Release Blitz + Giveaway: The Parable of the Mustard Seed by Lisa Henry

Angst lovers? This one might be for you! Check out today's The Parable of the Mustard Seed release blitz from author Lisa Henry and IndiGo Marketing! Discover more about the contemporary romance and enter in the $20 Amazon gift card giveaway!

Title: The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Author: Lisa Henry

Publisher:Self Published

Release Date: 3 April 2020

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 79 000 words

Genre: Romance

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Synopsis

The past never stays buried forever.

John Faimu is an Australian-Samoan police officer who deals with hurt kids every day. He loves what he does, but he’s tired of the grind of shift work, and of trying to find a balance between his job, his family, and the young man who straddles the increasingly blurry line between both.

Caleb Fletcher was the teenager John saved from a cult eight long years ago, and he’s now the young man John wants in ways that neither of them should risk.

Eight years after his rescue, Caleb is still struggling with PTSD and self-harm. John has always been his rock, but now Caleb wants more. Can he convince John to cross a line and love him the way they both crave? And when the monsters from Caleb’s past come back seeking to silence him for good, will John’s love be enough to save him?

The Parable of the Mustard Seed is an mm gay romance featuring hurt/comfort, first times, found family, and angst with a happy ending.

Excerpt

Fucking hospitals.

John scrubbed his knuckles over his scalp. He felt more tired now than he had for a long time, and it wasn’t just the shift work. It was Caleb, and this place, and the knowledge that they’d been here before and they would be here again. Different hospitals, different beds, different scratchy blankets and too-cold air conditioning, but all of them stuck in the same old cycle.

Eight years of this.

It wasn’t always this dramatic. Most of the time it didn’t end in a hospital. Most of the time it was increasingly erratic behaviour. It was risk-taking. It was subtle and pervasive, but John knew how to read the signs. He’d talked Caleb down from plenty of metaphorical high places before. Enough to wonder every time if he was only delaying the inevitable. If Darren was, and the psychiatrists and psychologists were, and the pharmacists.

John sighed.

Of course it felt hopeless. It was almost three in the morning and he was sitting in a fucking hospital. Shit always felt dire in the middle of the night.

John reached out and brushed his fingertips against the back of Caleb’s right hand. His skin was cold to the touch, his fingers white and bloodless. Several of his knuckles were grazed. The wounds weren’t fresh.

Darren had said last week that Caleb had punched a wall. Out of nowhere. No warnings signs, no meltdown, just a sudden, furious burst of anger that had broken over him. And afterward, Darren said, when Caleb was sitting on the floor nursing an icepack, he’d refused to talk about it.

Sometimes even Caleb didn’t know what the fuck was happening in his head.

John’s fingertips brushed the wrinkled edge of the tape that held the canula in the back of Caleb’s hand. The plastic tape was dry and rough.

“I bleed and you’re here.”

Fuck

John straightened and turned his face toward Caleb’s. His face was pale, his lips colourless. Dark circles carved out hollows under his eyes.

“Your dad called me,” John said. “He’s on his way.”

Caleb’s gaze dropped away.

John leaned closer and frowned. “What the fuck are you doing, mate?”

“Bad night.” Caleb pressed his lips into a thin white line.

“Were you clubbing?” John gestured at his clothes: dark jeans, a tight shirt, and—what were the kids calling them these days?—expensive kicks.

Caleb inspected the bandages on his arm. “Yeah.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t bullshit me, Caleb.” John was always there to pick up the pieces, but he didn’t coddle Caleb. He never had, not even at the start. “You think I drove all the way here to listen to you lie to me?”

“I was with a guy.” Caleb flinched as he said it.

“Were you safe?”

Caleb’s gaze faltered. “I was with a guy.”

“So you said.” John wondered what reaction Caleb had been expecting. “Were you safe?”

Caleb nodded, turning his face away.

John studied him for a moment, unsure how to react. A part of him was afraid to react at all in case any reaction was an overreaction. Caleb wasn’t coming out as gay—he’d done that at nineteen—but by admitting to a sexual encounter he was coming out in another way: Caleb was coming out as human being who wanted to be touched. A human being with sexual needs. This was a big step. The biggest in a long time. Nobody had expected him to remain celibate forever; nobody thought that was remotely healthy. But fuck, this big step had turned into a hell of a stumble, hadn’t it? Caleb was in freefall.

John reached out and squeezed Caleb’s shoulder. “Did this guy try something? Something you didn’t want to do?”

“No.” Caleb shifted. His worried gaze found John again. “No, it was me, not him.”

John nodded.

“We went to a hotel.” Caleb’s gaze slipped away again. “He said I was a slut.” His voice hitched. “Said I was bad.”

John moved his hand from Caleb’s shoulder to his cheek. Caleb was still so cold. “If you tell me he was being a prick, I’ll track the fucker down.”

“The way he said it, I was supposed to like it. Wasn’t his fault.” Caleb closed his eyes. “I didn’t even mind, not much, not when he was there.”

John sighed. “What happened when he left?”

