Guest Review: Rules to Break (Davey's Rules #2) by Susan Hawke

Davey’s Rule #91: Daddy never loses faith in his boy.

Bryan Miller is satisfied with his uncomplicated life. He’s a discipline Daddy who’s not in the market for any kind of permanent relationship. And why should he be? Like the waves he surfs in the small beach town he calls home, there’s always another body available to warm his bed when he tires of the current flavor of the week.

Preston Wallace is a snotty rich brat with enough attitude to keep all the Daddies from giving him a chance. He gets it… people are jealous of him for being rich, hot, and fit. It would take a strong Daddy to take him in hand.

A casual conversation on the night of Preston’s twenty-fifth birthday ties these two stubborn men together in a bet right out of the musical My Fair Lady. Can Daddy Bryan turn the obnoxious brat into a dateable boy within a ninety-day timeframe?

Strap in for a roller-coaster of emotions as Bryan takes firm control of a brat who might just need to know someone cares enough to try.


Reviewer: Shee Reader

I hadn’t read Book one in the series before this one, but I sure as heck sought it out and read it after! This book works fine as a stand alone, I just really enjoyed it!

I really love a fake relationship, or a bet that means our two main characters are ‘forced’ into proximity with one another. These two are a perfect match and Bryan’s discipline and developing love are exactly what Preston desperately needs.

The ‘big, gruff, I’m not looking for anything serious type alpha male’ is such a fun trope when the reader can see exactly what the man actually needs, and is delighted to see him get it!

The writing is easy to engage with, and low on heavy angst, although there is plenty of heartache. I felt so much for poor Preston and his clinical (though spoilt) childhood where the domestic staff really were his only family.

The story is engaging and warm, funny and sexy and so bittersweet at times I loved it and looked out the previous book. There’s a whole host of boys who need a daddy to love them, so I’m hopeful of more to come.

This was a charming book, I’d recommend.

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





Tag Team Review: Something Wicked This Way Comes by Amy Rae Durreson

A workaholic teacher and a cranky blacksmith investigate a haunted orphanage in the remote Scottish Borders. What they find together might help them heal the wounds of their pasts… if they survive.

When the charity Leon works for inherits the orphanage, he travels north to see if the site is suitable for a new school. But Vainguard is a place of dark secrets, and Leon unearths a mystery about four children who died there in 1944—a tragic tale with an uncanny connection to the death of Leon’s parents.

Still bitter and guilt-ridden over his daughter’s death, farrier Niall joins Leon in uncovering Vainguard’s cruel history, including not just abuse but a tale about a vengeful spirit preying on local children. As the orphanage’s disturbing past comes to light, another child goes missing.

Niall and Leon know they don’t have long before the child falls victim to a legend straight from the Borders’ blood-soaked past.

4.125 Hearts average


Adam - 3.75 hearts


Amy Rae Durreson always manages to get the right mix of romantic and downright spooky!

Leon is sent to the remote Scottish Borders to explore an opportunity to open a new charitable school in the region. He receives a less-than-happy welcome from Niall, the local farrier.

But even more unsettling is the forbidding building, Vainguard, that Leon was sent to investigate - and it becomes even more so as the days pass.

I’ll admit that I don’t handle paranormal suspense/thrills that well. I will flail at jumpscares. But what really gets to me is atmosphere.

And this book nailed atmosphere with a dark and brooding tension that slowly builds.

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Consider me appropriately creeped out!

The story follows Leon as he discovers the horrifying details of Vaiguard and the surrounding area’s past. And how it all connects to him, with past and present colliding.

I really liked Leon. He has some serious blinders on when it comes to his adoptive family, but his heart is always in the right place.

Niall, for his part, is a bit of a cranky asshat at first. But once he looks past his own anger and sorrow, he can’t help the gruff affection he develops for Leon.

This isn’t a steamy book at all, but the connection between Niall and Leon is palpable.

The romance between the two men builds gradually, with many ups and downs. They’re both skittish and have a lot of baggage.

Leon still deals with the anxiety and flashbacks caused by the childhood car accident that killed his parents, while Niall’s sorrow for his deceased daughter is more fresh.

And yet the draw is undeniable. They become each other’s shoulder to lean on, and heal together.

Their relationship grows in tandem to their discovery of the secrets of Vainguard. And with that discovery comes the realization that their own sad stories are intertwined.

I won’t give away the plot, but I will say that it was creepy enough to make my heart pound at times. Nothing like murderous spirits to really get the blood pumping.

The resolution was wildly entertaining, and gave Leon and Niall the happy ending they deserved!

