Release Blitz + Giveaway: Cold Pressed (Seacroft #2) by Allison Temple

Welcome author Allison Temple and Signal Boost Promotions as they celebrate the release of Cold Pressed (Seacroft #2)! Learn more about the FWB romance and enter in the back list Ebook giveaway!

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link - Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Length: 80,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Cate Ashwood Designs

Seacroft Series

Book 1 - Top Shelf - Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

No strings attached is all Oliver can offer. He's hiding a broken heart that holds him back from diving into a new relationship, but he'll go on a blind date to make his family happy. Just one date, though; he doesn't have time for love to derail his plans.

Divorced and demoted to the night shift, Nick has his own problems. He's got an ex-wife who needs him and a kid with one foot in juvie. The last thing Nick needs is to butt heads—or other body parts—with a tempting hipster who wears a sad smile on their blind date.

Their chemistry can’t be denied, though, in an argument or in bed. No strings sex is uncomplicated and that's what Nick and Oliver need. But getting into bed together is one thing. Staying out of each other’s hearts soon becomes so much more complicated than either one imagined.

Cold Pressed is an 80k contemporary MM romance. It features a smoldering bisexual single dad, a broken-hearted hipster with a thing for beet juice, and a friends-with-benefits arrangement that blooms into the HEA you've been looking for.

Allison Temple has been a writer since the second grade, when she wrote a short story about a girl and her horse. Her grandmother typed it out for her and said she’s never seen so many quotation marks from a seven-year-old before. Allison took that as a challenge and has gone on to try to break her previous record in all her subsequent works.


Allison lives in Toronto with her very patient husband and the world’s neediest cat. She splits her free time between writing, community theater stage management, and traveling anywhere that has good wine. Tragically, this leaves no time to clean her house.


Newsletter (get two free shorts right now): https://allisontemplebooks.com/newsletter

Facebook Reader group: https://facebook.com/groups/allisonsalist

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07B7P5591

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/allison-temple

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17490635.Allison_Temple

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Review: How to Be a Movie Star (How to be #2) by T.J. Klune

Josiah Erickson wants to be a movie star. The problem with that is so does half of Los Angeles. But he’s on his way, what with memorable roles as a TV show background cadaver and a guy in a commercial for herpes medication. All he needs is his big break. And that break may come in the form of a novelist who goes by the enigmatic name of Q-Bert.

Q-Bert, who is ready to make his directorial debut in a film Josy would be perfect for. Q-Bert, who Josy may or may not have a friend-crush on, and potentially something more. Being demisexual can be confusing.

From the City of Angels to the small mountain town of Abby, Oregon, Josy will give his all to make sure his dreams come true—even the ones he never thought possible.

If you loved the exchange between Josy and Gus in How to be a Normal Person, where they ad-lib the Chicken Soup commercial and turn it into one of the darkest scenes for Chicken Soup ever, then you will love this glimpse into Josy’s life.

A continuation of the ridiculousness that was How to be a Normal Person (one of my favourite books for quirky fun) I’m so glad TJ Klune was compelled against his word of no sequels, to produce this. I know he wasn’t expecting it (going by his blog post) but I’m glad it’s out there.

Quincy is making a ridiculous movie backed by his grandfather, and Josy has been cast as the leading man. They are filming in Abby so all the favs from the first book are back in action.

Josy is a method actor and will be in character at the most inopportune times. He also has a friend-crush on his now director boss, which causes all sorts of weirdness and hilarity.

If you like stoner-hipster stereotypes with weird dialogue and not quite reality, you’ll enjoy this book. It is a piece of abstract art that is a celebration of all that could be if you just believe you’re awesome, smoke a lot of weed, and ignore the world around you.

There is a lot of sweetness in this story, and Josy is everything I imagine him to be. Quite frankly, he is adorable, and the most clueless being I have ever read. It's endearing.

I do recommend you read the first book before you read this, as the character background, especially Gus, is required to fully enjoy this story.

Recommended to everyone who enjoyed How to be a Normal Person.

A review copy was provided for an honest opinion

Review: Life on Pause by Erin McLellan

Niles Longfellow is a nerd, and not the trendy type of nerd, either. He wears a historically accurate homesteader costume to work every day, has a total of one friend, and doesn’t know how to talk to guys. So when he gets a flat tire and the hottest hipster ever stops to help him, all Niles can think is that he’s wearing his stupid cowboy getup. Normally, Niles feels invisible to other men, but he’d take that invisibility any day over Rusty Adams seeing him in suede and fringe.