Caleb shuddered. “When he left, all I could hear in my head was Ethan.”

John tensed, and tried not to let Caleb feel it.

“So loud,” Caleb sighed.

John withdrew his hand. “Look at me.”

Caleb opened his eyes.

“Next time you hear Ethan Gray in your head, you don’t listen to him.” John shook his head. “You call you dad, or your doctor, or you call me, doesn’t matter what time, you call me and I will be there. You understand me?”

Caleb jerked his chin in a nod.

“You don’t cut yourself, Caleb.” John frowned. “You understand me?”

“Okay,” Caleb murmured.

The worst part, John knew, was that Caleb meant it, and would go on meaning it right up until the next time he was holding a blade against his wrists.

You’ll break my heart one day, Caleb Fletcher, I know you will.

John forced a smile. “Okay.”

Caleb sighed and closed his eyes.

John watched him until he fell asleep, then got up and hunted down a blanket.

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Meet the Author

 

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

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

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

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

Lisa has been published since 2012, and was a LAMBDA finalist for her quirky, awkward coming-of-age romance Adulting 101, and a Rainbow Awards finalist for 2019’s Anhaga.

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Guest Review: Chasing the Dream (Everyone's Mechanic #1) by Anne Marie James

When Lee meets his fantasy man, his shy nature makes him want to run. But what will he do when his dream guy won’t let him?

Saul Valencia. Tall? Check. Muscles? Check. Everything Lee Clark ever dreamed of in a man? Check. Bad case of nerves and feeling like an idiot whenever he’s around? Sigh. Check.

Being kicked out of the family home for being gay would have been bad enough, but Lee Clark also worked in his dad’s garage. Losing his family, his home and his job all in the same day left him floundering. He can’t believe his luck might be changing when he finds a job at Everyone’s Mechanic, another garage, where he’s accepted for who he is.

Then Saul, a former linebacker for the NFL Raleigh Raptors and a friend of Lee’s boss, walks into his life. The man is the embodiment of all his teenage fantasies, but Lee doesn’t dare hope Saul will ever actually notice him.

Intrigued from the start by the shy man now working for his business partner’s boyfriend, Saul struggles through bad advice and misunderstandings to convince Lee that he’s serious about wanting a chance with him. Getting Lee to give him a shot at romance was difficult enough, but when drama and blackmail from outside sources are added in, the relationship becomes almost impossible.

It will take the combined efforts of Lee’s garage family and Saul’s real one to set things right.

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of violence and homophobia.

2.75 Hearts

Reviewer: Annery

Lee Clark is one of those characters prevalent in classic bodice rippers and assorted contemporary romances, regardless of gender or romantic orientation: he’s young, beautiful, and talented at everything he does. In Lee’s case, despite his youth, he’s a top-notch mechanic whose talent, when revealed, garners a faithful clientele which only pales in comparison to fans of his artwork, which wows and leaves dumbstruck those who see it. Lee has no formal training but his drawings are amazing. However it can’t all be a bed of roses for our boy. His saintly mom is dead, his father kicks him out when Lee is forced to come out as gay, and his older brother, a cartoon villain, just plain hates and persecutes him. What’s a boy to do? Fret not. Prince Charming is around the corner.

Saul Valencia is a retired NFL player, who though out in his private life, has yet to make his orientation public, why should he have to? He’ll do it for Lee. Saul meets Lee at a BBQ or rather their eyes meet and Saul knows Lee is the one. That should’ve been my cue or rather confirmation that this was not a story for me. I don’t need or like made up drama but IMO this just coasted on lots and lots of wishful telling with minimal attempt at real world verisimilitude.

The book starts with Lee, having just left home with all his worldly possessions in his truck, interviewing for a job at Everyone’s Mechanic, owned by Kirk Smith. Not only does he get hired on the spot, but he gets a place to live, is pretty quickly embraced by a chosen family of friends, and meets the rich, famous, & delectable former NFL star Saul Valencia, who falls head over heels for Lee at first sight. Literally.

We’re also dropped in the midst of a world and multitude of characters, which made me think that maybe this was Bk.2 or 3 in a series, but I don’t think it is. I had no trouble following, the writing is pretty clean and clear, but I can see how some would be disturbed by all of these folks with pretty extensive back stories popping out of the woodwork. I think it’s meant as set up for future volumes in a series, but perhaps it could have been done another way.

Ultimately I didn’t care enough about this to form any strong opinion about it. There was no real conflict. Lee is too good for this world, he’s a bit tentative or insecure about why Saul loves him, makes him wait or prove himself, and later doubts Saul’s affections etc. As I said, a standard contemporary or old style bodice ripper. If you’re in the mood for some a forgettable and almost wholesome read this could work for you: there are friends who are family, actual family, little girls, puppies, and a rescued Prince.

It didn’t work for me because of my aforementioned terribleness as a human being but YMMV.

Review: The Mage on the Hill (Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

The Web of Arcana: Book One

A young magic user who wants desperately to live. A jaded recluse who has forgotten what living means. They’re each other’s only chance.

