Review: Shifting Currents (Mermen & Magic #4) by L.M. Brown

Can a merman and an Atlantean, separated by centuries and prejudices, find love together?

Merman Delwyn is an Oracle of the past. He loves nothing better than observing the comings and goings of those who lived centuries before he was born. His favourite time period to visit is the days when both Atlantean and mer inhabited the sunken city of Atlantis, and his guilty pleasure is watching lovers come together in passion. Secure in the knowledge that no one can see him when he’s viewing the past, nothing can prepare Delwyn for the moment Fabian, an Atlantean living in the past, speaks to him.

Fabian is a man with divided loyalties. The demi-god son of the Goddess of Sea Creatures has sworn to serve the Goddess of Prophecy as her Oracle of the present. His unique status gives him the power to see anything in the present, including the mysterious merman voyeur from the distant future.

Despite the centuries that separate them, Delwyn and Fabian find they have a lot in common and quickly form a friendship that both hope one day will become something more. But before they can be together in the present, Delwyn and Fabian must unravel the mysteries of the past.

Only time will tell if the truth about the long-since vanished Atlanteans will bring them together or tear them apart, as the battle for the sunken city of Atlantis begins.

Rated 3.9 Hearts

Shifting Currents is the fourth book in the urban fantasy/paranormal series, Mermen & Magic. And though each book features a new couple, they're not standalone. You must read in order.

And finally we get to travel back in time when Atlantis was newly sunk and the Atlanteans and mer lived together in the sunken city. And in Dangerous Waves (#3), oracle of the past, Delwyn was told his love was already in Atlantis. He's searching very hard despite being contained to underwater city and being blind.

The silver fin virgin is the youngest of the oracles an the most romantic. It was apparent in previous books and finally fully blossomed in book #4. Delwyn is attracted to a ginger haired demigod/ oracle of the present, by the name of Fabian. Normally no one can notice Delwyn when he watches the events of the past. Somehow, Fabian does. And he can talk to Delwyn. Both are intrigued with the other. Other than conversation, Fabian and Delwyn couldn't physically touch. Their courtship was very unconventional but nothing will stand in the way for soul mates.

That's right fated mates. (Squee)

For the first half of the book, this was getting close to 5 Hearts for me. The mystery, the mates and their hardship of having many centuries separating them, finally getting to bottom of the Atlantean day. It was a lot of information to go through. And I was very happy.

This series is something like paranormal brain candy. It reminds of reading early Sherrilyn Kenyon from book #1 and it's still consistent to the latest. It's sort of light, sort of simple but the magic works.

Delwyn is endearing because he's this big heart searching for his happy ever after. Fabian is sexual Atlantean and how Delwyn firsts meet Fabian is hot. (Note: Fabian does have sex with another but Delwyn doesn't mind...it already happened. Plus, he has a voyeuristic streak).

We get a lot more action compared to the previous books.

The sea dragons finally get fully explained! We get to read the time when the Atlantean gods were in charge. When the story remains in present day, about 55-60%, the strong set up suffered a little from the slower pace. And the romance takes a backseat, so by the time I got to the end, I thought there was going to be more.

My overall rating is 3.9 Hearts. That's right, I'm rating this 3.9 Hearts. (It could have easily been my favorite of the series, the second half matched the first)

Once the start of the war happens, the action and the pace drags a little. The author makes sure to explain the entire scene, where I felt it could have been summarized a bit. With the romance removed from the driver's seat, the impact wasn't as strong as I think it could've been.

In L.M. Brown's Atlantis and merfolk world, the mer are sexual beings. They have mating seasons which coincide with the two solstices. The mer must have sex and release their triggers or they'll have physical pain the longer they go without. And the mer have different triggers to orgasm, like bottoming or penetration, or spanking.

Delwyn is a virgin in Shifting Currents and hasn't explored sexually. So we the readers never find out other than Delwyn isn't interested in being penetrated. I'm happy the author kept to his feelings and didn't write a gratuitous sex scene. Is there penetrative sex? Between the MC's: no. The sexual scenes are limited.

Due to a little thing about being born at different periods of time and setting up the war between the deities that hate the mer and the allies, the book spends more time on the mystery of that day. The impossibility of the two oracles being together in the same time helped pushed this plot. Though I still have questions about that day. I need a definitive reason why. We get to learn who cared for the Atlanteans and who were against them. But why exactly were they banished? What's up with Mariana's hatred? Where does it stem from?

The author went deeper this time in the wonderful mythological world created. And we learn more about Caspian. I CAN'T WAIT FOR HIS BOOK ALREADY! *cough* So I'm sorta satisfied but I want deeper, more explanation on actions made. #greedy.

Do I recommend this series? Well, I've read the entire series so far and have no plans to get off the Mermen & Magic train - so yes. I think this would work best for readers who don't mind lighter simpler paranormal themes.

Shifting Currents does end with a HEA (not without major sacrifices). I'm curious as to what's in store for the future because Atlantis and the current state felt unfinished.

Tag Team Review: The Highlander (The Order #2) by Kasia Bacon

I, Lochan of the famed Féyes clan, know all about fighting.

As a half-breed Elf, I have struggled against prejudice and feelings of inadequacy.

A recluse by nature, I have battled my aversion to touch and interaction with others.

To become an assassin of The Order, I have learnt to overcome the limitations of my mind and body.

But denying the power Ervyn Morryés holds over me might be the one fight I lose. The truth is—damn it all—the relentless Highlander brings me to my knees.

Note: This novelette is the second in the Order Series, and not a stand-alone installment. Reading THE MUTT is crucial for its full enjoyment.