Rusty moved to Bison Hills to help his sister raise her daughter, and nothing is more important to him than that. He’s also fresh off a breakup, and isn’t prepared for anything complicated. But then he meets Niles. Rusty sees Niles as more than a clumsy, insecure guy in a costume. He sees a man who is funny, quirky, and unexpected.

Nothing about their connection is simple, though, especially the lies and insecurities between them. Niles doesn’t know if he can trust Rusty with his heart, and when Rusty’s sister decides to move away, Rusty doesn’t know if he can stay behind.

I was hesitant to read this based on the early reviews but I actually liked it. It's not perfect and it didn't leave an impression like Controlled Burn did, but there's something about McLellan's voice that I find cozy.

Life on Pause is a story of one man's battle with his inner demons and trying to figure out this thing called love. There is angst. There is pain. But I still found Niles' plight to be a sympathetic one. He has low self-esteem, is an introvert and is socially awkward. His appalling self image issues are heavy handed at times and I think this would've resonated more were his backstory better developed to show causation rather than it just being a thing for the reader to accept.

Niles' issues present hurdles in his relationship with Rusty, but not all of their problems. Rusty LIES! I understand why he thought he had to because we got his perspective as well but...

He learns lying is bad and nothing good comes of it. And nothing good does come of it once Niles learns the truth.

This all makes for a long drawn out conflict that keeps them in the periphery of each other's lives. Neither are satisfied by this newfound status and both are butthurt over it, thus the job of reuniting them falls to their friends.

I tend to enjoy my romances when the couple are together more than they're apart which wasn't the case here. Once they do get their shit together they have a heartwarming HEA and I also liked Niles' personal growth. Maybe it was a little sudden but I didn't care too busy wallowing in the sap was I.

"I want every piece of you. I want every reiteration of you. I want every verse."

So I had a few niggles but as I said initially I simply like McLellan's voice. I like that she obviously put time in to research the Native American history to lend credence to this fictitious town in Oklahoma. She was also pretty generous with some smoking sexy times that included rimming, angry sex, prostate orgasm, multiple orgasms, frottage, biting and face fucking.

And Victor. I LOVED VICTOR!!!! Victor is a sassy queen and if he gets a book I will reading the stuffing out of it.

Recommend to readers who enjoy angsty reads with imperfect characters.

A review copy was provided by NetGalley.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2pHrqOW

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2pFSvC2

Amazon Ca: https://amzn.to/2GpNxmH

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2pHGb4h

Smashwords: https://bit.ly/2ujOO9X

Review: The Other Five Percent by Quinn Anderson

Logan Vanderveer has a joke he’s been telling since college: he’s ninety-five percent straight. He did some experimenting in school, but none of the men he fooled around with inspired him to abandon “the plan”: meet a nice girl, get married, and settle down, just like his parents always said.

None of them except Ellis Floyd, who aroused desires and feelings that scared Logan. So much so that he abandoned their burgeoning relationship just as it might have become something. But four years later, Ellis is back, and Logan finds himself questioning his sexuality in a big way.

Ellis doesn’t fit into Logan’s plan. He’s happy being a starving artist, whereas Logan has sold his soul to corporate America. Ellis is ripped jeans, and Logan is tailored suits. And, most notably, Ellis is out. But seeing him again is dredging up memories—like how it feels to kiss Ellis, and that time they almost went all the way. With chemistry like theirs, Logan isn’t sure he can—or should—keep ignoring the other five percent.

Logan and Ellis have history only Logan can't remember all the details. One day at the local Starbucks he hears him and has a visceral reaction then tries to flee. Ellis is having none of that instead offering up a coffee let's get together and catch up date.

As the story unfolds it becomes clear that Logan and Ellis' versions of their shared history are very dissimilar. The human psyche is a strange thing and Anderson illustrated well how people have a tendency to bend the truth where unpleasant memories or cognitive dissonance are concerned. Nevertheless, as much of a flibbertigibbet as Logan is I still found him charming and earnest.

He tells this story and his vision of himself is heterosexual with 2.5 kids, white picket fence, a wife and a dog but Ellis is that 5% that's not completely straight and that scares Logan. Anderson did a great job with this internal struggle, of redefining one's self-image as queer and all that that encompasses.

