Review: The Professor's Green Card Marriage by Heidi Cullinan

I’ll marry you.

Professor Valentyn Shevchenko isn’t sure how to react when, after months of ineffective flirting, the cute barista’s first words to him are a proposal. In many ways, Peter Grunberg is the solution to all his problems. With his work visa inexplicably denied, Valentyn is running out of options to keep from being deported. But is a green card marriage really the answer? Is it still a marriage of convenience when he’s this attracted to his potential spouse?

Peter came to his uncle’s coffee shop in Boulder, Colorado, to reset his life after his struggles with selective mutism returned with a vengeance. He never meant his first words to the handsome ecology professor to be an offer of marriage, but he’s not backing out now. It doesn’t matter that Peter struggles to find words. He can say everything he needs to with his body.

Though this relationship may have started out back-to-front, Valentyn and Peter are determined to make their fake marriage real. But one misstep in their immigration interview could bring everything crashing down. They’ll have to hope that their love is enough to overcome all their obstacles and give them the prize they’ve both been dreaming of: a certified happy ever after.

Cute and heartwarming.

Professor Valentyn Shevchenko is about to lose his job, and the country he has come to call home, after his visa runs out.

Peter Grunberg, the cute barista with selective mutism, offers the solution completely out of the blue - a marriage proposal.

Those first words set off a whirlwind romance that neither man expected, or could have hoped for.

The fake relationship trope is one I generally enjoy. Peter and Val up the ante with a full-on marriage, very real communication hurdles, and a race against the deportation clock.

Though their relationship begins quite suddenly, both men are genuinely committed to giving it a real go.

Fair warning if it isn’t your thing - this is pretty close to insta-love. It doesn’t take Val and Peter long at all to begin thinking of their green marriage as a forever-after commitment.

While things did move along a bit too quickly for my usual tastes, I was all on board for it.

The connection between the two men is undeniable, right from the first date. And it only grows and strengthens with each subsequent date, and as each man learns to make space for the other in his life.

I absolutely adored Peter. His daily struggles are real, but he refused to let his selective mutism dictate his relationship with Val.

And I loved how patient and understanding Val was, giving Peter the time, support, and space he needed.

Also, their physical chemistry - wowza. Good on them for letting their dirty sides out to play!

The big issue is of course the immigration process. In classic Cullinan fashion, there’s a lesson to be learned here.

Peter and Val come through at the other end the stronger for it, and their HEA well-deserved! Overall, I quite enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it.

A review copy was provided.

Blog Tour: Adam Bomb (Moguls, Royals, and Rogues #1) by Kilby Blades

Join author Kilby Blades and Vibrant Promotions as they visit on the Adam Bomb (Moguls, Royals, and Rogues #1) blog tour. Discover more about the best friends to lovers romance today!

Adam Bomb

Kilby Blades

M/M Romance, Best friends to lovers

Release Date: 01.21.20

Cover Designer: Alexandria Corza

Blurb

Levi's best friend, Adam, has always been larger than life: a smoking-hot billionaire hotelier with imposing charm. When Manhattan stops being big enough for both of them—at least if Levi ever wants to fall out of love with Adam—Levi accepts a job in in San Francisco.

But when Adam pulls an Adam—upending Levi's calm new life with a plea to lend his photography talent to a worthy cause—Levi is helpless to resist. Adam will be the first Fortune 100 CEO to come out of the closet in grand fashion. He needs a trusted ally on his PR team. And he only needs Levi to help for three weeks.

Levi accepts on one hidden condition: he’ll keep his new friends away from Adam, certain that if they get a whiff, they'll fall under Adam’s spell. Bent on keeping his two lives separate, Levi barely makes it through the first two weeks unscathed.

Then, Adam drops another bomb….

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/kilby-blades-adam-bomb

Excerpt

“Leila and I broke up.”

The tip of Adam’s nose had begun to pink, and his cheeks were doing the same. Levi wished them back inside the airport, wished to divine whether Adam’s color owed to emotion or to the winter of San Francisco spring wind.

“When?” Levi blurted inelegantly.

Adam scanned. If they wanted to reach the limo line, they had to go to an outer curb across the street. Adam started walking and Levi kept in step, barely heeding traffic to study Adam’s face. On the crosswalk, Adam replied, “A couple months ago.”

Puzzlement pierced through Levi’s stark relief. It was stupid, the way he was happier when Adam was single. Such news delivered the same foolish rush of hope that swelled over Levi when one of his celebrity crushes filed for divorce or came out. So what if Adam broke up with his girlfriend or fine-ass Wentworth Miller came out of the closet? It didn’t mean Levi had a chance.

The color on Adam’s cheeks as he spoke his confession was definitely a blush of shame. What kind of best friend forgot to mention for “a couple of months” that it was Splitsville between him and the girl his father wanted him to marry?

“You wanted to tell me in person you broke up with your girlfriend? That’s your big news?”

Adam had the decency to look chagrined. “None of it has to do with her.”

“You’re being cryptic,” Levi pointed out. “Adam. What the hell is going on?”

Levi’s heart raced faster than it had when he’d merely believed his best friend, whom he’d nursed no small crush on over the years, had taken himself permanently off the market. But Adam was being weird—his Adam, the most shameless and least apologetic person Levi had ever met. Had he screwed up in Tehran and put the company in jeopardy? Lost his fortune? Committed a crime? And what was the favor? Did Adam need Levi to hide him in Argentina with his grandparents, or to donate a kidney? Oh God. Was Adam sick?

