Anniversary Shenanigans: Less Than Three Press Giveaway - Part 2!

Less Than Three Press came to play! They came to play HARD!

Like reading about MC (Motorcyle Clubs)?

Well, LT3 Press is giving away the entire Roughhouse Raiders collection split between TWO lucky people! That's right LGBTQIA+ MC standalones from 11 different authors!

Today's haul from the Roughhouse Raiders collections features titles by authors: Lexi Ander, B.A. Huntley, Nicole Field, Eve Francis and Helena Maeve! 

Here is yesterday's giveaway (ICYMI): here

Death Mask (Black Harbinger MC #1) by Lexi Ander
Grim Misery, the President of the Black Harbinger Motorcycle Club, discovers a wounded warlock and four werepups aboard the club's LSD shipment. And the news keeps getting better and better. Not only is the warlock sitting on the edge of death, he's illegally bonded to the werepups, which could trigger a war with the werewolves—and he turns out to be Misery's estranged husband.

Years ago, Griffin turned Misery away to be with another warlock by the name of Marcheso Aldo. Misery left everything behind, even his family, but couldn't shake the heartbreak Griffin caused. With Griffin thrust back into Misery's life, he discovers things aren't as they seem... and everything is about to get much, much worse.

The House of the Scarred Backs by B.A. Huntley
The House of the Scarred Backs has held their territory for six generations. Few dare to challenge them, and those few foolish swiftly regret it—assuming they survive the mistake. Alkeides is a proud Brother, happy and honoured to do whatever is asked of him to look after the Scarred Backs. When he is called upon to track down a possible traitor and murderer in their midst—a vile shifter who may have infiltrated their ranks—Alkeides doesn't hesitate.

But a simple hunt for a traitor has unexpected consequences, leaving Alkeides wondering who he really is and what he really wants.

The Shock of Survival by Nicole Field
In the wake of the final battle against The Oppressor, Benedict, Ophelia and Dylan face their magical community in triumph. But that triumph rapidly loses its shine as they realise the war is not so easily left behind. Returning to, and relearning, the lives they had before proves to be more difficult than even they had anticipated.

The Spirit of the Stairwell by Eve Francis
Jessika Harrison is one of the best Replicators in the country. She's so successful she now has an entire floor to herself in the heart of downtown Montreal, the techno-witchcraft centre of Canada. Her job is secured by the Magical Union, she gets endless referrals for clients, and there's even a cute girl named Skylar who comes by on her power cruiser motorcycle to deliver Jessika all her important packages.

Everything seems perfect, especially when Skylar finally asks Jessika out on a date. Then a former customer, Ralph Curtis, returns to taunt Jessika and steal her trade secrets. But following a series of attacks, missing inventory, and a frigid winter, Jessika's business is in trouble—and it's Skylar, not Ralph, who seems to be the culprit.

Wilding River by Helena Maeve
Jetting off to the Highlands to find a woman she's never met isn't something Abigail ever thought she'd do, but the disappearance of Candice Sharpe has brought back memories of a past life Abigail barely understands.

The town of Gormsey has a low tolerance for strangers, and it isn't long before Abigail's questions land her in hot water with the local werewolf motorcycle gang known as the Wildlings. Her only potential ally is her former lover, but Kayla is also a member of the Wildlings.

Between divided loyalties and strange happenings, it soon becomes clear that investigating a disappearance few seem to want resolved could well mean death for them both.






a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (Eastern time) on 12/3/16. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner! 

Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner. Good luck!

Don't miss entering in our month long unicorn giveaway here! It ends 12/1/16!

Review: The Gunslinger's Man by Helena Maeve

Halloran was meant to free them, but Asher has never known a harsher prison.

Hiring a band of outlaws to assassinate the mayor may be a bold move, but Asher Franklin can’t take another minute of bowing and scraping to the sadist who runs his hometown. Graveyards teem with the bodies of those have tried and failed to rebel against the powers that be, but the legendary Red Horn Riders hold an invaluable advantage over their predecessors: They’re already dead.