These characters are well constructed with Ellis being a free-spirited hipster who lives life on his terms, eschewing the corporate path and Logan embracing it along with his beloved briefcase and 9-5 job with benefits. They seem to compliment each other well despite all their differences and they have chemistry. I think I would've appreciated Ellis' perspective though.

What I thought could've been better were the transitions-Logan's transition from wanting to avoid Ellis at all costs to seeking him out, his acceptance of his bisexuality and then pursuing Ellis all of which would've benefited from more exposition and page time; it seemed rushed and I hate to say easy but there's not a lot of angst or really working things out. However it's a sweet romance that reeled me in and I invested in them and their coupltry.

The secondary characters are few but Logan's sisters were a riot and I liked how supportive they were and even helped Logan see what was right in front of his face.

If you're looking for a second chance romance with a sweet HEA give this a try.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley.

See The Other Five Percent blog tour stop HERE

Blog Tour: Michael, Reinvented (Delta Restorations, #2) by Diana Copland

Welcome Diana Copland! She's here today to talk about her inspiration for her latest in the Delta Restorations series!

ICYMI check out our Buddy Read review HERE!

I’m so excited to be here today to talk about my new book, Michael, Reinvented!! I always wonder who other writers use as inspiration for their characters. I’m a very visual person, and I thought I’d share with you the pictures I used as I wrote the book. Since the cover for Michael and Gil has been out for a couple of weeks, you’ve had an opportunity to see Michael and Gil.

There are some other characters that feature prominently in ‘Michael, Reinvented’ who were first introduced in ‘David, Renewed’, starting with David and Jackson.

Michael lives in a studio apartment downtown, and until the events of this book has no idea where Gil lives. When he finds out, he’s stunned to learn that Gil lives in a quintessential mid-century modern, his own favorite era and design style.

During the course of Michael and Gil’s story, their company Delta Restoration Renovation and Design is hired to do the restoration of a turn of the century mansion. Named the Paddy O’Banyon Mansion for the book, the venue actually exists in downtown Spokane, Washington. The Glover Mansion, begun in the 1880’s and completed near the turn of the century, is a popular wedding venue. The house first appears in the book in winter, so I was delighted to be able to find a picture of the Glover Mansion with snow on the ground!!

This is where my reference photos are probably going to be different than what appear on eventual book covers, but it’s always kind of cool to see how the cover artist see the characters!! Here is a picture of how I see Vern, Gil’s grizzled and sarcastic best friend and assistant.

Emanuel Estevez, also known as their good friend Manny, is a partner at Delta and a talented journeyman plumber. Manny lives in an apartment above his Uncle Tony’s garage, has a large and gregarious family that is very protective of him, and healing scars both physical and emotional after nearly being killed by a former lover.

And now, here’s a glimpse of a new character that won’t make his appearance until Book Three. His name is Dylan, and that’s all I can tell you for now!!!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this small photo album of reference pictures, and I hope you enjoy ‘Michael, Reinvented’, too!

Our resident Unicorns, JL & Peach sure did and you can see their buddy read review HERE!

Blurb:

Cute hipster and interior designer Michael doesn’t do love—not after his ex screwed him over. Sex is a different story, though, and the gentle giant who’s painting the mural in the old mansion they’re restoring might be perfect hookup material. Gil is just Michael’s type with his solid muscle, wicked sense of humor, and the hazel eyes that seem to see into Michael’s soul.

Trouble is, Gil does do love. He wants romance and forever, and he’s set his sights firmly on Michael. Michael’s not going there again.

Yet when Michael is the victim of a vandal who’s been plaguing the men working for Delta Restoration, Renovation, and Design, Gil is the first person he tells. No matter how he fights it, it’s becoming harder and harder to deny he’s crazy about the guy—even if that thought terrifies him. But the true fear sets in when the criminal behavior escalates, and Michael realizes he might have lost the chance to tell Gil how he feels—forever.

Cover Artist: Anne Cain

Buy Links: 

Dreamspinner Press
Amazon

Review: Unzipping 7D (Unzipped Shorts #2) by J.C. Long

Jordan Price is used to the boring wait in airports, given that he practically lives on business trips. He's all set for this to be more of the same, until he meets a self-described power bottom on Unzipped—a guy who happens to be in the same airport. It seems like a perfectly good way to kill time until his flight, but soon Jordan realizes that Heath, his newfound friend on Unzipped, will be taking the same flight, and the wheels in his head get spinning. Jordan is determined to test Heath's bottoming skills himself, and if he has his way, the flight will be anything but boring.