Toby’s wild magic is killing him. The mage guilds have given up on him, and it’s only a matter of time before he dies in a spectacular, catastrophic bang. His only hope is an exiled wizard who lives in seclusion—and is rumored to have lost his mind.

The years alone on his hilltop estate have not been good for Darius Valstad. After the magical accident that disfigured him and nearly drowned Pittsburgh, he drifts through his days, a wraith trapped in memories and depression. Until a stricken young man collapses on his driveway, one who claims Darius is his last chance. For the first time in fifteen years, Darius must make a choice—leave this wild mage to his fate or take him in and try to teach him, which may kill them both. The old Darius, brash and commanding, wouldn’t have hesitated. Darius the exile isn’t sure he can find the energy to try.

Yes, this boooook!

I had such a good time reading The Mage on the Hill and it has a secure spot on my all time favorites shelf. The bulk of the credit for my love goes to (well, besides Angel Martinez, obvs) Toby. Oh, that sweet, sweet boy, I just loved him.

I’m getting ahead of myself a smidge as I owe you the reasons I swooned so hard at this book and its characters before I get to the actual swooning. There were really so many reasons and the fact that everything came together in such an easily cohesive way makes it hard to pinpoint a handful of things, hence my babbling.

All the characterizations, from the MCs to the secondary and on down the line were so well constructed. There’s always a physical description of characters and good books will show the reader more depth, but this author always goes further and I always get a sense of her characters more deeply than I do with most stories. All the subtle movements and idiosyncrasies add up to create not just a sense of personalities but of their lives and motivations. It seems to all happen effortlessly which is why this authors books are so satisfying to read.

Toby is a firecracker with very little future to look forward to. Darius is a broken man after a seemingly failed attempt to teach control of wild magic to another mage ended tragically. Toby sees Darius as a last resort to save his life and for a guy with a likely apocalyptic future, he has the best sense of humor and attitude. It sounds a little weird considering, but he’s just that kind of guy and I absolutely loved him.

As much as Toby is an open book, Darius is a little tougher to get to know. He’s quite the enigma at first and I had the sense that he was much older than he actually was. It made sense given what happened and how his life has been. As an ostracized mage he’s been living like a hermit for years. At first it was a little off putting as I knew he wasn’t the man being portrayed so vividly, but as the story progressed and Toby gave Darius purpose (in a lot of ways) again, who I met at the beginning began to reconcile with who he became.

On the road to save Toby from the fate wished upon him by the mage guild, I got to meet three acquaintances of Darius and that was a treat. Arden, Elias and Zubayr are completely unique individuals and I can’t wait to read more about them in upcoming books. These guys are great and I loved the chemistry amongst all of them.

The premise of the story is fascinating and the worldbuilding had a great balance between focus on Toby and Darius and setting up for a full series. I’m anxiously awaiting the next one and I can’t decide which of the characters I want more of first. I mean, as long as I get them all (plus more of Toby and Darius), I’ll be a happy reader.

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

Review: The Cowboy and the City Slicker by Bonnie Dee

Can a fish out of water find a home on the range?

Alex Wheeler arrives in Arizona with a job to do—convince Matthew Parsons to sell his guest ranch to an Americana-themed resort chain. A landscape filled with nothing but cactus and cattle promises a dull week, until he meets the strong, silent cowboy who lassoes his interest. Alex begins to fall for Matthew’s quiet charm, gentlemanly ways, and hidden sweetness. As their friendship and attraction deepen from casual to intense, Alex delays revealing his agenda.

Matthew Parsons has one wish—to keep his family heritage intact despite financial hard times. He has convinced himself his life isn’t lonely, until a dynamic, animated, upbeat stranger erupts into his solitude and breaks down his barriers. Against all odds, a man he could actually grow to care for has come to the middle of nowhere like a gift just for him. Even knowing Alex must soon leave, Matthew can’t help falling a little bit in love.

When the truth comes out and harsh realities must be faced, their budding relationship is trampled. But a bruised bloom may be nurtured back to life even in the harsh desert.

I’ve always been a big fan of Bonnie Dee, her historicals are a weakness of mine. I love the language, the settings and the conflicts are always fascinating. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for The Cowboy and the City Slicker. I did enjoy it, the writing is solid and the characters are well formed. The best part of the story is meeting Alex and especially Matthew. The story itself however is one we’ve all read before.

Alex works for a corporation that buys up family farms, ranches, etc. that then turns them into vacation destinations while maintaining their homespun feel. He’s sent to Matthew’s family ranch (that is struggling) under the guise of a vacationing guest and there is an immediate attraction between Alex and Matthew. Alex is gregarious and social which Matthew is shy and stoic. Of course Matthew has a heart of gold and as the two spend more time together Alex discovers Matthew’s softer side and he starts falling for the cowboy while Matthew starts falling for Alex.

And therein the conflict lies. Alex waffles back and forth about when he should tell Matthew his real reason for visiting the ranch. Feelings start to become real things between them and the longer Alex waits, the more the tension rises and the blowup is inevitable. This is nothing new, especially in the wonderful world of cowboy tropes, and the one thing that these stories need is a unique hook and that was the one thing missing in this story.

