Audiobook Review: Five Minutes Longer (Enhanced World #1) by Victoria Sue

Talon Valdez knew when he transformed into an enhanced human, his life and his dreams were finished. Reviled, mistrusted, and often locked away, the enhanced were viewed as monsters, despised by the public, and never trusted to serve in the military or any law enforcement agency.

Years later he gets a chance to set up a task force of enhanced to serve in the FBI, but with one proviso: each enhanced must partner with a regular human.

Finn Mayer dreamed of joining the FBI from the time he was fourteen and made every possible sacrifice to make it happen, including living with his selfish mother and bullying, homophobic brother and never having a boyfriend. But his undiagnosed dyslexia stopped his aspirations dead in their tracks. His last chance is to partner with Talon, an enhanced with deadly abilities who doesn’t trust regular humans with their secrets and wants Finn to fail.

Four weeks to prove himself to the team. Four weeks for the team to prove itself to the public. And when another group threatens their success—and their lives are at stake—four weeks for them to survive.

Listening Length: 7 hours and 36 minutes 
Narrator: Nick J. Russo

I'm fifty-eleventy nine years late to this series... but I really liked this first slice of the Enhanced World.

Late like a boss

Finally.

Set in modern day America where a certain percentage of the US population transform in their preteens (or earlier) with a scar on their face and special powers (aka Enhanced), I couldn't help but be entranced by the plot. It was giving me Marvel vibes a little and me likey X-Men, so win-win.

Finn Mayer is a dyslexic human FBI wannabe with a shitty family background and suckier life. He's from small town Iowa and hides his sexuality from everyone, making him a virgin who wants to experience life anywhere but there. Finn gets the break he never knew he was looking for with a test trial of a special FBI department. Finn has four weeks to partner with Enhanced males to help fight crime.

Finn's partner is the leader of the small group, Talon Valdez who has the special power to slow the body down to kill. Talon seems to hate Finn on sight. America has been cruel to Enhanced (go figure?) Treating anything that is different as less than second class citizens... even the children. Sounds familiar?

But there's more under the surface of just one special power for each Enhanced. And while Finn and Talon battle Talon's asshattedness, there are missing Enhanced children, hate from opposing parties clogging up the news and the team trying to see if Finn is a regular human they can trust.

The action, mystery? It never stops and pulled me in. Mixed in with Finn's goodness, it made for a great listen.

I think I like Nick J. Russo as a narrator. He does give good enough emotion to the characters and changes the one to help distinguish each person. Though as I listened I couldn't help but imagine different voices for some characters namely Nolan Dakota who sounded a little cartoonish villain-y. It would through me off some when he was in a scene. But the story keep me entertained that, I looked for traffic to listen to more during my drives.

A sign that the audio book is a solid listen for me.

I have to say I enjoyed the action plot more than the romance. I believed in it a little more than Talon and Finn. I like them as a couple but I don't think they've begun to scratch the surface. The L word was thrown around in personal thoughts and I question if they're really there yet. The book spans a few weeks. I need more to believe we get someone who was saving it for 24 years to lose it just as quickly and fall in love. Granted, there were life & death situations thrown in there but... I wanted more. Talon did a lot of pushing away instead of communicating with his partner. They did manage to fit in a few sexy times (even while one of them battles a concussion)

But only sex does not a relationship make. I think Talon and Finn can balance each other out with more time. Five Minutes Longer does end with a HFN vibe.

(I see book #2 features the main couple again. I hope I get to see more of what I think these two can bring to the table.)

Guess that means I'm down for the rest of the series. ;)

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Superpowered Love: Reloaded by Katey Hawthorne

Welcome author Katey Hawthorne & the Superpowered Love: Reloaded blog tour to Boy Meets Boy Reviews! Learn more about the super powered series and the latest release and enter in the giveaway to win a $10 Amazon gift card (TWO WINNERS)

Take it away, Katey!

Superpowered Mishaps


Thanks for having me during my Superpowered Love: Reloaded tour! The third book in my Superpowered Love series, Nobody’s Hero, just dropped the other day at Less Than Three Press. Yay! All the books can be read in any order, but technically speaking the fun with wild powers begins in book one, Equilibrium, which is full of friends-to-lovers feels and electrical mishaps. Because what’s worse than not knowing why you’re suddenly throwing lightning from your fingers? The lightning being out of control, that’s what.



So here’s an excerpt to give you a taste of the situation. Also some very weird flirting from Hansen’s best friend and fellow superpowered dude, Sam. On whom he’s totally not crushing hard. Nope. Not even a little…

[Sam said,] "Sorry about this morning."