4.75 Hearts Average!

Sara - 5 Hearts

I fell in love with Lochan of the famed Féyes clan as I met him through the eyes of Dark Elf Ervyn Morryés in The Mutt. But in this, in this instalment from his own voice and being in his head, I am lost in all that is Lochan.

I wasn’t sure where this story would take me, if it would be a retelling of The Mutt from Lochan’s POV or something new and thankfully we get something new.

The Highlander takes place four months after the end of The Mutt with Ervyn and Lochan together as much as they can as they prepare for their service in the elite unit of the Queen’s Army. Lochan is basically an introvert and most of this book – his book – is cerebral and I dug it hard. Lochan has never been one to openly socialize outside of training or let anyone near enough let alone touch him but Ervyn has broken down all his walls and shown him more than he could have hoped for.

I loved how sweet the beginning of this book was. We get Lochan as he is struggling with his insomnia and missing the only thing that allows him to sleep through the night, Ervyn. Ugh. I mean, talk about making me swoon first and fast in the story when I wasn’t quite expecting it. I was ready for the feelings that the first book gave me but Lochan is a man of few words with strong emotions and being in his head was amazing.

At times, he felt, smelt and tasted like my fate. At others—my biggest mistake. I remained indecisive about whether I loved or despised that he reached for me as though he had the right, and that I complied with fervour.

I loved Ervyn as Lochan sees him and I am a sucker for endearments so when Lochan finally gets the meaning of Mu’hrōnye, I turned into a big puddle of goo.

But for all the swooning and new editions of hurt/comfort we get in this book, we get a level of angst as Lochan prepares for his future away from Evryn. The last line of The Mutt blew me away and I kinda forgot that Lochan wasn’t hip to the change in career Evryn had made to be with him and seeing Lochan fret about his feelings was heartbreaking. Lochan wants a life with Evryn but decides to distance himself from his Dark Elf so he doesn’t hurt more than he is already but these two, they are fated and thank goodness this ended how it did.

The Highlander was amazing, these two are stunning and I cannot wait to get further into the series. Kasia Bacon has created a beautifully intriguing world of The Order that has sucked me for one hell of a ride and I am strapped in and ready to go.

SheReadsALot - 4.5 Hearts

Whatever pathetic, alarming anticipation had awoken in me, Ervyn Morryés was the only one to quench it.
And even if it couldn't go anywhere, it'd become apparent that, simply, no one else would do.

After reading The Highlander (The Order #2) by Kasia Bacon, I stared in the air for a minute or two. For a short story, there was insight and emotion all through out the short story and I felt it.

Oh did I feel it.

I'll try my best to get my thoughts out, they're all jumbled still.

It is best to read The Mutt first and continue this series in order to get the maximum effect. In The Mutt, the story from the POV of Highlander elf archer, Ervyn. He is fascinated with half breed (elf/human) Lochan. They're training to be assassins in Queen's army. He claims his loner Mutt, much to Lochan's chargin.

And in The Highlander, the story is four months later and Lochan's POV this time around. The two assassins in training are a couple? I put a question because Ervyn was steadfast in his feelings for Lochan from The Mutt and they never faltered. Lochan on the other hand, he's a loner and socially awkward, introverted and not used to...feelings.

Ervyn is so confident and Lochan is woefully not, that it takes time for him to realize that Ervyn isn't a one-off. That the need that aches inside for the other man means something. And he does this while training to join the elite assassin section of the Elf army. He has so much to prove since his kind is looked down on and Ervyn makes him want, makes him crave.

Why Ervyn?
Because the first time he forced a kiss on a me, I came alive? Because he laughed at the things I said? Touched me with such greed, as if he could never get enough? Looked at me rapt with wonder when I trembled in his arms, lost somewhere between ecstasy and sheer horror at the strength of the longing he inspired in me?

The story is jam packed with emotions. Being inside the snarky, quiet mind of Lochan is a great read. We get to learn more of Lochan's background and his harder upbringing. We get to learn more about the world the author crated (thank you for creating the glossary- it helped LOTS)

The quiet ones always get me every time. The lengths you can go when given a character like Lochan in the right hands can be magical.

"You're in love with him."
No. Yes. Am I? Mighty gods and fuck.
I nodded. That admission surprised, depressed and exhilarated me all at once.

I'm not going to complain much about the length. The writing continues to be tight, no typos, shows a lot without telling. Though it is a brief slice into what I hope will be a full story, the writing conveys important moments: the moment when you realize you're in love, when you have to change from 'just me' to a 'we'. That's my jam. There is some action as well at the elf camp and a little hiccup presented for the new lovers, but nothing too crazy.

The Highlander is also a little sexier this time around.

"I keep dreaming about your lips," he whispered.
"You'll be spending a long time on your knees tonight."

The smut lover in me continues to hope there will be a wonderful scene where the possessiveness and handsi-ness will get to fully run its course. Those two will melt bedsheets I tell ya! A little more erotic in detail *coughs*frottage score*coughs* than the last book.

I'm waffling on how to rate this, it's between 4 -5 Hearts. In a way it is stronger than The Mutt, but I think it is due to the reader getting to delve a little deeper in the arc of what I hope is something epic. The story seemed to be laying a foundation of something to come. I just wonder what it is. I was hoping a little for possible second chance romance in the future from where I thought the author was going. Also, that hiccup I mentioned? It was resolved very quickly. I don't know if groveling is necessary, but something about the way it was brushed aside and not mention again by the end is the only thing that sticks in my craw.

Overall, a great follow up. I'm a fan of this world and glad to see the consistency from The Mutt continued. And now that we're deeper into the Order world this author created, the book covers take a whole new light.