The chemistry was great between the Alex and Matthew and thankfully they worked through the first conflict, times were good and the reading was heartwarming and steamy. But then, another conflict came along and it was completely manufactured and I couldn’t figure out the point other than to throw some angst at the reader. The logic was flawed in that their was literally no reason for Alex to do what he did and then some stubbornness was thrown into the mix and I ended up just feeling frustrated with the both of them (Alex mostly though),

There was a bit that was seriously off putting for me and it was right at the beginning. I did have to step back for a bit before I dove back in. There was an unfortunate word choice that I know was not intentional, but it’s not a word to use lightly. There was a conversation regarding bad guys in the old west and how one could be sent to the gallows. Instead of being sent to the gallows one characters asked if the loser in their contest (bad guy) would be lynched. Again, I know this was not intentional, but the word has horrific connotations in American history and reading it dropkicked me right out of the story.

Moving along . . .

I did enjoy the dynamics between Alex and Matthew when they were just spending time together and getting to know one another. Matthew had a lot of sweet habits that no one but Alex knew about and whenever they would talk about Matthew’s writing and their love of books I ate those conversations up. And while the story was missing any conflict of real value, I did have a good time meeting the two main characters and reading the growth of their relationship.

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

Review: Why We Fight (At First Sight #4) by T.J. Klune

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Corey Ellis sure doesn’t. Oh, everyone around him seems to have found their happy ending, but he’s far too busy to worry about such things. He’ll have plenty of time for romance after he survives his last summer before graduation. So what if he can’t get his former professor, Jeremy Olsen, out of his head? It’s just hero worship. And that’s the way it should stay.

Except that this summer, bigender Corey—aka Kori—is interning at Phoenix House, a LGBTQI youth center that recently hired an interim director. And because life is extraordinarily unfair, the director just so happens to be a certain former professor, now current boss.

Desperate to keep things professional as he and Jeremy grow closer, Corey makes a major mistake: he turns to his friends, Paul Auster and Sanford Stewart, for help.

But Paul and Sandy have some ideas of their own.

Set in the summer of 2016, Why We Fight is a celebration of queer life and being true to oneself… no matter the cost.

I couldn’t wait to read Corey/Kori’s story, and at the same time, I didn’t even want to start it because, like so many others, I don’t want the At First Sight series to end. But, like all good things, blah, blah, blah and here we are. Why We Fight is the perfect end.

The flavor of it is a little different than the rest of the series, but it has to be. It’s a little more serious and tackles the reality of 2016 because it has to. It’s Corey’s life and love story, but it’s also the story of the whole family as they mature and all their lives evolve. They evolve together though and while bits were terribly bittersweet, they were still full of hope and happiness. You’ll notice that I used the word “mature” there, you have to know that term is relative with regards to the Tucson crew.

There were still plenty of shenanigans to keep me laughing throughout and there’s really nothing better than family dinners at the Auster house. The extended family is growing by two as Charlie’s gentleman, Robert and his son Jeremy are welcomed, nay shanghaied, into the fold. I do love when lonely people find their homes in stories and when it’s a chosen home, the finding is that much sweeter. The characters are always so appreciative of what they have too, it just makes me feel good to read their interactions. The snark and sarcasm keep them real and hilarious and the balance, as always, is perfectly done.

I appreciated reading Corey’s distinct voice and perspective. He’s a bit more serious and jaded than Paul, Sandy, Vince and Darren, and it makes sense for him. He’s seen some shit and he’s lived a life where he depended on no one but himself. And then of course along came Sandy and he got the family he always deserved but never had. He’s about done with his Master’s and the changes coming for him are scary in a way he’s never had to worry about before. He didn’t have family, so leaving his foster parents was never a real emotional thing. But he has a family now, couples are pairing up, things are changing and his educational career is coming to an end. He’s at a bit of crossroad and I could feel how unsettled he was.

This is Corey’s happy ending though and when Jeremy, his hot professor shows up as the interim director of Phoenix House everyone but them knew what was coming. Their journey to their HEA was different than Paul and Vince or Sandy and Darren. I mean, obviously, but I mean it in the way that Corey and Jeremy are more mature, more worldly, so they kept the decorum for a good bit, because neither was willing to jeopardize what the other had going on professionally. Not that there weren’t some amazing moments that were the exact opposite of that, but overall, there was just a lot of respect between the two of them.

Being that Why We Fight is set in 2016, with the spectre of the Cheeto on the horizon, there were a lot of poignant moments that gave the issues that the LGBTQI community is now confronted with a personal face. It’s important to read, it’s important to listen and it’s important to learn from the stories told here. Charlie made me cry more than once and I’m getting all verklempt just thinking about him. The respect, friendship and love he is shown throughout the story really made this book for me.