Adam looked over his shoulder, paranoid, as if he would be recognized at any moment. He was far from famous, but he’d had his share of press.

“Let’s talk about it in the limo,” Adam whispered, splitting his attention between placating Levi and signaling to the car bearing his hotel’s name. “It’s nothing bad. It’s just… not public yet.”

“What’s not public?” Levi pressed the moment the limo stopped at the curb.

Adam threw him a pointed look and sighed. “I’m coming out. Again.”

“Coming out of what?”

Author Bio

Kilby Blades is a 40-time-award-winning author of Romance and Women's Fiction. Her debut novel, Snapdragon, was a HOLT Medallion finalist, a two-time Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Prize Semi-Finalist, and an IPPY Award medalist. Kilby was honored with an RSJ Emma Award for Best Debut Author in 2018, and has been lauded by critics for “easing feminism and equality into her novels” (IndieReader) and “writing characters who complement each other like a fine wine does a good meal” (Publisher’s Weekly).

Social Media Links:

http://www.instagram.com/kilbyblades

http://www.facebook.com/kilbybladesauthor

http://www.twitter.com/kilbyblades

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kilby-blades

https://www.goodreads.com/kilbyblades

Release Blitz: Adam Bomb (Moguls, Royals, and Rogues #1) by Kilby Blades

Happy Release Day, Kilby Blades! Celebrate the release of Adam Bomb with author Kilby Blades & Vibrant Promotions by reading an excerpt today to find out more about this friends to lovers romance!

Adam Bomb

Kilby Blades

M/M Romance, Best friends to lovers

Release Date: 01.21.20

Cover Designer: Alexandria Corza

Blurb

Levi's best friend, Adam, has always been larger than life: a smoking-hot billionaire hotelier with imposing charm. When Manhattan stops being big enough for both of them—at least if Levi ever wants to fall out of love with Adam—Levi accepts a job in in San Francisco.

But when Adam pulls an Adam—upending Levi's calm new life with a plea to lend his photography talent to a worthy cause—Levi is helpless to resist. Adam will be the first Fortune 100 CEO to come out of the closet in grand fashion. He needs a trusted ally on his PR team. And he only needs Levi to help for three weeks.

Levi accepts on one hidden condition: he’ll keep his new friends away from Adam, certain that if they get a whiff, they'll fall under Adam’s spell. Bent on keeping his two lives separate, Levi barely makes it through the first two weeks unscathed.

Then, Adam drops another bomb….

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/kilby-blades-adam-bomb

Excerpt

Three things happened to Levi every time he saw Adam: anticipation prickled his neck, he quelled the impulse to wet his lips, and his dick got a little hard. Then there was the tunnel vision thing—the way that, when Adam walked into a room, noises dulled and periphery faded for a pregnant moment and there was no one but the two of them.

They weren’t alone, of course. Adam was never alone. Today, a gaggle of smartly dressed flight attendants flocked around him.

“Fucking Adam,” Levi muttered. Even as he shook his head, Levi’s lips curved into a smile. Adam didn’t notice him at first. But that was the way it always was—Adam busy noticing whoever’s pheromone he liked best, and bystanders busy noticing Adam.

Levi had forgotten how comical it could be. Adam had that kind of charisma. When he walked into a room, records scratched to astonished silence, and people stopped what they were doing to look. Levi had seen babies stop crying to smile at him and fierce-looking dogs leave their masters’ sides to be petted by this man. It wasn’t just Levi. Everyone was attracted to Adam.

Recollection of what a nuisance Adam’s ridiculous magic could be didn’t stop Levi’s grin from widening. The man was a golden-eyed god. He had his Iranian-born parents to thank for regal bone structure, pouty lips, and luminous, polished-bronze skin. Levi appreciated Adam’s utter perfection as a specimen of the male ideal just as much as anyone else. But unlike everyone else, Levi saw Adam for more than sex on legs. Levi knew his heart. They’d known one another since they were boys.

“Come out with us tonight.” A flight attendant in a dark pencil skirt suit smiled with suggestive lips painted in the same shade of vermilion as the ascot around her neck.

“Sorry, babe… I got plans.” Adam said it with a billion-dollar smile. She leaned in and gazed at him dreamily, as if he’d just invited her to join him in a suite at the Kerr instead of turning her down flat. Adam was the only person Levi knew who could hand someone a steaming, stinking shit burger and have the person he served it to beg him for more.

And just like that, Adam’s gaze slid right to Levi—with precision—as if he’d known where Levi stood all along. Adam kept walking, never missing a beat, disentangling both women from beneath his arms.

“Sonofabitch,” Adam said, the corner of one lip quirking into a smile and his eyes glowing soft embers as he looked at Levi; it was a frat boy thing to say, but Adam was kind of a bro. Adam threw his arms around Levi and they shared a bear of a long hug.

“I missed you, brother,” Adam murmured a second before releasing his embrace and holding Levi by the shoulders, at arm’s length. He said it with earnest intensity that got Levi every time.

“Ladies….” Adam let his eyes linger for a final moment before shifting his gaze to the women who hung on his every word. It bought Levi time to swallow the lump in his throat. “This is my best friend, Lev.”

