panic attack leads Matt to make a brave call one night asking for help from his brother who also brings the runner who we now know is named Charlie. I have to say that I adore both Clay and Charlie though at times I wanted to flick them on the nose HARD! I get what Clay and his mother did because they want Matt back who has ostracized himself from his family to stay sane but it was dirty. I am thankful Charlie is the man he is and always comes back to make sure Matt understands the situation and that things are okay.

Through events that push Matt out of his comfort zone and push him toward making decision that promotes a growth within; Matt and Charlie not only develop a friendship but begin a romance.

Yeah, insta love happens in this book but I bought it and reveled in it. They say love is a powerful thing and can change a person. I mean, isn’t that why we read romance, why folks write it and songs are sung about it? We are in love with the idea that love can change someone, can make someone a better person but as a famous song said, sometimes love just ain’t enough and that’s where free will comes in. Matt chose to live alone, isolated from his family because that choice was what made sense to him and his safety but once Charlie arrives, the world Matt has known changes color and he wants more. So yup. I fell for the insta-love and how all of it goes down, even the talks about Charlie’s ex because it was a reassurance to a sometimes doubting Matt.

*shrugs*

I won’t go into much of the book because I am sure others will, I really just want to say that I found the story lovely and respectful. When you have someone who has mental health issues it does take someone who is half way to perfect to deal with them and love them through it all. Lord knows I put my husband and children through enough with my OCD that they are heartbroken when they can’t do things for me like make me a meal because I wouldn’t be able to eat it for OCD reasons. They get worried when I wear myself down cleaning or cooking and doing things to soothe my OCD but they know there is no way to help because even if they tried, I would have to do it again to be grounded. It’s not easy to live and love me, but I am thankful my family gets me FOR me and I am thankful that Charlie gets all of who Matt truly is.

Runner for me was a book about a young man who was so traumatized that his own brain turned against him and isolated him from love and life. It was only through the measured steps and breaths of a runner that Matt begins to heal, grow and find his own path to happiness.





Don't miss Parker Williams' Runner blog tour + giveaway HERE

Giveaway + Blog Tour: Runner by Parker Williams


Parker Williams is here today with an excerpt from his new m/m romance, Runner. Plus, he's offering up a paperback copy to one lucky winner!

Good luck!

See our tag team review of Runner HERE!



Excerpt

I stepped outside and took a deep breath. The air had a nip to it now that October had come. The changing leaves were beautiful, all gold and red, falling from the trees to where they would become food for the animals, or to wait for spring so they could become part of the circle of life. I’d stored my canned goods in the root cellar, knowing they’d keep me well-fed when the deep winter snows began to pile around my house, and I would curl up, warm and cozy, in front of the small replace in my home.
It struck me then like a bolt from the blue. Winter would be here soon. That meant the jogger wouldn’t be coming back this way at least until spring, if ever. After the winter thaws, the roads would be filled with potholes big enough to lose a car in, so why would he want to take that kind of chance? I could feel the tremors in my chest at the thought of my life changing yet again, and I didn’t know if I could handle it.
The house beckoned me, offering safety and security. If I went inside and ignored the jogger for the next month or so, I could wean myself away from expecting him, and maybe the separation wouldn’t be so bad. As I was taking several steps toward the front door, I heard the slap of feet and the steady inhale and exhale. I turned, and he came into view, and the air got sucked from my lungs. He had on thin shorts and no shirt. He reminded me of the stories of Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. His sweat-slick skin literally shone in the morning light.
As he approached the yard, I stepped toward the fence. He smiled when he saw me and slowed his pace. His chest heaved, and I found myself staring at it. From a distance it had been beautiful, but standing near enough to see droplets of sweat trickling down? Stunning didn’t even come close to describing him. He wasn’t what I would consider classically handsome. His nose seemed a little small on his face, and his deep-set brown eyes, the same shade as creamed co ee, were spaced just a little far apart. But taken as a whole, he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
“Good morning,” he called as he stopped, still jogging in place.
“Hi,” I replied, my voice breaking. “Hi,” I said again, a little stronger this time.
“Nice to finally meet you.” He held out his hand. “Charlie Carver.”
I stared at his hand for a moment before hesitantly reaching for it. His grip was warm and moist. He blushed, drew his hand back, and apologized for his damp grip, wiping his hand on his shorts.
We stood in awkward silence for another moment or two, Charlie glancing around the yard.
“You’ve got a really nice place here,” he said, his tone cheerful and bright. His feet stopped moving, and only the rise of his chest and the sheen of his skin told me that he’d been running just a few minutes before.
I found myself mesmerized by him. He reminded me of a stream of sunlight, coming into the window and falling into my chair, where it warmed me all afternoon.
“So...,” he said, “do you have a name, or am I supposed to guess it? Because I have to warn you, I’m not really good at things like that.”