While I’ve mostly reflected on the heavier side of Why We Fight, and I’ve only mentioned shenanigans in passing, you have to know there are some amazingly wonderfully stupid moments that are the hallmark of this series. There’s always so much great stuff that I’ve reread each book multiple times and discovered/remembered a moment every time. I’m going to do that with Why We Fight too. I think I was so moved by all the dynamics, that I know I have to go back and re-appreciate the interactions. They are too good not to read multiple times.

I’m so sad to see this series come to a close, but I loved how it ended. I’ve always felt invested in these characters and to see them all with their HEAs makes my heart happy.

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

Review: Into the Gray by F.E. Feeley Jr.

Life after college is not what Aaron expected. Isn’t he supposed to have what he wants to do figured out by now? David never expected his marriage to be rocky, let alone about to end. How is he supposed to move on from this? December in Detroit is normally unforgiving, but an unexpected blizzard puts David and Aaron on a course toward each other. Despite the frozen ground and battleship gray sky, these men find heat together. It’s intimate and illicit, stretching what was supposed to be a one night stand into something more. Sometimes the touch of a stranger, however forbidden, is just what we need when we enter the gray.

I’ve been a big fan of this author’s stories since The Haunting of Timber Manor and if you haven’t read Objects in the Rearview Mirror, please do yourself a favor and go get it now. So, when I saw that he was writing an erotic romance I was anxious to get my paws on it and get his take. It was honestly what I wanted and expected considering how he writes and how much his style appeals to me. In short, I’m a big fan of this new venture and I plan on following along for every story he releases.

I love me some fluff now and again, but it can also drive me a little nutters because too much can just be too much. It just doesn’t read realistically to me and I have to take it in small doses. Now, give me some fluff with a side of snark, good natured ribbing and a willingness to acknowledge relationship roadblocks and I’m in. Into the Gray gave me all of that.

Into the Gray is a character driven romance between two lonely men who are both at crossroads in their lives. What starts as a one night stand turns into a snowed in weekend full of bonding both physically and emotionally. Reading about grinding of tingly parts is fun and I like fun, but when you add an emotional connection, the sex elevates to something so much more and Aaron and David have this connection in spades. Once you add in where they both were in their lives and their weekend together became even more meaningful.

Aaron is coming off a bad relationship and getting his bearings and David is in the process of divorcing his wife and is finally going to be able to live an authentic life. They both have a lot to navigate and a new relationship, in theory, is probably not ideal, but I have to take a sentence to say how much I appreciated the author making the idea of a new relationship an opportunity and not a burden.

Sometimes stories take the flux that characters are going through as a chance to have them deny themselves and the manufactured angst of it all can be distracting and I feel like those characters are cheated because of “reasons”. I don’t need extra angst, life has plenty as it is, and it’s the same for MCs (well, it’s usually more for them). Let them take their happiness in a meaningful way, let them talk about and acknowledge what they are going through and then provide one another with support and orgasms. THAT is what I love and THAT is what Into the Gray gave me.

Aaron and David complemented one another so well and it was obvious they were both smitten from the beginning. It started with them being all lusty with lust but when they were snowed in together for a weekend (and I do love the “snowed in” setup very much) and they got to know one another with no outside pressure or influence, just homemade chicken soup, baths, movies and cuddles. I’m a fan of all of those things and when Aaron and David do them all it’s even better.

I read that there could be more coming for Aaron and David and I can’t wait for that to be a thing. I really enjoyed the direction the story is taking and I hope to read more of these guys and meet new characters. Also, major love to the secondary characters, they are fully fleshed out and they added a lot with a minimal amount of page time which says a lot. I’m adding Into the Gray to my reread list, it’s my flavor of erotic romance and I’m anxious to read more.

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

Blog Tour: Made for You (Love & Family #2) by Anyta Sunday

Anyta Sunday and A Novel Take PR visit with an exclusive for new release, Made for You (Love &Family #2)! Learn more about the contemporary romance today!

Made For You by Anyta Sunday

Series: Love & Family #2

Publisher: Anyta Sunday (self-published)

Release Date (Print & Ebook):
May 1st 2019

Subgenre: Contemporary gay romance, friends-to-lovers, age gap (May-December)

Links: https://www.anytasunday.com/projects/made-for-you/
https://amzn.to/2XIAB0a

Book synopsis:

Ben wants to find a new home.
Twenty-four-year-old Ben McCormick is the primary caregiver for his brother Milo after their parent’s death. A year into the job, he’s totally got the hang of it. Mostly. Sort of. Not at all?
Defeated and thoroughly chastised for his lack in parenting skills at teacher-parent night, Ben slumps away with the resolve to finally get his life sorted: be a better role model, and sell their parents’ house for a fresh start.
But first, he needs to spruce up his house to hit the market. He’s no DIY king, but Milo’s hot-as-hell woodwork teacher is…

Jack wants an old home to fix.
Thirty-nine-year-old Jack Pecker is waiting for the home of his dreams to come on the market in the summer. What better way to wait the interim months than working on a small renovation gig?
Only trouble is, the gig is for the McCormick brothers. And working in close quarters to red-haired Ben McCormick won’t be easy. Not with the attraction that simmers between them. Attraction Ben makes no effort to hide.
But Jack’s professional. Dating a parent is highly discouraged at Kresley Intermediate, and he’d never cross the lines…

Ben and Jack. Two guys searching for a home – a home that might just be where their hearts lead them.
~ - ~ - ~
Set in New Zealand, Made For You (Love & Family #2) is an MM gay romance featuring two guys at very different places in their lives – but both finding out they are looking for the same thing.
Can be read as a standalone.