Another hot more porn than plot Unzipped Short from this author and I am not complaining one bit. Actually, these shorts remind me of the Letters to Penthouse books I used to sneak read as a young girl… did I just out my pervy side? As if that was ever closeted. *grins*

When Jordan Price is waiting to board a connecting flight for business, he gets bored of the mundane social media and decides to check his neglected Unzipped account. Unzipped is basically Grindr for this series so you get why it could be fun, eh? Anyway, as he scrolls through who is close he lands on a slim hipster with a nice cock from his nude shot and starts up a chat. When Jordan laments about his flight and where he is going, Mr. Hung Hipster informs him they are on the same flight and he’s seated in 7D… hence the title.

It was fun to get the flirty conversation via the Unzipped app and then get Mr. Hung Hipster aka Heath being a bit flustered by Jordan’s whispered compliment as they boarded as well as his audacity to ask the man in 7E to switch seats. It’s not that Heath wasn’t turned on but it’s one thing to chat on an app, even one such as Unzipped when you know nothing is going to happen and then have the dude who sent you a dick pic, seated next to you for a three hour tour, I mean flight.

“What exactly do you think we’re going to be able to do here? We’re on an airplane, for Christ’s sake. I don’t think we can have all that much fun.”

“You’d be surprised,”

“We’ll get caught,”

“Isn’t that part of the fun?”

What Heath and Jordan get up to on the plane was hot and fueled my exhibitionist needs. What they decide to get up to when they get off the plane and at the hotel was even hotter and that end? Well it left it wide open, like gaping for the possibility that these two could be something more than sex. Or at least that’s what my romantic heart hoped for because you know…

This series is fuckhot and I like that it is. I like my romance and I like my porn and when you mix those and toss in possibility, I get a nice buzz. Yup. This was a good one.

Find on Goodreads!

Review: The 12 Days of Hipster (The Avona Tales #2) by Raine O'Tierney

Sequel to Bowl Full of Cherries

Last Christmas, Tyler Lang accidentally accepted David Griffith’s invitation for dinner. Yes, it was an accident. See, hipster (don’t call him that!) Tyler doesn’t date guys, and even if he did, he certainly doesn’t date jocks. A rude and hasty exit right when the date was getting good left things awkward between them.

David Griffith isn’t really a jock. Well, he’s a former athlete who loves sports, but “jock” has a certain connotation that doesn’t quite fit the intelligent, hardworking store owner. A jock wouldn’t have given Tyler Lang the time of day. But even after that little, ahem, stunt with the fire escape, David can’t stop thinking about the hipster a year later. Which would be fine if fate didn’t keep butting her nose into their business, making it impossible for the jock and the hipster to avoid each other this Christmas.

A hilarious holiday romp, set to the music of the Winter Sounds.

This book was so funny! I loved A Bowl Full of Cherries, the first in this series featuring the twin and best friend of this book's MC, Tyler, and this follow up did not disappoint.

Tyler is the kind of MC you love to hate but love at the same time. A hipster who does everything he can to avoid being labelled a hipster, except, you know, actually not being a hipster. He's ironic without realising it. He is spoilt and whiny and an utter pain in the arse... but I love him. I really do. Mainly because, underneath that awful exterior is a kind soul who does care. He is so funny, especially as he tries so hard not to be. 

David is, Tyler has decided, a jock. What he actually is, is a hardworking chap who liked sports and spends his life trying to please his father. His father, it goes without saying, is a grade A wanker. Selfish, domineering, manipulative; successful is business but not at all nice to his children. His family is completely different to Tyler's and the contrasts this book has work well.

Tyler and David work so well together, despite Tyler taking a while to admit he's bi; not because he has any problem with bisexuality but it would just be too hipster of him if he was bi and he refuses to be labelled hipster, Together, they remind me of a cat and dog, the kind where the dog is being hissed at by the cat throughout the day, but they still cuddle up at night and the cat gives the dog headbutt loves when nobody else is looking. They're relationship made me go awwwwwww, but it also made me laugh out loud. 