I stood hunched under his arm awkwardly for a second before I finally put mine around him in return, behind his back and bent at the elbow, so my hand was on his near shoulder. He loved soft T-shirts, which didn't do much to save me from feeling the smooth, tight motion of his delt when he adjusted his stance. "My fault," I said. "Game theory paper's making me into an even bigger prick than usual."

"Pfft. I'm just a little stressed."

"I called Mom. She says she'll come down Monday night."

He squeezed me and turned his eyes on the flashing jukebox, but he wasn't looking at it so much as through it. "Shit, if it weren't for you guys—"

"Forget it. You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah. Just—Like, you ever date someone for a while, and then realize you don't like them the way you thought you did?"

Whoa. Missed a left turn at Albuquerque there, buddy. "Uh…"

"Like, Nessa's great. But I don't know. Not much there now that the hormones have burned out on it." He let go of me and started pushing buttons on the box, flipping the pages of CDs on the inside one after the other.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Sam?"

He snorted. "She's hot, but whatever. And she's definitely not interested anymore, but girls never care about that shit. She thinks she knows me"—he rolled his eyes—"so we have some connection."

"So, connection, but no sex. You're in the friend zone…with your girlfriend?" Not that the friend zone was a real thing. Still, served the bastard right. I bit my lip before I could say anything else. Took a step away while I was at it.

He sighed. "But what I'm saying is that I don't even care. This morning, she—"

A bright blue flash cut him off. His fingers were lit up, clothed in tiny leaping strings of white-hot lightning. It raced to his fingertips all at once and arced to the jukebox, like he was shooting it on purpose, like he'd practiced and refined it to an art form.

Electricity popped, audible even over the buzz and music, and the thing burst into flames. I didn't even think; my body just reacted—I shoved my hand into the fire, sensing the vibrations and focusing hard. It was hot, yeah, but I could do hot so long as I was ready for it. It's hard to burn a thermal manipulator alive without a chemical additive. Lucky for me I hadn't had enough beer to dull my abilities.

A lifetime of training rushed at me, the old tactic Mom had drilled into me back in my Little League days. I visualized the vibrating atoms in the air and plastic like tiny baseballs, but instead of trying to knock them out of the park—adding more energy, as was my natural instinct, no metaphor required—it was like bunting, removing the energy, slowing them down. I can't get things actually cool to the touch, but I can work within a certain heat range, enough to stifle some of it before the flame got too far.

My head swam with the exertion. Reversal is hard as hell unless you're a real badass, but I stayed on my feet. I looked to Sam finally. He was frozen, dark eyes wide and horrified, mouth open.

"Sam." Unthinking, I put a hand—the one that had just been in the fire—on his arm. It was still hot enough that he jumped and looked down in surprise, but not enough that he pulled away.

It woke him out of his stupor, though. He gave a little yelp. "Shit. What the shit was that?"

"It's okay." I hoped it sounded more confident than it felt. I'd had no idea he could arc like that. Uncle Kristoff could do it, but that was what his looked like after forty years of practice. Uncle Neil—well, Mom said he used to do it naturally.

It wasn't a powers fuck-up like this that had gotten Neil killed, not directly. But close enough that it made my skin crawl when the comparison came to mind. I hoped to Christ no one had seen, but first things first. "Don't worry about it. Just an accident."

Sam shook his head so his hair flopped into his eyes. His arm tensed, his entire body pulling in on itself.

I moved closer, both hands on his shoulders and using my best serene voice. "Sammy, calm down, okay? Just relax. They'll just think it was an electrical fire."

"It was a fucking—"

Movement caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I looked to our right, away from the box.

Vanessa and Trent were there, watching. Nessa's eyes were wide, her face pale. Trent looked like he'd seen a ghost, pale and gray-lipped.

Sam had seen them too. Must've been why he cut himself off.

Nessa kind of shook herself and came to us. "You okay, Sam?"

He shook his head but said, "Yeah. Yeah, fine."

I let him go and tried to step back, but he grabbed my arm and held me there.

"That looked…kind of scary," Nessa said.

Trent ambled up behind her, eyeing the jukebox with extreme suspicion. When he turned his gaze on me, a tingle ran up my spine. He'd seen it all. Had he somehow known what it meant? Unlikely, but not impossible. Shit, there had to be a way to ask without outing us completely, right?

But Sam was looking at me too, and the panic in his eyes took precedence. If he was flipping arcs when he was calm, what the hell would happen when he panicked?

"Yeah, crazy fucking jukebox exploded. Almost killed him," I said. "Dude, you wanna get out of this death trap? Go home, relax?"

"Yeah. Good idea. Look, Ness, I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

She nodded dumbly, and I felt her eyes on us the whole time we were making our way out.