Recommended for fantasy lovers

Don't miss The Highlander giveaway HERE !

Audiobook Review: Two Cowboys and a Baby by BA Tortuga

A little bundle of joy means big changes.

Hoss McMasters has a working ranch, a bull riding career, a nosy momma, and a best friend he’s been in love with since he can remember. He’s a busy, happy cowboy, living the good life.

Then one morning he discovers a baby on his doorstep.

Well, Hoss does what any reasonable man would do—he calls his momma and his buddy, Sheriff Pooter, and they head to the clinic to see if Doc knows of any suddenly not-so-pregnant girls.

In the meantime, Hoss and his best friend, Bradley, have their hands full trying to care for an infant, run a ranch, and deal with the sudden confession that Bradley doesn’t hate Hoss for coming out to him in high school. In fact, Bradley’s been trying to catch Hoss’s attention for damn near a decade.

Listening Length: 5 hours and 51 minutes
Narrator: Dorian Bane

Reviewer: R *A Reader Obsessed*


3.5 Yee Haw Hearts!

This story right here probably best represents what the Dreamspun Desires series is all about, with a surefire, enjoyable experience regarding all things cowboy!

As per the blurb, Bradley has been secretly in love with his best friend Hoss for forever, feeling a not so small shame for having reacted badly when Hoss first came out. At that time, he just couldn’t reconcile his own confusing feelings and pushed Hoss away. However, these two eventually made up and have been close ever since. Hoss in turn, secretly loves Bradley back but keeps their friendship on the level, believing Bradley's straight and unobtainable.

So how does Bradley and Hoss get over themselves and confess their lurve?? Well, fortuitous happenstance drops a baby onto Hoss’s doorstep, which is the perfect, needed impetus to bring these two together. What starts out as ranch-hand-Bradley helping rodeo-lovin-Hoss keep his head above water (while they try to find the sweet girl’s mama) evolves into them meshing their lives more than ever. What a fantastic boon to realize how well they fit in all things work, play, and domesticity. Of course, it’s only a matter of time before the baby’s charm starts to work on both men, leading them to want things they never imagined and reveal desires believed to remain forever buried.

There’s just a teeny tiny wrench - actually a big misunderstanding - and their happily ever after is a bit delayed. Never fear though. Through it all, the OTT country twang to this was just so fun, silly, and heartwarming, making the aforementioned snafu easily forgivable.

Narrated by Dorian Bane, this was my second foray into him doing a Dreamspun Desires story. Though I’m still not completely sold on Bane specifically, the strong southern touch he brings to the various characters really added to the entertainment value of this little gem. Overall, quite low on the steam but high on the good feels, this was definitely a win for the series!

Thanks to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for an honest review.

See our tag team review of the eBook title HERE!

Review: Kissing Lessons (Before... and After #2) by Susan Laine

A kiss is just a kiss. It doesn’t have to mean anything. Does it?

At seventeen, Merry’s never been kissed. Since he doesn’t want to disappoint his prom date, he asks his more experienced best friend, Boone, for some pointers. Surprisingly, Boone agrees to give him a hands-on lesson.

But they have no idea what they’re getting into.

They explore hundreds of ways to make out, but somehow it isn’t enough. A week later, they’re back together for another session. This time things go further than either of them planned, and their relationship becomes awkward and uncomfortable.

Have they learned enough to salvage their friendship and help it evolve? Their lessons have come to an end. They can either part ways forever… or share a true love’s kiss.

This story goes to show you don’t need full on penetrative sex to make a story romantic nor sexy. This was so ridiculously sexy and it was just kissing… everywhere.

Good lord. I have to say that the blurb made me want this because I am a huge sucker for friends to lover’s stories and asking your BFF to teach you how to kiss and then both of you absolutely getting into it? Sign me up. You see, one of my favorite friends to lovers’ stories comes from the God of Teen Angst Drama, John Hughes and his film, Some Kind of Wonderful.  Watts and Keith are best friends and Watts has had an unrequited crush on Keith for like FOREVER. When Keith finally gets a date with his dream girl Amanda Jones, Watts tells him she’ll let him practice on her so he can deliver a kiss that kills and that first kiss, how they start of tentative and then that grip of Keith’s on Watt’s hip… so freaking sexy. So yeah, this story was right up my lane of favorites and it did not disappoint.

One might think at the beginning of the story it’s odd to have Merry ask Boone to show him how to kiss and that Boone agrees without much hesitation. But, I will let you in a little secret so that you don’t think it’s so way out of left field...Boone has done this before. I’ll leave it at that and not go into more of a spoiler but this isn’t so “OMG! Why would two straight boys do this?” whereas it’s more of two friends feeling safe and secure enough to trust the other with something so vulnerable and intimate.

After saying all that I am going to say this is one hell of a hot story and yeah, I will stand by that even knowing Boone and Merry are only 17. Research will get you everywhere and it’s clear that Boone has researched all there is about kissing and the numerous ways to kiss. Most of the kisses I knew by name and most were adorable to start off with because how cute was the Eskimo and Butterfly kiss? I am one who liked Boone detailed instructions and naming of each kiss, it gave the reader and the boys a second to pause for station identification and move on to the next breathless lesson.

Getting both boys POV’s was so nice as with stories like this, it’s beneficial for me to know everyone's headspace. I loved being in both Boone and Merry’s head while they kissed and while they questioned this new attraction and love for their best friend.

This was deliciously sweet and sexy. I probably shouldn’t have read it at my desk as my blush is obvious on my fair skin but I couldn’t have stopped reading if I tried and I didn't try.  Boone and Merry have had their whole lives as best friends and now a simple question has led them down to road to more and I really hope they plant roots in a town called forever because yeah, they are that sticky sweet together.

