Boy Meets Boy Reviews: Garrett Leigh

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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Saint's Song (Rebel Kings #2) by Garrett Leigh

Author Garrett Leigh and Signal Boost Promotions share new release information on Saint's Song (Rebel Kings #2)! Find out the latest int he popular series and enter in the giveaway!

BUY LINKS

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Length:

Rebel Kings MC Series

Book #1 - Devil's Dance - Buy Here

Book #3 - Forgive Me Father - Pre-Order Here - Out Nov '22

Expect: a fragile king, a sweet-hearted henchman, an enigmatic hitman, and a fight to the death.Cam, Alexei, and Saint have survived their battle with the devil, but with too many enemies to count, can they survive the war?

“Kill me,” I choked out. “If he’s dead, you gotta kill me too.”

One club, one heart.

Three men, one soul.

Can loving someone kill you? I feel like the world is ending every time I look at them.

Cam. My brother. My president.

He’s the love of my life

And then there’s Alexei. I didn’t know I could feel this way about one person, let alone two. But I think of him in every breath I breathe for Cam. Every thundering beat of my heart. Because there is no Cam without him.

There is no me. My life wasn’t worth living until I found something worth dying for.
And I’d die for them a thousand times.

Saint’s Song is the second in a hurt/comfort, biker romance, MMM duet from the world of the Rebel Kings MC. Content warnings inside the book.

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer.

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

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

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

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

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Review: Devil's Dance (Rebel Kings MC #1) by Garrett Leigh

Opposites attract. The outlaw biker and the accountant. Straightlaced vs straight to hell. Or heaven, depending on how you look at it.

And you can look at it any way you like, doesn’t mean it’s true. Either way, falling for snarky Alexei Ivanov is the lightbulb moment I’ve been waiting for my whole damn life. Or at least since my head got turned by someone else. A man I call brother, but he's so much more than that.

I’ve loved Saint Malone for years. My loyal wingman has owned my heart so long I figured it had died of yearning for him. But Saint is as fragile as he is deadly. I don’t know how to help him until Alexei brings me to life in ways I can’t describe.

He opens my eyes, and I see them both.

I love them both.

With the weight of the underworld bearing down on me, I just gotta stay alive long enough to tell them.

Devil’s Dance is the first in a hurt/comfort, dark romance, MMM duet from the world of the Rebel Kings MC. Expect: tattoos and leather, an enigmatic Russian hitman, and dark and dirty themes.

*Trigger warnings: childhood abuse, sex work, graphic violence, death.

Cam finds himself between two men - the man he’s pined after for years but can’t have, and the man who was supposed to be a one night stand but that he can’t stop thinking about. On top of it all, rivals are threatening his territory and his MC family.

It’s been a while since I read an MC book. It was interesting to see the politics and interpersonal dynamics play out. And of course, that extra rough and wild adds some fun to the mix.

Cam was easy to understand and to root for - he’s dedicated to his club, their dependents, and building legitimate above-board operations. The occasional throwdowns with rivals notwithstanding.

Alexei’s the mysterious dangerous type, so his story is only revealed gradually. But underneath that sharp exterior, he’s vulnerable and fiercely protective.

Both men are used to going it alone, that is until one night together changes everything. They’re smitten, and want more.

I really liked their dynamic - neither wanting or planning for it, but unable to stay away from each other. Alexei and Cam end up needing each other, and revealing parts of themselves that they’d kept buried.

Also the sex - hot, hot, hot. Grade A material.

The other man in this story is Saint - Cam’s long-time friend and his most trusted wingman in the MC. Cam and Saint have skirted around their longing for each other for years, neither ever making a move.

From the moment Alexei and Saint meet, they prioritize looking after Cam together. And along the way, they even find themselves drawn to each other.

The three men, and their bond, are tested when shit hits the fan and puts the MC in direct danger. The action livened up the pace of the story.

Where things hit a snag for me was how little relationship development there was. Alexei and Cam jump to love pretty quickly, while we get the bare minimum on Saint and Cam’s backstory.

I was definitely rooting for the three and happy to see them coming together, but the why and how just wasn’t fully there. Maybe that will come in the next book.

