Review: Ghost Wolf by Hurri Cosmo

Hi, my name is Trevor. I’m a wolf shifter.

I say that like I know what I’m talking about. I don’t. I was simply running off a ton of steam one day when I was around eleven and bam! Okay, not quite that easy or fast but it happened when I was young and stupid. I’m also gay. I say that like I know what I’m talking about with that too. I simply don’t.

I’m grown up now and living in the big city which has me too busy to much care about either one of those things. I get out and run my wolf when I can, trying like hell to stay out of the local pack’s territories. Belonging to a “family” just sounds like too much work, and honestly I don’t have time for such things. Besides, I was told when I was young the color of my wolf was all wrong. Too silver...or something. Metallic. I kinda thought it looked cool in the full moon. “Pack Alpha would kill ya soon as look at ya.” My grandpa used to say. Course he wasn't my real grandpa. Just an old man who lived down the street, but he was a shifter too and I thought he knew it all. He probably knew diddly either, but a guy can’t be too careful. And romance? Way off the radar.

Only now someone has started killing wolves. Started leaving broken bodies lined up in a nice little row next to the high school in my home town and it's got me to thinking. If a shifter is killed in his or her wolf state, do they stay that way? Were these dead wolves like me? The hell of it all is this: being a shifter isn't common knowledge. It bothers me enough that now I want to find out more. See if there's anything I can do. Kind of like a super hero.

Oh yeah. Probably forgot to tell you this too. I can turn invisible.

Yep, Ghost Wolf to the rescue.


Once upon a time, there was a ginger who thought shifter books were odd and icky. Then one day, the ginger picked up a shifter book and fell in love with the dynamics and fell head over feet for the fated mate trope. This book, it has fated mates and a whole lot more that made the ginger ridiculously happy.

Okay, now that I am done talking about myself in creepy third person, I LOVED THIS BOOK!

The blurb is amazing and had me wanting to read it immediately. A dude who is a shifter but doesn’t know much about his shifting but shifted at 11 and there are people killing wolves… say what? I had to know it all and opening the book and getting Trevor’s POV has me sucked in immediately.

I liked that we get to know a young 11 year old Trevor Taland and how he handled his first shift, not knowing that he was a shifter and all the questions he had with no one to ask them to. Then he meets the wolf/old man who becomes his “Grandpa” and the stories and warnings he gives Trevor are ominous. But when he loses his Grandpa and gets the gift the old man leaves for him, Trevor gets something almost as amazing as shifting into a wolf, Trevor learns he can become invisible.

We don’t dally in Trevor’s youth but take what we learned and are now with him as an adult, enrolled in college and working as much as he can to pay the bills. He still shifts and gets his run on when he can and a night out with friends to unwind is ordered so Trevor can relax for a few. Too bad there is one hell of a sexy man who catches Trevor’s eye and scent at the club who is also an Alpha of a local pack and needs to have a few words with Trevor about the way he leaves his presence in open spaces.

I adored Ryan so, so, so much. Seeing him simply as a hot dude at the club then getting him confronting Trevor for quite literally peeing all over what’s his was fun but when Ryan realizes that Trevor is his fated mate, I was a goner. I have to say there are certain books and certain shifters that hold the bar for me when it comes to Alphas and how they act. One who is quite frankly at the top is Logan Church from Mary Calmes’ Change of Heart series and let me just say, Ryan Jarfang echoes Logan in many ways. The way he treats his pack, the way he treats his family, the way he even treats the woman he will leave for his fated mate, he is respectful and just in his actions. But the way he treats Trevor from the second he scents and feels that Trevor is his fated mate is what did me in. You see, Ryan isn’t gay nor is his bisexual but labels don’t matter when it comes to mates. The fates have chosen Trevor for Ryan and that’s all he needs to know. Because fated mates want what they want and oh my goodness do they want it badly.

Now while this is fated mates and we get all the goodies that come with that, I loved that Trevor knows basically nothing about being a shifter or shifter politics so he is pretty damn stubborn about what he is going to do with his love life and life in general. He knows that his wolf feels the pull toward Ryan as his mate and that he wants Ryan in every way but Trevor has a few secrets he hasn’t told anyone and Trevor is packless. Yeah, the first shifter book I have read where the wolf doesn’t have a pack and that puts a wrinkle in a few starched places.

The legend of the Ghost Wolves and the Ghost Moon was new to me and I enjoyed how it was told. The author does a wonderful job of giving you the needed information without weighing you down or making it feel like a shifter manual. Each aspect of the story is given in a way that makes you feel part of the story as you are woven into this world where men can change into wolves and live in a society all their own while being ride outside every human’s peripheral vision. Part of a world with mating rituals that involve a chase, submission and public mating. *ahem* Phew, it just got hot in here.

Oh boy. I feel the rambling tingling through my fingers so I am going to attempt to not let it run wild. I loved that this book has a lot going on, it gives you a lot packed in with the romance and yet it wasn’t too much. I will admit that while the blurb does talk about the killing of the wolves etc. the mystery is not the focus of this book, Ryan and Trevor are and that makes a huge difference to me. We still get the mystery of it all and it wasn’t what I expected. We still get secrets, truths and a bit more at the end that had me literally howling with laughter and surprise because they came out of nowhere but were perfect. We have mating and biting - No knotting *pouts* - declaration of MINE and the all-encompassing lust that only fated mates can bring so this book is a winner any way you look at it.


Blog Tour + Giveaway: Unraveled (Heathens Ink #5) by K.M. Neuhold


The Unraveled (Heathens Ink #5) blog tour stops by the clubhouse! Celebrate with K.M. Neuhold and Vibrant Promotions! Learn more about the latest from the Heathens Ink series! Enter in the giveaway for TWO chances to win an eBook of Unraveled!