Tropes: friends-to-lovers, slow burn, age gap, found family
Genre: New Adult, light-hearted contemporary gay romance

Exclusive Excerpt for BMBR:

Jack’s eyes track the road. He stops at stop signs. Slows for orange. Carefully steps on the brake. Never stalls.
It’s lulling.
Like it could help me finally sleep.
“Milo saw you looking into real estate agents.”
I rake a hand through my hair and laugh. “I’m such a fucking idiot. That’s what he saw?”
Jack’s hands shift on the wheel, veins prominent. “I don’t dare ask what you thought he saw.”
“I don’t dare tell you!”
Jack’s laughter is full-hearted, deep, and infectious. “He asked if I could somehow stop you from selling.”
“Why would he think you could stop me?”
Those green eyes snuck to mine. “It’s known around school that I’m into renovation and remodeling. I just sold my last place to our gym teacher.”
“Was that what you meant by having no home?”
Jack tenses, and quickly inclines his head. “Sure.”
There’s more to it. I’m a questionable influence, not emotionally clueless.
I know better than to pry. Usually. “Where are you living?”
“Newtown. Sharing a wall with my ex and his partner, and on the hunt for a new project.” He winks, and I’m not immune to its power. Especially on the heels of that insight.
Milo’s teacher. Milo’s gay teacher.
Milo’s ruggedly hot, gay teacher.

About Anyta Sunday:

A bit about me: I'm a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.
Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.
I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.
My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.

Connect with Anyta:
Author website: http://www.anytasunday.com/
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Review: Father of the Groom (Love and Care #1) by Silvia Violet

Avery has a good life. He loves his job as a makeup artist, and he’s ecstatic about being Twink of Honor in his best friend’s wedding. He’s more than capable of supporting himself, but that doesn’t stop him from longing for an older man who’ll take care of him.

Graham Hillingdon has finally repaired his relationship with his son, and he’s thrilled to be part of his son’s wedding day, though he wishes he had a plus one to bring with him. Sadly, he has yet to find a man who appreciates both his dominant and nurturing sides; maybe even someone to call him Daddy.

When Avery and Graham meet at the wedding, attraction sizzles between them, and they end up spending an insanely hot night together. Graham makes sure Avery knows exactly who’s in charge in bed, but afterwards, he’s exquisitely gentle. This is just what Avery needs, and Graham is certain he’s finally found a man who desires what he has to give. Neither of them wants to part the next day, but between their age difference and their reluctance to reveal their relationship to Graham’s son, they wonder if they have any chance for a future together. But as perfect as they are for each other, shouldn’t it be worth the risk?

If daddy kink makes you swoon and purr, Father of the Groom is your catnip. I love me some daddy kink done right and by that I mean I want more than just some gratuitous PWP. Not that gratuitous PWP doesn’t have its place, it does, but then it can’t really be a thing for more than 30 pages or so. After that you’re probably just being ridiculous.

Father of the Groom has both P . . . AND . . . P. So, it wins! It’s plenty filthy, which is what you should expect from a Silvia Violet book about a twink and a daddy, May/December story. But, there is character development and motivation behind the kink that makes the story interesting and made me feel invested in a future for Avery and Graham. Seriously, how great are the names Avery and Graham for these two? One guess as to which dude is which.

Avery is the “twink of honor” at his BFF’s wedding. He’s also an amazing cosmetologist and makes the bridal party almost as pretty as he is. Graham is the father of the groom who’s coming out caused a huge rift in the family, but he’s worked hard to repair the relationship he has with his kids and it’s actually quite sweet to be in his head when he thinks about them. He’s incredibly respectful of their feelings and that said a lot about Graham as a person. The author is consistently good at giving characters added depth through their relationships with secondary characters. I’m being shown who they are, not told and when you have a book full of kink it helps to have that added to dimension so you can take the MC’s seriously outside of the sex.

The two are attracted to one another from the moment they lay hungry eyes on each other and they figured out they both hit the jackpot with their kinks within the first few sentences of dialog between them. The whole, I’m-at-my-son/BFF’s-wedding-and-I-shouldn’t-be-thinking-so-much-about-my/his-dick/ass-right-now-but-I’m-still-going-to-bone-the-night-away thoughts happened, but that was cool, because these are grown ass men having a good time, but their concern made sense for them and their relationships with the bride and groom.