If you’re looking for a paranormal MM thriller, I’d definitely recommend ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’!


Ann - 4.5 Hearts

This book was full on atmosphere and a half, I got sucked into the world of wicked right away. I do love me a creepy ghosty story and Something Wicked This Way Comes delivered. There were MCs I connected to, a haunted orphange, likable secondary characters, some light horror and some optimistic romance.

The mystery that surrounds Vainguard is fascinating and not overdone. By that I mean, it’s balanced with good character development and a fully fleshed out tale beyond just the mystery of what happened to the orphans. And the author tied it all together in a way that made the story flow so well, I didn’t want to put it down. You know how sometimes, you’ll be reading a book and it shifts gears in either time or plot and you get a little bummed because you were just immersed in that particular plot point and you had to refocus? That doesn’t happen here, it just, well, it just flowed. The author struck a balance among all the elements that just plain worked from start to finish.

Leon and Niall are opposites on paper in just about every aspect, but they were the good kind of opposites that complement one another and appreciate their differences. I liked them both separately, even in Niall’s grumpiest of states, but I got even more out of my enjoyment when they started falling in more than just lust. They really brought the best out of one another and they showed me how they felt, I didn’t feel like I was being told about a romance.

The mystery was heartbreaking and just supernatural enough to keep me on edge, but not so much that the humanity was lost along the way. There was a hopeful air that made me look forward to keep on, keeping on to see what happened to the orphans, what the hell happened to Niall, and how was Leon going to make Vainguard work for the kids (being that it was haunted and evil and whatnot).

The resolution of all the things was satisfying and not so neat that it brought down the mystery that had been built. Niall and Leon deserved every bit of HEA they worked for.


Blog Tour + Giveaway: Devil's Hour (Zero Hour #2) by Aimee Nicole Walker


Aimee Nicole Walker and Vibrant Promotions visit for the final day of the Devil's Hour (Zero Hour #2) blog tour! Enter in today's giveaway for a chance to score an eBook copy of Devil's Hour!

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Devil's Hour
Zero Hour Series, Book 2
Aimee Nicole Walker
M/M Romance/Mystery
Release Date: 12.16.19

Devils Hour Cover
Cover Design: Jay Aheer
Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Blurb
Devil’s hour, noun: the hour when the demon or devil who leads hell is at its strongest.
Born on the wrong side of the tracks, Royce Locke is no stranger to scrapping and fighting for the things he wants. What he desires most is Sawyer Key—his partner on the force and the man he’s falling in love with. After asking Sawyer to take a chance on him, Royce will need to back up his pretty words with fearless action instead of being his own worst enemy.
Someone is harassing the mayor of Savannah, and Locke and Key are tasked with finding out who. The investigation quickly takes a twisted turn, leading them to an enemy who thinks purification by fire is the only way to save the city. Scarier than The Purists’ elusiveness is their ability to turn public opinion in their favor, creating unrest and threatening anarchy by fanning flames and fear. When you play with fire, someone is bound to get burned.
When menace becomes murder, the two detectives will race the clock against the devil to save their beloved city from becoming a raging inferno. Royce will need to draw on his grit now more than ever if he hopes to realize the dreams that are finally within reach. The rag is lit, the Molotov cocktail is tossed, and the zero hour is upon them. Challenge received and accepted.
Devil’s Hour is the second book in the Zero Hour series, which follows Locke and Key’s investigations and evolving relationship. This is a series that must be read in order. Devil’s Hour has a happy-for-now ending with no cliffhanger. It contains mature language and sexual content intended for adults 18 and older.


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Excerpt
Both men looked up as Royce and Sawyer approached. Blue smiled proudly while his guest looked slightly less confident about his welcome. Royce and Sawyer sat across from them and waited for Blue to introduce them. When Blue just sat there grinning like a sappy fool, Royce took the initiative and extended his hand to the handsome fireman with the amber eyes. “I’m Royce Locke.”

The man shook his hand. “Ezekiel Blevins. My friends call me Zeke. It’s nice to meet you, Royce. I’ve heard a lot about you, so it’s nice to put a face to the name. Blue told me you were promoted to sergeant this morning. Congratulations. Or maybe I should offer my condolences since you’re now in charge of this guy.” Zeke placed his hand on Blue’s shoulder.

“It’s good to meet you too, Zeke,”Royce said. “I’ve had the honor of working with Blue for the past three years, so I’m used to his shenanigans and have his number.”

Blue met Royce’s gaze and said, “Best three years of your life.”

Royce laughed. “Let’s not get carried away, Blue.”Royce briefly placed his hand on Sawyer’s shoulder, and even such a simple touch seemed to sear Royce’s skin. “This is my partner, Sawyer Key.”

