Review: Going Off Grid by S.J.D. Peterson

Clay and Elliott are working toward a dream—working sixty-hour weeks for one of the oil companies that recently sprung up in North Dakota. The pay is good, but is it a fair trade for never seeing each other? The point becomes moot when the company folds, like so many others, and the couple is left with a difficult choice.

Should they find comparable work somewhere else, or is it time to throw caution to the wind and go after their goal—years earlier than they intended?

What they’ve always wanted is to be together and have time to enjoy it, so they follow their hearts. They’re going off the grid and fixing up an old cabin so they can be self-sufficient. But when they go from all the conveniences of the modern world to outhouses, solar power, a shoestring budget, and more mosquitos than they ever thought possible, will they find there’s such a thing as too much time together?

There’s not much to say about this simple story, but if you like established couples then this is probably the best thing to scratch that itch.

Like the blurb states, Elliot and Clay are in a long term relationship, hard at work for an oil company grabbing any extra shifts in order to save money to fix up their remote cabin for future use. However, when the oil economy tanks, their plans change and they decide to go off grid and retire. Do these two have what it takes to give up their luxuries, as well as basic amenities to live off the land??

To say the least, Elliot and Clay are both tested personally and within their relationship as they face the expected and unexpected trials of fixing up a dilapidated cabin and bringing it up to date so that they can live in comfort. Add is some run-ins with fickle Mother Nature and some understandable doubts about whether they can actually accomplish their goals in time, their forced prolonged proximity brings out the best and the worst in both men.

Despite the challenges Elliot and Clay face, this was relatively angst free with a nice dash of smexy. Again, I don’t mind reading about established couples and this nicely showcased two guys who are committed to their dream and to each other. Very easy reading.



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

Release Blitz: Machine Metal Magic by Hanna Dare

Celebrate with author Hanna Dare and Signal Boost Promotions for the release of Machine Metal Magic!

Universal Buy Link

Cover Design: Nastasha Snow

Length: 65,000 words approx.

Blurb

The galaxy's a dangerous place. Best not to travel it alone.


It's been over a century since the AIs rose up and attacked, driving humans from Earth and leaving them scattered across the galaxy. Humanity survives, but always fearful of the technology that allows them travel among the stars, never knowing when it may turn against them once more.


An interstellar fugitive.


For Jaime Bashir, born with the ability to communicate telepathically with computers, his gifts are more of a curse. They also make him a target. On the run, he finds himself among a starship crew, one transporting a mysterious cargo. Even more intriguing is Rylan, the muscled guard watching his every move. Jaime has no reason to trust him, but nowhere else to turn.


A disgraced ex-soldier.


Rylan Slate is looking to leave his past behind. Joining a crew of smugglers is one way to do it. But capturing Jaime is both an opportunity and a danger. He starts out as a prisoner, but then becomes something more, testing loyalties in ways Rylan never expected. Will regaining his honor mean betraying Jaime?

A writer-for-hire for more than ten years, Hanna Dare now writes what she loves to read: well-written, character-driven stories of men exploring their identities and discovering their own unique kind of happily ever afters… usually through sexytimes.


Find Hanna on the internet enjoying pretty pictures, procrastination and caffeinated beverages!

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Guest Review: Obsession by Theophilia St. Claire

Nick has a hard life. Not only is he working at an East Harlem bar to make ends meet and pay for his sister’s medical expenses, he’s also on the run from a shady past that’s surely catching up to him.

Most people think Claude has it easy due to the money and luxury surrounding him. But they would be wrong. Firmly trapped beneath his stern father’s thumb, Claude’s pre-determined life took a nosedive when his lover, Christian, left him a year ago.

When the two meet, sparks do not instantly fly between them. Claude thinks Nick is his ex-lover returned to him. Nick thinks Claude is crazy.

However, circumstances bring these two men together. And despite Claude’s jealousy and possessive nature, Nick is falling for him. Sick of being mistaken for Claude’s ex, Nick is willing to find out what happened to him—the real Christian. He’ll have to if he wants a stable relationship with Claude. How Claude takes the truth, however, is the only thing that scares him.