Please, please don't let her have seen too. Please, please don't let Trent know.


Superpowered Love: Re-loaded! Blog Tour

The Superpowered Love series (http://www.kateyhawthorne.com/p/superpowered-love.html) explores the mixed-up love lives of the “awakened”, humans with awakened thermal or electrical superpowers.

December 26 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

December 27 – Love Bytes

December 28 – My Fiction Nook

December 29 – Boy Meets Boy

January 1 – Joyfully Jay

January 4 – MM Midnight Café

January 7 – Bayou Book Junkie

January 9 – Diverse Reader

January 11 – Eroticaforall.co.uk


Superpowered Love 3: Nobody's Hero

Jamie Monday lives in two different worlds. With his family, he's the golden child of awakened superpowered society. He's meant to do great things and pass on his powers—with the appropriate girl, hand-picked by his mother. He's already failed at the first, so he can't bring himself to tell her the wife and children aren't happening either.


With his friends, he's the social director and life of the party. He's also an out gay man with an appetite for quick and easy lays. It's tough to have a relationship when you're hiding off-the-charts electrical powers, but Jamie doesn't mind.


Not until the prickly, paddy rocking, geeky-hot new guy at work shows him what he's been missing. Kellan's singular combination of dirty mouth and pure soul makes Jamie spark right from the beginning. But if he's going to overcome Kelly's defensive front and reach the gentle heart inside, Jamie will first have to come to terms with his own divided lives.


http://www.kateyhawthorne.com/p/nobodys-hero.html

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About the Author: Katey Hawthorne is an avid reader and writer of superpowered and paranormal romance, even though the only degree she holds is in the history of art. (Or, possibly, because the only degree she holds is in the history of art.) Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Ohio with her family, two cats, and one very large puppy. She lives at http://www.kateyhawthorne.com.

Tag Team Review: Christmas Angel (The Christmas Angel #1) by Eli Easton

When John Trent, a dedicated member of the new Bow Street Runners, finds an exquisite carved angel floating in the Thames, he can’t stop thinking about it. He tracks down its creator, a sad and quiet young sculptor. But neither the angel nor the sculptor is done with John just yet. The blasted angel refuses to leave him be, behaving not at all like an inanimate object should.

Alec Allston is resigned to the fact that his love will ever be a river that flows out and never flows in. All he wanted to do was create a special gift so that a small part of himself could be with his unattainable and noble beloved, always. But when the gift keeps showing back up at his shop in the hands of a windblown and rugged thief-taker, Alec will need to reconsider his conviction that love is destined to remain an aethereal ideal.

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 4 Hearts

A perfect start to this historical series loosely tied by a magical Christmas angel!

See how it all begins with the angel’s creation as Alec pours his heartfelt emotions, desire, and love into making the figurine as a token to a man he can never have. What Alec doesn’t expect is to be rejected, only to have the discarded angel brought back to him by ruggedly handsome “lawman” John, who’s instantly intrigued and taken with the artist.

What ensues is really quite the endearing courting, culminating in Alec and John spending the holiday together solidifying their new love, something they never thought themselves worthy or able to have - all thanks to a persistent angel who wouldn’t let them pass each other by.

Overall, just a feel good, smexy lite, emotional and touching holiday romance!

Chelsea - 4.5 Hearts

Ah Eli Easton…. there is something magical about her Christmas stories and in this case it came in the form of romance and a mischievous angel.

This is my favourite of the series so far and it's the first if you're reading it in order.

Unrequited love really rather sucks and Alec has got a bad case of it. Alec is a very sweet, naive and innocent character. He fell in love young, gives his whole heart away and believes almost everything that is said to him. So living with this unrequited love has taken its toll on him and he's doomed himself to a life of loneliness and misery, that is until big brawny and incredibly sweet Bow Street runner John comes into his shop and life.

John is such a cool character, built like a brick house, tough as nails but so gentle and so sweet to all those he loves and he falls for Alec's pixie face almost immediately? Of course that's helped along by a magical angel/homo love guide.

The angel was great in this one, once again obvious in her appearances but never stole the limelight away from Alec and John.

These two take their time courting and falling in love, like most Eli Easton stories, then like most Eli Easton's stories there's a surprisingly super sexy sex scene which leaves you sweating.

Loved it!

I'll reread this one again at another Christmas time.

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

Giveaway + Release Blitz: Something About Jace (Pineapple Grove #1) by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Celebrate the release of Something About Jace with authors Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott and Indigo Marketing. Find out more about this contemporary romance, read an excerpt and enter in the giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card below! Good luck!