“Good to meet you, Zeke,” Sawyer said, shaking his hand. “I’m the newest member of the major crimes unit.”

Zeke chuckled. “I’ve heard plenty about you, too, but mostly the ways you irritate this one,”he said, tipping his head at Royce.

“I get under his skin every chance I can get,” Sawyer returned coolly.

Royce nearly choked on his saliva when Sawyer’s blasé remark triggered memories of Sawyer fingering his ass that morning in the shower. The restaurant had become uncomfortably warm, so he hooked a finger under his collar and pulled his polo shirt away from his skin. “Have you guys ordered yet?”

Aimee Nicole Walker Logo
Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day. I’d love to hear from you 


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Guest Review: Roughstock Volume 1 and 2 by BA Tortuga


Blind Ride

Jason Scott has everything a bull rider wants—success, money and traveling partner Andy Baxter. When he loses his sight in an accident, he stands to lose it all.

Jason Scott is at the top of the bull riding game, on his way to a winning season. Along with his traveling partner, Andy Baxter, he’s riding hard on the circuit, working around the country with all of the other bull riders and bullfighters, living the good life. The only thing he wishes he had is Bax, but he’s afraid to take the step that would make them more than friends, worried that it will ruin everything.

When a terrible accident leaves Jason unable to see, his whole life goes south. Jason decides to chuck it all, determined to go home and hide at his momma’s ranch. Bax has other ideas. He wants to make sure his best friend doesn’t give up, and he hatches a plan that stuns Jason and makes their friends and family think he’s crazy.

With the help of the other bull riders and a very persistent bull fighter named Coke, Bax convinces Jason to give life one more try. With Jason cautiously learning to hope, and his relationship with Bax going to the next level, life gets pretty complicated. Everyone gets in on the project, from Jason’s strong-willed mother to an entire ranch full of children, all of them working to help Jason do what he loves.



And a Smile

All Coke Pharris wants is for his cowboys to be safe—all of them. When rodeo clown, Dillon, sets to prove that there’s more to the bullfighter, people could get hurt.


It’s Coke Pharris’ job to save bull riders from bulls, and he takes his work very seriously. Which is why he’s devastated when one of his favorite riders gets hurt, and he’s determined to help the young man ride again. Dillon Walsh is the arena entertainer for the bull riding tour, and he wants to help. He also wants Coke, has been admiring the man for a long time. He hasn’t made a move on Coke for fear of messing up their friendship, but when he finds out Coke might feel the same way, Dillon has to try to win Coke over.

Coke thinks he’s too old for Dillon, too beat up and scarred, but he can’t resist when Dillon finally makes a play for him. Dillon is like a wet dream for Coke, and the two of them have a great time getting to know each other better, at least until the danger of their job threatens to come between them. Will Dillon and Coke be able to help their friend and weather the problems that blow their way?



File Gumbo

Beau is riding like the two-time champ that he is, but nothing is assured in the world of bullriding—not happiness, not wealth, and not survival.


Beau is a two-time champion bullrider who is working on his third title. Sam is his long-time lover and traveling partner, who is feeling the sting of having just about the worst season he can remember.

The two of them are on the road together twenty-four-seven, and it’s starting to get to them a little, between the constant injuries Sam faces, and the relentless press that Beau has to put up with.

Add in friends on the circuit who need their help and the fact that they have to hide what they mean to each other, and it’s no wonder that Sam and Beau’s relationship is starting to wear a little from the friction.

When things blow up in their faces, Sam leaves the bullriding tour for a while, but the boys find out they’re far more miserable apart than they are together. Beau and Sam may agree to disagree in order to make peace and help out their friends Jason and Coke, but in the unpredictable world of extreme sports, nothing goes as it’s planned. Can Beau and Sam recover from what just might be the last ride of Sam’s life?


Coke's Clown

How does Dillon take care of Coke when Coke’s destroying himself?


Bullfighter Coke is having a rough time in the Roughstock universe. When his dear friend Sam Bell is injured at the finals of the bull riding season, he takes that and his injuries pretty hard. His very own clown, Dillon, is determined to take care of Coke, which is tough when Coke is usually the one to care for everyone. Coke has a huge secret from his past, though, and, when Dillon digs to discover what it is, the skeletons in Coke’s closet threaten to destroy both men.



Back to Back

Landon knows who he wants, he’s been dreaming about Adam Taggart his whole life. Tag, though? He thinks Landon’s too poor, too young, too wrong to be his.