In any case, I’m hooked enough to read on! Recommended if you’re looking for a gritty MMM book with interesting characters and a fun action plot.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Devil's Dance (Rebel Kings MC #1) by Garrett Leigh

Author Garrett Leigh and Signal Boost Promotions promote new MMM duology, Devil's Dance (Rebel Kings MC #1)! Read more about the first in the series and enter in the giveaway!

BUY LINKS

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Length: 96,000 words approx.

Rebel Kings MC Series

Book #2 - Saint's Song - Pre-Order (Out June 7 2022)

Opposites attract. The outlaw biker and the accountant. Straightlaced vs straight to hell. Or heaven, depending on how you look at it.

And you can look at it any way you like, doesn’t mean it’s true. Either way, falling for snarky Alexei Ivanov is the lightbulb moment I’ve been waiting for my whole damn life. Or at least since my head got turned by someone else. A man I call brother, but he's so much more than that.

I’ve loved Saint Malone for years. My loyal wingman has owned my heart so long I figured it had died of yearning for him. But Saint is as fragile as he is deadly. I don’t know how to help him until Alexei brings me to life in ways I can’t describe.

He opens my eyes, and I see them both.

I love them both.

With the weight of the underworld bearing down on me, I just gotta stay alive long enough to tell them.

Devil’s Dance is the first in a hurt/comfort, dark romance, MMM duet from the world of the Rebel Kings MC. Expect: tattoos, leather, and an enigmatic Russian hitman.

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Review: Salvation (Darkest Skies #3) by Garrett Leigh

Reformed gang boss Dante Pope is out after a four-year stretch in prison. But freedom has found him faster than he’s ready for. His only brother hates him, and with nothing but PTSD and a newfound fascination with plants for company, the outside world is a terrifying place.

A prisoner rehabilitation scheme lands him at a stately home that might as well be the moon. Working for gorgeous gardener Sid is a welcome distraction—his shoulders are broad, his rugged jaw unshaven, and his long, tanned legs?

Wow.

But Sid has problems of his own. A life-changing disease has left him limited in ways he can’t bear and accepting help, even from a stranger, makes him want to curl up and die.

If Dante would let him.

Newsflash: he won’t, and he’s not a stranger for long. With his dark smile and sinister ink, Dante Pope is the most beautiful man Sid has ever seen. Life is hard, but falling for each other is easy.

Sunshine and shadows.

Old ghosts can haunt Dante all they like. Loving Sid is the only salvation he’ll ever need.

Dante is released from prison to a country garden. He’s determined to make the most of this second chance, and leave his old life in the past for good.

Sid looks after his gardens and manages his chronic illness. He doesn’t need complications, which is what Dante is.

The two men come from very different backgrounds, but the attraction is there from the start. Despite their differences, they’re actually very similar men.

Both are cranky, a bit antisocial, and prefer each other’s quiet company. Some common ground to build a relationship on!

I really enjoyed reading how working in the gardens side by side brought the two together. It led to homemade dinners, shared smokes (literally), and eventually stolen kisses.

Is there anything hotter than a man who just wants to feed you? Sid’s a total catch! His quiet determination in continuing with his daily life as much as he could made him even more admirable.

For his part, Dante has had a massive character improvement. Even better is that he was well aware of it, and actively identified and changed behaviours that were his old self. The self-awareness is what made him likeable, after the previous events.

I will say though - I found Sid’s repeated insistence that Dante was completely blame-free and a good man irritating. Yes, Dante is a good man now, but that doesn’t erase the past. Sid could have supported Dante without constantly throwing on the rose-coloured glasses.

I also found that the book dragged quite a bit in the middle. It could have been tightened up.

But that aside, Sid and Dante are incredibly sweet together in their little English countryside bubble. Not to mention hot!

They have a major stumbling block thrown at them, but they get through it for the better on the other end.

Overall, though this isn’t my favourite book in the series, it was still an enjoyable read. Would recommend it if you've read the two preceding books!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Salvation (Darkest Skies #3) by Garrett Leigh

Author Garrett Leigh and Signal Boost Promotions host a release blitz for the latest in the popular series, Salvation (Darkest Skies #3)! Find out more and enter in the giveaway today!

ALL BUY LINKS

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Darkest Skies Series

Book #1 Redemption - Buy Links

Book #2 Deliverance - Buy Links

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Review: Deliverance (Darkest Skies #2) by Garrett Leigh

Banished gangster Benito Martell is living on the edge. An explosive hook-up in a club gifts him the relief he craves, but nothing about his life is ever so simple. Complications abound, and before long, he’s falling for the only man who can save his family from eviction.