Title: Something About Jace

Series: Pineapple Grove #1

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake & Elliott, LLC

Release Date: December 28, 2018

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 63k

Genre: Romance

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Synopsis

Gallery owner Jace Townsend loves his
tiny hometown of Pineapple Grove, deep in South Florida. His life is filled
with sunshine, blue skies, jogging on the beach with his dog, and the greatest
friends a guy could want. What more could he ask for?

Love would be a great start. After his
last relationship fell apart, Jace has begun to wonder if he’s ever going to
find someone who would fit into his quiet life.

Of course, the last person who would fit
into his life is a major movie star.

Trent Elrige is drowning. He’s
constantly on the go from one movie obligation to the next. And after the last
stalker got a little too close for comfort, Trent decides it’s time to take a
step back and figure out what he’s doing with his life.

Pineapple Grove seemed the perfect spot
to hide for six months and figure out his future. He just wasn’t expecting to
be tackled by love so quickly.

But now that he’s found Jace, is he
willing to risk everything he’s worked so hard for? And is Jace willing to walk
away from his precious Pineapple Grove to be with Trent?

Excerpt

As they continued down the block, Trent
kept his head down as the random car passed them, so no one could clearly see
his face in the splash of headlights. It hit him then—that he was fooling
himself. He wanted a normal life with quiet nights, but could he have that?
He’d traded privacy for fame when he’d been a teenager. Yeah, too young to
realize what he was giving up, but he couldn’t fool himself into thinking he
hadn’t entirely known what he was getting into.

And he did love his life—loved acting
and all the travel. But he also was ready to have a real home. Was that even
possible?

The thought made him tired all of a
sudden. Tired of having to watch every little thing he did. He glanced at Jace
often as they kept to the shadows and made their way back to his house, his
heart achingly heavy. Even Ripley seemed to get that they were trying to escape
notice as she trotted along quietly ahead of them, her head up and alert for
new people.

Before they reached his back patio, Jace
stopped him with a hand on his lower back. “You worried they’re going to figure
out where you live?”

“No, I think we lost them.”

“You got quiet on me. If you’re worried
that was the sort of thing to chase me off, don’t. I…like you. And I’m not
ready for whatever this is to stop. We’ve had dinner only twice, and I really
think we should continue to give kissing a try.”

He stared at him for several moments,
realizing he hadn’t even been thinking of what kind of hardship anyone who
tried having a life with him would experience. Of course, he’d thought of it
before, but his thoughts had been a little more on the selfish side tonight. He
just had so much to work through.

As he stared at this gorgeous man with
his brown eyes, he realized nothing had to be figured out just then, and his
morose mood faded away. “Good, because I’m not either.” He grabbed Jace’s hand
and tugged him into the house. Ripley trotted in after them and lay down on the
rug between the living and dining rooms.

Since the place had about a million
windows, Trent flipped off the light as the door slammed behind them. Jace’s
laughter pulled him in so hard and fast, he grabbed the man and slanted his
mouth over his. He licked along his bottom lip until Jace opened for him with a
low growl in the back of his throat. They kissed for long, slow moments before
pulling back, their gazes catching in the moonlight and locking as heat flared.

Something passed between them then,
something that had Trent catching his breath and Jace’s eyes widening. It made
Trent feel like he had butterflies in his chest.

Before he could take another deep
breath, they went back at each other like they were starving, tongues stroking in
a way that had all Trent’s blood flowing south.

Purchase at Amazon

Meet the Authors

 

Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott have teamed up to combine their evil genius to create intense gay romantic suspense stories that have car chases, shoot outs, explosions, scorching hot love scenes, and tender, tear-jerking moments. Their first joint books are in the Unbreakable Bonds series.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | eMail

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Audiobook Review: Under a Blue Moon (Camp H.O.W.L. #2) by Bru Baker

Once in a blue moon, opposites find they’re a perfect match.

Nick Perry is tired of helping people with their marriages, so when a spot opens up to work with teens at Camp H.O.W.L., he jumps at it. He doesn’t expect to fall in lust with the dreamy new camp doctor, Drew Welch. But Drew is human, and Nick has seen secrets ruin too many relationships to think that a human/werewolf romance can go anywhere.

Happy-go-lucky Drew may not sprout claws, but he’s been part of the Were community all his life. He has no trouble fitting in at the camp—except for Nick’s stubborn refusal to acknowledge the growing attraction between them and his ridiculous stance on dating humans. Fate intervenes when one of his private practice patients threatens Drew’s life. Will the close call help Nick to see a connection like theirs isn’t something to let go of?

Listening Length: 6 hours and 40 minutes
Narrator: Dorian Bane

Keeping with a similar storyline both in tone and theme, some might appreciate this while others might not.