Rated 2.75 Hearts

Reviewer: Annery

The very first thing that must be said about this book is that it emphatically is NOT a romance. There are two people, in this case male, who engage in a sexual and what could be deemed a quasi romantic relationship. Claude Vanderpoel repeatedly professes his love for Nick Martin, except he calls him Christian, and Nick/Christian seems to be in a sexual thrall to Claude and more than a bit dazzled by his wealth. Sounds convoluted? It is but not in any interesting way. I’ll try to elucidate in the least spoilerish way possible.

Nick is twenty-four, working as a waiter at a jazz supper-club, and trying to scrape enough money together to petition the legal custody of his sick sixteen-year-old sister. He’s just getting back on his feet after a few years of somewhat rough living: some drugs, some gang affiliation, some prostitution, some homelessness.

Claude Vanderpoel is one of those dime-a-dozen romance MCs: fantastically rich, devastatingly handsome, and sexually irresistible. Also he’s only 27.

One night Claude sees Nick at Jenkins’ Jazz Bar, where he works as a waiter, but he keeps calling him Christian. Christian is/was Claude’s lover who left him over a year ago. Is Nick Christian in a new guise, living a new life away from Claude? It would seem not. Nick keeps insisting he’s not Christian, there’s even an un-funny running gag of whether Claude means the name or the religious affiliation when he says Christian. Because that’s a thing. SMH. In any case one silly thing leads to another and Nick ends up not only in Claude’s uber luxurious Fifth Avenue apartment but also in his bed, on Pretty Woman shopping sprees, and spur of the moment caribbean vacations. Claude keeps calling Nick Christian and though Nick is pretty adamant that he is not Christian he continues to go along with Claude and whatever he doles out. None of this is particularly scintillating. I lost interest or knew where this was going pretty quickly. I really don’t know what category this would go in, mystery? suspense? Maybe. It’s not terribly good as any of those but not horrendous either. The reasons for my low rating may be inconsequential to others who know zero about NYC, but I couldn’t/can’t overlook them. Here goes. I may get ranty.

Going by the use of technology the story seems to be set in present times and Jenkins’ Jazz Bar is located in Harlem. I don’t know what 70’s Charles Bronson movie the author used to base The City on, but that stretch of real-estate is currently one of the most expensive in New York and not riddled with marauding gangs, the smell of piss, and random gunshots. Here’s a little nugget that just about made me crazy. Claude is in his car following Christian/Nick, like the stalker he is:

”He got to his car and drove to East 116th Street in time for Christian to board the M102. … He followed it for five stops until Christian got off at the Malcolm X Boulevard stop. Christian kept his hood up, ignoring everyone else around him while he disappeared into the subway station. Claude stayed behind him a good distance as he took the Number 2 subway line to wherever. Claude was familiar with the route. He knew the stops and the time frame adequately. The farther he drove, the worse the area became. Poverty, high crime, and drug addiction were leading social problems in that corner of the world. Public housing units filled almost every block. Claude pitied the sad souls who called this place home. He spotted Christian exiting the station on 96th and Broadway. … How could Christian possibly have made a living down there? Watching his back every second to make sure to make sure it wouldn’t be stabbed? He passed all manner of homeless people and shady characters. Trash littered the streets and graffiti covered multiple surfaces.

That’s some straight out of Escape from New York fantasy. I’m sure that denizens of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, among them Columbia University and the Museum of Natural History. Here’s a peek from Zillow at the current real estate: W. 96th Street.

Next we have this gem, Nick/Christian and his friend Eric go to visit Nick’s sister Amy who’s in the hospital, and they depart from East Harlem:

”The train ride took ninety minutes to get upstate, to the New York Med, the hospital where Amy was being treated. Nick exhaled a cold breath as he peered up at the large white-and-brown building.” “I hate the Bronx,” he mumbled. If not for Amy, he’d never step foot in that borough again.”

So how do I explain two wildly incorrect things in that passage? 1) The Bronx is NOT and will never be Upstate New York, it is one of the 5 boroughs that comprise New York City. 2) Save for some horrible train nightmare, the ride from East Harlem to even the furthest end of The Bronx could not take 90 minutes. It should be 30 or 45 minutes on the outside.