What I appreciated most was the communication between Avery and Graham. As I mentioned, they hit hard on each others sexual needs, but they also communicated beyond that. Meaning, they both were on the same page when it came to how far the daddy play goes in real life. Sometimes the kink can overwhelm the story and the MC’s are too one dimensional to take seriously beyond the aforementioned 30 pages, but Avery is adamant about being self reliant and Graham recognizes and respects that. When Avery says he wants someone to take care of him he doesn’t mean it in a Sugar Daddy sense. He wants someone he is going to take over and he can trust them enough to completely let himself go in the bedroom. Graham needs to dominate and care for a lover, so they complimented each other completely. They even spoke of not having to “play” every time they had sex. It made the whole scenario way more believable in the vanilla light of day.

Just because Avery is self sufficient doesn’t mean can’t be a big old drama queen when things go slightly askew. It fit his personality and his need to be able to trust completely and let go. The dust up was really not that big of a deal, but for Avery, trust is the whole deal and again, drama queen, so a snit was had. A snit was needed to keep the story grounded and shake off some of the perfection that had been going on so far. The drama was short lived, which I liked, and Avery and Graham had a serious chat before Avery hopped back on the daddy dick, proving that he is pretty good at the adulting thing after all.

The story ends on a very optimistic HFN with more to come in the series (of which I will be partaking of every story). I came for the kink but stayed for the characters and I feel pretty invested in their happiness now. Their dynamic is fun and will be worthy of a reread or two at least.

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

Review: Wight Mischief by J.L. Merrow

A ghost of a chance at love.

Personal trainer Will Golding has been looking forward to a getaway with his best friend, Baz, a journalist researching a book on ghosts. But on the first day of their camping trip on the Isle of Wight, Will takes a walk on a secluded beach and spies a beautiful young man skinny-dipping by moonlight. Ethereally pale, he’s too perfect to be real—or is he?

Lonely author Marcus Devereux is just as entranced by the tall athlete he encounters on the beach, but he’s spent the years since his parents’ violent death building a wall around his heart, and the thought of letting Will scale it is terrifying. Marcus’s albinism gives him his otherworldly appearance and leaves him reluctant to go out in daylight, his reclusiveness encouraged by his guardian—who warns him to stay away from Will and Baz.

The attraction between Will and Marcus can’t be denied—but neither can the danger of the secrets haunting Marcus’s past, as one “accident” after another strikes Will and Baz. If they don’t watch their step, they could end up added to the island’s ghostly population.

I read Wight Mischief for the first time in 2013 and while I didn’t remember a lot of details, the imagery still was with me when the book came through the blog for its re-release. I really wanted to visit the Isle of Wight again through J.L. Merrow’s words and I enjoyed it just as much the second time around.

Wight Mischief plays to J.L. Merrow’s strengths with vivid atmospheric imagery and characters who come to life on the pages. I had a real soft spot for Will throughout. Every reader knows the warm fuzzy feeling of connecting and rooting for a character with all their literary loving heart. Will was my dude. He was everything I love wrapped in a big, beautiful humble package. His unwavering loyalty and one sided crush on Baz frustrated me to no end, but I also understood it given their age and history.

Myself, I love a mystery and one with a paranormal bent is even better. The ghost hunting angle that came with Baz’s research set the scene for the tension that flows from start to finish. The research leads them to Marcus’s doorstep and the connection between Marcus and Will was obvious, but also not easy. Marcus is a successful author with a mysterious past and an overbearing caretaker who adds some delicious tension and a character I could love to hate. The story needed a clear villain and Leif delivered.

The mystery evolves along with Marcus and Will’s relationship. I liked reading about Will’s change of affection from Baz to Marcus. It was refreshing and I was happy reading about Will’s happiness. Their relationship wasn’t without its angst but the angst wasn’t overdone considering everything else going on.

And there was a lot going on. Honestly if you are looking for full blown romance, you are going to be a little disappointed. Will and Marcus don’t have a ton of page time together, but the time they do have is intense and they do spend a lot of time pining for one another. That did make the end that much sweeter for me as their HEA was well earned.

Wight Mischief has characters to love, to hate and ones you want to throttle. There’s the mystery, the ghost stories and the Isle of Wight itself which is a character all on its own. I quite enjoy reading a story with all manner of elements and a mystery needs a lot of movement to keep the reader, well, mystified and engaged. Because there were the other elements in the story as well; the romance between Will and Marcus, the changing dynamics between Will and Baz, the new friendships made, etc., the mystery didn’t have to be overly complex and I’m glad it wasn’t. I wanted to read about it, but I didn’t want it to outshine Will and Marcus. In the end the balance worked for me as a mystery lover with bonus romance.

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

Audiobook Review: Bromantically Yours by K.C. Wells

A friends-to-lovers novella that came from Out of the Shadows, because Nate and Dylan needed a story….

Nate and Dylan have been pals for a long time. So what if their friends think they’ve got a little bromance going? Doesn’t mean there’s anything more to it than that, right? And even if there is, Nate and Dylan are totally oblivious….

Until the night they share a drunken kiss—and everything changes.