As with the first book, this centers around the quasi-secretive camp that helps transition and support werewolves going through their first change, focusing mostly on the various staff members who take care of these young adults. This time around it’s all about new employees Nick and Drew, who are ready to dive into their jobs as counselor and medical doctor respectively. These two meet at the airport when their flight is delayed and lustily hook up during their overnight layover. Though both think the other is hot hot hot, they don’t bother getting each other’s deets, thinking their one night stand will simply remain a fond memory.


However, life never goes as planned, and both Drew and Nick are quite surprised to see the other at Camp HOWL. The blurb describes the conflict perfectly. Despite their strong attraction and connection, Nick adamantly refuses to give into his desire for Drew, thinking Drew being a human will predispose a future relationship towards inevitable failure.

What Nick can’t wrap his obstinate head around is the fact that Drew is well acquainted with all things werewolf, having been raised by a pack since he was a young child. There’s pretty much nothing that Drew doesn’t already know or can’t anticipate, yet Nick resists and resists and resists some more.


Personally, I found all this self denial a bit tiresome (just like I think some found Tate’s resistance in Camp HOWL equally so), but if one knows that going in or enjoys this sort of conflict, then there shouldn’t be any issue at all.


This series continues to be narrated by Dorian Bane, and he seamlessly brings consistency to repeat characters. Bane’s enthusiasm is infectious and he aptly showcases the humor, elevating my rating by keeping me engaged. Nick might be a stubborn ass, but he’s put in his place multiple times over by the feisty Drew, and that was highly entertaining.


I’m definitely the odd man out regarding the love for this sequel. Admittedly, this had some nice shifter undertones of proprietary claiming and protective mate vibes but overall, this fell short for me due to having a comparable conflict to the first book. While I’m hoping for something different in the next installment, I don’t think that will happen. Oh well. Maybe my mood will change by then when I get to it!

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

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Come Back (The District Line #3) by CF White

Author C.F. White and Signal Boost Promotions celebrate the release of Come Back (The District Line #3)! Check it out and enter in the eBook giveaway of Kick Off (The District Line #1)!

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited


Length: 91,000 words approx.


The District Line Series


Book #1 - Kick Off - Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book #2 - Break Through - Amazon US | Amazon UK


Blurb


The bigger you become, the harder you fall. 

Sebastian Saunders is a rising rock star. Jay Ruttman is a Premier League football player. Their year-long relationship is hot commodity. Hounded by the press and fans alike, the lovers struggle to keep their private lives private.


Flying high in the charts and having Jay by his side, Seb is finally living his dream. But Jay’s new, promising career is threatened when a horrific injury on the pitch has him side lined—not only in the game but also in his relationship with Seb.

Jay’s crippling self-destruction spirals out of control, tearing them apart. To move forward, both men must learn to leave their past behind—not so easy when it keeps coming back to haunt them.


Can their hard-fought relationship survive the ultimate test?


This is the concluding part to the District Line series where the full-time whistle could signal an end to their turbulent journey… or is it just the beginning?


About The Author


Brought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.


Studying at a West London university, she realised there was a whole city out there waiting to be discovered, so, much like Dick Whittington before her, she never made it back home and still endlessly searches for the streets paved with gold, slowly coming to the realisation they’re mostly paved with chewing gum. And the odd bit of graffiti. And those little circles of yellow spray paint where the council point out the pot holes to someone who is supposedly meant to fix them instead of staring at them vacantly whilst holding a polystyrene cup of watered-down coffee.


She eventually moved West to East along that vast District Line and settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.


Having worked in Higher Education for most of her career, a life-altering experience brought pen back to paper after she’d written stories as a child but never had the confidence to show them to the world. Having embarked on this writing malarkey, C F White cannot stop. So strap in, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride...


You can follow C F on Facebook and Twitter and check out her Website.

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Guest Review: Mr. October (Calendar Men #10) by Bailey Bradford

It’s not just the ghosties and the ghouls that you’ve got to watch out for on Halloween!

Jerome is an artist—in his opinion, anyway. Not everyone would agree that what he does is art, but he’d beg to differ. He has a niche following and his business picks up around Halloween. When a handsome stranger walks into his gallery, the attraction that crackles to life between them is instantaneous, and scarier than anything Jerome has ever created.

He’s quirky and possibly downright weird, but for some reason, the sexy doctor seems to be into him. Jerome isn’t sure he can trust the feelings developing between them, and when someone decides Jerome’s studio needs to go, he fears he’ll never have the chance to see what kind of life he could have with Kaito.