Apart from family, Adam was the only one who shortened his nickname with correct pronunciation. Most people Americanized it to sound like the jeans. Levi’s parents were Argentinian. Back in the motherland, it had a short e.

“Lev can come out with us too….” This from a different flight attendant. They had all stopped when Adam stopped, including the ones who hadn’t been tucked under Adam’s arms. They all looked hopeful—even the adoring pilot. If any one of them could’ve torn their gaze from Adam, Levi could’ve shot a commiserating glance.

Sorry, guy. He’s taken. And his partner’s completely gorgeous, the glance would’ve conveyed.

“I’ve been away for….” Adam looked at his watch, then looked at Levi. “What is it now? Nine months?” It was cheesy as hell, but Adam pulled it off. “Me and him have a lot of catching up to do.” He turned to his entourage and gave a small bow. “It’s been lovely. I mean it. Thanks.”

Levi didn’t miss the small folded paper that Red Lips pressed into Adam’s hand before whispering something in his ear and kissing his cheek, or the rueful, silent waves of the others. Levi watched Adam as Adam watched Red Lips walk away. Adam slid his gaze back to Levi, who was shaking his head again. If Levi had missed Adam’s incorrigible flirting, Adam had missed Levi’s mock-disapproving looks. Levi stared at Adam and Adam at him, each of their grins growing as the moments passed.

God, it’s great to see his face.

“You look good, man.” Adam clapped a hand on Levi’s shoulder. “San Francisco’s treating you right.”

“I love it here,” Levi admitted. He’d said as much the one time they’d seen each other in all that time. They’d met for dinner one night, when they both happened to be in London for business. Adam had asked Levi when he was moving back to New York. Levi had simply said that the project that had lured him to San Francisco had been ongoing. He hadn’t said that New York no longer felt like home, and he wouldn’t say—not right now—that his project had been over for two months. That he planned to sell his family house in Queens and stay in San Francisco.

But Adam’s project was over, and he was moving back stateside. San Francisco was a four-day stop. After a long weekend catching up, Adam would go back to headquarters in New York.

“You got luggage?” Levi asked. By then they’d begun walking.

Adam held up a small duffel Levi hadn’t noticed before. “If I need more clothes, I’ll stop by the hotel.”

Levi had forgotten how light Adam traveled. Being heir to a hospitality empire meant that Adam had a closet and a place to stay in every major city. It wasn’t until they started toward the doors—until the gaggle of flight attendants had disappeared from view—that Levi pulled out his phone.

“Lemme call an Uber,” Levi said. It was a short ride into the city. Brutal during rush hour but not bad at one o’clock on a Thursday afternoon.

“No need. The hotel sent a car.”

Adam lagged behind Levi, just by a step, as air from outside blew in along with the whoosh of the sliding double doors. He hovered his fisted hand over a trash can, and when he opened his fingers, the pink folded phone number of the flight attendant fell to its demise.

Adam wouldn’t have actually hooked up with the flight attendant—not as long as he was with Leila. But he might have given her a call to find out where the party was. No. Adam wasn’t a cheater. He was a party animal, an attention whore, and a flirt. And he didn’t spend much time alone.

“So it’s true….” Levi smiled his most nonchalant, most supportive-best-friend, and utterly-unaffected-by-Adam’s-love-life smile, even though this was a moment he had dreaded. “Your days of flight attendants are over. You popped the question. Leila’s finally gonna make an honest man out of you.”

Adam stopped outside, right on the other side of the doors, where the air was cool and the wind was sharp, as it tended to be on late spring afternoons this side of the bay. Levi needed him to say it—to speak out loud the big news Adam had insisted he be there to deliver in person, and ask the favor he wanted to ask face-to-face. It had to be that he and Leila were engaged and that he wanted Levi to be his best man.

“Leila and I broke up.”

The tip of Adam’s nose had begun to pink, and his cheeks were doing the same. Levi wished them back inside, wished to divine whether Adam’s color owed to emotion or to the winter of San Francisco spring wind.

“When?” Levi blurted inelegantly.

Adam scanned distractedly. If they wanted to reach the limo line, they had to go to an outer curb across the street. Adam started walking and Levi kept in step, barely heeding traffic to study Adam’s face. On the crosswalk, Adam replied, “A couple months ago.”

Puzzlement pierced through Levi’s stark relief. It was stupid, the way he was happier when Adam was single. Such news delivered the same foolish rush of hope that swelled over Levi when one of his celebrity crushes filed for divorce or came out. So what if Adam broke up with his girlfriend or fine-ass Wentworth Miller came out of the closet? It didn’t mean Levi had a chance.

The color on Adam’s cheeks as he spoke his confession was definitely a blush of shame. What kind of best friend forgot to mention for “a couple of months” that it was Splitsville between him and the girl his father wanted him to marry?

“You wanted to tell me in person you broke up with your girlfriend? That’s your big news?”

Adam had the decency to look chagrined. “None of it has to do with her.”

“You’re being cryptic,” Levi pointed out. “Adam. What the hell is going on?”

Levi’s heart raced faster than it had when he’d merely believed his best friend, whom he’d nursed no small crush on over the years, had taken himself permanently off the market. But Adam was being weird—his Adam, the most shameless and least apologetic person Levi had ever met. Had he screwed up in Tehran and put the company in jeopardy? Lost his fortune? Committed a crime? And what was the favor? Did Adam need Levi to hide him in Argentina with his grandparents, or to donate a kidney? Oh God. Was Adam sick?