Recovering addict Mickey Larwood has worked hard to leave his past behind. He can’t look back, not even for the beautiful Benito, the last soul on earth he expected to steal his heart—a soul who’s knee-deep in the underworld Mickey has run hundreds of miles to escape.

Benito can deny it all he wants, but Mickey can smell trouble a mile off.

And Benito is trouble with a capital T. As his desperate lies unravel, so does the fledgling love that’s grown between them. If Benito wants deliverance from his old life and a future with Mickey, old ghosts need to die.

If they don’t kill him first.

When Benito and Mickey hook up in a club, it’s complete fireworks. Both men want to go back for more.

However, what should be an easy no-strings-attached arrangement quickly becomes complicated by a personal connection the two weren’t aware of, and by their pasts.

Not to mention the emotional pull that quickly becomes more important than the physical.

First of all, let me acknowledge the obvious - Benito and Mickey are hot. Like no holds barred, aggressive, dirty hot. Lovely.

Both men also have baggage. Lots of it. And unfortunately, that baggage means that the clash was unavoidable.

It’s gritty and rough, but I thought both men were justified in their feelings and actions. It pulled the heartstrings - Mickey and Benito so clearly want things to work, but circumstances outside of their control make it tough.

Life just throws curveballs sometimes.

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I loved that the common ground between the two was Benito’s family. Because while they may have been unsure about each other, they were both committed to Benito’s mother and sister.

And slowly but surely, Mickey and Benito begin chipping at the cracks. Until they just can’t stay away from each other, and become more and more entwined.

I had heart eyes.

The sh*t does inevitably - and very predictably - hit the fan. But there’s no guarantee on exactly how things will play out.

However, Mickey and Benito do make it out on the other side, and they both make amends. It’s a hard-won happy ever after, and very much so deserved.

Recommended for those who enjoyed book 1!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Deliverance (Darkest Skies #2) by Garrett Leigh

Join author Garrett Leigh and Signal Boost Promotions promote new release, hurt/comfort romance, Deliverance (Darkest Skies #2)! Find out more today and enter in the back list eBook giveaway!

ALL BUY LINKS

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Darkest Skies Series

Book #1 - Redemption - Currently only 99c

Book #3 - Salvation - Pre-Order Out September 20

Blurb

Benito can deny it all he wants, but Mickey can smell trouble a mile off.

And Benito is trouble with a capital T. As his desperate lies unravel, so does the fledgling love that’s grown between them. If Benito wants deliverance from his old life and a future with Mickey, old ghosts need to die.

If they don’t kill him first.

Deliverance is an angsty standalone MM romance novel, with second chances, found family, friends-to-lovers, and buckets of hurt/comfort themed loveliness. Trigger warnings for addiction and childhood trauma.

Giveaways!

Along with a giveaway to win a backlist ebook there's still 3 days left to enter the Goodreads Giveaways for paperbacks of Redemption and Deliverance. These are open to US and Canada residents only unfortunately due to Goodreads restrictions but there will be a chance to win copies in my Facebook Group, Garrett's Den over the next couple of weeks.

Redemption Paperback Giveaway

Deliverance Paperback Giveaway

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Review: Unforgotten (Forgiven #2) by Garrett Leigh

Billy Daley hasn’t been home in years, and he likes it that way. He’s just fine on his own—he has a cash-in-hand job at a scrapyard, a half-feral cat to keep him company, and many miles between him, his hometown and all the baggage that comes with it.

Until the job goes sideways. Suddenly he’s back in Rushmere, working for none other than his brother’s best friend—a man whose kiss Billy can’t seem to forget.

Gus Amour’s memories of Billy Daley are all spiky edges, lips crushed against lips and a reckless streak that always ended in trouble. But when Billy needs a place to stay, Gus steps in. He’d do anything for the Daley family, including living, and working, side by side with a man who makes his heart beat too fast and his blood run too hot—two things he’s been running from for years.

It doesn’t take long before their easy banter, lingering touches and heated glances become a temptation too hard to resist. But falling into bed and falling in love are two different things, and love has never come easy to either Billy or Gus. Only when fate threatens to steal away their opportunity for a second chance will they realize they don’t need easy.