Kaito Yoshida is a successful pediatric oncologist, and a complicated man. As serious as any doctor in his position while working, he’s missed out on a lot of things in his personal life. An encounter that, at first, is mortifying, leads to Kaito daring to take a step he’s never bothered to take before.

He doesn’t expect to fall for Jerome Johnson, or for Jerome to fall for him.

And neither of them expect the obstacles they will encounter on the way to love.

Reviewer: Shee Reader

Jerome is lonely. He’s sure he’ll never find love until Kato walks in to his studio one day. Unfortunately, Kato also has a hideously behaved boyfriend with him, but if you know Bailey’s writing, you know the man-child will not be stamping his foot at Kato for long! Once he’s dispatched, Kato decides to go back to the artist’s gallery and apologise. Luckily for Jerome, that’s not the only reason!!

Soon romance is in the air and we know it will end well for these two lovely men, despite all the typical calendar men series dramas along the way.

I have enjoyed every book in this series and this one is no exception. I like that Jerome is a shifter and that is just part of who he is. The common thread of all the men who posed for the charity calendar finding love amongst the drama is a beautiful one.

Like the other, this book is short-ish, very sexy and rather sweet with a solid HEA at the end. It’s nice to see the interlinking lives and characters in there well told stories.

Recommended!

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

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Finding Aurora by Rebecca Langham

Author Rebecca Langham and IndiGo Marketing celebrate the fantasy release, Finding Aurora! Find out more about the action fairy tale and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!

Title: Finding Aurora

Author: Rebecca Langham

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: December 24, 2018

Heat Level: 1 - No Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 20500

Genre: Fantasy, royalty, magic, action, fantasy, fairy tale

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Synopsis

Aurora Rose slumbers in the city of Oldpass, a cursed kingdom once allied with Grimvein. The victim of a malicious spell, she is powerless to control her own fate. At least, that’s how the story goes.

Now, as Grimvein faces attack, Prince Amir has been tasked with the life-threatening rescue of Aurora, his parents hopeful he will marry the princess and secure safety for their kingdom. Talia, the strongest spellcaster in the known lands, protects and guides the prince in his quest to save a woman that threatens to change their lives forever.

In finding Aurora, the pair will realise the truth about themselves and each other, coming to understand just what—and who—they really want in life.

Excerpt

Finding Aurora
Rebecca Langham © 2018
All Rights Reserved

I doubt there was even one person in Grimvein who hadn’t heard the story of the sleeping princess. There were those who claimed she’d died a century ago and the curse was merely a story to maintain hope of her well-being. Amir and I knew better. Somewhere beneath the layers of magic and goddess-knew-how-many demonic guardians in Oldpass, Princess Aurora Rose slept. The problem was getting to her.

“Looks like the map was accurate.” Amir tucked the frayed parchment inside his leather vest and then stepped closer to the colossal boulder in front of us. “This entry is well concealed. Most people would walk right by without realising.”

I had to agree. We were deep within the forest to the east of Oldpass. The path we’d been following for over a week had disappeared hours earlier, replaced by mossy undergrowth and grasses. The sweet scent of drenched wisteria had been overpowering, though not as overpowering as the menacing darkness that seemed to swallow natural sounds one would expect to hear in such a place. No birds twittering. No dripping condensation. Not even so much as a rustling branch. If not for Amir’s orienteering skill and the importance of our quest, I’d have turned back.

“Does it open the old-fashioned way, Highness?” I indicated the door with my chin. Embedded in the rock and camouflaged, the ingress was almost unnoticeable, but we could make out the bevelled edges.

I sensed no magic surrounding the rock formation, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t any. I might have been one of the strongest casters in the five kingdoms, but I was still mortal. There’s only so much one person confined by flesh can know. Or see. Or do.

Amir ran his hand through his shoulder-length black hair. His rather wonderful, lustrous, shoulder-length black hair.

“Let’s see.” He pressed both his palms against the smooth surface, bracing his feet against the leaf-covered ground. Something whirred deep inside the boulder and clicked as though a latch had been released. He stepped back as the rectangular slab skulked off to the side, like a sword disappearing into its sheath. “It appears the answer would be yes, it does open the old-fashioned way. Sort of.”

“I must admit, I had my doubts.”

“As did I,” he replied, scratching at the stubble on his chin. In all the years I’d been acquainted with the prince, he’d always been clean-shaven, and the rugged growth on his face, as charming as it looked, seemed to irritate him more and more. “It seems too convenient there could be an underground passage that would take us beneath the outer walls.” His hands held on to the rock as he leaned forward, peering inside. His soft leather boots gripped his defined calves as he did. “It’s quite dark in here. Do you have that magnificent bauble of yours?” He withdrew from the opening and turned to face me.