Adam looked over his shoulder, paranoid, as if he would be recognized at any moment. He was far from famous, but he’d had his share of press.

“Let’s talk about it in the limo,” Adam whispered, splitting his attention between placating Levi and signaling to the car bearing his hotel’s name. “It’s nothing bad. It’s just… not public yet.”

“What’s not public?” Levi pressed the moment the limo stopped at the curb.

Adam threw him a pointed look and sighed. “I’m coming out. Again.”

Author Bio

Kilby Blades is a 40-time-award-winning author of Romance and Women's Fiction. Her debut novel, Snapdragon, was a HOLT Medallion finalist, a two-time Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Prize Semi-Finalist, and an IPPY Award medalist. Kilby was honored with an RSJ Emma Award for Best Debut Author in 2018, and has been lauded by critics for “easing feminism and equality into her novels” (IndieReader) and “writing characters who complement each other like a fine wine does a good meal” (Publisher’s Weekly).

Social Media Links:

http://www.instagram.com/kilbyblades

http://www.facebook.com/kilbybladesauthor

http://www.twitter.com/kilbyblades

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kilby-blades

https://www.goodreads.com/kilbyblades

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Santa's Last Gift by Sandine Tomas

Looking for holiday fluffy goodness? See today's release blitz from author Sandine Tomas and Signal Boost Promotions for Dreamspun Desires' latest Santa's Last Gift! Find out more and enter in the eBook giveaway of Santa's Last Gift!



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Length: 60,475 words 

Cover Design: Alexandria Corza

Blurb

The greatest gift might be what they already have.


After years away building his career, event planner Sebastian Chesnut returns to his small hometown of Fir Falls to reconnect with his mother, sister, and young nieces before his job takes him to London.


He doesn't expect to find his high school boyfriend, Matty, has become a virtual member of Seb's family. Back then, Matty only offered a casual relationship, but Seb fell hard, and history is soon repeating itself. Seb’s afraid to hope for a second chance, no matter how much they’ve grown and despite the family they share. Instead, he focuses on creating a last perfect holiday, which won’t be easy with his sister’s ex planning to take the girls over Christmas.


Seb and Matty might not know what to do about their feelings for each other, but one thing’s for sure—it won’t be Christmas without the kids. Can these star-crossed lovers pull off a holiday miracle?

Author Bio


Sandine Tomas grew up an unapologetic bookworm, making friends with characters from the ancient past to the farthest reaches of the universe. Her career as a marketing writer has given her insight into the divergence between what a person thinks they want and what they truly need. Relationships are at the heart of her writing, and she enjoys creating characters who become so real that their stories beg to be told. Writing allows her to explore people and ideas from all sides, spinning a notion around like a gem until its facets glisten.


Twisting the old adage about writing what you know into writing what you feel, Sandine doesn’t shy away from raw emotions, turbulent circumstances, and above all, deep passions, fueled by humor, honesty, and trust. She enjoys instilling her characters with the flaws, courage, and idiosyncrasies that brings them to life.


Sandine lives in New York with her husband, two daughters and a Golden Retriever puppy named Noodle. An unabashed TV and film enthusiast, she happily binge watches her favorites until her eyes glaze over. Her other guilty pleasures include attending fandom conventions, sleeping in on weekends, and recharging solo by holing up with a caramel macchiato and an amazing book.


If you’d like to chat, reach out to her here or on Twitter (@sandinetomas) or Facebook(sandine.tomas).


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Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions

Guest Review: Him Improvement by Tanya Chris

The course of true love runs through every neighborhood….

Only one thing stands between Gregory MacPherson II and his dream revitalization project for the gritty neighborhood of Ball’s End: a rinky-dink, run-down used bookstore called Hailey’s Comic. But when master negotiator Mac shows up to make a deal with the owner, he comes face-to-face with quirky, colorful Hailey—unexpectedly good-humored about Mac’s attempted eviction and, also unexpectedly, a hot guy.

Hailey won’t give up his lease, no matter how much money Mac offers. When it comes to consummating their mutual attraction, though, he’s a lot more flexible. Soon Mac has as hard a time prying himself out of Hailey’s bed as he does prying Hailey out of the building. But Hailey doubts Mac’s plans serve Ball’s End’s best interests, and he insists Mac give him a chance to prove his case. If they’re going to build a happy ever after, one of them will have to be remade…

Reviewer: Annery


Do you feel like skipping Halloween & Thanksgiving and diving right into a non-treacly non-Christmas Christmas tale? Look no further than this sweet tale from Tanya Chris. Reminiscent of A Christmas Carol, but without copying it beat for beat, Him Improvement follows a sort of remaking or awakening of Gregory “Mac” McPherson.

Mac is a real estate developer, and his company focuses on rehabilitating underutilized neighborhoods or, as the people who live there might say, paving the way for gentrification. Mac’s current project is in Ball’s End, whose residents are decidedly on the lower-income spectrum, and therefore have been easy to relocate via buyouts, non-renewal of leases, or other methods. The one holdout is Hailey’s Comic, which despite its name, isn’t strictly a comic book store but a rambling used book store. In order to expedite the emptying of this last storefront Mac decides to employ the personal touch and brings himself to 502 Main Street where he meets Hailey Green, the bookstore owner, and it’s basically lights out.