I love that this book contained not just Tyler and David's POV, but also that of Rell and Crowley from book 1. Seeing how their relationship progressed and the dynamics between the four of them, was the icing on the cake for me.

This book, though certainly a seasonal read in some respects, is actually utterly readable at anytime of the year, it's a story that is partly set at Christmas, rather than a Christmas story. If you want to read something funny I really recommend this.

A copy of this story was given in exchange for an honest review.
For more information, see Dreamspinner Press or  Goodreads.

Group Review: Hipster Brothel by K.A. Merikan

--- The lumberjack of his dreams is now available for rent. ---

Mr. B has always been a safe guy for Jo to crush on. He’s the cutest bearded lumber-god to salivate over. Add to that his friendly, outgoing personality, and Mr. B might just be the first guy Jo would be willing to kiss. Fortunately, Mr. B has been in a relationship for years, and Jo is no home-wrecker.

But when Mr. B breaks up with his partner and all of a sudden is single, available, and talks about his plans to be sexually adventurous, Jo isn’t so sure anymore if he has the guts to come out as bisexual.

After a sour breakup, Mr. B wants to show his ex that he’s independent, exciting, and can do very well without him. His best friend Jo is there to the rescue, and they come up with a great new business venture. One thing they lack to start their own line of artisanal boozy jams - money for the investment.

After a drunken brainstorming session, Mr. B finds a way to both gather the cash and show the middle finger to his ex. He will create a one of a kind Hipster Brothel - The Lumbersexual Experience - offering wood chopping lessons, pipe smoking, and a reclaimed wood bed where the magic happens. It’s bound to be a success… if only Mr. B can go through with it, because the mixed signals from Jo are making him wonder if his best friend is as straight as he always seemed.


POSSIBLE SPOILERS:

Themes: Hipsters, sex work, friends to lovers, bisexuality, post-breakup issues, coming out, first time, alternative lifestyles, lumbersexual bear, commitment

Genre: M/M contemporary romance

Length: ~50,000 words (standalone novel)

WARNING: Explicit content, strong language. A shameless amount of buzzwords. May cause second-hand embarrassment.

Averaged!

Sara - 5 Fluffy non-ironic Hearts

This was full of fluffy lumbersexual, hipster goodness and I want to marinate in the fluff until I drink craft beers and move to a train car in the middle of nowhere that has a hot tub and a tobacco bar.

Seriously. I hugged it out with my Nook just a few minutes ago because this book makes me wanna cuddle the fuck out of something and since Jo and Mr. B are in my Nook, we had to have a few intimate moments.

Straight forward with a simple review.

Mr. B broke up with his bearded silver fox boyfriend Mr. A. Jo has been BFF’s with B since they met at CrossFit over the WOD and both men are in way over their heads with the feels but neither of them lets it be known. When they have some homemade booze one night, they get the idea of turning the train car into a brothel with Mr. B being an escort and getting a chance to sow his wild bearded, barrel chested oats.

This place will be a steaming hot inferno of lust once I’m done with it.

But you see, there is a flaw in this plan because there is a steaming vintage cup of unrequited feelings going on with Jo and Mr. B and when Jo says he’s going to help B build the Lumbersexual Experience, Jo realizes he needs to test drive the tour.

GOODNESS! This was super freaking fracking hot but with the authors, you come to expect that. It was so hot but it was also so tender and full of emotion that you almost felt intrusive when the men get intimate. I say almost because regardless of how sweet their sex was, it was just dirty enough for my inner perv to tell my hopeless romantic to STFU and watch closely. Yep. Mmm Hmm. *grunts*

So anyway. These two were so cute and I just want to hug the hell out of Mr. B on numerous occasions with how sweet he is and how he treats Jo and Jo…JO JO JO! Lord, boy you had me twisted in knots with how floppy you were with you owning all of your sexuality and yet, watching you struggle and then come to a conclusion so like romantic movie style fruition I couldn’t be mad. I mean, when you tell Mr. B what you liked with your girlfriends and how you tell Juniper and what you do for Mr. B… how could I ever be mad?

Being with him was such a revelation that Jo clung to it every day, still overwhelmed by how he’d gotten so lucky.

That end bit was hot AF and again, super swoony and just so Mr. B and Jo that it was beyond perfect. But then there is an epilogue and OMG I need to go squish something because this book gave me all the fluff feelings.