I gaped at him. “Prince Amir, the moonbeam stone is no mere bauble. And yes, of course I do. I’ll let the honour of first entry be yours.”

He bowed slightly, his hand over his heart. “Why, thank you, caster.” He returned his attention to the opening. “In we go.”

I followed him closely as we left the fresh air and crunching leaves of the forest behind. Inside, the darkness was thick and the air acrid. I slipped my moonbeam stone out of a pouch clipped to my belt. With a thought, I willed it to life. A soft yellow light emanated from the stone.

“Oh no,” I said. As though the enclosed room had heard me, the door behind us slid outward from its cavity, closing fast and hard.

“It seems we’re trapped.” Typical Amir. Always so calm. He walked around the room. “But surely there is a way from here into the tunnel. This must be a kind of annex.” I admired the fact that no matter how hopeless or scared Amir might have felt, he was always able to focus on the task at hand, putting his feelings aside until a more appropriate time presented itself.

“Mmmhmm.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, willing away the tension that had taken up residence there. I grabbed the small flask attached to my belt, just above my left hip. The water soothed my throat and afforded a distraction from the momentary sense of panic.

“Talia, I need your help over here,” Amir said. His voice was steady, but the shade of his cheeks betrayed bubbling anxiety.

“Yes, Highness.” I took one more sip of water from my flask, clipped it onto my leather belt, and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. By the goddess, that place was hot. I wondered if we might have found the first level of the underworld rather than the subterranean passageway into Oldpass.

“That’s twice in as many minutes,” Amir said, gently elbowing me as I joined him. “I keep telling you to stop calling me that. We’ve been travelling together for over two weeks. The formalities are unnecessary by now, wouldn’t you agree?” He smiled, and I couldn’t help but smile back. As the Leading Caster of Grimvein, I’d been assigned to help Amir on a journey the public needed to believe he’d taken on his own. So far, my magical services had been of little use, aside from starting a few campfires when we were especially impatient to eat our evening meal.

“Yes, Highness.” I bit my lower lip. “Amir. Sorry, it’s a force of habit.”

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Meet the Author

Rebecca Langham lives in the Blue Mountains (Australia) with her partner, three children, and menagerie of pets. A Xenite, a Whovian and all-round general nerd, she’s a lover of science fiction, comic books, and caffeine. When she isn’t teaching History to high schoolers or wrangling children, Rebecca enjoys playing broomball and reading.

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Guest Review: Sugar Cookies and Mistletoe by Kay Doherty

Preston believed he would never find his mate. When he finally does, he’s in for a surprise. His mate, Dylan, is a rare omega wolf-shifter, but he’s still a child himself. Due to the unusual circumstances, the families agree to keep Preston and Dylan separated, only allowing monitored emails to be exchanged between them. Six years later, Dylan returns to the wolf-shifter town of Barton, and Preston. With Christmas just around the corner, it’s the perfect time for Dylan to meet the Callahan Pack, reunite with his mate, and figure out exactly what his omega status means for his future with Preston.

Reviewer: Shee Reader

This is a short, sweet and endearingly sexy book despite that Preston the Alpha finds his mate is a child. Dylan’s family whisk him away and we don’t see much of the following six years. Then, eighteen year old Dylan is being taken back to where his mate, pack are waiting for him. It could have been awkward or skeezy at best with the age difference between our characters, but it is tastefully written until poor old Dylan is dragged into heat by the presence of his mate.

There is a good emphasis on consent throughout the book, which is comforting, and the incredible sweetness of Dylan’s little Christmas gifts for Preston. The epilogue is often my favourite part of a book, (I really love a proper solid HEA with closure) and this one is superb!

If you like a sweet Christmassy fated mates story in a quick fix, this one could be for you!

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

Tag Team Review: Summerfield's Angel (The Christmas Angel #2) by Kim Fielding

After the hard winter of 1888 ended Alby Boyle’s work as a Nebraska ranch hand, he returned to New York City in search of his long-lost family. His mother and brothers are nowhere to be found, however, and after Alby’s years of absence, Five Corners no longer feels like home. His prospects seem as dim as the nighttime alleys.

When Alby pauses to admire an angel ornament in a department store window’s Christmas display, he meets Xeno Varnham-Summerfield. Wealthy, handsome, and enthusiastic, Xeno brings Alby some temporary cheer. But for Alby to achieve his dreams of love and a real home, well, that may take a bit of holiday magic.

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 4 Hearts

To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of MM historicals yet, but I am slowly coming around more this year and will say that this series thus far, has been quite enjoyable to my nervous nelly self.