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UNRAVELED
A HEATHENS INK SPIN OFF
K.M. NEUHOLD
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: 02.08.18

Unraveled Cover
COVER DESIGN: K.M. Neuhold
COVER PHOTO: StockPhoto
BLURB
Clay:
My mind and body are full of chaos; the only time I can truly feel free is when my hands, arms, and legs are secured. Just because I want to be bound, able to give over my pleasure entirely to another person, doesn’t mean I want to be controlled, humiliated, or made to endure pain. I’m a successful, happy, confident adult man who wants a lover to tie him up. Why is that so scandalous? And why is it so difficult to find? It doesn’t help that I’ve developed a hopeless crush on my straight roommate. Maybe a fulfilling relationship isn’t in the cards for me.
Max:
I’m completely out of control of my life. My ex is trying to take my daughter away from me... again, my dream of owning my own motorcycle repair shop seems out of reach, and somehow, I find myself a thirty-two-year-old man who can’t afford to have a place without a roommate. So, it’s no huge surprise that the idea of being given complete control over someone’s body and pleasure is a major turn-on. I never had any inkling I might be into guys, until my best friend told me he likes to be tied up. Now I’m losing sleep, imagining him bound and begging for me. I can’t figure out if it’s just the kink or if it’s possible I’m falling for him.

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EXCERPT
Every dish in the kitchen is piled on the table, while I stand on a chair to scrub the insides of the cabinets.

Maybe I can strip and re-stain the wood; that would look nice. Although, I doubt there’s any stripper or stain in the house, so I’d have to go to the hardware store. I glance at the clock on the stove. There probably aren’t any hardware stores open at three in the morning.

Something soft bounces off the back of my head, pulling me from my thoughts. I glance down to see what hit me, and I frown in confusion. I must be more tired than I thought because I can’t for the life of me figure out what a random sock is doing lying at my feet.

“What the hell?” I mutter, trying to suppress a yawn.

“I figured you must be a house elf on crack, so I was trying to set you free.”

I snort a laugh and glance over my shoulder to see Max standing behind me in nothing but a pair of pajama pants. I force myself not to let my gaze linger on his toned chest or his adorable, sleep rumpled hair.

“Very funny.” I roll my eyes and yawn before turning back to continue my task.

Strong hands grasp my waist and, before I know it, I’m being scooped up into Max’s arms and carried to my bedroom. I’m more excited than I have any right to be when Max lowers me onto my bed without so much as jostling me.

“Sleep,” he says with authority. I roll my eyes at him.

“I can’t sleep; that’s why I was cleaning.”

He sighs and looks down at me with a conflicted expression.

“What would help?”

A release— something to calm my mind for a few minutes.

“Nothing you can help me with,” I toss back with agitation. “What if I climb into bed with you—”

“Keep talking,” I encourage with a salacious grin.

“Dirty mind,” Max accuses with a chuckle. “What I was saying was, why don’t I climb into bed, and we can pull up something boring on your laptop. I bet that’ll help you fall asleep.”

He’s not wrong. It’s the only thing that helps some nights. And, truth be told, it’s more about the feeling of Max’s warmth beside me and the steady rhythm of his breath as he sleeps.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Max assures me before grabbing my laptop off my desk and climbing into bed beside me.



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I'm an author of m/m and new adult romance. I have a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well.
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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Promise Me We'll Be Okay by Nell Iris


Promise Me We'll Be Okay is new from JMS Books! Celebrate with author Nell Iris and Signal Boost Promotions! Learn more about the romance today and enter in the giveaway for a chance to win a back list eBook from Nell Iris!






Length: 27,000 words approx.

Publisher: JMS Books

Blurb

What do you do when your past comes knocking?


Six hundred and ninety-five days. That's how long it's been since Jude's fiancé broke off their engagement. With the help of his brother and his all-encompassing love for music, Jude glued the broken pieces of his heart back together, but when his ex shows up on his doorstep late one evening, Jude fears it will fall apart again.


Two years ago, Vincent made a terrible mistake. He left the love of his life for stupid, ill-advised reasons. It took a traumatic event to bring what was truly important in his life into focus. Older and wiser, he's now ready to do whatever it takes to win Jude back.


Their chemistry is as explosive as ever, but will they be able to work through the real issues? Can trust once broken be rebuilt?




Excerpt

I was still wide awake when someone knocked on my door half an hour later, and I knew who it was before I even got out of bed. Who else could it be at four in the morning but Vee?


I didn't bother to turn on the lights or get dressed, and I opened the door in my boxers. My heart lurched at the sight of him. He still hadn't shaved and he had black rings under his eyes. His usual confidence was nowhere to be seen. Usually, his presence took over the entire room, but today he looked as if he was trying to make himself smaller.


Without a word, I stepped aside and let him in. I grabbed his hand and led him to the den. "We'll talk in the morning. You can sleep on the couch," I said. "I'll get some sheets." I got some fresh linen from the closet and grabbed an extra blanket -- he was always cold when he slept -- and made up the sofa for him. He didn't move from the spot where I'd let go of his hand, and he didn't take his eyes off me.


"You gonna sleep in your clothes?" I asked.


He shook his head and peeled off his lavender V-neck sweater -- probably cashmere -- and flipped open the jeans' button while I fluffed his pillows and spread out the cozy blanket. When he pulled down his pants, I had to avert my eyes. To stop myself from staring, I jogged to the kitchen and brought back a bottle of water for him.