Laine’s Before and After series is becoming one that I am looking forward to and can’t wait to see if the author offers up more stories and where she takes the next hopefully pair of best friends to lovers.

Tag Team Review: Breaking the Ice by Tali Spencer

For Matt Wasko, February in Wisconsin is the best time of the year, and ice fishing on Lake Winnebago is his idea of heaven. With shanty villages cropping up, barbeques on the ice, monster sturgeon to spear, and plenty of booze to keep everybody warm, things couldn’t be better — until a surprise storm hits and an uninvited guest shows up at his frozen doorstep.

Matt’s not happy to see John Lutz, a coworker who cracks lame gay jokes at Matt’s expense. But John’s flimsy new ice shelter got blown across the lake, and it wouldn’t be right to leave even a jerk outside to freeze. Would it?

In the close quarters of Matt’s fabulous ice shanty, between stripping off wet clothes, misadventures with bait, and a fighting trophy-sized walleye, the two men discover creative ways to keep the cold at bay. And when John confesses his long-running attraction, Matt must decide if he can believe in John’s change of heart — and crack the ice for a chance at finding love.

Averaged!

Sara - 4.5 Hearts

I have the biggest soft spot for boys in the closet. The deeper they are they softer I get. I also love a good enemies to lover’s story and this gave me both! Oh boy, my soft spot is a puddle of goo for John Lutz and I fell this story.

This was adorable. Sure, it’s short and things move fast and some things are told more than shown but I loved it. I adored Matt and would so bowl on his team. I loved his dedication to Sturgeon fishing even though I wouldn’t want to be a part of it. His dedication to ice fishing is also his loyalty to his family and mainly to his grandfather. It’s tradition and it’s in his bones so of course it would be the only thing John could use to really get Matt’s attention, right?

My poor sweet John. I will tell you now, when you meet him try not to judge him. I admit that I started too but I know all too well the ones who protests or is the loudest jerk about something usually has the most to hide and John is so hidden, you can’t see him. I felt for John, reading his reasons as to why he blends in with the crowd and tries to be one of the guys. He does it for self-preservation but when it interferes with his chance with someone he is romantically interested in, he decides to do the right thing and change his ways. OMG! John is so adorably awkward with his attempts to get Matt’s attention. I won’t spoil what he does but it was cringe worthy but swoony in only the way a romance can truly be. John lays it all out there in so many ways that Matt can’t help but be charmed even if he is cautious.

Matt is an amazing out and proud character. From knowing his past and how he made it to Wisconsin to how he learned how to fish and really handle himself, it’s no wonder John is drawn like a moth to a flame. On the surface, these two couldn’t be more opposite yet in their hearts, they are perfect for one another. I was truly happy that Matt not only decided to open his shanty to a freezing John but open his mind to John’s behavior and his heart to what John offered.

The community built within this romance was a pure joy to read. I loved the ice fishing folk along with everyone we meet at the local bars etc. The community was strong enough to believe that Matt and John would not only be accepted but revered as powerhouse couple in every way.

The story was sticky sweet and I ate it up just like I would a big ass stick full of cotton candy. Sure, I wanted more than what I got but that’s a nod to the author creating characters that I couldn’t get enough of. I would have loved a longer story with Matt and John and really seen the development of John coming out and how they handled the relationship as it evolved but I am stupidly happy with
what I got at the same time so content I shall be.

SheReadsALot - 3.5 Hearts

Ice Fishing.

I knew of it, but this book is definitely an ode to the sport.

Let me tell you something. I'm the least sports appreciating person you might meet. And sadly, I'm surrounded by the sports people. My BFF is a fisherwoman. Like she takes joy in sitting around with live bait and catching fish any free time she can. Do I join her? Fuck no! I tune out the moment she mentions bait. So I took my fishing non-love to this book, it seems.

This book is a lot about the appreciation and dedication of the sport in a icy tundra of a Wisconsin town. That's the major selling point of this book.

Matt Wasko is small, college educated, out and proud, grandson of a revered family in his small town and works an office job in a factory. His co-workers and Matt bowl together and against each other on two teams. And other the other team is Matt's love interest, John Lutz. Lutz's team has a bunch of homophobic jerks and Lutz does nothing to shut those guys up. He joins in the lame jokes or laughs.

Matt can't stand them especially that good looking Lutz. Thankfully, he had a two week vacation away from the job and with his beloved frozen lake Winnebago. When Lutz shows up to his icy piece of heaven, it seems like Matt can't catch a break.

At the core of things, Matt is a good guy. And he can't be an asshole to anyone... even his nemesis. The thing is John isn't a bad guy, he makes poor choices and follows the crowd, so no one knows how deep he's in the closet.

The two make nice on the ice and discover shared geeky interests. But they also are attracted to each other. The romance part was cute. I thought the epilogue was a bit soon just because we don't get to spend as much time with the couple as we did with Matt. There is some hotness dropped in there. *coughs*intercrural *coughs*rimming *coughs*

The guys were cute. Lutz pulls his head out of his ass. Wasko was adorably snarky. I liked them (okay, I liked Wasko a little more) But the klutzy wooing was cute. Thank goodness, we get dual POV.

Overall, the love story is the love of Wisconsin. Never been to the state, but it read authentic.

And who doesn't love unicorn name dropping?

Recommended to readers who enjoy the ice fishing sport (or want to learn as this is chock full of info).

Tag Team Review: Tall, Dark, and Deported by Bru Baker

Crossing the border into love.

Snap decisions and misguided ideas bring Portuguese national Mateus Fontes and businessman Crawford Hargrave together at the Canadian border crossing.