Having read the first story and now this second one, I’ve concluded that this is pure fantasy where there’s simply no need to worry too much about bigotry and discovery and to really just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Here, the benevolent angel has set her eyes on Alby and Xeno, two men on complete opposite sides of the societal spectrum who keep bumping into each other and eventually, come to realize that their differences complement rather than contrast.

There is a good dose of angst regarding Alby's sad story as he returns to NYC in search of his family. Though he’s had it rough, he’s definitely a survivor in all the best ways. When Alby is hit with wondrous happiness by the charming and forwardly eccentric Xeno, he resigns himself to just enjoy the moments so he can have plenty of memories to warm himself with later. Of course though, his and Xeno’s guardian angel has something else in mind for the both of them and that doesn't involve them being apart.

This was smexy lite but still very sweet with a happy fairy-tale ending (plus epilogue!) that’s pretty implausible. However, I really wouldn’t want my holiday stories, especially historic ones, ending any differently, so cheers!!

Chelsea - 4 Hearts

Lovely start to my Christmas reading for this year.

I was so in the mood for some wild western romance and this booked ticked all those boxes beautifully. We have a cowboy, horses, railroads, an upper class store owner and dirty bawls near the saloon, but there is also Christmas and magic angels and men falling in love.

I felt the magic angel was very well integrated into this story, she most definitely was not an overwhelming part but her bursts of appearances worked well within the story and added a little extra character to those scenes.

I loved Xeno, I thought his character was so sweet. Xeno's bubbly and slightly eccentric; Alby balanced him out so well with his calm disposition. There's a bit of depth to Alby’s history and I was curious to see how his investigations into his past would work within the story but I was glad it didn't overshadow the romance.

Quite low steam, but not nothing and it worked well for this sort of character/relationship development and romance.

Very sweet and excellent happily ever after, especially given the time period.

Review copies were provided in exchange for honest opinions.

Review: Santa Daddy by Keira Andrews

Mall Santas aren’t supposed to be hot

Hunter Adams is hopelessly adrift after college. He’s still a virgin, can’t find a real job, and has no clue what to do with his life. In desperation, he returns to his humiliating old job as an elf at the Santa's Village in his hometown's dying mall. The Santa on the job is an unexpectedly sexy lumberjack, twice Hunter's size and age. He makes Hunter feel very naughty—too bad he's grumpy and intimidating.

Years after the tragic death of his partner, Nick Spini has his beagle and long, hard days on his Christmas tree farm. That’s plenty. But he can’t refuse a loyal friend’s plea for help and finds himself filling in as Santa at the local mall. Despite Nick's attempt to stay aloof, the beautiful, anxious young man playing elf brings out his long-dormant daddy instincts.

When a surprise blizzard traps them alone in Nick’s isolated forest home, their attraction burns even brighter. Will they surrender to the sizzling connection between them and find the release and comfort they crave?

Santa Daddy is a holiday gay romance from Keira Andrews featuring an age gap, steamy m/m first times, daddy role-playing and light spanking, Christmas romance feels, and of course a happy ending.

That sad, old, scheduled for demolition mall had one last Christmas miracle left in her dilapidated Santa Village.

Sometimes instalove works for me. This was one of those times. True, if age gaps, kink and a grumpy lumbersexual are in the offing chances are high I'm going to enjoy it. But it was the fluffiness that won me over. And the dog. Who can resist a cute (somewhat bossy) beagle who LOVES all things bacon?

It began as just chemistry and heat but over the course of the story real feelings formed between Nick and Hunter despite the significant age gap between them. They are good for each other and that warmed my heart. They have fun together. Hunter softens Nick's rough edges with his sass and liveliness and Nick gives Hunter a sense of purpose and works wonders on his self-esteem.

Hunter is floundering and on the cusp of settling for a life he doesn't want. Nick, on the other hand, loves his tree farm and all that it entails but it's become daunting not to mention lonely maintaining it alone after the untimely death of his partner. It was unexpected that Hunter would find manual labor so rewarding but sometimes life throws you curve balls.

Curve balls in the form of a hot, lumbersexual daddy who owns a Christmas tree farm and works a Santa outfit like a Details photoshoot. Truthfully, I could've done without the daddy bit. It was awkward and I would've been fine with them being a bit kinky or liking it rough. Regardless, the sex was hot! Though I've come to expect nothing less from Keira Andrews. 

However, what made it memorable and a likely reread was the sweet way both these men found a home and a life in an unexpected place that they were willing to take a chance on. It happened fast for them and that appealed to me simply because it was clear how smitten they were and how much they wanted to be together.

Recommend to those looking for a low angst, lighthearted, kinky, sexy and fluffy holiday read.

A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest opinion.