There is a strong element of, if not insta-love, at least insta-lust which quickly morphs into the former, at least on Mac’s part, but I didn’t mind. Refreshingly Mac isn’t conflicted about his attraction to Hailey due to his gender, Mac’s been out as bisexual to his friends and family since college, and the sexual attraction isn’t really ever in question. Hailey likes/wants Mac (a.k.a. Greg to Hailey) and isn’t coy about it. Once Mac starts a relationship with Hailey, he’s not only exposed to Hailey’s views on life, capitalism, and urban planning, but he also gets to meet and spend time with the people of Ball’s End. Lives that were once abstractions in a report are now living, breathing, flesh & blood. This is source of angst in this story. Mac getting to know those who are affected by his company’s projects and Mac wanting to be worthy of Hailey. At heart Mac is a good guy, and he also happens to think that Hailey hangs the moon. This leads him to revise or scrap the way does business in order to embrace the needs of those already living in these areas and not just the new residents his company is hoping to attract.

The story is told from Mac’s P.O.V., and very much centers on Mac continually questioning if Hailey would approve or what would Hailey do? He shouldn’t worry so much. Hailey is also just a good guy trying to do, what he believes is the right thing. To that extent he’s been using the bookstore as community center that covers everything from after-school babysitting to an informal AA meeting place. The only thing he hasn’t been able to do is turn a profit, because he’s terrible at business. Anyway these two men, who on the surface are opposites, make a pretty good whole. I enjoyed that their external appearance didn’t restrict who they were in the bedroom. As usual Tanya Chris delivers realistic relationships full of heat and sensuality. I liked that in spite of their radically different upbringings and likely politics, each man respected where the other was coming from, their goals and motivations.

I’ve only have two quibbles with this story which can absolutely be ignored by everyone else. One is Hailey himself. Granted we know him from Mac’s P.O.V., but he seemed almost too perfect. Also I questioned this decision to plant his flag in a mostly minority neighborhood. I’m not a particularly PC person or at all, but it struck me as a bit of White Savior or White Martyr? I’m not saying his intentions are nefarious or any such thing, far from it, but maybe making the character something other than a white guy looking for purpose amongst underprivileged minorities would’ve sat better. My second quibble is said minorities. Some of them seem to exist to prop up Hailey’s bonafides as do gooder or Mac’s education in social diversity, and the other part had a whiff of the Noble Savage. I’m sure I’m wrong but it did cross my mind.

Of course you can skip my previous paragraph and just enjoy a sweet story about two adults who find a way to live in each other’s different worlds, and enrich each other’s lives because they’ve fallen in love. Isn’t that what we all want in the end?

Merry Early Christmas. xoxo

Audiobook Review: Romancing the Undercover Millionaire (Romancing the... #3) by Clare London

Can poverty and privilege find a loving compromise?

Alexandre Bonfils, a rich and spoiled second son, is tired of being ignored and decides to help when the family’s exclusive wine business is in trouble. Going undercover in the warehouse, he loves the adventure—and the chance to be close to the sassy and sexy manager, Tate Somerton.

Tate is hardworking and financially struggling, bringing up his siblings on his own. A suspected saboteur at work is his latest challenge, but now he also has a clueless, though very attractive, new intern. There’s an immediate spark between the ill-matched couple, until a shocking accident cuts short Alex’s amateur sleuthing.

While recovering in the generous care of Tate and his family, will Alex realize what belonging really means? Passion and pride come together to fight for the company they’re both committed to preserving, but can a personal bond remain when the dust settles?

Narrated by: Seb Yarick 
Listening Length: 7 hours and 9 minutes

The fluff was high in this installment which is something to expect from this DSP line in general. I enjoyed the story of the rich kid wanting to prove himself to his father by going undercover to unearth a mystery then along the way finding love.

What's not to like about the rich kid falling for the blue collar and dedicated employee?

Tate and his family have charisma and together they inadvertently show him how the other half lives and subsequently worm their way into Alexandre's heart. Pretty amazing turn of events for the traditionally one and done Alexandre but Tate affects his like no one else ever has.

Feelings develop quickly and there was a surprising amount of heat between them.

The industrial espionage element didn't really interest me all that much but I do appreciate the attempt to jazz things up nonetheless.

Seb Yarick has a nice voice but he didn't bring much depth or emotion to any of these characters.

If you're a fan of this house line give this one a try.

A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Handle with Care by Cari Z.

A fragile heart needs extra care.

Burned-out social worker Aaron McCoy is on vacation for the first time in years—boss’s orders. Road-tripping to his brother’s wedding with his best friend, Tyler, seems a fun way to spend the mandatory two-week leave, and they set out for Kansas—and a difficult homecoming.

Aaron’s mother was a drug addict, and his adorable younger brother was quickly adopted, while Aaron spent his childhood in foster care. As Aaron mends fences, Tyler hopes to show him that this time, he won’t be left behind to face his problems alone.

Aaron’s opening up to how right it feels to be with Tyler and to the possibility of taking the leap from friends to lovers. But along with the wedding celebration comes a painful reminder of the past. Aaron’s heart is still breakable. Can he put it in Tyler’s hands?