DAWWW! This was just so GOOD! The puns were totes punny and really, the hipster bits were hilarious because… hipsters, and yet kind annoying because I do some of it. Maybe I am part hipster after all but I wouldn’t appreciate the decorations over the bed in the train car.

Okay. I am done. Gonna go find someone to hug the hell out of now and maybe pet while I pretend they are Mr. B.

Lorix - 4.5 Hearts

I love KA Merikan, this writing duo always write outside the box! I mean even the title of this book, Hipster Brothel, is unique. A Hipster Brothel. I love it!

Mr B is just your average sexy lumberjack type hipster, living in an old train car smoking his pipe, building bespoke furniture and dreaming of artisinal jams. I wish there be one of them in my village. He just made me want to hug him and not let go; a gorgeous bear of a man. He's also an out and proud gay.

Jo, his BFF, is hipper and more stylish and nowhere as near as confident as his image would suggest. He's ignored his bisexuality, avoided the same sex relationship part of his personalty because it is easier to be straight. It's not as if he's faking his interest in the ladies after all. This works out just fine until he admits to himself that his feelings for Mr B are more than that of best buddies.

Being a huge fan of friends-to-lovers stories, this book was just my cup of tea. It really was. There was a little moment of angst that made me worry, but I should know better than worrying this writing duo would resort to cheap tactics to keep me reading.

I loved this story and have never wanted to visit a brothel until I read this book. Shame I'm not a gay man and the brothel was made up anyway...

Do yourselves a favour and read this book!

Chelsea - 4 Hearts

I personally find hipsters are hilarious individuals. It's so entertaining to hear about all the ways they make themselves unique as a group, but when it comes down to it, they're very creative! I loved all the hipster elements of this story, definitely entertaining.... boozy jams, rosehip donuts… so hipster.

This was an overall cute and fun friends-to-lovers story. I super loved these guy’s easy friendship and connection. I loved Mr B, like everyone else will! He's is the biggest, cutest, cuddly teddy bear ever. Sexy as hell as well!!!!!

Forget about wearing your heart on your sleeve, Mr B wears his on his forehead, so everyone can always see it! I loved how he was planning his wedding the moment after he found out Jo was bisexual, so cute!

Jo… now he is more complicated than Mr B but man, his style and general coolness sounds amazing!

Jo however is where this lost points for me. He just annoyed me too much with his fear of being labelled bisexual or gay. I mean I get it, he did justify it fairly well, but that doesn't mean I wasn't still annoyed.

Also, now that he wouldn’t be seen as a straight guy, his clothing choices would all be pinned to his sexuality, not his edgy fashion sense, and that struck right at who he was.
He was cool, and he was stylish, and it had nothing to do with who he slept with.

Maybe is was accentuated even more because Mr B is just so open, honest and vulnerable that I found it harder to read about Jo's actions.

Mr. B walked up to Jo with that wide smile, holding the flowers, still catching his breath after the bike ride, and before Jo knew what was happening, Mr. B leaned down and gave him a kiss.
His warm lips were gone in half a second, and yet time seemed to stop, everyone seemed to have gone quiet, even the music seemed muted. Was everyone looking at them?

The drama did work itself out fairly quickly and I do feel that Jo made up for all his stupid attitudes, so that's good. Oh and that HEA, that is the stuff of romances!!!!!

On a side note, of course this sex is hot. It's a Merikan story. And here we have a big ol’ bottom slut and I love those :-D.

This was a fun and pleasant read, I had a lot of fun reading it, nothing really struck me as amazing though.



Find on Goodreads!
Did you see today's blog tour stop today? See here

Release Blitz + Giveaway: Hipster Brothel by K.A. Merikan

The Merikans and Signal Boost Promotions are here! And the Merikans brought hipsters! Check out their latest release info, Hipster Brothel below (Gorgeous cover!) and enter their ebook backlist giveaway!

Curious about Hipster Brothel? See our group review here!

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 50,000 words

Cover: Natasha Snow 

Blurb

The lumberjack of his dreams is now available for rent.

Mr. B has always been a safe guy for Jo to crush on. He’s the cutest bearded lumber-god to salivate over. Add to that his friendly, outgoing personality, and Mr. B might just be the first guy Jo would be willing to kiss. Fortunately, Mr. B has been in a relationship for years, and Jo is no home-wrecker.

But when Mr. B breaks up with his partner and all of a sudden is single, available, and talks about his plans to be sexually adventurous, Jo isn’t so sure anymore if he has the guts to come out as bisexual.