He was tense when I returned as if he'd thought I'd gone to bed without saying goodnight. I didn't like seeing him uncertain. He was a guy who was assured of himself. Never doubted himself or his intelligence. But he was never arrogant. No, he hid a kind and generous man behind his cocky smile. It was one of the things that had attracted me to him in the first place; all the different layers of his personality. The sides of him he only ever showed me.


"Go to bed," I murmured and lifted the blanket in invitation. After a brief hesitation, he lay down and curled up on the couch. I tucked him in -- pulling the blanket all the way up to his chin -- and made sure it covered his naked toes, too.


I resisted leaning down and kissing him on the cheek. I managed to keep myself from ruffling his hair or touching the unfamiliar stubble to see if it was as silky as I imagined. And I didn't beg him to take off his T-shirt so I could run my fingers through his treasure trail. I simply gave him a smile and said, "Sleep well Lovee."


As soon as the old endearment slipped out I wished I could take it back. He, on the other hand, lit up, and for the first time since he'd knocked on my door yesterday, something looking a lot like hope shone from his eyes.


I whirled around and ran out. Dove under my covers, and buried my face in my pillow, not moving until my lungs screamed for oxygen.


Gasping for air, I tried to find a comfortable sleeping position. My questions had disappeared and been replaced with the image of him on my couch, all pleading eyes, and heartbreaking vulnerability.


I turned to the other side and fluffed my pillow, but it was too hot from my breathing into it, so I flipped it over. I rolled over on my back and flung my arm over my eyes. Then I tried to lie on my stomach with my arm tucked under the pillow, but it quickly went numb. It got too hot under the cover, so I threw it off and then it got too cold. I shivered and pulled it back up, but kept a leg outside.


After twisting in my bed for what felt like an eternity, I gave up. I sighed, stood, and padded back into the den. Vee looked up at me when I entered, as awake as I was. Tilting my head in the direction of my bedroom I said, "Bring your blanket."


He scrambled off the couch and followed me. Tucked under my covers at a safe distance from him, I could finally fall asleep. The last thing I remembered before closing my eyes, was his sooty lashes fanned out on pale cheeks, and the snuffling sounds he made as he slept.





Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies room), loves music (and singing along but, let s face it, she s no Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd ( Make it so ). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!


Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.


Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.


Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.


Email contact@nelliris.com

Web www.nelliris.com

Twitter @nellirisauthor

Facebook page www.facebook.com/nellirisauthor

Facebook profile www.facebook.com/nell.iris.12

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

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nell_iris/

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Audiobook Review: Enlightened (Enlightenment #3) by Joanna Chambers

This is a second edition of a book previously published by Samhain Publishing.

David Lauriston has been recuperating at Lord Murdo Balfour’s Laverock estate for the last five months. At Laverock, he has regained his health and confidence and has found—with Murdo—more happiness and contentment than he has never known before.

David is all too aware that some day soon he will have to leave Laverock—and Murdo—and return to his legal practice in Edinburgh, just as Murdo will have to return to his life in London. But when David’s mentor, Patrick Chalmers, asks David to return to Edinburgh to visit him on his deathbed, it seems that day has come sooner than either David or Murdo would have wished.

Chalmers begs David to undertake one last piece of business for him: to secure the future of Chalmers’s daughter Elizabeth. But to carry out his old mentor’s wishes, David must travel to London, with Murdo.

No sooner have the two men arrived in the capital than they encounter Murdo’s ruthlessly manipulative father, who reveals a shocking secret that rocks David to his foundations. What’s more, when David discovers Elizabeth is facing far greater danger than even her father feared, he is determined to help her, no matter the cost to his own safety.

As the stakes rise, it is Murdo who must choose what he is prepared to sacrifice to keep David at his side, and ask whether there is any possibility of lasting happiness for men like them.

Narrated by Hamish McKinlay
Listening Length: 6 hours and 24 minutes


5 Unequivocal Stars

Reviewer - Annery

Before writing this I reread my previous reviews of books 1 & 2 in the series (and maybe a little or a lot of the books themselves) to make sure I didn’t come off as a sycophantic nut. That ship has sailed but I did realize that I’d failed to mention that these should definitely be read in order. There. I said it. I guess better late than never. This is a series that absolutely builds on each previous installment and what a thing of beauty it is. *starry eyed sighs*

If you need to break open your piggy bank or use a precious Audible credit to get the AB of this don’t give it a second thought. Do it. Yes, I am feeling bossy today, but you’ll thank me later. Once again Hamish McKinlay gives a flawless rendition of Joanna Chambers’s perfect book. Am I going overboard with the superlatives? I don’t think so. The point of romance, IMHO, is to go on a journey of discovery with a couple, or any denomination that floats your boat, from that first meeting, that first spark of awareness to seeing our lovers set on the road to their very own HEA, whatever that may mean to them. It just has to be honest. True. Believable within the world of the story. This checks all the boxes.

We pick up six months after the events in book 2, and David has been recuperating at Laverock House, Murdo’s Perthshire estate. Even though Murdo would like to wrap him in cotton gauze, idleness doesn’t sit well with David and little by little he’s begun sorting through the legal entanglements pertaining to Murdo’s estate and business dealings. They’re becoming a couple in all the ways that count, meshed in each other’s lives not just sexually but in every meaningful corner. And that thrills and terrifies both men. They now know what they have. Something precious. Real. How to be satisfied when it must inevitably end? How to make it last? I love how JC shows David & Murdo living as a real couple, sharing not only a bed, passion, and sexual chemistry, but also working together, exchanging ideas, and supportive of each other’s endeavours. Imagine that! How novel to have a healthy adult relationship in any genre. But don’t worry about stultifying domesticity, the sexy times between these two are still scorching, I’d be tempted to say transcendent. I know I’m hoping Murdo can give me a liniment massage for my aching joints, if David can spare him of course.