Blurb:
Matt Bowers’s life ended at sixteen, when a vicious betrayal by someone who he should have been able to trust left him a shell of himself, fighting OCD and PTSD, living in constant fear and always running. When he buys a remote tract of land, he thinks he’s found the perfect place to hide from the world and attempt to establish some peace. For ten years he believes he’s found a measure of comfort, until the day a stranger begins to run on Matt’s road.
He returns every day, an unwelcome intrusion into Matt’s carefully structured life. Matt appeals to the local sheriff, who cannot help him since the jogger is doing nothing wrong. Gradually, after tentatively breaking the ice, Matt begins to accept the man’s presence—
But when the runner doesn’t show up one day, it throws Matt’s world into chaos and he must make the hardest decision of his life.

Runner sales links:





Categories: Romance, Gay Romance, Contemporary

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Parker Williams believes that true love exists, but it always comes with a price. No happily ever after can ever be had without work, sweat, and tears that come with melding lives together.

Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his husband of a quarter century, Parker continues to believe and writes stories where there is (almost) always a happy ending.

Connect with Parker on:

Twitter: @ParkerWAuthor
Facebook
Or you can visit his website


Be sure to enter to win a paperback copy of Runner for yourself!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Review: Different Dynamics by Tamir Drake

Richard doesn’t mind being an omega; all he cares about is playing good hockey, even though it means ignoring the media that tries to rip him apart for it. They don’t think omegas should be allowed on the ice, but he gets along fine. He’s team captain. He can play with the best of them.

The one sticking point is his heats; Richard might be on suppressants, but he’s one of the unlucky ones who still gets a heat every four months or so. They suck to deal with, especially alone, but seeking out a heat partner isn’t an option. The PR nightmare alone keeps him from any kind of hook-up. He can’t risk it. Hockey is all he’s got.

When Richard’s heat comes early while his team is on a roadie, teammate and best friend James helps him out of a bad situation. Tired of hurting, Richard decides it’s better not to go it alone. And James is safe and warm; he’s a great alpha who knows just what Richard needs. When Richard also imprints on big, bad rival player, Dmitry Sokolov? There’s sweet comfort in a three-way with lots of knotting and dirty talk.

Richard might be on cloud nine.


Reviewer: R * A Reader Obsessed*

4 Heat Induced Hearts


Sadly, I haven't read an ABO in a long time, and when I saw the chance for one with hockey players plus KNOTTING, I was all sorts of hell yeah.


Poor Richard. He’s an omega, and he’s basically under a lot of self imposed stress and pressure to not let his biology interfere with being a good hockey player, as well as a great team captain. Richard goes above and beyond to not be a stereotypical omega, having gone so far as to have had a heat regulator implanted, in addition to taking heat suppressants, applying odor eliminators, and chugging down libido inhibitors, just so he won’t be a burden to his teammates. What he doesn’t realize is that all this denial of his natural rhythms is sure to backfire (it actually kind of becomes a running joke on how much he doesn’t know). Luckily his bff is an alpha, and James is at the ready to be whatever he needs. Mmm hmmmm.


This really portrayed the ABO dynamic in all its squirm inducing glory. It showcased the uncontrollable urges and instincts, how much the pheromones were hard to resist, just how needy an omega can get and in turn, just how protective and caring an alpha can be. I admit that this isn’t for everyone, and there are ABO stories out there that gloss over such, but this one didn’t. I actually enjoyed the addition of Dmitry (even though mmm+ is typically not my thing), because a gentle giant is my kryptonite and his presence was the extra icing on the cake.


In the grand scheme of things, this is not an out of this world, phenomenal romance, but I’m biased when it comes to this trope, and this was a good representation of that, delivering on what I like. Perhaps as a warning, this ended a bit abruptly and didn’t have any love proclamations. It definitely could’ve used some more smexy details and KNOTTING goodness, but overall, I am one happy reader! More please.


Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.



Review: Peepshow (London Lads #4) by Clare London

2nd Edition

A London Lads Story

Ever wanted to spy secretly on other people’s lives?

Ken doesn’t have a choice: his student summer job is manning the CCTV screens for the new central London shopping mall. But instead of spotting criminals or vandals, he becomes fascinated by a cute waiter from the local bistro who sneaks out to the backyard for his break—and plays sexy to the camera.

Is he an old friend, or just an anonymous exhibitionist? Should Ken be excited by this naughty peepshow, or will people think he’s a voyeuristic pervert? Poor Ken’s confused and thrilled in turn. It’s like living in one of the movies he’s studying at university. He knows the man can’t see him, yet Ken feels a connection of some kind. It all encourages Ken to continue with his guilt-ridden Waiter Watch.

Ken bears the suspense as long as he can, until a chance meeting and an abortive blind date provide the explanation to the secret assignations. But will this guide Ken to a real-life chance of romance?

First Edition published by Amber Quill Press/Amber Allure, 2013.


I haven’t read the previous London Lads shorts but I can tell you that this was a fun piece of writing.

Ken’s friends are all eager to set him up, something to make his life a little less boring, but he only has eyes for the mystery waiter, who sneaks behind the dumpster of a restaurant to do weird things that Ken can’t quite see on the CCTV he monitors, as his summer job. His fascination turns to obsession, even while he tells himself he is being a creepy perv.