Common wisdom would have it that vampires seldom keep faith with humans, though, and the Red Horn Riders are no exception. Halloran, the ruthless bandit at the helm of the gang and Sargasso’s prospective savior, would rather claim Asher for his own than grant him the fate he deserves. His unwelcome kindness is Asher’s worst nightmare. To be chattel is bad enough. To be the property of the one vampire whose duplicity just cost the lives of Asher’s friends is so much worse.

Yet in the ungoverned deserts of the Wild West, vampires are a law unto themselves and terror comes in many forms. Halloran’s bite may be sharp, but worse foes roam the sands than Asher can begin to imagine.

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of dubious consent, and violence.

I wanted to like this story and, honestly, I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it. Ordinarily I avoid westerns and cowboys like the plague, but I made an exception here for several reasons. Primarily, the author whose work I've read before and loved, the enemies to lovers trope, but also because of the steampunk and vamps. Not much I like better than a vamp especially the non-sparkly variety who aren't stricken by a multitude of emo feels of which Halloran is most certainly not. Yet even with all that going for it, it still fell flat.

I came up with a few reasons why I think this happened and it's probably a combination thereof.

a.  There was a lot of Western-y, cowboy-y stuff. Lots of cattle and moving cattle and spurs and tumbleweeds. Lots of riding out to do battle and shoot outs without a lot of world building.

b.  There are a lot of characters to keep up with and without the benefit of them being clearly defined or making an impact on the story somehow I found myself frustrated with trying to keep up with all of them. Eventually I just gave up.

c.  I felt like I was one step behind the entire time. I found myself going back to see if the verbiage was vague or if I had missed something. I don't know if vague is the correct word. Maybe amorphous? Left open to interpretation? Talking in riddles? Imprecise? I like to deal with facts for the most part so this was a HUGE stumbling block for me.

d.  I never bought the characters as a couple and therefore never invested in them. The couple is what draws me into a story and these two never clicked for me.

I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood or the cowboy stuff overwhelmed me or what but I felt detached from the characters and this story.

Asher tells the entire story, but I never got a true sense of him as a person nor Halloran. His and Halloran's story is very involved but essentially one of enemies to lovers. Asher hates all vampires but Halloran is different somehow. Vampires are reviled for having taken over a number of southwestern towns and making humans their pets. How this came to be isn't explained well, but the objective is to reassert themselves. Naturally, this is not as easy as it sounds. Asher and Halloran are begrudgingly attracted to each other and work together mostly because that is what circumstances dictate. The sex scenes were somewhat hot but I think suffered due to the fact that I didn't feel it between them. There is something between them but it was simply too intangible for me.

The writing style wasn't my cuppa this time, but I'm objective enough to recognize its lushness and moments of creativity. Maybe under different circumstances or another genre it would've worked. Hard to say. There were a few editing issues which were surprising given my past experience with this author, but nothing too heinous. 

Recommended for cowboy and Western fans.

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

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Splendid Isolation (Shadow Play #3) by Helena Maeve

Old spies make dangerous hostages.

A prisoner at the tender mercies of the British Secret Intelligence Services, Manuel has to believe that trading freedom for protection was his only hope of avoiding payback for his crimes. Yet his chequered past is neither forgiven nor forgotten. Every day, Manuel is tasked with providing his handlers new intelligence about the bloodthirsty power players he once served. And if he refuses, there are consequences.

In charge of Manuel’s debriefing is Cole, a high-ranking Section officer whose history is intimately intertwined with Manuel’s misdeeds. He has made it his mission to unearth Manuel’s secrets, however long that takes. He will break Manuel because it is necessary. Avenging a broken heart has nothing to do with it.

But time is not on their side. When Manuel’s former employer targets the safe house where he is imprisoned, his usefulness as an asset is called into question. As old passions awaken, both Cole and Manuel discover that letting go of the past may not be as easy as they’d hoped.

The best of the series so far!
(IMO)

This is what I've been looking for out of this series. It caught my attention right out of the gate and held it throughout. It is lighter on the espionage than its predecessors, but the relationship between these two protagonists is sublime. I'm happy to relinquish a little spy game for a second chance romance.