When the book starts both David and Murdo know that they want more. They want to stay together. But how can they even dream of that when their brand of love isn’t even acknowledged, much less accepted? Fear not. You’re in the hands of a talented writer, one with vision. I’d be loathe to ruin the story but I will say that JB knows that sometimes you have to explode your life to be able to start anew. A tabula rasa. The way in which they go about is both fortuitous and inspired.

There are sad endings and new beginnings, story lines from previous instalments are revisited and satisfactorily resolved; even David’s drinking. He’s a bit of a lush when he’s feeling low. I loved seeing Murdo so gaga over David, wanting to protect him but at the same time proud of his achievements and acumen. And David getting to see the true Murdo, what makes him tick, what got him to be the man he is, wants to be. But what really shines in every sentence of this story is the true love between these two. The rightness of it. How they make each other whole. And what kind of world wants to deny this joy, this beauty? I refuse to live there. Here are some quotes that made my heart soar.

"And right then, David felt a bolt of unexpected gratitude. Gratitude that he and Murdo were alive. Alive and together, now.A profound understanding settled on him of what it meant to be alive. What a privilege it was. What it meant to share the moments of his life -- even difficult moments -- with someone he loved. … He lifted his head, knowing his face would give everything away. He didn’t even try to disguise his feelings, though. He just let Murdo see it all, the despair and the grief, and the sharp, pressing desire. Because what was the point in hiding it? What was the point in having the gift of life -- and the gift of knowing how precious it was -- if he couldn’t share it all with this man?"

Or this

"They watched each other like that for a long time, till the joyful expression on Murdo’s face softened into something more reflective, almost poignant.‘I didn’t know I wasn’t happy before,’ he murmured.‘Before what?’Murdo gave a lopsided smile. ‘Before you. Not that I was actively unhappy. I had plans. Objectives. Things to acquire or achieve. But --’ He paused, then said simply, ‘You make me happy, David.’"


***leaky eyes. again***

Murdo’s detestable father finally makes an appearance in the flesh. He’s as horrible as advertised and dealt with accordingly. A fitting comeuppance for a real villain. I won’t go on. I loved all of it. Deliriously.

When I finished I kept going over and over in my head the things I liked/loved and why and then an aha! Moment happened when I realized that David & Murdo embody probably my favorite couples dynamic. One is older, larger, world-wise or weary, maybe a bit of a cynic and the other MC is perhaps more idealistic but not naive, with a strong ethical backbone, that can bend but won’t break. They live in a world that’s not always welcoming, but they manage to make a space of their own, without pretensions to Edenic perfection. Perhaps the prime example of this type of couple for me are Jake and Adrien from Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English Series. When I say that David and Murdo reminded me of those two I mean it as the HIGHEST compliment.

This scene, besides being swoon-worthy romantic, crystallized everything. Murdo is applying liniment and massaging David’s leg:

"David watched, unprotesting now, as his injured limb, pale and somewhat wasted still, was laid bare. … He made a face, not liking the sight of his weakness. … ‘What’s wrong?’ Murdo asked. He missed nothing, damn him, ‘I hate the look of it,’ David said shortly. ‘It’s ugly.’ Murdo’s brows drew together in a puzzled expression. He turned his head to the offending limb, caressing the length of it with his hands while David watched. … ‘It’s not ugly,’ Murdo murmured. ‘Nothing about you could be ugly to me.’"

When I read that I almost died because my mind immediately harked back to this passage from The Dark Tide when Jake and Adrien finally get together after Adrien’s open heart surgery:

"He undid the last button, pushed the shirt back off my shoulders. He glanced down at my chest.
‘Ugly, isn’t it?’I heard the rough intake of his breath. ‘Is that what you think?’‘Oh it is,’ I said easily. Somehow I knew the ugliness didn’t frighten him any more than it frightened me.He bent his head and kissed the curve of my neck, said against my flushed skin, ‘Nothing about you could be ugly to me.’"


*Happy Dance/Happy Sighs* It’s like hearing echoes of a favorite song in a new one. It made me joyful and love this series harder.


I’d recommend this to everyone and it will surely be one of my go to re-reads. Forever. Downside is now I’m afraid to jump into any other historical for fear of a let down. Problems of a Romance reader.


A review copy was provided by the author.

Review: Retribution (Alliance #1) by Jambrea Jo Jones

Retribution: Is love worth the cost?


Rave Anders lost everything—his job, his lover, and part of his soul. Accused of a crime he didn't commit, it's taken him years to build up a respectable intergalactic transport business. Pulled into a web of intrigue and espionage, Rave is forced to face ex-lover Kain Sims, the one man he no longer trusts.

On a mission for the Alliance, Kain must convince Rave the fate of a world rests in both their hands. Kain needs Rave to help to destroy a deadly weapon before it can be used to eradicate a planet. But that's the easy part; the hard part is making Rave believe he never wanted to leave him in the first place.

Can they save a world and reclaim the love they once shared, in a galaxy of deception?

Publisher's Note: This book has previously been released by Pride Publishing. It has been revised and re-edited for re-release.


As far as Sci-fi adventures, this was decent. It had a good plot with plenty of mystery and some suspense. The world building was good, and I felt like I was in the ship with this merry (cynical) band of misfits. I really enjoyed the tension between Rave and Kain. I felt bad for how things happened between them, mostly from Rave’s point of view. Kain had a POV too, but I don’t know if I really got his personality from it, or whether I liked him in Rave’s space.