Landon Gaudet may not be the best bull rider on earth, but he knows that’s where the money is in rodeo. His Cajun heart is more involved with horses, though, and with finding the cowboy he’s been dreaming of all of his relatively short life. Adam Taggart has been around the block more than once, and while he thinks Landon is special, he also thinks the kid deserves better than a safety man with more than his share of notches on the bedpost.

Adam does everything he can to resist Landon, but there’s not a man alive who doesn’t love being loved, so eventually he gives in. Landon can’t believe that Adam is finally with him, that his cowboy has finally come around to his way of thinking. The only problem is that Adam isn’t sure he deserves love, or that he really has any to give. He questions everything from his need for Landon to his family’s assertion that he can do better than a boy from the bayou. Can Landon show Adam that sometimes magic is real, and that all you really need is to have a little faith?



Pulled from All Sides

Balta is all fire and fury, Joa is his haven. What happens when Raul becomes their third?

Joa is an anomaly on the bullriding circuit—he’s Brazilian but grew up in Texas, so he’s not sure where he fits in. Champion Brazilian rider Balta knows just where he wants Joa to be, both in his life and in his bed.

Raul is new to the bullriding circuit and needs their help learning the ropes. From the start, Raul knows that Joa belongs with Balta, but he also knows that Balta’s career is on its way down and the world is ripe for another champion from Brazil.

When Balta decides that Raul is just what he and Joa need to even out the balance of power, they have to find common ground—professionally, publicly and, most importantly, personally.

Publisher's Note: These books were previously released elsewhere. They were revised and reedited for release with Pride Publishing.


Reviewer: Shee Reader

This collection is amazing and I loved every sweaty, dusty second of it. The cowboys are so gorgeously written, so strong and resilient and seeing them meet the yin to their yang is heartwarming in the extreme.

Each story has it’s own challenges and hardships, but the maturity and communication in the men is so refreshing and engaging in romance that I adored it. Not for me the misunderstanding or glaring miscommunication trope, I really prefer to see a relationship develop amongst strong equals, where every person gets their needs met and a smoking hot HEA for everyone. If you love to see a rodeo bull rider getting his happy ever after, then these collections could be for you.

Highly recommended.

I received free copies of the books in exchange for an honest review.




Giveaway + Blog Tour: Shots on Goal (Stick Side #3) by Amy Aislin


Author Amy Aislin & A Novel Take Promotions are here today to promote the release of the third in the popular sports romance series, Stick Side. Find out more about Shots on Goal below, read an exclusive excerpt & enter in the giveaway for a signed paperback from the author's backlist! Good luck!

Thank you for joining me to celebrate the release of my newest m/m sports romance, Shots on Goal (Stick Side #3), and thank you to Boy Meets Boy Reviews for having me!


Today, I’m sharing an exclusive excerpt from Shots on Goal. Check it out below!


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Title: Shots on Goal

Author: Amy Aislin

Series: Stick Side #3

Publisher: self-published

Release Date (Print & Ebook): January 7, 2020

Length (Print & Ebook): 84,600 words | 330 pages

Genre: contemporary/new adult romance

Tropes: opposites attract, made family

Cover artist: Natasha Snow

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Book blurb:

Recently traded to the newly formed Vermont Trailblazers, professional hockey player Roman Kinsey needs to focus on helping the team win games and filling the stands, not on the blond, bespectacled part-timer who works at the library he volunteers at. He knows all too well that outing himself equals heartache and ridicule…or worse.

Cody Evans, psych major and grad school hopeful, notices everything and thinks too much. But he doesn’t know what to think when he sees Roman reading to kids. The rugged hockey player just doesn’t look like the type. But it stirs something in him, something he’s never felt before.

When the library is threatened with closure, Cody enlists Roman’s help. As they get to know each other better...much, much better...they realize that they have more in common than books. But Roman’s keeping a big part of himself from his team, and giving in to his feelings for Cody might be more than he’s willing to risk.