Manuel and Cole have a history which isn't expounded on all that much but it's clear they had a relationship, separated because of their jobs but never forgot each other. That lost love trope... 

There also seems to be a teensy bit of acrimony betwixt the two and you know what that means. That's right, kids!

Hate sex!

WINNER! WINNER! CHICKEN DINNER!

The great plot twists and stellar writing I've come to expect from this author, but this story had that missing element I've been desperately searching for in the previous two books-two protagonists I can root for.


These books can be read as stand alones and I would highly recommend this one to anyone looking for a smart writer who can weave a good spy tale with some stellar sex and adventurous plots.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Price of Freedom (Shadow Play #2) by Helena Maeve

Some stories just aren’t meant to be told.

From warzones to domestic scandals, Ulysses has built a career as a high-profile journalist at the expense of both family and relationships. Now his dogged pursuit of the truth has cost him credibility and job security. Discredited and depressed, he hunts for the story that will re-establish him as a trustworthy name in British journalism.

Stumbling across a string of mysterious murders that spans the breadth of the continent may prove a godsend. Yet catapulted into a world of spies and outstanding blood debts, Ulysses finds himself collaborating with elusive Robin, a man on the run whose past is as dark as the desires he awakens in Ulysses. Their chemistry is incendiary, breathtaking, unlike anything Ulysses has ever known. And chances are the fallout will prove proportional.

As Robin’s dealings land him in the crosshairs of the British intelligence services, Ulysses is faced with a choice that may cost him his life. 

I consider myself to be well versed in thrillers. Hells bells, I've read and kept up with Ludlum but this book... I hate to say it but I got out espionaged by a romance novella. 

In my defense I have had considerable trouble concentrating recently so maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention, but I got to the end and still didn't know if Robin was an active agent or not. I don't even want to talk about how long it took me to figure out he was CIA.

I feel like a failure but I'm tipping my hat to Maeve. She gives good spy.

In the case of Price of Freedom the spy is a trans FTM BAMF! named Robin. He's got some sort of weird ninja spidey skills-turns up in living rooms and alleys. Always lurking. Always at the ready to take care of badness. Badassery is in his wheelhouse.

As was the case with the first in this series, where things aren't as tight is the relationship between Ulysses and Robin. 

Ulysses is a freelance reporter hot on the trail of a murder which may involve the SIS when he crosses Robin's path. The entire story is told from Ulysses' perspective and I think having some of Robin's would've provided depth to their relationship. And clarity.

They're most certainly hot for each other, but the ending felt rushed. Just when things were getting interesting it was over. I feel like this is Maeve's MO-leave them wanting more and she definitely accomplished that. Again. But I would dearly love to see her give a full length novel a go.

Overall, I'd say the espionage plotline is stronger than the romance plotline, but I like her writing style so much that even though I find this series somewhat lacking in the romance department I can't seem to stop reading it. So take that for whatever it's worth.

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


Find out more on Goodreads.

Anniversary Shenanigans: Less Than Three Press AMAZING GIVEAWAY!

The remaining books of the Intertwined collection, a group of 11 poly stories, is the giveaway of the day today. 

SIX WHOLE BOOKS FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER!

Prince Ben and Princess Cecily are dragonborn. Since birth, the brother and sister have shared a body, shapeshifting from one form to the other each sunset. In exchange for this magic, they have been promised from birth to a mysterious dragon, who is set to collect on their twentieth birthday, which is now just weeks away.

With the help of two tutors, a bodyguard, and a foreign princess, they must find a way out of the betrothal, delving into their kingdom's history and learning to harness their magic—all the while challenging the kingdom's laws and restrictions on love.

Condemned for witchcraft and about to swing for the abduction of half a dozen children, Irene is bewildered when her noose breaks. Her only hope lies in the forests that have protected the women of her family for generations. But when a young man fleeing abuse ventures into her safe haven, Irene's plans are suddenly thrown into disarray.

Too pretty for his own good, Simon Bonnay has been on the receiving end of unwanted attention for years. And though she may be a witch, Simon would sooner earn his keep with Irene than any of the men in town.