I wasn’t entirely convinced that their relationship was something positive that could be repaired. It seemed like the scars were too deep, and while I got it, I just didn’t see this as a long term thing. Maybe this is the cynic in me. I think I would need more time with them to completely decide.

The action was good though. And if it was just an adventure story, I think I would have loved it more. Kain and Rave having a past was a good plot point, but I think the story carried well without the wounded lovers reunited trope.

I’ve made it a point to try and choose short stories that are not under 50 pages, because I tend to be disappointed in how short they are, and how much is missing. This has served me well here, as I felt like there were enough pages to get a good story out of it, while not leaving too much out.

I would recommend this if someone asked me about the author. While not a favourite, I think it was solid, and I am interested in reading another couple of titles in the series to see how this world develops.

I received a review copy for an honest opinion.


Release Blitz + Giveaway: Room For Recovery (Hearts & Health #4) by D.J. Jamison


Celebrate the latest release from the Hearts & Health series with author D.J. Jamison and Signal Boost Promotions, Room for Recovery! Learn more about the medical professions contemporary romance today and enter in the giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card!





Length: 77,000 words approx.

Hearts & Health Series

Volume 1 Books 1-3 - Universal Buy Link

Blurb

Beau James isn't out, but he's not fooling anyone. When he's cornered by two bullies, he's rescued by none other than the broody Wade Ritter, who he's crushed on from afar. Despite their family connection, Wade has resisted all of Beau's attempts at friendship -- until now. His protective streak gives Beau an opportunity to get past Wade's prickly exterior.


Wade considers Beau to be a quasi-cousin. He's been careful to keep Beau in that box because he is too tempting to a gay boy determined to remain in the closet after his coming out went all wrong. But when Wade sees bullies harassing Beau, he offers to help. Little does he know this small crack in the walls around his heart is the opening Beau needs to move in and change Wade's life.


After years off the rails, Wade realizes there's room for recovery. If he can face hard truths about his sexuality and love himself, he might be able to love Beau too.


Room for Recovery is part of the Hearts and Health series. It contains cameo appearances by other characters in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.



Excerpt

Beau James was trashed. Eyes glazed, words slurred, inhibitions gone, full-on trashed.


He balanced on the orange-and-brown plaid couch in Barry Gleason’s basement, a cup of beer sloshing in one hand as he tried to dance to rap blaring through Barry’s speakers. Tried to dance, as in, couldn’t dance to save his life. It was painful to watch — Beau thrust his slender hips completely off-beat — but it was also hard to look away.


It was hot in the small room with so many bodies crowding in, and Beau’s curly hair was frizzing into a halo around his flushed face. A halo for the angel, Wade thought sarcastically. A sheen of sweat made Beau look as if he were glowing. Or maybe that was the huge smile on his face, beaming his care-free, drunken joy to everyone in the room.


Even Wade wasn’t immune.


That smile did squirrely things to Wade’s insides. It always had, which was why he worked so hard to make that smile disappear when they were together.


He’d known Beau was gay from the moment they met three years before. With puppy dog eyes full of adoration, Beau’s crush on Wade hadn’t been subtle. Wade tried to keep his distance — because annoying or not, Beau was cute — but that was easier said than done when their families were intertwined. Wade saw Beau for Sunday dinners with the James family, for Thanksgiving and Christmas and birthdays in between.


And now, as the drunken star of Barry Gleason’s party.


Barry’s parents let kids drink, so long as none of them drove, so his house was the go-to party spot. Wade didn’t often come to these parties, but Anna had dragged him out and promptly disappeared to gossip with her friends on the cheerleading squad. He tried not to feel too relieved about that. He wasn’t in the mood to have an armful of girlfriend.


Glancing around, he noticed a couple of guys holding up phones, taking pictures or videos. Beau was going to be embarrassed come Monday morning.


“Take it off,” someone called.


“Strip show!”


Beau laughed and fluttered his eyelashes. “I don’t get naked with a guy before the second date!”


“Knew he was gay,” Jeremy Krantz said. “Fucking gross.”


Wade was afraid things might get ugly if Beau didn’t get home soon. He had perfected the art of avoiding Beau, so he searched the room for someone who might know him. Beau mostly hung with the same two friends. Wade scanned the room and spotted Beau’s friend, Nathan something, near the television, where a video game was under way.


Nathan was tall, with dark, messy hair and skinny as a skeleton. Wade mostly remembered because of his height-to-weight ratio. Taller even than Wade, he towered over Beau when they stood side-by-side. Usually a cute, freckled blond girl stood between them, but he didn’t see her.


Nathan held a game controller, and Wade realized he was one of the players. Two others were seated in gamer chairs low to the ground.


“Dude!” a familiar voice said. “I didn’t know you could do that!”


Wade wasn’t surprised to see Shane tucked away in the gamer’s corner. His best friend was addicted to video games. He was more surprised to see Anna in the other chair, fumbling with a remote.


“How do you fire? I forgot which button to hit.”


Shane leaned over and nudged her index finger onto the A button. His hand lingered on hers a fraction longer than necessary, and Wade narrowed his eyes. Was his best friend trying to make a move on his girlfriend?


He wasn’t jealous, exactly. He’d been relieved not to have Anna all over him tonight. It was more the principle of the matter. He shelved his irritation for the moment and turned to Beau’s friend.


“Hey, man, uh … you hang with Beau, right? You’re Nathan?”


The guy was focused on the game, and it took him a minute to respond.