Mateus is caught in a catch-22. With his almost-expired tourist visa, entrance to Canada is denied, but the US won’t let him back in either. Crawford thinks he’s solved things when he tells the border agent they’re engaged, and it works—except now they have to actually get married before either of them can get back into the United States. But Crawford has been burned by marriage once, and he’s determined not to make that mistake again.

Neither of them expects real feelings to bloom out of their fake marriage, but they do. And the two of them have to learn how to be honest with each other to make things work, which is especially hard when their entire marriage is based on lies.

4.75 Heart avg!

Sara - 5 Hearts

This book right here is what I love about romance and why I am hooked on the Dreamspun series. I adored this story, my first from the author and I am writing this with a perma grin on my face because I can’t stop smiling. Goodness. This was delicious!

Crawford Hargrave is a serious man. He’s serious about his job, his family and about being as far away from his cheating ex-husband, Davis that he possibly can be. But when his boss assigns Crawford to do an audit on a flagship hotel in Canada and to work with Davis, Crawford has to agree or lose his job. He hates the fact that he will be there for at least two weeks working with Davis and also that he will be away from his brother Adam and his nephew Brandon whom he is close with. When Adam drops a bomb on Crawford right before he leaves, Crawford heads into his assignment with basically, nothing to lose.

Mateus Fontes is a family man, a man who though has a degree in Botany and his own vineyard back in Portugal has been working on his brother’s orchard in Washington on a tourist visa and plans to trick the immigration system so he can stay longer. Mateus’ brother and sister in law love him staying and don’t want him to get in trouble with the law but he assures them, a simple trip to Vancouver and back to Seattle in a day will reset his tourist visa and give them time to ready the orchard properly so they can hire Mateus. With nothing for him in Portugal and a life ahead of him in Washington, he heads to the airport for his round trip with nothing holding him back.

Told from the dual POV of our MC’s the men meet as their shared flight to Vancouver is delayed and then canceled. Over coffee and pretzels, the men begin to get to know one another and on a whim, Crawford suggests they rent a car and drive up to Vancouver so that they can get Mateus to his flight on time and kill a few birds on the trip while showing Mateus a few touristy spots he’s never seen.

Oh. Em. Gee. But this was freaking adorable. I am such a sucker for the fake marriage trope and when the men reach the border to Canada and the whole “Actually, we are engaged” deal happened I was giddy. When they men find out that they have to get married right away, I was stupidly happy and then, when they learn Mateus cannot return to the United States without Crawford meaning they would have to spend Crawford’s work trip together, at the hotel, pretending to be married, I was falling off my chair because my knees were weak with all that was gonna happen.

To say this romance is a slow burn is putting it lightly but it burns with such an undertone of sensuality and UST that I would allow myself to be burned by it repeatedly.

Crawford and Mateus have an instant connection and amazing chemistry that their relationship from marriage to crush to friendship and more, came off the page with such emotions that I spend at least the last 50% of the book with my hand to my chest, sighing with tears in my eyes. These two want so much but with a relationship, a marriage based on a lie they tread the waters of want so carefully as to not take advantage of one another. But I kept telling them it was okay, go on and do it because we all want it to happen. Yes, I was that involved in the story that my opinion mattered regardless if the newlyweds were aware of it on the page. *shrugs*

Goodness but this was so good. It was gooey in the right places with the perfect amount of jealousy sprinkled in to allow the men to get possessive. Mateus and how he deals with Davis were a pure joy to read and Crawford’s natural and spontaneous instinct when it comes to Mateus is swoon worthy. Even though there are road bumps these men face along the way, they come to a wonderful conclusion and connection that had me in happy tears at my desk.

That end? Perfect and swoon worthy and just cinematic and so damn romantic.

Yup, this one was so good and I am so happy I read it.

Let me go attempt to wipe this grin off my face now.

SheReadsALot - 4.5 Hearts

And now I have another book to add to my top favorites Dreamspun Desires list!

I've been fluffed. Pour it all over my face, baby. Just watch me melt.

Mateus is a Portuguese botanist who is staying with his brother and pregnant sister-in-law on their orchard in Washington state. Mateus is helping with his family's failing orchard and wants to stay in America. Unfortunately, he has an expiring tourist visa and searched online for a scheme to stay in the country: go to Canada, get his visa stamped and reset and return to America for another 3 months. Sounds too good to be true?

It's because it is.

Luckily, older stoic boutique hotel auditor/ businessman Crawford is being forced to Canada for work. His boss is sending him to the chain's failing Vancouver hotel for the next two weeks... along with Crawford's ex-husband. The bitter divorce happened three years ago and he's still jaded from his cheating ex. He doesn't believe love exists.

Thanks to a plane delay in Seattle, love weary Crawford meets Mateus and the connection is imminent. They strike up a conversation and are just vibing off each other over Auntie Anne's pretzel nuggets out of all things. The delay becomes a cancelled flight and the new acquaintances are thrown together through a series of events. And events get crazier as an impromptu drive to the Canadian border becomes Mateus not being able to cross either side of the border.

Ring a ling ling, did someone call a knight in shining armor?

Crawford obviously heard the call and he rescues Mateus.

Older, jaded hero meets younger loyal family man who just wants to stay and help the orchard...

And then a fake marriage trope is added to help save the day.

Those tropes were a cracky fluff jackpot and I... ate... it... up!

Bru Baker wrote fleshed out main characters in Crawford and Mateus. She built a solid foundation by showcasing a glimpse of their daily lives. Crawford is a point where he's not exactly happy, his only family connection a brother and nephew he helped raise are going to move away. So there is nothing really holding him in Los Angeles. And Mateus wants to leave Portugal to help out with his only sibling's growing family. All the characters read like real people.