As a night of passion gives way to brutal morning, leaving a man dead and a witch hunter wounded on their doorstep, Irene's secluded home soon becomes a pressure cooker of volatile emotions and sweltering passion. Old enemies may have no choice but to work together to prevent a greater evil—or die trying.

Declan spends most of his life trying to forget his violent past, but now that his brother Valens is out of jail his efforts at a quiet existence are about to be turned upside down. On top of that, his best friend Rhys is leaving for Poland—right as Declan was ready to confess his feelings.

Overwhelmed, he turns to his friend Felix for support, only to find himself falling for Felix while still being in love with Rhys—who also happens to have feelings for Felix, leaving Declan with a present at least as complicated as his past, and a highly uncertain future.

Provoked by yet another argument with his rival, Ian sets out to prove he's capable of serious black magic by summoning a demon. Instead of a hulking, red-skinned brute, however, he winds up with the handsome incubus Alistair. Now, Ian must cope with a wily and seductive matchmaker who insists his rival may be more than just an adversary.

Brent shows up on Corey and Shane's doorstep in the dead of winter needing a place to stay—and hopeful his mates will provide it, and not mind he's a frog shifter.

Being a shifter is nothing new to Corey and Shane, but neither is being mates. They've been together since before they first met Brent ten years ago—back when Brent was Brenda. Bringing a third into their relationship is more than a little complicated, but they're willing to try.

But change is always easier said than done, and Brent wonders if he ever really stood a chance at being happy with the men he has always loved and admired.

Jamie and Mez are in love—with each other, and also maybe a little bit with their housemate, Beth. When one housemate dies and the last leaves with no warning, the tentative relationship between the three begins to shift.

But life and love are easier behind the safety of four walls than beyond them, and hostile coworkers and an interfering, but well-meaning succubus may be more than the triad can handle. It's a good thing they never actually expected this to be easy.

Less Than Three Press is a strong rising presence in the LGBTQ romance community. Together with a network of highly talented editors, artists, and writers, LT3 provides quality fiction, priding itself on stories that put substance first.

LT3 can be found wherever romance writers linger, advertising across the internet and at various conventions. The company is committed to professional integrity, offering strong editorial support to its talented writers, and excellent customer service.

LT3 is a labor of love between three women who wanted to write and publish books, but wanted to do it their way—with other people who love what they do, for people who love to read great romance, with high-quality, well-edited stories that are also affordable, engaging, and always come with that famous happy end.

To enter to win these SIX ebooks, please leave a comment with a name and some means of contacting you (e.g. email, Twitter handle, link to Goodreads account, etc.)

The giveaway is open until 10 PM PST December 6, 2015. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner whom we will select using a highly scientific "names in a hat" method (or, you know, an internet randomizer). Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hrs or we will choose another winner.

Review: Gatekeepers and Dreamweavers by Helena Maeve

Condemned for witchcraft and about to swing for the abduction of half a dozen children, Irene is bewildered when her noose breaks. Her only hope lies in the forests that have protected the women of her family for generations. But when a young man fleeing abuse ventures into her safe haven, Irene's plans are suddenly thrown into disarray.

Too pretty for his own good, Simon Bonnay has been on the receiving end of unwanted attention for years. And though she may be a witch, Simon would sooner earn his keep with Irene than any of the men in town.

As a night of passion gives way to brutal morning, leaving a man dead and a witch hunter wounded on their doorstep, Irene’s secluded home soon becomes a pressure cooker of volatile emotions and sweltering passion. Old enemies may have no choice but to work together to prevent a greater evil – or die trying.

Not what I was expecting.

I like this author and I love m/m/f so I figured this would be a slam dunk. I'd say this barely qualifies as even a menage story and if it does it's m/f/m. Also, I think I read more into the blurb than was actually there. This is far more fantasy thriller than romance. The fantasy elements are good with decent world building, but I requested it thinking it was a romance in a fantasy setting. 

Irene is a witch who's been tried and convicted to hang based on flimsy and circumstantial evidence coupled with a coerced confession. She escapes the noose in a flukey way then makes her way back to her secluded cottage in the woods. Simon is a bar hand who's being whored out by his own brother. Why exactly is unknown, but it does serve to send him into the clutches of the evil witch in the woods, who's actually not evil, when he decides he's had enough. 