“I go by Nate.” He spared a look at Wade, then did a double-take. “Why?”


There was a hint of suspicion to his voice that made Wade wonder what Beau had said about him.


“Uh, well, Beau’s pretty smashed.”


Nathan hit the pause button, and Anna protested loudly, before she noticed Wade standing there. She smiled brightly and jumped up.


“Hey, you. I thought I’d lost you to a love affair with the wall.”


Wade rolled his eyes. She thought she was funny. She was, which was part of her appeal. If only the rest of her appealed to him. Try as he might, he couldn’t get excited about the thought of the make-out session they’d have before he dropped her off at home later.


“Beau’s wasted?” Nate said, sounding incredulous. He turned, taking in the room, and his eyes popped wide. “Holy crap!”


He rushed off, and Wade watched him intercept a guy trying to hand Beau yet another beer. There was laughter and boo’s as Nate coaxed Beau off the sofa and led him toward the door. Wade couldn’t hear their words, but he could tell Nate was pissed as he flipped off someone and pulled a stumbling Beau out the door.


Disaster averted.


Anna wrapped a hand around his bicep and leaned close. “I’m done playing games. You want to get out of here?”


Wade cut a glance to Shane, who stared at the television, despite the game still sitting on pause. He seemed to be avoiding watching them together, and Wade felt a fleeting sense of guilt. He knew, even before he saw them together tonight, that Shane was into Anna. But Shane had the hots for everyone. Wade didn’t take it seriously. Now, he wondered.


“You want to come out for a burger, Shane?” he asked.


“I can’t drive,” Shane said. “I drank too much.”


“I’ll drive. We can get your car tomorrow.”


“Okay.” Shane unfolded himself from the chair. “If you’re sure I’m not going to be in the way?”


“Come with us,” Anna said easily enough, which was another reason Wade liked her. She was easy-going and genuinely a nice person. “It’ll be fun. Wade’s pretty to look at, but he’s not much of a conversationalist.”


“Fuck you say?” Wade said, though he wasn’t really offended. When she looked as if she was about to apologize, he added, “I’m not pretty.”


Anna and Shane busted up laughing, and Wade headed for the door.


Before they got in the car, Shane pulled him aside. “You’re sure I’m not a third wheel? You could just take me home.”


“Would you stop? I’m pretty sure we both like you enough to hang out for a burger before we tear off our clothes.”


Shane rolled his eyes. “Thanks so much for your patience.”


“No problem. What are friends for?” Wade joked.


But for all their playful banter, Wade was beginning to think that if there was a third wheel in their little trio, it might actually be him.


About The Author

DJ Jamison worked in newsrooms for more than 10 years, which helped tremendously when she began her series centered on The Ashe Sentinel, a fictional small-town newspaper in Kansas. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two sons and three glow-in-the-dark fish.


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Review: Love on a Battlefield by Posy Roberts

Not every compass points north.

Andrew Summers is forced to spend his vacations reliving Civil War battles with his father. He hates every minute, until a blue-eyed, red-haired boy behind enemy lines catches his eye.

Shep Wells would much rather travel the world than play at boring war reenactments. He never dreamed a Texan boy would capture his heart.

Real life and years separate them; Andrew is forced onto real battlefields, but for Shep the world is a playground. They’re opposites, but writing letters closes the distance, uncovering their hopes and dreams. When Shep visits Andrew, they get to see if the tug they’ve felt for years is the compass pointing the way home.

***
This is a story about first times, second chances, and the transformative power of the written word.


ERMAHGERRRRD!!

I devoured this book. The synopsis drew me in and then I saw the cover and just had to read it. The Civil War reenactment is a unique by itself but the letters… *happy sigh* Letters. Actual hand written letters to each other. Over many years.

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Andrew and Shep meet while at a Civil War reenactment with their dads. They're on opposite sides of the North/South line. The two meet at a water pump and later are drawn to each other during the actual battle. Right away their connection is evident as they both feign being “shot” to lay down right next to each other until the battle is over. So much is conveyed as they silently stare into the other's eyes and quietly make plans to meet up later.

And meet up they did. Andrew and Shep share a passionate night fulfilling their desires until the morning light. Later that day, Shep passes his address to Andrew and requests that he write.

From there, they correspond mostly through written letters as they try to chase their dreams. While Shep is off doing what he loves, Andrew realizes that sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan. His life veers way off track but his feelings for Shep remain.

“Shep was the one I dreamed about at night, the one I wanted to lie beneath, the one I saw myself spending the rest of my life with. He was the only person I’d felt drawn to. And even after five years, that pull hadn’t diminished one bit.”

This story is written from Andrew’s perspective with the insight of Shep’s letters as he read them. The snippets we are treated to show the longing, closeness, and connection they have forged through the years. It takes a while but they realize it’s ok to have new dreams and that home isn’t necessarily a place- it’s can be a person.

I appreciate the natural angst that was present in their relationship with a cautious warrior and a brighter than life Shep. They have an overwhelming sweetness to their interactions that left me swooning and an openness that was refreshing. The letters provided this slow burn feel as the men bare their souls, love from afar, and crave each other without explicitly writing it.

I loved this story hard until about 85%ish when it seemed that there was a race to the finish line. The odd drama at the end came across as a page filler when the focus could have been on Shep, Andrew, and navigating their relationship. More focus on the letters would have hit me in my happy place, too. I also wouldn’t have complained for a tiny bit from Shep’s POV. Did I mention he’s a ginger? *growl* With blue eyes? *slow blink*

Love on a Battlefield is an enjoyable story that was well executed. The unique premise caught my attention and the cover drew me in with its simplicity. Definitely recommended.