They just need each other.

Billy and Gus grew up together, always in each other’s lives. They even shared a sneaky kiss once. But family events forced the two onto very different paths.

Now Billy is back in town, and he’s staying at Gus’ place. They’re very different men, but the spark between is just the same.

I really liked the set-up of this book - family drama, moody boys, sexual tension, unspoken feelings, and a judgy cat.

A winning recipe!

This is very much so a character-driven story - all of the focus is on Gus and Billy, and on their respective siblings, Mia and Luke. What a tricky web that family is.

This isn’t an overly angsty book, at least not by Garrett Leigh’s standards, but it’s definitely heavy on the family drama and dynamics. That being said, Billy and Gus were still pretty cute from the get-go.

Their relationship grows very naturally, and it’s easy to see how well they fit together. Whether the two were trading insults, working, attempting to cook, or trying to ignore the growing heat, the connection between them was obvious.

Sure, both have some unresolved issues with their families, but the shared experience made it easier for Gus and Billy to address their problems. They’re adorable once they finally give in to the tension between them. Years worth of longing paid off!

Where the book took a bit of a left turn was the second half.

so. much. miscommunication.

Or lack of communication, more accurately.

Both men just jumped to one inaccurate conclusion after another, and it all seemed to snowball into the perfect storm. I was a bit miffed, and just not as invested for a while.

Luckily, the big resolution set it all to rights. And everyone accepted their responsibility. Growth is amazing to see.

Even better, the happy ever after was perfect. Overall, I quite enjoyed Billy and Gus’ story!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Unforgotten (Forgiven #2) by Garrett Leigh

Author Garrett Leigh and Signal Boost Promotions celebrate the release of Unforgotten (Forgiven #2)! Read more about the new romance and enter in the author's back list eBook giveaway!

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | UNIVERSAL LINK

Length: 73,000 words approx.

Publisher: Carina Press

Forgiven Series

Book #1 - Forgiven - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Also available to download in Audio

Book #1 - Forgiven - Audible US | Audible UK
Book #2 - Unforgotten - Audible US | Audible UK

Blurb

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Review: Angels in the City by Garrett Leigh

A fake relationship with a stranger. An office romance with doughnuts and white knights. An addictive arrangement—friends with benefits—fast turns to love.

Jonah Gray is rich, successful, and the most eligible bachelor in the city, according to his mother, at least. But the truth is, despite her efforts to pair him off, he’s fine on his own. All he needs is a date to the Christmas ball.

Sacha Ivanov is a lone wolf, content in the cycle of long days, late nights, and anonymous hook ups, but when a chance encounter in a broken-down lift brings a gorgeous copper-haired CEO into his life, everything begins to change.

As Christmas fast approaches, a favour for a stranger blooms into something more. He doesn’t do second dates or relationships. But for kind-hearted Jonah, his angel in the city, he might just change his mind.

When Jonah Gray and Sasha Ivanov first meet in a stalled lift (or elevator, for us colonists across the pond), the attraction is instant. On a whim, Sasha accompanies Jonah to his parents’ annual Christmas party as his impromptu date, and follows Jonah home later that night.

I really liked the set-up of Sasha and Jonah’s story - office colleagues (although for different companies), a “fake” date, and a glittery upper-class Christmas in London.

And even better - the heat between these men. They were setting things on fire from their first hook-up. A cranky Russian with a penchant to get bossy in the bedroom? Hell yeah!

But while the two men find it easy to handle the physical connection, the emotional part is trickier to deal with.

They may wear the same designer suits, but Jonah and Sasha are two very different men. Jonah has a warm personality and loving family and friends. Sasha is outwardly cold and has little to no human connections in his life.

From the outset, the two men were bound to clash in terms of emotional compatibility.

I think this is where it hit a bit of a snag for me - for the majority of the book, I found things to be a bit too stilted between Sasha and Jonah. How Sasha treated Jonah got repetitive.

I’ve read and rooted for many an MC that does the whole hot-and-cold thing, but usually it’s cases where readers really get to know the character. In this case, Sasha just remained an enigma for too long.

I would have liked to get more from Sasha earlier in the book - his backstory, how he viewed things, how he really felt. Luckily, Sasha does get his head out of his ass and apologizes for how he acted, which went a long way in making him worthy of Jonah!