I never connected with either one of these characters nor did I feel any chemistry between them. The majority of the novella is spent between them rather than as a triad. When the Vatican sent witch hunter, Lucas, arrives in an attempt to recapture her it's clear it's a half-hearted attempt which, I believe, is intentional since he's to complete the triad. Still I felt no connection between any of them. I don't know what they see in each other besides convenience and generally being outcasts.

The story revolves around the disappearance of children and the culprit was very obvious to me early on, so the tension/suspense never materialized. A lackluster suspense coupled with bland characters left me feeling unfulfilled and mostly bored.

The language is still swoon worthy which is precisely what drew me to this author again. She has an eloquence and a gift for imagery, but overall I didn't enjoy this story as much as I wanted to.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Best Kept Lies by Helena Maeve

What becomes of the Russian spy who lands himself in the crosshairs of a rogue British agent?

Grigory Antipov’s work within the intelligence community is exemplary, but attracting too much attention is against his interests as a spy—a lesson painfully learned the night he is abducted off the streets of Rome. Captivity is a dangerous thing and Grigory already operates under a cloud of suspicion given his predilection for male company. Luckily, his stint in British custody is short-lived, a mere flex of muscle from Agent Karim Awad. 

Karim’s objective is obvious. Lure Grigory into Section’s clutches and turn him against his own people. Expose him to the wrath of Moscow if he refuses. His mission brief may not specify the methods to be used, but Grigory soon discovers that Karim is a man of many talents. With powerful interests at play and the threat of deadly force in the air, Grigory faces an impossible choice—surrender to his fate or sacrifice the only man whose touch makes him feel alive after so many years.

I love me some espionage. I love the exotic locales. I love the intrigue. I love the language with all its acronyms. I love that there are always plans within plans, that things are never as they seem.

As a matter of fact, if things had gone differently (and by differently, I mean if I could stomach killing someone with a bic) then Cupcake might've gone into the spy game.

This novella contains many of the things I like best about this subgenre. 

Grigory is an androgynous SVR agent who is on the radar of the director for advancement. He's cunning and ruthless and he plays the game like a true aficionado. Spies, by definition, are lone wolves and trusting another is typically not in their repertoire. Grigory is doubly cautious because he's a spy and gay in a country that considers homosexuality an abomination and tantamount to a death sentence, or in his case a quiet execution. 

When we catch up with him he's in Rome working with a very green asset that's SIS. Shortly thereafter he finds himself tased in an alley and the game is afoot! Best Kept Lies picks up quickly with diligent, chess moves and countermoves, cryptic subtext and smoking hot spy sex between Grigory and Kamir, one of his captors.

What's a little tasing amongst bedmates? 

The one wielding the taser is one Arabic SIS agent that is hot, just as guarded as Grigory and even more indecipherable. When these two get together the passion wafted off my kindle; they're literally ravenous for one another. Kamir is a take charge top which melts Grisha into a begging, desperate pile of goo. What surprised and delighted me was how shy Grisha was and completely undone by Kamir's... attentiveness. 

"Yeah, that's right... Scream for me, love. Let the neighbors hear you."

But there's little else that defines them. Hot sex is hot, but I don't quite grasp how they got from A to B. I feel like it was right there, just out of reach and if it had been slightly longer with more relationship development I would be rating this higher. The ending is very abrupt and, honestly, a bit farfetched for me to believe; it feels rushed and unfinished. Agents don't make impulsive decisions. There's too much at stake for that and there are always plans within plans, thus I had a hard time believe their relationship could ever be trusting.

What I loved was Maeve's usage of the English language. I wallowed around in her verbiage like a pile of freshly laundered fluffy towels. Words like propitious, métier, simulacrum and nimbus. If she'd walloped me with vicissitude I might've needed a change of under things. She also constructed the intricacies of international relations amongst agencies dexterously and engagingly.

I'll be on the lookout for other works by this author in the future.

An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.