Claude takes Nick/Christian out to dinner and the whole date turns into one of those film fantasies where they have dinner at a five-star restaurant, (the author makes sure to tell what dishes & wine they have), and later head to the Empire State, from which vantage point Claude proceeds to enlighten Nick on local architecture. Sure. That’s what New Yorkers do on dates.

Later Claude takes Nick/Christian on a day trip in his yacht which is on a pier on the Hudson river. Somehow that’s a two-hour drive going north on I-87! Unless he’s anchored up in the Catskills, which would make no sense given all the piers on the Hudson river right in Manhattan. I’m bewildered by the geography of this book.

Sprinkled throughout is nonsense like gangsters referring to the police as “pigs”. The 70’s are calling and want their slang back, or this little insight into Claude’s genius:

”I studied Economics and Marketing at Yale. I pored over the stock market for several years, so I think I would have enjoyed working on Wall Street. Either that, or becoming a university professor in Paris.”

Sure. Why not.

Claude is 27 and Nick/Christian is 24 and somehow Nick/Christian is always “the younger man”. Claude whisk’s Nick/Christian away on a plane and:

”Christian gazed out the window, puzzled by the hot unfamiliar surroundings. “Are we out of the country? Because I don’t have a passport. Claude chuckled. “Already taken care of.” He patted his coat pocket.” 

How, you ask was a passport procured for Nick/Christian without him knowing about it? I haven’t a clue.

I could go on as the idiocies are sprinkled all over but I’ll move on to other things that may interest some readers. The story includes kidnapping, rape, and murder on page and references to child abuse, drug use and drug dealing, all of which go pretty much unpunished. I’m all up for dark romances but I’m not sure this would qualify. On the plus side it’s not badly written, if at times overly expository, and it certainly fits the slot of different, which turns out to not always be good.

Blog Tour + Giveaway: The California Dashwoods by Lisa Henry

Lisa Henry visits along with IndiGo Marketing, on The California Dashwoods blog tour! See our 5 <3 review of the modern retelling of Sense & Sensibility HERE! Lisa chats about The California Dashwoods' supporting cast! Plus you can enter in the giveaway for a chance to win your own copy of Sense & Sensibility and $20 Amazon gift card!

Title:  The California Dashwoods

Author: Lisa Henry

Publisher:  Self Published

Release Date: May 1, 2018

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 62 000

Genre: Romance

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Synopsis

Make a new future. Choose your true family. Know your own heart.

When Elliott Dashwood’s father dies, leaving his family virtually penniless, it’s up to Elliott to do what he’s always done: be the responsible one. Now isn’t the right time for any added complications. So what the hell is he doing hooking up with Ned Ferrars? It’s just a fling, right?

Elliott tries to put it behind him when the family makes a fresh start in California, and if he secretly hopes to hear from Ned again, nobody else needs to know. While his mom is slowly coming to terms with her grief, teenage Greta is more vulnerable than she’s letting on, and Marianne—romantic, reckless Marianne—seems determined to throw herself headfirst into a risky love affair. And when Elliott discovers the secret Ned’s been keeping, he realizes that Marianne isn’t the only one pinning her hopes on a fantasy.

All the Dashwoods can tell you that feelings are messy and heartbreak hurts. But Elliott has to figure out if he can stop being the sensible one for once, and if he’s willing to risk his heart on his own romance.

A modern retelling of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.

Purchase at Amazon &  Smashwords

Author Visit

Hi! I’m Lisa Henry, and welcome to the blog tour for my new release, The California Dashwoods. I’m visiting some of my favourite blogs around the place to talk a bit about writing The California Dashwoods, and sharing some of my influences, my ideas, and even an excerpt or two! Don’t forget to enter in Rafflecopter, for your chance to win a prize of a $20 Amazon voucher plus a vintage copy of Sense and Sensibility that I’ll post worldwide. The winner will be drawn on May 10.

Today I’d like to introduce you to the supporting cast of The California Dashwoods.

Ned Ferrars is the love interest of the MC, Elliott Dashwood. Ned’s sister Francesca is married to Elliott’s half-brother John. Ned is quiet and a little socially awkward, but he’s a decent guy at heart, and he and Elliott are quickly drawn together. There are, of course, complications to this—and not just because Francesca stridently disapproves. In Sense and Sensibilty, Ned was Edward Ferrars.