The cracky fluff button was engaged once the fake marriage to get a visa to stay in the USA came up. But reading how Crawford is, it worked. The two get married and thankfully the author showed the real side of marrying an immigrant...it's not as easy as they originally thought. The couple stays in Canada for two weeks due to Crawford's job. And we even get to experience his ex-husband, a good antagonist that didn't overtake the plot with obscene dramatics.

The bread and butter of the story is the undeniable, easy connection Crawford and Mateus have. The attraction is there and it's a slow burn. Crawford being a knight in shining armor tries to be noble and a gentleman. His heart is iced in the middle... good thing Mateus knows to make him melt.

There is only one sexy moment throughout the entire story. But the sexual tension was written strongly and was well paced. I lived for each kiss. Were there times that I wanted to knock Crawford in the back of the head? Yep... he's a stubborn one. And has bad Tim Hortons judgement. (I'm still trying not to hold it against him) Other than that, he's a dream guy, as is Mateus.

The story is split between Vancouver and Washington. And even when apart, they're still connected. And when the sexual tension finally comes to a melting point. Let's just say it was a swoon worthy moment.

And the last 5% of the story?

So damn romantic, I want to get drunk off the cracky fluff. *swoons* *gulps*

Recommended for fans of the Dreamspun Desires line, this is definitely not one to skip. Crawford and Mateus as a couple left a lasting impression from the Dreamspun Desires leading men I've read so far.

Not my first time reading this author, but I enjoy the way she writes her characters a lot. And if you're a fan of any of the tropes I mentioned, get ready for quality cracky fluff.

What a sweet treat!

Find on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

See our audiobook review HERE!

Review: King of the Sea by Nathan Bay

Plunge into the icy dark waters of the San Francisco bay with this gay erotic tale of murder, mutiny, and mermen.

Carlos Santiago is a man on the edge of sanity. After battling cancer, he's developed an obsession with death, fearful that it's lurking behind every shadow, waiting to steal his last breath. Then a sexy encounter with an alluring merman turns his world upside down and gives him new hope for the future.

But escaping his former boyfriend, Dr. Tyson Thorne, won't be so easy. When Carlos discovers shocking medical experiments were taking place behind his back, he embarks on a race against time to unlock the mystery of the doctor's secrets before he gets caught.

With danger threatening him at every turn, can Carlos escape the hands of death a second time? And can he trust his new merman love interest when everyone around him seems to be hiding a dark secret? Find out in King of the Sea, a tantalizing gay science fiction fantasy by Nathan Bay.

New author Nathan Bay's novella, King of the Sea, is a story with a lot of elements. Set in San Francisco, 28 year-old Carlos Santiago has survived. His testicular cancer is in remission. But his body wears the scars from the battle. He has a single testicle. The scars from the surgery is wreaking havoc on his body including his pleasure for sex. His older lover, obstetrician Tyson, has been distant and not helpful during his recovery. And he finally has had enough. On their one year anniversary, Carlos made a decision to leave his lover. Saying final goodbye to the lavish lifestyle Dr. Tyson afforded him, Carlos goes to a rocky ridge by the sea that night. High on Oxycodone, he plans what he'll do in his future and what he will tell Tyson but he sees a hand in the water to greet him.

Was he hallucinating? He leans further to inspect and falls in.

He's saved by Ross, the iPad watching merman with healing capabilities. After the first chapter the story suffers from first-book-itis: too many ideas, not executed to the best ability aka SQUIRREL!

So much SQUIRREL! that I don't know why half of the things happened in this story. But it did.

The merman with no actual name calls himself Ross from his favorite Friends TV character. How he came to be able to watch an iPad and keep it charged is answered. But the story goes to wonky really quick as it progresses. Carlos and Ross share an intimate encounter. Carlos is energized to end things but then he goes to his home and sneaks into his lover's locked guest house on their estate. There he meets an even weirder secret.

It went to a weird experiment suspense yet very hokey twist.

Carlos meets a prisoner who doesn't want to be saved. Then proceeds to go to Folsom Street to have a little public sex in a seedy leather bar to declare he's back on the market.

Why did the spot of BDSM get added in when it was unnecessary? *shrugs*

There was a sexy dick contest and a sex sling but the moment is aborted because of telepathy. Then we have a suicide attempt that becomes accidental. Royalty that should have been introduced from the first introduction. A mystery that wasn't as interesting because of drugging and any interesting action happening off page. It was a lot.

This book needed a better edit, especially content wise. There were too many ideas to get a grasp. I think it if was simpler, let the hint of romance develop a little more solidly with just interactions primarily between Ross and Carlos, since it ends with a romantic-ish finish, the story would have made a better impact for me.

It was SQUIRRELLY to the point where you could read each point the author had a new idea to throw in. Some really cool ideas (genetically enhanced mermen, global warming and its effects) that in swirled in with throwaway ideas (suspense, self sacrificing MC, BDSM scenes, drug abuse). It wasn't added in smooth enough, which made for a lackluster, disjointed read.

The blurb states it was dark, I don't think it was. It was more corny than anything. The jokes were flat. The mystery could have been more interesting but SQUIRREL! The unanswered questions kind of bothered me such as if Ross is super important yadda yadda...why let him roam free in the sea unchecked? *shrugs* Diagnosis: first-book-itis

Having a cancer survivor who seemed to be on the search on finding himself in life was a good concept. He finally was starting to realize what he wanted in life. The SQUIRREL just got in the way. I kinda wished the vibe from the first chapter continued, it was more serious, more focused.