Review: The Vampire's Protege by Damian Serbu

A sinister vampire offers Charon a choice he can’t refuse: play a deadly game of winner takes all, losers die.

Charon relishes the competition and molds himself into a sexy vampire who defies vampire law, savoring his power and embracing the role of villain. He also loves surrounding himself with hot young men. But when an alluring vampire stalks him and threatens to turn him into the Vampire Council unless he helps with a seemingly impossible task, will Charon risk his perfectly narcissistic life on the challenge? Does he have any other choice?








The beginning of this story was actually quite engaging. Charon is a bit of a prick, and I love me a good anti-hero. His capture and the testing he went through was fun. I thought there was going to be a whole lot more of that challenging complex mystery and then the ultimate reward of a new life, but unfortunately, once that part was over, and Charon was on his own, I found the story fell down for me.

After the first few chapters of Charon causing mayhem, and the fun of him building his harem, I lost interest in him as a character and the story in general. I didn’t care about him anymore, and that is a shame. I love anti-heroes. A lot. I also enjoy complex characters, masterful world building and a twisted plot. This had decent world building, some twists and turns, but nothing that really hooked me and made me read straight through. I started putting this down, and having longer and longer breaks between picking it up again. That never bodes well for me.

I think it was just too much. I would have thought a harem of men would be sexy, but to be honest, it seemed more like a frat house on a B-grade College movie with a nothing-doing atmosphere. He set up this entire underground castle, and the final outcome was boring (even to Charon).

Charon as a character lost his lustre along the way. He was a bit flat and one dimensional. I felt like his entire personality was revealed in the first 50 pages, and there was not much more to expand on.

I’m not sure if the story was actually too long or it just felt that way. It is longer than a lot of other stories in this genre, at almost 400 pages, but it felt longer and more drawn out. There were a lot of slow parts, and while I don’t mind slow in certain scenarios, it didn’t work for me here.

I wouldn’t be able to recommend this story, but others have enjoyed it, so maybe check other reviews before deciding on whether this is the story for you.

A review copy was provided for an honest opinion.


Release Blitz: Ever After by Riley Hart & Christina Lee


Celebrate the release of Ever After with authors Riley Hart and Christina Lee and Vibrant Promotions! Learn more about the fairy tale today!

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EVER AFTER
A GAY FAIRYTALE
RILEY HART & CHRISTINA LEE
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: 02.28.18
Ever After Cover
COVER DESIGN: JAY AHEER/ Simply Defined Art
Blurb:
As next in line for the Evergreen crown, Prince Merrick Davendall’s future involves ruling, marriage, and producing an heir of his own. But he’s long been tormented by desires that are far from princely. Especially when the beautiful Cassius is promoted to be his new valet, and Merrick is struck by a longing like never before—a longing to know him far beyond royal and servant.
After his father’s passing, Cassius Havendale’s sole duty is to provide for his family. A promotion to serve a pampered prince is something he endures only for their sake. Surely Prince Merrick has no understanding of true suffering of the common people, nor could he possibly understand what it’s like to desperately desire something he cannot have.
Except the prince is not at all what Cassius imagined. Kind, humorous, and caring to those in need, he also shares Cassius’ affinity for the arts. In fact, Merrick understands his deepest vulnerabilities in a most remarkable way.
As their affection deepens, the underlying tension between them becomes unbearable and they’re unable to ignore it any longer. But when the queen prepares a lavish ball with all the eligible ladies in the land in attendance, Merrick must fulfill his obligations to his country, and Cassius has the needs of his family to consider. They’ve long known their stolen moments would have to come to an end, but are they ready to give up one another and the idea of a happily-ever-after?
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Gay Couple Love Home Concept
 
EXCERPT
“Now you are all set,” Cassius remarked, slipping the national Evergreen sash over Merrick’s neck and adjusting it over his shoulder.

Merrick was entertaining the Duke of Cairn this morning for brunch. The king would be joining them this afternoon for ice fishing on the property. Apparently, the royal family of Cairn were avid fishermen, and when the king mentioned it a few weeks back on his visit, Merrick’s father told them about Evergreen’s abundance of freshwater trout. Merrick did not exactly enjoy the sport, but Cairn was Evergreen’s closest ally, and it was important to entertain them properly while they discussed pressing matters, including Merrick’s royal visit to their lovely countryside in the coming months.

“At breakfast I overheard the cooks going on about how handsome the duke is,” Cassius mentioned casually as he smoothed down Merrick’s coat and then picked at some lint on the lapel.

The change in topic threw Merrick, and when he did not respond, Cassius glanced up curiously at him. Merrick smirked as he wrapped his hands around Cassius’s waist and pulled him closer. “You are jealous.”

“Of course not!” he declared as his neck turned beet red. “I was only relaying the gossip in the castle.”

“Hmmm, that’s very peculiar since you’ve never seemed to be affected by gossip before,” Merrick remarked, backing him against the wardrobe, the innocent look in Cassius’s eyes completely charming.

“What are you doing?” Cassius asked, his gaze flashing toward the closed chamber door.

“I don’t give a flying fig whether the duke is handsome or not. I have never paid him any mind.” Merrick kissed his cheek. “What I do know is that a stunning man is standing before me, driving me completely mad. And I long to take his prick into my mouth.”

Cassius gasped and swayed toward him. Merrick wondered if Cassius felt just as feverish after spending such a sweet and intense moment in the woods the other day. He only dreamed to know more of him before it was too late.