John Dashwood is Elliott’s half-brother, from their father’s first marriage. He’s not quite as weak-minded as his counterpart in Sense and Sensibility—but he does find it difficult to stand up to the rest of the family.

Francesca Dashwood is John’s wife. And she’ll be damned if she’ll stand by and let him hand over money to his half-siblings willy-nilly. In Sense and Sensibility, Francesca was Fanny Dashwood. Name changed for obvious reasons!

Robert Ferrars is Ned and Francesca’s brother. He has no discernable personality—a fact remarked upon by Greta Dashwood—but he does turn out to be an important plot point in the end, just like the original!

John Middleton runs a kitschy little store in the tourist town of Barton Lake. The store is full of crystal wizards, incense, tarot cards, and yoga DVDs. It’s like, as Greta Dashwood observes, a hippie exploded inside. John is a big, generous guy. He’s the cousin of Mrs. Abby Dashwood, and steps up to offer the Dashwoods a place to live when they find themselves facing homelessness. In Sense and Sensibility, John was Sir John Middleton.

Jack Willoughby is the carefree playboy-type-of-guy who Marianne Dashwood falls head over heels for. If you’ve read the original, it goes about as well as you’d expect! In Sense and Sensibility, he was John Willoughby.

Deanna Brandon is a gruff veteran who is unwillingly taking up yoga. She does not enjoy aligning her chakras, but she keeps coming back to the store anyway. In Sense and Sensibility, Deanna was Colonel Brandon.

Odette Jennings is a New York art dealer and a long-term family friend of the Dashwoods. She’s loud, and brash, and She sweeps in and transports Elliott and Marianne to New York for a while, which is a stand in here for London. In Sense and Sensibility, Odette was Mrs. Jennings.

Lucien Steele is Odette’s PA, and probably the character most transformed from the original. He’s outgoing and fun, and kindhearted to his core, and there is nothing at all fake about his friendship with Elliott and Marianne. In Sense and Sensibility, Lucien was Lucy Steele.

Meet the Author

 

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn't know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she's too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house with too many cats, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | eMail

Tour Schedule

5/1 Love Bytes

5/2 The Blogger Girls

5/2 Joyfully Jay

5/3 The Novel Approach

5/3 Divine Magazine

5/4 Boy Meets Boy Reviews

5/5 Bayou Book Junkie

5/5 Rainbow Gold Reviews

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Review: Life is a Stevie Wonder Song by V.L. Locey

Authors know that their muse is a fickle creature. Best-selling spy novelist Steven Ramsey has been in a hate-hate relationship with his inspiration for months. When Steven's publisher lays a legal ultimatum upon him, with a rapidly approaching deadline, he knows he must do something to kick-start his creativity or face the unemployment line. His daughter comes up with a possible answer: a summer camp for the creative soul. With nothing to lose, Steven packs up his laptop, phonograph, and beloved record albums and heads from Greenwich Village to the Catskill Mountains.

There, among a horde of college students attending for extra credits, is Declan Pomeroy, a photographer of fey creatures who is twenty-two years younger than Steven. The woods are a magical place, and he quickly finds himself falling under the spell of the free-spirited photographer. Confusion wars with desire as Steven succumbs to the feelings welling up inside. But, sadly, summer camp always must end. Can a man who has just found himself really leave the person that makes his heart sing?

I have a soft spot for quirky artists and I think that’s because I appreciate their unique views, but in real life I can be just too practical (unfortunately) to be able to appreciate them 24/7, which is why I love to read about them so much. It’s much easier to let go of practical thoughts with fictional characters. The beauty of Life is a Stevie Wonder Song is that there are TWO creative types to swoon over and shake your damn head at.

Steven is a best selling author who has lost his mojo and hates the MC of his novels. He’s in his mid forties with three divorces under his belt and a college age daughter who is the light of his life. (I loved her BTW). Declan is a college student, free spirit, fey photographer who eschews labels and lives his life with respect for his true self. Steven has always identified as a hetero male, but when he sets his peepers on Declan at an artist’s retreat everything he thought he knew about himself comes into question.