So in closing...

SQUIRREL!

Find on Goodreads!

Tag Team Review: Two Cowboys and a Baby by B.A. Tortuga

A little bundle of joy means big changes.

Hoss McMasters has a working ranch, a bull riding career, a nosy momma, and a best friend he’s been in love with since he can remember. He’s a busy, happy cowboy, living the good life.

Then one morning he discovers a baby on his doorstep.

Well, Hoss does what any reasonable man would do—he calls his momma and his buddy, Sheriff Pooter, and they head to the clinic to see if Doc knows of any suddenly not-so-pregnant girls.

In the meantime, Hoss and his best friend, Bradley, have their hands full trying to care for an infant, run a ranch, and deal with the sudden confession that Bradley doesn’t hate Hoss for coming out to him in high school. In fact, Bradley’s been trying to catch Hoss’s attention for damn near a decade.

Averaged!

Sara - 4 Hearts

This was ridiculously cowboy and ridiculously adorable. The Dreamspun Desire series is such a pleasure for me to read and I love it but we know that, right?

I love a good friends to lovers story and I fall hard with unrequited love. I blame my own unrequited loves for that and well, John Hughes as well. But I adore it when the love is finally realized and everyone is happy. Of course, you have to go through a few things to get to the HEA and this book has some over the top doozies to overcome.

The book starts off so darned funny. You have Hoss McMasters who opens his door as he is trying to make his beloved coffee to start his day on his ranch when his awesome dog Joanie alerts him to something at the door. That something happens to be an almost brand new baby girl someone has left and the hoops Hoss starts jumping through for this baby were laugh out loud funny. I knew from the first chapter this book was gonna be fun because I couldn’t stop smiling.
And then I turned the page to the next chapter and got Bradley’s POV.

You see, have this dumb thing that I do from time to time. I start a book and forget who the MC’s of the story are and I did that here. Yeah, the blurb tells me it’s Hoss and Bradley but my brain had Sheriff Pooter as the love interest and thank goodness I was wrong on that point because I loved the holy hell out of Bradley.

Anyway.

Bradley has been in love with his best friend Hoss since high school but when Hoss came out to Bradley, he handled it all sorts of wrong and made Hoss think it bothered him. What bothered Bradley was he liked his best friend, was in love him at that young age and had no idea how to deal with it. All Bradley knew was that he needed Hoss in his life and he would take him anyway he could get him.

Hoss, well he’s been having a love your best friend deal for about the same time but always thought that Bradley was straight since he went and got a girlfriend after Hoss came out to his best friend. Little did both of them know, they love they shared wasn’t as unrequited as they thought, it just wasn’t communicated.

Back to the baby on the doorstep.

With the help of his Momma, Hoss gets the baby to Doc Simpson to see if he recognizes her or knows of some girl who recently gave birth. They come up empty handed and Sheriff Pooter and the Doc decide the best thing for the baby is to stay with Momma McMaster until they find who dropped her off. But things happen with Momma McMaster and she brings the little girl to Hoss to take care of and Hoss can’t do it alone so who does he call? His BFF Bradley, of course. The boys end up taking in and taking care of the baby and it was plain fun to see them learn the difference between livestock and a human. Trust me, it’s cute. Leave it to a little bit of a girl to bring these two cowboys together and to their knees with love. It was so much fun to watch Hoss and Bradley being wrapped around the tiny infant finger of the pretty girl who really didn’t do anything but exist. I loved their first trip to WalMart to get all the things the baby would need and I loved how they shared the duties of a baby together and really worked together as a team. The longer Pooter needed them to take care of her when he can’t find the birth mom, the more the men fall for her and begin to open up to each other about their feelings.

It’s funny that I called the author's first Dreamspun Desire title “two cowboys and a baby”, when this book puts the two cowboys and their baby through a Trial by Fire. The men run into a few issues dealing with the little bit of a girl and the little bit of trust with one another that lends to a bit of angst in their romance. It wasn’t bad and the fluff is back fast but it’s enough to put a strain on the happy little wanna be family.

I loved Momma McMaster and her no cussing rule until she lets a few fly herself. Pooter was reliable for ribbing the boys as they have been friends since childhood. The few family members of Bradley’s were amazingly supportive and well… the dude we meet at the end who has a special buddy was a twist I was not expecting.

At the end of it all, this was adorable fluffy and fun. The friends to lovers romance was super cute and laced with enough emotion that a first kiss has me sighing with my hand on my chest. Hoss and Bradley have a tough go of their new found love but they work well together and seem to meet at the same finish line with their feelings. Their love for one another and for a little bit of a baby girl stole my heart and made this another great read from the series.


SheReadsALot - 3.5 Hearts

"Wings?"
"Only if they don't make you poot. Buffalo sauce poots make the baby Jesus cry."
"Well sure, nothing rules out ass-fucking like buffalo poots. 'Cept maybe Taco Bell."

Expect pure friends to lovers cowboy fluff and laughs with Two Cowboys and a Baby by BA Tortuga.

With a baby on the doorstep trope thrown on top!

No babies were harmed. Promise.

Set in Texas, this book features a little bull rider/cowboy with the nickname of Hoss (his real name is Wyatt Earp!) and his childhood best bud/digger/cowboy, Bradley. See Hoss is out of the closet and is painfully in love with straight best friend, even after his friend stopped talking to him after coming out to Bradley. After that year in high school, the two continued to go back to the way things were: being best friends.

Thing is all the time Hoss has pined for Bradley, if he looked a little closer, he might have noticed the same looks from Bradley.

Unrequited love fans out there? It's all fluffed out in the latest addition in the Dreamspun Desires line.