“It is all I thought about last evening after you left me in the parlor room with the conservation committee,” Merrick added with a groan as he gripped the waistband of Cassius’s trousers. “I want you in my bed every night. In my arms. But I know it is an empty wish.”

“We…shouldn’t,” Cassius replied in a gruff voice even as he sank against Merrick, his prick already hard as the steel jousting stick on display in the Great Hall. “You make it quite difficult to properly concentrate on my duties.”

Merrick drew back immediately, searching Cassius’s eyes. “I am sorry. I do not want you to feel any sort of regret.”

“Never.” Cassius grasped Merrick’s hand and placed it against the bulge beneath his zipper. “But now I shall go around all day with the front of my pants uncomfortably tight while you socialize with the handsome duke.”

Merrick hissed and then promptly dropped to his knees before the valet.

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Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s a hopeless romantic, a lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together.
She loves reading, flawed characters, and hanging out with her husband and children, who she adores. She and her family live in Southern California, soaking up the sunshine while also missing seasons. Not a day goes by that she isn’t thankful she gets to wake up and do what she loves.
Life is good. Riley also writes young adult and new adult under the name Nyrae Dawn.
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Once upon a time, I lived in New York City and was a wardrobe stylist. I spent my days shopping for photo shoots, getting into cabs, eating amazing food, and drinking coffee at my favorite hangouts.
Now I live in the Midwest with my husband and son—my two favorite guys. I've been a clinical social worker and a special education teacher. But it wasn't until I wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper that I realized I could turn the fairytales inside my head into the reality of writing fiction.
I write Adult, New Adult, and M/M Contemporary Romance. I'm addicted to lip gloss and salted caramel everything. I believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.
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NSFW Review: The Station by Keira Andrews

Two men exiled to an untamed land must capture love.

Ever since Cambridge-bound Colin Lancaster spied on stable master Patrick Callahan mastering another man, he’s longed for Patrick to do the same to him. When Patrick is caught with his pants down and threatened with death for his crime, Colin speaks up in his defense and confesses his own sinful nature. They’re soon banished to the faraway prison colony of Australia.

Patrick never asked for Colin’s help, and now he’s stuck with the pampered fool. While it’s true that being transported to Australia is a far cry from the luxury Colin is accustomed to, he’s determined to make the best of it and prove himself. Patrick learned long ago that love is a fairy tale, but he’s inexorably drawn to sweet, optimistic Colin despite himself.

From the miserable depths of a prison ship to the vast, untamed Australian outback, Colin and Patrick must rely on each other. Danger lurks everywhere, and when they unexpectedly get the chance to escape to a new life as cowboys, they’ll need each other more than ever.

This historical gay romance from Keira Andrews features an age difference, an eager virgin, hurt/comfort, and of course a happy ending.


Historical? Australia? Cowboys?

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The Station begins when Colin is just a boy of 13 and a new stable master, Patrick (22) is hired on at his parents estate. Colin quickly becomes enamored and visits Patrick any chance he can get away. Years go by and when he's 16, Colin spots Patrick getting it on with another man. It turns him on while at the same time spooking him. Colin has to come to terms with his sexual identity and isn’t able to face Patrick after. Pressure from Colin’s parents keep him indoors for much of his teen years. They are determined he attend university while Colin would much rather work with his hands. And Patrick. On Patrick. To Patrick. He isn’t picky, by age 19, Colin wants Patrick.

Patrick is an Irish stable master with a prickly demeanor. He’s been screwed over by people in his past and trusts no one, believes love isn’t real, and sex will only ever be about release and never feelings. Patrick also doesn’t understand why Colin stopped visiting all those years and becomes very cool to the young Lord Lancaster.

Until…

*dramatic music*

Patrick is found “buggering” a man in the stable. Colin steps forward to save Patrick and admits to having a “sinful nature” as well. Both men are spared death and end up on a prison labor ship that’s going to help colonize Australia.

Colin is such a bright eyed man who’s relieved that his inclinations are revealed and that he isn’t heading to college. On this long journey, Patrick and Colin form a tentative friendship with benefits but Patrick remains clear that there’s nothing more to their interactions. Trust no one.

Because they have male interests, both men hit the prisoner lottery and end up escorting a widow and cattle to her station. It’s on this station that both men find their footing- happiness, purpose, friendships, and love. It’s a slow progression with Patrick being of the anti-love and physical release only mentality. Colin wears his heart on his sleeve and Patrick is closed off but cares much more than he lets on. It's beautiful to watch each man find themselves as individuals and then together as lovers and partners.

**Please pardon this review interruption for some gratuitous Aussie cowboy pictures. NSFW**

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The secondary characters. *heart eyes* I adored William, Robbie, and Emily. My face sprung a leak as Colin said goodbye to his cousin William. Legit tears. I think it seemed so profound because all of Colin’s family were against him and although William didn’t understand, he still loved him. Isn't that all that should matter? *sniff* Emily, the widow is a strong, independent woman that kicks ass and takes names- usually with a rifle by her side.

This is a captivating and unique story. The part that had me a bit disappointed was the historical element. The first part of the story that took place in London had the language and feels I crave in historical romances. Once they left London, my enjoyment level remained but the historical element seemed to vanish. The language was modernized and it didn’t read any different than some of the non-historical Australian outback romances I’ve read. Again, I very much enjoyed this but historicals are my preferred drug of choice and this read didn’t fully provide the fix I was jonesing for.

I thought this would be angsty AF. It wasn’t and I’m so glad I put on my big girl pants and took a chance. When conditions were miserable, Colin still had hope, found happiness, and felt the relief of a new day, being true to himself, on an unknown Australian adventure. With Patrick. Definitely recommended.