These two were so alike in their overall characteristics and it was interesting to read how the author gave each man their own spin on their qualities. I’m going in here with a whole bunch of generalities here about those who thrive in the arts, so forgive me this moment, but it makes sense for these guys in a big picture way. They both have a flair for the dramatic, they both have selfish, stubborn streaks (charmingly so) and they both feel everything with passion. The difference is in how they express these characteristics and that has a lot to do with their ages and their professions. Steven is a wordsmith and Declan swoons over his purple prose when Steven is actively wooing Declan. Declan knows how to set a scene to get Steven’s attention and Steven is SO obviously a smitten kitten every time his eyes land on Declan.

The story is from Steven’s POV, so I didn’t get as much depth from Declan as I wanted, but his little bit of mystery suited his ethereal personality well, so it worked for the story. I just liked him and would love to get to know him more. Steven’s daughter is the best and I loved reading about their relationship. Declan’s bro dude friends at the retreat were obviously good people for Declan even though they were pretty peripheral characters, they gave Declan’s character some grounding and made him seem more accessible.

I really appreciated how Steven accepted his new view on his sexuality with minimal angst. It may not have been the most realistic, but it would be nice to think it could be so. I do believe there were a lot of unspoken revelations that were alluded to by both Steven and his daughter. They both made comments about how some parts of Steven’s history with relationships made more sense now and while Steven’s revelations were not what the book was ultimately about, the way the author portrayed his acceptance was a breath of fresh air. Steven adopted Declan’s view of labels pretty seamlessly, he saw Declan for Declan and not his gender.

Steven and Declan were absolutely perfect for each other and the impractical parts of their relationship (Will they last past the summer? Where will they live? How will they live? Etc. Etc.) didn’t really matter much in the end. These two don’t really play by the rules of adulting that most people do, their lives are driven by their arts and the fact that they can act as muse to one another made me believe in an HEA for them.

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

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Forged in Fire (Asheville Arcana #2) by Ari McKay

Ari McKay and Signal Boost Promotions celebrate the latest release in the Dreamspun Beyond Asheville Arcana series, Forged in Fire! See our 4 <3 review HERE! 

Learn more about the mage/lycanthrope romance today and enter in the giveaway to win an eBook copy of Out of the Ashes (Asheville Arcana #1)!

Universal Buy Link

Cover Design: Aaron Anderson

Length: 59,473 words

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Ashville Arcana Series

Out Of The Ashes (Book #1)

Blurb

The magic touch.

Ever since Harlan Edgewood was bitten by a possessed werewolf, his monthly shifts have been agonizing. When he meets Whimsy Hickes—a mage who specializes in transformation—the attraction is mutual. But Harlan believes his curse is too great a burden to inflict on any romantic partner.

Fortunately, Whimsy thinks he can help.

When Harlan is provoked into an unexpected change, Whimsy uses his magic to help ease Harlan’s pain, but with an unexpected consequence. While he’s shifted, Harlan’s wolf claims Whimsy as his mate.

As they draw closer, suspicious events in the Asheville magical community escalate. Shifters are disappearing, others are murdered, and Harlan’s curse makes him an obvious target. It will take all of Whimsy’s magic to force back the rising evil—and if he fails, Harlan will lose not only his life, but his very soul.

Ari McKay is the professional pseudonym for Arionrhod and McKay, who have been writing together for over a decade. Their collaborations encompass a wide variety of romance genres, including contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, and action/adventure. Their work includes the Blood Bathory series of paranormal novels, the Herc’s Mercs series, as well as two historical Westerns: Heart of Stone and Finding Forgiveness. When not writing, they can often be found scheming over costume designs or binge watching TV shows together.

Arionrhod is a systems engineer by day who is eagerly looking forward to (hopefully) becoming a full time writer in the not-too-distant future. Now that she is an empty-nester, she has turned her attentions to finding the perfect piece of land to build a fortress in preparation for the zombie apocalypse, and baking (and eating) far too many cakes.