Narrator: John Solo
Listening Length:  5 hours 38 minutes

Reviewer: Shee Reader


Aaron gives his all for the kids in his caseload, to the exclusion of all else, even self care. Aaron is hanging by a thread when his boss sets him on enforced leave. Tyler is his best friend and a member of the last foster family Aaron was placed with so there could have been a weird brother vibe too. I did feel the author skimmed over this thread, and could have done more to illustrate that the age gap meant there was very little ‘brother’ identity in the relationship.

Tyler is Aaron’s safe place, so he’s avoided facing his feelings for Aaron. I do love a good friends-to-lovers trope and this one was beautifully done.

Aaron doesn’t trust easily and Tyler is so respectful of that, without letting Aaron get so wound up in his head that he can’t see that Tyler is moving even closer.

I was delighted when they guys got to the place they were staying for the wedding and did the old “oh oh, there’s only one bed, whatever shall we do??” That made me laugh!

The awful Batchelor party was a classic as was the black eye on the photos and an outraged bride!

The story was a nice slow burn with a beautiful HEA epilogue and the narration was perfect throughout. I loved how John gave Tyler’s drawl and extra flex when he was trying to seduce Aaron!

Recommended!

Audiobook Review: Rocking the Cowboy by Skylar M. Cates

Opposites who go together like country and rock ’n’ roll.

Long before he was a superstar, Remy Sean had a secret crush on Jed Riley. But Jed sees Remy as a spoiled pop rocker and an extension of his father’s control. Still, Jed is willing to let Remy hide from the press on his ranch—but only as a way to get his father out of his life and business for good.

Used to being admired and fawned over, Remy keenly feels the sting of Jed’s dismissal. Can he make Jed see him as more than a pain in the ass? Or is Jed too tangled up in his ranch to see past his old hurt?

Jed doesn’t believe someone desired by so many fans could want him, a simple cowboy. But Remy is determined to change Jed’s mind and steal his heart…

Listening Length: 7 hours and 38 minutes
Narrator: Colin Darcy

If you like a reticent quasi-gruff cowboy who falls for an overworked popstar, then this double hurt comfort might snag your interest.


Jed is a down to earth guy who only wants to breed horses and run his ranch with no interference. However, his music agent, deadbeat dad owns half the land, and Buddy has never expressed interest in letting it go. One day though, Buddy asks Jed for a favor. He wants his famous client, Remy Sean, to be able to rest and relax at the ranch after a traumatic concert gone terribly wrong. Jed reluctantly concedes to host the popstar only if his dad signs over the deed.


Though they met long ago, the attraction between Jed and Remy is now readily apparent, but they’re complete opposites, not only in temperament but lifestyle as well. Jed is simple with no frills, while Remy has had many years of living in the fast lane (though he’s not a selfish brat, thankfully). What ensues is a back and forth, a slow getting to know one another, with some snarky flirting, and a lot of insecurity and doubt on both sides.


Narrated by Colin Darcy, he continues to deliver a solid performance with good intonation and varied voices. Both Jed and Remy have their faults, but not once did I get annoyed with either. Cates shows their differences, their strengths, and how they complement each other in the best ways.


Though Desires books are typically fluffy which I totally appreciate, this had a bit more bite to it, a bit more gravitas that nicely grounded it in reality. What I also appreciate is the fact that just when you think there will be protracted angst or some unnecessary miscommunication or awful misunderstanding, here, things are quickly and maturely put to rights, and I was able to breathe easy again. If it helps in one’s decision making, this is probably the smexiest Desires book I’ve come across - so if that counts for something, you won’t be disappointed.


Overall, one of the better Desires books and thus, recommended!

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour: Whiskey and Moonshine by Elizabeth Noble

Celebrate the release of Whiskey and Moonshine with author Elizabeth Noble and Dreamspinner Press! Find out more about this contemporary May-Dec romance and read an excerpt below!

Hello and welcome to the blog tour for my latest release, Whiskey and Moonshine. A big thank you to everyone at Boy Meets Boy for hosting me today.

I love me a good glass of iced tea!

What does that fact have to do with writing books and my most recent release?

As it turns out, a fair amount.

There’s thing known as fruit tea. It’s basically fresh brewed iced tea mixed with a fruit juice of some sort. It’s not a new invention by any means and I think you can even buy instant tea with fruit flavoring. In the story, Whiskey and Moonshine, one of the characters, Colt, experiences freshly brewed fruit tea for the first time. Later this inspires him to create a line of moonshine with the same flavors. Colt, as you might’ve guessed, is the moonshine of Whiskey and Moonshine.

When I write a beverage is essential. I’m not a big drinker of alcohol, but I consume a respectable quantity of iced tea daily. I love fruit tea! I could purchase it in bottles, but I prefer to make my own. It’s better for the environment and I like my tea stronger than is usually available commercially.

I thought I’d share my recipe for a pitcher of home brewed fruit tea.

I start out with two of the family-sized tea bags that brew a gallon of tea each. I like black, caffeinated tea, but you could use whatever tea you’d like. Then I add four regular sized tea bags of orange spice tea. Again, I prefer the black tea, but there are many herbal varieties that are very good. I’ve used a tea called Constant Comment from Bigelow. Sometimes I use a seasonal flavor from The Republic of Tea that’s Blood Orange and Cranberry. Put all the tea bags in a gallon sized pitcher with sweetener or sugar to taste. I use about three-quarter cup of raw sugar. I’ve found adding the sugar when I brew the tea helps it dissolve and mix more evenly. Sometimes I throw a small cinnamon stick in as well.