After a sour breakup, Mr. B wants to show his ex that he’s independent, exciting, and can do very well without him. His best friend Jo is there to the rescue, and they come up with a great new business venture. One thing they lack to start their own line of artisanal boozy jams - money for the investment.

After a drunken brainstorming session, Mr. B finds a way to both gather the cash and show the middle finger to his ex. He will create a one of a kind Hipster Brothel - The Lumbersexual Experience - offering wood chopping lessons, pipe smoking, and a reclaimed wood bed where the magic happens. It’s bound to be a success… if only Mr. B can go through with it, because the mixed signals from Jo are making him wonder if his best friend is as straight as he always seemed.

Author Bio

K. A. Merikan is the pen name for Kat and Agnes Merikan, a team of writers, who are taken for sisters with surprising regularity. Kat’s the mean sergeant and survival specialist of the duo, never hesitating to kick Agnes’s ass when she’s slacking off. Her memory works like an easy-access catalogue, which allows her to keep up with both book details and social media. Also works as the emergency GPS. Agnes is the Merikan nitpicker, usually found busy with formatting and research. Her attention tends to be scattered, and despite pushing thirty, she needs to apply makeup to buy alcohol. Self-proclaimed queen of the roads.

They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and books. When you pick up a Merikan book, there’s one thing you can be sure of – it will be full of surprises.

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Audiobook Review: How to be a Normal Person by T.J. Klune

Gustavo Tiberius is not normal. He knows this. Everyone in his small town of Abby, Oregon, knows this. He reads encyclopedias every night before bed. He has a pet ferret called Harry S. Truman. He owns a video rental store that no one goes to. His closest friends are a lady named Lottie with drag queen hair and a trio of elderly Vespa riders known as the We Three Queens.

Gus is not normal. And he's fine with that. All he wants is to be left alone.

Until Casey, an asexual stoner hipster and the newest employee at Lottie's Lattes, enters his life. For some reason, Casey thinks Gus is the greatest thing ever. And maybe Gus is starting to think the same thing about Casey, even if Casey is obsessive about Instagramming his food.

But Gus isn't normal and Casey deserves someone who can be. Suddenly wanting to be that someone, Gus steps out of his comfort zone and plans to become the most normal person ever.

After all, what could possibly go wrong?

Narrator: Derrick McClain
Length: 11 hrs, 7 mins

I've said it before and I'll say it again, not being able to add quotes from an audiobook sucks. This book was full of amazing one liners and tons of quality banter! Not to mention characters that will stick with you long after you’ve finished listening.

Because this is an audiobook review I’m not going to delve too much into the storyline. I mainly want to talk about the incredible narration of Derrick McClain. At first I wasn’t to sure of the story. It's definitely not what you’d call fast paced, and the first chapter or so is just an introduction to Gus and his routine. Due to the more sedate nature of the introduction I wasn’t to sure of McClain to begin with. He definitely wasn’t bad, but he didn’t grab my attention either. However, by the end of the book I knew I wouldn’t ever be able to read this book because any voice in my head wouldn’t come close to emulating the true voices of Gus and Casey, which was of course McClain doing.

I think sometimes that's where really amazing narration can be set apart of good narration, that quality that draws you into the story and makes these characters real in a way that can’t happen in your imagination. You can hear these men falling in love. They're right there telling you how they feel. It really is incredible. McClain made this story excellent for me, I would've enjoyed it if I'd read it, but not to the extent I did listening to it.

Needless to say, I LOVED his voices for Gus and Casey, they were completely different but complimented each other perfectly, much like the characters.

These characters are definitely what made this book! Gus is so quirky in that deadpan way. I have a soft spot for grumpy characters and Grumpy Gus was definitely my favourite so far. Then there's Casey, sweet stoner Casey. He was just lovely! But these two together were even lovelier!!

I think the downside to this book was it's a bit too long considering nothing happens. I also don't think I found this book as laugh out loud funny as a lot of other people. I was certainly still smiling throughout the whole book and will never hear phrases like ‘what the hell?’ or ‘Oh my God!’ again without hearing Gus.

This book is definitely on the slower side and it was nice to listen to on and off over the course of a week, but I’d definitely recommend it! McClain gets 5 hearts for making me fall so in love with Gus and Casey.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

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