McKay is an English teacher who has been writing for one reason or another most of her life. She also enjoys knitting, reading, cooking, and playing video games. She has been known to knit in public. Given she has the survival skills of a gnat, she’s relying on Arionrhod to help her survive the zombie apocalypse.

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Audiobook Review: The Hockey Player's Heart (Hockey Hearts #1) by Jeff Adams and Will Knauss

When hockey star Caleb Carter returns to his hometown to recover from an injury, the only thing he’s interested in is a little R & R. He never expects to run into his onetime crush at a grade school fund-raiser . Seeing Aaron Price hits him hard, like being checked into the boards. The attraction is still there, even after all these years, and Caleb decides to make a play for the schoolteacher. You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take, right?

Aaron has been burned by love before and can’t imagine what a celebrity like Caleb could possibly see in a guy like him. Their differences are just too great. But as Aaron spends more time with Caleb, he begins to wonder if he might have what it takes to win the hockey player’s heart.

Listening Length: 4 hours 56 minutes
Narrator: Finn Sterling

This right here?? This was pretty darn close to contemporary no fuss no muss perfection!

Caleb is a pro hockey player who broke his foot and is home for a few weeks to recover, as well as to visit friends and family that he’s had little time to do so because of his crazy super star life. When Caleb reconnects with his teen crush Aaron (bff to his older sister), it’s like his feelings never diminished. As Caleb and Aaron get to know each other again, their slow burn and charming sweet interactions simply made me smile. Overall, these men were, and acted, like the adults they are. They took their time reforming their friendship, capitalizing on their great chemistry and similar interests, and in their maturity, they appreciated what the other could offer as a potential partner and communicated such with overall ease. And how!

So, I obviously freaking loved that these two did not play any games, that though this is of the DSP Dreamspun line, there was no over the top melodrama, no big misunderstanding. Minus just one instance, this went down like the best brownie sundae ever! What made this even better was the fact that Caleb is an out and proud and well beloved hockey player. He even has a teammate who is also gay, and I suspect will be the star in the next book of this series!

I listened to this lovely story despite the fact that I don’t have the greatest track record with narrator Finn Sterling. I sampled before forging ahead, and though he is still far from my favorite, the many strong points definitely shined through regardless.

I’m also quite biased in having a soft spot for these two married authors, as they cohost a lovely podcast that features many an mm author and related events. This was definitely a win despite the little angst involving Aaron’s past relationship baggage making him afraid to take a chance at love. Both these characters were very likeable guys, and I fell hard for Caleb - Aaron never had a chance at resisting for very long! So high five for a great contemporary romance with equally some great sexy and nary a complaint! I look forward to this duo’s next endeavor!!



Thank you to the authors/publisher for the audio in exchange for an honest review

Giveaway + Release Blitz: Whisper (Skins #2) by Garrett Leigh

Celebrate the release of Whisper (Skins #2) with Garrett Leigh & Signal Boost Promotions! Find out more about this contemporary romance and enter for your chance to win a backlist ebook from the author! Good luck!

Universal Buy Link

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Length: 260 pages

Skins Series

Dream (Book #1) - Universal Buy Link

Blurb

Standalone second book in the Skins series.


Lonely physiotherapist Harry Foster has the world at his feet. A full client list, a six figure Instagram following, and a publishing deal for a book he doesnít have time to write until his agent offers him a breakóa retreat to the wild south west coast.


Cornish horseman Joe Carter is lonely too. Rescuing horses and managing Whisper Farm takes up most of his days, and by night he plays chicken with the farmís perilous bank accounts.


At his sisterís unwelcome suggestion, he rents his only bedroom to a bloke from the city, and when Harry arrives, heís everything Joe isnítócalm, patient, and gorgeous enough to be exactly the kind of distraction Joe doesnít need.


Harry doesnít have time for distractions eitheróeven shirtless farmers riding bareback past his bedroom windowóbut his moody host proves impossible to ignore.


On paper, they have nothing in common, but Joe is beautifulÖglorious, and when an accident puts his life in Harryís healing hands, the whisper of true love is inevitable. If the trouble that put the farm on its knees in the first place doesnít get in the way.

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.


Garrett's debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.


When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.


Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with photographer Dan Burgess.


Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh

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Review: Forged in Fire (Asheville Arcana #2) by Ari McKay

The magic touch.

Ever since Harlan Edgewood was bitten by a possessed werewolf, his monthly shifts have been agonizing. When he meets Whimsy Hickes—a mage who specializes in transformation—the attraction is mutual. But Harlan believes his curse is too great a burden to inflict on any romantic partner.

Fortunately, Whimsy thinks he can help.

When Harlan is provoked into an unexpected change, Whimsy uses his magic to help ease Harlan's pain, but with an unexpected consequence. While he's shifted, Harlan's wolf claims Whimsy as his mate.

As they draw closer, suspicious events in the Asheville magical community escalate. Shifters are disappearing, others are murdered, and Harlan's curse makes him an obvious target. It will take all of Whimsy's magic to force back the rising evil—and if he fails, Harlan will lose not only his life, but his very soul.

Admittedly, I quite liked the first book in this series, but I enjoyed this sequel even more!

It’s been a year since the events in Out of the Ashes, and the shifter and supernatural community in Asheville is slowly recovering from the horrible havoc wrought by a group of demon possessed werewolves. Because it was felt that things were left unfinished, that there’s a more nefarious plan in the works, bonded mates Arden and Eli and their friends are still on high alert for what they feel is another inevitable attack.

One of these allies is Arden’s bff Whimsy. He’s a pretty powerful mage and has been beefing up his magical skills just in case. When Whimsy meets Harlan (Eli’s coworker), the attraction is instant, and he realizes that Harlan is not a werewolf but a lycanthrope, a born-human who was bitten and thus subjected to the torturous moon driven change monthly, something that Harlan has no control over. Whimsy, being the caring gentle soul that he is, offers to help Harlan through his transformation, and Harlan can hardly believe his luck at a chance at reprieve from the painful curse he’s been saddled with for the last 300 years. However, Harlan’s wolf is also piqued by his and Whimsy's mutual attraction, and he balks at the possibility of losing control and hurting anyone, let alone Whimsy.

Thus, this is all about Harlan and his struggle with wanting to be with Whimsy and his need to prevent him harm by his dual nature. However, Whimsy is no weakling, and he’s determined to give aid, whether Harlan accepts it or not. What they both never expect though, is for Harlan to claim Whimsy as his mate. What’s a 300 plus year old virgin to do? Well… what ensues is a seriously sweet and caring courting between these two. In and amongst all this loveliness is of course, insistent evil doers still being sinister.

Very easy reading, quite low on the angst, if you want simple unpretentious with a good dose of supernatural sexy thrown in, then I think this series will go down quite nicely. This really excels at likeable and endearing characters who care about each other and their community and are willing to risk a lot to prevent doom and gloom. Harlan is a fabulous gentle giant, respectful, old fashioned and just so darn good, he contrasts well with Whimsy who has a bit of fire in him that fuels his strong nurturing instincts. Like the first book, the current conflict is resolved, but the overall arc is still ongoing, and I really look forward to seeing grumpy vamp Julian, be the next one to get his long desired HEA!


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

Check out the Forged in Fire release blitz HERE!

Review: Stand by Your Manny (The Mannies #3) by Amy Lane

Learning to trust and falling in love.

Sammy Lowell has his hands full juggling his music, college, some pesky health problems, and making the uncles who raised him proud. He needs help fulfilling his after-school duties with his siblings. Nobody can be in two places at once—not even Sammy!

An injury puts Cooper Hoskins in a tough spot—if he can’t work, the foster sister he’s raising can’t eat. But years in the foster system have left Cooper short on trust, and opening up to accept help isn’t easy.

Luckily, family intervenes—Cooper needs a job so he can care for Felicity, and Sammy needs someone who can see past his illness to the wonderful things he has planned for his life. Each heals the damaged places in the other’s heart. But falling in love is a big responsibility for young men deep in family already. Can the two of them get past their fear of the immediate future to see forever with each other?

I am so in love with The Mannies series and knew reading about Sammy finding love would be amazing and I was right. Cooper is the perfect fit for him and he and his sister Felicity are a match for the Lowell-Grayson clan.