The set up for the story was the fun part. Who is this guy who keeps winking at the CCTV and does he know Ken is watching or is he having some fun at the expense of the security company? It’s something Ken burns to know.

I liked Ken, even though he was turning into a creep. I liked the way the plot unfolded. And the movie quotes and references were endearing and attention grabbing.

This is very short, but gets the point of the plot across. It doesn’t appear to be connected to any of the previous stories so can be read as a standalone.

If you’re looking for a quicky, I’d recommend this story for something light, fluffy, and easy.

A review copy was provided for an honest opinion.




Giveaway + Blog Tour: Get a Grip (A Bluewater Bay Novel) by L.A. Witt


L.A. Witt's here today to promote her latest, Get a Grip, part of the wildly popular Bluewater Bay series from Riptide Publishing and she's brought a sneak peek of her next one too!

Also, be sure to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway. Good luck!


Welcome to the Riptide Publishing/L. A. Witt blog tour for Get a Grip, the latest Bluewater Bay story!

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (excluding Get a Grip) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on July 29th, and winners will be announced on July 30th.  Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.


About Get a Grip


If a tree falls in Bluewater Bay . . . could it be fate?

A year after his divorce, Shane Andrews isn’t interested in dating—not that he has time, between three kids and a demanding job as a grip. When a windstorm knocks a tree onto one of the Wolf’s Landing soundstages, Shane’s there to help with the mess . . . and so is firefighter Aaron Tucker.

A former smoke jumper, Aaron’s an adrenaline junkie and way too restless and reckless to be relationship material. As far as he’s concerned, monogamy is for penguins, and he’d rather be alone than tied down. Signing up to be a stepparent? No, thank you.

But after a scorching-hot night together, they’re hooked. Aaron is a taste of the excitement Shane’s been lacking, and Shane’s pushing buttons Aaron didn’t know he had. The more they’re together, the less Aaron craves wild nights with other men . . . but the more Shane wants to play the field like he never got to in his twenties.

This could be the love neither man knew he needed, but only if Shane gets his feet back on the ground before Aaron walks away.

Now available from Riptide Publishing. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/get-a-grip


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. MaxfieldHeidi 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.


Sneak Peek

Here’s an unedited sneak peek of my next Bluewater Bay book, New Hand, which will be out in December.

Chapter 1 – Jesse

Something came up. Not gonna make it. Sorry. :(

“My ass.” I rolled my eyes and slammed the phone facedown on the bar next to my nearly finished Coke.

A few chairs down, a bearded dude in a flannel shirt gave me a look. It was a look I knew well, too. The kind that telegraphed in no uncertain terms that he wanted to enjoy his beer and his baseball game without being afraid I might shower him with glitter or something. Most nights, I’d give a sassy hair toss, cross my legs, and shoot him a flirty grin. I mean seriously—Bluewater Bay was knee-deep in queers thanks to Wolf’s Landing, and even dive bars like the Olympic Sports & Alehouse weren’t safe from the likes of me. If he couldn’t cope with a queen at his bar, he was in the wrong town.

But I wasn’t in the mood to fuck with him. Not after Charlie’s text message. I twisted on the barstool, angling myself away from Beardy McHomophobe, and stabbed an ice cube with my straw. I glared at my phone. Even though I couldn’t see the screen, Charlie’s text was seared into my brain.

Something came up. Not gonna make it. Sorry. :(

I sighed, shoulders drooping along with my mood. The routine of “Jesse meets boy, boy likes Jesse, boy finds out Jesse is HIV-positive, boy loses interest in Jesse” was one I’d been familiar with for a long time. It didn’t always happen—I’d had plenty of hookups, friends with benefits, and boyfriends who were well aware of my status—but it happened enough to still make me dread the inevitable “Before we take this further . . .” conversation. I just hadn’t expected Charlie to be like this.

“Refill?” A smooth voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked up to see a bartender watching me. And . . . I had to stare. I’d been coming to this bar sporadically for ages, but I hadn’t seen him before, and that was a face I would have remembered. A face, a pair of dark eyes, a set of shoulders—

I cleared my throat and nudged my glass toward him. “Sure. Thanks.”

“What’re you drinking?” God. That voice. Low and rumbly and hot.

“Um.” What was I drinking? Crap. “Just a . . .” Alcohol? Nah. That would only make me more depressed because oh, right, I was in the process of being stood the fuck up by someone who thought I was gross. “Coke.”

He nodded and took my glass. As he put some ice in a fresh one, I stole the opportunity to take him in. He was easily in his forties, if not a little older. There were some lines on his face that even the bar’s low lights didn’t smooth over. The gray hair seemed oddly out of place. He wasn’t young, but he seemed grayer than he should’ve been. No, not gray—white. He still had plenty of his natural sandy blond, but he had streaks and sparkles of snow white, especially at the temples and along his part.

It didn’t look bad on him, though. Quite the opposite. Striking was the word that came to mind.

So that’s why people dig silver foxes. Holy shit.



About LA 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 Get a Grip, one lucky winner will receive their choice of two ebooks off L.A.’s backlist and a $10 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on July 29, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!