Giddy up the fluff!

The unrequited love with my straight best friend angle gets help from the unwanted baby plot. While the two cowboys share like feelings, they're two clueless to do anything about it. Thankfully, the little blonde baby girl on Hoss' doorstep helps bring them together.

The girl's mother just leaves her and Joanie, the adorable pet of Hoss, alerts her owner of the little bundle. Reading Hoss come to grips with his life changing as he knows it once the little girl arrives is hilarious. Hoss is a simple man whose only contact with babies are with baby farm animals.

So not the same.

But too funny.

Bradley, Hoss's #1, comes to the rescue as the two try to hunt down the little baby's birth mother. With the the help of the small town's Sheriff Pooter (I kid you not), Doc and Hoss's Momma and a whole slew of hilarious side characters. The country twang just oozes through this book's pores. I found myself charmed with it.

The romance doesn't happen immediately. And I definitely got the sense of the cowboys shared lives prior to the baby.

They sat together, arm to arm, not looking at each other. Then B reached out, twining their fingers together, holding on like they'd done this a thousand times.

Reading them slowly become a unit with the baby who Hoss didn't originally want, but now needs, is the magic for this title.

"Is this the way it normally happens with two guys, Hoss?"
"I'm usually the handjob in the barn type of guy, B. I've never been the type to be on love, so I don't know."
"I've been in love with you since high school. I don't know how the handjob in the barn even works."

It's not a smooth sailing; there is a big misunderstanding that provides a solid speed bump on their path to love. But the baby is the glue to making Hoss and Bradley stick.

And then there is the mega plot twist that took into into OTT-ville. Seriously, couldn't believe half of that happening in real life.

Thank goodness it's fiction, huh?

The crazy that gets twisted in, made for a fun read. Plus, it's why the Dreamspun line works for me. It's a good time that doesn't take itself too seriously while delivery cracky sweet romance.

The story isn't without minor issues but overall, the good outweighed the bad. It wasn't a life changing read, just something you can unplug your brain with.

Obligatory yeehaw!

Find on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Don't miss the Two Cowboys and a Baby blog tour stop here

Review: Strip Shot: The Prequel to Behind the Velvet Curtain by Matt Converse

We've all seen strippers up on stage. Did you ever wonder how they got there? The answer might surprise you.

Michael is a scrawny kid from Ohio who moves to San Francisco with his boyfriend Kenny. He loves everything about the city, except the guy he's with. When things turn ugly, how will he escape and how will he survive on his own, completely alone in the big city?

Along the way, he meets an eccentric cast of characters in his own personal Oz. An unlikely and not so yellow brick road with unexpected twists and turns lead him to the stage, but what will he find when he gets there? Will he have what it takes to make it as a stripper? Sometimes, you only get one shot.

Twenty-One year old Michael has always known he was destined to move away from his sleepy Ohio town and go somewhere exciting. With his boyfriend Kenny, they take off to San Francisco, California, and Michael feels like this is exactly where he was supposed to be.

Settling into his new environment proves to be a work in progress, but he meets some great people who help him come out of his shell, and forge his path to becoming a stripper.

One of the most notable parts of this story for me, is Michael’s sexuality, and his preferences regarding sex with men. I really appreciated that Michael had very clear feelings about penetrative sex, and this was demonstrated in both his interactions with men, and his own internal musings. Most, if not all, the gay erotic stories I’ve read over the last two years, have revolved around anal penetration, and I was really pleased that Michael’s preference for oral sex only, was made clear from the beginning, and remained consistent throughout the story. It was a refreshing reminder that not all people enjoy penetration, either receiving or giving, and that sex can be just as fun and sexy without it.

Michael’s confidence was really nice. He was comfortable in his own skin, and appeared to thrive in his environment once he settled into the city. There wasn’t really a chance to find out how he was in Ohio because the story begins as he and Kenny are leaving the State, and heading towards their goal of San Francisco. All I had to go on was his memory of events and how stifling he believed them to be. I would have liked to know more about how his behaviour was different in Ohio than it was in California.

Some of the scenes in this story didn’t quite fit into the overall plot, and I wasn’t particularly engaged in those parts of the story. Michael’s dreams didn’t interest me, and I would have preferred not to read about them. I do think the author has a knack for writing some creepy shit, but I think that would have served better not to be included in this story. It didn’t seem to take the plot anywhere that I could see, and became distracting, with no clear overall message.

This story needs a thorough edit. Some parts of Michael’s internal dialogue was repetitive, and unnecessary. I think a full edit and polish would do this story a lot of good. Another thing that was missing was the engaging of all senses. It would have created a more three-dimensional experience.

I liked Michael’s journey, and I thought some tightening of the storyline would have made him a less scattered character. His thoughts seemed to jump around alot, and it took a lot longer to get to the point of the monologues. I enjoyed the direction of the story, and the reason for Michael choosing the job he did. His confidence and easy-going nature made him a nice character to follow.

I was disappointed in the flippant and dismissive nature with the complex issue of domestic violence. I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to reflect Michael’s naivety about this issue, but it certainly did showcase how young and sheltered he was, even within the freedoms and growing potential provided by San Francisco. It was a major sticking point for me, and I’ve been rattled by it for a few days.

Overall this story had potential, and was interesting. I liked Michael’s character, and his journey to a big city. I would take a chance on the author in future, as his skills in writing develop, because the subject matter overall is something I am interested in reading more about. With the small horror element added in via Michael’s dreams, I can see this author doing really well in that genre, once the writing is tightened up.

A review copy was provided by the author for an honest review

Find on Goodreads!

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9JPYQU