Exclusive Excerpt


It was after Cody had picked out a blue-and-black checkered flannel shirt as a belated birthday present for Mitch and they were walking out of The Vermont Flannel Company that his dad said, “So? Got a girlfriend?”
Cody coughed once, the cloth bag housing his purchase hitting him in the knees as they walked. “Uh, no.”
His dad side-eyed him. “Boyfriend?”
“No?”
“You don’t sound so sure about that one.”
“No, no. I’m sure. No boyfriend.”
“Okay.” His dad paused for a second, then, “Because you know it’d be okay, right? If you were gay.”
Oh Jesus. Fuck his life. Of course they were having this conversation on a busy Saturday in the marketplace. What had even made him ask? Maybe his mom had said something?
“I’m not,” Cody said, resigned to his fate. “I’m demisexual.”
“Huh. That’s a new one. What’s it mean?”
A familiar face in the crowd drew his attention. “Roman!” He sounded slightly unhinged.
Roman turned his way and yelled, “Cody!” in the same deranged voice, and Cody laughed more than was strictly necessary.
God help him.
“What are you up to?” Cody asked when he and his dad drew near.
Roman held up both hands, covered in a pair of thick, black gloves. “Finished my winter-gear shopping.” He looked good in his winter gear, in that puffy, black coat he’d bought last weekend and with Cody’s scarf around his neck. A dark-gray beanie covered his head and the tops of his ears. “What brings you out?”
“My dad and I had lunch,” Cody replied and made introductions between his dad and Roman.
“It’s good to meet you, sir.”
“Likewise,” his dad said. “I was starting to think that Mitch was Cody’s only friend.”
Cody gritted his teeth, feeling judged to the tips of his soles. He had other friends. Just that Mitch was his favorite.
“Do you go to school with Cody?”
They ambled down the street, Cody behind his dad and Roman like the third wheel on a first date. He didn’t notice his shoulders were up to his ears until Roman reached back, grabbed his wrist, and drew him up next to him with a squinty-eyed look that said You belong up here, dummy.
“No,” Roman said, answering his dad’s question while Cody went all gooey inside. “I volunteer at his library.”
They chatted for a few minutes, and when his dad said, “What do you do, Roman?” and Roman said, “I play hockey for the Vermont Trailblazers,” and his dad said, “What’s that?” Cody couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Dad’s not a hockey fan,” Cody informed Roman.
“I prefer football,” his dad said.
Roman said, “Oh,” and silence descended for a few breaths. Then Roman said, “What about golf?” And his dad started talking about his favorite course in his corner of Texas.
Cody’s own gloved hand bumped Roman’s, and it took all of his willpower not to take it in his, to walk hand-in-hand as if they were a couple. That’d be so nice: the two of them, taking a casual afternoon stroll through the marketplace, doing some window shopping, stopping to grab a coffee and a pastry and a quiet chat at one of the coffee shops. Going home afterward to cook dinner together. Watching a movie on the couch, maybe making out like hormonal teenagers during part of it. Not for it to lead to sex, but because they wanted to be close to each other.
He was ripped out of his fantasy when Roman said, “Anyway, it was nice to meet you, Mr. Evans. I’ll let you two get on with your day.”
Cody made his eyes big and stared at Roman, hoping his expression conveyed S.O.S.!
“Or,” Roman said, drawing the word out. “Can I treat you both to a coffee?”
“I could get out of the cold for a few minutes,” Cody said, turning his big eyes on his dad.


Reviews: 
"With lots of hockey, delicious food, and the sweetest couple ever, Amy Aislin scores a hat trick with Shots on Goal." — Kelly Jensen, award-winning author of Block and Strike


"Shots on Goal is a great wintertime read. Like a warm blanket and a mug of hot chocolate! Huddle up by the fire and enjoy this cozy story!" — Allison Temple, author of The Seacroft Stories series


“I love hockey romance, and this book delivered all the romance I needed alongside awesome hockey.” — RJ Scott, USA Today bestselling author 


“I'm already a big fan of Amy Aslin's Stick Side series, so I was thrilled to get an early read of Shots on Goal. Cody and Roman's story didn't disappoint. Shots on Goal is the perfect blend of the beloved sports and small-town romance tropes. Roman's gruff, strained interactions with his ice hockey team play well against Cody's heartwarming relationship with his fellow library lovers. As these two men inadvertently team up to help save the historic library, Roman realizes there just may be someone worth opening up to, and at the same time, Cody learns that sometimes falling in love brings with it tough choices. Shots on Goal is a strong addition to Aislin's delicious world-building surrounding the sexy, competitive world of hockey. We get to visit old friends from previous books, but it is not necessary to have read them to enjoy Shots on Goal.” — Lucy Lennox, Bestselling author


From Amy Aislin:
Shots on Goal is a novel about taking risks, about putting yourself out there, even though history says it could end in disaster.


Author Information: 


Amy's lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she's read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she's been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn't at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada's largest environmental non-profit.


An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram and Twitter, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter here.


Website: https://amyaislin.com/  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amy_aislin 
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Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/amyaislin     


Release blitz giveaway: Winner’s choice of ONE signed paperback from Amy’s backlist! 



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**The Nature of the Game (Stick Side #2) is on $0.99 sale from January 7-13, 2020!**