This book was really emotional for me, yeah I know that’s nothing new, but with Sammy and his aplastic anemia and how much Cooper took care of him, made me think of my son and his newly diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes. It’s not a bother to care for those you love, regardless of the type of love, and seeing Sammy struggle with trying to be all adult and take care of himself made my heart ache as a mom. But thankfully Sammy has his uncles who would move the world for him and the love of Cooper to make sure he is healthy and doing everything he can to stay that way.

So…

I adored this book but that should be a given because I love the Lowell-Grayson-Robbins clan with their mass amount of children and the needed flow chart for them all but I get a kick out of reading every story in this series.
I am going to keep this review short so I don’t ramble on and on.

Cooper is a boy who has always felt unwanted from his mother abandoning him to the numerous foster families that just didn’t care. When his last foster sister runs away twice to be with him, he takes her in even though it’s not quite legal and Felicity becomes everything to Cooper. But when Cooper takes a fall off the roof and needs taking care of himself, his boss Brandon and Brandon’s hot boyfriend Taylor introduce him to the one family that always has room for one more to love.

Sammy, we met in the first book as Channing’s nephew who opened the door on a Wednesday night hoping everything would start over when the Dinner Box girl came and instead, he opened the door to Tino who would become his new Uncle and the love of Channing’s life. Sammy has known struggle and privilege through his uncles but never let himself be ungrateful for it. When Brandon suggests Cooper be the new manny for Sammy’s younger siblings as a way for him to recoup from his injuries and give Felicity a stable home, the pieces all fall into place and young love finds its way.

This was so stinking sweet and I liked getting to know Cooper and Sammy as they fell in love. Both young men are inexperienced in everything beyond kissing and really take their time with one another and each intimate moment is so special. I got a kick out of Tino being himself with all his wisdom and how he had to calm Channing down. It was such a pleasure to see more of them as well as Brandon and Taylor who get a special bit at the end.

This series is all about family and how it chooses you, you aren’t born into it. Cooper learns to love those who care about him and trust they won’t disappear and Sammy learns he can love and depend on someone who doesn’t consider him a bother.

These two were just adorable as heck and I can’t wait for the next book…Dustin and Quin??? Really? Bring it on, Amy Lane. Bring it on.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Diego's Secret by Bryan T. Clark

Welcome author Bryan T. Clark and Signal Boost Promotions to the clubhouse as they celebrate the release of Diego's Secret! Learn more about the contemporary romance today and enter in the giveaway! You could win a $25 Amazon gift card!

Universal Buy Link

Cover Design: Krista Lynn Design

Length: 80,921 words

Blurb

Can love conquer our deepest secrets and fears?


Are the challenges worth the struggle?


Eight years ago, at the age of seventeen, Diego Castillo came to the United States illegally from Mexico. Working long hours in the family landscaping business, he now shares a tiny apartment with his two machismo brothers in Southern California. Diego has worked hard to keep his desires for other men a secret from his brothers. He’s worked just as hard to keep his undocumented status a secret from the world he now lives in.


Thirty-two-year-old Winston Makena is beautiful, intelligent, and intimidating. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but no amount of money can relieve the enormous grief he is suffering from his husband’s sudden death. He is one of Diego’s best accounts and lives a life in stark contrast to his gardener’s. Winston’s wealthy upbringing has influenced his ideas, leading him to certain biases.


Winston believes he could never love again. Diego believes that his family’s lives depend on him keeping his secrets. What neither of them know is that the heart knows no such boundaries. Will social divisions, ideology, and secrets destroy both their chances for happiness?


Can love really conquer all?

Author Bio

Bryan Thomas Clark is a funny, loving, family-oriented, and proud member of the LGBTQ community. After twenty-seven years in law enforcement, Bryan retired in 2015 to focus on his writing full time. Behind his computer, working on his next novel, Bryan writes Romance with real emotions that represent the moral dilemma that his characters face in their pursuit of love. He brilliantly weaves real life situations filled with difficult challenges, where his vibrant characters experience personal growth, and of course, what we all desire, lasting love.

Author’s website: www.btclark.com

Twitter: @BryanTClarkx2

Facebook: BryanTclarkauthor@facebook.com

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

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/7875459.Bryan_T_Clark.com

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