That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the relationship unfold, and all the sweet moments that went with it. Like how the two brought each other food and goodies, or how they both tried to get a rise out of each other.

And best of all, how they found peace together in their crazy busy lives. Jonah and Sasha pack a lot into just a few short weeks, but there was no denying that they clicked.

Their happy ending was the perfect cozy English Christmas with a cherry on top!

If you’re looking for a sexy read that’ll bring the holiday feels, give ‘Angels in the City’ a try!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Angels in the City by Garrett Leigh

Author Garrett Leigh and Signal Boost Promotions host today's release blitz for Angels in the City! Read more about the holiday themed forced proximity romance and enter in the Hometown Christmas eBook giveaway!

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK

UNIVERSAL LINK

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Length: 63,000 words approx.

Blurb

A fake relationship with a stranger. An office romance with doughnuts and white knights. An addictive arrangement—friends with benefits—fast turns to love.

Jonah Gray is rich, successful, and the most eligible bachelor in the city, according to his mother, at least. But the truth is, despite her efforts to pair him off, he’s fine on his own. All he needs is a date to the Christmas ball.

Sacha Ivanov is a lone wolf, content in the cycle of long days, late nights, and anonymous hook ups, but when a chance encounter in a broken-down lift brings a gorgeous copper-haired CEO into his life, everything begins to change.

As Christmas fast approaches, a favour for a stranger blooms into something more. He doesn’t do second dates or relationships. But for kind-hearted Jonah, his angel in the city, he might just change his mind.

Angels in the City is a Christmas themed MM friends-to-lovers, forced proximity, office romance. Expect fraught days, steamy nights, and true love built around festive snacks and Christmas trees.

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Audiobook Review: Heart by Garrett Leigh

Cornish pastry chef Seb Wright dreads the summer tourist season. The cash injection to his artisan fudge pantry is more than welcome, the extra work, less so. Then one summer, a shadowy Good Samaritan catches his eye. Irish Traveller Dex is bewitching, a beautiful sullen enigma who turns Seb's world upside down until he disappears in the night, vanishing like a mystical summer rain.

Twelve months later Dex is in the midst of a dark storm. A slave to his master, 'Uncle' Braden, he spends his days cleaning caravans and his nights working in Braden's other businesses. His short summer with Seb seems a lifetime ago. Lost in the savage violence of the murky underworld, he doesn't dare dream he'll ever find his way back, until one night, a brutal crime opens the door for a chance escape. A new life beckons, old faces emerge, and immersed in the heady vibe of London’s East End, new love begins to heal his fractured heart.

Narrator: Dan Calley
Listening Length: 5 hrs 53 min

This is a beautiful classic Garrett Leigh angst-fest. It hurt so good!

Even better, it was wonderfully narrated by Dan Calley. I’d highly recommend the audiobook version.

When the two men first meet on the Cornish seaside, Seb’s not quite sure what to make of Dex. But he can’t deny that he feels a pull towards the vagrant, and he’s happy when Dex seems to respond back.

But Dex then disappears without a trace, leaving only enigmatic memories behind.

The truth about Dex is heart-wrenching. And be warned - the author doesn’t leave anything to the imagination. Readers get a front-row seat to the violence of the criminal world Dex was trapped in.

How Dex is treated and what he goes through would break anyone, and yet he keeps a core of fight in him.

And he has that brief moment of happiness with Seb to sustain him. The short summertime when Dex got a glimmer of a different life with a kind man.

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When Dex eventually gets the chance to run, he goes to London. Only to end up face-to-face with Seb again.

I loved their reunion. It was awkward, but the electric pull between them was so obvious.

And even better was the friendship they slowly built. Their past and the feelings on both sides are undeniable elephants in the room, but the two men take it slow.

I really appreciated how perceptive Seb was of Dex’s boundaries. The space and care was exactly what Dex needed to gradually come out his shell.

Once they take it a step further, their relationship continues much in the same way - sometimes it’s two steps forwards and one step back, but it’s sweet and the love grows bit by bit.

Dex’s past does catch-up with him and Seb eventually, but they get through it. And their happy ever was a perfect ending, leaving no doubt that they’d build a forever home together.

If you’re looking for a complex love story that will put you through the wringer but leave your heart full, give ‘Heart’ a try!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

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