Boil two quarts of water and pour that over the tea and sugar. Mix well but be gentle so the bags don’t break open. Put the top on the pitcher and let sit until cooled before removing the tea bags. Then I add some lemon and lime juice. I don’t really measure I just pour a little into the tea. Pick your favorite fruit juice—I prefer cranberry/pomegranate—and add three-quarters to one cup depending on your taste. You could obviously add more or less if you’d like. Fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water and viola!

Do you have a favorite beverage recipe, be it adult or non-alcoholic, hot or cold to share? Or a favorite beverage you enjoy at home or when you’re out? Comment below to be entered into a drawing for a free eBook. I’m offering any eBook off my backlist published 2017 or earlier. All prizes will be distributed via the Dreamspinner Press/DSP Publications webstore. A complete list of all my books can be found on my Dreamspinner Page. I’ll announce the winner in a week, so be sure to check back.

Blurb:

Drunk on love.

Like a well-aged whiskey, master distiller and old-money entrepreneur Malone Kensington is elegant and refined. Unfortunately he’s also a perfectionist who is more dedicated to the success of his generations-old company than his own love life.

That company needs a public spokesman.

What Colton Hale lacks in sophistication, he more than makes up for with the charisma that’s allowed him to survive on the street from a young age and charm his way into the lucrative—if overwhelming—public position at the Kensington Distillery. When Mal takes Colt under his wing, hoping to polish off his rough edges, opposites attract and a passionate romance blossoms despite the differences in age and background. But can it survive a Kensington Board of Directors who believe Colt is nothing but a gold digger and a kidnapper determined to profit from the love of Mal’s life—dead or alive?

Excerpt:

The elevator was full, so they had to squeeze in and squish together. Colt drew a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was at Mal’s side and just in front of him, so their thighs pressed together. Mal reached around, put his hand on Colt’s waist for a few seconds, and rubbed lightly before pulling it away and putting both hands in his pants pockets.

There were several stops, more people got in, and Colt was pushed even more tightly against Mal. The heat from Mal’s body warmed him even as Mal caught his breath every now and then in response to Colt’s closeness. The next time the door opened with a ding, Mal reached over Colt’s shoulder and pointed to the lobby.

“I think this is our stop.” Mal’s voice was low, husky, and sexy. He spoke into Colt’s ear, and his breath gliding across Colt’s cheek made him shiver a little. Colt nodded once and stepped out of the elevator.

The sudden loss of body heat as they crossed the lobby gave Colt a momentary chill. Compared to the crowded elevator, the spacious lobby seemed like a huge cavern, and crossing it gave Colt time to calm his body and collect his thoughts. Only dinner and listening to some music. That’s it, Colt recited silently. Nothing wrong with hoping for another kiss and being held in Mal’s strong arms.

Frank was waiting in the circular drive with the SUV. Mal opened the side door and waved Colt in ahead of him. Once the door was closed, they settled in the seats. The air-conditioning was blowing softly through the vents, keeping the interior at a pleasantly cool temperature. Colt’s heart rate was finally returning to normal.

“Pretty close in that elevator,” Mal said softly. He leaned forward and gave Frank a piece of paper. “There’s the address.”

“Yeah,” Colt croaked.

Mal chuckled. “It was not unpleasant, though.”

“No. No, it certainly was not,” Colt agreed. He shifted in his seat so he was facing Mal. “I’m really looking forward to dinner. What sort of music?”

“Where we’re going, there is all sorts of music. Live music—jazz, reggae, blues, and this is Nashville, so country. Groups of people play on the streets and in the bars. Some have been discovered that way. It’s really very exciting.” Mal did some air guitar, then grinned when Colt laughed.

Their drive wasn’t long, and the restaurant they went to was more of a big saloon. Frank took up a position at the bar while Mal and Colt sat at a nearby table.

Colt picked up the menu. It was a double-sided, laminated, thick piece of cardboard. Mal pulled it down. “Trust me?”

“You are the chef.” Colt set the menu on the table and folded both hands on top of it.

Mal signaled the waitress. She came over with two tall glasses of water with lemon wedges and took their order. When she was finished, Mal asked for two plates and the food to be brought out in serving dishes.

“Anything from the bar?” the waitress asked.

“Right now, we’ll take some fruit tea,” Mal said. It only took a few minutes before she returned with two mason jars filled with iced tea.

Colt took a sip of his, expecting the sweet tea he’d come to enjoy. “Oh wow. This is different.”

“Like it? There are fruit juices mixed in with the tea to sweeten it,” Mal explained.

Bio:

Mystery, action, chills, and thrills spiced with romance and desire. ELIZABETH NOBLE started telling stories before she actually knew how to write, and her family was very happy when she learned to put words on a page. Those words turned into books and fan fiction that turned into a genuine love of M/M romance fiction. Being able to share her works with others is really a dream come true. She has a real love for a good mystery complete with murder and twisty plots as well as all things sci-fi, futuristic, and supernatural and a bit of an unnatural interest in a super-volcano in Wyoming.

Elizabeth has three grown children and is now happily owned by an adorable mixed breed canine princess, a spunky Welsh Corgi and their sidekick, tabby cat. She lives in her native northeast Ohio, the perfect place for gardening, winter and summer sports (go Tribe and Cavs!). When she's not writing she's working as a veterinary nurse, so don't be surprised to see her men with a pet or three who are a very big part of their lives.