Narrated by Daniel Henning
Listening Time: 3 Hours, 13 Minutes

Bromantically Yours was a sweet, no angst listen that was a pleasant enough diversion if not particularly memorable. The novella length story is a spin off to Out of the Shadows and I absolutely loved that book, but Bromantically Yours can be consumed as a stand alone. Although the buildup and introductions happened in Out of the Shadows are helpful because the reader/listener gets dropped into the bromance at the very beginning of this story as Dylan and Nate are off to the experimental races from the get go.

The author does a great job of making sure the connection between Dylan and Nate is strong and the loyalty they have to one another is unquestionable. I totally bought into them having more than “just friends” feelings going on even after the drunken kiss catalyst. There was no regret and little worry really after the fact. The expected angst wasn’t much of a thing, just anxious excitement as to what could happen next between them. So, while not the most believable thing, it did fit with overall tone of the story. The lack of conflict would not have worked in a longer story, but this was meant to be lighthearted and loving and that’s what the listener gets.

Daniel Henning is a new narrator to me and I very much enjoyed his tone and style. His pacing is easy on the ears and his words flow naturally. Unfortunately I didn’t feel he was a fit for this story overall. Dylan and Nate are supposedly straight but the narrator’s speech pattern is anything but stereotypically straight and became more effeminate and flamboyant as the story progressed. It took away from the whole plot point of two “straight” best friends falling in love (and lust). I would definitely listen to the narrator again with a book that his tone would match with, it just wasn’t this one.

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

Audiobook Review: Secrets of You (Sunshine and Happiness #4) by Skylar M. Cates

It’s never easy to find redemption.

Carrying scars and regrets, River Darcourt avoids too much intimate contact. Among his friends, he is known as a quiet loner. Forget about love. It’s not something he will consider… until sweet, young, and tempting Morgan Hayes becomes his housemate. River closed his heart long ago, but the attraction is impossible to deny.

Morgan Hayes needs a change. He is moving out of his critical father’s home and in with his friends, including his secret/not-so-secret crush, River. Having feelings for River is a terrible idea. But what is a guy to do when the annoyingly sexy mechanic is just across the hall?

While Morgan has overcome ugliness and is ready for love, he’s just not sure River ever will be. They have both experienced pain in their lives. So Morgan dares River to take a chance, and love will either break their fractured hearts in more pieces or, just possibly, make them whole again.

Narrated by Michael Stellman
Listening Time: 7 Hours, 36 Minutes

I’m a big fan of “The Guy” series by Skylar Cates and binge listened to the whole series and fell in love. I hadn’t read any of the Sunshine and Happiness series when the audiobook for Secrets of You came through to the blog, but I did snatch it up pretty quickly. I conferred with another Unicorn who LOVES the books as to whether this was a standalone situation or a series commitment and thank goodness I asked Red because she let me know right away that if I didn’t do the whole series I would be missing out and damn she was right! Thanks Red! So, I backtracked, used a bunch of audible codes and binge listened to the first three books making my way to Secrets of You. It was a great ride and exactly what I expected from the author.

She’s amazing at writing relationship dynamics and they run the gamut of types and degrees in the Sunshine and Happiness series. I was really looking forward to Book 3, Close to You and I had mentally prepared myself to make that my favorite of the series, I mean really, it was Tomas and Marc’s story! And I did love it, very much, but, Secrets of You turned out to be my favorite of the four books in the end. It’s probably my weakness for misunderstood, heartbroken bad boys (River) and eternally optimistic rays of sunshine (Morgan).

What made these two so good together was their differences and their resilience. They both had been through some incredibly difficult times as of late, but deep down, they both still wanted to be happy. It was understandable they were a little reticent to be jumping into a relationship together, and if they had I would have called BS on it, so the roomies with benefits (while a convenient trope) was still a perfect avenue for them to explore one another both in out of the bedroom. The setup where all the other guys were gone on a cruise was convenient but necessary. There’s no way River would have opened up to Morgan the way he did if the rest of the friends had been present.

My favorite parts of the story were the quiet times between the two while they were home alone. Even if they were supposed to be keeping it casual, it was obvious they were meant to be together by way of the care they took with one another. It was quite sweet to see them fall into a relationship without even consciously realizing it. Accidentally in love is one of my favorite things.

Of course, nothing is that easy and it would be a cop out to not give these boys some angst to work through given everything they’d been through, but it wasn’t overdone and the issues they had made sense for them both separately and together. River’s story surprised me more than once and finally being in his head to get his impression of the relationship he had Brendan broke my heart and really made the story something so much more than what I expected. It also gave me more hope for his relationship with Morgan long term. It was a roller coaster I wasn’t anticipating and I love when a book gives me that!

Another thing that grabbed me when the audiobook came up for review was the narrator. I love Michael Stellman’s voice. His tone and organic narration get me lost in the stories he reads. I highly recommend listening to anything he is a part of. While each of the Sunshine and Happiness audiobooks has a different narrator, I thought that worked out really well for the series. There are a lot of characters and having different narrators gave each audiobook a distinction that probably wouldn’t have been there otherwise. Michael Stellman was the perfect pick for Secrets of You though. He could read an instruction manual to me and I’d be happy.

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