Elizabeth has received a number of amateur writing awards. Since being published, several of her novels have received Honorable Mentions in the Rainbow Awards. Jewel Cave was a runner-up in the Gay Mystery/Thriller category in the 2015 Rainbow Awards. Ringed Love was a winner in the Gay Fantasy Romance category of the 2016 Rainbow Awards.



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Giveaway + Blog Tour: The Athlete and the Aristocrat by Louisa Masters

Celebrate the recent release of The Athlete and the Aristocrat with author Louisa Masters and Dreamspinner Press. Find out more about this contemporary romance and read an exclusive excerpt! Be sure to enter the giveaway of a swag bag from the author too! Good luck!

Exclusive Excerpt: The Athlete and The Aristocrat 

With his feet propped on Lucien’s coffee table, Si closed his eyes and leaned back in the extremely comfortable chair that was twin to the one in Lucien’s apartment in Monaco. “If I thought I could get it past the security guard, I’d steal this chair,” he muttered.

Lucien chuckled nearby, and a moment later Si’s hand was lifted and wrapped around a cold bottle. He cracked his eyes open and saw that it was his favorite brand of beer and that Lucien was taking a seat on the sofa, a glass of white wine in hand.

“How’d you know I like this one?” he asked, letting his eyes close again even as he lifted the bottle to his mouth.

“I pay attention,” Lucien said. “That’s also how I know that something upset you today.”

Si shrugged. “I was just being stupid,” he said. “It wasn’t important, and I’m over it now.”

“Are you sure? If moving to Paris is going to be a real—”

He opened his eyes fully, sitting up and putting his feet on the floor. “No. It’s nothing to do with that, or the program. I was just… um, well… it’s stupid. I feel like a fool for even thinking it.”

Lucien looked at him expectantly, and Si sighed, his eyes firmly fixed on his beer bottle. “I was jealous. Marie was being all flirty with you, and it’s stupid because we’re just casual, but I was jealous. And then I started wondering if maybe I assumed too much by not booking a hotel, and… it just got dumber from there.”

Laughter pealed through the room, and Si looked up, surprised. Lucien was laughing so hard, he had to put down his wineglass. Si reluctantly allowed a smile to tug at his own lips. A happy Lucien was impossible to resist.

“Are you laughing at what a dolt I was?” he asked, and Lucien shook his head and swiped moisture from his eyes.

“No,” he said finally. “I’m laughing because Marie was flirting with me only because you don’t speak French and she doesn’t speak English. She was trying to convince me to act as intermediary between you.” He picked up his wineglass and sank back into the sofa.

Si’s jaw dropped. “What? Really? But she barely looked at me the whole time!” He felt even more ridiculous now.

Lucien shrugged. “I believe she was starstruck at first, but once she’d finished her sales pitch on the office suite, all she spoke about was you. She even asked me what your favorite food was.” He smirked, and Si chuckled.

“I once said in an interview that I was looking forward to pizza at a friend’s house that evening, and for the next week, I had pizzas delivered to my apartment night and day,” he confided. “I really hope you told her you didn’t know, because I don’t think it would look good for the program if she started turning up at the office with food.”

Shaking his head, Lucien huffed a laugh. “I do not know what your favorite food is, and that is what I told her. However”—his tone turned gleeful—“I did tell her that you are a fan of music that features whale song.”

Si choked on the sip of beer he’d just taken. “You what?” he wheezed. Lucien merely smiled wickedly and sipped at his wine. “Cheeky bugger,” Si groused, but it was kind of funny. Or it would be, as long as Marie didn’t show up at the office with a whales of the south seas greatest hits compilation or something.

The Athlete and The Aristocrat:

Sometimes love takes balls.

Newly retired championship footballer Simon Wood is taking on his next challenge. His plan for a charity to provide funding for underprivileged children to pursue football as a career has passed its first hurdle: he has backers and an executive consultant. Now it’s time to get the ball rolling.

Lucien Morel, heir to the multibillion-euro Morel Corporation, is shocked—and thrilled—to learn his father has volunteered him as consultant to a fledgling football charity. Better yet, the brains behind it all is heartthrob Simon Wood, his teenage idol and crush.

Although Simon and Lucien get off on the wrong foot, it’s not long before they’re getting along like a house on fire—sparks included. But with the charity under public scrutiny, can their romance thrive?

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About the Author:

Louisa Masters started reading romance much earlier than her mother thought she should. While other teenagers were sneaking out of the house, Louisa was sneaking romance novels in and working out how to read them without being discovered. She’s spent most of her life feeling sorry for people who don’t read, convinced that books are the solution to every problem. As an adult, she feeds her addiction in every spare second, only occasionally tearing herself away to do things like answer the phone and pay bills. She spent years trying to build a “sensible” career, working in bookstores, recruitment, resource management, administration, and as a travel agent, before finally conceding defeat and devoting herself to the world of romance novels.

Louisa has a long list of places first discovered in books that she wants to visit, and every so often she overcomes her loathing of jet lag and takes a trip that charges her imagination. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, where she whines about the weather for most of the year while secretly admitting she’ll probably never move.

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And don’t forget to Enter the giveaway through the link below to win this swag bag from the author!

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